Roundup

Great summary by Steven: Flap Over Tim Tebow Superbowl Ad Shows Pro-Abortion Side’s True Colors – you can see the commercial there as well.  I also enjoyed Randy’s commentary.

See the background at Focus on the Family.  I highly encourage everyone to watch the video interview with the Tebows. 

Hard to believe the NOW-types couldn’t just let it drop and had to complain that the ad promoted domestic violence, and of course they were more incensed about this ad than the Go-Daddy bits. 

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Betty White & Abe Vigoda = best Super Bowl Commercial.  2nd place = the Doritos dog collar gag (our dogs wear Invisible Fence collars so we can relate).

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Did Sarah Palin write a few notes in the palm of her hand for a speech?  If so, who cares?  If anyone makes fun of her, just remind them how far superior Palin’s retention and communication skills are relative to President Teleprompter.

And Hillbuzz makes a good point about how savvy Palin is about getting ahead of issues and mocking the far Left with them. Enjoy the pictures.

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President Obama mispronounced corpsman as “corpse man” three times in a speech.  I doubt anyone who only watches the mainstream media (sans Fox) even knows that.  I’m quick to forgive slips of the tongue, but this would have been played for decades if it was President Bush — just as people still remember Dan Quayle for the “potatoe” incident.  Only Obama’s gaffe was far worse.

Ephesians 2

Greetings!

Made Alive in Christ

2     As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ² in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³ All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. ⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians is so rich in meaning.  Verses 8-9 are worth committing to memory at a minimum.  In the seemingly endless debates about faith vs. works, this passage stands tall in clarity and importance, especially when you consider v. 10 as well.

We aren’t saved by our good works, we are saved in spite of our bad deeds (v. 1-3).  Even the “good” we did before salvation wasn’t that good, because it was for our glory, not God’s. 

God gives us the faith and the grace for our salvation.  We shouldn’t be proud about it, we should just rejoice. 

One in Christ

¹¹ Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)— ¹² remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

¹⁴ For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵ by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷ He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

¹⁹ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹ In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Jesus brought us with a price and destroyed the barrier between us and God.  We come to the Father through him.  It wasn’t by anything we did. 

Re-read that passage and consider how foolish it is for Christians to claim that other religions are equally valid paths to God.  That false teaching is completely contrary to the Bible.

It is amazing to think of how He took us from being enemies worthy of an eternity in Hell to being adopted as children with full rights in his household.  His grace didn’t just take away the punishment for our sins, it gives us so much that we didn’t deserve.  We often focus on the avoidance of punishment for our sins, which is eternally magnificent, to be sure!  But there is so much more He gave us in addition to that.

God’s Spirit lives in us as believers, but too often we quench and grieve the Holy Spirit.

“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.”

My personal corollary to that proverb is, “The best time to start playing guitar is when you were nine.  The second best time is when you are thirty-nine.”  When I was a teen I thought about taking up the guitar but didn’t because I thought I was too old (seriously). 

I could have lamented that and dwelled on how much better I’d be if I had started then, but since I started eight years ago I’ve had a lot of fun and been able to use it in various service opportunities (mission trips, Kairos prison ministry, church stuff).  Starting late was way better than not starting at all.

Am I good?  Well, let’s just say I get compared to Jimi Hendrix a lot — as in, “That Neil – he’s no Jimi Hendrix.”  So no, I’m not that good, but I’m good enough to play the right chords (fairly) consistently and have some fun with it.

I offer that as encouragement to those who aren’t in the habit of Bible reading.  Too many people avoid Bible studies because they feel like they should know it already.  But how illogical is that?  The idea of a class is to learn more.

Swallow your pride and get started today.  Just open it up and use some basic Bible study tips.

Advice columnists have become way too worldly and often give counter-productive guidance.  But Ann Landers once gave wise counsel  to a woman who thought she was too old to take college classes.  The woman said something like, “But it will take me five years to graduate and by then I’ll be fifty.”  Ann responded with something like, “How old will you be in five years if you don’t get the degree?”

To state the obvious, in five years you’ll be five years older regardless of whether you study your Bible.  But you’ll be far better off if you start reading it regularly.

The best time to start reading the Bible is 20 years ago.  The second best time is now.

Ephesians 1

Greetings!  This book, and especially the first chapter, are dense with great lessons.  Read them carefully and note all the promises and applications for our lives.

