May 22, 2013

Micro-Chip Implants

Chapter 21 of Donovan’s Law was the chapter that disclosed the plan for micro-chip implants.  The goal was that everyone on the planet would have one.  Remember?  The way it was going to be introduced so everyone would accept this sci-fi “end of times” concept was by selling the idea of safety for our children.  Well, the article below validates the saying that “Truth is stranger than fiction”: 

“Grade-school students in a northeastern Brazilian city are using uniforms embedded with locator chips that help alert parents if they’re cutting classes, the city’s education secretary said Thursday.

“Radio frequency chips in ‘intelligent uniforms’ let a computer know when children enter school and it sends a text message to their cell phones. Parents are also alerted if kids don’t show up 20 minutes after classes begin with the following message: ‘Your child has still not arrived at school.’”

Yes it’s in the uniforms for now, but what happens when someone realizes the financial downside of placing a chip in every uniform, and how much more efficient it would be to just place one chip in the child? 

Think of it.  The idea of being able to track and locate your child 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.  No more fear of losing a child in an amusement park or even worse, kidnapping.”

 (Mr. Jonathan Hagopian, Donovan’s Law).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/23/rfid-chips-brazil-students_n_1374886.html

4th Amendment: The Right To Privacy

Ever wonder how my book publisher, www.oaktara.com, came up with the tag line for Donovan’s Law?  In case you do not remember, let me offer this quick reminder, “A Futuristic Thriller Based On Today’s Headlines”.  Allow me to offer this quick explanation.

Daniel Chapter 12 from the Old Testament and Revelation Chapter 13 from the New Testament provided the “Futuristic Thriller” part.  News articles like the one below provided the “Today’s Headline” part. 

CAUTION:  Reading the article below may cause you to want to study the Bible and/or read Donovan’s Law before the sequel comes out…

Nevertheless, it turns out that if your microwave, burglar alarm or dishwasher is of very recent vintage, and if it is connected to your personal computer, a CIA spy can tell when you are in the kitchen and when you are using that device. The person who revealed this last weekend also revealed that CIA software can learn your habits from all of this and then anticipate them.”

“Acting ‘diabolically’ and hoping to ‘change fingerprints and eyeballs’ in its ‘worldwide mission’ to steal and keep secrets, the CIA can then gut the Fourth Amendment digitally, without ever physically entering anyone’s home. We already know that your Blackberry or iPhone can tell a spy where you are, and when the battery is connected, what you are saying. But spies in the kitchen? Can this be true?”

“Who revealed all this last weekend? None other than Gen. David Petraeus himself, President Obama’s new director of the CIA.”

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/03/22/is-cia-already-in-your-kitchen/#ixzz1pu5NcqRg

Making Learning Fun(ny)

Talk about making learning fun.  Imagine learning biblical trivia from one of America’s leading comedians. That’s right; comedian Jeff Foxworthy is going to be hosting a new cable show that is scripture based called “The American Bible Challenge”.  Apparently, the Game Show Network (GSN) picked up the show because of the significant role the Bible has played and continues to play in the American way of life.

This may launch a whole new career for the “You might be a redneck if…” jokester.  The next thing you know we will be hearing his stand-up routine include topics such as, “You might be a Christian if the word ‘He-brews’ means something other than a male making coffee.”  Or how about, “You might be a Christian if the thought of ‘eternity’ scares the hell out of you.”

Thanks to GSN and Jeff Foxworthy for taking a chance.  Let’s hope America responds well… even if we don’t know where to find the book of Obadiah in the Bible!

A Christian Following in the Arab World

Egypt has the largest Christian following in the Arab world.  With a population of approximately 85 million in a country primarily Muslim based, 10% of the population in Egypt is Christian.  But even with the odds against this faithful few, a Christian organization known as “The Salam Center” is there to offer support. 

“The Salam Center” is located in one of the slum areas of Cairo, Egypt.  Positioned near the City’s garbage dump, it offers fellowship and accountability to those choosing the path less traveled.  What the future holds for Christians in Egypt is not yet known, but if biblical and world history is any indication, they may have a rough road ahead.

