Me

I have been working on an apologetics textbook since 2003. But I've decided to give that up in favor of a memoir. Everybody is doing it. They sell. After all, apologetics demands facts, arguments, qualifications, the examintion of argument forms, endless reading, writing, rewriting, analytical anguish in extremis. Enough is enough! There is hardly a personal pronoun in the entire manuscript.

The title of my new book: Me: The Audacity of Autobiography or How I Discovered my Sacred Self through Writing About Myself for Myself (and I Know You Will Find Me Fascinating Because I am Me, After All). Highlights will include:

• How I made God my mascot and found a blessing in it.
• The endless profundity of my pain.
• How narcissism got a bad name and what I did about it.
• My faith, myself, my God.
• When it comes to me, nothing is glib, all is profound.
• Reality and how I conquered it through journaling and psychotherapy.
• How I used the Bible to build a better me for me.
• I believe in God because God believes in me.
• The Kingdom of God is within me, and that's just where it should be.
• The world is wrong; I am right; get that straight before its too late.
• It is so hard being me, but you are better for it.

Ah, the clear, alpine air of untrammeled autobiography! It is endless; I contain multitudes.

(This is a satire, for you unmusical folks.)

Why Patriarchy in the Hebrew Bible?

Rebecca Merrill Groothuis, author of Women Caught in the Conflict and Good News for Women, has posted an essay called, "Excursus on Ancient Patriarchy" on her blog, which insight fully explains the reasons for and qualifications of patriarchy in the Hebrew Bible. I have not read anything else as insightful on this on this tough topic.

Blog Bog; Data Smog

Blog, bog
Blather,
Banter,
Bluster.

Instant post,
Inane joust,
Insane pounce.

Nameless names
naming nothing as
something--quickly.

Hit and run,
Post and hum.
Spam the crowd
Say it loud.

Blog, bog:
gather data;
data unlimited;
uncontrolled data.
Dada data.

Knowledge,
Where art thou?
Ignorance hidden by
blogspot fig leaves.

Fiction, the diction
of data in motion
without potion or
solution.

Blog bog;
data smog.

Obama's One Law Publication: Abortion on Demand

Barack Obama's Sole Article in Harvard Law Review Promotes Abortion

by Steven Ertelt
www.LifeNews.com

August 22, 2008

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- How strongly does Barack Obama believe in unlimited abortions? Strongly enough that the only article he wrote for the Harvard Law Review while he was a law school student talked about how fervently believed in legalized abortion. Obama's name wasn't attached to any other legal scholarship during the time.

In an article unearthed by the Politico web site, Obama, as the president of the Harvard Law Review, wrote an unsigned article touting abortion. (see below)

The web site says the article comes in at six pages and is contained in the third volume of the 1990 Harvard Law Review.

In the work, Obama considered a parenthetical abortion issue -- whether unborn children have a legal right to sue their mothers for damage sustained during pregnancy, from such things as alcohol or illegal drugs.

Obama says no and writes supportively of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case and another from the Illinois Supreme Court saying no such right exists.
According to Politico, Obama wrote: "[T]he case raises the broader policy and constitutional considerations that argue against using civil liability to control the behavior of pregnant women."
In a discussion of abortion itself, Obama wrote that government has more important business than "ensuring that any particular fetus is born."

He also decried any limits on abortion, saying the government has an interest in "preventing increasing numbers of children from being born in to lives of pain and despair."
Politico said the Obama campaign confirmed the pro-abortion presidential candidate wrote the piece in question and that it was one of the typical articles law students would write briefing and opining on federal and state court decisions.

In an email to the web site, Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt also confirmed that Obama "remains committed to" the sentiments he expressed in the piece.

Obama's article is on page 823 of Volume 103 of the Harvard Law Review and would likely be located in larger public libraries and databases that chronicle legal articles in scholarly publications.

Sarah Palin's Political Heroes (from interview with Sean Hannity)

HANNITY: Historically — modern times — who inspires you politically? Who are people that you look to as maybe people that you can gain inspiration from in tough times?

PALIN: I'm thankful that I came of age politically in the era of Ronald Reagan, in high school and in college. You know, he — he is my inspiration. His vision of America and of the exceptional-ism of our country. I think about him every day. I think about what that Great Communicator has left our country and the rest of the world.

So he and then his partner on a lot of the good things that went on in the world at that time, Margaret Thatcher — just over the water. She too — she was underestimated as she came into office and proved herself with her abilities, her determination. She is another one.

Further back in history, Abraham Lincoln. Coming into office in a time of such turmoil. He was able to do some unconventional things, in assembling a very unusual Cabinet as was written about in "Team of Rivals." What Lincoln was able to do was marshal talents from disgruntled opponents even and adversaries and have everybody work together in order to fulfill the mission of unifying the nation and winning the war.

Palin interviewed by Hannity

Sean Hannity's interview with Sarah Palin can be found here. I could not get the video to work, but looked over the transcript. I believe the camera angles are more pleasing to Palin that what Charles Gibson and company set up. Of course, Hannity's tone is different as well.

Book Review: Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska's Political Establishment Upside Down

Kaylene Johnson, Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska's Political Establishment Upside Down (Epicenter Press, 2008).

Many who have been enlivened to the 2008 presidential race by Governor Sarah Palin's selection as McCain's running mate want to know more about this fresh face that has the left in paroxysms of ad hoc outrage. I wanted to know more, too, especially since she hails from my home state and grew up (in Wasilla) about thirty miles from where I did (in Anchorage). This book is an enjoyable, friendly, and compelling story of the rise of an Alaskan women to the Governor's mansion. It was written before Gov. Palin became the Vice Presidential nominee. Apparently, it is being republished by a major publisher. This edition is by a small publisher.

Sarah is not an expose or an in-depth assessment of Gov. Palin's personal life or politics. You will not find any psychoanalysis, cultural critique, or political theorizing. It is a homey biography. The broad outlines are of a truly Alaskan (tough, independent) women whose determination and principles led her into political leadership and to challenge some of the major political players in Alaska.

Readers will become more informed about the Alaskan way of life, which is quite alien to many in "the lower forty-eight," as we say. Alaskans love the outdoors, its scenery and wildlife. They often hunt, fish, climb, and sky. It is an oil-rich state with a significant population of native Alaskans from various tribes. (Gov. Palin is married to a man who is half native Alaskan.) Those who write off Gov. Palin as "the new governor of a sparsely populated state" (the Democrats' talking point) will find that governing Alaskans is anything but easy. The state brings its own unique challenges and requires real savvy from its leaders.

I'm sure several books will be written about Sarah Palin in the months and years to come--and from every possible angle. She is a compelling figure and may be in the political theater (I hope) for years to come. This book, though, will take its place as a matter-of-fact chronicle of an unlikely ascent to public service.

Farewell to England qua England?

