Don't Be Messin' With My Mind!

     Here's a really creepy story that I found through the TruNews website.  Apparently, scientists have been experimenting with planting "false" or "artificial" memories in mice.  And we all know that if they are experimenting on mice, then they've got plans for us, too.
     While not really explaining how it was done, the article revealed that scientists created a research tool, called optogenetics, in which they were able to tinker with mouse genetics so that some of a mouse's brain cells could be stimulated into creating a memory that didn't happen.  Think that might possibly be used to the detriment of mankind?

     Here's what they did:  The researchers made mice believe that they had once received electrical shocks in their feet while sitting in a certain little chamber (Chamber A), even though that had never happened. Thereafter, whenever the researchers put the mice in that chamber, the mice would freeze up in a typical mouse response to fear.  Supposedly, this research needed to be done in order to have a better understanding of how false memories form in people.   You know, like how you were able to form a false memory of the time you got lost in the mall as a child, (even though it was really your brother) just because your parents told you over and over that it happened.  You've actually felt yourself "remember" the event more and more over the years, even though you were way too young to truly recall it.
     Now, granted it might be important to get to the bottom of false memories in the case of false eye-witness testimony.  If we understood how a person is able to create, and then believe, a false memory of an actual event, then perhaps we could spare innocent people from being convicted of crimes they didn't commit.
     But, as far as I am concerned, there could be far more nefarious utilizations of this procedure.  Couldn't this information be used to control a whole group or populace of people?  Couldn't a tyrannical government create an artificial memory of an event to manipulate the kind of response they want?  Isn't that what the scientists did with the mice?  They tinkered with genetics and DNA to get the mice to respond the way they wanted them to.  What's even scarier is the fact that they were able to even control when and where the mice responded in the manner they wanted them to.  They made note of what cells responded to the electrical shocks, and then were able to create the same response of fear, by controlling those cells, even though the mice were in Chambers B or C.
     I'm sorry, but anytime there is talk, scientific or not, of engineering DNA, my antennae go up.  That naturally leads my suspicious mind to go in the direction of Hitler-like experiments to create a "superior race".  It could also be used to go in the opposite direction .... create a compliant, docile, and submissive population.  None of it is what God would approve.  He is the creator of our minds and our DNA.  We who have been created, have no reason to be altering the Master's work.
    And if these scientists want to mess with DNA, wouldn't their time be better spent trying to understand why our cells mutate into cancer?  Wouldn't that serve mankind much more than learning how to restructure our memory bank?

Isaiah 29:15-16    "Ah, you who hide deep from the Lord your counsel, whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?" You turn things upside down!  Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, “He did not make me”; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?

How Quickly We Forget

     By now, I'm sure you've heard the report that the Creative Director of the 911 Memorial Museum in New York City, actually considered eliminating the famed photo from Ground Zero of three firefighters raising the American flag amidst the rubble of the World Trade Center…because he thought it was too “rah-rah America.”
     That's right --- Michael Shulan is reported as having said, “I really believe that the way America will look best, the way we can really do best, is to not be Americans so vigilantly and so vehemently.”
     Shulan told the New York Post, “My concern, as it always was, is that we not reduce [9/11] down to something that was too simple, and in its simplicity would actually distort the complexity of the event, the meaning of the event.”
     So, my dear Mr. Shulan, exactly what do you think the meaning of the "event" was?  Because to me, the significance of this terrorist attack (a bit more realistic than "event", don't you think?) is that over 3,000 innocent Americans  lost their lives that day.  The significance is that Firefighters were willing to endanger themselves and sacrifice their lives in order to try to save their fellow man.  It may sound like a cliché, but we must never forget that they went up the stairs, as frightened people came down.  That is worthy of our respect; and their courage and sacrifice should be honored.  The significance is that this attack rocked us to our core, and made us examine who we were, and how strong we were -- both spiritually, and as a cohesive nation.
     You see, Mr. Shulan, I don't really care what makes America "look best", because that implies that what other countries or the world, for that matter, thinks of us matters more than the devastation, pain and loss that we suffered that day.  This happened to Americans; and therefore, this is our Museum.  We have a right to be vigilant about protecting our own history; it is our history.  To be less than vigilant would be disrespectful to those who lost their lives that day.  And I emphatically and passionately defend the inclusion of this iconic photo in the Museum.  If that makes me "vehement", then so be it.
     And you say that this photo makes the image of what happened that awful day, "too simple"; that it distorts "the complexity of the event".  Sounds to me, that you want to diminish the emotion this photo evokes; to play down the national pride that joined us all that day.  Perhaps you want to make this about more than the death of 3,000 breathing human beings who didn't return to their families that day.  There is a time and a place for that political discussion, but it is not at the Memorial Museum.  "Memorial" implies a tribute, a testimony to one's actions, and a chronicle of our history.  This photo deserves to be a part of that remembrance.  And I do not think we should have to apologize for an image that celebrated our pride in who we were.

