‘Iraq is Arab for Vietnam’ is a bumper sticker I saw recently. I thought about it and realized the bumper sticker was right. The similarities between Iraq and Vietnam are striking.
Vietnam
It was part of the fight against the global spread of tyrannical Communism.
Iraq
It is part of the fight against the global spread of tyrannical Islamic fascists (sometimes referred to as terrorism).
Vietnam
US was effectively going it alone and winning the war
Iraq
US is effectively going it alone and winning the war
Vietnam
US Congress and the news media kept telling everyone we were losing and is was not worth the loss of life
Iraq
US Congress and the news media keeps telling everyone we are losing and is was not worth the loss of life
Vietnam
US Congress and the news media kept telling everyone it was a family feud (civil war) and we should just get out.
Iraq
US Congress and the news media keeps telling everyone it is a religious feud (civil war) and we should just get out.
Vietnam
US Congress and the news media focused on a few bad apples in the military and call them all rapist and murders.
Iraq
US Congress and the news media focus on a few bad apples in the military and call them all rapist and murders.
Vietnam
Congress thought they could run the war from Washington and ignored input from those on the ground.
Iraq
Congress thinks they can run the war from Washington and ignors input from those on the ground.
Vietnam
Spineless yellow belly Democrats in Congress thought they could score political points by being anti-war and pulling our troops out.
Iraq
Spineless yellow belly Democrats in Congress think they can score political points by being anti-war and pulling our troops out.
Vietnam
Just when it looked like America would finish off the tyrannical Communist, the spineless yellow belly Democrats in Congress forced pulling our troops out by cutting the war funding.
Iraq
Just when it looks like America can finish off the tyrannical Islamic fascists, the spineless yellow belly Democrats in Congress want to force pulling our troops out by cutting the war funding.
Vietnam
After the troops were pulled out Communism was emboldened and spread, the US was embarrassed and weakened and Democrats blamed the military and Republicans.
Iraq
If troops are pulled out tyrannical Islamic fascism will be emboldened and spread, the US will be embarrassed and weakened and Democrats will blame Bush.
So yes, ‘Iraq is Arab for Vietnam’.
(and you thought that was a liberal bumper sticker, didn’t you)
Monday, May 21, 2007
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
The Reverend Jerry Falwell
I just read the news about the death of the Reverend Jerry Falwell; I am deeply saddened at the loss of this man of God. Reverend Falwell was responsible for my desire to see the Christian worldview lived out in the political arena and it was because of Jerry Falwell that I took a great deal of interest. Back in the late seventies and early eighties Reverend Falwell created an organization that called for the return to the Judea Christian principles this country was founded upon. That organization The Moral Majority swept Ronald Reagan into office and propelled the conservative movement in America to the forefront. It also put Jerry Falwell in the crosshairs of those people who didn’t want to see the return of those values and principles upon which this nation was founded. The mainstream media did its best to discredit the conservative movement and Jerry Falwell in particular. The American people for the most part appreciated in some small way what Reverend Falwell accomplished.
Unfortunately today the culture in America is far worse off than it was before the advent of the Moral Majority. All the institutions that the Reverend Falwell fought so valiantly against, the abortion industry, the pornography industry each are thriving today; they thrive despite the efforts of Jerry Falwell. The conservative movement in America will miss the strong voice brought by Jerry Falwell and today let me offer my prayers and my thoughts to the Falwell family and to the congregation of the Thomas Road Baptist Church. Also let me offer my prayers for the administration and students of Liberty University. Today we mourn the passing of a great man of God and tomorrow we continue the fight to bring to bear a Christian worldview in this fallen world in which we live.
Unfortunately today the culture in America is far worse off than it was before the advent of the Moral Majority. All the institutions that the Reverend Falwell fought so valiantly against, the abortion industry, the pornography industry each are thriving today; they thrive despite the efforts of Jerry Falwell. The conservative movement in America will miss the strong voice brought by Jerry Falwell and today let me offer my prayers and my thoughts to the Falwell family and to the congregation of the Thomas Road Baptist Church. Also let me offer my prayers for the administration and students of Liberty University. Today we mourn the passing of a great man of God and tomorrow we continue the fight to bring to bear a Christian worldview in this fallen world in which we live.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Everything Fox????
