GOD BLESS AMERICA? MAYBE NOT!

     "Who is this God that I should listen to him?"

     In the fifth chapter of the book of Exodus we read an account of Moses' first meeting with Pharaoh where he told Pharaoh that God commands that he let His people go. In response Pharaoh asks the question highlighted above. Unfortunately for Pharaoh he received his answer in the form of ten plagues and the destruction of Egypt.

     In America these days our nation is asking the same question. It started with removing prayer from our public schools. It continued with the sexual revolution where all forms of moral depravity became the order of the day. Shortly after that, our nation began slaughtering our unborn in Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide. Marriage took a severe hit with the so called "No Fault Divorce." American families from coast to coast were destroyed in the process. Now, by court fiat, marriage has been redefined further eroding the definition of a "traditional family." 

     As a nation we have tried to remove God from the public square and relegate Him to the confines of the church building. We began to label as "intolerant" anyone who would dare to advocate for God's clear teaching on a myriad of topics in our society.

     As a nation we would do well to answer the question posed by the Egyptian Pharaoh thousands of years ago. We would do well to remember the consequences of answering that question incorrectly, exemplified by Egypt's experience so long ago.

    The God who we read about in the book of Exodus is the same God who we worship in our churches today. I pray for my beloved Nation! I solicit all of you to pray for our beloved Nation! I fear that if we fail to repent as a nation and return to honoring God as we ought to, WE TOO WILL LIKEWISE PERISH! 

RANDOM THOUGHTS FROM A WANDERING MIND!

     


     Periodically, during times of quiet solitude my mind tends to wander and ruminate over various subjects. There is really no rhyme or reason as to what my mind decides to "chew on" or how long it decides to stay on that particular topic. Here are a few such subjects.

THE CHURCH: What is the "church?" Is it a building? Is it a social club? Is it a place where perfect, holy people meet together periodically? Does one join the church? How do they join? 
     I believe that the Bible teaches that the church that Jesus established is NONE of those things. The church is composed of imperfect, unholy sinners who are trying very hard to change their ways and not sin anymore. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) The church is composed of people who are trying to be obedient to the commands of Jesus, the Christ. (1 John 3:23-24) Also, one does not "join" the church, one is "added" to the church by God. (Acts 2: 41) The church, it seems to me, is a placed where imperfect people are trying to become perfect together by mutual support and encouragement. We will never achieve perfection in this life and we often "run off the rails," but we pick each other up, gently remind and encourage each other to "....continue to run the race set before us!"

CHRISTIANS: What is a Christian? Simply put, a Christian is a follower, a disciple, of Jesus, the Christ. Anyone who has spent any amount of time among "Christians" quickly learned that Christians are not perfect. Ghandi once observed that he liked the Jesus of the Bible, but he did not like Christians. Apparently his experience was with Christians who have not reached a level of behavior consistent with their professed beliefs. The "What you do speaks so loudly that I can't hear what you're saying" thing.
     Christians are really like anybody else...imperfect sinners. How can you tell a true Christian from a false Christian? The same way you tell a good person from a bad person...by their deeds. If a person professes to be a Christian but willingly engages in un-Christian behavior, he is a liar...period. It is just like a person who professes to be a good guy but engages in bad, hurtful behavior. That person is a liar...period.

FREE WILL: When God created man, He created him with "free will." God gave man the free choice to either accept Him and obey Him because he chose to. However, this also opened up the possibility that man would reject God and disobey Him, again, because he freely chose to.
     Question - If a man decided that he wanted to engage in a monumental evil that would hurt or kill hundreds of innocent people and God intervened to stop him. Does that man really have free will? I submit to you that he does not. In my humble opinion, that is why there is so much evil in the world. People are freely choosing to perform acts of evil not caring who they harm because THEY choose to. 
     In my readings and experience, God will never violate a person's free will. It is not because He cannot, it is because He chooses not to. He wants us to love Him because we freely choose to, not because we are forced to.

D-DAY BLOG

Today is D-Day on the A to Z Blog Challenge. It bears no resemblance to that D-Day of June 6, 1944, when the Allied Forces assaulted fortress Europe. It does mean that we pause at the letter "D" as we continue on our journey through Rock and Roll history.

How could I write about Rock and Roll history without talking a little bit about one of the most prolific songwriters that America has ever produced, that is, the iconic Elston Gunn. You don't know who that is? Perhaps you know him as Robert Zimmerman. No? I am talking about Bob Dylan.

