In 2012 I wrote “Calipari’s super recruiting success all started after Derrick Rose’s #1 draft pick in NBA” NOW WATCH HIM DO HIS MAGIC FOR HOGS!!!!
One Shining Moment 2012 HD
Everything you will read below by Dan Wetzel is true, but it all started when Derrick Rose was taken first in the NBA draft after spending one year under Calipari at Memphis.
John Calipari stuggled to recruit top players to Memphis the first 4 years he was there because the “one and done” rule had not been put into place yet and many of the talented recruits of his skipped college and went straight to the NBA. Then everything changed.
Memphis reaped the benefits of the talented recruits Calipari brought to Memphis. In 2008 Derrick Rose led Memphis to the NCAA finals and he was chosen first in the NBA draft. This is where his recruiting really took off and Jerry Meyer called the Memphis Tiger 2009 class “arguably the best recruiting class ever.”
By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports 4 hours, 39 minutes ago
NEW ORLEANS – Anthony Davis was charging right into the still delirious Kentucky section of the Superdome, where friends and family sit, after the Wildcats’ 67-59 victory over Kansas in the national title game. He was searching for his family. First he found the program’s friends.
He came across William Wesley, the basketball power broker who’s befriended stars from Michael Jordan to LeBron James. The two locked in a long embrace, rocking back and forth in celebration. When Worldwide Wes let go, Davis moved on to Lynn Merritt, Nike Basketball’s senior director and a man of immense influence in the game.
Later in the locker room, Davis and the rest of the Wildcats would hug it out with Phil Knight, the Nike founder and freshly minted Hall of Famer who was wearing the same “No 1 Greater” championship hat they were. Soon Knight and Wes were locked in joy themselves.
John Calipari’s Kentucky program isn’t just No. 1 in the country. It’s the hottest program since UCLA used to win it all every year.
(Getty Images)
Ashley Judd was at the Superdome cheering. Jay-Z came to the game Saturday. Drake is a regular. LeBron once even attended a game in Lexington and when the cheerleaders spelled out K-E-N-T-U-C-K-Y, he was the “Y.”
John Calipari’s program isn’t just the hottest in the country after it captured its eighth NCAA title and Cal spoke boldly about placing six of his players (three of them freshmen) in the first round of June’s NBA draft.
It’s the hottest program since UCLA used to win everything every single year.
And so here’s the worst nightmare for everyone who had to swallow hard to accept the vision of Calipari and his band of pro prospects having their One (and Done) Shining Moment:
There’s no reason to think that UK can’t repeat next year … with an almost entirely new team.
“Right now I’m going to have two days and then I’ve got to go out recruiting Friday,” Calipari said of his plans to enjoy his first title.
His top three targets are Las Vegas’ Shabazz Muhammad, the No. 1-ranked recruit in America, Nerlens Noel, an Anthony Davis-like 6-10 star out of Massachusetts that Rivals.com has as the third-best player, and Anthony Bennett, the seventh-ranked recruit who’s also from Vegas.
Multiple sources think Kentucky has a tremendous chance at all three players, and this Final Four infomercial didn’t hurt. If so, you add them to three other top-40 recruits who have already signed and, well, here comes Kentucky.
Calipari spent much of his postgame press conference doing what he does best, trying to deflect credit to his players while focusing just about every single word he says to the open ears of top high school talent, their families and the inner circles that control the recruiting process.
Calipari is destroying the conventional wisdom that you can’t build a “program” with players who leave campus after just a few months. It may not be your traditional definition of a program, but it is at least a “system” that showcases talent, prepares them not just to be drafted but to succeed in the NBA and, now with this trophy as proof, win championships.
“I told them I wanted this to be one for the ages,” Calipari said. “It doesn’t matter how young you are, it’s how you play together.”
This 38-victory season has been the final breakthrough for Calipari. The great players already believed in him, but now with these clipped nets he can sell it all.
“I said a couple years ago, and everybody got crazy, [that] when we had five guys drafted in the [2010] first round [that] this is one of the biggest moments, if not the biggest, in Kentucky history,” Calipari said Monday night. “The reason was, I knew now other kids would look and say, ‘You’ve got to go there.’ ”
And they came. First last year, when UK got to the Final Four. And now for this one, when they closed it out.
Now this year’s players will all go, the whole thing will be gone in an instant.
Kentucky will have many new faces next season but it’s success shouldn’t change.
(Getty Images)
And that’s how the coach wants it. Calipari may be the most honest coach in the country when it comes to navigating the NBA’s age minimum that forces the best players to campus for at least one year. At no moment does he pretend that getting to the NBA isn’t the primary goal of each and every member of his team.
So he’s worked and worked and worked to create a place where the players come first, where a coach will risk the wrath of fans and snark of his coaching peers by declaring draft night as bigger than winning championships. And then he figured out how to coach them to the ultimate success.
“You’ve got to recruit them so they know you’re trustworthy,” Calipari said. “And they’ve got to trust that you’re doing it for them; [that] it’s not about me. Then they’ll do what you ask them to do because it’s for them. I’m not doing it for me.”
Well, of course he’s doing it for himself. And for Kentucky. And for the salary. And all the rest. The players can accept that deal, though. So can the power brokers, because it’s clear this different kind of “program” is working.
Recruiting is an ugly business, but it’s also the reality of this business. Everyone is chasing the same stars. Everyone goes after the same guys. Just about everyone walks the same line. In the end, it’s still about where players and their people feel they’ll succeed.
You give John Calipari and Kentucky a chance with a great prospect and he not only doesn’t screw him up, he returns a player prepared for the NBA. He coached two of the last three rookies of the year. And Anthony Davis looks pretty ready for 2012-13.
The old establishment of this sport may hate it, but to most high school stars there isn’t a more tantalizing image than Davis celebrating a national title with kingmakers such as Phil Knight, Lynn Merritt and World Wide Wes.
Maybe once this game was about a four-year star such as Shane Battier and his coach, Mike Krzyzewski, sharing a long-worked-for moment of mutual respect and love.
That was then. This is now. And this is Kentucky.
Deal with it. As long as Calipari doesn’t follow his players back to the NBA, he’s sitting on a juggernaut that could redefine what’s possible in the modern era.
Calipari hopes he loses his top six players to the NBA draft.
“That’s why I’ve got to go recruiting,” Calipari said.
Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) The same matchup as 2008 coming tonight. Is John Calipari truly the villain against Bill Self? Rob Dauster Apr 1, 2012, 3:20 PM EDT Leave a comment Over the coming two days, one of the story lines that will be the most intriguing to follow is […]
Memphis’ epic collapse at the end of the ’08 title game opened the door for a Kansas championship. (AP photo) Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) #1 Kansas vs #1 Memphis National Championship 2008 (Part 1) After the collapse in the last 2 minutes of the game by Memphis, Kansas went […]
Memphis Tigers John Calipari Interview 2008 Basketball Final Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) Knoxnews.com reported: Calipari (and Kentucky) get Kansas again for title NANCY ARMOUR – AP National Writer (AP) Posted April 1, 2012 at 12:18 a.m., updated April 1, 2012 at 3:04 a.m NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Well, this […]
_____ Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) What happened last time Calipari and Self faced each other in a national championship game? KMBC reported: San Antonio, TX — (Sports Network) – Mario Chalmers hit the tying three-pointer with 2.1 seconds left in regulation and Kansas rallied from a nine-point deficit late […]
Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) Associated Press breaks down second national championship game between Calipari and Self: NEW ORLEANS (AP) A look at Monday night’s national championship game: KENTUCKY (37-2) vs. KANSAS (32-6) KENTUCKY ROAD TO THE TITLE GAME No. 1 Kentucky beat No. 16 Western Kentucky 81-65; No. 8 […]
Today I read an article that quoted John Calipari using the Buddhist term “karma” and it got me thinking about what his religious views are. Here an excerpt from the Lexington paper that got me thinking this morning: On several occasions this season, Kentucky Coach John Calipari counseled fans not to root against any other […]
Seth Davis discusses the question: “Did Pitino help Calipari get UMass job?” Published on Mar 27, 2012 by CBSSports CBS Sports Network college basketball analyst Seth Davis joined the Tim Brando Show to break down the matchup between Kentucky’s John Calipari and Louisville’s Rick Pitino as they prepare to face off this Saturday in New […]
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For / U2 The Rolling Stones Satisfaction (rare) If you want to see the path that Kerry Livgren and Dave Hope of the rock group Kansas took to find true satisfaction then listen to their song “Dust in the Wind” and then read their testimony at this link […]
John Calipari Pre-Louisville Press Conference Uploaded by uknationofblue on Mar 27, 2012 Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari talks about the upcoming game with Louisville in the Final 4. ______ Related posts: Calipari’s been to 4 final fours and his record is 1-3 so far March 26, 2012 – 9:35 am > Kentucky Wildcats head coach […]
Over and over in the 2012 NCAA Tournament the Louisville Cardinals have been counted out. Now John Clay has counted them out again. (Wally Hall of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette is picking Kentucky.) The tables are now turned. Calipari’s program has the advantage in tradition, fan base and, in this case, talent. To whom much is […]
Uploaded by gwain30 on Jan 29, 2012 A review of the new Liam Neeson film, the grey, as iI say there may be some minor spoilers but nothing too drastic, enjoy and dont forget to comment, rate and subscribe ________________ Uploaded by ClevverMovies on Dec 5, 2011 http://bit.ly/clevvermovies – Click to Subscribe! http://Facebook.com/ClevverMovies – Become […]
(If you want to check out other posts I have done about about Steve Jobs:Some say Steve Jobs was an atheist , Steve Jobs and Adoption , What is the eternal impact of Steve Jobs’ life? ,Steve Jobs versus President Obama: Who created more jobs? ,Steve Jobs’ view of death and what the Bible has to say about it ,8 things you might not know about Steve Jobs ,Steve […]
> Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari celebrated with the team after the University of Kentucky defeated Baylor University in the NCAA South Regional final played in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga., Sunday, March 25, 2012. This is second half action. UK won 82-70. Charles Bertram | Staff HERALD-LEADER Buy Photo Calipari is going […]
Several members of the 70′s band Kansas became committed Christians after they realized that the world had nothing but meaningless to offer. It seems through the writings of both Woody Allen and Chris Martin of Coldplay that they both are wrestling with the issue of death and what meaning does life bring. Kansas went through […]
We came close to get two in but only Kentucky got in. Calipari’s wife and son can be seen in this picture below: > Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari hugged his son, Bradley, and his wife Ellen after the University of Kentucky defeated Baylor University in the NCAA South Regional final played […]
Coldplay – 42 Live Coldplay perform on the french television channel W9. In 1992 Woody Allen took up with one of his adopted kids and lived in with her. He was given over to the pursuit of pleasure. Actually he has made that a major focus of his life. In the latter part of his […]
Brian’s Blues, Brian Jones on guitar in the early stones years. unreleased track Brian Jones died at age 27 just like Amy Winehouse did. I remember like yesterday when I first heard the song “I can’t get no satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones. I immediately thought about Solomon’s search for satisfaction in the Book of […]
Papa Roach – Last Resort (Censored Version) Amy Winehouse died at the young age of 27 and she had lived a life filled with drug and alcohol addiction. This series on Papa Roach is meant to provide answers to those who feel trapped. Hopefully it will people to avoid troubles like Amy Winehouse experienced. Today I […]
Coldplay seeks to corner the market on earnest and expressive rock music that currently appeals to wide audiences Here is an article I wrote a couple of years ago about Chris Martin’s view of hell. He says he does not believe in it but for some reason he writes a song that teaches that it […]
John Calipari’s Kentucky program isn’t just No. 1 in the country. It’s the hottest program since UCLA used to win it all every year.
(Getty Images)
In 2012 I wrote “If Calipari had stayed at Memphis he could have won a national championship earlier!!!” I still believe that and I think he will bring the Hogs one soon!!!!
The conventional thinking is that John Calipari won a national title because he went to Kentucky. However, when he left Memphis he had the best recruiting class in the history of mankind coming in to Memphis in 2009 ( Jerry Meyer called the Memphis Tiger 2009 class “arguably the best recruiting class ever”)and his Memphis team of 2009-10 was going to be more talented than any team in the country that year. Furthermore, Xaiver Henry had signed to play with Memphis and his stats were very impressive too. In fact, when Calipari took the Kentucky job, Henry got out of going to Memphis because of the Calipari exception clause (later such clauses were outlawed when the NCAA passed the “John Calipari rule”) and had a great year at Kansas. Below are his stats:
Calipari’s ability to recruit almost anybody he wanted started when Derrick Rose was taken first in the NBA draft after spending one year under Calipari at Memphis.
John Calipari stuggled to recruit top players to Memphis the first 4 years he was there because the “one and done” rule had not been put into place yet and many of the talented recruits of his skipped college and went straight to the NBA. Then everything changed.
Memphis reaped the benefits of the talented recruits Calipari brought to Memphis. In 2008 Derrick Rose led Memphis to the NCAA finals and he was chosen first in the NBA draft. This is where his recruiting really took off. That is why I really do think that Calipari could have had a national title sooner if he stayed at Memphis. We will never know and I do think he will be very successful in the future at Kentucky. Maybe the SEC will win their first ever triple crown this year (national titles in football, basketball and baseball).
Kentucky will have many new faces next season but it’s success shouldn’t change.
(Getty Images)
Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) The same matchup as 2008 coming tonight. Is John Calipari truly the villain against Bill Self? Rob Dauster Apr 1, 2012, 3:20 PM EDT Leave a comment Over the coming two days, one of the story lines that will be the most intriguing to follow is […]
Memphis’ epic collapse at the end of the ’08 title game opened the door for a Kansas championship. (AP photo) Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) #1 Kansas vs #1 Memphis National Championship 2008 (Part 1) After the collapse in the last 2 minutes of the game by Memphis, Kansas went […]
Memphis Tigers John Calipari Interview 2008 Basketball Final Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) Knoxnews.com reported: Calipari (and Kentucky) get Kansas again for title NANCY ARMOUR – AP National Writer (AP) Posted April 1, 2012 at 12:18 a.m., updated April 1, 2012 at 3:04 a.m NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Well, this […]
_____ Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) What happened last time Calipari and Self faced each other in a national championship game? KMBC reported: San Antonio, TX — (Sports Network) – Mario Chalmers hit the tying three-pointer with 2.1 seconds left in regulation and Kansas rallied from a nine-point deficit late […]
Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) Associated Press breaks down second national championship game between Calipari and Self: NEW ORLEANS (AP) A look at Monday night’s national championship game: KENTUCKY (37-2) vs. KANSAS (32-6) KENTUCKY ROAD TO THE TITLE GAME No. 1 Kentucky beat No. 16 Western Kentucky 81-65; No. 8 […]
Today I read an article that quoted John Calipari using the Buddhist term “karma” and it got me thinking about what his religious views are. Here an excerpt from the Lexington paper that got me thinking this morning: On several occasions this season, Kentucky Coach John Calipari counseled fans not to root against any other […]
Seth Davis discusses the question: “Did Pitino help Calipari get UMass job?” Published on Mar 27, 2012 by CBSSports CBS Sports Network college basketball analyst Seth Davis joined the Tim Brando Show to break down the matchup between Kentucky’s John Calipari and Louisville’s Rick Pitino as they prepare to face off this Saturday in New […]
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For / U2 The Rolling Stones Satisfaction (rare) If you want to see the path that Kerry Livgren and Dave Hope of the rock group Kansas took to find true satisfaction then listen to their song “Dust in the Wind” and then read their testimony at this link […]
John Calipari Pre-Louisville Press Conference Uploaded by uknationofblue on Mar 27, 2012 Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari talks about the upcoming game with Louisville in the Final 4. ______ Related posts: Calipari’s been to 4 final fours and his record is 1-3 so far March 26, 2012 – 9:35 am > Kentucky Wildcats head coach […]
Over and over in the 2012 NCAA Tournament the Louisville Cardinals have been counted out. Now John Clay has counted them out again. (Wally Hall of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette is picking Kentucky.) The tables are now turned. Calipari’s program has the advantage in tradition, fan base and, in this case, talent. To whom much is […]
Uploaded by gwain30 on Jan 29, 2012 A review of the new Liam Neeson film, the grey, as iI say there may be some minor spoilers but nothing too drastic, enjoy and dont forget to comment, rate and subscribe ________________ Uploaded by ClevverMovies on Dec 5, 2011 http://bit.ly/clevvermovies – Click to Subscribe! http://Facebook.com/ClevverMovies – Become […]
(If you want to check out other posts I have done about about Steve Jobs:Some say Steve Jobs was an atheist , Steve Jobs and Adoption , What is the eternal impact of Steve Jobs’ life? ,Steve Jobs versus President Obama: Who created more jobs? ,Steve Jobs’ view of death and what the Bible has to say about it ,8 things you might not know about Steve Jobs ,Steve […]
> Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari celebrated with the team after the University of Kentucky defeated Baylor University in the NCAA South Regional final played in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga., Sunday, March 25, 2012. This is second half action. UK won 82-70. Charles Bertram | Staff HERALD-LEADER Buy Photo Calipari is going […]
Several members of the 70′s band Kansas became committed Christians after they realized that the world had nothing but meaningless to offer. It seems through the writings of both Woody Allen and Chris Martin of Coldplay that they both are wrestling with the issue of death and what meaning does life bring. Kansas went through […]
We came close to get two in but only Kentucky got in. Calipari’s wife and son can be seen in this picture below: > Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari hugged his son, Bradley, and his wife Ellen after the University of Kentucky defeated Baylor University in the NCAA South Regional final played […]
Coldplay – 42 Live Coldplay perform on the french television channel W9. In 1992 Woody Allen took up with one of his adopted kids and lived in with her. He was given over to the pursuit of pleasure. Actually he has made that a major focus of his life. In the latter part of his […]
Brian’s Blues, Brian Jones on guitar in the early stones years. unreleased track Brian Jones died at age 27 just like Amy Winehouse did. I remember like yesterday when I first heard the song “I can’t get no satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones. I immediately thought about Solomon’s search for satisfaction in the Book of […]
Papa Roach – Last Resort (Censored Version) Amy Winehouse died at the young age of 27 and she had lived a life filled with drug and alcohol addiction. This series on Papa Roach is meant to provide answers to those who feel trapped. Hopefully it will people to avoid troubles like Amy Winehouse experienced. Today I […]
Coldplay seeks to corner the market on earnest and expressive rock music that currently appeals to wide audiences Here is an article I wrote a couple of years ago about Chris Martin’s view of hell. He says he does not believe in it but for some reason he writes a song that teaches that it […]
In 2014 I reported that Kentucky fans were sick of the one and done method and I do think Calipari left because of the unhappy KY fans for a place like Arkansas where the enormous pressure has been reduced!!!!
