Today is Mother’s Day in the US. On this day, we’re supposed to honor our mothers. In most homes, this means that Mom gets breakfast in bed, or gets a special gift. A lot of times, this turns into a Mom’s Day Off. Mothers do a ton of work, most of which is not noticed. Not only do mother’s do a ton of work, they also have an enormous effect on their children’s lives.

My mother has been quite an influence on my life. Besides homeschooling me for 12 years, helping me when I needed help, listening to me when I talk to her, talking to me when I just needed someone to talk to, giving me advice when I need it, she has also just been there when I needed company. When I’ve been sick and couldn’t sleep, she stayed up with me. When I needed a ride somewhere, she gave me one. when I’m lost and don’t know where to go next, she encourages
me and gives me advice.

I could fill an entire book of things that my mother has done for me. However, I don’t think anyone would have time to read it, because of how many things would be in it.

I thank God for my mother every single night.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there!

The latest issue of Newsweek arrived a few days ago. In the past I’ve tried to avoid these types of magazines, not wanting to get mixed up in the political and social mess that inevitably comes with it. But lately I’ve been trying to gain a better understanding of our current events; since how are we, as Christians, supposed to make informed choices if we don’t know what the heck is going on in the World?

The cover of this issue peaked my interest. A large Red, White, and Blue flag wrapped around a cross, with the words “The Politics of Jesus” written boldly next to it. Newsweek actually featured THREE articles on Christianity in this issue. In this post I’d like to focus on the last of these three articles, entitled “The Case against Faith”, written by self-proclaimed atheist Sam Harris.

For those of you who don’t have a hardcopy of Newsweek on hand, you can read the article online.

Sam Harris starts out his article with:

Despite a full century of scientific insights attesting to the antiquity of life and the greater antiquity of the Earth, more than half the American population believes that the entire cosmos was created 6,000 years ago. This is, incidentally, about a thousand years after the Sumerians invented glue. Those with the power to elect presidents and congressmen—and many who themselves get elected—believe that dinosaurs lived two by two upon Noah’s Ark, that light from distant galaxies was created en route to the Earth and that the first members of our species were fashioned out of dirt and divine breath, in a garden with a talking snake, by the hand of an invisible God.

Despite a full century of scientific insights attesting to the antiquity of life and the greater antiquity of the Earth… Ok, please stop. Are you referring to the alleged “theory” of evolution? If so, I hope the word “attest” was a typo, for the only reason Evolution is still being taught in schools is for a lack of a better replacement (other than Christianity). You speak as though Evolution has already been proven without a doubt. How can you say that when there are so many holes in it? Evolution’s “greatest find” is skeleton called “Lucy”, of which only a very small portion of the skeleton was ever found. It doesn’t even have a face for scientists to study.

Take a look around you. Look at all the plants, animals, and natural wonders, or perhaps even the human brain. You could spend a lifetime studying just one of these spectacular creations (out of billions and trillions), and you still wouldn’t be able to understand even a small portion of its essence. Yet everything mysteriously fits together. Do you really think that all these species, working together perfectly for the benefit of the environment, were randomly generated from a COSMIC SOUP?!

If we were made from a bubbling lunch entree how do we know that good is good, and evil is evil? How are we even capable of thought at all? How do you explain the small voice (sometimes called a conscience) inside warning you not to steal that delicious candy bar from the store?

The answer to these questions is not evolution. The answer is God, a Creator.

Mr. Harris continues his onslaught…

This is embarrassing. But add to this comedy of false certainties the fact that 44 percent of Americans are confident that Jesus will return to Earth sometime in the next 50 years, and you will glimpse the terrible liability of this sort of thinking. Given the most common interpretation of Biblical prophecy, it is not an exaggeration to say that nearly half the American population is eagerly anticipating the end of the world. It should be clear that this faith-based nihilism provides its adherents with absolutely no incentive to build a sustainable civilization—economically, environmentally or geopolitically. Some of these people are lunatics, of course, but they are not the lunatic fringe. We are talking about the explicit views of Christian ministers who have congregations numbering in the tens of thousands. These are some of the most influential, politically connected and well-funded people in our society.

