Why Obama is Tied With McCain in National Polls

Okay folks. We keep hearing that Obama and McCain is neck and neck. They are. The Palin bump is fading fast. Now listen closely. Here is why the presidential race is so close.
1. The country is evenly divided. The last few elections were not landslides. The already convinced know who they will vote for. Palin was added to the ticket to shore up the conservative base. Even if Sen. Clinton was the VP nominee the race who be this close.
2. The Republican National Committe should be worried. Attack ads on McCain being out of touch is targeted toward the young adult voting block. Soon there will be attack ads targeting seniors. The surrogates have been hammering away at Palin. This is only going to get uglier.
3. Now here is the key for the next few days. Battleground state surveys are the key. Each camp knows it must win some battleground states. Unless something unexpected happens, it will come down to who gets out the vote. If that is the case, Obama has the edge. But it is an eternity now until election day. What do you say?

Its the Air War and the Ground War until Election Day

Despite much talk about an expanded playing field, by and large, states receiving advertising in 2008 look similar to the states targeted in the 2004 presidential campaign.

The Obama campaign aired ads in 17 states from September 6-13, while the McCain campaign aired ads in 15 of those same states. Just over half of the money spent in this first full week after the late summer political conventions was spent in the Midwest battlegrounds of Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Of note though, Obama also continued to air ads in Indiana, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, and Virginia -- all of which were won by George W. Bush in both 2000 and 2004.
Read More Here.

McCain Takes A Hit From the Press

Dems hit McCain on access
By MIKE ALLEN | 9/17/08 5:57 AM EDT

The Democratic National Committee on Wednesday is launching a “McCain Press Watch” – a counter showing the number of days, minutes and hours since the last news conference by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

Currently, it’s at 34 days and counting.

“John McCain once prided himself on running an open and transparent campaign, saying he could not curb his accessibility to reporters because ‘that destroys credibility,’” the DNC page says. “McCain even promised to hold weekly press conferences if elected. … John McCain hasn't done a media availability with national reporters in more than a month. His last news conference was on August 13 in Birmingham, MI.”

Politico’s Amie Parnes reported on Tuesday: “[W]hen Straight Talk Air departed Tampa today, a dozen reporters chanted,’ Bring Mac back! Bring Mac back!’ … The chanting lasted under a minute as staffers in the business cabin smiled and then promptly closed the curtain between business and coach.”

DNC spokesman Damien LaVera said: “[I]t's easy to see why he doesn't want to be held accountable to the people or to his own promises.”

The DNC is calling attention to the issue by delivering a gift bag of reports and other items to the regulars in the McCain press corps, ostensibly to keep them occupied until the next media availability.

Politico has asked the Republican National Committee and McCain campaign for a response and will add it when it comes.
Read More Here.

Good Week for Republicans

The Palin Gambit is working so far. The Republican base is excited. Obama's camp has been off message. McCain is looking like the maverick he wants to be portrayed as. As long as Palin is the center of attention the issues fade to the back. Here is what you should look for in the next week:
1. Republicans will keep Palin the focus as long as possible. This keeps the Democrats off target and off message. Their attacks on her look negative. Until the VP debate, Palin is unstoppable. Only she can hurt herself.
2. McCain will be free to defend his VP nominee. This makes him look good to the people that matter--independents. He will continue to pick up percentages in the polls. Can Obama weather this hurricane Sarah?
3. The Democratic strategy must be to refocus the campaign on McCain/Bush. Quit crying about the Republicans stealing the "Change" theme. It just shows that everybody wants change. Obama's camp must define McCain with attack ads and keep it up until November. Will they do it?
4. Surrogates will be enrolled to counter Sarah Palin. If they define her with her own record in Alaska that will work. Personal attacks will backfire. She must be seen to be out of the mainstream and not credible. Can Obama's camp accomplish this?
Okay, look for more insights, remember you read it here first.

McCain's Distortions Called Out

McCain barbs stirring outcry as distortions
Republican candidate's attacks on Obama come under fire from all sides

By MICHAEL COOPER and JIM RUTENBERG

updated 10:45 p.m. CT, Fri., Sept. 12, 2008
Harsh advertisements and negative attacks are a staple of presidential campaigns, but Senator John McCain has drawn an avalanche of criticism this week from Democrats, independent groups and even some Republicans for regularly stretching the truth in attacking Senator Barack Obama’s record and positions.
Read More Here.

Alaska Lawmakers to Supoena Palin's Husband

Alaska Lawmakers to Subpoena Palin's Husband

By Gene Johnson
Associated Press
Saturday, September 13, 2008; Page A04

ANCHORAGE, Sept. 12 -- Alaska lawmakers voted Friday to subpoena the husband of Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate, after an investigator called Todd Palin "a central figure" regarding the governor's dismissal of the state's director of public safety. Read More Here.

Palin's Pastor Asks for Prayers for Media

Palin's pastor asks flock to pray for the media
Congregants urged to do their own research when deciding who to vote for
updated 5:12 p.m. CT, Sun., Sept. 7, 2008
WASILLA, Alaska - A little sermon about — and for — the messenger seemed to Pastor Larry Kroon an appropriate message on Sunday morning.

"It's been an interesting week," laughed Kroon, pastor at the Wasilla Bible Church, as he welcomed attendees. The nondenominational congregation where Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin and her family worship was carrying on services as usual this Sunday, but with a few extra guests.
Read More Here.

The Palin Gambit, Will it Work?

