How To Get On The Winning Team

In a previous post, I showed that people who do whatever they want are, by definition, "on the dark side", and I urged my readers to "get on the winning team". But there is so much ignorance about how to do that, and about what a Christian actually is.

Many Americans think that being born in a so-called "Christian country" makes them Christians. Others think that by attending a church that calls itself Christian is good enough, or that by occasionally talking to "the man upstairs" is sufficient. Or trying to follow the Golden Rule or the Ten Commandments.

Jesus was once approached by a wealthy religious man who wanted to know how to enter the Kingdom of God. He bragged that he had been faithful to keep all of God's commandments. Jesus told him that he was still lacking, and he gave the inquirer one very difficult assignment which he didn't even attempt to do. This story illustrates one of the purposes of God's Law--to show us our weakness. The best of us cannot keep the Ten Commandments for one month, let alone keeping the hundreds of commands in the Law for a lifetime. We are all sinners, and we cannot save ourselves from that condition. It's a huge step in the right direction to recognize that. And our sins separate us from a holy, pure, righteous, perfect God. And justice demands that our sins have to be punished.

How then can we be saved from our sins, from this separation, from this punishment? Many years ago, a young lady appeared before a court in California. The judge pronounced a hefty fine as punishment for her humbly confessed infraction of the law. Then he did something unusual for a distinguished jurist--he took off his robe, descended to the woman's side, and handed her enough money to pay the fine. He was her father.

God could have let all of humanity suffer the consequences for our deeds. But because he is so wonderfully merciful, when he saw our desperate condition, that we could not save ourselves, he did something about it. He paid the price we could not pay. God "descended" to Earth, took off his "robe" of glory, lived the perfect life we can't live, and he suffered and died in our place. His pain, our gain. Justice was accomplished, yet mercy was too.

How does one receive this mercy? By faith. Faith in God's ability and willingness to save you. Faith in his guidance and wisdom for your life. Faith in the Heavenly reward he prepares for each one who trusts him. Faith does not earn you anything; it is simply the key that opens up the riches of God's goodness.

For those of you who recognize your need and who want this mercy from God, I suggest that you pray this prayer:

Holy and merciful God, please forgive my many sins. I have not pleased you with my life. I have too often ignored you. I turn from my sin, and I ask for you to forgive me. I ask for your power to live a new life. I thank you for doing this, as you have promised that you would. I pray in the name of Jesus, amen.

This is the start of an amazing adventure! Please, please write to me (jgapinoy@yahoo.com) and tell me about your commitment. It would make me so happy to learn that you put your trust in Jesus Christ.

New Title for jgapinoy: McCain Adviser

When I met Senator John McCain a dozen years ago, I insisted that he should run for President. Though he told me he wouldn't, he did, twice.
I've been saying in my role as commenter for HotAir.com since May that McCain should pick Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his VP nominee. He did.
I'm not normally given to gloating, but when Governor Palin recited one of my favorite quotes today (one that is in the signature of every email I send):

"A ship in the harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are built for."
William Shedd, missionary to Iraq, c. 1910,

then I start to really feel an intimate connection to the campaign.

Seriously, to respond to Palin's critics:
"She's inexperienced."
Palin started a fishing business with her husband in 1989.
She was active in her kids' schools and activities, as a PTA member, then PTA local president, hockey "team mom", and basketball coach.
Palin held elected office in Wasilla, Alaska for five years before Barack Obama started his first term as an Illinios state senator; as a city council member (1992-6), then two terms as mayor (1996-2002). She served as president of the Alaska Council of Mayors.
Palin served as Ethics Commissioner on the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. She quickly gained fame as a whistle-blower and reformer.
Palin was elected Governor in 2006.
Being Vice President of the USA means being prepared for the role of President--an executive position--should the need arise. Palin has more executive experience than Barack Obama and Joe Biden combined. As Commander of the Alaska National Guard, Palin has more military experience than Obama. Since Alaska is in between two important countries, she has some international-relations experience. For example, Palin recently negotiated a pipeline deal with Canada.
"She's got a special-needs child."
This is pathetic. The child's father can do much of the parenting. Mommy being the Vice President will certainly not limit the Palins' access to whatever little Trig needs.
"Troopergate."
Palin fired the commissioner of public safety, Walt Monegan, because he refused to fire a state trooper, Mike Wooten, who happens to be the estranged husband of Palin's sister. Is Palin going after an innocent cop to avenge her sibling? Hardly. Wooten drank alcohol while in his patrol car, tased his stepson, shot a moose illegally, and threatened to kill his father-in-law. A state trooper should be fired for any one of these offenses.

I would eagerly vote for Palin as President now. She will be even more qualified after four years as VP.

Open Letter to Senator Obama

Senator Obama,
You recently referred to these words of the Lord Jesus Christ as recorded by Matthew:

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Why don't you think this passage applies to unborn babies, whose human rights you have voted against every opportunity you have gotten?
Why don't you think this passage applies to your relatives in the desperately poor Kogelo, Kenya school that you promised to financially help two years ago, which still has not received one dollar from any effort of yours?
Why don't you think this passage applies to your half-brother who lives in a tiny, dirty Kenyan shack?

