POTUS AND BATTERED WOMAN'S SYNDROME

The democrats, and other liberals in this country, are dealing with domestic terrorism like they have battered-woman's syndrome.  Like a woman who continues to stay in an abusive relationship, so the President and other democrat leaders continue on in denial, believing only that this new reality is only minor and that the real problem is guns and/or climate change.  Denial is the salient characteristic of battered-woman's syndrome; what is obvious to everyone is denied by the victim.

If the victim is enlightened and finally does admit the abuse is occurring, the next symptom is to blame herself and feel shame.  She thinks, "I'm responsible, I'm doing something to bring about this abuse."  Even though she is innocent, she believes she deserves it.  Isn't that the message that the liberal left attempts to lay on us?  "It's America's fault, we are greedy exploiters and thieves of the world's resources.  That is why this terrorism is happening."

Another characteristic of the battered-woman's syndrome victim is the false belief that the abuse will diminish over time.  It doesn't.  Radical Islamic terrorism will not either.  Doing nothing is not neutral, it is harmful.  The situation becomes worse, not better.

When the victim is truly enlightened, she understands that she has done nothing to deserve her abuse.  Attempts by the abuser to shame her and make her the cause of abuse are overcome.  She understands that she has a responsibility to herself and her family to end this abuse.  Using every legal means she takes positive action to bring it to an end.  What ever these means are, it is not a matter of hating, but it is a matter of not being stupid and of doing the right thing.

In the battle against radical Islamic terrorism, however hard it may be, it is not about hating Muslims, but it is about not being stupid and doing the right thing.  The first responsibility of the POTUS is to protect the citizens of the US.  Obama needs to get over his "battered woman's syndrome" and do the right thing.

Our Father's Blessings,
Tom

CHURCH SURVEY: Alta Church of Christ

It has been 2 full months since I last posted.  I gave myself some time off after closing the Akron ministry, but now it is time to get going again.  One of the projects I have already begun is church surveys.  This is important to me because it is important to have some understanding of the relative health of the churches in Northwest Iowa, particularly the independent Christian churches and Churches of Christ.

November 29 I visited the Alta Church of Christ.  In the past I filled the pulpit there several times, but it has been close to 10 years since I had been there.  I went on line to check for service times.  There is no practical on-line presence.  One can get their name and address, but no activities, services or times.  The church is without a pastor at this time, but a blog or web site with basic information would not be hard to do. Without service time information, I proceeded on the assumption that worship was at 9 and Sunday school was at 10 a.m. because that was their former service times.  I was wrong.  The times were reversed.  There was no adult Sunday school that day.

It was good to worship with old friends.  There were about 50 in attendance that day.  Music was exactly split between contemporary and traditional--4 of each.  Matt Wentz was the guest speaker.

CONCLUSIONS:  There appeared to be enough youth in the congregation to have an effective ministry in the community, but they  need good leadership.  While I received a warm greeting that Sunday,  I am not sure that the average visitor would want to come back.  I was remembered, new people need the same kind of greeting.  There are some simple things that could be done immediately.  I'm wondering if this church might be a candidate to be a satellite campus of a larger church? 

Our Father's Blessings,
Tom