God has not promised skies always blue,
Flower- stewn pathways, all our lives through.
God has not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain,
But God has promised strength for the day,
Rest for the laborer, light on the way;
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.
I LiKe tHiS pOeM....WHAT do you think? (What God Has Promised)?
Loved it. Covers my life perfectly. Thanks for sharing. God bless you.
Reply:great poem love and forgiveness
Reply:Very true!!
Reply:crap....pure crap
Reply:nice
Reply:Beautiful with a capital B!
Reply:I think it is a very realistic view of Life, God will see us through it but he will not take us out of it.
Reply:Very Hallmark.
Reply:I like it. Then again I like shite on toast.
Reply:LOVE THIS POEM!!
Reply:i like it its intersting,
skin disease
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
How do u feel about our prophet today gordon B hinckley?
First Presidency Message
The Prophet Joseph Smith:
Teacher by Example
By President Thomas S. Monson
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
Next %26gt; Print E-mail
Thomas S. Monson, “The Prophet Joseph Smith: Teacher by Example,” Ensign, Jun 1994, 2
“I was born in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and five, on the twenty-third day of December, in the town of Sharon, Windsor county, State of Vermont.” 1 Thus spoke the first prophet of this great dispensation, the dispensation of the fulness of times. These words of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his testimony which follows have been translated into Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, German, French, Polish, and almost every language of the civilized world. When read by honest men and honest women, these profound words have changed thinking and have changed lives. This is the value of the simple testimony of the boy prophet, Joseph Smith.
Let us go back to the year of our Lord 1805, on the twenty-third day of December, in the town of Sharon, Windsor County, Vermont. Will you take that journey with me? Will you accompany me as we look back on those dramatic events taking place on that day? As Joseph Smith, Sr., and his wife, Lucy Mack, proudly looked down upon the little baby that had come into their home, I’m certain they were pleased and most grateful to the Lord that the period of her confinement had passed favorably and that this child had been born to them. I can imagine that they might have exclaimed, as did the poet, that this little baby was “a sweet, new blossom of humanity, fresh fallen from God’s own home to flower on earth.” 2 A choice spirit had come to dwell in its earthly tabernacle.
Some have asked, “Did he have an unusual childhood or boyhood?” “Was the Prophet Joseph different from me or my brothers?” I think we could perhaps gain insight into the childhood of the Prophet by reading the words of his mother, Lucy. She said, “I am aware that some of my readers will be disappointed, for … it is thought by some that I shall be likely to tell many very remarkable incidents which attended his childhood; but, as nothing occurred during his early life except those trivial circumstances which are common to that state of human existence, I pass them in silence.” 3 This is all we have from the boy’s mother concerning his early childhood activities.
During his early youth, however, ill health and ill fortune seemed to pursue the family. The good father tried farming in several localities but couldn’t quite succeed in any of them. When young Joseph was seven years old, he and his brothers and sisters were stricken with typhus fever. The others recovered readily, but Joseph was left with a painful sore on his leg, a sore which would not heal. The doctors, doing the best they could under the conditions of the time, treated him—and yet the sore persisted. Finally the doctors were afraid they were going to have to amputate his leg.
We can imagine the grief and the sorrow that would come to parents who were told that the leg of their young son must be removed. Thankfully, however, one day the doctors came unexpectedly to the home, and they told the family that they were going to try a new operation to remove a piece of the bone, hoping that this would permit the sore to heal. They had brought with them some cord and planned to tie Joseph to the bed because they had no anesthetic, nothing to dull the pain, when they cut into his leg to remove the piece of bone.
Young Joseph, however, responded, “I will not be bound, for I can bear the operation much better if I have my liberty.”
The doctors then said, “Will you take some wine? … You must take something, or you can never endure the severe operation.”
Again the boy prophet said, “No, … but I will tell you what I will do—I will have my father sit on the bed and hold me in his arms, and then I will do whatever is necessary in order to have the bone taken out.”
So Joseph Smith, Sr., held the boy in his arms, and the doctors opened the leg and removed the diseased piece of bone. Although he was lame for some time afterward, Joseph was healed. 4 At seven years of age, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught us courage—by example.
When Joseph was in his tenth year, his family, which now consisted of eleven souls, left the state of Vermont and moved to Palmyra, Ontario County, New York. Four years later they moved to Manchester, located in the same county. It was here that Joseph described the great religious revival which seemed everywhere present and of prime concern to every heart. These are his words: “So great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong. …
“While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” 5
The Prophet said that after reading this verse he knew for a certainty he must either put the Lord to the test and ask Him or perhaps choose to remain in darkness forever. He declared that as he retired to the grove to pray, this was the first time he had attempted to pray vocally to his Heavenly Father. But he had read the scripture, he had understood the scripture, he had trusted in God his Eternal Father; and now he knelt and prayed, knowing that God would give him the enlightenment which he so earnestly sought. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught us the principle of faith—by example.
Can you imagine the ridicule, the scorn, the mocking which all of his young friends, his older friends, and his foes alike must have heaped upon him as he mentioned that he had seen a vision? I suppose that it became almost unbearable for the boy, and yet he was honest with himself, for these are his words: “I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it.” 6 The Prophet Joseph Smith taught honesty—by example.
An unusual thing happened after that great first vision. The Prophet Joseph received no additional communication for three years. However, he did not wonder, he did not question, he did not doubt the Lord. The Prophet Joseph patiently waited. The Prophet Joseph taught us the principle of patience—by example.
Following the visits of the angel Moroni and the delivering into the hands of the Prophet the golden plates, he commenced the difficult assignment of translation, which would absorb his every waking moment, his every thought, his every action night and day, perhaps every hour. One can but imagine the dedication, the devotion, and the labor required to translate in less than ninety days this record of over five hundred pages, which covered a period of twenty-six hundred years. There is not an absurd, impossible, or contradictory statement in the entire book. Joseph worked, Joseph studied, Joseph applied himself to his task. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught us diligence—by example.
I love the words Oliver Cowdery used to describe the time he spent assisting Joseph with the translation: “These were days never to be forgotten—to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom! Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write from his mouth, as he translated with the Urim and Thummim … the history or record called ‘The Book of Mormon.’ ” 7
The Prophet Joseph was truly blessed with the ability to inspire faith. One bright morning Joseph walked up to John E. Page and said, “Brother John, the Lord is calling you on a mission to Canada.”
John E. Page was rather astonished and said, “Why, Brother Joseph, I can’t go on a mission to Canada. I don’t even have a coat to wear.”
The Prophet Joseph took his own coat from his back, handed it to John Page, and said, “Here, John, wear this, and the Lord will bless you.” Brother Page took the coat, went to Canada, and in two years walked five thousand miles and baptized six hundred souls, because he trusted in the words of a prophet of God. 8
On another occasion Joseph was speaking to a group of brethren at Nauvoo on the importance of missionary work, and at the conclusion of his message he had so touched the congregation that 380 elders in the congregation volunteered to immediately embark on missions. 9
The Prophet Joseph believed in missionary work. While he and Sidney Rigdon were proselyting at Perrysburg, New York, 12 October 1833, having been long absent from their families and feeling concerned for them, they received the following revelation:
“Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my friends Sidney and Joseph, your families are well; they are in mine hands, and I will do with them as seemeth me good; for in me there is all power.
“Therefore, follow me, and listen to the counsel which I shall give unto you.
“Behold, … I have much people in this place, in the regions round about; and an effectual door shall be opened in the regions round about in this eastern land. …
“Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men;
“For it shall be given you … in the very moment, what ye shall say. …
“And I give unto you this promise, that inasmuch as ye do this the Holy Ghost shall be shed forth in bearing record unto all things whatsoever ye shall say.” 10
Joseph and Sidney continued their missionary labors.
Joseph Smith not only inspired men to volunteer for missions, he not only took his own coat and handed it to John Page as he went on his mission, but he also taught the importance of missionary work—by example.
I think one of the sweetest lessons taught by the Prophet, and yet one of the saddest, occurred close to the time of his death. He had seen in vision the Saints leaving Nauvoo and going to the Rocky Mountains. I imagine he felt as did Moses—anxious to lead his people away from their tormentors and into a promised land which the Lord his God had shown him. But it was not to be. Rather, he was required to leave his plan and vision of the Rocky Mountains and give himself up to face a court of supposed justice.
These are his words: “I am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but I am calm as a summer’s morning; I have a conscience void of offense towards God, and towards all men.” 11 That statement of the Prophet teaches us obedience to law and the importance of having a clear conscience toward God and toward our fellowmen. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught these principles—by example.
There was to be one great final lesson before his mortal life ended. He was incarcerated in Carthage Jail with his brother Hyrum, with John Taylor, and with Willard Richards. The angry mob stormed the jail; they came up the stairway, blasphemous in their cursing, heavily armed, and began to fire at will. Hyrum was hit and died. John Taylor took several balls of fire within his bosom. The Prophet Joseph, with his pistol in hand, was attempting to defend his life and that of his brethren, and yet he could tell from the pounding on the door that this mob would storm that door and would kill John Taylor and Willard Richards in an attempt to kill him. And so his last great act here upon the earth was to leave the door and lead Willard Richards to safety, throw the gun on the floor, and go to the window, that they might see him, that the attention of this ruthless mob might be focused upon him rather than the others. Joseph Smith gave his life. Willard Richards was spared, and John Taylor recovered from his wounds. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” 12 The Prophet Joseph Smith taught us love—by example.
June 27 of this year marks the 150th anniversary of that solemn event when the first prophet of this dispensation sealed his testimony of the Restoration with his blood. I testify that he was a prophet of God. I have seen the Lord convert people to His plan of salvation through the testimony of the Prophet Joseph. Many years ago I served as the president of the Canadian Mission. In the city of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, two of our missionaries were proselyting door-to-door on a cold, snowy afternoon. They had not had any measure of success. One was experienced, one was new.
The two called at the home of Mr. Elmer Pollard, and he, feeling sympathy for the almost frozen missionaries, invited them in. They presented their message and asked if he would join them in prayer. He agreed, on the provision that he could offer the prayer.
The prayer he offered astonished the missionaries. He said, “Heavenly Father, bless these two unfortunate, misguided missionaries, that they may return to their homes and not waste their time telling the people of Canada about a message which is so fantastic and about which they know so little.”
As they arose from their knees, Mr. Pollard asked the missionaries never to return to his home. As they left, he mockingly said to them, “You can’t tell me you really believe that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, anyway!” and he shut the door.
The missionaries had walked but a short distance when the junior companion said, “Elder, we didn’t answer Mr. Pollard.”
The senior companion said, “We’ve been evicted. Let’s move on to greener territory.”
The young missionary persisted, however, and the two returned to Mr. Pollard’s door. Mr. Pollard answered the knock and angrily said, “I thought I told you young men never to return!”
The junior companion then said, with all the courage he could muster, “Mr. Pollard, when we left your door, you said that we didn’t really believe Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I want to testify to you, Mr. Pollard, that I know Joseph Smith is a prophet of God; that by inspiration he translated the sacred record known as the Book of Mormon; that he did see God the Father and Jesus the Son.” The missionaries then departed the doorstep.
I heard this same Mr. Pollard, in a testimony meeting, state the experiences of that memorable day. He said: “That evening, sleep would not come. I tossed and turned. Over and over in my mind I heard the words, ‘Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. I know it … I know it … I know it.’ I could scarcely wait for morning to come. I telephoned the missionaries, using the address which was printed on the small card containing the Articles of Faith that they had left with me. They returned; and this time, with the correct spirit, my wife and family and I joined in the discussion as earnest seekers of truth. As a result, we have all embraced the gospel of Jesus Christ. We shall ever be grateful to the testimony of truth brought to us by courageous, humble missionaries.”
In the 135th section of the Doctrine and Covenants we read the words of John Taylor concerning the Prophet Joseph:
“Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions … ; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood.” 13
What a fitting tribute to a prophet of God! I pray we may learn from his example, that we might incorporate into our lives the great principles which he so beautifully taught; that we ourselves might emulate him; that our lives might reflect the knowledge we have that God lives, that Jesus is His Son, and that we are led today by a prophet of God.
Ideas for Home Teachers
Some Points to Ponder
How do u feel about our prophet today gordon B hinckley?
President Gordon B. Hinkley, like his predecessors, is a true prophet of God. He is the only prophet, seer, and revelator for this church. I know this for a fact. I love to hear him speak in meetings and General Conference. I know that what he says it true, and no one else can tell me otherwise.
Reply:Consider shortening your question with a link to an article actually written either by or about Pres. Hinkley. Try to avoid making a statement in the form of a question. Report It
Reply:It%26#039;s true. Just pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ and he will send the Spirit to guide you and witness to you it is. Sometimes people make judgments before they know the facts. Sorry ya%26#039;ll hypocrates Report It
Reply:To answer that question to that mad AA. I want you to know to look up Psalms 80. It says in it that we are are all gods because we are children of God. Jesus said it himself in NT. Research your stuff k. Then come back to me. Report It
Reply:I didn%26#039;t bother to read the stuff after your first question. He is a false prophet, but he is honest though! The comments that I refer to are the ones he made at the annual conference about the God of Mormonism not being that of the Bible.
Reply:He%26#039;s the true living prophet - he rules.
^^^ Buzz S, how can he be a false prophet and honest *BY DEFINITION*???
Reply:I love President Hinckley! He is so wonderful and any person in tune with the spirit need only look at him and know that he is truly a prophet. His countenance is bright, happy and to me reflects the Savior.
Reply:A Time for Revival
Scripture:
“The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables.” – 2 Timothy 4:3 4 NKJV
Paul prophesied that the time would come when people would not be willing to “endure sound doctrine.” They would have “itching ears.” They would refuse to recognize God’s messengers or believe that His Word is true. Instead of living according to God’s time tested, eternally true standards, they would live according to their own rules and find teachers to reinforce their own desires. Instead of accepting the Bible as God’s Word, they would reinterpret it to satisfy their own subjective opinions. They would set themselves up as gods and reject anything they don’t agree with or understand.
Today, the world is filled with people with “itching ears.” Christians are often accused of having foolish beliefs and being hopelessly out of date, and there can be great pressure to conform. But we cannot give in to worldly perspectives or concede defeat.
God calls each of us to a renewed commitment to His truth. He calls us to base our lives, our decisions, our thoughts, and our plans on His Word. He calls us to submit ourselves wholeheartedly to Him and seek His will. He calls us to listen to His voice and the leading of His Spirit. He calls us to obedience, trusting that He is God and that His Word is true!
Today, commit yourself anew to pleasing God and living according to His Word. Don’t compromise. Pray for a move of God’s Spirit around the world and a return to Godly standards. Pray for revival in our time.
Prayer:
Father, help me to resist the pressure to conform. I believe that Your Word is true, and I will base my life upon it. Bring revival to my nation and the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
**************************************...
Title
THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS
by Derek Joseph Levendusky
Content
A few years ago, I was praying for revival, and the Holy Spirit spoke to me, “If you’re going to see a revival of souls, first you need to see a revival of laborers.”
So my prayer changed. “Lord,” I cried, “send a revival of laborers who will fulfill the Great Commission!”
The Holy Spirit spoke to me again. “If you’re going to see a revival of laborers, first you need to see a revival of worshippers. If my children will love Me with all their heart, they’ll love the lost with all their heart.”
So my prayer changed again. Now I’m trusting God to fan the flames of a worship movement that will become a missions movement in this generation. Daniel 11:32 says, “They that know their God shall be strong and do great exploits.” Knowing God is the prerequisite for doing anything great for Him. Acts 4:13 says, “Now when they beheld the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”
It is a great tragedy when men and women seek to fulfill the Great Commission to “go into all the world” (Matthew 28:19) without first fulfilling the Great Commandment to “love the Lord with all your heart” (Matthew 22:37). Paul said that even if we surrender our body to be burned, but have not love , we gain nothing! Oh, may we be moved by the love of God to reach the nations!
I believe God is raising up a generation that will be moved by His heart, and like Paul the Apostle, cry out before a lost world, “The love of Christ compels me!” (2 Corinthians 5:14) John Piper dedicated a whole book to this topic, which he titled Let the Nations Be Glad . He wrote, “Where passion for God is weak, zeal for missions will be weak. Churches that are not centered on the exaltation of the majesty and beauty of God will scarcely kindle a fervent desire to ‘declare his glory among the nations’ (Psalm 96:3).”
He also wrote, “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t.”
I have traveled all over the world ministering to youth, and have seen God birthing a worship movement among the nations. I believe the worship movement sweeping across the earth today will transform into a great missions movement. This is what God is doing in our day! As this young generation draws close to God, it is impossible for them not to be moved by what moves God. This movement will affect our own schools, our own campuses, our own cities, our own country, and will affect the foreign fields of the world.
For years my band Isaiah 6 and I would be invited to two different kinds of events: 1) worship events for youth, and 2) missions events. I would notice several things at these events. At worship events, I noticed that the average age is very young. The worship movement is very young, hip, and cool. It is full of life, but also potentially ingrown. At missions events, I would notice that the average age is very old, and I would find myself asking, “Where are the young people that are answering the call to go?”
Our prayer is that the worship movement and missions movement will collide at Beyond the Song. Imagine with me thousands of young men and women getting away from the world for three days, gathering together to worship God and listen to His heart. Imagine those young men and women crying out, like Isaiah, “Here am I. Send me!” Imagine them actually going to the nations of the world, full of the love, the Word, and the power of God. What would happen?
I believe that God is raising up this generation that has been with Jesus to reach this world for Christ. Prophet-musician Keith Green once said, “This generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of souls on the earth.”
By the grace of God and love of God, we will go and finish the job.
Derek Joseph Levendusky is the founder and director of Isaiah 6 Ministries and Beyond the Song.
Reply:sorry to much to read but we must follow Jesus and look to him not false prophets which are still popping up all over.
Reply:Mormonism is not the true word of God. OT and NT warns people that rewriting and changing the Word has the worst punishment in hell.
Do you really believe you are a god?
Do you really believe lucifer is jesus%26#039;s brother?
How do you explain all the freemasonic rituals and symbols in mormonism?
the all seeing eye of horus, the compass and square, the apron of the priests, the handshakes, and the fact that Joseph smith was a 33rd degree scottish rite freemason and treasure hunter, who dabbled in the occult to find treasure, and that mormons still cohort with spirits and demons.
Reply:i feel that he is not a ture prophet and one day the true Priphet will come!
Reply:For something so long, I doubt you would recieve much answers because people can%26#039;t be bothered reading all that.
