Extremism

Extremism is defined by wikipedia as"a term used to describe the actions or ideologies of individuals or groups outside the perceived political center of a society; or otherwise claimed to violate common moral standards."

Everyone from President Bush (in the days immediately following 9/11), to the imam behind the World Trade Center mosque/cultural center, have told us our problem is not with Islam, but with Islamic extremists. Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf expanded the problem when he explained it, saying that extremists from all religions are the problem, and religious moderates just need to come together.

But labeling "extremism" as the problem is a slippery slope. Our society speaks of common moral standards, but rejects the idea that there is a knowable, reasonable and ultimately true ethical norm that we should look to in forming our morality. Morality is what a society actually does; ethics is what a society should do, and with our loving embrace of post-modernism our society essentially turns to its own morality for its morality. If you think this sounds like nonsense, it is; it is a logical absurdity to say that nothing is absolutely true ethically.

The real problem is, if we have nothing to look at but our own morality, and we reject all ethical norms, then anyone who even suggests there is an ethical norm can now be labeled as an extremist. If in church I preach the final authority of the Bible, I am a religious extremist. If in government I preach the authority of the Constitution as it written by the Founders, I am a political extremist. And since we have labeled extremism the problem, I am only safe so long as I never stand up for anything and say "this is truth; we should do this for this reason."

This really defines much of our lives as Americans. We have become a nation where our highest virtue is expressed in the phrase "live and let live." Very few are threatened by Christianity, if all we make it as the church is a feel-good social experience we have on Sunday (Wednesday is also largely permissible). But if we dare to say "as we study Creation we hear the spoken Word of God; here in the Bible we read the written Word of God; here in the person of Jesus Christ we see the incarnate Word of God," we have committed that gravest of cultural sins, extremism. We have said that something is absolutely true - and in a nation of people striving to be seen as caring, knowing and tolerant, we find that this rigid stance on our part cannot be tolerated.

And isn't that intolerance, in the end, just a tad bit extreme?

National Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer

On April 30, 1863, the country observed a National Day of Fasting and Prayer. It is interesting, as one studies the Civil War (1861-1865), that prior to this date the War went very badly for the Federal government. From April 30th to May 6th, 1863, the Battle of Chancellorsville was fought and won by the Confederacy: their last significant victory of the war, and in which their most impressive offensive general, Stonewall Jackson, was killed by friendly fire in the darkness. Less than 3 months after this proclamation, the Union won the Battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg, sealing the eventual doom of the South as an independent nation. The struggle continued on until April of 1865, but any hope of victory for the Confederacy was gone.

I confess I do not know how moments such as these are taught from a 'secular' perspective in our schools, but I wonder how one can study the events of our nation's past and not see the providential hand of God working within our nation's history. Perhaps this is the first time you have heard of this particular proclamation. Take a moment and read it. Far from being ancient history, there is much here that is deeply relevant to our modern age.

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

Whereas, the Senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the Supreme Authority and just Government of Almighty God, in all the affairs of men and of nations, has, by a resolution, requested the President to designate and set apart a day for National prayer and humiliation.

And whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.

And, insomuch as we know that, by His divine law, nations like individuals are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war, which now desolates the land, may be but a punishment, inflicted upon us, for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole People? We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!

It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.

Now, therefore, in compliance with the request, and fully concurring in the views of the Senate, I do, by this my proclamation, designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th. day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer. And I do hereby request all the People to abstain, on that day, from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of public worship and their respective homes, in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion.

All this being done, in sincerity and truth, let us then rest humbly in the hope authorized by the Divine teachings, that the united cry of the Nation will be heard on high, and answered with blessings, no less than the pardon of our national sins, and the restoration of our now divided and suffering Country, to its former happy condition of unity and peace.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty seventh.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln
William H. Seward, Secretary of State.

Politics - Defined

politics (1828 Webster's Dictionary)

POL'ITICS, n. The science of government; that part of ethics which consists in the regulation and government of a nation or state, for the preservation of its safety, peace and prosperity; comprehending the defense of its existence and rights against foreign control or conquest, the augmentation of its strength and resources, and the protection of its citizens in their rights, with the preservation and improvement of their morals. Politics, as a science or an art, is a subject of vast extent and importance.

politics (current Merriam-Webster's Dictionary)

Function: noun plural but singular or plural in construction
1 a : the art or science of government b : the art or science concerned with guiding or influencing governmental policy c : the art or science concerned with winning and holding control over a government
2 : political actions, practices, or policies
3 a : political affairs or business; especially : competition between competing interest groups or individuals for power and leadership (as in a government) b : political life especially as a principal activity or profession c : political activities characterized by artful and often dishonest practices
4 : the political opinions or sympathies of a person
5 a : the total complex of relations between people living in society b : relations or conduct in a particular area of experience especially as seen or dealt with from a political point of view

I felt the need to post this as the culture war heats up moving toward the elections later this year. The first definition came out of a culture seeking truth; the second, out of a culture moving ever closer to a belief that nothing is true. It should not surprise us that the first is an accurate description of God's design within government, and the second removes all mention of Him (or morality/ethics).

