Person of the Year

When I heard who Time magazine chose to be their person of the year for 2006, I couldn't help but laugh. As the front cover suggests Time magazine named "You" as the person of the year. Basically, anyone who uses the Internet is the person of the year for 2006. So, congratulations, you too are the person of the year!

I find this to be rather lazy on the part of Time magazine. Rather than do research and come up with a person or organization that had a great effect on many people this year, they have simply said that lots of people are working together on the Internet. Part of their justification for this is:

"But look at 2006 through a different lens and you'll see another story, one that isn't about conflict or great men. It's a story about community and collaboration on a scale never seen before. It's about the cosmic compendium of knowledge Wikipedia and the million-channel people's network YouTube and the online metropolis MySpace. It's about the many wresting power from the few and helping one another for nothing and how that will not only change the world, but also change the way the world changes."

So, enjoy your new found fame, for, along with millions of others, you are The Person of the Year!

Intervention

Another interesting question was brought up recently as a result of email conversations:

There are so many terrible wrongs, genocides, and oppression throughout the the world perpetrated by immoral governments and brutal warlords. The question is, when, if ever, would it be right for a powerful country like America to intervene?

When is it right to intervene in the affairs of another country? If a country is able, as the United States is, to intervene in, and stop a genocide, is it right to violate national sovereignty to do so? When does intervention become invasion?

Let me try to draw an analogy. If you are armed, and see a murder or mugging taking place, is it not your duty, despite the fact that you are not a law enforcement officer, to intervene? Similarly, if you know that an entire people group is being whipped off the face of the earth, is it not the duty of anyone with the power to intervene and prevent the slaughter?

The problem with this line of reasoning is that it gives a nation with great power near absolute power. Power does, indeed, corrupt, and if a nation were able to justify any military action as an act of mercy, would it not be a simple matter to begin conquering the world to "restore order?" This excuse was one that Hitler used for some of his invasions in WWII, and has been used many other times throughout history, sometimes leading to the most terrible genocides of all time.

The conclusion seems to be that allowing such great wrongs to persist is not the right course of action. It is almost as bad as condoning it. Ideally, genocides must be stopped. However, we must be careful that we do not become perpetrators of that which we are professing to strive against.

Is music in itself amoral?

An email conversation led me to consider the question, is music itself amoral. Is it morally neutral in and of itself?

In order to be amoral, music must be inherently neither good (righteous) nor bad (the absence or opposite of good).

Clearly the use of music is far from amoral, it can be used to praise God, and it can be used to mock, criticize, and drive people from Him. So, music can certainly be used for good or for bad.

I believe that you cannot separate something from it's use, especially an activity. Wielding a weapon can be used for good and for bad, and thus, I believe, is not amoral. Writing, speaking, art, theater, all these can be good or bad, they are not only used for good or ill, they are themselves good or bad.

Proverbs 8:13 says:

To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.

How can speech be perverse if it is not bad? How can behavior be amoral if it is evil?

We are actually commanded to make music, to sing praises to the Lord. A few scriptures that show this:

Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart! -Psalm 32:11

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord - Ephesians 5:19

Thus, music can be good. I don't mean good as in “nice,” but good as in fulfilling God's perfect will. How can something that we are commanded to do be neutral? Music that builds up, brings praise to God, and edifies the saints is good; it not just used for good, but it is good.

However, anything in this fallen world that can be good, can also be bad. Speech that is full of sinful messages is not only being used for evil, it is itself bad. Speech can be good or it can be bad, songs are the same way. Music that is full of profanity, drugs, and sin is not just being used for evil, it is itself bad.

Basically, you cannot separate an activity from its purpose. An activity with an evil end is itself bad. An activity with an end that glorifies God is itself good. Therefore, music is itself either good or bad, and is not amoral.

Old Fashioned Entrance Exam

The following is reputed to be the test that a potential employee had to take in order to work at Hewlet Packard:

Instructions: Read each question carefully. Answer all questions.

Time limit – 4 hours. Begin immediately.

HISTORY:

Describe the history of the papacy from its origins to the present day, concentrating especially, but not exclusively, on its social, political, economic, religious, and philosophical impact on Europe, Asia, America, and Africa. Be brief, concise and specific.

MEDICINE:

You have been provided with a razor blade, a piece of gauze, and a bottle of Scotch. Remove your appendix. Do not suture until your work has been inspected. You have fifteen minutes.

PUBLIC SPEAKING:

2,500 riot-crazed aborigines are storming the classroom. Calm them. You may use any ancient language except Latin or Greek.

BIOLOGY:

Create life. Estimate the difference in subsequent human culture if this form of life had developed 500 million years earlier, with special attention to its probably effect on the English parliamentary system. Prove your thesis.

MUSIC:

Write a piano concerto. Orchestrate and perform it with flute and drum. You will find a piano under your seat.

PSYCHOLOGY:

Based on your knowledge of their works, evaluate the emotional stability, degree of adjustment, and repressed frustrations of each of the following: Alexander of Aphrodisias, Ramese II, Gregory of Nicea, Humorabi; support you evaluation with quotations from each man's work, making appropriate references. It is not necessary to translate.

SOCIOLOGY:

Estimate the sociological problems which might accompany the end of the world. Construct an experiment to test your theory.

MANGEMENT SCIENCE: Define Management. Define Science. How do they relate? Why? Create a generalized algorithm to optimize all managerial decisions. Assuming an 1130 CPU supporting 50 terminals, each terminal to activate your algorithm; design the communications interface and all necessary control programs.

ENGINEERING:

The disassembled parts of a high powered rifle have been placed in a box on your desk. You will also find an instruction manual, printed in Swahili. In ten minutes a hungry Bangal tiger will be admitted to the room. Take whatever action you feel appropriate. Be prepared to justify your decision.