Senator McCain supports his family members in need. Senator McCain adopted a girl from Bangladesh. Senator McCain has a 25 year pro-life voting record.

The Satanists Among Us!

OK, the headline reads like a B movie title, but you'll see what I'm getting at shortly. Most of us don't normally observe anything manifestly satanic, excepting fans of certain genres of rock music. But there is a real Satan who commands hordes of real demons out there. His triumphant exclamation--which might seem like a sigh of despair--is, "Nobody believes in me anymore!" In most of North America and Europe, that is. The devil's strategy here is to convince us that everything is material: there is no spirit, no soul, no purpose for your life; you are no better than polypeptides, protozoans, and protoplasms. In much of Asia, Latin America, and Africa, folks are very aware of the supernatural, but here, science apparently has an explanation for everything.

How can Satanists be so "among us", then? The average Jane or Joe on the street is not consciously devoted to any religion. He or she might say, "I don't follow prophets or priests. I do whatever I want." Uh-oh. That's a religious creed. Anton Szandor LaVey, author of The Satanic Bible, wrote therein, "Do as thou wilt; this shall be the whole of the law." Your self-will is Satan's trophy.

Satan probably does not prowl around in red long johns or cling to a trident. He becomes whatever it takes to deceive you into thinking there's no spiritual world; hence, no God. Thankfully, those who learn the truth and humbly submit to Jesus Christ are given authority over demonic power. And one day Jesus will return to end the reign of sin and death on this world.

Get on the winning team!

Barack and Forth

Presidential candidates traditionally slide towards the center of the political spectrum after they secure the nominations of their parties. Senator John McCain is no exception--he has admitted to adjusting his views on a couple of issues. But Senator Barack Obama is notable not only in that he refuses to admit that he is moving to the center to make himself more electable (he was named the most liberal senator by the non-partisan National Journal); Obama's shift is astounding in the ever-increasing number of his policies that have been, shall we say, adjusted. Numbers 1 through 18 are in no particular order; these were in the original blog post. Numbers 19 to the end are in chronological order.

1) was against 1990s welfare reform, now for it
2) was for Washington, DC gun ban, now against it
3) was against death penalty for any reason, now favors it for child rapists and Osama Bin Laden
4) was against NAFTA, now for it
5) was against Cuban embargo, now for it
6) promised to accept campaign spending limits/matching funds if McCain did, now refuses to participate even though McCain does
7) was "strongly" against FISA, then voted for it
8) was against homosexual marriage, now supports it (a rare leftward move)
9) was against personally displaying patriotism via flag lapel pins, now wears one
10) was against Jerusalem being the undivided capital of Israel, now for it
11) was for chatting unconditionally with Iran's President AckMyDumbJihad, now for conditions
12) had promised never to "disown" Reverend Wright, now Wright is disowned
13) for 20 years was for family's membership in hateful so-called "Trinity Church", now against it
14) was for mental health exceptions for allowing partial-birth abortions, now against them
15) voted against laws protecting abortion survivors, now for such laws
16) claimed to be for several town hall-style debates with Senator McCain before the conventions, but his campaign later said only one, and only at a time no one would watch (Independence Day)
17) promised to never use negative ads, yet started using them against McCain before McCain went negative
18) was against President Bush's faith-based initiatives, now for them
19) had demanded that Bush boycott Olympic opening ceremonies, then he financially supported the ceremonies by buying advertising time during them
20) was for pulling troops out of Iraq per timetable, with little or no regard to conditions, now "entirely conditions-based"
21) two years ago, promised to bring assistance to impoverished African school where 10 of his relatives attend, but nothing yet
22) said in June that "my party" wouldn't take money from lobbyists, but as of late July his campaign as well as his party have accepted tens of thousands of dollars from individual registered lobbyists
23) was against all offshore drilling, now for it as long as it’s “carefully circumscribed”
24) as of 7/7, was against using oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to bring about a "decrease in gas prices", now for it
25) was for punishing Michigan and Florida delegates by not seating them at the Dem convention, now he wants them seated
26) said in June that "my party" wouldn't take money from PACs, but as of mid-August he's accepting large donations from PACs and unions
27) said before PA primary, no "bagmen"*, but will have them for general election
28) was against 527s (PACs, special-interest groups, and non-affiliated political allies) advertising in his behalf, but now he's allowing it
29) was for raising taxes on many individuals and corporations, but now that the economy is better, he says those tax increases will have to wait until the economy is much better
30) called for bipartisan commission on Wall Street oversight in April, but after McCain recently agreed, Obama rejected the idea as a political dodge ("We'll get back to ya")
31) said every candidate should reveal complete earmark history when it was him vs. Hillary, but now that earmark king Biden is his partner, secrecy is OK
32) 2/11/07: "We... have seen over 3,000 lives of the bravest young Americans wasted." 9/26/08: "No US soldier ever dies in vain."
33) In January, told the San Fran Chronicle he would "bankrupt" the coal industry, but after he won the Dem nomination he came out in favor of coal

The "flip-flops" are coming fast and furious lately, so check back here once in a while as I update the list.
*providing cash to local get-out-the-vote workers who have no accountability and who traditionally pay people to vote

From the "Highly Recommended" department...

