Part 1-of-3
It may well be that “the devil is the father of lies,” but in the words of Josh Billings, “he neglected to patent the idea, and the business now suffers from competition.” Whereas in years past the lesson of Pinocchio spoke volumes to children who feared being found in falsity, deception by design has become today what Edmund Burke describes as “a perennial spring.”
Case in point: In the 1998 movie LIAR, LIAR Jim Carrey portrayed an attorney whose son wishes that he would stop his habitually lying. When the boy’s wish comes true, the “perennial spring” of lies dries up; but havoc ensues. Fact is attorneys are not lone liars. Politicians, students, business partners, mates, lovers, junkies, employees, employers, polygamists, attorneys, retailers, religious opportunists, masters of espionage, scam artists and crooks are honing to perfection the art of deception.
With hardly a bat of the eye, spouses lie to assuage their mates, and kids lie to escape discipline. Lawyers lie to whitewash clients, and criminals lie to escape justice. Speeders lie to avert tickets, and politicians lie to win elections. Parishioners lie to escape duty, and ministers lie to appear holy.
Falsehood: Its Twists and Turns
In the biblical sense, morality speaks to sexual chastity, honor, integrity and truthfulness. Granted, some falsehoods (oral or written) are unintentional—e.g., a misspoken word. On the other hand, some exploitatively promote self-interest. There’s the “little white lie” and out-and-out falsehood, birthed from whom the Bible characterizes as the “Father of Lies, a murderer from the beginning.”
Lies can be active (speaking untruth) or passive (failing to disclose full truth). They introduce logical contradictions or specious fallacies. If for entertainment purposes alone, some folks intentionally exaggerate or mislead. Others go beyond cleverness and trickery to defraud, unfairly discriminate or counterfeit.
The R-rated Imperative
So prevalent is the practice of falsehood that onlookers everywhere snickered when some years back the leader of the free world was caught in a tangled web of lies with respect to his sexual immorality. Many, if not most dismissed as inconsequential the memorable finger-in-the-face, bald-faced lie planted on them. The subject matter alone demands deception, they reasoned.
Moralists disagree; however, before mounting the proverbial high horse, these do well to recall that indicting an administration on the basis of lies, shredded documents, moral impropriety, abused power, laundered money, obstructed justice and the like is tricky business.
New York Times bestselling author Edward Klein described a standard, five-fold strategy employed within the White House: lie, deny, parse, stonewall and then go on the offense. We’ve all seen it in action—if truth be told, on both sides of the aisle. For every so-called liberal at fault, there is a conservative or moderate equally ensnared in wrong doing—and visa versa, of course.
Next: “So, then, who’s to say?”
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
TECHNOLOGY AND NEW AGE SPIRITUALITY
Her Highness, Technology
Part 3-of-3
Serving as medium for an emerging world-wide, super-brain trust, cyberspace is breeding what Teilhard de Chardin dubbed the noosphere—i.e., cosmic consciousness. Proponents look to a mass planetary shift from the age of Pisces to that of Aquarius, distinguished by group- or cosmic- consciousness.
Having triumphed over matter—first, the geosphere (inanimate matter); then, the biosphere (biological life)—the duly enlightened and highly evolved look to planetary transformation marked by emergence of a new, superior species called homonoeticus.
Enter, one of the Bible’s most broadly-known futuristic phrases, “mark of the beast.” In these end-times, thusly illumined initiates will be required to receive such a mark—specifically, a “stamp” or “brand” attesting to ownership and subservience. Precursors to that mark include RFID technology using tattoos, implanted microchips and the like.
The Greek word for “mark” can also be rendered “an etching” or “a scrawling.” It’s possible to use non-invasive, high-frequency laser techniques to etch a barcode below the skin—even unbeknownst to its bearer while in an MRI machine, for instance. This barcode could be read remotely by microwave readers and used to track and then record every transaction of its unwitting bearer.
Technology and “the Good Death”
No wonder the death industry enjoys high profile, big-money organizational clout. Under the United Nations’ concept of sustainable development, the human population must be reduced, simple as that. So then, scientists cannibalize babies to make them into medicine. Others sell baby parts in the name of science; still others eliminate the unwanted by means of baby pesticides.
And why not? Belief in any postmortem consequences in heaven or hell has been relegated to obsolescence, and trendy naturalistic thought effectively eliminates human accountability to God. Rather than live circumspectly in the fear and admonition of God, transhumans actively prepare to become posthuman. To this end, they avail themselves of every current option for self-enhancement.
Because modern man has proclaimed himself the measure of all things, it is his presumed birthright to live “the good life” as he sees fit and, at its close, to choose “the good death”—whether by suicide, euthanasia, or as an expected outcome of some chosen lifestyle—with no regard for his Creator.