UConn Wins National Championship With 60-54 Win Over Kentucky
I have been around Calipari for 15 years and I know how the man thinks. When he hit the big time in Memphis and was the top 5 in the last 4 seasons at Memphis in the last regular season AP polls he brought up how he was mistreated by fans the previous years at Memphis. In fact, the Associated Press reported on the eve of the West Virginia v. Kentucky game in the final eight in 2010, “John Calipari keeps the “for sale” signs angry Memphis fans once staked in his yard in his garage. He has them as reminders that, even when times are good, there were plenty of years when fans wanted him gone.”
Will the disgruntled fans at Kentucky make Calipari feel the heat? Some of the fans I have talked to are sick and tired of the one and done show. The results have been outstanding though. Through 5 seasons Kentucky has a 18-3 record in the NCAA tournament (last year the cats went to the NIT). Furthermore, Kentucky has a National Championship and two more Final Fours on top of that. Who can argue with that record?
Believe it or not there are criticisms and here they are. First, the players are two young and they don’t come together till the end of the year. I disagree with this assessment because that certainly was not true with Calipari’s first and third team at Kentucky. It was true with the second and fifth team at Kentucky and the fourth team never did come around. For instance take those three teams performance against Arkansas. The second team lost to Arkansas in Fayetteville and fell to 6-6 in the SEC but then went undefeated until they lost to UConn by one in the final four. The fourth team lost convincingly to the Hogs and I was at that game and it was never in doubt. The fifth team lost twice to Arkansas but rallied in the SEC tournament and looked great in the NCAA tournament.
Second, Calipari’s teams can’t shoot free throws. Maybe this is a good criticism. However, it also may come back to freshman being put in tough spots. When Derrick Rose missed a big free throw in a key point in the NCAA finals for Memphis he had actually made his 20 previous free throws in a row. Here is more on that issue below:
Both championship games were lost at the free-throw line.
In 2008, Memphis’ Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts missed key free throws down the stretch before Mario Chalmers sent the game into overtime with a memorable three-pointer to help Kansas prevail. Memphis went 12 of 19 from the line while Kansas hit 14 of 15. On Monday, the Wildcats shot 54.2 percent from the line, going 13-for-24 and missing pivotal freebies down the stretch, as Connecticut pulled away for a 60-54 victory.
“We missed some shots that we needed to make, some free throws,” Calipari said. “But these kids are not machines, they’re not robots or computers.”
________________
From Twitter
Q. You could argue that you’ve had two national championships that have kind of wilted away at the free-throw line. I’m wondering if you flashback to that Memphis night in 2008 tonight?
UConn, on the other hand, shot a perfect 10-for-10 from the line, becoming the first team to make all of its free throws in the national championship game. It’s been the common denominator in the Huskies’ close wins on the path to a championship. In games against Iowa State and Michigan State, UConn went 41-for-44.
“Late you could say, ‘Why not foul?’ Because they didn’t miss any free throws. Those are the dice I rolled,” Calipari said.
What’s the secret? Cue coach Huskies coach Kevin Ollie.
“We just worked on it tirelessly in practice,” Ollie said of a drill that uses speed and motivation. “It’s competitive every time. We’ve got winners and losers. Losers gotta run sprints. It’s also getting the right people to the free-throw line. … Our guys are so composed under pressure and confident.”
I have to admit that I always pull for the SEC teams to win but I made an exception when Kentucky made it to the final four this year. Maybe the point of this carton below had something to do with it. I am not a Tennessee fan but I pull for them to beat […]
Kentucky’s John Calipari on being a National Champion Uploaded by CBSSports on Apr 3, 2012 Kentucky Wildcats coach John Calipari talks to Tim Brando about what it feels like to finally win a national title ________ John Calipari and Darius Miller speak at UK championship celebration ____________ _____________ Related posts: If Calipari had stayed at […]
Enlarge John Calipari address the press on his first day as Kentucky basketball coach. John Calipari stuggled to recruit top players to Memphis the first 4 years he was there because the “one and done” rule had not been put into place yet and many of the talented recruits of his skipped college and […]
#1 Kansas vs #1 Memphis National Championship 2008 (Part 3) The paths of Self and Calipari cross for championship By Kory Carpenter Sunday, April 1, 2012 More New Orleans, La. — Bill Self’s start in coaching is probably well known by now. A guard on the Oklahoma State basketball team, he worked at a Kansas […]
Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) Kentucky vs. Kansas: Bill Self a Fitting Final Obstacle to John Calipari’s Title By Josh Martin (Featured Columnist) on April 2, 2012 Stacy Revere/Getty Images The long and winding road to an NCAA Tournament title has led John Calipari back to Bill Self‘s door. […]
Memphis Tigers John Calipari Interview 2008 Basketball Final FOX Sports Exclusive Calipari, Self more than just recruiters NEW ORLEANS There is an inherent silliness to a profession like the one that has made rich men of John Calipari and Bill Self. They spend months, even years, burning thousands of gallons of jet fuel and […]
Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) The same matchup as 2008 coming tonight. Is John Calipari truly the villain against Bill Self? Rob Dauster Apr 1, 2012, 3:20 PM EDT Leave a comment Over the coming two days, one of the story lines that will be the most intriguing to follow is […]
Memphis’ epic collapse at the end of the ’08 title game opened the door for a Kansas championship. (AP photo) Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) #1 Kansas vs #1 Memphis National Championship 2008 (Part 1) After the collapse in the last 2 minutes of the game by Memphis, Kansas went […]
Memphis Tigers John Calipari Interview 2008 Basketball Final Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) Knoxnews.com reported: Calipari (and Kentucky) get Kansas again for title NANCY ARMOUR – AP National Writer (AP) Posted April 1, 2012 at 12:18 a.m., updated April 1, 2012 at 3:04 a.m NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Well, this […]
_____ Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) What happened last time Calipari and Self faced each other in a national championship game? KMBC reported: San Antonio, TX — (Sports Network) – Mario Chalmers hit the tying three-pointer with 2.1 seconds left in regulation and Kansas rallied from a nine-point deficit late […]
Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) Associated Press breaks down second national championship game between Calipari and Self: NEW ORLEANS (AP) A look at Monday night’s national championship game: KENTUCKY (37-2) vs. KANSAS (32-6) KENTUCKY ROAD TO THE TITLE GAME No. 1 Kentucky beat No. 16 Western Kentucky 81-65; No. 8 […]
Picture BY CHRIS WARE Today I read an article by Jerry Tipton that quoted John Calipari using the Buddhist term “karma” and it got me thinking about what his religious views are. Here an excerpt from the Lexington paper that got me thinking this morning: On several occasions this season, Kentucky Coach John Calipari counseled fans not […]
Seth Davis discusses the question: “Did Pitino help Calipari get UMass job?” Published on Mar 27, 2012 by CBSSports CBS Sports Network college basketball analyst Seth Davis joined the Tim Brando Show to break down the matchup between Kentucky’s John Calipari and Louisville’s Rick Pitino as they prepare to face off this Saturday in New […]
Photo by Wayne Crosslin Memphis State coach Gene Bartow comforts Larry Finch at the awards ceremony after the Tigers lost the NCAA final to UCLA in St. Louis in March 1973. Bartow died Tuesday after a long fight with cancer. _______________________ In 1972 I was 11 and I shot the basketball with a side arm […]
Calipari has been a favorite subject on my blog the last few years. Last year I put up some video of Coach Cal’s comments after the loss at Fayetteville, and it is true that someone did a very funny cartoon about Cal’s past NCAA problems in the past, and I have even explained when Cal’s super […]
John Calipari’s comments Archie Goodwin’s comments Calipari thought things looked pretty bad after the Tennessee 30 point loss but then the Wildcats came out and played good since then, but then at Fayetteville, Arkansas on March 2, 2013 things did not look so good. John Calipari said that Arkansas went with a small line-up like […]
John Calipari’s Kentucky program isn’t just No. 1 in the country. It’s the hottest program since UCLA used to win it all every year. (Getty Images) The conventional thinking is that John Calipari won a national title because he went to Kentucky. However, when he left Memphis he had the best recruiting class in the […]
One Shining Moment 2012 HD Everything you will read below by Dan Wetzel is true, but it all started when Derrick Rose was taken first in the NBA draft after spending one year under Calipari at Memphis. John Calipari stuggled to recruit top players to Memphis the first 4 years he was there because the […]
Kansas will build a good lead going inside of two minutes and then Kentucky will hit some big shots and Kansas will miss some key free throws as Calipari’s Wildcats squeeze out a victory. I do think it will be dramatic and it will be totally opposite of what happened to Calipari’s team in 2008. […]
Today I read an article by Jerry Tipton that quoted John Calipari using the Buddhist term “karma” and it got me thinking about what his religious views are. Here an excerpt from the Lexington paper that got me thinking this morning:
On several occasions this season, Kentucky Coach John Calipari counseled fans not to root against any other team. “Even Duke?” one caller to his weekly radio show asked.
Yes, even Duke,
And even archrival Louisville, which plays Kentucky on Saturday in the national semifinals, would be best viewed dispassionately.
To root against a team is to risk a cosmic balancing of the scales, the UK coach said. Fate could be cruel in a boomerang kind of way.
“I just don’t think it’s good that you root against other teams,” Calipari said in Thursday’s Final Four interview session. “I just think if you start rooting against another team and you’re a fan of ours, turn the TV off. Walk to the other room. Make yourself a coffee. And go for a walk with the dog. Do something.
“I just think that karma comes back at you.”… (skipping to end of article)
Unwittingly or not, Calipari, a practicing Catholic who also attends a Methodist church on Sundays, follows a Buddhist path by stressing performance rather than purely victory.
“The only thing you can control is how you do something,” Leaman said of the Buddhist philosophy. “That’s different from the West, which is result oriented.”
Safe to say, UK fans are result oriented, especially so Saturday.
How would a Buddhist view UK fans?
“How should I put it?,” Leaman said. “I think they’d be perplexed by the passion.”
Jerry Tipton: (859) 231-3227. Email: jtipton@herald-leader.com.Twitter: @JerryTipton. Blog: ukbasketball.bloginky.com
“It’s important to me that people know I have a strong faith,” he said. “I couldn’t have handled the jobs I’ve had by myself.”One of the ways Calipari feeds that faith is by attending Mass during the week. In Lexington, he has been seen at the Cathedral of Christ the King and at Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary Church.Calipari was picked for the Kentucky job this spring, becoming the highest paid college basketball coach in the country. Heading into a Dec. 5 game against North Carolina, his Wildcats had a 7-0 record for the 2009-2010 regular season.Calipari credits God’s plan for his life and the life of his family. “I believe that things happen for a reason,” he said.As in Memphis, Catholics in Lexington are a minority. Like many families in the diocese, the Calipari family is interdenominational.”When we got married, my wife was a better Methodist than I was a Catholic,” Calipari said. He met his wife, Ellen, while he was working as an assistant coach at the University of Kansas.The Caliparis have raised their children — daughters Erin and Megan and son Bradley — as Methodists.Something — he doesn’t remember exactly what — pushed him back toward the Catholic Church eight to 10 years ago and Calipari began attending Holy Rosary Church in Memphis. “They called me a ‘Metholic,'” Calipari said. “I would go to the Methodist church with my family on Sundays and to the Catholic church during the week.”______________Related posts:
__________ UConn Wins National Championship With 60-54 Win Over Kentucky I have been around Calipari for 15 years and I know how the man thinks. When he hit the big time in Memphis and was the top 5 in the last 4 seasons at Memphis in the last regular season AP polls he brought up […]
Kentucky’s John Calipari on being a National Champion Uploaded by CBSSports on Apr 3, 2012 Kentucky Wildcats coach John Calipari talks to Tim Brando about what it feels like to finally win a national title ________ John Calipari and Darius Miller speak at UK championship celebration ____________ _____________ Related posts: If Calipari had stayed at […]
Post Kentucky, Assessing NBA’s One-And-Done Rule Uploaded by PBSNewsHour on Apr 3, 2012 As Kentucky fans celebrate their latest basketball championship, the team’s dominance has revived questions about the NBA’s One-and-Done rule, which requires players to be 19 and just one year out of high school. Gwen Ifill and guests discuss. ____________ Uploaded by worldnewslive4u […]
John Calipari’s Kentucky program isn’t just No. 1 in the country. It’s the hottest program since UCLA used to win it all every year. (Getty Images) The conventional thinking is that John Calipari won a national title because he went to Kentucky. However, when he left Memphis he had the best recruiting class in the […]
One Shining Moment 2012 HD Everything you will read below by Dan Wetzel is true, but it all started when Derrick Rose was taken first in the NBA draft after spending one year under Calipari at Memphis. John Calipari stuggled to recruit top players to Memphis the first 4 years he was there because the […]
Kansas will build a good lead going inside of two minutes and then Kentucky will hit some big shots and Kansas will miss some key free throws as Calipari’s Wildcats squeeze out a victory. I do think it will be dramatic and it will be totally opposite of what happened to Calipari’s team in 2008. […]
Today I read an article that quoted John Calipari using the Buddhist term “karma” and it got me thinking about what his religious views are. Here an excerpt from the Lexington paper that got me thinking this morning: On several occasions this season, Kentucky Coach John Calipari counseled fans not to root against any other […]
Seth Davis discusses the question: “Did Pitino help Calipari get UMass job?” Published on Mar 27, 2012 by CBSSports CBS Sports Network college basketball analyst Seth Davis joined the Tim Brando Show to break down the matchup between Kentucky’s John Calipari and Louisville’s Rick Pitino as they prepare to face off this Saturday in New […]
______________ I have dedicated several posts to this series on the Beatles and I don’t know when this series will end because Francis Schaeffer spent a lot of time talking and writing about them and their impact on the culture of the 1960’s. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds- The Beatles The Beatles: The Beatles […]
________________ I have dedicated several posts to this series on the Beatles and I don’t know when this series will end because Francis Schaeffer spent a lot of time talking and writing about them and their impact on the culture of the 1960’s. The Beatles: The Beatles and their album St. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club […]
__________________ I have dedicated several posts to this series on the Beatles and I don’t know when this series will end because Francis Schaeffer spent a lot of time talking and writing about them and their impact on the culture of the 1960’s. The Beatles are featured in this episode below and Schaeffer noted, ” Sergeant Pepper’s […]
_______________ I have dedicated several posts to this series on the Beatles and I don’t know when this series will end because Francis Schaeffer spent a lot of time talking and writing about them and their impact on the culture of the 1960’s. Great Album The Beatles are featured in this episode below and Schaeffer […]
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For / U2 The Rolling Stones Satisfaction (rare) If you want to see the path that Kerry Livgren and Dave Hope of the rock group Kansas took to find true satisfaction then listen to their song “Dust in the Wind” and then read their testimony at this link […]
John Calipari Pre-Louisville Press Conference Uploaded by uknationofblue on Mar 27, 2012 Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari talks about the upcoming game with Louisville in the Final 4. ______ Related posts: Calipari’s been to 4 final fours and his record is 1-3 so far March 26, 2012 – 9:35 am > Kentucky Wildcats head coach […]
Over and over in the 2012 NCAA Tournament the Louisville Cardinals have been counted out. Now John Clay has counted them out again. (Wally Hall of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette is picking Kentucky.) The tables are now turned. Calipari’s program has the advantage in tradition, fan base and, in this case, talent. To whom much is […]
Uploaded by gwain30 on Jan 29, 2012 A review of the new Liam Neeson film, the grey, as iI say there may be some minor spoilers but nothing too drastic, enjoy and dont forget to comment, rate and subscribe ________________ Uploaded by ClevverMovies on Dec 5, 2011 http://bit.ly/clevvermovies – Click to Subscribe! http://Facebook.com/ClevverMovies – Become […]
(If you want to check out other posts I have done about about Steve Jobs:Some say Steve Jobs was an atheist , Steve Jobs and Adoption , What is the eternal impact of Steve Jobs’ life? ,Steve Jobs versus President Obama: Who created more jobs? ,Steve Jobs’ view of death and what the Bible has to say about it ,8 things you might not know about Steve Jobs ,Steve […]
> Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari celebrated with the team after the University of Kentucky defeated Baylor University in the NCAA South Regional final played in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga., Sunday, March 25, 2012. This is second half action. UK won 82-70. Charles Bertram | Staff HERALD-LEADER Buy Photo Calipari is going […]
Several members of the 70′s band Kansas became committed Christians after they realized that the world had nothing but meaningless to offer. It seems through the writings of both Woody Allen and Chris Martin of Coldplay that they both are wrestling with the issue of death and what meaning does life bring. Kansas went through […]
We came close to get two in but only Kentucky got in. Calipari’s wife and son can be seen in this picture below: > Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari hugged his son, Bradley, and his wife Ellen after the University of Kentucky defeated Baylor University in the NCAA South Regional final played […]
Coldplay – 42 Live Coldplay perform on the french television channel W9. In 1992 Woody Allen took up with one of his adopted kids and lived in with her. He was given over to the pursuit of pleasure. Actually he has made that a major focus of his life. In the latter part of his […]
Brian’s Blues, Brian Jones on guitar in the early stones years. unreleased track Brian Jones died at age 27 just like Amy Winehouse did. I remember like yesterday when I first heard the song “I can’t get no satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones. I immediately thought about Solomon’s search for satisfaction in the Book of […]
Papa Roach – Last Resort (Censored Version) Amy Winehouse died at the young age of 27 and she had lived a life filled with drug and alcohol addiction. This series on Papa Roach is meant to provide answers to those who feel trapped. Hopefully it will people to avoid troubles like Amy Winehouse experienced. Today I […]
Coldplay seeks to corner the market on earnest and expressive rock music that currently appeals to wide audiences Here is an article I wrote a couple of years ago about Chris Martin’s view of hell. He says he does not believe in it but for some reason he writes a song that teaches that it […]
Here we go for the battle of the best two teams in Kentucky and possibly this game on March 31st will determine our national champion. USA Today reported in October 2011: Louisville’s Rick Pitino responds to John Calipari’s Kentucky taunt Rick Pitino isn’t going to take John Calipari’s taunts lying down. Louisville coach Rick Pitino […]
Enlarge John Calipari address the press on his first day as Kentucky basketball coach. John Calipari stuggled to recruit top players to Memphis the first 4 years he was there because the “one and done” rule had not been put into place yet and many of the talented recruits of his skipped college and […]
#1 Kansas vs #1 Memphis National Championship 2008 (Part 3) The paths of Self and Calipari cross for championship By Kory Carpenter Sunday, April 1, 2012 More New Orleans, La. — Bill Self’s start in coaching is probably well known by now. A guard on the Oklahoma State basketball team, he worked at a Kansas […]
Memphis head coach Josh Pastner joins the Tim Brando Show to discuss the Final Four matchup between Kentucky and Louisville, and the rivalry between head coaches Rick Pitino and John Calipari
John Calipari address the press on his first day as Kentucky basketball coach.
