Wednesday
THE PROBLEM IS WHERE TO START?
October 26, 2011 of our 9th consecutive year of publication
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A thought for today, for this week, and for the weeks to come:
"Christians are people of the foundations — the foundational Truths of
God’s Word and the foundations of America’s evident,
but often disregarded, Christian heritage."
-- Jonathan Falwell, son of Dr. Jerry Falwell
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THE DEATH OF GADDAFI ... THE ANNOUNCED WITHDRAWAL
FROM IRAQ... THE U.N. THREAT TO ISRAEL ... THE SPREAD
OF THE "OCCUPY" MOBS MOVEMENT ... THE MORMON
QUESTION ... THE PROBLEM IS WHERE TO START?
It is possible -- not likely -- but possible that we of this generation have never
faced so many serious problems in current events at one time. But any one of
these several problems has the potential for involvement with the Christian faith.
For example, consider the "Occupy Wall Street" protest which began in New
York City, and has now spread to over 100 cities in 90 countries. Aside from
extremely violent outbursts in Rome, with many injured and extensive property
damage, the protests have been relatively peaceful and have involved only
few arrests. However, Douglas Schoen, reporting in the Wall Street Journal on
a poll of the leadership at Succcotti Park, the New York base camp, disclosed,
that 31% would resort to violence to advance their agenda. Meantime, that
quarter of a million dollars in available funds that we mentioned last week, has
reportedly now passed $500,000 as donations continue to pour in.
With the movement already enjoying the support of President Obama, Vice
President Biden, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, former president Clinton,
the American Nazi party and the Communist party, last week they picked up
additional support as CAIR (Conference on American Islamic Relations), an
organization with strong ties to terrorist networks, moved in to show support
for the "Occupy" movement, and turned the park into an open-air mosque for
a Friday prayer service with the sermon on Islamic justice delivered by Imam
Aiyub Abdul Baki.
Somewhat in contrast was the report that historic St. Paul's cathedral in London
closed its doors last week after an encampment of Occupy Wall Street protesters
blocked the entrances. The protesters had been encamped on the cathedral square
since Rev. Giles Frazer spoke in support of the protests. This was the first time the
cathedral had closed its doors since 1940, in the midst of World War II, when an
unexploded bomb was found in the square.
The end goal, the results of this movement, are not yet in sight, but given the extent
of its support, the potential and the implications are not something we want to see.
And now, in this pre-election year, the Mormon question has been raised.
This is not a class in religious history, but essentially there are 3 religions active in
the world today: Christianity, Islam and Mormonism. Christianity, we understand;
it relates to historic Hebrew roots, is based on the life, death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and its truths come to us through the ancient
Scriptures which we refer to as the Holy Bible, the Word of God. It has been the
world's leading religious faith since the beginning of this age, for we measure all
time by the life of its founder, Jesus Christ.
Islam and Mormonism have much in common. Both were created by men hundreds
of years after the life and ministry of Jesus Christ; Islam by a self-proclaimed
"prophet" called Mohammad; Mormonism by a self-proclaimed "prophet" called
Joseph Smith. Both have a book of rules written by those founders; Islam calls its
book the Quran; Mormonism calls its book the Book of Mormon.
The similarity doesn't end there. Both Islam and Mormonism deny the Trinity, and
that Jesus is the Son of God. Both deny the essential teachings of the Christian faith.
But a question about Mormonism has been raised because of the involvement of
some prominent political figures in this religion. Two of the Republican candidates
for the upcoming presidential election -- Jon Huntsman and Mitt Romney -- are
Mormons. Huntsman, in a May, 2011 interview on ABC News said, "I believe
in God. I'm a good Christian. I am very proud of my Mormon heritage. I am
Mormon." That's quite a broad choice.
Mitt Romney, not quite as frankly open about his faith, is a sixth generation member
of the Mormons ... served 30 months as a Mormon missionary in France, was
graduated from Brigham Young University and was married in the Mormon Temple
in Salt Lake City. The other nationally prominent Mormon political figure is Harry
Reid (D, NV), Majority Leader in the Senate, who recently said of his fellow-
Mormon, Mitt Romney, "Here's a man who doesn't know who he is."
