Below are the 14 most recent journal entries recorded in kristen's LiveJournal:

Monday, December 12th, 2005
1:56 pm	media critique Kristen Le December 19, 2005 Media Brian Regan In this corrupt world, entertainers and the media rely heavily on cussing and offensive material to get laughs. It almost seems as if they are incapable of producing good, clean humor. Comedians are some of the worst offenders when it comes to using offensive language for entertainment. I think it’s pathetic. Anyone can tell a dirty joke and get a laugh, but it takes real skill to be able to do an entire routine based solely on the comedy of daily life, rather than racial stereotypes and demeaning talk. I chose to do my critique on Brian Regan because he is my favorite comedian, not just because he “keeps it clean,” but because his jokes bring out the little quirks that make life so much fun to live. Brian Regan’s routine begins with a look at words and conversations. One joke talks about misusing the “you too” phrase, “I was getting out of the taxi at the airport and the driver goes, ‘hey have a nice flight’ and I go ‘you too!’ Yeah, you have a nice flight too. You’re not flying are you? Don’t everyone look at me I’m a moron.” Following the same theme, he hits on “Hooked on Phonics” and the dreaded 2nd grade spelling bee. “Okay kids, up against the wall. It’s time for public humiliation. Spell a word wrong; sit down in front of your peers. That’s why I always admired that one guy who would spell it wrong on purpose… why stand up there for 3 hours? ‘Cat… K-A-T, I’m outta here.’ Then as he walked past you he’d say ‘I knew there were 2 T’s.” Rather than joking about (Comment on this)
Monday, November 28th, 2005
1:51 pm	religions! There are many denominations within the Christian church, but what separates a denomination from a cult? A branch of Christianity known as the Seventh Day Adventists was founded in the 1800s, but its principles are questionable. Though they believe in Jesus, this sect more closely resembles Judaism than Christianity. The Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church had its origins with a poor farmer named William Miller. After a deep emptiness that came from his long absence from the Baptist church, Miller began his own study of the Bible. Based on Biblical calculations, Miller determined that Jesus would return on October 22, 1844. He spent the next few years preaching all over the US, collecting followers known as Millerites. Thousands assembled together, ready to receive their coming Savior. When Jesus didn’t come, the day became known as the Great Disappointment. With this failure, most members left the Miller Movement but those who stayed true to the teachings became known as the Seventh Day Adventists. Ellen G. White and her husband, James White, officially founded the SDA Church in 1863. The name “Seventh Day Adventist” comes from their practice of observing Sabbath on Saturday– the seventh day – and their anticipation of Jesus’ Second Coming – the Advent. They also founded the General Conference in Battle Creek, Michigan. The General Conference would serve as the headquarters for the leaders of the Adventist church. The official list of SDA doctrine is known as the 27 Fundamental Beliefs and is readily available at any Adventist church. Just like other Christians, Adventists believe that God created the world through Jesus and what he made was perfect. Man had free will and when they chose to sin, they fell from God and all their descendents were born with the same weaknesses and tendencies to evil. But through faith in Jesus, people are saved from that state of sin. God is an Almighty, perfect, and eternal being. He is the only God and exists with Jesus and the Holy Spirit to form the Trinity. They believe that the Holy Spirit was with God the Father and the Son at Creation, incarnation, and redemption and inspires the Scriptures and endows followers with spiritual gifts. Jesus Christ was God incarnate. He lived a perfect life and voluntarily died on the cross for our sins. (Comment on this)
Friday, October 28th, 2005
1:03 pm	October 28, 2005 News Analysis A Long, Rocky Road With 39 Months to Go By TODD S. PURDUM WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 - George W. Bush has been in the White House for 248 weeks, through a terrorist attack, two wars and a bruising re-election. But it seems safe to say that he has never had a worse political week than this one - and it is not over yet. "I think all bets are off," said former Senator Warren B. Rudman, Republican of New Hampshire. "Who knows what's next?" The biggest question for Mr. Bush now is what he can make of the 39 months remaining in his presidency. For this horrible week has been months - even years - in the making. The 2,000th American fatality in Iraq was just the latest daunting milestone in a war that will soon be three years old. The C.I.A. leak investigation that threatens to indict a top White House aide or two on Friday grew out of the fierce debates over the flawed intelligence that led to that war. And Harriet E. Miers's withdrawal of her nomination to the Supreme Court is the bitter fruit of Mr. Bush's own frailty in the wake of all those storms - and Hurricane Katrina - and of his miscalculations about how her appointment would be received. His effort to avoid a fight by choosing a nominee with a scant public record (whose conservative fidelity only he could vouch for) instead prompted a ferocious backlash from the conservative activists he has courted for years. "There's all this talk about the Republican base and the conservative base of the Republican Party, and the conservative base of the president and how it's important to play to the base and please the base and fawn over the base," said former Senator John C. Danforth, the Missouri Republican who was Mr. Bush's ambassador to the United Nations. "And look what it gets President Bush," Mr. Danforth continued. "It just gets him a kick in the rear. That's what they've done to him, and they've done it to him at a time when he's vulnerable, and they've done it at the expense of a perfectly fine human being." Some scholars and Republican elders say it is now time for Mr. Bush to do what Ronald Reagan did when the Iran-contra scandal threatened to derail his second term: shake up the White House staff, retool his domestic and foreign policy agenda and move on. But most say they see few signs that Mr. Bush intends to do so. "Assume there are several indictments," said Richard Norton Smith, the head of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, Ill., and a biographer of several prominent Republicans. "The question becomes: Is there a Howard Baker moment?" Mr. Smith added, referring to the former Tennessee senator whom Mr. Reagan tapped as chief of staff to clean house. "And if there's a Howard Baker moment, who's Howard Baker? There aren't as many 'wise men' around Washington as there were 20 years ago." Ms. Miers's withdrawal is all the more remarkable because Mr. Bush so seldom backs down. Again and again, he has racked up legislative victories that once seemed improbable, or at least managed to save face. His instinct, abetted by Vice President Dick Cheney, will once again be to grind out advances where he can find them. In that sense, the abandonment of Ms. Miers seemed deliberate, an effort to shift the spotlight, however briefly, from the expected actions of the special prosecutor investigating the leak of a C.I.A. agent's identity, and reposition the president for a new confirmation battle with conservatives by his side. But the president's second term legislative agenda is at a standstill on matters large and small. His hopes for overhauling Social Security are dead for this year; the goal of reshaping the estate tax stalled with Hurricane Katrina; and his administration was even forced to backtrack this week on its post-Katrina suspension of a law that requires paying locally prevailing wages for construction projects financed by federal money. The White House had argued that suspending the law, the Davis-Bacon Act, could speed hurricane repairs. But critics, including some Congressional Republicans, complained that the administration was taking advantage of the disaster to upend a law important to unions. Mr. Bush blamed Ms. Miers's withdrawal on Senate demands for information about her views on constitutional and legal questions during her service as White House counsel and in other top staff jobs. "It is clear that senators would not be satisfied until they gained access to internal documents concerning advice provided during her tenure at the White House, disclosures that would undermine a president's ability to receive candid counsel," Mr. Bush said in a statement. That seemed more a rationale than a reason, but Mr. Bush's articulation of it now effectively precludes his naming Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, Ms. Miers's predecessor as White House counsel, to the court, as some aides have long suggested he might like to do. "They're not reaching out; they're in a bunker mentality," said one veteran Republican familiar with the thinking in the White House, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of offending the president. "The idea that they're going to blame the Senate process for her going down says to me there's no introspection going on." Second-term presidents are notoriously insulated from second-guessing, and Mr. Bush has never been one to invite private criticism, or confess public error. His high premium on staff loyalty may well have led him to misjudge how his nomination of Ms. Miers - by all accounts the ultimate loyalist - would play. "In the end, I always thought the thing that would bring her down was that she was his lawyer," said Mr. Smith, the historian. "That makes people uncomfortable. It's just too inside." Lyndon B. Johnson's nomination of his longtime confidant Abe Fortas to be chief justice collapsed in 1968 partly for the same reason. Richard D. Friedman, an expert on Supreme Court history at the University of Michigan Law School, said Ms. Miers's withdrawal reflected the reality that modern confirmations had become "so contentious that the president has an incentive to pick somebody whose ideology he believes is compatible with his but about whom little is known," while the Senate "then feels duty-bound to find out what it can about the nominee's ideology." He added, "The nominee and the administration put up a wall, but in this case, it crumbled," in part because of doubts in both parties about Ms. Miers's stature. The conservative commentator Patrick J. Buchanan wrote in Human Events Online that, by withdrawing, Ms. Miers "may just have helped" Mr. Bush "save his presidency." In the same journal, Ann Coulter allowed, "Bush has us back on the team, ready to cheer for him unreservedly." But former Senator John B. Breaux, a Louisiana Democrat who is pressing for the nomination of his home-state candidate, Judge Edith Brown Clement of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, had a much different view of what Ms. Miers's withdrawal portends for Mr. Bush's power to influence his own party, much less the opposition, for the rest of his term. "It means," Mr. Breaux said, "that the fear factor is gone." (Comment on this)
12:59 pm	miers MIERS NOMINATION WITHDRAWN Right Stares Down White House, and Wins Activists may feel emboldened in this early battle for control of the party's future. By Janet Hook and Peter Wallsten Times Staff Writers October 28, 2005 WASHINGTON — By taking a lead role in sinking the Supreme Court nomination of Harriet E. Miers, the conservative wing of the Republican Party declared its independence from the White House and asserted its claim to steer the party rightward even after the George W. Bush era. Miers' surrender Thursday followed a steady drumbeat of criticism from conservative activists and intellectuals who refused to take their president's word that the nominee was on their side. By the time the plug was pulled, Bush's longtime lawyer and friend faced the remarkable spectacle of conservative activists — who had been so crucial to Bush's reelection — launching websites calling for her withdrawal, airing television ads against her and filling blogs with screeds comparing her to liberal feminists like Gloria Steinem. That pressure, in turn, made it hard for conservative Republican senators to embrace Miers. As her nomination was shelved, some conservatives labored to hide their glee. "I would urge my fellow conservatives to avoid the temptation to crow about it or take credit," said conservative activist Gary L. Bauer. In the end, the Miers episode marked the most public display yet of the struggle within the GOP to define the party's image and ideology. It also became an early battle for control of the party once Bush leaves the White House. The broad conservative movement, which includes evangelicals and economic and intellectual conservatives, is "only going to be emboldened by getting Harriet Miers' scalp," said Tony Fabrizio, a Republican pollster. "They stared down the White House and won." The message was clear to ambitious Republicans who wish to succeed Bush in the White House: With the exception of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), senators aspiring to run for president were among those asking the most skeptical questions about Miers. Conservatives also sent a message to the White House to be more attentive to the party's right flank during Bush's three remaining years in office, said David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union. "If they want the conservatives to play on their team, they have to treat them like members of the team rather than outsiders," Keene said. However, the episode also may pose risks for the GOP if it fuels the perception among swing voters that, as some Democrats maintain, the party is beholden to its most extreme elements. "It was the very extreme wing of the president's party … that brought about the withdrawal," said Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.). "If the president continues to listen to that extreme wing on judicial nominations or everything else, it can only spell trouble for his presidency and for America." The criticism over Miers opened the biggest chasm between the president and his political base, and it threatened to become as politically toxic as the conservative rebellion against his father's presidency in 1990 after George H.W. Bush broke his "no-new-taxes" pledge. Conservative opposition was not the only factor that doomed Miers' nomination: Republicans say that her poor performance in meetings with senators, broader questions about her qualifications and Bush's weakened political state were also important forces. But Miers would have been better equipped to weather those challenges if she had not been turned into a conservative punching bag, people who followed the process said. Conservatives were emboldened to defy Bush on Miers in part because they had suffered a series of disappointments with his leadership. Bush, for example, never pushed as hard as they wanted for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, an issue he seized during his reelection campaign to mobilize social conservatives but then dropped after winning. And to the frustration of small-government conservatives, Bush has overseen a huge increase in the size, cost and power of the government by signing big expansions of Medicare, farm subsidies and education spending in his first term. Although conservatives of all stripes accepted those disappointments with relative calm, they were not so willing to accede to a Supreme Court nomination that fell short of their high expectations: They wanted Bush to choose an established, credentialed conservative who would tilt the court to the right for decades to come. When Bush instead selected someone whose views were not well documented, the reaction on the right was swift. Hours after the announcement, William Kristol, editor of the conservative Weekly Standard magazine, appeared on television and proclaimed himself "depressed and demoralized." Conservative