Sunday.....Christianity.....I Know Whom I Have Believed

I walked in a Christian book store for the very first time early in 1982. I browsed the shelves for a little while and wound up buying a book that peeked my interest. It was Evidence That Demands A Verdict by Josh McDowell. God had already been working upon my heart and my mind. I believe that I mentioned before that I had just finished reading the Pulitzer Prize winning book (general non-fiction 1974) Denial Of Death by Ernest Becker that made a good case against religion, and, Eric Hoffer's small classic The True Believer that was a powerful work against anyone that believed anything passionately. I tore the Denial Of Death in half so that I could carry some of it in my back pocket at all times. Then came Evidence That Demands A Verdict. It wasn't McDowell's intellect that effected me, nor even the truths in the book for many could have read it and not been affected. It certainly was not my decision to believe, for I probably would have fallen for any powerful philosophy at the time. I was a man with a void in my life. Were there any true purposes in this life? I was altruistic, or so I thought. It hadn't been that long since I volunteered and phoned an entire community of Democrats in support of Edward Kennedy's Pennsylvania primary campaign. God took a layer of veil off of my eyes. I had a glimpse of His majesty,and I saw my immediate purpose in life, to become one more person to bathe in the sin cleansing blood of Calvary. Had I known the long path that I would have to take to even understand the gospel, I would have been severely discouraged. If I knew now, my specific limitations and errors in my thinking, I might be very saddened but not discouraged for I more fully understand that we indeed are pilgrims. His promises are true or I would not have made it this far. This may sound naive, but when I see an elderly person, feeble and wrinkled, a person who was young and attractive at one time, it consoles me greatly for I see the reality of a quickly passing life but I also see and agree with, as Paul wrote in his second epistle to Timothy I know whom I have believed...! Take a peek at your watch. You cannot stop what that second hand, moving before your eyes, represents. Do you have arguments against God or even His existence? There is hope, and that hope is in a veil over your eyes that can be lifted, and in Him who can do so. He turns no one away who has desired this.

Friday.....America.....Martin Luther And Us Today

I was watching a documentary tonight about Martin Luther on the local Christian television station. It referred to the film Luther starring Joseph Fiennes throughout. Shortly after Luther's 95 theses were nailed to the church door at the Castle Wittenburg, the peasants revolted in a mostly social conflict against feudalism. Possibly 100,000 peasants died. One of Luther's followers, Thomas Muntzer, was the main instigator and Luther condemned both Muntzer and the revolt. A while back in a blog, I tried to describe the danger of the fringe element in just about any movement of society. I used a shotgun pattern to accentuate the fewer and fewer holes in a target as it gets further from the center. I believe that we have to understand this phenomenon, if you will, if we are to stand our ground in our passionate issues of this life. For instance, we are in the throes of challenges to our philosophical, political and religious beliefs in America. Those standing in defense of the Western mind, free enterprise, the American Creed of a melting pot, true diversity, freedom and liberty, and most importantly a nation that reverences the God who blessed it, will undoubtedly be beset by problems from the fringe. We will all be lumped together and labelled as such. I'm sure that there are many liberals who really want no part of the politics and methods of their radical and socialist party leaders whose methods are deceitfully opportunist (refer to the attempt in Massachusetts to change the law on senatorial succession again to insure a new senator that is a Democrat.) There is a tension amongst conservatives that we have to deal with. The answer to this is NOT for us all to become moderate conservatives for this is just a backdoor entrance to the least passionate wing. The answer is also not an outwardly satisfying one. It's the same answer that Biblical Christians who have differences must accept and that is to examine our motives, follow our conscience in what we believe to be true and trust in God keep us together if it is His will and separate us to varying degrees if that is His will, knowing that compromising essential truth will provide bad fruit. If America is to become a God fearing nation once again, and that really only gives us the opportunity to seek His mercy, it will be His will and His actions. There was a saying among Oliver Cromwell's Roundheads that said Trust in God, and keep your powder dry, which might translate to us today in Trust in God, and prepare you heart and mind.

Friday/Sunday.....America/Christianity....1962

A few years ago I tried my hand at writing a short story. I have since lost it but remember the essence and here is a synopsis of the message I tried to convey.

Tommy Wilson walked into the apartment where he and his mother lived, beat and worn out. His mother had been holding dinner until 7 o'clock every night so that Tommy could go to football practice and then Spinoza's market to work for two hours after school every day.

Welcome home Johnny U!
I'm on special teams mom. Johnny Unitas is a quarterback.
Oh? Well excuse me...any new bruises today?
Yeah. My right shin is real bruised.

Tommy was a senior at Catowaga High School in Buffalo, New York and going out for football for the very first time. He was on a mission. You see, Tommy was in love with Mary Burns. Mary's family had moved to Buffalo last year from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Her father was an airline pilot and this is where the job was. Tommy and his mom did not have a lot of money. He would have wanted to buy a ring or a necklace that he could give to Mary so that everyone would know that Mary was his girl. What he finally decided on was going to take a lot of effort. He wanted to make the football team and earn a varsity letter, put it on a sweater, and give it to Mary. All the guys who had lettered had given lettered sweaters to their girlfriends. One problem he had was that he had never played football before. You have to get into ten quarters of football games to earn a letter. After a week of practice, the coach had told Tommy that the only way he could ever get into games is on the kickoff team, and that only if he proved he could tackle. Tommy had given more effort than anyone on the team, flying down the field and literally throwing his body at the opposing players. Working at Spinoza's would provide him enough money to give some to his mom and buy the wool sweater for $37.50. That was the plan anyway.

