Government Cheese

Been thinking about this song by The Rainmakers a lot lately. I wonder why...?

Government Cheese

Give a man a free house and he'll bust out the windows
Put his family on food stamps, now he's a big spender
no food on the table and the bills ain't paid
'Cause he spent it on cigarettes and P.G.A.
They'll turn us all into beggars 'cause they're easier to please
They're feeding our people that Government Cheese

Give a man a free lunch and he'll figure out a way
To steal more than he can eat 'cause he doesn't have to pay
Give a woman free kids and you'll find them in the dirt
Learning how to carry on the family line of work
It's the man in the White House, the man under the steeple
Passing out drugs to the American people
I don't believe in anything, nothing is free
They're feeding our people the Government Cheese

Decline and fall, fall down baby
Decline and fall, said fall way down now
Decline and fall, fall down little mama
Decline and fall, decline and fall

Give a man a free ticket on a dead end ride
And he'll climb in the back even though nobody's driving
Too Goddamn lazy to crawl out of the wreck
And he'll rot there while he waits for the welfare check
Going to hell in a handbag, can't you see
I ain't gonna eat no Government Cheese

Building a Unique and Historical Movement

I found this while I was just googling about and I thought it was interesting. It seems, in some ways, Christian Universalism reared it's lovely head twice in world history, and twice it helped usher in something beautiful:

Something similar has happened two times before in the history of Christianity. The first time was in the first three centuries of the Christian Era, when Messianic Jews and Greek philosophers came together to develop and articulate a new spiritual vision combining some of the best insights from the Hebraic and the Hellenistic traditions. The result was Alexandrian Christianity, a boldly Universalist Gospel that was taught by early saints and church fathers such as Origen, Clement of Alexandria, Gregory of Nyssa, and Macrina the Younger. This view of the Christian message was in fact the greatest, most widely accepted and respected form of Christianity in the ancient world, until the takeover of the church by Rome under the influence of Augustine's theology. The teachings of this school of thought centered on two basic principles: apokatastasis (universal salvation and restoration of all things) and theosis (divinization of human souls in the image of Christ). This was a serious, deeply spiritual and intellectually progressive Christian Universalism, articulated many centuries ago.

The second time something like this happened was in the 18th and 19th centuries, when the Universalist Church of America was formed and grew to become the seventh largest denomination in the United States at its peak. This new church developed out of a diverse mixture of people who fled religious persecution in Europe, such as Anabaptists, Quakers, Moravians, and other Pietists including some Anglicans and Methodists -- many of whom rejected the traditional doctrine of eternal hell which had been taught for many centuries by the Roman Catholic Church and by most Protestant churches. Progressive ministers and evangelists from these varied groups eventually coalesced around their radical belief in the salvation of all, creating a new religious movement. Some of the more noteworthy Universalist ministers of this era include George de Benneville, John Murray, and Elhanan Winchester. Many early American leaders were believers or had sympathies with this spiritual philosophy, including more than one of the founding fathers of the United States as well as President Abraham Lincoln.

Of course, we Christian Universalists and Inclusivists are working to bring about a new reformation today, with mixed success. Let us pray that if we do, we help to create something as beautiful as either the early Church, or the American Republic.

Source: The Christian Universalist Association

Brits to Put Cameras in Private Homes

This is some scary stuff. From Wired:

Britain To Put CCTV Cameras Inside Private Homes

* By Charlie Sorrel
* August 3, 2009

georgeorwellAs an ex-Brit, I’m well aware of the authorities’ love of surveillance and snooping, but even I, a pessimistic cynic, am amazed by the governments latest plan: to install Orwell’s telescreens in 20,000 homes.

£400 million ($668 million) will be spend on installing and monitoring CCTV cameras in the homes of private citizens. Why? To make sure the kids are doing their homework, going to bed early and eating their vegetables. The scheme has, astonishingly, already been running in 2,000 family homes. The government’s “children’s secretary” Ed Balls is behind the plan, which is aimed at problem, antisocial families. The idea is that, if a child has a more stable home life, he or she will be less likely to stray into crime and drugs.

It gets worse. The government is also maintaining a private army, incredibly not called “Thought Police”, which will “be sent round to carry out home checks,” according to the Sunday Express. And in a scheme which firmly cements the nation’s reputation as a “nanny state”, the kids and their families will be forced to sign “behavior contracts” which will “set out parents’ duties to ensure children behave and do their homework.”

And remember, this is the left-wing government. The Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling, batting for the conservatives, thinks these plans are “too little, and too late,” implying that even more obtrusive work needs to be done. Rumors that a new detention center, named Room 101, is being constructed inside the Ministry of Love are unconfirmed.

One more step on the road to EngSoc.

Of course of course, it's for their own good. It always is, isn't it? God save the
people of England.

Original Source: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/115736/Sin-bins-for-worst-families


Thanks to Pamela Geller over at Atlas Shrugs for this bit of creepy info.

Update: Balls is denying it on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/edballsmp/status/3124025586

Obama Health Reform and Wait Times Visualization (In Lego!)

Another fun one from Political Math. He makes some corrections here, but it's still good:

The Wages of Sin is Death

I'm not sure if I've shared this one before, but what the Hell. It's a good one and As such, is worth repeating.

Regaining the Reagan Majority

All the Republican party needs to do to win, is either BE the party of limited government and freedom, or FOOL people into believing it. Since they squandered the capacity to fool the people under BOTH Bushes, it's going to take some reality to win next time.

Or all you Republicans who used to vote for them because they fooled you as well, come on across to the Libertarian Party. Remember, we were started when the your Young Republicans for Freedom dumped Nixon over price controls.Either the Republican Party needs to become a party of principle, or they will lose to Democract bribery. Republicans, when they buy votes, and being HYPOCRITES. Democrats, when they buy votes, are being DEMOCRATS. They win by creating permanent underclasses that need the democrat handouts. It's an effective tactic, but against real principles, it will fail.

As far as the social conservatives go, screw 'em. They are what has killed your party. Jettison the religious authoritarians.

This is a perfect time for folks to embrace real change. Not the more of the same of Obama (creeping socialism since Wilson, regardless of party), but real change. Freedom.

Had the Party actually listened to Reagan when he told Reason magazine in 1975, "If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism."

If they ever remember that they will regain the Reagan majority.

Blinded Minds

Faith "of" Christ Saves Us

Another good one from Pastor Dennis. May the Lord Bless you this Sunday.

The National Debt Road Trip

Thanks to Deviliscious over at MMORPG.com for finding this gem.

Is Universalism a Jewish Belief?

As a messianic Jew with some heavy duty Universalist leanings, I found this video interesting.

Now of course, I agree with the New Testament doctrine that NONE are righteous. God's righteousness is an absolute, and all fall short -- therefore, as seen from the Holiness of God's perspective, none are righteous. however, ALL are made righteous by the sacrifice of the blood of the Lamb of God, which covers our sin in His eyes.

Like the Jews, however, I believe the righteous of all the nations are saved, and thus, eventually, in His time and in His way, ALL are saved.