In the News
Reps? Dems? They Both Want to Give Away MY Money
Category: In the News
I am beginning a new category that will include (mostly) brief observations of the stuff happening "out there." So, what is happening?
You may have noticed that there are people out there who want you to elect them president of the United States. And they are all making promises that they cannot keep. The real questions in my mind are, What lies at the heart of their political objectives? What are their foundational principles? For example, Gov. Huckabee said in last week's ABC News debate that we must find new sources of energy in order to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. He said he would offer a $1 billion dollar prize to the company that came up with a viable option. Now, is that $1 billion of his own money? If it is, then I'm all for it. But that's not what he meant. He meant that he would be in favor of forcing U. S. citizens to pay the $1 billion prize to said company. Which is precisely the same principle that he condemns in his opponents who want to force U.S. citizens to pay the cost of their proposed health care plans. They both want to give away my money.
My playoff predictions for this weekend: Green Bay (by a bunch), New England, Indy, and Dallas (Manning out-chokes Romo).
Star Wars Religion
Category: In the News
Okay, so at first glance we think, Surely this is a joke. In this day of science-worship, sophistication, and skepticism, there is no way these guys are for real. And surely, it is impossible that anyone would truly believe (and make decisions based on that belief!) that the force really exists. This has to be a Star Wars version of the Trekkies cult where fans of Picard and Spock gather to play dress up and share their favorite episodes . . . right?
Well, people used to believe that there was divine power in the sun, rock badgers, and firewood; and the same devil who deceived them exists today. Real Jedi-ism may not be that far, far away.
Oh! What Have We Become?
Category: In the News
“We look up to professional athletes and we want them to reflect the best of us as a society and I think we’re appalled when it turns out they instead reflect some of the very worst attributes.”
Three guesses! Was this castigating statement intended to reprimand a Cy Young winning pitcher who cheated his way to a Hall of Fame career using performance enhancing drugs? Was it a slam against a professional football player who was involved in a homicide situation at an inner city bar? Was it disgust directed toward a pro basketball star who lives a licentious, promiscuous, drug-saturated lifestyle? Nope. It was made about a professional golfer who killed a hawk with a golf ball.
When a man shooting a bird reflects some of the "very worst attributes" of society, I think we have learned all we need to know about that society.
Love American Style
Category: In the News
A couple of quick thoughts on the New York Governor's sin and the media's response to it. First, those who are arguing that this is his private life and it should not have any impact on his public life are both silly and likely trying to quiet their own consciences. It's silly because where there is bad fruit there is a bad tree. If this man is willing to lie, cheat, steal and betray his wife, why would he not also be willing to lie, cheat, steal and betray his city, state, and country? Because he is basically a good man? Right. A person who chooses not to see this obvious conclusion probably doesn't want to see it because if he does, he has to admit that his own private sins make him a bad person. The only good response is to confess the sin, ask the Lord Jesus for forgiveness, ask his wife, family and state for forgiveness, resign his post, and strive for godliness.
Second, if Ms. Dupre is the real co-participant in this sin, I predict that she will become famous and very wealthy. She's not just the Governor's type, she's America's type.
Un-Salty Salt
Category: In the News
In the Gazette yesterday there was a story about how local churches (Colorado Springs) were trying make "the church" relevant by washing people's cars, giving away Subway subs, and the like. Some of the churches involved canceled Sunday services in order to allow their people to take part in this relevancy. So, let me get this straight. The church is more relevant when it stops doing what it is uniquely qualified to do, and starts washing cars? Hmmm?...Worship?...Washing?...Hearing the word of God?...Handing out sandwiches?
Maybe these churches would be more relevant if they stuck to being the church. What could be more relevant than forgiveness of sins and eternal life?
More About Salt
Category: In the News
I have a bit more to say about the Gazette article I mentioned in the previous post. It begins with the question—If churches no longer existed, would anyone care? The apparent answer given by the churches mentioned in the article is, "No, unless we gain a greater presence in the community by doing nice things for people." But can't they see that churches are making themselves irrelevant when they seek to be known for these kinds of things? Jesus said we will always have the poor with us, but we will not always have Him. That can be true figuratively as well when the church fails to make it her greatest objective to preach Him and His glorious Gospel. How many times do we read of the apostle Paul entering a community and calling people to repentance and faith? How many times do we read of him washing their chariots?
I don't know what the motivations are for the churches involved in the We Care Project, and I do know that newspaper articles do not always capture the truth of what is going on, so I don't want to come across as too hard on them. But I want to say as emphatically as I know how that if churches no longer existed, far and away the greatest loss would be the absence of the voice of the Gospel, not the absence of community outreach.
You Know It'll Happen
Category: In the News
We all know where this is going. A woman is going to exercise her new right to use a men's bathroom, and then a man is going to be charged with sexual assault and/or be sued for emotional damages and mental stress caused when he "exposed himself" to her. And she will win the case.
(Here's hoping the first defendant is Governor Ritter.)