YouTube - "Berlin Wall" Speech - President Reagan's Address at the Brandenburg Gate - 6/12/87
"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall," was a challenge from then President Ronald Reagan to Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev to destroy the Berlin Wall. In a speech at Brandenburg Gate commemorating the 750th anniversary of Berlin, by the Berlin Wall on June 12, 1987. Reagan challenged Gorbachev to tear it down as a symbol for Reagan's desire for increasing freedom in the Eastern Bloc.
Since the end of World War II, the Berlin Wall was erected to separate Communist East Germany from free West Germany. In 1961 the Berlin Wall became a symbol of Communism. This was Reagan's second visit to West Berlin, Germany within five years. The speech took place at 2:00 p.m. at Reichstag, Germany. He spoke at the Brandenburg Gate. He was in front of two panes of bulletproof glass to protect the president from potential snipers in East Berlin. There were 4500 people in attendance at Reagan's speech. Those in attendance were West German president Richard von Weigsacker, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, and West Berlin Mayor Eberhard Diepgen.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
Ronald Reagan Speech: The 1981 Inaugural Address
YouTube - President Reagan 1981 Inaugural Address
This is the second speech from Ronald Reagan which I'm posting today. I'm thinking of posting a total of four speeches. I'm still trying to determine what the fourth speech will be. In this inaugural address, President Reagan began his speech on the dangers of inflation and how it hasd damaged our economy at the time. He made a powerful statement which is "In our present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem." If one doesn't interpret that statement properly nor understood America during the late 1970's and beforehand, one could think he was saying the federal government doesn't have much of a role in America. He mentioned in his speech there's a role for the federal government. He stated that the federal government didn't create the states, the states created the federal government.
Many liberals in the media lump those in the Tea Party movement as being anti-government or anti-tax. That's not true. There is a proper role and a place for government. Government was created by God. Why? Because man's sinful and he created government to restrain lawlessness. The role of government is to execute justice and punish those that break the law. Another role for the government is to provide for a military to protect our nation and to create a system of highways for transporation purposes. Those are the roles of government. Without the execution of justice in our society along with provision for the common defense, this country would be in anarchy. There is a need for goverment. The problem is government has usurped authority in areas it's not supposed to usurp authority. Government today is trying to usurp the authority of mommy and daddy in the lives of America's children. Also government has taken the place of the average citizen to become a welfare state. There are some Americans in this generation that expect government to provide for its citizenry from the cradle to the grave. There are those that expect government to provide handouts, education, homes, jobs, social security, and the list continues. There used to be a time when Americans believed in the concept of self-reliance and working for your wages. There used to be a time whenever somebody in the neighborhood had a need, everyone in that neighborhood would pitch in and help the needy. Today we have a group of people that expect the federal government to be the provider. Thankfully more and more people are waking up to the fact that the federal government can't provide for everyone's financial needs. A government like that is socialistic and we wind up losing our freedoms when we expect government to take care of our needs.
In Matthew 22:17-21, the Pharisees tried to trick Jesus and asked him was it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar. Jesus told then to render unto Caesar (the government) the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. We as citizens have a duty when it comes to government. We are to pay taxes, we are to register for the selective service in case they need to call a draft in the time of war, we are to participate in jury duty when called on, etc. We as citizens do have our responsibilities toward government. We are also to obey the laws of the land unless they violate God's laws. God never created government to hold as much power over us like they're trying to do today. However, due to man's carnality and our neglect of certain responsibilities in years past when it comes to helping the poor and husbands providing for their families, the government has usurped that role and tried to provide benefits by taxing the wealthy to give to the poor. Even education is not a responsibility of government; esp. not the federal government. The role of education technically belongs to the parents and the churches. I'm a strong believer in Christian education. God has placed certain spheres of authority in this world: the home, the government, and the church. Each institution has its place in society. Today, government is trying to usurp the role of the family unit. In many of our school systems today, the public schools are teaching children topics such as sex education which should be reserved only for the home. The breakdown of the homes and churches has left a void and the government sadly has assumed that void. Christians and Christian parents need to take back the responsibility God has given to them. It's not the government's place to provide for its citizenry from cradle to grave.
This is the second speech from Ronald Reagan which I'm posting today. I'm thinking of posting a total of four speeches. I'm still trying to determine what the fourth speech will be. In this inaugural address, President Reagan began his speech on the dangers of inflation and how it hasd damaged our economy at the time. He made a powerful statement which is "In our present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem." If one doesn't interpret that statement properly nor understood America during the late 1970's and beforehand, one could think he was saying the federal government doesn't have much of a role in America. He mentioned in his speech there's a role for the federal government. He stated that the federal government didn't create the states, the states created the federal government.
Many liberals in the media lump those in the Tea Party movement as being anti-government or anti-tax. That's not true. There is a proper role and a place for government. Government was created by God. Why? Because man's sinful and he created government to restrain lawlessness. The role of government is to execute justice and punish those that break the law. Another role for the government is to provide for a military to protect our nation and to create a system of highways for transporation purposes. Those are the roles of government. Without the execution of justice in our society along with provision for the common defense, this country would be in anarchy. There is a need for goverment. The problem is government has usurped authority in areas it's not supposed to usurp authority. Government today is trying to usurp the authority of mommy and daddy in the lives of America's children. Also government has taken the place of the average citizen to become a welfare state. There are some Americans in this generation that expect government to provide for its citizenry from the cradle to the grave. There are those that expect government to provide handouts, education, homes, jobs, social security, and the list continues. There used to be a time when Americans believed in the concept of self-reliance and working for your wages. There used to be a time whenever somebody in the neighborhood had a need, everyone in that neighborhood would pitch in and help the needy. Today we have a group of people that expect the federal government to be the provider. Thankfully more and more people are waking up to the fact that the federal government can't provide for everyone's financial needs. A government like that is socialistic and we wind up losing our freedoms when we expect government to take care of our needs.
In Matthew 22:17-21, the Pharisees tried to trick Jesus and asked him was it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar. Jesus told then to render unto Caesar (the government) the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. We as citizens have a duty when it comes to government. We are to pay taxes, we are to register for the selective service in case they need to call a draft in the time of war, we are to participate in jury duty when called on, etc. We as citizens do have our responsibilities toward government. We are also to obey the laws of the land unless they violate God's laws. God never created government to hold as much power over us like they're trying to do today. However, due to man's carnality and our neglect of certain responsibilities in years past when it comes to helping the poor and husbands providing for their families, the government has usurped that role and tried to provide benefits by taxing the wealthy to give to the poor. Even education is not a responsibility of government; esp. not the federal government. The role of education technically belongs to the parents and the churches. I'm a strong believer in Christian education. God has placed certain spheres of authority in this world: the home, the government, and the church. Each institution has its place in society. Today, government is trying to usurp the role of the family unit. In many of our school systems today, the public schools are teaching children topics such as sex education which should be reserved only for the home. The breakdown of the homes and churches has left a void and the government sadly has assumed that void. Christians and Christian parents need to take back the responsibility God has given to them. It's not the government's place to provide for its citizenry from cradle to grave.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Walking in the Spirit
(Galatians 5:16-18) "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." In one of the previous posts, I was mentioning that no man is justified under the law. Under the law man is condemned. The law reveals the sinfulness of mankind and therefore man is classified guilty before God. II Corinthians 3:6 says that the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life. Those that don't know God have to be restrained by the law. Why was the law given? To restrain those that are carnal and sinful. Also the law was given to man to show that man is indeed sinful. Sin is made manifest when the law reveals that mankind has sinned. The law is a mirror reflecting your sins before you. However, Jesus died on Calvary's cross to pave the only way to salvation. Mankind is saved by grace through faith, plus nothing minus nothing. When God saves a man, He changes him and the Spirit of God makes his abode into the new believer's heart. That man becomes a new creature in Christ as II Corinthians 5:17 bears out.
Some church leaders misinterpret verse 18 when it says that if ye are led of the Spirit, you aren't under the law. Some misinterpret that as saying that you are free to do whatever you desire. It's true when you aren't under the law you'll do what you desire. However, the flip side of that is that you'll possess new desires. Your desires will change when you become saved. If you were a drunkard prior to salvation, then God will save and deliver you from liquor. He'll also change your desires. You'll no longer have the desire to drink liquor and perform any ungodly act. That's a miracle of the new birth. We're made a new creature. God says in Psalms to delight ourselves in the Lord and He'll give us the desires of our heart. If we delight ourselves in the Lord, then our desires will mirror God's desires. The closer we become to God, the more we'll become like God. The Bible says we are to be conformed to the image of Christ. That doesn't mean we're perfect nor does it mean we don't battle with the flesh. We still have that fleshly nature when we are saved. However, the new man desires to walk with God. It desires to please God.
Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:17 that he came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. God didn't abolish the law. The law is perfect, holy and just. There are teachers in the church that will label a preacher a legalist whenever he preaches separation to the child of God. Whenever a man of God preaches there are certain activities we shouldn't be participate in as children of God, then he's labeled a legalist. That's twisting scripture. Legalism is adding law to grace. It's saying you're saved by grace through faith plus something. The issues on separation is to help the children of God in their walk before the Lord as well as the type testimony they're to have before the world. Christians are to walk examplary before the world. If we claim to be a Christian and we fill our minds with filth from Hollywood, for example, how can we be conformed before the image of Christ. Our flesh is already carnal. When you add more carnality to it, it becomes difficult to maintain a right relationship with God. If we desire to live for God, there are certain things we shouldn't occupy our minds with. If we do, we'll struggle in serving the Lord. Our carnal minds are at enmity with God. Allowing your mind to be bombarded with sinful things makes it increasingly difficult to serve the Lord and please Him. There are some "do's" and "don'ts" for believers. However, laws don't save a man nor make him righteous. The law of God is for our own well-being as fellow believers. The Bible says the Spirit will lead and guide us into all truth. We have the law to teach us how to live and to appear before the world. For example, if we adorn ourselves with apparel that's not modest, that's a poor testimony before the world. It's a poor testimony on how a Christian should live for God. The law is necessary. The Holy Spirit will use the law to teach us things. But we aren't redeemed by the law.
What does it mean in Galatians 5:18 that if we are led by the Spirit we aren't under the law. When a sinner is saved, the Spirit of God takes abode in their hearts. The Spirit of God through the Word of God itself and the preaching of the Word of God, will lead and guide into all truth. Jesus says that "My sheep hear my voice and they follow me." A new believer is made into a new creature. Old things are passed away and behold all things become new. That's what takes place at conversion. God changes the desire of those that are saved. There is a deep desire within a beliver's innermost being to walk with and serve God. It's not about rules and regulations following salvation. Instead of saying, "I have to", it's now becomes, "I desire to." God writes the laws of God into our hearts so we will want to live for God. God knows our heart and knows it's carnal. That's what the law was given to Moses at Mount Sinai. Man's nature was sinful and he needed the law to restrain him. A beliver in Christ has the Holy Spirit to restrain him. Instead of being under a set of rules, you have the Holy Spirit that abides within you that will lead you. There's a still small voice that says, "This is holy, this is unholy." The Spirit of God says, "This is what you need to do. This is what you shouldn't do." The believer has the responsibility to submit to the Spirit.
That doesn't mean Christians don't need to read their Bible nor sit under preaching at church. However, there's a still small voice inside them that will lead and guide them. The Spirit of God will work in a believer's life to make him/her more like Jesus. A sinner is in misery because he has to rely on the law to keep him out of trouble. There's nothing inside of the sinner compelling him to live for Jesus. He has to have the law to tell him what to do. When Jesus enters the picture, that changes. The Holy Spirit comes in and he will lead you and conform you to the image of Christ. How far the Spirit will go with you depends on how submissive you are. The more you submit to truth, the more the Spirit of God will work in your life. The problem is some Christians will only allow the Spirit to work in their lives to a point and that's it. However, it's God's intentions we be like Jesus. The Holy Spirit is a gentleman. He isn't going to force us to be something if we won't submit to his leadership. However, if we walk in the Spirit and follow God, we won't be fulfilling the lust of the flesh.
The reason why so many Christians struggle with the flesh is because we aren't walking in the Spirit like we ought to be. When we refuse to submit to God, then we're allowing our flesh to have its way in our lives. The only way we won't fall prey to sin is for us to be obedient to the Spirit of God. As a result of our lack of obedience, that's why we struggle in areas we shouldn't. A spirit-led life is a life of joy, peace, happiness, and victory. Those that don't allow the Spirit of God to lead them in every aspect of their lives are going to face trouble with their flesh. In order to be the complete, entire man that the book of James speaks of, we must live a life yielded to the Spirit. We must walk in the Spirit at all times. If we don't then we'll fulfill the lusts of the flesh. That's why we make so many terrible decisions. We don't walk in the Spirit continually. Those that choose to submit their ways unto God will live a life of victory. The only way for a child of God to have victory in their lives is to walk in the Spirit, so they don't fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Some church leaders misinterpret verse 18 when it says that if ye are led of the Spirit, you aren't under the law. Some misinterpret that as saying that you are free to do whatever you desire. It's true when you aren't under the law you'll do what you desire. However, the flip side of that is that you'll possess new desires. Your desires will change when you become saved. If you were a drunkard prior to salvation, then God will save and deliver you from liquor. He'll also change your desires. You'll no longer have the desire to drink liquor and perform any ungodly act. That's a miracle of the new birth. We're made a new creature. God says in Psalms to delight ourselves in the Lord and He'll give us the desires of our heart. If we delight ourselves in the Lord, then our desires will mirror God's desires. The closer we become to God, the more we'll become like God. The Bible says we are to be conformed to the image of Christ. That doesn't mean we're perfect nor does it mean we don't battle with the flesh. We still have that fleshly nature when we are saved. However, the new man desires to walk with God. It desires to please God.
Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:17 that he came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. God didn't abolish the law. The law is perfect, holy and just. There are teachers in the church that will label a preacher a legalist whenever he preaches separation to the child of God. Whenever a man of God preaches there are certain activities we shouldn't be participate in as children of God, then he's labeled a legalist. That's twisting scripture. Legalism is adding law to grace. It's saying you're saved by grace through faith plus something. The issues on separation is to help the children of God in their walk before the Lord as well as the type testimony they're to have before the world. Christians are to walk examplary before the world. If we claim to be a Christian and we fill our minds with filth from Hollywood, for example, how can we be conformed before the image of Christ. Our flesh is already carnal. When you add more carnality to it, it becomes difficult to maintain a right relationship with God. If we desire to live for God, there are certain things we shouldn't occupy our minds with. If we do, we'll struggle in serving the Lord. Our carnal minds are at enmity with God. Allowing your mind to be bombarded with sinful things makes it increasingly difficult to serve the Lord and please Him. There are some "do's" and "don'ts" for believers. However, laws don't save a man nor make him righteous. The law of God is for our own well-being as fellow believers. The Bible says the Spirit will lead and guide us into all truth. We have the law to teach us how to live and to appear before the world. For example, if we adorn ourselves with apparel that's not modest, that's a poor testimony before the world. It's a poor testimony on how a Christian should live for God. The law is necessary. The Holy Spirit will use the law to teach us things. But we aren't redeemed by the law.
What does it mean in Galatians 5:18 that if we are led by the Spirit we aren't under the law. When a sinner is saved, the Spirit of God takes abode in their hearts. The Spirit of God through the Word of God itself and the preaching of the Word of God, will lead and guide into all truth. Jesus says that "My sheep hear my voice and they follow me." A new believer is made into a new creature. Old things are passed away and behold all things become new. That's what takes place at conversion. God changes the desire of those that are saved. There is a deep desire within a beliver's innermost being to walk with and serve God. It's not about rules and regulations following salvation. Instead of saying, "I have to", it's now becomes, "I desire to." God writes the laws of God into our hearts so we will want to live for God. God knows our heart and knows it's carnal. That's what the law was given to Moses at Mount Sinai. Man's nature was sinful and he needed the law to restrain him. A beliver in Christ has the Holy Spirit to restrain him. Instead of being under a set of rules, you have the Holy Spirit that abides within you that will lead you. There's a still small voice that says, "This is holy, this is unholy." The Spirit of God says, "This is what you need to do. This is what you shouldn't do." The believer has the responsibility to submit to the Spirit.
That doesn't mean Christians don't need to read their Bible nor sit under preaching at church. However, there's a still small voice inside them that will lead and guide them. The Spirit of God will work in a believer's life to make him/her more like Jesus. A sinner is in misery because he has to rely on the law to keep him out of trouble. There's nothing inside of the sinner compelling him to live for Jesus. He has to have the law to tell him what to do. When Jesus enters the picture, that changes. The Holy Spirit comes in and he will lead you and conform you to the image of Christ. How far the Spirit will go with you depends on how submissive you are. The more you submit to truth, the more the Spirit of God will work in your life. The problem is some Christians will only allow the Spirit to work in their lives to a point and that's it. However, it's God's intentions we be like Jesus. The Holy Spirit is a gentleman. He isn't going to force us to be something if we won't submit to his leadership. However, if we walk in the Spirit and follow God, we won't be fulfilling the lust of the flesh.
The reason why so many Christians struggle with the flesh is because we aren't walking in the Spirit like we ought to be. When we refuse to submit to God, then we're allowing our flesh to have its way in our lives. The only way we won't fall prey to sin is for us to be obedient to the Spirit of God. As a result of our lack of obedience, that's why we struggle in areas we shouldn't. A spirit-led life is a life of joy, peace, happiness, and victory. Those that don't allow the Spirit of God to lead them in every aspect of their lives are going to face trouble with their flesh. In order to be the complete, entire man that the book of James speaks of, we must live a life yielded to the Spirit. We must walk in the Spirit at all times. If we don't then we'll fulfill the lusts of the flesh. That's why we make so many terrible decisions. We don't walk in the Spirit continually. Those that choose to submit their ways unto God will live a life of victory. The only way for a child of God to have victory in their lives is to walk in the Spirit, so they don't fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Ronald Reagan Speech: A Time for Choosing
YouTube - "A Time for Choosing" by Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan had joined the campaign of conservative presidential contender Barry Goldwater in 1964. U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater, who was a Republican was running against Democratic President Lyndon Johnson. Prior to joining the campaign to promote Barry Goldwater for president, he was a movie actor and even hosted his own show on television for eight years entitled, "General Electric Theater." He was the president of the Screen Actors Guild in Hollywood several times. He was a former Democrat who publicly supported Harry Truman for president in 1948. Reagan switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican in 1964.
