Don't let them pray....but make sure you teach them to cheat

WHERE DID INTEGRITY GO IN AMERICA?

You won't believe this story.  Now we have teachers telling kids to cheat and showing them how.    Just how much more can Americans take hearing?  This about did me in.  SO, we have middle school kids who are barely doing a first grade performance and the teachers are afraid so they're changing answers on tests, telling dumber kids to sit near smarter kids to cheat, etc etc.   I"m not kidding, read THIS LINK


Of course, God forbid they say "Under God" in the Pledge or God forbid they allow a moment of prayer....But have teachers asked to perform to a certain level and they'll teach the kids to cheat.  No problem.


And they're blaming NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND!

The article says that "Parents of children enrolled at the 44 schools say they are frustrated and angry."  So parents didn't realize their child wasn't reading at too low a level?   REALLY?  What parent who spends ten minutes a day on a kid's homework wouldn't know that?  Then there's this:

"For teachers and their bosses, the stakes were high: Schools that perform poorly and fail to meet certain benchmarks under the federal law can face sharp sanctions. They may be forced to offer extra tutoring, allow parents to transfer children to better schools, or fire teachers and administrators who don’t pass muster."

God forbid they fire teachers and administrators who don't pass muster, huh?  Is THAT what the big problem with NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND was?......... the expectation of the excellence we had in our schools in American when we were growing up? WHAT HAPPENED?

How much more depressing news can we take?  How the heck do we reeducate thousands of kids?  And we wonder what's wrong with America?   How many of them do you think will be Democrats voting entitlements?  We're growing voters for that party with our tax dollars!  WOW.

If this made you as mad as it did me, please look at my Sunday Faith Blog below........I think it's a good reminder and very refreshing!
z

No PRAYER in school?

After being interviewed by the school administration, the prospective teacher said: 'Let me see if I've got this right.
'You want me to go into that room with all those kids, correct their disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse, monitor their dress habits, censor their T-shirt messages, and instill in them a love for learning.
'You want me to check their backpacks for weapons, wage war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, and raise their sense of self esteem and personal pride.
'You want me to teach them patriotism and good citizenship, sportsmanship and fair play, and how to register to vote, balance a checkbook, and apply for a job.
'You want me to check their heads for lice, recognize signs of antisocial behavior, and make sure that they all pass the final exams.
'You also want me to provide them with an equal education regardless of their handicaps, and communicate regularly with their parents in English, Spanish or any other language, by letter, telephone, newsletter, and report card.
'You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk, a blackboard, a bulletin board, a few books, a big smile, and a starting salary that qualifies me for food stamps.
'You want me to do all this and then you tell me. . . I CAN'T PRAY?

Obviously, that's meant to be humorous, to show a teacher's exasperation with the difficult job teaching is today and how it strikes a person odd that prayer's left out of schools when it's never been needed more........do you believe public schools would be better off for a moment of personal prayer (if a teacher could get kids all quiet enough for the same three minutes)? I'm not really one way or the other on this subject myself...it just seems odd that our schools have gone steadily downhill since we ruled prayer out. I found THIS INFORMATION which has some stats since 1963's removal of prayer in school. There are some sound pros/cons there to ponder.

I received the 'teacher's prayer' from a friend and wanted it on my blog.......just wanted to make sure you knew I didn't write that part. ( I wish I had)
z

Christians have "played a strong role" in patriotic wars?

Ducky, in a comment here at geeeeeZ, takes out the snippet in bold italics below from James Carroll's column in today's Globe.

"In the secular age, as religion was marginalized, its role as a source of meaning, purpose, and transcendence was largely taken over by the myth of nationalism. The nation-state became a main source of identity, prompting sufficient devotion in citizens to die or to kill. Where religious wars were always primitive and immoral, national wars were patriotic and just. Today, the tie between citizens and the state is tattered, even in America, which, in its democratic liberalism, was nationalism’s greatest success. The hollowing out of US institutions, from a Congress in the grip of political paralysis, to an extravagantly funded Pentagon that cannot defeat enemies whose bombs are made with fertilizer, to an economic regulatory system that has no influence, much less control, over financial predators — all of this suggests a breakdown not just of government, but of the national idea. Meanwhile, patriotism has become an exercise in hatred."

Ducky adds this:

Seems the religious right has played a strong role in this sad state of affairs, primarily through their stealth Calvinism.

As I commented to him in response, Carroll shows much naivite and misinformation which only seems used here to fuel Ducky's unrelenting hate-Protestants mantra.........
Any thoughts?
z

Prayers for Judy

A very, very dear friend of mine, an American I met while we both lived in Paris, is having quite a delicate surgery in Massachusetts Monday morning at 7:30 EST....Please pray for Judy. You'd like her, and she and I'd appreciate this so much. thanks!
z

Capitalism without Christianity?

