Who You Gonna Call?

There is a scene in the 1984 comedy, Ghosts Busters where they are in the basement of their headquarters being confronted by a shrieking EPA agent. “Shut that thing down!” he yelled as he is pointed to a big electronic device on the wall that somehow housed all the spooks that the Ghost Busters had captured.

In the scene the Ghost Busters were trying to convince the police to not listen to the EPA agent. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you! You have no idea what you are dealing with!”

Then they started covering their heads and running towards the exit as they realized that the policeman had to acquiesce to the authority of the EPA agent and turn off the switch. Moments later, all hell broke loose, literally, as all the spooks escaped and ran amok through New York.

It’s a funny scene. I remember it because the EPA agent had absolutely no wisdom, no sense of reality of what he is dealing with, and yet couldn’t help but act on his absolute authority. To me, he is the personification of the Democrats in Congress and the Senate with regards to their authority and the issue of the Iraq War.

“Shut that thing down!”

Those who understand the situation in the Middle East reply, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You have no idea what you are dealing with.” Like the character in the movie, that fact has no impact on the Democratic leadership. They have the authority and they are going to throw the switch. In the movie, what happened next was funny. I am sure the reality of what happens next after shutting down the war in Iraq will not be funny.

Like the EPA agent, it is apparent that the Democrats in power in Washington have no understanding or fear of the demonic forces that are now being held at bay. They don’t understand that these forces have no appreciation of the conventional rules by which we abide. The Democrats came to power in the Senate and Congress because those who were in power before allowed them to. We live here by rules that we all have agreed upon. Democrats won in enough elections to gain the majority. Republicans surrendered their seats to them. This “convention” has no meaning at all to the evil forces who will be allowed to roam the world at will, when we shut down the war in Iraq. Borders mean nothing, existing laws mean nothing, existing authority, customs, and cultures mean nothing. Like the ghosts who were liberated to freely terrorize the city, these evil forces will be suddenly liberated to terrorize the world.

You can laugh at this analogy. But if you read it, then someday you will remember it. It will be a day when you are done laughing. Who you gonna call, then?

4th of July

Today is another birthday of our Country. Happy 4th of July! For me, it is always worth celebrating. It is also my mother's birthday. This year I cannot make it to her party (the first time we have missed it that I can remember). So I am dedicating this post to her. In my life, our family cannot separate the two birthdays. The 4th of July is about celebrating Mom's birthday with sparklers and firecrackers. And celebrating our country's birthday is all about making a birthday cake and gathering around home. I will miss it this year.

So anyway, I thought I would search out a nugget of truth for my Truthseeker blog for this occasion. Below is a statement that was made on my mother's 3rd birthday by the President of the United States. He is talking about the Declaration of Independence and the troubling notion that we have come far and are perhaps now more modern than those who signed it.

About the Declaration there is a finality that is exceedingly restful. It is often asserted that the world has made a great deal of progress since 1776, that we have had new thoughts and new experiences which have given us a great advance over the people of that day, and that we may therefore very well discard their conclusions for something more modern. But that reasoning can not be applied to this great charter. If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions. If anyone wishes to deny their truth or their soundness, the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward, but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people. Those who wish to proceed in that direction can not lay claim to progress. They are reactionary. Their ideas are not more modern, but more ancient, than those of the Revolutionary fathers.

That was written by Calvin Coolidge on the 4th of July, 1926. It helps us to remember that some very special things like the principles that established our country - - and my mother - - grow more valuable with age.

Under the Bridge

I was all alone as I waded down the Ninilchik River in Alaska. The sun was shining and the weather was warm. My waders kept my feet and legs insulated from the icy water that rushed passed me to the Cook Inlet about a mile downstream. In the week that I had been on the Kenai Peninsula, I had fished several rivers and caught Halibut on a rolling deck in the ocean. I had experienced “combat fishing” on the Russian River and fished late into the evening on the Kasiloff River. My two fishing buddies, Norm and Ray took an opportunity to go out for one more halibut fishing trip, so I dropped them at the charter launch point and headed for the Ninilchik. Now I was standing in the middle of it all alone. I was awe-struck by the beautiful setting. The river, about as wide as a big one-lane road meandered through meadows and around big rocks. Upriver it passed under the highway bridge. Downriver, it meandered back and forth through a meadow that led through a village and the mouth.

The beauty, warmth, and solitude allowed me to think about a recurring dream that I had as a boy. I hadn’t thought about it in years, but it was fresh again, prompted by the desire to catch a fish. The dream was a scene where I as a young boy was pulling a fish from a stream that ran through our pasture. As I was pulling the fish from the stream, without looking, I knew my Dad was walking up behind me. I grabbed the fish, turned around and held it up for him. I was laughing and he was beaming. I loved that dream. The problem was that it was just that. My Dad was a wonderful father, but he never took me fishing. My whole childhood, he worked 6 days a week. The one day he got off we worked to keep the farm going. He promised but we never went fishing. Other boys my age went fishing with their dads.

So as I stood all alone on the Ninilchick, I called out to God. “Father, this place is so beautiful, would you spend some time with me, here? Would you walk with me? Would you show me what to do; where to go? Do you have time to spend with me? I know you must be busy but can we go fishing together?”

When I said that last bit, I could feel a bit of anger that I had held for all those years towards my Dad. As I sat and retied my salmon rowe bait, I repented of that immature resentment that I had somehow harbored all these years. The emotion of the moment caught me by surprise. Sitting there in the sun, with that beautiful river flowing by, I felt God’s tender presence and the strong desire to be with the Lord. I told him that His presence, enjoying this stream with me was what I longed for. Actually catching a fish was not nearly as important. As I stood up, I asked Him which way we should go. I had been heading downstream, but I sensed the desire to go upstream, wade under the bridge, and follow the river as it turned left and headed east.

I made my way slowly upstream, sometimes on the bank, sometimes in the water. I fished the holes and still water as I went. Earlier, downstream I had caught two steelhead. Normally I would be elated, but I had to release them as I was after 30 lb. king salmon. Upstream I was not even getting steelhead bites. I entered the shade of the bridge and stepped into deeper water. As I did, I was still directly under the bridge when I glanced up ahead of me and saw an odd looking little man on far bank about 40 yards ahead of me. Beside him sat a very large black dog with white eyebrows and a grayish white muzzle. It was staring at me, not with any kind of alert, but with eyes that indicated I was of no threat to him.

The little man had seen me first. He was pacing back and forth on the bank, alternating glances at me and glances into the river below him. I kept slowly approaching him, but I had to walk from the middle of the stream to the opposite bank. The bank he was standing on was about 6 feet higher than the water level. My bank was more like a beach, directly under the bridge.

As I walked up it, he spoke in such a manner that almost sounded like we were in the middle of a conversation. “There are 5 right below me. I can see them. There are another 4 where you are, under the bridge.” He was now kneeling and pulling pieces of a small fly rod out of his backpack. “We’re all alone,” he continued. “There are a bunch of people at the mouth of the river digging clams. Wasting their time. Here is where the real action is.” Now he was plunking his hook in the water, allowing it to go to the bottom and then jerking it up. “I’ll show you they are down there. Then you will believe me,” he said with excitement in his voice.

