Wednesday
WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE?
is to say that we don't go through all the hours researching, composing
and editing each week's issue of ANC just for something to occupy our
time. This may sound overly patriotic or overly pro-America -- neither
of which view is considered "politically correct" today -- but we really
are pro-America, and we really are patriotic. With this issue we complete
our 7th year of publication, and throughout those years we never failed to
stress the importance of reclaiming this nation to the Judeo-Christian
principles upon which it was founded. Today the left-wing Liberals who
control our government are ignoring our Constitution as they attempt to
reshape this nation into a socialist state. As we begin our 8th year we will
continue to focus on the goal of reclaiming America to its founding
principles. You have our word on that.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
PILATE ASKED JESUS: "WHAT IS TRUTH?" TODAY WE
CAN ASK: "WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE?"
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, founder of the Russian Communist Party, and
architect of the 1917 revolution which resulted in the Communist USSR:
"There are no morals in politics; there is only expedience...A lie told
often enough becomes the truth."
If memory serves you, on August 16, 2008, during his presidential
campaign, Barack (Hussein) Obama appeared on a national TV program
called "Saddleback Civil Program on the Presidency." It was hosted by
Rick Warren, the pastor of a Southern California "mega church." One of
the results of the program was that Obama appeared as a Christian,
embracing some of the traditional Christian positions. One question asked
by Warren was "Define marriage." To which Obama responded promptly:
"I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman." He
added that he did not favor a constitutional amendment to define marriage,
but on the basic issue, Obama and Warren agreed that marriage is between
a man and a woman. Obama was elected president. Rick Warren offered
the prayer at the inaugural ceremony.
Flash ahead just over 18 months to June 22, 2010. President Obama is
hosting a gala celebration in the White House, to mark the end of what
was formerly called "Gay Pride Month," until Obama renamed it "Lesbian
Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride Month." Speaking that night to those
assembled homosexuals he said, "I believe that gay and lesbian couples
deserve the same rights ... afforded married couples. I have called for
Congress to repeal the so-called 'Defense of Marriage Act' (signed into
law by President Clinton: Editor note) ... we are pushing hard to pass an
inclusive non-discrimination bill ... we're going to end 'Don't Ask, Don't
Tell.' ... And I want you all to know that as this work continues, I'm
going to be standing shoulder-to- shoulder with you, fighting by your
side every step of the way."
To repeat: "What are we supposed to believe?" Should we believe
the word of the candidate that marriage is the union of a man and a woman
. . . or should we believe the word of the president that he is working to
repeal the existing federal law that establishes marriage as being just that --
the union of a man and a woman?
We cited Lenin's views, showing that socialists/communists don't care
much for truth. Another international figure, a bit closer to American views,
Winston Churchill, held a position on truth much different from Lenin's: "The
truth is incontrovertible; malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it,
but in the end, there it is." And it appears as is so often the case, our
Founding Fathers perceived what might happen in this new nation they had
created; for example, James Madison said: "The truth is that all men
having power ought to be mistrusted."
Taking into account all the aspects of this departure from the truth, one has
to wonder why Obama, a complete political figure to whom votes represent
the currency in political transactions, wold go to such lengths to support the
homosexual cause, when they represent only perhaps 3 or % of the U.S.
population, and by so doing, oppose the Christian cause, when Christians
represent approximately 85% of the U.S. population? It doesn't make sense.
whenever Mr. Obama gets close to the subject of "religion," things seem to
become confused, and, as Rebecca West, the British author and critic wrote,
"When politics comes in the door, truth flies out the window." In March,
2008, in a Sunday campaign meeting in Nelsonville, Ohio, Obama delivered
what might pass for a "sermon," in which he said, "I am a Christian. I am a
devout Christian. I have been a member of the same church for twenty
years..." (That church was pastored by Jeremiah Wright, whom Obama
had frequently said was his "spiritual mentor." Mr. Wright gained national
notoriety when, as Obama's pastor, he instructed his congregation not to
say "God Bless America," but rather "God Damn America." Shortly after
that, Obama severed his twenty year church membership . . . there is no
record of his having joined or even spent much time in a church since. It
all makes his "devout" description of his faith a bit questionable.)