On 4-8-24 I saw the great eclipse in Little Rock today but that was not the highlight of my day!!!! I predict CALIPARI will win a national championship in the next 5 years and retire the next day!!!!!
The Impact of John Calipari’s Move to the Arkansas Razorbacks
Legendary coach John Calipari will be leaving the Kentucky Wildcats to be the next coach for the Arkansas Razorbacks.
The NCAA Tournament is set to conclude on Monday night, as the Purdue Boilermakers take on the UConn Huskies. But even then, there’s bigger news in the college basketball scene.
After spending the past 15 years as the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats and solidifying himself as one of the greatest in the history of the game, John Calipari is reportedly taking the open job with the Arkansas Razorbacks on a five-year deal. Although the Wildcats had only won one game in the NCAA Tournament in the past five seasons, overall Calipari put together a 410-122 record in his time at Kentucky and led the program to a championship in 2012 along with several Final Four appearances.
Eric Musselman recently left Arkansas for the USC Trojans, which created an opportunity for the Razorbacks to target a new premier name. Although Arkansas struggled this season relative to the few years prior, this is a very attractive job. With Calipari in place, the Razorbacks will be a force in the SEC moving forward.
Calipari’s move will have a significant impact on the basketball landscape. For starters, he’s known for not only recruiting the best players in the world, but also developing that talent in a very short time. When it comes to the NBA Draft every year, Calipari sends a tremendous amount of players to the league, and those prospects generally have a high rate of success. As such, expect Arkansas to produce several NBA talents each year, just as it had under Musselman the past few years.
This move will be significant both now with players navigating the transfer portal as well as with upcoming recruiting classes. Calipari’s ability to recruit elite talent to Arkansas will likely begin to build an incubator for future NBA talent moving forward. Kentucky currently has the second-ranked recruiting class for 2024, so it will be interesting to see what those players end up doing with this news.
While the Wildcats’ incoming class is loaded with talent, the three names to keep an eye on include Jayden Quaintance, Boogie Fland and Karter Knox, who each have the talent to be one-and-done college players that enter their names in the 2025 NBA Draft. Calipari will almost certainly look to bring them to Lexington. Meanwhile, Jalen Shelley was released from his letter of intent with Arkansas when Musselman left for USC, so he could be a target for Calipari to convince to still come to Fayetteville.
—-
Commentary by Everette Hatcher
John Calipari struggled to recruit top players to Memphis the first 4 years he was there because the “one and done” rule had not been put into place yet and many of the talented recruits of his skipped college and went straight to the NBA. Then everything changed.
Memphis reaped the benefits of the talented recruits Calipari brought to Memphis. In 2008 Derrick Rose led Memphis to the NCAA finals and he was chosen first in the NBA draft. This is where his recruiting really took off and Jerry Meyer called the Memphis Tiger 2009 class “arguably the best recruiting class ever.” However, it all fell apart because of the private agreements that Calipari had made the families of the players he had recruited. The NCAA quickly moved to abolish these type agreements with a new rule which many have called the “John Calipari Rule.”
Below is an article that talks more about this rule:
I did an interview for a sports radio program today, and on the preliminary call to ask if I could come on with short notice (today at 1:00), he asked me about the “Calipari Rule.”
I told him I had no idea what he was talking about, and asked him if this was something that cropped up this morning, maybe, before I had a chance to check the sports news. I have been a bit busy lately — not like I was with the Annual, but still busy. He said it had been out for a while, and told me what it was all about.
What it is is the new rule by the National Letter of Intent program that forbids side deals like Memphis (among others) was willing to grant their players — i.e. a separate agreement between the school and the player where the school agreed to cancel the NLOI if the coach left, or was fired. The term “Calipari Rule” was apparently coined by Moondog Sports.
I told him that I totally supported the stance of the College Commissioner’s Association in this case. The “amendments” (actually separate agreements since the NLI program is explicit about what signing an NLI means, and has been before now) were being put in place in order to entice players to sign a letter of intent by promising (in writing) to release them from it if the coach left or was fired.
The amendments essentially rendered the NLI something it was not intended to be. The letter of intent is supposed to protect the school, but some players (notably DeMarcus Cousins at UAB) had refused to sign letters of intent unless the school would agree to release him if the coach left or was fired. UAB, to their credit, refused to compromise the intent of the NLI program. Memphis had no such compunctions.
To what extent Calipari was actually complicit in this arrangement is something I do not know. The coach has no authority to release players from an NLI — that has to be done by the school, and understandably so since the NLI program was created to prevent athlete defections due to coaching changes or other outside influences. The schools have always retained the right to release players, and most often they do, but not always by any means.
Anyway, I fully support the right of individuals to enter into fully informed agreements, and to be forced to live with the terms of those agreements. The NLI program was being sabotaged by the very schools it was designed to protect, and even though there are tons of good reasons not to enforce NLI provisions as a matter of course when players want to leave, there are also times when enforcement makes sense (see Crawford, Joe).
At the end of the day, to Calipari’s critics, this is a fair example of envelope-pushing. There is no doubt that R.C. Johnson didn’t just unilaterally decide to modify the NLI program to gain advantage in recruiting (which ultimately came back to bite him in the hind parts — see Henry, Xavier and Dennis, Nolan) — Calipari undoubtedly was a significant part of that decision, absent other information.
But let’s be honest, loopholes exist to be exploited, and if the NLI program was unable to crack down on this issue previously, they have now remedied that situation.
Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) The same matchup as 2008 coming tonight. Is John Calipari truly the villain against Bill Self? Rob Dauster Apr 1, 2012, 3:20 PM EDT Leave a comment Over the coming two days, one of the story lines that will be the most intriguing to follow is […]
Memphis’ epic collapse at the end of the ’08 title game opened the door for a Kansas championship. (AP photo) Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) #1 Kansas vs #1 Memphis National Championship 2008 (Part 1) After the collapse in the last 2 minutes of the game by Memphis, Kansas went […]
Memphis Tigers John Calipari Interview 2008 Basketball Final Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) Knoxnews.com reported: Calipari (and Kentucky) get Kansas again for title NANCY ARMOUR – AP National Writer (AP) Posted April 1, 2012 at 12:18 a.m., updated April 1, 2012 at 3:04 a.m NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Well, this […]
_____ Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) What happened last time Calipari and Self faced each other in a national championship game? KMBC reported: San Antonio, TX — (Sports Network) – Mario Chalmers hit the tying three-pointer with 2.1 seconds left in regulation and Kansas rallied from a nine-point deficit late […]
Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) Associated Press breaks down second national championship game between Calipari and Self: NEW ORLEANS (AP) A look at Monday night’s national championship game: KENTUCKY (37-2) vs. KANSAS (32-6) KENTUCKY ROAD TO THE TITLE GAME No. 1 Kentucky beat No. 16 Western Kentucky 81-65; No. 8 […]
Today I read an article that quoted John Calipari using the Buddhist term “karma” and it got me thinking about what his religious views are. Here an excerpt from the Lexington paper that got me thinking this morning: On several occasions this season, Kentucky Coach John Calipari counseled fans not to root against any other […]
Seth Davis discusses the question: “Did Pitino help Calipari get UMass job?” Published on Mar 27, 2012 by CBSSports CBS Sports Network college basketball analyst Seth Davis joined the Tim Brando Show to break down the matchup between Kentucky’s John Calipari and Louisville’s Rick Pitino as they prepare to face off this Saturday in New […]
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For / U2 The Rolling Stones Satisfaction (rare) If you want to see the path that Kerry Livgren and Dave Hope of the rock group Kansas took to find true satisfaction then listen to their song “Dust in the Wind” and then read their testimony at this link […]
John Calipari Pre-Louisville Press Conference Uploaded by uknationofblue on Mar 27, 2012 Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari talks about the upcoming game with Louisville in the Final 4. ______ Related posts: Calipari’s been to 4 final fours and his record is 1-3 so far March 26, 2012 – 9:35 am > Kentucky Wildcats head coach […]
Over and over in the 2012 NCAA Tournament the Louisville Cardinals have been counted out. Now John Clay has counted them out again. (Wally Hall of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette is picking Kentucky.) The tables are now turned. Calipari’s program has the advantage in tradition, fan base and, in this case, talent. To whom much is […]
Uploaded by gwain30 on Jan 29, 2012 A review of the new Liam Neeson film, the grey, as iI say there may be some minor spoilers but nothing too drastic, enjoy and dont forget to comment, rate and subscribe ________________ Uploaded by ClevverMovies on Dec 5, 2011 http://bit.ly/clevvermovies – Click to Subscribe! http://Facebook.com/ClevverMovies – Become […]
(If you want to check out other posts I have done about about Steve Jobs:Some say Steve Jobs was an atheist , Steve Jobs and Adoption , What is the eternal impact of Steve Jobs’ life? ,Steve Jobs versus President Obama: Who created more jobs? ,Steve Jobs’ view of death and what the Bible has to say about it ,8 things you might not know about Steve Jobs ,Steve […]
> Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari celebrated with the team after the University of Kentucky defeated Baylor University in the NCAA South Regional final played in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga., Sunday, March 25, 2012. This is second half action. UK won 82-70. Charles Bertram | Staff HERALD-LEADER Buy Photo Calipari is going […]
Several members of the 70′s band Kansas became committed Christians after they realized that the world had nothing but meaningless to offer. It seems through the writings of both Woody Allen and Chris Martin of Coldplay that they both are wrestling with the issue of death and what meaning does life bring. Kansas went through […]
We came close to get two in but only Kentucky got in. Calipari’s wife and son can be seen in this picture below: > Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari hugged his son, Bradley, and his wife Ellen after the University of Kentucky defeated Baylor University in the NCAA South Regional final played […]
Coldplay – 42 Live Coldplay perform on the french television channel W9. In 1992 Woody Allen took up with one of his adopted kids and lived in with her. He was given over to the pursuit of pleasure. Actually he has made that a major focus of his life. In the latter part of his […]
Brian’s Blues, Brian Jones on guitar in the early stones years. unreleased track Brian Jones died at age 27 just like Amy Winehouse did. I remember like yesterday when I first heard the song “I can’t get no satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones. I immediately thought about Solomon’s search for satisfaction in the Book of […]
Papa Roach – Last Resort (Censored Version) Amy Winehouse died at the young age of 27 and she had lived a life filled with drug and alcohol addiction. This series on Papa Roach is meant to provide answers to those who feel trapped. Hopefully it will people to avoid troubles like Amy Winehouse experienced. Today I […]
Coldplay seeks to corner the market on earnest and expressive rock music that currently appeals to wide audiences Here is an article I wrote a couple of years ago about Chris Martin’s view of hell. He says he does not believe in it but for some reason he writes a song that teaches that it […]
How did it happen? Kentucky’s Calipari is the new Arkansas coach
Nothing like a stunning news drop on the eve of the national championship game.
John Calipari is leaving Kentucky and headed across the SEC to Arkansas, finalizing a five-year deal to replace Eric Musselman in Fayetteville.
Nobody could have foreseen this chain of events when SMU fired Rob Lanier after just two seasons, leading to the Mustangs poaching Andy Enfield from USC and Musselman departing Arkansas for the Trojans’ vacancy. Arkansas took a couple of early swings at Ole Miss‘ Chris Beard and Kansas State‘s Jerome Tang, but both coaches turned down the Razorbacks and returned to their respective schools.
So, Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek reassessed the search and came out with a new name atop his target list: Calipari.
ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf react to the new move, including what it means for the conference and the schools — and who could succeed Coach Cal in Lexington.
Myron Medcalf: After a series of disappointing outcomes (9-16 in 2020-21; the 2022 NCAA tournament loss to Saint Peter’s; last month’s first-round loss to Oakland), Calipari no longer had full control in Lexington. Rather than give Kentucky’s brass another year to decide if they wanted to keep him, Calipari did what some coaches do in this scenario: He left.
The joy of coaching at Kentucky is enjoying the admiration, popularity and influence one gains from a massive fan base and basketball brand. But Calipari lost that support in recent years. It had felt like Calipari and Kentucky had been living under the same roof but were no longer together. Calipari just made it official Sunday night.
Jeff Borzello: Once a coach gets to the point where his athletic director needs to release a statement confirming his return as coach, it’s hard to regain the trust of the fan base. And Calipari reached that point. The NCAA tournament losses, one Big Dance win since 2019, refusing to embrace the transfer portal and continuing to build freshmen-focused rosters — it all added up to a frustrated fan base. And so when another school with huge resources and a passionate fan base showed interest, Calipari jumped. Better to leave than live on the hot seat.
What is most attractive about the Arkansas job?
Medcalf: Football is Arkansas’ first love, and it last won a basketball national title in 1994. It has an extremely passionate fan base, but nothing rivals Kentucky’s Big Blue Nation. Calipari won’t face the same pressure he endured in Lexington, but he will have access to power boosters (the Tyson family, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and the Walton family) who will supply enough NIL money to help him attract elite talent.
Borzello: Arkansas has plenty of resources and is increasing its NIL budget to bring Calipari into the fold. The fan base is there too. When Bud Walton Arena is rocking, it’s one of the best home-court advantages in the SEC. And Arkansas has a stranglehold on keeping in-state talent home for school; there was a stretch from 2016 to 2022 when zero ESPN 100 prospects left the state of Arkansas for college.
What are the chances Calipari will enjoy the type of success he had at Kentucky now that he’s at Arkansas?
Medcalf: In five seasons, Eric Musselman had a better postseason run (two Elite Eight appearances and a trip to the Sweet 16) than Calipari did at Kentucky over the same stretch. Calipari has always been a top recruiter; that won’t change at Arkansas. He might not get four or five McDonald’s All Americans every year the way he did at Kentucky, but Calipari will sign great talent.
