Article for Courier-Times Christian Perspectives Article for July 4, 2009
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. ~ Galatians 5:1 (NIV)
The current "Tea Party" organizers have resurrected many of the slogans that were popular during the American Revolution. One of the most popular is "Live Free or Die" which actually was coined after the war.
That phrase, now the motto of New Hampshire, came from a toast by General John Stark in 1809. He was a famous Revolutionary War soldier and was unable to attend a reunion of the Battle of Bennington, so he sent his regrets with this toast: "Live free or die. Death is not the worst of evils."
Scripture has a lot to say about freedom. In fact, God loves freedom so much that he has given us the freedom of choice. God is pro-choice! This is what he told the Israelites through Moses: This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. ~ Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NIV)
God gives us the freedom to choose, but he expects us to make the right choice. When we fail to make the right choice there are always consequences. In the 34th chapter of Jeremiah we read the story of the Israelites a little further down the road of history.
Included in the instructions that Moses gave the people was the policy that, every seven years, the Jews were supposed to free anyone who had sold themselves into slavery; a Sabbath Year. For decades the people of God failed to observe this practice and continued to force people, those who had sold themselves into slavery, to remain in slavery.
Jeremiah recounts the story of King Zedekiah and how he made a covenant, or a sacred promise, with the people to obey God's directions about the Sabbath Year and setting the captives free. But as the years rolled by, they changed their minds and re-enslaved the people they had promised to free. God was not happy!
"Therefore, this is what the LORD says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom for your fellow countrymen. So I now proclaim 'freedom' for you, declares the LORD--'freedom' to fall by the sword, plague and famine. I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth."
God gives us freedom of choice, but he expects us to choose life, to choose justice, to choose integrity, to choose freedom. When we fail to choose correctly, we will suffer the consequences. No nation or people, no matter how great, can choose to ignore God's law, his desire for people to live free, and expect to escape the consequences.
Paul, the apostle, wrote to the church in Galatia and challenged them, "It is for freedom that Christ has set you free!" In other words, You've been given this great gift, so use it! He could say the same thing to the church in America.
Barna Research has found that evangelical Christians were the least likely demographic to contact their Congressmen and Senators. You've been given this great gift, so use it!
The Constitution has given us the freedom of speech and expression, the freedom to practice our faith as we choose, the freedom of assembly, and yet these rights are being eroded almost daily. A pastor in California has just been told that he cannot have a bible study in his home without a special permit from the county. A Catholic church in Connecticut has been threatened with a fine for using its web site to encourage parishioners to call their Congressmen and Senators. PBS has announced that they will no longer allow any new religious content on their stations. You've been given this great gift, so use it!
Benjamin Franklin said, "They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security." Many in the American church have traded their religious freedom, not for security, but for a life without controversy. You've been given this great gift, so use it!
General John Stark and the original Tea Partiers may not even recognize the Americans that are found in many churches today.
Hear their cry, "Live Free or Die!"
Better yet, hear the call of Christ, "Die to yourself so that you can truly live free!"
Questions or comments? Contact me at curt@smdcog.org
Thanks for reading!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
It's Time To Think . . .
Courier-Times Article for June 6th, 2009
It's time to think . . .
Earlier this year, a prominent U.S. politician said , "Our moral authority is derived from the fact that generations of our citizens have fought and bled to uphold these values, [life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness], in our nations and others. And that's why we can never sacrifice them for expedience's sake."
The statement sounds thoughtful and profound, but is it? It sounds like a truth that spans generations, but is it?
As Americans, we've gotten lazy. We don't like to think much. Just go with the flow; live and let live; my truth may not be your truth. Unfortunately, in many cases, the church has stopped thinking as well.
We used to be called people of the WORD, but now we spend much of our time debating whether that word is TRUE. Should churches ordain homosexuals or bless homosexual unions? After all, THOSE parts of the bible might not be true. Should we be more concerned about babies who were aborted or those chained by poverty? Let's pick one and ignore the other . . . That's the content of many of our discussions.
The Word of God is the Law that governed the Israelites, and the foundation that birthed the church. At some point, many in the church have become untethered from the Word of God and have now turned around and questioned its veracity. This behavior would have utterly confounded the Christ-followers in Berea.
Dr. Luke records that the believers in Berea, after listening to the preaching of Paul, examined the Scriptures every day to determine that what Paul said was true. To the Breans, scripture was the source of truth, the measuring stick to determine whether the greatest preacher of their time was speaking truth. Moral authority was found in holy scripture, not in the sacrifice of fellow citizens.
The Bible speaks very clearly about the sanctity of life; about our responsibility to the poor, the orphaned and the widow; about God's view of homosexual behavior. The church needs to rediscover the authority found in the Word of God and stand on it. However, that kind of stance could become something more than politically incorrect, it could become illegal.
