Metallic Pea

‘But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’  ~ Luke 18:13

Every now and again an invention comes along that causes me to think, ‘Now, why didn’t I think of that?!’  This is just such an invention: The Disappearing Car Door.  (Link via Lew Rockwell.)

‘Democracy is three wolves and one sheep voting on what’s for supper.’  ~ Thomas Jefferson

As a certified Hair Band Freak back in the day, I cut my teeth on rock music from the likes of Poison.  Now comes the news (thanks, John Ferguson) that the band’s lead axe man, C. C. DeVille, has been converted to Christianity and is seeking and receiving pastoral care and guidance (from Pete Wilson of Cross Point Church in Nashville, Tennessee).  After having shaken the shock of reading about such an unexpected turn of events, I have been hit by a couple of (hopefully) important thoughts.  The first is that I pray that God will use a man of such talents and popularity—who stands before myriad captive audiences almost nightly—to glorify and draw more people to Himself.  Secondly, I have to admit to being a bit humbled.  My first reaction was, with no small air of self-congratulation and magnanimity, to ‘cheer’ God’s ability and willingness to draw such a ‘sinner’ as DeVille out of the darkness.  ‘It just goes to show that God can save anybody!’ I thought to myself.  And then it hit me: I most certainly ain’t any better than your average hedonistic guitar playing rock and roller.  (Pharisee, meet Tax Collector.)   All praise be to God that He saved me in spite of myself.

• A few weeks ago I commented upon why I no longer use Google; though there are many ideological reasons, my primary concern was that the monolithic search goliath records and stores your searches and provides them—no warrant needed—to police and government authorities.  However, let not your heart be troubled for there is now a viable alternative!  A few former Google engineers have launched their new—and vastly superior—search engine, Cuil (pronounced ‘cool’). 

• I am a fervent advocate of the Biblical teaching regarding the spheres of influence among the individual, the family, the State, and the Church and where they should—and should not—overlap.  That is why I am so uncomfortable with the display of a U.S. or State flag (or any civil/ secular banner) within the walls of the church. 

 

‘The Christian family, church, state, and other spheres of human life should be independent but cooperative institutions–all Christian, all operating under God’s authority.’  ~ Andrew Sandlin

• The next time you are having a bad day, read this story to remind you that it ain’t all that bad. 

• ‘The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to debate two bills that could give the federal government unprecedented control over the way parents raise their children – even providing funds for state workers to come into homes and screen babies for emotional and developmental problems.’ 

• Desensitisation to Violence + Voyeurism = War ‘Porn‘. 

• ‘Last week one of the world’s leading climate experts announced new research that could change our understanding of global warming and suggests we can stop worrying about climate change. Strangely, this wonderful development has been ignored by the media.’ 

• The lack of historical perspective in society leaves us open to the dangers of both being surprised by and unprepared for cyclical events and, as George Santayana warned against, repeating the mistakes of the past.  As a student of history, this provides no small measure of frustration for me.  Emblematic of our historical shortsightedness is the article listing the Top 25 Political Speeches of All Time.  The choices provide no shortage of fodder for discussion—and disagreement—but the telling aspect of the selections is that they are, to the last, twentieth century orations.  The oldest was given by FDR in 1933. 

• Sadly, this story is emblematic of our debt-soaked society—Extreme Makeover: Home Repossession Edition. 

• Some folks are still under the illusion that we enjoy religious freedom in this country.  

‘He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting.’  ~ Job 8:21

Sometimes when the wife and I are having discussions one (or both) of us will say something that completely disarms the other.  Such a moment ocurred earlier to-day.  I won’t boor you with the details but I will leave you with a quote from the woman that God gave me, which should be just enough to make you wonder what in the world was going on:

‘First of all, midgets are not poisonous.’

‘I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war.’  ~ Psalm 120:70

• The man who awarded my son’s namesake his nom de guerre died on yesterday’s date in 1861. 

