My dad had a saying that originated from his generation. Any time a person became full of himself he would comment, "He is too big for his britches." Pride and arrogance have been running rampant since before Noah's Great Flood. Any time human beings think they know better than the Lord they become guilty of sinful pride. "Pride goes before the fall." (Proverbs 16:13) In Texas the phrase is, "He sits too tall in the saddle." It is the same idea. People fill up with self to the extent that they will do anything they believe to be best for themselves even if it means it is bad for others. Being too big for your britches isn't a good thing.
In view of the recent scandals involving the Federal Government this phrase seems to fit the mindset of those on the hot seat. If you have watched any of the testimony regarding the IRS Scandal those people demonstrated the phrase. They simply will not admit to doing anything wrong. They can't remember or they plead the fifth. They don't appear to know who directed the agency to target conservative groups like the Tea Party. But I suspect underneath this evasion lies sinful pride. They have become too big for their britches.
As government grows and increases in size and scope the agencies and institutions who run it so does the tendency to become too big for it's britches. This observation makes sense because of the human heart. The hunger for power is fed by pride. Controlling more and more of people's lives feeds the human ego. I once met a bureaucrat who proudly proclaimed to be a fourth generation Washington D.C. citizen. No doubt his family worked in the giant bureaucracy during these years. But you could hear the pride in his voice.
We must be careful about becoming too big for our britches. Christians can become full of spiritual pride to the detriment of their faith. This type of pride grows into a sense of entitlement. Since we do so many good things for the Lord pride takes over and we begin to think, "God owes me!" But He doesn't owe us anything! We owe Him everything! This is why Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3) In order to live faithfully before God one has to submit self through the attitude of humility and dependency.
I really believe those leading the government would benefit from drinking out of the spiritual cup of humility. That way they would not become too big for their britches. The fact of the matter is that power often corrupts those who seek it. The old quote rings true. "Absolute power corrupts absolutely." At the heart of the issue is sinful pride. Any politician who becomes too big for his/her britches will lead us in the wrong way! If you doubt me just read history.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Facts Are Facts
Facts can be troublesome and thorny items in life. Often people do not want to ignore or overlook the facts. Like the old saying many people have their minds made up so don't confuse them with the facts. Today (Wednesday January 16th) President Obama is to announce 19 Executive Orders that are supposed to prevent mass killings like the one at Holly Hook, Connecticut. At the center of these orders is the old and tired measures of more gun control. Why do so many people blame the weapon of choice rather than the deranged person? With all of the calls for tighter controls on guns there are a few facts that might enlighten our minds and contribute to meaningful discussion on the how to best protect our children at school.
In 2011 deaths were tallied as follows:
* 323 by "assault rifles"
* 496 by hammers
* 650 by knives
* 12,000 by drunk drivers
* 195, 000 by medical malpractice
Based upon the logic for more gun control shouldn't there be controls on hammers and knives? What are the solutions to drunk drivers and medical malpractice? Do we ban cars? No one would ever suggest banning doctors! That doesn't make any sense! But the same logic applies to the reasoning behind stricter gun control.
I wonder how many Americans know the difference between an "assault rifle" and automatic rifles? While the semi-automatic rifle is rapid fire it cannot keep with the automatic variety. They have been banned since 1937. My understanding is a person can try to acquire an automatic weapon but the background check and waiting period make it much more difficult to obtain.
People see the semi-automatic and think that is what the police and military use. But that is not the case! They are simply designed to look like the guns used by those who protect us. People need to do their homework.
The truth remains it is very difficult to stop all mass killings. Timothy McVeigh used a homemade bomb including fertilizer to kill 168 people in Oklahoma City. Do we ban fertilizer? When we stop and think about what the sources and causes are that lead people to commit such heinous crimes the solutions are much more difficult to determine. What about the area of Mental Health? Why was the shooter in Connecticut not in a mental institution? His mother had attempted to have him committed but was unable? Why?
Interestingly, the stricter gun laws being proposed would not have stopped him! Hasn't anyone thought about that? Connecticut has some of the toughest gun restrictions on the books but that didn't prevent this deranged man from doing the unthinkable.
Let's be sure we know the facts.
