It's God's Control not Gun Control!

Your laws ignore our deepest needs,
Your words are empty air.
You've stripped away our heritage,
You've outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms,
And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere,
And ask the question "Why?"
You regulate restrictive laws,
Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand,
That God is what we need!

Voices Without A Vote

"If not you, who? If not now, when?"

Why You Should Not Vote for...

Flip-Flopped Values

-- We ridicule the absolute truth of God’s Word but call it pluralism.

-- We worship other gods but call it multiculturalism.

-- We endorse perversion but called it an alternative lifestyle.

-- We exploit the poor but call it the lottery.

-- We reward laziness but call it welfare.

-- We kill the pre-born but call it choice.

-- We don’t discipline our children but call it building self esteem.

-- We abuse power but call it political savvy.

-- We covet our neighbor's possessions but call it ambition.

-- We pollute the air with profanity/pornography but call it free speech

-- We ridicule the values of our forefathers but call it enlightenment.

· “No one can be certain of the future. Cultures in decline have, unpredictably, turned themselves around before. Perhaps through the providence of God, ours will too. Perhaps, ultimately, we will become so sick of the moral and aesthetic environment that is growing in America that stricter standards will be imposed democratically or by moral disapproval… If its intellectual and moral bankruptcy is repeatedly exposed, perhaps modern liberalism will die of shame…"

·   "A great nation is like a great man: When he makes a mistake, he realizes it. Having realized it, he admits it. Having admitted it, he corrects it. He considers those who point out his faults as his most benevolent teachers. He thinks of his enemy as the shadow that he himself casts. If a nation ... nourishes its own people and doesn't meddle in the affairs of others, it will be a light to all nations in the world."

Despotism or Anarchy? Not the Only Choices!

 

"[D]emocracy will soon degenerate into an anarchy, such an anarchy that every man will do what is right in his own eyes and no man's life or property or reputation or liberty will be secure, and every one of these will soon mould itself into a system of subordination of all the moral virtues and intellectual abilities, all the powers of wealth, beauty, wit and science, to the wanton pleasures, the capricious will, and the execrable cruelty of one or a very few."

-- John Adams, An Essay on Man's Lust for Power, 1763

 

"For avoiding the extremes of despotism or anarchy ... the only ground of hope must be on the morals of the people. I believe that religion is the only solid base of morals and that morals are the only possible support of free governments."

-- Governor Morris, A Diary of the French Revolution, 1792

 

 

 

When we no longer turn to the religion of the Creator as revealed in His inspired Book, the Bible for our moral, then we are doomed as a people! There is no doubt that economics is a big issue in this years' elections but the problem with economics is not economics - its divine economics. The first rule of divine economics is to "deny self" (Luke 9:23).

Oh That Men Would Praise the Lord!

Four times in Psalm 107, the Psalmist calls upon men, "Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!" (vv. 8, 15, 21, 31). He begins this beautiful Psalm by declaring, "O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever" (v. 1).

That men could forget or neglect to express such thanksgiving, at first seems implausible, but as we consider the work of Satan to distort what God has bless men with in this world, it becomes much easier to understand our lack of gratitude. So, we need reminders to refocus on the One from Whom all blessings flow. This Psalm is just such a reminder. When I was a Wonderer, He led me to a city of habitation (vv. 1-7); When I was a Prisoner, He released me from bondage (vv. 8-14); When I was a Patient, He healed my wounds (vv. 15-20); When I was a Mariner, He took me from trouble waters and brought me to a restful haven (vv. 21-30); When I was a Farmer, He made the ground to yield forth her increase (vv. 31-42). Thus the only conclusion for a wise man, "Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD" (v. 43).

Only when Americans realize that their blessings do not flow from Washington D.C. can we begin to rebuild this once great nation. Only by giving honor to hone is due, will be take the first step to be what we are called to be - Americans! If we desire to be the light of the world, we must first turn on the light (Psa. 119:105). If we desire to be the salt of the earth, we must first shake the container (2 Cor. 7:1).

rick

If Wombs Had Windows

I cannot remember the first time I heard the expression, "If wombs had windows, abortions would immediately cease." Since the infamous Roe vs. Wade decision in 1973, more than 45,000,000 babies have been aborted. The opponents of abortion have waged an unending battle with those who would undermine the sanctity of life. With increased medical technology comes the very real possibility that Roe vs. Wade will be overturned, and the nightmare of infanticide will end.

