"You Don't Have to Believe"

Darth Vader, Dracula, Goldfinger, Snidley Whiplash and Ming the Merciless are all well known villains of screen and literary fame; to Bears fans, the Green Bay Packers are our favorite villain. We go to movies and boo the bad guys and villains with gusto. We give cat-calls to opposing teams in support of our athletic teams with vigorous chants and insults. It's fun to cheer the heroes and curse the villains in all those venues. We all like the "Good Guys", and we all love to hate the "Bad Guys". We like the virtues of those heroic characters in movies and novels; and we all think the "home team" is more virtuous than the opposition. At times, some teams and people are demonized to help us feel better about ourselves. We all contain the elements of villain and hero within us; and none of us want to admit to the villain part.

We are now entering the Christmas season; we are now, once again, seeing the beginnings of the "Christmas attacks" by those who resent Christianity. I'm sure I will hear from Bill Maher sometime during this Christmas season; he is certainly one of the most vocal of the Christian haters in America. Rosie O'Donnell is another Christian hater and I'm sure her perverse opinions will be displayed again. Now, the American Atheists are being heard from with a string of billboards demeaning Christmas. "Season of Reason" and "It's a Myth!" are featured on some of these road signs. Oddly, I never saw a sign from those atheists about Islam. Why don't those haters attack the Muslim faith with the same vigor with which they vilify the Christian believers? Is it possible that you can say anything you like about Christians, but Islam is off limits when it comes to any type of criticism?

I've never heard of a price being put on the heads of anybody who drew a cartoon about Jesus, or a television show being afraid of posting "satirical" visions of Jesus. We have a double standard in this nation when it comes to our attitudes about Islam and Christianity. As a Christian, I'm offended when I see those disrespectful portrayals of my Savior, yet as an American, I understand the free speech principles that are involved. Oddly, Mohamed is totally above any type of "satire" or criticism in the same forums which so freely vilify Jesus. Where is the ACLU when this "hate speech" is directed against Christianity?

We all want Santa Claus, Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman during the Christmas Season; yet, we don't seem to want the Jesus part of it. I believe America needs a history lesson: Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus! If you don't believe in Jesus, then don't celebrate, you have no need to; He's not a Savior you believe in! If you don't have the marbles to criticize Islam, then don't criticize Christianity either. Oh, by the way, for those of you who believe in Jesus, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

"Memories and Thanksgiving"

A week from today is "Thanksgiving Day"; I can't wait! A great meal, a loving family and the NFL all in one day, what could be better than that!!?

Thanksgiving Day is unique to America, although I think Canada also has one. Those first settlers suffered through some pretty tough times that first year; sickness and the elements took their toll on those pilgrims. I'm sure if they knew what the New England climate was like, they would have opted to go further south; no Weather Channel to scan back then. They persevered and found a home in North America. Those settlers learned all about self reliance and trusting God in all situations. The only "welfare program" they had was the goodness of their neighbors and the providence of God. With all the trials those folks faced, they still took time to thank God and celebrate His goodness. We could all take a cue from those faithful pilgrims.

I walked around my house this morning to our small library, where I sometimes sit and read. It is quiet and cozy there; I have several bookcases with all types of books. One case is basically all history books, with some biographies mixed in. Another case is Theology and religion, with several study volumes and bibles in it, plus some books on other belief systems. I spend some time in these books, as I am an elder in our church and it helps me to be well versed when questioned by members of our congregation. I have a couple of shelves that are filled with sports books; football, baseball and boxing are prominent subjects in my sports interests, and I really enjoy reading about them. I have some opinion books on those shelves also, mostly conservative as many of my readers could probably have guessed. My favorite bookcase contains family albums and yearbooks. Those volumes contain something all my other books don't; a pictorial history of all the people I have loved in my entire life: my Wife, Daughter, Mom, Dad, Brothers and Sisters, plus countless friends, all of whom which I hold dear to my heart. Those pictures recall numerous birthdays, Christmases, Thanksgivings and anniversaries of the past. When I look at those pictures, it is like stirring up a huge soup pot and watching all the ingredients circle to the top; the ingredients of my life. I have favorite pictures that make me laugh or bring up a tear or two. I thank God for the inventor of the camera. I hope each of you have family albums to look at; remembrances of the best times of your lives. Those are the things we need to remember when we sit down to Thanksgiving dinner next week. Remember to look around the table at those faces seated near you, these are your most precious to you, always remember how they look and carry them in your heart.

We, who have loved ones close, are most blessed by God and we should never forget that. We, who live in a free nation, have much to be thankful for and we should continue to be thankful for that. I hope all of you have a glorious Thanksgiving Day next week. Enjoy your dinner, have fun with the football games, and tell the ones you love how much you love them. Be blessed!