At that point, several things were running through my mind. This little man was very odd looking. Everyone on the river wore the same uniform. Fishing vest, sunglasses, ball cap, and hip waders were all the standard wardrobe. This little man was wearing a blue wool plaid jacket, blue coveralls, and an odd looking black hat. His hair was long and curly as was his full beard. Even though there was no gray in his hair, the skin on his face was very wrinkled and looked like he had spent many an Alaskan winter out in the elements. His eyes were large and dark. Fishermen wore sunglasses so we could see the fish in the water. He wasn’t wearing any, but he was claiming he could see all these fish below us. I wondered if he wasn’t looking at logs below the water’s surface, or perhaps he had spotted some more steelhead.

He continued to plunk his line into the water and jerk up. “We’re the only ones here,” he said again. “I’ll show you that these fish are here.” Suddenly, the still water below him exploded. A good sized king salmon leapt into the air, hit the water and raced to the opposite shore. He let out a whoop as his little fly rod became a lightning rod and he hung on as it jerked up and down, left and right. The fish’s energy was only increasing as it crisscrossed the little river in an effort to get unhooked. Suddenly the water stopped churning and went silent. The fish had succeeded in losing the hook. “Whoo hoo,” he yelled. “I hooked that one in the ass! Now do you believe me?”

I admit I am not a very good fisherman. But I have learned a couple of things. One thing I learned was when you see something like what I just saw, you rig your hook with the same setup and you get it in the water, fast.

“Bait won’t work,” the little man said. “Do you know how to do the Kenai flip?” The Kenai flip is a legal snagging cast used by the locals for fish that are not responding to lures or bait.

“Yes, I know how” I replied as I sat down to rig my pole with the right hook, leader length, and weight to do the Kenai flip.

“That fish stirred up the others,” my new friend told me. “Some of them are headed towards you beneath the bridge.” As I waded back beneath the bridge, he caught another. “I got this one in the mouth!” he yelled as he played it along the bank. I was now below the bridge flipping my line into the water and jerking it up when the weight hit the bottom. I could see ripples in the water; proof that he was right. His action was moving the fish down river.

But as I walked away from him, down river giving chase, something then occurred to me. The scene seemed surreal, that was plain enough. But my recent prayer suddenly came back to me. “Would you spend time with me? Would you have some fun with me? Would you show me what to do, like a dad would do?” Even though this man is pretty strange, I thought, “Lord if this is you, I am absolutely crazy to be walking away from you.” So I abruptly turned around and started fishing towards the little man who was still wrestling with his big salmon.

Now walking under the bridge towards him, I encountered the deepest water yet. I suddenly noticed that one of my waders was taking on ice cold water. I was in the shade, under the bridge working to about 20 yards from the little man standing in the sunshine when the water exploded around me. My rod bent over and nearly jerked from my hand as beside me, not 10 feet away a huge king salmon lunged to the surface. I had my drag set pretty tight but he easily stripped out line as he took off down river in an effort to get unhooked. I let out a yell and I could hear the little man yell back, encouraging me on.

Suddenly then the line went slack as I could see the big fish change directions and head directly towards me. I reeled as fast as I could to take up the slack, all the while backing up towards the beach under the bridge. But when the fish saw the bank coming up, he abruptly turned and headed across the river again towards a partially submerged log. “Oh no you don’t!” I yelled as I tightened my drag down some more and pulled with all my might. I knew if he got under the log he would be able to catch my line. I pulled again and just got his head turned in time. But there were more logs and he headed for the next one. Again I got his head turned in time and again he race towards me, causing my line to go slack. I reeled in as fast as I could. Things were looking good. I had him headed towards the beach and I knew he had to be tiring.

But I was also aware of the eventual fate of this fish. You see, it had a dorsal fin. It was a native and when I got him to shore, (if I got him to shore), I was going to have to release him. The rules were strict that we could keep only hatchery kings like the one that I had caught on the Kasilof River a few days earlier. This was a much bigger fish. He was mad at me for disturbing his peace. But at this point he was cooperating. I had him heading my direction a second time and I new I just needed to back up and bring him onto the beach.

But there is a funny thing about king salmon. I think that is why they are called kings. He took one look at the beach, turned his head down river and with more energy than even before, he took off. My drag on my reel was cinched down as hard as I could get it but it did no good. This king shot off down river, leaving a wake as he went. My reel was singing loud in protest as he shot past the two logs and over a little rock ledge to a pool below. Suddenly I saw my weight flip up in the air towards me with the leader and hook following behind. Somehow he had pulled off his hook. I watched his wake as he disappeared around the next bend.

I was far from disappointed about how this battle had ended. I knew he was destined to be set free. The fact that he did it himself only added to the thrill. The fish was huge. The battle was thrilling. I yelled out with pure elation only to hear the little man behind me adding to my cheers. “That was sure a lot more exciting than clam digging, wasn’t it!” he boomed out. I couldn’t agree more. I turned around to see him and his big dog on the bank behind me. He had real joy in his eyes as he spoke again. “Have a great Holiday!” Then he turned and stepped into the forest. His dog lingered just a bit longer, looking at me, then also turned, following on the little man’s heals as they both disappeared up a small trail.

It was suddenly quiet. I was standing in the middle of the river. Sun was bathing me in warmth and I was all alone. The water was quiet around me. I strained to catch a glimpse of the old man but he had vanished. I looked around to hopefully see another witness. I wanted to ask someone, “Did you see what just happened? But, there was no one.

If someone would have walked up then, he wouldn’t have understood. Here was a 56 year old fisherman standing in the middle of a river with tears streaming down his cheeks. A dam had burst inside of me and waves of emotion were causing me to let loose with some tears. I was remembering what I had prayed earlier. I was also remembering everything the little man had done and said. His disdain for the people digging clams at the mouth of the river when the real prize was here under the bridge was humorous. But I felt convicted, because I spend way too much time on and put way to much importance in my own version of clam digging. His ability to see the fish, his joy at showing them to me, and then his elation when I caught one were the things that I kept remembering.

Now I wrestle with this next part. Probably a good fisherman would have turned back into the water to see how many more he could hook. But I made my way to the bank, sat in the sun, embraced the solitude and simply enjoyed what had just happened as I inconspicuously wiped tears from my eyes. I also allowed my logic to take over, thinking that if the little man was not a divine being, he certainly was someone who God used. But why does everything that he said have a depth of meaning for me? Why do I remember bits of our conversation days later only to realize that each thing he said speaks deeply to me?

Virgina Tech: An Assault of Reason

Senseless carnage. I guess all carnage is senseless, but the massacre at Virginia Tech today has really made people pause. I walked into a sandwich shop at noon. It is usually teeming with conversation and laughter. Today it was quiet. Everyone’s eyes were glued on the TV. There wasn’t even any conversation back and forth about what people were seeing. There was no, “We should have done this” or “If only we did that.” When you think about what we were seeing, it was a perfect example of something so absurdly wrong that it assaulted our sense of reason. There is no rational way to explain why this might have happened. It is even more ironic when the scene is a college campus; a place where reason supposedly prevails.

