Tuesday.....International.....Honduras & Leftists

The latest nation to undergo turmoil is Honduras. Leftist President Manuel Zelaya wants to serve more than one term which their constitution prohibits, so he therefore wanted to hold a referendum, in effect attempting to change the constitution which only their Congress can initiate. The military said "No way!". The future of the Honduran people is what is important here, but what is very pertinent to today is that it is another example of what Leftists and Radicals do. They seek power in any and every way possible and then set out to extend it in every area of the lives of those whose representation they usurped. Constitutions mean little to them, unless they can make a case that it supports them, then they tend to sound like Patrick Henry. It is vital that the American people understand that Fascism is knocking at the door and it is wearing a smiley face. This is the essence of Jonah Goldberg's book Liberal Fascism, The Secret History of the American left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning. (isbn 0767917189) I was pleased to see that Barnes & Noble is highlighting the newly released paperback edition and that it seems to be selling well again for it was a former best-seller. If you are concerned with the trend our country is taking, this would be an excellent book to start serious study with, and you can follow that with Mark Levin's Liberty and Tyranny which is still #1 on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list! (isbn 1416562850)

Monday.....Miscellaneous.....Day At The Olive Garden

How do you handle an inebriated octogenarian at the Olive Garden on a Saturday afternoon? My wife and I took my mother, who is 84 years old, out for lunch this past Saturday. We were going to make an afternoon out of it so they both ordered fancy wine drinks. I've told you about my mother before. She bore, in her younger days, a striking resemblance, in both looks and personality to Lucy Ricardo. She was also very artistic, once coming in second place in a nationwide Alcoa contest for designing an insulated blanket for automobile engines. I walked into the apartment one day as a child, to see her sawing our couch in two. Remarkably, she sewed the ragged ends together to make very nice seats. You do have to know how to interpret her train of thought, for instance, she gave me a shirt that she had ordered from B. B. King; which I believe can be correctly interpreted as L. L. Bean. She was an accomplished painter in oils. Today, somewhere under 100 lbs. and with a half a glass of 50% wine & 50% ginger ale in her, she was having a good time. Her main worry in life for that few hours anyway was having her dentures fall into the chicken scampi. My wife was having a good time also. As for me...well let me put it this way. At one time, I would have liked to have been an actor but didn't have the courage to even try out for a school play. I did take an acting course at Pitt and my assignment was snippets from the character Paul Bratter in Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park. If you are not familiar with the play or film, Jane Fonda plays a young newlywed who craves excitement in everything, but her lawyer husband Paul is ultra reserved. The character's personality fit me to a tee. At the Olive Garden, I reacted as Paul Bratter would as Jane and Charles Boyer were popping rather than nibbling their knichi to the center of the tongue to get the benefit of the entire palate. My son's Father's Day gift to me was a framed picture of he and I, chosen because it is the only known picture of me in existence where my teeth are showing in a smile. After a very enjoyable lunch, we stopped at my second home, Barnes & Noble. My mother was not going home without Glenn Beck's new book Common Sense which we found, though she was a little disappointed that it did not have any pictures as she talks incessantly about how cute he is (He looks like a blond Larry Mondello to me.) The fun wasn't over as she kept announcing how good she was feeling lately. There was though, a touch of embarrassment, I am constantly grieved at the lack of decorum in public places and here she yelled across the aisle to me the title of a book she had just picked up...Bull#&%$. I do believe that a stronger drink...on occasion...is good for you. I'll occasionally forsake Diet Coke for regular Coke. It was a nice day and I thank God for times like that. My mother only spilled her wine once, we didn't get thrown out of Barnes & Noble for profanity and I even got a new shirt out of the deal.

Sunday.....Christianity.....Wanted... Inquire Within

There was a bit of a mission involved when I started this blog. Christianity in America is at low ebb as far as the influence that a strong church would have on it, and America itself is in the throes of a downward spiral that can effectively lead to the end of this American Experiment. Our children will inherit the legacy that we give to them. There is a call to action for every Christian and every American. Effective or not, this is the method that I have chosen. A number of years ago, while in London on vacation, we took the train up to Cambridge University and looked for a particular spot where, in the 16th century, a pub stood that hosted the beginnings of the Reformation in England. It was called the White Horse Inn where those gathered would talk over the affairs of the nation. This conversation built into a momentum that altered the course of English history. I am a firm believer in God's moving in even the least likely of people. This blog is no more than an opinion given over a pint of beer. If the comments resonate with you, it is simply a continuation of how they resonated with me when I was drawn into this situation we find ourselves in. Today's topic is the church or American Christianity in general and its weakened status. There are three things that I think we , as individuals, can do and one that we must do and they are as follows:


1) Read and educate yourself. You have to know the history of the church in America, including the doctrinal issues involved in order to understand the many and varied denominations and faddish movements that continually appear. One needs to see the genuine in order to discern the counterfeit. Would it not be presumption to claim knowledge without having gone to school? The attacks on Christianity from secular sources in America are nearly always waged against a straw man that they have built with no sound understanding of Christianity or its history. Concerning God, we have a tendency today to form opinions rather than seek truth. Too old to enter this fray, you can be up to snuff and well on your way within a month if you set your mind to it. I recommend two books that would give a beginning perspective on where we are today. The first is Fundamentalism and American Culture, The Shaping of Twentieth-Century Evangelicalism 1870-1925 by George M. Marsden isbn 0195030834. The second is The Scandal Of The Evangelical Mind by Mark A. Noll isbn 08511111653. Both are by respected historians and the books would probably have to be ordered for finding sound Christian literature on the shelves of even Christian bookstores is difficult today, or try your library. I recommend the websites http://www.whitehorseinn.org/ and http://www.ligonier.org/ and also the ministry of John MacArthur.



