Sunday, June 29, 2014

The teachings of the Bible according to me.

There is little doubt something happened to change deity worship from polytheism to monotheism. There is also little doubt the change occurred during the Roman Empire as the power moved from west, in particular Italy to the east, Turkey, Constantinople and Byzantium.

The time of Jesus Christ aligns with all the noted findings in the halls of archaeology. I believed he was here and he taught of a monotheistic god. He was able to learn of all that because he was a Jew. He was taught of a single deity. So was his cousin John the Baptist. 

He obviously was well liked and John the Baptist was the movement so many admired. I have no doubt the Hebrews of the time wanted a Messiah. They wanted to be liberated. They were tired of the struggle to satisfy Rome and the Romans. The Romans were very oppressive. The conquests of Rome made slaves of all they conquered. The riches of any land was their's to have. 

So, to the extent the Bible elevates Jesus, his movement and his followers to the status of most holy, I agree with it. There was definitely a change in history at that point and it had to start somewhere. 

The records across the spectrum are diffuse at best. The books exist and the Bible compiled. The best of the writings were that of the first four books of the New Testament; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They are consistent in their record in many ways of Jesus and his life. 

Who is anyone to say absolutely there is or isn't a single god that is the creator. That is a personal journey and if John the Baptist were here today I think he would say the same thing. 

I believe Jesus was a civil rights leader. He never saw the Romans as better than the Jews. He saw them as wayward and aloof. He was correct. I also believe he was very human and very charismatic. I do believe he turned the page on slavery with Rome. The most obvious win for him was that of Paul. But, as with James the Greater and John (James the Less) Jesus found a welcome and refreshed ideology with the younger of the Romans. They were ready to move on to a higher understanding of morality and almost seemed to long for it.

The beauty of the Bible is the story telling. Sure, people can pick and chose passages to relate their own ideas of ideology. But, the story telling, understanding the people, their lay of the land, their methods of survival and merchandising and most of all the challenge of freeing a people from bondage that limited their opportunities in living in comfort and freedom is a fantastic story. 

I like the Bible. I believe in it's message of freedom, hope and finding happiness. It is very human in it's content and very life affirming. There is room in the Bible for everyone and their own spiritual searching.

I just felt it was time to get acquainted with the 'real Bible' and it's story of great men and women that changed the course of history and defined freedom and morality. Morality as related to clothing and otherwise is simply the 'style of the day.' But, morality in understanding what comfort and happiness sincerely is and it's importance to a human life is more than anyone can over look.

Good night.

There are many Marys in the Bible. There was a Mary Magdalene.

She is called "the Penitent". She did have a personal relationship with Jesus. She is noted frequently in the Bible.

Eventually she would become St. Mary. She was given the name 'Magdalen' because, though a Jewish girl, she lived in a Gentile town called Magdale, in northern Galilee, and her culture and manners were those of a Gentile. 

St. Luke records that she was a notorious sinner, and had seven devils removed from her. 

She was present at the crucifixion of Jesus, and with Joanna, Mary, and Salome the mother of James, at Jesus' empty tomb. 

Fourteen years after Jesus died, St. Mary was put in a boat by the Jews without sails or oars - along with Sts. Lazarus and Martha, St. Maximin (who baptized her), St. Sidonius ("the man born blind"), her maid Sera, and the body of St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin. 

Now, these folks were main stage players in this Messiah story. Those that never wanted to have anything to do with a man more important than Herod had even less use for them. So, when they were exiled they were cast out to sea. Folks didn't necessarily know there was another side to the sea the boat was cast into.

They were sent drifting out to sea (The Mediterranean Sea) and landed on the shores of Southern France, where St. Mary spent the rest of her life as a contemplative in a cave known as Sainte-Baume. She was given the Holy Eucharist daily by angels as her only food, and died when she was 72. St. Mary was transported miraculously, just before she died, to the chapel of St. Maximin, where she received the last sacraments.

