Wednesday, September 26, 2007
I Have MOVED!!
Due to some of the idisyncricies of this blog that aggravate me, I have moved over to another blogging home. (Be sure to update your links to my blog.)
Monday, September 24, 2007
Look At Me Being Serious!
'The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the LORD’s offering to make atonement for your lives.' ~ Exodus 30:15
God’s providence is an amazing thing. Pastors Anderson and Coleman both addressed issues I had been dealing with recently in Sunday School and the worship service sermon, respectively. Jon, in our discussion on the Westminster Confession of Faith, lectured about the necessity of the Holy Spirit’s illumination to our understanding of the message(s) of Scripture while Pastor Coleman treated us to an expository treatment of predestination, with Ephesians 1:5 as the primary text.
I wrestled with both aspects of truth a great deal throughout my own long journey down the Reformed path that led me to Westminster Presbyterian Church; neither topic, though plainly stated in and/ or deduced from Scripture, are easily understood absent the work of the Holy Spirit. So, I should not be surprised (should not be) when others do not immediately embrace the doctrinal truths we see so clearly before us. Still, the remaining corruption in my flesh erupts just enough to arouse my frustration nearly every time I discuss predestination (or God’s eternal decree) with others—primarily family members for some reason or another.
Just over two weeks ago my mama and step-father came out to the friendly confines of Covenanter Ranch in Iola to visit us. Actually, to be accurate, I should admit that they came to see Gracie Mae; Ashlee and I were incidental to the trip. Near the end of the visit, we began discussing eschatology which eventually led to God’s eternal decree, providence, and predestination. I am fairly certain I performed admirably as it relates to the degree of animation I exhibited—or lack there of, really. I kept my cool (for once) and simply referred to Scripture. I admitted that I can’t understand the concepts fully; however, I explained that I believe very strongly that the Bible is the Word of God and, as it states both God’s direction of all things and man’s responsibility for his actions, it must be true.
As I mentioned above, Jon’s discussion of the WCF touched upon the work of the Holy Spirit as an integral part of understanding—and accepting—the truths of Scripture. In addition, the Confession makes it clear that some parts of scripture, no matter how long or arduously we wrestle with them, may never been clearly revealed or understood.
‘All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all: yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.’ (WCF 1.7)
Pastor Coleman’s discourse spoke directly to the arguments my mama and step-father raised regarding predestination—primarily that it doesn’t seem fair nor loving. (Rest assured, they’ll soon have their own shiny new copy of the sermon on CD as soon as it is made available to me.) Yet, for all of my protestations that God is in fact loving—especially in His act of predestination—I missed the crucial evidence in the passage I cited until Pastor Coleman pointed it out in his sermon. You need only retrace your steps backward two words from verse 5 of Ephesians 1 and the proof is right there: ‘In love…’
All of this is to say that I find the combination of the two truths discussed above quite comforting and extremely liberating. There is no need for me to get frustrated nor agitated by another’s failure (or unwillingness) to understand certain passages of Scripture or similarly ‘difficult’ doctrinal positions. God’s Word will not return to Him void nor will the effective call of the Spirit be ultimately resisted. ‘All’ I am commanded to do is share the truth.
God does all of the heavy lifting.
--------------------------------------------
Those who know me well--and those who have only met me once, really--know that I love playing practical jokes on folks. Here is an example of how you should NOT react when a joke is played on you. (Take a look at his shirt if you want to be even more embarrassed!)
God’s providence is an amazing thing. Pastors Anderson and Coleman both addressed issues I had been dealing with recently in Sunday School and the worship service sermon, respectively. Jon, in our discussion on the Westminster Confession of Faith, lectured about the necessity of the Holy Spirit’s illumination to our understanding of the message(s) of Scripture while Pastor Coleman treated us to an expository treatment of predestination, with Ephesians 1:5 as the primary text.
I wrestled with both aspects of truth a great deal throughout my own long journey down the Reformed path that led me to Westminster Presbyterian Church; neither topic, though plainly stated in and/ or deduced from Scripture, are easily understood absent the work of the Holy Spirit. So, I should not be surprised (should not be) when others do not immediately embrace the doctrinal truths we see so clearly before us. Still, the remaining corruption in my flesh erupts just enough to arouse my frustration nearly every time I discuss predestination (or God’s eternal decree) with others—primarily family members for some reason or another.
Just over two weeks ago my mama and step-father came out to the friendly confines of Covenanter Ranch in Iola to visit us. Actually, to be accurate, I should admit that they came to see Gracie Mae; Ashlee and I were incidental to the trip. Near the end of the visit, we began discussing eschatology which eventually led to God’s eternal decree, providence, and predestination. I am fairly certain I performed admirably as it relates to the degree of animation I exhibited—or lack there of, really. I kept my cool (for once) and simply referred to Scripture. I admitted that I can’t understand the concepts fully; however, I explained that I believe very strongly that the Bible is the Word of God and, as it states both God’s direction of all things and man’s responsibility for his actions, it must be true.
As I mentioned above, Jon’s discussion of the WCF touched upon the work of the Holy Spirit as an integral part of understanding—and accepting—the truths of Scripture. In addition, the Confession makes it clear that some parts of scripture, no matter how long or arduously we wrestle with them, may never been clearly revealed or understood.
‘All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all: yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.’ (WCF 1.7)
Pastor Coleman’s discourse spoke directly to the arguments my mama and step-father raised regarding predestination—primarily that it doesn’t seem fair nor loving. (Rest assured, they’ll soon have their own shiny new copy of the sermon on CD as soon as it is made available to me.) Yet, for all of my protestations that God is in fact loving—especially in His act of predestination—I missed the crucial evidence in the passage I cited until Pastor Coleman pointed it out in his sermon. You need only retrace your steps backward two words from verse 5 of Ephesians 1 and the proof is right there: ‘In love…’
All of this is to say that I find the combination of the two truths discussed above quite comforting and extremely liberating. There is no need for me to get frustrated nor agitated by another’s failure (or unwillingness) to understand certain passages of Scripture or similarly ‘difficult’ doctrinal positions. God’s Word will not return to Him void nor will the effective call of the Spirit be ultimately resisted. ‘All’ I am commanded to do is share the truth.
God does all of the heavy lifting.
--------------------------------------------
Those who know me well--and those who have only met me once, really--know that I love playing practical jokes on folks. Here is an example of how you should NOT react when a joke is played on you. (Take a look at his shirt if you want to be even more embarrassed!)
Mrs. Wiggins, please put this in the 'Hyprocrisy File': 'NASA scientist James E. Hansen, who has publicly criticized the Bush administration for dragging its feet on climate change and labeled skeptics of man-made global warming as distracting "court jesters," appears in a 1971 Washington Post article that warns of an impending ice age within 50 years.'
Ron Paul 2nd in Palmetto Family Straw Poll , Columbia, SC
539 total ballots cast:
1st: 206 votes - Mike Huckabee
2nd: 179 votes - Ron Paul
3rd: 43 votes - Fred Thompson
4th: 29 votes - Sam Brownback
5th: 25 votes - Duncan Hunter
6th: 14 votes - Mitt Romney
7th: 12 votes - Daniel Gilbert
8th: 10 votes - John McCain
9th: 7 votes - Hugh Cort
10th: 5 votes - Rudy Giuliani
Beware The Sticky Revolution!!
'The income tax is bad because it has robbed you and me of the guarantee of privacy and the respect for our property that were given to us in Article IV of the Bill of Rights. This invasion is absolute and complete as far as the amount of tax that can be assessed is concerned. Please remember that under the Sixteenth Amendment, Congress can take 100% of our income anytime it wants to. As a matter of fact, right now it is imposing a tax as high as 91%. This is downright confiscation and cannot be defended on any other grounds.' ~ T. Coleman Andrews, former Commissioner of Infernal Revenue Service
'A Christian advocacy group is encouraging military families, and other concerned citizens, to write letters to the Defense Department expressing concern over the recent decision by the Pentagon that allows the sale of certain adult [sic] magazines at military exchanges.'
