Grasshoppers, Elections, and One Very Special Email

A week ago today I could not shake the feeling that November 6, 2012 was a day that my children’s children would look back on and say, “That day was the beginning of the real end of America.”

 

From my perspective in the spiritually dark Washington state, things could not get any worse after this year's presidential election.  Voters here legalized recreational marijuana, legalized homosexual marriage, elected a slate of anti-God leaders, and voted to re-elect the most liberal president of all time.  It would be a true statement to say that I was depressed after voting in my second presidential election. 

 

And then I thought to flip back in my journal four years ago to the night of my first presidential election, and what I read from my eighteen-year old’s heart brought tears to my eyes.  I share the gist of it with you here with the hope that it will encourage your heart:

 

Someday every knee will bow to Christ and every stammering tongue will confess His Lordship.  I, though I so often resist my Lord, will bow.  Barack Obama will bow.  The vilest murderer on death row will bow. 

Isaiah 40:21-23 and 25 tell the story:

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?  It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.  He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless….‘To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?’ says the Holy One.”

 

This election then is simply another step in grasshopper-man’s millenia-long plod of sin.  And God, He knows. 

 

Not a baby can be murdered without God’s knowledge.  I weep as I write that.  Yet does not God sob before He welcomes a precious little one to His safe arms?  Does not God care more than I ever could?

Yes.

 

Then I rest, not in the wisdom of the American people, but in the omniscience of God.

I rest, not in the power of my vote, but in the omnipotence of God.

I rest, not in the shortness of Obama’s term, but in the infinity of God.

I rest, not in vindictiveness towards the president-elect, but in the mercy of God.

 

I find my haven next to that unwanted baby who now feels the warmth of God’s unconditional love.  I put my hands into the palms of God’s; I place my feet on His.

I cry, “I am as big a sinner as Barack Obama.  I do not know Your plan, but if You would use him to judge my nation, I beg that You would use me to bless it.”

–—

I went to sleep last Tuesday night with this prayer on my lips, and later on Wednesday morning was greeted with this email from my father to his family:

 

“As I was walking into my office this morning, I was blinded by a ray of sunlight breaking through the cloud-filled sky. 

  

‘Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. {Lamentations 3:22-23}’

"As I turned my gaze to the sky, there in the western horizon was a beautiful brilliant rainbow, radiating in vivid color.  My thoughts turned to the promises of Genesis 9:16 and Isaiah 59:19:

 

‘So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. {Isaiah 59:19}’”

Yes, the first Tuesday in November was a dark day.  But not for Christ-followers. 

Photo Credit: h.koppdelaney

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Don't Dare Believe in Yourself

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How many of you have seen this movie? A beautiful girl or a handsome boy has an impossible dream.  Yet a great tragedy interrupts, a debilitating injury threatens, bullies block the way, or some other plot device interferes.  Everything looks bleak, and then a beloved mentor swoops in: “Follow your dreams,” the mentor advocates.  “Believe in yourself.”  From there, of course, the movie climbs up to its tear-jerker ending with all dreams fulfilled.  I’ve seen this storyline countless times, dressed up in various ways, but with the same message.  You would think that if it was asking too much for the screenwriters to offer a correct message they could at least strive to be creative! 

G.K. Chesterton had this wisdom to offer of America’s favorite motto:

“Once I remember walking with a prosperous publisher who…said of somebody, ‘That man will get on; he believes in himself.’

…I said to him, ‘Shall I tell you where the men are who believe most in themselves?  For I can tell you.  I know of men who believe in themselves more colossally than Napoleon or Caesar.  I know where flames the fixed star of certainty and success.  I can guide you to the thrones of the Super-men. The men who really believe in themselves are all in lunatic asylums.’ 

He said mildly that there were a good many men after all who believed in themselves and who were not in lunatic asylums.

‘Yes, there are,’ I retorted, ‘and you of all men ought to know them. That drunken poet from whom you would not take a dreary tragedy, he believed in himself.  That elderly minister with an epic from whom you were hiding in a back room, he believed in himself.

'If you consulted your business experience instead of your ugly individualistic philosophy, you would know that believing in himself is one of the commonest signs of a rotter.  Actors who can't act believe in themselves; and debtors who won't pay.  It would be much truer to say that a man will certainly fail, because he believes in himself.  Complete self-confidence is not merely a sin; complete self-confidence is a weakness.  Believing utterly in one's self is a hysterical and superstitious belief...the man who has it has ‘Hanwell’ [a lunatic asylum] written on his face.’1”

You truly cannot afford to believe in yourself.  For in such self-reliance you open yourself up to all the strength and possibility you can muster, but that is no more strength than an hours-old baby!  Yes, the baby can cry out that he is self-reliant, but in the end it is the mother who answers the cry with satisfying, life-giving food. 