The Times of London reports that UK courts are now recognizing decisions made by Muslims under sharia law. Rowan Williams, Arch Bishop of Canterbury, had just months before advised this. This "parallel law" situation means the following (the list is not complete):

1. Abuse against women will grow since the Qur'an allows men to beat their wives and divorce them easily and unilaterally.
2. Polygamy will be allowed.
3. Muslim men will rarely be prosecuted for rape, since sharia law makes this nearly impossible.
4. Muslim violence against infidels will be excused.
5. This "parallel law" will become a beachhead for establishing sharia for the entire country. Islam always aspires to be a civilization, not just a religion (in the Western sense).

Apparently, once proud England may have lost her will to be England. God save the Queen and her subjects. If you think my judgments are extreme, please read Mark Gabriel, Cultural Clash (2007). He was formerly a professor of Islamic history at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, and now a Christian convert.

She Opposed the Bridge and Much More: Palin vs. Obama/Biden on Earmarks

Read this article by Senator Jim Demint from The Wall Street Journal for an argument that Gov. Palin is far better than Obama or Biden on cutting earmarks. The mainstream media is lining up on the Obama side against Palin. This article argues otherwise.

Brother Yun to Speak at Denver Seminary

Brother Yun, the author of The Heavenly Man (with Paul Hattaway) will be speaking at the Denver Seminary chapel on September 23 at 11:00 AM. The address is 6399 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton, CO, 80120. He has recently written a new book, Living Water, which will be available at the event.

This remarkable man is a Chinese Christian and was part of the underground church in China, until he had to flee the country. He has been powerfully used by God in evangelism, training, and miracles. He has also suffered mightily in prison. Reading The Heavenly Man is a tonic against complacency and lukewarmness. I have written of him previously on this blog.

I am hoping and praying his visit to Denver Seminary and Denver in general will awaken the church to seek God for great things in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Revive us again, O God!

Why Not Start a Megachurch?

Perhaps I need a change of pace, a new thing. I know, I'll start a megachurch! Not a small church (why start small?), but a big one! How to do it?

The Blueprint for Exclamation Point Fellowship

1. I have a fair amount of hair, but will need to puff it out more.
2. The teeth needs some whitening.
3. I better lose some weight.
4. I need a new wardrobe.
5. Major portions of the Bible need to go into hiding for the sermons.
6. No more yelling during preaching.
7. I need to learn how to smile--all the time. I can hire a coach.
8. Hire a dozen sociologists to canvas the target audience and craft a designer church.
9. Cultivate the best parking lot philosophy. Hire a team of engineers.
10. Out hi-tech the hi-techs. Every seat will have a video screen, just like on airplane trips. People can get close ups of the stage, surf the net, or play Christian video games--all during the service. After each service each attendee will be asked to rate the service on line, so we can get feedback for next week. All who do this will automatically have their names entered into the church's own lottery! "The Lord's Lotto" (TM).
11. We will have hostesses serving refreshments during the service.
12. We will have a coffee bar.
13. We will have a real bar!
14. We will have a food court.
15. We will have a basketball court!
16. We will court celebrities for testimonies!
17. We will deploy special effects: laser lights on stage, sound effects, mist machines, blowers, risers. Demons and angels can be simulated. Even God can be simulated, given the proper lighting and mega-subwoofers!

Now, who will help me fund this ecclesiastical extravaganza? I assure you, we will start with a Bang!!!

Open Letter to Oprah

Dear Ms. Winfrey:

Please invite Gov. Sarah Palin onto your program. She is a remarkable women who has achieved many of the things that you desire women to achieve. She deserves to be put to the test and to show her stuff on your program.

Douglas Groothuis

Patience

Folks, please be patient with the new moderated format. I thought I was getting all the moderated comments on my email account, but a bunch had built up on the web page. Maybe some even got posted twice! Anyway, please bear with me.

Gibson's Gaffe: The Trick Question

Charles Krauthammer shows that Charles Gibson's supposed "gotcha" moment was a crock of attack dog journalism. Gibson's lecture to Sarah Palin on "the Bush Doctrine" was incorrect. There have been several versions of "the Bush Doctrine," and what Gibson intoned was not the Bush Doctrine. So, Sarah Palin didn't really stumble at all, since there is no one meaning to "the Bush Doctrine." The guy bluffed so well it fooled (even) me!

This makes me even more contemptuous toward the contemptuous (and errant) Charles Gibson.

Obama's Image-and-Speech Machine in Decline

Charles Krauthammer again perceptively assesses Obama's rise and fall. The messianic image-and-speech machine that is Obama is sputtering due to a lack of real fuel (all my terms, not his).

Sea Change Due to Dirty Waters

Comments are now moderated. This should cut down on obnoxious, off topic, and pointless posts.

Charlie Gibson vs. Sarah Palin

As many loyal readers know, I don't watch television--except on rare occasions, such as Sarah Palin's first major interview. I break my short-lived silence to make a few points.

We all saw an edited version of the interview. Given the media bias, you can be certain that we saw the worst of her performance, not the best of it. Nevertheless, she performed well. Charlie Gibson evidenced the media bias with a sour vengeance. He scowled at Gov. Palin the entire time, trying to trap her, pressing her in ways that Obama has never had to experience. Nevertheless. Palin held up quite well. She never stuttered (unlike Obama without a teleprompter), gave nuanced answers, refused to step into a trap, and rebounded well when she did not know exactly what Gibson meant by "the Bush doctrine," which he later contemptuously explained. She was honest about a disagreement with McCain on drilling in ANWR (she's for drilling there, and right on that) and said Gibson was cynical in his accusation that she was changing her mind on global warming. She invoked Abraham Lincoln to explain her views of God's will in warfare--a deft move.

She was well poised, confident, and insistent, but without being angry, bitter or scowling. And all of this came after two weeks of intense, relentless media scrutiny, which didn't spare the private details of her own family. It came after Obama likened her to a pig with lipstick; after a Democratic US congressman said that Jesus was a community organizer, but Pilate was a governor; and after another sagacious Democratic leader said that her primary credential was not having an abortion.

Sarah Palin will never sink to this level. Instead, she will rise to the occasion, as she did tonight.

Doug Groothuis review-article on line

My article from the July-August issue of Books and Culture, "The Great Debate" (on several books about atheism and theism) is now on line.

Too

Too many words,
For too long,
With too little effect.

Silence...

Enforcement

There have been a spate of rude, uncivil, and gratuitously insulting remarks in the posts recently--people throwing around words like "fundamentalist," "Christocrat," and the like. It is called ad hominem. Anything posted with these kinds of epithets will be summarily deleted by The CC. So, please don't waste your time.

Feminism and Sarah Palin

Rebecca Merrill Groothuis has written an insightful new post called, "Feminism and Sarah Palin," which addresses how traditionalist evangelicals are responding to her candidacy.