If by “end of the world” you mean “eternal life with my Savior”, than yes, I am looking forward to it. We are all sinners, Mr. Harris, and Jesus paid for that sin with His life. It is only those who reject God’s forgiveness that will be facing “the end of the world”. In Revelation 22:12-16 Jesus tells us:

“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”

Christian’s are not going to simply “party” while we wait for the return of Jesus. God has laid out laws for all mankind to follow. Tell me how “You shall not murder”, “You shall not steal”, “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor”, and so many other moral commandments have a bad effect on society? So many Christian’s dedicate their lives to serving others; traveling overseas to help the sick and the poor.

Think about some of the great people in our Country’s history. George Washington, Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa… just to name a few. It can be said without a doubt that all of three of them dedicated their lives to others. It is people like this — Christians — that have made our Country great.

Are you really embarrassed to have people with those kinds of moral values being citizens of this Country? Do you prefer people who base their sense of right and wrong on what suits them at the current moment? If so, I feel sorry for you. You obviously missed what this Country was founded on in high school.

Sam Harris goes on to say that religious people “will happily contribute to the surplus of human misery if it serves their religious beliefs“. As an example he provides President Bush who used a veto to deny federal funding for embryonic-stem-cell research. Mr. Harris argues that this could be a breakthrough in medicine for the reason that stem cells could become any tissue in the human body. That’s right… but if scientists didn’t KILL IT, nine months later a baby would be born! He says that since a 3-day old human embryo is only a collection of 150 cells, that it’s “ok”. Who are you to decide that lab research is more important than the soul inside that tiny baby? By your reasoning it would be “OK” to use a short person for scientific research because they’re not as big as someone taller. No one has the right to kill an innocent baby. Period.

He continues his article by saying that the United States is a super power, and as such, the President is in the most important position in the world. He then mocks President Bush for praying to God for help in making decisions. Tell me this, Mr. Harris. If you were in such an “important position”, wouldn’t you want help from the Creator of the Universe? I know I would.

There is currently a debate happening on the Christian Place Forums in regards to Saddam Hussein’s death sentence. While I’ll be the first to agree that he has committed terrible and horrifying atrocities, I do not believe that the death sentence is the answer.

Did Saddam’s actions warrant the United States taking military efforts to stop him? The short answer, yes. A man who massacres, rapes, and tortures thousands of innocent people certainly needs to be brought to justice. (I won’t go into the gruesome details of his many crimes here. If you’d like to learn more about them, click this link)

The day Mr. Hussein’s sentence was announced I saw posts all over the internet (on Christian Forums, I might add) exclaiming the “good news”, followed with specific details on how he should be tortured first. This made me sick. The death of any man, no matter what he has done, is nothing to celebrate. This also brings up another question – Why does the World want him dead so badly? Is it really because it is the “right” course of action, or does it originate from a desire to have revenge for all the people he has hurt?

We went to war with Iraq to save lives. The threat that Saddam once represented is no more. Why the need to kill Saddam, thus making him a martyr to all terrorists? Why not give him life imprisonment, and let him reflect on everything he has done? He may even repent his sins and accept Jesus as his Savior. Is it such a terrible thing to give him that chance?

Remember that all of us have sinned and deserve to be sent to hell. Jesus came and died for those sins so we could ALL have a second chance. That means everyone; not just those who we consider to be “good” or “decent” people.

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” — Mark 2:17

EDIT: My thanks to “Feathin” for reminding me of the verse above.

Kent Hovind is a Christian from Florida (Click here for a full bio: http://www.drdino.com/articles.php?spec=71). Known as “Dr. Dino”, he travels the country giving seminars and talks on Creation Science, and showing the flaws in the so called “theory” of evolution. I’ve listened to many of them (on tape) and think he has done a great job spreading the word of God.

However, I recently learned that Mr. Hovind has been arrested on federal charges, including making threats against federal officials, filing false complaints and tax evasion (of approx. $500,000). He has been quoted in saying that “He is an employee of God, and that he doesn’t have to pay taxes.”

