I'm a capitalist with a conscience. Mother Teresa is one of my favorite people and those who know me, know that I'm passionate about helping protect the children of the world. Her quotation is stinging but worth contemplating. Reminds me of the last scene in Speilberg's film, Schindler's List.
"It is a poverty that a child should die so we may live as we wish." - Mother Teresa
Monday, June 29, 2009
King David
"The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.
From Heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind;
From his dwelling place he watches all who live on the earth,
He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.
No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.
A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
To deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.
We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his Holy name.
May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you."
Psalm 33
But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.
From Heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind;
From his dwelling place he watches all who live on the earth,
He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.
No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.
A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
To deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.
We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his Holy name.
May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you."
Psalm 33
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Posing as a Priest
We are becoming a nation of people, who are historically, economically, and theologically illiterate. Many people believe that history began the day they were born. Therefore many have no frame of reference or historical perspective to make informed and wise decisions regarding our nation. I posted the stats in my previous blog, When Mass Ignorance Votes.
So in a well meaning and emotional response to the pain in the world, we toss out thousands of years of time tested history, and quickly embrace well spoken "new ideas." These "new" ideas have the power to destroy a great nation.
This same segment of society, many times, sees Christianity and the church as a band of angry moral bullies, which sadly is sometimes the case, so they reject the good with the bad, and look to a political messiah to save them from all their troubles. This is the ultimate mistake for any nation. Again, look to history.
This short sighted thinking enables a politician, posing as a priest, to seize the opportunity to say in the words of Jesus, "Come unto me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." The people then take the bait, hook, line, and sinker, and the cycle of the demise of democracies, continues to repeat itself. John Adams said, "All democracies eventually commit suicide." This happens when men look to government, or a leader, to save them.
There is no man that can serve as a political messiah. Many Americans do not understand what James Madison meant when he said, "If men were angels, we would not need a government." ALL men are flawed. This is why a Theocracy is no better than a dictatorship, unless Jesus himself is running the show. Because it leaves "man" in a position of ultimate power. This is why we have a system of checks and balances. This is true whether the leader is a democrat or a republican. No man can be trusted with ultimate power, because all men are depraved.
We need to embrace humility and realize that "In God We Trust" is more than a simple phrase. God allows us freedom of conscience. But that freedom requires humility and responsibility for governing ourselves. Or the laws required to restrain our bad choices become overwhelming.
At the time of our founding, most Americans, especially our founding fathers, understood the depravity of man and the Sovereignty of God over all nations. This is why George Washington said, "It is the duty of all me to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God." Freedom begins here.
Politicians posing as priests and saviors, are a trap for America. It appears that the State is slowly becoming one massive church to which the people look for salvation. And many of the politicians appear to love it.
Self Government, with personal humility before God, without the fear or control of government, was and is our only hope on earth to remain free. It is the foundation of freedom in a fallen world. But we are squandering our heritage, our freedom, and our future by looking to mere men to save us. We have to remember that neither the politician nor the priest is God. Our form of governemnt allows us as individuals to be self governed by our consciences before God. More on that in another blog.
In March of 1863, in the middle of a violent and bloody Civil War that was literally tearing America in half, Abraham Lincoln signed a proclamation calling for humility before God. Part of it read, "We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God." Although we are not currently facing a bloody civil war, we are facing two opposing ideologies that are tearing us in two.
My prayer is that we individually humble ourselves before our Creator God, and take the time to make changes of heart where needed, and understand our foundations, before they are completely destroyed, and we finally self destruct. We need the mercy of God. We cannot save our nation without his aid.
So in a well meaning and emotional response to the pain in the world, we toss out thousands of years of time tested history, and quickly embrace well spoken "new ideas." These "new" ideas have the power to destroy a great nation.
This same segment of society, many times, sees Christianity and the church as a band of angry moral bullies, which sadly is sometimes the case, so they reject the good with the bad, and look to a political messiah to save them from all their troubles. This is the ultimate mistake for any nation. Again, look to history.
This short sighted thinking enables a politician, posing as a priest, to seize the opportunity to say in the words of Jesus, "Come unto me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." The people then take the bait, hook, line, and sinker, and the cycle of the demise of democracies, continues to repeat itself. John Adams said, "All democracies eventually commit suicide." This happens when men look to government, or a leader, to save them.
There is no man that can serve as a political messiah. Many Americans do not understand what James Madison meant when he said, "If men were angels, we would not need a government." ALL men are flawed. This is why a Theocracy is no better than a dictatorship, unless Jesus himself is running the show. Because it leaves "man" in a position of ultimate power. This is why we have a system of checks and balances. This is true whether the leader is a democrat or a republican. No man can be trusted with ultimate power, because all men are depraved.
We need to embrace humility and realize that "In God We Trust" is more than a simple phrase. God allows us freedom of conscience. But that freedom requires humility and responsibility for governing ourselves. Or the laws required to restrain our bad choices become overwhelming.
At the time of our founding, most Americans, especially our founding fathers, understood the depravity of man and the Sovereignty of God over all nations. This is why George Washington said, "It is the duty of all me to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God." Freedom begins here.
Politicians posing as priests and saviors, are a trap for America. It appears that the State is slowly becoming one massive church to which the people look for salvation. And many of the politicians appear to love it.
Self Government, with personal humility before God, without the fear or control of government, was and is our only hope on earth to remain free. It is the foundation of freedom in a fallen world. But we are squandering our heritage, our freedom, and our future by looking to mere men to save us. We have to remember that neither the politician nor the priest is God. Our form of governemnt allows us as individuals to be self governed by our consciences before God. More on that in another blog.
