Waters presses Geithner on connections to Goldman Sachs

Say what you will, but Maxine Waters does a good job of honing in on the highly suspicious Goldman Sachs connection to the billions of tax payer bailout dollars.

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Treasury Secretary and Fed Chairman Grilled

Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) questioned Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke Tuesday on Capitol Hill in a lengthy exchange, where the congresswoman repeatedly asked what part of the constitution gave the Fed and Treasury the powers they have already taken in the ongoing financial crisis.

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Human Achievevment Hour!

The Competitive Enterprise Institute plans to recognize “Human Achievement Hour” between 8:30pm and 9:30pm on March 28, 2009 to coincide with Earth Hour, a period of time during which governments, individuals, and corporations have agreed to dim or shut off lights in an effort to draw attention to climate change. Anyone not foregoing the use of electricity in that hour is, by default, celebrating the achievements of human beings.



PTT's blog salutes the people who keep the lights on and produce the energy that helps make human achievement possible.

Green and private conservation are fine. We have no problem with an individual (or group) that wants to sit naked in the dark without heat, clothing, or light. Additionally, we would have no problem with the group holding a pro-green technology rally. That is their choice. But when this group stages a “global election” with the express purpose of influencing “government policies to take action against global warming,” we have every right as individuals to express our vote for the opposite

If Human Achievement Hour is at all a dig against Earth Hour, it is so only by the fact that we are pointing out what Earth Hour truly is about: it isn’t pro-earth, it is anti-man and anti-innovation. So, on March 28th, CEI plans to continue “voting” for humanity by enjoying the fruits of man’s mind.

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The AIG Story

A Path to Bankruptcy

Congressman Alan Grayson explains the business model AIG followed into its inevitible bankruptcy. AIG owes $500 Billion, mostly to global banks and Wall Street. There is no way this company can be sustained. It must fail.

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January Angel Food Menu

Taylors First Baptist Distribution Center

Bridgepointe Church in Taylors participates in the Taylors First Baptist Church (TFBC) Angel Food Ministry program in the Taylors community. The Angel Food program helps people with limited disposable income buy low cost groceries. Angel Food boxes spread the good news of the gospel of Christ because salvation tracts are placed in each box of food.

Angel Food Ministries participates in the U.S. Food Stamp program, using the Off-Line Food Stamp Voucher system. Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit, non-denominational organization. Angel Food's goal is to help neighbors facing tough economic times.

The following link has more details about this ministry:



These links will take you to the current menu for the Taylors First Baptist Distribution location:

March Angel Food Menu

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Isaiah's Prophesy About Religious People

Trusting A Religion Instead of a Person

This Sunday we studied a prophesy of Isaiah, a prophet for the southern kingdom of Judah.

At that time in history, Judah was not a powerful nation. For several decades before she had been a vassal State of the powerful Assyrian Empire. Assyria, with a powerful military and brutal enforcement policy, dominated the region in that time.

Under King Ahaz, Judah paid tribute to Assyria. Ahaz was a bad king. The Bible says:

Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD his God. He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in [a] the fire, following the detestable ways of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree.

2 Kings 16:2-3. The economic situation in the nation of Judah was dire. However, when King Ahaz died, a new King discovered God's word in the Temple and restored worship. Hezekiah went through the nation rooting out the idols from every hillside and the people renewed their worship of God. The Bible says, “He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done.” 2 Kings 18:3.

Hezekiah terminated the tribute to Assyria. History shows that the normally ruthless Assyrians did not invade or attack Judah for a time. There was a period of restoration and the people began to worship the Lord.

You can imagine the people began to take pride in how religious they were. They perceived they were worshipers of the One True God, the Holy One of Israel. They were right about that issue, but they were wrong about the standing they had before God. By undertaking religious rituals, the people began to trick themselves into thinking that they were actually worshiping God, and doing God's will. The prophet Isaiah had a message. First, he said:

The Lord says:

These people come near to me with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
is made up only of rules taught by men.