In the Old Testament of the Bible, the Book of Exodus gives the historical account of Moses leading the Israelites out from under the chains of slavery found in Egypt at the time.  During the first decade of the 21st Century in Egypt, there are plenty of news accounts where Christians were under attack, and some killed because of their faith in Christ.

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.” (John 15:18-19)

 http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/03/21/egypt-christians-relationship-with-muslims-remain-strained-even-after-arab/

Pretending God Does Not Exist

Photo by Margus Saluste

Pretending God does not exist does not mean that He does not exist.  “Unblessing” a highway does not mean the highway is no longer blessed, although some atheists in Florida may disagree.  An organization known as “Polk Under Prayer” asked God to bless the highway leading into Polk County, Florida.  Over the past weekend, a group of atheists known as “Humanists of Florida” arrived at this same highway with a mop, a broom, and water to symbolize the “unblessing” of the highway.

In their opinion, blessing the highway sent the wrong message to visitors who are not Christians.  They believe by “unblessing” the highway they are saying everyone is welcome.  Is it just me or does anyone else find it amusing that if these atheists do not believe in God, then what are they unblessing?

“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3)

A New Gold Standard

It appears we have a new gold standard.  A taxi driver in Thailand recently went against conventional wisdom and sought to do the right thing, and for no other reason then it was the right thing to do.  It seems one of his passengers was a jeweler.  This jeweler had just purchased $450,000 of gold and then did the unthinkable.  He absentmindedly left the gold in the taxi driver’s cab and walked away. 

It took a couple of days, but the taxi driver contacted the passenger and returned the gold.  For his honesty, the jeweler rewarded the taxi driver with two necklaces worth a total value of approximately $10,000.

I cannot imagine what must have been going through this taxi driver’s mind over the two days he had possession of the gold.  This man knew the gold did not belong to him. Yet, I cannot help but wonder if he He contemplated justifications for keeping the gold.  Maybe he repeated the children’s saying, “Finders keepers…losers weepers” once or twice as he tossed and turned in the middle of the night.

Ultimately he made the right decision because we will all be accountable to God one day.  The Bible tells us in the book of Romans Chapter 14, Verse 10, “…for we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.” 

Do you think you could have the same mindset as our friend the taxi driver?  If a cashier gives you more change than you had coming, do you tell her or do you keep it and walk away thinking “what a blessing”?  When the taxman comes calling every April, do you claim your full income and then write off only what you legally can or do you curse the government for breaking the 8th Commandment of God, “Thou shall not steal”.

Religious Freedom

I share this true story because the pastor is a living example of what happens when religious freedom does not exist.  It is these real life examples of solid faith in Jesus Christ that motivated me  to write the fictional novel, Donovan’s Law.  The law Donovan lived by was to STAND FIRM FOR WHAT YOU KNOW TO BE THE TRUTH IN JESUS CHRIST.  The man in the story below understands the cost for that kind of committment:

Pastor Youef Nadarkhani has been in prison in Iran for the past three years and has been sentenced to death by Iran’s highest court last fall.  Why?  Initially the Iran officials accused him of rape and extortion.  However, this past Monday, the United Nations Human Rights Council met in Geneva to discuss Iran’s abuse on human rights and named Pastor Nadarkhani as a victim of false accusations.

When Mohammad Javad Larijani stepped forward to defend the accusations of false imprisonment and sentencing, he stated that preaching to the youth without their parents’ permission, converting his home into a church, and offending Islam were the charges placed against the pastor. How did he offend Islam?  He converted from the Islamic religion to Christianity.

It appears that the original sentencing came when Nadarkhani voiced a concern about his son being forced to participate in a class about the teachings of Islam.  He was arrested and found guilty in a lower court for apostasy (abandoning one’s religion).  Youef was offered the chance to deny Christianity and return to Islam.  The fact that he remains in prison three years later tells us which choice he made.  Would you be able to do the same?

