No Need to Worry - WHO Spokesman

Oxymoron du jour: The World Health Organization

Gregory Hartl, a spokesman for the WHO, says his organization doesn’t see a need for border closures or travel restrictions due to the growing numbers of flu victims.

“He noted that infected people may not show symptoms at the airport or when they reach a border crossing. "Certainly, if you feel that you are ill, you should not travel, in any case, to anywhere," Hartl said.
Lessons learned from the SARS (a viral respiratory disease) outbreak in Asia in 2003 showed that border closure was economically disruptive and not particularly effective. "In public health terms, it didn't work, so we don't want to repeat something that didn't work" Hartl said.

Two totally different situations. They weren’t dealing with illegals in Asia.

Here, we’re dealing with illegals from Mexico who have already caused an increase in previously almost non-existent diseases such as leprosy, tuberculosis and hepatitis A, B, and C.

Hartl, by saying that “it didn’t work”, is being disingenuous and showing us that he thinks the American public is a bunch of idiots who don’t have a clue.

Certainly, according to Hartl, if the illegals feel that they are ill, they won’t travel…

Right... and Mexican hygiene is world renown.

What will get you Banned from Commenting on My Blog

This post is for one reason: To show why I will not allow any more comments from Anonymous from Tennessee.

The following is a list of remarks made by Anonymous over the last month or so, some I’ve deleted and some have posted. This is an example of how not to get published on my blog.

It is not, as he accuses, because I don’t allow anyone who differs in opinion from me.
It is not, as he accuses, because I can’t stand anyone to disagree with me.
It is not, as he accuses, that I can’t defend myself.

It is because of his ad hominem attacks.
It is because of his personal insults.
It is because of his lack of substance to anything he says in disagreement with me.

I believe his remarks back up my reasons for banning him from this blog. (Grammatical and spelling errors are his, not mine.)

Wow, he's as dumb as you are. Can't run a business, lost his money, and yet he votes for the party that would keep him a slave.
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Well, what do you expect from people with low IQs and no education?
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Run. Hide behind your moderation. I notice that most conservatives can't stand a real debate. If you had real faith in your ideals you would face me.

But you don't. Do you?
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But I do apologise for calling you dumb. A dumb person couldn't figure out how to set the text size to a readable type.

Oh, wait...
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The whole country is in the position of changing their browser settings to eliminate your mistakes.
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Me too, you see, I know nobody reads this tripe so publish or don't. And blame it on my incivility. That's a lot better than just saying that you can't stomach democracy and free speech because you're a fascist.
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But we both know the truth don't we? The Taliban can't stand free speech either. Theocrats are all the same.
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Closed minded people only look for echo chambers so they can hear their own voice.
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Your blog isn't offensive to me. But I have a poor ability to "suffer fools gladly" and my religion says that I have to confront anacephalics because God meant for us to have brains, and use them.
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Wow, do I feel sorry for the black children in your classes that have to deal with your racism.
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Liberals aren't afraid of you (but that fantasy does explain alot), and the last time a bunch of rednecks decided to revolt because their property was being taken away it didn't work out so well for them. Still, good luck living in 1850.
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Homophobia masquerading as spirituality.
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But comfortable fantasies are much preferred to actual reality by many (I'm looking at you, herm) and he seems to speak for them.
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It's not just that you live in a world devoid of reality, it's that you live in a world three steps removed from reality.
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Wow, you've got it much worse than I thought.
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It's sad how an overdose of religion can turn individuals into Osama-like haters!!
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Sounds like you rednecks are working themselves up for another thumping. Can't wait to see how your gun show pea-shooters hold up against the United States Military.

I rest my case. - Ms. Green

Take a break from the stress you've been feeling over the last few weeks. Put your headphones on, and click below. Close your eyes, and relax.

The video won't make sense unless you've seen Lord of the Rings, but the music is extraordinary.

Enjoy.

Memorial Day 2008

My heartfelt thanks to everyone who has ever lost a loved one for the cause of freedom and protection for me and my loved ones. May God bless you.