The U.S. Senate is considering a Hate Crimes Bill (S.909) which could be used to prosecute ministers for declaring God's truth on homosexuality. Will the church "search the scriptures" to find the truth, or will we poll the people to find out what is acceptable?
If we fail to think through all of these issues, and instead follow "thoughtful and profound words" blindly, we will end up in places we never thought we would be. After all, if our moral authority lies in the sacrifices made by our fellow citizens, then both the Palestinians and the Israelis have moral authority. The Nazis and the Japanese had moral authority during World War II, just like the Allied Forces. If shedding blood is the only prerequisite for establishing moral authority then gangs like the Bloods, the Crips, the Mafioso, the MS-13, and the Yakuza each have the same moral authority as the fighting men and women of the U.S. military.
Moral authority can only be found in the author of morality. It's time to learn from the Christ-followers in Berea. It's time to search the Word of God for timeless and time tested truth. It's time to think. Don't ya' think?
Thanks for reading!
It's time to think . . .
Earlier this year, a prominent U.S. politician said , "Our moral authority is derived from the fact that generations of our citizens have fought and bled to uphold these values, [life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness], in our nations and others. And that's why we can never sacrifice them for expedience's sake."
The statement sounds thoughtful and profound, but is it? It sounds like a truth that spans generations, but is it?
As Americans, we've gotten lazy. We don't like to think much. Just go with the flow; live and let live; my truth may not be your truth. Unfortunately, in many cases, the church has stopped thinking as well.
We used to be called people of the WORD, but now we spend much of our time debating whether that word is TRUE. Should churches ordain homosexuals or bless homosexual unions? After all, THOSE parts of the bible might not be true. Should we be more concerned about babies who were aborted or those chained by poverty? Let's pick one and ignore the other . . . That's the content of many of our discussions.
The Word of God is the Law that governed the Israelites, and the foundation that birthed the church. At some point, many in the church have become untethered from the Word of God and have now turned around and questioned its veracity. This behavior would have utterly confounded the Christ-followers in Berea.
Dr. Luke records that the believers in Berea, after listening to the preaching of Paul, examined the Scriptures every day to determine that what Paul said was true. To the Breans, scripture was the source of truth, the measuring stick to determine whether the greatest preacher of their time was speaking truth. Moral authority was found in holy scripture, not in the sacrifice of fellow citizens.
The Bible speaks very clearly about the sanctity of life; about our responsibility to the poor, the orphaned and the widow; about God's view of homosexual behavior. The church needs to rediscover the authority found in the Word of God and stand on it. However, that kind of stance could become something more than politically incorrect, it could become illegal.
The U.S. Senate is considering a Hate Crimes Bill (S.909) which could be used to prosecute ministers for declaring God's truth on homosexuality. Will the church "search the scriptures" to find the truth, or will we poll the people to find out what is acceptable?
If we fail to think through all of these issues, and instead follow "thoughtful and profound words" blindly, we will end up in places we never thought we would be. After all, if our moral authority lies in the sacrifices made by our fellow citizens, then both the Palestinians and the Israelis have moral authority. The Nazis and the Japanese had moral authority during World War II, just like the Allied Forces. If shedding blood is the only prerequisite for establishing moral authority then gangs like the Bloods, the Crips, the Mafioso, the MS-13, and the Yakuza each have the same moral authority as the fighting men and women of the U.S. military.
Moral authority can only be found in the author of morality. It's time to learn from the Christ-followers in Berea. It's time to search the Word of God for timeless and time tested truth. It's time to think. Don't ya' think?
Thanks for reading!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
A Story Of Self-Sacrifice
Courier-Times Christian Perspectives Article for April 11, 2009
As I write this, the story gripping the headlines is the Maersk Alabama hijacking saga; the first pirate capture of a United States boat in about 200 years. Details about the hijacking are fluid, but it appears that the storyline unfolding off the coast of Somalia mirrors a storyline almost 2000 years old.
The Maersk Alabama is a cargo ship laden with food supplies to relieve some of the suffering and starvation in several African nations. A few days ago it was hijacked by Somalian pirates wanting to trade it for ransom money. The economy in Somalia is very depressed and the most efficient way to earn money there is to hijack cargo ships; 66 have been taken since the first of January.
Like I said, the details are still sketchy but the crew members were able to regain control of the ship. Apparently the ship’s captain, Capt. Richard Phillips, has traded himself for the lives of his crew. The outcome of the story is still being determined by the actions of the pirates, the crew, the captain and the U.S. Navy, which is now on the scene. The story of self sacrifice has been played out before in many ways but most notably in the Easter story.
