tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30219898837183060382024-03-05T12:26:29.636-06:00Only A Mustard Seed<b>"For truly, I say to you,if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20</b>KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.comBlogger121125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-1955910333888118082013-01-06T18:30:00.003-06:002013-01-06T18:31:39.463-06:00Oh, Taste and See That The Lord Is Good!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A New Year.<br />
<br />
A New Beginning.<br />
<br />
Reflection of the past. What did I do well? What did I do poorly? Of what am I proud? Of what am I ashamed? What would I have done differently? <br />
<br />
What can I do this year to make it better? What can I do to help others make their New Year better? How can I reflect the Love of God rather than give Him yet another black eye?<br />
<br />
How can I love more? How can I love better?<br />
<br />
How can I love?<br />
<br />
It had been months since I had partaken of Holy Communion. I remain a Church Gypsy, still struggling to cast off the past and commit to plant new stakes at a new Tabernacle. This morning, at my potential "Church-To-Be", I sat next to a lady who belonged to my former church. I also spied another couple attending who interestingly belonged to my former church. A sign, I wondered?<br />
<br />
The lady I sat with had also suffered grievous loss in her life, and had been disappointed by her home church ... like me. Coincidence? Providence?<br />
<br />
The other couple I spied: How curious to consider that I had sung at their wedding (my first singing gig! ... a story in itself) and that he had been president of the church council at one time.<br />
<br />
But, it was the Communion that really centered me. It had been several months since I had taken Communion. As the congregation recited The Lord's Prayer, a corporate recitation I had not done in ages, I choked up a bit upon hearing all those saintly voices in unison praising and praying to God. The Communion of the Saints. It felt so good. So familiar. So needed. So nourishing. So blessed.<br />
<br />
As the Pastor spoke the Words of Institution, a wave of light grape aroma drifted across the rows, the scent of God permeating my senses and soul.<br />
<br />
"Breathe deep, my child! I am here! Welcome to my table! I am so glad to have here to sup with Me!"<br />
<br />
The Bread and the Wine. The Body and the Blood. Christ present with us in and through Communion.<br />
<br />
I recall sitting at my mother's table some years back. I had had a pretty rough surgery requiring me to stay at my mom's home for some ten days. I was pretty weak and nauseous when I got to her house. My mom had prepared what she has always called her "Garbage Soup", although that is the absolute last thing I would think to call it! She had purposefully and lovingly made it with good ol' red meat -- beef -- and allowed it to steep extra long to assemble the most nutrients possible.<br />
<br />
Up until this point, I had been unable to keep food down. I was still seven pounds underweight after five nights in the hospital. When I sipped the first spoonful of soup, it brought all of my cells to life! They all slurped and sucked in every bit of nutrition my mom's soup had to offer. She apologized for such a simple meal, but I told her: "Mom, it is the most exquisite thing in the whole universe. Nothing could possibly taste better." It was so comforting and healing.<br />
<br />
Today's Communion felt that way, too -- comforting and healing. My soul devoured the Goodness of the Bread and Wine, every element of my being feasting upon "the Goodness of the Lord."<br />
<br />
<div class="TXTTWO">
<i><b>Psalm 34:8 -- "<span class="reftext"></span>Taste and see that the <span class="nivsmallcaps">Lord</span> is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him"
</b></i></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-84860157125306831352013-01-06T18:09:00.000-06:002013-01-06T18:31:21.573-06:00Fog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had the day before Thanksgiving off from work; but, I still got up at my usual time of "O dark thirty" to take advantage of the grocery stores being empty. I hate crowds, so I find the luxury of sleeping in not so luxurious in the face of crowded supermarkets. I was surprised at the dense fog that awaited me as I pulled my car out of the garage. The weather man on the radio said the fog would not lift until noon. I was forced to drive slower than the speed limit, the visibility not allowing me to see too far beyond my headlights. As I wound along the small highway, I found myself a bit disoriented. As certain "landmarks" appeared in the fog, my brain would readjust, mentally drawing a map of where I was along the route and adjusting as each known landmark suddenly -- and unexpectedly -- appeared before me.<br />
<br />
I drove through a little town nearby: one of those quaint, old historic "townes" that offers the passerby a view back into an America of a bygone era: storefronts with porches along the road. The town had put up its annual Christmas lights which shone so lovely in the foggy dark: white snowflakes attached to the old time streetlamps. Nostalgia bubbled up inside me as I dreamt of "Christmas past" of my childhood. The site was so lovely, I pulled my car over to snap a picture with my iPhone. (The flash was reflected in the small particles of the fog -- no, it's not snowing in the picture above, but rather you're seeing the tiny droplets that made up the fog.)<br />
<br />
I got back into my car and continued on to the grocery store. I pulled onto a more lighted, busier thoroughfare, although the fog still created an odd disorientation even here. As I pulled into the market's parking lot, I was struck by how the tall, bright lights gave an eerie glow to what was now an unfamiliar scape. <br />
<br />
It turns out, I forgot that the supermarket is no longer open 24 hours a day. I actually arrived about 10 minutes before opening time! So, I waited a bit in my car, listening to the radio and peering out at my foggy surroundings.<br />
<br />
The few moments of solitude caused me to reflect on my foggy journey. I felt oddly confused and bewildered by the effects of the fog. If it were not for the occasional landmark along the way -- a road sign, a traffic light or intersection -- I would have had a very difficult time arriving to my final destination. <br />
<br />
How often do we find ourselves in such similar circumstances in life -- our paths fogged with stress, hardship, loss, sorrow? What "landmarks" do you have in your life that help point the way even when the going is unfamiliar and confusing? Who are the lamps in your life that offer orienteering and guidance? How do you stay on the right path when life blinds and disorients you?<br />
<br />
Give thanks for those in your life who have built these lamp posts in the past and who today stand as signs along the path. Life is hard. Give thanks for the patches of light. Give thanks for the Waypointers.<br />
<br />KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-10763438537003919172012-09-16T16:07:00.001-05:002012-09-16T16:07:44.835-05:00The Approaching Storm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It was early morning when I strode outside with my dog. The scent of rain greeted me, accompanied by brushes of wind across my cheeks. I love the feel of wind, but this was a bit of a stiff breeze. The rustling of the trees' branches drew my attention to their bouncing in the breeze, pointing skyward to the dark grey and swiftly moving, rain-heavy clouds. The blades of grass belied the path of the wind, swirling in whip-like fashion in trails and swirls. My dog turned her ears backwards, and her nose wriggled, nostrils flaring as she sniffed the wind. I imagined she could most likely hear the storm in the distance.<br />
<br />
As I watched the wind lightly tossing about the tree tops, I had an odd sense: it was as if the wind was warning me of something more than rain and thunderstorms. I sensed a deeper omen. "There is a storm coming. Prepare."<br />
<br />
The thought drew me back to a few years ago when a devastating tornado hit my area. That day, too, I had an "impression" -- it was impressed upon me the thought of "A storm is coming. Get your shoes on." I am one of those people who instantly kicks off the old shoes when I come home from work, allowing my toes to wiggle free of their stuffy shoes and grip the cool, slick wood flooring or fluffy carpeting beneath them. But the afternoon of the tornado, it was "impressed" upon me that getting my shoes on was of utmost importance. I was fortunate in that my home was not affected by the tornado, but I was called out by the Red Cross to help with damage assessment of a community nearby.<br />
<br />
But, today, the "impression" I was receiving was not like the day of the tornado. This approaching storm was one stretched farther out into time: more widespread, long range, more devastating.<br />
<br />
I pressed the thoughts down, recognizing that perhaps my disaster preparations I had recently started were getting the best of me. "You've been stockpiling supplies too much lately. You need to quit reading, surfing, ordering. Put your faith in God instead -- that all will be all right." But, I couldn't shake the feeling that this "impression" -- this idea being pressed upon me -- was from God. I recalled <i>"be wise as serpents and innocent as doves." </i><br />
<br />
I prepare not in fear of "end times" as some do. I prepare more for a situation of large-scale natural disaster or terrorists disrupting food supplies and distribution systems. Now, with the chaos in the Middle East, I worry even more about terrorists disrupting the world in general -- oil, food supplies, war, terrorist attacks, economic hardship.<br />
<br />
In church this morning I sat next to a young family who lovingly doted on their newborn baby. She couldn't have been more than two weeks old. The father held her with gentleness and love, gently pushing her bangs aside as she slept, kissing her softly on her forehead. I felt a small stab of pain as I wondered if her parents worried about her future. And yet I know every generation on this earth has worried about the future of generations to come. My grandparents faced World War II. My parents faced the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Our generation would be no different.<br />
<br />
I turned to the parents and said "Congratulations!", this phrase meaning "I wish you joy!" Indeed, I do wish them and the child joy -- that precious gift God gives no matter the situation or predicament. <br />
<br />
Normally, I am a joy-filled person. But, it seems lately I've been worrying more than usual. May God restore my joy. May God restore OUR joy. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, I keep thinking of that old song: "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition", written as a response to Pearl Harbor. But, I will pray ... a lot.<br />
<br />
<i><b>"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."</b></i> (Philippians 4:7)<br />
<br />
<br />KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-18507031991528553882012-07-21T11:53:00.003-05:002012-07-21T11:53:45.830-05:00The Stethoscope<i>Great commercial ... thanks, J!</i><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bYI_aOyCn9Y" width="560"></iframe>KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-28641660664473058272012-07-20T13:27:00.000-05:002012-07-20T13:27:28.521-05:00God Can, Indeed, Use You!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember…<br />
<br />
Noah was a drunk<br />
Abraham was too old<br />
Isaac was a daydreamer<br />
Jacob was a liar<br />
Leah was ugly<br />
Joseph was abused<br />
Moses had a stuttering problem<br />
Gideon was afraid<br />
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer<br />
Rehab was a prostitute<br />
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young<br />
David had an affair and was a murderer<br />
Elijah was suicidal<br />
Isaiah preached naked<br />
Jonah ran from God<br />
Naomi was a widow<br />
Job went bankrupt<br />
John the Baptist ate bugs<br />
Peter denied Christ<br />
The disciples fell asleep while praying<br />
Martha worried about everything<br />
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once<br />
Zacchaeus was too small<br />
Paul was too religious<br />
Timothy had an ulcer…AND<br />
Lazarus was dead!<br />
<br />
No more excuses now!!<br />
God can use you to your full potential.<br />
Besides, you aren't the message,<br />
you are just the messenger.<br />
<br />
God bless!<br />KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-80813994024588506972012-07-17T16:40:00.005-05:002012-07-17T16:41:43.920-05:00The Pastor's Son<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0bfb6QTkD6rwwymbRIwAsxCaAph1m_6uRhWohBtcO0y2-75klYQW02J2pm_TmB4OnySX9VL7oHcerLRsz3X-IjphcZ9qeQEsjxejK3I_ZPxycUTTI3rB3s7hGa6pAViwHjmcYf84F-eQ/s1600/PAB2136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0bfb6QTkD6rwwymbRIwAsxCaAph1m_6uRhWohBtcO0y2-75klYQW02J2pm_TmB4OnySX9VL7oHcerLRsz3X-IjphcZ9qeQEsjxejK3I_ZPxycUTTI3rB3s7hGa6pAViwHjmcYf84F-eQ/s200/PAB2136.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Every
Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at the church, the Pastor
and his eleven year old son would go out into their town and hand out
Gospel Tracts.<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />This
particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the Pastor and his son
to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very cold outside, as
well as pouring rain.<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><span style="color: black;"><br />The boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes and said, 'OK, dad, I'm ready.'<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />His Pastor dad asked, 'Ready for what?'<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />'Dad, it's time we gather our tracts together and go out.'<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />Dad responds, 'Son, it's very cold outside and it's pouring rain.'<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />The boy gives his dad a surprised look, asking, 'But Dad, aren't people still going to Hell, even though it's raining?'<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />Dad answers, 'Son, I am not going out in this weather.'<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />Despondently, the boy asks, 'Dad, can I go? Please?'<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />His father hesitated for a moment then said, 'Son, you can go. Here are the tracts, be careful son..'<br /><br />'Thanks Dad!'<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />And
with that, he was off and out into the rain.. This eleven year old boy
walked the streets of the town going door to door and handing everybody
he met in the street a Gospel Tract .<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />After
two hours of walking in the rain, he was soaking, bone-chilled wet and
down to his very last tract. He stopped on a corner and looked for
someone to hand a tract to, but the streets were totally deserted.<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />Then
he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk to
the front door and rang the doorbell. He rang the bell, but nobody
answered.<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />He rang it again and again, but still no one answered. He waited but still no answer.<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />Finally, this eleven year old trooper turned to leave, but something stopped him.<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />Again,
he turned to the door and rang the bell and knocked loudly on the door
with his fist. He waited, something holding him there on the front
porch!<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />He rang again and this time the door slowly opened.<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />Standing
in the doorway was a very sad-looking elderly lady. She softly asked,
'What can I do for you, son?' With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up
her world, this little boy said, 'Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you,
but I just want to tell you that * JESUS REALLY
DOES LOVE YOU * and I came to give you my very last Gospel Tract which
will tell you all about JESUS and His great LOVE.'<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />With that, he handed her his last tract and turned to leave.<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />She called to him as he departed. 'Thank you, son! And God Bless You!'<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />Well,
the following Sunday morning in church Pastor Dad was in the pulpit.