In 2011 deaths were tallied as follows:
* 323 by "assault rifles"
* 496 by hammers
* 650 by knives
* 12,000 by drunk drivers
* 195, 000 by medical malpractice
Based upon the logic for more gun control shouldn't there be controls on hammers and knives? What are the solutions to drunk drivers and medical malpractice? Do we ban cars? No one would ever suggest banning doctors! That doesn't make any sense! But the same logic applies to the reasoning behind stricter gun control.
I wonder how many Americans know the difference between an "assault rifle" and automatic rifles? While the semi-automatic rifle is rapid fire it cannot keep with the automatic variety. They have been banned since 1937. My understanding is a person can try to acquire an automatic weapon but the background check and waiting period make it much more difficult to obtain.
People see the semi-automatic and think that is what the police and military use. But that is not the case! They are simply designed to look like the guns used by those who protect us. People need to do their homework.
The truth remains it is very difficult to stop all mass killings. Timothy McVeigh used a homemade bomb including fertilizer to kill 168 people in Oklahoma City. Do we ban fertilizer? When we stop and think about what the sources and causes are that lead people to commit such heinous crimes the solutions are much more difficult to determine. What about the area of Mental Health? Why was the shooter in Connecticut not in a mental institution? His mother had attempted to have him committed but was unable? Why?
Interestingly, the stricter gun laws being proposed would not have stopped him! Hasn't anyone thought about that? Connecticut has some of the toughest gun restrictions on the books but that didn't prevent this deranged man from doing the unthinkable.
Let's be sure we know the facts.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Getting Grip in Face of Tragedy
Emotions are running high with the tragic events at Holly Hook Elementary School where a crazed gunman decimated a community by murdering 27 of the city's residents. Americans were shocked, sickened and saddened by the news being reported from Newtown, Connecticut on Friday December 14th. Our hearts and prayers go out to all of the families who have been devastated by the horrendous, unspeakable tragedy that engulfed the close-knit community. It is impossible to get your mind around why any person would walk into an elementary school and open fire on first graders, their teachers and staff! The why question will never be answered because we simply cannot make sense of a senseless act of mass violence.
With this latest school shooting there is a feverish pitch for more gun control. As a gun owner I am very skeptical about additional gun laws as to their effectiveness. Plus the Second Amendment grants rights to Americans to bear arms in case the government ever mushroomed into a tyrannical force. We have the God-given right to self-protection. All of the discussion about tighter gun controls simply misses the target (no pun intended) when it comes to preventing these tragic events. I find it interesting the gun laws (waiting period) in Connecticut actually prevented the deranged gunman from purchasing a weapon. He did not want to wait. But he was able to access the guns his mother legally owned.
Schools are now "gun free zones." I heard the superintendent of Texas on the radio this morning. He said this idea of making schools gun free zones has backfired. It has made them a target for the mentally ill and emotionally disturbed. In Texas they are working on training and arming teachers. Perhaps we need a national discussion on how to best protect our schools from the nut cases in the country. Is it time to place an armed policeman at every school? Should some teachers (who are willing of course) be armed? It is frustratingly sad that it has come to this but maybe we need to think about having responsible people with proper training defend the schools. As a taxpayer I would be willing to do my part in raising revenues to pay for those who would protect our schools.
As we grieve for the loss of those 27 precious souls we must be ever vigilant to protect all of our citizens and use the wisdom God has given us to create common sense solutions without robbing the responsible gun owner from his/her rights. There has to be ways we can do more to make our schools safer. Taking away my gun rights doesn't make much sense to me. The worst school massacre occurred in the late 1920's. (It was either 1927 or 1929.) It took place in Bath, Michigan when a disgruntled citizen of the town bombed a school murdering 38 children and several adults. He also died in the explosion. The man used his truck with dynamite.
Now more than ever we need perspective not panic. The President wants a task-force to recommend solutions to the issue of school shootings. There are no easy answers but taking away gun rights for the law-abiding citizen makes as much sense as banning trucks, or knives or hammers or any other instrument that could be used to take the life of others. Let's get a grip on reality and do some hard thinking about how to best protect our kids.
With this latest school shooting there is a feverish pitch for more gun control. As a gun owner I am very skeptical about additional gun laws as to their effectiveness. Plus the Second Amendment grants rights to Americans to bear arms in case the government ever mushroomed into a tyrannical force. We have the God-given right to self-protection. All of the discussion about tighter gun controls simply misses the target (no pun intended) when it comes to preventing these tragic events. I find it interesting the gun laws (waiting period) in Connecticut actually prevented the deranged gunman from purchasing a weapon. He did not want to wait. But he was able to access the guns his mother legally owned.
