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When life on earth ends

By Mark Wilmoth The request came twice in less than one week: “Please, lay hands on them and pray and ask God to send them back.” Both requests came from family members who had just lost a child. That’s the worst kind of loss. Most of us grow up knowing that we will probably lose our parents one day. When we marry, it’s for “as long as we both shall live.” One of us will probably say “goodbye” to the other. But parents shouldn’t have to bury their children. “Please, lay hands on them and pray and ask God to send them back” they pleaded. One person even added, “I ...

Spain begins Holy Week with processions, palm branches and familiar faces

MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Actor Antonio Banderas joined the crowds in dozens of Palm Sunday processions, marking the official start of Holy Week in Spain, a country with a fervent Catholic tradition. After singing a hymn inside the church of Saint John, Banderas, dressed in a traditional ...

Jesus preached honesty

By Mark Wilmoth University of Alaska Professor Chris Kleinke conducted a poll of 650 men and 831 women to find the most effective pick-up lines. After studying the responses, Kleinke reported that the best approach is direct and honest. “I really like your hair” or “I don’t have anyone to introduce me, but I’d really like to meet you” works much better than more devious approaches like “You remind me of someone I used to date.” Questions like “What’s your sign?” are considered flippant and cheesy. “I’d really like to get to know you better” works because ...

Forgiveness is the key to overcoming anger

By Mark Wilmoth More than 300 years before Christ, the Greek philosopher Aristotle said, “Anybody can become angry – that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way, that is not easy!” Society bears the scars from anger expressed at the wrong time and in the wrong degree. For example, the U.S. Department of Justice reports that only 21% of murders are committed by strangers, while friends and acquaintances are responsible 54.3% of the time, and 24.8% of all murders are committed by family ...

Donkeys and elephants can’t lead us to Heaven, but the Lamb can

By Mark Wilmoth The modern Democratic Party had its origin in 1828, rising from the remnants of the Democratic-Republican Party. Then Senator Martin Van Buren created a coalition of state organizations into the Democratic Party and helped get Andrew Jackson elected President that year. In the 1850s, the Republican Party emerged as the anti-slavery party, and the Republicans have been the Democrat’s main political rivals ever since. While the Democratic Party lays claim to being the oldest active political party, political rivalries have existed throughout history, often helping ...