What better justification of the truth of this article is the disfunctional family Mr. Obama grew up in.

What a wonderful essay!! I had a wonderful caring father and mother. They are both gone now, but their care and attention to my up-bringing has helped me grately in the rearing of my own children.

Thank you for a great publication. I have sent it to many of my friends and they subscribe to it also.

In connection with the Lenin quote ("Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted,") there's an interesting chapter in Mark Sullivan's series "Our Times" from 1935, detailing the positive effect the McGuffey Readers had on several generations of children in America. It's well worth researching.

I would like to wish a Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there that read the PatriotPost. I for one grew up with a very loving father, who now that he is older and cannot live on his own is now living with me. I am a single mother with one grown daugher and a younger son, both have different fathers. I think what has helped me raise my kids to be good caring citizens is my faith in God and a very close family. Good essay Mark.

This is far and away the most concise and accurate description of what fatherhood should be all about that I have seen in a long time. My wife of nearly 47 years and I are blessed to have 3 adult children and 8 grandchildren -- all of whom live just 3 miles from us. It is a daily privilege and honor to both observe and help them pass on the legacy (that my wife and I received from our parents)of faith, family, and freedom. All of us have a moral obligation to our God and to our Country to teach these values to the next generation and to emulate them in our lives.

The photo of the infant's hand in the protection of his father's hand says it all. Powerful!

Excellent essay Mark!! Happy Fathers Day dads! As a father of 3 very little ones I must say that this essay really hit home for me. From time to time I can tend to neglegt my marriage for selfish reasons and I must say it does impact my family as a whole when I behave that way. It is not fair to my wife or my children. I have had to do alot of growing up very recently and this article opened my eyes even more of the importance of my role in my household. More than anything I want my marriage to survive the years and have my children experience the wonder of a loving, stable home, just as I received as a child. Thanks again Mark, this article really did work wonders for me!

I enjoyed, and agree with, this entire essay except where you feel the need to introduce the supernatural. There is no need for a belief in tooth fairies, demons, gods, and other myths and superstitions in order to have a respect for the importance of the institution of marriage and the family as the essential building block of our society.

Rumor has it that Obama will dump Joe Biden and enlist Hillary Clinton as his running mate for the 2012 election... This makes perfect sense in the land of Obama for many reasons...

As disastrous as the last 30 months have been, America simply could not survive 4 years of an Obama/Clinton administration...

The question is - Are there more Americans who believe in freedom & liberty, or are most Americans

content to exist with a government-provided chicken in every pot ?

We will find out in November of next year

The statistics on the socio-pathology of children who live apart from their fathers are stunning and terrible. Mark, I wish you'd publish the links to those items.

I found this to be quite alarming with interesting facts. All of us who love our children and with a sincere concern for all children, brotherly love, God and ultimately the future of mankind should read this article and truly ponder what is going on in our public schools and country today. From what is revealed it is imperative that we all get involved and not sit idly by any longer while many of our elected officials and liberal judges destroy the life that God has intended for man from the very beginning. "We are a government of the people, by the people and for the people" and this changes not, unless we do nothing by electing wrong people. As President Lincoln stated in his all famous Gettysburg Address....."this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." It is up to the People to see that this does not perish. The 'Light' is getting dimmer and dimmer and soon will not shine at all if we the people do not wake up and Let our 'Light' shine brightly again for all to see and find their way.

We the People are on the verge of loosing our grip on Our government and its leaders, the power of their position has gone to their heads, resulting to a lack of integrity, responsibility to duty, and honor of office. Today politician's think all they need to do is raise a Billion dollars to run a political campaign (without regard for honesty or integrity) and they are assured the office of power of their choice. This need not be the case as the Power is with the (Informed) People. We the People Must hold them accountable through elections, Unlike what we have been witness to of recent by the encouragement and promotion of protestors and uncivil demonstrations around this country by this White House, Big Unions and far left wing liberal organizations, including the democratic party when things are not going their way. Even to the point of overturning election outcomes, the voters choices through legal ballot elections by liberal judges thereby disenfranchising voters, as well as using the court system to undermine and limit the decisions of Governors and their right to govern when it affects the Big Unions and responsible fiscal budget spending.

