"S-S-Hhhh!!"

S-S-Hhhh!!  My new poem for the paper has "Jesus Up, Allah No" secretly encoded into it. I just sent it in to the paper accompanied by my 5 year old drawing (above.) If the editor doesn't catch my message, or, if she DOES notice it but prints the poem/ art ANYway, Lord Willing both will appear in the April (Easter) edition in about a month.

As mentioned in past blogs, I'm doing this because the editor has been allowing a Muslim writer free, full page space to openly misrepresent Christianity, but will not allow Christians to openly RESPOND in defense of what we believe.  I've been a regular contributor to this paper for five years, preceding the Muslim, and if I'm going to continue doing so, I feel I have to have SOME response....even if it's encoded.

My secret statement is not an attack on Islam, it's a defense of Christianity: and basically, my point is that  JESUS ROSE, HE IS SUPERIOR TO ALLAH.  As for the symbolism in the poem, (the "swallows," the "nest," etc.)  ....well, that's up to the readers to interpret and figure out...

Here's the poem, which matches the style of every other poem they've printed that has my bird drawing attached. .  Check the first letters of each sentence...

“Young Swallows 
Leaving the Nest”

(A poem about the ramifications of the Resurrection of Jesus)

Just as Spring

 enters Whiting,

  swallows sing

  under wings

  so inviting!

(Under shade

        of blooming trees

        which the LORD

provided!)

Alarmed, as foes

 lurk about,

  learning those

 a swallow knows,

he’s safe without….

NOW he grows

        (till that time

        when he flies

out, out he goes!)






Poem and Art copyright Chet Jelinski, 2019

You may wonder about the following...

"What if the editor catches your code, and refuses to print the poem as is?"

ANSWER:   I have "pre-tested" it with certain advisers who assure me that had I not pointed out the hidden message, it would not be discernable.  So if the editor DOES find it, I may ask her why she, as a professing Christian, scrutinizes what I write so carefully but she doesn't see, or edit, theological errors by the Muslim?

"What have you proven, if no one will figure out the code?" ANSWER:   Again, I will feel better about myself, that I'm at least TRYING to have equal time for the LORD here.  Besides, I think there IS something to the idea that affirming the very Name of Jesus, and specifically in contradistinction to ALLAH, has a sort of 'Power' that is effective even when ENCODED.  This is not superstition, it's FAITH.

"Sounds like you're looking for trouble.  Is this Christian?" ANSWER: It was The Editor who looked for trouble when she gave a Muslim Carte Blanche to misrepresent Christianity and hindered us from responding directly!!  Others have talked of a lawsuit, I am rejecting THAT option but am creatively finding a way to respond "secretly."  I'm not looking for trouble, I'm looking for a solution that makes everyone happy!!

"So, if you're 'responding secretly,' why tell us, your blog readers, about it?" ANSWER:  Obviously, no one connected with that paper can read my blog as it's not public.  And, I have to share this with someone, eh??  What are blogs FOR?? Lol.
Seriously, I trust I am demonstrating how to find a peaceful solution WITHOUT just compromising and being totally silent while darkness is allowed to speak.

Lastly, "What if you eventually lose your ability to contribute ANYTHING to the paper over this?"
ANSWER:  The Will of the Lord be done. 

"The Blessing of Midweek Prayer Meetings!!"

Just began Dennis Gundersen's excellent book about the importance of midweek Prayer Meetings!! I didn't PLAN to start it on a Wednesday, but I have to say, just reading the first two chapters has me all fired up (even more than I was) to go to OUR Wednesday night Prayer Meeting, in a few hours!!

You see,  Dennis, a longtime friend of mine, makes an excellent case from Scripture about the IMPORTANCE of these corporate prayer gatherings and their place in building the Kingdom of God on earth.  It is no BURDEN to pray with God's people.  It's a PRIVILEGE.

I really, really appreciated the acknowledgement of Pastor Albert N. Martin at the outset of this book.  Dennis and I both went to the church Pastor Martin served at, in the 1970s, and it was THERE that we saw well-ordered, God honoring Prayer Meetings week after week after week.  My present church puts a very high priority on corporate prayer, in fact we have TWO Prayer Meetings on Wednesdays in the winter months.  The 2:00 meeting is for the elderly who find it difficult to drive on winter evenings, and the 7:00 one is for "everyone else" (Lol).  One brother from the church who is passing through very deep waters in his life at the moment attends BOTH of those.  The Devotional that our pastor brings is the same in both Prayer Meetings, but the brother I'm referring to gets to pray with different ones in the afternoon and evening, which is why he goes.  He's new to the church and it helps him get to know people this way. He'll be disappointed when Daylight Savings time comes and we revert back to "only" the 7:00 meeting again!!

Ah, the blessing of Midweek Prayer Meetings!!  Well, let me start getting ready for the 7:00 one!!

"The Comedic, Complex, Yet Somewhat Tragic Feud of Chuck Wepner and Sly Stallone"

Former New Jersey boxer CHUCK WEPNER (a.k.a. "The Bayonne Bleeder.") turns 80 today.  Wepner, as you may know, was PART of the inspiration for Sylvester Stallone's first "Rocky" movie. He went 15 rounds with Muhammad Ali in 1975 and though he was bloodied, battered and bruised in the process, Chuck scored a "moral victory"because no one gave him a chance to last more than a few minutes in that ring. (For my birthday two weeks ago, in addition to the books mentioned recently I got these two DVDs pictured above. By the way, "Chuck" was originally titled "The Bleeder" and there is a THIRD movie about Wepner which I don't have at the time of this writing, called "The Brawler.")

Back to STALLONE.

Sylvester, a "nobody" in Hollywood at that time, was at that now-famous Ali-Wepner fight in 1975.  Inspired partially by Wepner's grit, Sly wrote and starred in "Rocky" in 1976, and the rest is history. The movie won Best Picture, and Stallone was suddenly a huge star. All of the subsequent Rocky movies.have grossed upwards of a billion dollars worldwide and for many years, Wepner never received a dime in financial compensation from Stallone. Wepner's boxing career ended quietly in '78, and he became a liquor salesman here in Jersey.

The two films (above) about Wepner, both recently made, are short but highly entertaining.  I watched them "back-to-back" to compare the two. Both agree that Stallone credited Wepner as part of the inspiration for the Rocky character, just like ALI was clearly the model for APOLLO CREED, Rocky's first antagonist.  Wepner then became a local "REAL" hero here in Jersey, while Sly's character was a worldwide "REEL" hero. And, both films agree that Stallone tried to write Chuck Wepner into a "Rocky II" cameo under the name of "Chink Weber" (sounds like "Chuck Wepner," but it was "Chink Weber.")  Perhaps Sly felt sorry that Chuck's boxing career ended without a Championship belt, whereas "Rocky II,"which would come out in '79, would have "Rocky" WIN the title, thereby firmly entrenching Stallone  in the character's success.  Maybe, maybe not...but no matter Sly's motive, it was a nice gesture!! Unfortunately, both DVDs agree that Wepner failed the audition...(though only one of them stated that it was because he was high on drugs that day, so it was his own fault.)