As Christians, it is critical that we remember Biblical principles: Barack Obama is not the President merely because he received a majority of the popular vote and enough electoral college votes: he is the President of the United States because God ordained that he be so (Romans 13:1).

While many of us disagree with him on his policies, we are called upon to both submit to his authority and to honor him (Romans 13:2-7, I Peter 2:13-17). This goes beyond just not saying something bad - we must honor him. To be direct: stop the rude jokes, the altered pictures, the crass stories, the twisted Bible verses, and the general hatred. But that is only the beginning: we must pray for him, upholding him before the True Sovereign who rules over all kings. And beyond President Obama, this goes for how we should treat anyone on the "other side of the aisle."

What should our goal be in politics, or any other area of life? Whatever we do, we must do it to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Tell me - if you can - how mockery of our leadership (or those we disagree with) brings glory to God? How does our typical political discourse lead anyone to knowledge of the Truth we claim?

So, as political discussion intensifies, I dare you to be different. I challenge you, fellow Christian, to be humble. Authority in this world is given at the discretion of God alone, whom we claim to serve, and we must humble ourselves to submission. Our nation needs us now more than ever, but not just to point out problem with the current administration or an opposing view. We need to be able to point our fellow citizens back to the foundation stone of our nation. And this is not merely the Constitution, but something far greater. Consider once again 2 Timothy 2:24-26...

"And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will."

Merry Christmas! or...

Yeah, I shamelessly stole this off the Internet to post here, and yeah, its been around the block a few times. But I still think its funny, and its my blog after all...

To My Liberal Friends:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2010, but not without due respect for the calendars of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country, nor is it the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference.

To My Conservative Friends:

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in 2010 (Anno Domini)!

A Final Solution for Global Warming

A Final Solution for Global Warming

The time has come to pull out all the stops; climate change has become an issue too large to ignore. The crisis is dire, and the very survival of the planet is at stake. With this in mind, I lay out my plan for solving this terrible problem.

Step 1: Justice for the Planet is Justice for Everyone

It is an indisputable fact that global warming has a far greater negative impact on women and minorities than it does on white men. In addition, most of the worst contributors to greenhouse gases - machines such automobiles, power plants, or people that exhale - are a direct result of the reprehensible inventive and reproductive behavior of white men. I therefore propose the immediate liquidation of the male Caucasian population, beginning with those in America and Europe, who also form the dominant and repressive majority within these cultures. This particular solution has many additional social benefits, but the primary and immediate effect will be a reduction in the consumption and use of goods which add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. New fields, forests and even rain forests can then be fertilized with this new abundant resource, finally allowing us to restore balance to our fragile ecosystems. With this primary consumer base eliminated, damaged ecosystems (such as rain forests) will have a chance to recover, as they no longer need be plowed under to allow for the destructive expansion of industry.

Step 2: Reproductive Choice is the Only Choice

We must thank the great nation of China for their valuable contributions to the world in reducing greenhouse gases through their revolutionary social policies, and we must learn to follow their example. Abortion as a fundamental human right is, of course, a given; but we must move forward the idea of mandatory abortion. More than 1 child per household means additional population growth, and population growth is crucial to manage if we are to save this planet. 2.2 live births per female allows for a population to maintain it's size. We must get this number down to 1.0-1.2 as quickly as possible (currently much of Europe, and legal population of America, stand at 1.6 or less). The next step is twofold, after the elimination of white males. First, the entire world must adopt a policy of 'one child per family.' Second, those who we have already identified as potential domestic terrorists here in America (that is, those who consider themselves to be 'pro-life') should immediately follow white males as the next to be liquidated. Someday we might have the courage as a race to embrace the third step, that of widespread sterilization, but we must allow for some time for the various cultures of the world to adapt and embrace change. We can lay the groundwork for this new idea in Step 3.

