Free In Idaho!

On the same weekend we read about Barack Obama being a “lightworker”, fantastically appearing to help the human species evolve to the next level, we also read about another, similar aspect of the human condition, this time from Africa.

Discrimination against albinos is a serious problem throughout sub-Saharan Africa, but recently in Tanzania it has taken a wicked twist: At least 19 albinos, including children, have been killed and mutilated in the past year, victims of what Tanzanian officials say is a growing criminal trade in albino body parts.

Many people in Tanzania — and across Africa, for that matter — believe albinos have magical powers. They stand out, often the lone white face in a black crowd, a result of a genetic condition that impairs normal skin pigmentation and strikes about one in 3,000 people here. Tanzanian officials say witch doctors are now marketing albino skin, bones and hair as ingredients in potions that are promised to make people rich.

It’s hard to even know what to make of that… but I found it interesting that the article contained a little political note

Salvator Rweyemamu, a Tanzanian government spokesman, said the rash of killings was anathema to what Tanzania had been striving toward; after years of failed socialist economic policies, the country is finally getting development, investment and change.

“Failed socialist policies“…. hmmm?  That isn’t the main point though.  Nor is the failure of U.S. foreign aid, what that spokesman called “development” and “investment”.  Easy as it might be to decry the failure of U.S government policies across all administrations that insist on continuing to fleece the American citizen in order to flush it down foreign toilets, I’ll leave that post for another day.  No, the focus of my thoughts was on the different ways magic continues to appear in the human existence.  Because humans, for all our bluster and busy-ness, all our ego, cannot seem to escape a belief in magic.  No.  More than a belief, a need for magic. 

Police officials said the albino killings were worst in rural areas, where people tend to be less educated and more superstitious.

Killing albinos for their body parts, because they’re believed to be lucky… it’s easy to lay that off on lack of education, or superstition.  But is that really any different than believing in the magic of socialism?  I’m thinking of Cuba, the Soviet Union, and even the failure of many European social programs.  And on the scale of human belief in magic, lack of education and superstition, where do you put Obama the lightworker, consciously directed human evolution, and the belief that one human politician can magically transform America? 

African witchdoctors are easy to spot, at least for us here in the West.  What is more difficult for us is spotting those who would be our chief priests and witchdoctors, and the magic they peddle to the more sophisticated, better educated masses.  Like the magic of ever bigger government making the world a better, safer place. Like the magic of living a life with no consequences.  Like the magic of socialism promising to take care of all of your needs.  Like the magic of a politician who can lead us, not only to a brave new world, but also to a better humanity.   Salvation, if you will.

If you simply rely on what you can see, and wish really hard, it is easy to believe in magic.

Hope, Change!  Magic.  No thank you.

And since it’s Sunday, allow me to close with this

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12

Here is a family that needs your prayers today.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The 5-year-old daughter of Grammy-winning Christian music star Steven Curtis Chapman was struck and killed Wednesday by a sport utility vehicle driven by her brother, authorities said.

“All too soon, the clock will strike midnight… and she will be gone.”

morning update: see Michelle’s post for more details and videos

In honor of the Pope’s visit to America, we’ll have a quote of the day today.  It is from Martin Luther, when he was threatened with excommunication and put on trial for going against the teachings of the Catholic Church, and for his books showing how some of the Church’s teachings did not hold up to the Scripture.  The Church demanded that he retract what he had written and taught.  His answer should be an inspiration to all men who love God and freedom

“Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Holy Scriptures or by evident reason-for I can believe neither pope nor councils alone, as it is clear that they have erred repeatedly and contradicted themselves-I consider myself convicted by the testimony of Holy Scripture, which is my basis; my conscience is captive to the Word of God. Thus I cannot and will not recant, because acting against one’s conscience is neither safe nor sound. God help me. Amen.”
-Martin Luther April 19, 1521

Small town?  Yup.

Rural?  Yup.

Guns?  Yup.

Faith?  Yup.

Moron?  Yup.

I live in a small town.  Small enough that our dairy princesses don’t get a float, they ride down Main Street in convertibles.  The local Lions club project is a rodeo.  We work.  We go to church, and pray over our meals, even in restaurants.   Our pastors don’t “damn America”.  We hunt, fish, and own a lot of guns (even the Democrats… well, ok, a lot of them do).  We don’t hate immigrants, and we most assuredly are not bitter.   We love life, our country, and most of our fellows.   Our distrust of the government is not because we don’t get enough from it, but because it insists on screwing with our lives WAY more than it should. 

