Now what?

Just when we think we have everything figured out a decision like the one Chief Justice John Roberts made comes along. Nobody thought that Chief Justice Roberts would make such a decision regarding the healthcare issue.

Isn't that the way it is when we pray to God? We have something in our own mind an answer that we think is a logical answer, but God comes along and gives an answer that is not the way we thought it would be; but it always turns out to be just the right thing. We need to trust God that he is in control and the right decision has been made, because The God of the universe does not make mistakes!

Now...

In light of the ruling by the SCOTUS regarding healthcare, consider the following:

 The Christian has a responsibility to recognize the government and obey the laws and the leadership of the government.

 Corruption was identified by Solomon in his book of Ecclesiastes when he recorded for us the following information:

 “If you see the extortion of the poor or the perversion of justice and fairness in the government, do not be astonished by the matter. For the high official is watched by a higher official, and there are higher ones over them! The produce of the land is seized by all of them. Even the king is served by the fields.” (Ecclesiastes 5:8-9)

 Corruption and perversion of justice completed at all levels of the government bureaucracy. Resources produced by the people are seized at every level, including the king. Instead of manna from God given to the people, it is personal property taken by the government to support the layers of officials from the lowest official to the court of the King.

 God had ruled with Wisdom beyond the human mind. But with human government ascending to leadership, wisdom waned as it trickled through the layers of bureaucracy. The third King of Israel, Solomon, wrote again in Ecclesiastes the following insight on the matter:

 “Who is a wise person? Who knows a solution to a problem? A person’s wisdom brightens his appearance, and softens his harsh countenance. Obey the king’s command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him. Do not rush out of the king’s presence in haste – do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he can do whatever he pleases. Surely the king’s authority is absolute: no one can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’ Whoever obeys his command will not experience harm, and a wise person knows the proper time and procedure. For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, for the oppression of the king is severe upon his victim. Surely no one knows the future, and no one can tell another person what will happen. Just as no one has power over the wind to restrain it, so no one has power over the day of his death. Just as no one can be discharged during the battle, so wickedness cannot rescue the wicked. While applying my [Solomon] mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.” (Ecclesiastes 8:1-9)

 We must be satisfied with the wisdom of men to rule with the wisdom of men if we have turned from the Wisdom of God and His rule.

 Now for the Christian all of this history of God’s people abdicating God’s rule to man’s rule may not seem relevant. However, from the writings from the Apostle Paul we find it is the Christian’s responsibility to be submissive to Civil Government. In his letter to the Christians in Rome, Paul gave the following word as inspired by the Holy Spirit:

 “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. So the person who resists such authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment (for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation, for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be in fear, for it does not bear the sword in vain. It is God’s servant to administer retribution on the wrongdoer. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities but also because of your conscience. For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants devoted to governing. Pay everyone what is owed: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.” (Romans 13:1-7)

 We are not talking about any specific form of government here except “governing authorities.” We must take from this passage the authority of the Apostle Paul in his admonition to submit to the governing authorities. The reason is simple: “There is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.”

Keep in mind, however, if the government forces us to turn away from God or requires us to not obey God we must resist. In the earliest beginnings of the Church we have an excellent example from the Apostles Peter and John who had healed a lame man through the power of Jesus. This disturbed the leaders who commanded the two Apostles to cease speaking of Jesus. The writer of the Acts of the Apostles [Luke] recorded for us the results of this matter:

 “And they [the leaders] called them [Peter and John] in and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, ‘Whether it is right before God to obey you rather than God, you decide, for it is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.’” (Acts 4:18-20)

Therefore, our first responsibility is to submit ourselves to God and His Will. We must obey the laws of the land and obey the government in regard to taxes, laws and requirements for living. The exception is when the government attempts to require us to disobey God, or substitute our worship of God to any other than the One and Only True God of the universe.

