P.O.D. Article II

You can not fill your heart and your mind with the music of P.O.D. and remain spiritually sound. It has already spiritually corrupted many of you reading this article. You already place P.O.D. way above the Lord Jesus.

I would be perfectly willing to try and understand exactly what these people are trying to tell me about POD. In fact, I don't think POD is a model band (note I never said so.) However, blatant accusations such as the above are unfounded, unfair and biased. They make me much less accepting of what they have to say. To say to someone that they place something above their Creator is wrong. And do you know why? Any man that claims to know the heart of another man is lying. A man doesn't even know the state of his own heart! How can these people make such blatant accusations? What would Jesus say to this kind, compassionate, understanding tactic?

10.25.2006

Ahhh, it's been awhile. ;) School's still been real busy, but not too bad. I'm lovin' debate! Ok, so I am a research freak. SO??? You gotta problem with that?? Ahem. ;)

What I would say if I had ten minutes to change the world

Note: This essay won second place in the Colorado CFC Scholarship Essay Contest.

For centuries, mankind has been plagued with darkness, despair, hatred and meaningless violence. Only one source claims to know the answer to the world’s problems, the reason those problems exist, and how those problems can be solved. This source is known today as Christianity, as it has been officially titled for two hundred centuries.
Though Christians have been strongly persecuted over the years, the expansion of the faith was unstoppable. It began spreading in the Middle East during the life of its founder, Jesus Christ. From there, it rapidly spread to the most remote corners of the earth. But the way of Christianity has not always been an easy way.
To this day, Christianity is still persecuted, even in an advanced society like the United States. Christianity is daily put down in American schools, courtrooms, and media. Because of the persecution Christianity has faced (which has been worse than any other persecution for a religion), we can be confident of the truth to be found within.
The three basic pillars of Christianity are the foundation of every true Christian’s belief. While some of these concepts go by different names, the content should be the same.

The first pillar of this unique faith is known as the concept of total depravity.
Total depravity is the belief that no man on earth has anything to offer to the Creator of the universe, who requires absolute perfection and adherence to His law. This depravity is evidenced everywhere we look in the world today: In the meaningless dictatorial slaughter of Saddam Hussein’s own subjects, and in the historical example of the Nazi concentration camps.
Perhaps the most obvious example of this depravity is the everyday procedure right here in the United States called abortion. No matter which way we turn, it is abundantly clear that the world has nothing to offer God, as has been the case since man fell by disobeying God’s law in the Garden of Eden.
As horrible as the listed things are, it becomes increasingly evident that the good works a man can do are just as meaningless: No amount of money given to charity and no amount of kindness toward anyone can earn anyone appreciation in God’s eyes. God is a just God, and He requires complete adherence to His perfect laws. It is unfortunately true that no one on earth is able to obey God’s laws from top to bottom, nor does anyone in the world have an inherent desire to do so. This inability and apathy is due to a combination of demonic whisperings and a surly, wicked human nature. However, without complete obeisance to the perfect divine law, all human beings are destined to spend an eternity in the Lake of Fire, under relentless torture and in unending pain.

The complete wretchedness and helplessness of the human race thus established, it is now imperative that we examine the next pillar of the Christian faith: that of saving grace.
While it has been earlier stated that God is a just God, it is in order to now add that God is also a gracious God. The significance of this principle is that every person on earth will not spend eternity in the Lake of Fire. This is made possible by the complete redeeming grace offered by God through His son, Jesus Christ.
This is where Christianity is set apart from every other religion, past or present, in any worldly culture. The concept of a religious leader who dies so that every single person who follows Him may live eternally is something completely unique, and it is made even more astounding by the fact that Jesus was brought back to life after three days of being dead.
Leaders like Buddha, Mohammed and Joseph Smith never died-not just for their followers at the time, but for anyone in the future who was willing to put their faith in them-and they were certainly never raised from the dead. The simple reason for this is that no matter what they claim, no other religious leader has been both completely God and completely man, a combination called the hypostatic union. No other religious leader has had the hypostatic union; therefore no other religious leader has had the power to raise themselves from the dead.
Now that the reality of Christ’s resurrection is established, the significance of this miraculous event must be closely examined.
Jesus’ life, death and resurrection were God’s plan to redeem His people from the power of sin. Jesus’ life was designed to tell people about their depravity and to serve God on earth. His death was to take His Father’s wrath upon Himself, so that God’s wrath would not be poured onto the human race. And His resurrection was necessary to prove His victory over death itself, the most feared of corporeal enemies. With death conquered and an omnipresent God who cares about each person, Christians have nothing to fear either in life (from people, nature or God’s wrath) or in death. True Christians are not only striving for a more Christ-like lifestyle, but they are also guaranteed an eternity with the God they love in Heaven. The influence of Christianity on the world’s current problems will be massive. When everyone in every country around the world truly accepts true Christianity, the world will become a much better place for each and every individual. Fear of both life and death will be significantly reduced, and individuals will strive to be kinder, more patient, more loving, and less sinful.