Obama Speaks

"The other side, suddenly, they're saying 'we're for change too,' " Obama told the crowd. "You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig. You can wrap up an old fish in a piece of paper and call it change. It's still going to stink after eight years. We've had enough." From The Dallas News.

Last week, forty million people heard Sarah Palin say that the difference between a pit bull and a hockey mom was lipstick. This Obama utterance is not exactly presidential, to put it mildly.

Must Read

If anyone things that deeming an embryo a human person from conception is merely a matter of private, religious belief (such as Joe Biden), please read Embryo: A Defense of Human Life (Doubleday, 2008) by Robert George and Christopher Tollefsen.

Sarah Palin and Homosexual Change

The AP is upset that Sarah Palin's church believes that homosexuals can become heterosexual through prayer. What exactly is the moral offense here?

It seems that being a homosexual has become a sacred/secular right for many, something that is intrinsically good and must never be questioned. But what if a religious person who is a homosexual wants to change and believes God and the church can help him or her change? How is that in any way wrong? How can it be objectionable to help someone who wants to change in this way? Apparently, the wrongdoing comes by claiming that homosexuality is something that one needs to recover from, something abnormal.

Yet this is the historic teaching of the church and is affirmed repeatedly in the Bible. It is a part of Christianity rightly so called. But no one should be forced to become a Christian, and no homosexual should be badgered or harassed about their sexual status. Rather, the church should teach what the Bible affirms and invite people to seek help.

It is a fallen world and not all who seek a change in their orientation will find it. However, some miraculously change (one such story was told to me by a credible man who experienced this first hand), some change over time (I have a friend in this category), and some live with their condition, but honor God by not acting it out (I know people in this situation as well). Exodus International offers hope in these areas.

The leftist media is pummelling Palin for anything they don't like about her religion. But they avoid the truth claims of Christianity and its rational defense (apologetics). They presuppose secularism (homosexuality is a nonmoral issue, since relativism is true) and they attack any religion that makes moral judgments concerning sexual practices. They deem it fine to undergo sex change surgery, but it is wrong to seek to change one's sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual through prayer.

Joe Biden and the Fact/Value Dichotomy

Joe Biden on human life from The NY Times today:

"I’m prepared as a matter of faith to accept that life begins at the moment of conception.”

You don't need religious faith to believe that, Mr. Biden. You only need an elementary knowledge of biology. Conception is the beginning of life. There is no controversy over this in the scientific literature. At that point, one receives a full and unique (unless one is twin) genetic code. At that point one is human with a human trajectory--unless one is aborted.

Does Biden take his "faith" to be fact? If so, then human life is being savaged in this country on a daily, hourly basis--over one million abortions a year. As a Roman Catholic, Biden should oppose abortion on demand and work to protect human life. But he is stuck in the fact/value dichotomy:

Values, religious faith, beyond reason
-------------------------------------
Fact, science, evidence, reason

Francis Schaeffer wrote about this dichotomy years ago in his brilliant work, The God Who is There (1968). Joe Biden should read it, but he won't. His faith is private, personal, and has no purchase on political policy. In other words, it is profoundly unbiblical.

One More Time: What an Obama Presidency Would Mean

Let me put it plainly: Too many Christians are supporting Obama. Perhaps they do not understand the implications of an Obama Presidency. Consider just three issues: unborn human life, terrorism, and poverty.

Abortion:

All humans are made in God's image and are such from conception. God forbids murder (unlawful killing). The killing of the unborn is, therefore, immoral and sinful--especially so, since they are utterly helpless. They are among "the least of these" that Jesus told us to care for. (I take abortion to save the life of the mother to not be sinful, but this accounts for only a minute percentage of abortions in the US).

1. Obama would sign The Freedom of Choice Act if it comes to his desk. This would annul every state or local restriction on abortion in the 50 states.

2. Obama would appoint several Supreme Court justices. They would be pro-choice with a vengeance, thus wiping out the possibility of reversing Roe v. Wade, which (along with Doe v. Bolton) opened the floodgates to abortion on demand in the United States. In other words, over 40,000,000 legal abortions in the United States since 1973.

3. Obama would fund abortions through tax payer's money. That is chapter and verse from the Democratic Platform.

4. Obama even opposed the ban on partial birth abortions, and would likely do what he could to bring them back. He opposed a born-alive statute in Illinois that would have allowed hospitals to save aborted babies that survived their own execution.

5. Obama admits he is an ignoramus on when a fetus gets any human rights. It is "above his pay grade." He has also said that we don't know when human life begins. This is a crock. Biology tells us life begins at conception (once a complete genetic code comes into being); since that life comes from humans, it is human life from conception. What else could it be? This is not difficult. But even if one is not sure when human life begins, that does not justify abortion on demand! We should, rather, err on the side of caution, given the momentous stakes at hand.

The National Right to Life gave Obama a rating of o%--the worst possible. The National Abortion Rights Action League gave him a rating of 100%--the best possible. See their documentation of Obama and Biden's views on abortion.

John McCain has become more pro-life recently. He said at Saddleback Community Church that the fetus has human rights from the beginning. He is the polar opposite of Obama on this, as is Sarah Palin.

Terrorism:

Evil is real in the world. The Bible does not forbid the use of force in a just cause. The innocent should be protected against attack.

1. Obama has no military experience. In fact, he has anti-military associations, such as William Ayers, a confessed bomber of American military sites. Like most political liberals, he views terrorism as a criminal justice question, not one of military concern. He has opposed funding for the Iraq war and would likely lose that war if elected, thus turning Iraq into a bloodbath and likely a terrorist stronghold, with the Iranians reigning down on it like vultures. They are already supporting terrorism around the world.

2. Obama views himself as a "world citizen" and would conform to international pressures rather than putting the US first. This would weaken us and make us more vulnerable to attack and lessen our ability to do good in the world.

McCain is a military man and has served in the Senate for over twenty years, getting more experience on these matters. He supported the recently successful troop surge (when it was unpopular) and realizes we cannot pull out of Iraq until the job is done.

The Poor:

Some Christians are deceived into thinking that political liberalism is better for the poor than conservatism. So, since the Bible tells us to care about the poor and the oppressed, we should support the Democrats. Not so fast. Saying you care about them and actually providing meaningful assistance are two different things. The liberal mindset is based on centralized, tax-funded programs. This slows down the economy and encourages dependence. This was the lesson of President Johnson's "War on Poverty." Poverty won. Read Winning the Race by John McWhorter (an African American) on that.

The conservative approach is to limit the power of the state, to cut taxes, and to give people more freedom to develop their skills and work on and give to the causes that concern them. It is not "Let them eat cake," but is based on a different philosophy of economics.

Moreover it is a leftwing fable that conservatives don't care about the poor. Studies show that conservatives give four times more to charity than do liberals. This is because liberals think the state should do this work, not individuals and private associations. (See Arthur C. Brooks, Who Really Cares? and The Acton Institute.)

