Unabashed Liberal Hypocrisy

I know, the title is redundant. Sorry.
The latest example of blatant hypocrisy from the tolerant left, who claim to be all about free speech, is their collective hissy-fit over the selection of conservative, anti-gay pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at the Obama inauguration next month.
The united "WAAA" has been heard from GLBT groups, so-called "women's advocate groups", and even liberal clergy. In other words the usual suspects.
If you've ever heard a word from any of these folks about government sanctioned Gay Pride parades that include exhibits of nudity, promiscuity, pedophilia, etc., or naked PETA protests, or openly subversive anti-war tactics, it was only to lecture about their freedoms and their right to be heard and represented.
But things are different now. They were under the impression they had taken over by electing their guy. They believed liberalism was the new order, and that the government would ignore and/or run roughshod over conservatives and their blasted morals.
Now as Obama begins to organize his administration, the left have been astonished that Obama appears to believe that he will be president of the whole country. Including conservatives.
Despite their infuriating hypocrisy and frustrating ignorance, watching them twist in the wind this way is making for some good entertainment.

Economic Natural Selection

Natural Selection is a name most often associated with laws of nature regarding animal species. It's simple: nature selects species for survival or extinction. The most common example of this can be seen during the mating seasons of wild animals. Males clash and fight, or perhaps scheme, for the privilege of mating with the females. The result is that only the strongest pass on their DNA. This helps to assure the survival of the species. (This would be considered barbaric in humans, the only species in which substandard examples are permitted to procreate. I'm sure the explanation for liberalism lies somewhere in there.)
Natural selection is also an important element in Free Market economics. Businesses and individuals that don't successfully supply a demand will not last. Businesses and industries that learn to adapt to changing times will survive. Those that can't, or won't, adapt become extinct. This is a basis for what has been the strongest, best, most industrious economy in world history.
It is a fundamental that is now being disrupted. American citizens, willing or not, have leaped into the role of propping up otherwise failing enterprises. (Led by those that maybe shouldn't have been allowed to breed. See above.)
Supporting mediocrity can only lead to more mediocrity. Allowing the government to become a fail safe will certainly inspire carelessness and will have long lasting unintended consequences.
In the immediate wake of the bail out of financial institutions, we now find ourselves propping up the Big 3 auto manufacturers and leaving their more successful competitors to fend for themselves. Still others, including the state of California, are lining up with their own hands out. Who is next? Where do we go from here? How long until voters decide to elect leaders based on their willingness to hand out the cash? Will these sorts of bailouts become the next generation of entitlements?
Our children and grandchildren deserve better.

Putting things in perspective

I'd been having a bit of a Pity Party lately. There just haven't been many things seeming to go my way. I won't drudge up the list here, but suffice to say that I had a very negative attitude and was feeling quite sorry for myself.

Then we got our annual family pictures back from the photographer. It sure helped me realize I have a lot more going for me than I thought.

From left: Katie, Lucy (1st grandbaby), Tyson, Julie, Nellie, Me, Brandi, Courtney, Haley, Kristen and Sydney. I still have problems, but life is good, isn't it. It's all a matter of perspective.

Perfect Irony

News was made last week when the governor of Washington, whose name I don't remember and couldn't be less important, allowed an atheist group to put a display next to the Nativity display at the state capitol. The display placed by the Godless heathens was not a simple image or symbol, as are the nearby Nativity scene and Menorah, but a sign with a blasphemous rant directly attacking the Savior and all religious people.
The governor, who is obviously sympathetic to the spiritually void, defended her decision based on the state's responsibility to be inclusive and not judgmental of differing beliefs.
Enter the Perfect Storm.
She has now been petitioned by a group that wants to include a Festivus display. I don't know if they're serious or not. It doesn't matter. I LOVE IT!!
Thanks to the legendary Seinfeld show Festivus is a well known bogus gag. Now this PC governor is faced with a decision clearly above her intellect. Should she allow the openly mocking farce and be shown for the mental midget she is? Or deny the petition and be shown for the pathetic hypocrite she also is?
Either way it will be entertaining.

What does that mean?

I've had some people ask me what the sticker on the back window of my truck means. I had it made.