In reference to the article cited above, I can attest to the prevalence of pornography in the military (at least in the Army). I was exposed to more illicit and profane materials during my hitch in the Army than I ever was before or have been since. Oddly enough, the best thing that happened to protect my eyes and my spirit was being deployed during Operations Desert Shield and Storm, where the Saudi government did not allow such materials into the country. Interestingly, when we were occupying southern Iraq near the town of An-Nasiriyah, a local man named Hussein offered--unsolicited--to bring us pornography (and booze, and pills, and cigarettes) for the right price. (We declined.)
Due to the intricacies of U.S. Copyright Law, which is rivaled only by the IRS tax code, there is presently underway a tooth-and-nail fight over the rights to The Dean Martin Show. My grandmother LOVED that show; my mama said that nobody was allowed to talk during the programme at the risk of being pummeled by Nonnie. (And she would do it, too!)
As the campaign to cook up a pretense for war with Iran gathers steam, please keep in mind that you should not believe everything you read or hear.
Reason 1,094,322 that women should not be law enforcement officers.
Rather than a Just War, it seems that we have just war.
Ron Paul 2nd in Palmetto Family Straw Poll , Columbia, SC
539 total ballots cast:
1st: 206 votes - Mike Huckabee
2nd: 179 votes - Ron Paul
3rd: 43 votes - Fred Thompson
4th: 29 votes - Sam Brownback
5th: 25 votes - Duncan Hunter
6th: 14 votes - Mitt Romney
7th: 12 votes - Daniel Gilbert
8th: 10 votes - John McCain
9th: 7 votes - Hugh Cort
10th: 5 votes - Rudy Giuliani
Beware The Sticky Revolution!!
'The income tax is bad because it has robbed you and me of the guarantee of privacy and the respect for our property that were given to us in Article IV of the Bill of Rights. This invasion is absolute and complete as far as the amount of tax that can be assessed is concerned. Please remember that under the Sixteenth Amendment, Congress can take 100% of our income anytime it wants to. As a matter of fact, right now it is imposing a tax as high as 91%. This is downright confiscation and cannot be defended on any other grounds.' ~ T. Coleman Andrews, former Commissioner of Infernal Revenue Service
'A Christian advocacy group is encouraging military families, and other concerned citizens, to write letters to the Defense Department expressing concern over the recent decision by the Pentagon that allows the sale of certain adult [sic] magazines at military exchanges.'
In reference to the article cited above, I can attest to the prevalence of pornography in the military (at least in the Army). I was exposed to more illicit and profane materials during my hitch in the Army than I ever was before or have been since. Oddly enough, the best thing that happened to protect my eyes and my spirit was being deployed during Operations Desert Shield and Storm, where the Saudi government did not allow such materials into the country. Interestingly, when we were occupying southern Iraq near the town of An-Nasiriyah, a local man named Hussein offered--unsolicited--to bring us pornography (and booze, and pills, and cigarettes) for the right price. (We declined.)
Due to the intricacies of U.S. Copyright Law, which is rivaled only by the IRS tax code, there is presently underway a tooth-and-nail fight over the rights to The Dean Martin Show. My grandmother LOVED that show; my mama said that nobody was allowed to talk during the programme at the risk of being pummeled by Nonnie. (And she would do it, too!)
As the campaign to cook up a pretense for war with Iran gathers steam, please keep in mind that you should not believe everything you read or hear.
Reason 1,094,322 that women should not be law enforcement officers.
Rather than a Just War, it seems that we have just war.
This is just too funny for words.
'Beyond its entertainment value, Baywatch has enriched and, in many cases, helped save lives. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to continue with a project which has such a significance for so many.' ~ David Hasselhoff, Actor
Thursday, September 20, 2007
I'll Have the Kriegshund Burger and a Cup of Hot Fat, Please
'"But now bring me a musician." And when the musician played, the hand of the LORD came upon him.' ~ II Kings 3:15
A prevalent accusation levelled against those of us in the Reformed tradition--and, more often than not, deservedly so--is that of being too cerebral or having an overemphasis on the intellectual aspects of theology and doctrine. I must admit to having a hand in perpetuating that perception and, although I could 'name names' regarding my confederates at WPC, I'll leave that up to the reader to identify those who bear the blame alongside me.
However, though I readily admit the intellectual approach to our faith can be overemphasised, I would also assert with great confidence that it does have its place. Our intellect and capacity for critical thought are gifts from God; after all, He is the author of logic.
Yet, it has been my experience that an all too prevalent approach to our supplications focuses almost exclusively upon the emotional aspects of the faith--at least as much as it concerns those prayers in which we seek guidance or wisdom in specific circumstances, such as job searches, child-bearing or rearing, dating or marriage relationships, etc. By this I mean that the answer we seek--and I am including myself in this discussion--is one of the 'Road to Damascus' variety in which we desire God to provide His answer in some unmistakably overt manner, via anything from an immediate telephone call to His voice emanating from a pillar of smoke hovering just above our house. (Oh, that life's important decisions could always be made by the casting of lots!)
To be clear, I am not denying that God can--and does--use such methods in his Providence to direct and interact with His people to accomplish His purposes. I have often heard those who have said that God 'led' them to such and such decision or they 'felt His call' to make a certain decision. I cannot recall a time in my life in which God has so recognisably dealt with me and my petitions to Him, still, I have no method or authority to discount those types of accounts described above in the lives of others and it is not my intention to here cast doubt upon them.
My point is that I think we sell ourselves short too often when we seek God's counsel as it relates to our ability to act with wisdom. He has given us a tremendous faculty for reason, deduction, and logic. In short, He has, in varying degrees depending upon the individual, given us wisdom--which He intends for us to utilise. I am not advocating that we eschew approaching the bar of Heaven and asking for intercession or guidance; what I am advocating is that we not be so fearful in using the wisdom that God has given us, coupling it with what He has revealed to us as His will in His word, and drawing conclusions or making decisions with confidence.
I have ruminated on this subject for quite some time but my thoughts on this subject re-emerged the other day during my lunchtime men's Bible study on the Book of Judges. In our discussion about God's revelation to Sampson's parents regarding their son's purpose for Israel, it was noticed that the father, Manoah, reacted with a great deal of fear and trepidation while Sampson's mother based her reaction upon her faith--and what she could deduce about the situation based upon what she knew about God. She used the faculties God had given her to assess the situation while Manoah required supernatural authentication to validate God's message. D. M. Lloyd Jones discusses the difference in their reactions thus in 'Facing the Unexpected':
'We must consider what this woman did, and the answer is a startling and surprising one--that she just thought and reasoned. How simple! And yet how we tend to fail at this point ... There is an anti-intellectual spirit with regard to religion. ... The whole emphasis has been placed upon religion as a power which can do things for us and which can make us happy. ... Seeing and observing her husband's collapse ... she doesn't cry or shout ... she thinks, she reasons, she ponders the matter, and with magnificent logic she arrives at the only conclusion that is really valid.' [Emphasis mine.]
All of this is to say that I don't think we should have so little confidence in our God-given abilities to reason and in the wisdom He grants us. Certainly, we should prayerfully seek His guidance and direction; but rather than in a burning bush or an angel from Heaven seizing our knife-clasping hand (which God can and may use at His good pleasure), His answer can often be seen in our ordinary and deliberative attempts to weigh the benefits or deficits of our situtation based upon the gifts He has already bestowed upon us in conjuction with those heavenward petitions.
-----------------------------------
Tabula rasa? I don’t think so. I KNEW Gracie Mae had something going on up there!
Tabula rasa? I don’t think so. I KNEW Gracie Mae had something going on up there!
I was telling some of the folks at church last week about the book on levitation that Ashlee bought me the other day. I haven't been able to put it down.
For quite some time now I have been itchin' to start a bluegrass band. And I've got the perfect name already picked out: Treble Yell! (Can you dig it?)
Speaking of bluegrass bands, one of my old high school buddies was asked to sit in on bass with some of his fellow troops in Iraq and--poof--the Taji Mountain Boys were born.
The following statement has been issued by Michael Anthony Peroutka, the Presidential candidate of the Constitution Party in 2004. He is also co-founder, with his brother Steve, of “Institute On The Constitution.” And he is co-host, with John Lofton, of “The American View” radio show.