McCain has articulated his concerns to help those out of work get reeducated and those without adequate health coverage to have more options. However, he does not want to socialize medicine and create a huge bureaucracy.

It is not an option for Christians to neglect the poor and marginalized. However, it is far from obvious that the Democrats have the best plan to help these people. They would certainly not help the unborn, the poorest and most marginalized of all.

Conservatives, Liberals, and Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin is shaking up the political and religious scene in several fascinating ways. With no attempt to be systematic or thorough, here are several observations on the passing scene.

1. Gov. Palin has attained the feminist dream, "having it all." She is a wife, mother, and successful politician and poised for greater influence than ever. However, she is not a liberal feminist, since she is Christian, pro-life, and politically conservative. This rankles liberal feminists to no end. What the heck happened?

2. Yes, you conservatives who hate "feminism" in all its forms, she has achieved something impossible without feminism: political success and a functioning, traditional family. Rush Limbaugh today said that "all feminism is BS." Well, without it, Rush, we'd have no Sarah Palin, your "babe." It's time that conservatives realize that feminism was never all bad. Its central premise (supported by the Bible itself) is that men and women are equal in their nature and potential for service and leadership. Gender differences do not make an essential difference in intelligence, savy, or leadership. Feminism went wrong when it became secular and liberal--something it was not originally in the latter 19th Century in America. Read Rebecca Merrill Groothuis's treatment of this in Women Caught in the Conflict. It is a good antidote to historical amnesia, a pandemic today.

3. Some conservatives, such as Richard Land, are swooning over Palin, and hope she will be elected; but they are quick to assert that, of course, she could never lead a church or do anything but unilaterally submit to her husband. This makes no sense at all. She can be a heartbeat from the presidency of the most influential nation on earth, but she cannot correct her husband if he is wrong. She can address the nation and political leaders from around the world, but she cannot be a pastor and give a sermon to fifty people on Sunday morning.

Of course, Land and others think the Bible forbids women from being pastors or equal partners in the home. As one with a high view of the Bible, I disagree with this exegesis, which is wooden and ignores larger redemptive themes in Scripture as well as the clear examples of women leaders, the foremost of whom is Deborah, a woman who held the supreme secular and religious authority over Israel and who is only praised in Scripture (Judges 4-5). And, no, God did not select her because no men were available. That must be read into the text (eisegesis); it cannot be extracted from the text (exegesis). Perhaps Sarah Palin is another Deborah--or, at least a Deborah in training.

4. The liberal media gives the religion of Obama a pass and does not hold against him the racist rantings of his twenty-year pastor, Jeremiah Wright (although Obama realized he had to distance himself from Wright after the Internet exploded with Wright's extremist pronouncements). But the liberal media will descend on Palin's religion and deem her a "holy roller," since she has a background in the Pentecostal Assemblies of God. This is how it works: religion held by a leftist is sacrosanct since it inspires him (Obama) to justice and goodness; religion held by a conservative is dangerous and fanatical, since you never know what a God-obsessed person (Palin) might do.

People Who Live Without TV

Robert Velarde sent me this link about TV-free living.

Doug Groothuis Preaching in Littleton

I will be preaching at both services (9:00 and 11:00) at Calvary South Denver (9052 West Ken Caryl Avenue, Littleton, CO 80128) on Sunday, September 7. My text is Acts 19:1-20: "Spirituality--True and False."

On John McCain

One thing struck my wife and me tonight as we watched John McCain's acceptance speech at the Republican Convention. He repeatedly stressed the need to live and serve a cause greater than oneself, to not take the credit but serve others--lessons he learned in a Vietnamese jail cell.

The message was not personality-driven, but focused on ideals and ways to achieve them. He made few references to his opponent, which was presidential and fitting. Those points had been made in spades yesterday by Sarah Palin and Rudy Gulianni. But his life and message made the contrast utterly clear.

John McCain has a compelling story and gave a convincing speech. Despite my disagreements with some of his previous stances, I respect him and believe he tries to put principle above personality and fame. He has grown through the campaign as has my appreciation of him.

The choice should be clear. The choice is titanic.

Transcending Expectations: Sarah Palin in St. Paul

Before you are infected with mainstream media deconstructions of Sarah Palin's speech before the Republican Convention tonight (I refuse to consult them for a time, having just watched the speech), please consider the rumination of The Constructive Curmudgeon.

1. Governor Palin needed to impress the country with ideas, dynamism, and courage. She did so splendidly. She was composed, passionate, articulate, funny, and presentable--all after six days in the heat of the shameless national spotlight.

2. She emphasized the benefits of her unconventional background, thus resonating with many Americans wary of Washington insiders and elites. She has executive experience and has been an agent of real and significant change for the better in Alaska. She has a common touch without being overly folksy.

3. She was not afraid to unmask Barack Obama for what he is: a hyperreality. A hyperreality is an image that has no referent, like a cartoon or video game character. Yet, that hyperreality is taken to be the essence of reality, since people stoped caring about truth and are content with impressions. No, she did not use that term from media criticism (and often used by Jean Baudrillard); but she told the truth about the man who wasn't there, the man who wrote two memiors, but has authored no significant legislation, the man who looks good, but has accomplished nothing of substance. He is the first hyperreal presidential candidate. Her comments about there being nothing left after you bring back the Styrofoam Greek columns said it all: the Styrofoam candidate.

She told the truth about Obama's inability to face the evils of terrorism, his worship of gigantic government, and his love of hugh tax hikes. (She did not mention his militantly pro-abortion stance, but that is already well known.)

Sarah Palin told the truth about Obama--and she did so with spunk, spirit, humor, and verve. No, you mainstream pundits, it was not shrill (a term I'm sure they will use), it was solid and galvanizing for those willing to pay attention. Consider these zingers:

• "Some candidates use change to promote their careers. John McCain has used his career to promote change. "
• "The presidency is not supposed to be a journey of personal discovery.
  

4. Much has been made of Governor Palin being a woman. All I can say from this speech and what I know about her is that she certainly is a woman, a feminine woman, and a woman who is comfortable in her own skin (like Ronald Reagan). But this woman is not afraid to exercise her powers or to unmask pretenders. Who said leadership is (only) male?

5. Palin gave a ringing endorsement of John McCain, emphasizing his strengths and acheivements. She did not hog the stage, but commended the man who wisely chose her. He served and suffered for his country, he understands the military and terrorism, he does not worship big government as the answer to everything.

Sarah Palin transcended my expectations and my prayers were answered. It's a new race, and I'm committed.

Colson on Palin

Please read Charles Colson on the Sarah Palin selection. I plan to watch speech at the convention tonight, a rare TV-moment for the CC.

Making the Best of the Bad: Sarah Palin's Daughter's Pregnancy

Gov. Palin's 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, is pregnant out of wedlock. This is wrong, since sex should be reserved for marriage.

