AssemblyBoard

Rediscovering the Secret of a Man's Soul

There is a new tactic in the war.

Have you heard about television today? It's called "Queer Eye For the Straight Guy". It is a reality show where gay men come into a normal man's life and help him with grooming techniques, interior design, cooking, culture, and personal style. (From what I've heard these homosexual advisors accomplishes a pretty good job and the man's life does improve in an outward sense of style.) HOWEVER, it is evident to me there is an underlining agenda to the show: Homosexual are redefining and giving this world the impression of what a man should be and society is buying into it.

Feminists have long expounded the view that women should deviate from their roles as mothers and wives AND get away from the oppression of men. This movement is dangerous because it drives a wedge between men and women from their God-given roles.

During the 80's I've heard many shows use words like 'pigs', 'insensitive' and 'sex feign' to describe men. So, society in the clutches of the enemy, have pounded man into a pulp on certain things that are true of any sinful man.

Also with social commentaries and books telling how men should understand women more it created this mythos-concept that masculine men are so out-of-tuned with women they need a total re-educational course on masculinity. Men who are opinionated, and rough have been slowly reduced to quiet worm-boys. Men cannot have their guns or hunt because men were so 'environmentally insensitive', men cannot fight a war because they were 'warmongers' and the list goes on and on.

With homosexuality becoming more of the accepted norm, homosexual men are admired ABOVE the heterosexual community as more stylish, sensitive, and more attuned to women because of their own effeminate nature. Dave Beckman, a renowned soccer player is now the ideal 'metrosexual' - a heterosexual man with the grooming habits of a gay man. In many consumer trends men are buying more health products and vanity related material than ever. One of the greatest growth trends in plastic surgery is for men.

Yet, nowhere are there any social commentaries lifting bold masculinity found in movie characters portrayed by Russel Crowe (Gladiator), or Mel Gibson (We were Soldiers, Braveheart).

What is contrastingly different in above mentioned characters compared to pretty boys is the CHARACTER of a man.

Courage, honor, integrity and faith is the heartbeat of a man that is held in grace by a man's faith and love for our Lord Jesus. A nation of pretty boys or worm boys will not stand up the likes of a Saddam, much less the devil himself. We, as a society, have forgotten the all encompassing values of a man: his character. Men, we will not win this cultural war and assault on God's design of manhood unless we exemplify our Lord Jesus Christ.

We must walk near Him and not allow our society to intimidate or refashion us.

We were created to be Dangerous for Good. We were created for God.



I would say today:

Men, it is better to be daring and inspire men like a William Wallace than it is to be caught up in whether you can still catch the eye of a woman like Austin Powers.

Men, it is better to tell the truth and pay the enormous price of living a life of integrity than having a color-coordinated home.

Men, it is better to courageous and inspire a platoon of young men to fight for freedom than to know the latest trends in men's fashion or how to exfoliate skin.

Men, it's better to die for something right than to live a life of compromise.

Men, it's even ok to go hunt (AND HAVE YOUR DIESEL GUZZLING V-8 HOT-BLOODED AMERICAN SUV) and bring back that "yeahhhh" cry of knowing you conquered your environment and your prey. : )

We do have something to conquer: it's our sin and the enemy.


Dangerous for God and Good...


Gordon

Gordon,

You say that men should be daring and courageous, yet you haven't fully identified yourself.

Gordon,
    I am now stupider for having read your diatribe.  I don't even know where to begin. You are so very, very, wrong.

1.)  I guess you can take a guy out of the assembly, but you can’t take the assembly out of a guy.  I see that your intolerance has not been harmed by the falling stones of assembly life.

2.)  Yes, genius, there is an underlying agenda to the show.  You may not believe this, but everyone has an agenda for every action committed-good or bad.


3.)  Where would we be without a little traditional chauvinism?  If women deviate from their roles as wife and mother, then they are deviating from God's plan?  I don't know about you Gordon, but I like well-educated, professional, and smart women.  I guess some of us still need the barefoot and pregnant types  running around to feel comfortable in our manhood, though.

