Monthly Archives: April 2022

What is a woman? (part 2)

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It seems we left the nomination of our new supreme court justice in a precarious place.  The goal of the present administration was to confirm the first Black Female Justice to the Supreme Court.   Since the candidate is unable to define woman, do we know if this candidate qualifies as the African American Justice that was desired?  

Should the Senators have asked if she was a woman?  If not, perhaps the goal of firsts could still be obtained by just having someone identify as an African American Woman who is already on the Court. That should be sufficient if truth is simply established by what one thinks!!

 

America’s Founder Were Slave Owners

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America’s Founders were Slave Owners

 

The history of slavery goes back as far as recorded history.  America did not create slavery.  The founders of this nation inherited it as a human institution but found it inconsistent with their Christian beliefs and the principles in our Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.  Many of our founders, even those who owned slaves, were instrumental in the abolishment of slavery in this nation.

Some who even proposed legislation to make slavery illegal at the state level, owned slaves.  Thomas Jefferson in his wording of the Northwest Ordinance forbade slavery in any new state that would apply to admission to our union.

The laws, in some States, in the time of Jefferson did not allow you to just release slaves.  In fact, someone, like Jefferson, who had debts to pay, and released slaves, would have those slaves taken into custody by the government and sold to pay his debts.  So release of slaves in his case was illegal.

That did not stop Jefferson and others of that day from speaking against slavery and even starting anti-slavery associations.

Also, free blacks and native Americans owned slaves.  This land was not a Utopia before the Europeans arrived.  Native American tribes owned other native Americans as slaves.   In Central and South America perhaps the most barbaric and extensive human sacrifice in history took place among these native civilizations.  Towers of human skulls have been uncovered.  And human sacrifice was known to be a practice of appeasing the gods of those societies.  It was not uncommon to cut out the hearts of the victims. 

The first man to legally own a slave in the United States for life was actually another black man.  Anthony Johnson had come to America from Angola as an indentured servant.  He served his seven years and gained his freedom.  He was able to purchase property and bought a slave who was not very efficient.  When the slave, John Casor, tried to leave Johnson’s authority, Johnson filed a lawsuit and gained lifetime control of Casor from a judge.

I highly recommend the teachings by William Federer on the history of slavery.  There is a link at the end of this section.  Also, David and Tim Barton have done extensive historical research into slavery in America.  Their information can be found at wallbuilders.com.

It is simplistic and misleading to simply say our founders owned slaves and think you understand the circumstances and mindset of early America and its founders.  America within 90 years of its Declaration of Independence had made slavery illegal.  That was a major change in world history.

Slavery was horrible. There was inhumane treatment of many black people.  They were legally regarded as less than human and considered to be property.  But then, hundreds of thousands of mostly white men lost their lives in a war that finally brought an end to legal slavery in this country.  Since then changes have been made to change local laws regarding equal access rights to facilities, schools, jobs and many other things.  While racism still dwells in the hearts of people throughout America and the world, the system of government as contained in our laws does not condone or promote it.

That progress deserves recognition and celebration.  The Gospel of Jesus when lived out will then deal with conditions of the heart.  (See section of Equity or Equality).

 https://www.heritage.org/american-founders/report/how-understand-slavery-and-the-american-founding

https://wallbuilders.com/bible-slavery-americas-founders/

https://www.patriotacademy.com/founding-fathers-slavery/

(Day 3) Understanding the Culture with William Federer – YouTube – William Federer: Understanding Our Culture

Climate Change

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 Climate Change

 

When I was in Elementary School we were being told that scientists said we were on the brink of another ice age.  In 1972 when I was in College scientists told us we would be rationing food and water by 1980.  I began taking one minute showers to save the planet.  (It didn’t last long,  both the shower and my commitment to save water.)  Then we came to the era of global warming.  It was conclusive! We’re losing the icecaps and they will be completely melted by 2013 or maybe 2014, etc. etc… Within the last couple years alarmists have declared the planet will be uninhabitable in 18 months or whatever, pick a time frame.