The stories in the Bible are rather exceptional and mystical about the women. According to James the Lesser, the mother of Jesus was a virgin birth as well. Supposedly, Mary the mother of Jesus never touched the ground until she was placed on the steps of a temple at the age of three years old. She was then attended to by angels and fed nothing but manna. That story never made the Bible. But, it portrays the mystery of the women in the Bible and in the Roman Catholic bible there are more books by women than in many other versions of the Bible. The women are Ruth, Judith and Esther. There are many more women mentioned in the Bible that have a role in the life of Christianity and Judaism. 

Saint John the Baptist, Saint Mary Magdalene, Saint James the Less (John) and Saint Paul

Interesting bunch. But, to add some more information about James the Less. 

James the Less is sometimes mentioned as the brother of Jesus. That is not accurate. Jesus was the only son of Mary. And of course, he was supposed to have been conceived without any help from Joseph. 

The word that means brother in Aramaic also means cousin or nephew. James the Less appears to be very close to Jesus most of the time. He was probably depicted as a first cousin on many occassion, but, he was actually the second of the first two disciples.

James the Lesser is also written as the first Bishop of Jerusalem. He was among the disciples when it was decided Jewish laws were not to be imposed on Gentile converts. He was also known by the populous as "The Just." 

He went to Rome to be martyred in the name of Jesus Christ. When he got there he was set at the pinnacle of a temple to deny Jesus as the Messiah. Instead, he launched into song about the savior. He was pushed from the temple by those in attendance, but, alas he did not die. 

This is where some of the teachings get a bit twisted. Some have him saling off to exile while the Roman emperor was still alive as St. John. The other version of his life has him stoned to death at the foot of the temple. He knelt before those so angry and prayed for him. According to this version he died at the temples steps at 62 AD and was buried there. 

If that is the case then are these two separate James the lesser? I can invision him being beaten and stoned, but, also being wisked away to write in exile. Most Bibles have him as St. John. Yet, sometimes within the same Bible there is this confusion about him. 

For me. he survived to life and laugh another day. That is most consistent with the majority of text. But, I had to add this in just in case my understanding is not the best understanding.

The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci


From left to right: Bartholomew, James, son of Alphaeus and Andrew form a group of three, all are surprised. Judas IscariotPeter and John form another group of three. Then Jesus in the center. Apostle ThomasJames the Greater and Philip are the next group of three. MatthewJude Thaddeus and Simon the Zealot are the final group of three.

This is the kind of stuff John the Baptist was preaching about. Pleasures of the flesh kind of stuff.

Some may remember the vixon named Salome. She is not the same woman married to Zebedee. She is somehow in the Herod lineage.

As with the violence (click here) associated in most biblical tales, the appearance of women in the Bible, not the most feminist of books, has been expanded into many theatrical tickets sales for decades. It’s worth noting that John the Baptist is one of the New Testament’s greatest heroes. He foretold the Christ’s arrival before the messiah appeared and is believed to be the man who baptized Jesus Christ as an early follower of his teachings. And yet, while appearing in many films, including in one as biblical triple-threat Charlton Heston with The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), there is not a single movie named after pious John or his journeys. Conversely, Salome, the woman believed to order John the Baptist’s head on a silver platter after an erotic dance performed for father King Herod’s court, has had at least six films made where she is the titular star. It is a remarkable achievement when she is not even actually named in the Bible as the female dancer who ordered John’s head à la carte, but like the myth of Mary Magdalene being a prostitute, many know the story of the devilishly dangerous succubus named Salome. In fact, she was a box office draw when she got the glam treatment as played by Rita Hayworth in 1953’s Salome. Based on the 1891 Oscar Wilde play of the same name, the auburn-haired star, who turned Gilda into a classic simply with the suggestive flick of a glove off her wrist, played Salome as a tragic heroine, one whose sexy “Dance of the Seven Veils” was performed to save John the Baptist’s life! It may not have been scripture, but it was a hit, just like the movie that inspired it, Cecil B. DeMille’s Samson and Delilah(1949), a picture that turned Delilah’s (Hedy Lemarr) seductive manipulation of Hebrew judge Samson into an epic love story, and the biggest hit of that year.