2) Support those who are doing the work for you. When the day comes that you begin to see how the modern church has evolved and why we are indeed in need of not only a revival but a reformation, support those who helped you get there. Buy their books, give them away, support their ministry and continually pray for them. If you happen to have a pastor who is in this fight, he is probably alone, or nearly alone, and discouraged at times.



3) Have the boldness to share these thoughts with your family, friends and acquaintances when the opportunity arises. Discipline yourself to keep these issues at the forefront of your mind. You will at times be laughed at and ridiculed. You will be called divisive and worse. Every fiber of your being will say Cease and desist and take the well-travelled path but Jeremiah counseled to Ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it. For then you will find rest for your souls. (Jer 6:16 NKJV)



4) Daily introspection. There is a combination of humility and confidence necessary in any endeavor and more so when attempting to defend the gospel against modern abridgements, addendums and assimilations. If you do not have the humility, you may head straight into storms that might have been avoided, and into shipwreck. If confidence, or assurance that your motives are true and that to the best of your ability your conclusions are also true, are not there, your resolve will naturally be weakened when difficulties come, and difficulties will come! Introspection breeds a deep reverence for the task at hand and a deeper humiliation at even attempting it.

Friday.....America.....Signs? I Wonder?

Spain was the dominant sea power in the world until its Armada, its invincible navy, was beset by unexpected problems and finally defeated by the English navy. Concerning Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, there is a story I once read where Confederate general Thomas Jonathon Stonewall Jackson had taken a trip to Europe and visited some historic battlefields previous to the Civil War. Later, he was reminiscing about the trip with a friend and was asked who had the better military position at Waterloo, Napoleon or Wellington? Jackson stood up and slammed his hand on the table and said, as best as I can remember it, Napoleon had the vastly superior field position! The only way that he could have been defeated was if God had willed it! Concerning England's 19th century rule of the seas, I recently read an archived article from the New York Times from Wednesday March 3rd, 1889 titled GREAT BRITAIN ON THE SEA; Her Naval Power Greatly Deteriorated. How The English Navy Has Dwindled Under The Manipulations Of Interested Politicians. The Magi followed a star that led them to Bethlehem. Are there any warnings such as this, that God might give to nations? In April of 1912 the largest and most luxurious passenger liner in the world departed England for America. It wasn't billed as unsinkable but it's recorded that many people assumed that it was. We all know that the Titanic sank, and generations have been captivated ever since. Just a few weeks ago, it was reported that the last survivor of the disaster had died. Within two years England was in a world war and 27 short years later the German Luftwaffe was bombing English cities. How about America. In 1986 NASA sent up the space shuttle Challenger with a very diverse, maybe even politically correct crew of seven that included an African-American, a Japanese-American, two women-one of who was a teacher and the other of the Jewish faith. Mission Specialist Ronald McNair was to play his saxophone on board the flight making it the first musical instrument played in space. The piece was to be popular electronic, synthesized, New Age composer Jean Michel Jarre's Last Rondezvous, a truly haunting piece. The televised launch had extremely high numbers of viewers because teacher Christa McAuliffe was part of the crew. America was in shock 73 seconds after takeoff. Less than 16 years later, our most visible city was treacherously attacked and we have not only been at war since, but at war without the full backing of our citizenry! I don't know about single disasters pointing to collapse of nations but I do think that one can discern the times, poor economic and national defense decisions, the speedy collapse of a culture, rampant narcissism and a virulent anti-God agenda in many professions to find yourself with an ominous view of the future.

We Are Not Invincible

         I would like to look at the few similarities between the Senate of the Roman Republic and our Senate in the United States. The former had a Republican form of government, with a constitution of sorts and a series of checks and balances. The senators were men of privilege. Some were honest, some were dishonest. Men, in the centuries before Christ, were no more or less intelligent than today, they were patriotic or self-serving and they could differ with one another in opinions and philosophies. Rome's Republic was altered significantly during the Imperial period which itself eventually collapsed, the reason for which differs with the historian. I bring this limited analogy up for one reason.
         We are no different than the Roman Republic in that God had a purpose with Rome, that being, it would be that government that paved the way for Jesus life and the beginnings of the church; and it would be our government, when called upon, that would stabilize the world for the continued propagation of the gospel. I have written extensively here on the American people and their love of liberty and willingness to sacrifice for it. We are the most fortunate of people to have this as our country! In fact this nation is so strong, so established, that we have come to see a stock market collapse or a recession, or a terrorist attack as the most devastation that we could possibly experience.
        
         I'm convinced that we leave no place in our assessment for destruction or transformation into a governing system that bears no resemblance whatsoever to the last twenty-three decades, and because we are blind to our similarity to the Roman Republic in both capabilities and frailties, we are blissfully ignorant of being within sight of this collapse. Our history is resplendent for its liberties, the courage and compassion of its people and the hope that the world has gleaned from it, but in spite of all the accomplishments, in spite of the responsibilities of its citizens today to continue with this noble experiment, we most certainly can be utterly destroyed, and unless we admit that possibility, we will continue to idly pass the time instead of rebuilding the walls. The Old Testament false prophet prophesied Peace, when there was no peace. We hear the same voices today and when someone like Dick Cheney shouts his warning from the rooftops, he is accused of wanting America to be attacked. Our parents (I'm speaking of the Boomers here) met the challenge of totalitarianism head on and provided a continuing of America's blessing for its children. What will our children say of us?

