I've been giving some thought to what is worse for America conservatism or liberalism.
Traditionally, since Regan anyway, Republicans have espoused belief in a political philosophy that is economically, and socially conservative and supportive of a large military. During that same time period Democrats have typically been in favor of less military spending, larger government involvement in all areas of life, except in social issues.
On the economic front, conservatives have been proven right that less taxes increases economic prosperity for the greatest number of people. On the social issues side, most Americans seem to prefer or at least tolerate a liberal social agenda. Both groups are equally likely to send the military on various wastes of blood and treasure. So despite what they claim, they both are pro military/industrial complex.
Each political party focuses on getting themselves elected. Neither one does a good job governing. As long as the bureaucracy keeps the ship of state lumbering along the politicians are happy enjoying their power and lavish lifestyle.
The tendency to favor conservative economic principles, because they work and people with jobs tend to behave themselves, and economic growth keeps corporate donors more or less happy seems to be a wining issue for the "R" team. The liberal social agenda seems to be a winning issue for the "D" side. I think that is why we are seeing an increase in "R" polices that favor the liberal social agenda.
The republicans seem to think that their reputation for tweaking programs and running them better, combined with improved economic polices, isn't enough to win elections. The fact that Obummer has horrible performance numbers and most people are unhappy with his job performance should carry at the ballot box for two election cycles. Instead of preaching the virtues of conservatism to the public, the R's are trying to scoop up as much social liberalism as they can. They want as big of a slice of the left as they can get. Too bad its not because the left is migrating right.
I think that this shift might win some elections for team "R". Political pragmatism normally wins in the short term. The problem is traditional republicans and Regan democrats were social conservatives as well as economic conservatives. Going to the left is going to disenfranchise social conservatives and eliminate their voice in government.
What I am afraid will happen is that economically conservative policies combined with socially liberal agenda will foster an even larger population that is immoral and expects others to subsidize if not completely support its lifestyle and bear the economic expense of poor decision making. Add to that mix the illegal immigrants and the USA is not long for this world.
I believe that social agenda, and corresponding spending of the Democrats for the last 50 years put America's body in the coffin. The democrats no doubt put on the lid and brought the nails. It's the Republicans that are enthusiastically hammering the nails in place.
We may be asleep. We may be on credit provided life support. We are not dead. Pray the Republican Party decides to stop this madness before we are buried alive.
4/04/2014
4/03/2014
For Susan: CWV Understanding the Times
This is my 4th Post in my For Susan Series. The first three; For Susan: Christian World View ,
For Susan: Developing a Christian World View, and For Susan: CWV Holy Spirit can be found at their respective links. Each post is written to stand on its own and can be read in any order. Reading them all in order may prove to be helpful.
I define a Christian World View as seeing events through a Biblical perspective. What exactly does that mean? In a sense it means seeing things the way God sees them. Hold on. Before you start throwing rocks at your PC in an effort to stone me, I realize that God's insight is infinite and beyond our ability to discern. However, God has given us insight into His thoughts by having them written down and preserved for us. Getting into and seeing things from that perspective is the point of a CWV.
I don't know if it has occurred to anyone, but I am making at least two major assumptions with the Christian World View (CWV). The first assumption is that it is possible to, as I have claimed earlier, to have mature Christian discernment and the ability to apply it, in real time, today. The second is that, I am claiming that any Christian can have a CWV. Notice I'm not saying that all Christians have a CWV. I don't believe they do. Every Christian is on their own tract with God and some are farther down the path in this area than others.
Let's deal with my first assumption, that a CWV is possible. Is it possible to understand events today from God's POV? Has it ever been possible, historically? Fortunately we have a verse for that:
1 Chron 12:31-32 Of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their kinsmen were at their command. NASU
This passage is found in a long listing of factual data concerning the supporters at the beginning of King David's reign. There are literally thousands of men and their contributions listed in the surrounding verses. Then there are these 200 men listed and reference to their family members who helped them. Most importantly they have their qualification listed. They "understood the times" and knew what they should do.
When David's son Solomon came to the throne after his father, God offered to grant him a request. In that famous passage found it:
1 Kings 3:10-13 It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 God said to him, "Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. NASU
It's not just Old Testament Kings and their advisors that have wisdom. The oldest book chronologically speaking in the Bible is Job. In the first recorded accusation of spiritual superiority one of Job's friends says:
Job 15:8-9 "Do you hear the secret counsel of God, And limit wisdom to yourself?" What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that we do not? NASU
The assumption being made by the speaker is that man can know the counsel of God and that Job is claiming to have a greater understanding than those around him. Later in the book, God will affirm that Job is correct and his friends are not.
