Men have looked upon the desert as barren land the free holding of whoever chose but in fact each hill and valley in it had a man who was its acknowledged owner and would quickly assert the right of his family or clan to it against aggression.
Christmas can have a real melancholy aspect 'cause it packages itself as this idea of perfect family cohesion and love and you're always going to come up short when you measure your personal life against the idealized personal lives that are constantly thrust in our faces primarily by TV commercials.
My father was brought up in an orphanage in the Catskills. He was a factory worker. And because his family wasn't there for him family was everything. We could disagree inside the house but outside the house it was us against the world. So when I became a drag actor he looked sideways but said okay.
At issue was the question whether this man's faith could prevail against a man whose equal faith it was that this society is sick beyond saving and that mercy itself pleads for its swift extinction and replacement by another.
Humor has always been important to me. If there is a shield of faith that you can keep up against difficulties humor is the Teflon coating.
When the principles that run against your deepest convictions begin to win the day then the battle is your calling and peace has become sin. You must at the price of dearest peace lay your convictions bare before friend and enemy with all the fire of your faith.
President Obama and his radical feminist enforcers have had it in for Catholic medical providers from the get-go. It's about time all people of faith fought back against this unprecedented encroachment on religious liberty. First they came for the Catholics. Who's next?
Ever since the Crusades when Christians from western Europe were fighting holy wars against Muslims in the near east western people have often perceived Islam as a violent and intolerant faith - even though when this prejudice took root Islam had a better record of tolerance than Christianity.
In religious and in secular affairs the more fervent beliefs attract followers. If you are a moderate in any respect - if you're a moderate on abortion if you're a moderate on gun control or if you're a moderate in your religious faith - it doesn't evolve into a crusade where you're either right or wrong good or bad with us or against us.
All that I say is examine inquire. Look into the nature of things. Search out the grounds of your opinions the for and against. Know why you believe understand what you believe and possess a reason for the faith that is in you.