Wednesday
CURRENT HAPPENINGS
AN IMPORTANT WORD: Our long-time readers know
this, but it may be of help to new subscribers. We do not base
our commentaries on a partisan standpoint, Republican or
Democrat. Our standpoint is this: Conservative, Evangelical
Christian belief, and pro-America. We will not support liberal,
atheistic or other non-Christian beliefs, nor anti-American
attacks. We endorse and support the solid principles upon
which our Founding Fathers established this nation.
THERE ARE SO MANY "CURRENT HAPPENINGS"
WHICH CONCERN US AS CHRISTIANS;
LET’S EXAMINE A FEW OF THEM
In 1936, Sinclair Lewis published a novel, also
made into a stage play, titled "It Can’t Happen Here."
It was a satirical story, but conveyed the warning that
some overseas political movements could also actually
take place here in America. Last week we reported on
the problems Dutch film producer Geert Wilders was
facing with his film, "Fitna," which exposes some of
the violent effects of Islam. Now Indonesia, the largest
Muslim nation, has issued a demand that the film be
removed from the American site, "You Tube" within
48 hours, or face government blockage of the site’s
transmissions. Of course Muslim reaction has been to
threaten riots and repercussions. Also, the UN has
spoken strongly against the film, with Ban Ki-Moon,
the UN Secretary General, saying "I condemn in the
strongest terms, the airing of Geert Wilders’
offensively anti-Islamic film. The right of free
expression is not at stake here." (Seems like a typical
pronouncement from the UN.)
Wilders is speaking out against the violence shown
by Muslims in support of their religion. The Qur’an
is frequently cited, "So, fight them till all opposition
ends and the only religion is Islam." (Qur’an 8:39)
He has seen the problem at first hand in his own
country. After decades of yielding to multiculturalism,
and offering an open door to Muslims, Islam has
become Holland’s largest active religion, with the
mosques drawing greater attendance than the nation’s
churches. As we have pointed out previously,
Europe is being methodically Islamicized. Despite the
promise of Sinclair Lewis’ play, we must accept this:
if it can happen in Europe, IT CAN HAPPEN HERE.
This also can happen here. Great Britain is
suffering from a rash of family breakdowns in every
level of society, from the Royal Family and downward
– this is the opinion of Justice Sir Paul Coleridge, a
veteran jurist with 37 years experience in family law.
His evaluation? "Without being in any way over-
dramatic or alarmist, my prediction would be that
the effects of family break-down on the life of this
nation, and ordinary people in this country, will,
within the next 20 years, be as marked and
destructive as the effects of Global Warming." He
concludes that almost all of society’s social ills can
be traced back to the collapse in family stability.
The Visit of Pope Benedict: Whether Catholic
or Protestant, one has to admit that the upcoming
visit of the Pope is important. Among the world’s
religions he holds a unique position. The largest
religion, Islam, has no one person as its titular head.
For Roman Catholicism, the second largest religious
group, he is the titular head and principal voice. Among
other major religions no other individual is recognized
and accepted as its head or its sole spokesperson.
His visit, from April 15-20, comes at a very significant
time in American history – from a partisan political
standpoint. One of the major issues facing candidates
in the presidential race is that of moral values, and at
the heart are family issues such as divorce, abortion
and same-sex marriage. Concerning such issues, the
Roman Catholic church through its head, the Pope,
has taken a strong position against them. So strong
a position that the rule has been established that no
Catholic can vote for any politician who supports
abortion or same-sex marriage. This does pose a
major political problem for the various Democrat
candidates who have been clearly supportive of
abortion and same-sex unions. One can hope that
other branches of Christendom – Protestants in
general, and Evangelicals in particular – will be as
united as the Catholics in support of family values.
A new note of concern about the two feuding
Democrat candidates for the presidential nomination
was heard this week. Barack Obama was still trying
to avoid being painted with the Black hatred brush
which had marked the ministry of the pastor of the
church he had attended for 20 years. Meantime
Hillary Clinton was trying to minimize the effects
of her being caught fabricating stories of being
under sniper fire when she and Chelsea were on a
visit to Bosnia. This week another story erupted
from the General Counsel and Chef of Staff for the
House Judiciary Committee’s investigation into the
Watergate affair which brought down Richard Nixon.