This my friends is the defining image of the presidential campaign. Here is my controversial theory about the Sarah Palin pick to be the Republican Vice-presidential running mate.
1. The McCain people realize the campaign is really about 6 or so battleground states. They believe the vote in those states will come down to the white male vote. Hence Sarah Palin. Can she deliver?
2. The Democrats showed the Republicans how to effectively attack Sen. Obama. Hillary found her voice too late for her campaign, but she showed the Republicans how to attack Obama. Use a white woman. In the minds of America, it plays into an old racial paradigm, we will watch it play out in the next eight weeks.
3. The media got it wrong. McCain's people didn't care about vetting Palin for anything except the most serious improprieties such as ethics and finance. Palin is on the ticket to attack and destroy Obama in the minds of certain hard working Americans (code for white folks). Sounds prejudiced? Sounds jaundiced? We will see. Palin is the attack dog. McCain can't do it and stay on the high road.
4.Palin will discredit Obama and challenge him to get down and dirty. Obama has built his campaign on change. He can not attack her directly and stay on the high road. Biden can but must use indirect attacks. The only one who can neutralize Palin is Hillary. Will she do it? At what price?
5.There you have it. Racist? Realistic? You decide. Later I will decode the stratagem. Will it work? We will see.

McCain Not Sure How Many Houses He Has

The Politico reports:
McCain unsure how many houses he owns
By JONATHAN MARTIN & MIKE ALLEN | 8/21/08 6:34 AM EST

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said in an interview Wednesday that he was uncertain how many houses he and his wife, Cindy, own.

"I think - I'll have my staff get to you," McCain told us in Las Cruces, N.M. "It's condominiums where - I'll have them get to you."

The correct answer is at least four, located in Arizona, California and Virginia, according to his staff. Newsweek estimated this summer that the couple owns at least seven properties.

In recent weeks, Democrats have stepped up their effort to caricature McCain as living an outlandishly rich lifestyle – a bit of payback to the GOP for portraying Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) as an elitist, and for turning the spotlight in 2004 on the five homes owned by Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry.

Pro-Obama labor groups have sent out mailers highlighting McCain’s wealth, and prominent Democrats have included references to it in comments to reporters.

See Also
Exclusive: No single-term pledge for McCain
McCain calls lobbyists 'birds of prey'
McCain camp readies for Dem convention
Twice in the past two weeks, those Democrats have focused on McCain’s houses.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) told Politico’s Ben Smith that it was McCain “who wears $500 shoes, has six houses, and comes from one of the richest families in his state."

And David Axelrod, Obama’s chief strategist, referred in an interview with Adam Nagourney of The New York Times to an imagined meeting of McCain strategists “on the portico of the McCain estate in Sedona — or maybe in one of his six other houses.”

McCain’s comments came four days after he initially told Pastor Rick Warren during a faith forum on Sunday his threshold for considering someone rich is $5 million — a careless comment he quickly corrected.

In the interview, McCain did not offer an alternative number, but had a new answer ready.

“I define rich in other ways besides income,” he said. “Some people are wealthy and rich in their lives and their children and their ability to educate them. Others are poor if they’re billionaires.”

McCain, by anyone's measure, is well off if you include his wife's fortune. Cindy McCain inherited control of her father’s beer distributorship, the largest in Arizona, and has an estimated worth of over $100 million.

Read More Here.

Condi's Surprise Visit to Baghdad

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Baghdad to discuss the future of American forces deployed in Iraq.

Ms Rice is holding talks with Iraqi leaders including Prime Minister Nouri Maliki during the unannounced visit.

It comes after 10 months of difficult negotiations between Washington and Baghdad about the status of US troops on Iraqi soil.

Reports suggest a compromise draft agreement is being considered by both governments.

Negotiations have been held up by disagreement over the timing of the final withdrawal of US forces from the country and the immunity of US soldiers from prosecution under Iraqi law, says the BBC's Crispin Thorold in Baghdad.

'No agreement yet'

Read More Here.

Mapping a path to the White House
By MARK J. PENN | 8/19/08 4:42 AM EST

During the Super Bowl, the seventh game of the World Series and the “American Idol” finale, Americans can be counted on to sit in front of their television sets. The same is true of the quadrennial political conventions. America is a country that tunes in for a good contest.

This year, the party that wins the battle of the conventions will likely win the election. In the past 60 years, few presidential candidates have overcome negative poll numbers taken after the conventions. While races have gotten closer and debates have had an effect, nothing in the months between convention and election has swayed the voters’ preferences.

In modern times, conventions have become infomercials: They are valuable opportunities to consolidate the parties’ bases, reach out to swing voters, outline the parties’ substantive agendas and burn into the minds of voters the biographies of the nominees. Television producers, moviemakers, consultants and speechwriters carefully hone every scene and every word to deliver a message to the country.

In recent cycles, the convention battleground has determined whether the election will be about the economy or about national security. With few exceptions, the Republicans fight for security while the Democrats fight for the economy. The winner of that battle usually wins. Barack Obama’s campaign has, in my view, two main objectives for its convention: It must end the question of any remaining Clinton-Obama delegate tensions and close the sale with the voters. The party is blessed with few divisive issues, a motivated and growing electorate, and an easy target in President Bush, who has far lower ratings than President Bill Clinton ever did, even in the worst days of his eight years in office.