To step aside from political wranglings, here are a few thoughts from one of our
nation's most respected Christian theologians, Dr. R. Albert Mohler, President,
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary: "Mormonism does not claim to be just
another denomination of Christianity .... and it clearly identifies Christianity
as a false faith ... take Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, at his word
when he claimed that true Christianity did not exist from the time of the
Apostles until the re-establishment of the Aaronic and Melchizedek
priesthoods on May 15, 1829...Mormonism starts with an understanding of
God that rejects the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. The Mormon concept
of God includes many gods, not one. Furthermore...Mormonism rejects the
Bible as the sole and sufficient authority for the faith, and insists that The
Book of Mormon and other authoritative Latter-Day Saints writings
constitute God’s final revelation."
U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq; another Obama credibility crisis? Over
the weekend Iraq's Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, said that the U.S. troops
were leaving because Baghdad rejected American demands that any remaining
U.S. forces would be shielded from prosecution lawsuits. al-Maliki said, "When
the Americans asked for immunity, the Iraqi side answered that it was not
possible. ... the discussions over the number of trainers and the place of
training stopped ... the withdrawal has started."
The day before al-Maliki's comments, President Obama hailed the troops'
withdrawal as the result of his commitment promised shortly after taking office
in 2009, and is offered as proof that he keeps the promises he makes to the
American people.
Joel Rosenberg, in his Blog, summarized the situation well: "The White House
is leaving the playing field to an increasingly emboldened and dangerous
Islamic Republic of Iran. U.S. generals recommended keeping 10,000 to
15,000 American troops stationed on the ground in Iraq past the end of
2011 to continue helping the Iraqi strengthen their fragile young democracy
and prevent Iran meddling. However, the President's unwillingness or inability
to successfully negotiate with the Iraqi government to keep any U.S. military
forces in Iraq is already sending a signal to Tehran that Washington is even
weaker than they thought."
Amid all the events in the middle-East, the threat to Israel continues. The
goal of Israel's destruction, and removal from existence, as articulated so often by
Iranian President Ahmadinejad, takes on new meaning as the U.N. prepares to
bring the issue of recognition of the Palestine State to the Security Council. Dr.
Mike Evans of the Jerusalem Prayer Team expressed the problem well: "The
United Nations Security Council has scheduled a meeting for November 11,
and sources indicate the resolution for Palestinian statehood will likely be
voted on that day. Though the US has threatened to veto the measure, the
Palestinians hope to get the nine votes necessary for approval, forcing the
U.S. to step in to stop it. My sources in Israel fear that a US veto will be the
trigger for a new outbreak of violence and perhaps even full-scale war. Iran
has spent hundreds of millions arming Hezbollah and Hamas with advanced
weapons to use against the Jewish state." Our continuing count-down for prayer
(see below) must continue to include prayer for Israel, as in Psalm 122:6, "Pray
for the peace of Jerusalem."
The death, or assassination, of Gaddafi marks the end of an era that we can
understand, but the opening of an era whose nature we can only speculate about.
That he was an evil tyrant, who ruled for some 40 years, there is no doubt, but in
that regard he was different only in a matter of degrees from the other rulers in that
part of the world. The mythical vision of "democracy" which some Western leaders
pontificate about has little basis in reality. It has been said that "democracy" is just
another word for "mob rule," and the alternative term "mobocracy" seems to fit.
The most recent failure of the concept -- in Egypt -- has given way to the power
take-over by the Muslim Brotherhood. In Libya, the transitional government
leader, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, has announced that Islamic Sharia law would be the
“basic source” of legislation in the country and that existing laws that contradict the
teachings of Islam would be nullified. It becomes a period of waiting for the "other
shoe to fall," and the latter state may well be worse than the former one.
The Presidential Prayer Team joins in a "Prayer Countdown" -- Welcome!
The Presidential Prayer Team made this announcement this past week: "In less
than two weeks we will launch Pray the Vote 2012 to once more lead our
nation in prayer heading into the primaries and the national election." We
began our Prayer Countdown to the 2012 Election Day on March 30, 2011, when
there were 587 days to pray. Now, some 210 days later, there are, as of this date,
377 days to pray before Election Day, Nov. 6, 2012. Last week our friend, Dr.