Sunday.....Christianity.....What Does It Really Mean To Us?

The Israelites had their Sabbath to gather and praise God and hear the words of the prophets as they struggled to exist in a pagan world. Slaves in America would work from sunrise to sundown for their masters and come together on the Lord's Day to worship the God who would some day bring them across the Jordan River. The Puritans knew that this was a day for worship to their God as they struggled with the world, the flesh and the devil. It is a day that God has given to us, and for us. It's a necessity and a blessing. It's meant to be an infusion of strength through worshipping God who is more than worthy, through hearing His Word proclaimed to us, and through sacrament and fellowship with others who have this hope. I would ask you to consider what may be happening in your church and does happen in most churches in America. Typically, we enter on Sunday and go off into Sunday School classes. We greet each other as we enter the sanctuary and the pew until the microphone calls for our attention. We may sing praise songs or more traditional hymns and we may hear a solo from an individual or the choir. A prayer is offered by the pastor and a Scriptural reading and we settle back for a sermon that may be topical, usually with humorous anecdotes. We hear Scriptural instruction on Biblical characters or on how to live the Christian life. We sing another hymn or two and are dismissed wherewith we talk, laugh and chat in the foyer and parking lot. We can miss church for various reasons and not give it a second thought; maybe it was grandma's birthday and we could use a little jump on the clock to get to her house or possibly Steeler tickets were given to us. I'm not trying to construct the perfect service for there probably is none, although if Christ's redemptive work on the cross is not preached we have gathered and not been fed, rather I simply want to bring up the current mindset of Sunday church-going for contemplation. There are people in this world who have to sneak off to another Christian's house to hear words read from pieces of paper torn from a bible and treasured. There are people who gather and are breathless as Christ's name is mentioned and there are those in prison cells who look at the marks etched on their walls to remember that this is the day that elsewhere God is visiting His people with the preached Word and sacrament. Possibly, (probably?) you don't agree with my sentiments but maybe you will at least think about it the next time you enter the sanctuary and see the cross (if there still is one) hanging behind the pulpit or altar. Maybe you will take note if Christ, His life, death and resurrection were preached and maybe, even more importantly, you will look into yourself to see if the world had even taken its toll on you in the previous six days, that you longed for this day's nourishment?

Saturday.....War On Terror.....Peace At Any Price?

Would there ever be a peace accord that we wouldn't want? Most would emphatically say No! When taken at it's surface meaning, I would certainly agree, but Vietnam is a good example of how peace proved worse than war. The United States, North Vietnam and South Vietnam signed the Paris Peace Accords in 1973. The South Vietnamese were forced to go along with a deal with the North and peace was finally achieved. After a short period of time the North launched its final assault and before it was over, a couple hundred thousand South Vietnamese (and Chinese) people in reeducation camps and Boat People, had died. The War On Terror has been so altered as to be unrecognizable. It is not called a war, those waging war are no longer called enemy combatants, we are freeing prisoners, apologizing to everyone and trying to talk to Hamas and Iran. The deal we offer is this: if terrorists promise to end their attempts to attack us and withdraw its threats we, in turn, will back off our support of Israel to the extent that it will no longer be a military, police or economic force in the Middle East. It will exist but will be humiliated to the extent that there should be no need to call for its destruction, and we will have peace. The Reform Movement in Iran is problematic for the Obama Administration. A cultural revolution in Iran, small though it would be, might put the ole kibosh on this peace plan. I also do not think that the administration wants to give protesters too much hero status for it may encounter its own protest marches before all is said and done and it has already indicated that these protesters would be more potential terrorists than constitutionally privileged citizens who protest. Its a sticky wicket. Some prominent conservatives and Republicans see an opportunity here for political points in criticizing the administration. Some of you will be in church tomorrow and the pastor will quote Scripture in that we should pray for those in authority over us, not that their political plans will be successful but they might have enough wisdom for their people to live in peace.

