My best girl knows very well how much I enjoy blogging. When she got home today, the first thing she told me was, "I have some blogging material for you!" I was naturally intrigued, and she proceeded to tell me her story. Allow me to share it with you.
My wife and a few of her coworkers had made plans to go out to lunch. When they arrived at the restaurant, they noticed that one of the women had brought a coworker that had not been in the group invitation. While that, in itself, was not a problem, they recognized this man as an unpleasant individual they had to deal with occasionally. This is a man who made demands for which he had no authority, looked for any reason to avoid work, and grew angry when my wife and her coworkers would not cooperate with his schemes.
Nevertheless, they looked past their personal histories with this man and sat down to enjoy their lunch. As is the case with most work lunches, time was a factor. There was light conversation, but all parties were mostly focused on their meals. Then, unprovoked by any one present, the uninvited coworker shocked my sweetheart and her friends:
"I didn't know I'd be having lunch with a bunch of homophobes."
My wife, along with everyone else, was shocked. They had not gone out of their way to be kind to this man, but they had treated him with nothing but civility at this lunch. In fact, they had no prior knowledge of his sexual orientation. They didn't enjoy interacting with him because HE WASN'T A NICE PERSON.
This is the delusion of the radical left. There is no debate on the failures of Obamacare. 'Barack Obama is only being persecuted because he's black!' There is no debate on climate change. 'Climate change critics only want to protect big oil!' There's no debate on same-sex marriage. 'Religious zealouts are bigots who hate love!' Harry Reid is perhaps one of the worst offenders in this area. A year and a half after the tragedy in Benghazi, critical information concerning the Obama Administration's response was given up BY MEANS OF LEGAL ACTION. So, predictably, there is no debate on Benghazi... 'Roger Goodell should take immediate action to change the racism in his league!'
Huh?
Reid was referring to the Washington Redskins, who have been criticized by some for a so-called out-dated and insensitive name. It was the perfect issue, both to avoid the Benghazi incident and jump on the bandwagon of those criticizing the racism of Donald Sterling. For the record, Sterlings comments were abhorrent, and he deserves the fallout he is experiencing. But where does Roger Goodell fit into this? And why doesn't Harry Reid have anything better to do than create issues of race? Shouldn't he be ranting about the Koch Brothers with every breath. (Watch this for a laugh. Credit to the Washington Free Beacon)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP7V0hrt1aw
I can only think of two reasons why men like Harry Reid and his radical ilk would follow a line of political discourse like this. The first, is that they know they have no rational answer to conservative points. I truly hope this madness is attributable to their cowardice in the face of real issues. The more disturbing alternative, is that these radicals actually believe that what they say is both relevant and a valid counterargument. If that is the case, then the liberal party is in danger of losing all logic, courtesy, and decency in their political party.
Dear reader, I have faith in my liberal friends. I know that not all of them are part of this radical line of thinking. I hope that they will recognize the foolishness of the radicals in their party and join with conservatives to remove those who try to spread this madness. This is vital to preserving a healthy political state in America.
Andrew
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Easter Promises
Happy Easter, dear reader! I pray that you are taking time today to celebrate the fulfilled promise of our Lord Jesus and to be with your loved ones. I know that I will be doing so starting with sunrise service at 6 AM in an hour (yes, I'm writing this at 4:51 AM). It's the first Easter I have the privilege of celebrating at my new Church home: Peace Lutheran Church here in Des Moines.
The fulfillment of the Easter promise today brings us the blessing of grace through our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ's triumph over death absolves us of our sin, counts us among God's children, and promises the ultimate and final blessing: life after death in the very presence our dear Lord. I could write in depth about this Easter promise, but I believe it is better left to those who are more articulate in their writing. Instead, I'd like to share with you some other specific promises this Easter brings to me.
On February 8, my best girl and I were married in Oskaloosa, Iowa. I won't pretend that, two months into marriage, that I know anything at all about married life. Still, I thank God every day for the beautiful woman by my side, one of my Lord's greatest gifts to me. So as I ponder Jesus's promise this Easter, I take the time to, first, remember the promises we made to each other: to love, honor, and cherish each other. Second, I take the time to pray that we are blessed with countless Easter Sundays together. Even after considering these things, I can anticipate with joy our life together after death, in heaven.
On July 12 (approximately), our little family will add a new member. Elizabeth Hazel is a blessing that brings me overwhelming happiness every single day. Tiffany and I have spent this weekend already planning for next Easter, when little Eliza will be old enough to toddle around collecting Easter eggs. We pictured our little family at Easter service, celebrating with our Church family. God has promised us this amazing gift, and -- by his grace -- we will see it fulfilled this summer. She'll be the first of our little gifts from God, but certainly not the last!