Likewise, for all our boasted-about self-belief, it is God who upholds our every breath!  We say follow your heart, yet the only reason that heart is still pumping is because of God’s great mercy.  Following a deceitfully wicked organ will only lead to despair. 

We say follow your dreams, yet it would be better to follow the One who gave us those dreams in the first place. 

We say believe in yourself, because in a world that says we were an accident with great-grandparents in the monkey family, we want desperately to think we are worth believing in.  John 1:12 and 13 tells us that our worth lies in our special position as precious children of God:

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Do these niceties bother you as much as they do me?  Don’t be pulled into the whirlpool by a stirring soundtrack and beautiful speeches.  Don’t you dare believe in yourself: you just might find yourself in a lunatic asylum one day.  Instead, believe in Christ who offers so much more possibility than our own brains could ever imagine:

“Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.’ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’”  (Mark 9:23-24)

1. Chesterton, G.K. Orthodoxy.  Project Gutenberg, May 1994.  Page 5. 

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Called to Deny

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“’For Christians, every day we're called to a life of biblical self-denial,’ [Alan Chambers] says. ‘We take up our cross and follow Christ, and we deny what comes naturally.’ But he says denial isn't without reward: ‘Those who reject the concept of self-denial haven't reaped the joys that come with it.’

“Self-denial isn't a new concept to Chambers. The 39-year-old president of Exodus International—a Christian ministry that helps people struggling with homosexuality—grew up in a Christian home but embraced homosexuality as a teenager. But through years of an active gay lifestyle, Chambers couldn't shake the biblical conviction that what came naturally to him was also sinful. He didn't want to be gay[1].”

Whether you call yourself a Christian or merely a “good citizen” with moral standards and codes of ethics, you choose to deny yourself every day. You deny yourself the the wish for those luxuriously supple leather shoes because you cannot afford them and you will not steal. You deny yourself the temptation to eat the last slice of double-layered chocolate fudge cake because you know your daughter will want a piece when she gets home. You avoid those friends with wrong influences, refrain from illegal drugs, and don’t pull a gun on the woman who cut in line—all because you believe in right and wrong to some extent or another.

And whether you like to admit it or not, your moral code is inextricably based on God’s moral code—His standard of absolute right and wrong laid out in Scripture and imprinted upon our conscience (see Exodus 20). For denying ourselves is not evil—it is good, and something which everyone but sociopaths and psychotics have come to terms with in one way or another. Christians, however, are called to habitually deny themselves, not because they believe themselves to be good, but because they recognize their own sin natures and rely upon the strength of God to live blameless and harmless in the world.

Although there are many moral battles for this generation, the truly current moral battle is that of homosexuality. 2011 was the first year that a majority (53%) of Americans stated that they believed homosexual marriage should be recognized by law[2]. 56% of Americans now believe that homosexuality is morally acceptable, a number which has steadily grown since the 2001 number of 40%[3]. On our watch, we have played the audience to the runaway success of homosexuality, debuting as "morality" and receiving widespread acclaim from critics.

Homosexuality, however, is morally wrong. God, through His Word, has declared it to be such. "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God (I Corinthians 6:9-10)." Homosexuals are not created differently and then unjustly turned on their head by a god who has a personal vendetta against their orientation. No, they are created in the image and likeness of God, just as I am, and they are born with a virulent sin nature, just as I am. They must deny their sin nature each and every day, just as I must, and they should be treated with the same compassion and support as I am by those who keep me accountable. Homosexuality is no different than theft, addiction, libel, bribes, or adultery--except that many of these sins are still deemed immoral and illegal by those around us.

If you are a Christian, then recognize God’s Word for what it says, and hold up that standard of Truth with love and mercy. Defend morality against the onslaught of media, politics, and liberal churches. Do not base your definition of morality upon the whims of culture, but upon the unchanging and infallible God of the universe. Stand upon God’s Word and act now: for future generations. 2012 is a year of crisis, a determining factor in this millenial battle of good versus evil. Furthermore, if you live in Washington State, you have a special task for today.

A bill (Senate Bill 6239 and House Bill 2516) is making its way to the House and Senate floors which would cause “Washington [to] join New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia in legalizing gay marriage. The state has had a domestic partnership law since 2007, and an ‘everything but marriage’ law since 2009[4].”



People line up outside an overflow room for a
Senate committee hearing on SB6239 that would legalize
same-sex marriage, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012, at the Capitol
in Olympia, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)



 One of the variations of the bill being considered would even require couples (whether straight or gay) to take each other as "spouses" instead of as "man and wife" in marriage[5]. The bill would also add a discrimination section to the Washington Marriage Code, raising the potential for future litigation of “discriminators”[6].