One of my first blog posts was about a scene on a college campus where this very thing happened before. I believe it was the first time this type of thing (a school shooting) had ever happened. I was visiting the campus 30 years later when I saw the place of the massacre. I instantly remembered the scenes that I saw as a 15 year old boy on our black and white TV set. It is interesting that a TV picture was indelibly etched into my young mind, only to come back with extreme clarity 30 years later. I believe that happens when you witness or you are a part of something that assaults your sense of reason.
The irony of the University of Texas massacre was the message carved on the face of the building. Read about it here.

Leaving is Leading

Last month I said good-bye to some people that I had been with for many years. My role at the bank had changed so that I was needed in another town. So, after over 25 years at one location, I was changing to one that was about 90 miles away. I had commuted for over a year and it was evident that my move was inevitable. Although the signs were clear to me, it was a shock for many people that I had worked with for a long time.

One by one, I was able to have a private conversation with many of them. There were some very sincere, very touching moments. I had hired most of them. I got to be with them as their boss when several had gone through some very tough personal times. One, a very successful loan officer told me that my hiring her, my believing in her changed her life. Another reminisced about the time a decade ago when I had put my own position on the line to fight to save her position. Several told me that they had a certain security just knowing that I was always there. A gentleman, over drinks even got a little emotional and was able to tell me how he had relied on me.

It all got me questioning the move. There is no question, I was relied upon. I was the one who steadied the ship, no matter how severe the storm. They all knew that I am Christian. I never tried to wear that, but I always tried to live it. Quietly praying with a fellow worker who was facing a crisis was not an unusual event. I never preached at them but it was well known that I was always there for them. My relationship with all of them was not perfect, but it was real.

I could have stayed. I have enough equity with my employer that I could have claimed the right to stay, and made them send someone else to the new territory. But the most powerful part of leadership is the part that gets up and faces the new challenge first. My role here was to go to the new town, develop a new line of business for my bank that did not exist there, and make it pay. There were no guarantees that it would work. There was just the need for it to be done right.

If you are a true leader, you might be facing the same dilemma right now. The challenge put ahead of you has no guarantees. The people around you now love you, respect you, and would all love for you to stay. None would condemn you for turning down the unknown.

One of the words in the New Testament for leader is a military term that literally translates, “The first one out of the foxhole.” It means that you could order anyone else to take the assignment, but you are the leader. You do it. In Iraq, the hardest part of training the Iraqis is the part where the soldiers teach them that the captain leads his company into enemy fire. In Iraq, it was traditional that the captain ordered his troops forward while he stayed in the rear. Our soldiers are teaching them just the opposite. The captain leads. He is seen leading. When he gets reassigned or promoted, or goes down, then the next one leads the same way. He knows precisely how, because he saw his captain do it.

Can you handle the truth?

I named my blog Truthseeker because that is its mission. I love to dig out the truth. In this present age that can be a challenge. I am posting a You-tube video of a recent speech given by a Mr. Evan Sayet at the Heritage Foundation. It is pretty long. However, please view it. I am picking it up off of the Little Green Footballs website, but it is one of those Internet phenomenons that has grown every day. Many remarks that I have seen say, "VIEW THIS VIDEO!!! You will come to a new understanding of something very important." Mr. Sayet is a brilliant communicator. It is easy to see why Bill Maher employed him as a writer. It is also easy to see why he doesn't employ him now. I am sure this is not the last we will hear from this man.

Evan Sayet

John 15:13

When I was a sophomore in college, I changed my major from Architecture to Political Science. Architecture was not me. And I was deeply interested in what was happening on the world scene. Part of the draw to Political Science was that in some ways, the Oregon campus provided a front row seat. Every so often, we would hear that Oregon’s Senator Wayne Morse was on campus. After dropping in virtually unannounced, he would let the word out that he was going to speak in the big PLC lecture hall. I always skipped class to hear him. Senator Wayne Morse, the Tiger of the Senate was the most electrifying speaker I has ever heard. They do not make orators like him any more.

It was a very unique time. The Vietnam War had escalated to 500,000 troops, President Nixon’s plan to get us out by escalating was not working, and campuses like Oregon were becoming very volatile.

It was reason enough to be excited when a U. S. Senator came to speak, but this was not any U. S. Senator. A little bit of history is in order here. President Johnson got us deeply committed to the war by passing through the Congress and Senate the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. It was the “line in the sand” that Johnson drew to establish our presence there. It passed the Senate 98 – 2. The two “no’s”were Senator Wayne Morse and his sidekick Earnest Gruening of Alaska. Please note that when it came to the Vietnam conflict, 98 Senators were for it before they were against it. Senator Morse was a brilliant constitutional scholar. His reasons against it were not political. They were based on his firm belief that our presence there was unconstitutional. By the early ‘70’s, most everyone was against it too, and they all were now listening to him. After hearing him lecture for 90 minutes, everyone within ear shot was against the war, too.

My term project that year was to make sense out of the validity (or nonvalidity) of the war. So, my skipping class and listening to Senator Morse was “research.” Besides, most of the Political Science Professors were there, too. No Poli Sci prof wanted to be conspicuous by his absence at a Wayne Morse event.

Well, actually, there was one professor who was not there. His name was Joseph Fizman. Old Joe seemed to be barely tolerated by the younger Poli Sci profs. He was kind of a throw-back. He dressed “old world” and had an Eastern European accent that I couldn’t place. I had to take a course from him that quarter, because it was all that I could fit into my schedule. I remember very clearly, one day, when Professor Fizman glared at us through his thick glasses and said “You think that getting marijuana legalized is politics?” Then he shouted, “That is shitty politics! I will tell you politics.”

Then he proceeded to tell us over the next 90 minutes how thirty years before, he hid under the floorboards of an old house in Poland as Nazi’s searched the house above him. He described how he ran for his life, and how some in his family did not make it. It was then that I got the accent and the look. He was Jewish. Then he explained that he is alive today, and living in America because Americans came and fought and died to stop the slaughter of his people. He was not the orator that Senator Morse was, but with an emotional voice, sometimes booming, other times weeping, he helped us understand that to him, politics that matter are life sacrificing, life taking, and most importantly, life giving.

In that one class, my position on the Vietnam War was severely challenged. Senator Morse’s argument against the war was unshakable. It was not legal. But so what? Our world would not be the same unless there were people, countries, and armies that would stand between those who would commit genocide and those they wanted dead. I needed to come to grips with the reality of what Professor Fizman had told us. I tried to rewrite my paper to explain that even though the Vietnam War was illegal, it was, in some very crucial ways, right. I think I got a C. But I learned that politics is not just about what is legal. After all, what is legal is simply what the last judge or jury says it is. It is necessary to take the side of what is right. I ended up feeling that way about Vietnam.

I took some heat from my friends for thinking that way. The common feeling was that protecting the Vietnamese was not worth the lives of our people. I lost some friends in that war and I sometimes agreed with those feelings, but the friends I lost would not have. And there was the feeling that when we left Vietnam, things would settle down soon, anyway. I graduated from school and wasn’t around Professor Fizman when the last of our troops pulled out of Vietnam. My brother-in-law saw first-hand from the deck of his ship, the unreal chaos surrounding the final withdrawal. I often wondered what Professor Fizman told his new classes after up to 5 million Vietnamese and Cambodian people were then slaughtered by the Communists. I am sure he was angry, and I am sure he also wept as he told them. And . . . I am sure he remained unpopular with the other professors.