Gene Jeffries, reminded us of the need for prayer for the flooding in Thailand, and
this week that remains an urgent matter for prayer. Those floods may take 6 weeks
to recede, with more than 110,000 people displaced, and 700,000 out of work.
And Dr. Carl Moeller, president of Open Doors USA, asks, "Please pray with me
for a halt to the loss of lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ in Egypt...
Instead of more freedom since the end of the Hosni Mubarak regime in January,
Christians have been even more targeted by Muslim extremists." And, of course,
we must not fail to pray for our own nation and its leaders, and for God's wisdom as
we vote on Election Day.
Newspapers call it "Op Ed Page;" we call it "What Others Are Saying"
(This one has to take precedence . . .)
Rev. Bob Ritter (Nebo, NC pastor after personal meeting with Mr. Obama):
"This president's treated God like a spare tire ...When a crisis comes, we
pull God out of the trunk and we call for pastors ... we called for prayer
after 9/11, but then the sad thing is that when it all works, and God gives
our country peace of heart and protects us, since 9/11 we've put God back in
the trunk ... God's not a spare wheel; He's supposed to be the steering wheel."
Ann Coulter: "The worst thing about Occupy Wall Street is that it's
ruining a good cause: hating Wall Street. Just when opposing Wall Street
was gaining momentum, these brain-dead zombies are forcing us to choose
between thieving bankers and them."
(We have often spoken of Jesus' commands to be salt and light in our world.)
Jim Denison (Pres. Denison Forum): "How could your life make its largest
impact on our society? Pay the price to achieve that level of cultural
significance and live there as salt and light (Matt. 15:13-16) It doesn't take
much salt to flavor a meal or much light to illumine the dark."
Ryan Lizza (writing in the New Yorker): "Obama may be moving toward
something resembling a doctrine. One of his advisors described the
president's actions in Libya as 'leading from behind.'"
P.J. O'Rourke (Mencken Research Fellow at Cato Institute):"The good
news is that, according to the Obama administration, the rich will pay for
everything. The bad news is that, according to the Obama administration,
you're rich."
And there are these few "Afterthoughts" from our research this week . . .
An update for those who like to keep current on end-time predictions: Harold
Camping, who gained fame (or infamy) with his May 21 end of the world predictions,
was back with another erroneous guess that last Friday, Oct. 21 was the new date,
saying that he had miscalculated by 5 months. But he apparently miscalculated again.
His Family Radio network says that he has given up hosting his regular radio program.
We'll just have to await his next prediction . . .
Further news from the "Islamic terrorist" front: The D.C. based Daily Caller
reports that Deputy U.S. Attorney General James Cole has confirmed that the Obama
administration was pulling back all training materials used for law enforcement and
national security purposes in order to eliminate all references to Islam. Muslim Public
Affairs Council (MPAC) president Salam al-Marayati threatened the FBI with a total
cutoff of cooperation between American Muslims and law enforcement if the agency
failed to revise its law enforcement training materials, and al-Marayati demanded that
the Justice Department and the FBI “issue a clear and unequivocal apology to the
Muslim American community.” The puzzling corollary we continue to face is that
while it may be true that all Muslims are not terrorists -- all the terrorists who have
attacked us have been Muslims.
Concerning the latest outbreak of Joe Biden's "Foot in mouth disease."
In a series of tirades last week where he threatened that if Obama's jobs bill
were not passed, "Murder will continue to rise; rape will continue to rise; all
crime will continue to rise," Vice President Joe Biden once again raised the
question about there being no control over his outbursts. The Heritage Foundation
offered this comment: "If you listen to Vice President Joe Biden, the most
effective way to prevent rape and murder is more federal stimulus spending.
In the Vice President's defense, at least this is a new argument, considering
the others—jobs created, bridges built, energy generated—have all miserably
failed." And Robert Ringer, whom we often quote, added this evaluation: "As
liberals go, I actually had a touch of like for Joltin Joe Biden in his Senate days.
But since he got in bed with the Marxists in the Executive Branch, it's become
increasingly difficult to give him a pass. Even so, I feel compelled to cut Joe
some slack by blaming his maniacal remarks on mitigating circumstances:
He's a bona fide idiot." Others have suggested that his staff find that stolen Obama
teleprompter and insist that Joe use it.
PROTESTS -- PAST, PRESENT AND POSSIBLE FUTURE!