As the service began, he asked, 'Does anybody have testimony or want to
say anything?'</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><br />Slowly, in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood to her feet.<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />As
she began to speak, a look of glorious radiance came from her face, "No
one in this church knows me. I've never been here before. You see,
before last Sunday I was not a Christian. My husband passed on some time
ago, leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Sunday, being a
particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more so in my heart that I
came to the end of the line where I no longer had any hope or will to
live.<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />"So
I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic of
my home. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof, then
stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the
rope around my neck. Standing on that chair, so lonely and
broken-hearted I was about to leap off, when suddenly the loud ringing
of my doorbell downstairs startled me. I thought, 'I'll wait a minute,
and whoever it is will go away.'<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />"I
waited and waited, but the ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and
more insistent, and then the person ringing also started knocking
loudly...<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />"I
thought to myself again, 'Who on earth could this be? Nobody ever rings
my bell or comes to see me.' I loosened the rope from my neck and
started for the front door, all the while the bell rang louder and
louder.<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />"When
I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes, for there
on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little boy I had ever
seen in my life. His
SMILE, oh, I could never describe it to you!<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />"The
words that came from his mouth caused my heart that had long been dead,
TO LEAP TO LIFE as he exclaimed with a cherub-like voice, 'Ma'am, I
just came to tell you that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU .' Then he gave me
this<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span>Gospel Tract that I now hold in my hand..<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />"As
the little angel disappeared back out into the cold and rain, I closed
my door and read slowly every word of this Gospel Tract. Then I went up
to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing them
anymore.<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />"You
see -- I am now a Happy Child of the KING. Since the address of your
church was on the back of this Gospel Tract, I have come here to
personally say THANK YOU to God's little
angel who came just in the nick of time and by<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span>so doing, spared my soul from an eternity in hell ..."<br /><br />There
was not a dry eye in the church. And as shouts of praise and honor to
THE KING resounded off the very rafters of the building, Pastor Dad
descended from the pulpit to the front pew where the little angel was
seated....<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />He took his son in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.<span class="ecxyiv232095286apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br />Probably
no church has had a more glorious moment, and probably this universe
has never seen a Papa that was more filled with love & honor for his
son ... Except for One.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black;">
</span></span></span>KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-75125313599319794742012-07-01T16:59:00.000-05:002012-07-01T17:15:10.632-05:00Aramaic Taught in Israeli Village<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJWXWQiaijiJWGFlBs1gSTGlgHat4CbBp_hQUT4vhbqA7X3cpR-4702b65t9I0pTtwlyLGtHpPLFuUk76rbcQvEFLvSkv7uWS7n3JWlOgFZvmhDIcpbtrrree2CbCRb8_6jl2kPFZmYc/s1600/article-2151686-13553271000005DC-183_634x444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJWXWQiaijiJWGFlBs1gSTGlgHat4CbBp_hQUT4vhbqA7X3cpR-4702b65t9I0pTtwlyLGtHpPLFuUk76rbcQvEFLvSkv7uWS7n3JWlOgFZvmhDIcpbtrrree2CbCRb8_6jl2kPFZmYc/s200/article-2151686-13553271000005DC-183_634x444.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I found this great article last month -- <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h1>
<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2151686/The-Israeli-village-Christian-children-learning-Aramaic-bid-revive-ancient-language-Jesus-spoke.html"><span style="font-size: large;">The Israeli village where Christian children are learning Aramaic in bid to revive ancient language that Jesus spoke</span></a></h1>
By
<a class="author" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Julian+Gavaghan" rel="nofollow">Julian Gavaghan</a></blockquote>
<div style="border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;">A Christian village in Israel is
teaching Aramaic in an effort to revive the ancient language that Jesus
spoke - centuries after it all but disappeared from the Middle East.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Maronite</b>
children from Jish, who speak Arabic as their first language, are
learning the tongue of their forefathers after their elementary school
became the only one in the country to teach the subject.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: small;">The
language, which was the region's dominant language 2,000 years ago, is
still chanted in the church – although few understand it beyond prayers.</span></b></blockquote>
<div style="border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;">But, rather than rebel against
learning an idiom that has little practical use, the 80 youngsters aged
five to ten are embracing learning phrases such as ‘ah chop’ – or ‘how
are you?’</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Many Muslim
children are even happy to learn it because</b>, according to the school’s
head teacher, it is part of the Arab community’s ‘collective heritage’.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">In
the Arab village of Jish, nestled in the Galilean hills where Jesus
lived and preached, about 80 children in grades one through five study
Aramaic as a voluntary subject for two hours a week. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Israel's education ministry provided funds to add classes until the eighth grade, said principal Reem Khatieb-Zuabi.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Several Jish residents lobbied for Aramaic studies several years ago, he explained, but the idea faced resistance.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Jish's <b>Muslims worried</b> it was a covert attempt to entice their children to Christianity. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">And
<b>some Christians objected</b>, saying the emphasis on their ancestral
language was being used to strip them of their Arab identity. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="clear">
</div>
<div class="artSplitter">
<span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="Passion: Atif Zarka, 64, a volunteer Aramaic teacher's assistant, plays the violin to forth grade students studying Aramaic in Jish" class="blkBorder" height="286" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/05/29/article-2151686-1354ED1F000005DC-951_634x454.jpg" width="400" /></span>
<br />
<div class="imageCaption">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Passion: Atif Zarka, 64, a volunteer Aramaic
teacher's assistant, plays the violin to forth grade students studying
Aramaic in Jish</i></span></div>
<div class="imageCaption">
<br /></div>
</div>
<b><span style="font-size: small;">The issue is
sensitive to many Arab Muslims and Christians in Israel, who prefer to
be identified by their ethnicity, not their faith.</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Ultimately, Mr Khatieb-Zuabi, a secular Muslim from an outside village, overruled them.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>‘This is our collective heritage and culture. We should celebrate and study it,’</b> he said. </span></blockquote>
<div style="border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;">Carla Hadad, 10, who frequently waved
her arms to answer questions in Aramaic from school teacher Mona Issa
during a recent lesson, said: <b>‘We want to speak the language that Jesus
spoke.’</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">‘We used to speak it a long time ago,’ she added, referring to her ancestors.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">During
the lesson, a dozen children lisped out a Christian prayer in Aramaic.
They learned the words for ‘elephant,’ and ‘mountain.’ </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Some
children carefully drew sharp-angled Aramaic letters. Others fiddled
with their pencil cases, which sported images of popular soccer teams.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: small;">The
children are helped in their studies by an Aramaic-speaking television
channel from Sweden, of all places, where a vibrant immigrant community
has kept the ancient tongue alive.</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The only other filmed production to use the language is <b>Mel Gibson’s biopic The Passion of The Christ.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The language is also being taught in the Palestinian-administered <b>West Bank</b> at a special school for <b>Syrian Orthodox Christians</b>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">In
the village of Beit Jala, near Jesus’ birthplace in Bethlehem, priests
have taught the language to their 320 students for the past five years.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Some
360 families in the area descend from Aramaic-speaking refugees who in
the 1920s fled the Tur Abdin region of what is now Turkey.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Priest Butros Nimeh said elders still speak the language but that it vanished among younger generations. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">He said they hoped teaching the language would help the children appreciate their roots.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: small;">Although both the Syrian Orthodox and Maronite church worship in Aramaic, they are distinctly different sects.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="clear">
</div>
<div class="artSplitter">
<span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="Ancient language: A copy of the Gospel of Luke in Aramaic script" class="blkBorder" height="290" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/05/29/article-2151686-1354EB63000005DC-796_634x461.jpg" width="400" /></span>
<br />
<div class="imageCaption">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Ancient language: A copy of the Gospel of Luke in Aramaic script</i></span></div>
<div class="imageCaption">
<br /></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">The
Maronites are the dominant Christian church in neighboring Lebanon but
make up only a few thousand of the Holy Land's 210,000 Christians. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Likewise,
Syrian Orthodox Christians number no more than 2,000 in the Holy Land,
said Nimeh. Overall, some 150,000 Christians live in Israel and another
60,000 live in the West Bank.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">They
are helped by <b>Swedish Aramaic-speaking communities </b>who descended from
the Middle East have sought to keep their language alive.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">They
publish a <b>newspaper</b>, ‘Bahro Suryoyo,’ pamphlets and children's books,
including ‘The Little Prince,’ and maintain a <b>satellite television
station</b>, ‘Soryoyosat,’ said Arzu Alan, chairwoman of the Syriac Aramaic
Federation of Sweden.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">There's
also an <b>Aramaic soccer team, ‘Syrianska FC’ in the Swedish top division</b>
from the town of Sodertalje. Officials estimate the Aramaic-speaking
population at anywhere from 30,000 to 80,000 people.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">For
many Maronites and Syrian Orthodox Christians in the Holy Land, the
television station, in particular, was the first time they heard the
language outside church in decades. <b>Hearing it in a modern context
inspired them to try revive the language among their communities.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">‘When you hear (the language), you can speak it,’ said Issa, the teacher.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Aramaic
dialects were the region's vernacular from 2,500 years ago until the
sixth century, when Arabic, the language of conquering Muslims from the
Arabian Peninsula, became dominant,</b> according to Fassberg.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Linguistic
islands survived: Maronites clung to Aramaic liturgy and so did the
Syrian Orthodox church. Kurdish Jews on the river island of Zakho spoke
an Aramaic dialect called ‘Targum’ until fleeing to Israel in the 1950s.