I endorse Rep. Ron Paul for President. And I endorse him not because he is the lesser of two evils. A Christian can never endorse any kind of evil. I endorse Rep. Paul because — from a Christian/Biblical and Constitutional perspective – he is, by far, the best candidate running for President.
— Rep. Paul believes, correctly, that the Bible is the infallible, inerrant word of God and thus it is not the role of God-ordained civil government, at any level, to feed, house, clothe or educate anybody.
— Rep. Paul takes his oath to God as a Congressman seriously and believes, correctly, that the Constitution is the highest man-made law in our land, that it severely restricts what the Federal Government can legally do, and it must be obeyed. This is why, as he states on his campaign web site, he has: never voted to raise taxes; never voted for an unbalanced budget; never voted for a Federal restriction on gun ownership; never voted to raise Congressional pay; never taken a government-paid junket; and has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.
In addition, Rep. Paul has voted against: the Patriot Act; regulating the Internet; and he voted against the Iraq war. He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program. He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.
— Rep. Paul, again correctly, is truly pro-life and believes that there are no circumstances under which it is OK to murder by abortion any innocent unborn babies.
(The CP is the third-largest political party in the US (366,000 members, more than the LP's 235,000), with almost all of them in California and Nevada.)
'Today, with all of the curriculum that's been developed, [homeschooling is] really quite easy. Not only is it quite easy, one of the biggest problems I have is selecting what I want to do from the wealth of resources that are available," says Shortt.
'Of course, there is a one in ten-thousand chance that, when I push this button, it will be the end of the world.' ~ Manhattan Project physicist Enrico Fermi.
I endorse Rep. Ron Paul for President. And I endorse him not because he is the lesser of two evils. A Christian can never endorse any kind of evil. I endorse Rep. Paul because — from a Christian/Biblical and Constitutional perspective – he is, by far, the best candidate running for President.
— Rep. Paul believes, correctly, that the Bible is the infallible, inerrant word of God and thus it is not the role of God-ordained civil government, at any level, to feed, house, clothe or educate anybody.
— Rep. Paul takes his oath to God as a Congressman seriously and believes, correctly, that the Constitution is the highest man-made law in our land, that it severely restricts what the Federal Government can legally do, and it must be obeyed. This is why, as he states on his campaign web site, he has: never voted to raise taxes; never voted for an unbalanced budget; never voted for a Federal restriction on gun ownership; never voted to raise Congressional pay; never taken a government-paid junket; and has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.
In addition, Rep. Paul has voted against: the Patriot Act; regulating the Internet; and he voted against the Iraq war. He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program. He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.
— Rep. Paul, again correctly, is truly pro-life and believes that there are no circumstances under which it is OK to murder by abortion any innocent unborn babies.
(The CP is the third-largest political party in the US (366,000 members, more than the LP's 235,000), with almost all of them in California and Nevada.)
'Today, with all of the curriculum that's been developed, [homeschooling is] really quite easy. Not only is it quite easy, one of the biggest problems I have is selecting what I want to do from the wealth of resources that are available," says Shortt.
'Of course, there is a one in ten-thousand chance that, when I push this button, it will be the end of the world.' ~ Manhattan Project physicist Enrico Fermi.
Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build the big bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks
~ Bob Dylan, Masters of War
'Ahhh. The sunshine, the flowers, the birds, the ...
... Mama, wake up!! I want to nurse NOW!!!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Bouquets, Torque Wrenches, and Mushroom Clouds
'For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: ... a time for war, and a time for peace.' ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1, 8
I should begin by stating emphatically that I am not a pacifist by any understanding of the word. Although I agree that the Lord calls us to turn the other cheek in our personal dealings and not to repay evil for evil, nowhere is it stated clearer in the Word of God that there is a time for war. The Westminster Confession speaks to this issue clearly, as well: '[S]o, for that end, [the Christian magistrate] may lawfully, now under the New Testament, wage war, upon just and necessary occasion' (WCF 23.2). Yet again, the Divines' position is in accordance with Scripture, as evidenced by the Messiah's interaction with the Roman centurion. As one can imagine, this then raises the question: What is meant by 'just and necessary occasion'?
The historical Christian understanding of the Biblical position was delineated by Augustine in The City of God. In that work, Augustine argued that absolute pacifism is not mandated in the Word of God; still, there are certain prerequisites which must be met in order to justify waging war upon another: 1) it must be defensive, declared and carried out by the proper authority, 2) waged as a last resort, 3) proportionate to the threat, and 4) discriminate between combatants and non-combatants.
It is my deeply held view that the current war in Iraq has met none of these criteria (in varying degrees). Iraq had not attacked us (in fact, Saddam was in no position to do so even had it been his intention), there was no imperative to do so, it is obvious that we used a great deal more power than necessary to meet even the purported 'threat', and there have been innumerable instances of failures to discriminate between combatants and non-combatants (admittedly, not all of them deliberate). The last has, sadly, been the most-oft broken of the parameters for Just War. Sherman's March to the Sea inaugurated the practise which was continued as a matter of course. The firebombings of Dresden and Tokyo were horrific enough even without the vaporising of thousands of women, children, and elderly in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. How would you feel if your wife or children were considered 'collateral damage'?
Why do I raise such a tinderbox issue? Is it because I hate America? Of course not! But, as a Christian, I think it is my duty to speak the truth in love when I feel we are going astray. What concerns me even more than the government's application of unjust military action is that a significant portion of the Church (apparently) unabashedly supports that action. We are called to be peacemakers; yet, what I hear increasingly echoing from the halls of our places of worship is the beating of the war drums.
At the Faith2Action 'Values Voters Debate' in South Florida Monday night, only ONE Christian candidate for President of the U.S. stood against the war as unjust--Ron Paul. When he stated his opposition and invoked the name of Jesus--as the Prince of Peace--he was soundly booed by the admittedly evangelical audience! Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas--a Baptist minister, no less--openly calls for NUKING Iran! (How exactly does one distinguish between combatants and women and children in such an action, sir?) The sponsor of the event chided Dr Paul for 'cherrypicking' the peace passages out of Scripture! The bloodlust rampant among many in the Church is horrifying to me.
Let me be clear, I know that not every Christian supports the war and I am also not accusing anyone specifically of seeking the deaths of innocent people. There are many well-meaning Christians who feel just as deeply that the war is just as I do that it is not. I am speaking in generalities merely for the sake of brevity and to form a clear and concise argument. I hope that no one feels personally insulted or attacked, that certainly is not my intention.
Again, I am not advocating that we allow ourselves to be attacked with impunity; turning the other cheek does not require that we do not protect ourselves or the weak and innocent. I would just urge Christians to search the Scriptures for guidance as to when and how we should take such serious action as making war. The Bible tells us there is a time for war. And a time for peace.
------------------------------------------
And so it appears that wine snobs are full of cheese (as it were).
‘[The] criteria for a just war do not match what we have been doing in Iraq. Nor are they in harmony with the concept of a preemptive nuclear war against Iran. Yet the Republican presidential candidates who support the concept of preemptive nuclear war also claim to be Christians and men of faith. How can that be? Have they studied Christian just-war theory? Are they even familiar with it? Ron Paul made a very astute observation when he commented: “I have been reading from a different Bible."’” ~ Gary Benoit
Here are 25 skills every man should know. (I've only got about 12 or 13 under my belt.)
Jeffrey Tucker eulogises his father: ‘On occasion I've visited the church I grew up in. No one there today remembers my Father. But they are still singing the songs he wrote.’
'In short, Ron Paul is the only Republican whose positions on the two primary issues are different than Hillary Clinton's stance on them, and, more importantly, are more credible and more popular than Hillary Clinton's. He is the only Republican whose nomination can realistically be considered a potential impediment to what otherwise looks like a Democratic landslide.'
As Christians, we should be ever mindful of how and where we spend our money. This list, in alphabetical order, consists of companies scoring a perfect 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaign's 2008 Corporate Equality Index, with policies beneficial toward homosexuals.
My youngest son came home to-day
His friends marched with him all the way
The pipes and drums beat all the time
As in his box of polished pine
Like dead meat on a butcher's tray
My youngest son came home to-day.