Why Diplomatic and Political Efforts Would not have Worked

With the Democrats achieving the majority in the Senate and the House, some of their issues that have been beaten down in the past have been rejuvenated. Here is one of my (yawn) favorites.

· Bush did not give diplomacy a chance. We could have increased the sanctions, encouraged the internal opposition, isolated Saddam and waited for him to be overthrown. Jim Wallis in his God’s Politics blog writes,

“Over time, the brutal Saddam Hussein could have been isolated, undermined, and overthrown (a very worthy goal) from pressures internal and external, and serious proposals were on the table to do just that when Bush went to war.”

Serious proposals? By who? The UN? Our European allies? I guess Wallis wants us to forget the history.

When the decision was made to go to war, we were ignorant of the reasons why since 1996 the UN Sanctions were not toppling Saddam’s regime. In case you have forgotten, we attacked and rolled into Bagdad in record time. We stormed the Palaces and captured vast amount of records. What we found should have been headlines around the world for the next year. After all, it was absolute proof of the biggest financial scandal the world had ever seen. The fact that so little was written about it is mind boggling. It involved officials from 30 countries, some being permanent UN Security Council member countries. It involved a high UN official and even Koffi Annan’s own son.

Suddenly it made sense why Saddam was not getting weaker. The Oil for Food program was a complete sham. The UN was winking at us and passing our UN resolutions against Saddam in the General Assembly while some of their officials and a few key members were working a back-door operation that was making them all rich. Saddam didn’t need a healthy internal economy to prosper and he didn’t care that his people were suffering. This off-the-books cash machine was allowing him to spend money freely on what he wanted and he could blame the poverty of his people on the rest of the world.

Documents showed that this was going on through all of Clinton’s second term and half of Bush’s first term. To think that this would have ceased, or we would have eventually stumbled upon the truth is foolish conjecture at best. The very countries that we were counting on to stand with us were on the take. What should have been the largest international multinational scandal in the world continues to be successfully suffocated in an amazing demonstration of unity by the UN, the international community and the international press. They all have too much to lose. Need to refresh your memory? Look here.

Would diplomatic and political efforts have accomplished a Saddam overthrow? In a word - No.

I Like These Blogs

Political blogs come from every direction. It doesn’t take long to figure out the underlying beliefs of the blogger. In my Who’s Politics article, I identified a Christian Blog that comes from a more liberal point of view. In the interest of being fair and balanced, I wanted to say a few words about some other blogs.

Victor Davis Hanson, in my opinion, is one of the finest political blogs going. Hanson is Christian and he highly values the real and rare leadership you would find in a Winston Churchill. When the networks are covering a major development their homogeneity can put into play the dominant spin on how that development is being interpreted. VDH cuts through the spin faster than anyone I know. His understanding doesn’t come from American politicians or European leaders. His perspective isn’t global. It is eternal.

One of the biggest problems our culture is facing regarding the war in Iraq, is that of understanding the reality of what is really happening there. The main-stream press is very wary of official military reports. They overcompensate by accepting and trusting stringers and their stories from the opposition. However, there is an incredibly talented blogger by the name of Michael Yon. After serving in the military, he became a freelance writer. A year ago he became imbedded with a Marine outfit and reported the first really clear picture of daily life and sacrifice in the war. He left Iraq for about a year and now he is back. He calls his blog an online magazine.

Want to see the best political cartoon in existence today? I remember in the 70’s when Dunnesberry was the best. The trouble with Dunnesberry is that he hasn’t grown politically in 30 years. Thus his audience has gotten smaller. Cox and Forcum are as funny as they are accurate. It just takes 15 seconds to get a good laugh and a good understanding of what’s going on. Enjoy it.

Who's Politics?

I have some regular political blogs that I read daily. And, I have some regular Christian blogs that I check. There are some sites that I read that are both. Recently, during a search, I happened upon one I hadn’t seen before. I found it at the Christianity Today Website. The author is Jim Wallis and the name of his blog is God’s Politics. Right away I was taken by the frank declaration in Wallis’s blog’s name.

Now one of the purposes of my blog is to search out where God is in the political climate today. That is not always easy. Thus, my blog, Truth Seeker reflects that effort, but hopefully includes a humility that confesses God’s ability be at work in ways that we don’t always understand. So, with curiosity, I waded into Wallis’s most recent posted article, “A Criminal Escalation of an Unjust War”. I must say that my naive belief that informed Christians generally have a consistent view of the political landscape was really challenged. Wallis doesn’t just question the conservative view, he summarily rejects it.

I have read many political blogs with his point of view. They all have similar trouble points. They hang the proof of their position on their own definition of a “just war”. They all don a set of politically correct blinders and declare that there was no connection between Iraq and 911. They then quote and align themselves with like stances from Capital Hill politicians and European heads of government. Standard fare for liberal blogs. For a Christian blog labeled God’s Politics? As I reread it, I am still shocked and profoundly disappointed. If God lines up with the liberal politicians in Washington and Europe, then his blog is aptly named. If He doesn’t then Mr. Wallis is doing God a disservice. There are several contributors to the blog. Actually, I found the others generally interesting. It is worth a visit, especially if you want to understand diverse points of view within the Christian world.

The Greatest Game I Ever Saw

I hope everybody got to see the Fiesta Bowl last night. Today, it was not uncommon for office workers, sports writers, and any one else to declare that it was the greatest football game ever played. It was one of those rare magical moments that if you were watching it, you knew you were seeing something extraordinary.

The game was pitched as David versus Goliath. Little Boise State University was given an opportunity to play against powerhouse Oklahoma by virtue of its 12 – 0 record. The WAC conference doesn’t usually get to participate in a BCS Bowl Game, but no one could argue against their undefeated record.

As the game wore on, it became evident that the Boise State Broncos were living up to the challenge. They battled the Sooners the whole way. Prior to the game, one of the Bulldogs was asked about how he liked the David and Goliath analogy. “Well, in that story, David wins, right?” he offered.

Boise State shocked the Sooners with two quick touchdowns in the first quarter. But Oklahoma didn’t fold. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma’s coach is tenacious. He is reputed to be one of the highest paid coaches in the land (up to $3 million). The players are big, very athletic, and very deep. Late in the 4th quarter with a little over a minute to go, they finally caught up. Then, on the first play following the kick-off, Boise State’s quarterback threw a sideline pass. The receiver turned the wrong way and the defender turned the right way. He took the ball into the end-zone and Oklahoma suddenly led by a touchdown. At that point everyone, me included, was ready to hand Boise State the “good effort” award. Hey they came close but, after all, they aren’t the Sooners.

Boise State then marched down the field and scored on a perfectly executed hook and ladder play. The trick play stunned Oklahoma, who thought they had the game won. It went into overtime.
In overtime, each team gets a possession. Oklahoma, wanting to end the game gave the ball to its big back who bulled his way into the end-zone on their very first play. On Boise State’s possession, their drive stalled and they faced a 4th down. Out comes another gadget play – a halfback pass executed perfectly for the touchdown. How many times could Boise State pull out a magic play?

