December 2006
UN -
Spirituality and Sustainability
in the Urban Context:
"This roundtable is based on the conviction that meeting the challenges of urbanization
requires policy approaches that are ethically and spiritually informed. It will
showcase urban projects that are inspired by the principles articulated in
the major Wisdom (i.e. faith, indigenous and spiritual) traditions of the
world. Participants will engage the following questions: How do faith-based
initiatives promote sustainability, inclusion and social cohesion in
urban areas? How do sustainability-focused projects integrate spiritual perspectives?
How do civic leaders articulate an integral vision of urban wellbeing that is
informed by a spiritual understanding of human community?
See
The Rising World Religion:
Neo-paganism, Neo-satanism or Neo-christianity - What's the Difference?
Kissinger to Serve As Papal Adviser?
"Pope Benedict XVI has invited
Henry
Kissinger, former adviser to Richard Nixon, to be a political consultant
and he accepted."
October
2006
Turning Goals into Results: The
Power of Catalytic Mechanisms:
(by Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, a leadership manual used by church
and parachurch organizations around the world) "Catalytic mechanisms share five
characteristics. First, they produce desired results in unpredictable ways.
Second, they distribute power for the benefit of the overall system, often to
the discomfort of those who traditionally hold power.... Fourth, they eject
'viruses'--those people who don't share the company's core values."
In churches, those are people like us who
question today's transformation.
See
Dealing with Resisters
Bono and Bobby Shriver launch Product
Red: "...at the World
Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Bono and Bobby Shriver announced Product
RED, an economic initiative designed to deliver a sustainable flow of private
sector money to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. It
is the first time that the world’s leading companies have made a commitment
to channel a portion of profits from sales of specially–designed products to
the Global Fund to support AIDS programmes in Africa...."
See the next two links:
The (Red) Manifesto.asp:
"All things being equal, they are not. As first world consumers, we have tremedous
power. What we collectively choose to buy, or not to buy, can change the course
of life and history on this planet."
RED - Not Just for Communism:
"RED is the new…red. Once a metonymic reference for communism, RED is now one
of the hottest signifiers of capitalistic social responsibility (CSR) in the
West. The brainchild of Bono and Bobby Shriver, the RED concept is centered
on enlisting companies to create special 'red' products, a portion of whose
profits — about 40% to 50% — is given to the global AIDS fund for its work in
Africa."
The "Robbing Hood" and other Power
Elite principles: "To
understand how this works, you actually have to try to think like the ['power
elite'], and the following list demonstrates their process. 1) corrupt the masses....
2) rationalize bad behavior.... 3) destroy standards.... 4) appeal to ego....
5) create disrespect for laws.... 6) dumb down the population.... 7) control
the media.... 8) keep people busy.... 9) wear people down--create a process
that makes it difficult to redress grievances.... 10)...burden the middle class
with taxes.... 11) create crises -- [use
dissatisfaction]... to get them to accept things... they otherwise would
not accept.... 12) divide and conque..."
Yet everything fits into God's ultimate plan.
See
My High Tower: Seeing
the world from His perspective
September 2006
U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia: Exchange...
Student Program: "Fulbright
Student Program Scholarships enable Saudis to pursue their postgraduate study
in the United States, build leadership skills, and exchange cultural understanding
with Americans.... The scholarship covers...
•
tuition at the U.S. university
•
a living and book/supply stipend
•
round-trip international airfare to the U.S. and back..."
See
the next link:
U.S. Schools Compete for Saudi Students:
"Thousands of students from Saudi Arabia are enrolling on college campuses across
the United States this semester under a new educational exchange program brokered
by President Bush and Saudi King Abdullah. The program will quintuple the number
of Saudi students and scholars here by the academic year's end.... The kingdom's
royal family... is paying full scholarships for most of the 15,000 students.
... Kansas State students... are preparing for the campus' first celebration
of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month."
Aspen Revisited -- Philanthropy & Ideas:
"The Aspen Institute is doing a remarkable job of being bipartisan and essentially
creating a civil, new center in American political thought.
The Aspen Ideas Festival
is the most remarkable buffet of current big thinkers. ... Just on the luminary
side, one could hear two U.S. Supreme Court justices.... Walter Isaacson is
working hard to spice this mix with current evangelical Christian religious
superstars – Rick Warren last year and T.D. Jakes and Ted Haggard,
head of the National Association of Evangelicals, this year."