Many hope in the science of cryopreservation. Stored in liquid nitrogen (cryostasis), member patients of the Cryonics Institute expect to emerge whole, revived and rejuvenated to a greatly extended life span free from disease and the aging process—also, free from dependence on God Himself.
The Ultimate Techno-Augmented Arrogance
Autonomous souls naturally reason: "Perhaps man is not the end product of God's work. Perhaps man is the by-product of the process which will create God" (Michael Breazeale, 04/19/2009).
Clearly, techno-augmented arrogance knows no bounds. Once cosmic lemmings leap that slippery slope to out-and-out blasphemy, Her Highness Technology will have succeeded in turning “a revolution all her own”; and it won’t be pretty.
Part 3-of-3
Serving as medium for an emerging world-wide, super-brain trust, cyberspace is breeding what Teilhard de Chardin dubbed the noosphere—i.e., cosmic consciousness. Proponents look to a mass planetary shift from the age of Pisces to that of Aquarius, distinguished by group- or cosmic- consciousness.
Having triumphed over matter—first, the geosphere (inanimate matter); then, the biosphere (biological life)—the duly enlightened and highly evolved look to planetary transformation marked by emergence of a new, superior species called homonoeticus.
Enter, one of the Bible’s most broadly-known futuristic phrases, “mark of the beast.” In these end-times, thusly illumined initiates will be required to receive such a mark—specifically, a “stamp” or “brand” attesting to ownership and subservience. Precursors to that mark include RFID technology using tattoos, implanted microchips and the like.
The Greek word for “mark” can also be rendered “an etching” or “a scrawling.” It’s possible to use non-invasive, high-frequency laser techniques to etch a barcode below the skin—even unbeknownst to its bearer while in an MRI machine, for instance. This barcode could be read remotely by microwave readers and used to track and then record every transaction of its unwitting bearer.
Technology and “the Good Death”
No wonder the death industry enjoys high profile, big-money organizational clout. Under the United Nations’ concept of sustainable development, the human population must be reduced, simple as that. So then, scientists cannibalize babies to make them into medicine. Others sell baby parts in the name of science; still others eliminate the unwanted by means of baby pesticides.
And why not? Belief in any postmortem consequences in heaven or hell has been relegated to obsolescence, and trendy naturalistic thought effectively eliminates human accountability to God. Rather than live circumspectly in the fear and admonition of God, transhumans actively prepare to become posthuman. To this end, they avail themselves of every current option for self-enhancement.
Because modern man has proclaimed himself the measure of all things, it is his presumed birthright to live “the good life” as he sees fit and, at its close, to choose “the good death”—whether by suicide, euthanasia, or as an expected outcome of some chosen lifestyle—with no regard for his Creator.
Many hope in the science of cryopreservation. Stored in liquid nitrogen (cryostasis), member patients of the Cryonics Institute expect to emerge whole, revived and rejuvenated to a greatly extended life span free from disease and the aging process—also, free from dependence on God Himself.
The Ultimate Techno-Augmented Arrogance
Autonomous souls naturally reason: "Perhaps man is not the end product of God's work. Perhaps man is the by-product of the process which will create God" (Michael Breazeale, 04/19/2009).
Clearly, techno-augmented arrogance knows no bounds. Once cosmic lemmings leap that slippery slope to out-and-out blasphemy, Her Highness Technology will have succeeded in turning “a revolution all her own”; and it won’t be pretty.
Friday, July 24, 2009
TECHNOLOGY, THE SERVANT
Part 2-of-3
Good news: The Great Commission to take the Gospel to the four corners of earth rides the swelling wave of information technologies, which have advanced greatly since the science of communication and control (specifically, cybernetics) first emerged. That communication channels between distant locations are both flexible and direct serves well this noble cause.
Yet another example, Maria Lancaster is one profoundly blessed by technological know how. Her own adorable little girl, Elisha, was adopted as an embryo, having been frozen for four years. Thanks to modern technology, Elisha’s two little cells were flown Fed Ex across the country, then thawed before being transferred (at eight cells) to the waiting mother’s womb.
As Executive Director of Embryo Adoption Services of Cedar Park (Bothell, Washington), Lancaster offers the remarkable solution of “snowflake babies” for couples without contraindications to pregnancy, childbirth and parenting, but experiencing infertility problems nonetheless. Healthy children have been born from embryos frozen for more than twelve years; and through vitro fertilization (IVF), thousands of couples have been able to conceive and thereby establish loving families.
Surely, embryo adoption is great news for the nearly one-in-four couples who cannot conceive, as well as for hundreds of thousands of remaining human embryos who, following successful fertility treatments, are destroyed, used in research, held in freezers or sold for profit.