I had a lot of respect for him before this incident, but after hearing that statement I lost it all. What picture of “Christianity” does he think that’s projecting to the world?! Think of all the people who are now viewing Christian’s as people who believe it’s acceptable to commit Federal Offenses. It’s horrifying!

I think Mr. Hovind should take the time to read through the Book of Matthew again; specifically, Matthew 22:17-21:

Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

I think that sets the issue of paying taxes in stone.

Remember that being a Christian isn’t a “day job” that we can cast aside when we’re not at Church or among other Christians. As Christians we are God’s ambassadors, representing GOD in everything we do and to everyone we come in contact with.

Take some time to think about it. Are you displaying a “Christian” image to the World?

Vietnam was a cruel and terrible war. Ho Chi Minh was a young leader who wanted to drive the French out of Vietnam. France had always occupied Vietnam and he wanted to see his country independent. He traveled to Russia to study communism under the communist leader of that country. He came back to Vietnam as a young man and began to organize political parties under communism. As his power and influence in Vietnam grew he tried to force the people of his country to accept communism by using terrorist actions. He felt that communism would unite Vietnam and gain it’s independence. He began a series of invasions both within the country and on the borders, oppressing his own people. The US president fearing a domino effect on the countries surrounding Vietnam, sent American troops in to help the Vietnamese people resist the advances being led by the Viet Cong[North Vietnam]. The Viet Cong was counting on the terrain of the jungle and the divided opinion of the war in America, to wear down the American troops. As the war dragged on, the hardships of the jungle wore the troops down, the South Vietnamese were apathetic in their own war. They were letting the Americans fight for them. The Viet Cong’s military tactics were such that they would send people with bombs strapped to them into American camps [including small children]. The South Vietnamese feared the Viet Cong, and they often attacked the Americans, because of the threat of the Viet Cong. The Viet Cong coerced the South Vietnamese into becoming communist.

Additionally the media presented the war in a very negative light to the people in America, which caused the American people to be divided about the war. Peace movements marched on the White House and across college campuses. News of the unpopularity of the war made the troops in Vietnam not want to continue fighting. Many of them began refusing to fight, going so far as to even disobey direct orders. Eventually, Richard Nixon took office, and seeing the lack of progress, the high death toll, the lack of support of the American people, and the fact that the South Vietnamese were not fighting their own war, caused him to pull our troops. By 1975 Vietnam was under total communist control, under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh. Vietnam never regained its freedom, and is communist to this day.

Saddan Hussein was the leader of Iraq. Once he was in power he used terrorist tactics to mutilate his own people. He was guilty of mass murder of his own people, and of the Kurds in the north. People just disappeared, and the death toll was rising. America became involved initially under the leadership of George H. W. Bush. The war that occurred between the American and Iraqi troops was known as the Gulf War. America pulled out when the American troops were driven back. The American troops may have been driven back, but they had accomplished their goal. Kuwait was free and recovering. America remained slightly involved in the northern border of Kuwait as a kind of peace-keeping presence within Iraq.

September 11, 2001 was a terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. It is possible that Al Quaida was behind the attack. Al Quaida at the time was funding Saddan Hussein. In early 1992, faulty American intelligence claimed that Saddan had control of weapons of mass destruction. Like President Johnson feared the threat of communism, President George W. Bush [son of George H. W. Bush] feared the threat of terrorism. He gained support from other countries and invaded Iraq. The same situation exists in Iraq today as existed in Vietnam, the terrain is uneven, the enemy could be man woman or child, and the country of America is divided. Our troops are in lack of full support.

The difference is that the Vietnamese were apathetic about their own war, but the Iraqis are taking an active part. Vietnam ended as a bloody mess with no winner. Because we appeared to be of no use, we pulled out. There was no goal to reach, because there was no one to help reach the goal. The American troops in Iraq need our full support. Vietnam was a bloody mess, and the war on Iraq is close behind. What better way to support them, than to pray [1 Thessalonians 5:17]? Give them something to fight for. Don’t just sit back and watch History repeat itself.

Support our troops. Pray for them. They need us now if ever.