The liberal sponser of the bill, Rep. Jamie Pederson, D-Seattle was exhorting his supporters, but what he said has much relevance to the Christians as well: "I want to re-emphasize that we fully expect that this issue is going to end up on the ballot. People should not be complacent [7].”

Washington State needs your prayers and your action. Please use this simple form below to email your senator and representatives. And please proclaim morality in 2012.

Photo Credit: Chris Moncus. Used by permission.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[1] Dean, Jamie. "2011 Daniel of the Year: Alan Chambers: Change We Can Believe In." World 17 Dec. 2011. http://www.worldmag.com/articles/18908.

[2] Newport, Frank. "For First Time, Majority of Americans Favor Legal Gay Marriage: Republicans and Older Americans Remain Opposed." Gallup Politics. Gallup, Inc, 20 May 2011. http://www.gallup.com/poll/147662/First-Time-Majority-Americans-Favor-Legal-Gay-Marriage.aspx

[3] Jones, Jeffrey M. "Support for Legal Gay Relations Hits New High." Gallup Politics. Gallup, Inc., 25 May 2011. http://www.gallup.com/poll/147785/Support-Legal-Gay-Relations-Hits-New-High.aspx.

[4] Corte, Rachel La. "Washington Has Enough Votes to Legalize Gay Marriage." The Associated Press. The Associated Press, 23 Jan. 2012. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_XGR_GAY_MARRIAGE?SITE=NCAGW.

[5] Faust, Rebecca. "Family Policy Institute of Washington - Washington’s Voice for Families - Senate Committee Will Consider Substitute Bill." Family Policy Institute of Washington. Family Policy Institute of Washington, 22 Jan. 2012. http://www.fpiw.org/about/family-policy-blog/senate-committee-will-consider-substitute-bill.html.

[6] Fuiten, Joe. "Pastors, Are You Ready for a Gay Wedding in Your Sanctuary?" Family Policy Institute of Washington. Family Policy Institute of Washington, 17 Jan. 2012. http://www.fpiw.org/about/family-policy-blog/pastors,-are-you-ready-for-a-gay-wedding-in-your-sanctuary.html.

[7] Corte, Rachel La. "Washington Has Enough Votes to Legalize Gay Marriage." The Associated Press. The Associated Press, 23 Jan. 2012. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_XGR_GAY_MARRIAGE?SITE=NCAGW.

Foundations of Life



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Time to check your calendars! Pull out that fancy-pants phone, or that slim paper version, or that ginormous three-ring binder spreadsheet, or that good old-fashioned memory (yes, we have all kinds in our house). Consult your calendar of choice for the dates of October 7th and 8th. Free, right? (Who plans that far ahead, anyways?) Good, because you're going to want to make it a priority to attend the Foundations of Life Conference. I'll be there, but trust me--you don't want to come to see me.



You want to come to be challenged from God's Word by excellent and wise speakers. You want to come to learn about the foundation of life, Scripture, and Christianity. You want to come to fellowship with believers and find new resources. The humanistic worldview advocating evolution as the origin of the world consistently pervades our culture--it is a constant reminder of mankind's rebellion against God.

But as Christians, we have a holy mission to combat that culture:

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." ~I Peter 3:15

This excellent "trailer" gives a preview of what is to come in October:

And did I mention the conference is free? Register at http://www.foundationsconference.org/ and spread the word!

 

Photo Credit: Kikasz

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

My Apologia for Blogging



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 The blogging community is so vibrant, encouraging, and inspiring that it is hard for me to remember that it was birthed in my lifetime. Blogging has been around for only seventeen years (when it began, my four year old self was content with publishing my stories by selling them to family members for a nickel apiece!), and the term “weblog” only entered my realm of knowledge perhaps five years ago. (“Oh—weblog, blog, web-log, blog! How cute!”) And there are still numerous people I know who have no idea what a blog is.

Therein lies the subject of my recent contemplation: If blogging is only seventeen years old, who is to say that in another seventeen years, this wave will not pass? Who is to say that blogging is not just a fad, a trend that will soon disappear just like many other trends over the years? In fact, no one can say that, and so I recently began contemplating if my purpose for blogging was deep enough that, in the unlikely chance that blogging might disappear completely in twenty years, I would have no regrets on the hundreds of hours I have put into pounding out words for my blog. If tomorrow suddenly no one read my blog anymore and I only received comments from spammers, would I regret ever entering blogland? No.  No regrets because I do not blog for any purpose that would be altered by the passing of a trend.

Instead: 

I blog to leave a record for future generations.

The other day, Mikaela thought out loud, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could read the blog of a girl living in Washington from fifty years ago?” Granted, there are journals, but blogging is just another form of leaving a record for my descendants. No historian will be able to revise my history: from this blog I want to make it clear that I love the Lord with all of my heart!