Ephesians

1     Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:

² Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is easy to skip over the opening and closing statements, but I find it interesting to read them carefully sometimes.  Paul claims to be an Apostle, someone who encountered Christ directly and was chosen by him as a leader.  He refers to all believers as saints, not just those who did certain deeds.

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵ he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. ⁹ And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, ¹⁰ to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

It is powerful to know that God chose Christians before the world was even created.  He has adopted us and is our Father.  He redeemed us — that is, he bought us back at a price — through the blood of Jesus.  He lavished his forgiveness on us.  He didn’t give it reluctantly. 

¹¹ In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. ¹³ And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

God is sovereign.  He has a plan and He is executing it.  We have been given the Holy Spirit and our inheritance as his children is guaranteed.  And all this brings him glory!

Thanksgiving and Prayer

¹⁵ For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, ¹⁶ I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. ¹⁷ I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. ¹⁸ I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, ²⁰ which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹ far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. ²² And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, ²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

I pray, too, that we may know him better each day and that we will be filled with the hope he has called us to.  We often chase worldly riches but God has already given us eternal riches.  May we focus on the eternal and not the temporary.  However great you think wordly riches are I assure you that eternal riches will be far, far superior.

 The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Campaign financing

The solution to campaign finance reform is more transparency, not in suppression of free speech. 

One of the most irritating hypocrisies in the State of the Union speech was President Obama’s attack on the Supreme Court.  Even if McCain-Feingold was meritorious it was still un-Constitutional, and the Court’s role is to decide the Constitutionality of laws and court decisions.  If Obama doesn’t like the Constitution as is, there is a process to amend it.  He shouldn’t shoot the messenger.

Worse yet is the fact that his campaign had incredible amounts of illegal contributions:

Nonetheless, if Obama really is concerned about foreign campaign donations, then Obama should request that Attorney General Eric Holder (or an Acting Attorney General since Holder likely has a conflict) appoint a special counsel with the power to investigate, and if justified, prosecute violations of the laws, and conspiracies to violate the laws, forbidding foreign contributions.

And the place the special counsel can start is with Obama’s 2008 campaign, which disabled security features in its credit card web portal so as to allow donors to evade restrictions on numerous aspects of the federal campaign laws, including the prohibition on foreign contributions:

Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign is allowing donors to use largely untraceable prepaid credit cards that could potentially be used to evade limits on how much an individual is legally allowed to give or to mask a contributor’s identity, campaign officials confirmed….

The problem with such cards, campaign finance lawyers said, is that they make it impossible to tell whether foreign nationals, donors who have exceeded the limits, government contractors or others who are barred from giving to a federal campaign are making contributions.That the Obama campaign received foreign donations as a result of this scheme may be the only thing agreed-upon by both Pamela Geller and Charles Johnson. Indeed, Obama for America has admitted receiving foreign contributions. The fact that the Federal Election Commission is not investigating the allegations necessitates a special counsel. Nonetheless, if Obama really is concerned about foreign campaign donations, then Obama should request that Attorney General Eric Holder (or an Acting Attorney General since Holder likely has a conflict) appoint a special counsel with the power to investigate, and if justified, prosecute violations of the laws, and conspiracies to violate the laws, forbidding foreign contributions.

And the place the special counsel can start is with Obama’s 2008 campaign, which disabled security features in its credit card web portal so as to allow donors to evade restrictions on numerous aspects of the federal campaign laws, including the prohibition on foreign contributions:

“Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign is allowing donors to use largely untraceable prepaid credit cards that could potentially be used to evade limits on how much an individual is legally allowed to give or to mask a contributor’s identity, campaign officials confirmed….

The problem with such cards, campaign finance lawyers said, is that they make it impossible to tell whether foreign nationals, donors who have exceeded the limits, government contractors or others who are barred from giving to a federal campaign are making contributions.”That the Obama campaign received foreign donations as a result of this scheme may be the only thing agreed-upon by both Pamela Geller and Charles Johnson. Indeed, Obama for America has admitted receiving foreign contributions. The fact that the Federal Election Commission is not investigating the allegations necessitates a special counsel.

Roundup

Good distinction between humility and arrogance.

The soul of humility is to seek a clear word from God, and respond with “Amen” — that is, to find it, and stand on it without compromise or apology. It is about God and His glory.

