Sunday, August 28, 2005

Not Everyone Who Says "Lord, Lord"

I really try to avoid making judgements about another persons status as a Christian. If they claim to be a Christian then I try to give them every benefit of doubt. However, there is no way these people can be considered Christians, regardless of what they call themselves. We as Christians are called to comfort those who mourn, not hold a unrelated protest at the funeral. Even if you believe there is a problem with the gay homsexual agenda in this country, the means of this protest in no way justifies its ends.

I shall be praying that the members of Westboro Baptist repent of their sin and make amends to those they have wronged.

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

My Kinda Doctor

This seems to be becoming a political correctness watch lately; So much PC, so little time.

This "Live Free or Die" doctor gave his patient the straight skinny and she filed a complain?! And it sounds like the state medical board is actually considering it??! And the AG wanted him to take a course in response to the complaint???! What kind of course would that be? "How to make your patients feel good by lying to them" or "Boosting your patient's self-esteem at the expense of their health".

A patient complaining about being told they had a chronic medical condition that adversely affects their health because they didn't like the news is another example of the delusion that it is more important that people "feel affirmed" than they be told what they need to hear. This is the kind of pablum that has infected most of the public schools: We can't give Johnny the low grade he deserves to get his butt in gear because it might hurt his "self-esteem". It's behind the whole meritless affirmative action mess and many other socialist nanny-state ideas. Sometimes the truth hurts, so we won't tell the truth.

Dr. Bennett is the kind of doctor this country needs more of. Go get 'em Doctor!

Sunday, August 14, 2005

More Heights of Political Correctness

From Merriam-Webster Online:
war·rior
Etymology: Middle English werriour, from Old North French werreieur, from werreier to make war, from werre war -- more at WAR
: a man engaged or experienced in warfare
You wouldn't know it from his biography but English must not be Admiral Timothy J. Keating's, Commander of NORAD, first language: He certainly does not understand it. Exhibit one: "Airspace exercises to drop references to U.S. Indians". And where did he get his stars, a Cracker Jack box?

As anyone can plainly see the definition of "warrior" has nothing to do with Indians American Natives. The word predates European contact with Indians American Natives and the fact that it was applied to Indian American Native warriors was really a sign of respect. Similarly the word "brave": Look up what the word means if you have any doubt.

Brave warriors are exactly what members of the military are supposed be, and that even includes NORAD. Warrior has been a term of honor and respect for every military person I've had contact with over the last 20 years. To attempt to remove it from the military lexicon is the worst form of misguided, ignorant censorship based on false information and fallacious reasoning.

Adm. Keating ought to be booted out of the Navy so fast his head swims because he obviously has no clue what it means to be in a warrior military officer. I'm sure he can find a position over at the UN: they wouldn't know a warrior if one landed in their laps; but that's another rant for another time.


UPDATE: AubreyTurner.org beat me to the UN rant here. I may elaborate sometime, but this is pretty good summary to start with.

Saturday, August 06, 2005

Teaching: God's Plan

Today in service we finished going through Numbers in the weekly Torah readings. Our congregation leader at K'vod Yisrael, Ken Levitt, did a very good job of tying together the book of Numbers and showing one of its applications to our life today. Here was one of his key points, in my own words, that I would like to share:

In Numbers we see God bringing order to His people. There is a census to number them (twice actually). God then assigns the tribes and families places to camp, specific responsibilities (Num 3, 4) and their place in the marching order. The Lord gives many other laws and commands in Numbers, all designed to provide order and direction for the people at the current time and in the future.

The Israelites rebelled several times against God's order, most notably when they refused to believe that God could give them the land He had promised. In every case they were punished, but not as severely as was warranted. In the end His commands and directions provided the unity they needed to survive and grow as a people.

In Numbers 33:1-49 we read Moses's log of the journey of the Israelites. There was I believe a reason for each place they went to and stop they made. God had a plan and order for His people. He knew where they were to go and what each was to do. Not everyone did the same things. Each tribe and family had assigned responsibilities.

This same principle applies today. The Apostle Paul reiterates it in I Corinthians 12 where he talks about each person having a specific gift, but not all the same. Although we in our humanness will sometimes (often?) question why we or someone else has a gift we perceive to be better or worse, they all fit together to work God's plan. We should not be like the Israelites in rebellion but exercise the gifts we are given and continually seek the Lord's guidance and direction.

New Heights of Political Correctness

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a fan of men's college basketball. For example, I run a March Madness pool over on Yahoo every year. But this coming year I may not. This madness from the NCAA, "NCAA Executive Committee Issues Guidelines for Use of Native American Mascots at Championship Events", might just be enough to make me swear off college basketball.

How is having an Indian Native American nickname, image or mascot associated with an athletic program abusive or hostile? I just don't understand. It is PC at its worst. Every mention of Indians Native Americans related to college athletic programs that I am aware of is in relationship to their warrior ethos. I would think that is a part of their heritage that Indians Native Americans would be proud of and want celebrated.

There is lots of negative sterotypes and imagery of Indians Native Americans that should be avoided; that of being considered "savages" in past centuries, or the prevalance of poverty and alcholism on many reservations, or even the association with casinos and gambling, but that is not what is happening. The NCAA wants no mention whatsoever of Indians Native Americans. Ridiculous.

There are plenty of other things related to athletics that they should be worrying about instead of this misguided, misinformed interference in normal college affairs. Clearly nicknames of a religious nature are next, then they'll probably go after the weather phenomena names, after that who knows, maybe names with colors in them since they might offend the colorblind.

Friday, August 05, 2005

Have it Your Way, Maybe

Is this a step in the Westernization of Islam, or is it Muslims taking on the facade of Western culture but not the spirit? I guess I should be encouraged to see signs of Muslims taking positive part in the cultural activities of the Western world, but I'm not sure they really are.

First off, if you look at this version you can see it does not appear to be a real Burger King: It's knock-off with a play on the name. Make me wonder who is assimilating who.

Second, it's in France. Put a couple of these in Gaza and Tehran and then we'll see.

Third, and I really hate to think this way, but ... When a Muslim rats out another Muslim that was planning to, or God forbid did, bomb a BKM because of it's "Satanic threat to all true Muslims" then I'll think about considering Islam a religion of peace. There are too many Muslims inciting or committing violence in the name of their religion, or sheltering those that do, for me to really believe that now. I know many Muslims are peaceful people, but I think that's just because there are a lot of generally peaceful people regardless of their religion.

As they say, the jury is still out, updates at 11.