My wife and I went to see Wall-E yesterday. (My kids--age 16 and 13--are too old to want to see a G-rated cartoon, but my wife and I are not. Funny how that works.) We thoroughly enjoyed the film's
--awe (PIXAR's dazzling state-of-the-art animation),
--awwws (The many cute-cute scenes. Even the cockroach--who survives on 700 year old Twinkies--was lovable), and
--haws (there are several hilarious situations).
Some detractors of Wall-E have been distracted by it's alleged environmentalist agenda. Not to worry--the good, clean (I mean morally, not ecologically) fun is all that really comes across.

Why Is It Wrong To "Cuss"?

Profanity is often referred to as mature language. Yet I've heard children use these words. Are these kids more mature than their peers? Hardly. It is immature language because:

--cussers don't care if they bother people
(in this, they are on a level with people who pass gas, loudly chew gum, or burp in public),

--cussers don't have the vocabulary to express themselves properly, or they're too lazy to try,

--cussers usually don't even use profane words according to their definitions, and

--cussers often trivialize and disrespect the names and the titles of the awesome and wonderful Lord of Lords.

I don't misuse the names of your loved ones; please don't do so to the one I love more than anyone else.

The Legacy of Charles Darwin

From Darwin's The Descent of Man:
"With savages, the weak in body or mind are soon eliminated; and those that survive commonly exhibit a vigorous state of health. We civilised men, on the other hand, do our utmost to check the process of elimination; we build asylums for the imbecile, the maimed, and the sick; we institute poor-laws and our medical men exert their utmost skill to save the life of every one to the last moment. There is reason to believe that vaccination has preserved thousands, who from a weak constitution would formerly have succumbed to the small-pox. Thus the weak members of civilised societies propagate their kind. No one who has attended to the breeding of domestic animals will doubt that this must be highly injurious to the race of man. It is surprising how soon a want of care, or care wrongly directed, leads to the degeneration of a domestic race; but excepting in the case of man himself, hardly anyone is so ignorant as to allow his worst animals to breed."

Thus Darwin personally inspired Friedrich "Super-Man" Nietzsche, Adolf "Final Solution" Hitler, Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger, and a generation of lesser-know racists.

Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People? Plus-Update

My face is still wet with the tears I shed while watching a video--a tribute to one of singer/songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman's three beautiful Chinese-born adopted daughters. I just found out about the tragic, accidental death of five-year-old Maria. Chapman is a tireless advocate for adoption. Why did this happen, God?
God is not offended by the question. He knows what it's like to lose someone--his own Son suffered greatly before enduring a humiliating death. And Jesus did not accept his fate blissfully. But "for the joy set before him, he endured the cross, thinking nothing of the shame". What was the joy set before him? His death paid the price we deserved to pay for our sins. He made a way for us to be forgiven. We can have fellowship with God forever. So good came from bad.
I can't imagine the suffering the Chapman family is living with now. God promises that "those who go forth in tears, bearing precious seed, will come again with joy, bringing their fruit with them". I don't know how God will make good out of bad for the Chapmans. Maybe people will be motivated to adopt because of this, rescuing precious children. Maybe some mourners will draw near to God for the first time at her funeral, finding eternal life. But one thing I do know: the Chapmans will be reunited one day...soon. And God will wipe away every tear.
Update--The Chapmans have asked that well-wishers donate to their adoption-aid charity in lieu of flowers, and more than $500,000 has been raised so far.

New Attack On Christianity Through "Twistory"

History is littered with attempts to destroy Christianity. Some efforts have been motivated by hatred of God's people (such as Nero's persecutions), and some by the desire to be free from moral accountability ("I suppose the reason we leaped at The Origin Of Species was because the idea of God interfered with our sexual mores"--Sir Julian Huxley, perhaps the leading defender of Darwinism of his time). Whether by brute force, such as in Communist and Muslim nations, or by blatant misrepresentation of the facts of history (Hollywood has been doing this since Inherit The Wind turned the Scopes trial on its head), the Bible and its believers have withstood more abuse than any other world view and group.
I recently encountered another example of the "twistorical" misrepresentation I referred to. Admittedly, an internet-based movie called Zeitgeist had me startled. It's basic argument is that Christianity is entirely based on religions and cults that predate the New Testament. I'm no expert of ancient mythology, so I was unaware of the shuffling of historical "cards" that was going on in the flick. But as I nervously watched the slick presentation, I felt succor in the fact that there are many experts in ancient religions who are devout Christians, and that there must be answers to the accusations posited in the video. Sure enough, I simply entered "zeitgeist rebuttal" in a search engine, and I immediately found this. At this site, you'll find both the movie and a scholarly refutation of the attacks it hurls at God's word. I'm confident that you'll find nothing in Zeitgeist that can stand after careful examination of the facts.
Zeitgeist does more spinning than the cyclone that slammed into Myanmar recently, but because of the efforts of good historians, it shouldn't do nearly as much damage to the precious souls of men and women.
Be advised--some editions of Zeitgeist contain much caustic use of profanity.

