The nation and the Church and our media all have to worry.......

As a college prof and pastor , I read and listen to much more than theological issues. These of course influence the church world, or should. But, I also like pundits who are both Christian, media-wise, bloggers, and all round analysts of our nation as well as our media. Hugh Hewitt just appeared on Sean Hannity's radio show and also recently interviewed a media reporter named Michael Ware. To read the transcript of Ware's comments is to remember why our culture, nation, Church and media are in such disarray. When members of our governing classes, our media, the varied Churches and cultural gurus can not remember anything past their own birthdate, one realizes why after 45 years of teaching history, kids still don't know what the Constitution is, when WWI or WWII were or who FDR,TR, Ronaldus Magnus or Sinclair Lewis, Fanny Crosby, Billy Sunday are but can tell you that Puff Diddy is now just Diddy and hip hop defines America! Ware seemed to be an historical dunce. He couldn't tell Hugh whether Stalin, Saddam, bin Laden, were all in the same boat as dictators, whether America was right in its justifications to repel Islamofacism, or whether the Cold War was worth it. He wasn't around, you see. So reading, gathering facts, doing some research is just not something the modern journalist seems to do. And moral relativism! Well, I'm sure Martin Luther King and Martin Luther are the same fellow to Ware. That our educational system today is a mess and fails to institute what my grandmother knew was patriotic fact, the American story, and what I learned in the early '40's of Americana, just doesn't seem to connect with Ware. His lack of perspective and moral equivalence is very disturbing. But, so it is in the Congress, the organized Church , the MSM and in our educational elites today. Perhaps Hugh better start teaching journalistic ethics, government ethics and even church ethics and drop law school teaching. Lawyers are bad enough but the three professions above seriously need some values and fact teaching. Now!

What does the Church do in this time of stress?

Over the last , oh say, 6 years, the Church has faced a hostile media, the problems of illegal immigration, the war against Islamofacism, secularism, the gay marriage,gay ordination battle, political corruption in all 50 states and of course, around the world, as well as the social corruption of our youth, the yuppie generation and sex, drugs and rock n'roll!! What to do? Faith is an action word, as CS Lewis reminds us. We are not only to feed the poor, help the weak, orphens, widows, but to stand up against evil. How to do that is and will be a real problem. Faith in our Lord Jesus on an individiual basis is a given, but if the Church is not standing for Jesus, then what? But, after personal salvation, which in a multicultural, ethnic, and religious society or non-religious as it seems to be going now, how can the Church display its love, grace, militancy all at the same time? I think the Church did well with the Asian tsnuami as well as Katrina. It is not doing so well against a secular humanist media nor is it doing well to guide the younger generation except in many mega-church set-ups. Often the Church looks foolish when spokespeople are asked for opinions and the media overplays them. The old disciplines, reading the Bible, prayer, fasting, doing for others is still a necessity in whatever changing status the world and the Church finds itself. Still, it must do a better job not by being corrupted by the culture, but it must help change the culture and at the same time fight evil without looking like finger-pointing pharisees. How to do this is the question of our time!

Marching for illegality

Well, Friday and today, Saturday, students, probably instigated by teachers or activists who have a stake in expanding instead of reducing illegal immigration, marched all over the USA. Pictures showed them laughing, eating, wearing IPODS, and cell phone chatting. One wonders if these kids realize what they are doing. Some might but my guess is family considerations probably enter in here if any of them are illegals. Costa Mesa , Ca. wants to actually enforce laws against illegals. Horrors! The Hispanic associations were appalled! The President is starting to realize that his Base is not for illegal immigration but it is too late. I can just see politicians appeasing them because of electoral considerations. Think if 12 million illegals are made citizens, get to vote and forever change our culture, laws, health and education codes and also challenge public safety. Ah what a circus it will be. Some one years ago should have given the clairion call against illegality. None was given but by some independent people who nobody believed. Even religious people will be divided over this because they do not understand what illegal means and how dangerous this will be when gangs are created, crime increases, and jails are even more filled than they are now. Jobs will not be filled with the peaceful workers that saw the green card of the 1950's. Expect more militancy as voting and political power increases. Multiculturalism will expand and America's idea of assimilating immigrants will be forever changed. Think this is too strong? Just wait till 2020. Think what my grandchildren will face in this nation when illegality simply means legal!

What is wrong with these leftist so-called Christians?

