America Is On The Decline

This past season of inclement weather, I spent numerous Saturday mornings in our local Starbucks, lounging in a deep easy chair, sipping legal stimulants and reading David McCullough’s 1776. It is the history of the birth of our nation recounting the miraculous process of nation building through the arduous scouring of historical documents and personal letters of the American fathers. Their vision and courage to see us free from foreign bondage was, I am convinced, supernatural.

I am currently reading McCullough’s subsequent historical narrative on the life of John Adams. Two things have emerged repeatedly with this backwards glance at our nation’s past. First, the spirit of a people who faced impossible odds of success, were instilled with a profound sense of self sacrifice and the blessing of God Almighty. The spirit of America was clearly different then than it is now and I don’t believe we will ever return to such days of valor and selfless giving for the sake of the common good.

The second thing that I am noting as I read John Adams that a mere 20 years into the newly formed republic, politics, in the worst nuances of the word, were already showing the earmarks of self absorbed power grabbing at the expense of the union and the common good.

We are now 230 years after the fact of that neonatal nation and we have grown past our prime and have entered the golden years; a euphemism for the aging and debilitated vestige of a country once great—great because it truly had at its core, a keen understanding that there was a God, and to ignore Him was to hasten one’s demise.

Regarding God’s people Nehemiah wrote, "And they captured fortified cities and a fertile land. They took possession of houses full of every good thing, hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were filled, and grew fat, and reveled in Thy great goodness. "But they became disobedient and rebelled against Thee, and cast Thy law behind their backs and killed Thy prophets who had admonished them So that they might return to Thee, and they committed great blasphemies. (Nehemiah 9:25-26)

On the eve of the celebration of our independence from tyranny, let us weep for what once was, and let us rejoice for what lays ahead for those, who by faith, understand that God is still on the throne and have bowed before Him in humble allegiance.

Media Quacks Up Over Duck

In yet another contrived attempt to abolish God and His handiwork in creation, another find has been reported—or I should say, misreported that another “missing link” has been discovered.

In the June issue of “Science” it was reported that a fossilized duck was found in the Cretaceous strata in China making it 110 million years old. Still it appears that this “duck” for all intents and purposes looks like a modern duck. This happens quite frequently among fossil hunters on a predetermined quest to find support for the evolutionary theories of Darwin long debunked by other staunch evolutionists. (The late Stephen J. Gould for example)

As a side bar, have you ever wondered how the fossils and their strata are aged? It’s really intriguing--If you want to know how old a fossil is, you ask, “What strata was it found in?” “Early cretaceous? Oh, that makes it 110 million years old.”

But if you don’t know what strata you’re in you say, “Oh! These are thus and such fossils which are 110 million years old, therefore we’re in the early cretaceous strata.” Do you follow that? It’s called circular reasoning. Not exactly hard science…

What is unique about it though is that this time, it isn’t the discovering scientists themselves who have gone over the top with exaggerated pronouncements, but the media themselves.

FoxNews.com’s touted headline read—“Missing Link in Bird Evolution Found.” MSNBC called it a “big missing link,” and yet even National Geographic, which normally can’t make sweeping evolutionary announcements fast enough, avoided using the words “missing link.”

Problem is, the actual paper in the journal Science never called the discovery a “missing link.” Even the journal’s summary states, “this Early Cretaceous bird has many derived features,” and “It was also well adapted for an aquatic-amphibian lifestyle—the fossils even show what appears to be webbing in the feet.” Sounds like modern bird to an honest observer.

What is also interesting is that this isn’t even a “new” discovery; this discovery just happens to be a better example and appears “earlier” in the strata than originally thought.

Still those who are determined to annihilate God from existence will find comfort in this fossilized duck. Too bad for them; they don’t even realize they’re quacking up.

