I was reading an article in the USA Today about the Holocaust education. There's a possibility it may receive funding cuts due to the recession. There's a middle school teacher in Smyrna, Tennessee named Jill Coble who teaches about the Holocaust in her social studies classes. She is the unofficial coordinator of about 12 teachers trying to help the Tennessee Commission on Holocaust Education to fulfill its mission and bring awareness of the Holocaust and remember its victims. She says that many of her students that arrive each year basically have no knowledge of the Holocaust. What makes the task difficult is the state is reducing funding for education and the Tennessee Commission which teaches about the Holocaust may receive reduced funds. Even though a portion of the stimulus funding will include the Tennessee funding, the state's annual budget of $128,300 will no longer cover that group. The Tennessee Commission has to look for other ways to improvise.
I don't know anything about the commission nor what kind of material is purchased to teach the Holocaust, but regardless of whether funding is reduced when it comes to purchasing materials, the topic should be covered in the social studies classes. We live in a generation today where many young people don't know America's history. It's a travesty. We've become so accustomed to the conveniences of life that we've taken for granted the price that's been paid by our forefathers before us so we can enjoy the opportunities that are set before us today. The price of our freedom was paid for in blood. World War II was a bloody war and many soldiers, Jews, and other religious groups lost their lives because of a power-hungry dictator named Adolf Hitler.
When you hear about the "Holocaust", it's made in reference to the Holocaust that Adolf Hitler forced on the Jews. That's the Holocaust you mostly hear about. There's a Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. which shows pictures that depict the genocide of Jews and other groups. The Holocaust was a systematic statewide sponsored program to exterminate the Jews and those that didn't agree with Hitler. They were put in concentration camps and worked as slaves until they died. The Holocaust was a genocide under the Hitler regime. Hitler hated the Jews. He was racist. He thought they were a cancer in society. He wanted a pure Aryan race. Some six million Jews were slaughtered during World War II. There were other groups that were killed as well such as the Soviet prisoners of war, the ethnic Poles, Soviet civilians, Jehovah's Witnesses and other religious groups. How could somebody possess so much hatred toward an entire race such as the Jews? There are dictators who are very racist. Racism isn't just a black and white issue in America like some of the mainstream media would have you believe.
The students in our schools need to be taught about the Holocaust in the classroom. They need to recognize there are some wicked, racist people who live on this earth and that there's been groups of people that have suffered under such brutal regimes as Adolf Hitler, for example. However, the Jewish Holocaust was only once aspect of genocide. Back during World War I and after, there was the Aremenina genocide in the Ottoman Empire. The Turks persecuted them. It was characerized by massacres and forced marches. Approximately 1.5 million were killed. Back during the 1990's there was genocide taking place in Bosnia. When reading the book of Acts in the Bible, you read about Saul (Paul) that persecuted Christians before his conversion. During early church history, there was the persecution of Christians by the Roman emperor Nero. There have been those Christians in church history that have stood for the faith and were beheaded because they wouldn't recant. There's always been genocides and persecutions of some sort.
It's important that teachers instruct the students about the horrors of the Holocaust and the Hitler regime. Students need to know how wicked Hitler was. Students need to be aware that this world is a wicked place. They need to understand human nature and that power corrupts individuals. I also believe that they need to be taught about the persecution of the Christians since the beginning of the early church. I know that would be considered a violation of the separation of church and state, but the persecution of Christians is part of world history. The children that attend school will be the future leaders of tomorrow. How can they make proper leadership decisions if they don't know American and world history? I believe that before Christ comes back for the church, there's a possibility God's people might face persecution again. We need to be ready for it in case it does happen. There will be genocides in this world until Jesus comes again.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Not By Works Lest Any Man Should Boast
Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast." Many religions teach a salvation in which they say that you can be saved a number of different ways. The Catholic church teaches you can be saved by your good works. The Church of Christ adds to salvation and says that you need to be baptized to be saved. Some religions teach that you must follow a certain ritual. Some Baptists have taught that you can be saved by merely repeating a prayer. However, God's ways when it comes to salvation is still the same. You can only be saved by grace through faith. You must recognize and admit that you're a sinner and then you must repent of your sins and trust Christ as savior and Lord. Anything else added is another gospel.
It's amazing the number of people that believe that you have to perform good works to be saved. However, there's a question that needs to be asked: If man can be saved by good works, then what was the purpose of Jesus coming to earth and dying on the cross? I Timothy 2:15 says, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." Jesus came to this earth to die for sinners. That verse tells me that there's nothing in my own strength that I can do which would merit my salvation. I like the song "I Will Glory in the Cross." That one verse says, "I boast not of works, nor tell of good deeds, for nought have I done to merit his grace. Oh glory and praise shall rest upon him. So willing to die in my place". Salvation is of the Lord. The Bible says that man's righteousness is as filthy rags. That's man's best. Imagine what God thinks about man's unrighteousness. Jesus' death on the cross would've been in vain if man was able to merit his salvation.
Acts 4:12 says, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." There's no other means of salvation other than Jesus dying and shedding his blood on Calvary. You can't be saved by any other way than through Jesus. You can't be saved by Buddha, Allah, Confuscious, Mohammad, Jim Jones, and the list continues. It's amazing how people have been conned into thinking there's multiple ways of salvation. Anything that adds to the Biblical plan of salvation is legalism.
If man could enter Heaven any other way than through Jesus, then what a useless sacrifice Jesus would've made. Jesus wouldn't have given his life and suffer shame and separation on the cross if man was sufficient to merit salvation. Sin is so horrible to God that the only way to forgive sin was through a blood sacrifice. Jesus paid it once and for all. The price Jesus paid on Calvary should tell us that's the only way man could be saved and enter Heaven. What a gift God has given us! It's imperative we don't forget the price Jesus paid on our behalf.
It should humble us to realize that God loved us so much that he would send his Son to die for us. We were unworthy of his suffering on the cross. We are wretched sinners that God has saved by his grace. It's a shame many Catholics and other religious groups perform good works thinking that's what enables them to enter Heaven. It's a blessing that Jesus paid it all on Calvary. Christians are to perform good works. However, that's a result of salvation. We perform good works because we are saved--not to be saved. It's a privilege to serve Jesus and work for him. Let's not forget the debt Jesus paid on Calvary.
It's amazing the number of people that believe that you have to perform good works to be saved. However, there's a question that needs to be asked: If man can be saved by good works, then what was the purpose of Jesus coming to earth and dying on the cross? I Timothy 2:15 says, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." Jesus came to this earth to die for sinners. That verse tells me that there's nothing in my own strength that I can do which would merit my salvation. I like the song "I Will Glory in the Cross." That one verse says, "I boast not of works, nor tell of good deeds, for nought have I done to merit his grace. Oh glory and praise shall rest upon him. So willing to die in my place". Salvation is of the Lord. The Bible says that man's righteousness is as filthy rags. That's man's best. Imagine what God thinks about man's unrighteousness. Jesus' death on the cross would've been in vain if man was able to merit his salvation.
Acts 4:12 says, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." There's no other means of salvation other than Jesus dying and shedding his blood on Calvary. You can't be saved by any other way than through Jesus. You can't be saved by Buddha, Allah, Confuscious, Mohammad, Jim Jones, and the list continues. It's amazing how people have been conned into thinking there's multiple ways of salvation. Anything that adds to the Biblical plan of salvation is legalism.
If man could enter Heaven any other way than through Jesus, then what a useless sacrifice Jesus would've made. Jesus wouldn't have given his life and suffer shame and separation on the cross if man was sufficient to merit salvation. Sin is so horrible to God that the only way to forgive sin was through a blood sacrifice. Jesus paid it once and for all. The price Jesus paid on Calvary should tell us that's the only way man could be saved and enter Heaven. What a gift God has given us! It's imperative we don't forget the price Jesus paid on our behalf.
It should humble us to realize that God loved us so much that he would send his Son to die for us. We were unworthy of his suffering on the cross. We are wretched sinners that God has saved by his grace. It's a shame many Catholics and other religious groups perform good works thinking that's what enables them to enter Heaven. It's a blessing that Jesus paid it all on Calvary. Christians are to perform good works. However, that's a result of salvation. We perform good works because we are saved--not to be saved. It's a privilege to serve Jesus and work for him. Let's not forget the debt Jesus paid on Calvary.
Robert S. (Bob) Schindler, father of the Late Terri Schiavo, Dies at 71
Robert S. Schindler, the father of the late Terri Schindler Schiavo, died at age 71 on Saturday August 29, 2009. He lived in Gulfport, Florida and had died of heart failure. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 23, 1937. He was of German descent. He grew up and lived in Pennsyvania most of his life until 1986. In January 1963, he married his present widow, Mary and had three children. The eldest and most famous was Terri Schiavo, born on December 3, 1963. Bobby Jr. was born in 1965 and Suzanne Vitadamo was born in 1968. Suzanne and her husband Mike have one daugter Alexandra.
