The Neglected Children of Drug Addicted Parents

I can think of nothing worse than to be raised by drug addicted parents. The children who live this hellish existence find that they are always at the mercy of their addicted parent's whims. We all know that you cannot reason with or live around a drug addict without it messing you up in your mind, body and spirit. We as adults can get away from this situation. But the children who are under the care of these addicts have no way of escape.
There are many detrimental effects of living in a home with a drug addicted parent:

1. Severe Neglect: The children often are not fed, cleaned, or watched properly. The addict cares more about what they need than what their kids need. This will be how it is until the children are taken out of the home or the addicted parent gets clean. I am not talking about a simple matter of lack of choice of foods available to the children. I am talking about NO food for the children. Many addicted parents will take their support check and use it for drugs while leaving their children without basic food, clothing, and adequate essential needs for existence.
2. The Parents Who are Never There: Most addicted parents will leave their children with other people while they are out having a high old time. They cannot be bothered with being responsible for caring for their kids because they are totally irresponsible. So they will run off and leave their children alone or with younger siblings and this is when accidents and abuse happens as well as other situations that will scar these kids for life.
   
3. Physical and Mental Abuse: Drug addicts are notorious for abusing others. And the child who is stuck in a home with an addict for a parent will no doubt suffer much physical and mental abuse at their hands. An addict is prone to taking out their frustrations on others around them and the child stuck in a home with these people as parents are always the ones who are subjected to the most extreme forms of abuse.
   

These precious kids will suffer LACK on all levels. They will lack nurturing, adequate food and shelter and most of all, love. An addict does not love himself or he wouldn't do the things he does. He only keeps one thing as the centerpiece of his life - his drug of choice.

If you know of a child who is perhaps in danger due to living with a drug addicted parent, contact your authorities.

To report abuse, you can always call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD.

If the abuse is a life-threatening emergency, call 911.

Rick Warren's Porn Profiting Church Member

I thought I'd heard enough of Rick Warren and his antics when I got an eyeful of his book, "The Purpose-Driven Life" and an earful of his purpose-driven rap, but no such luck.
I recently clicked on a Christian news site and found out that one of his most prominent church members is none other than Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox network. Murdoch is also responsible for building a hard-core porn network of which he is profiting greatly.
Murdoch's pastor is Rick Warren of Saddleback church in California.
Now this is where it gets touchy because Murdoch is the one who published Warren's book, "Purpose Driven Life". You see, Murdoch owns Zondervan Publishing Company.

Folks, you couldn't dream this scenario up in a million years. I've always said that the love of money causes Christians to turn their backs on God and ruin their witness to this world in one fell swoop. Greedy gain has proven to be the downfall of many Christians. They get their eyes off the Lord and his word in favor of focusing on prosperity and financial gain in this life.
Warren is fond of speaking out against pornography and now he finds himself with a church member who profits greatly from televising it! Murdoch himself is responsible for making it possible for men and women to stay steeped in the sin of lust and lasciviousness!

Now keep in mind that Murdoch claims to be a born-again Christian.

What of Warren and this situation he now finds himself in?
Should he treat brother Murdoch any differently than he would another member of his mega-church?
Should he take him aside and set him straight on the fact that born again Christians do not produce and profit off of pornography?

Warren would do well to take Murdoch on a bible tour and the first stop would be to
1 John 2:16

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Then he might want to guide him onward to
Galatians 5:19
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Peter 4:1-3
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries

One thing is certain, if or when Warren sets Murdoch straight, we will not hear about it. Personally, I am not holding my breath. I don't think we will hear so much as a peep about open rebuke, confession, and repentance where Murdoch is concerned. Warren is the pastor of his church and is to be the shepherd of the sheep who choose to attend there. He and every other pastor and Christian teacher are given great responsibility and accountability. They are there to oversee and guide those that God has put in their care - their congregations.

I am so sick of these mega-preachers who refuse to stand up for God's word and refuse to rebuke their members openly on outrageous sin issues such as these. Without a doubt, this is one situation in which Warren should do so.

Sociopaths Growing in Number?

I visit a variety of group forums from time to time and lately I've noticed an increased number of topics on the subject of sociopaths. The threads I've had time to read often peak my interest because I write from time to time on sociopaths.

It should come as no surprise to us that we are being exposed to many more people with these characteristics as the return of the Lord draws near.

Sociopaths are those people who are only out for themselves. They usually won't hold a job, but encourage everyone around them to. They tend to tell others what they want to hear, even though it is never the truth. These people strike out to do whatever they desire without respect to your feelings because what you feel doesn't matter a hill of beans in their mind.

Sociopaths are spoken of in the bible:

1 Timothy 4
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

What are the signs of a seared conscience?

1. One who has no compassion or sympathy for their fellow man. They just don't care about anyone but themselves and what they want.
2. They tend to view others as objects which can be used, maneuvered and shuffled around like chess pieces on a board.
   