The following was written by a man whose blog I frequent because of his talent in the area of poetry and photography. He has written several very fine poems for this special day, and I suggest you stop by and visit his place and enjoy.

Their Sacrifice
They gave their all
for our country, for each of us
few of us know the horror, the fear,
what they faced in life,
going to dark places to keep us safe
We cannot know,
for we have not been there
all we can do, what we must do,
never to forget, always to honor
remember their sacrifice
which kept us free

May 25, 2008
Memorial Day
Raymond Foss
Poetry Where You Live

To my Heckler Du Jour

The incident in Texas does not concern a Christian church. Mormons are not Christians, and no, I don't condone polygamy. Do you?

Envy

This was in my local newspaper yesterday, and though the words “Christian world view” were not mentioned, I can’t think of a better example in connection with envy.

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Question: I have some friends that I have had since high school, 20 years ago. Since then, some of us have made more money than others. I can tell it is starting to be an issue with one of my buddies. He is always commenting about some aspect of my money. What can I do to make this less of an issue?

Answer: Give him half your income.

O.K., maybe we should consider Plan B!
Anyone who has taken an Economics 101 class knows that limited resources (how much you have) are always chasing unlimited wants (how much you do not have — yet!).

Translation: we always want more than we have.

In and of itself, this is not a bad thing. Much of man's economic progress is caused by the fact that people want and buy things they don't really need — they just want them.
One hundred years ago, no one in Louisiana had air conditioning. We all sweated away the summers in relative contentment, knowing fall's cool air would one day arrive.
One hundred years later, imagine being the only person on your block without air conditioning. How happy would you be?

So what makes the difference? The air conditioner? Now — remember, you were happy in your sweat 100 years ago.

The difference is comparison. We want what we do not have. But when someone else has what we want (i.e., the air conditioner), then we really want it.
When it is a friend who has what we want, (and to compound the problem, it may also be something we cannot afford), well that just sends some people into orbit.
Economic comparison is just one form of envy, but envy it is.

Author Chuck Swindoll explains, "Envy is a painful and resentful awareness of an advantage (more money) enjoyed by another ... accompanied by a strong desire to possess the same advantage. Envy wants to have what someone else possesses."
If you are making ostentatious displays of your wealth or income around your friend, he will obviously find that offensive or boorish on your part. However, I doubt that is the problem.

The converse is usually the case. We humans tend to make the huge mistake of equating a person's affluence (income) or wealth (assets) with their value.
If you enjoy a degree of wealth with no degree of humility, you probably have no friends to run off.

On the other hand, if you are not as wealthy as some of your friends, don't feel like they necessarily look down on you. True friends don't do that.
My friend Tom had advanced degrees, yet chose a profession that did not pay a high salary. He once said with a smile, "I don't have to be rich. I just have to have rich friends!" He had the right attitude!

Admittedly, many of us have a hard time being as UN-self-conscious about this issue as Tom. When we socialize with friends who live in a certain neighborhood, or drive a certain car, or have a certain occupation, we can become very self-focused.
I've been around just long enough to know that there are many rich folks that do not deserve their riches. And there are many of meager means who deserve much better.
But I also know that engaging in comparison may make the rich full of false pride and the "average-person" full of false pity.

Focus on being a decent person and don't try to change to make your friend somehow feel better about himself.
He has just as much value as you do. But only he can tell himself that.
And for some of us, that is a long journey.

Byron R. Moore, CFP® is managing director/planning group of Argent Advisors Inc. Write to him at 500 East Reynolds Drive, Ruston, LA 71270 or call him at 251-5858. The information contained in this column should not be construed as a substitute for personalized investment advice.


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Scripture says a lot about envy. Here are just a few verses.


“A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.” Proverbs 14:30

“Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.” Proverbs 23:17

“Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?” Proverbs 27:4

“Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.”

