CatHouse Chat

Ralph Northham, your callous depravity is astounding

Yeah, I know I haven't been posting - but the Democratic (I mean, "DemonRATic") Party candidate for [EDIT2: Yeah, I HATE it when I skip my third editorial scan before I post! Northam is running for LIEUTENANT Gov. *grf* Missing a darned "Lt." and I didn't catch it. Grrrrs@self] Governor in Virginia seems to have set a new nadir for campaigning.

Watch this:

 

Oh. My. GAWD!!!! I cannot believe this moron is running on "4 out of 10 unplanned pregnancies end in termination - but that's okay"....

Really? It's "OK"?? It's "OK" that babies are "terminated"? It's "OK" that they're killed before they might have a difficult life? It's "OK"?!

However, it's "cruelty" to insist that a woman have an ultrasound and have the abortion procedure completely explained BEFORE she chooses to abort, because she shouldn't be guilted into parenthood??? THAT'S "cruel"????

[EDIT: I should add that this point is particularly hypocritical for Northam. After all, the DemonRATs are all about "empowering" women, right? Well, what could be more empowering than making sure that women have ALL the information they need to make an informed, intelligent decision? But, no! DemonRATs are really all for making sure women are "empowered" only so long as women fall in line and vapidly follow all the directives/actions/opinions hand fed to them by their liberal overlords. Yeah, now there's real empowerment for you!! Dear God in Heaven, I do fear deeply for this country. /EDIT]

Northam and his crew ought to be horsewhipped for this disgusting, amoral, selfish, and depraved view of pregnancy and the unborn - and that's "OK," because I'm truly not sure whether or not these guys have any shred of their God-given conscience left, much less any morals.

This country has a government that as designed to be run by moral people serving moral citizens. Northam ain't it.

Thanks (I think?) to Shaun Kenney over at Bearing Drift.

Uranium mining issue plagued by myths and misconceptions

Lt. Gov. Bolling swung though Pittsylvania County on Friday, 14 December, to announce his opposition to lifting the "ban" on uranium mining at the Cole's Hill property. Sadly, he seems to be more concerned with the myths and fears surrounding uranium than he is in the facts:

...even though two well respected organizations have completed reviews of the efficacy of removing the ban on uranium mining and milling, I believe there are still too many unanswered questions regarding the potential impact that an incident at the mine might have on the environment and, subsequently, citizens in Southern Virginia and beyond.  Given these legitimate environmental concerns, I believe the ban on uranium mining should remain in place.

It's quite sad that he still has questions, because Virginia Uranium was available and willing to answer him:

In a statement, Virginia Uranium complained that Bolling has refused its invitation to tour the so-called Coles Hill site of the uranium deposit and attempts to brief him on the scientific and technical aspects of its mining and milling plan.

"We took Lt. Gov. Bolling at his word when he claimed to support the expansion of Virginia's nuclear power sector and an 'all of the above' approach to energy policy," Patrick Wales, the company's project manager, said in a statement. He added that Bolling is "clearly pursuing a 'some of the above' energy policy that is the antithesis of free enterprise and free markets."

While this doesn't really surprise me, considering Bolling's political implosion over the past few weeks, I do find it very irritating that Bolling seems willing to sacrifice the economy of Pittsylvania to draw some thin support for the sinking possibility of a "possible" independent  run for Governor.

Sadly, as Jim Hoeft notes over on Bearing Drift, this also indicates an incredible lack of leadership, as well as quite a bit of hypocrisy on Bolling's part. The website for his gubenatorial run (and here's a screenshot, in case the site is taken down) clearly states Bolling's support of nuclear energy:

Governor McDonnell and Lieutenant Governor Bolling believe in an “all of the above“ approach to energy policy. They strongly support the expansion of traditional forms of energy, such as coal, natural gas and nuclear power; but they also support expanding renewable forms of energy in Virginia, such as wind, solar and biofuels.

Well, Mr. Bolling, nuclear energy requires fuel - and at the moment, we IMPORT most of the fuel for our nuclear energy plants. Many of the countries which supply uranium have governments which are unstable or hostile to the United States, which would, of course, jeopardize our supply if something untoward should happen to these governments. Have we not had - do we not continue to have - for this reason, the debate about using our own resources for oil and gas?

The National Academy of Science report (summary downloadable as a .pdf here, full report available here) is one of the reviews to which Bolling referred. The report is quite dense, and neither I nor Mr. Bolling are qualified scientists on this subject, so let's see what one of the panel's members has to say in summary.

Dr. Corby G. Anderson was a member of the NAS panel which wrote the report, and his op/ed in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on 09 September has this to say:

Virginia legislators and residents should keep in mind that much of the NAS report focused on the impacts of uranium-mining practices dating back to the 1950s, '60s and '70s, long before any of today's strict regulations were put in place or modern industry practices were adopted.

Fifty years ago, we had neither the technology nor the understanding about the effects of radiation to mine uranium safely. That is not the case today. The NAS report affirms that and provides a "starting point" for Virginia by identifying internationally accepted best practices and regulatory standards for uranium mining.

Uranium is mined safely with minimal environmental impacts throughout the world. Studies conducted by leading epidemiologists demonstrate that today's uranium workers and the public living near modern uranium mines are as healthy as the general population.

Consider that about one-fifth of the world's uranium is mined in nearby Canada, largely in Saskatchewan. Since a government study panel concluded in the 1990s that the environmental impacts of uranium mining could be minimized, the Saskatchewan government has fully embraced the industry and still boasts an enviable record of environmental stewardship.

Today the uranium-mining industry there supports thousands of high-paying jobs and is rigorously regulated by the provincial and federal governments. Virginia would be well served to draw upon the Saskatchewan experience. [emph. mine]

Dr. Anderson rightly reminds us in this op/ed that he is speaking as a private citizen, and not as a representative from the NAS panel, but is remarks should be taken seriously. Technology has made tremendous strides since the moratorium on uranium mining, and the NAS report, while carefully examining the problems associated with uranium mining and acknowledging the difficulties associated with it, mainly concludes that is can be done - assuming proper regulation and oversight is in place.

(As an aside, please remember that "ban" is actually incorrect, while "moratorium" is more accurate. The relevant portion of the Virginia code states

§ 45.1-283. Uranium mining permit applications; when accepted; uranium mining deemed to have significant effect on surface.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, permit applications for uranium mining shall not be accepted by any agency of the Commonwealth prior to July 1, 1984, and until a program for permitting uranium mining is established by statute. For the purpose of construing § 45.1-180 (a), uranium mining shall be deemed to have a significant effect on the surface. [emph added]

So there is no "ban," as such; rather, no mining may be done until proper statutes are drawn up for regulating uranium mining.)

I have met with several people at Virginia Uranium; they all seem quite above-board and truly interested in the economic health and future of Pittsylvania County. Now, certainly I can be fooled - we can all be fooled at one time or another - but if these men and women are truly the nefarious reprobates intent on destroying the culture and environment of our county (as the anti-uranium folks are wont to picture them), then why are they all so willing and eager to be subject to the regulations Virginia would have to enact? Why are they so willing to dig in and hold on to their ownership, when it would be far easier to sell out and let one of the big companies shoulder the headaches that crafting, editing, and passing the regulations - and then the whole, nightmareish process of actually getting permitted under those regulations! - entails?

Heck, if it were me, I'd be sitting on a beach somewhere, sipping mai tais rather than attempting to inform people of the FACTS about uranium and slamming my head against the brick wall of people who just don't care about facts!

