The Georgian Gazette

It does not take anyone with superior intelligence to understand when money is dangled in front of people, most of the time, they will take the bait. With the outcome of the vote on the Republican ballot about expanding gambling, there are people who are pushing harder to open a casino. According to the Secretary of State’s web site 31.34% of the registered voters or 1,636,371 people voted in the Primary last week. Out of that number 955, 857 voted on question number one on the Republican ballot. That question, you will remember, asked if we had more gambling with money going to education, would we approve such a move. 480,313 voted yes and 475,544 voted no. The difference in the vote was 4,769. 50.25% voted yes and 49.75% voted no. With one half of one percent voting in favor over those who opposed the question, the gambling crowd was ready to crow about the overwhelming victory. The willing media is quick to find church folks who applaud the idea that we will soon have a casin...

Sunday is Father’s Day. I often share statements I heard my father say as I was growing up. My daddy was known for taking common sense advice and spinning it with down home humor making people laugh, but also having a serious message as the outcome. To say I miss my daddy would be an understatement. The lessons he taught me are endless. He was a hard working man. Loyalty to friends, family, and the Lord were hallmarks of his life. He was not blessed with much formal education, but he was brilliant beyond comparison when it came to understanding how to deal with people and to live a life of integrity. In the midst of any argument he could always find something humorous which allowed all the people involved a time to laugh and to be able to forget their differences. Daddy was a pushover. He had principles and standards he would not bend or break for anyone. His life had been marked by hard work. Growing up during the years of the Great Depression following the Stock Market crash in 1929,...

May is graduation month for seniors in high school. Each year, headlines tell of tragic outcomes to parties planned after proms or high school graduation ceremonies. There is no more exciting time in the life of young people who are finally being able to attend the prom and second to that, is the rite of passage occurring when one has in their hands the folder holding their high school diploma. It is a time for celebration. I can remember that night of graduation in 1962 from Central High School, Phenix City, Alabama. Yes, I know that was fifty years ago. I remember the night as being special because I was asked to lead our class in the prayer as the ceremony began at the football stadium. Fifty years ago we were able to pray in public gatherings without fear someone would be offended. We had an opening and closing prayer on our high school graduation program as well as several references to God in the speeches of the honor students chosen to speak before the gathering of school board ...

As I travel Georgia speaking to various groups, a major question continues to be asked. The answer to the question always brings responses from people who, for many years, have been confused concerning the freedom of speech rights we have. One of the most cherished of our freedoms is freedom of speech. We should do everything possible to assure that we never loose the right to freedom of speech. Yes, that means all citizens have freedom of speech. Being a member of a church or a certain group of people does not limit your freedom of speech. There is, however, a certain category within the tax code approved by the IRS known as 501c3 which causes a great deal of confusion on the part of charities, non profit organizations, and churches. The 501c3 designation from the IRS means that the receipts of those organizations are not subject to taxes. The employees of those organizations, however, are subject to paying taxes. I still have people asking questions related to the salary paid to staf...

The Apostle Paul, writing to the believers in Ephesus, reminded them of a great truth to guide our interpersonal relationships. Paul said; “Be angry, and do not sin;” as he quoted from Psalm 4:4 (NKJV). We can conclude from these references in both the Old and New Testaments in the Bible that we are warned about keeping our anger in control. Notice the admission; we will have anger. There is not one who has ever lived that did not at some time express anger about something. Even the most even tempered person can find something disturbing them to the point of invoking anger to arise from inside. Jesus became angry when He saw the way His Father’s house was being used as a place of material trading rather than the expressed purpose of prayer. Much can be known about a person when it is revealed what makes them angry. Some people, it seems, are angry all the time about everything. These types of people are never in a good mood. These folks live in constant stress and create much stress fo...

In recent months, much has been said in the media concerning a quote from Warren Buffett (one of the richest men in the nation), as he has called for the rich to pay higher taxes. Last week, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, in typical fashion, was quoted as saying in regard to the push by Buffett for the rich to pay higher taxes; “Shut up and write the check.” Governor Christie was calling for Buffett to stop talking and go to putting his money into the tax coffers of government. Several of my liberal friends like to quote Buffett to me when I write about taxes already being too high and that I oppose paying higher taxes. I recently saw a quote from Warren Buffett about state sponsored gambling. He said; “It’s a terrible way to raise money. It’s a tax on ignorance…I don’t like the idea of the government depending, for certain portions of its revenue, on hoodwinking citizens.” This quote by Warren Buffett is from a taped interview on the Stop Predatory Gambling web site. The Senate...