Death of a Legacy: The End of Hate

I saw this picture the other day, and it struck me.  It was taken at a KKK rally in 1992, and here we see this small child, too young to really know what the outfit he is wearing even means, staring at his reflection...  I wonder to myself where this child is now.  What does he think when he sees this photograph?  Is he hateful?  Does the KKK represent his values?  Does he see himself for who he really is?

Hate is such a powerful force in this world.  But as with all things, hate must come to an end.  And in time, it will.  Take, for example, the case of one hateful Fred Phelps.  Phelps was the pastor of a pseudo-church that made a habit of spreading hate. The Westboro band spread their brand by hauling signs to funerals proclaiming "God Hates Fags", and though their message was very "loud and proud", they clearly demonstrated by their lack of church size that hate is a losing message.

I say, "was the pastor", because Mr. Phelps is now dead.  One can only hope that his message will die with him; but that is not why I am writing this piece.  The thoughts that run through my mind at the moment are a mixed bag of nuts, but I will try and sort them out in brief fashion...

First off, I find it important to express to the reader, that Mr. Phelps does not represent the teachings of Christ, or the Bible.  Now I know you may be thinking, "But I thought the Bible taught that homosexuality was a sin?" You are exactly right.  It does.  But it also teaches that adultery is a sin. And it teaches that pornography and lust of the heterosexual nature are sins. Ironically, it also teaches that gossip, greed, jealousy, and gluttony are also all sins- with the same end result.  And most importantly, it teaches that hate is not only a sin- but a sin equal to murder in the eyes of God.

So, there we have it. Mr. Phelps may have been right that homosexuality is a sin; but he was in no better place, as biblically speaking, he would be compared to a murderer.  His actions were equally offensive to God.  The darkness in his heart tainted and distorted any truth his message may have had...

As Christians, it is imperative that we understand one thing: Love.  Yes, we are to stand for what is right. Yes, we are to be speakers of truth. Yes, we are called by God to preach repentance of sins. But we are also called by God to love. There MUST be a balance.  Paul wrote so very eloquently in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 that our words may be the best words- but if they are spoken without love, they are just noise; that our wisdom and knowledge may be top notch, but if it is void of love, then it is nothing; and that our actions may astound the world, but if they are done without love as the motive, it will gain us nothing in the end.

And that is just what Mr. Phelps gained for all his life's work- nothing. Let us not ridicule him, or wish him safe journeys to hell- for in so doing we lower ourselves to his level. But rather let us look to him as a warning beacon for what happens when we allow bitterness, unforgiveness, and hate to rule our hearts. Let us examine ourselves in honesty and truth, and allow the Holy Spirit to convict us if love is not our motive.  And let us find ourselves always acting with all love, for if Christ so loved the world- so should we.

Political Reflections From the Corners of My Mind

Life has a funny way of changing course on you.  One moment you think you are heading towards the east, then you encounter a cerebral shift and are headed west.  They call them the winds of change, and they ever blow as you travel this life's journey.  So has been the case with me.

A year ago, I was seriously thinking about an eventual career in politics.  I had recently been elected Precinct Committeeman and Vice Chairman for my district, in the Canyon County Republican Party.  I was given tasks such as creating a facebook page for the Central Committee, and notifying the newspapers of upcoming events.  I think at one time I was given the title "Chairman of Public Relations"...  It was kind of an odd duck fit, since really I knew very little of what I was doing, and didn't ask for the positions.  They just all sort of... happened.  I was liked by people both of the establishment and non-establishment persuasion.  Things were progressing well, for someone who was an absolute novice with future political aspirations. 

Then as I was staring in at the pitcher one evening, he threw me a curveball.  The freaky thing is, I was expecting a fastball.  In laymen's terms, life took one of it's unusual twists.

I had done some minor P.R. work for a man who was running for office; I didn't know him, but after talking a bit with him, felt confident he would stand for my values.  He had a specific promise- that he would vote against the State Insurance Exchange.  It was his big selling point, especially since his opponent was campaigning for it.  I bought his schpeel; I wrote letters to the editor for him, I got others to do the same.  I monitored public forums, making sure he got a positive spin.  I put my name with his... and then, when he was elected, he went back on his promise and voted for said State Exchange.  Umm, yeah, I still have your election literature that says... oh, never mind...

I was... quite frustrated.  But, I am a forgiving person...  So when another legislator drafted an amendment that would offer protections to religious employers, I approached him, asking him to at least support it.  He promised that he would support life and religious liberty, and that I needn't worry- all would be well.  I believed him.  The very next day he went out and voted against it.

I should note that this man was a conservative republican.  As were many other elected officials here in this state who, despite public outcry, voted for what they thought best as opposed to the will of the people.  This was a huge awakening moment for me...  As I realized that all men in politics, regardless of ideology or party affiliation, are the same.  With few exception, they clock in to the state house, they vote for what will best build their kingdom, and the people are left wondering what happened to their knight in shining armor that was supposed to be "The One".

It was in this moment in life that I came to the astonishing conclusion that very little done on the battlefield of politics is relevant to the end game.  The system is rigged for failure; it is only a matter of time until this train crashes head on into the wall it is racing toward. And we, the general public, are left with the all important question: Do we carry on with this quest? Or do we divert to something that will have lasting impact?

Everyone must answer that question for themselves; for me, the answer is to refocus and to redeem the time.  I have set aside my political aspirations. I have stepped out of any future election races.  Lasting change can only be won on one battleground: the heart.  As I pointed out to a dear friend of mine, even if all you want were to come to fruition, even if you got the leaders and the laws the way you want- if the heart of the people remains as is, in four years your efforts will vanish like a vapor. 

At the end of the day, I do not believe in stressing over the possibilities of what may or may not happen anyway.  This country may be in a bad place, but I also know how things are going to end.  Instead of stressing, perhaps we as Christians should be living in joy over the knowledge that light WILL overcome the darkness.  Time is short, and perhaps we Christians have spent too much time going crazy over a pagan society being run by a pagan president and the choices they make.  Remember, we are not of this world.  Our primary concern is not restoring the kingdom of America- but building the kingdom of God. 

Changing a law lasts only a moment; changing a heart lasts for eternity.

Thow out the Baby With the Bathwater!

It has been too long since my last entry...  I think it is time to start this back up again... So, here we go:

I have been noticing a disturbing trend in society.  What is it, you ask? Is it that there seems to be an increase in violence? Well, that may be true, and that certainly does play in to what is on my mind, but no.  Nor is it any relation to drugs or politics, or comedies that just aren't comedy-ic.  I have observed, that it seems we are too much anymore a throw away society. 