One of the most common myths I've heard promulgated is that, appaerntly, Virginia has a climate that is wet with lots of rainfall, and is thus utterly unique in all the world, so mining couldn't possibly be done safely here. (Yeah, tell that to the farmers who are currently lacking about 16 inches of rainfall this year...)

Uh-huh. Well, it seems to me that Canadian mines seem to be doing quite well. Rabbit Lake (Cameco) is practically surrounded by water, plus it has to deal with snow and snowmelt far greater than anything we'll ever see (oh, and it's won several safety trophies, too!). Or take a look at AREVA's operations in France (which, by the way, is not at all an arid country). Cleanup and proper shut down of old mines is extremely important in protecting the environment, of course. Note that AREVA is very concerned with complying with regulations set up by the French government!

Oh, did you mean that Virginia has no experience with this "wet climate" mining? How about I refer you back to Dr. Anderson?

The report emphasized the effectiveness of runoff and wastewater collection systems, as well as buffer zones and groundwater monitoring wells surrounding the site to detect the slightest elevations in contaminant levels and prevent contaminated water from escaping the site.

Virginia does not have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to uranium mining and milling. It can draw from the international best practices reported in the NAS study as well as borrow from effective regulatory regimes established in other states and countries.

We do not live in a vacuum, people. We do not live in the 1970's or 80's. We live in 2012 (soon to be 2013), and in an area where we have the chance to help supply America's energy needs. We have a chance to be part of it - and whether we go ahead and use this resource or not, let's make the decision with our brains and not our emotions!

The second report Bolling may have referred to could have been either the Chmura report or the George Mason study (links go to .pdfs). The summary at the beginning of the GM study (pp. 2-5) reviewed the circumstances of Pittsylvania County and also examined the impact of existing mines in communities in Texas, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming. It concluded:

• The fiscal impact analysis of the proposed mine and mill on Pittsylvania County found a substantial net fiscal benefit for the County.
• The regional housing market analysis found that economic and demographic factors have the greatest impact on housing sales and values with recent housing trends showing gains from the 2008-09 recession.
• Spending from the uranium mine and mill construction and operation would also be expected to increase demand for housing in the County.
• The analysis of how uranium operations have affected the economies of other counties have found that uranium has had a positive economic impact on these communities with no effect on business attraction and retention.
• The business climate analysis concluded that recent gains in the housing market and multiple business attraction successes indicate that the proposed mine and mill do not create a stigma that negatively impacts the County's economy.

When looking at other communities and reviewing recent changes in the housing and business sectors, the George Mason report indicates that this would be a definite positive for Pittsylvania. I would suggest you download the report and at least read the four page summary at the beginning.

A look at the Chmura report's summary will quickly demonstrate that, while it appears to have a more cautious view of the possible socioeconomic stigmas many citizens are concerned about, overall the mine will have a positive impact on the county. Of the four scenarios Chumra looks at, only one - the one where current federal standards on uranium mining are not met - has no positive impact at all.

Chmura is also quite blunt about the fact that the local community is very skeptical about whether federal or state regulation would, in fact, be able to keep the mine operating within safe environmental standards. The report puts forth a suggestion

... that several steps could be taken to mitigate some of this skepticism and bolster the public’s confidence in VUI as well as in state and federal regulatory agencies. These steps include the signing of an “Impact-Benefit Agreement” between VUI and Pittsylvania County, the establishment of permanent Environmental Quality Committees, and the utilization of “adaptive management” practices by VUI. [page 10]

You see? Yes, there are problems associated with the uranium mine - there are problems associated with any type of heavy industry like this - but they are not insurmountable. If we step back and look at the facts with our BRAINS, and do not succumb to emotional impulses based on myth and fear, uranium mining could be a positive development for us all.

America has historically been a place where people dare to do great things and reach out to better themselves and their communities. Of course we have failed at times; that's part of life. However, failure is only an opportunity to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and learn from your mistakes so you can make it succeed the next time you try.

Does uranium mining have the possibility of failure? Of course it does! However, when you step back, look at the facts, and evaluate them carefully with your intellect rather than your fears, I believe that the chances of success far outweigh the chances for failure. 

By the rivers of Babylon

I think many Republicans, conservative, and (possibly) even libertarians are only now coming out of the shock and disappointment of Tuesday's reelection of Obama. 

I know many who are looking to reevaluate and reprioritize, who are planning to do what they can to weather what is likely to be at least a decade (and possibly two or three) of aftershocks from the policies this administration will push through, either by Presidential fiat (no, I'm not going to use "executive order") or regulation, and I'm definitely one of them.

I've seen a lot of articles about "what the Republican Party needs to do now," but they are really just a rehash of four years ago when McCain/Palin lost - and they were as ineffective then as I suspect they will be now. I think the Right is just as deeply divided as America herself is (check out this article by Michael Barone in the New York Post), and the problem is not with the politics or the presentation of policies, but rather with the foundations the politics and policies rest on.

For all that 80% or so of Americans claim Christianity, for all that many of us assert a fondness and respect for Judeo-Christian principles, America is no longer a nation interested in living according to those foundations. We are no longer interested in rewarding personal responsibility, civic duty, mutual respect, true tolerance, diligence, hard work, or earned success. An entitlement attitude has trumped the work ethic, and crisis deferral has become the preferred method of dealing with problems.

Personally, I'm not planning to draw back into my shell like a hermit crab, but I'm also not going to put my heart into politics any more. I'll be involved and aware, certainly, and I'll continue to vote for the best available candidates, but I think that what this election did for me was to hammer in the fact that I'm not living in Zion any longer.

I'm living in Babylon.

This election has made me realize that I've gone down to Egypt for help, and that I've been trusting in horses and chariots, instead of God. I suspect the American church (I should say, rather, "the Church which happens to reside in America") is suffering from the same disease. And so we need to remember that we are but pilgrims in this world, and that it is not our home, it is not our Father's Kingdom.

Well. The Jews were exiled to Persia and Babylon, and eventually dispersed throughout the world - and they've remained the Jews. 

Christians lived in ancient Rome, in Corinth, and are in all the world. They, too, have lived as an unusual people, set apart to glorify God while living in a strange land.

So I need to work on revising my whole identity and begin to realize - and act out - that I'm not an American. First and foremost, I am an undeserving sinner saved by the great grace and mercy of the Sovereign Creator of the Universe, and that my allegiance is to Him above all other people, nations, causes, or desires. 

I am a child of the King - and it's time that I learned what that means.

By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down, yea, we wept
When we remembered Zion.
We hung our harps
Upon the willows in the midst of it.
For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song,
And those who plundered us requested mirth,
Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

How shall we sing the Lord’s song
In a foreign land?

(Psalm 137:1-4, NKJV)

Time to learn how to live in exile, and yet still proclaim the Name and Glory of God my Savior.

 

Allen focuses on jobs - Kaine would rather play hooky

And by "play hooky," I really mean "play the race card."

Let's get a little background, here. Last week, Virginia and West Virginia got the news that quite a few coal mines - which are a big part of our economies - were going to be idled, causing the loss of around 1200 jobs. George Allen realizes how critical these jobs are to Virginia, its economy, and its citizens, and is pointing out Kaine's ties to people and agencies which are hostile to fossil fuels.

Kaine, of course, has little to stand on, as you see in this article from this Washington Post (certainly no friend of sound energy policies) article, which attempts to puff Kaine up by listing his support for alternative energy:

On the campaign trail, Kaine also boasts of having adopted the state’s first comprehensive energy plan, which sought to achieve a balance between coal, nuclear, natural gas, wind and biofuels. He reminds people that as governor, he kept an open mind on the possibility of drilling for oil off Virginia’s shore.