Technology, the Master
On the other hand, whom the Bible labels as “the ultimate murderer from the beginning” will opportunistically and increasingly lasso techno-knowledge for incredible evil.
Apparently, Her Highness Technology purposes to one-up even the Creator Himself. The race is on to create smarter-than-human intelligence—and to introduce mind-reading capabilities, implications for which are staggering. Argento also imagines a new breed of intentionally dumbed-down humanoids willing to work twenty hours a day without "comp time" or sick days.”
With this in view, RNAi is a system within living cells that helps to control which genes are active and how active they are. Applying RNA interference (RNAi) to produce human designer babies is worlds apart from silencing genes for decorative pigmentation in petunia plants, but an intriguing frontier nonetheless.
Perhaps the most commonly mentioned techno-vation is Artificial Intelligence, but there are others—e.g., direct brain-computer interfaces, biological augmentation of the brain, genetic engineering, ultra-high-resolution scans of the brain, followed by computer emulation. Technologies as these are fast approaching tipping-point sophistication.
Presently, the world community is well conditioned to submit to Her Highness Technology. At the consumer level, transportable technology has become a virtual human appendage. Be it in the car, while in line at the check-out counter, or even in a public bathroom stall, there is no escape from the cell phone. Arguably, what was intended to serve instead has become a master.
Good news: The Great Commission to take the Gospel to the four corners of earth rides the swelling wave of information technologies, which have advanced greatly since the science of communication and control (specifically, cybernetics) first emerged. That communication channels between distant locations are both flexible and direct serves well this noble cause.
Yet another example, Maria Lancaster is one profoundly blessed by technological know how. Her own adorable little girl, Elisha, was adopted as an embryo, having been frozen for four years. Thanks to modern technology, Elisha’s two little cells were flown Fed Ex across the country, then thawed before being transferred (at eight cells) to the waiting mother’s womb.
As Executive Director of Embryo Adoption Services of Cedar Park (Bothell, Washington), Lancaster offers the remarkable solution of “snowflake babies” for couples without contraindications to pregnancy, childbirth and parenting, but experiencing infertility problems nonetheless. Healthy children have been born from embryos frozen for more than twelve years; and through vitro fertilization (IVF), thousands of couples have been able to conceive and thereby establish loving families.
Surely, embryo adoption is great news for the nearly one-in-four couples who cannot conceive, as well as for hundreds of thousands of remaining human embryos who, following successful fertility treatments, are destroyed, used in research, held in freezers or sold for profit.
Technology, the Master
On the other hand, whom the Bible labels as “the ultimate murderer from the beginning” will opportunistically and increasingly lasso techno-knowledge for incredible evil.
Apparently, Her Highness Technology purposes to one-up even the Creator Himself. The race is on to create smarter-than-human intelligence—and to introduce mind-reading capabilities, implications for which are staggering. Argento also imagines a new breed of intentionally dumbed-down humanoids willing to work twenty hours a day without "comp time" or sick days.”
With this in view, RNAi is a system within living cells that helps to control which genes are active and how active they are. Applying RNA interference (RNAi) to produce human designer babies is worlds apart from silencing genes for decorative pigmentation in petunia plants, but an intriguing frontier nonetheless.
Perhaps the most commonly mentioned techno-vation is Artificial Intelligence, but there are others—e.g., direct brain-computer interfaces, biological augmentation of the brain, genetic engineering, ultra-high-resolution scans of the brain, followed by computer emulation. Technologies as these are fast approaching tipping-point sophistication.
Presently, the world community is well conditioned to submit to Her Highness Technology. At the consumer level, transportable technology has become a virtual human appendage. Be it in the car, while in line at the check-out counter, or even in a public bathroom stall, there is no escape from the cell phone. Arguably, what was intended to serve instead has become a master.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Her Highness Technology
Part 1of3
Classic Sci-Fi thrillers from the 1950s and 1960s feature special effects that portray colliding universes, UFOs, aliens, body snatchers and, yes, zombies. Though not especially convincing, and sometimes downright hokey, what now is perceived as retro-technology once captured the fancy of diehard movie buffs every where.
Today, even the most skeptical are riveted to (and mesmerized by) astounding special effects that command the silver screen. Beyond the frivolous, albeit powerful realm of cinematography, techno-genius uniquely shapes 21st-century global economics, governance, culture, morality and even spirituality.
Our Techno-Future
Radical information technologies that feature “quantum computing” and cutting-edge biotech advancements serve to reshape the marketplace, redistribute wealth and restructure society at large. As breast milk to a baby, technology breakthroughs nourish the burgeoning vision for a cyber-connected, one-world community.
