Governor: Moment of Silence at 10 a.m. Monday for Santa Fe Shooting Victims

I propose prayer, as silence compliments it so well...

We know that gun grabbing "mania" isn't going to solve this issue, but let's do something... Glad I don't have kids in S.A.I.S.D., wouldn't want to trust their "fail-safe's" to save my kids life... Are we invincible now because they say so? I'm sure a lot of these other schools had measures in place too, one's that sounded great on paper and at meetings. So far, nothing has really changed about school safety here in Angelo, are we really ignorant enough to continue on as though nothing is happening in our country?

The press release from S.A.I.S.D. the other day, said that they follow the guidelines for the Texas State School Safety Center... Wow, I guess Santa Fe didn't?

It may sound cruel but, I'm glad I don't have that to worry about. I don't remember ever hearing of a "Home School" shooting... My kids are safer here than anywhere else in the entire city and I don't have a sign on my property that says "Gun Free Zone".

Will be praying for Santa Fe though, I should go to school grounds to do it just to upset folks... Can't believe we're really at the point in this State especially, that we cower before "Big Brother" and have moment's of silence... If Nate was Governor, I'd call for a moment of prayer to the God of the Bible and let whatever consequence came my way for those actions, be worried about later... Good thing I'm not Governor though, cause I wouldn't know how to handle almost any other situation.

Our Government, used to do things like that... Day's of prayer, and talk about the benefits of honoring God and repenting... These type of things weren't as common in those days... Wonder what the principle is behind that?

I understand what you're getting at RR... I don't know the answers to many questions in life, but when I have questions, like you said, I seek the answers outside of myself.

I don't think that there is a way to pinpoint, one particular cause for the tragedies we see, because it's not one particular thing that is causing them... There are a number of factors in each separate case. One thing I can say is that they all link back to seeds that were planted years ago in our country.

Step by step, little by little, we have seen Christianity taken out of the public domain... Public schools for instance, also, out of the public square. Now, we are blessed here in Texas to have retained some of it, but even here it is beginning to disappear. I'm not saying that it is any particular group's fault... In fact, in many ways, it is the fault of the "believers", who have sacrificed hard truths and honesty for political correctness. I do agree with many folks about some of the points they bring up.

It is pretty common now, to meet someone who views Christians, as weak people that are "holier than thou", and wish to do nothing more than scare people into letting go of all the things that are fun in life. I'll get straight to my point, Jesus condemns hypocrisy, quite vehemently I might add, numerous times throughout his life. Jesus wasn't out looking for the goody goody, law abiding and self righteous types... He chased the broken man, the rebel, the leper, and the societal outcasts of all types to shame those who acted as though they didn't need God's righteousness...

There may be some hypocrite's that remain today, no doubt, but there are many who walk in step with their words. People who truly follow Jesus...
Many hold the opinion that Christians are supposed to be just like Jesus after professing Christianity... Not so, in fact, we will live our entire lives and never be any more holy in God's eyes... That's the great thing about God's love, He loved us while we were dead in our sins. Jesus came and lived a perfect and sinless life, fully God, truly man, and died on that cross so that a holy and righteous man could take the blame for our sin and satisfy God's wrath. 3 days later, he rose from the grave and appeared to hundreds after, before ascending into heaven and giving us his Spirit. Even his disciples were baffled, "Thomas, wouldn't believe until he could see, and touch his wounds." hence, the term "Doubting Thomas".

The amazing thing that many Christians even seem to get stuck on, is that, Grace has saved us... Grace is defined as unmerited favor... We don't deserve to be forgiven for our sins and he forgives us anyway by this "grace", when we have faith that what he says is true. That's what changes a man, if you show me a man who needs a priest to confess sins to, I'll show you a man who doesn't understand God's grace. Show me a man who needs to be baptized over and over because they think there's something special going on during baptism and I'll show you a man who doesn't understand grace. Show me a man who thinks he's better than someone else, no matter who it is, and I'll show you a man who doesn't understand grace...