Well spoken.

Thank you for reminding us of these eternal truths.

When Hillary's book It "Takes a village" came out I did not read it and I still don't feel I have lost a thing. I do agree that everyone in a village influences the way a child views the world and influences his/her attitude. That is precisely why I came to the conclusion that I do not want Hillary or her compatriots anywhere near my village because of the BAD influence they would have on normal child rearing.

Excellent essay, as usual Mark. It is unfortunate that many of this country's dads are several thousand miles from home, working to keep this republic safe for future generations. God bless our military, and happy Fathers Day to those who will miss being with their families because they value freedom and liberty more than their own comfort. We can never forget that freedom is not free.

Mark,

I have two grandsons who are now fatherless and I am trying to fill in as best I can. I pray every day that God will give each of my seven grandchildren wisdom beyond their years so they will make the right decisions in their lives. Unless some drastic changes occur they will surely need it.

Lest we become too caustic, Scripture teaches us to pray for our leaders, and I pray for our representatives, our senators and our president often. Scripture also tells us to pray for those who despitefully use us. Unfortunately, in this day and age, one prayer catches both groups easily. But what better way to cause change than through prayer.

I read "The Class of '44" again, and it was certainly a tear on the heart. It would have been easy to skip the "boring" paragraph with the names of those who died in their service, but instead, I slowly read each and every name. As I did I tried to imagine just how many people were affected by the death of that person. There was, indeed, great sacrifice! They were true patriots.

Please give my thanks to your Dad for his service and his sacrifice. As a baby-boomer I can only half imagine what his life was like. My four years in the United States Coast Guard during the 60s - 70s was only time spent with little sacrifice. Those who served in Nam can surely get the picture. However, most baby-boomers and later ons can only try to imagine the horror of war. May God bless your Dad and those like him, and may you have him for several more good years.

Semper Paratus

I agree 200% that ALL kids need a Father. However, I hope this does not encourage those 'two father' homes to go out and adopt.! Kids need ONE OF EACH, if at all possible. Two fathers or two mothers cannot provide the input the children need to become successful members of society. A father does not have ALL the answers to questions that inevitably crop up during the formative years, and a Mother likewise does not have ALL the answers a young lad might ask. IT TAKES ONE OF EACH.

Mark,

Amid a litany of self-evident conservative traditional family truths, your bottom line is one-sided father bashing.

Effectively, you've rendered a service to Big Feminism because lumping hard-working, law-abiding fathers in with irresponsible ghetto denizens is precisely how so-called 'family' Courts go about justifying blatant sexist bigotry and severing mutually-relationships between children and otherwise model parents.

Embracing legitimate equality between the sexes dictates accepting all that either positively or negatively impacts families is pretty much a two-way street gender-wise.

The only exception being, in all areas from the Courts on down, unduly chivalrous males do their own sex light years more harm than even the most strident members of the sisterhood.

Mark,

As an American - bravo. As a Veteran - ooohrahhh! As a father - thank you. As a Christian - Amen.

Warmest Regards,

Joel Chase

Karl Marx and Lenin had it right. But our children are getting indoctrinated alot more than four years and at earlier ages. My grandson was sent off to college having been raised as a good Conservative. When he finished college, he is a bleeding heart liberal. Two possibilities here. Either these spookey dude Professors brain washed him or reinforced by finding a good little Democrat girl friend and she got in his head and his pants for the first time. Funny how sex works on the brain, huh?

Mark ;

I read the Patriot post daily! and ne being bilingual in Latin I am puzzled by your closing epitaph "Semper Vigilo, Fortis, Paratus et Fidelis" I would appreciate a translation just for my information....

Deo Vindice

Dan Smith

RE: Mark. Brilliantly done. I found it well balance and informative.I found what your minister said to be the standard (Ministerial speak) but it is correct.

I am neutral on same sex unions, I do see a trend in the data that shows children being raised by a same sex union having less achievablity, more liberal than there counterparts, and when it comes to a relationship, less likely to commit.