Friday.....America.....A Nation's Discernment

Somehow a national polling service got a hold of my name and asked if I would like to sign on to receive surveys on a regular basis. They could not have found a more willing person. It's frustrating that the celebrated New York Times polls, that surveys about 895 people in a nation of 310 million and claims to tell within a sampling error of -3 to +3 what America believes, never calls me. A few years ago, a lady came up to me at the local mall with a clipboard in her hand and asked if I would mind answering some questions. We were middle of a national election and I thought that finally my voice would be counted. I spent 25 minutes answering what kind of toppings I like on a baked potato. Anyway, I get these surveys about every week and tonight's was on cable television. They named about 40 different cable channels and I had the distinct pleasure of telling them I have not watched one of them in the last 6 months for I do not receive them on my $12 a month cable package. Thus the topic of today's blog, one that I mentioned a few times before for although it is a relatively unknown concept and highly unlikely, unless God intervenes, that it will come to fruition, I have a passion for it for it and I believe that it has enormous potential in transforming society. A few years back, John McCain sponsored a bill that would give the public the ability to choose what individual cable channels they wanted to subscribe to. Supposedly it would lower their cable bills. It was called a la carte cable television. Obviously there was a lot of opposition to the bill. I see a different benefit than the monetary one that may or may not even be accurate. Today, our cable packages are bundled together and we have no choice within the bundles. I would like a choice. I want to tell this or that network that I do not want their product. I don't want to be a part of encouraging advertisers to pour money into networks because I am part of the total number that receive the channel into their homes. Television has a hold on us and particularly on the youth. Maybe you monitor your child's viewing but the society your child lives in is still highly influenced by the tube that it giggles, yells, cries and sits on the edge of their seats in front of, night after night. Political campaigns know they are dealing with a people that can be lured by sound bites and celebrity, and are quite satisfied with a dumbed down electorate. The networks could care less about how it effects the nation. The 60 or so channels will be there and the lure of the numerous entertainment talents will win the day but there are millions of families, I believe, that if given the opportunity to choose at subscription time, can put a crippling dent into the corporations that, at the present time, have a captive audience. They will get the message for money talks in the boardroom. If we can cast off this albatross, in a short period of time, the nation's discernment will increase. It is typical that those who benefit from the ideological message of the entertainment industry, want to censor conservative talk radio, it wants to force radio stations to present their message. In effect, they are also forcing American families to to take their television product into their homes and brushing us off with If you don't like it, don't watch it. If they give us the choice they lose their hold. Unless I catch you with this blog at a time when you are incensed over some latest news of our nation that shakes you to the core, you probably will ignore my request to consider this. If you are concerned about the world that your children will grow up in, if you are tired of your life revolving around your own neighborhood, knowing full well that your children will have to leave it someday, then you may consider this. Don't be discouraged because you are only one person. The price we have been paying for our indifference is no longer acceptable.

Thursday.....Politics.....Compromise

I was introduced to a man in town the other day who is well known in the Republican party, and whom I had heard good things about. I believe that I started talking about politics when I mentioned that This administration is moving faster towards Socialism that anyone imagined. The Republicans have to slow it down in anyway that they can. He was in total agreement and said, 2010 is the key. We have to wrest power from them in those elections or words to that effect. Knowing that there are a lot of Republicans who feel that we have to moderate, to be more inclusive to draw in a larger constituency, I brought the issue up, I know, but not if we have to compromise conservative principles. His response disappointed me as he emphatically took the opposite opinion. He said that you have to compromise sometimes where you get a little bit here and give up a little bit there. My response was that I had made my decision and there would be no compromise. That was the end of the conversation and I was satisfied that he had seen at least one Republican that day who was willing no more to vote for a candidate who had no passion in the views he proclaimed. There are times when one has to compromise in politics, I don't deny that but they cannot be made on certain issues, under any circumstances. Same gender marriage is one example. I would be willing to compromise on a number of facets on this general equality issue but not when they directly effect children. Here is your compromise, but when the children of this nation are involved, no election, no rationalizing that it will help children in other ways, not even the existence of this nation itself permits us, in effect, to go to God and say I know the importance that you have placed on protecting these young ones, but try to understand what we are trying to do. A ridiculous concept when presented that way, isn't it? If a Republican in Congress would come up to me and defend his position of compromise on a different issue, I would try to discern from his disposition and from his voting record whether he truly believed in the issues he put forth or whether he compromised his true beliefs to get elected when conservatism had the upper hand. The last twelve years have given us too many good ole boys on Capitol Hill and not even the disaster of the Obama Administration will lead me to give them another chance.

Wednesday.....Culture.....Experts

One of the enjoyable things about new friends is listening to them talk about things that they really are experts in. I've known gardening, hunting, fishing, health, exercise, photography, remodeling, automobile, music and astronomy experts. I've known some in business, medicine, industry and sales who were remarkable in how they had mastered their profession. You could see their confidence, void of arrogance, when they talk about whatever their special area is. They must have spent an enormous amount of time studying, practicing and learning by trial and error to get where they are. I'm sure that there were many times when I witnessed the results of a lifetime of effort in these folks but there were also times when someone seemed to pick up their expertise in a short time. And then there are child prodigies! There are really only two areas, that I know of, where one does not need to put much time or effort into at all to become experts, those areas are politics and religion, and there are many, many times more experts in these areas than all the others combined. Most experts will say I don't want to talk about politics or religion. Experts in politics, generally do not recognize other experts, for their opinion, uneducated though it may be, is not in need of tutoring! When we say politics in this mode, we usually mean the art of searching for the answers to the problems that imperil our nation, our people and even the world. I don't believe that there is a single person, with the possible exception of Solomon, who ever fit the bill of expert. Politics has to deal with human beings, with hatreds, with greed and power. We are not reassembling a motorcycle here! There are two many variables. We may have experts in areas within politics such as national defense, micro and macro economics, urban renewal or education but not the general topic of discussion known as politics. As for religion, there are also no experts. There certainly are experts in the many sub-areas of religion such as world religions, cults, archaeology and history; there are also those in Christianity that are experts in fields such as systematic theology, Biblical theology, hermeneutics or New Testament and Old Testament studies, but when we use the word religion as in the conversational topic of today, there most certainly are no experts. Now there have been giants in the Christian church throughout the centuries, and indeed there are giants today, men and women who were used mightily by God. Consequently, it's my position on this that we do not want to approach these areas as though the title of expert is something that can be attained. Rather, we should deal with ideas, concepts, theories, experience, authority and law in the political arena, and faith, the authority of Scripture, the testimony of history and the people who lived it, logic, reason and the evidence of numerous fields of study when the general topic of religion is discussed. Even the firm belief in our doctrine does not make us experts for pride alone can turn us into purveyors of error if we lose hold on whom initially opened our eyes to our nature, our need, our Savior and our hope. We can confidently speak Biblical truth as Scripture proclaims it, indeed where is there any meaning in the Christian's life if he or she is not captivated by the process of sharing Christ, but...we are not experts! If I were an expert in politics, we would be worse shape than we are in and if I were an expert in the Christian Faith then you might as well turn on the tube than read this blog. On the other hand, if you do not put the time and effort in, if you never enter the arena, then you may indeed become an expert, an expert in hindering the attempts of others who, although not experts, see problems and at least try to correct them.

