So exactly how you would expect it from a senile old guy….
Is anyone else having trouble understanding exactly what he's trying to say? It's a weird combo of mumbling and speed-reading. I can't quite make it out. Also now he's yelling.
I don't have any strong feelings about this speech because thus far I have been unable to understand much of it. This whole spectacle is really sad and it makes me feel very uncomfortable.
AAPLOG is dedicated to continuing education on excellent miscarriage care and providing women with fully informed consent, while supporting both of our patients – woman and child.
One follow-up to last night’s discussion and then I’ve had my say. If providing a place to meet is by definition “graciousness,” then a bar owner who gets in patrons’ faces and loudly berates some of those who come to his bar can never be arrested for assault, only applauded for his graciousness.
Asking someone to remember that fellow humans (even unbelievers, even those with whom we strongly disagree) are made in the image of God, and that fellow Christians are brothers and sisters and any disagreement should be done politely and without personal attack should not be too high a bar. And we can simultaneously appreciate the forum and ask the owner of that forum to treat visitors with dignity and respect, as we treat him and as Jesus would have us do.
If your knee jerk response to a comment is to write something nasty to the person who posted it, it’s probably best to sit on your comment an hour or two, maybe pray for the person who wrote the original comment, and then see if you still are OK with posting the reply. (BTW, I didn’t leave because of anything said “to me”–I wasn’t being “too sensitive”–but because the tone of this forum had become generally impolite and I no longer had any wish to be associated with it. I had seen friends attacked and I’d seen political enemies treated with un-Christian language.)
And I’ll start — I put in a rather restless night, realizing I, too, am guilty of that “knee jerk” kind of response here, especially in the past 24 hours.
Cheryl’s point is one I was thinking about this morning, how I especially need to step back before posting when I’m feeling provoked. I didn’t do that yesterday as just the latest example.
I am sorry for my part in that, truly. I sometimes am too quick to react and post and that seldom ends well.
We’re heading into what, no doubt, will be a very difficult season for our nation — and, unfortunately, the church is not immune to the emotions and strident feelings that will come with it.
So I stand convicted to giving in to that “spirit of the age.” I am not sure I’ll be on this thread much, or at all, for a while, but I am asking God to help me do better while also repenting of how I’ve sometimes come off and sounded — they’re not just words, they reflected my heart.
We have a high calling, one that we often (almost always perhaps) fall short of. All of us. Our relationships with one another, the way to speak, the way we express ourselves should look different from that of the world. In my case, it doesn’t meet that standard all too often.
Politics – and our heated environment currently (and it will likely get worse) – will pose an additional pressure on believers as we make our way forward, trying to remember our charge to bring light and not heat to these issues, to guard our hearts and our tongues. We need to always remember who — and whose — we are. Starting with me. I’ve failed at that too often.
As an aside — but very pertinent to all of this in an “ouch” sort of way, I saw this today from Paul Tripp:
~ It’s that time of year again: the season of love. Well, at least getting served advertisements for romantic gifts meant to communicate your love for someone. So, for the next three weeks, we will focus on the topic of love—but not necessarily chocolate, roses, and jewelry.
God has made it abundantly clear that the standard for his children is love. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7)
Love is the identifier that the listening and watching world should know us by. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Yet sadly, another love has infiltrated and started to define the church of Jesus Christ: the love of controversy.
Scripture warned and rebuked believers about quarreling thousands of years before Twitter was invented, so it’s nothing new. But in today’s digital, political, and tribalistic age, the love of controversy seems to be gaining popularity and tolerance, both outside and inside the church.
Of course, it’s vital to protect theological purity and guard the flock. But we are too quick to use that excuse to conceal our love for controversy. And because of the nature of sin, what might have started with a pure motive can quickly transform into something nasty and self-righteous.
Our culture glorifies the pursuit of controversy. The thrill of that hunt propels us – that scintillating moment when you draw your word weapon, take aim, and pull the verbal trigger. Sometimes it’s the buzz of quarreling in the heat of the moment; other times, it’s the evil of lying in wait, setting a trap, and waiting to ensnare the other person.
Maybe you’re not the one speaking the words, but the love of controversy also includes the enjoyment of watching how many verbal bullets it takes before your opponent drops or retreats.
The love of controversy demeans people down to your prey, not human beings made in the holy image of God. If they’re outside of the community of faith, they cease to be a lost soul in need of rescue; they’re a target. If they’re a brother or sister in Christ, what now gives you joy is not the messy process of love but the challenge of knocking someone down.
“Charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers” (2 Timothy 2:14)
“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29)
I wish I could say that all my responses to and interactions with others were patient, loving, respectful, thoughtful, and edifying. I wish I could declare that I love unity more than controversy. I wish there was never a time when I loved being “right” at the expense of love.