But against that affirmation of his Christian faith, is the report from the
Foreign Minister of Egypt that in a discussion with the president in January
of this year, Mr. Obama told him that he was still a Muslim ... the son of a
Muslim father ... the step-son of a Muslim step-father ... that his family
members in Kenya are Muslims and that he is sympathetic to the Muslim
agenda. The White House has not labeled Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul
Gheit a liar, and this disclosure from a fellow-Muslim has added new
meaning to Obama's occasional references to "my Muslim faith," and
to his very reverent mention of "the Holy Koran."
So again we ask: should we believe the word of the candidate that he is a
devout Christian, or should we believe the word of the president that he is
a Muslim who speaks of "my Muslim faith," and who quotes again and
again from the book he describes as "the Holy Koran.?"
There is nothing new here. Last week we discussed "Fact and Fiction,"
and even touched lightly on the other element involved in current events,
"Rumor." This week we are focusing on "Truth" -- not in every aspect of
our present administration's agenda, but in just a few instances. The result
is clear and unambiguous: President Obama does not have the trust,
respect and confidence of the American people. Just a week ago his
approval ratings had reached what was perceived as "rock bottom" (46%)
-- but as this week began, that number had slipped to 45%, with 50%
disapproving. Further, reports from half a dozen polls this week indicate
that only about 30% feel the country is headed in the right direction, with
60% or more feeling we are on the wrong track.
Last week we reported on a rumor that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
might consider opposing Obama in the 2012 election. Since then, polls have
indicated that she has considerable national support, with 57% saying she is
qualified to be president, and 34% saying she is not. By contrast, 51% say
Obama is qualified to be president and 44% say he is not qualified.
The usual question arises again: As Christians, what can we do now?
And the answer is a familiar one: November 2, 2010 is Election Day, and
every member of the House of Representatives, and approximately one-
third of the U.S. Senators will be up for election. It is our responsibility
to vote (remembering that first we must be registered). Gary DeMar,
president of American Vision, stated this fact extremely well: "As a nation,
we have drifted far from the principles we were founded on. Christians
have been trusted with the responsibility of bringing our nation back to
God." Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council, expressed it
slightly differently: "Faced with two wars, a devastating oil spill, and an
administration bent on forcing sexual perversion on America, how can
we possibly expect God to continue blessing this nation? ... The most
serious threat that America faces is the silence of the Church."
Those two statements represent the challenge, the responsibility, we here at
ANC face and try to meet in each issue. Right now we remind our readers
that Nov. 2 is now just 125 days away. On that day, together we can
change the present course upon which our nation is now embarked. This
time it can be a change for the better.
"What Others Are Saying" -- the place you turn to first, because, as
we often point out, you won't find the elite, main line media - press or TV -
citing knowledgeable people who don't accept the White House propaganda
line, and instead present current events in a factual -- truthful -- manner.
Charles Krauthammer (Nationally syndicated columnist): "When the
president of the United States announces the Afghan surge and, in the
very next sentence, announces the date on which a U.S. withdrawal will
begin, the Afghans -- from president to peasant -- take note. Just last
week, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel reiterated that July 2011 is a hard
date. And Vice President Joe Biden is adamant that 'in July of 2011,
you're going to see a whole lot of people moving out. Bet on it.'"
Tony Perkins (Family Research Council): "The Left's entire social
agenda -- counterfeit marriage, the drive to lift the ban on homosexuality
in the military, the push to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination
Act (ENDA), 'hate crimes' laws, abortion -- is now tied together by one
common thread. And that one unifying thread is aimed at the heart of
your religious freedom. The Left is committed to silencing Christians
and getting us out of the way."
Bill Kristol (Editor, Weekly Standard): "Barack Obama's commitment
[to Afghanistan] is famously and publicly uncertain. No one -- not his
lieutenants, nor his cabinet, nor his generals, nor the American people,
nor our allies, nor our enemies -- can be sure whether the president
wants to win the war or just to end the war ... The imposition of a troop-
withdrawal deadline, in particular, has poisoned our Afghan strategy."
Jose Maria Aznar (Spanish Prime Minister, 1996-2004): "The West
is what it is thanks to its Judeo-Christian roots. If the Jewish element
of those roots is upturned and Israel is lost, then we are lost, too.
Whether we like it or not, our fate is inextricably intertwined."