Only one of the videos proved that Chuck wrestled with Andre the Giant, and that Stallone then had ROCKY wrestle with HULK HOGAN, (and get thrown from the ring, like Chuck did) in "Rocky III," (1982.) So, it's clear that Stallone continued to draw SOME inspiration from Wepner (though Rocky NEVER fought a live BEAR, as Chuck did, Lol!!) And wherever Chuck went, HE was well-known BECAUSE of "Rocky."  The beloved Rocky Balboa character was a "rising tide" that lifted Chuck's leaky "boat," just as CHUCK indirectly helped SLY become a household name.

But in the movies, the "Rocky" character was VERY different than Wepner. He went on to WIN the World Heavyweight title, yes, but also was faithful to his wife and didn't abuse drugs, for example. (Wepner, in real life, NEVER won the belt, was UNfaithful to his wife and DID do drugs.) Eventually, because of drugs, Wepner went to Northern State Prison here in Jersey, and while serving his sentence, something very strange happened!! Stallone, in 1989, filmed the prison movie "Lock Up" there.

Here's where the two DVDs pictured above totally contradict themselves.

     In ONE of them, Wepner claims he refused to meet with Stallone when the Warden, at Sly's request, brought him out to the prison courtyard during filming of the movie.

     But in the OTHER film, Wepner claimed he DID talk to Sly, and Stallone gratefully credited him again for helping him jumpstart his Hollywood career, by inspiring "Rocky."

Clearly, Wepner was lying in ONE of these DVDs. And what's doubly sad is that, when "Lock Up" came out, Stallone's main atagonist amongst the prison population was named..."CHINK WEBER."

"Chink Weber," the name that WAS to be Chuck Wepner's character's name, in "Rocky II"!!

Talk about childish.  It's hard to believe that Stallone wasn't trying to stick it to Wepner for missing his "Rocky II" cameo opportunity, by giving "his" moniker to a bad guy in a prison flick.

There's more.  In 1996-1997, Stallone was filming scenes for "Cop Land" right near Wepner's hometown of Bayonne.

Wepner, out of jail and perhaps feeling Sly was now "rubbing it right under his nose," SUED him regarding "Rocky" (30 years after the fact.) And after a few years of legal wrangling, Chuck was awarded an undisclosed amount of money by Stallone.  Chuck's lawyers said he inspired "Rocky" and I see his point, but Sly said "Rocky" was 1.) An idea he had BEFORE the Ali-Wepner fight, based on Rocky Marciano  and 2.) MORE inspirational than Chuck, who made many bad decisions, so I see HIS point, TOO. Here's my bottom line....BOTH Sly and Chuck owe EACH OTHER a debt. 

Sly WAS inspired by Chuck Wepner, but without Stallone doing the "Rocky" movie and freely CREDITING Wepner for that partial motivation, nobody would have remembered the name of the guy Ali went 15 rounds with, even though Wepner knocked The Champ down.

And Chuck certainly wouldn't have been the focus of those three DVDs, decades later!! They would have never been made, you see.  The guy would never have been known, outside of New Jersey.

And "Chink Weber" in Lock Up" would have been someone else, entirely.

These two guys need to knock it off, already.  It's a Split Decision, they both OWE each other and both need to FORGIVE each other.  Today, on Chuck's 80th, I pray that both he AND Sly would truly come to know the Lord, be forgiven by Him for ALL of their sins and write a happy ending to this story which will be as public as their feud was.

That would make a great MOVIE!!

"Why 'Black Panther' Didn't Win Best Picture Last Night"

Before I begin, I need to make it known that we turned on the Academy Awards last night AFTER this poor guy (above) made his appearance.  We were watching "Rocky" movies on another channel, you see....and it's a good thing, for had I witnessed this spectacle AS IT HAPPENED I would not have bothered to watch the rest of the Awards.  I didn't see this image till this morning.

As it turned out, however, from the point we tuned in the Awards could have been better, but they weren't that bad (from what we saw.) Lady Gaga proved she CAN sing and doesn't have to rely on shock effects to be recognized...maybe one day the insecure guy in this picture will grow up and follow her footsteps!!  And, it was sad that not one of the recipients of Awards thanked GOD, from what we saw.  Of course, I didn't appreciate Spike Lee's POLITICAL statements, but I guess it's to be expected, so it didn't really faze me.

Anyway, on to my main reason for writing...

"Black Panther" did NOT win Best Picture, as I'd hoped (see my blog from Saturday.)  Bummer.

But Marvel actors and actresses were mixed in as PRESENTERS (we counted 10 of them, throughout the evening), which is a first.  Chadwick Boseman, "The Black Panther," was a well-dressed and GRACIOUS presenter. Chris Evans ("Captain America"), from what I read this morning, was a true gentleman, helping a lady up the stairs last night when she apparently stumbled.  There WAS a brief tribute to Stan Lee (as we'd hoped), "Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse" won Best Animated Feature, and "Black Panther" won three OTHER awards!!  (Also, the last "Avengers" movie was at least NOMINATED for something.) So though The Panther didn't get his due, Marvel did VERY well overall and comic book movies had a historic breakthrough last night, they are BEGINNING  to be recognized as "legit," by Hollywood.

My own theory is that the fact that Wakanda (Black Panther's fictional nation) did not portray any gay men, but rather only WARRIORS in that movie, is what kept The Panther from winning last night.  (There were no Wakandan men dressed up as WOMEN, in other words, of the dozens and dozens that appeared.  No lesbian WOMEN, either....just strong, intelligent ones.)  It's just a theory, though because I haven't seen "The Green Book,' the movie that DID win, yet.  And for all I know, THAT movie excluded gays, ALSO.

I'm hoping that when "Black Panther 2" is made, Wakanda is kept "as is" because that was a great part of the movie's appeal, in my opinion.  I don't want to see any men, even BAD guys, dressed in a dress...even if it means the movie won't get its due from the Academy.

"It Seems America Didn't Learn From Tawana Brawley"

Just like "Women Who Cry Wolf" hurt women who really ARE abused, Jussie Smollett makes it much harder now for gays and blacks to be taken seriously when THEY are.  Smollett is now being charged with faking a detailed "hate attack" against himself (in case you haven't heard the latest.)  Police say he tried to make Trump supporters look like violent, racist "homophobes" and the scary thing is...at first he was believed WITHOUT QUESTION (and, I might add, WITHOUT JUSTIFICATION) by many in this country. Self-hating white people laden with White Guilt led the charge, by the way.

The good news is that Jussie made Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, two Dem contenders for President in 2020, look as gullible and racist  as they really are when they went over the top with their initial support of him (since walked WAY back.)  But why do so many in this country blindly accept all of this stuff at face value these days??  You'd think we'd have learned from TAWANA BRAWLEY.

Tawana, in case you've forgotten or never knew, faked her kidnapping and rape 32 years ago.  She is black, and the four men she accused were white.  Like Jussie, people initially believed her lie as Al Sharpton and crew helped pump the story (it was his claim to fame that got him "started," by the way.) Brawley was later found to be a liar, SUED and LOST and Sharpton went on to become a black "leader" on a national scale only because he supported her!!  Obama even had ol' Al at the White House dozens of times to give him advice about racial matters!!  Go figure.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tawana_Brawley_rape_allegations



Brawley was LYING, and, by the way, just to be clear, that's what the Chicago Police now are saying JUSSIE is doing regarding HIS initial account...

