Wednesday, August 29, 2007

A fool and his (or in this case her) money are soon parted...


Helmsley's dog gets $12 million in will - Yahoo! News

Isn't this sad? Leona Helmsley was a billionaire because she married one who died. She spent time in prison for avoiding taxes she could easily afford, saying at one point, "Only little people pay taxes." She lived lavishly but without many friends. When her son died, she cut off contact with his widow. She cut two grandchildren out of her will, left billions in the control of a charitable trust that will fund whatever its directors decide, and gave her dog $12 million. Two grandkids who are supposed to get $5 million each only receive money if they visit their dead father's grave once a year. Oh, and she left $3 million to be used to steam clean her grave annually. This woman's values were seriously flawed. Of course, they are clarified now, but it's too late on every front.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Is there a "Just War" for Christians?

Recently I was asked in an email about a Christian serving as a chaplain in the military, and whether a chaplain could be in the military and be against war--not just the current war. The questions in the email went on to ask about the theory of a "just war." Here is what I said...

Dear......
Thanks for writing. First let me provide a link to a letter written to the President and signed by a number of evangelical leaders outlining the just war theory and how they apply to the current situation:

http://www.answers.com/topic/land-letter-1

Second, let me say that to be a military chaplain and do so with integrity cannot, in my view, be accomplished by a pacifist—that is, by one who rejects armed conflict as a legitimate means of national protection. In order to honestly, spiritually counsel servicemen and women when you believe that the undertaking to which they have committed themselves is immoral, you would have to tell them to resign, refuse to obey combat orders, or desert—none of which you could do and be faithful to your own loyalty to the service.

Third, I believe that a fair reading of the NT will point out a number of key points to help sort this out…
1. Jesus’s command to “turn the other cheek” had to do with personal dealings, not national conflicts. The ethics of the Sermon on the Mount are personal. If governments tried to follow them, they would fail to perform the functions for which God ordained government—namely the protection of societal peace and the punishment of evidoers—see Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17; see also Prov. 24:21, 31:4-5 (there are many other passages that speak of the duties of human government, including carrying out the death penalty for murder in Genesis 9:6 and as a result of violating the commandment against murder in Exodus 20).
2. Romans 13:1-7 speaks of rulers “bearing the sword.” This refers to government’s legitimate power to punish, up to and including death, those who do evil. It also may infer military power.
3. Never does Jesus or any of the apostles who dealt with Roman soldiers call upon them to give up their career as sinful—in fact the first totally Gentile convert to Jesus was a Roman centurion (see Acts 10 for the story). Neither is there any NT statement repudiating soldiery. It is interesting that Paul even uses being a good soldier as an illustration of our devotion to Christ. He uses lots of illustrations (farmer, runner, boxer, family life) but never one that is morally reprehensible. When John the Baptist counseled soldiers, it was to behave properly, not to quit (see Luke 3)
4. Just war theory is based on this governmental power to protect society and to punish evildoers, and applying it to our dealings with nations.
5. Let me give you an example of how individual Christians fit into this picture. The Bible clearly states that murder is worthy of the death penalty. It is outlined in Genesis 9 and is one of the 10 commandments. Now, some would argue that Jesus teaches forgiveness, so we must forgive. On an individual basis, that is so, but it does not remove the consequences of sin, any more than asking God to forgive you for being promiscuous sexually will automatically remove any physical consequences that might have resulted, from STDs to pregnancy. But let’s assume we have a person in prison who is a serial killer who has raped and murdered children. He is unrepentant, and after conviction has been given the death penalty. You are a prison guard, and are assigned to the execution detail of this prisoner. In fact, you will be the one who actually pulls the switch to start the lethal injection that ends his life. If you do so, are you guilty of murder? The Bible’s answer is a resounding “NO!” First, you are not acting out of personal motives, but as a duly constituted governmental authority ordained by God. Second, the government is acting in obedience to God’s law in passing this judgment. Is this a serious responsibility? Yes. Is it sin? No.
6. Now, apply that principle to dealings between nations. If "Hitler, Jr." emerges in Canada and decides he should own Alaska and invades, should the U.S. protect its citizens, even if that means our military may kill Canada’s invading forces? This certainly fits a biblical definition of governmental authority acting appropriately to protect society. What if "Hitler, Jr.," in Canada, decides all French speakers are to be rounded up and shot? Should our government, which has both the power to intervene and some level of personal concern for innocent life, do anything to prevent the deaths of millions at little U.S. risk (after all it’s Canada we are talking about)? Many would argue that a moral government with means should use them to stop overt evil when such action does not endanger other important governmental responsibilities. This is where application of these principles gets less absolute and clear. The holocaust in Europe during WWII is an example where many nations that claimed "moral standing" refused to act to stop Hitler before he could commit the atrocities he did. U.S. and international refusal to accept Jewish refugees throughout WWII and even after is considered by many the abdication of our moral responsibility.

