The RECORD

By Col. Myrl Allinder

"If we lose freedom here, there is no place to escape to. This is the last stand on Earth.” Ronald Reagan

The mark of a true man is that he changes his environment, his culture. Not the other way around. If there is bribery of high government officials (euphemistically called "campaign donations"), if there is lying and sexual debauchery in the White House, if there is wholesale slaughter of helpless, innocent Americans who are unable to bear weapons nor to defend themselves the fault does not lie with the Chief Justice, nor the President, nor the Congressman. The fault lies with the lack of a true man. The collapse of decent society and the cultural failure in America lies at the feet of the true man who went to church on Sunday, but left it all home when he went to work on Monday.

"True man" is a Scriptural term. (Conversely, there is also a "false man".) King Solomon said, "Most men proclaim their own goodness.... but a true man, who can find?" (Proverbs 20:6) Solomon could not find even one true man. And while Solomon began well, with visions of God and supernatural wisdom, and was a possible true man candidate himself, he succumbed to the surrounding pagan culture, began looking to his own welfare, his own wants. He began accumulating wives, horses and gold... which God had specifically forbidden to kings of Israel. (Deuteronomy 17, especially vv 17-19).

After beginning well, King Solomon did not take Biblical culture to the workplace. For selfish reasons, he caved to the culture that surrounded him, and died in jealousy, envy and strife. Israel was subsequently divided, then defeated (1 Kings 11).

In John 7:18, Christ describes who the true man is, the man that Solomon searched for in vain in Proverbs 20, "..the true man seeks the Glory of Him Who sent him."

What does the false man seek in the business place? He seeks to proclaim his own goodness.The politician and the act of campaigning for office come to mind. But it is also often true in the workplace. Seeking reputation and recognition have been raised to new levels in business America. Super Bowl ads proclaim the virtues of certain businesses, ads costing one million dollars or more for a few seconds of air time. Competing for business at times seems to replace honesty, service-with-a-smile, and the customer is always right. The emphasis is on numbers of customers, rather than the importance of serving just one customer, the next one, well.

How does the true man in the business place seek the Glory of Him Who sent him and survive in America's dog-eat-dog, competitive, commercial, capitalistic society?

Perhaps a fundamental rule of all business, all work places is: Serve the next customer, the next client, as if he is the only one. The motto of Sandhurst, the British Military Academy, has it right: Serve to Lead, and not vice versa.

The Jews have a homely proverb: "Whoever saves one soul, saves the whole world."

Here's a business world homely proverb: "Whoever serves one customer/one client well, serves the whole world."

After working with CBN, TBN, PTL for over 6 years, I left Christian TV in 1976, for multiple reasons, but one of the reasons was this Christian TV proverb, "My message is so important that God told me to go only to crowds of 300 (or 600, or 1000, etc.) or more." Hmmmmm, somewhere the True Man said, "I leave the 99, to go find one."

Either God is in control of your business, or He is not. Christ said: "Without me, you can do nothing." Again, "All that the Father gives me, they come to me." It is God who brings the one customer, the one client....yes, and even the one mean boss....into your life. If that is not true, then neither is Romans 8:28 true.

Your service to the next single customer is so important, that you are to leave the 99 customers.....to GO SERVE ONE.

Christ never sought the crowd. In John 9, He searched Jerusalem to find the one blind man who could now see, but who was also thrown out of the Temple by the religious crowd.

When Christ did a good deed, He often told the recipient, "Do not tell anybody."

In 29 years' service as a Marine fighter pilot, God had to crush me many times because I sought my own glory, sought reputation, sought combat glory, sought promotion, bragged on my exploits as the world's greatest fighter pilot, etc., etc., ad nauseum. But He at last began to get my attention as He crushed me, and I began to seek the welfare of each single Marine Private. I began to pray for my Marines, wherever and whenever they asked, in public or in private. I began to focus on the next one single man, forgetting about who might be hearing or watching. "All that my Father gives to me, they come to me,"was true for Jesus, and it's true for us who follow Him.