At that time, you could sense that this was no ordinary game. Forget the reputations and pedigrees. There was something happening that was almost surreal. Boise State needed to kick the extra point to tie the game again and send it to round two of the overtime. Instead, they came and lined up for a 2-point conversion. They were invited to the Fiesta Bowl because they were undefeated and they came to the game to win it. They would win or lose it on this play.
Oklahoma called time-out. Coach Stoops warned them to watch for another gadget play. Both teams came out on the field and lined up. The ball was snapped and Boise State then ran the perfect Statue of Liberty play. The quarterback pretended to throw the ball to the right side of the field with his right hand but instead, handed it to his running back with his left hand. Everyone in the stadium (minus eleven guys), saw it. The running back was untouched as he raced to his left into the end-zone. Game over. David had beat Goliath with a kids’ play.

The air was electric. People were rubbing their eyes. Did that really happen? The Oklahoma coach was visibly stunned. The announcers who were in place to interview the winners had to race to the other side of the field. One caught up with the winning running back who calmly said that they came to win. Then to everyone’s amazement the running back turned to the Boise State cheerleader standing next to him, got on one knee and proposed to her. “Yes,” she said.
I was alone in the family room. I looked around for someone to ask, “Did you just see that?” No one there, but Charlie. For a moment I thought he was going to reply, but the magic had gone.

See for yourself, here

Be a Truth Seeker

In earlier posts, I have written about the fact that we are at war. My first posts were about Jesus saying, “Know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” That verse is inscribed upon the famous Clock Tower building on the University of Texas campus in Austin. I am sure that there are many people who have attended UT and have thought that this inscription was a challenge to gain knowledge. But Jesus was actually giving an invitation to really know Him. And he was giving a promise that to really pursue and get to know him was to pursue the ultimate truth and to do so was the door to real freedom.

This is what the Pope will see when he visits Turkey.



So this war that we see being carried out with bomb blasts and words of hate and condemnation really is not about border disputes or traditional war prizes but is all about the real truth and who the real truth is. This has become really evident in the protests that are now happening in Turkey.
Fortunately, Muslims believe that prophets, especially Prophets of Islam, do not lie.

They should then ponder the fact that their prophet Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me.” They should reconcile the fact that Jesus left no room for any definition of who He is but the Son of God. To say he is merely a prophet of God then makes this statement blasphemous. And for Mohamed to claim that a blasphemous person is a Prophet of Islam makes Mohamed, himself blasphemous.

But wait, before we take the speck out of the Muslims’ eyes, lets look around at ourselves. People in our culture hoist up similar signs all the time. The inscription on the Clocktower in Austin can be read the same way.

Muslims, Christians, good people, sincere people, and those who reject religion altogether will all have the same opportunity one day. Jesus told about that day. He will be approached by people who will plead with him and will say, “Don’t you remember? I even prophesied in your name.” And Jesus will say, “Be gone, for I do not know you.”

Know him. Seek Him out while He may be found. He made that possible by sending the Holy Spirit who “will lead you to all truth”. It is His greatest desire and your greatest reward.

HAPPY FEET is destined to make you sad

Going to see the latest holiday movie at the box office with your family is a fun holiday tradition. This year's chosen movie for your enjoyment is Happy Feet. Have you seen the trailer on TV? Wow! The advertisement says that it will have you "dancing in the isles." What could be more lovable than a warm animated story about happy penguins? But before you pick up the grandchildren and head to the theatre for that wonderful quality-time experience, please read what Michael Medved is saying about the movie. He believes that Hollywood is at it again. He thinks that while they are promising a warm, happy, family friendly experience, they are really delivering a dark, politically correct, anti-religious, film guaranteed to give the kids nightmares. Here is what he says:

"This may be the darkest, most disturbing feature length animated film ever
offered by a major studio. At least 80% of the film’s running time shows its
penguin characters in pain or danger. Scenes of terrifying leopard seals and
killer whales trying to devour the protagonist and his friends are so intense as
to guarantee nightmares; the PG rating is a joke since the film is wildly
inappropriate for young viewers under seven (and their parents). Rather than
sending you out of the theatre with a song in your heart (there’s a big focus in
the script on “heart songs”) the movie produces feelings of fright, discomfort,
even guilt. The title “Happy Feet,” suggesting a feel-good frolic, could hardly
be more deceptive for a deeply ill-considered project that will make most
audience members feel gloomier and more depressed than they did when they
entered the theatre."

Read the rest of his review here

Now, is it a crime to put out a dark animated movie just in time for the holidays? Of course not. But when the promotion takes advantage of what we all want to see at Christmas time and then brings us into a theatre under that premise, only to deliver more Hollywood agenda propaganda, we need to rise up and take notice. Hollywood does not play fair anymore. They are all too willing to take advantage of our trust. They don't deserve our trust anymore.

The Problems of Being in Charge

Yesterday, the Democrats in Congress chose their leaders. Nancy Pelosi graciously accepted the Speaker of the House position. Then she saw Jack Murtha, her hand-picked person for the House Majority Leader position go down in flames to Steny Hoyer, 149-86. That was a much better result in my opinion because Hoyer is apparently a very good Israel ally. Murtha is not.
I think there are a couple of things to note about this defeat for Pelosi. Apparently, it is traditional that the Speaker of the House stands clear of the politics of choosing the Majority Leader. However, Pelosi not only did not stand clear, but she campaigned for and endorsed Murtha. The lop-sided vote count for Hoyer gives us a hint that Pelosi does not rule the roost like she thought she did.
Pelosi has been given credit for finding and running conservative Democratic candidates that could win against Republicans. Well done, however now she has to live with the problem that she created. Part of the problem that the Republicans had for the last 6 years was that even though they had a majority in both houses, they could not get their legislative agenda passed because some of their Congressmen had a habit of drifting across the line to vote.
Could the Democrats have the same problems now? The Murtha / Hoyer vote sure makes it look that way. This really means that those who hang out in the middle, the RINO Republicans and the Blue Dog Democrats, should they reach consensus on issues, could really become a force on Capitol Hill. It is ironic that Pelosi, who demanded and got loyalty when her party was in the minority, now may not have enough power to do the same now that they are in the majority. Her strategy of electing conservative Democrats may have gotten her the Speaker position she coveted. But it also may have lost her the unanimous voice that the Democrats seemed to have had in the past.

Is this WW III?