But to fully understand the Easter story, we really need to go back several hundred years earlier to the story of the Exodus. You remember, the story where Charlton Heston raised his staff in the movie, “The Ten Commandments”, and parted the waters for the Israelites to escape the oncoming armies of Egypt. Whether it happened the way Cecil B. DeMille scripted it in the movie we’ll never know, but the bible tells us that what happened before the sea parting was the key to the Israelites release from captivity.
There were several plagues that came upon Egypt in an effort to prompt the Pharaoh to free the Israelites. Each succeeding plague increased in intensity until the final plague, the death of the first born. The plagues affected Egyptians and Israelites alike but, when the death angel was sent to take the life of every first born, God provided a way of protection – the Passover lamb. The night of the final plague, the Israelites were instructed by God to kill a spotless lamb, consume all of it by morning, and to place some of its blood on the doorframe of their houses. The death angel would see the blood on the doorframe of the house and “pass over” the house, and all those inside, protected by the blood of the lamb. One life exchanged for many.
For generations the Israelites have celebrated the Passover as the way God chose to deliver his people. It was during the Passover meal that Jesus revealed to His disciples that He would be sacrificed, like the Passover lamb, and that His blood would deliver His followers from spiritual death. One life exchanged for many.
On that dark day that we call Good Friday, just as the lamb was being sacrificed for the Passover celebration, Jesus was crucified and became the true Passover Lamb for all people. The sinless Christ traded his life for the lives of His disciples. And the headlines on that following morning read that Jesus Christ was dead.
But, like many stories in this modern, 24-hour news cycle world, the story was still being written. On the first day of the week, Sunday morning, Jesus Christ was resurrected from the grave! Death had been conquered; Christ was alive! And the story continues . . .
Who did He save? Who were His “crew members”; His disciples? That part of the story is still being written. You and I have an opportunity to write ourselves into the story, the greatest story ever told.
The self sacrifice of Capt. Richard Phillips may save the lives of as many as 20 crew members. The self sacrifice of Christ is still delivering people from captivity. The bible says all we need to do to be part of this great story line is to become a “Christ follower”; a disciple of Christ. All we need to do is to claim the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb for ourselves.
The final chapter of the Maersk Alabama piracy case will soon be written. Hopefully it will end with no loss of life, but that part of the story is still being written by the pirates, the crew, the captain and the U.S. Navy.
The final chapter of the Passover Lamb saga may soon be written, only God knows. The question today is, have you written yourself into the story line? Will you be one of His disciples who are saved by the self sacrifice of Christ? Or will you be a tragic reminder of what could have been? On this day before Easter, you have a choice. Choose well.
Any questions or comments? Write Curt Ferrell at curt@smdcog.org
You can find info at my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719).
Also at my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/)
Thanks for reading!
As I write this, the story gripping the headlines is the Maersk Alabama hijacking saga; the first pirate capture of a United States boat in about 200 years. Details about the hijacking are fluid, but it appears that the storyline unfolding off the coast of Somalia mirrors a storyline almost 2000 years old.
The Maersk Alabama is a cargo ship laden with food supplies to relieve some of the suffering and starvation in several African nations. A few days ago it was hijacked by Somalian pirates wanting to trade it for ransom money. The economy in Somalia is very depressed and the most efficient way to earn money there is to hijack cargo ships; 66 have been taken since the first of January.
Like I said, the details are still sketchy but the crew members were able to regain control of the ship. Apparently the ship’s captain, Capt. Richard Phillips, has traded himself for the lives of his crew. The outcome of the story is still being determined by the actions of the pirates, the crew, the captain and the U.S. Navy, which is now on the scene. The story of self sacrifice has been played out before in many ways but most notably in the Easter story.
But to fully understand the Easter story, we really need to go back several hundred years earlier to the story of the Exodus. You remember, the story where Charlton Heston raised his staff in the movie, “The Ten Commandments”, and parted the waters for the Israelites to escape the oncoming armies of Egypt. Whether it happened the way Cecil B. DeMille scripted it in the movie we’ll never know, but the bible tells us that what happened before the sea parting was the key to the Israelites release from captivity.
There were several plagues that came upon Egypt in an effort to prompt the Pharaoh to free the Israelites. Each succeeding plague increased in intensity until the final plague, the death of the first born. The plagues affected Egyptians and Israelites alike but, when the death angel was sent to take the life of every first born, God provided a way of protection – the Passover lamb. The night of the final plague, the Israelites were instructed by God to kill a spotless lamb, consume all of it by morning, and to place some of its blood on the doorframe of their houses. The death angel would see the blood on the doorframe of the house and “pass over” the house, and all those inside, protected by the blood of the lamb. One life exchanged for many.