Schools are now "gun free zones." I heard the superintendent of Texas on the radio this morning. He said this idea of making schools gun free zones has backfired. It has made them a target for the mentally ill and emotionally disturbed. In Texas they are working on training and arming teachers. Perhaps we need a national discussion on how to best protect our schools from the nut cases in the country. Is it time to place an armed policeman at every school? Should some teachers (who are willing of course) be armed? It is frustratingly sad that it has come to this but maybe we need to think about having responsible people with proper training defend the schools. As a taxpayer I would be willing to do my part in raising revenues to pay for those who would protect our schools.
As we grieve for the loss of those 27 precious souls we must be ever vigilant to protect all of our citizens and use the wisdom God has given us to create common sense solutions without robbing the responsible gun owner from his/her rights. There has to be ways we can do more to make our schools safer. Taking away my gun rights doesn't make much sense to me. The worst school massacre occurred in the late 1920's. (It was either 1927 or 1929.) It took place in Bath, Michigan when a disgruntled citizen of the town bombed a school murdering 38 children and several adults. He also died in the explosion. The man used his truck with dynamite.
Now more than ever we need perspective not panic. The President wants a task-force to recommend solutions to the issue of school shootings. There are no easy answers but taking away gun rights for the law-abiding citizen makes as much sense as banning trucks, or knives or hammers or any other instrument that could be used to take the life of others. Let's get a grip on reality and do some hard thinking about how to best protect our kids.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Why I Voted for Mitt
I must admit to being very disappointed as I went to bed late on Tuesday, November 6th. It was clear to me that President Obama was going to be re-elected. Earlier that day I voted for Mitt Romney. I am thankful for the opportunity to vote my values and conscience. Since I haven't written on my blog since August it may be few will actually read it now! What follows are my reasons for voting for Governor Romney over President Obama.
1) Life - While Mitt Romney changed his position from Pro-choice to Pro-life at least he espouses what I believe. I have a very difficult time voting for any candidate, be he a Democrat or Republican who claims the Pro-choice position. Back in the 1980's I voted for Governor Bob Casey in Pennsylvania, a Democrat over the Republican candidate who was Pro-choice. Governor Casey was Pro-life. I have attempted to be consistent with my values. Life is a basic right granted to us by God. Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence affirmed that we enjoy certain inalienable rights among those are "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness." So Mitt got my vote.
2) Marriage - A second reason I voted for Governor Romney was his position on Traditional Marriage. He believes in the ideal of one man being united to one woman in marriage. (Genesis 2:18 - 25) He has never reversed his view on this fundamental biblical institution. President Obama did hold to this position but earlier in 2012 he changed his mind. He now believes that same-sex couples should have the right to marry. The Department of Justice under his watch no longer prosecute folks who violate the Defense of Marriage Act signed into law by then President Clinton. On this issue it was clear who to vote for and that was Mitt.
3) Economy - I remember what the economy was like under President Jimmy Carter. We had double digit inflation, interest rates and stagnant job growth. Up to that time it was the worst economy in my lifetime. But that changed when President Obama took office in 2008. I know he inherited a tough situation. He promised to cut the deficit in half and instead it grew tremendously during his first term. We now have a 16 trillion dollar debt with over a trillion dollar deficit spending each year. We haven't had a budget in four years. Mitt had a five point plan to get the economy moving again. He would have created 12 million new jobs with his plan. Of course, we will never know. But his time as governor in Massachusetts along with his work at Bane Capital provided me with confidence in his experience. President Obama does not have any private sector experience.
4) National Defense - While President Obama gets credit for "killing" Osama Bin Laden, his National Defense policy seems to be based upon appeasement and is approached from a position of weakness. He refuses to call Islamic Terrorism what it is. He seems to be insistent upon cutting defense spending which does not make sense to me since we are at war. I know the nation never has officially declared war but the reality is the United States is fighting against the Islamic Radicals who chant death to America and do whatever they can to stoke violence against us. So voting for Romney was an anti-Obama vote as it relates to National Defense.