What I mean is, we throw away important things way too quickly, for reasons that are just heartbreaking when you examine them.  Do you know what I am talking about?  Let me start with this example:  Marriage.  Because we are a fast-food society (I want it now, so I am going to get it now), people often rush into marriage long before they should.  They get that goose-bumpy feeling whenever their crush walks by and they think they are in love... ah, sweet love!  So they look past reality and plunge straight into a serious relationship.  And then marriage.  And then the slightest bump comes along, and all of a sudden that goose-bumpy feeling is gone.  The thought floods into our head that obviously, we are no longer in love.  The end result? A quick run down to divorce court.  "My husband just can't stand the fact that I buy creamy peanut butter instead of crunchy." "My wife gets so upset because I watch too many sports, and I am not giving that up." Or whatever the case may be.

The end result is, broken hearts, broken families.  Usually over something stupid. Or over a refusal to forgive.

But it doesn't only involve marriages.  It goes to friendships as well.  We find the people who we believe think like us . We spend time with them.  We invest in them. We pour our hearts into them.  Bonds and memories are built; while we tell ourselves that it will last a lifetime.  But what happens in our society when one friend offends another?  People who were once unseperable, who were the proverbial "two peas in a pod", walk away angry, hurt, and bitter. 

I think the saddest part of this is, that from my personal observations, in almost all cases it was something not worth fighting over.  Either there was a miscommunication- which most offenses are, by the way- or it is once again, the lack of forgiveness over things that are not that serious of an offense when we really examine it.

Once again, there is those words- a lack of forgiveness. I know that too often in my life, I have demonstrated this.  I think if we are honest, we all have.  And what are we left with?  Regret. Hurt feelings. Wishing things could have been different, but refusing to be the first to budge. Refusing to admit that maybe- just maybe- we were wrong, and we just contributed to this new trend of a throw-away society.

Jesus demonstrated perfectly what must be done when we are offended.  You see, we offended Him- and we still do! Yet He was willing to look past that and stand in our place in judgement.  When He was on the cross, he did not curse those who nailed Him there. He didn't even demonstrate anger. Instead, He said "Father, forgive them." 

I think it is time we buck the trend.  There are already too many broken hearts and broken relationships.  If someone or something is important to you, then hold on to it. Hold on to it with all your might.  If someone offends you, don't be so quick to walk away.  Work through it!  So much time has already been invested- why waste that? 

Too often, important things are thrown to the trash heap...  And we will only be left with regret.  We will find, at the end of the day, that if we conform to this throw away mentality- the person we end up hurting the most, is ourselves.

Of Hope and Fairness in Connecticut

I will be honest...  There are many times in life that I wish things were fair.  Many times that I sit down, examine personal events, or events in the world around me, and wish that life was fair.  There are even times I pray to God that He would make it fair.  It just doesn't seem right, the way things play out.  It doesn't seem... fair.  And yet, despite my pleas, life moves on along the same track, the idea of fair foreign to it's native language, a word not uttered by it's mocking tongue.  No matter how much I would like for it to be different, that track it rolls down is a hard and abusive one, with dips and cracks and breaks and falls and sometimes- derailments.  It doesn't seem fair because shouldn't that track be smooth?  In a perfect world, yes... but in this world...

I will be honest...  Today was a day that I cried out to God, wanting desperately for Him to make life fair.  Not for me, no- but for twenty little children.  Not for me, no- but for the parents of those 20 children.  Not for me, no- but for the grandparents, the brothers, the sisters, the aunts, the uncles, the cousins, the friends, for all of those who quite literally had their hearts torn from their chest and could do nothing but watch life stomp frantically on that heart, stomp it into the ground until it stopped beating, broken beyond any repair that mankind can offer... 

Oh, God- please make life fair for them.

People across this Country saw the news, the tragedy.  26 people dead.  20 of them children.  Kindergartners.  Children between the ages of 5-8.  The calls have gone out for people to pray.  Pray!  We were told.  Pray for the families!  Voices pleaded.  I am no stranger to prayer, but I must again be honest and say that prayer was a stranger to me today.  Not because I was unwilling- but because I didn't have words.  All I could do was weep for so many broken hearts.  All I could think about was those parents who had bought and wrapped Christmas presents, placed neatly under the tree, that will never be opened.  All I could think about was parents who, a week ago, were stressed about putting cookies out for Santa- are now at a loss because their children are no longer there to share cookies with.  All I could think about was parents who have gone from planning Christmas dinners- to planning funerals. 

Some of you reading this may think me crazy.  After all, I did not know one single victim in today's tragedy.  So how, pray tell, could I get so upset, so worked up, over the deaths of children I did not even know!  But I dare say, that if you do not get upset, if this does not bother you, if this does not weigh heavy on your heart- then you are the one who is crazy.  While it is true this happened several states away, in Connecticut- somewhere I have never even visited for a moment- it is equally true that it could have happened here.  It is equally true that it very easily could have been a child I knew, a family I knew that was broken.  It could have been- my child.

Evil exists here as much as anywhere else in the world.  Life is not more fair here in my neck of the woods.  They say justice is blind, and that may be true- but it is not as blind as tragedy.  And while we gather around our t.v.'s trying to catch glimpses of a madman's motive, there is a  deeper question that must be answered.  It is  question that, if we dare look in the mirror of our soul, we will see staring us in the face.  We must ask ourselves- what if it was  my child?  What if it was my loved one?  What if it was my mom or dad, my grandparent, my brother, my sister, my friend?  Would we bury our loved ones in grief?  Or would we bury them in shame?  Would we treasure our moments we had with them?  Or would we regret the moments we didn't have?  Even worse- would we regret the moments we did have?  Those moments of anger, those moments, of irritation, those moments of frustration, those moments that once tragedy strikes we wish we could have every single one back if just to hold  for one more minute...

With today officially coming to a close, I finally have some words to form into a prayer.  I pray that today you will remember, that there are some things in life more important than getting the newest i-phone or gaming system.  I pray you remember that anger is not worth holding on to.  I pray that you remember that always being right isn't always what is best.  I pray that you make amends, that you allow healing in broken relationships, that this year for Christmas you give forgiveness...  I pray that, as a parent, never let your last words to them be harsh or angry, make sure they know you love them, make sure you hold them close to your heart.  I pray you treasure every stupid joke, every out of tune song that is sung, every question they ask that you don't understand why they are asking you again for the hundredth time...

Because once a treasure is gone, there is no getting it back.

Finally, I pray that you look to this time of year.  I pray that we would all be reminded, when faced with tragedy, the whole point of the first Christmas- to show us that even in our darkest hour there is hope.  Jesus Christ the Son of God was not born into a world that didn't need healing- He was born into a world that is unfair, tragic, and beyond any repair offered by man.  The first Christmas- His birthday- was to remind us that there is light, there is hope, there is healing from God if we seek it- even on the darkest day in Connecticut...