Predicting global weather trends has been tricky business with very little accuracy.   However, if no one really remembers what was said you can keep shouting the alarms with little or no accountability for truth.  I remember after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast that there were immediate predictions of increased numbers and intensity of Hurricanes.  Instead over the next few years there were nowhere near the number of hurricanes there were in 2005 which had set a record.

Predicting trends has made many people look foolish over the past century.  Global crises predictions are speculative.  An award winning environmentalist named Michael Shellenberger has re-examined his position on catastrophic prognostications in a book called “Apocalypse Never”.  I would suggest reading this at least to balance the wild hysterical predictions thrown out in the general public in order to induce major public policy changes and funding for certain environmental projects through fear.

Climate Change Resources

PragerU

Climate Change: What Do Scientists Say? – YouTube – Political Analysis (Richard Lindzen) 2016

Is There Really a Climate Emergency? – YouTube – Basics of Climate Change (Steven Koonin) 2021

Interviews

Climate, energy, ‘crisis,’ and transition: A conversation with Steven Koonin | LIVE STREAM – YouTube – Steven Kooin Interview on Climate Change

Books

Unsettled (Steven Koonin)

Apocalypse Never: Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All  (Michael Shellenberger)

Socialism Communism Marxism

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 Socialism/Communism/Marxism

Critical Race Theory finds its origins in Marxism.  While Marx stressed the difference between the workers and ruling class and created “class” warfare, CRT is currently promoting racial division as a means to promote their agenda.  Nonetheless, it is an expression of Marxist philosophy.  Leveling outcomes, what you possess, without consideration of effort.  So everyone gets the same thing.  Our founding Fathers considered inequality of possessions a sign of freedom because everyone having the same thing is not natural.  If everyone has the same possessions it means that some authority is making that happen thus you are not in a free society but are under oppression of government to insure results.  They saw this as tyranny. 

A society of people who freely work for themselves do not end up with everyone owning the same amount of everything.

The question then must be answered whether you are willing to have things taken away from you and given to someone else if you have more than them.  Everyone seems to like the idea of being given something so their standard of living rises, but that is not the long term result of Socialism/Marxism/Communism.

 A Christian response encourages generosity.  I Timothy 6:17,18, “Instruct those who are rich….to be generous and eager to share.”  In Socialism, resources are spread out and distributed not on the basis of merit, what you’ve earned, but on the basis of equity.  I visited Russia in 1997 and saw the lingering effects of Communism.  Everyone had about the same thing, virtually nothing.

Government is seen as God in these systems as it is responsible for providing everything for everyone.  Free education is offered when in reality it becomes free indoctrination to the controlling philosophy of oppressive government that these isms create.

Socialism and its related systems gain control through crisis or chaos.  When there is crisis or if crisis can be created, government sweeps in and offers an answer.  With the answer comes the sacrifice on the part of the people of freedoms/rights with the corresponding gain of control by those in power.  While these systems try to point out the inequities of society you are still left with a controlling class that is not subject to the oppressive restrictions on free enterprise and has the rights to dip their hands in the public funds to lavishly provide for themselves.

These systems result in the loss of motivation to work, a deeper separation of workers and ruling class, and the loss of free exchange of ideas, since only certain sources of information are allowed.  Dissent from these ideologies is restricted and punished.  And while a utopian society of well-being for everyone is promised resources dry up from lack of motivated free enterprise.

The idea of wealth redistribution (equity) was called leveling by our founding fathers.  They said it was not the government’s position to take wealth from someone and give it to another.  The care of the poor should be by the benevolence of individuals or the formation of charitable organizations.  The idea was to encourage charity but not forcibly take from one to give to another.  That sounds a bit like stealing! 