Tuesday.....International.....Demonstrations

Two cities had mass demonstrations of hundreds of thousands within the past week. In Tehran, they demonstrated against the presidential election results. In Pittsburgh, it was a demonstration of fan support for their hockey team. One may result in a revolution while the other just provided a lot of overtime for the city municipal services. I participated in two demonstrations in my life. One was the first Steeler Super Bowl victory and the other was a candle light gathering of about 10,000 Christians, silently walking down Forbes Avenue in Oakland, past the Kings Court Theater which was showing The Last Temptation Of Christ. Of the two cities that I mentioned, one is in danger of war and the other is in danger of ignoring even the possibility of war. The situation in Tehran is ominous. If Ahmadinejad retains his position, Israel will most likely wind up attempting to destroy their nuclear capabilities. The difference now is that a large percentage of their population may not be as incensed as they would have been previous to the election. If Mousavi eventually takes over, it will be harder to present him as dangerous as Ahmadinejad with the same nuclear weapon capabilities even though the potential use or sale of them to terrorists would still exist. Scripture states through Daniel's mouth that (God) changes times and seasons, He removes kings and sets up kings, He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. We make plans and we devise strategies to benefit our nation and our people but there is no guarantee that strategies that succeed will benefit or that plans that fail will cause harm. We are headed towards Socialism in the United States and when this becomes clear in its implications, the next demonstration of hundreds of thousands in Pittsburgh may be against our own government. A wiser course than demonstrations, even the one over Martin Scorsese's film, would be introspection. For the individual or the nation, few are blameless. For me personally, I bear responsibility for failures in my life, failures as a citizen contributing to our problems, even failures in my Christian walk in trying to undo the harm already caused. There is nothing to be gained in trying times, whether they be of a personal nature, national, economic or corporate without first seeking God's mercy through repentance and humility.

Monday.....Miscellaneous.....Foibles

My wife and I recently returned from a vacation at the Outer Banks. Hilton Head is our usual destination for vacation so the rough, colder waters and the history of Kitty Hawk and Manteo were a pleasant change. We took our dog, a thirteen month old Golden Retriever, with us, the first time we had ever taken a pet. He had been in too many homes in his first year and we didn't want to confuse him with a kennel even though our kennel is a very nice place run by wonderful people. I feel I should relate a few things about myself here for conscience sake. One evening we took a walk on the beach, the sky was beautiful and there was a warm breeze. The iPhone in my pocket vibrated. I pulled it out but there was no indication of a call or text. That was odd. It happened again and this time I mentioned it to my wife. When it happened a third time, I was sure I was going to have to have it replaced on vacation for surely I can't go even a few hours on the beach without checking the Drudge Report. We saw my brother-in-law and his daughter walking towards us and he had a grin on his face. For a second I thought he was playing a little game but that wouldn't explain the lack of a message on the cell phone.

Do you have Courtney's cell phone?

No. I just have my iPhone and a tin of mints.

Are you sure. She's positive that she left it on the table by the door?

Knowing what I am capable of doing at times, I checked. I once took off my watch only to find another watch a few inches up my arm. Another time I took off my belt and there was another one under it. It may be genetic for my mother once attached her fingernail to the wall while hanging a picture and another time Super Glued her lips together.

Let me look? Courtney's phone was there. O.K., maybe that's reasonable but the second incident really isn't. We were sitting under an umbrella on a hot afternoon and I was clutching my dog close for there were other dogs on the beach. I felt his stomach rumble and commented to my wife that he must be hungry. You probably can guess the rest. On the walk back to the house I saw that my son had texted me at the time our puppy's stomach was rumbling. Well, there it is, I guess this is the end of our relationship on this blog? I have to go anyway for this chair is vibrating and it's not a vibrating recliner?