Isaiah 29:13.

It is important to remember that the worshipers in Judah were under the good King Hezekiah. Hezekiah restored Temple worship of God—in accordance with God's instructions in the Mosaic Law. Moreover, under Hezekiah's reforms, the idols had been rooted out of Judah. Thus, we see that the people in Judah were facially doing everything right to worship God. God gave them the access, and they were following the proper Mosaic Law to do so. However, the people were still awry in their attempt at worship.

The problem in Judah was that the people were not undertaking worship with the right attitude. They were just going through the motions of worship and practicing empty rituals.

Similarly, many of us in America today go to Christian churches. We know that our sins are forgiven by the saving work of Jesus Christ, whose blood was spilled on the cross at Cavalry. However, we still often just go through the motions of attendance, and ritual. Isn't it true, that at times our own hearts are far from God while we worship? In this way, we can be in no better shape than the people of Judah facing an Assyrian military and economic threat.

Next, we see the consequences of such ersatz worship of God.

Therefore once more I will astound these people
with wonder upon wonder;
the wisdom of the wise will perish,
the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Isaiah 29:14. All around the people, God was working miracles. Isaiah is not clear what wonders were happening. Perhaps he was simply referring to beauty or spring, both of which are within the scope of God's creation. In any case, the wonders were overlooked by the people and went unseen. The wisdom and intelligence of the people vanished as they continued their futile exercise of practicing an empty religion void of a true relationship.

Woe to those who go to great depths
to hide their plans from the LORD,
who do their work in darkness and think,
"Who sees us? Who will know?"

You turn things upside down,
as if the potter were thought to be like the clay!
Shall what is formed say to him who formed it,
"He did not make me"?
Can the pot say of the potter,
"He knows nothing"?

Isaiah 29:15-16. Here, Isaiah shows us the most dangerous aspect of practicing a false religious experience—self delusion. The people of Judah deluded and tricked themselves. They proudly said to themselves, we are practicing at worshiping God. Their mistake was to take that effort as a token granting themselves special ability to discern spiritual things. They told themselves because they were worshiping God, they could decide for themselves what God wanted them to do. They did what they wanted and said to themselves that they were doing God's will. Thus, the people decided God's will for themselves and really believed they were doing it.

Isaiah poses some rhetorical questions to bring his point about the mistake home. He shows the people that by trying to determine God's will for themselves, they were putting themselves above their creator. Can the pot say to the potter, “he knows nothing.”

Some scholars believe that at time in Judah's history, King Hezekiah had been taken by a severe, life-threatening illness. Leaders of Judah during the time period, were deeply afraid that Assyria would return and ravage their nation. Consequently, they sought to protect the nation by seeking a military alliance with Egypt.
Isaiah told the leaders such an alliance would be worthless. He advocated that the nation of Judah turn to God as their strength. They ought not to trust in an alliance with Egypt, when God was their protector.

For the Lord GOD , the Holy One of Israel, has said:
"You will be delivered by returning and resting;
your strength will lie in quiet confidence.
But you are not willing."
You say, "No!
We will escape on horses"—
therefore you will escape!—
and, "We will ride on fast horses"—
but those who pursue you will be faster.

Isaiah 30:15-16. In these days of panic over the American economy, Isaiah's recommendation of quiet confidence in God seems to be very appealing. Instead of working fingers to the bone trying to create bailouts and meticulous plans to revive the American economy, maybe quiet confidence trusting in God is the answer. God has delivered America in the past from her crises. Perhaps, the best course for America now is for our President to call for a period of prayer.

Technorati Tags: Isaiah, False, Worship, Religious, Heart, True, Lifeway, Explore, the, Bible

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AIG CEO Offers Lame Testimony on Hill

"I can't remember the names ... I want to protect them"

Rep. Alan Grayson (D) asks AIG CEO Edward Liddy to name the employees of AIG who managed the credit default swap business that destroyed the company. At first Liddy says he will, then he says he doesn't know their names, then he says he wants them protected.