There is one thing very true about the stories told about or out of the Bible, they do demonstrate a good deal of violence. The Romans really did not think much of the Jews. They had no regard for them.

Jesus and John the Baptist were rebels. Jesus was Hebrew, so was John the Baptist. Who were they to tell a Roman Governor his days as the supreme voice of the land is soon to be over?

But, nowhere in the Bible is anyone carrying a gun. A sword, but, never a gun.

John the Baptist is a different guy.

He is primarily the cousin of Jesus. His mother was Mary's cousin, Elizabeth. They were pregnant with their children at the same time. John is said to have jumped in joy inside the womb when first in the presence of Mary. It is said John was filled with the Holy Spirit in Elizabeth's womb.

Zechariah was John's father. He said the Angle Gabriel came to him as well as Mary to foretell the pregnancy of Elizabeth and the foreshadowing of John. It would seem as though up to the point where Gabe showed up she was barren. So, the Angel Gabriel knocked out both the profit to the Messiah and the Messiah all in one Earthly visit.

John spent most of his life preaching and bringing people to God. He practiced his faith by baptizing them in the Jordan River.

John the Baptist was a bit of an iconoclast. He had an unusual flair for fashion, wearing wild-looking clothing made of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist. He lived in the desert wilderness of Judea, ate locust and wild honey.

He was confident the Messiah was coming and wanted people to prepare for it. He believed through baptism a person could repent and prepare for the coming of the Messiah. Evidently, the morality when one is facing slavery wasn't what John considered admirable.

John would eventually come to baptize Jesus in the River Jordan. Some speculate that Jesus actually began his message modeling it after John's message of repentance. The question is what came first, the chicken or the egg?

John the Baptist would set the stage for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. John had even asked Herod Antipas to come to be baptized. This is the same Herod that saw the coming of the Messiah and had all the male babies under 2 years old slaughtered.

Matthew 2:16

New International Version (NIV)

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
Well, it seemed as though Herod didn't take lightly of John's insistence the Messiah was coming and beheaded him in the year 29 AD. Jesus said of him in Luke 7:28, Jesus declared John the Baptist to be the greatest man to have ever lived: "I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John ...".
He was a hot topic. John the Baptist was even invisioned by others. In Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 4:5, John's coming was foretold. All four Gospels mention John the Baptist: Matthew 3, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17; Mark 6 and 8; Luke 7 and 9; John 1. He is also referenced several times throughout the book of Acts.

Laborers in the Bible

Matthew 20:1-16

New International Version (NIV)

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius[a] for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
“About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’So they went.
“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’
“‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.
“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’
“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’
“The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

