In the Realm of Politics

Is Hypocrisy Always Dishonest, 

Or is it Merely Business as Usual?

SHOULD It – CAN It – Be ELIMINATED, 

Or Must We Accept It 

As A Fact Of Life?

Sunrise or sunset?

What Concerns You Most?

The intransigence of Congress?

Islamism and the Middle East?

The Influence on Congress of AIPAC 

(The Israel Lobby)?

The Ostentatious Threats by North Korea’s 

Kim Jong Un?

The Hysterical Counter-Productive 

Antics of Democrats?

Increasing Robotization?

President Trump?

The Wall?

The Thwarted Travel Ban?

Other?

What would they think of us today?

If you are patient, and wait for the obnoxious commercial  to end, you will witness a marvellous,  deeply mysterious phenomenon
The PUFFER FISH a MASTER of FINE ART in ACTION

Narrated by  DAVID ATTENBOROUGH  for the BBC
COMMENTS UNRELATED TO THIS VIDEO  WILL BE DELETED.

Killing Bill O’Reilly

He never even got a chance to say goodbye!

Killing FOX News

Megyn Kelly

(left voluntarily for more money?)

Greta van Susteren

(left voluntarily for more money?)

Roger Ailes

(fired for sexual harassment)

Alan Colmes 

(demoted, then died)

Bob Beckel 

(disappeared for over a year, then returned)

WHO is KILLING FOX NEWS, 

and WHY?

Your theories, please.

An Enemy Within, 

or Just a Fool?

Has President Trump been duped by Speaker Ryan, and thus neutered?

"A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself.”

~ Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 B.C.)

Can the Trump Presidency, –– which today means The United States of America ––, survive the machinations of Paul Ryan, whose self-styled "BetterWay" is already well on its way to undermining and defeating the president’s agenda?

Beware Ambition, a bitch goddess with the power to destroy whole nations

Crucifixion

He was a man who came to show the way.

It never was for him an easy task.

Sadly, politicians of His day

Cruelly sought His death. They’d never ask

Revealing questions in pursuit of Truth.

Undermining good they sought to hold

Crookedly to Power. Their uncouth

Initiatives to godliness were cold.

Freedom from corruption causes fear

In those who by coercion seek to rule.

Xiphoid, ego kills what should endear,

Instead of letting Self die to renewal.

On tiptoe oft we creep and hold our breath,

Not challenging the ones who cause His death.

Resurrection

Cold He lay behind the heavy stone,

Hidden there with broken hands and feet.

Ruthless powers crushed His flesh and bone.

It looked to be the ultimate defeat.

Sadly, in the dawn Saint Mary’s three

Trudged toward the tomb wherein He lay.

Instead of death, an angel helped them see,

Startled, that the stone was rolled away!

A risen Jesus stood! He still drew breath!

Radiance around Him warmed the air. 

In banks of lilies sweet we now see death

Stripped of terror. Life, eternal, fair,

Enjoins us all to claim His victory.

Naught could stop us save our vanity.

~ FreeThinke - The Sandpiper - Spring 1996

Happy Easter!!!

The Passion of Our Lord 
According to St. Matthew

Johann Sebastian Bach

Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam

Willem Mengelberg, Conductor

Karl Erb, Tenor (Evangelist)

Willem Ravelli, Bass (Jesus)