There was an interesting article in today’s World Net Daily (May 9, 2007) involving Rick Warren, the senior pastor at Saddleback Church in California and Rupert Murdoch, the chairman of News Corp (owner of Fox). According to the article Rupert Murdoch is a member of Saddleback church. I will say that this information caught me by surprise when you consider the totality of what is produced by the News Corp family, i.e. The Simpson, the Family Guy and a number of other products that push the boundaries of decency. I was however unaware that News Corp had purchased BSkyB and that it was in the process of building a lucrative pornography network under the BSkyB umbrella.
We to often hear that what a person does for a living has no bearing on church membership, or even in being a believer in Christ, that the secular is the secular and the church is the church and neither should interfere or cross into the other. This article, this situation if it is true is the perfect example of how this church/secular dichotomy is what is destroying the Judea/Christian western culture. I say that because if it is true, if Rupert Murdoch is a believer and follower of Christ as the article indicates then how can he reflect the work and person of Jesus Christ and still peddle and profit from the kind of anti-Christian, anti-life, anti-family, pro-degradation filth that not only pornography represents but also that some of the News Corp programming represents.
I am not questioning the faith of Rupert Murdoch, nor am I questioning, like the article indicates, the senior pastor’s Biblical responsibility to call sin as it exists in its various forms. What troubles me is how we, as a culture, can so easily dismiss sin in our own lives simply because it is what we do for a living. We have so easily compartmentalized our lives that we can rationalize a sinful lifestyle and yet call ourselves and truly be a follower of Christ simply because the secular world should never invade the religious world and visa versa.
I would ask Rupert Murdoch to examine his life and see if he is following not only the Great Commission of making disciples but also the Cultural Commission to redeem a world caught in the stain of the fall. This is why having a living out a Biblical/Christian worldview is so important. This is why the wall between the secular and the religious needs to be obliterated, this is why it so important that followers of Christ do all that they can to see the fulfillment of the Great Commission but also the Cultural Commission.
We to often hear that what a person does for a living has no bearing on church membership, or even in being a believer in Christ, that the secular is the secular and the church is the church and neither should interfere or cross into the other. This article, this situation if it is true is the perfect example of how this church/secular dichotomy is what is destroying the Judea/Christian western culture. I say that because if it is true, if Rupert Murdoch is a believer and follower of Christ as the article indicates then how can he reflect the work and person of Jesus Christ and still peddle and profit from the kind of anti-Christian, anti-life, anti-family, pro-degradation filth that not only pornography represents but also that some of the News Corp programming represents.
I am not questioning the faith of Rupert Murdoch, nor am I questioning, like the article indicates, the senior pastor’s Biblical responsibility to call sin as it exists in its various forms. What troubles me is how we, as a culture, can so easily dismiss sin in our own lives simply because it is what we do for a living. We have so easily compartmentalized our lives that we can rationalize a sinful lifestyle and yet call ourselves and truly be a follower of Christ simply because the secular world should never invade the religious world and visa versa.
