The Problem Of Evil

   Being a Biblical Christian I use the scriptures as a primary source in sifting the wheat from the chaff. Many not thoroughly acquainted with the Holy Bible do not know it contains basic principles that can be used as a guide in almost any situation; in both private and public decisions. One of the most controversial subjects the Bible deals with is the presence of evil. Not just the effects, but the source of evil. The question of there being an organized source of evil outside of, and greater than man has been debated for centuries. For those who would argue there is no such thing as evil, my only comment is; watch the news and read your newspaper.
   Most people are quick to acknowledge the possibility of the presence of angelic beings that have a positive influence on the lives of humans. When it comes to there being an angelic force that does not have man's best interest at heart, and is even in opposition to our welfare. Most are reluctant to go that far. I believe an acknowledgment of an organized opposition to what is good and in our best interest; not only helps explain the great tragedies of history. It is one of the first steps in addressing the great injustices of our own times.
   My argument for the existence of organized evil is based upon natural law. Natural or universal law is the foundation of science, reason and morality. If one was to argue there is no such thing as natural law it would be irrelevant. Because the argument would have no foundation on which to build, or set principles to draw a conclusion from.
    There are things that are universally  accepted as abhorrent behavior. We all know the torture of children is bad, stealing something that does not belong to us and killing in cold blood are wrong. However if we were to be put into a group of people who justify all kinds of cruel and irresponsible behavior, there are few of us who will openly reject or criticize the behavior. The larger the group the the less likely there will be dissent. The more people around us that are ignoring their natural moral inclinations, the more we are likely to ourselves. It is what the Bible teaches as, "the fear of man,"  King David called it, "the fear of evil."
   The Apostle Paul tells us, "God did not give us a spirit of fear." The fear that inhibits our ability to do what we instinctively know is right, is not God given. Paul describes fear as a spirit not flesh. If it does not originate from God it has to have it's origins in another spirit being. The angels are our only other alternative. The Spirit of fear is not the fear of God talked about in the Bible. The fear of God is a form of God given wisdom. It tells us there are consequences for our actions beyond what is discovered or punished in this life. The fear of God is an acknowledgement of His moral presence and power. This is constructive reverence. Not a spirit of fear. Fear in physically dangerous situations is not a spirit of fear. It is genetically produced caution in all humans and animals. It is a fight or flight instinct.
   Paul also taught that God gave all of His human creation an ability to understand and know He created them. Atheism and idolatry are learned and chosen. They are not a natural part of our created being. In fact they are an affront to our natural moral inclinations and even contrary to our ability to reason and recognize truth. If God did not create man in ignorance of Him, and did not give him inclinations towards evil. Where did our denial of our Creator and our propensity towards wicked behavior come from? Even a believer in evolution who has been around animals at all knows; animals are not capable of moral decisions. They react instinctively even when trained. The ability to do something consciously evil is unique to man and angel.
   The Bible teaches that an angel in rebellion against God enticed Adam and Eve into ignoring their God given knowledge of what is right, and then they disobeyed God. The ability to choose to do, or not to do, what we know is right; is the liberty God gave us when we were created. It sets us apart from animals. God wants us to choose Him out of love, gratitude and our ability to recognize Him as the author of moral truth. Not because we have no other choice.
   The reason mankind's history is so tragic and our problems so great and so difficult to solve; is in my opinion because of our fear of man and/or the fear of evil, fueled by unwarranted pride. An angel called Satan and the angelic host that followed him, prey upon those who in their pride, fear what others might think of or do to them. The proud and fearful then become the foot soldiers for all kinds of misguided and truly wicked people. I have seen wrong promoted as right, and lies promoted as truth in every social setting I have been in. The playground, workplace, classroom even in church. No place is exempt from our pride and the fear of others. Blatant falsehoods are taught and egregious injustices are not opposed; for no other reason than the fear of what others will say or think. The Bible teaches fear has torment, and few things torment us more than the thought of not fitting in or being considered an ignorant outcast. King Solomon taught, " The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are as bold as a lion."
   Just as constantly giving into an act we know is self destructive can enslave us. Calling what we know to be lies truth and defending cruel and abhorrent behavior can become just as addictive. When we call wrong right and a lie truth to avoid ridicule or exclusion we are acting contrary to the natural morality God gave us. Not only that, we begin to lose our ability to distinguish right from wrong at all. We become completely at the mercy of the ones we seek approval from. They have usurped our ability to decide for ourselves what is good and what is bad. We become moral slaves to the opinions of other people and groups.
    Jesus taught that the truth will set you free. The truth is; this world and life is not all there is. It is also true but not readily apparent, there is a reward for obeying God and punishment for ignoring Him. We are often taught in this world our value is determined by others. We judge our worth by what others in the group we hope to please and impress think of us. Jesus taught us not to fear what others can do to us. They have no power or say in eternity. We are to fear God who holds our eternity in his hand.
    If we overcome our fear of what others think of us; we are free to hold onto and promote truth. Not only did Paul teach that fear hath torment. He taught perfect love casts out fear. Our love of God and our fellowman is what gives us the courage to risk the disapproval and often the persecution that comes with telling people the truth..
  Our Lord Jesus Christ said that Satan and the angels ( demons ) that followed him in rebellion are real and are going to and fro through the earth seeking those who they are able to devour. They destroy people with lies. Jesus called Satan a liar and the father of all lies. His first lie was he was more powerful than God.  Satan and the angels that believed him lost their eternal souls without hope of redemption. In case you are tempted to feel sorry for them. They care nothing about being redeemed they want only revenge against God by destroying mankind.
   Satan's first lie directed at us, was when he caused Adam and Eve to doubt God's word. That was followed by the lie that they could be gods themselves not subordinate to a creator. These are still used today to separate us from our Father and Creator. He also uses the lie that this world is all we have or can hope for. If this is believed we become so fearful of others we dare not offend them with Biblical truth or risk being humiliated or shamed for confessing our belief in the Biblical Christ. Jesus said; " whosoever therefore shall confesses me before men, him I will confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."
  Obedience to God and His written word often comes at a cost in this present world. But Jesus said ," in the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." The primary goal of evil is to get us to doubt God's word and be afraid to confess Jesus Christ in front of others. Satan does it through our pride, lies and fear....1st John 4-4... Greater is He ( Jesus ) that is in you, than he ( satan ) that is in the world.
    Evil in this world and the misery that accompanies it; is totally dependent on mankind ignoring and/or denying the Holy Bible and the Messiah it promised. This is usually done out of fear of others as much as it is done in ignorance ..We can not be afraid; for what good is it if we gain the approval of the whole temporary world and lose our eternal soul.
  

Are All Religions different paths to the same place? Boys Town vs Jonestown, St.Judes vs Auschwitz, Salvation Army vs al Qaeda..