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.

Obamessiah!

I'm sorry, but I'm not participating in the religious revival known as Obamania. According to those who study Congressional voting records (such as the American Conservative Union-- http://www.acuratings.org/ ) , Mr. Obama is a liberal extremist, even to the left of Hillary Clinton. I don't want the USA to become South Canada.

Dr. Martin Luther King taught us to ignore race when considering the qualifications of a man or woman. But if Obama was a white man with the same credentials (actually, lack of credentials), even if he was as gifted at speaking, he would be ignored instead of being the presidential front-runner.

A Really REAL Reality Show

Let's face it--most of what passes for "reality TV" is really fake. People act differently when they're in front of a camera, and much of it seems so scripted. But there's one program that stands out in authenticity, entertainment, and edification.
When I think of the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), I cringe. As a Christian, I'm embarrassed by the network's comical (Jan Crouch refuses to look like a normal grandma) and corrupt (Larry Huch, Paula White, Benny Hinn, etc.) personalities. But there is treasure among the trash. Travel the Road is an amazing adventure every week. The show's premise is simple: two young guys (Tim Scott and Will Decker) with nothing but backpacks and a video camera, traveling throughout Asia and Africa, taking the Gospel to the poor. Over the years, TTR has shown us
-- a macabre ritual involving giving dead people to vultures in Tibet,
-- a man who stole from a church in India, hysterically begging the missionaries to pray for him because his hands have been struck with a mysterious skin ailment,
-- our heroes unarmed and alone in a tent, surrounded by lions all night,
-- Tim and Will trudging through the swampy jungle of Borneo, having to stop and pull leeches out every five minutes,
-- Chinese authorities harassing the missionaries,
-- Siberian thugs threatening to kill the guys,
etc., etc. Like I said, reality and adventure!
In the Phoenix area, TTR is on Channel 21 at 9:30pm Saturdays. Check your local listings.

Public Perception is Wrong about the 90s

A Clinton on the campaign trail, as well as some dismal economic news, has some folks pining for the 1990s and the alleged "Clinton economy". Look at these facts to get a better perspective:

--The economic boom of the Reagan era was still going strong into the George H. W. Bush years, but toward the end of his term we finally slid into a recession (I wonder whether breaking his "no new taxes" pledge had anything to do with that?). But the recession's recovery was already strong by the time Bill Clinton took office (Bush's last quarter showed over 4% GDP growth). So Bill inherited a good economy.
--Clinton went too radical too quickly (trying to take over the healthcare industry), and the American people spanked him by voting for the 1st Republican Congress in decades during the mid-term elections. This conservative legislature prevented Clinton from enacting any more significant economic policies except for NAFTA, which never would have made it through a Democrat Congress. NAFTA was--and is--great for our economy.
--This Republican Congress forced some conservative economic policy on President Clinton, most notably welfare reform. Bill vetoed it twice, but was subsequently pressured to sign the popular measure during an election year. Hundreds of thousands of people who had turned the welfare safety net into a hammock were forced to find jobs. They became taxpayers, and their new salaries enabled them to spend more, helping the economy.
--The 90s was the decade of the computer. Nearly every business went digital, exponentially increasing productivity and profits, enabling companies to hire and expand. Businesses weren't the only ones buying from Bill Gates--schools, universities, charities, and households around the world bought American-made computers, pumping more dollars into the economy.
--The downturn that supposedly began during W's 1st term actually had been declining since the previous summer. In fact, Bush (and others) saw it then, but when he warned us about it, he was accused of trying to "talk down" the economy. This downturn was accelerated by the fear, destruction, and insecurity brought on by the 9/11 attacks (Why did you slash the military and intelligence budgets, Mr. Clinton? Why did you refuse--twice!--when the Sudanese offered Osama to you on a silver platter?).

So we see that Clinton cannot take credit for the 90's economic good times.
The U.S.A. is, and has been for many decades, one of the most fiscally conservative countries on Earth. Conservative economic policy defined is basically lower taxes and fewer burdensome regulations on businesses. Other nations have more natural resources than we do, but we prosper more because of our Judeo-Christian morality (which is getting weaker all the time) and economic conservatism (also declining). Exit question: Why try to emulate the weaker economies of the world by voting for Democrats?

Customer Abuse Awards 2007

The purpose of this post is only to warn the unsuspecting public about dastardly business practices. Based upon my own experiences, here are my nominees for Customer Abuser of the Year 2007:

*3rd Runner-up--World Gym. They require that you give at least 30 days' notice to end your membership. When my daughter and I wanted to quit, we gave written notice more than 30 days early, and they gave us a date on which our membership would end. But they took money from my bank account for another month! When I complained, they refused to refund the cash, but after a big hassle they gave us 30-day passes which I only used three times, because I'm too busy to go--that's why I quit. That bothered us so much that my wife also quit the gym, but they also billed her for an extra month! Obviously it's an intentional way to squeeze one more month's money out of each member. I wonder how many get charged for an extra month without noticing.