Bob Dylan has been writing songs and performing since 1959, that is, 56 years. Bob Dylan's music has influenced more bands and artists too numerous to list. His music has been covered by some of the greats of rock and roll. 

The Byrds covered Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man," and "My Back Pages" to name two. Jimi Hendrix cover of "All Along the Watchtower" is the definitive recording of this Dylan song.

Bod Dylan is a true master of his craft and has made significant contributions to Folk Music, Protest Songs, Rock and Roll, and Jazz and he is still going strong to this date.

My next "D" artist is the British heavy metal band called Def Leppard. These lads come from South Yorkshire, England. They began as many bands did back in the day. Some lads meet in High School and decide to form a band. The play a few gigs. Members leave, new members join until just the right mix of personality and music come together just right. This is essentially the story of Def Leppard.

I first came to like the band when I heard their third album, "Pyromania." They had an interesting way of using two lead guitars in their arrangements. Their music was good, hard charging Rock and Roll. Their fourth album "Hysteria" became a classic as did Pyromania.

One event in the band's history that cemented me as a fan is that their drummer, Rick Allen, lost his left arm in a car accident. Most bands would have sent him packing. Not Def Leppard! They found a way that Elliot could still drum using both legs and his remaining arm thereby staying in the band. You seldom see such loyalty among people.

There have been more personnel changes in Def Leppard through the years but they are still rocking as is their original drummer Rick Elliot. Rock On!

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER HODGEPODGE! WOOF!

     It is the latter part of July here in New Hampshire. The weather goes from hot and humid to less hot and dry. My preference is for less hot and dry. SWMBO on the other hand is a hot and humid fan. In any event being Wednesday it is time for another issue of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. I hope you enjoy this edition!

1. When I look at the sky I feel________________________________________.
     Awe! One of my favorite things to do is to look up at the sky on a cloudless night and watch the star filled sky. Sometimes I get rewarded by seeing a meteor streak across the sky. It is an awesome sight to see so many stars and to ponder their distance away from earth and that what we see is a very small portion of a vast universe filled with galaxies and planetary systems. Awesome!

2. If you had to run for political office, which one would you run for? Do you have any real desire to actually do this?
     I cannot run for political office because my parents were married! If I had to run for political office I thinks I would run for the U.S. Senate. I believe that I could be more effective being 1 in a 100 than being 1 in 435. No, I do not have ANY desire to run for public office. I have never been a fan of being in the spotlight public office requires.

3. What scent makes you think of home?
     The smell of onions cooking always reminds me of home. I love onions, whether raw or cooked, and we use a fair amount of onions in our casseroles and other meals. This is a practice/tradition handed down by my maternal grandmother.

4. How often do you take a step back to think about where you're headed in life? Do you need more or less self-reflection?
     I would have to say...periodically. Usually it is provoked by a news story, family tragedy or celebration such as Funerals, Weddings, Births, Retirements, etc. Sometimes I when I'm someplace quiet, I reflect on where I've been and ponder what the future holds. Campfires often provoke such ruminating.

5. July is National Ice Cream Month...besides a cone, what's your favorite food item to top with ice cream?
     My preference is ice cream alone in a cone, a sundae or banana split. Why spoil good ice cream with other food stuff? If I must choose I suppose I'd go with the conventional Apple Pie A La Mode. 

6. What might your autobiography be called?
     "YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE CRAZY!" ...but it certainly helps!

7. Your least favorite mode of transportation? Why?
     The foot train is my least favorite mode of transportation because of severely depleted knee cartilage in both knees. My next least favorite mode of transpiration would be hot air balloon. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
     I have been thinking a lot lately on the subject of "Truth." Specifically that truth matters! I think about past scandals and how they were made worse by the people involved not telling the truth, even when placed under oath and their swearing to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
     These scandals involve both Republican and Democrat Administrations. Just off the top of my head: the Watergate Scandal, Iran-Contra, Monica Lewinsky, Tawana Brawley, Benghazi, IRS, etc. 
     There is a cliche that arose out of the Watergate scandal that says "It's not the overt acts, but the cover up that does people in." I believe that the act is damning enough. The cover up just exacerbates the overt acts.
     We the people are being lied to by our elected officials at ALL levels of government. It seems to me that the higher you go in government the more outrageous and damaging the lie. Case in point is the Affordable Care Act. This piece of legislation was passed based upon lies. It has been a disaster and the pain and suffering that it has and will continue to cause to We the People remains to be seen but it will be dire.
     One of New Hampshire's greatest statesman, Daniel Webster said "There is nothing so powerful as truth." To paraphrase an old saw from the 60's I say "POWER TO THE PEOPLE!" In the upcoming elections I urge all Americans to think long and hard before voting to re-elect ANY incumbent office holder.