Resources

Books: Socialism:  The Real History From Plato to the Present by William Federer 

5,000 Year Leap by Skousen

https://wallbuilderslive.com/marxist-ideology-in-america-and-what-to-do-about-it-with-george-barna/

 

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/socialism

 

https://www.heritage.org/progressivism/commentary/purging-whiteness-purge-capitalism

 

https://www.heritage.org/progressivism/commentary/three-nations-tried-socialism-and-rejected-it

 

https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2017/nov/26/the-failed-promise-of-communism-2017112/

Our Historical Roots

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Our Historical Roots

History is to the nation what memory is to the individual.  –  Arthur Schlesinger

If we don’t know who we are, we don’t know how to act.  As a child in school my generation was taught regularly that the Pilgrims came here for religious freedom.  I heard Michele Bachman say something along the line, America was basically a Church plant.  Listed here are a few quotes from our Founding Fathers and early documents that give an understanding of the mindset of those who came to start what is now called the United States of America.

When discussing the guidelines which define the establishment of religion in the First Amendment to the Constitution, U.S. House Judiciary Committee made this statement in 1854,

  “Had the people, during the revolution, had a suspicion of any attempt to war against Christianity, that revolution would have been strangled in its cradle… In this age, there can be no substitute for Christianity… That was the religion of the founders of the republic and they expected it to remain the religion of their descendants.” – Congress U.S House Judiciary Committee, 1854

 

 “Having undertaken for the

 Glory of God, and the advancement of the

Christian faith…”

-Mayflower Compact (1612)

 

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“In proportion as the genuine effects of Christianity are diminished in any nation… in the same proportion will the people of that nation recede from the blessings of genuine freedom… Whenever the pillars of Christianity shall be overthrown, our present republican forms of government – and all the blessings which flow from them – must fall with them.” – Jedidiah Morse (1761-1826), was a pioneer American educator and geographer, called the “Father of American Geography.” He was also the father of Samuel F.B. Morse, inventor of the telegraph and “Morse Code.” 

“The Declaration of Independence laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity” – John Quincy Adams : American 6th US President (1825-29), eldest son of John Adams, 2nd US president. 1767- 1848

“The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.” – John Quincy Adams : American 6th US President (1825-29), eldest son of John Adams, 2nd US president. 1767- 1848

“He called on the entire state to pray “that universal happiness may be established in the world [and] that all may bow to the scepter of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the whole earth be filled with His glory.””  – John Hancock: Elected President of the Continental Congress, 1775;  

“Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation, to select and prefer Christians for their rulers” – John Jay: Author of the Federalist Papers; Original Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

“[T]he only means of establishing and perpetuating our republican forms of government is the universal education of our youth in the principles of Christianity by means of the Bible”. – Benjamin Rush: Signer of the Declaration of Independence; Ratifier of the U.S. Constitution 

“I am persuaded that no civil government of a republican form can exist and be durable in which the principles of Christianity have not a controlling influence” – Noah Webster: Judge; Legislator; Educator; Revolutionary Soldier

“No truth is more evident than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people.” – Noah Webster: Judge; Legislator; Educator; Revolutionary Soldier 

“[T]he Christian religion – its general principles – must ever be regarded among us as the foundation of civil society” – Daniel Webster: U.S. Senator; Secretary of State  

“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness – these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens” – George Washington: First President of the United States of America. General in the Revolutionary War 

“The great pillars of all government and of social life [are] virtue, morality, and religion. This is the armor, my friend, and this alone, that renders us invincible” – Patrick Henry: Revolutionary General; Ratifier of the U. S. Constitution; Governor of Virginia

Quotes taken from “Original Intent” by David Barton

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Equity or Equality Introduction

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Equity or Equality

America’s Founding Fathers wrote that all men are created equal.  They were highly influenced in this by Deuteronomy 1:17 “You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and great…”.  The concept of equality was equal standing with or access to the law.  Everyone had equal rights before the law.  This Constitutional concept and the conscience of Christian leaders led to the abolishment of legal slavery in the United States.  Slavery had been a human institution for 4,000 plus years but became illegal in America within about 75 years of the ratification of the Constitution.  This was a major change in the history of humanity.

