MarkShoberg's blog

     Some may not be aware that Congress recently passed a bill, making torture legal. 

The New York Times published a scathing editorial about the torture bill, entitled Rushing Off a Cliff:

Here’s what happens when this irresponsible Congress railroads a profoundly important bill to serve the mindless politics of a midterm election: The Bush administration uses Republicans’ fear of losing their majority to push through ghastly ideas about antiterrorism that will make American troops less safe and do lasting damage to our 217-year-old nation of laws — while actually doing nothing to protect the nation from terrorists. Democrats betray their principles to avoid last-minute attack ads. Our democracy is the big loser.

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     I should have posted this in the first thread on Sodom and sodomy, but I didn't think of it until now.  The book of Jasher is referenced in Joshua and II Samuel 1:18

     Here is Jasher chapter 19: 2-22.  It deals specifically with Sodom's injustice.  They were a people that oppressed the poor and the foreigners among them.  This is why they were destroyed.  Remember the maxim, no justice, no peace.  This goes to show as well that we Americans, "the haves" have a responsibility to the "have nots" of the world and in our own country.

     When most people think of Sodom and Gomorrah, they automatically think of God's wrath unleashed against homosexuals, according to Jewish and Christian tradition.  But is this the reason Sodom was destroyed.  Ezekiel tells us something different in Ezekiel 16:49 "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy." 

     Some of you may already be aware of this, but our government, and many more are stockpiling Potassium Iodate.  So why should we care?  Potassium Iodate is needed for the thyroid in case of a nuclear strike.  A person takes it a nuclear strike occurs; here is an article on it: The United States government has acknowledged that we are very vulnerable to terrorist attacks on our nuclear power reactors and from " Dirty Bombs " (conventional explosives wrapped with radioactive material) designed to spread radioactive fallout.
 
Studies of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor meltdown in Russia have shown that over 70% of the cancers resulting from the radioactive exposure were centered in the thyroid gland.  Children were especially vulnerable.  The thyroid gland is designed by Nature to absorb iodine to make thyroid hormone.  Nuclear fallout contains radioactive iodine isotopes which would be absorbed by the thyroid gland.  Taking potassium iodate tablets, immediately, in the event of nuclear fallout will saturate the thyroid with natural iodine, protecting it from absorbing the radioactive iodine.  This greatly reduces the risk of developing thyroid cancer from nuclear fallout that can spread hundreds, even thousands of miles.  (Potassium iodide is added in small quantities to regular iodized table salt.)
 
Thirteen states have already stockpiled Potassium Iodide.  In Westchester, NY, the county distributed 2 tablets to each person living within 10 miles of their nuclear reactor, and are now planning to extend that to everyone within a 20 mile radius. Unfortunately, 2 tablets will protect you for only 24 hrs.  What will happen if you cannot get more?  What's more, radioactive fallout can spread hundreds or even thousands of miles and must be taken within a few hours of the arrival of nuclear fallout to provide thyroid protection.   Don't depend on the government for help!  (Did your city or town give you your tablets yet?) You are your own first line of defense !! (http://www.arkinstitute.com/potassimiodate(ki).htm).

What have we become, one nation under a gun,

Is there no going back, with our children under attack,

and the rockets red glare, bombs bursting in air,

13 die at Columbine, and no one can tell me how or why.

    I'm interested in what people define as evil?  Of course I'd like to strike up a dialogue, but I am also genuinely interested in what we define as evil?

    I don't know if this will stimulate any interest, but we'll see.  What do people think of when the bible says that God is responsible for evil?

• I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. (Isaiah 45:7, KJV)
• Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it? (Amos 3:6, KJV)
• Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good? (Lamentations 3:38)

So can this be reconciled?  Some philosophers state that a being cannot have evil and still be good, except for the fact that humanity disproves this, as many good people do evil things, and many evil people do good things.  It doesn't make either group pure good or pure evil, although some would argue there are pure evil people, to which I might agree.

     As long as human beings commit evil acts, the use of evil as a consequence for those acts is necessary.  Humanity needs evil to keep humanity in check.  If everyone acted according to the golden rule, there would be no need for evil, but as long as there are individuals that no not live according to the golden rule, evil is needed to keep them in check.

 Some kids talk about boogers,

while other more sophisticated lads enjoy poo,

this is my ode to that creamy brown substance,