"The Lord heals the broken hearted, and binds up their wounds..."  Psalm 147:3

Hamster Wheel Theology

"I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee."  Psalm 119:11...  Have you ever sat down and just absorbed that verse?  Put all of your own thoughts aside, sitting somewhere, maybe laying in bed at night, just absorbing what David meant... 

I have met so many Christians- including myself- that have said something along the lines of, oh if only I could overcome this sin, I promise Lord to do better next time, etc. etc. etc.  It seems that too often we get caught like a hamster in his stupid wheel, spinning and spinning it, running with all our might to escape it, yet never going anywhere.  The next step, we say, will free us from our bondage.  When it doesn't and we get worn out, we stop for a breather and say to ourselves "I will no longer be in this place, I will be free", only to pick the pace right back up in our little hamster wheel.

Running, running, running.  Spinning, spinning, spinning.  Going nowhere fast.  Our never ending quest to outrun what we cannot.

The truth is that we cannot escape our little hamster wheel on our own.  They say that if you do not learn from history you are doomed to repeat it...  And sadly, we will keep repeating it.  The same spokes of the wheel repeatedly passing under our feet.  Because too often we do not learn. 

This brings me back to Psalm 119:11.  David, ironically, gives us the key to escape our spinning world.  "I have hidden Your Word in my heart"... 

How do you hide the Word in your heart?  By reading it.  No, not just merely scanning over a few verses a day.  Rather, we must READ it.  Absorb it.  Meditate on it.  Study it.  David hid the Word in His heart because it was God's Word, and God's Word is life changing.  When we absorb His Word it penetrates the very darkest depths of our soul, and changes us from the inside out, in ways we could never comprehend or accomplish ourselves. 

I am not meaning picking and choosing either.  I have seen too many people take a verse here or a verse there and build theology from it.  But we must guard against that temptation.  What David was referring to was not a verse by verse theological argument- he didn't write "I have hidden chapter 10 vs. 2 in my heart" but rather, Thy Word. 

Are you stuck in a hamster wheel of repetitious stupidity and sin?  My friend, now is the time to step out of it, step away from the norm of the world, step away from the self help advice and replace it all with His Word, in your heart.  It's that simple.  When you fill up on the Word, when you absorb it, when you hide it in your heart- He will change you. 

Step out of the wheel.  You are not a hamster, after all...

America Again

I HAVE TO BE HONEST...

Gov. Rick Perry was my first choice for the republican nominee for president in 2012.  That guy, in my humble opinion, is a rock star governor not afraid to live his faith.  But... sadly he was defeated rather quickly and quite handily.  SO... My second choice was Michelle Bauchman.  I love that woman; she is not afraid to say what needs to be said when it should be said...  Sadly, she was also defeated rather quikly.  Well, you know what they say- the third time's a charm, so I went with Sen. Rick Santorum...  only to be disappointed at his lack of finishing big.  well, I guess he did come in second...

One thing is for certain, my very last choice was Mitt Romney.  A guy who came across as a moderate establishment candidate.  A guy who was carrying an awful big chain around his neck with bling attached to it that plainly read "Romneycare" in the gold glittery letters.  A guy who was the poster child for the evil "one percent" that the left was going nutso about.  Yeah... that guy.  I hate to say, but I was more excited to bob for dead fish in a barrel than to vote for Romney.

I was firm in my convictions, refusing to acknowledge him as a viable candidate.  When it became clear that he would be our nominee I entered a state of political depression, preparing my mind for another Obama victory.  Visions of the end of America floated through my head.  I was beginning to accept the premise of doom.

You see, I understand that the America I grew up with, the America that I had known and loved since I was a small child, is in critical condition.  She is laying in the ICU room for nations, on life support.  The prognosis is dim.  Hope is not lost- but those with any logic know it might as well be.  Her light is fading from her eyes, and her torch is but an ember.  She has been beaten down by an administration that promised hope and change, and instead gave us no hope and a beating with chains.  That once great Lady Liberty, crippled at the hands of her leader.  Her people made to believe that American exceptionalism was a demonic plague.  Her people assured that to believe in America as the last great hope, that city on a hill for all other nations to look to, was nothing more than a corrupt dream worthy of being abandoned on the trash heap of unfairness.  No, we were told, it is time to look beyond what was and accept a new reality- that America needs to be brought to her knees, brought to a place where all the other nations can see eye to eye with her.  Eye to eye, that is, as she looks up- at them.

That America, that once was great, that was the beacon of hope to all the world, had had it's beacon of hope extinguished by a leader who promised hope.  Oh, how I look back to my youth, back to the America I grew up in, longing for her to pull through, to stand back up lifting high the notion that ALL men are created equal, that ALL men have the right to life and liberty, that ALL men can be free to pursue their dreams and reach as far as they are able, that ALL men through hard work, blood, sweat and tears can one day reach their dreams- and more importantly, that they can impact their neighborhood, their city, their state, their country, their world- that we are more than just a number, a nameless peasant...

I WANT that America back.

I WANT a better future for my children and grandchildren.

But I don't see that.  I don't see anything but Lady Liberty taking her last dying breath under this administration.

That is where I was.  That is what I saw.  I had no faith in the possibility of a victory for conservatism. 

But then...  I watched something unfold.  It was called hope.  Not a glittery hope, not honey-like words spoken from the lips of a seducer in chief.  No, there was something else here.  It was hope spoken from a man once held in sway by the liberal left.  It was hope spoken from a woman reflecting on being that little girl refused hamburgers at the local gathering because of her skin color, later elevated to Secretary of State.  It was hope spoken from a man whose family immigrated from communist Cuba, whose father and mother poured sweat- not for their dreams, but for the dreams of their son.  It was hope spoken from a man who assured us that it is ok- no, not just ok but the right thing to do to believe in America again!

The reminder that WE are the employers, and that this president has been no more effective than an empty chair flooded through my mind- and I pray yours.  The reminder that THIS president, who PROMISED to slow the rise of the waters and to heal the lands SADLY FORGOT the millions of Americans without work, without food, losing homes, losing dreams, losing the very hope that they were promised.  Most importantly, we were reminded that IT IS NEVER too late to HOPE for TRUE HOPE.  It is never too late for Lady Liberty to rise up again.  It is NEVER TOO LATE for OUR America to stand up and once again be that beacon of hope, that symbol of liberty that shines forth from sea to shining sea!