Well, I haven’t given you an answer, but I hope I have given you some things to think about.

Cal Thomas on Global Warming

My brother sent me this article (link in header) and I would say that I lean toward this view. And I am old enough to remember all the "science" used in the 1970s to prove that we were on our way to a new Ice Age. Follow the link and see if it expresses your concerns.

Can I just say that I LOVE MYRTLE BEACH?

Of course I can say it, because it's my blog. We took a wonderful vacation there this summer, and I'm wishing I was there right about now, watching waves come in and not thinking about a lot of the things that I have to think about. The combination of great beach, wonderful accommodations to be had, golf courses galore, shopping, dining, and entertainment options, and the fact that we can get there in a day have earned it a definite place in our future plans! No, I don't want everyone going there--after all that would make it too crowded. But I can't wait to go back.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Three Sad Stories...

Todd Rhoades' Monday Morning Insight story (linked to header) reports three sad stories from the world of Christian ministry--involving 2 divorces, one report of wife beating, and a disgraced former minister writing support pleas because he can't live on the over $300,000.00 he made in 2006. All in all, it makes for depressing reading--not just because of the stories, but because of the lack of discernment expressed by people who follow some of these high profile "ministries." One of the divorcing couples is doing so amicably so both can pursue their separate ministry agendas. The other divorce involves the wife-beating, with one of the husband's supporters arguing that we can't know the whole truth, only God does (as if that means a man beating up his wife may have grounds to do so).

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Summer Vacation

I've taken a summer hiatus from the blog, and it's not like I've spent an amazing amount of time working on it before the break. But I'm going to be getting back to this a bit more regularly now.

Over the summer...
1. I've visited my daughter in California, and got a chance see her life on her own--a tough experience for a dad, but a good one, too.
2. I've enjoyed a last summer at home with daughter number 2, who heads off to college in Chicago this week. I've been taken aback at just how mature some of her thoughts are (OK, it's not all mature and serious, but she's well on her way).
3. I've been adapting to having a son taller than me, and worse, who is very ready for me to stop treating him like a little kid--most times. I am still adjusting to that.
4. I spoke to families for a week at Camp Patmos, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience of a week on beautiful Lake Erie (growing up in southeast Michigan, Lake Erie was not a place for water recreation, but a polluted soup marked by dead fish--what a change!).
5. we took a family vacation to Myrtle Beach, and loved it. We'll definitely be going back.
6. controversies have swirled around us involving issues big and small at Cedarville University--I've even been alluded to in blogs (only in passing, not a featured role, thankfully).
7. our congregation has continued to bless our family in ways beyond the call of duty, but that leave us feeling loved.
8. I managed to finish the first two chapters of my doctoral project (first draft) and they didn't get rejected. I'm doing some revisions and pressing on.

Much to think about and write about lies ahead, but just wanted to say I'm back and hope your summer has been refreshing!