• How do some folks reconcile Christianity with such things as advocacy of abortion on demand?—with bad theology: ‘“Theologically, we believe that in the greatest decision of our entire lives - whether to follow God or not - God allows us to choose,” she said. “If God is big enough to allow that choice, then who are we to dictate choices to other people? Your choices have consequences, but you should be allowed to make those choices.”’  However, a proper understanding of the monergistic work of the Holy Ghost would show the fault in such reasoning. 

• ‘One of history’s oldest copies of the Bible will be accessible to millions of people around the world soon – 1,600 years after it was first penned on calfskin parchment by early Christians in Egypt.’ 

CHOOSE WISELY!

• We often hear folks around us mention (no doubt with a certain degree of hyperbole) how ‘poor’ they are when, in fact, they really mean that they don’t have as much money as they wish they had.  If you are interested to see what real poverty looks like, watch this. 

• When you hear that one of the most shocking (and disgusting) rock ‘n rollers of all time—Alice Cooper—say something like this, ‘[T]he most rebellious thing I ever did was to become a Christian’, it is quite encouraging.  Yet, although he attends church and Bible study regularly, Cooper has not shed his horror show vocation.  This article brings to mind the important question raised by Frances Schaeffer: ‘How then should we live?’

• There is legitimate reason to believe that neither John McCain nor Barack Obama are constitutionally eligible to serve as President of the United States.  This raises a pivotal question: If a Constitutional requirement can be disregarded with such brazeness, are any of our rights enumerated in that document really protected?  And should we not be very concerned—or scared? 

• ‘Politicians and celebrities with an urge to see black poverty only need to visit the Mississippi Delta or some of the neighborhoods in American cities. If they yearn for more exotic poverty, all they have to do is visit the Indian reservations that do not have casinos. Any disease they are hot to trot to cure can be found right here in the good old U.S.A.’ 

• Would YOU pay 35$ to have fish nibble on your feet? 

• Lew Rockwell’s Daily Podcast: How the Federal Reserve and the practise of fractional reserve banking places our economy (and our livelihoods) in peril. 

• ‘Fashion experts [whatever that means, ed.] believe that the trend, which started on the catwalks and has now reached the high street, strengthens the theory that flush times mean higher hemlines, while the tightening of belts sends skirts to the floor.’ 

• Had there been no World War II, thousands of Jewish lives probably would have been spared: ‘In February 1942, for example, Goebbels wrote in his diaries, “World Jewry will suffer a great catastrophe. … The Führer realizes the full implications of the great opportunity offered by this war.” A month later, after describing the deportations from Poland’s ghettos, Goebbels observed, “Fortunately, a whole series of possibilities presents itself for us in wartime that would be denied us in peacetime. We shall have to profit by this.”’ 

• Do you REALLY want to know what is going on with the economy?  Then listen to this. 

• Can you tell that this motel is owned by one of the members of The B-52’s? 

You ever get the feeling somebody’s watching you?

‘Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.’  ~ Ecclesiastes 4:11, 12

We returned this evening from what can best be described as the most interesting non-religious, religious wedding I have ever attended.  The entire outdoor ceremony lasted a mere 17 minutes from the appearance of the first groomsman and bridesmaid until the last of the recessional.  To be sure, I prefer short/ Protestant weddings as a rule (ours clocked in at just under 20 minutes) but the issue was of special import this evening as the event was held outdoors under the constant threat of rain.  (We remained dry during the nuptuals but ran for cover to the reception as the skies opened after the I Do’s.)

The first indication that the ceremony would be, shall we say, ‘different’ was atop the programme handed out as we took our seats.  The processional of the wedding party would take place to the soothing sounds of a Norah Jones song (played by the celloist who performed at our wedding, as it happened).  Points were awarded, however, for keeping with tradition (or is it a law now?) and playing Pachelbel’s Canon in D at one point (we did it, too!).  The next bit of ‘unorthodoxy’ took place during the ceremony itself.  The extremely young looking pastor (of an unknown denomination) spent no time speaking of the Gospel and barely more than nothing in reading from Scripture.  His performance included two fleeting references to Solomon and Paul of Tarsus but was chock full of pop culture with a quote from Homer Simpson (on marriage) and no fewer than three songs: ‘All Out of Love‘ by Air Supply, ‘Cherish‘ by Kool and the Gang, and–I kid you not–an Adam Sandler ditty featured (alongside Billy Idol) in ‘The Wedding Singer.’  The specific verse from the last song quoted went thus:

