The Pope was recently in Spain for the dedication of Barcelona's basilica, the Sagrada Familia. While there he criticized the policies of Spain's socialist government and its laws allowing homosexual marriage, fast-track divorce and easy access to abortions. Predictably, he took a lot of criticism for his views.
I applaud the Pope for this stand on homosexual marriage, the institution of marriage and abortion. Evangelicals have also spoken out on this, but the Pope has tremendous worldwide stature and respect. In my view, his voice is welcome.
The fact remains that there was a reason for the Protestant Reformation. Catholics and Protestants have some major theological differences, none more stark than the means of salvation. Catholics believe in salvation through Jesus Christ plus, i.e., plus having to be a member of the Catholic Church and the faith adds works as a requirement for forgiveness of sins. Protestants believe in salvation by grace through faith in Christ plus nothing. These differences are non-negotiable for Protestants.
My question is: In light of these differences and many more, can we make common cause with Catholics on social issues such as was done with the Manhattan Declaration and still remain faithful to Scripture and to Christ? Can we ally with Catholics in social causes such as these without damaging our message?
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Election results
But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people -John 2:24
If the polls can be believed, the mid-term election should be a landslide victory for Republicans. Now I admit up front that I am all for this as I vehemently oppose the policies of President Obama and the Democratic congress. But having said that, we are fooling ourselves if we think that a change of the guard is going to solve all of our problems. The people we are electing, no matter what party, are still flawed human beings.
The reason the country is in this mess is because of bad policy, but that bad policy comes from a breakdown of ethics in Congress, the business world and in society. Everyone seems to be focusing on the economy, but you can not separate economics and morality. Capitalism is a three legged stool and requires religious freedom, economic freedom and Biblical ethics. Removed the ethics and the system doesn't work.
We have seen that in the recent recession. Congress forced lending to individuals who can't afford the mortgages, families lied to buy houses that they can not afford and Wall Street manipulated the system for short term profits. It did not take long for the Ponzi scheme to come crashing down. Was the solution to let the "Law of the Harvest" run its course? Of course not.
We want the solutions to our problems to be painless. We have lost the Protestant work ethic: a willingness to postpone gratification, work hard and invest for the future. We had rather assign blame than take responsibility for our actions. We demand a bailout. And Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike, in their quest to retain and extend power, are only too happy to meet our demands while abandoning the Biblical precept of stewardship. Thus we find ourselves in debt that we can't possibly pay off.
While we may justifiably rejoice over the results of today's election, if we put new people in Congress and continue to expect them to meet all of our needs, we are pursuing a false god. "We the people" can not continue to elect politicians and keep them in power based solely on the amount of "free" goodies that they provide. Covetousness destroys the moral fabric of any society.
If the polls can be believed, the mid-term election should be a landslide victory for Republicans. Now I admit up front that I am all for this as I vehemently oppose the policies of President Obama and the Democratic congress. But having said that, we are fooling ourselves if we think that a change of the guard is going to solve all of our problems. The people we are electing, no matter what party, are still flawed human beings.
The reason the country is in this mess is because of bad policy, but that bad policy comes from a breakdown of ethics in Congress, the business world and in society. Everyone seems to be focusing on the economy, but you can not separate economics and morality. Capitalism is a three legged stool and requires religious freedom, economic freedom and Biblical ethics. Removed the ethics and the system doesn't work.
We have seen that in the recent recession. Congress forced lending to individuals who can't afford the mortgages, families lied to buy houses that they can not afford and Wall Street manipulated the system for short term profits. It did not take long for the Ponzi scheme to come crashing down. Was the solution to let the "Law of the Harvest" run its course? Of course not.
We want the solutions to our problems to be painless. We have lost the Protestant work ethic: a willingness to postpone gratification, work hard and invest for the future. We had rather assign blame than take responsibility for our actions. We demand a bailout. And Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike, in their quest to retain and extend power, are only too happy to meet our demands while abandoning the Biblical precept of stewardship. Thus we find ourselves in debt that we can't possibly pay off.
While we may justifiably rejoice over the results of today's election, if we put new people in Congress and continue to expect them to meet all of our needs, we are pursuing a false god. "We the people" can not continue to elect politicians and keep them in power based solely on the amount of "free" goodies that they provide. Covetousness destroys the moral fabric of any society.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Secretariat and the Death Tax
"Render to all what is due to them: tax to whom tax is due .........."-Romans 13:7
Muriel and I went to see "Secretariat" this past Friday night. Christian writer, director, and producer Randall Wallace has made an excellent film appropriate for all ages. "Secretariat" is a feel good movie and because the overall framework of the story is based on history, the outcome is predictable. None of this diminishes its enjoyment.
Wallace says that one of the themes is that there is joy in becoming what you were made to be, an echo of the reformation theology of vocation, but, maybe due to the political season, I picked up on another theme that made me angry.