Three Christian villages in Syria still speak an Aramaic dialect,
Fassberg said.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">With few
opportunities to practice the ancient tongue, teachers in Jish have
tempered expectations. They hope they can at least revive an
understanding of the language.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The
steep challenges are seen in the Jish school, where the fourth-grade
Aramaic class has just a dozen students. The number used to be twice
that until they introduced an art class during the same time slot - and
lost half their students.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-59686594059971875112012-07-01T16:25:00.001-05:002012-07-01T16:43:03.352-05:00Only 15% Believe in Godless EvolutionTerence P. Jeffrey at <a href="http://cnsnews.com/">CNS News</a> had an interesting summary of a recent Gallup poll (emphasis added) ... <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h1 class="title" id="page-title">
<a href="http://cnsnews.com/news/article/only-15-percent-americans-believe-godless-evolution-says-gallup?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter"><span style="font-size: large;">Only 15 Percent of Americans Believe in Godless Evolution, Says Gallup</span></a></h1>
(CNSNews.com) - Only 15 percent of Americans say they believe that
the human species evolved from a lower form of life and that God had no
part in the process, according to <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/155003/Hold-Creationist-View-Human-Origins.aspx">a Gallup poll</a> released on Wednesday.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEvTA1082qy_rcULKloN82MJH_wnwQsZtiuRLLEBW7PH9KXYIhHytUZIpxDfRroze2I0gWNRnlsPJQjjkhf8PQMV3gbZVw-aW6myVbiujcuurHx8pz37qirQteR4VF_bvmksnqppAef4/s1600/GOD+CREATES+ADAM-WIKIMEDIA-USE+THIS+ONE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEvTA1082qy_rcULKloN82MJH_wnwQsZtiuRLLEBW7PH9KXYIhHytUZIpxDfRroze2I0gWNRnlsPJQjjkhf8PQMV3gbZVw-aW6myVbiujcuurHx8pz37qirQteR4VF_bvmksnqppAef4/s320/GOD+CREATES+ADAM-WIKIMEDIA-USE+THIS+ONE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>A combined 78 percent of Americans believe that whether man developed
over millions of years or was created from the start in his present
form, it was God who did the forming. </b><br />
<br />
In a survey conducted May 3-6, Gallup asked 1,024 American adults:
“Which of the following statements comes closest to your views on the
origin and development of human beings: 1) Human beings have developed
over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God guided
this process, 2) Human beings have developed over millions of years
from less advanced forms of life, but God had no part in this process,
3) God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one
time within the last 10,000 years or so?”<br />
<br />
Forty-six percent said they believe God created human beings pretty
much in their present form within approximately the last 10,000 years.<br />
<br />
Thirty-two percent said human beings develop over millions of years
from less advanced forms of life, but God guided the process.<br />
<br />
Fifteen percent said they believed man developed over millions of
years from less advanced forms of life, but God had no part in it.<br />
<br />
People with the last view—that man evolved from lesser beings without
the guiding hand of God—are most likely to be found among people who
seldom or never go to church and people who attended post-graduate
school.<br />
<br />
<b>Only 14 percent of American college graduates believe in Godless
evolution</b>, the Gallup poll revealed. However, <b>29 percent of those who
attended graduate school believe man evolved without any involvement by
God.</b><br />
<br />
Only 3 percent of Americans who attend church weekly believe in
Godless evolution, and only 10 percent of those who attend church
almost weekly or monthly. However, among those who seldom or never go
to church, 26 percent believe man evolved without any involvement by
God.<br />
<br />
Among Americans who attend church every week, 67 percent believe that
God created man pretty much in his present form within approximately
the last 10,000 years. Fifty-five percent of Americans who attend
church almost every week or monthly share that view.<br />
<br />
Democrats and Independents, according to Gallup, are more likely to
believe in Godless evolution (19 percent of each group do), than
Republicans (only 5 percent do).<br />
<br />
<b>Gallup has been asking Americans this question about God and
evolution since 1982. </b>In its analysis of the current survey, the
polling firm said <b>Americans have been very consistent in believing God
had a hand in man’s development.</b><br />
<br />
“Despite the many changes that have taken place in American society
and culture over the past 30 years, including new discoveries in
biological and social science, <b>there has been virtually no sustained
change in Americans' views of the origin of the human species since
1982</b>,” said Gallup’s analysis.<br />
<br />
In 1982, according to <a href="http://cnsnews.com/sites/default/files/documents/EVOLUTION-GALLUP.pdf">historical data</a>
published by Gallup, 44 percent said that God created man as is within
the last 10,000 years, 38 percent said man evolved with God’s guiding
hand, and 9 percent said man evolved and God had no part in the
process.</blockquote>
I think the comment regarding Americans remaining consistent in their beliefs over the past 30 years , in spite of ongoing medical innovations and discoveries, coupled with data on education levels are especially meaningful to me.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-64256956329362420292012-06-27T11:47:00.000-05:002012-06-27T11:48:01.084-05:00We Need to TalkRecently in a weekly update from <a href="http://www.snopes.com/">Snopes.com</a>, I was reminded of a wonderful billboard campaign -- the "We Need to Talk" series of sharp-witted comments ascribed to God. The Snopes story was based specifically on such a billboard that survived <a href="http://www.snopes.com/photos/signs/charley.asp">Hurricane Charley</a> back in 2004.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
When Hurricane Charley slammed into Florida in mid-August 2004, battering the state with up to 100 mph winds that knocked over signs, uprooted trees, and left thousands of homes destroyed or uninhabitable, one billboard on Sand Lake Road in Orlando survived the onslaught relatively unscathed. The storm peeled off the most recent advertising message displayed on the board, however, revealing in its place an ad from an earlier campaign: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TaLZ215UsnfT7AUQFeu5gDlH_3C16_nraKRXCbLFD6x7NVrjY-T1wnQAGdIrYMB6yFli2iMaduue3SW_Iue1_j9oYxtABLwwv-8IiEuxoOotYOBgtmnXUhbAGzeyEiH2v3IuxnqY4M4/s1600/charley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TaLZ215UsnfT7AUQFeu5gDlH_3C16_nraKRXCbLFD6x7NVrjY-T1wnQAGdIrYMB6yFli2iMaduue3SW_Iue1_j9oYxtABLwwv-8IiEuxoOotYOBgtmnXUhbAGzeyEiH2v3IuxnqY4M4/s1600/charley.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Luckily, the Snopes article listed the others in the billboard series --<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"C'mon Over And Bring The Kids" — God <br />
<br />
"What Part of 'Thou Shalt Not . . .' Didn't You Understand?" — God <br />
<br />
"We Need To Talk" — God <br />
<br />
"Keep Using My Name in Vain And I'll Make Rush Hour Longer" — God <br />
<br />
"Loved The Wedding, Invite Me To The Marriage" — God <br />
<br />
"That 'Love Thy Neighbor' Thing, I Meant It." — God <br />
<br />
"I Love You . . . I Love You . . . I Love You . . ." — God <br />
<br />
"Will The Road You're On Get You To My Place?" — God <br />
<br />
"Follow Me." — God <br />
<br />
"Big Bang Theory, You've Got To Be Kidding." — God <br />
<br />
"My Way Is The Highway." — God <br />
<br />
"Need Directions?" — God <br />
<br />
"You Think It's Hot Here?" — God <br />
<br />
"Tell The Kids I Love Them." — God <br />
<br />
"Need a Marriage Counselor? I'm Available." — God <br />
<br />
"Have You Read My #1 Best Seller? There Will Be A Test." — God </blockquote>
Don't they make you smile? I'd love to see these return. They're great!KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-33186557213770430582012-06-17T20:48:00.001-05:002012-06-17T20:49:49.374-05:00Faith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrR3s8CW5SyKiT9ymrcEPfrj3QbPjdQiCS6lC5WYJC3R7UnAI7kAryTvr4EJCULCQpcnYHOznOTCdGlY-yAqHZfQwla6uKMWYqIdho-5p0VAnAXTU4aOpMU9ZVDD8OCBddGXFLCyk2uA/s1600/college+class" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrR3s8CW5SyKiT9ymrcEPfrj3QbPjdQiCS6lC5WYJC3R7UnAI7kAryTvr4EJCULCQpcnYHOznOTCdGlY-yAqHZfQwla6uKMWYqIdho-5p0VAnAXTU4aOpMU9ZVDD8OCBddGXFLCyk2uA/s320/college+class" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Professor</b>: You are a Christian, aren’t you, son?<br />
<br />
<div>
<wbr></wbr><span class="ecxyiv21707841text_exposed_show"><br /><b>Student</b>: Yes, sir.<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: So, you believe in GOD?<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: Absolutely, sir.<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: Is GOD good?<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: Sure.<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: Is GOD all powerful?<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: Yes.<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>:
My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to GOD to heal him.
Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But GOD didn’t. How
is this GOD good then? Hmm?<br /><br /><i>(Student was silent.)</i></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span class="ecxyiv21707841text_exposed_show"><b>Professor</b>: You can’t answer, can you? Let’s start again, young fella. Is GOD good?<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: Yes.<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: Is satan good?<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: No.<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: Where does satan come from?<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: From … GOD …<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: That’s right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: Yes.<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: Evil is everywhere, isn’t it? And GOD did make everything. Correct?<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: Yes.<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: So who created evil?<br /><br /><i>(Student did not answer.)</i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="ecxyiv21707841text_exposed_show"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="ecxyiv21707841text_exposed_show"><b>Professor</b>: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don’t they?<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: Yes, sir.<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: So, who created them?<br /><br /><i>(Student had no answer.)</i><br /><br /><b>Professor</b>:
Science says you have 5 Senses you use to identify and observe the
world around you. Tell me, son, have you ever seen GOD?<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: No, sir.<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: Tell us if you have ever heard your GOD?<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: No, sir.<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>:
Have you ever felt your GOD, tasted your GOD, smelt your GOD? Have you
ever had any sensory perception of GOD for that matter?<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: No, sir. I’m afraid I haven’t.<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: Yet you still believe in Him?</span></div>
<div>
<span class="ecxyiv21707841text_exposed_show"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="ecxyiv21707841text_exposed_show"><b>Student</b>: Yes.<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says
your GOD doesn’t exist. What do you say to that, son?<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: Nothing. I only have my faith.<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: Yes, faith. And that is the problem Science has.<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: Yes.<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: And is there such a thing as cold?<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: Yes.<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: No, sir. There isn’t.<br /><br /><i>(The lecture theater became very quiet with this turn of events.)</i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="ecxyiv21707841text_exposed_show"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="ecxyiv21707841text_exposed_show"><b>Student</b>: Sir, you
can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat,
a little heat or no heat. But we don’t have anything called cold. We
can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can’t go any
further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word
we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is
energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.<br /><br /><i>(There was pin-drop silence in the lecture theater.)</i><br /><br /><b>Student</b>: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: Yes. What is night if there isn’t darkness?<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You
can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light. But if
you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness,
isn’t it? In reality, darkness isn’t. If it is, well you would be able
to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?</span></div>
<div>
<span class="ecxyiv21707841text_exposed_show"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="ecxyiv21707841text_exposed_show"><b>Professor</b>: So what is the point you are making, young man?<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: Flawed? Can you explain how?<br /><br /><b>Student</b>: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is
life and then there is death, a good GOD and a bad GOD. You are viewing
the concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure. Sir,
Science can’t even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism,
but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view
death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death
cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of
life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your
students that they evolved from a monkey?<br /><br /><b>Professor</b>: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="ecxyiv21707841text_exposed_show"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="ecxyiv21707841text_exposed_show"><b>Student:</b> Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?<br /><br /><i>(The Professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument was going.)</i><br /><br /><b>Student:</b> Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and
cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor. Are you not
teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?<br /><br /><i>(The class was in uproar.)</i><br /><br /><b>Student:</b> Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor’s brain?<br /><br /><i>(The class broke out into laughter. )</i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="ecxyiv21707841text_exposed_show"><br /></span></div>
<span class="ecxyiv21707841text_exposed_show"><b>Student:</b> Is there
anyone here who has ever heard the Professor’s brain, felt it, touched
or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the
established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science
says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we
then trust your lectures, sir?<br /><br /><i>(The room was silent. The Professor stared at the student, his face unfathomable.)</i><br /><br /><b>Professor:</b> I guess you’ll have to take them on faith, son.<br /><br /><b>Student:</b> That is it sir … Exactly! The link between man and GOD is FAITH. That is all that keeps things alive and moving.</span>KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-86167340326257317372012-04-30T11:08:00.000-05:002012-04-30T11:08:40.151-05:00The Bible's Importance in American Society<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_8Qe_zz2IuEJiVO3TjTkiYfteMDt2pwpok8NJbSk9rGfV0fINKGWX3rpYVaroy5lSxOar_bYPq7Lcr8rUcxJRFm8-7xk72gpJODT2mGe4-MZp2T3nfHH5bBXMKJYdkpm9kOxTRQv7rw/s1600/ts-neon-bible.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_8Qe_zz2IuEJiVO3TjTkiYfteMDt2pwpok8NJbSk9rGfV0fINKGWX3rpYVaroy5lSxOar_bYPq7Lcr8rUcxJRFm8-7xk72gpJODT2mGe4-MZp2T3nfHH5bBXMKJYdkpm9kOxTRQv7rw/s200/ts-neon-bible.jpg" width="176" /></a></div>
Just spotted this interesting article by Lamar Vest at FoxNews today (emphasis added) --<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h1 class="entry-title" id="article-title">
<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/04/29/does-bible-still-matter-in-2012/"><span style="font-size: large;">Does the Bible still matter in 2012?</span></a></h1>
<div class="article-text KonaBody">
After all the very visible fighting about public displays of
religious symbols— from 10 Commandments plaques to graveyard crosses to
faith-themed war memorials to holiday manger displays—you might have
developed the impression that most Americans don’t think the Bible
matters today and they like it that way.<br />
<br />
You’d be wrong.<br />
<br />
There is a lot of speculation about both the current role and the
appropriate role of the Bible in America. But each year, <b>American Bible
Society</b> puts the guessing aside and asks a sampling of Americans to tell
us how they view and use the Bible and what they believe its role
should be in America. Recently, American Bible Society released this
year’s results from that research in the 2012 State of the Bible report.<br />
<br />
<b>The State of the Bible in America in 2012 can be summed up in a two words: encouraging and unsettling.</b><br />
<br />
The research, commissioned by American Bible Society and conducted by
Barna Research, found that <b>the majority of Americans (69%) believe the
Bible provides answers on how to live a meaningful life.</b> But while 79%
believe they are knowledgeable about the Bible, <b>54% were unable to
correctly identify the first five books of the Bible</b>. And approximately
<b>half of Americans surveyed didn’t know the fundamental differences
between the teachings of the Bible, Koran and Book of Mormon, with 46%
percent saying they believe all three books teach the same spiritual
truths.</b><br />
</div>
<div class="article-text KonaBody">
While nearly half of Americans (47%) believe the Bible has too little
influence in society—<b>a far cry from the anti-faith picture often
painted in culture</b>—approximately half (46%) say they read the Bible no
more than once or twice a year.<br />
<br />
What The State of the Bible report also confirmed is that the lack of
engagement with the Bible among Americans isn’t caused by a lack of
access to it. Here in the United States, <b>85% of households own a Bible.