We are not responsible for what we are given as children.  As adults we are responsible for what we do with that information.  When I was a child I was told Martin Luther King, Jr. was a communist.  My friend Titus from Kenya was told if you see a white man, run because they will eat you.  Neither one of us could control what we were given as children but I later concluded that Martin Luther King, Jr. was a great civil rights leader and Titus found that he could partner with white people in America to help provide wells, churches and Bible teaching for thousands in his congregation in Kenya.

Early Americans inherited slavery.  It had been a part of humanity for thousands of years before they were born.  There was definitely abuse and inhumane practices that should have never happened.  But also, there were hundreds of thousands of mostly white men that died to make slavery illegal in America, within 90 years of its founding.  Did that end racism?  No.  It is present in every culture I have been in.  But it ended legal slavery and started a process of reconciling the problems that slavery created. 

Equality has been replaced in the modern dialogue with the term equity.  Equity implies equality of possessions and privilege without regard to merit.  It is one of the foundational premises of Marxism/Socialism/Communism.  This equity only applies to the general population not to the leaders.  The concept enables something to be taken away from someone who has earned it and given to someone who has less but has not earned or merited that possession.

We call this redistribution of wealth.  Our Founders called it “leveling” and said it was not the place of government to do this, believing it was a sign of tyranny or oppression for government to take away from one to give to another.  In its most basic form taking from one who has earned something and forcing that one to give it to another is theft.

Our Founders believed benevolence should be handled by individuals or by organizations formed to help others.  If done by Government, it was a sign of tyranny.  They encouraged generosity which is voluntarily giving to others who are in need.

In contrast to a Socialist society would be a meritocracy, where people are rewarded or promoted on the basis of merit (they worked for it).  People are encouraged to engage in work that earns a wage and merits promotion.

Equity and Equality Sources

https://advocatesfortruth.com/blog/does-the-bible-promote-equity-or-equality

 

https://advocatesfortruth.com/blog/is-all-inequity-bad

 

https://advocatesfortruth.com/blog/is-equality-of-outcome-just

 

https://www.epm.org/blog/2017/Jun/23/people-equal-heaven

Equal Rights

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Equal Rights

 

Equal rights became a topic years ago relating to consistent legal rights for all ethnic groups, particularly African Americans.  African Americans were denied access to bathrooms, drinking fountains, restaurants and hotels among other things because of the color of their skin.

Women’s equal rights were championed to secure equal pay for equal work or voting rights earlier in the 1900’s.   Such things were only just and were based on discrimination based on tangible, factual, physical attributes, skin color and natural gender (Female parts).

Recent laws have been passed to allow same sex people to marry, giving them “equal rights”.  Marriage has traditionally and naturally been regarded as the coupling of a male and female.  Before these “equal rights” for same sex marriages were given everyone had equal rights; A man could marry a woman, a woman could marry a man.  If you chose not to do that you chose not to marry.  Everyone had the same rights. Marriage by definition and natural reality was the joining of opposite sexes.  Nature discriminates against two men or two women perpetuating the human race.  By nature, there needs to be two people of the opposite sex involved: Truth.  Thank God your parents were heterosexual!

Recently transgender persons have demanded the right to use a bathroom in accordance with what sex they identify themselves and this has been granted in order to afford “equal rights”. Equal rights would actually allow all biological males to use women’s bathrooms or no biological males to use women’s bathrooms.  The consent to give those who identify as female but have male parts is actually special rights, not equal rights.  Because only some biological males can use the women’s bathrooms.  Once again truth is considered something I create internally rather than something that is discovered externally.