Jo Vincent, Soprano

Ilona Durigo, Alto

Louis van Tuler, Tenor

Herman Schey, Bass

Amsterdam Toonkunst Choir "Zanglust" Boys' Choir

Recorded 2nd Apr. 1939, Amsterdam

1. Coro I & II & Chorale: Kommt, ihr Töchter, 
2. helft mir klagen 0:00

2. Evangelist, Jesus: Da Jesus diese Rede 

vollendet hatte 10:52

3. Chorale: Herzliebster Jesu 11:58

4. Evangelist: Da versammleten 

sich die Hohenpriester 13:29

5. Coro I & II: Ja nicht auf das Fest 14:03

6. Evangelist: Da nun Jesus war zu Bethanien 14:20

7. Coro I: Wozu dienet dieser Unrat? 14:59

8. Evangelist, Jesus: Da das Jesus merkete 15:36

9. Recitativo (alto): Du lieber Heiland du 18:00

10. Aria (alto): Buß und Reu 19:17

11. Evangelist, Judas: Da ging 

hin der Zwölfen einer 24:41

12. Aria (soprano): Blute nur, du liebes Herz! 25:33

13. Evangelist: Aber am ersten Tag 31:21

14. Coro I: Wo willst du 31:39

15. Evangelist, Jesus: Er sprach: Gehet hin in die Stadt; 

Coro I: Herr, bin ich's? 32:08

16. Chorale: Ich bin's, ich sollte büßen 34:36

17. Evangelist, Jesus, Judas: 

Er antwortete und sprach 36:24

18. Recitativo (soprano): Wiewohl mein Herz 40:58

19. Aria (soprano): Ich will dir mein Herze schenken 42:50

20. Evangelist, Jesus: Und da sie den Lobgesang 47:35

21. Chorale: Erkenne mich, mein Hüter 49:20

22. Evangelist, Peter, Jesus: Petrus aber antwortete 51:22

23. Evangelist, Jesus: Da kam Jesus mit ihnen 52:53

24. Recitativo (tenor) and Coro II: O Schmerz! 55:36

25. Aria (tenor) and Coro II: 

Ich will bei meinem Jesu wachen 58:36

26. Evangelist: Und ging hin ein wenig 1:04:39

27. Recitativo (basso): Der Heiland fällt 1:05:53

28. Evangelist, Jesus: Und er kam 

zu seinen Jüngern 1:07:23

29. Chorale: Was mein Gott will 1:09:29

30. Evangelist, Jesus, Judas: Und er 

kam und fand sie 1:11:43

31. Aria (soprano) and Coro II: So ist mein 

Jesus nun gefangen 1:15:25

32. Evangelist, Jesus: Und siehe, einer aus denen, 

die mit Jesu waren 1:20:45

33. Chorale: O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß 1:24:19

34. Aria (alto) and Coro II: Ach, nun 

ist mein Jesus hin! 1:32:35

35. Evangelist: Die aber Jesum gegriffen hatten 1:37:28

36. Chorale: Mir hat die Welt trüglich gericht't 1:38:16

37. Recitativo (tenor): Mein Jesus schweigt 1:39:12

38. Evangelist, High Priest, Jesus: Und der Hohenpriester antwortete; 

Coro I & II: Er ist des Todes schuldig! 1:40:53

39. Evangelist: Da speieten sie in sein Angesicht 1:42:54

40. Chorale: Wer hat dich so geschlagen 1:43:38

41. Evangelist, Maid, Peter, Maid II: Petrus 

aber saß draußen im Palast 1:45:30

42. Evangelist, Peter: Da hub er an sich 

zu verfluchen 1:46:47

43. Aria (alto): Erbarme dich, mein Gott 1:48:31

44. Evangelist, Judas: Des Morgens 

aber hielten alle Hohepriester 1:56:58

45. Evangelist, Pilate, Pilate's wife: Auf das Fest aber hatte der Landpfleger; 

Coro I & II: Barrabam! 1:57:29

46. Evangelist, Pilate: Der Landpfleger sagte 1:59:18

47. Recitativo (soprano): Er hat uns allen wohlgetan 1:59:30

48. Aria (soprano): Aus Liebe will mein 

Heiland sterben 2:00:59

49. Evangelist: Sie schrieen aber noch mehr; Coro I & II: Laß ihn kreuzigen! Evangelist, Pilate: Da aber Pilatus sahe; Coro I & II: Sein Blut komme über; 

Evangelist: Da gab er ihnen Barrabam los 2:06:44

50. Recitativo (alto): Erbarm es, Gott! 2:08:53

51. Evangelist: Da nahmen die Kriegsknechte; 

Coro I & II: Gegrüßet seist du, Jüdenkönig! 