For generations the Israelites have celebrated the Passover as the way God chose to deliver his people. It was during the Passover meal that Jesus revealed to His disciples that He would be sacrificed, like the Passover lamb, and that His blood would deliver His followers from spiritual death. One life exchanged for many.
On that dark day that we call Good Friday, just as the lamb was being sacrificed for the Passover celebration, Jesus was crucified and became the true Passover Lamb for all people. The sinless Christ traded his life for the lives of His disciples. And the headlines on that following morning read that Jesus Christ was dead.
But, like many stories in this modern, 24-hour news cycle world, the story was still being written. On the first day of the week, Sunday morning, Jesus Christ was resurrected from the grave! Death had been conquered; Christ was alive! And the story continues . . .
Who did He save? Who were His “crew members”; His disciples? That part of the story is still being written. You and I have an opportunity to write ourselves into the story, the greatest story ever told.
The self sacrifice of Capt. Richard Phillips may save the lives of as many as 20 crew members. The self sacrifice of Christ is still delivering people from captivity. The bible says all we need to do to be part of this great story line is to become a “Christ follower”; a disciple of Christ. All we need to do is to claim the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb for ourselves.
The final chapter of the Maersk Alabama piracy case will soon be written. Hopefully it will end with no loss of life, but that part of the story is still being written by the pirates, the crew, the captain and the U.S. Navy.
The final chapter of the Passover Lamb saga may soon be written, only God knows. The question today is, have you written yourself into the story line? Will you be one of His disciples who are saved by the self sacrifice of Christ? Or will you be a tragic reminder of what could have been? On this day before Easter, you have a choice. Choose well.
Any questions or comments? Write Curt Ferrell at curt@smdcog.org
You can find info at my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719).
Also at my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/)
Thanks for reading!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Who Will Save Us?
Courier-Times Christian Perspectives Article – April 4th, 2009
It was springtime in Israel and there was more excitement than normal. Passover was just around the corner. Each male Jew was making his springtime trek to Jerusalem, sometimes bringing his whole family. They would make another trip to Jerusalem in about seven weeks for Pentecost, and then once more in the fall for the Festival of Tabernacles. But this trip held more promise.
There was a charismatic figure, someone who was both a healer and an excellent teacher, who had been traveling the countryside for three years talking about a new form of government, the Kingdom of God, and how it was coming soon. This was welcome news to a people who were experiencing an economic burden, due mainly to their forced financial support of an occupying force from a far off country. The people were also oppressed by the terrorist tactics of Herod, a ruthless, heartless King who would do anything for power. News of this new Kingdom of God generated hope and excitement!
Now incredible reports circulated that this Teacher had brought someone back from the dead. Unbelievable, I know, but so many people witnessed it that it had to be true. The Teacher, the one who had been talking about the coming of the Kingdom of God, clearly had divine power. Perhaps he was the Messiah; the leader that would deliver his people.
A rumor spread through the group of travelers that, like them, the Teacher was also making his way to Jerusalem from the village of Bethany. A crowd gathered on the road that this teacher-healer would be taking in hopes of seeing him “up close”.
During these tri-annual trips to Jerusalem the people would sing Jewish traveling songs and wave branches from palm trees, myrtle trees, and willow trees. They would start by singing “Praise the Lord”. Then they would retell the story of their deliverance from Egypt with the song, “The Sea Looked And Fled”. These songs would be followed by “Not To Us, O Lord”, “I Love the Lord”, and “Praise the Lord, All You Nations.”
The last traveling song was “Give Thanks to the Lord”. Toward the end of this tune they spotted the Teacher, riding on a donkey, but they kept singing . . . “Hosanna! Blessed Is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
They knew in an instant that this was the Messiah. They threw their palm branches on the road for the donkey to walk on. Truly this man would be the one who would save them. That’s what hosanna means – Lord Save Us!
Suddenly minds were racing ahead to a picture-perfect future. This new government, the Kingdom of God, would save them. That’s what they had been waiting for! They could finally get rid of those wealth guzzling Romans! They could hunt down that terrorist leader, Herod, and bring justice to all who followed him!
Unfortunately they forgot the truths found in the songs they had been singing. “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. . . I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!”
Instead of taking refuge in God, they trusted in the apparent political power that came with the popularity of the Teacher. And in just five days their hopes would be dashed. They would reject the Teacher as their new King. They would return to their desperate lives, full of fear and despair.
Who would save them now?
Who will save us now? Over the centuries the people of God have, at times, forgotten what scripture says. From the beginning of recorded history the people of God have periodically forgotten the truths found in their songs.
My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness . . . Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me. . . He is able, more than able to accomplish what concerns me today. . . He knows my name, He knows my every thought; He sees each tear that falls, and hears me when I call. . . Where could I go, but to the Lord?