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER HODGEPODGE

     This week we are in the so called dog days of summer. We are predicted to have temperatures in the high 80's to low 90's. SWMBO is going to love it, the rest of us are goig to be miserably hot. However, it is never too hot to participate in the weekly Hodgepodge. So, here goes...

1. What's your worst food memory?  How about one of your best?
     My worse food memory is my mother in law's "Indian Pudding" massacre that put me in the hospital for food poisoning. It still hurts to think about it. 
     One of my best food memories happened on a deer hunting trip years ago. My best friend and hunting buddy, and I, went to a restaurant for supper after a long day of hunting. I had prime rib, garlic mashed potatoes and steamed veggies. The prime rib was the best I have ever had. That prime rib is the one by which I judge all others. By the way, I had pecan pie for dessert. That was the perfect meal!

2. Do you appreciate people telling it like it is, or would you rather a speaker temper his/her words and maybe beat around the bush a little?  How about when you're the one communicating...which type are you? 
     I prefer people telling it like it is, preferably seasoned with a little tact. I'll take it straight but a little tact goes a long way. I think that I'm pretty direct and straight forward. You'd have to ask people that know me to be sure. I try to be frank while at the same time being kind and respectful. Jesus is a perfect example of what I mean. I try to imitate Him.

3. What's your favorite place to hang out?
     Home! SWMBO works very hard to make our home the kind of place you love coming back to. As lacking in imagination and as unexciting as it may sound...it's the truth. I also love going to a restaurant with SWMBO and sharing a meal and a conversation.

4. When do you most feel like you're a slave to time?
     I most feel like a slave to time when I am sound asleep and SWMBO gently shakes my foot a 6:30 a.m. to wake me up to drive her to work. Other than that, I don't feel beholding to the clock!

5. What was the last concert you attended?  Who'd you go with? Was it any good?
     SWMBO and I went to see Kenny Rogers and Tanya Tucker in downtown Manchester, NH. She was a dedicated Kenny Rogers fan and I surprised her with tickets to go see him. It was a really good performance. We both had a great time.

6. Reality TV...harmful or harmless?  What's your guilty pleasure when it comes to reality TV?
     Some are harmless, some are harmful. I think "Toddlers & Tiara's," "Real Housewives of __________," and similar shows are harmful. Conversely, I think "Duck Dynasty," and similar wholesome reality shows are harmless.

7. What's something you think is overrated?
     I think that Professional Sports are overrated. It costs a small fortune for a family to be able to attend a professional sporting event and it really is not worth the huge expense. Also, some professional athletes are overrated, A-Rod, Albert Pujols, and LeBron James come to mind.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

      I  read a news story today about three teenage boys in Oklahoma who shot a visiting Australian baseball player in the back, killing him.  The boys said that the reason why they murdered this Australian young man is because they were bored and they wanted to kill someone to break up the tedium. 
     It turns out that these same three boys are part of a larger group of teenage boys. Different boys from this larger group committed a series of armed robberies. It seems that they wanted to embrace the "Gangsta" lifestyle.
     We live in a fallen world. Young men who are too young to shave apparently are not too young to take a life or to terrorize a community by acting like predators.
     When I was a child I was taught that you cannot put a value on human life. Since then millions of innocent lives have been snuffed out in the womb. I was also taught that I must respect my elders, particularly senior citizens. Now, there are states where assisted suicide is  legal and in some cases encouraged.
     I believe that we ought to cherish human life at all stages of that life. Failing to do so diminishes us as a society and as a culture. All human life is a sacred gift and must be treated as such. We will be held to account if we do not! That is why I am pro-life...PERIOD!!!
      

MEMORIAL DAY HODGEPODGE!

     Our friend Joyce who publishes the blog "From This Side of the Pond" has come up with some real doozy questions for this week's Hodgepodge. Join in on the fun and answer the questions for yourself. Let us peek behind that curtain and get a glimpse at who you really are.

1. What question do you often ask yourself?

     When I read the paper about the girls who were kidnapped and held for ten years in a small basement I ask myself "How can a person become so depraved that kidnapping three girls and holding them as his personal harem for ten years seems like a good idea?"

