26/01: (Ex) Hookers for Jesus
Category: Christian Belief
Posted by: an okie gardener
Story here.
In Las Vegas former prostitutes and strippers evangelize their former sisters-in-sin. The names of the two evangelical groups: Hookers for Jesus, and JC's Girls.
Reminds me of an old story, I think from 19th-century England. A street preacher was holding forth on a corner, backed up by a Salvation Army band. A man in the crowd passed his card to the front to be given the preacher. It was the personal card of a famous lecturer who promoted atheism. After the sermon the lecturer and the preacher conversed, and the atheist challenged the preacher to a public debate, even offering to pay for the venue. The preacher responded, "I'll accept your challenge on one condition: I shall enter the auditorium at the head of a column of former drunkards, thieves, prostitutes, and others whose lives have been redeemed and uplifted through belief in Jesus. You will enter the hall at the head of a column made up of those whose lives have been similarly uplifed by their embrace of atheism. We then will debate.
The debate was never held.
In Las Vegas former prostitutes and strippers evangelize their former sisters-in-sin. The names of the two evangelical groups: Hookers for Jesus, and JC's Girls.
Reminds me of an old story, I think from 19th-century England. A street preacher was holding forth on a corner, backed up by a Salvation Army band. A man in the crowd passed his card to the front to be given the preacher. It was the personal card of a famous lecturer who promoted atheism. After the sermon the lecturer and the preacher conversed, and the atheist challenged the preacher to a public debate, even offering to pay for the venue. The preacher responded, "I'll accept your challenge on one condition: I shall enter the auditorium at the head of a column of former drunkards, thieves, prostitutes, and others whose lives have been redeemed and uplifted through belief in Jesus. You will enter the hall at the head of a column made up of those whose lives have been similarly uplifed by their embrace of atheism. We then will debate.
The debate was never held.
Category: Politics
Posted by: an okie gardener
Britain's health-care system provides us with a preview of the questions we eventually will ask ourselves under many, or perhaps all, forms of universal health care. The article headline from the Telegraph says it all.
Don't treat the old and unhealthy, say doctors
With finite resources, such questions will be raised. Should universal health-care devote resources to the elderly or to others who probably will not live much longer in any case?
Don't treat the old and unhealthy, say doctors
With finite resources, such questions will be raised. Should universal health-care devote resources to the elderly or to others who probably will not live much longer in any case?
Category: America and the World
Posted by: an okie gardener
The world-wide slave trade continues. Article from the Telegraph.
More information, including a link to the 2007 U.S. State Department Report on current slaving here.
More information, including a link to the 2007 U.S. State Department Report on current slaving here.
Category: US in Iraq
Posted by: an okie gardener
Gateway Pundit has the round-up on the 10-year anniversary of President Clinton's speech, including video link, in which President Clinton asserted that Saddam Hussein had WMD and must be stopped. Also Clinton's 2004 quote supporting the Iraq War on the same grounds.
Until many Democrats decided their partisan advantage lay in attacking Bush, determination to stop Saddam was bi-partisan. To paraphrase Mark Twain--there are liars, damned liars, and unethical politicians.
Until many Democrats decided their partisan advantage lay in attacking Bush, determination to stop Saddam was bi-partisan. To paraphrase Mark Twain--there are liars, damned liars, and unethical politicians.
25/01: Here's To You, Rabbie Burns
Category: From the Heart
Posted by: an okie gardener
Tonight, Scots around the world are drinking, eating haggis, feeling proud of the tartans and the land of heather, and toasting the lasses and the poet Robert Burns. You have to love a land whose chief holiday is held on a poet's birthday.
My first year of seminary, 1980-81, I served as youth pastor of Knox Presbyterian Church, Kearny, New Jersey, a Scots and Irish working-class town in sight of the Manhattan skyline. Of our congregation of about 110 on Sunday mornings, roughly 80% had been born across the water, either in Scotland or Northern Ireland. The pastor was a Scot himself, educated at New College, Edinburgh. Sunday morning my wife and I were greeted with the accents of Scotland. There is not one Scottish accent, but several regional ones. I never did learn to understand dear old Mrs. Barclay, from way in the north of Scotland whose English included some sort of Gaelic. When we took our three-week old daughter to church for the first time, Mrs. Barclay looked at her and said with a smile, "What a wee looney!" (What a small baby!)
