Wednesday
EACH NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION
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THIS YEAR'S LAST EDITORIAL COMMENT: Just this brief note on
our heading color -- in the traditional liturgical colors for the seasons of
the church year, we should be using gold or white . . . but they don't print
well! So we move to green for the season after Ephiphany and for most of
the church year. (There used to be an old story about green being the color
for Christians -- as in traffic lights, it means "Go.") And there is this other
note: in this last issue for 2010 we want to look back over this past year,
and look forward to the new year. Without advocating in the slightest the
concept of ancient Greek mythology, there was a god named Janus (from
whom we got the name for our first month) who was portrayed as having
two heads, one looking forward and one looking back. And in our looking
forward, we are reminded that our active count-down is now 678 days
till Election Day, Nov. 6, 2012 . . . 678 days to pray before we vote to
restore America to being the nation our Founding Fathers intended it to
be. And as we look forward, we extend to all of our readers and friends,
our best wishes for a Happy, God-blessed New Year. For ANC, in 2011
we will mark the completion of 7 full years as a weekly publication, and
the start of our 8th year as an Evangelical Conservative Christian voice.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
EACH NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION IS
A MUCH ENJOYED EVENT BUT ALSO
ONE WHOSE SIGNIFICANCE IS MIS -
UNDERSTOOD OR IGNORED
Speaking of the old year's passing, Brooks Atkinson, famed American
journalist, wrote: "Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the
past. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can
go." But looking toward a new year, Ronald Reagan said in Jan.
1993: "In America every day is a new beginning...for this is the
land that has never become, but is always in the act of becoming.
Emerson was right: 'America is the Land of Tomorrow.'"
At this moment in time, both were right. The year 2010 was
indeed imperfect. We can thank God it is over. And we do have
a new beginning. This is the "Land of Tomorrow."
But 2011 is more than just a "new year." It is the first year of
the second decade of the 21st century. It seems like just a few
days ago we were trying to get this new century started. There
were debates as to whether the new century began on Jan. 1,
2000 or Jan. 1, 2001. It was called the "Y2k" controversy. And it
ended in sort of a draw, and now it is pretty well agreed that
2010 was the last year of the first decade of the 21st century.
And consider what we did in those 10 years. We got through the
8 years of the George W. Bush presidency, and the first 2 years
of the Barack Hussein Obama presidency. Neither one was any
kind of a high mark in American history, but we got through
them. The Bush years are over and behind us; we still have two
more of the Obama years to endure. But we start this new year
with hopes -- and as Christians, with prayers -- for better days
for America and the world.
Archbishop Peter Jensen, of the Anglican diocese of Sydney,
Australia, made this comment concerning the new decade: "The
children born in this decade are 21st century citizens. They
never knew the last century. In another ten years they and their
friends will be judging us 20th century types ... What will they
say? They won't be too happy at our reckless consumption, our
materialism. They wll look back in wonder at our brutal wars.
They will be astonished that we allowed family life to decay ...
But I am filled with hope for them, and I won't mind their
criticisms. Human failure is not the end of the story. We can't
beat God that easily ... God is bigger than our failures."
And what about ANC in this new decade? We don't plan to
change our approach, but will be trying to follow Jesus' charge
to us, that we are the light and salt of the world (Matt. 5: 13,14),
and that we are to preach the Gospel to everyone in the world,
and to teach all nations. (Mark. 16:15; Matt. 28:19) And we will
remember that Jesus said He would build His Church, and it
would be a militant Church, victorious over all the forces of
evil. (Matt. 16:18)
Just these few comments about the 111th Congress. This
news headline in Human Events expressed it well: "Democratic
Congress ends with a whimper." There were fears -- apparently
somewhat justified -- that the Democrat controlled "lame-duck"
members of both houses would wreak havoc as their parting
gesture after two years of catastrophes, having earned the lowest
rating ever given to any Congress -- a national approval of 13%.
But they did create some problems for our future -- perhaps
permanent ones in some instances or temporry ones which can
be corrected by a more pro-American Congress, less dominated
by the Liberal designs of the Obama administration.
The income tax bill, a compromise version forced by the revived
Republicans, remains "iffy." The defeat of the Obama pseudo
amnesty plan under the title "Dream Act" failed -- again by the
revived Republican members. As did the massive Democrat pork-
laden, earmark-heavy spending bill, replaced by an interim
funding bill to keep the government operating. But there were a
few very unfortunate actions which were passed -- most notably
the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law which restricts the
service of homosexuals in the nation's military. But there is a
prescribed waiting period before it really takes effect, and the
preponderant objections of knowledgeable military leaders may
yet modify it before too much damage is done to our armed
forces, and to our national security. And the US/Russia "Start"
treaty was approved, under a high note of urgency sounded by
Mr. Obama -- but now it is stalled in Russian political debates,
and any final approval by Russia is likely, but is not positively
assured. So we await the start of the 112th Congress, with a
slightly more balanced party line-up, hopefully resulting in some
reduction in government spending as we begin the slow return to
more sound economic times.
