Cowboys From Hell and The War Against Women

I was in high school the first time I heard it.  A good friend of mine shared it with me, and I can honestly say that it was the first time- and last time- I willingly listened to the heavy metal group Pantera.  Now don't misunderstand- I LOVE heavy metal.  And when it comes to music, if I were to be truthful, I have a rather eclectic taste, a wide range that encompases almost every genre.  Everything from Tenth Avenue North to Demon Hunter, from Anberlin to the Newsboys, T-Bone to Rodney Atkins, Relient K to Beethoven has graced my speakers with their presence and to the delight of my listening ears.  But never again Pantera... 

The song was "Cowboys From Hell", and can I say that my ears were telling me that it was probably being played in hell as a method of torture.  I absolutely didn't like it, and I will be honest- a big part of it was the lyrics.  I happen to LOVE the poetry behind a good song.  But "Cowboys From Hell"... Well...  I guess you could say that I just couldn't picture Pantera as a cowboy from anywhere, and the utter contradiction was incredibly ridiculous. 

Now I know what you may be thinking; why am I bringing up an obscure song from the 90's in a blog about the current supposed "war on women"?  A good question you (hypothetically) have posed...  And the reasoning is quite simple.  You see, in the same way I could not wrap my mind around the idea of a bunch of long haired, guitar thrashing, growling men being "cowboys" of any kind- so in the same respect I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around who is leading the debate on this "war" that is apparently being waged on the feminine side of our species.

At the forefront and leading the charge is none other than groups like Planned Parenthood.  This is especially true here in my home state of Idaho, where a recent legislative attempt to mandate ultrasounds before an abortion has sparked a wave of action from Margeret Sanger's minions, with their faithful sidekick ACLU close behind.  Apparently they feel that it is a most horrifying, perhaps even demonic attack from the "right".  This, coupled with the recent debate over whether or not the government should force average Joe citizen to buy birth control for little Suzy's extra extra-curricular activity and the third wheel of a comment made by a radio talk show host has made the topic seem, by all the news coverage, to be the most important thing happening all across the nation.  "The factory has laid off another 200 people, but before that we HAVE to talk about THE WAR ON WOMEN"...  "Iran is about to accomplish their task of completing a nuclear weapon, but what "people" are really concerned about now is the "weapons" right wing fundamentalists are using to attack women all over America"...  And on and on the news coverage goes.

O.K. it may not be quite that bad, but you get my point.  The funny thing is that, in all honesty, I completely agree with the left on this.  I will be the first to stand in line and join Planned Parenthood in the chorus that there IS a "war on women".  BUT we will soon part ways, as they realize that we disagree on who the enemy is. 

And I believe the enemy is the very people leading the charge of defense... 

WHAT?!  How could I say that? you ask.  Fair enough.  Let me explain:  Remember the "Cowboys From Hell"?  Well, in my mind that is Planned Parenthood.  They make their phone calls and write their e-mails to their legislators about how the right hates women.  They go to their friends in the media, with a broken heart mentality, crying about the evils those demons on the right are perpetrating on women.  They hold their rallies screaming and shrieking about how they are going to make a difference, that they are here for war, not going down without a fight, fending off those that hate women.  And all the while, if the truth were to be known- if the curtain could be pulled back, exposing what was really in their heart, oh how so many women would be shocked to see that it is not some mystical wizard or galliant warrior...  No, no, no my friends...  The black heart of hate is all that would be found.  For in truth, it is they that hate women more than any other.

How dare I say such a thing, right?  You may be offended, and that is fine; just rest assured that it is sadly true.  Let's look at the facts, and understand who really is leading the charge on the war against women.

