Wake up Toledo! For far too long this city has been governed by gangsters,thugs and swindlers. Now we are being governed by a simpleton named Finkbeiner. It is time for Toledo to listen to God's voice and elect a mayor who is guided by Him. Drugs,prostitution,bars,and vices of every sort are corrupting this once great city. We have strayed from the path of righteousness that the Lord God wants us to follow. Toledo is in a financial,moral and spiritual malaise. There is but one choice for Mayor that can lead us out of this mess. One choice who has God on their side. One choice who listens to God's Word and obeys it. That choice is Opal Covey! OPAL COVEY FOR MAYOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Opal Covey Is Our Only Chance
updated by Harley on Mar 13, 2009 at 01:41:53 pm Comments: 45
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Harley - Consider this:
Religious Addiction: Inner Peace Or Inner Turmoil?
Uzma Mazhar
Religious beliefs serve an important function in the daily lives and attitudes of most of us. Especially in today’s often chaotic and unpredictable world, a sincere faith in the power of God and adherence to religious rituals can give us better moral guidance, more emotional stability, and valuable serenity. Religion helps people to be centered and grounded.However, a person’s fervent religious practices can signify other, darker aspects of his or her mental health. For example, if someone’s faith is used to mask or avoid psychological problems, or if their religious inclinations are taken to extremes, there is an excellent possibility that the person is suffering from a psychiatric disorder. Often it is a way to cover their own pathology, hiding it from others or accusing others for being it's cause. This can be compared with Dual Diagnosis in Alcoholism, ie: sometimes when a person deals with their alcoholism and quits drinking, only then does their underlying psychiatric pathology become apparent. Alcohol in this situation was used to self-medicate.
One term used to describe such a case is “hyper-religiosity.” A “hyper” condition of any sort—e.g. hyperactivity, hyperglycemia, etc.—simply means too much of something. In the case of religious beliefs, the question of having too much becomes a factor when the religion starts adversely affecting people’s social behavior, their ability to function rationally, and even their own physical health.
Being very religious is not by any means an absolute indication of bipolar or manic or depressive behavior; on the contrary, a healthy approach to religious rituals is vital for the comfort and well-being of countless people. So it’s a highly sensitive issue to question someone’s beliefs or practices. Nevertheless, anything taken too far can do more harm than good.
Evaluating And Assessing Hyper-Religiosity
If you know someone who is extremely religious, consider their history:
Have they always been that way?
Does their zeal represent a sudden personality change?
Do the religious beliefs provide peace and personal contentment?
Has the person become belligerent and defensive?
Are they gentle in their speech or harsh, argumentative and self-righteous?
Have they become intolerant of other points of view?
Have people started avoiding them?
Has their quality of life improved or deteriorated?How their religious attitudes affect people can represent an infinite variety of causes and motivations, and the reasons behind those causes can explain a great deal about the individual’s psychological profile and mental stability. It’s not enough to simply say, “His religion makes him feel good,” because there are many troubled people who find similar peace and strength through negative stimuli as well, such as alcohol.
Religion, like alcoholism, can be a crutch, and it can be an addiction. Just as with alcohol, religion may be used to hide other problems. Addiction is defined as the abuse of a substance to cover up the underlying disease or discomfort. Religion can be viewed as an addiction if it is used as a cover up for unresolved issues of shame, anger and authority. When you take away the superficial layers of the drinking or the religion, the underlying pathology is revealed.
Knowing what lies underneath that veneer of religion is critical to understanding the hyper-religious person’s behavior. Therefore, it helps to know what brought about the change in attitude when someone’s conspicuous preoccupation with religious belief and ritual takes on an extreme, consuming new importance in their lives.
A suddenly increased interest in God and religion is often triggered by a trauma or severe anxiety, and those may come in many forms:
Death of a loved one
A break in a relationship
Serious illness or accident
Personal or financial loss
Incarceration
When people’s security in themselves is threatened, for whatever reason, they often turn to God. Such a reaction is understandable: a confused, frightened individual who feels helpless will naturally reach out for a source of comfort and solace. Also, a frequent catalyst for triggering hyper-religious behavior may be a latent psychiatric disorder, such as depression.Regardless of the reason why a person chooses to pursue religion, at what level does healthy, normal religious belief become abnormal?