See
Real Conspiracies
How AIDS in Africa Was Overstated:
"Researchers said nearly two decades ago that this tiny country was part of
an AIDS Belt stretching across the midsection of Africa, a place so infected
with a new, incurable disease that, in the hardest-hit places, one in three
working-age adults were already doomed to die of it. But AIDS deaths on the
predicted scale never arrived here, government health officials say. A new national
study illustrates why: The rate of HIV infection among Rwandans ages 15 to 49
is 3 percent, according to the study, enough to qualify as a major health
problem but not nearly the national catastrophe once predicted.... It
is in... South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland and Zimbabwe -- that an AIDS Belt
exists.... But in Botswana, the national infection rate among the same age group
is 34.9 percent."
See
Using dissatisfaction (crisis)
to produce social change
August
2006
(Ron Paul)
A North American United Nations?
"Globalists and one-world promoters never seem to tire of coming up with ways
to undermine the sovereignty of the United States. The most recent attempt comes
in the form of the misnamed 'Security and Prosperity Partnership Of North America
(SPP).' In reality, this new 'partnership' will likely make us far less secure
and certainly less prosperous....
"How can
establishing a 'trilateral regulatory cooperation' not undermine our national
sovereignty? The website also states SPP's goal to '[i]mprove the health of
our indigenous people through targeted bilateral and/or trilateral activities,
including in health promotion, health education, disease prevention, and research.'
Who can read this and not see massive foreign aid transferred from the US taxpayer
to foreign governments and well-connected private companies?
"Also alarming
are SPP pledges to 'work towards the identification and adoption of best practices
relating to the registration of medicinal products.' That sounds like the much-criticized
Codex Alimentarius, which seeks to radically limit Americans' health freedom.
"Even
more troubling are reports that under this new 'partnership,' a massive highway
is being planned to stretch from Canada into Mexico, through the state of Texas.
This is likely to cost the US taxpayer untold billions of dollars, will require
eminent domain takings on an almost unimaginable scale, and will make the US
more vulnerable to those who seek to enter our country to do us harm. This all
adds up to... the establishment of an unelected mega-government."
See
The emerging New World Order
Willow Creek Leadership Summit:
"See reality not as it is, but how it might be.
[Not Biblical! The next statement show how leaders
can manipulate followers]
A good leader does more than
just scale the next mountain. Leaders
must cast a vision so compelling others can see it too. Recruit teams. Encourage
innovation. Build solid infrastructures. Create a community. Motivate change.
Reach down to pull others up. These are the jobs of a leader; taking new ground....
"
Come
join us August 10-12, as more than 70,000 men and women gather together for
a worldwide event, dedicated to strengthening and sharpening their leadership
gifts and abilities. Together we'll unite our hearts and minds to keep dreaming
new dreams and to gain new skills for making them a reality."
See
CREATING COMMUNITY through a New Way of Thinking.
This first link
here
is a commentary on this leadership event.
Regionalism
&
Lawlessness.
Border
narcotics smuggling, stolen vehicles, illegal aliens & politics:
"Stolen vehicles that are used to transport illegal aliens and narcotics continue
to be a major crime problem in Arizona. The vehicles stolen in Phoenix, Tucson
and outlying areas are supplied to organized smugglers in Mexico. The vehicles
have an unending source of drivers who then re-entry the United States with
Contraband or human cargos. ...
"According to most politicians
seeking election in 2006, Illegal aliens are honest and contribute little to
crime. False names, false documents, identity theft, and fraudulent applications
for employment are not dishonest by Washington standards in the proposed Guest
Worker Amnesty Scheme.... In Los Angeles, alone, 95 percent of all outstanding
police warrants for homicide (which total 1,200 to 1,500) are for illegal aliens....
60 percent of the 20,000-strong 18th Street Gang in Southern California is composed
of illegal aliens....
"In March 2000, Congress
made public Department of Justice statistics showing that, over the previous
five years, the INS had released over 35,000 criminal aliens instead of deporting
them. Over 11,000 of those released went on to commit serious crimes, over 1,800
of which were violent ones."
See
The fall and rise of human violence.
This crisis helps justify the following
solution:
Surveillance.
