"Non-filer Syndrome"

This is pretty funny. A politician didn't file taxes for five years - five years - and now his lawyers claim it is because he has "non-filer syndrome."

Now, if he was a little late I could see an argument that he was absent minded. But for a politician to forget to pay his taxes for five years is just absurd. It is also interesting that he was not caught for five years.

See the whole story here.

Homeless man set ablaze!

I'm not even sure what to say about this. It is a terrible thing when people are being burned alive for fun. One person is quoted by the AP as saying: "They think the person is less than human because they happen to be homeless."

It is sad that this is the direction our country is going. Really it sounds a lot like the rational for abortion - "they think he is less than human because he is still in Mom's belly."

If we continue to teach our kids it is okay to kill babies before they leave Mom's belly, why are we surprised when they grow up and kill homeless people who they think are less than human?

Same-sex marriage

Now, I am certain that marriage was originally intended to be between one man and one woman. That being the case, why is it wrong for marriage to be limited to one man and one woman? I don't see how it is discriminatory for marriage to remain as it was intended.

Apparently the Conn. Court disagrees with me. They say (as recorded by MSNBC): "Interpreting our state constitutional provisions in accordance with firmly established equal protection principles leads inevitably to the conclusion that gay persons are entitled to marry the otherwise qualified same sex partner of their choice."

If we continue to allow the courts to legislate from the bench what will happen next? The rational used to justify same-sex marriage is not far from what it would take to justify marriage for those who practice polygamy, bestiality, or any other sexual perversion.

Homosexual High

Are you ready for your teenage kids to have the choice to choose to go to a Homosexual High School. A place that is designed around the idea that people are made to be Gay, Lesbian, and Trans gender? I certainly am not. The worst thing is that is appears to be a publicly funded school in Chicago. Fox News has more details.

Now, in case this isn't bad enough, Gloucester is now handing out contraceptives. You may remember Gloucester as the school with the 'pregnancy pact.' Now to solve that problem, the school is going to hand out contraceptives. Wow - it just seems like they are going the wrong way - in stead of fighting the problem (extra-marital sex) we are fighting the results (pregnancy).

1 Cor 6:9-11 says: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

In our society we are promoting most of these behaviors that God condemns. God help us.

The price of security

How much is too much to pay for security? We could live in a much more secure nation, but that would require much less freedom. For example there are x-ray machines that only see through your clothes - if we install these at airports (train stations, etc) then it will be more difficult for people to sneak contraband onto the planes and cause others danger. But, as the Washington Post says: "are you ready to get naked for your country?"

Another example of where security and freedom go head to head is with wiretapping. We have all heard the news, and it is back again, the USA is listening when we talk to our friends. Newsday has a nice cartoon (here) that adds some humor to the wiretapping situation.

But the question is still, how much is too much? I wouldn't mind people listening to may calls when I am in the Middle East (if I ever went there). But I'm not sure I want to be strip searched every time I enter a plane.

The Stock Market ... is it really that bad?

A man killed himself and his entire family because he was going broke (article is here). How very sad.

It is true that: "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money" (Mathew 6:24). This man, Mr. Rajaram seemed to have chosen money as his god. When his god could not help him he did not know what to do.

I wish I could say that this kind of evil will subside, but the scriptures are clear: "for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." As the market continues to be in turmoil, more evil will ensue. As people lose their money, they will lose their sense of contentment and security, then we can only pray they will turn to God instead of some kind of evil.

How to lose weight!

I think I finally figured out a diet that works - chopsticks! One news report claimed that: "Those with body-mass indexes in the normal range were also 2.5 times more likely to use chopsticks" [ref].

I have used chopsticks before and I think this news article has it backwards. You see, chopsticks are so hard to use that the people who use them loose weight because they are not able to eat as much. So, it is not so much that skinny people use chopsticks as it is that chopsticks that makes people skinny.

I don't know about you, but I am going to the store tonight, gonna get some chopsticks!

But then again, gluttony is sinful. Maybe a better solution would be self-control. For it is written: "Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control" (Proverbs 25:28).