Most of us have never taken the time to review the records of Roe vs. Wade, and were it not for a small reference to it in a book I read some years ago, I may never have come across this little bit of information relative to this subject. But first, a little background.

In 1970, a pregnant woman in Dallas sought an abortion. It was denied under an 1854 Texas law denying abortions except when the mother's life was at stake. She fought the law, using the pseudonym "Jane Roe." The Supreme Court heard her case twice. In 1973, the Court announced its 7-2 vote to strike down the Texas law on the grounds that the 14th Amendment protects a woman's right to choice in the matter and the 9th Amendment reserves to the people all rights not specifically restricted. The argument for the defense (i.e., the state of Texas) argued that the state of Texas had an interest in protecting the life of an unborn child after a certain point, which was determined to be the first trimester. Sarah Weddington was the counsel of "Jane Roe," and Jay Floyd and Robert Flowers were lawyers on the staff of the attorney general of Texas. Since the Supreme Court's decision on that fateful day in 1973, women in America, with the consent of and advice from their doctors, have been instrumental in murdering millions of unborn children. Permit me, now, to provide you with a couple of statements from the transcript of the lengthy court session that led to the final decision on the part of the Supreme Court. This little tidbit comes from a book entitled, "Eyewitnesses to America," edited by David Colbert. On December 13, 1971, Counselor for the defense, Sarah Weddington argued: "We feel that because of the impact on the woman, this certainly, inasfar [sic] as there are any rights which are fundamental, is a matter which is of fundamental and basic concern to the woman involved that she should be allowed to make the choice as to whether to continue or to terminate her pregnancy." Lawyers for the State of Texas rightly responded: "I think she makes her choice prior to the time she becomes pregnant. That is the time of the choice ... once a child is born, a woman no longer has a choice, and I think pregnancy may terminate that choice ... We say there is life from the moment of impregnation." Justice Thurgood Marshall responded: "And do you have any scientific data to support that?" Evidently Jay Floyd, lawyer for the State, did not present sufficient or satisfying "scientific data," and as a consequence, "the rest is history," as they say. But let us now tell you "the rest of the story." In late 1972, only three months before the final decision regarding Roe vs. Wade, the following argument took place between the "Court" and Weddington (remember, Sarah Weddington was the Counselor for Jane Roe, the woman seeking the abortion).

Weddington: "The Court has in the past held that it is the right of the parents to determine whether or not they will send their child to private school; whether or not their children will be taught foreign languages; whether or not they will have offspring ... So there is a great body of cases, decided by this Court, in the areas of marriage, sex, contraception, procreation, childbearing, and education, which says that there are certain things that are so much a part of the individual concern that they should be left to the determination of the individual. If the state could show that the fetus was a person under the Fourteenth Amendment, or under some other amendment or part of the Constitution, then ... the state would have compelling interest, which in some instances can outweigh a fundamental right."

Now, dear reader, did you catch that? If the state could show that the fetus was a person, then the state's interest (in this case, protecting the right of the unborn child) would outweigh the "fundamental right" of the mother! The response of the Court to Weddington's remark will become a crucial issue when the Supreme Court convenes this year to hear yet another case regarding abortion. Please consider these words from the Court made more than 36 years ago:

Court to Weddington: "If it were established that an unborn fetus is a person, within the protection of the Fourteenth Amendment, you would have an impossible case here, would you not?" To which Sarah Weddington admitted, "I would have a very difficult case."

The Court to Flowers: "And the basic constitutional question, initially, is whether or not an unborn fetus is a person, isn't it?"

Robert Flowers: (lawyer for the State of Texas): "Yes, and entitled to the constitutional protections."

Court: "That's critical to this case, is it not?"

Flowers: "Yes sir, it is ... I think that here is exactly what we're facing in this case: Is the life of this unborn fetus paramount over the woman's right to determine whether or not she shall bear a child? This Court has been delight in protecting the rights of the minorities, and, gentlemen, we say that this is a minority, a silent minority, the true silent minority. Who is speaking for these children? Where is the counsel for those unborn children, whose life is being taken? Where is the safeguard of the right to trial by jury? Are we to place this power in the hands of a mother, in a doctor? What would keep a legislator, under this grounds, from deciding who else might or might not be a human being, or might not be a person?"