James the Lesser becomes John

Most of the images of St. John shows two men. A young John and an older John. There is every reason to believe he lived to a ripe old age of 106. (6 AD - 100 AD) Jesus would die between 30 AD and 33 AD depending on who one reads.
When an image of a young John is found he usually curly hair. 
He is attributed to have written the Fourth Gospel. He was considered an evangelical. He was also said to have written the Apocalypse (AKA Revelations - It is a dream sequence of the Apostle John). He is also credited for three epistles in the Bible.
John has quite an ego as well. He states he is "the disciple whom Jesus loved." It is stated that was proved by at the Last Supper where he sat or reclined next to Jesus and he was present at the crucifixion and entrusted with protecting the Blessed Mother (of Jesus.)
It is stated he went to Rome to be martyred under the then emperor Domitian. But, escaped and banished to the island of Patmos. It was there he wrote the Apocalypse. After Domitian died in 96 AD, he returned to Ephesus (Ephesus was a city in eastern Turkey, otherwise known as East Rome and was one of the seven churches of Asia that are cited in the Book of Revelation). East Rome is the same as the Byzantine Empire. Constantinople (Modern day Istanbul) was the capital city of the Byzantine Empire.
John's writing are mostly known for their sense of charity. He was criticized at times for not teaching anything but charity. It was his belief charity was the Lord's commandment and until it was fulfilled he would speak of nothing else.
If Jesus was going to stop slavery within the Roman Empire and empower those unable to raise themselves to a sustainable life, he would require charity as a paramount importance in giving the poor a chance at a life from slavery. They were unable to pay Rome in any way. They received their food from the granaries (click here) of Rome only to serve the purpose of slave.
I am not a preacher or have studied a single book of the Bible for five years, but, Bishop Spong has.
June 11, 2013
By John Shelby Spong, Retired American Bishop of the Episcopal Church
...Among the conclusions (click here) that I have reached in my intensive five-year-long study of John's Gospel are these:
1) There is no way that the Fourth Gospel was written by John Zebedee or by any of the disciples of Jesus. The author of this book is not a single individual, but is at least three different writers/editors, who did their layered work over a period of 25 to 30 years.
2) There is probably not a single word attributed to Jesus in this book that the Jesus of history actually spoke. This includes all the "I Am" sayings and all of the "Farewell Discourses."
3) Not one of the signs (the Fourth Gospel's word for miracles) recorded in this book was, in all probability, something that actually happened. This means that Jesus never changed water into wine, fed a multitude with five loaves and two fish or raised Lazarus from the dead.
4) Many of the characters who appear in the pages of the Fourth Gospel are literary creations of its author and were never intended to be understood as real people, who actually lived in history. This includes Nathaniel, who is introduced with great fanfare in chapter one and is treated in John's Gospel as one of "the Twelve," as well as the enigmatic character called by the Fourth Gospel "the disciple whom Jesus loved," who is introduced in Chapter 13 and who stars in this narrative from then on up to and including the resurrection event. Between those two "bookend" characters, we run into such well-known figures as Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman by the well, the man crippled for 38 years and the man born blind, none of whom has ever been mentioned before in any written Christian source and each of whom in all probability is nothing more than the literary creation of the author....

To circumcise or not to circumcise.

Circumcision (click here) is a religious or cultural ritual for many Jewish and Islamic families, as well as certain aboriginal tribes in Africa and Australia. Circumcision can also be a matter of family tradition, personal hygiene or preventive health care. Sometimes there's a medical need for circumcision, such as when the foreskin is too tight to be pulled back (retracted) over the glans. In other cases, particularly in certain parts of Africa, circumcision is recommended for older boys or men to reduce the risk of certain sexually transmitted infections.

The Council at Jerusalem - Galatians 2:4
3But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.4But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. 5But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.…


Now there was to be freedom from bondage based on the identity of circumcision. This is not a joke. The Hebrews believe(d) that circumcision was prescribed by Moses. Acts 15:1 (NASB) "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved."

The Council of Jerusalem Acts 15 (click here)

...The Apostles and Elders of Jerusalem (click here) accepted Titus “uncircumcised”, thus recognizing the validity of Paul’s proclamation concerning the freedom of grace. The Assembly confirmed the main leaders of the Church and recognized the missionary vocation of Peter for the circumcised and that of Paul for the uncircumcised. As a matter of fact, a sort of partitioning of the missionary field occurred: James, Kephas and John were directed towards the Jews, while Paul and Barnabas were sent to preach to the pagans....

Circumcision was a way of identifying the Jews. The act of circumcision would enslave them forever given Romans focus on purity of the genetic pool of emperors. The Romans believed they were half god. This was a very big deal and a direct form of revolution for the disciples of Jesus Christ. 

The Council of Jerusalem occurred in 46 AD. It was two years after James the Greater had been beheaded. He was considered a martyr. These acts of rebellion against the Roman empire were serious and considered a threat to the purity of the race. They were still carrying the burden of the word of Jesus against the slavery of Rome. Jesus would live to see his church established. That would not occur until 50 AD when Paul began the teaching of a monotheistic faith.

James the Greater the Apostle, patron saint of laborers.

This is a statue of St. James. It is frequently confused with James the Greater. This statue is in Spain. It is entitled St. James, the Moor-slayer. It is also stated James the Greater body lies in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

It is highly contested this is the body of St. James the Greater (click here). The reasoning frequently is related to the change in majority religions of Spain from the Moors coming from north Africa practicing Muslim to the later the Christians. 

The Christians of Spain were originally from small kingdoms in the northern parts of Spain.
Eventually, Christianity would spread through the peninsula.