The Psalms and Proverbs contain several examples of seeking understanding and divine perspective. Such as: PS 14:2, PS 119:27, PS 119:100, PR 14:8, PR 20:24, PR 28:5.
Towards the end of the Old Testament we see two prophets that are given amazing visions of future events. In the case of Ezekiel and Daniel each man was given immense understanding of what was going on around them in their day and age, as well as a look into the future.
Historic examples of mankind having access to God's perspective on events are found through out the Old Testament. I have included some of what would be considered "positive" examples. The majority of the Biblical examples are not positive. Throughout scripture man is rebuked and sometimes out right condemned and sentenced to punishment for not understand and/or acting according to what I am calling a CWV.
Harsh? From one perceptive maybe. God it seems expects mankind to understand and act on what He tells us to do. According to Rom 2:15 man will be judged according to his understanding of God's requirements.
I'll deal with the possibility of individual CWV in a latter post.
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4/02/2014
Blood Race
The junior officers challenged
the senior officers at an Air Force Base in North Carolina to see who would
donate the most blood.
After trying several times to locate a vein in the left arm of a young first lieutenant, the medical technician applied a Band-Aid, and then inserted a needle into the right arm, drawing blood this time, and then put a Band-Aid on that arm as well.
As he left the collection facility, the lieutenant passed a colonel. Noting the two bandages, he looked at the first lieutenant and shook his head, saying, "I knew you young guys would find some way to cheat."
After trying several times to locate a vein in the left arm of a young first lieutenant, the medical technician applied a Band-Aid, and then inserted a needle into the right arm, drawing blood this time, and then put a Band-Aid on that arm as well.
As he left the collection facility, the lieutenant passed a colonel. Noting the two bandages, he looked at the first lieutenant and shook his head, saying, "I knew you young guys would find some way to cheat."
4/01/2014
Am I Mean?
Am I a innovative parenting genius or as my wife claims, just plain mean? Please let me know in the comments. I'll give you the situation and then you can choose up sides.
Here is the story. We don't take the kids out to eat very often. This is partially due to schedules, money, the fact the kids are picky eaters, and mostly because Mrs. Ipsa is a certified health nut. That's not hyperbole, that has been her profession for 25 years. I agree with her. Most of the food you get when you eat out, at least that our kids like, isn't very healthy.
There are a couple of restaurants that the kids love. The #1 favorite, which I seldom take them to, is Applebees. They LOVE the chicken fingers and french-fries. They get chocolate milk to drink. To top it off we will split the triple chocolate meltdown. This is just about as good as it gets when it comes to my children's culinary desires. It is a great big treat for them to get to go out to eat at Applebees.
My kids, especially the daughter, are at that age where running around saying "April Fools" holds a great deal of fascination. Not just on April 1st, they started with this back in January. I have talked them about not doing/saying April Fools. We've talked about how its not nice to trick people or be mean to each other and then laugh and say it was "April Fools". I've had a degree of success using the "talk about it" method.
About lunch time today the daughter, little miss April fools herself, informed me she was hungry and wanted lunch. I asked her if she wanted to go to Applebees. We talked about her favorite foods. We talked about the triple chocolate meltdown. I never said we were going only "wouldn't it be nice, IF we did". She was ecstatic with joy. She ran to get her brother and the two of them got in the truck and bucked into their car seats. I stayed inside working on my to do list. About 20 mins latter I started fixing grilled cheese for lunch. The kids came back inside to find out why we hadn't left yet, only to see me finishing getting lunch together.
There were tears when they discovered we weren't going to Applebees. Then we had a talk about April Fools. My son asked, "You mean April Fools isn't a nice holiday"? I asked him if he thought it was nice that we weren't going to Applebees. We had a little talk about tricking people. They both said they didn't like getting tricked.
I think the lesson has been learned. We don't trick people because its not nice and we don't like it when people trick us. My wife thinks I'm mean.
I will probably take the kids to Applebees for lunch on Saturday, but I'm not going to tell them that, we will just go.