Kaine said he understands the historical importance of coal and its future potential as technology reduces its impact on the planet. But he is also a believer in green energy that can produce jobs such as those at a General Electric plant in Salem where 700 workers build components for wind turbines and solar arrays.

“A third of new power in this country since 2007 that’s come online has been wind power,” Kaine said during a visit to Bristol’s Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival this month.

Yeah. I really love the line about "[keeping] an open mind on the possibility of drilling for oil off Virginia's shore." Keeping an open mind is very effective in creating new jobs, opening up new areas for energy production, and moving Virginia forward as an energy-producing state (yeah, yeah, "Commonwealth," I know). Really, it is!

Funny how nothing actually happened to meet those goals... Plus, at the moment, alternative energy is quite dependant on fossil fuels - both to make various pieces-parts as well as to, you know, provide the POWER to make and assemble those parts - and is also, comparatively speaking, far more expensive than fossil fuels.

Truth to tell, folks, I would totally LOVE to get my power from solar, wind, and geothermal energy, but right now the technologies are too expensive, too inefficient, and too far out of the average person's reach for a real changeover in the next twenty years or so. Keep up the research, keep up the development, absolutely - but at this time, alternative energy powering our economy in any meaningful way is a pipe dream for people suckered in by enviro-idiots (why, hello, Solyndra!)

Anyway, so George Allen is focusing on jobs ("It's the economy, stupid!"), reining in DC's insane spending, and getting this country back on track to being the economic powerhouse we naturally should be... And Tim Kaine wants to talk alternative energies and...

... "Macaca"?!!

 Well, his AFL-CIO attack dogs want to, anyway:

Workers' Voice is putting $54,000 into web ads hitting Allen in Northern Virginia over a range of race-related controversies. One ad says Allen "hung a Confederate flag in his living room," another that he "voted against MLK Day" and another that he "kept a noose in his law office." One ad just says "Macaca."

A Workers' Voice official said the ads will focus on voters in Northern Virginia and Richmond, both union members and non-union members, and particularly African-American and Latino voters.

Democratic Senate candidate Tim Kaine and his campaign have not attacked Allen in these terms -- at least not yet. But there's no question that the Democratic strategy for winning the Virginia Senate race involves casting Allen as a throwback to an earlier, more conservative and less diverse Virginia, and racking up support among women and the minority voters who have become increasingly influential in Virginia politics.

Seriously, guys? Y'all are union people; one would think that you would be concerned that your brothers in the coal mining industry were losing jobs and asking Kaine what his jobs plan is.

That reminds me - hey, Tim Kaine, what *IS* your jobs plan?

*crickets*

How about your plan to reduce government spending and invasive regulation?

*crickets*

Ah. Well, let's make this a little easier. How about your plan to promote solid debate about issues?

*crickets*

Yeah. Thought so.

Of course, Kaine does have to support and follow his Bestest Buddy, doesn't he?

Of course, that might not be such a good thing; Kaine is on record as saying that there might be more important things to focus on than jobs.

Like this?

Additional reading:

• Washington DC-based partisan group blast Kaine on coal (nice, unbiased headling, don't you think?)
• Tim Kaine's union allies ignore jobs, focus on race card in Virginia Senate
• Dems go for the race card; Allen (and everyone else) talks coal jobs, energy independence
• Virginia Black Consevative Forum calls on Tim Kaine to repudiate ads attacking George Allen as racist

 

September 11th, eleven years later

 

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected in hope because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8:18-21, NKJV)

I suspect anyone over the age of 20 - and perhaps many who are younger - remember that day well.

It was a beautiful early fall day, I'd just dropped my five-year-old daughter off at school, and I was at the mall (Greenbriar Mall in Virginia Beach, if it matters) for an eye appointment. Since I as quite early, I sat in the food court and pulled out my Bible and my notebook to continue my attempt to memorize Romans 8.

These were the verses I was working on that morning. How wonderful that, in the Providence of God, He laid these verses before me that particular day!

So many people suffered that morning: those whose lives were taken, those who were injured, those who lost loved ones, those who desperately searched for survivors, those who helplessly watched, those who wept in prayer - an entire nation was witness to and participant in the suffering and futility of this sin-cursed universe. What greater evidence could we have of the evil and brokenness of our world than nineteen men, who followed the sick, twisted, and evil teachings of a false prophet of a false god, and murdered almost three thousand people for the "glory" of Allah and to gain "paradise"?

What kind of evil lives in the human heart and urges us to commit atrocities like this?

And yet, God's hand of common grace was still at work, for it was HIS work of mercy which led men and women to rush into buildings to save what lives they could, to put in endless hours in identifying and locating the missing, to come to New York and DC to give whatever aid they could, to sit in prayer on behalf of the suffering families, to offer the cool water of love and comfort to the broken.

To rush in to the cockpit and lay down their lives so that others might be safe.

Eleven years later, America remembers - but I'm not sure that we remember an important message of that terrible day:

Evil exists. Evil stalks us, and takes any opportunity to maim and kill us. And that thread of evil (to paraphrase) runs through the heart of each and every human being on earth.

That's a terrible thing to say, isn't it? On a day when we remember the tragedy and honor the thousands of people who died, or the thousands of brave people who sacrificed themselves, or rescued the trapped, or healed the wounded, or comforted the grieving... Isn't it a terrible thing to put down that horrific truth in black pixels?

No.

Because that important message above is NOT the MOST important message of that day.

The MOST important message of that day is that evil can be beaten. In fact, evil HAS been beaten; we are simply living through its death throes.

Look at those verses again - the creation has been subjected to futility in HOPE. God will deliver this creation from the bonds of evil and sin. God will come in in His timing and execute perfect justice and wipe away the tears from our eyes.

God will defeat and banish evil from every corner of Creation, and there will be no more sorrow, no more death, no more grief.

As we remember 9-11, I ask you to look beyond the terror and pain and evil. As we remember those who died and those who lived, remember the bright rays of hope that shine so brilliantly against the dark battlefield.

Let those vibrant acts of sacrifice and service point you to the Living God, whose character and love are reflected in those actions, and remember that

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:22-26, NKJV)

So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”

The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ibid., vv 54-57)

"Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" indeed!

 

On Todd Akin and "legitimate" rape - and abortion (UPDATED!)

UPDATE 2: Please go reat this article at the Washington Examiner: When a horrific rape leads to an innocent life. It has a few examples of women who chose to continue a rape pregnancy AND the offspring of such a pregnancy. Key quote:

Jenni says her mother tells her that "it was a horrible thing that happened, but this was a little light in her life." A daughter to raise "gave her incentive to recover." Aborting Jenni "would have been just another trauma," her mother says.

After Akin's comments, the Republican ticket proclaimed: "A Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape."

Kristi doesn't accept this stance. "It's important to realize that the child is punished for the sins of the father" when a child is aborted, because she was conceived by rape. "The child is innocent by all means."

The rape-and-incest exception has an emotional appeal, and it's hard to argue against it. "It usually takes seeing a person," Jenni told me. "Just looking at a person" conceived by this horrific act, "and thinking, 'what makes this person any different from any other?' "

ORIGINAL POST:

*sigh* 

It's truly frustrating and utterly heartbreaking when a Republican sticks his foot in it so badly, and then refuses to step down and let someone else - hopeifully more qualified and verbally adept - to come in and try to rescue the situation.