We have all heard or even said; "all faiths are just different paths to the same God and heaven. What matters is how much you believe not what you believe." To start with, many passionately believe there is no God or heaven at all. They place their faith in man. With mankind's dismal record it is hard to understand why. Others believe in  fallible gods that are subject to human passions. Some worship animals or even the earth it's self . Many have multiple gods and do not believe in heaven, only a continuous cycle of existence here on earth.
    There are so many different thoughts on who or what God is, it is absurd to say we all worship the same God; let alone all seeking to go to the same place. A world without sin, war or cruelty has no appeal to many who love this present world. Many people fashion their god in their own image. They mistakenly believe God is just like them. They think God shares all their values, politics and prejudices. Many people base their beliefs on oral tradition which is subject to change with each person who tells it. Others claim to believe in the Christian God or the God of Abraham. They however reject the written account of God in the Bible. This leads to creating a merciless, cruel god that does not resemble the Christian God of Abraham at all. Others go in the other direction and claim the Christian God of Abraham has no power or desire to judge or punish anyone, no matter how cruel or despotic.
   There is a very real historical correlation between what people believe and what kind of society and god they produce. There have been great civilizations that have advanced science and innovation.. However the societies that believed in the Biblical God of Christianity are where the great moral advancements took place. Biblical Christianity ended legal slavery in Rome, British Empire, United States and eventually most of the world. It is no accident that the great advancements in the rights of women both now and in the past are realized in societies influenced greatly by the teachings of the Biblical God.
   I can find no other historical source for the great moral ideals of western thought other than the Bible. Our understanding of  UNIVERSAL  liberty, justice and equality are clearly Biblical. Historically they were always introduced and promoted by Biblical Christians before they were accepted by the rest of society. The Biblical teaching of creation and the universal fall of mankind  is what led to the notion of  the individual worth and culpability. The Bible taught we were all created in God's image and none of us was beyond or above His law or love. Our view of  responsibility towards the less fortunate is derived from the Biblical teachings of Christ Himself. Treatment and forgiveness of enemies was also gleaned from the Biblical teachings of Jesus.
   I have found no evidence in my study of history there was any detriment suffered when Biblical knowledge was acquired and practised. The things blamed on Christianity are in effect the result of lack of compliance to Biblical principal. Just as there have always been and always will be those who create their own gods and their own rules. There will be those who call themselves Christians who are ignorant of or purposely ignore the Biblical Jesus along with His teaching. They will substitute their own ideas and teachings for His. The Biblical Jesus said, His followers would be wise as serpents and as harmless as doves. They would love their fellowman and not return evil for evil.
  Because none of us have infinite knowledge of God or the Bible much harm has been done in both names. We often substitute our own will in place of God's. The remedy is not in the rejection of the Biblical God, but to increase our knowledge of Him. King David said in the Psalms " The places where the light of God's law does not shine are the habitations of cruelty." This is as true today as it was then. What is so cruel and dangerous about worship based on something other than the Bible; is the one creating the false god gets to make up their own rules. If they want to steal, kill,  engage in lascivious behavior, or sate their lust for vengeance they simply make up the rules to comply with their desires.
    If you read the first hand accounts of missionaries who have gone where no knowledge of the Bible or Biblical God ever existed. You will find what David said is horrifically true. Most of what the average person knows about eastern and pagan religions is what they have become after being exposed to, or even controlled by Christian societies.
   False religion is not the only source of human cruelty. The rejection of any notion of God and moral law has caused more human suffering than all the false religions combined. The twentieth century Marxists have murdered, starved and tortured more human beings than any or all other groups combined. Atheism has not only created more human on human brutality than any other belief system in history. It has produced more suicide, alcoholism, abortion and organized crime. Far from being above it all atheism has sunk mankind into  greater depths of brutality and misery.
   Many mistakenly belief an enlightened atheism is the answer to the worlds religious differences. Take it from someone who is thoroughly acquainted with history; the only enlightened atheists are the ones who have unknowingly been influenced by Biblical principles and been exposed to the teachings of the Biblical Messiah Jesus Christ. If any disagree I suggest you read three books. First, Gulag Archipelago, by the Russian Alexander Solzhenitsyn...second...Tortured for Christ, by the Romanian, Richard Wurmbrand ...and then read, The Last 100 Days, by John Toland
     It matters very much what we believe. What Joseph Stalin believed about God and what Mother Theresa  believed about God was not irrelevant or trivial.. What Billy Graham believes about God is not just a subtle difference in theology from what Jim Jones of Jonestown believed. They will not end up in the same place. Either now or in the hereafter. Mao Tse-tung's path did not lead to the same place as the Christian abolitionist William Wilberforce's.
   I am an honest intellectual if I had found a way in my studies where mankind could move forward without  the Biblical God and His Messiah Jesus Christ, I would say so. If for no other reason to alleviate human suffering. To be perfectly frank it is my conclusion; the further mankind moves away from Biblical knowledge and precept, the more misery and injustice triumph; the more superstitious, fearful and fractured society becomes. Despite our advancements in technology we too often use it to offend God more effectively and oppress others more thoroughly.
  Because we all were created by God in His image we all have a moral compass apart from acquired  knowledge. It is what makes us all accountable for our behavior, knowledge or not. There are those who choose to follow this in all societies. There are people of all faiths who with out knowing it acknowledge the Biblical God by their conduct. They do not know the source of morality but they do not ignore it's existence in their conscious.
This is not proof of the equality of all faiths; it is proof there is one God and one definition of morality. It is not a coincidence that what is considered moral in an unbeliever is exactly what the Bible and Christ teach is moral in a Christian. Because there are nice people everywhere does not mean everything taught is nice or right. Christ said all have sinned and fallen short of what they knew was right. Even nice people. We all need our sins forgiven and the Spirit of Truth to do what is right when it is not advantageous or convenient. That is exactly what The Biblical Jesus offers us; forgiveness for our sin and strength and knowledge to overcome sin in the future. Eternal life is there for those who do not love sin and want to spend an eternity with a Holy God. Not all people want this not even people who appear to be nice. So many choose to create their own god or claim there is no God.

