Bard's Song

A Day To Remember

2011-09-11T19:14:00.000-04:00

On this anniversary of Nine-Eleven,

On a day that is riddled in pain,

Before friends and my brethren and my God in heaven,

I give you these gifts to maintain.

A prayer for each innocent taken,

A lament for every hero lost,

A tear for the fragile peace forsaken,

Paid at their own family's cost.

A shoulder for every survivor's anguish,

A hand for those languid in fear,

A praise for each bravery distinquished,

By samaritans who happened by near.

A song for each fallen, remembered,

A clarion to answer their call,

A sword that is forged in its ember,

And a cross that no others may fall.

A warrior who offers his service,

A youth who now rise in defense,

A nation now given a purpose,

Knowing neglect's consequence.

A tempest for those who malign us,

A zephyr for those we call friend,

A candle for all who endures these dark times,

That this evil will one day soon end.

A hope that will be everlasting,

A peace that will one day remain,

A pride in just being American, seeing

That love of life is our sovereign domain.

So on this anniversary of Nine-Eleven,

And the ten years that has traveled on by,

I promise their children and our God in heaven,

that the memory of this day will not die.

Nine-Eleven - Ten Years Later

2011-09-11T14:56:00.017-04:00

It saddens me when Americans cite our government's policies as propoganda and terrorist's policies as actions that are justifiable. America was not attacked because we got involved. America was attacked because we got involved and regularly failed to act. This lack of action made us seem as easy prey for those who seek any opportunity to kill that which is not them. The following are quotes from Osama Bin Laden:

“We love death. The US loves life. That is the difference between us two." - November 2001

"Hostility toward America is a religious duty, and we hope to be rewarded for it by God . . . . I am confident that Muslims will be able to end the legend of the so-called superpower that is America." - Time Magazine

"I tell you, freedom and human rights in America are doomed. The U.S. government will lead the American people in — and the West in general — into an unbearable hell and a choking life." - Al-Jazeera interview October 2001

Americans who declare that we need to learn to mind our own business so that the terrorist will stop attacking us needs to understand that terrorist have no desire to stop fighting us; it is their core purpose and everything else is justification to that purpose. Anyone, Muslim or otherwise, who disagree with them are enemies as well. American isolationism has never been the answer either. Up to World War I and World War II, aside from the Monroe Doctrine's desire to protect our weaker American neighbors from foreign colonization, America maintained an isolationist policy. Because of this, over 95 million souls were butchered during 10 years of war over a span of 31 years .

After World War II, we decided to enact policies that made world business our own business and as a result, in the last 60 years that have followed, only 8.5 million total has died in over 20 years of world conflicts such as Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Libya, Panama, Somalia, Yugoslavia, Liberia, Haiti, Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait, Pakistan, and Afghanistan where we have been directly involved, while a total of 133 independent nations have been freed to follow their own destinies. I would say that the cost of 8.5 million is a significant difference from the previous 95 million and though each life is precious, it is unfortunately not seen as such by our enemies. I would also say that if there is a fault in American policies, it is the expectation that any new democracies that we help establish is going to be friendly to us.

Unfortunately, this is not always the case as the indigenous population will always look to their own interest. Despite this, they generally become peaceful nations in the world with the desire to protect their own interest as well as their own independence. They do however, look forward to American support, although there is a reluctance in knowing that such support comes with strings. For the most part, the strings are not so hard a pill to swallow because it is also in their best interest but the few times when such support become more aggressive or even dangerous, these nations feel cornered by American actions in their region.

There has been many times when American actions have been a benefit to these friendly nations and yet, there has been far more times when we took too long to act or failed to act quickly or properly, and at their expense. History shows that we have failed the Kurds, Kuwaitis, Israelis, Afghans, Somalis, Lebanese and Saudis because we failed to act or acted too late or too little and when we did act, we failed our own troops because we bound their hands and withheld the tools and equipment that they knew was necessary to dispatch their duties. In doing such, we emboldened our enemies and made distant our allies; they rejected us not because we were in their business, but because they feared our lack of action while in their business.