Well, we now have Cardinal Mahoney of Ca. calling for breaking the law via illegal immigration. And today, we have left-wing so-called pacifist,socialist, liberal, Democrat Christians being rescued and then blaming the rescuers , the British, via America in fighting their 'Muslim brothers,' Now left-wing Christians have been so wrong over the years since WWII that one wonders how they get legitimate cred from the MSM. We all know by now that when the MSM finds Christian kooks, they either love them because they validate the MSM left wing looniness. Or they hate them , via Right wing Christians, conservatives, Evangelicals. One wonders now why Jesus didn't make more statements about rendering unto Caesar et al. The fact that pacifists have almost always been wrong on policies does not seem to have stopped them as they undermine the military that rescued them. These groups write letters for support of the terrorists that have been detained. What a bunch of loons! The Bible does NOT teach pacifism. Acts 10 shows that Cornelius is a great Christian converted soldier. Peter does not tell him to stop being a soldier. During WWII, Korean, Nam Left wing Christians urged pacifism, cut and running, and urged peace, love and gave aid to our enemies and the enemies BTW of the very Church they assert to defend! No wonder left wing mainline churches keep losing members. Thank God they do. Pacifism would never have defeated the AXIS. Nor the Communists(thank God for Reagan). And they will not defeat Islamofacists who want no negotiations, no peace, but PURE DEATH FOR ALL INFIDELS OF JUDEO-WESTERN AFFIRMATIONS. When the Left, the Dems, the liberal Christians finally get that, our nation will be unified again. But, don't hold your breath!

St. Pat's

Look, forget the green beer. Pat's life is a real Christian testimony to all believers. Too bad that the secularists and drunks do and will not see that. What a day for news! Iraquis and Americans actually starting a new wave of missions to rout Iranian, Syrian, Iraqui insurgents. News that black schools are brainwashing kids to be black nationalists and hate whites as heard on Hannity's show . Most blacks calling in rightly denounce this racism. March madness in college basketball shows small schools like Bucknel can still compete with the big boys.The MSM using polls minute by minute to denigrate Bush and our military. And it seems to be working as a news story to sway more public opinion even if the MSM's agenda is a lie and does not present info which actually shows good things happening in the war against Islamofacist terrorists. Feingold censuring the President and then coward-like, runs from the Senate floor and can't even get Charlie Schumer to speak out on the issue of legal phone spying against Al Queda operatives operating here in the USA! The media still calls it domestic spying, which it is not. Rain in SoCal which always brings about disasters and wall to wall coverage of doppler weather casting which almost without fail is wrong. Having an old friend, retired DIA college mate from DC visiting us out here in SoCAl. An interesting day, this Pat's Day and no green beer either!

Church loses property but all is not that bad.

Well, Long Beach did take the church property that I noted yesterday. But, at least the city govt. does not look like the nuts or greedy developers that happened in New England. They offered the church mucho money, would move them, give them another designated area. Still, I do not like the idea that government can take private property if that property is not blighted for another development. We shall see if Kelo is finally done away with by SCOTUS.

Churches should watch this one.

Just recently, because of a silly , really unconstitutional interpretation of eminent domaine, the Kelo decision by the Supreme Court has allowed local governmental entities to seize private property for their 'HIGHER' use. The Founders would have gasped. In Long Beach, Ca, a Filipino Baptist Church in a nice area of town is now being threatened with eminent domaine so that developers can build some stuff. Just what Long Beach needs, more STUFF. If they can take this church, why not mine, yours, ours?? Keep your eye on this case. Unless Kelo is overturned and soon, more shananigans like this will be perpetrated.

Islam exposed????????

There are many websites showing books, articles on the dangers of Islam , just the religion itself. Then too, many articles show just how dangerous Islamofacism is. And the madrasses, hate schools. Only our MSM, the Times, The Post, The Boston Globe see fit to believe that Islam is really peace. Sort of the tin ear and tone deafness of our President on this issue. The fact is Islam is dangerous. Period. But, so many secularists, Christians, Jews and just plain Americans don't quite get it yet. Dispite 9/11, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and other attrocities shown in those areas by mullahs, imans, madrasses and crazies in general, Americans are just, by recent polling numbers, just coming to realize that our culture is in a war and that Islam may just be not what our universities or the New York Times pontificate upon. Ya think???

