tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52302444713855159602024-03-13T20:53:45.729-05:00Blogergism<i>sola fide, sola gratia, solus Christus, sola scriptura, soli Deo gloria!</i>jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.comBlogger381125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-51572832499750545612014-09-25T10:00:00.000-05:002014-09-25T10:00:08.112-05:00The Tyranny of the Affective in Contemporary ReligionI ran across a short survey on the Biola website that I thought would be fun, so I dived in. <a href="http://cct.biola.edu/blog/2014/sep/17/cultivating-humility-follow-we-know-part/?c=861">The survey</a> was called, "Are You Intellectually Humble?" As soon as I started, I noticed something amiss, which was ironic since the website is the blog for the Center for Christian Thought. Here are the questions, with my responses in italics...see how quickly you pick up on what was amiss:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Even when you feel strongly about something, are you still aware that you could be wrong? <i>Yes. (Though I don't usually consider 'feelings' to be logically held ideas.)</i><br />
<br />
Do you trust that truth has nothing to fear from investigation? <i>Yes. (But truth cannot fear or not fear...it is not an ontological being. I'm interpreting your question to be about my own fear.)</i><br />
<br />
When someone disagrees with your beliefs, do you view it as a personal attack? If so, why? <i>Sometimes, because sometimes, it is a personal attack. These are not usually hard to identify.</i><br />
<br />
Think of a recent time you became defensive when someone disagreed with you. What may have been underlying your feelings in that moment? <i>This is a slippery slope. 'Defensiveness' is not necessarily a fully emotional response but can be, and inserting emotions in the place of logic is always dangerous. But I often do have an emotional reaction to poor logic and poor assumptions, or the use of falsehoods in place of facts. These destroy the ability to have a civil debate about an issue.</i><br />
<br />
Do you reserve the right to change your mind? Or do you feel weak or ashamed to change a strongly held opinion? <i>Yes. No, as I've done it on occasion when I've been wrong.</i><br />
<br />
Is it difficult to respect people whose beliefs differ from your own? <i>Sometimes, depending on the belief itself. For example, I don't respect those who view killing unborn children as an amoral decision. I don't respect those who, in the name of religion, cut peoples' heads off on camera.</i><br />
<br />
What is a specific step you can take to better understand someone who disagrees with you on an important issue? <i>I ask them to explain their position, logically. I protest anytime emotion comes up in the discussion.</i><br />
<br />
Do you feel insecure when others disagree with you? <i>Again, this is asking about an emotional response to an intellectual problem. I'm not that concerned with how I feel, but with what I know, think, or believe. When someone I respect holds a different opinion, it makes me rethink my own opinion and how I arrived at it. 'Feeling insecure' is a juvenile response to someone disagreeing.</i><br />
<br />
Do you feel like you need to hide past errors in your thinking? <i>No, nor present errors. (But it's not about what I feel, it is about what I know.</i><br />
<br />
What would it take for you to feel more comfortable acknowledging to others when you’ve been wrong in your thinking? <i>Why all the 'feeling' questions? I thought this was about intellectual humility. It is easy to acknowledge being wrong; the feelings don't matter unless you allow them to control you. When did Christian Thinking become primarily affective?</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnpXpqJ8QawQcj0yxGgnjdfp2kH1hVbMvxbtiRpTxAlETnNVw37m3i-kePwIwrXfDFGPX2HLfmEop4cwQBmpgOkyn60yeWxR6-JIF75a4g8MDg7y-uP3vj0yvcQ8EafxIZPvQJRbWJY_E9/s1600/emoticons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnpXpqJ8QawQcj0yxGgnjdfp2kH1hVbMvxbtiRpTxAlETnNVw37m3i-kePwIwrXfDFGPX2HLfmEop4cwQBmpgOkyn60yeWxR6-JIF75a4g8MDg7y-uP3vj0yvcQ8EafxIZPvQJRbWJY_E9/s320/emoticons.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Do you feel less worthy when you realize you’ve made a mistake in your thinking? <i>Another 'feeling' question. Do you feel that maybe this survey needs some work? Are you sure you are getting at the information your title proposes? Perhaps you should change the title to, "Are you emotionally humble?"</i><br />
<br />
Do you approach others with the idea that you might have something to learn from them? <i>Yes, always, and I usually do.</i><br />
<br />
Are you open to learning new things every day? Even if it means changing previous ideas? <i>Yes, but I have a standard that doesn't change (scripture). I am willing to re-interpret my ideas of what scripture says, but I am not willing to throw out two millennia of orthodox Christian thought in order meet current cultural demands. Two million Frenchmen can indeed be wrong, and often are.</i><br />
<br />
After pulling this together, I was browsing other sites I like to read, and <a href="http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/three-reasons-to-put-the-feeling-back-into-faith" target="_blank">found this</a> on the Gospel Coalition (The Gospel Corp?) website.<br />
<i> </i><br />
Why has the affective (the emotional domain) become central in contemporary Christianity? Might this shift explain much of the weirdness we see in evangelicalism these days? Folks, the gospel is a story, about historical people, places, and events; it is not an emotion. Faith (belief) is not an emotion either. Certainly, we might have emotional responses to a hearing of the gospel, or to our faith, but when we make the emotion the primary measure of our faith, we don't understand the gospel. Faith has content. We must have faith IN something (someone, actually); otherwise we make faith a work.<br />
<br />
I don't have a problem with emotional responses. I have them. When I hear about unborn babies being killed for 'any reason or no reason at all', I get angry. Hatefully angry. When I watch what our central government is doing to our freedoms, I get some other emotional response that I can't name. When I worship, whether it be through song or listening to the preaching of God's word, I have emotional responses that are somewhat complex. But these aren't the focus of my faith, they are responses to my faith.<br />
<br />
This whole thing bothers me greatly.jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-51691456543772323212014-09-11T12:58:00.001-05:002014-09-11T12:58:56.719-05:00Where Were You on That September Morn?On 9/11/01, I was the Director of Sports Medicine at Missouri Baptist University in St. Louis. As I was pulling out of my driveway on the way to work, the radio DJ interrupted the music to say that a plane had just hit one of the world trade center buildings. About 30 minutes later, just as I was crossing the Missouri river bridge into St. Louis county, all the music stopped as they announced the impact of the second plane. No one had to be told at that point what was going on.
I hurried in to the office to find a group of students and other science faculty crowded around a TV set with the rabbit ears up (you could still get broadcast TV back in those days). In what we later decided was the best use of our time, the faculty members and students sat together and talked about what it meant. Classes were cancelled; not officially, but by about noon much of the campus had crowded into the science building to be a part of our group instead of going to class. It was a great time of fellowship, somber but still bonding, between the faculty and the students, and I won't forget it. (Yes, the Provost forgave us.)
The weight of what happened did not hit me for a couple days. 9/11 was on a Tuesday, and on that Saturday morning, I was on my riding mower mowing my 3 acre lot, and I glanced up at the sky. There was nothing there. It finally hit me how big a deal this was, and how much everything had changed. I had to stop the mower and have a little cry. This was one of only about three times I've cried as an adult. It was an unusual moment, to say the least.