4.)  When did being environmentally sensitive become a bad thing?  Since Gordon doesn't believe in leaving a clean, healthy, and viable planets for future generations, I propose we all go poop on his lawn at 6 AM on Friday morning….  I'm tired of flushing anyway.


5.)  As far as war goes, I feel you should be free to commit suicide at anytime you want to, Gordon.  However, we do have laws against murder.  It's strange that you speak of war in the same run-on sentence as love for the Lord Jesus.  If you understand agendas so well, you might examine the capitalist profit making agenda served so well by every major war after  World War II.  You might look at  how the corporate owned media pushes their war propaganda at the middle and lower class citizens.  We are so scared of war and violence and black people raping our women, it's hard to leave the house without a gun.  It's funny how the crime rate has decreased by 20% in the last ten years, yet the media coverage of violent crimes has increased by 500%.  Next time you want to go to war to be "masculine", you might think about all the innocent women and children that die from U.S. bombing in our fight to “free” Iraq.

6.)  Homosexual men are not "admired above heterosexual men".  However, at this rate, Gordon, you’ll drive all the women away from us by Christmas(my favorite holiday!).


7.)  It is possible to have courage, honor, integrity, and faith while still maintaining good grooming habits-without being gay. Why must we "pay the enormous price of living a life of integrity" in a house with colors that clash?  I'm sorry it's such a strain for you, Gordon, but some of us are able to do two things at the same time.  Try flushing and putting the lid down-with practice, you could have it down in no time.

8.)  "Masculinity" is a trait associated with a person's gender, not their sex.  We don't all need to be overweight, loud, rough, farting war lovers to be a man.


9.)  If you are so interested in the “cultural war" perhaps you might be interested in the class war that is waged daily in the U.S.  The lower and middle classes are duped into promoting the interests of the upper class through education, religion, and the media.  A little Marx might do you some good.  Unless of course, you are too interested in the “gay” topic to be dissuaded.  

Whenever you decide, Gordon, please never, ever, ever write anything as ill informed as this again.

Caan,

You wrote,

"8.)  "Masculinity" is a trait associated with a person's gender, not their sex."

Would you be so kind as to explain what you mean by this?

Tom Maddux

Gordon,

Steve is right.  It is time for you to emulate Mel Gibson, (Willaim Wallace), and shout something.  Your name perhaps?

Thomas Maddux

Speaking of William Wallace, the poster who goes by that name hasn't identified himself either.

Tom,
    I not sure to how to explain it any better-but here goes.

Gender= The behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically asociated with one's sex.

Sex=Either of the two forms of individuals that occur in many species and that are distinguishable as male or female.

The expectation of masculinity thus falls under the catagory of a gender expectation rather than some trait generally associated with being a male.  It is a common misconception to confuse the latter with the former.

NEW RAMBO MOVIE TO BE WRITTEN/DIRECTED BY 5 GAY MEN

Aug. 26.......Universal Studios announced today that filming for the new Rambo vehicle will begin within the next two weeks. Tentatively titled "Rambo---The Fight Within", the movie will center on Rambo's attempt to get in touch with his feminine side. Written and Directed by the 5 members of the hit show "Queer eye for the straight guy", it promises to be a movie containing far more than just your typical story of war and death.

"Rambo will cry in this movie"stated Julio, one of the flamboyant five, "and that silly tasteless bandana he wears has simply got to go!" he added giggling. "And those nasty boots too. Some slip on tennies will work just fine---no socks of course" he added with a flip of the wrist. "And he'll be an interior designer and an environmentalist" chimed in Alexander, stroking his fingers through his hair, "but he'll be forced to take to combat once again against those nasty baby seal hunters. It's going to be just so exciting! It makes my little heart go pitter patter" he added, cooling his face with a brilliantly colored chinese hand-held fan.

