Even if you don’t believe it – THEY DO

Posted on November 19, 2006 by Clint

Webster defines fundamentalism as “a movement or attitude stressing strict and literal adherence to a set of basic principles.” I’m a fundamentalist Christian. I believe that the Bible is the inerrant, inspired word of God. I try to read it daily, I believe what it says, and I strive to live my life accordingly. I don’t get to pick and choose which parts of it I think are authentic and which parts are not. That includes the parts such as “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

By the same token, what is a fundamentalist Muslim? He reads the Koran and Hadith, believes that they are the inerrant word of their god, written in heaven. They try to read it daily, believe what it says, and strive to live their lives accordingly. They don’t get to pick and choose which parts they think are authentic and which parts are not. That includes the parts that give instruction to “strike off their heads, strike off the very tips of their fingers.”

For some reason, nobody seems to want to even address the fact that what these hateful, sick people are doing in the guise of a religion comes from the fundamentals of their beliefs. The muslims believe that the Koran was written by their god in their version of heaven…why would they presume to weed out the parts of it that are not politically correct? If it’s in there, they believe it. Period. And if that’s how their god instructs them, those are the instructions they’re obligated to carry out. Yet nobody wants to acknowledge this! These fundamentalists are the TRUE muslims, the ones who take the words of the Koran at face value. Yet it seems more convenient for the deceived westerners to simply label them as “extremists” and be done with them.

The Religion of Peace™ at work in Iraq

It’s jaw-dropping to see how the wool is being pulled over Western eyes when it comes to Islam. Even a lot of Christians are deceived about it (For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. –Matthew 24:24) and you have to dig for yourself to find any real information on the so-called Religion of Peace. Go to the solarium at St. Alexius Medical Center and you’ll find a Koran in a glass case, turned to a page talking about how Allah is scolding Israel for being disobedient. This is symptomatic of the entire Western world right now. It’s not just that people are too distracted by American Idol to care, it’s a nearly willful disregard of what the muslim world is doing and plans to do.

Even our own President, who professes to be a born-again Christian believer, refers to Islam as the “Religion of Peace.” It seems like the whole world seems to be grabbing its collective ankles to accomodate Islam, while at the same time trying to rid itself of Christianity. If religion itself is the problem, as liberals claim, then why cozy up to muslims while trying to force Christians out of public society? For some reason Islam is the giant elephant in the room that nobody acknowledges, and it defies all logic or reasoning.

After the September 11th, 2001 attacks, already groups were lining up to make a memorial there that explains why the poor persecuted muslims were forced to do it. The Crusades, which were the Christians’ way of stopping a muslim onslaught into Europe, have been re-branded as a Christian imperialism into the pristine holy lands of Islam. You don’t dare take a Bible or appear to pray in public school, but some of those same schools are requiring classes on Islam. Does any of this make any sense?

Imagine how many European panties would become irreparably twisted into an angst-ridden bunch if President George W. Bush, a born-again Christian, were to preface an address to the United Nations with the following:

“Lord God, I thank you in the name of your son, my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, for this opportunity to address this Assembly on behalf of the great nation of the United States of America. I also praise you, Father, for gathering this body of people together, that we may bring our expression of views and aspirations for the world which you’ve created. We seek you, Lord, humanity craves your Truth, your Justice, and your teaching to love others as we love ourselves. I praise you, Lord, for this blessing, and ask your guidance…in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Democrats would immediately draw up impeachment paperwork, liberal blogs would seethe till the very Internet melted, and the whole world would be raving with fear about the “Crusader” George Bush. He’s been called that already, and never had to utter a public prayer to do so! Yet, here’s how the President of Iran prefaced his address to the UN General Assembly in September:

“I praise the Merciful, All-Knowing and Almighty God for blessing me with another opportunity to address this Assembly on behalf of the great nation of Iran and to bring a number of issues to the attention of the international community.

I also praise the Almighty for the increasing vigilance of peoples across the globe, their courageous presence in different international settings, and the brave expression of their views and aspirations regarding global issues.