Schindler is known as the father of Terri Schiavo. Schiavo had a cardiac arrest on February 25, 1990 and as a result of a lack of oxygen going to her brain, she was brain damaged and had to be fed with a feeding tube for the rest of her life. She never could talk since she suffered the cardiac rest and had to be taken care of for the rest of her life. She spent the last several years in a hospice until she died on March 31, 2005 at Pinellas Park, Florida. Some doctors had declared that Terri was in a "persistent vegetative state", even though that was disputed by some.
Schindler had been in a battle with Terri's husband Michael to keep Terri alive. Michael claimed that it was Terri's wishes to not be kept alive if she ever became helpless. However, Terri signed no contract nor will stating her wishes. Bob Schindler and his family fought Michael in court. They spent a decade fighting it in court. Terri's feeding tube was removed twice. The last time it was removed on March 18, 2005. She died 13 days later. The case had went from state court to appellate court. However, the state court ordered her feeding tube removed. The Schindlers took their case to Congress and even the Supreme Court. Congress even passed a bill with then President Bush's signature in order to try to circumvent the state court. However, the federal courts and the Supreme Court wouldn't overturn the state court to have the tube reinserted. As a result, Terri died on March 31, 2005.
Schindler was known as a dedicated compassionate family man. He and his wife raised their three children in Pennsylvania. They were devout Catholics and at one time he even comtemplated becoming a priest. The Schindlers sent their children to parochial schools. He used to run a business selling industrial supplies. The Schindlers were close to Terri and they all moved to Florida in 1986 three months after Terri and her husband moved there.
Robert Schindler was shaken when Terri suffered cardiac arrest, but he and his family faithfully visited Terri and did everything possible to keep her alive. David O'Steen, Executive Director of National Right to Life said that "He gave life to the phrase 'unconditional love'".
When Terri was still alive Robert Schindler would rally crowds in Washington D.C. He drew attention to the needs of those people that were in a persistent vegetative state or those that had to depend on a tube to survive. He was very active in promoting the right-to-life to those patients that were facing end-of-life decisions. Following Schiavo's death, Schindler and his family started the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation to help encourage those families that were going through similar circumstances the Schindlers went through with Terri. Schindler's son and daughter are very active in the Foundation and they go out on speaking engagements and even host a radio program. A public funeral will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Schindler is known as the father of Terri Schiavo. Schiavo had a cardiac arrest on February 25, 1990 and as a result of a lack of oxygen going to her brain, she was brain damaged and had to be fed with a feeding tube for the rest of her life. She never could talk since she suffered the cardiac rest and had to be taken care of for the rest of her life. She spent the last several years in a hospice until she died on March 31, 2005 at Pinellas Park, Florida. Some doctors had declared that Terri was in a "persistent vegetative state", even though that was disputed by some.
Schindler had been in a battle with Terri's husband Michael to keep Terri alive. Michael claimed that it was Terri's wishes to not be kept alive if she ever became helpless. However, Terri signed no contract nor will stating her wishes. Bob Schindler and his family fought Michael in court. They spent a decade fighting it in court. Terri's feeding tube was removed twice. The last time it was removed on March 18, 2005. She died 13 days later. The case had went from state court to appellate court. However, the state court ordered her feeding tube removed. The Schindlers took their case to Congress and even the Supreme Court. Congress even passed a bill with then President Bush's signature in order to try to circumvent the state court. However, the federal courts and the Supreme Court wouldn't overturn the state court to have the tube reinserted. As a result, Terri died on March 31, 2005.
Schindler was known as a dedicated compassionate family man. He and his wife raised their three children in Pennsylvania. They were devout Catholics and at one time he even comtemplated becoming a priest. The Schindlers sent their children to parochial schools. He used to run a business selling industrial supplies. The Schindlers were close to Terri and they all moved to Florida in 1986 three months after Terri and her husband moved there.
Robert Schindler was shaken when Terri suffered cardiac arrest, but he and his family faithfully visited Terri and did everything possible to keep her alive. David O'Steen, Executive Director of National Right to Life said that "He gave life to the phrase 'unconditional love'".
When Terri was still alive Robert Schindler would rally crowds in Washington D.C. He drew attention to the needs of those people that were in a persistent vegetative state or those that had to depend on a tube to survive. He was very active in promoting the right-to-life to those patients that were facing end-of-life decisions. Following Schiavo's death, Schindler and his family started the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation to help encourage those families that were going through similar circumstances the Schindlers went through with Terri. Schindler's son and daughter are very active in the Foundation and they go out on speaking engagements and even host a radio program. A public funeral will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Josiah Henson (Uncle Tom) Lived in Daviess County From 1825-1830
Josiah Henson was a slave that was born in Montgomery County, Maryland in 1789 and for a short period of time had lived as a slave from 1825-1830 on the plantation of Amos Riley. He was known as "Uncle Tom" by Harriet Beecher Stowe who wrote the famous book entitled, Uncle Tom's Cabin. Anybody that's taken U.S. history in high school has studied the antislavery movement. There were different abolitionists during that period. One of them was named Harriet Beecher Stowe. The "Uncle Tom" that she was referring to her in her book was Josiah Henson. Many people that lived in the Owensboro/Daviess County area didn't recognize the full story behind Josiah Henson until local Owensboroans such as Edith Bennett, Dr. David Orrahood and Hugh O. Potter learned of the facts. Ms. Edith Bennett who works for WOMI radio station in Owensboro, went on a trip to Canada around 1960. She had car trouble and as she was having work done on her car somebody told her to visit the Josiah Henson Museum in Dresden, Ontario. She was told that Henson lived in Daviess County for a brief period of time. Bennett told the people at WOMI but they didn't believe it at the time.
Then a few years later Dr. David Orrahood of Owensboro uncovered some more material relating to the case of Josiah Henson. Then Hugh O. Potter, the general manager of WOMI back in the 60's, had contacted the curator of Uncle Tom's Cabin and Museum in Canada. Then the curator came to Owensboro and he and Potter visited the site of Uncle Tom's Cabin in Eastern Daviess County. I have an old article from the Messenger-Inquirer on October 22, 1967 which verified that Uncle Tom lived in Daviess County. Mrs. Sue Hawes at the time was an 82 year old woman who lived in the area where Uncle Tom resided. She was the great-granddaughter of former slave owner Amos Riley. The article from the Owensboro newspaper gives the side that Mrs. Hawes told and then it gave the Canadian version.
Between the years of 1825 and 1830, Josiah Henson was an overseer of the Amos Riley Plantation, a 10,000-acre holding located in eastern Daviess County in the vicinity of Yelvington. Mrs. Hawes said her great-grandfather settled there in 1813 and owned numerous slaves. Mrs. Hawes said she heard of Uncle Tom and was told he was tall, intelligent, good-looking "darkey" and had a weakness for dancing and women. Mrs. Hawes was told he ran away because he became a little too familiar with the wives of the other slaves and they were going to kill him.
Uncle Tom in his book, The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, he said he arrived in Daviess County, Kentucky about the middle of April 1825 and he delivered himself and his wife, two children, and eighteen other slaves to Mr. Amos Riley, the owner of the plantation with from 80 to 100 negroes. He said his house was situated five miles south of the Ohio River and 15 miles above the Yellow Banks, on Big Blackford's Creek. Henson stated that he availed himself of all opportunities of improvement. He was admitted as a preacher by a conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Canadian version says Uncle Tom decided to run away only after being deceived many times by his master in regards to his freedom by his owner. Three years after he arrived in Daviess County his former master sent word to Amos Riley to sell all his slaves except Uncle Tom, who was to return to him with the proceeds from the slave auction. On his way back to Maryland, Uncle Tom preached and made appeals for funds with which to purchase his freedom. Since Henson passed through the free state of Ohio he could've stayed there a free man. However, he thought it was a point of honor to make all efforts necessary to buy his freedom. Just before Christmas he approached the house of Isaac Riley (Amo's brother) with $245 and the hopes of becoming free and pursuing his call as a minister.
However, the story has it that Isaac Riley tricked Uncle Tom into giving him his freedom. Knowing that Uncle Tom couldn't read, Riley took Uncle Tom's money and handed him an important looking but worthless document. Henson thought he was a free man until he returned to Kentucky and found out he had been deceived. Riley had twice inserted the stated price. A year later he was ordered to accompany his master's son, Amos Jr., to New Orleans to dispose of their farm produce. Amos Jr. was told to sell Henson, but fortunately Amos Jr. became seriously ill with river fever and was unable to continue the journey. Uncle Tom could've used that as an opportunity to escape but instead he stayed and nursed the boy back to health and returned him to his father. According to the Canadian version, Uncle Tom received no thanks for his trying to nurse Amos Jr. back to health, so he started looking for a chance to escape.