I've gotten cynical since then about stuff; it is good to stop and remember and lose the cynicism. Some things are bigger than our petty gripes.jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-29066032564525812652014-09-09T10:39:00.001-05:002014-09-09T10:42:43.739-05:00On Turning Half a HundredOh, what a night. Remember that song? Well, all of us who were conceived in late December, 1963, will be turning 50 years old this month. I'm one of 'em.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/liyiT_DGREA" width="420"></iframe>
<br />
(If you want something a little more contemporary, try this version-)<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/rCfvtQ2Ljxw?rel=0" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
Anyway, turning 50 is awfully anti-climactic. Forty is the age when everyone is mean to you (black stuff everywhere, and so on). At fifty, nothing much changes.<br />
<br />
<br />
(That's all. I think an anti-climactic post is suitable for an anti-climactic birthday.)jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-54536552204036531272014-08-01T09:48:00.001-05:002014-08-01T09:48:27.171-05:00"You Didn't Build That"Our pastor, <a href="http://stevendolsen.com/" target="_blank">Steve Olsen</a>, is preaching through the book of Ephesians this Summer. He's about to start Chapter 2, and in thinking through the text, the following illustration came to me.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkhG4iJRvuAg3Qe0iynXRr8dEMGEw9VA-Bol-jDpH6EM1X2KMLk18PBXfvGoKexid8T-4SclFhOkmZRNQ_coaAhwe6tyfiNVQd7rJ9iN1aO0B13YBtEctaibb1lPFkEf3YSvaulwJawZG/s1600/obama+angry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkhG4iJRvuAg3Qe0iynXRr8dEMGEw9VA-Bol-jDpH6EM1X2KMLk18PBXfvGoKexid8T-4SclFhOkmZRNQ_coaAhwe6tyfiNVQd7rJ9iN1aO0B13YBtEctaibb1lPFkEf3YSvaulwJawZG/s1600/obama+angry.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">You didn't build that!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Remember when Obama, in his 2012 campaign, made the statement to business owners that, "You didn't build that", in reference to the businesses that they built? Remember how full of hubris it seemed, and how most thinking Americans (rightly) rejected it?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXIi8HI2nr3ZE_oZ-vLaYMoFccNnNwLcVS-5RSvq3mp-HG0-D7aRPghUVbKVDIYkEnfSrQxSlHMMQJAlZsr66_2G2-D3gUWI6pS1K38XHbXvTjHGYpewBExBdbhTA5MfNOoHSksMZQUzyp/s1600/meme+mr+bean+no+words.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXIi8HI2nr3ZE_oZ-vLaYMoFccNnNwLcVS-5RSvq3mp-HG0-D7aRPghUVbKVDIYkEnfSrQxSlHMMQJAlZsr66_2G2-D3gUWI6pS1K38XHbXvTjHGYpewBExBdbhTA5MfNOoHSksMZQUzyp/s1600/meme+mr+bean+no+words.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">He said what?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Well, there's a time when, "You didn't build that" is not only true, but true with eternal consequences. It is true when it comes to our faith. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, <i>"<span class="selected">For </span><span class="">by grace you have been saved </span><span class="">through faith. And this is </span><a class="cf" href="http://www.esvbible.org/2Co3.5/"><span class=""></span></a><span class="">not your own doing; </span><span class="">it is the gift of God, </span><span class="verse-num" id="v49002009-1">9 </span><span class="">not a result of works, </span><span class="">so that no one may boast."</span></i><br />
<br />
<span class="">If we approach our faith with an American Ideal, we are going to be theologically completely backwards. And that's un-American, and that's how we are wired to think. But it is Biblical, and we'd better 'get it' or we will miss the heart of the gospel. We really didn't build that faith which is in the process of saving us.</span>jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-40694082869251324412014-06-06T12:20:00.000-05:002014-06-06T12:20:30.494-05:00The Longest Day in HistoryMany men came here as soldiers<br /> Many men will pass this way<br /> Many men will count the hours<br /> As they live the longest day<br />
<br />
Many men are tired and weary<br /> Many men are here to stay<br /> Many men won't see the sunset<br /> When it ends the longest day<br />
<br />
The longest day, the longest day<br /> This will be the longest day<br /> Filled with hopes and filled with fears<br /> Filled with blood and sweat and tears<br />
<br />
Many men, the mighty thousands<br /> Many men to victory<br /> Marching on, right into battle<br /> In the longest day in history<br />
<br />
"The Longest Day", written by Paul Anka<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/cVU75AZ5gJU" width="420"></iframe> jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-70273965099803090342014-06-05T12:00:00.001-05:002014-06-05T12:00:50.315-05:00On Divisiveness, in the Church and in GeneralGrowing up, I often heard Romans 16:17 cited as a reason not to argue about stuff in church. Even though that explanation didn't sit well with me, I took it at face value and (usually) kept my mouth shut.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnQhtMXxcQ3k9s-_fyvOYG9PMSJ8716hzfnAHLsjTZos3eEpGA9B4Y4VVqWah8Ol7R-PiIve5JFDloecnINErlBOOj8n0vyzfV2ilcJrM4cJsdy2WG9E_q2qCR8daLmuiWetz3Pg5fbYi/s1600/meme+george+costanza+no+words.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnQhtMXxcQ3k9s-_fyvOYG9PMSJ8716hzfnAHLsjTZos3eEpGA9B4Y4VVqWah8Ol7R-PiIve5JFDloecnINErlBOOj8n0vyzfV2ilcJrM4cJsdy2WG9E_q2qCR8daLmuiWetz3Pg5fbYi/s1600/meme+george+costanza+no+words.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
It wasn't until some time later that the reason it didn't sit well with me was because it was fallacious reasoning, based on bad exegesis. Paul is not saying that disagreement is divisiveness. If someone comes up with a 'new' way of doing worship music (for example), and I don't find the new way to be scriptural, then I speak up and give a reason why it isn't scriptural, I'm not being divisive. <i>The one holding to orthodox teaching is never divisive in the defense of orthodoxy.</i> He's saying (look closely) that the one who teaches "contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught" is the divisive one.<br />
<br />
In my current reading, one of the books I'm partway through is The Creedal Imperative by Carl Trueman. Trueman gives a good example of this on pages 67-68. In giving us a propositional rendering of belief in Romans 10:9-10, Paul states we should confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead. Trueman writes this:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Words and content are thus significant. What Paul does not say is: if you have a warm, incommunicable feeling in your heart and express this by incoherent sounds from your mouth, you will be saved. No. There is propositional content here-- publicly expressed in a manner comprehensible to others.</blockquote>
<br />
I've heard just this bit of bad reasoning used to accuse John MacArthur of divisiveness for his <i>Strange Fire</i> conference recently. But Dr. MacArthur is the one defending orthodoxy; the nuevo-spritism is the divisive party.<br />
<br />
I'd like to think this idea transfers over to the secular realm. If you hold to a well-proven idea, and someone comes along and challenges it without any grounds other than, "I said so", you are not being divisive when you argue in favor of the established idea you held. But in today's culture, you'll be accused of all sorts of things for defending orthodoxy, whether religious or secular.<br />
<br />
Funny how those seem to go together in a postmodern mindset.jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-83705613615421592402014-05-27T12:09:00.000-05:002014-05-27T12:10:14.709-05:00Summer, Not a Bummer (Summer Reading List)In the interest of miming the good ideas of others, I'm going to post my Summer reading list. (After all, if they are good ideas, why not copy them?)<br />
<br />
One of my favorite SRLs is the <a href="http://www.albertmohler.com/2014/05/27/ten-books-for-eager-reading-the-2014-summer-reading-list-revised/" target="_blank">one published by Al Mohler</a>. He seems to have an affinity for some of the same topics I like (history, military, 19th and 20th century culture, etc.). A few of my selections come right off his list. There are many other lists out there, so go find someone who has reading tastes similar to yours, and get busy.<br />