Chip-maker wants to implant immigrants:
"The maker of the controversial radio-frequency tracking chip suggests implanting
the device in immigrants and guest workers....The VeriChip tag, about
the size of a large grain of rice, can be injected directly into the body. Its
special coating allows it to bond with living tissue.
See
Reinventing the World
and the first two links
HERE .
Learning from the World -- Willow
Creek Leadership Extravaganza Ready to Kick Off:
"Leadership these days is big money for the gurus who travel the circuit. Rock
star Bono will be videocasting his thoughts on leadership as well as a host
of other secular leadership gurus who know nothing of the Christ of Calvary.
Bill Hybels will troop the best Harvard Business School has to offer across
the stage to share with 70,000 leadership hopefuls watching in churches across
the country just how leadership is done.
"
Leadership
to what end? They aren't talking about Christian leadership for the cause of
Christ. No, indeed. They are proud of just how secular the leadership advice
has gotten at Willow Creek Community Church. Here's a quote from their press
release: '...the Summit's principles of dynamic leadership have transcended
the walls of the church as companies now routinely send teams to the Summit
and use it as one of their annual training events.... Speakers at the Summit
2006 will present motivation and innovative principles on topics that are applicable
in both the boardroom and church and ministry settings...'"
See
Reinventing the World
July
2006
Foreign Companies Buy U.S. Roads,
Bridges:
"On a single day in June, an Australian-Spanish partnership paid $3.8 billion
to lease the Indiana Toll Road. An Australian company bought a 99-year lease
on Virginia's Pocahontas Parkway, and Texas officials decided to let a Spanish-American
partnership build and run a toll road from Austin to Seguin for 50 years.
"...private
investors can raise more money than politicians to build new roads because
these kind of owners are willing to raise tolls.... Washington is not likely
to produce more money to build roads. The federal highway fund--which will
have a balance of about $16 billion by the end of 2006--will run out in
2009 or 2010."
June
2006
Witch School Opens Doors in
Midwestern Town:
"In the 'Harry Potter' series, the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
sits in a mystical Scotland location, shrouded by magic that hides it from
unknowing humans.... After almost five years of existence on the Internet,
Witch School is expected to operate under normal business hours in the town
of Hoopeston, Ill., about 100 miles south of Chicago.... Hubbard, the Witch
School's director, considers his decision to move the institution to Hoopeston
as an experiment in religious tolerance.... 'Three years ago the question
was did we have a right to be here,' he said. 'Now it's can we be successful.'"
See
Mother Earth in North Dakota
church
April
2006
Penalise educated stay-at-home
women: "The Dutch
Labour Party has proposed recovering part of the cost of study from highly-educated
women who decide not to seek paid work.... 'A highly-educated woman who
chooses to stay at home and not to work - that is destruction of capital,'
Dijksma said. 'If you receive the benefit of an expensive education at the
cost of society, you should not be allowed to throw away that knowledge
unpunished. ... If someone chooses not to work, then a substantial repayment
is in order.'...
"A high proportion of Dutch women traditionally favour working only part-time
or staying at home to care for their families. MP Sharon Dijksma... believes
the punitive measure is needed to stimulate more women to join the workforce."(3-22-06)
See
The Globalization Strategy
&
Chronology of [global] Education.
January 2006
RFID,
Electronic Eavesdropping and the Law
:
"RFID technology not only has the ability to track products and persons,
it also has the ability to collect individual information."
What they don't want you to
know about the coming oil crisis:
"A spectre is haunting Europe - the spectre of an acute, civilisation-changing
energy crisis. The latest wobble over disruptions to gas supplies from Russia
is merely the latest in a series of reminders of how dependent our economies
are on growing supplies of oil and gas.... Tankers that are supposed to
be bringing liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the UK are instead following
market forces and going to the US, where gas prices have rocketed even higher
than they have here." See
Using dissatisfaction (crisis)
to produce social change
November 2005
The Problem in Islamic
Finance:
"...much of Islamic finance involves creating mechanisms
that replicate the benefits of bank lending, but have the
appearance of profit-sharing or buying and selling. ... The
idea is that a guaranteed return on an investment is wrong because
the risk is not shared equally between the lender and borrower if
misfortune should occur; however, if the risk is shared equally,
the 'lender' and 'borrower' are partners and the arrangement is
just."
