The Donald Sterling Mess: Moral Relativism In The Spotlight

   

     I do not know of one single person who is not offended at the horrific, racist remarks of LA Clippers owner, Donald Sterling.  He has received a lifetime ban from the sport of basketball, a $2.5 million fine, and the likely forced sale of his ownership in the team.  Does his offensive speech demand the extent of his punishment?  Certainly, his racist and illegal housing policies over the years have violated numerous laws under the Fair Housing Act.  The lawsuits were well-known among the National Basketball Association and African-American players.  So without discounting or dismissing his latest verbal rant, I'd like to know why we heard no League-wide condemnation against him for discriminating against minority tenants?  The lawsuits were publicized and well-known by other NBA owners and the players themselves.  So, how is this current outrage anymore despicable than the former?
     Can it be explained away as degrees of racism?  Is private speech somehow more offensive and racist than publicly breaking housing laws?  It appears to me that the man is a racist .... period!  So, if you are inclined to denounce racism, wouldn't you do it in all its forms?  Why did players, of all races, continue to accept his million dollar contracts?  And why would the current Coach, who must have been aware of his discrimination lawsuits, accept his offer of $21 million to coach the Clippers?
     I think we can all agree that racism is a flaw in one's moral character.  It's not a particularly attractive failing ... but neither is assault and battery, domestic abuse, sexual assault, drug possession, DWI or public urination ... moral defects that have run rampant throughout the NBA.  In fact, according to SportingCharts.com, since 2000 there have been 178 arrests encompassing the above-mentioned crimes; nearly 6 arrests per each of the 30 teams in the NBA.
     Once again, I pose this dilemma ... the crime for which Mr. Sterling is being punished was for detestable and distasteful speech.  Were his words morally wrong?  Absolutely!  Does he deserve to be held accountable?  Yes!  But where was the cry for punishment against those 178 morally wrong physical actions done by the members of the same organization that is disciplining him??
     This just seems to be a blatant case of moral relativism; i.e., all morals are relative to the social group within which they are constructed.  It is not OK for rich, white owners of NBA teams to spew hateful opinions of minorities -- that is deemed unacceptable by all.  However, disgustingly abusive physical behavior by members of that same minority is tolerated and virtually goes unpunished.  No jobs are lost; the fines are considerably less than Mr. Sterling's; and the players are still allowed to play within the League.  Tell me .... which of these morally wrong activities has the more damaging effect?  Offensive language; or rape, beating up your wife, assault with a weapon, or driving while drunk and endangering the lives of innocent victims?
     And why is there no nose-holding over the foul-smelling way in which his so-called girlfriend tricked him into revealing his not-so-hidden racist views?  Does anyone else doubt that money or fame was in the back of her mind, or that a lawyer was waiting in the wings?  This was certainly not a "spontaneous" decision to record him.  Where are her morals?  And does that mean we are all subject to "punishment" anytime anyone wants to nail us for some comments made during a private conversation?  Isn't there some sense of illegality in her actions?
     In the end, everyone in this sordid downfall needs to look in the mirror.  And that is just what Basketball Legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar advocates in this well-written article.  It is perhaps the most sensible opinion I have heard on this whole debacle.  I urge you to read it.
      Consider these thoughts on moral relativism:
     “If you say there is no such thing as morality in absolute terms, then child abuse is not evil, it just may not happen to be your thing.” --- Rebecca Manley Pippert, Author.
     "Truth [or morality] is what your contemporaries let you get away with.” --- Richard M. Rorty, Author.
     “Whether a man is a criminal or a public servant is purely a matter of perspective.” --- Tom Robbins, Author.
      So now ask yourself this:  While Donald Sterling is definitely a despicable person, are we now going to go down the "slippery slope" that fellow NBA team owner Mark Cuban warned about?  Does every word we utter become the means by which our livelihood and property can be confiscated?  A sliding scale of morality ensures that the scales of Justice will be unbalanced and inconsistent.  That's a serious and dangerous threat to our civil liberties.

Ecclesiastes 12:13    "That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty." 