So let me do the dishes in our kitchen sink
Put you to bed if you’ve had too much to drink
I could be the man who grows old with you
I wanna grow old with you

The ceremony spent a great deal of time centered around ‘Love.’  While, obviously, love is a very important ingredient in a marriage and I am a staunch advocate of it, yet it is not the glue that holds a couple together (that would be God) nor is it the end-all-be-all of marriage.  In fact, the manner in which the pastor spoke of it, he would have been better served substituting the term ‘infatuation.’

The pastor ended with a prayer that, in its hyper-ecumenical nature, left me asking the Mrs., ‘Who–or what–did we just pray too?’  In the end, it seemed a waste of time and money to have such an elaborate ceremony that was only nominally religious at all.  One would think that they may have been better served having a Justice of the Peace marry them and spend the balance of the funds on a honeymoon in Australia.

Am I a stick in the mud?  Perhaps.  (Probably.)  But I feel deeply that a wedding is a religious ceremony and a marriage is an institution ordained by God that calls for a great deal of reverence and serious reflection.  In addition, it also seems a shame to me that one would not use the opportunity of having a captive audience to share the Gospel, which is central to our lives (including the marriage).

Oh, yeah.  The recessional?: ‘All You Need Is Love‘ by the Beatles.

‘A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.’  ~ Proverbs 11:25

Funny search engine terms used to find my blog:

• reo speedwagon occult symbolism  [Riding the cult out...]

• iranian fried chicken  [May I have some yardbird with my couscous?]

• the ayers family korea  [I always knew Kevin had a lot of Seoul.]

• A suggestion for the moms: A friend of mine returned from taking her grandchildren to the children’s museum at Baylor University and could not stop singing its praises. Perhaps a WPC Moms group field trip should be planned?

• Suddenly, everyone agrees with Ron Paul!

‘How much of the rise in gas prices is attributable to the overall rise in prices caused by dollar inflation? One way of finding out is to measure the price of gasoline in terms of “constant” dollars instead of nominal dollars. For instance, in 1971 – the year is significant because that was when President Richard Nixon took us totally off the gold standard – a gallon of gasoline that cost 50 cents a gallon would cost $2.66 today in 1971 dollars, as calculated by the Consumer Price Index. … [C]omparing the cost of a gallon of gas to “real money” like silver – the value of a gallon of gas is relatively unchanged. The cost of a gallon of gas in terms of the fake, inflation-roasted dollars we all must use, well, that’s another story.’

• Be sure to check out #9.

• Happy Cost of Government Day! ‘They estimate that the cost of government now consumes 53.9% of national income, with the average American worker spending 83.7 days laboring to pay his “share” of federal spending. The average worker spends 50.5 days for state and local spending. Keep in mind that this is just spending, not regulation, which takes its own toll from you. Regulation requires 62.6 days, and “is estimated to cost 17.2 percent of national income.”’

• The U.S. national debt ‘has reached $455,000 per U.S. household. As that debt grows, the United States increasingly relies on foreigners, including China and Middle East oil producers, for financing.’

• Glenn Beck used to ridicule Ron Paul’s economic warnings. Now, like others who have the courage to face the truth, Beck is singing the good doctor’s praises:

• Abortion kills about 1,000 times more Israelis each year than terrorists.

• Some of the best movie blunders. Another site that I have really enjoyed in the past is Movie Mistakes–very funny and interesting stuff. 

• ‘Reduce your standard of living now (while the situation is still under control), greatly increase your savings (in gold, which is real money) and rig for greatly changed patterns of production, consumption, employment and business for a considerable time. The hurricane that’s just starting to hit the economy will both trigger and worsen problems in other areas. Starting with politics, because nearly everyone today believes the ridiculous notion that the government should guide the economy.’

To-day’s 1980’s Moment is brought to you by: Texas’ own Christpher Cross (and his sweet Earl Campbell Houston Oilers jersey!) 

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