Was There Ever Such A Thing As The " Good Old Days? "

  Ecclesiastes 7-10; " Say not thou, what is the cause that the former days were better than these? For thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this."
   There is not a one of us no matter our age who have not been told, or even said it ourselves; the way things used to be were much better than they are now. My grandmother was born in the early 1900s. She was intelligent and well read. She sang the songs that were popular during the first half of the twentieth century. She lived through the first great war and the influenza epidemic right after the war to end all wars. She saw the decedent 1920s, prohibition, the great depression, WW2  the holocaust and the Korean conflict. Yet she always insisted that those times were much better and morally superior than the current times. ( I grew up in the 1960s and 70s )
   Not having lived then and still very young I had no argument to counter with. As I grew older and learned more than a little about history. I began to understand all was not well in her world anymore than it was in mine. She told me with pride about watching American troops in a parade marching off to World War One in Europe, and would sing me one of the soldier's songs
  About the time, or shortly after America entered the first world war there was another war raging in Russia. It was led by the Bolsheviks, Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin. Millions would die of starvation, millions of others would be murdered and tortured. Pravda called for the killing of all clergymen and capitalists. It was certainly not the good old days in Russia. It was a time of unprecedented misery.
   The segregation of Jim Crow was still in effect here in the United States. Black men were being lynched in record numbers all across the country. In 1917, 13 black soldiers were lynched after Houston race riots. That same year 200 people were killed in a race riot in East St. Louis Illinois. Women did not yet have the right to vote and were often arrested when they peacefully protested for that right. These things are not something one usually  remembers fondly or longs for. My grandmother like many of us, chose to remember the good as much as she could.
   In 1917 Jews were expelled from their homes in Tel Aviv and Jaffa by Turkish authorities. The Arabs were then allowed to ransack Tel Aviv. My grandmother was an educated woman she was born into a Jewish family that had at least in part converted to Christianity. She was not unaware that these things were going on. She was very supportive of the women's suffrage movement, and very much an advocate for racial justice and equality.
    She was raised and lived in Marion Indiana in the 1920s. The sight of one of the most notorious lynchings in all of America. On August 7th 1930 three black men accused of killing a white man and raping a white woman were taken from the Marion jail and beaten and dragged to the town square. Two were lynched the third a 16 year old miraculously survived. Several thousand locals including women and children witnessed this horrific event.
   When all of this was taking place a black friend of my grandmother's began to protest and to ask what they had done. Some in the crowd turned on him and threatened him with the same treatment. I remember being told this story by my grandmother for the first time when I was about 7 years old. I must have had a look of disbelief on my face because she lowered her voice and looked at me, and said " It is true I was there." After I grew up and had told the story to my children. PBS ran a story about it and even interviewed the 16 year old who by then was an old man. My grandmother had not lied or exaggerated at all. The case was never solved no one knows for sure if these men were guilty of anything they were murdered for.
   She had lived through some of the most violent times in history. Even then my grandmother still maintained like any of us would and still do , that our times were morally superior times than what we are now living in.      I think if there is such an animal as "the good old days" It existed in the garden of Eden, or in the minds of people who for whatever reasons were not too horribly affected by the horrific events of history. Some were fortunate enough to be raised by loving and protective families in a somewhat safe and stable society. Many if not most, are not so lucky. Most of history is the story of the suffering caused by people who would not compromise or acknowledge the humanity or rights of others.
  I have said all of this to say. The changes we need are not a return to an imperfect past. We need to make things better now and in the future. An example  of what I am trying to say can be understood by applying it to what is happening in Wisconsin with union employees of the state. In the past ( before the 1930s ) business or government could use almost any method including thuggery to fight union membership and/or union demands. Then came the unions version of thuggery helped by organized crime it was every bit as unfair and blind as what they accused business and government of doing. Not allowing or listening to what unions ask for is not the solution. Anymore than allowing unions to hold businesses or the public hostage for financial gain is the solution.
    The answer does not lie in an advantage for either. There are those on both sides who long for the good old days I am sure. There are those in business or government who long for the advantage they had when they could rest assured that the law, and the police would always side with them. Whether business was being unfair and brutal was not the concern. You had to be pro or con no middle ground.
    There are those on the union side who long for the days when unions were more numerically superior than they are now. A time when they owned more politicians who  protected  them, and did their bidding often at the expense of employers, the public, and many times even the union members themselves.  Too often people in their greed want to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. This story can be applied to employers as well as employees. Few things in a political debate are black and white or all or nothing.
   History more often than not, does not hold the answers to today's problems..What history is good at, is teaching us what will happen if we try to use yesterdays methods to solve today's problems. We can long for the days when our group or race or faith held an unfair advantage over everyone else. Or we can set about fairly and honestly solving problems in a way that is neither harmful to one group or gives an unfair advantage to another. Because you do not give in to every demand of one side, does not make you their enemy. Anymore than giving them everything they want makes you their friend. ( refer to the goose that laid the golden eggs story ).
   We do not have to be anti-business to believe employers, private or public should deal honestly and ethically with employees, and bargain in good faith..We do not have to be anti-union to believe some union demands hurt the businesses ability to make a profit and pay their employees.Unions help insure fair treatment in the work place..But to blindly give them anything they ask for to avoid a strike; is allowing them to hold others hostage and is a form of coercion.
   I have belonged to a union in the past. Not all union demands are trivial or unfair by any means. On the other hand sometimes their demands are unreasonable and detrimental to employers and the public at large..An all or nothing, pro or con mentality only results in making the same mistakes that were made in the past. Mistakes have consequences and those usually involve human conflict and misery..In my opinion to be pro-labor one has to also be pro-employer. Someone needs to make money to pay the employee. To be pro-business is to be pro-employee . Trained employees have to be kept, they are an asset. They need to make enough money, and have enough free time to purchase and use the products or services business and government provides. I am very suspicious of politicians who can not comprehend this.

When Truth And Culture Collide

   It has been my experience, in practical everyday life, and what I have learned from study; when anyone opposes the truth it usually because they have a vested interest in doing so. There are exceptions such as a genuine lack of information. When this is the case usually reason presented in a reasonable way will win them over. Often truth is opposed by those who will suffer public embarrassment if the truth is widely known. Along with loss of stature in the eye of the public there are financial repercussions. A lot of money can be made by promoting a falsehood and squelching the truth.
   Two of the great principles Jesus taught His disciples are intricately connected. The first was to count the cost of discipleship before deciding to follow Him, and the second, is to realize the love of monetary gain is at the core of all evils. Mankind's lust for pleasure and ease can be satiated by acquiring wealth. People will go to extraordinary lengths and deny any truth to satisfy their hunger for money.
   Christian discipleship is the result of repentance and acquiring The Spirit of Truth and then living and proclaiming that truth. Truth is not always compatible with other peoples financial and political aspirations. That is why Jesus said to His followers "If they have persecuted me they shall persecute you."
   Christ warned Christians in the sermon on the mount; people will revile you, persecute and say all manner of evil against you falsely. For no other reason than you are a follower of mine. In the book of John, Jesus warned His followers. "The world will hate you because you are no longer one of them. The world will not  listen to you, anymore than they listened to me. They will throw you out of, and exclude you from public places. Some of you they will beat, imprison and even kill. All because they know neither God nor Me."
   The world cares very little what anyone believes about God. What antagonizes people is what you believe about Jesus. In most places in the world you are free to talk about God or pray to Him publicly if you like.
However, If you mention the name of His Son Jesus Christ in any manner other than a derogative one. You are likely to suffer some kind censure, or out right persecution. Jesus had warned us this would happen so when the time came we would not be offended and discouraged.
    I have two grown sons ( both extremely successful I am happy to add ). When one of them was in elementary school he was sent to the office to be punished for saying in class that Santa Claus was a myth. However, a few years later he was insulted and mocked by a teacher in front of other students for saying the Bible was true. He became an object of  ridicule for that teacher for the rest of the year. In both instances I chose not to intervene. As much as it broke my heart, I knew he was going to have to count the cost of following Jesus for himself.
   When I was in my mid-twenty's and raising two children, the factory I worked at changed to a seven day operation. I had enough vacation I could use, I could avoid working Sundays. Everyone was allowed to choose how they scheduled their vacations with little or no restrictions. My choice angered a manager, I was soon fired. I could not find another job, I ended up loosing my home and had a nervous breakdown..Jesus did not require me to do what I did, He asked me to. He did not required my son to make the stand he made. It was his choice. God does not make us stand up for the Biblical Christ. It is something after counting the cost we must choose to do ourselves. I say all of this to drive home the point there is very often a cost for obeying what God has asked ( not demanded ) we do.
    As a foot note I would like to add..I eventually got a new job. It was straight day shift with no Sunday work. I was able to coach and attend ballgames and spend evenings and weekends with my family and attend church. I also was also able to retire at the very young age of 46.  The son who made the stand in school has since acquired fame and fortune beyond his wildest dreams. God is good and God is faithful.
   After the ascension of Jesus to heaven and the day of Pentecost. The apostles begin to preach in public that there was no other salvation for mankind other than through Jesus Christ; the one who had been crucified and rose from the dead. This infuriated the political and/or religious leaders of  the day. They could not have cared less about whether what  the apostles were saying was true or not. All they knew is that they were the ones who had conspired to kill Jesus. Furthermore they made their living and gained their status from what was being taught before Jesus came along.
   The book of Acts tells us these leaders gathered all the apostles and brought them in front of a national council. The high priest said to them " Did not we strictly warn you, that you can not teach in this (Jesus ) name." The apostle's reply was; " Shouldn't we obey God rather than men? " In the previous chapter of Acts . Peter and John had ask them when they were forbidden to mention Jesus." Is it better to obey God or man, you be the judge? "