Mary: Tommy, I'm really worried about you. You get hurt almost every practice and you work so hard afterwards at Spinoza's. Are you sure that you really want to do this. you know that football doesn't mean anything to me.
Tommy: Mary, I have to do this. Football will be over in December and I can slow down.

Tommy had not told Mary about the plan or the importance of others knowing that she was his girl. Mary was a Christian girl from the south who always talked about the Lord. Tommy didn't understand half of it. He never talked this way about God and didn't know anyone other than Mary that did.

Mary: Tommy, the Bible says that you must be "born again". You should think about this and try to understand what it means!
Tommy: Mary, I believe in God. I may not be perfect, but who is...except for maybe you? Mary: You know I'm not perfect Tommy. Actually I'm far from it since I know the Lord and still cannot live as I should.
Tommy: Well, you seem pretty close to perfect...in everything...to me Mary.

Tommy's coach was not particularly happy that Tommy expected to win a letter. This was his second year with the Chargers and he was going to succeed and make coaching his profession. Catowaga had never had a winning football season. They were 0-10 the year before coach Thomas came and 4 and 6 in his first year. Come hell or high water, as the coach would say, they were going to have a winning season this year and that meant 6 wins. The assistant coach, Mark Offen was a coach second, and a history teacher first. He admired the spunk of this young, light weight senior, that for some reason, just had to win a letter. His efforts probably helped Coach Thomas to keep from cutting Tommy.

Coach Offen: Are you all right Wilson?

Tommy: Yeah coach. I think I forgot to hit with my shoulders instead of my head.

Coach Offen: Sit down for while.

Tommy: Do I have to coach? I feel ok.

Coach Thomas came over as Tommy headed for the sidelines.

Coach Thomas: That kids going to kill himself and get us all in trouble.

Coach Offen: I'll keep an eye on him Mike. He'll be alright.

Tommy liked to take Mary up to this new hamburger joint called McDonalds. It was only 19 cents for a burger and that was all that he could afford on his budget. Mary, carried a little Bible with her at all times and liked to sneak in about ten minutes of Bible reading to Tommy every time they were together. Tommy was glad he didn't live in the South for they took religion all too seriously. The next day would be the first game and Tommy didn't know if he would get in, for the coach gave no clues. When the game started, he was not on the field for the opening kickoff, nor for the two others in the first half. Catowaga was winning 21-0 when they took the field for the second half. Coach Thomas barked out orders and yelled out Tommy's name for the kickoff without even looking for him. Tommy's first experience in a game was not encouraging. He ran down the field and was belted by someone twice his size. but he had 1 quarter in for his letter. He was not in the game for the last quarter. The next week was a grueling practice week. Tommy hit every opposite colored practice jersey he had a chance to. Coach Offen patted him on the back but Coach Thomas never acknowledged him. The Chargers were 1 and o going into the second game. Again Tommy did not play in the first half. For the kickoff starting the second half, Tommy's name was called. He flew down the field and hit the first jersey he saw, who flew back into the ball carrier. This enabled his teammates to reach the runner and bring him down. Tommy had actually contributed. In the fourth quarter, he was on the kickoff team again. The kick was real short, someone in the middle had picked up the ball and Tommy had a chance to hit a ball carrier for the first time. Just as he was about to lower his head for the tackle, he was blocked hard and thought that he heard his finger snap. The trainer wrapped it up and the doctor later said that it was separated and would keep him out of football for three weeks at least. Tommy now had 3 quarters of the 10 that he needed but half the season was over when he was given the ok to play again. The Chargers were 3 and 2 so the coach was not on the warpath as much as he had been in the past. The 6th game saw Tommy get in to play but only in the 4th quarter. He now had 4 quarters of game play with 4 games left.

Mary: Tommy. You played really well last night. You hit that big number 70 real hard!Tommy: But I didn't move him Mary. I can't expect to get a letter if I can't help the team. Mary: Is that what this is all about...a letter? Why is it so important?

Tommy: Well...uh...I just have to win a letter while in high school, that's all.

Tommy had a fairly good week of practice but did not get in the 7th game at all and they lost.