Borzello: Calipari can win a national championship at Arkansas. Everything is in place to consistently compete at the top of the SEC and push for Final Four berths. Musselman didn’t quite have the regular-season success to match, but he had the Razorbacks within a game of the Final Four in back-to-back years. The key for Calipari is whether he will change his outlook on roster construction. He’ll be able to recruit at a high level in Fayetteville, but Calipari can’t continue to build with only one or two transfers. There has to be a mix of high schoolers and veterans, and he’ll have the NIL budget to build a roster in that way.
Is the move good or bad for Kentucky?
Medcalf: That’s a complicated question. Calipari had the flair (and hint of arrogance), personality and experience to handle the demands of a rabid fan base that craved the success he had brought in his first six seasons — including a national title. It’s a unique role, one only Rick Pitino and Calipari have excelled in over the past 30 years. There is no clear successor who can continue to attract five-star recruits and future NBA stars. The new coach also will have to endure the expectations of a fan base that hasn’t witnessed a national title run since 2012 but still expects to compete for a championship every season.
Borzello: It’s going to be hard to answer this right now. While Calipari’s buyout was the biggest impediment to firing the Hall of Fame coach, the lack of a natural replacement was second on the list. Most of the logical successors either have huge buyouts or won’t make the move. If Kentucky has to dip down into its second- or third-tier candidate pool, it might not be a great move for the Wildcats.
How will the move affect the SEC?
Medcalf: It depends in part on the dominoes. Will Kentucky target Alabama’s Nate Oats? Or will the Wildcats chase former Villanova coach Jay Wright or UConn’s Dan Hurley? Either way, Kentucky won’t settle for a subpar candidate. On the flip side, Arkansas, which hasn’t won the SEC since 2000, is certainly in a new tier with this hiring. Overall, a league that will soon add Oklahoma and Texasprobably will improve.
Borzello: It’s landscape-shifting. As Myron mentioned, the dominoes falling will have an impact. But this isn’t just about Kentucky and what it does from here. This immediately vaults Arkansas into the upper crust of the national conversation — and therefore the SEC conversation. The Razorbacks suddenly have title-contending expectations every season. Kentucky will always have those, but the Wildcats might not be the biggest story in the league during the 2024-25 season.
Medcalf: Again, there are no simple answers here. But Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart should pull up to Monday’s national title game and ask Hurley for the amount of money it would take to lure him to Lexington — even though Hurley is happy in Storrs, Connecticut. Oats would make sense, but he has an $18 million buyout. Wright doesn’t seem too interested in leaving TV to return to coaching. If those options all fall through, Kentucky won’t have an obvious target. That said, the Wildcats don’t owe Calipari his $33 million buyout because he left, so they have the financial backing to go shopping.
Borzello: There are huge obstacles to hire most of the names who would theoretically be the top targets. I don’t think Hurley would go from UConn to Kentucky, especially if he wins another national title on Monday night. Does the Chicago Bulls’ Billy Donovan really want to coach in college again? Does Wright want to coach at all again? Oats has a huge buyout. Iowa State’s T.J. Otzelberger has a huge buyout. Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd just signed a new contract. Auburn’s Bruce Pearl has had similar NCAA tournament struggles in recent years. Baylor’s Scott Drew is probably the most realistic target, and he just turned down Louisville. Whether Kentucky can hire — or at least try to hire — Drew will likely be determined by the buyout in Drew’s new deal.
Kentucky’s John Calipari on being a National Champion
John Calipari’s Kentucky program isn’t just No. 1 in the country. It’s the hottest program since UCLA used to win it all every year. (Getty Images) The conventional thinking is that John Calipari won a national title because he went to Kentucky. However, when he left Memphis he had the best recruiting class in the […]
One Shining Moment 2012 HD Everything you will read below by Dan Wetzel is true, but it all started when Derrick Rose was taken first in the NBA draft after spending one year under Calipari at Memphis. John Calipari stuggled to recruit top players to Memphis the first 4 years he was there because the […]
Kansas will build a good lead going inside of two minutes and then Kentucky will hit some big shots and Kansas will miss some key free throws as Calipari’s Wildcats squeeze out a victory. I do think it will be dramatic and it will be totally opposite of what happened to Calipari’s team in 2008. […]
Enlarge John Calipari address the press on his first day as Kentucky basketball coach. John Calipari stuggled to recruit top players to Memphis the first 4 years he was there because the “one and done” rule had not been put into place yet and many of the talented recruits of his skipped college and […]
#1 Kansas vs #1 Memphis National Championship 2008 (Part 3) The paths of Self and Calipari cross for championship By Kory Carpenter Sunday, April 1, 2012 More New Orleans, La. — Bill Self’s start in coaching is probably well known by now. A guard on the Oklahoma State basketball team, he worked at a Kansas […]
Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) Kentucky vs. Kansas: Bill Self a Fitting Final Obstacle to John Calipari’s Title By Josh Martin (Featured Columnist) on April 2, 2012 Stacy Revere/Getty Images The long and winding road to an NCAA Tournament title has led John Calipari back to Bill Self‘s door. […]
Memphis Tigers John Calipari Interview 2008 Basketball Final FOX Sports Exclusive Calipari, Self more than just recruiters NEW ORLEANS There is an inherent silliness to a profession like the one that has made rich men of John Calipari and Bill Self. They spend months, even years, burning thousands of gallons of jet fuel and […]
Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) The same matchup as 2008 coming tonight. Is John Calipari truly the villain against Bill Self? Rob Dauster Apr 1, 2012, 3:20 PM EDT Leave a comment Over the coming two days, one of the story lines that will be the most intriguing to follow is […]
Memphis’ epic collapse at the end of the ’08 title game opened the door for a Kansas championship. (AP photo) Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) #1 Kansas vs #1 Memphis National Championship 2008 (Part 1) After the collapse in the last 2 minutes of the game by Memphis, Kansas went […]
Memphis Tigers John Calipari Interview 2008 Basketball Final Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) Knoxnews.com reported: Calipari (and Kentucky) get Kansas again for title NANCY ARMOUR – AP National Writer (AP) Posted April 1, 2012 at 12:18 a.m., updated April 1, 2012 at 3:04 a.m NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Well, this […]
_____ Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) What happened last time Calipari and Self faced each other in a national championship game? KMBC reported: San Antonio, TX — (Sports Network) – Mario Chalmers hit the tying three-pointer with 2.1 seconds left in regulation and Kansas rallied from a nine-point deficit late […]
Kansas vs. Memphis – 2008 NCAA Title Game Highlights (HD) Associated Press breaks down second national championship game between Calipari and Self: NEW ORLEANS (AP) A look at Monday night’s national championship game: KENTUCKY (37-2) vs. KANSAS (32-6) KENTUCKY ROAD TO THE TITLE GAME No. 1 Kentucky beat No. 16 Western Kentucky 81-65; No. 8 […]
Picture BY CHRIS WARE Today I read an article by Jerry Tipton that quoted John Calipari using the Buddhist term “karma” and it got me thinking about what his religious views are. Here an excerpt from the Lexington paper that got me thinking this morning: On several occasions this season, Kentucky Coach John Calipari counseled fans not […]
Seth Davis discusses the question: “Did Pitino help Calipari get UMass job?” Published on Mar 27, 2012 by CBSSports CBS Sports Network college basketball analyst Seth Davis joined the Tim Brando Show to break down the matchup between Kentucky’s John Calipari and Louisville’s Rick Pitino as they prepare to face off this Saturday in New […]
John Calipari Pre-Louisville Press Conference Uploaded by uknationofblue on Mar 27, 2012 Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari talks about the upcoming game with Louisville in the Final 4. ______ Related posts: Calipari’s been to 4 final fours and his record is 1-3 so far March 26, 2012 – 9:35 am > Kentucky Wildcats head coach […]
Over and over in the 2012 NCAA Tournament the Louisville Cardinals have been counted out. Now John Clay has counted them out again. (Wally Hall of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette is picking Kentucky.) The tables are now turned. Calipari’s program has the advantage in tradition, fan base and, in this case, talent. To whom much is […]
> Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari celebrated with the team after the University of Kentucky defeated Baylor University in the NCAA South Regional final played in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga., Sunday, March 25, 2012. This is second half action. UK won 82-70. Charles Bertram | Staff HERALD-LEADER Buy Photo Calipari is going […]
We came close to get two in but only Kentucky got in. Calipari’s wife and son can be seen in this picture below: > Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari hugged his son, Bradley, and his wife Ellen after the University of Kentucky defeated Baylor University in the NCAA South Regional final played […]
(This is the fifth blog post in a series looking back at my history on this earth, and some of the significant people who have influenced me, and the previous blog posts were entitled
Got some bad news on 11-17-23 that my PET SCAN found a lot of cancer in my liver too which puts me in stage 4 pancreatic cancer and a life expectancy of 6 months and with possible success from chemotherapy treatments my life may be extended up to 2 years with 5% chance of 5 years. Need all the prayer partners I can get so feel free to tell others!!!
THIS SONG PUTS A PROPER PERSPECTIVE ON HOW OUR EVERYDAY CHRISTIAN LIVES SOULD BE LIVED WITH OUR PRAYERS WITHOUT CEASING AND DEPENDING ON GOD AND I HOPE TO LIVE THAT WAY THE REST OF MY LIFE!!!!
Phil Wickham – Battle Belongs (Official Music Video)
“Battle Belongs” is a song by American contemporary Christian musician Phil Wickham. The song was released on September 4, 2020,[1] as the lead single to his eighth studio album, Hymn of Heaven (2021). The song impacted Christian radioon October 16, 2020.[2] Wickham co-wrote the song with Brian Johnson,[3] and collaborated with Jonathan Smith in the production of the single.
On September 4, 2020, Phil Wickham released “Battle Belongs” as a single.[6] Wickham shared the story behind the song,[7] saying:
One of my favorite stories in all of scripture comes from 2 Chronicles 20. It’s a story of this huge army that is amassed to come against the people of God. And when the people of God and their king, Jehoshaphathear this horde coming their way, they freak out. They literally come to God and say, ‘We are powerless against this army but our eyes are on you, God. Show us what to do.’ And God responds to them. His spirit comes upon this Levite man and through the Levite man, God says, ‘Do not be afraid or dismayed for the battle is not yours, but it is God’s. You will not have to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf.’ So much so that instead of sending their army into the front lines, they sent their worshippers into the front lines. The holy men in their robes started singing give thanks to the Lord for His steadfast love endures forever. And you know what happened to the other army as they heard the singing? They freaked out. They were routed. They started turning on each other to the point where the scriptures say not one of them was left alive. God moved on behalf of His people and God is still moving and battling on behalf of His people.
When all I see is the battle, You see my victory When all I see is the mountain, You see a mountain moved And as I walk through the shadow, Your love surrounds me There’s nothing to fear now for I am safe with You
So when I fight, I’ll fight on my knees With my hands lifted high Oh God, the battle belongs to You And every fear I lay at Your feet I’ll sing through the night Oh God, the battle belongs to You
And if You are for me, who can be against me? Yeah For Jesus, there’s nothing impossible for You When all I see are the ashes, You see the beauty Thank You God When all I see is a cross, God, You see the empty tomb
So when I fight, I’ll fight on my knees With my hands lifted high Oh God, the battle belongs to You And every fear I lay at Your feet I’ll sing through the night Oh God, the battle belongs to You
Almighty fortress, You go before us Nothing can stand against the power of our God You shine in the shadow, You win every battle Nothing can stand against the power of our God
An almighty fortress, You go before us Nothing can stand against the power of our God You shine in the shadow, You win every battle Nothing can stand against the power of our God
An almighty fortress, You go before us Nothing can stand against the power of our God You shine in the shadows, You win every battle Nothing can stand against the power of our God
So when I fight, I’ll fight on my knees With my hands lifted high Oh God, the battle belongs to You And every fear I lay at Your feet I’ll sing through the night Oh God, the battle belongs to You
Phil Wickham – Hymn Of Heaven (Official Music Video)
——
How I long to breathe the air of Heaven
Where pain is gone and mercy fills the streets To look upon the One who bled to save me And walk with Him for all eternity
There will be a day when all will bow before Him There will be a day when death will be no more Standing face to face with He who died and rose again Holy, holy is the Lord
And every prayer we prayed in desperation The songs of faith we sang through doubt and fear In the end, we’ll see that it was worth it When He returns to wipe away our tears
Oh, there will be a day when all will bow before Him There will be a day when death will be no more Standing face to face with He who died and rose again Holy, holy is the Lord
And on that day, we join the resurrection And stand beside the heroes of the faith With one voice, a thousand generations Sing, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain”
And on that day, we join the resurrection And stand beside the heroes of the faith With one voice, a thousand generations Sing, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain” “Forever He shall reign”
So let it be today we shout the hymn of Heaven With angels and the saints, we raise a mighty roar Glory to our God who gave us life beyond the grave Holy, holy is the Lord
So let it be today we shout the hymn of Heaven With angels and the saints, we raise a mighty roar Glory to our God who gave us life beyond the grave Holy, holy is the Lord
Andrews grew up in Wilson, North Carolina, where she started singing when she was six years old.[4]She attended Wilson Christian Academy, where she graduated. Andrews later attended college at Liberty University in Virginia.[4] Though she was born an only child, her parents served as foster parents to many children while she was growing up, three of whom later were adopted by her parents.[5]In 2011, Andrews won two Dove Awards, “Worship Song of the Year” for “How Great Is the Love” from As Long As It Takes and “Praise and Worship album of the Year” for As Long As It Takes.[2][3] On July 31, 2012, Andrews released a new single “Not For a Moment (After All)” on iTunes.[6] It has now been featured in the top 20 songs of 2013.[citation needed]Before taking off as a solo artist, Andrews was a worship leader with Vertical Worship at Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago.[7] Since 2016 she and her family reside in Nashville while she released the album Deeper.[8] Andrews married Jacob Sooter and together they have three children.[9]
You are called to go Keith’s concerts were evangelistic and exhortational. He was the Lecrae of the 70’s. Here is what he has to say about the great commission:
“The world isn’t being won today because we’re not doing it. It’s our fault. This generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of souls on the earth. And no where in the world is the gospel so plentiful as here in the United States. No where. And I don’t want to see us stand before God on that day ans say, ‘but God I didn’t hear you call me.’ Here is something for all you to chew on, you don’t need to hear a call, you’re already called. In fact, if you stay home from going into all nations you had better be able to say to God, ‘You called me to stay home God, I know that as a fact.'”
Keith Green – Asleep In The Light (live)
Uploaded on May 26, 2008
Keith Green performing “Asleep In The Light” live at Jesus West Coast ’82
Keith Green was an intense and radical man of God. He was taken from this Earth at a relatively young age. His legacy lives on through his music and his sermons. This video is about his life.
My favorite Christian music artist of all time is Keith Green. Sunday, May 5, 2013 You Are Celled To Go – Keith Green Keith Green – (talks about) Jesus Commands Us To Go! (live) Uploaded on May 26, 2008 Keith Green talks about “Jesus Commands Us To Go!” live at Jesus West Coast ’82 You can find […]
Keith Green – So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt (live) Uploaded by monum on May 25, 2008 Keith Green performing “So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt” live at West Coast 1980 ____________ This song really shows Keith’s humor, but it really has great message. Keith also had a great newsletter that went out […]
Keith Green – So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt (live) Uploaded by monum on May 25, 2008 Keith Green performing “So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt” live at West Coast 1980 ____________ This song really shows Keith’s humor, but it really has great message. Keith also had a great newsletter that went out […]
Keith Green – So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt (live) Uploaded by monum on May 25, 2008 Keith Green performing “So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt” live at West Coast 1980 ____________ This song really shows Keith’s humor, but it really has great message. Keith also had a great newsletter that went out […]
Keith Green – So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt (live) Uploaded by monum on May 25, 2008 Keith Green performing “So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt” live at West Coast 1980 ____________ This song really shows Keith’s humor, but it really has great message. Keith also had a great newsletter that went out […]
Keith Green – Easter Song (live) Uploaded by monum on May 25, 2008 Keith Green performing “Easter Song” live from The Daisy Club — LA (1982) ____________________________ Keith Green was a great song writer and performer. Here is his story below: The Lord had taken Keith from concerts of 20 or less — to stadiums […]
Keith Green – Asleep In The Light Uploaded by keithyhuntington on Jul 23, 2006 keith green performing Asleep In The Light at Jesus West Coast 1982 __________________________ Keith Green was a great song writer and performer and the video clip above includes my favorite Keith Green song. Here is his story below: “I repent of […]
Keith Green – Your Love Broke Through Here is something I got off the internet and this website has lots of Keith’s great songs: Keith Green: His Music, Ministry, and Legacy My mom hung up the phone and broke into tears. She had just heard the news of Keith Green’s death. I was only ten […]
The Keith Green Story pt 7/7 I remember when I first Keith Green. He had a great impact on me. Below are some quotes on Keith: Quotes “It’s time to quit playing church and start being the Church (Matt. 18:20)” — Keith Green, as quoted by Melody Green in the introduction to A Cry […]
The Keith Green Story pt 6/7 When I first heard Keith Green in 1978 it had a major impact on my life. Below is his story: LEGEND Keith Green CBN.com – When musician Keith Green died in a plane crash on July 28, 1982, the world lost a special man whose heart was aflame […]
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in New York, September 25, 2016 (Kobi Gideon/GPO)
———
In this handout photo provided by the Israeli Government Press Office, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets former U.S. President Bill Clinton, on November 8, 2010 in New York City. | Getty
BIBI AND OBAMA DISAGREED ON PALESTINIAN QUESTION!!!