During that last week before Jesus went to the cross, the God followers of the day began to place their faith in things other than God. They saw Jesus only as a man, and not as the Son of God. They began to think that man-made tools and man-made solutions could solve problems that were spiritual at their core.
Is it possible that we do the same thing today? Do we really believe that only government can save us? Or, only education can save us? Or, only cutting edge medicine can save us? Or, only money can save us?
Or is it possible that spiritual solutions are the only real solutions, because our problems are spiritual at their core?
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday; the day when we remember the Teacher as He made his way to Jerusalem for the last time. Will we see Him as the Son of God or simply as a popular teacher? Will we remember the truths found in scripture and in our songs, or will we search for salvation in man-made solutions? The choice is yours; choose well.
You can find more information at my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719).
Or at my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/)
Thanks for reading!
It was springtime in Israel and there was more excitement than normal. Passover was just around the corner. Each male Jew was making his springtime trek to Jerusalem, sometimes bringing his whole family. They would make another trip to Jerusalem in about seven weeks for Pentecost, and then once more in the fall for the Festival of Tabernacles. But this trip held more promise.
There was a charismatic figure, someone who was both a healer and an excellent teacher, who had been traveling the countryside for three years talking about a new form of government, the Kingdom of God, and how it was coming soon. This was welcome news to a people who were experiencing an economic burden, due mainly to their forced financial support of an occupying force from a far off country. The people were also oppressed by the terrorist tactics of Herod, a ruthless, heartless King who would do anything for power. News of this new Kingdom of God generated hope and excitement!
Now incredible reports circulated that this Teacher had brought someone back from the dead. Unbelievable, I know, but so many people witnessed it that it had to be true. The Teacher, the one who had been talking about the coming of the Kingdom of God, clearly had divine power. Perhaps he was the Messiah; the leader that would deliver his people.
A rumor spread through the group of travelers that, like them, the Teacher was also making his way to Jerusalem from the village of Bethany. A crowd gathered on the road that this teacher-healer would be taking in hopes of seeing him “up close”.
During these tri-annual trips to Jerusalem the people would sing Jewish traveling songs and wave branches from palm trees, myrtle trees, and willow trees. They would start by singing “Praise the Lord”. Then they would retell the story of their deliverance from Egypt with the song, “The Sea Looked And Fled”. These songs would be followed by “Not To Us, O Lord”, “I Love the Lord”, and “Praise the Lord, All You Nations.”
The last traveling song was “Give Thanks to the Lord”. Toward the end of this tune they spotted the Teacher, riding on a donkey, but they kept singing . . . “Hosanna! Blessed Is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
They knew in an instant that this was the Messiah. They threw their palm branches on the road for the donkey to walk on. Truly this man would be the one who would save them. That’s what hosanna means – Lord Save Us!
Suddenly minds were racing ahead to a picture-perfect future. This new government, the Kingdom of God, would save them. That’s what they had been waiting for! They could finally get rid of those wealth guzzling Romans! They could hunt down that terrorist leader, Herod, and bring justice to all who followed him!
Unfortunately they forgot the truths found in the songs they had been singing. “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. . . I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!”
Instead of taking refuge in God, they trusted in the apparent political power that came with the popularity of the Teacher. And in just five days their hopes would be dashed. They would reject the Teacher as their new King. They would return to their desperate lives, full of fear and despair.
Who would save them now?
Who will save us now? Over the centuries the people of God have, at times, forgotten what scripture says. From the beginning of recorded history the people of God have periodically forgotten the truths found in their songs.
My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness . . . Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me. . . He is able, more than able to accomplish what concerns me today. . . He knows my name, He knows my every thought; He sees each tear that falls, and hears me when I call. . . Where could I go, but to the Lord?
During that last week before Jesus went to the cross, the God followers of the day began to place their faith in things other than God. They saw Jesus only as a man, and not as the Son of God. They began to think that man-made tools and man-made solutions could solve problems that were spiritual at their core.
Is it possible that we do the same thing today? Do we really believe that only government can save us? Or, only education can save us? Or, only cutting edge medicine can save us? Or, only money can save us?
Or is it possible that spiritual solutions are the only real solutions, because our problems are spiritual at their core?
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday; the day when we remember the Teacher as He made his way to Jerusalem for the last time. Will we see Him as the Son of God or simply as a popular teacher? Will we remember the truths found in scripture and in our songs, or will we search for salvation in man-made solutions? The choice is yours; choose well.
You can find more information at my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719).
Or at my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/)
Thanks for reading!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Freedom of Choice?