As my Marines fell into formation for my final Change of Command, a Marine General came up to me and said, "Now Myrl, I do not want you to pray during your Change of Command ceremony today." I smiled and replied, "General, you can order me to go stand in the toilet, and I will instantly obey; but I assure you that wherever I am standing, I will pray."

The world nods when a muslim demands to pray to allah five times a day, at work or wherever; but the world condemns the Christian man who stops to pray at work for a customer who came to buy this or that, but who really was sent by God to you, to ask you to pray for his suffering family or friend.

Mishema (pen name)
Hebrew: pronounced me-shemAH = who will hear?

Myrl Allinder is married to the former Martha E. Smith of Augusta, GA since 1956. They rejoice in 4 children, and in 5 grandchildren. Myrl retired as a Colonel of Marines in 1986 after 29 years, 375 combat missions, and command of 3 squadrons. He served on the staff of the Secretary of Defense for 3 years, and as a Strategic Planner for the Department of the Navy at the Naval War College, Newport, RI for 4 years. His final job was Chief of Plans, Joint Deployment Agency, Joint Chiefs of Staff, developing Logistics War Plans for all Theaters, including the Middle East.

Upon retirement he served as a missionary in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America from 1987-2000. Today he volunteers in the Pinellas County Jail (4,000 prisoners, 1000 arrests per week), in the Suncoast Haven of Rest rescue mission (7,000 homeless); and as a Gideon distributes thousands of Bibles each year to students and foreigners in the Tampa Bay area. He is an usher at Bayside Church of God in Safety Harbor, FL, serving on the Missions Committee.

According to ground breaking research on the internet by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, New England enjoys the highest percentage of internet usage in the United States. A news story this week in a daily newspaper in Maine featured two legislators sporting their blackberries. Talk radio has been buzzing this year over the use of the internet in the State House, specifically legislators using email as they go about their duties inside and outside the chambers. The internet is here to stay. And, thankfully, the League is able to help you make use of it.

Using our Citizen Action Center, you can share your views about issues with people who can make a difference. You aren't just 'sounding off.' God knows there is enough of that already in the airwaves today. You are actually reaching the men and women who make decisions that affect our entire state. You can make this difference in a very short period of time. Once you are registered, and you have become familiar with the Citizen Action Center, you can send a message to targeted officials in just two minutes.

Here are the simple steps to use our Citizen Action Center:

1.
Turn on your computer.
2.
Open your internet browser.
3.
Go to http://www.cclmaine.org
4.
Click the "Action" button at the top left of your computer screen.
5.
Click "Register Here" in the center of the next screen. (You will only have to register once.)
6.
Register, and you're inside the Citizen Action Center. You can now take action on the items listed.

Our staff keeps an eye on the Citizen Action Center everyday, making sure that the action items are current.

You are the majority in Maine. Have you ever wondered why our common sense views don't seem to matter more to politicians and leaders? It is because forces aligned with money and pleasure are louder than ours right now in the State House. You and I need to change that. We need to make our reasonable and loving voices heard. We need to make the grace and righteousness of God known everywhere.

I need you to do your part. We can succeed in this task. All it takes is both prayer AND action. Now you can act from the comfort of your home. Tomorrow I'll explain further the ins and outs of the Christian Civic League of Maine's Citizen Action Center.

HELP US GET TO 100 USERS BY THE END OF THE WEEK. CLICK THROUGH, REGISTER AND SEND YOUR EMAIL NOW!

TODAY'S LINKS

The Lost Tomb of Jesus? Things you'd have to believe to believe James Cameron
Faith Organizations Keep Tabs on State House
A Gandalf Moment

AUGUSTA - People lobby legislators every day on a host of issues - but only a few do so from a position of faith and set their priorities based on Scripture.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, the Maine Council of Churches and the Christian Civic League of Maine are the most recognized Christian organizations that regularly testify on bills and buttonhole legislators in the halls of the State House.