October 19, 2011 of our ninth consecutive year of publication
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A life changing thought for today, this week, and every week:
"Christianity alone of all the great religions of the world calls itself by the
name of its Founder. Christianity is so inextricably bound up
with Christ that our view of the person of Christ involves
and determines our view of Christianity."
-- W. H. Griffith Thomas
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SINCE PROTESTS DOMINATE THE NEWS TODAY, LET'S GIVE
SOME CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO THEM -- PAST AND
PRESENT -- AND THE RESULTS THEY HAVE ACHIEVED
Considering "Protests," it's probably best to start with "domestic" ones.
The protest movement, "Occupy Wall Street," began on Saturday, Sept. 17 with
expectations of an initial crowd of 20,000. When only a few hundred turned up,
scornful observers termed it a "dismally failed effort," and the movement's early
demise was expected. Two weeks later the protesters were still there, now
with union support, and the crowd had grown to 5,000, and similar efforts were
taking place in other cities across the country. One month later -- just this past
weekend, there were reports of 1,500 demonstrations in 100 cities in 89 countries.
At the New York base, efforts of Mayor Bloomberg to move them out of a private
park had failed, and the group announced a "war chest" of nearly a quarter of a
million dollars, with contributions coming in at the rate of $1,000 a day, and they
million dollars, with contributions coming in at the rate of $1,000 a day, and they
said they had a warehouse full of supplies to sustain them for months. What has
already happened in New York is happening on slightly smaller scales in Chicago,
Los Angeles, San Diego, Washington, DC, and other major cities.
And it isn't just a few unemployed loners who are angry with the establishment
and the unfair -- in their minds -- distribution of wealth . . . now their support has
reached the higher echelons. Nancy Pelosi spoke in their favor, "I support the
message to the establishment, whether it's Wall Street or the political
establishment and the rest, that change has to happen." The major Democrat
support organization, moveon.org, went on record, "Occupy Wall Street has
shown us what's possible when a small and dedicated group of people
standing up against the corporate takeover of our democracy are supported
by a wider progressive community."
Similarly, Rocky Suhayda, head of the American Nazi party said that its members
"should join and support the Occupy demonstrators because they share a
common enemy: the judeo-capitalist banksters." And John Bachtel of the
Communist party told the demonstration in Chicago, "I bring greetings and
solidarity from the Communist party. We are here marching side by side."
And as his poll numbers continue their slide, Mr. Obama has embraced the group's
protests, "I think it expresses the frustrations that the American people feel...
People are frustrated and the protesters are giving voice to a more broad-
based frustration about how our financial system works." And the president's
chief political advisor, David Plouffe, said in a Washington Post interview, “We
intend to make it one of the central elements of the campaign next year,”
adding that his campaign would leverage the public's anger at Wall Street to
slingshot Obama back into the White House for a second term. And for a real
heavy-weight endorsement, who else could they turn to, but the patron saint of
the environmentalists, Al Gore: "Count me among those supporting and
cheering on the Occupy Wall Street movement."
The point is this: this is no weak, disorganized effort by a few malcontents. It has
not yet assumed the destructive "riot" status that we have seen in Rome, Paris,
London and in mob scenes throughout the Middle East. This is a not to be ignored
effort with potentially troubling implications for our nation at this difficult point in
American history.
What better time to speak of our prayer countdown to Election Day, 2012.
There are, as of this date, 384 days until Election Day . . . let's use those 384 days
to pray for our nation and for our leaders to be given wisdom in governing, and
let's ask God to give us wisdom as we vote to choose our future leaders. And
let us never forget our fellow Christians all over the world who are daily suffering
persecution for their faith. And thank God that we still have the right of freedom
of worship here in a nation founded and built on Judeo-Christian principles.
And then after the "domestic" protests, there are the International ones.
It is immediately apparent that our neophyte administration, state department and
foreign affairs experts often mis-interpret movements claiming to want a democratic
way of life, which are really just expressions of mob-rule, or as some observers
have labeled it: "mobocracy."
Without examining all of the relevant examples of this judgment error in international
relations, a few glaring situations come immediately to mind. In February, mobs took
over life in Cairo, and led to the ouster of Egypt's long time president, Hosni Mubarak.