However, I think that there's something in the situation which hasn't been addressed. For all Akin's absurd assertion that a woman's body can reject impregnation during a "real" rape, he seems to have sidestepped the real facts that a) women DO get pregnant from rape, and b) it is just as morally wrong to abort in that situation as it is in any other - at least if you're going to be a consistant pro-life advocate.

Let me explain:

From the moment of conception (and contra what the esteemed Ann Althouse, for one, seems to say here, about 2/3 of the way through), the "fetus," "baby," "glob of cells" or whatever you choose to call it, is human. Is it a fully functioning, rational, emoting person? No, not yet... But it is certainly not going to pop out as a table, a car, a clam, a shark, a raccoon, or a monkey - biologically, it is only ever going to grow and develop into a human being. Once that first cell is created, a human comes into existence.

Now, one of the other things which pro-lifers like me also assert is that even that single cell is a human PERSON with a soul and a purpose and the God-given gift of life - a life that our Declaration declares to be one of our God-given rights. However, that point is a bit beyond the argument I want to make at this time.

Going back to the biological fact that this tenant of a woman's womb is human, it brings up ethical and legal considerations: Is it ethical to terminate innocent humans? Is it legal to kill someone because of another person's crime? To any reasonable, thinking person the answer to both those questions must be "no."

Please be aware that I understand the desire to allow abortions in cases of rape or incest. These are terrible situations of great physical, emotional, and mental stress, anguish, and pain. It is very hard - sometimes all but impossible - to navigate these tragedies and find the absolute "right" thing to do. Any way the situation is resolved will result in great sacrifice, and it takes a woman of unusual courage, strength, faith, and trust to carry through with such a pregnancy.

But, at the foundation of the crisis is this: what right does anyone have to pronounce a death sentence on a human who is completely innocent of any crime?

I am fortunate; I have never been in that situation. I pray that I never shall. I weep with those who must face this decision, and have the duty - no, the honor - to offer what support and love I can to those women who are dealing with this woeful hardship, no matter what her decision. Christians, in particular, should regard it as a blessing from God to be His physical, earthly hand of love and provision and tenderness to anyone going through the Valley of the Shadow of Death and to help them come through to the Light on the other side.

But as individuals, we should not be counseling death, but encouraging LIFE. Each of us, as individuals, is called to come alongside to give an ear to hear, a shoulder to cry on, hands to comfort. Each of us is called to help with transportation, groceries, doctors, diapers - or with the adoption process.

A woman who aborts a rape pregnancy has nothing but death to bring out of tragedy. There is no positive, no silver lining, that she can take away from the rape. These women need our love, support, and healing, too - of course! - but, oh, the thin, fragile thread we must use to help reweave her life.

God willing, a woman who chooses to give life will be able to look back and see triumph out of tragedy, blessing out of cursing, and joy out of ashes.

 UPDATE: My blog-brother, Tom White, has an excellent post that mirrors my thoughts very well. Go read!

Conservative Virginia bloggers demand revocation of Laura Vozella's press credentials to the RNC

The Honorable Pat Mullins
Chairman
Republican Party of Virginia
115 East Grace Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219

Dear Chairman Mullins,

On August 20th, 2012 the Washington Post launched a scurrilous, yet sadly typical, attack on Republican U.S. Senate nominee George Allen.

While Allen had made a statement repudiating Missouri U.S. Senate candidate Todd Akin's remarks, the Washington Post's Laura Vozzella chose to take the opportunity to attack Allen by linking him to a vote for a judicial appointment -- a connection so bizarre, it could only have come from a DSCC opposition research book, not to mention far beyond the scope of her article.

Vozzella has a long history of bashing conservatives, so naturally the Washington Post is a perfect home for her.

What strikes the bloggers and readers of the Jeffersoniad as bizarre is this: why would the Republican Party of Virginia grant this vitriolic and anti-conservative "reporter" with credentials at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida?

Bloggers have long been up front and critical about the difference between real journalism that presents perspectives and the sort of op-ed reporting the Washington Post has long engaged in against Virginia conservatives -- particularly George Allen.

Therefore, the members of the Jeffersoniad Blog Alliance demand the Republican Party of Virginia immediately revoke Laura Vozzella's credentials for the 2012 RNC Convention in Tampa, Florida as an example and a warning that while journalism will be respected, copy-and-paste hatchet jobs courtesy of the Kaine/DSCC machine can no longer be treated as journalism and is unworthy of such respect.

Regards,

Jim Hoeft
Bearing Drift

Jim Riley
Virginia Virtucon

Tom White
Virginia RIGHT!

D.J. McGuire
The Right-Wing Liberal

Trent A. Barton
Virginia Virtucon

David Shepherd
Virginia Gentleman

Lynn Mitchell
SWAC Girl

Brian Kirwin
Bearing Drift

Jeanine Martin
Virginia Virtucon

Dean Settle
The Bulletproof Monk

Kat Wilton
Cathouse Chat

Michael Fletcher
The Write Side Of My Brain

Brian Schoeneman
Bearing Drift

Krystle Weeks
Crystal Clear Conservative

Shaun Kenney
ShaunKenney.com

Steve Thomas
Virginia Virtucon

Terrence Boulden
Virginia Virtucon

 

references:

Bearing Drift - "WaPo's Laura Vozella Sure Knows How to Slant the News"

Washington Post - "George Allen criticizes Akin for ‘legitimate rape’ comments; voted to confirm judge who once held similar view"

Japanese cooking and cuisine

OK, the videos are a bit hokey, but Delicious Nippon on YouTube has spurred me to plan (and PLOT!) some ono-licious asian meals! ;-)

Google needs to be an awesome consierge

con·cierge/kôNˈsyerZH/

Noun:

(esp. in France) A caretaker of an apartment complex or a small hotel, typically one living on the premises. A hotel employee whose job is to assist guests by making theater and restaurant reservations, etc.

Today I ran across and article on C|net titled "How Google products go from creepy to cool," which discusses some of the privacy concerns which raise their ugly heads every time (it seems) Google rolls out a new product or enhancement:

But the cries of "creepy" still come when Google releases new products that by pushing the envelope push us beyond our privacy comfort zone. Case in point is Google Now, an automated personal assistant destined for Android's Jelly Bean. Google Now will be able to use information such as your search history, calendar, location and other data Google knows about you to anticipate your needs, such as reminding you about a meeting you have this afternoon, telling you the weather in the city where the meeting will be held, and offering up a train schedule to get you there. 

"In the digital personal assistant world, it's not human-like qualities -- a.k.a the uncanny valley -- that makes these programs creepy, but rather the kind of information they have," Rebecca Greenfield wrote in The Atlantic Wire. "That Google Now knows about us in a more than Google-search-able way makes the service feel like an intrusion."

Now, I'm a total Google fan-girl, and have been for years. In my family, I'm the go-to person (not that that's saying much) when there are questions on how to access this service or tweak those settings with Google products. When something new comes up, I'm the first one slavering to get on board and play (Google Wave and Google+, anyone? LOL), and I love the integration and ease (well, mostly) of use of the Google line of apps.

However, all the knowledge about me and my life that this integration requires is something that we should be cautious about - of course! In my personal experience, Google has been far more responsive and careful in this arena than other providers (*cough* Facebook *cough), but they have made - and will make - mistakes. Remember, the Google monolith is run, managed, and developed by humans, and mistakes are normal. So, it is very wise to be mindful of what you say, where you go, and how you share things.