Nile Gardiner (Washington based foreign affairs analyst):
"Increasingly, political judgment as well as basic common sense is
being suspended at the White House. We are witnessing not only the
dramatic dumbing down of US policy under the Obama administration,
with cheap soundbites standing in for strong leadership, but also a
staggering inability to comprehend the scale of the global war the West
is engaged in."
Hugh Hewitt (Radio talk show host): "Democrats expect voters not
to notice, or care if they do notice, that legislators have not passed a
budget for next year's spending. The Pelosi-Reid 'leadership' team have
'gone off the grid' of congressional practice ... Humming 'que sera sera,
whatever will be will be,' they twirl toward summer vacation and the
November elections beyond."
Mark Steyn (Author and human rights activist): "I believe it was
Jean Giraudoux who first said, 'Only the mediocre are always at their
best.' Barack Obama was supposed to be the best, the very best, and
yet he is always, reliably, consistently mediocre."
Here are some Random Afterthoughts . . .
How soon they forget! High school graduates in New Haven, CT, this
year will receive "neutral" diplomas -- the phrase which has always been
used with the date, "in the year of our Lord," has been deleted after
one parent filed an objection with the Mayor. Superintendent of Schools,
Reginald Mayo, said "It's a religious thing ... We certainly don't want
to offend anyone," and the city spokeswoman, Jessica Mayorga, said it
was "an unnecessary description for a public document, being that
none of our other public documents have such a description." Obviously
the U.S. Constitution is not considered to be a "public document," or none
of the New Haven City and school officials were familiar with the Constitution,
which concludes with the phrase, "... in the Year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and eighty seven ..."
It is hard to accept the "peaceful" actions of followers of Islam. Every
day, reports from various countries of the Muslim world speak of torture,
rapes, murders, of Christian believers , and destruction of Christian homes,
schools and churches. But under the Obama administration the use of the
terms "terrorism," "Muslim terrorism," or "Muslim terrorists" are no longer
allowed. Without reminding us of all of the incidents from all over the world,
the story of the Nigerian massacre in March is still horrifying to recall. Looking
back, more than 500 Christians, 80% of them children, were slaughtered
in one night in three villages in northern Nigeria. One of the first doctors on
the scene, as he walked among the rubble of burned churches and homes,
and mass graves, "Dr. Kim" from Voice of Martyrs, summarized what he
found, "In more than three years of providing medical service for
persecuted Christians for VOM, this is the first time that 'carnage'
has come to mind. This is beyond anything I have seen in my 31 years
of medicine, including doing autopsies and working in emergency
rooms. We found that in one village there were only 20 or 30 survivors
in the entire village." As the persecutions continue, all over the world, just
this week in Indonesia, where Barack Obama was raised as a Muslim, on
June 28 in the "Jakarta Globe," this headline appeared: "Muslim Groups
Talk War Over Christianization." The story reported that a new coalition
of nine Muslim groups is trying to mobilize all mosques in Bekasi -- hundreds
of them -- to go to war against Christians. It is so easy to ignore the plight of
our fellow Christians in Muslim countries, and fail to pray for them.
U.S. Supreme Court to hear case against Arizona Immigration law.
But it's not the controversial law of a couple of months ago which has resulted
in boycotts of the state and lawsuits against the state -- one by the Mexican
government. This law to be considered by the Supreme Court is one signed
into law in 2007 by then Governor Napolitano. And it brings the spotlight of
attention on two currently prominent figures: Obama's appointed candidate for
the Court, Elena Kagan, and Obama's Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet
Napolitano. The draft of the case originated in Kagan's office as Solicitor
General, and may represent Napolitano's present opinion that federal law
supercedes state law -- which is directly opposite from her opinion when she
signed the law in 2007.
"Obamacare" is still in trouble with national public opinion, and with
individual states. Still virtually unchanged from the date of enactment are the
polls which show that 55% of American voters feel that the president's health
care reform law should be repealed. On a state by state basis, Missouri may
become the fifth state to opt out of using funds provided by the bill to pay for
abortions. Already Arizona, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana have
passed similar bills.
foresaw possible problems facing this nation they had established, and they
knew how to deal with those problems.
"The essence of Government is power, and power, lodged as it must be
in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse." -- James Madison, 1787
"When once a republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying
any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring
its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil."
-- Thomas Jefferson, 1808
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
