Glenn Beck just wrapped up four days of his Restoring Courage event in Israel. In spite of the great cost and personal risk, some still question his motives. After hearing his final speech by the temple mount, I have to say I really don’t care about his motives if people take his words to heart and begin to act with courage and resolve.
As he said, there is nothing we can teach the citizens of this beleaguered country about the virtue of courage, but there is a lot we can learn about the subject from them. It has been said, correctly, that courage is the one virtue that insures all others.
Courage is does not mean being oblivious to the dangers around us and the consequences of our actions. There is a quote from John Wayne that sums up what this virtue means – “Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway!”
Looking at the world around us, we understand the problems will not be solved by the wall flowers or the faint of heart. They must be tackled by those willing to look beyond their own selfish interests and stand for something greater than themselves. To encourage us to be the people that will “saddle up” and get on with the task, Glenn has prepared a Declaration of Rights & Responsibilities. It is reproduced below. Read it, take it to heart and be the person you were created to be.
If most people are asked why our founding fathers broke away from Great Britain, the usual answer is “taxation without representation.” While this was certainly one of the reasons listed in the Declaration of Independence, it was far from being he singular driving force that led these brave men to pledge their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor.
It would be helpful to review some of the list of grievances that led them to take this drastic action and risk everything they had, including the families and their own lives.
He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
The British monarch refused to take care of issues important to the colonists. Problems needed to be addressed.
A lot of readers may take offense at this question about their sincerity in wanting to stop the slaughter of innocent babies. How could this be? You vote for the candidates who promise to put an end to the grizzly practice. If you are like most, you even pray about it from time to time. If you are really unusual, you may have picketed a facility once or twice.
As Dr. Phil would ask, “How’s that working out for you?” The last I checked, young lives are still being destroyed, and members of the medical profession, those who have sworn to do no harm, are making a nice living doing it. Obviously this approach has not gotten the job done.
For those who have carried the battle to the enemy consistently over the years, congratulations, but as you are painfully aware, the job is not done. You’ve seen people get excited about the struggle and join in for a few days to a few weeks, but then they disappear like the morning mist… and the job is not done. Read more of this article »
Sometimes the opportunity presents itself to speak the truth to people unaccustomed to hearing it. Sometimes it’s accepted, sometimes it’s not, yet that does not change our responsibility. II Timothy 2:4 tells us, “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction.”
The opportunity came to pastor Bradlee Dean. Someone from his ministry convinced Rep. Ernie Leidiger go invite him to open the Minnesota House session with a prayer. I’m not sure that his attire was entirely appropriate… yet his words were completely on target. He spoke the truth to a body not used to hearing it. He spoke to people who were used to the deference given to the “Honorables”. Read more of this article »
Many years ago, after returning to college with a number of years experience in the real world, I had the privilege of sitting through a class named “Man In God’s World”. As it turned out, this class had more impact on my world view than any event before or since. Reviewing some of the things I learned may help the reader understand why being a Christian is not a Sunday morning thing… but it colors, or should color, our view and approach to everything around us, including our interactions with society.
Using Jesus as our model, we find a life that was filled with pointing everyone to the Father and teaching spiritual values and lessons. But he did not stop there. He healed the sick, restored sight to the blind and raised the dead. He rescued a woman about to be stoned by an angry mob. He taught us how to get along with our neighbors, how to handle our money and how to relate to our government. His life and actions showed concern for every area of life, not just the afterlife.
Some Christians believe that if they go to church on Sunday and get their ticket punched, what they do the rest of the week doesn’t make that much difference… as long as it’s nothing too bad. If they don’t kill anyone, or throw widows out of their homes… they will be alright. Is this the case? Are there rules for life? Do they apply to everyone, everywhere? Read more of this article »
This morning I read an editorial urging those discouraged by Majority Whip Eric Cantor’s tepid efforts to fight the Obama agenda to quit complaining and do something about it. The writer encouraged those living in Virginia’s Seventh District to join the various party commitees and help push the party and its elected representatives to the right and encourage the congressman to match his actions more closely with hisw campaign rhetoric. This is good advice if people are willing to get off of their expanded posteriors and take part in the nuts and bolts activities that keep a party running.
I understand that for many, fussing about the deficits, bemoaning the death of innocent babies and bellyaching about diminishing individual rights in the face of ever epanding governments at all levels is far more satisfying in the short term than doing the party grunt work like passing out literature in rain on election day of putting out signs in the dark of night to stay one step ahead of the county’s sign nazis intent on keeping the area clear of such unseemly displays. However, unless you are a silver tongued, community organizing shyster, the path to political influence and power takes you through the back rooms of campaign headquarters and party offices. It’s not glamorous work, but if those of us with a positive vision for the restoration of our country don’t step forward and fill the various adminstrative and leadership spots, they will be filled by those with only personal ambition to guide them.
