Here’s a simple proof for the proposition that there are no good cops.
Here’s a frustrating conversation. This is a woman from my old church. She completely misses the point and is unable to form a rational response to anything I said. She should be rebuked by her husband and her pastor for not having the ability to think rationally.
In reality, I don’t even know why she would be offended by my original meme calling those who support cops loyalists. If she has the typical erroneous understanding of Romans 13, she should be all about loyalty to the British and calling the Revolutionary War a sinful rebellion. I think she’s just generally offended that I don’t support police and she has a very emotional connection to the police. I have found this type of arguing to be very common.
What’s even more sad is the women will argue. Their husbands are silent. That has been the case now for 4 women. I’ve had one interaction with a man, who wanted to continue the conversation offline, which I did. And 4 women whose husbands are unwilling to talk in any way.
Unfortunately, I missed copying down one of her comments where she told me to call a crackhead rather than the police, and the original post was deleted. But here’s the conversation.
Americans are steeped in socialism and statism. That definitely includes Republicans and conservatives and even those who hate socialism. They have socialist presuppositions and positions. Someone who hates socialism, but supports police is actually a socialist. Someone who hates socialist healthcare but supports the military is actually a socialist. Someone who hates socialism but wants the government to vet immigrants and travelers is actually a socialist.
The common analogy that socialists who don’t realize they’re socialists use is comparing the border to your house. They say, “You control who comes and goes from your house, so the government should also control who comes and goes from the country.” This belief reeks of socialist presuppositions. Here’s a response I posted, and I’m posting it here so I can come back and don’t have to retype it.
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You’re comparing the country to your home. Your home is private property. You have the right to control who comes and goes. Private property is a capitalist (and also biblical) idea that is incompatible with socialism, right?
To say that the government can control who comes and goes from the country is to say that the government or the commune has some kind of ownership over the country as a whole. That is a socialist belief. The government shouldn’t be allowed to control who comes and goes, because it doesn’t own the country. If you believe the government owns the country, you at least have some socialist presuppositions, whether you realize it or not.
The Bible teaches that the government should have zero control over someone who isn’t a criminal. Traveling or working in a foreign country is not a sin, therefore it’s none of the government’s business.
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I’m not that smart, but God’s Word is always right. If you agree with it, you will win arguments just because it’s right. These guys made absolute fools of themselves. Not because I’m that smart, but because they are arguing contrary to God’s Word.
The original post with the meme is my post on Nextdoor. You can see the comments below the post.
According to Casey, it’s unamerican to oppose taxes! I can’t believe that came out of his mouth. And Gabriel has officially lost me, though I am in favor of diversifying to other countries and it’s totally awesome that he has an estate in Monaco. I don’t know whether I believe that he owns property in one of the most expensive cities in the world, but good for him if he does.
I had this conversation on Facebook yesterday. Why anyone in the world would send their precious children to be educated by this moron for seven hours per day is hard to fathom. But the truth is that he’s probably better than the average teacher. Someday this willingness of people to force others to support their favorite government program will be mocked. It will be thought of as being as shocking that anyone believed it.
You can listen to this on double speed, but he makes some excellent points.
My parents listened to Charles Stanley a lot, and I listened along with them. This story is from a guy I know who was involved in Operation Rescue in the 1980s or whenever.
Charles Stanley standing with me across the street from Atlanta’s Surgi center watched the police arresting the men women and children blocking the door keeping the murderer away from His victims. On showing him the unborn child I was carrying in a small coffin in my hands, and explaining to him what was happening on this late term abortion day, his response was to quote to me what every Nazi in history every state worshipping follower of Moloch has said when cornered on the question:
“The police are just doing their job.”
Whatever Grace, or assurance or free will or predestinarian window dressing he might have gussied up his theology with, I don’t know. I just know personally what I saw.
At the highpoint of 10’s of thousands of Christians streaming into Atlanta, to personally make it impossible for anyone to get into the abortion clinics there — three of which bordered Dr. Stanley’s 10th Baptist Church property. I met with him twice once in his office and once on the street outside Surgi Center during a rescue. As police were dragging the Christians away, I pointed out the pregnant mothers whom the police were actively keeping the Christian women away from. It was their late term day. I mentioned this to Dr. Stanley and took the lid off the tiny coffin I held showing him an 8 month Saline aborted child. He looked and asked, “Is that thing real” I answered, “She is the same age as the children across the street inside their mothers. See how the police are keeping them from talking to those Christian women one of them is my wife.”
The fact is the man spoke in the name of Jesus Christ as the leading pastor of the Churches in Atlanta. He spoke for the Nazi concept that the police obeying the law — like the Roman Centurions with Christ — were only obeying the law. He met with Major Burnett who headed up the Atlanta PD and encouraged him to perform whatever it took to clear the door of these law breakers.