Here is the story. We don't take the kids out to eat very often. This is partially due to schedules, money, the fact the kids are picky eaters, and mostly because Mrs. Ipsa is a certified health nut. That's not hyperbole, that has been her profession for 25 years. I agree with her. Most of the food you get when you eat out, at least that our kids like, isn't very healthy.
There are a couple of restaurants that the kids love. The #1 favorite, which I seldom take them to, is Applebees. They LOVE the chicken fingers and french-fries. They get chocolate milk to drink. To top it off we will split the triple chocolate meltdown. This is just about as good as it gets when it comes to my children's culinary desires. It is a great big treat for them to get to go out to eat at Applebees.
My kids, especially the daughter, are at that age where running around saying "April Fools" holds a great deal of fascination. Not just on April 1st, they started with this back in January. I have talked them about not doing/saying April Fools. We've talked about how its not nice to trick people or be mean to each other and then laugh and say it was "April Fools". I've had a degree of success using the "talk about it" method.
About lunch time today the daughter, little miss April fools herself, informed me she was hungry and wanted lunch. I asked her if she wanted to go to Applebees. We talked about her favorite foods. We talked about the triple chocolate meltdown. I never said we were going only "wouldn't it be nice, IF we did". She was ecstatic with joy. She ran to get her brother and the two of them got in the truck and bucked into their car seats. I stayed inside working on my to do list. About 20 mins latter I started fixing grilled cheese for lunch. The kids came back inside to find out why we hadn't left yet, only to see me finishing getting lunch together.
There were tears when they discovered we weren't going to Applebees. Then we had a talk about April Fools. My son asked, "You mean April Fools isn't a nice holiday"? I asked him if he thought it was nice that we weren't going to Applebees. We had a little talk about tricking people. They both said they didn't like getting tricked.
I think the lesson has been learned. We don't trick people because its not nice and we don't like it when people trick us. My wife thinks I'm mean.
I will probably take the kids to Applebees for lunch on Saturday, but I'm not going to tell them that, we will just go.
Integrity
What does integrity look like?
Kobe not growing up in America reduces his ability to authentically participate in this country. In the view of some, he should not be playing basketball, and people shouldn't buy his promotional. stuff. So why is it automatically racist to say the same thing about Barrack Obama? He likely wasn't born in this country. In any event he is not a natural born citizen. He spent his formative years outside the US. For what its worth, as far as I can tell Kobe is blacker than Obama.
The difference seems to be that Kobe thinks "that black people should not be treated differently in this country". I guess that makes him a bad man in the eyes of Jim Brown.
The injured Los Angeles Laker told the New Yorker’s Ben McGrath that the Miami Heat collectively taking Trayvon Martin’s side in the George Zimmerman case represented a reflexive racial reaction. The team posed for a provocative picture in hoodies in homage to the slain Florida teenager two years ago.
“I won’t react to something just because I’m supposed to, because I’m an African-American,” Bryant told the magazine. “That argument doesn’t make any sense to me. So we want to advance as a society and a culture, but, say, if something happens to an African-American we immediately come to his defense? Yet you want to talk about how far we’ve progressed as a society? Well… then don’t jump to somebody’s defense just because they’re African-American. You sit and you listen to the facts just like you would in any other situation, right? So I won’t assert myself.”
If you are a normal intelligent person, listening to the facts and coming to your own conclusion might seem like common sense. That may even be what you expect everyone to do, about pretty much everything. You may even take it for granted that in a life or death situation, people would take extra care to examine the facts before acting. You would be wrong. Still, you might think it would work that way.
Jim Brown tells the New Yorker, “[Kobe] is somewhat confused about culture, because he was brought up in another country.” Jamilah King at Colorlines lambasted Bryant for this “stingy insistence on clinging to a ‘post-racial’ identity, this very old, conservative notion that black people should not be treated differently in this country—despite all of the evidence, like Martin’s death, that they are.”So Kobe doesn't get "it" because he wasn't brought up here. Ok. Somehow that makes Kobe less than "American". Somehow that makes him less fit to take part in the American experience. Somehow that makes him and his views suspect. Ok, I'll go along with that.
Kobe not growing up in America reduces his ability to authentically participate in this country. In the view of some, he should not be playing basketball, and people shouldn't buy his promotional. stuff. So why is it automatically racist to say the same thing about Barrack Obama? He likely wasn't born in this country. In any event he is not a natural born citizen. He spent his formative years outside the US. For what its worth, as far as I can tell Kobe is blacker than Obama.