What a blessing for my children and children’s children to be able to visit my blogs that I have written as a young adult and read of what God did in my life, how I dealt with my problems, and what I thought of the changes swirling around me.  At the same time, what a solemn challenge to me that everything I write on this blog has the potential to linger in the corners of the internet for decades to come!

I blog because fellowship with fellow Christian warriors is crucial.

So many of you have encouraged and convicted me through your challenging comments and posts! Shaking hands with those next to me in the battle and meeting my fellow warriors as we charge the enemy together is a blessing too rich to describe, and a blessing that carries value beyond this present moment. Scripture speaks of this blessing as well:

“As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. (Proverbs 27:17)”

Feelings of isolation and loneliness in today’s pagan world are common, but not necessary. I live in one of the most liberal and spiritually dark states in America, but when my eye ranges over the Christians I am lined up next to in battle, discouragement and isolation are far from my mind. I blog to declare God’s greatness as far as my voice will carry and to encourage you to arm yourselves for the battle. But in doing so, God has used many of you to sharpen me as well.

I blog because writing always has been and always will be vital for winning the culture war.

Voltaire knew this when he said, “To hold a pen is to be at war.” And Rudyard Kipling said, “Words are the most powerful drug used by mankind.” Good writing can change the world, and when I nurture this skill I am no longer a twenty year old girl opining on my day for all to read. Instead, I am a warrior for Christ, sharpening my sword for the battle and perfecting my skills of war.

Bill Stout said, “Whether or not you write well, write bravely.” To write bravely is my goal, and I refuse to surrender the battle of the word to the humanists and atheists of my day. The godless are stealthily gaining in muscle and skill and sheer numbers, and if I have the opportunity to write and stand against them, I will do so. It does not matter if blogging drifts away on the tide and disappears altogether, because I pray that my words that I have written will remain an obstacle to Satan’s forces. It does not matter if my blog disappears altogether someday, because I pray that God will use the words I write today to bear eternal fruit.

I blog to wield a sword, and even if the day should come when One Bright Corner no longer exists, I will always write, be it on paper or keyboard, and by God's grace I will write bravely.

Technical Note:
If you have been having trouble commenting on posts this week, as I have been, my brilliant sister Mikaela has solved the problem!  Read on if you care to...
If you are running Internet Explorer, click on "Tools" then "Internet Options."  From there, click the "privacy" tab, and then "sites."  Type in http://www.blogger.com/ and click "allow" and then do the same with http://www.blogspot.com/   This allows cookies on these sites.  I love all your comments and have experienced frustration of my own in attempting to comment on others' blogs this week, so hopefully this may help a few people! 


Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Heroes Wanted

Have you ever read tales of the valiants of by-gone days and sighed that if only you had lived during that time, you would have made a difference? I have. If all my inner boastings came to fruition, I would be Corrie Ten Boom’s right-hand woman right now, regardless of the danger. I would welcome Lobsterbacks into my home and serve them some good old American coffee, pretending to be oblivious, but all the while eavesdropping on their crucial military plans. I would gladly have several black babies safely stowed in my fake wall right now, and I would proudly label myself an abolitionist. Do you ever yearn for the times when heroicism was necessary, and you woke up every morning, yawned, and wondered whose life you were going to save that morning?

How foolish and deluded I was.

Because the simple truth is that the moment I sigh and wish I could have grown up in the time when heroes were born everyday is the moment when my stupidity is at its height. For if I cannot open my eyes to the need for twenty-first century heroes, then I surely would have been that girl who did not even know the Underground Railroad existed. I would have been the girl at Corrie Ten Boom’s church who talked congenially with her every Sunday, and then found out one day that she was gone. Where’d she go? She’s just a spinster-clockmaker, right? Right?

If I cannot find hero-work in this century, I never would have found it in a previous one.

So read on, if you want hero-work. But if you’re just going to scan and then go back to what you were doing before, then don’t bother even scanning.

I am sure that many of you have heard of the “House of Horrors” discovered in Philadelphia,where a doctor is being charged with murdering too many babies to even count. Abortion has made the step from murdering babies in the womb to murdering babies outside the womb a small one. I link to the news report on this tragedy, but so grotesque, gruesome, and horrific is it that I must urge caution and discretion in reading it. Suffice it to say, I weep every time I even think of it.