Founder of the International Center for Technology Assessment, Andrew Kimbrell labels this would-be reality a “technotopia”; moreover, respected scholar O. B. Hardison likens faith in silicone devices to religious fervor transcending any mundane thrill of employing talking cars and functioning robots.
What’s not to like? The techno-god of our future promises efficient, renewable solar and/or electromagnetic energy; quantum teleportation; nano- and replicator- technologies (growing new cells for the cure); protective force fields; and emerging robotics. Spiritually, it holds promise for embracing self-god and, eventually, immortality.
To this end, cosmic educators, progressives, futurists and globalists target the world’s youth and then coach them in fanciful utopian ideologies most likely to be propelled and sustained by modern technology.
Techno-explosion Minus Bible Truth
Centuries before Christ, the prophet Daniel characterized a knowledge-infused “time of the end” with spot on precision: Then, global power brokers will function as “kings without kingdoms” over regions of the world “divided for gain.” Eventually, these regions will be linked under totalitarian global governance. With a dictatorial Prime Minister at the helm, the feckless dream of planetary utopianism is destined to play out as the mother of all nightmares.
The apostle Paul likewise warned that, despite influx of knowledge, end-time world citizens will bypass truth for deception. A seemingly endless abyss of information will ultimately crowd out authentic doctrinal formation. Already, broadly held esoteric belief systems are united by a compelling global agenda touting Earth worship, sustainability, collectivism and illuminism.
Techno-fascism
"Among the best investigative journalists money can't buy” and host of sillyConValley.net, Rob Argento of Hampstead, North Carolina characterizes this rising phenomenon as techno-fascism. As consultant and/or staff writer, the former technical communications specialist for Valley heavyweights—e.g., Microsoft, Oracle, Xerox and VeriSign—produced technical documents that elucidated "bleeding-edge" technologies ranging from human-computer interfaces to exotic e-commerce and bioinformatics.
Argento knows what he’s talking about when he describes Silicon Valley as a culture and state of mind. In his own words, “The Valley had set out to change the world. But by the dawn of the new millennium, it was the world that had changed the Valley.”
“Maybe it was all that Y2K ballyhoo; maybe it was the Dot Com Dot Bomb. Or maybe it was Bin Laden's Magic Carpet ride through the Twin Towers making them appear to collapse just like a computer-controlled demolition,” he adds. “More likely, though, it was simply a steadily rising sense that Her Highness Technology, unfurling faster than any single human mind could possibly track, was gradually turning a revolution all her own.”
Arguably, no generation has been more entertained or more connected than ours. On the down side, prophetic scripture instructs that the world dictator-to-come will “play god” and exercise extraordinary power, signs and lying wonders. As never before, these will be rendered possible by deceptive techno-savvy—i.e., generating arbitrary scenes by a holographic volumetric display.
Accordingly, human aspirations and values are fast deferring to ruthless cravings for technocratic dominance, status, wealth and accompanying power. There’s no turning back from participatory technology (virtual reality), digital television and cash, robotics, nanotechnology and artificial intelligence—their benefits and their trappings.
Next week: "Technology the Servant"
Classic Sci-Fi thrillers from the 1950s and 1960s feature special effects that portray colliding universes, UFOs, aliens, body snatchers and, yes, zombies. Though not especially convincing, and sometimes downright hokey, what now is perceived as retro-technology once captured the fancy of diehard movie buffs every where.
Today, even the most skeptical are riveted to (and mesmerized by) astounding special effects that command the silver screen. Beyond the frivolous, albeit powerful realm of cinematography, techno-genius uniquely shapes 21st-century global economics, governance, culture, morality and even spirituality.
Our Techno-Future
Radical information technologies that feature “quantum computing” and cutting-edge biotech advancements serve to reshape the marketplace, redistribute wealth and restructure society at large. As breast milk to a baby, technology breakthroughs nourish the burgeoning vision for a cyber-connected, one-world community.
Founder of the International Center for Technology Assessment, Andrew Kimbrell labels this would-be reality a “technotopia”; moreover, respected scholar O. B. Hardison likens faith in silicone devices to religious fervor transcending any mundane thrill of employing talking cars and functioning robots.
What’s not to like? The techno-god of our future promises efficient, renewable solar and/or electromagnetic energy; quantum teleportation; nano- and replicator- technologies (growing new cells for the cure); protective force fields; and emerging robotics. Spiritually, it holds promise for embracing self-god and, eventually, immortality.
To this end, cosmic educators, progressives, futurists and globalists target the world’s youth and then coach them in fanciful utopian ideologies most likely to be propelled and sustained by modern technology.