It is important to remember, also, that while the lifestyle Christianity creates is significantly less burdened than that of the unbeliever, no one’s life-not even a Christian’s-is ever going to be perfectly free of trials and tribulations. However, when we know that God has our best interests in mind, our situations in His hands, and His incredible love for us in His heart, we cannot be defeated by anything the world tries to bring us down with.
God offers at least one escape from every sinful temptation presented to every person. He also tells us that we are not faced with any temptation more severe than other people have faced in the past: It is simply His help and our faith in that help which brings us untouched through the fiery furnace of temptations.

In summary, the life Jesus offers through His suffering and resurrection is much more than simply a more peaceful life here on earth. The Christian way of life cultivates the good traits that are not present in each person inherently, but are gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as patience, love, perseverance, faith and peace. There is no doubt in my mind that instituting Christianity in every single country would lead to an increase in true Christians. This increase would trigger a drop in gratuitous violations of God’s perfect law. Christianity for all nations would significantly, permanently, and positively change the world.


That is what I would say if I had ten minutes to change the world.

Al Gore for president?!? Is anyone but me scared?

The following is displayed prominently on the page titled "Al Gore 2008", from www. algore-08.com. Read and consider on your own, and then read my comments below.

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Is He or Isn't He? 2008 Analysis

Sunday, 11 June 2006

Al Gore is on a roll. His anti-global warming film, An Inconvenient Truth, had the most successful per screen documentary film opening in history. And his new book of the same name is number 3 on the New York Times best seller list. His opinion is sought on all the pressing issues of the day, and even the mainstream media have begun to praise his remarkable record of being right when (pretty much) everybody else was wrong.

No wonder people are getting excited about the return of this statesman to the national debate. Everywhere he goes, the winner of the popular vote in 2000 is asked: Would you consider running for President in 2008? Although his answer has consistently been that he has no intention or plans to seek office, he hasn't decided not to run either.

I'm convinced that Gore can be persuaded to run, and this is hardly a radical view....

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From what I have seen of Al Gore, he is intensely dedicated to the environment. Ok. Wow. So what's the big deal? He says he has unique abilities that would make him a great president, and that the presidency will give him a great way to really turn the environmental situation around. But he doesn't want to run. He's confident, he's ready, he's right, according to the overwhelmingly liberal media that he has *finally* gotten to agree with him (a distinct impossibility for conservative, moral people of any stature whatever). So why doesn't he run for president? Supposedly, he doesn't think he's ready. But he said that he had special qualifications for being president. He's confident, like I said before. So why doesn't he run? Could it be because when it comes down to it, there is no Democrat leadership? Why would he not run otherwise? I don't think that the Democratic party has it in them to even get a presidential candidate on the bill for 2008. Overall, I don't think the Democratic party is organized enough to run Gore as their candidate, and I don't think Gore is brave enough to stand up against the Republican leadership. Personal opinion!

Why do I like country?

Just the other day, my friend was surprised and distressed to learn that I like country music. I know it isn't perfect, but here are a few samples of why it's so cool. These are a few of my favorites.

