“In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court last month settled the dispute over ownership of streambeds and stream banks, ruling that landowners, not government, are the rightful owners. President Bob Stallman said farmers and ranchers prevailed with the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of landowner property rights in the case PPL v. Montana. …It was further noted that this decision helps ensure farmers and ranchers will not have to pay the government for use of land or water from streambeds that run alongside or through their property. This ruling is for farmers and ranchers nationwide and all private property owners.”

Secondly, “The  court recognized that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was arbitrary in assuming that any increase above pristine nutrient levels is harmful. …To further reinforce landowner rights a U.S. District Court in Tallahassee, Florida, has ruled that the EPA-imposed numeric nutrient criteria for Florida streams and unimpaired lakes are unlawful because they are arbitrary and have no scientific basis. This good news was reported in the FBNews, March 5, 2012.”

With all freedom comes responsibility. It is farmers’ and ranchers’ job to go to any length necessary protect the quality of the water that so much depends on, both on the farm and beyond.

The Court’s Ruling

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” (Article 1 of the Bill of Rights)

“[For the government to] pick and choose who can be a minister, the court ruled, is not only to prevent the free exercise of religion, it inevitably involves the government in the establishment of religion.” (Full article)

“…the first time the high court has acknowledged a ‘ministerial exception’ to anti-discrimination laws… Notre Dame law professor Rick Garnett called the ruling "one of the court’s most important church-state decisions in decades." It "protects religious liberty by forbidding governments from second-guessing religious communities’ decisions about who should be their teachers, leaders and ministers," he said. (Full article)

“Roberts… unified the court around history, principle and the Constitution’s text to remind the nation of the special constitutional status afforded religion.” (Full article)

So, are ministers in danger of discrimination from church authorities because the federal government cannot intervene to protect them? The apostle Paul states clearly in 1 Corinthians 6 that there should never be any need for anyone in the Church to take such a case to the civil government. If any organization should know how to use freedom rightly, it should be the Church.

Another question comes to mind: To what extent did the founders of our country intend to allow the free exercise of religion? For instance, if Islam qualifies as a constitutional religion, and if Islam calls for the death penalty of a teacher who converts to another religion, is the government prohibited from interfering to protect the life of that citizen? The Bill of Rights does guarantee due process of law to all persons before they can be deprived of life, liberty, or property. (Article 5)

“Nothing about Rick Santorum’s rise to date has been expected or predictable”

“But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another.” Psalm 75:7

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.” Jeremiah 17:7

Listen to this short word by expert Michael Cannon, the Director of Health Policy Studies at the CATO Institute.

http://www.cato.org/multimedia/daily-podcast/how-states-can-shut-down-obamacare

Here is a thorough article on the unconstitutionality of Obamacare, the constitutionality of Virginia’s Health Care Freedom Act, and the related court cases

http://www.calldrmatt.com/Health_Care_Law_Unconstitutional.htm

http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm

The only thing wrong with the site is that it places some statements under “civil rights” which actually belong under “principles and values” or “crime” or at least a separate “marriage” section.

I pledge allegiance to the Constitution

of the United States of America,

And to the Bill of Rights which It includes:

One document

underwritten by our fathers,

indivisible,

with Liberty and Justice for all.

Two verses the Lord gave were particularly encouraging to me . . .

“When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth . . .” and “By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted . . .” (Proverbs 11:10-11).

Whether it is through our personal lives, communications with others, business endeavors, marriages or families, God’s tangible blessing is one way He will bring the dream of life, liberty and lasting happiness to our cities.

God bless you and your city as only He can.

“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls; and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles . . .”

“But stop rejoicing in this, that the evil spirits submit to you. But rather rejoice that your names are written in Heaven.”

(See Jeremiah 9:22b-23; Proverbs 24:15-22; Luke 10:20)
Quotations taken from Interlinear Bible directly from Hebrew and Greek

That commitment is our resolve. Resolving is resting–building our lives on a principle which produces a single passion and cannot be compromised. As Christians we “give diligence" to determine our purpose just as our nation did.

Now notice: the accusation which Reagan addressed parallels the accusation often leveled against Christianity: that Christianity is “too simple”. But this notion is an easy one to see through. It comes from those who have left both their child-like faith and their mature resolve; their first love, their passion. Somewhere along the way, they have become confused and given up. They forget that some things truly are simple, not necessarily easy, but simple.

Christianity—the relationship more than the religion—is simple: simple in it’s trust in God and in His Word, the Bible. (And trusting can be the hardest thing of all.) As Christians, we trust in the fact that God’s best is the best: for America, for our family, and for each person individually.

Why envy anyone who must cloak his cause with confusion? Our principles and rights are “inalienable”, granted naturally by nature’s God. It is not too simple to own the cause of such liberty dear fellow patriot! Today, live a streamlined life. Let no one turn you from “the simplicity that is in Christ” (II Corinthians 11:3). “For if you do these things you will never fall.”

Theme taken from II Peter 1:2-10