Techno-explosion Minus Bible Truth
Centuries before Christ, the prophet Daniel characterized a knowledge-infused “time of the end” with spot on precision: Then, global power brokers will function as “kings without kingdoms” over regions of the world “divided for gain.” Eventually, these regions will be linked under totalitarian global governance. With a dictatorial Prime Minister at the helm, the feckless dream of planetary utopianism is destined to play out as the mother of all nightmares.
The apostle Paul likewise warned that, despite influx of knowledge, end-time world citizens will bypass truth for deception. A seemingly endless abyss of information will ultimately crowd out authentic doctrinal formation. Already, broadly held esoteric belief systems are united by a compelling global agenda touting Earth worship, sustainability, collectivism and illuminism.
Techno-fascism
"Among the best investigative journalists money can't buy” and host of sillyConValley.net, Rob Argento of Hampstead, North Carolina characterizes this rising phenomenon as techno-fascism. As consultant and/or staff writer, the former technical communications specialist for Valley heavyweights—e.g., Microsoft, Oracle, Xerox and VeriSign—produced technical documents that elucidated "bleeding-edge" technologies ranging from human-computer interfaces to exotic e-commerce and bioinformatics.
Argento knows what he’s talking about when he describes Silicon Valley as a culture and state of mind. In his own words, “The Valley had set out to change the world. But by the dawn of the new millennium, it was the world that had changed the Valley.”
“Maybe it was all that Y2K ballyhoo; maybe it was the Dot Com Dot Bomb. Or maybe it was Bin Laden's Magic Carpet ride through the Twin Towers making them appear to collapse just like a computer-controlled demolition,” he adds. “More likely, though, it was simply a steadily rising sense that Her Highness Technology, unfurling faster than any single human mind could possibly track, was gradually turning a revolution all her own.”
Arguably, no generation has been more entertained or more connected than ours. On the down side, prophetic scripture instructs that the world dictator-to-come will “play god” and exercise extraordinary power, signs and lying wonders. As never before, these will be rendered possible by deceptive techno-savvy—i.e., generating arbitrary scenes by a holographic volumetric display.
Accordingly, human aspirations and values are fast deferring to ruthless cravings for technocratic dominance, status, wealth and accompanying power. There’s no turning back from participatory technology (virtual reality), digital television and cash, robotics, nanotechnology and artificial intelligence—their benefits and their trappings.
Next week: "Technology the Servant"
Friday, July 10, 2009
Where's the Hope?
Part 3of3
Strategic Lunacy
Senior economics writer for The Wall Street Journal editorial page Stephen Moore explains: Politicians invariably create and then respond to crises by spawning new government programs, laws and regulations. These, in turn, generate more havoc and poverty, which inspires the politicians to create more programs.
The downward spiral repeats itself until productive sectors of the economy collapse under the collective weight of taxes and other burdens imposed in the name of fairness, equality and do-goodism.
The more incompetent one is in business, the more handouts the politicians bestow. That's precisely the justification for subsidies doled out to keep afloat distressed insurance companies, banks, Wall Street investment houses and auto companies.
Even so, President Obama is on record as regretting that Supreme Court decisions have not been radical enough to order redistribution of wealth. Problem is, when profits, wealth and creativity are denigrated, they start to disappear, leaving everyone the poorer (Phyllis Schlafly Report, December 2008).
Throughout life’s journey, each must carry his own backpack or burden. Excessively heavy ones are rightfully shared; however, as a rule, the industrious (not sluggards, nor shysters) are deemed “worthy of their hire.” That is to say, these are blessed with the fruit of their own labors (Galatians 6:5; Romans 15:1; 1 Timothy 5:18).
The Asian Century
For many, a new administration refreshes hope for desired change in pursuit of a better America. However, many in the media have begun referring to the 21st century as the Asian Century—this, because of the predicted growing power in Asia. With it comes Eastern mysticism.
When merged with the conciliatory gospel of the West, neo-pantheistic syncretism debases our culture, work ethic, private property and free enterprise. To the contrary, the exercise of sound biblical principles—hard work as unto the Lord, discretionary spending, earth stewardship and cheerful generosity—is certain to sustain free society propelled by biblical ethic.
Where’s the Hope?
If cross-cultural iniquity abounds at all levels of society, as surely it does, the question remains: Where’s hope to be found when cynicism, paranoia, fear, mistrust, blame, greed and spiritual deception dominate?
The answer’s surely not to be found in global politics, economics or religious systems. Instead, “Messenger of Hope” David Bryant has issued a joyful manifesto on the supremacy of God’s son through which he emphasizes these four goals: proclaim a comprehensive vision of Christ’s supremacy, awaken hope focused on this larger vision, empower then mobilize leaders, and equip other “Messengers of Hope” to follow suit.
