Disclaimer for context/purpose:

This is not to say Americans are better then others in generosity in foreign aide for they are still 6th not number 1 in foreign aide when counting in other then governmental aide but rather this is to be viewed as a response to American criticism that we are dead last in foreign aide. It is to balance out some of the media negativity with some interesting points on the otherside of the issue. Also, this is not to say religious people are more generous then non religious people but rather to respond to unbalanced negativity toward religious people from the media pointing out the sex scandals/evils done in the name of organized religion and TV evangelist abuse of money and so forth. Here is the other side rarely reported on in the media and in some cases never or if it is as you will see only in the context of a liberal bias:

The US is not as stingy as media/world opinion may have you think:

Letter to the editor to the New York Times: United States Is Not "Stingy" on Foreign Aid-"U.N. official Jan Egeland recently criticized the U.S. for being "stingy" in its foreign aid to the Tsunami catastrophe, and in general. Yesterday's New York Times editorial entitled "Are We Stingy? Yes" cites only U.S. government aid figures. Yet, its news story entitled "Tsunami Followed by Another Kind of Flood: U.S. Citizens' Dollars" cites the outpouring of donations for victims from American charities, churches, foundations, and individuals. No, Americans are not stingy. We are generous -- not only through our government but primarily through our private charities. Using the right measures...Americans help people abroad the same way they help people at home -- primarily through their churches, philanthropies, foundations, universities, and corporations. They prefer people-to-people programs over government-to-government programs, since they are more direct, nimble and quick. This type of people-to-people giving was more than three and one-half times U.S. government giving abroad in 2002 (the last year comparable figures are available). Private foreign giving reached more than $35 billion. Even this is a low estimate, for a number of reasons explained in the full presentation of this research, conducted by Hudson Institute and published in Foreign Affairs ("The Privatization of Foreign Aid" by Carol C. Adelman, November/December 2003) and the Wall Street Journal, ("America's Helping Hand," by Carol C. Adelman, August 21, 2002.) Each year the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) measures countries' generosity by comparing each country's official foreign aid as a percentage of GNP. The U.S. ranks last in this because this measure does not encompass the huge amount of international private giving by Americans. Each year, this OECD report results in press releases and statements disparaging America's "stinginess." But using only government foreign aid is a limited, outdated and inaccurate way of measuring Americans' generosity. Given the enormous growth in private giving around the world, donors and commentators should re-evaluate the measure. And the New York Times editorial writers should read -- and heed -- news stories of impressive American generosity in their own newspaper."-Dr Carol Adelman December 31, 2004. Notice the left bias here. New York Times has an article that is positive about American generosity but is not mentioned as a fair response to the negative article of American governmental ungenerosity. Interesting way of bias to lean left in a view condemning conservative government and yet missing the conservative argument for conservative government in their own paper because of a non conservative bias. This is interesting for this shows that even though a paper like the New York Times may do an article that can be used to support conservative values but because of the liberal bias is completely missed so a liberal paper can report on something that conservatives would complain about not being reported on but still always and forever with a bias overall of left/progressive/liberal politics. Maybe I am reaching for something here that isn't there but just thought I would comment anyways on how a paper can report on something that is complained about missing because of bias but then at the same time is crammed into this overarching liberal point of view and thus loses any conservative value at all when there is a perfectly ligitimate understanding of those same facts that would actually support conservative government. Now both conservatives and liberals do the same thing to each other I am sure. It works on both sides but just because a paper that has a liberal/conservative slant does a report that may seemingly not favour its own point of view doesn't mean that the paper is presenting those facts in an overall context that doesn't already favour their conservative/liberal point of view. Maybe I am stating the obvious...