In one of the sub-plots, Penny Chenery takes over her father's horse farm when he passes away. Her most immediate obstacle is finding a way to pay the $6 million estate tax without selling the farm. Imagine. Her father had worked all of his life to build up a successful business and upon his death, the government steps in and takes so much that the family has to scramble to find a way to hang onto their inheritance. This is nothing more than outright thievery.
The reason that it made me so angry is that this year the estate tax is at the level that it should be--zero. On January 1st, 2011, it is going to rise to 55% unless Congress acts to extend what is known as "The Bush Tax Cuts". So far they have refused to act before the elections and if the Dems lose the House and Senate, may refuse to act out of spite. The American Revolution was brought on by taxation policies less confiscatory than this.
Secretariat's story took place in 1973, but Dell Tackett tells a modern version of the same taxation story at http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid599539952001?bctid=629270648001 . Dr. Tackett tells the story of 80 year old Eugene Sukup of Sheffield, Iowa, who has built up a successful business and what the family faces upon his death in light of taxes policies that are soon to be put in place. If this doesn't light your fire, your wood is wet.
Muriel and I went to see "Secretariat" this past Friday night. Christian writer, director, and producer Randall Wallace has made an excellent film appropriate for all ages. "Secretariat" is a feel good movie and because the overall framework of the story is based on history, the outcome is predictable. None of this diminishes its enjoyment.
Wallace says that one of the themes is that there is joy in becoming what you were made to be, an echo of the reformation theology of vocation, but, maybe due to the political season, I picked up on another theme that made me angry.
In one of the sub-plots, Penny Chenery takes over her father's horse farm when he passes away. Her most immediate obstacle is finding a way to pay the $6 million estate tax without selling the farm. Imagine. Her father had worked all of his life to build up a successful business and upon his death, the government steps in and takes so much that the family has to scramble to find a way to hang onto their inheritance. This is nothing more than outright thievery.
The reason that it made me so angry is that this year the estate tax is at the level that it should be--zero. On January 1st, 2011, it is going to rise to 55% unless Congress acts to extend what is known as "The Bush Tax Cuts". So far they have refused to act before the elections and if the Dems lose the House and Senate, may refuse to act out of spite. The American Revolution was brought on by taxation policies less confiscatory than this.
Secretariat's story took place in 1973, but Dell Tackett tells a modern version of the same taxation story at http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid599539952001?bctid=629270648001 . Dr. Tackett tells the story of 80 year old Eugene Sukup of Sheffield, Iowa, who has built up a successful business and what the family faces upon his death in light of taxes policies that are soon to be put in place. If this doesn't light your fire, your wood is wet.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The "Rich" and Taxes
Below is a link to a good article on how the rich view taxes. The Dems have really fouled things up by not extending the Bush tax cuts. And Obama wonders why the economy is not improving. Go figure.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/10/business/economy/10view.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/10/business/economy/10view.html
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
We're No. 1(1)
The link below is to an article by Thomas Friedman on the reasons for why the U.S. seems to be lagging in a number of areas. Well worth the read.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/opinion/12friedman.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/opinion/12friedman.html
Monday, September 20, 2010
Misguided Generosity
There is something intrinsically wrong with enacting legislation to fix economic problems because economic problems cannot be fixed with political solutions. The results always carry unintended consequences because those enacting the legislation are acting from a flawed worldview. Taking money from people who one thinks do not deserve it and giving it to those who one thinks do deserve it is not compassion, it is cheap generosity . Worse yet, it is outright theft.
In a Biblical worldview, yes, we are supposed to care for the poor, but it is not the government's responsibility to do so, it is the responsibility of the church. When government intrudes on what is not its rightful sphere two things happens. In this case, the church abdicates its responsibilities and the government usually makes matters worse.
The recent mortgage crisis is a case in point of good intentions gone awry. The Fair Housing Act was a nice idea, but based on a flawed premise which was the idea that everyone who wishes, should be able to have a house, whether they can afford it or not. So what did congress do? Led by Rep. Barney Frank and Sen. Chris Dodd , they enacting legislation to force lending institutions, to abandon sound lending practices and lend to borrowers who would not have ordinarily qualified. The quasi-government institutions, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, major contributors to the Democrats, then put then bought these "sub prime" mortgages from the banks giving the impression that the mortgages were government backed, which encouraged the banks to continue the practice. Of course other factors came into play and I am not absolving the banks of wrong doing, but congress was the major catalyst. The result was a massive bailout of the banks with taxpayer money, Frank and Dodd denying all responsibility, the banks taking all of the blame and the mortgagees getting off with no penalty.
Now congress is at it again. President Obama is touring the nation blaming the continuation of the current recession on the refusal of businesses to hire while sitting on massive amounts of cash. Unemployment hovers around 10% and stubbornly refuses to come down despite massive infusion of taxpayer dollars. No one stops to think that maybe congress, once again offering political solutions to economic problems, has contributed to the problem of non-expansion by business.