The team was 4 and 3 and Coach Thomas hardly even practiced Tommy the next week. Tommy thought he heard Coach Offen mention his name to Coach Thomas once. He couldn't hear what was being said but could tell the neither was very happy. Game eight went well from the start and the Chargers were up 30 to 0 at the half. There were 10 quarters left and Tommy needed to get in 6 of them. It seemed impossible but he kept on giving everything that he had. Tommy was on the kickoff team starting the second half and Coach Offen slapped him on the back with encouragement. Tommy ran down the field fast but not as fast as he had been, for he had to have an idea of where the ball carrier was. The runner picked about 20 yards when he found himself charging straight at Tommy who lowered his head and dove for his legs. The runner went down and teammates were slapping Tommy on the helmet, but it had cost Tommy for he felt his finger hurting again but didn't tell anyone. The Chargers put their 3rd team in for the fourth quarter and did not score at all so that there was no chance for Tommy to get in. The next week was the opposite. Tommy got in on the first kickoff but the team was down 28 to 0 at half and Tommy could not get in. One game left and Tommy needed all 4 quarters for that letter. His finger hurt all week but he hit everything in sight in practice. He was actually learning the game with one game left in his career. The team now had 5 wins and 4 losses with one game left and they had to win for that winning season. Tommy thought it impossible to get in for 4 quarters. Coach Offen told him to make the plays and he'll get in. It seemed as if he had talked to Coach Thomas or something. He was in on the first kickoff and hit one blocker and knocked him down. The runner came next and Tommy latched onto his legs for the tackle. It was a high scoring game for three quarters and Tommy was in on every kickoff and make three tackles. Catowaga was losing 28 to 27 in the last quarter of the season and the Chargers could not move the ball nor could the other team. Time was running out on his plan. Five minutes were left in the game, then 4...3...2. Waltersville, their main rival had the ball on their own 10 yard line with a 1 point lead and only 15 seconds left on the clock. Tommy had tears in his eyes. He looked up in the stands and saw Mary looking at him and smiling. She pointed up to the sky and Tommy knew what she meant...."the Lord was more important than football." Tommy began to feel guilty that his team was going to lose, his coach was not going to reach his goal, but he only cared about himself. The game was just about over and Coach Thomas angrily yelled out Tommy's name. Tommy jumped up and looked at him. The coach told him to go in for Davis in the defensive backfield. Tommy had only played that position in practice, more as a body needed. He started running out on the field and every one was yelling to him that he needed his helmet. He reached the defensive huddle. He now had his ten quarters. Why would Coach Thomas do this, especially as they were about to lose. His teammates were oblivious to this. They only had one more play on their mind. The quarterback took the snap and handed off to the fullback who broke through the line coming right at Tommy. Tommy ran straight at him and hit him as hard as he ever hit anyone. Tommy was knocked on his back but heard shouts. He had caused a fumble and everyone was running after the ball. One guy fell on it only to have it squirt out and towards Tommy. There was no time to think about anything. Tommy picked it up and ran towards the goal. He was hit short of it but before he fell was hit from behind by a teammate and then another. He felt his feet hit the ground and pushed one more time in the scrum with players in front but more in back. He fell but held on to the ball and could still hear yells. What had happened? The referee was pulling players off until he saw Tommy and raised his hands signaling a touchdown. Everyone was pulling at him, slapping um, yelling at him. He had scored the winning touchdown, The team beat their rival and finished the season at 6 wins and 4 loses. Tommy was in a bit of shock. As he walked back towards the sideline he saw Coaches Thomas and Offen talking. Coach Thomas was just smiling and shaking his head up and down.

Mary: Tommy, you were unbelievable, you were the hero, and you will get your letter.

Tommy: Mary, I'll tell you later why I had to have that letter.

Two weeks later was the football banquet where the varsity letters would be given out. Everyone had two tickets for the dinner to give to parents. Friends could buy their own. Tommy's mother and Mary would be at the table. The Chargers colors were white and red. Tommy had bought the white wool sweater at Anderson's Department Store and was ready to have the letter put on the day after. Tommy's mom had picked up Mary in their 1957 Ford Fairlane and met Tommy at the banquet who had gone early for instructions on the ceremony. Tommy was the only senior to be given a varsity letter for the first time, an 10 inch red "C." Coach Thomas said a few words about every player that came up to the podium. When he came to Tommy, he had this to say Quite frankly, I never expected Tommy Wilson to earn this letter. It is near impossible to earn a varsity letter as a senior without ever having played a down of organized football. It fact, I'm ashamed to admit, I was a little bit annoyed in his determination. But Coach Offen had faith in Tommy's abilities, abilities that I did not see. He nearly twisted my arm to get him in all four corners of that last game. Come up for your letter Tommy. You deserved it as much as anyone on this team. Tommy was red faced and looked to Coach Offen and smiled as he returned to his table. He gave his varsity letter to his mom and held Mary's hand tight.

Mary: Well Tommy, I'm so proud of you and you have that varsity letter that you wanted so much!

Tommy: Mary, I never told you why I wanted this letter so bad. All the other guys have something to give their girls to show everyone that they are their girlfriends. They give nice rings and most have cars to drive them all around. They take them to the prom and I can't afford that. I worked for that letter to put on a sweater and ask you if you would wear it for the rest for the year. I would be so proud to see you in it, knowing that you are showing everyone that we love each other.

Mary: Tommy...I had no idea that you felt this way! I...I'm in shock...and I...I have to tell you what is going through my mind. Tommy, everyone will one day stand before God and He will look at them to see if they belong to His son Jesus. And do you how He will know? All of those who have trusted in Jesus, and Him alone to save them...they will be dressed in white..the righteousness of Christ. We will stand before God after a lifetime that is filled with sin, yet the Father will not see that for He will see what Jesus has done. That is why Jesus came here to be one of us to live the perfect life and pay for our sins. Tommy, if we trust in anything we do then we are pulling back that robe of righteousness to reveal our sin. God may have given you this determination to win a varsity letter to show you this. When we are "born again" we see this Tommy.

Tommy could not say a word. The Mary that he loved so much was the Mary that loved Jesus so much. He sometimes felt jealous over this. How wrong he had been. For the very first time, he understood what Mary was trying to tell him. He felt that God must love him to show him this. He had doubted this before because he had grown up without a father. Tommy felt tears forming in his eyes and turned his head. His mother was just returning to her seat. She had his sweater in her hand and the red varsity letter "C" was sown on. She had secretly brought the sweater with her and returned to the car to sew the letter on. Tommy looked lovingly into his mother's eyes and took the sweater and turned back to Mary. She had stood up and removed the little vest she was wearing. Tommy offered her the sweater and she carefully put it on. As she sat down and said Thank you, Tommy looked at her with wet eyes and said Maybe we can both put on something white tonight with the letter "C"? They held hands as the principle turned the microphone on and said.

