Friday, August 15, 2008
Saturday, August 9, 2008
ALEKSANDR SOLZHENITSYN, 1918-2008
Acclaimed Russian novelist Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn died Sunday in Moscow at age 89, ending what he famously called his "struggle with falsehood." While serving as a Red Army Captain in World War II, Solzhenitsyn was arrested for writing a derogatory comment about Josef Stalin in a letter to a friend. For this "crime" Solzhenitsyn served eight years in the Gulag, the Soviet Union's system of penal labor camps in Siberia. Solzhenitsyn's imprisonment convinced him of the evils of communism. After his release from the Gulag, Solzhenitsyn wrote his first novel, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev mistakenly believed that Solzhenitsyn's novel would discredit Stalinism while leaving the communist system intact, so he allowed it to be published in 1962. The novel created an international sensation, forcing many Leftist intellectuals in the West to re-evaluate their views on communism. Solzhenitsyn was even awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1970, though he was unable to leave the Soviet Union to accept it.
In 1973 Solzhenitsyn published his greatest work, The Gulag Archipelago. It was a veritable nail in the coffin of totalitarianism. According to American writer Tom Wolfe, "Marxism was finished off... in a single year, 1973---with the smuggling out of the Soviet Union and the publication in France of... Solzhenitsyn's 'Gulag Archipelago'." What moral standing the Soviet Union still enjoyed in the West was destroyed as The Gulag Archipelago documented how the commissars had stained their hands with the blood of millions. Solzhenitsyn was exiled from the Soviet Union in 1974, but he continued his fight against totalitarianism from his new home in a remote Vermont village, where he lived until returning to Russia in 1994.
Solzhenitsyn warned the world against "an atmosphere of moral mediocrity, paralyzing man's noblest impulses," and a "tilt of freedom in the direction of evil... evidently born primarily out of a humanistic and benevolent concept according to which there is no evil inherent in human nature." The great novelist knew better: Evil is all too real, and it has to be confronted. In this, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn led by example.
My thought: Isn't it interesting how the forced belief that evil doesn't exist is the very thing that allows evil to flourish and proliferate? No wonder it is one of Satan's favorite tactics.
"One word of truth outweighs the entire world." - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/gospeldrivenchurch/2012/07/26/of-universal-significance-men-have-forgotten-god/
http://www.samstorms.com/enjoying-god-blog/post/five-years-ago-today--one-of-my-heroes-died
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2014/01/07/forgotten/
In 1973 Solzhenitsyn published his greatest work, The Gulag Archipelago. It was a veritable nail in the coffin of totalitarianism. According to American writer Tom Wolfe, "Marxism was finished off... in a single year, 1973---with the smuggling out of the Soviet Union and the publication in France of... Solzhenitsyn's 'Gulag Archipelago'." What moral standing the Soviet Union still enjoyed in the West was destroyed as The Gulag Archipelago documented how the commissars had stained their hands with the blood of millions. Solzhenitsyn was exiled from the Soviet Union in 1974, but he continued his fight against totalitarianism from his new home in a remote Vermont village, where he lived until returning to Russia in 1994.
Solzhenitsyn warned the world against "an atmosphere of moral mediocrity, paralyzing man's noblest impulses," and a "tilt of freedom in the direction of evil... evidently born primarily out of a humanistic and benevolent concept according to which there is no evil inherent in human nature." The great novelist knew better: Evil is all too real, and it has to be confronted. In this, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn led by example.
My thought: Isn't it interesting how the forced belief that evil doesn't exist is the very thing that allows evil to flourish and proliferate? No wonder it is one of Satan's favorite tactics.
"One word of truth outweighs the entire world." - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/gospeldrivenchurch/2012/07/26/of-universal-significance-men-have-forgotten-god/
http://www.samstorms.com/enjoying-god-blog/post/five-years-ago-today--one-of-my-heroes-died
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2014/01/07/forgotten/
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Economic Thoughts
Can we all just admit that our Founding Fathers were a lot smarter than our current leaders? Obama's economic policies are almost a 180 degree departure from the wisdom of those who gave us our Constitution.