We had a policy clash. Though our personalities were decidedly different in many respects, it was noted by some commentators that in one sense they were oddly similar. We both tended to the cerebral, and we came to politics to realize ideological convictions, viewing political power as a means to achieving our ends. But given our ideological divide, we differed sharply on what those ends should be. We clearly differed on the Palestinian issue, which Obama viewed through the distorted prism of the Palestinian narrative. He truly believed the Jews of Israel were neocolonials usurping the land from native Arab inhabitants, when the facts not only of ancient history but of modern times showed that things were the other way around. The Palestinian Arabs joined five Arab armies in their attempt in 1948 to uproot the Jews from their ancestral homeland and since then opposed any arrangement that would leave the Jewish state in place. In the extreme, Obama’s espousal of the Palestinian narrative manifested itself not only in flawed policy but also in personal attacks. He disregarded our history and disrespected Israel’s elected leader, who dared to disagree with him. I doubt that he applied the language and tactics he used against me to many, if any, other world leaders. In this I differed from him. No matter how deep the disagreement, I tried as best I could to avoid showing personal disrespect to democratically elected leaders.
Nine Senate Republicans, led by Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., demand that the Biden administration refreeze $6 billion intended for Iran, following Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel. Pictured: Blackburn listens at a July 19 press conference at the Capitol. (Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Senate Republicans called Tuesday for the Biden administration to refreeze $6 billion in Iranian funds amid the Israel-Hamas war, citing indications that Iran helped Hamas plan its Oct. 7 terrorist attack on the Jewish state.
“You can’t be pro-Israel and pro-Iran,” Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., said.
“Joe Biden is the most pro-Iranian president we’ve ever had,” Marshall said. “Think about it. It goes way beyond the $6 billion we are talking about. Under this administration, the Iranian oil reserves went from $6 billion to $60 billion. How come? Since the moment [President] Joe Biden got into office, he turned his head to the [economic] sanctions we’ve had.”
Marshall was among nine GOP senators, led by Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, who gathered Tuesday on Capitol Hill to demand that the Biden administration refreeze the $6 billion used as ransom for five American hostages held by Iran. That amount was to be released after being frozen under U.S. sanctions; the deal also included U.S. release of Iranian prisoners.
Blackburn and the other Senate Republicans spoke at a press conference called one day before Biden is set to arrive in Israel to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Also Wednesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is set to hold a confirmation hearing for Jacob Lew, a former treasury secretary in the Obama administration who Biden nominated to be ambassador to Israel.
For his part, Biden denounced Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel and compared the terrorist group to the Islamic State, a terrorist army also known as ISIS. Biden administration officials have insisted that Iranians have yet to get any of the $6 billion.
However, Marshall said the anticipated access to the $6 billion was likely enough for the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism.
“I have a hunch the moment the Biden administration unfroze the $6 billion was the signal moment when the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard told Hamas, ‘Let’s go forward with this plan we’ve had going,’” Marshall said.
Blackburn said senators learned Biden’s trip to Israel was intentionally not announced until Secretary of State Antony Blinken received assurances from Netanyahu on a humanitarian aid package for Palestinians displaced by the war as the Israel Defense Force prepares to move into the Gaza Strip.
“The U.S. should not be placing conditions on our support for Israel because of demands made by the Squad,” Blackburn said, referring to a far-left group of pro-Palestinian House members that includes Reps. Illhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.
The Tennessee Republican said the United States also learned that Hamas accessed United Nations funding for Palestinian humanitarian relief, aid backed by U.S. tax dollars.
Blackburn warned about the dangers to the United States.
“As long as Biden allows our border to be open, an attack on our own soil isn’t a matter of if. It’s a matter of when,” Blackburn said. “Protecting our homeland and preventing Hamas sympathizers from entering our country is paramount, and the egregious actions of Hamas must not go unpunished.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., suggested U.S. intervention in the Hamas-Israel conflict.
“Not only should we cut off the money, we should put on the table that if there is a second front opened against Israel by Hezbollah, [which] has 100,000 precision-guided rockets pointed at Israel, if that happens, there will not be a two-front war, there will be a three-front war,” Graham said.
“There is either going to be one front or three fronts. I’m begging the Biden administration to be clear. Just don’t say ‘Don’t,’” the South Carolina Reopublican said, referring to President Joe Biden’s recent warning to Hezbollah and other potential combatants not to join the conflict.
“Spell out what happens if Hezbollah is used to try to expand this war and destroy Israel,” Graham told reporters. “I believe the people behind me would rise to the occasion and I hope the people on the other side would rise to the occasion if this war escalates.”
Have an opinion about this article? To sound off, please email letters@DailySignal.com, and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state.
The Bible and Archaeology – Is the Bible from God? (Kyle Butt 42 min)
We live in a world that, for the most part, has no absolute standard for life and behavior. We are under a system of morality by majority vote—in other words, whatever feels right sets the standard for behavior.
That philosophy, however, runs contrary to everything we know about our world. For example, in science there are absolutes. Our entire universe is built on fixed laws. We can send satellites and other spacecraft into space and accurately predict their behavior. Science—whether biology, botany, physiology, astronomy, mathematics, or engineering—is controlled by unalterable and inviolable laws.
Yet in the moral world many people want to live without laws or absolutes. They try to determine their points of reference from their own minds. However, that is impossible. When we move from the physical to the spiritual realm, fixed laws still exist. We cannot exist without laws in the moral and spiritual dimensions of life any more than we can do so in the physical dimension. Our Creator built morality into life. Just as there are physical laws, so there are spiritual laws. Let me give you an example.
People have asked me whether I believe that AIDS is the judgment of God. My response is that AIDS is the judgment of God in the same sense that cirrhosis of the liver is the judgment of God or that emphysema is the judgment of God. If you drink alcohol, you’re liable to get cirrhosis of the liver. If you smoke, you’re liable to get emphysema or heart disease. And if you choose to violate God’s standards for morality, you’re likely to contract venereal disease—even AIDS. It is a law that the Bible describes in terms of sowing and reaping.
We can explain this principle in another illustration. Gravity is a fixed law. You may choose not to believe in gravity, but regardless of what you choose to believe, if you jump off a building you’ll fall to the ground. You don’t have an option. It’s not a question of what you believe; it’s a question of law. The law will go into effect when you put it to the test. That is true in any other area of physical law.
The same thing is true in the moral and spiritual dimension. To segment life into a physical dimension in which fixed laws cannot be violated and a moral or spiritual dimension in which laws can be violated is an impossible dichotomization. The same God who controls the physical world by fixed laws controls the moral and spiritual world.
Where, then, do you find the laws of morality? How do you determine what is right and what is wrong? Has our Creator revealed such standards to mankind in a way we can understand?
The Bible claims to be the revelation of God to man. Although I have spent many years of my life studying the Bible, I wasn’t always committed to it. That commitment developed after my freshman year in col lege, when I came to grips with my life and future and wanted to know the source of truth. I discovered several compelling reasons for believing that the Bible is God’s Word. Five basic areas, which go from the lesser to the greater, help prove its authenticity.
The Authenticity of the Bible
Experience
First, the Bible is true because it gives us the experience it claims it will. For example, the Bible says God will forgive our sin (1 John 1:9). I believe that, and I can truly say that I have a sense of freedom from guilt. The Bible also says that “if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17 ). That’s what happened to me when I came to Jesus Christ. The Bible changes lives. Someone has said that a Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t. That’s true because the Bible can put lives together. Millions of people all over the world are living proof that that is true. Maybe you know one or two of them. They’ve experienced the Bible’s power.
That’s an acceptable argument in one sense, but it’s weak in another. If you base everything you believe on experience, you’re going to run into trouble. Followers of Muhammad, Buddha, and Hare Krishna can point to various experiences as the basis for their beliefs, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that their beliefs are correct. So although experience can help validate the power and authority of the Bible, we will need more evidence.
Science
The Bible also presents a most plausible, objective understanding of the universe and the existence of life. It presents a God who creates. That makes more sense than believing that everything came out of nothing, which is essentially what the theory of evolution says. I have an easier time assuming that someone produced everything. And the Bible tells me who that someone is: God.
The study of creation helps explain how the earth’s geology became the way it is. The Bible tells of a supernatural creation that took place in six days and of a catastrophic worldwide flood. These two events help explain many geological and other scientific questions, some of which we will soon explore.
You will find that the Bible is accurate when it intersects with modern scientific concepts. For example, Isaiah 40:26 says it is God who creates the universe. He holds the stars together by His power and not one of them is ever missing. In this way the Bible suggests the first law of thermodynamics—that ultimately nothing is ever destroyed.
We read in Ecclesiastes 1:10: “Is there anything of which one might say, ‘See this, it is new’?” The answer immediately follows: “Already it has existed for ages which were before us.” Ancient writers of the Bible, thousands of years before the laws of thermodynamics had been categorically stated, were affirming the conservation of mass and energy.
The second law of thermodynamics states that although mass and energy are always conserved, they nevertheless are breaking down and going from order to disorder, from cosmos to chaos, from system to non-system. The Bible, contrary to the theory of evolution, affirms that. As matter breaks down and energy dissipates, ultimately the world and universe as we know it will become dead. It will be unable to reproduce itself. Romans 8 says that all creation groans because of its curse, which is described at the beginning of the Bible (Genesis 3). That curse—and God’s plan to reverse the curse—is reflected throughout biblical teaching.
The science of hydrology studies the cycle of water, which consists of three major phases: evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Clouds move over the land and drop water through precipitation. The rain runs into creeks, the creeks run into streams, the streams run into the sea, and the evaporation process takes place all the way along the path. That same process is described in Scripture. Ecclesiastes 1 and Isaiah 55 present the entire water cycle: “All the rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again” (Ecclesiastes 1:7). “For . . . the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth” (Isaiah 55:10). Also, Job 36:27-28 speaks of evaporation and condensation—centuries prior to any scientific discovery of the process: “He [God] draws up the drops of water, they distill rain from the mist, which the clouds pour down, they drip upon man abundantly.”
In the 1500s, when Copernicus first presented the idea that the earth was in motion, people were astounded. They previously believed that the earth was a flat disc and that if you went through the Pillars of Hercules at the Rock of Gibraltar you’d fall off the edge. In the seventeenth century, men like Kepler and Galileo gave birth to modern astronomy. Prior to that, the universe was generally thought to contain only about one thousand stars, which was the number that had been counted.
However, in Genesis, the first book of the Bible, the number of the stars of heaven is equated with the number of grains of sand on the seashore. God told Abraham, “I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is on the seashore” ( 22:17 ). Jeremiah 33:22says that the stars can’t be counted. Again God is speaking: “As the host of heaven cannot be counted, and the sand of the sea cannot be measured, so I will multiply the descendants of David.” Today several million stars have been cataloged, though hundreds of millions remain unlisted.
The oldest book in the Bible, the Book of Job, pre-dates Christ by about two thousand years. YetJob 26:7 says, “He hangs the earth on nothing.” In the sacred books of other religions you may read that the earth is on the backs of elephants that produce earthquakes when they shake. The cosmogony of Greek mythology is at about the same level of sophistication. But the Bible is in a completely different class. It says, “He . . . hangs the earth on nothing” (emphasis added).
Job also says that the earth is “turned like the clay to the seal” (38:14, KJV*). In those days, soft clay was used for writing and a seal was used for applying one’s signature. One kind of seal was a hollow cylinder of hardened clay with a signature raised on it. A stick went through it so that it could be rolled like a rolling pin. The writer could, therefore, roll his signature across the soft clay and in that way sign his name. In saying the earth is turned like the clay to the seal, Job may have implied that it rotates on its axis. The Hebrew word translated “earth” (hug) refers to a sphere.
It’s also interesting to note that the earth maintains a perfect balance. If you’ve ever seen a basketball that’s out of balance, you know that it rotates unevenly. You can imagine what would happen if the earth were like that. The earth is a perfect sphere, and it is perfectly balanced. The depths of the sea have to be balanced with the height of the mountains. The branch of science that studies that balance is called isostasy. In Isaiah 40:12, centuries before science even conceived of this phenomenon, Isaiah said that God “has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and marked off the heavens by the span, and calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, and weighed the mountains in a balance, and the hills in a pair of scales.”
English philosopher Herbert Spencer, who died in 1903, was famous for applying scientific discoveries to philosophy. He listed five knowable categories in the natural sciences: time, force, motion, space, and matter. However, Genesis 1:1, the first verse in the Bible, says, “In the beginning [time] God [force] created [motion] the heavens [space] and the earth [matter].” God laid it all out in the very first verse of Scripture.
The Bible truly is the revelation of God to mankind. He wants us to know about Him and the world He created. Although the Bible does not contain scientific terminology, it is amazingly accurate whenever it happens to refer to scientific truth. But someone might say, “Wait a minute. The Old Testament says that the sun once stood still, and if that happened, the sun didn’t really stand still; the earth stopped revolving.” Yes, but that statement is based on the perception of someone on earth. When you got up this morning, you didn’t look east and say, “What a lovely earth rotation!” From your perspective, you saw a sunrise. And because you permit yourself to do that, you must permit Scripture to do that as well.
Miracles
A third evidence for the authenticity of the Bible is its miracles. We would expect to read of those in a revelation from God Himself, who by definition is supernatural. Miracles are a supernatural alteration of the natural world—a great way to get man’s attention.
The Bible includes supportive information to establish the credibility of the miracles it records. For example, Scripture says that after Jesus had risen from the dead more than five hundred people saw Him alive (1 Corinthians 15:6). That would be enough witnesses to convince any jury. The miraculous nature of the Bible demonstrates the involvement of God. But to believe the miracles, we must take the Bible at its word. So to further validate its authenticity we must take another step and consider its incredible ability to predict the future.
Prophecy
There is no way to explain the Bible’s ability to predict the future unless we see God as its Author. For example, the Old Testament contains more than three hundred references to the Messiah of Israel that were preciselyfulfilled by JesusChrist (Christ isthe Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah).
Peter Stoner, a scientist in the area of mathematical probabilities, said in his book Science Speaks that if we take just eight of the Old Testament prophecies Christ fulfilled, we find that the probability of their coming to pass is one in 1017. He illustrates that staggering amount this way:
We take 1017 silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas . They will cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly. . . . Blindfold a man and tell him he must pick up one silver dollar. . . . What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them come true in any one man. ([ Chicago : Moody, 1963], 100-107)
And Jesus fulfilled hundreds more than just eight prophecies!
The Bible includes many other prophecies as well. For example, the Bible predicted that a man named Cyrus would be born, would rise to power in the Middle East, and would release the Jewish people from captivity (Isaiah 44:28—45:7). Approximately 150 years later, Cyrus the Great became king of Persia and released the Jews. No man could have known that would happen; only God could.
In Ezekiel 26 God says through the prophet that the Phoenician city of Tyre would be destroyed, specifying that a conqueror would come in and wipe out the city. He said that the city would be scraped clean and that the rubble left on the city’s surface would be thrown into the ocean. The prophecy ended by saying that men would dry their fishnets there and that the city would never be rebuilt.
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon laid siege to Tyre three years after the prophecy was given. When he broke down the gates, he found the city almost empty. The Phoenicians were navigators and colonizers of the ancient world; they had taken their boats and sailed to an island a half mile offshore. They had reestablished their city on the island during the years of siege. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city on the mainland, but since he didn’t have a navy, he was unable to do anything about the island city of Tyre . This left the prophecy partially unfulfilled.
About 250 years later Alexander the Great came into the area of Tyre needing supplies for his eastern campaign. He sent word to the residents of the island city, but they refused his request. They believed they were safe from attack on the island. Alexander was so infuriated at their response that he and his army picked up the rubble that was left from Nebuchadnezzar’s devastation of the mainland city and threw it into the sea. They used it to build a causeway, which allowed them to march to the island and destroy the city. That exactly fulfilled what Ezekiel had predicted hundreds of years previously.
If you travel to the site of Tyre today, you’ll see fishermen there drying their nets. The city was never rebuilt. Peter Stoner said that the probability of all the details of that prophecy happening by chance is one in 75million.
The Assyrian city of Nineveh is another example. It was one of the most formidable ancient cities, which reached its apex during the seventh century b.c. Yet the prophet Nahum predicted that it would soon be wiped out. He said an overflowing river would crush the gates and that the city would be destroyed (Nahum 1:8; 2:6).
In those days when people walled in their cities, they tended to build gates down into the rivers nearby. The water could flow through the bars of the gates and keep out intruders. In the case of Nineveh , a great storm came and flooded the river, carrying away a vital part of the city walls. That permitted besieging Medes and Babylonians to enter the city and destroy it, just as the prophet predicted.
The Life of Christ
Additional evidence for the authenticity of the Bible is Christ Himself. As we have already seen, He fulfilled many detailed prophecies and did many miracles. It is important to note that He also believed in the authority of the Bible. In Matthew 5:18 He says, “Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished.”
