Monday, December 19, 2011

New Word: Cacostocracy

An acquaintance asked me if I could beat a forwarded definition of an ineptocracy. It wasn't bad, but I don't give the crooks and traitors in charge of the White House and Senate enough credit to call them merely inept.

Coincidentally, I was thinking about my own word, cacostocracy, that morning while listening to Whistle-blower Wednesday during KSFO's morning commute show. I guess it's about time I defined it.

cacostocracy (cack'-o-stock'-ruh-see), from Gk. kakos "bad, evil":

A political process of putrefaction in which pernicious politicians


  • for personal empowerment, pursue profane payments proffered by the powerful for propitious and partial treatment, and
  • pawn profitable persons' futures to finance the favor of degraded, desperate, and dumbed-down demographics, thereby
  • protecting prolonged, perverted "progress"

    • - by proliferating the pampered,
    • - by planting pestiferous policies to oppress productive people, and
    • - by paring proletarian producers into dispossessed, dis-empowered, dependent peasants.

    Wednesday, October 05, 2011

    Review: Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World by Dr. David Jeremiah

    "Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World" is not really a book about living in the end times. While Dr. David Jeremiah discusses the "chaos" of modern times, as well as Christ's return plenty, his book comes across more as a book on living out the Christian faith — a how-to book, you might say. But Jeremiah goes much deeper than your typical how-to book, providing thought-provoking truths and using Scripture to remind readers of what it means to be a Christian.

    Jeremiah asserts that, although the world may seem chaotic, Christians should stay calm, show compassion and love, stay constructive (that is, build each other up as the body of Christ), stay challenged and diligent in the faith, stay connected in a Christian community (there's no excuse for skipping church), stay centered on Christ, stay confident in the Bible and in faith (and don't be afraid to preach it), stay consistent (abide in Christ), stay committed and stay convinced (have patience, for Christ promised to return in God's perfect timing).

    Jeremiah's writing is much more convicting that his book title makes it out to be. And although a lot of what he writes is obvious, it never bores. This is a must read for any Christian.


    * Disclaimer: I received this book for free from BookSneeze.com in exchange for my honest review of it.

    Sunday, October 02, 2011

    Review: The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews

    Book: The Butterfly Effect
    Author: Andy Andrews
    Genre: Table/Gift Book

    Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

    Summary: Motivational speaker and writer attempts to drive home the point that any small action can have an eventual huge effect. He demonstrates this with one longer story of Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, who helped win the Civil War and saved thousands of lives. But there were other people who made Chamberlain's life possible - others effected those others, as well, as so it goes on and on.

    Review: While it's an interesting concept, The Butterfly Effect really didn't do anything for me. It doesn't make for a very good table or gift book. It's short and easy to read, which can be a plus, but it's not something I would ever want to read again. Much of it is exactly the same as the children's book version, "The Boy Who Changed the World," and I enjoyed the children's book much more. At least it has colorful pictures to make me happy. I'm just not a huge fan of pointless gift books. But if that's your cup of tea, you'll enjoy this book.

    *Disclaimer: I received this book from BookSneeze.com in exchange for my honest review of it.

    Saturday, July 23, 2011

    Does the Good That Catholicism Does Outweigh the Bad?


    This post replies to an article (included, below) sent to me by a sweet Roman Catholic lady. The article, written by a Jewish author, excuses the Roman Catholic Church from the actions of a few bad apples. The author advises Catholics to ignore the attacks from leftist media and hold their heads high over the good things their church does.

    My Reply:

    Dear H_____:

    I've come to the conclusion that every good organization does no better than the sort of members it it has.  If it has human members, it has weaknesses that will eventually corrupt its practices, its message, and its reputation.

    Human history, as recorded in the Bible and as interpreted through biblical principles, reveals a pattern of waves of God mercifully setting up ways for us to govern ourselves. Humans subsequently overwhelm each system with a tsunami of failure, demonstrating again how man's fallen nature permeates and overwhelms everything he touches.