All I will say, is seen that, heard that, been there, done that, disregard that.
Reply:Okay, my personal testimony is that when I first saw a printed picture of him, I could see the love and light in his eyes, akin to that which I have seen in the eyes of true spiritual leaders like DT Suzuki, Dalai Lama, etc. Those weren%26#039;t the eyes of Jim Baker, Osama Bin Laden or Kim Il Joong. So I felt inituitively that GBH is a Prophet, (not a punk band).
That being said, I have read his %26#039;mundane%26#039; book on virtues and find his insight to bee keen and accurate. In one sense, we are all prophets, and have the full potential to be...because God can bestow this upon us if we simply ask with humble faith. So humility is a quality of a prophet, and GBH exemplifies this.
On a humorous level, if you were the head of a 12 million strong church, wouldn%26#039;t you have to be prophet...otherwise what would keep you from going bonkers?
One thing I am concerned about is the romanticisation and proximal deification of the Prophet. Some folks treat him with the same reverence they hold for Christ. This includes the current prophet as well as Jos Smith. When LDS members say that GBH or Jos Smith are %26#039;perfect%26#039;, %26quot;flawless%26quot;, or justify %26#039;every%26#039; one of their actions as God-drected, then I smell religion, not spirituality. God is the ultimate authority, we are but trusted servants, to paraphrass Tradition 2 of NA.
Being a prophet subjects a person to harsh persecution (Daniel, Alma) death (Abinadi), deep spiritual trials (Ruth) and a need to completely throw out what they know about %26#039;the Truth%26#039; (Habbukuk). And this is just in the Xian tradition. Go beyond this to prophets of Islam, Daoism, Hinduism, and all the New Religions and one finds that the world is quite crowded with prophets. To me, there is a reason why there is 100,000 saints in past/present. If you live by the premise that everything leads to God, then it makes sense to disperse the pathways as widely as possible.
Gordon Hinkley a prophet? Yes. Does he have insight into one of those paths? Yes. Does he commune directly with God? Yes. Can those who heed his prophetic ability and authority be brought to God? Yes.
This I believe.
nanny
The Prophet Joseph Smith:
Teacher by Example
By President Thomas S. Monson
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
Next %26gt; Print E-mail
Thomas S. Monson, “The Prophet Joseph Smith: Teacher by Example,” Ensign, Jun 1994, 2
“I was born in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and five, on the twenty-third day of December, in the town of Sharon, Windsor county, State of Vermont.” 1 Thus spoke the first prophet of this great dispensation, the dispensation of the fulness of times. These words of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his testimony which follows have been translated into Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, German, French, Polish, and almost every language of the civilized world. When read by honest men and honest women, these profound words have changed thinking and have changed lives. This is the value of the simple testimony of the boy prophet, Joseph Smith.
Let us go back to the year of our Lord 1805, on the twenty-third day of December, in the town of Sharon, Windsor County, Vermont. Will you take that journey with me? Will you accompany me as we look back on those dramatic events taking place on that day? As Joseph Smith, Sr., and his wife, Lucy Mack, proudly looked down upon the little baby that had come into their home, I’m certain they were pleased and most grateful to the Lord that the period of her confinement had passed favorably and that this child had been born to them. I can imagine that they might have exclaimed, as did the poet, that this little baby was “a sweet, new blossom of humanity, fresh fallen from God’s own home to flower on earth.” 2 A choice spirit had come to dwell in its earthly tabernacle.
Some have asked, “Did he have an unusual childhood or boyhood?” “Was the Prophet Joseph different from me or my brothers?” I think we could perhaps gain insight into the childhood of the Prophet by reading the words of his mother, Lucy. She said, “I am aware that some of my readers will be disappointed, for … it is thought by some that I shall be likely to tell many very remarkable incidents which attended his childhood; but, as nothing occurred during his early life except those trivial circumstances which are common to that state of human existence, I pass them in silence.” 3 This is all we have from the boy’s mother concerning his early childhood activities.
During his early youth, however, ill health and ill fortune seemed to pursue the family. The good father tried farming in several localities but couldn’t quite succeed in any of them. When young Joseph was seven years old, he and his brothers and sisters were stricken with typhus fever. The others recovered readily, but Joseph was left with a painful sore on his leg, a sore which would not heal. The doctors, doing the best they could under the conditions of the time, treated him—and yet the sore persisted. Finally the doctors were afraid they were going to have to amputate his leg.
We can imagine the grief and the sorrow that would come to parents who were told that the leg of their young son must be removed. Thankfully, however, one day the doctors came unexpectedly to the home, and they told the family that they were going to try a new operation to remove a piece of the bone, hoping that this would permit the sore to heal. They had brought with them some cord and planned to tie Joseph to the bed because they had no anesthetic, nothing to dull the pain, when they cut into his leg to remove the piece of bone.
Young Joseph, however, responded, “I will not be bound, for I can bear the operation much better if I have my liberty.”
The doctors then said, “Will you take some wine? … You must take something, or you can never endure the severe operation.”
Again the boy prophet said, “No, … but I will tell you what I will do—I will have my father sit on the bed and hold me in his arms, and then I will do whatever is necessary in order to have the bone taken out.”
So Joseph Smith, Sr., held the boy in his arms, and the doctors opened the leg and removed the diseased piece of bone. Although he was lame for some time afterward, Joseph was healed. 4 At seven years of age, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught us courage—by example.
When Joseph was in his tenth year, his family, which now consisted of eleven souls, left the state of Vermont and moved to Palmyra, Ontario County, New York. Four years later they moved to Manchester, located in the same county. It was here that Joseph described the great religious revival which seemed everywhere present and of prime concern to every heart. These are his words: “So great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong. …
“While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” 5
The Prophet said that after reading this verse he knew for a certainty he must either put the Lord to the test and ask Him or perhaps choose to remain in darkness forever. He declared that as he retired to the grove to pray, this was the first time he had attempted to pray vocally to his Heavenly Father. But he had read the scripture, he had understood the scripture, he had trusted in God his Eternal Father; and now he knelt and prayed, knowing that God would give him the enlightenment which he so earnestly sought. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught us the principle of faith—by example.
Can you imagine the ridicule, the scorn, the mocking which all of his young friends, his older friends, and his foes alike must have heaped upon him as he mentioned that he had seen a vision? I suppose that it became almost unbearable for the boy, and yet he was honest with himself, for these are his words: “I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it.” 6 The Prophet Joseph Smith taught honesty—by example.
An unusual thing happened after that great first vision. The Prophet Joseph received no additional communication for three years. However, he did not wonder, he did not question, he did not doubt the Lord. The Prophet Joseph patiently waited. The Prophet Joseph taught us the principle of patience—by example.
Following the visits of the angel Moroni and the delivering into the hands of the Prophet the golden plates, he commenced the difficult assignment of translation, which would absorb his every waking moment, his every thought, his every action night and day, perhaps every hour. One can but imagine the dedication, the devotion, and the labor required to translate in less than ninety days this record of over five hundred pages, which covered a period of twenty-six hundred years. There is not an absurd, impossible, or contradictory statement in the entire book. Joseph worked, Joseph studied, Joseph applied himself to his task. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught us diligence—by example.
I love the words Oliver Cowdery used to describe the time he spent assisting Joseph with the translation: “These were days never to be forgotten—to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom! Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write from his mouth, as he translated with the Urim and Thummim … the history or record called ‘The Book of Mormon.’ ” 7
The Prophet Joseph was truly blessed with the ability to inspire faith. One bright morning Joseph walked up to John E. Page and said, “Brother John, the Lord is calling you on a mission to Canada.”
John E. Page was rather astonished and said, “Why, Brother Joseph, I can’t go on a mission to Canada. I don’t even have a coat to wear.”
The Prophet Joseph took his own coat from his back, handed it to John Page, and said, “Here, John, wear this, and the Lord will bless you.” Brother Page took the coat, went to Canada, and in two years walked five thousand miles and baptized six hundred souls, because he trusted in the words of a prophet of God. 8
On another occasion Joseph was speaking to a group of brethren at Nauvoo on the importance of missionary work, and at the conclusion of his message he had so touched the congregation that 380 elders in the congregation volunteered to immediately embark on missions. 9
The Prophet Joseph believed in missionary work. While he and Sidney Rigdon were proselyting at Perrysburg, New York, 12 October 1833, having been long absent from their families and feeling concerned for them, they received the following revelation:
“Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my friends Sidney and Joseph, your families are well; they are in mine hands, and I will do with them as seemeth me good; for in me there is all power.
“Therefore, follow me, and listen to the counsel which I shall give unto you.
“Behold, … I have much people in this place, in the regions round about; and an effectual door shall be opened in the regions round about in this eastern land. …
“Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men;
“For it shall be given you … in the very moment, what ye shall say. …
“And I give unto you this promise, that inasmuch as ye do this the Holy Ghost shall be shed forth in bearing record unto all things whatsoever ye shall say.” 10
Joseph and Sidney continued their missionary labors.
Joseph Smith not only inspired men to volunteer for missions, he not only took his own coat and handed it to John Page as he went on his mission, but he also taught the importance of missionary work—by example.
I think one of the sweetest lessons taught by the Prophet, and yet one of the saddest, occurred close to the time of his death. He had seen in vision the Saints leaving Nauvoo and going to the Rocky Mountains. I imagine he felt as did Moses—anxious to lead his people away from their tormentors and into a promised land which the Lord his God had shown him. But it was not to be. Rather, he was required to leave his plan and vision of the Rocky Mountains and give himself up to face a court of supposed justice.
These are his words: “I am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but I am calm as a summer’s morning; I have a conscience void of offense towards God, and towards all men.” 11 That statement of the Prophet teaches us obedience to law and the importance of having a clear conscience toward God and toward our fellowmen. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught these principles—by example.
There was to be one great final lesson before his mortal life ended. He was incarcerated in Carthage Jail with his brother Hyrum, with John Taylor, and with Willard Richards. The angry mob stormed the jail; they came up the stairway, blasphemous in their cursing, heavily armed, and began to fire at will. Hyrum was hit and died. John Taylor took several balls of fire within his bosom. The Prophet Joseph, with his pistol in hand, was attempting to defend his life and that of his brethren, and yet he could tell from the pounding on the door that this mob would storm that door and would kill John Taylor and Willard Richards in an attempt to kill him. And so his last great act here upon the earth was to leave the door and lead Willard Richards to safety, throw the gun on the floor, and go to the window, that they might see him, that the attention of this ruthless mob might be focused upon him rather than the others. Joseph Smith gave his life. Willard Richards was spared, and John Taylor recovered from his wounds. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” 12 The Prophet Joseph Smith taught us love—by example.
June 27 of this year marks the 150th anniversary of that solemn event when the first prophet of this dispensation sealed his testimony of the Restoration with his blood. I testify that he was a prophet of God. I have seen the Lord convert people to His plan of salvation through the testimony of the Prophet Joseph. Many years ago I served as the president of the Canadian Mission. In the city of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, two of our missionaries were proselyting door-to-door on a cold, snowy afternoon. They had not had any measure of success. One was experienced, one was new.
The two called at the home of Mr. Elmer Pollard, and he, feeling sympathy for the almost frozen missionaries, invited them in. They presented their message and asked if he would join them in prayer. He agreed, on the provision that he could offer the prayer.
The prayer he offered astonished the missionaries. He said, “Heavenly Father, bless these two unfortunate, misguided missionaries, that they may return to their homes and not waste their time telling the people of Canada about a message which is so fantastic and about which they know so little.”
As they arose from their knees, Mr. Pollard asked the missionaries never to return to his home. As they left, he mockingly said to them, “You can’t tell me you really believe that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, anyway!” and he shut the door.
The missionaries had walked but a short distance when the junior companion said, “Elder, we didn’t answer Mr. Pollard.”
The senior companion said, “We’ve been evicted. Let’s move on to greener territory.”
The young missionary persisted, however, and the two returned to Mr. Pollard’s door. Mr. Pollard answered the knock and angrily said, “I thought I told you young men never to return!”
The junior companion then said, with all the courage he could muster, “Mr. Pollard, when we left your door, you said that we didn’t really believe Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I want to testify to you, Mr. Pollard, that I know Joseph Smith is a prophet of God; that by inspiration he translated the sacred record known as the Book of Mormon; that he did see God the Father and Jesus the Son.” The missionaries then departed the doorstep.
I heard this same Mr. Pollard, in a testimony meeting, state the experiences of that memorable day. He said: “That evening, sleep would not come. I tossed and turned. Over and over in my mind I heard the words, ‘Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. I know it … I know it … I know it.’ I could scarcely wait for morning to come. I telephoned the missionaries, using the address which was printed on the small card containing the Articles of Faith that they had left with me. They returned; and this time, with the correct spirit, my wife and family and I joined in the discussion as earnest seekers of truth. As a result, we have all embraced the gospel of Jesus Christ. We shall ever be grateful to the testimony of truth brought to us by courageous, humble missionaries.”
In the 135th section of the Doctrine and Covenants we read the words of John Taylor concerning the Prophet Joseph:
“Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions … ; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood.” 13
What a fitting tribute to a prophet of God! I pray we may learn from his example, that we might incorporate into our lives the great principles which he so beautifully taught; that we ourselves might emulate him; that our lives might reflect the knowledge we have that God lives, that Jesus is His Son, and that we are led today by a prophet of God.
Ideas for Home Teachers
Some Points to Ponder
How do u feel about our prophet today gordon B hinckley?
President Gordon B. Hinkley, like his predecessors, is a true prophet of God. He is the only prophet, seer, and revelator for this church. I know this for a fact. I love to hear him speak in meetings and General Conference. I know that what he says it true, and no one else can tell me otherwise.
Reply:Consider shortening your question with a link to an article actually written either by or about Pres. Hinkley. Try to avoid making a statement in the form of a question. Report It
Reply:It%26#039;s true. Just pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ and he will send the Spirit to guide you and witness to you it is. Sometimes people make judgments before they know the facts. Sorry ya%26#039;ll hypocrates Report It
Reply:To answer that question to that mad AA. I want you to know to look up Psalms 80. It says in it that we are are all gods because we are children of God. Jesus said it himself in NT. Research your stuff k. Then come back to me. Report It
Reply:I didn%26#039;t bother to read the stuff after your first question. He is a false prophet, but he is honest though! The comments that I refer to are the ones he made at the annual conference about the God of Mormonism not being that of the Bible.
Reply:He%26#039;s the true living prophet - he rules.
^^^ Buzz S, how can he be a false prophet and honest *BY DEFINITION*???
Reply:I love President Hinckley! He is so wonderful and any person in tune with the spirit need only look at him and know that he is truly a prophet. His countenance is bright, happy and to me reflects the Savior.
Reply:A Time for Revival
Scripture:
“The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables.” – 2 Timothy 4:3 4 NKJV
Paul prophesied that the time would come when people would not be willing to “endure sound doctrine.” They would have “itching ears.” They would refuse to recognize God’s messengers or believe that His Word is true. Instead of living according to God’s time tested, eternally true standards, they would live according to their own rules and find teachers to reinforce their own desires. Instead of accepting the Bible as God’s Word, they would reinterpret it to satisfy their own subjective opinions. They would set themselves up as gods and reject anything they don’t agree with or understand.
Today, the world is filled with people with “itching ears.” Christians are often accused of having foolish beliefs and being hopelessly out of date, and there can be great pressure to conform. But we cannot give in to worldly perspectives or concede defeat.
God calls each of us to a renewed commitment to His truth. He calls us to base our lives, our decisions, our thoughts, and our plans on His Word. He calls us to submit ourselves wholeheartedly to Him and seek His will. He calls us to listen to His voice and the leading of His Spirit. He calls us to obedience, trusting that He is God and that His Word is true!
Today, commit yourself anew to pleasing God and living according to His Word. Don’t compromise. Pray for a move of God’s Spirit around the world and a return to Godly standards. Pray for revival in our time.
Prayer:
Father, help me to resist the pressure to conform. I believe that Your Word is true, and I will base my life upon it. Bring revival to my nation and the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
**************************************...
Title
THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS
by Derek Joseph Levendusky
Content
A few years ago, I was praying for revival, and the Holy Spirit spoke to me, “If you’re going to see a revival of souls, first you need to see a revival of laborers.”
So my prayer changed. “Lord,” I cried, “send a revival of laborers who will fulfill the Great Commission!”
The Holy Spirit spoke to me again. “If you’re going to see a revival of laborers, first you need to see a revival of worshippers. If my children will love Me with all their heart, they’ll love the lost with all their heart.”
So my prayer changed again. Now I’m trusting God to fan the flames of a worship movement that will become a missions movement in this generation. Daniel 11:32 says, “They that know their God shall be strong and do great exploits.” Knowing God is the prerequisite for doing anything great for Him. Acts 4:13 says, “Now when they beheld the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”
It is a great tragedy when men and women seek to fulfill the Great Commission to “go into all the world” (Matthew 28:19) without first fulfilling the Great Commandment to “love the Lord with all your heart” (Matthew 22:37). Paul said that even if we surrender our body to be burned, but have not love , we gain nothing! Oh, may we be moved by the love of God to reach the nations!
I believe God is raising up a generation that will be moved by His heart, and like Paul the Apostle, cry out before a lost world, “The love of Christ compels me!” (2 Corinthians 5:14) John Piper dedicated a whole book to this topic, which he titled Let the Nations Be Glad . He wrote, “Where passion for God is weak, zeal for missions will be weak. Churches that are not centered on the exaltation of the majesty and beauty of God will scarcely kindle a fervent desire to ‘declare his glory among the nations’ (Psalm 96:3).”
He also wrote, “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t.”
I have traveled all over the world ministering to youth, and have seen God birthing a worship movement among the nations. I believe the worship movement sweeping across the earth today will transform into a great missions movement. This is what God is doing in our day! As this young generation draws close to God, it is impossible for them not to be moved by what moves God. This movement will affect our own schools, our own campuses, our own cities, our own country, and will affect the foreign fields of the world.
For years my band Isaiah 6 and I would be invited to two different kinds of events: 1) worship events for youth, and 2) missions events. I would notice several things at these events. At worship events, I noticed that the average age is very young. The worship movement is very young, hip, and cool. It is full of life, but also potentially ingrown. At missions events, I would notice that the average age is very old, and I would find myself asking, “Where are the young people that are answering the call to go?”
Our prayer is that the worship movement and missions movement will collide at Beyond the Song. Imagine with me thousands of young men and women getting away from the world for three days, gathering together to worship God and listen to His heart. Imagine those young men and women crying out, like Isaiah, “Here am I. Send me!” Imagine them actually going to the nations of the world, full of the love, the Word, and the power of God. What would happen?