I want to provide a quick historical overview of America during the time Ronald Reagan gave his famous speech. During this period America was engaged in a Cold War with the Soviet Union. We were in an arms race with the Soviets. America was in the process of beefing up its forces to stay on the cutting edge with the Soviets. America had witnessed the assassination of John F. Kennedy a year before. As a result, Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson then became president. Prior to his assassination, John F. Kennedy made a goal to send the first American man to the moon in a speech in 1961. That goal wasn't realized until July 20, 1969. America's involvement with Vietnam escalated during this time as well. America had sent advisers to that region many years before 1964 starting with President Truman and it continued with Eisenhower and Kennedy. In August 1964, the Tonkin Gulf incident occurred which eventually precipitated in the first Marine troops being sent to Vietnam in March 1965. We were on the verge of being embroiled in a prolonged military conflict in Vietnam. In 1964, President Johnson signed a landmark bill called the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which forbade public desegregation and public discrimination against blacks and minorities. And here's Ronald Reagan making speeches on behalf of Republican Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater, which would eventually launch the political career of Ronald Reagan.
In the famous "A Time for Choosing" speech Ronald Reagan made on behalf of Barry Goldwater, he stressed his belief in the importance of smaller government. "The Founding Fathers knew a government can't control the economy without controlling people and they knew when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose. So we have come to a time for choosing," according to Reagan. This "A Time for Choosing" speech raised $1 million for Goldwater's campaign and is considered the event that launched Reagan's career. "A Time for Choosing", also known as "The Speech" was presented on a number of speaking occasions during the 1964 U.S. presidential election campaign by future president Ronald Reagan on behalf of candidate Barry Goldwater. Many versions of this speech existed. It was altered during many stops. Reagan gave this speech at the 1964 Republican National Convention at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California and he also gave this speech as part of a pre-recorded television appearance entitled, "Rendevous with Destiny" on October 27, 1964. This particular YouTube clip was given on October 27, 1964.
Many believe this speech helped launch Ronald Reagan's political career starting with his gubernatorial run in California in 1966 and 1970 and then eventually the presidency in 1980. Many say this was the most effective speech given on behalf of a presidential candidate. As it turned out, Goldwater lost this race by huge margins. This speech showed the remarkable communication skills Ronald Reagan possessed.
Ronald Reagan had joined the campaign of conservative presidential contender Barry Goldwater in 1964. U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater, who was a Republican was running against Democratic President Lyndon Johnson. Prior to joining the campaign to promote Barry Goldwater for president, he was a movie actor and even hosted his own show on television for eight years entitled, "General Electric Theater." He was the president of the Screen Actors Guild in Hollywood several times. He was a former Democrat who publicly supported Harry Truman for president in 1948. Reagan switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican in 1964.
I want to provide a quick historical overview of America during the time Ronald Reagan gave his famous speech. During this period America was engaged in a Cold War with the Soviet Union. We were in an arms race with the Soviets. America was in the process of beefing up its forces to stay on the cutting edge with the Soviets. America had witnessed the assassination of John F. Kennedy a year before. As a result, Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson then became president. Prior to his assassination, John F. Kennedy made a goal to send the first American man to the moon in a speech in 1961. That goal wasn't realized until July 20, 1969. America's involvement with Vietnam escalated during this time as well. America had sent advisers to that region many years before 1964 starting with President Truman and it continued with Eisenhower and Kennedy. In August 1964, the Tonkin Gulf incident occurred which eventually precipitated in the first Marine troops being sent to Vietnam in March 1965. We were on the verge of being embroiled in a prolonged military conflict in Vietnam. In 1964, President Johnson signed a landmark bill called the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which forbade public desegregation and public discrimination against blacks and minorities. And here's Ronald Reagan making speeches on behalf of Republican Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater, which would eventually launch the political career of Ronald Reagan.
In the famous "A Time for Choosing" speech Ronald Reagan made on behalf of Barry Goldwater, he stressed his belief in the importance of smaller government. "The Founding Fathers knew a government can't control the economy without controlling people and they knew when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose. So we have come to a time for choosing," according to Reagan. This "A Time for Choosing" speech raised $1 million for Goldwater's campaign and is considered the event that launched Reagan's career. "A Time for Choosing", also known as "The Speech" was presented on a number of speaking occasions during the 1964 U.S. presidential election campaign by future president Ronald Reagan on behalf of candidate Barry Goldwater. Many versions of this speech existed. It was altered during many stops. Reagan gave this speech at the 1964 Republican National Convention at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California and he also gave this speech as part of a pre-recorded television appearance entitled, "Rendevous with Destiny" on October 27, 1964. This particular YouTube clip was given on October 27, 1964.
Many believe this speech helped launch Ronald Reagan's political career starting with his gubernatorial run in California in 1966 and 1970 and then eventually the presidency in 1980. Many say this was the most effective speech given on behalf of a presidential candidate. As it turned out, Goldwater lost this race by huge margins. This speech showed the remarkable communication skills Ronald Reagan possessed.
Happy First Anniversary to the Christian Worldview
Today is the first anniversary of the Christian Worldview. The Christian Worldview blog was created on Friday, June 5, 2009. The first post wasn't written until Saturday June 6, 2009. The very first post written was entitled, "Will Obama's Address to the Muslim World Help Repair U.S.-Muslim Relations?". As of this writing, this is the 269th post of the Christian Worldview. I'm very thankful for the opportunity and privilege to have this blog to document events that take place in this nation and in this world on a daily basis. Of course, this blog isn't just limited to the news or to politics. I attempt to cover a wide array of subjects such as thoughts on scripture, historical events, holidays, special events, and the list continues. I'm looking forward to covering even greater things in the future. The purpose is to present every subject that's examined from a Biblical or Christian worldview, hence the blog title. When this blog first began it bore my name as the blog title. Within a couple of weeks or so, I gave it the name you see on the blog title right now, The Christian Worldview. This title is very fitting for the theme of this blog. Every subject whether it be political, educational, historical, scientific, seasonal, or the list continues must be examined from a Christian viewpoint. I'll explain that a little later.
First of all I want to use this time to thank the person who made it possible for me to create a blog account. I want to thank my blog friend, Becky Abner for introducing me to the blogosphere world. Until I became acquainted with her, I never even knew that Blogger.com even existed. I knew there were all kinds of blogs on the website, but I wasn't familiar with personal blogging. I didn't know that anyone could create their own blog account for any reason. I enjoy writing and this blog gives me the opportunity to channel my writing abilities. I've submitted monthly articles to my local newspaper, but now I have a blog in which I can submit an article anytime I desire. When I first became acquainted with Becky, a friend at my church introduced me to her through her blogspot address. So I typed her address and I for the first time was introduced to the world of bloggers. It didn't take me but a couple of weeks to know what direction to head with my writing. I'm very grateful for that. I owe you a debt of gratitude for the opportunity to create this blogspot, Becky. Thank you. She also is one of my followers as well.
Below the blog title is the blog description. It has a quote from the late Francis Schaeffer. I've used this quote from him because he's been instrumental in my thinking about education and politics years ago. I first became acquainted with the works of Francis Schaeffer through a book I read by an attorney named John Whitehead, from the Rutherford Institute. Back in 1992, I read a book from Whitehead entitled, "The Second American Revolution." It was an eye-opening book concerning the plight of this country. In reading it, I read some quotes from the late Francis Schaeffer. I saw in the back of the book a couple of books authored by Schaeffer so I checked them out at the local library. I couldn't put the books down. Since that time, I've read almost every book that Schaeffer wrote. Two of my favorites from Schaeffer are "How Then Should We Live" and "Whatever Happened to the Human Race?" (co-authored with C. Everett Koop). Schaeffer spoke often about a Christian worldview. He explained that everybody has a worldview regardless whether it's Christian or humanistic. So I took his title to apply it to everything I write about. Whenever I write essays, I title it, "The Christian Worldview." Nevertheless, it made sense for me to use that title for this blog. Schaeffer believed that the Lordship of Christ should be extended to every aspect of a person's life. He believed the Lordship of Christ should be extended to the arts, sciences, politics, education, the environment, and the list continues. He had a great influence on my thinking on culture and the world at large. I didn't agree with all his viewpoints when it came to doctrine. He's a Presbyterian and I'm a Baptist. But I concurred with him on the major themes revolving around Christianity influencing culture. It's changed my thinking.