    Judaism, in particular, demonstrated the failure of a representative form of salvation. Priests mediated between sinners and God and enforced a code of righteousness. God gave that code not to justify man, but for the dual purposes of guiding man to the knowledge of his utter inability to achieve righteousness and of symbolizing the ultimate source of righteousness. "Universal guide to human behavior" was only secondary. The Jews, however, failed to recognized the Source, when He came, because they set about to achieve righteousness on their own. They focused on the code instead of on the Giver of the code.

    Some such Jews became the church's "Judaizers"  that Apostle Paul opposed, from the provinces to the council of the apostles.  They wanted to continue the failed systems of human-earned righteousness that had failed in Judaism.  For example, they interpreted circumcision as a gateway to God's grace, just as many feel that baptism or other human actions convey God's grace today.  They failed to grasp that God bestows His grace Himself, not through the hands of the recipient or any other human intermediary.  Paul had to correct even Peter for such errors.

    I could argue against the Roman Catholic institution on the basis of its history. The gospel of liberty as taught by the apostles survived centuries of oppression by the institution set up by a Roman emperor who straddled the factions of Christianity, preferring not one most likely to serve God's Kingdom, but one most likely to further Rome's empire. Despite political, unjust civil, and military actions against biblical believers, the spiritual church survived countless reinventions of its human facade.

    Even from a post-Protestant perspective, one can see a history of institutions wandering from the truths that originally set them apart, making necessary the departure of believers, faithful men who believed the Word of God rather than the words of men, to set up new institutions.

    Having to allow for the corruption that comes with every human presence, I must instead judge the works-based gospel that catholicisms spread.  (Not to get off topic, but, yes, the plural is intentional.)

    I have seen enough human failure everywhere I've gone, including in my own footsteps, that I will take pride not in myself, nor in my efforts, nor in any human organization, but in the God who freely bestows His grace and who graciously sets up His works among men.

    I send this to my non-Catholic friends just to set the record straight.  Thanks for understanding. Love, H_____
    ---------------------
    THE CATHOLIC   CHURCH

    Excerpts of an article written by non-Catholic Sam Miller - a prominent    Cleveland Jewish businessman:
    "Why would newspapers carry on a vendetta on one of the most important institutions that we have today in the United States, namely the Catholic Church?

    Do you know - the Catholic Church educates 2.6 million students everyday at the cost to that Church of 10 billion dollars, and a savings on the other hand to the American taxpayer of 18 billion dollars.   The graduates go on to graduate studies at the rate of 92%.

    The Church has 230 colleges and universities in the U.S. with an enrollment of 700,000  students.

    The Catholic Church has a non-profit hospital system of 637 hospitals, which account for hospital treatment of 1 out of every 5 people - not just Catholics - in the United States today.

    But the press is vindictive and trying to totally denigrate in every way the Catholic Church in this country.   They have blamed the disease of pedophilia on the Catholic Church, which is as irresponsible as blaming adultery on the institution of marriage.

    Let me give you some figures that Catholics should know and remember.  For   example, 12% of the 300 Protestant clergy surveyed admitted to sexual intercourse with a parishioner; 38% acknowledged other inappropriate sexual contact in a study by the United Methodist Church, 41.8% of clergy women reported unwanted sexual behavior; 17% of laywomen have been sexually harassed.
    Meanwhile, 1.7% of the Catholic clergy has been found guilty of pedophilia.  10% of the Protestant ministers have been found guilty of pedophilia.  This is not a Catholic problem.

    A study of American priests  showed that most are happy in the priesthood and find it  even better than they had expected, and that most, if  given the choice, would choose to be priests again in face of all this obnoxious PR the church has been receiving.

    The Catholic Church is bleeding from self-inflicted wounds.  The agony that Catholics have felt and suffered is not necessarily the fault of the Church.  You have been hurt by a small number of wayward priests that have probably been totally weeded out by now and a number of bishops who failed to act.

    Walk with your shoulders high and your head higher.  Be a proud member of the most important non-governmental agency in the United States.

    Then remember what Jeremiah said:  'Stand by the roads, and look and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is and walk in it, and find rest for your souls'.   Be proud to speak up for your faith with pride and reverence and learn what your Church does for all other religions.

    Be proud that you're a Catholic."

    Friday, February 18, 2011

    Electricity out. No heater. No lights. No web. No stove. Putting food out in snow. Snowing again. Wood stove is warm. Paradise!