*2nd Runner-up--Big O Tire. First, they had my car on the jack for more than an hour, just to install a new tire. Then, when I was finally notified that my car was ready, I stepped out of the store just in time to see their employee "peeling out" in my little Honda. When I complained via e-mail, phone call, and letter, I didn't get even as much as one apology. Lastly, the tire they installed developed a bubble after a few thousand miles and had to be replaced (by a reputable dealer).

*1st Runner-up--Arizona Federal Credit Union. As I was comparing terms of different institutions for my home refinance last September, I saw that AFCU guaranteed for their members that they would beat all other offers or give $500 cash. I didn't think they could beat the offer I had just received, so I carefully followed their instructions to qualify for the $500. I have sent a plethora of faxes, emails, and phone calls their way to prove that I qualify, yet they never even answer. Upon every inquiry, they say they'll get back to me, but never do.

*Winner, Customer Abuser of the Year: the post office. Notice I didn't say U. S. Postal Service--they don't provide sufficient service to qualify for that title. I don't merely write this as a customer, but also as an employee who regularly witnesses the customer abuse.
It's all about the money for the P. O. today. In a fanatical effort to save man-hours, they have prevented employees from providing the service that we once did. Phones ring fifteen times before they're answered. The front window regularly opens eight or ten minutes late. It's common to delay some first-class mail for weeks. They won't hire enough people to get the mail delivered by once-guaranteed 5pm, so we're out until as late as 9pm in some stations. And, because of managerial threats and pressure, we're moving so fast all of the time that we make more mistakes. Congratulations, P. O. You're 2007's big P. U.

A Call For An Education Revolution

The New York Times published an error of sorts this week. No, I'm not referring to their loony-left editorial positions. In the Times' "Bestseller List" of published tomes, they did not show the real biggest-selling book. This book outsells everything else, week after week, year after year, century after century. This book has shaped the English language. We quote it or allude to its passages every day. It has impacted many other languages. I think this book has influenced Western Civilization more than anything else. Yet the average school ignores this book.

I can't afford the private schools that give due attention to this banned book, so my children will only learn the dogmas that the establishment permits. And those who can shell out the bucks to send their kids to private schools have to keep paying for tax-funded public schools as well. Anyone (except the most radical of leftists) can see that it's unfair to pay for school twice. And it's not fair for those in poor neighborhoods to be stuck in underachieving schools.

Even though the U.S. spends more per capita on education than any other nation, our kids are regularly surpassed by at least a dozen other countries in science and math test scores.

The solutions: Privatize every school. Vouchers for every child. A bare minimum of government regulation--and that should be local, not federal regulation. Abolish the Department of Education, a money drain which bogs schools down with red tape and squelches innovation. Minimize the influence of the National Education Association (misnomer), which is only interested in accumulating power. The result: the poor will be able to afford good schools. And there will be as many varieties of schools as there of restaurants. If you want to send your child to a school that emphasizes history, you'll be able to find one. Need more language arts and less P.E.? It will be somewhere. And if you happen to be one of those Bible-lovers (gasp!), I'm sure there will be some schools to cater to you (and me).

Bad or Good?

One of the more odious myths propagated today by the likes of Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins is the belief that religion does more bad than good, and that it is responsible for not much more than war and hatred. This idea first gained notoriety in the late nineteenth century, with philposophers like Fredrich Nietzsche predicting that the increasing popularity of atheism would usher in a new age in the twentieth century. It did...an new age of evil, with more war casualties, more genocide, and more politically motivated killing than the rest of history combined. Atheistic nations like the USSR and Blood-Red China murdered more than fifty million of their own people, as well as aggressively pursuing global conquest. Adolf Hitler*, who was held captive by the doctrines of Nietzsche and Charles Darwin, pulled the world into the worst war ever while murdering millions of Jews. Dictators have turned nations like N. Korea and Cuba into Bible-burning, Christian-torturing prison states. The crimes perpetrated by all of the misguided religionists since the dawn of time put together is a fraction of these godless regimes' wickedness.

Conversely, who are the first to compassionately respond to victims of natural disasters? Who give more sacrificially to the poor than any other group? Who are the most likely to give up successful careers in order to serve the underprivileged full-time? Who are the most likely to adopt one of the world's 143 million orphans? (I could go on and on) Religious people...specifically, the Christians that Hitchens, Dawkins, Stalin, Mao, and Hitler love to hate.

*Hitler made seemingly Christian statements at times, apparently to unite religious leaders behind him. But he was obviously guided in his governance and his lifestyle by Darwin and Nietzsche.

Help!

I need to find the perfect source of daily news on the internet. I've been going to hotair.com every day for many months, but I'm growing weary of the atheism of their main writer, and the humor is often mean-spirited and occasionally profane. Is there a place out there with up-to-the-minute news, a daily variety of informative or entertaining videos, and commentary from a conservative and/or Christian perspective? If you know of such a site, please leave a comment.