The idea that James the Greater was responsible for this change in majority faith in Spain stems from the fact he was rarely mentioned in the Bible. He also is not believed to have authored any books of the Bible. There are two James in the Bible; James the Greater, son of Zebedee and James, son of Alphaeus.

Now, if this seems murky, it is probably because it is. There is a lot of interpretation within the actual books of the Bible. Some of these figures are more or less interpretations and/or validations of people within the writing of the books that exist in the Bible. 

James the Greater is noted in several books of the mainstay of the Bible, Matthew, Mark and John. The best example is Mark 3:17 "to James the son of Zebedee and his brother John, he gave the fresh name of Boanerges, that is, Sons of thunder."

Boanerges in interpretation is "Sons of Thunder." These two men were known to have a fiery temper. It was indicative of the people of that time and place. James the Greater is also called fiery when he demand Jesus prove his power as the "Son of God" by burning down a village. He would also prove a test to his faith along with his mother as they frequently enjoyed the temporal rewards of Christ's kingdom. And Jesus would set them straight by pointing to the fact his kingdom was one of meekness, humility and suffering.

John 18:36 My kingdom is not of this world - Is not an external, but a spiritual kingdom; that I might not be delivered to the Jews - Which Pilate had already attempted to do, Joh 18:31, and afterward actually did, Joh 19:16.

This not about James or anyone else, but, a personal observation. I believe it is that passage most often used in the politics of the south to oppress. Just an observation. 

James the Greater, pictured right, would be the first to be martyred in belief of the faith as Jesus taught it. He was beheaded in 44AD. He wasn't around when the massive change in majority faith changed in Spain, however, there is a window of doubt he would have come to the northern peninsula.

His death is announced in the Bible: 


English Standard Version (ESV)
Acts 12: 1 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword,
New American Standard Bible 
Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them
.
James beheading occurred at the order of King Herod. Herod was the king of Judea. Judea is south of the Sea of Galilee, just north of the Dead Sea. It isn't really likely James the Greater would have gone to Spain and then come back to Judea.
The only writings attributed to James is this letter, called "The Epistle of James." But it's age is considered about the third century AD. The author James is mostly believed to be a follower of Christ. He mentions patient perseverance and overcoming temptation. It is believed to be addressed to the 12 tribes scattered abroad. This usually means Palestine. If this James traveled it might be he that lay in state in Spain. 

James 1:1

English Standard Version (ESV)
James, a servant[a] of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:
Late 19th and 20th century excavations (click here) under the cathedral have disclosed a Roman-period tomb below the high altar, and a stone inscribed with the names Athanasius and Theodore.

There are many reference to fish and fishing in the New Testament.

...Jesus preached in terms of fishing, (click here) almost echoing Jeremiah when he says to Peter and the other fishermen: —From now on you will be catching men— (Lk 5:11). 

Two miraculous catches of fish are related in Luke 5:1-11 and John 21:1-8). 

All of the gospel writers attest that he fed thousands with fish and bread. 

He compares the kingdom of heaven to a dragnet (Mt 13:47-48). 

He paid taxes with a coin found in the mouth of a fish (Mt 17:27). 

Jesus is depicted as preaching from fishing boats and sailing in fishing boats. The crowds that followed him carried bread and fish (Mk 6:35-40). 

The hungry asked for fish (Lk 11:1). 

Jesus was given fish to eat after his resurrection in Jerusalem (Lk 24:42), and he cooked fish for his disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee (Jn 21:9). 

He traveled to and from places in the company of fishermen. And, most importantly, Jesus choose fishermen for the important job of spreading his word and building his church....

Zebedee

 Hans von Kulmbach is the painter. He lived at the end of the Middle Ages. The Middle Ages was a time when most governance was based in the practice of Christianity of one vernacular or another. It wasn't at all unusual for a King or Queen to justify conquests in the name of God. 

The Royalty of the times were depicted as ornate. Below right is a portrait of King Henry V of England. He died in 1422.  