The soul of arrogance is to take a clear word of God, and respond with “Has God really said?” — that is, to put energies into defending compromise, dithering, uncertainty, unbelief. It is about man and his straying.

God grant us true humility as He defines humility.

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Canadian provincial leader rejects single-payer care to get heart surgery in USA – has the MSM covered this at all?  Seems kinda newsworthy to me. 

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Americans uninformed — Democrats hardest hit.  Again.

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Quote of the week: RAHM EMANUEL COMPARES DEMOCRATS TO RETARDED PEOPLE, then apologizes to retarded people.

Hat tip: The Other McCain

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Michael Vick did the crime and the time and lost millions of dollars. Let the guy move on. Hey Michael Vick protesters: Over 3,000 innocent human beings were destroyed via abortion today. How about protesting pro-choicers the way you do Michael Vick?

Planned Parenthood’s star spokespeople can’t finish their sentences. I’ll help.

From Planned Parenthood responds to Tim Tebow Super Bowl ad:

Tim Tebow’s controversial planned Super Bowl commercial for the Christian group Focus on the Family is drawing an ad response from Planned Parenthood. The group released an online public service announcement with former NFL player Sean James and Olympic gold medalist Al Joyner directly addressing the Tebow spot slated to air during CBS’s telecast of Super Bowl XLIV on Feb. 7.

Just more evidence that they aren’t pro-choice, they are pro-abortion. 

In the ad, Pam Tebow, mother of the former Florida Gators quarterback’s mother, is expected to recount how she chose to ignore doctor’s advice to consider an abortion and chose to give birth to her Heisman Trophy-winning son instead.

Said James in the minute-long PSA: “There’s a lot of talk leading up to the Super Bowl about an ad focused on sports and family. The ad features a great football player, Tim Tebow, and his loving mother discussing a difficult medical decision she made for her family. I respect and honor Mrs. Tebow’s decision. My mom showed me that women are strong and wise.

Many women are strong and wise.  But what does that have to do with whether they should be able to have their unborn children destroyed?

And why open his mouth at all?  Mrs. Tebow made a choice.   If you really respect her choice, why post a rebuttal?

She taught me that only women can make the best decisions about their health and their future.

Complete the sentence: “She taught me that only women can make the best decisions about their health and their future and be able to have their unborn children crushed and dismembered.”

As that sentence and those following show, these folks just spout platitudes that no one would disagree with if the real meaning didn’t involve unrestricted abortion on demand.  Remember, it is a scientific fact that a new human being is created at conception.

We’re working toward the day when every woman will be valued.

Nearly 100% of gender selection abortions are done for the sole purpose of killing female human beings because they are female.  How does that lead us towards valuing every woman?

How does it value women to tell them that to be equal to men they must be legally able (and willing?) to have their unborn children killed?

Where every woman’s decision about her health and family will be respected.

And what would that decision be?  Complete the sentence: “Where every woman’s decision to abort her child will be respected.”

Joyner says Super Bowl weekend is a “perfect time” to honor both sports and family. But he adds: “I want my daughter to live in a world where everyone’s decisions are respected.

Complete the sentence: ” . . . where everyone’s decisions to have their unborn children eliminated are respected.”  But what if the father wants to have the child?  Is his decision respected? 

My daughter will always be my little girl. But I’m proud every day as I watch her grow up to be her own person.

Complete the sentence: “But I’m proud every day as I watch her grow up to be her own person and have the legal right to have my grandchildren destroyed.”

A smart, confident young woman. I trust her to take care of her itself.

Complete the sentence: “I trust her to take care of her itself and eliminate her unborn children if she doesn’t want them for any reason.”

We celebrate families by supporting our mothers, by supporting our daughters, by trusting women.”

Complete the sentence: ”We celebrate families by supporting our mothers‘ right to abort their children for any reason, by supporting our daughters‘ right to abort their children for any reason, by trusting women to abort their children for any reason.”

Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards issued a statement Wednesday saying the group “respects the ability of every woman,” including Pam Tebow, “to make important personal medical decisions for herself and her family.

Complete the sentence:  ”respects the ability of every woman to make important personal medical decisions for herself and her family including the right to have part of that family destroyed for any reason.”

But if Focus on the Family has its way, “millions of women would no longer be able to make important personal medical decisions for themselves and their families when it comes to abortion,” she said.

Hey, she actually mentioned abortion!  And yes, I oppose “important medical decisions” that result in innocent human beings dying.