Actually, most families own more than one, with a household average of
4.3 Bibles.</b><br />
<br />
Looking more closely at the data, something really interesting
emerges. When we examine responses to the question “Do you believe the
Bible contains everything a person needs to live a meaningful life?”, we
find that older respondents agreed at a much higher rate than did
younger respondents. While 61% of those surveyed between ages 18-27
agreed, those 47 years and older agreed at a rate of 75%.<br />
<br />
Before you assert that older people are just naturally more
traditional, remember that the older group is made up of the Woodstock
generation, free-love ‘70s kids and the MTV generation. The data seems
to say that the older you are, the more likely you are to value the
Bible. Maybe it’s that our own life experiences prove the value of the
Bible’s wisdom?<br />
<br />
There is no doubt that the findings in The State of the Bible lead to <b>some obvious questions.</b> For instance…<br />
<br />
<b>- If Americans believe in the value of reading and applying the Bible, why don’t more of us do so?</b><br />
<br />
<b>- If we believe that the Bible has the right amount of—or too
little—influence in society, why is so much negative attention given to
expressions of the faith in the God of the Bible?</b><br />
<br />
When survey participants were asked <b>what frustrated them most about
reading the Bible</b>, the most oft-cited response was that <b>they “never had
enough time to read it.” The busy-ness of our lives</b> often make it
difficult for us to follow through on what we say we value. Another
reason I often hear from non-Bible readers is that <b>they find the sheer
size of the Bible to be overwhelming</b>.<br />
<br />
So where does someone start who wants to be a Bible reader but
doesn’t have a lot of time? <b>A good place to begin is with the “Essential
100.”</b> This list of 100 key verses and related stories do not contain
everything the Bible has to say. What it does provide is a concise way
to understand the bigger arc of the Bible without getting bogged down.
For all of those who wonder what the Bible is really all about, The
Essential 100 (available at <b><a href="http://e100.americanbible.org/" target="_blank">e100.americanbible.org</a></b>) is a great starting point.<br />
<br />
So is the Bible really relevant in 2012? You won’t know until you read it.<br />
...</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
Some good advice there for those of us who find squeezing time into our day for Bible study tough. Some other suggestions:</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
- Find yourself a good translation, and a Bible with notes throughout can not only help you understand, but will also offer insights and perspectives you might not have considered. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
- If you are already fairly familiar with the Bible, maybe choosing an unfamiliar translation might cause you to receive and digest the Word in a new way. Familiarity can lead to boredom. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
- Luckily, for the techies there are a lot of useful websites, podcasts and tools to help us do just that. I will be adding some info to the side margins. In the meantime, check out Google for websites and iTunes for podcasts and apps.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
But, let us not forget that <b>PRIORITY is the ultimate "app"</b> in helping us with the time issue. <b>We make time for what really matters.</b> I have been guilty of not prioritizing; but, of late I've been meeting with greater success since I started a "through-the-bible-in-a-year" initiative at the start of the New Year,. I am still on track and have found the 20 minutes or so to be very beneficial -- I feel my "little flicker o' faith" starting to be more of a flame. </div>
<br />
Now, do NOT think you have to devote that much time. We all know that new habits are hard to form, so be reasonable in any new routine you try to establish. Even just a few minutes in focused contemplation with God's Word will help, and that is a far more manageable and attainable strategy than thinking you have to go for long stretches of time each day.<br />
<br />
<br />KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-89558697972243342302012-04-09T14:30:00.000-05:002012-04-09T14:30:43.362-05:00Happy Easter!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSw8zr0NdMHUdExmb4J_LKkKaRiYLyea8OHynon9wOXbaDZY7cbWYajM5bkYShwOI3EiBmZsZurX-Xf5xsXcGj4Zlw8Tn2hDFwEOd5nnyQ_X5SNQu76B_GWLNvD57XlDxNBrTfVNB3QBQ/s1600/Grave+Experience.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSw8zr0NdMHUdExmb4J_LKkKaRiYLyea8OHynon9wOXbaDZY7cbWYajM5bkYShwOI3EiBmZsZurX-Xf5xsXcGj4Zlw8Tn2hDFwEOd5nnyQ_X5SNQu76B_GWLNvD57XlDxNBrTfVNB3QBQ/s1600/Grave+Experience.jpg" /></a></div>
Got this beauty at <a href="http://townhall.com/">Townhall.com</a><br />
<br />
Amen!KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-57102877579207392112012-04-06T10:51:00.000-05:002012-04-06T10:51:01.355-05:00Anti-Christian Sentiment in Europe on Rise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fkDlDbVloffhj9RaIsmOPBgLzoGvLeofMkAJcwfmqkBqCBJyaf8-vqDlydGZm4XZWtCd3jj0yZ1Iyt2IuehSk0cS1cn5KRFfgnqNk3-WOJI_s6Kf4s5mz3ymzam7MghsExzVIaOKD9U/s1600/anti-christian" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fkDlDbVloffhj9RaIsmOPBgLzoGvLeofMkAJcwfmqkBqCBJyaf8-vqDlydGZm4XZWtCd3jj0yZ1Iyt2IuehSk0cS1cn5KRFfgnqNk3-WOJI_s6Kf4s5mz3ymzam7MghsExzVIaOKD9U/s200/anti-christian" width="200" /></a></div>
Having been to Europe numerous times, over the years I have
personally noted the slow death of Christianity there. Low church
attendance gives witness to the sad legacy of the religious wars that
took place. One needs to also remember that the many differing
denominations in the Americas were brought about by our ancestors
escaping the warring in Europe, fleeing to this continent in order to be
able to practice their beliefs freely and safely.<br />
<br />
But,
how sad to see that now there is a growing wave of anti-Christian
sentiments on the continent where the Reformation was born. This from <b>Kevin Jones</b> of <i>The Catholic News Agency</i> (emphasis added):<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/report-on-europe-finds-numerous-anti-christian-actions-crimes/"><span style="font-size: large;">Report on Europe finds 'numerous' anti-Christian actions, crimes</span></a><br />
<br />
<span class="noticia_byline">Vienna, Austria, Mar 21, 2012 / 12:02 am (<a href="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/" target="_self">CNA</a>)</span>.- A new report says that <b>85 percent of hate crimes committed in Europe during 2011 were aimed at Christians.</b><br />
<br />
The
report, from the Austria-based Observatory on Intolerance and
Discrimination Against Christians in Europe, summarized incidents
ranging from <b>vandalism and insults to the suppression of religious
symbols, desecrations, “hate crimes” and religiously motivated violence.</b><br />
<br />
Dr.
Gudrun Kugler, director of the observatory, said studies suggest that
85 percent of hate crimes in Europe are directed against Christians.<br />
<br />
“It is high time for the public debate to respond to this reality!” Kugler said.<br />
<br />
In
<b> Scotland</b>, 95 percent of religiously motivated violence targets
Christians. In <b>France</b>, 84 percent of vandalism is directed against
Christian places of worship.<br />
<br />
The observatory has also monitored
<b>professional restrictions on Christians</b>. A restrictive definition of
freedom of conscience means that professions such as <b>magistrates,
doctors, nurses, midwives and pharmacists</b> are “slowly closing for
Christians.”<br />
<br />
<b>Teachers</b> and parents “get into trouble” when they disagree with state-defined sexual ethics, the report said.<br />
<br />
One
survey in the U.K. indicates popular perception agrees. <b>Seventy-four
percent of poll respondents said that there is more negative
discrimination against Christians than people of other faiths.</b><br />
<br />
The observatory intends to monitor both the social marginalization of Christians and the denial of their equal rights.<br />
<br />
<b>Catholic Bishop</b> András Veres of Szombathely, Hungary, reacted to the report March 19.<br />
<br />
“The
bishops in Europe are particularly conscious of these manifestations of
religious discrimination and intolerance which actually confirm how
some values and fundamental rights proper to Europe, such as freedom of
religion and the legal recognition of our Churches, are far from being
an established reality in some nations of the continent,” said the
bishop, who follows the observatory’s activities under a mandate from
the <b>Council of the Episcopal Conferences of Europe</b>.<br />
<br />
He
characterized the report as an invitation for all Christians who have
experienced discrimination or intolerance because of their religious
beliefs to “step out from anonymity and be courageous.”<br />
<br />
The
observatory’s report said that the <b>anti-Christian actions are
technically “a form of persecution</b>,” but it advised against labeling
them as that in Europe to prevent confusion with anti-Christian crimes
in other countries.<br />
<br />
The report also lamented <b>stereotypes and
prejudices in public discussion about religion</b>, such as the
instantaneous and incorrect labeling of Norwegian mass murderer Anders
Breivik as a fundamentalist Christian.<br />
<br />
The observatory <b>also noted positive developments</b>. <br />
<br />
<br />
“We
were pleased to note that <b>many who have focused exclusively on third
world countries that demonstrated outright persecution, are beginning to
notice that the marginalization and restriction of rights and freedoms
of Christians in Europe </b>are also of concern and deserves our attention,”
Kugler said in the report’s introduction.<br />
<br />
Among the highlights
for 2011 were a resolution in the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe that <b>encouraged
public debate</b> on anti-Christian issues and a <b>reassessment of legislation</b>
with the potential for negative effects on Christians.<br />
<br />
Another
was the European Court of Human Rights to <b>overturn a court decision</b>
against crucifixes in state school classrooms in Italy.<br />
<br />
In January
2012, the Spanish government <b>stopped a compulsory education class</b> which
drew objections from 55,000 parents, including many Christians.<br />
<br />
The
observatory stressed the religious freedom rights of both individuals
and religious communities. Religion is a “valuable asset” for society
that encourages healthy life and contributions to the common good, it
said.<br />
<br />
Bishop Veres encouraged religious believers to live their faith.<br />
<br />
<b>“(B)elieving
in God must not be perceived as a fault or sign of weakness,”</b> he said.
“Living and witnessing to one’s own religious creed in respect for the
freedom and sensitivity of others can only be beneficial for everyone,
believers or non-believers, Christians or non-Christians.”<br />
<br />
The
bishops of Europe support those whose rights are not respected.
<b>Religious freedom is a “valuable good” that continues as a “pillar of
peace on our continent,”</b> the bishop said.</blockquote>
Hmmmm ... seems the anti-christian tide might be turning in Europe.