National Day of Prayer Under Attack

     Tomorrow, May 1st, is the annual National Day of Prayer.  As President Ronald Reagan stated in his 1983 declaration,  "From General Washington's struggle at Valley Forge to the present, this Nation has fervently sought and received Divine guidance as it pursued the course of history. This occasion provides our Nation with an opportunity to further recognize the source of our blessings, and to seek His help for the challenges we face today and in the future." 
     Notice that he did not advocate a particular faith, but rather implied that people of all faiths should pray that this nation would receive Divine guidance.  Indeed, the 1952 law signed by President Harry Truman [proclaiming a National Day of Prayer each year] was amended in 1988 with two stated intentions of the National Day of Prayer:  that it would be a day when adherents of all great religions could unite in prayer, and that it may one day bring renewed respect for God to all the peoples of the world.
     So what's the problem?  As reported by World Net Daily, this national event, which features Anne Graham Lotz as honorary chairman (Billy Graham's daughter), will also include a color guard, a military band, a vocalist and a chaplain.  That's enough for Mikey Weinstein, president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, to declare that "military participation in the event would suggest government endorsement of Christianity."  That's stretching it a bit, don't you think?  Nonetheless, Mikey is up to his old tricks of ridding the military of any Christian influence just to satisfy his personal leanings.
     He cites the fact that he has received over two dozen complaints (really, Mikey?  That's all the argument you have?) from Pentagon workers, who object to military participation in the event.  His hatred of Believers, and Christians in particular, is evident in the following statement:  “The planned participation by uniformed U.S. military personnel in this private fundamentalist Christian religious event, run by a non-federal entity, is an unequivocally clear violation of [a] plethora of DoD regulations and instructions.  The U.S. military absolutely cannot endorse these searingly sectarian events by its public participation in them.”
     The ridiculousness of his argument is on display in this outrageous statement:  “The National Day of Prayer Task Force is to the National Day of Prayer as what a National Football League al-Qaida chapter would be to the National Football League.”  Let me get this straight --- Weinstein says he takes no issue with the National Day of Prayer itself; so does he think the Task Force is "radicalizing" the event?  He seems to think that the Task Force is pushing Christianity on unwilling people.  But to compare a day when anyone can peacefully pray to the God of their choice with a group of religious zealots who want to force their faith by the edge of the sword seems a little disingenuous.
     But here's where Weinstein's complaint takes on a sinister aspect.  He asked that the Department of Defense not only pull out of the event, but also reprimand those who approved military participation.  In a letter to the DoD, Weinstein wrote, "[The Military Religious Freedom Foundation] respectfully demands that [Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel] aggressively investigate and appropriately punish any of the individuals and/or organizations that would have allowed for uniformed personnel to participate in this sectarian spectacle."
     Perhaps at the heart of what torments the soul of this man, and why he displays such vitriolic hatred of Christianity, is his own experience in the military.   According to Weinstein, who is Jewish, both he and his sons received physical and psychological abuse at the hands of anti-semitic Evangelical Christians while serving in uniform.  If that is true, I join him in detesting those so-called Christians who would debase our Jewish brethren.  But on what grounds does he have the authority to demand that military participation in the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional?  None!  Why does he honestly think that a military band's presence at a National Day of Prayer that has been instituted by 34 of the 44 Presidents, should be "investigated and punished"?  What harm does it cause to anyone?  Is this a vendetta against those few who personally harmed you and your family?  If you don't want to participate ... then don't!  No one is forcing you to attend or watch the ceremony.  So why is it so important that you deny someone else's opportunity to be involved?
      I am sincerely sorry that Weinstein has been a victim of anti-semitism.  There have been Christians throughout the centuries that have been guilty of this sin.  There are those in the Church today who would proclaim the same religious bias and bigotry, but I pray that not all of us Christians would be painted with that broad stroke.   And, please, Mr. Weinstein, do not condemn the entire military for the actions of a few evil men.  Your goal of removing Christian influence from the military, in what you see as "unconstitutional religious persecution", will only leave that institution open to more acts of discrimination, hostility, and injury.  If you let your anger and hatred guide your actions, your vengeance will never be quenched.
     My final thought is that Mikey Weinstein doesn't need my condemnation nor my criticism.  He needs my prayers.  He has suffered great indignity and he is obviously bitter and resentful; to the point that he wants to punish the nation and the military for the wrongdoings perpetrated upon himself and his family.  But I will pray that on this particular National Day of Prayer, he will receive a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation; that he will be able to lay down his sword of vengeance and seek the true freedom of religion that he espouses.  Our military, stripped of God, will be left without a clear sense of morals or principles, and subject to the designs of evil men.  I cannot believe that Mikey Weinstein is in favor of that.