But that’s Philadelphia, right? No. I live in the least pro-life state in America. The least. And yet, Planned Parenthood is seeking even now to undermine any shred of decency Washinton state has left. Do you remember that bill that attacked volunteer-staffed, privately-funded pregnancy centers last year? It’s back, and with a vengeance: trickier wording, more burdens, and powerful supporters. HB 1366 and SB 5274 state, in the words of our CPC director, that these pregnancy centers “must provide notices that we do not provide abortions or referrals for abortions, we must make statements “in such a manner as to be reasonably understandable to the person seeking services” upon first contact….Also in writing [that] must be printed in 30 pt font or larger, on 8x11 ½ or larger paper, posted on our front door and inside our waiting area, and in absolutely everything we do for advertising (such as our brochures, church bulletins, yellow pages, etc.) Every advertisement must also be printed in, at minimum, English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian and Chinese. If we don’t do this, or if we leave one language out, we are subject to civil action. Any aggrieved (offended) person, county, or municipality can bring a lawsuit for monetary fines, damages, etc. and the court has the discretion to provide triple damages, plus an additional $1,000 civil penalty as well as attorney fees.”

Are you outraged? Are you ready to take heroic action and prevent these centers from being shut down? Because shutting them down is the none-too-subtle goal of Planned Parenthood. On this, the day before the 38th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, are you ready to be the hero you thought there was no need for anymore?

Here’s what you can do, and keep reading even if you don’t live in Washington state, because I have some assignments for the out-of-state heroes, too.

-Pray, pray, pray. We are fighting spiritual warfare here, not a battle of flesh and blood.

-If you live in Washington state, look up your representatives and senators, and call and write them right now. Tell them this bill (HB 1366) destroys a woman’s right to choose what agency to use when she is facing an unplanned pregnancy, and is supported by Planned Parenthood simply to manipulate the government into crippling their competition as Planned Parenthood’s government funding dwindles. Tell them the Private Non-Profit Pregnancy Medical Clinics and Resource Centers are fulfilling a huge need in our communities, and that is all without one penny of government funding!

-If you live in Washinton or a nearby state, please travel to Olympia on Monday for the hearing before the Healthcare and Wellness Committee. Last year, the number of pro-life people there made a huge difference in stopping that bill dead in its tracks, and it is imperative that there are even more people there this year. Please make plans to travel there, and if you need details or are interested in going up on a bus that is being arranged, leave a separate comment with your e-mail address (which I will not publish!) and I will send you all necessary information.

-Visit this search page, type in the name of your state in the search field where it says "your state", and it should bring up any bills pending in your state that require your immediate heroic action.

-No matter what state you live in, please visit this page which lists Federal bills pending in Congress regarding abortion and makes it simple to contact your representatives and senators.

If you have ever thought you would not have stood idly by to see your brothers and sisters enslaved in past centuries, if you have ever read In His Steps and wished there was that kind of good work for you to do, if you have ever decided that you would in a heartbeat lay down your life to dash in front of a car and save a toddling baby, then choose to be a hero now.

Choose to be that person who uncovered his nose and opened his eyes when William Wilberforce revealed the stench and horror of the slave trader boats, taking Wilberforce's words to heart:

“Having heard all of this, you may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again that you did not know.”

Real heroes are never unemployed, so let’s roll up our sleeves; we have much work to do.

Picture Credit: wellkeptthing

Here a Zig, There a Zag

For years, the debate has been raging. Votes have been called—votes have been cast. Ayes have been tallied, and naes have been recorded. Newspaper articles have been written, laws have been examined, protests have been waged. But starting last month, strange metal towers materialized, with expressionless prosthetic eyeballs surveying the scene. Traffic cameras have officially come to my city, and with them a small, but daily and growing infringement of my constitutional rights.

Suits have been brought against these noxious cameras on the basis of amendments four, six, and fourteen of the Constitution, not to mention state constitutions[i]. Ultimately, however, the key lies in amendment six, where I am promised the right “to be confronted with the witnesses against [me][ii].” Thus, if I am charged with running a red-light on the basis of a photo snapped robotically, analyzed by a worker in Arizona, and then approved by a police officer in my town, then I have the Constitutional right to be assured of the machine’s working condition (which is often dubious), to confront the layperson, and to cross-examine the police officer. Anything less than this is a violation of my rights as supported by the Supreme Court[iii].

However, the burden of my city to prove my guilt does not stop here. You see, my city has failed to consider that they are paying this company to procure traffic offenders—and the numerical success of the program will determine if it lives to a ripe old age, or dies in its infancy. How can I be sure—how can they be sure—that my traffic citation was not influenced by the desire for monetary gain? Justice Scalia wrote in the majority opinion of Melendez-Diaz vs. Massachusetts—which was based on the Sixth Amendment—that “a forensic analyst responding to a request from law enforcement officials may feel pressure-or have an incentive to alter the evidence in a manner favorable to the prosecution.”