Some would say I discriminate against homosexual behavior while accepting equal rights for African Americans and therefore treat these situations differently.  Actually, I try to be consistent.  I would not try to convince an African American that he was just a white man living in a black man’s body.  I would try to help him understand that God has created him who he is for a distinct purpose and calling.  I would help him flourish as who he is rather than imagine he is someone else living in the wrong body.

Likewise, my goal would be to encourage the homosexual/transgender individual to accept who they are and work with them to find their greatest fulfillment in who God made them not try to convince them they are just living in the wrong body.

When we accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ over our lives, we accept that He has not made a mistake in who He made us.  He has made us for His purpose and our fulfillment in life is to fully accept and engage ourselves in what He wants us to do and be.

 https://www.heritage.org/civil-rights/commentary/brief-history-individual-rights

 

https://www.heritage.org/first-principles-human-rights-series

 

https://www.heritage.org/gender/commentary/the-dangers-the-equality

Tolerance

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Tolerance

 

The word tolerance has been used a lot in the last couple of decades with a very different meaning from a few years earlier.  One of the most dishonorable accusations against one in these days is to be “intolerant.”

Tolerance used to embrace the idea of allowing something to proceed or take place or “putting up” with a situation, person or idea. 

Today tolerance has evolved to mean not only allowing but embracing and endorsing a situation, person or idea.  So you are intolerant if you don’t embrace and endorse homosexual “marriages”, sex changes for minors or transgenders using bathrooms opposite of their birth gender.

Intolerance meant not allowing something in the past.  Now it means not endorsing something.  The idea of inclusion accompanies the concept of tolerance, particularly this inclusion applies to lifestyles.  Every lifestyle is tolerated or included except a lifestyle which would exclude the concept that some lifestyles are not healthy or moral.

Jesus was not tolerant of other philosophies of gaining eternal life and He was exclusive when He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.”  To believe the Bible and the words of Jesus becomes both intolerant and exclusive by nature of the content of what Jesus said.

The new morality is basically defined by Tolerance.  Morality is not defined in behaviors or actions but in the acceptance of any behavior as equally acceptable as any other behavior. 

https://billygraham.org/story/the-sin-of-tolerance/

 

https://www.heritage.org/civil-society/commentary/religious-liberty-protections-promote-tolerance

 

https://www.str.org/w/prageru-the-intolerance-of-tolerance

 

https://www.str.org/w/when-tolerance-is-intolerant

Right-Wing and Left-Wing

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Right Wing/Left Wing

 

Our Founders used right wing and left wing to measure political power not political parties. Extreme  Left wing was more government/ tyranny/Ruler’s Law. Extreme Right wing was anarchy/ no law. Our Founder’s tried to establish People’s Law rather than Ruler’s Law as a balance between Anarchy/ no law on one hand and tyranny/Ruler’s law on the other.

Total right wing would be chaos and total left wing is oppression.

Today we are moving left where government is by the whims of men, rather than the rule of Law.  “Ruler’s Law is when the ruler issues edicts which are called law and then interprets the law and enforces it, thus maintaining tyrannical control of the people.  Problems are solved by issuing more edicts or “laws”, setting up more bureaus, harassing the people with more regulators, and charging the people for these services by continually adding to their burden of taxes.“ (Excerpt taken from the Book 5,000 Year Leap)

In America today we are moving away from the rule of Law to where elected and some unelected officials are making decrees (mandates) that are being enforced and considered Law without going through the legislative process.  Some legislatures are making these mandates Laws in the midst of this “Crisis”.  Many people who are driven to fear will give up freedoms for security.  So, what happens is, there is a crisis, government sweeps in with its answer and people give up freedom for the security of the promised solution the government brings.  In the meantime freedoms have been lost by the people and more authority to govern more areas of life is gained by the ruling class.

With each new crisis freedoms are lost by the populace and powers are gained by governing officials moving us closer to Ruler’s Law rather than People’s Law.