Courier-Times Article for November 15, 2008
In the halls of our nation’s capital, legislators are considering HR1964 and S1173. These are the United States House and Senate bills titled “The Freedom of Choice Act”. The bills are nearly identical, only about 2 pages long each, and you can read them at your leisure on the internet. Unfortunately, as Christians, we do not have the luxury of being leisurely in our response to this “act” of Congress.
If these bills are passed and signed into law by the President it would impact Indiana communities in the following ways.
Abortions after the first 12 weeks would become legal. (Abortions in the first 12 weeks are already legal.)
A requirement would be removed that women considering abortions be given information regarding: the nature of the proposed procedure; the risks of and alternatives to the procedure; the probable gestational age of the fetus, including an offer to provide a picture or drawing of a fetus, the dimensions of a fetus, and relevant information on the potential survival of a fetus at that stage of development; the risks associated with carrying the pregnancy to term; the name of the physician who will perform the abortion; and the availability of ultrasounds and fetal heart tone services. These women would not receive this additional information: that medical assistance benefits may be available for prenatal care, childbirth, and neonatal care; that the "father" is liable for child support; and that adoption alternatives are available and that the adoptive parents may legally pay the costs of prenatal care, childbirth, and neonatal care. In addition they could proceed to an abortive procedure with no waiting period to consider all of the ramifications of their decision. (Currently they must wait 18 hours to consider all of their options.)
Physicians, hospitals, and hospital staff members would no longer have the protection of Indiana laws to refuse to provide abortions based on moral or ethical beliefs.
Minors would no longer need parental consent to have an abortion, and parents would not even need to be notified that such a procedure occurred.
Abortions could be preformed by people other than Indiana licensed physicians and in places other than licensed hospitals or surgical centers.
Babies who had grown to the point where they could survive outside the womb would no longer have protection under Indiana law, making second and third trimester abortions and partial-birth abortions legal.
These facts are not from pro-life sources. All of this information comes from The National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) website.
From a biblical perspective, scripture is clear – God asks us to choose life.
Deuteronomy 30:19 reads: This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live . . . (NIV)
Scripture says that life begins in the womb.
Read Psalm 139:13-16: For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (NIV)
Even if scripture were not clear, the “Freedom of Choice Act” actually removes freedoms and safeguards that most Hoosiers hold dear.
Women who were considering abortions would not have the freedom to make an informed choice.
Physicians, hospitals, and hospital staff would no longer have the freedom to follow their own convictions of ethical and moral behavior. Rather, they would be faced with a choice of their own: stop preacticing medicine altogether, or move to a nation that believes in freedom of choice for medical professionals.
Parents would no longer have the freedom of being with their minor daughters during a major medical procedure, nor would they have the freedom of giving their minor daughters guidance and counsel. Children would, in effect, become wards of the state once they are born.
Communities would no longer have the freedom of deciding who can perform abortions and where they can be performed. Nothing would prevent unqualified persons from performing abortions in neighborhoods, schools, or hotel rooms.
Finally, infants would no longer have the freedom to fight for life. Regardless of their “viability” outside the womb, infants who were not “completely” born could have their lives snuffed out with the blessing of the federal government.
That’s where we come in. This is still a nation “of the people, by the people, and for the people” and you and I still have a voice.
So, if you value freedom then speak up! Write, call, and e-mail your national leaders, your Senators and Congresmen and women. Let President Bush and President-elect Obama know that you do not want them to sign that bill if it passes congress.
If you believe in the authority of the Word of God then your responsibility is greater. Not only do you need to use your voice to protect freedom and the lives of the unborn, you have the obligation to pray for your leaders that they will make wise and God-honoring choices. Pray for women who find themselves in the midst of an unwanted pregnancy. Give to ministries like the Henry County Pregancy Care Center and CRADLES that care for women who choose to keep their children. Consider adopting infants born to women who cannot keep their children, or supporting an adoptive family financially.
If we refuse to act, if our busy lives “prevent” us from excersicing our constitutional freedom of speech or our constitutional responsibility of self government, if we remain silent out of fear or apathy, we will lose many of our freedoms to a law called the Freedom of Choice Act. The choice is yours.
Visit my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719).
Photos and videos are posted at my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/)
Thanks for reading!
In the halls of our nation’s capital, legislators are considering HR1964 and S1173. These are the United States House and Senate bills titled “The Freedom of Choice Act”. The bills are nearly identical, only about 2 pages long each, and you can read them at your leisure on the internet. Unfortunately, as Christians, we do not have the luxury of being leisurely in our response to this “act” of Congress.
If these bills are passed and signed into law by the President it would impact Indiana communities in the following ways.
Abortions after the first 12 weeks would become legal. (Abortions in the first 12 weeks are already legal.)