--<-@

Life's a dance you learn as you go
Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow
Don't worry about what you don't know
Life's a dance you learn as you go
Life’s a Dance, John Michael Montgomery

I'm for the low man on the totem pole
And I'm for the underdog God bless his soul
And I'm for the guys still pulling third shift
And the single mom raisin' her kids
I'm for the preachers who stay on their knees
And I'm for the sinner who finally believes
And I'm for the farmer with dirt on his hands
And the soldiers who fight for this land

Chorus:

And I'm for the Bible and I'm for the flag
And I'm for the working man, me and ol' Hag
I'm just one of many
Who can't get no respect
Politically uncorrect

I guess my opinion is all out of style
Aw, but don't get me started cause I can get riled
And I'll make a fight for the forefathers plan
And the world already knows where I stand

Nothing wrong with the Bible, nothing wrong with the flag
Nothing wrong with the working man me & ol' Hag
We're just some of many who can't get no respect
Politically uncorrect
Politically uncorrect

Politically Uncorrect, Merle Haggard and Gretchen Wilson

You think you're one of millions but you're one in a million to me
When you wonder if you matter, baby look into my eyes
And tell me, can't you see you're everything to me

That's alright, that's ok
When you don't feel important honey
All I've gotta say is
To the world
You may be just another girl
But to me,
Baby, you are the world
The World, Brad Paisley

Gonna kick off my shoes
And run in bare feet
Where the grass and the dirt and the gravel all meet
Goin' back to the well gonna visit old friends
And feed my soul where the blacktop ends
Where the Blacktop Ends, Keith Urban

My old friend, this song's for you
Cause a few simple verses
Was the least that I could do
To tell the world that you were here
Cause the love and the laughter
Will live long after
All of the sadness and the tears
We'll meet again, my old friend
My Old Friend, Tim McGraw

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance,
I hope you dance, I hope you dance.
I Hope You Dance, Leeann Womack

Life ain't always beautiful
Sometimes it's just plain hard
Life can knock you down, it can break your heart

Life ain't always beautiful
You think you're on your way
And it's just a dead end road at the end of the day

But the struggle makes you stronger
And the changes make you wise
And happiness has it's own way of takin' it sweet time
Life Ain’t Always Beautiful, Gary Allan

I wanna cry like the rain
Cry like the rain
Shine like the sun on a beautiful mornin'
Sing to the heavens like a church bell ringin'
Fight with the devil and go down swingin'
Fly like a bird
Roll like a stone
Love like I aint afraid to be alone
Take everything that this world has to give
I wanna live
I Wanna Live, Josh Gracin

And I need you to know
You can fall into me
That my arms are wide open and will always be
Right here waiting
Staying strong
Come and fall into me....
Fall Into Me, Emerson Drive

P.O.D. article

Found this just today while I was searching another Christian band...I had to write something on it! It's pure...well...I'm not sure it's pure anything...it's muddy stuff. But read it for yourself. The italicized words are the original article's and the plain are mine.

-<0>-

Psalm 68:4-Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.

(Please notice that this is King James Version. No “per-versions” here. I don't want this verse to look like a part of the article. The article carefully ignored this verse....)

“The Rasta god is “Jah”. P.O.D.’s album, “The Fundamental Elements of Southtown” does not contain the wonderful name of Jesus Christ, but the Rasta god “Jah” occurs 10 times. Spin magazine says of P.O.D., “…the band [has] structured their lives around a spiritual belief system that cross-fades Christianity, Rastarianism and Judaism.” (Spin, October 2001, p. 88) Guitar World writes, “A lot of the spirituality you guys project seems more akin to Rasta than mainstream Christianity”. (Guitar World, Nov. 2001, p. 104)”

As demonstrated by the topmost verse, Psalm 68:4, it is perfectly biblical to call God by an unusual name, if it is ordered in the Bible that you sing praises to that name. The Rasta connotation is purely coincidental. Do you think there’s a reason the magazine Spin is named Spin? Everyone knows that half-truths and extraneous words are known as “spin”. The words of the magazine were probably an editorial, a fact that the anti-P.O.D. site did not take into account. You’ll notice that the excerpt from Guitar World is phrased exactly as a question. The site that is using those words probably took them out of context, completely ignoring the band member’s response to the question, which may have completely disproved the question’s validity.