The United States was in strong support of the uprising, all in the name of "democracy,"
spending billions in support of the protest movement. But how have Christians and
other religious minorities in Egypt fared in the months since? The facts are that the
Muslim Brotherhood and other Muslim forces have taken over, and Christians are
suffering more abuses today, than ever before under former President Mubarak. Last
week's massacre by the police and military of Coptic Christians who were protesting
the Muslim powers burning another of their churches is a prime example.
Or consider the threatened extermination of Iraq's "Christian Dogs" -- where Islamic
leaders issue fatwas affirming that "it is permissible to spill the blood of Iraqi
Christians." According to John Eibner of Christian Solidarity International (CSI),
"Since the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime, more than half the country's
Christian population has been force to seek refuge abroad ..." Estimates vary,
but according to the Hammurabi Human Rights Organization, "over 700 Christians,
including bishops and priests, have been killed, and 61 churches have been
bombed." In other words, Christian persecution has increased under the U.S.
occupation,, and as one Vatican official commented, "Christians, paradoxically,
were more protected under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein."
Looking at Afghanistan, according to the U.S. State Department, there is not even
one public Christian church left in Afghanistan. The State Department continues to
state that “the United States continues to promote religious freedom in
Afghanistan” -- even after the last public Christian church was destroyed in March,
2010, while in the past decade America has spent $440 billion to support the new
Afghan government.
Finally, Raymond Ibrahim, a widely published Islam-specialist, who compiled
many reports summarized above, raised this thought: "And then people wonder
why Syrian Christians are backing autocratic Bashar Assad; they have seen
the 'fruits of democracy' in Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt and anywhere else
'people power' is burgeoning, whether organically, or -- if not especially --
under the auspices of the U.S."
We have some very erudite and perceptive readers as evidenced by their
comments on the weekly issues of ANC. Most -- in fact, almost all -- share our
pro-Christian, pro-American, pro-Conservative viewpoint. But rarely -- so rarely
as to make this one example worth noting -- does a reader claiming to be a
Christian, accuse the Editor, who is a long time fellow believer, of distorting and
lying, and of being a disgrace to the Evangelical cause. The accuser wrote as a
professor at Asbury Theological Seminary, in Wilmore KY , in these words:
"This newsletter lacks the integrity that aligns with claim to be Christian.
The gross distortions and outright lies are a disgrace to the evangelical
gospel I embrace. Please remove my address from your mailing list!" Out
of Christian courtesy we will not publicize he name of the writer, but we have
asked the professor for one example of lies . . . to date we have had no response.
Apparently, the words "Christian" and "Evangelical" are often used with Liberal
meanings, but here in ANC we use only the traditional, Bible-based meaning,
never the progressive, PC meaning.
We don't ask you to rely solely on our opinions -- it is always helpful to
keep informed by reading our research as to "What Others Are Saying . . .
Margaret Thatcher (former British Prime Minister): “The Decalogue --
Ten Commandments-- are addressed to each and every person. This is the
origin of our common humanity and of the sanctity of the individual. Each
one has a duty to try to carry out those commandments. You don’t get that
in any other political creed…It is personal liberty with personal responsibility.”
William Bennett (former U.S. Secretary of Education): "The founding
virtues – industriousness, marriage, and religion, are still the basis for male
empowerment and achievement. It may be time to say to a number of our
young men, 'Get off the video games five hours a day, pull yourself together,
get a challenging job, and get married.' It’s time to bring back men."
Joel Rosenberg (in Joel Rosenberg's Blog): "The Islamic Republic of Iran
declared war on the United States and Israel in 1979. They have since taken
Americans hostage. They have murdered Americans in Lebanon, Saudi
Arabia, Iraq and Afghanistan. They have funded Hezbollah, Hamas, the
PLO and other terrorist organizations that have murdered Israelis. They are
developing nuclear weapons and the missiles to deliver them. Now, it
appears the Iranian government has tried to launch a deadly terrorist
operation on American soil -- in our nation's capital. Yet Iran has never paid
a real price for any of these acts of war. When will we wake up to this
growing threat and respond decisively and neutralize the Iranian threat?"
Dr. Mike Evans (Jerusalem Prayer Team): "Former President Jimmy
Carter, long a supporter of Palestinian causes and enemy of Israel, issued
a public warning to President Obama not to use the U.S. veto in the UN
Security Council to stop the recognition of a Palestinian state. Saying that
such a move would be '' mistake,” Carter told an interviewer, 'I hope
President Obama will fulfill the promises that were made at the time he got
the peace prize.' His remarks highlight the growing pressure on Israel from
around the world. The plan to divide Jerusalem and curse the nation of
Israel is moving full-speed ahead. Even though President Obama may veto
a Security Council measure creating a Palestinian state, he is still firmly
committed to that outcome."
Lance Fairchok (in New Media Journal): "This is the dialogue of 'Occupy
Wall Street,' while wiping one's feet on the American flag is spontaneous
performance art, not to mention defecating on a police car, spitting at a
uniformed service member and other adolescent acts of petty vandalism
and harassment one never saw with the Tea Party. This is the behavior
our Democrat party embraces, and indeed, encourages... A nice gathering
of Obama voters."
We found just two all-purpose "One Liners" worth saving this week:
MSNBC's Joe Scarborough (on private property destruction in Rome):
"That will help with the construction industry in Italy. You have to rebuild
Rome because people burned it down."
Jack Marshall (in Ethics Alarms): "I am, obviously, aware that
President Obama’s White House staff and his advisors have been
unacceptably inept and careless on too many occasions, but ..."
And here, selected at random, is just this "Afterthought." . . .
For those Liberals who advocate a progressive view of the Constitution,
there is this wise word from one of our Founding Fathers -- you remember them;
they're the ones who planned and wrote the Constitution: "The first and
governing maxim in the interpretation of a statute is to discover the meaning
of those who made it." (James Wilson, 1790) And Thomas Jefferson added to
that viewpoint when he wrote in 1803: "Our peculiar security is in the possession
of a written Constitution. Let us not make it a blank paper by construction."
Those Founding Fathers may have foreseen the day when Governor Bev Perdue
(D, NC) would suggest that we suspend the 2012 congressional elections for two
yeas -- in direct violation of Article I, Section 2 of our Constitution. Or the day
when professor David Vann of the Univ. of San Francisco would opine: “At some
point we have to decide to be sane instead of following a document that’s
unclear and outdated.” Or the day when Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D, IL) would
urge President Obama to "declare a national emergency," and use "extra
constitutional" measures to create jobs. What is wrong with Liberal politicians
that they keep calling for the suspension or ignoring of the Constitution? It is to
prevent activities like those that we look forward to Election Day, Nov. 6, 2012 to
restore America to the nation it has always been.
Quotes from our Founding Fathers remind us of what America once was.
"No morn ever dawned more favorable than ours did; and no day was ever
more clouded than the present! Wisdom, and good examples are necessary
at this time to rescue the political machine from the impending storm."
--George Washington, 1786
"A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate
their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from
their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from
the mouth of labor and bread it has earned - this is the sum of good
government." ~ Thomas Jefferson , 1801
Thursday
WHAT KIND OF AMERICA WILL IT BE?
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Some thoughts for today, tomorrow and even for next week:
"Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law
under God is acknowledged."
"If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God,
then we will be a Nation gone under."
-- President Ronald Reagan
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ONCE WE COULD PROUDLY AND CONFIDENTLY SAY "THERE
WILL ALWAYS BE AN AMERICA!" NOW WE HAVE TO ASK:
"BUT WILL IT BE THE AMERICA WE ALWAYS KNEW?"
What we are experiencing is a classic example of the corollary reasoning process:
"That was then; this is now." Or as David Barton, in his basic reference work,
"The Myth of Separation," expressed it: "The Way it Was ... the Way it Is."
At various stages in the development of the United States of America through the
400 years from the earliest colonies, Americans have been able to say: "I lived in
a historic time." The Declaration of Independence in 1776 . . . the Treaty of Paris,
ending the Revolutionary War in 1783 . . . the surrender of Lee to General Grant
at Appomattox in 1865, ending the Civil War . . . the Treaty of Versailles in 1918
end World War I . . . the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, and the end of
World War II in 1945 . . . these few events -- among others -- would qualify as
historic times in anyone's life.
And we, today, are living in an equally historic time.