The difference seems to be that Kobe thinks "that black people should not be treated differently in this country". I guess that makes him a bad man in the eyes of Jim Brown.
For Susan: CWV Holy Spirit
For Susan: CWV Holy Spirit is the third in a series of posts on this topic. The first two are, For Susan: Christian World View and For Susan: Developing a Christian World View.
In my last post For Susan: Developing a Christian World View, I included a bullet point about being open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. I feel a need to expand that topic. First a little background about my religious training.
I am not a Pentecostal minded person. I was brought up in a denomination that spent more time explaining what the Holy Spirit, did not, could not and would not do, than it did in explaining the involvement of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. They only begrudgingly admitted to a concept of "the indwelling of the Holy Spirit". I do not remember this topic addressed in any length. I do remember that the "gifts of the Holy Spirit" were not for "today". I Cor 13:10 was used to proof text this belief. At the time I accepted that explanation and put the matter out of my mind.
As I grew in my faith, especially the last 7 years or so I have reexamined my thinking and come to the realization that a large part of Jesus's remarks in John chapter 16 are a preview of the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. The role of the Holy Spirit is described in advance of his arrival.
I'm not going to say that the Holy Spirit can't do the miracles that we read about in the New Testament today. I believe as a matter of logic and faith, that He CAN do them. IF He is doing them is another story. On that topic, I'm a skeptic. My skepticism is based on observation. What I see in some of the churches does not compare favorably to what I read about in the Bible.
My first objection is because of fraud. See Benny Hinn as an example. If you saw the Steve Martin movie "Leap of Faith", you saw examples of things that were based on Benny Hinn's "ministry". I never read about miracles in the Bible that required an up front cash payment.
My second objection is due to people claiming one thing and doing something I can't find a biblical example for. For example being "slain in the spirit", "holy laughter", "angelic tongues", "gradual healing" and "divine revelation".
There are exactly two biblical examples of being "slain in the spirit" they occur in Acts 5. Ananias and his wife Sapphira decide to lie about an act of giving to make themselves look good. The Holy Spirit struck them dead. I believe God can slay people, when He does they don't generally head off to Cracker Barrel afterwards.
"Holy Laughter" isn't in the Bible and its not an act of worship. Speaking in tongues has to be the most misunderstood and abused "gift of the spirit". The Bible clearly teaches that it CAN happen, when it does happen it occurs in a specific context. Not saying that it can't happen Biblically, just saying I haven't seen it. Anyone who lays on hands prays and claims "you will get better and better, over time", has not preformed a miracle. It might be an answered prayer. It might be the immune system. We don't know and neither do you.
My favorite is divine revelation. If someone says, "thus saith the Lord", the Lord better have said it. If He didn't, the speaker is guilty of a capital offense. IF someone is giving a "message from God" and that message contradicts scripture, we have a liar on our hands. If that person makes a prediction in the Name of God or gives a sign and it doesn't come to pass they are by definition a fraud.
There is a verse in 1 John 4:1 that instructs us to "test" the spirits, because not all spirits are from God. I believe that this corresponds with instruction found in the Old Testament concerning prophets. Deut 18:19-22 speaks about how to know who is and what should be done concerning a false prophet. Hint, it involves getting stoned and I don't mean Boulder Colorado style.
I'm ready to believe right now that the Holy Spirit does miracles today. I hope He does. It would be a great encouragement to me to be part of or witness a legitimate "gifting". I haven't seen any that are according to the Biblical pattern. That doesn't mean He isn't doing them. I'm not calling anyone who has been part of a fellowship that practices those things a liar.
What I read in scripture about what the Holy Spirit does for us is as amazing as any of the "gifts". Jesus says He will convict us, guide us and disclose what belongs to Jesus to us. Maybe we should spend time asking for and working on those things we are promised. I believe spiritual discernment is on the list of things that all believers can have.
This post's aside note: I realize I remained true to my upbringing and spent the majority of my time talking about what the Holy Spirit isn't, or at least what He doesn't seem to be doing right now. My intent isn't to define something in terms of the negative. I believe that the Holy Spirit does amazing things. If we believe that the word of God is living and active and sharper than a two edged sword and that the Holy Spirit discloses that to us and convicts us and guides us, and that He lives inside of us and can direct our hearts and minds, we are claiming something far more incredible than jibbering incoherently or flopping around on the floor.