While some issues such as gay marriage, clergy sex abuse and embryonic stem cell research garner headlines, some faith organizations spend more time working to end poverty and ensure access to health care.

This year, the Catholic diocese is the only group that has a full- time registered lobbyist working in Augusta. The Maine Council of Churches and the Christian Civic League have cut back on their lobbying work due to budget constraints, but are following the bills as they make their way through legislative committees to the House and Senate.

How much the church should be involved in government has been debated for centuries, according to Lyman "Terry" Phillips, president of Grace Evangelical Center for Undergraduate Studies and Seminary in Bangor.

"Some people see every single issue as having a faith-related side," he said Thursday, "while others say religious groups should not get involved at all because government is an earthly concern and faith is heavenly focused. The defense of the First Amendment, however, is very important to people of all faiths."

Historically, denominations have taken different positions on their involvement in government, Phillips said. Congregational churches established the first governments in New England, yet other denominations wanted complete separation of church and state long before the U.S. Constitution was drafted.

"It was the faith voice that created modern American liberalism and the idea that government is responsible for taking care of those who can't take care of themselves," he said.

Marc Mutty, 57, lobbyist for the Catholic diocese, spends most of his time working on those issues even though they don't get much attention from the media.

The diocesan public policy committee uses its statement of principles to help decide which pieces of legislation it will take a stand on, and Mutty follows through.

Its priorities are care and protection of human life; caring for children and families; equitable, accessible and ethical health care; economic justice and fiscal resource allocation.

"Social justice issues are what Marc spends the vast majority of is time on," said Michael Poulin, the Auburn attorney who heads the committee.

"Access to essential services by those in need [is] a core issue for the church. ... We're all are part of one human family. Catholic means universal and to the extent that there's suffering and injustice in the world, the church is called upon to speak to that."

For more than two decades, Tom Ewell, the former executive director of the Maine Council of Churches, lobbied the Legislature on social justice, peace, restorative justice and environmental issues.

Ewell, 63, of Cape Elizabeth retired last year.

His successor, the Rev. Jill Saxby, 46, of Cape Elizabeth, is spending her first year on the job helping the council discern where it wants to focus its energies over the next 20 years. As a result, the organization has not lobbied in Augusta this year as much as it has in the past.

The Christian Civic League of Maine does not have a lobbyist this year either, but the group's executive director, Michael Heath, is keeping an eye on what bills might be of interest to its members.

Established in 1897, the league's three founding principles outline the group's philosophy about its involvement in the civic life of the state.

Those principles are:

. To encourage all the people of Maine in good citizenship.

. To elect honest and competent public officials.

. To enact good laws and provide for their impartial enforcement.

"Personally, I prefer the model of Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper," said Heath, 45, of China. "He said there are three spheres that all citizens are connected to: religion, government and family. They're interlocking like the Olympic circles, so there's overlap and independence. ... If you look at those three spheres, the idea that there's a separation of church and state and no interconnectedness is not real."

Legislative leaders said that the voices of faith the diocese, the Maine Council of Churches and Christian Civic League represent add depth to the political debate.

"In today's modern political environment, people with a particular interest or background collectivize to engage their government," said state Sen. Carol Weston, R-Montville, the Senate minority leader.

"A civic group bound together by a core set of spiritual beliefs, like any other group, adds a tremendous amount to any debate," Weston said.

From the March 3, 2007 edition of the Bangor Daily News. By Judy Harrison.

NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is reproduced for non-profit educational purposes only. For more information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml

Maine's Catholic Chancery confirmed on its website today that it supports a bill that is the top priority of Maine's most radical homosexual rights group, Equality Maine. Hundreds of emails have been directed at the Chancery spokesman, Marc Mutty, in the past few days. While Mutty has ignored emails from the League for comment, the Chancery published a clarification of its position in support of "LD 375, An Act to Amend the Family Medical Leave Act."

The Chancery's written clarification repeats their view that Equality Maine's support is "incidental" to the purpose of the bill. The statement goes on to allow, "As a point of information, the diocese does not endorse the use of the term 'domestic partners' to refer to 'same sex couples.'"