Herein lays our hope as Americans: an uncontrollable spiritual brush fire that ultimately yields the triumph of God’s global charge, not man’s counterfeit of it. By awakening to an unfolding revelation of God’s glory, believers will experience fresh winds of passion, mission and—yes—hope that can’t be quelled no matter the prevailing circumstances.
Strategic Lunacy
Senior economics writer for The Wall Street Journal editorial page Stephen Moore explains: Politicians invariably create and then respond to crises by spawning new government programs, laws and regulations. These, in turn, generate more havoc and poverty, which inspires the politicians to create more programs.
The downward spiral repeats itself until productive sectors of the economy collapse under the collective weight of taxes and other burdens imposed in the name of fairness, equality and do-goodism.
The more incompetent one is in business, the more handouts the politicians bestow. That's precisely the justification for subsidies doled out to keep afloat distressed insurance companies, banks, Wall Street investment houses and auto companies.
Even so, President Obama is on record as regretting that Supreme Court decisions have not been radical enough to order redistribution of wealth. Problem is, when profits, wealth and creativity are denigrated, they start to disappear, leaving everyone the poorer (Phyllis Schlafly Report, December 2008).
Throughout life’s journey, each must carry his own backpack or burden. Excessively heavy ones are rightfully shared; however, as a rule, the industrious (not sluggards, nor shysters) are deemed “worthy of their hire.” That is to say, these are blessed with the fruit of their own labors (Galatians 6:5; Romans 15:1; 1 Timothy 5:18).
The Asian Century
For many, a new administration refreshes hope for desired change in pursuit of a better America. However, many in the media have begun referring to the 21st century as the Asian Century—this, because of the predicted growing power in Asia. With it comes Eastern mysticism.
When merged with the conciliatory gospel of the West, neo-pantheistic syncretism debases our culture, work ethic, private property and free enterprise. To the contrary, the exercise of sound biblical principles—hard work as unto the Lord, discretionary spending, earth stewardship and cheerful generosity—is certain to sustain free society propelled by biblical ethic.
Where’s the Hope?
If cross-cultural iniquity abounds at all levels of society, as surely it does, the question remains: Where’s hope to be found when cynicism, paranoia, fear, mistrust, blame, greed and spiritual deception dominate?
The answer’s surely not to be found in global politics, economics or religious systems. Instead, “Messenger of Hope” David Bryant has issued a joyful manifesto on the supremacy of God’s son through which he emphasizes these four goals: proclaim a comprehensive vision of Christ’s supremacy, awaken hope focused on this larger vision, empower then mobilize leaders, and equip other “Messengers of Hope” to follow suit.
Herein lays our hope as Americans: an uncontrollable spiritual brush fire that ultimately yields the triumph of God’s global charge, not man’s counterfeit of it. By awakening to an unfolding revelation of God’s glory, believers will experience fresh winds of passion, mission and—yes—hope that can’t be quelled no matter the prevailing circumstances.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Ethnos (Race) v. Ethnos (Race)
Part 2of3
(See Part 1 below)
One cannot discount inspiration derived from the Obama story. That said, on more than one occasion, even African-American Pastor Clenard Childress has spoken out against the President.
In having “prevailed against the system,” Obama broke a long-standing glass ceiling. Thus, he rendered as moot the racially-propelled, now outmoded “blame game” that for decades had served only to fragment American society (World, 6 December 2008).
Or did he? It has been alleged that Obama’s autobiography Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance is “obsessed with race and race conflict.” Portraying U.S. history as a consistent tale of oppression, Obama stews about injustices he never personally experienced.
Such rhetoric serves only to further fragment society with festering mistrust and unstoppable blame. Thankfully, God is “no respecter of persons.” Hope for color- and culture-blind unity characterizes the kingdom of God in which neither male nor female, bond nor free takes precedence (Acts 10:34; 1 Corinthians 12:13).
Atlas Shrugged
Having grown up under Communism in Soviet Russia, author Ayn Rand gained insights into the destructiveness of socialism. Her classic novel, Atlas Shrugged, describes economic carnage caused by big government run amok. Although Rand foresaw our making the same politically expedient mistakes, America’s politicians remain hell bent on committing the very acts of economic lunacy that Rand parodied in 1957.
As America goes, so goes the world; and—make no mistake—President Obama’s 83-page Blueprint for Change calls for vast expansion of federal government. From the perspective of Georgia Congressman Paul Broun, the Blueprint is an obvious call for socialism.
Unfortunately, “none are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free” (Goethe). There is liberty for the captive only where the spirit of the Lord is. Truth is what sets us free (Isaiah 61:1; John 8:32).
Rights-based Liberalism
An up-and-coming global force, President Obama has expressed strong commitment to the U.N. and its various sovereignty-compromising programs—specifically, the U.N. Millennium Development Goals 2000. Embraced by 191 U.N. Member States, eight targeted goals serve developing countries and empower women.