This is Sarah Palin's statement:

Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support. Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family. We ask the media to respect our daughter and Levi's privacy, as has always been the tradition of children of candidates.

Consider what the family did right:

1. The girl went to her parents instead of having an abortion.
2. The girl will marry the father, thus giving the child a biological family. This could only be done with the support of the parents. (Giving up unexpected children for adoption can sometimes we the right thing to do; abortion is always the wrong thing.)
3. This is another indicator that the Palin's are pro-life when it counts: keeping a Downs baby and keeping an unexpected pregnancy.

Compare the Palin's approach with Obama's comment that he wants abortion safe and legal because he wouldn't want one of his daughters to be "punished with a pregnancy" if they conceived out of wedlock.

It's a fallen world. Good families have difficult problems due to sinful choices. My estimation of Sarah Palin has not dropped one bit. I am further moved to support and pray for her and her family.

Autobiography is not Character

Charles Krauthammer argues that Obama's appearance at the DNC lacked any solid testimonial evidence by others concerning his character as a national, public leader. That is no small omission. Instead, Obama has brilliantly built himself up through two autobiographies (the man is only 46!) and through deft posturing. In other words, Obama has fans, but no credible witnesses to his character. He is entirely fabricated. The only solid thing about him is his pro-abortion extremism, the worst possible feature for a politician to have.

The Dark Side of Globalization

My church, Wellspring Anglican Church, is co-sponsoring a conference on human trafficking. This is from the web page:

The U.S. Department of State estimates between 600,000 and 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders each year. Millions more are enslaved within national borders. Human trafficking is truly a world-wide phenomenon -- paradoxically hidden in the shadows and out in the open for all to see.

This is part of the underside of globalization: a global slave trade has reemerged. Slavery even exists in the United States! Please attend this important conference, to be held at Greenwood Community Church on October 25. Please see Human Trafficking Awareness Conference for more.

Drive by Bloggers

I notice that many posters on the CC are anonymous. I will not forbid this, but it lessens the moral weight of what is said. I have never published anything anonymously; nor have I used a ghost writer. We should own our words, written or spoken. And, by the way, God knows our address.

Doug Groothuis Radio Appearance

I will be on "Backbone Radio" (KNUS-AM) Sunday, August 31, from 7:00-7:30 to discuss Obama, Abortion, and Evangelicals.

The Truth

Someone sent me this. I don't know if it is real or computer generated. Either way, it speaks the truth about the Democrats.

The Democrats' Value Problem

This is from GOPUSA on the Democrat's Party Platform:

Special Rights for Gay Couples: "We support the full inclusion of all families, including same-sex couples, in the life of our nation, and support equal responsibility, benefits, and protections. We will enact a comprehensive bipartisan employment non-discrimination act. We oppose the Defense of Marriage Act and all attempts to use this issue to divide us."

Taxpayer-Funded Abortions: "The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay, and we oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right." According to the Grand Rapids Press, "The plank in support of abortion rights is even stronger than usual....Gone is the phrase from the past that abortions should be safe, legal and 'rare." (Editorial, Grand Rapids Press, 8/26/08)

Here is a clever piece by David Brooks on the Democratic Convention.

Hurray for Sarah Palin and Alaska

Strange surges of emotion came over me today after hearing of Sen. John McCain's selection of Governor Sarah Palin as his vice presidential candidate. Only the evening before had I realized that Ms. Palin--the Governor of the state where I was born and grew up--was a serious contender. I was overjoyed when I read of the selection. Given the present political climate, joy over anything political is not a common emotion for me.

Gov. Palin has made a mark by fighting corruption in high places. She has even taken on Sen. Ted Stevens, a forty-year veteran of Alaska politics and a fellow republican. (I went to school with his son and my father knew him.) She took on the political establishment and beat a long-time politician in the race for governor. Her approval ratings in Alaska are in the stratosphere, and Alaskans are not easy to please. They are independent, tough, and carry with them a frontier spirit. Many living Alaskans, such as my mother, can remember living in Alaska when it was not a state, but a territory. I was born in the territory of Alaska on January 3, 1957--two years to the day before "the battle for statehood" was won. Alaskans were thrilled to join the union as the forty-ninth state.

Gov. Palin is not a Washington insider, but a leader who felt a call to service where she lived, "the last frontier." She was known as "Sarah Barracuda" on her high school basketball team (because of ther tenacity), but also became Miss Wasilla and was named Miss Congeniality. Quite a combination, that. She is ardently pro-life and recently gave birth to a Downs baby, whom she never considered aborting. Sadly, 80% of Downs children are now aborted, a sad testimony to our culture of preference. It is a near genocide in the name of designer children. But the Palins showed the character to support and celebrate their offspring, who joins four previous siblings in the land of living. The Palins are Christians, who believe that all humans--born and unborn--are made in God's image and likeness and are, therefore, of unique worth and have a right to life.

Sen. McCain benefits greatly from this choice, since Ms. Palin is a fiscal conservative, pro-life, young, attractive, and articulate. Unlike Sen. Obama, she has executive experience and got to where she is by fighting corruption instead of being part of a notoriously corrupt political machine. (On this, see David Fredosso's book, The Case Against Barack Obama.) While some may dismiss her as a new governor of a sparsely populated state, Alaska is not easy to govern and Gov. Palin has started very well. It is geographically the largest state in the union (sorry Texans), suffers from extreme weather conditions, and is far removed from the contiguous 48 states. And as I said, Alaskans are a spirited lot.

So, if I may wax a bit autobiographical and even emotive (having now lost half my readers), why was I so moved at hearing John McCain introduce Gov. Palin? I was surprised that I wiping away tears as I listened to the radio as I was driving to school. I was proud that a fellow Alaskan, fellow conservative, fellow pro-life, fellow fiscally conservative woman (elected to office, not appointed by affirmative action) had attained this position of significance.

Hurray for Governor Sarah Palin, Senator John McCain, and for Alaska!

Here is a June, 2007, article on Governor Palin by Fred Barnes.

Politics

Another reason not to vote for Obama or any pro-choice Democrat.

For the record, I'm rooting for Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska, as VP for McCain.

Doug Groothuis Review of "Philosophers Without Gods"

My review of Philosophers Without gods: Meditations on Atheism and the Secular Life, edited by Louise Antony and published by Oxford University Press, 2007, has been published in The Christian Research Journal, Volume 31, number 4 (2008). It is not on line, but I recommend the journal to you. I have been writing for it since 1986.

Republican Party Platform

This just in from The National Right to Life. What follows is part of The Republican Party Platform:

Faithful to the first guarantee of the Declaration of Independence, we assert the inherent dignity and sanctity of all human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed. We support a human life amendment to the Constitution, and we endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment's protections apply to unborn children. We oppose using public revenues to promote or perform abortion and will not fund organizations which advocate it. We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity and dignity of innocent human life.