<br />
Now for my list:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1. Phillip Jenkins, <i>The Great and Holy War: How World War I Became a Religious Crusade</i> (HarperOne, 2014).</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This book comes right off Dr. Mohler's list. It is a new book on the cultural relevance of the religious nature of World War I. Sounds fascinating, and touches on an era of history often overlooked in our country. </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">2. R. C. Sproul, <i>Everyone's A Theologian</i> (Reformation Trust, 2014).</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I just got this one in, and have read a chapter. It is basically a systematization of Dr. Sproul's many years' worth of lectures on theology. I hope to start a theology reading/discussion group at church and use this book as the starting point for it (but that remains to be seen).</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">3. Bill Sloan, Given Up for Dead: America's Heroic Stand at Wake Island (Bantam,2004).</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This falls into one of my most favorite categories, the US Marine Corps. It also hits another favorite category, World War II. </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">4. John C. McManus, <i>The Dead and Those About to Die — D-Day: The Big Red One at Omaha Beach</i> (NAL Caliber, Penguin Group, 2014).</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Same as above, but without the Marine Corps angle. This is a new book, so I need to get it read rather than leave it for (years) later like a few others on this list. </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">5. Andreas Kostenberger, <i>The Heresy of Orthodoxy: How Contemporary Culture's Fascination With Diversity Has Reshaped Our Understanding of Early Christianity</i> (Crossway, 2010).</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This book was published about four years ago, and I have had it on my shelf for some time, but haven't gotten around to reading it. Apparently, it is more applicable to the culture today than it was when it came out. Time to get it read.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">6. Stephen Ambrose, <i>Crazy Horse and Custer: The Parallel Lives of Two American Warriors</i>, (Doubleday, 1975).</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This is one of the few Ambrose history books left that I haven't read.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">7. D. A. Carson, <i>The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism</i>, (Zondervan, 2009).</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Another book on contemporary culture and the Christian Worldview, this book has been begging to be read for five years. I'm going to set aside the time this Summer to finish it.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">8. Phil Newton, <i>Elders in the Life of the Church: Rediscovering the Biblical Model for Church Leadership</i> (Kregel, 2014).</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My pastor is leading our church toward an elder model of leadership, which I welcome. But he's getting some resistance, mostly of the, 'we've never done it that way before' kind. A bit of the other resistance is simply historical illiteracy. I hope this book can arm me with some cogent arguments to deal with the objections as they arise. </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">9. Richard Rhodes, <i>Dark Sun: The Making of the Hydrodgen Bomb</i>, (Simon and Schuster, 2012).</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The past three summers I've read one book on the Manhattan Project, and this will be the fourth in a row. It is a fascinating historical topic, and one which would seem to be coverable in a book or two, but may in fact be almost inexhaustible. </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">10. Peter Hathaway Capstick, <i>A Man Called Lion: The Life and Times of John Howard Pondoro Taylor</i>, (Safari Press, 2002).</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">P. H. Capstick is one of my favorite authors. This book isn't as highly rated as some of his others, but is a biography about a person who interests me, as do many of the leaders in 19th and early 20th century Africa. </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">11. Neil Postman, <i>Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business</i> (Penguin, 2005).</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> This book was originally published in 1985, and has become a cult classic because of how accurate Postman's predictions about culture have been. I've read excerpts, and many, many quotes from the book, but have never sat down and read it all. Time to knock it out. It is too important to skip.</span></blockquote>
<br />
What books would you add to this list, or put on your own Summer reading list?jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-48718528703960791252014-03-31T17:37:00.001-05:002014-03-31T17:37:07.172-05:00More TechnologyI just got issued an iPad. I had decided the device was one of those things I could do without, so I'd never bought one. But the administration thought differently, so I got one anyway, and didn't have to pay for it. <div><br></div><div>So now, I'm composing my first blog post on it. Time will tell how much it gets used for stuff like this. But I can already tell I. Going to need a full-size keyboard!</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-22667358457228845952013-12-16T11:32:00.001-06:002013-12-16T11:34:48.450-06:00History, and Being Doomed and All ThatMost everybody knows the saying I've alluded to in my title. I believe the saying to be inherently true, and not just in terms of repeating your history CLASS, but repeating the negative lessons of history itself.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEnY83UgAhuiO3vyuz3B258ZJXCw6Wzf9paonJGQaSEhLXc3UkqJ0GgI-B9qRGiXlxMiuz89L6XwfL34IaPXAB2pXXO10SZmgYYEMp-aBNnY_Ap2pP29SYQCAIY7FVX11nAMfg1oY8bsJ/s1600/chesterton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEnY83UgAhuiO3vyuz3B258ZJXCw6Wzf9paonJGQaSEhLXc3UkqJ0GgI-B9qRGiXlxMiuz89L6XwfL34IaPXAB2pXXO10SZmgYYEMp-aBNnY_Ap2pP29SYQCAIY7FVX11nAMfg1oY8bsJ/s1600/chesterton.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
It was Chesterton, I think, who said something like, "The wit of man in insufficient to invent a new heresy." I'm not positive my wording is exact, or even that someone other than G. K. said it originally, but either way, I love the saying because it seems to incorporate truth in a very consistent manner.<br />
<br />
If we look around at all the various weird religions, pseudo-Christian cults, and spiritualities that are around today, it seems all of them (that I've found) have a strong parallel, if not are an exact duplication, of a heresy from the first five (or so) centuries of the church.<br />
<br />
So, with all that in mind, I constantly push my Sunday School class along with anyone else who will listen to be well-versed in the history of the Christian Church, especially where it concerns aberrant teachings. Tim Challies has started what promises to be a very useful series on the seven great church councils on his blog. The first post can be found <span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.challies.com/articles/7-councils-the-first-council-of-nicaea" target="_blank">here</a></span></span>. I sincerely hope many will read these posts, and they will be helpful in the edification of the church. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQEJ5FjEBdhf1wmMSZGLsZR2eTfuChLzZ8oMuyX5BCr0-OtwwkvmKYEpjuUQPT3oKGWSneEiAmBGQGpde2vsDAu9xxm-C9w9UxFjUZTVMpAEe2XLdHId2UnVRIdftq2obptW8xzW7rIC2/s1600/trinity+heresies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQEJ5FjEBdhf1wmMSZGLsZR2eTfuChLzZ8oMuyX5BCr0-OtwwkvmKYEpjuUQPT3oKGWSneEiAmBGQGpde2vsDAu9xxm-C9w9UxFjUZTVMpAEe2XLdHId2UnVRIdftq2obptW8xzW7rIC2/s1600/trinity+heresies.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Obviously, we as Christians should have a good command of the Bible, and the Bible should be the primary locus of our study. But one of the ways of correctly understanding the Bible is to know and understand way it has been misinterpreted in history. These posts will give a good non-seminary-level overview of these misinterpretations.<br />