Power of Connecting - Networks:
This "site is committed to encouraging all forms of
networks, partnerships, and strategic alliances that seek to
release the power of Jesus and advance
holistic world evangelization. This page is to help you connect with some
of the significant networks we know of. "
See
The
Rising World Religion
The Quiet Revolution: "The year 1939 is
one that should be forever bookmarked in the pages of American history.
In that year, several individuals from Austria arrived in the United States.
One was
Peter Drucker who would become a good friend
to
Abraham Maslow, humanist, and father of
Third Force Psychology and the Hierarchy of Human Needs. Maslow’s work,
based on humanism, would be furthered in the works of men like
Carl Rogers, the father of the Human Potential movement utilizing self-actualization
(spirituality from within) and
focus groups to break down the moral bearing
and individuality of people, two very important concepts in the struggle
to bring about the quiet revolution. Rogers’ works... are used heavily in
education in America today, from the college and university classroom to
the elementary school classroom."
See
A New Way of Thinking
Suit against school law rejected
: "Chief U.S. District Judge Bernard A. Friedman, based in eastern Michigan,
said, 'Congress has appropriated significant
funding' and has the power to require states
to set educational standards in exchange for federal money. The NEA,
a union of 2.7 million members, had filed the suit with districts in Michigan,
Vermont... Texas.... The school districts had argued that complying with
the law is costing them more than they are receiving in federal funding."
See
Federalism
Back to Class:
"Diversity training has been around for decades. But it doesn't look anything
like it used to. ...diversity broadened to include sexual orientation, then
religion....
Popular courses include one
on generational differences and another on microinequities, small messages
sent via body language, tone of voice or facial expression that can cause
offense.... The teaching also involves group
dialogues and scenarios.... Then there's the diversity bingo game....
"Executives...
get their own diversity classes... and their
bonuses are tied to diversity outcomes....
The program also offers workshops for gay, lesbian and transgendered employees
that allows them to bring their 'whole selves' to work....
"'Many
white men expect that if they really engage in diversity learning it's going
to involve pain or blame....' says Mr. Proudman. But, he argues, 'without
white men's direct participation in diversity and inclusion efforts,
long-term change will not happen.' In his seminars, participants spend
three days engaging in 'honest talk'..."
[or 'authenticity, as
many church leaders call
it.]
See
Re-Inventing the Church
and
Small Groups and the Dialectic
Process
Peter Drucker's Influence:
"Shortly before [Drucker's] passing, Bob Buford of Leadership Network...
wrote a special
ActiveEnergy.net 'prayer about aging' which
included a tribute to Drucker: 'And thank You for Peter Drucker’s life....
He has enlightened the path before me for 25 years or more. He is irreplaceable.
Help me to extend his legacy to others like me.'
[http://tinyurl.com/928nf]
...
"I
began to think, 'I wonder what that body of management knowledge
would do if applied to nonprofits and
churches.'... 'Today, we have 300
thought leaders
who under the umbrella of the Drucker Foundation
-- now the Leader to Leader Institute -- have lent their best thoughts to
the non-profit world."
See
The Pied Pipers of Purpose
and
Equipping Leaders to 'Lead
like Jesus'?
Modern Management Expert Peter
Drucker Dies at 95:
"Peter
F. Drucker, revered as the father of modern management for his numerous
books and articles stressing innovation, entrepreneurship and strategies
for dealing with a changing world, died Friday.... Mr. Drucker invented
management.... His motivational techniques were used by executives
at some of the biggest companies in corporate America.... It was Mr. Drucker's
critical insight that instead of buying a 'product' the customer buys
the satisfaction of a need."
But when churches began to embrace
this marketing model with its motivational emphasis on felt needs and the
dialectic process, they justified their new ways by twisting God's word.
See
Spirit-Led
or Purpose-Driven?
and
Small Groups
and the Dialectic Process
From the Mind of Bob
[Buford,
management adviser to large churches]: "I opened a blank-pages journal that
I use to 'think my confusion out loud,' began writing, and here’s what came
out of the end of my pen – a pure stream of consciousness: ...
'Lord, thank You for
so many fruitful years. For the wondrous relationship I’ve had with the
three persons of You for perhaps 60 years. I value this closeness to
my divine center so much more as I see so many men and women without
a center, living by their wits, and for the pleasures of their material
lives. I feel so much sadness these days about their missing centers.