Previous to Nine-Eleven, many Kurds were killed because we promised help and never delivered and when Iraq threatened Kuwait, we promise Kuwaitis safety while dragging out any threat at the Iraqis. We promised support to our Northern Guard Allies in Afghanistan and failed to follow through until after being hit by our enemies. We stood idly by when Ho Chi Minh asked for us to support independence of all Vietnam against the French (North and South), only to turn to communism for salvation, we stood idly by while the Cubans went into Grenada, when Manuel Noriega wrested control of Panama and we stood idly by while our Israeli friends stood vigil alone against the night.

Nine-Eleven has changed all that, our policy is now to act; to deliver a message and stand by that message. There are fewer places in this world that is a threat to world peace, thanks to American policies and those Americans who claim that U.S. involvement in the world is the cause of Nine-Eleven do not understand that terrorist do not need our involvement as justification for their actions, but rather this excuse is merely one of many weapons in their arsenal that can be easily tossed for another. Proof of our success is that post war Iraq is a nation again standing on its own and has as much news being reported as any other democracy in that region, and the people are making their own destiny. Yes, it is a fragile government, but for now it is fending for itself despite all the nay-sayers.

Ten years after Nine-Eleven, there is still much to do, but remember, so much has already been done. God Bless America.

Fredericksburg Masons honor Eagle Scouts from four local troops

2011-08-21T22:30:00.003-04:00

Fredericksburg.com - Fredericksburg Masons honor Eagle Scouts from four troops

Freemasonry & Scouting; A Common Heritage

This past Saturday, August 6th, Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4 AF&AM[i], invited local Eagle Scouts to their Masonic Temple to recognize their achievements in Scouting. The event coordinator was Dr. Bruce “Ziggy” Hollmann, who is a Past Master[ii] and Freemason, and has supported the Boy Scouts of America since 1958. Dr. Hollmann managed to bring together four local troops for this event, along with their parents and he then introduced the attending Scouts and their families to Mr. Shelby Chandler, who as the Worshipful Master[iii] of the Fredericksburg Masonic Lodge welcomed them.

They were next introduced to Mr. Freeman Shupe, who as the District Deputy Grand Master[iv] of this area was present to welcome them on behalf of the Grand Master of Masons in Virginia. Other Masonic organizations supporting this event were the International Order of Job’s Daughter[v], the Heroes of ’76 of the National Sojourners[vi], and the Fredericksburg Commandery of Knights Templar[vii].

The Eagle Scouts and Troops that were present for this event are as follows:

Fredericksburg Troop 72 - Timothy Louis & Michael Louis.

Hartwood Troop 1717 - Karl Ast & Charlie Brown.

Fredericksburg Troop 1889 - Thomas Rebbert.

Stafford Troop 907 - Zachary Patterson, Jeffrey Virga, Michael Vance & Alexander Van Curen.

Following a dinner banquet at 6:30 pm sponsored by Fredericksburg Bethel No. 16 of the International Order of Job’s Daughters and the Pledge of Allegiance, the Scouts, Scout Masters and Families were introduced to MSG Jeff St.Onge and CDR Heath Thomas of the National Sojourners’ Heroes of ’76, who presented them with a program on the American Flag. Following this program, Sir Knight Daniel Thompson, a Past Master of Fredericksburg Lodge and a Knight Templar, spoke of the many organizations within Freemasonry and how similar the tenets and standards of Scouting has been to the Masonic obligations. He further explains that the Founder of Scouting in the United States, Daniel Carter Beard[viii], was a Freemason who laid out the close relationship that is now shared between these two organizations.

Following this program, Dr. Hollmann requested that each Eagle Scout step forward and report what Eagle Scout project they took on to earn this prestigious recognition and following this, they were congratulated by the Fredericksburg Master and received their certificate of achievement from the Grand Lodge of Virginia by the District Deputy Grand Master for their contributions to both Scouting and this our community. Dr. Hollmann then closed the evening with a Prayer circle and an admonishment to each Eagle Scouts to remember their obligation.