<br />
May I suggest a few good books that I've used on this topic as well (each title is a link to the book on Amazon.com):<br />
<br />
1. <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heresies-Harold-O-J-Brown/dp/1565633652/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1387214828&sr=8-7&keywords=heresy" target="_blank">Heresies</a></span>, by H. Brown<br />
2. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heresy-A-History-Defending-Truth/dp/0060822147/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1387214845&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Heresy</a>, by A. McGrath<br />
3. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Turning-Points-Decisive-Moments-Christianity/dp/0801039967/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387214820&sr=8-1&keywords=turning+points" target="_blank">Turning Points</a> (first four chapters) by M. Noll<br />
4.<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Historical-Theology-Introduction-Geoffrey-Bromiley/dp/0802863329/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387214730&sr=8-1&keywords=historical+theology+bromiley" target="_blank"> Historical Theology</a>, by G. Bromiley<br />
5. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Historical-Theology-Introduction-Christian-Doctrine-ebook/dp/B004UABPL4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387214699&sr=8-1&keywords=historical+theology" target="_blank">Historical Theology</a>, by G. Allison<br />
6. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Historical-Theology-Introduction-History-Christian/dp/0631208445/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1387214699&sr=8-3&keywords=historical+theology" target="_blank">Historical Theology</a>, by A. McGrath<br />
<br />
<br />jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-14694439662577083682013-11-08T11:33:00.000-06:002013-11-08T11:33:04.128-06:00The Evangelical Resistance to Obamacare in a NutshellI've seen some new debate in the blogosphere on whether or not the evangelical resistance to Obamacare is legitimate or not, prompted mostly by a quote from 'out there' theologian N. T. Wright.<br />
<br />
Wright got some immediate pushback, and rightly so. But even then, those pushing back got pushed themselves, and the debate seemed to get muddier. What is missing is a concise explanation of why evangelicals must oppose Obamacare, single-payer healthcare, and any other related scheme the left (or the right) might come up with that puts the government in charge of healthcare.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOVsE5GgnLoInrHLpF5UNgh3GLvZc22KmO6aduiEijyfT-Kid8p6PhRa0lZFzRpGOnRkL4TAELr6_dDzFGXGTVvl1YVSnBe92uSouovcxeQEfZJLPVQh6ZJ7TIRm0c2hag3A6EH0Rnw7C/s1600/obama+vs+fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOVsE5GgnLoInrHLpF5UNgh3GLvZc22KmO6aduiEijyfT-Kid8p6PhRa0lZFzRpGOnRkL4TAELr6_dDzFGXGTVvl1YVSnBe92uSouovcxeQEfZJLPVQh6ZJ7TIRm0c2hag3A6EH0Rnw7C/s1600/obama+vs+fish.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Pay attention here...this is going to be quick, and I don't want you to miss this-<br />
<br />
<i>Nationalized health care and freedom of religion, speech, etc., CANNOT both exist at the same time and in the same relationship.</i><br />
<br />
Why not? Think about it in simple, logical terms rather than convoluted social arguments. Health care is directly related to health, and health is a direct consequence (among some other things) of behavior. Religion is directly related to religious beliefs, and religious beliefs have the direct consequence of influencing behavior.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipi16fnfFUKmMy00tzflsOn8Tw_f0xUiHQkZq9q2j0685CfHtH_Y3dWuiyc7TKsfRcsbSRC4SW3jWuKhjMwC4y2_Y_wuHTCp_On9fCuj7gZg2902t9QBNKU9EV7iDmSLKQV3r-yi1a3_ey/s1600/behavior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipi16fnfFUKmMy00tzflsOn8Tw_f0xUiHQkZq9q2j0685CfHtH_Y3dWuiyc7TKsfRcsbSRC4SW3jWuKhjMwC4y2_Y_wuHTCp_On9fCuj7gZg2902t9QBNKU9EV7iDmSLKQV3r-yi1a3_ey/s1600/behavior.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
In a theocracy, there is no religious freedom because behavior (outward expression of religious belief) is restricted to the religion that is in charge. In a democracy, religious freedom can exist as long as the government is tolerant of various expressions of religious belief via behavior (what people say, do, etc.). But when the democracy adopts nationalized health care, it assumes authority over certain behaviors, and when these behaviors conflict with the best interests of the government, they are subdued or prohibited. These might include religious speech, such as opposition to certain medical procedures; they might include domestic behaviors such as keeping and bearing arms; or they might include social behaviors, such as disapproval of certain lifestyle behaviors (like for example, not wanting to photograph a wedding).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0d87dvJMwvyPA10OSUaJCf-y2vJSiqQnaou4JiyIcO2Onq9OCmXPfCbtURuOFP3Y-0Lxc3a7TFr30fvP68v2d12dV4KCmwbM-kcpALyGbLDkGKZ_V5QyKQbae6ybJiVfBm63PLrYHNAd/s1600/freedom+of+religion+hour+on+sunday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0d87dvJMwvyPA10OSUaJCf-y2vJSiqQnaou4JiyIcO2Onq9OCmXPfCbtURuOFP3Y-0Lxc3a7TFr30fvP68v2d12dV4KCmwbM-kcpALyGbLDkGKZ_V5QyKQbae6ybJiVfBm63PLrYHNAd/s1600/freedom+of+religion+hour+on+sunday.jpg" /></a></div>
Some will make all kinds of logical-acrobatic arguments about these things, but they all boil down to the simple fact that when a government becomes the arbiter of behaviors associated with health care, they necessarily become the established religious authority in the nation. No loop-holing will change that fact.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtbQDWD5rbVTedYdvF-BY-3ZHKarTKM3wNhAdi8Xt00pB_EsocxHaVEVBtbNqEQ-hYgq5heMnsrS3sOr6YtmOD8g7SklXmZLnRgV2qQ603bHFMFGgHikU9ayDEFBMqgiYluU2kkZMh419H/s1600/big+brother+is+watching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtbQDWD5rbVTedYdvF-BY-3ZHKarTKM3wNhAdi8Xt00pB_EsocxHaVEVBtbNqEQ-hYgq5heMnsrS3sOr6YtmOD8g7SklXmZLnRgV2qQ603bHFMFGgHikU9ayDEFBMqgiYluU2kkZMh419H/s1600/big+brother+is+watching.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-22081825991405670592013-11-07T09:17:00.004-06:002013-11-07T09:17:50.694-06:00The Rub of the False Mega-Church PastorRecently, there's been a dust-up over a mega-church pastor in Charlotte and <span style="background-color: yellow;"><a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/10/27/4420172/elevation-church-pastor-responds.html#.UnurHCeXtb0" target="_blank">his new mansion</a></span>. The reporting has been kinder than one might expect, which says a few things I won't go into here.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWVgkctX929D18iiAkJR9e_Q7Vg3mZonnGV835dvgo-CG1lf7r2sawQ3Hp9B5t8Zu1VqHm2W61wUrpdGK8ny4YT2tNOlFpsPwx8bbQ2lTnEQDjIcLTf0Ves9ksJnV4F7XURvuRcWrN1Fqu/s1600/steven-furtick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWVgkctX929D18iiAkJR9e_Q7Vg3mZonnGV835dvgo-CG1lf7r2sawQ3Hp9B5t8Zu1VqHm2W61wUrpdGK8ny4YT2tNOlFpsPwx8bbQ2lTnEQDjIcLTf0Ves9ksJnV4F7XURvuRcWrN1Fqu/s1600/steven-furtick.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Being a mega-church pastor, aside from the spiritual implications, is not a bad gig. You can make a ton of money and you don't have to work very hard. Granted: there <i>are </i>spiritual implications, but from a completely secular, pragmatic point of view, its a nice way to earn a living.<br />
<br />
But there's a problem that I haven't seen discussed yet. It is not simply that one can choose to be a mega-church pastor, and go open a mega-church. You see, almost all of these folks have built their church from the ground up. In other words, not just any Tom, Dick, or Steven can be a mega-church pastor. One needs to be <i>gifted</i>. (I didn't say talented. More on that shortly.)<br />
<br />