... And thank You for Peter Drucker’s life, which he invested in
my own life and the lives of so many others. He has enlightened the path
before me for 25 years or more."
See
Re-Inventing the Church
An Organizational Approach to
the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act:
"Change management is essentially a communication strategy that reduces
user anxieties and concerns to generate acceptance of change. There
are a number of models for change management from the field of organizational
development that can be applied to government agencies. The best-known planned-change
processes are a result of work by
Kurt Lewin....
"The Emergent Model of change management perceives organizational development
and change as continuous and unpredictable, a process of realigning
an organization to its changing environment....
"The Three-Step Model
could be applied to the issue of teacher tenure. In the unfreezing mode,
government representatives (Sponsors) meet with school administrators (Change
Agents) and the teachers' union (Change Target) to look at the importance
of ensuring a successful school in order to maintain funding."
Change Agent's Guide to Innovation
in Education
October 2005
A nation of sheeple:
"Enacted during Reconstruction, the purpose of the Posse Comitatus Act was
to severely limit the powers of the federal government to use the military
for local law enforcement. Would Americans tolerate such a gigantic leap
in the federalization of law enforcement?
"I'm guessing the answer is yes. In the name of safety, we've undergone
decades of softening up to accept just about any government edict that our
predecessors would have found offensive. Let's look at some of it. The anti-smoking
movement might be the beginning of the softening up process.... Politicians
have learned and become comfortable with the fact that today's Americans
will docilely accept just about any legalized restraint on their behavior."
See
Reinventing the World
The Power Elite Exposed:
"...the public will have to be prepared to accept world government, and
what better way to do that than via education. The primary arm of the U.N.
dealing with education is UNESCO, and in its first Director-General Sir
Julian Huxley's
UNESCO:
Its Purpose and Its Philosophy,
he wrote: 'Political unification in some sort of world government will be
required.'
"On October 3, 2003... U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige declared: 'The
United States is pleased to return to UNESCO…. Our governments have entrusted
us with the responsibility of preparing our
children to become citizens of the world…. UNESCO is a powerful forum
for sharing our views, developing a common strategy, and implementing joint
action." See
Whom do we serve?
Religion Becomes Important For
World Economy: "Religion is rapidly
becoming a most important issue for international commerce and industry.
Religion affects both the internal relationships of employees and the integration
of different cultures in international corporations.
" ...the Confederation of German Employer’s Association in Berlin points
out that many joint ventures have failed not least because of cultural and
religious incompatibilities. Insight into religious backgrounds is therefore
essential at the management level..."
See
Warren's P.E.A.C.E. Plan &
UN Goals - Part 1
FEMA: Coming to a church near
you: "Thanks to the urging of Republican officials, the Federal
Emergency Management Agency has agreed to transfer taxpayer money to churches
and other religious organizations as reimbursement for providing shelter,
food and supplies to survivors of hurricanes Katrina and Rita....
"Like
practically everything else government touches, it's going to do more harm
than good. It will result in profligate waste and inefficiency. And though
there is no First Amendment problem with the idea, there very definitely
is a constitutional problem."
This fits right into Peter Drucker's
and Rick Warren's quest for the
three-fold partnership under government
control: Public sector (government
which provides the money and sets standards),
Private sector (business, which provides
some money according to self interest), and
Social Sector (primarily churches,
which provides unpaid volunteers and dialectic groups that train human resources
to think collectively and serve the "greater whole."
See
Warren's PEACE Plan & UN Goals
(Part 2): Equipping Leaders
and
Faith-Based Compromise?
September 2005
Bill Clinton as world saviour:
"Former US president Bill Clinton, apparently not content with eight years
as leader of the free world, is now out to save the planet. With more than
170 heads of state and government gathered in New York for the UN summit,
Clinton will open Thursday the inaugural meeting of his Clinton Global Initiative
(CGI), aimed at wiping out poverty, ending conflict, rolling back climate
change and promoting better governance worldwide. ... The three-day confab's
participants include US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, British Prime
Minister Tony Blair, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and media magnate Rupert
Murdoch."
Another participant was
President Kagame, Rick Warren's government partner in his Rwanda project.
See
Equipping Leaders to
'Lead like Jesus'?