5) Foreign Policy - Benghazi is the result of a foreign policy that remains naive and unrealistic. We still don't know what the administration knew and when. There seems to be a lot of smokescreen going on. The President's position regarding Israel appears to me to be less than genuine. He claims to have Israel's back but much of what he says and hasn't done about Iran speaks to the contrary. So Mitt was my man when it comes to foreign policy. While he doesn't have much foreign policy experience neither did President Obama upon taking office. Mitt is intelligent enough to develop wise counsel around him in order to make sound policy decisions. But we will never know now!
There are other reasons for voting for Mitt. Those will remain with me. I do pray for President Obama, the Congress and the Supreme Court. I pray for the nation as well. May more of my fellow citizens seek the face of God. I fear for the nation because of the moral and spiritual decline I observe across the fruited plain. I also know God is still in control. (Psalm 46) My faith is in Him. There is not a politician or political party that can save any person(s). Whatever happens during the next four years my hope and prayer is more Americans will rely more on the Lord and less on the government.
1) Life - While Mitt Romney changed his position from Pro-choice to Pro-life at least he espouses what I believe. I have a very difficult time voting for any candidate, be he a Democrat or Republican who claims the Pro-choice position. Back in the 1980's I voted for Governor Bob Casey in Pennsylvania, a Democrat over the Republican candidate who was Pro-choice. Governor Casey was Pro-life. I have attempted to be consistent with my values. Life is a basic right granted to us by God. Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence affirmed that we enjoy certain inalienable rights among those are "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness." So Mitt got my vote.
2) Marriage - A second reason I voted for Governor Romney was his position on Traditional Marriage. He believes in the ideal of one man being united to one woman in marriage. (Genesis 2:18 - 25) He has never reversed his view on this fundamental biblical institution. President Obama did hold to this position but earlier in 2012 he changed his mind. He now believes that same-sex couples should have the right to marry. The Department of Justice under his watch no longer prosecute folks who violate the Defense of Marriage Act signed into law by then President Clinton. On this issue it was clear who to vote for and that was Mitt.
3) Economy - I remember what the economy was like under President Jimmy Carter. We had double digit inflation, interest rates and stagnant job growth. Up to that time it was the worst economy in my lifetime. But that changed when President Obama took office in 2008. I know he inherited a tough situation. He promised to cut the deficit in half and instead it grew tremendously during his first term. We now have a 16 trillion dollar debt with over a trillion dollar deficit spending each year. We haven't had a budget in four years. Mitt had a five point plan to get the economy moving again. He would have created 12 million new jobs with his plan. Of course, we will never know. But his time as governor in Massachusetts along with his work at Bane Capital provided me with confidence in his experience. President Obama does not have any private sector experience.
4) National Defense - While President Obama gets credit for "killing" Osama Bin Laden, his National Defense policy seems to be based upon appeasement and is approached from a position of weakness. He refuses to call Islamic Terrorism what it is. He seems to be insistent upon cutting defense spending which does not make sense to me since we are at war. I know the nation never has officially declared war but the reality is the United States is fighting against the Islamic Radicals who chant death to America and do whatever they can to stoke violence against us. So voting for Romney was an anti-Obama vote as it relates to National Defense.
5) Foreign Policy - Benghazi is the result of a foreign policy that remains naive and unrealistic. We still don't know what the administration knew and when. There seems to be a lot of smokescreen going on. The President's position regarding Israel appears to me to be less than genuine. He claims to have Israel's back but much of what he says and hasn't done about Iran speaks to the contrary. So Mitt was my man when it comes to foreign policy. While he doesn't have much foreign policy experience neither did President Obama upon taking office. Mitt is intelligent enough to develop wise counsel around him in order to make sound policy decisions. But we will never know now!
There are other reasons for voting for Mitt. Those will remain with me. I do pray for President Obama, the Congress and the Supreme Court. I pray for the nation as well. May more of my fellow citizens seek the face of God. I fear for the nation because of the moral and spiritual decline I observe across the fruited plain. I also know God is still in control. (Psalm 46) My faith is in Him. There is not a politician or political party that can save any person(s). Whatever happens during the next four years my hope and prayer is more Americans will rely more on the Lord and less on the government.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
What I Think Now
With the recent events surrounding the Penn State Football Program people ask me what I think about the sanctions the NCAA handed out on Monday. (7/23/12) For me it will be a day that lives in infamy! For the record I do believe the big four: Paterno, Curley, Schultz and Spanair did not do enough to investigate the allegations regarding convicted pedophile, Jerry Sandusky. Clearly the authorities should have been contacted. I hate what happened to the victims of Sandusky. To me he is the villain in this ugly, messy narrative. I will continue to pray for the victims and their families. May God grant them peace, healing and a full recovery from the sins of a very disturbed and evil man.