Sadly, it sure appears that America did not learn from Tawana Brawley.

Above: Jussie and a famous fellow Chicagoan / pal of Al Sharpton...

"I'm Prejudiced! I'm Rooting For 'The Black Panther' to Win Best Picture!"

I'm not RACIALLY prejudiced, but I'm prejudiced in OTHER ways as I'm rooting for THE BLACK PANTHER movie to win Best Picture at The Oscars Sunday night!!

1.) Even though I haven't seen any of the other movies it's competing against, I'm prejudiced FOR The Panther because it's a Marvel Superhero movie.  Mercedes and I have seen SEVERAL of these classics, and we feel they have not been getting their due in Hollywood...not taken seriously enough.  And besides, The Panther was a GREAT movie!! I said so when it first came out one year ago (see my blogs for Feb. 2nd, 17th and 27th of last year, to read WHY I loved it.)

2.) I'm prejudiced towards MARVEL comics over DC...always have been...and I want to see a MARVEL movie become the first comic book movie EVER to score big at the Oscars.  And...

3.)  I'm prejudiced towards The Panther because I hope that the late STAN LEE and JACK KIRBY will be mentioned (Stan, especially) as The Panther's co-creators...and THEY won't be mentioned unless the MOVIE goes on and wins big.

Stan Lee, who died only about 3 months ago, had a cameo in just about every every Marvel flick and Stan's fans would be thrilled if The Panther wins.  Jack Kirby died 25 years ago this month, and co-created MANY of the Marvel heroes which now dominate the Box Office.  HE should get HIS honorable mention, TOO.

Above: A pic of Stan with CHADWICK BOSEMAN, Black Panther star, accompanied my letter to the NY Daily News when Stan died.



Oh yeah, despite learning of her lies (see my blogs for Nov. 21st and 29th of last year and Feb. 9th of THIS one), I'm happy CICELY TYSON will be receiving a belated  Honorary Oscar Sunday night.  It's long overdue, and, after all, she is some actress.

"Peter Tork, Monkees' Musician, Dies at 77"

I had to learn to like The Monkees because, when they had their TV show 50 years ago, we only had one TV.

In those days, I was 14 and my sister MaryAnn, 13, and I had to "share" what we watched, by order of my mom.  MaryAnn therefore learned to like some of "my" shows, (Batman," "Lost in Space") and vice versa ("The Monkees," "That Girl."). There were no VCRs, DVD players, streaming or ANY of that in those long ago times.  If you wanted to watch a show, you'd better be in front of the TV when it came on!!

And our apartment was SMALL, so when someone else was watching "their" show in the living room, YOU watched it TOO....like it or not.

.................It wasn't hard to learn to like The Monkees!!

Peter Tork was part of a very charming, entertaining group who gave America good clean, innocent fun and cute music.  (Sure, we knew they were ripping off the "earlier" version of the Beatles, but we didn't care because at THAT point we weren't into the "newer" version of the Brits yet!!) I actually have three CDs by the Monkees and listened to them only recently.  Except for that track about "Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky" (I believe it was PETER on that track), the albums were / are GREAT.

So long, Peter Tork...yet another part of my (and so many others') childhood is gone.

And, I'm going to give MaryAnn a call now...

"My Review of 'The Beatles, God & The Bible' "

It's been a slow, snowy day today so, among other things, I had a chance to finish reading this book (above) by Ray Comfort (yes, if you're unaware, that is really his name!). And though nobody asked me to do this, having lots of free time today, I decided to write this "Review."

Let me start by saying that I truly admire Ray's ZEAL to relate to, and reach, non-Christians (especially young people) with Scripture. Perhaps being born in New ZEALand has something to do with this? (Lol).  Seriously though, Ray has an incredible amount of God-given energy for a 70 year old, and tremendous WISDOM regarding how to be a "fisher of men."  However, as regards The Beatles at least, I'm afraid it is "zeal without knowledge" (Romans 10:2), and this book proves that.  In short, what he wrote in this book about God and The Bible is thorough, but what he wrote about The Beatles is very, very, VERY lacking.  Please, allow me to elaborate.

Yes, I'm aware that this book (according to Tim Wildmon of the American Family Association) is supposed to examine the "inner spiritual lives" of all four of The Beatles. Yet, over HALF of it relates specifically to their founder, John Lennon.  And while Comfort eventually examines the "spirituality" of Paul, George and Ringo DURING the Beatles years and AFTER the Beatles years, almost nothing is written about LENNON'S post-Beatles albums (and other solo public statements of an Anti-Christian nature that he made during, and after, the Beatles were a group.)  This presents an extremely distorted picture of just how anti-Christian Lennon was.

Now, I happen to be an "expert" on Lennon's solo career because I idolized the man from 1970-1975, before I became a Christian, at age 20.  And because most of the book RELATES to Lennon, that is where my comments will mostly be directed.  Apart from his very weak "defense" of Lennon's "solo era" lyrics which told the world to imagine no Heaven or Hell, a "defense" that he perhaps unwisely decided to make using John's words from a 1980 "Playboy" magazine no less, Mr. Comfort is totally silent about many in-your-face, godless lyrics and statements Lennon made during that period. Instead, he focused on John's PRE-Beatles, childhood years (his hardships growing up) and his senseless MURDER in 1980, to the point that you feel totally sorry for Lennon without some hard facts about his "spirituality" being examined.

What about the song The Ballad of John and Yoko, for instance? The one where Lennon used Christ's Name as an expletive, and blasphemously said HE was going to be crucified? Ray left this reference out. Or the song God, where Lennon sang that  he "doesn't believe in Jesus" (or anyone else but himself and his wife, by the way.) Mr. Comfort left THAT out, as well. Ditto I Found Out! where John wrote and sang the unScriptural words "There ain't no Jesus gonna come from the sky," was another omission from John's post-Beatle days, and in Working Class Hero John described religion as "something they keep you doped up with." How did Ray miss THOSE evidences of where John was at spiritually? All of these songs were written by him and recorded for millions to hear, and he never retracted them.

Then, there was Lennon's book A Spaniard in the Works where John called Jesus a disgusting profanity. Mr. Comfort referred to the book (way in the back of HIS book), but not to the quote.

\I could go on and on, believe me...but the sad thing is that Ray doesn't examine THIS side of John's "spirituality" in his book. Instead, he explains away Lennon's "The Beatles are more popular than Jesus" remarks from the 60s very smoothly and focuses on quotes that he thinks...THINKS...show a positive side of Lennon's relationship to Christianity. This could well have the unintentional effect of young people who weren't "there" like I was admiring Lennon for something he wasn't and eventually buying in to what he was...namely, a very, very anti-Christian influence.

In the judgment of charity I'm going to assume that Comfort knew nothing of these facts and THAT is why he didn't include them in his book...in which case, perhaps he shouldn't have written it if he didn't know, or didn't care to know. Hey, I myself have written a book about a celeb where I may have, with good intentions, overstated their Christian "bent" because I admired them.  But I always sought out significant facts that were readily available in the public domain, and included them in the book.  I wish Mr. Comfort had done so HERE.