He is one with the Leaders of Old Covenant Israel, cut off from the vine if they were: “We have no King but Caesar may these children’s blood be on our head an on the head of our children.”
What did he unleash on his family and city and what have we all participated in unleashing on our country? Next time you complain about the flood of forced identity in every public place and the paralysis of Christian response, remember his words. and
Remember Charles Stanley’s confession of faith in the state when you look at the news and reflect on it in the light of Deuteronomy 28:32 “Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, and your eyes shall look and fail with longing for them all day long; and there shall be no strength in your hand. 33 A nation whom you have not known shall eat the fruit of your land and the produce of your labor, and you shall be only oppressed and crushed continually. 34 So you shall be driven mad because of the sight which your eyes see.”
This is a post on Quora that is so true:
If you distributed all of America’s wealth equally to the people, how long would it be before it ended up right back in the hands of the rich and wealthy?
10 years, or less.
If you give a house to someone who can’t afford to maintain the house, the house will quickly end up in ruins.
And what is true of a house, is true of everything of value. I worked at a Cadillac dealership. People would come in who were clearly, and obviously too poor to own a Cadillac. In 5 years, they would have that car turned to junk.
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Some people appeared confused about what my point is.
The point I am making with this picture, is that people have this idea that wealth is static. That wealth can just be moved around like houses and hotels on a monopoly game.
So if you just take some wealth from a rich guy, and give it to the poor guy, then poor guy will have wealth now.
But that isn’t how wealth works. Wealth is always dynamic. It is constantly being created and destroyed. It is constantly declining, or being built up.
If you take an expensive car, and give it to a poor person who doesn’t have the means or the desire to maintain that car, it will end up a junk pile.
If you take a house, and give it to someone who can’t, or won’t take care of that house, it will end up a junk pile.
This is unavoidable.
As for the picture, this is Detroit. Rich people packed up and left their homes abandoned. Poor and homeless people moved into those vacant homes. But they couldn’t afford to maintain them. So they were destroyed.
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Back to me commenting.
I’ve found the above commentary to be very true. Poor people act in ways that keep them poor. Wealthy people aren’t just lucky (usually). They behaved in a way that made them rich and if you took their money away, they would regain their wealth because they do the things that are necessary to become wealthy. Of course there are exceptions.
I’ve been a landlord for the last 20 years. I’ve told my children that God won’t entrust most of my renters with ever owning a house, because they treat my houses (a domicile that God has entrusted them with) like garbage. Everything we have has been entrusted to us by God and we are to take care of it. If we do a good job, He will entrust us with more. We are to use it not for selfish reasons but to glorify God. If you can’t take care of something, whether with your DIY skills or by having the means to pay someone else, you better sell it or give it up and find something that you’re able to afford and maintain.
This is an interesting video about how eastern Oregon counties are voting in favor of leaving Oregon and becoming part of Idaho.
People often say that you can’t legislate morality. I think that’s partially true. It’s false in that the only thing you can legislate is morality. The only question is whose morality will be legislated. I think it’s true to some extent, because if the government tries to legislate principles that are contrary to the morality of the people, the people will find ways to disobey and rebel. In truth, there is only one valid morality and biblical laws are the only laws and any laws contrary to God’s law are bound to fail eventually.
This country was founded on local government. It is a valid principle that the more distant the government, the less power it should have. We’ve certainly departed from that principle, and government can only be by the consent of the governed.
This is important, even if not on the general topic of this website. I’m copying it from Quora. Here it is:
Growing up, I was one of the shyest and most socially awkward people you’d ever meet.
I didn’t know how to hold eye contact.
I didn’t know how to hold a conversation.
And I sure as heck didn’t know how to get a beautiful woman to go on a date with me.
… Today it’s a slightly different story.
Today, I get to party with multimillionaires and celebrities like Ashton Kutcher, Lance Armstrong, Naveen Jain (billionaire founder of Moon Express), and even Matthew McConaughey (alright, alright, alright).
I don’t say this to brag.
But rather to impress upon you that the tactics I’m about to share WORK.
Being charismatic and socially adept is not a skill you are born with.
…It’s not genetic.
It’s not something you are cursed with.
It’s a skill…
And if you’re willing to take the time to develop it, it’s a skill that can (and will) change your life in every appreciable way.
Here are a few tips to improve your social skills and become a social powerhouse.
1. Speak Less, Listen More
This is the golden rule of social success.
People don’t really care about you… This might sound harsh, but it’s true.
