This is Viewpoints for Nov. 7, 2016

Free money

I just got through reading the story in The Telegraph about the free money that is being doled out for “heating assistance” and was outraged at the audacity of the organizers in requiring a valid ID and other documents be presented if an applicant wants the free money.

How dare they require someone actually be who they say they are and prove they qualify for the money? Isn’t that “receiver suppression,” and something akin to the mythical “voter suppression?” I find it interesting that the same requirements when applied to the ballot box are viewed as suppression, even though the government issues (for free) a valid ID to anyone who needs one. I’ll bet that everyone who wants the free money will be fully aware of the requirements and will be ready to apply, even those who wait until the last minute to register to vote and then claim ignorance of the requirements and/or scream discrimination.

As a lifelong member of the “paying” class, I do not begrudge the assistance to someone who needs it. However, after watching “Cops” and other shows that take video cameras into homes and apartments, it seems the description of poverty is someone who only owns two big-screen TVs and a small-to-medium tangle of X-Box or Playstation controllers.

I must be what was once called “dirt poor” because I only have one big-screen TV and nary a video game to be found.

COLA

I read in a letter to the editor where the recipients of Social Security would get an increase for next year of .03. What an insult and slap in the face. My secondary insurance increase will be twice that much. This will be about $4 to $5 a person and no increase for last year. It is not worth the time and paper work for governant employees to add this piddly amount to our checks.

Whoever came up with this increase does not live in the real world and needs to be removed from their job. I am sickend by this shameful farce. So, there. That’s my very strong feeling.

Two new books

This is a letter of thanks. For the past few years I have been sending in letters to express my opinion and prayers. The news has accepted most all of my mail. That has encouraged me to no end. After a lifetime of writing I finally gathered enough courage to have some of my writings published. Last week, the first of my two books was published. It is 10 stories based on people in the Bible. The title: “Stories Not Found in the Bible.” In several weeks the second book will be in print, titled “Christmas Stories.”

Three of these stories are about the 1920s and ‘30s. Few people know how poor the people of that time period were. The fourth story follows up one story and is about a young soldier far away from home at Christmas. We need to thank those men and woman who are forced to spend Christmas without their families. They are four stories I hope will warm your heart and to remember our past.

Local sewing guild

I read your article about the resurgence of interest in sewing. The picture of the sewing group was from North Carolina. There is a group of sewists in Macon who have been meeting for more than 28 years. We meet on the second Saturday of the month and begin every meeting with “show and tell,” and end with a brief educational program.

In September, which is National Sewing month, we made polar fleece capes for Russian orphans. In years past, we have made tote bags for the Dove Center in Macon and lap quilts for veterans in Dublin. Our group is the Macon Area Chapter of the American Sewing Guild. Our meetings are open to anyone (male and female, all ages and skill levels) interested in sewing of any kind (clothing, quilts, smocking, embroidery, etc). Visitors and guests may attend two regular meetings for free. We are meeting at 2720 Riverside Drive in suite 130 of the Riverstreet Corners. Our next meeting will be Nov. 12 from 1 to 3 p.m. The theme for this meeting is “Wear What You Made.”

Baptisms

Due to a prolonged dry spell, local ministers have asked their congregations to pray for rain. This brings to mind a recent drought in South Georgia that affected how churches had to conduct baptisms. The Baptists took up sprinkling, the Methodists used a damp cloth, and the Presbyterians handed out rain checks.

Believe all or none

Since the beginning of humanity, there have been many books written about humanity in the universe. Some of the books are about nature and of the stars, the moon and the sun. But I believe there are more books written about man and woman than any others. Out of all God’s creation, mankind is the most complicated of them all.

The question many ask: Why are we so bad? We all were born in sin, and shaped in wickedness, that is why. Remember what Jeremiah 19:7 said, “The heart is deceitful above all, and desperately wicked, who can know it?” When you put the mirror before you, are you pleased with what you see? Do you, or I, accept the 66 books of the Bible as the word of Jehovah God without error?

Women who pretend to be a pastor, bishop or an elder reject all the teaching in the Bible. All the pastors, elders, bishops, evangelists and deacons or individuals who agree with homosexuality, same sex unions and transgender and also the murderous, sinful, inhumane killing of children by abortion or any other means rejects all 66 books of the Bible.

One must see that all Scripture is supported by all Scripture written in the Holy Bible. Second Peter 1:20 will confirm what I just said. You must believe all the Bible or none.

They don’t care

Danish philosopher and theologian Soren Kierkegaard said it very well: “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” There is no better statement to describe how those who support Hillary Clinton are being fooled. Simply put, Clinton supporters refuse to believe what is true about her. And what is true about Clinton is that she is completely dishonest, she is unethical, she lies, she steals and she cheats.

The problem is not Hillary, the real problem is that almost 50 percent of the people simply do not care that she is dishonest. They will support her anyway.

This story was originally published November 6, 2016 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Nov. 7, 2016."