(This is my last blog until a week from Monday. I will be celebrating for a few days with those I love!)

"Good-Time Charlie!"

When you were little, did you ever had the "shame, shame" finger pointed at you? I remember several occasions where I had that dreaded gesture pointed toward me. This is the punishment used on the very young when they do something wrong and get caught. I've seen little ones reduced to tears when confronted with this embarrassing moment. The next punishment level after that was standing in the corner. This bit of toddler exile was pretty tough, especially if one has siblings to taunt you during your term of separation. Going to your room was the next step in the punishment ladder for those youthful transgressions. Today, if you send a child to their room, you have to have stipulations; no television, no computer, no cell phone and no music. Back when I was a little kid, all I had in my room was a bed and a dresser, with some scattered toys on the floor, which I was told not to play with. I couldn't bring in a book; no distractions were allowed. I was supposed to think about what I had done: most of the time I spent feeling sorry for myself, and blaming someone else for my "sentence" in the bedroom. Corporal punishment was saved for the most severe offenses, and was given rarely. The worst thing one could do was to show disrespect to an elder of any household. This was usually met with immediate punishment at the speed of a "heat seeking missile".

Yesterday, Charlie Rangel was found guilty of numerous ethics violations by the House Ethics Committee. Rangel has been the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Commission for a very long time; perhaps the most powerful seat in the House other than Speaker. "Good-Time Charlie" was found guilty of tax avoidance and hiding "special favors' while he was in control of much of America's money. Charlie's violations run into the millions of dollars in fraud and tax evasion. Poor Charlie walked out on Ethics Committee hearings two days ago, citing his lack of legal counsel. For nearly two years, Charlie has been aware of these charges, and did have a legal team which resigned from his case. Evidence must have been found by Charlie's former legal team, and that evidence must be made available to any new council Charlie would hire. With the many influential friends Charlie has, I'm sure he could get a qualified attorney with little delay, yet Charlie chose not to do so. Charlie, it seems, has retreated to his "bedroom" in protest of his impending punishment. Sadly, the probable outcome of Charlie's guilty verdict will be a minor slap on the wrist from his Congressional colleagues.

Eric Holder can bring charges against Rangel for tax fraud, but that is unlikely. As we have seen in the past, this administration picks and chooses who they will charge and who they won't! If you or I did the things Mr. Rangal has been found guilty of, we would be spending some serious time in Federal Prison.

Is Congressional Censure really a fair punishment for the breach of the public trust that Rangel has committed? Is the "shame, shame, shame" finger all that we will see for "Good-Time Charlie? Those in power should be held to the same standard as the citizens of this country when they violate its laws. If anything, public officials should receive the maximum punishments, for they have cheated every person in the United States when they decided to "work the system". Perhaps the Congress should revoke Charlie's Congressional pension; I'll bet that would send a message to those who are contemplating taking Charlie's path.

"Celebrate???"

Remember Rex Grossman, he was the quarterback who led the Bears to the Super Bowl in 2006? Rex is now a back-up, I think in Washington. Rex's claim to fame was that '06 Super Bowl, since then, not much interest has been exhibited toward "Sexy Rexy". As a fan of the Bears, I had hope for a victory in '06, but the reality of Peyton Manning took that dream away. The Colts were the best team on that Sunday, and the weakness of Rex was obvious to all of us who love the Bears. Rex was personable enough; he had a boyish charm at the press conferences, and he was a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. Young girls all liked "Sexy Rexy"; his face was on posters and in commercials. For a while, he was being compared to Bret Favre, later he was compared to someone who needed a guide dog. He had some last minute heroics to win some games that were interspersed with costly interceptions that were an early warning of what was to come from the hands of "Sexy Rexy". In the beginning of the season, sports writers were in love with Grossman; touting him as the savior at quarterback that Chicago hadn't had since Jim McMahon in 1985. I remember a writer saying "Grossman can make things happen on the field"; little did he know some of the things Rex made happen would lead to disasters on the gridiron of monumental proportions. Rex was a "flash in the pan" for part of one season. Rex couldn't produce and fan pressure ran him out of town. Not too much to celebrate in Chicago about Rex Grossman, other than his leaving. Sadly, there were no "Super Bowl" parades in Chicago in 2006; there wasn't a reason to cheer!