There is a reason they don’t spell out what they really mean.

Do NOT teach this Bible verse to your children

If you do, they won’t let you forget it:

Eph 6:4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. NIV

My youngest daughter loves to quote the highlighted part to me (“You’re exasperating me”). 

All kidding aside, that verse has important commandments.  There is a proper way to treat children such that you don’t lead them to anger.  That doesn’t mean never making them unhappy, of course. 

We must discipline and guide our children but not crush their spirits.  And we must live consistently with our professed beliefs.  We’ll all slip at times, but consistently acting one way at church and another at home will lead our kids into cynicism and away from faith.  Do your children see you acting one way at church and another outside it?

And you also must  bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.  How are you doing to do that if you don’t know what the instruction of the Lord is?  How do you learn the instruction of the Lord?  In the Bible, of course.  If you aren’t studying God’s word how can you possibly teach it to your children?

It is our jobs to teach our children about Jesus and his message.  Sunday School classes and youth groups have a role but not the primary one. 

Some other translations of this verse:

Eph 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.  ESV & NASB

Eph 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. NLT

Eph 6:4 And fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. HCSB

Introduction to Ephesians

Greetings!

The Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus follows a similar format to many of his letters: First theology, then application.

This includes many passages referencing the concept of predestination.  There is no question that the Bible teaches the concept of predestination, but Christians are divided on whether it is God choosing us ahead of time or God knowing we’ll choose him.  I enjoy hearing from experts on both sides of the debate to understand the merits of both views.  There seems to be a natural tension here.  God is definitely sovereign and many passages, especially those in Ephesians, seem to me to support the unconditional election view (that God chooses us).  But I can’t ignore passages which speak of us making choices and my own experience of at least feeling like I was choosing (or was it an irresistable force?).

Either way, you can get so much out of Ephesians.  There are so many promises and reminders of all the good things we have in Christ and how He brought us back from the dead spiritually. 

Paul gives great advice on marriage and parenting.  Read it carefully! 

He closes with the classic passage about putting on the armor of God as we live our Christian lives, because we have a real enemy in Satan who wants to minimize our impact for the Kingdom — and destroy us.

Read it, be encouraged and put it into practice.

Roundup

Be sure to check out the new blog by Duane and Mathew, The Aristophrenium.  I’m not sure what the title means, as Dictionary.com not only didn’t recognize the word but wondered if I really meant to search for “iris diaphragm.”  Uh, yeah, that’s what I meant to type . . .

Seriously, these guys are great and their blog is off to a good start.

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I’m pretty sure some pigs flew today.  Even the NY Times realized that the opposition to the Tim Tebow Super Bowl ad by NOW, NARAL and other pro-abortion organizations is misguided.

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Back to reality: Dem. Senators Spent Weekend with Bank, Energy, Tobacco Lobbyists — That can’t be right.  I thought only Republicans did that sort of thing.

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Many of Obama’s religioius supporters are jumping ship – they seem to have figured out that they were being used.  But many were fakes, anyway, as they were just politicians masquerading as Christians. 

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MUST-READ: Book review of “If there’s a God, why are there atheists?”

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“Landmark” abstinence education study

Read the whole thing: via Jill Stanek – Breaking from WaPo: “Landmark” abstinence ed study “could have major implications”.

The Washington Post posted a breakthrough story this afternoon about a “landmark” scientific study showing abstinence education works and comprehensive sex ed, well, not so much.

High points:

Study subjects were African-American students

Study controls and results were so airtight the Obama administration, which devised new rules to cutting abstinence ed from federal funding, admitted the new evidence may open the door for grants

 Study results were stark (33% of abstinence educated students had sex within 2 years vs. 52% who had comprehensive sex ed)

The new study involved 662 African-American students who were randomly assigned to go through 1 of 5 programs: An 8-hour curriculum that encouraged them to delay having sex; an 8-hour program focused on teaching safe sex; an 8- or 12-hour program that did both; or an 8-hour program focused on teaching the youngsters other ways to be healthy, such as eating well and exercising.

Over the next two years, about 33% of the students who went through the abstinence program started having sex, compared to about 52% who were just taught safe sex. About 42% of the students who went through the comprehensive program started having sex, and about 47% of those who just learned about other ways to be healthy. The abstinence program had no negative effects on condom use, which has been a major criticism of the abstinence approach.