Maybe the PC-adherents are finally beginning to turn recognize their own
hypocritical, hate-filled rhetoric. Is there hope, then, that the tide will also turn here?KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-34752186657396155842012-04-06T09:51:00.000-05:002012-04-06T09:51:19.870-05:00Good Friday: Cubans Observe Good Friday Today<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4t1z0w2WgAPBUufUSlq7smorizwb-GskJSzlU2gClYjPVWRN9PJ66m5VV4dJ3GIfrsSVLhGqBhDLjbPah0AwD72FpLy08rv_4cXOStS72zvfQbzSbLFgQZdjossWrRGUrbaZYsM6D03w/s1600/Pope+in+Cuba" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4t1z0w2WgAPBUufUSlq7smorizwb-GskJSzlU2gClYjPVWRN9PJ66m5VV4dJ3GIfrsSVLhGqBhDLjbPah0AwD72FpLy08rv_4cXOStS72zvfQbzSbLFgQZdjossWrRGUrbaZYsM6D03w/s200/Pope+in+Cuba" width="200" /></a></div>
How wonderful to hear that the Cuban government, in a gesture of good
will, has granted Pope Benedict's recent request to allow Cubans to
observe Good Friday. This from the BBC -- <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h1 class="story-header">
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17637714"><span style="font-size: large;">Communist Cuba marks Good Friday with public holiday</span></a></h1>
<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1">
Communist Cuba is marking Easter with a public holiday on Good Friday, for the first time in decades.</div>
<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1">
<br /></div>
This follows Pope Benedict's visit to the country last week, where he requested the move.<br />
Religious holidays in Cuba were cancelled after the 1959 revolution, and fewer than 10% of Cubans are practising Catholics.<br />
<br />
Nonetheless, the Church is the most influential organisation outside the Communist government. <br />
The Cuban government said it granted the request as a mark of
respect, and to commemorate the "transcendental nature" of the pope's
visit.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="cross-head">Live service</span></b><br />
<span class="cross-head"> </span>
<br />
The Pope's predecessor, John Paul II, made a similar request
during the last papal visit to Cuba in 1998, successfully persuading
then-leader Fidel Castro to recognise Christmas as a public holiday. <br />
A service at Havana Cathedral will be broadcast live on Cuban
television, indicating the improving relations between the Church and
the government, says BBC Havana correspondent Sarah Rainsford.<br />
Religious or not, Cubans have welcomed the day off, and hope that the change will be permanent, our correspondent says.<br />
<br />
Some described it as a sign that Cuba was opening up to the world.<br />
<br />
"I think almost all Cubans think it's a very good idea," one told the BBC.<br />
<br />
The holiday has only been declared for this year, but the
government says it will take a decision later on whether to make it
permanent.</blockquote>
<b>Let us be sure to include Cuba this day in our Good Friday prayers</b> ... that the Holy Spirit would continue His work among the Cuban people and government. <i>"Lord,
we thank you for your work in Cuba among Your children. Continue to
bless the faithful with courage and devotion. Stir up a wind of true
liberation, creating new believers and freeing them from the shackles of
atheism, communism, and/or paganism. We thank and praise You for the
ongoing redemptive work wrought through the sacrifice of your precious
Son, and it is in His name we ask these things. Amen!"</i>KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-88285244756589504182012-03-23T15:23:00.002-05:002012-03-23T15:23:41.512-05:00Ten Commandments for Atheists<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bY3qVmyadFhL_EiqQIsJiJEGQcnHME4DJtUuRwKIgmse_ByGpBXjVJxHyP7eVCUBixwPnyZsdnQZeIOwEU8wHWBnw7A_4ea104bYtmYAeJmFCP_-Kfj1hulc19qcZPt66KBDEn24rkk/s1600/Jillette.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bY3qVmyadFhL_EiqQIsJiJEGQcnHME4DJtUuRwKIgmse_ByGpBXjVJxHyP7eVCUBixwPnyZsdnQZeIOwEU8wHWBnw7A_4ea104bYtmYAeJmFCP_-Kfj1hulc19qcZPt66KBDEn24rkk/s200/Jillette.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">I spied this back in November on <i>USA Today</i>'s website. It's interesting how similar Jillette's Ten Commandments are to God's ... </span>and offers good food for thought!<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h1>
<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-10-28/penn-jillette-ten-commandments/50978982/1"><span style="font-size: large;">Penn Jillette's 10 Commandments for atheists</span></a></h1>
(RNS) In his new book, "God, No!" atheist magician <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Penn+Jillette" title="More news, photos about Penn Jillette">Penn Jillette</a> tells how he was challenged by conservative radio host <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Journalists,+Media,+Academia/Glenn+Beck" title="More news, photos about Glenn Beck">Glenn Beck</a> to come up with an atheist's version of The <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Religion+and+beliefs/Sacred+texts/The+Ten+Commandments" title="More news, photos about Ten Commandments">Ten Commandments</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="inside-copy">
"I wanted to see how many of the ideas that
many people think are handed down from (G)od really make sense to
someone who says, 'I don't know.'"</div>
<div class="inside-copy">
<br /></div>
<div class="inside-copy">
Here's his list:</div>
<div class="inside-copy">
<br /></div>
<div class="inside-copy">
1. The highest ideals are human intelligence, creativity and love. Respect these above all.</div>
<div class="inside-copy">
<br /></div>
<div class="inside-copy">
2.
Do not put things or even ideas above other human beings. (Let's scream
at each other about Kindle versus iPad, solar versus nuclear,
Republican versus Libertarian, <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/People/Celebrities/Musicians,+Composers,+Singers,+Rappers,+Groups/Garth+Brooks" title="More news, photos about Garth Brooks">Garth Brooks</a> versus <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Sun+Ra" title="More news, photos about Sun Ra">Sun Ra</a>— but when your house is on fire, I'll be there to help.)</div>
<div class="inside-copy">
<br /></div>
<div class="inside-copy">
3. Say what you mean, even when talking to yourself. (What used to be an oath to (G)od is now quite simply respecting yourself.)</div>
<div class="inside-copy">
<br /></div>
<div class="inside-copy">
4.
Put aside some time to rest and think. (If you're religious, that might
be the Sabbath; if you're a Vegas magician, that'll be the day with the
lowest grosses.)</div>
<div class="inside-copy">
<br /></div>
<div class="inside-copy">
5. Be there for your family.
Love your parents, your partner, and your children. (Love is deeper
than honor, and parents matter, but so do spouse and children.)</div>
<div class="inside-copy">
<br /></div>
<div class="inside-copy">
6.
Respect and protect all human life. (Many believe that "Thou shalt not
kill" only refers to people in the same tribe. I say it's all human
life.)</div>
<div class="inside-copy">
<br /></div>
<div class="inside-copy">
7. Keep your promises. (If you can't be sexually exclusive to your spouse, don't make that deal.)</div>
<div class="inside-copy">
<br /></div>
<div class="inside-copy">
8. Don't steal. (This includes magic tricks and jokes — you know who you are!)</div>
<div class="inside-copy">
<br /></div>
<div class="inside-copy">
9. Don't lie. (You know, unless you're doing magic tricks and it's part of your job. Does that make it OK for politicians, too?)</div>
<div class="inside-copy">
<br /></div>
<div class="inside-copy">
10. Don't waste too much time wishing, hoping, and being envious; it'll make you bugnutty.</div>
</blockquote>
<div class="inside-copy">
<i><b>"Bugnutty." I like that word! </b></i></div>KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-33327686884208758942012-03-23T13:59:00.001-05:002012-03-23T13:59:17.533-05:00The Promise of Spring<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBi0EPpjYsKJkMk4foif_axaQe52n4TN4OKwURcmCpc-8bZRvqnfxW1R4ZMrhabhoXKGtJXsJ0BfTbAzJdVl8dBWN0JKfmmDeIYwWi5anqopAYDCqnPuKvBHIM6cxRsMFsLMDjKNDdFtw/s1600/path.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBi0EPpjYsKJkMk4foif_axaQe52n4TN4OKwURcmCpc-8bZRvqnfxW1R4ZMrhabhoXKGtJXsJ0BfTbAzJdVl8dBWN0JKfmmDeIYwWi5anqopAYDCqnPuKvBHIM6cxRsMFsLMDjKNDdFtw/s320/path.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<u><b>Matthew 13:31-32</b></u><br />
<i><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-23571">31</sup> He told them another parable: <span class="woj">“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.</span> <span class="woj"><sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-23572">32</sup>
Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the
largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and
perch in its branches.”</span></i><br />
<br />
<span class="woj">He sat silently on the pew bench, half listening to the eulogy, half replaying scenes of his father. This gentle man had 'slipped the bonds of earth' a few days ago after having languished in a long battle with cancer. This gentle man -- a veteran of three wars: World War II, Korea, and then Vietnam. He was a man that had served his country for many years -- honorably, faithfully, devotedly. </span><br />
<span class="woj"><br /></span><br />
<span class="woj">Paul's father Frank had taught and modelled these beliefs and behaviors throughout his entire life, bring encouragement and inspiration to his family ... unto the second and third generations. Frank remained ever active, not only working beyond the normal age of retirement, but being an active member in numerous church and community organizations: The Lions Club, the local VFW post, the Red Cross, Meals On Wheels, the town council, food pantries ... numerous groups, numerous people impacted by his leadership and service.</span><br />
<span class="woj"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhiaosj_GVtF3qKFepAfK7DpaVbVzrFXue2FHFzg6N93mpoKXPyiIY-HaCKbsorobHZYJ2aEj3Q80-cfmK-CSqrEP5iDVFAbtZR6MYIeUEUgGF15g7pyeXCUaywSsPewBy8VNb7oqUF70/s1600/green+blooms.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhiaosj_GVtF3qKFepAfK7DpaVbVzrFXue2FHFzg6N93mpoKXPyiIY-HaCKbsorobHZYJ2aEj3Q80-cfmK-CSqrEP5iDVFAbtZR6MYIeUEUgGF15g7pyeXCUaywSsPewBy8VNb7oqUF70/s200/green+blooms.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<span class="woj">As his mind wandered back to the eulogy, Paul lifted his face a bit and raised his eyes toward the window. The church was an old-fashioned one that had clear window panes -- very simple, elegantly beautiful. Outside Paul could see the trees gently moving their branches in the springtime wind. His attention was drawn away from the eulogy to the beauty of the trees. Against the backdrop of some evergreens, some trees were just starting to bud in the surprising warmth of the early spring. Some trees were in full red bud regalia. Others were covered in lovely white or light pink blossoms. Some trees had hints of green, evidence of the coming green blow-out. Yet, a few were still completely naked -- no evidence of life yet.</span><br />
<span class="woj"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span class="woj">The contrast of the trees' differing stages of spring were intriguing. For Paul, his father Frank, who was a faithful Christian, was like the evergreens that were always alive and vibrant, never dormant in spite of the world's happenings. Paul knew other people who were in full bloom in their faith lives. Their lives were beautiful, natural displays of life in Christ.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="woj">And he was acquainted with a few whose lives were "bare branches." Paul included himself in this group, having been in an ongoing struggle with Faith and the Church for many years. He yearned to have the faith of his father, but just could not seem to ever "bloom." </span><br />
<span class="woj"><br /></span><br />
<span class="woj">"I can still always hope ... maybe I'm like the other trees whose branches are still bare. Maybe my time is yet to come. My father planted me with good roots in fertile soil. Maybe my time is, indeed, yet to come. Lord, let it be so!"</span><br />
<span class="woj"><br /></span><br />
<i><b>"Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone but in every leaf in spring-time." -- Martin Luther </b></i>KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-57251555868708905212012-03-22T11:00:00.000-05:002012-03-22T11:00:53.131-05:00Foxworthy to host Bible Trivia Game Show<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimawmmLtUyndc6Ck2QEMmPmAX0C6_5y8fUMm54O_r4mJnBt-OHay5PgtkBBH5mwP0athExb7Q6FgVYRoLda0GFI60_qrydqm1OZpAmunWvLEdaUmxNc1JkPu6bGkWFSmZiHhMw-OgeTYU/s1600/foxworthy" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimawmmLtUyndc6Ck2QEMmPmAX0C6_5y8fUMm54O_r4mJnBt-OHay5PgtkBBH5mwP0athExb7Q6FgVYRoLda0GFI60_qrydqm1OZpAmunWvLEdaUmxNc1JkPu6bGkWFSmZiHhMw-OgeTYU/s200/foxworthy" width="170" /></a></div>
Sounds like fun! From TV Guide via FoxNews --- <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h1 class="entry-title" id="article-title">
<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/03/22/jeff-foxworthy-to-host-bible-based-trivia-game-show/?intcmp=features"><span style="font-size: large;">Jeff Foxworthy to host Bible-based trivia game show</span></a></h1>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Forget 5th graders... how well do you know the Good Book?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: small;">GSN has chosen <a href="http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jeff-foxworthy/156445?rss=breakingnews&partnerid=foxnews&profileid=breaking">Jeff Foxworthy</a> to host the pilot of its new one-hour game show, "The American Bible Challenge," the network announced Wednesday.</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">On the trivia show, contestants will pit
their knowledge of the Bible against their opponents. And although the
competition will be fierce, it's all in the name of goodwill. Teams will
play for a worthy faith-based organization, and the contestants will
share their compelling backstories with the audience.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: small;">"I am excited to be hosting a show about the
bestselling book of all time," Foxworthy said in a statement. "It will
be interesting to find out what people really know, and an opportunity
to present the Bible in a fun and entertaining way."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: small;">Foxworthy was also the host of the trivia show, <a href="http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/are-you-smarter-than-a-5th-grader/286397?rss=breakingnews&partnerid=foxnews&profileid=breaking">"Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader</a>?" The American Bible Challenge pilot will shoot later this month.</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<br />KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-90138273781213687242012-03-06T10:39:00.000-06:002012-03-06T10:39:44.923-06:00Potato Chips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqlTuO_AISR68NPFstRcbQ-voreOKeTaHCf7qazElZI2-LWlXviNfQIk2TRcq0NgJ1dbFK9NOPYqGqCv8H1xRifL2i2NdcY-6j21seU7fkj4f0zuOtfSFjUzG-qpbQ3jDhfCbIE4e6J4/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqlTuO_AISR68NPFstRcbQ-voreOKeTaHCf7qazElZI2-LWlXviNfQIk2TRcq0NgJ1dbFK9NOPYqGqCv8H1xRifL2i2NdcY-6j21seU7fkj4f0zuOtfSFjUzG-qpbQ3jDhfCbIE4e6J4/s1600/images.jpeg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b>A
little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God
lived, so he packed his suitcase with a bag of potato chips and a
six-pack of root beer and started his journey.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b>When
he had gone about three blocks, he met an old man. He was sitting in
the park, just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to him and
opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer
when he noticed that the old man looked hungry, so he offered him some
chips. He gratefully accepted it and smiled at him.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b>His
smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered
him a root beer. Again, he smiled at him. The boy was delighted! </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b>They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b>As
twilight approached, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to
leave; but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around,
ran back to the old man, and gave him a hug. He gave him his biggest
smile ever.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b>When
the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother
was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did
you do today that made you so happy?"</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b><br />He replied, "I had lunch with
God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what?