"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents..." ---James Madison
As James Madison described it in his era: "[I]f industry and labour are left
to take their own course, they will generally be directed to those objects
which are the most productive, and this in a more certain and direct manner
than the wisdom of the most enlightened legislature could point out."
Jefferson similarly observed: "Were we directed from Washington when to sow,
and when to reap, we should soon want bread. ...[W]hen all government,
domestic and foreign, in little as in great things, shall be drawn to
Washington as the center of all power, it will render powerless the checks
provided of one government on another." He noted correctly, "The natural
progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground."
Jefferson was clear on his disdain for taxes: "To take from one, because it
is thought his own industry and that of his fathers has acquired too much,
in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers, have not exercised
equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of
association, the guarantee to everyone the free exercise of his industry
and the fruits acquired by it."
Obama's economic plan is nothing more than a remake of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's class-warfare proclamation: "Here is my principle: Taxes shall be levied according to
ability to pay. That is the only American principle."
In fact, Roosevelt's "principle" was no more American than Obama's. Not to
be confused with the biblical principle in the Gospel according to Luke,
"From everyone who has been given much, much will be required..." (which,
ironically, some Leftist do-gooders cite as justification for socialist
policies), Roosevelt was essentially paraphrasing the gospel according to
Karl Marx, whose maxim declared, "From each according to his abilities,
to each according to his needs."
Jesus used parables to enlighten the heart, in this case, about our personal
responsibility. Marxist methods are a bit more coercive---rejecting God and
anointing the state as the supreme deity.
Politics is not about facts. It is about what politicians can get people to believe." ---Thomas Sowell
Disclaimer: The above comes from Friday's PatriotPost but I found them worth reprinting here.
"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents..." ---James Madison
As James Madison described it in his era: "[I]f industry and labour are left
to take their own course, they will generally be directed to those objects
which are the most productive, and this in a more certain and direct manner
than the wisdom of the most enlightened legislature could point out."
Jefferson similarly observed: "Were we directed from Washington when to sow,
and when to reap, we should soon want bread. ...[W]hen all government,
domestic and foreign, in little as in great things, shall be drawn to
Washington as the center of all power, it will render powerless the checks
provided of one government on another." He noted correctly, "The natural
progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground."
Jefferson was clear on his disdain for taxes: "To take from one, because it
is thought his own industry and that of his fathers has acquired too much,
in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers, have not exercised
equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of
association, the guarantee to everyone the free exercise of his industry
and the fruits acquired by it."
Obama's economic plan is nothing more than a remake of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's class-warfare proclamation: "Here is my principle: Taxes shall be levied according to
ability to pay. That is the only American principle."
In fact, Roosevelt's "principle" was no more American than Obama's. Not to
be confused with the biblical principle in the Gospel according to Luke,
"From everyone who has been given much, much will be required..." (which,
ironically, some Leftist do-gooders cite as justification for socialist
policies), Roosevelt was essentially paraphrasing the gospel according to
Karl Marx, whose maxim declared, "From each according to his abilities,
to each according to his needs."
Jesus used parables to enlighten the heart, in this case, about our personal
responsibility. Marxist methods are a bit more coercive---rejecting God and
anointing the state as the supreme deity.
Politics is not about facts. It is about what politicians can get people to believe." ---Thomas Sowell
Disclaimer: The above comes from Friday's PatriotPost but I found them worth reprinting here.