2 Timothy 2:3-4    "Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the One who enlisted him."
   
   

Faith, Friendship and the Love of Freedom

   

Jeanie, top center, and me on the right

     In case you haven't figured it out, I am a sentimental fool.  Perhaps what I am feeling today is a carry-over from yesterday's post, but I have had an emotional couple of days, culminating in some strong feelings this morning.
     This weekend, I attended a 90th birthday celebration of a dear friend of mine.  I met Jeanie about 5 years ago when we attended a Sunday School class together.  Both of my grandmothers are no longer living, and she reminded me of one of them ... she is as short as I am tall, and quite a storyteller.  But it wasn't only those similarities that drew me to her.  My grandmother was responsible for presenting the Gospel to me, and I still treasure the Bible she gave me as a child, with her distinctive hand-writing commemorating the date.
     Like my grandmother, Jeanie became a beacon of unwavering faith to me and so many others.  Along with three other octogenarians, I had the privilege of interviewing them and capturing their coming-of-age stories during WW II.  It was wonderful to hear of how families survived those perilous times; how they struggled with little money; and how the country pulled together to make the necessary sacrifices that would result in our military's success.

Jeanie, and her soldier husband, Joe

     Jeanie and these sweet ladies all married soldiers during those early years of the War, and they told of the fears they had for their husbands and brothers who served.  Whether it was in the European theater or the Pacific front, all four men served bravely and came home to raise families and proceed with their lives, never giving voice to the terrors and violence they had witnessed.
     Jeanie's husband died at a young age, leaving her with five young children to raise (much like my grandmother's story), and this pint-sized dynamo reared her children to love and abide in the Lord.  In fact, at the party, person after person rose to testify of Jeanie's profound and tireless faith throughout her 90 years.  She takes her commission to spread the Gospel message seriously, and I've never seen anyone who is so fearless in approaching strangers -- she truly cares about the souls of the unsaved! I wish I had her courage and single-mindedness in carrying out this mission.
     When asked what had made her life such a success, she didn't hesitate... Faith and Friendship.  But how both have suffered in her latter years.  Faith used to be at the center of success, in both the family and the nation;  today it is defiled and ridiculed.  Friendship used to be about being physically and spiritually available to meet your neighbor's needs.  Today it is conducted through emotionless text messages; is usually all about self; and lacks the sight, touch, and sound of another caring human being.    I envy Jeanie; she has really lived a meaningful and full life.  So, I left her party, thankful for having her in my life, and hoping that God will allow her to continue His work for many years -- and praying that He would use me in the same way.

The Memphis Belle, movie cast and real-life heroes

     That brings me to this morning.  As I surfed the news stations before beginning my day's work, I stumbled across a channel showing the 1990 movie, Memphis Belle.  This movie has always intrigued me because my father flew for the Navy, as a tail-gunner, during WW II.  I hadn't seen it in awhile, and as I was being drawn into the movie, I saw it with different eyes this time.  Perhaps my mind was in that "mode" because of my time with Jeanie, or because of my thoughts in yesterday's post -- but I noticed different things during the scene where the Belle and her crew are leaving for their mission to bomb Bremen, Germany.
    For a few brief moments on screen, airmen can be seen down on bended knee, praying before they climb into an aircraft and take part in a bombing run that could very well be their last.  Those left on the airfield are shown bowing their heads and crossing themselves, obviously praying for the safe return of their squadron.  And then they showed the tail gunner getting into position, and I was overcome with emotion, thinking about my father, who as a kid of 18 was given that heavy responsibility.  I have seen what war does to young men of 18-20 years old; the haunted look of those I've served at the Fisher Houses in San Antonio.  And to think that I never took that into account when I questioned what I thought were unreasonable fears about monetary security, or his refusal to face the end of his life.

My Dad -- kneeling, far right

     When you stare into the face of Death in a flying tin can; when you see your best buddies go down in flames outside your turret window; and when you're a lonely and scared kid, far from the family farm... well, I guess that stays with you for a lifetime.  I tried to have discussions with my father about those days, and about his faith; but he was silent on both accounts.  
     But like the brave young men in our all-volunteer military, he and the Greatest Generation answered the call.  And unlike their modern counterparts, my father's peer group had the freedom to express their faith.  There were no rules prohibiting Bibles or religious symbols; soldiers were allowed to invoke the name of God, and Chaplains were an important part of military leadership.  Not that everyone in WW II was a Believer, but at least the powers-that-be didn't discourage the seeking of God.
     Maybe I'm just entering a season of contemplation and nostalgia.  I don't want to think that we have seen the best of what this nation and our lives can be.  I don't want to imagine what it will be like for the next generations.  I know that these character traits are still alive in our country; that deep down we still yearn for abiding Faith, authentic Friendship, and enduring Freedom.  I pray that I can carry on the legacy of both my father and my friend, Jeanie ... that I can do my part and that I will be able to pass something worthy on to others.