It works like this. Employment benefits have traditionally been given for 26 weeks. Congress has responded to the recession by extending them another 73 weeks. Think about it. That is almost two years worth of benefits for not working. Once again, congress has taken money from some and given it to others with unintended consequences. In Pennsylvania, 73 weeks of unemployment translates to $2260 a month or $41,245 over the 73 week period. Why would anyone work when they can make more on the dole and many have reached that conclusion. Small businesses that would like to expand can't for lack of workers willing to take the entry level positions available.
If Obama wants the recession to go away, he only need to look to himself and his party for the reasons. Democrats played a huge part in creating this mess and they are playing a huge part in its continuation.
In a Biblical worldview, yes, we are supposed to care for the poor, but it is not the government's responsibility to do so, it is the responsibility of the church. When government intrudes on what is not its rightful sphere two things happens. In this case, the church abdicates its responsibilities and the government usually makes matters worse.
The recent mortgage crisis is a case in point of good intentions gone awry. The Fair Housing Act was a nice idea, but based on a flawed premise which was the idea that everyone who wishes, should be able to have a house, whether they can afford it or not. So what did congress do? Led by Rep. Barney Frank and Sen. Chris Dodd , they enacting legislation to force lending institutions, to abandon sound lending practices and lend to borrowers who would not have ordinarily qualified. The quasi-government institutions, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, major contributors to the Democrats, then put then bought these "sub prime" mortgages from the banks giving the impression that the mortgages were government backed, which encouraged the banks to continue the practice. Of course other factors came into play and I am not absolving the banks of wrong doing, but congress was the major catalyst. The result was a massive bailout of the banks with taxpayer money, Frank and Dodd denying all responsibility, the banks taking all of the blame and the mortgagees getting off with no penalty.
Now congress is at it again. President Obama is touring the nation blaming the continuation of the current recession on the refusal of businesses to hire while sitting on massive amounts of cash. Unemployment hovers around 10% and stubbornly refuses to come down despite massive infusion of taxpayer dollars. No one stops to think that maybe congress, once again offering political solutions to economic problems, has contributed to the problem of non-expansion by business.
It works like this. Employment benefits have traditionally been given for 26 weeks. Congress has responded to the recession by extending them another 73 weeks. Think about it. That is almost two years worth of benefits for not working. Once again, congress has taken money from some and given it to others with unintended consequences. In Pennsylvania, 73 weeks of unemployment translates to $2260 a month or $41,245 over the 73 week period. Why would anyone work when they can make more on the dole and many have reached that conclusion. Small businesses that would like to expand can't for lack of workers willing to take the entry level positions available.
If Obama wants the recession to go away, he only need to look to himself and his party for the reasons. Democrats played a huge part in creating this mess and they are playing a huge part in its continuation.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Bittersweet
One cannot explain to those who haven't experienced it the joy of a father when his son returns from war. My oldest son, Saddler, arrived home from Afghanistan for two weeks of R and R.
I think back to my joy when he came home from Iraq in 2005 and I think it is stronger this time around. Does that mean that the love that a father has for his son grows stronger over time? I think it must.
During the first combat tour, I found out what my Dad must have experienced when I was in Vietnam. A constant nagging of missing my son and a background worry for his safety. I don't know if my Dad prayed for me or not, he passed away in 1986, but I sure lift Saddler up in prayer every day, sometimes several times a day.
Civilians will never understand the sacrifices that our men and women and their families are making for the country. There is no way to explain it to them so that they truly understand. It is not only the soldiers who bear the burden, but the wives and children also. My daughter-in-law has been a single mom for almost a year now, coping with the demands of raising three children and home schooling two of them. My grans miss their Dad terribly. This, without the built in support of an active duty family as Saddler is with the National Guard.
If you happen to see our men and women in uniform, please do not pass up a chance to thank them personally for doing what most will not do. Sacrifice themselves for the good of others.
I think back to my joy when he came home from Iraq in 2005 and I think it is stronger this time around. Does that mean that the love that a father has for his son grows stronger over time? I think it must.
During the first combat tour, I found out what my Dad must have experienced when I was in Vietnam. A constant nagging of missing my son and a background worry for his safety. I don't know if my Dad prayed for me or not, he passed away in 1986, but I sure lift Saddler up in prayer every day, sometimes several times a day.
Civilians will never understand the sacrifices that our men and women and their families are making for the country. There is no way to explain it to them so that they truly understand. It is not only the soldiers who bear the burden, but the wives and children also. My daughter-in-law has been a single mom for almost a year now, coping with the demands of raising three children and home schooling two of them. My grans miss their Dad terribly. This, without the built in support of an active duty family as Saddler is with the National Guard.
If you happen to see our men and women in uniform, please do not pass up a chance to thank them personally for doing what most will not do. Sacrifice themselves for the good of others.
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