But I can’t. And I’m sure you could confess the same.
We don’t so much need to be delivered from the people around us who are controversial, antagonistic, and hard to love. No, we first need to be delivered from ourselves, our controversial instincts, and the fact that vengeance is often more attractive to us than forgiveness.
May we confess that we are tempted to participate in this culture of controversy and, as we confess, let us run to the only One who can help us.
By lavish grace, deliverance is available to us every day. He alone has the power to transform the controversial thoughts, desires, motives, and choices of our hearts. ~
“The talking points go out, and the MSM stenographers faithfully write them down and spew them out over the airwaves.
There is a reason why they call this sort of thing “spin:” you get dizzy when they keep twisting the facts to force a Narrative on you.
Joe Biden knew–assuming he was paying attention between shots of Ensure–that Americans were pretty upset about his response to a Chinese military platform floating over the US for days, lazily scooping up intelligence while it mosied across the country.
So his administration came up with a story for why he was so weak in the face of this provocation: he was defending Americans. There is no place between the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic where shooting down the balloon wouldn’t have massacred women, children, and transexuals who are suffering from constant stochastic terrorism.
Yeah, that is what they are going with. And of course, the commentariat picked up that ball and ran with it. Newsbusters compiled the video, which makes for amusing viewing if you have a minute.”
“Joe Biden’s SOTU address on Tuesday night was a bit raucous at times, when Republicans called out Biden for false claims. The most notable moment was when Biden claimed that Republicans want to ‘sunset’ Social Security and Medicare.
Some Republicans booed, while Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene came right out and called Biden a liar. Watch:”
My husband is a lot like AJ in his passion for politics. Sometimes I just have to cover my ears and loudly sing “la la la la la, la la la la, la” in my best rendition of Olivia Newton John’s ‘Loving You’. That changes the conversation. On the blog it’s so much easier to go to another thread.
Love you guys, gotta run. :–)
I'm sorry but where was Democrats' respect for the office of POTUS when Trump was President? You can't have it both ways. Either you demand that the office of Commander in Chief always be respected, or never. But maybe Joe shouldnt've taken pot shots at Republicans in #sotu2023. https://t.co/yFI7M1BCfo
“State of the Union speeches are usually pretty scattershot, but President Biden’s 2023 version set a new record.
He ranged across a world of issues without substantively addressing the biggest ones — crime, the border crisis, China, the nation’s looming economic woes — because his record is so weak on all of them.
Instead, he offered lie after lie in a shameless bid to fool the electorate ahead of his 2024 run for re-election. His only “big idea” is to make bogeymen out of the wealthy and offer the American people more freebies, more unsustainable spending.
He blended brags about his supposed achievements (inflation-fueling blowout spending sprees), promos for various dead-on-arrival bits of legislation (even heavily Democratic Congresses have been unable to pass “comprehensive immigration reform”), blatantly insincere calls for bipartisanship, cynical and false attacks on his opponents (the chamber was in an uproar at his fake claim that Republicans want to slash Social Security and Medicare), bogus stats (billionaires pay roughly 24% income tax, not 8%), some fine tough talk on the Ukraine war and utter laughers (“as we made clear last week, if China threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country. And we did” — by shooting down the balloon at the last possible moment?).”
Sarah Huckabee Sanders: "Forgive me for not believing much of anything I heard tonight from President Biden…Biden and the Democrats have failed you." pic.twitter.com/dMD4HWYcck
Sarah Huckabee Sanders: "We are under attack in a left wing culture war we didn't start, and never wanted to fight. Every day we are told we must partake in their rituals, salute their flags, and worship their false idols…That's not normal. It's crazy, and it's wrong."
I did not watch last night. I just might have broken our tv if I had! Thanks for sharing these snippets Aj…I am now certain I would have thrown something listening to this blathering lying pathetic person. I must say MTG carrying a balloon down the hallways was just a tad bit over the top sophomoric in my estimation.
Husband and I find ourselves being drawn into discussions that we know will leave us feeling yucky. Like the HOA wanting to extract 3000.00 from us and every homeowner by the end of March for a pet project of the most despicable person on our Board. She wants to replace perfectly fine cisterns in our HOA with a fancy one. See…here I go again…
When the subject comes up we look at each other and say “I don’t want to talk about it”…we then laugh and move on to the next topic of the day!
Wandering Views 
So exactly how you would expect it from a senile old guy….
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So they lied, of course.
LikeLiked by 2 people
One follow-up to last night’s discussion and then I’ve had my say. If providing a place to meet is by definition “graciousness,” then a bar owner who gets in patrons’ faces and loudly berates some of those who come to his bar can never be arrested for assault, only applauded for his graciousness.