Happy Reformation Day

You won't hear much about this elsewhere with all of the Halloween hooplah going on today, but this is the 490th anniversary of the beginning of freedom of religion, as well as of the transformation of Europe and the restoration of Christianity to its foundational roots. On October 31, 1517, a humble man named Martin Luther nailed a list of 95 complaints on a church door, complaints against the twisted version of Christianity--Dark Ages' Roman Catholicism--that dominated every aspect of European life. Some passerby liked what he read in the document, and he made copies (on that recent invention called the printing press) that would be distibuted from England to Rome. This set off a revolution in theology and government that profoundly affects us today.
Most people, when hearing the name "Martin Luther," would say, "He's the Black civil rights leader who was killed in the 1960s, right?" Dr. King's German namesake did far more to change the world for the better, yet he is so underappreciated. I encourage you to learn more about this flawed but amazing man.

Presidential Punditry, Polls, and Primaries

Misconceptions are about to be shot down:

1) Focus on the Family founder James Dobson never said that Fred Thompson is not "Christian enough." He said that in his opinion, many in the religious right would not consider him "Christian enough" to vote for. This and a few other intentional mischaracterizations by the "drive-by media" of Dobson's positions have made him the whipping boy du jour for many naive conservatives and some Christians.

2) Rudy Giuliani is not the inevitable G.O.P. nominee. Now he enjoys the united support of social liberals in his party, while social conservatives are split several ways. Once weaker Republican candidates start dropping out, you'll see a uniting of social conservatives behind one man who will hopefully rocket past Rudy.

3) Conservatives can be just as irrational and mean-spirited as many liberals are. I must confess that this was a shocker to me, because my conservative friends are generally rational and rarely spiteful. I'm kinda new to the blogosphere, and I found that trying to explain points 1) and 2) to some posters on right-wing websites was an exercise in futility. I'm disillusioned. I don't know...maybe some of those hatemongers were liberals in disguise, trying to get us divided. But there seems to be too many half-baked haters in the G.O.P. Talk about Republicans acting like Democrats...

A Hero Gets A Promotion

On 9/5, I went to the two news websites I usually check to see what's going on in the world. While they both paid homage to the talented tenor/disgraceful womanizer who had just passed away, both sites neglected to mention what I consider to be the most important milestone of the day--that D. James Kennedy left this Earth after a long illness, and he is now with his Lord. Kennedy did much more good in his lifetime than not only the singer but just about anyone in the world. He personally led many hundreds of people to a relationship with Jesus Christ, he trained many thousands of people to lead countless others to the Lord, and he convinced multitudes of Christians to get involved in public policy. His radio and TV broadcasts have encouraged the faith of millions for decades. He will be badly missed.
A tribute:
http://65.240.226.104:8080/

A Tale Of Two Politicians

As I observe the unraveling of Senator Larry Craig, I am reminded of a certain President of the United States. First, the persistent rumors, then an outrageous adulterous sex scandal with accompanying illegalities, and finally, deny-deny-deny. The similarities end there. Because the aforementioned President was a Democrat, his party and much of the media rallied around him, and he is a hero to them today. Senator Craig is a Republican, so he can probably count his defenders on one hand.

Media Misnomers

As someone who calls for such radical policies as the dissolution of that useless behemoth known as the federal Department of Education, as well as legally restoring safety to the most dangerous place in the USA (the mother's womb), the media and culture would call me conservative, not radical. OK, I can live with that. But why are governments like those of Hitler, Mussolini, and Iranian President Ahmadinejad also called either conservative or right-wing? High taxes; severe limits to freedoms of speech, assembly, and the press; gun control; government intrusion into every part of life; nationalization of industries...hardly Reaganesque. Additionally, Hitler and Mussolini were pro-union. And Hitler was pro-abortion. Why are they linked with me as right-wing?

I also object to the symbolic choice of the media to label conservative Republicans "red" and liberal Democrats "blue." In the Revolutionary War, the red-coated British represented much of what liberalism stands for today, and the boys in blue paved the way for those very right-wing documents known as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. And Red China is at the left end of the spectrum.

Media misnomers are not limited to politics. Cursing or profanity are referred to as mature language. I've heard children use those words. Are those children more mature than their peers? Quite the opposite is true. It is immature language, because the users:
--don't care if they bother people
--don't have the vocabulary to express themselves properly, and
--don't even use profane words according to what their definitions are.

Stupid Ingenuity

The oxymoronic title of this post refers to the invention of the alarm clock snooze button, which ranks right up there in its benefit to mankind with submarine screen doors. Friend, if you can afford to sleep a few minutes more, why didn't you set the alarm to sound later? If you can't, you'll either be late, or you'll drive dangerously, or some other unfortunate time-constraint consequence of your snooze addiction will befall you. Additionally, the family members you disturb unnecessarily will likely consider you lazy, irrational, and/or irresponsible.