It has been two weeks since the mid-terms and a new Congress will be taking office in January. This has been an unusual Congressional season. Barack Obama has had the most partisan Congress I can remember in many years. Mr. Obama, with the help of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, has been able to push legislation without the need of non-partisan support or approval. Health-care was shoved through Congress strictly down party lines with the help of some costly earmarks to sweeten the pot for some votes. The scenes of thousands of Americans standing outside the Capitol Building in protest of the legislation went unnoticed by Ms. Pelosi as she walked out of the House with her "huge gavel" held in her hand, as a symbol of her partisan victory. It seems that the American people perceived this legislation more of a failure than a victory for the current Congress; even though it was hailed by the White House as a great triumph. Approval ratings have been falling at record rates for months on end, yet the Congress continued to move forward on an agenda that most Americans didn't want. The result of this disregard of the will of the people was an election drubbing of immense proportion. Not much to celebrate for the Democrats after this election! Oddly, Nancy Pelosi had a party to celebrate the "accomplishments" that were made by these out-going legislators. This Congress is leaving with an approval rating of around 20%; even Rex Grossman had a higher approval rating than that!

Rather than having a party, Ms. Pelosi should be holding a wake and a bereavement dinner for the passing of this Congress; it seems much more fitting. I'm afraid there won't be any parades for this Congress; but a "funeral procession" might be in order! REST IN PEACE!!

"Street Fight!"

When I was a freshman in high school, I used to walk to school with a friend who lived down the block from me. His name was Frankie "T". Frankie was almost two years older than I, and Frankie weighed about 250 pounds. Every day we would walk to a local coffee shop and have coffee before we walked to school; it wasn't "cool" to take the bus. There was another guy in school named "Big Joe", he was a body builder and had a reputation for being pretty tough. "Big Joe" was a gym leader, and led our class with calisthenics. "Big Joe" was also a bully; he would pick on anybody who was smaller or weaker than he. Frankie was big, but he wasn't muscular; he got the nickname "Rhino" and it was quite appropriate. Frankie was as strong as an ox, yet he was never a bully. "Big Joe" would walk the halls like a "tyrant king", intimidating underclassmen at every opportunity. One day, he decided to try to intimidate Frankie. There was some name calling in the halls, but nothing would be resolved until 3:10 that afternoon, in the parking lot. "Big Joe" thought his reputation would be enough of an edge to win any conflict. All afternoon, the school was abuzz with talk of the upcoming conflict, and who would emerge victorious. Back then, T-shirts and combat boots were in vogue; it was almost a uniform for "tough guys". Well, 3:10 finally showed up and the battle was ready to start. "Big Joe" started out with a verbal assault of "fat jokes". This turned out to be a strategic error; Frankie came to fight, and fight he did! He lit into "Big Joe" with the fury of a bull elephant, bowling him over and mercilessly pummeling him until four guys finally pulled him off the hapless bully. "Big Joe's" reputation couldn't save him; it had no influence over Frankie.

Last week, President Barack Obama went to the Far East on an economic tour to gain support from some Asian nations. His economic policies have already been discounted by several major European nations and some South American nations. Mr. Obama's policy of continued pursuit of higher spending by the government is rapidly losing credibility around the world. We are now monetizing our debt which will lead to runaway inflation if it is not put in check. Even the Red Chinese are telling the President to revise his economics. Mr. Obama seems to be sticking to his guns of higher spending and a new stimulus. He is still fighting extending tax cuts for all Americans, which will put further pressure on our ailing economic situation. It seems Mr. Obama is depending on his reputation as the "Great Communicator" to sell his programs to the rest of the world. The rest of the world is seeing the results of mass spending and entitlements in Greece. They are seeing the results of runaway inflation already, and know a change must be made. The President of the United States usually wields great influence in world politics and economics, yet this time, the President's "rep" isn't enough to win this "street fight".

It will take more than a "REP" to save this economic disaster; your opponent isn't buying your "rep" anymore. Mr. Obama can't back it up when it comes to the economy, here or in the rest of the world. He'd be better off backing away from this fight; or he may meet a "BAD END"!

"God's Gift"

Yesterday was "Veterans Day". I celebrated by putting out my flag and taking a long look at my home and neighborhood. I live in the greatest nation on this earth; each day I thank God for our republic, and I remember the cost of freedom. Every battlefield came with a price; the most precious gift God has given us; our lives were laid down to protect our citizens from enemies who envy our nation. Life is the only thing each of us has that cannot be replaced. I sometimes spend time looking at our photo albums. During my "trips down memory lane" I see the faces of past loved ones from my life; Mom, Dad, my brother Bill, my uncles and my grandmother Nona. Each year, the face count gets a little bigger; each year there are a few less friends to see. I even spend time looking at pictures of my old pets, they are also lost loved ones, and have left an empty space in my life. Each day I give prayer for my Daughter and my Wife; I ask for health and longevity, for their lives are precious to me. They are irreplaceable to me! Life is priceless!