YES!  America can be restored!  There IS hope!  Where there is truth, there is hope! Where there is faith, there can be victory!  Where there are people who are willing to stand and fight for her, there is liberty! 

My friends, NOW is our time.  They had their time, those who would see America weak and defeated.  But NOW is OUR time to rise!  NOW is our time to say, that we are TIRED of more people out of work, we are TIRED of more people hurting, we are TIRED of more debt, we are TIRED of the right to life being trampled, we are TIRED of the right to liberty being stolen, and we are TIRED of a government that has gone TOO FAR!

Four years ago, God gace us the exact leader we asked for.  But now it is time that we recognize our wrongs.  Now is the time we get down on our knees, and go to Almighty God, admitting that we were wrong.  Now is the time that we seek His help once again, then rise to our feet, and claim the idea of America, the idea of freedom, the idea of liberty that burns in our minds, our hearts, our souls again!!!  LET US go forth from this day forward and fire those responsible for trashing our Constitution, fire those who have attempted to enslave us to their socialist views, and TAKE AMERICA BACK FROM THEIR HANDS AND BACK IN THE HANDS OF THEIR EMPLOYERS- WE! THE! PEOPLE!!!!

What do you say?  Are you willing to stand?  Are you willing to be a voice of reason in this time of insanity?  Because my friends, the time is now, you are the voice that will restore hope, and your voice was never more needed than NOW!!!

My Destiny, Part Three: Rebirth

...until out of the corner of my eye I see- a light.  Just a tiny hole poking through the darkness at first.  But within mere moments I not only see, but am enveloped completely by it, overwhelmed by it.  There is not even the smallest trace of darkness anymore.  It has vanished so quickly that for a moment I wonder if it was even here.  And then it is but a fading memory...

A breeze passes over me, and suddenly I feel lifted with new strength.  It is not my own, no mistaking that.  My body still feels as though it is made of sand, inconsistant with no ability to hold structure on it's own.  Yet this strength holds me together, lifting me to my feet.  New found freedom washes over me.  Love infuses me.  Life takes hold of me.  Life... 

It is then that I notice something laying at my feet.  I look down and find a shell where only minutes ago I lay broken.  It looks like me...  Or, what was me.  The twisted form of myself that had become gnarled from disease.  Is it any wonder I could even move, I ask myself?  Or were my previous movements just an illusion from the mind of a paralyzed man?  What exactly is happening to me?

It is then that I see a lamb, as though it had been slain, yet living in all might and power.  It is the very God I had cried out to, the very God whom seemed so very far away, standing not above me, but beside me, holding me up.  It is then I realize that this new strength is His.  He has taken the darkness from me.  I do not have to ask, for the answer is already there- it was He who paid the price for my life.  He had ransomed me with His very blood.  Then in His power, He took my old self, that broken blackened creature of the night that I was, and changed it. 

I am a new creation.

This is my destiny.

I have done many wrongs, hurt God and others, in a life that was a suicide mission.  But no more.  Now God has set me on a new path; a path of peace though we are in a war, a path of love though we are surrounded by hate, a path of hope despite being surrounded by hopelessness.  This is the great adventure.   I do not know what lies ahead of my feet.  I am so blinded by the Light that it is all I can see- but it is that the Light, the Light of Christ, that I shall follow- no matter where it leads. 

I am redeemed. 

I am restored.

I am reborn.

The Lord Jesus Christ has came to my aid.  The Son of God has taken my place in judgement where I should have stood.  He saw my frailty, my weakness, my disease.  When all others cringed from me, when all others ran from me, when there was no hope in any other name under Heaven- he ran to me, and purchased the rights to my soul with His very blood.  He resurrected my dead soul just as He was resurrected from the grave.  He is the Light that I will follow until the end of eternity- and beyond.

This has been my story, from beginning to end.  Sometimes I forget myself, and I look back for that shell of a creature I once was.  But I never can see it.  Oh yes, sometimes my eyes do start to adjust to the darkness again.  But they never fully adjust, and I stumble and fall to my knees where the Lamb lifts me up and surrounds me with His love and His light again. 

Yes, this has been my story.  But my question to you is, is it not your story too?  For my brothers and sisters in Christ, do you remember the time when He came to your rescue?  Or have you forgotten the joy His love brings?  Stop looking back at your past.  Turn yourself back around, focus only on Him.  Your past is dead and gone, a distant memory cast into the sea of forgetfulness, cast as far from you as the east is from the west.  It is forgotten by God...  Why don't you forget it too?

As for those of you who may read this, who are still in that miry pit...  There is only one way out my friend.  There is only one way to freedom.  You can remain in that pit, broken, twisted, dying...  But there is another destiny that awaits.  A destiny not of regret, not of hopelessness, not of hate.  It is a destiny of peace, love, hope, redemption... 

Your adventure awaits...

Well?  What are you waiting for?

The Ukranian Love Song

Talk about a blast from the past...  I was looking at my blog stats tonight, and I couldn't help but notice that someone from Ukraine has been reading my writings...  Ah, Ukraine...  that country brings back the memories.  You see, I went on a short term 2 week mission trip in the grand year of 2000 to a little town called Boradyanka, which is about 50 kilometers outside of the Ukranian capital of Kiev.  Kiev is really one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to in my life; it's like the Seattle green on steroids.  Of course, it wasn't just the scenery that was so fascinating...  the people were extraordinarily nice; the history was exciting to learn about; and the food was excellent!!  They serve this dish over there, it is chicken fried in this batter...  not like anything I have had here.  I wish I could have that recipee.  It was simply the best chicken I have ever eaten!

I have so many thoughts about Ukraine.  I can honestly say that I often wish that I could visit there again.  I wish I could see the people I met again.  There was the old pastor of the church I worked out of...  Such a nice man, but it was comical in a sense to me how he never missed an after lunch nap.  There was the host family- we stayed in their son's house.  He was on the Ukranian soccer team, so he wasn't home much.  But they took good care of us.  They had this crazy dog that hated us though!  No kidding, it was like cujo on meth!  It wasn't very big, only about knee high- similar in looks to a heeler.  But you could not have paid me to go within 10 feet of that thing.  It became almost demonic when it would see us...  and you could hear the anger in it's voice, almost as if it were saying "come here so I can bite your face off!" in every bark.  When I say we, of course I am meaning me and my translator Bobby.  He was a great kid, and I loved getting to know him.

I think the thing that has always stuck out most in my mind from Boradyanka, though, was the question.  Everyone wanted to know why an American like me would come to po-dunk little tiny Boradyanka.  Why would I travel half way around the world to a place with maybe a couple thousand people in population.  Everywhere we went, that was the most asked question.  The answer, of course, was always the same- I came as a missionary, to tell them about Jesus Christ and what He had done in my life.  The good news of the Gospel!  They were people I had never met before, may never see again- but God had placed a love in me for them, a desire to take His Word to them, to tell them they could have freedom, love, victory, salvation- a life changing experience...