Step 3: Freedom from Destructive Social Institutions

In addition to mandating '1 child' policies among heterosexual couples, we must continue to ensure that the maximum number of children possible are educated in the government education centers. This has the advantage of giving governments one unified voice in reaching these children with the critical truths they need to hear. We must also continue the advancement of homosexual culture in these centers. Replacement of the restrictive social institution known as 'the traditional family' with that of 'the modern family' has several benefits in the fight against climate change. First and most directly, homosexual couples do not produce children, so by definition each of these modern family units will produce lower levels of greenhouse gases. Second, in replacing the traditional family as the basic social unit, we reduce the influence of certain destructive belief systems (as taught by parents) upon the individual. To a large extent this has been accomplished, as most parents seek to have the government educate their children; but many - particularly in America - are not being reached. Many of these even question the necessity of our efforts, and such questioning endangers all of us in the long term.

Step 4: Acknowledging the Equality of the Species

Once and for all, this antiquated notion that man is the pinnacle of nature must be put to the rest. Arising from the destructive teachings Judaism and Christianity, this idea that men and women are somehow different from other creatures - as they would say, 'created in the image of God' - is completely antithetical to what our governing philosophy must be if we are to save the planet. What right do we have to this planet that every other creature shouldn't also have? In addition to the sheer barbarity of killing our evolutionary cousins for food (please note the genetic similarities between humans and cows), we waste tremendous natural resources breeding many animals for just this purpose... not to mention the enormous amount of greenhouse gases produced by the extra animals, themselves, grown only to feed us. We must begin to examine endangered species in this critical light: how do one or more human lives compare, when measured against the extinction of entire species? More widespread use of hydroelectric power may indeed save additional human lives, but what of the ecosystems damaged by this intrusion? We must allow natural selection to take its course, and throw off the chains of 'compassion.' Those that cannot feed or care for themselves must face the consequences without intervention, for the good of all. This further reduction in the human population can only serve to improve the plight of our imperiled planet.

In summary, we have already taken several of the crucial first steps towards this Final Solution. We have a widespread understanding among the culture of our enemy truly is: those of industry. We have the means to continue our education of the next generation in knowledge of the truth, and we must work to weaken the influence of those whose ideas are most destructive to the cause. Darwin in his brilliant theory has given us the framework, within the realm of science, to alter the destructive philosophies that have controlled the world for far too long. We must continue to strive forward, workers across the world! We must unite to save this planet.

An Open Letter to President Obama on Health Care Reform

Dear President Obama,


I am writing to ask you specifically to keep your promise. I wholeheartedly agree that a transparent and open government leads to a better society, and that citizens can (and should) contribute to our legislative process.

The issue of our day appears to be health care, and how health care reform should look. A bill will soon come out of the Senate Finance Committee that would appear to save citizens money and reduce the deficit. While I don't like the idea of being forced to have health insurance, and I don't see that the Constitution grants either Congress or the President power over health care, I do believe that additional input and debate would be very helpful to the process.

Let us be candid: those who differ with Democrats - Republicans, some Independents, and other Conservatives - cannot stop the passage of the bill. The Democratic Party at this point in American history can do what it chooses to do because they hold the majority of seats in our elected government. All I can do is ask that you do what you said you would do: maintain that government in an open and transparent manner.

My concern is that the bill out of committee, nicknamed the Baucus Bill, will be heavily amended after committee approval - to the point where what was approved, versus what actually gets voted on in the Senate, are two completely different things. My concern arises from the treatment given to the Stimulus Bill; namely, that an enormous bill which no one could have possibly read before voting on it was passed quickly into law.

Again, I fully acknowledge that you have the power to do what you want to do, and you have been given that power - along with your political party - by the American people, according to proper Constitutional process. To be clear then, here is my request: that the final version of the bill be posted online for a period of at least three (3) weeks prior to a final vote by the House and Senate. I request that any changes from the current draft, which the CBO reviewed, be clearly identified as such in the interest of constructive public dialogue.

Health Care is an enormous and extremely difficult issue that affects every American. I ask simply that this issue be given the careful consideration that it deserves, with proper weight and respect given to the viewpoints of all Americans, regardless of their political or ideological positions.

In addition to voicing my concerns here, I will continue to pray for both you and our lawmakers, as you discuss this important issue. May God grant to each of you His wisdom.


Sincerely,

Charles Baldon, Concerned Citizen

Seeing Red Makes Me See Red

It's very disturbing to me, as an American, that the Empire State building lights would be used in this way. What, exactly, are we honoring? Communist China's stellar record on human rights? Their forced abortions, allowing only 1 child per family? Their oppression of the Christian church, since it preaches a God (and higher authority) other than civil government?