As a newly graduated law student, the future Senator
worked under Jerry Zeifman, who fired her from her
position on the committee staff and refused to give
her a letter of recommendation. Why? "Because she
was a liar. She was an unethical, dishonest lawyer,"
said Mr. Zeifman. "She conspired to violate the
Constitution, the rules of the House, the rules of the
committee, and the rules of confidentiality." How
could a 27 year old girl just out of law school do all
that? She worked with Special Counsel John Doar,
and Associate Special Counsel (and future Clinton
White House Counsel) Bernard Nussbaum. Not the
best report for a presidential candidate.
Here’s where your dollars go. We have often
said that while the current presidential campaign is
important, equally important is the election of a
Congress of competent and honest members. A new
publication, "2008 Congressional Pig Book Summary,"
reports on the costly practice of "Earmarks" whereby
members of both houses of Congress tuck millions of
dollars into appropriation bills to aid special interests
in their districts. In fiscal year 2008 Congress stashed
11,610 projects amounting to $17.2 billion inside just
12 appropriation bills. This was a 337% increase over
the 2.638 projects in 2007, and the costs were 30%
higher than the $13.2 billion for that year. Each year
billions of dollars find their way into projects which
benefit a weird assortment of special interests. When
Congress passes them, they then go to the President who
signs them into law. Along with careful selection of our
next president, we need to perform a careful selection
of our next Congress.
Enduring words from a century ago: "Honesty
is not so much a credit as an absolute prerequisite to
efficient service to the public. Unless a man is honest,
we have no right to keep him in public life; it matters
not how brilliant his capacity." – Teddy Roosevelt,
1900, while still Governor of New York State
Afterthoughts . . .
The Congressional probe of televangelists.
Sometime ago Senator Charles Grassley [R,IA]
initiated an inquiry into the operations of six
of the nation’s televangelists, based on reports
that they were living a lavish life style, etc. Four
of the ministries, Joyce Meyer, Benny Hinn,
Eddie Long and Randy and Paula White have
agreed to cooperate, but two, Kenneth Copeland
and Creflo Dollar have retained legal counsel and
have refused to permit any investigation of their
financial practices. They are advocates of the
"Word of Faith" teaching, which normally includes
emphasis on the "prosperity gospel." Meantime,
author John Revell in his new book, "Getting the
Most from God" uses Scripture to debunk the
"prosperity gospel" theory. So we have the US
Senate, and a popular best selling author making
an attempt to expose some ongoing televangelist
ministries. It will doubtless be good for all of us
when the facts emerge.
More encouraging news for Evangelicals is
found in a new study recently released by the Barna
which discloses that 33% of all married couples have
experienced at least one divorce, whereas for
Evangelicals, the figure was only 26%. A Heritage
Foundation study in 2008 disclosed that children who
went through a parental divorce before the age of 14
experience lower achievements in education, income
and job prestige, and that a similar loss in achievement
was evident for those who experienced a parental break-
up between the ages of 14 and 18. All those reports may
not appear to form earthshaking distinctions, but they
are encouraging to those of us who consider that family
stability is important among moral values.
A candidate’s honesty and integrity should be a
"given" in any campaign. But truth often gets stretched
to the breaking point in campaign speeches. Senator
Clinton’s wild story of being under sniper fire in Bosnia
proved to be completely false and she has now stopped
using that story. Now it appears that her story about the
Ohio lady dying due to being refused hospital care was
equally untrue, and the hospital has demanded she stop
telling that story, which apparently she has done. Those
are just two brief examples, but coupled with the report
from her first employer after law school, one does pause
to wonder: Are honesty and integrity important assets
ofany future occupant of the White House?
ofany future occupant of the White House?
Two disturbing stories out of many which we
read every day in doing our research. They are proof of
the ongoing battle between the Left and the Right;
between Liberals and Conservatives. (1) FOX News
reports that the family of a student at Capistrano Valley
High School in California, is suing to fire a teacher for
anti-Christian remarks in class. The student recorded
his teacher’s remarks, which they claim violate the
First Amendment. (2) One News Now reports that in
Oklahoma City thousands have rallied to support a State
Representative who has cited the Bible’s denunciation of
homosexuality. The lawmaker has been receiving death
threats and has been assigned a security detail from state
troopers. The serious fact is that these conflicts are still
ongoing, and that no end is in sight.
Thoughts for American youth: "Let the American
youth never forget that they possess a noble
inheritance, bought by the toils and sufferings and
blood of their ancestors ... all the substantial blessings
of life, the peaceful enjoyment of liberty, property,
religion and independence." – Joseph Story, 1833
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
To Subscribe, no subscription charge, click on:
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