I remember one woman in particular.  I don't remember her name, but she was an older woman in her 60's.  The pastor took us to her house, and we sat and talked for a while about life- and about God.  It was truly a heartbreaking conversation as the discussion went on...  It came to a point where she finally broke down.  Through tears she confessed that she wanted to be a Christian but just couldn't be.  I asked her why, and her answer was- I don't know.  I just know I can't.  It took almost an hour of pouring over Scripture, reasoning with her, assuring her, teaching her about the love of Christ...  Finally before we left she made the step.  She put aside her fears and set down her confusion.  Her tears were turned from sadness to joy as she opened her heart to Christ.

There are many stories I could tell from this short time I was away from American soil...  And over time I will tell more.  But I have something on my mind tonight that needs to be said.

We need a missionary mind here in America.  Why is it that we have to travel across the oceans to hear stories like hers?  It shouldn't be that way at all...  I was reading with my son in the book of Acts recently when I came across this verse:  "And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart." Acts 2:46  I think that this verse holds a key to something that so desperately needs to happen here in America.  What is it you ask?  "singleness of heart".  One heart.  Take a look at the churches in China, and ask yourself where is the division of calvanist and armenian.  Take a look at the believers in Indonesia and ask yourself where are the Nazarene verses the Baptists.  Take a look at the new testament church and ask yourself where were the people who refused to work with each other because they didn't always agree on every little detail.  Then compare these churches to the American body of believers, and ask yourself when was the last time we had one heart.

We have walled ourselves in to our buildings, walled ourselves up from each other, forcing the chambers of our heart to beat at differing rythyms, never in synch, risking the health of the Body.  All the while, outside our walls lay the broken, the lost, those in desperate need to hear the Gospel.  Who will go to them?  And when we go what will they see?  Will they know we are Christians by the love we have for each other?  When we tell them our testimony of how Christ has changed our life, will our words hold any integrity at all?

When I think back to Ukraine, I think of people like that lady, so convinced she could not know the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  I think of the boys on the street who had never heard the Gospel before.  And I think of all those in America in the same place as them.  They are people who will not set foot in a church.  They are the people whom we must leave our walls behind to find.  And they are the people who need to be reached by a Body of believers, the FAMILY of God, beating with one heart...

Yes, I said family.  There are so many broken families these days... don't we have anything better to offer them?  People, the time is NOW- we must put down our differences.  We must put aside the trivial.  No, I did not say put aside truth- for truly some would try and carry this same message but emphasize dropping truth and compromising the Word of God.  I am not talking about that.  I am talking about true believers, unwilling to replace the word of God, bold in their convictions, going from house to house- or wherever the Spirit leads- in singleness of heart.

Do you want to see revival in America?  Do you want to see a spiritual awakening to God's truth in the United States?  Do you want to see a Holy Spirit movement that makes this the land not just of the free, but the free from sin, death, shame, the free in Christ?  Then my brothers and sisters, it is time that we realize we will be in Heaven for a very long time together, so we better get used to each other now.  We are family.  We have a nation of lost souls that need us to act on love for each other.  Let's get together, one heart, no walls!!!

Love Your Brother, Hate Your Brother

So yesterday evening I was walking with my wife in downtown Nampa, having a nice stroll when we came across the Blue Eye tavern...  now there are two realities here; first, the blue eye is a creepy place.  Not a place we visit, just one we hope would close down.  Second, we have a tendancy to attract strange people...  It is almost like they flock to us...  Case in point- a strange lady came up to us, this older asian woman with long black hair- and a white stripe dyed down the center of said hair, giving the illusion that she was wearing the scalp of a skunk on her head. 

So she comes up to us and whispers, "come here" and motions us about 2 feet away from the door of the blue eye.  Then looking around, in a hushed voice, says- "I just want to ask you if the blue eye is open..."  She then continues talking all about how great the club is...  Keep in mind she has to be in her late 50's, so that adds to the bizarness of the situation...

While she was a little strange, the thing is, when we are out we encounter a lot of strange people.  But sometimes they are strange people- in the Body.  People who are fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, who just seem a little on the odd side.  Yes, I know that I am odd, but I am talking a different kind of odd. 

Then there is the other type of odd... the type that drives you crazy...  the type that even make you mad...  Have you ever experienced that?  I know I have.  Now understand, it takes a lot to make me mad.  But sometimes you meet those people that are like a thorn in your side.  There is just something about them that grates on your nerves...  Like fingernails across a chalkboard... (shudders)

I think that we need to come to an understanding.  Sometimes people make us mad; and that is ok.  It is ok to not always get along.  It is ok to have differences of opinion.  It is ok even to get in arguements sometimes.  But what is NOT ok is letting those differences breed hate.  The apostle John  writes in 1 John 2 that if we hate our brother, we do not walk in the light of Christ but rather are blinded by darkness.  This is a very serious warning he issues us...  And we must be careful to guard our heart against hate.

"But I don't hate, I wouldn't hate anyone!" you say.  Maybe so- but then, often times hate sneaks in unexpected.  Like an unseen enemy it grips our heart, and often we do not see it until it has consumed us.  How do we stop such an enemy before it takes hold?  How do we combat such a powerful foe?

The first and most important step is communication.  When our brothers and sisters anger us, we must communicate it with God.  We must take it to Him in prayer, with a humble heart.  Then we must do the hard thing- we must be willing to take it to our brother or sister.  We must not hold on to it!  If we do not let it go then we will only end up giving in- to hate.

The question becomes then, why do we insist on holding on to our anger when our focus should be on the real enemy?  We must take every effort to put our differences aside, taking down walls of difference- even walls of anger- and allow wounds to heal.  We must join together as the Body, working as the Body in order to reach the world around us. 

Do you have anger or hate in your heart for a brother or sister?  It is time to put it down.  It is time we fight to win- and fight we must, by waging war against angry division.  End the hate. Pray to god. Love your brother.

Rising From The Ashes of A Dark Night

As a woman lies in the hospital in critical condition, begging for her 6 year old little girl that was killed, I must be honest- I had been looking forward to this weekend for well over a year.  Even as the man learns his son is one of the dead, bringing forth that age old saying that a parent should never have to bury their own child, I must confess that I was filled with excitement leading up to this past weekend.  And as a father lay dead on a theater floor, his 2 sons alive but heartbroken, I had been thrilled at the idea of taking my own son to The Dark Knight Rises- what I believed would be the best movie of this year..