I am not convinced that all of the conclusions and opinions within the Freeh Report are the final word. The media and much of the public will see the report as gospel. To imagine Joe Paterno or any of the others would knowingly endanger children by "protecting" Sandusky is beyond comprehension. I am not buying everything Free said about these men. Watching Joe Paterno for over 40 years has given me a perspective that I think the critics and judges have overlooked. If Paterno was guilty of anything it might have been denial. He just couldn't believe his long-time assistant coach could be preying upon young boys. This is completely foreign to the way he approached life. Even after McQueary reported the incident in the shower Joe did not want to believe his ears. At this point we simply do not have all the facts. Therefore, we don't know the entire story! My hope is we will one day know the whole story, if that is possible. I am disappointed in Joe Paterno and the others. But that does not diminish his accomplishments as a coach, teacher, husband, father, philanthropist and humanitarian.
As far as NCAA is concerned I am not sure according to their own by-laws they had the authority to sanction the football team. A week before the sanctions in the Centre Daily Times Guy Cipriano wrote a piece that people shouldn't expect much in terms of sanctions because the program had not violated any by-laws. How exactly did the alleged cover-up extend an advantage to the football team? It is not like they paid players or fudged grades or formed a slush fund. The rules are in place to maintain the integrity of the game. In my view the media unleashed such a flood of judgment upon the football program coupled with the egregious nature of what Sandusky had done to at least one young boy in the football building led the NCAA to hammer the football program. They wanted to send a message. It was actually more about revenge than justice. They accepted the Freeh Report without due process given to the accused and reacted. Or should I say overreacted? The NCAA got this one wrong! I can live with the fine but the loss of scholarships and the removal of wins was way over the top. In fact, taking away the wins demonstrates how petty the NCAA really is!
I sent an email to the president of the NCAA to let him know I felt. It was brief, negative and to the point. I have no respect for those folks. I really hope that the organization would go away but that is not likely to happen. It does need major reforms. But with the present leadership I don't imagine that will happen. They slap some teams and schools on the wrist for major violations. In the case of Cam Newton they completely dropped the ball. I understand why they believed the sanctions were necessary. I simply don't agree with them.
I have learned that people we hold up as role models do fail. Maybe I have been too invested in the PSU football program. That is something I am presently in the process of looking at. But I also have observed what happens when a major sports figure falls and how the world transforms into sharks with blood in the water. I am not naive. The world is a vicious place. Taking down the statue was symbolism over substance. I tend to believe Mr. Freeh had a job to do and that was to justify the actions of the board, namely, firing Joe. There is no way I can ever prove that theory. But there are some things about the report I don't get. Why was McQueary not interviewed? How do you not include the key witness for the prosecution in the case that convicted Sandusky? The Paterno family was never interviewed. Why? Then there is the leaking of one email that implies Joe talked Curley into waiting to take the allegation to the police. But what did Joe actually say? Do we know?
We simply do not know all the facts. I am waiting...
I am not convinced that all of the conclusions and opinions within the Freeh Report are the final word. The media and much of the public will see the report as gospel. To imagine Joe Paterno or any of the others would knowingly endanger children by "protecting" Sandusky is beyond comprehension. I am not buying everything Free said about these men. Watching Joe Paterno for over 40 years has given me a perspective that I think the critics and judges have overlooked. If Paterno was guilty of anything it might have been denial. He just couldn't believe his long-time assistant coach could be preying upon young boys. This is completely foreign to the way he approached life. Even after McQueary reported the incident in the shower Joe did not want to believe his ears. At this point we simply do not have all the facts. Therefore, we don't know the entire story! My hope is we will one day know the whole story, if that is possible. I am disappointed in Joe Paterno and the others. But that does not diminish his accomplishments as a coach, teacher, husband, father, philanthropist and humanitarian.