If you would like to read more about the life of Christ and other evidences for the Bible’s reliability, try Evidence That Demands a Verdict, by Josh McDowell (Here’s Life Publishers).
The Power of the Bible
The Bible is an amazing book. It’s amazing in that it stands up to many tests of authenticity. But beyond that, it’s particularly amazing when looked at from a spiritual and moral perspective.
The Bible claims to be alive and powerful. That’s a tremendous statement. I have never read any other living book. There are some books that change your thinking, but this is the only book that can change your nature. This is the only book that can totally transform you from the inside out.
There’s a section in Psalm 19 that is Scripture’s own testimony to itself. This is what it says:
The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. (vv. 7-9)
Let’s look at each aspect separately.
The Bible Is “Perfect”
First, “the law of the Lord” is a Hebrew term used to define Scripture. Psalm 19 specifies that it is “perfect”—a comprehensive treatment of truth that is able to transform the soul. The Hebrew word translated “soul”(nepesh) refers to the total person. It meansthe real you—not your body but what is inside. So the truths in Scripture can totally transform a person.
You may say, “I’m not interested in being transformed.” Then you probably aren’t interested in the Bible. The Bible is for people who have some sense of desperation about where they are. It is for people who don’t have the purpose in their lives they wish they had. They’re not sure where they are, where they came from, or where they’re going. There are things in their lives they wish they could change. They wish they weren’t driven by passions they can’t control; that they weren’t victims of circumstance; that they didn’t have so much pain in life; that their relationships were all they ought to be; that they could think more clearly about things that matter in their lives. That’s who this book is for: people who don’t have all the answers and who want something better.
The Bible says that the key to this transformation is the Lord Jesus Christ. God came into the world in the form of Christ. He died on a cross to pay the penalty for your sins and mine, and rose again to conquer death. He now lives and comes into the lives of those who acknowledge Him as their Lord and Savior, transforming them into the people God means for them to be. If you’re content with the way you are, you’re not going to look to the Word of God for a way to change. But if you’re aware of your guilt, if you want to get rid of your anxiety and the patterns of life that desperately need to be changed, if you have some emptiness in your heart, if there’s some longing that has never been satisfied, and if there are some answers you just can’t seem to find, then you’re just the person who needs to look into the Word of God to determine if it can do what it says it can. It can transform you completely through the power of Christ, the One who died and rose again for you.
The Bible Is “Sure”
Second, Psalm 19 says that the Scripture is “sure”—absolute, trustworthy, reliable—”making wise the simple.” The Hebrew word translated “simple” comes from a root that speaks of an open door. Ancient Jewish people described a person with a simple mind as someone with a head like an open door: everything comes in; everything goes out. He doesn’t know what to keep out and what to keep in. He’s indiscriminate, totally naive, and unable to evaluate truth. He doesn’t have any standards by which to make a judgment.
The Bible says it is able to make such a person wise. Wisdom to the Jew was the skill of daily living. To the Greek it was sheer sophistry—an abstraction. So when the Hebrew text says it can make a simple person wise, it means it can take the uninitiated, naive, uninstructed, undiscerning person and make him skilled in every aspect of daily living.
The Bible touches every area of life, including relationships, marriage, the work ethic, and factors of the human mind and motivation. It tells you about attitudes, reactions, responses, how to treat people, how you’re to be treated by people, how to cultivate virtue in your life—every aspect of living is covered in the pages of the Bible.
How does the Bible transform one’s life? It does so when you read it and Commit your life to Jesus Christ, the Teacher and the Author of Scripture. He comes to live in you and applies the truth of the Word to your life.
The Bible Is “Right”
Third, the Word of God—called “the precepts of the Lord—is right. In Hebrew, that means it sets out a right path or lays out a right track. And the result is joy to the heart.
I look back at times in my own life when I didn’t know what direction to go, what my future was, or what my career ought to be. Then I began to study God’s Word and submit myself to His Spirit. Then God laid out the path for me. As I’ve walked in that path, I’ve experienced joy, happiness, and blessing. In fact, I find so much satisfaction in life that people sometimes believe something’s wrong with me. Even difficulty brings satisfaction, because it creates a way in which God can show Himself faithful. Even unhappiness is a source of happiness. In John 16, Jesus compares the disciples’ sorrow at His leaving to the pain of a woman having a baby. There’s joy through any circumstance. I know you want a happy life. I know you want peace, joy, meaning, and purpose. I know you want the fullness of life that everybody seeks. The Bible says, “[Happy] are those who hear the word of God and observe it” (Luke 11:28). Why? Because God blesses their faithfulness and obedience. You can have a happy life without sin, without sex outside of marriage, without drugs, and without alcohol. God is not a cosmic killjoy. He made you. He knows how you operate best. And He knows what makes you happy. The happiness He gives doesn’t stop when the party’s over. It lasts because it comes from deep within.
The Bible Is “Pure”
Fourth, the psalmist says the Word of God is pure, enlightening the eyes. The simplest Christian knows a lot of things that many scholarly people don’t know. Because I know the Bible, some things are clear to me that aren’t clear to others.
The autobiography of English philosopher Bertrand Russell, written near the end of his life, implies that philosophy was something of a washout to him. That’s shocking. He spent his life musing on reality, but was not able to define it. I don’t believe I’m Russell’s equal intellectually, but I do know the Word of God. Scripture enlightens the eyes, particularly concerning the dark things of life, such as death, disease, tragic events, and the devastation of the world. Scripture deals with the tough issues of life.
I can go to a Christian who is facing death and see joy in his heart. My grandmother died when she was ninety-three years old. She was lying in bed, and the nurse told her it was time to get up. My grandmother said, “No, I’m not getting up today.” When the nurse asked why, my grandmother said, “I love Jesus, and I’m going to heaven today, so don’t bother me.” Then she smiled and went to heaven.
Do you have that kind of hope?
When I was a boy I used to go to Christ Church in Philadelphia and read epitaphs written about Americans who have had a great impact on our country. Benjamin Franklin wrote his own epitaph:
The body of
Benjamin Franklin, printer,
(Like the cover of an old book,
Its contents worn out
And stript of its lettering and gilding)
Lies here, food for worms!
Yet the work itself shall not be lost,
For it will, as he believed, appear once more
In a new
And more beautiful edition,
Corrected and amended
By its Author!
Can you look death in the eye and say, “This is not the end; it is but the beginning for me”? What can you say to someone who loses a child? What can you say to someone who loses a spouse to cancer or heart disease? Are you roaming around in the confusion in which many people find themselves? Where do you go for the dark things to be made clear? I go to the Word of God, and I find clarity there.
The Bible Is “Clean”
Further, Psalm 19:1 says that the Word of God is “clean, enduring forever.” The only things that last forever are things untouched by the devastation of evil—another word for sin. The word of God is clean. It describes and uncovers sin, but it is untouched by evil. And even though it is an ancient document, every person in every situation in every society can find timeless truth in this book. Here’s a book that never needs another edition because it’s never out of date or obsolete. It speaks to us as pointedly and directly as it ever has to anyone in history. It’s so pure that it lasts forever.
When I was in college I studied philosophy. Almost every philosophy I studied was long dead. I also studied psychology. Almost every form of psychotherapy I read about is now obsolete or has been replaced by more progressive thinking.
But there’s one thing that never changes, and that is the eternal Word of God. It is always relevant.
The Bible Is “True”
Finally, and most pointedly, Psalm 19:9 says that the Word of God is true. Today it seems there’s no longer a premium on truth. But that was true even in Jesus’ day. Pilate, when he sent Jesus to the cross, said, “What is truth?” (John 18:38). The context makes clear that he was being cynical.
I remember meeting a young man on drugs who was living in an overturned refrigerator box by a stream in the mountains of northern California . I was hiking through the area and asked if I could introduce myself. We talked a little while. It turned out he was a graduate of Boston University . He said, “I’ve escaped.” I asked, “Have you found the answers?” “No,” he said, “but at least I’ve gotten myself into a situation where I don’t ask the questions.” That’s the despair of not knowing the truth.
Scripture describes some people as “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). That’s not referring to intellectual truth; it’s referring to the truth of life, death, God, man, sin, right, wrong, heaven, hell, hope, joy, and peace. People can’t find it on their own.
What Is Truth?
To look at things philosophically, we live in a time-space box we can’t get out of. We cannot go into a phone booth and come out Superman—we cannot transcend the natural world. We are locked into a time-space continuum.
And we bounce around in our little box trying to figure out God. We invent religions, but they’re self-contained. The only way we’ll ever know what is beyond us is if what is on the outside comes in. And that’s exactly what the Bible claims. It’s a supernatural revelation from God, who has invaded our box. And He invaded it not only through the written word, but also in the Person of Jesus Christ.
Jean-Paul Sartre’s novel Nausea lays out an existential view of life. Its main character, Antoine Roquentin, is horrified by his own existence. He tries to find meaning in life through sex, humanitarianism, and other avenues but is left with a nauseating feeling of meaninglessness, never really finding genuine answers.
Where do you find truth that eluded Roquentin? I believe it is in the Word of God, the Bible. Consider its attributes.
The Attributes of the Bible
The Bible Is Infallible and Inerrant
The Bible, in its entirety, has no mistakes. It is flawless because God wrote it—and He is flawless. It is not only infallible in total, but also inerrant in its parts. Proverbs 30:5-6 says, “Every word of God is tested. . . . Do not add to His words or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.” Every word of God is pure and true. The Bible is the only book that never makes a mistake—everything it says is the truth.
The Bible Is Complete
Nothing needs to be added to the Bible. It is complete. Some today say the Bible is incomplete and simply a product of its time—a comment on man’s spiritual experience in history—and that we now need something else. Some believe that preachers who say, “The Lord told me this or that,” are equally inspired, like Isaiah, Jeremiah, or any of the other prophets. That is essentially to say that the Bible is not complete. However, the last book of the Bible, Revelation, warns, “If anyone adds to [the words of this book], God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book” (22: 18-19).
The Bible Is Authoritative
Since the Bible is perfect and complete, it is the last Word—the final authority. Isaiah 1:2 says, “Listen, Oh heavens, and hear, Oh earth; for the Lord speaks.” When God speaks, we should listen, because He is the final authority. The Bible demands obedience.
John 8:30-31 reports that many of the people Jesus preached to came to believe in Him. Jesus said to them, “If you continue in My word, then are you are truly disciples of Mine.” In other words, He demanded a response to His word. It is authoritative. Galatians 3:10 says, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.” That’s a tremendous claim to absolute authority. In James 2:10 we read, “Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.” To violate the Bible at one point is to break God’s entire law. That’s because the Bible is authoritative in every part.
The Bible Is Sufficient
The Bible is sufficient for a number of essentials:
Salvation . Jesus said, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). Salvation is the greatest reality in the universe—and the Bible reveals the source of that salvation. Acts 4:12 says regarding Jesus, “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
Instruction . Second Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.” The Bible can take those who don’t know God and introduce them to Him. Then it will teach them, reprove them when they do wrong, point them to what is right, and show them how to walk in that right path.
Hope . Romans 15:4 says “Whatever was written in earlier times [a reference to the Old Testament] was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” The Bible is a source of encouragement, giving us hope now and forever.
Happiness . James 1:25 reveals the key to happiness: “One who looks intently at [Scripture], and abides by it . . . this man will be [happy] in what he does.” Psalm 119, the longest psalm in the Bible, devotes all 176 verses to describing the Word of God. It begins, “How [happy] are those who walk in the law of the Lord.”
How Will You Respond?
Your response to the Bible determines the course of your life and your eternal destiny. First Corinthians 2:9 says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (NIV). Man could never conceive of all that God has to offer on his own!
Every time we pick up the Bible, we pick up the truth. Jesus said, “If you continue in My word . . . you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:31-32). What did He mean by that? Think of the person who is working diligently on a math problem. As soon as he finds the answer—he’s free. Or consider the scientist in the lab pouring different solutions into test tubes. He stays with it until he says, “Eureka, I found it!”—then he’s free. Man will search and struggle and grapple and grope for the truth until he finds it. Only then is he free. The Bible is our source of truth—about God, man, life, death, men, women, children, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, friends, and enemies. It shows us how to live. The Bible is the source of everything you need to know about life on earth and the life to come. You can trust the Bible. It is God’s living Word.
I have gone back and forth and back and forth with many liberals on the Arkansas Times Blog on many issues such as abortion, human rights, welfare, poverty, gun control and issues dealing with popular culture. Here is another exchange I had with them a while back. My username at the Ark Times Blog is Saline […]
I have posted many of the sermons by John MacArthur. He is a great bible teacher and this sermon below is another great message. His series on the Book of Proverbs was outstanding too. I also have posted several of the visits MacArthur made to Larry King’s Show. One of two most popular posts I […]
I have posted many of the sermons by John MacArthur. He is a great bible teacher and this sermon below is another great message. His series on the Book of Proverbs was outstanding too. I also have posted several of the visits MacArthur made to Larry King’s Show. One of two most popular posts I […]
Prophecy–The Biblical Prophesy About Tyre.mp4 Uploaded by TruthIsLife7 on Dec 5, 2010 A short summary of the prophecy about Tyre and it’s precise fulfillment. Go to this link and watch the whole series for the amazing fulfillment from secular sources. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvt4mDZUefo ________________ John MacArthur on the amazing fulfilled prophecy on Tyre and how it was fulfilled […]
John MacArthur on the Bible and Science (Part 2) I have posted many of the sermons by John MacArthur. He is a great bible teacher and this sermon below is another great message. His series on the Book of Proverbs was outstanding too. I also have posted several of the visits MacArthur made to Larry […]
John MacArthur on the Bible and Science (Part 1) I have posted many of the sermons by John MacArthur. He is a great bible teacher and this sermon below is another great message. His series on the Book of Proverbs was outstanding too. I also have posted several of the visits MacArthur made to Larry […]
Adrian Rogers – How you can be certain the Bible is the word of God Great article by Adrian Rogers. What evidence is there that the Bible is in fact God’s Word? I want to give you five reasons to affirm the Bible is the Word of God. First, I believe the Bible is the […]
Is there any evidence the Bible is true? Articles By PleaseConvinceMe Apologetics Radio The Old Testament is Filled with Fulfilled Prophecy Jim Wallace A Simple Litmus Test There are many ways to verify the reliability of scripture from both internal evidences of transmission and agreement, to external confirmation through archeology and science. But perhaps the […]
I have gone back and forth and back and forth with many liberals on the Arkansas Times Blog on many issues such as abortion, human rights, welfare, poverty, gun control and issues dealing with popular culture. Here is another exchange I had with them a while back. My username at the Ark Times Blog is […]
Here is some very convincing evidence that points to the view that the Bible is historically accurate. Archaeological and External Evidence for the Bible Archeology consistently confirms the Bible! Archaeology and the Old Testament Ebla tablets—discovered in 1970s in Northern Syria. Documents written on clay tablets from around 2300 B.C. demonstrate that personal and place […]
The John Lennon and the Beatles really were on a long search for meaning and fulfillment in their lives just like King Solomon did in the Book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon looked into learning (1:12-18, 2:12-17), laughter, ladies, luxuries, and liquor (2:1-2, 8, 10, 11), and labor (2:4-6, 18-20). He fount that without God in the picture all […]
______________ George Harrison Swears & Insults Paul and Yoko Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds- The Beatles The Beatles: I have dedicated several posts to this series on the Beatles and I don’t know when this series will end because Francis Schaeffer spent a lot of time listening to the Beatles and talking […]
The Beatles in a press conference after their Return from the USA Uploaded on Nov 29, 2010 The Beatles in a press conference after their Return from the USA. The Beatles: I have dedicated several posts to this series on the Beatles and I don’t know when this series will end because Francis […]
__________________ Beatles 1966 Last interview I have dedicated several posts to this series on the Beatles and I don’t know when this series will end because Francis Schaeffer spent a lot of time listening to the Beatles and talking and writing about them and their impact on the culture of the 1960’s. In this […]
_______________ The Beatles documentary || A Long and Winding Road || Episode 5 (This video discusses Stg. Pepper’s creation I have dedicated several posts to this series on the Beatles and I don’t know when this series will end because Francis Schaeffer spent a lot of time listening to the Beatles and talking and writing about […]
_______________ Francis Schaeffer pictured below: _____________________ I have included the 27 minute episode THE AGE OF NONREASON by Francis Schaeffer. In that video Schaeffer noted, ” Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band…for a time it became the rallying cry for young people throughout the world. It expressed the essence of their lives, thoughts and their feelings.” How Should […]
Crimes and Misdemeanors: A Discussion: Part 1 ___________________________________ Today I will answer the simple question: IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE AN OPTIMISTIC SECULAR HUMANIST THAT DOES NOT BELIEVE IN GOD OR AN AFTERLIFE? This question has been around for a long time and you can go back to the 19th century and read this same […]
____________________________________ Francis Schaeffer pictured below: __________ Francis Schaeffer has written extensively on art and culture spanning the last 2000years and here are some posts I have done on this subject before : Francis Schaeffer’s “How should we then live?” Video and outline of episode 10 “Final Choices” , episode 9 “The Age of Personal Peace and Affluence”, episode 8 […]
LOTR The Two Towers – The Tales That Really Mattered…
–
FREUD’S VIEW OF MANKIND IS PESSIMISTIC
FREUD The First War taught me nothing. I underestimated Hitler.