Private Sector Drives Growth in U.S. Assistance to Poor Nations-"While American assistance far outpaces support from other countries when calculated in total dollars, other nations equal or surpass the United States when donations are considered in relation to the size of national economies and populations. When measured as a percentage of gross national income, Sweden is the most generous source of official aid, followed by Norway and Luxembourg. The United States ranks 21st in official government aid as a percentage of national income. But when private and official aid is combined, U.S. contributions in 2006 climbed to sixth as a percentage of national income. In a per capita basis, Norway ranks first, with $768 in total (official and private) aid per person in 2006. The United States is fourth among OECD nations, with $434 in total public and private donations for every American."-This is off of http://www.america.gov/ which appears to be an excellent resource for "Telling America's Story" without left media bias (not without American governmental bias of course). Check out this section of that web site under American Giving many videos and interactivity with online quizes and such for educational purposes on what America is doing about foreign aide and such.-05/14/2008

The Index of Global Philanthropy 2008-Here is the 80 page study that supports above article but much more. I would suggest reading page 2 for main purpose of paper which is not to show US better then anyone else and check out some of the statistics as to where US stands in comparison to other countries when the private sector and non profit aide are included on page 20 and 21. And check out page 40 detailing Religious organizations and page 50 titled Stories of Success and Hope. Just a wealth if information....This study is not just about US but all the success stories of the private and nonprofit means of aiding poor countries as opposed to just governmental measures (See page 2). Basically US lags behind in government aide because US is stronger in private aide which largely makes up for the lack of governmental aide. Just a different philosophy in governship. But largely missed by world opinionators and media.

Foreign Policy Association and PBS Great Decisions Television Series: Philanthropy and the Rise of Global Giving-Dr Carol Adelman appears on PBS and BBC World News here at Transcript: BBC World News:Interview by BBC Phillipa Hudson with Hudson Institute's Carol Adelman

The Religious, both American and non-American, are not as corrupt as media/atheist would portray:

Religious Americans are generous-"people of faith in America have a huge heart in terms of giving to Third World countries...Carol Adelman of the Hudson Institute cites the information in a study done with Notre Dame University. "We didn't realize it would be as large as it was, and we came out with a number of $8.8 billion worth of goods and services that churches are giving overseas to developing countries," she points out....That figure represents nearly 40 percent of the foreign aid provided by the United States to the same region..."Well, I think with $8.8 billion going directly to the organizations with very little expensive overhead or administrative costs, I think this is having a huge impact," she maintains..."

Below are just 4 large christian ministries and there are ample more not to mention all the local church aide around the world:

World Vision-"World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice...Since 1950.." Here on the 2007 Financial Highlights page you can see over 900 million each year for the past 3 years in contributions 23% which are governmental and an 86% of that money going to humanitarian efforts.

Compassion International-"Founded by the Rev. Everett Swanson in 1952, Compassion began providing Korean War orphans with food, shelter, education and health care, as well as Christian training. Today, Compassion helps more than 1 million children in 24 countries." Check out their financials here for 2006-2007 83.5% funds goes to help children. I added from this link the prior 4 years and a total of 880 million dollars in support for those 4 years.

Operation Blessing International: "Over 98.7% of OBI's spending goes toward humanitarian programs...Operation Blessing International is ranked as one of the top 75 charities in the USA by the NonProfit Times....For every $10 you give, it helps us secure more than $100 of donated food and relief supplies (10 to 1 return on your charitable investment)...Since 1978" Their financial statement of contributions/expenses are listed here. I added up in overall contributions just under a Billion dollars for the past 5 years.

Samaritans Purse-"For over 35 years, Samaritan's Purse has done our utmost to follow Christ's command by going to the aid of the world's poor, sick, and suffering. We are an effective means of reaching hurting people in countries around the world with food, medicine, and other assistance in the Name of Jesus Christ. This, in turn, earns us a hearing for the Gospel, the Good News of eternal life through Jesus Christ." Here is their 2006 financial statement of which includes 2005. I added up the overall contributions for those 2 years to be about 600 million dollars with 90% going to humanitarian efforts.

Teens give to Romanian missions-"Most recently, nearly $170,000 dollars were raised for an orphanage for abandoned children in Romania and to help mothers to prevent abandonment....This year, the fund will assist Rich and Sandy Farthing who have a children's ministry in Bolivia, the poorest country in South America...The children certainly need food, medical care, a roof over their heads and an education, but they will also receive instruction on Christianity which, Tolbert says, will provide them with true hope."