Psalm 78:4    "We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and His might, and the wonders that He has done."
     
   

OPSEC and the Nation

     If you are doing any kind of self-defense training, then you are certainly aware of the term OPSEC ... Operational Security.  There are several implementations of OPSEC, including keeping valuable information from your adversary, but I want to consider a specific application of this strategy.
     Very simplistically, as a military term, it means identifying critical information to determine if further action is needed to protect the mission or to stop a threat.  But it is easily applied to civilian life as well.  If I'm exiting a mall late at night, am I employing a process of protecting little pieces of information that could be grouped together to give me a bigger picture?  Am I alert and off the phone, so my eyes are scanning the immediate area for any threats?  Is there a van parked next to my car?  Is there anyone hovering in the area between me and my destination?  How is the lighting in the parking light?  Do I have a method to defend myself, and is it readily available?  Is it worth the risk of trying to make it to my car, or am I better off seeking assistance from mall security? There are  many other questions that will provide me with critical data to protect myself, if need be.

     In short, Operational Security requires Awareness, Assessment and Action.  You can see how important it is to personal safety, and many Americans are taking the steps to be more vigilant and alert in terms of defending themselves.  Yet, why haven't we done the same thing when it comes to defending our country?
     The same elements apply.  We need to take our eyes off our phones, iPads and computers and look around us --- we have failed to identify the threats to our nation and way of life.  And now that we are waking up to just how much devastation has been done to our national foundation, how many of us are taking the time to seriously analyze the threats and vulnerabilities that still exist, and forming a plan to recover our national character and distinctiveness?  And what will your part be?
     Because I can tell you that if we stand a chance of defending America or returning her to even a small vestige of her glory, we are all going to have to do our part ... it has to be accomplished by more than the guys/gals who wear the uniform; whether combat veteran or law enforcement.  We all need to take responsibility for what this nation has become!  We fell asleep on the watch, became obsessed with our cell phones, and relegated the OPSEC to someone else.  It may be too late ... we may be too far down the rabbit hole to ever return to who we were.
     This much I know for sure ... I can identify where we're off balance and out of sync.  We have neglected our education, training, mindset, and morals, and now everything is out of alignment.  We don't run straight or true to ourselves.  These 4 things are the pieces of the puzzle, that when fit together, give us the bigger picture of who we were.  But since we didn't protect them, our OPSEC has left us vulnerable, and put our future in jeopardy.  We were supposed to defend our country with each of those pieces of the pie.
     Our military has done a tremendous job of keeping us safe and secure.  But I'm afraid that the foundation upon which they stand is rotting, and our failure to attend to our essential duties of guarding America has left us all in a perilous and deteriorating state.
      As a Believer, I am all too aware that nothing is accomplished on our own.  For 200 years, God Almighty kept His protecting hand on this land; on a nation that recognized we had a unique relationship with a Creator who bestowed Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness upon this blessed republic.  But the last few decades have shown that we failed to recognize the slow disintegration of that relationship -- we weren't aware it was slipping away, we didn't assess the damage that would do to our culture, our society, or our government; and we didn't take the proper action to curb the encroaching decay.  Now we will pay the price, and it is a costly one.
     I'm not one to ever give up; I know that all things are possible; and I believe in miracles.  I'm willing to do my part and with a renewed vigor to protect, not only all those pieces of the pie, but to take my place in providing Operational Security for my country.  I have been born for this time and for a purpose.  It is not to stand with downcast eyes on the latest technological marvel, but to scan my immediate environment and the horizon in order to thwart further perils upon this nation and its people.  But above all else, I will be looking up and praying that God hears my voice as I ask for forgiveness for my part in the deterioration of the land He established.  I promise that my OPSEC will be solid, steady and unyielding.  Will you?

1 Corinthians 16:13     "Remain alert. Keep standing firm in your faith. Keep on being courageous and strong."

   

1 Corinthians 15:20

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead,

 the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

     Today, I would like to address some of the misconceptions by Christian Evangelical leaders who suggest that those of us who see pagan influences in our celebration of Easter, are somehow denying the meaning of Easter, or seeking to discredit Jesus's Resurrection.  Nothing could be further from the truth!

     I rejoice with my Christian brothers and sisters when they celebrate the reason for Easter.. that Christ died on the Cross for us, so that our sin debt would be paid and we can be found acceptable in the sight of our Holy God... and that He was resurrected as the first among us who believe in God's power to do so.  His resurrection is a mirror of what we will one day experience!  Hallelujah!

