Raptor Pass

So, I just had a wild idea after getting a prayer request email from my churches prayer chain.

The basic idea would be to set up a bug report software system and use it for prayer requests.

Basic use would be, you sign on, click add prayer request, fill out as many of the forms as you want, then it’s posted for people to see. After it’s posted, people can subscribe to it and get updates whenever you update it. And so on. The same kind of stuff that a bug report site has, just tweaked for prayer requests.

What do you think? Would you use it?

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Ronald Reagan Speaks Out Against Socialized Medicine

And a transcript here.

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So, a friend on Facebook posted a note about this bill that would create federal gun control. That prompted me to do a quick write up on gun control.

Number one, gun control on the federal level is definitely unconstitutional.

Amendment 2 – Right to Bear Arms. Ratified 12/15/1791.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Essentially, since it is necessary to keep our freedoms secure, there should be a ‘well regulated Militia’. In order for that Militia to exist, we have the right to bear arms. Gun control takes away, or infringes on, that right. How are we supposed to have an effective Militia to deter the Government from taking away our freedoms if we have to tell the Government about every single gun we own and can’t buy effective weapons? (Side note, people might think the National Guard fulfills this role, it doesn’t. If people actually started to form the kind of militia the founders imagined, they’d be called extremists.)

So, to put it bluntly, there are no limits on what kind of arms (read ‘weapons’) we can own. The founders imagined a militia that could effectively fight the Government if they had to. At least, that is the way I read it. We can’t do that if we can’t even own a handgun without the Government regulating it.

Another, far more immediate, reason that gun control is a really bad idea, is that it leaves you and me defenseless. Criminals are hardly going to follow the law, the best you can hope for is that it is harder for them to get guns. It certainly won’t be impossible. Whereas law-abiding citizens would be stuck without.

If a criminal invades your home, you can keep yourself and your family pretty safe if you have a gun. But if you don’t have one, then you are in far more danger. Even if the criminal is unarmed, they are likely much better than you at fighting. You need something to equalize the force, preferably something that stops them cold. Gun control would make it much harder for you to defend yourself and your family.

One reason many people support gun control is the number of children who accidentally shoot themselves or others. This is tragic, very tragic. But, it can be ameliorated by educating children on how to handle guns correctly. The way I would do it with kids of my own would be this: When they are under 7, or whatever age is best, show the kids the guns so they know what they look like, then tell them that they cannot touch them at all. Also keep the guns safely stowed where the kids are unlikely to get to them. At 7, or when they are ready, teach the kids how to handle guns safely. Basically, if kids grow up respecting guns, accidents are less likely, and kids are far less likely to use them wrong. Smart parenting.

So, that’s a quick overview of the subject. I’ll make sure to have more research in future posts, if I write more on this subject.

Edit 3-1-2010: Here is a blog post that links to some information about how crime rises as a result of gun bans and lowers when those bans are lifted.

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So, a friend of mine recently came out of the closet, and has been trying to convince me that homosexuality is ok. I guess that is why he invited me to the International Day Against Homophobia. So I went to the event page and read the description. And was subsequently annoyed. Here’s what it said:

International Day Against Homophobia is all about raising awareness that being a homosexual is okay. And that being a homosexual doesn’t mean you’re unlike anyone else, that you should be accepted just as everyone else is. Homosexuality is not a sickness, and it’s not contagious: spread the word. Allow homosexuals to feel accepted, to be themselves as everyone else is. Help end homophobia.

also: its been decided that everyone whos attending should wear a plain black shirt, to silently protest the pain homophobes can cause.
and, if you can, write “gay rights are human rights” on your arm, iron it on your black shirt, make it a hat, a poster, etc.
if you have any questions post it on the board, id be happy to answer them.

and please, please, pleaseeee: if you dont agree with what this event stands for then simply dont attend, theres no need for hateful words or unkind actions on here.

So, if you have a rudementry understanding of grammar, you know that ‘phobia’ means something like ‘unreasoning fear of’. Thus, an international day against homophobia should be about stopping unreasonable fear of homosexuality. The people who beat up homosexuals because they are homosexual, the people who hate homosexuals, the people who actually think that homosexuals are dangerous, and other unreasonable fears. Dictionary.com’s definition agrees with this:

ho⋅mo⋅pho⋅bi⋅a
  /ˌhoʊməˈfoʊbiə/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [hoh-muh-foh-bee-uh]
–noun
unreasoning fear of or antipathy toward homosexuals and homosexuality.
Origin:
1955–60; homo(sexual) + -phobia

Related forms:
ho⋅mo⋅pho⋅bic, adjective

Thus, the event’s description is not accurate at all. It really is an event about all about affirming homosexuality. If it had been about teaching people not to be afraid of homosexuals, and not to be violent towards them, I would have had no problem with the event. I probably would not have attended, but it would have been out of disagreement with the reason for the event. As it is, I cannot affirm someones choice to do something that is bad for them.