We have made progress. The Supreme Court has upheld prohibitions against the barbaric practice of partial-birth abortion. States are now permitted to extend health-care coverage to children before birth. And the Born Alive Infants Protection Act has become law; this law ensures that infants who are born alive during an abortion receive all treatment and care that is provided to all newborn infants and are not neglected and left to die. We must protect girls from exploitation and statutory rape through a parental notification requirement. We all have a moral obligation to assist, not to penalize, women struggling with the challenges of an unplanned pregnancy. At its core, abortion is a fundamental assault on the sanctity of innocent human life. Women deserve better than abortion. Every effort should be made to work with women considering abortion to enable and empower them to choose life. We salute those who provide them alternatives, including pregnancy care centers, and we take pride in the tremendous increase in adoptions that has followed Republican legislative initiatives.

Respect for life requires efforts to include persons with disabilities in education, employment, the justice system, and civic participation. In keeping with that commitment, we oppose the non-consensual withholding of care or treatment from people with disabilities, as well as the elderly and infirm, just as we oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide, which endanger especially those on the margins of society....

Compare this to the Democratic Party Platform, which applauds Roe v. Wade and says that all women have the right to abortion, whether or not they can pay for it. That means that taxpayers should pay for other people's abortions, even if they view abortion as morally wrong.

Muggeridge on Darwinism, 1980

I myself am convinced that the theory of evolution, especially the extent to which it’s been applied, will be one of the great jokes in the history books of the future. Posterity will marvel that so very flimsy and dubious an hypothesis could be accepted with the incredible credulity that it has.--Malcolm Muggeridge, The End of Christendom (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1980), 59.

Prayer at the Democratic Convention

Donald Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz closed the Democratic Convention tonight in prayer. I offer a few comments:

1. He prays that we should care for people, not just causes. The Democratic platform and its candidate does not recognize unborn humans as persons. Thus, it endorses aborting over a million of them a year legally for any reason or no reason.

2. He prays they should care for "the least of these," of course, not including the utterly silent, helpless, and fragile unborn humans in this category. A condor egg has more rights than an unborn human in the US--and the Democrats do not care.

3. He speaks of concern for "children," but excludes the youngest children: unborn children.

4. He prays in the name of Jesus, but only says Jesus died "to fight the forces of injustice." That leaves out the most basic reason Jesus died: to atone for our sins and set us right with God. Yes, Jesus' death had social and political consequences, but not without atonement and propitiation. That was omitted from the teleprompter prayer.

5. Much more could be said about how the prayer was framed according to a left-wing perspective on issues, but enough is enough. Donald Miller was the chaplain for The Party of Abortion on Demand. No prophets were to be found. Maybe a few of them will get arrested outside the gate.

Shame on You

Here is an utterly vacuous endorsement of Obama by Brian McLaren and others. Obama has been married for 16 years and has two "beautiful children." So, elect him as the leader of the free world!

This clip is sponsored by "Matthew 25"! That chapter features vs. 31-46 where Jesus speaks of caring for "the least of these." Of course, in McLaren and Obama's minds, that doesn't include the unborn--or those born alive after failed abortions.

Obama is for "the family," supposedly, but refuses to support The Marriage Amendment, which would insure that marriage is not redefined by the courts as same-sex unions.

Those who think (instead of gaze agog) should not be fooled. See John 7:24.

Propositions to Ponder Concerning the Presidency

1. No important decision a President of the United States makes is read off a teleprompter.

2. Any presidential candidate that thinks Roe v. Wade is good constitutional law is himself constitutionally aberrant. There is no "right to privacy" in the Constitution, but that is how they deconstructed it. It was, as a dissenting judge said, an act of "raw judicial power" and not logic.

3. Any presidential candidate who claims he does not know when human life begins or when a fetus gets human rights is both a moral and biological ignoramus and unfit for The White House.

4. Any presidential candidate who rises to the top in Chicago politics (the most corrupt political machine in the country) is automatically suspect.

5. Any presidential candidate who is friends with--and who has never denounced--a man who admits to bombing the Pentagon while in The Weathermen (William Ayers) is not to be trusted.

6. If a candidate is endorsed by The Communist Party USA, one has to ask why.

Os Guinness Lectures on Line

Here is a large assortment of MP3 files of lectures and sermons by Dr. Os Guinness. There is no fluff in this man; he is articulate and prophetic. I have been learning from him through his books and lectures for over 30 years.

Demonstration for Dalit Rights in India

[I received this from The Dalit Freedom Network. Please support this work for justice and human rights. "Dalit" is a word for "untouchable" in the Hindu caste system.]

LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we trust in you." 2 Chronicles 14:11

Dalit Christian leaders across India will protest injustices related to Dalit believers on August 26, 2008. Due to caste oppression, Dalits are often unable to qualify for civil job positions based on a lack of education, training or experience. Because of this disadvantage, Indian law guarantees civil jobs for Dalits through a "reservation" system that requires a designated number of job positions to be filled by Dalit workers. These reserved employment spots are not available to Dalits who profess Christian or Muslim beliefs. In response to this discrimination, thousands of Dalit Christians plan to peacefully protest by blocking the trains at railway stations in the major cities of India for thirty minutes on August 26 with the goal of gaining national attention for this injustice.

From now through August 26th, please pray that the demonstration will:

remain peaceful,

attract national media attention for the issue of rights for Dalit Christians

effectively mobilize thousands of Dalit Christians and other supporters

Cell Yell for Tykes?

Robert Velarde has an excellent article on children and cell phones on his blog. Please read it

The Moral Life in Three Dimensions

Today in my Ethics course at Metro State College of Denver, I realized that the moral life includes and demands at least three discreet, but interrelated, elements:

1. Moral evaluation: attempting to determine moral states of affairs in the world.
2. Moral affect: orienting oneself to feel the proper emotions given a successful execution of (1)
3. Moral agency: acting in the world according to knowledge (1) and proper feeling (2).

I have never put it together quite like that before. What do you think?

The Sheep and the Goats

Jesus said:


31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.


34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'


37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'


40 "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'


41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'


45 "He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'


46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Obama on "The Least of These"

America On Line reports this about Obama's remarks at Saddleback Church this evening, where he appeared with John McCain.

Obama said that the country's greatest moral failure was not doing enough for its underprivileged.
"We still don't abide by that basic precept of Matthew -- whatever you do to the least of my brothers, you do to me," Obama said.

Physician, heal thyself! Who is lesser, more vulnerable, less able to speak out than an unborn human being? The unborn have fewer rights than endangered species in the United States. Over one million of them are legally aborted each year, and have been since 1973. Obama would keep abortion "safe and legal" by signing The Freedom of Choice Act, which would nullify all state restrictions on abortion. He would appoint only pro-choice judges to the Supreme Court and Federal Courts. He would send more your tax dollars to Planned Parenthood and other "abortion providers (what a euphemism). He would oppose any ban on partial birth abortions, since that what he did as a State Senator. He would support foreign aid for abortions. Remember, he proudly sports a perfect (100%) voting record on abortion according to The National Abortion Rights Action League. His National Right to Life rating is 0%--the worst possible.