I would ask Rupert Murdoch to examine his life and see if he is following not only the Great Commission of making disciples but also the Cultural Commission to redeem a world caught in the stain of the fall. This is why having a living out a Biblical/Christian worldview is so important. This is why the wall between the secular and the religious needs to be obliterated, this is why it so important that followers of Christ do all that they can to see the fulfillment of the Great Commission but also the Cultural Commission.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Let the rhetoric begin
The leafs on the trees haven't even blossomed yet; summer, fall and winter are still before us and in South Carolina this past week the great debate has begun. (Or at least it has in the mind of the media) Both parties held the first of what is sure to be a mind numbing number of televised (go c-span) debates between the various and sundry candidates running for the office of president of the United States. And already the national (yea right) media has annoited the front runners from each party with the oil of buffoonery. With over 500 days until the election the rhetoric of personal attack has been ratched up. Unfortunately for the Dems they still seem to be running against President Bush, and the Reps seem to be running from themselves. Persnally I can wait awhile before I decide which candidate I may support, but here are just a couple thoughts. The democrats are doing there best to make sure family values have a place in the party unfortunately I am not quite sure if the family values they are expressing are the same values that most Amricans hold to. And as far as the front runners of the Republicans is concerned I am not sure which one is trying harder to distance themselves from the base faster McCain or Rudy. I am sure that neither would be very electable then again I am not so sure that any candidate from either party is very electable, which just makes for more fun and games in the weeks and months to come. My best advise enjoy the summer, enjoy the fall, enjoy the winter, because by next spring the rhetoric may be so thick it will blot out the sun.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Orwellian Prophecy
As a school boy (that was a long time ago) I was required to read George Orwell’s book “1984”. I can honestly say I do not remember anything from that book other than I read it many years prior to 1984. I say this because I was challenged to take a fresh look at this Orwell classic recently. As you may or may not be aware this week the House Judiciary Committee passed a bill that would protect a particular segment of the population from so called “hate crimes”. The segment of the population that this bill will protect isn’t in danger because of race, ethnicity, or cultural make up. It isn’t even being protected because of its inability to protect itself like those laws that protect the weakest among us, no this bill will protect a group of people because of a behavior.
In the book “1984” Orwell warned that even our thoughts can get us into trouble and subject to criminal prosecution by Big Brother. We are about to witness this prophecy take place. In his commentary today at Breakpoint Chuck Colson even warned that attempts to modify this terrible bill, to modify it chilling effects went unheeded. Unless we raise our voices against this type of special interest legislation we could soon find ourselves subject to Orwellian like Thought Police.
In the book “1984” Orwell warned that even our thoughts can get us into trouble and subject to criminal prosecution by Big Brother. We are about to witness this prophecy take place. In his commentary today at Breakpoint Chuck Colson even warned that attempts to modify this terrible bill, to modify it chilling effects went unheeded. Unless we raise our voices against this type of special interest legislation we could soon find ourselves subject to Orwellian like Thought Police.
Celebrity Cience - Part I
Proverbs 12:15-17
15 The way of a fool seems right to him,
but a wise man listens to advice.
16 A fool shows his annoyance at once,
but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
17 A truthful witness gives honest testimony,
but a false witness tells lies.
Celebrity Cience
On the March 29, 2007 airing of The View the topic came up regarding Sept. 11, 2001 and the conspiracy theories surrounding that day. During the conversation / debate / rant whatever you want to call it, Rosie O’Donnell, said, “I do believe that it’s the first time in history that fire has ever melted steel. I do believe that it defies physics that World Trade Center tower 7—building 7, which collapsed in on itself—it is impossible for a building to fall the way it fell without explosives being involved. World Trade Center 7. World Trader 1 and 2 got hit by planes—7, miraculously, the first time in history, steel was melted by fire. It is physically impossible.”
Real Worl Science
On April 29, 2007 a gasoline tanker crashed on the interchange which connects westbound I-80 to southbound I-880, near Oakland, CA and the Bay Bridge. The tanker was carrying 8,600 gallons of gasoline and burst into flames.
According to the ChiP, the fire ‘melted’ a second interchange from eastbound I-80 to eastbound I-580 located above the first interchange, causing a 250-yard section of the roadway to collapse onto the roadway below. In the picture below the freeway can be seen draped on the highway beneath, exposing ‘melted’ twisted metal.
15 The way of a fool seems right to him,
but a wise man listens to advice.
16 A fool shows his annoyance at once,
but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
17 A truthful witness gives honest testimony,
but a false witness tells lies.
Celebrity Cience
On the March 29, 2007 airing of The View the topic came up regarding Sept. 11, 2001 and the conspiracy theories surrounding that day. During the conversation / debate / rant whatever you want to call it, Rosie O’Donnell, said, “I do believe that it’s the first time in history that fire has ever melted steel. I do believe that it defies physics that World Trade Center tower 7—building 7, which collapsed in on itself—it is impossible for a building to fall the way it fell without explosives being involved. World Trade Center 7. World Trader 1 and 2 got hit by planes—7, miraculously, the first time in history, steel was melted by fire. It is physically impossible.”