     I simply choose to see more in this celebration than what the Church has traditionally taught.  I have been blessed to have the Holy Spirit reveal that God's Feasts show His plan for mankind's redemption, and that the Feast of Firstfruits was God's instituted "rehearsal" for the harvest of Jesus's soul and His resurrection, and the promise that we will one day be a part of God's end-time harvest.

     This recognition in no way undermines the faith of those who want to celebrate Easter.  For me, I just see no Scriptural reference to a holy day celebration called "Easter" in Scripture; but I do see references to Firstfruits and its implications of Christ's and all Christians' resurrection in Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Numbers, 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Nehemiah, Proverbs, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Romans, 1 Corinthians, James, and Revelation.

     When I suggest that the name "Easter" is an Anglo-Saxon derivation of Ishtar, the pagan fertility goddess, and that a bunny, colored eggs and sugary confections come from the celebration of Tammuz's birthday (Google who this Babylonian deity was, and then see reference to him in Ezekiel, Chapter 8), I am not declaring that Easter is a Pagan holiday or negating the reality of our Lord and Savior's resurrection.  To accuse me of that is blatantly false.

     It is not a matter of whether I believe Christ's Resurrection happened; I absolutely do!  And I have never contemplated that it was ‘stolen’ or appropriated from Roman, Greek myths or the Mithras cult.  There is no contradiction between myself and those who choose to celebrate Easter.  The only difference between us is how we choose to celebrate and recognize the joyous occasion of Christ's Resurrection.  

     If someone chooses to celebrate in the traditional manner of the Church, then I am happy for them, and share in the hope that the day offers.  I simply choose to celebrate in a different manner, and honor God's instructions and revelations in Scripture about that same blessed event.  Let's not let confusion and mistaken assumptions result in acrimony among those God calls His own.   

     

The Battle Over Bundy

     In regards to the ongoing theatrics at the Bundy Ranch in Nevada, there has been a barrage of accusations among a wide spectrum of Americans, all who claim that they believe in freedom, liberty and limited government.  While the different camps seem to agree that the federal government over-reached in its armed reaction to Mr. Bundy's refusal to pay grazing fees, they are world's apart on the aftermath of his standoff.
     Some, like Glenn Beck, affirm that Bundy and his supporters are fomenting violence; while others such as Alex Jones, claim they were on the ground in Nevada and there was a concerted effort to remain nonviolent and follow the path of civil disobedience.  And now the name-calling has begun... and the attempts to discredit Bundy as a racist.
     I was amazed (and alarmed, actually) that the Beck camp was so quick to denounce Bundy as a racial bigot, due to his comments to the New York Times on the state of the black race.  Did he express his position eloquently?  No.  Was the use of the word "Negro" outdated?  Of course.  Yet it was far from inflammatory.  Having known quite a few Western ranchers, I can tell you that they are not current in our culture's slang or euphemisms.  I'm pretty sure, that to Mr. Bundy, "Negro" was a polite term that he has used his whole life.  To make him out to be something he is not, is not only reckless, but unconscionable.
     And who among us has not decried the current Welfare system as a new form of slavery?  It restricts the freedoms of all races to pursue life, liberty and happiness, as their Creator designed them.  After reading the NY Times interview, it appears to me that Mr. Bundy is a religious man, and is taking his moment in the spotlight to denounce the systems that are killing the human spirit.  It is his naiveté and lack of sophistication when dealing with the news media that kept him from filtering his thoughts and comments.  On the surface, there is nothing wrong with that --- it's kind of nice to hear frank, honest and sincere statements.  Remember, he doesn't have a high-paid publicist managing his every word.  Bet he'll think twice before giving his opinion on anything other than his struggle with the BLM.
     But to all those who have come out to denounce this man and his cause ... have you given any thought to the idea that this interview might have been orchestrated to do just that?  To cast him in a despicable light, and therefore give rise to disagreements and cat-fights between those who basically agree on the foundation of his fight?  Do you realize that the focus has now been taken off the government and transferred to some ridiculous and overblown comments; and that by fighting among yourselves, you are tearing down the very fabric of your righteous argument?   (And is it only me, but does Beck seem to be digging a deeper hole for himself by trying to protect his original misguided impression of the Bundy affair?  And just who is he relying on for his information?  They don't seem to have a clear understanding of the real picture).
     Whatever is going on behind the scenes, it smells rotten to me.  Politicians, who just days before, saw this as a constitutional fight, are now distancing themselves from Mr. Bundy's uneducated comments.  Far more provocative and incendiary comments have been made in the past by such real racial haters as Shabazz of the Black Panthers, yet some behind-the-times remarks by a plain, unpretentious rancher threaten to nullify one of the most important events in our modern history.  Think this is all accidental?  Keep your eye on what matters, and don't get fooled by the shell game.