ECONOMICS:

Develop a realistic plan for refinancing the national debt. Trace the possible effects of your plan in the following areas: Cubism, the Donatist controversy, the wave theory of light. Outline a method for preventing these effects. Criticize this method from all possible points of view. Point out the deficiencies in your point of view, as demonstrated in your answer to the last question.

What really matters?

American society attaches value so many things that are completely meaningless. With so much emphasis on possessions, security, power, and comfort, I really believe that we have lost sight of what is is really important. We as Christians are not called to simply go to church and learn, we are called to be salt and light. Truly, faith without works is dead. Why is it then, that so many American Christians are content to simply go to church and maybe support a few “missionaries” with their money? It really seems to me that American Christians have lost sight of what really matters.

Paul describes how we, as Christians must arm ourselves with the “full armor of God.” What use is armor when we do not fight? Christians who simply are do not effect the world as we should. Those who only believe, and yet never act on that belief do not really fight in the great cosmic battle continually raging around us. Watching and cheering for your side in the battle does not help your side win, we must take up and use the Armor of God.

What great joy it is to know that you are saved, that you can truly trust in and rely on God to save you from the wrath you deserve. Why do we not boldly proclaim this joy from every street corner? If God is for us, who can stand against us? How can the truth be spread without Christians spreading it? The great commission to go and make disciples of all nations was not given only to missionaries and does not apply only to other nations. If even a fraction of American Christians would boldly and lovingly fight for the Truth that is the Word of God, our country would be a beacon of light unrivaled in the world.

I would challenge all those who call themselves Christians to ask yourselves if you really live like one. Do you strive continually to be a light to the world? Do you walk continually with God? Do you live like you are the salt of the earth? Do you do all you can to disciple the nation that is all around you?

Change

Many in the media and the political left have declared that the recent change of power in the Senate and House of Representatives shows that the American people want change. Clearly, this is the case, however, change should never be an end.

American politics have an oscillating quality; we almost always going back and forth between two parties. When we are disgusted of corrupt politicians, we demand change, and put the other guys in charge. We do not demand improvement, we do not demand integrity, we simply demand change. Oscillating between two groups of politicians will never solve the problem, it will only lead to a downward spiral. We don't just need change, we need strong, Christian leadership. We need to elect men who will stand for what is right, never compromising. We need to demand, not change, but improvement. The end we seek is not change, the end we seek is leaders who are Statesman, not Politicians; change is the means to this end.

Faith of a Child

This semester has shown me some difficult things about myself. I have really seen that I have not been depending on God, but on myself. While praying and struggling with the load I have taken on myself, God showed me that this is why I have been under so much stress, and had difficulty coping with the workload. In His grace, He showed me a picture of what it means to depend on Him, what it means to have the faith of a child.

Jesus said that we must be like children to enter into the Kingdom of God. As I prayed about how I can totally depend on and trust in God to sustain me, I thought of how a little child walks with his father. The child will not worry about food, clothing or shelter, he will not worry about the dangers that lie in the path ahead, where that path leads, or the tasks that must be done on that path. The child does not worry, because he trusts completely in his father, with whom he walks hand in hand.

In Galatians 4 Paul talks about the difference between serving God as a slave, and as a son. I would challenge you to honestly ask, how are you serving God? How are you walking with God? Are you walking with the faith of a son trusting in your Heavenly Father? It is a great encouragement to walk as a son, hand in hand with your Heavenly Father, for what have you to fear when your Father walks beside you?

My Father Walks Beside Me

The path is dark

the way grows dim

I know not where I go

But what have I to fear?

My Father walks beside me

Trials come

and dangers rise

it seems there is no hope

But what have I to fear?

My Father walks beside me

The scoffer mocks

the enemy sneers

I am despised and hated

But what have I to fear?

My Father walks beside me

My hand in His

our strides are matched

His arm around my shoulders

What have I to fear?

My Father walks beside me

I pray that you who read this will really consider your walk with God; do you walk as a son, or a slave?

The Fowlstien Letters, Letter 2

August 1, 1953

To the Board of Trustees,

Greetings,

I am worried by the lack of interest that your organization has shown in my recent discoveries. Perhaps if you give my proposal further consideration, you will see the necessity of continuing with another expedition.

After my first expedition to Austria and the discovery of Swooprren's tomb, I made another trip to the same area to further explore those mountains. This time we uncovered a repository of miniature scrolls. On these was written the same language as that found on the tomb. Among these writings, I found a history of one of the greatest empires of Chickentopia, the great Empire of Sebright. This Empire stretched from the mountains of what is now Austria all the way to southern France and even included much of modern Germany. The record of this empire is one of intrigue and betrayal, war and conquest.

Sebright was the name of a town on the Danube river, the inhabitants of which were known for their valor in combat. This town's rise to greatness is best told in the writings of Poulticus, a monk in the order of the Comb. I have translated and included a portion of his work, describing Sebright's first, great leader: Basilï the Great.

In the year of the great grain famine, when the moon had just completed her seventh time, a great rooster of the coop Sebright was out hunting. Like all in that year, he had had small fortune finding food for his coop and family. It was hunger that first drove him forth into the forbidden lands. It is not known what terrors beset him while he traveled there; some say he slew the fearsome Cockatrice, others that he passed through the fires of Glambrildomincrice. Whatever transpired in that cursed land, when he emerged from it he was not the same Rooster that had been driven hence by famine. The Rooster that emerged was Basilï.