Presbyterian U.S.A. Continues To Exacerbate Their Many Heresies

Well the heretics in power at the Presbyterian USA manage to keep moving farther and farther away from Biblical truth—not that it matters to the majority.
Two weeks ago the denomination decided to devise a more inclusive designation for the Holy Trinity. Now what would compel someone to want to make such a change? A panel of the Church stated one reason is that language limited to the Father and Son "has been used to support the idea that God is male and that men are superior to women."
Okay, so the Scriptures have been misunderstood, and misapplied; that is certainly nothing novel. But what is at issue here is the seriousness, not simply of changing a few words but the entire view of the Holy Bible—is it the inspired, infallible, inerrant, authoritative Word of God or isn’t it? If it is, then the prerogative to change words, especially knowingly changing their clear, literal meaning and clear, literal gender in the original language is a serious maneuver. So what did the panel come up with in lieu of Father, Son and Holy Spirit? How about "Mother, Child and Womb"?
First I have to ask, “How is changing from one gender specific referent to another gender specific referent going to remedy the issue? Such a change confuses, to say the least, theological reality.
Mark’s quoting John the Baptist becomes a rather unintelligible, "I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Womb." Mark 1:8
Luke says of John the Baptist before he is born, "…he will be great in the sight of the Lord…and he will be filled with the Womb, while yet in his mother's womb.” Luke 1:15
This is just more religious foolishness that will not go unanswered and undisciplined. But lest this all takes you by surprise, let’s remember these are the same folks who several years back sponsored the utterly blasphemous “Re-imagining Conference” where the goddess Sophia replaced God Almighty.
This is the same conference that determined the Gospel was too violent, too gory, and too contrived to be real so did away with it and these are the same folks who just passed a resolution allowing local congregations and regional "presbyteries" the prerogative of ordaining clergy and lay officers living in homosexual relationships. Why would this most recent absurdity surprise anyone?

Mom Sues MYSPACE.COM

Parents, if you are not familiar with the Internet site called “MYSPACE.COM” you should be! It is one of the hottest sites on the Internet today and is frequented by millions of subscribers most of whom seem to be teens and pre-teens.
On the surface, there doesn’t seem to be anything overtly harmful but it is a gateway to an adventure in music, videos, essays, chat rooms, commercials and all manner of hodge-podge for which there seems to be few rules.
The greatest harm immediately present is that nasty men with one thing on their minds are using the sight to surreptitiously meet young girls. You can figure out the rest.
Currently, a mother has filed a 30 million dollar suit against the Internet site for not providing enough protections to the kids who frequent this site. I grant they do share some responsibility for such things but for crying out loud, where is parental oversight and responsibility?
This mother’s 13 year old met a 19 year old on the site (believing him to be a high school student) and went out with him to a movie. Afterwards, he sexually assaulted her. There are numerous reports of the same scenario over and over again.
But hold on here. What is this 13 year old doing out on a “date” with anyone of any age? And even though the 13 year old didn’t know the guy was 19, I can tell you no child of mine, male or female, would have been able to pull something like this.
I kind of hope the Internet site counter sues this mother for parental stupidity and child endangerment.
The family’s lawyer, Adam Loewy, said, "MySpace is more concerned about making money than protecting children online." Wow, talk about the kettle calling the pot black…
At any rate, once again I say, “Parents, START parenting!!!” If you can’t control what your children are doing on line, then get rid of the computer; it’s not an unalienable right! And for heaven’s sake, if you don’t have to the sense to know what proper bounds might be for your teen’s and pre-teen’s adventures in life, ASK someone who seems to have children that are respectful and “together.”
But here’s a rule of thumb you can take to the bank: In this day and age, there is no such thing as a 13 year old who is ready to “date” anyone of any age—period!
Just what age might that be? Well now, that’s for another day.

