Christianity and abortion

August 1 marks the first day of the implementation of one provision in the "Obama care" law that forces the Church and other faith-based organizations to furnish components in healthcare that oppose their faith.  The President, and DC Democrats support the legality of abortions throughout the entire nine month gestation.   It never ceases to amaze me to consistently see the cohabitation of two completely opposed thoughts, ideas, values and practices surviving in the same mind of any individual.  How could one hold the value of Christianity and abortion at the same time?  I understand the theory of cognitive dissonance where the individual strives for reduction of any one of the dissonant elements.  But how could a Democrat/Christian even remotely reduce the element of Christian values and relationship in favor of the practice of abortion becoming dominant in value and practice?  There must be a bunch of Democrat/Christians in DC with a terrific headache!    Or perhaps that is the reason they have no compunction in forcing faith-based organizations, including the Church, to finance components in healthcare that oppose their faith and value system.

Jim Killebrew   

What's next?



I wonder if the most important question to ask during an election season is the question, "What's next?"  That especially becomes the question to ask about the incumbent since it will be a re-election for that person.  The incumbent has a record of most recently being in the office sought, so the incumbent's record becomes vitally important if the voter wants more of the same. 

Although many in our society seem to lose track of historical facts and events, it really is true we seem to live a cyclical life often repeating what we have done in the past.  When we fail to understand our own history our routine behaviors of life tend to bring us around to the same forks in the road.  Without remembering the outcomes of our last decision at that same fork, we tend to take the road for which we have a propensity to take.  The result is visiting the same calamity we have experienced before.  It is like being lost in a forest.  Rescue experts indicate the person lost will wander in what they think is a straight path, but in reality they are walking in a large, circular pattern; usually the direction of their dominate side, right if right-handed or left if they are left-handed.

Making decisions about whom we choose as our leaders must be carefully thought out and researched for evidence to ensure the person who seeks the office will represent our own beliefs and desires for the future of our own lives and the lives of our loved ones.  Look at the person and the person's record of accomplishments.

The incumbent has the record that represents what s/he has already accomplished while in office.  In the current 2012 election cycle the President has been in office for more than three and one-half years.  By election day it will have been almost four years.  The voter would be better informed to vote if the President's record is examined.  To begin that process one must look at what has already been accomplished.  The following short list of accomplishments have been selected as a sample of what the President has done in office.  The voter would be wise to examine those accomplishments, look at the immediate consequences and outcomes of those accomplishments, and then ask the question, "What's next?" if the President is re-elected for a second four-year term.  Start with the President's centerpiece legislation he and his party worked for and he signed into law.

National healthcare.  This is a signature piece of legislation touted by the President as being the answer for curing the nation's ills regarding healthcare.  It has been passed without a single Republican vote from a Congress that was controlled in both Houses by Democrats.  It has been reviewed by the United States Supreme Court and found constitutional.  It will control about 1/6th of the US economy.  It mandates that people buy products they do not want and will pay a penalty (tax) if they don't.  It forces faith-based groups to furnish contraceptives they don't believe in.  The question to answer is "What's next?"

Gun Control.  There is an on-going effort to take the guns away.  This seems an on-going debate for every election cycle, but the so-called Fast and Furious program that created a Congressional  investigation ended in Congress voting to hold the US Attorney General in Contempt of Congress.  The President has countered with Executive Privilege to counter the Congressional vote in the House of Representatives.  So, if re-elected, "What's next?"

Unemployment.  Policies enacted by the current President have worked to continue to keep unemployment high.  In 2007 the Democrat Party assumed total control through a majority of the US Congress; both Houses were given majorities.  In 2009 the Executive Branch of government was taken by the Democrat Party.  Unemployment from the previous President's Administration averaged 5.26 percent from 2001 to 2008 when the newly elected majority of the Democrat Congress assumed control.  From 2008 to 2012 during the current Administration the unemployment has maintained an 8.2 percent unemployment with real unemployment being closer to 15 percent.  The President has not met with his Jobs Council for the past six months.  "What's next?"

Energy.  The President has closed the public land for purposes of drilling for more oil and continues to import oil from Canada, Mexico and the Middle East.  Additionally, the President has disapproved the building of the Keystone Pipeline which would have brought oil from Canada to the Gulf and benefited the Americans by keeping the price of gasoline lower.  Again, "What's next?"

Enacted Executive Orders.  More than any other President, the current Administration has by-passed Congress to affect the laws of the United States  with immigration, appointments, welfare laws, which no longer requires a person to look for work while on unemployment.  If re-elected, "What's next."

Take-over of private business and banking.  Through the stimulus money collected from the taxpayers the auto and some in the banking industries have been brought under the control of the Federal Government.  Even with a less than accountable explanation of what the stimulus money was spent on, and by whom, the President continues to want to have more stimulus bail-outs with even greater amounts of money from the taxpayer.  If re-elected, "What's next?"

Bowing to foreign Heads of State.  The President started out almost immediately on an "apology" tour across the globe to several countries soon after his inauguration.  During several of those visits the President apologized for what he felt was inappropriate behavior on the part of America and accentuated his apologies with waist-deep bowing to the leaders of those foreign countries he visited.  If re-elected, "What's next?"

