Be Happy and Healthy

Several scientific statistical studies show that each of the following is true:
1) Generous people are happier than stingy ones.
2) Forgiveness is healthier than holding grudges.
3) Religious people are happier than the non-religious.
4) Prayer is good for your health.
5) American political conservatives are happier than liberals.
6) Evangelical married people have a higher rate of sexual satisfaction than any other major sociological group.
7) Those living separately before marriage have a much lower divorce rate than those who "shacked up" beforehand.

Most of these findings are quite paradoxical. For example, one would think that people who kept their money would be able to spend it on themselves, and that this would lead to more happiness. Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche taught that if we live selfishly, we would evolve--through the survival of the fittest-- into a race of ubbermensch, or supermen. Nietzsche tried to heed his own advice, and he went quite insane in his latter years.

The way to getting any complex thing to work is to look at the owner's manual. The Bible is the owner's manual for human life. Follow it's teachings, and you will be more able to overcome the adversities of life.

P.S. What does #5 have to do with the Bible? Though there are certainly conservatives who violate the other principles, political conservatism is much more in line with the Bible's wisdom than liberalism. I'll write more about that in the future.

How Do We Know That Jesus Rose From The Dead?

It's quite logical to believe in the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth:
1) Nineteen pagan Roman historians referred to him as a contemporary teacher, as did three non-Christian Jewish historians.
2) None of them refuted the fact that he was executed for his teaching.
3) His disciples taught that they saw him rise from the dead.
4) Most of those witnesses were put to death for their teaching. Why would someone die for what they know is a lie?
5) If the Romans or the Jewish leaders had the body of a dead Jesus, they would have displayed it and stopped this "cult" from spreading "lies".
Happy Resurrection Day!

"Uncle" Jeremiah, B.O., & Black Churches

Obama offered a slick speech the other day, trying to recast the hateful-pastor/mentor/"uncle" controversy in the least damaging light. But he immediately turned right around and threw his White grandmother under the bus, calling her "a typical white person" who, because of having been "bred" that way, fears people on the street. Oh, well..it's "just words"...
The problem with huddling together for twenty years with a congregation who thinks just like you is that eventually, you might not know how strange--or even offensive--your thoughts could be to the general public.
The existence of Black churches itself is, in my view, evidence of racism. No more than a very few non-Black churches are shunning Blacks. I've had many Black friends inform me that Black people are much more likely to be racist than Whites.
Admittedly, I've never been in a Black church, but every church I have been in is extremely welcoming to every visitor "of color". I hate the separation, and I think all White Christians agree with me, as do those of other racial backgrounds in non-Black churches.
Why can't we all just get along?

Spitzer Spirals Downward--Lessons for You & Me

A story line that goes back to David and Bathsheba and beyond--powerful male gambles everything on a fling in the hay. Yes, many women are attracted to men in power (even if they look like Mr. Spitzer). But it takes two to tango. "What was he thinking?"--the question that always gets asked.
An acquaintance of mine was describing a recent hunting jaunt: The guys were in an open Jeep, scouting for rabbits. They saw a pair mating in the distance. As they approached, the female broke away from the male's grasp to flee for her life, and the male was also running behind her, but not to flee. He soon tackled her and, uh, picked up where they had left off. This gave the hunters a chance to catch up, and soon both of our furry friends were in a stew.
The moral of the story is that sex drive can drive you off a cliff. It's like a drug or alcohol--you do things you otherwise wouldn't think of doing under it's influence. Most guys wouldn't think of using a prostitute, but adultery is like a plague in America's homes, destroying families everywhere.
These three short chapters in the Biblical Proverbs are a powerful antidote to this influence.

Senator's Surprising Soft Side

I highly recommend this fascinating look at John McCain's other side. The tough, temperamental war hero/senator can demonstrate "extraordinary kindness". Why doesn't this get more attention? Well, in part, it's because he doesn't seem to want it to.
(for you first-time visitors, click on the underlined word above for the link)
J-Mac's prisoner-of-war heroism was great, but that was a long time ago. So was his ditching of his first wife. I'm more concerned with how someone lives now. McCain's temper isn't that big of a deal--Harry Truman supposedly was a hothead. And as far as I've seen, McCain keeps his anger in check while in public (unlike the spouses of the Democrat candidates for President). If McCain has as much compassion, as much capacity to forgive as the Bloomberg article illustrates, he seems that much more like presidential timber to me.