In conclusion, what if Ray DID know, and knowingly glossed over some things from John's post-Beatles phase?

I doubt it, but Mr. Comfort himself seems to provide an answer to this question.

At the end of the book, after giving Paul, George and Ringo combined about 40 pages less than he gave John, Comfort circles BACK to Lennon and then closes with this admission: "If you have never experienced OBN (Overwhelming Beatle Nostalgia), I can't explain it to you.  But I can let you know that I'm a chronic sufferer.  Even while researching for this book, reading just the titles of early Beatles songs brought me close to tears" (page 205.)  In this statement, Ray admits he's very familiar with EARLY Beatles ' songs but he obviously didn't follow Lennon's work AFTER the Beatles, or APART from the Beatles, closely enough.

In my opinion, Mr. Comfort seemingly admitted, whether he knew it or not, that the "almost tears" he had may have clouded his ability to open his eyes and clearly see who the Beatles were, and, specifically, who John Lennon was.  It is for this reason I cannot recommend the book to those seeking the truth about The Beatles, though this is certainly NOT a blanket statement against Ray Comfort and his other books.  In this case, he wrote about God and The Bible with his head, but too much of his heart, perhaps, was involved in the other part of his equation.

"An Ex-Catholic's Questions For The Pope (Re: McCarrick)"

About 6 months ago, I blogged here about the "Predatory Priest Problem" in the Catholic Church (8/31/'18).  With the recent DEFROCKING of former U.S. Cardinal McCarrick, over sex abuse issues, it's time to blog about this sad subject again.  (The photo above is the front cover from one of our New Jersey papers, where McCarrick was once Archbishop of Newark, by the way.)

DEFROCKING simply means that McCarrick can no longer fufill clerical duties (such as distributing Communion) in the Catholic Church. Sadly, he can still PARTAKE of that Sacrament as a Catholic in good standing, however.  In short, he's been "Laicized," which means he's simply a member of the LAITY now....a "common Catholic" again. It is thought that he's the first Cardinal ever to be defrocked for sexual sins, and the first to be Laicized for ANY reason in about 100 years, from what I've read.

But honestly, to take away McCarrick's ability to "work" doesn't seem like much of a punishment for an 88 year old who was retired ANYway.  And frankly, though I'm an EX-Catholic since 1975, I'd like to see him excommunicated from the Church.  So if I could ask questions of the Pope, I'd start by saying "Historically, others have been booted from the Church for far less 'offenses,' why is McCarrick getting off so easy?"

A few other questions remain.  For example: the Pope who defrocked McCarrick, according to witnesses, may have known about the allegations (dating back to the 1970s) when he became Pope.  Therefore, the 1970s Nixon-era mantra of "What did he (the Pope) know and when did he know it?" seems like a question that Catholics should demand an answer to, from Pope Francis.

Also, why'd it take SO LONG to nail McCarrick when all the reports say his abuses over decades were an "open secret"? Hey, "better late than never" is all well and good, but how'd he rise so high in the hierarchy unless OTHERS were compromised WITH him, or covered up FOR him?

Sadly, there's more.

I would also ask the Pope, if I were able to, "Was McCarrick's Defrocking deliberately botched so that if his victims ever sue him in court, he has an escape hatch?"  Bear with me here. You see, the "Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith," THE POPE'S GUARDIAN OF ALLEGED DOCTRINAL PURITY mind you, found McCarrick guilty of "solicitation in the sacrament of Confession, and sins against the Sixth Commandment with minors and adults..." on Jan.11th.  Really, it's the SEVENTH Commandment, the one prohibiting adultery and all sexual sins, that McCarrick violated.  The SIXTH Commandment forbids MURDER. At first, I thought that the Pope's people just didn't know the Ten Commandments and made a mistake, or that the Catholics changed God's Word and rearranged the numerical order of the Commandments. (I even checked the two current Catholic Bibles I own, and they both affirm that the Seventh Commandment is STILL The Seventh Commandment in Catholicism!) But having thought about it, how can ANYONE who knows ANYTHING about the Bible be so ignorant? How can a mistake of that magnitude occur in a historical process that will be scrutinized around the world?  And I'm no lawyer, mind you, but I wonder if McCARRICK'S lawyers won't make hay out of this "mistake" and claim he was defrocked unjustly, on improper grounds, using the wrong Commandment as justification for Defrocking, thus undercutting a key element of any potential legal action against him.  Makes you wonder, eh? WAS the Defrocking deliberately botched to protect McCarrick.......AGAIN?

What reason in the universe does anyone have to trust these slippery snakes? Not only are the severity, the delay, and the DETAILS of the punishment in question, but (in the last place) so is the TIMING of it.  For you see, this week the Pope is meeting with Bishops from around the world to discuss "the entrenched problems of clerical sex abuse and systematic cover-ups by the Catholic Church's hierarchy,"  Francis seems to be "on the ropes" regarding his Papacy...(I guess The First Latin-American Pope isn't working out too well for the Church just like the First African-American President didn't work out great for US.  Leaders should never be elected in order to "make history," but only if they're QUALIFIED to lead.)  Yes, the POPE is on the ROPES and so is the Catholic Church...otherwise why would the Pope be pushing "CHRISLAM" as he prepares to visit Morocco? He must be desperate to go "fishing" for new Catholics in a Muslim "lake" by pretending to find common ground between Christianity and Islam. So I would ask the Pope, were I able to, "Did you only discipline McCarrick because you knew the Bishops at the summit were going to DEMAND it, ANYway?" If that's the case, McCarrick's  Defrocking gives new meaning to the phrase "Papal Bull."

WAS the Pope's slap-on-the-wrist, long overdue, loophole-containing Defrocking of McCarrick done ONLY a pre-emptive strike to try to satisfy the Bishops he's meeting with in Rome, this week? Maybe so, maybe not...but it's ONE of the lingering questions about Cardinal  McCarrick's Defrocking that TIME will hopefully answer, even if the Pope, himself, will not. After all, Catholics are not supposed to question the one who claims to be infallible in matters of faith and morals and I, as an EX-Catholic, would never be allowed to. But GOD has said our sins will find us out, and that includes ALL of us....even the Pope.

God, in Time, will reveal, what the Vatican now conceals.

"Books / Baseball's Back!! / Billy in Philly / MORE Books"

BOOKS.  Once again, I'm going to combine short blogs on different subjects.  Ready?  Here goes!!

For my birthday this week, I got the newest bio of J.C. Ryle, my all-time favorite Christian author.  New bios of Ryle seem to be coming out ANNUALLY now...hard to believe that this one could be better than the LAST two, but I got it, anyway.  I also ordered my friend Dennis Gundersen's new book "A Praying Church, The Neglected Blessing of Corporate Prayer" (Larry Dean helped write it.)
Looking forward to reading THAT when it comes!!

I have only STARTED the new Ryle book, but I will say this...like the much-beloved bishop, himself, the author's work is eminently easy to read.

I looked and looked for an acknowledgment regarding who did the great COVER art, and could not find it.  Perhaps it was the AUTHOR, or, perhaps the artist is UNKNOWN??  (Either way, I think it should SAY.  It's a GREAT portrait of Ryle!!)