Evangelist: Und speieten ihn an 2:10:30

52. Chorale: O Haupt, voll Blut und Wunden 2:11:49

53. Evangelist: Und da sie ihn verspottet hatten 2:14:21

54. Evangelist: Und da wurden zween Mörder; Coro I & II: Der du den Tempel; Evangelist: Desgleichen auch die Hohenpriester; 

Coro I & II: Andern hat er geholfen 2:15:03

55. Evangelist: Desgleichen schmäheten 

ihn auch die Mörder 2:17:31

56. Recitativo (alto): Ach Golgatha, 

unselges Golgatha! 2:17:53

57. Evangelist, Jesus: Und von der sechsten Stunde an; 

Coro I: Der rufet dem Elias! Evangelist: Und bald lief einer unter ihnen; 

Coro II: Halt! Laß sehen; 

Evangelist: Aber Jesus schriee abermal laut 

und verschied. 2:20:05

58. Chorale: Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden 2:23:27

59. Evangelist: Und siehe da; Coro I & II: 

Wahrlich, dieser ist Gottes Sohn gewesen 2:26:11

60. Recitativo (basso): Am Abend, 

da es kühle war 2:29:01

61. Evangelist: Und Joseph nahm den Leib 2:31:36

62. Recitativo (basso, tenor, alto, soprano) and 

Coro II: Nun ist der Herr zur Ruh gebracht 2:32:29

63. Coro I & II: Wir setzen uns 

mit Tränen nieder 2:35:11

SO YOU WANT to GO to WAR?

____ Fine, But First Try To Answer These Questions 

How does it feel to be cut in half 

_____ by a sudden burst of machine gun bullets?

What does it feel like at the precise moment 

_____ when a bullet enters your eye, and pierces your brain?

Can you imagine having your lower jaw smashed by bullets

_____ and then see its bloody, splintered fragments 

__________ drop to the ground ?

What is it like to take a direct hit to the skull? 

_____ Would you know that you were dead?

What sensations must a person feel 

_____ as his body is being consumed by fire?

What might be the thoughts of someone 

_____ just thrown to the ground and kicked, 

__________ whose hands have been tied behind his back, 

who then gets chained by his heels 

_____ to the rear end of a vehicle 

__________ about to drag his still-healthy, still-unbroken 

_______________ young body over stones, gravel, 

____________________ dirt and thorny stubble?

How does it feel to have the flesh ripped off your cheeks? 

_____ To have all the flesh on your hands torn off 

__________ exposing bones and tendons?

How does it feel to have grit and gravel 

_____ embed themselves in your eyes? 

How does it feel to be torn 

_____ limb from limb by a jeering mob? 

Exactly how does it feel to have your head 

_____ stomped to jelly by hobnailed boots? 

Or your genitalia ripped out by the roots 

_____ and stuffed into your screaming mouth?

How does it feel to be smart enough to realize 

_____ you are suffering and dying for the sole purpose 

__________ of lining the pockets of international bankers, 

_______________ global industrialists and the suppliers 

____________________ of war materiel with gold?

Exactly how would you react to being held down 

_____ and having your teeth kicked down your throat, 

__________ your eyes gouged out, 

_______________ your ears and your nose sliced off, 

____________________ or a glass rod inserted in your urethra

_________________________ and then smashed to pulver?

How would you feel when you are forced to eat 

_____ ground glass or drink hydrochloric acid?

How would you feel if you were sodomized by barbarians 

_____ then buried up to your neck in sand 

__________ and systematically stoned and kicked to death?

How does it feel to be held down and deliberately blinded by acid?

How does it feel to be maimed by “Friendly Fire?

How does it feel to be flayed alive 

_____ and then slowly cut to ribands?

How does it feel to forced to kneel before your captors, 

_____ hands tied behind your back

__________ while you wait to have your head hacked off

_______________ by a hand held knife?

How? How? How?

But much more important is

WHY?

__________ WHY?

____________________ WHY?

FreeThinke

How, when we need to ask questions like this now more than ever, could we imagine even for a moment we have no need for the healing power and redeeming grace of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?