I have never ran a red light, nor do I plan to. I do my best to contribute to safe transit via asphalt and rubber, and I appreciate the premise that photo-enforced intersections can be safer. However, I do not appreciate the fact that when Washington State made such photo-enforcement legal, it posed itself as a benevolent protector instead of the greedy money-collector it truly is: “I know that some people would perceive that a local government would use this as a cash cow,” said Senatar Mary Margaret Haugen. “That is not our intention at all … What this amendment does is it restricts them, so that they cannot have a fine higher than their parking violations. Which is about — the state recommends $20. The idea is to change behavior, not collect a lot of money[iv].” Of course, no one could help themselves, and municipalities soon found the most expensive parking ticket on the books to aid in boosting red light tickets into the triple digits (usually close to $200).

We’re in the age of technology—about which the writers of the Constitution never dreamed. So a little zig instead of a zag couldn’t cause that much harm, right? After all, these cameras have been proven to reduce instances of red-light running. They certainly must be making us safer. They’re bringing in revenue for cash-strapped governments. Everybody is happy! But when you are faced with the incapability to confront the only pertinent witness in the case—then will you be happy? When you suspect the camera of malfunctioning and falsely condemning you for a jaunt across an intersection glowing red—then will you be happy? When you are forced to scan your driver’s license to start your car and drive throughout your city with each and every road and intersection monitering your car for illegal behaviour—and recording your location at every point—then will you be happy? What about allowing an agency such as the TSA who does not even have law enforcement rights to violate decency laws in the name of safety? What about searches without warrants in the name of safety? How about censoring of the internet and the free speech you value so much? Shall we all turn in our firearms so that nine year old girls do not die and Senators are not shot at?

Dozens of zigs do not add up to one happy zag. Whether these Constitutional deviations are reality—and most of them are—or merely a storm cloud in the future, no good can come of them. Whether they realize it or not, law-abiding citizens live by a moral code established by the Scripture—the same moral code that is the basis for the Constitution. And whether we like to admit it or not, those who choose to disregard the God they will stand before some day will continue to zig through red lights, shoot up crowds of people, and blow up planes, regardless of cameras, weapons laws, and indecent scanners. Meanwhile, we will be huddling defenseless, ignorant, and humiliated, having given up our rights to the government long ago. All in the name of safety.

Thankfully, the good thing about zigs is that they can be counteracted with a whole lot of zags. People who understand the magnitude of obeying our Constitution and fight against every aberrance are doing their part, whether they are contesting a red light ticket in court or demanding their rights in an airport. Christians must recognize that this great nation of ours will topple like a clown on stilts when the majority of its citizens no longer live by God’s moral code. But to zag, however, we cannot just acknowledge this fact--we must brighten our corners and do something to remedy the erosion! We must let the Holy Spirit use us to bring others to a saving knowledge of our Holy, Righteous, Perfect God.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer eloquently wrote, “Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God—the responsible man, who tries to make hiswhole life an answer to the question and call of God.”

[i]Automated Enforcement Myths, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, October 2010. http://www.iihs.org/research/topics/myths.html
[ii] Constitution of the United States of America.
[iii] Melendez-Diaz vs. Massachusetts, 129 S.Ct. 2527 (2009).
[iv] Westneat, Danny. “Red Light Tickets Veer off Course,” Seattle Times, November 2009. http://o.seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2010349143_danny25.html

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One Nation Under God

Does the Constitution follow God's Law? Is the Bill of Rights lawful? What about the Prohibition—was that lawful? The environmental regulations? Fair working laws? And how about the most recent quandary—TSA’s screenings which digitally disrobe you in the airport, or their intimate pat downs? All of these things are legal, but are they lawful?

You must begin with a basic presupposition: the government does not have the authority to punish all sins. This is because all crimes are sins—but not all sins are crimes. Certainly, we are not able to go back to the theistic government of ancient Israel, but God is still the lawmaker, and His law book—the Ten Commandments—provides the basis for determining unlawful “crimes.” The Constitution, you see, is based very much on the laws of God, as is the Bill of Rights. The Prohibition is a difficult subject in that, at the very least, the manner in which the law was carried out was unlawful. And yes—every other example I presented is also not under the government’s jurisdiction. The government has no authority or hope of regulating its citizens into perfection. When it attempts to litigate every sin, it produces infringement of basic freedoms and liberty.

The real problem, however, goes back to our understanding of God. We have failed to live each and every day with the reality of God’s Judgment. We have forgotten that everyone will receive his just reward—not from the government, but from God.

“Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you….Behold, the Judge is standing at the door (James 5:1-6, 9b)!”


By looking to the government to protect us from immorality, drugs, alcohol, irresponsibility, and unethical behavior, we have created an idol and worshipped it. And yet this government which we are so willing to worship is the very antithesis of God—it condones immorality, divorce, debt, and the murder of society’s most helpless. We have become willing to give up our rights to privacy, modesty, free speech, and entrepreneurism because we are afraid to trust in God’s ultimate sovereignty and judgment. It is time that we take our trust from the instable, immoral, and unlawful reaches of the ever-expanding government and place it back where it belongs—our Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent God.