On June 5, 2004, the late president Ronald Reagan passed away. I was thinking about how to commemorate the first year anniversary of the Christian Worldview. I'm going to pay tribute to the late Ronald Reagan by posting three different speeches he gave in his lifetime. The first one is a speech he presented over television promoting the Goldwater-Miller campaign. It's entitled, "A Time for Choosing." He broadcasted this speech on October 27, 1964. I'm also going to present his farewell address. That was a speech about inculcating patriotism into America's children. I'm also considering posting his first inaugural address. I will post YouTube clips on each of the three speeches that he presented and then give a description of the speeches. Reagan was known as the "Great Communicator." He gave moving speeches. There are many speeches I could present, but I'm only going to select three to post in commemoration of the first year anniversary of this blog. Reagan was the best president in my lifetime as far as I'm concerned. He did make mistakes in some areas, but he was the last president who was profound about his love and the greatness of America. He promoted this great country every time he gave a speech. That's something that's greatly lacking today. We need someone rising from the ranks that will once again promote the greatness of America instead of always denigrating us like our present leaders are doing today.
First of all I want to use this time to thank the person who made it possible for me to create a blog account. I want to thank my blog friend, Becky Abner for introducing me to the blogosphere world. Until I became acquainted with her, I never even knew that Blogger.com even existed. I knew there were all kinds of blogs on the website, but I wasn't familiar with personal blogging. I didn't know that anyone could create their own blog account for any reason. I enjoy writing and this blog gives me the opportunity to channel my writing abilities. I've submitted monthly articles to my local newspaper, but now I have a blog in which I can submit an article anytime I desire. When I first became acquainted with Becky, a friend at my church introduced me to her through her blogspot address. So I typed her address and I for the first time was introduced to the world of bloggers. It didn't take me but a couple of weeks to know what direction to head with my writing. I'm very grateful for that. I owe you a debt of gratitude for the opportunity to create this blogspot, Becky. Thank you. She also is one of my followers as well.
Below the blog title is the blog description. It has a quote from the late Francis Schaeffer. I've used this quote from him because he's been instrumental in my thinking about education and politics years ago. I first became acquainted with the works of Francis Schaeffer through a book I read by an attorney named John Whitehead, from the Rutherford Institute. Back in 1992, I read a book from Whitehead entitled, "The Second American Revolution." It was an eye-opening book concerning the plight of this country. In reading it, I read some quotes from the late Francis Schaeffer. I saw in the back of the book a couple of books authored by Schaeffer so I checked them out at the local library. I couldn't put the books down. Since that time, I've read almost every book that Schaeffer wrote. Two of my favorites from Schaeffer are "How Then Should We Live" and "Whatever Happened to the Human Race?" (co-authored with C. Everett Koop). Schaeffer spoke often about a Christian worldview. He explained that everybody has a worldview regardless whether it's Christian or humanistic. So I took his title to apply it to everything I write about. Whenever I write essays, I title it, "The Christian Worldview." Nevertheless, it made sense for me to use that title for this blog. Schaeffer believed that the Lordship of Christ should be extended to every aspect of a person's life. He believed the Lordship of Christ should be extended to the arts, sciences, politics, education, the environment, and the list continues. He had a great influence on my thinking on culture and the world at large. I didn't agree with all his viewpoints when it came to doctrine. He's a Presbyterian and I'm a Baptist. But I concurred with him on the major themes revolving around Christianity influencing culture. It's changed my thinking.
On June 5, 2004, the late president Ronald Reagan passed away. I was thinking about how to commemorate the first year anniversary of the Christian Worldview. I'm going to pay tribute to the late Ronald Reagan by posting three different speeches he gave in his lifetime. The first one is a speech he presented over television promoting the Goldwater-Miller campaign. It's entitled, "A Time for Choosing." He broadcasted this speech on October 27, 1964. I'm also going to present his farewell address. That was a speech about inculcating patriotism into America's children. I'm also considering posting his first inaugural address. I will post YouTube clips on each of the three speeches that he presented and then give a description of the speeches. Reagan was known as the "Great Communicator." He gave moving speeches. There are many speeches I could present, but I'm only going to select three to post in commemoration of the first year anniversary of this blog. Reagan was the best president in my lifetime as far as I'm concerned. He did make mistakes in some areas, but he was the last president who was profound about his love and the greatness of America. He promoted this great country every time he gave a speech. That's something that's greatly lacking today. We need someone rising from the ranks that will once again promote the greatness of America instead of always denigrating us like our present leaders are doing today.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Founder's Friday: Benjamin Franklin
Glenn Beck on Fox News featured Benjamin Franklin on Founder's Friday. It was a great show and both of his guests on the show were speaking about the life of Benjamin Franklin and the influence he had on the American Revolution and the founding of America. Benjamin Franklin was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Franklin's picture is printed on the one hundred dollar bill. He's known for discovering electricity and other scientific achievements. He was a printer for a newspaper. He was also present at the U.S. Constitutional Convention in 1787 and he made a famous statement when there was all kinds of bickering taking place due to disagreements over the Constitution. Benjamin Franklin encouraged them and said that God governs in the affairs of men. There's also famous statements that Franklin made such as "A penny saved is a penny earned," for example. Let's journey into the life of Benjamin Franklin.
Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 17, 1706. He was the tenth son of the soap maker, Josiah Franklin. Benjamin's mother was Abigail Folger, the second wife of Josiah. A future descendant of hers, J.A. Folger, founded Folger's Coffee in the nineteenth century. Josiah had intended for Benjamin to enter the clergy. However, Josiah could only afford to send his son to one year of school and clergyman needed many years of schooling. However, a young Benjamin loved to read and he was apprenticed to his brother James, who was a printer. After helping James compose pamphlets and set type which was grueling work, 12-year old Benjamin would sell products in the streets. When Benjamin was 15 his brother started "The New England Courant", which was the first paper in Boston. There were two papers in the city before James's "Courant", they only reprinted news from abroad. Benjamin wanted to write for the paper, but he knew his brother would never allow him to. So Ben began writing letters at night and signing them with the name of a fictional widow, Silence Dogood. Ben would sneak the letters under the print shop door at night so no one knew who was writing the pieces. They were a smash hit and everyone wanted to know who was the real "Silence Dogood." After 16 letters, Ben confessed to writing the letters all along. James scolded his brother for writing those letters. Before long the Franklins found themselves at odds with Boston's powerful Puritan preachers, the Mathers. Smallpox was a deadly disease at the time and the Mathers supported innoculation. The Franklins believed innoculation only made people sicker. Even though Bostonians agreed with the Franklins, they didn't like the way James made fun of the clergy during the debate. Ultimately, James was thrown in jail for his views, and Benjamin was left to run the paper for several issues. James didn't appreciate Benjamin keeping the paper going. He would harrass his younger brother and administer several beatings to him. As a result, Benjamin decided to run away in 1723.
Eventually Benjamin found work as an apprentice printer. He did so well that the governor of Pennsylvania promised to set him up in business for himself if young Franklin would just go to London to purchase fonts and printing equipment. Franklin did go to London, but the governor reneged and Franklin spent several months in London doing print work. Benjamin had been living with the Read family before he left for London. Deborah Read was interested in Franklin and discussed marriage but Benjamin didn't think he was ready. So she married another man while he was gone. In 1728, Benjamin fathered a child out of wedlock. His name was William. In 1730, Benjamin married his childhood sweetheart, Deborah after her husband had run off. In addition to running a print shop, the Franklins also ran their own store at this time, with Deborah selling everything from soap to fabric. Ben also ran a book store.
In 1729, Benjamin Franklin bought a newspaper, "The Pennsylvania Gazette." He not only printed the paper, but often contributed pieces to the paper under aliases. His newspaper soon became one of the most successful in the colonies. This newspaper, along with other firsts, would print the first political cartoon, authored by Franklin himself. During the 1720's and 1730's, he would organize the Junto, a young working-man's group dedicated to self-and-civic improvement. He joined the Masons. He was a busy man socially. However, he thrived on work. In 1733 he started publishing "Poor Richard's Almanack." Almanacs of that era were printed annually, and contained information such as weather reports, recipes, predictions, and homilies. Franklin published his almanac under the guise of a man named Richard Saunders, a poor man who needed money to take care of his carping wife. What distinguished Franklin's almanac were his witty aphorisms and lively writing. One of his famous phrases, "A penny saved is a penny earned" came from "Poor Richard."
There were other civic contributions that Franklin contributed to in the 1730's and 1740's such as projects to pave, clean and light Philadelphia's streets. He started agitating for environmental clean-up. One of his notable accomplishments was the launching of the Library Company in 1731. He recognized that by pooling together resources, members could afford to purchase books from England. He also helped to launch the American Philosophical Society in 1743. He also helped to establish the Pennsylvania Hospital to care for the sick as well. In 1736, he helped organize Philadelphia's Union Fire Company, the first in the city. His famous saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," was actually fire-fighting advice. Those who suffered fire damage to their homes suffered irreversible economic loss. So in 1752 Franklin helped to found the Philadelphia Contribution for Insurance Against Loss by Fire. Those with insurance policies weren't wiped out financially. That's where home insurance stemmed from.