Is this theory… or fact? I’ll let you judge by my experience. I joined my local Republican committee many years ago… and did the low level political stuff.. putting up signs, stuffing envelopes, cleaning up after fundraisers, and the like. I was like many new to the political experience then, and some now, wide eyed and thrilled to be among the leaders of our county and state… and nation. As I got to know them better, I found that some were the real deal and others proved to be less than meets the eye. As an old employer used to tell me, it is good to be disillusioned, because our illusions aren’t real anyway. Read more of this article »
Barack Obama’s election to the highest Office in our Country is undeniably historic; he will forever be known as the first black man elected President of the United States. And we’re the generation that finally surpassed this racial threshold signifying how far we’ve come as a Nation. His election reflects the fulfillment of what Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed about so many years ago, where all men would be judged only by the content of their character and no longer by the color of their skin… as it should be.
Obama’s election is also historic for what he can uniquely do in the job, as no other President before him. Having won the highest platform of power and influence in the land, he could bring closure to the wounds of racism in America, and take us to the next level of rising above the sins of the past.
I grieved the night Obama won the Presidency, for two reasons, the second dovetailing the first, and neither had anything to do with objecting to a black man in the White House; on the contrary. I 100% do not agree with his ideology, his policies, or his desire to “fundamentally transform America.” I am not disappointed or surprised by his Presidency; it’s exactly what I expected and feared, and therefore why I grieved – I knew what was to come and didn’t want to go there. Now that we’re here in the thick of it, I feel all I never wanted to feel. I became part of the TEA Party to express that. The dovetail is I felt robbed of the joy of fully celebrating the first black president because I couldn’t celebrate Obama being the president. A black president is something I had longed and prayed for America and always believed I would see in my lifetime, just not someone as far left as Obama. Read more of this article »
Lynchburg, VA – More than 40 conservative national speakers are coming to The Awakening 2011 held on Friday, April 8, and Saturday April 9, 2011, at Liberty University. The theme this year is Raising our Voices: Equipping and Empowering a New Revolution. Sponsored by a federation of organizations that comprise the Freedom Federation, The Awakening 2011 will begin at 10:00 a.m. ET on Friday in Liberty University’s convocation service with Live Action President and Expose Planned Parenthood leader, Lila Rose. The two-day event will pick up at 2:00 ET with a plenary session that includes former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, and many others.
Breakout sessions will cover “What is a Conservative: The Social, Economic and National Defense Legs,” “Messaging and Mobilizing a New Generation of World Changers: Turning Youth into Activists,” and more than 15 other topics such as Abortion, the Economy, Religious Liberty, Marriage and Homosexuality, Sharia Law, the Middle East, Human Sex Trafficking, Reaching Minority Communities, Using New Media and Technology to Power a Movement, and other pressing topics of today. The conference will conclude on April 9 with the New Revolution Celebration featuring SonicFlood in concert. Registration is free and open to the public, but you must reserve your ticket at www.TheAwakening2011.com.
The Awakening 2011 is focusing on inspiring and activating this generation to start a cultural revolution that will lead America back to its founding principles. This is a unique combination of many voices from young to old and across racial, ethnic, and generational constituencies who are coming together as part of a new and broad movement united by shared values. Read more of this article »
I guess it’s human nature to sit around and complain about how bad things are. It certainly is easier than getting up off the couch and doing something about a problem. It is less risky to fuss and fume than to join the battle. This is why we hear the all-to-common refrain, “somebody ought to do something about…” whatever the problem being discussed is.
How often have each of us seen something going on and commented “why doesn’t somebody say something?” or “why doesn’t somebody do something?” We Americans have become accustomed to letting someone else take care of our problems. That’s why we have the government, some would say, but as Dr. Phil would say, “How’s that workin’ out for you?”
I’m reminded of a routine by the late comedian, Stanley Myron Handelman, where he talked about standing in line at a butcher shop with a lady in front of him who ordered some meat and had someone cut in front of her and take her order. When she tried to get back in line, she was pushed to the ground. Handelman’s resonse: “I was getting madder by the minute”. Read more of this article »
Every September, I recall that is more than 65 years since I landed at Nagasaki with the 2nd Marine Division in the original occupation of Japan following World War II. This time every year, I have watched and listened to the light-hearted “peaceniks” and their light-headed symbolism-without-substance of ringing bells, flying pigeons, floating candles, and sonorous chanting and I recall again that “Peace is not a cause – it is an effect.”