He's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b>Meanwhile,
the old man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was
stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked, "dad, what did
you do today that made you so happy?"</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b>He
replied "I ate potato chips in the park with God." However, before his
son responded, he added, "You know, he's much younger than I
expected."</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b>Too
often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a
listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all
of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our
lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime! Embrace all equally!</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b>Have lunch with God.......bring chips.</b></span>KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-39100758665999658732012-01-16T09:48:00.000-06:002012-01-16T09:48:42.574-06:00Footpaths and Hollows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSijkxLLUj_O2jYj_iP9CYLqN9qOl2hiHaMNmJyiv7n3x4RarCfmDYebdcrgthQ7sC4NgxoBoFqB6sr27Hy1ovWVlCmll8ZB1BgVZuiVUiL2R3K9dQFohCuKsopZq0yWZOU_tYGLZuXaU/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSijkxLLUj_O2jYj_iP9CYLqN9qOl2hiHaMNmJyiv7n3x4RarCfmDYebdcrgthQ7sC4NgxoBoFqB6sr27Hy1ovWVlCmll8ZB1BgVZuiVUiL2R3K9dQFohCuKsopZq0yWZOU_tYGLZuXaU/s200/photo.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>Last week we had some unseasonably warm weather in the area, so one day after school I decided to use an outdoor walk as my form of exercise of the day. Using the elliptical at 4:45 in the morning is a great workout, but especially on these short winter days, a gal needs some fresh air and sunshine every now and then to keep her head clear and level. <br />
<br />
I went to a park near school, having been to it on occasion in the past. However, as I made my way around the park on the usual course, I discovered a hiking trail that went into the woods behind the park ... and lo and behold! What a beautiful trail it was! The soft, compost-padded trail turned into a steep decline down the back of a huge hill that lead to the river valley below. Gradually, the trail lead up the back of another hill, which turned onto the park's regular roadway. As I walked along the path, here and there I found little signs the park service had posted, explaining the different trees and plants and their uses.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HwftQckjhkilKpwbCL43Z_IB2DPDAs0qeKKtjyW0QcaEbqC6IP3-RLeJmlUd5nkiptM3gFoQ3ZVHy3DxyWqY-5pjwKR9rG4-dG6Wt9fhQLPte4otOkWcx4aiLzSjpklSNLjqhNIyJ5U/s1600/photo%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HwftQckjhkilKpwbCL43Z_IB2DPDAs0qeKKtjyW0QcaEbqC6IP3-RLeJmlUd5nkiptM3gFoQ3ZVHy3DxyWqY-5pjwKR9rG4-dG6Wt9fhQLPte4otOkWcx4aiLzSjpklSNLjqhNIyJ5U/s200/photo%25281%2529.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>I marveled at how tall the trees were -- I estimate that the ones in the "hollow" were easily 30 feet high ... maybe more! As I made my way along the lovely nature trail, occasionally I would stop at the base of a tree and run my eyes all the way up the trunk, likewise eying the nearby trees, wowed by how tall they were. The barren trees, naked from the winter cold, afforded me a view of the surrounding woods, stretching miles over the river valley. I tried to imagine what these woods would look like in the spring and summer with wondrously green vegetation. And, yet, its wintry, monochromatic nakedness was a work of beauty just as it was. <br />
<br />
As I am inclined to do in such moments of simplistic beauty, free of the world's distractions and mind-cluttering noise, I pondered how we are, indeed, so similar to these trees. These incredibly tall trees, I noticed, had no branches until the very top. Such a dense forest created a fierce field of sunlight competition, and the physical ramifications on the fauna were evident. Obviously, in a deep ravine where sunlight is at a premium, trees do not waste a lot of energy on producing branches down where the sunlight won't reach. Instead, they expend their energy in growing upwards, birthing branches at the top -- reaching for the sun and its light. <br />
<br />
We humans, frequently expend a lot of valuable energy where there is little pay-off and growth. The world, in its distracting and fallen state, can cause us to stop looking upward to God and pull our attention and spirits down. In order to grow, sometimes we finally realize that we must let certain, lower "branches" go -- no longer feeding these useless distractions with our precious energy and life force -- so that we can focus our concentration on higher, more nurturing things. We must keep growing upwards toward God, supporting our fellow "trees" in the process and producing a beautiful canopy of life that offers shelter and nourishment to the "forest" below.KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-72240356243087150112012-01-16T08:50:00.000-06:002012-01-16T08:50:23.568-06:00The Buzzard, the Bat and the Bee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMXOp0kGRY1p7v7jQEkuC9KH1TliofcU2BdJkdWNQTzmmvZCxpMsgz-bhC65ydYTprsregLCV2TolA6dPEMwHdxbT9g7_zGAFWCmSVEnXrMCBWcSTUVkhEUR4bAWj04AiR3tyBBGGllA/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMXOp0kGRY1p7v7jQEkuC9KH1TliofcU2BdJkdWNQTzmmvZCxpMsgz-bhC65ydYTprsregLCV2TolA6dPEMwHdxbT9g7_zGAFWCmSVEnXrMCBWcSTUVkhEUR4bAWj04AiR3tyBBGGllA/s200/images.jpg" width="113" /></a></div><i>Thanks, J, for this gem ... </i><br />
<br />
<b>The Buzzard -- </b><br />
<br />
If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.<br />
<br />
<b>The Bat --</b><br />
<br />
The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.<span id="goog_151316464"></span><span id="goog_151316465"></span><br />
<span id="goog_151316470"></span><span id="goog_151316471"></span><br />
<b>The Bumblebee --</b><br />
<br />
A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.<br />
<br />
<b>People --</b><br />
<br />
In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up! That's the answer, the escape route and the solution to any problem. Just look up.<br />
<br />
Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, but faith looks up!<br />
<br />
Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly and trust in our Creator who loves us.<br />
<br />
Good is good all the time!<br />
<br />
Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil -- it has no point.KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-6471340703511931812011-12-11T11:28:00.002-06:002011-12-11T11:28:44.083-06:00Flash Mob! - Carson School of ManagementThis is <i>AWESOME!</i> We need more of this! <br />
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<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uH8FvERQHtM" width="560"></iframe>KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-47814178146952822132011-12-11T11:04:00.000-06:002011-12-11T11:04:00.958-06:00Moral Vocabulary: Threatened by Extinction?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYyb7EmO3wcgoc4kiXcDIsLqr2Ipt9zOeEfj4RFUZ2igEJZa7Nu1vv_5J5ZlF4iz1DsrMf-OxMiMRCQGck2yhUIVJOH8NnGCgh-XS_Wmdcof__UtjqKFcEfrGhYOfKPGuR5Q697MwYTg/s1600/right-way-wrong-way1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYyb7EmO3wcgoc4kiXcDIsLqr2Ipt9zOeEfj4RFUZ2igEJZa7Nu1vv_5J5ZlF4iz1DsrMf-OxMiMRCQGck2yhUIVJOH8NnGCgh-XS_Wmdcof__UtjqKFcEfrGhYOfKPGuR5Q697MwYTg/s200/right-way-wrong-way1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>What a powerful commentary I ran across a while back over at <a href="http://www.commentarymagazine.com/"><i>Commentary Magazine</i></a> by <b>Peter Wehner</b> (emphasis added) ...<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq"><h1 class="post-title"><a href="http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2011/09/15/morality-brooks/#.TnPswwlzcz4.mailto"><span style="font-size: large;">Our Lack of Moral Vocabulary</span></a></h1>Earlier this week, David Brooks wrote a fascinating <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/13/opinion/if-it-feels-right.html">column </a>on <b>young people’s moral lives</b>, basing it on hundreds of in-depth interviews with young adults across America conducted by the eminent Notre Dame sociologist Christian Smith and his team.<br />
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The results, according to Brooks, were “depressing” — not so much because of how they lived but because of <b>“how bad they are at thinking and talking about moral issues.”</b> Asked open-ended questions about right and wrong, moral dilemmas and the meaning of life, what we find is “young people groping to say anything sensible on these matters. But they just don’t have the categories or vocabulary to do so.” What Smith and his team found is <b>an atmosphere of “extreme moral individualism — of relativism and nonjudgmentalism.”</b> The reason, in part, is because <b>they have not been given the resources — by schools, institutions and families — to “cultivate their moral intuitions</b>, to think more broadly about moral obligations, to check behaviors that may be degrading.”<br />
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<b>This is part of a generations-long phenomenon.</b> In his 1987 book <em>The Closing of the American Mind,</em> <span class="" id="apture_prvw1" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 0pt none; clear: none; cursor: url("http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png"), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; margin: 0pt; outline: medium none; padding: 0pt; position: relative; text-decoration: none; width: auto;"><a class=" snap_noshots" href="http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2011/09/15/morality-brooks/#" style="-moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-top-colors: none; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color rgb(0, 102, 204); border-radius: 2px 2px 2px 2px; border-style: none none dotted; border-width: 0pt 0pt 1px; clear: none; color: inherit; cursor: url("http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png"), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; margin: 0pt; outline: medium none; padding: 1px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; top: -1px; width: auto;"><span style="-moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-top-colors: none; background-color: #e0e6ec; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color rgb(0, 102, 204); border-radius: 2px 2px 2px 2px; border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0pt 0pt 1px; clear: none; cursor: url("http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png"), default; display: inline-block; float: none; height: 100%; left: 0pt; margin: 0pt; outline: medium none; padding: 0pt; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 0pt; width: 0%;"></span><span style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 0pt none; clear: none; cursor: url("http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png"), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; left: 0px; margin: 0pt; outline: medium none; padding: 0pt; position: relative; text-decoration: none; top: 1px; width: auto;">Allan Bloom</span></a><span style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 0pt none; clear: none; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; line-height: 1px; margin: 0pt; outline: medium none; padding: 0pt; position: static; text-decoration: none; width: auto;"></span></span> wrote, <b>“There is one thing a professor can be absolutely certain of: almost every student entering the university believes, or says he believes, that truth is relative.”</b> And the university, Bloom argued, is unwilling to offer a distinctive visage to young people. The guiding philosophy of the academy is there are no first principles, no coherent ways to interpret the world in which we live.<br />
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But this is merely a pose. <b>No one, not even a liberal academic, is a true relativist.</b> Scratch below the surface and you’ll find them to be (morally) judgmental toward those who want to discriminate based on race, gender, or sexual orientation. They will likely have strong (moral) views on criminalizing abortion, restricting marriage to one man and one woman, anthropogenic global warming, water-boarding terrorists, rendition, Israeli settlements, profits for oil companies, and cutting taxes for the rich. The left is adamant: women have a “right” to an abortion and gays have a “right” to marry. These rights are viewed as <em>a priori</em> and inviolate. And no one, not even a progressive liberal arts professor, is morally indifferent to someone who wants to rape his wife, molest his children, and steal his iPad. <b>It is fashionable to insist we don’t want to “impose our values” on others or “legislate morality.” But the reality is we do so all the time, on an endless number of issues, and no civilization could survive without doing so.</b> <b>The question, really, is which moral standards do we aspire to? What is the ethical code we use to judge ourselves and others?</b><br />
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In training our hearts and minds toward the good, there is quite a lot to work with. With the exception of a very few (like sociopaths), <b>we all have a moral sense</b>. We are all born with a conscience. We all believe (<em>pace</em> <span class="" id="apture_prvw2" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 0pt none; clear: none; cursor: url("http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png"), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; margin: 0pt; outline: medium none; padding: 0pt; position: relative; text-decoration: none; width: auto;"><a class=" snap_noshots" href="http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2011/09/15/morality-brooks/#" style="-moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-top-colors: none; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color rgb(0, 102, 204); border-radius: 2px 2px 2px 2px; border-style: none none dotted; border-width: 0pt 0pt 1px; clear: none; color: inherit; cursor: url("http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png"), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; margin: 0pt; outline: medium none; padding: 1px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; top: -1px; width: auto;"><span style="-moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-top-colors: none; background-color: #e0e6ec; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color rgb(0, 102, 204); border-radius: 2px 2px 2px 2px; border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0pt 0pt 1px; clear: none; cursor: url("http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png"), default; display: inline-block; float: none; height: 100%; left: 0pt; margin: 0pt; outline: medium none; padding: 0pt; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 0pt; width: 0%;"></span><span style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 0pt none; clear: none; cursor: url("http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png"), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; left: 0px; margin: 0pt; outline: medium none; padding: 0pt; position: relative; text-decoration: none; top: 1px; width: auto;">Richard Rorty</span></a><span style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 0pt none; clear: none; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; line-height: 1px; margin: 0pt; outline: medium none; padding: 0pt; position: static; text-decoration: none; width: auto;"></span></span>) that some actions are inherently inhuman. And no one believes that what is right simply depends on individual taste or cultural circumstances, on subjective values, and what emerges in the privacy of your own heart (especially if the heart in question belongs to Mao, Stalin, or Pol Pot). Most people, in fact, play by the rules. They work hard, love their families, and are loyal to their country. They think courage and compassion are better than cowardice and cruelty. <b>They’re just not sure why.</b> Hence Brooks’ point about <b>our lack of moral categories and moral vocabulary.</b><br />