Deuteronomy 31:6     "So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you." 

Beware of "Best-Sellers" on Jesus

     I very rarely repeat another author's article verbatim, but I have heard a growing concern over this popular new book, and feel that Pastor John S. Dickerson's explanations for his unease mirror my own perfectly.  Rather than imitating his superior exposé, I feel you should read his commentary in his own words:

Liberal Media Love New Jesus Book 'Zealot', Fail to Mention Author is Muslim

by John S. Dickerson

     Reza Aslan, author of the new book, “Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth” has been interviewed on a host of media outlets in the last week. Riding a publicity wave, the book has surged to #2 on Amazon's list.  Media reports have introduced Aslan as a “religion scholar”, but have failed to mention that he is a devout Muslim.

     His book is not a historian’s report on Jesus. It is an educated Muslim’s opinion about Jesus -- yet the book is being peddled as objective history on national TV and radio.

     Aslan is not a trained historian. Like tens of thousands of us he has been formally educated in theology and New Testament Greek.  He is a bright man with every right to hold his own opinion about Jesus—and to proselytize his opinion.

     As a sincere man, Aslan’s Muslim beliefs affect his entire life, including his conclusions about Jesus. But this is not being disclosed.  Zealot is being presented as objective and scholarly history, not as it actually is—an educated Muslim’s opinions about Jesus and the ancient Near East.

     Its conclusions are long-held Islamic claims—namely, that Jesus was a zealous prophet type who didn’t claim to be God, that Christians have misunderstood him, and that the Christian Gospels are not the actual words or life of Jesus but “myth.”

     “Zealot” is a fast-paced demolition of the core beliefs that Christianity has taught about Jesus for 2,000 years.

     These claims are not new or unique. They are hundreds of years old among Muslims. Sadly, readers who have listened to interviews on NPR, "The Daily Show," Huffington Post or MSNBC may pick up the book expecting an unbiased and historic report on Jesus and first century Jewish culture. (I will let my Jewish friends address Aslan’s statement on MSNBC that, “there were certainly a lot of Jewish terrorists in first century Palestine.”)

     As a journalist and author who is Christian, I cannot imagine penning a so-called objective biography of Muhammad and then concealing my conflict of interest in national media interviews.

     In world history there are no religions more violently and anciently opposed than the crusading, fighting, at times blood-shedding rivals of historic Islam and historic Christianity. Even non-violent Muslims and Christians, like Aslan and myself, understand that we hold aggressively oppositional views—particularly about Jesus. National news coverage of Zealot has ignored this conflict of interest.

     Zealot is written with the self-assumed authority of groundbreaking revelation from a historian. In reality, it is a religious person’s opinion about Jesus—from an adherent to the religion that has been in violent opposition to Christ for 1,400 years. 

     Aslan informs us that we cannot trust the Gospel of Mark--because it was written 40 years after Jesus’ death. He then chides us to trust his new book, written almost 2,000 years later.

     I believe in Aslan’s right to hold and propagate any opinion. It’s a right that, ironically, Christians do not have in many Muslim countries. 