In Kearny we learned to love fish-and-chips, meat pies, soup for Sunday dinner (made the day before so as not to break the Sabbath), and the people. And Robert Burns. The night of his birthday was "party night" for all people Scottish, or who wished they were. Singing, fellowship, whiskey, and haggis. The Sunday nearest Burns' birthday was "Scottish Heritage Sunday" in church. Standing room only with people coming from all over the New York metropolitan area. Pipers, kilts, and a traditional Scottish Presbyterian service.
One time the Apostle Peter asked Jesus what was in it for him. "Look, we have left everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age--houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions--and in the age to come eternal life.
In Kearny, New Jersey, a long way from Sullivan County, Missouri, or Wayne, County, Iowa, my wife and I received Scottish and Scots-Irish brothers and sisters. The fellowship of those who toast and quote Robert Burns this night.
AULD LANG SYNE (from Hogmanay.net)
Words adapated from a traditional song
by Rabbie Burns (1759-96)
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!
And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,
And surely I'll be mine,
And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!
We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine,
But we've wander'd monie a weary fit,
Sin auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidl'd in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin auld lang syne.
And there's a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o thine,
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne
Meanings
auld lang syne - times gone by
be - pay for
braes - hills
braid - broad
burn - stream
dine - dinner time
fiere - friend
fit - foot
gowans - daisies
guid-willie waught - goodwill drink
monie - many
morning sun - noon
paidl't - paddled
pint-stowp - pint tankard
pou'd - pulled
twa - two
Robert Burns Night from Brits At Their Best
The official Robert Burns site from Scotsweb
The Burns' poem, Address to a Haggis
My first year of seminary, 1980-81, I served as youth pastor of Knox Presbyterian Church, Kearny, New Jersey, a Scots and Irish working-class town in sight of the Manhattan skyline. Of our congregation of about 110 on Sunday mornings, roughly 80% had been born across the water, either in Scotland or Northern Ireland. The pastor was a Scot himself, educated at New College, Edinburgh. Sunday morning my wife and I were greeted with the accents of Scotland. There is not one Scottish accent, but several regional ones. I never did learn to understand dear old Mrs. Barclay, from way in the north of Scotland whose English included some sort of Gaelic. When we took our three-week old daughter to church for the first time, Mrs. Barclay looked at her and said with a smile, "What a wee looney!" (What a small baby!)
In Kearny we learned to love fish-and-chips, meat pies, soup for Sunday dinner (made the day before so as not to break the Sabbath), and the people. And Robert Burns. The night of his birthday was "party night" for all people Scottish, or who wished they were. Singing, fellowship, whiskey, and haggis. The Sunday nearest Burns' birthday was "Scottish Heritage Sunday" in church. Standing room only with people coming from all over the New York metropolitan area. Pipers, kilts, and a traditional Scottish Presbyterian service.
One time the Apostle Peter asked Jesus what was in it for him. "Look, we have left everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age--houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions--and in the age to come eternal life.
In Kearny, New Jersey, a long way from Sullivan County, Missouri, or Wayne, County, Iowa, my wife and I received Scottish and Scots-Irish brothers and sisters. The fellowship of those who toast and quote Robert Burns this night.
AULD LANG SYNE (from Hogmanay.net)
Words adapated from a traditional song
by Rabbie Burns (1759-96)
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!
And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,
And surely I'll be mine,
And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!
We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine,
But we've wander'd monie a weary fit,
Sin auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidl'd in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin auld lang syne.