Be sure, formal world federalism is well linked to rights-based liberalism. Over just a few years, Americans will be required to ante up hundreds of billions of dollars that will do precious little to improve the plight of the world’s poor. Instead, their taxes will serve only to strengthen the U.N. and enrich corrupt foreign dictators.
Though we have the poor with us always, God will not forsake nor see His seed begging for bread. This is a certain hope (Matthew 26:11; Psalms 37:25).
(See Part 1 below)
One cannot discount inspiration derived from the Obama story. That said, on more than one occasion, even African-American Pastor Clenard Childress has spoken out against the President.
In having “prevailed against the system,” Obama broke a long-standing glass ceiling. Thus, he rendered as moot the racially-propelled, now outmoded “blame game” that for decades had served only to fragment American society (World, 6 December 2008).
Or did he? It has been alleged that Obama’s autobiography Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance is “obsessed with race and race conflict.” Portraying U.S. history as a consistent tale of oppression, Obama stews about injustices he never personally experienced.
Such rhetoric serves only to further fragment society with festering mistrust and unstoppable blame. Thankfully, God is “no respecter of persons.” Hope for color- and culture-blind unity characterizes the kingdom of God in which neither male nor female, bond nor free takes precedence (Acts 10:34; 1 Corinthians 12:13).
Atlas Shrugged
Having grown up under Communism in Soviet Russia, author Ayn Rand gained insights into the destructiveness of socialism. Her classic novel, Atlas Shrugged, describes economic carnage caused by big government run amok. Although Rand foresaw our making the same politically expedient mistakes, America’s politicians remain hell bent on committing the very acts of economic lunacy that Rand parodied in 1957.
As America goes, so goes the world; and—make no mistake—President Obama’s 83-page Blueprint for Change calls for vast expansion of federal government. From the perspective of Georgia Congressman Paul Broun, the Blueprint is an obvious call for socialism.
Unfortunately, “none are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free” (Goethe). There is liberty for the captive only where the spirit of the Lord is. Truth is what sets us free (Isaiah 61:1; John 8:32).
Rights-based Liberalism
An up-and-coming global force, President Obama has expressed strong commitment to the U.N. and its various sovereignty-compromising programs—specifically, the U.N. Millennium Development Goals 2000. Embraced by 191 U.N. Member States, eight targeted goals serve developing countries and empower women.
Be sure, formal world federalism is well linked to rights-based liberalism. Over just a few years, Americans will be required to ante up hundreds of billions of dollars that will do precious little to improve the plight of the world’s poor. Instead, their taxes will serve only to strengthen the U.N. and enrich corrupt foreign dictators.
Though we have the poor with us always, God will not forsake nor see His seed begging for bread. This is a certain hope (Matthew 26:11; Psalms 37:25).
Friday, June 26, 2009
Sign of the Times: First the Bad News
Jesus told His disciples that the close of the age would be distinguished by signs, one of which is “abounding iniquity.” Arguably, childlike innocence is more a relic of the past than it is the norm. For good reason folks seldom leave keys in unattended cars, or bedroom windows wide open while sleeping.
Sadly, it would take eight Vietnams to fill as many graves as have been packed by Americans killed by fellow citizens. Crime originates from every rung of society. Daily, misdeeds of powerful politicians and self-serving corporate executives demonstrate our “losing the sense of shame that once accompanied the act of theft, private or public” (Lawrence W. Reed, “Ideas on Liberty,” THE FREEMAN 2008).
Although cynicism abounds, understandably so, those who hope in the Lord remain “of good courage” and “strengthened in heart” (Psalms 31:24).
Most Maligned Mandates
Perhaps more than ever “the wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men” (Ps. 12:8, NIV). Ask Swedish Pastor Ake Green, sentenced to a month in prison for “disrespecting” homosexuals. While preaching the Bible landed the good pastor in the slammer, Milk landed an Oscar for screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.
Evidently, progressive Americans embrace what God most hates—namely, wicked imaginations, pride and hands that shed innocent blood (Proverbs 6:16ff). Hence, all the while African-Americans are fighting the high toll of abortion on their own communities (aptly labeled Black Genocide) President Obama emerges as “the most extreme pro-abortion legislator ever to serve in either house of the United States Congress.”
Especially with respect to issues of life and traditional marriage, there is “a growing paranoia about evangelical influence in American politics. The academic and journalistic left used to dismiss followers of Jesus as boobs. Now some see [them] as diabolical; … and what once was laughed at may soon be legislated against” (Marvin Olasky, World, Sept 2008).
For these, hope is found in the surety that where sin abounds, God’s grace super abounds (Romans 5:20).