Real Worl Science
On April 29, 2007 a gasoline tanker crashed on the interchange which connects westbound I-80 to southbound I-880, near Oakland, CA and the Bay Bridge. The tanker was carrying 8,600 gallons of gasoline and burst into flames.
According to the ChiP, the fire ‘melted’ a second interchange from eastbound I-80 to eastbound I-580 located above the first interchange, causing a 250-yard section of the roadway to collapse onto the roadway below. In the picture below the freeway can be seen draped on the highway beneath, exposing ‘melted’ twisted metal.
A section of highway that collapsed after a tanker carrying gasoline overturned and exploded is shown Sunday, April 29, 2007, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/The Oakland Tribune, Noah Berger)
Already scientists are studying linkages between the freeway collapse and how the World Trade Center collapsed, since the structural failures appear similar.
Now I know that the steel in this bridge did not ‘melt’. Steel becomes molten at temperatures in excess of 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit. But I also know that steel becomes pliable at temperatures as low as 400 degrees Fahrenheit. With the right temperature and force being applied steel can be shaped into just about any form you want.
I Beams used in buildings and bridges are not pour into a mold and created. The steel is heated and run through various rollers to shape the beam. Some of us who were fortunate enough (and therefore old enough) to have grown up in the Detroit area when auto plant tours were still allowed. Many of us remember taking field trips to the Ford Rouge plant. You got to watch as glowing orange steel ingots were run through rollers and presses and shaped into the steel necessary for good old Detroit Muscle. As an elementary school student I knew the steel was not melted, just very hot and flexible.
If the the various World Trade Center buildings had been brought down with explosives the steel would be broken and torn. Hard steel breaks. On the other hand, if fires caused the steel to heat up and weaken, thereby causing the collapse, the beams would be bent. Well guess what was in the wreckage, bent steel.
An excellent place to look through the World Trade Center events is PBS’ America Rebuilds at http://www.pbs.org/americarebuilds/index.html Select Artifacts and go through the pictures. When you get to numbers 9 and 10 you will see the two pictures below with descriptions.
If you still are thinking conspiracy, check the following links. Some of this is pretty technical, but a lot is fairly easy to understand, even for a fifth grader.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/911myths/4213805.html
http://wtc.nist.gov/progress_report_june04/appendixl.pdf
Just My Opinion
I wonder if the View’s resident physics expert is smarter than a fifth grader. Her factually challenged blathering makes her sound more like the resident psychic. or is that psychotic?
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Today's church
The church's purpose, it mission is not to bring people to Christ, her mission; her purpose is to equip the saints to bring people to Christ. The reason there is so many milk fed Christians in churches today is because the church is failing in her purpose to equip the saints. Today's church tries to hard to make herself relevant to the culture that she has lost her ability to be relevant to the culture. Paul admonished Timothy in the purpose of the church, he instructed him and he instructed in other letters exactly what should take place when the church came together.
I believe that until the church makes herself more assertive in equipping the body of Christ we will continue to have milk fed Christians. Until the church teaches believers how to distinguish the Truth from the false, how to think critically about the culture and what each individual absorbs from the culture, she will continue to lose her relevance in the culture. I come back again to how we answer the questions of creation, fall, redemption, until we can critically evaluate every aspect of life through that lens of the answers to those questions, we as a church will continue to struggle.
I believe that until the church makes herself more assertive in equipping the body of Christ we will continue to have milk fed Christians. Until the church teaches believers how to distinguish the Truth from the false, how to think critically about the culture and what each individual absorbs from the culture, she will continue to lose her relevance in the culture. I come back again to how we answer the questions of creation, fall, redemption, until we can critically evaluate every aspect of life through that lens of the answers to those questions, we as a church will continue to struggle.
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