     I have asked the same question when I read about other horrific acts perpetrated upon some innocent person by another depraved individual. God help us!

2. Do you grow roses? What's your favorite color of rose?  Ever been given a dozen roses?  Where was the prettiest rose or rose garden you remember seeing?

     Of all this week's questions, this is the easiest to answer. I do not grow roses. I do not have a favorite rose color. I have never received a dozen roses, nor do I want to. If I saw an aesthetically pleasing rose garden I do not remember. Flowers are not something that's on my radar screen.

3. Do you read the freshness dates on grocery store products?  Will you use eggs past their 'use by' date?  Take medication that's expired? Buy a dented can?

     I always check the freshness date of dairy products, specifically milk and cream. I never knew that eggs had a "use by" date, so I may have used eggs past that date. I would not take prescription medication past their use by date. I may take aspirin or some other over-the-counter medication past their expiration date. I don't buy dented cans if I can help it.

4. Should athletes be role models?

     For me the question is not "Should" they be role models. The fact of the matter is, whether they acknowledge it or not, athletes are role models, especially at the professional level. Therefore, the question becomes what kind of role model are they? Do they exemplify and model playing by the rules and good sportsmanship? When they are off the field, or court, or ice, or whatever...do they conduct themselves in an exemplary manner, displaying courtesy and respect to those with whom they interact? 

      Athletes are role models and it is entirely up to them whether they are "good" or "poor" role models.

5. Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal became the first explorers to reach the top of Mt. Everest on this date (May 29) back in 1953. What's something you hope to achieve in your lifetime?

     The short answer to this question is "I don't know." I wanted to be a good father and from most accounts I seem to have been one, and continue to be. I want to be a great husband to my beloved SWMBO. I think I'm pretty good now, but she so deserves, and I strive to be, a GREAT husband. I want to be a great Christian. Not the self-righteous, holier than though, look down your nose, Bible thumping stereotype of Christian but rather the kind of Christian that God created me to be. The kind of Christian God intends a Christian to be.

6. What would you do if you had twenty acres of land and the money to develop it any way you choose?

     Wow! Another great question! One idea would be I'd probably develop only three acres. I would have an energy self-sufficient, "off-the-grid" log cabin with "on-the-grid" back-up. The other seventeen acres would be kept as natural as possible. I would selectively harvest wood to heat my house from the wooded seventeen acres.

     Another idea would be to subdivide the lot and construct houses for SWMBO and my children and grandchildren. I'd keep as much of the lot natural for recreation and other purposes. I think it would be great to live next to our children and grandchildren and to provide them a safe refuge from the world.

7. If I invite you to a party with a 7 PM start time, what time will I actually see you there?

     If I was invited to a party that started at 7:00 P.M., I would arrive sometime between 7:15 and 7:30 P.M.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

     There seems to be some confusion about "Memorial Day." Many of my fellow citizens seem to think that this day is set aside to honor ALL who have served in the U.S. military. The fact of the matter is that Memorial Day is a holiday established to honor the memory of those who served in the U.S. military AND gave their life in the defense of our great Republic. The following is what I posted as my "STATUS" on Facebook yesterday:

    " In every generation since the founding of this Nation, special men and women have stepped up to give their full measure of devotion, they gave their lives to preserve the God given blessings of liberty for the rest of us. Today we honor their memory! Today we honor their families! Today we say a prayer of thanksgiving to the God who endowed us with that liberty and blessed us with the lives and examples of these very fine Americans! Thank you, Lord! May God continue to bless America!"

HUMP DAY, AKA WEDNESDAY, HODGEPODGE! ! !

     Another Wednesday, another Hodgepodge! Please, join in on the fun! You won't be sorry that you did!

1. When the children of today grow up, what do you think they'll say about this period in time? What do you most hope they remember?
    Well, when they are grown and after the great electro-magnetic pulse from a huge solar flare will have hit the earth and knocked out everything electronic and electric, they will say "I remember when we had enough electricity to power a gazillion personal gadgets. Oh, by the way, throw another log on the fire...your mother's getting cold!"

2. National Teacher's Day is celebrated in the US of A on the first Tuesday in May, this year May 7th...share how a particular teacher positively impacted you.
     I had two teachers who made a positive impact. I had a Latin II teacher who instilled in me a love of language, Roman culture and history. We read Julius Caesar's commentary on the gallic war...great stuff. 
     The other, was my American History teacher in my Junior year in High School. He emphasised critical thinking and looking beyond the pages to try to discern what motivated people to act as they did and what really happened and how it affected us as a nation! I have loved American History ever since.