So, there should be no surprise the paintings of biblical figures were ornate as well. But, according to the Bible Zebedee was a successful fisherman. Fishing and fish are mentioned throughout the New Testament. As a matter of fact the Old Testament names the creatures making it to Noah's arch, but, there were never any mention of fish. Fish in the Bible are considered to be abundant and not in need of godly intervention. Jesus fed the masses with fish, bread and wine. Often that is viewed as a sustenance most of the first Christians understood. 

But, fishermen had means that others necessarily did not. Often the way fishing rights worked was similar to that of sharecroppers in the USA. There was an overlord (a wealthy man) that had purchased the land from a government official of Rome. The Roman governance of this land lie with a family known as Herod. The governor at the time of Jesus it was Herod Archelaus (23 BC - 18AD). I hope this is starting to paint a picture.

Zebedee lived in Bethsaida. That city is visited often by the New Testament. The map to the left is of Bethsaida. It is found in northeast Israel, along the Jordan River where it enters at the north end of the Sea of Galilee. 

Zebedee is an interesting man. He is pictured above with his family. His wife, Salome and his two sons officially known as James the Greater and James the Lesser. The denotation of Greater means older and Lesser means younger. As adults they would later individualize themselves as James and John. 

The name Salome appears in many places in ancient history. No different than the name Herod. It is like a popular female name, but, tends to follow familial blood lines. The Salome referred to Zebedee's wife is not necessarily within the family of Herod, but, I have my suspicions. The apostles were folks closely affiliated with Rome, so whether or not there was a connection is interesting. If there is, that would place Zebedee in a fishing venture provided by his wife's family of Herod. Salome I was the older sister of Herod.

Starting to see the life of Jesus as consolidated to a certain area whereby people of means lived and thrived. In one reading Zebedee is actually stated as having many fishing boats and hiring day laborers. So, the folks Jesus finds as friends are people of means and tied to Rome and the Romans. 

In translation Bethsaida means "House of Fishing."

It's Sunday Night



It's been nine months (click here) since we wrote about the Lynx/Axe body spray ad in which horny angels fall from heaven, but it's apparently taken that long for South African regulators to get a solitary complaint and ban the ad outright. A male Christian viewer complained about the spot, specifically over the idea that angels would forsake their divinity for aerosol cologne. And apparently all it takes is one person's hurt feelings to cancel out months of creative effort. "The problem is not so much that angels are used in the commercial, but rather that the angels are seen to forfeit, or perhaps forego their heavenly status for mortal desires," the regulating body noted in its ruling. "This is something that would likely offend Christians in the same manner as it offended the complainant."

Whitney Houston - Yes, Jesus Loves Me

  1. Yes, Jesus Loves Me by Whitney Houston (click here for official website)

  2. Jesus loves me! This I know,
    For the Bible tells me so;
    Little ones to Him belong;
    They are weak, but He is strong.
    • Refrain:
      Yes, Jesus loves me!
      Yes, Jesus loves me!
      Yes, Jesus loves me!
      The Bible tells me so.
  3. Jesus loves me! This I know,
    As He loved so long ago,
    Taking children on His knee,
    Saying, “Let them come to Me.”
  4. Jesus loves me still today,
    Walking with me on my way,
    Wanting as a friend to give
    Light and love to all who live.
  5. Jesus loves me! He who died
    Heaven’s gate to open wide;
    He will wash away my sin,
    Let His little child come in.
  6. Jesus loves me! He will stay
    Close beside me all the way;
    Thou hast bled and died for me,
    I will henceforth live for Thee.

The insurance companies will be a problem.

The reason the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was passed in the first place was due to the 'gaming' the insurance companies engaged to 'beat their responsibilities' under contracts. There is no reason to believe that will not continue. There was no 'pledge of honesty or good practice' required by the PPACA. If such a pledge was required there would not be a health care insurance company issuing policies.
The shenanigans will be the same and the rejection of claims will not change. There will be well funded insurance claim agents still serving up deaths of citizens. The difference this time is the patients being served as victims to increase profits have power on their side. It will still continue to require filing for appeals regarding claims and filing complaints with any state's insurance commission. 
None of that frustration will change, as a matter of fact the insurance companies will be more tenacious as ever because the Republicans have painted 'the big mistake' picture of the PPACA. The insurance companies will use that 'tone' in the country to reinforce that understanding to avoid paying claims.