Pastor bikes for African health-"North Country Alliance Church in Plattsburgh, New York, has constructed a hospital in the West African country of Mali, specifically to help pregnant women and their babies."

Big Business generousity stories even after being taxed more then others:

Again, this is not to say there is no corruption but rather to bring balance and to show forth a side that hasn't received alot of attention for whatever reason:

Big Box Retailers, Not FEMA, May Be First Line Of Defense-"Hurricane season is just around the corner, so consumers should know where to turn to if disaster strikes. No, not the Federal Emergency Management Agency. A new study suggests Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Lowe's would be a lot more helpful. The study, from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, stresses that successful disaster relief depends upon responders having detailed knowledge of a local area and the right incentives to act on that knowledge. Examining federal and private responses to Hurricane Katrina, the study by St. Lawrence University Professor of Economics Steven Horwitz shows why FEMA was destined to fail, and why for-profit firms succeeded at disaster recovery."

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-"American businessman Warren Buffett (GEICO) gives more than $31 billion to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, doubling the foundation's endowment from $29 billion to nearly $60 billion and making it by far the world's largest charitable foundation."

U.S. Companies Step Up the Business of Giving Overseas-"America has a tradition of corporate philanthropy. In the early 20th century, business tycoons like Andrew Carnegie and John Rockefeller started charities that focused on domestic problems...The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports $566 million donated by American businesses in 2005 to help communities suffering after the South Asia tsunami....U.S. companies donated almost $5 billion to developing countries in 2004...The amount equals one-fourth of U.S. government foreign aid."

Lastly here is an interesting poll on http://www.onenewsnow.com/ (a conservative news media) titled:

Given that the American people have a proven record of extreme generosity to others less fortunate around the world, why is the U.S. so often the target of much condemnation?-Participate yourself in this poll and find out what many onenewsnow.com subscribers feel the reason why is....

Sign up for http://www.onenewsnow.com/ daily email list here to sample this media. This is where my search on this story began. Where would we be without such news medium, still last in foreign aide!!!

Yanking Back the Balance/Filling in the Gaps/Emphasizing the Missing Headlines

"I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that "except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better, than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing governments by human wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest. I therefore beg leave to move that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service."-Benjamin Franklin (Source: James Madison, The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, Max Farrand, editor (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1911), Vol. I, pp. 450-452, June 28, 1787.)

Entertainment:

http://www.belladvds.com/- "Bella is the #1 rated film of 2007 by the users of the biggest film review website in the world, Rotten Tomatoes.com with a 96.5 rating. Bella was also #1 while in theaters by users of Yahoo!, Fandango and NY Times Readers Poll."-wow!!! Grassroots baby!!! Who needs Hollywood or a Hollywood advertising/production budget or the media when you've got "we the people"!!!

Bella is the No. 1 pre-sale romantic movie on Amazon.com-"Producer Leo Severino told LifeSiteNews.com that the movie has been instrumental in saving at least 15 preborn babies from abortion."-I'm excited to find out what becomes of these 15!!!

Rebelution:

Rebelution- Web site of brothers of Joshua Harris who wrote "I kissed dating GoodBye" and "Sex Is Not The Problem (Lust Is)" dedicated to teens rebelling against low expectations of teens. Listen to an interview of them here and scroll down to 05/08/5008. It takes a while to download but thats normal. I just start doing something else while I am waiting. Makes the wait go by fast. "Instead of serving as the launching pad of life, the teen years are seen as a vacation from responsibility. We call it the "myth of adolescence." And the Rebelution is all about busting that myth."

Iraq:

US Military deaths down over 26 year average-"In 2005, a total of 1,942 U.S. military personnel were killed in all causes, including accidents, hostile action, homicides, illnesses, suicides, etc...That compares to 2,392 in 1980, the last year of President Jimmy Carter's administration....the first year of the peacetime Clinton administration, 1,293 U.S. servicemen lost their lives -- just 649 fewer than in 2005, the hottest year of the Iraq war."-04/25/2008.

Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles have sharply reduced the lethality of insurgent roadside bomb attacks in Iraq.

Fall in violence lures Iraqis home-"According to the latest figures available from the Iraqi government, about 30,000 Iraqis had returned home through March."-05/04/2008 USA Today.

Seven weeks into its own surge, the city of Basra has been largely quited "to the initial surprise and growing delight of many inhabitants."

For a great conservative think tank and the largest think tank in the world period then check out The Heritage Foundation and you can sign up for their daily emails just for a differing point of view sake then the popular media and balance sake in ones own political understanding though they are not themselves at all balanced nor claim to be. Here is the web site of The Heritage Foundations' counterpart from the left wing web site http://www.americanprogress.org/. You will probabily note that most of their views are promoted in the media anyways so it may be nothing new but none the less feel free to compare and check out and then see if whether or not you agree that the popular media seems to highly favor one side over the other.

Online Dating Sevice:

EHarmony Sued for Gay Discrimination-"Linda Carlson says she tried to use the eHarmony site to meet another woman, but could not, based on her sexual orientation...Originally a Christian website, the company has sought out more secular audiences in recent years."-06/2007. Not only is EHarmonys' services not available for the promotion of homosexual couples but neither are their services available for the promotion of heterosexual "one-night stands"...

eHarmony and 'one-night stands' incompatible-"eHarmony has retracted a column advocating "one-night stands" after a newlywed Christian couple who met on the popular website accused the online dating service of departing from its "Christian, pro-marriage beginnings" and embracing the "hook-up" culture"-04/2008.

Update on Academic Freedom Legislation:

Four States Consider Permitting Academic Freedom on Evolution-"The effort to protect the academic freedom of the nation's educators received a blow, as a Florida bill protecting the right of teachers to examine the strengths and weaknesses of Darwin's theory of evolution died on Friday with the end of the state legislative session. However, Michigan, Louisiana, Alabama, and Missouri currently have similar legislation under consideration."-So now there are 5 states working on this type of legislation. I reported on Florida, Lousiana and Missouri and for actual wording of bills and success in Florida click on 04/28/2008 and scroll down Recent legislation inacted to support Academic Freedom:. Keep in mind this email is an update to Florida that even though the bills past both House and Senate that the bills were still being worked on but the legislative session ended so it stopped. I don't know what happens from there.

Burma: What lies in Darkness?:

Praying for Morning to Break in Burma-"March 11th is the Global Day of Prayer for Burma.....Last month, a young Chin woman named Cheery Zahau presented the United Nations with fresh evidence of atrocities conducted by the Burmese Army. She told of gang rapes and the raping of victims as young as 12 years old in Burma's Chin State. Zahau reportedly testified, "Often the rapes have been carried out with extreme brutality and in some cases they resulted in the death of the victim. In one case, a woman was stripped naked and hung on a cross, in a deliberate act of mockery against her Christian religion."-03/09/2007

Bush Urges U.N. to Spread Freedom-"Taking center stage in front the world, Bush announced that the United States would impose new sanctions against the military dictatorship in Myanmar..."Americans are outraged by the situation in Burma," President Bush said. The Asian country was renamed Myanmar from Burma by its military junta. However, the United States does not recognize that name change..."-09/25/2007

Text President Bush's Speech to the U.N.-"This morning, I'm announcing a series of steps to help bring peaceful change to Burma. The United States will tighten economic sanctions on the leaders of the regime and their financial backers. We will impose an expanded visa ban on those responsible for the most egregious violations of human rights, as well as their family members. We'll continue to support the efforts of humanitarian groups working to alleviate suffering in Burma. And I urge the United Nations and all nations to use their diplomatic and economic leverage to help the Burmese people reclaim their freedom."-09/27/2007.