I think that one of the best ways for Google to address the privacy issue is to consciously adopt a very particular image, that of a talented, discreet consierge at a top of the line luxury hotel. The consierge in this position knows all of his clients intimately: what they like to eat, their interests, their goals, where they like to relax (and how), concerns/allergies/preferences, their likes and dislikes, how much money they want to spend, their shopping habits - everything the consierge knows is directed to makeing his clients' stay at his hotel the most pleasing, relaxing, and helpful experience ever. After all, he wants them to come back again and again, and tell their friends about their fabulous stay and encourage those friends to share that hospitality.

The consierge is the ultimate host, paving the way for the stay of a lifetime.

Remember, though, that the other side of the coin is discretion. 

First of all, the consierge, while ever-available and accessible, is unobtrusive. Generally speaking, he does not put himself forward with his own preferences or with self-promotion (and in re: Google, I'm talking about Google's presence in out day-to-day living, not the occasions like Google I/O, which is, of course, a promotional event - and properly so). Just like an excellent waiter, the consierge does not hover, but is immediately on hand to offer suggestions, answer questions, and give service as needed.

Secondly, but even more importantly, the consierge's professional discretion assures that he holds his clients' privacy to be absolutely sacrosanct. He never gossips, never sells information, and actively rebuffs any intrusive curiousity about his clients. Telling your secrets to the consierge should be like telling them to a stone wall: they never, ever go anywhere else.

This is a very difficult position to be in for Google - I won't deny it. To have the knowledge they do about our lives - and they must have it, to make their revenue stream work - and yet to either keep it completely private or else so anonymous (for market research, evaluating trends, and so on) that our lives remain private is a delicate and nerve wracking path to navigate. 

I doubt it's possible to do perfectly (even real-life consierges make mistakes, after all!).

But, I think that if Google makes this sort of mindset part of their corporate conscience and ethics - it fits in perfectly with "Don't be evil" - then we can feel more confident when we entrust our data and our online personas to them.

Enemy of free speech: domestic terrorist, convicted bomber, BRETT KIMBERLIN - and the cowardly GOP congresscritters who refuse to speak out

My friends, it has been a long time since I've posted here on CatHouse Chat. Sadly, I've permitted myself to be consumed by trivial things rather than using this space to hone my writing and thinking skills (I hope to fix that!).

But Brett Kimberlin is a threat to the free speach we cherish so dearly in this country, and this issue needs support and promotion, so I'm going to crosspost this entry by Jim Hoeft, my dear friend who is the lead/owner of one of Virginia's premiere blogs, Bearing Drift:

 *******************************

Conservative websites are going dark today in order to deliver a message to their readers and, in particular, to the Republican elected officials who have relied upon sites like Bearing Drift so much over the years to advance their legislative agendas and political prospects:

Our freedom of speech is under a premeditated, coordinated attack. And we need your help.

This all stems from a case in Maryland, where blogger Aaron Walker was arrested for blogging about a man named Bret Kimberlin (more on his colorful life later).

But matters did not end there.

Other conservative bloggers have been threatened, or, more ominously, subject to “SWATings” at their homes. The American Center for Law and Justice has said it will defend bloggers who are facing legal harassment and at least one Senator, Georgia’s Saxby Chambliss, has asked the Department of Justice to investigate the “SWATings” of conservative bloggers.

Good for Chambliss. But what about Virginia’s congressional delegation? Do they intend to add their voices — and not inconsiderable clout — to Chambliss’ effort?

The editors of Bearing Drift thus call on Eric Cantor, Randy Forbes, Scott Rigell, Bob Goodlatte,Morgan Griffith, Robert Hurt, Rob Wittman and Frank Wolf to do so.

Now.

If you live in their districts, we urge you to contact them using the links above. If you are reading this from another state, even if you’re represented by a Democrat, contact them as well. This pattern of intimidation goes at the very core of who we are as Americans – the right to speak freely and engage in public political debate.

If you our the congressmen are unaware of the back story and the stakes involved, Tim Donner wrote an excellent account last week.

We are reprinting it here, in full:

Have you heard of Brett Kimberlin? I hadn’t until recently.

You should know about him, though, and you should care about his heretofore successful attacks on the most fundamental free speech rights of his critics.

This story should send chills up the spines of all journalists, and those who take the first amendment seriously.

It all started with a group Mr. Kimberlin co-founded called Velvet Revolution, and that group’sattempt to have conservative activists James O’Keefe, Hanna Jiles and Andrew Breitbart criminally prosecuted for the famous expose of ACORN. Mandy Nagy (who blogs at libertychick) wrote anarticle on Breitbart exposing Velvet Revolution and Brent Kimberlin.

It turns out Mr. Kimberlin had good reason to wish people didn’t dig into his past, as that past includes terrorist bombings, drug trafficking, perjury, and parole violations. All of the above cost Kimberlin almost 20 years in prison.

It also turns out that some of the most high-profile leftists were bankrolling Kimberlin. His tax exemptJustice Through Music Project has been funded generously by the George Soros funded Tides Foundation, Barbara Streisand, and Tereza Heinz-Kerry, netting this two-employee “social justice” organization over 1.8 million dollars in six years. All this was red meat for Nagy, as well as other conservative bloggers who seized on the story.

Mr. Kimberlin obviously did not appreciate his felonious past being exposed for the world to see and decided to do something about it. He used his time in prison to become very familiar with the legal system, filing more than 100 lawsuits, including many against bloggers.

Prosecutor and blogger Patterico has the breakdown on how Kimberlin succeeds at his plan:

“…this serial litigant forces his critics into his jurisdiction with a frivolous civil action. If Kimberlin’s critics complain that the action is frivolous, he calls that criticism “harassment,” and through a process of seeking frivolous peace orders and/or filing frivolous criminal complaints, obtains an arrest warrant for the critic. When the critic shows up to court as required, he or she is arrested on the trumped-up charges.

Success! The story becomes about the critic’s arrest. The critics look worse because authorities seem to take Kimberlin’s side; and he gets the satisfaction of putting his critics behind bars, even if for a short time.”

Where, you may ask, are the judges? Surely when confronted with two people with differing stories about harassment, abuse, libel and slander, the Yale-trained lawyer with no record would be accorded more trust than the convicted perjurer, bomber, and federal felon, right?

Not in Montgomery County, Maryland. Rockville judge C.J. Vaughey granted Kimberlin a new “peace order” (essentially a restraining order), and in doing so demonstrated a near total ignorance about how blogging and social media works. Here is an audio transcript of the hearing.

Now I’m not a big twitter user, but if I were judging a case about its use, I would make sure I understood exactly how tweeting, tagging, and re-tweeting works. Judge Vaughey apparently has no need for such facts. Since so many people have written negative things about the violent felon Kimberlin, Kimberlin simply represented to the judge that those people were directed by blogger Aaron Walker and the judge decided to take the word of the perjurer!

So the judge – and this case brings to mind the old adage that a judge is just a lawyer with a politician for a friend – takes our precious First Amendment and throws it in the ashcan by granting another order suspending Aaron Walker’s free speech rights, enacting a prior restraint.

I can understand how Judge Vaughey might not be familiar with the twitterverse, but that he is also unfamiliar with two hundred and twenty two years of First Amendment jurisprudence is profoundly troubling.

I’ll leave it to Chief Justice Warren Burger to articulate the terrible problem with such a ruling:

“[P]rior restraints on speech and publication are the most serious and the least tolerable infringement on First Amendment rights. A criminal penalty or a judgment in a defamation case is subject to the whole panoply of protections afforded by deferring the impact of the judgment until all avenues of appellate review have been exhausted. Only after judgment has become final, correct or otherwise, does the law’s sanction become fully operative.