Today, humanity passionately craves commitment to the Truth, devotion to God, quest for Justice and respect for the dignity of human beings. Rejection of domination and aggression, defense of the oppressed, and longing for peace constitute the legitimate demand of the peoples of the world, particularly the new generations and the spirited youth, who aspire a world free from decadence, aggression and injustice, and replete with love and compassion. The youth have a right to seek justice and the Truth; and they have a right to build their own future on the foundations of love, compassion and tranquility. And, I praise the Almighty for this immense blessing.”

He really did say this to the United Nations, and claimed on videotape “I felt the atmosphere suddenly change. And for those 27 or 28 minutes, the leaders of the world did not blink. . . . It seemed as if a hand was holding them there, and it opened their eyes to receive the message from the Islamic Republic.” Granted, he’s praying to a god that doesn’t exist, but still…isn’t it amazing how he was praised by the press, accepted in as a great dignitary, and generally fawned over? Had a Christian of any stature tried something like this, they’d have been the subject of an immediate discreditation campaign and run out on a rail. Had the President of the United States prayed before the UN General Assembly, the repercussions would be felt for months.

Video from a mosque in Iraq

Before I get into the eschatological part of this, let me just say this for any atheists or non-Christians who might be reading. I had 11,171 hits on Wednesday alone; I have to assume there are some of you among my readers. Even if you don’t believe in Christianity or Islam or any religion whatsoever, they do. Look at what these people are saying! They’re broadcasting it, webcasting it, teaching it in their schools, and indoctrinating their children with it. Heck, it’s been going on for a long time…wouldn’t it make sense even to the greatest of skeptics that sooner or later, this stuff is going to get some traction?

Now for the religious “end times” stuff. We Christians believe that in the end times, there will be tremendous violence and chaos, at which time a great peacemaker will appear. The born-again Christian believers will then be taken up to be with Jesus in what is referred to as the Rapture. Back on earth, however, this peacemaker is an Antichrist and a deceiver who will bring about seven years of tribulation. He will form a one-world religion, and any who reject it will be beheaded. Those who accept it will get a mark on their head or in their hand. Ahmadinejad is praying for his god to send the Mahdi, a so-called perfect human being, to come and bring peace to the world. Sound familiar? The deception’s running rampant and the pieces are in place.

And who’s doing the beheading these days? Muslims. From the Indonesian muslims that stalked and beheaded a group of Christian schoolgirls last month for a Ramadan trophy to the cowards over in Iraq who can post their beheadings on the Internet but don’t have the sack to do it without a mask on, the beheading club in this big ol’ world of ours exclusively practices Islam. And guess who’s out there claiming that Iran will put a mark on the forehead of its enemies? Good old president Ahmadinejad. I watched Iranian video of him saying it tonight. He believes it’s his duty to bring about the return of their chosen one, which can only be done by chaos and violence. He’s publicly calling for the annihilation of Israel, yet over here the lefties claim George Bush is a terrorist. It’s downright spooky.

While Islam gets a major re-branding and image makover here in the West, it’s amazing how they’re training their kids to be martyrs, even in their cartoons. They’re plotting the bloody conflict with the West, while we sit back and wonder if Britney Spears will get custody of her kids in her divorce from K-Fed and send our kids to “Understanding Islam” classes. It’s just plain sick.

Cartoon teaching little kids to be martyrs in Jihad

This week on CNN Headline News, Glenn Beck hosted a special where they show cartoons, TV shows, and what the Islamic leaders are saying over in their home territory. It is downright chilling. They come here with warm smiles and talk of peace and get treated like celebrities. They then return home and incite crowds numbering in the hundreds of thousands into martyrdom and hatred of the Western world. There’s also a movie called “Obsession” which describes what muslims are saying back in their world, as opposed to what their CAIR mouthpieces are spouting here in the United States and other western nations. Both of these deserve your attention. While CNN Headline News is replaying the Glenn Beck special tonight, the movie is still awaiting theatrical release.

You can view the Glenn Beck special here as long as the link is valid: YouTube

You can find out more about the Obsession movie here on its official site: Obsession: the Movie

Want even more information about what these people are really saying and planning about us? memritv.com

L E A – visible only at night

Posted on November 18, 2006 by Clint

One of the best views of Bismarck is from atop the hills on the northeast side of town. There’s Hillside Park, which is quite popular, and then there’s the steep streets of Laforest and Northview. Northview is also known for the neighborhood which decorates all the trees in unison during Christmas, and becomes a busy street during the season. Laforest is one block over and faces more westward, providing the view you see above.