"Some of the film cost us extra" added Percival, tightening the scarf around his neck a bit, "we had to fly in a real French Chef to teach Sylvester how to make Fondue, like Rambo will do in the movie" he sighed. "But when he gets done it sure looks yummy" he said, putting a ring covered hand on his belly. Basil, exhaling from a cigarette he was smoking in a long cigarette holder added "The scene with Rambo and the little baby seal is going to be kleenex time for the audience. I was blubbering half way through the scene." "But what Rambo learns in the end is the real story" said Alexander, "that every  man has a woman inside of him" he said to the nodding approval of the rest. "And we also learn that violence and weopanry are not necessary in a civilized world" added a cheery Basil, "Remember, the pen is mightier than the sword" he said. "We came up with the idea as we were sitting in the beauty parlor" said Julio, nodding towards Alexander, "When this really mean person insulted us and I said that we could really use Rambo right about now!" he laughed.

The film is due out next February and promises to be a real Blockbuster. If one Director could make a good Rambo film, then 5 gay ones can probably improve it.

Caan,

If you are correct, the authors of Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary seem to be among the confused.

Under gender it says SEX.  The other meaning is the one from grammar.  The example sentence says "black divinities of the feminine gender".

I am familiar with the use of gender as you have used it.  It is sort of a mixture of the sociological term "role" and the rhetoric of the feminist and homosexual crowds.

The idea that they try to push is that people just have an inner "gender" that may cause them to hanker after, or wish to be, persons of the same or opposite sex, or even both.

What they hope to accomplish by this is the full legal and social acceptance of their perversions.

The fact is that people who have a male or female body, but have strong desires that are inconsistant with what they are, are severely dysfunctional at the very least.

Those who take the next step and act upon those desires, have given themselves to destructive sins.  They devestate themselves, their associates, and have a severely deliterious effect on society as a whole.

Do I exxagerate?  Remember, that millions of Americans have died or will die of AIDS.  The costs of their care is tremendous.  

  These are the folks who have spread it to the Western world.  Most AIDS cases are contracted by male homosexual contact.  The "transgendered" crowd then spreads it to prostitutes and girlfriends, sometimes wives.  Most prostitutes are drug addicts, so they spread it through the needle sharing.

The saddest thing of all is when it is passed to a child.  They must die a horrible death after just a few years of life.  I agree that this is a "sin worthy of death".

Calling Gordon a "Chauvinist" is a poor substitute for arguments supporting your postiton.  Just claiming to be "environmentally sensitive" doesn't really say anything.  Besides, maybe Gordon is a member of the Sierra Club.  Who knows?

Thomas Maddux

Caan,

You wrote,

"A little Marx might do you some good.  Unless of course, you are too interested in the “gay” topic to be dissuaded."

When you mention Marx are you speaking of the fellow that unleashed untold horrors on several hundred million people?  The one who's athiestic totalitarian ideas couched in the delusion of "Scientific Materialism"  led to abject poverty, injustice, torture, imperialism, gulags, reeducation camps and so on and on.

Oh yes, the former Soviet bloc countries are the MOST POLLUTED countries in the world.

Ah, the sweet mercies of Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Uncle Ho, Kim Il Jong, and even little Fidel.  And don't let's forget that great disciple of Karl's, Pol Pot, who tried to kill everyone in Cambodia that could read, so he could bring in the agrarian worker's paradise.

Is that the Marx you mean?

Come on Caan, tell me you meant Groucho Marx so Gordon would lighten up a little.  

Thomas Maddux

Just a side note, not to distract from the discussion.


According to the British pronunciation rules the above would then be an "agender". :)

The British have a unique pronunciation rule: if there is an "r" in the word then you do not pronounce it, but you always add an "r" to end of a word that ends in "a".
E.g.
Gordon would be pronounced Gaudon
Canada would be pronounced Canader

Marcia :)

Tom, I totally agree Marx's ideas unleashed the horror of which you speak, but do you think he had that malevolent motive? Ideas are dangerous things. St. Paul has often been accused of planting the first seeds of communism in his "having all things common" ideas. That communal idea produces either beauty or ugliness depending on the integrity or spirituality of those who practice it. Interesting to think about on this BB don't you think?