Senator Obama, if you are going to unctuously quote the Bible to try to impress ignorant Christians, at least some of us are going to turn that Book back on you. And we will remember that we, too, will be evaluated by its truths.

When Humans Disappear: Take One

The Qwest Internet service was down--again. A robot asks a series of questions, all heartfelt, of course. I am transferred to "a representative" who is not there either, since it is Saturday. Vacuity upon vacuity, it is.

How does one speak with a bot? One may yell and call names, which are never heard or even processed. Should one be kind, just as Kant said we should be kind to animals--not because animals have rights, but because our bad behavior to animals might spill over to how we treat humans?

Of this I am sure: talking to bots dehumanizes us. We take what is distinctively human--our words, our voice--and direct it (ourselves) to what cannot hear, but pretends to hear, to what cannot respond, but pretends to respond. Data exchange replaces dialogue. Why? The answer is one word, a word that dominates us (usually without our knowledge): efficiency. Bots are faster and cheaper for business. It matters not what they do to us, the humans, the unplugged.

Senator, Come to Your Senses!

Sen. John McCain is floating the idea of choosing a pro-choice vice president. Unless Sen. McCain can justify political suicide, I don't recommend it. He is already on very thin ice with Reaganite conservatives, and truly pro-life evangelicals (and, yes, those categories overlap). No truly pro-life evangelical can vote for Obama, by the way, for reasons articulated here before. If you wonder about Obama's record on abortion, read the chapter on this in The Case Against Barack Obama by Freddoso.

To chose a pro-choice vice-president (like Tom Ridge or Joe Leiberman) would be to bow toward the culture of death. You don't want those who favor the slaughter of the innocents (over one million a year) on your team. This kind of diversity should be put in the dumpster. This is not simply a minor matter of political opinion. It touches the fundamentals of morality, law, and culture.

If McCain chooses a pro-choice VP, many pro-life people will either stay home or vote for a protest candidate. In fact, the Republican convention could get ugly under such as circumstance. It certainly wouldn't be a coronation.

Doug Groothuis on Denver Radio Program Today

I will be on Gino Geraci's radio talk show (KRKS, 94.7 FM) Friday, August 15, from 4:00-600, discussing Obama, Abortion, and Evangelicals. I was quoted today in The Washington Times on this issue.

End Point

The fake,

the fraud,

the phony,

the pseudo,

the faux,

Will be revealed,

not concealed,

in

the End.

Impressed by China: Historical Amnesia Strikes Again

David Brooks, editorialist for The New York Times, reflects on invidualism and collectivism in light of the China Olympics. He is quite taken with the open ceremonies in Bejing that highlighted the harmony and collectivism of the Chinese people. He wonders if individualism, Western-style, will hold up globally and historically. Perhaps collectivism has something to offer that we miss. Brooks writes:

The opening ceremony in Beijing was a statement in that conversation. It was part of China’s assertion that development doesn’t come only through Western, liberal means, but also through Eastern and collective ones.

The ceremony drew from China’s long history, but surely the most striking features were the images of thousands of Chinese moving as one — drumming as one, dancing as one, sprinting on precise formations without ever stumbling or colliding. We’ve seen displays of mass conformity before, but this was collectivism of the present — a high-tech vision of the harmonious society performed in the context of China’s miraculous growth.

If Asia’s success reopens the debate between individualism and collectivism (which seemed closed after the cold war), then it’s unlikely that the forces of individualism will sweep the field or even gain an edge.

Brooks utterly ignores the totalitarian nature and history of the Chinese authorities. Collectivism means top-down uniformity and conformity to a Marxist-Maoist ideal. Mao, the great Murderer of the Twentieth Century, has not been renounced. Marxist allows for some economic freedom in order to gain power. This was true even under Lenin the USSR. However, it cannot allow for political and social liberty, which threatens its statism (political idolatry: see Ezekiel 28:1-10). China continues to squelch dissent, which includes persecuting the underground church, as Brother Yun dramatically narrates in The Heavenly Man. It reaches around the world through economic and political infiltration. This includes buying up as much valuable goods and land as possible in underdeveloped Africa. It supports genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

One should hark back to 1939 when the world was so impressed by another Olympics and another government. Remember Germany and its lavish displays of Aryan sensibilities. Consider this description of Hitler's Olympic spectacle, written by Jeffrey O. Segrave, writing for George Mason University's "History News Network":

From the very beginning of the project, Hitler recognized the political value of architecture as a vehicle to proselytize Nazi Socialism and he mandated that not only should the stadium be constructed entirely with German materials but that in appearance it must enhance the collective tribalism that would resurrect the majesty of the Volk. One of German fascism's first major architectural statements, the entire Wagnerian scale venue reflected the chauvinistic agenda of the Third Reich: statues and reliefs celebrated Aryan athletic youth, the Maifeld's four stone pylons were named after early Germanic tribes (Frisian, Franconian, Saxon, and Schwabian), and the Dietrich Eckart Amphitheater underscored Greco-German links--both real and imagined--to the new regime. Even the Olympic Village was laid out in the form of the map of Germany with the main dining hall representing the city of Berlin. On May 1st, 1939, Hitler appropriately employed the viewing stand at the Olympic Stadium for his May Day address during which he expounded upon his theory of "Lebensraum." On September 1st he put his theory into practice and invaded Poland.

"Study history. Study History"--Winston Churchill.

Obama: Abortion Absolutist

Pat Buchanan is dead-on in his editorial, "The Catholic Case Against Obama." Every point he makes should be endorsed by Evangelical Protestants as well. Consider Buchanan's chilling statement:

"In 2007, Barack pledged that, in his first act as president, he will sign the Freedom of Choice Act, which would cancel every federal, state or local regulation or restriction on abortion. The National Organization for Women says it would abolish all restrictions on government funding of abortion."

My God, consider the implications of this! All the incremental restrictions on abortion, won state-by state, over the years since 1973, wiped out with a signature. This is an act of congress brought forth after the ban on partial birth abortion was signed into law. Make no mistake, Obama supports partial birth abortion.

Please read this telling editorial. If you are in any sense pro-life (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, or other), how can you vote for this "abortion absolutist"?

Blog Fumigation

I just discovered that a white racist was putting comments on my post about Obama's Muslim upbringing. I had not checked the thread for a few days and didn't know what was going on. He is now banned and I have a fuller explanation posted in that discussion. Consider it a fumigation.