Dr. Hollmann was Scout Master for Dahlgren Troop 1404 from 1973 to 1995 and has overseen the Grand Lodge of Virginia’s Eagle Scout program in the Spotsylvania, Stafford and King George area since 2000. Fredericksburg Masonic Lodge has supported the Boy Scouts, and has worked to bridge the common history between them by their attendance at the 2005 and 2010 National Jamboree at Ft. A.P. Hill and the 2009 and 2011 Eagle Scout Banquet. As a result of Fredericksburg Masonic Lodge’s support to the 2005 National Jamboree, a new organization within the Boy Scouts of America was established in 2008 known as NAMS[ix] (National Association of Masonic Scouters) which has already registered a few thousand members.

[i] AF&AM - Ancient, Free & Accepted Masons or Freemaons

[ii] Past Master – A Master Mason who have served as Worshipful Master of a Masonic Lodge

[iii] Worshipful Master – Freemasonry is over 400 years old and their titles reflect this heritage

[iv] District Deputy Grand Master – One of fifty four representatives of the Grand Master of Masons in Virginia

[v] Job’s Daughter – An International Masonic Youth Organization for Girls teaching Masonic principles

[vi] National Sojourners – A Masonic organization of Officers & Senior NCOs of the Armed Forces (past & present)

[vii] Knights Templar – A Masonic Chivalric Order tied to Freemasons who profess Christianity.

[viii] Daniel Carter Beard – along with Ernest Thomas Seton and Robert Baden-Powell were all Freemasons

[ix] NAMS = National Association of Masonic Scouters. See http://www.nams-bsa.org/

From Fredericksburg.com

What is Freemasonry

2007-12-23T13:29:00.000-05:00

“Freemasonry teaches us that each member has a duty to their country, their God, their neighbor, and themselves. We are taught not only to hold each life as sacred, but to hold sacred each memory and experience that gives that life meaning. We learn that the greatest battles fought are against the demons within ourselves and the greatest peace one can offer is through eternal vigilance. We are taught to seek the angels of our better nature and with those wings lift up those in despair or in need. We are given the tools of masonry and are taught to build that spiritual Temple within ourselves. As workers and warriors, professors and priests, we move at all social levels and yet as brothers we meet as equals. Our history is that of Sword, Trowel & Song. Our prayers are to the Great Architect of the Universe and our duties are not only to ourselves but to that undiscovered country. We are Freemasons; we are that Light that is not seen until Darkness has fallen. Then do we shine!”

- Warbard -

Religion vs Science

2005-08-29T11:04:00.002-04:00

Evolving away from Darwinism

Let me state that both Darwinist and Religious zealots have always been foolish enough to believe they hold the monopoly on knowledge and reason, when in fact they were showing how weak their argument has been by needing the other to prop themselves up. In fact, this killing the opponent by continuously attacking its perceived flaws is common to human nature, we always take a point of view as our own and give it a mirrored opposite and then battle that opposite. Example of this is Politics (Liberal vs. Conservatism), Warmongers vs. Peacemongers, Capitalism vs. Communism, ect.

But what if this great, mysterious, and yet dangerous physical universe is merely the playground for us finding that spiritual universe within ourselves? Can not the mundane realm be big enough for both? What if Science was a gift from God, that we be the better enabled to find our own souls while in our own quest for knowledge and understanding; a fact, much like knowing where you come from in order to know where you are going?

Does not both discovering the laws of Science and discovering Religion require Knowledge, Understanding, and Faith? Read what is written below and apply both to the mysteries of Religion as well as the search for the absolute facts within Science, in that sometimes each requires a leap of Faith:

Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true (Phil. 1:27; 2 Thess. 2:13). Its primary idea is trust. A thing is true, and therefore worthy of trust. It admits of many degrees up to full assurance of faith, in accordance with the evidence on which it rests. Faith is the result of teaching (Rom. 10:14-17). Knowledge is an essential element in all faith, and is sometimes spoken of as an equivalent to faith (John 10:38; 1 John 2:3). Yet the two are distinguished in this respect, that faith includes in it assent, which is an act of the will in addition to the act of the understanding.