Often the personality change is subtle. Eventually, though, hyper-religious behavior will manifest itself in obvious and disconcerting ways, such as:
Loss of Objectivity
Their ability to reason logically can become impaired. An inability to think, doubt, or question religious information and/or authority; and unwillingness to understand the opinions and interpretations of others. A concrete and rigid thinking style develops that does not allow for consideration of extenuating circumstances in a person's life. Black/white, good/bad, either/or simplistic thinking: one way or the other with very little room for grey areas. A tendency toward magical thinking that God will fix you/ do it all, without serious work on your part. Confusion and doubts lead to mental, physical or emotional breakdown. They develop a fear-based belief system.. believing/following a religion out of fear, not understanding and love. They also tend to have a shame-based belief system that they are not good enough or are not doing it right. They believe in a punishing and angry God.Reactivity: Anger and Defensiveness
If sincere faith in God is supposed to bring peace and contentment, a religious person who is paranoid and confrontational about it may have a larger mental problem. They tend to have increased conflict and argumentation with science, medicine, and education. They tend to become argumentative and defensive in dialog. They have a limited ability to explain their beliefs. Since their belief system about themselves and the world is fear-based, they seldom understand religion, but follow it out of a dependent need for strength and power. Force is their farce.Judgmental and Critical
Hyper-religiosity may be revealed in someone as unusual self-importance, as if that person were much closer to God, making others around him seem inferior. They develop an uncompromising judgmental attitudes, with a readiness to find fault or evil out there. An attitude of self-righteousness or superiority: "we versus the world," including the denial of one's human-ness. They tend to be blind to their own behaviors, denying their projections on to the idol 'god' they have created.Obsessive and Compulsive Behavior
Ritual is part of religion, and as such is neither good nor bad. However, when it disrupts normal activities it is unhealthy—as in being unable to function without repeated readings of the same passages, or unusually frequent rituals. Scrupulously rigid and obsessive adherence to rules, codes of ethics, or guidelines. Compulsive rituals or obsessive praying, quoting scriptures and excessive fasting often accompany the change in thinking patterns. Giving up sleeping or eating to pray or meditate. Again, prayer and meditation are important aspects of faith, but not to the point of jeopardizing a person’s health or relationships.Isolation
Isolation and breakdown of relationships often follows. Progressive detachment from work and relationships is noticeable as they spend more time proselytizing their message. Manipulating scripture or texts, feeling specially chosen, claiming to receive special messages from God, they move further and further away from the mainstream of social contacts.Breakdown
In severe cases they may also develop some of the following patterns:
Psychosomatic illness: back pains, sleeplessness, headaches, hypertension, etc.
Maintaining a religious "high", trance-like state, keeping a happy face (or the belief that one should...)
Denial of any personal problems
When behavior borders on manic or pathological, the hyper-religious person may even start hallucinating, ie: hearing voices or seeing images, or possibly “talking to God.”By then, it’s clearly evident something is wrong.
If you know someone whose interest in religion has suddenly (or even gradually) reached a point of fixation—when their regular lives are negatively affected—you need to understand what’s motivating their behavior. The problem could go away, but it could also get worse.
The ultimate temptation of the believer is to assume that his or her way to God is the best or only way for others. The particular Way to God becomes what is adored, not the ineffable and incomprehensible Mystery to which we give the name of God.
In essence they become addicted to their faith. It becomes a means of escape. It is no longer a living BY faith; with understanding, hope and growing in unconditional love. Instead of love of God softening their lives, it makes them harsh, rigid and limited.
If God talks to Covey he must lie, because during the last time she ran for mayor, he assured he that she would win, so that she bring change.
Holland I happen to be a Christian, not a Muslim. Uzma Mazhar and what he has to say means nothing to me or any other Christian. I found some of his articles on crescentlife.com. His teachings are irrelevant to me and I am sure they are to Ms. Covey. We need God's grace to restore this city and not the psychobabble of some Muslim nut. If anyone is interested in reading any of his rants go to: http://crescentlife.com/articles/psych/psychology.htm Maybe Osama Bin Laden is his spiritual leader.
How come Opal Covey doesn't have a website ?
A quick check at www.GoDaddy.com reveals that the domain www.OpalCovey.com isn't even registered by anybody yet.