Anglicans Elect First Woman Bishop To Lead Denomination

Well the Anglican Church in the United States took another gigantic step toward what I predict will be an inevitable split within the 2.3 million-member denomination. The Episcopal General Convention elected Nevada Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori to head the already disunified denomination.
Schori was elected on the fifth ballot and according to an A.P. report, gasps of shock were heard as her name was announced. In a denomination that has been fractured since the appointment of openly homosexual Bishop Gene Robinson, Schori’s appointment is pretty much a guarantee of future schism in view of her support of Robinson’s appointment.
Prior to Robinson’s selection there had not been an appointment of an active Sodomite in the four and a half century history of the denomination. In the past, the Episcopal Church was much more rooted in the inspired, infallible, inerrant, authoritative Word of God. Today, there is a significant sector of the Episcopal Church—as evident by their latest election—who believe the Bible is just a nice little book with some pithy stories.
As you can well imagine, feminists hailed the selection of Schori, as an important step “toward achieving gender equality.” That’s odd, I thought the purpose in selecting the leader of a church was to safeguard the truth of God’s Word and to see to it that the work of Christ on Earth—to seek and to save those who are lost (Luke 19:10) be continued.
Silly me; if you’re a majority Anglican, the most important consideration today is that sexual perversion--as the Bible unambiguously calls homosexuality--should be sanctified and solemnized.
It is noteworthy that the overwhelming voices heard on Schori’s appointment were all ecstatic and all female. Why is that important?

Pardon me for sounding like a chauvinist here but I didn’t make the rules. Paul, empowered by the Holy Spirit, wrote to Timothy, saying “I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being quite deceived, fell into transgression. (1 Tim. 2:12-14)

The proscription against female leadership have spiritual authority goes back to what happened at Eden. I don’t fully understand it nor even like it; I have known many, many, women who are eminently better suited and qualified to lead than men. But the Bible teaches that when Eve fell for the schemes of the serpent, there was a sort of susceptibility to spiritual deceit that disqualifies a woman from having such ultimate (in a sense) spiritual authority. Like I say, I don’t have to like that, but I do have to abide by it.

If you’re a faithful Anglican the appointment of Schori is horrible news. At any rate, the beat goes on, and the Lord will not be mocked. It will all come out in the wash, one of these days.

Catholic Charities Victims of Homosexual Discrimination

I want to take you back several years when the gay rights movement was really getting into full swing and they were beginning to make in-roads, especially here in New England and Maine. Every time an objection would be put forward concerning another round of equal rights discussions, discrimination in hiring etc. there was always a hat tip to those who would raise objections on the grounds that it would force religious organizations to violate their rights to belief and doctrine. The invariable reply would always be, “There will be an exemption for anyone and any organization that would exclude them from any law that would force them to violate their religious beliefs.
Guys like me back then said “Horse Pucky!” It was just a smoke screen and once something became a law, it would only be a matter of time until those religious exemptions would also be anathema.
Well, blast it all I hate being right all the time!
In the city of our neighbors to our south, Boston Catholic Charities will be closing their doors on June 30th and guess why?
Because even though they have the highest placement record of putting children with adoptive homes, the church refuses to place children with homosexual couples—a clear violation of Catholic faith and dogma. But when perversion is sacrosanct, everyone else’s rights are inconsequential. Massachusetts state law now requires all agencies—religious or otherwise-- to place children with same sex couples or else!
If you do not sign on to what for centuries has been deemed perverse and aberrant behavior, you will be discriminated against! The message is clear as a bell and always has been. You cannot discriminate against homosexuals but we can discriminate against you!
Ah, how wonderful the world is becoming day by day. I have said it often and I say it again, Jeremiah warned of the day when evil is called good, and good is called evil.
Folks, we are in that day! Enjoy!

Morning Sentinel Edits For Content (in spite of what they say)

About three weeks ago now, Colby Professor, James Finney Boylan (who now goes by Jenny Boylan) wrote in his regular column for the Central Maine Morning Sentinel a piece about the DaVinci Code. He was musing about what the sequel to the DaVinci code might look like. His column was, I suppose, to be amusing but it was, almost needless-to-say, highly offensive.

