RAGE – Life Doesn’t End at Birth

Listen, would you give a homeless person a string bikini in the dead of winter and expect them to be grateful to you for what you’ve done for them?

Yesterday, while pressure washing my driveway, I finished listening to RAGE.

The book wraps up with a more in-depth look at the coronavirus response. I haven’t focused on that, but it’s very concerning. 

Individuals are finding the courage to corroborate reports about the mishandling of one of the most devastating events that may occur during our lifetime. Trump has presented an alternate reality to the American people and it’s up to them to believe it or seek the truth.

Donald Trump presents a different truth to his base, but he admitted to Bob Woodward in an interview that he knows there is systemic racism in America. He also admitted he doesn’t feel a responsibility AT ALL to have a better understanding of the pain of Black America.

Here’s my personal translation of these statements: Trump really does NOT care about people of color for we do not matter to him.

Trump went on to say he’s done more for Black America than any President in history. No…he hasn’t.

Yes, before COVID-19, employment was high for people of color. What he doesn’t grasp is we are intelligent enough to realize that upward trajectory started with Obama’s Administration.

Yes, Trump has funded historical black colleges. And? He should. So did Obama’s Administration.

We are smart people. We know Trump didn’t turn the economy around when he took office, it was already improving, and Obama’s Administration left him a stable upward escalator ride.

Do I even need to mention his assault on health insurance, or Obama’s initiatives he expanded and called his own?

Trump seems to be genuinely baffled that he doesn’t have the support of most people of color. That bafflement itself shows there’s a very fundamental disconnect.

He admitted there’s systemic racism, yet he takes actions that lead to intensification rather than de-escalation.

Instead of empathizing and listening, he dismisses, disparages, and dehumanizes.

The police reforms he offered are not focused on the concerns of people of color, they are proposals that will cause police the least amount of discomfort. Unless he genuinely acknowledges the issues and engages in sincere dialog with the affected people, it’s impossible for him to create effective and meaningful reforms.      

Trump has had many opportunities to give people of color what they really need. He’s had the power and authority to remove the knee from our necks, but he’s chosen not to do so.

He says he’s pro-life, then he should BE pro-life for EVERY American for life doesn’t end at birth.

      

RAGE – Something Has Changed

 

The hate and anger enveloping this nation is great and deep.

I read a FB post where the person was so angry at Democrats, they wished they could be God long enough to send them all to Hell. Another referred to Democrats scathingly as Demoncrats.

I wonder if they realize Democrats worshipped and worship beside them. When they faced hardships, Democrats were right there laboring in prayer on their behalf. It didn’t used to matter that their family member, friend, acquaintance or church member was a Democrat, but something has changed.

The internet is flooded with videos showing racist confrontations. In the past, a person may have been a racist, but they tried to keep it well hidden. Now, it’s been given a turbo boost and it’s proudly demonstrated and worn as a badge. Something changed.

Trump defined that change in one of his interviews with Bob Woodward for his book RAGE. “I bring rage out,” he said. “I always have.”

Spiritual transference. I won’t expand on that here, but that’s what came to mind when I heard Trump’s statement.

I also learned that some are in awe of Trump’s ability to persuade people. When reality is not acceptable, he creates an alternate reality and persuades others that it is true, and reality is a lie. Anyone who dares to contradict and point out the true reality is labeled “fake” or suppressed. The scary thing is people really believe his alternate realities. Think about how long it usually takes one of his pronouncements to circulate around the internet, proclaimed as truth when it’s obviously not.

The first word that came to mind when I listened to this segment of the book was cultism for cult leaders also share and excel in this ability.

Trump said during his interview the meaner and crueler a foreign leader is the better he gets along with them. Hmm, I wonder why? Kindred spirits?

In the past, rage and it’s demonstrations would have been called out and denounced. Now, it’s being rationalized, accepted and in some instances, encouraged.

Rage is the fruit of A spirit, but that spirit is NOT the Holy Spirit.

Something has changed.

I’m still listening…

RAGE – A Dangerous Mix

Here are my latest personal takeaways from RAGE.

Bob Woodward offered Trump the wisdom that an apology goes a long way toward calming controversy.  He asked Trump if he’d consider apologizing for the Ukraine incident which resulted in his impeachment. Trump said when he does something wrong, he apologizes, but he’d done nothing wrong and would not apologize.

The author asked Trump when was the last time he’d apologized for anything. Trump responded again that he apologizes when he’s done something wrong. The author pressed for an answer. Finally, Trump said when he’s wrong, he apologizes but he’s ALWAYS right.

Reminds me of when Trump said he never asks God for forgiveness; then later said why should he ask for forgiveness when he isn’t making any mistakes.

Picture this: Someone with a look of total disbelief, slowly shaking their head. That’s me.

I think the book is very well-written. One of the things I really applaud is the author instantly followed Trump’s statements with facts. Trump does his normal thing throughout his interviews with the author. I could say he made exaggerated misstatements, but I prefer to call it what it is: He lied…a lot. 

Trump asked Generals why are our troops in Japan, South Korea, etc.?  Simple answer: So we can fight the enemy over there and not here. Now, there are some basic things you expect the leader of your nation to know.

For what it’s worth, here’s a Toni advice moment: If you want to change a process or system, understand the existing one before you commence to changin’ because you just might create a disaster.

Ignorance, arrogance, no moral compass, and power are a very dangerous mix.

 

 

RAGE – Player or Played?

 “What the heck is this?”  While listening to RAGE, I came to a complete standstill in my debris littered backyard, perspiring heavily from my pruning frenzy in Florida’s heat and humidity.