RE: Gator. You may be correct. I have one son who went to College and received a double MA, and is currently racing. He is exactly what you described. My other two sons went to trade schools and are ultra conservative. Yes, there is a cause and effect.

PatriotPost needs to be a bit more precise when you talk about fatherhood and the loss of same in the past generation or two.

Family law places near total control of the children in the hands of the custodial parent. Over 90% of the time the custodial parent is the mother. Fatherhood groups exist in almost every state. They make changing family law to facilitate keeping fathers in their children's lives their highest priority, with little success.

The family law system defacto suppresses fatherhood. It spends billions of dollars on collecting alimony and child support and just about nothing on on fathers custody issues. "Non-custodial parent" is a sarcastic euphemism that really means non-parent.

The only humane and logical solution is to have a fifty/fifty split of time and role in their children's lives for both parents. If one parent refuses then other arrangements can be made.

The real problem with this articles' position is that it supports the enemies of the family and fatherhood. The resulting policy recommendations are thus unlikely to be effective.

But please, don't take my word for it! Check the facts yourselves. Go on Medline and look up combinations custody, fatherhood, divorce, separation, family law.

I did, and checked through around 760 articles and abstracts. I won't give away the ending. The effort will reward those interested in maintaining the family. Their recommendations will be supported by facts and have a chance of working in the real world.

The decline of the family started in Genesis when Adam decided to follow Eve, rather than lead by example of obedience, and he ate of the forbidden fruit. Analogous is the Women's Liberation movement, and the men who, even if well intentioned, follow the women instead of taking leadership. Compound that with increasing % women in workforce; the deception* that working women are not paid, aren't promoted, are discriminated disfavorably; add that business must make additional accomodations for working women, must meet gender quotas; add increased day care; add the costs to business are met with relative oppression of salary for all; add need for both mom and pop to work to meet needs of families; and exponentiate all over forty of fifty years and the results are what we have: no respect for male, head of household, monogomous, one wife-one life families. Soon to be common: Gays will raise foster children, lead day care centers, adopt children, get married, demand increased rights at the cost of traditional families, demand laws to prevent churchs from preaching truth ... Well, if you think that it will not rain fire and brimstone on the USA, then you must expect God to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!

*Stats asserting discrimination against women in the workplace are notorious for failing to block multiple legitimate factors. Gender discrimination does occur, and it must be stopped and never allowed to occur again. But the frequency is far less than promulgated by the deceptive liberal media. Factors not blocked include: education level, skill differentiation, willingness to work overtime without advance notice, willingness to move to new locations quickly, willingess to take high risks even risking failure, etc. In 40 years only once did I observe gender discrimination. Else, I have never observed women truly disadvantaged when all factors were considered. Fortunately, most worked hard, and probably could have earned their position fairly without all the accomodations made to meet gender quotas. However, I know men who lost to women in institution's eagerness to meet gender quotas.

Mark, that was a wonderful post you wrote and that was the basis of America's history, but as we all know, we're losing it so badly.

I was thrilled to see you say that teaching your children about spiritual things is the most important thing. I feel that way too. My children are grown now, but I still pray for them daily and long to see them count for the Lord.

Thank you for what you wrote.

Faith

Request permission to quote this paragraph, with attribution to Mr. Alexander and the PatPost.

I am writing an essay on what the lack of families means to our society.

Thank you.

Bob Shearer

As usual, you are spot on about the role of fatherhood and marriage. Too many families expect teachers and school systems to be father and mother to their children, and our society has made a habit of blaming the "system" for failing children. Many people expect others to take the responsibility for educating and nurturing their children.

Thank you for your insight! ~Rachel

Additionally, I myself am familiar with the failings of "family law." I have a friend who's wife left him after he discovered she was having an affair, along with an attempt to ruin them financially. She moved in with her lover and got full custody of both their children, girls under the age of 6. The reasoning? He had to move back in with his parents as a result of her spending, so the court decided that his was not a "stable home" because he was not the owner. How ridiculous! He sees his children only every other weekend, and they often complain about having to go back to their mother.