So what's the problem? Aren't NFL athletes gifted, and that's why they make a bunch of money? Well, yes. But don't forget about all the hard work they have to do to take advantage of that gift and the additional hard work to stay at the top of their game. And I suppose you could argue that some of these mega-church pastors work hard too, as performers, as stand-up comedians, and so on. But let's get back to the <i>gifted </i>part. Where do you suppose that gift comes from?<br />
<br />
Do you think there are any additional spiritual implications for those who are gifted at that level and choose to take advantage of the gift in a secular (that is, financial) way? Joyce Meyer is a gifted speaker. Creflo Dollar is a charismatic personality (no pun intended...really). Kenneth Hagin was a convincing preacher. All these have used their gifts for personal financial gain well beyond just about anyone's definition of 'paying the worker their wages'. There's even a <span style="background-color: yellow;"><a href="http://preachers-of-la.oxygen.com/" target="_blank">new TV series</a></span> about a certain group of these folks. (Disclaimer: I haven't watched an episode, and likely won't.)<br />
<br />
Kinda makes me nervous. Shouldn't it?jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-26183980847715638782013-10-22T09:55:00.001-05:002013-10-22T09:56:58.066-05:00Settled Science?So evolution is settled science, the experts all (publically, at least) say.<br />
<br />
Well, if so, there's a slight problem. All that 'settled science' is about to need a re-write, again.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: lime;"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/oct/17/skull-homo-erectus-human-evolution" target="_blank">This story</a></span> of a find in Georgia (the one South of Russia, not East of Alabama) is the enzyme in the reaction. This is going to be interesting.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvq_snMYzYncccB0pHCyl3LlJQO6UNYyDPkpr2Bncpw8C0GrU11ApjnRUkDqThqMUCAzO52MgSLXGMxv1E2XjhR8NdZoiX29O58ZawSgTIqwpXLrmCKNGbG_NPmE3JymkH2ToYYjCZY8Yb/s1600/Caveman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvq_snMYzYncccB0pHCyl3LlJQO6UNYyDPkpr2Bncpw8C0GrU11ApjnRUkDqThqMUCAzO52MgSLXGMxv1E2XjhR8NdZoiX29O58ZawSgTIqwpXLrmCKNGbG_NPmE3JymkH2ToYYjCZY8Yb/s1600/Caveman.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-62702047375515732802013-10-22T09:38:00.000-05:002013-10-22T09:44:22.826-05:00Celebrity or Servant?I don't like publishing a blog article that is in content basically just a link. But <span style="background-color: lime;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://jaredmoore.exaltchrist.com/christian-truth/you-might-be-a-celebrity-christian-wannabe-if/" target="_blank">this post</a></span></span> by Jared Moore was too good to pass up.<br />
<br />
I could re-list his points here, but I can't say it any better than he has, so I'll just <span style="background-color: lime;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://jaredmoore.exaltchrist.com/christian-truth/you-might-be-a-celebrity-christian-wannabe-if/" target="_blank">redirect you to his page</a></span></span>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvP36IIyKkFru_t_1FWrbjZJSBaH_98qB_hdsTFsRlV_MXYH1qU7Hws0bfLJoFCDZArEBhZP_rW5ipyYBsPDzZwNsXKryAyf5V67N6gWppbxDFWjoF9QlPbjKZOBoMB2tgTpGLCyG0ayj/s1600/rock_star+silhouette.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvP36IIyKkFru_t_1FWrbjZJSBaH_98qB_hdsTFsRlV_MXYH1qU7Hws0bfLJoFCDZArEBhZP_rW5ipyYBsPDzZwNsXKryAyf5V67N6gWppbxDFWjoF9QlPbjKZOBoMB2tgTpGLCyG0ayj/s320/rock_star+silhouette.png" width="320" /></a></div>
jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-10094995064903486272013-10-02T12:53:00.000-05:002013-10-02T12:53:18.282-05:00Ever Been Up a &$!# Creek?Well, I hadn't either, until Monday.<br />
<br />
I looked out my office window at about 10am on Monday, and saw what looked like a water line break in my parking lot. But there was more. The water didn't look real clean.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIpxPCf3AfyYqiOStH9gqFWYxyHsWILky0vd_L-tEyDoG9TaC0HARQCrbSpVYnGQSNHGuMUTmqTWJ4ztJMttSKrr0O0m-TCa9sDLD4lvoVhZ33aWBaSO2SW5FbPrvwx67l0N8DcolwJI8/s1600/sewage+sm+2013-09-30+10.13.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIpxPCf3AfyYqiOStH9gqFWYxyHsWILky0vd_L-tEyDoG9TaC0HARQCrbSpVYnGQSNHGuMUTmqTWJ4ztJMttSKrr0O0m-TCa9sDLD4lvoVhZ33aWBaSO2SW5FbPrvwx67l0N8DcolwJI8/s320/sewage+sm+2013-09-30+10.13.58.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
Turns out, the restaurant next door was having some plumbing problems with their bathrooms, so they called a local plumber. The local plumber (unnamed, to protect the guilty) pulled the cleanout plug for the line, which is in my parking lot, and started pumping raw sewage into my lot. He pumped at least 700 gallons of raw sewage, most of it solid waste, onto my lot, which then ran down the slope in front of the Enterprise Rent-a-Car location and into the access road for I-27.<br />
<br />
I went outside and (hand over nose) asked the plumber what he planned to do about the mess, and he basically said it wasn't a big deal, he would clean it up, but he was going to lunch.<br />
<br />
I then learned that sometimes government can be your friend. I called the city Health Department. It was only about five minutes after the HD inspector got off the phone with the plumber's headquarters that haz-mat cleanup vehicles started arriving. One giant vacuum sweeper and one trailer full of chlorine disinfectant later, all is back in order.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ho-oyqK_hrNeNhlPOWgAdznBMaKsUOYiVpr_h33a4U5uTmjd1M7PpM-HVGSQX-r-2E0XiExwDh8chFVy6FqlaPqajwy52Je9C0JzSBrpYJgwszBjpCwrwjQOTWiCrZ28ksC4ADr0xLkC/s1600/2013-09-30+sm+14.08.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ho-oyqK_hrNeNhlPOWgAdznBMaKsUOYiVpr_h33a4U5uTmjd1M7PpM-HVGSQX-r-2E0XiExwDh8chFVy6FqlaPqajwy52Je9C0JzSBrpYJgwszBjpCwrwjQOTWiCrZ28ksC4ADr0xLkC/s320/2013-09-30+sm+14.08.40.jpg" width="239" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdGbqzyCFBqxJsNnj_IfAHMQU2YMqvjEtrDsu25Z1-7PFu-I16ziN1WEeEpSEf79O9GT0CdQCdKt57nDbXR6nLRmEYXNT-wxMOPf-KYZ4_Icy_I2DctkTufU4ePU_rW3YcI58As7dNBtR/s1600/2013-09-30+cr+14.57.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdGbqzyCFBqxJsNnj_IfAHMQU2YMqvjEtrDsu25Z1-7PFu-I16ziN1WEeEpSEf79O9GT0CdQCdKt57nDbXR6nLRmEYXNT-wxMOPf-KYZ4_Icy_I2DctkTufU4ePU_rW3YcI58As7dNBtR/s320/2013-09-30+cr+14.57.39.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /><br />
<br />
But next time someone refers to that proverbial creek, I'll be able to give them some details on the experience.jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-56347546883280667012013-09-20T09:24:00.002-05:002013-09-20T09:24:59.394-05:00Is There Increasing Turmoil In the Darwinist Camp?On his blog today, <a href="http://www.challies.com/a-la-carte/a-la-carte-920-3" target="_blank">Tim Challies</a> posted a blurb about the success of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Darwins-Doubt-Explosive-Intelligent-ebook/dp/B0089LOM5G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379686057&sr=8-1&keywords=darwin%27s+doubt" target="_blank">a recent book</a> by apologist Stephen Meyer. One of the commenters posted a comment about how much turmoil there is in Darwinist camps, "...as it is increasingly recognized how flawed their theory is."<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQeC_Y3laoSwnN96M31HL9xktdH1KyjrXfanP3EsFQfE4vCo3f0_22LidC2k9CGiO5rPcCULqTb266sz1v_2d_NMR81nI2Z4rMeLE0jaxDPB9nG_jOFgF12IIc2RF5nyuOi4YwVQ-GPRq/s1600/darwins_doubt_cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQeC_Y3laoSwnN96M31HL9xktdH1KyjrXfanP3EsFQfE4vCo3f0_22LidC2k9CGiO5rPcCULqTb266sz1v_2d_NMR81nI2Z4rMeLE0jaxDPB9nG_jOFgF12IIc2RF5nyuOi4YwVQ-GPRq/s1600/darwins_doubt_cover.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Is there increasing recognition of flaws in Darwinism? The short answer is, no.<br />
<br />
Is there increasing turmoil in Darwinist camps because of this recognition? Well, obviously, no.<br />
<br />
I think the comment is wrong on both premises.<br />
<br />
But there's more to the story. I'm a working scientist, even though I spend most of my energy in administration now. I can tell you for certain that recognition of the flaws in Darwinist theory is not recent. But over the last century or so, the problems with Darwinism have been kept to an in-house debate. What is 'recent' is the internet. Because of the rise of the internet and alternative sources for news and information, the ability to keep these kinds of things in-house has been lost.<br />