Sadly, perhaps we do have a reason to honor them. The Chinese are some of the biggest investors in our national debt, buying our Treasury bonds in enormous numbers. From a Biblical perspective, what is the relationship between debtor and lender? And so perhaps, we light the building as a vassal honors its Lord.

A quote from the article: "That doesn't seem right." No, IT ISN'T RIGHT! And so goes another small part of our liberty as we pay homage to monstrous tyranny.

Economics 101

Today we'll quickly cover a couple of basic points on wages and taxes:

First, wages. Minimum wage increases are always popular, and only a troll would oppose increasing it, right? But let's look at what actually happens. Raising employee wages increases costs for a company. That company makes a product or performs a service for which they collect a fee. That fee, or price, pays all of their expenses in making the product or performing the service, and it includes the profit the company earns as well. So, when wages have to increase by federal law, does a company a) sacrifice its profit or b) increase the price of its product? And when that price increases (yes, 'b' is the correct answer), what has happened to the buying power of your dollar? The product is not any different than it was, it just now requires more dollars to purchase. So the buying power of each dollar - not just for those who got their wages increased, but for everyone - just decreased, and we call that inflation. So some people are making more money, but the buying power of a dollar just got reduced for every citizen in society.

Second, taxes. "Stick it to the rich guy!" usually translates into higher taxes for both the wealthy and for companies. But can government truly increase the taxes paid by a company? On paper, yes. But in reality, that company has 4 choices when presented by the government with higher taxes: a) sacrifice its profit, b) reduce its other expenses, c) increase its prices, or d) some combination of 'b' and 'c.' For the sake of keeping this simple, we are going to ignore 'd,' but you can see the effects of that choice as we discuss the others. Choice 'a' is as laughable here as it was above (and ultimately, they'll go out of business). Choice 'b' means fewer employees, or fewer benefits for those employees, lower pay, etc. And in choice 'b,' who is truly paying this increase in taxes? Employees, who are individual citizens. Choice 'c' we discussed above - we all, as consumers, end up paying the tax.

So, when you hear about programs - health care, cap and trade, etc. - that propose to give you (or society) a benefit and charge someone else for the cost, remember our 101 class; 'someone else' actually means you.

Have a Yard Sale, Go to Jail!

Behold good intentions running wild in the form of big government! The latest installation in our unfortunately ongoing series has to do with dangerous toys and YOU. Is $200 from a yard sale worth $10,000 in fines? Read here to find out more.

The 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act is a great lesson on unintended consequences, and a great lesson on why less government is generally better government. Unsurprisingly, its original scope has been expanded from new toys to used toys, which means any resaler (and yes, yard saler) of prohibited items can be prosecuted.

Now, will they show up at your yard sale and haul you away? I seriously doubt it. But are you comfortable with the fact that they have the power to do so?

"You Lie!"

I don't consider Joe Wilson a hero, and his comment (yelled during President Obama's speech) was inappropriate. While conservatives might agree with Mr. Wilson and say that Obama was indeed lying, the accuracy of the statement is beside the point. Wilson's behavior was wrong in the timing of his comment, for which he apologized, as he should have done - an apology that the White House accepted.

That being said, this report is much more disturbing. The implication here is that any criticism of a Black President made by anything other than a Black citizen or Congressman is racist. Joe Wilson is White, President Obama is Black, and so Joe Wilson must be either racist himself, or he is assisting racists in their cause. It puts any of us who are not Black in the impossible situation of having to prove a negative; that is, that we are not racist when we criticize President Obama's policies.

Questions to consider: what about when Black people criticize a White President? Or a Chinese person criticizing a Black? What about a Black from one country criticizing someone who is Black but from a different country? Am I racist for saying 'Black' instead of 'African American?' Why is someone not racist for calling me 'White' instead of Scottish American?

There are no end to the questions, and really no answers to be had either, outside of Christ. We (as Christians) can say that judgment on the basis of color is wrong, because we are all of us created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). We can further warn those who would judge the heart that this is not the realm of mankind (1 Samuel 16:7, Revelation 2:23). In other words, we can say that Joe Wilson is wrong, because he broke the rules of Congress. We cannot call Joe Wilson racist because we don't know the workings of his heart. Were we to witness a series of events in addition to this one, then we could begin to see a pattern of behavior that could be accurately labeled (James 2). But instead we see proponents of an ideology - in this specific case, liberals - painting both Joe Wilson and many of the protesters that were in Washington over the holiday weekend with the same broad brush of 'racist.' They are acting in the exact way they accuse Joe Wilson and others of acting, which is a sin (again, James 2).