In July, 1945, my fellow 8th RCT Marines [I was an ARman] and I returned to Saipan following the successful conclusion of the Battle of Okinawa. We were issued new equipment and replacements joined each outfit in preparation for our coming amphibious assault on the home islands of Japan.
B-29 bombing had leveled the major cities of Japan, including Kobe, Osaka, Nagoya, Yokohama, Yokosuka, and Tokyo.
We were informed we would land three Marine divisions and six Army divisions perhaps abreast, with large reserves following us in. It was estimated that it would cost half a million casualties to subdue the Japanese homeland.
In August, the A-bomb was dropped on Hiroshima but the Japanese government refused to surrender. Three days later a second A-bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. The Imperial Japanese government finally surrendered. Read more of this article »
The Declaration of Independence ends with the line, “with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.“ That well known phrase sums up the prevailing philosophy of the lives and times of the Founding Fathers. As rich in meaning as we find the entire document, perhaps we can learn the most from these twenty four words.
The phrase begins by declaring their “firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence”. We have a shorter, more concise way of expressing this… trusting God. With the plethora of problems facing our country and world today, depending on divine Providence is the only path to our brighter future. This does not mean that we sit back and twiddle our thumbs any more than our forefathers did. They put feet to their prayers for peace and freedom… with the assurance that by aligning themselves with their Creator, they would insure the success of their venture.
This is followed by “we mutually pledge to each other”. In an age run by the “me generation” and selfish ambition, working together for reciprocal interests is as powerful as it is rare. Consider that twelve men changed the world. While the first American Revolution was followed by divergent views of the Federalists and the anti-Federalists, but until victory was won, they followed Poor Richard’s advice, “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” This doesn’t mean we all roll over and give up our concepts of what makes a free society. It does not mean that we don’t support our preferred standard bearer with every thing we have. It does mean that we stick to differences in policies and execution while we avoid personality based attacks. Read more of this article »
When my fathers generation, the greatest generation, conquered the Axis powers, there was no question: the only goal was to defeat the enemy. There was no attempt to understand Adolph Hitler or work out an arrangement for coexistence. There was pretty much general agreement that we could and should emerge victorious.
Later, the concept of limited war took hold and our country was content to push the North Koreans back and keep them out of South Korea. We had a similar strategy in Vietnam. In this case, not only did it not work, but our country lost somewhere around fifty eight thousand precious men and women in the process.
Maybe it was guilt that came from using our technological advantage to end World War II with the atomic bomb. This is something that the left still regrets in spite of the fact that many times more Japanese would have died, not to mention American Gis, if they had to bring the war to a conclusion by invading the country. Read more of this article »
[Editors Note: If we haven't read this recently, now is a good time to do it again.]
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. Read more of this article »
A friend of mine, Daren Gardner, hadn’t been involved in the political scene until he saw the path our country was on a little more than a year ago. Like many others, the Tea Parties got him started and he has taken seriously his role as a citizen and the necessity of involvement that goes far beyond simply showing up at the polls.
When Matt Perdie came through the Richmond, VA area on his walk across the country to “protest and bring awareness to the dangers of big government growth and massive government spending”, Daren had the opportunity to sit down and chat with him. This conversation with the patriotic young man showed him what one man could do to spread the word of freedom.
From this meeting an idea was hatched in the mind of this Chesterfield County business man. He saw the Constitution disregarded daily in the beautiful historic buildings in our nations capital. What was even worse, he saw that many people were not even aware of what the Constitution said and why it is important. It occurred to him that if we are to survive as a free society, we needed to know about this founding document, and we have to live it. Read more of this article »
You are my shepherds. You are responsible for the protection of the lambs. How has the fox entered into the fields? You were asleep? The Word was left for your guidance and to proclaim the laws for the Fathers children. Do you not see and understand the meaning of the Word? Nations have been lost. Multitudes of the Fathers children have not survived. Darkness covers the earth. The Fathers children have been deceived and are now asleep. You are to awaken them.
The Churches have been silent. Your silence is approval of injustice. You were told to love one another. To love is to correct. The good father that fails to correct his child, loses that child forever. Silence has destroyed the families. Silence has allowed the murder of millions of the Fathers children. Silence is approval. Love,or correction, demands that any injustice be corrected immediately. Every wrong word must be corrected. Forgiveness is for your benefit. Forgiveness prevents you from judging and therefor saves you from resentment. Resentment separates you from the Father. Your forgiveness does not excuse the sinner. Forgiveness is for your benefit. Only the Father can forgive sin. Read more of this article »
In one year our nation has come a long way. April of 2009 brought the beginning of what is proving to be a movement of American citizens definitely ready for the right change. Tea Party activists all across this land have come out to pound the pavement for a solid year now. Week after week, month after month, and rally after rally. It mattered not where, local, state, or at our Nation’s Capitol, our country is ready for a new beginning, but not the way our elected officials see it.