“And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt:…” Acts 7:9

The book of Romans lists the sin of envy in with some other pretty horrible sins. The association is undeniable…

“Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,…”


It is clear that we are not to be envious of others or what others have. We are to be happy with what God gives us.

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Philippians 4:11

Kosova Independence

Well wishes and prayers go out to the people of Kosovo.















My husband and others were in this primarily Muslim country just last summer on a mission trip. They found the people of Kosovo to be warm, friendly, family oriented, and open to(or at least curious about)the Gospel.

Kosovo mission trip posts:

Kosova Trip Report

Kosova Trip Report #2

Kosova Trip Report Final

Another Reason to Stay Away from Porn

Poetic Justice

Besides the obvious reasons for not visiting porn web sites, here’s a new one.

I find this extremely amusing. May make some people think twice about viewing such sites – and it could be especially embarrassing if they happen to be cruising such sites while at work, or on the family computer, etc.

How would you explain this one to your boss? Or your wife? Or your Mom?

For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Psalm 51:3

Fantastic Tornado Videos

Being a Texas born individual who has lived in Louisiana for many years, I'm very familiar with the phenomenon called "tornado". So I especially enjoyed these breathtaking videos over at Live Science.

Don't know how long this link will be good, so check it out soon.

On the Lighter Side

After having some rather in-depth discussions and delving into some pretty deep and controversial subjects lately, I decided to switch to something a little different tonite. I stumbled across this and invite you to see how discerning you are when it comes to whether someone is faking you out or sincere. According to this little test, most people have a hard time distinguishing between real and fake smiles.

I got 14 out of 20 correct.

So how did you do?

Spot the Fake Smiles

Cho Seung-Hui - Why He Did It

Everyone with a keyboard is going to speculate as to why he did it.
Everyone with a microphone is going to have an opinion.
Every media pundit is going to do an op ed piece on why he did it.
The list of possibilities is endless. Where does the fault lie?
Guns
Gun control advocates
Anti-depressants
A deprived childhood
A lost love
Liberals
Conservatives
America’s Educational System
Hollywood
Religion
Lack of religion
Sexual repression
Bigotry
Intolerance
Law Enforcement
School Officials
Bullies
Parents
Siblings
Friends
Enemies
The Media

As I said, the list could go on indefinitely.

The truth is, there is only one answer that really gets to the root of why Cho Seung-Hui did what he did. Anger.

All senseless acts of violence are the result of anger.

Peel back all the layers underneath that loner’s stoic appearance, and you’ll find a spirit of anger. Dig deep into the mind of any serial killer, murderer, rapist, suicide bomber, assailant, sniper, assassin, etc. and you’ll find a common denominator.

The Bible is full of warnings about anger. We humans don’t deal with this emotion very well in most cases, which is why God gives us so many warnings and tells us to deal with it quickly and get rid of it. Jesus knew how evil the emotion of anger was. That is why he warned against it so strongly. “Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment:” Matthew 5:21-22


Evidently, Seung-Hui never dealt with his anger. Probably didn’t know how to. So he let it consume him, guide him, and then destroy not only himself, but unsuspecting bystanders around him.

A lot of people I know have a spirit of anger. It is a reality in too many lives. They bury it the majority of the time, but occasionally it reveals itself as an ugly vicious creature from the deep, striking mercilessly and then disappearing quickly, leaving behind destruction in its path.
Anger is a destroyer. Anger destroys relationships. Anger destroys marriages. Anger causes pain and sickness. Anger is a tool of Satan. Anger is death.

Do you think to yourself, “I could never do anything so horrible.” Do you have a spirit of anger? A lot of people won't admit to it. Search yourself. You know if you do or not. If you do, then don’t be too quick to say you could never do anything so horrible. Anger, left to itself, seethes, grows, and eventually becomes bigger than its owner. At that point, it becomes the master, the destroyer.

If you have anger in your life, deal with it now. Ask God to help you overcome it before it overcomes you.