People care, first and foremost, about themselves. This is simply human nature.
If you want to unlock the hidden social genius that is inside of you, then you need to accept this fact and use it to your advantage.
In any social situation, your goal should always be to do about 20% of the talking and 80% of the listening.
Ask people genuine questions. Get to know them. Be genuinely curious about who they are and how they work.
Sure…
You can talk about yourself and share stories from your life, but this should only account for 20–30% of any given interaction.
Instead, spend the majority of your time focused on the other person and I promise you will seem like the most likeable and charismatic person in the room.
If you’re ever at a loss for words, remember this magic phrase…
“So you said … Tell me more about that”
2. Learn How to Tell a Joke
People love to laugh.
If you can learn how to make them laugh you will instantly boost your social value and increase your likeability.
The best way that I’ve found to improve your sense of humor and tell better jokes is to watch hours and hours of stand up comedy.
Guys and gals like
Are all hilarious individuals who will help you develop a vast repertoire of comedic material and learn how to tell and deliver a joke like a pro.
3. Enthusiasm Always Wins
In any social situation, the most enthusiastic person always wins.
Before you go into any social situation, I recommend that you take 10 minutes to get “In State” by listening to a song that motivates you and pumps you up and dance/jump around the room.
This sounds silly but it will help you develop the right energy to succeed in a social setting.
Enthusiasm is contagious.
When someone is excited and brings high levels of energy to the table, even the most mundane task can become an absolute joy.
Enthusiasm always wins.
So get some… Enthusiasm that is.
4. Smile
A smile goes a long way.
Scientists have found that people who smile more are more attractive, healthier, and more likely to have strong social connections.
So smile more.
Watch lots of comedies.
Listen to funny podcasts.
Hang out with people who make you smile.
The more you smile the happier you will be and the more attractive you will appear.
So turn that frown upside down and smile baby smile!
5. Hold Eye Contact (But Don’t Be Creepy)
Eye contact is an important part of social success, but it’s easy to overdo it.
I recommend that you hold eye contact for 4–5 seconds before slowly breaking it away and then reengaging a few seconds later.
Whenever you are holding eye contact it can be easier to look at a person’s mouth, nose, or forehead since they can’t actually tell the difference.
Strong eye contact is a sign of confidence and it makes people take you more seriously and listen to what you have to say.
It’s also incredibly seductive.
A man or woman who can hold great eye contact is a man or woman who is attractive to the opposite (or same) sex.
6. Speak Your Truth
One of the sexiest things that you can do in any social situation is to speak your truth.
This doesn’t mean that you have a hall pass to simply be a jerk and berate people.
It simply means that you can and should express your feelings in an appropriate way.
If you want to do something, say it.
If someone said something that was inappropriate and offensive to your group, call them out on it.
If you think someone is cute, express it.
If someone is getting on your last nerve, mention it.
Don’t hide behind dishonesty and half truths.
Speak your truth and say what you mean.
People won’t always like it, but the right people will always respect it.
7. Use People’s Names
Your name is one of the most powerful words in your entire vocabulary.
In fact, researchers have found that when you hear your name a completely different part of your brain activates than when you hear any other word.
Use this to your advantage.
Always try to use people’s names in conversation.
Drop their names casually and regularly without overdoing it.
This is a simple subconscious hack that will make others like you more and make you seem more attractive.
8. Make Other People Look Good
The biggest social hack that I know of is to make other people look good.
People love to talk about themselves.
But do you know what they like even more?
… When other people talk about them in a positive way.
Anytime you are out with friends, always try to tell stories and jokes that make the other people in your social circle look good.
Tell stories about times when your friends did something crazy, cool, or impressive.
Go out of your way to make the people in your social circle feel special and it will pay dividends in your social success.
9. Give Genuine Compliments
For whatever reason, our society seems to have lost the ability to give a genuine compliment.
Men are scared that if they compliment a woman they will seem creepy or if they compliment another man they will seem “Gay” (not that this should be considered an insult but that’s just how society is).
But this is all bull crap!
When you genuinely compliment someone, they will appreciate it.
If they don’t…
Well, they probably weren’t worth having in your social circle in the first place.
Give genuine compliments on a regular basis and I promise you will see a massive increase in your social capital and charisma.
10. Present Yourself Well
While I wish I could tell you that looks don’t matter.
…I’d be lying to you.
How you present yourself to the world MATTERS.
People make split second judgement based on your appearance and, even though this might not be fair, it’s the reality that we live in.
As such, it’s important that you:
You don’t have to be traditionally beautiful to be a social powerhouse.
But you do need to put some effort into putting your best foot forward and presenting yourself well.
Stay Grounded,
Andrew