The Goracle's Big Concert

--Al Gore, not content to rest on his laurels after having invented the internet, has reinvented himself. His past persona was one of constant self-aggrandizing lies streaming out of his piehole. Now he specializes in hypocrisy.
--Or should I say hip-hop-crisy? Remember Tipper, Gore's wife, and her campaign to clean up popular music via the Parents' Music Resource Center? Today, Big Al is parading a plethora of perverted pop stars in his Universal Concerts To Save Life As We Know It. Even Akon, the ex-con Lord of Lewd Lechers, leaped around Gore's stage. Yes, Akon, the misogynist polygamist rapper who once horribly molested a fifteen-year-old on another stage, in Trinidad. I wonder if he exchanged post-performance hugs with Al and Tipper.
--In Great Britain, the BBC interrupted the concert repeatedly to officially apologize for the filthy language.
--The Times of London estimates that the end result of the many Gore-inspired concerts will be a carbon footprint of 31,500 tons! Stars and their entourages flying, fans driving, lights, amps, and tons of litter, all over the globe! That's OK, because in Reverend Gore's Church of the Convenient Crisis (wherein disciple-scientists earn big government contracts by convincing us that The End Is Near), you don't have to stop polluting, you just have to pay others to stop polluting. That's how Gore justifies his huge un-green mansion and Learjetting lifestyle--he buys carbon "offsets". How fortunate for Big Al that he coincidentally owns stock in a carbon offset firm.
--Al, why are you in the spotlight today? You should be with your son, Al Gore the Third, who was arrested a couple of days ago for driving 100mph with various drugs in his possession...again. Never mind, Al. If you were to go to your son, it wouldn't be to lovingly admonish him to change his ways. It would be to give him a high-five because he was busted while driving a gas/electric hybrid!

Birthdays

What's the big deal about a birthday? It only marks the anniversary of when an already living, thinking person, with physical senses and emotions, moved a few inches through a birth canal. In my view, it would make more sense to celebrate the day of conception, except that that date is rarely known. Not to mention the awkward, premature conversations with little ones such commemorations would lead to.

As I ponder the entirely uncelebratory passing of the twenty-seventh anniversary of my conversion to Christianity yesterday, I feel kinda deprived, like most people would if their birthdays were unnoticed. But God noticed. As my Heavenly Father, He's the one who gave me my new birth (John 3:3). Hmmm...I wonder if there was a "spiritual birthday" party in Heaven for me?

D-Day: Armies That Liberate, Not Conquer

On this sixty-third anniversary of D-Day, I would like to teach my younger readers a little about the tremendous significance of the event, and for the rest of us, to relate it to a modern struggle. It was the greatest amphibious assault in history, with tens of thousands of our finest boys storming the beaches of Normandy, running toward the hills that were raining down cannon and machine gun fire upon them. The Nazis had conquered almost all of Europe, but the Allies were trying to get a foothold there in the north of France. Was this massive force invading to conquer? No, they were fighting to free a conquered people. Many thousands gave their lives so that others might be free.

There is a conqueror today who is more vile and more ambitious than Adolf Hitler. Osama Bin Laden may be that, but I'm referring to Satan. God has sent His army--the Church--into all the Earth to fight for the lives of those trodden under by satanic deception and their own sin. We do not fight to conquer, but to liberate. Our weapons are prayer, faith, love, and God's word. Let us remember the courage of the D-Day vets as we also live our lives--and perhaps give our lives--for the cause of this Gospel.

Cowards, Tyrants, and Heroes

That which cowards would abandon, and which tyrants would destroy, United States military veterans have preserved: our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Please thank a veteran today, and pray for the families of those who have died serving our nation. Happy, yet pensive, Memorial Day to you.

the good ol' USA--NOT a Christian country

Much of our entertainment--movies, TV shows, music, books, magazines, and websites--has awful themes, foul language, and/or sexually provocative imagery. This filth is lapped up by the public like a dog gobbling vomit.

"Akon" is a child-molesting ex-con polygamist misogynist who was a recent guest on American idol, whose pornographic videos are prominent on MTV, who is adored by most music critics, and who has sold many millions of CDs here.

In public, how often do you hear the Lord's names used flippantly or blasphemously, and how often do you hear him praised?

More Americans consult horoscopes or some other occult medium than the Bible every day.

T-shirts here are adorned with rebellious slogans, obscenities, or photos of celebrity perverts, leftist dictators, or dead drug-addict rock stars.

We spend more money on our pets than on charities that help people.

Blinded by hatred, nearly half of Americans think that the President certainly knew (22%) or may have known (22%) about the 9/11 attacks in advance. For Democrats, the figures are 35% and 26%, respectively.

The vast majority of Americans have committed adultery, fornication, or both.

Our government unconstitutionally spends millions of our tax dollars on perverted college courses and left-wing TV/radio networks in every state, and few care.

More than a thousand of our teens get STDs every day.

We've legally killed more an a million babies a year for decades.