Well, the Supreme Court recently ruled that God cannot come into our schools. Maybe someday we will have to comply...but not tonight. Heavenly Father. Thank you for this night, and for the food we are about to receive....

Thursday.....Politics.....Constitutional Republic or Monarchy

The United States of America is a constitutional republic in that we elect our representatives and they are to govern according to limits permitted in the constitution. We are not a democracy. We do democratically elect those representatives. We can express our grievances through a system of courts. We can demonstrate and attempt to win popular opinion over to our side. Finally, we can lose our appeals and yet retain our opinion. There are various types of monarchy, one of which is absolute in which the king or queen has absolute power in all decisions. There is no court to overrule them. If there is to be a demonstration it is because the monarch deemed it acceptable. Popular opinion will be of no help unless it deposes the monarch, and we may retain our opinion only if the monarch permits such and does not demand one to recant. The topic today is Politics and this is such a blog, but it is also Christian in that I have given the opinion many times that the decisions of our leaders and our decisions in choosing our leaders, in other words the very discernment of the nation, is determined by our reliance on God in making those decisions. Christians and non-believers both, will appear before a King in the next life. It will not be a constitutional republic. There will be no grievances, protests, appeals or attempts to gain the support of angels or saints. We will not retain a defensive posture for Scripture tells us Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11 ESV) I bring this up because we fully expect due process, for it is natural to our very being and particularly to our being Americans. It indeed shall be so. We also believe that we have a legitimate case to present and that we shall find a sympathetic ear. Eternal errors, both. If we truly understood this, that we will appear before a King and He will present the evidence, we might just look closer into His decrees in advance. Those decrees inform, You (we) have sinned and have no hope. When you stand before infinite goodness and justice, you will see and recognize immediately that such is the case and you will fall to your knees. While you have breath, call on the Lord Jesus. It is a benevolent, righteous, loving and merciful King that will fight for you, and defend you in spite of your infirmities, and give you a faith that overcomes and a joy that overfloweth.... but this by grace.. alone, through faith...alone, in Christ...alone! I implore you to consider that, as the Book of Hebrews proclaims Today, is the day of salvation!

Monday.....Miscellaneous.....Here, Read This Book!

I don't personally know anyone who has given as many books to people to read as I have. I've highlighted a number of books on this blog, but there is a caveat attached to giving books. There is no idea, no person connected with it, no conspiracy theory or ideology that is not represented somewhere in a book. One could go into Half Priced Books and find an assortment of great literature or paper and ink rubbish. For quite some time, I have considered both the value of books and the problem of books when giving them away or recommending them. It is the height of an immature intellect to read a book, immediately accept it, and then recommend it to others as your argument. It is problematic in that many are unequivocally wrong. There is no, nor can there be, a regulatory process on publishing books. We have freedom of speech and of the press and this entails the right to speak and publish untruths. I've come to know publishers who are trustworthy. On politics, Regnery Publishers is consistent in its message. In Christian books, Banner of Truth, will faithfully present one message. There are authors that I am very confident in, but I have bookshelves full of books that I would not give to someone without telling them first where the author is coming from and that there is speculation involved. There are other books that need no prior warning. Three books I have mentioned in this blog are such, Mark Levin's Liberty and Tyranny, Jonah Goldberg's Liberal Fascism and Senator Jim DeMint's Saving Freedom. But even with these books, my recommendation is always to read on, do the research and take time to formulate an opinion that will pass the test of time. Anyone, of any persuasion, can find and read books that will give them what they want. This is childish. Truth is not sought here. And it is equally childish to try and convince people simply by giving them one book for you have not truly convinced anyone, rather you have generated another weak follower of an idea. One can read a book, become enraptured with its message but when challenged by someone that is far more well versed on the topic become discouraged and give up the quest altogether. These problems particularly happen to new Christians. They can read one book on a certain doctrine and then become evangelists for it. When eventually proven wrong, they get discouraged and give up on finding any specific doctrinal truth in Scripture. I read literature that opposes my beliefs all the time. I have read numerous anti-God books of late and found them containing a very poor argument. I have read honestly written political books that have made me sit back and reconsider, and I enjoy this type of writing for finding truth is the goal. So, if there is a book mentioned on this blog, I have confidence in it that it contains information that is necessary to know to make a final decision, but it will take more than one book or one conversation, and the follow up work is for you, and every one of us, to do.

Sunday.....Christianity.....The Pastor as Manager?

