Responding to the Critics of My Tolle Criticism

My blogging has been sporadic at best. Last year I wrote several articles contrasting Eckhart Tolle’s Book A New Earth with the teachings of the Bible and Jesus Christ. I did so because Tolle had quoted from the Scriptures and set Christ up as one who was in agreement with what he was writing in A New Earth. The popularity of Tolle was quickly evident by the huge number of hits to this blog and the comments I was receiving. For a while I tried to keep up with the comments and carry on a conversation about the things I had written. There came a point in which it became too time consuming and I took a break, only checking in occasionally. Today I am going to try and answer some of the more recent comments in a blog post rather than in the comments section. (I will quote directly at times and just give a summation of themes that run through the comments at other times).

Many of the people commenting, discussing and debating on this topic have been polite, well reasoned, and kind. Others, on the other hand have been pretty vicious in the way they handle their disagreements.

What I like about Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin has a lot going for her, in my opinion.  I hope she can get better with her speaking patterns and her interview skills in the next couple of years.  But she has the philosophy of governance that would bring back American prosperity and exceptionalism.  Here are some excerpts from her speech in Hong Kong.

Bike of the future

Here is an article from the Daily Mail about a bike design that is deemed the bike of the future.  It is pretty cool looking.  High marks for style, creativity and practicality.  It is supposed to be theft proof, flat free, and commuter friendly.  It has solar power that will allow you to not have to pedal when you tire out.  It also has a computer built into the handlebar that will tell you how many calories you are burning.  Check it out. The drawback is it isn’t yet financially feasible to build.  They project that will take another 20 years.  You never know, might happen sooner.

Congressional Bills

I’m puzzled.

The health care reform bills have brought something to the surface that has bothered me for some time.

These bills that come out of the House and the Senate are massive.  They are so massive that very few people read them, including the people who are charged with creating them.  So if they aren’t even reading them, who is actually writing the bills?

Who is behind the scenes?  We don’t seem to know, or at least I don’t.  We elected public officials and they are letting some unelected staff people write bills and they don’t bother to read them.

I don’t know, just seems like something is really wrong with this way of doing business.

Cash for Clunkers – Just Say No to Gov. Crack

Do I qualify for the “cash for clunkers” program?  Yep.  My truck has about 180,000 miles on it.  I’ve owned it for about nine years and it is insured since day one.  I could trade it in and take the $4,500 from the government.

But who am I really taking the money from?  Well, the US gov is borrowing 50% of the money they are spending right now.  It will have to be paid back someday and it likely won’t be soon at the continued rate of borrowing.

Sam, our four month old grandson, spent the weekend with us.  Saturday night I was holding and rocking him.  I thought I would ask him.  “Sam, do y0u mind if gramps cashes in his government lottery ticket and lets you pay it back some day?  I know that by the time you get around to paying it back we will have driven you into a tax hole you will likely never get out of.  I know we are setting you up for a lower standard of living and a life of high taxation.  But wouldn’t it be nice for gramps to have a little car.  Sure it will wear out before you get around to paying for it, but what the heck.  You don’t mind do you?”

There are a lot of reasons why the “cash-for-clunkers” program is wrong.  But my grandson is top of my list.

LiveStrong Fight Against Cancer

Most people know about Lance Armstrong, his 7 Tour de France victories, his comeback to the sport this year, and his fight against cancer.  Across the US this fall there will be thousands of cyclists coming together to raise money in support of the LA Foundations fight against cancer.

I am joining with several other cyclists to join in the fight.  We have formed “Team Thurmanator” in honor of Jamie Thurman who has been battling against cancer the past two years.

You may not want to ride a bicycle 100 miles around Austin, but you can join me in this battle.  I have a goal of raising $300.00 through this effort.   If you would join in this fight with a donation to the Lance Armstrong Foundation it would be appreciated by the multitude of people who are in this fight for their life.

Go to this LiveStrong Challenge Ride link to donate.

Thanks,

Steve

Ed Stetzer Sermon

Today I read a good message by Ed Stetzer about secret sins and the effect they have on one’s life and church.  It was a good reminder and a warning about how certain things can take hold in one’s soul and end up destroying you in the end.

My wife, Monica, was telling me yesterday of a sad story of an older man who died in a place of business where I am sure he didn’t want anyone to know he frequented.

Recently I had to warn someone I care about to stay away from an senior adult man who I knew liked to be a little too friendly with pretty young women.

Sin once conceived brings forth death.

Stetzer rightly reminded each of us that we have to be repentant every day.  None of us are free from the temptations of this world and our own sinful desires.  Every day we need to rise and walk in a spirit of repentance towards God.

It is only through the daily grace of Jesus that we can be free from the snares of wickedness.

follow-up on the growing scandal of car dealership closings

another article about the car dealership closings – looks like the ethical adminstration is as ethical as chavez’s and castro’s

Chrysler Dealership Closings – Is It A Political Power Play?

It is beginning to look like the decision as to which Chrysler dealerships to close had little to do with business and a lot to do with politics.  You can read the info HERE.

President Obama to Block Release of Photos – Or Will He?

Report are that President Obama has reversed himself and will now block the release of photos of detainee interogations.

My prediction – He is only saying this and knows already that the courts will override him.  He is going to have it both ways.  He is going to get what he wanted in the first place, the release of these photos.  He will also try to avoid the blame for the blowback that will result.  He will say, “I tried to prevent it,  but I was overruled by the courts.”

A calculated political decision.