I believe that God is raising up this generation that has been with Jesus to reach this world for Christ. Prophet-musician Keith Green once said, “This generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of souls on the earth.”
By the grace of God and love of God, we will go and finish the job.
Derek Joseph Levendusky is the founder and director of Isaiah 6 Ministries and Beyond the Song.
Reply:sorry to much to read but we must follow Jesus and look to him not false prophets which are still popping up all over.
Reply:Mormonism is not the true word of God. OT and NT warns people that rewriting and changing the Word has the worst punishment in hell.
Do you really believe you are a god?
Do you really believe lucifer is jesus%26#039;s brother?
How do you explain all the freemasonic rituals and symbols in mormonism?
the all seeing eye of horus, the compass and square, the apron of the priests, the handshakes, and the fact that Joseph smith was a 33rd degree scottish rite freemason and treasure hunter, who dabbled in the occult to find treasure, and that mormons still cohort with spirits and demons.
Reply:i feel that he is not a ture prophet and one day the true Priphet will come!
Reply:For something so long, I doubt you would recieve much answers because people can%26#039;t be bothered reading all that.
All I will say, is seen that, heard that, been there, done that, disregard that.
Reply:Okay, my personal testimony is that when I first saw a printed picture of him, I could see the love and light in his eyes, akin to that which I have seen in the eyes of true spiritual leaders like DT Suzuki, Dalai Lama, etc. Those weren%26#039;t the eyes of Jim Baker, Osama Bin Laden or Kim Il Joong. So I felt inituitively that GBH is a Prophet, (not a punk band).
That being said, I have read his %26#039;mundane%26#039; book on virtues and find his insight to bee keen and accurate. In one sense, we are all prophets, and have the full potential to be...because God can bestow this upon us if we simply ask with humble faith. So humility is a quality of a prophet, and GBH exemplifies this.
On a humorous level, if you were the head of a 12 million strong church, wouldn%26#039;t you have to be prophet...otherwise what would keep you from going bonkers?
One thing I am concerned about is the romanticisation and proximal deification of the Prophet. Some folks treat him with the same reverence they hold for Christ. This includes the current prophet as well as Jos Smith. When LDS members say that GBH or Jos Smith are %26#039;perfect%26#039;, %26quot;flawless%26quot;, or justify %26#039;every%26#039; one of their actions as God-drected, then I smell religion, not spirituality. God is the ultimate authority, we are but trusted servants, to paraphrass Tradition 2 of NA.
Being a prophet subjects a person to harsh persecution (Daniel, Alma) death (Abinadi), deep spiritual trials (Ruth) and a need to completely throw out what they know about %26#039;the Truth%26#039; (Habbukuk). And this is just in the Xian tradition. Go beyond this to prophets of Islam, Daoism, Hinduism, and all the New Religions and one finds that the world is quite crowded with prophets. To me, there is a reason why there is 100,000 saints in past/present. If you live by the premise that everything leads to God, then it makes sense to disperse the pathways as widely as possible.
Gordon Hinkley a prophet? Yes. Does he have insight into one of those paths? Yes. Does he commune directly with God? Yes. Can those who heed his prophetic ability and authority be brought to God? Yes.
This I believe.
nanny
OCD, How can i tell my mom im serious.?
I%26#039;ve had OCD since i was 9 and im 14 now.
It%26#039;s starting to get really bad, and annoying. When i told my mom she didn%26#039;t, still doesn%26#039;t, think much of it. It%26#039;s like she thinks i want her sympathy, when really i just want it to stop.
Some rituals are:
Usually when i touch the shift key, i have to touch it again with my opposite hand.
When i put my shoes on they have to touch each side of my foot, before i can put them on.
There is this flower vace in my bathroom beside the toilet next to the sink and in between it there is a little part of the mirror you can see yourself through, if im on the toilet, before i can get up, i have to look at it and smile before i get up. And i have to smile in the whole mirror before i leave.
If i look at something wrong, i have to keep looking back and forth rapidly until it feels right.
My rituals are always in a rythem of:
%26quot;I love Jesus yes i do, I love Jesus how about you?%26quot;
I have no idea why.
OCD, How can i tell my mom im serious.?
First of all, you have to calm down about it. Getting upset about having problems with it will more than likely make it worse, i know it does mine. Secondly, if you are in school or attend church regularly, go to a counselor and tell them all of this. Let them know that it bothers you and you would like help with it. Then let them know you also want help showing your mother that you are serious, you are having problems, and you want her support and help with it. This way, you can be getting advice and help on what to do and how to handle everything and when you are ready, your mom will see that you are trying to get help and really mean that something is wrong.
Reply:This is definitely a treatable condition, and it is real. Your mom probably wants you to be perfect--most parents do, out of love.
She doesn%26#039;t want to believe that this condition is affecting the quality of your life.
I vote with the poster who suggested talking to a counselor. You might want to tell your mom that you%26#039;re going to make an appointment with someone at school to talk about your OCD because they can get you a referral for some help. This way, you%26#039;re showing that you%26#039;re taking responsibility for your own life, and that the OCD is disrupting it.
There are some effective medications out there--Prozac especially--that can help you. I have OCD, too, but to a lesser degree. I know how compelled you are to do your rituals, and how afraid you are to stop them because you believe that something bad will happen if you don%26#039;t keep it up.
Good luck and God bless. You really are very mature for 14.
Reply:Make an appointment with your mom. You need to tell her that you have something to discuss with her and that you would like to find a time when she is not rushed so that you and she can sit down and talk for about an hour. It is important that she gives you her full attention.
Write down all of the things you need to tell her and why you need her to listen and understand. Literally pour out your feelings on paper and then read the paper to her.
I am the mother of 5 children - there is nothing more important to a mom than her children. They are life itself to her. However, mom%26#039;s are people too. They get busy, they get overwhelmed and they sometimes don%26#039;t want to hear that their child is hurting in any way.
You need help - now is the time to get this under control. It is not hopeless. OCD is very manageable.
After you tell your mom what is wrong and how you are concerned and why your concerned, tell her that you want her to make you an appointment to see a child psychologist ASAP.
I wish you all the best. You can do this and your mom will help!
Reply:Talk to a teacher or school counselor...maybe they can talk to her and get her attention of this matter.
Shoes
It%26#039;s starting to get really bad, and annoying. When i told my mom she didn%26#039;t, still doesn%26#039;t, think much of it. It%26#039;s like she thinks i want her sympathy, when really i just want it to stop.
Some rituals are:
Usually when i touch the shift key, i have to touch it again with my opposite hand.
When i put my shoes on they have to touch each side of my foot, before i can put them on.
There is this flower vace in my bathroom beside the toilet next to the sink and in between it there is a little part of the mirror you can see yourself through, if im on the toilet, before i can get up, i have to look at it and smile before i get up. And i have to smile in the whole mirror before i leave.
If i look at something wrong, i have to keep looking back and forth rapidly until it feels right.
My rituals are always in a rythem of:
%26quot;I love Jesus yes i do, I love Jesus how about you?%26quot;
I have no idea why.
OCD, How can i tell my mom im serious.?
First of all, you have to calm down about it. Getting upset about having problems with it will more than likely make it worse, i know it does mine. Secondly, if you are in school or attend church regularly, go to a counselor and tell them all of this. Let them know that it bothers you and you would like help with it. Then let them know you also want help showing your mother that you are serious, you are having problems, and you want her support and help with it. This way, you can be getting advice and help on what to do and how to handle everything and when you are ready, your mom will see that you are trying to get help and really mean that something is wrong.
Reply:This is definitely a treatable condition, and it is real. Your mom probably wants you to be perfect--most parents do, out of love.
She doesn%26#039;t want to believe that this condition is affecting the quality of your life.
I vote with the poster who suggested talking to a counselor. You might want to tell your mom that you%26#039;re going to make an appointment with someone at school to talk about your OCD because they can get you a referral for some help. This way, you%26#039;re showing that you%26#039;re taking responsibility for your own life, and that the OCD is disrupting it.
There are some effective medications out there--Prozac especially--that can help you. I have OCD, too, but to a lesser degree. I know how compelled you are to do your rituals, and how afraid you are to stop them because you believe that something bad will happen if you don%26#039;t keep it up.
Good luck and God bless. You really are very mature for 14.
Reply:Make an appointment with your mom. You need to tell her that you have something to discuss with her and that you would like to find a time when she is not rushed so that you and she can sit down and talk for about an hour. It is important that she gives you her full attention.
Write down all of the things you need to tell her and why you need her to listen and understand. Literally pour out your feelings on paper and then read the paper to her.
I am the mother of 5 children - there is nothing more important to a mom than her children. They are life itself to her. However, mom%26#039;s are people too. They get busy, they get overwhelmed and they sometimes don%26#039;t want to hear that their child is hurting in any way.
You need help - now is the time to get this under control. It is not hopeless. OCD is very manageable.
After you tell your mom what is wrong and how you are concerned and why your concerned, tell her that you want her to make you an appointment to see a child psychologist ASAP.
I wish you all the best. You can do this and your mom will help!
Reply:Talk to a teacher or school counselor...maybe they can talk to her and get her attention of this matter.
Shoes
What do you think of the name Lindy?
This is a project for my creative writing class. It%26#039;s a little off the wall, but we have to develop a character that would more than likely die in a book, but envoke the reader%26#039;s care/sympathy/sadness/appall/etc. He said it was an experiment with how well we understood %26quot;catharsis.%26quot;
The character I%26#039;ve developed:
She has red hair, is small in height and frame, is about 15 or 16. She%26#039;s been recruited into a cult, but doesn%26#039;t realize what it is. She always carries a flower in her hand because she always sees one outside and picks it out of boredom/interest in the colors. She%26#039;s naive and optimistic but hopefully in a way that would be extremely likeable. I wanted to name her Lindy, but I wonder if there is a better one? Something simple but not sickeningly cute.
Any ideas?
What do you think of the name Lindy?
Lindy is good, not too common a name and that would probably be ideal. What about Nina, Lexy or Candace? Names that sound somewhat cool but unassuming as to pertain to a certain type of person.
Reply:I like Lindy. I know a Lindy and she%26#039;s super nice. You could make a little less cute-sy and go with Lindsey.
loan
The character I%26#039;ve developed:
She has red hair, is small in height and frame, is about 15 or 16. She%26#039;s been recruited into a cult, but doesn%26#039;t realize what it is. She always carries a flower in her hand because she always sees one outside and picks it out of boredom/interest in the colors. She%26#039;s naive and optimistic but hopefully in a way that would be extremely likeable. I wanted to name her Lindy, but I wonder if there is a better one? Something simple but not sickeningly cute.
Any ideas?
What do you think of the name Lindy?
Lindy is good, not too common a name and that would probably be ideal. What about Nina, Lexy or Candace? Names that sound somewhat cool but unassuming as to pertain to a certain type of person.
Reply:I like Lindy. I know a Lindy and she%26#039;s super nice. You could make a little less cute-sy and go with Lindsey.
loan
What sense does this make to you??
Desperate moments
With eyes tight shut
Knelt limbs,and
Arms spread out
I chant whispers of prayers
When im alright
With nothing to bother,
No one to worry
The God im used to pray
I forget in a moment
You%26#039;re a superman
for sure,thought I,
Now I know that its
Not truely right
If god is he
Who is a saviour
A friend in need
A reason to hope
Ever so kind,
Whose mercy
and sympathy
Justice and power
Boundless,infinite
Like the expanse of heavens
Are certain forever
Who changes sin
To a pure moonlit flower,
I guess i know him,
Full flesh and blood
He is a superman
But of superhuman kind.
What sense does this make to you??
I never question when something is written in any type of poetic form...even free style and basically un-formed, as above. Poetry is a personal expression and often comes from deeper than merely the words. This is just as artistic expression strives to include deeper meaning and not just present the artist%26#039;s technique.
I will apologize ahead of time to the author of this poem if I am off base. What I see is evidence of challenging times in a life and a time of growth in spiritual maturity because of the pain of the event. The writer is questioning a higher authority [to me that would be God], and the pedestal that the object is on, so to speak, is wobbling but not falling over. If it really is about God, I would venture to say the author has left the realm of %26quot;The Father%26quot; and %26quot;The Son%26quot; and is beginning to hope for the faith and belief in the %26quot;Living Spirit of God%26quot;. This is the maturity that a Christian goes through on the way to self-actualization. If this person is not Christian, then the imagery of goodness is still evident...the writer wants to believe in goodness but is questioning own belief at the time of writing this poem. Goodness is still winning by the end of the poem.
Poetry and art are wonderful modes of expression. You can go back later and see how far [if any] you have come along the road to maturity.
Reply:The last line do you mean %26quot;But of superhuman kind.%26quot; or %26quot;of Superhuman kind%26quot; or what I think appropriate %26quot;of another kind%26quot;?
If that being the case I think the poem is more of a lesson about how we, as christians take prayer for granted, always in need and never in thanks. This is expressed in your first stanza %26quot;Desperate moments With eyes tight shut Knelt limbs,and Arms spread out I chant whispers of prayers.%26quot; Also emphasised in the 2nd Stanza %26quot;The God im used to pray
I forget in a moment.%26quot;
The rest of the poem acknowledges that the Author views God as a Superman which isn%26#039;t quite right, because Superman is fictious character, and God, in the Author sense, is real, and %26quot;A friend in need (of thanks)%26quot; and also %26quot;Full flesh and blood%26quot; these lines lend support to this effect.
This is of course subject to my interpretation.
It needs tweaking but overall its alright by me :0).
Reply:I still think it is your Dad. Why cuz a little girl looks up to her father... believing that they can do anything. Then as an adult we realize that no they aren%26#039;t perfect. They can%26#039;t always do everything that we want or need them to.
puppy teeth
With eyes tight shut
Knelt limbs,and
Arms spread out
I chant whispers of prayers
When im alright
With nothing to bother,
No one to worry
The God im used to pray
I forget in a moment
You%26#039;re a superman
for sure,thought I,
Now I know that its
Not truely right
If god is he
Who is a saviour
A friend in need
A reason to hope
Ever so kind,
Whose mercy
and sympathy
Justice and power
Boundless,infinite
Like the expanse of heavens
Are certain forever
Who changes sin
To a pure moonlit flower,
I guess i know him,
Full flesh and blood
He is a superman
But of superhuman kind.
What sense does this make to you??
I never question when something is written in any type of poetic form...even free style and basically un-formed, as above. Poetry is a personal expression and often comes from deeper than merely the words. This is just as artistic expression strives to include deeper meaning and not just present the artist%26#039;s technique.
I will apologize ahead of time to the author of this poem if I am off base. What I see is evidence of challenging times in a life and a time of growth in spiritual maturity because of the pain of the event. The writer is questioning a higher authority [to me that would be God], and the pedestal that the object is on, so to speak, is wobbling but not falling over. If it really is about God, I would venture to say the author has left the realm of %26quot;The Father%26quot; and %26quot;The Son%26quot; and is beginning to hope for the faith and belief in the %26quot;Living Spirit of God%26quot;. This is the maturity that a Christian goes through on the way to self-actualization. If this person is not Christian, then the imagery of goodness is still evident...the writer wants to believe in goodness but is questioning own belief at the time of writing this poem. Goodness is still winning by the end of the poem.
Poetry and art are wonderful modes of expression. You can go back later and see how far [if any] you have come along the road to maturity.
Reply:The last line do you mean %26quot;But of superhuman kind.%26quot; or %26quot;of Superhuman kind%26quot; or what I think appropriate %26quot;of another kind%26quot;?
If that being the case I think the poem is more of a lesson about how we, as christians take prayer for granted, always in need and never in thanks. This is expressed in your first stanza %26quot;Desperate moments With eyes tight shut Knelt limbs,and Arms spread out I chant whispers of prayers.%26quot; Also emphasised in the 2nd Stanza %26quot;The God im used to pray
I forget in a moment.%26quot;
The rest of the poem acknowledges that the Author views God as a Superman which isn%26#039;t quite right, because Superman is fictious character, and God, in the Author sense, is real, and %26quot;A friend in need (of thanks)%26quot; and also %26quot;Full flesh and blood%26quot; these lines lend support to this effect.
This is of course subject to my interpretation.
It needs tweaking but overall its alright by me :0).
Reply:I still think it is your Dad. Why cuz a little girl looks up to her father... believing that they can do anything. Then as an adult we realize that no they aren%26#039;t perfect. They can%26#039;t always do everything that we want or need them to.
puppy teeth
Short and simple to start the day?
A florist received an outraged telephone call from a man who
had moved his restaurant to a new spot in town. The restaurant owner had been sent a funeral wreath along with a card that read: SINCEREST SYMPATHIES. The florist realized that he must have mixed up two orders and shuddered to think of the flowers that should have gone to the
restaurant man.He had sent to the funeral a clover design of
red roses across which was a bright green ribbon bearing the
inscription: BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR NEW LOCATION.
Short and simple to start the day?
Old one.. but still funny
Reply:I%26#039;ve heard this one before but still good
Reply:lol...thats cute......
Reply:%26quot;In your new home.%26quot; Would be so much funnier.
Reebok
had moved his restaurant to a new spot in town. The restaurant owner had been sent a funeral wreath along with a card that read: SINCEREST SYMPATHIES. The florist realized that he must have mixed up two orders and shuddered to think of the flowers that should have gone to the
restaurant man.He had sent to the funeral a clover design of
red roses across which was a bright green ribbon bearing the
inscription: BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR NEW LOCATION.
Short and simple to start the day?
Old one.. but still funny
Reply:I%26#039;ve heard this one before but still good
Reply:lol...thats cute......
Reply:%26quot;In your new home.%26quot; Would be so much funnier.
Reebok
Can anyone one tell me the name of the song and the band its from?
if you get it then you will get 5 stars and you will get best answer
Those tire tracks
zigzag your torso like a Devil%26#039;s self portrait.
The car accident, the skin graft treatment, the flower baskets,
the wincing relatives...
you bid her farewell then got in your car
and that%26#039;s the last thing that you can recall.
and when they pulled you out
you didn%26#039;t know your name
exploding semi truck blurred your face with flame...
you met Jane four years ago today
dancing at some vomit-stained frat party.
Her newspaper gown, flashing headline brown, her violent gypsy dance,
her tired underpants...
Love [x12]
rhymes with pity now
Love [x12]
rhymes with sympathy now
Jane let you touch and feel her
she was so free like a pineapple in a tree
You said it%26#039;s dangerous
to be so intimate
You know it%26#039;s dangerous, dangerous, dangerous.