A prior restraint, by contrast and by definition, has an immediate and irreversible sanction. If it can be said that a threat of criminal or civil sanctions after publication “chills” speech, prior restraint “freezes” it at least for the time.”

This decision must be reversed for any of us to be free to speak our minds. Brett Kimberlin said “I have filed over a hundred lawsuits and another one will be no sweat for me. On the other hand, it will cost you a lot of time and money and for what?”

For the most fundamental of rights – the right to speak my mind – that’s what. Political speech is the form of speech that was most valued by America’s founders, and what has most profoundly defined freedom in the American republic.

Incredibly, there is an even darker side of this story. A number of Mr. Kimberlin’s critics have become victims of “swatting.” Swatting is when someone who doesn’t like what you’ve said calls the police and pretends to be you, reports to be at your residence, and then says something crazy such as, for instance, they just killed their family.

The police take the caller at their word and respond in kind, putting everyone at great risk of death, as the police think they’re dealing with a homocidal lunatic.

This happened most recently to CNN contributor and editor of Redstate.com, Erick Erickson, and Kimberlin critic Patrick Frey who had a helicopter and swat team pull him from his home at gunpoint.

It is my profound hope that Americans from all over the political spectrum recognize the existential threat to decent society this kind of behavior represents, and will join me in standing against this atrocity being committed against the First Amendment, and the civilized world.

The Totally Awesome Beef and Black Bean Soup from Hell (in the good, spicy sense) Recipe

Yesterday, my Beloved Husband and I swung by our new farmer's market on the way to picking up the Darling Munchkin from school (she'd been on an overnight "bonding" trip with her class). Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your viewpoint), the only person there was a local beef farmer (Gregory's Boxwood Farm - and on Facebook as well). We had a great chat, and I purchased about 2 pounds of "beef soup bones" from him. Usually, you'd expect, well... bones, right? However, these were more like cross-cuts about 1/2 inch thick, with a good cross section of bone in them (he thought they were a bit odd, too, but he'd used a different butchering company than his usual). There was quite a bit of meat attached, and I immediately decided - since the day was a classic cloudy and damp fall day - that soup was on the menu!

Having the beef in hand, and some black beans (dried) in the pantry, I was a good little girl and googled around to look for a beef and black bean soup recipe - and this is the one I came across. I didn't have everything on THAT list, but I decided to use it as a jumping off point.

This is what I came up with, and it's had my Beloved and our Darling greedily slurping it down since it finished cooking! FAIR WARNING: if y'all don't like spicy food, you WILL have to make adjustments to tone it down - and this makes quite a bit, so feel free to cut it in half if necessary.

• 1.5 to 2 pounds of beef for soup, cut into a small dice (half- to quarter-inch cubes)
• 1.5 C. diced carrots
• 1.5 C. diced celery
• 2-3 C. diced onion
• 2 TB minced garlic
• 2 TB Emeril's Southwest Seasoning (from here - and I make it without the salt)
• 2-4 TB bacon fat (or olive oil, but I really wanted a rich, lucious flavor)

Sprinkle the Southwest Seasoning over the diced meat and mix to coat.

Heat up a large Dutch Oven - 6 quart size - over medium high heat and use about 1 TB of the bacon fat to brown the beef. Remember, don't crowd the meat! As these cubes are small, this will go very quickly, so keep an eye on things. Remove the beef to a bowl and set to one side.

Add in the rest of the bacon fat, and then the onions. Saute on medium high heat until softened, and then add in the garlic, celery, and carrots. Continue to saute for another 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently.

Now add:

• 1 14oz. can of diced tomatoes
• 1 can of RoTel Hot Diced Tomatoes (this would be a good place to bump the spice level down if you want)
• 1 4.5oz can of chopped green chiles (I used Old El Paso)
• 4 14oz cans of beef stock (Swanson's fat-free works great!)
• 6 C cooked black beans
• 1-3 TB more of Southwest Seasoning, depending on your tastebuds

You could, if you want, also add lots of generous grinds of pepper to this! (Mmmmmm, PEPPER!)

Dump all those in, stir really well, and bring it up to a boil over high heat. Once it's boiling, drop the heat down to a simmer, cover it up, and let her bubble quietly away for about an hour and a half to two hours. After about an hour, test the seasoning level and add additional Seasoning if needed. This would also be the time to add a little bit of salt if you want to, but I find that if you get enough flavor in via the Hot Tomatoes, the Chiles, and the Seasoning, you will need very little salt. In any case, use a light hand with the salt: it's better for people to add to personal taste than for something to be too salty (and, yes, things CAN be too salty!)

You can serve this over rice, which the Beloved Husband likes, or with a yummy, crusty piece of fresh-baked bread (or cornbread!) alongside.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go do some greedy slurping of my own... ;-)

 

Never, never, never, NEVER FORGET!

 

Psalm 46:1-3:

¹ God is our refuge and strength,
         A very present help in trouble.
 ² Therefore we will not fear,
         Even though the earth be removed, 
         And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
 ³ Though its waters roar and be troubled,
         Though the mountains shake with its swelling.  Selah 

 

Have you forgotten how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside going thru a living hell
And you say we shouldn't worry 'bout bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

Psalm 91:1-6:

¹ He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
         Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
 ² I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
         My God, in Him I will trust.”          
 ³ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
         And from the perilous pestilence.
 ⁴ He shall cover you with His feathers,
         And under His wings you shall take refuge; 
         His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
 ⁵ You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
         Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
 ⁶ Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
         Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. 

"Let's roll."

 

"Where was God? Where was God when 9-11 happened? Where was He??"

God was right there - still in control, unsurprised, and weeping with us. Jesus walked among our people, giving comfort, lending strength, guiding to safety - and taking some Home. The Holy Spirit was there, convicting of sin, applying salvation, and bearing witness.

Some on that day died and walked into God's presence and a joyous "Welcome Home!" from the angels - and some on that day died and fell into the beginning of their eternal torment in Hell.

But on that day, Christ was there, offering His salvation even unto the last moment.

We must never forget that day and we must never forget how much more terrible it could have been had God not laid His hand upon us only very lightly. We must never forget that day and must remember that we, too, are here for such a brief span of time, and that we know not the day or hour of our own deaths. We must never forget that day and must mourn for those who are trapped in the satanic death spiral of all who are without Christ. We must never forget that day and earnestly pray that God would send His Spirit to reveal the Light of the World and renew His church to be His bright witness in a sin-cursed world. 

We must never forget that day and solemnly commit to living our lives before the face of God: loving deeply, serving humbly, thinking wisely, living honestly, and worshiping joyously.

There is no freedom outside the freedom offered by Christ. There is no peace beyond the peace purchased by Christ. There is no justice without the justice meted out by Christ. There is no future aside from the future that Christ holds in His hands.

Remember September 11, 2001. Remember the fallen and their families. Remember all the fear and terror and pain. Remember the tears pouring out from the heart of a nation. 

And remember that, whether or not it happens again, there is a holy God who will judge, perfectly and finally. His hand is outstretched still to offer His mercy and forgiveness through His Son, and His command is that all people should turn to Him in repentance and worship.

One Day He is coming to judge the living and the dead, and the question is, When He comes, will He judge you, or will He welcome you?

 

God bless Kyle Busch and M&Ms - NASCAR #18 car!!!