“…the only issue that P.O.D. viciously attacks is Bible Believing Christians! Sonny of P.O.D. says, “We don’t fit in with the conservative values of Christian America.” He goes on to say, “I don’t even like saying I’m a Christian sometimes because it leaves such a bad taste in people’s mouths.” (Spin Mag, October 2001, p. 88) Marcos of P.O.D. blatantly says, “To tell the truth, though, I don’t even like the term Christian...” (GuitarWorld, No. 37, p.28)"

The site offers no proof of P.O.D’s touring with the likes of Howard Stern and does not detail what “filthy rockers” they tour with. Also, it takes the words of the rockers out of context when it states that they “don’t like the term Christian”. The site does not take into account that such “Christians” as Pat Robertson and Benny Hinn are casting an extremely unfortunate light on Christians today. Perhaps it is better not to be associated with the likes of those two men. I see no attacks on Bible-believing Christians. I do not read the words “We hate the Bible and Christianity” anywhere. In fact, I don’t even see that implication. I would have to say that if they are a hard-rock/reggae band, then they most certainly do not fit in with the regular conservative Christian values. They told the truth. And there's a problem with that? Who says that conservative Christianity is the only way to go? I was of the opinion that Christianity is Christianity if it believes that Jesus Christ is the crucified, buried, and risen again Son of God and that all that's required for salvation is belief in Him. The first thing you look for in any religion is who is Jesus to them? To the band (not a religion) P.O.D., He is the risen Son of God, to be revered and worshipped.

P.O.D.'s albums are gushing with occult symbols. One of P.O.D.'s logos is the 'triqueta'. The triqueta is Latin for "three cornered" and signifies the power of three. The triqueta is very popular in witchcraft, representing the threefold nature of the Witchcraft Goddess as virgin, mother and crone. As Christianity was polluted with many pagan symbols, the triqueta was falsely adopted by some Christians as symbolizing the Trinity.

The site does not detail that the “triqueta,” as they call it, could hypothetically be used to symbolize the Trinity. Nor does it detail what would be wrong with that-why it would be "false" to do that. Their argument that it’s an occult sign does not stand because the band is composed of professing Christians who want to use this sign in a Christian way, doing away with its former image.
They even state that the triqueta is “…commonly used in Catholic liturgical iconography.” So P.O.D’s use of this symbol (I don’t believe it is a triqueta when not used in an occult setting or for an occultic purpose) is not new.

OVERALL: You may notice that the article I’m using quotes only two sources: Guitar World and Spin magazines, neither of which have been proven credible sources. So if these folks would like to attack P.O.D., I would suggest several things. This may sound harsh, so hold on.

1. Get your facts straight. Until I read this article, I was convinced that taking words out of context and twisting facts were secular tricks. Not so, as I can see. Whoever wrote this article needs some lessons in putting the truth forth in a clear, honest manner, concealing nothing, and leaving the decisions to their readers.
2. Keep a fair point of view. The band P.O.D. is not evil, despite the somewhat goth art on their album Payable on Death. In fact, conservative Christian organization has this to say about their work.
Satellite: http://pluggedinonline.com/music/music/a0000945.cfm
Payable on Death: http://pluggedinonline.com/music/music/a0001598.cfm
Testify: http://pluggedinonline.com/music/music/a0002564.cfm
3. Use more credible sources. Guitar World and Spin aren’t accountable news organizations. They sound more to me like tabloids…but that’s just me. Point is, they aren’t the AP.

I think that’s all. There is so much more stuff against P.O.D. and the like that I don’t even have time to cover all of it. But this stuff is pure bias. They want to make your mind up for you. They don't want you to have a balanced point of view. Otherwise, you might see that P.O.D. has taken on a particularly hard, dark part of music and is slowly turning it around. How can you fault that? P.O.D. is composed of humans. Of course they sin, of course they make mistakes. But they are no more sinful than the author of this article. It looks like the author of this and similar articles simply don't like the sound of P.O.D. Either that or they're bored. Both ways, you should avoid their garbage as much as possible.
--

Like I said, there is a TON of this stuff out there. I'll have to keep writing about it. It is most interesting.

Baby boomers and the impending social security crisis

I am a policy debater. And as such, I like to have evidence. So in this article, I’ve done some research that will hopefully shed a little light on one of the big hot topics of today: Social security and our society.

Social security ties in to something many people don’t even realize. It all goes back about thirty-three years, to 1973. As many of us know, that was the year Roe v. Wade was decided in the United States Supreme Court, after being argued first in 1971, reargued in 1972 and finally settled on January 22nd, 1973. The legalization of abortion in America has had far more negative impacts than almost any other decision the Supreme Court has ever made.