The loss or lack of a father in so many military families is a side benefit to the left of the wars they keep inventing, Causalties create holes in families and weaken the structure of the Right together with divorces caused by the stress and strain of war.

Another is equipment wear out and leave behind that will not be replaced or repaired.

How long to reprovision after Vietnam?

Mark, that's a beautiful essay. I was blessed to have a loving, strong father. My sons, however, lost their adoring daddy before they were old enough to really know him. I like to project the picture of him loving them from heaven.

There are many organizations to help fatherless children. One of the best is Scouting. I have been very grateful to the fathers in my boys' Cub Scout Pack, and now their Boy Scout Troop, for all the support they give their sons and mine.

Many may disagree as I may not be as articulate in the following as I should. I think we, as members of a village. have a certain responsibility to those around us, therefore, I would agree that it take a village to raise a child to responsible adulthood. However, I don't think it that "the village" (i.e. the government) to do so. If I (and each of us) can contribute in some small way to steering children in the right direction, I think that is a responsibility we have. But that responsibility should not be given over to "the village."

In a day and age when "fathers" are considered optional or disposible, it is so refreshing to read that others hold dear the truth that God created man and woman as well a their union--marriage. It is sad to watch so many of our nation's children grow up without the influence and much-needed guidance of Godly fathers. I'm a very competent, strong, independent woman, but I shudder to think what I would have done without my husband, the father of my children, by my side. Together we raised four wonderful kids who value family, God, and work ethic. It didn't take a village; it just took two parents committed to each other and to God.

Another great essay, Mark! I wish that I could say that my marriage lasted but, my relationship with my daughter never wavered. My wife was more interested in "the night life," than raising children. I was the father 24-7 and am still thrilled that I was able to have the opportunity. Our daughter received love, self-worth and discipline from me.

There is no village today that I could trust to even advise my child, let alone help raise her. Now she has blessed me with two beautiful grandkids. If your children have given you joy, just wait until you are holding a grandchild. Oh, how your heart will swell!

Fathers who needs fathers.We have food stamps,welfare,school,breakfast,lunch and dinner programs for their out of wedlock spawn.Or if women choose as many abortions on demand as they could ever want.And how about that free college education and a whole lot of other great free stuff.You can become a social worker and be as miserable as the people you're trying to help.And it's all provided free of charge by your loving,compassionate government. The feminization of our society is just so great.Its worked wonders for all you poor downtrodden women.You've come a long way baby.But I don't think that becoming a "Judy Doll" was what you had in mind.So girls bust on out there and enjoy that liberation and freedom of not having a pesky man messing up your life.Ahh Yes!Being a single mom it's just so great.That is the P.C.term now isn't it."Single Mom" And the one night stands are just so! Why,I just can't seem to find the words to expound how great they are.[for the male of the species]So really! Who needs a husband or father anyway.Certainly not your children.We're such a destablizing problem.You don't think so.Ask any shrink they'll tell you the male of the species is needed for his sperm and for moving heavy objects.

Thank y'all so much for addressing this critical issue in our society.

"Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness." -Hebrews 12:10 NIV

It takes a whole village to raise a child.

That's what they say in Africa, or so I've heard.

I wonder why it hasn't occurred to so-called liberals that Africa is a basket case and maybe one reason for that is the avoidance of responsibility in this most basic way.

Many thanks for your piece on Fatherhood and its essential part in the health of this country. It all comes down to the family: Healthy families beget a healthy commonwealth. Unhealthy families beget a dysfunctional state that will be manipulated by the false. Another good read on this is Rick Santorum's answer to Ms. Clinton's silliness, It Takes a Family. Rick gets the whole picture.

Yeppers.

To MAJ USA ret.

God has already lamented over Sodom and Gomorrah and said because of the sins of Israel both will be restored at the end times. While I think it is within reason to expound on Gods truths as expressed in the Bible I think we do disservice to Him when we attempt to predict what he is going to do even worse is putting words in His mouth, especially after the fact.