After service today, I will make the short drive down to Osceola to see the rest of my loving family. It's not often that we can all come together, so I thank God again for today. He has brought all of us through our individual struggles and kept us together through everything we've gone through as a family. I cannot possibly express how thankful I am for each of them, individually, much less how grateful I am to have such a wonderful family.
I know the focus of Easter Sunday is the promise and blessing of Grace through our Lord's death and resurrection. Still, I don't think he'll mind my recognition and appreciation of his other gifts either. I pray he blesses you, dear reader, and your loved ones this Easter.
Andrew
The fulfillment of the Easter promise today brings us the blessing of grace through our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ's triumph over death absolves us of our sin, counts us among God's children, and promises the ultimate and final blessing: life after death in the very presence our dear Lord. I could write in depth about this Easter promise, but I believe it is better left to those who are more articulate in their writing. Instead, I'd like to share with you some other specific promises this Easter brings to me.
On February 8, my best girl and I were married in Oskaloosa, Iowa. I won't pretend that, two months into marriage, that I know anything at all about married life. Still, I thank God every day for the beautiful woman by my side, one of my Lord's greatest gifts to me. So as I ponder Jesus's promise this Easter, I take the time to, first, remember the promises we made to each other: to love, honor, and cherish each other. Second, I take the time to pray that we are blessed with countless Easter Sundays together. Even after considering these things, I can anticipate with joy our life together after death, in heaven.
On July 12 (approximately), our little family will add a new member. Elizabeth Hazel is a blessing that brings me overwhelming happiness every single day. Tiffany and I have spent this weekend already planning for next Easter, when little Eliza will be old enough to toddle around collecting Easter eggs. We pictured our little family at Easter service, celebrating with our Church family. God has promised us this amazing gift, and -- by his grace -- we will see it fulfilled this summer. She'll be the first of our little gifts from God, but certainly not the last!
After service today, I will make the short drive down to Osceola to see the rest of my loving family. It's not often that we can all come together, so I thank God again for today. He has brought all of us through our individual struggles and kept us together through everything we've gone through as a family. I cannot possibly express how thankful I am for each of them, individually, much less how grateful I am to have such a wonderful family.
I know the focus of Easter Sunday is the promise and blessing of Grace through our Lord's death and resurrection. Still, I don't think he'll mind my recognition and appreciation of his other gifts either. I pray he blesses you, dear reader, and your loved ones this Easter.
Andrew
Monday, April 14, 2014
21st Century Racism and Bigotry
Allow me to transcribe a clip from one of my favorite television shows, "Community." For context, Jeff Winger and his study club have just "busted" three German students who were celebrating Octoberfest.
"But there were dozens of students at that Octoberfest!"
"But you were the only GERMAN students celebrating GERMAN culture, and here at Greendale that is a big, fat no-no. We frown on anyone celebrating their own cultural heritage. I mean, if the Hasidic student union wants to host a Kwanzaa celebration, 'you go Jews,' but Hanukkah, 'no sir!' It's why I keep a detailed list of every student's race and nationality, to prevent racism and nationalism!"
That last sentence is the real kicker. I have yet to see a better description of the left's mentality. The race card has been played (and played out) to to the point where some people will use their own inherent racism to create issues of race where there are none. Racism is used as the knee-jerk reaction to any Republican attempt to oppose any legislature. It has been seen in debates over Obamacare, pay disparities, minimum wage, and voter registration, to name just a few.
Attorney General Eric Holder is one of the worst offenders in this bigotry on racism. After a house judiciary committee hearing April 8, where Republican Louis Gohmert voiced legitimate concerns concerning the Fast and Furious gun-running scandal, the attorney general went to speak before Al Sharpton's National Action Network. Here's the transcript:
"Forget about me. Forget about me. You look at the way the Attorney General of the United States was treated yesterday by a House committee. It had nothing to do with me; forget about that! What attorney general has ever had to deal with that kind of treatment? What president has ever had to deal with that kind of treatment?"
Nevermind that Attorney General Holder was held in contempt for refusing to provide documents related to the Fast and Furious gun-running scandal. Nevermind that he is the first attorney general in U.S. history to be held in contempt. Nevermind that he has abandoned his oath to represent the people in order to pursue his own agenda. He is a black man, so Mr. Gohmert must be a racist! Attacking the house committee's members for asking legitimate questions is -- make no mistake, dear reader -- a blatant act of racism AGAINST HIS OWN RACE!
