Veritas Rex

Shut Up & Stay in Bed

I am currently teaching a class in our Living Stones College entitled “Developing a Christian Worldview.” I love this class and its content because it is so relevant to all that is taking place in our world. For a worldview to be “legit,” it has to be able to pass four critical tests:

The Test of Reason: Is it reasonable?
The Test of Reality: Does it fit reality?
The Test of Breadth: Does it explain all of life?
The Test of Practice: Is is livable?

The last question poses a serious problem for our “Green without God” friends. Let me explain.

This month more than 170 countries are meeting in Copenhagen to discuss the reality of a world treaty designed to reduce greenhouse gases. There’s only one small problem with this gathering. Someone estimated that the conference itself will create an estimated 40,584 tons of carbon emissions. To put that figure into perspective, this is roughly the carbon footprint for the entire nation of Morocco in 2006!

So let me see if I get this right. We’re going to have a conference to create a document that will mandate the cutting of  greenhouse gasses, but the “environmental experts” will actually create an overabundance of gasses from all the hot air that will be released as a result of this gathering. Hmm. The very folks who are convinced we are destroying the planet with global warming will actually be expediting our demise by their own irresponsible behavior. Shame on you! How do you sleep at night?

You see, there’s only one reasonable, non-hypocritical conclusion for these well-meaning, but misguided, self-appointed saviors of Mother Earth – Shut up and stay in bed! To do otherwise only contributes to the problem.  I’m a big advocate of leadership by example. If you really believe in your worldview, then set an example by living a carbon-free lifestyle. Don’t eat, don’t breath, don’t move, don’t procreate and don’t consume. Call me in six months and let me know how it’s working for you.

Find more from this author at his blog: Transformnation

Research Shows Faithful Teens Become Better Spouses in Adulthood

The Family Research Council has some interesting research through their "Mapping America Project."  They found that:

"Adults who frequently attended religious services as adolescents are less likely ever to be divorced or separated than those who did not."

This is an educated guess, but I would assume those adolescents that attend religious services are going to be more likely to develop a genuine faith in God.  If one believes that his or her marriage exists just to make him or her happy and that there is no larger purpose behind that relationship, I could see how ending that relationship would not be as big of a deal as it would to someone who believes that their marriage is not only an agreement between husband and wife, but also a covenant between them and God. 

If God has no place in my decision making process, then it stands to reason that I will always choose that which benefits me, regardless of the consequences to others.  Hence, if the benefit to me in staying married at a particular place in my life becomes less than the cost and I don't have a strong faith in God, I would be more likely to get divorced. 

Merriam-Webster's Fictionary Dictionary

This is quite an amazing story when you think about it.  In their divinely omniscient wisdom, Merriam-Webster has decided to redefine marriage.  Check out the second definition:

"Marriage 

(1): the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law (2): the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage <same-sex marriage>"

This may seem like a small thing to some, but to me this brings up a bigger issue of the criteria by which we as a people define terms.  As anyone in the political world knows, he who gets to define the terms wins the debate. 

Soon children will be returning to schools across America, hopefully learning math skills, how to spell, and the definition of words, among other things.  They will be opening their new dictionaries and learning that marriage as mommy and daddy have described it is not what they are being taught (and if they don't have a mommy or a daddy or mommy and/or daddy have taught them something else, they need the true vision of marriage even more).  

By defining marriage as the union of two people of the same sex we are sending a message to the next generation that marriage is nothing more than a cold, steril contract.  This vision of marriage devoid of it's true value showed itself within public policy through no-fault divorce in my parents generation and is now taking the next logical step in stripping marriage of it's power and worth through same-sex "marriage."  Like most things, if there are no boundaries to marriage it becomes void of any true worth or meaning.

In truth, marriage is meant to be a beautiful divine mystery and gift handed down to us by our Creator.  That marriage relationship was meant to be an earthly reminder of the ancient eternal relationship between Christ and His church (those who dedicate their lives to His service) that carries on to this day.  However, without obeying the boundaries that go with marriage we never realize and experience it's true power.  We see this not only within false knock offs of marriage (homosexual unions), but first within true marriages where husband and wife failed to recognize the true purpose of marriage (to glorify, serve and obey God with their unified lives). 

Just as husbands and wives that fail to stick within the boundaries of marriage (sexual fidelity, true love - servanthood/sacrifice/dedication/loyalty, etc.) will fail to experience the true divine nature and power of marriage and will end up leaving that marriage void of true worth and meaning or destroying it entirely through divorce, homosexuals who enter into unions fail the boundaries of marriage before they even say "I do" by the very nature of their relationship specifically banned by their Creator.  No wonder divorce among homosexuals is much higher than even their heterosexual counterparts. 

The answer is not a redefinition of the term "marriage".  No matter what you call it, if you don't stay within the boundaries it will still be void of it's power, worth and meaning.  The answer is to return marriage to it's true meaning, within it's Divinely created boundaries in our personal lives, our churches and our government.  If those who have worked and are working so hard to redefine marriage and its boundaries worked harder on restoring the true meaning and boundaries of marriage within their own lives, then their church, and then their government, they would find the true power and value they so desperately seek from the mysterious institution of marriage.  Sadly, merely redefining the word and it's boundaries will never give them what they seek.

Politics too messy for Christians?...San Diego Pastor might have a different opinion.