Watch the video below to see Liddy allege Treasury has been informed of the AIG bonus payments day after day for "literally the last three months."


Here is Senator Chris Dodd (D). He authored the loophole in the law that allowed AIG to rip off tax payers by taking bailout TARP money and then to pay out huge bonuses to its executives. Shockingly, Dodd is a big beneficiary of AIG campaign contributions. Dodd wrote in the amendment that specifically allowed the AIG organization to steal our tax dollars and pay rich wealthy foreign executives our tax money. This is really incredible.

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Isaiah Time Lines (Powerpoint--Slideboom)

Lifeway Bible Study Helps

Here are three timelines created about the Old Testament prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah lived in the southern Kingdom of Judah around 720 BC. During his time, the Assyrian Empire was exerting its influence and spreading to and around the Holy Land. The northern Kingdom of Israel, formed a political alliance with Aram (Syria), an enemy of Assyria. The southern Kingdom, under King Ahaz, on the other hand, paid tribute to Assyria as protection against an Israel/Aram alliance. That political alliance threatened Judah.

Overall his period of influence, Isaiah prophecized during the reign of three kings of Judah: Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Two Kings, Jotham and Hezekiah, though with flaws, were identified in the Bible as being good. King Ahaz, on the other hand, was described as an evil King. Ahaz introduced Assyrian Gods into the Temple, and sacrificed his own children to the foreign dieties.

These three slide shows below attempt to illustrate the time period of Isaiah's ministry, the geopolitical events surrounding his period of influence, and the long range scope of some of his prophecies about the Messiah. In studying God's word, it helps to understand the big picture. I hope that Bible students will find these slideshows useful. They are free to download and use.

Timeline for Geopolitical Events in the Prophet Isaiah's Time



Isaiah's Long Range Prophecies

Technorati Tags: Isaiah, Judah, Messiah, Assyria, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Israel, Prophecy, Judgment, Exile, Hope, Timeline

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Image Regarding Federal Government Bailout Mania

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Obama Administration Versus Swiss Tax Cheats

The Rich Are Getting Real Nervous

Here is a very interesting video compiled by the American News Project.

Switzerland's largest bank, UBS, has long been a generous donor American lawmakers. Last year alone, the bank spread over three million dollars across hundreds of U.S. election campaigns. That kind of money wins lots of friends on Capitol Hill, but with the economy now in a tailspin, the money banks like UBS squirrel away in tax havens is getting unprecedented attention and the once cozy relationship between UBS and U.S. politicians has soured. When a top UBS executive was hauled in front of a Senate subcommittee recently to explain his company's actions, remarkably few lawmakers showed up to grill or defend their erstwhile friend.

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Paris Mountain State Park

Hiking Sulphur Springs Trail

Here is a video I made for a a hike we undertook on Sunday, March 8, 2009. . My amateur movie producer work continues . . . .

The trail is located in Paris Mountain State Park, Greenville County, South Carolina. The hike is rated moderate or easy by the book, but it is pretty strenuous unless you are a backpacker. The song is "Postcards" by An Horse from the album Rearrange Beds.

Technorati Tags: Paris, Mountain, Sulphur, Springs, Trail, Hiking, State, Park, Greenville, South, Carolina

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Barn Chores

Here is a video of us undertaking barn chores in Taylors, South Carolina. Music is from Country Vol. 5 on freeplay.com, composed by Peter Prince, BMI. Also, Beethoven Symphony No. 9, and Mary Ann Kennedy, Hoofbeats, Heartbeats and Wings.