The opportunity came at last on September 1, 1830. A fellow slave rowed Uncle Tom, his wife, and his children across the Ohio River and landed them on the Indiana shore. By traveling by night and hiding by day they reached Cincinnati in two weeks. After six weeks, they reached Sandusky, Ohio where they found passage on a ship bound for Buffalo. From there he was rowed across the river to Canada and he finally found freedom on October 28, 1830.
For the next few years Uncle Tom lived in the vicinity of Fort Erie. He became a leader among the fugitive slaves and carried on religious work among them. He also helped slaves to escape as well. Through his religious work Uncle Tom met James C. Fuller, a Quaker that promised Henson he would try to interest some English friends in a colonization adventure. As a result, $1500 was raised. Henson formed the British-American Institute and took steps to set up a colony in Dawn, near the present town of Dresden. That was in 1839. On a 200-acre plot he established a sawmill, a blacksmith shop, and a carpenter shop and the first vocational school in Canada.
On one of his trips to New England in behalf of his settlement a brief story of his life was published by the Anti-Slavery Society of Boston. Harriet Beecher Stowe read the pamphlet and in 1849 she invited Josiah Henson into her home in Andover, Massasschusetts. That's where Mrs. Stowe required much of her material for the book, Uncle Tom's Cabin.
Uncle Tom had made several trips to England to raise money for the institute. He made three trips to England and it was on his third trip where he had met Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle. Josiah was 88 at the time. Queen Victoria told him, "Mr. Henson, I expected to see a very old man, but I am delighted to see such a well preserved, good-looking man as you."
After returning back to Canada, Henson spent the rest of his life there. He spent the rest of his days teaching and preaching. When he turned 94, he died of an illness only after three days. He died on May 5, 1883. Hundreds were said to have attended his funeral. The funeral was conducted by Bishop Walter R. Hawkins, head of the British Methodist Episcopal Church of Canada. Hawkins was a fellow slave on the Kentucky plantation of Amos Riley. Uncle Tom was an interesting figure who, after buying his freedom, devoted the rest of his life helping slaves to escape and trying to help those that had obtained freedom an opportunity to improve their lives by starting a colony. Henson had helped establish a vocational school to help them learn a trade in which they could make a living. Uncle Tom tried to make a difference in the lives of those slaves in which he (Uncle Tom) was once himself.
Then a few years later Dr. David Orrahood of Owensboro uncovered some more material relating to the case of Josiah Henson. Then Hugh O. Potter, the general manager of WOMI back in the 60's, had contacted the curator of Uncle Tom's Cabin and Museum in Canada. Then the curator came to Owensboro and he and Potter visited the site of Uncle Tom's Cabin in Eastern Daviess County. I have an old article from the Messenger-Inquirer on October 22, 1967 which verified that Uncle Tom lived in Daviess County. Mrs. Sue Hawes at the time was an 82 year old woman who lived in the area where Uncle Tom resided. She was the great-granddaughter of former slave owner Amos Riley. The article from the Owensboro newspaper gives the side that Mrs. Hawes told and then it gave the Canadian version.
Between the years of 1825 and 1830, Josiah Henson was an overseer of the Amos Riley Plantation, a 10,000-acre holding located in eastern Daviess County in the vicinity of Yelvington. Mrs. Hawes said her great-grandfather settled there in 1813 and owned numerous slaves. Mrs. Hawes said she heard of Uncle Tom and was told he was tall, intelligent, good-looking "darkey" and had a weakness for dancing and women. Mrs. Hawes was told he ran away because he became a little too familiar with the wives of the other slaves and they were going to kill him.
Uncle Tom in his book, The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, he said he arrived in Daviess County, Kentucky about the middle of April 1825 and he delivered himself and his wife, two children, and eighteen other slaves to Mr. Amos Riley, the owner of the plantation with from 80 to 100 negroes. He said his house was situated five miles south of the Ohio River and 15 miles above the Yellow Banks, on Big Blackford's Creek. Henson stated that he availed himself of all opportunities of improvement. He was admitted as a preacher by a conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Canadian version says Uncle Tom decided to run away only after being deceived many times by his master in regards to his freedom by his owner. Three years after he arrived in Daviess County his former master sent word to Amos Riley to sell all his slaves except Uncle Tom, who was to return to him with the proceeds from the slave auction. On his way back to Maryland, Uncle Tom preached and made appeals for funds with which to purchase his freedom. Since Henson passed through the free state of Ohio he could've stayed there a free man. However, he thought it was a point of honor to make all efforts necessary to buy his freedom. Just before Christmas he approached the house of Isaac Riley (Amo's brother) with $245 and the hopes of becoming free and pursuing his call as a minister.
However, the story has it that Isaac Riley tricked Uncle Tom into giving him his freedom. Knowing that Uncle Tom couldn't read, Riley took Uncle Tom's money and handed him an important looking but worthless document. Henson thought he was a free man until he returned to Kentucky and found out he had been deceived. Riley had twice inserted the stated price. A year later he was ordered to accompany his master's son, Amos Jr., to New Orleans to dispose of their farm produce. Amos Jr. was told to sell Henson, but fortunately Amos Jr. became seriously ill with river fever and was unable to continue the journey. Uncle Tom could've used that as an opportunity to escape but instead he stayed and nursed the boy back to health and returned him to his father. According to the Canadian version, Uncle Tom received no thanks for his trying to nurse Amos Jr. back to health, so he started looking for a chance to escape.
The opportunity came at last on September 1, 1830. A fellow slave rowed Uncle Tom, his wife, and his children across the Ohio River and landed them on the Indiana shore. By traveling by night and hiding by day they reached Cincinnati in two weeks. After six weeks, they reached Sandusky, Ohio where they found passage on a ship bound for Buffalo. From there he was rowed across the river to Canada and he finally found freedom on October 28, 1830.
For the next few years Uncle Tom lived in the vicinity of Fort Erie. He became a leader among the fugitive slaves and carried on religious work among them. He also helped slaves to escape as well. Through his religious work Uncle Tom met James C. Fuller, a Quaker that promised Henson he would try to interest some English friends in a colonization adventure. As a result, $1500 was raised. Henson formed the British-American Institute and took steps to set up a colony in Dawn, near the present town of Dresden. That was in 1839. On a 200-acre plot he established a sawmill, a blacksmith shop, and a carpenter shop and the first vocational school in Canada.
On one of his trips to New England in behalf of his settlement a brief story of his life was published by the Anti-Slavery Society of Boston. Harriet Beecher Stowe read the pamphlet and in 1849 she invited Josiah Henson into her home in Andover, Massasschusetts. That's where Mrs. Stowe required much of her material for the book, Uncle Tom's Cabin.
Uncle Tom had made several trips to England to raise money for the institute. He made three trips to England and it was on his third trip where he had met Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle. Josiah was 88 at the time. Queen Victoria told him, "Mr. Henson, I expected to see a very old man, but I am delighted to see such a well preserved, good-looking man as you."
After returning back to Canada, Henson spent the rest of his life there. He spent the rest of his days teaching and preaching. When he turned 94, he died of an illness only after three days. He died on May 5, 1883. Hundreds were said to have attended his funeral. The funeral was conducted by Bishop Walter R. Hawkins, head of the British Methodist Episcopal Church of Canada. Hawkins was a fellow slave on the Kentucky plantation of Amos Riley. Uncle Tom was an interesting figure who, after buying his freedom, devoted the rest of his life helping slaves to escape and trying to help those that had obtained freedom an opportunity to improve their lives by starting a colony. Henson had helped establish a vocational school to help them learn a trade in which they could make a living. Uncle Tom tried to make a difference in the lives of those slaves in which he (Uncle Tom) was once himself.
Is Democracy Worth Dying For?
I read an interesting quote from the late Ronald Reagan that said, "Democracy is worth dying for, because it's the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man." I was thinking about that statement as I read that. I know that many political leaders hail democracy as the greatest form of government ever known to man. It's one of the last forms of government. Ever since the invasion of both Afghanistan and Iraq, the previous administration under President Bush has been trying to establish a democracy in both Iraq and Afghanistan as a result of the overthrowing of the Taliban and Sadamm Hussein. However, the question that needs to be asked is democracy worth dying for?
Many in the media have referred to the United States as a democracy. Actually we're not a democracy in the purest sense of the word. We're a representative republic. We do employ democratic principles such as holding elections to elect our leaders and the ballot initiatives which citizens have the privilege to vote on during elections. Otherwise, we're a republic. We send Senators and representatives to Washington, D.C. to vote on legislative matters that affect our country. Ancient Athens, Greece was considered to be the birthplace of democracy. However, there have been critics of democracy such as the ancient Greek philosopher Plato who viewed democracy as another step toward tyranny. Democracy can result in mob rule.