activist Manuel Miranda, head of a group that promotes Bush's judicial nominees, circulated an e-mail calling Miers the "least qualified nominee since Abe Fortas," President Johnson's failed pick for chief justice. One measure of the clout of conservative activists and evangelical groups was how hard the White House worked to win them over. Before the nomination was announced, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove called James C. Dobson, an influential evangelical and founder of Focus on the Family, to assure him that Miers was a conservative Christian. The day she was nominated, Vice President Dick Cheney was dispatched to defend the choice on the radio show of conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh. But the Miers nomination continued to be swamped by criticisms from conservative intellectuals, columnists and scholars — a barrage that took on a new dimension because it was carried out largely on the Internet, notably the websites of politically connected GOP lawyers monitored by Senate staffers. The storm swirled around lawmakers such as Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), a potential presidential candidate who has courted religious conservatives. His office heard from critics of Miers not just from his home state but around the country, as well as in weekly meetings he holds with activists. One of the final straws may have been a report early this week that Miers, in a 1993 speech, expressed the view that women should be allowed to make their own decisions about abortion — a view that amounts to apostasy among antiabortion activists. Concerned Women for America, a conservative group, switched its position from "wait and see" to outright opposition. After Miers withdrew her nomination, Dobson said his group would not have been able to support her candidacy because of the speech. But polls indicated that dissatisfaction with Miers had not spread widely among GOP grass roots, and that Republicans generally viewed her positively. "The tail is wagging the dog," said Fabrizio, whose polls found that conservative Republicans viewed Miers favorably by a margin of 4 to 1. "While the conservative leadership feels Bush is betraying them, the average rank and file conservative doesn't feel that way." Some Republican strategists noted that the withdrawal gave Bush a rare "do over" in which he could give the base what it wanted in the first place: a battle with Democrats, not fellow conservatives. By nominating someone clearly in the mold of Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, as Bush had promised during his reelection campaign, the network of activist groups that had prepared for such a fight could ramp up their fund-raising once again, something the Miers nomination did not help them do. "Everyone wants to support the president, but they have to have something they can sink their teeth into, and they didn't have much with this nominee," said Terry Holt, a GOP strategist who was a spokesman for Bush's 2004 campaign. "And now the president has a terrific opportunity to pick the right fight and force the liberals into the corner they belong." (Comment on this)
12:58 pm	economy http://www.latimes.com/business/la-102805gdp_lat,0,5025383.story?coll=la-home-headlines Economy Grew at Strong Rate in Third Quarter By Jesus Sanchez Times Staff Writer 10:01 AM PDT, October 28, 2005 The U.S. economy grew by a stronger-than-expected 3.8% during the third quarter despite skyrocketing energy costs and the economic damage inflicted by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the U.S. Commerce Department said today. Robust consumer spending — notably on motor vehicles — and strong purchases of equipment and computer software on the part of businesses helped drive much of the increase in the Gross Domestic Product, which measures the value of goods and services produced domestically. The economy's surprising energy during the third quarter helped give Wall Street investors a boost today. The Dow Jones industrial average was up nearly 100 points in early afternoon trading. A rise in government spending as well as strong home sales activity also contributed to the third quarter results, which topped the 3.3% growth rate reported in the second quarter. "The underlying economy remains solid, despite the effects of higher energy prices and rising interest rates," said economist Steven Wood in a research note for Insight Economics. However the comprehensive assessment of the U.S. economic activity during the July-September period also showed that skyrocketing energy prices contributed to a larger than expected rise in inflation. Consumer prices rose 3.1% during the third quarter, up from 2.6% in the previous quarter. Consumer spending, the largest driver of economic growth, grew by a stronger than expected 3.8%. A significant part of the increase was linked to aggressive auto incentive programs that sent motor vehicle sales soaring during the summer, according to economist. Small business and corporations were also in a spending mood in the third quarter, with purchases on equipment and software rising 8.9%. However, business inventories continued to reduce inventories, which slows economist growth, by $16.6 billion in the third quarter. The growth U.S. in exports also boosted GDP, but by a far smaller degree than earlier in the year. Third quarter exports rose 0.8% compared to a 10.7% jump in the previous quarter. Imports remained flat. Economists said that the economy's resilience in the facing of soaring energy prices and the disruptions triggered by the Gulf Coast hurricanes will give the Federal Reserve the leeway to keep boosting interest rates. "Solid growth in the quarter, which is mostly based on pre-hurricane data, suggests that the [Fed policymakers] will be feeling more comfortable with the view that the economy's underpinnings are healthy enough to withstand the energy price shock and therefore that monetary tightening can continue apace," said Joshua Shapiro, a U.S. economic analysts in a research report for the consulting firm MFR Inc. (Comment on this)
12:57 pm	http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-102805leak_lat,0,2110081.story?coll=la-home-headlines Indicted Libby Resigns as Cheney's Chief of Staff By Richard B. Schmitt and James Gerstenzang Times Staff Writers 10:50 AM PDT, October 28, 2005 WASHINGTON — Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, one of the most trusted and powerful aides in the White House, was indicted today on charges of obstruction of justice, making false statements and perjury in a case that goes to the heart of the Bush administration's reasons for invading Iraq. Libby resigned within an hour. He was charged in connection with statements he made to FBI agents and to a grand jury investigating the disclosure of the identity of CIA operative Valerie Wilson, also known by her unmarried name, Valerie Plame. The five felony counts were handed up by a federal grand jury, as the panel's term expired. If convicted on all charges, Libby would face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and $1.25 million in fines. Libby and Karl Rove, President Bush's deputy chief of staff and the president's closest political advisor, have been at the center of the 22-month investigation by special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald. Rove was left dangling. "The special counsel has advised Mr. Rove that he has made no decision about whether or not to bring charges and that Mr. Rove's status has not changed," Rove's lawyer, Robert D. Luskin, said in a statement this morning. "Mr. Rove will continue to cooperate fully with the special counsel's efforts to complete the investigation. We are confident that when the special counsel finishes his work, he will conclude that Mr. Rove has done nothing wrong," Luskin said. The charges against Libby allege that he lied to FBI agents who interviewed him on Oct. 14 and Nov. 26, 2003. He is also charged with committing perjury while testifying under oath before the grand jury on March 5 and March 24, 2004. The indictment alleges that he engaged in obstruction of justice by impeding the grand jury's investigation into the unauthorized disclosure of Plame's CIA affiliation to various reporters in the spring of 2003. The indictment alleges that Libby lied about information he discussed about the CIA employment of Plame in conversations he had in June and July 2003 with three reporters-Tim Russert of NBC News, Matthew Cooper of Time magazine, and Judith Miller of the New York Times. Presenting a portrait of a senior White House aide aggressively seeking information about a critic who had the potential to undercut public support for the war in Iraq, the indictment alleges that Libby learned of Plame's status from an undersecretary of State and a senior CIA officer. It also charges that Libby gathered information about her in the wake of a New York Times column questioning the accuracy of the president's assertion that Iraq had tried to develop nuclear weapons. In a statement, special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald said: "When citizens testify before grand juries they are required to tell the truth. "Without the truth, our criminal justice system cannot serve our nation or its citizens," he said. "The requirement to tell the truth applies equally to all citizens, including persons who hold high positions in government. In an investigation concerning the compromise of a CIA officer's identity, it is especially important that grand jurors learn what really happened." The indictment caps one of the most trouble-ridden weeks of the Bush presidency. His nominee to the Supreme Court, Harriet E. Miers, withdrew under fire from conservative activists who had been part of the president's political base. Early this week, the Pentagon reported that American deaths in the Iraq war topped 2,000. It also hits the administration at a difficult time for the GOP as a whole. Party leaders in both the House and Senate are embroiled in ethical and legal troubles of their own: Onetime House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) has been indicted on money laundering charges; Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) is under investigation for possible insider stock trading. The indictment of Libby shines a new spotlight on White House efforts to defend its flawed rationale for going to war — the belief that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction — and the lengths to which it was willing to go to counter dissenting views. It provides a rare public window onto one of the administration's most crucial, but mysterious power centers — the office of the vice president. While rumored for weeks, the indictment was a stunning conclusion to an investigation that has kept Washington on edge for the better part of two years. At the center of the story was a flamboyant former ambassador, and his wife, a soccer mom with a secret resume. Fitzgerald probed deep into the White House, interviewing dozens of administration figures, as well as prominent Washington journalists, putting one of them, Miller, in jail for 85 days after she initially refused to answer his questions. The drama was heightened because the leak investigation was itself leak-proof, with the prosecutor never revealing his intentions until today — and then continuing the investigation. It all began with a seemingly straightforward question: how did the name Valerie Plame end up in an article by syndicated columnist Robert D. Novak? She is the wife of former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, who was a CIA agent. It can be a violation of federal law to knowingly disclose the identity of a covert intelligence agent. But the case widened as Fitzgerald gathered evidence that administration officials had talked with other journalists about Plame, and when conflicts emerged in their stories, suggesting that the officials may have misled investigators. When two of the reporters, Matthew Cooper of Time magazine, and the Times' Miller, refused to discuss conversations they had with administration officials with Fitzgerald, the case became a constitutional showdown over the rights of journalists to protect confidential sources that went all the way to the Supreme Court. The court ruled against the journalists, and the litigation probably delayed resolution of the case, and the revelation of Fitzgerald's findings, until after the 2004 election. The allegations grew out of a White House effort to cast doubt on arguments Wilson raised when he wrote that the Bush administration had twisted intelligence to justify going to war. Wilson, whose increasingly sharp criticism of the justifications for the war had become an irritant at the White House, wrote an op-ed article for the New York Times in July 2003, barely three months after the United States invaded Iraq. He wrote that while on a mission for the CIA, he was unable to find reliable evidence that Iraq had sought a key ingredient for a nuclear weapon in Niger. Bush had said in his State of the Union address shortly before the war began that Iraq's reported interest in obtaining the ingredient, a form of uranium known as yellowcake, from Africa was an indication of Saddam Hussein's interest in obtaining nuclear weapons. Wilson had been dispatched to investigate whether Iraqi agents had sought the material from the African country, as the administration believed. His report — that he could find no such evidence — thus raised questions about the validity of the president's claim, and cast doubt on the administration's assertion that Iraq under Hussein was trying to develop unconventional weapons. The syndicated columnist Robert D. Novak identified Plame as a CIA operative in a column that was published July 14, 2003, eight days after the Wilson column appeared in the Times. Rove and Libby both reportedly testified that they learned about Plame from others, did not know she had covert status and did not reveal her name to reporters. The aides are among the most relied-on in the White House. Libby, a lawyer, former Capitol Hill staffer and former senior Pentagon official, has been Cheney's chief of staff since the vice president entered office in 2001. The two worked together during the first Bush administration when Cheney was secretary of Defense. They are so close that Libby is sometimes referred to as "Cheney's Cheney." Rove, a conservative Texas Republican, was at Bush's side as he developed a political persona in Texas, ran for governor, and entered the national political arena. Bush called him the "architect" of the president's successful reelection drive in 2004. Such senior officials, working side by side with presidents and vice presidents, have on occasion been forced to resign amid scandal or questions about adherence to ethical standards. Among those forced to resign were: President Dwight D. Eisenhower's chief of staff, Sherman Adams, in 1958; two key aides to Richard M. Nixon, chief of staff H.R. Haldeman, and domestic policy advisor John Ehrlichman; and, Jimmy Carter's budget director, Bert Lance, in 1977. But indictments of top White House aides while in office are extremely rare. Soon after Wilson went public with his criticisms in 2003, Libby grew so angry with him that he monitored all his television appearances and urged the White House to mount an aggressive public campaign against him, former aides said. While other administration officials were maintaining a careful distance from Wilson in 2004, Libby ordered up a compendium of information that could be used to rebut Wilson's claims that the administration had "twisted" intelligence to exaggerate the threat from Iraq before the U.S. invasion. Libby pressed the administration to publicly counter Wilson, sparking a debate with other White House officials who thought the tactic would call more attention to the former diplomat and his criticisms. That debate ended after an April 2004 meeting in the office of White House communications director Daniel Bartlett, when staffers were told "don't engage" Wilson, according to notes taken during the meeting by one person present. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Times staff writer Janet Hook contributed to this report. (Comment on this)