Isaiah 32:7    "As for the scoundrel—his devices are evil; he plans wicked schemes to ruin the poor with lying words, even when the plea of the needy is right."
   

Gut Check

     Excuse me, while I give myself a pep talk.  It's always my intention when I sit down to write these posts, to give you my humble and honest opinion of what the world looks likes to me, the average American woman.  But I have to confess that I'm not sure if what I am seeing is real or manufactured; what is the truth these days?
     Is there a real possibility of a world-wide Ebola outbreak -- or is this just hype to prepare us for a global vaccination program?  Is the insane continuation of winter snow storms a product of natural climate change; a cycle that the earth has seen before --- or is it man-made with the admitted weather manipulation via drones?  What is the real reason we have troops on the ground in Poland?  Is Russia responsible for the unrest in Ukraine, or are we behind the scenes, pulling the puppet strings?  Were Cliven Bundy's recent comments about slavery delivered from a racist's heart, or were words added to his remarks and then quoted out of context?
     Folks, I've just barely scratched the surface of all the news stories and events that are hurled at us each and every day!  Never mind the predictions of massive earthquakes and tsunamis from the Ring of Fire; the Vatican exploring extra-terrestrial life; Canadian aborted babies being burned in an Oregon energy facility; and Russia, China and North Korea all flexing their muscles .... it's enough to send me scrambling to pull the covers over my head!
     How do you cope?  I can certainly understand those who are so overwhelmed or frightened that they just can't face it; or those who are on their knees in constant prayer.  But whether you see these headlines forecast in the prophecies of the Bible, or have no expectations beyond your short time on this earth, we share the bond of being concerned, observant human beings.  We know that these are unstable times, and we have no guarantee that we will traverse these troubled waters unscathed.  In fact,  everything is going "global", so it's pretty much assured that these big events will sooner or later affect us.

     I realize that we -- as single individuals -- cannot effect global events; but we can effect our immediate surroundings, right?  I just keep thinking about the people in my life who are just now realizing that they can no longer avoid the possibility of coming chaos.  I see it in their faces, and hear it in their voices.  They had hoped that I would be proved wrong, but the reality of the decaying world is staring them straight in the face.  And while they couldn't deal with their fears two, four, six years ago; they now realize that they will be forced to face them... and they are behind everyone else!  Which leads to more paralyzing fear.
     Perhaps the best thing we can do, not only for ourselves, but for someone else, is to help them forward.  Approach them with calmness and confidence, letting them know that we would like to put an arm around their shoulder, hold their hand, and ease them into this scary, new world.  Because you and I both know that it is coming.  We have to help them get ready, both physically and spiritually.  There will always be those who will resist to the very end, but I venture that there are far more that just need encouragement to take that step they've avoided for so long.  You remember what it was like, right?  That first step is terrifying, but as we support and embolden them, we will not only be inspiring a fellow man or woman, but we will be strengthening our own mind, body and spirit.  In the end, that is the best we can do for all concerned.

Romans 15:1    "We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves."
   
   

This Empire Will Succeed or Fail Based On Its Moral Foundation ... And It's Not Looking Good

     I ran across a fascinating article on TheTruthWins.com which provided 100 facts about the moral collapse of the United States.  As a Christian, I would dare say that I am not only more aware of our debasement, as well as being bothered by it more.  I won't overwhelm you with all the facts, but here are a few that I have to admit shocked me:

• Approximately one-third of the entire population of the United States (110 million people) currently has a sexually transmitted disease according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
•  The United States has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the entire industrialized world.
•  There are 106,216 registered sex offenders in the state of California alone.
•   60 percent of male sex abuse victims and 80 percent of female sex abuse victims “are abused by someone known to the child or the child’s family.”
•  70 percent of all men in the 18 to 24-year-old age bracket visit at least one adult website each month.
•  Law enforcement officials estimate that about 600,000 Americans and about 65,000 Canadians are trading dirty child pictures online.
•  It has been estimated that 89 percent of all pornography is produced in the United States.
•  At this point, approximately one out of every three children in the United States lives in a home without a father.
•  The number of American babies killed by abortion each year is roughly equal to the number of U.S. military deaths that have occurred in all of the wars that the United States has ever been involved in combined.
•  During 2012, more than 85,000 military veterans were formally treated for sexual abuse that they suffered while serving in the U.S. military.
•  The number of active members of the U.S. military that kill themselves each year now exceeds the number that are dying on the battlefield.
•  Right now, there are 70 million Americans that are on mind-altering drugs of one form or another.
•  Without strong families, our young people are constantly in search of an identity.  According to the FBI, there are now more than 1.4 million gang members involved in the 33,000 active criminal gangs in the United States.
•   66 percent of all U.S. adults believe that religion is “losing its influence on American life”.
•  According to LifeWay Research, 46 percent of all Americans never even think about whether they will go to heaven or not.
     This was just a random sampling of how we've lost our moral way.  But it doesn't take a genius to see where we have gone astray.  Sex is viewed as convenient, dirty and exploitive.  Human life is disposable and expendable.  Life is not esteemed; our society would rather alter their mind or kill themselves than feel the pain.  The family unit has been decimated and is no longer a strong support system.  Faith in something other than ourselves is not evident.  We have become our own gods.  But how did we get this way?
     First of all, we are not the first nation or empire to suffer this decline.  We all learned about "the fall of the Roman Empire" in school -- that's when our education system actually thought lessons could be learned from studying history.  And we are aware that our nation has recently been compared to this once great world power.  It's not hard to see why.
     Novelguide.com provides an exemplary thesis on Moral Decline and its effect on the collapse of nations.  The site states the obvious ... the citizens of both Rome and the U.S. "somehow ignored the moral fibers that once bound their nations together. They indulged in luxuries best defined as providing themselves an excess of possessions at the expense of the rudimentary needs of others; they allowed crime to abound, and they lost the sense of their responsibilities as citizens."  The premise is enlarged upon when you consider that both nations began losing their morality when they progressed from Affluence to Selfishness.  Greed was a natural by-product.  And what was the propelling force of that greed?  Money!
     Just as in Rome, wealth has divided our society into classes:  "The rich have ignored the lower class's economic problems, or simply detest the poor, because they feel that they are a national burden. The poor detest the rich because they feel that it is the rich that have forced them into poverty."
     But it is not only wealth that has helped us slide into moral decay.  Like Rome, we have become desensitized to crime and violence.  We have become short-sighted, and care only about our own selfish welfare, instead of being a caretaker of the nation for future generations.  And we have failed to adequately protect ourselves against enemies who seek to dethrone us.
     Finally, just like Rome, this nation has become smug in our luxury and comfortable in our apathy.  We no longer have a strong work ethic, revere knowledge, or encourage uniqueness.  When you think about it, what a very short time it took for us to reach extraordinary heights, and how rapidly we are free-falling into collapse.  I fear that future generations will only know how great we once were through legends and stories.  God have mercy on us and pull us from the fire!

1 Timothy 6:9   "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction."

"Everybody's A Winner" Is a Losing Proposition

      So, every child at the White House Easter Egg roll was declared a winner by the Leader of the Free World.  The kid that busted his butt patrolling the grounds and worked his plan to collect the most eggs, is declared equal to the kid that was happy to let others do the work for him... after all, there was always the chance that the eggs would be redistributed equally, right?  And if not, he was still held in the same esteem as the over-achiever.  Why sweat it?

      And that's what has landed this country's kids a dismal 36th in the world rankings for education.  A global exam was given last year to 15-year-olds from around the world.  U.S. performance was extremely low, with our kids scoring average test results in reading and science, and well below average in math. We failed to reach the top 20 in any of the subjects tested. America fell notably below the United Kingdom and well behind most of our Asian counterparts.  That's not surprising.  As we approach high school graduation next month, take note of the last names of the Valedictorians and Salutatorians of the Senior class.  I would be willing to bet that a majority of them are Asian names.
     Education Secretary Arne Duncan contributes the poor results to stagnation.  "The problem is not that our 15-year-olds are performing worse today than before...the problem, instead, is that they are simply not making progress. Yet, students in many other nations...are advancing, instead of standing still."  Might I suggest that students in other nations are rewarded for making progress?  Could it be that there is honor, pride, and yes, even encouragement to excel beyond others?  Why would our kids today make the effort to do better, when achievement is not worth your while?  When underperformance is celebrated the same as success?
     I can remember how important it was to me, as an elementary student, to be the winner of the spelling bee.  Do they even have them anymore in school?  Or is there a fear that a child who didn't do the work might be made to feel inferior?  And I worked hard for that National Honor Society sash in high school, and the Dean's List in college.  That's when learning was measured, and superior knowledge was a sought after goal.
     Secretary Duncan just wants to lay the blame on lack of innovation, resources, and good teachers.  How about taking government out of education and returning it to the trusteeship of parents and teachers?  Like everything else, too many people are entrusting the government to do the job that is their responsibility.  The dumbing down of American children is no accident.  An unmotivated, unchallenged, and unrewarded population results in a submissive and unresisting proletariat.  Being a winner doesn't get you anywhere, and everybody's happy with mediocrity.  It's time for a new vision; before it's too late and we find ourselves at the bottom of world creativity and productivity.