On a side note, let me clarify something else: racism is NOT discrimination against blacks, hispanics, asians, or any other specific race. Racism is discrimination against ANY PERSON based on their race, whatever that race may be! I acknowledge that there are specific ethnicities that have faced more adversity, especially in the last century. The atrocities committed by hateful people against the Jewish people during the Holocaust, against blacks during the civil rights movement, against the Japanese during the WWII internment are all reprehensible. However, bringing the hatred of the past into arguments of the present is a crutch; it is an excuse to avoid the real argument. It is the defense of a weak-minded person.
Dr. King's infamous "I have a dream" speech painted a picture of an America free from all racial constraints. He did not envision a world where minorities are given specific advantages in college and job applications based on the color of their skin. He did not envision a world where asking voters to show a photo ID is considered an act of racism. He did not envision a world where people can't engage in rational discussion with each other for fear of offending someone. He dreamed of a world where people are judged, not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
So ask yourself, dear reader, are we closer to that vision today? Or are we regressing once again into a polarized society divided by racial discrimination?
Andrew
Sources:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/04/13/gop-base-includes-racist-elements-congressman-charges/?hpt=po_c2
Sources:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/04/13/gop-base-includes-racist-elements-congressman-charges/?hpt=po_c2
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/holder-what-attorney-generals-ever-had-deal-kind-treatment
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Captain America Will Save Us All
I just finished my second viewing of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." I have to tell you, dear reader, that given my high expectations for the movie and the fact that sequels rarely live up to the original, this was an excellent film. If you haven't already seen it, I'd highly recommend you go do it!
The Sentinel of Liberty has always been my favorite superhero. I love all things Captain America: movies, comics, pez dispensers, pajamas, (yes, I wear Captain America pajamas) and anything with the emblem of the star-spangled avenger. I even read a book recently called "The Virtues of Captain America," by Mark D. White. When I take the time to do something for my wife, or for our baby, or for our home, she refers to me as her "Captain America." If only I were so lucky.
I am building to a point here. I'm not just expressing my "man-crush" on Captain America. I love Steve Rogers because of what he represents. He is the personification of everything we all wish we could be. He is often called, "the man out of time," but I believe that we could all use a little more of the Cap in our lives.
Obviously, Captain America's patriotism runs deep. However, his true loyalty is not to the United States. It is, rather, to the principles which she espouses: freedom, justice, truth, responsibility. The Captain has always shown that he is willing to die to protect these ideals for the American people. A RESPONSIBILITY that he bore to protect our RIGHTS.
(I'm getting a little worked up; sometimes I can forget that Steve Rogers is not a real person.)
As citizens of the United States, dear reader, we were meant to share Captain America's task. We are guaranteed our God-given rights, because we live in a free country. While this is a blessing for Americans, it has led over the course of time to a depreciated value of those rights and what it took to earn them. As a result, we now live in an age of entitlement. There are people who believe that it is their right to have anything their heart desires. There are people who believe that they have the right to obtain anything the want without working for it. Anything that violates the "me first" mentality, is irrelevant to these people. I do not exaggerate when I say that this will lead to a morally bankrupt society. We have a RESPONSIBILITY to live our lives in a manner which benefits our families, loved ones, and all the people of this great country.
The Captain can "save" our country by reminding us of the merits of traditional values. Now don't get me wrong; I know that there are beliefs and cultural norms from our past that we have rightfully left behind. However, the overwhelming majority of traditional ideals would benefit all of us today. Let me take you through a few of them.
1) Godly people are moral people. I don't constrict this statement to Christianity. While the principles of our different religions may vary greatly, we share aspects of traditional ideals. We should be outspoken in society about our beliefs. They are what help us to live honorable and moral lives.
(And yes, I know that atheists and agnostics are often moral people, too. However, I believe that even though they don't recognize it; that God wrote his natural law upon their hearts when he created them.)
2) Family first. This is pretty self-explanatory. Strong families build strong communities, which build strong states, which builds a strong nation, etc. As a new father, I am admittedly inexperienced on this topic. However, it doesn't take a great leap of logic to know that parents have the responsibility to teach their children right and wrong. Our job is not to let our children pursue 'whatever makes them happy.' I know this is an unpopular view, but there are many choices that children shouldn't be allowed to make. Biologically, their brains haven't developed fully to the point where they can make responsible decisions. Firm yet loving parents raise moral and responsible children.
3) Love our country. This is probably the trickiest to phrase. Make no mistake: I am not saying love our government. When the government attempts to engage in tyranny, resistance is not only acceptable but necessary! That being said, anarchy is just as unacceptable as tyranny. While we have the right to disagree with our elected officials, we have to remember that we put them there and we can remove them from their positions safely and through legal means. By love our country, I believe -- like Captain America believes -- that we should remember the ideals which this country stands for.