Nine Dead as Burma Military Fires on Crowds-"Witnesses have reported that soldiers smashed windows and doors, and beat the sleeping monks. While some monks managed to get away, hundreds of others were taken away in military trucks...Bono said everyone should offer their support to the Burmese people. "In Britain, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has shown some leadership as has President George Bush. Everyone should keep their fingers crossed and say your prayers for them," the rock star said."-09/27/2007.

Tribal Christians Find New Life in U.S.-"The Htoo family is part of a tribe called the Karen, which lives in the mountains of northern Burma. The tribe is primarily Christian, thanks to the efforts of American missionaries in the 1850's. Just after World War II, the country of Burma was taken over by a Buddhist military dictatorship. Since then, the government has engaged in genocidal persecution of the Christian ethnic minorities within their borders....a country that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has recently called on the U.N. Security Council to consider action against its government....After years of lobbying, the U.S. government agreed to allow up to 10,000 refugees from Burma to resettle in the U.S."-09/28/2007.

Burmese Christians Pray for Hope-"In the midst of the seemingly hopeless situation, Burmese Christians are interceding for their country. Christians inside the country, and even those who fled to the jungles of neighboring countries are praying. They believe that no amount of protests can topple the iron rule in Burma. Only prayer, they say, can change their nation."-03/07/2008

Global Day of Prayer 2008 Brochure. "We believe that: 1. God loves the people of Burma and we should be strong in the mighty power of God. 2. The rider on the white horse (Rev 19:11-14) will fight for the oppressed. 3. We should go deep and go ahead, not broad or shallow or sideways. 4. God reveals what lies in darkness."-03/09/2008

Enters Cyclone: 05/03/2008

First Lady Laura Bush on Myanmar-Notice she didn't once recognize Myanmar as neither did her Husband in his speech to the UN back in 09/2007 (see above Bush Urges U.N. to spread freedom for further detail as to maybe why). "On Saturday, Cyclone Nargis swept through Burma. The storm affected more than 2 million people, and according to the Burmese media, killed thousands. The aftermath has left cities paralyzed, families separated and houses and businesses destroyed. It's troubling that many of the Burmese people learned of this impending disaster only when foreign outlets -- such as Radio Free Asia and Voice of America -- sounded the alarm. Although they were aware of the threat, Burma's state-run media failed to issue a timely warning to citizens in the storm's path...he United States stands prepared to provide an assistance team and much needed supplies to Burma as soon as the Burmese government accepts our offer. The government of Burma should accept this team quickly, as well as other offers of international assistance...In response to the regime's continued repression, President Bush has instructed the U.S. Treasury Department to freeze assets of Burmese state-owned companies that are held in U.S. banks. This adds to actions last year to expand U.S. sanctions against Burma's regime, and to tighten sanctions against its top leaders. We thank the European Union, Canada and Australia for joining the United States in imposing similar restrictions. And we appeal to China, India, and Burma's fellow ASEAN members to use their influence to encourage a democratic transition...Watch more of her press conference"-05/07/2008.

Myanmar Slow to Accept International Aid-"Despite the cyclone, the government indicated that a referendum on the country's draft constitution would proceed as planned on May 10. "It's only a few days left before the coming referendum and people are eager to cast their vote," the state-owned newspaper Myanma Ahlin said Monday. Should the junta be perceived as failing disaster victims, voters who already hold the regime liable for ruining the economy and squashing democracy could take out their frustrations at the ballot box."-05/07/2008

First Round of Int'l Aid Reaches Myanmar-"The first round of International aid began with 800 tons of food for Myanmar's homeless, the U.N.'s World Food Program.." And check this out as was mentioned in Laura Bushs' speech above..."The cyclone came only a week ahead of a key referendum on a constitution that Myanmar's military leaders hoped would go smoothly in its favor. But the disaster could stir the already tense political situation."-05/07/2008

Myanmar Junta Hands Out Aid Boxes-Check this out in light of last 2 reports above!!! "Myanmar's military regime distributed international aid Saturday but plastered the boxes with the names of top generals in an apparent effort to turn the relief effort for last week's devastating cyclone into a propaganda exercise...Despite international appeals to postpone a referendum on a controversial proposed constitution, voting began Saturday in all but the hardest hit parts of the country. With voters going to the polls, state-run television continuously ran images of top generals including junta leader, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, handing out boxes of aid at elaborate ceremonies."-05/10/2008. Wow!!!