Jane said when she laid on her back
the sun hit her body like an ugly landscape.
But some things never get better
like used cars and bad livers.
So you traded her in for a better looking brand.
One with fake porno ****
a pad lock on her lips
disposable tan
biodegradable hands.
Back at the hospital
you got no visitors at all.
She visits you in your sleep,
but that newspaper gown is always on fire [x2]
She met him a week after you left her
when you tossed out her touch to the garbage collector.
He talked her out of her skirt in his beer-soaked apartment
and then they did all the things
you never said that you wanted.
And the sirens are laughing underneath your skull.
And your thoughts are turning dull, callous and cold.
Yesterday you gave your burden a name.
Yesterday you gave your burden a face.
But your burden it looks a lot like her.
Love [x12]
rhymes with pity now
Love [x12]
rhymes with sympathy now
Can anyone one tell me the name of the song and the band its from?
The Blood Brothers - %26quot;Love Rhymes With Hideous Car Wreck%26quot; from the album Crimes.
Reply:its by the blood brothers
loan
Those tire tracks
zigzag your torso like a Devil%26#039;s self portrait.
The car accident, the skin graft treatment, the flower baskets,
the wincing relatives...
you bid her farewell then got in your car
and that%26#039;s the last thing that you can recall.
and when they pulled you out
you didn%26#039;t know your name
exploding semi truck blurred your face with flame...
you met Jane four years ago today
dancing at some vomit-stained frat party.
Her newspaper gown, flashing headline brown, her violent gypsy dance,
her tired underpants...
Love [x12]
rhymes with pity now
Love [x12]
rhymes with sympathy now
Jane let you touch and feel her
she was so free like a pineapple in a tree
You said it%26#039;s dangerous
to be so intimate
You know it%26#039;s dangerous, dangerous, dangerous.
Jane said when she laid on her back
the sun hit her body like an ugly landscape.
But some things never get better
like used cars and bad livers.
So you traded her in for a better looking brand.
One with fake porno ****
a pad lock on her lips
disposable tan
biodegradable hands.
Back at the hospital
you got no visitors at all.
She visits you in your sleep,
but that newspaper gown is always on fire [x2]
She met him a week after you left her
when you tossed out her touch to the garbage collector.
He talked her out of her skirt in his beer-soaked apartment
and then they did all the things
you never said that you wanted.
And the sirens are laughing underneath your skull.
And your thoughts are turning dull, callous and cold.
Yesterday you gave your burden a name.
Yesterday you gave your burden a face.
But your burden it looks a lot like her.
Love [x12]
rhymes with pity now
Love [x12]
rhymes with sympathy now
Can anyone one tell me the name of the song and the band its from?
The Blood Brothers - %26quot;Love Rhymes With Hideous Car Wreck%26quot; from the album Crimes.
Reply:its by the blood brothers
loan
DO you understand its meaning?
Desperate moments
With eyes tight shut
Knelt limbs,and
Arms spread out
I chant whispers of prayers
But when im alright
With nothing to bother,
No one to worry
The God im used to pray
I forget in a moment
But godliness I feel
Strongly in You
You are a superman
for sure,thought I,
Now I know that its
Not truely right
If god is he
Who changes sin
Into a pure moonlit flower,
A saviour, a friend
A reason to hope,
And ever so kind.
Whose mercy
and sympathy,
Justice and power
Boundless,infinite
Like expanse of the heaven
And through sunshines
And freezing winters
Is constant
I guess I know you,
You are a superman
But of superhuman kind
Full flesh and blood
But sort of like god
DO you understand its meaning?
Would it be your Dad?
Reply:maybe the poet is expressing what he or she feels about the faith. and is wondering who this %26quot;God%26quot; is, and why he or she should trust him? hope this is good enough!
Reply:Jesus
Reply:It seems as if the person of whom he/she speaks is righteous/constant and steadfast in his beliefs. By comparison, the author only prays when he/she is in trouble or struggling. The person be spoken of is god-like, but not quite. Hope this helps.
Speaking of the Pope?
c++
With eyes tight shut
Knelt limbs,and
Arms spread out
I chant whispers of prayers
But when im alright
With nothing to bother,
No one to worry
The God im used to pray
I forget in a moment
But godliness I feel
Strongly in You
You are a superman
for sure,thought I,
Now I know that its
Not truely right
If god is he
Who changes sin
Into a pure moonlit flower,
A saviour, a friend
A reason to hope,
And ever so kind.
Whose mercy
and sympathy,
Justice and power
Boundless,infinite
Like expanse of the heaven
And through sunshines
And freezing winters
Is constant
I guess I know you,
You are a superman
But of superhuman kind
Full flesh and blood
But sort of like god
DO you understand its meaning?
Would it be your Dad?
Reply:maybe the poet is expressing what he or she feels about the faith. and is wondering who this %26quot;God%26quot; is, and why he or she should trust him? hope this is good enough!
Reply:Jesus
Reply:It seems as if the person of whom he/she speaks is righteous/constant and steadfast in his beliefs. By comparison, the author only prays when he/she is in trouble or struggling. The person be spoken of is god-like, but not quite. Hope this helps.
Speaking of the Pope?
c++
Could you try deciphering this?
Desperate moments
With eyes tight shut
Knelt limbs,and
Arms spread out
I chant whispers of prayers
But when im alright
With nothing to bother,
No one to worry
The God im used to pray
I forget in a moment
But godliness I feel
Strongly in You
You are a superman
for sure,thought I,
Now I know that its
Not truely right
If god is he
Who changes sin
Into a pure moonlit flower,
A saviour, a friend
A reason to hope,
And ever so kind.
Whose mercy
and sympathy,
Justice and power
Boundless,infinite
Like expanse of the heaven
And through sunshines
And freezing winters
Is constant
I guess I know you,
You are a superman
But of superhuman kind
Full flesh and blood
But sort of like god
Could you try deciphering this?
Very briefly..someone who prays to God when in need, but not when okay..has met someone else whose presence reminds them of why they believe in God. Just being them with that person makes them feel loved and secure..sort of like when praying.
Reply:Thanks. :) Report It
Reply:no thank you
Reply:nice, but too long
Reply:Yes but I%26#039;m not going to. To long.
Reply:Too deep for me, PLUS, it%26#039;s fiction as it mentions God
Reply:Somebody thinks they are their own God.
Reply:Yes, nice and long.
yahoo finance
With eyes tight shut
Knelt limbs,and
Arms spread out
I chant whispers of prayers
But when im alright
With nothing to bother,
No one to worry
The God im used to pray
I forget in a moment
But godliness I feel
Strongly in You
You are a superman
for sure,thought I,
Now I know that its
Not truely right
If god is he
Who changes sin
Into a pure moonlit flower,
A saviour, a friend
A reason to hope,
And ever so kind.
Whose mercy
and sympathy,
Justice and power
Boundless,infinite
Like expanse of the heaven
And through sunshines
And freezing winters
Is constant
I guess I know you,
You are a superman
But of superhuman kind
Full flesh and blood
But sort of like god
Could you try deciphering this?
Very briefly..someone who prays to God when in need, but not when okay..has met someone else whose presence reminds them of why they believe in God. Just being them with that person makes them feel loved and secure..sort of like when praying.
Reply:Thanks. :) Report It
Reply:no thank you
Reply:nice, but too long
Reply:Yes but I%26#039;m not going to. To long.
Reply:Too deep for me, PLUS, it%26#039;s fiction as it mentions God
Reply:Somebody thinks they are their own God.
Reply:Yes, nice and long.
yahoo finance
Why do people like ANN COULTER?
An Evening with Ann Coulter - Al Franken eviscerates the hate-spewer - MVP, 4/4/06
This is what Al wrote about the debate afterwards:
Last May, as I left the stage after debating Ann Coulter in Hartford, my wife Franni took me aside and whispered: %26quot;The poor thing.%26quot;
Last Monday, after my debate with Coulter at the Universal Amphitheatre in L.A., there was no sympathy from Franni. Just a strong sense of disgust. Because Coulter had chosen a strange strategy.
Offend the audience and then act the victim.
The event was part of a lecture series sponsored by the University of Judaism. The previous debate had featured Newt Gingrich and John Edwards before a crowd of about 5000 subscribers. About 5500 had gathered for me and Ann. The extra five hundred presumably were fans of mine and of Ann%26#039;s.
Before the debate, there was a dinner for about 75 sponsors – mainly middle-aged-to- older Jewish couples. Between dinner and dessert Ann and I were to each make three minutes of remarks. I had planned to open with my usual at such Jewish events: %26quot;I%26#039;m going to start by answering the question I%26#039;ve been asked most tonight – Yes, I%26#039;ve had enough to eat.%26quot;
But Ann went first, and set her tone for the entire evening. %26quot;It was fascinating being here for the demonstrations this weekend,%26quot; she said with a snotty Darien sneer. %26quot;I guess that%26#039;s why I didn%26#039;t get clean towels in my hotel room this morning.%26quot;
There was an audible gasp from the Jews. Ann continued: %26quot;I haven%26#039;t seen so many agitated Mexicans since the World Cup Soccer Games were in L.A.%26quot; As offended as the diners were, the waiters were pissed. Ann was actually dumb enough to drink her coffee afterwards.
I answered by saying that I hadn%26#039;t seen so many agitated Mexicans since 1846 when James K. Polk invaded Mexico because he thought Santa Ana had weapons of mass destruction. I wasn%26#039;t sure of the year, but I thought the different approaches to our %26quot;agitated Mexican%26quot; jokes might give everyone an idea of what to expect.
Fortunately, the debate had something of a formal structure to it. I led off with a twenty minute speech in which I eviscerated Ann, followed by her twenty minutes in which she defended herself by saying she was a flawed person and then proceeded to accuse Democrats of being traitors.
Then there was about an hour with the president of the university leading a discussion during which she lost everyone but her most dedicated fans, of which there were maybe fifty by the end of the evening. At one point, when I was talking about making sure our returning veterans got proper medical care, one of her nutcase followers yelled, %26quot;Boring!%26quot;
Anyway, I%26#039;m kind of proud of my opening statement. I put it on the website of my new political action committee, Midwest Values PAC. Drop by and check it out.
So I did, and here is Al%26#039;s opening remarks...absolutely priceless:
COULTER DEBATE OPENING STATEMENT – UNIVERSITY OF JUDAISM
Thank you. First of all, I know I join Ann in thanking the University of Judaism for hosting this event. We’ve had an opportunity to spend some time with President Wexler and have dinner with many folks from the University community.
And I’d like to answer the question that I actually get asked the most when I do an event for a Jewish organization. Yes, I had enough to eat.
You know, in these kinds of debate forums, someone has to go first. It’s always preferable to go second, because you can react to what’s been said, giving you something of a tactical advantage. More importantly, it pretty much spares you the chore of writing out pre-prepared remarks.
Both Ann and I said we preferred going second, but I didn’t insist on it, because I understood somebody had to go first. And being a liberal, I just wasn’t tough-minded enough to insist on a coin toss.
So, I’ll try to use my time to define the terms of the debate – if you will. “Whence Judaism?”
No. I think we should talk about the Bush Administration and the Republican Congress and what it has accomplished over the past five years. I’m talking, of course, about well over two trillion dollars added to the national debt, the increase in poverty in our country and the added millions of Americans, including children, without health insurance. I’m talking about the sale of our democracy to corporate interests that pollute our water and our air. I’m talking about the widening gap between the haves and the have nots in this country. And I’m talking about the war in Iraq.
I’m talking about an increasingly corrupt, secretive, and incompetent federal government that rewards cronies, a Republican majority in Congress that’s acted as a rubber stamp, that has performed virtually no oversight and which excludes the minority party from the legislative process in a way unprecedented in our recent history.
I also want to discuss with Ann the coarsening of dialogue in this country. I want to discuss values with Ann. Values like love, of family, of your fellow man, of country. Ann has said repeatedly that liberals hate America. I disagree.
Last year I had the honor of speaking at West Point. It was an audience not so very different from this one. Except that instead of you, the audience was made up of about twelve hundred cadets. Many of whom will be going to Iraq in the next year or so.
The occasion was the Sol Feinstone Lecture on the Meaning of Freedom endowed by philanthropist Sol Feinstone. It’s an annual event and Sol Feinstein’s granddaughter, who is about my age, attended.
After telling a number jokes and getting the cadets on my side. I told them that we had been lied into the war in Iraq. I had just published a book entitled The Truth (with jokes), and I told the cadets that you can’t have freedom without the truth. You can have freedom without jokes, as has been proven by the Dutch and the Swiss.
I proceeded to prove that we had been lied into war, citing example after example of President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, and Condi Rice, who had been National Security Advisor in the lead-up to the war, telling the public information that they knew not to be true.
At the end of the speech I received a standing ovation from the cadets. Sol Feinstone’s granddaughter told me she had gone to every lecture for the last thirty or so years, and that I received only the second standing ovation. The other was for Max Cleland, who lost both legs and an arm in Vietnam.
By the way, Ann has written that Max Cleland was lucky to have lost his legs and his arm in Vietnam. I disagree. More importantly, I know Max, and he disagrees.
I believe I received the standing ovation because the cadets knew that I was speaking from the heart, and that the information I had given them was all true. And as I said, you can’t have freedom without the truth.
You can’t have good government without the truth. During the crafting and passage of the Medicare prescription drug bill, the chief actuary of Medicare was told to withhold from Congress the true cost of the bill. He’d be fired if he told the truth.
The bill costs so much, in large part, because the bill prohibits Medicare from negotiating with the pharmaceutical companies on the price of drugs. As a result, seniors now pay on average 44% more than veterans getting the same drugs through the VA which is allowed to use its size to negotiate with the drug companies. To get the bill passed, the vote was held open for three hours. Tom DeLay was later admonished by Republicans on the ethics committee for attempting to bribe, and then extort, Republican Nick Smith of Michigan to get him to change his vote. The chairman of the Commerce Committee Billy Tauzin who ushered the legislation through, soon left Congress for a two million dollar a year job as the chief lobbyist for the pharmaceutical industry. Obviously, a complete coincidence.
During the 2000 campaign George Bush ran for president by saying repeatedly, and I quote, “by far the vast majority of my tax cut goes to those at the bottom.” Of course, nothing could be further from the truth.
In fact, the president continues to ask for and sign tax cuts that go primarily to those at the top. By the way, until George W. Bush, our country had never cut taxes during a time of war.
As a result, our deficits grow and the cuts – in Medicaid, Pell Grants, food stamps, low-income housing subsidies, community block grants – are targeted at the poorest in our society.
George W. Bush famously said that Jesus was his favorite political philosopher. Frankly, I don’t get it.
I’m Jewish. Thank you. I’m not an expert on the New Testament. But I know that if you cut out all the passages where Jesus talks about helping the poor, helping the least among us, if you literally took a pair of scissors and cut out all those passages, you’d have the perfect box to smuggle Rush Limbaugh’s drugs in.
I don’t understand when the Christian right says that equal rights in marriage threatens marriage. I’ve been married 30 years, many of them happy. I don’t think that if my wife and I were walking around in Boston, where we met, if we saw two men holding hands with wedding bands… I don’t think I’d say “Hey, that looks good. Y’know, honey, you don’t like watching football on Sundays. Maybe I could marry a guy, watch football with him, and then if I wanted to have sex, I could come over and have sex with you.”
I was just talking to Newt Gingrich the other day. And I said to him, “Don’t you want for a gay couple what you had with your first wife? Don’t you want that bond that comes with the pledge of fidelity that you had with your second wife? Don’t you want what comes with that lifelong bond that you may or may not have with your third wife – I have no idea what’s going on there.”
You know, Bill O’Reilly always talks about his “traditional values” – as opposed to “the far left’s secular humanist values.” I didn’t realize phone sex was a traditional value. I didn’t think the phone had been around long enough. Maybe telegraph sex.
In her book Slander, Ann referred to Democrats and our “Marquis de Sade lifestyle.” I’ve been married for thirty years. Ann, you’re an attractive woman. And I know you support the president’s abstinence-only sex education. I want to congratulate you for saving yourself for your one true love.
When my daughter was six years old, her teacher asked all her students to write about how their parents had met. We told Thomasin that we met at a mixer freshman year of college. I saw Franni across the room, gathering up some friends to leave. I liked the way she was taking control and I thought she was beautiful. So I asked her to dance, and then got her a ginger ale, then escorted her to her dorm and asked for a date.
My daughter wrote, “My dad asked my mom to dance, bought her a drink, and then took her home.” Now all the facts were accurate, but what my daughter wrote was extremely misleading. Now my daughter wasn’t lying. She didn’t realize that what she wrote made her mom seem like a slut.
Ann, however, is not six years old. And she has developed her own techniques for misleading, by leaving out important facts. Let me give you an example of Ann lying by omission.
Also in her book Slander, Ann tells her readers that Al Gore had a leg up on George W. Bush when applying to their respective colleges. Harvard and Yale. Ann writes:
“Oddly, it was Bush who was routinely accused of having sailed through life on his father’s name. But the truth was the reverse. The media was manipulating the fact that – many years later – Bush’s father became president. When Bush was admitted to Yale, his father was a little-known congressman on the verge of losing his first Senate race. His father was a Yale alumnus, but so were a lot of other boys’ parents. It was Gore, not Bush, who had a famous father likely to impress college admissions committees.”
What does Ann omit? Well, that Bush’s grandfather Prescott Bush was also a Yale alum and had been Senator from Connecticut, the home state of Yale University. That Prescott Bush had been a trustee of Yale. That Prescott Bush had been the first chair of Yale’s Development Board – the folks who raise the money. That Prescott Bush sat on the Yale Corporation for twelve years. That Prescott Bush, like George W. Bush’s father, George H. W, Bush, had been a member of Skull and Bones. That the first Bush to go to Yale was Bush’s great great grandfather James Bush, who graduated in 1844. That in addition to his father, grandfather, and greatgreatgrandfather, Bush was the legacy of no less than twenty-seven other relatives who preceded him at Yale, including five great great uncles. Seven great uncles. Five uncles, and a number of first cousins.
Now why did Ann leave out these somewhat relevant facts? Ann grew up in Connecticut. Ann, did you really not know that Prescott Bush had been your senator when you were born?
Ann, is it possible that when Prescott’s son George H. W. Bush became president, it totally escaped your notice that his father had represented your state in the United States Senate? Did neither of your parents mention it in passing at the dinner table? Did no one at home in Darien make any comments about the new president’s lineage?