And this time he is home to stay...
~ Eric Bogle, My Youngest Son Came Home To-day
The Episcopal Church has fallen and it can't get up.
‘I tried to walk a fine line between acting lawfully and testifying falsely but I now recognize that I did not fully accomplish that goal.’ ~ Former President Bill Clinton
I should begin by stating emphatically that I am not a pacifist by any understanding of the word. Although I agree that the Lord calls us to turn the other cheek in our personal dealings and not to repay evil for evil, nowhere is it stated clearer in the Word of God that there is a time for war. The Westminster Confession speaks to this issue clearly, as well: '[S]o, for that end, [the Christian magistrate] may lawfully, now under the New Testament, wage war, upon just and necessary occasion' (WCF 23.2). Yet again, the Divines' position is in accordance with Scripture, as evidenced by the Messiah's interaction with the Roman centurion. As one can imagine, this then raises the question: What is meant by 'just and necessary occasion'?
The historical Christian understanding of the Biblical position was delineated by Augustine in The City of God. In that work, Augustine argued that absolute pacifism is not mandated in the Word of God; still, there are certain prerequisites which must be met in order to justify waging war upon another: 1) it must be defensive, declared and carried out by the proper authority, 2) waged as a last resort, 3) proportionate to the threat, and 4) discriminate between combatants and non-combatants.
It is my deeply held view that the current war in Iraq has met none of these criteria (in varying degrees). Iraq had not attacked us (in fact, Saddam was in no position to do so even had it been his intention), there was no imperative to do so, it is obvious that we used a great deal more power than necessary to meet even the purported 'threat', and there have been innumerable instances of failures to discriminate between combatants and non-combatants (admittedly, not all of them deliberate). The last has, sadly, been the most-oft broken of the parameters for Just War. Sherman's March to the Sea inaugurated the practise which was continued as a matter of course. The firebombings of Dresden and Tokyo were horrific enough even without the vaporising of thousands of women, children, and elderly in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. How would you feel if your wife or children were considered 'collateral damage'?
Why do I raise such a tinderbox issue? Is it because I hate America? Of course not! But, as a Christian, I think it is my duty to speak the truth in love when I feel we are going astray. What concerns me even more than the government's application of unjust military action is that a significant portion of the Church (apparently) unabashedly supports that action. We are called to be peacemakers; yet, what I hear increasingly echoing from the halls of our places of worship is the beating of the war drums.
At the Faith2Action 'Values Voters Debate' in South Florida Monday night, only ONE Christian candidate for President of the U.S. stood against the war as unjust--Ron Paul. When he stated his opposition and invoked the name of Jesus--as the Prince of Peace--he was soundly booed by the admittedly evangelical audience! Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas--a Baptist minister, no less--openly calls for NUKING Iran! (How exactly does one distinguish between combatants and women and children in such an action, sir?) The sponsor of the event chided Dr Paul for 'cherrypicking' the peace passages out of Scripture! The bloodlust rampant among many in the Church is horrifying to me.
Let me be clear, I know that not every Christian supports the war and I am also not accusing anyone specifically of seeking the deaths of innocent people. There are many well-meaning Christians who feel just as deeply that the war is just as I do that it is not. I am speaking in generalities merely for the sake of brevity and to form a clear and concise argument. I hope that no one feels personally insulted or attacked, that certainly is not my intention.
Again, I am not advocating that we allow ourselves to be attacked with impunity; turning the other cheek does not require that we do not protect ourselves or the weak and innocent. I would just urge Christians to search the Scriptures for guidance as to when and how we should take such serious action as making war. The Bible tells us there is a time for war. And a time for peace.
------------------------------------------
And so it appears that wine snobs are full of cheese (as it were).
‘[The] criteria for a just war do not match what we have been doing in Iraq. Nor are they in harmony with the concept of a preemptive nuclear war against Iran. Yet the Republican presidential candidates who support the concept of preemptive nuclear war also claim to be Christians and men of faith. How can that be? Have they studied Christian just-war theory? Are they even familiar with it? Ron Paul made a very astute observation when he commented: “I have been reading from a different Bible."’” ~ Gary Benoit
Here are 25 skills every man should know. (I've only got about 12 or 13 under my belt.)
Jeffrey Tucker eulogises his father: ‘On occasion I've visited the church I grew up in. No one there today remembers my Father. But they are still singing the songs he wrote.’
'In short, Ron Paul is the only Republican whose positions on the two primary issues are different than Hillary Clinton's stance on them, and, more importantly, are more credible and more popular than Hillary Clinton's. He is the only Republican whose nomination can realistically be considered a potential impediment to what otherwise looks like a Democratic landslide.'
As Christians, we should be ever mindful of how and where we spend our money. This list, in alphabetical order, consists of companies scoring a perfect 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaign's 2008 Corporate Equality Index, with policies beneficial toward homosexuals.
My youngest son came home to-day
His friends marched with him all the way
The pipes and drums beat all the time
As in his box of polished pine
Like dead meat on a butcher's tray
My youngest son came home to-day.
And this time he is home to stay...
~ Eric Bogle, My Youngest Son Came Home To-day
The Episcopal Church has fallen and it can't get up.
‘I tried to walk a fine line between acting lawfully and testifying falsely but I now recognize that I did not fully accomplish that goal.’ ~ Former President Bill Clinton
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Instant Man. (Just Add Beer.)
'Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.' ~ Deuteronomy 1:13
I wrote the following poem following a conversation I had with a co-worker after she remarked about my abnormally large Robert E. Lee coffee mug. I mentioned to her that family legend suggests that I am a descendant of the great general (from his brother's line I believe). Her reply, influenced no doubt by her Yankee roots in Michigan and dripping with blue-belly cynicism, came sharply: 'Everyone in the South says they are related to him.' Hence, my inspiration to compose the following missive. I should employ the following caveat: my intent was not to be snide nor prideful. I hope y'all enjoy it.
EVERYONE'S A LEE
by R. Matthew Lee
From the Texas Hill Country to the Virginia sea
Dwell scores of relations to Robert E. Lee
Singing high in proud tones, in insistent refrains
"'Tis the General's blood that runs through our veins!"
Through mother or father, most cannot recall
But certain, they are--he's the root of them all!
'Twas their aunt who first told them (or another relation)
Though few can produce the documentation
They revel and boast of the General's fame
And attach themselves fiercely to the Patriarch's name
Should any dare question Marse Robert's reputation
They bristle and spit with high indignation
"History can boast of few men of such worth!"
Speaks one of the millions of his kinsmen by birth
Another nearby replies, "It is true!
("The Old Grey Fox is my ancestor, too!")
One cannot--one should not--accuse or lay blame
To one for desiring to lay claim to the name
Good Sons of the South all seek but to shine
By boasting aloud that they come from his line
Yet if all who lay claim to his family tree
Indeed were aright, we'd all be a Lee!
by R. Matthew Lee
From the Texas Hill Country to the Virginia sea
Dwell scores of relations to Robert E. Lee
Singing high in proud tones, in insistent refrains
"'Tis the General's blood that runs through our veins!"
Through mother or father, most cannot recall
But certain, they are--he's the root of them all!
'Twas their aunt who first told them (or another relation)
Though few can produce the documentation
They revel and boast of the General's fame
And attach themselves fiercely to the Patriarch's name
Should any dare question Marse Robert's reputation
They bristle and spit with high indignation
"History can boast of few men of such worth!"
Speaks one of the millions of his kinsmen by birth
Another nearby replies, "It is true!
("The Old Grey Fox is my ancestor, too!")
One cannot--one should not--accuse or lay blame
To one for desiring to lay claim to the name
Good Sons of the South all seek but to shine
By boasting aloud that they come from his line
Yet if all who lay claim to his family tree
Indeed were aright, we'd all be a Lee!
‘True Christians," [Ron Paul] said, "believe that marriage is a church function. It's not a state function. I don't think you need a license to get married.’
I couldn’t agree more. That’s why Ashlee and I did not apply for nor obtain a marriage license.
I couldn’t agree more. That’s why Ashlee and I did not apply for nor obtain a marriage license.