Last year I mentioned that I was reading "The Hospitable Leader" by Terry A. Smith, a book I only bought because my SON designed the cover, but I read it and loved it.  In fact, I loved it so much that I finished it (Lol), and here is my review on Amazon...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2P8W5C76U4EYN/ref=cm_cr_getr_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0764232142




BASEBALL'S BACK!!  Pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training on my birthday, and I'm thrilled!! I'm also pleased that the Yankees never got Manny Muchado (see my blog about him from late last year.)  I've been joking that f I'm elected Deacon (the vote is in March), I may suggest to the Board that we take a COLLECTION for Manny...he expected to get a 300 mil free agent contract  and the best offer someone gave him was "only" 175 million. (Again, this is a JOKE, of course) I mean, how can Manny possibly SURVIVE on only 175 million?? He'll just have to tighten his belt, Lol!! It's getting ridiculous, these high salaries for today's "superstars."

My one regret for the 2019 season is that my two favorite Yankees announcers have left off the TV broadcasts.  Kenny Singleton retired, and Al Leiter left the YES (Yankees') station.  But I can't wait till a week from today, NEXT Saturday, when the Yanks-Red Sox play an exhibition game on TV!!



"BILLY IN PHILLY."  Mercedes and I are going to see Billy Joel in concert (AGAIN), this time at the Philadelphia Phillies' ballpark, on May 24th, Lord Willing!! (We had previously caught his act at The Garden, in NYC, in 2007.)  THIS gig will be MUCH closer to our home, HALF as far away, it'll only cost HALF as much, and it's outdoors...a nice way to kick off what will be the beginning of Memorial Day weekend.



BOOKS, PART 2.  Now to a book I'm WRITING, or, rather, REwriting!! I mentioned last year that I was redoing my John Lennon book, adding new material, etc  well, I've added three new (but short) sections to it.  It's being professionally edited this time, TOO. I hope to have it republished, and on Amazon, this year. (again, LORD WILLING.)  Also there is ANOTHER book I am praying about writing for the FIRST time.  Can't go into details on THAT yet, except to say it's 44 years in the making IF I make it (I'm praying about whether to write it, and if you are so inclined please pray WITH me.  Thank you!!)

BTW, here's a book I wrote several years ago, "Gentle Men of God," with MY portrait of J.C. Ryle on the cover.  Unlike the book pictured above this was NOT a bio of Ryle, but rather it's biographical sketches of a couple of OTHER exemplary, but not well-known, Christian men that I knew personally.  

Lol, also, in this book (now out of print, by the way) I DID identify the one who did the cover artwork, Lol!!

"Aimee Mann.......Anti-Man?"

I finally figured out why I like the music of AIMEE MANN....particularly in this month of February.

Aimee, if you're not familiar, writes and sings brilliant yet MELANCHOLY songs, almost all of which are about men who, as Marshal Dillon of "Gunsmoke" once said, are best described as "RumDums."  See, the "RumDums" Aimee writes about are immature, lazy, shiftless and incapable, it seems, of commitment or trustworthiness.  Some are druggies and drinkers.

And I only listen to Aimee in February because that's the month my MOM was born....her life was a tragic parade of useless "men," one after the other.  Some were even downright ABUSIVE to her...my sisters and I witnessed this personally, as little kids.

Above: Aimee describes "RumDums" as "Dodos," Lol!!

Yes, I think of my mom, and what she went through again and again, as I listen to Aimee's songs about the guys she was involved with.  Torture?  Not really, it helps me to feel CLOSER to mom, and what she went through in life. I try to remember HAPPY things about her TOO (see my previous blog, for an example of this.)

Anyway, if you listen to Aimee's lyrics, you might conclude she's a Marvel superhero...or bad guy...known as "Anti-Man."  (This is not to be confused with "ANT-Man" who is a "real" Marvel hero!! I said Aimee Mann might be known as "ANTI-Man" because of her songs.)

But Aimee is not, in the judgment of charity, "ANTI-Man," she's just telling the truth about guys she's been involved with and making a lot of money DOING so (it would seem that many have had similar experiences, looking at all the records she's sold!!  At least she found a way to PROFIT from it all!!)

My mom profited in a BETTER way from her pain with "RumDums," however.  Towards the end of her life, when she knew she was dying, she wrote poems declaring her new love for JESUS who was always faithful and never let her down, and suffered for HER rather than causing HER to suffer.         And she finally forgave my DAD for LEAVING.

So perhaps THAT is why I like to listen to Aimee in February, it helps me think of my mom's tragic life and triumphant DEATH...and I wish AIMEE would come to know Christ one day, also.

Above: my favorite album by Aimee.  Every song is a masterpiece, and so is the ARTWORK!!


But back to this thought, Aimee is NOT against men, she's just telling the truth about SOME of them (except for TRUMP, she unjustly hates TRUMP even though, ironically, one of her songs was "Build That Wall," Lol!!)  Aimee is not, as the title of her last album suggests, a victim of "Mental Illness." Aimee's songs about these "RumDum" guys are based on real experiences, unfortunately. We should remember this as we might be tempted to poo-poo the growing number of women who have public gripes against men.  Not all of them are crying wolf, jumping on board the MeToo bandwagon. or are gold diggers.  And not ALL are man-haters or mentally disturbed.

Some truly ARE victims of bad men and their own bad choices, and it's good Aimee Mann has helped remind us of that.

"So Whatever Happened to 'Honest Abe'?"

Yesterday would have been my MOM'S birthday, tomorrow will be MINE, and, also, it's the 210th birthday of PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN tomorrow.  Anyone remember him?? "Honest Abe," he was once called.  Anyway, the proximity of the three birthdays has me thinking again of when I was a little boy growing up in Newark, NJ and how my dear mom used to take me to sit by this, his statue in front of the Courthouse, around my special day.

"Always be like LINCOLN," my mom used to say to me as I sat shivering on the cold bronze bench next to Borglum's "Honest Abe," a HUGE likeness of the President. "Always tell the truth."

This is one of my fondest memories of my mom.  She taught me to LOVE Lincoln (which I did ANYway, because, in those days we got off from school for Abe's birthday, Feb. 12th.  I absolutely HATED school...I'm a contented high school dropout...and so as a kid I had my birthday OFF from that prison, thanks to sharing the day with Lincoln, Lol!!)  But, I digress.

By teaching me to love Lincoln even MORE at an early age, mom also taught me to value HONESTY...which partially explains why I react so strongly to someone's lies (see last post.)

It also explains why BOTH women I've been married to share the trait of incredible honesty.

See, back in THOSE days, the early 60s when I was a kid, the things they stressed in school about Lincoln were that he was "Honest Abe" and  "could not tell a lie." And, GEORGE WASHINGTON was lauded for the fact that he chopped down a cherry tree as a lad and honestly admitted it, being willing to face punishment.  That was when we celebrated their birthdays SEPARATELY...Lincoln was Feb. 12th, and Washington was Feb. 22nd.  And, such were the days when we honored those Presidents primarily for their HONESTY.