The book of Romans deals at great length with this issue... I agree with this grace, I'm no better than anyone, it is only through God's own redemptive work that I am made righteous and that righteousness is not my own, it was a gift that I didn't deserve. I can't point to myself and claim to be good in any way... As a matter of fact, I point out the opposite, I tell of how depraved I was, how lost I was, and how there was no hope for me... I wanted to off myself numerous times in life because death seemed a welcome reprieve from what I was. I hurt those that I loved the most, I spit in the face of anyone who tried to help and I hated humanity and believed that I was owed a better hand in life... That's all I know how to do. I did every drug I ever saw and treated myself to every sexual desire that came to mind, I bragged and boasted about how I was more "hardcore" than other guys... I did have a death wish, mind you. That's all I can point to in myself... I still point to it today, although things have changed, I know that it wasn't me that made those changes. Coming from where I'm from in life, after receiving God's grace, I have learned from those things and have no desire for them anymore, but that in and of itself makes me no more righteous now than I was before... The message of grace from God to me says, Nate, stop trying to be anything more than a sinner. When I stepped back and quit trying to earn God's favor and simply accepted His favor as a gift that I didn't deserve, it changed everything... I may live a better life now, but at heart, I am still not "good" enough to earn my way into heaven. God's righteousness at work in me is His gift too... I know that I'm not righteous, but at the cross, Jesus righteousness was imputed to me and anyone who believes... That's one of our biggest problems... Self righteousness. I don't care what man's opinion of me is, based on these things that I tell about my past... The only reason that there's any righteousness in me is because it is not my own...

I realize that I can't change people's minds, but when you come on San Angelo Live and hear every other opinion under the sun, I feel like this message is needed as well... I don't care if people like it, in fact I can't let that bother me, because most folks don't want to hear any of this, that is not a new phenomenon... As long as I have the ability to talk about it, I will.

I have studied the different religions and philosophies that are prevalent today and I don't speak about things that I can't support with evidence... I know folks get upset that I "go at it" with Lares, and others, but I feel like I need to... I study the various fields of science, on both sides of the fence, those studies that are for "creation" and those that are against it. I know that I can't "Prove", to others that God is the creator of this life, there comes a point after all the evidences that one has to come to a conclusion based on what those evidences point to as being to most probable answer to the questions we ask.

After all the research that I have done and continue to do, I am convinced that the evidence does more to justify a leap of faith into the "creationist" idea, rather than the "evolutionary" one. We will have to take a leap of "faith" either direction we jump so I do my best to cause folks to think about their choices.

Even the simplest living things, like bacteria, need over 350 "enzymes" to "work"... Enzymes are made of a very "precise" sequence of amino acids. Creationist's could be very generous to the evolutionist and assume that only 10 of the amino acids in each enzyme had to be exact. Now, look at the probability of 350 enzymes, with only 10 amino acids each enzyme having to be exactly right for this bacteria to live... (350 x 10)20... The probability of this happening by chance is the equivalent of guessing a 5,000 digit pin number correctly the first time... 4 digits are supposed to be enough to protect your bank account, and if someone guesses it, the bank will tell you that you must have allowed someone access to the pin... It is because of evidence such as this that I choose to believe that too many "perfect" accidents would need to have occurred to create and sustain life on this earth. To say it's all an accident isn't supported by the evidence of how things work. That is why I can't be quiet, and why I ask people to produce evidence for their argument about what they believe.

Here's a real, chicken and egg problem RR... D.N.A. requires enzymes to read it, but the instructions to build those enzymes are on the D.N.A., which can't be read without those enzymes. Which came first, the D.N.A. or the enzyme?

I get what you are saying though... Personally, I prefer to challenge these ideas whether folks have their minds made up, or they are still learning... there's nothing wrong with challenging a claim or idea. These are the questions that need to be asked... Some will inevitably disagree and be "turned off" by what I say, I expect that... I don't prefer to leave each to his own... I will not be neutral because the other side isn't neutral... I don't claim to be right, I claim to believe in God and I can support the reason's for that belief and challenge others that are against it.

Too avoid another of Nate's superfluous sermons that he not-so-cleverly disguises as rants. The merits of which I shall not challenge, simply because there is no point.

