A special day set aside in our nation to give thanks to God for all His gifts to us.
Thanksgiving has a long history in our country, but the theme of giving thanks goes much further back in history, as recorded in the Bible.
Have a good time with family and friends and don't eat any more than I would. ;-)
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
The Ordered Complexity of the Universe
This thoughtful commentary by Pope Benedict XVI illustrates the compatibility of faith and reason despite the attempts by some secularists and some fundamentalists to create antagonism between the two.
In the great human enterprise of striving to unlock the mysteries of man and the universe, I am convinced of the urgent need for continued dialogue and cooperation between the worlds of science and of faith in the building of a culture of respect for man, for human dignity and freedom, for the future of our human family and for the long-term sustainable development of our planet. Without this necessary interplay, the great questions of humanity leave the domain of reason and truth, and are abandoned to the irrational, to myth, or to indifference, with great damage to humanity itself, to world peace and to our ultimate destiny.
Friday, November 09, 2012
Election: Where We Go From Here
Tuesday's election results are a great disappointment to many of us (to put it mildly). I'm not going to engage in the Monday morning quarterbacking right now as some of the underlying details of the vote are still unclear, except that we should not give up the fight for our fundamental principles of defending life and liberty.
There were some positive results from yesterday's elections and the most significant was probably the rejection of an assisted suicide measure in Massachusetts. Thankfully, there is still a broad spectrum of opinion that doesn't want to go there.
For a little perspective, the results still leave the "people's house" and a majority of state governorships in strong opposition control. Federal, state and local elections in two years will be the next major opportunity for the people to express their desires electorally. If the current trends toward financial and social crises aren't altered, the political climate will be dramatically different. For those tending to gloating or glooming about the election results, Wes Pruden says a little perspective is in order.
Also, much of the struggle for civilization occur outside the political process. Infiltrating existing institutions in education, culture, etc. and forming new associations will keep us engaged. New networks of communication that bypass the old-style media have been growing and form the basis of our 21st century counterculture. (Interesting that those of us who adhere to more "traditional" values are now the counterculture.) Often the culture will lead and the politics will follow.
Finally, remember Who is still King and He is not up for re-election. Interesting times ahead.
Sunday, November 04, 2012
A Time For Choosing: Real Progress v. "Progressive" Fantasies
After all the ads, debates, polls, and punditry, the day of decision arrives on Tuesday. (Yes, many of us have voted already.) This election will determine who will serve as president for the next four years, along with members of the House and Senate and various state and local offices and referenda.
President Obama was elected four years ago on a wave of enthusiasm in the belief that he would be a "post-partisan" president who would unite the nation and heal its racial past. To be fair, he did inherit a bad economic situation (the causes of which deserve a fair analysis that time does not allow here). Unfortunately, he (and Democratic Congressional leaders) chose a path that did not unite the nation nor focus on reviving the depressed economy and enabling the creation of new jobs. Instead, they pursued a path of highly ideological actions, highlighted by the passage of Obamacare without even a full disclosure of that legislation's content or ramifications.
The Obama administration's foreign policy seemed to be based on a world view indifferent to or hostile to traditional western values so that strong allies (Israel, Britain, etc.) were treated poorly while extreme socialist and Islamist governments were treated more leniently. The emerging scandal surrounding the recent terrible events in Benghazi, Libya do not square with the kind of national leadership required in this dangerous world.
The policies of this administration and most Congressional Democrats do not support the protection of human life at every stage and condition of life and threaten the range of personal, religious and economic liberties that our nation is dedicated to upholding.
The fundamental issue is not President Obama personally himself, but that he is the point-man for a philosophy that labels itself as "progressive" that has little in common with real progress but indulges in fantasies that ignore the fundamentals of human life and dignity. This world view rejects the reality of the existence of unborn human lives and society's obligation to protect them, yet endorses government micromanagement in trivial matters such as what kind of light bulbs we can use or what size sodas we can drink. "Progressivism" believes that human nature can be molded through shame, intimidation, and if necessary, force of government power. It needs to be soundly rejected in this election.