Understand. This isn’t sloppiness. This is deliberate. For Ann’s purposes – to claim that the media that was manipulating facts here – Ann herself had to manipulate facts – in such a shameless way. This is what she does.
And she does it over and over and over again.
Let me give you another example.
On page 265 of her book Treason, Ann writes of Tom Friedman, the New York Times columnist. “He blamed twenty years of relentless attacks by Muslim extremists on- I quote – ‘religious fundamentalists of any stripe.’”
This didn’t sound like Tom Friedman to me, so I found the one Friedman column that contained that phrase – “religious fundamentalists of any stripe.” It was from a December 26, 2001 column called “Naked Air,” about an airline where everyone would fly naked. “Think about it,” Friedman writes, tongue firmly planted in cheek, “If everybody flew naked, not only would you never have to worry about the passenger next to you carrying box cutters or exploding shoes, but no religious fundamentalists of any stripe would ever be caught dead flying nude.”
Let me repeat. Ann wrote of Tom Friedman, Jewish by the way, that “he blamed twenty years of relentless attacks by Muslim extremists on – I quote – ‘religious fundamentalists of any stripe.’” She bothered to put “I quote” in there for emphasis.
Friedman actually wrote “no religious fundamentalists of any stripe would ever be caught dead flying nude” in service of a conceit that illustrated our dilemma of either becoming less open as a society or learning to live with much higher risks than we’ve ever been used to before.
Friedman was not blaming 9/11 on the Lubavichers, as Ann suggests.
Now this sort of deliberate misrepresentation contributes to a coarsening of our nation’s dialogue. Ann recently told an audience:
“We need somebody to put rat poisoning in Justice Stevens’ creme brulee,” Coulter said. “That’s just a joke, for you in the media.”
Here’s my question. What’s the joke? Maybe it’s a prejudice from my days as a comedy writer, but I always thought the joke had to have an operative funny idea. I’ll give you an example of a joke.
Like they do every Saturday night, two elderly Jewish couples are going out to dinner. The guys are in front, the girls riding in back. Irv says to Sid, “Where should we go tonight?”
Sid says, “How about that place we went about a month ago. The Italian place with the great lasagna.”
Irv says, “I don’t remember it.”
Sid says, “The place with the great lasagna.”
Irv says, “I don’t remember. What’s the name of the place?”
Sid thinks. But can’t remember. “A flower. Gimme a flower.”
“Tulip?” Irv says.
“No, no. A different flower.”
“Magnolia?”
“No, no. A basic flower.”
“Orchid?”
“No! Basic.”
“Rose?”
That’s it! Sid turns to the back seat. “Rose. What was the name of that restaurant…?”
That’s a joke. What exactly is the joke in “We need somebody to put rat poisoning in Justice Stevens’ creme brulee?” Is it the crème brulee? Is that it? Because Stevens is some kind of Francophile or elitist? Is it the rat poison? See, I would have gone with Drano. I’m really trying here, Ann. Please, when you come up, explain the joke about murdering an associate justice of the Supreme Court. One who by the way, was appointed to the Supreme Court by Gerald Ford, and who, also, by the way, won a Bronze Star serving in the Navy in World War II. What is the joke? ‘Cause I don’t get it.
Now in Ann’s defense, she doesn’t always make horribly offensive remarks or knowingly craft lies. Very often Ann is just wrong out of ignorance or pure laziness. Take this from the MSNBC Show – Saturday Final – on August 30, 2003 – MSNBC. She is talking about how well the war in Iraq is going.
COULTER: I think the rebuilding is going extremely well. Douglas MacArthur was in Japan five years after V.J. Day. There were enormous casualties in Germany after World War II. The rebuilding is actually going quite well compared to past efforts. And really, all we’re getting from Democrats is constant carping.
Ann, do you know how many combat fatalities the American military had in Germany after V-E day? Zero. You know how many in Japan after V-J day? Zero.
Ann and I have debated once before. In May of 2004, and Ann still felt the war was going amazingly well. Let me quote her from that debate:
“…. This war is going amazingly well… the casualty rate is incredibly small for the rebuilding. It is going better than can be expected. You cannot read about how well things are going against Al Sadr, where you have Iraqis protesting against Al Sadr; all these stories about how Al Sadr had (this) vast support among the Iraquis… oh no no no. They recently held a protest march saying, ‘Al Sadr, get out.’”
As you know, Ann, Moktadr al Sadr, recently picked the Shiite choice for prime minister for the new government, Mohamed al Jafaari. Sadr has thirty-two seats in the Iraqi assembly compared to Ahmed Chalabi’s zero. And remember, it was Chalabi to whom we were going to turn over the Iraqi government.
Things are not going amazingly well in Iraq. And they haven’t been going amazingly well since we allowed the looting of Baghdad. A week ago, former prime minister Ayad Allawi said that Iraq was already in a civil war. And as George Bush said in September of 2004, we should listen to Allawi because – and I quote – “he understands what’s going on there – after all, he lives there.”
The first thing this Administration needs to do in Iraq is to start acknowledging the truth and level with the American people.
I think the one lesson we can all agree on from Vietnam is that we cannot blame the troops. By and large, the vast, vast majority of our troops have performed heroically. And they deserve our gratitude and support. And that means supporting them after they’ve come home.
Two thirds of the wounded in Iraq now have brain injuries. That’s because so many of the casualties are from IED’s, and the injuries are concussive and not ballistic. Each one of those brain injuries is going to cost a million dollars over the course of that veteran’s life. And we need to fund programs for those who come back with post traumatic stress disorder – a higher percentage than in any previous war.
Now another value I believe in is love of country. For some reason it rankles Ann that I’ve done six USO tours and have had the nerve to talk about it. I do so because I want people to be aware of the work that the USO does. I want anyone here today who is a Hollywood celebrity to think about giving up a couple weeks of your life to entertain our men and women in uniform. I think it rankles Ann that I’ve talked about going on the USO tours because she can’t conceive that anyone would actually do something for anyone else. I didn’t go to Iraq to prove that Democrats are patriotic, Ann. I did my first USO tour in 1999, when Clinton was president. We went to Kosovo, a war that was vehemently and vocally opposed by many Republicans. Even so, we didn’t call them traitors. I was invited by the USO to go to Iraq because they know I do a good job and that it means a lot to the troops when anyone comes over to show them we care.
My daughter is 25. She teaches inner city kids in the Bronx. And that makes me proud. She hates when I say it, and that makes me even more proud.
My son is an engineering student. He wants to build fuel efficient cars. He’s a junior in college and got a job at Ford this summer working on a new manufacturing process for power trans. I don’t know what that means either. But he got there because he works his butt off.
But my son doesn’t feel that he got where he is because he is some kind of rugged individual. That he did it all himself. He knows that he stands on the shoulders of those who stood on the shoulders of those who stood on the shoulders of those who stood on the shoulders of those who stood on the necks of Indians.
My wife and I tried to instill certain values in our kids. But we don’t love them because they’re perfect. We love them because they’re decent, loving kids. Kids who care about others and care, by the way, about the truth.
One last thing. Speaking of the truth. A few months after my last debate with Ann, the following appeared in a New York Observer story about Ann. From the September 13, 2004 issue..
The writer asks Ann in the article:
“She debated Al Franken recently?
“’Yes,’ she said. ‘It’s not an interesting debate, because liberals can’t argue. So it’s never like point-counterpoint; all we do is hear about his ******* U.S.O. tours for three hours. Excuse my French.’”
Ann, let’s see if we can have a point-counterpoint, and an interesting debate. And by the way, Ann, I have here a DVD of that entire three hour debate – And I’ll bet you my speaking fee tonight that I spoke about my USO tours for less than a grand total of three minutes. How about it Ann? My speaking fee against your speaking fee?
I mean we care about the truth, don’t we?
Why do people like ANN COULTER?
Thank you so much for sharing these truths. Sadly, there are so many people that will discount this with hate and venom because it is so hard for them to see the truth. But from me...THANKS!
Reply:Ann.. for the same reason that more people watch Jerry Springer reruns than all of the History Channel shows combined. We%26#039;re attracted to stupidity. Report It
Reply:you Bush bashers are getting nowhere with this garbage. You got nowhere in 2000, nowhere in 2004, and you will get nowhere in 2008 if you don%26#039;t stop the childish ranting!! Report It
Reply:I am happy to see a conservative spwer. Howard Dean, Michael Moore were jokes. Al Francken is a freak and could not make it in the movies. Report It
Reply:Because americans love bullshit and dis-like the truth Ann is a slut Report It
Reply:Someday you will all pay for your theivery, lies and warmongering Report It
Reply:Sadly, she represents a small percentage of people who share the same beliefs she does. Report It
Reply:ANN ROCKS Report It
Reply:Ann Coulter is a national treasure. People hate her because they hate the truth. Report It
Reply:pk%26#039;ed
nice Report It
Reply:ann coulter is a HUGE ***** Report It
Reply:She is not the only Republican to make up lies. I get E mails every day that are out right lies and misrepresentations.
I enjoyed reading your comments. Thank you for standing up to her and others like her who want to ruin this country. Report It
Reply:Guys like her for the same reason girls like ambi-sexual boy bands when they are preteens. Girls like those boy bands because they are boys who act and look like girls.
Conservative guys like Ann Coulter because she is a girl who looks and acts like a boy, insults, sarcasm and all. Report It
Reply:I don%26#039;t know Ann Coulter I dont pay attention to her, but you know if there was no Ann there would be no one for you to stand up to. Bravo to you for standing up, but bravo for her for giving you a reason too. There can be no debate or no understanding if things are simply one sided all the time. Report It
Reply:Actually, it%26#039;s Mrs. Edwards twisting around what Coulter says, for the sake of trying to save here hubby%26#039;s ailing campaign. Report It
Reply:I offer a hand to all the conservatives who have been exposed as self serving, hard hearted, simple minded, and oh so hard to achieve, old at a very young age. Report It
Reply:Why does anyone even pay attention to Coulter. The only reason that she gets any attention is because she is an anorexic who wears skirts up to her lulu. Anyone can grow her har 2 feet and wear skirts up to there. Ann is nothing special.
Reply:Why did it take me 20 minutes to scroll down to answer this question???
Reply:Nobody in their right mind listens to her, don%26#039;t worry.
Reply:only closed-minded people who see and hear only what they want likes her.
Reply:They only reason I can think of is they are as stupid as she is, and just as nasty!
Reply:Most people who like Ann Coulter are rich white men who want a giggle. The only person who really takes her seriously is herself.
Reply:only stupid NEOCONS do!!! the rest of us hate her guts!!
Reply:I am a rich white man and I DO like her, but my rich white wife likes her too!
She speaks her mind and is not afraid to stand by her convictions. When people yell for an apology she just tells them she meant what she said. How many people do that? She has the right to her opinion and she has the right under our Constitution to SAY what her opinion is.
visual arts
This is what Al wrote about the debate afterwards:
Last May, as I left the stage after debating Ann Coulter in Hartford, my wife Franni took me aside and whispered: %26quot;The poor thing.%26quot;
Last Monday, after my debate with Coulter at the Universal Amphitheatre in L.A., there was no sympathy from Franni. Just a strong sense of disgust. Because Coulter had chosen a strange strategy.
Offend the audience and then act the victim.
The event was part of a lecture series sponsored by the University of Judaism. The previous debate had featured Newt Gingrich and John Edwards before a crowd of about 5000 subscribers. About 5500 had gathered for me and Ann. The extra five hundred presumably were fans of mine and of Ann%26#039;s.
Before the debate, there was a dinner for about 75 sponsors – mainly middle-aged-to- older Jewish couples. Between dinner and dessert Ann and I were to each make three minutes of remarks. I had planned to open with my usual at such Jewish events: %26quot;I%26#039;m going to start by answering the question I%26#039;ve been asked most tonight – Yes, I%26#039;ve had enough to eat.%26quot;
But Ann went first, and set her tone for the entire evening. %26quot;It was fascinating being here for the demonstrations this weekend,%26quot; she said with a snotty Darien sneer. %26quot;I guess that%26#039;s why I didn%26#039;t get clean towels in my hotel room this morning.%26quot;
There was an audible gasp from the Jews. Ann continued: %26quot;I haven%26#039;t seen so many agitated Mexicans since the World Cup Soccer Games were in L.A.%26quot; As offended as the diners were, the waiters were pissed. Ann was actually dumb enough to drink her coffee afterwards.
I answered by saying that I hadn%26#039;t seen so many agitated Mexicans since 1846 when James K. Polk invaded Mexico because he thought Santa Ana had weapons of mass destruction. I wasn%26#039;t sure of the year, but I thought the different approaches to our %26quot;agitated Mexican%26quot; jokes might give everyone an idea of what to expect.
Fortunately, the debate had something of a formal structure to it. I led off with a twenty minute speech in which I eviscerated Ann, followed by her twenty minutes in which she defended herself by saying she was a flawed person and then proceeded to accuse Democrats of being traitors.
Then there was about an hour with the president of the university leading a discussion during which she lost everyone but her most dedicated fans, of which there were maybe fifty by the end of the evening. At one point, when I was talking about making sure our returning veterans got proper medical care, one of her nutcase followers yelled, %26quot;Boring!%26quot;
Anyway, I%26#039;m kind of proud of my opening statement. I put it on the website of my new political action committee, Midwest Values PAC. Drop by and check it out.
So I did, and here is Al%26#039;s opening remarks...absolutely priceless:
COULTER DEBATE OPENING STATEMENT – UNIVERSITY OF JUDAISM
Thank you. First of all, I know I join Ann in thanking the University of Judaism for hosting this event. We’ve had an opportunity to spend some time with President Wexler and have dinner with many folks from the University community.
And I’d like to answer the question that I actually get asked the most when I do an event for a Jewish organization. Yes, I had enough to eat.
You know, in these kinds of debate forums, someone has to go first. It’s always preferable to go second, because you can react to what’s been said, giving you something of a tactical advantage. More importantly, it pretty much spares you the chore of writing out pre-prepared remarks.
Both Ann and I said we preferred going second, but I didn’t insist on it, because I understood somebody had to go first. And being a liberal, I just wasn’t tough-minded enough to insist on a coin toss.
So, I’ll try to use my time to define the terms of the debate – if you will. “Whence Judaism?”
No. I think we should talk about the Bush Administration and the Republican Congress and what it has accomplished over the past five years. I’m talking, of course, about well over two trillion dollars added to the national debt, the increase in poverty in our country and the added millions of Americans, including children, without health insurance. I’m talking about the sale of our democracy to corporate interests that pollute our water and our air. I’m talking about the widening gap between the haves and the have nots in this country. And I’m talking about the war in Iraq.
I’m talking about an increasingly corrupt, secretive, and incompetent federal government that rewards cronies, a Republican majority in Congress that’s acted as a rubber stamp, that has performed virtually no oversight and which excludes the minority party from the legislative process in a way unprecedented in our recent history.
I also want to discuss with Ann the coarsening of dialogue in this country. I want to discuss values with Ann. Values like love, of family, of your fellow man, of country. Ann has said repeatedly that liberals hate America. I disagree.
Last year I had the honor of speaking at West Point. It was an audience not so very different from this one. Except that instead of you, the audience was made up of about twelve hundred cadets. Many of whom will be going to Iraq in the next year or so.
The occasion was the Sol Feinstone Lecture on the Meaning of Freedom endowed by philanthropist Sol Feinstone. It’s an annual event and Sol Feinstein’s granddaughter, who is about my age, attended.
After telling a number jokes and getting the cadets on my side. I told them that we had been lied into the war in Iraq. I had just published a book entitled The Truth (with jokes), and I told the cadets that you can’t have freedom without the truth. You can have freedom without jokes, as has been proven by the Dutch and the Swiss.
I proceeded to prove that we had been lied into war, citing example after example of President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, and Condi Rice, who had been National Security Advisor in the lead-up to the war, telling the public information that they knew not to be true.
At the end of the speech I received a standing ovation from the cadets. Sol Feinstone’s granddaughter told me she had gone to every lecture for the last thirty or so years, and that I received only the second standing ovation. The other was for Max Cleland, who lost both legs and an arm in Vietnam.
By the way, Ann has written that Max Cleland was lucky to have lost his legs and his arm in Vietnam. I disagree. More importantly, I know Max, and he disagrees.
I believe I received the standing ovation because the cadets knew that I was speaking from the heart, and that the information I had given them was all true. And as I said, you can’t have freedom without the truth.
You can’t have good government without the truth. During the crafting and passage of the Medicare prescription drug bill, the chief actuary of Medicare was told to withhold from Congress the true cost of the bill. He’d be fired if he told the truth.
The bill costs so much, in large part, because the bill prohibits Medicare from negotiating with the pharmaceutical companies on the price of drugs. As a result, seniors now pay on average 44% more than veterans getting the same drugs through the VA which is allowed to use its size to negotiate with the drug companies. To get the bill passed, the vote was held open for three hours. Tom DeLay was later admonished by Republicans on the ethics committee for attempting to bribe, and then extort, Republican Nick Smith of Michigan to get him to change his vote. The chairman of the Commerce Committee Billy Tauzin who ushered the legislation through, soon left Congress for a two million dollar a year job as the chief lobbyist for the pharmaceutical industry. Obviously, a complete coincidence.
During the 2000 campaign George Bush ran for president by saying repeatedly, and I quote, “by far the vast majority of my tax cut goes to those at the bottom.” Of course, nothing could be further from the truth.
In fact, the president continues to ask for and sign tax cuts that go primarily to those at the top. By the way, until George W. Bush, our country had never cut taxes during a time of war.
As a result, our deficits grow and the cuts – in Medicaid, Pell Grants, food stamps, low-income housing subsidies, community block grants – are targeted at the poorest in our society.
George W. Bush famously said that Jesus was his favorite political philosopher. Frankly, I don’t get it.
I’m Jewish. Thank you. I’m not an expert on the New Testament. But I know that if you cut out all the passages where Jesus talks about helping the poor, helping the least among us, if you literally took a pair of scissors and cut out all those passages, you’d have the perfect box to smuggle Rush Limbaugh’s drugs in.
I don’t understand when the Christian right says that equal rights in marriage threatens marriage. I’ve been married 30 years, many of them happy. I don’t think that if my wife and I were walking around in Boston, where we met, if we saw two men holding hands with wedding bands… I don’t think I’d say “Hey, that looks good. Y’know, honey, you don’t like watching football on Sundays. Maybe I could marry a guy, watch football with him, and then if I wanted to have sex, I could come over and have sex with you.”