After World War II, the soldiers returning from war began thinking of starting families. And so they did. All of them. And as a result, huge numbers of children were born within close proximity of each other as far as age. This sudden growth became known as the Baby Boom. Between the years of 1946 and 1964, the number of children born into families skyrocketed. The following information states that quite clearly:

By the end of the decade (1946-56) about 32 million babies had been born, compared with 24 million in the lean 30s. In 1954, annual births first topped four million and did not drop below that figure until 1965, when four out of ten Americans were under the age of twenty.

This change clearly symbolized that America was ready to grow. But now, these baby boomers are getting ready to retire.

Everyone knows that in order to have a fully functioning society, the young generation must help support the older generation. That’s the case today, in America. There must be a balance between the workers and the retirees-especially in a social security system like we have now. In about twenty-five years, the baby boomers will be more than ready to retire, and of course, there will be the expected workers who are entering the most productive time of their life. These workers will be in their late twenties to mid thirties...just getting excited about their jobs, families and their lives in general. They will fill the workforce perfectly, and the money they pay in taxes will help people living on social security.

This should be the case, and indeed, it would be. But as many major news organizations and leaders have pointed out, we will soon be facing an extreme shortage of workers. As stated in the Washington Post:

Social Security's fundamental difficulty is a demographic one: As time passes, there will be more retirees demanding benefits and fewer workers paying the taxes that fund the program. Currently there are more than three workers for every retiree; by 2040, that ratio will drop to 2 to 1. Moreover, increasing life expectancy will place additional demands on the program, a cost amplified by the fact that higher earners, who collect bigger Social Security checks, tend to live longer.

Right now, the worker: retiree ratio is 3:1. This is working for the moment. However, it is known for certain that the number will soon drop from 3:1 to 2:1. This means increased stress on taxpayers/workers, as Thomas Donohue states clearly.

Chamber President and CEO Thomas Donohue, at a news conference outlining business prospects in 2006, said the country is ill-prepared to deal with the impending retirement of 77 million baby boomers.
"We have yet to secure an adequate supply of working taxpayers to run a growing economy and support an explosion of retirees," he said in his organization's report on the state of U.S. business.

As we can see, workers in the prime of life are going to be needed to pay taxes for the retiring baby boomers.

But consider this simple math problem: If someone is born in the 1970’s, how old will they be now? If you guessed between thirty and twenty, you’re right.

In 1973, Roe v. Wade was decided. Immediately following, abortions became more and more common, with the participants being told that the beings within them were not humans (“See, it looks just like a fish.”) or were not alive until a certain point in time-both of these being gross lies (but that’s a different article). Between 1973 and 2000, more than 39 million people were murdered in cold blood by abortion. And we are surely feeling the results of those abortions.

If said fetus was not a human at the time, then why are the workers that we need so badly right now missing? Thirty-nine million is a lot. It’s roughly the number that we will need as people continue to age and retire. And the workers we need are not available because they died before they ever had a chance to live. How many times can I say that?!? We killed our future generation. This is now negatively affecting the people who are retiring, which will in turn affect the workers/taxpayers in the future. It isn’t just a fetus. It’s a baby. And it becomes a human at the moment of conception. Life is one thing humans cannot duplicate, try as they might. It’s one of our most precious commodities, and every day, with the legalized form of murder we now call abortion, we are killing our future generations. If we keep this up, we will soon be extinct.

So in summary, 77 million baby boomers will be retiring soon. 39 million workers who would be in the prime of life right now are missing due to the legalization of abortion in 1973.

Our commitment-free, easy-living “freedom” is going to kill us. Why can we never see the potential consequences of our actions before we charge ahead?

God help America. And no, I won’t take that back.


Source citations
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abortion statistics between 1973 and 2000

From 1973 through 2000, more than 39 million legal abortions occurred.

Found at http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0904509.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Worker-retiree necessary and actual ratios

Social Security's fundamental difficulty is a demographic one: As time passes, there will be more retirees demanding benefits and fewer workers paying the taxes that fund the program. Currently there are more than three workers for every retiree; by 2040, that ratio will drop to 2 to 1. Moreover, increasing life expectancy will place additional demands on the program, a cost amplified by the fact that higher earners, who collect bigger Social Security checks, tend to live longer.