   Many would say there are very good and sophisticated constitutional reasons why Jesus is censored. I am sure the Sanhedrin and the high priest along with king Herod and Pilate had a litany of man made rules and regulations to back their persecution of Jesus and His followers. For the good of the nation was what they used most often to oppress and suppress the truth.
   The Biblical Jesus is the most hated person who ever lived. The historical Jesus that liberal theologians and academics portray, is a harmless human not worthy of contempt or adulation, and can be mentioned anywhere. The culturally acceptable Jesus is no threat to even the cruelest most despotic rulers.Nor does he have the power to help the most wretched sufferer of injustice. The acceptable Jesus made no claims and has no power.
   On the other hand the Biblical Jesus claimed to be the promised Messiah as well as the future King of all the earth. The Biblical Jesus claimed He would bring wicked rulers and tyrants to justice. Not only did the Biblical Jesus claim to know the truth, and the way to salvation. He claimed to be the truth and man's only hope for salvation. He claimed to occupy a position in heaven that no other being in the universe not even angels could occupy. The Biblical Jesus claimed to be the divine only begotten Son of God that sits at God's right hand.
    People in high places who are doing cruel and unethical things hate Jesus Christ and his followers with a passion. Historically more Biblical Christians have been killed for their faith than all other religions combined. Sometimes they are even persecuted by non-biblical Christians .More Christians are imprisoned for their faith today than all other religions combined. World wide an estimated 5000 churches a year are purposely burnt to the ground. The Bible has been the # 1 best seller for centuries. At the same time it is the most often burned book in all of history. It is also the most censored and prohibited book, both now and in the past.
   There are more laws on the books all over the world to stop Christian evangelism than there is to stop any other form of religion or political philosophy. For many people in power, darkness is preferred over light.
Jesus warned us in the Bible if they hate me they will hate you. I have come to believe the hatred and viciousness directed towards the Biblical Jesus and his followers is mostly due to Christ's  promise to bring  an end to sin and to promote justice in the world. Most of us do not want give up our power or our sin.
    
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Does It Matter What World View We Teach Our Children? ( A comparative analysis )

                                  DO YOU MEAN THIS IS ALL THERE IS ?

   Henry David Thoreau said " Most men lead lives of quiet desperation". This is multiplied many times over when it comes to children. There always seems to be those children who are singled out for daily abuse and ridicule. They are punched, bullied and tormented at home and school, for things that are usually no fault of their own. Many children suffer with illness that science has yet to find a cure. Children are the first to suffer in dysfunctional and dug addicted families. They are often orphaned in war and famine. I think it matters a great deal what world view they are taught at school.
    It matters little to most of us who live in privilege and popularity what is taught in school. As long as our children are comfortable and able to cope it doesn't really matter. After all isn't natural selection and survival of the fittest played out everyday everywhere?  In school hallways, classrooms and playgrounds. The same is true in our adult world. The reason we excel is because we are more fit, Why not teach children they can not count on any justice or mercy from God ,or anything that extends past the limits of scientific knowledge. Only the weak minded or uneducated believe in the Biblical God. Science has proven there is no such things as divine miracles. The Biblical creator has been found a phony by science. If these things are not taught out right, they are certainly implied.
   I have often thought in times of great stress or sorrow; atheism, evolution and agnosticism are the indulgence of the pampered rich folk not suitable for those of us who live in the real world..I know this is not always the case, many nonbelievers suffer; often with hopelessness because they do not know there is a remedy in the Biblical God. To someone who believes this present life is all there is. It is maddening to see justice deferred and merited reward not forthcoming. They end up hating a God they neither know or believe in.
   The secular world view has no more to offer our children than the prospect of being at the fickle mercy and compassion of those around them. There is no remedy beyond man for the often grossly unfair genetic luck of the draw, or the horrible circumstance they find themselves in. If science is all you can hope for and it doesn't deliver in your lifetime, tough luck, your over. If your grievances or case are not heard in this life, well that is just the way it is. Secularism is the natural byproduct of  evolutionary thinking. It is it's only logical conclusion. If the God of the Bible can not get the creation story right; what chance is there He can deliver on justice, mercy, divine intervention and eternal life?
    The great moral principles shared by most Americans are Biblical in origin; whether it is acknowledged or not. The very same Bible that teaches the creation account, teaches,wrongs will be made right, we will be healed, if not here, then in the next life. Meekness, kindness and charity have an eternal reward. while cruelty violence and immorality will be punished. The Bible offers forgiveness for the repentant and mercy for the ignorant. All things that are every bit as important to a society as any subject taught in school.
    Teaching evolutionary thought while excluding all other world views did  not make the Soviet Union or any other secular dictatorship a better place to be. When they prohibited any reference to God and the Bible in their schools and public square. It only opened the door to more human depravity and misery.
    Children who are victims both at home and in society at large learn very quickly; that depending upon the justice and sympathy of their fellow man is often futile. When our children are taught that the only thing to be counted on is what we see. That the cosmos is all there is and ever will be. Why not take vengeance into their  own hand. After all the just God portrayed in the Bible can not be counted relevant when it comes to origins, why would He be relevant when it comes to anything else. Historically secularism has stifled altruism, self-denial and mercy of all kinds. It leads to hopelessness and often violence among those who are not blessed with an easy or happy life.
    A secular world view does not teach our children, there is a just and compassionate being who is greater and more merciful than their tormentors or misfortune. These things are as important to know as reading and writing.. In secular teaching there is no promise of physical or mental wholeness in the future; or that those who torment them now will be held accountable; whether they are caught and tried in this life or not. What could be more important for a child suffering from misfortune to know, or be taught than; there is a just God in heaven who sees and cares.
   Here lies the rub. Can we depend on a secular god that used billions of years of death and misery as a vehicle to create the world around us? How can such a god be trusted? If he would do that, who is to say he won't use billions of years of torment and misery after we die to usher us into heaven. Evolution's god knows nothing of mercy, justice and compassion. These attributes belong to the Biblical God who created everything perfectly without suffering in 6 literal days. A God that needs millions of years of suffering and death to create.Is not worthy of anything but contempt.
    Evolution's god is the god of a short fight for survival and then death. No promise of physical and spiritual wholeness lived out in eternity. Anything that can not be explained by science is rejected... No hope of a miraculous recovery from illness apart from what can be done by man, either  for us or those we love .No miracles, no divine intervention in our misery. No Savior to forgive us and pay for our sin. No punishment for the unrepentant cruel or violent person. And no reward for those who live in humble meekness and obedience to a merciful God. Evolution's god can not do anything we can't do.It is bound by our limited knowledge of science and human attributes.
   Many have attempted to wed Christianity with evolution, mainly because of lack of knowledge,and often because of the fear of ridicule, sometimes both. I am going to place my trust in the Biblical Creator. If a god is so limited he can act only within the bounds of mankind's meager knowledge of science. That god does not have the power to miraculously save me or forgive me, or raise me and my loved ones from the dead. The god of evolution is a toothless god without the power to punish sin or reward the repentant..
    If the god of evolution is bound by man's knowledge he is too bound up to create in perfection a new heavens and new earth. My God, the Biblical God has the power to do exactly what He said He did in Genesis, and do what he says He will do in Revelation. To say because I can't create a world in 6 days or walk on water or heal the blind, means the God of the universe or His divine Son can't either.. Is folly that borders on madness. Why would anyone want to worship or teach children to worship a god no more powerful then themselves?