3. What's a dish your mama made, that if set in front of you today would whisk you right back to childhood?                                                                      
     Chinese Pie always makes me nostalgic for those halcyon days of my youth! Mom made a great Chinese Pie!

4. Mother May I was a game we played when I was growing up...no pieces, parts, or plugs required. What games from childhood do you remember loving that were also pieces, parts, and plug-free?
     Hide-and-Seek! We would run through back yards, jump over picket fences, climb tree's and hide atop roofs. It was great fun, especially after dark!

5. Besides your own mother, tell us about a woman who influenced you as a child?
     My maternal grandmother, my beloved memere! She was a devout Catholic, help mold my character and spoiled me to the consternation of my older brother and sister. She was a good, saintly, woman. She was a wonderful woman!

6. Mamma Mia! What's the best play or musical you've ever seen?
     SWMBO, our kids and I went to see the Phantom of the Opera. We fell in love with the music. We also saw the Les Mis movie recently and were equally moved.

7. What are three smells that make you feel nostalgic?
     (1) The smell of onions cooking, whether with a pot roast or hamburg being saute'd; (2) The smell of fresh popcorn and melted butter; (3) The smells associated with a carnival, Cotton Candy, Candy and Caramel Apples, Hamburgs and Hot Dogs cooking on a grill. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
     I don't understand how people can come to the point where the idea of kidnapping three girls and holding them against their will for ten years gets to point where it sound like a good idea. I have been following the revelations about the three girls in Cleveland, OH, who were kidnapped and kept in a boarded up house a few miles from where they were kidnapped. 
     I shudder to think of the evils that they were subjected to over the years and how they are going to come to terms with what happened and resume some semblance of a normal life. How do you give back the time or the person-hood that they had robbed from them? 
     I pray God's blessings upon these young ladies and their families as they begin their new lives together.
     I further hope that the peices of human flotsam that perpetrated these acts gets everything that they have coming to them!

IS NOTHING TABOO, PART II

     Abortion is wrong! In case anyone has any doubt as to what I believe, the foregoing three words ought to clearly convey what my belief is in regards to the taking of the life of the unborn. I believe that human life begins at conception...period!

     Having said that, however, you may recall that in Part I of this topic I stated that there were compelling arguments to be made on this issue, particularly in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother. I don't necessarily agree with those arguments, but I do find them compelling.

     When it comes to late term and partial birth abortions those same arguments in the case of rape or incest lose their compelling nature and, in my humble view, no longer are valid and no longer justify the killing of the unborn. 
     There might possibly be some compelling value to the argument, I suppose, in some cases where the life of the mother is in real jeopardy. However, I believe that these cases are rare and therefore do not serve to justify the current practices. Again, just because the argument is compelling does not mean that I necessarily agree with them.
     I say again that late tern and Partial birth abortion is wrong. In support thereof I respectfully submit...

    Exhibit #1 is Kermit Gosnell

     I will not dignify this contemptible human being by calling him "doctor." This man is reportedly responsible for the killing of hundreds, Yes I mean to say HUNDREDS, of babies AFTER they had been born alive! For over three decades this man has become wealthy by slaughtering human babies at all stages of fetal development. Not to mention the many women who were seriously injured by this butcher. Where is the outrage?

     In contrast, Michael Vick, the professional football player convicted for running a dog fighting operation, was excoriated ad nauseum by the "Main Stream Media" for weeks, if not months. Vick was soundly condemned for the barbarity of his so-called money making hobby. 
     After Mr. Vick served his prison time, was released and rehabilitated himself, word got out that he was thinking of getting a dog for a pet. Again there was a tremendous hue and cry in the media and in the blogosphere and on social media expressing outrage that Vick would have the temerity to get a dog.

     Where is the outrage about the Gosnell case? Is it worse to kill dogs in a barbaric way than it is to kill human babies in a barbaric way? Judging by the silence in the "Main Stream Media" it would appear so.

     Fox News did an hour long special on the Gosnell case. It was more terrifying than any horror movie that's ever been released. Only, this horror movie is real! I commend this news special to you if you want to learn what Gosnell is accused of doing and the evidence that proves it.