Are you saying that the gay/feminist crowd has a hidden agender?

 ;)

Thomas Maddux

Tom Robinson,

If subscribing to Karl Marx's ideas so consistently leads to horrendous results, then perhaps there is something seriously wrong with those ideas.  Isn't he the one that said that religion is the opiate of the people?  Psalm 2 says that God laughs at those who oppose him.  To oppose God is by definition a malevolent motive.

I think you are mistaken about Paul.  The expression "all things common" occurs in Acts 2:44 and Acts 4:32.  Paul's conversion happens in Acts 8, and his writings about church government are not at all consistent with communal living.

C. S. Lewis said that as a sick person is preoccupied with doctors, a sick nation is preoccupied with politics.  Governmental systems are irrelevant to good people: they don't need them.  The only reason government is needed is that people are flawed, so saying that communism would work if only the people had integrity cannot be construed as an argument in favor of communism.

Yes! You've got it! :)

Marcia Marinier

To the Toms,
    The reason that you have such a bad taste for communism and Marxist ideas is that in the past these ideals have been badly implemented. Also, most Americans are unaware of the different kinds of inequality that plague their daily lives.  Knowledge of inequality is often conveyed in stories about the gender gap in society, or the homeless, or the number of Americans living below the poverty line.  But what about the social arrangements that produce inequality?  A pervasive form of inequality cuts age, race, ethnicity, gender, and sex to confer priveleges on a minority of Americans while relegating the rest to varying degrees of insecurity, need or despair.  This is class inequality, a structured system of unequal rewards that provides enormous advantages to the wealthy at the expense of the middle and lower classes.  This structured class inequality is both the cause and the consequence of the ability to control important resources such as, money, education, votes, and information.  For this system to remain, the majority of disadvantaged Americans must be persuaded to believe that the way things work out for people is fair and deserved.  In a capitalist society the corporate owned media and our bought and sold government don't want to push an ideology of equality and community because it gets in the way of profits.  Each day we buy into this hegemony.  Unless either of you are extremely wealthy, you should be watching out for your own class interests by promoting a new ideology and reexamining what you believe, and not let yourselves be duped into thinking capitalism saves all.  

Do my eyes decieve me or is someone attempting to defend the virtues of communism?

The problem is not in the implementation of communism, but in the very idea itself.  Consider the 10 planks of communism and tell me it doesn't violate a man's liberty.  

Interesting to note that what is set forth as an ideal state in the Bible is that every man would have his own vine and his own fig tree.
And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. I Kings 4:25 (also Zec 3:10)

Thomas and Stephen thank you for your posts. Well said.


--------
1. Abolition of private property and the application of all rent to public purpose.

2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
 
3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance.

4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.

5. Centralization of credit in the hands of the State, by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly.

6. Centralization of the means of communication and transportation in the hands of the State.

7. Extention of factories and instruments of production owned by the State, the bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.

8. Equal liablity of all to labor. Establishment of Industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
 
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the population over the country.
 
10. Free education for all children in government schools. Abolition of children's factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, etc. etc.

Caan,

You wrote,

"The reason that you have such a bad taste for communism and Marxist ideas is that in the past these ideals have been badly implemented".

Your ability to read my mind is somewhat lacking.  You don't have a clue why I despise Communism.

I was a public school teacher for 33 years.  I have had ample opportunity to be presented with these ideas many times by colleagues who thought much as you do.

I noticed that many of their beliefs apparently had never been subjected to careful analysis.  This comment on Marxism/Communism is typical.

You stated that the real problem is poor implimentation of these "ideals".  Here are a couple of questions for you:

1. What actual evidence can you offer that Marxist theory works?  Can you cite examples of successful outcomes?  Can you name a country where Marxism has produced prosperity for its people?