Science And Christianity are Antithetical , Really? I am glad no one told these guys..

      This is a list of Scientists who publicly claimed to be Biblical Christians. It is neither complete or exhaustive. It is less than 10% of what can be found in the historical record.. An * is beside every person's name who was a priest, monk, theologian or protestant clergyman,, or church official. I also included what I believed was their greatest scientific contribution.  The claim that Biblical Christianity is not compatible with science is not born out in the records of history or not even in science it's self..
  Some of the men in this list were persecuted by misguided church officials, but they did not waver in their belief in the veracity of the Holy Bible. And they were not ashamed to say so publicly.

                      The 1200s-1300s
 *Roger Bacon ( 1214-1294 )..Scientific method, Laws of nature.
 *Theodoric of Freiberg ( 1250-1310 ) First correct scientific explanation of rainbow.
 *Thomas Bradwardine ( 1290-1349 )  Oxford calculator, who had important discoveries in mechanics.
 *William of Ockham (1285-1350 ) Occam's razor, Physics, logic, theology.
 *Jean Buridan ( 1300-1358 ) Impetus, the precursor to inertia.
 *Nicole Orseme (1323-1382) Curvature of light through refraction,
             The 1400s - 1500s
 *Otto Brufels ( 1408-1534 ) Authored, Herbarum vivae icones, considered the father of botany.
 *Nicolaus Copernicus ( 1473-1543 ) Introduced heliocentric world view.
 *Micheal Servetus ( 1511-1553 ) Pulmonary circulation.
 *Micheal Stifal ( 1486-1567 ) Arithmitica integra, an early version of logarithmic table.
              The 1600s
 John Napier ( 1550-1617 ) Invented logarithms.
 Francis Bacon ( 1561-1626 ) promoted the scientific method.
 Johannes Kepler ( 1571-1630 ) Laws of planetary motion.
 Galileo Galilei ( 1564-1642 ) Astronomer, defended heliocentrism
 *Marin Mersenne ( 1588-1648 ) Mathematics, Mersenne primes.
 *Rene' Descartes ( 1596 -1650 ) Invariants and geometry, philosophy.
 *Pierre Gassendi  ( 1592-1665 ) Atomism, wrote first work on the Transit of Mercury.
 *Blaise Pascal ( 1623-1662 ) Pascal's law, ( physics ) Pascal's theorem ( math ) Pascal's wager ( theology )
 Nicolas Steno ( 1638-1686 ) Pioneer in anatomy and geology.
 *Robert Boyle ( 1627-1691 ) Famous scientist that argued, advancements in science would lead to the  glorification of God.
              The 1700s
 *John Wallis ( 1616-1703 ) Wrote Arithmetica Infinitorumis and introduced the term Continued fraction.
 *Isaac Newton (1643-1727) Considered by most the greatest mathematician and scientist of all time. He also was a Christian theologian ..
 *Stephen Hales ( 1677-1771 ) Invented a ventilation system, and a way to distill sea water and preserve meat.
                The 1800s-1900s
  *Joseph Priestley ( 1733-1804 ) Discovered oxygen.
 * Micheal Faraday (1791-1867 ) Electromagnetism and electrochemistry
 *Gregor Mendel ( 1822-1884 ) Father of modern genetics.
 Louis Pasteur ( 1822 -1895 ) Invented pasteurization and discovered the cause of rabies, cholera and anthrax.
 Demetri Egorov ( 1869-1931 ) differential geometry
 *John Ambrose Fleming ( 1849-1945 ) Right hand rule, vacuum tube.
 *Arthur Compton ( 1892-1962 ) Nobel prize in physics.

Why Do The Heathen Rage?