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This didn’t arise <em>ex nihilo</em>. <b>In the 1970s</b>, influential figures in education like Sydney Simon and Lawrence Kohlberg argued for <b>“values clarification”</b> and <b>“cognitive moral development,”</b> <b>believing the traditional moral education was essentially indoctrination –“undemocratic and unconstitutional.” </b>(See this excellent 1978 <em>Public Interest </em><a href="http://www.nationalaffairs.com/public_interest/detail/moral-education-in-the-schools">essay</a> by William J. Bennett and Edwin J. DeLattre for more.) This was utter nonsense, of course; but it was also corrosive and had profound human and social consequences. You can’t promote ethical agnosticism and embrace nonjudgmentalism without there being moral ramifications. Because at some point, we all have to take a moral stand and embrace a moral cause. We have to believe in, and abide by, rules and precepts. <b>We don’t have the luxury of living a life of perpetual moral confusion.</b> C.S. Lewis put it as well as anyone when he wrote in <em>The Abolition of Man</em>, “We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.”<br />
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One final thought: what is often lost in this debate is that <b>human fulfillment and happiness isn’t found in a world stripped of moral beliefs</b>. <b>Despair, not joy, is found among those who believe in nothing, who find purpose in nothing, who fight for nothing.</b> Because of human anthropology – because we are moral creatures, made in the image of God – we are meant to delight in His ways, to live lives of high moral purpose. All of us fail more often than we should. But we cannot give up on the aspiration; nor can we allow our hearts to grow cold and indifferent, unmoved by the beauty of moral excellence.<br />
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“Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things,” St. Paul wrote. <b>In our world, there is still excellence. There are still things worthy of praise. It’s time we once again dwell on them.</b></blockquote><h1 class="post-title"> </h1>KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-58619164487650911432011-12-11T09:35:00.003-06:002011-12-11T11:05:21.020-06:00Battle Saints BraceletsWhat a terrific story I found on KSDK's website via CNN --<br />
<h1><a href="http://www.ksdk.com/news/world/article/286965/28/Military-mom-designs-Battle-Saint-Bracelets-for-troops-in-harms-way"><span style="font-size: large;">Military mom designs 'Battle Saint Bracelets' for troops in harm's way</span></a></h1><a href="http://www.ksdk.com/news/world/article/286965/28/Military-mom-designs-Battle-Saint-Bracelets-for-troops-in-harms-way"><span style="font-size: medium;">Military mom designs 'Battle Saint Bracelets' for troops in harm's way</span></a><br />
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<b>CNN</b> - A simple bracelet is providing a source of strength and support for men and women fighting for our country.<br />
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A solemn march, a loud ovation and a last goodbye for these deploying troops; the Atlanta airport is the final stop on their way to war. That's also where you'll find <a class="itxtrst itxtrsta itxthook" href="http://www.ksdk.com/news/world/article/286965/28/Military-mom-designs-Battle-Saint-Bracelets-for-troops-in-harms-way#" id="itxthook0" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen; color: darkgreen; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxthookspan" id="itxthook0w0" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; color: darkgreen; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">military</span></a> moms like Cynthia Lemay. <br />
Lemay knows the pain of deployment all too well.<br />
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"Our son is in Afghanistan. My nephew just got back from his third tour. We have several other <a class="itxtrst itxtrsta itxthook" href="http://www.ksdk.com/news/world/article/286965/28/Military-mom-designs-Battle-Saint-Bracelets-for-troops-in-harms-way#" id="itxthook1" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen; color: darkgreen; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxthookspan" id="itxthook1w0" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; color: darkgreen; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">family</span></a> members over there," she said.<br />
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While she can't be on the front lines, protecting her son, she can ask for a little help from above.<br />
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"We put together these saints bracelets. My son has been wearing it since he went over and he's been in several fire fights and attacks," Lemay said.<br />
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Lemay calls them the 'Battle Saint Bracelet.' They're made up of 12 to 16 different saints, each with a unique military connection.<br />
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"They have different saints on them, including St. Christopher to protect you when you <a class="itxtrst itxtrsta itxthook" href="http://www.ksdk.com/news/world/article/286965/28/Military-mom-designs-Battle-Saint-Bracelets-for-troops-in-harms-way#" id="itxthook2" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen; color: darkgreen; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxthookspan" id="itxthook2w0" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; color: darkgreen; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">travel</span></a>, and St. Barbara to protect you if you work...that have very specific meaning to the military and offers them specific protection," she said.<br />
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Lemay started the program as a way to feel connected and show support for the troops overseas. Now, the small memento has spread to Hollywood and beyond.<br />
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You'll find them on the wrists of celebrities like Zac Brown and the cast from Band of Brothers. And now you can get them online too.<br />
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"When you have a loved one in harm's way, not a moment goes by where you don't think of them," Lemay said. "So we wear these every day and think of our loved ones and all the other service men and women who make so many sacrifices every day."<br />
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This shopping and <a class="itxtrst itxtrsta itxthook" href="http://www.ksdk.com/news/world/article/286965/28/Military-mom-designs-Battle-Saint-Bracelets-for-troops-in-harms-way#" id="itxthook3" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen; color: darkgreen; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxthookspan" id="itxthook3w0" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; color: darkgreen; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">holiday</span><span class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxthookspan" id="itxthook3w1" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; color: darkgreen; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> </span><span class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxthookspan" id="itxthook3w2" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; color: darkgreen; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">season</span></a> take a moment to think about the men and women spending their holiday in harm's way. And while you're picking up that new gift for a loved one remember the troops and put the saints on their side.KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-69812521462451462122011-12-11T09:24:00.001-06:002011-12-11T09:25:48.294-06:00The Redemptive Names of God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnPFeJiHRSn34jaRg8NANEd6qb8OBMDbsYTr6h42yFHsIFDvjRT1ePCJRGipkLWmZwOmuFtTAu2WrmlFojSw8Y8OoUVC4uFPDHxkC5FUSylQL_5HP36MEm4rTG5V2MLCpvwJzmNU_BF8/s1600/Names-of-God-13_md__25636_zoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnPFeJiHRSn34jaRg8NANEd6qb8OBMDbsYTr6h42yFHsIFDvjRT1ePCJRGipkLWmZwOmuFtTAu2WrmlFojSw8Y8OoUVC4uFPDHxkC5FUSylQL_5HP36MEm4rTG5V2MLCpvwJzmNU_BF8/s320/Names-of-God-13_md__25636_zoom.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>A while back I was sitting in a Bible study class when the discussion briefly took a turn to the topic of the names of God. I found it interesting and, following the class, did some research on the Internet on the subject. Here's what I found -- [<a href="http://www.votbg.org/tja/jehovah.htm">source</a>] <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><h1 align="center"><span style="color: #004080; font-family: Arial;">The Seven Redemptive Names of God</span></h1><span style="color: #400040; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">In his redemptive relation to man, Jehovah has seven compound names which reveal Him as meeting every need of man from his lost state to the end. These compound names are: </span><br />
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<span style="color: #800040; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><b>Jehovah-Jireh</b></span><br />
<blockquote><span style="color: #400040; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">"<i>the Lord will provide</i>" (Genesis 22:13,14).<br />
i.e., will provide a sacrifice.</span></blockquote><span style="color: #800040; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><b>Jehovah-Rapha</b></span><br />
<blockquote><span style="color: #400040; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">"<i>the Lord that healeth</i>" (Exodus 15:26).<br />
That this refers to physical healing the context shows, but the deeper healing of soul malady is implied.</span></blockquote><span style="color: #800040; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><b>Jehovah-Nissi</b></span><br />
<blockquote><span style="color: #400040; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">"<i>the Lord our banner</i>" (Exodus 17:8-15).<br />
The name is interpreted by the context. The enemy was Amalek, a type of the flesh, and the conflict that day stands for the conflict of (Galatians 5:17) the war of the Spirit against the flesh. Victory was wholly due to divine help. </span></blockquote><span style="color: #800040; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><b>Jehovah-Shalom</b></span><br />
<blockquote><span style="color: #400040; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">"<i>the Lord our peace</i>," or "<i>the Lord send peace</i>" (Judges 6:24). <br />
Almost the whole ministry of Jehovah finds expression and illustration in that chapter. Jehovah hates and judges sin (Genesis 2:1-5). Jehovah loves and saves sinners (Genesis 2:7-18) but only through sacrifice (Genesis 2:19-21). See also: Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:14; Colossians 1:20.</span></blockquote><span style="color: #800040; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><b>Jehovah-Ra-ah</b></span><br />
<blockquote><span style="color: #400040; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">"<i>the Lord my shepherd</i>" (Psalm 23.). <br />
In Psalm 22, Jehovah makes peace by the blood of the cross; in Psalm 23, Jehovah is shepherding His own who are in the world. </span></blockquote><span style="color: #800040; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><b>Jehovah-Tsidkenu</b></span><br />
<blockquote><span style="color: #400040; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">"<i>the Lord our righteousness</i>" (Jeremiah 23:6).<br />
This name of Jehovah occurs in a prophecy concerning the future restoration and conversion of Israel. Then Israel will hail him as Jehovah-Tsidkenu—"<i>the Lord our righteousness</i>."</span></blockquote><span style="color: #800040; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><b>Jehovah-Shammah</b></span><br />
<blockquote><span style="color: #400040; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">"<i>the Lord is present</i>" (Ezekiel 48:35). <br />
This name signifies Jehovah’s abiding presence with His people (Exodus 33:14,15; 1 Chronicles 16:27,33; Psalm 16:11, 97:5; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5).</span></blockquote><span style="color: #004080; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><i>Taken from the 1917 Scofield Reference Bible Notes</i></span></blockquote><i><b>"Redemption"</b></i> ... a word one hears often within the realm of Christianity, such as Christ the Redeemer, for example. The definition of "redeem" is enlightening (from <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/redeeming">Merriam-Webster</a>):<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><div class="sblk"><div class="scnt">1<span class="ssens"><i class="sn"> a</i> <b>:</b> to buy back <b>:</b> <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repurchase">repurchase</a> </span> <span class="ssens"> <span class="break"> </span><i class="sn">b</i> <b>:</b> to get or win back </span></div><div class="scnt"></div></div><div class="sblk"><div class="scnt">2<span class="ssens"><b>:</b> to free from what <a class="d_link" href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distress%5B2%5D">distresses</a> or harms: as </span> <span class="ssens"> <span class="break"> </span><i class="sn">a</i> <b>:</b> to free from captivity by payment of <a class="d_link" href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ransom%5B1%5D">ransom</a> </span> <span class="ssens"> <span class="break"> </span><i class="sn">b</i> <b>:</b> to <a class="d_link" href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extricate">extricate</a> from or help to overcome something <a class="d_link" href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detrimental%5B1%5D">detrimental</a> </span> <span class="ssens"> <span class="break"> </span><i class="sn">c</i> <b>:</b> to release from blame or debt <b>:</b> <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clear">clear</a> </span> <span class="ssens"> <span class="break"> </span><i class="sn">d</i> <b>:</b> to free from the <a class="d_link" href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consequence">consequences</a> of sin </span></div><div class="scnt"></div></div><div class="sblk"><div class="scnt">3<span class="ssens"><b>:</b> to change for the better <b>:</b> <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reform">reform</a></span></div><div class="scnt"><span class="ssens"> </span></div></div><div class="sblk"><div class="scnt">4<span class="ssens"><b>:</b> <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repair">repair</a>, <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restore">restore</a></span></div><div class="scnt"><span class="ssens"> </span></div></div><div class="sblk"><div class="scnt">5<span class="ssens"><i class="sn"> a</i> <b>:</b> to free from a <a class="d_link" href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lien">lien</a> by payment of an amount secured <a class="d_link" href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thereby">thereby</a> </span> <span class="ssens"> <span class="break"> </span><i class="sn">b </i> <i class="ssn">(1)</i> <b>:</b> to remove the obligation of by payment <span class="vi"><the> <i="" states="" treasury="" united="">redeem<i>s</i> savings bonds on demand></i=""></the></span> </span> <span class="ssens"> <i class="ssn">(2)</i> <b>:</b> to exchange for something of <a class="itxtrst itxtrsta itxthook" href=""> <href="http: dictionary="" id="itxthook0" redeeming#"="" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen; color: darkgreen; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px; text-decoration: underline;" www.merriam-webster.com=""><span class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxthookspan" id="itxthook0w0" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; color: darkgreen; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">value</span></href="http:></a> <span class="vi"><<i>redeem</i> trading stamps></span> </span> <span class="ssens"> <span class="break"> </span><i class="sn">c</i> <b>:</b> to make good <b>:</b> <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fulfill">fulfill</a> </span></div></div><div class="sblk"><div class="snum"></div><div class="scnt">6<span class="ssens"><i class="sn">a</i> <b>:</b> to atone for <b>:</b> <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expiate">expiate</a> <span class="vi"><<i>redeem</i> an error></span> </span> <span class="ssens"> <span class="break"> </span><i class="sn">b </i> <i class="ssn">(1)</i> <b>:</b> to offset the bad effect of </span> <span class="ssens"> <i class="ssn">(2)</i> <b>:</b> to make worthwhile <b>:</b> <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retrieve">retrieve</a> </span></div></div></blockquote><br />
