Will

Others,

There is randomness in nature. Those who interpret natural disaster as God's punishment are selling people a political agenda for tyranny. It is sad when people are injured. It is tragic when they are killed or seriously harmed. Claiming that it was God's punishment however only adds hurt to the harm.

Meteor in Russia
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57569551/meteorites-slam-into-russia-as-meteor-seen-streaking-through-morning-sky/"Experts say smaller strikes happen five to 10 times a year. Large impacts such as the one Friday in Russia are rarer but still occur about every five years, according to Addi Bischoff, a mineralogist at the University of Muenster in Germany. Most of these strikes happen in uninhabited areas where they don't cause injuries to humans."

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The prophet of doom seeks to profit from predicting gloom. LaPierre is a voluntary advocate for gun sales. Gloom about doom is used to sell the boom of gun violence.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57569380/nra-ceo-its-not-paranoia-to-buy-a-gun-its-survival/"Now more than ever, wrote NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre, gun ownership is important: "Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Riots. Terrorists. Gangs. Lone criminals. These are perils we are sure to face--not just maybe. It's not paranoia to buy a gun. It's survival..."

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Establishment carried entanglement with slavery and cruelty. Natural disaster had been used as a justification for cruel punishment and policies.

Thomas Bray established the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Bray#Life"He took a great interest in colonial missions, especially among the Native Americans, and it is to his efforts that the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (founded 1701), now known as USPG, owes its existence."

Codrington Plantation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USPG#Slavery_and_the_Codrington_Plantation"Initially slaves were branded with the word "Society" on their chests with a hot iron… On branding at Codrington, Hochschild says “For nearly a decade, Codrington officials tried to reduce escapes by branding all slaves on their chests. In the end, though, the chief deterrent was the lash, plus, at times, an iron collar and a straitjacket.” Branding, the policy of one overseer and not continuous official policy of the managers, ceased within a decade of the Church taking on ownership of the Plantation."

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Puff for the Pope
http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/16/world/europe/pope-resignation/index.html
"More than two-thirds of the final number of cardinals must agree on the next pope. The announcement that a decision has been made will come in the form of a puff of white smoke emerging from a chimney in the Vatican."

Cha-cha-changes.
Time to face the change.

"The question is not if, but for how much longer, the Catholic Church will continue requiring priests to be celibate. My answer: Not much longer."
More: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/opinion/2013/02/14/new-pope-new-doctrine-archaic-catholic-church-should-allow-priests-to-marry/#ixzz2Kyb34B8q

Protestants conversely need to establish celibate ministries.

There was hope that Benedict XVI would match John Paul II in the promotion of peace in the world. The conservatism of Benedict however heightened animosity with Islam in order to avoid change in the "church."
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/11/pope-resigns-idUSL5N0BBDOC20130211
"The pope, known for his conservative doctrine, stepped up the Church's opposition to gay marriage, underscored the Church's resistance to a female priesthood and to embryonic stem cell research.

Benedict XVI led the catholic church back to a pronouncement from the second Vatican council in 1965 with his "exoneration" of the Jews.

"Indeed, the Catholic Church has considered the Jewish people free from blame since at least 1965, when the Second Vatican Council wrote that while "the Jewish authorities and those who followed their lead pressed for the death of Christ; still, what happened in His passion cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today." "
More:http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2057120,00.html#ixzz2KtEuy5ux

Here's the difficulty with the sex scandal issue. Sandusky was falsely convicted. There was no physical evidence to substantiate the claims of sexual abuse AND the definition of sexual abuse is too vague to satisfy legitimate judicial standards. He was convicted because he was catholic and the "party" was looking for a scapegoat.

The public has the distinct sense however that some of the priests accused of sexual abuse actually confessed to the act, but were protected by the sacrament of confession. If so, some punitive act is recommended for redemption. Exoneration by confession doesn't make reparations to the offended for the criminal act.

Reparations are in order. Moreover, multiple offenses recommend defrocking the priest from the priesthood to stand criminal trial in a civil court of law. Forgiveness doesn’t mean that there will be no penance for redemption. It means that the confession lessens the severity of the corrective measures.

Will the next pope implement corrective acts for actual offenders? This issue will need to be watched.

Will
Psalm 91, Luke 4

Whoever lives in the shelter
of the Most High, dwells
in house of the Almighty.

We will say to the LORD,
“You are my refuge and my protection,
my God in whom I trust.”

When you live your life as well as you can
you don’t deserve to suffer cruelty;
you don’t seek to correct with unusual punishment;
you don’t protect damaging behavior with laxity.

Faith in the LORD is a refuge.
It is a haven for establishing goals.
It is a hospital for recovery from harm.
Protection is provided according
to liberty within the justice of the law.

God will give angels orders
to help protect you.
Principles build principalities;
guidelines for morality;
messages for the messengers.
They are the rules for living
a good life.

Righteousness is the victory
for living well.
Happiness, health and prosperity
are the fruits of morality.

Salvation flows from the source;
the fount of life; the Creator; Nature’s God.
Jesus was filled with the love of God
and belief in salvation by the Holy Spirit.

He returned from the Jordan with faith.
He was led to the wilderness by the Spirit
to find harmony in the law of nature.

He was tempted to defy the laws of nature
when he returned, but he remembered
to respect the Lawmaker.

He was tempted to rule over others with deception,
but he remembered the truth and justice of the Word.

He was tempted to rule over others
with the power of death and destruction,
but he remembered the mercy and providence
provided by the Provider.

How excellent is his majesty?
He is clothed with splendor
He is adorned with achievement
He resides in radiance.
Light has become his attire.
The wealth of his legacy
will never tire.

Love is still the basis
for learning in the law.

