Clouds without rain, trees without fruit--twice dead

That's the message of Jude to the 2009 U.S. Congress, attempting to foist all manner of evil on the citizens of this country. He wrote a letter 2000 years ago warning the church not to be fooled by people who reject common decency and morality--the big word would be antinomians. They perverted the Gospel of Jesus Christ and filled their own minds and bodies with perversion, particularly sexual, basing their "truth" on their own personal experiences and beliefs. The real problem was the Christians were allowing these lawless folks who thought they were beyond criticism and the law to take over. Sounds like reading today's beltway news, doesn't it? Jude, very short and right to the point:

Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals—these are the very things that destroy them.

Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion.

. . . They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted--twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. Jude 3-12 NIV

Jude's letter uses a lot of Old Testament images--and even if you're not a church goer, you've probably seen some movies or read a novel or two with themes of rebellion, licentiousness, or greed. Cain, of course, committed the first murder; Balaam was an ancient pagan sorcerer who was greedy, and Korah led a rebellion against Moses.

Congress is again attempting to foist "hate crime" legislation under the guise of protection for special interest groups, although we are loaded with laws that prohibit murder, assault, libel, etc. The FBI statistics show that in a nation of 300 million people, there were only 242 "violent" crimes against homosexuals, bisexuals or drag queens in 2007. This is hardly an epidemic worthy of liberals' attention--but it is really a cover-up and an attempt to silence any criticism (not prevent violence) from the press, from the churches, from private discussion, from bloggers, or even playground teasing of sexual perversions. Most crimes against ethnic groups, minorities, gays, wiccans, polygamists, etc. are committed by their own kind--black on black crime, gay men against gay men, etc. Women are not protected in the bill proposed by Kennedy unless they are lesbians, yet assaults on women continue despite all manner of laws, protection orders, self-defense classes, and light the night programs. Based on percentages of assaults on a special group, maybe Ted could introduce legislation to protect women with the name of Peterson.

Wake up folks--especially liberal and moderate Roman Catholics and main line Protestants. This is not what you think it is. It is an assault on the First Amendment masquerading as something warm and fuzzy--like mold in your basement eating the foundation, causing a stench. An assault onn freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom to choose your associations, and your right to redress grievances.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

"A bill that would provide federal money to train law enforcement officers to identify and criminally prosecute speech and thought offensive to homosexuals has been introduced into the U.S. Senate, matching a House-approved bill that critics fear will be used to crack down on biblical teachings.

The proposal, from Democratic Sens. Edward Kennedy and Patrick Leahy, aligns with H.R. 1913, which was approved in the U.S. House yesterday.

It denies protections to classes of citizens such as pastors, Christians, missionaries, veterans and the elderly that would be granted to homosexuals and those with gender issues." Link