August 2005
Gaza in Arizona:
"Two miles from the border with Mexico, U.S. citizen Casey Nethercott's
dream ranch is now the property of Edwin Alfredo Mancia Gonzales and Fatima
del Socorro Leiva Medina, both illegal immigrants from El Salvador. And
Nethercott didn't sell it to them. They took it by force, after trespassing
on it to sneak into the U.S.... Dees' legal squad used American courts to
put Nethercott in jail and transfer his property to the illegals he tried
to keep out."
See
the first 4 links on this page:
Regionalism
So You're a Player. Do You Need
a Coach? "The hottest
thing in management is the executive coach-part boss, part consultant, part
therapist. Who are these people? And what are they doing in your company?
...
"What exactly is a coach? Part
personal consultant, part sounding board, part manager. Yes, manager....
For a surprising number of people, it is now the coach--not the boss--who
pushes them to hire, to fire, to fine-tune a sales pitch, to stretch. Observers
of the phenomenon say that an executive coach often functions as a therapist,
too.... Warren Bennis believes that 'a lot of executive coaching is really
an acceptable form of psychotherapy."
See
the next link:
repeat
Who is the Dream Giver?
The Dream Giver website... welcomes you with this message: 'Bestselling
author
Bruce Wilkinson will serve as your Dream
Coach, offering insights and practical solutions.' Next, click on
The Dream Giver Coach. This website will gladly 'provide you with professional
DreamGiver Coaches whose purpose is to give you hope, inspiration, and
unconditional support in discovering and living out your DREAM.'...
"'Are
you excited about your Dream Journey, but aren’t sure where to start?' This
question is posed by "The Dream Assessment"
support team. It continues with references to DISC, based on the
personality theories of two behavioral psychologists, Carl Jung and Dr.
William Marston.... The short, online assessment helps you understand
what motivates you, your personal strengths and weaknesses, and how you
relate to other people."
July 2005
Are Leaders Turning to Christian
Ethics to Set the Standard for Business?
[Or are
pastors turning to management gurus to find keys to success?]
"Sir
John Templeton, regarded by Wall Street as one
of the world's wisest investors, concluded in his extensive research that
'the common denominator connecting successful people and successful enterprises
is a devotion to ethical and spiritual principles.'...
"Leadership experts will
include: -- Bill Hybels...
Rick Warren...
John Maxwell...
Ken Blanchard:
Prominent speaker, consultant, and co-author of The One Minute Manager."
Don't conform
Aspen Ideas Festival (July 5-10)
- Speakers: "Rick
Warren is an author, spiritual entrepreneur,
and founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA. His book, The
Purpose-Driven Life, is the bestselling hardback nonfiction book in American
history and was the bestselling book in the world for both 2003 and 2004.
It has been translated into more than 50 languages and is the basis of a
global network of more than 350,000 pastors, ministers and priests at over
100,000 churches in 160 countries. His previous book, The Purpose-Driven
Church... was named one of the '“100 Christian Books that Changed the 20th
Century.' Forbes magazine has named it 'the best book on entrepreneurship,
business and leadership.'”
"Independence Day" 2005: How
independent are we? "Three recent legislative decisions, seen
from the perspective of 239 years of American history, show just how far
we have come from the Founding Fathers’ ideals about self-determination
and independence ... Consider first the passage of H.R. 3010 on Friday,
June 24 -- the universal mental health screening and drug treatment bill....
The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education passed
the appropriations measure with $26 million for 'state
incentive transformation grants' to
fund implementation of the New Freedom Commission's psycho-pharmacological
recommendations, thereby giving officials in schools and other agencies
virtual carte blanche to marginalize and medicate anyone with unapproved
opinions, worldviews and attitudes...."
See
[Ron] Paul amendment against mental health screening fails
June 2005
New International Network Established
to Help Storytellers Reach Their Intended Audience: "Sharing
the Gospel of Jesus Christ with an ever-increasing global population that
learns by oral means is now considered one of the top priorities of many
denominations and ministries. ...Groups such as Campus Crusade for Christ
International, the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention,
Trans World Radio, Youth With A Mission and others have formed a new strategic
partnership known as the
International Orality Network
(ION). The ION seeks to help educate the church on using means such as chronological
storytelling and dramatic narratives to convey the good news of Jesus."