2. Exactly how can a "dictatorship of the proletariat" be WELL implimented?  Dictatorship involves the denial of fundamental rights to people.   This is good?

Actually Caan, Marxism is fundamentally flawed in many of its basic assumptions.  Things like economic determinism, philisophical materialism, its view of human nature and morality.  

If you read 19th Century Utopian Novels, such as "Looking Backward" and "Erewhon" it is easy to see the roots of Marx's ideas.  He was in touch with the ideas of social critics and idealist philosopers, but he knew virtually nothing about science or economics.

In computer programming circles there is an acronym, GIGO.

It means "garbage in, garbage out". If bad programming is entered, junk comes out.  That is why Marxism/Communism has never worked, and never will.

A very real problem with M/C is that it is a form of state atheism.  State atheism is the most dangerous philosophy in the history of humanity.  In its various European and Asian forms it has killed more people than all the wars and tyrants that lived prior to the 20th Century.

Caan, people have prattled leftist ideas at me for years.  I remain unimpressed. Much of what you have written is nothing more than conspiricy theories, and belongs on the same list with the Black Helicopter folks.

Thomas Maddux

You could 'assemblysize' this and it would be very familiar to us. The problem seems to be 'the natural' man without Christ. Most, if not all, assemblyites were saved but not operating under the leading of the Spirit of Christ. The solution for the assembly is Christ not Marx, hence I would conclude that it is the same solution for society in general.

Lord bless,
Marcia

I maintain that it is impossible to "implement" the seizing of private property, nationalize business, and limit peoples' freedom in any other manner than "badly."  The very idea of communism is a bad idea.

Capitalism, unlike communism, has really yet to be tried.  What we have now is a mixture of socialism and capitalism.  However, even if capitalism were to be "implemented" properly, you are right in saying that it doesn't save all.

As for me, I want to work hard at my profession, keep the money that I earn, and spend it in the manner I see fit.  I want to own my own place, sail my own ship, and give it all to whomever I wish, whenever I wish.  I reserve the right to bless my friends and defend myself against my enemies.  I want to buy low and sell high.  I want to profit as much as possible from my own intellect, luck and hardwork.  I want to worship freely, and educate my children the way I see fit.

In short, I want control over my own life.  Given a choice between capitalism or communism, as defined in a dictionary, I would choose capitalism everytime.

Communism is the only system where the people own everything, but don't control anything.  While capitalism suffers from an unequal distribution of wealth, which means that not everyone will share its blessings,  communism guarantees that everyone will share its miseries in equal doses, except those who are "implementing" the government.

Brent

Brent,
    I am not surprised that you are not a proponent of communism.  In fact, I wouldn't expect you to be.  You obviously make good money and aren't hasseled by the daily battles that someone in poverty might be(such as making rent, finding a job, or knowing where your next meal will come from).  It makes perfect sense that you want to keep the money that you earn from the job that you spend long hours at and the expensive education that you invested in.  However, you are not the only one.  Because of the large profit margin needed to stay competitive in a capitalist market, corporations are frequently forced to make decisions  that exploit workers.  The workers are paid salaries far below what their work is worth in the marketplace.  They may not have health benefits and be forced to work two low paying jobs to make ends meet.  This type of work is growing exponentially as U.S, middle class jobs are farmed outside the U.S. in spatially de-centered firms for lower  worker wages and bigger profits for the corporation.  While wages for lawyers and doctors remain somewhat unaffected by these changes, in time, they will see the decay of neighborhoods around them, stale housing markets, and worst of all(for doctors) more people on medicaid and medicare,
; straining an already semi-unstable insurance racket.  I know what you are saying-The Virtue of Selfishness-right?  I am also credentialed and probably do not have to worry about my financial future, but I see a need for it in an increasingly globalizing world.  Capitalism breeds oppression under the guise of "Freedom".  You are free to keep the profits you earn, but not everyone is free to earn the money they are actually worth.  
                                     
P.S.  These comments in no way undermine how grateful I am for the time and energy you spent in the destruction of a useless cult.