Sunday.....Christianity.....Conversations With Young People

While walking through a craft show with my wife the other day, we stopped and talked to a young boy (15 years old) from the neighborhood, and his friend. Pleasantries were exchanged and I asked the other young man his name and then said Do you have a plan for what you want to be? Asking a question like this is easy and natural for me. I'm confident when talking to young people because I have my early life so emblazoned on my mind and I see the pitfalls so clearly that I want to leave them with a thought or two. I really don't care if they think I'm asking a question that Gramps might ask. Our youth need challenged and I believe that many will respond to intellectual questions. In fact, I often see a spark in their eyes when they see that someone cares about them and respects the fact that they can indeed embark upon a journey filled with challenges and excitement. I know that many teachers, are teachers, for just this reason and my son had some that made a significant effect on him. I also know that you can go through school and, for one reason or another, be left out of this mentoring. I try to present myself as confident and garner some respect for my comments. You probably know the challenge that I face in this but I look to Christ to blur their vision if only for a few minutes. I want them to walk away looking for something to read. I want them to feel their mind exercised, not necessarily in the way that being called to the chalkboard (do they still use them?) might do, but in a way that makes them feel like an adult with a mind that matters. I want to name the name of Christ and see if their eyes remain focused on mine or if they wander off in the distance. If it's the latter, I want them to at least acknowledge so to themselves. I hope that as the conversation ends, they might, ever so slightly, feel like a soldier that just underwent an inspection....successfully, for they will shortly be needed as responsible citizens . I may want these things for them because I did not have them when I was young and I did not have the maturity to overcome the situation. With Christian young people, I want to do what the church often fails to do and that is place doctrinal issues before them to meditate on, give them a taste of the history of the church, its heroes, its conflicts and its tremendous successes as the Lord wills them. Most of all, I want to leave them with a challenge. They are needed in this time of distress. God will provide the faith, intellect and determination. It won't be easy but the fulfilment will be infinitely greater even than that sweet Pittsburgh Penguin Stanley Cup accomplishment. I often recommend reading The Pilgrim's Progress for no book that I know of so clearly presents the journey of a Christian. This young man from the craft show wants to go to an excellent Christian college or one of the military academies. His parents instilled this way of thinking into him. Others are not as fortunate.

Saturday.....War On Terror.....Reform Platform

It has been the hope of the United States for some time that the people of Iran would reject the rule of the radical mullahs and seek a place with other nations of the world. We have worked undercover, in various ways, to help the Iranian people in this area. This changeover would have to be legitimate. One means that is not desirable is through a media show. There is genuine discontent in Iran that doesn't have to be embellished. Here in America, in 2000, we witnessed a close election where the losing side tried to overturn the results through claims of election fraud in Florida. Had they succeeded, there would have been no remorse, for ethics play no part in this form of politics. It is highly probable that a runoff election should have been called in Iran. Protesting an election process that has no means of verification to begin with and whose results are almost guaranteed in advance would be legitimate, and that is what is happening. If Ahmadinejad is ousted through a media frenzy, the mullahs may very well dispense of any election freedom. If he is ousted legitimately, a new government may be stable. Numerous dictators around the world have retained their power through fraudulent elections. Replacing a dictator who is in power through electoral fraud with someone else, albeit much better, who attained power through an American style media-palooza would be a hollow victory and its future unstable. The wisest course for political parties in countries that are seeking freedom from oppression is to campaign on a platform of genuine liberty but stopping short of letting every profit seeker enter their country with the worst of Western Culture. They can learn two lessons from us: people want liberty, and that same liberty can be distorted if you are unaware of the responsibilities that come with it. Here is stability, and our failure here is why we are in the condition that we are in.

Friday.....America.....Awakening And Reformation

At the time of the American Revolution there were five Christian denominations in America . We all know that there is a small army of denominations today. Of more importance, the American church was predominantly Calvinist. Today it is reversed. We are an Arminian church. Some have attributed this reversal to the fact that America was mostly frontier and as the population moved west, the church in attendance was Circuit Riders whose forte was not theology. Essentially, Arminianism says that man has a free will and along with that the capacity to choose Christ or reject Him. Calvinism admits that man has a free will but along with that is a fallen nature that will dominate the free will. The importance of this, as it relates to America, is that the doctrine will determine the method of evangelism. If the doctrine is wrong, the methods may, and have, weakened the church and therefore America. It is often said that man is naturally a believer in free will with potential to choose the right. This is what America was built on...or was it? We are an inventive, innovative, entrepreneurial and confident people who have an American can do spirit. When this can do spirit, which is the glory of man, that works well with producing steel is applied to evangelization, one has headed in the wrong direction and that is what we have done. Consequently, we suffer ridicule and rebuke for the wrong reasons. Its a fact of reality and we have to deal with it. As a church, we need to return to the Cross for there is our unity, there is our strength though we are weak, there we have no ax to grind, there it is impossible to be anything but brothers and sisters in Christ. As for the division amongst the American people that was the topic of yesterday's blog, even a united front, without Christ is worthless. If we are to survive, it will be through an Awakening in the general public and a Reformation in the church.

Thursday.....Politics.....Time Benefits Truth

At the age of 51 I had gone back to college to work on a Master's Degree in Higher Education, and not for the typical reasons. My son was beginning his quest to find a college to attend and I was, much like I am today, spending time on issues concerning the nation that we live in and the people within it. Choosing a college is much more of an important decision than is commonly ascribed to. The young person will be under the tutelage of 21st century professors. If you cannot see a problem here, try reading anything by David Horowitz. They will initially live in a dorm and we're not talking about Ricky Nelson's fraternity house. So I went back to school, partly, to learn about the history of Higher Education in America and its modern counterpart, and partly to help my son in his decision. I completed the core curriculum, had a few seminar classes and a thesis left but I had what I wanted. So, here I was in my early fifties, in a cohort of students who were mostly in their 20's. It was a terrific time for me but the topic of this blog revolves around a comment I made in one of the classes. I mentioned my extreme concern that there was a divide occurring in America that was far more serious than commonly acknowledged. I could see the trend developing of two distinct peoples living within the same country. This concern has come to fruition and it threatens the stability of our nation. One people wants a constitution to determine the laws of our nation, as it always has. The other wants laws to conform to desires of the people in the day of the decision. Thus, the Judiciary would become the new legislature. One wants to hear news reporting and make determinations for themselves. The other considers decision making to be unnecessary for they have already completed that task for everyone so the verity of the news we receive is a moot point. This split is so serious that if it were a demographic issue we would have two nations by now. And it is going to get worse for when one party in a division like this, is in power, has gained that power by circumventing debate by way of the cult of celebrity, has already began wielding that sword as if it were forged for them and begins to stifle opposing opinion then indications are that it is very possible that liberty will decrease, and tyranny arise. The speed with which this transformation is being attempted is for a reason. Congress needs to slow this onslaught down and give many Americans time to reassess if this is what they bargained for.