I wrote a letter to the editor saying in brief that even though Christian fundamentalists are often compared to Muslim fundamentalists—meaning we are mean, hateful, narrow and implied—of the same cloth as the murderous Muslims who kill with impunity.

I wrote in my letter stating that the very fact that the Sentinel would publish Boylan’s piece—so offensive to Christians—that it reveals such comparisons of Christians to Muslims as ludicrous. For if they truly believed that, they would be in hiding for fear of their lives like Salmon Rushdie, and more recently, like the publishers of the cartoon poking fun at Muhammad.

But the name of Jesus, is categorically blasphemed in the media on pretty much a daily basis. No one ever fears some angry Christian will decapitate them. The reason is simple—unlike Islam that teaches the faithful to kill unbelievers—Jesus teaches Christians to pray for them. Christian fundamentalists are nothing like Muslim fundamentalists.

What was interesting was that the Sentinel edited the one sentence in my piece making the comparison. This is the sentence they removed:

“For if they truly believed that, they would be in hiding for fear of their lives like Salmon Rushdie, and more recently, like the publishers of the cartoon poking fun at Muhammad.”

My letter was well under the acceptable length, and the sentence was not redundant. It was merely the “closer” of my argument and they saw fit to remove it. Which means they edited my letter for content—something the paper insists they do not do.

So this is to serve as a heads up that even when reading letters, you cannot be assured that what you are reading is what was written. Such is the power of the press—and such is the freedom of speech to the hypocrites who own the presses.

No matter, for one day, Jesus is coming back, and then the unedited truth will be revealed. It is my hope of hopes that the likes of the lost who today trample and disparage the holiness of Christ will before its too late, turn their hearts to the One who gave it all for—them!

Latest Dignostic Excuse For Poor Behavior

Well are you ready for the latest dumbing down of personal responsibility? You have probably already heard of the latest malady that afflicts “far more people than we ever thought.”
It is of course Intermittent Explosive Disorder! I am not making this up. This is now the “clinical” diagnosis of people who have lost any sense of patience, civility or propriety and go into a rage in traffic.
When I first heard this I thought it was a joke, but in our incessant pursuit of eliminating personal responsibility in every sphere of life, we can now be comforted by the fact that when I wildly blow my horn and my top, I’m not to blame! I am a victim of IED. And it has to be true because we have “scientific” evidence for it.
IED supposedly affects an imbalance in brain chemicals. But let me clue you into something about cause and effect. Any imbalance in brain chemicals may very well be the result of the anger management problem, NOT the cause.

The Scriptures advise, “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger.” Good counsel because if you don’t, unresolved anger ravages your body and that includes the delicate balance of neuro-transmitters in your brain. So what is being labeled as the cause, is more likely the result.

Truth be told, we are an increasingly angry nation for all kinds of reasons. And when anger is not properly resolved, it festers and infects until, ka-boom! If you combine that with the fact that virtually all restraints have been removed in the proper care and management of one’s emotions, IED is seen to be the consequence of seeking peace and contentment through all manner of idolatrous pursuits.

God, in a severe mercy, allows such pursuits to frustrate, and yes—anger—hopefully to drive us to Him—the only remedy to life’s frustrations.

But more seem to prefer to take comfort with a medical diagnosis which can be treated with—of course, more drugs!

But all we really need is one giant national paddling and we might just be smacked out of what is nothing more than the arrested development of a nation stewing in perpetual adolescence. Excuse me now while I go over to my timeout chair and hold my breath—Whaaa!

Certified Miracle Worker?

Periodically someone will hand me a “letter” they have received through the mail making all kinds of promises, plastering the appeal for money—which is always the purpose of the letter—with all manner of “god-speak.” “God-speak” is religious sounding language that is supposed to give a ring of holiness, a ring of legitimacy to the letter but it is invariably fit only for the shredder.

In front of me in one such letter from someone who calls herself “Miss Elizabeth.” Her letter head is quite humorous. Under her name are her credentials though I use that word lightly.