Some of you regular GeeeeeZ readers know that I've often mentioned how I honestly can't imagine Capitalism or Democracy surviving without the Judeo-Christian tenets upon which America was founded... I've had the feeling lately that the farther we've come from the worship and acknowledgment of God, the farther America's slipping into an unhappy situation of immorality and selfishness of every kind. Well, today, someone gave a lecture I got to hear and the speaker quoted George Washington who said this:
"....reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle..." (September 26, 1796) And John Adams, who said....

"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." (October 11, 1798, address to the military)

I guess my thinking was right. I'm sure Washington's and Adams' was. Of course, it's not improbable that some people have read these and realized that, to fundamentally change America, people would have to start to mock God and His followers, using terms like "weak people who need a crutch," "religious zealots," doing things like prohibiting Franklin Graham from praying at the Pentagon, and other things we've all heard to make God's followers look ridiculous. What do you think? Do you think we can continue as we have, prosperous, good, giving, caring people, without the tenets of Christian faith, like the 10 Commandments?
I don't.
When secularists whine about Christians, they don't mean the millions who pray and still go to church or just plain live honest, productive, faithful lives which bring blessings to America...they bring up abortion killers and nuts who act in the name of Christianity but couldn't be farther from the Truth.......we need to set examples in our communities and show real Christian values and also to pray for revival in America.........the 'down side' of Christianity, even if it's all NOT TRUE, is one has lived a happier, healthier, more blessed life through trust and hope and just plain living as close as possible to the Commandments (an odd way to put it, but I think you know what I mean)...........America'd be a better place again if more of us walked the walk. Even Michael Medved and Dennis Prager, both very observant and faithful Jews, often say this on the air.......I think they're right...don't you?
Z

Those of you who've been in a prayer group....

....... know the language. There are ways people put things that they might not normally use somehow. Mostly, people use the word "Just" a lot, have you noticed that? "And God, we JUST come to you so we can JUST be in your presence and we thank you for JUST being all you are to us as we JUST lift this problem up to you......" (You're smiling with recognition, aren't you!)

Well, yesterday, I was at my Friday prayer group where a few women pray for friends, family and our country, and one of them said "....and Lord, we lift up our president to you....." And I chimed in "..... and you'd be doing us a great big favor if you'd (just) KEEP HIM!!"
I hope that puts a smile on your face........it did everybody there! :-)

Z

Chopra says HE caused the Earthquake by meditating.......

This article is shamefully lifted, verbatim, from aol.com.......A friend sent it and I couldn't help but wonder what a huge flap this would have made if Chopra were Christian and said his praying caused Sunday's earthquake at the US-Mexico border:

(April 5) -- The U.S. Geological Survey is blaming day-to-day seismological changes for Sunday's 7.2 earthquake along the U.S.-Mexico border. But Deepak Chopra, the famed alternative-medicine practitioner and transcendental meditation guru, is pretty sure he knows what really happened.

"Had a powerful meditation just now -- caused an earthquake in Southern California," Chopra wrote to his nearly 179,000 Twitter followers shortly after the quake.

And then, to clarify: "Was meditating on Shiva mantra & earth began to shake," he tweeted. "Sorry about that."

John Medina, WireImage

Deepak Chopra, here in San Jose, Calif., sent messages on Sunday to his thousands of Twitter followers apologizing for causing an earthquake in Southern California with powerful meditation.

Chopra might want to apologize directly to those in California, who haven't suffered significant infrastructure damage but are still bracing for more temblors, and to those in Mexico, where two are dead, hundreds are injured and thousands are still without power.

Transcendental meditation (TM) was largely popularized by Chopra, who's been dubbed "McMeditation" for the multimillion-dollar profits he's earned off books, DVDs and his Chopra Center for Wellbeing in Carlsbad, Calif. -- where a six-day mind-body wellness program runs around $2,500.

According to Chopra, at the crux of the meditation practice is "the field of possibilities, creativity, correlation ... where intention actualizes its own fulfillment."

Let's hope he's wrong about that, or the guru might have some explaining to do about what exactly his meditation session Sunday was hoping to actualize.

An hour after Chopra's Twitter confession, he vowed to one Twitter user"Won't do it again -- promise."

But even the guru himself must not know his own strength. Since the promise, dozens of aftershocks have rattled the U.S.-Mexico border.

All the while, Chopra's staying safely above the reach of the ongoing quakes. According to his Twitter feed, the guru boarded a plane from California to Denver earlier this morning.

Chile, Haiti, and Ecclesiastes.....??

I've noticed that the coverage of Chile's horrible quake is scant compared to the nonstop 24/7 the Haiti quake got....I'm wondering about why CNN and FOX and MSNBC are spending so little time in comparison. Do you think it's because the amount of dead was so much higher (though Chile's, sadly, is rising and has hit over 700 as of tonight's reports) in Haiti? Is there another reason you care to share? Maybe it's because they can't really get cameras in there yet what with the difficulties in infrastructure collapses? What do you think? It seems odd to me.