In current polls, Obama is getting just over 75 percent of the Democratic vote. He needs to increase that to 85 percent or more to put the election away, and that means bringing home Hillary Rodham Clinton’s voters. Women and seniors — two core groups that supported Clinton in the primaries — are waiting for the conventions to make up their minds and will likely be a huge part of the swing electorate watching the conventions. They are core television watchers and also have the highest economic anxiety. Read More About It Here.

Who's Number 2 for Obama

Who's No. 2? Obama Keeps Everybody Guessing.
By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
This is Veep Week. That, in reality, is about all that anyone outside Sen. Barack Obama's inner, inner circle knows -- that sometime before next week the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee will announce his running mate. Beyond that, the political world is in a zone of fevered speculation.

Nothing is certain, and one sign of how jittery everyone is about the timing and the choice came yesterday afternoon, when the gossipy Drudge Report posted an item that said, "Paper: Obama may announce VP in AM." That set off alarms in newsrooms across the country until Obama advisers shot it down -- although it was not clear exactly what they were shooting down, other than that the announcement would come early this morning.

Read More About it.

Conversation with A New Earth, by Eckhart Tolle

Tolle writes, "We are all conditioned to see ourselves in a role." I ask, "How does one breakthrough or break out of one's conditioning?" In many cases, happiness is a role people play behind the facade of smiles. Behind the mask, there is pain and depression. So Tolle tells us, not to say I Am unhappy, but rather say, there is unhappiness within me. The primary cause of unhappiness is not the situation but your thoughts about the situation. Rather than being your thoughts and emotions be the awareness behind them.
This is where many people misunderstand Tolle. Tolle is not merely advocating achieving traditional enlightenment and an awakening moment of nonduality. Tolle is seeking a continuous awareness of the moment which comes from a desire to be aware not a desire to be awakened. If we just say to ourselves, "what is the awareness I need now in this moment," we will experience it.
As long as I can remain in a state of mind aware of my I Am-ness and the Isness of others I can be aware of the ego and its thoughts (false as they may be) at least I am aware of the roles I am playing at any given moment and not play the role if I choose to.
Our goal in life according to Tolle, is to bring the power of the transforming Presence of the Moment to transform my self, my relationships and my world.

Be The First to Know Barack's Running Mate

Barack Obama is about to make one of the most important decisions of this campaign -- You have helped build this movement from the bottom up, and Barack wants you to be the first to know his choice.

Sign up today to be the first to know:

http://my.barackobama.com/vp

You will receive an email the moment Barack makes his decision, or you can text VP to 62262 to receive a text message on your mobile phone.

Once you've signed up, please forward this email to your friends, family, and coworkers to let them know about this special opportunity.

No other campaign has done this before. You can be part of this important moment.

Be the first to know who Barack selects as his running mate.

Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth

In Role-Playing:The Many Faces of the Ego, Tolle writes, we do what we feel will get our needs met--some gratification, physical or psychological. Some roles we play to get attention, villian, victim, lover. Some romantic relationships are designed to get others to make us feel special and meet our needs. There are some pre-established roles or social archetypes we play, such as--middle class housewife, rough macho male, female seductress, the "non-conformist", artist, performer or person of culture. We take our roles seriously. Awareness helps us detect the role playing. The more we identify with the role, the more inauthentic we are. The more inauthentic our relationships become. How do we break out of this conditioning?
As I understand this paragraph, not all roles are bad, some might be necessary. However, to be inauthentic in our roles is not healthy. Can we risk being ourselves? Can we be true to ourselves and still receive the love we hunger for? Isn't that the real issue?

More Conversations with the Mega Hit A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

Tolle tells this story.
"As I was walking with a friend through a beautiful nature reserve near Malibu in California, we came upon the ruins of what had been once a country house, destroyed by fire several decades ago. As we approached the property, long overgrown with trees and all kinds of magnificent plants, there was a sign by the side of the trail put there by the park authorities. It read: Danger All Structures Are Unstable." I said to my friend, "That's a profound sutra [sacred scripture]." And we stood there in awe." (p. 81)
What do we trust in? Unstable structures or God? As a Christian believer, our faith is in the living God, not ourselves. Tolle would say, that divinity is inside of us. Whether immanent or transcendent, our trust is in the Power greater than ourselves, right?

Is Something Sinister In McCain Attacks On Obama?

There was never any chance that it would be a placid affair, a presidential race free of mud-slinging and shabby attack ads. It will surprise only the political naif that Sen. John McCain’s promised campaign of high-mindedness is entirely dependent on favorable polling data, or that Sen. Barack Obama’s platitudinous calls for “hope” and “change,” his admonition that we must knock down “walls” and erect “bridges,” are tactfully short on specifics.

But it is with a certain amount of puzzlement that many observers have watched the issue of race injected into the campaign. Last week, after the McCain team released two seemingly innocuous, though pointed, advertisements — one accusing their opponent of vapidity, the other of messianism — a steady stream of mainstream, Obama-friendly commentators and bloggers cried foul. In a video titled “Celeb,” McCain juxtaposed Obama with famous paparazzi quarry Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. To most, the message was clear, if a little ham-handed: Like Hilton and Spears, Obama is famous for being famous; he's more flash than substance.

But was there a deeper message? In the past week and a half, the liberal blogosphere has become a virtual Bletchley Park of racial cryptographers teasing out the sinister motives and subtexts of McCain’s campaign advertising.
Find it at the Politico.