In the state of California, there needs to be real consequences for complaints filed by consumers. If an insurance company is racking up the complaints with the state insurance commission fines need to be levied. The reason? The insurance companies will attempt to overwhelm a state agency and slow down the process to claims. A state agency could become so slow that it will never serve the best interest of the consumer and people will stop filing complaints. The fine facing insurance companies for repetitive and volumes of complaints should be significant. Once a trend is realized by the state the fines should immediately match the monies denied the consumer.

In other words, if a complaint is for $8,000 then the fine should be $8,000. If the insurance company finds it is still less of a liability to pay the fines, then up it to a quarter million per complaint. If that doesn't work and after 25 to 50 complaints a year file charges of fraud against the CEO.

No one said this was going to be easy, but, it certainly may well be a real addition to any state's treasury.
June 28, 2014
By Chad Terhune
Fustration and legal challenges (click here) over the network of doctors and hospitals for Obamacare patients have marred an otherwise successful rollout of the federal healthcare law in California.
Limiting the number of medical providers was part of an effort by insurers to hold down premiums. But confusion over the new plans has led to unforeseen medical bills for some patients and prompted a state investigation.
More complaints are surfacing as patients start to use their new coverage bought through Covered California, the state's health insurance exchange.
"I thought I had done everything right, and it's been awful," said Jean Buchanan, 56. The Fullerton resident found herself stuck with an $8,000 bill for cancer treatment after receiving conflicting information on whether it was covered....

My experience with United Healthcare in 1997 was an example of how they attempt to avoid paying legitimate claims. I suffered an accident regarding my face and had to go to the emergency room. My policy required me to pay $50.00 for an emergency room visit. 

I had to endure a surgical procedure to begin to mend from the accident. I was taken from the ER to a surgical suit and then to a medical floor to recover from anesthesia. What made it worse was the day of the week, it was Sunday. An on-call maxillofacial surgeon had to be called in and the surgical staff as well. It slowed things down a bit. But, even with all that I was discharged from an ER eleven and a half hours later. 

United Healthcare refused to pay the claims. I paid the $50.00 deductible to the hospital and the physicians and anesthesia nurse continued to advocate for payment. They stated they knew it was covered. I provided them a copy of the insurance policy.

Within the policy it clearly stated any ER visit would remain same until 23 hours after ER entrance of the patient. I was well under 23 hours and the surgery was an emergency measure. I had to file a complaint to the state insurance commissioner via USPS Certified Return Receipt. I sent a copy of the complaint to United Healthcare with the same mailing certification. Two days after mailing I received a phone call from my oral surgeon's office stating the claim had been paid in full. End of discussion. 

I don't know why the Former Secretary is being scrutinized for announcement. No one else is being pressured. It's a woman thing.

Women, regardless of age, spend a great deal of time to attend to their attractiveness. Women like be complimented about their appearance and in turn frequently provide feedback to others. All throughout this blog are compliments to people. It is because it shows a quality society thrives on both in social aesthetics and economy. Have a great run for President, Hillary.

Julian Borger
The Guardian 
17 November 2009

...The extravagant (click here) compliments were delivered in an interview with Vogue magazine, which put journalistic objectivity to one side to describe Britain's foreign secretary as "tall and dashing". The interviewer added for good measure: "I got a crush over the phone in about five seconds partly because of his accent."
But he was outdone by Clinton, who responded: "Well, if you saw him it would be a big crush. I mean, he is so vibrant, vital, attractive, smart. He's really a good guy. And he's so young!"
Vogue describes Miliband as smitten too, but in a more buttoned-up way: "She applies intellect but also psychology to the dossiers that she's studying," he said of Clinton. "She's delightful to deal with one on one. She's someone who laughs and can tease, and she's got perspective as well."...

Former Secretary Albright was once asked about gender and serving in office. She stated the one of the differences she found in settling differences the other party would send flowers to mend good will.