Tomorrow night, September 10th, the Richmond International Raceway is hosting the NASCAR Wonderful Pistachios 400 (??? OK, crazy name...), and my Beloved and a friend of his are up there enjoying a guys' weekend out. Well, earlier today, they tweeted this photo to me:

Kyle Busch, who drives #18 (sponsored by M&Ms), is apparently the favorite to win, and I pray he does! Because not only is he racing in the Red White and Blue, M&Ms and Busch have stripped ALL corporate sponsorship logos from the car so that she can race in honor of the fallen of 9/11.

God bless you, sir. Thank you, M&Ms (I am so glad that they are my favorite candy already!)

My Beloved tells me that the tailgate reads,

 

"Never forget!"

I love J.D Robb's In Death... series, but...

She's completely off base in some things!

I finished the 32nd book in the series, Treachery in Death, yesterday and decided to go back and re-read from the beginning (yes, even I have my guilty pleasures, LOL!). I've just gotten up to the third book, where Eve is introduced to Leonardo, who will design her wedding gown, for her first consult. He says that Eve is 5' 9" and weighs one hundred and twenty pounds!

Folks, I'm 5' 2", and one-twenty is at the lower end of my healthy weight range: There is no way that Eve Dallas can weigh 120 and be fit and tough enough to handle all the a**-busting she does in each novel!

Plus, Rourke, Eve's love-interest, is described as being 6' 1" (or 2") and weighing 173. My husband, God love him, is 5" 11" and got down to 170 just before I gave birth to our daughter 15 years ago. The last month of my pregnancy, I outweighed him - and he was toooooo slim! He'd been biking to and from work and had, frankly, become quite scrawny, IMHO. At 6'1 or 2", I certainly wouldn't see a man weighing only 173 as anything but a scarecrow, although it's marginally more believable than Eve's weight issue.

Anyway. That's my rant for the day - frivolous, I know, but these little details can drive me pretty batty with irritation...

Cessationism, spiritual gifts, and - tangentially - Mark Driscoll

Anyone who has read CatHouse Chat for a while knows of my appreciation for the ministry and teaching of Mark Driscoll, the lead pastor/teacher at Mars Hill Church. Mark preaches, generally, from the Reformed/Calvinist tradition and his sermons have frequently been encouraging and edifying to me.

However, I have recently been seeing some discussions about some of his positions which do concern me. The main site I've noted is Pyromaniacs, which is authored by several men who seem to me to be quite sound theologically (posts mentioning Driscoll can be searched here). One of the gentlemen there, Dan Phillips, also posts on his own blog, Biblical Christianity, and occasionally continues the discussion there. Another contributor, Phil Johnson, is, if I recall correctly, a member/leader of John MacArthur's church, and a sometime contributor to the Grace to You blog, where Pastor John has been posting a series on the YRRs ("young, reformed, restless").

Now, these are all teachers I respect, and whose love for Christ I, personally, do not doubt. Nevertheless, Pyromaniacs & Co. have brought up some problems with Mark Driscoll's ministry that I must take seriously. I am persuaded that there is cause for concern, so I can no longer give my whole-hearted endorsement to Mars Hill Church/Mark Driscoll. I believe that there is a LOT of good coming out of that church, but I would now caution listeners/watchers to exercise careful discernment.

All that is an introduction to the questions I *do* have: Do we still have the Gifts of the Spirit ("charisma") today? If so, how do they operate? If not, why have they ceased? Have they ALL ceased? If so, why have some continued?

I think, from what I've read (and I realize that this is very simplified), that TeamPyro is pretty firmly on the side of cessationism (the gifts are no longer operational), at least in the sense that the big sign gifts (raising the dead, miraculous healings, tongues, revelation, etc.) have stopped. Driscoll, on the other hand, doesn't believe that - although I have seen him state that he's definitely not a "charismaniac," and that soi-disant "words from the Lord" need to be carefully evaluated according to Scripture before they are presented to the church body.

I confess that I do not, personally, have a complete answer.

I do believe that the Gifts are still operative, but not in the larger "this is proof of God's authority" sense that Moses, Elijah, Elisha, the Apostles, and - of course! - Jesus had. I believe that the exercise of gifts on that level was, as it were, God's personal "diplomatic credentials" so that anyone witnessing them would have no excuse that these men were indeed from God and spoke in His authority.

Having said that, I do believe that there is a place for the gifts: God does indeed call and gift some people to proclaim His Word in power and truth (without it being new revelation). God does gift some to be healers, whether via traditional medicine or the laying on of hands (but I'm highly suspicious of "faith healers," who seem on the whole to be chasing after personal glory rather than God's glory). God blesses some with extra measures of kindness, grace and service, while still commanding that ALL Christians demonstrate these qualities in their lives. 

I even think speaking in tongues is a working gift, although I suspect that God does it via an unusual facility with actual languages so that the Gospel may be proclaimed throughout all the world. "Spiritual" languages make me uncomfortable, in large part due to the "charismaniacs" who seem to babble senselessly and without proper decorum and orderliness. Paul actually addresses this very specifically in 1 Corinthians 14:6-17:

But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.

Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.

Spiritual gifts - however they come to us today - are to be used FIRST to glorify God, and then to edify the Church and be a witness to unbelievers. Our God is not the author of chaos, but of reason and order; therefore, the charisma must be demonstrated in accord with God's character and in an orderly fashion. We are not to display them as if we were at a circus for entertainment and drama. After all, Paul continues in verses 26-33:

How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

What concerns me about the criticisms Pyromaniacs & Co. (and no disrespect in that title indended; it's merely a convenient way for me to generally refer to the worthy critics I listed) is not so much that Mark Driscoll believes that the charisma are in operation today, but their examples of how he's using them seem to contradict both biblical instruction and his own statements on how not to be a "charismaniac."

As I said, I have many questions about the spiritual gifts and how they're exercised. My opinion is that, perhaps, both Pyromaniacs and Driscoll go too far to either side. Nevertheless, they are teachers who have all helped me think more biblicly and have deepened my love for God. Frankly, they have all also taught me that there are a LOT of things about God that I do not - and possibly will never - know.

But then, that's just a glorious reminder that He's God, and I'm not! ;-)

Quote of the Day: "Language must mirror reality."

My adult Bible study just began an overview of Ravi Zacharias' book, Cries of The Heart. Today's section has this quote:

Language and reason are the special endowments of humanity, the pinnacle of God's creation. When we cease to understand the role of language we misuse that privilege and can reshape reality just by changing our use of words. Al we need to do today to see the ustter wrong-headedness of our culture is to see what we have done with words. Words such as freedom, love, pleasure, and marriage have all lost their meanings. In the beginning was the Word. God has spoken. Language must mirror reality [<-- this emphasis is mine -- K].

"Language must mirror reality."

Yet, today it so often doesn't!

Just look at the word "tolerance." The proper definition includes a sense that you can live peaceably alongside something - or someone - you disagree with. These days, we are labled "intolerant" if we disagree with govenment welfare policies or with gay marriage; we are expected to endorse, promote and approve these things to be "tolerant."

But, how can you "tolerate" something with which you have no disagreement?

"Language must mirrow reality."

God made this whole universe. He spoke the laws of physics and biology and morality into existance. He Himself created reality!

If we are so foolish to try and wrest His power away and redesign reality, we will lose and He will have the last laugh. No matter what your IQ, no matter how many degrees you have or how much influence you wield, you cannot - you WILL not! - conquer God. Instead:

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.& Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness,they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful, who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. [emph. mine - K]

Is that not who we all are today?