Among Franklin's other inventions are swim fins, the glass armonica (a musical instrument), and bifocals. In the early 1750's, he turned to the study of electricity. His observations, including his kite experiment which verified the nature of electricity and lightning brought Franklin international fame.
Franklin also worked actively for the cause of Independence in America. In 1757 he went to England to represent Pennsylvania in its fight with the descendants of the Penn family over who should represent the colony. He remained in England in 1775 as a Colonial representative not only of Pennsylvania, but of Georgia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts as well. Early in his time abroad, he had considered himself a loyal Englishman. However, in 1765, Franklin was caught by surprise by America's overwhelming opposition to the Stamp Act. His testimony before Parliament persuaded the members to repeal the law. He then started wondering if America should break free from England. He was growing sick of the corruption he saw all around him in politics and royal circles. He finally started working towards pushing for American independence from England.
He thought his son William, the Royal Governor of New Jersey, would concur with his views. Instead, William supported the Crown. As a result, there was rift between father and son that would never heal. Franklin was elected to the Second Continental Congress and worked on a committee of five that helped to draft the Declaration of Independence. Though much of the writing is Thomas Jefferson's, much of the contribution was from Franklin. In 1776, Franklin signed the Declaration of Independence, and afterward sailed to France as an ambassador to the Court of Louis XVI. The French loved Franklin. He was the man who tamed lightning, the humble American who dressed like a backwoodsman but was a match for any wit in the world. He spoke French though he stuttered. He was a favorite of the ladies. In part because of Franklin's popularity, the government of France signed a Treaty of Alliance with the Americans in 1778. Franklin also helped to secure loans and persuade the French they were doing the right thing. Franklin was on hand to sign the Treaty of Paris in 1783, after the Americans had won the Revolution.
Now a man in his late seventies, he had returned to America. He became President of the Executive Council of Pennsylvania. He served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention and signed the Constitution. One of his last public acts was writing an anti-slavery treatise in 1789. There was a verbal agreement in the writing of the Constitution that slavery would eventually become extinct. He brought to America a network of interracial training schools for black orphans. Franklin died on April 17, 1790 at the age of 84. 20,000 people attended the funeral of the man who was called, "the harmonious human multitude."
Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 17, 1706. He was the tenth son of the soap maker, Josiah Franklin. Benjamin's mother was Abigail Folger, the second wife of Josiah. A future descendant of hers, J.A. Folger, founded Folger's Coffee in the nineteenth century. Josiah had intended for Benjamin to enter the clergy. However, Josiah could only afford to send his son to one year of school and clergyman needed many years of schooling. However, a young Benjamin loved to read and he was apprenticed to his brother James, who was a printer. After helping James compose pamphlets and set type which was grueling work, 12-year old Benjamin would sell products in the streets. When Benjamin was 15 his brother started "The New England Courant", which was the first paper in Boston. There were two papers in the city before James's "Courant", they only reprinted news from abroad. Benjamin wanted to write for the paper, but he knew his brother would never allow him to. So Ben began writing letters at night and signing them with the name of a fictional widow, Silence Dogood. Ben would sneak the letters under the print shop door at night so no one knew who was writing the pieces. They were a smash hit and everyone wanted to know who was the real "Silence Dogood." After 16 letters, Ben confessed to writing the letters all along. James scolded his brother for writing those letters. Before long the Franklins found themselves at odds with Boston's powerful Puritan preachers, the Mathers. Smallpox was a deadly disease at the time and the Mathers supported innoculation. The Franklins believed innoculation only made people sicker. Even though Bostonians agreed with the Franklins, they didn't like the way James made fun of the clergy during the debate. Ultimately, James was thrown in jail for his views, and Benjamin was left to run the paper for several issues. James didn't appreciate Benjamin keeping the paper going. He would harrass his younger brother and administer several beatings to him. As a result, Benjamin decided to run away in 1723.
Eventually Benjamin found work as an apprentice printer. He did so well that the governor of Pennsylvania promised to set him up in business for himself if young Franklin would just go to London to purchase fonts and printing equipment. Franklin did go to London, but the governor reneged and Franklin spent several months in London doing print work. Benjamin had been living with the Read family before he left for London. Deborah Read was interested in Franklin and discussed marriage but Benjamin didn't think he was ready. So she married another man while he was gone. In 1728, Benjamin fathered a child out of wedlock. His name was William. In 1730, Benjamin married his childhood sweetheart, Deborah after her husband had run off. In addition to running a print shop, the Franklins also ran their own store at this time, with Deborah selling everything from soap to fabric. Ben also ran a book store.
In 1729, Benjamin Franklin bought a newspaper, "The Pennsylvania Gazette." He not only printed the paper, but often contributed pieces to the paper under aliases. His newspaper soon became one of the most successful in the colonies. This newspaper, along with other firsts, would print the first political cartoon, authored by Franklin himself. During the 1720's and 1730's, he would organize the Junto, a young working-man's group dedicated to self-and-civic improvement. He joined the Masons. He was a busy man socially. However, he thrived on work. In 1733 he started publishing "Poor Richard's Almanack." Almanacs of that era were printed annually, and contained information such as weather reports, recipes, predictions, and homilies. Franklin published his almanac under the guise of a man named Richard Saunders, a poor man who needed money to take care of his carping wife. What distinguished Franklin's almanac were his witty aphorisms and lively writing. One of his famous phrases, "A penny saved is a penny earned" came from "Poor Richard."
There were other civic contributions that Franklin contributed to in the 1730's and 1740's such as projects to pave, clean and light Philadelphia's streets. He started agitating for environmental clean-up. One of his notable accomplishments was the launching of the Library Company in 1731. He recognized that by pooling together resources, members could afford to purchase books from England. He also helped to launch the American Philosophical Society in 1743. He also helped to establish the Pennsylvania Hospital to care for the sick as well. In 1736, he helped organize Philadelphia's Union Fire Company, the first in the city. His famous saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," was actually fire-fighting advice. Those who suffered fire damage to their homes suffered irreversible economic loss. So in 1752 Franklin helped to found the Philadelphia Contribution for Insurance Against Loss by Fire. Those with insurance policies weren't wiped out financially. That's where home insurance stemmed from.
Among Franklin's other inventions are swim fins, the glass armonica (a musical instrument), and bifocals. In the early 1750's, he turned to the study of electricity. His observations, including his kite experiment which verified the nature of electricity and lightning brought Franklin international fame.
Franklin also worked actively for the cause of Independence in America. In 1757 he went to England to represent Pennsylvania in its fight with the descendants of the Penn family over who should represent the colony. He remained in England in 1775 as a Colonial representative not only of Pennsylvania, but of Georgia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts as well. Early in his time abroad, he had considered himself a loyal Englishman. However, in 1765, Franklin was caught by surprise by America's overwhelming opposition to the Stamp Act. His testimony before Parliament persuaded the members to repeal the law. He then started wondering if America should break free from England. He was growing sick of the corruption he saw all around him in politics and royal circles. He finally started working towards pushing for American independence from England.
He thought his son William, the Royal Governor of New Jersey, would concur with his views. Instead, William supported the Crown. As a result, there was rift between father and son that would never heal. Franklin was elected to the Second Continental Congress and worked on a committee of five that helped to draft the Declaration of Independence. Though much of the writing is Thomas Jefferson's, much of the contribution was from Franklin. In 1776, Franklin signed the Declaration of Independence, and afterward sailed to France as an ambassador to the Court of Louis XVI. The French loved Franklin. He was the man who tamed lightning, the humble American who dressed like a backwoodsman but was a match for any wit in the world. He spoke French though he stuttered. He was a favorite of the ladies. In part because of Franklin's popularity, the government of France signed a Treaty of Alliance with the Americans in 1778. Franklin also helped to secure loans and persuade the French they were doing the right thing. Franklin was on hand to sign the Treaty of Paris in 1783, after the Americans had won the Revolution.
Now a man in his late seventies, he had returned to America. He became President of the Executive Council of Pennsylvania. He served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention and signed the Constitution. One of his last public acts was writing an anti-slavery treatise in 1789. There was a verbal agreement in the writing of the Constitution that slavery would eventually become extinct. He brought to America a network of interracial training schools for black orphans. Franklin died on April 17, 1790 at the age of 84. 20,000 people attended the funeral of the man who was called, "the harmonious human multitude."