     My concern is that national media coverage be smart and forthright about this conflict of interest, just as it would be if I—a Christian author and pastor—wrote a book about Muhammad.   Pouring praise onto Zealot as new information about Jesus, without explaining its author’s devotion to a combatting religion, is blatant bias. This same bias would be unthinkable if the Christian and Muslim roles were reversed.

     With its riveting demolition of Jesus, Zealot will continue to attract interviews—some from reporters who want to see Jesus deconstructed. Many more interviews will come from reporters who simply don’t understand that Reza Aslan has a horse in this race. He is not an objective observer, but, to use his own word, "a zealot," with religious motivation to destroy what Western culture has believed about its central figure for hundreds of years. 

     In many ways, this conflict is larger than Christianity and Islam. It is a conflict of Western and Middle Eastern foundations. These are great and important debates that we should welcome, but let’s be honest about our motivations, positions and conflicts of interest as we dialogue.

     Let’s hope reporters in future interviews will, being informed, mention the glaring conflict of interest in this Islamic opinion of Jesus. It is no more objective than my educated views about Muhammad, as a Christian. 

     Zealot is not new work from a historian. It is a sophisticated presentation of views that Muslims have held about Jesus for more than 1,000 years.

My final thought:  "Zealot" is just the kind of book that the Enemy will use to spread his deception about the returning Messiah.  Wouldn't it be a master stroke of genius to use the words of a Muslim to fool Christians  into believing they have misunderstood Christ for the last 2,000 years?  Be on your guard, and do not become foolish!  Compare "Zealot" to our real authority, the Word of God!

1 John 4:1     "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."

A Symbol Of America In Decline

     I have to get this off my chest!  How did we, as a once God-fearing nation, get here?  How can a scumbag like Anthony Weiner even be considered worthy of running for political office?  I admit that I am editorializing and expressing my own opinion ... you are free to agree or disagree.  But what is wrong with America that this man is once again in the national spotlight?
     The mayorship of New York City is arguably one of the most important positions of leadership in America; perhaps the world.  New York is a  global power city, and exerts a significant impact upon commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment.  It is (regrettably, in my opinion) the home of the United Nations Headquarters.  It is an important center for international diplomacy, and has been described as "the cultural capital of the world."  And, New Yorkers, you want this man to represent you?

     Do you really want him to make decisions for the 18.9 million people that make up the New York Metropolitan Area; or be in charge of the largest economical region and a $1.3 trillion-plus budget?  You might not realize it, but New York is a global hub of international business and commerce and is one of three "command centers" for the world economy (along with London and Tokyo).  How will Mr. Weiner find time to conduct the city's business, between his sexting and Twitter-ing?
     What are you thinking, New York?  The man was forced to resign from Congress amid his shameful sexual exploits, and here it is, barely two years later, and you're ready to let him be in charge of your city, which controlled 40% of the world's finances by the end of 2008, making it the largest financial center in the world?
     At the time that I am writing this blog, his poll numbers are dropping.  He has admitted to continued transgressions, and his politically convenient wife is standing by his side ... although several feet away from him, as if even she finds him too dirty to touch.  Perhaps by the time this is posted, he will have found enough humility to spare himself, his family, the proud city of New York, and our nation any further embarrassment.
     But for me, this goes beyond embarrassment.  It reeks of shame.  I know that this is a rarely felt emotion in today's "tolerant" society.  But perhaps we should take a good look at this old-fashioned word.  Shame is a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.  The problem with our culture today, is that we no longer want anyone to be humiliated, nor are we willing to pronounce any behavior wrong.  Our new mantra is TOLERANCE.
     If Huma is willing to tolerate his atrocious behavior, who are we to pass judgment?  The problem with that line of thinking is that there are no boundaries.  His sexting partners are quite a bit younger than Anthony; the latest, only 22.  If society thinks this is Ok, then what is to prohibit him from trying to attract younger and younger girls?  And what does this tell our daughters and granddaughters?  That it is Ok to be used by powerful men for their cheap sex thrills?  And then to get your 15 minutes of fame on Inside Edition?
     There was a time when such scandals would have been declared disgraceful and sinful, while silent and influential behind-the-scenes power brokers would have done everything in their authority to keep it quiet.  Now these same power brokers go on TV to defend such monsters and chastise the public for judging them.  Oh, what a wicked web we weave!