Found at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52771-2005Jan31.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Missing workers

Chamber President and CEO Thomas Donohue, at a news conference outlining business prospects in 2006, said the country is ill-prepared to deal with the impending retirement of 77 million baby boomers.
"We have yet to secure an adequate supply of working taxpayers to run a growing economy and support an explosion of retirees," he said in his organization's report on the state of U.S. business.

Found at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1551847/posts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Baby boomers

By the end of the decade (1946-56) about 32 million babies had been born, compared with 24 million in the lean 30s. In 1954, annual births first topped four million and did not drop below that figure until 1965, when four out of ten Americans were under the age of twenty.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-World_War_II_baby_boom

Midnight Chapel

We are trying scanning stuff onto the computer. So this is only a test. Don't worry. If you click it, you can see it in all its huge glory. Woo hoo! :D

Out,

~EA

This is me a few months ago. Yeah, I look like a punk. ;)

Presidential Approval Ratings and the State of our Nation

by Lydia T. aka Escape Artist

So, President Bush is at, like, an all-time low as far as popularity ratings go. This means that he’s an incompetent president with no skill or qualifications to be in office. He started a costly war and so many people oppose it, it isn’t even funny. So therefore we need to start looking for a new president right now. Right? I mean, if everyone’s against him and his war, then he should just resign from office before he gets America into anymore trouble. That is wrong. What much of the left-wing press doesn’t seem to remember is that one of the most-admired presidents of America had low popularity ratings. He indirectly started a war, a war, which, at the time, people opposed on both sides. This was a particularly cruel war, in which thousands of men on both sides lost their lives, and America unfortunately lost either way. President Abraham Lincoln had low popularity ratings while he was in office. The whole reason South Carolina declared secession was because Lincoln, a Republican, had taken the office. Despite his attempts to promise the Southerners that their way of life wouldn’t be threatened (neither would it be expanded), the South Carolina secession led the way to a long chain of events that culminated in the Civil War. Lincoln fought the battle for America with humor, intelligence, and determination. But at the time, he was not a popular president, and, of course, a war going on in your backyard can’t be too popular.

Here we are, in 2006. We are whiny backstabbers who don’t appreciate what our men and women overseas are doing. We undermine their every move and contradict their own opinions. “They hate the war!” we say. “They just fight because it’s their duty!” When we say that, we ignore what the soldiers themselves are saying. Staff Sergeant Jamie McIntyre of Queens, New York, recently said the following*.

"I look at the faces and see fellow human beings, and I say, ‘OK. This is a sacrifice I have to make to bring them freedom.’ That’s why I joined the military. Not for the college money, for doing what’s right. Fighting under our flag. That’s what our flag stands for. I believe in that stuff. Yeah, we might lose American soldiers, but they (the Iraqi people) are going to lose a society, lose people. You’ve got to look at the bigger picture. I’ve lost friends, and it hurts. But that’s even more of a reason why I say stay. It’s something that’s got to be done. If we don’t do it, who will?"

Don’t we have better things to do than critisize the work of these brave men and women?!? We sound like ungrateful wretches.

The idea that the war in Iraq is far less popular than any war has ever been isn’t right. There has always been some small fraction of Americans who hate the war, whatever it might be for, no matter whom it’s defending (us or them). It might interest all the peace freaks out there to know that the very earliest anti-war demonstrators in America were during the Revolutionary war. They were the Tories—the traitorous American citizens who supported the rule of a tyrannical and vindictive king. So think of that the next time you storm around a park waving signs that down President Bush and the war in Iraq. Anyhow, pardon my side trail there.

President Bush’s war, as the war in Iraq is called, is unpopular simply because every war in American history has been unpopular at some point or another. There’s nothing else to be said for it. No logic, no clear thinking. Brash left-wing poppycock has clouded our vision and our media so badly that we don’t see the war in Iraq as being essential to our freedom (as well as the Iraqis’). I guess the left-wing media just doesn’t like the idea of helping other people by our sacrifices. That’ pure selfishness. They really need to get over that, and they need to see that President Bush is making the best of the situation he was given. He came in at a hard place, and his administration wasn’t without flaws. But then, whose has been?