Victoria Osteen Sued in Airplane Incident

HOUSTON (AP) -- After questioning that touched on religious beliefs, celebrity and the public's perception of preachers and televangelists, a jury was seated Wednesday in a civil lawsuit alleging the wife of nationally known pastor Joel Osteen assaulted a flight attendant.
A jury panel of seven men and five women was set to hear opening statements in the trial on Thursday.
In the lawsuit, Continental Airlines flight attendant Sharon Brown accuses Victoria Osteen of assaulting her before the start of a 2005 flight from Houston to Vail, Colo. Brown alleges Victoria Osteen, co-pastor of Houston's popular Lakewood Church, threw her against a bathroom door and elbowed her in the left breast during an angry outburst over a stain on her first-class seat.
Read More Here.

Conversation with Eckhart Tolle's Megahit A New Earth Part 2

Tolle asks the question, “Do you want peace or drama?” p. 77. “Can you feel that there is something in you that is at war, something that feels threatened and wants to survive at all cost, that needs the drama in order to assert its identity as the victorious character within that theatrical production?” p.77. I realize that within me—I would rather be right than have peace.

For Tolle, awareness is the power of the present moment! “And so a power comes into your life that is far greater than the ego, greater than the mind.”p.78. “Awareness is the power that is concealed within the present moment.” p.78. He calls it Presence.

“The ultimate purpose of human existence, which is to say, your purpose, is to bring that power into this world.” P. 78. The power of Presence.

As a Christian, I see this power as the presence of God. In the Old Testament literature, it is the Shecainah. The glorious presence of God that transforms the atmosphere and changes all that it touches.

Tolle says only Presence can free you of the ego. Only Presence can undo your past and transform your awareness. The western mind has remade Jesus Christ into a western spiritual figure. Jesus has an Eastern approach to spirituality. We must reapproach Jesus from an Eastern perspective. What did Jesus mean when he said, “Deny Thyself”? For Tolle, it is the ego—deny the illusion of self in order to discover the true self behind the mask of ego.

Can we discover the truest essence of our selves? Can I sense the I AM-ness at each present moment? Or do I lose My Self to the world?

Conversation with A New Earth, Eckhart Tolle's Megahit

The ego’s sense of self worth in most cases is bound up in the worth we have in other people’s eyes. “…if you cannot look through this collective delusion, you will be condemned to chasing after things for the rest of your life…” (p. 45)

You cannot calculate your self worth by what you have on the ledger sheet. When we strip away all the stuff and roles and identifications, what we have left is the true self. This is the peace of God that passes understanding for Tolle. “The ultimate truth of who you are is not I am this or I am that, but I am”. (p. 57) As I understand him—I am—because I am aware.

When we accept this truth according to Eckhart we can rest in it, we can flow in it and it will cooperate with us. We are able to rest in the peace and inner stillness that comes from surrender.

More Thoughts on A New Earth, Eckhart Tolle Part 2

These material things make up the content of the ego-- our roles, our stuff, etc. Advertising convinces us that things will add value to our lives—in other words add something to our sense of self. For Tolle each thing has its own beingness and should be honored on those terms. Not just for its utilitarian value or what it can do for the owner. We need not find ourselves through things. We are trapped in the hamster cage. We are running alone on the hamster wheel that wants more. Eckhart says, “The unchurched striving for more, for endless growth is a dysfunction and a disease.” (p. 37)

Tolle suggests as a spiritual practice that we investigate our relationship to the world of things. Each of us could ask the question—am I bound up in the things I possess?

The Christian Church teaches tithing and giving as a spiritual practice. When we give/tithe we are reminded that God owns it all and we are just managers of what we have. It all ultimately belongs to God. We are only “stewards” of it. Being able to let things go from our hands, is an act of power.

Here Tolle gives a great quote:
“Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness.” (p. 41)

The ego is a program in the mind. We have programmed it by what we take in and save. Once we hit the save button it stays there waiting for the retrieve button. We are creating the story by which we live.

Once again, Eckhart expresses a teaching of Jesus to explain his point about the ego. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Eckhart interprets the quote to mean—the poor in spirit have no ego, no inner baggage and no identification. The kingdom of heaven for Eckhart is the “simple but profound joy of Being that is there when you let go of identification and so become “poor in spirit”. (p. 43) He goes further to explain—“This is why renouncing all possessions has been an ancient spiritual practice in both East and West”. (p. 43).

More Thoughts on CNN Special Black In America

The CNN Special, Black in America has given me pause again. Soledad O'Brien should be given an Emmy for this special. Don't forget to read for about it by clicking here. I related to it because my own family is black and white. A few years ago, the white side of my family found me on the internet. They were having a family reunion near St. Louis and invited me to attend. At the time, I was resistant. However, this year my father and stepmom attended the reunion in Springfield, KY. There were about 40 or so white members of the family along with 20 or so members of the black side of the family. Why was I so resistant? My legacy of being Black in America? "Can we learn to get along?", says Rodney King. I regret not going now. I realize we still have far to go to reach Dr. Martin Luther King's dream of a "beloved community". Sunday morning is still the most segregated hour in the week, but its changing. At least my father and step mother can attend an intergrated family reunion, even when their son is hesitant. Wow!

What is in a Name?

According to Yahoo! The New NBA franchise in Oklahoma City is going to be named either the Barons, Bisons, Marshall, Thunder or Wind. Read More About it Here. What is in a name? My church is called Calvary. When we traveled to the Holy Land this year I rediscovered that Calvary meant "skull". So I have visions of a new church logo that includes some skull and cross bones. What do you think? Maybe we could get a big skull and cross bones on the back of a leather jacket with the motto: Deny Self, Take Up Cross, Follow Jesus! That would be great for a Harley Motorcycle Christian group right? Hey, it's early in the morning, what else would I write, right?