The U.S. Economy Added 431,000 Jobs in May, But They Mostly were Government Jobs
(Reuters) President Obama said today that the gain of 431,000 jobs in the month of May is a sign the economy is getting strong again. Although there still will be ups and downs going forward. "This report is a sign that our economy is getting stronger by the day," Obama stated in remarks to about 50 workers at a large truck garage in Maryland. "A lot of businesses that were hit hard during this downturn, they are starting to get their jobs back," he said. Obama exclaimed there would be ups and downs ahead in the future. The Labor Department said today payrolls rose to 431,000 jobs as government added 411,000 workers to conduct the U.S. Census. That is the largest monthly increase since March 2000 and one that marked a fifth straight month of gains. U.S. private employers hired fewer than expected workers in the month of May. U.S. private employers hired 41,000 workers, compared to supposedly 218,000 in April, a setback for the labor market economy even as temporary Census hiring pushed overall payrolls growth to its fastest pace in 10 years.
The labor report for jobs in May is very bleak, to say the least. Most of the jobs that were added were Census jobs, which are temporary. President Obama admitted most of the gains were U.S. Census jobs. However, every ten years there's a hiring of government workers to conduct the U.S. Census. That's nothing new. However, job growth in the public sector won't grow the economy. President Obama can't boast about the economy since it added mostly Census jobs which are temporary and will last until the Fall. In order to determine whether an economy is on the road to recovery, you must calculate the number of private sector jobs being added to the economy. The economy is grown through the private sector. The economy doesn't grow through government jobs. I do recognize there's a need for some government jobs. I'm not opposed to government jobs in and of itself. However, in order to create a government job, money must be collected in some form to pay those government workers whether it be through taxation, or borrowing money from China, or the Federal Reserve printing new money. The money to pay government workers must be levied somewhere. The jobs that have been created since President Obama took office are government jobs. We've seen a lot of growth in government jobs the last couple of years. However, the economy won't recover unless the private sector adds new jobs to the economy.
Whenever the private sector adds jobs, then there are new sources of revenue for the government to levy. The more workers there are in the private sector, the more payroll receipts there will be going to the government. That's what's needed. It's the private sector that benefits the government when it comes to raising needed revenue. The problem we're facing right now is there have been numerous jobs that have been eliminated in the private sector since the mortgage meltdown in 2008. Therefore, we have less revenue that's going to the federal government. The government's answer is more taxation. The government needs to reduce taxes on small and medium-sized businesses so they can create more jobs. Also, the tax rates of the average citizen needs to be lowered as well so they'll have more disposable income to purchase goods and services. That's very simple logic. The problem is the government wants to be in control of the economy and every aspect of our daily lives. The government's in the process of trying to take over portions of the private sector such as the healthcare industry, banks, General Motors, and Chrysler, for example. The government needs to allow private business to invest so they can create more new jobs and as a result additional revenue will be collected by the federal government.
When Congress passed the $787 billion stimulus bill last February, they should've allocated that money to helping small and medium-sized businesses so they can create more jobs. Instead our government used that money to help those that financed their campaigns. Also money was spent on unnecessary projects as well. Those corporations that did receive bailout money were AIG, General Motors, and Chrysler. Consequently, those corporations aren't going to create new jobs for America, at least not for the time being. It would've been more beneficial to help the small and medium-sized businesses. They're the ones most likely to create new jobs. Until the private sector adds more jobs on a steady basis, we have a long way ahead towards economic recovery.
The labor report for jobs in May is very bleak, to say the least. Most of the jobs that were added were Census jobs, which are temporary. President Obama admitted most of the gains were U.S. Census jobs. However, every ten years there's a hiring of government workers to conduct the U.S. Census. That's nothing new. However, job growth in the public sector won't grow the economy. President Obama can't boast about the economy since it added mostly Census jobs which are temporary and will last until the Fall. In order to determine whether an economy is on the road to recovery, you must calculate the number of private sector jobs being added to the economy. The economy is grown through the private sector. The economy doesn't grow through government jobs. I do recognize there's a need for some government jobs. I'm not opposed to government jobs in and of itself. However, in order to create a government job, money must be collected in some form to pay those government workers whether it be through taxation, or borrowing money from China, or the Federal Reserve printing new money. The money to pay government workers must be levied somewhere. The jobs that have been created since President Obama took office are government jobs. We've seen a lot of growth in government jobs the last couple of years. However, the economy won't recover unless the private sector adds new jobs to the economy.
Whenever the private sector adds jobs, then there are new sources of revenue for the government to levy. The more workers there are in the private sector, the more payroll receipts there will be going to the government. That's what's needed. It's the private sector that benefits the government when it comes to raising needed revenue. The problem we're facing right now is there have been numerous jobs that have been eliminated in the private sector since the mortgage meltdown in 2008. Therefore, we have less revenue that's going to the federal government. The government's answer is more taxation. The government needs to reduce taxes on small and medium-sized businesses so they can create more jobs. Also, the tax rates of the average citizen needs to be lowered as well so they'll have more disposable income to purchase goods and services. That's very simple logic. The problem is the government wants to be in control of the economy and every aspect of our daily lives. The government's in the process of trying to take over portions of the private sector such as the healthcare industry, banks, General Motors, and Chrysler, for example. The government needs to allow private business to invest so they can create more new jobs and as a result additional revenue will be collected by the federal government.
When Congress passed the $787 billion stimulus bill last February, they should've allocated that money to helping small and medium-sized businesses so they can create more jobs. Instead our government used that money to help those that financed their campaigns. Also money was spent on unnecessary projects as well. Those corporations that did receive bailout money were AIG, General Motors, and Chrysler. Consequently, those corporations aren't going to create new jobs for America, at least not for the time being. It would've been more beneficial to help the small and medium-sized businesses. They're the ones most likely to create new jobs. Until the private sector adds more jobs on a steady basis, we have a long way ahead towards economic recovery.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
An Overview of the Book of Galatians
Last month I started writing a series of posts from the book of Galatians. I was dealing with subjects such as "Only One Gospel", "No Flesh is Justified by the Law", and "False Gospels". I started writing posts on the book of Galatians because students where I attend church will be Bible quizzing on the book of Galatians. They'll also be quizzing on Ephesians, Phillippians, Colossians, and Philemon. I felt it would be appropriate to write posts on the themes that highlight Galatians. I'm certain I'll be writing posts about the other books just mentioned as well. Before starting the series of posts, I didn't present an overview on the book of Galatians. I feel it would be appropriate for me to do so. It will give you blog readers an idea about what Galatians contains and what was the purpose of it. That's what I'm going to take the time to do right now. I have a quick note I just want to mention. I'll be starting a series of posts probably next week on Revelation chapters 2 and 3. I will be delving into the subject of the seven churches. I will give an overview on both chapters and then I'll individually write about each individual church that Jesus addressed and what historical significance each of those churches possess. Stay tuned for these upcoming posts.
Galatians is an epistle written by the Apostle Paul written possibly around 55 or 60 A.D. It was addressed to the churches in Asia Minor. The themes of this book are a defense of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith, and warnings against reversion to Judaism and a vindication of Paul's apostleship. This epistle has been called by some writers as THE MAGNA CHARTA OF THE CHURCH. The primary argument is in favor of Christian liberty in opposition to the teachings of the Judaizers. These false teachers were promoting that the ceremonial law was an essential part of the plan of salvation. They were also promoting the doctrine of circumcision to the Gentile believers saying they needed to be circumcised. There are four parts to this epistle.
Part I. The salutation and introduction. Chapter 1:1-9.
Part II. A narrative of Paul's experiences in support of his claim of true apostleship. (1) The gospel which he preached came directly by Revelation through Jesus Christ,while he himself was a zealous Jew persecuting the church. (Ch. 1:10-16). (2) For years he was away from the church at Jerusalem and labored independently of the other apostles. (Ch. 1:17-23) (3) The church at Jerusalem endorsed his apostleship, and work among the Gentiles. (Ch.2:7-10) (4) He had not hesitated to rebuke Peter, Barnabas, and other Christian Jews, when he saw that they were yielding to ritualistic tendencies. (Ch. 2:11-14)
Part III. Paul's Defense of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith apart from the Works of the Law. (1) By showing the folly of Christians, Jews abandoning their new faith and light, and returning to the old legalism. (Ch. 2:15-21) (2) By appealing to the former spiritual experience of the Galatians (Ch. 3:1-5) (3) By showing that Abraham was justified by faith. (Ch. 3:6-9). (4) By showing that the law had no redeeming power, but brought a curse upon the disobedient, from which Christ redeemed believers. (Ch. 3:10-14) (5) By proving that the law could not disannul the covenant of salvation by faith. (Ch. 3:15-18) (6) By indicating the purpose of the law as a schoolmaster to prepare the way for Christ. (Ch. 3:19-25) (7) By showing the losses of those who surrender their faith in Christ, and relapse into legalism. (a) They lose the blessing of their inheritance as children of God. (b) They have lost the sense of appreciation for labors performed in their behalf. (c) They are in danger of becoming the children of Abraham after the flesh, instead of the children of promise. (d) They not only lose their spiritual liberty, but make Christ's sacrifice of no avail for them.
Part IV. Warnings, Instructions, and Exhortations.
(1) Warnings in regard to false teachers, and the misuse of liberty. (Ch. 5:7-13)
(2) Exhortations concerning the spiritual life.