Wars and Rumors Thereof
Bible prophecy has been proven accurate: More wars have been fought in the last 200 years than in all of the preceding 1700 years combined. It has been asserted that prior to 9-11, the Iranian regime was responsible, if only indirectly, for the murder of more Americans than any other country or organization in the world.
Fact is Iran remains our principle enemy in the Middle East. Not President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but rather Khomeini’s successor Ali Khamenei bears the title of “Supreme Leader.” It is he demanding “DEATH TO AMERICA” and the Lesser Satan, Israel (Former White House National Security advisor, Michael Ledeen, The Iranian Time Bomb).
Global tensions are not restricted to the plight of Palestine or God-sanctioned Israeli entitlement. Amidst a devastating gas dispute, Russia recently cut off all gas supplies to Europe—this, without warning—and thereby demonstrated Moscow’s confrontational posture toward the West. With Russia behind him, Chavez is likely to fill the vacuum left by Fidel Castro. Loss of Latin America to Moscow-backed Chavez is a growing threat.
Adding insult to injury, terrorist cells continue to grow worldwide in some forty nations. Within the week of its occurrence, Golda Meir’s former body guard Juval Aviv accurately predicted the London subway bombing. As President and CEO of an international corporate intelligence and investigations firm based in New York, he now foresees an imminent terrorist attack on U.S. soil.
Calamitous threats as these contribute to widespread anxiety, but Bible believers experience “peace that passes understanding.” Theirs is “a better hope” than what the world has to offer (Philippians 4:7; Hebrews 7:19).
Next week: Ethnos (Race) v. Ethnos (Race)
Sadly, it would take eight Vietnams to fill as many graves as have been packed by Americans killed by fellow citizens. Crime originates from every rung of society. Daily, misdeeds of powerful politicians and self-serving corporate executives demonstrate our “losing the sense of shame that once accompanied the act of theft, private or public” (Lawrence W. Reed, “Ideas on Liberty,” THE FREEMAN 2008).
Although cynicism abounds, understandably so, those who hope in the Lord remain “of good courage” and “strengthened in heart” (Psalms 31:24).
Most Maligned Mandates
Perhaps more than ever “the wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men” (Ps. 12:8, NIV). Ask Swedish Pastor Ake Green, sentenced to a month in prison for “disrespecting” homosexuals. While preaching the Bible landed the good pastor in the slammer, Milk landed an Oscar for screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.
Evidently, progressive Americans embrace what God most hates—namely, wicked imaginations, pride and hands that shed innocent blood (Proverbs 6:16ff). Hence, all the while African-Americans are fighting the high toll of abortion on their own communities (aptly labeled Black Genocide) President Obama emerges as “the most extreme pro-abortion legislator ever to serve in either house of the United States Congress.”
Especially with respect to issues of life and traditional marriage, there is “a growing paranoia about evangelical influence in American politics. The academic and journalistic left used to dismiss followers of Jesus as boobs. Now some see [them] as diabolical; … and what once was laughed at may soon be legislated against” (Marvin Olasky, World, Sept 2008).
For these, hope is found in the surety that where sin abounds, God’s grace super abounds (Romans 5:20).
Wars and Rumors Thereof
Bible prophecy has been proven accurate: More wars have been fought in the last 200 years than in all of the preceding 1700 years combined. It has been asserted that prior to 9-11, the Iranian regime was responsible, if only indirectly, for the murder of more Americans than any other country or organization in the world.
Fact is Iran remains our principle enemy in the Middle East. Not President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but rather Khomeini’s successor Ali Khamenei bears the title of “Supreme Leader.” It is he demanding “DEATH TO AMERICA” and the Lesser Satan, Israel (Former White House National Security advisor, Michael Ledeen, The Iranian Time Bomb).
Global tensions are not restricted to the plight of Palestine or God-sanctioned Israeli entitlement. Amidst a devastating gas dispute, Russia recently cut off all gas supplies to Europe—this, without warning—and thereby demonstrated Moscow’s confrontational posture toward the West. With Russia behind him, Chavez is likely to fill the vacuum left by Fidel Castro. Loss of Latin America to Moscow-backed Chavez is a growing threat.
Adding insult to injury, terrorist cells continue to grow worldwide in some forty nations. Within the week of its occurrence, Golda Meir’s former body guard Juval Aviv accurately predicted the London subway bombing. As President and CEO of an international corporate intelligence and investigations firm based in New York, he now foresees an imminent terrorist attack on U.S. soil.
Calamitous threats as these contribute to widespread anxiety, but Bible believers experience “peace that passes understanding.” Theirs is “a better hope” than what the world has to offer (Philippians 4:7; Hebrews 7:19).
Next week: Ethnos (Race) v. Ethnos (Race)
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