Asking someone to remember that fellow humans (even unbelievers, even those with whom we strongly disagree) are made in the image of God, and that fellow Christians are brothers and sisters and any disagreement should be done politely and without personal attack should not be too high a bar. And we can simultaneously appreciate the forum and ask the owner of that forum to treat visitors with dignity and respect, as we treat him and as Jesus would have us do.
If your knee jerk response to a comment is to write something nasty to the person who posted it, it’s probably best to sit on your comment an hour or two, maybe pray for the person who wrote the original comment, and then see if you still are OK with posting the reply. (BTW, I didn’t leave because of anything said “to me”–I wasn’t being “too sensitive”–but because the tone of this forum had become generally impolite and I no longer had any wish to be associated with it. I had seen friends attacked and I’d seen political enemies treated with un-Christian language.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really liked what Sarah Huckabee said about being the first woman governor of her state while the Dems can’t decide what a woman is😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
And I’ll start — I put in a rather restless night, realizing I, too, am guilty of that “knee jerk” kind of response here, especially in the past 24 hours.
Cheryl’s point is one I was thinking about this morning, how I especially need to step back before posting when I’m feeling provoked. I didn’t do that yesterday as just the latest example.
I am sorry for my part in that, truly. I sometimes am too quick to react and post and that seldom ends well.
We’re heading into what, no doubt, will be a very difficult season for our nation — and, unfortunately, the church is not immune to the emotions and strident feelings that will come with it.
So I stand convicted to giving in to that “spirit of the age.” I am not sure I’ll be on this thread much, or at all, for a while, but I am asking God to help me do better while also repenting of how I’ve sometimes come off and sounded — they’re not just words, they reflected my heart.
We have a high calling, one that we often (almost always perhaps) fall short of. All of us. Our relationships with one another, the way to speak, the way we express ourselves should look different from that of the world. In my case, it doesn’t meet that standard all too often.
Politics – and our heated environment currently (and it will likely get worse) – will pose an additional pressure on believers as we make our way forward, trying to remember our charge to bring light and not heat to these issues, to guard our hearts and our tongues. We need to always remember who — and whose — we are. Starting with me. I’ve failed at that too often.
As an aside — but very pertinent to all of this in an “ouch” sort of way, I saw this today from Paul Tripp:
~ It’s that time of year again: the season of love. Well, at least getting served advertisements for romantic gifts meant to communicate your love for someone. So, for the next three weeks, we will focus on the topic of love—but not necessarily chocolate, roses, and jewelry.
God has made it abundantly clear that the standard for his children is love. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7)
Love is the identifier that the listening and watching world should know us by. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Yet sadly, another love has infiltrated and started to define the church of Jesus Christ: the love of controversy.
Scripture warned and rebuked believers about quarreling thousands of years before Twitter was invented, so it’s nothing new. But in today’s digital, political, and tribalistic age, the love of controversy seems to be gaining popularity and tolerance, both outside and inside the church.
Of course, it’s vital to protect theological purity and guard the flock. But we are too quick to use that excuse to conceal our love for controversy. And because of the nature of sin, what might have started with a pure motive can quickly transform into something nasty and self-righteous.
Our culture glorifies the pursuit of controversy. The thrill of that hunt propels us – that scintillating moment when you draw your word weapon, take aim, and pull the verbal trigger. Sometimes it’s the buzz of quarreling in the heat of the moment; other times, it’s the evil of lying in wait, setting a trap, and waiting to ensnare the other person.
Maybe you’re not the one speaking the words, but the love of controversy also includes the enjoyment of watching how many verbal bullets it takes before your opponent drops or retreats.
The love of controversy demeans people down to your prey, not human beings made in the holy image of God. If they’re outside of the community of faith, they cease to be a lost soul in need of rescue; they’re a target. If they’re a brother or sister in Christ, what now gives you joy is not the messy process of love but the challenge of knocking someone down.
“Charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers” (2 Timothy 2:14)
“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29)
I wish I could say that all my responses to and interactions with others were patient, loving, respectful, thoughtful, and edifying. I wish I could declare that I love unity more than controversy. I wish there was never a time when I loved being “right” at the expense of love.
But I can’t. And I’m sure you could confess the same.
We don’t so much need to be delivered from the people around us who are controversial, antagonistic, and hard to love. No, we first need to be delivered from ourselves, our controversial instincts, and the fact that vengeance is often more attractive to us than forgiveness.
May we confess that we are tempted to participate in this culture of controversy and, as we confess, let us run to the only One who can help us.
By lavish grace, deliverance is available to us every day. He alone has the power to transform the controversial thoughts, desires, motives, and choices of our hearts. ~
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lie.