More Thoughts on A New Earth

The misperception is some part of the whole self usually hijacks the self and takes over the identification. This is ego piracy. This hijacked or commandeered self is represented by a “voice in the head” that speaks for the whole self. Tolle’s call to humanity is to resist identifying with the content of the mind. He wants us to become aware of the whole—or to become enlightened.

Tolle at one point placed his faith in the ability of the intellect to solve humanity’s problems. Then a brilliant professor he respected and admired committed suicide. This made him question his faith in the intellect. He also experienced a woman on the subway who kept talking to herself out loud, as if talking to a third person. She was thinking and her thoughts were being spoken out loud with anger. Tolle writes, “For a moment, I was able to stand back from my own mind and see it from a deeper perspective, as it were.” (p. 33) This revealed a shift in him from thinking to awareness.

He found himself thinking his thoughts out loud like the “crazy lady” and found himself alone in the men’s room looking at himself in the mirror. He began to laugh at himself out loud. He describes it as the laugh of the big-bellied Buddha. “Life isn’t as serious as my mind makes it out to be”. (p.33) If we seek our identity in things we trap ourselves in an inauthentic selfhood. Why? Because the true self is much more than what we own or what owns us. Jesus taught that life consists of more than what we possess. He taught, “What good does it do to gain the whole world and lose your soul. Or what can you give in exchange for a soul.”

Black In America Special Some Personal Thoughts

In the preview of tonights special, Soledad O'Brien will look at two brothers, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson and his brother Everett. Everett is serving a life term for a murder he committed, while his brother Michael is a respected author, minister and professor. What happened? They both say it was the choices they made. When Everett looks at his successful brother he says, "It is a testament to the fact that I could have done this or that or the other." Dr. Dyson brings up the controversial comment that it was partly based on colorism. [Meaning that blacks in America treat each other differently based upon the lightness or brightness of skin tone.]

In another segment last night Dr. Roland Fryer, a Harvard economist who is also Black in America, has a controversial program to pay students to get good grades. They can earn up to $250 in a program that tests them on 10 skills assessments. Should children earn money while learning? The principal of the school Marian Brown attests to progress the students have made. Not only will Dr. Fryer pay students to learn, but there is another program called "million" that will give one million New York school students a cell phone that is sophisticated. This cell phone will be off while in school and be a cell phone when out of school.

They profile a student Eric Kennedy, Jr. whose family is close to being homeless. Their subsidized apartment is being taken over by the owner. Eric wants to use some of the money he has earn to help his father pay the bills. Shouldn't learning be its own reward?

When tied to the failure of the public schools in New York, the Public Schools of St. Louis fare no better. The St. Louis City schools have been fatally damaged by the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. St. Louis has been fatally damaged by a law that allows Charter Schools to syphon money needed for the schools to turn around. The future of the St. Louis Public Schools is in the hands of the State. It will require new legislation to survive and there is little will power in the State Legislature to change the existing laws.

So to be Black in America is risky, dicey and dangerous. The special says to be Black in America is to be Single Mothers living on the margins, it means to be students at risk of homelessness and extended families that included the various ups and downs of life.

What can the church do? In interviews with Bishop T. D. Jakes and Pastor Smith of the Rand family church in Houston, the church didn't appear to have the answers. The struggle is complex. People and churches live within the paradox of life today. As Bishop Jakes put it, "we live between the ideal and the real." We preach the ideal, yet must minister with the realities. Life can be a paradox in Black America. So much promise, so much pain. Remember to check it out tonight.

A New Earth Part 3

In Eckhart Tolle’s second chapter entitled, Ego: The Current State of Humanity, he makes the case that our collective dysfunction, causes suffering and pain. It is rooted in the ego. All we can see is the surface of a person or thing. For Eckhart each created thing has an “unfathomable depth.” There is a beingness to things. Only the awakened mind can see into the beingness of a thing. The example he gives is Vincent Van Gogh. The artist’s job is to translate the isness of the subject to canvass so we can really see or appreciate the painting.

In order for us to really see things as they are we must disentangle ourselves from the “I”. He writes, “That disentanglement is what this book is about.” We should use words and thoughts but not become imprisoned by them. Here is the problem with the “I” according to Mr. Tolle. The “I” is an error of perception. We think we are what the ego identifies with—the stuff of life. This stuff the Tao calls, “the 10,000 things”. This stuff the Buddha called, “Tata”.

The ego represents a false self. The “I” equals our roles and identity. Yet, we are much more than these. The false self is identified with a quilt of possessiveness such as: gender, possessions, the sense-perceived body, a nationality, race, religion, and profession, etc. The false self is identified with our roles is this life—mother, father, husband, wife, etc. These all make up the mental construct we call “I” [ego].

Pastor Sings Love Songs, Wow!

Thoughtful Reflections

While going over Eckhart Tolle's book, A New Earth, I realized how captive to my ego I am. I am in a place of dependence upon God. The parable of Jesus that says "take no thought for tomorrow--if God takes care of flowers and birds--He'll take care of you? I can't even plumb the depths of what that really means. I think I take care of me, but God really takes care of me. I think I supply my own needs, but God really supplies my needs.