Mitt Romney has a background immersed in business, governing a state and managing the 2002 Winter Olympics. He emerged this year (his second attempt to run for the GOP presidential nomination) sharpened by hard fought contests and debates with some tough and principled oponnents.
Mitt Romney's background is that of a pragmatic executive who wants to get things done. In order to ensure he is able to get the right things done, it is critical that we send to Washington a strong Republican House and turn control of the Senate to the GOP. Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid share responsibility with President Obama for the disastrous policies of the past few years.
Mitt Romney favors a program of lower and simpler taxes, cutting excessive government spending and reforming regulation to allow robust economic growth that will create jobs. Mitt Romney favors replacing Obamacare with healthcare reform that gives more control to patients and doctors, not government. Mitt Romney favors restoring US leadership in the world and treating our friends with respect and standing up to our adversaries. Mitt Romney favors policies that will enable more protection for human life and that respect our personal, religious and economic liberties. And Mitt Romney has chosen a capable running mate in Paul Ryan who could step in and strongly fight for these principles if called upon.
Politics and government are not the ultimate solution to the questions of life and no candidate or party is perfect, but sometimes one alternative is clearly preferable to the other. Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan and the candidates for the other offices have closed this campaign with a call to our more positive, optimistic natures over the cynicism of much of our current establishment. It's time to reject "progressive " fantasies and choose real progress.
President Obama was elected four years ago on a wave of enthusiasm in the belief that he would be a "post-partisan" president who would unite the nation and heal its racial past. To be fair, he did inherit a bad economic situation (the causes of which deserve a fair analysis that time does not allow here). Unfortunately, he (and Democratic Congressional leaders) chose a path that did not unite the nation nor focus on reviving the depressed economy and enabling the creation of new jobs. Instead, they pursued a path of highly ideological actions, highlighted by the passage of Obamacare without even a full disclosure of that legislation's content or ramifications.
The Obama administration's foreign policy seemed to be based on a world view indifferent to or hostile to traditional western values so that strong allies (Israel, Britain, etc.) were treated poorly while extreme socialist and Islamist governments were treated more leniently. The emerging scandal surrounding the recent terrible events in Benghazi, Libya do not square with the kind of national leadership required in this dangerous world.
The policies of this administration and most Congressional Democrats do not support the protection of human life at every stage and condition of life and threaten the range of personal, religious and economic liberties that our nation is dedicated to upholding.
The fundamental issue is not President Obama personally himself, but that he is the point-man for a philosophy that labels itself as "progressive" that has little in common with real progress but indulges in fantasies that ignore the fundamentals of human life and dignity. This world view rejects the reality of the existence of unborn human lives and society's obligation to protect them, yet endorses government micromanagement in trivial matters such as what kind of light bulbs we can use or what size sodas we can drink. "Progressivism" believes that human nature can be molded through shame, intimidation, and if necessary, force of government power. It needs to be soundly rejected in this election.
Mitt Romney has a background immersed in business, governing a state and managing the 2002 Winter Olympics. He emerged this year (his second attempt to run for the GOP presidential nomination) sharpened by hard fought contests and debates with some tough and principled oponnents.
Mitt Romney's background is that of a pragmatic executive who wants to get things done. In order to ensure he is able to get the right things done, it is critical that we send to Washington a strong Republican House and turn control of the Senate to the GOP. Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid share responsibility with President Obama for the disastrous policies of the past few years.
Mitt Romney favors a program of lower and simpler taxes, cutting excessive government spending and reforming regulation to allow robust economic growth that will create jobs. Mitt Romney favors replacing Obamacare with healthcare reform that gives more control to patients and doctors, not government. Mitt Romney favors restoring US leadership in the world and treating our friends with respect and standing up to our adversaries. Mitt Romney favors policies that will enable more protection for human life and that respect our personal, religious and economic liberties. And Mitt Romney has chosen a capable running mate in Paul Ryan who could step in and strongly fight for these principles if called upon.
Politics and government are not the ultimate solution to the questions of life and no candidate or party is perfect, but sometimes one alternative is clearly preferable to the other. Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan and the candidates for the other offices have closed this campaign with a call to our more positive, optimistic natures over the cynicism of much of our current establishment. It's time to reject "progressive " fantasies and choose real progress.
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