First U.S. Relief Airlift Heads to Myanmar-"Still, the reclusive junta insists it will handle the aid distribution itself, through its feared military, which has ruled the country with an iron fist since 1962. Many people have complained that they are getting rotting rice and that soldiers are keeping the best food for themselves. "The government is very controlling," said U Patanyale, the abbot of a monastery in Kyi Bui Khaw village. "Those who want to give directly to the victims get into trouble. They have to give to the government or do it secretly. They follow international aid trucks everywhere. They don't want others to take credit. That's the Myanmar government," he said."-05/12/2008

Maybe this email can be used in what little way it can in answer to the prayer of those in Burma of "...what Lies in Darkness..." and who knows but maybe in some tragic way larger scale attention will be continually brought to this area because of this tragedy...

Faith Based Christian NGO's also helping out:

Mission agency among first responders in Burma-"Thousands of Burmese cyclone victims are finding relief through a well-known mission agency. While international aid teams were trying to get permission to enter Burma, more than 500 Gospel For Asia (GFA) missionaries were already on the ground, providing relief to those who lost family members, friends, and all their possessions. And one GFA Bible College in Rangoon now serves as a makeshift shelter for those left homeless by the deadly cyclone."-05/08/2008

GFA Missionaries Seeking Cyclone Survivors
"The teams included students from GFA's Bible college in Yangon, which has become a center of ministry to survivors in Myanmar's largest city....The GFA country leader is directing the relief efforts at the college, which includes providing desperately needed food and water to survivors staying on and near the campus..."The number of dead will probably be over 100,000," K.P. reported...A few U.N. aid flights have been allowed to land in Rangoon, but only a handful of outside aid workers have been granted visas. "For us, the issue is not as much visas as it is getting supplies into the affected areas," K.P. explained. "Our people are already on the ground. Our national leader is organizing the relief efforts. And he is trying to arrange for our materials to get in. But they need much more—and they need much prayer. "We are working to get some of our workers into Burma from India," he noted, "but right now we are relying on our Burmese workers and church members who are helping every way they can to alleviate the suffering...Most importantly, they are bringing the hope of Jesus Christ into the situation...One of the things we learned in the wake of the Asian tsunami was that even when we bring physical aid, the emotional and spiritual needs are even greater. "I still remember when one of our missionaries read Scripture to a woman who was about to walk into the ocean and drown herself because she had lost everything in the tsunami," he recounted. "She had received food and clothing and shelter—but she had lost her entire family and didn't want to live anymore. It was only the Good News of the Gospel that saved her...Even as we minister in the wake of this cyclone, we must never forget what man's deepest needs are."-05/08/2008

OBI Brings Food to Myanmar Orphans-"Watch the full report on the player. It includes video from inside Myanmar and a phone interview with an Operation Blessing International aid worker."

http://www.myowneyes.org/-"With My Own Eyes is a firsthand, eyewitness account offering users the opportunity to see some of the most devastated, disaster-ravaged and previously inaccessible places in the world, as well as a look at Operation Blessing's efforts to help people that live there.This multimedia site features video footage, photos and the personal diary entries of team leaders from Operation Blessing International"

A can't miss footage of food getting to people via Operation Blessing (a christian relief organization) without government labels on the food!!!!!-See real faces and damage caused by cyclone.

Christians Concerned for Burma-"Map of Burma showing the state regions belonging to Burma's different ethnic nationalities." And many more resources. And just added is a link to photos of the human devastation you can get to here labeled Please be advised that photos are graphic.

Lastly:

A God of suffering?-Video of a christian response to the problem of suffering in the world. This video was made during Hurricane Katrina by a pastor who himself had underwent suffering in his own life and remember the only God in the history of humanity to partake in sufferings Himself is Jesus Christ and thus the only God that has a right to relationally speak on the subject for He has decided to personally relate on this issue with humanity.