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14     "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil."

Jeremiah 13:17

But if you will not hear it,

My soul will weep in secret for your pride;

My eyes will weep bitterly

And run down with tears,

Because the Lord’s flock has been taken captive.

     Jeremiah is known as the "Weeping Prophet"; largely because of his inner turmoil concerning his call to prophetic ministry.  Can you imagine the personal anguish he must have felt over the message of judgment that God asked him to deliver?  How difficult to continually call out your nation for their idolatry, their unfaithfulness to their covenant with God, and their obstinate disobedience of His will?

     Jeremiah’s sole purpose was to reveal the sins of the people and explain the reason for the impending disaster (destruction by the Babylonian army and captivity).  And, boy, did he pay for it!  He was attacked by his own brothers, beaten and put into the stocks by a priest and false prophet, imprisoned by the king, threatened with death, and thrown into a cistern by Judah’s officials. No wonder he was weeping!

     But here in this verse, Jeremiah talks to God from the depths of his despair.  God was through with the people of Judah.  He had warned them through his prophets, and given them many chances to turn from their idolatrous ways; yet they persisted in their pride to think that they knew better -- they didn't need God's presence or guidance.  So God tells Jeremiah, Don't pray for these people anymore, because I will not hear them in their time of trouble.

     Yet Jeremiah tries to reach them one more time, telling them if they refuse to hear his pleas for national repentance, then he will weep in secret because of their stubborn pride.  And he wanted them to know that it was their pride that resulted in them being taken captive to Babylon.

     I can identify with Jeremiah.  I, too, feel as though God has spoken.  He is letting us reap what we have sown!  He has given this nation, which He chose to be in existence, and which He has greatly blessed, countless times to turn from our idolatrous ways.  Like Judah, we turned away from God, and have declared we don't need Him any longer ... in our schools, our halls of government, in our homes.  We have been unfaithful to the covenant He established with us when we became the first nation in all of world history who was founded on the rights of all men to be free and equal.  We have enslaved our fellow man; first through the physical chains of bondage, and now through a welfare and entitlement system that makes them slaves to the government.  And perhaps worst of all, we have willfully been disobedient; mocking Him and spitting in the face of His holiness.  

     And make no mistake about it; we have been taken captive by the very idolatrous system that we declared above our Lord.  Oh, how our pride has led to our destruction!  Now we are suffering the consequences, and the hardships are just beginning.  But we, who still fear the Lord in awesome and reverent obedience, must remain faithful throughout the coming trials.  We must remember what God told the prophet Jeremiah in Chapter 1, verse 19:  They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you.  For I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you.  God’s personal message to Jeremiah is as relevant to us today, and it was to him.  “Attack you they will, overcome you they can’t.”

Will Texas Become The Battleground For Religious Freedom?

     That question could soon be answered when the San Antonio City Council meets on a proposed change to its nondiscrimination ordinances that apparently will discriminate against all who take the Bible at its word and follow it.
     Here are the details, according to an article on World Net Daily:  The new ordinance would state: “No person shall be appointed to a position if the city council finds that such person has, prior to such proposed appointment, engaged in discrimination or demonstrated a bias, by word or deed, against any person, group or organization on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, age, or disability.”  In case you can't guess, it is the "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" clauses that have been added.