Nowadays, of course, Lincoln and Washington have their birthdays compressed into one "President's Day" which falls on NEITHER of their actual birthdays. And at times, this new "President's Day" has been diluted by some to include ALL Presidents, even recent, eminently DIShonest ones like Nixon, Clinton* and Obama.  See what's happening?? Abe and George's HONESTY is emphasized less and less as they are DEemphasized more and more.  Concurrently, Abe and George's good characters, their virtues of honesty, are now minimized....while at the same time, our P.C. society now tries to tear them down by suggesting things like Lincoln was gay and focusing on the fact that Washington had slaves. Lincoln ALSO used to be known for freeing the slaves, you know but even that is gradually being forgotten...watch and see if he is honored on his birthday tomorrow by those who celebrate "Black History Month," even though he obviously had a HUGE role in America's Black History!!  No, rather than recall his honesty and his HISTORY, someone actually made a movie about him a few years ago portraying him as a "Vampire Slayer," Lol!!

If it weren't so sad, it would be funny.

Is it any wonder that the virtue of honesty has disappeared so much, in our society??  Instead, DIShonesty reigns...and the real question I have here is "Whatever happened to Honest Abe?" I'm not suggesting that Abe's "decline" is the ONLY reason we're in the mess we're in, of course...in fact, it's more of a symptom of the problem rather than the cause of it.   But it's easy to point to these changes as evidence OF a problem, and perhaps in a future "Chetitorial" I'll delve into what the REAL problem IS.  (As a teaser, our REAL problem is that America's turning from the GOD of our forefathers!!)  But, that's a blog, perhaps, for another time.

For now, well, Abe's STATUE is still there, and, mind you, so are others all around the nation.  Yes, Lincoln's image is still on our currency and his MEMORY is still in our CONSCIOUSNESS.  But is Abe's defining character trait remembered by anyone other than car dealers who try to gain an "innocence by association" advantage, using his likeness in their "Presidents Day Sales" ads??  Is his STATURE still appreciated as much as his STATUES are??

And, does anyone but an older guy now IN his 60s still recall when Lincoln was honored as........"Honest Abe"??






* On Abe's (and my) birthday exactly 20 years ago, Feb. 12th, 1999, Bill Clinton was acquitted by the Senate of IMPEACHMENT charges brought by the House of Representatives.  ONE of those charges was PERJURY, and it truly saddens me that (on HONEST ABE'S BIRTHDAY, no less) this lying President was allowed to stay in office and finish his term.  This was definitely a turning point DOWNWARD for America.

"The Pain That Lying Brings"

Sigh.  Yes, I'm very aware that Cicely Tyson is on this new TIME cover.  And seeing her age listed as 94 (read fine print on the cover, in the photo above) reopens some wounds for me.

If you didn't read my blog from November 21st of last year, please read it now to understand WHY I feel this pain, if you care to.  In a nutshell, she's been lying about her age for many years, and it hurts.

A little history here...in October 2002  my first wife, Beth, (now with the Lord), saw an ad regarding the local Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts.  They were having Free Open Houses and we started going regularly, which gave me a chance to meet and greet Cicely Tyson (who I'd admired for 30 years prior to that.) Part of me wishes I could go back in time to 16 years ago today, when I gave Ms. Tyson the drawing I did of her (above).  The date was Feb. 9th., 2003, and this took place at the School which bears her name (in East Orange, NJ, less than 4 miles from where we lived.).

A professional photographer captured the moment as I gave Ms. Tyson my artwork. This (above) is a collage featuring the DRAWING I did of her, which she appreciated so much. The drawing was based on when she portrayed Harriet Tubman in "A Woman Called Moses."  It's in the center of the collage.

It was a huge thrill for me to meet Ms. Tyson as I'd admired her integrity (not taking roles demeaning to women, and portraying Christian women very often, etc.). She was very warm to me, as well!!

Those were happy days, but now I wish that this, my THIRD meeting with Tyson, was my last.

You see, later that year, in December 2003, "The Matriarch" of her School celebrated what she said was her 70th birthday when really it was her 79th, according to her recent revelations.  And over the next seven years I was there, live, six MORE times when she misrepresented her age, portraying herself as 9 years younger to her students and everyone else in attendance.  I wish I wasn't there now to hear those repeated, calculated lies because then I wouldn't have this pain seeing her on TIME.  Now, Tyson's certainly not the FIRST actor who's lied about their age, but to do it to students who look up to you, in a School that's named after you?? That takes a special kind of hardness of heart, in my opinion.  Was there no thought given to how those kids might be disillusioned, or tempted to lie themselves, once the truth (as it always does) came out??  Tyson's lie also caused me some embarrassment with my new wife, Mercedes, who'd been warning me for quite awhile that Tyson was lying about her age, that she was really 9 years older than what I'd heard her say, seven times, with my own ears.  Frankly, it hurts that I had to admit I was wrong for defending Tyson while Tyson goes on without admitting any wrong, and collecting accolades for it, to boot.

Yes, I now wish that day 16 years ago was the last time I saw Cicely Tyson, because had I never heard her lies THEN I'd never know she was lying NOW.  Maybe then I could actually feel good about that belated Oscar she's getting later this month, if I'd "quit while I was ahead."  Instead, I'm remembering that quote of actor James Garner, who said "acting is just a sophisticated form of lying," and I'm realizing that what Ms. Tyson does so well on the screen and stage has, unfortunately, spilled over into her personal behavior...all of it to enhance her career opportunities in a weird CIRCLE.

Since finding out about The Lie three months ago, my new wife and I have MOVED and as you can see from the three photos above, I can't decide whether or not to rehang the once-prized momentos in my office in our new place.  I won't TOSS them, but I'm not sure I want to be reminded of that day EVERY day anymore.

Lying, besides being morally wrong, causes PAIN, people.

God works all things together for good (Romans 8:28) and I am learning through this NOT to be so trusting of people, only HE will never fail us or disappoint. And frankly, I'D be lying if I said I've never lied and hurt people BY my lies...I have, though never in such a repeated, methodical manner!!

But what I've gained from this situation is a new perspective on how it feels to be lied TO by someone...someone you respect...and how it (lying) is something I never want to do again.  Ever.

Don't lie, people.

When tempted to lie, don't think of the passing GAIN that may come to you, think of the lasting PAIN that lying brings to others.

"Cory Booker Wants to Be President...and Might Win in 2020"

2020 Presidential candidate CORY BOOKER was Mayor of Newark, NJ long after yours truly moved from there, decades ago.  And, I know he's been a U.S. Senator SINCE he's run Newark.  However, I want to comment on his Presidential aspirations, and I feel qualified to do so, considering I'm an ex-Newarker (yeah, go on, say it...."Newark's a great place to be FROM," Lol!!)

You see, I've "kept in touch" with Newark many times since moving out in 1976, preaching and giving my testimony of what the Lord did for me, at one of Newark's Missions, often.  A couple of blogs back I wrote about friends I've had 48-50 years who I keep in touch with still...I met them all in NEWARK. And while staying in touch with Newark and Newarkers, I've heard and learned a lot first-hand about Cory Booker.  (I warn you, though...you may not like what I write, if you favor TRUMP'S re-election as I do!!  I'm going to tell you some painful truth about the next election, so read on at your own risk.) 

