I humbly offer the Democratic Party a new vision for their policy. Having listened to the anti-war rhetoric of the past couple of months, I suggest the following:
Suspend Homeland security, bring the soldiers home, and disband the military. Take no further action for the ostensible purpose of national security until some enemy perpetrates a truly grievous attack on our nation. Since the 3,000 deaths of 9/11 have been declared to be "not that serious" by spokesmen of the Left, we should establish a "tragedy threshold" of not less than 10,000 deaths in any single attack. We shall not determine the seriousness of the attack by the aggregate of several individual attacks, but only respond to those attacks that kill more than 10,000 Americans at one time. Those interested in terrorism which will not transcend the ordinary law enforcement level of concern should limit their potential targets to 5,000 at at time. Americans, tired of pictures showing human suffering, and unwilling to listen to Democrats whining and demagoguery, can then simply 'soldier on' past insignificant and relatively meaningless assaults which kill mere thousands of people.
Think of the savings! No need for military expenses. Police will probably be unnecessary too, since "merely" 3,000 deaths is not worth our attention, day to day crime, and non-tragedy-level terrorism should not trouble us overly much. The Anti-American elements of our nation will find little to protest, since such policies will certainly end our national existence - and those who take over after the Untied States falls will likely not endure their protests. Then they will have what they long for, and those who find national security too bothersome to pay attention to will find that they will not be bothered by security again for a long time.
And our mainstream news media will be able to celebrate their final victory, which, oddly enough, will also probably result in their demise as free press - the one bright spot in this vision of the future.
Unfortunately, the good, hard-working people who make this nation function would suffer alongside - and probably more than the dysfunctional and disaffected who cannot tolerate prosperity and freedom. I thank God that He does not give us what we deserve (and what many who cannot think clearly seek), but blesses us instead.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Monday, March 05, 2007
The Function of Faith
One could easily become despondent in modern society. It appears to be managed by the insane. Political leaders, charged with cultivating the political conditions best suited for our collective well-being as a nation - appear to act on the principle of self- aggrandizement and perpetuation of personal power. The news media, often presented as the watchmen of our society, bound to deliver truth to a free people so that they may act in ways congruent with their freedom, behave as advocates for insanity, and clearly oppose freedom for everyone aside from themselves.
We have Global Warming (it MUST be capitalized) as the boogey-man. The science is almost totally absent, but the politics are clear - and the intended effect is the diminution of personal liberty, so it is a media agenda item of first importance, and the darling of the "moonbat" politico's. The nanny state is busy regulating where one may smoke, and which cooking oils may be used, while the fanatics who seek our death and destruction are ignored or coddled - whether from south of the border or the Middle East. Our leaders seem more interested in undoing the marvelous American Experiment in personal liberty by restrictive laws and rising taxes than actually representing the people that elected them. And schools seem more interested in indoctrination in anti-American and anti-capitalistic polemic than education in "the three 'r's".
Faith steps in here - as in any circumstance - to remind us that our hope is not in man but in God, our true home is not in this world but in eternal life with our Lord. "Trust not in princes", so says the Bible. That would include elected officials. Our Hope, our Peace, and our Comfort is not in our circumstances here. He (not "it") is Christ.
That doesn't mean we abandon this world, or the fight in it for freedom and human well-being in the political sense. Those are worthy battles, and the ability to engage in them without the fear of the "knock on the door in the middle of the night" is great gift of God for all in this country. We should take full advantage of the gift and do what we can -- but our peace of mind and true joy come from knowing that God is in charge, that life is never out of His control, however it may seem to us at any particular moment, and that better awaits us ultimately. Faith comforts fear. Faith emboldens us for the daily battle for our neighbor's benefit. Faith enables us to risk, because our battle has already been won decisively - and we have been given a share in His victory!
We have Global Warming (it MUST be capitalized) as the boogey-man. The science is almost totally absent, but the politics are clear - and the intended effect is the diminution of personal liberty, so it is a media agenda item of first importance, and the darling of the "moonbat" politico's. The nanny state is busy regulating where one may smoke, and which cooking oils may be used, while the fanatics who seek our death and destruction are ignored or coddled - whether from south of the border or the Middle East. Our leaders seem more interested in undoing the marvelous American Experiment in personal liberty by restrictive laws and rising taxes than actually representing the people that elected them. And schools seem more interested in indoctrination in anti-American and anti-capitalistic polemic than education in "the three 'r's".