Now for ECCLESIASTES, which fellow blogger buddy Beamish and revered commenter tiob discussed on another post recently.....(Not that this has anything to do with quake coverage!)

Ecclesiastes 10:2-3 has the following lines I think might be part of why good solid conservatives like Beamish and tiob like Ecclesiastes so much!:

"The heart of the WISE inclines TO THE RIGHT, but the heart of the FOOL to the left, Even as he walks along the road, the fool lacks sense and shows everyone how stupid he is."

Beamish, there's a phrase you use frequently to Ducky and I thought this kind of fit! Ah, the wisdom of the RIGHT...right there in the Bible!

z

RELIGION, Wikipedia, Scott Brown and Sarah Palin

I did a Wikipedia check on SCOTT BROWN just to look into some information I didn't know about him. There was a subtitle down near the end which said RELIGION and it talked about his Protestant church and how his family's also connected with a Catholic church they have raised money for.

I thought having the religion aspect of a guy whose religion was really never discussed or particularly interesting was weird, so I Wikipedia'd Democrats TED KENNEDY and JOHN KERRY, both known to be devout Catholics, none of which was specifically discussed under a separate subtitle. So, I looked up SARAH PALIN and there was a RELIGION subtitle again. So, I checked JOE LIEBERMAN, the first Jew to run for president, thinking they must have a RELIGION subtitle for him. But, no religion subtitle. I can't think of another politician who's had religion brought up in the public arena, but if you have one you remember, check Wikipedia and see if they have a separate RELIGION subtitle and information there on him. I found it odd that both Palin and Brown do, but not the others.
I know what Wikipedia is........but I thought this was something worth noting....just another oddity that seems like bias in some way.
z

"Godless Europe...?" By Mr. Z

Religion on the Line

How the Left destroys the very foundation of our countries

When I grew up in Germany, one of the compulsory subjects throughout my life as a pupil was religion, up to the baccalaureate at 2 hours per week, split into Catholics and Lutherans. We learned not only about specific religious values, but also about the history of our and other religions and the impact religion had on countries, including moral values and ethical behavior.

That has basically not changed in German schools. Until three years ago, that is, when the Senate of the German State of Berlin with its red-red government (Socialists and Die Linke – the remnants of the Eastern German Communist Party) decided that religion as a compulsory subject didn’t fit Berlin's multi-culti society any more and replaced it by a compulsory Ethics class, leaving the possibility for pupils to take a voluntary class in religion (which meant that practically nobody would take it because of an already demanding and tight schedule of work).

The German conservative and centrist parties, CDU and FDP, got enough signatures to stage a public referendum. They were supported by many prominent politicians (such as Angela Merkel) and other prominent public figures who wanted to keep religion in the schools. Financing the other side were the socialists, communists, unions and the like, spearheaded by the socialist homosexual Mayor of Berlin, Wowereit who, as the head of the red-red government, made it very difficult for the „Pro Reli“ coalition to succeed. The Senate used taxpayer money to counter this attempt to reintroduce religion as a subject (a court ultimately disallowed that), and set the date in a way which made it unlikely that the referendum would succeed (instead of setting it at the same date as the upcoming elections for the European Parliament which would get many more voters out, of course). So, the referendum failed on two accounts: (1) Pro Religion reached only 48.5% of the votes, and (2) because of low participation, they fell substantially short of the second requirement – 25% of all eligible voters.

But it is worth looking at another angle of the results: In the Western districts of Berlin, the participation was 41% and the approval rate for Pro Reli was 60%. In the Eastern parts of Berlin, the participation was only a little more than 20%, and the disapproval rate of Pro Reli was 77%.

Here is what that means: While the Western part upheld conventional values, the Eastern part refused those overwhelmingly. The difference is the fact that these people have been indoctrinated by 40+ years of the Communists. These are the same people who, according to recent polls, still believe that the GDR (East Germany) was not so bad after all, and still vote for the Communists. As a consequence, it can be said that the Christian heritage of Germany and the corresponding moral values had been more or less completely wiped out there by the Communist regime of East Germany.

This referendum showed exactly what to expect in the future: The socialists and communists are giving up any notion of a privileged situation of a country because of the benefits of its Christian heritage (or Judeo-Christian heritage as it's rightfully called here in the U.S.). Everything is watered down, leaving a lowest denominator situation so that nobody „is hurt“. It also shows how long it takes to negate the effect of communist indoctrination.

Look at Berlin to know what is going to happen to other countries where the Left is so busy at work............by Mr Z

Are we hearing OUR people sing?

z

Sunday Faith Blog.....