It alludes to the "Cowboy Code". There are several similar versions of it. Below is the one I like best.

Unfortunately this has been largely lost in recent years. Many of today's younger 'cowboys' need to learn this code.

1. A cowboy always tells the truth and keeps his word.

2. A cowboy is a Patriot and defends the American way.

3. A cowboy never betrays a trust or takes advantage.

4. A cowboy is brave, but never careless.

5. A cowboy defends the weak and helps the helpless.

6. A cowboy is kind to women, children and old folks.

7. A cowboy is free from racial and religious prejudice.

8. A cowboy is clean in thought, word, deed and person.

9. A cowboy is loyal, hard working and maintains a high ethic.

10. A cowboy is thankful for what God has given him.

Good Will. Something we have, or something we do?

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
Luke 2:13-14

What did the angels mean? Was this just empty rhetoric? Was it wishful thinking? Given the current state of the world, it certainly wasn't a proclamation of fact.
I've come to decide that it was an exhortation, a call to action. Peace on earth and good will between all are not just nice thoughts. They are Christ's expectations of us.
Lofty goals to say the least, but goals nonetheless.
Inasmuch as free agency means that it is only ourselves over whom we have any real authority, it falls to each of us to be 'blessed' peacemakers and to demonstrate good will.
Perhaps it by sincerely seeking this 'mighty change of heart' that we truly give "glory to God in the highest."

Random thought

I've wondered at times what the public reaction would be if Pres. Bush or some other national leader were to call a press conference and announce that the cure for our national ills is repentance. If only we were still serious about "In God We Trust".
Sadly, I think I know what the reaction would be.

A matter of perspective.

The news about the economy is bad and getting worse.
My job affords me the opportunity to listen to many commentators on radio. Although they may disagree on timeline, without exception the economic and policy gurus see light at the end of the tunnel. They base this belief on 'history' as they view it: markets, tax policy, government spending, consumer confidence, etc.
As much as I hope they are right, I think there may be some pieces of the puzzle they're leaving out.
Those pieces are our cultural, moral and spiritual health as a nation.
History is full of examples of great civilizations rising and falling. The secular historians and textbooks point to political and economic reasons for those falls. A deeper look, coupled with an understanding of the nature of God, may suggest that the political and economic conditions which led to the collapses were themselves the consequences of cultural wickedness.
Given that perspective, and the condition of our own culture, I'm not as optimistic.

Parable come to life

During the Savior's ministry he used a parable to illustrate the importance of forgiveness. In this parable, a man that owns a very large debt to the king that he is unable to repay. He asks for leniency and the king forgives the debt altogether.
Later this same man refuses to show mercy to a man that owes him a much smaller debt.
I thought of this story today as I heard on the news that American Express has done the necessary paperwork to qualify as a 'holding bank'. They did so for the purpose of qualifying for a piece of the $7oo,000,000,000 bail out package. They are effectively seeking forgiveness for their bad business decisions and the debt they created.
So I'm sure they will find a new sense of compassion for their customers that find themselves unable to pay their debts. Won't they?

Messianic, or Manic?

I'm disappointed in the results of the presidential election. As a conservative, limited government, free market guy, clearly I would have problems with the policies and positions of President-Elect Obama. But there's more to it than that.
I'm troubled by the blind euphoria of so many that seems to be based on nothing.
We have known this man for less time, and know less about him, than any presidential candidate in my memory. The inspirational rhetoric and lack of specificity with which he ran his campaign, coupled with the lack of scrutiny by the mainstream media, enabled him to maintain an image of infallibility to many voters. That is an image that helped him win the election, but may come back to haunt him as he attempts to live up to expectations.
I think I was finally able to wrap my mind around what he really did in the campaign while I was making deliveries the other day. I delivered to a home that had a poster size artist rendering of Obama with the word HOPE across the bottom. It finally sunk in that there are people among us that sincerely see Obama as some type of Messiah, as though he and only he can make the world right.
The good news, I suppose, is that peoples' hearts still desire a savior. Hopefully many of them will be led to Jesus Christ one day.
The bad news is self evident. Obama is not what his devotees believe him to be. I wonder if they'll ever allow themselves to recognize that.