This brings me to my main point. The homosexual community is misusing the word ‘homophobia’ and it’s dervitatives. And it does so nearly all the time. I have seen ‘homophobic’ used many times, and most of those times it’s used wrongly, generally as a label for anyone who does not accept the homosexual lifestyle. Using it that way is bad, both for the people called homophobic, and for the homosexual community in general.

Here is why. First, on my side of the issue, I don’t want to be called homophobic. If I am accused of that, then I am being called unreasonable and scared. I am obviously none of those things, I am still friends with my friend, thus, not scared. I have researched homosexuality to a certain extent and used reason to form my beliefs, so I am not unreasonable. But, in spite of all that, if I express my disagreement with the homosexual lifestyle, most people will label me as homophobic. Thus, I have a certain reluctance that I have to overcome in order to speak freely. Calling someone homophobic is a form of intimidation, and has no place in a civilized society.

Now, here are some of the reasons it is bad for the homosexual community to use the term. It is a stereotypical label. Just like saying someone is a ‘typical blonde’, or ‘he’s a ghetto kid.’ That kind of language is not something that should be used. Also, as I explained above, it is an intimidation tactic, whether they mean it that way or not. And then it is misused so often that most of the time people who use the term make themselves look unintelligent.

So, if you consider yourself a homosexual or someone who supports them, don’t use the term ‘homophobia’ or it’s derivatives. If you aren’t part of that group, be careful to make sure the term is being use correctly when you see it, and don’t let it intimidate you if want to speak against homosexuality.

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So, I just finished reading this book. It’s second in Genesis of Shannara series that bridges Brooks’ Word and Void series with the Shannara world. It’s a tale of several groups of people trying to survive the new demon infested world that resulted from the Great Wars.

There are several things that struck me about this book and the one before it. First is how far Terry Brooks has come as an author. His first book, The Sword of Shannara, was mediocre and a rather blatant rip off of Lord of the Rings. He improved a lot with his next books, but the Genesis of Shannara blows them away as well. Apparently 30 years of experience helps.

Second is that these books do not fall into the same depressing traps that most post-apocalyptic stories do. Most of them have very little hope, just that the main characters will somehow survive. Most everyone else is out of luck, and it’s usually every man for himself. The Elves of Cintra doesn’t do that. Right and wrong, good and evil, are all very clearly defined. And the story is very focused on good versus evil. While good recently got it’s rear whipped, there is still a huge faith in something bigger than the characters. They don’t get their strength only from themselves, they have to have faith in the Word to keep going. That is very refreshing when most sci-fi/fantasy stories usually have the main character only getting strength from himself.

From a Christian standpoint, there are a lot of Christian principles in these stories. People get to choose good or evil. People have to live in faith. You do the right thing, even if it doesn’t help your survival. People take care of each other. Evil is evil, no excuses. And so on. It’s not a Christian story, but it’s about as close as you can get.

So, I highly recommend that you read this series if you like Fantasy. There are a lot of elements from the other books, but those elements are presented in a way that a new reader can enjoy the series without reading the many other books. The first book in the Genesis of Shannara is called Armageddon’s Chlidren, the third is called The Gypsy Morph which is what I am going to read next.

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Key thing to remember people, pray before you start your daily Bible reading. I have been struggling to get much out of my readings, but today I prayed before hand. Second verse in, boom, something I hadn’t realized before.

Genesis Chapter 1 is the Creation story. And it starts with a message of transformation. Verse 2:

Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Subsequently, God takes that formless and empty earth and transforms it into what He calls “good”. Isn’t that what God does to us when we are saved? We are formless and empty sinners, separated from Him. Then He comes and step by step transforms us into the beings He wants us to be.

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If you’ve been reading this blog at all, you will have noticed that I have been posting quite a bit on political matters. Like cap and trade, health care reform, etc.

Something I have been thinking about is why I care so much about these things. After all, as a Christian, my overriding goal is the salvation of souls. So, how does worrying about politics tie into being a Christian?

1 John 3:16

16 This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers.

That verse, along with all the others in the Bible that tell us to love our neighbors, is why I care about politics. Because of that love, first, I want them to be redeemed, second, I want to care for them. The second part is where politics can come in.

The laws and policies of the Federal Government effect every American citizen, and many foreign people as well. That is why I watch to make sure that detrimental laws and policies are not passed.

Then there’s the issue of personal responsibility, and America’s lack of it. As a Christian, I want to imitate Christ. In America, all I see are people making the Government responsible for everything. Christ did not do that, He took personal responsibility for me. So, when the Government wants to increase its power with the stated goal of helping the unfortunate, I say no. Helping the unfortunate is my responsibility, not the Government’s. If the Government thinks it needs to impose itself somewhere to help people, then that is a sign that we Christians need to step up and do more.