It's impossible to have a pure democracy in a large country. It's not practical that all citizens can vote on all matters of legislation. Some small towns and villages that have a very low population could employ democracy in that area. Otherwise it's not possible. Many leaders have pointed to the success of America's "democracy" and they use that as an argument that other countries need democracy. However, America was very unique in comparison with other countries. The people that immigrated to America came for the purpose of religious freedom. They recognized that there was a higher authority than themselves--that was God. The Pilgrims and Puritans that came to America had built churches and they honored God. They tried to live by the laws of God. Any form of democracy won't endure if the population engages in reckless, immoral behavior or are hedonists. Self-government demands discipline and responsibility from its citizens. Citizens must be informed on the issues when it comes to electing candidates and the citizenry must understand the proper role of government. Many people today expect government to provide for their material needs.
Is a democracy worth dying for? The only way that a semblance of democracy would be worth dying for is if there's a group of citizens that are willing to protect and preserve the freedoms we enjoy for the next generation. Freedom gained today could be lost tomorrow. Vigilance must always be practiced. Freedom can be lost if the citizenry lose sight on what the role of government is as well as their own individual responsibility. If a person thinks they can live immoral and irresponsible lives and still maintain freedom, then they're foolish in their thinking. Self-government won't work if the people don't recognize that they're not their own God. The reason why the United States had been able to endure for so long is because the people recognize that God's laws take precedent over man's way of thinking. They knew a society couldn't endure without solid values. There must be a set of absolutes that govern a society. The religion of secular humanism doesn't believe in absolutes. When you remove the standard that gives man freedom, then a society will digress and chaos could result. It will be as the passage in the book of Judges says and man will be doing what's right in his own eyes. To different people that could be different things.
America's laws and customs were built on the Judeo-Christian framework. That's why self-government has worked for us for so long. Because the American people upheld God's laws. It doesn't mean that everybody were individually saved, but they had a respect for the Bible and its truths in it. The reason why America today is experiencing a moral breakdown is because people are living immoral and irresponsible lives. We've forgotten God and we've created our own "right and wrong". The American people today are living to the desires of their flesh. There are some people that take for granted that the freedom America has enjoyed for the last two centuries can't be lost. However, we're already losing our freedoms. Today America has turned into a nation of oligarchs (rule by the elite).
The neoconservatives from the Bush administration had the idealistic view that they could create a democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan. That's not going to happen. Those two countries have only known a dictatorship. They don't have the moral framework nor the responsibility to have a representative form of government like the United States. Once you obtain freedom, then the people in that country must be vigilant to maintain that freedom or they will descend back into chaos and then tyranny. Iraq has three different religious factions such as the Shiites, Kurds, and the Sunnis. They've been at war with each other for centuries. Violence has increased in Iraq since Iraq has been given control over it's own government. I predict Iraq will return to it's former state before too long. There's too much violence and division in that country. Democracy won't work in every country. In order for a country to possess a form of democracy, you must have a people that are responsible, informed, disciplined, and adhere to a strong set of values. Otherwise, a democracy will descend into chaos.
Many in the media have referred to the United States as a democracy. Actually we're not a democracy in the purest sense of the word. We're a representative republic. We do employ democratic principles such as holding elections to elect our leaders and the ballot initiatives which citizens have the privilege to vote on during elections. Otherwise, we're a republic. We send Senators and representatives to Washington, D.C. to vote on legislative matters that affect our country. Ancient Athens, Greece was considered to be the birthplace of democracy. However, there have been critics of democracy such as the ancient Greek philosopher Plato who viewed democracy as another step toward tyranny. Democracy can result in mob rule.
It's impossible to have a pure democracy in a large country. It's not practical that all citizens can vote on all matters of legislation. Some small towns and villages that have a very low population could employ democracy in that area. Otherwise it's not possible. Many leaders have pointed to the success of America's "democracy" and they use that as an argument that other countries need democracy. However, America was very unique in comparison with other countries. The people that immigrated to America came for the purpose of religious freedom. They recognized that there was a higher authority than themselves--that was God. The Pilgrims and Puritans that came to America had built churches and they honored God. They tried to live by the laws of God. Any form of democracy won't endure if the population engages in reckless, immoral behavior or are hedonists. Self-government demands discipline and responsibility from its citizens. Citizens must be informed on the issues when it comes to electing candidates and the citizenry must understand the proper role of government. Many people today expect government to provide for their material needs.
Is a democracy worth dying for? The only way that a semblance of democracy would be worth dying for is if there's a group of citizens that are willing to protect and preserve the freedoms we enjoy for the next generation. Freedom gained today could be lost tomorrow. Vigilance must always be practiced. Freedom can be lost if the citizenry lose sight on what the role of government is as well as their own individual responsibility. If a person thinks they can live immoral and irresponsible lives and still maintain freedom, then they're foolish in their thinking. Self-government won't work if the people don't recognize that they're not their own God. The reason why the United States had been able to endure for so long is because the people recognize that God's laws take precedent over man's way of thinking. They knew a society couldn't endure without solid values. There must be a set of absolutes that govern a society. The religion of secular humanism doesn't believe in absolutes. When you remove the standard that gives man freedom, then a society will digress and chaos could result. It will be as the passage in the book of Judges says and man will be doing what's right in his own eyes. To different people that could be different things.
America's laws and customs were built on the Judeo-Christian framework. That's why self-government has worked for us for so long. Because the American people upheld God's laws. It doesn't mean that everybody were individually saved, but they had a respect for the Bible and its truths in it. The reason why America today is experiencing a moral breakdown is because people are living immoral and irresponsible lives. We've forgotten God and we've created our own "right and wrong". The American people today are living to the desires of their flesh. There are some people that take for granted that the freedom America has enjoyed for the last two centuries can't be lost. However, we're already losing our freedoms. Today America has turned into a nation of oligarchs (rule by the elite).
The neoconservatives from the Bush administration had the idealistic view that they could create a democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan. That's not going to happen. Those two countries have only known a dictatorship. They don't have the moral framework nor the responsibility to have a representative form of government like the United States. Once you obtain freedom, then the people in that country must be vigilant to maintain that freedom or they will descend back into chaos and then tyranny. Iraq has three different religious factions such as the Shiites, Kurds, and the Sunnis. They've been at war with each other for centuries. Violence has increased in Iraq since Iraq has been given control over it's own government. I predict Iraq will return to it's former state before too long. There's too much violence and division in that country. Democracy won't work in every country. In order for a country to possess a form of democracy, you must have a people that are responsible, informed, disciplined, and adhere to a strong set of values. Otherwise, a democracy will descend into chaos.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy, "The Liberal Lion of the Senate" Dies at 77
Senator Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy, America's third longest serving Senator in U.S. history, died late Tuesday evening at age 77. He died of an incurable brain cancer which was diagnosed in May 2008. He was known as the "lion of the Senate". It was said he knew how to craft legislation and get things accomplished. He was a very strong liberal that believed the government was the solution to man's problems. It was also said he knew how to be "bipartisan" and work across the aisle with Republicans to pass legislation. However, since so many Republicans are like Democrats in so many ways I don't know how you can call that "bipartisan". It was the Republicans who worked with him on issues that he believed in. If he was called upon to be bipartisan when it came to drafting legislation to allow the U.S. to engage in offshore drilling, I believe that would be a different story. I don't know that he ever compromised on legislation that would benefit the conservative cause.
Kennedy was first elected to the Senate in 1962 in a special election to fill JFK's seat. He couldn't do it as soon as John became president because Ted was two years shy of turning 30, which was the minimum age requirement to run for the Senate. He never lost an election. The closest race he had was in 1994 when Republican Mitt Romney challenged him. Kennedy beat Romney 58% to 41%, which was his narrowest winning margin. During his tenure in the Senate, he's served on the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Armed Services Committee, and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee. He remained on this last committee until the time of his death.
Ted was an ardent liberal in the Senate. He supported all kinds of liberal causes. He supported gay rights, abortion rights, the feminist movement, the unions, the NEA, etc. He also voted no to authorizing George W. Bush to use force in Iraq to oust Sadamm Hussein in 2002. He believed government was the answer to solving people's problems. He wasn't a believer in the free market approach. He helped expand the size of government. His chief goal was to overhaul our nation's healthcare system and create national health care. That's been his motivation since he was involved in a plane crash in 1964. President Obama and many Democrats will be invoking Senator Kennedy as a means to pass a national healthcare bill. Some Senators speculate if he wasn't ill and could've sat under the committee hearings, then the present healthcare bill would've went much farther in Congress.
Kennedy was considered a lightning rod of ire to many conservatives because of his views on abortion, gay rights, gun control, and religious freedom, etc. He voted against President Reagan's Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork in 1987. Kennedy supported a nuclear freeze when it came to weapons. He was on the Armed Services Committee during Reagan's tenure as president. He led opposition to Reagan's foreign policy. Kennedy believed in appeasing America's enemies. Kennedy also supported the civil rights movement, the racial integration of the schools, gender equality, etc. In 1965, he pushed for an overhaul of the nation's immigration laws so they would no longer favor white Europeans coming into this country. That opened the door to other racial groups such as Asians, Indians (India), etc. He stated that the immigration overhaul he was seeking wouldn't change the demographics of the country. He was wrong. He also supports the open borders policy in our country. In 2007, he and Senator John McCain co-sponsored a bill called the McCain-Kennedy Amnesty bill which would given amnesty to illegal aliens living here in America.