A requirement would be removed that women considering abortions be given information regarding: the nature of the proposed procedure; the risks of and alternatives to the procedure; the probable gestational age of the fetus, including an offer to provide a picture or drawing of a fetus, the dimensions of a fetus, and relevant information on the potential survival of a fetus at that stage of development; the risks associated with carrying the pregnancy to term; the name of the physician who will perform the abortion; and the availability of ultrasounds and fetal heart tone services. These women would not receive this additional information: that medical assistance benefits may be available for prenatal care, childbirth, and neonatal care; that the "father" is liable for child support; and that adoption alternatives are available and that the adoptive parents may legally pay the costs of prenatal care, childbirth, and neonatal care. In addition they could proceed to an abortive procedure with no waiting period to consider all of the ramifications of their decision. (Currently they must wait 18 hours to consider all of their options.)
Physicians, hospitals, and hospital staff members would no longer have the protection of Indiana laws to refuse to provide abortions based on moral or ethical beliefs.
Minors would no longer need parental consent to have an abortion, and parents would not even need to be notified that such a procedure occurred.
Abortions could be preformed by people other than Indiana licensed physicians and in places other than licensed hospitals or surgical centers.
Babies who had grown to the point where they could survive outside the womb would no longer have protection under Indiana law, making second and third trimester abortions and partial-birth abortions legal.
These facts are not from pro-life sources. All of this information comes from The National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) website.
From a biblical perspective, scripture is clear – God asks us to choose life.
Deuteronomy 30:19 reads: This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live . . . (NIV)
Scripture says that life begins in the womb.
Read Psalm 139:13-16: For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (NIV)
Even if scripture were not clear, the “Freedom of Choice Act” actually removes freedoms and safeguards that most Hoosiers hold dear.
Women who were considering abortions would not have the freedom to make an informed choice.
Physicians, hospitals, and hospital staff would no longer have the freedom to follow their own convictions of ethical and moral behavior. Rather, they would be faced with a choice of their own: stop preacticing medicine altogether, or move to a nation that believes in freedom of choice for medical professionals.
Parents would no longer have the freedom of being with their minor daughters during a major medical procedure, nor would they have the freedom of giving their minor daughters guidance and counsel. Children would, in effect, become wards of the state once they are born.
Communities would no longer have the freedom of deciding who can perform abortions and where they can be performed. Nothing would prevent unqualified persons from performing abortions in neighborhoods, schools, or hotel rooms.
Finally, infants would no longer have the freedom to fight for life. Regardless of their “viability” outside the womb, infants who were not “completely” born could have their lives snuffed out with the blessing of the federal government.
That’s where we come in. This is still a nation “of the people, by the people, and for the people” and you and I still have a voice.
So, if you value freedom then speak up! Write, call, and e-mail your national leaders, your Senators and Congresmen and women. Let President Bush and President-elect Obama know that you do not want them to sign that bill if it passes congress.
If you believe in the authority of the Word of God then your responsibility is greater. Not only do you need to use your voice to protect freedom and the lives of the unborn, you have the obligation to pray for your leaders that they will make wise and God-honoring choices. Pray for women who find themselves in the midst of an unwanted pregnancy. Give to ministries like the Henry County Pregancy Care Center and CRADLES that care for women who choose to keep their children. Consider adopting infants born to women who cannot keep their children, or supporting an adoptive family financially.
If we refuse to act, if our busy lives “prevent” us from excersicing our constitutional freedom of speech or our constitutional responsibility of self government, if we remain silent out of fear or apathy, we will lose many of our freedoms to a law called the Freedom of Choice Act. The choice is yours.
Visit my Facebook Page (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=504321719).
Photos and videos are posted at my Flickr.com Page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtisferrell/)
Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Letter to the Editor - 7 October, 2008
We’ve been robbed. The Bailout Bill is nothing short of election-year robbery. I’ve read the contents of the bill and it makes me sick. You can find it on the internet and read it too. If you do, you will discover that your $700-billion in tax money, money that was “urgently needed to avoid an economic disaster not seen since the depression”, was spent on the following items: renewable energy credits; carbon mitigation and coal provisions; increase and extension of oil spill liability trust fund tax; deduction for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers; extension of mine rescue team training credit; Indian employment credit; railroad track maintenance; seven-year cost recovery period for motorsports racing track facility; extension and modification of duty suspension on wool products; wool research fund; wool duty refunds; provisions related to film and television productions; exemption from excise tax for certain wooden arrows designed for use by children; mental health parity; increase in limit on cover over of rum excise tax to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands; secure payments for states and counties containing federal land, among other things.
Do any of these items help with the emergency action to free credit markets from being clogged with bad mortgages that were mandated by congress? Even a fifth-grader could answer that question correctly. And yet, the President of the United States pushed for it, both of the major Presidential Candidates voted for it, one Vice-Presidential Candidate voted for it (the other is a governor but would have voted for it if she could), and both of our Indiana Senators voted for it.