Inanimate objects aren't capable of doing much, until someone picks them up and utilizes them -- a solid hard fact that the "grabbers" seem to miss or ignore. More laws and red tape won't do a thing, as people bent on murder usually aren't concerned with laws or obtaining their firearms legally to begin with.

Never missing a chance to whore out the misfortune of children to push draconian anti-gun legislation, the "grabbers" commandeered the 2018 Billboard awards to throw the latest pity party for their voting base to drool over. Opening the propaganda, Kelly Clarkson (who apparently puts as much effort into communicating a coherent thought as she does her singing career) treated the viewers to a one minute, fragmented monologue of snowflake fluff. This was followed by students from the Parkland Florida High school shooting, parading around the stage singing and dancing in hoodies that read ''YOUTH''. Shameless Leftist pornography.

The types of students which commit violent acts like this are products of their environment, and are of little to no consequence for a lack of Christian indoctrination.

Bullying is an unfortunate part of growing up, so is rejection. This doesn't end when you graduate, people step on each other and discriminate in every stratum of society in the adult world. When the successful get situated, they surround themselves with those of similar ability and social standing. Stronger and faster makes the team, attractive and charismatic gets the mate -- facts of life people are either discouraged from or afraid to articulate to their children today. The fallout is a generation peppered with emotionally retarded ingrates and ticking time bombs.

Among today's youth, ineptitude and apathy is lauded to the extent that it's become the norm. It's become acceptable to expect everything while putting forth very little to achieve or deserve it. People of power or influence are looked upon with suspicion, everything beautiful is seen as a personal affront to the ugly, and the strong and capable are the enemies against uniform, comfortable stagnation, as the very concepts of competition and victory have been vilified.

It's NOT ok to fall to pieces over a difference of opinion of Facebook posts, it's NOT ok to lash out at the world because you're not a hit with the ladies or the "in crowd". Not everyone is going to like you, and you're definitely aren't, by the mere virtue of having a pulse, guaranteed to be likeable.

Infantilization isn't virtuous, it's dangerous and sometimes deadly.

Christian "indoctrination" is a problem, we should teach anyone for that matter, to do some critical thinking about what their beliefs are... If you only tell people the "what" and not the "why", how can we expect them to understand what we are teaching them? Adopting someone else's ideas without investigating any farther is sickening mind control at it's finest! Research what the Bible say's before you get it all wrong and prance about with a belief that is so vague you can't even describe to someone else what it is you believe in. "This only applies to those who believe the Bible". If you don't believe in the Bible, then scratch out the words, Christian and Bible and insert the appropriate noun's for your specific set of belief's, then it can apply to you too!

You are very right. I too am disgusted with the sacrifices of common and basic principles for the satisfaction of a group of folks who don't care about others, one iota. "Self", becomes the champion of the day and their are too many "self's", to have any coherent structure to society, if we start giving everyone what they want. Like I've said before, the "pursuit" of happiness is something that we all have the freedom for, the structuring of the government didn't guarantee the "attainment" of happiness to us. You must earn it, if happiness is what you want... We don't owe you that, no matter who you are.

The moment you address someone about their personal responsibility in life, they get offended. Time to shake things up! What did Emiliano Zapata say? It is better to die on your feet, than to live on your knees. That is a good virtue to live by, metaphorically speaking... Unless the time comes to be literal.

Hopefully, we will see the day that folk do start to think again, sadly, most men haven't the courage to spark thought in others... I may disagree about origins, context, and a whole host of other things with many of you... That's ok, at least we get into these discussion's, there are many who don't even consider life beyond what satisfies their faces for the day. I don't like that... Hence, my "Chicken Crossed The Road", posts.

I would rather be hated for what I speak about, than to remain silent.

I may not like, all of you guys, but I love you all, and hope that your's is a blessed day, regardless of belief.

That video was creepy, and not Biblical Lares... I think we finally agree on something!

I was raised Southern Baptist, and I found that video profoundly disturbing. When I saw those kids drinking soft drinks from a cup I thought of the kids who drank Kool-Aid in Jonestown. That woman and her dogmatic beliefs frighten me.

That woman is what we call a Pentecostal... Very strange doctrine indeed. Not sure where in the Bible those teachings come from... I must have the edited version... ha ha. Seriously, it is sad to see.