A WEENIE ROAST AT THE DABNEY FAMILY REUNION.
Check out this HILARIOUS video of an interviewer who can't stop laughing at a man’s (unexpectedly) high pitched voice. (It's in a foreign language but still very funny!)
‘The message is, "Don’t Serve Alcohol to Teens. It’s unsafe. It’s illegal. It’s irresponsible." We Don't Serve Teens is a national campaign on the part of the Federal Trade Commission.
'So 18-year-olds and 19-year-olds (and even 20-year-olds) are teens, correct? According to this government campaign they are. But what about this government campaign known as Selective Service? According to the Imperial Branch of government, teens are "men." Under the "Who must register?" guidelines, everywhere it mentions those who must register, they are referred to as "men." Disabled men. Hospitalized men. Men who would be classified as Conscientious Objectors. Men, men, men, men, men. Men from 18 to 25 years of age. An 18-year-old is a teen if he drinks a beer, and he is a man if he puts on the conqueror's camouflage and learns to kill for the state.
And it's apparently not irresponsible or unsafe to yank these same teens men from their homes against their will (draft anyone?) and send them off to foreign lands to conquer, be conquered, and kill the enemies of the United Imperial States.
It's irresponsible to give those same men teens a Budweiser, however.'
‘Changing the definition of what chocolate is would be a mistake.’
'I haven't committed a crime. What I did was fail to comply with the law.' ~ David Dinkins, Former New York City Mayor, answering accusations that he failed to pay his taxes.
If men made clothing.
Friday, September 14, 2007
'I Study Nuclear Science, I Love My Classes; I've Got a Crazy Teacher Who Wears Dark Glasses...'
'A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.' Proverbs 13:22
You'd never see a kid doing this in a home school!
“Dishonest Abe invested in land in Council Bluffs, Iowa, of all places, in 1857. To this day this piece of land is known as ‘Lincoln’s Hill.’ When he became president one of his first official acts was to call a special session of Congress to begin work on the Pacific Railway Act that would shower railroad corporations with government subsidies while they built a transcontinental railroad line. When Congress finally passed the bill in 1862 it gave the president the right to decide the eastern terminus of the line. And guess what? Dishonest Abe chose Council Bluffs, Iowa. What a coincidence, and what a good example of political insider trading.”
'All you have to do is go down to the bottom of your swimming pool and hold your breath.' ~David Miller, U.S. Department of Energy spokesman, on protecting yourself from nuclear radiation.
This video of George W. Bush bloopers is especially for Marian. (But others may feel free to look, too.)
Husband of the Year giving his wife and mother-in-law a ride to work:
I have written and spoken ad nauseum regarding the danger of debt and living beyond our means. Besides being unwise--and making us slaves to our debtors--our economic consumption (perhaps over consumption is more accurate) can send the wrong message to the world. The problem arises when our lives reflect a sense of opulance to the world rather than modesty and biblical stewardship of the resources given us by God.
With that in mind, it is important to stress that saving--while also fiscally wise--is a biblical mandate, as well. More importantly is for what--and whom--we are saving. In our house, we have two savings accounts; we have one designated as the 'General Fund' and another that we keep for our child(ren). Those who know me know that I place a great deal of importance on the wisdom of our forefathers. They utilised the accumulated the wisdom of the ages (improving upon it as necessity and experience dictated) to their and their families' advantage. In that vein, we have decided to lay aside a portion of our earnings each month so that our daughter(s) will have a dowry and our (Lord willing) sons will have seed money to assist them as they begin their families.
While we place a great deal of emphasis on self-reliance (within reason) and self-sufficiency (see I Thess. 4:11,12), we also hold dear the biblical mandate to care for the generations that follow us. Teaching our children the wisdom of biblical financial stewardship coupled with a gift upon their wedding days will, Lord willing, bless them and serve them well all of their days.
---------------------------
‘British scientists are using a giant instrument - in essence an extremely powerful torch and microscope combined - to read [the Dead Sea Scroll] parchments that are too brittle to unroll or unfold.’
With that in mind, it is important to stress that saving--while also fiscally wise--is a biblical mandate, as well. More importantly is for what--and whom--we are saving. In our house, we have two savings accounts; we have one designated as the 'General Fund' and another that we keep for our child(ren). Those who know me know that I place a great deal of importance on the wisdom of our forefathers. They utilised the accumulated the wisdom of the ages (improving upon it as necessity and experience dictated) to their and their families' advantage. In that vein, we have decided to lay aside a portion of our earnings each month so that our daughter(s) will have a dowry and our (Lord willing) sons will have seed money to assist them as they begin their families.
While we place a great deal of emphasis on self-reliance (within reason) and self-sufficiency (see I Thess. 4:11,12), we also hold dear the biblical mandate to care for the generations that follow us. Teaching our children the wisdom of biblical financial stewardship coupled with a gift upon their wedding days will, Lord willing, bless them and serve them well all of their days.
---------------------------
‘British scientists are using a giant instrument - in essence an extremely powerful torch and microscope combined - to read [the Dead Sea Scroll] parchments that are too brittle to unroll or unfold.’
Ok, pencils? Check. Notepads? Check. Plutonium? Uh-oh.
'In short, Ron Paul is the only Republican whose positions on the two primary issues are different than Hillary Clinton's stance on them, and, more importantly, are more credible and more popular than Hillary Clinton's. He is the only Republican whose nomination can realistically be considered a potential impediment to what otherwise looks like a Democratic landslide.'
A home schooling expert says that churches are Missing in Action in the education of our children. (He has obviously never visited Westminster Presbyterian!.)
You'd never see a kid doing this in a home school!
“Dishonest Abe invested in land in Council Bluffs, Iowa, of all places, in 1857. To this day this piece of land is known as ‘Lincoln’s Hill.’ When he became president one of his first official acts was to call a special session of Congress to begin work on the Pacific Railway Act that would shower railroad corporations with government subsidies while they built a transcontinental railroad line. When Congress finally passed the bill in 1862 it gave the president the right to decide the eastern terminus of the line. And guess what? Dishonest Abe chose Council Bluffs, Iowa. What a coincidence, and what a good example of political insider trading.”
'All you have to do is go down to the bottom of your swimming pool and hold your breath.' ~David Miller, U.S. Department of Energy spokesman, on protecting yourself from nuclear radiation.
This video of George W. Bush bloopers is especially for Marian. (But others may feel free to look, too.)
Here is a really neat web site that keeps track of mistakes and errors in movies and tv shows. It is fun getting out your 'Gladiator' DVD and looking for the camera crewman wearing a t-shirt and jeans in the big battle scene at the beginning!
Husband of the Year giving his wife and mother-in-law a ride to work:
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
You're Gonna Be Free and You're Gonna LIKE IT!!!
'If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.' ~ Hebrews 12:8
We had a really enjoyable and sanctifying small group meeting last evening at the Kimballs' house (along with the Ayers family). The gist of the study was regarding our tendency as sinners to justify ourselves before God by our good works or our (perceived) adherence to the Law. On the one hand, our good works cannot earn us salvation; that is a gift from God and has nothing to do our abilities (Ephesians 2:8,9). In addition, although our good works should be a response to God's grace and an demonstrative sign of our faith (see the Book of James), even they are, more often than we would like to admit, done with the improper motive, i.e., self-aggrandisement or reputation-building. Pride is an evil taskmaster.
As C. H. Spurgeon wrote, 'Had not Jesus interposed and wrought out a wealth of merit, our tears of repentance would have been so much water spilled upon the ground.'
------------------------------
'Religious radicals have threatened to burn a Christian church's pastor and his family, and the church building was vandalized with a Hindu "Om" symbol, according to the Voice of the Martyrs, the worldwide ministry to persecuted Christians.'
Here is somethign for Rachel, Marian, and Hannah. Y'all should be able to get the family laundry done in no time!!
'OK, can you pull forward just a little … wait, wait, WAIT!!'