Homer Simpson and Bob Newhart: Just (don’t) do it.

Some problems may require much help and counseling, whether formal or informal.  But many other problems don’t require that.  A couple light-hearted yet insightful views on the topic:

Homer: Marge, I want you to admit you have a gambling problem.

Marge: You know, you’re right, Homer.  Maybe I should get some professional help.

Homer: No, no!  That’s too expensive.  Just don’t do it anymore.

Then there’s this must-watch video with Bob Newhart:

Seriously, many of the wrong things we do can be stopped with right thinking.  You don’t have to psychoanalyze your childhood, blame your parents and/or society and make yourself the victim. 

We can decide what to think.  And it isn’t just not thinking bad thoughts, but about filling our minds with true and good things and letting God’s truths transform our minds.

Philippians 4:6-8 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

So consider the bad habits weighing you down and learn to counter them when those thoughts pop into your mind.  Take Homer’s advice and just don’t do them anymore. 

Or if that is too wordy, take Bob’s advice and just stop it!

Hat tip for the Bob Newhart video: Musings from a Theo-Geek (great blog!)

Roundup

Another global warming lie: Climate chief was told of false glacier claims before Copenhagen.   But just because these guys have been caught in amazing, fantastically expensive lies that they personally profited from doesn’t mean you can’t trust them, right?

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Question: Would every Liberal-controlled school system be better if a hurricane hit it?  Answer: Probably.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan, one of the Chicagoans brought to Washington for “The Golden Age of Hope and Change” (aka, “The Unmitigated Disaster of Unprecedented Proportions”), said recently that “the best thing to ever happen to the school system in New Orleans was Hurricane Katrina”.

He’s right.

New Orleans public schools were terrible before Katrina.  Post-disaster, they were rebuilt from the ground up, along a charter school model that’s already showing great progress.

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I’m actually glad to see NOW — the National Organization of (un-aborted) Women — protesting Tim Tebow’s Super Bowl Commercial, as it will draw more attention to it. 

So, the point is that people who think Roe vs. Wade should be overturned lose their right to free speech? Does this principle apply to all Supreme Court decisions? If so, I guess we’d better get started on the Obama impeachment hearings, after the embarrassing disrespect he showed the Supreme Court during the State of the Union address.

. . .

It’s nostalgic to read a press release from NOW again. The organization was last seen sinking into the bubbling tar of the Clinton impeachment saga, babbling incomprehensibly about how sexual harassment really isn’t such a big deal when pro-abortion Democrat presidents do it.

. . .

The Tebows are not planning to use their Super Bowl minutes for a sermon, or to impose their views on anyone. They only want their chance to testify that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are not an equation that balances out to zero.

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Homophobia is the “irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals.”  It applies to a remarkably small number of people, none of whom I have ever met.  It is a petty, childish putdown used by those who try to silence others who dare to criticize anything about homosexual behavior.  These people can’t argue an issue on its merits so they resort to personal attacks.

Sadly, the attacks are often effective.   Immoral and illogical, but effective.  What many people do suffer from is the rational fear that they will be called a homophobe.  Because of that, they don’t dare to share the truth of God’s word or to oppose things like teaching 5 year olds how “normal” homosexual behavior is.

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What do Obama & Co. want more than healthcare for the uninsured?

More abortions.  Seriously.

Meditate on this: If Obama, Pelosi, Reid and the rest hadn’t insisted on taxpayer funded abortions – despite their repeated lies in saying that wasn’t part of their plan - the health care bill would have sailed through Congress long ago.  Their desire to increase abortions resulted in them not only missing out on that but in killing socialized healthcare for many years. 

If they hadn’t insisted on taxpayer funded abortions they could have have passed the rest of the health care bill and saved hundreds of millions in dollars in bribes to Louisana, Nebraska and other states.  But that wouldn’t have increased abortions, so they would rather have no bill at all.

None of the health care amendments would have reduced the current level of abortions.  They just sought to ensure that it wouldn’t have provided for taxpayer-funded abortions, which the vast majority of Americans oppose.  Even if abortions are legal it doesn’t mean we should be forced to pay poorer people to have their unborn children destroyed.

Fact: These leaders wanted to increase abortions more than they want to help the uninsured.   They would rather destroy the potentially poor than help the real poor (as misguided and counterproductive as their plans are).