Basilï returned to his village, and found a hungry, defiant people. He roused them with words and promises that would make even the most peaceful buzzard take flight and fight. With only two hundred spurbirds at his command, he set out to conquer land. For food and for freedom they conquered Appenzell, Catalana, and Fayoumi. It seemed that none could, nor would even try to stand against the mighty Basilï, and his Iron Spurs.

It was not for another 14 times of the moon that Basilï met his first real challenge, and the first great battle of the Sebright Empire took place. The first army of any size to come against Basilï came from the Redcomb alliance. By the time the alliance challenged him, Basilï's army had swelled to 1,000 Roosters, wielding spur and sling. The Redcomb alliance was intent on quelling this rebellion, and had raised the largest army that had ever been seen on the plains of the north, 10,000 Roosters, all fierce coopbirds of the north. Against this overwhelming force, Basilï arrayed his troops, and gave a rousing speech.

“This day you see before you the might of those who oppress us. We have starved, while they have fed. We have been forced to contend with the monsters of the forbidden land, while they have become fat on the green plains of the north. This day we strut, this day we fly, this day we fight! This day we cry, 'No more!' This day we make a future for ourselves, this day we show that the birds of the south are strong indeed! Fight for land, fight for your coop, and end the tyranny of the north!”

As he finished speaking, Basilï surged forward at the head of his birds, giving his terrible war cry. The army of one thousand plunged headlong into an army ten times its size. The ferocity of the attack took the Redcomb alliance by surprise, sending the front lines into confusion. This was the chance that Basilï needed, and leading his 50 greatest spurbirds, he drove through the center of the enemy, straight to the command coop of the alliance. In an amazing feat of strength and skill, these 51 Roosters overcame the Coopguard, and Basilï himself struck the Combmaster down. With the head of the army gone, the alliance descended into chaos. Just as one cannot function for long without a head, neither can an army fight without a leader. The battle continued for several hours after Basilï's great feat, but the Redcomb army could not make any coherent action, and was eventually wiped out.

With the Redcomb alliance broken, nothing stood between Basilï and his goal of conquest.

The good Poulticus goes on to describe the form of government that Basilï set up, how he ruled and conquered, and his many exploits in battle. Perhaps I shall include more of his writings at a later time, but surely you see now the importance of what I have found. I need to return and search out this mystery more fully. Surely what I have found thus far has shown you this. I again urge you to grant me the funds I need to continue my research into these ancient mysteries.

Sincerely,

Doctor Theodore Norris Fowlstien

Focus

As I drove to school this morning, I was shown a poignant analogy. I drove along, concentrating on the road and cars around me; after a few minutes, I finally looked up and saw one of the most beautiful images I have ever seen. The Rocky Mountains glowed in the light of the rising sun, lightly covered in snow, with a layer of clouds between the peaks and the foothills. When I saw how the sole focus on the details and tasks of this world shut out the beauty of creation, it seemed like the same focus on the small things in life can shut out the wonders of God. Are we concentrating too much on ourselves, on our jobs and tasks? Are we ignoring God in favor of ourselves? Look up, see the mountains; focus not on yourself, but on God.

An explanation

The two posts below this may require some explanation. I'm attempting to write some fiction, and this is the form it has taken. I thought that my blog would be a good place to get feedback on it, as it is written in segments and could be posted as such. Let me know what you think.

The Fowlstien Letters, Letter 1

When looking through an old attic, for I am wont to do those sorts of things on occasion, I came across a box of letters. This is not unusual, and often leads to exciting insight into the lives of those who wrote them. However, when I began to read these letters, I discovered the most extraordinary story. They were written by an archaeologist by the name of Dr. Fowlstien. He was a brilliant man, and made quite a stir in the archeology circles in his younger days. These letters told the tale of his later years, a time I had thought he spent in obscurity, living off of past glories. I could not have been more wrong. These letters tell of his final, and greatest discovery, and of his quest to gain the ear of unbelieving investors, and an even more unbelieving public. It is a tragedy that his story has not been told before, and so, I humbly take on the task of doing so. It will not be through my words, however, that you learn his story, but through his own. As you read the correspondence that Dr. Fowlstien sent to those from whom he hoped to gain financial support, you will learn is his story far better than I could ever tell it. I have changed many of the names to protect the innocent.

July 21, 1953

To the Board of Trustees,

Greetings,

As you know, I have devoted my life to the study of lost civilizations. Over the years I have made many important discoveries, but none so important as that to which I have devoted the last decade of my life to uncovering. What I have found is possibly the most earth shattering discovery that we have ever made. It is clear to me now that humanity is not the only species to have a civilization. Indeed, there are still remnants of another, great civilization. It dates back to a time when the world was not entirely populated with humanity, a time when the world was ruled not by man, but by the most unlikely of all creatures, that which we now know as Gallus gallus domesticus¹.

What was this civilization like? How did they live? The purpose of these letters, ladies and gentlemen, is to reveal to you the answer to these, and many other questions. I will begin with the first evidence I found of this great civilization: an epic scratched into an ancient tomb in the mountains of Austria. It is the story of a great hero who rose from the ranks of mere fowl to become the savior of his people. It was called “The Ballad of Swooprren,” and I have done my best to translate it into English for you.

Plow was laid to field that day,

a day like any other.

Children bathed in dust that day,

a day like any other.

Swooprren watched his flock that day,

a day like any other.

“Ho there, Hi there!” he cried.

His flock did hop about.

“Tis a fine day to live,” he cried

His flock did hop about.

And then came evil, dark and swift,

on that unsuspecting day.

It swept o'er land, and coop and home.

The darkness covered everything, and took all joy and song.

“Tis wrong!” the toadherd did cry,

“For us to suffer so.”

He took up his spurs and mounted his hog,

he rode forth that fateful day.