In March of 1863, in the middle of a violent and bloody Civil War that was literally tearing America in half, Abraham Lincoln signed a proclamation calling for humility before God. Part of it read, "We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God." Although we are not currently facing a bloody civil war, we are facing two opposing ideologies that are tearing us in two.
My prayer is that we individually humble ourselves before our Creator God, and take the time to make changes of heart where needed, and understand our foundations, before they are completely destroyed, and we finally self destruct. We need the mercy of God. We cannot save our nation without his aid.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
When Mass Ignorance Votes
Imagine if the United States allowed a group of uninformed teenagers to determine our next President. Sound insane?
What if they knew little to nothing of our history, our form of government, or our Constitution, and they were the ones who would determine our future. Sound ridiculous?
This is the equivalent of what we are doing with emerging generations of Americans. Mass ignorance is gaining a majority in America. And that mass ignorance has the right to vote.
This is a problem for more than Democrats and Republicans. This is an alarming epidemic facing all Americans.
A few years ago, the Research and Analysis Department at the University of Connecticut, surveyed seniors from the top 55 universities in the United States, including Harvard and Princeton. The seniors were given a simple 35 question survey of American History.
Over 80% of them failed and could not even name the father of the Constitution. (James Madison by the way.)
One of the researchers said, "These seniors are being allowed to graduate as if the past never existed."
The late political philosopher Alexander Solzhenitsyn said, "In order to destroy a people you must first sever their roots." And even Karl Marx said, "A people without a heritage are easily persuaded."
Whether you watch Conan or Hannity, we have all laughed at the "man on the street" when asked what he or she knows about our national leaders. It is amazing how little most Americans currently know, or why it is so important to our future survival as a nation.
America is in SERIOUS trouble.
It is one thing to forget our history, and quite another to know it and completely reject it - which some are in fact doing. But I personally believe that most Americans simply do not understand our heritage, and upon hearing irrational and extreme examples from those explaining it, have chosen to throw the baby out with the bath water and refuse to hear more. This is an incredible tragedy.
Again, mass ignorance is rapidly gaining a majority in America. And that mass ignorance has the right to vote.
So if we don't want inexperienced and uninformed citizens voting our nation into oblivion, we need to make sure the foundations of our Republic are understood, and intentionally passed on the the next generation. And if you think your school has it covered, in most cases, you are dead wrong.
It is imperative to our survival that we understand our own form of government. No form is perfect as they are all run by flawed humans. But to accept alternative forms without scrutiny, and to disregard the lessons learned from history, is ignorant and foolish.
We have more opportunity via the Internet for self education than any other generation. So my challenge is that we wake up and smell the reality before it is too late. Our Founders studied all forms of government over thousands of years. America is a miracle. We cannot take it lightly. Every parent, teacher, and pastor take note.
When Benjamin Franklin and John Adams left the Constitutional Convention, one was asked on the street what form of government that we have. He replied, "A Republic, if you can keep it."
It requires consistant maintenance from all of us. That is the priviledge and responsibility of freedom.
Let's not be a ship of fools toasting one another in the midst of our current storm. If we ignore our responsibility to the next generation, and allow mass ignorance to vote, we cannot complain when they decide to sell the farm.
Kendall Hewitt
What if they knew little to nothing of our history, our form of government, or our Constitution, and they were the ones who would determine our future. Sound ridiculous?
This is the equivalent of what we are doing with emerging generations of Americans. Mass ignorance is gaining a majority in America. And that mass ignorance has the right to vote.
This is a problem for more than Democrats and Republicans. This is an alarming epidemic facing all Americans.
A few years ago, the Research and Analysis Department at the University of Connecticut, surveyed seniors from the top 55 universities in the United States, including Harvard and Princeton. The seniors were given a simple 35 question survey of American History.
Over 80% of them failed and could not even name the father of the Constitution. (James Madison by the way.)
One of the researchers said, "These seniors are being allowed to graduate as if the past never existed."
The late political philosopher Alexander Solzhenitsyn said, "In order to destroy a people you must first sever their roots." And even Karl Marx said, "A people without a heritage are easily persuaded."
Whether you watch Conan or Hannity, we have all laughed at the "man on the street" when asked what he or she knows about our national leaders. It is amazing how little most Americans currently know, or why it is so important to our future survival as a nation.
America is in SERIOUS trouble.
It is one thing to forget our history, and quite another to know it and completely reject it - which some are in fact doing. But I personally believe that most Americans simply do not understand our heritage, and upon hearing irrational and extreme examples from those explaining it, have chosen to throw the baby out with the bath water and refuse to hear more. This is an incredible tragedy.
Again, mass ignorance is rapidly gaining a majority in America. And that mass ignorance has the right to vote.
So if we don't want inexperienced and uninformed citizens voting our nation into oblivion, we need to make sure the foundations of our Republic are understood, and intentionally passed on the the next generation. And if you think your school has it covered, in most cases, you are dead wrong.
It is imperative to our survival that we understand our own form of government. No form is perfect as they are all run by flawed humans. But to accept alternative forms without scrutiny, and to disregard the lessons learned from history, is ignorant and foolish.
We have more opportunity via the Internet for self education than any other generation. So my challenge is that we wake up and smell the reality before it is too late. Our Founders studied all forms of government over thousands of years. America is a miracle. We cannot take it lightly. Every parent, teacher, and pastor take note.
When Benjamin Franklin and John Adams left the Constitutional Convention, one was asked on the street what form of government that we have. He replied, "A Republic, if you can keep it."
It requires consistant maintenance from all of us. That is the priviledge and responsibility of freedom.
Let's not be a ship of fools toasting one another in the midst of our current storm. If we ignore our responsibility to the next generation, and allow mass ignorance to vote, we cannot complain when they decide to sell the farm.
Kendall Hewitt
Monday, June 15, 2009
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