The criticism has been brought up often over the last few decades on how pastors, particularly of large churches, have become CEOs more than shepherds of the flock. One can only imagine the various financial responsibilities of a large church with its cafes, health rooms, parking lot attendants and assortment of other legal and budget issues to be taken care of. Many years ago, I was a member of a church that was putting an addition on the building. For six months, the pastor put drywall up, laid flooring and was essentially the chief worker. I want to present a different take on the problem in this blog. OK, so you need to be a manager, so how does one become an effective one? Today's Wall Street Journal had an interesting interview with Henry Mintzberg, the Cleghorn professor of management studies at McGill University and author of a book due out soon titled Managing. I want to focus on two aspects of the interview. Professor Mintzberg highlights interruptions as a chief problem in managing. He also talked about the three planes that one would have to manage on, information, people and action. From a business perspective, I could not agree more with his analysis. He says that there are times when a manager enters the fray, action, and coordinates the moves himself. Concerning people he says Managers deal with people who take the action, so they motivate them and they build teams and they enhance the culture and train them to do things to get people to take more effective action. The third plane would be information which comprises budgets and objectives, delegating tasks and designing organization structure and all those sorts of things. He sees the problem today as managers overemphasizing the information plane at the expense of the people and action planes. This is indeed a problem in business and in churches. You can get caught up in the facts and figures, the goals, projections and demands placed on others because of it. Asked how he would advise a group of new managers, he responded Be prepared. Its going to be a lot of interruptions, a lot of pressures. His final advice is to give more attention to the people plane and the action plane. We are in a very weak church age and surely the concept of the pastor as CEO is one of the culprits. I bring up this business advice, not to legitimate the relationship between a church and a business but to show the similarities in being driven by numbers, programs and growth at the expense of the people whose well-being a pastor should have at the core of his vocation. The proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ and defense of the verities of such is indeed the goal, or the information plane. But the truths of the gospel need the ear of another human being or they sit useless written on a position statement in the the pastors desk drawer. All of the action, the personal involvement of the pastor, is incomplete at best unless it conveys our condition, Christ's work on the cross and the grace extended to those who believe. In business, we go off center at times. People, employees, can actually be viewed more as liabilities than assets. The success of a company like this will surely be short-lived. A church can attain mega-church proportions and be of no heavenly good to those who flock to it. The pastor is to feed those under his care, first and foremost he is to preach Christ. This is the Achilles Heal of the church today for it has forgotten how to do this. Now if you think that the Obama Administration was mad at right wing republicans during the town hall meetings, pastors would eclipse that in their feelings towards this statement I just made, but every pastor ought to be sweating bullets before every sermon for that awesome responsibility. Are you not subject to the same infirmities that we are? Do you no longer need a hedge of protection around your discernment? Is there no possibility that interruptions have lessened your preaching of Christ? If only the congregations around America would shout Feed Us...preach Christ to us with the same determination as the town hall folks.

Wednesday.....Culture.....Ocean City, N. J.

It's midnight and I'm beat. We had to do some travelling and took advantage of it by staying at a Bed and Breakfast in Ocean City, New Jersey. It had been about seven years since we had been there and I remember now why it was of my favorite beach towns. It's a dry community, fairly religious and conservative in its entertainments. The last time we were there they initiated a no smoking policy on the boardwalk so I boycotted it for life. Maybe the fact that I hardly smoke the pipe anymore helped me overlook such blatant tyranny. I don't think that I ever saw more people enjoying themselves as much as Thursday night, family night, on the boardwalk. There were magic shows, dance contests and music every few blocks and karaoke! I was real worried at one point that I was going to go up and pick an Elvis song but I knew that I would have followed a 10 year old singing the Jonas Brothers. We stopped to watch a French Fry Eating Contest and the young teen who came in second was in the Michael Jackson dance contest just after it. Everyone thought that he was going to keel over. The afternoon was spent watching the 100th annual Baby Parade and I mean there were over 300 babies in decorated mini-floats passing by. It was great. You have to go to Ike's for crab cake if you go there. The beach is unlike all the other ones we visit. The sand is at a lower level and you get an interesting perspective in looking straight ahead, and not down, to see the waves coming in. Also, unlike the condo beaches, this scene was off of a postcard with 20 rows deep of umbrellas and hundreds of people in the water in front of every lifeguard stand. I needed this break, for my mother, who orders clothes for me from B. B. King, reminded me that the U2 Summit was only a month away in Pittsburgh. The ride home was anything but pleasant for my XM was not working, no Rush and no Mark Levin! No talk radio means that we have to listen to country music which is my wife's favorite. I am convinced that every man who listens to country music, either is crying in his beer because he lost his girl, or getting drunk and celebrating at the bar because he got rid of his girl. Now just a little bit of logical deduction tells me that this must mean that of all the women that listen to country music, half of them now wind up with the guy crying in his beer, making him twice as miserable as he already is; and the other half wind up with the guy getting drunk in the bar, making her twice as sad as she already is! I knew what Philadelphia would be like in the afternoon rush but went that way anyway. I think that half of Philly's population was on this two lane highway where we inched along for an hour. At the other end we hit road work on the turnpike. I was beat by now and got off early at Monroeville to get out of the bumper to bumper. The GPS lady I think that her name is Hillary said take the second right after the toll booths. I had started talking back to her quite a while back. Stopping at a service plaza, she will give the old recalculating and I answer back I'm only stopping for gas. I've even told her to shut up a few times. Anyway, getting off the turnpike a little bit early, she said take the second right in which I told my wife I'm not listening to her. I wound up heading east instead of west and my wife softly uttered I'm not listening to her. We made it home safely, thank the Lord, and here I am catching up on blogs. It's a small world as the saying goes, of the three couples, and one son, at our breakfast table, one's daughter went to college where our son did, the other lady was from McKeesport, up the road from where I grew up and the third couple was from Johnstown. They talked about how they liked John Murtha, as he brings so much back to Johnstown, and I just smiled. Sorry, I don't talk politics at church or Bed and Breakfasts.