     Exhibit #2 is Lila Rose, "Live Action"

     If you think that the Gosnell case is an anomaly, you would be wrong, Lila Rose is a pro life activist who has gone undercover and recorded what is really going on in Planned Parenthood offices around the country and most recently an expose on the "Late term Abortion Industry."
     Miss Rose has shown that Gosnell is by no means unique when it comes to killing babies. Her film is called "INHUMAN" and depicts what is actually going on in America's "Late Term Abortion Industry." Did you even know that there is a Late Term Abortion Industry? I did not!

     Pro abortion supporters often assert that abortion should be freely available, safe and rare. Well, abortion is NOT RARE! NOT SAFE! Judging from the Gosnell case and Miss Roses expose, late term abortion IS NOT RARE! NOT SAFE!

     Where is the outrage? IS NOTHING TABOO, ANYMORE? 

IS NOTHING TABOO?

     Is there nothing that is Taboo anymore? Is there nothing that we as a society won't condemn as clearly wrong? 

     Recently a federal judge ordered that the "Plan B" pill be available over the counter without a prescription for girls 15 years old and older. Now if this judge's order stands, a girl will be able to go into any drug store and buy and ingest this abortifacient drug without parental notification or consent.

    Personally, I have some problems with the judges order. First, the age whereby a female can legally consent to engage in sexual intercourse is no less than 16 years old in any state in these United States. If a girl is having sex at 15 years old and the partner is older than 17 years old a felony crime has been committed...it's called "Statutory Rape."
     Secondly, if a 15 year old girl is the victim of incest and becomes impregnated, the perpetrator can cover up his crime by administering Plan B.
     Thirdly, parents are once again being cut out of the loop. A school cannot give a child an aspirin without parental consent. Now, a drug store can give a child a powerful drug without parental consent. Does that make sense to anyone?
     Fourth, there is no requirement that a child must see a medical professional. Does it make sense to give this serious drug to a child without a prescription if everyone else has to show a driver's license to by decongestant pills or alcoholic beverages or cigarettes? 

     No 15 year old child, male or female, should be engaging in intimate sexual contact. If a 15 year old is engaging in intercourse they are probably a victim of incest, or statutory rape, or as a minimum, child abuse! THIS IS SO WRONG!!!

     Another issue that has me amped up somewhat is the issue of abortion. I am pro life...period! Now I know I'm sticking my head in the lion's mouth, so to speak. Having said that, I acknowledge that there are compelling arguments on both sides of this issue with one glaring exception.

     Pro Abortion and Pro Choice people argue that abortion should be available in cases of rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother. Like I said, there are compelling arguments to be made to support that position. 

    However, there are no such compelling arguments to justify the practice of "Partial Birth" abortion. Partial Birth abortion is infanticide, pure and simple. When a child is delivered out of the mother and is viable, there is no compelling reason that justifies terminating that child's life...period.

     Thomas Jefferson asserted in the Declaration of Independence that certain truths were "self evident." One of those truths asserted by Mr. Jefferson is that we are ALL endowed by our Creator, that is, God, with inalienable rights and that among these rights is life!
     We have been endowed by God with the right to life. That means that it is wrong for anyone to deprive a person of their God-given right to life. This means that that partially born child has an inalienable right, endowed to him by God, to life!

     Finally, there is a doctor on trial in Philadelphia for murdering babies. This butcher is responsible for the deaths of countless babies and not just a few women.  This man is beyond contempt!

     So I ask you again, is there nothing that is taboo? I assure you that there is!

IN GOD'S DEFENSE...

     NOTICE: Before I get into my blog post for today I wanted to point out a small change to this blog's title. You will now see that the title of this blog is "Life SPR." I changed the "W" in the title to an "R". The reason being is that I am no longer working (The "W") but am now retired, hence the change to the "R". Now on to today's posting.

GIVE GOD A BREAK!

     Anybody who has read this blog for any length of time or have perused my profile will no doubt know that I have a devout faith in the God of the Bible. I believe that God is who, AND what, the Bible clearly proclaims Him to be. However, there are time when God cannot get an even break.

     Whenever something really terrible happens that results in loss of life, particularly innocent life, like the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School; the Aurora, Colorado Movie Theater Shooting; The Fort Hood shooting, etc; people are quick to hurl accusations against God, accusing Him of all manner of things or complaining that He is falling down on the job or that He simply does not care. They are in effect blaming Him for the incident as if He was the one who perpetrated these acts.