As citizens of both an earthly and a heavenly country, we must therefore live in faith. Punishing those sins which are crimes and trusting God for His ultimate judgment of man, we will be released from the immense burden of taking God’s job on our shoulders. It is not man’s responsibility to seek vengeance. “For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. And again, ‘The LORD will judge His people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:30-31).”



Note: Please do not presume that I am advocating a revolt, revolution, or rebellion. I firmly believe that government is from the Lord, and it is my desire that we remember this and keep government in its proper place—subordinate to God.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The inspiration for this post was taken from "There's 'illegal,' and there's unlawful, and in a righteous society, they would be the same." I have not perused the blog beyond this article, so use discretion.

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Do You Remember?

Do you remember that time I spent ninety minutes researching and composing and sending an email to you, and you sent me back a sterilized, automated reply thanking me for the time I took to contact you, time I’ll never get back? Did you even notice the next email, and the next email, and the next email, to which you finally advised your secretary to write a somewhat personal email appreciating my opinions, but notifying me that you weren’t going to take my advice?

Do you remember standing on the House floor, declaring that you knew what was best for the American people? Do you remember turning a deaf ear to our thunderous denials? How could you not remember those infamous town hall meetings, where we warned you—“stay away from my kids!” and “thank you--it's not your right to decide if I keep my current [health] plan or not [1]!”

Do you remember my phone calls; did you ever get the messages your polished secretary promised to record and pass on? Do you know that I tried over and over for hours before I even got through to you on the phone?

Do you remember declaring so arrogantly, “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it [2]”?

Do you remember the time I visited with you in person, and pleaded with you face to face? Do you remember how you sat there so diplomatically, with your fingers clasped, your tie perched just so on your neck, with wine bottles and glasses emblazoned on the silk, and your face unreadable?

Do you remember the representative who missed his son’s wedding because he could not risk missing the opportunity to cast his vote against the bill?

Do you remember our signs, our protests, our marches, our vigils, our prayer meetings, our debates on You Tube comment boards, and our passionate facebook, twitter, and blog messages?

Do you remember when you said, “Every single great idea that has marked the 21st century, the 20th century and the 19th century has required government vision and government incentive [3],” and we bellowed back that we wanted less government, not more?

You turned your back on us—you played the parent to us, the children. You chose for us, not with us or because of us. You forgot who your employer was, and you ignored the source of your paycheck. Some people would call this trailblazing—I call it unethical and irresponsible.

And now, you have learned. We are not the children here. We are the employers. We the people know what we want, and we will not allow a bill of goods to be shoved down our throats. If you will not listen, then you will be fired. You who have survived fourteen terms—gone. You who have proudly held the seat Mr. President vacated in 2008—gone. You who have run a campaign in all-blue smurfdom—it's suddenly red, and you're suddenly gone. You who have survived nine terms—gone. You who refused to listen—gone. You who held the most prominent seat in Congress—gone.

We will not sit down, shut up, or scatter. We recognize that good and evil are coalescing into two distinct entities in the United States—and those entities are not based on party lines. Keep the change—we don’t want any part of it. The American people have spoken.

Note: For our international readers (and any Americans who have been in a coma for the last week), the United States recently held its elections, which marked the largest power shift in Congress since 1948.

Picture by Ben Sutherland. Licensed under the Creative Commons.

[1] Hedrick, David. Town Hall Meeting with former US Congressman, Brian Baird, 2009.

[2] Pelosi, Nancy. 2010 Legislative Conference for National Association of Counties, March 3, 2010.

[3] Biden, Joe. Fundraising visit to Manhattan, October 26, 2010.

When Good Men Do Nothing

…We are at war now, and the entire world seems to misunderstand our purpose—to avenge our country for the wrongdoing done to her. I am patriotic, though I may not agree with the direction my country is going, but I certainly understand the premise of it. Prices continue to rise as depression gets worse—if that’s indeed possible. Many people are suffering.

These modern times—they produce so many moral dilemmas, I never could have imagined. I see Christians lying, scheming, spying, and plotting assassination of our leader. And I wonder—does the circumstance make these actions righteous? It’s all so confusing and complicated, that I try to stay out of it as much as possible. Certainly, there is great suffering around me, and I do my best to alleviate that suffering in any way I can, but there’s only so much one can do! I’m afraid if I get mixed up in all this confusion…

…And so the insanity continues. I never hear anything, know next to nothing—the news cannot be trusted, certainly, though we continue to pay attention in hopes of finding a glimpse of truth. Cousin is rabidly political and involved in the conservative movement, though, and he keeps us updated occasionally, when we do happen to see him. He seems to think himself and his work much more important than it is in actuality, but I let him continue to dream.