Highest national debt in America's history.  Since George Washington, all the way through the Administration of George Bush, the President has amassed a national debt greater that all the previous Presidents together.  At the conclusion of the previous Administration the total cumulative debt amounted to 6.37 Trillion dollars.  In the three and one-half years of the current President he has amassed 6.477 Trillion dollars in debt.  If re-elected, "What's next?"

Taxpayer money investments.  The President has engaged in "venture capital" investments with tax payer money focused around his "Green Policy" in an effort to impact energy use with a reduction of fossil fuels and an increase of "alternative fuels."  The President has invested tax payer money in Solyndra for 535 million dollars; Ener 1 for 118 million dollars; Abound Solar for 70 million dollars, Olsen's Mills Acquisition for 10 million dollars; and, Evergreen Solar for 5.3 million dollars.  Each one of these companies have gone bankrupt losing the tax payer's money.  If re-elected, "What's next?"

There are many other things that could be listed regarding the President's tenure.  There is a significant increase in the number of regulations on businesses in America; the appointment of Czars without Congressional oversight and confirmation;  a movement much closer by the Iranian government in completing their nuclear capability, and the promise of the President to the Russian government to hold off on their plans until "after the election" so it will give the President "more flexibility."  If re-elected, "What's next?"

Jim Killebrew

Bible in prison

I have a dear friend who has volunteered his time and energy for the past 30 years with a small group of other men going to the local prison to engage in a "Prison Ministry."  Through those years hundreds of men have changed their lives by submitting to Jesus.  They have studied, prayed, read their Bibles throughout their long days in lock-up, experienced testimony from each other that has led those released to change the course of their former life of crime to a life of love, productivity and contribution to society-at-large.  The prison system is administered by the government who incarcerates the men as sentences are carried out by judgments of having been found guilty of various crimes.  Prison Administrators and Guards often admit that having prayer meetings, Bible reading and life conversions help quell the problem issues in the prison populations.

Tell me then, if the Bible, prayer and teaching of Christian principles have such impact in our prison systems, why is it so important to completely ban the Bible and prayer in our public educational systems?

Happy Birthday America

America's Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775.  The British Empire had poked the people living in the thirteen colonies living across the Atlantic.  Great Britain had treated the colonists as subjects of the King who needed to pay taxes from their sweat and toil without having anyone to represent their interests. 

The battles throughout the Summer, Fall and Winter of 1775 had been met with some indifference by many of the colonists who had not yet worked up enough dissent to rebel against the King.  Sentiments were changed, however, by Britain's tyranny and cruelty, along with the growing number of battles and emotions that were fueled by statements written in the paper, "Common Sense" by Thomas Payne. 

Great Britain's King had exacted taxes unduly, the King's men were unjustly cruel and the people had been reading the words of Thomas Payne:

"Government by kings was first introduced into the world by the Heathens, from whom the children of Israel copied the custom. It was the most prosperous invention the Devil ever set on foot for the promotion of idolatry. The Heathens paid divine honors to their deceased kings, and the Christian world hath improved on the plan by doing the same to their living ones. How impious is the title of sacred majesty applied to a worm, who in the midst of his splendor is crumbling into dust!"

"As the exalting one man so greatly above the rest cannot be justified on the equal rights of nature, so neither can it be defended on the authority of scripture; for the will of the Almighty, as declared by Gideon and the prophet Samuel, expressly disapproves of government by kings. All anti-monarchial parts of scripture have been very smoothly glossed over in monarchial governments, but they undoubtedly merit the attention of countries which have their governments yet to form. Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's is the scriptural doctrine of courts, yet it is no support of monarchial government, for the Jews at that time were without a king, and in a state of vassalage to the Romans."

"Near three thousand years passed away from the Mosaic account of the creation, till the Jews under a national delusion requested a king. Till then their form of government (except in extraordinary cases, where the Almighty interposed) was a kind of republic administered by a judge and the elders of the tribes. Kings they had none, and it was held sinful to acknowledge any being under that title but the Lords of Hosts. And when a man seriously reflects on the idolatrous homage which is paid to the persons of kings he need not wonder, that the Almighty, ever jealous of his honor, should disapprove of a form of government which so impiously invades the prerogative of heaven."

"Monarchy is ranked in scripture as one of the sins of the Jews, for which a curse in reserve is denounced against them. The history of that transaction is worth attending to." 

So, according to Payne, continuing with submission to the King of Great Britain was the same as participating in the sin the Israelites of old had perpetuated from "heathen" nations.  The only answer was to sever ties and declare independence.

With the motivation from the "Common Sense" and the white-hot words of Thomas Payne ringing in their ears the Continental Congress met at what is now the Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the city of "Brotherly Love."  Virginia's delegate Richard Henry Lee called for the colonies to demand independence from Great Britain.  Throughout June the debate raged in the Congress no doubt recalling some of the battles and the unfairness of the taxation imposed by the King.  With the persuasive words of Thomas Payne and others who wished for secession ringing in their ears, the Continental Congress called upon Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York to write and submit for consideration a draft statement that would serve as justification for secession of the colonies from Great Britain.  

 By July 2, 1776 the smaller committee from the Continental Congress had presented the Declaration of Independence, written primarily by Thomas Jefferson over a two day period, to the Continental Congress on July 2nd.  The Congress voted for independence on that day, but on July 4, 1776 the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence as their singular voice to the Monarch of Great Britain they would no longer be subjects belonging to him.  On this day in our history, July 4, 1776 Americans took a stand against tyranny and injustice.

Happy Birthday America!

Jim Killebrew