3. Speaking lies in hypocrisy - the bible nailed it!
   

Stoning the Adulterous Woman

Perhaps one of my favorite passages in the bible is that of Jesus and the adulterous woman.
We can glean more from this passage than only understanding the forgiveness of God toward us sinners.
John 8:
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them,
He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

What does this story tell us about the sociopath?
All of these scribes and pharisees had a conscience. They realized that they had sinned before and had no right to stone this woman.

Compare this with the mentality and conscience of the sociopath - Ice people. The sociopath would have lied and said they had not sinned and therefore had a right to stone her. This is the # 3 characteristic that the bible nailed - Speaking lies in Hypocrisy!

See, you cannot deal with these people and have any type of a meaningful discussion or relationship with them. As I've said before, you cannot hope to have a relationship with a scorpion and believe me now, a sociopath will hurt you every bit as much as a scorpion's sting will. You get too close and that's it, you will suffer pain. This is how a sociopath gets to you. They will find something you may be able to offer them and they will charm you right out of the shirt off your back.

The sociopath and his "love" for you

The sociopath only loves himself. Many hope to change sociopaths but be warned, you can try until you are blue in the face but if a person's conscience is seared, they will harm you if they feel the need to. If it comes down to you or them, forget it. You are expendable while they never are.
The very essence of the the sociopath's demeanor is loving himself at all cost and as I said, everyone else comes in a distant second. I will never say there is no hope for a sociopath. But then again, I never will say that about anyone. I will tell you that praying for one of these people is the best you can do. And take care of yourself and steer clear of them if at all possible.
The very essence of Christianity is love for one another and loving self is the essence of the sociopath. These are Jesus's words and commands:

John 13:34
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

John 13:35
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

The words of Peter:
1 Peter 3:8
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

The Words of John:
1 John 4:7
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

For more on the sociopath, follow these links:
The Seared Conscience of the Sociopath Part 1
The Seared Conscience of the Sociopath - Part 2: His way of life
The Seared Conscience of the Sociopath : Part 3

Our politicians: More talk while their faces turn away from Iraq

Time keeps ticking away, yet those in Washington cannot seem to pull themselves away from their meaningless fluff in order to come up with an exit strategy from Iraq. I have to say, I don't care to watch the evening news anymore. I don't want to hear of another man or woman who has lost their life to the war in Iraq. Hearing of our military death tolls angers me to no end. Every time a news item revealing how many more men and women we've lost comes across the screen, I have this same thought: Our government seems content to let this massacre continue.
Our politicians and those in charge of our military could do something about this tragic situation, yet they seem strangely indifferent and uninvolved. According to this news item from May 29: 10 U.S. Soldiers Killed On Memorial Day, 5 British Nationals Kidnapped, "Gunmen dressed in police uniforms kidnapped five Britons from Iraq's Finance Ministry Tuesday, the same day that two suicide bombings killed at least 44 people and U.S. officials announced the Memorial Day deaths of 10 American soldiers".

Friends, this is not an isolated incident. These types of killings and kidnappings are a regular occurrence now. What do we hear from our President? Is he silent on this issue that is the single most important one this nation has faced for years?

A recent article from Counterpunch seems to sum it up. Here is a snippet:

"President Bush can meet with family friend, Prince Bandar while Vice President Cheney meets with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, but neither leader are able to meet with Cindy Sheehan and the mothers who ask to know why their children have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Our President and politicians seem indifferent, aloof, and unconcerned about the ever growing death tolls in Iraq because they are unconcerned! Man, what a revelation.
They are much too busy finding ways to line their pockets and stay in office. From the time of our President's infamous, "Bring it on" statement to this day, The Prez seems like it doesn't matter how many of our military are killed and maimed.
Why are we still in Iraq?
Why are more of our sons and husbands, wives and daughters, dying?
These have been my questions over and over again. I can see my own son giving his life to protect this country. It would be hard on me, but I could take that. I could accept that. But I could never get my arms around him giving his life for an unjust and futile cause.

The loved ones who have lost family members to this war are the first ones our government should give an account to.
The intelligence was flawed and this was the reason why we waged this war? Well it isn't flawed anymore. We have known full well for some time now that going into Iraq was a mistake.

War Profiteering

I will tell you my opinion of why we are still there and why our government has told us to buckle down and get ready to be there much longer than anticipated: It is because there are some getting very rich off of us staying there! Carlyle, Halliburton, Bechtel, and other corporations are loving this and every drop of blood that is spilled is nothing to them. If we leave, the money spigot stops for these people. But all is not lost. There is always something we can do, no matter how futile the situation may seem.

You can contact your Senate, just dial the switchboard for Congress at (202) 224-3121 and ask for your senator by name.
If you need additional contact information for your senator, here is the place to get it.

Who wants us out of Iraq? The Out of Iraq Congressional Caucus. Take note of the names while you're there.