He rode forth to right those dreadful wrongs,

wrought on the world that day.

“To arms, my brothers!” Cried the lad,

he called on Gimmiza, Marans, and Red.

“To arms, this day, we fight that dark,

which covers our fair land.”

And so they rose, led by the lad, an army like none other.

Riding on a mighty boar, he led them to dark plains,

where waited for them, darker still, an army of such terror,

that had they been not led by him, they would have never stood.

For Swooprren was their leader now, no toadherd any longer.

He stood upon the battlefield, his spurs shone brightly in the gloom.

He paused before the battlefield, and looked upon his foe.

His men were brave, but ill-equipped.

His enemies were many: armed with longspurs, shield, and bow.

His men were brave, they stood their ground.

His enemies advanced.

A mighty war cry came from him, and so he led the charge.

The battle, it was fierce that day,

A day of darkness and of gloom.

For Swooprren fought as no one could,

and struck the darkness left and right.

He fought with spur, and shield and bow,

he fought like Featherbane.

He led his men to victory, and struck off Gloomwing's head.

But as the last dark warrior fell, so did tragedy.

Cruel fate was not content,

to let the victory be sweet.

For Swooprren, hero, general, friend,

was hit by one last blow.

His head was lost,

but there was hope, for he did not fall.

Swooprren lost his head that day, but lived to tell the tale.

He could not fight, nor lead thereafter,

but he did live, and show his courage.

He lived without his head, tis true,

for many a long month.

Until that mighty hero could

no more, no more endure.

The day he died, we all did mourn.

And this we did in honor,

of him who died to free us from

our darkest, evil hour.

He is dead, and we are free,

and so we lay him here,

inside this stone, which shall endure,

and tell his story to all who care,

and all who would be free.

We pray the one who reads this now, remember our evil hour,

recall what we, the brave few did

but most of all, we pray thee,

never forget the hero who led us to this place,

recall and sing the ballad of the greatest rooster of our time.

Swooprren

The discovery of this tomb was the first of many discoveries that has led me to conclude that an ancient land of Chickentopia did exist. I shall share more with you in my next report. Until that time, I wish you all well, and ask that you would give careful consideration to my request that you fund my next expedition.

Sincerely,

Doctor Theodore Norris Fowlstien

1The Domestic Chicken

Dieting and Phylosophy

Imagine if you will, a new form a dieting, dieting based on the philosophy that many in America subscribe to. This diet would be accepting, not condemning of anyone else's diet. It would work like this: Each person must decide for themselves what is good for them and what is bad for them. What is good for one person may not be good for another, and what is bad for you may not be bad for me. Each person's diet is dependent on them, and they must decide for themselves what is best.

Sounds pretty absurd, doesn't it? However, this same attitude is applied to morality in much of America. The philosophy of existentialism states that each person decides for themselves what is right and wrong for themselves. This relativistic attitude has become quite popular in America's politically correct culture. Obviously eating in an existentialist way will not make you healthy, why would living in such a way lead to a good life?

America: the battlefield of ideas

America has become the greatest country on earth, and as such has become the battlefield of modern ideas. It is here where the future of the civilized world will be decided. War, politics, diplomacy, they all come back to the battle of ideas. It is in the assumptions of a society, the core beliefs, that the course that country will take is decided. America is the leader of the west, and our actions define those of the entire world. The battle of ideas in America is determining how most of the world will react. Is this most important battle being won for the glory of God?

For decades, Christianity has been struggling against Humanism in America, and frankly we have been loosing. Humanistic thinking has pervaded every area of our society, even the church. We need to realise not only that there is a problem in our society, but that we must be part of the solution. Analise what you believe, and ask if it is in line with what the Bible says. Look at the world through the Bible, not the Bible through the world. Only once we believe rightly can we enter into the arena and fight for the truth.

The schools, the media, the courts, the laws, the churches, every area of America needs to be reformed. We need to stand firm in the truth, boldly and uncompromisingly, if we wish for this country to have a chance of turning from the path of humanism. Stand and fight for what is good, what is true, what is right. The Christians of America have been silent for too long, we must begin to stand and proclaim the truth in every area of our society. We must not only pray for the country, but act to redeem it, for faith without works is dead.

America's actions define the direction of the entire world like no other country in history. We need to struggle to turn our country back toward God, for in so doing, we are fighting to turn the world towards God.

The Consequenses of Ideas

What are the topics that you aren't supposed to discuss in polite society? Politics, and Religion. This really comes down to avoiding confrontation by avoiding topics that really effect your life. How you view God is the most foundational belief in a person's life, and resounds throughout every other belief and action that you take. If God is viewed as the creator of all, with ultimate power and authority, we cannot help but be filled with the hope of salvation, or the dread of punishment. If you believe that man is the measure of all things, and that God does not exist, than what hope is there in life?

Believing that God is the Creator of the universe leads to the belief that, since the world is created and defined, it is possible to understand. It leads to the belief that if a Supreme Being designed Man to have a conscience, then he designed a right and a wrong for Man to follow. It leads to the belief that we have a purpose in life, that this life is not all there is, and that what we do really does matter.

Believing that there is no God, that man is the measure of all things, naturally leads to a view of the world where everything is chaotic. If the world came about by chance, what hope do we have in understanding it? If Man is only an animal, what use is there is right and wrong, except as a means to an end? If this life is all there is, why should we care what we do? If there are no consequences to our action beyond what other people do to us, should we not try to get as much pleasure out of life as possible? If we are only here by chance, what meaning is there in life? What value is there in life? If man is the measure of all things, everything truly is vanity.