Tuesday.....International.....The Statist

In early 2001, my wife, son and I had the opportunity to visit London. Being a history buff, we took a train up to Cambridge University. Some scenes from my favorite movie Chariots of Fire were filmed there. I have to describe this scene from our visit...on the landing between the first and second floors of Emmanuel College was a statue of Buddha and above that was an oil painting of a Puritan. This surreal scene describes religious belief in England today and Tarantino could not have staged it any better. In the 1520s there was a pub in Cambridge on King's Lane called the White Horse Inn. Discussions would be held there on the happenings in Germany caused by Martin Luther, and those conversations reverberated throughout England. The building no longer exists but a blue plaque hangs on the current structure that says Site of the White Horse Inn.....A Birthplace of the Reformation in England. What you are seeing in the town hall meetings taking place across the country is not dissimilar to the events surrounding the conversations 500 years ago at this pub, only today they meet on the radio more than anywhere else. What has to be considered when contemplating the polarization of America is more than just different worldviews. Just about every issue of contention today is potentially tumultuous. You are going to hear the term statist more and more. Mark Levin describes a statist as, not a progressive or a liberal, but as those who want the people to surrender their liberties to the state and become totally dependent on it. The conservative sees the statist as weakening our national defense to a dangerous degree, one evidence being the cessation of contracts for the F-22. America has had complete air superiority since WWII and no American had died from an attack from an enemy aircraft in 50 years. This decision to stop the procurement of the world's top fighter aircraft will eventually see our air superiority disappear with it. The conservative sees the statist as mortgaging our economic future. He sees the government as telling us what to believe, to inform on our neighbors, to speak only when it is approved speech, to teach only that which supports the state and then wielding a heavy hand when we question their decisions. The conservative sees the Constitution gathering dust in a corner and the Bible relegated as subversive literature. If these decisions were emanating from a vast majority of the people, it would be one thing but, at the very least, America is split down the middle and this is not enough to change 233 years of American history to a system more akin to that of those who have been, more often than not, our enemies. America may have been awakened over the health care debate and if so, it will take more that the slick words on the teleprompter to put them back to sleep.

Monday.....Miscellaneous.....Bad Moon Rising

You are on the beach and someone comes up to you and offers you $100 if you will come and listen to a 40 minute presentation on a condo; there is 0% chance that you would ever buy a condo. You accept the offer. Is this ethical? There are numerous excuses that can be given to justify this; They know what they are doing, they wouldn't make offers like this if it wasn't profitable to them is one. You see a coupon in the newspaper from your favorite restaurant. You know that the purpose of the coupon is to bring new people into the establishment. You take advantage of the coupon. Have you treated the owners that have given you good service and good food, properly? A corporation has instituted policies that are meant to save money in every possible area. Unfortunately, concerns for the employees and of their service are found no where in the equation. Assuming that this whole effort is based on maximizing already healthy profits for the sole purpose of making this company more attractive to investors, is this ethical corporate management? If a union uses leverage that it may have, to go beyond a fair contract and demand a lucrative one, and ignore everyone else in the employer, employee, consumer relationship, is this something to be proud of? If a politician saturates his newsletters with his stand on a particular issue, makes waves for a while as it is being discussed in Congress but changes his vote after being given a tit for tat offer behind closed doors, is this transparent, honest governance? If a tree limb has fallen on your car, breaking the windshield, you then collect homeowners insurance on the windshield and the dent in the fender that you put on the car while backing into the garage, is this not stealing? There was a time when a man's word was good enough to seal a deal. I don't mean to pontificate. Ethics is just one area that we as a society have lost our moorings and I have made my own contributions to this mess. By its very nature, a Jeremiad is laughed off and scorned, as was Jeremiah's. To put it as simply as I can, we, as a nation, are in trouble. God's mercy and His mercy alone can pull us out, yet the television preacher tells us God wants us to succeed while the preacher in the pulpit displays his powers of elocution. There is one weapon of the poeple that no totalitarian government has ever been able to eliminate and that is prayer. I would like to end here with the first few lines of an anonymous Puritan prayer that can be found in the book Valley of Vision edited by Arthur Bennett.
O my forgetful soul
Awake from thy wandering dream;
turn from chasing vanities,
look inward, forward, upward,
view thyself,
reflect upon thyself,
who and what thou art, why here,
what thou must soon be,
Thou are a creature of God,
formed and furnished by him,
lodged in a body like a Shepherd in his tent,
Dost thou not desire to know God's ways?

Thursday.....Politics.....Senator Jim DeMint

To those of you looking for another Ronald Reagan, I have a candidate for you. He's not a movie star and I have not heard him speak at any length yet, for some can write with verve and passion but do not have great speaking ability, but his writing is on the mark, incisive, clear and just what we need at this time. His name is Jim DeMint and he is a senator from South Carolina. His book is Saving Freedom, We Can Stop America;s Slide Into Socialism. isbn 978-0-8054-4957-0. Along with Jonah Goldberg's Liberal Fascism and Mark Levin's Liberty and Tyranny, it is one of the three books that one would have to read on politics to be prepared for the debate ahead, and it is by far the most practical. More importantly, it is written by a United States Senator. If he can answer a question at a press conference, with the power of intellect and reason that he writes, he will be a force to reckoned with. As a matter of fact, he begins with a reasoned defense of freedom as socialism does more than encroach, it seduces without reason but by playing on desires for immediate gratification in everything. The author gives a little history of his journey from business to government at the beginning of the book, and adds to that throughout. Of particular interest are his descriptions of life in the House and Senate. We all know that most politicians ultimately make decisions that solidify their own standing but Senator DeMint gives a number of specific examples that will cause revulsion at the workings of our Congress and Executive branch, and George Bush is not given a pass. He doesn't even give himself a pass as he relates early mistakes that he had to learn from. He counsels us also in that he describes how he became alienated from business clients, social and civic organizations and even good friends as it became evident where he stood on issues and how he planned taking on some sacred cows. He begins every chapter with a story for illustration on what he is about to write about. They're not my favorite parts of the book but a couple, particularly Odysseus and Don Quixote, serve well. Austrian born, British subject and economist Friedrich Hayak is referenced often as he directly experienced totalitarianism take over the mind of a people. His chapters on America's adoption of patronage and then paternalism is sad and revealing. He tackles most issues that have been on the front burner in recent years and his description of the Wall Street debacle is the clearest concise effort that I have read. Here is the kicker of the book; DeMint gives a reasoned, legitimate and accurate description of where religious faith should be in America. His Christian testimony is a sound one as he writes The most amazing part of the whole process was the discovery that the freedom I sought all my life was in the last place I thought I'd find it: Jesus Christ, his Christian history as it pertains to America is telling and he is ecumenical without denying his beliefs. Martin Luther is highlighted as he relates that freedom into all spheres of our lives, Other than Jesus Christ and his apostles, Luther may have done more to unleash the power of freedom than any other man is history. He quotes Henry Kissinger in There would be no America as we know it without the Reformation, and he relates this information without offending, yet without compromising. DeMint then gives us some chapters on pertinent issues such as the rule of law and personal responsibility as it relates to freedom and finishes up with capitalism once again, this time as it relates to freedom. Twenty-eight pages of action plans and valuable references are given as DeMint is not content without attempting to get the reader involved. I think we will hear a lot more from this United States Senator and I'll be eager to see America's reaction.