I don't know about the best movie...  I haven't the heart to go see it yet.  But I guess you could say it is the most tragic movie of the year.  What human with a heart is not moved to tears at the horror that unfolded early Friday morning at the movies in Aurora Colorado?   One man- one evil man- shooting and injuring up to 71 people, killing 12 of them.  12 people dead, from 6 to almost 60.  A man dressed, ironically, like the main villain of this last Batman movie. 

Those who left the theater among the living must be thinking, why am I still alive...  While those that were killed have families asking, why were they killed.  And those of us who were outsiders to this story are left asking- why did it happen in the first place?

As I ponder this thought, I am reminded of a scene from the previous Batman movie: The Dark Knight.  If you will, recall with me, when Bruce Wayne and his loyal butler Alfred were discussing the possible motives of the madman known as the joker.  Wayne was having difficulty wrapping his mind around the joker's actions, which appeared to be for anything but money, power or fame...  In wisdom, Alfred commented that sometimes the wicked do what they do for no other reason other than, they are just evil.  I think it would be fair to say, that the writers unknowingly gave us insight into this man's actions Friday morning...  Perhaps his motivation, his driving force was nothing more than- he is evil.  The truth is the easiest explanation- we are all born sinners; but some embrace the darkness much more than others...

I will not take the step, as some have, to use this time of great sadness to push a political point or theory.  There are discussions to be had, to ask what could have been done differently, to ask what can we as citizens do to try and avert such crime from happening again.  We must investigate further, pursuing truth in this case, willing to explore the possibility he was not working alone, and we must turn over the rock and see if there is more danger lurking.  Those discussions are fair and should be held.  But what must not be done, on either side of the political aisle, is to use this as a weapon or tool to push an agenda.  This man has already unleashed enough firepower on us; let us not take up his torment and fire it upon ourselves or our neighbor.  No; the time of playing off the pain of victims is something we must elevate ourselves above- lest we become as much a monster as the man responsible.  It is sick and wrong to take advantage of such loss of life...

What must be done instead, is to look at the frailty of life.  To accept the truth that we are not immortal.  To understand that we have such a short time on this planet.  Whether it be 1 or 100 years we are given, the reality is we just don't know when we take that last breath.  The words of one victim should ring ever true in our hearts and minds- "I was shown how fragile life was... I saw the terror on bystanders' faces. I saw the victims of a senseless crime. I saw lives change. I was reminded that we don't know when or where our time on Earth will end. When or where we will breathe our last breath," said  Jessica Ghawi, after surviving a mass shooting at a Toronto shopping mall- before she was killed, this time in the Colorado shootings. 

We must take advantage of the time given us.  We must make the most of our lives.  We must not waste it.  There is one message, one recurring theme portrayed in the character of Batman; that tragedy can turn into triumph.  We can overcome the evil that drives men like Mr. Holmes. We can learn that if we can endure the pain and accept God's healing hand upon our heart, we can become better, stronger, wiser.  If we will hold on to it, we can rest assured that when it seems we are in the darkest night of our lives, hope is not lost; for we can turn to the One who is Hope incarnate.

My dear friends, as the weekend now turns into the week, as we move forward in our lives, I ask this one simple request.  Do not go unchanged, unmoved by the tragedy of this past weekend.  I know that most who read this will not have been personnally affected by this- but I pray you will be mentally and spiritually affected.  I pray that you will move forward, never taking life or your loved ones for granted.  Hold your loved ones closer than you ever have before.  Make each moment of your life count.  Do not waste it but use it for the purpose that God has given to you.  Most importantly, remember- when the darkness closes in and is suffocating to your soul- remember that hope is not lost, if you would just reach out for it.  Seek hope always, my friends.  It can only be truly found at the foot of the cross, at the empty tomb, in the mercy of Christ the Messiah- but if we hold to that hope, then we WILL overcome the night- and we shall rise from the ashes, rise from the tragedies, rise from whatever comes our way to destroy us.  We will rise!

To Hope Or not To Hope; That Is The Question

I am sure that you know by now that I was as surprised as you that Obamacare was not overturned last week.  I think that we all were expecting to see the Supreme Court rule differently than it did.  How could 9 people, sworn to uphold the Constitution, charged with ensuring that Congress never strayed from her, the people’s supposed last defense against overreaching government, look socialism in all it’s wickedness dead in the face and turn aside to allow it to devour the American people?  Without a doubt it will impact America more than any other decision that we have seen perhaps since Roe V. Wade.  And to think that the one justice that we all believed would be on our side, that would surely rule with wisdom and cast this monstrosity aside, the one sure man we could count on-  cast his lot with the liberal justices, leaving his name and reputation to be compared to the likes of Judas Iscariot in the mind of many conservatives.

Upon initially hearing of this I was at first distraught, angry, and heartbroken all at the same time.  My emotions were raging, a swirl of thoughts going through my brain like a hurricane.  How could this be, I thought?  Anyone with a mild understanding of the Constitution could see that this law stood for everything the founders of our Country did not!  When the patriots began the Revolutionary War, it was to overthrow the yoke of tyranny placed around their necks by Britain.  The government that had become a slavemaster, mandating what could and could not be bought, taxing without relief, ruling with an iron fist- THAT government had to go.  So they fought, they spent their gold until there was none left to spend, they sacrificed, they shed their blood, and many even died for the belief that government is of the people, by the people, and for the people.  They gave their all to overcome.  And now we find ourselves 236 years later, our Supreme Court upholding law that represents the very nature of the beast that they had slain…  Despite the will of the people.

After all our prayers…  After all our rallies…  After all our letters and phone calls, all our pleading, all our raised voices in anger, all for naught.

 Upon first glance, it is easy to feel defeated.  It is easy to hang our heads and go home.  It is easy to surrender.  It is easy to lose all hope.  The demon of socialism, it seems, has finally wrestled liberty from our grip; we have lost too much ground; there is no coming back from this abyss that our foot has slipped into.  The Government has the power now, and there is no returning back from this grave.

Yes, it is easy to give in to those feelings.  It is easy to talk about no hope; to talk about no chance. But the reality is that we have NOT yet sacrificed for this cause of righteousness.  Rather, we have been seeking after our own gain.  We have been seeking our own treasure.  We have given lip service to the ideals we profess, but we have not yet issued one drop of blood- or even sweat- for that which we claim to hold so dear.  And while we have been busy seeking after the American dream, the enemy has enclosed around us a socialized nightmare!  Because of this, we are left in shatters, with so many of us talking about giving in to the nightmare- for there is no light left…

 But brothers and sisters, I implore you to listen!  Listen to what the enemy will NOT tell you; that despite them, despite what they have done, despite what they will no doubt continue to attempt, there is ONE GLARING FACT that CANNOT be ignored:  LIBERTY WILL NOT DIE UNTIL THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HER GIVE UP!!!