And there's a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o thine,
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne
Meanings
auld lang syne - times gone by
be - pay for
braes - hills
braid - broad
burn - stream
dine - dinner time
fiere - friend
fit - foot
gowans - daisies
guid-willie waught - goodwill drink
monie - many
morning sun - noon
paidl't - paddled
pint-stowp - pint tankard
pou'd - pulled
twa - two
Robert Burns Night from Brits At Their Best
The official Robert Burns site from Scotsweb
The Burns' poem, Address to a Haggis
Category: America and the World
Posted by: an okie gardener
More bad news from China, for the average Chinese. From the AP.
BEIJING -- Sulfuric acid leaked into the water supply from a chemical factory in central China, poisoning at least 26 villagers who have been admitted to hospital with nausea and swollen faces, authorities said Thursday.
Here is the information that struck me:
Some of the most polluted cities in the world are in China, where many rivers and lakes are toxic after decades of breakneck industrial and economic growth. The State Environmental Protection Administration says about a quarter of all the water in China's seven main river systems is too toxic for human contact.
The official Chinese Environmental Protection Administration--Chinese government agencies are well know for downplaying internal problems--states that about a quarter of all the water in China's seven main river systems is too toxic for human contact--in other words, don't wash with it or swim in it or dare drink it.
Why are "Made in China" products cheaper than "Made in the USA"? In part because we enforce environmental regulations and they usually do not. We buy cheap "Made in China" products at the cost of the health of Chinese workers. Think about that next time you are in WalMart and other stores.
Article from China Post. English language, no language pack needed.
BEIJING -- Sulfuric acid leaked into the water supply from a chemical factory in central China, poisoning at least 26 villagers who have been admitted to hospital with nausea and swollen faces, authorities said Thursday.
Here is the information that struck me:
Some of the most polluted cities in the world are in China, where many rivers and lakes are toxic after decades of breakneck industrial and economic growth. The State Environmental Protection Administration says about a quarter of all the water in China's seven main river systems is too toxic for human contact.
The official Chinese Environmental Protection Administration--Chinese government agencies are well know for downplaying internal problems--states that about a quarter of all the water in China's seven main river systems is too toxic for human contact--in other words, don't wash with it or swim in it or dare drink it.
Why are "Made in China" products cheaper than "Made in the USA"? In part because we enforce environmental regulations and they usually do not. We buy cheap "Made in China" products at the cost of the health of Chinese workers. Think about that next time you are in WalMart and other stores.
Article from China Post. English language, no language pack needed.
Category: Religion & Public Policy
Posted by: an okie gardener
"It cannot be too often repeated that what destroyed the Family in the modern world was Capitalism." G.K. Chesterton in "Three Foes of the Family" found in the collection of his essays The Well and the Shallows.
Conservatives in the United States tend to equate Capitalism with THE WAY GOD INTENDED THINGS TO BE, and think it A NECESSARY ECONOMIC EXPRESSION OF FREEDOM. Since Conservatives also tend to think that THE FAMILY IS THE BEDROCK OF SOCIETY, few conservatives see any necessary conflict between Capitalism and the Family. But, one of the great Conservatives of the Anglosphere--G.K. Chesterton--believed that Capitalism was doing the family to death in the modern age. We would do well to listen to him.
Since his thought will seem strange to contemporary American conservatives, I have taken small, slow steps toward Chesterton's quote given above. Previous posts in this series:
An Introduction to Chesterton, the British author, Roman Catholic, and curmudgeon.
An Introduction to Chesterton's economic thought: Distributism--placing and keeping ownership of the means of production in as many hands as possible; in effect, an economy of small farmers, shopkeepers, and artisans.
Chesterton's view that Market Capitalism estranged people from God's creation by turning everything into a commodity.
Brief historical overview of American evangelicals gradual embrace of capitalism.
Chesterton's economic beliefs are congruent with his Roman Catholicism, putting into print the ideas laid out in Pope Leo XIII's encyclical "Rights and Duties of Capital and Labor."
Now, let's turn to Chesterton's essay, "Three Foes of the Family."