 Jim Killebrew

Two world views

   

Two world views

The following discussion was initiated when I wrote an opinion about evolutional theory having taken over the public school system in America and tenaciously holding the educational system as a "belief" system almost the same way Creationists demonstrate their faith in their  world view.   I began with the following statement:

"Evolution must start on the premise that 'something' was already available (Big Bang, ocean, etc.) and from that available 'something' life forms began to evolve. In the beginning of many evolution books, especially text books, on about the second or third page tucked away in the middle of a paragraph, inside a sentence is a little phrase that usually says, 'the inorganic became organic.' The writer then moves, without fanfare, to build the theory of evolution on the foundation of that little phrase without ever stopping to explain how that event happened."

"Public education in the United States has accepted this theory almost without question. School children almost universally within that system accept the theory and internalize it as a basis for their world view. When a belief takes root that becomes so pervasive as to capture the thoughts of most students passing through the leaning system, it renders the learners to such a position of rigidity they will not even entertain a competing thought that may change their desired course of thinking. When that happens, one can finally say their belief has become a form of religion carried forward only by faith."

 "So when School Boards and the local, state and federal governments push to extend the teaching of evolution exclusively, isn't that violating the principle of 'separation of Church and State'?"

Several responses came in that agreed with the premise, but one took issue.

Two responses from men who are ministers were in basic agreement.  One said, "Amen. Good thinking."  The other offered some further thoughts:  "Yes. Humanism was and probably still is represented in the campus directory of religious organizations on many State Colleges campuses. One of the tenets of Humanism is evolution. Humanist organizations hold the same tax exempt status as do churches. The irony is that evolution in the strictest sense of the definition of faith is no different than believing in creation and a creator. Neither can be proved empirically. It makes little difference that the arguments for creation are far superior that any apology that can be given for those trusting in evolution. If education is the pursuit of knowledge one wonders why they would put up detour signs to avoid going down the street of discovery. Amazing don’t you think."

To continue the discussion, my response was, "James you mentioned humanism and the basis of its belief. I think the educational system is humanistic and has been so for at least the past 75 years. Perhaps the greatest influence on the modern thought began with the destruction of the Absolute."

"Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel is studied in universities around the world. He was a German philosopher who looked at the paradigm of absolute Truth in the model of relativity. He described an idea (thesis) as being affected by the 'antithesis' of that idea or belief, that eventually evolved into a 'synthesis.' From that it became a new idea or belief. Of course this is oversimplified and understated, but the paradigm shift proposed by Hegel was significant. It represented a shift from the Absolute Truth to a relative truth that was situational at best."

"The current, post modern, educational system in America is steeped in the Hegelian thought, as is our very public domain. Everyone who has graduated from high school from the early 1960's on has been under the influence of defining truth with a little "t". It is ingrained in our political, social, economic, public and private lives. Generations have been tutored in humanistic thought and the destruction of Absolutes. It carved out the thoughts of Fletcher, who brought us "Situational Ethics" where the environment, or situation details the morality of the behavior. My grandchildren think I am ancient because I can say I lived before the internet. For them to believe when they become teenagers or young adults that there is anything that relates to an "Absolute" will only exist in what they think of as "science." For that generation we are beyond post modernism."

 "Modern education, government, science and even our own posterity will eventually not see any need for discovery since they will have lived their lives like the little hamster in the small, clear ball in which he uses to roll around the room. Eventually that will be their universe."

One minister replied, "Well said Jim! Biblically two things comes to mind that addresses our insanity."  At this, to lay a foundation for his point, the minister quoted Scripture.  "Isaiah 55:8, 9 says;

8 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,'  declares the Lord.

 9 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.'  He continued, "Ecclesiastes 1:9 states 'there is no new thing under the sun.'"  The minister's conclusion to his point was,

"Anyway the point I am trying to make is simple. God has spoken truth and we don't like it so we make up our own truth. We give them all kinds of titles and call it something classical. The bottom line is that God has final say with what is and isn't. A professor I had at Ozark said there is no such thing as intellectual unbelief just moral rebellion. The world is getting to be a really scary place."