“Biden Says Illegal Immigration Is “Down” In State Of The Union Address…”
https://dailycaller.com/2023/02/07/southern-border-illegal-immigration-joe-biden/
—–
Lie.
Throw GrandMa off a cliff again. Yep, same lie, repackaged.
—–
Lie.
R’s want to take away SS and MediCare.
—–
Lie.
He’s tough on China.
—
https://www.foxnews.com/media/biden-state-of-the-union-blasted-fundamentally-dishonest-screamed-randomly
LikeLiked by 1 person
Media water carriers are doing what they do best.
“Hilarious: MSM defense of Biden balloon fiasco”
https://hotair.com/david-strom/2023/02/08/hilarious-msm-defense-of-biden-balloon-fiasco-n529085
“The talking points go out, and the MSM stenographers faithfully write them down and spew them out over the airwaves.
There is a reason why they call this sort of thing “spin:” you get dizzy when they keep twisting the facts to force a Narrative on you.
Joe Biden knew–assuming he was paying attention between shots of Ensure–that Americans were pretty upset about his response to a Chinese military platform floating over the US for days, lazily scooping up intelligence while it mosied across the country.
So his administration came up with a story for why he was so weak in the face of this provocation: he was defending Americans. There is no place between the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic where shooting down the balloon wouldn’t have massacred women, children, and transexuals who are suffering from constant stochastic terrorism.
Yeah, that is what they are going with. And of course, the commentariat picked up that ball and ran with it. Newsbusters compiled the video, which makes for amusing viewing if you have a minute.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
They had no problem with it when they were doing it to Trump and Nancy was shredding transcripts…..
But now it’s about muh norms, right?
Clowns.
“Democrats and Media Suddenly Care About Decorum and Respect After Biden SOTU Address
“The behavior of a sizeable group of Republican legislators tonight was outrageous and disgusting.”
https://legalinsurrection.com/2023/02/democrats-and-media-suddenly-care-about-decorum-and-respect-after-biden-sotu-address/
“Joe Biden’s SOTU address on Tuesday night was a bit raucous at times, when Republicans called out Biden for false claims. The most notable moment was when Biden claimed that Republicans want to ‘sunset’ Social Security and Medicare.
Some Republicans booed, while Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene came right out and called Biden a liar. Watch:”
—
And of course the handwringing crowd on our side are clutching their pearls and swooning over the lack of decorum.
So double bonus.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My husband is a lot like AJ in his passion for politics. Sometimes I just have to cover my ears and loudly sing “la la la la la, la la la la, la” in my best rendition of Olivia Newton John’s ‘Loving You’. That changes the conversation. On the blog it’s so much easier to go to another thread.
Love you guys, gotta run. :–)
LikeLiked by 3 people
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lies, damned lies, and Joe Lie-den.
——
https://nypost.com/2023/02/07/bidens-state-of-the-union-set-new-records-for-dishonesty-and-emptiness/?utm_source=NYPTwitter&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=SocialFlow
“State of the Union speeches are usually pretty scattershot, but President Biden’s 2023 version set a new record.
He ranged across a world of issues without substantively addressing the biggest ones — crime, the border crisis, China, the nation’s looming economic woes — because his record is so weak on all of them.
Instead, he offered lie after lie in a shameless bid to fool the electorate ahead of his 2024 run for re-election. His only “big idea” is to make bogeymen out of the wealthy and offer the American people more freebies, more unsustainable spending.
He blended brags about his supposed achievements (inflation-fueling blowout spending sprees), promos for various dead-on-arrival bits of legislation (even heavily Democratic Congresses have been unable to pass “comprehensive immigration reform”), blatantly insincere calls for bipartisanship, cynical and false attacks on his opponents (the chamber was in an uproar at his fake claim that Republicans want to slash Social Security and Medicare), bogus stats (billionaires pay roughly 24% income tax, not 8%), some fine tough talk on the Ukraine war and utter laughers (“as we made clear last week, if China threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country. And we did” — by shooting down the balloon at the last possible moment?).”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nailed it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Debra, amen.
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I did not watch last night. I just might have broken our tv if I had! Thanks for sharing these snippets Aj…I am now certain I would have thrown something listening to this blathering lying pathetic person. I must say MTG carrying a balloon down the hallways was just a tad bit over the top sophomoric in my estimation.
Husband and I find ourselves being drawn into discussions that we know will leave us feeling yucky. Like the HOA wanting to extract 3000.00 from us and every homeowner by the end of March for a pet project of the most despicable person on our Board. She wants to replace perfectly fine cisterns in our HOA with a fancy one. See…here I go again…
When the subject comes up we look at each other and say “I don’t want to talk about it”…we then laugh and move on to the next topic of the day!
LikeLiked by 1 person