Ted Kennedy was known to work with Republicans when it came to passing certain legislation. He and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) in 1997, helped sponsor a State Children's Health Insurance Program. He helped former President George W. Bush fulfill a couple of his goals which were the "No Child Left Behind" education bill which was signed in 2002. Kennedy helped write that bill. Kennedy also helped Bush add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare in 2003. Kennedy would work with Republicans if it would benefit him in promoting his liberal agenda. Kennedy had an agenda that he wanted to accomplish and he would use Republicans' help if that's what it took to pass his agenda.
The last couple of days Kennedy's body has been lying in repose at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum. Funeral services are on Saturday August 29, 2009. It will be a Catholic mass. Later that day, there will be a graveside service for him at Arlington National Cemetery. He will be buried there by his two brothers, John and Robert. Kennedy had served in elected office which is why he will be buried there.
Ted Kennedy was born on February 22, 1932 to Joseph P. and Rose Kennedy, the youngest of nine children and the youngest of four brothers. The Kennedy family has had a name when it came to personal tragedy and reckless behavior. John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963 in a motorcade at Dallas. The other brother, Robert Kennedy, was asssassinated on June 4, 1968 by Sirhan Sirhan following his victory in the California Democratic primary for president. Ted's oldest brother, Joe Jr., was killed as a pilot in World War II in 1944. His oldest sister, Rosemary, was institutionalized a few decades ago and died in 2005. His other sister, Eunice Shriver died on August 11, 2009. Ted was known for indulging in liquor and womanizing. He married Joan Bennett in 1958 and had three children by her. They divorced in 1982. In 1992 he married a woman named Victoria Reggie who has two children from a previous marriage. On July 18, 1969, he was involved in an incident where he drove his mother's Oldsmobile off a bridge into the pond. One of his aides, Mary Jo Kopechne, was in the car and drowned. Kennedy didn't report the incident until 10 hours later. He later pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and as a result had a reduced sentence. That tarnished his image before the American public as being reckless and irresponsible. He was considering a run for president in 1972 but the Chappaquiddick Island incident set him back. He finally challenged Jimmy Carter in the 1980 presidential primary, but Carter defeated him handily. Since that time, he has devoted the rest of his years in the U.S. Senate.
Kennedy attended Harvard University but was later expelled due to cheating on a Spanish exam. He was told that if he had demonstrated good behavior he could later re-apply to Harvard. In 1951 he enlisted in the army and became a private until 1953. He then was re-admitted into Harvard and he graduated there in 1956. Afterwards he attended the University of Virginia Law School and he graduated there in 1959.Kennedy was first elected to the Senate in 1962 in a special election to fill JFK's seat. He couldn't do it as soon as John became president because Ted was two years shy of turning 30, which was the minimum age requirement to run for the Senate. He never lost an election. The closest race he had was in 1994 when Republican Mitt Romney challenged him. Kennedy beat Romney 58% to 41%, which was his narrowest winning margin. During his tenure in the Senate, he's served on the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Armed Services Committee, and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee. He remained on this last committee until the time of his death.
Ted was an ardent liberal in the Senate. He supported all kinds of liberal causes. He supported gay rights, abortion rights, the feminist movement, the unions, the NEA, etc. He also voted no to authorizing George W. Bush to use force in Iraq to oust Sadamm Hussein in 2002. He believed government was the answer to solving people's problems. He wasn't a believer in the free market approach. He helped expand the size of government. His chief goal was to overhaul our nation's healthcare system and create national health care. That's been his motivation since he was involved in a plane crash in 1964. President Obama and many Democrats will be invoking Senator Kennedy as a means to pass a national healthcare bill. Some Senators speculate if he wasn't ill and could've sat under the committee hearings, then the present healthcare bill would've went much farther in Congress.
Kennedy was considered a lightning rod of ire to many conservatives because of his views on abortion, gay rights, gun control, and religious freedom, etc. He voted against President Reagan's Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork in 1987. Kennedy supported a nuclear freeze when it came to weapons. He was on the Armed Services Committee during Reagan's tenure as president. He led opposition to Reagan's foreign policy. Kennedy believed in appeasing America's enemies. Kennedy also supported the civil rights movement, the racial integration of the schools, gender equality, etc. In 1965, he pushed for an overhaul of the nation's immigration laws so they would no longer favor white Europeans coming into this country. That opened the door to other racial groups such as Asians, Indians (India), etc. He stated that the immigration overhaul he was seeking wouldn't change the demographics of the country. He was wrong. He also supports the open borders policy in our country. In 2007, he and Senator John McCain co-sponsored a bill called the McCain-Kennedy Amnesty bill which would given amnesty to illegal aliens living here in America.
Ted Kennedy was known to work with Republicans when it came to passing certain legislation. He and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) in 1997, helped sponsor a State Children's Health Insurance Program. He helped former President George W. Bush fulfill a couple of his goals which were the "No Child Left Behind" education bill which was signed in 2002. Kennedy helped write that bill. Kennedy also helped Bush add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare in 2003. Kennedy would work with Republicans if it would benefit him in promoting his liberal agenda. Kennedy had an agenda that he wanted to accomplish and he would use Republicans' help if that's what it took to pass his agenda.
The last couple of days Kennedy's body has been lying in repose at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum. Funeral services are on Saturday August 29, 2009. It will be a Catholic mass. Later that day, there will be a graveside service for him at Arlington National Cemetery. He will be buried there by his two brothers, John and Robert. Kennedy had served in elected office which is why he will be buried there.
The 40th Anniversary of Apollo High (Jr. High) School
Back last month I published a post of the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 space mission which sent men to the moon for the very first time in history. Owensboro, Kentucky was making history itself by building a space-age Jr. high school. It was named after the Apollo 11 space mission. It was named Apollo Jr. High School. It is in the Daviess County school system in Kentucky. Daviess County Jr. High was becoming crowded so the Daviess County Board of Education decided to construct another Jr. High School. It was designed differently from previous schools. It was designed to accommodate the new team teaching concept where teachers would combine their classes together and teach their students.
Apollo was built to house large unobstructed classrooms which would accommodate the new teaching method. The classrooms didn't have walls to separate one class from another. Instead chalkboard dividers were used to separate the classrooms. The building was a steel frame building. It consisted of two full circles and two half-moon circles. The design was different and unique. It was divided into areas A, B, and C. The "A" area housed the physical education complex, band, shop, etc. The "B" section included the kitchen, home economics department, and art. The "C" section was the academic department. The science, math, language, business, social studies, the library, and the foreign language classrooms were in that section.
There were also numerous electives that students could take such as journalism, creative writing, French, Spanish, German, photography, drama, speech, and chorus, to name a few. The half-moon area contained the administrative offices. The total cost to build the school was $1,261,855.00. The building area size was 87,000 square feet. The first day of classes was on August 29, 1969. Back then the school year started later. It started toward the end of August or the first of September. The dedication of the school was on February 18, 1970. Dr. F. Story Musgrave was the dedication speaker. He worked for NASA.
Since that time numerous changes have been made to Apollo. Starting with the 1972-73 school, it was changed to a high school and a new middle school was built. The Jr. high school grades were now referred to as "middle" instead of "Jr. high". Jr. high had grades 7-9. Middle school had grades 6-8. Both of the half-moon circles were filled in to make them two full circles. Apollo had its first graduating class in 1974. Over the years construction was done internally to convert some of the open space into closed classrooms which had walls. The exterior of the school remained the same until the 1987-88 school year when the Daviess County Board of Education decided to expand the school and add new classroom space to it. In front of the school was built a rectangular- shaped addition which housed the new administrative offices and it contained a hallway called the "domed area." A new rectangular-shaped gymnasium was built in the back of the building. All of the school's basketball games would be held in the new gymnasium. The new complex also contained classrooms as well such as health, weightlifting, etc. A few years ago anothe rectangular shaped addition was created which was the auxilary gym. Wrestling classes are held there. The old gymanism and stage was converted into an auditorium and special services classes. Also, there's been constructed a football field, a baseball field, and tennis courts for those that participate in sports.
Over the years Apollo has been very competitive statewide in a number of feats. The school's academic team has fared well statewide a number of years. Apollo's chorus class has competed in a number of statewide competitions. The boys basketball team has participated in the state tournament approximately nine times. The last basketball team that reached state was the runner-up champion in 2006. The girls basketball team has reached state a number of times as well. Apollo has had sports stars such as Rex Chapman who later played basketball for the University of Kentucky and the Phoenix Suns, Natalie Powers and Laurie Townsend, who both played basketball at Western Kentucky University. Both Chapman and Powers were the top scorers for Apollo. Brad Wilkerson played baseball and graduated from Apollo. He later played Major League Baseball for the Florida Marlins. Apollo has had a number of great athletes over the years.