(more below)
Conservatives in the United States tend to equate Capitalism with THE WAY GOD INTENDED THINGS TO BE, and think it A NECESSARY ECONOMIC EXPRESSION OF FREEDOM. Since Conservatives also tend to think that THE FAMILY IS THE BEDROCK OF SOCIETY, few conservatives see any necessary conflict between Capitalism and the Family. But, one of the great Conservatives of the Anglosphere--G.K. Chesterton--believed that Capitalism was doing the family to death in the modern age. We would do well to listen to him.
Since his thought will seem strange to contemporary American conservatives, I have taken small, slow steps toward Chesterton's quote given above. Previous posts in this series:
An Introduction to Chesterton, the British author, Roman Catholic, and curmudgeon.
An Introduction to Chesterton's economic thought: Distributism--placing and keeping ownership of the means of production in as many hands as possible; in effect, an economy of small farmers, shopkeepers, and artisans.
Chesterton's view that Market Capitalism estranged people from God's creation by turning everything into a commodity.
Brief historical overview of American evangelicals gradual embrace of capitalism.
Chesterton's economic beliefs are congruent with his Roman Catholicism, putting into print the ideas laid out in Pope Leo XIII's encyclical "Rights and Duties of Capital and Labor."
Now, let's turn to Chesterton's essay, "Three Foes of the Family."
(more below)
24/01: Should Bill Chill?
Not long ago, South Carolina representative, Democratic Party heavyweight, and prominent African American, James Clyburn, famously cautioned ex-president Bill Clinton to "chill out" concerning race.
Senator Patrick Leahy, Barack Obama supporter and liberal stalwart, characterized President Clinton's recent comments as "glib cheap shots," finding Mr. Clinton's actions "beneath the dignity of a former president."
Is Mr. Clinton's political barnstorming tour "conduct unbecoming of an ex-president"?
Maybe. But what an hilarious turn of events on a number of levels.
1. Wow! Pat Leahy thinks this is conduct unbecoming of an ex-president? Too bad he was not as discriminating concerning Mr. Clinton's conduct as a serving president. We could have used a bit of his new-found moral compass back in the winter of 1998 and 1999.
2. What is beneath the dignity of a former DEMOCRATIC president? These comments make Pat Leahy uncomfortable? What did he think when ex-president Jimmy Carter called the current president the worst president in history? (Googling for a Leahy repudiation of President Carter. Nothing so far. Will continue to look and report back with any discoveries...).
This is politics. John Lewis and Andy Young (Hillary supporters) don't see anything inappropriate thus far. For Joseph Lowery (Obama supporter), the criticism of Obama smacks of racism. Leahy cries foul. Clinton friends say welcome to the big leagues, rookie. This is politics.
More importantly, Bill may well be doing us a great national favor. He has done it before.
Back in the post-Clarence Thomas era, in which the mere whisper of sexual harassment equaled scandal and ruination, Bill Clinton stemmed the momentum of the sexual harassment juggernaut. Of course, he had not planned to moderate the feminist fever sweeping the political universe in 1998 when revelations of his misconduct with a White House intern threatened his presidency. Nevertheless, he fought to retain his office with every weapon at his disposal (intimidation, stonewalling, and mendacity). Along the way, he found it necessary to water down considerably the newly fashioned stigma of sexual harassment.
Undoubtedly, as a society, we benefited immensely from our raised awareness of powerful men abusing their female subordinates. Moreover, we very much needed to address this indignity, and we continue to do well holding people in authority to higher standards in this area. On the other hand, Democrats and feminists, for purely political purposes, had fanned the issue into an overheated mess poised to do great damage to society.
However, to save their embattled president, the most strident voices went silent on sexual harassment and rallied around Clinton. And the great sexual harassment scare of the 1990s abated somewhat. On the whole, this was a positive development.
Now Bill is making the case that we can and must engage with African Americans in the full-contact sport of American politics. Presumably, Barack Obama will not be the last viable African American candidate for president. Therefore, it is not in our interest to perpetuate a political climate in which we must treat a black man running for office with kid gloves.