I have come to a conclusion. The supporters of this bill are either ignorant, or cowards, or crooks.
Maybe they didn’t know what they were voting for or supporting. Do you really want someone that ignorant leading our nation anywhere?
Maybe they knew what was in the bill, but were afraid NOT to vote for it; afraid for political reasons or afraid for economic reasons. Do you really want cowards leading your nation anywhere?
Or maybe they new exactly what they were doing, and for financial gain and/or to maintain political power they mortgaged our nation into the next two or three generations. Do we really want crooks and liars leading this nation anywhere?
There are no other options: ignorance, cowardice, or robbery.
To add insult to injury, the “crisis” was generated by congress who mandated home loans at below market cost, to individuals who could not pay for loans, on houses that were overpriced. This initial mandate was made to pay for the votes of the new home owners, who are now facing foreclosure and/or bankruptcy as a result of their bargain. The banks, who went along with this scheme, made decisions they would never have made under normal market conditions because of corporate greed, and as a result are now facing bank failures of a magnitude not seen in generations.
So the ignorant, or cowardly, or crooked politicians are covering the mess they created by giving more money to the greedy financial institutions, and the unwise and overextended home owners, by taking money from hard working, tax paying individuals who HAVE made good decisions! Does any of this make you upset?
As far as I can see, the only politician, on a national level, who has been looking out for East Central Indiana is Congressman Mike Pence who, even under strong pressure from his party’s President and his party’s Presidential Candidate, has stood strong against this unprecedented power-grab and money-grab-legislation.
I don’t say this as a political endorsement; it’s simply a mater of fact. President Bush, Senators Bayh and Lugar, Presidential Candidates Obama and McCain, and Vice-Presidential Candidates Biden and Governor Palin (by lending her support) have ALL picked our pockets for the next several decades.
What are we going to do about it? Is this still a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people”, or is it a government of cowardly, ignorant, power-hungry crooks masquerading as political statesmen and women?
If you remain silent, you willingly open your pocketbook to the next generation of what used to be called civil servants. It’s time to do something. Someone just stole $700-billion dollars that belonged to you. Who’s going to hold them accountable?
Thanks for reading!
Do any of these items help with the emergency action to free credit markets from being clogged with bad mortgages that were mandated by congress? Even a fifth-grader could answer that question correctly. And yet, the President of the United States pushed for it, both of the major Presidential Candidates voted for it, one Vice-Presidential Candidate voted for it (the other is a governor but would have voted for it if she could), and both of our Indiana Senators voted for it.
I have come to a conclusion. The supporters of this bill are either ignorant, or cowards, or crooks.
Maybe they didn’t know what they were voting for or supporting. Do you really want someone that ignorant leading our nation anywhere?
Maybe they knew what was in the bill, but were afraid NOT to vote for it; afraid for political reasons or afraid for economic reasons. Do you really want cowards leading your nation anywhere?
Or maybe they new exactly what they were doing, and for financial gain and/or to maintain political power they mortgaged our nation into the next two or three generations. Do we really want crooks and liars leading this nation anywhere?
There are no other options: ignorance, cowardice, or robbery.
To add insult to injury, the “crisis” was generated by congress who mandated home loans at below market cost, to individuals who could not pay for loans, on houses that were overpriced. This initial mandate was made to pay for the votes of the new home owners, who are now facing foreclosure and/or bankruptcy as a result of their bargain. The banks, who went along with this scheme, made decisions they would never have made under normal market conditions because of corporate greed, and as a result are now facing bank failures of a magnitude not seen in generations.
So the ignorant, or cowardly, or crooked politicians are covering the mess they created by giving more money to the greedy financial institutions, and the unwise and overextended home owners, by taking money from hard working, tax paying individuals who HAVE made good decisions! Does any of this make you upset?
As far as I can see, the only politician, on a national level, who has been looking out for East Central Indiana is Congressman Mike Pence who, even under strong pressure from his party’s President and his party’s Presidential Candidate, has stood strong against this unprecedented power-grab and money-grab-legislation.
I don’t say this as a political endorsement; it’s simply a mater of fact. President Bush, Senators Bayh and Lugar, Presidential Candidates Obama and McCain, and Vice-Presidential Candidates Biden and Governor Palin (by lending her support) have ALL picked our pockets for the next several decades.
What are we going to do about it? Is this still a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people”, or is it a government of cowardly, ignorant, power-hungry crooks masquerading as political statesmen and women?
If you remain silent, you willingly open your pocketbook to the next generation of what used to be called civil servants. It’s time to do something. Someone just stole $700-billion dollars that belonged to you. Who’s going to hold them accountable?
Thanks for reading!
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