“He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly:” Proverbs 14:17

“It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.” Proverbs 21:19

“Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:” Proverbs 22:24

“An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.” Proverbs 29:22

“Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:9

“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:” Ephesians 4:26

“Cease from anger, and forsake wrath:” Psalm 37:8

“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” Proverbs 15:1

“A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.” Proverbs 15:18

“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” Proverbs 16:32

“Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous” Proverbs 27:4

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:” Ephesians 4:31


Another reason we need God:

“The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.” Psalm 145:8

Male or Female? Athlete Fails Gender Test

Shanti Sounderajan won the silver medal in the women’s 800 metres at the Asian Games only to be disqualified for failing the gender test. The WHAT? The gender test. Naïve as it may sound, it hadn’t occurred to me that anyone would even so much as think it necessary to gender test someone. Not being much of a sports fan, I’m ignorant on this particular subject.

The Indian Olympic Association has asked the Athletic Federation of India to return the medal.

I found out that gender tests are done by a medical evaluation panel that generally includes a gynecololgist, an endocrinologist, physchologist and internal medicine specialist.

Soudnerajan appeared to have more “Y” chromosomes than allowed.

Gender testing was evidently first implemented at the 1966 European Track and Field Championships, where they required women athletes to walk nude or almost nude before judges. Over the years, the gender testing evolved to physical examinations and then chromosome tests. But how accurate even are these tests?

Here is an interesting interactive study of Gender Testing of Female Athletes

This also begs the question. Is there really such a thing as a sex-change operation? I’ve always been skeptical. I think the better term would be sex-mutilation or sex-alteration operation. All the cutting and pasting of tissue you want won’t change the bottom line of who you are.

A Penny Melted is a Sentence Earned

On a lighter note:

Picture this scenario. You’re in prison, and jawing with the other residents during chow time.

What’er you in for?

“Murder”

What about you?

“I robbed a bank and critically wounded a bank teller”

“And you?”

I melted my penny stash.


It seems that it is now illegal to melt pennies.


Now I have to admit, it never crossed my mind to stick all my years worth of pennies collection into a furnace, but now that I know it’s illegal, I’m really going to be tempted…

Seems pennies and nickels are worth more melted down than as coins. $.0173 each for pennies and $.0834 cents for nickels.


The new law also forbids unlicensed exportation of these coins.

Breaking these new laws could result imprisonment of up to 5 years and a fine of up to $10,000.

What's Bugging You?

"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." Revelation 5:13

God created a truly amazing world that we live in.

This is a little off the subject for my blog, but I thought some of you might be interested in this website I happened on a while back.

God has created so many interesting, unique and delightful creatures in this world, and this site focuses on the creepy crawly creatures, of which I am a fan. Guess raising three boys kept me from screaming "eek" every time they brought home a new bug, snake, or other critter. If you are squeamish, you won't want to visit, because the photos are up close and personal - beautiful as a matter of fact.

Anyway, if something is bugging you, this might be the place to find out exactly what it is: What's That Bug?

Tagged!

I’ve actually never been tagged before now…so D.Daddio Al-Ozarka, I’m not sure what to think of it just yet. But here goes:

Movies:

1.The last movie you saw in a theatre, and current-release movie you still want to see.

Last movie in theatre: Pirates of the Carribean – Dead Man’s Chest
Still want to see: Facing the Giants

2.Last movie purchase/rented for home viewing: Diary of a Mad Black Woman

3.A movie that made you LOL: Raising Arizona

4.A movie that made me cry: The Passion of the Christ (I didn't just cry. I wept. I sobbed. I agonized. Then I rejoiced.)

5.A movie that was a darling of the critics, but you didn’t think lived up to the hype: Leaving Las Vegas (gag)

6.A movie that you thought was better than the critics: The Big Easy

7.Favorite animated movie: I don’t like animated movies, but Ice Age was pretty good

8.Favorite Disney villain: I don’t have a favorite Disney villain, but my favorite villain of all time is Agent Smith in the Matrix. Second is Dennis Hopper’s character “Deacon” in Waterworld

9.Favorite movie musical: Fiddler on the Roof

10.Favorite Movies of all time(up to five): This is a really hard one, and my five choices today may not be my five choices next time I’m asked.