12:55 pm	bruce almighty letter 14918 Avenida Anita Chino Hills, CA 91709 October 31, 2005 Mr. Tom Shadyac Shady Acres Entertainment Dear Mr. Shadyac: My name is Kristen Le and I am currently a senior at Ontario Christian High School. One of the courses I am taking is Media, in which we had the opportunity to view and critique your movie, Bruce Almighty. Many Christians have dubbed this movie sacrilegious, but in a recent article, you seem to claim differently. Personally, I agree with your support of Bruce Almighty and believe that it does an absolutely amazing job at portraying our relationship with God. (Comment on this)
Monday, October 17th, 2005
11:11 am	http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/church_manual/introduction.html#xix Historical Development of the Seventh-day Adventist Church In fulfillment of the divine plan, the Advent Movement began its prophetic journey toward the kingdom in the year 1844. Few in number, often with unhappy memories of having been cast out of their churches because they had accepted the Advent doctrine, the Movement's pioneers walked uncertainly at first. They were sure of the doctrines they held, but unsure as to the form of organization, if any, that they should adopt. Indeed, most of them so sharply remembered how strong, well-organized church bodies had used that strength to oppose the Advent truth, that they instinctively feared any centralized order and government. Nevertheless, certain pioneer leaders saw with increasing clarity that some kind of government was imperative if good order was to prevail and the Movement grow strong. Their conviction was greatly strengthened by messages coming from the pen of Ellen G. White. The result was that in 1860 a church name, Seventh-day Adventist, was chosen and a legal body created to hold church property. This was followed, in 1861, by the organization of our first conference, Michigan. This involved the organizing of local churches, with the members signing a church covenant, and the organizing of the various churches into one united body to constitute what is now called a local conference. Action was also taken to give identifying papers to the ministers, thus protecting the churches against impostors who might seek to prey upon them. In 1863 the General Conference was organized, thus gathering into one organization a number of local conferences which had been created by that time. This set the Advent Movement on a coordinated, organized course. General Conference the Highest Authority The General Conference in session, and the Executive Committee between sessions, is the highest organization in the administration of the church's worldwide work, and is authorized by its constitution to create subordinate organizations to promote specific interests in various sections of the world; it is therefore understood that all subordinate organizations and institutions throughout the world will recognize the General Conference as the highest authority, under God, among Seventh-day Adventists. When differences arise in or between organizations and institutions, appeal to the next higher organization is proper until it reaches the General Conference in session, or the Executive Committee at the Annual Council. During the interim between these sessions the Executive Committee shall constitute the body of final authority on all questions where a difference of viewpoint may develop. The committee's decision may be reviewed at a session of the General Conference or at an Annual Council of the Executive Committee. "I have often been instructed by the Lord that no man's judgment should be surrendered to the judgment of any other one man. Never should the Page 28 mind of one man or the minds of a few men be regarded as sufficient in wisdom and power to control the work and to say what plans shall be followed. But when, in a General Conference, the judgment of the brethren assembled from all parts of the field is exercised, private independence and private judgment must not be stubbornly maintained, but surrendered. Never should a laborer regard as a virtue the persistent maintenance of his position of independence, contrary to the decision of the general body. "At times, when a small group of men entrusted with the general management of the work have, in the name of the General Conference, sought to carry out unwise plans and to restrict God's work, I have said that I could no longer regard the voice of the General Conference, represented by these few men, as the voice of God. But this is not saying that the decisions of a General Conference composed of an assembly of duly appointed, representative men from all parts of the field should not be respected. God has ordained that the representatives of His church from all parts of the earth, when assembled in a General Conference, shall have authority. The error that some are in danger of committing is in giving to the mind and judgment of one man, or of a small group of men, the full measure of authority and influence that God has vested in His church in the judgment and voice of the General Conference assembled to plan for the prosperity and advancement of His work. "When this power, which God has placed in the church, is accredited wholly to one man, and he is invested with the authority to be judgment for other minds, then the true Bible order is changed. Satan's efforts upon such a man's mind would be most subtle and sometimes well-nigh overpowering, for the enemy would hope that through his mind he could affect many others. Let us give to the highest organized authority in the church that which we are prone to give to one man or a small group of men." Testimonies, vol. 9, pp. 260, 261. General Principles Spiritual Worship "Although God dwells not in temples made with hands, yet He honors with His presence the assemblies of His people. He has promised that when they come together to seek Him, to acknowledge their sins, and to pray for one another, He will meet with them by His Spirit. But those who assemble to worship Him should put away every evil thing. Unless they worship Him in spirit and truth and in the beauty of holiness, their coming together will be of no avail. Of such the Lord declares, --This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoreth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me.' Matthew 15: 8, 9. Those who worship God must worship Him --in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.' John 4:23." Prophets and Kings, p. 50. The Purpose of the Services and Meetings of the Church The experience of a Christian is one of spiritual rebirth, joyful reconciliation, faithful mission, and humble obedience to God (2 Cor. 5:17; Phil. 2:5-8). Whatever a Christian does, or participates in, including the services and meetings of the church, is a testimony of this new life in Christ and a sharing of its fruits in the Spirit. The purpose of the services and meetings of the church is to worship God for His creative work and for all the benefits of His salvation; to understand His Word, His teachings, and His purposes; to fellowship with one another in faith and love; to witness about one's personal faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice at the cross; and to learn how to fulfill the gospel commission of making disciples in all the world (Matt. 28:19, 20). Reverence for the House of Worship "To the humble, believing soul, the house of God on earth is the gate of heaven. The song of praise, the prayer, the words spoken by Christ's representatives, are God's appointed agencies to prepare a people for the church above, for that loftier worship into which there can enter nothing that defileth. Page 68 "From the sacredness which was attached to the earthly sanctuary, Christians may learn how they should regard the place where the Lord meets with His people. . . . God Himself gave the order of His service, exalting it high above everything of a temporal nature. "The house is the sanctuary for the family, and the closet or the grove the most retired place for individual worship; but the church is the sanctuary for the congregation. There should be rules in regard to the time, the place, and the manner of worshiping. Nothing that is sacred, nothing that pertains to the worship of God, should be treated with carelessness or indifference. In order that men may do their best work in showing forth the praises of God, their associations must be such as will keep the sacred distinct from the common, in their minds. Those who have broad ideas, noble thoughts and aspirations, are those who have associations that strengthen all thoughts of divine things. Happy are those who have a sanctuary, be it high or low, in the city or among the rugged mountain caves, in the lowly cabin or in the wilderness. If it is the best they can secure for the Master, He will hallow the place with His presence, and it will be holy unto the Lord of hosts." Testimonies, vol. 5, pp. 491, 492. Children to be Taught Reverence "Parents, elevate the standard of Christianity in the minds of your children; help them to weave Jesus into their experience; teach them to have the highest reverence for the house of God and to understand that when they enter the Lord's house it should be with hearts that are softened and subdued by such thoughts as these: --God is here; this is His house. I must have pure thoughts and the holiest motives. I must have no pride, envy, jealousy, evil surmising, hatred, or deception in my heart, for I am coming into the presence of the holy God. This is the place where God meets with and blesses His people. The high and holy One who inhabiteth eternity looks upon me, searches my heart, and reads the most secret thoughts and acts of my life.'" Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 494. Decorum and Quietness in the Place of Worship "When the worshipers enter the place of meeting, they should do so with decorum, passing quietly to their seats. . . . Common talking, whispering, and laughing should not be permitted in the house of worship, either before or after the service. Ardent, active piety should characterize the worshipers. "If some have to wait a few minutes before the meeting begins, let them maintain a true spirit of devotion by silent meditation, keeping the heart uplifted to God in prayer that the service may be of special benefit to their own hearts and lead to the conviction and conversion of other souls. They should remember that heavenly messengers are in the house. We all lose much sweet communion with God by our restlessness, by not encouraging Page 69 moments of reflection and prayer. The spiritual condition needs to be often reviewed and the mind and heart drawn toward the Sun of Righteousness. If when the people come into the house of worship, they have genuine reverence for the Lord and bear in mind that they are in His presence, there will be a sweet eloquence in silence. The whispering and laughing and talking which might be without sin in a common business place should find no sanction in the house where God is worshiped. The mind should be prepared to hear the word of God, that it may have due weight and suitably impress the heart." Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 492. Arrangements for Church Meetings Each church should arrange its services and meetings as seems necessary. Those most essential to the worship, study, and activity of the church are the Sabbath worship service, the communion service, the prayer meeting, the Sabbath School, the young people's meeting, and the church outreach (missionary) meeting. Sessions for proper attention to the business affairs of the church are also essential. Hospitality A spirit of hospitality should be cultivated in every church. Nothing is so deadening to the spiritual life of a church as a cold, formal atmosphere that drives out hospitality and Christian fellowship. Members should cultivate this essential element of Christian life and experience. Especially should this be so in connection with the worship of God. Every visitor who worships with us should be cordially received and made to feel welcome. It is the duty of the church officers to arrange for someone to give special attention to welcoming the visitors who attend the services of the church. "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares" (Heb. 13:2). Unauthorized Speakers in Our Churches Under no circumstances should a minister, elder, or other church officer invite strangers or any unauthorized persons to conduct services in our churches. Individuals who have been removed from the ministry, or who have been dismissed from church fellowship in other places, or designing persons who have no authority from the church, should not be permitted with plausible words to gain admittance to our pulpits. Great care should be exercised to prevent this. Each one worthy of the confidence of our churches will be able to identify himself or herself by producing proper credentials. There may be times when it is proper for our congregations to be addressed by government officials or by civic leaders. All others should be excluded from the pulpit unless permission be granted from the conference/mission/field office. It is the duty of every elder, minister, and conference/mission/field president to see that this rule is carried out. (See pp. 137, 140, 205-207.) Page 70 Place of Music in Worship Place of Music in Worship "Music can be a great power for good, yet we do not make the most of this branch of worship. The singing is generally done from impulse or to meet special cases, and at other times those who sing are left to blunder along, and the music loses its proper effect upon the minds of those present. Music should have beauty, pathos, and power. Let the voices be lifted in songs of praise and devotion. Call to your aid, if practicable, instrumental music, and let the glorious harmony ascend to God, an acceptable offering." Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 71. Sing With the Spirit and the Understanding "In their efforts to reach the people, the Lord's messengers are not to follow the ways of the world. In the meetings that are held, they are not to depend on worldly singers and theatrical display to awaken an interest. How can those who have no interest in the word of God, who have never read His word with a sincere desire to understand its truths, be expected to sing with the spirit and the understanding? How can their hearts be in harmony with the words of sacred song? How can the heavenly choir join in music that is only a form? . . . "In the meetings held let a number be chosen to take part in the song service. And let the singing be accompanied with musical instruments skillfully handled. We are not to oppose the use of instrumental music in our work. This part of the service is to be carefully conducted, for it is the praise of God in song. "The singing is not always to be done by a few. As often as possible, let the entire congregation join." Testimonies, vol. 9, pp. 143, 144. The High Calling of God in Christ Jesus The Christian's life is not a slight modification or improvement, but a complete transformation of nature. This means a death to self and sin and a resurrection to a new life as a new person in Christ Jesus. The heart of the Christian becomes the dwelling place of Christ by faith. This is brought about by "the contemplation of Christ, beholding Christ, ever cherishing the dear Saviour as our very best and honored Friend, so that we would not in any action grieve and offend Him." Thus it is that Christians "have the companionship of the divine presence,'' and it is only as we realize that presence that "our thoughts are brought into captivity to Jesus Christ" (Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 387, 388) and our habits of life made to conform to the divine standard. We should bear in mind that "as a shield from temptation and an inspiration to purity and truth, no other influence can equal the sense of God's presence." - Education, p. 255. A similar thought is expressed in Patriarchs and Prophets, pages 217, 218: "If we were to cherish an habitual impression that God sees and hears all that we do and say and keeps a faithful record of our words and actions, and that we must meet it all, we would fear to sin. Let the young ever remember that wherever they are, and whatever they do, they are in the presence of God. No part of our conduct escapes observation. We cannot hide our ways from the Most High. . . . Every act, every word, every thought, is as distinctly marked as though there were only one person in the whole world, and the attention of heaven were centered upon him." God's love extends to everyone, and to His children in particular. His ear is ever open to the appeals of His people, those who have turned from the world and given themselves to Him. Out of this sacred relationship grows a respect and a reverence which is manifested every day and everywhere. As Christians we are members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King. Therefore, we should say no word, perform no act, that would bring dishonor upon "that worthy name by the which ye are called." In every phase of life we should "study carefully the divine-human character, and constantly inquire, ëWhat would Jesus do were He in my Page 162 place?' This should be the measurement of our duty." - The Ministry of Healing, p. 491. It is through the remnant church that God will make final demonstration to the entire universe of the adequacy of the gospel completely to save men and women from the power of sin. There is need today that as members of that church we should emphasize again the great standards of Christian conduct, and that we renew our allegiance to these God-given principles. All should come up to the high standards of the Christian life and be separated from the world. To this end we would emphasize the Lord's admonition: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15). Bible Study and Prayer Spiritual life is maintained by spiritual food. The habit of devotional Bible study and prayer must be maintained if we are to perfect holiness. In a time when a great flood of reading matter pours forth from printing presses everywhere, when the very ether is filled with thousands of voices, pleading for a hearing, it is incumbent upon us to close our eyes and our ears to much of that which is seeking entrance to our minds, and devote ourselves to God's book - the Book of all books, the Book of Life. If we cease to be the people of the Book, we are lost, and our mission has failed. Only as we daily talk to God in prayer and listen to His voice speaking to us from the Bible, can we hope to live the life that is "hid with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3), or finish His work. Prayer is a two-way conversation in which believers listen to God and talk to Him. "Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend." - Steps to Christ, p. 93. "Through sincere prayer we are brought into connection with the mind of the Infinite," but "without unceasing prayer and diligent watching we are in danger of growing careless and of deviating from the right path." - Steps to Christ, pp. 97, 95. The home is the cornerstone of the church, and a Christian home is a house of prayer. "Fathers and mothers" says the Spirit of Prophecy, "however pressing your business, do not fail to gather your family around God's altar. . . . Those who would live patient, loving, cheerful lives must pray." - The Ministry of Healing, p. 393. Community Relationships While our "citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we wait for a Saviour" (Phil. 3:20, RV), we are yet in the world as an integral part of human society, and must share with our fellows certain responsibilities in the Page 163 common problems of life. In every community where they live Seventh-day Adventists, as children of God, should be recognized as outstanding citizens in their Christian integrity and in working for the common good of all. While our highest responsibility is to the church and its commission to preach the gospel of the kingdom to all the world, we should support by our service and our means, as far as possible and consistent, all proper efforts for social order and betterment. Even though we must stand apart from all political and social strife, we should always, quietly and firmly, maintain an uncompromising stand for justice and right in civic affairs, along with strict adherence to our religious convictions. It is our sacred responsibility to be loyal citizens of the governments to which we belong, rendering "unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's" (Matt. 22:21). Sabbathkeeping The sacred institution of the Sabbath is a token of God's love to humanity. It is a memorial of God's power in the original creation and also a sign of His power to recreate and sanctify the life (Eze. 20:12), and its observance is an evidence of our loyalty to Him. The proper observance of the Sabbath is an evidence of our fidelity to our Creator and of fellowship with our Redeemer. In a special sense the observance of the Sabbath is a test of obedience. Unless we can pass that test as individuals, how can we adequately present the Sabbath message to the world? The Sabbath holds a very special place in the lives of Seventh-day Adventists. The seventh day of the week, from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday (Lev. 23:32), is a gift from God, a sign of His grace in time. It is a privilege, a special appointment with the One who loves us and whom we love, a sacred time set aside by God's eternal law, a day of delight for worshiping God and sharing with others (Isa. 58:13). The believer welcomes the Sabbath with joy and gratitude. "God's love has set a limit to the demands of toil. Over the Sabbath He places His merciful hand. In His own day He preserves for the family opportunity for communion with Him, with nature, and with one another." - Education, p. 251. The Sabbath hours belong to God, and are to be used for Him alone. Our own pleasure, our own words, our own business, our own thoughts, should find no place in the observance of the Lord's day (Isa. 58:13). Let us gather round the family circle at sunset and welcome the holy Sabbath with prayer and song, and let us close the day with prayer and expressions of gratitude for His wondrous love. The Sabbath is a special day for worship in the home and in the church, a day of joy to ourselves and our children, a day in which to learn more of God through the Bible and the great lesson Page 164 book of nature. It is a time to visit the sick and to work for the salvation of souls. The ordinary affairs of the six working days should be laid aside. No unnecessary work should be performed. Secular reading or secular broadcasts should not occupy our time on God's holy day. "The Sabbath is not intended to be a period of useless inactivity. The law forbids secular labor on the rest day of the Lord; the toil that gains a livelihood must cease; no labor for worldly pleasure or profit is lawful upon that day; but as God ceased His labor of creating, and rested upon the Sabbath and blessed it, so man is to leave the occupations of his daily life, and devote those sacred hours to healthful rest, to worship, and to holy deeds." - The Desire of Ages, p. 207. A rightly directed program of activities in harmony with the spirit of true Sabbathkeeping will make this blessed day the happiest and best of all the week, for ourselves and for our children - a veritable foretaste of our heavenly rest. Reverence for the Place of Worship Christians who appreciate God's omnipotence, His holiness, and His love will always and under all circumstances manifest a spirit of deep reverence for God, His word, and His worship. "Humanity and reverence should characterize the deportment of all who come into the presence of God." - Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 252. They will recognize that "the hour and place of prayer are sacred, because God is there." - Gospel Workers, p. 178. They will come to the house of worship, not carelessly, but in the spirit of meditation and prayer, and will avoid unnecessary conversation. Parents should reverently instruct their children as to how they should behave in "the house of God" (1 Tim. 3:15). Faithful instruction and discipline in the home, Sabbath School, and church during the days of childhood and youth in regard to reverence for God and His worship will go far in holding their loyalty in after years. The minister who senses the sacredness of God's service will, by his example, instruction, and conduct in the pulpit, foster reverence, simplicity, good order, and decorum in the church. "But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him" (Hab. 2:20). Health and Temperance The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:9). "Both mental and spiritual vigor are in great degree dependent upon physical strength and activity; whatever promotes physical health, promotes the development of a strong mind and a well-balanced character." - Education, p. 195. For this Page 165 reason, Seventh-day Adventists take care to live intelligently in accordance with health principles of physical exercise, respiration, sunshine, pure air, use of water, sleep, and rest. By conviction, they choose to eat healthfully, freely choosing to follow the principles of health, of self-control, and of wholesome diet. Therefore, they abstain from all forms of alcohol, tobacco, and addictive drugs. They strive to preserve their physical and psychological balance by avoiding any excess. Health reform and the teaching of health and temperance are inseparable parts of the Advent message. Instruction came to us through the Lord's chosen messenger "that those who are keeping His commandments must be brought into sacred relationship to Himself, and that by temperance in eating and drinking they must keep mind and body in the most favorable condition for service.'' - Counsels on Health, pp. 132, 133. Also, "it is the Lord's design that the restoring influence of health reform shall be a part of the last great effort to proclaim the gospel message." - Medical Ministry, p. 259. We belong to God, body, soul, and spirit. It is therefore our religious duty to observe the laws of health, both for our own well-being and happiness and for more efficient service to God and our fellow men. The appetite must be kept under control. Health is promoted by an intelligent observance of the hygienic principles having to do with pure air, ventilation, suitable clothing, cleanliness, proper exercise and recreation, adequate sleep and rest, and an adequate, wholesome diet. God has furnished man with a liberal variety of foods sufficient to satisfy every dietary need. Fruits, grains, nuts, and vegetables prepared in simple ways "make, with milk or cream, the most healthful diet." - Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, p. 47. When the principles of healthful living are practiced the need for stimulants will not be felt. The use of intoxicants and narcotics of any kind is forbidden by nature's law. From the early days of this movement abstinence from the use of liquor and tobacco has been a condition of membership in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. (See pp. 16, 33, 34, 185, 211.) God has given us great light on the principles of health, and modern scientific research has abundantly verified these principles. These cannot be safely ignored, for we are told that those "who choose to follow their own preferences in this matter, eating and drinking as they please, will gradually grow careless of the instruction the Lord has given regarding other phases of the present truth and will lose their perception of what is truth; . . ." - Testimonies, vol. 9, pp. 156, 157. Page 166 Dress As Seventh-day Adventists we have been called out from the world. We are reformers. True religion which enters into every phase of life must have a molding influence on all our activities. Our habits of life must stem from principle and not from the example of the world about us. Customs and fashions may change with the years, but principles of right conduct are always the same. Dress is an important factor in Christian character. Early in our history instruction was given as to the way Christians should dress, the purpose of which was "to protect the people of God from the corrupting influence of the world, as well as to promote physical and moral health, . . ." - Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 634. Truly a comprehensive purpose! There is no virtue in dressing differently from those about us just to be different, but where the principles of refinement or morality are involved the conscientious Christian will be true to his/her convictions rather than follow the prevailing customs. Christians should avoid gaudy display and "profuse ornamentation." Clothing should be, when possible, "of good quality, of becoming colors, and suited for service. It should be chosen for durability rather than display." Our attire should be characterized by "modesty," "beauty," "grace," and "appropriateness of natural simplicity." - Messages to Young People, pp. 351, 352. That it may not be conspicuous, it should follow the conservative and most sensible styles of the time. The adoption of fads and extreme fashions in men's or women's dress indicates a lack of attention to serious matters. Regardless of how sensibly people generally may dress, there are always extremes in style that transgress the laws of modesty and thus have a direct bearing on the prevalence of immoral conditions. Many who blindly follow the styles are at least partly unconscious of these effects, but the results are no less disastrous. The people of God should always be found among the conservatives in dress, and will not let "the dress question fill the mind." - Evangelism, p. 273. They will not be the first to adopt the new styles of dress or the last to lay the old aside. "To dress plainly, abstaining from display of jewelry and ornaments of every kind, is in keeping with our faith." - Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 366. It is clearly taught in the Scriptures that the wearing of jewelry is contrary to the will of God. ". . . not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array" is the admonition of the apostle Paul (1 Tim. 2:9). The wearing of ornaments of jewelry is a bid for attention which is not in keeping with Christian self-forgetfulness. In some countries the custom of wearing the wedding ring is considered imperative, having become, in the minds of the people, a criterion of virtue, Page 167 and hence it is not regarded as an ornament. Under such circumstances we have no disposition to condemn the practice. Let us remember that it is not the "outward adorning" which expresses true Christian character, but "the hidden man of the heart . . . a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (1 Peter 3:3, 4). The use of cosmetics not in keeping with good taste and the principles of Christian modesty should be avoided. Cleanliness and Christlike deportment should be observed in the care and grooming of the individual who is seeking at all times to please and rightly represent Christ our Lord. Christian parents should bring to bear the weight of their example, instruction, and authority to lead their sons and daughters to attire themselves modestly, and thus win the respect and confidence of those who know them. Let our people consider themselves well dressed only when the demands of modesty are met in the wearing of tasteful, conservative clothing. Simplicity Simplicity has been a fundamental feature of the Seventh-day Adventist Church from its foundation. We must continue to be a plain people. Increase of pomp in religion always parallels a decline in spiritual power. As "the life of Jesus presented a marked contrast" to the display and ostentation of His time (Education, p. 77), so the simplicity and power of the Advent message must be in marked contrast to the worldly display of our day. The Lord condemns "needless, extravagant expenditure of money to gratify