I was just talking to Newt Gingrich the other day. And I said to him, “Don’t you want for a gay couple what you had with your first wife? Don’t you want that bond that comes with the pledge of fidelity that you had with your second wife? Don’t you want what comes with that lifelong bond that you may or may not have with your third wife – I have no idea what’s going on there.”
You know, Bill O’Reilly always talks about his “traditional values” – as opposed to “the far left’s secular humanist values.” I didn’t realize phone sex was a traditional value. I didn’t think the phone had been around long enough. Maybe telegraph sex.
In her book Slander, Ann referred to Democrats and our “Marquis de Sade lifestyle.” I’ve been married for thirty years. Ann, you’re an attractive woman. And I know you support the president’s abstinence-only sex education. I want to congratulate you for saving yourself for your one true love.
When my daughter was six years old, her teacher asked all her students to write about how their parents had met. We told Thomasin that we met at a mixer freshman year of college. I saw Franni across the room, gathering up some friends to leave. I liked the way she was taking control and I thought she was beautiful. So I asked her to dance, and then got her a ginger ale, then escorted her to her dorm and asked for a date.
My daughter wrote, “My dad asked my mom to dance, bought her a drink, and then took her home.” Now all the facts were accurate, but what my daughter wrote was extremely misleading. Now my daughter wasn’t lying. She didn’t realize that what she wrote made her mom seem like a slut.
Ann, however, is not six years old. And she has developed her own techniques for misleading, by leaving out important facts. Let me give you an example of Ann lying by omission.
Also in her book Slander, Ann tells her readers that Al Gore had a leg up on George W. Bush when applying to their respective colleges. Harvard and Yale. Ann writes:
“Oddly, it was Bush who was routinely accused of having sailed through life on his father’s name. But the truth was the reverse. The media was manipulating the fact that – many years later – Bush’s father became president. When Bush was admitted to Yale, his father was a little-known congressman on the verge of losing his first Senate race. His father was a Yale alumnus, but so were a lot of other boys’ parents. It was Gore, not Bush, who had a famous father likely to impress college admissions committees.”
What does Ann omit? Well, that Bush’s grandfather Prescott Bush was also a Yale alum and had been Senator from Connecticut, the home state of Yale University. That Prescott Bush had been a trustee of Yale. That Prescott Bush had been the first chair of Yale’s Development Board – the folks who raise the money. That Prescott Bush sat on the Yale Corporation for twelve years. That Prescott Bush, like George W. Bush’s father, George H. W, Bush, had been a member of Skull and Bones. That the first Bush to go to Yale was Bush’s great great grandfather James Bush, who graduated in 1844. That in addition to his father, grandfather, and greatgreatgrandfather, Bush was the legacy of no less than twenty-seven other relatives who preceded him at Yale, including five great great uncles. Seven great uncles. Five uncles, and a number of first cousins.
Now why did Ann leave out these somewhat relevant facts? Ann grew up in Connecticut. Ann, did you really not know that Prescott Bush had been your senator when you were born?
Ann, is it possible that when Prescott’s son George H. W. Bush became president, it totally escaped your notice that his father had represented your state in the United States Senate? Did neither of your parents mention it in passing at the dinner table? Did no one at home in Darien make any comments about the new president’s lineage?
Understand. This isn’t sloppiness. This is deliberate. For Ann’s purposes – to claim that the media that was manipulating facts here – Ann herself had to manipulate facts – in such a shameless way. This is what she does.
And she does it over and over and over again.
Let me give you another example.
On page 265 of her book Treason, Ann writes of Tom Friedman, the New York Times columnist. “He blamed twenty years of relentless attacks by Muslim extremists on- I quote – ‘religious fundamentalists of any stripe.’”
This didn’t sound like Tom Friedman to me, so I found the one Friedman column that contained that phrase – “religious fundamentalists of any stripe.” It was from a December 26, 2001 column called “Naked Air,” about an airline where everyone would fly naked. “Think about it,” Friedman writes, tongue firmly planted in cheek, “If everybody flew naked, not only would you never have to worry about the passenger next to you carrying box cutters or exploding shoes, but no religious fundamentalists of any stripe would ever be caught dead flying nude.”
Let me repeat. Ann wrote of Tom Friedman, Jewish by the way, that “he blamed twenty years of relentless attacks by Muslim extremists on – I quote – ‘religious fundamentalists of any stripe.’” She bothered to put “I quote” in there for emphasis.
Friedman actually wrote “no religious fundamentalists of any stripe would ever be caught dead flying nude” in service of a conceit that illustrated our dilemma of either becoming less open as a society or learning to live with much higher risks than we’ve ever been used to before.
Friedman was not blaming 9/11 on the Lubavichers, as Ann suggests.
Now this sort of deliberate misrepresentation contributes to a coarsening of our nation’s dialogue. Ann recently told an audience:
“We need somebody to put rat poisoning in Justice Stevens’ creme brulee,” Coulter said. “That’s just a joke, for you in the media.”
Here’s my question. What’s the joke? Maybe it’s a prejudice from my days as a comedy writer, but I always thought the joke had to have an operative funny idea. I’ll give you an example of a joke.
Like they do every Saturday night, two elderly Jewish couples are going out to dinner. The guys are in front, the girls riding in back. Irv says to Sid, “Where should we go tonight?”
Sid says, “How about that place we went about a month ago. The Italian place with the great lasagna.”
Irv says, “I don’t remember it.”
Sid says, “The place with the great lasagna.”
Irv says, “I don’t remember. What’s the name of the place?”
Sid thinks. But can’t remember. “A flower. Gimme a flower.”
“Tulip?” Irv says.
“No, no. A different flower.”
“Magnolia?”
“No, no. A basic flower.”
“Orchid?”
“No! Basic.”
“Rose?”
That’s it! Sid turns to the back seat. “Rose. What was the name of that restaurant…?”
That’s a joke. What exactly is the joke in “We need somebody to put rat poisoning in Justice Stevens’ creme brulee?” Is it the crème brulee? Is that it? Because Stevens is some kind of Francophile or elitist? Is it the rat poison? See, I would have gone with Drano. I’m really trying here, Ann. Please, when you come up, explain the joke about murdering an associate justice of the Supreme Court. One who by the way, was appointed to the Supreme Court by Gerald Ford, and who, also, by the way, won a Bronze Star serving in the Navy in World War II. What is the joke? ‘Cause I don’t get it.
Now in Ann’s defense, she doesn’t always make horribly offensive remarks or knowingly craft lies. Very often Ann is just wrong out of ignorance or pure laziness. Take this from the MSNBC Show – Saturday Final – on August 30, 2003 – MSNBC. She is talking about how well the war in Iraq is going.
COULTER: I think the rebuilding is going extremely well. Douglas MacArthur was in Japan five years after V.J. Day. There were enormous casualties in Germany after World War II. The rebuilding is actually going quite well compared to past efforts. And really, all we’re getting from Democrats is constant carping.
Ann, do you know how many combat fatalities the American military had in Germany after V-E day? Zero. You know how many in Japan after V-J day? Zero.
Ann and I have debated once before. In May of 2004, and Ann still felt the war was going amazingly well. Let me quote her from that debate:
“…. This war is going amazingly well… the casualty rate is incredibly small for the rebuilding. It is going better than can be expected. You cannot read about how well things are going against Al Sadr, where you have Iraqis protesting against Al Sadr; all these stories about how Al Sadr had (this) vast support among the Iraquis… oh no no no. They recently held a protest march saying, ‘Al Sadr, get out.’”
As you know, Ann, Moktadr al Sadr, recently picked the Shiite choice for prime minister for the new government, Mohamed al Jafaari. Sadr has thirty-two seats in the Iraqi assembly compared to Ahmed Chalabi’s zero. And remember, it was Chalabi to whom we were going to turn over the Iraqi government.
Things are not going amazingly well in Iraq. And they haven’t been going amazingly well since we allowed the looting of Baghdad. A week ago, former prime minister Ayad Allawi said that Iraq was already in a civil war. And as George Bush said in September of 2004, we should listen to Allawi because – and I quote – “he understands what’s going on there – after all, he lives there.”
The first thing this Administration needs to do in Iraq is to start acknowledging the truth and level with the American people.
I think the one lesson we can all agree on from Vietnam is that we cannot blame the troops. By and large, the vast, vast majority of our troops have performed heroically. And they deserve our gratitude and support. And that means supporting them after they’ve come home.
Two thirds of the wounded in Iraq now have brain injuries. That’s because so many of the casualties are from IED’s, and the injuries are concussive and not ballistic. Each one of those brain injuries is going to cost a million dollars over the course of that veteran’s life. And we need to fund programs for those who come back with post traumatic stress disorder – a higher percentage than in any previous war.
Now another value I believe in is love of country. For some reason it rankles Ann that I’ve done six USO tours and have had the nerve to talk about it. I do so because I want people to be aware of the work that the USO does. I want anyone here today who is a Hollywood celebrity to think about giving up a couple weeks of your life to entertain our men and women in uniform. I think it rankles Ann that I’ve talked about going on the USO tours because she can’t conceive that anyone would actually do something for anyone else. I didn’t go to Iraq to prove that Democrats are patriotic, Ann. I did my first USO tour in 1999, when Clinton was president. We went to Kosovo, a war that was vehemently and vocally opposed by many Republicans. Even so, we didn’t call them traitors. I was invited by the USO to go to Iraq because they know I do a good job and that it means a lot to the troops when anyone comes over to show them we care.
My daughter is 25. She teaches inner city kids in the Bronx. And that makes me proud. She hates when I say it, and that makes me even more proud.
My son is an engineering student. He wants to build fuel efficient cars. He’s a junior in college and got a job at Ford this summer working on a new manufacturing process for power trans. I don’t know what that means either. But he got there because he works his butt off.
But my son doesn’t feel that he got where he is because he is some kind of rugged individual. That he did it all himself. He knows that he stands on the shoulders of those who stood on the shoulders of those who stood on the shoulders of those who stood on the shoulders of those who stood on the necks of Indians.
My wife and I tried to instill certain values in our kids. But we don’t love them because they’re perfect. We love them because they’re decent, loving kids. Kids who care about others and care, by the way, about the truth.
One last thing. Speaking of the truth. A few months after my last debate with Ann, the following appeared in a New York Observer story about Ann. From the September 13, 2004 issue..
The writer asks Ann in the article:
“She debated Al Franken recently?
“’Yes,’ she said. ‘It’s not an interesting debate, because liberals can’t argue. So it’s never like point-counterpoint; all we do is hear about his ******* U.S.O. tours for three hours. Excuse my French.’”
Ann, let’s see if we can have a point-counterpoint, and an interesting debate. And by the way, Ann, I have here a DVD of that entire three hour debate – And I’ll bet you my speaking fee tonight that I spoke about my USO tours for less than a grand total of three minutes. How about it Ann? My speaking fee against your speaking fee?
I mean we care about the truth, don’t we?
Why do people like ANN COULTER?
Thank you so much for sharing these truths. Sadly, there are so many people that will discount this with hate and venom because it is so hard for them to see the truth. But from me...THANKS!
Reply:Ann.. for the same reason that more people watch Jerry Springer reruns than all of the History Channel shows combined. We%26#039;re attracted to stupidity. Report It
Reply:you Bush bashers are getting nowhere with this garbage. You got nowhere in 2000, nowhere in 2004, and you will get nowhere in 2008 if you don%26#039;t stop the childish ranting!! Report It
Reply:I am happy to see a conservative spwer. Howard Dean, Michael Moore were jokes. Al Francken is a freak and could not make it in the movies. Report It
Reply:Because americans love bullshit and dis-like the truth Ann is a slut Report It
Reply:Someday you will all pay for your theivery, lies and warmongering Report It
Reply:Sadly, she represents a small percentage of people who share the same beliefs she does. Report It
Reply:ANN ROCKS Report It
Reply:Ann Coulter is a national treasure. People hate her because they hate the truth. Report It
Reply:pk%26#039;ed
nice Report It
Reply:ann coulter is a HUGE ***** Report It
Reply:She is not the only Republican to make up lies. I get E mails every day that are out right lies and misrepresentations.
I enjoyed reading your comments. Thank you for standing up to her and others like her who want to ruin this country. Report It
Reply:Guys like her for the same reason girls like ambi-sexual boy bands when they are preteens. Girls like those boy bands because they are boys who act and look like girls.
Conservative guys like Ann Coulter because she is a girl who looks and acts like a boy, insults, sarcasm and all. Report It
Reply:I don%26#039;t know Ann Coulter I dont pay attention to her, but you know if there was no Ann there would be no one for you to stand up to. Bravo to you for standing up, but bravo for her for giving you a reason too. There can be no debate or no understanding if things are simply one sided all the time. Report It
Reply:Actually, it%26#039;s Mrs. Edwards twisting around what Coulter says, for the sake of trying to save here hubby%26#039;s ailing campaign. Report It
Reply:I offer a hand to all the conservatives who have been exposed as self serving, hard hearted, simple minded, and oh so hard to achieve, old at a very young age. Report It
Reply:Why does anyone even pay attention to Coulter. The only reason that she gets any attention is because she is an anorexic who wears skirts up to her lulu. Anyone can grow her har 2 feet and wear skirts up to there. Ann is nothing special.
Reply:Why did it take me 20 minutes to scroll down to answer this question???
Reply:Nobody in their right mind listens to her, don%26#039;t worry.
Reply:only closed-minded people who see and hear only what they want likes her.
Reply:They only reason I can think of is they are as stupid as she is, and just as nasty!
Reply:Most people who like Ann Coulter are rich white men who want a giggle. The only person who really takes her seriously is herself.
Reply:only stupid NEOCONS do!!! the rest of us hate her guts!!
Reply:I am a rich white man and I DO like her, but my rich white wife likes her too!
She speaks her mind and is not afraid to stand by her convictions. When people yell for an apology she just tells them she meant what she said. How many people do that? She has the right to her opinion and she has the right under our Constitution to SAY what her opinion is.
visual arts
How do u like it?
-Prologue-
-Dreams-
“For in dreams we enter a world that’s entirely our own, let them swim in the deepest ocean, or glide over the highest cloud”
-Dumledore-
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
What are dreams? Are they a reminisce from a previous life, or simply De ja vu. They can have us enter into the unimaginable and impossible. Yet it all seems so real. We do the most amazing things in dreams, but cannot remember any bit of it when you wake up. That is why the dream world is so amazing; it is where we can achieve our most desired whim. Still, very few dreams come true, yet those spare few are able to paint our lives with the colors of adventure, or tragedy. Dare to step into the Dream World?
Chapter 1
It was a glorious day like no other, and 14-year-old Caity Craft was enjoying every bit of it.
In a couple of minutes David West, the handsome and charming young man that Caity has had a crush on for years, would be picking her up for their date that afternoon. She had been getting ready for hours, choosing her outfit carefully, taking care not to look too over the top, and yet to make an everlasting impression on him. Just as she finished she heard the doorbell ring, she put one last streak of lip gloss on her already over-shined lips, and went to go answer it. Of course, it was David, he held his arm out, she responded with a smile and grabbed his hand. Together they made their way down the road towards the local coffee shop and settled in a table near a beautiful picture window and ordered their choice of drinks. They sat and chatted politely, and eventually came into a very intensive conversation about nothing in particular, and yet meant everything that mattered in the world. They went for a very long walk, around the town, in the park, everywhere. It became very late though, and their parents would be concerned, so they decided to go their separate ways after agreeing to a second date sometime.
When Caity said goodbye, she looked up, he was looking away, she blushed and looked down again, he lifted her chin and stared at her with the most penetrating stare that she could not pry her eyes away, they both smiled, the space between their faces was shrinking rapidly, she could smell the cologne that lost its original strength long ago, their lips were only centimeters away from each other…
“CAITY, WAKE UP!!!”
“Mom, just five more minutes, please!” why must she awake her at such an invigorating part of her glorious dream?
“But honey you have to wake up or you’ll be late for school, it’s already 7:30!”
“WHAT?!?!?! Make me some breakfast while I get dressed, please and thank you.”
Caity grabbed the first thing she could find, groaning at the big stain on the front of her favorite sweater. She took a look in the mirror, fixed her hair, and ran downstairs, not bothering to try and impress David, for she had given it up and was in a hurry. Gulping down breakfast she ran outside into the car, hoping her mom would write a tardy admit for her.
When Mrs. Craft pulled into the parking lot of the school, Caity asked her to write an admit but she had no time.
“Love you honey!”
“Bye mom” she said hopelessly as she entered school, dreading what Mr. Jerrald, her terribly strict geometry teacher, would say…
Chapter 2
“DETENTION CRAFT!” Mr. Jerrald hissed,
“This Wednesday after school, be there!” he handed her a detention slip.
“That’s your ninth tardy, one more and there will be suspension! What is it you do instead of being in class?”
Honestly, Caity and her friends had skipped the first half hour of class a couple times. Eight times actually, but Caity never thought she would, God forbid, get suspended! Not really, its just that she never really thought of consequences while having fun, playing hookie at the drugstore or in the school bathrooms.
“Nothing” she said with the most innocent voice she could muster
But she knew now that it was time to pay.
She took her seat in the back of the class with her friends; they gave her grave looks of sympathy and said they would totally serve detention with her, if it weren’t for “soccer practice” or some other lame excuse. When school was finally over, Caity showed her mom the detention slip and said she was going to have to miss her dance lesson that week.
The next morning she ran into David on her way to class, he looked anxious for some reason, and he kept looking over his shoulder.
“Hi Caity, hey, have you seen Mr. Smith anywhere?” he asked
“Um, no I haven’t” she said nervously.
“Ok, but will you tell me if you do? That would be great, see ya”
“Bye”
What was that all about?
“Oh my gosh!” Caity thought as she went down the stairs to her English class
“I can’t believe I actually talked to David West! I hope I didn’t act too excited, or, oh no! Did I sound nervous?!?!?! I HAVE to know!”
But what was also on her mind - why was he in such a hurry and why was he so nervous? Was he in trouble or something? Was David West – THE David West – the boy that shy Caity Crest had a crush on, a criminal?
No, in fact he was not in trouble with the law or anything scandalous, he just needed to tell Mr. Smith something, but is that the message that got him in so much trouble? Who knows, only him.
Chapter 3
Wednesday’s detention, as Caity had dreaded, had finally come. She made her way down to the detention room, and froze…
Much to her delight, David West was in the detention room, but it also added to the anxiety of it all. What’s even worse is that the teacher leading the detention that day put them in groups of two, and guess who got put together.