The Passion of the Christ
Terminator 2
Aliens
The Big Easy
The Patriot

Ok, I guess I'm supposed to tag someone else? I guess it'll be Neil over at 4Simpsons Blog. (Hope he doesn't mind!)(smile)

Proverbs 17:22:"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones."

Poetic Justice

Too often the bad guy gets away with his dirty deed and the innocent suffer not only at the hands of the offender, but often at the inadequacy of the justice system. There is so much bad news we can read and hear in this age of instantaneous media coverage. So I really enjoy it when I read a story like this.

Seems a 51-year-old woman named Susan Kuhnhausen came home to find an intruder in her house who came at her with a claw hammer. She was injured, but continued to put up a fight until she was able to get her hands around the intruder's neck and choke the life out of him.

Initially, the guy was thought to be burglarizing the place, but it turns out he was actually hired by the woman's estranged husband to kill her.

Poetic justice prevailed. The hit man got the death penalty and didn't cost the state a penny, and the husband is in jail, hopefully facing the same fate.

I hope that she will be able to get over this trauma and move on with her life. From her voice mail message on her answering machine, I would say she's well on her way.


Full article here.

Corporate America Tackiness

In an extremely tacky and insulting move, Northwest Airlines recently passed out a booklet to it’s workers who are being laid off that offers "101 Ways To Save Money," including "don't be shy about pulling something you like out of the trash" and "ask your doctor for samples of prescriptions." The booklet goes on to suggest procuring hand me down clothes and toys for their kids, water conservation, and thrift-store shopping.
To top it off, CEO Doug Steenland is being heralded as almost a “hero” for the cuts he has voluntarily taken in an effort to “sacrifice” along with the little people.

A list of cuts Steenland has received includes:
Annual salary: cut $159,469
Bonuses:cut $975,000
Long-term compensation: cut $194,453
Canceled stock: cut $3,819,396
Total cut: $5,148,318

Sounds like the guy gave up a lot.

Comparatively.

Here is what he gets:

$516,000 plus salary yearly
$2.24 million from sales of e-commerce technology

So he’s not as much of a millionaire as his peers.

I don’t bemoan corporate brass their salaries or incentives, because I believe in capitalism and think if someone thinks someone is worth that kind of money, that’s their business.

What I do object to is the insensitivity and callousness of upper-management talking down to those in the working class and basically saying “let them eat cake”.

Wonder how many garbage dumpsters Steenland is planning on visiting each week? And is the Salvation Army on his wife’s list of stores for Saturday shopping?

Andrea Yates - Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity

Seems the public, and most especially, the jurors, have forgotten the horror of Andrea Yates’ crime, and the circumstances surrounding it.

The day of the crime, a police spokesman described the scene:

On a double bed in a back master bedroom, four children were laid out beneath a sheet, clothed and soaking wet. All of them were dead, with their eyes wide open. In the bathtub, a young boy was submerged amid feces and vomit floating on the surface. He looked to be the oldest and he was also dead.
In less than an hour that morning, five children had all been drowned, and the responding officers were deeply affected.
The children's thin, bespectacled mother---the woman who had called 911 seeking help---appeared able to talk coherently, but her frumpy striped shirt and stringy brown hair were soaked. She let the officers in, told them without emotion that she had killed her children, and sat down while they checked. Detective Ed Mehl thought she seemed focused when he asked her questions. She told him she was a bad mother and expected to be punished. Then she allowed the police to take her into custody while medical personnel checked the children for any sign of life. She looked dispassionately at the gathering crowd of curious neighbors as she got into the police car.

Now Yates will be sent to a mental hospital instead of death row, and odds are she’ll “get well” and be out in a few years – no consequences, no punishment.

Our church has a ministry that goes out into the prisons and preaches the Gospel and has for 20 years or more. Over the years, we’ve seen literally thousands get saved through this ministry.