When the world found that World War I was inevitable, was there this sense that the opposing forces were squaring off around the issue of who God is? How about World War II? It seems to me that Wars I and II were about race and territory. Now in the conflict that is brewing today, you can say it is about that too, but it seems to me that it is more about whose god you believe in. Many people of the world, like the Europeans who don’t really believe in anyone’s god, would say that this conflict resembles the past two in that they are about race and territory. But I believe that this time it is much more than that. The real core issue revolves around whose god is the real god. What makes this really difficult for Western Culture is that a good portion of it is really secular humanists that to this point have only tolerated and appeased religious people. These people have no intention of fighting and dying over this issue.
In May I wrote an article called “Thanks Ahmadinejad, this war IS about God”. Ahmadinajad, that wacky President of Iran frankly does the best job of any leader in getting to the core issue. He may rant about many subjects, but he always gets back to his core belief and cause. He believes that his purpose, given by Allah, is to spread Islam across the globe.
This week the Pope also weighed in on the issue. In a discourse he delivered in Germany, he explained very succinctly that the Muslims’ pentiant for chaos and violence was proof that they were not following God because God is rational and orderly. Ironically, when the Muslims got word of this, they took to the streets and erupted in more chaos and violence. Now they want to kill the Pope. As of this morning, he has given an apology that says he is sorry they are so upset. There is no chance that his “apology” will defuse the controversy.
So, have we ever been here before? Is this the third sequel to the World War saga? I think we are missing the story. I do believe that we are facing a huge multi-national war. But it is better defined as Crusades II, not World War III. Now I know, in our culture we have come to know the Crusades as an unfortunate part of our past where some misguided knights hacked and slaughtered their way down to Jerusalem on a brutal, unchristian like mission to spread Christianity. But it is time to take another honest look at what really went on there. Islam was spreading north. Spain and Constantinople were overtaken. The issue was exactly the same as it is now. Islamic invaders were threatening the Western world saying, “Convert to Islam or die”. And it was the religious people in Europe who picked up their swords, donned their armor and marched south to stop the invasion. Our western civilization as we know and enjoy it is indebted to the Crusaders who turned back the Moslem invasion back then.
The stories of their brutality still make us cringe. But if you ask the typical secular humanist today, we Americans are the brutal ones in our present war. Israel has been brutal in its handling of Hezbollah. Unfortunately as we are so aware now, history is made up of the prevailing stories. Truth is not always the story that prevails.
The Crusaders back then decided that they would rather fight and die to protect their faith, their homes, and their civilization than to give in to a brutal horde that was very willing to take it all away. I think we are there again. Decisions like theirs have to be made again. Regarding our efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq, the leaders of the radical Moslem movement have accused our forces of being modern crusaders. That is the kind of term that we would deny, but I believe we should admit to it. Yes we are and that is bad news for Moslems bent on our destruction.

A Modern Prayer

1 O God, do not keep silent;
be not quiet, O God, be not still.
2 See how your enemies are astir,
how your foes rear their heads.
3 With cunning they conspire against your people;
they plot against those you cherish.
4 “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation,
that the name of Israel be remembered no more.”

5 With one mind they plot together;
they form an alliance against you—
6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
of Moab and the Hagrites,
7 Gebal,* Ammon and Amalek,
Philistia, with the people of Tyre.
8 Even Assyria has joined them
to lend strength to the descendants of Lot.
Selah

9 Do to them as you did to Midian,
as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,
10 who perished at Endor
and became like refuse on the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said, “Let us take possession
of the pasturelands of God.”

13 Make them like tumbleweed, O my God,
like chaff before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest
or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15 so pursue them with your tempest
and terrify them with your storm.
16 Cover their faces with shame
so that men will seek your name, O Lord.

17 May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;
may they perish in disgrace.
18 Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord—
that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.

Psalm 83

Can there be a more accurate account of the present battle? Can there be a more eloquent plea for God to intervene on his own behalf? As I have said before, the battle before us is one of their God versus our God. They hate our God and they hate everyone who will stand with Him. I know that God loves Israel and will not let its enemies destroy it. I begin my daily prayer time with Psalm 83. I can't wait to see what He is going to do.

Reality of our Conflict

One of my favorite movies is The Last of the Mohicans. It’s a 1992 film based on the famous novel by James Fenimore Cooper. Maybe it’s just me but when I see it, I can’t help but think about the similarities between that time and this one.
There is a scene in it that I really think portrays our society. The British are marching through the forest. The British General’s daughters are being escorted to Fort Henry. They are well raised young ladies. You can tell they have been raised in a well protected fine culture and are well educated. The trip outside of their well protected world is a new experience for them. But they have faith in their soldier escort. Suddenly, the forest erupts and a Huron war party massacres the British. The girls are saved by Hawkeye and his Indian father and brother. I wish everyone could see the look on the young girls faces. The acting was really good in that the young ladies expressions were ones of disbelief and shock. They had no idea that there could be such savagery.
Now, you consider the modern day well educated person in our society. I believe there is a similar disbelief that there is a savage culture that would like nothing more than to cut our hearts out. There are people in our society who understand that we must protect who we are and what we have from this savagery. And there are people in our society who do not believe that other people in the world can be that cruel and barbaric. Magwa, the main villain in the movie is smart, treacherous and filled with hate for the British. He explains very calmly to the French General that he blames the British General for the hardship he and his people have faced. He will not be happy until he has put the British General under the knife and then kills his children. Then, later in an act of savagery he cuts the heart out of the British General as he lays mortally wounded on the battle field. Do our enemies in Iraq hate us any less? Are they any less savage? The daughters of the General, from that moment on, understood the gravity of the hatred they were facing. Do the young, innocent cultured people of our society understand who we are facing?
Even though the young British girls were oblivious to the realities of the frontier, the settlers were not. They were very aware that in order to advance their world into the wilderness, each one had to push back the savage world. And they had to keep pushing it back or the savage wilderness would turn and retake their ground.
In the history of the world, the ability to live in a time and a place where that type of diligence is just not needed is really an anomaly. Many of us think a relaxed and carelessly free society is something that just happens, is inevitable, and is the way it has always been. It is really wonderful that we can raise our children in a time and place where that seems to be reality. But the reality is that this type of carefree living has existed for only a relatively few centuries in relatively small portions of the world. The rest of the time, and in the rest of the places, this savagery has gone on relatively unabated. Only now with the inventions of jet planes and satellite TV have we been exposed to savage reality of the wilderness once again. The movie ends in victory. But it was not without a terrible cost. Good had to be more powerful, swift and mighty than evil. They had to risk all to not just retain their freedom, but to live. It is an old story, written many years ago in an uncomplicated fashion. Today, with movies coming out like Munich and Syriana, things are much more complicated . . . or are they?

Zarqawi - Payback time has just begun

For several years I have been praying that God would end Bin Laden's and Zarqawi's mission of stealing, killing, and destroying. I tried to never pray for God to outright kill them. He can handle them any way He wishes. But their devil's mission of stealing, killing, and destroying needed to be cut short.

Today, Zarqawi can no longer steal, kill, or destroy for his god. The ironic thing about the timing of the attack is that it is quite possible that at the exact moment he died, he was planning out how to continue to kill even more Iraqis. The more the better. The more gruesome, the better. Zarqawi's life long goal was to kill as many people as he could. Thank God that his life ended at a relatively young age.

I got to thinking about what his reception must have been like in hell. Everyone he had killed would be there to meet him. Everyone who he convinced to be a martyr will be there to meet him. Not 72 virgins. Not for him, or for all the martyrs he sent there. On earth he was surrounded by people who protected him. Not in hell. There is no allegiance in hell. Allegiance invovles loyalty and dedication. Hell doesn't have any positive forces at all. Zarqawi's first day in hell, I am sure, went really bad. He is the one who taught his people to kill a small child, gut the child and fill it with explosives, lay it in the street and then blow it up when the parents came out to claim it. Those parents will be there to greet him, too. Zarqawi will have no power or protection in hell.