I am ego proud. I want to be the provider for my family. Not having enough money makes me anxious and fearful. Now there must be some constructive and positive connection between work and reward. God Himself tells us to do good works and build upon a solid foundation of the gospel. So what does Jesus mean when he says, "take no thought for tomorrow?" Tomorrow will take care of itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.

Does it mean to be fully present in today? Does it mean to invite the Divine Presence into today, knowing that by acknowledging and practicing the Divine Presence in our daily lives we will transform our daily lives?

Maybe the connection is the still small voice within that speaks peace in the midst of my anxiety storm. That voice that speaks direction when I feel lost. That voice that speaks joy, when I feel sorrow. That voice that speaks peace when I feel confused.

Listen up! Me. Take no thought, no intellectual-izing, no fear, no anxiety about tomorrow! But give the anxiety to God. You will then be able to hear His calming assurance and receive His direction for your life. Be assured of this, the same God that looks after little sparrows that fall, and has the hairs on your head numbered is the God who gives direction for your life.

Economic news is bad. It will mess with your head and fire up the fear in your emotions. But stop and listen to the still small voice in the inside. It tells us to have peace in the middle of storms of doubt and fear. If God cares about sparrows and flowers, God must care about us humans as well.

Don't be afraid. Have faith in God. Lean not to your own understanding and God will direct your path. So God, how do we become a church that not only meets its own needs but also the needs of others? Your thoughts?

A New Earth Part 2

Sadly, I agree with Mr. Tolle’s assessment of religion. People have used religion to further suffering. Instead of promoting peace, much of the Christian religion has promoted war. War has created untold suffering. All of this is done in the name of Christ. Lately, many other religious people have contributed to the suffering of the world. All of these heinous acts have been done in the name of their deity. For Mr. Tolle, the answer is not more religion but more spirituality.

To be spiritual is not the same as being religious. The new spirituality is a transformation of consciousness. It is a new thought system that frees one from the ego. What Mr. Tolle calls for is a flowering of consciousness that creates a kind of cumulative effect on the world. So the new earth is but the outward manifestation of a new consciousness, a new way of being in the world.

I agree with Mr. Tolle, the world needs change. Dr. Martin Luther King said, our choices are not between nonviolence and violence, but between nonviolence and nonexistence. In this sense, Dr. King was calling for a transformation of consciousness when it came to race. Could this country be in for a sea change of transformation if an African-American is elected president? Not only do we need a new spirituality outside of the mainstream churches. We also need a new mindset within mainstream churches. For too long, we have made an emphasis on right doctrine as the common denominator of mainstream religion. Maybe what we need know are new spiritual practices.

Maybe we should define our faith by how we practice the ethic of love that Jesus preached. Maybe we should define ourselves as people of faith by how we treat each other. The title of the book comes from the prophecy in Revelation that there will be a new heaven and a new earth. While I do not share Mr. Tolle’s esoteric interpretation, I do hear his call for change. If we love people as Jesus taught, will we be able to create “heaven on earth?” What do you think?

A New Earth Part 1

This is my second blogging project. It is a dialogue with a book that is a publishing phenomenon. In fact, Eckhart Tolle’s first book was a number one New York Times bestseller. This book, A New Earth, is another publishing phenomenon that has been pushed by Oprah Winfrey when she chose it for her book club. While I do not attempt to read Mr. Tolle’s mind, I want to comment on what I have discovered in reading the book. Maybe you want to join the conversation. Feel free to send your comments.

A New Earth, is Mr. Tolle’s call to action. For him the world is in dire straights. He writes that we are faced with a radical crisis. The “old way of being in the world…doesn’t work anymore. (p.20)” Our world is on the brink of disaster. He exclaims, “humanity is now faced with the stark choice: Evolve or die.( p. 21)” The great problem for us is the collective dysfunction of the ego. This collective dysfunction is at the root of environmental damage, wars and suffering. His call is to awaken the world to a new way of being. This will create the new earth. What do you say?

Here Are the Pastors On Pilgrimage

Here we are outside of the Church of the Multiplication. It commemorates the Feeding of the 5000. Good looking group, eh?

Israel Trip Part 7

Today is our last full day in Israel. We went first to the Western Wall or Wailing Wall, the retaining wall of the Temple mount. I delivered the prayer requests that had been given to me by members and friends of the church where I pastor. It was a very moving time for me. I spent the first few minutes just praying at the wall, lifting up prayers to God. Then I went into the tunnel next to the wall. Inside were many Jewish rabbis and students and other devout praying and reading prayers. There was a rabbi teaching students. There was a circle of young Jewish men outside signing their praise to God very loudly. We all wore our heads covered. The women in the group had to go to the women's side of the wall.
We had to pass through metal detectors. We saw a group of about forty young police, looking about young twenties, carrying rifles and having on bullet proof vests and helmets. Last night and today was a Jewish holiday of Pentecost of I think they call it Shavaout. We had tried to eat at the King David Hotel last night but it was full to overflowing of people celebrating the holiday.
After spending about one hour at the Wailing Wall. We then went up to the Mount where the Al-Aqsa Mosbue and the Dome of the Rock are located. We could not go into the Dome, but it was good to walk around the Temple area.
We left there to go to Gordon's Calvary or the Garden Tomb. This place looks like what Calvary and the tomb of Joseph of Arimethea would have looked like at the time of Jesus. Although scholars do not believe it to be the actual burial place of Jesus, it was a helpful visual aid to our faith. Our group celebrated the Lord's Supper at the Garden Tomb. The sign at the door of the tomb reads, "He is not here, He is risen". That my friends is Good News.
This might be my last post. We will be leaving Israel on tomorrow. We go to Bethlehem for a final feast. We will then return to Tel Aviv to board our flight home. These two weeks have been life changing to say the least. I have made new friends. I have felt the pain of the Yad Veshim, holocaust memorial. I have felt the pain of oppression and prejudice that comes when people do mean things in the name of God. This land of promise is a land of pain. Christians fighting over who runs the holy sites in Jerusalem is not a great witness to Christ. Jews fighting Palestinian, Christian against Muslim, this is all wrong. We have been called to the ministry of reconciliation. So I leave a holy land, full of sorrow in my heart because of the pain people of faith have caused each other.
I look forward to going home. I have been away long enough. I will carry these memories with me forever.