What an insulting bunch of hooey!  Is THAT how he sees the rest of us?  Must be.  Every time that elitist, socialist, rookie Obama opens his mouth, he proves just how unqualified he is to lead this country.  Anyone so hopelessly tone deaf, and clueless about his fellow citizens to boot, has no business being given the kind of trust and power that resides in the Oval Office.  And that’s what is starting to scare me… are there enough of “my fellow Americans” to put this socialist into office?  It’s nearly enough to make me vote for John McCain… God help us all.

Here’s one to think about, from the New Oxford Review (paid article)

Amid widespread confusion and skepticism about the subject, the chief goal of this article is to document a contemporary and clear-cut case of demonic possession. Even those who doubt such a phenomenon exists may find the following example rather persuasive. For clergy, or indeed anyone involved in the spiritual or psychological care of others, it is equally critical, however, to recognize the many and infinitely more common “counterfeits” (i.e., false assignations) of demonic influence or attack as well.

Saw the link in an article at World Net Daily, which has a few more quotes

“The exorcism began on a warm day in June,” Gallagher recollects. “Despite the weather, the room where the rite was being conducted grew distinctly cold. Later, however, as the entity in Julia began to spout vitriol and make strange noises, members of the team felt themselves profusely sweating due to a stifling emanation of heat. The participants all said they found the heat unbearable.

“Julia at first had gone into a quiet trance-like state. After the prayers and invocations of the Roman Ritual had been going on for a while, however, multiple voices and sounds came out of her. One set consisted of loud growls and animal-like noises, which seemed to the group impossible for any human to mimic. At one point, the voices spoke in foreign languages, including recognizable Latin and Spanish. (Julia herself only speaks English, as she later verified to us.)

“The voices were noticeably attacking in nature, and often insolent, blasphemous and highly scatological. They cursed and insulted the participants in the crudest way. They were frequently threatening – trying, it appeared, to fight back – ‘Leave her alone,’ ‘Stop, you whores’ (to the nuns), ‘You’ll be sorry,’ and the like.

Did you ever see “The Exorcist“?  I mean the first one, not the ridiculous sequels.  It is the only film that has ever affected me quite so strongly.  Four of us saw it at the theater right after it came out.  It was the first time in my life that I had been confronted with an overwhelming depiction of evil, and it scared me silly. To this day the music, Tubular Bells, makes the hair stand up on my arms.  Major creeps.

Have you ever had the opportunity to talk at length with a missionary come back from an overseas post? Ever heard some of the unexplainable stories of things they have seen? You will not likely dismiss out of hand the idea that real evil exists. And I’m not talking about the stuff you see the so-called reverends on TV doing, exorcising “the demon of smoking” from some poor sap.  That is all bogus. 

But when I hear fools like Jeremiah Wright calling down God’s wrath and damnation on America, it makes me shudder all the way to my soul… brother, you’d better be on your knees praying God DOESN’T damn America. You think we have problems now? You haven’t seen anything… how dare you pray FOR it!  Evil exists.  A blind man denies it, but only a fool calls for it to be turned loose.

Our church congregation began 10 or so years ago and had a rather chaotic early history, going through a number of pastors, a split, and over that time meeting in a high school, the college, and finally another church’s building on Sundays after their service was over.  It has always been a prayer of our church to have a building of our own, close to town.  Last summer, we went through the process of buying a church property from a congregation that was closing up.  And for the last month or so there have been dozens of faithful folks volunteering time and talents towards getting the place into “serviceable” condition.

This morning our church celebrated our first worship service in our own building!  That’s a PRAISE for sure.  

We have so many more plans for it, and prayers.  It’s exciting to see what the Lord has provided, and how.  It’s exciting to pray and praise, and wonder “what is He going to do with us now?”  We are so very grateful.  Thank you Father, so much. 

Prayer of Dedication

Minister: O Eternal God,

The heavens cannot contain You,

let alone this small building.

But we pray that You would be present with us

as we dedicate this building to Your glory.

Be with us as we set it apart entirely for Your service,

separating it from all common and ordinary use.

People: Amen.

Here may You accept our sacrifices of prayer and praise,

and make them as such lively and sincere.

People: Amen.

Minister: Here may You bless the reading and preaching of Your holy Word,

granting those who listen ears to hear

and faith to believe all that You have promised.

People: Amen.

Minister: Here may those who are baptized be made

true and real members of Your church and fruitful

branches joined to the True Vine.

People: Amen.

Minister: Here may those who receive the Sacrament of the

body and blood of Christ do so with penitent hearts

and partake of the Living Bread.

People: Amen.

Minister: Here may those who are joined in marriage

faithfully fulfill their vows and remain

in perfect love all of their lives.