<br />
So yes, there is turmoil, but it isn't over the problems in Darwinism, it's over the problems of keeping the public out of the debate. Just about anyone can now eavesdrop on scholarly conversations about things like this, and many do. Most of us would agree that this is a good thing. It keeps people honest.<br />
<br />
While there are some scientists who would support their agenda by hook or crook, I would say that a majority of scientists, even when faced with philosophical or religious objections to their worldview, are mostly honest about it. Unfortunately, those who are all about an agenda are the most vocal, so a minority makes the rest of us look bad. (There's a great lawyer joke buried in that, but I won't digress at this point.)<br />
<br />
Bottom line: Yes, there are problems with Darwinist theory, and yes, these problems are recognized. But the problems have been dealt with quietly in the past, and now are out in the open where others have entered the debate. I think this is good for everyone involved, as I believe truth wins over time, even in the face of some pretty organized propaganda. But don't expect secular scientists to bow a knee just yet; even if Darwinism collapses completely (not likely in the short run), the won't adopt a theistic worldview. They'll find another atheistic explanation for reality. That's because evidence doesn't, and has never, determined one's worldview, but rather one's worldview determines how evidence is interpreted. As one famous anthropologist said, "I wouldn't have seen it if I didn't believe it."<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOwqfR4Wl-SrMpu4FnjtCt3cCtyvRAKmbc1A2OFBfZNBGXY0908LQAGRjRR9SwManpUajMjcIrwZRGL868v36kITUF4z1Q0thDn-NJT7yxIMTJNl4M3T6yrQ1aMjb4okK2Nxm-r2IZF8B/s1600/evolution+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOwqfR4Wl-SrMpu4FnjtCt3cCtyvRAKmbc1A2OFBfZNBGXY0908LQAGRjRR9SwManpUajMjcIrwZRGL868v36kITUF4z1Q0thDn-NJT7yxIMTJNl4M3T6yrQ1aMjb4okK2Nxm-r2IZF8B/s1600/evolution+1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-33493501621988087322013-08-28T10:03:00.000-05:002013-08-28T10:03:12.721-05:00When The Dream Becomes RealityI don't post much here anymore, mostly because of time and priorities. But today is a day that deserves a post. It won't be long, but it is important.<br />
<br />
Today is the 50th anniversary of the, "I Have A Dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King in Washington, DC at the Lincoln Memorial. Fifty years later, as we watch the news, we wonder if King's dream will ever become reality. But it has. Not completely, but it has.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLRzZSWosnJYlLP3-KZcircLuDqeBtSADtcGlZipF2O8mVmHQg9Na2zhLT5yhq-1jmBT10CE8Hvi2YFmgHs5FoxulYh1gHfevhiI4l1AOx8r8lZU3ZNuK-EfTGD8tTd0RdYhbq_9wV6Ly/s1600/Dr+king+at+the+mall.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLRzZSWosnJYlLP3-KZcircLuDqeBtSADtcGlZipF2O8mVmHQg9Na2zhLT5yhq-1jmBT10CE8Hvi2YFmgHs5FoxulYh1gHfevhiI4l1AOx8r8lZU3ZNuK-EfTGD8tTd0RdYhbq_9wV6Ly/s320/Dr+king+at+the+mall.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />On a widespread basis; on a macro-cultural basis, it is pretty easy to win an argument that Dr. King's dream has not been realized. In the speech, Dr. King said, "I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood." While this isn't Georgia, that very thing happens at my office every day. It happens at other small businesses, corporate offices, golf courses, coffee shops, and churches, all over this country, every day.<br />
<br />
I'm not saying all is well and there is no more work to be done. The work of cultural change will never end. There will always be racism. (Why? Because the only realistic model for change is the Judeo-Christian ethic, found in the Bible, that we are made in the image of God, the <i>imago dei</i>, and thus all deserve equality under the law and within a culture...and there are a lot of powerful people in the culture that hate the Bible.) Racism is sin, and we can no more banish it than we can banish lust or greed or avarice of any kind. Until the onset of eternity, when all sin will be cast into Hades, we'll have these things with us. But that doesn't mean we can't be thankful for God's common grace and His specific blessings on those who repent of that sin and walk in fellowship with fellow believers of a different race or culture.<br />
<br />
This nation isn't perfect, but it is certainly a lot better place than it would have been without Dr. King and his dream. Let us celebrate that, if not in a big cultural way, in a local way, by sitting together at the table of brotherhood.<br />
<br />
-------------------------------<br />
*Here is a transcript of Dr. King's full speech. If you've never read it, take the time to do so now. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/08/27/transcript-martin-luther-king-jr-have-dream-speech/<br />
<br />
<br />jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-44073906816081916492013-07-23T11:29:00.000-05:002013-07-23T11:29:01.673-05:00Putting My Money Where My Mouth IsMy oldest kids, twins Will and Brice, who are about to start their senior year of high school, are leaving on Friday for a week of mission work in Ecuador. It was hard to agree to let them go.<br />
<br />
I've read, discussed, and even taught about how our own safety isn't the most important factor in how we should make our decisions before a sovereign God. Now it is time to put my money where my mouth is, and let them go, in God's good hands.<br />
<br />
Nonetheless, I suspect my prayer life will be a little more active for the next week or so, and I'd appreciate if anyone reading this would throw in a little extra prayer for their safety, as well as their success on the mission field.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAwdEXSVv2YYN9bdt4VqkL4YIZU8yIMlgu68e41zmTZZmcvbHg7eZYsggR4ZuiKVKlpBiWOAbmQxR0RapU_bHV_NyvWx6IZWWr62aDyBsE-iBHF6_V-el2AAvOgK1B4gLlvIbcHkmbDmy/s1600/ecuador1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAwdEXSVv2YYN9bdt4VqkL4YIZU8yIMlgu68e41zmTZZmcvbHg7eZYsggR4ZuiKVKlpBiWOAbmQxR0RapU_bHV_NyvWx6IZWWr62aDyBsE-iBHF6_V-el2AAvOgK1B4gLlvIbcHkmbDmy/s320/ecuador1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-47666436154497663532013-06-12T10:14:00.000-05:002013-06-12T10:14:10.232-05:00Brice on the TV NewsMy son Brice was picked to participate in one of those TV interest spots on a local station last week.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/i32FwDZ7oOA" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
He is interesting because he's not only a pretty good football player, but carries a 100.9 GPA. Obviously, I'm very proud of him!jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-16503123716972342752013-05-15T09:20:00.002-05:002013-05-15T09:20:45.086-05:00Evercrappy So SwitchEvery once in a while, someone comes along with a bit a creativity that speaks to a screwed-up culture so loudly and clearly that it can't be ignored. And occasionally, that manner of speech is even funny. <br />
<br />
This guy nails it. (If you continue to buy Abercrombie & Fitch, you have no soul.)<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/O95DBxnXiSo" width="465"></iframe><br />jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-29148179006426309332013-05-08T22:17:00.000-05:002013-05-13T08:56:35.882-05:00Will Makes Local Sports ShowMy son Will was featured in the local sports show here Monday night. In this video, you can see him scoring in the win against Plainview (he's #16), then running off the field and showing off his blond hair. The segment he's in starts at about 2:12.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">UPDATE (5/13): Looks like they took the video down...bummer. I don't know where to find it. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<script src="http://kfda.images.worldnow.com/interface/js/WNVideo.js?rnd=683579;hostDomain=www.newschannel10.com;playerWidth=420;playerHeight=400;isShowIcon=true;clipId=8853543;flvUri=;partnerclipid=;adTag=News;advertisingZone=;enableAds=true;landingPage=;islandingPageoverride=false;playerType=STANDARD_EMBEDDEDscript;controlsType=fixed" type="text/javascript"></script><a href="http://www.newschannel10.com/" title="KFDA - NewsChannel 10 / Amarillo News, Weather, Sports">KFDA - NewsChannel 10 / Amarillo News, Weather, Sports</a>jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-87469051700320875412013-05-06T13:37:00.000-05:002013-05-06T13:37:19.665-05:00On Disagreeing with Trueman (Carl, that is)I want to encourage all of you who read this to start reading <a href="http://www.reformation21.org/blog/carl-trueman/" target="_blank"><u>Carl Trueman's blog</u></a>. I sometimes disagree with Trueman.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dn5Wn4Bx5vs/UYf3ztWGiUI/AAAAAAAAAgw/D_tHJsQQ-hU/s1600/carl-trueman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dn5Wn4Bx5vs/UYf3ztWGiUI/AAAAAAAAAgw/D_tHJsQQ-hU/s320/carl-trueman.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Carl Trueman</div>