We had a really enjoyable and sanctifying small group meeting last evening at the Kimballs' house (along with the Ayers family). The gist of the study was regarding our tendency as sinners to justify ourselves before God by our good works or our (perceived) adherence to the Law. On the one hand, our good works cannot earn us salvation; that is a gift from God and has nothing to do our abilities (Ephesians 2:8,9). In addition, although our good works should be a response to God's grace and an demonstrative sign of our faith (see the Book of James), even they are, more often than we would like to admit, done with the improper motive, i.e., self-aggrandisement or reputation-building. Pride is an evil taskmaster.
As C. H. Spurgeon wrote, 'Had not Jesus interposed and wrought out a wealth of merit, our tears of repentance would have been so much water spilled upon the ground.'
------------------------------
'Religious radicals have threatened to burn a Christian church's pastor and his family, and the church building was vandalized with a Hindu "Om" symbol, according to the Voice of the Martyrs, the worldwide ministry to persecuted Christians.'
Here is somethign for Rachel, Marian, and Hannah. Y'all should be able to get the family laundry done in no time!!
“Forget about Indiana Jones and the City of Gods or even Indiana Jones and the Destroyer of Worlds, two of the potential names registered by producers Lucasfilm Ltd. The next movie featuring the two-fisted adventurer will be called Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”
‘Democracy is not a quality that can be imposed by war. The attempt to do so has always met with failure. Democracy can spring only from within a nation itself, only from the hearts and minds of the people. It can be spread abroad by example, but never by force. The strength of a democracy lies in the satisfaction of its own people. Its influence lies in making others wish to copy our American system of government, we cannot force them to copy it by going to war …' ~ Charles Lindbergh (1941)
They say that sports are a metaphor for life. Let's hope not.
'Malaysia’s government ordered a Tamil-language daily to immediately halt publication for a month as punishment for printing an image of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette, an official with the newspaper said.'
Here is the video clip that had everybody laughing. Remember: Language is important!
I fully expected to see Kevin Ayers' name in this story. (Just kidding, Kev!)
'The result of [Mike] Huckabee's imprudent decision to take on Dr [Ron] Paul was as predictable as a clash between a ring bologna and a freshly sharpened slicer.' ~ William N. Grigg
‘Democracy is not a quality that can be imposed by war. The attempt to do so has always met with failure. Democracy can spring only from within a nation itself, only from the hearts and minds of the people. It can be spread abroad by example, but never by force. The strength of a democracy lies in the satisfaction of its own people. Its influence lies in making others wish to copy our American system of government, we cannot force them to copy it by going to war …' ~ Charles Lindbergh (1941)
They say that sports are a metaphor for life. Let's hope not.
'Malaysia’s government ordered a Tamil-language daily to immediately halt publication for a month as punishment for printing an image of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette, an official with the newspaper said.'
Here is the video clip that had everybody laughing. Remember: Language is important!
I fully expected to see Kevin Ayers' name in this story. (Just kidding, Kev!)
'The result of [Mike] Huckabee's imprudent decision to take on Dr [Ron] Paul was as predictable as a clash between a ring bologna and a freshly sharpened slicer.' ~ William N. Grigg
When will the madness end?
'Illegitimacy is something we should talk about in terms of not having it.' ~ Dan Quayle, former U.S. Vice President
'Illegitimacy is something we should talk about in terms of not having it.' ~ Dan Quayle, former U.S. Vice President
Saturday, September 08, 2007
I Imagine It's a Series of Tubes...
'A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.' ~ Proverbs 18:24
The WPC Men's Ministry Pseudo-Semi-Bi-Annual-Yearly Steak & Game Night was held Friday evening and was quite the good time. We had reckoned that somewhere around 30 men would attend; in fact, we had over 50 sign up, of which a bit more than 40 showed up. Praise the Lord!Building the Men's Ministry continues to progress nicely. Our aim, with God's grace, is to build relationships between the men of the church through formal activities which then foster closer, personal relationships among the men with the result of friendship, fellowship, Christian education, mentoring/ discipleship, and accountability--all to the glory of God.
The WPC Men's Ministry Pseudo-Semi-Bi-Annual-Yearly Steak & Game Night was held Friday evening and was quite the good time. We had reckoned that somewhere around 30 men would attend; in fact, we had over 50 sign up, of which a bit more than 40 showed up. Praise the Lord!Building the Men's Ministry continues to progress nicely. Our aim, with God's grace, is to build relationships between the men of the church through formal activities which then foster closer, personal relationships among the men with the result of friendship, fellowship, Christian education, mentoring/ discipleship, and accountability--all to the glory of God.
The greatest challenge has been to integrate the college-age men with the Old Fogies. We had a great showing of about 15 or 20 of the former last night and we all appeared to have a great time of food (Pat Wells and Uncle Norvie CAN GRILL SOME STEAK, Y'ALL!), devotional (Jon brought yet again a great message biblical application), games, and conversation. There was a slight delay with the presentation of dessert due to my inability to distinguish between directions for a convection oven vs. conventional oven on the back of the cobbler boxes, but all's well that end's well!
---------------------------------------
Apparently, the Secular Establishment in certain Indoctrination Camps--I mean universities--believe that the centuries old Christian practise of foot washing is a health hazard? Sometimes I just shake my head in wonderment at how stupid they think we are.
The Reverend R. L. Dabney wrote: 'When you elevate a bad man [to public office], you give to him a hundred-fold more power of example to corrupt your sons, and your neighbour's sons by his evil acts. Those acts are a hundred-fold more conspicuous and more weighty to attract notice and imitation than if you had left him in his deserved obscurity. When you delegate your money, influence or civic power to a bad man, you make his wicked official acts and influences your own; he is your chosen agent, and acts for you, and be assured a jealous God will not forget to visit the people for the guilt thus contracted.'
Still, Rev. Dabney's advice notwithstanding, half of those polled recently would support a God-denier for President of the United States.
Here is a story about shopping from home via computer--made in 1967!!
Apparently, the Secular Establishment in certain Indoctrination Camps--I mean universities--believe that the centuries old Christian practise of foot washing is a health hazard? Sometimes I just shake my head in wonderment at how stupid they think we are.
The Reverend R. L. Dabney wrote: 'When you elevate a bad man [to public office], you give to him a hundred-fold more power of example to corrupt your sons, and your neighbour's sons by his evil acts. Those acts are a hundred-fold more conspicuous and more weighty to attract notice and imitation than if you had left him in his deserved obscurity. When you delegate your money, influence or civic power to a bad man, you make his wicked official acts and influences your own; he is your chosen agent, and acts for you, and be assured a jealous God will not forget to visit the people for the guilt thus contracted.'
Still, Rev. Dabney's advice notwithstanding, half of those polled recently would support a God-denier for President of the United States.
Here is a story about shopping from home via computer--made in 1967!!
David vs. Goliath? NO! It's Ron vs. the Huckster!!
"When you have the [U2] music there, the church becomes more personal. It's music they like," said Edwin Morlu, 16, one of the church's members. "They can hear it while still being able to hear the message and spread it in a more fun and enjoyable way."
Patriotism--Origin, Greek patrios: of one's fathers.
"[Edward] Gamble says the major fallacy is that there is any such thing as an education that can be secular. 'Scripture doesn't know anything about any part of our lives being secular,' he states. 'Everything's sacred.'"
'[God] has not given you your children and the means to support them simply so that you may do with them as you please, or train them just to get ahead in the world. You have been earnestly commanded to raise them for God's service.' ~ Martin Luther
'What the [Texas Supreme] court said, 8-to-0, is I think true -- which is that really the state has no business, no competence, no authority to come in and try to tell churches and seminaries how to train pastors for the ministry," says Shackelford. "This is an area where the state has zero authority to intervene, and if they do so they violate the free exercise of religion."
"When you have the [U2] music there, the church becomes more personal. It's music they like," said Edwin Morlu, 16, one of the church's members. "They can hear it while still being able to hear the message and spread it in a more fun and enjoyable way."
Patriotism--Origin, Greek patrios: of one's fathers.
"[Edward] Gamble says the major fallacy is that there is any such thing as an education that can be secular. 'Scripture doesn't know anything about any part of our lives being secular,' he states. 'Everything's sacred.'"