See
God's eternal, unchanging
Word
Huxley's Brave
New World:
"Vital to the implementation of this monstrous system are the deceptive
marketing strategies needed to persuade the public to submit to its oppressive
rules and laws. ... As in recent totalitarian regimes, well-chosen compensations
distract the masses from the anguish of tyranny. In Brave New World, Aldous
Huxley describes the seductive 'feelies' that compensate for the loss of
freedom. First among them is sexual license:
"As political and economic freedom diminishes, sexual
freedom tends compensatingly to increase. And the dictator... will do well
to encourage that freedom. In conjunction with the freedom to daydream [a
shift from reality to fantasy or imagination] under the influence of dope,
movies and the radio, it will help to reconcile his subjects to the servitude
which is their fate."
See
The Giver: Serving the community
The desecration of Ground Zero
(Michelle Malkin): "...the World Trade Center memorial will encompass a
'cultural complex' whose primary tenant will be something called the 'International
Freedom Center.' According to an IFC fact sheet, the project 'will be an
integral part of humanity’s response to September 11.' An educational and
cultural center will host exhibits, lectures, debates, and films 'that will
nurture a global conversation on freedom in our world today.' Tellingly
though... early plans for the center that included a large mural of an Iraqi
voter were scratched in favor of a photograph of Martin Luther King and
Lyndon Johnson....
"The
center’s 'civic engagement network' will connect visitors to
'service'
opportunities. Translation:
Left-wing activist recruitment center. As the fact sheet notes, 'leading
NGOs (non governmental organizations) will be offered outposts at the Center
to reach out to its visitors.'...
"The
IFC’s list of scholars and advisors also includes left-leaning elites such
as Henry Louis Gates at Harvard University; Stephen B. Heintz, IFC secretary
and president of the
Rockefeller
Bros. Fund; Walter Isaacson, CEO of the
Aspen Institute...."
See
Serving a Greater Whole
April 2005
In Europe, economic pessimism
takes hold
: "The sick man
of Europe, Germany, cut its already meager growth forecast for this year
and next on Friday, while a slew of equally dire economic news from elsewhere
illustrated that pain is being felt across Europe...."
It reminds us of God's warnings to nations that reject His ways
and mock His truth -- which the European Union has done:
Deut 8:10-20
Deepak Chopra 's The Seven Spritual Laws of Success:
"The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success make wonderful guiding principles for
anyone attempting to create a productive and satisfying life or human organization"
Ken Blanchard, co-author of The One Minute Manager."
See
A Twist of Faith
The Influential Leader: Unleashing
Power in People:
"As a cutting-edge entrepreneur, best-selling author, and dynamic speaker,
Dr.
John C. Maxwell
has cultivated an extensive following among the most highly respected and
influential business leaders across the globe. Reaching more than 350,000
people a year through speaking engagements alone, and over a million through
resources, Dr. Maxwell is committed to developing leaders of excellence
and integrity.... His philosophy that 'everything rises and falls on leadership'
motivates every endeavor to help individuals reach their highest potential....
"Todd
Duncan has joined the ranks of America's top motivational speakers. Mentored
by Zig Ziglar, John Maxwell,
and Ken Blanchard,
Duncan has quickly become a favorite of anyone seeking to reach their full
potential."
See
Jane Fonda, John Maxwell,
Norma McCorvey, and Scott Peck - what do they have in common?
Rick Warren teams up with New-Age guru Ken Blanchard!
"While Rick Warren is gearing up to
train a billion people,
unbeknownst to many he has also been teamed up with New Age and contemplative
promoter, Ken Blanchard, for some time now. According to a new biography
on Rick Warren,
A Life With Purpose written by George Mair,
Rick Warren has solicited the services of Ken Blanchard to aid him in training
leaders....
"There is countless evidence
to show that Blanchard sits on the New Age/mystical/contemplative bandwagon.
Blanchard believes in the benefits and use of mantra meditation, yoga and
has no trouble borrowing from Buddhism."
See
Creating
Community through Transformational Leadership
Thou Shalt Not Be Negative
:
"Osteen has much to smile about: His first book showed up on The New
York Times bestseller list for hardcover advice books in November, and
by mid-January it had reached No. 1—outranking even Rick Warren's The Purpose-Driven
Life. With
Warner Faith expecting to sell at
least 2.4 million copies of his book, Publishers Weekly has already dubbed
it a crossover phenomenon. ...
"What will
devotees of advice books find in Your Best Life Now? ... More uses of must,
should, the imperative voice, and start-your-morning life affirmations.