Science can tell you through evolution how single cell amoebas joined to become a more complex forms of life, but what or who gave them intelligence? What or who gave them those spark of consciousness or self-awareness? Where did the energy and physical matter come from that created the Big Bang? When did nothing become something? Let us look at some basic facts and statements both Religion and Science holds true.

Eventually I will be writing more on this, but for now I want people to ponder this point. I would like to thank Cameron Slayden for this chart; I came across it in my research proving the similarities of the Creation/Evolutionary Timelines and could not find a better way to depict my point which is this: Darwinist supplants God for Science. Extreme Capitalist reveres Money instead of God. Agnostics removes the absolutism of a belief for the sake of not being wrong (sitting on a fence). But what is worse is the people of Religion who takes up the sword against these other people in an attempt to prove these people wrong. My reason for believing this is because they belittle their God. What all the people mentioned above don’t see is this:

What if God is just a little bit bigger in the Great Equation?

Hollywood & Politics

2005-08-28T08:38:00.000-04:00

As for Hollywood, Artist and Musicians have always been an inspiration to behold in their endeavors, but seldom do they keep in touch with the real world. Case in point is Barbara Streisand and IRAN? There are too many ostriches in this world with their heads in a hole, only the holes they are sticking their heads into is not on the Earth’s surface!

We must remember that these people are entertainers and thespians; they are not experts because they play one in the movies or travel around the world on tours or on sets. I have been out there too, and believe me, the places they go is seldom the real-life existence within those countries itself. They tend to go to the ritzier areas that are acceptable to tourist. I have not seen one of them slaughter and cook their own chicken, pig, or cow so that they can have a decent supper, but then again, half of them would faint from the viciousness of such a bloody act.

Look, I am not going to be too harsh on these people because many of them have beautiful souls. There is a beauty in wanting peace on this planet that we call home. It is just not realistic in this period of Humanity.

This is not the Age of Aquarius, but it seems to be slowly heading in that direction. One should always have the dream and desire for peace. But one should never underestimate the cruelty within this world. I believe in truth, that the day each country can retire all law enforcement officers is the day the military can trade their weapons for farming and construction tools and we can give up the ability to wage war and aggression. But history has shown that the military has been the only true peacemakers in this world.

Naked force has been the one true power that has held back the real threats to mankind throughout the ages. Peace is won and kept by those with the will and might to hold it. The minute you do not have the power to hold it, someone is always there to take it and instill their on idea of peace. Only when everybody in this world can agree on set standards of what peace is and are happy with those standards will then peace truly reign. And that is the sad truth of reality and the true hope of peace in the world.

I guess that Artist should always be the Yin to the Yang of a Warriors harsh life and reality. I guess that way the balance is kept. But that still does not make Hollywood correct in this circumstance. Nor should they have a voice or hold political sway in Washington DC. No more than any other individual. Maybe one day we will have true peace, and Artist and Musicians will have their chance to guide this world!

The United Nations

2005-08-28T08:34:00.000-04:00

The United Nations is not this noble world government. If the United States government was set up the way the UN was, Americans would not only be horrified, but would rise in arms against it. It is not a government set up by the people of the world for the people of the world. It was set up by the victors of World War II, who claimed veto rights, and gave the leftovers to the other countries. It is not a government made in the interest of the people but rather made for the interest of governments. Those same governments that the people (who support the UN) claim are corrupted. The only checks and balances in the United Nations are Money, Might, and Manipulation! The reason the United States can steer the UN even when everyone disagrees with us is because we are the richest country (money), with the strongest military ever (might), with commercial and humanitarian interest worldwide (manipulation). Not only have that, but people all over the world liked the idea of America, if not the United States itself.

The United Nation is politically impotent and misguided, but not a waste of time. Its humanitarian successes have been a beautiful thing to behold, despite being a bazaar for geo-political agendas. So why are the great-defenders of the people’s rights demanding that we go to an organization that allows governments to have a voice and not the people themselves? The same Organization that has told the United States of America five times, that we have to alter the American Constitution, and that the American people have to give up some of their constitutional rights in order to appease the world body. Below are 4 of the 5 (I cannot find the fifth one)

The United States rejected the World Court because they stated American citizens will not be allowed the rights that the US Constitution states are theirs by right of Providence and not governments, ours or the United Nation’s.