'[God] has not given you your children and the means to support them simply so that you may do with them as you please, or train them just to get ahead in the world. You have been earnestly commanded to raise them for God's service.' ~ Martin Luther
'What the [Texas Supreme] court said, 8-to-0, is I think true -- which is that really the state has no business, no competence, no authority to come in and try to tell churches and seminaries how to train pastors for the ministry," says Shackelford. "This is an area where the state has zero authority to intervene, and if they do so they violate the free exercise of religion."
Well, they have to be told something!!
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Why Don't You Just Make 10 Louder?
'Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.' ~ Ephesians 4:29
I don't know whether to be saddened or maddened by the idea of what passes for 'poverty' to-day. A recent study indicates that folks in the United States who live below the so-called 'Poverty Line' own their own homes with air conditioning, a car, cable television, and cell phone (among other luxury items)--and the vast majority report that they never worry about from where their next meal will come. I have a difficult time acknowleging that as 'poverty.'
As Brian Franklin can attest from his mission trips to Peru and especially India, there are folks who truly fit the definition of POOR in the world--if you dare look for (or at) them. During the 1930's Charles Lindbergh travelled the world--more so out of desperation to escape the American tabloid media than out of a sense of adventure, though the latter played its part--and his descriptions of what he saw would prick even the most hardened of hearts:
Calcutta struck us with the full force of the poverty of India's masses. Human life had here sunk to levels we had never seen before. Ragged, hungry people milled back and forth on filthy streets. Cripples sat on curbstones. Scabby, thin-legged children followed us with outstretched hands. At night, we stepped around stretched-out sleeping bodies on the sidewalks close to our luxurious European-style hotel. "You never know the difference," we were told, "but sometimes one of them is dead."
THAT, my friends, is poverty--poverty in body and spirit.
I pray, Lord, that my people never know such poverty; but above all, I pray that we would continually praise Your name for the blessings you have bestowed upon us--blessings we do not deserve--and that we will find joy, contentment, and thanksgiving in all circumstances, whether in plenty or in want.
---------------------------------
Ron Paul won the Fox News Debate Poll hands down!!
Oh, they tell me that He smiles on His children there,
And His smile drives their sorrows all away;
And they tell me that no tears ever come again
In that lovely land of uncloudy day.
Oh, the land of cloudless day,
Oh, the land of an unclouded sky,
Oh, they tell me of a home where no storm clouds rise,
Oh they tell me of an uncloudy day.
~ Willie Nelson, Uncloudy Day
“We’re kicking a** in Iraq.” ~ Our Christian President
But these go to ELEVEN!!
I TOLD you I had a giant head as a child!!
I don't know how he gets any hunting done in the midst of all that luxury!
'No man is fit for the care of souls, except he is deeply imbued with scriptural piety and grace. He must have a faith firm as a rock, and humble as strong, with profound submission to the divine will, which will calm him amidst all delays and all discouragements that God will bless his own word in his own chosen time. He must have that self-abnegation which will make him willing to bear the evil repute of an unfruitful ministry, if the Lord so ordains, and unblenchingly refuse to resort to any unauthorised means to escape this cross. He must have the moral courage to withstand that demand of ill-considered zeal in his brethren, parallel to the ardor purus civium juvenium in politics. He must have the unflagging diligence and love for souls which will make him persevere in preaching the gospel publicly, and from house to house, under the delay of fruit. Nothing can give these except large measures of grace and prayer.' ~ Rev. R. L. Dabney, Spurious Religious Excitements
I don't know whether to be saddened or maddened by the idea of what passes for 'poverty' to-day. A recent study indicates that folks in the United States who live below the so-called 'Poverty Line' own their own homes with air conditioning, a car, cable television, and cell phone (among other luxury items)--and the vast majority report that they never worry about from where their next meal will come. I have a difficult time acknowleging that as 'poverty.'
As Brian Franklin can attest from his mission trips to Peru and especially India, there are folks who truly fit the definition of POOR in the world--if you dare look for (or at) them. During the 1930's Charles Lindbergh travelled the world--more so out of desperation to escape the American tabloid media than out of a sense of adventure, though the latter played its part--and his descriptions of what he saw would prick even the most hardened of hearts:
Calcutta struck us with the full force of the poverty of India's masses. Human life had here sunk to levels we had never seen before. Ragged, hungry people milled back and forth on filthy streets. Cripples sat on curbstones. Scabby, thin-legged children followed us with outstretched hands. At night, we stepped around stretched-out sleeping bodies on the sidewalks close to our luxurious European-style hotel. "You never know the difference," we were told, "but sometimes one of them is dead."
THAT, my friends, is poverty--poverty in body and spirit.
I pray, Lord, that my people never know such poverty; but above all, I pray that we would continually praise Your name for the blessings you have bestowed upon us--blessings we do not deserve--and that we will find joy, contentment, and thanksgiving in all circumstances, whether in plenty or in want.
---------------------------------
Ron Paul won the Fox News Debate Poll hands down!!
Oh, they tell me that He smiles on His children there,
And His smile drives their sorrows all away;
And they tell me that no tears ever come again
In that lovely land of uncloudy day.
Oh, the land of cloudless day,
Oh, the land of an unclouded sky,
Oh, they tell me of a home where no storm clouds rise,
Oh they tell me of an uncloudy day.
~ Willie Nelson, Uncloudy Day
“We’re kicking a** in Iraq.” ~ Our Christian President
But these go to ELEVEN!!
I TOLD you I had a giant head as a child!!
The Ladies Against Feminism offer sage advice to the men of the Church: 'Patriarchy has been dubbed a movement, primarily by opponents within the Church. I'm not sure why they object to the idea that a wife ought to submit to her husband, since the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church. The idea is not exactly a new one and Paul, being inspired, said some pretty smart stuff. Apparently they see dangers in Paul's position. Do they think God took a break from inspiration here and Paul kept right on talking?'
For the hunters out there, here are some photos of Craig Biggio's deerstand in South Texas. (He is second baseman for the Houston Astros for those who don't recognise his name.)
I don't know how he gets any hunting done in the midst of all that luxury!
'No man is fit for the care of souls, except he is deeply imbued with scriptural piety and grace. He must have a faith firm as a rock, and humble as strong, with profound submission to the divine will, which will calm him amidst all delays and all discouragements that God will bless his own word in his own chosen time. He must have that self-abnegation which will make him willing to bear the evil repute of an unfruitful ministry, if the Lord so ordains, and unblenchingly refuse to resort to any unauthorised means to escape this cross. He must have the moral courage to withstand that demand of ill-considered zeal in his brethren, parallel to the ardor purus civium juvenium in politics. He must have the unflagging diligence and love for souls which will make him persevere in preaching the gospel publicly, and from house to house, under the delay of fruit. Nothing can give these except large measures of grace and prayer.' ~ Rev. R. L. Dabney, Spurious Religious Excitements
Will you look at that 1989 Hair?
(Still, I make no apologies for the teal bowtie!)
When Our Sons Turn 18...
'Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, who plan evil things in their heart and stir up wars continually.' ~ Psalm 140:1,2
I am continually amazed at how much personality Gracie Mae has at such a young age. Although it is still emerging and shows similarities in varying degrees with ours, her personality is distinct and intense.
I am continually amazed at how much personality Gracie Mae has at such a young age. Although it is still emerging and shows similarities in varying degrees with ours, her personality is distinct and intense.
Detectable--alas, all too often--are my qualities of hammy-ness (is that a word?) and a stubborn streak bigger than Dallas. Couple that with my tendency to find trouble and she's in for a tough row to hoe. From her mother she gets her tenderness and general inability to awaken without some degree of crankiness and difficult-to-shake lethargy. And let's not forget those eyes; those are DEFINATELY from her mama. (They are the first things that attracted me to her years ago.)
That ebullient personality, replete with zany-ness (again, is that a word?), was on prominent display yesterday evening. I will sometimes, for no particular reason, pick up my guitar and play while sitting on Ashlee's cedar hope chest in our bedroom. Ashlee came in with Gracie Mae in tow and both of them sat on the bed as I played. (That may not be the best term; I was making noise, at least.) Gracie Mae will often 'dance' while I play (this usually entails holding her hands up and swaying at the hips VIOLENTLY); but when I burst into the bluegrass classic 'Rocky Top' (insert shout-out here to Pastor Coleman) she went bananas! She took to dancing like she had ants in her pants, laughing hysterically the entire time. Was it just 'Rocky Top? No--same result with 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' and 'Seven Bridges Road.' We've got a genuine hick on our hands! (And her daddy couldn't be prouder.)