... Osteen promotes some of prosperity theology's favorite notions, such
as reprogramming your mind with positive
thoughts or changing your life with the power of your spoken words.
...
"...he writes
that the Israelites' 'lack of faith and their
lack of self-esteem robbed them of
the fruitful future God had in store for them.'"
No, they were exiled to Babylon and lost
their land because they disobeyed Him and His
covenant
with them and followed other gods.
Deut 8:10-20
State of the Church:
"The final substantive section is a subjective overview of George Barna’s
take on what these numbers and patterns mean within the bigger picture of
American spirituality. You cannot make great strategic decisions unless
you are well-informed about the world you wish to influence."
For God's work, we mainly need to know His will and ways, not the world's
wants and ways.
Guidance
February 2005
Water: America's looming crisis:
"In a recent documentary, 'THIRST,' ... the filmmakers explain how scarce
supplies will cause water costs to rival oil prices as global corporations
take over public resources....
It’s already happening in Sandy
Valley, Calif.... In Colorado, already under restrictions from several drought
years, knowledgeable Front Range residents wonder where future generations
will find water as the state doubles its population from four to eight million
in 50 years....
"Communities
throughout the U.S. may face international corporations taking over their
local water supplies within the next five to 10 years. 'Once they get hold
of the water, be prepared to pay gas prices."
Deut 28:15
UK capital braces itself for
an invasion of mystery worshippers:
"The Mystery Worshipper reporters will be giving the lowdown on what it's
like to be a visitor in London churches, great and small, that Sunday. They'll
be tackling all the most vexed questions about church: How hard is the pew?
How long is the sermon? How fairly traded is the coffee? How warm is the
welcome?"
What
about the preaching?
God's eternal, unchanging
Word
MIT’s Nicholas Negroponte pushes
a cheap PC for the rest of the world:
"The founder and chairman of the MIT Media Lab wants to create a $100 portable
computer for the developing world.... Mr. Negroponte’s idea is to develop
educational software and have the portable personal computer replace textbooks
in schools." An interactive
computer for each child in the world lifts brings the vision of global tracking
and surveillance much closer to fulfillment.
See
A National Information
System
and the next link:
Nicholas Negroponte:
"He is the
brother of United States Director
of National Intelligence John Negroponte.... In 1985, Negroponte piloted
MIT's Media Lab into existence. It developed into ... a high-tech playground
for investigating the human-computer interface."
Who's
crazy? Experts or non-experts? "For
years and years, many non-experts called parents, taxpayers or simply those
who recognize boulders in the roads that go through anything connected with
education, have been routinely ignored and often ridiculed....
"Along the way, "experts" (those who have made often profitable
careers out orchestrating waves of change) became very adept at knowing
how to judge when new boulders could be marketed....
"Academic subjects soon became almost pointless.... Parents and
taxpayers were made to understand that times had changed. Students had miraculously,
in a generation, morphed into brilliant self-learners, no longer in need
of orderly progression of solidly-built foundations of learning. They would
be in great demand, the world over, because of their skills, their teamwork,
their concern for righting community wrongs,
their ability to step up and advise adults of all ages."
And
change agents want to start this transformational process early.
See
Justifying
Mind Control and
the next link:
Early Education Ensures that
We Leave No Child Behind: "...the first five years of life are
key to a child's long-term development.... Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers
are like sponges, absorbing sounds, music, and words, while touching and
testing every object they encounter....
"Last July, First Lady
Laura Bush held a summit on early childhood development and announced that
the Bush Administration plans to launch a $50 million study on early development
and school readiness. The next month... Sandra Feldman, president of the
American Federation of Teachers, called for universal preschool...."
See
Brainwashing in America
January 2005
Google hits the books:
"Taking a trip to the library soon may take little more than a computer's
Web browser. Working with major libraries, Google is hoping to scan millions
of books and periodicals into its Internet search engine during the next
several years as part of an effort to bring more of
the world's collective knowledge
online.
The Michigan and Stanford libraries are the only two so far to agree to
submit all their material to Google's scanners. ... Oxford wants Google
Inc. to scan all its books originally published before 1901."
See
The Memory of the World
&
Information and Knowledge
For previous links to articles on this
topic, click on Managing change-1
For more recent articles, see
Change
2006-2007
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