With the medical technology now available it can be clearly established that from the point of conception there is sentient life in the womb. We can now look into the womb with cameras and sound equipment, and watch that precious infant as he/she breathes, moves, laughs and cries. Maybe 2012 will be the year that this horrible holocaust will come to an end. Maybe our prayers will be heard by God, and those men now sitting on the bench of the highest court in the land will realize that life does begin at conception. Let us pray that those men will live up to their God-given responsibility, and pass down a decision that is in accord with God’s will. Oh yes, "If wombs had windows!"

Tom Wacaster

Anvil Sparks by R.L. Whiteside

"If the entire church would work as hard for the Lord as a faction will work to carry its point, nothing could stop its progress."

"A gospel feast is better for the church that a religious spree."

"In churches, as in nations, peace at any price generally reults in war at any cost."

"Making the world safe for democracy may be the proper thing, but no church was ever made better by democracy."

"Some additions to the church are not conversions to the Lord."

Does This Sound Like A godless Nation To You?

Preambles of Your United States Constitutions:

1.       Alabama 1901, Preamble. We the people of the State of Alabama, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution…

2.       Alaska 1956, Preamble. We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land…

3.       Arizona 1911, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution...

4.       Arkansas 1874, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government; for our civil and religious liberty; and desiring to perpetuate its blessings, and secure the same to ourselves and posterity; do ordain and establish this Constitution.

5.       California 1879, Preamble. We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure and perpetuate its blessings, do establish this Constitution.

6.       Colorado 1876, Preamble. We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe…

7.       Connecticut 1818, Preamble. The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy…

8.       Delaware 1897, Preamble. Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of worshipping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences.

9.       Florida 1885, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Florida, grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, establish this Constitution...

10.   Georgia 1777, Preamble. We, the people of Georgia, relying upon protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution...

11.   Hawaii 1959, Preamble. We, the people of Hawaii, Grateful for Divine Guidance, establish this Constitution…

12.   Idaho 1889, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Idaho, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings…

13.   Illinois 1870, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.

14.   Indiana 1851, Preamble. We, the People of the State of Indiana, grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to choose our form of government.

15.   Iowa 1857, Preamble. We, the People of the State of Iowa, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings establish this Constitution.

16.   Kansas 1859, Preamble. We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges establish this Constitution.

17.   Kentucky 1891, Preamble. We, the people of the Commonwealth are grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties...

18.   Louisiana 1921, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Louisiana, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy.

19.   Maine 1820, Preamble. We the People of Maine acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity ... And imploring His aid and direction…

20.   Maryland 1776, Preamble. We, the people of the state of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty...

21.   Massachusetts 1780, Preamble. We... the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe in the course of His Providence, an opportunity and devoutly imploring His direction...

22.   Michigan 1908, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Michigan, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom establish this Constitution.

23.   Minnesota 1857, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings:

24.   Mississippi 1890, Preamble. We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work…

25.   Missouri 1845, Preamble. We, the people of Missouri, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness, establish this Constitution…

26.   Montana 1889, Preamble. We, the people of Montana, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty establish this Constitution…

27.   Nebraska 1875, Preamble. We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, establish this Constitution…

28.   Nevada 1864, Preamble. We the people of the State of Nevada, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom establish this Constitution.

29.   New Hampshire 1792, Part I. Art. I. Sec. V: Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience.

30.   New Jersey 1844, Preamble. We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors.

31.   New Mexico 1911, Preamble. We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty…

32.   New York 1846, Preamble. We, the people of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings…

33.   North Carolina 1868, Preamble. We the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God…

34.   North Dakota 1889, Preamble. We, the people of North Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain and establish this constitution.

35.   Ohio 1852, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and promote our common welfare, do establish this Constitution.

36.   Oklahoma 1907, Preamble. Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessing of liberty; to secure just and rightful government; to promote our mutual welfare and happiness, we, the people of the State of Oklahoma, do ordain and establish this Constitution.

37.   Oregon 1857, Preamble. All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences.

38.   Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble. WE, the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance, do ordain and establish this Constitution.