Let none of us do this ourselves - either in response to this story, or in life. Loving our neighbors and teaching them Truth in gentleness and patience will lead them to Christ (2 Timothy 2:24-26). Hurling insults and labels back and forth - however accurate we think they are - does nothing to advance His Kingdom.

Grace, Truth and Love

I have not posted in a while, having taken some time to reflect on what message God would have me share. I spent some time reading several prominent news sources online (from both CNN and FOX), and examining the comments at the end of the articles. While the content of the articles - in general, stories about government spending and policy - was disturbing, the very saddest part were the comments.

And I am not dividing these comments into camps with labels such as 'conservative' and 'liberal.' If you read nearly anything I have posted here, you know that I am a conservative and a Christian. But in reading these comments from both sides of the aisle, I see a total lack of anything resembling grace or love, with the occasional truth being obliterated by the angry tone of the speaker.

Brothers (and sisters), this is not what we have been called to. Proverbs 3:5-6 and Colossians 2:2-3 explicitly tell us that all wisdom and truth comes from the Lord; why is it we expect wisdom and understanding from those held captive by the empty philosophy of this world? 2 Timothy 2:24-26 explicitly calls us to gentleness and patience as we share the truth with those 'held captive by the devil.' Where is our gentleness and patience? I understand that most of the comments that saddened me came from non-believers, but many came from those identifying themselves as Christians.

So how should this look, when (not if) we disagree with the world on critical issues? I am no paragon of virtue, and I struggle with this like everyone else. I think we should ask ourselves: what are my expectations from this conversation? How do my words reflect Christ? We should disagree firmly, but respectfully. I think the biggest piece that we miss is empathy. This world is held captive - like we were, before Christ - so we need to remember we aren't better than anyone, we are just saved by grace. We did nothing to achieve our salvation; Christ set aside His divine rights to die horribly on a cross. Realizing, then, that our only advantage is Christ within us, it should temper our speech so that God may grant repentance to those with whom we speak (2 Timothy 2:25). Aside from Christ we have nothing to offer.

Grace in All Things, Even Politics

2 Timothy 2:24-26: "The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will." (NASB)

Some of you out there avoid confrontation like the plague. Some of you are more like I am now; a challenge to your principles is a gauntlet thrown down. The eyes narrow, the jaw clenches, and a heat rises inside as you warm to the fight. In our modern, "civilized" age, verbal sparring rarely leads to physical conflict... but the damage of hasty words can far exceed the temporal damage of even a well-aimed punch.

Our call as Christians is clear. We must be ready to answer, but gently. We must correct those who oppose us, but kindly. We must remember the tremendous grace that we have been show by the Sovereign Lord of the universe, and give the smallest part of that grace to those with whom we speak. Note that we are called upon to teach, and to correct; these are not optional for us. Declining to open our mouths because we are afraid shows a lack of faith, and obedience. But when we do speak, we need to remember that we were once deceived, also, and held captive to the Adversary's will.

So how does this all tie in to politics? We have discussed how people use the word "politics" and they really mean worldview. The issues confronting our nation today are nothing less than the ancient battle between Good and Evil, between Truth and Lie, being played out in our culture and our government. We may use the word politics to describe these conversations, but the principles involved run much deeper, to the core of who we are and what we believe. Be ready to teach with gentleness and kindness, and let the Spirit do His work upon the hearts of men.

The End of an Age

The Change has begun to happen so fast, it's hard for a part-time blogger to keep up with. Everyday brings news of changes, and not just superficial changes in policy. These are deep-rooted changes in governing philosophy, designed with permanence in mind. Huge spending bills, government take over of banks, financial institution compensation restrictions, increased worldwide funding for abortion through the UN, embryonic stem cell research, the world tour of apologies by our President, staggering fiscal debts, government and union take over of car makers, cap and trade energy policy, universal health care, tougher fuel economy standards, expanding homosexual marriage, rampant illegal immigration, cracking down on CIA's "illegal" treatment of captured terrorists... forgive me if I have missed something.

It has been 120 days of this Presidency.
1340 days remain in President Obama's first term.
We have 610 days until a more conservative Congress - potentially - could be seated, if the people so choose.