1 Corinthians 9:24   "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it." 

"This Land Is Your Land, This Land Is My Land..."

     That familiar refrain may soon become the anthem of Westerners who are seeking to regain poorly managed lands under the care of the Federal government and the Bureau of Land Management.  Long displeased with the way the Feds have handled the operation of the lands, both environmentalists and ranchers are lodging complaints.
     According to The Christian Science Monitor, a group of environmentalists recently filed a notice of intent to sue the BLM for failing to report impacts to the desert tortoise and similarly threatened and endangered species from off-road vehicles, cattle grazing and other activities in California.

Federally controlled lands are in red.

      Meanwhile, for the last three or four decades, Western states have long argued that taking back control of parts of wide tracts of federal land means the land would be managed better, and their state  economies would improve.  In fact,  The Salt Lake Tribune reported last Friday that political leaders from nine Western states convened for the first time to talk about their joint goal of wrestling control of oil, timber and mineral-rich lands away from the U.S. government.  As evidence of this, Idaho Speaker of the House Scott Bedke argued that Idaho forests and rangeland managed by the state have suffered less damage and watershed degradation from wildfire than have lands managed by federal agencies.
     Just consider these facts as outlined by the Congressional Research Service:  If you include the US Bureau of Land Management, the US Forest Service, National Parks, and military bases, then the Federal government controls the following percentage of lands in Western States ... Nevada - 81%, Alaska - 62%, Utah - 67%, Oregon - 53%, Idaho - 62%, Arizona - 42%, California - 48%, Wyoming - 48%, New Mexico - 35%, and Colorado - 36%.  All we have to do is look at how well they manage our Federal budget, the welfare system, and the healthcare system, and we get a pretty good idea how conservatorship of our land is being administered.
     Here's the deal ... our land is important for supplying our food and energy needs.  The stability of the country depends on it.  And when the fate of a spotted owl or some rare species of desert vegetation comes before the nation's prosperity, then something is wrong.  So now the governing officials of the Western states are getting serious about demanding the releasing of titles to certain lands that exclude national parks and wilderness study areas.  The Deseret News,  out of Salt Lake City, reports that the “Transfer of Public Lands Act,” signed into law by Utah Gov. Gary Herbert in 2012, has set the stage for a formal showdown with the government by demanding action under threat of lawsuits.  And the recent meeting of officials from the other states probably means more will be signing on to this form of protest.
     There is an even more rancorous situation brewing on the border of Texas and Oklahoma.  Breitbart.com reports that government has turned its focus on 90,000 acres along a 116-mile stretch of the Texas/Oklahoma boundary. The BLM is reviewing the possible federal takeover and ownership of privately-held lands which have been deeded property for generations of Texas landowners.  What is scary is that the government is going to use a decades-old case to prove preeminence in doing just that.
     In 1986, rancher Tommy Henderson lost a case where the BLM attempted to seize some of his land. Henderson sued the BLM and lost 140 acres that had been in his family for generations. Now the BLM is looking at using this prior case as a precedent to claim an additional 90,000 acres.

     And there's a bit of interesting history that accompanies this unique situation.  Using the Red River as the defining boundary line between the states of Texas and Oklahoma has been surrounded in controversy for generations.  The various forms of movement of the river have caused no end to the conflict.  Currently, the Texas Farm Bureau asserts the State of Oklahoma believes that whenever the river shifts south, the state line moves south. But when the river moves north, the line remains in place. Now, the BLM seems to want to settle the matter by simply confiscating the land.  So how do you think that's going to go over?
     I pray that cooler heads will prevail and the Government doesn't try to force this issue.  The sad thing is that, in no way, can bureaucrats understand the relationship between a rancher and the land.  Since the mid-18th century, the great stretches of largely-arid territory west of the 100th meridian, splitting the Dakotas and running down through Texas, have been home to hardy pioneers, farmers and ranchers who have done a pretty darn good job of taking care of one of our most precious resources ... the land.  All the federal government seems to have done is contribute bad policies, politicized scientific and environmental theories, and severe budget cuts that have all served to cripple the land's production. For the foreseeable future, I tend to stand with Utah State Representative Ken Ivory, when he says, "“It’s simply time [to take back the land]. The urgency is now.”

Isaiah 40:8    "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever."