Wednesday
WHAT WOULD YOUR ANSWER BE?
November 30, 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:
"We must stress that the basis for our faith is neither experience
nor emotion, but the truth as God has given it in verbalized,
prepositional form in the Scripture."
Francis Schaeffer, 1972
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IF YOU WERE ASKED WHAT IS THE GREATEST PROBLEM
WE FACE, AS CHRISTIANS LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WHAT WOULD YOUR ANSWER BE?
Are you seriously concerned about our nation's prospects? If so, you've got lots
of company. According to a recent poll commissioned by The Hill, a Washington
based daily publication, 69% of American voters say the US is declining, and 83 %
of voters describe themselves as worried (actually, 49 % say say they are very
worried ) about the country's future. From an international perspective, the Pew
Research Center reported from a separate poll: "many now see the financially-
strapped US as a great power in decline." Among respondents in 18 countries,
47% expect China to replace the United States as the world's leading power. Only
36% disagree.
Ronald Reagan often declared, "America's best days are yet to come," but last
month a Rasmussen survey reported that just 37% of likely voters felt that way,
and 45% thought that America's best days were past.
So what do you see as the greatest problem we face? Because our primary
emphasis is "pro-Christian," perhaps the primary concern to express might be in
the religious area, and the clear departure from more than 200 years of American
history in President Obama's ignoring of our nation's foundation of historic Judeo-
Christian principles. Not only has he consistently ignored any recognition of
Christian observances and instead celebrates Islamic holy days, but just last week
in his Thanksgiving proclamation he left out any reference to God, substituting
"community" as the blessing to be celebrated, and stated that he and his family
would spend Thanksgiving day “eating great food, watching a little football,
and reflecting on how truly lucky we are.”
A distinct change from the Thanksgiving Day proclamations of Washington and
Lincoln, and every American president since . . . and a change also from the
beliefs of most Americans for whom Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on how
blessed and thankful to God we are. And to those defenders of Mr. Obama who
argue that his omission of God was "accidental," we respond that you don't just
"accidentally" forget to mention God in a Thanksgiving address.
And we have said nothing about the Obama led support for same-sex marriage,
and the repeal of federal law in defense of marriage, and the support of the use
of abortions on individual choice which have already killed some 50 million
babies since the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision in 1973. All are maters
of serious concern for Christians.
But perhaps your primary concern is over the growth of Islam . . . and
there is valid reason for such concern. There is some notable growth in Islam in
America, but not to the extent of its tremendous growth in the European nations
where the influence of Christianity has been replaced with the increasing socialistic
trends in national life. But the year 2011 has seen an unprecedented Islamic take-
over of the governments of Arab nations across the Middle East.
It all started in Tunisia in January in a series of protests, leading to the removal of
the tyrannical ruler, Zine el Abidine Ben Ali. After an appointed interim Prime
Minister, in October an election was held, and Hamadi Jebali of the Islamic
Ennahdha party, was named as the new prime minister. Jebali announced that he
and his party will be the "6th Islamic Rightly Guided Caliph," and he also
promised that Jerusalem will be freed from Jewish occupation.
The unrest in the area next manifested itself in Egypt in February, with Obama and
Clinton supporting and encouraging the removal of long-time President Hosni
Mubarak, mistakenly interpreting "mob rule" for "democracy." Under the
replacement government, Egyptian Christians were persecuted, murdered and
their churches destroyed -- largely under a militarily controlled government, but it
is the military to whom America gives over $1.2 billion annually. Yet as elections
began this week, the Obama administration turned on the military and issued this
statement: “Full transfer of power to a civilian government must take place
in a just and inclusive manner that responds to the legitimate aspirations
of the Egyptian people, as soon as possible.”
And the "civilian government" waiting to take control is the Muslim Brotherhood,
and as a result, Israel's major friend in the Middle East will now become its major
enemy as Egypt is turned into an Islamist state. Meantime, Egypt is in disarray;
the economy is worsening, unemployment is rising, living standards are rapidly
deteriorating, and in the past eight months more civilians have been tried in military
courts than happened in all the 30 years of Mubarak’s reign.
In Obama's "non war" war in Libya, the mobs which defeated (and then killed)
Gaddafi have splintered and are now behaving like street gangs seeking revenge
against Gaddafi supporters and rival tribes. Post-Civil War Libya is neither
peaceful or democratic as the Western media predicted it would be. And the
present "leaders" have declared that that Islam and Sharia Law will be the basis
for the new government. Such unrest is a perfect situation in which Islamic terrorist
organizations can flourish, and a likely goal for Al Qaeda would be to secure the
chemical weapons left behind by the Gaddafi regime.
And then there is Morocco, where the "Justice and Development Party" (PJD) --
termed a "moderate" Islamic party (if there is such) -- won a majority of seats in
last week's election, and thus in Morocco will be one more Islamist party to lead
a government in the area since the so-called "Arab Spring" uprisings which have
taken place this year.
Meantime Iraq remains in a splintered form of the nation which Saddam Hussein
ruled, with Islamic parties in control but not at all united . . . and Iran remains an
Islamic theocracy, violently opposed to Israel, the United States, and as of this
week: Great Britain.
So if you are concerned over the increase in power by Islam -- and the
encouragement toward that end by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton -- you
obviously have good reason for such concern.
Or if the economy is your primary concern . . . here, too, you have valid
reasons for your concern. Just a thumbnail sketch of the present economic
situation is not encouraging. The stock market continues in wild swings from
plus to minus and back again. The housing market, once the most important and
dependable asset for most Americans, has plummeted, and foreclosures have
become commonplace. Unemployment remains "officially" at 9%, with more
realistic numbers being in the 12% range, or higher. The number of persons living
in poverty levels, and the number existing on food stamps are at new highs. And
for the long term -- our astronomic national debt -- now above $15 trillion --
poses a disastrous future for our children.
And now the financial crisis -- or crises -- in Europe threaten any achievable
recovery, not only domestically but also internationally.
So concerns about our present and future are valid, reasonable and real.
And that brings us to our 8 month "count down for prayer" for the 2012
national election. We began urging prayer for this election on March 30 of this
year, and as of today there are 342 days till Nov. 6, 2012. We have always
urged prayer for our nation and for wisdom for its leaders, and for us to know
God's direction as we vote on Nov. 6 to restore America to the nation it was
intended to be. And we have also urged prayer for our fellow believers all over
the world who are daily facing persecution and death for their faith. In just the
past few days we have received word from northern Nigeria where last week
Fulani Muslims shouting “Allahu Akbar" killed 45 Christians, some by beheading,
and burned another church. And just this week members of the Boko Haram
Islamic sect bombed a police station and a bank and burned shops in the village
of Gaidan.
As the "Elite Media" gets more biased, and less dependable, it's more
important to read "What Others Are Saying."
Gary Shilling (writing in Forbes Newsletter): "I am sorry to report that
the global economic outlook is getting darker by the day. Here at home,
unemployment remains high and economic growth continues to be weak.
Consumer confidence is waning. Housing remains in the dumps. Meanwhile,
stocks have plunged more than 10% since April."
John Ransom (Financial Editor): "Being president was always easy for
John Ransom (Financial Editor): "Being president was always easy for
Barack Obama. That is, it was easy up until the time he actually was elected
president. Then things got a little tougher. In part, Obama’s troubles stem
from the rigidity of his broken ideas. They admit of no compromise.
Consequently, he has subsumed his whole personality into an unworkable
ideology that was dead outside of academia- and news rooms- until he
resurrected it."
Skip MacLure (in Conservative Outpost): "It appears as though our
‘Republican’ candidates have once again forgotten how to spell the word
illegal...Our assumed first-tier candidates have been pussy-footing around
illegal immigration like social workers daintily stepping around piles of poo
at ‘Occupy Oakland’, or one of the other super-fund cleanup sites engendered
by the useless, wasted piles of human garbage that inhabit these places."
Reporting on the removal of a cross from an Army chapel in Afghanistan . . .
Godfather Politics: "America has been compromising its Christian heritage
with Islamic nations for more than two centuries. It didn’t work then, and
it’s not going to work now. Europe abandoned its Christian heritage long ago
in the name of religious pluralism, adopted secularism as a state religion, and
if demographic reports are accurate will be Islamic in less than 50 years."
(Comment: So it’s OK to blow up and shoot and kill Afghans, but it’s illegal to
(Comment: So it’s OK to blow up and shoot and kill Afghans, but it’s illegal to
share the gospel with them.)
Michael Youssef (in www.michaelyoussef.com): "It is the ...vacillation and
accommodation on the part of Mr. Obama that has emboldened the Islamists
around the world. As a result, we have seen jihadist-led bloodbaths from
Yemen to Syria and from Libya to Egypt...It is not too late for Mr. Obama to
admit he was wrong and change his policy. In fact, it would be very
courageous for him to say, 'I was wrong about the Islamists.' Then he could
reverse his policy of accommodation, fire his Islamist advisers in the White
House and the State Department and start anew — with a clean slate of
truthfulness and honesty."
Ken Blackwell and Ken Klukowski (Washington based columnists):
"Socialism provides entitlements through massive taxation, and also believes
that heavy government regulation leads to a better society. It does all this in
the name of 'social justice.' No honest person can deny that President Obama's
policies fit these criteria ... Arrogance and incompetence are a toxic
combination. This White House and its cronies are overflowing with both."
Tony Rubolotto (writing in New Media Journal):"We elect morally inferior
people to office, expect them to buy us whatever we want, whether it is
Constitutional or not, and then are outraged when they act like spendthrifts
and then demand we pay the bill."
And, of course, we found a few "One Liners" that might interest you:
Richard Lamm (former Governor of Colorado): "Christmas is a time when
kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults
tell the government what they want and their kids pay for it."
Vision to America: "The Stimulus: Jump starting a car with no engine."
Pamela Geller (in Atlas Shrugs): "There is no moderate Islam; there is no
extreme Islam; Islam is Islam."
And a voice from the past:
Adolf Hitler: "How fortunate for governments that people do not think.
There is no thinking except in giving and executing commands. If it were
otherwise human society could not exist."
And here are a few "Afterthoughts," selected purely at random . . .
An old name tops the list of influential Christian leaders. He hasn't
preached a sermon in years. At age 93, not in the best of health, he lives in
semi-seclusion in the mountains of North Carolina, but a recent Barna Group
survey names Billy Graham as the most influential Christian leader in America.
Pope Benedict XVI was the runner-up in distant second place, and Franklin
Graham, Billy's son, out-ranked other familiar names. Notable was the lack
of any recognition for any of the voices of the "religious left," or the self-styled
"liberal Evangelicals." His long time national and international ministry has not
been forgotten nor has it been diminished by time.
Could we be witnessing the start of another "cold war" with Russia? Both
Russian President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin (soon to be president
again), have threatened to aim its missiles at the U.S. missile defense sites if
Russia's concerns about our missile defense shield aren't met. And they threatened
to opt out of the New Start arms control agreement they had entered into with
President Obama. There are some aspects of present day Russia that we are often
inclined to overlook -- Russia is the No. 1 oil producer in the world, the No. 1 oil
exporter in the world, the No. 1 exporter of natural gas in the world , and has the
second most powerful military in the word.
And we may be contemplating a new "cold war" with China in Mr. Obama's recent
statement that the U.S. is a Pacific nation, and that "We intend to play a larger
and long-term role in shaping this region and its future." Speaking almost in
terms of a "cold war" with China, he said, “I have directed my national security
team to make our presence and missions in the Asia Pacific a top priority.”
In case anyone is paying attention: Holiday shoppers, as they have for several
years, would prefer to be greeted with signs reading “Merry Christmas” rather than
“Happy Holidays” this season. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone
survey of American Adults shows that 70% prefer that stores use signs that say
“Merry Christmas.”
On almost every subject, our Founding Fathers expressed viewpoints
which are applicable to the America of today . . .
"The ordaining of laws in favor of one part of the nation, to the prejudice
and oppression of another, is certainly the most erroneous and mistaken
policy. An equal dispensation of protection, rights, privileges, and
advantages, is what every part is entitled to, and ought to enjoy."
--Benjamin Franklin, 1774
"No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any
people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality,
and virtue; and by a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.”
-- Patrick Henry, 1788
"There can be no greater error than to expect, or calculate upon real favors
from Nation to Nation. 'Tis an illusion which experience must cure, which a
just pride ought to discard... 'Tis our true policy to steer clear of permanent
Alliances, with any portion of the foreign world." -- George Washington, 1796
"A rigid economy of the public contributions and absolute interdiction of
all useless expenses will go far towards keeping the government honest and
unoppressive." -- Thomas Jefferson, 1823
And that concludes this week's issue of your pro-Christian, pro-American,
pro Conservative commentary . . . now if you would like to have a modest share
in helping to keep this one-of-a-kind publication coming your way, please click
HERE and consider sending a donation in support of ANC. Thank you!
CHRISTLESS CHRISTIANITY
November 23, 2011 of our 9th consecutive year of publication, and on this
Thanksgiving Day eve, to all our American readers: May you have a blessed,
thanks filled Thanksgiving Day, as we express our gratitude to God for His
continued goodness toward us.
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A thought for today, for this week, and for the weeks to come:
"All I have seen teaches me to trust the creator for all I have not seen."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
19th century American philosopher, essayist and poet
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CHRISTIANS IN AMERICA ARE NOW BEING FACED WITH A
NEW TREND: "CHRISTLESS CHRISTIANITY." SOON WE
CAN EXPECT TO FACE A "CHRISTLESS CHRISTMAS"
We receive quite a few comments from our readers in which they ask why we so
often provide quotes from our nation's Founding Fathers expressing their views
as they developed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and
created this new nation: the United States of America.
The answer is brief and simple: we do not want anyone to think that this nation
began with Barack Obama, or with his promise which he made on October 30,
2008 on the eve of the election when he said "We are five days away from
fundamentally transforming the United States of America."
That promise, of course, followed by a few months, his speech in June, 1988,
in Minnesota when he accepted the nomination as a presidential candidate:
"This was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and
good jobs for the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans
began to slow and the planet began to heal." That was perhaps the first
evidence of his messianic complex, which led to him being considered by some
of his followers as "the anointed one."
Most of his promised changes have been in the areas of economics, politics, and
military actions. It is difficult to conceive of even one of those changes which has
been for the better. But a few changes have been in the area of religious matters,
and this is where the most dramatic change from what the Founding Fathers
intended can be seen.
Our Founding Fathers in so many statements emphasized that the leaders of our
government should be men of high morals and of virtue. Those were their words,
used again and again. In 1770, John Adams, our second president, spoke of the
new nation in these words, "this perfect plan of divine and moral government."
This was always the view of the men who created this nation -- a government
based on Judeo-Christian principles, led by men of virtue and high morals.
About halfway, time-wise, from those founding days, to the present, in 1898 Dr.
Charles B. Galloway delivered a series of lectures at what is now Emory University
in Atlanta, titled Christianity and the American Commonwealth. This was his
premise: "Christian teachings were the seed-thoughts of our political
constitution, and Christian evangelism was the inspiration of American
colonization. If we eliminate from our national history the direct and all-
powerful influence of the Christian religion, we have nothing left but a set
of disjointed facts without significance."
But that was prior to Mr. Obama's declarations in 2006 and 2007 that America
was no longer a Christian nation. In 2009, during his visit to Muslim countries as
the American president, he had refined his pronouncement to these words: "We
do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim
nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals
and a set of values."
That is, by any standard, a strangely constructed statement. America has a
population which is approximately 80% Christian, 1.8% Jewish, and only 0.6%
Muslim. (ARIS Survey, 2008) Anywhere else in the world, given population
percentages of those dimensions, it would merit the designation that this is
a "Christian nation," and one would have to wonder why ethnic groups of such
small percentages should be included in defining what America is.
But beyond that obvious inaccuracy, it must be noted that this denial of America's
Christian nature is the first such denial expressed by any president in more than
200 years. And his definition is at odds with the "under God" statement in the
Pledge of Allegiance, by reducing our dependence on God to our being united by
"ideals and a set of values."
And that brings us to the new opposition of "Christless Christianity."
This is not the time or place for a lengthy discussion of Christian church history in
America. In the mid-20th century Christian theology in America was treated by
4 different schools of thought: Fundamentalist, Conservative, Liberal and
Modernist. Then in that period the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE)
was formed, and the term "Evangelical" came into being, and was applied to the
great central area of the Left to Right (Modernist to Fundamentalist) span of
theological thought.
Then the concept of the "Progressive" approach which has been so damaging to
the interpretation of our Constitution began to be applied to theological thinking --
and has been equally damaging. Rather than stick to the Conservative Evangelical
approach, with adherence to the Scriptures, a new class of Christian spokesmen
emerged, labeling themselves, "liberal Evangelicals" -- a classic "oxymoron," if ever
there was one. That distinction has been morphed into the slightly more accurate
term, "religious Left." And through all these "progressive" attacks on traditional
Christian beliefs, the "Conservatives" and "Evangelicals" have persevered as one.
In recent days, Dr. Michael Horton, professor of theology and apologetics at
Westminster Seminary in California, in his book, Christless Christianity, has
alerted the American Christian church to an alarming attack on the traditional
Christian faith. The current trend within many of our churches is to push aside
Christ and the Christ centered gospel for a message which Horton describes as
"trivial, sentimental, and irrelevant." This alternative "gospel" is a message of
moralism, personal comfort, self-help, self-improvement, and individualistic religion.
Dr. Horton names some prominent Christian leaders as proponents of this new
religion -- for example, Joel Osteen and his type who preach that all you have to
do to live the good life is to follow God and be a good person. Or Emergent church
spokespersons like Jim Wallis and Rick Warren who preach that churches should
take up where Jesus left off. He refers to this as "deed without creed." And as for
the "What would Jesus do?" crowd, he advocates knowing "What Jesus has done."
Dr.Horton's warning is timely, and should alert believers to a major problem within
the American church where the focus has become more on moralistic concerns,
and personal transformation than on the theology of the cross -- a confrontation
which the great Reformers, Calvin and Luther, faced hundreds of years ago.
And as we approach the Christmas season, or Advent, in liturgical terms,
we already know what to expect. Some retail stores will not make any mention
of "Christmas," but will use the term "holiday" . . . the ACLU will see to it that
Nativity scenes are not displayed in any public buildings, or on public property . . .
some schools will forbid any such things as Christmas trees or Christmas carols.
But we have already become accustomed to this trend toward a "Christless
Christmas." Last week a very relevant incident took place.
The Hollings Cancer Center in Charleston, SC, created a firestorm of yuletide
controversy when they forbid a volunteer from dressing as Santa Claus . After just
two days they relented, and allowed Santa, but insisted they wanted to tone down
any religious aspects of Christmas -- and being very specific, said "No Nativity
scenes." It's hard to understand not allowing any religious aspects of Christmas.
What is Christmas, anyway? Isn't it the observance of the birth of Jesus Christ?
Or at least it used to be. Get ready for a soon coming "Christless Christmas."
Reflecting on Obama's "a nation bound by ideals and a set of values,"
Monte Kuligowski, an attorney who writes on topics of faith, culture and law,
made this assessment: "You will notice that Obama, throughout the economic
catastrophe, as he calls it, has not led the country in a single prayer to God,
asking for His kind assistance. In former times, even a Deist was not
ashamed to petition God for help in time of need. Indeed, a certain Deist
suggested to the Christian men gathered in Philadelphia in 1787 that
prayers be offered at the Constitutional Convention -- and, surprise, he
even quoted the Bible to support his request. Obama doesn't need to appeal
to some Christian God, after all, 'We are a nation of citizens who are bound
by ideals and a set of values.' We wouldn't expect those of the Religious Left
to literally believe that Almighty God is actually there, now would we?"
Reading Kuligowski's comment, we were reminded that the Continental Congress,
on Mar. 16, 1776, in a time of great need, issued a proclamation setting aside May
17, 1776, as the Second National Day of Prayer, "that we may, with united
hearts, confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, and, by a
sincere repentance and amendment of life, appease his righteous displeasure,
and, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, obtain his pardon and
forgiveness." But that was way back when our Founding Fathers were creating a
Christian nation.
And speaking of prayer, remember our prayer count-down to Nov. 6, 2012.
Begun on Mar. 30 of this year, there are now 349 days remaining until Election
Day, Nov. 6, 2012 . . . 349 days to pray for our nation, for wisdom for our
leaders, and for God's guidance as we go to the polls and vote to restore America
to being the nation it was always intended to be. And never forget our fellow
Christian believers all over the world who continue to face persecution and loss of
life because of their faith.
We often refer to the biased, and therefore unreliable coverage of current
events by the media -- thus we provide: "What Others Are Saying."
Here is a very sobering thought . . .
Heritage Foundation: "China has increased its defense budget by double
digits every year for the last 20 years. Just as China seems to be gearing up
for some undefined enterprise, the U.S. is winding down its defense budget
at a similarly rapid pace."
And across the world from Asia to the Middle-East . . .
Dr. Mike Evans (the Jerusalem Prayer Team): "The drums of war
continue to beat loudly across the Middle East. Not just Israel but the
Sunni Arab Gulf States like Saudi Arabia are at risk from Iran’s nuclear
weapons program. One analyst looking at the situation noted that 'all the
elements for destruction' are in place. The mistrust and hatred between
nations in the region could result in an outbreak of widespread violence
greater than anything seen since the end of World War II. But despite the
threat of regional war, there is no doubt that Israel remains firmly in the
cross hairs as ground zero for future attacks."
With reference to the "Super Committee's" debacle . . .
Jack Marshall (writing in Ethics Alarms): "For those of you who have
wondered how Greece and Italy could reach their current miserable status
when the fiscal disaster now facing them was obvious years ago, the
answer is plain. They tolerated a fatal combination of selfish interest
groups, pampered and lazy voters, and elected leaders who distorted,
dithered and ducked their duties, until it was too late. And that is exactly
what is happening here."
Jack Kinsella: (in Jan Markell's Understanding the Times): "The Religious
Left has teamed up with the National Council of Churches AND the National
Association of Evangelicals to help push the Sojourner's socialist gospel ...
What is the 'religious Left?' In a nutshell, the religious Left is what is left
behind after the Holy Spirit has left the building. Case in point would be the
'Reverend' Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners. The masthead at the Sojourners
Web site reveals why I never paid much attention to the group: 'Celebrating
40 years of Faith in Action for Social Justice.'"
Human Events: "The mainstream media and numerous books strike a
common theme: 'True' Islam — as opposed to the terrorist's 'extremist'
version — promotes peace, justice, freedom, and tolerance. The problem
with this argument is that it is false and, therefore, dangerous, since it
blinds us to the true nature of the enemy we face."
Just a few "One Liners" to brighten the day . . .
"America needs 'leadership' and a 'Commander-in-Chief' and not a
'Campaigner-in-Chief.'" -- Congressman Allen West (R, FL)
"The difference between a welfare state and a totalitarian state is a matter
of time." -- Ayn Rand
"The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones
of taxation and inflation." -- Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
And, as usual, we include a few "Afterthoughts," selected at random:
The success [?] of the Obama/Clinton supported "democracy" in Egypt.
Just months ago America supported and endorsed the cries of protesters calling
for democratic reform, and the ouster of our long time friend -- and friend of
Israel -- Hosni Mubarak. What our president and State department didn't
understand was that they were supporting mob rule. Since then the Christians in
Egypt have come under attack . . . for the past several days those same mobs
have been rioting in the same spot as previously, Tahrir Square. Dozens have
been killed. Perhaps as many as 2,000 injured . . . the replacement government
stepping down . . . the Muslim Brotherhood standing ready to take over . . . and
the first of the proposed elections supposedly to begin next week. And this
footnote: The United States, which gives Egypt's military $1.3 billion a year in aid,
called for an end to the "deplorable" violence in Egypt. That should solve it all!
We have been impressed by the promotion of a new DVD, A Nation Adrift.
We have not seen, nor do we endorse this DVD, but the advertising material is very
well expressed. "This is the true story of how God's sovereign hand guided the
founders of America. It takes you on a journey: from Christopher Columbus
to Jamestown; Valley Forge to the Constitutional Convention; the Civil War
to the Stock Market Crash; FDR to the present. The result of the journey will
give us a better understanding of where America is today, how she arrived
here, and where she must turn at this critical hour. As Thomas Jefferson once
asked, "Can the liberties of a nation be secure, when we have removed the
conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?"
President Obama has done it again! After specifically banning any public
appearance wearing a traditional Hawaiian shirt during his recent visit to his official
place of birth, he got back into the "silly presidential fashion" mode while visiting
the Muslim nation where he grew up, and appeared with President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono in the resort island of Bali, wearing a traditional Indonesian shirt.
Some wise words of counsel from our Founding Fathers on current issues:
"Honor, justice, and humanity, forbid us tamely to surrender that freedom
which we received from our gallant ancestors, and which our innocent
posterity have a right to receive from us." --Thomas Jefferson, 1775
"The Constitution ought to be the standard of construction for the laws,
and wherever there is an evident opposition, the laws ought to give place
to the Constitution." -- Alexander Hamilton, 1788
"The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in
human hands, will ever be liable to abuse." -- James Madison, 1829
And this final personal note from the Senior Editor:
Now that you have read this week's issue, you might like to share in the costs of
this publication -- not a large donation, but something as small as $1 per month
. . . not as a subscription, but as an expression of appreciation, and a willingness
to help. Just click HERE for the "Support" information. Your gift will mean a lot!
LOOK TO THE PAST IN DEALING WITH THE PRESENT!
November 16, 2011 of our 9th consecutive year of publication
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An important thought for today, for this week, and for weeks to come:
"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting;
it has been found difficult and left untried."
Gilbert Keith Chesterton,
prolific British author and philosopher
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OFTEN IT IS BEST TO LOOK TO THE PAST IN DEALING WITH
THE PRESENT; WE CAN'T GET MUCH HELP FROM THE
FUTURE IN DECIDING ON A COURSE OF ACTION
But first, an editorial comment: From time to time we receive questions from
our readers which ask about our "anti-Obama" viewpoint. That assumption is
incorrect. Our editorial position has always been: pro-Christian, pro-American
and pro-Conservative. To the extent, and in any instance, that Barack Obama is
anti-Christian, anti-American and anti-Conservative, we are clearly anti-Obama.
And, of course, the same applies to any national political figure, regardless of
which party label they may wear. At the moment, Obama is the only presidential
candidate for the 2012 election.
In closing every issue of ANC, we cite the wisdom of our Founding Fathers.
These are the men who conceived, and created the Declaration of Independence,
and the Constitution, and thus established the United States of America. In a
slight deviation from our usual format, let's look at some quotes from our Founding
Fathers right upfront, instead of at the close of this issue.
Our first President, George Washington, in 1788 wrote his evaluation of the new
Constitution which was just being finalized, "It appears to me, then, little short
of a miracle, that the Delegates from so many different States ... should unite
in forming a system of national Government, so little liable to well founded
objections."
And the men who had labored to produce that Constitution made these comments
about the government of the nation they were founding, "If men of wisdom and
knowledge, of moderation and temperance, of patience, fortitude and
perseverance, of sobriety and true republican simplicity of manners, of zeal
for the honour of the Supreme Being and the welfare of the commonwealth;
if men possessed of these other excellent qualities are chosen to fill the seats
of government, we may expect that our affairs will rest on a solid and
permanent foundation.” -- Samuel Adams, 1780
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is
wholly inadequate to the government of any other." -- John Adams, 1782
And they even offered words of warning, and words of advice for future leaders:
"In the first place, it is to be remembered, that the general government is
not to be charged with the whole power of making and administering laws:
its jurisdiction is limited to certain enumerated objects, which concern all
the members of the republic, but which are not to be attained by the
separate provisions of any." -- James Madison, 1787
"The State governments possess inherent advantages, which will ever give
them an influence and ascendancy over the National Government, and will
for ever preclude the possibility of federal encroachments. That their liberties,
indeed, can be subverted by the federal head, is repugnant to every rule of
political calculation." -- Alexander Hamilton, 1788
And looking to the future they even left us some words with a touch of humor:
"Were we directed from Washington when to sow, and when to reap, we
should soon want bread." -- Thomas Jefferson, 1821
For more than two centuries, the constitution those men developed and adopted
has enabled this nation to become the most successful, the most powerful nation
on earth, and establish a standard of living the entire world envies. And it has all
been based on the Judeo-Christian principles which were the solid foundation
upon which our Founding Fathers built this nation.
It was Jefferson, more than any other of the Founding Fathers, who
expressed concern over the possibility of national indebtedness, as the result of
uncontrolled and unrestrained failures on the part of the nation's leaders. His
many warnings in this regard were best summarized in this brief admonition in
1816: "We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt."
It doesn't take much imagination to understand how Thomas Jefferson would
react to our present national debt problem. Early in October President Obama
had run up a greater national debt in his less than 3 years in office, than had all
the presidents from George Washington through the end of the term of George
H.W. bush in 1993. When Bush left office, and turned the government over to
Bill Clinton, the total national debt was $4.1672 trillion. On Oct. 3, 2011, after
2 1/2 years in office, Obama had increased the national debt by $4.212
trillion -- more than all presidents in more than 200 years -- combined. That is
a record of accomplishment not easily surpassed.
And at the risk of making this an "all Obama" commentary, there is this
to be said: President Obama's religious beliefs are difficult to understand. Of
course, we start with not knowing for sure where he was born and educated,
because he has chosen to keep so many biographical details secret. In a 2007
interview with Nicholas Kristof of the NY Times, he recited in a perfect Arabic
accent the Muslim call to prayer, concluding with these words, Allah is most great;
Allah is most great; There is none worthy of being worshipped except Allah,"
and he said that call to prayer is "one of the prettiest sounds on earth at sunset."
In a later TV interview he used the phrase, "my Muslim faith," and was corrected
by the interviewer to "my Christian faith."
More recently he has said, "I am a Christian. I am a devout Christian." Yet he
has ignored national days of prayer in any White House observance, but has
sponsored gala White House observances of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
This year he ignored any proclamation of the Christian observance of Good Friday
or Easter (but did issue a proclamation for "Earth Day" which happened to fall
on the same date as Good Friday). Then, just a few days ago. he issued a special
proclamation for Eid al-Adha, the Muslim "festival of sacrifice," and in an official
White House statement, joined with Mrs. Obama in congratulating Muslims who
were involved in the Hajj “pilgrimage.”
Indeed, Mr. Obama's religious beliefs are difficult to understand, and it was early
evident that there would be such confusion since his pastor and spiritual advisor for
some 20 years was Jeremiah Wright, who gained national recognition for telling his
congregation not to say "God bless America," but rather "God damn America." It
is easy to understand the president's often expressed conviction that "Whatever
we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation."