Caity just sat there avoiding eye contact, when the awkward silence was too much.
“So, what are you in for?” she asked, trying to smile
“Remember when you saw me yesterday? Well, I had to tell Mr. Smith something and he got all angry about it for some reason, then he gave me a detention, you?” It sounded innocent enough, but still a little fishy, however, Caity decided not to delve deeper in case of offending him.
“That’s weird, yeah, I was tardy… for the ninth time.”
They went on talking, Caity getting more confident with every word, when suddenly, David asked a question that stopped the confidence boost altogether.
“Hey Caity, are you doing anything this Saturday?” he sounded anxious when he said it.
“Uh, let me check my calendar” she looked at the paper they were supposed to be working on.
“No, I’m not doing anything, what did you have in mind?” she laughed nervously
“Well, I was just wondering if—‘’
“NO TALKING!” snapped the teacher, so David wrote it down on a piece of paper—
Caity- since you’re free on Saturday, I was just wondering if you would like to go to a movie with me, I’ll pay for you, and we could go to dinner before it
Sounds great! When can you pick me up? Or can you pick me up? That would be awesome because my mom has somewhere else to go to.
Yeah, I can pick you up around six. We’ll be back around ten, is that ok?
Yeah, see you then.
Chapter 4
Caity was so excited about her date on Saturday that she couldn’t concentrate on her world history homework.
“David West, a Spanish Conquistador, took over the whole cinema to go on a date with his new girlfriend, Caity Craft. Charming Craft and handsome West together set out to conquer the world, but died from a cruel gunshot from Lisa Smith, West’s former companion, and their world history teacher, Mr. Smith’s daughter…”
Caity couldn’t stand it; she called up David, not knowing how she got his number stuck in the pocket of her jacket, when a thought came to her mind — what did David say to Mr. Smith that made him so angry—
“Hello, this is David speaking”
“Hey David, just wondering, what was it you said to Mr. Smith that made him so angry?
“I just asked him about his daughter, Lisa, because she, uh, left her jacket at my house, she’s my ex.” He said, though not with much confidence.
“Oh. Hmm, I wonder why he got so mad about it.”
“Yeah, he was all red in the face and yelled ‘Detention! And don’t ever speak to me about my daughter ever again!!!’”
“Seems like he overreacted a little… but maybe it was just problems between them.”
“Yeah, I guess. But he sounded really angry, with a crazed look in his eye. Well, I godda go, my mom’s calling me for dinner, see you tomorrow!” He said, sounding troubled
“Bye” She said as she hung up the phone, deciding that she would think about it more tomorrow, besides, she had homework, and tomorrow was Friday.
Chapter 5
By the end of the day, Caity had found out nothing on the subject of, well, all her subjects; and still nothing on the subject of Lisa Smith. Which is what she had been concentrating on instead of her studies.
But she was still very excited for Saturday, when they (David and Caity) could discuss it more. She felt like Nancy Drew, though it was not much of a mystery (so far). When all of a sudden, she heard her name being called.
“Wha— she had been daydreaming.
“I think I asked you a question.” Mrs. Tap said firmly “what is the theory of relativity, very easy, and what does it have to do with how energy is made?
“Oh, yeah. E=mc2, which is pretty much energy equals mass times the speed of light squared. So energy is made from, uh, mass times the speed of light to the second?”
“Correct, but for your homework tonight, everybody must write at least a paragraph about the speed of light, to touch further on the subject. It will be due on Monday.”
Great, Caity might have time to write up a short paragraph on Sunday night, but it will be difficult so she started it that night.
It was a lot harder than she thought, and she was up almost all night working on it. Caity just couldn’t explain it in one paragraph, so at 11:30, she had already had two pages on it. By the time it was 1:00, and she had four pages, Caity figured it was enough (perhaps a bit more than enough), so she finished it up and tried to get some sleep, she knew it would be good, but she was too excited. When she finally did get some shut-eye, it was 4:30, and she would have to sleep in, very late, she set her alarm for 3:00 p.m., hopefully it would wake her up in time to get ready.
Chapter 6
Saturday had come at last, and Caity had woken up, refreshed exactly at… what? 5:30?!?!?!? This couldn’t be happening, surely her mom would have woken her up by now.
She went into the bathroom; she couldn’t believe what she saw…
There she was, drenched in blood, Caity couldn’t even scream. Her own mother, but why? From the looks of it, she was tortured to death. The crude details are too sickening explain. Her body was twisted in an unnatural way, with many bruises and burns, Caity didn’t hear the horrific, blood curdling screams, that escaped from her tender motherly lips, that fixed all her “boo-boos” when she was a young child, because she was gagged. What a terrible fate for such a caring person. What callous, sick person would do this? But Caity noticed another thing, a tag, no, a note, written in blood-
Your next, Caity Craft.
Chapter 7
Suddenly she blacked out, she was so afraid. Wait no, she didn’t black out, something, a pillow, was covering her face, she was getting lightheaded, she couldn’t scream, couldn’t feel sweet air filling her lungs. A bag was put over her head. Caity started to panic, she couldn’t breathe, her mother was dead. How could this all be happening? Who was the person behind this terrible act? She was being kicked, urged to get up and walk, she got up, having no choice. She was getting beaten around like a soccer ball in an intense game. Caity tried to calm down but it was too much. She was thrown into a vehicle and driven somewhere. Unexpectedly she felt icy cold, she was drowning! Unable to untie her hands, she gave up hope, destroyed. Why must it end like this?
When she thought all hope was lost, she gave what would have been her last, shuddering breath, when all of a sudden…
A pair of muscular arms, far from the ones that had damaged her, were holding her around the waist while strong legs pumped underneath them. They were strong yet comforting, then she thought—
“DAVID!” and she fell to sleep, adrenaline rushing away, what kept her alive was leaving her, and a more reliable source was taking over, her true hero.
Chapter 8
She woke up but a moment later it seemed. She was in a hospital bed with balloons, flowers and get-well cards all around her. The nurse said she had been out for two days. Caity looked down, there were bruises all down her arms and IV in her wrist. She was more relieved than she had ever been in her life, when panic came over her again. She now had no parents (her father died in a war), not enough money to live, and she almost died for God’s sake. A nurse came up to her to give her some medicine, Caity refused it and started to get nervous and uncomfortable, why was everyone bothering her, she was terrified, nurses were starting to surround her, she started having a nervous breakdown, her breaths became short and quick, they were all trying to stick needles in her, she didn’t want them to do that, they would hurt her, put her in more pain than she already was. She was screaming her head off and nobody was paying her any attention. She wanted her mother, her mom was dead, she started screaming more, crying out for help. Then she saw it, a faint glowing at first, it started to get brighter and everything else was blocked out. Now the only thing that she wanted was to reach that light. She knew that it would end her suffering and pain. She would see her mom and dad again, and be able to be with them forever, she knew it. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her arm and the light disappeared. She was coming back, no, she didn’t want to come back; she didn’t want to live her life in misery. But when she came back, all the nurses had disappeared, she was in a different room, she saw David there, standing, her hero, come back to see how she was. Caity could see that his eyes were bloodshot, he had obviously been crying… for her. He did care about her.
Chapter 9
“How did you find me?” was the first thing that came from her.
“I came to pick you up a little early, and something didn’t feel right. I was going to go check on you, but I saw the door opening, so I hid. I saw a person whose face was masked kicking and hitting you to walk, then the person threw you into the back of the van. I followed it, staying behind so the person wouldn’t suspect anything, but not far enough to lose you. I stopped when it pulled over at the end of a bridge, then it just, well” his voice faltered, tears started streaming down his face.
“I know you probably don’t want to see me like this, I’m sorry, but, well, it, that, thing, threw you into the lake, I knew I had to do something, when it drove away I went and dived in, I just couldn’t let you die. And, well, you know what happened next. I thought you died, I was so scared it’s not even funny. I’m just glad to see your ok now.”
“And I thank you, you are my hero mister David West. I owe you my life.” She said, mesmerized and truthfully.
“I just wonder who did this, kind of scary y’know? Like a demented serial stalker. What do they want from me?”
“Yeah, what do they have against you, and your mom I guess…” he said
She started to cry.
“Oh, I am so sorry, this is probably really hard for you and I just made it worse.”
“No, its ok. I’m probably acting like a baby, crying all the time and having nervous breakdowns”
“I don’t blame you, you almost died, anyone would act like that. I just wonder why she wants to kill you.” He said
“She? How do you know it’s a girl?” She said, sudden accusation in her tone
“What? Did I say she? I mean, it’s just so awkward calling it a, well, “it” I g—”
“Are you not telling me something that could very well save my life some day?”
“No, I’m telling you everything I know” he said defensively.
“Are you sure? Is there anything you’ve been hiding from me for a while?” she gave him a threatening look
“ok FINE! I, might kinda, like know who possibly tried to kill you, I may not be right though. Her name is Lisa Smith, I’m sure I might have mentioned her once. Anyway, she was the one that killed my mom. That’s what I was talking to Mr. Smith about, I told him that his daughter was a murderer, but he didn’t believe me, obviously.”
“Oh really, so she wasn’t your ex. But why did she kill your mom?”
“Yes, actually, she was my ex, and my mom didn’t like her. So she made me break with her. She was using me to get drugs or something, so she got really angry, and killed her.” He said with a sigh.
“That’s so sad, sorry for snapping at you, it must be hard enough, talking freely about your mom’s death.”
“I guess so…” he said uncertainly, there was an awkward silence for a while, broken eagerly by David.
“Hey, we never really did have that date, how about tomorrow night at six?”
“But the nurses probably won’t let me out of the hospital.” Caity said
“Well then I guess we’ll just have to have it in your room, with romantic music, reading the cafeteria menus by candlelight, whaddaya say?”
“Sure” she said laughing.
Chapter 10
Caity was recovering quickly, and would be going back to school soon, on crutches because she had broken her leg. She and David had been having “dates” together in her hospital room, now decorated with posters of her favorite bands, and gifts from her visitors. She was still devastated about what happened, but she had company almost all day. David came and visited every day after school. He even missed football practice to just hang out with Caity.
He loved her and she loved him, they hadn’t had anything tragic happen lately. They both went on with their daily lives, hanging out. Caity joined her school track team after she got her crutches off.
All was well till one day when Caity was walking home from school; she was walking alone because David was sick that day. Even though the street around her was empty, Caity was aware of a presence behind her. She turned around and was immediately knocked out of consciousness.
When she awoke, she realized that she was wet with sweat. Caity found she was tied up to a wooden pole, she looked down and saw a fire beneath her, she was being burned alive!
She heard malicious laughing in the distance, and none other than Lisa Smith emerged from the shadows.
“So…” she laughed
“Little Caity is scared without her ‘boyfriend’ to come and save her… like last time.” She finished the sentence quite bitterly.
“But this time he WON’T come, this time I will KILL YOU!” her voice much resembling the burning flames reflected in her crazed eyes.
“It was you.”
“No it wasn’t, it was my dear father.
“And he covered for you, when David talked to him.” Caity said with realization, while attempting to loosen her bindings.
“Yes, and he cut it mighty close if you ask me, had to knock him out, then make him swear not to tell anyone about it, or he would lose his life.”
“But David will come and save me, I know that.”
Lisa laughed again
“Ha! He’s tied up with my father, waiting for my signal.” She held up her walkie-talkie
“Once you are screaming your poor wittle head off when you catch fire…” she said in a mock babying voice.
“I will tell him to blast the little traitor’s head to smithereens. The two of you will die together, how romantic.” She said with a smile.
“You sick person, what did you do to my mother?”
“Oh, I had fun with her. First I gagged her, to keep her unworthy mouth from screeching. Then I thoroughly enjoyed peeling the skin clean off her face, played around with a lighter—
“STOP IT!” Caity screamed, blood and tears streaming down her face.
“STOP! I meant, why did you do it, why you crazed madman, why?” she wailed.
“To get to you.” Lisa said simply.
“You see, with her out of the way, I had a clear shot to you.”
“But what about David?”
“No, he was working for me, but I did get a little worried about him when he fell in love with you and ruined my first plan. But I encouraged him to join me back with a little, shall we say, ‘persuasion’, I took him back to lure you closer.”
“WHAT?!?!?! YOU MEAN HE LIED TO MY FACE?!?!?!? So, all those times he said he would love me forever, were lies?”
“That’s right sweetie, all lies… welcome to the real world, where you can’t just trust everyone. Even people you love, and dream about.”
How she knew about her dream, she didn’t know, all she was thinking about was how David betrayed her, and the growing fire, licking her burnt ankles.
“Then why did you tie him up?” Caity spat, tears still running down her face.
“Because, he’s a traitor, that’s that, and he still loves you.”
Caity thought about what Lisa said for a while, when she finally realized the burning pain, well, all over her. She started screaming out all the air her lungs held; she screamed in agony, the pain was unbelievable.
She started seeing the light again, but she also saw through it, into the real world. Her mother and father were running up to her, going to give her a hug, but she then realized, it was the dream world, then, breaking through the unreal barrier. She saw a Lisa Smith, talking on her walkie-talkie. She had to stop her! Somehow, anyhow. She was helpless, then she thought of something she did with her parents when she was little… she prayed.
“God, please, just help me out of this.”
Chapter 11
It all happened so fast, a flash that lighted the night sky, a loud crack, and a chilling scream, not from Caity’s own lips, but from another’s. Then a miracle happened, I started to rain, and rain, and rain. When the last flames of the fire below Caity had vanished in a wisp of smoke, she saw the dead body of Lisa lying in the pouring rain. Then, through the mist, Caity saw something limping her way.
“Oh no” she thought
“It’s Mr. Smith come to see my remains” But she was wrong.
Through the thick black smoke came the voice of a hero, her hero. David West.
“Are you ok Caity?”
Caity felt more relieved then ever in her whole life. But how was David still alive? Hadn’t Mr. Smith finished him off?
“Come on, we have to get you down from there.”
“David, I love you. I love you so much, more than the stars in the sky. You have saved my life twice and I’ve never repaid you”
“Well, I thi—
Then, without warning, Caity kissed him, right in the rain, under the stars. She kissed him, her burned body being soothed by the droplets from heaven.
Chapter 12
The two fell in love, true love. Not just an act he put on to kill her.
“How did you escape?” she whispered in his ear.
“I had untied, and when he turned away I knocked him out. I followed the smoke, and the screaming to you. When I was almost there, it started to rain. I prayed you were still alive, and you were, thank goodness.”
“You betrayed me.” She yelled
“But you betrayed them, for me.” She said in a much more gentle tone.
He started blushing
“Well, you must think I’m just about the most terrible guy in the world, so I would understand if you left me.”
“I wouldn’t leave you for the world.” She said gratefully.
So, as time went on, Caity Craft became Caity West. They had 3 beautiful daughters, and a son on the way, that they loved more than love itself.
But during their time together in that fateful 9th grade year, they found that even through the toughest of times, when you think you are all alone, there is a person that will always love you.
When you feel the most alone, where everyone in your life is gone… you can always go back to the dream world.
How do u like it?
You really need to watch your tenses. You switch back and forth from present to past and back again. You should also avoid superfluous %26quot;that%26quot;%26#039;s and the passive tense %26quot;had broken%26quot; etc. Both weaken your story and get really annoying to read over and over again. Why say %26quot;had broken her leg%26quot; when you can say %26quot;broke her leg%26quot;? JK could have cut 25 or more pages out of that book if she stuck to past tense and left out the %26quot;that%26#039;s%26quot;. You have occasional syntax errors and awkwardly worded sentences and you use quite a few fragments. Also, if you are writing in the past tense, you are writing a narrative about an event that occurred some time in the past - in this case long before the end of the story when someone sat down and recorded it. We know this because at the end, she is married and has 3 children, so it is some years later. Therefore you cannot use %26quot;she would have to think about it tomorrow%26quot; because tomorrow is the day after the story is being told to the audience - years after when she was in school. Lastly, the contraction of you are is you%26#039;re not your. With some editing, it could be OK. Pax - C
Reply:did anyone actually read that? Report It
Reply:I liked it BUT i disagree that we cannot remember one bit of our dreams, and that few dreams come true, I think that if u focus on your dreams and if u trust in them they can show you more then just Fictional Fantasy.
Reply:nice i like it
makeup tips
-Dreams-
“For in dreams we enter a world that’s entirely our own, let them swim in the deepest ocean, or glide over the highest cloud”
-Dumledore-
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
What are dreams? Are they a reminisce from a previous life, or simply De ja vu. They can have us enter into the unimaginable and impossible. Yet it all seems so real. We do the most amazing things in dreams, but cannot remember any bit of it when you wake up. That is why the dream world is so amazing; it is where we can achieve our most desired whim. Still, very few dreams come true, yet those spare few are able to paint our lives with the colors of adventure, or tragedy. Dare to step into the Dream World?
Chapter 1
It was a glorious day like no other, and 14-year-old Caity Craft was enjoying every bit of it.
In a couple of minutes David West, the handsome and charming young man that Caity has had a crush on for years, would be picking her up for their date that afternoon. She had been getting ready for hours, choosing her outfit carefully, taking care not to look too over the top, and yet to make an everlasting impression on him. Just as she finished she heard the doorbell ring, she put one last streak of lip gloss on her already over-shined lips, and went to go answer it. Of course, it was David, he held his arm out, she responded with a smile and grabbed his hand. Together they made their way down the road towards the local coffee shop and settled in a table near a beautiful picture window and ordered their choice of drinks. They sat and chatted politely, and eventually came into a very intensive conversation about nothing in particular, and yet meant everything that mattered in the world. They went for a very long walk, around the town, in the park, everywhere. It became very late though, and their parents would be concerned, so they decided to go their separate ways after agreeing to a second date sometime.
When Caity said goodbye, she looked up, he was looking away, she blushed and looked down again, he lifted her chin and stared at her with the most penetrating stare that she could not pry her eyes away, they both smiled, the space between their faces was shrinking rapidly, she could smell the cologne that lost its original strength long ago, their lips were only centimeters away from each other…
“CAITY, WAKE UP!!!”
“Mom, just five more minutes, please!” why must she awake her at such an invigorating part of her glorious dream?
“But honey you have to wake up or you’ll be late for school, it’s already 7:30!”
“WHAT?!?!?! Make me some breakfast while I get dressed, please and thank you.”
Caity grabbed the first thing she could find, groaning at the big stain on the front of her favorite sweater. She took a look in the mirror, fixed her hair, and ran downstairs, not bothering to try and impress David, for she had given it up and was in a hurry. Gulping down breakfast she ran outside into the car, hoping her mom would write a tardy admit for her.