This fundamental belief about who God is is not a discussion that should be ignored. It is the most important belief you could hold. While this discussion must be entered into with wisdom, it should not be avoided simply to avoid confrontation. The consequences of this single belief resonate through your entire life, even through an entire society. This single belief defines a person, a nation, a civilization. Should we not strive to spread the truth?

The current "War on Terror" in which America now finds herself is not a new war. It is a war that has raged for over a thousands years. The great conflict between Islam and those nations founded on Christianity has been raging ever since the Arabs first invaded the Byzantine empire. There have been many battles throughout the centuries, from the invasion of Europe, to the Battle of Tours, where the invasion was stopped, to the Crusades, to the Reconquista, to our modern struggle. The current War on Terror cannot be truly understood, unless you realize that it is a far more basic conflict than simply America against a few extremists. We are truly in a war of civilizations. Traditionally, the Islamic view of the world sees two realms, the realm of peace (the areas controlled by Muslims), and the realm of war (everywhere else). Unless we recognize that this conflict goes very deep, and cannot be won in a few battles, we will not be victorious in the end.

America needs to reject the political correctness that demands "tolerance," and call a spade a spade. We are in a war against Islam, we are in a war to preserve our freedom, our values, our very way of life. How can we win a war we won't admit to being in?

Politics

Take a look at the American government, and ask yourself what it has accomplished lately. I'm sure you'll find a few items here and there, but for the most part, our government is rather ineffectual. Even with one party controlling both houses and the presidency, it seems impossible for such a simple thing as actually arresting illegal immigrants to get done. Our government is growing larger and more intrusive with each passing day. Why is it that the party that says it stands for small government and personal freedom is growing the government at an exponential rate? The answer is that our government is full of politicians, and we need statesman.

The difference between the two is gargantuan, and yet simple. The statesman will not compromise himself for gain, and the politician will. We need leaders who will lead this country and do what is right, not politicians who will only do what is needed to keep their power and gain more for themselves.

This is why it is far more important to vote for a candidate than for a party. Parties have a purpose, they are a useful vehicle to organize support, but they cannot be the defining factor in elections if we want to have leaders who will do what is right. When you vote for a candidate this November, ask yourself if that person is really someone you want to be your leader. Is this candidate willing and able to stand for what is right against overwhelming odds? Is this candidate a statesmen, or a politician?

Death of Harold the Wonder Octopus

Come gather 'round, and hear the tale of Harold the Wonder Octopus. Tis a sad tale, one of full of hope, and ending in tragedy. It is not for the weak of heart.

Harold started life as a normal octopus, born to normal octopus parents. But, something was different about him, his did not react well to water, was not nearly as flexible as his octopus friends, and seemed to filled with something soft. It was soon discovered that Harold was no normal octopus, but a stuffed animal meant to hang in a carnival game booth.

Now that he know what he was, Harold took on his new vocation in life with great vigor. He was the best octopus at the booth, and when he was finally won by a lucky player, he though Now I will finally fulfill my destiny!

Little did Harold know what awaited him. For his new owners took him to a Christmas party, to be given away in a gift exchange! Harold didn't mind, he was sure whoever ended up with him would be a good owner, and he could do what he was meant to do. Sadly, it was not to be so.

Harold changed hands several times, each time he held hope that this owner would keep him, but each time he found a good owner, he was taken a new one. And then it happened, he was stolen by the Dark Lord Arysyth. All hope was lost then, for it was known that all Octopi who went into his clutches suffered the same fate. Harold the Wonder Octopus was soon dead, all the hopes and dreams of his friends died with him. His pitiful end can be seen here, for like all of Arysyth's victims, his death was recorded for posterity.

America: a Plumber with leaky pipes?

The Church in America has, for several decades, concentrated heavily on reaching the lost in other countries. America supports many many missionaries in many countries around the world. We have done much to spread the gospel throughout the world. However, when one looks at American society today, it is hard to believe that this could be so.

America's foundation, once based firmly in Christianity, has been eroded away over the past century, until we are now precariously close to moral collapse. How has this happened? I believe that America has become like a plumber, who goes out and fixes other people's pipes all day, but never looks to his own house to fix his pipes. The Church here in America has concentrated almost completely on reaching people in other countries, and has not been active in shoring up the foundation of this nation. It has come to the point where nearly every area of society, government, schools, the media, even the leadership of many churches is so humanist and "politically correct" that there is no right or wrong, or even a perceived need for redemption.

The church has been effectively blind to almost all things "secular" for far too long. Unless strong Christians step up to leadership in our society, how can we expect the country to
continue to be the christian nation it started out as? Foreign missions are important, no doubt, but we can't ignore our own country either.

The old saying, "all evil needs to succeed is for good men to do nothing," really is true. For the most part, Christians have done nothing to influence the areas of public or higher education, government, media, entertainment, or even business. Humanist thought has pervaded all of these areas, taking over with almost no fight at all. We now see what the selfish greed of humanism has done to these areas, the schools are often little more than brainwashing centers, the government is incredibly corrupt, the media and entertainment industries are simply disgusting, and most businesses chase the dollar with no concern for anything else. While many in the church complain about how far our society has fallen, how many are willing to do something about it? Many will send and support missionaries over seas, but how many are willing to fight for the soul of our country? America is still a free country, not completely lost, if the Church does mobilize and begin to fight back, we can, by the Grace of God, take back our culture.

We, as Christians, need to step up, and strive to take back the reigns of leadership from the humanists who now control almost every area of our society. Only from a solid base can any truly effective effort be made to change other countries.

What Hath God Wroght?

I went out camping this weekend and while we were out, we hiked up to Hanging Lake. As we went along, I often looked around at the wonders of God's hand all around me. The mountains, the trees, the river, the lake itself; all incedible and mindboggling. I look at what God has made, and can't help but be reminded Psalms 8:
"When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and
the stars, which thou hast ordained;
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and
the son of man, that thou visitest him?"

