BOOK REVIEW

The Cleansing of America

a book by Dr. W. Cleon Skousen

Anyone familiar with Dr. Cleon Skousen's book, The 5000 Year Leap, and its association with the founding of America will probably look at his newest book, The Cleansing of America, published by Valor Publishing, and surmise it to be a follow-up book. Not so. While it does talk about America's political underpinnings, it is much more a book of end-days prophesy and America's role in that process. Appreciation for the content requires a belief system grounded in prophets, latter-day revelations, and personal preparedness--spiritually as well as temporally.

The book reads like a textbook. Skousen himself states in the introduction that the book comprises seven chapters which were seven independent lectures addressing a common subject from different perspectives. The central theme is the way in which the land of America will be prepared for its place in the end days prophesies. At the conclusion of each chapter is a list of questions, which suggests that the book's most useful application would be in a group setting where discussion could take place.

Dr. Skousen maps destructive forces in this country pulling us from the values and ideals first established by the founding fathers. He talks about the scourge that the Lord will utilize to "cleanse and scour America" of its wickedness, and includes prophesies concerning the same. Indeed, the book delves into doctrinal areas not normally covered in Sunday study: The battle of Armageddon, the calling of the 144,000, and the ushering in of the millennium, to name just a few.

The book was simultaneously fascinating and disconcerting. It's that debate of having your fortune told...I'm intrigued, but do I really want to know the future? If your curiosity wins out, I think you will find, The Cleansing of America, to be informative and thought provoking.

The book seems well researched and documented, with copious source notes at the end of each chapter, and while it would be difficult to check all the references, at some point one must trust Dr. Skousen's scholarship.

I did have one peeve that deals with an editing blunder. Periodically throughout the text a word or phrase would be capitalized, I suppose to EMPHASIZE its importance, but the effect was jarring. I suppose Dr. Skousen included these CAPITALIZATIONS in his original manuscript to instruct the reader to a pertinent idea, but I would rather do my own underlining and highlighting. I think the editors at Valor should have removed the capitals.

The Cleansing of America is being published posthumously by Dr. Skousen's family. He told them that they would know the "right time" to dust off the manuscript and present it to the world for inspection. In America's current political climate, the timing seems right.

Thoughts on Life

God gave us two ears, but only one mouth. Some people say that's because He wanted us to spend twice as much time listening as talking. Others claim it's because He knew that listening was twice as hard.

Thoughts on Life

I am sad today. I woke up to a different America. An America transformed by the Democratic party into a place of deeper entitlements. With the passage of the health care bill we move not only steps away from the ideals of the Constitution, but miles.

The founding fathers intended that the federal government remain small. They limited the government with many checks and balances. They set forth that Congressmen should be practical working men who would come away from their toil in their fields or businesses for a short span of time to serve the people of the country. They would then return home and take up the cause of freedom in their own communities.

The founding fathers also knew a vital truth that today's elected representatives have obviously forgotten--they must follow the will of the majority. If the voice of the majority of people cried out for or against a certain piece of legislation, the members of the government were bound by their sacred honor to listen and abide by that voice. This is not the way of things today. Poll after poll showed that more than 55% of the American people were opposed to this bill, especially the sections providing government funding for abortion, and monies allotted for health care of illegal aliens. Did our representatives listen? No.

Of course, it must have been hard for those poor Congressmen with all the arm twisting, bribes, and backroom deals that were being done by the President and the Speaker of the House.

And this wasn't just about health care. Passage of this bill gives the federal government huge control over 1/6 of our economy, and huge control over our lives. Passage of this bill was about power not compassion.

So, I'm sad today, and I think the founding fathers are shedding a few tears too.

Thoughts on Life

I Wonder What the Democrats are Thinking?

I am a conservative Republican, and here's why. I was raised by a father who grew up during the depression. His mother died when he was six, and not long after that he contracted polio. His legs were weakened and his left arm was completely crippled. Now, for Democrats this would be a sob story worthy of lots of government care and concern. The only thing is, my father would have found it offensive to expect someone to "take care of him" especially the government. He grew up in a time when people took care of themselves, their families, and their neighbors. A man worked hard at any type of labor in order to take care of his family.

So, were my father alive today, I know he'd be having a fit over the health care bill being argued in Congress. He would hate that it runs 2700 pages, that no one knows what's in it, and that the Dems are forcing it down our throats. I also think he would have agreed with the sentiments of one of the founding fathers, James Madison.

"It will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood; if they be repealed or revised before they are promulgated, or undergo such incessant changes that no man, who knows what the law is today, can guess what it will be tomorrow. Law is defined to be a rule of action; but how can that be a rule, which is little known and less fixed?"

Hm...sound familiar?

Thoughts on Life

Words to the Wise

A teacher asked a student to sum up Socrates' life in four lines. Here's what he said:

1. Socrates lived long ago.

2. He was very intelligent.

3. Socrates gave long speeches.

4. His friends poisoned him.

On that note I'll keep this post short!

Thoughts on Life

To break my cycle of not writing blogs, I'm going to flex my fingers, take a deep breath, and do a month long series about life. I love to collect funny and thought-provoking quotes from folks, and I thought I'd share some of them with you along with a few observations of my own.

So, here is the first thought by "author unknown".

"Inside some of us is a thin person struggling to get out, but they can usually be sedated with a few pieces of chocolate cake."

Laughter is a huge part of life. If I'm feeling down or cranky, I call up one of my friends and we go out to lunch and laugh our heads off about something. There's always something is this crazy world to make us laugh. Have you seen those E-Trade commercials with the little baby at the computer? If you have, you're laughing at this moment, aren't you?

So, be sure and have a good laugh today!

Hm...perhaps tomorrow I'll write something about chocolate cake.

Where Have I Been?

My daughter lovingly (well, not so much so), reminded me that I haven't written anything on my blog page for quite awhile. I know...sorry. I've been a bit busy reading books. I was asked to be a judge for a book contest, and had to read 10 historical fiction novels in 4 weeks. It was intense, as some of the books were quite hefty...600 plus pages! That's a lot of reading. In fact, there was one point where my eyes got a bit bleary. I thought, "Oh no, I'm going cross eyed or something!" I know, it was a bit melodramatic, but at least I only screamed it inside my head. Luckily, with a little rest and some eye drops, I was back in business.

I've also been preparing my next novel for publication. This process is fun, exciting, and grueling. The book is historical fiction and takes place in 1917 Russia during the Bolshevik revolution. The title is, The Silence of God, and it's due out the last week of May or first week of June. I will attach several pictures of Russia which were taken during a research trip for the book. Let me know what you think.

I will take my sweet daughter's advise and try to do better at updating my post. Hey! Maybe I can talk her into writing a few blogs for me. That's only fair, don't you think?