No, it does not take a village to raise a child, but rather a good family. There are too many perverts in the village.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Clinton missed a very important point, with all due respect(ha, ha)to the Gay and Lesbian community. You can't outsource parenthood, nor can outsourcing be legislated. It take two parents, a man and a woman, married to each other, to raise a child. That's the way it has always been, and the way it should always be.

Re: Von Dupnik's bio...

"His story is the American story -- values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family...."

Values from the heartland?! How is his "Heartland" mama supposed to instill any American core values - deserving of the label, "heartland" - when she was pregnant out of wedlock?! I am sure her fine, breadbasket, hot-dogs-and-apple-pie parents were thrilled right down to their bunions when they found out that their precious little baby girl had a precious little bun in the oven - and there was nobody to serve it to! Is this the kind of "values from the Heartland" we learned about on "Little House"?

And how is his "middle-class upbringing" in any way American? The dodgy fraud was raised (if you can call it raised; more like a ping-pong tournament than a childhood) in Indonesia!

How do such writers and reporters sleep at night?

"...McGuffey's for my kids when they were younger. It was not officially used after about 1940..."

I can think of no better reason to start using them again - UNREVISED!!!

Responses to your response to my comment:

First, the logic against the existence of the supernatural, including a god, is substantially superior to the evidence (there is none) in favor of such. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that there is no supernatural, including a god. That relegates your faith in a god to the same category as myth and superstition, and your "god" as believable as the tooth fairy.

Second, just as Obama's proclamations about his turning around of the US economy, your repetition of the god stuff as being the truth does not make it true. A lie is a lie, even if everyone believes it; the truth is the truth even if no one believes it.

Third, irrespective of your or my opinion on the existence of the supernatural, the fact remains that one can be moral and have strong family values without relying on the superfluous concept of a god.

Mark, your arrogance and angry persistence leads me to suspect that " you protesteth too much."

The late William F. Buckley, whose logic, and mental capabilities few could match, including both of us, startled

a talk show host when he stated that the Bible said "there is no God."

He then explained, that portion of Scripture was prefaced with, "The fool says in his heart, there is no God."

With his great intellect, he also possessed great humility..

For those that deny a Supreme Being (God) please explain to me a few things. The first is on Physics, law of nature, how can something come into being from nothing? The second is an extension, how can Matter, that only has mass and is incapable of self-movement, create intelligence?

Hip, Hip, Horay! Well written letter about the significance of the father (and consequently husbands!) I serve in a marriage and family ministry and I see the neglect of the men of our time (or should I say males). Passivity and weakness are the strongest traits. Whatever happened to strong men who lead boldly and love honestly and faithfully.

Like you Mark, I am blessed to be the loving husband to one (Wendy) and the father to four daughters, who might someday be able to love, honor and follow a godly man who I would claim as my son in law. We are praying for that future.

Sorry Mark, I was responding to "Marc."

Great essay, Mark. I was blessed with a good parents Mom is still with me but my dad is at home with the Lord. He wasn’t my biological father, he was God’s choice and my dad was a good and faithful servant!!

The problems go back to Genesis 3:1-10. Free will is a dangerous gift which requires the constant guidance of our heavenly father. Blessings.

Excellent article, as usual, however in reading it, I kept expecting a discussion of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and how gay/lesbian arrangements affect children as well.

Marc, how is saying that there is a God a lie more than your saying that there is no God? You say we don't have proof (other than the world around us, and everything in it) but do you have any proof that there is no God? No. So yours is the lie.

Keep telling it to yourself then, and don't try to convince us.

What I don't get: why are you atheists so keen on convincing us of your "truth"? Nobody is forcing God on you, Mark is expressing his faih, and you are expressing your lack of, but the difference is Mark is not hitting you over the head with it.

You are trying to. Be happy in your atheism, and leave us to our faith. Please don't call my faith in God a lie, and I won't call your atheism stupid and insulting.

Alan: the culture of belief is very powerful. While I can't answer for Mr. Buckley (whom I greatly admire) I strongly suspect that many who claim belief do so out of fear, or for acceptance, or for advantage (political, social, economic). There are likewise many brilliant minds who do not believe, including Thomas Edison, Sigmund Freud, Carl Sagan, Nietzsche, Sartre, and the list goes on and on.