When Mrs. Craft pulled into the parking lot of the school, Caity asked her to write an admit but she had no time.
“Love you honey!”
“Bye mom” she said hopelessly as she entered school, dreading what Mr. Jerrald, her terribly strict geometry teacher, would say…
Chapter 2
“DETENTION CRAFT!” Mr. Jerrald hissed,
“This Wednesday after school, be there!” he handed her a detention slip.
“That’s your ninth tardy, one more and there will be suspension! What is it you do instead of being in class?”
Honestly, Caity and her friends had skipped the first half hour of class a couple times. Eight times actually, but Caity never thought she would, God forbid, get suspended! Not really, its just that she never really thought of consequences while having fun, playing hookie at the drugstore or in the school bathrooms.
“Nothing” she said with the most innocent voice she could muster
But she knew now that it was time to pay.
She took her seat in the back of the class with her friends; they gave her grave looks of sympathy and said they would totally serve detention with her, if it weren’t for “soccer practice” or some other lame excuse. When school was finally over, Caity showed her mom the detention slip and said she was going to have to miss her dance lesson that week.
The next morning she ran into David on her way to class, he looked anxious for some reason, and he kept looking over his shoulder.
“Hi Caity, hey, have you seen Mr. Smith anywhere?” he asked
“Um, no I haven’t” she said nervously.
“Ok, but will you tell me if you do? That would be great, see ya”
“Bye”
What was that all about?
“Oh my gosh!” Caity thought as she went down the stairs to her English class
“I can’t believe I actually talked to David West! I hope I didn’t act too excited, or, oh no! Did I sound nervous?!?!?! I HAVE to know!”
But what was also on her mind - why was he in such a hurry and why was he so nervous? Was he in trouble or something? Was David West – THE David West – the boy that shy Caity Crest had a crush on, a criminal?
No, in fact he was not in trouble with the law or anything scandalous, he just needed to tell Mr. Smith something, but is that the message that got him in so much trouble? Who knows, only him.
Chapter 3
Wednesday’s detention, as Caity had dreaded, had finally come. She made her way down to the detention room, and froze…
Much to her delight, David West was in the detention room, but it also added to the anxiety of it all. What’s even worse is that the teacher leading the detention that day put them in groups of two, and guess who got put together.
Caity just sat there avoiding eye contact, when the awkward silence was too much.
“So, what are you in for?” she asked, trying to smile
“Remember when you saw me yesterday? Well, I had to tell Mr. Smith something and he got all angry about it for some reason, then he gave me a detention, you?” It sounded innocent enough, but still a little fishy, however, Caity decided not to delve deeper in case of offending him.
“That’s weird, yeah, I was tardy… for the ninth time.”
They went on talking, Caity getting more confident with every word, when suddenly, David asked a question that stopped the confidence boost altogether.
“Hey Caity, are you doing anything this Saturday?” he sounded anxious when he said it.
“Uh, let me check my calendar” she looked at the paper they were supposed to be working on.
“No, I’m not doing anything, what did you have in mind?” she laughed nervously
“Well, I was just wondering if—‘’
“NO TALKING!” snapped the teacher, so David wrote it down on a piece of paper—
Caity- since you’re free on Saturday, I was just wondering if you would like to go to a movie with me, I’ll pay for you, and we could go to dinner before it
Sounds great! When can you pick me up? Or can you pick me up? That would be awesome because my mom has somewhere else to go to.
Yeah, I can pick you up around six. We’ll be back around ten, is that ok?
Yeah, see you then.
Chapter 4
Caity was so excited about her date on Saturday that she couldn’t concentrate on her world history homework.
“David West, a Spanish Conquistador, took over the whole cinema to go on a date with his new girlfriend, Caity Craft. Charming Craft and handsome West together set out to conquer the world, but died from a cruel gunshot from Lisa Smith, West’s former companion, and their world history teacher, Mr. Smith’s daughter…”
Caity couldn’t stand it; she called up David, not knowing how she got his number stuck in the pocket of her jacket, when a thought came to her mind — what did David say to Mr. Smith that made him so angry—
“Hello, this is David speaking”
“Hey David, just wondering, what was it you said to Mr. Smith that made him so angry?
“I just asked him about his daughter, Lisa, because she, uh, left her jacket at my house, she’s my ex.” He said, though not with much confidence.
“Oh. Hmm, I wonder why he got so mad about it.”
“Yeah, he was all red in the face and yelled ‘Detention! And don’t ever speak to me about my daughter ever again!!!’”
“Seems like he overreacted a little… but maybe it was just problems between them.”
“Yeah, I guess. But he sounded really angry, with a crazed look in his eye. Well, I godda go, my mom’s calling me for dinner, see you tomorrow!” He said, sounding troubled
“Bye” She said as she hung up the phone, deciding that she would think about it more tomorrow, besides, she had homework, and tomorrow was Friday.
Chapter 5
By the end of the day, Caity had found out nothing on the subject of, well, all her subjects; and still nothing on the subject of Lisa Smith. Which is what she had been concentrating on instead of her studies.
But she was still very excited for Saturday, when they (David and Caity) could discuss it more. She felt like Nancy Drew, though it was not much of a mystery (so far). When all of a sudden, she heard her name being called.
“Wha— she had been daydreaming.
“I think I asked you a question.” Mrs. Tap said firmly “what is the theory of relativity, very easy, and what does it have to do with how energy is made?
“Oh, yeah. E=mc2, which is pretty much energy equals mass times the speed of light squared. So energy is made from, uh, mass times the speed of light to the second?”
“Correct, but for your homework tonight, everybody must write at least a paragraph about the speed of light, to touch further on the subject. It will be due on Monday.”
Great, Caity might have time to write up a short paragraph on Sunday night, but it will be difficult so she started it that night.
It was a lot harder than she thought, and she was up almost all night working on it. Caity just couldn’t explain it in one paragraph, so at 11:30, she had already had two pages on it. By the time it was 1:00, and she had four pages, Caity figured it was enough (perhaps a bit more than enough), so she finished it up and tried to get some sleep, she knew it would be good, but she was too excited. When she finally did get some shut-eye, it was 4:30, and she would have to sleep in, very late, she set her alarm for 3:00 p.m., hopefully it would wake her up in time to get ready.
Chapter 6
Saturday had come at last, and Caity had woken up, refreshed exactly at… what? 5:30?!?!?!? This couldn’t be happening, surely her mom would have woken her up by now.
She went into the bathroom; she couldn’t believe what she saw…
There she was, drenched in blood, Caity couldn’t even scream. Her own mother, but why? From the looks of it, she was tortured to death. The crude details are too sickening explain. Her body was twisted in an unnatural way, with many bruises and burns, Caity didn’t hear the horrific, blood curdling screams, that escaped from her tender motherly lips, that fixed all her “boo-boos” when she was a young child, because she was gagged. What a terrible fate for such a caring person. What callous, sick person would do this? But Caity noticed another thing, a tag, no, a note, written in blood-
Your next, Caity Craft.
Chapter 7
Suddenly she blacked out, she was so afraid. Wait no, she didn’t black out, something, a pillow, was covering her face, she was getting lightheaded, she couldn’t scream, couldn’t feel sweet air filling her lungs. A bag was put over her head. Caity started to panic, she couldn’t breathe, her mother was dead. How could this all be happening? Who was the person behind this terrible act? She was being kicked, urged to get up and walk, she got up, having no choice. She was getting beaten around like a soccer ball in an intense game. Caity tried to calm down but it was too much. She was thrown into a vehicle and driven somewhere. Unexpectedly she felt icy cold, she was drowning! Unable to untie her hands, she gave up hope, destroyed. Why must it end like this?
When she thought all hope was lost, she gave what would have been her last, shuddering breath, when all of a sudden…
A pair of muscular arms, far from the ones that had damaged her, were holding her around the waist while strong legs pumped underneath them. They were strong yet comforting, then she thought—
“DAVID!” and she fell to sleep, adrenaline rushing away, what kept her alive was leaving her, and a more reliable source was taking over, her true hero.
Chapter 8
She woke up but a moment later it seemed. She was in a hospital bed with balloons, flowers and get-well cards all around her. The nurse said she had been out for two days. Caity looked down, there were bruises all down her arms and IV in her wrist. She was more relieved than she had ever been in her life, when panic came over her again. She now had no parents (her father died in a war), not enough money to live, and she almost died for God’s sake. A nurse came up to her to give her some medicine, Caity refused it and started to get nervous and uncomfortable, why was everyone bothering her, she was terrified, nurses were starting to surround her, she started having a nervous breakdown, her breaths became short and quick, they were all trying to stick needles in her, she didn’t want them to do that, they would hurt her, put her in more pain than she already was. She was screaming her head off and nobody was paying her any attention. She wanted her mother, her mom was dead, she started screaming more, crying out for help. Then she saw it, a faint glowing at first, it started to get brighter and everything else was blocked out. Now the only thing that she wanted was to reach that light. She knew that it would end her suffering and pain. She would see her mom and dad again, and be able to be with them forever, she knew it. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her arm and the light disappeared. She was coming back, no, she didn’t want to come back; she didn’t want to live her life in misery. But when she came back, all the nurses had disappeared, she was in a different room, she saw David there, standing, her hero, come back to see how she was. Caity could see that his eyes were bloodshot, he had obviously been crying… for her. He did care about her.
Chapter 9
“How did you find me?” was the first thing that came from her.
“I came to pick you up a little early, and something didn’t feel right. I was going to go check on you, but I saw the door opening, so I hid. I saw a person whose face was masked kicking and hitting you to walk, then the person threw you into the back of the van. I followed it, staying behind so the person wouldn’t suspect anything, but not far enough to lose you. I stopped when it pulled over at the end of a bridge, then it just, well” his voice faltered, tears started streaming down his face.
“I know you probably don’t want to see me like this, I’m sorry, but, well, it, that, thing, threw you into the lake, I knew I had to do something, when it drove away I went and dived in, I just couldn’t let you die. And, well, you know what happened next. I thought you died, I was so scared it’s not even funny. I’m just glad to see your ok now.”
“And I thank you, you are my hero mister David West. I owe you my life.” She said, mesmerized and truthfully.
“I just wonder who did this, kind of scary y’know? Like a demented serial stalker. What do they want from me?”
“Yeah, what do they have against you, and your mom I guess…” he said
She started to cry.
“Oh, I am so sorry, this is probably really hard for you and I just made it worse.”
“No, its ok. I’m probably acting like a baby, crying all the time and having nervous breakdowns”
“I don’t blame you, you almost died, anyone would act like that. I just wonder why she wants to kill you.” He said
“She? How do you know it’s a girl?” She said, sudden accusation in her tone
“What? Did I say she? I mean, it’s just so awkward calling it a, well, “it” I g—”
“Are you not telling me something that could very well save my life some day?”
“No, I’m telling you everything I know” he said defensively.
“Are you sure? Is there anything you’ve been hiding from me for a while?” she gave him a threatening look
“ok FINE! I, might kinda, like know who possibly tried to kill you, I may not be right though. Her name is Lisa Smith, I’m sure I might have mentioned her once. Anyway, she was the one that killed my mom. That’s what I was talking to Mr. Smith about, I told him that his daughter was a murderer, but he didn’t believe me, obviously.”
“Oh really, so she wasn’t your ex. But why did she kill your mom?”
“Yes, actually, she was my ex, and my mom didn’t like her. So she made me break with her. She was using me to get drugs or something, so she got really angry, and killed her.” He said with a sigh.
“That’s so sad, sorry for snapping at you, it must be hard enough, talking freely about your mom’s death.”
“I guess so…” he said uncertainly, there was an awkward silence for a while, broken eagerly by David.
“Hey, we never really did have that date, how about tomorrow night at six?”
“But the nurses probably won’t let me out of the hospital.” Caity said
“Well then I guess we’ll just have to have it in your room, with romantic music, reading the cafeteria menus by candlelight, whaddaya say?”
“Sure” she said laughing.
Chapter 10
Caity was recovering quickly, and would be going back to school soon, on crutches because she had broken her leg. She and David had been having “dates” together in her hospital room, now decorated with posters of her favorite bands, and gifts from her visitors. She was still devastated about what happened, but she had company almost all day. David came and visited every day after school. He even missed football practice to just hang out with Caity.
He loved her and she loved him, they hadn’t had anything tragic happen lately. They both went on with their daily lives, hanging out. Caity joined her school track team after she got her crutches off.
All was well till one day when Caity was walking home from school; she was walking alone because David was sick that day. Even though the street around her was empty, Caity was aware of a presence behind her. She turned around and was immediately knocked out of consciousness.
When she awoke, she realized that she was wet with sweat. Caity found she was tied up to a wooden pole, she looked down and saw a fire beneath her, she was being burned alive!
She heard malicious laughing in the distance, and none other than Lisa Smith emerged from the shadows.
“So…” she laughed
“Little Caity is scared without her ‘boyfriend’ to come and save her… like last time.” She finished the sentence quite bitterly.
“But this time he WON’T come, this time I will KILL YOU!” her voice much resembling the burning flames reflected in her crazed eyes.
“It was you.”
“No it wasn’t, it was my dear father.
“And he covered for you, when David talked to him.” Caity said with realization, while attempting to loosen her bindings.
“Yes, and he cut it mighty close if you ask me, had to knock him out, then make him swear not to tell anyone about it, or he would lose his life.”
“But David will come and save me, I know that.”
Lisa laughed again
“Ha! He’s tied up with my father, waiting for my signal.” She held up her walkie-talkie
“Once you are screaming your poor wittle head off when you catch fire…” she said in a mock babying voice.
“I will tell him to blast the little traitor’s head to smithereens. The two of you will die together, how romantic.” She said with a smile.
“You sick person, what did you do to my mother?”
“Oh, I had fun with her. First I gagged her, to keep her unworthy mouth from screeching. Then I thoroughly enjoyed peeling the skin clean off her face, played around with a lighter—
“STOP IT!” Caity screamed, blood and tears streaming down her face.
“STOP! I meant, why did you do it, why you crazed madman, why?” she wailed.
“To get to you.” Lisa said simply.
“You see, with her out of the way, I had a clear shot to you.”
“But what about David?”
“No, he was working for me, but I did get a little worried about him when he fell in love with you and ruined my first plan. But I encouraged him to join me back with a little, shall we say, ‘persuasion’, I took him back to lure you closer.”
“WHAT?!?!?! YOU MEAN HE LIED TO MY FACE?!?!?!? So, all those times he said he would love me forever, were lies?”
“That’s right sweetie, all lies… welcome to the real world, where you can’t just trust everyone. Even people you love, and dream about.”
How she knew about her dream, she didn’t know, all she was thinking about was how David betrayed her, and the growing fire, licking her burnt ankles.
“Then why did you tie him up?” Caity spat, tears still running down her face.
“Because, he’s a traitor, that’s that, and he still loves you.”
Caity thought about what Lisa said for a while, when she finally realized the burning pain, well, all over her. She started screaming out all the air her lungs held; she screamed in agony, the pain was unbelievable.
She started seeing the light again, but she also saw through it, into the real world. Her mother and father were running up to her, going to give her a hug, but she then realized, it was the dream world, then, breaking through the unreal barrier. She saw a Lisa Smith, talking on her walkie-talkie. She had to stop her! Somehow, anyhow. She was helpless, then she thought of something she did with her parents when she was little… she prayed.
“God, please, just help me out of this.”
Chapter 11
It all happened so fast, a flash that lighted the night sky, a loud crack, and a chilling scream, not from Caity’s own lips, but from another’s. Then a miracle happened, I started to rain, and rain, and rain. When the last flames of the fire below Caity had vanished in a wisp of smoke, she saw the dead body of Lisa lying in the pouring rain. Then, through the mist, Caity saw something limping her way.
“Oh no” she thought
“It’s Mr. Smith come to see my remains” But she was wrong.
Through the thick black smoke came the voice of a hero, her hero. David West.
“Are you ok Caity?”
Caity felt more relieved then ever in her whole life. But how was David still alive? Hadn’t Mr. Smith finished him off?
“Come on, we have to get you down from there.”
“David, I love you. I love you so much, more than the stars in the sky. You have saved my life twice and I’ve never repaid you”
“Well, I thi—
Then, without warning, Caity kissed him, right in the rain, under the stars. She kissed him, her burned body being soothed by the droplets from heaven.
Chapter 12
The two fell in love, true love. Not just an act he put on to kill her.
“How did you escape?” she whispered in his ear.
“I had untied, and when he turned away I knocked him out. I followed the smoke, and the screaming to you. When I was almost there, it started to rain. I prayed you were still alive, and you were, thank goodness.”
“You betrayed me.” She yelled
“But you betrayed them, for me.” She said in a much more gentle tone.
He started blushing
“Well, you must think I’m just about the most terrible guy in the world, so I would understand if you left me.”
“I wouldn’t leave you for the world.” She said gratefully.
So, as time went on, Caity Craft became Caity West. They had 3 beautiful daughters, and a son on the way, that they loved more than love itself.
But during their time together in that fateful 9th grade year, they found that even through the toughest of times, when you think you are all alone, there is a person that will always love you.
When you feel the most alone, where everyone in your life is gone… you can always go back to the dream world.
How do u like it?
You really need to watch your tenses. You switch back and forth from present to past and back again. You should also avoid superfluous %26quot;that%26quot;%26#039;s and the passive tense %26quot;had broken%26quot; etc. Both weaken your story and get really annoying to read over and over again. Why say %26quot;had broken her leg%26quot; when you can say %26quot;broke her leg%26quot;? JK could have cut 25 or more pages out of that book if she stuck to past tense and left out the %26quot;that%26#039;s%26quot;. You have occasional syntax errors and awkwardly worded sentences and you use quite a few fragments. Also, if you are writing in the past tense, you are writing a narrative about an event that occurred some time in the past - in this case long before the end of the story when someone sat down and recorded it. We know this because at the end, she is married and has 3 children, so it is some years later. Therefore you cannot use %26quot;she would have to think about it tomorrow%26quot; because tomorrow is the day after the story is being told to the audience - years after when she was in school. Lastly, the contraction of you are is you%26#039;re not your. With some editing, it could be OK. Pax - C
Reply:did anyone actually read that? Report It
Reply:I liked it BUT i disagree that we cannot remember one bit of our dreams, and that few dreams come true, I think that if u focus on your dreams and if u trust in them they can show you more then just Fictional Fantasy.
Reply:nice i like it
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