Faith steps in here - as in any circumstance - to remind us that our hope is not in man but in God, our true home is not in this world but in eternal life with our Lord. "Trust not in princes", so says the Bible. That would include elected officials. Our Hope, our Peace, and our Comfort is not in our circumstances here. He (not "it") is Christ.
That doesn't mean we abandon this world, or the fight in it for freedom and human well-being in the political sense. Those are worthy battles, and the ability to engage in them without the fear of the "knock on the door in the middle of the night" is great gift of God for all in this country. We should take full advantage of the gift and do what we can -- but our peace of mind and true joy come from knowing that God is in charge, that life is never out of His control, however it may seem to us at any particular moment, and that better awaits us ultimately. Faith comforts fear. Faith emboldens us for the daily battle for our neighbor's benefit. Faith enables us to risk, because our battle has already been won decisively - and we have been given a share in His victory!
Thursday, March 01, 2007
The Bones of Jesus
It is Easter in just a few weeks. Naturally, we will be treated to the unbelieving world's freshest attacks on the Christian faith. They are presented as new and TRUE!
A 1980 discovery of ossuaries (bone boxes) from the time of Jesus. The names on the boxes are among the most common names of that time. Add a touch of Hollywood and you have the discovery of the bones of Jesus in his grave just in time for Easter 2007.
Never mind that the discoveries were so unremarkable that NO ONE has tried to suggest that this is actually Jesus Christ's tomb for over twenty-five years (well, there was that one poorly received documentary in England in the 1990's). This is news because the new, slipshod documentary is due out soon. At least it gave a small pause from the wall-to-wall coverage of the Anna Nichole Smith saga.
The answer is very simple. We walk by faith, not by sight. Our authority is Scripture: the very Word of God. If we were going to allow the vacant musings of those known to be hostile to the Christian faith to confirm or deny our faith. there would be no faith left.
Besides, doesn't it make sense that if Jesus were alive after the crucifixion, and lived long enough to marry and raise a son, that someone would have recorded it somewhere? We know the objections the Jews raised to the resurrection both from secular sources and Scripture - and they substantially agree about what the Jews said! If they had Jesus in Jerusalem for years, the Christian faith would not have survived because the Jewish authorities would have been very vocal about His presence.
Give an event the 'patina' of time and you can pretend anything is possible. The medieval church had relics (Luther said that there were enough pieces of the true cross around to build a chapel). The modern "church" of antichristian unbelief has James Cameron - - this year, at least!
A 1980 discovery of ossuaries (bone boxes) from the time of Jesus. The names on the boxes are among the most common names of that time. Add a touch of Hollywood and you have the discovery of the bones of Jesus in his grave just in time for Easter 2007.
Never mind that the discoveries were so unremarkable that NO ONE has tried to suggest that this is actually Jesus Christ's tomb for over twenty-five years (well, there was that one poorly received documentary in England in the 1990's). This is news because the new, slipshod documentary is due out soon. At least it gave a small pause from the wall-to-wall coverage of the Anna Nichole Smith saga.
The answer is very simple. We walk by faith, not by sight. Our authority is Scripture: the very Word of God. If we were going to allow the vacant musings of those known to be hostile to the Christian faith to confirm or deny our faith. there would be no faith left.
Besides, doesn't it make sense that if Jesus were alive after the crucifixion, and lived long enough to marry and raise a son, that someone would have recorded it somewhere? We know the objections the Jews raised to the resurrection both from secular sources and Scripture - and they substantially agree about what the Jews said! If they had Jesus in Jerusalem for years, the Christian faith would not have survived because the Jewish authorities would have been very vocal about His presence.
Give an event the 'patina' of time and you can pretend anything is possible. The medieval church had relics (Luther said that there were enough pieces of the true cross around to build a chapel). The modern "church" of antichristian unbelief has James Cameron - - this year, at least!
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