*Exerpt from The American Enterprise, March 2006.

Dark subjects

Ok, here's what I've found out in my short and often traumatizing, scary and sad life.

We have a hole in us.

Profound, yet extremely weird. Most likely, you weren't born with a hole in your physical heart. But if you were born any time in the past (however long the world's been around; I say about four thousand years), then you have a hole in your heart. Not a physical hole, but a hole all the same. That hole is what you feel after you build your life around your girlfriend, and she leaves, or your job, and you lose it, or your family, and they don't love you in return. That hole is what you feel after you've tried everything there is to try, and you have everything you could ever wish to have, and you still feel like you're lacking inside. Atheists argue that man can, will, and has existed on his own, without God. Nietsche said, "God is dead." I, however, being the non-atheist that I am, beg to differ.

Number one, I have no proof for my God except that I'm sitting here typing this message. The very fact that my heart works, my lungs function, and I can see almost crystal clear is evidence for intelligent design. If you don't think so, please leave a comment. I'll be happy to hear what you have to say. Please, by all means, prove me wrong. I want to hear both sides of the story. But I'm not going to get into the material side of God until I get through this first. If I was asked how I know that God exists I would simply say that I have meaning. What on earth am I talking about? Of course you have meaning! Without God, people can have meaning by...uh...please help me, I'm struggling here. To make a difference for the better? If that's what you think, I have news for you, friend. Everyone will die. "So?" you may say. "My legacy will live on!" Well, I'm sorry, but history forgets almost as easily as people. Your legacy will not live on forever. Nothing lasts forever, as the classic rock band Kansas seems to think. Though I must admit, Kansas had a fairly good idea of human existence. Let me quote a little Kansas for you.

I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone
All my dreams, pass before my eyes, a curiosity
Dust in the wind, all they are is dust in the wind
Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea
All we do crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see

These lyrics written by Kerry Livgren, not me.

Kansas, a secular band from a different era, captures the destitude of the human life. What is the point of life? How can we be sure that we can make a difference, or, for ourselves, be able to trust in the only truth we can be sure of? Well, there are actually two things we can be sure of.

1. We sin. This might seem horribly simple, but honestly, it's very important. We are not born perfect. We are not influenced into sin by our surroundings and aqcuaintances. Where did they get it? Their aqcuiantances? And where did their aqcuaintances get it? Ah, a never-ending question put to a fundamentally flawed theory. When a child is born, no, when a child is conceived, he is already sinful. Yes, it's true. I don't have pages of proof, but I'll show you proof we are born sinful after you show me we are not born sinful. Anyhow, let's just assume that we are born sinful. Sin is bad, right? No matter how we treat it. Sin is lying to your boss, cheating on your spouse, hating your brother or sister. You feel horrible and empty after you lie, cheat or hate. The old adage, "Hate hurts the hater more than the hated," is not entirely true. Well, it is, but both parties suffer. Would you agree? Has anyone ever hated you? How did you feel? Hurt? Offended? You bet. We're programmed to recognize sin. Has hating someone made you feel better? Maybe for a minute, but it's a hollow victory.

2. Sin breeds death. Sin can only lead to the demise of the sinner. Sin is where death came from in the first place. Therefore, you sin, you die. And everyone sins. But what about the afterlife? "I don't believe in that abstract stuff! How can we know?" Well, the truth is, we can't know. Neither people who believe in Heaven and hell, nor the people who don't care or know. People can't know. But you know what? I have a story for you about this subject. It goes like this.

A man and his friends were talking about death and the afterlife. The man thought that there was a God and that he would go to Heaven, since God had accepted him and loved him. His friends, however, scoffed at the idea. "Not a chance!" they said. "There's no God! There's no Heaven. Man is self-sufficient." But the man just smiled at his friends' ridicule. Later in the conversation, as the friends were about to say goodnight and go home, the man stopped them. "If there is no God, and you're right, then when we die we both cease to exist. But if I'm right, and there is a God, and we can live with Him or suffer eternal punishment, you, will be suffering eternal punishment." His friends were converted to Christianity.

The point of this short story is that I couldn't have said it better myself. This man knew how to turn an argument around, and I applaud him. Do you agree with this story? Let me know what you think.