It's always nice when other people agree with you! Our long time readers will
remember that on Mar. 30 of this year we started our count-down of prayer for the
national Election Day, Nov. 6, 2012. At that time here were 587 days in which to
pray about the election. We considered it to be an important event, and we have
now noted at least three nationally known figures who agree with us. Ezra Klein,
writing in the Washington Post, "This is the most important election in a
generation." Newt Gingrich, recently said, “2012 is the most important
election in this country since 1860.” And Nancy Harrington, VP of NewsMax
Media, said, "The 2012 election will go down as the most pivotal moment in
America’s esteemed history." As of today there are 356 days till Nov. 6, 2012
-- 356 days to pray for our nation, our leaders, and for God's leading as we go to
the polls to vote to restore America to being the nation our Founding Fathers
intended it to be (as we have discussed earlier.)
If you rely on the media for the news, you miss "What Others Are Saying."
Family Security Matters: "World War I's fighting ceased when an armistice
between the Allied nations and Germany was signed on the eleventh hour of
the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918,
is generally regarded as the day that saw the end of The Great War, or 'the
war to end all wars.' Yet unfortunately, on this Veterans Day – 11-11-11--
we continue to be involved in wars and 'non-wars' as threats to American life
and its liberties continue to grow exponentially."
Mark McKinnon (in the Daily Beast): "When Perry said he’d cut three
government agencies—and couldn’t remember the third one, coming up
short with a sorry 'oops' —he became a dead man walking...Once they’re
laughing at you, you’re finished. Perry supporters Wednesday night were
running out in the dark and pulling out yard signs"
Vision to America: "America was once a light to the world--a place that
God blessed with liberty and prosperity. Today, Americans are taught that
the Almighty State has all the answers. As a result, our God-given liberties
are being traded for an imaginary sense of security. It is our Vision to see
Americans once again recognize that we are endowed by our Creator with
certain unalienable rights and that this Creator is the God of the Bible."
No punches are pulled in this analysis . . .
Drew McKissick (in Conservative Outpost): "In Maobama’s Amerika, it is
the middle class who are the real targets. Maobama knows, as does any
totalitarian, that in order for their misshapen, discordant philosophy to
prevail, a vibrant middle class would have to be destroyed. All are grist for
Maobama’s economic warfare against America."
The Heritage Foundation: "America's problem is not that our taxes are too
low, but that spending by the federal government is too high. Members of
Congress who call themselves conservative know that tax increases weaken
the economy. They should not waver out of fear of being demagogued by
liberals, including President Obama."
A.W.R. Hawkins (writing in Human Events): "The culture of death is not
static. Rather, it constantly permeates those who partake in it, and especially
those who promote it. Because of this, the lucid observer can see a continual
degradation of human value and a shameless promotion of death-for-hire by
abortionists who openly practice in the light what past generations would
have done only in the dark of night (if they did it at all)."
Only one "One Liner" popped up in our research this week:
The Rt. Rev. Mark Lawrence, Bishop of South Carolina, describing the trend in
the Episcopal Church: "We face a multitude of false teachings which I have
called the false Gospel of Indiscriminate Inclusivity."
And here are a few "Afterthoughts" selected purely at random:
Thank the Republicans for at least one thing: no Christmas tree tax!
Heat and pressure from Republicans led the Obama administration to
suspend plans for a "Christmas tree tax." Fox News and Republican lawmakers
joined in the effort, and administration officials withdrew the proposal less than
24 hours after giving it the go-ahead. White House spokesman Matt Lehrich
said, “I can tell you unequivocally that the Obama administration is not
taxing Christmas trees.” He added that the Agriculture Department will
restudy the action.
Occasionally the UN does something right -- or more accurately, refrains
from doing additional things wrong. After the heavy push from the Palestinians
to have their country being recognized as a National Member State of the
United Nations, the Security Council has deferred indefinitely any voting on the
matter. Nine nations are required to bring any such proposal to a vote, and only
eight were ever so committed. Even if the vote had occurred, the United States
had promised to veto the action. Even with this delay, there is no indication that
the enemies of Israel will stop their efforts to destroy the State of Israel, and
annihilate the Jewish people. But for the moment the issue is closed.
Another of Obama's promises to the homosexuals is up for action. In
the Democrat controlled Senate, the Judiciary Committee has passed the
cleverly misnamed "Respect for Marriage Act." The bill is a straight-forward
attempt to kill DOMA -- the Defense of Marriage Act -- and give federal
approval to same-sex "marriages." Already, the president has announced that
his Department of Justice will not defend the federal law in the courts. If you
haven't already sent word to your Senators as to how you want them to vote,
when it comes to the floor, this is the time to do so.
We have adequately cited our Founding Fathers earlier, but this word from
Abraham Lincoln seems particularly appropriate at this moment in our history:
"Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity, and a firm reliance on Him, who has
never yet forsaken this favored land, are still competent to adjust, in the
best way, all our present difficulty." (March 4, 1861)
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