Cousin Martin…is dead. And, although I admire his bravery more than ever, and mourn his death intensely, I cannot help but be even more convinced that to live quietly and at peace with all men is my calling right now. To love God—fear His commandments, and love my neighbor as myself. What more can I do?

…Friends disappear, and food-fights (for food, not with food) are all too common. Threat of bombing is ever in our minds, and near-children are being carted off for military duty. Many acquaintances have become consumed with this moment in time. They cannot look back at the great heritage that will carry us through—nor can they look forward to the promise of future. Instead, they are obsessed with the little events of the here and now. They go into a flutter at a new draft age…they get red and hot at the news of another round-up of political enemies. They become all action, breaking their health even, when the latest threat of some progressive action comes out. Sometimes, one really must wonder if they are patriots at all. If they even believe in our country anymore, or if they are just enemies that really should be rounded up during this delicate time of war.

And just like that, all is quiet. The bombs have stopped, the marching has ceased, and the midnight collections are a thing of the past. So many…so many have lost their lives these past six years. I tear up just thinking of it. And if they had only waited! If they had only had the foresight to see that all would eventually right itself, and that good would triumph over evil.

I have just learned of the most tragic news. Unbeknownst to me—unbeknownst to thousands of my countrymen, it has come out that millions of political prisoners, of Jews, and of religious people were murdered during this time of war. I cannot describe my agony upon hearing…I didn’t know. I honestly had no idea. And yet…and yet…I knew what was wrong. I knew the regime was wrong. I knew Hitler was evil. I was so intent upon saving my life, that I have lost my soul. What was it I wrote those six years ago? “I’m afraid if I get mixed up this confusion…” I meant, that I thought I would lose my soul if I got mixed up in this confusion. But by keeping quiet, by living in as much peace as I could manage, I really have lost my soul. That is the great tragedy I shall have to live with all my life—that I could have done something, and I did nothing.

I was reading in Numbers 32 this morning, and God broke my heart. As I read, I learned of the tribes of Reuben and Gad who petitioned to settle east of the Jordan—before any of the other tribes had settled. And they promised to help the rest of their countrymen conquer the land before the made themselves homes and cities and farms. Moses warns them—he warns them that they certainly must do this thing. “But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out (Numbers 32:23).” And suddenly, I began to weep, as I realized—I realized that my clean conscience is of naught in this case. I realized that my attempts to be at peace with all people, and to love all people is of naught. My desire to tell the truth, and keep the Sabbath, and honor my God, and stay content, and avoid murder, and hate, and lust, and adultery—all these things, and I have still sinned. It is not what I have done—and it is not what Reuben and Gad did—that is the sin. It is what I have not done. Reuben and Gad’s sin would be found out if they committed the sin of omission, and neglected to help their countrymen. My sin has caught up with me now, I see. I am weeping uncontrollably as I write this—I can hardly see to form the letters. My sin has found me out. As I sat on my hands and prided myself on my righteousness, I committed a great sin. And, oh, if only I could go back and do things differently, I would.

“For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul (Matthew 16:25-26)?”

End Notes

This is a work of fiction, written from the perspective of a person living in Germany at the time of World War II. Although there were many who caught on to Hitler’s evildoings and resisted, thus giving us hundreds of inspiring stories of heroism and courage, there were thousands who honestly had no comprehension of the events occurring under their noses. Some of these people, to be sure, should be blamed for closing their eyes and living in purposeful ignorance, but please do not assume that all were this way. Hitler was a master at propaganda and lies, and the truth was nearly impossible to obtain for German citizens. I hope, however, that you will take the lessons this person learned to heart. Today offers you one such turning point—to become active in our beloved, but sinking country, or to sit on your hands and sin by omission. Today, the Senate will vote on a "National Defense Authorization Bill," which, though seemingly inocuous, hides several desperate attempts to pass ungodly, unamerican, and unconstitutional laws in our nation. Three amendments promise to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in the military--despite the fact that there is an ongoing study focusing on the consequences of keeping or repealing this policy. Additionally, the "Dream Act" will provide a path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants. Finally, the last amendment would allow abortions on any military base in the world with our tax dollars--something that has been prohibited for over 40 years.

For a conservative, detailed perspective visit here.

For news on the Don't Ask, Don't Tell amendment, visit here.

For reporting on the Dream Act visit here.

And after educating yourself on this issue--hurry!--and call your senators today (the Capitol switchboard is 1-202-224-3121) and urge them to support the filibuster of the bill, oppose cloture (going to a vote without anymore discussion), and--of course--to oppose the bill! Please don't comment to debate the issues of this bill--call your senators regarding your views, and comment on the bulk of this post--good men doing nothing. Thanks!

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"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."