This new way is really the old way, the way our founding fathers envisioned our country. The sacrifices made by the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, while putting to pen our unalienable rights. The vision of men like John Hancock of Massachusetts, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, and Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania. As stated;
“When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. Read more of this article »
One would have to be a blind man to not see that America is fast losing the fundamental principles of liberty upon which our once-great country was established. And, without a doubt, the single biggest reason for this decline is the lack of concern and effort on the part of today’s Christians and pastors to resist it.
All over America, when one approaches our pastors and church leaders with the obvious decay and ruination of constitutional government and Declaration principles taking place in our land today, the response flippantly comes back: “God hasn’t called me to do that; I’m supposed to win souls and that’s it.” (Or words to that effect.) As if the call to Gospel preaching, evangelism, and missionary endeavor negates our responsibility as citizens of a free land.
Of course, this call to “win souls” doesn’t interfere with these preachers’ golf games; it doesn’t interfere with their family vacations; it doesn’t interfere with their active membership in whatever local civil organization they happen to belong to; it doesn’t interfere with their hiring of a lawyer if they are falsely accused or defrauded; it doesn’t interfere with their invitations to celebrity politicians for special church recognition on patriotic holidays; it doesn’t interfere with them going to the polls to vote; it only seems to interfere when they are personally asked to take a stand in the gap for our country’s liberties. Then, all of a sudden, they haven’t been “called,” or “God will take care of it,” or “Jesus is coming soon,” or “Religion and politics don’t mix,” ad infinitum, ad nauseam. Read more of this article »
Yesterday, The Wall Street Journal carried a story entitled “Obama Steps Up Confrontation.” It said in part, “On Thursday, the president challenged Republicans who planned to campaign on repealing his health-care bill with, ‘Go for it.’ Two days later, he made 15 senior appointments without Senate consent, including a union lawyer whose nomination had been blocked by a filibuster.
“At a bill-signing event Tuesday, he is set to laud passage of higher-education legislation that was approved despite Republican objections through a parliamentary maneuver that neutralized the party’s filibuster threat.”
Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) called Obama’s decision to federalize most student loans “really brazen” and “the most underreported, biggest Washington takeover in history.” Read more of this article »
[Editors note: Michael Kleen has had better experience with social action in the church than many of us. He discusses the origins of the social gospel and offers an understanding perspective.]
Much hay has been recently made out of Glenn Beck’s ill-advised comments about the term “social justice.” In the first week of March, on his popular radio and television shows, he said, “I beg you, look for the words ’social justice’ or ‘economic justice’ on your church Web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words.” Code words, he claimed, for Marxism. The overwhelmingly condemnatory commentary regarding this quote, though understandable, has so far overlooked a critical point about social justice and Christianity—and its use by some on the statist left—that can and should be debated. There are many activists, such as Sister Diane Drufenbrock (the 1980 vice-presidential candidate for the Socialist Party USA), who have used social justice as a rallying cry in their war against hierarchy and private property, and therefore Beck’s concern about the Marxist use of the terms social and economic justice is somewhat valid. His assumption about the danger of social justice as a moral philosophy, however, is not. His mistake can be excused by his lack of education, but there is no excuse for the trained theologians who willingly distort Christian social teaching for political ends.
The modern concept of social justice incubated in the Catholic Church. In the 1840s, Father Luigi Taparelli used the phrase to criticize the major economic theories at the time for ignoring moral philosophy and for undermining the unity of society by dividing it into competing classes. Since then, the Catholic Church has been clear about its condemnation of both socialism and unrestrained capitalism. In Pope Pius XI’s 1931 encyclical Quadragesimo Anno, he praised laws that “undertake the protection of life, health, strength, family, homes, workshops, wages and labor hazards, in fine, everything which pertains to the condition of wage workers, with special concern for women and children,” but noted, “it is gravely wrong to take from individuals what they can accomplish by their own initiative and industry and give it to the community.” Read more of this article »
[Editors note: I received an email with this message from Congressman Randy Forbes (VA-4). I've known him for somewhere around ten years and found that his actions match his words. He is one of only seventeen who have voted against every bailout program, and is one more Virginia patriot.]
“…we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”
Those fourteen words conclude the most important document ever written in American history – the Declaration of Independence. Fifty six men signed their names to that declaration out of a firm belief and conviction that what they had written were truths granted to all men equally by a Creator. Those fourteen words came fittingly close to what many people at the time felt was a death warrant – a sure way to bring havoc upon the colonies by the English monarchy. What is lost over history is the fact that those fifty six men were so committed to their beliefs – that all men had the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – that they were willing to put their lives on the line. And they did so without hesitation. Read more of this article »
[Editors note: From time to time, my friend Nancy Slocum receives these words and passes them on. These would be good to read and heed.]