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Example of Why Tax Hikes Hurt Economic Recovery

The phenomenon of wealth producers in America withdrawing efforts to produce is a movement opposed to the draconian taxes the Obama Administration plans for families that earn more than $250,000. Some economists figure when you calculate in all the taxes involved, the tax rates on these folks are as high as sixty-nine percent. That leaves only thirty-one percent as sweat equity. Not much of a reason to keep producing.

The rising movement of wealthy intentionally not producing wealth through their businesses is called ”Going John Galt”. This person, Kay Santos, a Galtian, wrote a letter to the Los Angeles Times explaining why the Obama tax hikes motivated her to stop expanding her business.

I have employed about 50 people during the last 20 years, and my family's taxable income is about $300,000. In order to avoid paying a higher percentage of taxes on all of my income, I will decrease output, lay off some staff and still end up keeping the same amount.

I have no incentive to hire people or expand my business, because the more I make, the more President Obama will take to expand government. This discourages expansion of the private sector. It will backfire with disastrous consequences for all.

It is repulsive that Obama is being allowed to take this country backward by pickpocketing the very people who run the private sector through their energy, money and creativity.

Kay Santos

Diamond Bar

Technorati Tags: going, john, galt, tax, policy

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Agencies "Captured" by Madoff

Bernard "Bernie" Madoff is a businessman charged with perpetrating the largest pyramid scheme of investor fraud in history. Madoff, an influential individual before he was caught, tricked investors out of approximately $50 Billion. Many of Madoff's victims were charities.

Here Congressman Alan Grayson (D FL) questions a 2005 whistle-blower who attempted to alert federal bureaucrats of the huge fraud scheme. However, the bureaucrats were "captured" and did nothing to prevent the ripoffs from continuing. Watch the frustration shown by whistleblower Harry Markopolis as he testifies about the Bush Administration's failure to act to protect victims.

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Citi Bailout: Here They Come Again

Citi Shortchanges USA by More Than $20 Billion

Congressman Brad Sherman (D CA) is skeptical of the bailouts. In an article about the bailouts, Be Skeptical of Senate Bailout Bill, he listed ten bullet points and supported them with evidence:

• Taxpayers highly unlikely to recoup any of the costs under the illusory revenue provision added last Sunday (page 2);

• Treasury will not use the new insurance powers added to the Bill last Sunday (page 3);

•Hundreds of billions can go to foreign investors (page 3);

•Million-Dollar a month salaries will continue (page 4)

• Oversight Board can critique, not halt, any action (page 4);

• Few if any homeowners will get mortgage relief (page 5);

• All $700 billion can be spent by January 20, 2009 (page 5);

• Taxpayers will get little or no equity upside (page 6);

• Meaningful regulatory reform proposals will be subject to filibuster, delay, and dilution (page 6);

• Top economic experts say vote “No” on Wall Street Bailout Bill (page 6).

Now, the American News Projectl features his questioning of Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit.

The once almighty Citigroup is now getting a third lifeline from the U.S. Treasury. This new request follows on the heels of a Congressional Oversight Panel report revealing that Citigroup underpaid Treasury by about $19 billion in the first two bailouts. Congressman Brad Sherman is asking a couple of basic questions: 1. When will it stop? and 2. Can we get some of that money back?

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Dead Sea Scrolls

Isaiah Scroll Relatively Intact

Bible believers often are confronted with the charge that the Bible is filled with mistakes. The ancient Dead Sea Scrolls, which are miraculously similar to existing historical manuscripts for the Hebrew text of Isaiah, neutralize the critics argument.

The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in eleven caves along the northwest shore of the Dead Sea between the years 1947 and 1956. The area is 13 miles east of Jerusalem and is 1300 feet below sea level.

The Isaiah Scroll found in Cave 1 was relatively intact. It is 1000 years older than any previously known copy of Isaiah.
The well-preserved Isaiah scroll is important for Bible believers. The Isaiah scroll found in Cave 1 illustrates the tender care and impossible accuracy with which these sacred texts were copied. See The Dead Sea Scrolls and Biblical Integrity by Garry K. Brantley, M.A., ApologeticsPress.org (April 1995).