     But here's the problem; the change to the ordinance would create a penalty for those who have ever exhibited a “bias,” which clearly could include adopting the Bible’s opinions on abortion or homosexuality, for instance, with a permanent ban on participation in city government, business or employment.  That means, according to one church leader, "The ordinance … says that if you have at any point demonstrated a bias –  without defining what a bias is, or who will determine whether or not one has been exercised – that you cannot get a city contract.  Neither can any of your subcontractors [who have demonstrated a bias] sign on to the contract."  So will there be witch hunts, á la Paula Deen, for any so-called biased statements in an applicant's past?  Sure sounds like it to me!
     Church leaders say it allows the city council “to prohibit those that speak their religious beliefs regarding unBiblical practices from serving on city boards.”
     For example, if a person publicly expresses their religious belief that abortion is a sin – even if this expression is at a church service – that person could be denied economic access to city government.  It's only a hop, skip and a jump to the suggestion that businesses run by people of faith will be subject to criminal penalties if they refuse to provide services that conflict with their religious beliefs.  Think about the bakery owners who declined to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex marriage.  Why should they be penalized, if there is a bakery that is willing to provide the service?  Shouldn't both bakeries be allowed to conduct their businesses according to their consciences, not the State's?
     And what happened to all the concern about "Separation of Church and State"?  Isn't that what the Left wants?  If you can be penalized in the marketplace for making a statement in your church about a religious belief, where is the separation?  Aren't they creating a connection between Church and State?  Isn't this the religious test for involvement in government that they so loudly protest, and Article VI, paragraph 3, of the Constitution explicitly prohibits?
     And I think it is no accident that these kinds of tests to the Constitution, both federal and state, are being planned in Texas.  If the Enemy can defeat one of the strongest states for personal liberty and religious freedom, then the fate of the entire country is in jeopardy.  Satan has made his move.  Now let's see how our Mighty God will outmaneuver him!

Galatians 5:1   "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."
   
   

Faith & the Military: Off-Limits

     There is a lot of "alleged" accusations in this story.   Now, the meaning of allege is as follows:  to claim or assert that someone has done something illegal or wrong, typically without proof that this is the case.  Which makes it very easy to publicize a statement, especially if you want to discredit it.  You can use the "alleged argument", while getting your agenda across.  I'll let you decide for yourself if the comments by an Air Force Chaplain warrant the censorship they received, based on an "alleged" offense.

    Here's the story:  According to an interview with Todd Starnes of Fox News, Lt. Col. Kenneth Reyes says he penned “No Atheists in Foxholes: Chaplains Gave All in World War II” for the Chaplain’s Corner column on the website of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.
     But the Military Religious Freedom Foundation reportedly accused Reyes of an “anti-secular diatribe” and publicly disparaging “those without religion” in a letter to the base commander, allegedly (there's that word!) on behalf of 42 anonymous airmen who complained.

    In a letter to Col. Brian Duffy, the base commander, a Mr. Blake Page of the MRFF had this to say:  “In the civilian world, such anti-secular diatribe is protected free speech.  Beyond his most obvious failure in upholding regulations through redundant use of the bigoted, religious supremacist phrase, ‘no atheists in foxholes,’ he defiles the dignity of service members by telling them that regardless of their personally held philosophical beliefs they must have faith.”
     First of all, I take offense that the phrase, "no atheists in foxholes" is either bigoted, religious or supremacist.  From my understanding this phrase comes from the experience of men in combat; it is a truth that has been verified through centuries of warfare, by men that have witnessed that faith, of various kinds, is always present.   Can Mr. Page categorically say this is a lie?  It is an opinion by people who have been there, done that.   In fact, the essay that Lt. Col. Reyes supports that fact; that everyone believes in "something" at that moment of crisis.
     It took only five hours for the Air Force to cave, and the essay was removed from the base's website.    But the MRFF wants it's pound of flesh.  They want Lt. Col. Reyes punished for his "hate speech".  I'll let you decide for yourself.  Did this Air Force Chaplain cross the boundary?  Here is his essay, which Fox News was able to track down:

“Chaplain’s Corner: No Atheists in Foxholes: Chaplains Gave All in World War II”