What had prompted that reaction? The letters between Trump and the North Korean leader after they became…friends.

As I listened, I wondered if Trump had been played. The North Korean leader’s letters were filled with effusive flattery, but they also sounded odd.  They sounded like the leader had assigned a fan of old romance novels or movies the task of writing the letters to Trump.  The phrasing is similar.  Trump’s weren’t quite as bad, but still…strange.  Now, I understand why the news media commented that the letters reminded you of a courtship. 

I learned that Trump has had good men around him whose priority was America.  When they became aware of what they were dealing with, they worked hard to try to advise and steer Trump in ways that would safeguard America and our interests. One by one, those men left his administration, leaving a vacuum for enablers.

After one of these good men left, Bob Woodward wrote that one of Trump’s advisors—who is also a relative—was glad because a block to Trump and what he wanted to accomplish was gone.  This same family member supposedly taught others how to get the decisions they wanted out of Trump. Oily…and insulting.

I’m still listening…

RAGE: It was a Near Thing

RAGE hit my audio book library today. So far, it's very interesting and educational.

Bob Woodward opens with the information already reported in the news media regarding COVID-19: What Trump knew, when he knew it and what he did...or didn't do. He moves on to Trump building his cabinet and then the conflict with North Korea. This is where I've placed my digital bookmark. I was wowed. I had absolutely no idea how close we had come to war with North Korea. Yeah, I saw the news reports about the insults Trump hurled at the North Korean leader and the threats. I didn't think it was wise, but it was "normal" behavior for our current leader. Behind the scenes, things were TENSE. The official given the responsibility of making the call to engage was a Christian and struggled with the weight of the very real possibility of being responsible for initiating the move that would result in millions of deaths. North Korea wasn't bluffing. They were ready to engage. We were positioned to respond. Every test missile North Korea launched was watched with readiness. We even performed some "warning" military maneuvers. Thinking back to when all of this was playing out, I'd just thought it was a lot of muscle flexing. It was so much more serious than that. Thank God for intervening in spite of...

Let justice run down like water...

 

Our Heavenly Father is a God of justice and righteousness.

“…outward demonstrations of faith are useless unless they are centered in

justice and righteousness.”

- Rev. Ed (unity.org)

Amos 5:21-24 New King James Version (NKJV)

21 “I hate, I despise your feast days,

And I do not savor your sacred assemblies.

22 Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,

I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your fattened peace

offerings.

23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs,

For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.

24 But let justice run down like water,

And righteousness like a mighty stream.

Relationship Casualties

Has your relationship circle (marriages, friendships, acquaintances, etc.) been torn apart because of politics and you don’t understand why? Let’s talk about it.

For many—hereafter just referred to as friends, politics isn’t about one or two policies a candidate may promote. It’s not about the ethnicity of the candidate. It’s not even about the political party they represent.

Politics is perceived as a statement of how the candidate feels people should be treated. When you embrace a candidate, it’s seen as your personal statement of how you think people—your friends—should be treated. Your statement of the value you have placed on them as a human being.

It’s heavy. It’s serious. It’s personal. It far exceeds the November election.

Think about everything that has been attached to the political candidate you have embraced: reports, reveals, raw video, recordings, speeches, etc. Think about everything they represent: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Now, think about your friends and their varied, devastating, and life altering experiences: sexual assault, discrimination, cheating spouses, degradation, racism, bigotry, etc. How do you think they feel when they’re on the receiving end of the fall out of the politics you support?

You may discount it as being inconsequential or even false, but for them, it’s very real and could possibly mean life or death because the fall out may be resulting in a bullseye being placed on their backs.

You join with others who agree with your politics and add your jeers and taunts. Each one is a knife to your friend’s gut.

Even if unvoiced, for your friend, it may have boiled down to one question: How can you really love them and embrace the politics that say they and people like them really don’t matter?

!!! Murder !!!

I’m a murder witness. I’ve witnessed multiple murders. Here’s what I saw.

Crime: Murder by inflicting grave damage to the soul. Killer: Folk wearing the Christian label. Weapon: The tongue. Evidence: Proverbs 18:21 King James Version - Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Message Version - Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose. Don’t throw returning boomerangs you don’t want to come back. They WILL return, and when they do, it will be in a manner that will leave you in no doubt that you set them loose. Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Stop wounding and killing people with your tongue. THAT sin is just as important to God as murder by any other method.

The Return

Lately, I feel like I’m always a step behind.  I kept seeing posts for The Return event.  It’s advertised as a movement calling for the return to God by coming before His presence in humility, sincere prayer and repentance.  It sounded great and in-step with my heart.  I take NOTHING at face value, so I started to research it to find out who was leading it and participating.  I found a YouTube video where a list of participants was rattled off.  I’d never heard of some of the folk, so I started to research each one of the names.

As I progressed down the list, my enthusiasm sank.  I looked up a few names and found they were a part of Trump’s evangelical advisory board.  Several.  I plowed on thinking this can’t be what I think it is.  Well…I’m SO disappointed for my heart is yearning for revival to ignite in this nation.   

I didn’t see one non-Trump supporter on the list I ran across. Have they been excluded, or did I miss the names?  Please tell me this event is apolitical and truly about God.  Please tell me this isn’t what it “smells” like:  A pro-Trump prayer rally to corral in the evangelicals who have slipped the leash crying, “ENOUGH!” Please tell me this is a REAL call for return back to God.

We all have pet peeves—those things that annoy the heck out of us.  One of mine is folk using the Word and God as a cover for pushing personal agendas and to justify their dirt.   That’s just wrong on so many levels and has led to cultism and the dark mess our nation is in today.

Oh God help us and send revival!