Let me talk a bit about Principles

Before I get started let me mention here that there will be times, like this past week, when business and medical reasons will interfer with my posting daily or maybe even for several days at a time but like the proverbial bad penny rest assured I will turn up again.

Hold on  a minute while I pour myself a brandy to enjoy while working on this post.   There.

Now why at this time would I want to talk about principles?  Simple, because I believe the subject to be relevant to what is going on not only in this country but the world at this time.  We have an election only a few months away; we have Democrat's and, yes, some Republican's too, in Congress who seem to be having a problem with our coming together as one people of common purpose united behind our President in the war on terrorism.  Why?  Well my guess is because they see division as a tool to either regain the Alpha Political position and/or as a tool to achieve either personal gain or power for themselves.  Such are selfish motives which are opposed to the principle of acting in the best interest of the majority and/or nation.

There are certain axioms present in our minds which we should allow guide our lives: one is honesty is the best policy; another, courage is power; practice makes perfect; and truth eventually wills out, to site but a few more.

The first order ot things we each should be concerned with is defining just what our principles are as individuals, the second order of things for us should be to believe in the principles we tell others guide our lives, and finally we should make a great effort to allow our pronounced principles to guide our actions.

Fools believe in principles when they see it is advantageous to them to do so.   A reasonable man believes in a principle when he can neither see or touch it because he is aware the power of his faith in his principles will work for him even in the dark of night.

Real men believe in and practice honesty even when it is evident to them that to lie and cheat would be profitable because their principles make them aware that good will overcome evil even in the face of false remedies or cruel punishments. 

Men of principle steer straight courses in life while shrewd men, men of expediency, are coasters in life who wander aimlessly about looking to trick, fool, or dodge life's tribulations.  Such men are life's runners.

Those whose lives are founded upon principles will find their lives grow richer and stronger for having them.  When is the last time you took stock of your principles?  Are you living your life by your stated principles or ignoring them in favor of whatever benefits you the most at the moment?  Have you ever thought that your happiness and usefulness grow out of your principle beliefs and practices?

Are you one who always looks for and takes the exception to a principle?  Has your road in life been straight or is it filled with a steady stream of deviations?  Do you answer "It all depends," or do you let your judgement founded upon your principles decide what you will do in each circumstance?

By this I mean do you believe your little mind is clearer thinking than the omniscient mind?  To put this in as simple a term as possible: DO YOU DO THAT WHICH IS EXPEDIENT OR THAT WHICH IS RIGHT?

You do realize that men without principles are life's wind driven chaff?

Now let me throw in here a matter of Principle for all of us to consider because it is relevant to today's trying times. 

What follows are the thoughts of an American who has lived in Saudi Arabia for 20 years when he was asked by another "Can a Muslim become a good American citizen?"

His reply:  "Theologically - no.  Because his allegiance is to Allah, the moon god of Arabia.

"Religiously - no.  Because no other religion is accepted by his Allah except Islam (Koran, 2:256).

"Scripturally - no.  Because his allegiance is to the five pillars of Islam and the Quarn (Koran).

"Geographically - no.  Because his allegiance is to Mecca, to which he turns in prayer five times a day.

"Socially - no.  Because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews.

"Politically - no.  Because he must submit to mullah (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and Destruction of America, the great Satan.

"Domestically - no.  Because he is instructed to marry four women and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him (Quran 4:34).

"Intellectually - no.  Because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt.

"Philosophically - no.  Because Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran do not allow freedom of religion and expression.  Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist.  Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic.

"Spiritually - no.  Because when we declare, "one nation under God," the Christian/Judeo God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER refered to as heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in the Quran's 99 excellent names."

Now those are all explanations of the principles Muslims not only believe but live their lives by. 

Australia has the right idea, they let the Muslim community there know that if they can't acknowledge Australia's laws and way of life as being theirs then it's "Katy unbar the door and out they go.  And if their mullah's preach otherwise than they get the boot, also."

Now, I ask, as an American, what are your principles?  SYOTB