No one should have to fight off charges of racism for believing that LBJ was key to civil rights. No one should have their words distorted into "race-baiting" (as Bill Clinton's were) at the fairly mundane charge that a political assertion made by an opponent was a "fairy tale." Moreover, a "moratorium" on discussing admitted cocaine use on the part of an opponent, simply because of his race, is a ludicrous measure of political correctness that has no place in a free society.
This is all treacherous territory, and Bill is wading in where mere mortals fear to tread. Why? Because he is one of the few people in the world who has the political capital to navigate this minefield. Why else? Because he must. Just as he did in the Lewinsky scandal, he is providing a needed corrective to a set of rules that are neither practical nor reasonable. And, similarly, as in the Monica moment, he is taking a hard path out of desperation and self interest--not for the good of America.
Nevertheless, on the whole, it is a positive development.
One last comment: for all the conservative talk radio hosts gleefully rubbing their hands together, yelling into the microphone, and fulminating over Bill's “dastardly use of racial code words," please SHUT UP! Think about what you are saying. This is the very same cudgel that has been wielded against us and a whole host of innocuous comments for decades. Once again conservative Clinton hatred and schadenfreude makes us irrational.
Shut up, stand back, and let Bill Clinton work through all this. We will all benefit from his journey.
Senator Patrick Leahy, Barack Obama supporter and liberal stalwart, characterized President Clinton's recent comments as "glib cheap shots," finding Mr. Clinton's actions "beneath the dignity of a former president."
Is Mr. Clinton's political barnstorming tour "conduct unbecoming of an ex-president"?
Maybe. But what an hilarious turn of events on a number of levels.
1. Wow! Pat Leahy thinks this is conduct unbecoming of an ex-president? Too bad he was not as discriminating concerning Mr. Clinton's conduct as a serving president. We could have used a bit of his new-found moral compass back in the winter of 1998 and 1999.
2. What is beneath the dignity of a former DEMOCRATIC president? These comments make Pat Leahy uncomfortable? What did he think when ex-president Jimmy Carter called the current president the worst president in history? (Googling for a Leahy repudiation of President Carter. Nothing so far. Will continue to look and report back with any discoveries...).
This is politics. John Lewis and Andy Young (Hillary supporters) don't see anything inappropriate thus far. For Joseph Lowery (Obama supporter), the criticism of Obama smacks of racism. Leahy cries foul. Clinton friends say welcome to the big leagues, rookie. This is politics.
More importantly, Bill may well be doing us a great national favor. He has done it before.
Back in the post-Clarence Thomas era, in which the mere whisper of sexual harassment equaled scandal and ruination, Bill Clinton stemmed the momentum of the sexual harassment juggernaut. Of course, he had not planned to moderate the feminist fever sweeping the political universe in 1998 when revelations of his misconduct with a White House intern threatened his presidency. Nevertheless, he fought to retain his office with every weapon at his disposal (intimidation, stonewalling, and mendacity). Along the way, he found it necessary to water down considerably the newly fashioned stigma of sexual harassment.
Undoubtedly, as a society, we benefited immensely from our raised awareness of powerful men abusing their female subordinates. Moreover, we very much needed to address this indignity, and we continue to do well holding people in authority to higher standards in this area. On the other hand, Democrats and feminists, for purely political purposes, had fanned the issue into an overheated mess poised to do great damage to society.
However, to save their embattled president, the most strident voices went silent on sexual harassment and rallied around Clinton. And the great sexual harassment scare of the 1990s abated somewhat. On the whole, this was a positive development.
Now Bill is making the case that we can and must engage with African Americans in the full-contact sport of American politics. Presumably, Barack Obama will not be the last viable African American candidate for president. Therefore, it is not in our interest to perpetuate a political climate in which we must treat a black man running for office with kid gloves.
No one should have to fight off charges of racism for believing that LBJ was key to civil rights. No one should have their words distorted into "race-baiting" (as Bill Clinton's were) at the fairly mundane charge that a political assertion made by an opponent was a "fairy tale." Moreover, a "moratorium" on discussing admitted cocaine use on the part of an opponent, simply because of his race, is a ludicrous measure of political correctness that has no place in a free society.