We can be downcast, but I ask what will that gain us?  We can be downtrodden, but what will that gain us?  We can buy the lie that all hope is lost, BUT WHAT WILL THAT GAIN US?  I say, NO!  NOW is NOT the time to hang our heads in defeat!  Now is NOT the time to accept loss!!  Now is NOT the time to surrender hope, but rather to cling to it!  We must clench our fist tightly, grit our teeth, and renew our resolve!  If we fold now, then we are no better than the tyrannists that wish to rule over us!  They may have won this battle, but we must remember that they will NOT win this war!

But there is only one way.  There is only one path to victory.  There is only one hope.  We MUST put our personal desires aside.  We must put our pride down.  We must put our differences aside and unite together in this fight.  And we must repent.  Repent for being more concerned with personal achievement than defending liberty.  Repent for allowing ourselves to be comfortable with the socialist demons that have crept in amongst us.  Repent for turning our backs on the ideals that founded this Country.  Repent for the murders of the innocent, the greed, the debauchery, the self-worship that have offended the very God who inspired our forefathers to form this great nation known as the United States!

We have a decision to make, my friends.  Now is the time that we must decide whether or not we will lay down and give up in defeat, or if we will stand on our convictions, stand for what is right, stand our ground and never give up hope.  What will you choose?  As for me and my house, we will choose the Lord… And we will choose hope!

Moses Ablaze: Giving Excuses to the Burning Bush

Often times, deep down inside we realize that God is not necessarily safe.   Following Him is not lollipops and daisies.  While it may be true that He is our shelter, protection, refuge…  He does not call us to follow Him down a safe looking path.  We may not always say it; but it is there in the back of our minds.  He is the God who calls us down the rocky narrow path.  He is the God who calls us all to follow Him.  He is the God who says that He did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  No; God isn’t safe- He is a consuming fire!

In the words of C.S. Lewis- He’s not safe; but He is good.

It is the Good part that we are so attracted to.  We like the idea of a god who leaves us be to live our lives, and then when we are in trouble- just like a genie in a bottle- he pops out to grant our undying wishes. He coddles and consoles us, tells us all we want to hear, never asks anything from us and never has us do anything uncomfortable.

But as I said, that is not who the REAL God is.  And we, in our heart, know that.

So sometimes when we come face to face with God- when we hear His call- our response to protect our insanity of comfort and contentment, is to respond with the “I can’t” excuse.

Moses is a perfect example of this.

God appears to Moses in a burning bush.  He calls Moses to a very big task- to free the Israelites from slavery; to free them from the cruel hand of the task master.

Note:  God does not ASK Moses to go.  He TELLS Moses he will go.  We must understand something: As with Moses, God doesn’t ask.  He commands.  Then either we choose to obey or we choose to disobey.  Period.

But Moses is comfortable where he is at.  He is content.  Why should he put aside his life to go run off on some crazy adventure? Who talks to a bush anyway?  So Moses does what most of us are so good at doing:  He turns to the “I can’t” excuse.  But not just once- four times he tells God “I can’t”.  Let us examine them. 

Excuse #1: “I can’t because You have the wrong guy”

In Exodus 3:11 Moses says “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh?”  He is essentially telling God that He doesn’t know what He is doing by sending Moses, because obviously God has the wrong guy- who am I to go?  Often we see things that need to be done.  We see all around us a world hurting, a world in pain.  But when we feel compelled to do something about it, how often do we say to ourselves- I’d love to do it, but who am I that I should go?  I really am not the right person for the job.  I hope God calls someone to step forward soon to make a difference- but I know that it isn’t me!!!

But how does God respond to Moses?  In verse 12, he says “Certainly I will be with thee!”   As long as we go with God, in obedience to God, then we ARE the right person for the job!  We don’t need to worry about what WE think about ourselves!  God is with us, all we need to do is be obedient!

Excuse #2: “ I can’t because I am not knowledgeable enough”

Moses responds in exodus 3:13, “when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?”

Moses told God basicly, whoa wait a second I don’t even know Your name.  What am I suppose to tell them when they ask me who You are?  What am I supposed to say?  DID YOU THINK OF THAT GOD?   Did You think about the idea that they might ask me something that I just can’t answer? 

Often we say “I would love to do something- to tell people about Jesus, but I can’t because hey- I don’t know enough.  I mean what if they ask me about the trinity? Or predestination?  Or what if they ask for a detail by detail explanation of eschatology?  I just don’t have the answers!!!”

God’s answer to Moses, and to us:  “I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”  You can because He will always give us what we need to finish the task He has set before us!  He will not ask us to do something and then not give us all we need to complete it.  Do we really think that God will set us up for failure?  Of course not!

Excuse 3:  “I can’t because They will not believe me”

In exodus 4:1 Moses says “But, behold, they will not believe me…”  Well, after all, it is not like he was in a famous movie…  he wasn’t the top news anchorman of the day… He wasn’t rated Egypt’s sexiest man of the year.  So how was he supposed to expect them to believe what he was saying? 

How often do we keep our mouth shut saying this?  I can’t because no one will believe me so there is no sense in wasting my time.  I would love to, but they don’t know me, they don’t know that I am a pretty honest guy.  I have no established reputation with them.  No instead we need to pray that Angelina Jolie gets saved, or Derek Jeter: because everyone knows them and will listen to them.

God’s answer is to show him through miraculous signs that it is not up to him- or us- to convince other people of what we are saying.  Our task is to take the Gospel to all nations, to stand for what is right, to stand for Jesus- God is the one who will take care of the convincing.  Then it is their choice whether they  believe or not. 

Excuse 4- “I can’t because God did you forget that I have a speech impediment?” 

In Exodus 4:10 Moses again comes up with an excuse:  “O my LORD, I am not eloquent… but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.”  After God shows Moses His power, Moses has the audacity to say that he is not capable because of the way God created him.  Sorry God but You must have forgot this tiny problem, that You gave me this disability and there is nothing I can do about it!

Sometimes God will give us a task and our response to him is the same- I can’t because… You gave me this disability, or that disability…  But do we forget that it is God who created us?  Do we really believe that God is stupid or forgetful? 

God’s answer to Moses and us:  It is I who created you, I am fully aware of everything about you and yes- I STILL want you to do it!