Tuesday.....International.....European Philosophers

In 2003, the Wall Street Journal in an article upon the death of French philosopher Jean-Francois Revel, inferred that he had restored some integrity to European philosophers who had a history of backing totalitarian regimes. Revel had served in the French Resistance during World War Two and was a socialist for quite some time. He then came to see that democracies had a sickness within them that inadvertently sought their own destruction. Along came 9/11 and Revel lamented that many Europeans revelled (no pun intended) in America's misery for it had brought the attacks upon itself. It quoted Revel in The totalitarian phenomenon is not to be understood without making allowance for the thesis that some important part of every society consists of people who actively want tyranny: either to exercise it themselves or--much more mysteriously, to submit to it. Democracy will therefore always remain at risk. You might remember the acclaim that Michael Moore received at the Cannes Film Festival when he pedalled his movie. It should also be remembered the outpouring of sympathy that America received after 9/11. European anti-Americanism is not without its discontents. Revel wrote in his 2002 book Anti-Americanism (isbn 1893554856) that people laughed at President Reagan when he called upon Michail Gorbachev to Tear down this wall! Two years later, the wall came down. Revel stated in the conclusion of his book that The anti-American obsession, in effect, aggravates the evil that it aims to extirpate. A tension exists in Europe over the strategies and fate of the West as it does here. France, the Netherlands and England are experiencing severe problems due to immigration. No one knows what future headlines will read but Europe will either come to remember an America that came to their aid when they were in danger of Nazi domination, or they will continue to blame America for a unilateralism that, as Revel says, is a myth, for Europe's failure to defend its borders gave America the appearance of a unilateral quest to force itself upon the world.

Monday.....Miscellaneous.....Town Hall Meetings

I mentioned before that I do not get to listen to Rush Limbaugh very often, only when I have that day off. Today was one of those days. I turned him on about 20 minutes into the 1 o'clock hour to hear a woman call in. Rush mistakenly called her sir due to the unisex name on his screen and she responded with a contentious remark from the perceived affront, so it was obvious that she was a critical caller. She mentioned that MSNBC had reported that the rash of raucous questioning of representatives from Congress and government officials at town hall meetings around the country seemed to be staged and that people are being bussed in. What do you think about that, Rush was her question. Now, I am shaking my head, as are probably multitudes listening in. A liberal, whose party has just secured the White House because of a subservient media, celebrity culture and the absolute perfecting of questionable voter registration and protests manipulation, has the audacity, the unmitigated gall (to use a phrase I heard dozens of times from my high school freshman history teacher) to show concern for the possible impropriety of it all! Limbaugh was quiet for a few seconds before softly saying Well, I don't know if that it a true story or not from.....M S N B C.....all I can say is, if it is true... bout d..m time... that someone organizes opposition to what is going on! Now I think that I can guarantee to you that a reverberation was set off all around America with a cannonade of cheers. I'm reminded of the effect of a Toby Keith lyric where he belts out How do you like me now! Now that I'm on my way? Americans are responding to what is happening to their country and the left is becoming apoplectic. From the perspective of media studies, Rush Limbaugh is an oratorical force. It would not be a good time to highlight his show for criticism as news reports have Hugo Chavez closing 32 radio stations in Venezuela and Chavez justifying it by saying that the stations no longer belong to the bourgeoisie. There would be no conservative talk radio if the media had stayed true to its calling and not aborted honest, accurate news reporting in favor of wielding its power in an ideological campaign. I would greatly prefer a citizenry that could rely on the journalism from its news media but that is highly unlikely at the present time.