God's creation is truely magnificent, and I find it very humbling that God, who created all the heavens and the earth, should care so much about humanity that he would send his Son to die for us. I also find it amazing tha anyone can look at something so amazing as a cliff that has a continuous stream of water pooring out of it, a crystal clear lake over a thoughsand feet above the canyon floor, or even a tree or insect, and not realize that God created it all. God's creation is truely humbling, and inspiring at the same time.

Freedom and Chaos

I ran across an interesting quote today:

"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." - Alan Dean Foster

To a certain extent, this is true. Total freedom is chaos, for that would be a people without any restraint. However, freedom does not always equal chaos. America was founded to be nation where the people had freedom, but where that freedom was restrained by their own sense of responsibility. This is why, when a nation looses it's moral core, it disintegrates into despotism and anarchy. This restrained freedom is illustrated well by Mark Twain, "It is by the goodness of God that in our country we have those three unspeakably precious things: freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the prudence never to practice either of them."

Without restraint, freedom becomes chaos. However, when a people have the moral restraint that comes with Christianity, freedom will grow and flourish, making that people into a great nation. That is why America has become the greatest nation on earth. And that is why, unless we return out culture to its Christian roots, we will dissolve into chaos, and then tyranny.

"Excessive use of force"

The current conflict between Israel and the Terrorist group Hezbollah has sparked an interesting question. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said about the conflict, "Both the deliberate targeting by Hezbollah of Israeli population centers with hundreds of indiscriminate weapons and Israel's disproportionate use of force and collective punishment of the Lebanese people must stop." I have seen the phrases "disproportionate use of force" and "excessive use of force" used a lot to describe Israel's response to the kidnapping of 2 soldiers, and rocket attacks from the terrorists. My question to you is, what is wrong with responding disproportionately?

Let's examine this question with a hypothetical situation. Say that you are mugged, and the guy robbing you threatens you with a knife. At your disposal are a knife of your own, and a pistol. What is the best way to defend yourself (for the sake of argument, giving up is not an option)? If you are to respond "proportionately," you would pull out just your knife. However, that would be stupid, and would most likely result in injury to yourself. A gun is certainly disproportionate to a knife, but it is the best means of defending yourself. Similarly, Israel has one of the strongest militarise in the world, when they are attacked by rockets, should they simply fire a few rockets back? That is the proportionate use of force, but would be one of the worst courses of action possible. Responding proportionately results in a stalemate.

Israel did, indeed respond to Hezbollah with a disproportionate use of force, but that is exactly how one should respond in war. Otherwise, you'll end up in a far worse situation than you were in to begin with.

Looks like I was wrong...

According to this article, it looks like what I've said for a while about the purpose of blogging was wrong. I've said for a long time that Blogs aught to have some sort of news analysis as their primary purpose. Basically, that they are personal talk shows for the Internet. It looks like I was wrong. Blogs are used primary as a way for people to share the events of their daily lives, and their own creations (whether writing or pictures or the like). So, it looks like Phillip and the other xanga users I've been harassing for years have normal blogs, and I'm the weird one.

Embryonic Stem Cell Research

There has been a lot of talk in the past day or two about embryonic stem cell research, primarily because the Senate just passed a bill expanding the legality of this type of research, as well as providing more federal dollars to it. This bill raises a number of important questions, from how viable is this technique, to is it morally right to sacrifice one person in order to save another.

Let us assume that embryonic stem cells really have the amazing potential that some people claim they do, that they really can cure paralysis, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and any number of other conditions. Let us also assume, for the sake of argument, that there are no viable alternatives to embryonic stem cells. Keep in mind that, in the process of extracting these cells, the unborn baby is killed. The only question remaining is the morality of destroying one life to save another. Is it right to kill an innocent person for the chance to save another? Self defense and defense of the helpless do not apply here, as the one to be killed is a baby. There is only one answer that can be given to this question, and it is undeniably "no!"

Even if this technology were the only way to cure these diseases, and it was guaranteed to work, it would still be immoral to sacrifice thousands of children to the cure, much less to research. What this bill is asking for is nothing less than child sacrifice, one of the most abhorrent practices that mankind has ever fallen into. It's just coated in scientific terms and "academic detachment." This sort of research is just as immoral as abortion.

Not only is embryonic stem cell research immoral, it is neither the only option, nor the most promising option. Stem cells can be extracted from adults, without causing their death. These adult stem cells have been used with more success than embryonic stem cells, and have none of the harmful side effects (similar to allergic reactions). With better alternatives available, why would we push for research into an area that is so clearly immoral? The answer can only be that our society has become so twisted by humanism and other lies, that we no longer value the lives of the innocent as we should. Thankfully, President Bush used his first veto on this bill. However, with the bill passing both houses of Congress, it is not likely to stay dead for very long. We need leaders who will not grow tired of doing good, but will continually stand for what is right.

Political parties

When we go to the voting booths in August, and again in November, how will we decide who to vote for? If you're like most Americans, you'll look for the D or R after their name, and mark accordingly. While a political party can be a good indicator for what a candidate stands for, should it really be the sole, or even the primary motivation behind voting for them? When you look at the ballot this fall, ask yourself what you really know about the candidates, or the issues on it. Ask why you are voting this way or that, and see if you can justify your actions with more than party-line votes.

When we elect leaders to represent us, that is what we should be voting for: leadership. We should seek out candidates who will not make every decision based on how the winds of politics is blowing today, but on what they know is right and wrong. We need leadership who will lead, as a statesman should, not politicians who will do anything for power.