<br />
So why am I encouraging you to read a blog with which I sometimes disagree? Well, it goes something like this: There are a good number of bloggers I read with whom I disagree, most of them because I have a nagging fear that what they are saying is wrong and I can't quite give a specific reason (yet). This feeling has usually proved true.<br />
<br />
With Trueman's blog, when I sometimes disagree, it is with a nagging fear that he is right, and I can't quite give a specific reason (yet). This feeling has usually proved true as well.<br />
<br />
<br />jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-67040630213910639382013-04-17T13:12:00.000-05:002013-04-17T13:12:53.133-05:00Why Do We Try to Change the Culture?The idea of cultural change is not new among Christian believers. Exactly how the change should be pursued and implemented is a source of constant debate, however. But at least we mostly agree that cultural change is something that should be pursued in the midst of a pagan-cultured world.<br />
<br />
Racism is one of the cultural changes that most people agree about. Yes, there are still fringe groups on every side of the issue who don't want change, or even want change in the wrong direction, but these are even less than a minority report among Christian believers. I've recently been thinking about the 'why' part of this change, and trying to re-orient my thoughts about it (as I've done with my thoughts on a lot of cultural issues) around the idea of gospel-centeredness.<br />
<br />
To summarize my thoughts, I think I can safely say it this way: The reason we need to change the culture of subtle racism within the Church is not because it is mean to ___ people (fill in the ethnic/racial group of your choice, black, hispanic, or any other group), or because it is insensitive, or because it is illegal; rather, because it is <b><i>sin</i></b>.(1)<br />
<br />
I firmly believe that we ('we' as in Christians, or 'we' as in Americans) have no moral right to force people out of their racism, whether that racism be thoughts or words. In fact, I don't think we can. I still think the first amendment got it right, and without the first amendment we are left with things like blasphemy laws, which destroy freedom at every turn. I do think the government has a right, and a duty, to make sure that racism is contained to the areas of thought and word, and not allowed to become deed. Behavior is within the purview of government enforcement. Unfortunately, our government seems to regularly lose sight of these facts, opting instead of enforcing behavior to trying to implement and enforce laws against the way people speak, or even think, about racial issues. These attempts will always be counterproductive and even dangerous. But that's for another post.<br />
<br />
Where we as Christian believers do have a moral right, and indeed a moral obligation, is to speak out against subtle(2) racism in the church. If we can refocus our thinking on racism from a so-called social-gospel issue (i.e., we shouldn't be mean to blacks because of what they suffered under slavery or under poverty) to a real gospel issue (i.e. we shouldn't think, say, or do racist things because it is a sin against God's image-bearer, and thus against God Himself; and more importantly, we should joyfully share the gospel with everyone), I truly believe we could almost eradicate racism in the church in short order.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5TDueZE8u7vkWrg2V43cFXE4z4ENveFjYoV6KpNh10VoSp83qa3nWdwoeksC9a689SAHpwsvTS4kMofy9APBpMGGoVDetJtQtfmriBnpb-PTEAMqllZZQ11JDC2sjZfGpoKRE3pwnqG2/s1600/ebony+and+ivory+piano+keys+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5TDueZE8u7vkWrg2V43cFXE4z4ENveFjYoV6KpNh10VoSp83qa3nWdwoeksC9a689SAHpwsvTS4kMofy9APBpMGGoVDetJtQtfmriBnpb-PTEAMqllZZQ11JDC2sjZfGpoKRE3pwnqG2/s1600/ebony+and+ivory+piano+keys+2.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Now, I understand that this kind of argument carries no water in the secular cultural world. That's fine; it doesn't need to carry any. We can't control what a pagan culture thinks, says, or does. But we can control what we believe as followers of Christ by staying always focused on Scripture and a scriptural basis for our attitudes and actions. And if we succeeded in eliminating racism (practically) from the church, we would make a much larger impact on a pagan society than many would think. The parable of the wheat and the tares tells me we can never fully eliminate racism, or any other kind of sin, from the visible church. Jesus will take care of that at the end of the age. But we can certainly minimize it.<br />
<br />
Why should this practically matter to any of us? For one, the local church would be much more effective in local ministry if the subtle racism were to be tossed out the back door of the meetin' house. Take a look at churches in racially-diverse neighborhoods. It is hard to find very many that really look as diverse as they should. And if they don't, they are not ministering to the folks that live around them as well as they ought to be. Until we do something about the attitudes <i>within the church</i> that keep this the <i>status quo</i>, our churches will continue to fail to look like their surrounding communities. Someone will automatically argue that their church isn't racist. Other than a few weird sects, I agree that most churches are not overtly racist. But the subtle racism is still there. Walk into any one of about 70% of the churches in America and see if the church looks like the community where they are found. If it doesn't, there is something wrong.<br />
<br />
We can't force this to happen. R. C. Sproul is fond of the saying, "A man convinced against his will is a man unconvinced, still." I agree. By attacking racism as the sin that it is, rather than (only as) an issue of civil rights or of moral decency, we move away from the current platform of coercion (which seems to have too many illegitimate grandchildren) toward a program that changes the hearts of the people. I've heard quite a few folks say that only the gospel can save our culture. This is a bit vacuous of a phrase until it gets some shoe-leather, and once we get practical, it is not so difficult to see the inherent truth in the statement.<br />
<br />
Then the question-behind-the-question looms: Is our culture worth saving?<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(1) Why do I call it sin? Read 1 John chapter 4 if you need scriptural support for this proposition.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(2) What do I mean by 'subtle racism'? This isn't the kind of racism that says, out loud, "I don't like black people" or "I don't like white people." It is the kind of racism that seem to be built into every fallen human heart, where we don't want to associate with people that don't look like us.</span>jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-82116794777411450802013-03-18T12:50:00.000-05:002013-03-18T12:58:43.008-05:00Moron Bad Ewes of LanguageOn my handloading list, one member suggested we outlaw abbreviations and acronyms. I thought it was a good idea until I started listing all the rules. Here's what I came up with (you'll see why I nixed the idea)-<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">If I were to start making grammatical and spelling rules, the list would get a bit long. </span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