Over the years many Apollo alumni have traveled on in life and have achieved great things. Jeff Jones who played on the 1978 Apollo basketball team that reached state, graduated from the University of Virginia and later was head basketball coach there. The valedictorian in my class is now a chief financial officer at Hammond and Associates in St. Louis, Missouri. Many of the alumni have become teachers, lawyers, prosecutors, doctors, businessmen, and the list continues. Apollo celebrated its 40th anniversary this year. Apollo has just started its 41st school year, with many more yet to come. The Apollo tradition cotinues.
Apollo was built to house large unobstructed classrooms which would accommodate the new teaching method. The classrooms didn't have walls to separate one class from another. Instead chalkboard dividers were used to separate the classrooms. The building was a steel frame building. It consisted of two full circles and two half-moon circles. The design was different and unique. It was divided into areas A, B, and C. The "A" area housed the physical education complex, band, shop, etc. The "B" section included the kitchen, home economics department, and art. The "C" section was the academic department. The science, math, language, business, social studies, the library, and the foreign language classrooms were in that section.
There were also numerous electives that students could take such as journalism, creative writing, French, Spanish, German, photography, drama, speech, and chorus, to name a few. The half-moon area contained the administrative offices. The total cost to build the school was $1,261,855.00. The building area size was 87,000 square feet. The first day of classes was on August 29, 1969. Back then the school year started later. It started toward the end of August or the first of September. The dedication of the school was on February 18, 1970. Dr. F. Story Musgrave was the dedication speaker. He worked for NASA.
Since that time numerous changes have been made to Apollo. Starting with the 1972-73 school, it was changed to a high school and a new middle school was built. The Jr. high school grades were now referred to as "middle" instead of "Jr. high". Jr. high had grades 7-9. Middle school had grades 6-8. Both of the half-moon circles were filled in to make them two full circles. Apollo had its first graduating class in 1974. Over the years construction was done internally to convert some of the open space into closed classrooms which had walls. The exterior of the school remained the same until the 1987-88 school year when the Daviess County Board of Education decided to expand the school and add new classroom space to it. In front of the school was built a rectangular- shaped addition which housed the new administrative offices and it contained a hallway called the "domed area." A new rectangular-shaped gymnasium was built in the back of the building. All of the school's basketball games would be held in the new gymnasium. The new complex also contained classrooms as well such as health, weightlifting, etc. A few years ago anothe rectangular shaped addition was created which was the auxilary gym. Wrestling classes are held there. The old gymanism and stage was converted into an auditorium and special services classes. Also, there's been constructed a football field, a baseball field, and tennis courts for those that participate in sports.
Over the years Apollo has been very competitive statewide in a number of feats. The school's academic team has fared well statewide a number of years. Apollo's chorus class has competed in a number of statewide competitions. The boys basketball team has participated in the state tournament approximately nine times. The last basketball team that reached state was the runner-up champion in 2006. The girls basketball team has reached state a number of times as well. Apollo has had sports stars such as Rex Chapman who later played basketball for the University of Kentucky and the Phoenix Suns, Natalie Powers and Laurie Townsend, who both played basketball at Western Kentucky University. Both Chapman and Powers were the top scorers for Apollo. Brad Wilkerson played baseball and graduated from Apollo. He later played Major League Baseball for the Florida Marlins. Apollo has had a number of great athletes over the years.
Over the years many Apollo alumni have traveled on in life and have achieved great things. Jeff Jones who played on the 1978 Apollo basketball team that reached state, graduated from the University of Virginia and later was head basketball coach there. The valedictorian in my class is now a chief financial officer at Hammond and Associates in St. Louis, Missouri. Many of the alumni have become teachers, lawyers, prosecutors, doctors, businessmen, and the list continues. Apollo celebrated its 40th anniversary this year. Apollo has just started its 41st school year, with many more yet to come. The Apollo tradition cotinues.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
America Needs an Awakening
One of the common misconceptions that we hear from many preachers today is that America needs revival. AMERICA'S CHURCHES NEED REVIVAL! THOSE THAT ARE SAVED NEED REVIVAL! Those that have been imparted life from above need revival. AMERICA NEEDS AN AWAKENING! Psalms 85:6 says, "Wilt thou not revive us again; that thy people may rejoice in thee?" Revival is for God's people. You can't revive something that has never had life. The world has never been given life. They are in darkness. A person has to be regenerated and have grown cold in their love toward God to need a revival. Those that have never experienced the grace of God in salvation need an awakening. They need to be awakened to the fact that they're lost and dead in sins and trespasses.
A church can have revival in it and as a result God can move and awaken the surrounding community. That's happened before. When we read about some of the famous revivals America had in its early days, we read about an America that was awakened to the condition it was in. We've had such awakenings as the Great Awakenings in the eighteenth century, the Cane Ridge Revival in the early nineteenth century, and the revival in Logan County, Kentucky in the late eighteenth century. As a result, many people were converted and their lives were changed. It affected the social strata of America. Gambling went out of business. Some of the saloons shut their doors as a result. That was due to an awakening. I remember hearing about Nashville, Tennessee having an awakening in the 19th century. Sam Jones, the Methodist preacher preached a revival and a businessmen named Tom Ryman got saved. His life was changed and the social structure of Nashville was changed. Ryman Auditorium bears his name. It was once a church until it became the Grand Ole Opry. However, a local church can have a revival and all the members of that church be on fire for God but the community surrounding it may not experience an awakening. A church can have revival in a dark world and that world may not be awakened. We must be cautious in our terminology. It's our churches and it's members that need revival. However, our country needs to be re-awakened once again.
What does America need to be awakened to? America needs to be awakened to the fact that there's a God in Heaven that's real and he will one day judge this world. America needs to recognize that unless she repents and gets saved, then her people will die and spend a Christless eternity in the Lake of fire. America needs to be awakened to the fact that she has sinned before God and the ways of the world lead to death. America needs to be awakened to the fact that her homes are falling apart and that it's ignoring God's word when it comes to the family structure. God's plan for the family is one husband and one wife being married for a lifetime and as a result children are born from that union. God doesn't condone homosexuality. God doesn't condone adultery, fornication, and co-habitation. America's re-definition of the family unit is destroying this country.
America needs to be awakened to the fact that God must have his rightful place in this country. America was built on Judeo-Christian values and it's those values that have helped this nation stand strong time and time again. America can't reject God and stand as a nation. The U.S. Supreme Court has prohibited the right of voluntary prayer and Bible reading like it once had prior to the early 60's. America has become a secular nation. However, this nation wasn't built on secular humanism. Our country will be judged if we continue down the path of humanism. America's foundation was built by our Puritan and Pilgrim forefathers. They feared God and respected the laws of God. America needs to be reminded that America was once a Christian nation.
America needs to be reminded that abortion is murder and that God hates it. A baby is not a blob of tissue which can be discarded at somone's convenience. God views life as sacred. America needs to awaken to the fact that we are to love our fellow neighbor and we're not to kill them at an old age because they're considered no longer useful to society. America has substituted "convenience" for life. Life is sacred and precious in God's eyes both young and old. America also needs to be awakened to the fact that this world's system is at enmity with God. God hates sin and wickedness. America needs to recognize how much God hates sin and turn from her wickedness.
America also needs to be awakened to the fact that those nations that forget God will be turned into hell. If we live our lives that God doesn't exist, then America will be judged for that. There used to be a time when church services were taking place the community wouldn't schedule any events to take place while church was in service. Today everything takes place even when our churches are having service. The House of God has become an afterthought in many peoples' minds.
America needs to be awakened to the fact that there are some real Christians in this world. There are many that wear the label "Christian" but aren't Christ's. However, there are still some real Christians that love God and honor Him. The world needs to see us living for Jesus. We Christians need to lead exemplary lives before the world. We're the only Bible that some people read. If we desire for America to know that God is real, we must be real. The world must see that we love God and that serving Him isn't a chess game. It's serious business.
Lastly, America needs to see God move in a very special way in our country. We need for God to manifest his presence. God's people need the power of God in their lives to show the world that God is great. We need a stirring of God in our country. Isaiah 64:1-2 says, "Oh that thou wouldest rend the Heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence. As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!" This is what America needs to see. America needs once again another GREAT AWAKENING!