===================

Closing loopholes is the key to government reform. If big government seems evil it is because it is being run by corporations; most remarkably, the industry for war. Tax breaks have not been decreased since they were offered to keep "multi-nationals" from leaving the country (have they ever been decreased?) The breaks and loopholes offer too much advantage. The money "invested" in Washington DC and other levels of government was not earned.

The advantage was offered to encourage responsible participation, but it has become a standing joke. It has become an unfair advantage for the "elite." Now corporations can dictate policy without breaking a sweat. They aren't even paying the same proportion in taxes as the common citizen. They don't have the right to establish policies that offend human rights in different places around the globe or the civil rights of Americans.

Apply pressure to eliminate the unfair advantage. Outlaw voting machines. They are more than just a symbol of corporate control of the voting process. They are used to determine the outcome of elections. Don't trust everyone in civil government. Trust those who are working for improvement.

When the Republicans complain about raising taxes in relations to closing loopholes, you know that they are protecting their money, not American values as represented by the bill of rights.
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2013/0213/Obama-s-State-of-the-Union-address-both-bold-and-modest-video
"As he did in the campaign, Mr. Obama offered some reductions in the nation’s big health-care entitlement programs in exchange for raising more revenues by closing tax “loopholes.”"

Tax breaks have been used to dictate policy through lobbies, campaigns, speaking engagements and vote manipulation. The mandate to control policy is aimed at destroying opposition. Criminal damage to taxpayers has been inflicted upon those who oppose the industry for war as well. (Have you had to pay to repair a computer crash?)

All this has been accomplished for a smaller proportion than that which is paid by the common taxpayer. It is time to reduce tax breaks to raise revenue without raising taxes or putting the burden on the middle class.

Take Action Against Tax Avoidance
Revenue is Needed for National and Social Security
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-16/u-k-germany-france-urge-g-20-action-on-tax-avoidance.html
"Citing research they commissioned from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that identifies loopholes, finance ministers from the three nations said they will spearhead work to get companies to pay tax where it’s due. The countries provided the OECD with data to help identify schemes used by companies. "

Closing Tax Loopholes is Not Raising Taxes
Revenue is Necessary for National and Social Security
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/john-boehner-house_n_2685071.html?ncid=txtlnkushpmg00000037"Boehner suffers from the perception that he needs to watch his step to avoid provoking his tea party-laced rank and file into rebellion, and that can mean the House sometimes acts only when a crisis is near. But he's not afraid to maneuver the GOP House to places where it has to go in spite of tea party opposition, like the recent tax vote and bipartisan spending bills that passed with Democratic support."

Consequence for Tax Avoidance
http://www.zdnet.com/tax-avoiders-banned-from-bidding-on-u-k-government-contracts-7000011311/"Those that fail to pay the full amount of tax, by using tax loopholes and offshore subsidiaries, could face being refused on such grounds. "

This is the reason that the Republican party has taken a position outside of constitutional democracy. They are so disagreeable to Republicans who disagree with party leadership that they refuse to agree with anyone who is proposing something democratic. The only freedom of speech allowed is disagreement with proposals from Democrats!
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/02/15/16973600-when-partisan-politics-turns-petty?lite"But that's what makes McCain's comments so fascinating: while Republicans hate Democrats, they really hate Republicans who occasionally side with Democrats. So much so that a guy like McCain -- who previously said he'd consider Hagel for his own cabinet -- is willing to break his word and participate in an unprecedented filibuster."

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When Business Risk Eclipses Affordability, Consumers Suffer

"The ultimate price could be Scott's political career. Should his gubernatorial opponent be former Gov. Charlie Crist, Scott will be up against a candidate who froze Citizens' rates as governor and saved property owners millions of dollars by requiring "affordable" premiums. That consumer-friendly stand contrasts sharply with Scott's market-based position."
More: http://www.bradenton.com/2013/02/14/4392232/florida-politics-property-insurance.html#storylink=cpy

Business runs on a dictatorship model for organization. The CEO makes an order and everyone else works to make the order work. The CEO gets the highest pay and the credit for making a product that makes a profit. Constitutional democracy entertains debate. A proposal for law is made. It is turned inside out and upside down. If it doesn’t work for the people, it is supposed to be rejected.

When business dictates policy to government, constitutional democracy is undermined. It doesn’t work correctly. It makes that which was supposed to benefit the people turn a profit for the corporation that pays for it. The stability of the economy suffers. The credibility of the nations is harmed. The budget for the government is not balanced. The strength of international alliance is damaged.

When the letter to the Romans was written, the exhortation to trust civil government was made to discourage rebellion, avoid punishment and hope for the best despite the cruelty that was displayed to any who questioned imperial authority. Democratic monarchy had made an appearance with Pericles before it fell into the hands of tyrants. The Roman republic had implemented representative practices until it was subordinated to dictatorship.

Constitutional democracy has expressed the rights that are to be represented by the government that has been established to build national and social security for the people. Public education has become an institution that guides youth into participation in politics with well informed reason.

Dictatorship looks like it is more efficient than organization that entertains debate, but it is not. Structured debate can be used to increase fluency in understanding in order to negotiate optimal settlement in relation to a proposal for law.  Refusal to debate towards a settlement derails the process and frustrates representation.

Relationship with another requires adaptation to mutual benefit. We don’t have to agree initially, but we need to work towards the best outcome. The following song expresses a dedication that is aimed at long term benefit.

Avril Lavigne – I Will Be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-5r_NYUsUk

I thought that I had everything.
I didn’t know what life could bring,
but now I see honestly
you’re the one thing I got right;
the only one I let inside.

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Letting someone into your trust is a risk.
It requires proposal with negotiation.
Negotiate towards optimal benefit for each.
Absolute power for one party destroys
the harmony for co-existence.
Share your prosperity for posterity.
Share your success
for that which will come next.

Steve K.