Among other things, this charlatan promises 100% proven results, Instant Everlasting results, says she has “instant solutions to difficult problems, calls herself the “Lost Cause Specialist” and my favorite of all—she is a “Certified Miracle Worker!”

I’m still trying to figure out how and where one becomes a “CMW.”

Anyway, Miss Elizabeth “swears to God” that she won’t fail you and can solve your problem(s) in 36 hours or less! The price for Miss Elizabeth’s guaranteed intervention? A mere $25!

Like I said I get a kick out of this stuff but it’s really not funny because hundreds perhaps thousands, probably hundreds of thousands of fairly intelligent people actually fall for this stuff. Face it, the psychic industry is flourishing and while people may sluff off their reading of their horoscope as just fun, they still find themselves mindful of what their good days and bad days might be for certain decisions.

So it baffles me when a cogent, intelligent, reasoned explanation of historical documents recounting the history of the middle east or Asia is dismissed out of hand as being mythology or superstition. Then they run home, to dive into the Celestine Prophecy, Dyanetics, or The DaVinci Code telling themselves, “Ya know this really rings true.”

I’ve learned you can’t make sense of it because it’s nonsense. The Lord gives people up to their own nonsensical thoughts, behaviors, and actions.

So our response is not to try and figure it out, ours is simple to be ready to give account of the hope that lies within. The rest is up to the Lord.

United Methodists Call To Impeach Bush

Back in the days of William Jefferson Clinton, and others before him, the Foundry United Methodist Church was the church of choice of numerous presidents, most with a particular politic bent we would call “liberal.” Over the years, dignitaries and politicians have assumed the pulpit of this 501C-3 organization regularly and with abandon, violated IRS code for tax exempt organizations.
The law is specific as to what churches may and may not do. This church as I said, has routinely violated the law with impunity.
Last week, the United Methodist Church's chief social-issues spokesman, the Rev. Jim Winkler, said Congress should impeach President Bush "to advance the kingdom of God."
I don’t know, but it seems like he added the “to advance the kingdom of God” seemingly to spiritualize his political statement. To be fair, the statement by itself is not a violation of the church’s 501-C-3 status but the rest of the picture probably is somewhere along the line.
Besides that, I don’t know what Winkler’s idea of the Kingdom of God is, but the biblical one doesn’t include standing by while terrorists blow up your cities and behead your citizens. But then, knowing that would require the liberal leadership (there is a God-fearing segment of the Methodist church) to actually have read their Bibles. That is something they abandoned years ago, or so it seems.
Did you know that United Methodist church maintains an office in Washington to house it’s own lobbyist? Now I am assuming that has been done with legal counsel and is probably a separate branch from the church per se but the point is, the United Methodist Church is up to its neck in politics which is its prerogative—as along as it is abiding by the tax code to maintain its tax exempt status.
Ironically, they are among the first to squawk when a church of a conservative bent says anything at all of a political nature. Apparently what’s good for the goose isn’t too good for the gander!

ACLU Excells At Hypocrisy

Monday I told you about the ACLU is only for free speech when it serves their purposes. I mentioned specifically how they have forbidden members of their own organization to speak about some of their dissatisfaction with the organization.

Today in a late breaking update, this hypocritical conglomeration of lawyers is now trying to curb the free speech rights of those who believe in protecting the life of a baby.

It started when a handful in Congress put forth HR 5052 which would have prevented pregnancy centers from producing what she called false advertising. Now mind you there wasn’t a single example given of false advertising but Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. wants to ban them from even using the word “abortion.”

It has little support except for ardent pro-abortion groups and of course the upstanding freedom fighters of the ACLU.
In the story presented by Citizen Link Magazine, “Nat Hentoff, a syndicated columnist and former ACLU board member, said the ACLU endorsement is ‘a really extraordinary mistake.’"
"What about the First Amendment?" he said. Advocacy for abortion rights routinely overshadows support for free speech at the ACLU, Hentoff told the Sun Times of Chicago. "It's a problem the ACLU has had for years."