By Lt. Col. Kenneth Reyes

     Many have heard the familiar phrase, “There is no such thing as an atheist in a fox hole.”  Where did this come from?  Research I verified in an interview with former World War II prisoner of war Roy Bodine (my friend) indicates the phrase has been credited to Father William Cummings.
     As the story goes, Father Cummings was a civilian missionary Catholic priest in the Philippines. The phrase was coined during the Japanese attack at Corregidor.  During the siege, Cummings had noticed non-Catholics were attending his services.  Some he knew were not Catholic, some were not religious and some were even known atheists.  Life-and-death experiences prompt a reality check.  Even the strongest of beliefs can change, and, I may add, can go both ways – people can be drawn to or away from “faith.”
     With the pending surrender of allied forces to the Japanese, Cummings uttered the famous phrase “There is no such thing as an atheist in a fox hole.”  In one of my many discussions with Roy, he distinctly remembered a period on the “Hell Ships” – these were ships the Japanese used to bring POWs from the Philippines back to Japan. They were unmarked and thus ‘fair game’ for attacks from the allies from the air and sea.  Of the 3,000-plus POWs listed on the ships, only 180 survived the journey.
     “When our own planes were attacking us,” Roy said, “I remember Father Cummings calming us down by reciting the Lord’s Prayer and offering up prayers on our behalf.  For a brief moment I did not hear the yells and screams of dying men as our boat was attacked by our own men.”  He went on to say, “There was a peaceful quiet during the attack that I cannot explain nor have experienced since.”  Later on during the trip to Japan, Cummings, after giving his food to others who needed it more, succumbed to his own need and died of starvation.  
     Everyone expresses some form of faith every day, whether it is religious or secular.  Some express faith by believing when they get up in the morning they will arrive at work in one piece, thankful they have been given another opportunity to enjoy the majesty of the day; or express relief the doctor’s results were negative.
     The real question is, “Is it important to have faith in ‘faith’ itself or is it more important to ask, ‘What is the object of my faith?’”
     Roy never affirmed or expressed whether his faith was rooted in religion or not, but for a moment in time on the “Hell Ships,” he believed in Cummings’ faith.
     What is the root or object of your faith?  Is it something you can count on in times of plenty or loss; peace or chaos; joy or sorrow; success or failure? What is ‘faith’ to you?

     Now, is there evidence of any "hate" in this essay?  Does the Chaplain say you're a bad person if you are an atheist, or that your object of faith must be the same as his?   If anything, it seems to me that the MRFF is the one who is bigoted and supremacist; who wants to limit Chaplain Reyes' freedom to express his faith.  After all .... he's a Chaplain!  Oh, wait a minute .... now I get it!  Not only does the MRFF object to the phrase no atheists in foxholes, perhaps their real agenda is no Chaplains in the Military!
     It is a sad day in this country when our Military quickly and willingly stand down from attacks on faith among the ranks.  Without faith, you have no hope; and wars fought without hope become just about death and destruction.  How does humanity continue to exist?

Acts 4:29     "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word"

Don't Let The Darkness In

     This might seem like a frivolous topic, but it is something that keeps popping back into my mind, so maybe I'm supposed to bring it to light.  If any of you have teenage children or grandchildren, then you are no doubt aware of the popularity of zombies and vampires in our culture of entertainment.  And if you're not informed about this phenomenon, then perhaps you should be.
     From TV shows like The Walking Dead, The Vampire Diaries and True Blood, to the wildly popular Twilight series, these dark entities have captured our kids' imaginations.  It's not only TV shows; it's books and movies, too.  As an article on Charismanews.com cited, the undead genre, as it is sometimes called, is wildly popular among adolescents and young adults. Some national bookstore chains have entire sections devoted to "teen paranormal romance," featuring such titles as Boys That Bite and I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It.
     But teenagers aren't the only target audience.  Book series such as Vampirates and Diary of a Zombie Kid are recommended for elementary-aged children!  Candy Tolbert, director of National Girls Ministries for the Assemblies of God, says, "It's a very lucrative market.  Girls as young as 11 are being sucked into this fantasy world where death and spiritual perversion are glamorized."