In 1606 and 1609, the Charters to establish new colonies in an area called "Virginia,"
included these terms, "To make habitation ... in propagating of the Christian
religion to such people, as yet live in darkness," and "The principal Effect ... is
the Conversion of the people in those Parts unto the true Worship of God and
the Christian Religion." In 1620, Pilgrims on board the ship Mayflower, before
setting foot on the soil of this new land, signed the Mayflower Compact, declaring
their purpose in these words, "having undertaken, for the glory of God and the
advancement of the Christian faith ... a voyage to plant the first colony .."
It is absolutely clear that the dominant purpose in establishing these first colonies in
the new world was to advance the Christian faith. So many sources can be cited
in demonstrating the Christian convictions of our nation's founders. Perhaps none
expressed it more clearly than Cotton Mather, the Puritan minister and Christian
philosopher, who wrote in the 17th century concerning his contemporaries: "In
coming to the new continent they were influenced by a double hope: the
enlargement of Christ's kingdom by the conversion of heathen tribes, and the
founding of an empire for their own children in which His religion should
gloriously prevail."
That was Then . . . that's the Way it Was . . .
But this is Now . . . this is the Way it Is . . . On Oct. 30, 2008, just prior to Election
Day, candidate Obama made this statement in a campaign rally at the University of
Missouri: " We are five days away from radically transforming the United
Missouri: " We are five days away from radically transforming the United
States of America."
This is the period of history in which we live. Barack Obama has fulfilled his promise
of election eve, 2008 . . . and he continues on his course of "radically transforming"
America, day, after day, after day. . .
One of his earliest actions was to go to the Muslim world, and declare that America
is no longer a Christian nation. Totally contrary to all the foundational plans and
intents of the men who began this great undertaking that became America. Totally
contrary, also, to the history of this nation's first two centuries. He also promised great
benefits to his homosexual supporters, and pushed through the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
law change. (He still faces a problem there: two groups representing 2,000
Protestant and Catholic military chaplains have refused to perform homosexual
marriages because it violates their beliefs, and also violates a federal law.) He has
promised those supporters he would bring about the repeal of DOMA (the
Defense of Marriage Act) signed into law by President Clinton.
But for Mr. Obama, it's one historic achievement after another. According to the
U.S. Treasury Department, as of the close of business on Oct. 3, the total national
debt was $14,837,099,271,196.71-- up about $44.8 billion from Sept. 30. That
means that in the less-than-three-years Obama has been in office, the federal debt
has increased by $4.212 trillion--more than the total national debt of about $4.1672
trillion accumulated by all of the 41 U.S. presidents from George Washington
through George H.W. Bush -- combined. These are truly historic times!
But most recent is the "Occupy Wall Street" series of protests (riots). Some
of the national commentators have referred to the participants as "stupid youth," and
stupid or not, the protests -- called riots everywhere else in the world -- have spread
from Wall Street to cities all across the country. Nancy Pelosi has spoken out in favor
of the protests, and Mr. Obama has not spoken against them.
But the major boost has come from Robby Mook, the executive director of the
DCCC (Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee) who has sent a fund raising
Email message and petition to be signed, under the title: "I Stand with Occupy Wall
Street." The closing line of Mr. Mook's message: "Sign our petition right now and
help us reach 100,000 strong standing with "Occupy Wall Street protestors
across the country."
In contrast, prospective Republican candidate Herman Cain sent this message to the
protestors: "Wall Street didn't write these failed economic policies. The White
House did. Take your protest to the White House.”
Best selling motivational author, Robert Ringer, put the whole sorry episode into
focus: "The dreams-from-my-father moment appears to be nearing as riots,
sit-ins, and protests grow throughout the country. 'Social-justice' miscreants -
a whole new generation of sixties hippies - have escaped their cages and are
running wild in New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, and other U.S. cities...
This weird mixture of commies and cuckoos are ecstatic over what BHO's
policies have done to the U.S. economy in less than three years...They believe,
or at least they believe they believe, in the greatest of all contradictions - that
by destroying wealth, there will be more wealth to share with 'the masses' ... you
know, as in Mao's China, Lenin's and Stalin's Soviet Union, and Castro's Cuba."
This is just one aspect of the accomplishments of Mr. Obama's program of bail-outs,
strangling regulations and increased government oversight. We can recall how things
were "Then" . . . we are witnessing how things are "Now."