As far as NCAA is concerned I am not sure according to their own by-laws they had the authority to sanction the football team. A week before the sanctions in the Centre Daily Times Guy Cipriano wrote a piece that people shouldn't expect much in terms of sanctions because the program had not violated any by-laws. How exactly did the alleged cover-up extend an advantage to the football team? It is not like they paid players or fudged grades or formed a slush fund. The rules are in place to maintain the integrity of the game. In my view the media unleashed such a flood of judgment upon the football program coupled with the egregious nature of what Sandusky had done to at least one young boy in the football building led the NCAA to hammer the football program. They wanted to send a message. It was actually more about revenge than justice. They accepted the Freeh Report without due process given to the accused and reacted. Or should I say overreacted? The NCAA got this one wrong! I can live with the fine but the loss of scholarships and the removal of wins was way over the top. In fact, taking away the wins demonstrates how petty the NCAA really is!
I sent an email to the president of the NCAA to let him know I felt. It was brief, negative and to the point. I have no respect for those folks. I really hope that the organization would go away but that is not likely to happen. It does need major reforms. But with the present leadership I don't imagine that will happen. They slap some teams and schools on the wrist for major violations. In the case of Cam Newton they completely dropped the ball. I understand why they believed the sanctions were necessary. I simply don't agree with them.
I have learned that people we hold up as role models do fail. Maybe I have been too invested in the PSU football program. That is something I am presently in the process of looking at. But I also have observed what happens when a major sports figure falls and how the world transforms into sharks with blood in the water. I am not naive. The world is a vicious place. Taking down the statue was symbolism over substance. I tend to believe Mr. Freeh had a job to do and that was to justify the actions of the board, namely, firing Joe. There is no way I can ever prove that theory. But there are some things about the report I don't get. Why was McQueary not interviewed? How do you not include the key witness for the prosecution in the case that convicted Sandusky? The Paterno family was never interviewed. Why? Then there is the leaking of one email that implies Joe talked Curley into waiting to take the allegation to the police. But what did Joe actually say? Do we know?
We simply do not know all the facts. I am waiting...
Thursday, June 21, 2012
When Things Feel Upside Down
Do you ever have that feeling life is upside down? Lately as I read the headlines and look over the fruited plains of the USA my sense is life most definitely feels upside down! As far back as I can remember being a citizen of the USA made feel proud. Yes I still have that sense of pride but something is going on that has raised my level of concern. It is not one thing that I can pinpoint. Yes there is the culture war raging. The media seems elite and out of touch with most folks. At least much of the media comes across to me that way.
This debate over the definition of marriage almost feels surreal at times. Thirty years ago who could have predicted that the homosexual community would become such a dominate force in our society? Children require a mom and a dad who are faithful and committed first to one another. Mark my words! If our society shifts from the traditional definition of marriage to allow anyone get married of a certain age the nation will not survive! If gays can marry then anyone can marry! If not why not? Marriage will simply cease to exist in any meaningful definition. Can you imagine the confusion for children? At the conclusion of this slide a question will have to be answered. What does it mean to be married in America? The answer will be, "nothing."
There are events unfolding around the nation that I never thought I would witness. Let me be specific. I never thought a sitting president of the USA would disregard the Constitution so blatantly. Who could have imagined an Army psychologist murdering his fellow soldiers in the name of his religion? I am referring to the Ft. Hood shooting. We are so overly sensitive to offending the Muslim community that it appears the military had a wolf in their midst but were unwilling to remove him from their ranks. Political Correctness rules the day. People become offended at the drop of an adjective! As a young kid growing up in central Pennsylvania we called each other names that now would land us in court facing a lawsuit. You think I am kidding but trust me we would definitely be in big trouble in today's hyper-sensitive environment.
Who would have thought a former Penn State football coach would be accused of sexually abusing several young boys? As a Penn State fan the whole scenario seems surreal. And who got the blame? Joe Paterno! He got fired for doing what? It continues to fascinate me how the leaders of the university board dismiss their legendary coach because of what he didn't do! Coach Rick Pitino had an adulterous affair, impregnated the woman, paid for her abortion and then was blackmailed for trying to cover up the mess. He continues to coach at the University of Louisville. Tell the me the world isn't upside down!
I suppose this sounds like a rant but life doesn't seem to be on balance. It feels like the universe is being swallowed up. Yet there are signs that life will eventually even out. There is are many positives and blessings to be noted. For these things I am grateful. My hunch is the best way to handle the upside down feeling is to go back to basics and focus on the Lord. He remains in control even if it feels like everything is out of control. (Psalm 46)
This debate over the definition of marriage almost feels surreal at times. Thirty years ago who could have predicted that the homosexual community would become such a dominate force in our society? Children require a mom and a dad who are faithful and committed first to one another. Mark my words! If our society shifts from the traditional definition of marriage to allow anyone get married of a certain age the nation will not survive! If gays can marry then anyone can marry! If not why not? Marriage will simply cease to exist in any meaningful definition. Can you imagine the confusion for children? At the conclusion of this slide a question will have to be answered. What does it mean to be married in America? The answer will be, "nothing."