Someone on her campaign staff, should go hurry and register the domain now, before someone from Jim Moody's campaign snaps it up.
posted by WalterAnthony on Mar 13, 2009 at 02:02:08 pm #
Ok Harley, although the principles of Mazhar's argument apply to any religion try this on for size: Follow the imbedded links.
http://www.desertpastor.com/paradoxology/2003/12/religious_addic.html
I am going to speak with Ms. Covey as soon as possible about my being her campaign manager. A friend of mine has offered to design a website for her. We should have a fairly decent site up and running by next week.
Opal for Mayor!You can't be serious.That is one of the reasons our fine city has so many problems.Just look at the losers that run for Mayor.What choices were we given?(Finkbeiner,Ford or Opal Covey)What a joke!Maybe next time we will have better choices for Mayor.Not! It will probably be one of the good ole boys next or whomever the Blade endorses.
posted by buckeye278 on Mar 13, 2009 at 02:19:04 pm #
Opal is the only one who can guide Toledo out of the wilderness we are in. If she will take sound advice, which I and some others I know can offer to her, she will be our next Mayor.
Harley, you're setting youself up for a huge fall. When you lose, and you will lose, what's God's message then?
Holland you will be invited to Opal's swearing-in. You will have a front row seat to history.
I have learned to instantly discount any web posting or radio rant that begins by imploring the audience to "WAKE UP!" Sell crazy somewhere else, we have enough here already.
I'm not saying Opal is crazy, but from my contacts with her, and from everything I read, if she's not crazy, she's on the waiting list.
I do feel sorry for you people that live in Toledo. I'm also get tired of listening to the radio advertisements on WIOT about carty and how bad he sucks. We all know he's an idiot,but I don't wanna listen to that crap all day long
posted by lfrost2125 on Mar 13, 2009 at 02:47:59 pm #
Harley, either you are doing this as a joke or you are as delusional as Opal is. Maybe you both can turn the CSM into a pet sanctuary.
I don’t know what Fred “Ron Jeremy lookalike” LeFevbre will do when Carty is gone. Oh wait, he will just hate on the new Mayor.
Thanks for the laughs, everyone. I especially enjoyed roygbiv's "waiting list" line.
I have no doubt that Opal Covey is an earnest, if slightly daffy, person who has the city's best interests at heart. However, I could say the same thing about the 9-year-old at Kroger who tried to sell me Girl Scout cookies.
The position of mayor requires someone who can manage the city's finances and its many administrative divisions. Opal's managerial experience was limited to her east side pet store, and this was an unfortunately miserable failure.
Yes, maybe the city inspectors were overly zealous in shutting her down, but from all accounts the place was filthy and mismanaged. The idea that someone like Opal has the ability to oversee thousands of employees and a budget in the hundreds of millions of dollars is ludicrous.
posted by historymike on Mar 13, 2009 at 03:34:20 pm #
Sometimes I wonder about the usefulness of "management experience." Still, I do not believe Opal to be a viable or wise choice for Mayor.
There are a ridiculous number of examples of women and men with management experience who have been poor excuses for Executive-level politicians. I often wonder if we wouldn't do just as well with someone who had little to no such experience, provided that person worked with a staff of "experienced" people. Experience is a wonderful asset, but it is no substitute for wisdom. In most cases wisdom follows experience, but it is not a guaranteed pathway.
posted by MoreThanRhetoric on Mar 13, 2009 at 03:51:49 pm #
The bad part about this (besides Harley's coming fall) is that a run by Covey will add a circus like atmosphere to the overall mayoral campaign season. There's never been a time when it's been more important to have serious debates with capable candidates. The City of Toledo doesn't need this. A run by Covey has the potential to turn the whole thing into a joke. I'm sure the League of Women Voters or some other qualified organizations will sponsor debates. I can see it now............"Ms Covey, In your administration would you negotiate with the employees to end the City's practice of paying the employees' contribution share to PERS?" Covey responds: I'm going to Phone A friend. Hello God? "
OMG.........*LMAO*............
posted by angryconsumer on Mar 13, 2009 at 04:05:18 pm #
Help me Opal Covey, you're my only hope!
posted by ilovetoledo on Mar 13, 2009 at 04:08:24 pm #
Holland, re your "circus-like atmosphere," please don't forget that one of Opal's chief initiatives was going to be an amusement park at Promenade Park. Bring on the circus!