Israel Trip Part 6

Today we spent time in Bethlehem. Our travels took us to the Shepherd's Field, site of the angels telling the shepherds that Jesus has been born in a manger. We also saw the Church or Balsilica of the Nativity. The Star is the presumed site of Jesus birth. It is a place a great reverence. I saw a young woman on her knees in devotion to the Virgin Mary. She said her rosary and crawled on her knees through the church of the Nativity. What devotion!
I am amazed at how the holy sites have been guarded by religious orders, like the Carmelites and Franciscans. We owe them a great debt. Even though the Franciscans could not say Mass for 400 years they remained faithful to keep the holy sites that we now enjoy.
I am also amazed the eternity invaded time. That in the fulness of time, Jesus came, born of a woman, Mary. It is a wonderful thought. Many of us have made several trips to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is a very large basilica that holds the traditional sites of Mt. Calvary and the tomb of Jesus. The largests lines are to see the place where He laid. But guess what? He is not there! He has risen like he said. Go into the world and preach this good news. Hallelujah!

Israel Trip Part 5

Today we spent time touring Jerusalem. WE saw the place dedicated to the Our Father prayer. It is run by Carmelite Nuns. Then we walked down to the Church of Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. We walked into the old city, going to the Basilica of St. Anne, the pool of Bethsada, we walked the Via Dolorosa and ended at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This has been quite a day. I think of all of the stations of the Cross. As we follow in the footsteps of Christ, do we think about all of the things he went through for us? I am so grateful for this trip. More later.

Israel Trip Part 4

We travel on Wednesday from Gallilee to Jerusalem. On the way, we stopped at Megiddo. Megiddo is the town that overlooks the Valley of Jezreel. It was a Canaanite city, then occupied by others until King Ahab. The book of Revelation says the last battle will be fought in the valley of Megiddo or Jezreel. WE walked down through the water springs. This is were the city got its water. In case of seige it kept a water supply. It makes one wonder about how much carnage must happen in a valley as big as this if the blood of men will reach the bridles of horses. Let us pray that we can make peace and not war!

Israel Trip Part 3

Today we saw the Jesus boat. It is a 1st century fishing boat. It is the kind that would have been used at the time of Jesus. It is remarkable how it was found. It was sticking out of the water in the Sea of Gallilee during low water. It was painstakingly excavated using unique methods. It is said the boat would seat 13 people. We also took a cruise on the Sea of Gallilee. We stopped and read from passages were Jesus saw his disciples struggling against the wind on the water. Jesus walks toward them and scares them. They thought he was a ghost. We have a communion service on the boat, that was very moving. We have had a full day of pilgrimage, study and reflection. My body is weary, but Jesus is revealing more of himself to me. I am blessed with wonderful pastors and teachers on this trip. Tomorrow we go to Ceaserea Phillipi. Blessings to you.
If anyone wants a wonderful place to stay on pilgrimage, I highly recommend the Pilgerhaus on the Sea of Gallilee, great food, great place.

Israel Trip Part 2

The last few days have been busy. The pictures on this blog are many. One is of Capernaum. It houses a first century synagogue and the house of Peter. Another picture is Nazareth. We visited the Church of Mary's Well, Church of the Annunciation and the Grotto of the Holy Family. We visited Sepphoris, an archeological dig of the first century. We also are living, nestled next to the Sea of Gallilee. As I type, it is near midnight on Saturday. On Sunday we take a cruise on the Sea of Gallilee. This has been a wonderful trip. We are not tourist, we are pilgrims. As pilgrims we take time each day to reflect on the days sites and see what God is telling us.
God has been using our prayer time to reveal more of Himself to us. I am so grateful for this trip. While I miss my family and church, I know, I believe I will return a new person because of this experience.

Israel Trip Part 1

We finally got settled in. Our Boeing 777 was broke. So after going through a second security screening and getting borded, we had to get off the plane. Thanks for the prayers. We waited in the gate area for another 777 to arrive. it took us 8 hours. So we finally get to Israel after an 8 hour wait and another 12 hours in the air for the flight. During the flight Pastor Bobo and others and me had a hot and heavy game of inflight trivia.
International travel is something. Each seat has its own video screen. You can listen to music, see tv shows, movies, etc. Food was ok. I had some Santa Fe chicken for dinner and 4 cheese pizza for breakfast. Played some video solitare, listened to some classical music and tried some other CDs on the screen.
We arrive around midnight Israel time. We take a bus to our retreat center in Gallilee (2 hours). Long day of travel, huh?
Well,no complaints from me, I am in the holyland. Our retreat center is on the Sea of Gallilee. Beautiful. After around three hours of sleep, we are on our way to Capernaum. WE see the sight of a synagogue, built around the time of Jesus, the house of Peter and an olive press. WE then travel to the Cliffs of Arba to see the Gallilean plains and the geography. Wow, what a sight to behold.
As this trip is about renewal, we spend time in prayer, Bible study and reflection. We end with dinner and time of fellowship. Keep me in your prayers.
Tomorrow we go to Nazareth and Sapphora.