  Sometimes it is hard for us to understand why what we can see so clearly is so oblivious to others. An old preacher I used to listen to on the radio years ago was reading out of the Psalms. He came to the passage, Why do the heathen rage? He stopped and repeated the question and said; "I will tell you why the heathen rage, it is because they are heathen..They simply do not know any better." This was not said in a mean way. There was even a hint of sadness in his voice.We often expect too much of people and become discouraged.. There are somethings that just can't be seen, until one becomes a Christian.
   There are some things that can not be understood by intellect, earthly wisdom, or knowledge. A lot of the really profound things in life are revealed not learned. The Apostle Paul said ( my paraphrase ) Because man has proven  he can not know God by seeking earthly wisdom, God has chosen to save those who are truly seeking Him by the foolishness of preaching. Preaching is nothing more than expounding on the Holy Bible to instruct believers and introduce people to their redeemer; the divine only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ. It may be foolishness to the rest of the world. Yet, God has chosen to forgive us and give us eternal life on one condition. When he hear what the Bible says about His Son Jesus Christ we believe it and repent. Nothing more nothing less.
   Paul goes on to say those who demand it be proven, and be conformed with earthly man made wisdom; and those who want proof by some kind of great miraculous sign, think Christianity is nothing but foolishness. Paul's answer is; "The foolishness of God is wiser than men ". People often wonder why some hear and believe while others scoff and ridicule..The answer is in the words of Jesus Himself..Seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you, ANYONE who comes to me I will in no wise turn away. Those who do not really want the truth or do not really want to know God, purposely turn a deaf ear to the gospel.( The good news that the Jesus of the Bible is the Messiah)
   God knows man's heart. He knows when we are serious about looking for Him, and whether we really are looking for truth and salvation from our sin..If we are, He points us to His Son Jesus. If we are playing some kind of game we are blinded to the truth. It is not real complicated.
   Those who have never heard about Jesus are victims of ancestors and countrymen who currently or have in the past persecuted and censored Christianity. If I understand the Bible correctly even then no matter where we are on the planet, if we seek God and truth; God will send us someone. The Ethiopian eunuch is an example of this in the Bible.
  David said in the Psalms the problem was not about God not being able to get the truth to us, or reveal Himself and His will. The problem is that no one was seeking God and the truth..When someone does they become like Abraham or Noah. They know God when no one else around them has a clue. When Christ rose from the dead and ascended to heaven to sit at God's right hand. He sent His followers the Spirit of Truth..So they could then go into the world and convince people they needed  to seek God, and also to give people who have rejected Christ in the past more chances to be redeemed..
  Jesus taught that everyone in the world who was mentally over the age of accountability is culpable and would be punished for their sins.The alternative was to seek God and repent. Everyone has the opportunity to seek God on their own, the problem is they don't..That is why Jesus sends us. Every time we preach the Biblical Jesus to the world we are giving those that hear, one more chance to be forgiven and saved..We are on an incredible mission. The heathen will rage, they always have. Some will hear about Jesus and will scoff and may even persecute us. But many will hear and turn to Jesus Christ and be saved. It is worth the effort..

King Solomon, Harriet Beecher Stowe, And Phillidelphia.

   Ecclesiastes 1:18 For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Ecclesiastes 2:13 Then I saw that Wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. (King Solomon).
When I was very young I began a quest to try to understand how things worked, why things were done; and to discover who was right and who was wrong in the great debates of the day. I was unaware at the time it would not always be a happy or an easy journey. The more I knew the more it hurt.
   I grew up poor and spent almost two years ( I was 9 and 10) in what used to be called a Masonic orphanage. By modern American standards some would think I had a tough go of it. I soon realized as I acquired  knowledge, as difficult as I thought my life was at the time; by historical and world wide standards, I had led a charmed life. We often assume that most people do not suffer anymore than we do, or are not subject to great injustice, violence or cruelty, at least for any extended period of time. As painful as it is to know; there is a lot suffering in this cruel and selfish world.
   It is even more painful to know, some of the things we do and support contribute to that misery. The reason Solomon says wisdom causes grief, is because wisdom is what lets us know when we are wrong. That is never pleasant .  Because I began to seek wisdom and knowledge at such an early age I did not have a lot of " all is right with the world" moments in my life. But that was alright, I knew in my heart, by gaining knowledge and wisdom I could alleviate some suffering, and change at least a small part of the world.
    I have no way of knowing if this is true, but it is widely reported that when Abraham Lincoln met Harriet Beecher Stowe he said to her " So you are the little lady that started this great war." Of course she was the person who wrote, Uncle Tom's Cabin. It was published in 1852 and sold more copies in the 19th century than any other book except the Bible. She was white and had never been a slave, so her honest attempts to humanize and create sympathy for black slaves, are considered as stereotypes today. However that book did more to help the abolitionist's cause in America than any other single event. America, no matter how painful it was to consider, was confronted with the humanity of the slave, and the injustice visited upon them.
   Ignorance was bliss for white America at the time. A nation that considered themselves a beacon of liberty, was confronted with the fact they were guilty of the most egregious affront to human dignity and freedom possible. Solomon was right, wisdom and knowledge are often painful. Those that rejected both and refused to be troubled by the truth; led us into a bloody civil war to preserve their peculiar institution.
   Many of us that are pro-life  had hoped with the advancements in prenatal medicine and science, the abortion issue would be settled intellectually. The incredible and beautiful pictures of unborn children in magazines like, Time, gave us hope that their humanity would be recognized by all. Science after all had proven the unborn child feels pain; so we thought or hoped it was settled.. Nothing is ever easy when it comes to righting a wrong. Historically the greater an injustice the greater is the resistance to change. As there is with every injustice; there are those who claim if it is addressed it would infringe upon their rights.
    Slave holding individuals, and states claimed that ending slavery would be an end to the right to property and destroy their liberty and right to govern themselves. All the while ignoring the humanity and rights of the slave..Many claimed, to end slavery would cause white children to starve. There were many who believed it was a God given right to own other people as far as that wasn't applied to them and theirs.. All of them sure that ending slavery was an affront to their liberty... Liberty is only liberty when it is equally applied. To grant a privilege to one human being at the expensive of another human being is the definition of tyranny.
   Many claim allowing legal abortion is better and safer than having to go underground to get one. Slavery still exists under ground here and all over the world. Some say it is even worse than legal slavery. Safety is no more a valid argument for legal abortion than it is for legal slavery. In light of what has been reported out of Philadelphia recently, I am not entirely convinced that legal is safer.
      An abortion provider in Philadelphia is accused in the death of a woman seeking an abortion and murdering 9 children who were born in his office by women seeking late term abortions. My question is; if it was murder then, why wasn't it murder an hour earlier? One would have to be incredibly naive or blinded by prejudice to believe this doesn't happen every day thousands of times all over the country. We can only imagine what happens in places like China, Russia and eastern Europe, where the abortion rate is many times higher.
   I think a good solution to the abortion debate is to have lawmakers at every level visit abortion clinics and spend a day watching late term abortions being performed. A decision of this magnitude needs the glaring  light of experience. To do any less, considering what is at stake, is irresponsible. I believe this is a fair and reasonable request. They would leave better informed on exactly what abortion is. Knowledge helps everyone make wiser decisions, and sometimes even a painful reversal of position..
   I am not unsympathetic to women who are pregnant and feel like they are in no position to have a child. I think it is our moral duty to help them. I do not live in a vacuum. I know people who have had abortions and my heart goes out to them..But I can honestly say I have never met a women who regretted having their baby. I have met many who lamented their choice of aborting their child. The question of rape and incest is always brought up in this debate. I would like to say what an awful terrible thing to happen to anyone. But there is nothing in my experience that leads me to believe a woman would be better off in the long run, if they aborted a child produced by such a terrible tragedy. Even if there was, I would still say the unborn child is human and deserves protection just like all other humans. I generally am not in favor of capital punishment, but at least they were afforded a trial and believed to have taken human life in cold blood. A child conceived in rape or incest is guilty of nothing and has no recourse..
   I can say from my own personal experience and my knowledge of the world; life is not always fair. It is often cruel and harsh. Perpetuating one injustice to cure another one is never a remedy. It only makes this world even harder. Scientific knowledge, wisdom and even our common sense tell us an unborn child is a human baby. We can come to grips with that knowledge no matter how painful. Or we can allow what happened in Philadelphia  to go on everyday, not only here, but all over the world.