The talking heads have said how the death of Zarqawi will not have a lasting effect on the battle. I really think there will be a difference. This man was the devil's own. He was the main recruiter of fighters. He was also the main spokesman. Whoever replaces Zarqawi will not be Zarqawi. There is an excellent trend that is being played out there. With the elimination of each leader there are others to take their places, but those others do not come with the same abilty, zeal, or authority. And when they get killed, their replacements are even worse.

I also am taking heart in the fact that Zarqawi was ratted out by his own people. That is a huge development. Perhaps in the near future, Bin Laden and Zawahiri will also be betrayed. Even if they are not, the possibility of that happening must be very frightening to them. Who can they trust?

Continue to pray for our troops. They are confronting the very face of evil over there. And they are winning!

Crossroads in the Sky

Have you ever looked up in the sky on a clear day and seen con-trails crisscrossing the sky? Commercial aircraft have certain lanes they travel in. On a clear day when the atmosphere allows the con-trails to remain, you look up and see big X’s or crosses in the sky. I wonder about the many lives crisscrossing, intersecting without knowing it. It makes you wonder about events that shape and direct our lives. Occasionally we recognize a crossroad and we approach it with the opportunity to analyze, discuss, pray, and decide which course is best to take. However, I believe that sometimes crossroads come and go when we are least aware. Like the contrails, the people in Airplane A never new that the people in Airplane B crossed their trail at 500 miles per hour headed a completely different direction.
Today for me was one of those days. I didn’t see any contrails, but it just seemed to be a day when I was able to observe lives crossing in front of me at tremendous speeds. Some believe they had chosen their course. Others are more aware of being compelled a certain direction by factors well beyond them. My reason for documenting this is that I am aware. Like the guy on the ground seeing the contrails, I am aware. The 700 people on the move are unaware that they just zipped through a crossroads. But from where I sit, I can see it clearly. So the following are simply my observations of the what I saw on the crossroad

I am away from home. I am in Yakima, living in a hotel, taking care of construction business for the Bank. I do this weekly, spending a couple of days a week away from home. My son Jeff and his wife, Charity have been trying to set up a meeting where we could pray for a man who is losing his battle with hepatitis. They envisioned the four of us visiting him and his wife, taking communion and praying for this man. Charity, who is aptly named, has such a heart of compassion. Jeff is faithful and generous. Charity is compassionate. They wanted Helen and me to lead the prayer. Someday they will know that by virtue of how God made them, they can access the spiritual power they want to see loosed. However, Pastor Tom has graciously agreed to step in on my behalf. Shane, the man who is attacked by hepatitis, is in a battle for his life. The Doctors are recommending that Hospice be called in to look after him. This development is after years of Shane having hope for a transplant. That is now not an option. Hospice is the best suggestion the Doctors have.


While in Yakima, I work out of a small branch on Summitview Avenue. I also have an office in the main Yakima building, but many times I prefer the quiet and relaxed atmosphere in Summitview. Vanessa, a young pretty teller there asked me, “How was your weekend?” Thinking that she was simply posing an obligatory conversation opener, I responded, “Fine, how was yours?”
She began, “Saturday was the annual parade in Selah. (Selah is a small town just west of Yakima. I don’t know the history behind its name, but I like it). As a former princess, I accompanied the Queen’s float. It has the Queen and 4 princesses on it. The Queen stands on this high perch. The only way she can get up there is by a ladder. Just as the parade started, it started to rain. It poured buckets the entire length of the parade. At the end it took them an extra 20 minutes to find the ladder and get the Queen down. Just after it was all over, it stopped raining, the sun came out and it was real nice.”
Vanessa was half-smiling as she told the story. What a picture! What a slice of life. If you were a filmmaker you couldn’t have asked for a more intriguing scene. The Queen of Selah being drenched in rain the entire parade route.

This afternoon, at the Summitview Branch, I looked out the window of my office and saw several police cars circling the branch. Sometimes this means that a teller has triggered a silent alarm. I jumped up and carefully observed the lobby. Just then, the Branch Manager came up and said, “They are blocking off the streets. A motorcade is coming through. Vicente Fox, President of Mexico is coming through here on his way to the airport.” I remember hearing that Fox was going to visit a big apple orchard near Yakima today. He apparently had done that and was on his way back.
We stepped outside to the sidewalk and noticed all the police cars blocking intersections. After a couple of minutes, a motorcade came down Summitview. First came about 7 motorcycles. Then came 3 police cars. Then came about 4 Suburbans. Then about 4 unmarked cars, then a bus with reporters. We figured the second Suburban had the important people in it. As it whisked by, a lady in the back seat looked straight at me and waived. I reflexively waived back. Eeeeuww! I just waived at Governor Christine Gregioire. President Fox was in Yakima because they had planned an event where an orchardist was going to tell him that he needed workers. I hope Fox told him that he already had a job.
I actually have some questions about this. What is the Mexican President doing coming up here looking for work? Are they all up here now? Did he turn out the lights when he crossed over to the US? Is he going to go back or just send money down to his family? This is the most hotly debated issue in America. It has more profound implications for the future of America than our war in the Middle East. I personally got to see the President of Mexico and his contrail of security vehicles pass by. Where most leaders find ways to increase employment in their countries, Fox is paving a way for US to employ his people; legally or illegally. His biggest employment initiative is to ensure that the emigration of his citizens from his country continues unabated.

Helen called and told me that a man out of my past was trying to reach me. John was a former building official for the City of Kennewick. He is about 70. He fell last year and suffered some bleeding of the brain. I had heard that he had undergone brain surgery in Seattle last year. But I had just lost track. Today he was calling from home. He had been undergoing rehab to learn to walk again for a whole year.
John has been a great friend. As a Kennewick Building Official, he would visit construction sites and either pass or fail the contractors job progress. I would periodically get visits from contractors who would come to me distressed because John flunked their project. The contractor would have all kinds of choice words to describe John. Indeed, John had a legendary reputation. He knew how to make millionaire contractors shake and beg forgiveness. In the middle of the contractor’s venting, I would let him know that I had no better friend than John. Then I would advise the contractor that if he took the same attitude, his troubles would disappear. “If John is telling you to change the way you are framing this building, then I would thank him for the advice and do it.”
Well, John’s message today was that he was very proud. His challenge was to take three steps on his own. After a year, he did it. It meant that he could come home. He proved the doctors wrong. His therapist never gave up. She worked with John for the entire year. His speech was slow, but we talked and laughed for about an hour.

I have reflected on these four incidents. Shane, the Selah Queen, President Fox, and John. Their stories all crisscrossed in front of me today. John and his ability to walk 3 steps seemed the happiest.
I know that we are all in God’s hands. There is nothing that happens to us that he doesn’t already know about. He helps us to endure. He laughs with us. He gives us individual strength all the while He is shaking the governments around us. Those crisscrossing contrails can be so complicated. I like it when they form a big cross in the sky. It is a reminder to me that I can fully trust in Him. And that is the truth.

Thanks Ahmadinejad, this war IS about God.