At this point in the discussion a professor of physics weighed in with his thoughts on the subject:

"I have spent most of my professional life (of over 40 years) doing scientific research and teaching in the area of physics. I have got to say that in that time I have never read or heard a credible scientist say anything resembling your portrayal of evolution. While I cannot claim that there are not people or school districts that promote your parody of evolution, it would certainly be misleading and unfair to present that as the state or content of science. Of course it is true that science does not deal in absolutes since one must always allow for the possibility of new evidence which compel new perspectives. The theory of evolutionary change is tentatively accepted (rather than believed) as the most plausible explanation thus far produced for the empirical evidence available (primarily the evolutionary fossil record and our understanding of the biochemical basis of mutation and reproduction). Moreover, a great deal of effort has gone into developing plausible scenarios where inorganic chemical environments will produce the complex organic building blocks necessary for life and evolution. Indeed many steps in this process have been repeatedly demonstrated in the laboratory. While science may be imperfect and at times even wrong, it is the only game in town when it comes to attempting to understand the universe with logical, rational interpretation of the empirical evidence rather than dogmatic assumptions taken from some allegedly divine source. Good science and education promote the critical analysis and challenging of world views, not their dogmatic or uncritical acceptance."

The minister commented on the physic's discussion of the issue.  "I for one appreciate your kind and even keeled comments. Although I am not as well versed as you or Jim on this topic let me suggest that you view Ben Stein’s documentary produced under the title; 'Expelled' and you will see why I express my concerns. I do believe that it will demonstrate that dogmatism does exist."

To summarize my point I again directed my final comments to the physics professor:

"Ray I really appreciate your thoughts shared in this very unscientific venue. It may surprise you when I say I do agree with what you have written. I think you covered at least two important, significant points that are the foundation of this issue."

"I agree with your statement, 'While science may be imperfect and at times even wrong, it is the only game in town when it comes to attempting to understand the universe with logical, rational interpretation of the empirical evidence rather than dogmatic assumptions taken from some allegedly divine source.' You have stated two world views in which one is built on empirical evidence, while the other is built in large part on faith. Now, it is unlikely that these two world views will ever agree on a majority of their differences, but that is precisely the point I am making."

 "'Science,' as you said, 'may be imperfect and at times even wrong' and likewise, people of faith are sometimes 'dogmatic' in their beliefs. All of that is true; but they are still world views. That being the case, there will always be a struggle between the two. However, there is a commonality between the two as well. As with any world view it is usually internalized as a belief held by the individual who holds the view. It may only be 'tentatively' accepted as you mentioned, nevertheless it is held by the individual as a guide or motivation from which to view life. Therefore, any challenge to that world view demands a response of some kind from the individual holding that view. The response could be pragmatic, relatively unbiased or visceral for that matter."

"I was making the point that our public educational system has for all practical purposes adopted the world view of science, scientific methods, variability of discovery, which includes the 'tentatively accepted' theory of evolution to teach. As such, as you said, 'science does not deal in absolutes since one must always allow for the possibility of new evidence which compel new perspectives.' Aside from your use of the absolute 'always' I believe we are in agreement. Science, of which evolution theory is a part, has taken the lead in public education and will not 'allow the possibility of new evidence which compel new perspectives' to enter into the educational mix."

"Just to prove that point, let's do a scientific experiment, albeit 'social' scientific in nature. Let's randomly choose 100 public school districts across the nation, representative of as many factors as possible in the grades across the nation. Let's propose we begin in the first grade teaching both world views equally for one randomly assigned sub-group; only the scientific world-view for a second randomly assigned sub-group; and only the faith-based world view for the third randomly assigned sub-group. Continue that pattern until each of the students graduate from high school. Test each of the students to determine if there is a difference in the student's perspectives regarding the two world views."

" Of course you and I know that would never happen. Our first objector would likely come from the individual school boards, the second objector would be the ACLU, the third objector would be the Teacher's Union, but the legal objector would be the local, state and federal governments. It is my opinion all those groups, and many others are not interested in gaining 'new evidence which compel new perspectives' if that evidence being presented has any relation to faith that relates to what you termed an 'allegedly divine source'".

Jim Killebrew

Evolution religion



Evolution must start on the premise that “something” was already available (Big Bang, ocean, etc.) and from that available “something” life forms began to evolve. In the beginning of many evolution books, especially text books, on about the second or third page tucked away in the middle of a paragraph, inside a sentence is a little phrase that usually says, “the inorganic became organic.” The writer then moves, without fanfare, to build the theory of evolution on the foundation of that little phrase without ever stopping to explain how that event happened.