There Is No Substitute For Good Policy

   Politics has always been, and will always be, a messy and contentious business. Even in a constitutional democracy the best interest of the republic is not often served. There are so many competing interests; each with an all or nothing mentality, all seeking special favor and advantage over the rest of populace. Sadly there is no shortage of people in government who are willing to do the bidding of special interest in exchange for financial gain or political support.
   Candidates often campaign as a champion of  one segment of society at the expense of another. An honest statesman looks for and promotes policies that are fair to all interests. Our fight is not against each other. What is truly good, and valuable to our country in the long run. Are policies that are not punitive to one, while giving an advantage to another. The fight is not between rich and poor, liberal or conservative, business or labor. Our fight is with bad policy that is unfair to one side, while preferring the other. The reason we have so much difficulty in addressing what is harmful, wasteful or even foolish when making laws or regulations. Because  it is much easier to play on peoples base, self serving instincts, than appealing to the better, more thoughtful side of their nature.It is much easier to work the electorates outrage than to rationally enlighten them..
    Any time used to try and destroy individuals we do not politically agree with, in my opinion is waisted. The electorate needs to know about nuts and bolts, how things work and how all sides are effected by a given piece of legislation. They need educated on how what is temporarily beneficial to them now, may harm others, or even be a detriment to them later. Much of our politics is about individuals rather than policy. We all get caught up in smashing our opponents, while neglecting the work it takes to come up with solutions.
   I suppose there are those who disagree with my political or religious views, who consider themselves my enemy. I feel my obligation toward them is to enlighten them, not to ruin them. The best way to promote my agenda, is to spend my time promoting and defending it. We can spend all our time ascribing sinister motives to those who do not agree with us. We can question their compassion or intellect, but that does not fix anything. It only entrenches them in their position further. Good government is not about personality. It is about sound, clear thinking policy. It is not about getting what is advantageous  for our career, party or even our constituents. It is what is the best and fairest to all the people effected by a policy. In the long run good policy does not give advantage to any, while protecting the interest of all.
    There is no substitute for good and fair policy. Not intellect, charisma or political skills. A candidate can be savvy, and a highly skilled politician when it comes to getting what they want. Yet, if what they want, is an unfair advantage for those who support them; they are not only hurting the rest of the country, they in long run are hurting their own supporters. Politics runs in cycles. Those on top will be on bottom sooner or later. Knowing that, I believe it is best to promote equitable solutions while one is on top; rather than giving away some kind of advantage and favoritism to our supporters to stay in power.

Over Coming What Divides And Diminishes Us As A Free People

   Abraham Lincoln warned the people of his day, that the nation could not survive being half free and half slave. We were going to be nation of slave holding tyrants, or nation of free people that protects the liberty of all. In his mind there was no middle ground. He was called extreme, a fanatic, alarmist, and even an uneducated rube. However, I believe history proved him right. In his day slavery tainted all politics no matter if it was applicable to the subject or not. Factions and voting blocs were formed around this issue and demagogues of all stripes played upon the unresolved fracture it caused in our society at the time.
   In the 1950s and 60s the issues that fractured our society were, how to deal with malignant communism and civil rights. These issues tainted all politics Just as slavery did 100 years prior. There are two issues today although often swept under the rug or naively considered settled. That have fractured and polluted our political system. Just as the nation itself was at peril in the time of Lincoln and Kennedy. We face a similar challenge today. If these issues are not eventually settled we may not remain free in the future.We ignore these issues at our own peril. I am only going to address one of them here.                                                          

   Today we are faced with a very real threat to our freedom of thought, speech and religion. This threat is derived from one of the greatest hoaxes and folly ever visited upon mankind. It was used by Lenin, Stalin and Mao, and many lesser tyrants to justify persecution as only a natural progression, and sadly also a way to vent their religious bigotries..It was used by colonial powers to justify all kinds of oppression and atrocities. You might want to read about how evolutionists hunted aboriginal peoples to use as missing link trophies at that time. It is used to destroy the careers of academic rivals, and to marginalize political opponents. Contrary to our constitution, it is used as a religious litmus test if you want to teach science in our public schools.. It was used in gulags all over China, Russia and eastern Europe to assure the tormentors of religious and political dissidents, that they were immune from retribution after they died. The famous Romanian dissident  Richard Wurmbrand who spent 13 years in a gulag and founded, The Voice Of The Martyrs, said his tormentors would often remind him during his torture."We can do what we want to you, because science has proven there is no God"..
   I have the knowledge and the ability to scientifically defend Biblical creation. However I am not going to do so in this post. I am going to explain why even a layperson can arrive at the logical conclusion that evolution is at best a myth and at it's worst a tool  used to oppress those who do not agree with a certain religious or political point of view.
   I, like anyone else who has grown up in the western world in the last 50 years, have been saturated with Darwinian evolutionary thought. I knew of  God and some of the Biblical creation story; but certainly not enough to be absolutely sure which explanation of origins was accurate. So I decided to try to see what I could determine by observing the world around me. Fortunately I lived in a rural community at the time. I worked on a farm and for a nearby small township with no town larger than 100 people..I trapped, hunted and fished the river and streams. Roamed the woods hunting ginseng and mushrooms. I knew nature.
   I also knew enough about evolution to know that an intermediate or transitional species was the lynch pin in proving the theory to be true. ( I am well aware of the semantic argument used to define the word theory in favor of evolution. I won't address it here) I looked for evidence that there was such a thing as a missing link between any species. What I found was each species producing after its own kind. I saw no evidence in nature or among the farm animals that any thing could produce anything else other than its own kind. I saw genetic deformities in all life, but none was positive; it only made the animal weaker and less likely to survive and mate. My commonsense told me if evolution really happened and was world wide. There would be missing links still alive everywhere. I could not find even one let alone the millions that would still be around if the evolutionary model was accurate. I wondered how did evolution stop; and why did all the intermediate species disappear? Maybe there was some kind of worldwide flood. I still was not sure.
    Something else that bothered me about evolution, were the fossil beds, coal, oil and limestone deposits. People who live in the city and do not frequent the woods or fields may not know this; animals and plants return to dust when they die, and in a very short time. The exception to this is if they are rapidly covered by wet sediment, like what happens in a flood. I knew every bend and deep hole in every stream for miles around where I lived. I took care of miles of roads. I have seen what even a very small flood can do to change the topography in very short time..To me seeing places like the Grand Canyon only made me doubt evolution more, a catastrophic flood is a much more reasonable explanation for the extremes in topography and the coal, fossil and oil deposits found all over the world. It seemed to me a much  more scientific explanation than adding millions of years to earths history. Adding years does not change how things work in a real world.