He was just a little boy on a week's first day wandering home from Bible school and dawdling on the way. He scuffed his shoes into the grass and found a caterpillar. He found a fluffy milkweed pod and blew out all the 'filler'. A bird's nest in a tree overhead so wisely placed up so high was just another wonder that caught his eager eye. A neighbor watched his zigzag course and hailed him from the lawn and asked him where he'd been that day and what was going on.

"I've been to Bible School," he said and turned a piece of sod. He picked up a wiggly worm and said "I've learned a lot about God."

"What a very fine way for a boy to spend his time,"the neighbor said. "If you'll tell me where God is, I'll give you a brand new dime!"

Quick as a flash, the answer came! No sound about him sounded faint...

"I'll give you a dollar, Mister, if you can tell me where God ain't."

"I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me." Proverbs 8:17

Have a wonderful Sunday! from Mr and Mrs Z

z

Sunday Faith Blog: HAPPY EASTER!

Christ the Lord is Risen Today! Enjoy the classic Easter hymn!

Another treat is at Defiant Infidel's blog, a video created by his wonderful blog partner, Miradena. What a gift that is, don't miss it!

The promise of Easter to us all................

"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him; "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said,"since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23

"remember me" that was all the criminal had to say.



A very HAPPY EASTER to you all from Mr. and Mrs. Z....









z













oh, yes...I DID have chocolate!





z

Character counts......or did?

Yes, CHARACTER COUNTS. Please see Law and Order's newest blog piece "America?" THAT is good character personified.

NEW PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION

"We the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt-free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt ridden, delusional, and others, We hold these truths to be self evident: that a whole lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim they require a Bill of NON-Rights."

ARTICLE I: You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV, or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.

ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone -- not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc; but the world is full of idiots, and probably always will be.

ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful; do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy.

ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes .

ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health care . That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we're just not interested in public health care.

ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim, or kill someone, don't be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the electric chair..

ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don't be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won't have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of leisure.

ARTICLE VIII: You do not have the right to a job. All of us sure want you to have a job, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful. (AMEN!)

ARTICLE IX: You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have the right to PURSUE happiness, which by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an over abundance of idiotic laws created by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights .

ARTICLE X: This is an English speaking country. We don't care where you are from, English is our language. Learn it or go back to wherever you came from! (Lastly....)

ARTICLE XI: You do not have the right to change our country's history or heritage. This country was founded on the belief in one true God. And yet, you are given the freedom to believe in any religion, any faith, or no faith at all; with no fear of persecution The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is part of our heritage and history, and if you are uncomfortable with it, TOUGH!

Good Friday

For such a very important day on the Christian calender, I thought I'd make special note with this hymn..

When I survey the wondrous cross on which the prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss and pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast save in the death of Christ, my God;
All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood.
See, from his head, his hands, his feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mind, that were a tribute far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all!

(Text: Isaac Watts, 1674-1748 Tune: adapted by Edward Miler, 1731-1807)

"Thou has loved me everlastingly, unchangeably, may I love thee as I am loved.." The Valley of the Vision

A special thanks to my excellent and amazing friend, Elmer's Brother, for the video....what a gift! Thanks xx
z
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6 more days until CHOCOLATE...........

Help me, God!

Sunday Faith Blog.....and an extra gift to you all from BZ

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

Have a wonderful Sunday, everyone.........I hope you find the above verses as affirming and calming as I do.

-I just read Bloviating Zeppelin's latest post "A Letter to My Father, from His". Please go there and read it. I promise you will not be sorry, you will be inspired and you will remember what America's really about. As Law & Order Teacher commented there..."This is America." Read "America", folks.....it rarely gets better than this. Thank you, BZ, for having shared such a wonderful part of your very American family with us.

xxx

"Like a River Glorious.."

I was introduced to this hymn Thursday and want to share it with you.

Like a river glorious, is God’s perfect peace,
Over all victorious, in its bright increase;
Perfect, yet it floweth, fuller every day,
Perfect, yet it groweth, deeper all the way.

Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.

Hidden in the hollow of His blessed hand,
Never foe can follow, never traitor stand;
Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care,
Not a blast of hurry touch the spirit there.

Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.

Every joy or trial falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love;
We may trust Him fully all for us to do.
They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.

Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest....Charles Wesley

I'm hanging on this today. Maybe you know someone who could use it, too...

z

No greater love........

"all men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord stands forever" I Peter 2:24

To Mr. Z......."Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." Because these words were in our wedding....and because you have always honored them. xxx

For a little political levity (for a change!), our wonderful commenter and column writer Priscilla's sister has a creative and apt line for the new habit of children being encouraged to bring in a Valentine's card for everybody in the class instead of what we used to do in bringing them only for our favorite friends....she calls it "Valentine Socialism" I loved that! Pris and I thought you'd enjoy it, too! Thanks, Pris!

Happy Valentine's Day, everybody!

z