I recently finished re-reading a series on the Fall of Troy, and it led to some reflection on my part. The sack of that city was first described in The Iliad, which has been long debated as being fact or fiction. Either way, we have many other examples of the end of great civilizations in the short history of man upon the Earth. Many a city or state has fallen quickly to the sword through war; but for many of the greatest civilizations, a slow decline marks the end of their culture's Golden Age. Eventually some outside force comes along, and a slight nudge is all that is needed to break the gilded shell of a once-great nation. The shell cracks and the core, being rotten, collapses into dust. The sack of Troy ended the Age of Heroes, and a new age began, for better or for worse.

America has stood for some 233 years as of this writing. Historically, this is a short period of time. But the last 60 years have seen more changes than in the 1000 years before, so given context America has stood through several Ages of this world. We emerged 64 years ago, from the last, terrible World War, as indisputably the most powerful nation on Earth.

But what is the nature of our Power? From what, or where, does it come? Strength of arms? Courage of conviction? A sense of moral superiority? Great wealth? Years of peace and prosperity? Almighty God? Some mix of these factors? These are the questions I devoutly wish every American would seriously consider. Just what is America?

To say "We are America! We have always been great, and we always will be!" is sadly lacking. At some point just 233 years ago, there was no America. It is the height of foolishness to think that we will always be because we are, and yet this is how we now live as a nation. And at some point amidst all this Change, we will no longer be what we once were. What then is our legacy to our children?

The glory of America was once this: that no man is limited by who his father was. The hope we offered the world was a chance to succeed, that hard work could lead to a better life. A better life was never guaranteed, and many died without seeing it, but they died working so that their children could have the chance. And their children saw that same calling as their own, and worked hard themselves.

But we have forgotten our fathers. Freed from the limitations of our family name, we have tragically forgotten our history altogether. Our memories are conveniently limited, for we often remember our rights and often forget our responsibilities. As Americans, we are not free to redefine our country in each new generation, and it is that very fact that grants us liberty. We must remember who we were called to be. Citizens by birth, we must become Americans by choice, and remember what that means. In the issues I mentioned at the beginning of this post, the common thread is the expansion of government into every aspect of life: to nurture us, to educate us, to clothe us, to keep us healthy, to keep us safe.

Is government in America now no more than a surrogate parent, to coddle us in every aspect of our lives?

Perhaps the dream has ended. Perhaps our Age also has scattered in the morning mist, like so many before it. But I am not giving up.

We must teach our children what our nation should be. If you home school, that makes it easier, as you have control over the lessons. In the government (public) schools, the 'education' your child is receiving probably does not conform to your values, if you are reading this. It's an uphill battle there but not impossible. Christian schools can go either way, but even then we cannot allow this responsibility to fall to another. We have to teach our children. We have to teach our friends. We have to ask our families, our communities, the tough questions. We have to talk until our voices are gone, and then speak even louder. It will not be comfortable or convenient. It will not be fun, and at times it will require more than we believe we have in us. But if our legacy to our children is to be more than debt and greed, if we would see this Age continue, if we would see America be the nation God called it to be - it must be done.

A review of Liberty and Tyranny

If you want a very clear, detailed description of how things have gotten to this point in America, read Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levin. He clearly lays out the conflict between Conservative and Statist (or Liberal), explains what has been happening over the last 70 years, and discusses what is happening now. Mr. Levin goes point by point through each aspect of society, explaining both how the Founders envisioned America, and how the Statist has sought to distort this vision. The book can be a little dry - this is not a novel, but more an essay - but it is well worth reading for the excellent information.

So if you decide to read one book on politics this year (or decade), read this one.

Anderson Cooper Should Apologize

Click the title link to read about Anderson Cooper of CNN's comments in regards to the Tea Parties held on April 15th.

I will warn you about googling "teabagging" should you not be familiar with it; it is a crude term to describe a sexual act.

One nice thing about Mr. Cooper's comment is that it shows the objectivity of CNN's programming: namely, that there is none. If you think I am accusing Mr. Cooper unfairly, I would encourage to read (or view) his comments in their original context.

This is not the type of behavior that can be considered acceptable among the mainstream media. And yes, if a "right-wing" personality had made this type of reference in regards to President Obama or Democratic voters, I would be demanding an apology as well. Our discourse must be founded on principle, not personal attacks, or we become just another voice shouting into the wind.

Anderson Cooper should apologize for his comments about the American citizens who went to the Tea Party rallies held independently across our nation. And if you went to one, leave me a comment on your experience - I would love to hear about it.