Definition of prowess:
1. Distinguished bravery, especially military valor and skill
2. Extraordinary ability
Prowess. That is correct. As My children, as you being part of My body – you have extraordinary skill and ability. I need it to rise to the surface so it can be clearly seen around the world in these last days.
As part of My army – My might and My power will be manifested and clearly demonstrated so people will have no confusion or doubt about who is King of Kings and the one and only true Commander in Chief. Read more of this article »
[Editors note: while we ran a story on this yesterday, this is an American tragedy that we should not simply set aside as one more guy gone off the deep end. We need to remember Joe Stack and learn from him.]
All of us are now aware of the Texas man who yesterday flew his private plane into a 7-story Austin office building. Apparently, he intentionally crashed his plane into the building to target the IRS offices that were housed inside the facility.
As I am writing this column just hours after the event took place, there has not yet been a lot of time for the major news media talking heads to spin the story. By the time this column is released on Friday, however, I’m sure we will all have been inundated with copious references to this man, Joe Stack, as being “off his rocker,” or similar assertions. Perhaps our friends at DHS will label Stack a “right-wing domestic terrorist.” However, Mr. Stack apparently left behind a “suicide manifesto” explaining his actions. After carefully reading Stack’s manifesto, I am quite convinced that he was not crazy, and he was not a “terrorist.” However, he was angry.
A lot of us are angry–and for many of the same reasons that Mr. Stack was angry! While I would certainly take exception to some of the things Stack says in his manifesto, he said things that many of us are feeling. Read more of this article »
When Joe Stack piloted his small, single engine plane into the Austin, Texas IRS building, it was the culmination of half a lifetime of fighting the organization and the government that controls it. Mr. Stack was not the only one to work at building something for himself and his family, then have it snatched away through ill-conceived government actions and policies. Yet he is the only one who acted on the impulses many have when dealing with an isolated, uncaring bureaucracy.
Reading his final thoughts, (available at http://www.politicalchristian.org/docs/joestack.pdf), one can’t help but feel the anger and frustration of a man who feels his life has been wasted and his dreams thwarted by a system designed and run by the powerful and self-indulgent. Some of his thoughts are beyond comprehension, but for the most part, one can sympathize with this man, while not agreeing with his solution. I, too, was hurt by Section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978 that singled out computer programmers and engineers to not receive the same favorable tax treatment given to other professionals.
Regarding his treatment by the Internal Revenue Service, one can only look at the philosophy behind their charter. They, and their congressional masters, believe that the taxpayers money is their money and it is by their good will, that the taxpayer can keep any at all for themselves. Men of good will could argue that because of their possessive attitude and hostile treatment of the taxpayers, that there is not a single IRS office around the country that is undeserving of such an attack. Yet, we need to look at what was accomplished. Read more of this article »
This weekend I had the opportunity attend a conference featuring some of the more powerful speakers who left no doubt that our country was founded by strong Christian men on a foundation of Biblical principles. The crowd bought their books and were motivated to go out and change the world… or at least their corner of it. The question that kept running through my mind was, does that motivation carry over into the next work week… or month?
It’s easy to get psyched up when we are with hundreds of people with the same values. It can be at a conference or a tea party… or even chatting with friends over a cup of coffee. We can pound our chests and declare our victory. But so often, our enthusiasm evaporates like the morning mist when we leave the protective confines of philosophical peers. It’s human nature.
We want to be liked. We don’t want to be the odd ball. We don’t want others to think us foolish or stupid. This is why, rather than facing her squarely on issues, the formerly mainstream media can only paint Sarah Palin as a dullard and her fans even more dimwitted. It’s the ridicule Saul Alinsky advised his followers to use when they were intellectually outclassed. Read more of this article »
To listen to the anointed Barack Hussein Obama and his excessive use of references to “I” and “me” along with his efforts to “radically transform” the country most of us love, you would think that someone died and left him as boss. He and his cohorts have already begun dismantling the protections we thought our constitution had given us. He believes he is justified as his thoughts must be reflecting the will of the people. The people, as in “We the people”, are telling him his actions and schemes don’t reflect their version of the “public will”. Someone is wrong! Who is really in charge here?
Well, the people are closer to being on target as our founding fathers noted we have been endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights. These rights are not generated by the people any more than they are generated by our government, as Chuck Schumer would have us believe. They have been given to the people by their creator. In some ways the people have been given the right to rule their land in much the same way European monarchs believed they had been given the “divine right of kings”. Only in this case there is truth to the claim.