People’s Law has several characteristics.  One being, “primary responsibility for resolving problems rested first of all with the individual, then the family, then the tribe or community, then the region, and finally, the nation.”  (The 5,000 Year Leap, pg. 13)

The fact any tolerance is given to a statement that parents don’t have rights over their children’s education indicates a move toward the left wing of tyranny.

We hear of ‘Right Wing Fascism” today.  Fascism is a very left wing philosophy, including dictators and police states.  The term right wing for fascist seems to have its origin not in what they believed but where they sat in European houses of Parliament.  Communists generally sat on the far left side of Parliament and Fascists sat on the far right, with the others in between.  Communism and Fascism are very closely related governmentally with Fascists exercising control over private business.  We currently see that in the mandates given on a federal level to private businesses   regarding who can work for them.

TBH History: French Revolution (pt 1): The Birth of Left vs. Right – YouTube – TBH History French Revolution Part 1: The Birth of Left vs. Right

 

TBH History French Revolution Part 2: The Disaster of Utopia – YouTube – TBH History French Revolution Part 2: The Disaster of Utopia

 

TBH: History: American Revolution Part 1 – YouTube – TBH History American Revolution Part 1

 

TBH History: American Revolution Part 2 – YouTube – TBH History American Revolution Part 2

 

https://wallbuilders.com/deconstructionism-and-the-left/

Truth

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Truth

Let’s define truth:  A faithful representation of the facts.  The definition of truth has gone through a transformation in recent years.  What we imagine is often now regarded as truth.  So, fantasy can be truth which really muddies the water when talking about reality or the facts.

When I am sleeping, I can have dreams that seem very true to me, but they are not consistent with facts.  I have run in recent dreams, something I haven’t done in many years.  I once was riding in a car with Benjamin Netanyahu, the former Prime Minister of Israel, in my dream, but it was not fact even though it was real to me.

Truth is something external that we discover, not something internal that we create.

For instance, if I determined internally that I was a dog, what’s true for me? Would it be all right for others to put me on a leash, or shock collar, and feed me only dog food?  That is considered humane for dogs. Or is my doghood not really “THAT” true?

Or if I identify as a deer.  I created my internal ‘truth’. Would it really be all right to shoot me and eat me since that is legal to do with deer or is this a different truth than factual truth?

When I was in high school, we had a student that said he was a tree.  So he would stand in the hall before school and between classes doing his tree dance. He identified as a tree.  Is that truth?  Would it have been ok to bring chainsaws and cut him into firewood or was his internally created truth not really true?  Was his imagination a faithful representation of the facts?  Trees have characteristics consisting of true substances he didn’t have, wood and leaves to name just 2.  Roots?  Ok I’ll stop.

Because one identifies as something or someone does not make it truth. It must faithfully represent the facts!

  • (Excerpt from article) In defining truth, it is first helpful to note what truth is not:
  • Truth is not simply whatever works. This is the philosophy of pragmatism—an ends-vs.-means-type approach. In reality, lies can appear to “work,” but they are still lies and not the truth.
  • Truth is not simply what is coherent or understandable. A group of people can get together and form a conspiracy based on a set of falsehoods where they all agree to tell the same false story, but it does not make their presentation true.
  • Truth is not what makes people feel good. Unfortunately, bad news can be true.
  • Truth is not what the majority says is true. Fifty-one percent of a group can reach a wrong conclusion.
  • Truth is not what is comprehensive. A lengthy, detailed presentation can still result in a false conclusion.
  • Truth is not defined by what is intended. Good intentions can still be wrong.
  • Truth is not how we know; truth is what we know.
  • Truth is not simply what is believed. A lie believed is still a lie.
  • Truth is not what is publicly proved. A truth can be privately known (for example, the location of buried treasure).

 

Why did Jesus say He was the truth? https://www.christianity.com/jesus/is-jesus-god/names-of-jesus/how-is-jesus-the-truth.html