With potentially slippery conditions in the winter, the hill has always been marked by the prominent HILL sign you see above. For the past twenty years or so it has also been marked by something else: the letters L, E, and A. They were apparently painted on somehow and removed, leaving a lasting impression on the sign. They’re pretty well invisible by day, but stand out quite obviously when the sign is in your headlights (or flash).

So what’s the deal with those three letters? What do they stand for, and how’d they get there? As luck would have it, I know the answer to that story. A friend of mine used to live in that neighborhood when she was younger, and told me the story when we first started spending time together. In fact, she’s quite directly involved.

As the story goes, another kid in the neighborhood a long time ago wanted to get my friend in trouble. Apparently the only way they thought worthwhile at the time was to try to vandalize this sign. They got some paint and put her name, Lea, prominently above the HILL on the sign. Naturally the neighbors all spotted it right away. Lea maintained her innocence until the truth came out.

I suppose the sign was never replaced because during the day it’s nearly impossible to see anything unusual about it. But I’m sure dozens of people who come up Northview each Christmas to see the lights, taking a right at the top of the hill to come back down by Laforest, see the letters L E A in their headlights as they pass this sign. Now you know why they’re there..

November rain

Posted on November 17, 2006 by Clint

It’s been a while since I used a music reference in a post’s title, so I thought I’d throw that in there for old time’s sake. Walking out to the truck last night, I was surprised to see that it had rained, and another wave of light rain was clearly on its way.

As I began my trek home, I noticed a rainbow that became more and more vivid as the sun crept lower in the sky. At one point it even had a faint twin, as shown in this picture. It was one of those where both ends of the rainbow are visible, but I don’t have a wide enough lens to capture that. Darn.

Showboat

Posted on November 16, 2006 by Clint

When I was growing up, this was the local theatre, the Showboat. It was a full-fledged movie house in the 1980s, and even saw a resurrection showing older movies for a dollar. It now seems lucky to be standing, as many of the buildings around it have been razed due to the diesel spill.

When I was in junior high I recall hearing a guy talking about having lunch at the Red Fox (now Dakota Farms) on the east end of Main Street…he saw diesel spewing from one of the locomotives at the tanks behind what is now the vacant McDonald’s building, and hurried over to tell some railroad workers who were sitting in the diner. Their response? “We’re on break.” That pretty much cemented my opinion of unions, even at a young age. It’s also what I think of every time I hear talk about the lake of diesel sitting under my home town.

I also remember that shortly after we had moved into our new workspace in the Mandan Law Enforcement Center, we were told we couldn’t go downstairs or use the elevator because the diesel fumes were toxic. That immediately reminded me of the anecdote I’d heard years before, and I realized that it was part of a deeper issue. Sadly, much of Mandan is paying the price for the damage caused by the railroad by losing some of its more historic features.

It would be neat to see new life breathed into buildings such as the Showboat. A dollar theater would be really cool, as long as it didn’t become a place for parents to stash their unruly junior high kids (ie, Thunder Alley) and expect someone else to babysit them. One of Mandan’s key features is its history downtown area, and I hope it doesn’t disappear completely in the wake of the diesel aftermath.

They could at least wait for winter

Posted on November 16, 2006 by Clint

I’m not sure whose brilliant idea this was, but apparently certain parks and recreational limits are hereby off limits to vehicular traffic until next year. It’s the last thing a guy wants to face when the sky’s spectacular, there’s a bag of Taco Bell food in the truck, and it’s been a little while since the camera’s seen much action. Darn.

Sure, it’s still open to foot traffic, but there’s no reason to close the gates on areas such as this one (the Indian Village lookout point at the top of Burnt Boat Road) if there’s no snow. I’m pretty sure I understand the reasoning behind closing the gates: there will be no need for clearing snow and maintaining the road. Well, so far there hasn’t been a need for either…regardless of the status of the entry gates.

