Sunday, March 29, 2009

Shocking News: Guantanamo Detainee Lied; Actually Hates America

The Weekly Standard carries this report, first filed in the NY Times, that Mullah Zakir, aka Abdullah Ghulam Rasoul, is leading a unified Pakistani/Afghani Taliban against the US and other forces in Afghanistan. This same Mr. Rasoul was detained at Guantanamo, but was released as one of many who testified that he was forced to fight, actually loved what the US was doing in his country, and was a peaceful man. Now it turns out he was not telling the truth, that we actually had a major commander in custody, and now we have returned him to the field to attack and kill our military personnel.

We have been told over and over again that Guantanamo was a bad place, mistreating innocent people. Strangely, our new leaders in Washington can't figure out what to do with those still in our custody, and may even wish that we still had some in hand that have been let go. Mr. Rasoul would be one of those.

Sec. of State Clinton's Religous Gaffe

This article recounts Sec. of State Clinton's visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadaloupe in Mexico. She brought flowers, then asked who painted the picture of the virgin Mary.

Wrong question.

You see, Roman Catholics believe that the image miraculously appeared, hence the shrine.

Good research, Mrs. Clinton.

Do you think that this would not be news if it had happened under the past administration? Of course, I don't think former Sec. of State Rice would have made such a mistake to begin with.

BTW, it's not that I believe the story told, only that if you are going to act as if someone's traditions matter to you, you ought to make an effort to understand them.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

This is funny if you have read Kafka...and maybe if you haven't.

I tried to post this earlier, but it didn't take.


Prague's Franz Kafka International Named World's Most Alienating Airport

What a day!

Well, today has offered interesting/encouraging developments along the way (and it isn't over yet!).

First, I had a great time with the class I teach, talking about the concept of being filled with the Spirit, and getting at least some to think about the real possibility that the command of Eph. 5:18-19 holds before them. Kept them all awake, I think.

Then I read two updates from missionaries that were raised up in and sent out by our church in California. One was from a single lady in one of the -stans of Central Asia. As she wrote of the challenges of life in a hostile political environment, she had more to say about the joys of reaching out to people and the embarrassing moments of cross-cultural work than she did about struggle and the hardness of it all (though she has been honest about those matters as well). The other was from a couple laboring in Spain--a post-Christian culture with a Catholic veneer. They have organized a house church and are reaching out in many creative ways to their neighbors. Just reading about a talk J. is giving in a public setting, "Catholic Without Catholicism? Reflections of a 'Separated Brother,'" makes me wish I could be there, and understand Spanish. They are inviting those who come to follow ups in the local coffee house on Sunday afternoon. How cool is that?

Then I got a good dose of encouragement from taking lunch to Dan Knudsen, a student at CU who suffered a spinal injury on a short term missions trip that left him paralyzed, yet still strong in his faith. Ladies from our church prepare lunch for him every Tuesday and Thursday, and while my wife did the preparing, babysitting for our grandson meant I did the taking. Dan isn't feeling great today, but just seeing him, and being around someone facing such challenges with an amazingly positive spirit and trust in God--I am blessed again just thinking about it.

And now I just got a call from a missionary of ours in Peru, telling of the latest ways God has answered prayers to provide for their family in unexpected ways.

A day in the life of a believer looking toward the Lord is never dull!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

A "Shocker" for those who follow Israeli Politics

Breaking News: Israeli Labor Party votes to join Netanyahu gov't

What makes this interesting is that Prime Minister designate Netanyahu is a hardliner, believing circumstances are not right for peace with the Palestinians since they have no true spokesmen (Gaza is in the hands of Hamas, but the U.N. and others have kept Fatah's Abu Mazen in power in the West Bank, even though Hamas has been, until recently, more popular there as well). His natural allies are the more hawkish parties, and he has already made alliances with two of them.

In getting Labor to join his government, Netanyahu bypassed the more centrist (and largest) party in Israel's Knesset, Kadima, which was founded by the late Prime Minister and former head of Netanyahu's Likud party, Ariel Sharon. Kadima wanted greater power in a coalition, including half of the Prime Minister's term for its leader, Tzipi Livni.

Labor is much more "pro-peace," favoring negotiations and territorial concessions. How they will work in this government is anybody's guess, but Netanyahu counts on the fact that that even if not in government, hawkish parties will support him; and Labor, decimated in the last election, may be seeking to stay relevant by being in government rather than in an opposition dominated by Kadima.

The Christian Book of the Year for 2009 is...

...a Bible! Specifically, the ESV Study Bible, published by Crossway, and setting records for sales of a new Study Bible--it actually sold out in its first printing. I have one, and it is a great, though massive, volume (carrying is advised for the healthy, people with equilibrium problems will fall over trying to walk with it). The notes are very well done, as are the maps, illustrations, and general articles throughout and at the end.

It is an excellent choice, and according the the Christian Book Awards site, the first time they have honored a study Bible, or any Bible, as the Christian Book of the Year--somewhat ironic, don't you think?

Playing with Words...Sigh

I just read The Weekly Standard's blog article about the new name for what was the "Global War on Terror." Now, it's "The Overseas Contingency Operation." Does anybody know what that means? It sounds like plans for a possible trip to Bermuda.

Of course, our new Secretary of Homeland Security set the stage for this by referring to terrorism as "man caused disasters." That might apply to this season's "Celebrity Apprentice."

And our Treasury Secretary renamed the assets that no bank wants to carry--they are not "toxic" anymore, they are "legacy." Yep, just what you and I want to leave our kids.

Read 1984 by George Orwell, and see if the brazen practice of "doublespeak" there doesn't look familiar.

Of course, it's one thing to rename a war; it's quite another to wage it successfully. The same is true with recognizing evil and ending a recession. We'll see if our government is as clever at overcoming challenges as it is in renaming them.

Saturday, March 07, 2009

"It's A Wonderful Tithe"

Click on the box below to go to a very humorous movie on giving, using "It's a Wonderful Life" as a basis. It's very clever!Undiscovered

Thursday, March 05, 2009

How Much is $1 Trillion?

Go here to see a helpful visualization of just how much $1 trillion is. Then realize that this is less than the proposed new budget put before Congress by the President.

Monday, March 02, 2009

A Powerful Video on Suffering from Joni Eareckson Tada

The video below is a talk Joni gave at Dallas Seminary about suffering. I found it at Justin Taylor's blog. It is insightful, but then Joni has been someone I have admired for many years. She has been battling increased pain of late, and certainly could use our prayers.

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Woman Cited for Breastfeeding While Driving

This story was in our newspapaper today, and made me wonder about some of the drivers I may meet driving around our area.

Oh, and she was talking on her cell phone, too.