Oh, look at that. Faith, family, country.
Andrew.
Obviously, Captain America's patriotism runs deep. However, his true loyalty is not to the United States. It is, rather, to the principles which she espouses: freedom, justice, truth, responsibility. The Captain has always shown that he is willing to die to protect these ideals for the American people. A RESPONSIBILITY that he bore to protect our RIGHTS.
(I'm getting a little worked up; sometimes I can forget that Steve Rogers is not a real person.)
As citizens of the United States, dear reader, we were meant to share Captain America's task. We are guaranteed our God-given rights, because we live in a free country. While this is a blessing for Americans, it has led over the course of time to a depreciated value of those rights and what it took to earn them. As a result, we now live in an age of entitlement. There are people who believe that it is their right to have anything their heart desires. There are people who believe that they have the right to obtain anything the want without working for it. Anything that violates the "me first" mentality, is irrelevant to these people. I do not exaggerate when I say that this will lead to a morally bankrupt society. We have a RESPONSIBILITY to live our lives in a manner which benefits our families, loved ones, and all the people of this great country.
The Captain can "save" our country by reminding us of the merits of traditional values. Now don't get me wrong; I know that there are beliefs and cultural norms from our past that we have rightfully left behind. However, the overwhelming majority of traditional ideals would benefit all of us today. Let me take you through a few of them.
1) Godly people are moral people. I don't constrict this statement to Christianity. While the principles of our different religions may vary greatly, we share aspects of traditional ideals. We should be outspoken in society about our beliefs. They are what help us to live honorable and moral lives.
(And yes, I know that atheists and agnostics are often moral people, too. However, I believe that even though they don't recognize it; that God wrote his natural law upon their hearts when he created them.)
2) Family first. This is pretty self-explanatory. Strong families build strong communities, which build strong states, which builds a strong nation, etc. As a new father, I am admittedly inexperienced on this topic. However, it doesn't take a great leap of logic to know that parents have the responsibility to teach their children right and wrong. Our job is not to let our children pursue 'whatever makes them happy.' I know this is an unpopular view, but there are many choices that children shouldn't be allowed to make. Biologically, their brains haven't developed fully to the point where they can make responsible decisions. Firm yet loving parents raise moral and responsible children.
3) Love our country. This is probably the trickiest to phrase. Make no mistake: I am not saying love our government. When the government attempts to engage in tyranny, resistance is not only acceptable but necessary! That being said, anarchy is just as unacceptable as tyranny. While we have the right to disagree with our elected officials, we have to remember that we put them there and we can remove them from their positions safely and through legal means. By love our country, I believe -- like Captain America believes -- that we should remember the ideals which this country stands for.
Oh, look at that. Faith, family, country.
Andrew.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Anti-Same-Sex Marriage and the Death of Free Thought
Or you know, as rational people like to call it... traditional marriage.
Conservative views are constantly being put on the defensive by the media, because radical liberals insist on twisting support of conservative ideals into an attack against people who don't share their views. That's why a pro-life defender is labeled an anti-abortionist. In this case, we have a supporter for traditional marriage who has come under attack for supporting anti-same-sex marriage legislation.
Brendan Eich is the newly appointed CEO for Mozilla Firefox, the widely known -- though maybe obsolete -- web browser. He has come under attack for a donation he made to support Proposition 8, banning same-sex marriage in California. His donation of $1000 came in 2008 was made public in 2012. Now the dating site OkCupid has a message for any users that try to access the site through Firefox:
More sinister, however, is this message:
"Those who seek to deny love and instead enforce misery, shame and frustration are our enemies, and we wish them nothing but failure."
I don't know where to begin... I've been fuming about this since 8 AM. Let's start with the facts. Brendan Eich is an honest man who made a donation to support a cause in which he believed in 2008. He has made no public rallying cries for Prop 8 or used Firefox as a medium to spread his viewpoint. He stood up for what he believed. Now members of his own board of directors are seeking to have him removed from his position.
Views on gay marriage aside, let's think about this from a civil liberties aspect. If this man is fired for this incident, he will have been fired for having religious beliefs. He will not be fired for screaming his personal views at coworkers or using company funds to promote his cause. He will be fired for having beliefs not in line with the self-righteous radical liberals. Firefox has since forced Eich into releasing a statement where he asserts his belief in ALL love. I have to wonder, dear reader, what they would have done to him had he refused.