Basically, vote for the person, not the party. This is the only way that we can change the political beast that has taken over most areas of government.

Mexamericanada

An extremely disturbing website came to my attention this afternoon. I mean this sincerely, it is a real website, published by the US government. The website is SPP.gov, that stands for Security and Prosperity Partnership Of North America. The description sounds an awful lot like that of the European Union.

The question is, what are our leaders doing? Are they really trying to merge with Mexico and Canada? It certainly seems so.

This organization, if it does turn into a North American union, would violate our national sovereignty more than the UN ever has. America was founded as a sovereign nation, and if we are going to merge with another nation, it must be through the constitution, not some "international" body.

This is another example of globalism run amok. America is the most powerful nation on earth; we have the resources and the people to compete and excel in the world, if we are only allowed to do so. Diluting the wealth and power of the US will not help us. We need to shore up the foundation of this nation, not add more infrastructure, corruption, and regulation to an already overstressed legal system.

I may be overreacting (but what are Blogs for?); however it seems to me that something must be done, or we may just wake up one day, and find ourselves no longer citizens of the United States, but of Mexamericanada.

Video Games

As most of my readers (assuming, of course, that I have any) know, I have spent much of my life playing video games. I really was, at one time, addicted to them. However, in the past few months, I have simply had too much to do to spend very much of my time gaming. I've gone to a couple of LAN parties, and played a little here and there, but nothing like any previous summer. They say that "absence makes the heart grow fonder," but this has definitely not been the case with me and video games.

I've gone back and looked at some of the games I have not yet beaten, and watched my siblings play games (ironically, almost all them I purchased), and I just don't see any reason to play them like I used to. In the past, I justified playing for several reasons. 1) Stress relief, 2) Forces you to think (only worked on a few games), 3) Engaging Story and 4) Entertaining.

I have found that none of these justifications really holds watter when compared with other activities. There are far better ways to relieve stress than causing the destruction or conquest of a digital world. There are definitely better ways to force yourself to think. As for engaging stories and entertainment value, some of the lamest books I've read, and even most movies, had better stories than the majority of video games I've played, especially those made in the past couple of years. The only reasons I can come up with to still game at all is as a social activity (LAN party) or as a short distraction (like playing Mine Sweeper or Solitaire [or maybe something more interesting] for a few minutes). Neither of these justifies hours of gaming every day.

Basically, I've finally realised that what my parents have been telling me for years really is true. There really are better things to do with your time than sit in front of a TV or computer screen and play games. I know many of you still game too much, so my message to you is: Go get some fresh air, make sure you see the sun at least once a day, and pick up a better hobby, like sword fighting.

Deja vu?

I was reading about the recent presidential election in Mexico, and the course of events sounds strangely familiar. A leftist candidate and conservative candidate have an extremely close race, the initial count indicates that the conservative is the victor. However, the vote count is so close, a recount is necessary. Throughout the recount, the indicated winner changes back and forth, and in the end the conservative candidate still wins. However, that is not the end of the story, the leftist candidate, not willing to loose in a fair fight, appeals the decision in court, accusing the conservative of fraud and cheating.

I couldn't help but remember the 2000 presidential election here when I started hearing about this. Do you think the result will be the same? You'd think Politicians would learn that whining rarely pays off.

Pacifism through War

Today's 8-Bit theatre introduces a way to solve both world hunger and war.

Here is the comic (sorry, it's rather small here, click to enlarge):



There you have it, all we have to do is proclaim an all air diet, and conquer the world; then we shall have peace and prosperity.

What Nations are made of

What defines a country? Is it the people? The Laws? The social structure? What determines whether a nation will be great, or weak? Just or tyrannical?

Some would say that the people determine what their country is; a nation is composed of its people. However, people, especially when in a group, are little more than sheep, easily led into this path or that. They make up a nation, but they do not define it.

Well then, what about the laws of a country? Perhaps they are what define it. Laws are an outgrowth of what a nation is. The laws are derived from the nation, not the nation from its laws.

What then, defines a nation? Well, what is it that directs the people? What is it that makes the laws? What is it that defines the social structure of a nation? The answer is, its leadership. Those few men who either serve their people, or rule over them with an iron fist.

Nations are defined, not by the majority, but by the great men who take up the banner of leadership. America was founded, and defined by great men who viewed what they did as a service to their fellow man. This country was founded as a Christian nation, by Christian men who wanted to create a free land.

It is the leadership of our country that will define where we will go in the coming decade. Pray that good men will rise up, and take us in a direction back towards our Christian roots. We are in desperate need of strong, Christian leadership in every area of our society. Weak willed leaders and humanists will not define us a great nation, but as a failing light, once bright, but now loosing all semblance of greatness. Do all that you can to keep America great: vote for strong Christian leadership, and most importantly: pray for strong Christian leadership.

Prosperity

"Everything in the world may be endured except continued prosperity."
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


This quotation brings up some very interesting questions, beyond simply "is the point it makes true."

The point that von Goethe seems to be making is that humanity will endure nearly anything, but when we become too successful for too long, we collapse in on ourselves. This trend can be seen throughout history. Whenever a people becomes prosperous for a long period of time, the individuals begin to loose the drive to better themselves and their surroundings. They loose ambition, and let others take care of them. A few lazy people does not ruin a culture, but when the entire culture is fat and lazy, it begins to collapse from its own weight. People who live in adversity and hardship become active, industrious people, because they have to in order to survive. Once a civilization has become continually prosperous, its people do not need to be smart or industrious to live comfortably, much less survive. This selfish, lazy attitude, once it has become prevalent in a society, will lead to it's eventual downfall.

America seems to be heading down this path. With such a high obesity rate, and the national past time becoming watching TV at night, is there really any question that we have had it too easy for too long?