This is my favorite picture from my recent trip to Colorado...that doesn't include my parents. That should make them happy. ;) I definitely enjoyed the time up in the mountains. It is quite a contrast from the usual concrete and steel I see on a daily basis. It's certainly more the way God intended I think. To be able to witness His glorious handiwork. It gives you just a taste of heaven. It also shows you how awful hell will be as no life will exist there...not even a single green leaf. I understand why my brother decided to make that his home.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Thoughts
"One of the most naive notions is that politicians are trying to solve
the country's problems, just because they say so---or say so loudly or
inspiringly. Politicians' top priority is to solve their own problem, which
is how to get elected and then re-elected. Barack Obama is a politician
through and through, even though pretending that he is not is his special
strategy to get elected." ---Thomas Sowell
"I'm going to call in the Joint Chiefs of Staff and give
them a new mission, and that is to bring the war in Iraq to a close. We are
going to get out." ---would-be commander in chief Barack Obama, who doesn't
understand that the Joint Chiefs don't have operational command of U.S. forces
Just blame "Big Oil": "Once again, the oilman in the White House is
echoing the demands of Big Oil. The Bush plan [to open more offshore oil
drilling] is a hoax. It will neither reduce gas prices nor increase energy
independence... If the President wants to bring down prices in the next
two weeks, not the next two decades, he should free our oil by releasing
a small portion of the more than 700 million barrels of oil we have put in
the Strategic Petroleum Reserve." ---House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-OPEC)
This really kills me. I don't know how anyone can be this disengenuous and continue breathing. Let me see if I understand this...If we drill for oil and send it along a pipeline to a refinery it will neither reduce our dependence on foreign oil nor will it help ease gas prices. Sure thing Nancy. Give me a break. Just say that you hate the President more than you want to help the American people because that is the bottom line. You would rather bow before the altar of the ultra-liberal environmental hippies than support an initiative that would help millions and millions of hard-working lower and middle class families make ends meet. You aren't here to help. You are here for the ego trip and to try and get re-elected. Don't ever again pretend that you care because you don't. Same goes for my Congressman, Russ Carnahan, who used much of the same language in responding to my pleas to support additional drilling. No one is saying we shouldn't pursue alternative energy sources. We are and we will and that is the long, long-term solution. But we aren't going to be off of fossil fuels in this country for many decades so can we please actually take some action and start looking out for our economic interests. Why is Congress' approval rating in the single digits under Democrat leadership? Gee...I wonder.
"Syria is an amazing country. It is not at all what I expected... I've never felt safer." ---Barbara Walters of ABC's "The View" on her trip to Syria ++ "So where does this misconception come from that Syria's an issue?" ---The View's Whoopi Goldberg to Barbara Walters ++ "Well, first of all the country is on our terrorist list. They are against the war in Iraq... And they are neighbors and friends of Iran... And they are friendly with both Hamas and Hezbollah who are two groups that we consider unfriendly groups [truth in labeling: terrorists] in Israel... They have
also been accused of allowing people and terrorists to cross the border into
Iraq. They say they do not do that and they haven't and they've really cut
down on it." ---Barbara Walters
Which is it Babs...they don't do it or they cut down on it? Tough to keep the lies straight ain't it? I think it is time to take "The View" off the air. Is this really helping the women of America?
Upcoming topics:
Childlike faith
Jesse Jackson
the country's problems, just because they say so---or say so loudly or
inspiringly. Politicians' top priority is to solve their own problem, which
is how to get elected and then re-elected. Barack Obama is a politician
through and through, even though pretending that he is not is his special
strategy to get elected." ---Thomas Sowell
"I'm going to call in the Joint Chiefs of Staff and give
them a new mission, and that is to bring the war in Iraq to a close. We are
going to get out." ---would-be commander in chief Barack Obama, who doesn't
understand that the Joint Chiefs don't have operational command of U.S. forces
Just blame "Big Oil": "Once again, the oilman in the White House is
echoing the demands of Big Oil. The Bush plan [to open more offshore oil
drilling] is a hoax. It will neither reduce gas prices nor increase energy
independence... If the President wants to bring down prices in the next
two weeks, not the next two decades, he should free our oil by releasing
a small portion of the more than 700 million barrels of oil we have put in
the Strategic Petroleum Reserve." ---House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-OPEC)
This really kills me. I don't know how anyone can be this disengenuous and continue breathing. Let me see if I understand this...If we drill for oil and send it along a pipeline to a refinery it will neither reduce our dependence on foreign oil nor will it help ease gas prices. Sure thing Nancy. Give me a break. Just say that you hate the President more than you want to help the American people because that is the bottom line. You would rather bow before the altar of the ultra-liberal environmental hippies than support an initiative that would help millions and millions of hard-working lower and middle class families make ends meet. You aren't here to help. You are here for the ego trip and to try and get re-elected. Don't ever again pretend that you care because you don't. Same goes for my Congressman, Russ Carnahan, who used much of the same language in responding to my pleas to support additional drilling. No one is saying we shouldn't pursue alternative energy sources. We are and we will and that is the long, long-term solution. But we aren't going to be off of fossil fuels in this country for many decades so can we please actually take some action and start looking out for our economic interests. Why is Congress' approval rating in the single digits under Democrat leadership? Gee...I wonder.