First off, who is it that is always fighting against things like "informed consent" and ultrasounds before an abortion?  Planned Parenthood.  Why is that a bad thing, you ask?  Understand, by their own financial records, they are annually a BILLION DOLLAR industry.  That is a BILLION dollars that they make, primarily from one thing: abortion.  Kind of brings new meaning to that old Alice Cooper song "Billion Dollar Babies" doesn't it?  But I digress...  Planned Parenthood's main selling points on abortion are that it is safe, and that it is not actually taking the life of a child.  But when faced with facts that many women HAVE been injured and even died from the proceedure puts doubt in the mind about safety, and when a woman comes face to face with her child moving around, waving his or her arms, even the proverbial sucking of the thumb- it does not take an overactive imagination to see the truth that it is, in fact, a living child.

As with any product or proceedure, full knowledge leads to one thing that all sellers hate- the loss of a customer. Planned Parenthood knows as well as anyone that, a woman fully informed, could lead to a woman walking out the door.  If too many women choose to keep their child instead of "aborting"- well, let's just say they wouldn't be a billion dollar powerhouse for long.

When it comes to birth control, we must look again at who reaps the true rewards...  And once again we need not look any further than Planned Parenthood.  Why is this, you ask?  Because another part of their empire is distributing birth control.  A seemingly harmless "service" for the godless society...  But look closer at something.  The more people have sex, the more they buy "contraceptives".  If they buy from Planned Parenthood, then Planned Parenthood profits from the woman being sexually active.  If by some chance the woman ends up pregnant, well no worries!  Planned Parenthood is there for "counseling"!  And not to worry, only 2.4% of pregnant women who walk through their doors receive non-abortion services including adoption and prenatal care...  So let's get this straight- the woman gets contraceptive, Planned Parenthood profits; the woman gets pregnant, Planned Parenthood profits...  you could say they are invested, not in the stock market, but the sex market!  As far as why they may be interested in the government paying- well, there is the concern that if a woman cannot afford said birth control she will most likely be having LESS sex which means LESS profit...  But I digress.

Finally, the last bit of irony is in the "degrading" speech given to some women by "right-wing fundamentalists".  I guess I could take Planned Parenthood more seriously if I believed they actually cared about women.  Because while it may be true that some people have less than respectful language- on BOTH sides, I might add- what is also true is that Planned Parenthood has nothing to say about those who use women for "profit" in the pornography industry.  They never raise a voice of concern for the women in countries like China who are forced to have abortions.  They stay quiet on the war against women when it is one of the thousands of girls in the womb being aborted each year for the purpose of sex selection.  They have nothing to say about the millions of women who have been lied to about what is actually in their womb, lied to in order to ensure a profit can be made off of them, then leaving them broken emotionally, spiritually, and physically in some cases.  Just look at the case that made national headlines last year- Dr. Kermit, who not only killed a woman during an abortion but tried to cover it up...  and then there was that minor detail that he had been killing babies after they were born...  How many press conferences did Planned Parenthood do condemning him or his actions?  Oh, that's right- none.  The only thing they had to say publicly was when his case led to several states wanting stricter health inspections on all abortion clinics- they whined and whined about how "unfair" it was...

And while they whine and whine about a name that someone called some woman they are using for their personal agenda, the truth is they close their doors and laugh at all the women that have came through their doors like good little sheep to the butcher.  They are overjoyed when they accomplish their goal of a sexually active girl, knowing that for them the more she has sex the more they profit.  Their work has resulted in millions of broken, hurting women all over America.  They do their work intentionally, knowing what the end result will be.  They do it for money.  Tell me, how is that not a hate crime against women?

So as they lead their charge in the "war on women" I am once again reminded, that they are no better than the cowboys from hell...

Lay Down Your Rights- My endorsement for President

Given the fact that it is an election year again, I have decided that it is high time to raise my voice in support of my candidate and here on this very blog promote the candidate I endorse.  Yes, it is true that the caucuses have already taken place here in the Gem State but that is besides the point...  In my world I am pretty sure that it is far from too late to write in the one person I think will be able to do the job better than any other.  So without further delay, my endorsement for President of the United States of America, please join me in supporting him, the only one in this entire universe that will be able to singlehandedly beat back the forces of socialism, the only one who can restore our illustrious Constitution, the only one who can beat President Barak Obama in the upcoming election, ladies and gentlemen put your hands together and cast your votes for (drum roll, please)...............................ME!!!