LEWIS Everyone did. It’s hard to believe such a hideous man exists.
FREUD I’ve found little that is good about human beings. In my experience, mankind is earth’s litter. Whether they publicly subscribe to this or that ethical doctrine. Something better not to say aloud. Or even think.
44.LEWIS An optimist, are you?
Freud just grunts, not amused.—
Let me make a few points here. If you believe that we are a result of SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST then I can understand where Sigmund Freud is being logical.
Second, if we are made in the image of the personal God of the Bible then THERE IS SOME GOOD THINGS IN THIS WORLD WORTH FIGHTING FOR as Sam says in LORD OF THE RINGS!!!
Sam: I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.
“Lord of the Rings” was written by JRR Tolkien. WHAT MAKES CHRIST DIFFERENT THAN OTHER MYTHICAL GODS?
TOLKIEN Jack, pagan myths were born through God expressing Himself. But the myth of Christ is God expressing Himself through Himself. What makes it more than myth is that Christ actually walked the earth among us. His dying transformed myth into truth and transforms the lives of all who believe in Him.
LEWIS You’re a Scholar, Clive! Don’t you have an obligation to seek the truth? 35.
TOLKIEN Of course! The same as you. Do your research, examine the evidence.
HERE IS SOME OF THE EVIDENCE OF THE HISTORICAL ACCURACY OF THE BIBLE:
Let me share with a couple of stories about Sam’s speech. It was put in because of 9/11!!!! (See article below).
I was summoned to Bryant Junior High in October of 2001 to participate in focus groups concerning the events of 9/11 since my kids were in school there. I stated to the group I was glad that our school still taught the virtues of FREEDOM OF PRESS, FREEDOM OF RELIGION and FREE ELECTIONS unlike the terrorists who just attacked our country. A teacher in our group quickly cut me off by saying we have no basis for saying the terrorists were EVIL or WRONG!!!!
That is where I see Freud, without a basis for saying anything is wrong!!!!!
At the end of The Two Towers, Sam delivers his speech to a broken and demoralized Frodo in the ruins of Osgiliath. I will be conducting a rhetorical analysis of this speech using Kenneth Burke’s dramatistic pentad. The transcript is here:
“Frodo: I can’t do this, Sam.
Sam: I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.
Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?
Sam: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo… and it’s worth fighting for.”
Scene
This speech is delivered by Sam to Frodo in Osgiliath, a ruined city under the attack of Orcs and other minions of Sauron. Frodo and Sam were captured by the men responsible for defending the city earlier in the film, and are now trying to escape without being killed or losing the ring. Frodo just survived an encounter with a Black Rider (shown below), but his resolve to accomplish the mission of destroying the ring has been severely shaken.
Just before delivering the speech, Sam saves Frodo by tackling him off the ledge (shown above) to escape the grasp of the enemy. Frodo is so rattled from the experience that he draws his sword on Sam after they tumble down a flight of stairs and out of harm’s way. After realizing what he’s done to his friend who just saved him, Frodo says, “I can’t do this, Sam,” which sets off the ensuing speech. It is in this moment that Sam establishes himself as the true backbone of this quest, offering encouragement—as well as physical and emotional support— for Frodo even when the latter begins to feel hopeless and defeated.
Act
Frodo drops his sword after they tumble down the stairs and he instinctively threatens Sam, and both hobbits sit on the ground, appearing fatigued, dirty, despondent, and on the verge of tears: a testament to their perilous journey thus far. Frodo claims he “can’t do this,” and Sam struggles to his feet. He walks over to a window and looks out at the dragon they just escaped as it flies off toward the dark, foreboding, volcanic land of Mordor (where the hobbits need to go). Fighting back tears, Sam begins his speech. The brilliant orchestral music of Howard Shore starts playing a somber but hopeful tune that eventually evolves into a triumphant theme. After Sam asks the question, “how could the end be happy?” the screen changes and we are shown clips of the other characters in the story claiming an unexpected victory on the battlefield at Helm’s Deep, elsewhere in Middle Earth. We hear shouts of victory, we see enemies fleeing and being struck down, and we see smiles on the faces of brave warriors. We also see clips from Isengard, the stronghold of an evil wizard, where a race of giant tree-people called Ents (with the help of the other two hobbits in the story) are flooding out his forges of destruction claiming another victory for the good guys.
As Sam delivers the lines, “Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something,” the camera zooms in on his determined face. Frodo asks, “What are we holding on to, Sam?” to which Sam lifts Frodo to his feet, faces him, and says the iconic line: “That there’s some good in the world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fightin’ for.” Frodo appears to be inspired by Sam’s words, and even the creepy, schizophrenic creature Gollum (who is accompanying the two hobbits and listening from a short distance away) seems to be fighting back tears.
Agent
Obviously, Samwise Gamgee is the primary actor for this speech, but the cinematography of director Peter Jackson and the musical score by Howard Shore both play equally important roles in the delivery of this moving, emotional scene. Furthermore, according to Yahoo! columnist Ethan Alter (2017), this particular speech was added into the movie at the last minute. In his article, Alter quotes actor Sean Astin—who played Samwise Gamgee in the movies: “’That scene was not written in the original script,’ the actor says, explaining that Jackson decided to insert it into the film as a direct response to the Sept. 11 attacks, which had overshadowed the release of The Fellowship of the Ring the previous year” (Alter, 2017).
By layering Sam’s voice over the hopeful and triumphant music of Howard Shore, director Peter Jackson’s depiction of the forces of good in the film overcoming all odds to vanquish the forces of evil becomes even more powerful. The pace, timing, and coordination of these three actors combine to form a cinematic masterpiece that continues to give me goosebumps and chills every time I watch, even 15 years after its original release.
Agency
As mentioned in the previous section, there were audible and visual components that were combined to enhance the delivery of Sam’s speech, along with brilliant script writing that was added after most of the filming had concluded. Specifically, Sam utilizes pace, tone, and inflection to allow his universal message to resonate with audiences on a cinematic and personal level. Throughout the speech, Sam’s voice is fraught with emotion, and we can see the determination on his face. He speaks slowly enough for the audience to digest what he’s saying while also allowing time to show clips of what’s happening elsewhere in the movie and drawing connections between those other events and the hobbits’ current situation.
Purpose
On the surface, Sam delivered this speech to Frodo to motivate him to continue on and see their journey through. This speech was also meant to serve as a conduit between the three storylines of the movie, connect them together, and set the stage for the third movie in the trilogy. But the real beauty of Sam’s speech is its timeless and universal applicability. It was written into the movie as somewhat of an indirect response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, but J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of the books on which the movie trilogy is based, fought in World War I. None of the words used in the speech refer to movie-specific characters or events, but simply themes of good and evil, of hope and persistence. These can be applied to the largest of world conflicts or to the simplest struggles of everyday life.
As Wassell (2018) puts it, “Sam is talking about Middle Earth, but he’s also talking about life in general…Hope is a small and powerful thing, and we can’t help but listen to Sam’s words and apply them to our own lives, to the things we see going on around us. It’s impossible not to.” That is why the speech resonated with me at age 10, and why it continues to resonate with me (albeit in a slightly different way) at age 25.
Conclusion
Within this analysis using Kenneth Burke’s dramatistic pentad, it would appear that Agent was the dominant term for Sam’s speech in The Two Towers. Without Peter Jackson’s cinematography and script-writing, Howard Shore’s musical score, and Sean Astin’s emotional delivery of his lines, the impact of this speech wouldn’t have been nearly as powerful for audiences. However, each aspect of the pentad had a specific role to play in the presentation of this cinematic monologue, and each reveals new insights into the depth and complexity of the clip. Whether it’s the innocent enthusiasm of a 10-year-old at the theater, or the inquisitive and analytical ramblings of a weary graduate student, this speech (and this movie) is capable of providing hope and purpose to any viewer.
Tracy, S. J. (2013). Qualitative research methods: collecting evidence, crafting analysis, communicating impact. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.
Today I want to take another approach to the issue of the afterlife and that is the pure and simple fact that without an enforcement factor people can do what they want in this life and get away with it. This is a big glaring weakness in the Humanist Manifestos that have been published so far. All three of them do not recognize the existence of God who is our final judge. (I am not claiming that this is evidence that points to an afterlife, but this post will demonstrate that atheists many times have not thought through the full ramifications of their philosophy of life.) I will simply tell the story of my interaction with Robert L. Mondale.
Robert Lester Mondale
Male28 May 1904–19 August 2003.
Ricky Gervais act outs atheist bewilderment and frustration in the face of nice Christian nonsense
Carl Sagan – Parents
Carl Sagan said that he missed his parents terribly and he wished he could believe in the afterlife but he was not convinced because of the lack of proof. I had the opportunity to correspond back and forth with Carl Sagan. I presented him evidence that the Bible was true and there was an afterlife, but he would not accept the evidence.
I had the unique opportunity to discuss this very issue with Robert Lester Mondale and his wife Rosemary on April 14, 1996 at his cabin in Fredricktown, Missouri , and my visit was very enjoyable and informative. Mr. Mondale had the distinction of being the only person to sign all three of the Humanist Manifestos in 1933, 1973 and 2003. I asked him which signers of Humanist Manifesto Number One did he know well and he said that Raymond B. Bragg, and Edwin H. Wilsonand him were known as “the three young radicals of the group.” Harold P. Marley used to have a cabin near his and they used to take long walks together, but Marley’s wife got a job in Hot Springs, Arkansas and they moved down there.
Roy Wood Sellars was a popular professor of philosophy that he knew. I asked if he knew John Dewey and he said he did not, but Dewey did contact him one time to ask him some questions about an article he had written, but Mondale could not recall anything else about that.
Mondale told me some stories about his neighbors and we got to talking about some of his church members when he was an Unitarian pastor. Once during the 1930’s he was told by one of his wealthier Jewish members that he shouldn’t continue to be critical of the Nazis. This member had just come back from Germany and according to him Hitler had done a great job of getting the economy moving and things were good.
Of course, just a few years later after World War II was over Mondale discovered on a second hand basis what exactly had happened over there when he visited with a Lutheran pastor friend who had just returned from Germany. This Lutheran preacher was one of the first to be allowed in after the liberation of the concentration camps in 1945, and he told Mondale what level of devastation and destruction of innocent lives went on inside these camps. As Mondale listened to his friend he could feel his own face turning pale.
I asked, “If those Nazis escaped to Brazil or Argentina and lived out their lives in peace would they face judgment after they died?”
Mondale responded, “I don’t think there is anything after death.”
I told Mr. Mondale that there is sense in me that says justice will be given eventually and God will judge those Nazis even if they evade punishment here on earth. I did point out that in Ecclesiastes 4:1 Solomon did note that without God in the picture the scales may not be balanced in this life and power could reign, but at the same time the Bible teaches that all must face the ultimate Judge.
Then I asked him if he got to watch the O.J. Simpson trial and he said that he did and he thought that the prosecution had plenty of evidence too. Again I asked Mr. Mondale the same question concerning O.J. and he responded, “I don’t think there is a God that will intervene and I don’t believe in the afterlife.”
Dan Guinn posted on his blog at http://www.francisschaefferstudies.org concerning the Nazis and evolution: As Schaeffer points out, “…these ideas helped produce an even more far-reaching yet logical conclusion: the Nazi movement in Germany. Heinrich Himmler (1900-1945), leader of the Gestapo, stated that the law of nature must take its course in the survival of the fittest. The result was the gas chambers. Hitler stated numerous times that Christianity and its notion of charity should be “replaced by the ethic of strength over weakness.” Surely many factors were involved in the rise of National Socialism in Germany. For example, the Christian consensus had largely been lost by the undermining from a rationalistic philosophy and a romantic pantheism on the secular side, and a liberal theology (which was an adoption of rationalism in theological terminology) in the universities and many of the churches. Thus biblical Christianity was no longer giving the consensus for German society. After World War I came political and economic chaos and a flood of moral permissiveness in Germany. Thus, many factors created the situation. But in that setting the theory of the survival of the fittest sanctioned what occurred. ”
Francis Schaeffer notes that this idea ties into today when we are actually talking about making infanticide legal in some academic settings. Look at what these three humanist scholars have written:
Peter Singer, who recently was seated in an endowed chair at Princeton’s Center for Human Values, said, “Killing a disabled infant is not morally equivalent to killing a person. Very often it is not wrong at all.”
In May 1973, James D. Watson, the Nobel Prize laureate who discovered the double helix of DNA, granted an interview to Prism magazine, then a publication of the American Medical Association. Time later reported the interview to the general public, quoting Watson as having said, “If a child were not declared alive until three days after birth, then all parents could be allowed the choice only a few are given under the present system. The doctor could allow the child to die if the parents so choose and save a lot of misery and suffering. I believe this view is the only rational, compassionate attitude to have.”
In January 1978, Francis Crick, also a Nobel laureate, was quoted in the Pacific News Service as saying “… no newborn infant should be declared human until it has passed certain tests regarding its genetic endowment and that if it fails these tests it forfeits the right to live.”
Woody Allen’s 1989 movie, CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS, was on this very subject of the Nazis that Lester Mondale and I discussed on that day in 1996 at Mondale’s cabin in Missouri. In this film, Allen attacks his own atheistic view of morality. Martin Landau plays a Jewish eye doctor named Judah Rosenthal raised by a religious father who always told him, “The eyes of God are always upon you.” However, Judah later concludes that God doesn’t exist. He has his mistress (played in the film by Anjelica Huston) murdered because she continually threatened to blow the whistle on his past questionable, probably illegal, business activities. She also attempted to break up Judah’s respectable marriage by going public with their two-year affair. Judah struggles with his conscience throughout the remainder of the movie and continues to be haunted by his father’s words: “The eyes of God are always upon you.” This is a very scary phrase to a young boy, Judah observes. He often wondered how penetrating God’s eyes are.
Later in the film, Judah reflects on the conversation his religious father had with Judah ‘s unbelieving Aunt May at the dinner table many years ago:
“Come on Sol, open your eyes. Six million Jews burned to death by the Nazis, and they got away with it because might makes right,” says aunt May
Sol replies, “May, how did they get away with it?”
Judah asks, “If a man kills, then what?”
Sol responds to his son, “Then in one way or another he will be punished.”
Aunt May comments, “I say if he can do it and get away with it and he chooses not to be bothered by the ethics, then he is home free.”
Judah ‘s final conclusion was that might did make right. He observed that one day, because of this conclusion, he woke up and the cloud of guilt was gone. He was, as his aunt said, “home free.”
Woody Allen has exposed a weakness in his own humanistic view that God is not necessary as a basis for good ethics. There must be an enforcement factor in order to convince Judah not to resort to murder. Otherwise, it is fully to Judah ‘s advantage to remove this troublesome woman from his life. CAN A MATERIALIST OR A HUMANIST THAT DOES NOT BELIEVE IN AN AFTERLIFE GIVE JUDAH ONE REASON WHY HE SHOULDN’T HAVE HIS MISTRESS KILLED?
The Bible tells us, “{God} has also set eternity in the hearts of men…” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV). The secularist calls this an illusion, but the Bible tells us that the idea that we will survive the grave was planted in everyone’s heart by God Himself. Romans 1:19-21 tells us that God has instilled a conscience in everyone that points each of them to Him and tells them what is right and wrong (also Romans 2:14 -15).
It’s no wonder, then, that one of Allen’s fellow humanists would comment, “Certain moral truths — such as do not kill, do not steal, and do not lie — do have a special status of being not just ‘mere opinion’ but bulwarks of humanitarian action. I have no intention of saying, ‘I think Hitler was wrong.’ Hitler WAS wrong.” (Gloria Leitner, “A Perspective on Belief,” THE HUMANIST, May/June 1997, pp. 38-39)
Here Leitner is reasoning from her God-given conscience and not from humanist philosophy. It wasn’t long before she received criticism. Humanist Abigail Ann Martin responded, “Neither am I an advocate of Hitler; however, by whose criteria is he evil?” (THE HUMANIST, September/October 1997, p. 2)
On the April 13, 2014 episode of THE GOOD WIFE called “The Materialist,” Alicia in a custody case asks the father Professor Mercer some questions about his own academic publications. She reads from his book that he is a “materialist and he believes that “free-will is just an illusion,” and we are all just products of the physical world and that includes our thoughts and emotions and there is no basis for calling anything right or wrong. Sounds like to me the good professor would agree wholeheartedly with the humanist Abigail Ann Martin’s assertion concerning Hitler’s morality too! Jean-Paul Sartre noted, “No finite point has meaning without an infinite reference point.”
Christians agree with Judah ‘s father that “The eyes of God are always upon us.” Proverbs 5:21 asserts, “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths.” Revelation 20:12 states, “…And the dead were judged (sentenced) by what they had done (their whole way of feeling and acting, their aims and endeavors) in accordance with what was recorded in the books” (Amplified Version). The Bible is revealed truth from God. It is the basis for our morality. Judah inherited the Jewish ethical values of the Ten Commandments from his father, but, through years of life as a skeptic, his standards had been lowered. Finally, we discover that Judah ‘s secular version of morality does not resemble his father’s biblically-based morality.