People: Amen.

Minister: Here may the faithful find salvation, and the careless be awakened.

May the doubting find faith, and the anxious be encouraged.

May the tempted find help, and the sorrowful comfort.

Here may the weary find rest, and the strong be renewed.

May the aged find consolation, and the young be inspired.

And may all who enter these doors find Jesus Christ the Son of God here,

In grace and mercy among His people. Grant this we pray, O Lord:

All: Amen.

I really have no words to describe this story from the Telegraph…

Nearly 13 years after his body was sliced in half when he was struck by a freight truck, Peng Shuilin is making the most of life, thanks to an assortment of mobility aids.

The Chinese man - who measures just 78cm - was discovered in two pieces after a road accident in the town of Shenzhen in 1995.

Medics realised his lower half was beyond salvation but a series of operations closed up his bottomless torso.

Skin was transferred from his head to the underside of his severed body to keep his organs alive and away from the damaging effects of outside exposure.

I appreciate that the British press can easily slip over the line from “serious journalism” into “Weekly World News” tabloid stuff at the drop of a crumpet.  But I read this story, and look at the pictures, and I can hear my Dad’s voice in my mind saying “Fella, if you think you’ve got it hard today, just take a look around…”

This one will stay with me for a very long time.  And coming a day after reading  this post  and this post over at Breda’s… there’s alot to ponder in those posts.

Do you remember “The Island of Doctor Moreau“, or the ’30’s movie version “Island of Lost Souls“?  Forgive me then, if that is the first thing that pops into my mind when I read an article like this, from the island of Once-Great Britain

British scientists have today have been given the go-ahead to create part-human, part-animal embryos.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) granted licences to conduct research using hybrids – made from animal eggs that have had their nucleus replaced with human genetic code.

Researchers will now use the technique to create embryonic stem cells in order to study the causes of and develop treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cystic fibrosis, motor neurone disease (MND) and Huntington’s.

Just because you can, doesn’t mean that you should.  One of the traits that mankind has that sets us above the rest of Creation is a sense of right and wrong, a sense of ethics.  But when you believe that life is an accidental, random happening billions of years ago in the primordial goo, it becomes easier to believe that you are the center of the universe and that you’re entitled to do whatever you want.  Ethics?  “Ethical is whatever we say it is”.  Including mixing animal embryos with human genetic material… 

… “What?  You have a problem with that?” 

Dr Stephen Minger and colleagues at King’s College want to use the cloned hybrid embryos from cow, rabbit, sheep and goat eggs to create embryonic stem cells carrying the defects responsible for a range of serious diseases.

Dr Lyle Armstrong and Dr Majlinda Lako at the North East England Stem Cell Institute in Newcastle plan to insert human skin cells into cow eggs to study how eggs can reprogramme adult tissues into more primitive cells.

“While scientists may prefer to use human eggs, these are in short supply and preference should rightly be for their use in treating infertility.”

Recent developments in stem cell research indicate that embryonic research and cloning is unnecessary, because they have found that great things can be done with adult stem cells, which do not require the destruction of human embryos.

Reports from four of the leading international laboratories working in ES cell research have shown that pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can be induced from adult mouse and human cells. These iPS cells have been shown to have all the properties previously attributed to ES cells, and thus provide a means of preparing individually tailored pluripotent cells without the ethical problems involved in therapeutic cloning.

To this must be added the fact that iPS cells can readily be prepared, whereas human therapeutic cloning has never been achieved. If it ever had been, it is such an inefficient process that it would always have required unacceptably large numbers of egg donations by women. The recently published first success with therapeutic cloning in a primate required 304 monkey eggs to be provided in order to produce two ES cell lines.

Ethics is a difficult subject from the start.  I believe it becomes impossible when your starting place is primordial goo.  Laugh at me all you want for my belief in the Creator and His requirement that our stewardship of His creation be according to His rules (yes, “ethical”).  Money, fame, scientific curiosity, and technical ability are poor foundations for making decisions concerning meddling with the intricacies of life.  Comes a time when you reach a point you should fear to go further.  I think we’re there, but no one seems to care. 

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven–
    A time to give birth and a time to die;
         A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
    A time to kill and a time to heal;
         A time to tear down and a time to build up.
    A time to weep and a time to laugh;
         A time to mourn and a time to dance.
    A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
         A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
    A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
         A time to keep and a time to throw away.
    A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
         A time to be silent and a time to speak.
    A time to love and a time to hate;
         A time for war and a time for peace.    Eccl 3:1-8 NASB

May God bless you and yours in this New Year.