     And if you think this is no different than the Dracula or Frankenstein movies of our era; think again.  In my childhood, those creatures were seen as monsters; abnormal and to be feared and abhorred.  In today's culture, these beings are being romanticized; they are often depicted with the same appeal as any rock or movie star.  Also, the occult and spiritual darkness are normalized, and our teens are encouraged to accept those that are "different", and even engage in romantic relationships.  This is a very dangerous fantasy world that is being perpetuated!
     Studies have shown that during adolescence, our teenagers brains are still developing.   They tend to  use the part of their brain (the Amygdala) that is reactive and emotional, rather than the Frontal Cortex which determines judgment and reasoning.  So presenting dark spiritual forces in an emotional, romantic, fantasized light will certainly distort the reality of the dark, demonic world.  The entertainment industry has found a way to paint a picture of a counterfeit spirituality that is exciting and appealing to our youth.
     Satan, through entertainment, has found a successful way to remove the stigma of "religion" from this genre.  The line is erased between angels and evil spirits, heaven and hell, good and evil.  It is easy to lure teens and young adults into a false image of the supernatural.  Vampires become heroes and zombies become mainstream.  But it is all a form of darkness that leads our youth away from Spiritual truth and into unhealthy and un-Scriptural ideas of the afterlife.   Try watching one of these shows, or read one of the books.  What might appear "campy" at first, is soon revealed to be dark and enticing.  Make sure you know what the kids in your life are being exposed to.  Shine a light on it and remove the darkness from their midst.

Psalm 52:2    "Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit."

A Father's Impact

     When was the last time you heard a sitting politician say that he believes a Spiritual Revival is needed in America?  And actually mean it?  Well, that is exactly what Senator Ted Cruz, from Texas, declared in a recent interview.  He went on to say, "I think we’re at the edge of a precipice. If we keep going down this path we’re risking losing our nation. We’re risking losing this incredible oasis of liberty."
     Sure, we've heard lots of politicians attempt to court us Bible-believing Christians in their egomaniacal quest for power and influence.  What makes Mr. Cruz more credible?  Why should we believe him?
     Well, one reason is his father, Rafael Cruz.  The elder Cruz is beginning to make a name for himself due to his outspoken praise of America.  In case you're unfamiliar with his life story, it is actually quite impressive.  As a young man, he opposed the U.S. military-backed dictatorship of President Batista in Cuba.  He got caught up in the fever of "hope and change"; a revolutionary ideology perpetuated by a young, charismatic leader named Fidel Castro.  He said the propaganda began in the educational systems, and as many young people did, they followed the promised "liberator" blindly.  As a result of being involved in the revolution, he was captured twice.  But he was lucky enough to get a student visa out of the country and he landed at the University of Texas.  "I didn’t have any money. Couldn’t speak a word of English. Got a job as a dishwasher making fifty cents an hour.  Went to school full time, worked full time…I paid my way through school.”
   

     After Castro took power, Mr. Cruz returned to Cuba for a short time and was shocked at what he found.  “This same man that I had heard talking about hope and change now was talking about how the rich were evil, how they oppressed the poor, and about the need to redistribute the wealth. They started attacking the freedom of the press. They started confiscating property, and freedom was a thing of the past. So I came back to the United States disillusioned.  I started speaking against the Castro regime…when I was going to grad school my student visa was extended, and then for a short time I was a political refugee until I got resident status…and later on I became a citizen.”  Within five or six years of finishing college, Rafael Cruz had his own business in oil and gas exploration.  He is not hesitant in proclaiming his pride of becoming an American.  He has obviously passed on that pride to his son, but he gave him something more --- something that is at the foundation of Senator Cruz's belief in spiritual revival.
     When Ted Cruz was a child, around the age of four, his father relates that he read him nightly Bible stories.  "I would declare and proclaim the word of God over him. And I would just say, 'You know Ted, you have been gifted above any man that I know and God has destined you for greatness'.  And I started making declarations about the Word of God over him every day."
     What kind of impact do you think that has on a child?  What kind of person would you become if you were told every day that the Promises of God are yours for the asking, if you will only believe in His power and authority?  Do you think you might see the world, and your place in it, from a different perspective -- perhaps less selfishly, and more from a position of pleasing and obeying God?
     I have no doubt that many of our politicians were told as children that they were destined for greatness; they even developed a self-imposed "God complex".  But there's a difference between making a child (or a man) responsible for his own greatness (absent God), and making God's purposes foremost in our lives; putting a faith in Him at the center of our achievements.
     Not only did the elder Cruz establish a link between spiritual matters and public service in his son, but he transferred his understanding of freedom.  He knows what it was like to lose that freedom in his native Cuba, and then was able to teach his son how precious freedom is to hold on to.  By high school, Ted Cruz is reading The Federalist Papers, The Anti-Federalist Papers, and is one of five kids in his class to memorize the entire U.S. Constitution.   That translated into a life-long passion for the Constitution, freedom, free markets and limited government.
     As a freshman Senator, Ted Cruz is making a name for himself with his bold defense of these same principles.  And now he is proclaiming the need for a Spiritual Revival.  Is he for real?  Or just another politician playing to the masses?  Time will tell.  But if his father is any indication of his true character, we just might have hope in the halls of Congress.  It is often heard these days, that we can't solve the spiritual problem in our country with a political solution.  Well, here is one politician that advocates for a spiritual solution.   If he is really sincere, may God guide his steps and protect him from the evils of Washington D.C.