The Dead Sea Scrolls have increased our confidence that faithful scribal transcription over the years substantially preserved the original content of the inspired writings of the prophet Isaiah.

Another critical attack is based on skepticism in the belief in miracles. Critics of Isaiah attempt to parse his prophecies because of their specificity with regard to then future events. Those prophecies have now been confirmed by historical facts. The critics find it impossible to believe that a person could actually make such amazingly accurate prophetic predictions. They argue that the prophecy proves that parts of Isaiah was written after the historical events Isaiah predicted occurred. However, the unity of the writing, including the theme, message, and vocabulary, refutes the critics. For example, Isaiah is the only prophet of the Bible to have referred to God as "The Holy One of Israel." The references to "The Holy One of Israel" are found from start to finish throughout the entire book, including in the "impossible" parts.

Technorati Tags: Isaiah, Dead, Sea, Scrolls, Apologetics

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Isaiah the Prophet

Bridgepointe Class Studies Isaiah Prophecies

In circa 680 BC, The Book of Isaiah was written by a prophet for the southern kingdom of Judah. Israel (the northern kingdom) had already been conquored by Assyria. In Isaiah's day, Judah was small and weak, and she was threatened with military conquest by the superpowers of Isaiah's day, Assyria and emerging Babylon.

Isaiah deals with the issue of rebellion and sin, covenant and redemption, and time and eternity.

The collective weight of the sins of Judah's people—like all sin—had tragic consequences. The Book reveals the truth of God's character of justice resulting in the need for judgment. However, it also tells of his grace, and about the path to forgiveness and restoration.

The first part of Isaiah predicts Judah's destruction. It tells the reason why God lifted his hedge of protection for the nation, blinded the people to his presence, and withheld rainfall. It was because of the people's continued idolatry, a cultural emphasis on accumulation of wealth at the expense of the poor, and their carnal lifestyles of pleasure-seeking as a primary purposes in life. As a consequence for these behaviors, God would send his people into exile as the slaves of Babylon.

The second half of Isaiah's prophecies told of redemption, forgiveness and hope. It addressed the exiled Hebrew people . . . and later generations far into the future. Isaiah's prophesies comforted the exiled by forecasting an end to Babylonian captivity and a return to the Holy Land. Isaiah's prophesies comfort us through the prophet's description of a time when God's Kingdom will be revealed to all. In later chapters, Isaiah tells about how God will create an unending kingdom, a new heaven and a new earth. The prophet describes that glorious place.

About 700 years before the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, Isaiah told the story of how forgiveness would come to God's people. Isaiah's inspired Old Testament prophecy predicted that God would graciously restore His people through the work of a “Servant.” The Servant would bear their sins by his death.

Isaiah is the only Old Testament book to prophesy the virgin birth of Christ and to portray the Messiah as a suffering servant. With amazing accuracy, Isaiah describes many details of the Messiah who would come 700 years later.

Isaiah is considered by scholars the first of four “latter prophets.” Isaiah is mainly a book of Hebrew poetry. The prophet Isaiah was a master of Hebrew vocabulary and style. His book has a larger vocabulary than any other Old Testament book. He uses the literary technique of personification, such as the sun being ashamed or the mountains singing.

Isaiah's special name for God was “The Holy One of Israel.” He looked forward in hope to Zion's restoration. Isaiah is noted for describing four “Servant Songs” in which the Messiah representatively fulfills the responsibilities of Israel as the Lord's son. The people in Isaiah's day based their hope upon the Messiah for salvation and redemption. The people in our day have the same hope.

For the next several months, our class at Bridgepointe will study Isaiah and learn the truths God revealed in this marvelous book.

Technorati Tags: Bridgepointe, Isaiah, Lifeway, Explore, the, Bible, Sunday, Study, Class, Taylors

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