An example would be the social security system. It is broken. UsDebtClock.org puts the Social Security Liability at $14 trillion and counting. If it wasn’t broken, that number would be $0. Plus, as far as I know, nobody can live solely on SS checks. The idea behind SS is a good one. We have a responsibility to take care of our elderly. That’s even Biblical. The problem is that the Government can’t do that. We as people should do it ourselves, and do something that can replace Social Security. The only time the Government should have to step in is in a very few cases where there is no other choice.

Another example of America’s failure to take responsibility is the recent economic crisis. Basically, Americans decided that they had to have their own homes, even though they could not afford them. Certain factions then pushed the lenders to lend money to these people that really couldn’t afford it. Eventually these people defaulted on their loans. The lenders, and the factions that pushed them, refused to take responsibility. Instead the Government did, and bailed them out. Number one, they never should have allowed those loans in the first place, that was incredibly irresponsible. Number two, the Government should not have bailed them out. It was not the American Taxpayers fault that these people made really bad decisions, we shouldn’t have to pay for it. Instead, the lenders should have taken responsibility and gone bankrupt. That would have allowed smarter people to take charge of lending and avoid this problem in the future.

Then there’s the homeless. They are stuck outside in the cold. They shouldn’t be. We are a rich country, we have enough money that if we used it right, all those homeless people would at least have a roof over their heads. And if we took even more responsibility, we could help them get back to work and off the streets permanently. But, because of our irresponsibility and attitude that they are the Governments problem, the homeless get left out in the cold.

In conclusion, the reason I am posting on political matters is because I cannot stand seeing our Government hurt so many people. The Government is there to keep the peace and allow us to help others. It is our responsibility.

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According to this article, illegal immigrants will be allowed to purchase health insurance under the House’s version of Obamacare. They won’t be able to get subsidized by our tax dollars, though.

Now, I wouldn’t have a problem with someone purchasing health insurance with their own money no matter who they are, but these people are here illegally! Just by being in the country they are breaking the law. Therefore, they are criminals! Now, it might simply be that the bill doesn’t require someone to prove their citizenship in order to get insurance. So, the issue isn’t simple.

But what is simple is this, illegal immigrants are here illegally. They are breaking the law, and therefore should be punished. If they really want to be here in America, they should enter legally. If the USA’s legal immigration policies make it to hard for people, who we want in our country, to immigrate, then we should reform the the policies. But until we reform them, we need to enforce the current law.

So, to help them, for now we should enforce the current laws, while working to make the laws better. This would create a better overall system that help the immigrants that need it, without them needing to break the law.

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Acts 4:32-37

32And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.

33And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.

34For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales

35and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.

36Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement),

37and who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

There are several things to be gleaned from this passage of God’s Word. First is that the Church should be unified, and act as one body. I haven’t seen much of this in the American church, but for the past couple years I have noticed a movement towards it. So unity in the Church is something we need to be praying for.

The next thing I want to point out is a little more complicated. Verses 34 and 35 say that everyone shared their wealth, and that resulted in there not being “a needy person among them.” In modern political terms, that’s redistribution of wealth. Now, as a Conservative, redistribution of wealth is someting I consider to be really stupid. But, here it is, in the Bible, God’s Word. So, am I wrong to oppose it? No, I’m not, and the explaination is simple. This redistribution of wealth was within the Church, no imposed by the Government.

Basically, the Church is filled with the power of God. The Holy Spirit frees us from the chains that shackel us to selfishness. Because of this, we can overcome our natural inclinations, and share our wealth with others. Of course, the American Church has not done very well at this, but I think we can learn to.

In contrast, the unsaved world will never be able to overcome the sin that makes redistribution of wealth fail. People are naturally selfish, and if you take away their money that they work hard to earn, they will stop working hard. Eventually any system based on redistribution of wealth will fail. We’ve seen that with Communism. And the reason for it’s failure, was sin.

In conclusion, as Christians, we should seek to learn to share everything we have with our fellow believers. If they need help, and you can help, give them what they need. Even if it inconveniences you tomorrow, remember God is in charge of tomorrow, we only need to think about today. We also must make sure that we are not deceived into abdicating the responsibilities God has given us to the Government.

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So, I’ve thought that it was fairly obvious that Obamacare was designed to create a single payer system ever since I first read about it. Unfortunately some people actually believe the lies told by the left. Obama says he doesn’t want a single-payer system, yet he was recorded on video as saying he wanted it in 2003. I haven’t heard him explain that yet.

Now, if you don’t want a single-payer system, and are blinded by the leftist lies, watch this video. These are the leaders who have said they aren’t creating a single-payer system. Remember that.

After watching, if you still think that Obamacare won’t lead to a single-payer system, please explain why in a comment.

Oh, and if you don’t know what a single-payer system is, that’s what Canada and Britain have.

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