As always, we take note of "What Others Are Saying."
Mike Evans (Jerusalem Prayer Team): "When I was
interviewed by Israel national news television in the Holy Land,
I told them that there are millions of American believers
standing uncompromising and unapologetically with the Chosen
People ... but sadly that the Obama administration was not."
Rep. Steve King (R, Iowa), told CNS News that Jesus had a
right to life from the moment of conception: "He got the right to
life when God conceived Him in the womb of Mary, and it's that
simple, and that plain, and that profound. Each one of us got the
right to life at the instant of conception, and we have that right
until natural death."
Newt Gingrich (on TSA screenings): "We have to tell the
truth about who is trying to kill us, and act on that truth...
Checking out an 83 year old nun from Des Moines is not
national security. It's stupidity."
Robert Ringer (best selling Conservative author):
"Beginning with his infamous 'I think when you spread the
wealth around, it's good for everybody,' slip of the tongue
when answering Joe the Plumber during his presidential
campaign, coupled with his perennially angry wife's 'Someone
is going to have to give up a piece of their pie so someone
else can have more,' Barack Obama's focus has been on
else can have more,' Barack Obama's focus has been on
punishing 'the rich.'"
R. Loren Sandford (in Charisma magazine): "We, the
United States of America, are headed toward an intense crisis
at the presidential level, the outcome of which will determine
the direction of this country for a number of years to come...
We will need the intervening hand of God to achieve a good
outcome and enter a season of hope... Pray in whatever way the
Lord guides you to pray, but above all, pray n His Spirit and
with His heart. We can affect the course of history."
Jay Sekulow (ACLJ):"This past year marks one of the most
historic in American history. I also believe it marks the pivot
point where the American people finally said they have seen
enough from an over-reaching, activist government."
And if you missed this "One Liner" . . . "Bush did it, is not
a foreign policy." -- Victor Davis Hanson, military historian.
And now these few random "Afterthoughts" . . .
Those peace loving Islamists are still at it, as in this news
report from Nigeria, that on Christmas eve in Borno State, the
Bishara Baptist Church was burned to the ground by attackers
indentified by the police as of the Boko Haram Islamists. The
church's pastor and four elders were burned to death, and three
church members were murdered outside the building. But Mr.
Obama was probably unaware of this "peaceful" Islamic activity;
he was reportedly strolling on the beach at his luxurious rented
vacation home in Hawaii on Christmas eve.
The truth about the real goal of "Global Warming" is
finally revealed. As delegates suffered in Cancun's coldest
weather in 100 years at the "Global Warming" summit, the
working group co-chair, Ottmar Edenhofer, said that this had
been "one of the largest economic conferences since the Second
World War ... One has to free oneself from the illusion that
international climate policy is an environmental policy ... Its
real purpose is redistributing the world's wealth and natural
resources." Comment: It's good to have our suspicions about
Al Gore's scheme confirmed!
The old "camel's nose under the tent" -- but this time in
the Congress. According to Rep. Keith Ellison (D, Minn.), the
first Muslim elected to Congress, the U.S. is reverting to
"colonial relationships" to impose its will on other countries
through "economic warfare." At the "Network of Spiritual
Progressives" (NSP) conference, Ellison said, "Diplomatically,
we have got to understand that it's not about imposing our
will upon countries through economic warfare like all these
sanctions that we're so fond of."
For what it's worth: the most admired people for 2010.
A new USA Today/Gallup poll puts Barack Obama and Hillary
Clinton as the most admired man and woman by Americans in
2010. Obama pulled 22% of the vote (down from 32% in 2008).
George W. Bush was second at 5%, followed by Bill Clinton at 4%,
with Jimmy Carter, Glenn Beck, Bill Gates, Pope Benedict XVI,
Billy Graham and Nelson Mandela all at 2%. (This is the 54th
time Billy Graham has been in the top 10 -- the most ever for
anyone.) Gallup reported that sitting presidents have been in
the top spot 52 out of the 64 times the question has been asked.
Hillary Clinton received 17% of the votes, followed by Sarah
Palin at 12% and Oprah Winfrey at 11%.
Moving from current events to an earlier time, we feel it
is important to note some of the enduring comments from our
Founding Fathers, the men who planned and created this nation.
"My ardent desire is, and my aim has been ... to comply strictly
with all our engagements foreign and domestic; but to keep the
United States free from political connections with every other
country. To see that they may be independent of all, and under
the influence of none. In a word, I want an American character,
that the powers of Europe may be convinced we act for ourselves
and not for others; this, in my judgment, is the only way to be
respected abroad and happy at home."
-- George Washington, 1775
"The Hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this --
the course of the war -- that he must be worse than an infidel
that lacks faith and more wicked that has not gratitude to
acknowledge his obligations; but it will be time enough for me
to turn Preacher when my present appointment ceases."
-- George Washington in 1778, reflecting on the Revolutionary
War and the Declaration of Independence.
"A general dissolution of principles and manners will more
surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole
force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they
cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their virtue then
will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or
internal invader." -- Samuel Adams, 1779
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