That is exactly correct, you heard it here, I am endorsing myself as the only true conservative in the race for President.  Yes, I know what you are thinking- "But you haven't even filed, and it is past the filing date"  Absolutely correct!  But I here from some good sources(namely the voices in my head) that I will be selected at the brokered (or should we say broken?) convention.  What's that, you ask?  I have raised no money at all for any kind of campaign?  Right-O my friend!  I don't need to because I just KNOW it will work out to my favor!  Oh, I see...  you doubt my candidacy...  I only have one thing to say:  Um, ok, I have a few things actually:  You obviously hate liberty.  You obviously aren't a conservative.  You obviously are too conservative.  You have been brainwashed.  You don't pay enough attention to the news or voices of reason.  You just want another Obama for President.  You just want Obama to win.  You just want a radical to run and there is no way someone that radical can beat Obama.  Ummm...  hey, where's Perry?

Ok enough with the sarcasm and on to seriousness.  This past election cycle I think has been quite brutal.  Though what I just typed may have been pure and utter silliness, the truth is that has been a lot of the things that people have been yelling back and forth at each other.  I think it a bit on the sad side, really.  As Idaho embraced our first caucus, I spent the evening avoiding people for the sake of avoiding such petty infighting...  and I think I can honestly say that is just a tragedy.

It is tragic when Christians have to avoid each other for the sake of avoiding conversations where we have disagreements.  On the political realm, it should be as simple as "I have my candidate, you have yours, and that's o.k." But instead it descends into this madness over who's horse is more purebred than the other.  Can I just say that, no matter who your candidate is, if the thought of your brothers and sisters in Christ having the audacity to vote for someone else sends you into fits of hyperventalation- if you feel as though your arteries are going to burst because "Brother Joe and Sister Ann are voting for THAT man?!"  then I suggest you step back, take a deep breath, and get your heart right with God.

Now I know that some of you may be thinking that you can't believe I just said that.  but let's be real for a minute people.  IT'S AN ELECTION!!!  And while I agree that freedom and liberty are wonderful blessings, and it is honorable to fight for them, we HAVE to remember that our duty as a Christian is NOT first and foremost the preservation of freedom!  If it were, then my friends there is a whole Country of Chinese Christians that are living in sin!!!  But they are not!  Why?  Because our first and foremost duty is TO TAKE THE GOSPEL TO ALL NATIONS- NOT to take freedom to all nations.  NOT to preserve freedom in our nation.  And especially NOT to fight with our brothers and sisters in Christ because YOU have decided in all your wisdom that their candidate is trash.

Remember, at the end of the day, the preservation of freedom is only a temporal thing.  Their importance ends when we pass from this life.  Our investment in them counts for little in the eternal scheme of things.  What is important is working together to reach the billions of lost people on this planet! 

in closing, it is a question we all as Christians must ask ourselves:  Do we have a greater zeal for Christ than for our political candidate?  Would those around us know that our allegiance to the Gospel is more important to us than our allegiance to a campaign?  Do we live like we have freedom and liberty that can never be taken away- because we have that freedom and liberty in Christ- or do we live in irrational fear, always looking over our shoulder, waiting for that day when the government steals it all away?

And even if the government did come and take away our temporal freedoms- tell me this- what makes us any better than our brothers and sisters in other nations who have NO temporal freedoms?  What makes us better than our Lord Jesus who WILLINGLY gave up His rights and freedom for the sake of the cross, for the spiritual and eternal freedom of others? 

I pray that we will ALL wake up and come to the point where our rights, freedoms, liberties are no where near as important as working for the eternal freedom of the lost...  When faced with it, will we be willing to sacrifice our rights for the salvation of others?  May God stir our heart so that it is so!  Because only when we, as the Body of Christ, put to death our desire for our temporal rights- only then will we have a prayer for saving our Country and seeing revival sweep the land...