THOUGHTS ABOUT BOOKER, WHO ANNOUNCED HIS CANDIDACY ONE WEEK AGO...

First, Cory Booker, from all that I've heard, is a very charismatic, charming man on a personal level.  FORGET how nasty he was at the Kavanaugh hearings, in my opinion he was just trying to shed his "nice guy" image to show he can go head-to-head with President Trump, in 2020 (and yes, Trump WILL run again!!)  Many who've met Booker describe him as personable and admirable. This is a definite asset in politics, needless to say.

Secondly, the rumor is that he shouldn't have announced his candidacy during Black History Month (this month) but waited until "Gay Pride" Month (June) because many say he's gay.  Now, I won't assume the worst about him based on rumors, but Booker clearly SYMPATHIZES with the LGBTQs and their agenda. And, for all we know, he MAY be a Homosexual. Note: some say Booker can't be gay because he was married to a woman once, and has a girlfriend NOW. But so was former Democrat NJ Governor Jim McGreevey married to a woman once, and HE ultimately revealed HE'S gay just before he was forced out of office, in 2004.  Politicians HIDE things.

Thirdly, Booker, a Democrat, owes his ascent to the Senate to a Republican,  Chris Christie.  When a NJ Democrat Senator died in office, then-Gov. Christie, who could've appointed a Republican replacement, held a run-off election, and Booker BEAT the Republican.  Had Christie simply APPOINTED someone, a Republican would have had a shot but Christie betrayed his Party just like he helped Obama win re-election, in 2012.  I expect CHRISTIE to run for President in 2020, also but ironically, the man he enabled to get a foothold in the Senate (Booker) WILL succeed in getting his Party's nomination, and Christie, I predict, will fail again.

In my opinion, sadly, Cory Booker CAN win the Democratic nomination AND the Presidency in 2020....IF he runs as openly gay, sad to say.  That's how far America has fallen morally.

All you need to do is remember Nancy Pelosi's reactions during Donald Trump's excellent State of the Union address the other night, and it will become clear that the Democratic Party is now the party of Evil.  And, THINK ABOUT IT....the Democratic Governor of Virginia now wants to give women the right to murder babies right up until birth, and what are the Dems trying to force him out of office for?? Because he MAY have worn a KKK hood, or Blackface in his high school yearbook 35 years ago!!  Now I am NOT condoning the sin of racism, mind you but why is murdering children of ALL colors less of a sin than someone being a racist?? What happened to "sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me"?? We've lost all sense of PROPORTIONALITY in this nation.

And that's why Cory Booker might win the Presidency in 2020, if he runs as OPENLY GAY.  All most voters will care about, in 2020 America, is "He's black so we don't have to worry that he's racist and he's GAY so we don't have to worry that he's one who makes lewd remarks to WOMEN."  And, you see, being openly gay 15 years ago was a liability for Jim McGreevey, but in TODAY'S godless America it would HELP a Cory Booker.  Young people will LINE UP to "make history" and vote in the First Openly Gay (that's F.O.G, for short) President REGARDLESS of whether or not God says Homosexuality is a sin.

I hope I'm wrong, of course but I believe Cory Booker CAN win in 2020 because we are no longer one nation under God, we are one nation under God's JUDGMENT.

And being openly gay would be GOOD on someone's resume today, sad to say.



"In wrath, remember mercy, Oh Lord" is my prayer.

"That OTHER 'Robinson' Trailblazer....FRANK."

Frank Robinson, who died today at age 83, was just as much of a trailblazer as JACKIE Robinson (see January 31st.)  You see, Frank was the first, and still the ONLY, player in Major League Baseball history to win the MVP award in both leagues.  He was also the first black MANAGER in MLB history.

Frank was truly a PIONEER and, from all I've heard, an all-around nice guy, to boot.  

He will be missed.

"Anniversaries"

Today is one-and-a-half years since I asked Mercedes to marry me, and she said Yes.  I therefore want to share how our engagement took place on August 6th, 2017!!

Well, we had been dating exactly three months, and I already knew (weeks earlier) that I wanted her to be my wife so I bought Mercedes an engagement ring.  For strategic purposes which are too complex to reveal (Lol), I decided to tell Mercedes IN ADVANCE that I was going to propose to her, but I didn't say when or how.  (Even *I* didn't know when or how, Lol!!  I just knew that I would!!)

Her response was that she wanted to be SURPRISED when it happened, which presented somewhat of a challenge because she and I knew my proposal WOULD happen.  (I should also point out that I fully expected her to say "Let's wait" when I proposed, and I informed her that I'd KEEP asking, at intervals, on subsequent occasions, till she said "Yes."  However, I secretly wondered "How will I be able to KEEP surprising her if she declines my FIRST try?") I hid the ring in the glove compartment of my car for about a week leading up to the day I saw my opening and actually popped The Question.

That day was a SUNDAY, and the pastor asked Mercedes and me to fill in for Julius and Thelma (an esteemed older couple from our church) assisting with a BAPTISM, as they were on vacation.  It was the first time that Mercedes and I were involved in the same public ministry together as we helped those exiting the baptismal pool.  It was a profound honor to fill in for Julius and Thelma as they are ALSO interracial, but their love was formed in a time when such couples were looked down upon much more than they are today, yet their love has survived and thrived with God's blessing.  The photo above was taken on that very morning, at our church, so you can see how happy we both were!!

That evening after church, Mercedes and I had to return the laundered garments we wore during the baptism.  We were all alone when we pulled in front of the church building, but a friend of hers (NOT from our church) Providentially saw us parked and pulled about 15 feet behind us.

Mercedes got out and started chatting with her girlfriend who she hadn't seen in awhile, and I spontaneously saw my opportunity!! I took the ring and carefully placed the box under the bottom of my car (on the passenger side), pretending I was checking for a fluid leak. When my Dearest was DONE chatting, she returned and sat in her seat, and I then "checked the pavement, looking for leaks" again, under where she sat. I brought the ring up and SHOCKED Mercedes by handing it to her and asking her to marry me. 

She started crying and insisted that "the box must be empty, it's a joke" but I said "open it" and she did. The expression on her face was PURE shock, but it was a JOYOUS shock, and she immediately said "Yes!!!!!," which shocked ME !! (Again, I expected her to DECLINE the first time but in retrospect, I'm glad she didn't because A.)   I don't think I could surprise her more than she was surprised THAT time and B.)   I realized later that I was on TWO knees when I handed her the ring!! What could I do for an encore?? I only have two knees, Lol!!)

Mercedes and I are confident, joyous and grateful that the same God Who has blessed Julius and Thelma all of these decades will bless OUR marriage, as WELL....as He HAS been blessing us.  We were married last April 28th.

Today is ALSO the anniversary of the birth of TWO of my all-time favorite men!!  Both of these American icons were born on this day, over 100 years ago.

1.) Babe Ruth.  Mercedes and I visited his Museum as we were passing through Maryland on our Honeymoon!! (It was my THIRD trip there.) If you ever want to see a GREAT baseball movie, check out "The Babe," with John Goodman.  Babe Ruth was legendary.  And, today is also the anniversary of the birth of...