We need to understand something: God is not concerned with how we look, or what handicaps we may or may not have, or how much knowledge we have, or anything but our obedience out of a joyful heart.  We may see our efforts as foolish attempts- but God sees them differently.  I love the way Paul put it in 1 Cor. 1:27-29: “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence.”  He LOVES to use what we deem as “weak” or “incapable”!

When God calls us to a task we must put to death the excuse machine- put to death the “I can’t” man that dwells inside of us.  Train ourselves for the race, and run it hard- run to win.  Moses finally got it; he finally submitted to God, and when he did- God used him in a way that changed the world. 

I ask you this in closing- are you content with half-living a dead life, with false contentment, false comfort?  Are you ready to step away from self reliance, from disobedience, from bad attitudes, from the “I can’t” syndrome?  There is a world of hurting people in desperate need of a hero- a saviour. 

The funny thing is, that while God is the Saviour, He already has some people in mind to take the message of hope to the lost people…  And it’s you and I!  And we can talk all day about what you want to do in life, about if you want to be a rock star or a scientist, or a politician or an astronaught or a sports star or somebody famous but understand that NONE OF THAT is as important and relevant in your life as this: Are you going to do the task that GOD has given you?  Are YOU going to take the Gospel to all the world, whether it be as a missionary in the jungles of Africa or as a salesman on a car lot pointing those you work with to Christ?

You have a choice to make- you can continue to live like the cowardly version of Moses; you can keep running from God, or you can put down the things keeping you from a closer walk with Him.  You can try to keep following that “safe” god who doesn’t really exist- continuing to thank him for the good things and being satisfied in asking and asking and asking for blessings- or you can really get to know who God is.  You can stay in the confines of your safe zone with God, only to find out in the end that your idea of Him was totally messed up- or you can allow Him to take you on the adventure of a lifetime.  You can try and find satisfaction in living to exist- or you can rock the world around you, making real change in broken lives by choosing to exist to live!

The time has been given to you…  Now what will you do with it?

Condoms, Catholics, and the Right To Free Birth Control

And so it begins...  What I believe to be an event that could be a turning point in American history.  An event that, if not stopped, could be the very sign of what is to come...  A sign of treachery, of difficulty, of seperating the wheat from the tares.  Though at first glance, it wouldn't appear that way...  But let's gaze into the looking glass and see what exactly I am referring to...

Why, could it be?  Ah, yes... I am referring to that cheshire grin from dear president Barry Hussein...  And his administration's recent health care mandate.  You know, that one existing in the small words of Kathleen Sebelius, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.  It was from her mouth that the machine uttered the order that from now on, EVERY employer must provide insurance for their employees that covers birth control, and abortificients.  Of course in keeping everyone's feelings and beliefs in mind the machine issued... Oh, where is it... The number of waivers they issued was...  Oh... I guess none...  But that's ok, because the religous exception is right here in the third... Oh, wait...  No, there is no religous exceptions after all!  huh... Interesting...

Interesting because of the fact that the very first to take notice of this were all the Catholic churches and their many non-profit organizations they run.  And why?  Because birth control and abortificients in any and all forms, in their belief and doctrinal teachings, is sin.  So this means... that they will either violate their conscience, or conform to Barry Hussein and his regime. 

Now before I get any further, I understand that different people have different views on birth control- and I am not debating either side of that debate today.  But rather, it is important to understand that this is NOT about whether birth control is right or wrong.  In all honesty, though it is veiled as being a measure to "support women's rights", I would dare say that it has nothing to do with women either.  Actually, I hate to say it, but the women's rights groups are very much being used like a prostitute by a pimp...  But I digress.

Before I give you my analysis I must also mention that, yes, after much public outrage, Obama did come out with a "compromise" of sorts...  He stated that, by his order, "Religious organizations won't have to pay for these services, and no religious institution will have to provide these services directly."  Key word: DIRECTLY.  Take note of that.  Keep in mind, also, that in his order, he mandated that ALL insurance companies will be REQUIRED to offer and provide birth control and abortificients to ALL women at NO charge.  Yes, you read that correctly. He told PRIVATE business that they MUST provide a service at NO charge, even though it WILL cost said insurance company to fulfil their new "obligation".

But that's ok, cause they are, after all, a part of the 1%...

Right?

Here's the deal...  First off, NO WHERE in the Constitution is the government granted the power to tell ANY business that they MUST provide ANY service for free.  It is called private business for a reason.  Last I checked, the only government officials who actually believe that they have this kind of power are people like, Hugo Chavez...  the Chinese...  Joseph Stalin... And other charming, yet witty, COMMUNISTS.  What Obama has done, without any congressional approval mind you (which is also a Constitutional violation), is a blatant attack on business- and a classic example of redistribution of wealth.

But it is deeper than that.  Notice that he said that little word, "directly"?  Understand that when a company has cost going out, they will find a way to bring in funds to cover the cost.  That is because it is their job.  Their job is to profit.  If they are losing profit, they are failing at their job.  So the question becomes- how do they recapture those lost dollars?  You guessed it- by raising the premiums on all those religous folk who were just told they would not be "directly" paying for birth control...  Because they will, in truth, be paying for it INdirectly.  which last time I checked, was STILL a violation of their beliefs.

Of course, then there is the whole matter of religous insurance companies...  I am not sure how the Catholics provide insurance for their priests, so I can only draw from the example of the Southern Baptist organization.  They hire a religous insurance group that is set up for the sole purpose of providing insurance specifically for Southern Baptist preachers and all of the faith based employees and missionaries that fall under their umbrella.  This means that this mandate requires all baptists everywhere to violate their conscience on abortificients by forcing a religous organization to provide them for free.  As I said I am unsure how Catholics handle the insurance question, but one must assume the possibility that their system is set up in similar fashion.

Understand, this is a calculated attack on religous freedom.  How hard would it be to allow religous orgainzations to provide insurance information to all potential employees outlining what they do and don't provide before they are hired?  This way if they don't like something, they can choose to work elsewhere!  There is also that grand option of the person who really feels they need contraception to make a trip to their local Planned Parenthood and get birth control handed to them for free...  Or, and I say this cautiosly, the idea that maybe the person "could PAY" for their own condoms!!!  Oh, but why would we in this entitlement society require that?

Get this: If this is allowed to stand, we will look back and see this as just the starting point for religous persecution by the federal government.  Remember it never starts out big- it's just the small stuff that we feel we can compromise on that they focus on first.  No matter our theology, church or creed, we must stand in one voice against this- even if you personally have no problems with contraceptions.  Because it is not about if condoms are right or wrong- it's about whether or not the government can require you to go against your religous belief- it's about whether or not the first ammendment matters...  If we fail to stand with those who think condoms are sinful now, well- eventually we will be wishing there were people left to stand with us on the religous beliefs that we hold dear...