39.   Rhode Island 1842, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, grateful to Almighty God…

40.   South Carolina 1778, Preamble. We, the people of the State of South Carolina, in Convention assembled, grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the preservation and perpetuation of the same.

41.   South Dakota 1889, Preamble. We, the people of South Dakota, grateful to Almighty God…

42.   Tennessee 1796, Preamble. ...in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six ...

43.   Texas 1845, Preamble. Humbly invoking the blessings of Almighty God, the people of the State of Texas, do ordain and establish this Constitution.

44.   Utah 1896, Preamble. Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we, the people of Utah…

45.   Vermont 1777, Preamble. That all persons have a natural and unalienable right, to worship Almighty God, according to the dictates of their own consciences and understandings, as in their opinion shall be regulated by the word of God; ... Nevertheless, every sect or denom-ination of Christians ought to observe the Sabbath or Lord's day, and keep up some sort of religious worship, which to them shall seem most agreeable to the revealed will of God.

46.   Virginia 1776, Preamble. That religion or the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the man-ner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence.

47.   Washington 1889, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this constitution.

48.   West Virginia 1872, Preamble. Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia, in and through the provisions of this Constitution, reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God…

49.   Wisconsin 1848, Preamble.  We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings, form a more perfect government, insure domestic tranquility and promote the general welfare, do establish this constitution.

50.   Wyoming 1890, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful to God…

"All Gave Some - Some Gave All"

May we never live such selfish lives that we forget to honor their sacrifice. Let us never forget their names, their faces or their families.

This is a must see video...

The Anvil Of God's Word

Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith's door

And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;

When looking in, I saw upon the floor,

Old hammers worn with beating years of time.

"How many anvils have you had," said I,

"To wear and batter these hammers so?"

"Just one," said he; then with a twinkling eye,

"The anvil wears the hammers out, you know."

And so, I thought, the anvil of God's Word,

For ages, skeptics blows have beat upon;

Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,

The anvil is unharmed - the hammers gone.

by John Clifford

Happy Mother's Day - 2012

"Coat-Hanger Deaths"?

Chilean Study Proves that Outlawing Abortion Does Not Lead to “Coat-hanger Deaths”

Posted by Leon H. Wolf (Diary)

Tuesday, May 8th at 10:52AM EDT

For decades, supporters of abortion on demand have insisted on two completely unproven assertions concerning what would happen if abortion were made generally illegal in this country. First, they have asserted, somewhat counter-intuitively and again without any proof, that such a law would not work, and women would continue to get abortions. Second, based on the first unfounded assertion, they insist that therefore women would be forced into “back alley abortions” which would presumably always be performed with a dirty coat-hanger, thus leading to massive maternal mortality. These two pronouncements have been peddled uncritically with all the fervor (and factual backing) of a particularly obnoxious street corner preacher wearing a “THE END IS NEAR” sandwich sign by virtually everyone who supports abortion on demand. Now, for the first time, a scientific study published in a peer-review journal has scientifically disproven both assertions.

Of course, these assertions have been from day one based on fabrications generated by the abortion industry. As Bernard Nathanson, co-founder of NARAL, admitted:

We aroused enough sympathy to sell our program of permissive abortion by fabricating the number of illegal abortions done annually in the U.S. The actual figure was approaching 100,000 but the figure we gave to the media repeatedly was 1,000,000. Repeating the big lie often enough convinces the public. The number of women dying from illegal abortions was around 200-250 annually. The figure we constantly fed to the media was 10,000. These false figures took root in the consciousness of Americans convincing many that we needed to crack the abortion law.
“Another myth we fed to the public through the media was that legalizing abortion would only mean that the abortions taking place illegally would then be done legally. In fact, of course, abortion is now being used as a primary method of birth control in the U.S. and the annual number of abortions has increased by 1500% since legalization.