A church can have revival in it and as a result God can move and awaken the surrounding community. That's happened before. When we read about some of the famous revivals America had in its early days, we read about an America that was awakened to the condition it was in. We've had such awakenings as the Great Awakenings in the eighteenth century, the Cane Ridge Revival in the early nineteenth century, and the revival in Logan County, Kentucky in the late eighteenth century. As a result, many people were converted and their lives were changed. It affected the social strata of America. Gambling went out of business. Some of the saloons shut their doors as a result. That was due to an awakening. I remember hearing about Nashville, Tennessee having an awakening in the 19th century. Sam Jones, the Methodist preacher preached a revival and a businessmen named Tom Ryman got saved. His life was changed and the social structure of Nashville was changed. Ryman Auditorium bears his name. It was once a church until it became the Grand Ole Opry. However, a local church can have a revival and all the members of that church be on fire for God but the community surrounding it may not experience an awakening. A church can have revival in a dark world and that world may not be awakened. We must be cautious in our terminology. It's our churches and it's members that need revival. However, our country needs to be re-awakened once again.
What does America need to be awakened to? America needs to be awakened to the fact that there's a God in Heaven that's real and he will one day judge this world. America needs to recognize that unless she repents and gets saved, then her people will die and spend a Christless eternity in the Lake of fire. America needs to be awakened to the fact that she has sinned before God and the ways of the world lead to death. America needs to be awakened to the fact that her homes are falling apart and that it's ignoring God's word when it comes to the family structure. God's plan for the family is one husband and one wife being married for a lifetime and as a result children are born from that union. God doesn't condone homosexuality. God doesn't condone adultery, fornication, and co-habitation. America's re-definition of the family unit is destroying this country.
America needs to be awakened to the fact that God must have his rightful place in this country. America was built on Judeo-Christian values and it's those values that have helped this nation stand strong time and time again. America can't reject God and stand as a nation. The U.S. Supreme Court has prohibited the right of voluntary prayer and Bible reading like it once had prior to the early 60's. America has become a secular nation. However, this nation wasn't built on secular humanism. Our country will be judged if we continue down the path of humanism. America's foundation was built by our Puritan and Pilgrim forefathers. They feared God and respected the laws of God. America needs to be reminded that America was once a Christian nation.
America needs to be reminded that abortion is murder and that God hates it. A baby is not a blob of tissue which can be discarded at somone's convenience. God views life as sacred. America needs to awaken to the fact that we are to love our fellow neighbor and we're not to kill them at an old age because they're considered no longer useful to society. America has substituted "convenience" for life. Life is sacred and precious in God's eyes both young and old. America also needs to be awakened to the fact that this world's system is at enmity with God. God hates sin and wickedness. America needs to recognize how much God hates sin and turn from her wickedness.
America also needs to be awakened to the fact that those nations that forget God will be turned into hell. If we live our lives that God doesn't exist, then America will be judged for that. There used to be a time when church services were taking place the community wouldn't schedule any events to take place while church was in service. Today everything takes place even when our churches are having service. The House of God has become an afterthought in many peoples' minds.
America needs to be awakened to the fact that there are some real Christians in this world. There are many that wear the label "Christian" but aren't Christ's. However, there are still some real Christians that love God and honor Him. The world needs to see us living for Jesus. We Christians need to lead exemplary lives before the world. We're the only Bible that some people read. If we desire for America to know that God is real, we must be real. The world must see that we love God and that serving Him isn't a chess game. It's serious business.
Lastly, America needs to see God move in a very special way in our country. We need for God to manifest his presence. God's people need the power of God in their lives to show the world that God is great. We need a stirring of God in our country. Isaiah 64:1-2 says, "Oh that thou wouldest rend the Heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence. As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!" This is what America needs to see. America needs once again another GREAT AWAKENING!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Woodstock
August 15-18, 2009 marked the 40th anniversary of the original Woodstock festival. The first Woodstock festival was held from August 15-18, at Bethel, New York. There have been namesake Woodstock festivals since that time. Woodstock was a music festival playing psychedelic rock and roll and many rock bands came to play in that event. There was a crowd that exceeded over 500,000 those three days. Woodstock commemorated the lives of the hippies. It was a festival that was supposed to celebrate peace and love. It was supposed to celebrate the age of the Aquarias. It commemorated the drug culture of the hippie movement.
John P. Roberts and Michael Lang were the two men that organized the event and had it advertised. There were numerous rock groups that performed such as the Grateful Dead, Jimmie Hendrix, Joan Baez, and Janis Joplin, to name a few. Taking drugs was part and parcel of the hippie culture. As the late Francis Schaeffer said, they took drugs as an ideology.
The hippie movement took shape in America in the early 1960's. If I was to pinpoint a certain event to mark the introduction of the hippie movement, it would probably be the Free Speech Movement in Berkeley, California in 1964. It later degenerated into the Dirty or Filthy Speech movement where some students said four letter words over a microphone. The hippies gained a lot of notoriety in the latter portion of the 60's with the Vietnam War dragging on. They were a protest group that spoke out against the Establishment, racism, sexism, the Vietnam War, war in general, and the old-fashioned values many Americans had held dear at that time. They helped challenge the way America thought about life.
Francis Schaeffer had stated that the hippies were speaking out against the bankrupt values of "personal peace and affluence" that their parents embraced. Schaeffer had described those values as people that want to be left alone to do their own thing in life and not be bothered by anything or anybody's problems. Affluence means to own wealth. Schaeffer was saying many middle class parents were concerned about making money and living their own life. However, many parents didn't have a basis for their values. Families went to church because it was socially acceptable. Many of the hippies' parents upheld the values that their parents and grandparents passed 0n before them but they didn't have a basis for why those values were right. Many of the hippies' parents didn't have a relationship with the Lord. They just adopted the values they were taught growing up. Therefore, the hippie generation rebelled against that and they were trying to seek answers to questions in life. However, the hippies looked to drugs and protesting against the Establishment as the answer. However, the answer was the Word of God. What they needed was Jesus. But they looked in the wrong way.
Woodstock was an embodiment of the hippie counterculture. There was a movie made entitled "Woodstock" in 1970. They were promoting peace and love throughout the world. I remember an old Coke O' Cola commerical made a number of years ago during the Christmas season. It was an old song (tune) the hippies would sing but the words to that song was changed to make it a Coke commericial. These are the words: "I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony, I like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company." The original version of the song goes like this: "I like to buy the world a home and furnish it with love. Grow apple trees and honey bees and snow-white turtle doves. I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony. I'd like to hold it in my arms and keep it company." That symbolized the thinking of that generation. The Woodstock generation was into acid rock music and drugs. The Beatles revolutionized rock music. The Beatles changed their dress and appearance and many Americans patterned their appearance after the Beatles. It was cool to be hip during that time.
The hippies thought during the 60's they could change society from without. They thought they could change society on the outside. However, the changes the hippie generation sought during that decade had went unfulfilled. Then they modified their appearance in the 70's and 80's and became yuppies (young urban professionals). The hippie generation today is older and they are represented by such people as Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and the list continues. They are trying to change the system within. That's what they're doing today. The hippie movement has changed their brand and method. We have government leaders with that mentality in the Obama administration. They trying to make us into a socialist utopia where we can all get along together in peace and love. They want to destroy all racial and sexual barriers. They're trying to attain to the age of Aquarius.
It's tragic that the hippies had bought into a false notion of peace and love. Real peace comes through the Lord Jesus. They wanted to create a better and fairer society. However, they never found a basis for truth. The Woodstock generation didn't believe in absolute truth. Life is meaningless and not worth living if there are no absolutes. The only place to find absolute truth is the Word of God. Sadly, they were looking in the wrong direction.
John P. Roberts and Michael Lang were the two men that organized the event and had it advertised. There were numerous rock groups that performed such as the Grateful Dead, Jimmie Hendrix, Joan Baez, and Janis Joplin, to name a few. Taking drugs was part and parcel of the hippie culture. As the late Francis Schaeffer said, they took drugs as an ideology.
The hippie movement took shape in America in the early 1960's. If I was to pinpoint a certain event to mark the introduction of the hippie movement, it would probably be the Free Speech Movement in Berkeley, California in 1964. It later degenerated into the Dirty or Filthy Speech movement where some students said four letter words over a microphone. The hippies gained a lot of notoriety in the latter portion of the 60's with the Vietnam War dragging on. They were a protest group that spoke out against the Establishment, racism, sexism, the Vietnam War, war in general, and the old-fashioned values many Americans had held dear at that time. They helped challenge the way America thought about life.
Francis Schaeffer had stated that the hippies were speaking out against the bankrupt values of "personal peace and affluence" that their parents embraced. Schaeffer had described those values as people that want to be left alone to do their own thing in life and not be bothered by anything or anybody's problems. Affluence means to own wealth. Schaeffer was saying many middle class parents were concerned about making money and living their own life. However, many parents didn't have a basis for their values. Families went to church because it was socially acceptable. Many of the hippies' parents upheld the values that their parents and grandparents passed 0n before them but they didn't have a basis for why those values were right. Many of the hippies' parents didn't have a relationship with the Lord. They just adopted the values they were taught growing up. Therefore, the hippie generation rebelled against that and they were trying to seek answers to questions in life. However, the hippies looked to drugs and protesting against the Establishment as the answer. However, the answer was the Word of God. What they needed was Jesus. But they looked in the wrong way.