A preposition is a word you shouldn't end a sentence with. Or clauses. Or to which one might infer an infinitive that has been split. And starting sentences with a conjunction is bad. Misplaced modifiers are like the pen, lost by a man half full of green ink. Stay away from <i>ad hominem</i> arguments, you moron.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
I would agree however, that it is best to be more or less specific, and that verbs has to agree with their subjects. And I'd recommend avoiding cliches like the plague. For clearer writing, always absolutely avoid annoying alliteration. The overuse of parentheses (however important or relevant) is often (or usually) overdone (by some, not all). Hyperbole should never be used; not in a million years...if I told you this once, I told you a zillion times. And, be very, careful, with overuse of, the comma.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Foreign words can be confusing, so make an <i>a priori</i> decision to not use them as they are not <i>apropos</i>. And I don't dig slang, so don't be gettin jiggy wit it. All generalizations are bad, so never make one. One-word sentences? Eliminate. And analogies are like what a bear does in the woods, so make like a tree and leaf them out. Comparisons are as bad as cliches. Two often to many people use the wrong form of to in a sentence or too.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
The passive voice is not to be used in good writing. Never use a big word when a diminutive one would suffice. Such obfuscation of scrivenry is perplexing. Use words correctly, irregardless of what you've seen others do. And don't make words up, this groks the noobels out of some readers. Don't misuse 'like'. Someone asked me to explain that, and I was like, "Write 'says', not 'like', when you are quoting someone."</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Excessive feakin' interjections are crap! And don't overuse the exclamation point!!!! I mean it! (Anybody want a peanut?) Stay away from rhymes and puns. I once used ten puns in a sentence to try to cause laughter. Unfortunately, no pun in ten, did. Puns are for children, not us groan ups. Plus, I don't feel that using an emotional descriptor to express a thought is a proper thing to do.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms. And don't verb words; verbing weirds language. Proofread carefully to see if you any words out, or repeat unnecessarily repeat any words. And most of all, remember that dangling sentences<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<br />
I should probably add that only a handful of these are original with me. Most of the others were picked up over the years in my reading of high-end academic journals, like the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip and such.</div>
jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-55223162801476830272013-03-14T14:58:00.000-05:002013-03-14T14:58:59.555-05:00The Quotable WilsonI love Doug Wilson's writing. He is always engaging, always on point, and even when I disagree, he is always convincing. Currently he's engaged with some other good folks in a debate about some things that would take too long to explain here, but he is so quotable that I've published a few of his lines from a recent blog post here out of interest. <br />
<br />
Here they are-<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<br />
"How we arrive at our decisions is as important (over the long run) as what decisions we make. For example, any powers you give to the office of the Attorney-General when a Good Guy occupies that office will be a power that is still there when a Bad Guy shows up.<br />
<br />
There is an important point in recognizing the difference between good guys and bad guys, and righteous decisions and unrighteous ones. Sure enough. But there is another level, and that is the level of understanding that you are creating a political power in a world where good guys and bad guys rotate through office."<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<br />
"The Founders wanted to create a form of governance that famously utilized "checks and balances." They were afraid that if those checks and balances eroded, the way was opened to ungodly tyranny, and the nature of man would ensure that ungodly tyrants would find that open way instanter and go straight through it. And here we are, watching the great Tumor of the Potomac metasticize before our eyes."<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<br />
"Prior to the (Civil) War, the Bill of Rights restricted the power of the federal government ("Congress shall make no law . . ."), and the states were the partial guarantors of that set of restrictions. As a result of the War, the Reconstruction amendments, and how those amendments came to be interpreted in subsequent court cases, the Bill of Rights was then applied to the states, with the federal government becoming the final arbiter of what was 'constitutional' or not. An important constitutional check on centralized tyranny had been removed.<br />
<br />
... Indeed, I believe Patrick "Nostradamus" Henry laid the whole thing out in front of us beforehand, and in chilling detail. I believe he even identified the unlocked door of the judiciary as the place the tyrants would get in."<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<br />
"So it has now been deemed constitutional, for example, for going on half a century, that American babies can be chopped up into little pieces. The content of Roe was appalling, of course, but we need to ask how and when it came about that the federal government got the structural power to tell almost all the states that were protecting unborn life that they had to cease and desist with that protection. It didn't come from a clear blue sky, so where did it come from?"jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230244471385515960.post-8349720083424659422013-03-05T15:10:00.000-06:002013-03-05T15:10:09.186-06:00An Interesting ObservationFor many years, I've noticed that it seems like pastors have an inordinate number of special needs children; kids with Down's Syndrome in particular. Of course when we observe something like that, we try to make sense of it in whatever our own worldview might be.<br />
<br />
My worldview told me back then that the reason pastors had more kids with developmental disorders was because God knew those kids would need someone special to look after them. Of course, there are a few theological problems with this, but none so serious that they overcome a worldview.<br />
<br />
Then, not so long ago, a bit of reality hit me. It has no less theological significance than my older view, and maybe more. It is tragically so much more simple than I originally thought: <i>The reasons pastors seem to have more kids with special needs is, they are members of a group who won't choose to kill those kids in utero when they find out they are sick.</i><br />
<br />
Yes, I know that sounds crass, but I really think it is a better explanation of the observed phenomenon. And it begs a couple questions. First, why only pastors? Why don't believers in general have more kids with special needs than the secular, non-religious culture, especially considering that having those kids means what it means? I read recently that 95% of all Down's Syndrome pregnancies end in abortion now. This can only mean one of two things...either God isn't giving believers kids with special needs, or believers (since there is far more than 5% of the population who are believers) are aborting these kids at a rate similar to secular society. <br />
<br />
Now certainly my observations do not a law make. Just because I've seen this doesn't make it reality; I am well aware that conjectural and anecdotal evidence are quite a distance from real empirical science. But the numbers don't lie. Something is up, something more than the simple tragedy of abortion. No wonder Christians can't stop it, if they are some of the ones practicing it.<br />
<br />
<br />jbborenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13917021408343032334noreply@blogger.com0