     At the risk of appearing to be arrogant, I propose to offer some information in God's defense. I assure you that God is perfectly capable of defending Himself and does not need anyone, particularly me, to defend Him. Furthermore, God most certainly HAS NOT specifically commissioned me to speak on His behalf. I do so of my own volition.

     When God created humans, He created them with free will. The Bible teaches us that God desires to have a loving relationship with all persons. God desires that we, by the free exercise of our free will, choose to respond to His infinite love for us by loving Him in return.
     God took a great risk when He endowed all of us with free will. He created the possibility that some of us would exercise our free will and respond favorably to His love and out of appreciation for that love, would become obedient to Him and conduct ourselves as He would like us to do. 
     The other possibility was that others would exercise their free will and completely reject Him and the love that He so freely offers and would conduct themselves as they saw fit, often contrary to how God would prefer that they do.

     Here's the question "If our will to act is truly free AND if every time we sought to exercise that will by doing something that was harmful to ourselves or others AND before we could consummate that act God stepped in and stopped us, is our will really free?
I respectfully submit that under these circumstances it is not.

     If you decide, for whatever reason, to go out and drink yourself into a stupor and then you decide to get behind the steering wheel of your car and you crash into another car killing an entire family, Who killed that family, you or God?
    If somebody else decides, for whatever reason, to get a rifle and a bunch of loaded magazines and walk into a shopping mall and then open fire, killing a large number of people, Who killed those people, that "somebody else" or God? 

     God does not take pleasure in the suffering of anyone, whether they be "good" or "bad." The reason why there is suffering in the world is a little three-letter word..."SIN." Sin came into the world when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and partake of the forbidden fruit. 
     Again, was it God who sinned or was it Adam and Eve who, through the exercise of their own free will, who sinned?
     God cannot commit evil! Evil runs completely contrary to God's nature. Holding God responsible for the actions of others, no matter how horrific those acts may be, is grossly unfair and unjust to God. 
     So I respectfully submit that the blame for these awful acts rests with those people who freely chose, by an act of their free will, to commit them.

     I strongly urge you to really get to know the God of the Bible. He is truly good! 
     You will spend eternity somewhere. Please choose to spend it with God and not eternally separated from Him. Please ask me if you want to know how you can make that choice. Come worship with us at the Manchester church of Christ this Sunday!

    God bless all of you!

    

LEGALLY BINDING?

     Are the words "Legally Binding" an anachronism in today's world? Is any contract or agreement binding anymore? I wonder!
     Consider professional athletes. You often hear of an athlete who beats all the odds and signs a multiple year professional sports contract. After one year, they decide that they are being underpaid. They next demand to renegotiate the terms of their contract demanding more money. To press their case they refuse to honor the terms of their initial contract and they stop working.
     A recent example of this comes from the New York Jets professional football team. By way of full disclosure I am not a fan of the NY Jets. I'm a New England Patriots fan, and proud of it!
     Jarelle Revis, a cornerback, played his rookie season. His performance was outstanding and showed him to be one of the best players to play that particular position. People lavishly heaped praise on his abilities, from his head coach to other players and coaches, to sports reporters. Come the next season, Revis refused to report to training camp until the Jets gave him a new contract with vastly more money.
     Consider the state of marriage in America today. Experts say that one out of every two marriages end in divorce. When people marry they make a solemn vow before God, family and friends to love, honor and cherish each other, forsaking all others until death do they part. Doesn't their vow really mean anything? What happens to cause them to abrogate their vows?
     I concede that some marriages are ended legitimately where one of the partners commits adultery, or becomes abusive towards the other partner. However, a vast majority of the marriages end for much less serious reasons. Again, do vows mean anything anymore?
     A final example comes to us from Brigham Young University. BYU students must read and sign a statement of understanding regarding standards of personal conduct. Violation of the standards is grounds for suspension or expulsion from school. A star athlete engaged in pre-marital sex with his girlfriend. The act was consensual between the two parties and no allegation of criminality is even suggested. However, the act constituted a violation of the standards of personal conduct and the athlete was kicked out of school.
     In response, a great hue and cry arose condemning BYU for enforcing their standards. No one forced the student athlete to attend BYU. He could have chosen to go to another college with a less stringent code of conduct. However, he freely chose to attend BYU and freely agreed to conform his personal conduct to the standards set forth by the school.
     There was a time when a handshake was a binding contract. How far we have fallen from that standard!
     What do you think? Am I wrong?