  Mankind in his quest to find an explanation for his existence that didn't include the God of the Bible has become a victim of the greatest scientific fraud and human folly, in all of history. The amount of human suffering it has caused is incalculable. I was amazed to learn that all the so called ape to human missing links that were used to usher evolution into text books in the 20th century. Turned out to be out right frauds or nothing more than animal bones. Not a single one stands today. The animal and human embryo comparisons that were claimed as proof of evolution and published in text books world wide. Have been proven to be a, not so sophisticated fraud; along with the English moth deception which was also in text books. There is not one school child in ten million who knows all this happened.
   Evolution has steadily eroded the liberties and opportunities of  people of faith. It indoctrinates their children and in some places in the world, robbed them of life and liberty. I am not wholly optimistic about things changing in my lifetime. But this thing I do know for certain. Evolution will eventually fall; if it does not fall soon, mankind may enter into another dark age. Evolution has it's priests and gurus, it has doctrine and it's heretics to punish, or exclude, it has a holy book. What evolution does not have is a code of conduct. It does not promote mercy or justice..If it is true, there is no right nor wrong, good nor evil. Until enough people educate themselves, and find the courage to deal with it, our prognosis as a free people is not a good one.
  
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Defying The Herd Mentality

   Alistair Cooke was a recognized, if not famous reporter in the 1960s. He was often criticized for not editorializing on the great issues of the day. He simply reported what was said, or done, and by whom. He was asked why he did not take sides on what he reported. His answer was; I do not believe it is my job to do so, and besides there are not any easy or totally black and white answers. All sides believe themselves to have at least a portion of the truth.. I paraphrased this in the interest of brevity, but I believe it is an accurate representation of his views. When he was a movie critic he refused to criticize individuals because he recognized their humanity and frailty. He commented on the over all entertainment value of the film, without trying to tear down individuals or their performances.
   In our "modern" society today this seems like a cop out, or even a lack of backbone. It is hard for us to grasp that someone would acknowledge they did not have all the answers; or did not know enough to dictate to others how they should think; or have enough self awareness to realize they had no business ridiculing others. Cooke had strong opinions like anyone else; yet he refused to allow a herd to dictate what he could think and say. He would not take on the pack mentality. In my opinion there is great freedom in knowing that neither I, nor anyone else has all the answers. It is not the acknowledgement of our own ignorance that makes us vulnerable to tyrants. It is when we are too arrogant to acknowledge that we or the herd we are following might not have all the answers. When we refuse to accept the possibility that we or the leaders of our preferred pack don't always know where they are going, this is when we can be led  off a cliff. Knowing your own, and others limitations is a form of humble wisdom..
   King Solomon acknowledged the old adage; "Ignorance is bliss." when he said in Eccl.1-18  "In much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow." However he goes on to say, " I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness". It is a kind of wonderful bliss to think what we believe, what we do, and who we follow or support is 100% right 100% of the time. It is very comfortable to think anyone who disagrees with us is stupid, evil or both. The Holy Bible warns us not to think too highly of ourselves or our fellowman. Solomon warned us in his book of Proverbs.."To have respect for persons is not good; for, for a piece of bread, that person will transgress". There is not a one of us who will not cheat, lie or steal for nothing more than a piece of bread. It is not an easy or blissful thing to know. But those who do not realize it, become prey to false and hurtful notions promoted by people who will say and do anything to gain power..
     I would have to say there has been nothing I have learned in my life that refutes the Biblical maxim; "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"..If  we have no knowledge that there is a being that knows more than us and is more righteous than us and that will hold us accountable. What we believe, we do, or say is guided by nothing more than what is convenient, easy, and socially accepted in the circles we frequent..The thing I like most about being a Biblical Christian is I do not have to agree with my friends or hate my enemies!
I can be an individual, governed by the light given to me by the Holy Bible, and a relationship I have with God's Son, Jesus Christ..It is a wonderful thing to be free from the opinions and prejudices of  friend and foe alike..
   Most of the cruelty, hatred and false assumptions perpetuated by mankind; are maintained by nothing more than a desire to fit into one herd or another.The human desire to fit in, and not to be made fun of, is what, is used to keep people in a herd and stymies their individuality. This is the reason the Apostle Paul said ( a paraphrase from 1 Corinthians ) Who is chosen by God ? Not many that are counted wise by this world, not many mighty of this world, or who are called noble in this world are chosen. But God has chosen the ones called foolish to confound those who think they are wise..God chooses those who are considered weak to confuse those that think they are mighty. God has chosen the things this world calls base, and is despised and called nothing, to bring to nothing the arrogance of this world..
  All through history mankind has ignored and rejected God to run with one herd or another. I can not think of any instance were individuals did not ruin themselves and others when they preferred the praise of others over the favor of God. When God has revealed Himself to mankind He has promised us, His holy word would be synonymous with His name. Those who know and obey Him would know and obey His word ( The Holy Bible ) Jesus taught that the way to tell whether someone was a follower of His; was they would love their fellowman and obey the Bible..Those who disobey this, no matter how much they protest  know nothing of Him..In the light of that; no cruelty or injustice done in the name of God by individuals or groups  can be honestly attributed to Biblical Christianity.
   Through out history there have always been detractors of the Holy Bible. In my youth and ignorance of scripture I too had my doubts. Most of the concerns were about perceived injustice in the Old Testament. As I began to study history and found out how cruel and violent man can be. I began to realize what  King David said was true. "Respect the Covenant ( Old Testament ) because the places where it's light does not shine are the habitations of cruelty". Our notions of law, justice, mercy and fairness spring from that book, whether we acknowledge it or not..
    When I endeavored to acquire a degree in theology I was taught ( higher criticism ) the arguments against the authority of the Holy Bible. The professors who believed and taught that the Bible was not God's word, were experts on what others said about the Bible, but had almost no knowledge of the Bible itself. Their objections were either minutia that had no bearing on precept or truth; or they were so woefully ignorant of the Bible itself they did not realize that other scriptures contained the answer to their concerns.When I pried into what they did believe about God. I realized their assumptions were more foolish, silly and even hurtful than what they accused the Bible of promoting. I have learned from experience and study that the best way to maintain your individuality and not to follow some herd over a cliff is to follow The Apostle's advice in the book of Romans. "Let God be true, but every man a liar".
   I did not write this to discourage people from joining political parties, organizations or churches.I wrote this  to encourage others not to be afraid of the opinions of others. Keep your individuality and do not follow anyone blindly. Christ alone deserves our complete loyalty. His will for us is contained in the Holy Bible. He and His Word can be trusted. They will stand when their critics have long since departed.