Indeed it is. The ACLU is no more committed to free speech than any other lobbying organization that has stated goals which it seeks to see fulfilled come hell or high water. If that means trampling on someone’s right to speak freely—if they disagree with the values of the ACLU—too bad.

At the heart of this organization is an ideology that is soulless, immoral and especially against Biblical Christians which certainly explains why many call the ACLU the “Anti-Christian Liberties Union.”

The ACLU Does It Again

It’s that time of year when the ACLU is out in force policing the country side, scouring the halls of education to make sure no one utters the dreaded “G” word—unless of course it is offered as an expletive.

Derrick Ping, says when he heard someone might utter a prayer at his school’s graduation he just wasn’t comfortable. Enter the crusaders of the ACLU who brandish laws, some real, some made up, flailing their swords at the windmills of religion determined to exterminate the pesky Creator of the universe.

Thanks to the brave souls of the ACLU, many people were spared having to listen to a prayer by the senior-class Chaplain, Megan Chapman. Russell County High School in Kentucky buckled to a federal judge at the behest of the ACLU, ordering she not give her prayer at the assembly. This violation of the constitutional right to free speech is almost the only acceptable proscription to speech that is demanded. Well, there is one other!

When some members of the ACLU started complaining about certain elements of the organization they didn’t like, and began to speak about it—publicly—the ACLU administrative officers forbid anyone to uh, SPEAK freely!

That’s right—the guardians of free speech aren’t so keen on that right when it may do them harm. No, to the ACLU free speech is only good when it serves the purposes of the organization.

Well, can we really say we are surprised? Not if you know anything about these disgusting, soulless entities. Oh sure, they have done some good things to be sure; shoot, even the Devil will perform miraculous healings on a person if it will advance his cause.

But the Lord has sense of humor so instead of the student body listening to one young lady recite a prayer, attendants--including I assume Derrick Ping—had to listen to 200 students recite the Lord’s prayer instead.

Take that you sorry hypocrites and while you’re at it, I suggest you read Psalm 2—Now while you’re still breathing.

Free Speech Demands Wisdom

If there is one right of the American public that is touted more often than any it is the right to free speech. Nothing will bring liberals snarling faster than someone in some way, shape or form seeming to infringe on someone’s right to speak freely.

For the most part, this is virtuous, at least as virtue is defined by the American public. But somewhere along the line we have forgotten that liberty only works when there is some semblance of a wise and self-governed people who have some inkling of virtue and some desire to uphold virtue even if it tramples on the hallowed right to speak freely. This is not a foreign concept as the United States Supreme Court even recognized that speech which is likely to cause harm to others—like yelling fire in a crowded theater when there wasn’t any—is NOT protected speech.

So when the Central Maine newspapers came out in support of the Waterboro Baptist Church--they are that nasty, Satanic, anti-Gay vitriol spewing cult from Topeka--having the right to protest the funerals of fallen servicemen, their support of the right to speak freely, even though offensive, seems virtuous but it is not. Actually it is deplorable and only underscores my assertion that we have lost any and all ability to self-govern due to a loss of wisdom and self-control.

President Bush’s Act called “Respect For America’s Fallen Heroes” would not eliminate the cherished right to verbally assault, injure, harm and afflict the grieving families of slain defenders of liberty; it would only put limits on how “in your face” these quasi-humans could be in proximity to the dead and grieving. This is what a sensible and reasonable society should do.

And I guess that is why the Sentinel cannot conceive of a notion of honor and respect for the hurting not to mention those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Why is it that only speech which is truly disgusting, vile and destructive falls under the hallowed right to free speech while virtuous, honorable and healthy speech—speech pertaining to either religion, disease, or some other controversial wellness issue?

I’ll let you think on that one but stay tuned for the ACLU’s raging hypocrisy against free speech—within their own organization.