Over the years, the people have been foolish and given up the control that was rightfully theirs, much like Esau gave up his inheritance to Jacob. Yet the concept that individual liberty is a gift from our creator has not been lost. The secular statists believe otherwise. They are convinced that the Judeo-Christian values that were the foundation of our country have outlived their usefulness and the people now need the firm hand of a strong centralized government to guide them through one crisis after another generated crisis. Read more of this article »
Today marks the 37th anniversary of the infamous US Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision, which, in effect, legalized abortion-on-demand nationwide. The aftermath of this tragic ruling is the deaths of over 40 million (a very conservative number) innocent unborn babies. It is no hyperbole to say abortion is America’s holocaust. Think of it, every American citizen today, 37 years old or younger, has never known a country that respected and protected innocent human life in the womb. Put it another way: when Hitler’s Third Reich was at its zenith, the abortion rate was 40%. In 2003 (the last year that I checked), the abortion rate of the county in which I live was 39%. And I live in the heart of the so-called “Bible Belt.” In fact, statistically speaking, the most dangerous place to be in America is not in an automobile without wearing a seat belt, or in a commercial airliner with a potential terrorist on board. Statistically speaking, the most dangerous place to be is in the womb of one’s mother.
Dr. Bernard Nathanson once headed America’s largest abortion clinic in New York City. He admitted superintending over the killing of 75,000 unborn babies. He later recanted his pro-abortion activity and wrote what may be the quintessential book defending an unborn child’s right to life, “Aborting America.” Dr. Nathanson said, “There is no longer serious doubt in my mind that human life exists within the womb from the very onset of pregnancy.”
Dr. Mildred Jefferson was a surgeon at Boston University Medical Center, a diplomate of the American Board of Surgery with many honors and awards. She said, “Many people try to hide behind the confusion of not knowing what happens before a baby is born. But we do not have to be confused. We in medicine and science have a different name for every stage of the development of the baby, but it does not matter at all whether you know those names or not. When a young woman has not had much opportunity to go to school and she becomes pregnant, no one has to tell her that she is going to have a baby. Read more of this article »
When the American people chose the candidate who promised to fundamentally change our country in November of 2009, many did not really understand what they were signing up for. We have seen during this intervening year since his inauguration, unprecedented (to use an Obamaism) attacks on individual freedom and our economic well being. One has to consider why this tragedy has come upon us.
In the days of ancient Israel, there were times when the people were ruled by good kings and times when they were ruled by bad kings. Often the kings reflected the spiritual condition of the people. Things got so bad by 586 BC that the people of Judah were conquered and carried off to King Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon. This was nothing new as the people, since long before the kings, had up and down spiritual relationships… noted as far back as the book of Judges where, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in their own eyes.” (21:25 KJV)
To those paying attention, that verse could pretty well describe our own situation… except now we have one who would be king. In Nubuchadnezzar’s time, it was common practice to carry off the population of a defeated land to be resettled for the benefit of the king. In our time, this is not usually the case, but there are still plenty of negative consequences to ungodly rule, both individually and corporately, for going our own way. In both cases, however, when God’s people lose their way, they also lose their freedom. Read more of this article »
Many of cheered announcement of Senators Chris Dodd and Byron Dorgan, that they would not seek re-election this year – actions brought about by declining… no make that nosediving,,, polling numbers for two men that some actually call “The Honorable” with a straight face. In a way it is good to see the rebellion of the tea party movement removing some of the worst of the worst from the Senate… with more to come. However, before we get too excited about the political demise of these dynamic Ds, lets look at this a bit closer.
As incompetent as the Democrats are in their leadership of the country, they are consummate politicians. As badly as the bungle ruling, they understand how to get elected and retain power, which is their sole purpose in life. Maybe it’s just finely tuned political instincts or prompting from the dark side, but these two dropping out of their respective races was a stroke of pure genius.
These two… with others to come… didn’t have snowball’s chance in hell of holding on to their seats. By dropping out now, they have removed the focus of public hostility for their personal corruption and incompetence, and the party now has the opportunity to run a fresh face who can lie to the public telling them that he wants nothing to do with Obama’s plans and schemes. They believe the people have such short memories and are so gullible as to believe campaign promises from the Obamessiah’s henchmen. It is our job to see that this does not happen. Read more of this article »
Ronald Reagan once said, “All great change in America begins at the dinner table.” Now is a time when we may be needing to take the lead, not just for the good of the country, but for our own survival. With our federal government borrowing like money is going out of style, we, the citizens who will be given the bill, have to not only fuss, fume and protest (which is generally ignored), but we must lead the way by example.