Get Answers: Death and Suffering-For those without video and for further information and in more detail this issue is dealt with here.

I just want to add that since God is also, all just (not only all powerful and all loving) that all evils committed in the world will one day be as though they never even were "they shall be as though they had not been."-Obadiah 1:16 speaking of men who commit evil. If we trust to God's power of justice (or ability to make all wrongs right) then all evil will be reversed. But if we trust not to God what is our option??? Feel free to fill in the blanks. It seems that if we really want wrongs to be made right we are forced to believe that God is 1. all powerful 2. all loving and 3. all just??? Its almost as if the desire to right all the wrongs committed from beginning to end in our world presupposes a faith in such a God!!! Or rather it is the only position that will satisfy that thirst. So if we see evil in the world and we really truely desire for the wrongs to be righted then we must believe in God. And lastly since God is not bound to time like we are in one sense HE HAS ALREADY RIGHTED THE WRONGS!!!! So if you add to point 1., 2. and 3. above that God is 4. the creator of time and not subject to its laws sort of speak being outside and above His creation then by the eyes of faith we can know that they have been dealt with already in His mind if this is the God that does exist and we being subject to time and space must wait and see this glorious good desire of ours (that of justice) fulfilled. It seems as though it is an impossibility humanly speaking but as that which is with men impossible, with God is quite another thing and maybe this is one of those glorious acts that is already in His mind fulfilled but by believing maybe one day we will see the fulfillment of in some obviously unhuman way "as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."-I Corinthians 2:9. So when we are tempted to play the part of doubting Thomas "he (Thomas)..Except I shall see....I will not believe" may we take the counsel of Christ to bear in heart and mind, "Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." And so the message of the cross is the most hopefilled relational/rational message from God to man for those in great suffering and pain desiring to see the righting of all these wrongs as opposed to their greatest enemy as many atheist would have us believe. What do the atheist provide but just that this is the way it is so releive as much pain and suffering as you can and so learn to live with it(no hell below us, above us only sky...and no religion too...and may I add it ain't pretty as it is and no justice too)!!! After all its been the way of the universe for billions of years who are we to complain and have any sense or need of justice if all we are is a result of chance over the chance of time!!!??? I suppose there are only so many things to have faith in!!! But God brings a proposition that satisfies our sense of justice and hope for such dire situations as Burma if we have any hope left after our many years of training in the schools of organized religious atheism!!! Good thing we don't act like all has its roots in naturalistic chancism!!!! I suppose if we did we really would have no justified logical reason to be concerned at all with what is happening tragically anywhere let alone our own back yard. Thank God that atheists act contrary to their beliefs!!!! And God save us if they ever do!!!! I say this with a little humour and not seriously though making a serious philosophical point of a flaw in atheism and not to be viewed as attacking any atheist personally or that all atheist are bad or anything like that. But just responding with the dangers of atheism if atheism weeded out all hypocrisy, after all atheists are always proclaiming the dangers of religion and such so just reasoning in a similar fashion relatable to atheistics own thinking to point out flaws in atheism is all I am attempting to do no matter how successful or unsuccessful. Take care all.

I understand that this is a more rational response to death and suffering as opposed to an emotionally supportive one. But just knowing that the Creator of the Universe chose to relate with us in our sufferings by suffering Himself on a cross for our sins especially when He didn't have to thus willingly/lovingly can bring great healing and help to us and those in tragedies like this. And that He can and does help us thru difficult times if we ask Him and sometimes even before we ask Him and then again at certain times appointed and planned He decides to take us and our loved ones home....Take care all....

Yanking Back the Balance/Filling in the Gaps/Emphasizing the Missing Headlines

"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?...I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people....They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture...Ye that fear the LORD, praise him....For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard."-Selected verses from Psalm 22 fulfilled in Christ on the cross for our sins!!! See Matthew 27:32-55