What can be done? Well, shot of a major disaster forcing people to work to survive, the only remedy I can think of is personal. Don't fall into complacency.

Interposition

In the past several decades, there have been many occurrences of the government overstepping it's bounds. Some examples of this include legalising abortion, virtually banning Christianity from public schools, billions of dollars of "aid" thrown at other nations, adoption the laws of UN as our own, the list goes on. These gross misuse of power begs the question, what can be done to stop, and even reverse this slid towards humanistic totalitarianism?

The first course of action to take in America, and one that many are taking, is to petition the government to right the wrongs they have committed. Another step that goes well with petitioning the government, is using your voice at the ballot box. We need to vote for the person, not the party. Elected leaders who will stand for what is right, not compromising just to gain power.

However, there may come a time (and it may be approaching soon), when these steps will not solve our problems. How can we reign in a federal government gone mad with power? When our representatives no longer listen to us, and the courts mandate whatever they want, what can be done? I believe that the man who founded this country foresaw that this could, eventually happen. That is, I believe, why the 10th amendment was part of the Bill of Rights.

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

The powers that this clause gives to the states is that of an extra layer of protection between a potentially oppressive federal government, and the people of the United States. One example of this idea being applied successfully is that of Alabama Judge Roy Moore. Before he was elected to the Supreme Court of Alabama, he was a district judge, and had a plaque of the 10 Commandments in his courtroom. A federal judge ordered it to be removed, and he refused. Upon threat of force, the Governor of Alabama threatened to defend this declaration of the foundation of law with the Alabama National Guard. When the governor interposed himself between the federal government, and Judge Moore, he defended when he knew was right against oppression. The federal government backed down, and the plaque stayed.

While I do not advocate the negligent use of this power granted to the States, I do believe that there is a time when it is necessary for the local authorities to stand up to those above them and say "this is wrong!" The local governments acting as a source of accountability for the federal government will not lead to anarchy, but to liberty.

The future of energy drinks

Google has announced their first move towards competing in the physical world with the creation of Google Gulp. This amazing new line of drinks will not only quench your thirst and give you more energy, but it will make you smarter! From Google's FAQ:

"1. How does Google Gulp work?

Well, to comprehend the long version of this answer, you'd need a PhD (from Stanford, natch). The short version is, our brains process data by sending electrical impulses called neurotransmitters between billions of neurons via axons running between synapses, much the way buses travel between stations, or MP3 files travel between felonious suburban teenagers. The molecular compound that fuels Google Gulp speeds up this process by, among various startling feats of neurochemical legerdemain, limiting the activity of the enzyme monoamine oxidase. You think faster – and feel better.

What's more, through our patented real-time DNA-scanning process, Auto-Drink™, Google Gulp is actually able to "take a picture" of your genetic profile, reconfigure its molecular composition on the fly, and subtly alter your brain's intricate mosaic of axonial patterns in order to facilitate even faster cognitive processing."

This exciting new product is available in stores now, check out Googles information page, it's definitely worth your time to become informed about this exciting new product!

Summer is finally here!

At long last, we have reached the first day of summer. The calender has finally caught up with the weather! Now, when it's in the 90s or 100s, we can say, "well, that's summer in Colorado."

In other news, arysith asked that I explain my windows virus rant. I think he was, basically, talking about a spoofed quote I wrote a couple of years ago. Here it is:

"I'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify Windows. I realized that it's not actually an operating system. Every operating system on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding hardware, but Windows does not. It move to a Hard drive, and it multiplies, and multiplies, until every bit of memory is consumed. The only way it can survive is to spread to another hard drive. There is another type of software on this planet that follows the same pattern. A virus. Windows is a disease, a cancer of this planet, it is a plague, and Linux is the cure."

Assumptions

Have you ever wondered why it is that so many people just assume that a scientist is right, almost regardless of what they say? I once got into an argument over evolution and many of the arguments presented for it boiled down to "because scientists say so." I have wondered since that time what makes scientists so infallible, that most people will automatically take anything they say as fact.

Having been immersed in the world of higher education for the last two years, I have been able to see what "scientists" are like. Those that I have met are smart, certainly, and they definitely know a lot about their field. However, they are really no different form a "normal" person. They just use big words and math in their explanations of how the world works. The only reason I can find that makes people assume that scientists are always right is a basic, philosophical assumption.

Government schools teach humanism in every subject. When, as the Greeks put it, "man is the measure of all things," those men that put themselves ahead of the pack will be idolized. This is seen in sports, as well as in the academic realm. Rather than taking what those people do and say, and examining it in light of a higher authority (i.e. God's word), a person with humanist assumptions will not even think of there being a higher authority than man. This is an extremely dangerous way for a single person to function, when a society becomes humanist, there is very little to stop it from swinging to either anarchy or dictatorship. If man is the highest authority, either the selfishness of human nature will drive a society into anarchy, or the idolatry of a great leader will drive it into a dictatorship.

The culture battle in America is not limited to any one area of society. Humanism has taken over the founding principles of much of America. A structure is nothing without it's foundation, and the Christian principles that America was founded on will not survive having their foundational assumptions replaced by those of humanism. The only way that America can continue to be a Christian nation is if, in the years when children are forming the foundation of their beliefs, they are taught from a Biblical, Christian point of view.

Well, I finally did it. I created a Blog. I tried to resist the urge to do so, but it seems I am too weak to keep from using every chance I get to express my opinions and beliefs.

I'll probably post political and legal analysis, for the most part. The occasional tangent is likely, variety is the spice of life, as they say. This blog will be updated as often as I have time and I feel like it. That could be a lot, or rarely.