Credit card companies have been called by some “the grinch that stole Christmas”, and with pretty good cause at times, as too often bills from one Christmas overlap the next yule season. There have been some minor signs of restraint on the part of the consuming public, but this is just a beginning. I won’t bore you with statistics as everyone knows consumer credit has been excessive for many years, but has really gotten out of hand in recent years. The only statistics that really matter to most people are the ones on their own credit card bills. Seeing this trend, the lenders have been bumping up interest rates and fees while decreasing credit limits and rewards programs.
One TV financial consultant recommended making nice and kissing up to their representatives when you call them. This may work for a while, like a woman being nice to a rapist hoping he won’t hurt her too badly. It does not solve the problem! Read more of this article »
The morning after Christmas, I sat watching my four year old grandson play, sometimes with his new toys, sometimes with his “old” ones. His little imagination taking him to who knows where as he was blissfully unaware of the plans afoot to destroy the health care system that brought him through several severe allergy attacks, place his higher education plans at the mercy of government bureaucrats and enslave him for a year or two in compulsory government service. He doesn’t know the value of the money used to buy him food, clothing and, yes, toys, is headed toward the devaluation that comes from ill advised economic policies.
Later in the day, four more grandsons arrived along with their parents. They are older and more aware of dangers – economic and physical that we face as a nation. One is ready to enter the world of higher education and is looking into the few institutions not dedicated to inflicting the leftist agenda on those working hard to meet the financial demands they place on their students. It seems that the struggle is getting more difficult every year.
Some of us may accept the anticipated hard times in our future as the natural result of Christians failing to do their job… hiding behind church doors, with so many shunning involvement in public affairs. Too often, even strong believes, have accepted the lie that religious convictions have no place in the arena of public discourse. Read more of this article »
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Glenn Beck just wrapped up four days of his Restoring Courage event in Israel. In spite of the great cost and personal risk, some still question his motives. After hearing his final speech by the temple mount, I have to say I really don’t care about his motives if people take his words to heart and begin to act with courage and resolve.
If most people are asked why our founding fathers broke away from Great Britain, the usual answer is “taxation without representation.” While this was certainly one of the reasons listed in the Declaration of Independence, it was far from being he singular driving force that led these brave men to pledge their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor.
A lot of readers may take offense at this question about their sincerity in wanting to stop the slaughter of innocent babies. How could this be? You vote for the candidates who promise to put an end to the grizzly practice. If you are like most, you even pray about it from time to time. If you are really unusual, you may have picketed a facility once or twice.
Many years ago, after returning to college with a number of years experience in the real world, I had the privilege of sitting through a class named “Man In God’s World”. As it turned out, this class had more impact on my world view than any event before or since. Reviewing some of the things I learned may help the reader understand why being a Christian is not a Sunday morning thing… but it colors, or should color, our view and approach to everything around us, including our interactions with society.
This morning I read an editorial urging those discouraged by Majority Whip Eric Cantor’s tepid efforts to fight the Obama agenda to quit complaining and do something about it. The writer encouraged those living in Virginia’s Seventh District to join the various party commitees and help push the party and its elected representatives to the right and encourage the congressman to match his actions more closely with hisw campaign rhetoric. This is good advice if people are willing to get off of their expanded posteriors and take part in the nuts and bolts activities that keep a party running.
by Wendi Lynn G
I guess it’s human nature to sit around and complain about how bad things are. It certainly is easier than getting up off the couch and doing something about a problem. It is less risky to fuss and fume than to join the battle. This is why we hear the all-to-common refrain, “somebody ought to do something about…” whatever the problem being discussed is.
Every September, I recall that is more than 65 years since I landed at Nagasaki with the 2nd Marine Division in the original occupation of Japan following World War II. This time every year, I have watched and listened to the light-hearted “peaceniks” and their light-headed symbolism-without-substance of ringing bells, flying pigeons, floating candles, and sonorous chanting and I recall again that “Peace is not a cause – it is an effect.”
The Declaration of Independence ends with the line, “with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.“ That well known phrase sums up the prevailing philosophy of the lives and times of the Founding Fathers. As rich in meaning as we find the entire document, perhaps we can learn the most from these twenty four words.
When my fathers generation, the greatest generation, conquered the Axis powers, there was no question: the only goal was to defeat the enemy. There was no attempt to understand Adolph Hitler or work out an arrangement for coexistence. There was pretty much general agreement that we could and should emerge victorious.
[Editors Note: If we haven't read this recently, now is a good time to do it again.]
This message is directed to Christ’s Churches.
In one year our nation has come a long way. April of 2009 brought the beginning of what is proving to be a movement of American citizens definitely ready for the right change. Tea Party activists all across this land have come out to pound the pavement for a solid year now. Week after week, month after month, and rally after rally. It mattered not where, local, state, or at our Nation’s Capitol, our country is ready for a new beginning, but not the way our elected officials see it.