Of course, the revelation that these facts were made up out of thin air has not in the least dissuaded the abortion industry from insisting that they nonetheless conveyed a true story – “fake, but accurate” did not originate with Dan Rather. Problematically, no one had conducted a scientific study to evaluate the evidence one way or another, so these lies took root in the public’s mind and the burden fell on opponents of abortion to disprove an assertion that had never been founded in fact in the first place.
Enter Dr. Elard Koch, an epidemiologist from the Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Chile. Chile provides a somewhat unique opportunity to study the issue of the effects of making abortion illegal. In recent history (in particular since a number of advances that have overall reduced maternal mortality worldwide), most countries that have changed their abortion laws have made abortion more widely accessible, not less. Chile, on the other hand, has moved in the opposite direction. Before 1989 in Chile, abortion was largely legal, but in 1989, Chile banned all “therapeutic” abortions, thus providing an actual laboratory in which we might study the question, “What happens when abortion is made illegal?”
The study by Dr. Koch and his team is vitally important and should be read in its entirety. Most importantly, the study conclusively showed that a) outlawing abortion is remarkably effective at reducing the number of abortions that take place in a country, including clandestine ones, and b) there is absolutely no link between making abortion illegal and an increase in the number of deaths from clandestine abortions. In Koch’s own words about the conclusions of his study:

In Chile, therapeutic abortion was prohibited in 1989 since it was considered unnecessary for protecting the life of the mother and her baby. From the perspective of the Chilean medical practice, the exceptional cases in which the life of the mother is at risk are regarded as a medical ethics problem to be solved by applying the principle of double effect and the concept of indirect abortion.
Thus, in Chile, exceptional problems that require medical intervention to save the life of the mother are considered a decision of medical ethics and not a legal issue. Therefore, any kind of directly provoked abortion was prohibited in 1989, in agreement with Article 19 of the Chilean Constitution which protects the life of the unborn.
The second question — does it save lives? — is very complex and important. We can address this important issue from different perspectives.
First, from a public health view, restrictive laws are hypothesized to cause a dissuasive effect on the population, similar to restrictions on tobacco or alcohol consumption. We observed that reduction of maternal mortality in Chile was paralleled by the number of hospitalizations attributable to complications of clandestine abortions. While over 50% of all abortion-related hospitalizations were attributable to complications of clandestine abortions during the 1960s, this proportion decreased rapidly in the following decades.
Indeed, only 12-19% of all hospitalization from abortion can be attributable to clandestine abortions between 2001 and 2008. These data suggest that over time, restrictive laws may have a restraining effect on the practice of abortion and promote its decrease. In fact, Chile exhibits today one of the lowest abortion-related maternal deaths in the world, with a 92.3% decrease since 1989 and a 99.1% accumulated decrease over 50 years.
Second, from the perspective of human life, especially if a developing country is looking to simultaneously protect the life of the mother and the unborn child, a plausible hypothesis after the Chilean study is that abortion restriction may be effective when is combined with adequately-implemented public policies to increase educational levels of women and to improve access to maternal health facilities. A restrictive law may discourage practice, which is suggested by the decrease of hospitalizations due to clandestine abortions estimated in Chile.
Third, from the perspective of protecting human life from the very beginning, obviously, abortion restriction saves many lives, in contrast to countries where elective — on demand — abortion is allowed, because in these countries all the unborn lose their lives.
Finally, it is necessary to remark that our study confirms that abortion prohibition is not related to overall rates of maternal mortality. In other words, making abortion illegal does not increase maternal deaths: it is a matter of scientific fact in our study.

Read, as they say, the whole thing.
Not, mind you, that anything as pedantic as scientific evidence is expected to have any impact on the rhetoric of the same charming people who manufactured and sold “coathanger pendants” a couple years ago. The abortion industry has never been about truth, facts or logic. But to the extent that people in the middle remain persuadable by objectivity, a major arrow in the quiver of the merchants of death has been irretrievably destroyed.

From redstate.com

Aggressive Propaganda

Many in the National News Media only reports  the news it wants you to know. This kind of reporting can be classified as subtle propaganda. For example, columnist Dan Savage is described by Time Magazine as, "the founder of the ‘It Gets Better’ project — a series of web videos devoted to helping victims of bullying" when in fact they know that this is not the whole truth of the matter. According to the It Gets Better Project's own web-site, the project "was created to show young LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) people the levels of happiness, potential, and positivity their lives will reach – if they can just get through their teen years. The It Gets Better Project wants to remind teenagers in the LGBT community that they are not alone — and it WILL get better." Even Wikipedia got this right, "In 2010, Savage and his husband [sic] Terry Miller began the It Gets Better Project to help prevent suicide among LGBT youth."