Bruce: those points have been soundly refuted through logic and science. I refer you and your fellow believers, if you are genuinely interested in an answer and not just grandstanding, to "Atheist Universe" by David Mills, as but one reference that presents the case against the existence of a god. I challenge all believers who are reading this to open your mind and read some of the great atheist work out there. It's not evil and you wont burn in hell just for enriching your intellect.

Just saying first: to quote Carl Sagan, "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." There is no way to prove non-existence. But it is you who makes the extraordinary claim of a supernatural existence that cannot be seen, heard, measured, felt, smelled, tasted, and is not necessary to explain the universe. Though it would be wonderful to open the eyes of those who have blind faith, I understand how difficult it is to overcome brainwashing. However, Mark is not just expressing his faith and his repeated invoking of supernatural belief in a newsletter on American Patriotism need rebuttal for a reason. What he does in these pages is continually equate morality with belief in the supernatural. This lie has serious adverse consequences to those who do not share his faith. If you read these pages with an objective eye, which is likely impossible for those who share Mark's bias, you will see that he does, in fact "hit me over the head" with his beliefs. Whenever morality is equated to a belief in a god, I am, by extension, equated with immorality and evil. It is that to which I take exception. My goal, when I comment on these pages, is to attempt to open the eyes of biased folks who cannot see beyond their "faith", so that they might recognize that there are many moral and good Patriotic Americans who do not believe in the supernatural.

Fathers are the key to healthy families and sound kids. I know a little girl who will never have the opportunity to even meet her father for he was an anonymous sperm donor; she was to be raised by two lesbians. Her birth mother got saved and rejected the lesbian life style; while the ex-partner sued for custody of the little girl and Vermont gave it to her. This little girl does not nor ever will have a father to protect her; the courts will not; her mother cannot because if she returns to this country she will be arrested, so the mother and little girl live in exile to protect the little girl's future and eternity.

Doctors should refrain from inseminating single women. Even though we can do something; it doesn't mean we should.

Society is allowing adults to do as they please without any regard for the next generation.

Fathers (MEN) stand up and take your rightful place in our society, and our future will look brighter.

I am 17, and fatherless. My dad died when I was too young to remember him. Luckily I had my great-grandfather (A WW2 Vet) to raise me in place of him. My great-grandfather is my hero, he taught me courage, love,compassion, and he taught me about the teachings of Christ. God bless the grandfathers also on Father's Day.

American Forever,

Caitlyn

May I recommend another excellent web site on Father's Day which highlights another important responsibility we have as dads: http://fathersblessing.com/ Happy Father's Day all!

All of Alexander's points are good ones, but he fails to mention the problem of a state that takes fathers away from their children. In cases where any sort of domestic abuse is alleged (such as spanking a child or even inadvertantly touching a spouse), even when no physical harm is done, most police departments mandate arrest and prosecuters mandate no-drop prosecutions. This leads to restraining orders, which leads to fathers being thrown out of their own homes, which leads to homelessness, joblessness, an inability to pay child support, and ultimately imprisonment. It also leads to homelessness on the part of spouses and children who can no longer afford the rent without a father's salary. Today's society is so certain that men are always the bad guy, that men have no chance to be good fathers once a spouse decides to use the system against him. God save us from a man-hating age.

" ‘Elementary education by the state’ is altogether objectionable. Defining by a general law the

expenditures on the elementary schools, the qualifications of the teaching staff, the branches

of instruction, etc., and, as is done in the United States, supervising the fulfilment of these

legal specifications by state inspectors, is a very different thing from appointing the state as

the educator of the people! Government and church should rather be equally excluded from

any influence on the school." Marx in Critique of Gotha Program

Marx held that education should be a community function controlled by people in the locality.

Dear Marc:

Hebrews 11:1 reads as follows: "Faith is the "SUBSTANCE" of things hoped for; the "EVIDENCE" of things not seen.” Substance and evidence, which is clear and convincing, as you know, is difficult to refute.