Woodstock was an embodiment of the hippie counterculture. There was a movie made entitled "Woodstock" in 1970. They were promoting peace and love throughout the world. I remember an old Coke O' Cola commerical made a number of years ago during the Christmas season. It was an old song (tune) the hippies would sing but the words to that song was changed to make it a Coke commericial. These are the words: "I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony, I like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company." The original version of the song goes like this: "I like to buy the world a home and furnish it with love. Grow apple trees and honey bees and snow-white turtle doves. I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony. I'd like to hold it in my arms and keep it company." That symbolized the thinking of that generation. The Woodstock generation was into acid rock music and drugs. The Beatles revolutionized rock music. The Beatles changed their dress and appearance and many Americans patterned their appearance after the Beatles. It was cool to be hip during that time.
The hippies thought during the 60's they could change society from without. They thought they could change society on the outside. However, the changes the hippie generation sought during that decade had went unfulfilled. Then they modified their appearance in the 70's and 80's and became yuppies (young urban professionals). The hippie generation today is older and they are represented by such people as Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and the list continues. They are trying to change the system within. That's what they're doing today. The hippie movement has changed their brand and method. We have government leaders with that mentality in the Obama administration. They trying to make us into a socialist utopia where we can all get along together in peace and love. They want to destroy all racial and sexual barriers. They're trying to attain to the age of Aquarius.
It's tragic that the hippies had bought into a false notion of peace and love. Real peace comes through the Lord Jesus. They wanted to create a better and fairer society. However, they never found a basis for truth. The Woodstock generation didn't believe in absolute truth. Life is meaningless and not worth living if there are no absolutes. The only place to find absolute truth is the Word of God. Sadly, they were looking in the wrong direction.
The Interrogation of the Detainees
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is assigning assistant U.S. Attorney John Durham to lead the review of potential criminal charges based on some documents released by the Justice Department on some of the CIA's interrogation methods of the detainees from both Iraq and Afghanistan. There's been allegations that the September 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was threatened by a CIA officer that the officer would kill the children of Mohammad. There were supposed threats against the detainees, who were hooded, shackled and naked. They were detailed in a new round of documents by the Justice Department.
Whether or not any of the allegations just mentioned are true we can't say. It's just speculation right now. However, I don't like all the media speculation in regards to the enhanced interrogation techniques because it puts America's military in a bad light. Ever since we've fought the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, our military's interrogation techniques have been attacked by the ACLU, MoveOn.org with George Soros, and even members of Congress. This does nothing but distract us from trying to find and defeat Al-Qaeda. I don't deny that mistakes were made when it comes to the judgment of the CIA in regards to the types of techniques used in extracting information from the detainees.
I remember when the Abu Grhaib scandal took place back in 2004. The media showed pictures of the Iraqi prisoners being naked and showed some of our soldiers using lewd acts when it came to extracting information from the prisoners. I am opposed to any type of sexual act or any interrogation tactics that have anything to do with sex or nakedness, etc. Those tactics are morally wrong and against God's word. However, there is a chain of command in our military that should deal with interrogation violations and they should do it privately without proclaiming it to the world. We're still fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. It doesn't serve our cause when the media is so eager to reveal to the world all the techniques we use to interrogate prisoners. That ruins our cause. Our media is doing nothing but siding with the enemy in publishing that kind of information. Our media wouldn't have done that in World War II. They would've been charged with treason.
The ACLU, Media Matters, and these left-leaning liberal groups believe it's wrong to use enhanced interrogation techniques such as waterboarding, for example, to extract information from the prisoners. They claim it's torture. It doesn't make sense. If some of these prisoners may have some valid information in regards to a possible future attack on America, it's worth doing whatever is necessary to force that prisoner to reveal the enemy's plans. The prisoners aren't going to easily reveal enemy secrets. They must be placed in tough situations where they'll be forced to reveal enemy secrets. It's amazing how the media is so concerned how the United States treats enemy combatants. However, the American media wasn't conerned over the beheadings that took place in Iraq a few years ago where Nick Berg was beheaded. Why doesn't the media complain about Iraq's human rights violations? During the Vietnam War, those that were in charge of interrogating prisoners from Hanoi Hilton used tortorous methods on American soldiers. John McCain was brutally tortured as a prisoner of war. Why didn't the media complain about the rough treatment the North Vietnamese gave to America's soldiers and their human rights violations?
There have been many Congressmen, Senators, and even some media figures that have visited Gitmo in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and most of them said the conditions weren't what the ACLU and those left-leaning groups would have you to believe. All the detainess have three square meals a day, have special times when they can pray to Allah. It's better than any prisoner of war camp in this world.
There is a proper system involved when it comes to interrogating prisoners. The CIA, the army Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other military members should meet together to discuss certain techniques used to interrogate prisoners. I believe it should be a closed-door deal. They should discuss what types of techniques should and shouldn't be used. They can work those types of details out together. The American media shouldn't be reporting this kind of information to the American public now since our troops are still in Iraq and Afghanistan. I believe this kind of information should be classified. After the American troops are out of harm's way in both Iraq and Afghanistan, then it wouldn't be an issue if information about the techniques used in interrogating the detainees was published before the American people. However, those types of techniques should be published after the fact. The safety and well-being of our troops are more important than for the public to know all the details that take place when it comes to the currents wars we're fighting. The media shouldn't reveal any information that would aid the enemy. If Attorney General Holder goes through with his plans to bring criminal charges in detainee abuse cases, it will be a setback for the war effort as well as America's national security.
Whether or not any of the allegations just mentioned are true we can't say. It's just speculation right now. However, I don't like all the media speculation in regards to the enhanced interrogation techniques because it puts America's military in a bad light. Ever since we've fought the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, our military's interrogation techniques have been attacked by the ACLU, MoveOn.org with George Soros, and even members of Congress. This does nothing but distract us from trying to find and defeat Al-Qaeda. I don't deny that mistakes were made when it comes to the judgment of the CIA in regards to the types of techniques used in extracting information from the detainees.
I remember when the Abu Grhaib scandal took place back in 2004. The media showed pictures of the Iraqi prisoners being naked and showed some of our soldiers using lewd acts when it came to extracting information from the prisoners. I am opposed to any type of sexual act or any interrogation tactics that have anything to do with sex or nakedness, etc. Those tactics are morally wrong and against God's word. However, there is a chain of command in our military that should deal with interrogation violations and they should do it privately without proclaiming it to the world. We're still fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. It doesn't serve our cause when the media is so eager to reveal to the world all the techniques we use to interrogate prisoners. That ruins our cause. Our media is doing nothing but siding with the enemy in publishing that kind of information. Our media wouldn't have done that in World War II. They would've been charged with treason.
The ACLU, Media Matters, and these left-leaning liberal groups believe it's wrong to use enhanced interrogation techniques such as waterboarding, for example, to extract information from the prisoners. They claim it's torture. It doesn't make sense. If some of these prisoners may have some valid information in regards to a possible future attack on America, it's worth doing whatever is necessary to force that prisoner to reveal the enemy's plans. The prisoners aren't going to easily reveal enemy secrets. They must be placed in tough situations where they'll be forced to reveal enemy secrets. It's amazing how the media is so concerned how the United States treats enemy combatants. However, the American media wasn't conerned over the beheadings that took place in Iraq a few years ago where Nick Berg was beheaded. Why doesn't the media complain about Iraq's human rights violations? During the Vietnam War, those that were in charge of interrogating prisoners from Hanoi Hilton used tortorous methods on American soldiers. John McCain was brutally tortured as a prisoner of war. Why didn't the media complain about the rough treatment the North Vietnamese gave to America's soldiers and their human rights violations?
There have been many Congressmen, Senators, and even some media figures that have visited Gitmo in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and most of them said the conditions weren't what the ACLU and those left-leaning groups would have you to believe. All the detainess have three square meals a day, have special times when they can pray to Allah. It's better than any prisoner of war camp in this world.
There is a proper system involved when it comes to interrogating prisoners. The CIA, the army Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other military members should meet together to discuss certain techniques used to interrogate prisoners. I believe it should be a closed-door deal. They should discuss what types of techniques should and shouldn't be used. They can work those types of details out together. The American media shouldn't be reporting this kind of information to the American public now since our troops are still in Iraq and Afghanistan. I believe this kind of information should be classified. After the American troops are out of harm's way in both Iraq and Afghanistan, then it wouldn't be an issue if information about the techniques used in interrogating the detainees was published before the American people. However, those types of techniques should be published after the fact. The safety and well-being of our troops are more important than for the public to know all the details that take place when it comes to the currents wars we're fighting. The media shouldn't reveal any information that would aid the enemy. If Attorney General Holder goes through with his plans to bring criminal charges in detainee abuse cases, it will be a setback for the war effort as well as America's national security.
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