There are events unfolding around the nation that I never thought I would witness. Let me be specific. I never thought a sitting president of the USA would disregard the Constitution so blatantly. Who could have imagined an Army psychologist murdering his fellow soldiers in the name of his religion? I am referring to the Ft. Hood shooting. We are so overly sensitive to offending the Muslim community that it appears the military had a wolf in their midst but were unwilling to remove him from their ranks. Political Correctness rules the day. People become offended at the drop of an adjective! As a young kid growing up in central Pennsylvania we called each other names that now would land us in court facing a lawsuit. You think I am kidding but trust me we would definitely be in big trouble in today's hyper-sensitive environment.
Who would have thought a former Penn State football coach would be accused of sexually abusing several young boys? As a Penn State fan the whole scenario seems surreal. And who got the blame? Joe Paterno! He got fired for doing what? It continues to fascinate me how the leaders of the university board dismiss their legendary coach because of what he didn't do! Coach Rick Pitino had an adulterous affair, impregnated the woman, paid for her abortion and then was blackmailed for trying to cover up the mess. He continues to coach at the University of Louisville. Tell the me the world isn't upside down!
I suppose this sounds like a rant but life doesn't seem to be on balance. It feels like the universe is being swallowed up. Yet there are signs that life will eventually even out. There is are many positives and blessings to be noted. For these things I am grateful. My hunch is the best way to handle the upside down feeling is to go back to basics and focus on the Lord. He remains in control even if it feels like everything is out of control. (Psalm 46)
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Religious Liberty Takes a Huge Hit
Recently the Obama administration via Obamacare mandated to religious affiliated organizations that they would have to pay for contraceptives and RU-486 abortion pill. After the initial firestorm the administration backed away from the original mandate and suggested a compromise. But the compromise essentially shifted the cost to the insurance companies that provide the insurance for these religious institutions. The primary target was the Catholic Church. Their leaders have vehemently disagreed with the first mandate and the so-called compromise.
The truth about the mandate is that it assaults the First Amendment of the US Constitution. While I am not a constitutional scholar from reading the clause that prohibits the government from restricting the exercise of one's religion this health mandate certainly does just that! How can any administration dictate to any religious organization what they can and cannot cover in terms of employees? The fact that any government entity is forcing a religious organization to violate their own beliefs and conscience is beyond anything we have ever seen in our lifetime! When I first heard of the mandate my jaw dropped! Was I really hearing what the president announced and then the media reported?
When we speak of religious liberty it doesn't matter what faith is profess because we all in the same boat. If this health mandate is allowed to stand then any organization will be subject to follow. I am not Catholic but I share their concern over the loss of one of the fundamental right to practice one's religion without interference from the government. This certainly will "fundamentally transform" our nation from a democratic republic into a quasi-socialist democracy. Once this line has been crossed Katie bar the door in terms of what the government will do next in terms of restricting and regulating our religious practice.
It is time for Americans from all faiths to stand up as one to stop this radical agenda! We have no time to wait!
The truth about the mandate is that it assaults the First Amendment of the US Constitution. While I am not a constitutional scholar from reading the clause that prohibits the government from restricting the exercise of one's religion this health mandate certainly does just that! How can any administration dictate to any religious organization what they can and cannot cover in terms of employees? The fact that any government entity is forcing a religious organization to violate their own beliefs and conscience is beyond anything we have ever seen in our lifetime! When I first heard of the mandate my jaw dropped! Was I really hearing what the president announced and then the media reported?
When we speak of religious liberty it doesn't matter what faith is profess because we all in the same boat. If this health mandate is allowed to stand then any organization will be subject to follow. I am not Catholic but I share their concern over the loss of one of the fundamental right to practice one's religion without interference from the government. This certainly will "fundamentally transform" our nation from a democratic republic into a quasi-socialist democracy. Once this line has been crossed Katie bar the door in terms of what the government will do next in terms of restricting and regulating our religious practice.
It is time for Americans from all faiths to stand up as one to stop this radical agenda! We have no time to wait!
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