Fox News is reporting that San Diego, California Pastor David Jones and his wife Mary have been told that they cannot invite friends to their home for a Bible study — unless they are willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars to San Diego County.  According to the report:

"On Good Friday we had an employee from San Diego County come to our house, and inform us that the Bible study that we were having was a religious assembly, and in violation of the code in the county." David Jones told FOX News.

"We told them this is not really a religious assembly — this is just a Bible study with friends. We have a meal, we pray, that was all," Jones said.

A few days later, the couple received a written warning that cited "unlawful use of land," ordering them to either "stop religious assembly or apply for a major use permit," the couple's attorney Dean Broyles told San Diego news station 10News.

But the major use permit could cost the Jones' thousands of dollars just to have a few friends over.

If spiritually mature Believers were on that San Diego County Council would this even be an issue?  Of course not.  The problem is that too many of us believe that politics is too divisive for us.  We have been tricked into believing that if we really want to serve God we need only involve ourselves with certain "sacred" things like serving our local church, taking a mission trip or working at a soup kitchen.  Those outlets for service are great, but we must not limit the body of Christ to those alone. 

The institutions that are the darkest need Believers to shine the Light of Christ all the more.  Christ did not come for the healthy.  He came to redeem the sick...including sick institutions.  The more spiritually mature Believers take on the call to public service the more citizens will be able to enjoy a quite and peaceable life. 

A Christian Nation?

Good stuff.

Parent-Child Relationship Tied to Religious Attendance and Family Structure

Want to have a quality relationship with your child?  Fight for your marriage and worship the Lord regularly.  Hmmm....I feel like I've read that advice in a book somewhere...(*smile*)

Here are the details of the study. 

Conservatives vs. Liberals...new research from Barna

Very interesting information.  Conservatives are more driven by faith than liberals.  Not shocking, but good to know.  Check it out:

Great Sex God's Way

I think Pastor Jerry from Alabama has a great idea, though it has stirred up a lot of controversy.  Daystar Church has a website www.greatsexgodsway.com.  Pastor Jerry has seen the reality that the public conversation on sex is one sided.  Those who ignore and/or denigrate boundaries for sexuality are all we hear from on TV, at the movies, etc.  As Pastor Jerry says, do we really want Satan's message for sexuality to be all people hear or should the Church step up and give the other side of the story?  Check out his creative series on Great Sex God's Way.  It is the right message that followers of Christ should emulate.   

Story of Redemption From a Surprising Source

Whether you love or hate Glenn Beck, the story of his life is very inspiring.  I had no idea how inspiring until I ran across this article from citizenlink:

 

Friday Five: Talk-Show Host Glenn Beck
 
by Karla Dial, guest reporter

'If it wasn’t for the gift that the Lord gave to me, I’d be dead today.'

For nearly a decade, Glenn Beck has been spreading the conservative political gospel through his syndicated radio program, The Glenn Beck Show, and has done the same as the host of his call-in television program on CNN since 2006. He'll move to the Fox News Channel in January.

But these days, Beck is hoping to spread a more eternal sort of gospel through his new book, The Christmas Sweater. The book tells the story of a young boy named Eddie, who is being raised in poverty by his widowed mother. All Eddie wants for Christmas is a bicycle — but when his mother gives him a hand-knit sweater instead, his hopes are dashed. He wads the sweater up in a ball and drops it on the floor to mope — and when his mother sees it there, her heart is broken. The last words that pass between Eddie and his mother are angry ones later that day — just before a tragic car accident.

The story, though not strictly biographical, is Beck’s own. The sweater was a real gift from his mother when he was 13 — the last Christmas before she committed suicide. A brother also committed suicide, and another died of a heart attack when Beck was young. Beck spent several years addicted to drugs and alcohol, coming to the verge of suicide, before turning his life over to God at the age of 35. Now he has a message for readers and viewers about facing life’s storms, and finding hope and redemption on the other side.

(continue reading...)

Deep Thoughts with Ryan

When you woke up this morning, why did you do whatever came next?  Why did you choose to get out of bed or stay in bed, take a shower or not take a shower, brush your teeth, feed the dog, get your kids ready for school, drive to work, pray...?

When you read something in the paper or hear something on the radio or the TV or from a conversation with someone else, why do you have the immediate reaction that you do? 

Seldom do we examine the reasons behind these quickly forgotten decisions.  Yet they quickly become habit and are repeated almost subconsciously.  I didn't have to get out of bed this morning, get ready and drive to work, but I did...and without really thinking about why I was doing it.  I just did.  

If I dig deeper and question myself I will discover many reasons why I got out of bed and came into work this morning as opposed to the infinite other choices I could have made.

I felt like I had to come to work.  Why?

Because I get paid for it.  Because if I don't I will create problems for my boss and colleagues.  Because I like my work.  There are lots of reasons. 

However, what is the underlying reason or reasons why we make the decisions we do? 

Some call this nearly subconscious thought foundation a "worldview."

I stumbled on http://www.christianworldview.net/ today and they describe it like this:

Everyone has a worldview. Whether or not we realize it, we all have certain presuppositions and biases that affect the way we view all of life and reality. A worldview is like a set of lenses which taint our vision or alter the way we perceive the world around us. Our worldview is formed by our education, our upbringing, the culture we live in, the books we read, the media and movies we absorb, etc. For many people their worldview is simply something they have absorbed by osmosis from their surrounding cultural influences....(keep reading)

If we took more time to examine, in a brutally honest way, why we have the ideas that we do and make the decisions that we make, would we probably end up making better decisions?