Marcia,
    Your argument is flawed and nonsensical.  I'll go ahead and assume that you are not a lawyer.

Hi Caan

Thanks for the comment at the end of your last post.  I appreciate it.

As for health benefits, I can barely afford them, so I have a totally catastrophic type policy.  We have never met our deductible.

Retirement?  I gotta pay for my own.

College? Paid for it myself.

Medicare/medicaid?  I'm a doctor, and have to hassle and fight with 85% of every claim I submit for payment.  I have to pay a very trained, persistant and honest person for the sole purpose of printing out forms on a computer(which is easy) and then following up on why each one was lost in the mail, denied, etc.

I didn't recieve my child tax credit, even though I have five kids.  I guess my kids don't count, because I make too much money.

In short, in spite of how bad things are,  I'll take freedom any day of the week.  If I'm going to be responsible for myself and my family, I don't want a bunch of sucking piglets hanging off of me!

Brent

Caan,

You're probably right; possibly I did not read you post carefully, I'll have to re-read it carefully later.
You're wrong about the lawyer part though. I think that I am a pretty good lawyer, especially after having 2 teens in the house for the past 5+ years, I ought to be awarded an honorary lawyer's degree. My mind is on other things tonight so I will let Brent and Thomas and others respond to you on this topic.

Lord bless,
Marcia :)

Caan,

You wrote,

" A pervasive form of inequality cuts age, race, ethnicity, gender, and sex to confer priveleges on a minority of Americans while relegating the rest to varying degrees of insecurity, need or despair."

Hogwash!  Period.

Let me tell you about being a member of the priveledged few Caan.

My father had to quit school at 13 to go to work to support his mother and three sisters.  He hired himself out to West Texas Farmers for a dollar a day plus room and board.  That was in 1918.

During his late teenage years he followed crops.  Do you know what that means Caan?  It means he was a migrant farm worker.  He travelled by hopping trains and hitchhiking.

later he found work as a printer's devil and learned a trade.  Not one government program helped him.

My mom was the child of an alcoholic, and had to pick cotton to buy school clothes before she dropped out of school in the 9th grade to work.

I was born in a little house of about 600 square feet in West Texas, and came to california in a '35 ford during WWII.

My first home in California was a 16 foot trailer in Compton.  Seven of us lived there, as the trailer belonged to an aunt and uncle.  

Our next home, for five years, was a one bedroom duplex in South LA.  My parents slept on a rollaway bed in the living room, while my brother and I shared the bedroom with my cousin and her child who my parents had taken in when her husband refused to support her.  We lived that way until I was in the third grade.

My first job was delivering papers when I was 10 years old.

Today, people like us are called the "working poor" and leftists shed tears for them, seeing them as victims.   What they don't understand is that it is not lack of money that keeps you poor.  It is lack of moral and spiritual values.

There was no booze in our house, and no drugs either.  Just love, faith, laughter and good adult examples.

My parents never whined, never complained.  They just dug in and did what they had to do to make a decent life for their kids, and to help some others along the way.  And I am proud to have been their son.  I honor their names and memories.

My folks didn't have a lot of money but they were rich where it really counted.

I was a latchkey kid.

I went to public schools in Los Angeles, the local community college, and the local State College.  Now its called CSUN.  I received exactly $0 dollars from my parents to pay for my education.

I saved money while I served my country in the United States Air Force, resisting folks who wanted to turn my country into a Communist paradise like Russia.  I paid for my car and first year's living expenses with that money during my first year of college.

After I married my wife worked, and I went to school and worked part time and summers.  I drove trucks, built carwash machines, sweated in factories, assembled motorcycles and did what I had to do to be able to finish my school.

After I graduated I worked in the Insurance industry and then went back to grad school to get my teaching credential.  