I guess I’ll just have to take myself to another recreational area and set up there! There’s no shortage of excellent vantage points here in the Bismarck-Mandan area. I found one west of Mandan the other day that has potential for Northern Lights events. Fox Island, from where this photo was taken, is open all year long. Although I don’t spend much time at the lookout point atop Burnt Boat Road, it will have to be replaced with one of my other favorite spots until someone opens the gates again…or if I feel like a hike in the cold.

Weather Beacon: been there, done that, got the t-shirt

Posted on November 14, 2006 by Clint

I’m hoping for a white Thanksgiving. It doesn’t necessarily look like that’s going to happen, but I found myself glancing at the Weather Beacon tonight on my drive home. It was white. So…that thing doesn’t really make the weather…does it?

It was fun to joke about that during my KFYR days. The TV station was in charge of changing the weather beacon to reflect the updated forecast throughout the broadcast day. On our program log in the control room, in between entries for commercials and programs, were occasional reminders to update the weather beacon. There was a panel in the weather room with six buttons on it: red, white, green, flashing red, flashing white, and flashing green.

The poor Beacon almost faded into history in 1997. It was showing its wear, and the cost of modernizing it was prohibitive. That was, however, until KFYR Radio rode to the rescue. Phil Parker and Mark Armstrong headed an effort to Save the Beacon!

At this time, Meyer Broadcasting was still intact. While I was hard at work on the TV side of the building, I also freelanced the website for KFYR-AM. As part of the campaign to save the Weather Beacon, we had a couple of pages on the website urging people to help donate.

You can click here to see the original Save the Beacon page from my archives.

The campaign was a success in that it raised money toward the Beacon’s restoration, increased public awareness of its plight, and served as a rallying cry to its rescue. While the entire cost of the Beacon’s renovation was not raised, its importance to the community was indisputably proven. Through a matching grant from local government and plenty of donations, the project was underway.

As part of the KFYR website, we were happy to post that the Beacon would be saved. Cliff Naylor did a report on the Beacon that aired as part of a live telecast from the roof of the Provident Building, atop which the Beacon still sits.

You can click here to see the post-campaign page from my archives and watch the video.

As I recall, and the details in my head are quite murky, the Beacon was restored but still had some gremlins. I believe it was then refitted one more time and has functioned ever since. None of it would have been possible without Phil and Mark. To this day, the controls reside with KFYR Radio instead of the television station. In fact, why don’t you call the PH Phactor on KFYR 550 AM and ask Phil about it?

Oh yeah…the t-shirt. We had t-shirts made, and I still have mine. It has caricatures of Phil Parker and Mark Armstrong on the front, and a key to understanding the Beacon on the back:

Weather Beacon white as snow, down the temperature will go.
Weather Beacon red as fire, temperature is going higher.
Weather Beacon an emerald green, no change forseen.
When colors blink in agitation, there’s going to be precipitation.

Provident Life used to sponsor TV spots featuring the Beacon and its rhymes. Since they’re no longer doing business there, the ads don’t run. That means that the weather beacon itself is somewhat obscure now, with newer Bismarck-Mandan residents unaware of its history. For those of us who have lived here a long time, it’s good to see the weather beacon standing tall. No matter what the forecast, there’s something great about seeing it red in the spring, green when things are just right, and white when Thanksgiving and Christmas approach. Thanks to everyone who helped keep it up and running!

Losing sight of most Indian views

Posted on November 13, 2006 by Clint

In this excellent and revealing article in the Star tribune, Katherine Kersten points out that most of the people really set against the UND Fighting Sioux nickname are non-Indian liberals, and that the Native Americans most subject to racism are the ones who don’t object to the nickname. It’s worth a read, as one of the best pieces I’ve seen so far on this subject.

One of the points I particularly like is that North Dakota uses a Native American figure on its Highway Patrol vehicles and state highway signs. As previously pointed out by others, including the president of UND himself, that little tidbit first appeared six months ago right here on the Bismarck-Mandan Blog. I’m glad we’re all on the same page here.