Public education in the United States has accepted this theory almost without question.  School children almost universally within that system accept the theory and internalize it as a basis for their world view.  When a belief takes root that becomes so pervasive as to capture the thoughts of most students passing through the leaning system, it renders the learners to such a position of rigidity they will not even entertain a competing thought that may change their desired course of thinking.  When that happens, one can finally say their belief has become a form of religion carried forward only by faith.

So when School Boards and the local, state and federal governments push to extend the teaching of evolution exclusively, isn't that violating the principle of "separation of Church and State"?

Jim Killebrew

Memorial day 2012

Decoration Day, it used to be called; as ladies organizations and schoolchildren went out to the graves of fallen soldiers during the Civil War.  A long-standing tradition has been preserved and even codified now into a Federal holiday.   

Memorial Day is usually celebrated on the last Monday in May when friends and family gather at a cemetery where their loved ones are buried to remember them with love and reverence.  At National Cemeteries throughout the country there will be remembrances of those who fought and died for freedom when families and friends go to pay their respects.  My mind is filled with memories past when we visited the various cemeteries where our loved ones were buried.  We placed flowers on the graves and remembered the ones who were buried there.

It is sometimes difficult to wrap our minds around a day like Memorial Day.  Although we have been fighting a war against terror and the men and women in the armed forces are being constantly held up for us to show appreciation toward, there is still something distant about what it means.  We have a tendency to compartmentalize our lives into neat little partitions that allow us to arrange our days and lives into distinctly different blocks of activities.  We create separate emotions, feelings and values for each of the activity blocks.  Sunday morning is "church" time; the activity is to "go to church."  Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. is "work" time; the activity is stuffed with "doing our job."  We behave in the "expected" ways that are dictated from the "activity block" in which we are engaged at the time.

Memorial Day is sometimes relegated by some to be an activity locked in our activity block labeled "Memorial Day."  When the time comes we take it down from our shelf of daily activities, take out the activity, dust it off since it has been a year, and go through the expected motions so we can conveniently repack that activity block at the end of the day.  Expending the least amount of effort we can, and getting it over with as quickly as possible, we move on to our next activity block forgetting the substance of the act in favor of the form.

Memorial Day should be different.  Rather than unpacking the activity to glibly move through it without thought, we might rather make a much richer experience by really examining the circumstances and cost that surrounded the life of that man or woman who paid the ultimate price to give us the opportunity to create those activity blocks in the first place.

Those men who were caught in a cross-fire between sworn enemies who were dropping mortar shells on their position creating a fire storm of molten rock and phosphorus rain dropping death and terror on their heads continued moving forward to establish a barrier against evil. 

Those medics, nurses and doctors close to the 38th Parallel continued their duties at the operating tables trying to save the lives of soldiers wounded in battles gave their own lives in America's struggle against communism.

Those young men who laid in the forest as the rain trickled down their helmets trying to remain quiet as enemy "regulars" marched down the trail beside their foliage cover caught sight that culminated in a battle eventually won by the Americans, but not without heavy causalities.

Those men and women who were weighted down with battle gear, in desert heat reaching 110 degrees in the shade as they rode in their vehicle across the sandy roads watched as eighty yards in front another vehicle containing their friends suddenly explodes and shoots straight up in the air in a ball of flame.  With roads filled with IEDs waiting to capture the unsuspecting vehicle, they each continue on fulfilling their duty and chipping away at the forces of evil headed by a dictator who has vowed to take away the freedom from Americans whom he calls the "Great Satan."

What were those men and women thinking at those very moments?  Did they see the faces of their wives, kids, parents?  Did they see their high school friends they had just parted company with only a few short months prior to their current experience.  Were they terrified, with hearts beating knowing that each breath might be their last?  Did some experience the loss of their closest comrade in arms taking their last breath just inches away?  The one thing each one had in common:  They were each giving their all for those back in the States for them to be able to experience the freedom of never experiencing what they were facing at that moment.