It’s not hard to talk to a man about his sin nature when he’s in prison having been tried and convicted of a crime. He knows he’s guilty. He knows he’s a sinner. Many times prisoners are ready to hear about Jesus’ death on the cross to pay for their sins, and many do get saved after hearing the good news. But how do you witness to someone like Andrea Yates, who for all practical purposes has been told by the system that she’s not guilty? She cruelly drowned her five children deliberately and methodically …but she’s not guilty? Why should she fear punishment for sin? As far as she’s concerned, she has no sin. She’s just “sick”. And she’ll get well.

There’s an excellent article on the Fox News site about the feminist angle on mothers who murder their children (it’s society’s fault). Here’s an excerpt:

Yates' videotaped confession to the police described drowning Mary, the 6-month-old, in the bathtub. As Yates was doing so, Noah, the eldest child at 7 years old, wandered into the bathroom and asked, "What's wrong with Mary?" Yates ran after the fleeing boy and drowned him next.
Yet, in newsprint and on airwaves, there are compassionate discussions of Yates' mental state. Blame is already shifting onto the shoulders of her husband and society for not recognizing the depth of her psychosis.
There are calls for greater funding of women's health issues. Yates is fast becoming a poster woman for post-partum depression.

As I’ve said before, without sin there is no need for a saviour.

When "Charity" doesn't equal "Love"

Microsoft already aggravates me on a regular basis with its marketing strategies designed to force us to spend money unnecessarily. I recently tried to install software for one particular MS program on a computer only to find out that because the version of Office I had was 2000, I could not install the one software program I wanted on the computer because it was a version 2003. In other words, to get the one software program I wanted, I had to upgrade the whole MS Office Package! But I digress… Now on to Bill Gates' charity...

Warren Buffett caused a lot of excitement recently by announcing that he was giving away the majority of his fortune to charity – specifically to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It was while reading the articles on Buffett’s decision that I learned that the Gates Foundation has donated over 32 million dollars to Planned Parenthood- both the US and International branches. Sad to see that a man that has been so blessed with wealth in this life would turn around and donate dollars to the slaughtering of innocents. And now with Buffett's donation, even more butchering can take place. Wonder if Buffett thinks he's winning brownie points with God? (Matthew 16:26)

There is an irony in this. The word "charity" is used in the KJV Bible to represent the word "love" ( I Corinthians 13:1-8). The Bill and Melinda Gates "Love"...has a nice ring to it, as it promotes the destruction of unborn children worldwide.

My Mac friends are going to end up convincing me to come over to their side.

Scripture References:

“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:26

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth..." I Corinthians 13:1-8

Some Really GOOD News out of Iraq

There are things going on in Iraq that the Mainstream Media isn’t telling you. “What, you say? I thought the MSM was always after a “story”? True – to a degree – if the story makes the USA, Bush, or our Armed Forces look bad. But you won’t see this headline in MSM print or television.
The news is this. Record numbers of Muslims are getting saved in Iraq. Iraquis are experiencing religious freedom because of our Military presence, and thousands are coming to the Lord for their salvation.
There is an excellent article by Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent of the Christian ASSIST News Service that tells not only about a key Saddam military leader (Retired General Georges Sada) who received Christ, but also of the hundreds and even thousands that have come out of the false Islam religion and embraced Christ as their Savior. A few highlights from the article:

“The Kurds in the north of Iraq, for example, are especially receptive to the gospel message and are converting ‘by the hundreds’…

“One evangelical church recently started in Kurdistan now has more than 800 people worshipping there every week, most of whom are new converts from Islam…”

“…some 5,000 Iraqis have publicly identified themselves as new followers of Christ since Iraq was liberated…”

And maybe most touching of all is this…

“Sada…thanks…the American people for liberating his country and said all peace-loving people should ‘kneel down and thank the [American] mothers and fathers who have sacrificed their sons and daughters for the sake of freedom in Iraq.’

God is so good.

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” II Peter 3:9.