I talked to someone who worked at an animal rescue place after Opal's pet store was raided. She said it was horrifying, the condition of those animals.
So Harley you wrote:
"Opal is the only one who can guide Toledo out of the wilderness we are in. If she will take sound advice, which I and some others I know can offer to her, she will be our next Mayor."If you have such great advice to offer, why don't you run, or are you just thinking that Covey will be someone easy to manipulate so that you can have the power and she can take the blame. Not that she is electable. And if she is suited to be mayor shouldn't her own opinions be sound first.
Wait. This is all a joke, right?
posted by thetoledowire_com on Mar 13, 2009 at 05:22:29 pm #
Harley how about publishing a list of the top 10 areas of concern Opal has on the current conditions in Toledo. Then her recommendations of how she would realistically attack each of them. I've never heard her say anything that made me think she was intelligent or that she is what need for a mayor. Right now I doubt if I'd vote for her, but I do know I certainly wouldn't vote for Konop, Bell, Ford or Finkbiner.
posted by AmericanPie on Mar 13, 2009 at 05:47:38 pm #
Does Opal meet TBT's standards for a mayor? Is she pro-business enough? I bet a group will be forming to recall her 24 hours after she is elected.
posted by oldsendbrdy on Mar 13, 2009 at 09:58:29 pm #
Ryan, someone is truly kookoo for cocoapuffs, eh?
Elected! You cant be serious. At best she'll garner 2% of the vote -max.
When I read The Blade this morning I nearly threw up. Mike Bell is running for Mayor! What a joke. no wonder Carty is not saying whether he will run again. If Bell runs, which he will, Carty is finished. The black vote will abandon Carty to support Bell. This will make for an interesting primary in September. There will be so many white candidates splitting the white vote that whoever comes out of the primary besides Bell will have a lot of fence mending to do in order to unite the white and possibly Latino vote in order to defeat Bell. that will be a tall order. All of the candidates who are currently running or soon will be have limited followings. The black vote which will be around 90 percent in Bell's favor will be daunting. The one candidate who will be best suited to defeat Bell will be Opal Covey. She can prove to be a uniter in the upcoming campaign. She, with God's help, will be able to bring all the factions together in a spirit of unity which none of Bell's opponents besides her will be able to do. OPAL COVEY FOR MAYOR!!!!!!
"Wait. This is all a joke, right?"
Are you talking about Opal for mayor or Toledo politicians in general?
It's not April 1st yet.
As for her being gods choice, click the link.
At least now when Opal loses (of course) you can blame it on "the black vote" instead of the truth; she's crazier than a shit house rat.
"Wait. This is all a joke, right?"
It damn well better be. The last thing Toledo needs is turn into the laughingstock of the Midwest. We need our roads repaired, not the second coming of Christ.
Uh, inga, I work with people nationwide every day. We're already a laughingstock.
Turn into the laughingstock of the Midwest??? Carty is in his final year as a third term mayor of Toledo. No one could outdo that embarrassment, which Toledoans brought upon themselves. The other day, Carty blamed global warming as one the reasons for flooded basements in Toledo. The controversy section on Carty's Wikipedia page provides entertaining reading.
It's hard to believe he got elected thrice! You're absolutely right-the embarrassment isn't him, it's who voted for him.
1. This is a joke. Harley knows what buttons to push around here. I can't take anything he says seriously.
2. I'm a middle aged white woman, but if Mike Bell runs, I'm voting for him.
3. Just found out this morning that Carty CAN run for a fourth term (I haven't really been paying attention coz I listen to NPR), so I'm signing the next petition that comes my way. I'm sure not ALL the idiots who voted for him the last time have died or moved away.
4. The problem is, even if we recall him this term, if he wins in November, don't we have to go thru all of this all over again?!!! @_@
We know he is not Opal Covey and that is enough right there.
Just vote for the Democrat. Well its not like you will have any choice in that actually.
posted by Linecrosser on Mar 17, 2009 at 02:12:26 pm #
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I'm quite fond of drugs, prostitution and bars. How does Opal know that the voice she hears is not Beelzebub's? Although her car is definitely righteous, I question the rest of her.
posted by JJFad on Mar 13, 2009 at 12:48:06 pm #