Here’s a brief excerpt, although I suggest you read the entire article:

Members of the Standing Rock judicial committee visited UND early in 2006 to assess the situation for themselves. “We spoke to everyone, from students on the street to people at the gas station,” says Fool Bear. “Not one gave us any evidence of racism. We went to a hockey game, and they talked about the courage and integrity of the Sioux people. We looked at each other like, ‘Wow, we don’t even honor our Sioux warriors or veterans like this on the reservation.’ ”

White Mountain recalls the committee’s meeting with a UND group that opposes the name. “I asked them, ‘What tribe do you belong to?’ ” he says. “Not one was a Sioux Indian.”This group insisted that the name promotes racism on campus,” adds Fool Bear. “I told them, ‘Put any instances of abuse in writing.’ Today, I’m still waiting — I haven’t gotten one complaint.”

If anything is “hostile and abusive” at UND, it’s the way that some activists treat Indian students who take a different view.

“Our young people go there to get an education,” says Fool Bear. “When they arrive, they’re asked, ‘What do you think of the logo?’ If they have no problem with it, they are badgered and harassed for four years.”

Let’s not forget, as this article mentions, that the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe sent a delegation to UND in 1968 to formally grant the right to the Fighting Sioux nickname. I’ve seen historical photos of this event, even on local TV newscasts. Are the enemies of the nickname now going to ignore that it ever happened?

It would seem that UND has an airtight case from a common sense point of view. Liberalism, however, has forever defied common sense…so it will be interesting to see how this plays out. Hopefully the “politically correct” movement won’t win the day. They should quit interjecting themselves into situations like this, creating racism where there is none and punishing an institution that has arguably done more for Indian education than any other NCAA organization anywhere.

Huge thanks to my friend Shari G for the tip.

Missed it by one letter

Posted on November 12, 2006 by Clint

Darn. Missed it by one letter. This sign was at Spa D’Athena, so it would have likely been quite profitable for it to read “Clint Appreciation Day.” I guess I’m out of luck…and taking the E off the sign wouldn’t get me anywhere, either!

This reminds me of a shelf of all sorts of assorted snack goodies at work. It’s marked “Client Use Only” or something like that to make sure that those treats are set aside for clients who stop in. On certain afternoons I get quite tempted to head over to that shelf with a bottle of white-out and make it a “Clint Use Only” area!

Sunset moonrise

Posted on November 9, 2006 by Clint

I was recently reminded that Double Ditch isn’t really the greatest place to watch sunsets, due to the height of the trees across the river. This is at the little picnic table they put up at the end of the road, not up at the stone hut. Perhaps the vantage point is better up on the hill. While I was up there with friends recently, I looked over my shoulder to find this scene instead. The moon looked enormous as it crept over the horizon, the sky was colored from the sunset, and the two came together for a really cool picture.

One other factor that’s caused me to abandon Double Ditch as a place for stargazing is the recent surge in houses being constructed on the Mandan side. There’s just too much stray light. With the incredible pace of expansion northward on both sides of the river, I may find myself heading east or west when I want a clear patch of sky.

Tourism at 65 mph

Posted on November 9, 2006 by Clint

Whenever I see a scene like this, I can’t help but exclaim, “Oh, deer!” Nobody ever finds it funny, though. This was taken from the work van near the entrance to the Badlands National Park in southern South Dakota. In reference to the headline for this post, I need to clarify that we slowed down for this particular picture.

This one, however, was easily taken at 65mph. That’s because Bear Butte is so enormous! It’s a state park site and stands all by itself in the middle of the prairie. It can be seen from a long ways away, and stands out as if it were much taller. It’s over 4,000 feet elevation, which I would guess is a little over 1,000 feet tall. At highway speed it’s hard to make more specific estimations.

These were some wild clouds, almost forming a grid across the sky. My time in South Dakota involved temperatures in the sunny 70s, but the trip home was a cold, windy one. These clouds probably illustrate a pressure wave in the atmosphere as cold temps push their way southward. Thanks, Canada!

I grabbed a pile of tourism information for central and western South Dakota, and I plan to take my wife (and son, once he arrives) for a nice vacation through many of the areas I witnessed at highway speed this week. Sure, there’s a lot of “tourist trap” stuff in the Black Hills, but it’s pretty easy to see through that. Even in the middle of “nowhere” in rural states like the Dakotas, however, there are always breathtaking sights to see. Next time, when I’m not on a tight schedule, I’ll be going a lot slower than 65 mph…with frequent stops.