Had a wonderful breakfast with Joe Torry

Although it was Memorial Day. Sis. Janet arranged a nice breakfast with Joe Torry. He is a St. Louis native who is doing great things in Hollywood. He is a comedian, actor and will probably see him direct and produce some day. My daughters and some others joined us. Joe is a great guy. I wish him much prosperity and love in the "bizness".

I am still trying to pack for my trip

This is what my unpacked suitcase looks like (well not really, if I had a suitcase opened, this is what it would look like.

I leave tomorrow and I have not packed a thing

Well, I leave for Israel tomorrow. I have spent the day getting stuff I should have gotten a while ago. A wide brim hat (they say its needed because of the sun). I did get a little burned walking in the Annie Malone May Day parade. Some hiking shoes, current converter, travel pillow (14 hour flight). I picked up some plastic packing bags, a small thing of Woolite, in case I need to wash me "unmentionables". etc. Well this might be my last post before the flight. If so, remember your prayer requests. Email me at whg747@earthlink.net.

I am hooked on Hell's Kitchen

I am hooked on Hell's Kitchen. These folks are put through the paces. As they say, If you can't stand the heat, "Get Out Of The Kitchen". My favorite this season is Jen. (Doesn't she cuss up a storm?) However, You go girl. Win your prize!

Tuesday Morning Mx Attendees

During the month of May, we had a series of workshops led by Ms. Beverly Mann of the Family Wellness Project. We had a great time.
We studied about listening, cooperating, but the most fun was the way this group interacted.

Graduates of Calvary School of Ministry and Leadership 2008

I am very proud of these graduates. Our church sponsors a school of ministry through the International School of Ministry in California. These graduates went through five trimesters of coursework. They deserve to be applauded for the time and effort to finish the school. We will start a new class in September 2008. Rev. Dr. Brian E. W. Cretter was Dean and Sis. Felicia Ramey was Registrar. Check out the website.

Pray for our Trip to Israel

Remember to pray for me. We travel to Israel on May 27. I asked the church to pray for our group at 6am or 6pm each day. Whoever reads this, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Remember send prayer requests as we will be going to the Wailing Wall during the trip. I want to take your prayer requests with me. Email me at whg747@earthlink.net.

Hooray for Imodium!

As you already know, I am on my way to Israel. No I have not packed, nor opened a suitcase. (Pray for me!) Yet, I have wonderful members of our church who are helping their pastor. One member has bought me a lot of pharmacueticals. Hooray for Imodium! And the other antacids, helpful pills, etc. Another member brought me antiembolism stockings (support hose). Hooray for support hose. We will be in the airplane a long time (over 14 hours). Will I sleep on the plane? Maybe. Will I look out of the window to see the Atlantic Ocean? Only for so long. Am I excited? I thought you knew!

My Thirtieth Anniversary as an Ordained Minister

As I reflect on thirty years of ordination, I am really giving honor to my Dad. My father, W.H. Goatley,Sr. served the First Baptist Church of Eminence, KY for over 45 years as pastor. He has served over 5 years as pastor emeritus (honoratus). My father had a very profound impact on me as a youngster. I saw his prayer life. I witnessed times he helped his congregation. In our religious tradition, we must feel a "divine call" to preach for ourselves. But I know my father so influenced me that deep inside I wanted to be like him. I tell the story of how much I wanted to drive the car as a teenager. One of the ways my father influenced me was to make me his chauffeur as he visited members in the hospital. Naturally, I went up to the hospital rooms with him. Little did I know I was receiving on the job training. So as I celebrate my ministerial anniversary on Sunday May 25, I am really celebrating my father, before father's day. God bless you dad!

American Idol Final Minutes

I honestly thought that David A. would win. Show's what I know. Congrats to the Blue Springs boy. David Cook. Does America need another Idol?

Prayer Requests For the Wailing Wall

I have notified the church that I will be going to the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. I plan to take prayer requests with me. So if you have a request you want we to take, email me at whg747@earthlink.net. I may not be able to take a lot of paper with me, but the requests will be in my heart. Maybe I can place some names on a small piece of paper to stuff between the blocks of the wall. I am open to any suggestions.

We will be staying at a guest house called Pilgerhaus in Nazareth. We will spend one week there while we visit sites in Gallilee. Oh, by the way, did I mention that I will be going to Israel for a two week pastoral renewal pilgrimage? I am so excited. Sounds funny doesn't it? Any way, I am looking forward to the trip. I know My church will get tired of me referencing this trip. I have already warned them. This will be a life changing trip. Thank you Lord for the opportunity.

Hello World Wide Web

This is my first post on my first real blog. Today, I decided to start a blog because I have the opportunity to go to Israel for the first time in my life. I will be with twenty other pastors on a two week pilgrimage. We will see many sites that I have only read about in the Bible. I am very excited. I understand blogging is not easy. I will try to post two or three times a week. I don't know who will read this, but thanks for finding me. Hope you subscribe and return from time to time. I write a Bible study most weeks. I also write sermons. I might post the Bible study from time to time or a summary of sermons. Anyhow, thanks for reading. Wil