Getting Hairy in Hendersonville

Todd Starnes has a column at Townhall about an apparently lack of separation of mosque and state:

A Tennessee high school has decided to revise its field trip policy after a group of freshmen were taken to an Islamic mosque where they were given copies of the Koran and while a student who opted out of the trip was given a worksheet that alleged Muslims treated their conquered people better than the United States treated minorities.

The students were in an honors world studies class at Hendersonville High School and the field trips to the mosque as well as a Hindu temple were part of a three-week course on world religions.

But some parents objected to the trips and wondered why the school would tour a mosque but not a Christian church or a Jewish synagogue.

Because there is a war against Judeo-Christian values.

During their visit to the Hindu temple, students engaged in meditation.

Prayer in school?

Taxpayer-funded schools run by "secular" government might have made sense back on the day when we had more homogenous, isolated communities and we didn't have the networked, interactive communications systems we have now. It is a different world now, and instead of the federal government taking a larger and larger role in education, we need saparation of state and school. This is just one of many reasons why.

I'm an evangelical Christian. I have no problem with the idea of students visiting a mosque and getting a Koran. EXCEPT, we KNOW the ACLU and the like would freak out of the students were taken to a Christian church and given Bibles. But quibbling about these things is like arguing about the deck chairs while the Titanic sinks. Take your children out of the government schools, and vote against funding them.

When A Murderer, Rapist, or Molester Commits Suicide

So Ariel Castro, who kidnapped and held three young women for many years, raping, beating, and otherwise terrorizing them, killed himself.


Ideally, he would have:

• realized the enormity of his evils
• accepted blame
• repented
• thrown himself on the mercy of the Lord
• begged forgiveness from Jesus, the victims, their families, the greater Cleveland area, and the State of Ohio
• spent the rest of his days doing everything he could to "repay" his victims & helping law enforcement figure out how to prevent crimes like his and find/rescue victims sooner.

But... killing himself was the second best outcome.

I know there are people who think we should not be anything but saddened that he killed himself, but those people have screwed up priorities and a deficient grasp of reality.

I generally oppose suicide, but for someone who murders, rapes, or attacks children, it is better that they kill themselves if the alternative is more crime on their part or being cared for by taxpayers

A Do-Nothing Congress?

A Pew poll said that this Congress is one of the "least productive" in history. You may have heard the GOP, which has the majority in the House of Representatives, referred to as the "party of 'no'."

Ideally, Congress should reduce spending, reform the federal taxation system, roll back government intrusion into our lives, simplify federal law while removing contradictions, and keep a check on the Executive & Judicial branches.

If we can't get that, I'd rather they "do nothing" than make things even worse.

The role of Congress is spelled out in the Constitution. They should do no more than what they are assigned in that document.

I Am a Sinner

I invoke the Bible, moral standards, etc. in some of my writing. I often describe ideals, or the way things should be.  Never do I mean to imply that I haven't messed up big time at different times in my life. The Bible calls followers of Christ to the holiness of God.

The thing is - nobody but Jesus has maintained that level of holiness as a human being. I sin.

Is the solution to reject moral standards, and call whatever I do right, and even fight to change laws that discourage or punish things I do that are wrong?

No.

The solution was provided by Jesus - living the perfect life and dying on the cross for my sins. Through Him, I am forgiven, and I can turn to Him whenever I go astray… tell Him I’m sorry, and ask for His help to get me back on track and to keep me from straying again.

So when I blog about some decline or deficit in society, I’m not excluding myself from that. I do screw up.  But I will do my best not to allow that to prevent me from calling for right and denouncing what is wrong.

Do I think everything that is wrong should be illegal? No way. On the flip side, though, I am reluctant to agree that people have a right that should be protected by law to do what is wrong.

Would I like to see everyone follow Jesus? Yes. But using government force to attempt to bring that about is not an option. Forced Christianity is an oxymoron. Nor do I think that people should be punished by the government for not being Christian. A truly Christian nation will protect the freedom of religion that is expressed in our First Amendment. So long as your religion does not promote actions that violate the rights of others, you should be free to practice it.

If you know you are a sinner and aren't assured of your standing before God, I invite you to read through a modern translation of the Bible, such as the NIV, NASB, NKJV, or ESV. The Gospels, Romans, Hebrews are good books to start. I can't offer any better advice than to embrace Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He's defeated sin and death, and will transform your life. I still sin, which is why I titled this post "I Am a Sinner." But He has paid for my sins. All to Him I owe. I am His servant, and I can't think of a better Master to follow.