Isn’t it a bizarre but positive thing that their irrational passion for more abortions not only kept them from gaining that but kept the rest of the health care debacle from being passed? 

P.S. Repeat after me — abortion is not health care.  Health care is when you help human beings live.

Roundup

Good post by Pastor Timothy on the King James Version-only controversy.  I like Greg Koukl’s line about always recommending the KVJ to everyone who is over 350 years old.  I have no objections to anyone using the KJV, but it isn’t for me. I like the ESV and the NIV but I’m not a snob about them. 

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This is just sad — he uses a teleprompter for a room this small?!

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Republicans do have a plan for health care reform. They need to add tort reform to the list.  Defensive medicine and malpractice insurance are huge drains on productivity and costs.

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If Obama and the Democrats really want to “fight” Wall Street greed, they could have just not bailed them out multiple times beginning with the Clinton years.  Oh, and they could do something about Freddie and Fannie.  There is no way the financial crisis would have happened without the ineptitude and greed of those organizations. 

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Tragic: Single mother of four (five, actually) dies from “safe and legal” abortion – Apparently front alley abortions can be dangerous, too.  Oh, and the unborn child is also dead.

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Oops — Behar Accidentally Outs Gays, Says Monogamy Is ‘Too Much Trouble’ – Is she homophobic?  Isn’t that the term we use for anyone who criticizes anything about the gay lobby?

One of my favorite blogs . . .

 . . . is Hillbuzz, written by a bunch of gay guys in Chicago.  You might be thinking my blog has been hijacked, but never fear.   Do I disagree with them on some matters about human sexuality and God?  Well, duh.  But we have a lot in common and it is good to read different perspectives, and these guys have a lot of important things to say.  And they are funny and much more charitable to Christianity than you’d expect.  I’d trust them way more than theological Liberals whose religion is just Lefty politics in disguise.

Oh, and they are being viciously attacked and threatened by extremists on the Left because they dare to criticize President Obama.  Please pray for their safety, as I do.

Consider this post and a few excerpts below.  Very insightful.

Question: Who will be left to help Haiti once all the Liberals get back to thinking about Oscar season?  

We’re just going to answer this question right now:  Christians.

Christians will be in Haiti helping rebuild that country, working in deplorable conditions, and, frankly, giving every last bit of themselves to rebuild Port-au-Prince and relieve as much suffering as possible.

George Clooney will take his beard back to Italy, or wherever he goes with it (or her, depending on how you want to define that), on his private jet, probably snacking on roast peacock and baby seal, all the while lambasting the rest of the masses for their carbon footprints and general thoughtlessness.

. . .

Liberals don’t build things.  They don’t get their hands dirty.  They just attack people, call them RAAACISTS! when they don’t agree with the Liberal talking points, and then get back into their limousines to ride twelve feet to the red carpet.

More and more we think about the difference between the way we are personally treated by the Left and the Right.  To be blunt, neither extreme likes gays all that much.  Liberals are smart enough to put on a good face about it in public, but behind closed doors they make their jokes, too, and can be far crueler than you could ever imagine.  The Right’s foolish because — and we honestly believe this — conservatives are less prejudiced, reactionary, and hateful than Liberals…but they just don’t know how to do good PR.  Maybe it’s because conservatives are largely quiet, on the whole, and tend to mind their own business…so the random zealots who condemn people like us to fire and brimstone and eternal suffering (what, like having to watch MSNBC?) get more airplay.

As we’ve said before, about the worst thing a Republican ever did to us was tell us they were going to pray for us “to get better”, so we would suddenly one day wake up and be all about Ann Hathaway, and not focused on how last-season her Oscar dress is.

. . .

Remind us why Liberals are so much better than Republicans again, for gays, or for anything else.  While you’re at it, please explain why Christians are so persecuted by the media, and so maligned day in and day out…and yet these people jump into the fray when people need help.

While Liberals wait in the limousine for the best lighting to step out, for their photo op, to tell the cameras how sad they are about things like Haiti.

And how it’s all Bush’s fault.

Wow, gotta love those guys.  Uh, in a totally manly, agape way, of course. Seriously, I’m glad they’ve had some positive interactions with authentic Christians.  I know the media and the Left are relentless with their pathetic-but-effective “homophobe” pejoratives, but the Christians I know (and I know a couple) interact with GLBT folks in the same way described above.