Hitler learned a lot about genocide from us: http://hnn.us/articles/1796.html

But as bad as it is here, there are a lot of places with even more evil:
http://hotair.com/archives/2007/05/04/us-troops-discover-bombs-built-into-iraq-girls-school/

Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Worst US School Violence Ever--1927

I'm baffled. I've been a news junkie with an interest in history for most of my adult life, and I was born in Michigan. How is it that I never heard of the worst school violence ever in the US until a few days ago? Bath, Michigan; May 18, 1927. Most of the 45 killed and 58 injured were young children. Maybe...no, it couldn't be! But, maybe if the Butcher of Bath had used a gun instead of dynamite to visit his evil upon that school, the incident might be common knowledge today.

So the three worst mass murders in US history--at the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, the hijacking of planes during 9/11, and the murder of the kids and teachers at the Bath school--all were perpetrated without guns. And privately owned guns are used to prevent more than a million crimes every year. (Just the other day, an elderly lady shot out the tires of a would-be thief's getaway car, and the only reason the media found that newsworthy was that Granny was a former Miss America) V-Tech's Psy-Cho killed people but gave life to the gun-grabbers' cause. So when the politicians pontificate about how you can't be trusted with the right to bear arms, remember: If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.

Random Rants

The average bicyclist in my area rides solely for exercise, not transportation. Why then do they typically spend many hundreds of dollars for aerodynamic clothes and super-lightweight bikes? Wouldn't they get more exercise with a cheap bike, sweatpants, and a t-shirt?

I think the most frequent misuse of the Bible is saying "let him who has no sin throw the first stone" to deflect criticism. Look at the entire passage! (Gospel of John 8:1-12) Jesus was talking about capital punishment--literally stoning someone to death--not verbal correction.

My wife has me wrapped around her little finger. I would do anything to show her I love her. The secret of her power over me? She is always sweet, thoughtful, generous, and submissive, and I have never seen her lose her temper. That, Betty Friedan, is The Feminine Mystique.

When our cat 'Pasko' play-fights with one of our Miniature Pinscher puppies, and I see him wrap those long, sharp teeth around that tiny neck, only to let the pup go so that it can pounce on Pasko again, I think of the Biblical promise that one day "the lion will lie down with the lamb," and all will be at peace.

Memo to Tokyo Rosie of TV's The (Leftist) View--In your zeal to aquit Don Imus because you believe that to fire him would be "a return to Nazi Germany" and "censorship", you obliterate the vast difference between government censorship and private control of what a company or institution allows to be said on its watch. I'm glad my employer doesn't let my coworkers verbally harrass or threaten me. I hope ABC fires you for the outrageous things that you have said. And I hope you find the new life that only Jesus gives.

I know that tailgaters are more interested in getting-from-point-A-to-point-B-quickly-no-matter-what than in learning anything, but let's try an experiment. Maybe, just maybe, if we all would slow down four or five mph each time our bumpers are being shadowed, they might decide that they would be better off backing off. After all, if someone is going to rear-end me, wouldn't it be less dangerous at a lower speed?

Let's say you live in a small town with only two stores. One is owned and run by an upstanding citizen, and the other one has lower prices and treats customers just as well, but you discover it's owned by a wife-beating Al-Qaeda supporter. Would you shop only at the store with higher prices? Then why is it that most of you never participate in boycotts?

jgapinoy--the most trusted name in blogging...?

An unfortunate consequence of my family's membership in the local gym is that we are subjected to CNN on large screens throughout the joint. I see that they're doing a series called "What Is A Christian?" Since the network puts a graphic on the screen that says, "The Most Trusted Name In News," even though Fox News regularly bodyslams them in the ratings (despite being available in fewer venues), it is obvious that you can't believe every sign or slogan they show us. I found that the title "What Is A Christian?" should have been written, "Why We Oppose Christianity." The first installment that I saw was a story about a pastor & his wife teaching married couples how to enjoy better sex, & how the church publicized the lectures to the community. If the way CNN presented the church's outreach is accurate--you never know--I wouldn't have done it quite that way, but I find no reason to condemn the church. After the story, there was a panel of religious "experts" taking turns criticizing the church's leadership, with no one speaking in defense of the pastor. Not quite "fair and balanced."

Without getting into last night's episode that was at least as hostile to the faith, I'll remind you that CNN was founded by Ted Turner, who has called Christianity "a religion for losers," & Catholics "Jesus Freaks," & pro-lifers "Bozos." Turner is not so mean-spirited to everyone--after once looking gulag-stuffing Soviet leaders "in the eyes," he was eager to defend them--"...they looked like they meant the truth." When asked if he agreed that Christian-torturing Kim Jong Il is evil & despotic, he admitted, "I didn't get to meet him, but he didn't look, in the pictures that I've seen of him on CNN, he didn't look too much different than most other people." http://newsbusters.org/node/8225 Most people look like green-pajamas-clad Elvis impersonators, right? Turner insisted that it can't be so bad in N. Korea, because he "didn't see any" brutality or starvation.

It can't be so bad in the church that was teaching better sex, because "in the pictures I've seen" on CNN, I "didn't see any" brutality or starvation there, either.