In my last post For Susan: Developing a Christian World View, I included a bullet point about being open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. I feel a need to expand that topic. First a little background about my religious training.
I am not a Pentecostal minded person. I was brought up in a denomination that spent more time explaining what the Holy Spirit, did not, could not and would not do, than it did in explaining the involvement of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. They only begrudgingly admitted to a concept of "the indwelling of the Holy Spirit". I do not remember this topic addressed in any length. I do remember that the "gifts of the Holy Spirit" were not for "today". I Cor 13:10 was used to proof text this belief. At the time I accepted that explanation and put the matter out of my mind.
As I grew in my faith, especially the last 7 years or so I have reexamined my thinking and come to the realization that a large part of Jesus's remarks in John chapter 16 are a preview of the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. The role of the Holy Spirit is described in advance of his arrival.
- He will convict the world concerning sin
- He will convict the world concerning righteousness
- He will convict the world concerning judgment
- He will guide you into all the truth
- He will glorify Me (Jesus)
- He will take of Mine (Jesus) and will disclose it to you
I'm not going to say that the Holy Spirit can't do the miracles that we read about in the New Testament today. I believe as a matter of logic and faith, that He CAN do them. IF He is doing them is another story. On that topic, I'm a skeptic. My skepticism is based on observation. What I see in some of the churches does not compare favorably to what I read about in the Bible.
My first objection is because of fraud. See Benny Hinn as an example. If you saw the Steve Martin movie "Leap of Faith", you saw examples of things that were based on Benny Hinn's "ministry". I never read about miracles in the Bible that required an up front cash payment.
My second objection is due to people claiming one thing and doing something I can't find a biblical example for. For example being "slain in the spirit", "holy laughter", "angelic tongues", "gradual healing" and "divine revelation".
There are exactly two biblical examples of being "slain in the spirit" they occur in Acts 5. Ananias and his wife Sapphira decide to lie about an act of giving to make themselves look good. The Holy Spirit struck them dead. I believe God can slay people, when He does they don't generally head off to Cracker Barrel afterwards.
"Holy Laughter" isn't in the Bible and its not an act of worship. Speaking in tongues has to be the most misunderstood and abused "gift of the spirit". The Bible clearly teaches that it CAN happen, when it does happen it occurs in a specific context. Not saying that it can't happen Biblically, just saying I haven't seen it. Anyone who lays on hands prays and claims "you will get better and better, over time", has not preformed a miracle. It might be an answered prayer. It might be the immune system. We don't know and neither do you.
My favorite is divine revelation. If someone says, "thus saith the Lord", the Lord better have said it. If He didn't, the speaker is guilty of a capital offense. IF someone is giving a "message from God" and that message contradicts scripture, we have a liar on our hands. If that person makes a prediction in the Name of God or gives a sign and it doesn't come to pass they are by definition a fraud.
There is a verse in 1 John 4:1 that instructs us to "test" the spirits, because not all spirits are from God. I believe that this corresponds with instruction found in the Old Testament concerning prophets. Deut 18:19-22 speaks about how to know who is and what should be done concerning a false prophet. Hint, it involves getting stoned and I don't mean Boulder Colorado style.
I'm ready to believe right now that the Holy Spirit does miracles today. I hope He does. It would be a great encouragement to me to be part of or witness a legitimate "gifting". I haven't seen any that are according to the Biblical pattern. That doesn't mean He isn't doing them. I'm not calling anyone who has been part of a fellowship that practices those things a liar.
What I read in scripture about what the Holy Spirit does for us is as amazing as any of the "gifts". Jesus says He will convict us, guide us and disclose what belongs to Jesus to us. Maybe we should spend time asking for and working on those things we are promised. I believe spiritual discernment is on the list of things that all believers can have.
This post's aside note: I realize I remained true to my upbringing and spent the majority of my time talking about what the Holy Spirit isn't, or at least what He doesn't seem to be doing right now. My intent isn't to define something in terms of the negative. I believe that the Holy Spirit does amazing things. If we believe that the word of God is living and active and sharper than a two edged sword and that the Holy Spirit discloses that to us and convicts us and guides us, and that He lives inside of us and can direct our hearts and minds, we are claiming something far more incredible than jibbering incoherently or flopping around on the floor.
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