Sunday.....Christianity.....Counting Blessings

It probably sounds like I am always generalizing but I do not mean to. The human condition, fallen as it is, is such that we have tendencies that show up continuously through all of the ages. Everyone may not participate in every weakness but there is enough representation in every age to see its effects. One of those is failure to count the many blessings that God has given. I have been in my job for closing in on 30 years. It has provided a good living and many friendships. Yet, there are times when I would sound like mere human fodder in a 19th century Pennsylvania coal mine. There is a constant tension present in any society that operates outside the Lordship of Jesus Christ and we are certainly such a society. Scripture says that our best works are as filthy rags. I know that to be true in my life, I believe it to be the same in governments also. How do we balance the blessings of living in a free country with the potential of losing those freedoms? We are beset by the frailties of the flesh but buttressed by the strength that God gives to all of His children. Failure to be thankful is only one sin but it is a humbling one when realized. I came to the personal realization quite a while back that to be humbled when God shines a light upon us that tears to shreds any pride we might have does not mean that we give up the good we were attempting when the illumination occurred. It means to continue, but cast off as best as we can that which was hindering us and which was bringing anything but glory to God. It is the arch enemy of God that tells us to quit, that it is a affront to God to even presume that He would use you. The Bible gives a different story. Yes, there are stories of some that are bankrupt while attempting to minister, and introspection should indeed be part of our daily regimen, but there are more testimonies of those whose very weakness was used of God in order to make evident that it is He who accomplishes. I believe that this is one reason that He provided us with the Lord's Day. As for me, I walk into church every Lord's Day with enough strength to find my seat, but when Christ is preached and His mercy proclaimed to those that are His, I have been renewed for another seven days. All too often, I fail to be thankful for even this. If you consider yourself weak, to feeble to be used in any way by God, take heart, for He has shown you this that you might know from whom the strength will come.

Saturday.....War On Terror.....Vigilance

Put yourself in the place of a terrorist mastermind. What would you do in the situation that they are in today. The financial collapse that the West experienced may not give the cause of terrorists further help, for the repercussions of the bailouts will not bring chaos for a few years. There is an American president that will not apply pressure as the previous one did and may even relax security measures within America. American elections have to be taken into consideration for you do not want to have the present majority party thrown out en masse. You have numerous cells in place within America working on plan one. There are second and third levels plans that can be instituted right now but the damage from them would mostly be economic and may even reinvigorate American national defense measures. The embers have to remain hot or you will have to start all over again some day. Israel's actions may force the issue. If they attack Iran you might have to put any plans that are existent into action. If Iranian dissidents that want a more moderate government appear close to success, that would force the issue also. Is Pakistan ready for a move by extremists to take control of their nuclear arsenal? Would North Korea help by seeing advantages to their own cause through chaos in the West? What about the Hugo Chavez faction in Latin America? Would a successful socialist revolution in America be cause for celebration enough to suspend this war indefinitely, for a citizenry totally dependent on it's government has less willingness to see that source of support jeopardized through interventions of any sort? Would a Balkanization of America be sufficient to claim victory in this war? American intelligence agencies also ponder these questions. The former White House administration did, the current one may. Those making economic decisions seem oblivious to these scenarios. What did you think when I read these possibilities off? Is it a whole lot about nothing, or even worse, demoralizing? It's necessary, I believe, because not only do precautions have to be made on national defense issues, but we also have to know exactly what to do in the event of a breach to our security again.

Friday.....America.....Calamity Films

Today's Wall Street Journal did an almost two page spread on the spate of new movies coming out with an Apocalypse theme. It noted that the emphasis was not on the actual calamities but on the aftermaths. According to the article, with terrorism, the financial crisis and various other possible looming disasters, people are primed to consider what life would be like in a post-catastrophic world. I want to write a little bit here on the consensus in today's Christian community on this issue. There are plenty of books around to explain what the Bible says on this topic, from all sides, for anyone interested in doing the research. The theology of the north took control of the driver's seat after the Civil War. With victory comes the spoils. Christians found themselves in a circle the wagons mentality, defending the essentials of the faith, as they saw them. Calvinist doctrine and the rigorous precision that came with it, took a back seat to the Arminian and then premillenial doctrines that emanated from the many Bible conferences of the day. The long and short of it is that the rapture doctrine has become the accepted belief. In this doctrine, the church will be raptured just before Jesus returns. Returning to today, we have potential earth-shaking calamity in many forms due to technological advances in war and knowledge of possible calamities due to increasing scientific information on passing asteroids that could very well hit this planet. Just this past week, we saw the news of how Jupiter was scarred by such an encounter. Returning to the rapture, the problem is, that there is no rapture, not before tribulation anyway. I have to repeat here that there are more Christians than you can shake a stick at who would take umbrage with that statement. Reading one or two popular books and then forming an opinion is not intellectually sound, but it's done all the time. Is it cowardice to pray Lord, give us more time, bring us back to you for another flood of your Holy Spirit's saving work among us! Maybe it is, but it's my prayer. And if the Lord should so will it, and if I'm around, I would probably be looking for the mistakes that we will eventually make and the coldness and then rebellion that will surely follow, for we are human. But many would have been brought to a saving faith and it would be a remarkable and joyful period, if only for a time. If the Lord should indeed return shortly, then the experiences ahead, that His Word surely describes, would leave no room for even the lightheartedness I tried to display in yesterday's blog. Pittsburgh will be opening a gambling casino within a few weeks. Many people will visit, most will not, for they do not consider themselves to be gamblers. Every American knows that this Christian gospel, so prevalent in America, calls people to Christ, to learn of Him in His Word, and follow. Maybe they choose not to, or maybe they choose to do so in their own way so as to hedge on the bet. Whatever the age of the individual, to put this off, to find a good excuse of the many available, me for instance, is the largest gamble that anyone could make. The easiest path is to put Christ off until later. The hard path is to first confront ourselves, who we are, and why we have not humbled ourselves before Christ up to this point. Someone once said that the worst thing about Christianity was...Christians, or words to that effect. If this is your mantra, I have two things to say to you. You can ride this horse all the way to the fair if you want, and secondly, if you would come to faith in Christ, you would find that there is truth in that mantra, in fact there would have to be truth in it for Christ came to save sinners and that sin will not vanish until Christ does indeed come again.