pride and love of display." - Testimonies to Ministers, p. 179. In harmony with these principles, simplicity and economy should characterize our graduating exercises, the weddings in our churches, and all other church services. Reading Like the body, the inner being also needs wholesome nourishment for renewal and strengthening (2 Cor. 4:6). The mind is the measure of the person. Food for the mind is therefore of the utmost importance in developing character and in carrying out our life's purposes. For this reason our mental habits should be carefully checked. There is no better index to character than what we choose to read and hear. Books and other literature are among the most valuable means of education and culture, but these must be well chosen and rightly used. There is a wealth of good literature, both books and periodicals; but equally there is a flood of evil literature, often in most attractive guise but damaging to mind and morals. The tales of wild adventure and of moral laxness, whether fact or fiction, which are presented Page 168 in print or other communication media are unfit for the youth or adult. "Those who indulge the habit of racing through an exciting story are simply crippling their mental strength, and disqualifying their minds for vigorous thought and research." - Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 135. Along with other evil results from the habit of reading fiction, we are told that "it unfits the soul to contemplate the great problems of duty and destiny," and "creates a distaste for life's practical duties." - Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 383. Radio and Television Radio and television have changed the whole atmosphere of our modern world and have brought us within easy contact with the life, thought, and activities of the entire globe. Radio and television are great educational agencies. By these means we can greatly enlarge our knowledge of world events and enjoy important discussions and the best in music. Unfortunately, however, radio and television also bring to their audiences almost continuous theatrical performances and many influences that are neither wholesome nor uplifting. If we are not discriminating and decisive, radio and television will turn our homes into theaters and minstrel shows of a cheap and sordid kind. Safety for ourselves and our children is found in a determination, by God's help, to follow the admonition of the apostle Paul: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Phil. 4:8). Recreation and Entertainment Recreation is a purposeful refreshing of the powers of body and mind. A vigorous, wholesome mind will not require worldly amusement, but will find a renewal of strength in good recreation. "Many of the amusements popular in the world today, even with those who claim to be Christians, tend to the same end as did those of the heathen. There are indeed few among them that Satan does not turn to account in destroying souls. Through the drama he has worked for ages to excite passion and glorify vice. The opera, with its fascinating display and bewildering music, the masquerade, the dance, the card table, Satan employs to break down the barriers of principle and open the door to sensual indulgence. In every gathering for pleasure where pride is fostered or appetite indulged, where one is led to forget God and lose sight of eternal Page 169 interests, there Satan is binding his chains about the soul." - Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 459, 460. (See p. 212.) We earnestly warn against the subtle and sinister influence of the moving-picture theater, which is no place for the Christian. Dramatized films that graphically present by portrayal and by suggestion the sins and crimes of humanity - murder, adultery, robbery, and kindred evils - are in no small degree responsible for the present breakdown of morality. We appeal to parents, children, and youth to shun those places of amusement and those theatrical films that glorify professional acting and actors. If we will find delight in God's great world of nature and in the romance of human agencies and divine workings, we shall not be attracted by the puerile portrayals of the theater. Another form of amusement that has an evil influence is social dancing. "The amusement of dancing, as conducted at the present day, is a school of depravity, a fearful curse to society." - Messages to Young People, p. 399. (See 2 Cor. 6:15-18; 1 John 2:15-17; James 4:4; 2 Tim. 2:19-22; Eph. 5:8-11; Col. 3:5-10.) Let us not patronize the commercialized amusements, joining with the worldly, careless, pleasure-loving multitudes who are "lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God." Recreation is essential. We should endeavor to make the friendships and recreations of our people church centered. We recommend that in every home where there are children, materials be provided which will afford an outlet for the creative energies of youth. Wholesome association and recreation may be provided through music organizations, AJY class projects, and outreach (missionary) service bands. Music "Music was made to serve a holy purpose, to lift the thoughts to that which is pure, noble, and elevating, and to awaken in the soul devotion and gratitude to God." - Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 594. Jesus "held communion with heaven in song." - The Desire of Ages, p. 73. Music is one of the highest arts. Good music not only gives pleasure but elevates the mind and cultivates the finest qualities. Spiritual songs have often been used of God to touch the hearts of sinners and lead to repentance. Debased music, on the contrary, destroys the rhythm of the soul and breaks down morality. Great care should be exercised in the choice of music. Any melody partaking of the nature of jazz, rock, or related hybrid forms, or any language expressing foolish or trivial sentiments, will be shunned by persons Page 170 of true culture. Let us use only good music in the home, in the social gathering, in the school, and in the church. (See p. 70.) Social Relationships The social instinct is given us of God, for our pleasure and benefit. ". . . by mutual contact minds receive polish and refinement; by social intercourse, acquaintances are formed and friendships contracted which result in a unity of heart and an atmosphere of love which is pleasing in the sight of heaven." - Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 172. Proper association of the sexes is beneficial to both. Such associations should be conducted upon a high plane and with due regard to the conventions and restrictions which, for the protection of society and the individual, have been prescribed. It is the purpose of Satan, of course, to pervert every good thing; and the perversion of the best often leads to that which is worst. So it is highly important that Christians should adhere to very definite standards of social life. Today the ideals that make these social relationships safe and happy are breaking down to an alarming degree. Under the influence of passion unrestrained by moral and religious principle, the association of the sexes has to an alarming extent degenerated into freedom and license. Sexual perversions, incest, and sexual abuse of children prevail to an alarming degree. Millions have abandoned Christian standards of conduct and are bartering the sweet and sacred experiences of marriage and parenthood for the bitter, remorseful fruits of lust. Not only are these evils damaging the familial structure of society, but the breakdown of the family in turn fosters and breeds these and other evils. The results in distorted lives of children and youth are distressing and evoke our pity, while the effects on society are not only disastrous but cumulative. These evils have become more open and threatening to the ideals and purposes of the Christian home. Adultery, sexual abuse of spouses, incest, sexual abuse of children, homosexual practices, and lesbian practices are among the obvious perversions of God's original plan. As the intent of clear passages of Scripture (See Ex. 20:14; Lev. 18:22, 29 and 20:13; 1 Cor. 6:9; 1 Tim. 1:10; Rom. 1:20-32) is denied and as their warnings are rejected in exchange for human opinions, much uncertainty and confusion prevail. This is what Satan desires. It has always been his plan to cause people to forget that God is their Creator and that when He "created man in His own image" He created them "male and female" (Gen. 1:27). The world is witnessing today a resurgence of the perversions of ancient civilizations. The degrading results of the world's obsession with sex and the love and pursuit of sensual pleasure are clearly delineated in the Word of God. But Christ came to destroy the works of the devil and reestablish the Page 171 relationship of human beings with their Creator. Thus, though fallen in Adam and captive to sin, those who are in Christ receive full pardon and the right to choose anew the better way, the way to complete renewal. By means of the cross and the power of the Holy Spirit, all may be freed from the grip of sinful practices as they are restored to the image of their Creator. It is incumbent upon the parents and the spiritual guides of the youth to face with no false modesty the facts of social conditions, to gain more fully a sympathetic understanding of the problems of this generation of young people, to seek most earnestly to provide for them the best environment, and to draw so near to them in spirit as to be able to impart the ideals of life and the inspiration and power of Christian religion, that they may be saved from the evil that is in the world through lust. But to our young men and young women we say, The responsibility is yours. Whatever may be the mistakes of parents, it is your privilege to know and to hold the highest ideals of Christian manhood and womanhood. Reverent Bible study, a deep acquaintance with the works of nature, stern guarding of the sacred powers of the body, earnest purpose, constancy in prayer, and sincere, unselfish ministry to others' needs will build a character that is proof against evil and that will make you an uplifting influence in society. Social gatherings for old and young should be made occasions, not for light and trifling amusement, but for happy fellowship and improvement of the powers of mind and soul. Good music, elevating conversation, good recitations, suitable still or motion pictures, games carefully selected for their educational value, and, above all, the making and using of plans for outreach (missionary) effort can provide programs for social gatherings that will bless and strengthen the lives of all. The Youth Department of the General Conference has published helpful information and practical suggestions for the conduct of social gatherings and for guidance in other social relations. The homes of the church are by far the best places for social gatherings. In large centers where it is impossible to hold them there, and where there is no social center of our own, a proper place free from influences destructive to Christian standards should be secured rather than a place that is ordinarily used for commercial amusements and sports, such as social halls and skating rinks, which suggest an atmosphere contrary to Christian standards. Chaperonage The happy and cordial association of those older in years with the young people is one of the most wholesome influences in the lives of children and Page 172 youth. "There is danger that both parents and teachers . . . fail to come sufficiently into social relation with their children or scholars." - Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 76. It is the duty of our schools and other institutions to care for the morals and reputation of those placed in their charge. Chaperonage is an obligatory duty with them. It is equally the duty of the home. Parents should strongly sustain the regulations of the institutions in which their youth and children are placed, and should institute in their homes equal safeguards. To make this possible, it is their duty to learn how to be welcome companions of their children; but it rests chiefly upon the young people themselves to make of chaperonage not an irksome and repugnant association but an honored and happy relationship. Courtship and Marriage Courtship is recognized as a preparatory period during which a man and a woman, already mutually attracted, become more thoroughly acquainted with each other in preparation for intended marriage. Christian marriage is a divinely sanctioned union between a believing man and a believing woman for the fulfillment of their mutual love, for mutual support, for shared happiness, and for the procreation and rearing of children who will in turn become Christians. According to God's design, this union lasts until dissolved by the death of one of the partners. Marriage is the foundation of human society, and true affection between man and woman is ordained of God. "Let those who are contemplating marriage weigh every sentiment and watch every development of character in the one with whom they think to unite their life destiny. Let every step toward a marriage alliance be characterized by modesty, simplicity, sincerity, and an earnest purpose to please and honor God. Marriage affects the afterlife both in this world and in the world to come. A sincere Christian will make no plans that God cannot approve." - The Ministry of Healing, p. 359. The failure to follow these principles in Christian courtship may lead to tragedy. Unity of husband and wife in ideals and purposes is a requisite to a happy and successful home. The Scriptures counsel, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers" (2 Cor. 6:14). Differences regarding religion are likely to mar the happiness of a home where partners hold different beliefs and lead to confusion, perplexity, and failure in the rearing of children. "The family tie is the closest, the most tender and sacred, of any on earth. It was designed to be a blessing to mankind. And it is a blessing wherever the marriage covenant is entered into intelligently, in the fear of Page 173 God, and with due consideration for its responsibilities." - The Adventist Home, p. 18. Worship of God, Sabbathkeeping, recreation, association, use of financial resources, and training of children are responsible components of happy family relationships. Because differences in these areas can often lead to a deterioration of these relationships, to discouragement, and even to a complete loss of Christian experience, an adequate preparation for marriage should include premarital pastoral counseling in these areas. "ëCan two walk together, except they be agreed?' (Amos 3:3). The happiness and prosperity of the marriage relation depends upon the unity of the parties; but between the believer and the unbeliever there is a radical difference of tastes, inclinations, and purposes. They are serving two masters, between whom there can be no concord. However pure and correct one's principles may be, the influence of an unbelieving companion will have a tendency to lead away from God." - Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 174. The Spirit of Prophecy consistently counsels against marriage between "the believer and the unbeliever" and further cautions against uniting with fellow Christians who have "not accepted the truth for this time." - Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 364. Marriages are more likely to endure and family life to fulfill the divine plan, if husband and wife are united and are bound together by common spiritual values and lifestyles. For these reasons, the Seventh-day Adventist Church strongly discourages marriage between a Seventh-day Adventist and a non-Seventh-day Adventist, and strongly urges Seventh-day Adventist ministers not to perform such weddings. The church recognizes that it is the prerogative of the individual to make the final decision relative to the choice of a marriage partner. However, it is the hope of the church that, if the member chooses a marriage partner who is not a member of the church, the couple will realize and appreciate that the Seventh-day Adventist pastor, who has covenanted to uphold the principles outlined above, should not be expected to perform such a marriage. If an individual does enter into such a marriage, the church is to demonstrate love and concern with the purpose of encouraging the couple toward complete unity in Christ. (For further information on the subject of marriage, see Chapter 15, Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage.) Conclusion Standing amid the perils of the last days, bearing the responsibility of speedily carrying the last offer of salvation to the world, and facing a judgment that will culminate in the establishment of universal righteousness, let us with true heart consecrate ourselves to God, body, soul, and spirit, Page 174 determining to maintain the high standards of living that must characterize those who wait for the return of their Lord. (Comment on this)