Woody Allen’s CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS forces unbelievers to grapple with the logical conclusions of a purely secular morality, and the secularist has no basis for asserting that Judah is wrong.
Larry King actually mentioned on his show, LARRY KING LIVE, that Chuck Colson had discussed the movie CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS with him. Colson asked King if life was just a Darwinian struggle where the ruthless come out on top. Colson continued, “When we do wrong, is that our only choice? Either live tormented by guilt, or else kill our conscience and live like beasts?” (BREAKPOINT COMMENTARY, “Finding Common Ground,” September 14, 1993)
Josef Mengele tortured and murdered many Jews and then lived the rest of his long life out in South America in peace. Will he ever face judgment for his actions?
The ironic thing is that at the end of our visit I that pointed out to Mr. Mondale that Paul Kurtz had said in light of the horrible events in World War II that Kurtz witnessed himself in the death camps (Kurtz entered a death camp as an U.S. Soldier to liberate it) that it was obvious that Humanist Manifesto I was way too optimistic and it was necessary to come up with another one. I thought that might encourage Mr. Mondale to comment further on our earlier conversion concerning evil deeds, but he just said, “That doesn’t surprise me that Kurtz would say something like that.”
The second Humanist Manifesto was written in 1973 by Paul Kurtz and Edwin H. Wilson, and was intended to update the previous one. It begins with a statement that the excesses of Nazism and world war had made the first seem “far too optimistic”, and indicated a more hardheaded and realistic approach in its seventeen-point statement, which was much longer and more elaborate than the previous version. Nevertheless, much of the unbridled optimism of the first remained, with hopes stated that war would become obsolete and poverty would be eliminated.
R. Lester Mondale of Fredricktown, Missouri died on August 19, 2003, he was ninety-nine years old. Mondale was the last living signer of Humanist Manifesto I (he was the youngest to sign in 1933). He was also the only person to sign all three manifestos.
An AHA member perhaps since the organization’s founding, he received the AHA’s Humanist Pioneer award in 1973 and the Humanist Founder award in 2001. Mondale became a Unitarian minister after being raised a Methodist.
He was very active with the American Humanist Association, the American Ethical Union and served as president of the Fellowship of Religious Humanists in the 60’s and 70’s. Humanists Vice President Sarah Oelberg says that Mondale’s death marks “truly the end of an era” and AHA Director of Planned Giving Bette Chambers calls him “a great man, a great Humanist.”
Lester is survived by his wife, Rosemary, and four daughters: Karen Mondale of St. Louis, Missouri; Julia Jensen of St. Cloud, Minnesota; Tarrie Swenstad of Odin, Minnesota; and Ellen Mondale of Bethesda, Maryland. Also surviving him are his three brothers: Walter Mondale, former vice president of the United States, Pete Mondale, and Morton Mondale. Lester Mondale was also a proud grandparent of seven and a great-grandparent.
The Mondale siblings: Lester, Walter, Mort, Pete, and Clifford and Eleanor Archer (adopted sister); credit: University of Minnesota Law Library Archives
______________ Does God Exist? Thomas Warren vs. Antony Flew Published on Jan 2, 2014 Date: September 20-23, 1976 Location: North Texas State University Christian debater: Thomas B. Warren Atheist debater: Antony G.N. Flew For Thomas Warren: http://www.warrenapologeticscenter.org/ ______________________ Antony Flew and his conversion to theism Uploaded on Aug 12, 2011 Antony Flew, a well known spokesperson […]
______________ William Lane Craig versus Eddie Tabash Debate Uploaded on Feb 6, 2012 Secular Humanism versus Christianity, Lawyer versus Theologian. Evangelical Christian apologist William Lane Craig debates humanist atheist lawyer Eddie Tabash at Pepperdine University, February 8, 1999. Visithttp://www.Infidels.org and http://www.WilliamLaneCraig.com ________________ Antony Flew on God and Atheism Published on Feb 11, 2013 Lee Strobel […]
_______________________ Discussion (1 of 3): Antony Flew, N.T. Wright, and Gary Habermas Uploaded on Sep 22, 2010 A discussion with Antony Flew, N.T. Wright, and Gary Habermas. This was held at Westminster Chapel March, 2008 Debate – William Lane Craig vs Christopher Hitchens – Does God Exist? Uploaded on Jan 27, 2011 April 4, 2009 – Craig […]
_________________ Antony Flew – World’s Most Famous Atheist Accepts Existence of God Uploaded on Nov 28, 2008 Has Science Discovered God? A half-century ago, in 1955, Professor Antony Flew set the agenda for modern atheism with his Theology and Falsification, a paper presented in a debate with C.S. Lewis. This work became the most widely […]
_____________ Antony Flew on God and Atheism Published on Feb 11, 2013 Lee Strobel interviews philosopher and scholar Antony Flew on his conversion from atheism to deism. Much of it has to do with intelligent design. Flew was considered one of the most influential and important thinker for atheism during his time before his […]
___________________ This is the finest article yet I have read that traces Antony Flew’s long path from atheism to theism. How Anthony Flew – Flew to God Among the world’s atheists there was hardly any with the intellectual stature of Anthony Flew. He was a contemporary with C.S. Lewis and has been a thorn in […]
Making Sense of Faith and Science Uploaded on May 16, 2008 Dr. H. Fritz Schaefer confronts the assertion that one cannot believe in God and be a credible scientist. He explains that the theistic world view of Bacon, Kepler, Pascal, Boyle, Newton, Faraday and Maxwell was instrumental in the rise of modern science itself. Presented […]
Discussion (2 of 3): Antony Flew, N.T. Wright, and Gary Habermas ______________ Atheist Lawrence Krauss loses debate to wiser Christian Published on Sep 13, 2013 http://www.reasonablefaith.org More of this here The Bible and Science (Part 02) The Kalam Cosmological Argument (Scientific Evidence) (Henry Schaefer, PhD) Published on Jun 11, 2012 Scientist Dr. Henry “Fritz” Schaefer gives a lecture […]
Conversation with John Barrow Published on Jun 16, 2012 Templeton Prize 2006, Gifford Lectures 1988 British Academy, 1 June 2012 _______ Many Christians are involved in science and John D. Barrow is one of the leaders of science today. Here is his bio: John D Barrow John D. Barrow was born in London in […]
____________ Discussion (1 of 3): Antony Flew, N.T. Wright, and Gary Habermas Uploaded on Sep 22, 2010 A discussion with Antony Flew, N.T. Wright, and Gary Habermas. This was held at Westminster Chapel March, 2008 ___________ __________ Antony Flew, “I was particularly impressed with Gerry Schroeder’s point-by-point refutation of what I call the MONKEY […]
British actor Daniel Craig poses during a photocall to promote the 24th James Bond film ‘Spectre’ on February 18, 2015 at Rome’s city hall. AFP PHOTO / TIZIANA FABI (Photo by VINCENZO PINTO and TIZIANA FABI / AFP)
Paris, France — Ever since the twanging guitar of John Barry’s theme song first appeared in “Dr No” in 1962, music has been crucial to the James Bond phenomenon.
The songs written for each title sequence have become a way of marking out the evolution of pop music through the past 60 years, from the classics of Shirley Bassey and Paul McCartney to Adele and Billie Eilish.
Nobody remembers Monty
Many assume the original theme was written by John Barry, in part because he became so closely associated with the Bond franchise, composing the soundtrack for 11 of the films.
In fact, Barry only arranged and performed the theme tune.
The famous dung-digger-dung-dung line was actually written by theater composer Monty Norman, developed from an unused Indian-themed score he had written for an adaptation of VS Naipaul’s “A House for Mr Biswas.”
It was Barry’s job to jazz it up, adding the blaring horns that made it so dramatic.
While Norman was given a one-off payment of just £250, Barry built a Hollywood career that has included five Oscars and classic soundtracks to “Midnight Cowboy,” “Out of Africa,” and many more.
Golden girl Shirley Bassey
Bassey became almost as closely linked to Bond as Barry — the only singer to deliver three title tracks: “Goldfinger” (1964), “Diamonds are Forever” (1971), and “Moonraker” (1979).
The first two are considered the most memorable in Bond history, the latter less so — Bassey later admitted she hated the “Moonraker” song and only did it as a favor to Barry.
“Goldfinger” made her a star, but the recording sessions were grueling, with Barry insisting that Bassey, then 27, hold the last belting note for seven full seconds.
“I was holding it and holding it — I was looking at John Barry and I was going blue in the face and he’s going — hold it just one more second. When it finished, I nearly passed out,” she later recalled.
A new Beatles beginning
The first Bond film without Barry on the baton was “Live and Let Die” in 1973.
For this, the producers turned to another famous “B” – The Beatles.
The group’s producer George Martin took over composing duties and brought in Paul McCartney and his band Wings for the theme song.
It became another classic and spawned a famous cover by Guns’N’Roses in later years.
From this point on, the Bond title song became its own mini-industry, without the involvement of the composer.
Big pop tie-ins followed, ranging from the not-so-successful (Lulu’s “The Man with the Golden Gun”) to classics like Carly Simon’s “Nobody Does it Better” and Duran Duran’s “A View to a Kill.”
FILE PHOTO: Auctioneer specialists hold a rare intact James Bond ‘Thunderball’ (1965) film poster (estimate £8,000-£12,000), featuring two panels of poster illustrations on the left by Frank McCarthy and two on the right by Robert McGinnis, at Ewbank’s Auctioneers, ahead of an upcoming sale, in Woking, Britain, April 7, 2021. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
The next generation
After a few desultory outings during the Pierce Brosnan years, the Bond genre got a shot of adrenaline with Adele’s “Skyfall” in 2012, which was the first to win an Oscar for best song.
The following year’s “Writing’s on the Wall” by Sam Smith also won an Oscar, though it got a more mixed critical reception.
The latest incarnation is pop princess Billie Eilish with “No Time to Die,” which she co-wrote with her brother Finneas.
It already has a thumbs-up from the doyenne of the Bond theme world, with Bassey telling The Big Issue: “She did a good job.”
The latest James Bond movie “Skyfall” stars Daniel Craig. 007 boozed so much that in all reality he would have had the tremulous hands of a chronic alcoholic, according to an offbeat study published by the British Medical Journal. PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK.COM/JAMESBONDOO7
Live And Let Die Theme Song – James Bond
Paul McCartney Uncle Albert Rare Studio Demo
Paul McCartney; Uncle AlbertAdmiral Halsey. (RAM 1971)
“Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” is a song by Paul and Linda McCartney from the album Ram. Released in the United States as a single on 2 August 1971,[1] but premiering on WLS the previous week (as a “Hit Parade Bound” (HPB)),[2] it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on 4 September 1971,[3][4] making it the first of a string of post-Beatles, McCartney-penned singles to top the US pop chart during the 1970s and 1980s. Billboard ranked it number 22 on its Top Pop Singles of 1971 year-end chart.[5]
https://youtu.be/XI6C7L66zq8 “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” is composed of several unfinished song fragments that McCartney stitched together similar to the medleys from the Beatles‘ album Abbey Road.[6] The song is noted for its sound effects, including the sounds of a thunderstorm, with rain, heard between the first and second stanza, the sound of a telephone ringing, and a message machine, heard after the second stanza, and a sound of chirping sea birds and wind by the seashore. Linda’s voice is heard in the harmonies as well as the bridge section of the “Admiral Halsey” portion of the song.
McCartney said “Uncle Albert” was based on his uncle. “He’s someone I recall fondly, and when the song was coming it was like a nostalgia thing.”[7] McCartney also said, “As for Admiral Halsey, he’s one of yours, an American admiral”, referring to Fleet AdmiralWilliam “Bull” Halsey (1882–1959).[7] McCartney has described the “Uncle Albert” section of the song as an apology from his generation to the older generation, and Admiral Halsey as an authoritarian figure who ought to be ignored.[8]
Despite the disparate elements that make up the song, author Andrew Grant Jackson discerns a coherent narrative to the lyrics, related to McCartney’s emotions in the aftermath of the Beatles’ breakup.[9] In this interpretation, the song begins with McCartney apologizing to his uncle for getting nothing done, and being easily distracted and perhaps depressed in the lethargic “Uncle Albert” section.[9] Then, after some sound effects reminiscent of “Yellow Submarine,” Admiral Halsey appears to him calling him to action, although McCartney remains more interested in “tea and butter pie.” McCartney stated that he put the butter in the pie so that it would not melt at all.[9] Jackson sees a possible sinister allusion in the use of Admiral Halsey as a character in the song, since Halsey was famous for fighting the Japanese in World War II and claiming that “after the war, the Japanese language will be spoken only in hell,” and McCartney’s ex-Beatle partner John Lennon had recently married a Japanese woman, Yoko Ono.[9] The “hands across the water” section which follows could be taken as evocative of the command “All hands on deck!”, rousing McCartney to action, perhaps to compete with Lennon.[9] The song then ends with the “gypsy” section, in which McCartney resolves to get back on the road and perform his music, now that he was on his own without his former bandmates who no longer wanted to tour.[9]
According to Allmusic critic Stewart Mason, fans of Paul McCartney’s music are divided in their opinions of this song.[13] Although some fans praise it as “one of his most playful and inventive songs” others criticize it for being “exactly the kind of cute self-indulgence that they find so annoying about his post-Beatles career.”[13] Mason himself considers it “churlish” to be annoyed by the song, given that song isn’t intended to be completely serious, and praises the “Hands across the water” section as being “lovably giddy.”[13]
On the US charts, the song set a songwriting milestone as the all-time songwriting record (at the time) for the most consecutive calendar years to write a #1 song. This gave McCartney eight consecutive years (starting with “I Want to Hold Your Hand“), leaving behind Lennon with only seven years.
“Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” also appears on Wings Greatest from 1978, even though Ram was not a Wings album, and again on the US version of McCartney’s 1987 compilation, All the Best!, as well as the 2001 compilation Wingspan: Hits and History.
Harry Shearer uses a looped sample of “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” for the “Apologies of the Week” segment of Le Show, with emphasis on McCartney saying “sorry”.
The film Greenberg includes a scene in which the character Florence, drunk on champagne, sings along to the song which Greenberg included on a mix-CD for her.
Jump up^“Top Pop 100 Singles” Billboard December 25, 1971: TA-36
Jump up^Blaney, J. (2007). Lennon and McCartney: together alone: a critical discography of their solo work. Jawbone Press. pp. 46, 50. ISBN978-1-906002-02-2.
I’m Waiting for the Man sung by Nico in 1982 (about waiting for drug fix) __________ Nico Icon documentary part 3 Nico Icon documentary part 4 NICO – I’m Waiting For The Man – (1982, Warehouse, Preston, UK) One of the top 10 songs from The Velvet Underground and Nico is the song “I’m Waiting […]
Nico’s sad story of drugs and her interaction with Jim Morrison Nico – These Days The Doors (1991) – Movie Trailer / Best Parts The Doors Movie – Back Door Man/When The Music’s Over/Arrest of Jim Morrison Uploaded on Jul 30, 2009 A clip from “The Doors” movie with “Back Door Man”, “When The Music’s […]
Dennis Jernigan – You Are My All In All Uploaded on Oct 18, 2009 Dennis Jernigan – You Are My All In All __________________________________________ Christian Singer’s Controversial Journey Revealed in New Documentary: ‘I Placed Homosexuality on Jesus’ Shoulders’ Oct. 2, 2014 2:23pm Billy Hallowell Singer-songwriter Dennis Jernigan has been making Christian music for decades, recording […]
Cole Porter’s songs “De-Lovely” and “Let’s misbehave” ‘At Long Last Love’: Let’s Misbehave/De-Lovely Uploaded on Apr 1, 2009 Burt Reynolds and Cybil Shepherd give an extraordinarily charming performance of Cole Porter’s songs in Peter Bogdanovich’s absolutely wonderful tribute to the golden age of film musicals, ‘At Long Last Love’. _____________________ De-Lovely From Wikipedia, […]
________ _______ Cole Porter’s song’s “My Heart Belongs to Daddy” My Heart Belongs To Daddy Uploaded on Jun 20, 2010 Mary Martin became popular on Broadway and received attention in the national media singing “My Heart Belongs to Daddy”. “Mary stopped the show with “My Heart Belongs to Daddy”. With that one song in the […]
______________ Love For Sale (De-Lovely) Love for Sale (song) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2008) “Love for Sale“ Written by Cole Porter Published 1930 Form […]
Cole Porter’s song “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” _________________ Natalie Cole – Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be […]
Cole Porter’s song “So in Love” __________________ So in love – De-lovely So in Love From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search For the song by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, see So in Love (OMD song). For the song by Jill Scott, see So in Love (Jill Scott song). Not to be […]
____________________ Cole Porter’s song “Night and Day” Cole Porter´s Day and Night by Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers Night and Day (song) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article […]
Johnny Cash – Big River Uploaded on Jan 16, 2008 Grand Ole Opry, 1962 _______________________________ John Lennon and Bob Dylan Conversation mention Johnny Cash and his song “Big River” _______________________ Big River (Johnny Cash song) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia’s quality standards. No […]