World Views

Spiders From Mars, Chicken Sandwiches and S.C.O.T.U.S.

Spiders from Mars? Take me to your leader. The Pentagon will be releasing a report on UFO's later this month. Do you expect the truth or will we just get to see what the government wants us to know? The UFO phenomena,  Area 51,  captured aliens and flying saucers have been  a topic of much interest, speculation and conspiracy theory over the years. If I had invested in the tin foil hat industry 35 years ago I might be as rich as Bezos, by the way I take an XL hat size. Kidding aside, what do we know and how will this "revelation" from the government affect the Christian worldview? What we know is that military pilots over the years, have seen and recorded what we call UFO's while flying routine missions. We know, that we don't know what they are. Scripture, is what we as Christians can hang our hats on. Beginning in Genesis 1, the creation and the existence of the entire cosmos, we know, is for the drama of redemption, where by a holy and righteous God  saves through the atonement accomplished by his incarnate Son, Jesus Christ. The most important issue for Christians is not what we don't know, but what we do know, and thanks be to God for his Word. We know all what we need to know.

Chicken sandwiches are in the the news again! Who knew that something as mundane as a fast food sandwich could be so controversial? Leave it to Burger King to create one! In honor of Pride Month, Burger King announced that for every Ch'King sandwich sold, it would donate 40 cents to the Human Rights Campaign (An LGBTQ+ civil rights organization), and it would do so even on Sunday. This was an obvious snipe at Christian owned Chick-fil-A, and an attempt at claiming woke kudos over their competition. Once again the left is shown to be relentless in its attacks and denigration of  Christians who stand on the opposite side of an issue whether overtly or perceived. In this case it is over the LGBTQ+ Revolution against a company that is owned by a Christian, doesn't conduct business on Sunday, and because of their faith they are perceived as homophobic, transphobic, bigots,etc. Their aim is obvious, by stirring up hate and bigotry against a Christian company, they can sell more chicken and destroy Chick-fil-A. Kill two birds with one stone, if you will. How's that working out for B.K.? Not so good as I see the long lines at Chick-fil-A and nada at B.K.. This is yet another example of the persecution of Christians, expect more to come.

Next year the Supreme Court will hear an appeal from the state of  Mississippi regarding a law restricting abortion in their state. This is a clear opportunity for the Supreme Court to reverse the Roe v. Wade decision. Recently Democrats have drawn up legislation to codify abortion into U.S. federal law. In the past this would have been a fool's errand and never would have had a chance to pass. This is a knee jerk reaction to the upcoming Supreme Court hearing by Democrats and thankfully won't pass either. Christians should keep a keen eye on Congress and pray that legislation like this will never pass.

Hallowed Ground

Hallowed Ground

We came from big cities, small towns and family farms, the best of the best, treasured sons. So much to live for in our lives so much to be done. We took the oath, to our country, we will defend against all enemies foreign and domestic, so help us God. Trained for war we left our homes and loved ones behind.

My friend and brother said to me one day, "My biggest fear is to be left behind, forgotten in this foreign land. If I die promise me this, bury me in hallowed ground." To this I nodded ascent, we hugged, "It's all good man, I won't let you down."

No one knew, that day would  soon come and a hero he would be. Laid down his life for his brother's. An act of valor, no second thoughts. His blood spilled out on the desert plain, I did my best to stem the flow. Holding his hand, my ear to his lips, with his last breath he gasped, "Hallowed ground, don't forget."

Two men in dress uniforms, standing tall, two loud knocks on his front door. They saw them pull up, the only warning they had. They knew the news had to be bad.

I accompanied my brother home, his coffin draped in the flag.  I kept my promise made to him that fateful day, to see him buried in hallowed ground. I never left his side. "Don't forget," the last words he said, still  an echo in my head.  In hallowed ground we laid him down, many tears were shed that day, in hallowed ground he found his rest. I saluted him and paid my last respects, tears staining my dress blues breast.

I went to his parents house that  day to tell his story. I will never forget. We laughed about him, we cried, I finally told the story, how he died, a hero, nothing less. I turned around as I headed out the door, and asked of them a favor, "Promise me this, I'm off to war, If I don't make it back alive, lay me down to rest by your son, my brother's, side.  With a crisp salute and a "Semper Fi," I left, new tears flooding, from all our eyes. His last words ringing in my head, "Never forget... hallowed ground," he said.

