Ron Cusano

Stop it already, will you! I havn't ignored anything. I gave you my opinion on something and told you that is how I believe it is. What exactly is it that you are whinning about!

Just as your positions give a good, if disappointing indication of who you really are my "Christian" friend!

Do I believe that more violent crime committed against white is committed by non-whites. Yes I do! Since the prison population is predominately black, and the majority of the news reports that I see and read seem to indicate that more violent crime is committed against whites bt blacks, then yes, I come to that conclusion. Is it "scientific" or based upon some poll or other, no it's not. It's an opinion based upon what evidence I have seen. Am I not entitled to an opinion just like you are? You want to consider this a "vicious statement"! Knock yourself out. I know it's not.

I don't consider it inaccurate, and these stats from the Department of Justice seem to confirm it - At yearend 2005 there were 3,145 black male sentenced prison inmates per 100,000 black males in the United States, compared to 1,244 Hispanic male inmates per 100,000 Hispanic males and 471 white male inmates per 100,000 white males. There is nothing racist here. It is pure fact. There are many social reasons for these numbers, including poverty, lack of employment, drugs, break-down of the family structure, etc., nevertheless, the majority of crime is committed by African Americans.

Kool! I misunderstood! Have a greatweekend!

The statement is not racist, it is an observation, as I so stated.

I'm sorry! I thought she had mistaken something that I wrote. Wikipedia is only one of many sources that I found that say pretty much the same thing. That's why I would be interested in seeing her source for myself.

Who said Polgramy was traditional?? Do you have the link to your source?? Have you checked out this site? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_crime

It's a terrible thing for any community! I don't think it's all because of the gun availability, I think it's because of all the social issues that lead to hopelessness, desperation and bitterness. Banning guns won't fix the problem, because they will find rifles, shotguns, make homemade "zip" guns, knives, bats and anything else to act out. They need to have a reason to live and a future to look forward to. And I know you're not going to like this, but having a godly foundation and church family couldn't hurt either.

PS - This is a much respected site. See what they are rep[orting - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_crime

If you read my last post, you will see where I specifically mentioned that you said it was young blacks killing young blacks in Canada. I didn't twist anything. I said that I feel much safer here in my neighborhood than if i were walking in one of those neighborhoods that you describes, but her in my neck of the woods. No one ever said that there were "packs o gun-toting black folk were attacking white guys south of the border"! That is YOU twisting things! I don't know where they got their stats from, but ever site I found confirmed what I said, that violent crime was much higher amoung blacks that amoung whites. If you reread what I wrote, I was actually agreeing with you about "criminal activities tend to remain inside race and culture and socio-economic divides"! And regardless of any stats, I am speaking from experience where I live and grew up.

Before I answered you, I went back to the Internet to look at stats, just make sure that I did not have a false impression or bad information. Virtually every one showed a significantly higher rate of violent crime in black areas as opposed to white areas. Here is just on of the sites: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_crime In face, I think it was Green who said that in Canada, most of the murders were blacks killing other blacks. You don't see that as raciest though, do you?? There are reasons for this, including poverty, gangs, break down of the family structure, lack of employment, drugs, just to name a few. Nevertheless, the stats say that if is a lot safer walking in my neighborhood that is a nearby black neighborhood with a high crime rate. This may be politcally incorrect to even mention such a thing, but if is certainly not racism. I would like to invite you to taks a walk through on of the aforementioned areas and them give you opinion! Since Tom and Wheetsin are coming from a different perspective than I am, I am not surprised that they found some stats that say differently, and that they see racism here. We don't seem to agree on much.

You call that raciest? I was agreeing with him when he said most violent crime committed in Canada was by young black men, I said that the same is true here, which is statistically true. In the area where I live, the occasion of violent crime is many times higher in some predominently black areas then in the area where I live. These are facts. How is that raciest?

I have no desire to deprive anyone of their civil liberties unless those "civil liberties" are against the laws of nature and of God. My first obligation is to obey God! We are talking about two issues that I believe fall into that catagory. The way Christianity was spread by the sword is an abomination, and does not even resemble the Christianity that I know. I am not in favor of forceing my beliefs on anyone, but I am also not able to sit passively by while we legalize such abominations as abortion and same sex marriage. This is a far cry from a Theocracy, which I oppose big time.

I know that you are against both of these practices and I commend you for that. The point I was trying to make is that they do harm society, and as Believers we ought to be opposed to sin on all levels, even within politics. You mentioned a raciest statement?? I have no idea what you are referring to. Please explain.

From my vantage point, my beliefs are right. You of course can disagree, but that is why I would think my beliefs are the only correct ones. If you are an athiest, a Mormon, a Buddist, or whatever, I am sure you would think your beliefs were right also. I am convinced that the God of the Bible is the only real deity, so my belief system comes from that understanding. I could not consider laws based upon what I consider false gods or false spiritual beliefs of equal worth. It's a matter of personal perspective.