Look at these breaking stories

Just a quick note to anyone interested. 101 Catholic priests accused of abuse. Take a look at that story. The Dubai Port deal is dead. Take a look. The Left-Progressive Dem Caucus in the House, crying against Bush that he is not interested in defense, today called for a $60 billion cut in national defense funds!!!! Yipe, what hypocrisy ! Take a look at the story on the 3 towns in the USA being set up by religious communities and the reaction against them. One of these towns is in S.Carolina and one in Fla. I did see where one of them is Roman Catholic. The left's outrage is growing!! A truck-load of over 16 illegals crashed today. A new poll in Ca. says 47% of Californians think illegal immigration is a wonderful thing!! Az. governor decides to use national guard to guard the Az. borders. One is tempted to wonder if we are now in an age of real madness.

Getting out the Word, word, words.

I taped a very un-watched cable show (mine) yesterday in SoCal. I have been doing the show for nearly 3 years now. I try to present a world-view from a Judeo-Christian point of view on all sorts of subjects. There is much talk on blogs, the Net and Talk Radio that the Word, word, words from Christians, conservatives and Pubs with one or the other ideology gets out there but increasingly only hits the choir. That is, the people who already believe the Word, word, and words that the Right, Christians, Pubs, and a variety of in between other than liberals. For example, Red States get the Word, word, words but the Blue States reject them out of hand. The Left has no listenership on Talk Radio but still controls the MSM and other cultural areas, educational institutions including the public schools, colleges, and economic outlets. In other words, the Left still controls opinion moulding even in many Mainline Churches. Sure, the Right, conservative Christians are growing in influence in many areas, churches,media, but mostly in Red States and not so well in our universities or colleges. Young people need to hear the unvarnished Word, word, and words. Yet, the Right has not made much dent there although Talk Radio keeps saying it is. I pray so. I also wonder if our churches in the USA are also being split just like they were in the '20's, the '50's and '60's?? I think they are and if this hardens in cement as I believe it is, many voters, citizens, and church-goers who are somewhere in the middle of this culture war (internally here in the USA-not even in the war against Islamofacism but right here) will grow more and more confused, isolated and likely to just stop caring about values, world-views, our national identidy, religious values, and Western civilized foundations that have helped the USA to still be the best hope for civilized humanity.

Is Christian culture growing or receding?

Our group did some evanglelizing over a week ago. It seemed to fire up the people who shared our church, God and the love of Jesus but so far, only 2 visitors came. We need follow-up. But, when one witnesses the Hollyweird Oscars, one is forced to see that our culture is being bombarded with anti-God views and the MSMedia keeps pounding that theme. The History Channel last night, Sun., had hours of material on Hell, Satan, and the Anti-Christ. Some participants called these themes, legends. So much for an acceptance of the Biblical reality. Perhaps we are in the End Days. If so, Christians and believing Jews must gear up their loins to fight the fight of faith against the rising secularism that is attacking our families, schools, media, and government. What our grandfathers took for granted over 60-70 years ago, the Christian culture as part and parcel part of our everyday living, is now gone. Most young people have no idea of Biblical, Christian themes, culture et al. The Yuppies, Boomers have little more information or foundation for those themes. So, when young people, middle aged people and seniors who have these foundations and themes underlying their very lives reach out to our society, it is more likely a war of ideas, culture, and world views rather than a shared culture which our grandparents once knew. Yep, it is a war. It remains to be seen if today's Christians are up to the battle.

Can a Christian politician be effective nowadays?

Jummy Carter has been a huge bust not only as a President, but one who has undermined America time and time again. Only his work at Humanity has saved any respect for this flawed and failed ex-President. Some Senate and House reps have been elected and the voters knew they were Christian. Bill Clinton claimed he was, so did Al Gore and of course, George Bush has made no effort to escape his Christian nomenclature. But, today, the USA is facing another religion which is growing faster and is so evil that it is even dividing Americans of many religious persuasions. Bush is off to a Hindu nation, India and another Muslim nation, Pakistan. Will he be effective there? Will his policies of democracy, freedom, liberty and anti-terrorism catch the favor of those two nations? Bush really believes in truth, righteousness and yet his enemies call him a liar, a crook, incompetent and his enemies really (if wrongly) fear that he will bring about a religious-authoritarian government. Gov. Rommney is a Mormon, not a standard Christian. Will his views be blasted if he runs for President? Will anti-Catholic hate rise its ugly head if some Catholic Senators run for President? Does one have to be a pure secularist, or a socialist with no religious foundations to be trusted anymore? I hope not. The hate and lies toward the President and unfortunate mistakes that W has brought on himself seem to have taken a political toll. I wonder if it will be so devastating that any Christian running for office will be declared persona non grata???