One would have to be a blind man to not see that America is fast losing the fundamental principles of liberty upon which our once-great country was established. And, without a doubt, the single biggest reason for this decline is the lack of concern and effort on the part of today’s Christians and pastors to resist it.
Yesterday, The Wall Street Journal carried a story entitled “Obama Steps Up Confrontation.” It said in part, “On Thursday, the president challenged Republicans who planned to campaign on repealing his health-care bill with, ‘Go for it.’ Two days later, he made 15 senior appointments without Senate consent, including a union lawyer whose nomination had been blocked by a filibuster.
[Editors note: Michael Kleen has had better experience with social action in the church than many of us. He discusses the origins of the social gospel and offers an understanding perspective.]
[Editors note: I received an email with this message from Congressman Randy Forbes (VA-4). I've known him for somewhere around ten years and found that his actions match his words. He is one of only seventeen who have voted against every bailout program, and is one more Virginia patriot.]
[Editors note: while we ran a story on this yesterday, this is an American tragedy that we should not simply set aside as one more guy gone off the deep end. We need to remember Joe Stack and learn from him.]
When Joe Stack piloted his small, single engine plane into the Austin, Texas IRS building, it was the culmination of half a lifetime of fighting the organization and the government that controls it. Mr. Stack was not the only one to work at building something for himself and his family, then have it snatched away through ill-conceived government actions and policies. Yet he is the only one who acted on the impulses many have when dealing with an isolated, uncaring bureaucracy.
This weekend I had the opportunity attend a conference featuring some of the more powerful speakers who left no doubt that our country was founded by strong Christian men on a foundation of Biblical principles. The crowd bought their books and were motivated to go out and change the world… or at least their corner of it. The question that kept running through my mind was, does that motivation carry over into the next work week… or month?
To listen to the anointed Barack Hussein Obama and his excessive use of references to “I” and “me” along with his efforts to “radically transform” the country most of us love, you would think that someone died and left him as boss. He and his cohorts have already begun dismantling the protections we thought our constitution had given us. He believes he is justified as his thoughts must be reflecting the will of the people. The people, as in “We the people”, are telling him his actions and schemes don’t reflect their version of the “public will”. Someone is wrong! Who is really in charge here?
Today marks the 37th anniversary of the infamous US Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision, which, in effect, legalized abortion-on-demand nationwide. The aftermath of this tragic ruling is the deaths of over 40 million (a very conservative number) innocent unborn babies. It is no hyperbole to say abortion is America’s holocaust. Think of it, every American citizen today, 37 years old or younger, has never known a country that respected and protected innocent human life in the womb. Put it another way: when Hitler’s Third Reich was at its zenith, the abortion rate was 40%. In 2003 (the last year that I checked), the abortion rate of the county in which I live was 39%. And I live in the heart of the so-called “Bible Belt.” In fact, statistically speaking, the most dangerous place to be in America is not in an automobile without wearing a seat belt, or in a commercial airliner with a potential terrorist on board. Statistically speaking, the most dangerous place to be is in the womb of one’s mother.
When the American people chose the candidate who promised to fundamentally change our country in November of 2009, many did not really understand what they were signing up for. We have seen during this intervening year since his inauguration, unprecedented (to use an Obamaism) attacks on individual freedom and our economic well being. One has to consider why this tragedy has come upon us.
Many of cheered announcement of Senators Chris Dodd and Byron Dorgan, that they would not seek re-election this year – actions brought about by declining… no make that nosediving,,, polling numbers for two men that some actually call “The Honorable” with a straight face. In a way it is good to see the rebellion of the tea party movement removing some of the worst of the worst from the Senate… with more to come. However, before we get too excited about the political demise of these dynamic Ds, lets look at this a bit closer.
Ronald Reagan once said, “All great change in America begins at the dinner table.” Now is a time when we may be needing to take the lead, not just for the good of the country, but for our own survival. With our federal government borrowing like money is going out of style, we, the citizens who will be given the bill, have to not only fuss, fume and protest (which is generally ignored), but we must lead the way by example.
The morning after Christmas, I sat watching my four year old grandson play, sometimes with his new toys, sometimes with his “old” ones. His little imagination taking him to who knows where as he was blissfully unaware of the plans afoot to destroy the health care system that brought him through several severe allergy attacks, place his higher education plans at the mercy of government bureaucrats and enslave him for a year or two in compulsory government service. He doesn’t know the value of the money used to buy him food, clothing and, yes, toys, is headed toward the devaluation that comes from ill advised economic policies.