Authors Note: This is a work of fiction and is not autobiographical in any way. I have never had the privledge of wearing our country's uniform. My family's  service to this country goes as far back as I know, to the Civil War, where you will find my great-great grandfather's name on a monument of those from Pennsylvania who fought at Gettysburg.  My grandfather served in WWI, my father in WWII, my brother served in the Navy during the Cold War, and his son, my nephew is currently in the Navy. He served aboard USS Michael Murphy and was deployed for two years. I stand in awe of my family and friends who have served and especially those who  have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Never forget!

Why America's Record Godlessness Is Good News for the Nation. (A rebuttal)

Above Photo from R.E.M's Music Video "Losing My Religion" 1991.

"Why America's Godlessness is Good News for the Nation " was the title of an Op-Ed run in the Los Angeles Times on April 2nd. authored by Phil Zuckerman an Associate Dean of Pitzer College and the author of "Society Without God: What the Least Religious Nations Can Tell Us About Contentment."  

According to the most recent Gallup Poll released earlier this month, for the first time since Gallup began tracking numbers in 1937, more people in America are not members of a church, synagogue or mosque than are. In 1945, 75% of all Americans were members compared to today's 47%. Zuckerman continued to site all the troubling statistics that document the decline of Christianity in America. These are facts that cannot be disputed.

What I do dispute is the conclusions that he draws anecdotally at best, from history and present day to make his case.  He contends our collective fears, that moral decline and societal destruction is directly proportional to increased secularism, is incorrect.  Based on our historical observation, that forced secularization, led to the mass atrocities, crimes, and moral outrages committed in the 19th. century by  Nazi's and Communist totalitarian regimes. He states that what we have going on now is different.  We are in the midst of a natural organic decline towards secularization brought about by  better education, more prosperity, and living safer, secure and peaceful lives and will not lead to societal ruination.  In other words he is implying that as society becomes more educated and prosperous people begin to realize that religion is truly the opiate of the people that Karl Marx said it was.

"Enlightened"  people are more likely to revere the Scientific Method, receive vaccines, and support: sex education, reproductive rights, gay rights, death with dignity, gun safety legislation and drug abuse. He maintains that the more secular democracies, Japan, the U.K., Scandinavia, Australia and Canada, are willingly more progressive and don't have that religious drag preventing a universal  acceptance of the aforementioned liberal agendas and they are better off for it. What he implies is that people of faith are ignorant and are unable to go along with this natural  occurring societal evolution, that  will inevitably lead you to the realization that there is no God and we will be better off as a society embracing the inevitable.

I might remind Mr. Zuckerman, Francis Bacon a Christian, was credited with giving us the Scientific Method! There are thousands of Christian scientists that have contributed greatly to our knowledge of  the pure sciences and medicine in the past and continue to do so today. Science and faith are not mutually exclusive, that is Enlightenment philosophy. The Enlightenment brought us the French Revolution, guillotines, Marxism and the totalitarianism of the 19th. century. History is full of examples of the moral decline of empires and their inevitable ruin, read a world history book Mr. Zuckerman. 

Yes, people of faith do have problems with assisted suicide, abortion, homosexuality, same sex marriage and legalization of drugs. You see, we believe in a transcendent truth that comes from outside of us. It is bigger than we are. Otherwise, truth is what you say it is- what is true for me may not be true for you and therefore, there is no truth at all. If everything is relative how can you have a moral society?  You cannot. God has revealed His truth to us in written word, the Bible. You might put that on your must read bucket list, Mr. Zuckerman.  

What you describe as natural organic decline is just as evil as the horrors of the 19th. century and you are blind to it.  Our holocaust in the U.S. is the 62 million babies slaughtered in abortuaries since 1973, the sexual revolution has normalized promiscuity, the definition of marriage has been changed and the nuclear family is under attack. You talk about scientific truth yet you deny the basic biological fact of being born either male or female. You say we would be better off as a nation of atheist's, embracing immorality and denying God? Who is ignorant of the facts Mr. Zuckerman? 

I'll leave you with a quote from John Adams: "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."  You see Mr. Zuckerman someone way smarter than you realized that if we lose our religion, we lose our morality, and we will lose our country.  How is that good news for America?

Link to Op-Ed