And there were riots leading to massacres of Christians in Egypt. It was just
eight months ago, while President Obama and his Secretary of State Clinton, were
still in their internship, their learning-the-job phase of International Relations, and they
followed the mob-rule demands of protestors in Egypt and encouraged the removal
of long time President Mubarak -- an influence for stability in that tumultuous area,
and a friend and supporter of Israel. With Mubarak's steadying influence gone, the
Muslim Brotherhood assumed new power . . . Israel's safety was further weakened
. . . and the persecution of Egypt's Christians (about 10%-15% of the population)
became more intense. Already some 100,000 Coptic Christians have fled the country.
On Sunday, some of the Christians planned a modest, peaceful demonstration in
protest over the burning of another of their churches. Suddenly the protesters came
under attack by hundreds of thugs, in plain clothes, as well as large forces of police and
military using live ammunition. Police vehicles and military tanks scaled sidewalks and
ran over peaceful protesters, crushing their bodies and instantly killing them. The number
of dead and wounded changes with each report, but the active participation by Egyptian
police and military is not denied.
This is just one dramatic aspect of the "Then" and "Now" of the governance of the
United States of America. Currently unresolved are other examples of malfeasance
at the highest federal level, such as "Fast and Furious" -- our government's providing
of weapons to Mexican drug cartels . . . and when pressure on Attorney General
Holder became intense, the calling of a news conference on an immediate notice to
disclose an already available story of foiling an Iranian plot against the Saudis.
We are just touching the tip of the situation . . . but the obvious need for our long
term countdown of prayer becomes more intense . . .
As of this date (OK - we're a day late this week) there are 390 days till
Election Day, Nov. 6, 2012. 390 days to pray for guidance for our leaders, and
for God's blessing on our nation . . . and for God's wisdom as we go to the polls
on Election Day, and vote to correct the problems we face as a nation. But there
is a great, wide world of fellow believers beyond our shores who need our prayers
as they face persecution -- even loss of life -- because of their Christian faith.
Just a few examples this week of "What Others Are Saying" . . .
Ann Coulter (on the Wall Street protest mobs): "No one knows what the
Wall Street protesters want -- as is typical of mobs. They say they want
Obama re-elected, but claim to hate 'Wall Street.' You know, the same Wall
Street that gave its largest campaign donation in history to Obama, who,
in turn, bailed out the banks and made Goldman Sachs the fourth branch
of government."
Morton Klein (Pres., Zionist Organization of America): in noting the striking
contrast in how President Obama recognizes Jews and Muslims, "Obama's Rosh
Hashanah message was addressed strangely to 'everybody,' and … never
actually mentioned 'Jews' or 'Judaism' even once," but his Ramadan message
"referred to 'Muslims' six times and to 'Islam' twice, stated that American
Muslims have made extraordinary contributions to our country ... and praised
'Islam' ... as a faith known for great diversity and racial equality."
The American Dream: "Could Fast and Furious be the scandal that brings
down the Obama administration? With the full knowledge of the Department
of Justice, ATF agents facilitated the sale of thousands of guns to Mexican
drug cartels... It has become abundantly clear that the Obama administration
desperately wants to hide what went on during Operation Fast and Furious...
In fact, this could end up being Obama's Watergate... the scandal that could
bring down the Obama administration..."
And just a couple of "Afterthoughts," collected at random . . .
An advance notice of an important coming event: Sunday, Nov. 13, has been
designated as a day of international prayer support for our fellow believers in
lands where they are suffering persecution for their faith. Over 70% of the world's
population live in areas of severe religious persecution. The theme of this day of
prayer is "One With Them," and the key Scripture verse is I Cor. 12:26
Interesting: the "Generic" Republican candidate continues to beat Obama.
This week's match-up result was the same as last week's: Republican 47%; Obama
41%. In surveys since May, the prospective voting margins have been quite uniform.
The men who made this country great have so much to tell us . . .
"If it be asked, What is the most sacred duty and the greatest source of
our security in a Republic? The answer would be, An inviolable respect
for the Constitution and Laws." --Alexander Hamilton, 1794
"In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man,
but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution."
--Thomas Jefferson, 1798
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter, and lose
our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
-- Abraham Lincoln, 1863
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