After I became a teacher in 1970 I hustled a summer job every summer for years to support my family in a decent manner, as a man should.

Today, after 33 years as a public school teacher, I'm doing ok.  What we have, my wife and I worked for. And  America gave me the opportunity.  The America leftist elitists despise as they spin their goofy social and economic theories.

Caan, that opportunity is there for everyone.  

I raised my kids to stand on their own two feet.  They do.  Two of them are college graduates, one is on the way.  I am glad that I could help them along, but they had to work for it too.

None of them are wellfare bums.

I know all about the poor Caan, I know all about poverty. Believe me I saw plenty of it during 33 years of the Los Angeles Public School system.

 Been there done that.  I just decided to avail myself of the limited opportunities available to me.

Those are the same ones that are available to every poor kid in every big city of America.

Caan, the USA is not a perfect society.  It won't be as long as you are I are in it.

But the USA has delivered more Freedom and more Prosperity to more people that any country in the history of the world.   And if someone isn't gettin' any, maybe they should stop wasting their lives whining and begging for government handouts and get up off  their butts and do something to change their lives.

Thomas Maddux

Caan,

You wrote,

"The workers are paid salaries far below what their work is worth in the marketplace."

Caan, this shows just how much the professors who taught you this nonsense are filled with Marxist BS, (that's Bad Stuff, this is a Christian website).

All workers are paid exactly what their work is worth in the marketplace, or pretty close to it.

Why?  Because what sets the value on your work IS what someone will pay you for it.  Not some nutty "labor theory of value" dreamed up by some athiest "intellectual" who was being supported by a capitalist fortune belonging to the family of Fredreich Engels.

Don't believe me?  Take your lawnmower down the street and try to get a job mowing lawns for $100 dollars an hour.

Good luck.

Then, offer your services for $1.00.  See what happens.

The marketplace works on a large scale as an outcome of several factors:
1. need/desire for the product or service.
2. availablity of the product or service.
3. Cost of producing the product or service.

Over time, on a large societal scale, all prices are set by these factors, unless manipulated by government power.

Governments manipulate prices at their peril.

I suggest you find the PBS special called "The Higher Ground" and view it.

It describes how the leftist "intellectuals" put centralized Socialist economies in place in Europe and India after WWII.

It goes on to describe the utter failure of those economies to produce the hoped for prosperity and abundance. It tells how those countries divested theselves of the seized industries and reduced strangling regulation of their economies during the 70's and 80's in order to become competitive in the real world.

It also describes how people who told them the truth were heckled, threatened and even attacked on university campuses by the "compassionate" leftists.

But they believe them now.

Thomas Maddux

Tom,
I agree with you and commend you for honoring the example of your parents.
Why should we waste our time and energy coveting what someone else has  when we can thank God for what we  have and work to make the best of it. ?
Mark K

P.S.~ Hi my name is Sarah Kisla, I'm 17 years old, and I definately agree with your response Tom.  A communist system would encourage hard working people to settle for less!  There are people out there who put blood and sweat into providing for themselves and their families everyday, and there are other people who  could really care less and are satisfied with their lazy lifestyle!  Everyone has the oppertunity like you said to make a better life for themselves, its just up to them to take advantage of it!

Sarah,

You wrote,
"P.S.~ Hi my name is Sarah Kisla, I'm 17 years old, and I definately agree with your response Tom.  A communist system would encourage hard working people to settle for less!  There are people out there who put blood and sweat into providing for themselves and their families everyday, and there are other people who  could really care less and are satisfied with their lazy lifestyle!  Everyone has the oppertunity like you said to make a better life for themselves, its just up to them to take advantage of it!"


That's called hitting the nail on the head.

God bless,

Thomas Maddux

North Korea is in the midst of a self-inflicted hunger crisis.
China is dabbling with Free enterprise.
Soviet Union imploded.
Florida shores continually receive boat people filled with "lovers of Castro".

Help me understand exactly where it has been implemented well?