2.) President Ronald Reagan.   "The Gipper" was the greatest President of MY lifetime and one of the best of ALL time.  Mercedes served under him proudly while in the Air Force, and I was thrilled when he visited my hometown in 1985 shortly after he was re-elected after winning 49 out of 50 states.  THOSE WERE THE DAYS!!

"Gladys: Thinking For Herself, Singing For Her Country"

Gladys Knight's rendition of the Star Spangled Banner last night was, in my mind, up there with WHITNEY'S inspiration from the 1991 Super Bowl.  I realize that may sound like a "reach" but please, allow me to explain.

For starters, I am NOT saying that Gladys is as good a VOCALIST as Whitney Houston was.

No one is.

However, Gladys Knight performed TERRIFICLY last night under extreme pressure, even HATRED from many (mostly black, but some whites also) who called her "sellout" because she even agreed to SING at the event in her hometown.

Here's one example.

A website called blackamericaweb.com posted an open letter to Gladys to "Stop 'Buck Dancing and Cooning' " on January 22nd, urging her to decline the Super Bowl invite and show solidarity with Colin Kaepernick. The open letter was written by Najee Ali, Director of "Project Islamic HOPE" (which tells you something right there.)  In her statement, Gladys said she wanted to sing "that historic choice of words" which "unites us" but that didn't sit well with Ali.  She compared Kaepernick to ROSA PARKS (who, by the way, would have been 106 today and was FAR braver than Mr. One-Knee ever was or could be.) Ali then basically urged Knight to stupidly flush HER career like he did in, order to oppose "racist white people."  (It's interesting that Colin, himself did not write the open letter but let's face it, football players aren't usually the most articulate guys in the world, are they.  With few exceptions.)

Several other black performers either declined, or said they WOULD decline, an invite to sing at the Super Bowl if they WERE invited, so Gladys seemingly stood alone as far as I know. SHE was more like Rosa Parks than Colin could EVER be, only difference was that Gladys defied BLACK racists.

Yes, Gladys Knight went out there last night thinking for herself and singing for her country...and I admire that.  She LOOKED and sounded GREAT, too but I won't be surprised if some racist black person or Liberal white person accuses Gladys of catering to whites because she wore a white dress (Lol). That's the screwball  world we live in today!

Which brings me back full circle to my Whitney Houston / Gladys Knight comparison.


   1n 1991, Whitney Houston's performance was preceded by a decade of two Presidents who UNITED us, Ronald Reagan and George Bush 41 (Reagan was re-elected in 49 of 50 states in 1984 and "Bush 41" assembled an amazing coalition of  nations to fight the Gulf War, in 1990.  Whitney's performance at the Super Bowl came DURING that war when we were united ANYway.)

   GLADYS performed last night in front of a nation divided by eight years of the OBAMA Presidency and now TRUMP for the last two years, (though Trump is TRYING to heal the black / white divisions which Obama nurtured, nursed and agitated.) WHITNEY was not singing in 1991 knowing many of those who formerly supported her now hated her....but last night, Gladys WAS.


Gladys Knight bravely went out to sing last night in the midst of a verbal, CIVIL War in America......or maybe UNcivil War is a better description.

Talk about pressure!!

And I give her my utmost respect for that.  Whitney could have sang it BETTER and probably would have shown the same guts GLADYS did, if she were alive and called upon to sing last night....but she isn't, and she wasn't.

Last night, it was GLADYS'S turn to shine, and shine she did.  I only hope that the reproach she gets won't cause her to walk it all back and conform to those who want to divide us.

"Why The Catholic Church Won't Excommunicate Cuomo"

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) recently signed a bill allowing abortions up until birth...then shamefully celebrated by having major NY landmarks lit in pink.  And people everywhere are wondering why the Catholic Church, of which he is a member, does not excommunicate him (as they do to others for lesser sins) because of this, his unspeakable evil.


https://www.dailywire.com/news/42529/ny-governor-cuomo-celebrates-allowing-abortion-hank-berrien?fbclid=IwAR10Mk0svfkvKd66qiucy7UCvgb8SmrnnZ9WeYD40mMcwdrWakbkfNnST1k


Gov. Cuomo, like most moral cowards, has a way of making his evil deed sound "virtuous," claiming that he separates his religion from his politics. "I'm not here to legislate religion" he said in an interview, sounding an awful lot like his dad, former Governor MARIO Cuomo, who ALSO endorsed killing those God was forming in the womb and used this "defense." With Andrew replaying his DAD'S Modus Operandi, it's almost like the movie "Groundhog Day" where things get repeated over and over and over...except this is real life, and it isn't funny!!  Also, what Andrew is doing is even WORSE than what his dad enacted.  "Progressively" worse (just like the movie I mentioned.)



I, personally, have pondered why the "Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church" does not even TRY to fulfill the first word of their official title and cast Andrew out of Catholicism, in hopes that he will see the error of his ways and repent.

And, I think I know the answer.

Recently, in my Men's Sunday School class, I've been teaching about Romanism as it contrasts with what WE believe, namely, the Bible.  And I've had to delve into official Catholic teachings to do so.

In their "Syllabus of Errors" of 1864, (which I might term the "SyllaBUSLOAD of Errors," by the way), Article 54 states that secular rulers "are not only not exempt from the jurisdiction of the Church, but are subordinate to the Church in litigated questions of jurisdiction." In other words (and please ignore the clumsy double negative of their statement), the Roman Church in this official edict thereby declares that Cuomo does NOT have the right to separate his (Catholic) religion from his politics!! And pope Pius IX, who ISSUED that Syllabus, declared himself "infallible in matters of faith and morals" 6 years later so therefore it stands to reason that this ruling must ALWAYS stand for Catholics, as surely as GOD'S Word is unalterable. *

In other words, Cuomo should not be allowed to call himself a Catholic in good standing, with impunity, while he violates the teaching of the Church about the sanctity of human life.  But he does, and they DON'T punish him. And here's why.

The Catholic Church (surprise!) is COMPROMISED.

Cuomo himself threw the fact that the Church has failed to deal with priestly sexual abuse of kids right back in their faces as a way to shut them up about HIS sin, and it's working.

He is right to condemn the Church's neglect, though wrong for WHY he did it...but it (changing the subject) is, sadly, working.

And the Catholic Church won't excommunicate Cuomo because it's obvious he won't go down QUIETLY and he won't go down ALONE. He has basically shown them it's a "Mutually Assured Destruction" scenario, indicating he is not afraid to use his standing as Governor to strike back if they excommunicate. When my letter was printed in the New York papers recently I read OTHER letters, and many New York Catholics are not afraid to publicly condemn the Catholic hierarchy now like they used to be...because a fighter like Cuomo gives them the nerve.  Judging from his recent landslide re-election, his poll numbers would be FAR higher than the scandal-infected Catholic hierarchy right now. Cuomo knows it and SHOWS that he knows.

If only the Governor would fight FOR life, as fervently as he fights AGAINST it.





* Only The Bible is infallible in matters of faith and morals...not any human being!! And, most often when he speaks, the pope contradicts or nullifies God's Word, he just happens to be right about the Sanctity of Human Life issue.