(a) The conflict between the flesh and Spirit (Ch. 5:17-18)
(b) The works of the flesh which exclude from the kingdom of God. (Ch. 5:19-21)
(c) The fruits of the Spirit which should be manifest in Christian life. (Ch. 5:22-26)
(3) The characteristics of the spiritual life.
(a) Charitableness, and burden bearing. (Ch. 6:1,2)
(b) Humility, self-examination, self-reliance, and benevolence. (Ch. 6:3-6)
(c) The law of sowing and reaping holds good in the moral realm. (Ch. 6:7-9)
(4) The contrast between the doctrine of false teachers and that of Paul. The former, glory in ceremonial rites and the markes in the flesh; the latter, in the cross, and the marks of the Lord Jesus. (Ch. 6:12-17)
Galatians is an epistle written by the Apostle Paul written possibly around 55 or 60 A.D. It was addressed to the churches in Asia Minor. The themes of this book are a defense of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith, and warnings against reversion to Judaism and a vindication of Paul's apostleship. This epistle has been called by some writers as THE MAGNA CHARTA OF THE CHURCH. The primary argument is in favor of Christian liberty in opposition to the teachings of the Judaizers. These false teachers were promoting that the ceremonial law was an essential part of the plan of salvation. They were also promoting the doctrine of circumcision to the Gentile believers saying they needed to be circumcised. There are four parts to this epistle.
Part I. The salutation and introduction. Chapter 1:1-9.
Part II. A narrative of Paul's experiences in support of his claim of true apostleship. (1) The gospel which he preached came directly by Revelation through Jesus Christ,while he himself was a zealous Jew persecuting the church. (Ch. 1:10-16). (2) For years he was away from the church at Jerusalem and labored independently of the other apostles. (Ch. 1:17-23) (3) The church at Jerusalem endorsed his apostleship, and work among the Gentiles. (Ch.2:7-10) (4) He had not hesitated to rebuke Peter, Barnabas, and other Christian Jews, when he saw that they were yielding to ritualistic tendencies. (Ch. 2:11-14)
Part III. Paul's Defense of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith apart from the Works of the Law. (1) By showing the folly of Christians, Jews abandoning their new faith and light, and returning to the old legalism. (Ch. 2:15-21) (2) By appealing to the former spiritual experience of the Galatians (Ch. 3:1-5) (3) By showing that Abraham was justified by faith. (Ch. 3:6-9). (4) By showing that the law had no redeeming power, but brought a curse upon the disobedient, from which Christ redeemed believers. (Ch. 3:10-14) (5) By proving that the law could not disannul the covenant of salvation by faith. (Ch. 3:15-18) (6) By indicating the purpose of the law as a schoolmaster to prepare the way for Christ. (Ch. 3:19-25) (7) By showing the losses of those who surrender their faith in Christ, and relapse into legalism. (a) They lose the blessing of their inheritance as children of God. (b) They have lost the sense of appreciation for labors performed in their behalf. (c) They are in danger of becoming the children of Abraham after the flesh, instead of the children of promise. (d) They not only lose their spiritual liberty, but make Christ's sacrifice of no avail for them.
Part IV. Warnings, Instructions, and Exhortations.
(1) Warnings in regard to false teachers, and the misuse of liberty. (Ch. 5:7-13)
(2) Exhortations concerning the spiritual life.
(a) The conflict between the flesh and Spirit (Ch. 5:17-18)
(b) The works of the flesh which exclude from the kingdom of God. (Ch. 5:19-21)
(c) The fruits of the Spirit which should be manifest in Christian life. (Ch. 5:22-26)
(3) The characteristics of the spiritual life.
(a) Charitableness, and burden bearing. (Ch. 6:1,2)
(b) Humility, self-examination, self-reliance, and benevolence. (Ch. 6:3-6)
(c) The law of sowing and reaping holds good in the moral realm. (Ch. 6:7-9)
(4) The contrast between the doctrine of false teachers and that of Paul. The former, glory in ceremonial rites and the markes in the flesh; the latter, in the cross, and the marks of the Lord Jesus. (Ch. 6:12-17)
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
The Justice Department Decides to Launch a Criminal Investigation into the Gulf Oil Disaster
(USA Today) The Justice Department said Tuesday that it would open a criminal and civil investigation into the Gulf oil disaster as the government projections are showing the oil slick moving closer onto shore. After touring the afflicted areas, Attorney General Eric Holder said the wide-ranging inquiry is "our obligation under the law." Holder didn't specify whether the probe would target BP, which operated the oil rig which caused the spill. BP shares have already lost 15% of their share value. BP's liability for the economic and environmental damage may not be resolved for months to come. Justice Department spokesman Andrew Ames said the inquiry would involve "all possible violations of the law," including breaches of the Clean Water, Oil, Pollution and Endangered Species Act. Holder had meetings with federal prosecutors and state attorneys general from Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. President Obama told members of an independent investigating commission that laws would be changed if necessary to prevent such spills.
The government has widened the fishing ban, placing nearly a third of federal Gulf waters off limits. The Coast Guard stated that it was "aggressively increasing" surveillance and clean-up after the latest forecasts indicated winds pushing the oil closer to the Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi coasts. Two Navy skimmers are on their way to join three already in place off Mississippi's Petit Bois Island, where oil was spotted Tuesday, according to Coast Guard's P.J. Capelotti. BP's latest attempt in stopping the oil leak is to use robotics to cut off the riser from the well and position a cap over the opening. The Gulf Coast oil leak is now the worst in U.S. history.
There have been debates concerning whether the federal government has a role in regulating private enterprise. The Democrats believe in government micromanaging business and heavy federal regulations whereas the Republicans believe in deregulation or no government regulation of business. I'm not a proponent of government micromanaging business. I believe that's wrong. For the most part, government should leave business alone. However, the government does have a responsibility to protect the American people. When businesses grow so large that they eventually become a monopoly, it becomes a necessity that there be limited government oversight over business. The problem is the oil companies have the government in their back pockets. Government has a cozy relationship with the oil companies. Anytime you have government and business joined to the hip, there's always potential for curruption and abuse. There should be safety inspections of these oil rigs. The government should never allow these corporations to pay them not to properly inspect these rigs. Safety inspections are a must. Government and business should be independent of one another. Government and business shouldn't be enjoying a cozy relationship with one another. Safety is the first and foremost responsibility of business. They must be made accountable. These oil rigs must be inspected--it's just that simple.
I'm a strong supporter of drilling for oil whether it be on or offshore. However, there must be safety regulations involved in the operation of these rigs. There must be shut-off valves that work in case of an explosion. The untold damage that can be caused with a massive oil leak such as this is indescribable. We probably haven't seen the worst of it, yet. BP gives the impression they don't know what they're doing. This whole incident sounds like a sham. I believe government will use this incident to pass a climate change bill which they've been desiring to pass for some time. BP is responsible for this mess and they should be held responsible for the bill. However, the government hasn't been responsive in their cleanup effort, either. There appears to be no sense of urgency on either the part of the government or BP to cap the oil leak and clean up this mess. I guarantee somebody is going to make money off this crisis. When the oil spill first happened, the government should've dispatched the Coast Guard and Navy to contain the oil spill. You don't allow an oil spill like that to grow. It's caused untold damage to the ecosystem. The fishing economy could be placed out of business for a long time. It will drive up the cost seafood. Much of America's seafood comes from the Gulf Coast. As White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel stated, "You don't want to put a good crisis to waste."
The government has widened the fishing ban, placing nearly a third of federal Gulf waters off limits. The Coast Guard stated that it was "aggressively increasing" surveillance and clean-up after the latest forecasts indicated winds pushing the oil closer to the Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi coasts. Two Navy skimmers are on their way to join three already in place off Mississippi's Petit Bois Island, where oil was spotted Tuesday, according to Coast Guard's P.J. Capelotti. BP's latest attempt in stopping the oil leak is to use robotics to cut off the riser from the well and position a cap over the opening. The Gulf Coast oil leak is now the worst in U.S. history.
There have been debates concerning whether the federal government has a role in regulating private enterprise. The Democrats believe in government micromanaging business and heavy federal regulations whereas the Republicans believe in deregulation or no government regulation of business. I'm not a proponent of government micromanaging business. I believe that's wrong. For the most part, government should leave business alone. However, the government does have a responsibility to protect the American people. When businesses grow so large that they eventually become a monopoly, it becomes a necessity that there be limited government oversight over business. The problem is the oil companies have the government in their back pockets. Government has a cozy relationship with the oil companies. Anytime you have government and business joined to the hip, there's always potential for curruption and abuse. There should be safety inspections of these oil rigs. The government should never allow these corporations to pay them not to properly inspect these rigs. Safety inspections are a must. Government and business should be independent of one another. Government and business shouldn't be enjoying a cozy relationship with one another. Safety is the first and foremost responsibility of business. They must be made accountable. These oil rigs must be inspected--it's just that simple.