For the record, I have nothing but contempt and loathing for all white supremacist ideas, individuals, or organizations. My beef with Obama concerns his ideology and character, not his skin color. I was sincerely hoping that Condoleeza Rice would run for president. I would have supported her. All people are made in God's image and likeness, all are sinners, all need the grace of God in Christ, and all can be used for Kingdom purposes as they submit to God.

I have closed comments on the recent Obama post. But simply because a racist (or someone posing as such to try to make me look bad) tried to hijack The Constructive Curmudgeon doesn't mean I won't continue to critique Barack Obama.

China Wall

The Olympic facade
over The Great Wall
(keeping truth out and repression in)
should fool
no one.

One Word of Truth...

Alexander Solzehenitsyn, Russian literary giant and prophet of freedom, has died at age 89. This man dared to tell the truth about the Soviet system of repression through his novels and speeches. Thirty years ago, he came to Harvard and told America the truth about itself. I remember watching this address on television and noting the bemused responses by the commentators.

Please reread--or read for the first time--this historic speech by a hero of our time, who along with Pope John Paul, II, Margaret Thatcher, and Ronald Reagan, were instrumental in bringing down the monster called Russian Communism. Sadly, Chinese Communism is still alive and lying to the world as best it can.

"One word of truth outweighs the world'--Russian Proverb.

Here are three gems from the speech (pointed out to me by a faithful CC reader):

"When a government starts an earnest fight against terrorism, public opinion immediately accuses it of violating the terrorist's civil rights."

"How many hasty, immature, superficial, and misleading judgments are expressed every day, confusing readers, without any verification. The press -- The press can both simulate public opinion and miseducate it."

"A person who works and leads a meaningful life does not need this excessive burdening flow of information."

Obama's Muslim Upbringing

Daniel Pipes, a credible scholar of Islam, claims that Obama was raised a Muslim, despite Obama's claims to the contrary. The implications are (1) Obama is lying about his past (2) If he was raised a Muslim and is not now practicing it, then he is considered an infidel in Islam and ought to be executed. That is a keep principle of Islamic law. This could have significant political implications if he were to be elected president.

Notice that Pipes is not claiming that Obama is now a Muslim.

Dutch Historian Speaks to Today

One of our graduates from Denver Seminary, Jedd McFatter, recently sent me these quotes from an obscure source, not impertinent to our day (and presidential election).

----------

Interesting quotes from great Dutch Historian Johan Huizinga, written in an essay about the Spirit of the Netherlands in 1935:

"Not much psychological knowledge is needed to realize that emotive words can very easily be used to cause the unformed intellect to suspend independent judgment, if not forever, at least until there is some rude awakening. When judgment drops the reains, the harnessed instinct runs away with the cart."

"The average man of small leisure parrots opinions continuously drilled into him by every possible power of persuasion."

"The belief that what is evil becomes good if only enough people want it is one of the most terrifying abberations of our age."

Tenth Printing of Truth Decay: Some Reflections

My publisher, InterVarsity Press, has sent me a copy of the tenth printing of Truth Decay: Defending Christianity Against the Challenges of Postmodernism (2000). There are 24, 934 copies in print. Why mention this, outside of crass self-promotion? It is remarkable to me that a philosophical and theological critique of the many aspects of postmodernism--artistic, ethical, theological, philosophical--would stay in print this long and sell this many copies. I am not blowing my own horn, I am simply thankful. Of course, 25,000 copies is a hiccop for J. R. Rowling or Eckhart Tolle, but it isn't bad for a book with footnotes and arguments written by a curmudgeon.

My central thesis is that Christianity is a worldview that is inexplicable apart from its claim to objective, absolute, universal, and knowable truth. It is only by articulating, defending, and applying this view of truth that we can commend the Christian message in its fullness today and tomorrow.

This book has its detractors; it probably got more bad reviews than any of my other books. But it also won awards, including a second place in apologetics (or social criticism) from Christianity Today. (Getting no reviews is worse: a fate experienced by several of the other books.) Some expected the book to be an in depth textually dense analysis of Foucault, Derrida, Rorty, et al. (I did go into the most detail with Richard Rorty, partially because he wrote in intelligible prose.) They were disappointed, since that was not the purpose of the book. Some criticized my use of secondary sources, but the vast majority of footnotes were not to secondary sources. Moreover, quoting a secondary source does not mean it is wrong! The book received endorsements by academics such as C. Stephan Evans, Winfried Corduan, and J.P. Moreland. Moreover, Millard Erickson's Truth or Consequences (IVP, 2001) goes into considerably more detail in exegeting the likes of Derrida, et al, and comes up with essential the same conclusions as I did. Many wanted an embrace of postmodernism as "the next big thing." They, of course, were repulsed and disgusted and called the book all manner of names.

Eight years on, I think the book holds up fairly well. It should give insights to those trying understand the philosophy behind "the emerging church," although that movement (which more headline than text, I think--and hope) was not yet named in 2000.

One reason why some critics attacked the book is that it is written at an intermediate level. It has loads of footnotes and arguments, but it is not an academic tome per se. Neither is it a memoir (my precious thoughts on postmodernism) or a breezy treatment (postmodernism for dummies). I was taken by the idea of writing at an intermediate level in 1980 after listening to a remarkable lecture by Os Guinness from a series of lectures he gave in Houston, Texas called, "The Defense Never Rests." (Some years ago this was available from Ligonier Ministries.) Guinness claimed that the church suffers from the want of literature that makes more scholarly ideas accessible. Yet his kind of writing gets hit from both above and below. Academics call it "popular"--the death sentence. Nonacademics may get frustrated with the demands that this writing makes on them. Exemplars of this manner of writing are Francis Schaeffer, Os Guinness, Nancy Pearcey, James Sire, and Charles Colson (who usually works with a co-writer).

I recently received a request from a man in Iran for a copy of this book. May it stay in print as long as it glorifies God and advances the Kingdom. Of course, God is the final judge of its worth.

Safe?

Google says they accidently targetted blog as spam. Well, well. 900 posts were in danger by a bot. We hope we are safe now.

The New York Sun ran an article in which some claim their anti-Obama blog posts were frozen deliberately. I take no position, but think about it.

Constructive Curmudgeon in Danger of Deletion

"When humans disappear, things get strange."--Rebecca Merrill Groothuis

It looks like this Google warning about being automatically labeled a "spam blog" is real. However, the link Google sent me does not go to what they say: a review form. Moreover, they say they get "false positives" (they sure did with me!) and will freeze pages that are not in fact spam blogs. Impersonal technology strikes again. There is a grace period and then will delete. Good night! Maybe Obama is after me.

Can anyone help? Humans are getting locked out by the computers.

Question and warning

I just got an email supposedly from Google saying that if I did not fill out a form, they might delete my blog because they suspect it is a "Spam Blog."This sounds very phishy. I have yet done nothing. Does anyone know about this?

I am back from a short trip to Alaska. So beware! Curmudgeon is back in season.