11:10 am	http://www.beliefnet.com/story/80/story_8036.html • Belief in Deity There is a Trinity of the Father, the Son (Christ), and the Holy Spirit that comprises one God Almighty. • Incarnations Jesus Christ is God's only incarnation and is God. • Origin of Universe and Life The biblical Book of Genesis is inerrant. Most Seventh-day Adventists hold that, although the universe and our planet are ancient, God created the ordered world and all life forms in less than seven, literally twenty-four hour, days, less than 10,000 years ago--thereby refuting most claims of modern science. • After Death Death results in unconsciousness. At any time now, Jesus Christ will return to raise to heaven all the righteous dead and living, resurrect and destroy the wicked and Satan here on earth, and then return the righteous to a paradisiacal earth for eternity with God. • Why Evil? Original sin--all people are inherently sinners, prone to evil and subject to Satan's temptations. • Salvation Salvation is only by the grace of God, through faith in Jesus Christ alone. But faith must be exhibited through action. Baptism (full immersion) is performed at age of accountability for those "born again" and is regarded as a demonstration of belief, a symbol of union with Christ and forgiveness of sins, and reception of the Holy Spirit. The faithful will obey God's commandments, acknowledge and repent their sins, observe the Sabbath on Saturday, adhere to church moral laws, restrictions, and sacraments, including baptism and communion, care for their body as a temple of the Holy Spirit. Living life as simply and naturally as possible, away from stressful influences, is encouraged. Some modes of entertainment (theater, billiard rooms, dance halls, saloons, most television, movies, etc.) are to be avoided. Schooling at home or at non-government church schools is recommended. • Undeserved Suffering Some suffering is caused by the inheritance of mortality originating from Adam and Eve's disobedience to God, which includes vulnerability to illness and disease. Also, Satan pervades the earth, causing pain and suffering. Many believe that suffering is God's design to test, teach, or strengthen belief in Him; the greater the suffering of innocent believers, the greater will be their reward after life. • Contemporary Issues Abortion has moral consequences and should only be performed for the most serious reasons. The church acknowledges compelling reasons for a woman to choose abortion, e.g., threat to the life of the woman, rape/incest, extreme congenital abnormalities, etc. After counseling, the final decision is regarded as her own--she is not to be coerced or condemned. Homosexuality is forbidden. Gender equality and womens rights are promoted, but women are not permitted at the highest levels of the church hierarchy and are generally regarded as subordinate to men. Marriage is permanent and divorce only permitted on grounds of adultery/fornication, abandonment by an unbelieving spouse, or physical violence. Remarriage is only permitted if one's spouse committed adultery/fornication. Working for peace is encouraged by the SDA church as a Christian value. Many SDAs refuse combat status in the armed forces, and the church urges strict control of semi- and automatic assault weapons. The church supports community activities for equal rights and justice, antipoverty, education, and the direct provision of health care facilities. The church operates a world-wide network of schools and health care institutions.   http://www.sdaoutreach.org/ =basic beliefs of sda http://www.bible.ca/7-plagiarism.htm =against ellen white http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_G._White Ellen G. White From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Jump to: navigation, search Ellen Gould White (née Harmon) (November 26, 1827 – July 16, 1915) was co-founder of Seventh-day Adventism. Most of her life she lived and worked in the United States, except for a period of 1890-1900 in Australia and some short visitations to Europe. Ellen White was a prolific writer. She is said to be the most translated female writer in the history of literature and the most translated American author of either gender. Her writings covered topics of theology, evangelism, Christian lifestyle, education and health (she also advocated vegetarianism). She was a leader who emphasized education and health and promoted establishment of schools and medical centers. During her lifetime she wrote more than 5,000 periodical articles and 40 books; but today, including compilations from her 50,000 pages of manuscript, more than 100 titles are available in English. Among her works is the popular Christian book, Steps to Christ. Believed by Seventh-day Adventists to be inspired by God, her books have influenced many. Considered by some to be the prophetess for the end-times, through the Holy Spirit, she sought to draw more to study the Word of God and to prepare the world for the Second Advent, or second coming of Christ. However, Mrs. White did not encourage the use of "prophet", not feeling comfortable with the label in reference to herself, rather, she preferred "messenger". The Seventh-Day Adventist Church states in its 28 Fundamental Beliefs: "#18. The Gift of Prophecy: One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and was manifested in the ministry of Ellen. G. White . As the Lord's messenger, her writings are a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction. They also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested. (Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 12:17; 19:10.)" (see http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/) Her last home, Elmshaven in Saint Helena, California, is a National Historic Landmark. Contents [hide] 1 Early Life 1.1 Visions 2 Criticisms 3 External links 3.1 Apologists 3.2 Critics 3.3 Writings Online [edit] Early Life On her way home from school at the age of 9 years, Ellen Harmon was struck in the face with a rock thrown by another school girl. The trauma put her in a coma for three weeks, and gave her health problems she never fully recovered from. In her weakened state, she was unable to return to school, and never completed any further formal education. In 1840, at age 12, her family became involved with the Millerite movement, a movement that created emotional turbulence for her. Through attending William Miller lectures, she felt that she was a guilty sinner and was filled with terror about being eternally lost. She describes herself as spending nights in tears and prayer, and being in this condition for several months. She also describes moments of pure bliss while having positive religious experiences. Eventually, the association with the Millerites caused her Methodist church to disfellowship her and her family. [edit] Visions It was shortly after experiencing the Great Disappointment of 1844 that Ellen started having her first visions. At random times, often when in church or prayer meetings, Ellen would be taken into vision. The visions would last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. She described the vision experience as being surrounded in bright light. In these visions she would be in the presence of Jesus or angels, who would show her events (historical and future), show her places (on earth, in heaven, other planets), or tell her information. When the vision was over she described returning to the darkness of the earth. The first vision was a depiction of the Adventist people following Jesus, marching to the city (heaven). This vision was taken by those around her as an encouraging sign considering the devastation of the Great Disappointment. She was encouraged both in visions and by fellow church members to more broadly share her visions, which she did by a mix of public speaking, magazine articles, and books. The writings of her visions are generally either reproof or encouragement to individual people or the Adventist church collectively, theology, and prophecy. Her series of books "Testimonies for the Church" contain a large amount of this material. The speaking and writings of her visions were the more significant part she played in establishing and shaping the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Her visions were used, and are still used, in decision making, in forming policy and doctrine, as well as for devotional material. [edit] Criticisms One of the first and most prominent critics of Ellen White was D.M. Canright. The criticisms he makes in his 1919 book, "Life of Mrs. E.G. White Seventh-day Adventist Prophet Her False Claims Refuted" are largely the same as those pointed out by modern Ellen White critics. These include: plagiarism failed prophecy suppression of damaging writings progression of maturity in vision as she ages basing supposed visions on rumors visions incongruent with later scientific knowledge contradictions biblical contradictions hypocrisy Many of her critics attribute her visions to her head injury, arguing that her symptoms match disorders such as temporal lobe epilepsy or mercury poisoning. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventh-day_Adventist_Church Origins According to historians of the movement, this group gained its more recent name from the teaching that the expected return of Jesus on October 22, 1844 had been fulfilled in a way that had not previously been understood. This was termed "the Great Disappointment." Further Bible study led to the belief that Jesus in that year had entered into the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary, and began an "investigative judgment" of the world: a process through which there is an examination of the heavenly records to "determine who, through repentance of sin and faith in Christ, are entitled to the benefits of His atonement"¹ after which Jesus will return to earth. According to the church's teaching, the return of Christ may occur very soon, though nobody knows the exact date of that event (Matthew 24:36). For about 20 years, the Adventist movement was a rather unorganized group of people who held to this message. Among its greatest supporters were James White, Ellen G. White and Joseph Bates. Later, a formally organized church called the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists was established in Battle Creek, Michigan, in May 1863, with a membership of 3,500. Through the evangelism and inspiration of Ellen G. White, the church quickly grew and established a presence beyond North America during the later part of the 1800s. In 1903, the denominational headquarters were moved from Battle Creek to Washington D.C. (and the immediately neighboring community of Takoma Park, Maryland). In 1989, the headquarters was moved again, this time to Silver Spring, Maryland. [edit] Doctrine Seventh-day Adventist doctrine is based on the Anabaptist protestant tradition. Adventist doctrine resembles mainstream orthodox trinitarian Protestant theology, with the exception of several areas. Saturday as Sabbath. Seventh-day Adventists observe a 24-hour sunset-to-sunset Sabbath commencing Friday evening. Justification for this belief is garnered from the creation account in Genesis in which God rested on the seventh-day, an approach later immortalised in the Ten Commandments. Seventh-day Adventists maintain that there is no biblical mandate for the change from the "true Sabbath" to Sunday observance, which is to say that Sunday-keeping is merely a "tradition of men." State of the Dead. Seventh-day Adventists believe that death is a sleep during which the "dead know nothing" (Ecclesiastes 9:5). This view maintains that the person has no conscious form of existence until the resurrection, either at the second coming of Jesus (in the case of the righteous) or after the millennium of Revelation 20 (in the case of the wicked). Because of this view, Seventh-day Adventists do not believe hell currently exists and believe further that the wicked will be destroyed at the end of time. Baptism. Seventh-day Adventists practice adult baptism by full immersion in a similar manner to the Baptists. Infants are dedicated rather than baptized, as it is argued that baptism requires knowing consent and moral responsibility. Belief in an imminent, pre-millennial, universally visible second advent, preceded by a time of trouble when the righteous will be persecuted and a false second coming where Satan impersonates the Messiah. Teaching that the "Spirit of Prophecy," an identifying mark of the remnant church, was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White, whom Adventists recognize as the Lord's messenger. Her "writings are a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction" (28 Fundamental Beliefs). Avoidance of unclean meat such as pork. Seventh-day Adventists oppose the formulation of credal statements. Seventh-day Adventists prefer to view the fundamental beliefs as descriptors rather than prescriptors. However divergence from the published position is frowned upon. Missionary outreach of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is aimed on both unbelievers and other Christian Churches. [edit] Seventh-day Adventist religious practices Seventh-day Adventist religious practise consists primarily of weekly Sabbath school and church. Church follows an evangelical format, with emphasis placed on the sermon. During the week prayer meetings may be conducted. Seventh-day Adventists practise communion four times a year, reflecting their Methodist roots. The communion is an open service (available to members and non-members) and includes a foot-washing ceremony and consumption of the Lord's Supper. Seventh-day Adventists have three levels of ordination: deacons, elders, and pastors. Only men are currently eligible for ordination as ministers and are allowed to marry and have families. Many Seventh-day Adventists avoid meat for health reasons though Vegetarianism is not a requirement. Adventists do avoid unclean meat as identified in the book of Leviticus. [edit] Structure and Polity The global church is called the General Conference. The General Conference is made up of divisions. Divisions are comprised of union conferences. Union conferences consist of local conferences. Local conferences include local church districts. These are generally ministered to by one pastor each. Local districts can contain one to many local churches (congregations). In the United States, these numbers tend to be smaller (2-4 churches per district, perhaps), while in most of the worldwide church, the numbers tend to be larger (5+ per district and per pastor, sometimes as many as 15 or more). Adventist Church polity (governance), is a mixture of hierarchical (or episcopal) and presbyterian elements. Each of these local churches has its own elected governing body and office. Almost everything is decided by either elected committees, through vote of members, or representatives from the local churches. Each organization holds a general session at certain intervals. This is usually when general decisions get voted on. The president of the General Conference, for instance, is elected at the General Conference Session every five years. Churches are governed by a church board formed by members of that church, with the pastor of that congregation. Church property is owned by the conference corporation though, and so this differs from congregational polity. Ministers are ordained by ministers as are lay elders and lay deacons (which is presbyterian rather than congregational or episcopal). The church has a number of extra-church organisations associated, these come under the umbrella of independent ministries. [edit] Number of members 1961: 1 million 1970: 2 million 1980: 3.5 million 1990: Almost 7 million 2000: About 11 million 2003: About 12 million 2004: About 14 million 2005: 12,894,005 baptised members, close to 25 million worship in churches every Saturday world wide. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is one of the world's fastest-growing organizations, primarily due to increases in Third World membership. It operates in 203 out of 228 countries recognised by the United Nations The current head of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is General Conference President Jan Paulsen from Norway. [edit] Media ministries The Seventh-day Adventist Church has many affiliated broadcast ministries that are seen every day on radio and television. The Hope Channel is the church's official TV channel. It started to operate in 2003 and can be watched via satellite on every inhabited continent. Three Angels Broadcasting Network was founded in 1984 by Danny Shelton who built a satellite television station that today broadcasts on seven satellites covering every inhabited continet. It is also the second largest Christian television network in the United States. The Voice Of Prophecy was founded in 1929 by H.M.S. Richards, Sr. on a single radio station in Los Angeles, but has since spread to stations throughout the nation and has recently begun television and video production. Richards' son, H.M.S. Richards, Jr., succeeded him in the late 1970s, and today is hosted by Pastor Lonnie Meleshenko and Connie Jeffery (daughter of It Is Written founder George Vandeman). The Quiet Hour was founded in 1937 by J.L. Tucker as a radio program. Succeeding members of the Tucker family have run the ministry since then, and it too has expanded into television. It Is Written was founded in 1956 by George Vandeman and was the first religious program to air in color, and the first to take advantage of satellite technology. Mark Finley succeeded Vandeman in 1992. He left the show in 2004 and was replaced by Shawn Boonstra. Amazing Facts was founded in 1965 by Joe Crews in Baltimore, Maryland. Inspired by the success of the Voice Of Prophecy, Crews' original objective was to reach out to both Christian and non-Christian listeners via daily 15-minute programs by opening with a catchy historic fact, and how it applies to the overall Biblical messages. Later, the program offered accompanying home Bible study courses, as well as books written by Crews himself. In 1987, Amazing Facts initiated a television ministry. In 1993, after Joe Crews' passing, Doug Batchelor assumed the position as Director/Speaker, and has held that position ever since. Today, Amazing Facts broadcasts mainly out of Sacramento, California. Breath Of Life is one of the most recent Adventist broadcast ministries to hit the airwaves. Although its main audience is African American, the message is similar to the other broadcast ministries. Daniel Lubega is a Omaha Nebraska SDA pastor with radio show on KCRO and a tv show on Omaha Cox Channel 23 All the main Adventist broadcast ministries have engaged in worldwide outreach via numerous crusades and rallies. Worldwide outreach is also conducted by Adventist World Radio mostly via shortwave radio transmissions, but also via AM, FM, satellite, Internet, and direct-to-home satellite radio transmissions. Broadcasting is currently done from 10 transmitter sites in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. [edit] Health Seventh-day Adventists present a health message that recommends vegetarianism and condones abstinence from pork, shellfish, and other foods proscribed as "unclean" in Leviticus as well as from alcohol and tobacco. The Sanitarium Health Food Company, owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is one of Australia's leading manufacturers of health and vegetarian-related products. Seventh-day Adventists run a large number of hospitals. Their predominate school of medicine in North America is located in Loma Linda, California. [edit] Education Seventh-day Adventists have had a long interest in education. The Adventist church runs one of the largest education systems in the world. They operate some 5,700 pre-schools, primary and secondary schools, as well as colleges, universities, seminaries and medical schools in about 145 countries worldwide. This education system involves some 66,000 teachers and 1,257,000 students. The Adventist educational program is comprehensive encompassing "mental, physical, social, and spiritual health" with "intellectual growth and service to humanity" its goal. [edit] Pathfinders The Youth Department of the Seventh-day Adventist church runs an organisation for 10-16 year old boys and girls called Pathfinders. For younger children, Adventurer, Eager Beaver, and Little Lambs clubs are available that feed into the Pathfinder program. Pathfinders is similar to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), except that membership is open to both boys and girls. [edit] Institutions list of Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities list of Seventh-day Adventist hospitals [edit] Other Activities The Seventh-day Adventist Church has been active for over 100 years advocating for freedom of religion. In 1893 its leaders founded the International Religious Liberty Association (IRLA). They also have been formally active in humanitarian aid for over 50 years (ADRA). [edit] Off-shoots and Schismatics Most notoriously, the Branch Davidians and David Koresh of the Waco, Texas conflagration are a schismatic off-shoot of the Seventh-day Adventist religious movement, and hold very little in common with the rest of Adventism. There is also a Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movement. Another famous example is Dr Desmond Ford and his ministry Good News Unlimited. [edit] Outsider Criticisms of Seventh-day Adventism There are disputes among Evangelical counter-cult authors over whether Seventh-day Adventism is a cult, in the sense in which they use this term to refer to groups which deviate from their own particular views on biblical orthodoxy. For example, in the late 1950s, Walter Martin and Donald Barnhouse classified Adventists as non-cultic, although for Martin this was a reversal of his classification of Adventists early in 1955 as a cult. Many evangelicals followed this advice, and continue to do so today, and accept Adventism as an orthodox Christian denomination, even if it holds a few doctrines which are different from mainline Christian churches. This can be viewed as an increasing acceptance of the Adventist church into the Christian fold, since many of these other Christian groups were previously very much opposed to Adventist teaching. Others, however, have rejected this view, including, for example, John Whitcomb, Jr. Adventist insularism and warnings about mixing with non-Christians and even non-Adventists, and the importance placed on Adventist education for children add to allegations of cult-like behaviour. Some critics argue that Seventh-day Adventists' focus on the Sabbath places a focus on works rather than grace. Critics of Adventist doctrine argue that the Adventist church, in accepting Ellen G. White as a prophet and her writings as inspired, is putting forward another source of authority in addition to the Bible. This they view as contrary to the traditional Protestant sola scriptura view of the Bible as the sole inspired source of authority, and the rejection of any claims to latter-day prophets. They also criticise the Christology taught by Ellen G. White as inaccurate and heterodox. For example, White taught that "Christ took upon His sinless nature our sinful nature ... Christ took human nature and bore the infirmities and degeneracy of the race. He took our nature and its deteriorating condition" (Questions on Doctrine, pp. 654-656). By contrast, the traditional teaching of Christianity (both Protestant and Catholic) is that Christ's human nature was sinless. However, Ellen White also affirms that Christ was completely sinless. Thus many Adventists argue that Christ's taking of human nature related to sickness, disease, the feeling of hunger, etc., and not to any moral propensity to sin. Critics also view the Adventist belief in annihilationism as unbiblical. They point to various biblical passages which contradict annihilationism, for example Luke 16:19-31, which they argue clearly indicates that the dead are presently conscious in Heaven or Hell, not in some kind of soul sleep. Compare this with the description of Lazarus as asleep given by Jesus in John 11:12-14. Also consider the view of Luke 16:19-31 from the perspective of those believing in annihilationism, which is that those verses are a parable taught by Jesus, not actual events. Critics allege that Ellen G. White taught that belief in the doctrine of "investigative judgement" was necessary for salvation. For example, she writes in her book The Great Controversy (p. 488): The subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgement should be clearly understood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great High Priest. Otherwise it will be impossible for them to exercise the faith which is essential at this time or to occupy the position which God designs for them to fill. It has been noted by several other Christian groups that in recent years the Adventist leadership has de-emphasised several of the uniquely Adventist doctrines, in favour of an emphasis on the basic Christian beliefs they share with other Christians, which renders the Adventist church less problematic on the whole from the perspective of other Christians. Some groups of traditionalist Seventh-day Adventists, however, are rather cross at the Adventist Church leadership for doing this, and a few have left the Adventist church to form splinter groups as a result.   (Comment on this)
Monday, October 10th, 2005
4:09 pm	ap gov term paper http://www.politics1.com/issues.htm abortion, affirmative action, budget/taxes, campaign/political reform, crime/drugs, education http://www.issues2000.org/default.htm Abortion Budget & Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy & Oil Environment Families & Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Government Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure & Technology Jobs Principles & Values Social Security Tax Reform War & Peace Welfare & Poverty http://dir.yahoo.com/Government/Politics/Political_Issues/ http://dmoz.org/Society/Issues/ http://atheism.about.com/od/politicspoliticalissues/ 1 Abortion 2 Death Penalty 3 Nuclear Testing 4 Immigration 5 Church and State 6 Homeland Security 7 Gay Marriages 8 War in Iraq 9 Terrorism 10 Euthanasia 11 Freedom of Speech 12 Stem Cell Research 13 Religion in Public Schools (under God) (Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 5th, 2005
5:19 pm	ap gov questions ch3 Kristen Le Chapter 3 October 6, 2005 AP Gov 1. American federalism is defined as the constitutional distribution of power between the national and state governments. This interpretation of federalism separates us from other democracies around the world. For example, Britain is a democracy, but has a unitary system of government. Rather than giving some power to the central government, and others to the state governments, Britain’s Constitution grants Parliament ultimate rule. However, Parliament does share similarities to America’s Congress. Both are made up of elected officers meant to represent the interests of the voters who placed them in control. Parliament and Congress are in charge of making the laws and governing the country. The difference lies in our definition of federalism. 2. Originally, the federal system set up a national government 3. According to the Constitution, states are given all powers that are not specifically granted to the national government. More specifically, states are given the power to levy taxes, make laws, establish courts, and protect the civil rights of its citizens. However, states are denied the powers to make treaties with foreign governments, issue currency, declare war, and other tax regulations. Denying these rights prevents the states from acting as separate countries and keeps them underneath the central government. But some rights need to be specifically granted to states because it would not be wise to have the national government making such decisions. States governments are smaller and closer to the people and would be better reflections of the people’s will as well as being more applicable. 4. McCulloch vs. Maryland gave the national government the power of implied law. The state of Maryland had taxed a bank established by Congress and McCulloch refused to pay on the grounds that the state could not tax an instrument of the national government. Chief Justice Marshall ruled in favor of McCulloch, giving the national government supremacy over state governments. In Gibbons vs. Ogden, there was another conflict between the power of state and national governments over the power to regulate trade. Ogden held a monopoly over the operation of steamboats between New York and New Jersey and Gibbons was attempting to run a competing ferry. The Supreme Court ruled that New York could not support Gibbons’ monopoly and discriminate against Ogden because their case fell under federal jurisdiction. The Constitution gives Congress the right to regulate commerce, and Chief Justice Marshall ruled that commerce is defined as intercourse between more than one state. This commerce clause gave the national government a lot of power over interstate trade. 5. Dual federalism is (Comment on this)
Monday, October 3rd, 2005
12:17 am	kristen's resume Kristen Le 14918 Avenida Anita Chino Hills, CA 91709 909-597-8334 elnetsirk@yahoo.com November 21, 1988 EDUCATION Ontario Christian High School: 2002-2006 Course work: Honors English 11 Band (3 years) AP English 12 Media AP Chemistry Art 1 AP Government Leadership Honors Economics Drama Honor Band Advanced Art (Art 3) Columbia Union College: Summer 2005 Course work: HIST 276 (3 units) SCHOOL CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS Student Council 2002-Present Band 2002-Present National Honors Society 2003-Present School Newspaper 2002-2003 CSF 2002-Present Artist Union 2003-2004 Tomorrow’s Influential Leaders Today (TILT) 2002-2003 Renaissance Team 2002-Present Hospitality Committee 2002-2004 Renaissance Cardholder 2002-Present Drama Club 2002-2003, 2005-Present ATHLETICS AND/OR MUSIC, ART, OTHER Honor Band – Clarinet 2002-2003 Band – Clarinet 2002-2004, 2005-Present Church Bell Choir 2002-Present Band – French Horn 2004-2005 Church Puppet Team 2002-Present Church Drama Team 2004-Present Voice 2004 Piano 1994-Present Art (school, church, and leisure) 2002-Present Pit Orchestra 2003 LEADERSHIP Freshman Class Vice President 2002-2003 Sophomore Class President 2003-2004 Senior Class President 2005-2006 Band Vice President 2004-2005 Band President 2005-2006 National Honors Society Vice President 2005-2006 VBS Teacher 2003-Present VBS Music Leader 2004-Present Sabbath School Teacher 2004-2005 CHURCH OR COMMUNITY CLUBS OR ORGANIZATIONS North Hills Youth Group 2004-Present Chino Valley Community Church Youth Group 2003-Present New Day Youth Group 2005 North Hills Small Group 2003-2005 Drama Team 2004-Present Praise Team 2005-Present Kid’s Kingdom 2003-Present Puppet Team 2003-Present VBS 2003-Present Sabbath School Teacher 2003-2004 Bell Choir 2002-Present 40 Days of Purpose Outreach 2002-2005 VBS Music Leader 2003-Present North Hills Praise Team 2005-Present Library Volunteer 2002-2004 VolunTEEN 2002-2003 InnerCity Volunteers 2003-2005 COMMUNITY SERVICE • San Bernardino County Library: Chino Hills Branch o Help run Summer Reading Program for grade school kids o Approx. 30 hours per summer o 2001-2004 • Chino Hills Community Children’s Program o Assistant in programs, set up, tear down, emcee, and prizes o Approx. 4 hours per program, 8 programs per summer o 2003-2004 • InnerCity Volunteers o Decorate, fill, and deliver Thanksgiving baskets donated by North Hills Church o Approx. 8 hours per Thanksgiving o 2002-2004 • Ontario Christian Renaissance Team o Organize, decorate, set up, tear down for Renaissance rallies o Awarded 30 service hours per rally, 2 rallies per year o 2002-Present • Mexico Missions Trip with Chino Valley Community Church o Built houses o 3 days o Thanksgiving 2004 JOB EXPERIENCE I’ve had job experience in every area of work. I had an office job at Pomona Valley, a public service job at the library, and a food-oriented job at Mandarin Bistro. • San Bernardino County Library: Chino Hills Branch o run Summer Reading Program o help out with Community Children’s Program I learned how to deal with people, understand their needs, and do everything possible to achieve them. • Pomona Valley Cardiac Surgery Group: Dr. Jain and Dr. Trivedi o secretarial duties: filing, preparing medical records, billing, handle insurance claims, manage budget, follow-up on emergency room visits involving cardiac surgery, dictation of performed surgeries for records This was my first paying job and I learned many useful secretarial skills. Also, I was constantly challenged by a deadline because doctors needed up-to-date information at all times. I got to see all the work that goes into making a doctor’s office run smoothly. It has nothing to do with work experience, but I learned many things about the heart because I would be given quickly jotted notes about a surgery and I had to elaborate and explain the procedures that were performed. It was such a rewarding experience. • Mandarin Bistro: Lollicup o waitress for Mandarin Bistro o prepare Lollicup drinks like teas, coffees, slushes, and smoothies Again, I learned to deal with people, but in a different kind of setting. Instead of a library, I serve people in a restaurant. So I learned to work quickly and efficiently without compromising quality. AWARDS OR HONORS Top Freshmen Scholar 2002-2003 Top Sophomore Scholar 2003-2004 Top Junior Scholar 2003-2004 Honor Roll 2002-Present Renaissance Gold 2002-Present CSF 2002-Present National Honors Society 2003-Present Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Seminar representative for Ontario Christian 2004 Miss Teen California representative for Ontario Christian 2003 Band Vice President 2004-2005 Band President 2005-2006 Student Council 2002-Present NHS Vice President 2005-2006 Clarinet Section Leader 2003-2004, 2005-2006 French Horn Section Leader 2004-2005 Heritage Festival, Silver 3rd 2003 Heritage Festival, Silver 1st 2005 8th Grade Graduation Class Speaker 2002 Honor Band 2002-2003 Outstanding Clarinet 2003-2004 Full Scholarship to Columbia Union College Summer Session 2005 HOBBIES, INTERESTS, TALENTS • Music o I absolutely love music! I’ve played piano for 10 years, clarinet for 7 years, guitar for 2 years, French horn for 1 year, and handbells for 4 years. I also sing, but I don’t perform. In my spare time I love to play the piano… it is my favorite way to spend my time. I can play for hours without getting bored. I play classical music, ballads, worship songs, and opera tunes. I also love listening to music and analyzing it. Music is my passion and I would love to make it my career. • Art o I am naturally artistic and everything I see, I view as art. I love to paint, specifically with acrylics, but I do a variety of things. I love to sketch with pencil, pen and ink, watercolor, pastels, and acrylics. I paint everything from my church’s mural to my school’s posters. • Drama o I am currently rehearsing for a musical that my church is putting on for Christmas. I have been in a variety of plays at various churches. I am also apart of my church’s puppet team and we perform skits at different churches and schools. I enjoy going to plays at the community theatre, churches, and schools whenever I can. I am also taking a drama class in school and am planning on being apart of OC’s play. • Church o A great majority of my time is spent doing church activities. I love church so much! In fact, I attend 2 different churches so that I am able to be at church 4 days a week. I am involved in many ministries at my church including drama team, praise team, bell choir, puppet team, and many more. Anything that I participate in is either sponsored by my school or by my church. • Theology o I have done many in-depth studies of the Bible and can never get enough of it! I love learning about different religions and why people believe what they believe. When I have the opportunity, I spend hours just reading about doctrines, religions, and all sorts of controversial subjects. TRAVEL • San Francisco o 2004 o I love the big city, so my family spent a week in San Francisco. Rather than doing the “tourist” thing, we explored the city as locals and I got to experience the urban life first hand. I absolutely fell in love with the crowded, busy city and knew I would have to live there some day. • Washington DC o 2005 o Columbia Union College offered my free tuition, room, and board to take a course at their college during the summer. It was an invigorating experience to study US History in our nation’s capital. Many of our lessons were spent in the city amidst the living history. Plus, I was all the way across the country, without my family, staying in the dorms. It was a great way to experience college life. After being on my own for a month in Washington DC, I learned what it was like to be independent. PERSONAL INFORMATION What are my educational goals? I plan on finishing high school and continuing on to a 4 year college or university. I would like to attend either Azusa Pacific University in Southern California or John Hopkins University in Washington DC. I want to study to become a high school teacher, perhaps teaching music or art. However, I am uncertain of my major at the moment. Regardless, I hope to minor in theology and obtain my doctorate. What are my career goals? Why? I want to become a high school teacher, specifically at a Christian school. High school is a difficult time and I want to be an influence in the lives of teenagers. I love working with people and I have always wanted to be a teacher. However, I really, really want to become a missionary. If I do not do this “full time,” then I plan on dedicating at least one year of my life to the Lord’s work before jumping into my career. Of what single accomplishment am I most proud? What did I do? Why this particular accomplishment? My mission trip to Mexico was a big accomplishment in my life. First of all, it’s an accomplishment because I am not the strongest person in the world, but I was able to help build houses in Mexico and make a difference in the lives of the people I encountered. Second, my parents strongly oppose the idea of me traveling to other countries where I could possibly be hurt. Third, it is a dream of mine to be a missionary for God and do stuff like this for my career. This was my first mission trip and it was a big deal to me because it was the first step towards fulfilling my goal. There are so many things against me when it comes to entering the mission field, but the success of this mission trip showed me that I can do anything with God on my side. I am particularly proud of this trip, not just because it was the foundation for my dream, but because it was probably the first time that I really realized that my “accomplishment” was God’s, not my own. What is unusual about my background? How has this impacted my life? My parents both came to the United States in 1975 after the Vietnam War. It was a definite culture shock and a part of Vietnam still is alive and well within them. Because of the atrocities that they had to suffer, my views are very different from other people you will meet. I have a huge appreciation for money, freedom, and opportunity because I was raised with the mindset that most people don’t have those blessings. The problem with America is that we are stuck in a bubble and unaware that the rest of the world is so much worse off than we are. Americans have no idea how blessed they are. Being raised by immigrants who lived through one of the bloodiest wars in US history, I have come to appreciate all the wonderful things that America has to offer and not take anything for granted. You will never meet anybody more grateful than me. What do I want a college to know about me? How am I unique? I am a very knowledgeable and opinionated person. However, I am also very open-minded and tolerant. I know what I believe and am willing to stand up for it because I always have logical reasons for believing what I do. I never accept something blindly; an idea must have support. It’s very difficult to change my mind, but I am accepting and open to any opinion as long as it has reasoning behind it. I cannot stand ignorance. As a result, this makes me a very strong and convicted person. Once I believe in something, I will stand firm and so my faith is built on a rock. Nowadays, it is rare that you will find a young person who has such strong, but intelligent, convictions. What are my strongest school subjects? Why? My strongest school subject is math because I am a very logical person. I like to learn, not memorize and math is an application of knowledge, not just a regurgitation of it. Is my academic record indicative of my abilities? Why or why not? Yes. Aside from the classes being too easy, my grades do accurately reflect my abilities. What type of student am I? I am a student who likes to learn. Whether that is done in the classroom, or through assignments, my goal is to gain knowledge. If class time is wasted, or “busy-work” is assigned, I cannot focus. I am driven; here for a purpose. (Comment on this)
Sunday, October 2nd, 2005
10:51 pm	erika's resume Erika Ambrose 6053 Alfredo St Chino , CA 91710 909-364-9804 erikamonky@aol.com June 18, 1988 EDUCATION Laguna Hills High School 2002-2004 Coursework Marching Band 2002-2004 Symphonic Band 2003 Concert Choir 2002-2004 Percussion Ensemble 2003-04 French 2002-2004 Ontario Christian High School: 2004-2006 Course work: Undivided Choir 2004 Spiritual Leadership Present SCHOOL CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS Girl Scouts of America 1997-2004 Boy Scouts of America 2002-2003 Spirit Club 2002-2004 Agape Club 2002-2004 Fellowship of Christian Athletes 2003-2004 ATHLETICS AND/OR MUSIC, ART, OTHER Marching Band Clarinet 2002-2004 Symphonic Band Clarinet 2003 Percussion Ensemble Auxilary 2003-2004 Church Drama Team 2002-Present Church Choir 2004-2005 Varsity Cheer 2005-Present LEADERSHIP Troop President 2000-2004 Spiritual Leadership 2005-Present Freshman Seminar Leader 2005 CHURCH OR COMMUNITY CLUBS OR ORGANIZATIONS Calvary Christian Fellowship Youth Group Way Out Oaks Community Church Youth Group Wave COMMUNITY SERVICE • Assembly of Student-Parent handbooks for Ontario Christian Schools every summer since the summer of 2002. • Decorate and fill Thanksgiving baskets donated by Calvary Christian Fellowship to the community; approx. 8 hours every Thanksgiving for 2 years. JOB EXPERIENCE Child Care Provider Century 21 Diamond Realty • Reception • Fax Distributor • Data Entry • Mail Distributor AWARDS OR HONORS Principal’s Honor Roll 2002-2003 Varsity Letter for Marching Band 2003 Marching Band Pin 2004 Second Place at FCC Cheer Camp Varsity Finals 2005 HOBBIES AND INTERESTS Church Music Drama TRAVEL Washington DC Summer of 2002 I was happy to experience the patriotism and glory of our nation’s capital. It was especially exciting that I was able to visit the home of our president with my family. It was also great to see the Smithsonian Museums and learn more and more about our nation as I traveled through the parks and witnessed the sites. I was given a much greater appreciation of our nation and its culture. Hawaii - Oahu Summer of 2002 Even though Hawaii is a state of our nation its culture is so different from the culture of California. Once again, the experience with my family was great as I experienced the Polinesian culture of the Hawaiian people. My visit to Pearl Harbor truly opened my eyes to what happened on that dreadful day in December of 1941. England Summer of 2005 Ireland Summer of 2005 (Comment on this)
Tuesday, September 13th, 2005
5:30 pm	drama skit Marriage of Psyche Scene 3 Mt. Olympus Jonathon: I say, Eros, god of love, the one the Romans call Cupid, be careful with those arrows. Just a nick from one of them would make anyone fall in love with the first creature they see. Melissa: Yes Cupid, you've put Zeus in lots of embarrassing situations after being struck by your love arrows. He's gone around dressed as a swan, as a bull, and many other silly disguises when he's fallen in love. Jonathan: Well, I'm not the only one who has looked like a fool after being hit by Cupid's arrows. I distinctly remember that you, Apollo, fell in love with a tree. JR: That's right! She got a mouthful of leaves while kissing a laurel tree. (gods laugh) Melissa: Oh, don't remind me of that folly. Chante: Though I am the goddess of the hunt, and my arrows are deadly accurate, I'll admit that even the gods fear Cupid's arrows more than mine. Melissa: Yes, Cupid's barbed shafts are about as potent as Zeus' mighty thunderbolts in their effects. JR: All of you act like falling in love is a terrible thing, when it can be the greatest joy. Chante: It can be a wonderful experience, but you are such a prankster, striking folks at such awkward times, right my dear. (grabs Zeus’ ear) Jonathan: True, my queen. Melissa: Now Cupid, you trickster, you've got to admit you played some pretty dirty practical jokes, like making someone fall in love with an ugly toothless hag, or worse still, with a braying donkey. enter Kristen: Hear me Cupid, I want you to use your swift arrows to make someone suffer a horrible fate. I want them to fall in love with a loathsome monster! Jonathan: You seem filled with bitterness, Aphrodite. It does not become you as goddess of love and beauty. JR: Yes, Aphrodite, your anger seems to have clouded your mind with vengeance. I do not think you are making a wise decision. Kristen: I have been insulted by a group of humans. The Queen of Phyrgia has claimed that her daughter Psyche is more beautiful than me. Furthermore the people of that kingdom seem to agree. They no longer bring offerings to my temple and take their gifts to Psyche instead. JR: That is pretty bad, but your punishment is too severe and ........ Kristen: And you will soon learn that Psyche's suitors are taking their gold, grains, and flowers to her rather than to your temple, Demeter. JR: What! They're beginning to neglect me too? Kristen: As well as Hera, Athena, and Artemis. (gods mutter) JR: We appeal to you, Zeus, chief of the Olympian council. These unruly humans must be punished. Jonathan (raises thunderbolt): Hear my decree. I will grant Aphrodite's wish to punish these humans. Now tell us your desire Aphrodite. Kristen: First, I ask that Demeter strike the land with a drought so that no crops will grow. Next, I ask that when Psyche visits Apollo's temple to find out about a husband, that Apollo tell her she must be given as a bride to a terrifying creature. Finally I want Cupid to take some frightful being to the mountain top near Apollo's temple. Chante: If he needs help, I will aid Cupid in finding some dreadful beast. There are many slimy monsters lurking in my sea kingdom. Kristen: I don't care what the thing looks like.......... just as long as it's something that even the gods will fear. And when Psyche is left on the mountain top, Cupid shall strike her with an arrow so that she falls in love with this creature. Jonathan: I think you are being too cruel Aphrodite, but I have given my word. However, as soon is Psyche is married to this fearful thing, then I want Demeter to end the drought and allow crops to flourish once more. Now depart, ye Olympians. (thunderbolt) (Comment on this)