We just might have to take that show on the road...
-----------------------------------------
‘There are currently 40,213 Ron Paul Meetup members while Barack Obama, the candidate with the second best Meetup organization, has [only] 5,801 members.’
All of these ‘scientific studies’ are driving me mad. Eggs good. Eggs bad. Coffee good. Coffee bad. Now they tell us that microwave popcorn can give you cancer.
‘Three dozen members of one Christian church in Iraq disappeared over the course of a week, and only one returned, according to a minister who is warning of the increase of persecution of Christians in that violence-ridden nation.’
The U.S. Constitution is an amazing document—it even protects U.S. Senators against arrest for public abominations!
‘There are currently 40,213 Ron Paul Meetup members while Barack Obama, the candidate with the second best Meetup organization, has [only] 5,801 members.’
All of these ‘scientific studies’ are driving me mad. Eggs good. Eggs bad. Coffee good. Coffee bad. Now they tell us that microwave popcorn can give you cancer.
‘Three dozen members of one Christian church in Iraq disappeared over the course of a week, and only one returned, according to a minister who is warning of the increase of persecution of Christians in that violence-ridden nation.’
The U.S. Constitution is an amazing document—it even protects U.S. Senators against arrest for public abominations!
'But why aren't the seekers coming? They like pop music, so we give them pop music. They like stories so we give them dramas. They like anonymity, so we let them have it. They like convenience, so we'll change their oil while they're here (this by the way is being done). The problem is that we can do none of these things as well as the world can. Why get up on a Sunday morning and drive somewhere to listen to pop music, when it’s as close as my stereo? Why settle for cheesy scripts and sets when the television does it so much better? Why spend an hour getting an oil change when the pros can do it in ten minutes?' ~ R. C. Sproul
‘If this war continues much longer, there will be people in this audience [or reading this blog] who will serve in the military, who also may be going over there (in Iraq) or to Afghanistan," McCain told the high school students.’
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Hey, Laaaaaady!!
'We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.' ~ John 9:31
Another Labour Day has come and gone and with it another Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. When I was young, I remember that my grandmother would watch the telethon religiously every year, watching nearly every minute of the 24-hour long programme. Those days are long gone and I haven’t watched more than a few minutes of it total in the past 20 years or so due to other priorities coupled with the fact that most of the ‘entertainers’ on the show haven’t been popular since Carter was president. Yet, I found myself watching a few minutes of it yesterday—due in no small part to the fact that we receive only one channel on our television and it happens to be the one that carries the telethon.
Those who know me well will understand when I say that show such as that sadden me and for obvious reasons. It breaks my heart to see people suffer from debilitating diseases and my pity and sorrow is only compounded when it is children who are suffering. It is difficult for me to watch the stories without a wrenching of my heart. I thank God that Gracie Mae is healthy and I pray for those kids and their parents, that God will grant them grace, comfort, hope, and stamina as they deal with the hardships of everyday life caused by muscular dystrophy.
And I am sad for another reason. It is undeniable that Jerry Lewis has done an immense amount of good for those struggling with MD. He has given countless hours of his time and raised millions upon millions of dollars over the past 42 years in the search for a cure those stricken. In addition, his compassion and genuine care for the children is obvious; even the casual observer can immediately recognise that his love for them and his zeal for a cure is no act. It is, indeed, admirable.
Yet, all of the money he has raised and the thousands of hours he has given are as filthy rags to God. Though, to the human eye, Mr Lewis has toiled unselfishly in his work for the MDA, to God, even such actions that we would laud are wicked when done in the absence of the proper motivation: to honour God through Jesus Christ. Jerry Lewis, though well intentioned, is not a Christian and, therefore, his good works are not acceptable to our holy and righteous God.
The Westminster Confession of Faith states it better than I ever could: Works done by unregenerate men, although for the matter of them they may be things which God commands; and of good use both to themselves and others: yet, because they proceed not from an heart purified by faith; nor are done in a right manner, according to the Word; nor to a right end, the glory of God, they are therefore sinful and cannot please God, or make a man meet to receive grace from God: and yet, their neglect of them is more sinful and displeasing unto God.
To be sure, there are innumerable people in the world who give enormous amounts of time and treasure in helping others. From a Christian perspective, I can certainly understand why God would reject such things—it goes against His character—and I am very thankful to Him that His common grace to all of us allows even the wicked to do us and others worldly good. But, from a human perspective, it saddens me to know that they labour in vain. And that is perhaps the primary reason I no longer watch the Jerry Lewis Telethon. It’s just too sad.
----------------------------
Another Labour Day has come and gone and with it another Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. When I was young, I remember that my grandmother would watch the telethon religiously every year, watching nearly every minute of the 24-hour long programme. Those days are long gone and I haven’t watched more than a few minutes of it total in the past 20 years or so due to other priorities coupled with the fact that most of the ‘entertainers’ on the show haven’t been popular since Carter was president. Yet, I found myself watching a few minutes of it yesterday—due in no small part to the fact that we receive only one channel on our television and it happens to be the one that carries the telethon.
Those who know me well will understand when I say that show such as that sadden me and for obvious reasons. It breaks my heart to see people suffer from debilitating diseases and my pity and sorrow is only compounded when it is children who are suffering. It is difficult for me to watch the stories without a wrenching of my heart. I thank God that Gracie Mae is healthy and I pray for those kids and their parents, that God will grant them grace, comfort, hope, and stamina as they deal with the hardships of everyday life caused by muscular dystrophy.
And I am sad for another reason. It is undeniable that Jerry Lewis has done an immense amount of good for those struggling with MD. He has given countless hours of his time and raised millions upon millions of dollars over the past 42 years in the search for a cure those stricken. In addition, his compassion and genuine care for the children is obvious; even the casual observer can immediately recognise that his love for them and his zeal for a cure is no act. It is, indeed, admirable.
Yet, all of the money he has raised and the thousands of hours he has given are as filthy rags to God. Though, to the human eye, Mr Lewis has toiled unselfishly in his work for the MDA, to God, even such actions that we would laud are wicked when done in the absence of the proper motivation: to honour God through Jesus Christ. Jerry Lewis, though well intentioned, is not a Christian and, therefore, his good works are not acceptable to our holy and righteous God.
The Westminster Confession of Faith states it better than I ever could: Works done by unregenerate men, although for the matter of them they may be things which God commands; and of good use both to themselves and others: yet, because they proceed not from an heart purified by faith; nor are done in a right manner, according to the Word; nor to a right end, the glory of God, they are therefore sinful and cannot please God, or make a man meet to receive grace from God: and yet, their neglect of them is more sinful and displeasing unto God.
To be sure, there are innumerable people in the world who give enormous amounts of time and treasure in helping others. From a Christian perspective, I can certainly understand why God would reject such things—it goes against His character—and I am very thankful to Him that His common grace to all of us allows even the wicked to do us and others worldly good. But, from a human perspective, it saddens me to know that they labour in vain. And that is perhaps the primary reason I no longer watch the Jerry Lewis Telethon. It’s just too sad.
----------------------------
"Contrary to what many Christians have been led to believe, there is no such thing as a 'neutral' education," Shortt writes. "All education is religious and conveys a worldview, and there is no more important decision that we make as parents than how we educate our children."
I have a delivery for a Mr Harry Potter. Sign here please.
And the king of Israel answered, "Tell him, 'Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.’” ~ I Kings 20:11
'Dear Dave, I'm the pastor of a Midwest church. Do you think it's morally OK for someone in my position to want to become a millionaire as long as the desire isn't motivated by greed?'
'Confident of victory this fall on the Hill, Bush is now moving into Phase III in his War on Terror: First, Afghanistan, then Iraq, then Iran.'
‘Well, I’m-a standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona; such a fine sight to see…’
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