The big bad bailout

Wow ... 700 Billion Dollars ... you have got to be kidding. How are we ever going to learn to be responsible when someone is always there to bail us out?

Children don't learn - it is the schools fault. Burn yourself with hot coffee - it is McDonald's fault. Purchase a house you can not not afford - it is the banks fault. When will we learn that we must take responsibility for our own actions?

It is enough that we don't want to own up to our own mistakes, but the fact that the Government is going to bail us out is absolutely ridiculous. We are creating a false economy, at some point it is going to collapse, the longer we wait the harder it will be.

But what really gets me is this: "Exemption from excise tax for certain wooden arrows designed for use by children" (pg 263, the bailout bill). Why do we need to make wooden arrows tax exempt? I'm not sure if it has to do with global warming or corrupt politicians; but I am absolutely certain that it does not have to do with housing market.

Indeed, "as a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly" (Proverbs 26:11). God help us.

Praying to Potatoes

I've got an idea. Let's all get together and worship a potato chip that looks like a saint. Not really, that would be silly ... But, if there were a window somewhere with an image on it - that would be really cool.

I think we found a winner! There is a window in Springfield that apparently has condensation between the two glass panes that people say looks like the Virgin Mary. Now we can all go worship and pray to the window. Check out the story here.

Look, I'm not trying to be irreverent. But this is a classical case of misplaced, misguided faith. First, the Bible is clear that we are to: "You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve" (Matt 4:10). So, why are people praying to this image of Mary? Also, the Bible teaches us not to make any graven images to worship.

So, here we have a bunch of people worshiping something that has been created instead of the creator. Not much better than a golden calf.

---steven

Ketchup and Proposition 8

Only in California would one man get accused of stealing ketchup (article) while another is getting married to his groom. And so it begins, the battle for Proposition 8. If this isn't a sign of the times I don't know what is.

The Bible is clear: "Do not be deceived: no sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, 10 thieves, greedy people, drunkards, revilers, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom" (1 Cor 6:9-10).

Still, more and more people (in and out of the Church) seem to be okay with homosexuality as an acceptable alternative, even though it is actually a destructive lifestyle. As an example of the destruction caused by homosexuality, ScienceDaily states that the: "HIV epidemic affects gay men so much more than straight men and women."

An obvious solution would be to teach people that sex is only acceptable within marriage, which is intended for one man and one woman for life. Sadly, it seems as if we would rather spend our time and money trying to find a cure for HIV and other STDs so that we can lesson the consequences of our sinful actions than try to live righteously.

Just think about it, if we followed God's plan for marriage, STDs would not be a problem.

---steven

Flatulent Battery

man (slurring his words a bit): "Uh ... no officer, I didn't realize how fast I was going."
officer (shakes his head in disbelief): "I'm gonna have to ask you to step out of the car."
man: "Uh ... first would you mind pulling my finger?"
officer (a little woozy from the smell): "That's it! You're going to jail!"

Okay, so maybe it did not happen just like this - but use your imagination as you read through this article (I know it is a few days old). The guy ended up being charged with battery for passing gas and wafting it towards the officer. Crazy.

Now, why do I bring this up? Two reasons. 1) I think this is a little funny; and 2) We need to remember that we should do our best to be respectful and obey (not assault) the instituted authorities even if we don't agree with them. For God's Word says we should: "be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God" (Romans 13:1).

---steven

The depravity of man (er, woman)

At times I hear people talk about the way things are getting better, the way that our society has improved so much. However, the more I read the news, the more I am convinced that our society is in a downward spiral. As long as we refuse to turn to God and repent for our iniquities, I am certain things will not improve.

Case-in-point: A woman (Renee D. Bowman, 43, a former Rockville resident) adopts three children. One (an abused seven year old girl) jumps out of her second story bedroom to seek help. The police end up searching the house and find the remains of what the mom (if she could be called that) claims are her two older adopted girls. The remains were in her freezer. The Baltimore Sun has the article here.

Truly "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). I pray that the evil one who has done this terrible crime to these children will repent, come to know the Lord Jesus, and that justice is done swiftly (in what ever form the courts might see fit).

---steven