The United States rejected UN’s Declaration of Principles for the Regulation of Firearms and other UN attempts because it bans individuals from having their own weapons, or in their words, "It is not a right to possess a firearm. This was the consensus.” Once again the US Constitution Second Amendment’s Amendment II Right to Bear Arms (1791) is in the way of the United Nations.

The United States rejected the Kyoto Accords because of its bias towards the US, its vague wordings allow for manipulation of this treaty instead of set standards for all, and costliness of implementing the drastic standards instead of little, yet constant changes. See: http://www.ce.umn.edu/classes/fall02/ce3501/kyoto8.pdf

UN Ministers have already told the media that the U.S. must alter Amendment I Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, Petition (1791), because it obstructs an almost unanimous vote to ban specific advertising of tobacco products in all countries. People should be persuaded to quit smoking, not dictated.

If someone knows this one, please contact me at warbard@gmail.com

Ruling on the Pledge of Allegiance

2005-08-28T08:24:00.000-04:00

By Warbard

We all understand that the reason for the separation of Church and State was because of the persecution that our ancestors faced from Britain's state-oriented church. We all understand the dangers in mixing a religious organization with government policies, especially when we have a multi-cultured society such as ours with many beliefs. But this new ruling on the Pledge of Allegiance as being unconstitutional has nothing to do with the separation of Church and State. Please allow me to explain:

The idea was to keep a specific denomination and physical religious organization out of government. What these recent squabbles have been about is not the separation of Church and State, but rather the separation of Faith and State, and our founding fathers have never intended that. We are taking what they stated too far. Understand that these were faith based men, who in the wisdom God gave them separated Religion (as a physical organization) from Government. But these men held their Faith (in God) within the foundations of this Government. God is not church. Proof of that is that Islam; Judaism, and Christianity, three separate religions hold sacred the God of Abraham.

Anyone who has read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution understands that these men believed that God endowed all men with these rights, the same rights that now threatens to renounce God because misguided people seems to think that God and Church is synonymous when in fact he is closer to the idea of Faith or as an entity of Hope.

George Washington warned us;
“Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all. Religion and morality enjoin this conduct, and can it be that good policy does not equally enjoin it? It will be worthy of a free, enlightened, and at no distant period a great nation to give to mankind the magnanimous and too novel example of a people always guided by an exalted justice and benevolence. Who can doubt that in the course of time and things the fruits of such a plan would richly repay any temporary advantages which might be lost by a steady adherence to it? Can it be that Providence has not connected the permanent felicity of a nation with its virtue? The experiment, at least, is recommended by every sentiment which ennobles human nature. Alas! Is it rendered possible by its vices?”

An exalted justice and benevolence = God

Our Founding Fathers knew that a nation without God, Accountability, and Morality, would quickly become a perished nation, feeding upon itself as it destroys all about it. Proof of this was the French Revolution and its “Reign of Terror” where they abandoned not only religion, but God as well for the sake of pure Secularism. As a result, the revolution became blood, butchery, and mob rule as no one was accountable to a higher power and as a result, a human tyrant assumed the office of that higher power and took hold of that nation, throwing her stately neighbors into the multi-national Napoleonic War. Even Nazi Germany threw aside God for the sake of Nationalism, and the Holocaust and World War II was the result. Many of our founding fathers were Freemasons, a group of men who has learned to separate what is physical religion to what is God and Faith. They knew the importance of an Almighty God, and yet knew how to separate their own personal churches for the sake of unity.

Let us not confuse these two issues here. I pray (or hope) that the people of the United States will learn to show the same wisdom that our Founding Fathers have shown in separating Church and State, but keeping Faith and State as whole, and ensure that the Pledge of Allegiance remains intact as it is! I will have faith that our government will eventually overturn this ruling and that Atheist, Agnostics, and non-monotheistic religious people will keep their beliefs, yet come to accept the principles on which this nation was built as they should its laws, liberties, and language.