While the many in the National News Media engages in subtle propaganda, the LGBT and like organizations, promoting their insidiousness in society are much more aggressive in their propaganda. Focusing, in a speech to a group of high school journalists in Seattle, on what he called the “hypocrisy” of Christians, Savage said:

“We can learn to ignore the bulls— in the Bible about gay people… the same way we have learned to ignore the bulls— in the Bible about shellfish, about slavery, about dinner, about farming, about menstruation, about virginity, about masturbation. We ignore bulls— in the Bible about all sorts of things.”

One of the attendees, Rick Tuttle, a journalism advisor from Sutter Union High School in California, told Fox News his students were surprised that instead of an anti-bullying message, they received “a vulgar, profanity-laced attack on Christians.” The event’s organizers, the National Scholastic Press Association and Journalism Education Association, later apologized. How ironic that no one stood up against the bullying tactics at an anti-bullying event. I guess, better to apologize than to confront wickedness when it occurs. Savages' rant is a form of aggressive propaganda.

"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12).

Subtle Propaganda

B

attles may be fought by conventional means and in a single location but wars are often fought by many methods and in many different places. Propaganda is an important element in war. Propaganda is defined by moderns as "Manipulation of information to influence public opinion... an element of psychological warfare." ("propaganda." Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 1994-2010). Generally speaking the modern difference between propaganda and persuasion is that persuasive arguments can stand up to the scrutiny of truth and propaganda cannot! Thus propaganda is seen as the dispensing of misinformation and persuasion as a hearty discussion of the facts of a position... but we should be careful herein; as beauty is in the eye of the beholder so also is the difference between propaganda and persuasion. The modern homo-infatuation rhetoric and "hate" crimes demagoguery crowd are ever vigilant in their war on Christianity. The photographic included in this blog is a J.C. Penney's Mother's Day calendar. While pretending to be neutral in the culture war they have hired Ellen DeGeneres, an openly outspoken lesbian, to be their spokesperson. This calendar is an excellent example of subtle propaganda.

"But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat..." (Mat. 13:25).

"Let Us Also Go"

With the exceptions of Peter and Paul, we know very little about the men who would serve as the ambassadors of Christ. There are plenty of fanciful traditions and pseudo writings regarding these men but little biblical historical evidence. This is certainly true of the one known as Thomas. Yet, there are a few things we know about “Thomas, which is called Didymus” (meaning, “the twin” (Jho. 11:6; 20:24; 21:2). Outside of the general events which record Thomas’ activities with the disciples there are three occasions in which Thomas occupies a vital speaking role.

In the first passage (John 11), when Jesus learned that His friend Lazarus was dead at Bethany, He announced that He intended to go there and “awake him” (v. 11). Now these were perilous times in the Lord’s public ministry, because His enemies were set to kill Him (v. 8). When Thomas saw that Jesus was willing to take that risk, he said, to fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (v. 16). What great faith!

The second speaking role was (John 14), when Jesus said He was about to leave the disciples, but that they knew where He was going and they also knew the way. Thomas asserted that they did not know where He was going and therefore they could not know the way (v. 5). Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the father but by me” (v. 6). What remarkable misunderstanding!

The best-known passage about Thomas (John 20), relates his reaction to the resurrection. After missing the resurrection-day meeting when the risen Christ appeared to the other apostles (v. 24), he declared to them that he would not believe them unless he could put his “finger into the print of the nails” and thrust his “hand into his side” (v. 25). It is because of his absence, that Thomas has been branded, “Doubting Thomas”. Why was Thomas absent that day? Was he fishing? Working? Did he have company? We will not know this side of eternity. What we do know is this: Thomas did not miss out on the events of the resurrection of Lazarus or the Last Supper. And even though he did not miss out on the resurrection of Jesus, he did miss out on the events of the resurrection evening. Thomas, was the only apostle save Paul, one born out of due time (1 Cor. 15:8), not to see Jesus on the resurrection day. What a bitter-sweet absence!

We can learn many great lessons from Thomas. First, every event in which the saints are gathered together in His name has the potential of being a great event. Don’t miss out by being absent from the worship and work of the church. Second, even a man of great faith can miss out on an important event simply by not participating. So, as Thomas would tell his fellow disciples, “Let us also go” (11:16).