When I had a moment to calm down, I realized how funny the situation is. These people are so deluded, so indoctrinated in their hate for conservative values, that they engage in absolute hypocrisy. Visit the site FCKH8.com (if you can stomach it). You'll find a series of videos where gays and straights alike forsake courteous discourse, or for that matter even intelligent discourse. They string together a string of phrases punctuated with numerous profanities -- many of which are said cheerfully by exploited children. They are preaching a message of persecution in the name of their so-called cause for equality.
Many of you are probably getting angry and thinking that I must hate all gay people and gay marriage. Remember, this is not an issue of gay marriage. These liberals dismiss their own hatred and intolerance because, to them, it's helping the greater good (I could go on a tangent about the obedient lapdogs of statism, but I'll save that for another day). This hypocrisy is fine, but should a conservative man quietly stand up for his traditional values, then all hell breaks loose. "He's a bigot." "He hates all gay people." Unfortunately, we've heard it all before.
I could go on with this all day, but I won't ramble on and waste your time. Just remember, dear reader, that these radicals want to take away your free speech and your free thought. They want to subjugate us all until we are forced to abandon all the ideals that we hold dear. We have to fight this now. We have to stand together on these principles:
1) I have the right to defend my religious beliefs and to practice them as I see fit
2) I have the right to support the ideals that I believe best for my family
3) I have the right to celebrate the liberty granted to me by this great country.
DON'T TREAD ON ME.
Andrew
Citations:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/31/tech/web/firefox-okcupid-protest/index.html?iref=allsearch
Conservative views are constantly being put on the defensive by the media, because radical liberals insist on twisting support of conservative ideals into an attack against people who don't share their views. That's why a pro-life defender is labeled an anti-abortionist. In this case, we have a supporter for traditional marriage who has come under attack for supporting anti-same-sex marriage legislation.
Brendan Eich is the newly appointed CEO for Mozilla Firefox, the widely known -- though maybe obsolete -- web browser. He has come under attack for a donation he made to support Proposition 8, banning same-sex marriage in California. His donation of $1000 came in 2008 was made public in 2012. Now the dating site OkCupid has a message for any users that try to access the site through Firefox:
More sinister, however, is this message:
"Those who seek to deny love and instead enforce misery, shame and frustration are our enemies, and we wish them nothing but failure."
I don't know where to begin... I've been fuming about this since 8 AM. Let's start with the facts. Brendan Eich is an honest man who made a donation to support a cause in which he believed in 2008. He has made no public rallying cries for Prop 8 or used Firefox as a medium to spread his viewpoint. He stood up for what he believed. Now members of his own board of directors are seeking to have him removed from his position.
Views on gay marriage aside, let's think about this from a civil liberties aspect. If this man is fired for this incident, he will have been fired for having religious beliefs. He will not be fired for screaming his personal views at coworkers or using company funds to promote his cause. He will be fired for having beliefs not in line with the self-righteous radical liberals. Firefox has since forced Eich into releasing a statement where he asserts his belief in ALL love. I have to wonder, dear reader, what they would have done to him had he refused.
When I had a moment to calm down, I realized how funny the situation is. These people are so deluded, so indoctrinated in their hate for conservative values, that they engage in absolute hypocrisy. Visit the site FCKH8.com (if you can stomach it). You'll find a series of videos where gays and straights alike forsake courteous discourse, or for that matter even intelligent discourse. They string together a string of phrases punctuated with numerous profanities -- many of which are said cheerfully by exploited children. They are preaching a message of persecution in the name of their so-called cause for equality.
Many of you are probably getting angry and thinking that I must hate all gay people and gay marriage. Remember, this is not an issue of gay marriage. These liberals dismiss their own hatred and intolerance because, to them, it's helping the greater good (I could go on a tangent about the obedient lapdogs of statism, but I'll save that for another day). This hypocrisy is fine, but should a conservative man quietly stand up for his traditional values, then all hell breaks loose. "He's a bigot." "He hates all gay people." Unfortunately, we've heard it all before.
I could go on with this all day, but I won't ramble on and waste your time. Just remember, dear reader, that these radicals want to take away your free speech and your free thought. They want to subjugate us all until we are forced to abandon all the ideals that we hold dear. We have to fight this now. We have to stand together on these principles:
1) I have the right to defend my religious beliefs and to practice them as I see fit
2) I have the right to support the ideals that I believe best for my family
3) I have the right to celebrate the liberty granted to me by this great country.
DON'T TREAD ON ME.
Andrew
Citations:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/31/tech/web/firefox-okcupid-protest/index.html?iref=allsearch
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