Tuesday.....International.....Goodwill Gesture?

In 2007, a Shiite terrorist group in Iraq, rumored to be backed by Iran, attacked American soldiers while wearing American style uniforms, killing five Americans. One of the leaders of the organization was captured. Today, the United States suddenly released this captured leader of the terrorist group Asaib al-Haq. Or did they? It's called part of a National Reconciliation Effort, a goodwill gesture. The terrorist promises to be good. Coincidentally, the Iranian presidential election is in three days. It's a ploy, a gambit. It sends the wrong message to terrorists. The reporting, as least as I saw it develop, needs clearing up. Initial reports from around the world were that the United States released the terrorist. A more recent report by CNN stated that the Iraqi government released the prisoner. Towards the end of the news release it mentioned that this was a part of a gradual handing over of detainees that began in the beginning of the year. An Iraqi government spokesman said that it wasn't clear when the transfer was made, but this was not a typical detainee. It appears that the United States military may have recently turned him over to the Iraqis for release, but to read the CNN news release, you would not think the United States government was involved when in all probability, this move came directly from the White House. Is this important? If this was our decision, it is consistent with how this administration treats terrorism. If it is reported as an Iraqi move, as the CNN report did, then it may be intended for the buck to stop there.

Monday.....Miscellaneous.....Loyalty

Somewhere in my past I developed this view of the importance of loyalty. It may stem from my failure to be a loyal friend to someone, who when my 10th summer in Buffalo was boring, befriended me and taught me to play dice baseball. We had fun for weeks until others returned from vacation and I abandoned my newfound friend. It bothers me a little to this day. I went to a Catholic high school in Pittsburgh and although I am a Reformation Protestant now, I'm still proud of that school. I retain allegiance to Pitt although my son went to college elsewhere and is going to another law school. Did you know that they told Joe Paterno to put a "Lion" of their helmets, so he did, he put a "line" on their helmets? I am partial to the Army, to Pittsburgh, the Thunderbolt, my first big roller coaster, to Vincent's Pizza, Coca Cola, to the Buffalo Bills (go figure for I haven't watched a series of downs in professional football in 15 years) and to Jerry West, wherever he may be. There is no former pastor who I am not thankful for, no television evangelist that was used in some capacity to help me and no friend who I may not have seen in 40 years who is not still a friend in my heart. Maybe the most amazing of all, I still admire the Kennedy family although my politics are probably the polar opposite. I guess that I'm a Honda driver now for they sold me a good product and treated me well. The Vietnamese will always have a special place in my heart and it takes more than a socialist upheaval to break the bonds that our fathers had with England and France in the "previous" dark days of World War II. So what does happen when someone or something that you have been bonded with departs from what you knew them as? Pat Robertson is an extraordinary man. He is very smart, very caring and has been a conduit for the gospel to many people including me. His theology has weakened in recent years from one that was weak to begin with. I'm saddened when he says something that is unwise but encouraged somewhat when I get the rare opportunity to tune into the 700 Club. I would vote for Ted Kennedy if he were somehow running against Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton and possibly the man who dialed 911 after getting the wrong toppings on his McDonald's hamburger but that's about it, but I still wish him well in his health, his marriage and, hopefully, his retirement. This aspect of loyalty has, I believe, helped me in my dealings with Christian brothers and sisters who hold to doctrines and evangelistic methods that I feel are detrimental, although not null and void, in proclaiming the gospel. I wish I were as loyal to Christ as I am to my Internet provider. Loyalty is not the word to describe how Christ has held on to me through the kicks and gripes, rather promises from a God that cannot fail to keep them. Related to this concept of loyalty, is the remembrance of how I can fail and hurt and disappoint others. I try to see my past in other's present. So where does President Obama come into this? It's a valid point and I should take my own erratic wanderings into consideration but there is a more pressing point in that millions went before us with a determination to build a nation that, in spite of its gross imperfections, was a defender of liberty and a "bulwark never failing," if Martin Luther could forgive me for using such a precious phrase in a temporal setting, against the malignant ideologies of Fascism and Communism. To understand what Fascism was and how it is seeing a resurgence today in what to many would be a surprising way, I highly recommend Jonah Goldberg's Liberal Fascism, The Secret History of the American Left from Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning, recently released in paperback. I, personally, can't forget how others sacrificed to build what a few today wish to discard.