This is all treacherous territory, and Bill is wading in where mere mortals fear to tread. Why? Because he is one of the few people in the world who has the political capital to navigate this minefield. Why else? Because he must. Just as he did in the Lewinsky scandal, he is providing a needed corrective to a set of rules that are neither practical nor reasonable. And, similarly, as in the Monica moment, he is taking a hard path out of desperation and self interest--not for the good of America.
Nevertheless, on the whole, it is a positive development.
One last comment: for all the conservative talk radio hosts gleefully rubbing their hands together, yelling into the microphone, and fulminating over Bill's “dastardly use of racial code words," please SHUT UP! Think about what you are saying. This is the very same cudgel that has been wielded against us and a whole host of innocuous comments for decades. Once again conservative Clinton hatred and schadenfreude makes us irrational.
Shut up, stand back, and let Bill Clinton work through all this. We will all benefit from his journey.
23/01: Get Over It
Category: American Culture
Posted by: an okie gardener
The other night I watched The Eagles on VH1 and heard a song I had not heard before. "Get Over It" is a conservative/libertarian rebuke to the culture of victimhood. Here are the lyrics.
I turn on the tube and what do I see
A whole lotta people cryin' "Don't blame me"
They point their crooked little fingers at everbody else
spend all their time feelin' sorry for themselves
Victim of this, victim of that
Your momma's too thin; your daddy's too fat
Get over it
Get over it
All this whinin' and cryin' and pitchin' a fit
Get over it, get over it
You say you haven't been the same since you had your little crash
But you might feel better if they gave you some cash
The more I think about it, Old Billy was right
Let's kill all the lawyers - kill 'em tonight
You don't want to work; you want to live like a king
But the big, bad world doesn't owe you a thing
Get over it
Get over it
If you don't want to play, then you might as well split
Get over it, get over it
It's like going to confession every time I hear you speak
You're makin' the most of your losin' streak
Some call it sick, but I call it weak
You drag it around like a ball and chain
You wallow in the guilt; you wallow in the pain
You wave it like a flag, you wear it like a crown
Got your mind in the gutter, bringin' everybody down
Complain about the present and blame it on the past
I'd like to find your inner child and kick its little ass
Get over it
Get over it
All this bitchin' and moanin' and pitchin' a fit
Get over it, get over it
Get over it
Get over it
It's gotta stop sometime, so why don't you quit
Get over it, get over it
Get over it
Great song.
I turn on the tube and what do I see
A whole lotta people cryin' "Don't blame me"
They point their crooked little fingers at everbody else
spend all their time feelin' sorry for themselves
Victim of this, victim of that
Your momma's too thin; your daddy's too fat
Get over it
Get over it
All this whinin' and cryin' and pitchin' a fit
Get over it, get over it
You say you haven't been the same since you had your little crash
But you might feel better if they gave you some cash
The more I think about it, Old Billy was right
Let's kill all the lawyers - kill 'em tonight
You don't want to work; you want to live like a king
But the big, bad world doesn't owe you a thing
Get over it
Get over it
If you don't want to play, then you might as well split
Get over it, get over it
It's like going to confession every time I hear you speak
You're makin' the most of your losin' streak
Some call it sick, but I call it weak
You drag it around like a ball and chain
You wallow in the guilt; you wallow in the pain
You wave it like a flag, you wear it like a crown
Got your mind in the gutter, bringin' everybody down
Complain about the present and blame it on the past
I'd like to find your inner child and kick its little ass
Get over it
Get over it
All this bitchin' and moanin' and pitchin' a fit
Get over it, get over it
Get over it
Get over it
It's gotta stop sometime, so why don't you quit
Get over it, get over it
Get over it
Great song.
23/01: Relationships and Faith
Category: From the Heart
Posted by: an okie gardener
Martian Mariner draws our attention to this essay by Michael Brendan Dougherty.