Albert Mohler's article, "Reparative Therapy, Homosexuality and the Gospel of Jesus Christ," relates to this:

The normalization of homosexuality simply cannot be accepted by anyone committed to biblical Christianity. The new secular orthodoxy demands that Christians abandon the clear teachings of Scripture, and Christians must understand that the sinfulness of all homosexual behaviors is not only a matter of biblical authority, but also of the Gospel. To deny that sin is sin is to deny our need for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Christians cannot accept any teaching that minimizes sin, for it is the knowledge of our sin that points us to our need for atonement, salvation, and the forgiveness of that sin through the cross of Jesus Christ.

Second, we must recognize that every human being is a sinner and that every sinner’s pattern of sexual attraction falls short of the glory of God. There is no sinner of physical maturity who will be able to say that he or she has never had a sinful thought related to sex or sexuality. Taking the Bible’s teachings about sin and sexuality with full force, we understand that every sinful human being is in need of redemption, and that includes the redemption of our sexual selves. [emph. mine - K]

As Isaiah says,

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; 
      Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; 
      Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 
      Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, 
      And prudent in their own sight!

We have taken reality and are trying to turn it upside down. We try to remake words to fit our own depraved and fallen definitions, calling what is evil, good, and what is good, evil. We refuse to acknowledge that we are ALL sinners under God's righteous and holy condemnation and that any sin separates us from God and condemns us to eternal hell.

We have twisted language so torturously that is is almost impossible to call sin what it is. We have crippled our ability to offer the glorious hope of the Gospel of forgiveness and redemption. We ourselves, though our corruption of language, condemn people to hell because we do not call evil EVIL and show people their desperate need for their God and Savior. We damn them to a life lacking hope, lacking transforming renewal, and lacking the power to change.

God is the God of reality. "Language must mirror reality."

God help us all...

Beef Enchilada Casserole - stolen from my Baby Sister

Of course, she's only 18 months younger than I am, so she's not a baby... But she's MY little sister, so she's always gonna be my "baby sister." **grinz** Well, I only saw her make this once, so I don't remember all the stuff she put in (and had to wing it, once I got home) , but it's easy, it's delicious, and it fills up tummies in a VERY happy way!

Oh, yeah, and I try to bunch processes and their ingredients. I suggest that you read through the recipe and make your shopping list, and when you start making the meal, you can also cook things concurrently (like the rice and the beef mixture). It's ALWAYS a great idea to read through a new recipe carefully FIRST so you don't have any surprises.

Here we go:

• 1 package Zatarain's Spanish Rice Mix, cooked to package instructions *BUT* using 1 can of Ro-Tel HOT tomatoes (if you don't like spicy, just follow the regular directions with canned chpooed tomatoes)

Next:

• 1-2 lb LEAN ground beef
• 2 packets taco seasoning (if you have your own mix, use... mmmm... 1/2 - 2/3 cup, or more to taste)
• 1/2 cup (or more) sliced fresh banana peppers
• 1 can, about 7 oz., of grilled/smoked Mexican peppers
• 3 cups diced onions
• 3 TB minced fresh garlic
• 1 14oz. can black beans (or more), drained and rinsed
• 2 cups frozen corn

If you have good lean beef, you will NOT have to drain away fat. If you can only get 80% lean or less, make sure you brown the beef FIRST and then DRAIN OFF the fat, then continue with the recipe.

Anyway.... Brown the ground beef in a large skillet on medium heat. As it browns, add the onion, garlic, and all peppers. Make sure that, as the beef cooks, you keep an eye on it, break it up, and keep stirring... When the beef is mostly cooked, add the seasoning and keep stirring and breaking up the beef as the spices brown and get mixed in with the beef and onions. Frankly, I would say that at this stage, it is better to OVER season a bit.

Add the black beans and corn, and mix well, making sure everything is warmed through.

NOTE: I use 1 packet of Taco Bell seasoning, and a SALTLESS mix from Emeril Legasse, mixed haphazardly from this recipe (which is VERY worth your while... YUUUUUUMMMY!), and use it very generously.

OK, the rice is done, the beef is done... Now it's time to assemble the casserole. You will need a 13x9 pan, but it's going to be pretty full!

• about 18-20 corn tortillas, cut in half
• 1 19oz can enchilada sauce, with one smaller can in reserve, just in case (some people like more enchilada sauce, and I always think, better safe than sorry!)
• 4-6 cups shredded low-fat Mexican cheese mix, divided (reserve about 1 cup to top off the casserole)

Put about 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of your casserole, and spread it to coat the bottom. Dip about 10 tortilla halves in enchilada sauce and layer them evenly on the bottom of the pan. Add the rice and spread it out evenly (you could mix the rice and beef and just split that mixture in half, if you want) over the tortillas, then sprinkle about half of the cheese over it (MINUS the 1 cup reserve, of course).

Use about HALF of the remaining tortillas (coated in enchilada sauce) to cover the rice, then spread the beef mixture evenly over that layer and sprinkle the other half (MINUS that reserve) over it.

Finish with the last set of tortilla halves (again, coated in enchilada sauce), and then pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the casserole (I would say that you shouldn't use more than, oh, 1 cup, to top things off), cover with foil, and place it in a 350F oven for about 30 minutes.

Now, actually, at this point (before oven cooking), you could stuff it in the fridge or freezer to hold for later. If you choose to do so, make sure you defrost it and bring it to room temp (-ish...). You will have to add time to baking (hm.... thawed casserole MAY take an hour???), so start checking at about 40 minutes.

Once the casserole is hot throughout, uncover it, sprinkle the last bit of cheese over the top, and finish baking for 10-15 minutes.

Take it out of the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes (if you can - but it's easier to cut if you are patient) and serve! You can add some sour cream if you like, or pout a little bit of good salsa on the top.

MMMMMMMMMM!

Looks like it's going to be a beautiful day...

"Oh, what a beautiful morning,
Oh, what a beautiful day!"

The words from that song from Oklahoma! are definitely a good beginning to what is shaping up to be a glorious day! I pray that everyone has a wonderful weekend ;-)

My brother, I worry about you...

You say imply that you're a Christian, yet you won't speak out beyond generalities. You show no interest in God's Word, you are indifferent to gathering together with His people. Your life and words have little evidence of His saving grace working to conform you to the image of His Son. Godly exortation seems to roll right off your back, producing - at best - a momentary sorrow, but no godly sorrow leading to repentance. Sin doesn't seem to grieve you or make you turn to God, but rather seems to be an occasion for a joke or a sarcastic remark.

My brother, you know I myself am far from perfect, and I would never presume to state that you are not, in fact, a Christian... 

But I see no fruit and I see no desire for obedience in your life, and it has me terribly worried.

John 14:15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments."

John 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

John 15:5-8 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw theminto the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."

James 2:14-17 "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."

Romans 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

Romans 5:1-4 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

Romans 8:5-8 "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

Romans 8:29 "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."

1 John 2:3-6 "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked."

1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God;  that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness."

And finally,

Hebrews 10:19-25 "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."

My brother, I love you. I ask you to consider your ways, to come before God honestly, and to make your choice openly. I would not see you cast into the fire because you were confident in a false faith; I would far rather rejoice with you in Heaven because of your true and living faith.

Just because I would LOVE to see their heads explode

[source]

Because if you oppose THAT, then you're either a racist or a sexist - or both!

Let's see if the Liberal-Progressive-Nutcases are willing to subject themselves to the rules they themselves set up in 2008... My prediction? It'll be a very coooooooooold day in Hell...