I don't know about a Christian Theocracy but I would live to live in a world that was base fully upon Christian teaching and values, and adhered to by all willingly. Our forefathers came here to escape religious theocracy if you8 remember. God didn't force me to believe and I don't have the right to force anyone else to believe, but that does not mean that I can't and won't do all that I personally can to work toward that end. And that means supporting laws that I think support my beliefs. I am sorry that you don't have rspect for me, but I am sharing what I believe in a manner that i hope you will come to understand.

Of course you are entitled to your opinion but I would argue that God created the institution of marriage, with a man and a women, for procreation, and condoning same sex marriage tears down the very fabric of our society - the tradational, man & women family. It is also a moral affront to long held social values. The first chapter of the Book of Romans paints a vivid picture of a society that embraces same sex unions. You destroy the family and you destroy society.

Bible believing Christians believe that abortion and same sex marriage do harm the fabric of our society because we view them as immoral. And certainly abortion does harm the unborn child. And yes the Old Testament does talk about owning slaves, but the understanding of a slave biblically is somewhat different that our understanding. Back in those times a person became a slave for a specific period of time to work off a debt, after which there were free to leave or remain as they chose. With the coming of the New Covenant, it was understood that all are equal in Messiah and there is not longer bond or free. There are some who feel that homosexuality is genetic and other very reputable doctors who dispute that, nevertheless, homosexuals have a choice weather or not to practice homosexuality. I am a recovered alcoholic and have not touched alcohol in over 25 years. It is now understood that alcoholism has a very strong genetic factor, and yet I still have the choice weather to consume alcohol or not. The sin is in the practice of homosexuality regardless of the cause. You say the no one is born with a desire to mate with a dog or have multiple wives. They are perversions as is homosexuality. I believe that the 10 Commandments which are only part of the 213 commandments of the Mosaic Law, were far more that to maintain "social order"! They were a model of what it would take to live a perfect sin-free life, which no one was ever able to do, except Jesus the Messiah. It's purpose was to point out the futility of trying to become sinless by our own works, and to point the way to the atoneing death of the Messiah in our place, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

You too! Enjoy your weekend!

Tommy, You happen to be wrong on this. I have no problem with homosexuals, alcoholics, drug addicts, blacks, my newspaper boy, the supermarket clery, or you! We are all just people and imperfect! I have a relative who is a lesbian. I love her, but I do not love her lifestyle. There is no prejudice involved, at least coming from me. I don't know what the other practices are that you are referring to, but please bear one thing in mind. Under the Old Testament dispensation where the Law of Moses was in effect, things were a lot different. With the coming of the Messiah, Jesus, and the dispensation of the New Testament, the essence of the Law of God was changed from an outward, physical thing to an inward adherence to godly principals as detailed by the teaching of Jesus and the writers of the New testament. You also need to understand that the Old Covenant laws were for Israel, and not the nations.

With all due respect, I don't think you are understanding what I am trying to get across. What you or I think or feel about abortion and same sex marriage is unimportant. What is important is what God says about them. And God says they are evil and an abomination, and like all sin, hurts society. As Bible believing Christians we are obligated to oppose evil and abominations where ever we find them. Christians have a voice in creating laws, and those laws should be in accordance with the Word of God. As Peter said. "we ought to obey God rather than men"! Is there a specific commandment that says go to congress and enact legislation to ban this or ban that? Of course not. In fact, in Biblical times people had no say in enacting law. But we are told to lead Godly lives and to oppose all evil. We are not talking about creating laws to force Godly living on all people, we are talking about laws that would officially condon and encourage acts of evil. I don't know how to make it any plainer than that.

Accepting Jesus is a matter of personal acceptance and faith. Abortion and same sex marriage are evils. There is a huge distinction between the two. You don't see where same sex marriage hurts society? Let's see . . . If a man and women can marry, why can't a man and two women? Or six women and 14 men? Or a man and a 10 year old boy? Or a women and a horse? Where do you draw the line! Same sex marriage goes against the very biblical foundation of what marriage is, a man and a women, forming a family for pro-creation. Have you considered what God thinks about same-sex relationships? Read the first chapter of the book of Romans. God thinks so much of the husband/wife relationship that He describes His relationship with His church as Him being the "Bridegroom" and the church being the "Bride"! Whay you think and feel, and what I think and feel mean nothing. What is important is what God says! You know, we can rationalize all day long. The bottom line is, do we or do we not accept what the Bible says.

Does the law have the right to ban people from stealing? Murder? Rape? Selling drugs to your kids? Putting porn shops on your block? The purpose of the law is to ban wrong doing, and Christians with a biblical foundation, understand gay marriage and abortion to be wrong doing. So as a matter of conscience, we have an obligation to support laws to that effect. Every law forces someone to do or not do something, and it is based upon someones standard of right and wrong. The other choice is to not have laws against anything. Would you like to live in a world like that?

No I would not support such a law because accepting Jesus is a personal choice that we must do freely. Things like same sex marriage and abortion are evils clearly noted in the Word of God that Believers need not only speak out against, but support in legislation. By not banning these acts, we condone them and they become socially acceptable, which by the way is what happened in Sodom. Do you also have a problem "forcing" people to not Murder? Steal? Having Adult Shops in your neighborhood? The law is built to ban wrong doing, and by Biblical standards, abortion and same sex marriage is wrong.