Unfortunately, those you reference and cite (based on my knowledge) have not had a life experience, encounter, or circumstance over which they had no control. If you ask a person who has been in circumstances over which they had no control (and which resulted in personal and/or emotional chaos) and, because of that situation, when crying out to "whatever and/or whomever" received no response, there is no substance or evidence to support or refute their hypothesis or conclusion and/or result(s).

However, if you ask someone who may or may not have endured circumstances beyond their control; and did cry out to "whatever or whomever" and received a direct response, how would you measure the result? It can be measured only by outcome (e.g., action/reaction) the deductive method establishing whether or not it is so or remains theory, right?

Therefore, anyone who claims to be an intellectual and aggressively searches for the "truth", as you suggest, must come to the conclusion that "God" does not exist except in the mind of the individual as myth, the Tooth fairy, etc.; and I disagree.

Although I do not count myself among the exceptionally bright, I have had some experience in the world and life in general. Specifically, I was a hard core drug addict for more than 7 years after my experience(s) in Viet Nam; and, I smoked 2 packs of cigarettes a day, drank heavily and cussed like a United States Marine should; all things over which I eventually had no control.

Then, on June 17, 1975, at 10:30 in the morning I was sitting in the office of a Jesus freak (purely by accident) who was trying to tell me about this guy named Jesus. As you can imagine, I had heard and read about Jesus since I was a child concerning Christian religious matters. However, I was not remotely convinced of (or interested in) the existence of a supernatural being after serving in combat in Viet Nam (those pesky little inconvenient realities of life).

Unfortunately, something extraordinary occurred to change my mind about such matters. That supernatural entity that I believed did not exist, decided to impose itself (Him or Herself) on my day, that morning, located in Annandale, Virginia; and that entity simply stated "Listen to what he (in reference to the Jesus freak) has to say - it is the true."

If you have any experience with drunks and/or addicts of any kind you know that they have the attention span of a worm (e.g., me). It took perhaps a mere 10 seconds for me to ignore the first statement by this “intruder” and search for a way out of the room I was in with the Jesus freak.

Then, low and behold, that pesky entity decided to impose him (or her – depending on your point of view) in the moment again - much to my chagrin. Only this time “it” said in a very cautionary tone "You may never get another chance!"

I do not know about you, but when something happens two times in the span of a few seconds (e.g., bullets and shrapnel flying; and people trying to kill you; and your friends dying around you) I, personally like to stop and consider (not long mind you) the situation. Since I have never heard a voice in the past, and since I was not drunk or high at that time, I sat up in the chair opposite the Jesus freak and listened - as was suggested.

As a song writer (Johnny Cash) once wrote, I came away with a different point of view (A Boy Named Sue); and like a host of others throughout the centuries, I began to see the "truth", as it has been revealed to me.

What I have had difficulty with since that morning in 1975, is this, most of those who support the idea that "God" does not exist, cannot clearly establish by scientific method that He does not. Rather, they argue that something else had an influence in nature and creation (e.g., definitely not an intelligent being - intelligent design).

However, those individuals (for the most part) are of the opinion that something separate and apart from anything on earth, planted the seed(s) of life millions (perhaps billions) of years ago (e.g., Aliens, Crystals, etc.). Now, it seems to me that "Aliens and or life imbedded in Crystals" by something from another place is different way of giving credit to something and/or someone more intelligent than the bacteria (or the nothing) on this, “The Third Rock from our Sun”.

Mind you, I am not trying to be argumentative or difficult to get along with, but I do find that to be a little troubling to comprehend since that opinion (personal intellectual position) does seem to point to something intelligent as the catalyst for life on earth (whether it be Aliens or life impregnated in Crystals that landed here). However, I admit I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, so, I may be missing something in their argument.

In any event, it is my sincere hope that you enjoy this life and all it has to offer since Thomas Paine would be among your many adherents.

Semper Fidelis!

Michael Botello

Yes! Children need their fathers! The facts about fatherless children being more likely to get in trouble, end up in jail, drop out of school, and commit suicide are what liberals and feminists don't want you to hear or believe.