A couple of weeks ago, I read an article about a Florida mother who had pleaded guilty to the shaking death of her 14 week old son! To those of us who are parents and grandparents, this is an unthinkable act. Alexandra V. Tobias, 22 year old mother, said she was playing "Farmville" on Facebook and the child's crying irritated her to the point of shaking him not once but TWICE! She faces 25-50 years in prison for second degree murder.

We have had many years now of legalized abortion; and there is always talk about the merits of euthanasia. We have retreated into our living rooms, separating ourselves from our neighbors and communities. We watch television and play video games that make the taking of human life something that seems unreal. Doctor Kevorkian was the "high priest" of assisted suicide until he went to prison for some extra assistance he gave to a follower. In the last 50 years, we seem to be devaluing human life. We seem to want to take something that is God's province and use it to our own purpose; and by doing so, we have taken His greatest creation and cheapened it. Our society has turned human life into a disposable commodity; a thing that when it becomes inconvenient, can be removed from our lives.

I have never done an anti-abortion or anti-euthanasia blog before. When I read this account of a young mother with so little regard for the life of her child, I felt I had to make a statement about the position our society has taken on the value of life. At the founding, of our nation the life expectancy was somewhere around 40 years old, and back then, life was held in high regard. Today our life expectancy is around 75, and we seem to regard that longevity as a curse instead of a blessing. We regard unborn children as an inconvenience and a burden, instead of a new life and a gift from God.

I've heard all the arguments about rape, incest and economic burdens in regard to abortion; some are compelling. On the other hand, we must ask ourselves, "Has the cure for cancer or the answer to world peace been placed in a dumpster in Harlem in a plastic bag?" The next time someone asks about abortion rights, we need to raise the question of the rights of those who are unable to speak. What have we lost?

Thank You Veterans!"

Sylvester Stallone, John Wayne and Chuck Norris have all portrayed the American serviceman at one time or another. They showed a persona of a "super hero" in their performances, able to do all types of unbelievable acts, against insurmountable odds. Fearless and larger than life is the Hollywood perception of those who take the field of battle for America in time of conflict.

What are the real American Soldier, Sailor, Marine and Airman actually like? When I was in the service, I never met any Rambos'. Most were average guys, with average families, from average American towns and cities. I would like to talk about two American servicemen today.

Alvin C. York, born on December 13, 1887 in Pall Mall, Tennessee. Alvin York: was quite a carouser and drinker in his youth; he was arrested several times for drunken brawling. Alvin was a handful, yet when his father died in 1911, he dedicated himself to the welfare of his family. Alvin's mother was a "Pacifist Protestant", a devout Christian and churchgoer. During a revival meeting in 1914, Alvin experienced a conversion, dedicating his life to Jesus and His words. Alvin didn't ask to be a "hero", he said in an interview, "I was worried clean through, I didn't want to go and kill. I believed in my bible." The man who didn't want to "go and kill" became the most decorated soldier of WWI. York, single handed, killed 28 Germans and captured an additional 132 more. This "dirt poor" bible reader received the Congressional Medal of Honor. He started out as a plain American, who rose to the occasion!

Audie Murphy, born on May 20, 1924 in Hunt County Texas, the sixth of twelve children to a share cropper father who deserted his family early in Audie's life: Audie took over the role of father to his younger siblings. He worked for $1.00 a day, picking cotton and plowing fields to support his family. Audie was known as a "crack shot" to all his neighbors. He told a friend, "Well, Dial, if I don't hit what I shoot at, my family won't eat today." Murphy's experiences during WWII were captured in the film "To Hell and Back", which documented his life. There were stories of Murphy leaving the set to weep after certain scenes; he was greatly affected. Murphy also received the Congressional Medal of Honor, along with 32 additional United States medals and citations, plus honors and medals from other allied nations. He was the most decorated soldier of WWII. He was a share cropper's son, who came from poverty to become a legend; another plain American.

In November of 1919, Woodrow Wilson declared November eleventh as "Armistice Day", to honor those who served in the "Great War for Civilization"," the war to end all wars". In 1954, Dwight D. Eisenhower declared the re-naming of "Armistice Day" to "Veterans Day", to honor all who have served their country. Giving thanks to veterans is something every American should do, regardless of where they stand ideologically. Every day of our lives in America are here, courtesy of the men and women who have chosen to take that step forward and put themselves second to the welfare and safety of the people of the United States of America. If you know a veteran, make it a point to say thank you to them; they put it all on the line for you.

(No blog tomorrow, I'm taking a day off, it's a holiday!)