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/03/13/iran-denies-christian-pastor-faces-execution-for-offending-islam/

Revenge of the Taliban

Photo by Nelson Syozi

As most of you have heard, a U.S. Army enlisted man is being accused of killing 16 Afghan civilians during a house-to-house killing spree, which has spurred the revenge of the Taliban.   Reports indicate that the Taliban has vowed vengeance on American soldiers in retaliation for the random killing of mostly women and children. 

This rogue action occurs just weeks after American soldiers accidentally burned copies of the Koran, which created protests and the killing of American soldiers.  It appears that one event may have led to another event and so on…and so on.

The popular word would tell us “revenge is a dish best served cold”.  Some misinformed individuals even attempt to quote the Bible when they say, “God says an ‘eye for an eye’.”  When does it end?  It’s revenge that keeps our gangs killing each other, it’s revenge that plays a role in our marriages falling apart, and it’s revenge that leads to world wars.  Let’s take a look at what Jesus truly says about revenge in Romans Chapter 12, Verses 19-21:

“Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,’ says the Lord. ‘BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

History seems to have proven that vengeance only leads to destruction, and destruction has a profound effect on today and the next generation and so on…and so on.

 

 

Daylight Savings

Hopefully you have discovered that “Daylight Savings” occurred over the weekend and you remembered to set your clocks ahead one hour.  If not, here’s the good news… even though you lost an hour, in the grand scheme of things, you will not be late for work if you leave right now.

This is another one of those traditions, like Leap Year, that has always baffled me.  I have heard reasons from just about every type of genre as to why we make this time adjustment. From the environmentalist, “It’s about water conservation.”  The purists believe, “It’s about farming and agriculture.”  The conspiracy theorists, “It’s just another way for the government to control us.” 

Here is what I have found: Daylight Savings boils down to one thing…we love the light.  The main purpose to adjust our clocks forward in the spring is to add more daylight during the “Dog days of summer”.

There was a fictional email circulating about Albert Einstein theorizing that “darkness” does not truly exist. In this email it stated that darkness is merely the absence of light.  Once light is introduced into the darkness, the darkness disappears.  Darkness cannot penetrate the light, but light can certainly penetrate the dark. I believe Jesus was probably the first one to introduce this concept when He referred to Himself as “The Light of the world” in the book of John, Chapter 9,Verse 5.

If God designed us to want more light, then I say, “Long live Daylight Savings!”  Plus, there’s nothing like catching that final wave just as the sun slips into the sea…at 9 o’clock at night.

 

 

The Republican GOP

Photo by Justin Sullivan-Getty Images

With President Obama being the Democratic Presidential nominee for 2012, I decided to wait until after the Super Tuesday elections to see who would become the Frontrunner for the Republican GOP.  Well, Super Tuesday has come and gone and there still is not one candidate that has surpassed the others in a “hands down” type of fashion.  So, I’ve decided to finally do my own research to determine where the top two candidates stand on specific issues.  I am in no way endorsing one candidate over the other (Although I do like Mr. Santorum’s first name).

The information listed below is my feeble attempt to wade through all of the political mumbo-jumbo and shed some light on issues that seem to be important in my circle of friends and colleagues.

Here are my novice findings:

Mitt Romney

Age:                            64                                                                               

Religion:                      Mormon

Income Source:           Private Equity Investor

Politics:                       Mass. Gov. 2003-2007

Health Care:                Signed Mass. Healthcare Reform

Military:                      In favor of increasing the size of our military

Environment:              Achieve energy independence by researching alternative fuels

Abortion:                     Pro-life

Gun Control:               Supports 2nd Amendment rights (Does not support gun control)

 See where Mr. Romney stands on all the issues at http://2012.republican-candidates.org/Romney/Gun-Control.php

 Rick Santorum

Age:                            53

Religion:                      Catholic

Income Source:           Lawyer

Politics:                       Since 1990

Health Care:                Opposes “Obama Care”

Military:                      In support of the “War on Terror”

Environment:              Supports all manner of energy production

Abortion:                     Pro-life

Gun Control:               Believes in the citizen’s right to bear arms

See where Mr. Santorum stands on all the issues at  http://2012.republican-candidates.org/Santorum/Gun-Control.php

Hope this helps…