League Executive Director Michael S. Heath observed, "The problem with Mr. Mutty's point of information is that the bill does exactly what he says they don't support. Unless the Chancery wants to propose an amendment immediately the League calls on them to withdraw their support of LD 375 by sending a letter to the members of the Labor Committee outlining the detail of their amendment."

The Chancery supported "gay rights" in 2005. Had the Chancery accepted the League's invitation to join the "Coalition for Marriage" that year Maine would not now be vulnerable to court action forcing same sex marriage or civil unions.

"What person in his right mind doesn't believe that there isn't some liberal judge in Maine that is going to connect all these legal dots at some point here and force same sex marriage." Said Heath. "It is tragic, really awful, what the Chancery is doing ... very disappointing. All they are doing is confusing people. Shame on them."

By Mike Hein

Heath proclaims "major victory" for decent Mainers

Article 11, a proposed ordinance seeking to effectively decriminalize marijuana-related offenses, was soundly voted down this past weekend at the annual West Paris Town Meeting. The vote itself has been officially reported by the Town Moderator, Vern Maxfield, at zero votes in favor of the article offered by the fledgling Maine Marijuana Policy Initiative. Others in attendance report that as many as a dozen town residents voted for the article, but there is a consensus that approximately 80 votes were recorded in opposition to the measure.

The news of this lopsided defeat was greeted gleefully by both the League and by West Paris-area pastors. League Executive Director Mike Heath proclaimed, "This is a major victory for decent, law-abiding Mainers. The League has fought vice like this for 110 years, and although this stunning vote is heartening, we must remain vigilant in our temperance efforts." Heath nostalgically concluded, "I am confident that somewhere in Heaven, Ben Bubar is smiling his famous smile [about this]." Ben Bubar, Jr. was the League's leader for over three decades until 1984, and was a prominent national and local leader in the drug and alcohol temperance movement.

Local pastors echoed Heath's sentiments. Pastor Bruce Tyner leads the First Baptist Church in neighboring Rumford and attended the town meeting as a resident of West Paris. "I was really happy that our town refused to give [the initiative's leader] a platform for notoriety. The vote in opposition to his speaking was as one-sided as the final vote," said Pastor Tyner the day of the meeting. "It's good to be a citizen of West Paris today." Pastor Dallas Henry, who leads Hosanna New Testament Church in neighboring Oxford, said, "The purpose behind this initiative was to do the same thing that the homosexual movement has done [in Maine] in the past, which is to normalize immoral behavior, in this case, marijuana smoking. The West Paris voters were not fooled by this effort by out-of-towners. It is encouraging to see people stand up for what is good, right, and proper."

West Paris resident Sandra Poland stated succinctly the thoughts of the community at the town meeting, "This is wrong for our children and wrong for the town."

The first-of-its-kind pro-pot idea was met with significant local mainstream media attention when first announced late last year. As recently as two days before the town meeting was held, Cape Elizabeth columnist and erstwhile pundit Jim Brunelle was arguing in favor of the legalization of marijuana in Maine and this ordinance. Brunelle wrote on March 1, This ordinance' passage could send a small message to Augusta that there is grassroots sentiment in Maine for pot law reform and that the issue needs to be discussed seriously at the state level.

"It seems that the good people of West Paris have clearly spoken," maintained Heath, "and they have strongly voted on the side of law enforcement and the Biblical principle of temperance. It seems also that they have rejected the elite leftist arguments of people like Brunelle for the legalization of harmful drugs like marijuana. This small town in Maine has sent a message alright, but not the message that the dope peddlers and their apologists wanted."

The MMPI has stated publicly that it is targeting Maine towns to push local ordinances that make marijuana criminal offenses the "lowest law enforcement priority in town." The towns of Sumner, Paris, and Farmington are their current focus regarding the effective decriminalization of these drug offenses. Sumner is scheduled to have a public hearing on March 27 regarding a proposed ordinance of this nature, followed by a possible town vote on the proposed ordinance this June.