I'm a strong supporter of drilling for oil whether it be on or offshore. However, there must be safety regulations involved in the operation of these rigs. There must be shut-off valves that work in case of an explosion. The untold damage that can be caused with a massive oil leak such as this is indescribable. We probably haven't seen the worst of it, yet. BP gives the impression they don't know what they're doing. This whole incident sounds like a sham. I believe government will use this incident to pass a climate change bill which they've been desiring to pass for some time. BP is responsible for this mess and they should be held responsible for the bill. However, the government hasn't been responsive in their cleanup effort, either. There appears to be no sense of urgency on either the part of the government or BP to cap the oil leak and clean up this mess. I guarantee somebody is going to make money off this crisis. When the oil spill first happened, the government should've dispatched the Coast Guard and Navy to contain the oil spill. You don't allow an oil spill like that to grow. It's caused untold damage to the ecosystem. The fishing economy could be placed out of business for a long time. It will drive up the cost seafood. Much of America's seafood comes from the Gulf Coast. As White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel stated, "You don't want to put a good crisis to waste."
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
God, Country, and The Constitution
If you ever listen to talk radio, you'll hear many different radio personalities that espouse certain themes or slogans. For example, Rush Limbaugh champions himself as the "Doctor of Democracy." Sean Hannity repeatedly uses the phrase, "Let not your heart be troubled." Bill O'Reilly uses the famous phrase, "What say you?". Michael Savage has a famous slogan entitled, "Borders, Language, and Culture." That's been the theme of the Savage Nation since it began in 1994. Jim Sumpter's slogan is "In All Things America First." I enjoy the two slogans that Michael Savage and Jim Sumpter espouse. It supposedly promotes the purpose of their radio program. Lately, I've created a slogan. I thought of the slogan when I wrote a post entitled, "Voting out the Incumbent Begins at the Primary." I was thinking of a slogan that would be fitting for a candidate who's running for office should espouse. This slogan is what I believe sums up what America is all about. It also sums up the three basic tenets needed for elected officials in Washington. The theme that I'm constructed is, "God, Country, and the Constitution."
What do I mean when I say God, Country, and the Constitution? Everything that's essential when it comes to America can be summed up in those three words. What do they stand for and what's their significance? Let's start with the first word.
1. God. This world was created by God almighty. God is sovereign. America was founded on Judeo Christian principles. This nation was built on the preaching of the Word of God. Our Pilgrim and Puritan forefathers came to America to build a colony in Massachusetts for the purposes of freedom of worship. We've had nationwide revivals in the early years of America's history such as the two Great Awakenings, the revival in Logan County, Kentucky, Cane Ridge Revival, the revival in New York, and the list continues. The abundance we possess in America is due to the goodness of God. Judeo Christian principles are embodied in our laws or at least were at one time. We have the privilege of living in the United States because of the Lord. Any candidate that runs for office must respect the Judeo Christian principles that built our country. The nation's culture in early America was built around the things of God. Our Founding Fathers had a deep respect for Almighty God. This country was built on the God of our forefathers--not Buddha nor Allah.
2. Country. When speaking of country I'm referring to geographical and territorial boundaries of the United States. I'm speaking of the land that extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, from North to South, from East to West. Our country is defined by our borders. We have borders that separate us from Canada in the North and Mexico in the South. Our borders are to be respected. We are a sovereign country that has the ability to accomplish anything we have the desire to accomplish. We were once a nation of producers. We need to come back to becoming a nation of producers once again. Our country is not only defined by our borders but by our language, which is English. Any immigrant that decides to move to America should learn the English language--no exceptions. America is known for it's rule of law. It's known for its Judeo Christian heritage which secularists are trying to steal from us. It's known for its churches that preach the Word of God. Our country is also defined by its economy which is capitalism. America is also known for its tourism, it's geography such as its beaches, mountains, lakes, oceans, and the list continues. We're also known as the land of opportunity. We have the privilege to learn a trade and excel at it. We have the privilege to succeed in America if we're willing to labor for it.
3. The Constitution. That famous document that was signed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is still around today despite all those in our government that are working feverishly to destroy it. It's a sacred document that's lasted for nearly 223 years. It was ratified in 1787. It's probably the greatest document next to the King James Bible and the Declaration of Independence. That document contains the preamble, the Bill of Rights, the 27 amendments to the Constitution, the separation of powers, the different branches, it's limits and its role. It's the legal framework upon which America's supposed to operate. Our Founding Fathers were brilliant when they drafted the Constitution. Some notable figures over the years have stated that the Constitution is flawed. It's true that it's not perfect, but it's the greatest document that's ever been written in America. Our Founding Fathers had enough sense to allow for an amendment process to change it whenever necessary. One change that took place was the abolition of slavery by the 13th amendment. I believe the Founding Fathers had the intention for slavery to eventually die, but they felt that was something that would have to be placed on the back burner. Thankfully, after a bloody Civil War, the 13th amendment was passed to abolish slavery. One of the reasons why America has experienced an intrusive government is due to our elected officials ignoring the Constitution. For example, the Congress calls for Congress to create our currency. In 1913 the Federal Reserve was created which is unconstitutional. The Federal Reserve has caused many problems for our country economically. Another point I would like to make is our soldiers are engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan. Congress didn't declare war with neither of those two conflicts. If Congress would declare war, then it would place our country in a state of mind that we're in war and we must all band together as a country to support this effort. Wars or conflicts now have become nothing but a police action or some type of nation building. The last time Congress declared war was in 1941 when America went to war in Europe and Japan.
Those three terms are emblematic in describing America. Our political leaders should embrace these concepts when they vote on bills. This should be the theme for all candidates running for office.
What do I mean when I say God, Country, and the Constitution? Everything that's essential when it comes to America can be summed up in those three words. What do they stand for and what's their significance? Let's start with the first word.
1. God. This world was created by God almighty. God is sovereign. America was founded on Judeo Christian principles. This nation was built on the preaching of the Word of God. Our Pilgrim and Puritan forefathers came to America to build a colony in Massachusetts for the purposes of freedom of worship. We've had nationwide revivals in the early years of America's history such as the two Great Awakenings, the revival in Logan County, Kentucky, Cane Ridge Revival, the revival in New York, and the list continues. The abundance we possess in America is due to the goodness of God. Judeo Christian principles are embodied in our laws or at least were at one time. We have the privilege of living in the United States because of the Lord. Any candidate that runs for office must respect the Judeo Christian principles that built our country. The nation's culture in early America was built around the things of God. Our Founding Fathers had a deep respect for Almighty God. This country was built on the God of our forefathers--not Buddha nor Allah.
2. Country. When speaking of country I'm referring to geographical and territorial boundaries of the United States. I'm speaking of the land that extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, from North to South, from East to West. Our country is defined by our borders. We have borders that separate us from Canada in the North and Mexico in the South. Our borders are to be respected. We are a sovereign country that has the ability to accomplish anything we have the desire to accomplish. We were once a nation of producers. We need to come back to becoming a nation of producers once again. Our country is not only defined by our borders but by our language, which is English. Any immigrant that decides to move to America should learn the English language--no exceptions. America is known for it's rule of law. It's known for its Judeo Christian heritage which secularists are trying to steal from us. It's known for its churches that preach the Word of God. Our country is also defined by its economy which is capitalism. America is also known for its tourism, it's geography such as its beaches, mountains, lakes, oceans, and the list continues. We're also known as the land of opportunity. We have the privilege to learn a trade and excel at it. We have the privilege to succeed in America if we're willing to labor for it.
3. The Constitution. That famous document that was signed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is still around today despite all those in our government that are working feverishly to destroy it. It's a sacred document that's lasted for nearly 223 years. It was ratified in 1787. It's probably the greatest document next to the King James Bible and the Declaration of Independence. That document contains the preamble, the Bill of Rights, the 27 amendments to the Constitution, the separation of powers, the different branches, it's limits and its role. It's the legal framework upon which America's supposed to operate. Our Founding Fathers were brilliant when they drafted the Constitution. Some notable figures over the years have stated that the Constitution is flawed. It's true that it's not perfect, but it's the greatest document that's ever been written in America. Our Founding Fathers had enough sense to allow for an amendment process to change it whenever necessary. One change that took place was the abolition of slavery by the 13th amendment. I believe the Founding Fathers had the intention for slavery to eventually die, but they felt that was something that would have to be placed on the back burner. Thankfully, after a bloody Civil War, the 13th amendment was passed to abolish slavery. One of the reasons why America has experienced an intrusive government is due to our elected officials ignoring the Constitution. For example, the Congress calls for Congress to create our currency. In 1913 the Federal Reserve was created which is unconstitutional. The Federal Reserve has caused many problems for our country economically. Another point I would like to make is our soldiers are engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan. Congress didn't declare war with neither of those two conflicts. If Congress would declare war, then it would place our country in a state of mind that we're in war and we must all band together as a country to support this effort. Wars or conflicts now have become nothing but a police action or some type of nation building. The last time Congress declared war was in 1941 when America went to war in Europe and Japan.
Those three terms are emblematic in describing America. Our political leaders should embrace these concepts when they vote on bills. This should be the theme for all candidates running for office.
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