"Syria is an amazing country. It is not at all what I expected... I've never felt safer." ---Barbara Walters of ABC's "The View" on her trip to Syria ++ "So where does this misconception come from that Syria's an issue?" ---The View's Whoopi Goldberg to Barbara Walters ++ "Well, first of all the country is on our terrorist list. They are against the war in Iraq... And they are neighbors and friends of Iran... And they are friendly with both Hamas and Hezbollah who are two groups that we consider unfriendly groups [truth in labeling: terrorists] in Israel... They have
also been accused of allowing people and terrorists to cross the border into
Iraq. They say they do not do that and they haven't and they've really cut
down on it." ---Barbara Walters
Which is it Babs...they don't do it or they cut down on it? Tough to keep the lies straight ain't it? I think it is time to take "The View" off the air. Is this really helping the women of America?
Upcoming topics:
Childlike faith
Jesse Jackson
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Example of BAD Flip-Flopping
OK...remember that I said good flip-flopping could arise when a point of view is changed after receiving new information or having a change of perspective from a new eye-opening experience? Here is the opposite of that:
In an interview last week Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) made a statement that "mental distress" is not a sufficient reason for a woman to have an abortion. If Senator Obama had stuck by his assertion that would have been a dramatic policy shift both for him and for the pro-abortion Democratic Party. The junior senator from Illinois quickly "revised" his remarks in an attempt to both backpedal on his comments and to further muddy his extreme views on abortion. In his interview Senator Obama gave a false description of the bill he repeatedly worked against while he was in the Illinois state senate, legislation that would have protected children who survive abortions.
This is classic pandering. I will say one thing to one audience and something completely different the next day to a different group because I want all of their votes. This is what happens when a far-left candidate tries to move toward the center to position himself for the general election. You get inconsistencies in the message. It's the same thing as when Bill Clinton would change his hair color to appeal to different audiences. It's pretty impressive when your lying skills even extend to the color of your hair.
Barack - this ain't gonna work. Just pander to the people who voted for you over Hillary and hope for the best in November. This kind of nonsense you are pulling now is going to get you despised by both ends of the political spectrum.
In an interview last week Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) made a statement that "mental distress" is not a sufficient reason for a woman to have an abortion. If Senator Obama had stuck by his assertion that would have been a dramatic policy shift both for him and for the pro-abortion Democratic Party. The junior senator from Illinois quickly "revised" his remarks in an attempt to both backpedal on his comments and to further muddy his extreme views on abortion. In his interview Senator Obama gave a false description of the bill he repeatedly worked against while he was in the Illinois state senate, legislation that would have protected children who survive abortions.
This is classic pandering. I will say one thing to one audience and something completely different the next day to a different group because I want all of their votes. This is what happens when a far-left candidate tries to move toward the center to position himself for the general election. You get inconsistencies in the message. It's the same thing as when Bill Clinton would change his hair color to appeal to different audiences. It's pretty impressive when your lying skills even extend to the color of your hair.
Barack - this ain't gonna work. Just pander to the people who voted for you over Hillary and hope for the best in November. This kind of nonsense you are pulling now is going to get you despised by both ends of the political spectrum.
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