Freedom.  Such a word; freedom.  It seems like Memorial Day and Freedom might be the same word.  Without Memorial Day, and the ones behind that Day, there would likely be no freedom.  We should never be so routine with our actions as to forget the real meaning of Memorial Day and the freedom that has been given to us by those who paid the price with their lives.

Jim Killebrew

Wedding performed in the garden



“Then the Lord God made a woman from the part he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. Then the man said, ‘This one at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one will be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.’”

“That is why a man leaves his father and mother and unites with his wife, and they become a new family. The man and his wife were both naked, but they were not ashamed.”  (Genesis 2:22-25)

“For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”  (See Ephesians 5)

Not only did God make marriage to be between a man and a woman, He meant for it to be a sign of the relationship between Himself and His Church.  No matter what political changes are made to the institution of God's ordained definition of marriage, the original intent was the formation of a relationship that signified the relationship between Christ and His Church.  So, if a man replaces his bride with another man; and a woman replaces her husband with another woman, will their marriage continue to be a great mystery that signifies the relationship between Christ and His Church?

Jim Killebrew

Retired citizens...promises broken

Retired citizens of Illinois who dedicated their lives by working for the state are disappointed.  The State made a promise to those people who began their career back in the 1960's and 70's.  That promise stated if you agree to work at a lower salary than most of the other states in comparable jobs, to work in the positions that take care of people with developmental disabilities, guard prisoners, administer countless programs built to improve the lives of those in poverty, make sure the court system in Illinois administers justice for each citizen, lead orphaned children through the maze of foster care, looking after the requirements of service providers to furnish the highest quality of services to Elder adults, build and repair highways, implement policies generated by the administrations, and obey the laws established by the lawmakers, then the lower salaries paid will be compensated by the state providing the cost of insurance during your retirement.

The Illinois Speaker of the House who put forth the Bill said, "We have no contract" with those people.  I believe that says it all.  We didn't have a contract; what we had was a promise.  What we had was a promise with politicians.

This article is not meant to decry the loss of the retiree benefit of state-paid health insurance.  Most reasonably prudent people realize the state is hopelessly in debt and will need to do something to right the ship before it sinks entirely.  The current group of retirees are those people who were born in the 1940s and 1950s who were born to a generation of parents who were called the "Greatest Generation."  We have been labeled as "War Babies" or the "Baby Boomer" generations.  We learned from our parents not only that we should love God and country, but we learned our responsibilities for family, neighbor and our community exceptionalism that drives us to dependence on God and each other as well as our own self-reliance.  By-and-large the majority of current state Retirees will grumble, but move on, pick themselves up and make the best of it just like our parents taught us to do.  So, again, this article is not meant to complain about the loss of the insurance specifically.         

It is meant to sound a warning.  A warning that something far more important has been lost along the way...integrity "the quality of possessing and steadfastly adhering to high moral principles or professional standards."  We are in this financial mess because of past plundering of taxpayer resources and actions of those few, or more than a few, who have seen the open troughs of public monies and have apparently engaged in a feeding frenzy for themselves and their friends.  "Earmarks" they have called them, "pork-barrel" is another name we have heard over the years.  Programs, tax-breaks, incentives, lavish life-styles; all at the public expense.  People who have won elective offices, some of whom, over the years who have been granted that voter-public trust and given fair salaries for their service, have somehow found ways to leave their office as millionaires.  We have shaken our heads and wondered how that had happened.  For evidence of misuse we need not look any further than two federal prisons where former State of Illinois governors sit incarcerated for trashing the public trust.

Now, although this is a problem we face in Illinois, we can see it is a problem throughout the nation as well.  So for everyone in America I say, "Take heed"!

This warning is meant for the ears of the generations who belong to our posterity:  take heed what politician's promises mean as you look at the final outcomes of those promises made in the past.  Examine closely not only the promises, but the integrity of the person who makes that promise.  Today's politicians, as aptly pointed out by the Illinois Speaker of the House, work only from "contracts" because the promises made are readily broken.

Jim Killebrew

Old Codger's observations...

One of the things I have noticed over the past few years is that kids seem to be in control of their parents. It seems that a child announces what they're going to do and then the parent begins to negotiate with them.

What I've seen in many cases is that the kids are better negotiators than their parents. --Jim Killebrew