Psalm 119: 105-106      "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments."

Love In Its Purest Form

     Every once in awhile, there is a story that transcends all the ugliness in the world and simply must be told; a story that expresses the purest form of the condition we call "love".  I have not only the story, but a picture that communicates this condition far better than my feeble words.  Here it is:

      This is a photo of John Unger and his dog, Schoep, who in this photo was 19-years-old and suffering from severe arthritic pain.  Schoep (named after a popular Wisconsin brand of ice cream) and John have been together since John rescued the dog as an 8-week-old puppy.  Schoep cowered in the corner of the cage at the animal shelter, and appeared to have suffered some kind of abuse.  John showered him with love and brought the animal out of his despair and despondency; and Schoep would many times, through the years, return the favor.  It was a bond like no other, and so many of us can identify with that spiritual love between man and animal.

     As the years progressed, Schoep developed a painful degenerative arthritis, but John couldn't afford a regimen of daily medication and treatments that cost as much as $200 a session. Instead, he would carry the dog into nearby Lake Superior each evening to ease Schoep's aching joints and help him fall asleep. The buoyancy of the water soothed his arthritic bones. 

     And because John knew that the end was coming quickly for Schoep, he asked a photographer friend of his to snap this one last picture of them together.  The friend posted the photo on her Facebook page and the image went viral, receiving more than 2 million hits in a week!  That's when the donations began pouring in.

     People from around the world wanted to honor the love between John and Schoep, and more than $25,000 was raised.  John then established the Schoep's Legacy Foundation to help low-income families pay for their pet's medical care. "Literally overnight, I went to bed and the next day when the photo went viral, it was a whole new ballgame for me and for Schoep,'' said Unger. "It's still overwhelming for me in a sense. I knew the amount that was coming in would be way over the limit that Schoep was going to need for the rest of his life. I just thought, 'I have to give back.' "

     Schoep was able to receive laser treatments and pain medication that reduced the swelling in his joints and allowed him to take walks, go swimming, and rest more comfortably.  This last year was a Godsend for John and Schoep.  On June 15th, Schoep turned 20 years old, a miraculous feat for the shepherd mix.  Then it came ... John's Facebook post was short and heartfelt ... "I breathe but I can't catch my breath...Schoep passed yesterday."  

     I know that there may be those of you who wonder why I would even comment on this story.  But having known the unconditional love of a companion like Schoep, I felt the desire to honor this special relationship that I think comes straight from God.  The love and trust and joy that an animal bestows on us is the picture of the relationship God desires with us, and that we would have with each other.  No condemnation, wholehearted, unlimited, and unquestioning ... this is the compete picture of love.  For just a moment, we can escape all the division and hatred in the world, and lose ourselves in the sweet, peaceful and tender image of Schoep in John's arms.   I imagine that this is how God loves us.  Rest in peace, Schoep.  You have touched my heart and soul.

1 John 4:16     "So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."