Never mind U.S. High School students, how about us adults? Honestly, I didn't score well with this test either...
Let's not blame the U.S. educational system outright, I believe much of the blame has to be owned by us parents. Over the past 20 - 30 years, we've allowed ourselves to buy in to the notion that certain people know better than us. Sometimes that true, but God has endowed every single mom and dad with certain gut instincts about each of our particular children.
In recent days and weeks we've seen a lot of activity on the "gay rights" front. And it's not going to go away any time soon - or quietly for that matter.
What I found most striking is the fact that the issue is being addressed by state legislatures at a time when local budgets are in crisis and the common taxpayer is under assault. Instead, of dealing head long with those issues that affect the entire population, liberal governors and legislators are taking time to address, and dare I say appease a very small but vocal minority.
The politics are bad enough, and frankly, I don't want to address this subject from that angle. I believe there is a more important angle. It is a matter of the heart and mind.
To be bluntly honest, this post is in response to a text conversation that I was having with my daughter a while back. I never fully answered her questions and in the meanwhile, some other thoughts have come to my mind.
Continue reading "Gay Marriage & a Conversation with My Daughter" »
The world around us appears to be unravelling. Economic uncertainty. Political unrest. Terrible earthquakes. Extreme weather. Natural and man-made.
And not only in the United States, but all over the world. Since the middle of January 2011, the world has been literally ablaze. From terror bombings at Moscow's busiest airport to riots throughout northern Africa and the Middle East, something is afoot.
This week we see the governments of Tunisia and Egypt changing radically and falling. Somewhat pro-western governments, although dictatorial, are being shaken to their core as the general populace calls for equality and "social justice". They are looking for a "savior".
Even in the United States, radical elements of the left foment resentment toward capitalism and the proper use of our natural resources (stewardship). God's Word and religion in general (especially Christianity) is looked upon with disdain as being the problem as opposed to the cure for mankind's ills.
The old saying, "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." needs to be amended.
Maybe it should say, "Those who can, do. Those who can't, become government bureaucrats." Yes, I think that fits better.
After all, there are literally hundreds of thousands of good teachers who have been called to that profession. These folks teach because they are gifted with the ability to teach. Every day, most of us send our sons and daughters to classrooms around America lead by great teachers.
Unfortunately, there are many teachers, let's call them classroom facilitators instead, who are still in the classroom mainly because they have tenure and can't be let go, fired or retired. They believe they have a "right" to "teach" because of their seniority or time on the job - and nothing else. That's not a right. Having a job is not a "right". You can read my thoughts on "rights" here. Let's blame the teachers' unions (the National Education Association - NEA, and the slightly less liberal American Federation of Teachers - AFT) and not the individual teachers.
"I have a right to..." That's the rallying cry that we very often hear in our modern society.
This past Sunday, our adult Sunday school teacher was finishing up his lesson in the Book of Proverbs when we came to chapter 31 and verses 4 through 9. It speaks to the admonition of what a king is to do and how he is to govern. The king is to defend the rights of the poor, needy and destitute.The text reads:
"It is not for kings, O Lemuel—
not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer,
lest they drink and forget what the law decrees,
and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
Give beer to those who are perishing,
wine to those who are in anguish;
let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
There is a clear distinction between the ideas of rights and laws. So what exactly are "Rights"? What is the difference between a "right" and a "law"? More importantly, who sets them? A lively discussion ensued.
Whether it's in Washington, DC or your home, "no" is one of those words that just gets a bad rap.
In DC, the Republicans have been called the "Party of NO" because of the erroneous charge of "not having constructive ideas" that the Liberals in Congress would back. The truth is that Conservatives have been putting forth plenty of ideas, but due to the liberal bent of the traditional press, these conservative ideas get minimal (at best) air time. And when Fox News airs these "fair and balanced" views, Fox is called a "right wing mouth piece."
The conservative reasons of "NO" are simply calls for everyone to pause and think before acting. Like it or not, "NO" is an alternative point of view in an adult discussion. What's wrong with that?
Believe it or not, "no" is not just a 2 letter word that demonstrates defiance. Often it is a word that is not only incredibly liberating but demonstrates tremendous self control and deliberation. Most people don't realize how liberating "NO" is or can be. Yes, "NO" is liberating.
Today the Supreme Court of the United States heard a significant "free speech" case involving the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, KS visiting and protesting various internment services of "killed in action" soldiers.
One family, the Snyders, said "enough," and brought suit. The case has arrived at the highest court in our land, and it is a real shame.
I will not discuss the merits of the case. I am not a lawyer. I am a father of 3 children and the father in law of my daughter's husband who recently returned from serving our country in Iraq. And I want to weigh in because of my support of our gallant troops, but more importantly as a follower of Jesus Christ.
In so many aspects of life, church, social, religious, political, we are told to have a "big tent" mentality. Okay, I'll buy that...
The question though is, "who's tent?"
"Big Tent" thinking sounds really good. Let's face it, on the surface, everybody "wants to get along." Everybody wants to see eye to eye. We don't want this bristling of competing ideas and feelings. Yet that's what exactly is happening. And especially among conservative leaning people.
We are told by the "powers that be" that we "have to be inclusive," we have to be "more broad-minded," and have to accept "other peoples' thinking." It sounds good, but, you know, I don't think so. The other side can continue to be narrow in their thinking or approach, it's their way or else. Yet conservatives are consistently bashed over our "narrow-mindedness."
After the Restoring Honor Rally 2010, sponsored by Glenn Beck at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, many people, including some conservative hosts such as Bill O'Reilly, have been asking the question of whether this is a call for a march or move to a theocracy or theocratic type of government, being Christian in nature. Glenn said absolutely not, and I agree with him.
Beck has pointed out that we Christians emphatically DO NOT want nor are we looking for the United States to become a Theocracy. That's not what the Founding Fathers called for. That's not what the original documents, including the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution, called for.
Thank you Glenn Beck for the call to go to Washington, DC on 8/28.
It was one of those "stake in the sand" moments that you will remember for many years to come. My son came down with me and my son-in-law met us; along with about 500,000 other friends!
The picture to the left was taken from the west side of the Washington Monument looking past the World War II Memorial with the Lincoln Memorial in its serene glory in the center.
It was a hot end of summer day. Lots of friendly, caring people of. The day was similar to my first "event" that I attended on the mall almost 13 years earlier. Thirteen years earlier over 1,000,000 men from all around the United States came together for a day of prayer.