So, Jesus our Redeemer retrieves us, reforms us, frees us from distress, buys us back, repays, restores, removes us, extricates us, pays our ransom. What beautiful word ... what a beautiful Redeemer. An old hymn comes to mind ... the classic by Samuel Medley -- <b>"I Know That My Redeemer Lives"</b>:<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGRSTTQgTFu6aUfyDE50m-XA7A7X2rup5mh2nP8F4VsmsCmiapXZPXsp35s1ASH0igH02OkqvdfybgNZZtJUcusdNrT1djfjG8haZFHRsYE93eVRAGBWI-vI9Q_njj9x5qJaAC6Dyl1o/s1600/Christ+the+Redeemer%252C+by+Andrea+Mantegna+%25281431-1506%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGRSTTQgTFu6aUfyDE50m-XA7A7X2rup5mh2nP8F4VsmsCmiapXZPXsp35s1ASH0igH02OkqvdfybgNZZtJUcusdNrT1djfjG8haZFHRsYE93eVRAGBWI-vI9Q_njj9x5qJaAC6Dyl1o/s320/Christ+the+Redeemer%252C+by+Andrea+Mantegna+%25281431-1506%2529.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christ the Redeemer by Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><i>I know that my Redeemer lives;<br />
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!<br />
He lives, He lives, who once was dead;<br />
He lives, my ever living Head.</i><br />
<i>...</i><br />
<i>He lives to silence all my fears,<br />
He lives to wipe away my tears<br />
He lives to calm my troubled heart,<br />
He lives all blessings to impart.</i><br />
<i>...</i><br />
<i>He lives, my kind, wise, heavenly Friend,<br />
He lives and loves me to the end;<br />
He lives, and while He lives, I’ll sing;<br />
He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.</i><br />
<br />
<i> </i><i>He lives and grants me daily breath;<br />
He lives, and I shall conquer death:<br />
He lives my mansion to prepare;<br />
He lives to bring me safely there.</i><br />
<i>...</i><br />
<br />
[<a href="http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/k/iknowtha.htm">source</a>]KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3021989883718306038.post-40662636595772046222011-11-26T22:20:00.000-06:002011-11-26T22:20:46.172-06:00The New American Religion of Young Adults<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlsH0eyt0fXPixtYsfaRpCRuZxLJdkG8tpiLGaQ53RIB7l_MYs7-9gXsxMd-c3DHi7uw63jossQRIw5VvbMfO0MPEnWw8GVRTarnKAUhB1T-YINqSwrmmV5lt4aX151RbJx26EW0_-9w/s1600/compass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlsH0eyt0fXPixtYsfaRpCRuZxLJdkG8tpiLGaQ53RIB7l_MYs7-9gXsxMd-c3DHi7uw63jossQRIw5VvbMfO0MPEnWw8GVRTarnKAUhB1T-YINqSwrmmV5lt4aX151RbJx26EW0_-9w/s200/compass.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Here are two interestingly related articles regarding young adults and their lack of religious schooling and background. The first article I found over a year ago, and it's actually an article from 2005 that I found in The Christian Post. The author, R. Albert Mohler, Jr., write of America's young people and their "moralistic therapeutic deism" -- <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><h1 style="color: #0c343d;"><a href="http://www.christianpost.com/news/moralistic-therapeutic-deism-the-new-american-religion-6266/"><span style="font-size: large;">Moralistic Therapeutic Deism--the New American Religion</span></a></h1><div style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: small;">When Christian Smith and his fellow researchers with the National Study of Youth and Religion at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill took a close look at the religious beliefs held by American teenagers, they found that the faith held and described by most adolescents came down to something the researchers identified as "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism."</span></div><div style="color: #0c343d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0c343d;">As described by Smith and his team, <b>Moralistic Therapeutic Deism consists of beliefs like these: 1.</b> "A god exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth."<b> 2.</b> "God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions." <b>3. </b>"The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself."<b> 4.</b> "God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem." <b>5.</b> "Good people go to heaven when they die."</div><div style="color: #0c343d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0c343d;">That, in sum, <b>is the creed to which much adolescent faith can be reduced</b>. After conducting more than 3,000 interviews with American adolescents, the researchers reported that, when it came to the most crucial questions of faith and beliefs, many adolescents responded with <b>a shrug and "whatever."</b></div><div style="color: #0c343d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0c343d;">As a matter of fact, the researchers, whose report is summarized in Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Eyes of American Teenagers by Christian Smith with Melinda Lundquist Denton, found that <b>American teenagers are incredibly inarticulate about their religious beliefs, and most are virtually unable to offer any serious theological understanding</b>. As Smith reports, "To the extent that the teens we interviewed did manage to articulate what they understood and believed religiously, it became clear that most religious teenagers either do not really comprehend what their own religious traditions say they are supposed to believe, or they do understand it and simply do not care to believe it. Either way, it is apparent that most religiously affiliated U.S. teens are not particularly interested in espousing and upholding the beliefs of their faith traditions, or that their communities of faith are failing in attempts to educate their youth, or both."</div><div style="color: #0c343d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0c343d;">As the researchers explained, "For most teens, nobody has to do anything in life, including anything to do with religion.<b> 'Whatever' is just fine, if that's what a person wants."</b></div><div style="color: #0c343d;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0c343d;">The casual <b>"whatever"</b> that marks so much of the American moral and theological landscapes--adolescent and otherwise--<b>is a substitute for serious and responsible thinking. More importantly, it is a verbal cover for an embrace of relativism.</b> Accordingly, "most religious teenager's opinions and views--one can hardly call them worldviews--are vague, limited, and often quite at variance with the actual teachings of their own religion."</div><span style="color: #0c343d;">... </span></blockquote>And, here is a recent opinion piece by Peter Wehner I found at <i>Commentary Magazine</i>: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="color: #20124d;"><a href="http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2011/09/15/morality-brooks/#.TnPswwlzcz4.mailto"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Our Lack of Moral Vocabulary</span></b></a><br />
<br />
Earlier this week, David Brooks wrote a fascinating <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/13/opinion/if-it-feels-right.html">column </a>on young people’s moral lives, basing it on hundreds of in-depth interviews with <b>young adults</b> across America conducted by the eminent Notre Dame sociologist Christian Smith and his team.<br />
<br />
The results, according to Brooks, were “depressing” — not so much because of how they lived but because of <b>“how bad they are at thinking and talking about moral issues.”</b> Asked open-ended questions about right and wrong, moral dilemmas and the meaning of life, what we find is “young people groping to say anything sensible on these matters. But they just don’t have the categories or vocabulary to do so.” What Smith and his team found is <b>an atmosphere of “extreme moral individualism — of relativism and nonjudgmentalism.”</b> The reason, in part, is because <b>they have not been given the resources</b> — by schools, institutions and families — to “cultivate their moral intuitions, to think more broadly about moral obligations, to check behaviors that may be degrading.”<br />
<br />
<span id="more-768299"></span><br />
<b>This is part of a generations-long phenomenon.</b> In his 1987 book <em>The Closing of the American Mind,</em> <span class="" id="apture_prvw1" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 0pt none; clear: none; cursor: url("http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png"), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; margin: 0pt; outline: medium none; padding: 0pt; position: relative; text-decoration: none; width: auto;"><a class=" snap_noshots" href="http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2011/09/15/morality-brooks/#" style="-moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-top-colors: none; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color rgb(0, 102, 204); border-radius: 2px 2px 2px 2px; border-style: none none dotted; border-width: 0pt 0pt 1px; clear: none; cursor: url("http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png"), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; margin: 0pt; outline: medium none; padding: 1px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; top: -1px; width: auto;"><span style="-moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-top-colors: none; background-color: #e0e6ec; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color rgb(0, 102, 204); border-radius: 2px 2px 2px 2px; border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0pt 0pt 1px; clear: none; cursor: url("http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png"), default; display: inline-block; float: none; height: 100%; left: 0pt; margin: 0pt; outline: medium none; padding: 0pt; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 0pt; width: 0%;"></span><span style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 0pt none; clear: none; cursor: url("http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png"), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; left: 0px; margin: 0pt; outline: medium none; padding: 0pt; position: relative; text-decoration: none; top: 1px; width: auto;">Allan Bloom</span></a><span style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 0pt none; clear: none; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; line-height: 1px; margin: 0pt; outline: medium none; padding: 0pt; position: static; text-decoration: none; width: auto;"></span></span> wrote, <b>“There is one thing a professor can be absolutely certain of: almost every student entering the university believes, or says he believes, that truth is relative.”</b> And the university, Bloom argued, is unwilling to offer a distinctive visage to young people. The guiding philosophy of the academy is there are no first principles, no coherent ways to interpret the world in which we live.<br />
<br />
But this is merely a pose. No one, <b>not even a liberal academic, is a true relativist</b>. Scratch below the surface and you’ll find them to be (morally) judgmental toward those who want to discriminate based on race, gender, or sexual orientation. They will likely have strong (moral) views on criminalizing abortion, restricting marriage to one man and one woman, anthropogenic global warming, water-boarding terrorists, rendition, Israeli settlements, profits for oil companies, and cutting taxes for the rich. The left is adamant: women have a “right” to an abortion and gays have a “right” to marry. These rights are viewed as <em>a priori</em> and inviolate. And no one, not even a progressive liberal arts professor, is morally indifferent to someone who wants to rape his wife, molest his children, and steal his iPad.<b> It is fashionable to insist we don’t want to “impose our values” on others or “legislate morality.” But the reality is we do so all the time, </b>on an endless number of issues,<b> </b>and no civilization could survive without doing so. <b>The question, really, is which moral standards do we aspire to? What is the ethical code we use to judge ourselves and others?</b><br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
This didn’t arise <em>ex nihilo</em>. I<b>n the 1970s</b>, influential figures in education like Sydney Simon and Lawrence Kohlberg argued for <b>“values clarification”</b> and <b>“cognitive moral development,”</b> <b>believing the traditional moral education was essentially indoctrination –“undemocratic and unconstitutional.”</b> (See this excellent 1978 <em>Public Interest </em><a href="http://www.nationalaffairs.com/public_interest/detail/moral-education-in-the-schools">essay</a> by William J. Bennett and Edwin J. DeLattre for more.) This was utter nonsense, of course; but it was also corrosive and had profound human and social consequences. <b>You can’t promote ethical agnosticism and embrace nonjudgmentalism without there being moral ramifications. Because at some point, we all have to take a moral stand and embrace a moral cause. We have to believe in, and abide by, rules and precepts. We don’t have the luxury of living a life of perpetual moral confusion.</b> C.S. Lewis put it as well as anyone when he wrote in <em>The Abolition of Man</em>, “We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.”<br />
<br />
One final thought: <b>what is often lost in this debate is that human fulfillment and happiness isn’t found in a world stripped of moral beliefs. Despair, not joy, is found among those who believe in nothing, who find purpose in nothing, who fight for nothing.</b> Because of human anthropology – because we are moral creatures, made in the image of God – we are meant to delight in His ways, to live lives of high moral purpose. All of us fail more often than we should. But we cannot give up on the aspiration; nor can we allow our hearts to grow cold and indifferent, unmoved by the beauty of moral excellence.<br />
<br />
“Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things,” St. Paul wrote. In our world, there is still excellence. There are still things worthy of praise. It’s time we once again dwell on them.</blockquote> Being a public school teacher for over 25 years and having been a youth leader for some six years, I have a deep concern for young people. I know the ways of this world and the lies that are told to us -- especially at such a vulnerable age as an adolescent and young adult. It is surely a poverty of our nation that kids are increasingly losing their Judeo-Christian heritage. Let us pray for revivial. We are still predominantly a nation of faith; but, let us not give another inch and start digging our roots deep into God.KMacGinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876557055018860376noreply@blogger.com2