Sunday.....Christianity.....Concepts

I had been involved in Christian forums in the past and it can be very discouraging. If we speak to unbelievers in the way we sometimes speak to ourselves, which is what I believe that we often do, then it becomes obvious why they do not seek conversations and often flee from them. Let me give you an example from outside of Christianity. Jehovah Witnesses often prepare throughout the week, memorizing scripture verses that are connected in a way as to seemingly support their doctrine. I spent a few years studying this religious organization and speaking to them. There is a mental process involved, a bias in place and no amount of reasoning and common sense can get through. The scripture verses are given in rapid succession. It is the argument that must be won and the gullible mind captured. It's not the bias that I'm pointing to here in this blog, for Christians, in the essentials anyway, have a legitimate bias, for that bias is truth itself. It is rather, that Scripture may be given to show one's proficiency. We seem to either solely rely on our experiences, the subjective, or in the other direction, our Scriptural knowledge. I have to say here, so as not to be misunderstood, that using Scripture is indeed what we must do. Scripture proclaims these truths and it is our wonderful priveledge to tell others. Unfortunately, we can, as the letter to the Ephesians in the Book of Revelation states, leave our first love and proclaim truth but do so without the power of that love. So, it's my opinion here, that there is a time for quoting Scripture...no, that's an understatement, for that is the essence of how we tell others of Christ, but there is a time for concepts also and that is what I try to do with this blog! Scripture relays these truths to us, it supports us with its veracity. It is the objective source of our beliefs, the sustenance in our travels throughout this life and the means with which we convey what Christ has done for us. It motivates us as we develop these concepts that have their own time and place, and so, I want to give you one here as an example: To the person reading this that professes to be a Christian...when you open the Bible, is their an aroma of peace that envelops you? When you talk to another Christian, is there a bond there that is closer than a sibling? When you consider the implications of a life lived without Christ's atoning blood are you saddened and when you apply that to your present state against your previous state, are you overwhelmed with joy. If not, logic alone would seem to say that this Christianity may indeed be of a value but certainly not one to go to extremes over. There is a problem here. The astounding and miraculous claims that are made in the Christian Faith leave no room in a thinking mind for ambivalence to be accommodated. Even in our weaknesses...no, especially in our weaknesses, if the Christian Faith is nothing less than everything, than it is less than nothing. From a purely intellectual standpoint, if your faith is not overwhelming then the object of that faith, Christ, must of necessity, not be overwhelming also. This condition must at least be faced, for obscuring it is neither honest, wise nor safe.

Friday.....America.....Melodrama Or Understatement

I can't speak for the younger generation, those who might come to be known as the O Generation, but I can speak for mine for I have lived it and reminisced with others numerous times over the past decades. The topic is America. I grew up being taught about Nathan Hale, and George Washington, Andrew Jackson and Davey Crocket. The Civil War was brother against brother but a recent trip to Gettysburg's new diorama was a little disillusioning. I was antsy during the movie narrated by Morgan Freeman as a subtle change had taken place in what tens of thousands of school children would see on their field trips. There was no question, as I grew up, on who was in the right on those bloody beaches in the pacific or bombing raids in Germany. The last scene in the Academy Award winning film Life Is Beautiful summed up how Europeans felt about America and how we perceived the efforts of our fathers and forefathers. A tank was heard rumbling in the camp where Nazi's held Italian Jewish prisoners. One last depredation was expected from the Nazi guards but as the tank turned the corner, those beautiful Stars and Stripes flew from the turret; so many sacrifices, so much courage, so much to be thankful for! I'm writing this for those who know how I feel. Where did the change begin? Was it the 1950s where we lived in new style houses and drove powerful, exciting cars that dispensed of any doubt that we were the ultimate modern man. It may have been a beginning but the 1960s, my generation, shook our foundations and cracked the columns that would not start to give way until today. Unbeknownst to us, many people got rich as they discovered that teenagers had money to spend. Others saw how many of us were going to college and there was a party of ideas ahead and it didn't matter if they were going towards truth, for the fun of it was in the going. We're the parents and grandparents today. We are responsible for the headlines in the newspaper, the textbooks that view history as valuable with a good scriptwriter and science as the cosmos gift to man. There's no going back but we can stop this slide into European socialism. Lest anyone think that pushing God out of policy deliberations is some sort of rational, sensible attempt to determine the course of our nation, we are essentially more religious than we have been for a century and a half, only the god worshipped today is us, evolved specimens that are fundamentally good and unbridled in our compassion if only we would be given full authority over those among us who rely on myths instead our own potential. We worship at the altar of reason and search for extraterrestrial life while drilling the depths of the mind for more power. Anything is acceptable but a God who created us that would have the audacity to say that we do not make our own rules. No, we are spiritual and religious. We worship ourselves. I was fortunate. God had not been expelled during my formative years. I knew what sin was, I knew I was guilty. The nuns and Christian Brothers that educated were not guarding my precious self-esteem. There were winners and losers on the playground. I had more than one yard stick across my knuckles and smile as I recount how my freshman history teacher threw all my books out of the fourth story classroom window. So where are we today, June 6, 2009? We're about to abandon what others sacrificed to attain. Oh, we'll never admit it as we hear that our fathers weren't quite as good as we have been taught, our enemies are not quite as bad, and the change is not as great and even if it is, we need to go there. We'll never hear the admission Yes, this concept has been in the works for over a hundred years, has been tried before, was an utter failure resulting in over one hundred million deaths, and yes, we had to do this surreptitiously, keeping from you our true plans and will control your life if we succeed. The latest polls show over a 60% approval rating for President Obama. I refuse to believe that this figure will hold up when Americans more fully see what is being wrought. I have written a fair amount here on how our own servicemen and servicewomen are heroes, the cream of the crop, but they are not the only heroes. The moms who home school their kids, the fathers who take their place of authority in their children's life, the members of Congress that love their country more than their pension, the young people that go against the flow of their peers. Do I sound melodramatic? If you can see what is happening to our country, it is understatement.