Matthew 24:11 says, “`and many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray;

It shouldn’t be a surprise anymore when we see one. The thing that I like about Ahmadinejad of Iran is that he is growing in recognition as a prophet. He isn’t just a radical leader of a renegade country. Many Muslims believe that when he spoke to the U.N. a radiance of light appeared around him. They are now saying that the words he wrote in his 18 page letter to President Bush were divinely inspired. This is not the case for the other tyrants who profess to hate America. Kim of North Korea wants to be thought of as deity, but he is far from it. The Taliban acted under “religious authority” but it was not recognized outside of their sect. Saddam was, well, he was just a thug even though he had many statues of his own likeness erected in Iraq. This man Ahmadinejad is being given credit for hearing from the Muslim’s 13th prophet.
Even though I have not read the content of the 18 page letter, from what I understand, he is carrying out a Muslim prerequisite. He must give us an invitation to convert to the Moslem faith. If we do not then he is compelled to wage war against us. I love it that he has separated the issues. Our most important issue is whether or not he is making nuclear weapons. That’s a minor issue to Ahmadinejad. The real issue to him is the incompatibility of our gods. Simply put, if we are not for his god we are against him. He calls our God the Great Satan. He hates Christianity. He hates Israel. They are the enemies of his god. He regularly prophesies that Israel will be wiped off the map. Any attempt on our part to call him on such a statement falls of deaf ears. He does not hear the leaders of other countries. He only listens to this mysterious 13th prophet for further direction. I like this guy.
Why do I like him? He is making us face the reality of what this war is all about. From the beginning, since 9-11 we have tried to define the conflict as us against a radically militant portion of an otherwise peaceful people group. We have done this for two main reasons:
1. An attempt to marginalize the militants and separate them from the Muslims who have not taken up arms against us.
2. An attempt to define this as something other than a religious war so that our secular western culture and the press that serves it would hopefully stay engaged on our side.

Because our western society is now predominantly secular, it just does not have the understanding of what this war is all about. I am quite sure that our western society believes that it can be neutral in this whose God do you choose? issue that Ahmadinejad is forcing on us. I believe that God will use this conflict to destroy the neutral position.

This man has signed on with the enemy of God. He is fearless and determined on the issue of who we will serve. To him, issues of oil and nuclear power are merely tools for the real issue. Up to now we have only had powerless false prophets show up. This one has power and craves more. And he doesn’t crave it to bask in it; he craves it to use it for his god. We have been waiting for him. I believe that he will unify the Muslim world like never before, and unless he is stopped soon, he will convert many in Europe, Asia, and even in the Americas to the Moslem faith. They will see their choice as converting and joining in his power, or become relegated to a powerless, impoverished existance.
Am I saying that Ahmadinejad is the anti-Christ? Matthew 24: 24 says: “For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great miraculous signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God's chosen ones.”
I believe he is one of many to come. Know this. The Messiah will not come in the form of a leader of a country. He will not come out of a deep well as the Muslim 13th prophet is said to be coming.

Matthew 24:27 says, “"For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.”
Yes, the real Messiah has a much grander entrance in mind.

We have the false prophet Ahmadinejad before us as a sign that Jesus Christ is on his way.

Intelligence trumps information

Well, you can find truth in the strangest places. Even in the email jokes being passed around the office.

Bear with me one more time:

A Texas cowboy was tending to his herd in a remote pasture when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced out of a dust cloud towards him. The driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci shoes, Ray Ban sunglasses and YSL tie, leaned out the window and asked the cowboy... "If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, will you give me a calf?"

The cowboy looks at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looks at his peacefully grazing herd and calmly answers, "Sure, Why not?"


The yuppie parks his car, whips out his Dell notebook computer, connects it to his AT&T cell phone, and surfs to a NASA page on the Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite navigation system to get an exact fix on his location which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo.


The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop and exports it to an image processing facility in Hamburg, Germany. Within seconds, he receives an email on his Palm Pilot that the image has been processed and the data stored.


He then accesses a MS-SQL database through an ODBC connected Excel spreadsheet with hundreds of complex formulas. He uploads all of this data via an email on his Blackberry and, after a few minutes, receives a response.


Finally, ! he print s out a full-color, 150-page report on his hi-tech, miniaturized HP LaserJet printer and finally turns to the cowboy and says, ''You have exactly 1586 cows and calves.


"That's right. Well, I guess you can take one of my calves," says the cowboy.


He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on amused as the young man stuffs it into the trunk of his car.


Then the cowboy says to the young man, "Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my calf?"

The young man thinks about it for a second and then says, "Okay, why not.


"You're a consultant for the National Democratic Party," says the cowboy.


"Wow! That's correct,"says the yuppie, "but how did you guess that?


"No guessing required," answered the cowboy, "You showed up here even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked; and you don't know anything about my business...


Now give me back my dog."

Up to Jerusalem

My daughter is headed to Israel tomorrow. She jumped at the opportunity to go when John Paul Jackson announced the tour several months ago. I am excited for her because I went there on a Holy Land Tour just months after Desert Storm in 1992. It was a life changing experience.
She is already experiencing some of the same things I did. We talked about the way people react when you tell them you are going to Israel. There are three main reactions:
1. The non-believer: “What the hell are you going there for?” (while nervously laughing the same kind of laugh you would hear if you told them you were really a Martian).
2. The nominal believer: “Oh really? . . . Uh . . . that’s . . . . uh . . . . interesting. Aren’t you concerned about the violence?” (The answer to that question is, “Yes, I am, but the layover in New York is for only a couple of hours.”)
3. The spirit-filled believer: “When are you leaving? Is there still room to sign up?”

She could have gone anywhere in the world. Some friends even suggested they go to a resort destination like Cabo San Lucas or Puerto Vallarta. My daughter’s reaction was, “I’ve got money to go to one place. Why would I want to go anywhere else than Israel?”

I am excited for her because she will undoubtedly have some very unique and wonderful experiences there. As I remember my trip it is easy now to recognize that God was delighting in allowing me some experiences and showing me some scenes that he knew I would never forget.



For instance there is a famous Zion Gate that was the scene of a crucial battle in the 1967 Six Day War when the Israeli Army broke through and finally entered Jerusalem. The stones that make up this gate are filled with the pock-marked evidence of that battle. As we were huddled around our guide (a former IDF Major) and he was telling us the story, we start hearing the singing of what sounded like a youth group coming our way. Their choruses echoed between the buildings and grew louder as they approached. Male and female voices singing songs we couldn’t understand, intermixed with laughter reached us long before we could see the group. Finally they rounded a corner and headed past us. It was an army troupe. About 40 young soldiers, an equal amount of boys and girls, all fully armed with rifles or Uzi’s, marched, walked, skipped, past us in loose formation. They turned another corner and disappeared from site. Their singing and laughter faded as they went away. We were left there alone again, staring at Zion's Gate, with the old IDF major, our tour guide still talking about the miracle battle that happened there.
Now use your spiritual eyes and tell me what we saw. The significance of that whole scene affected us then. It affects me more now as I recall it. If I had do over’s I would have gone up to them and asked them to tell me who their captain was. I am not sure any of us were ready for the answer they might have given us. See Joshua 5:15.
In Israel it is not uncommon to be standing in a place where an incredible miracle had taken place. It happened in Joshua's time, and in Jesus time. At that very spot in 1967 it happened again. Were we seeing another before our eyes in 1992? I should have taken off my shoes.

HU's ON FIRST

Bear with me. I just can't resist taking advantage of the occasion.





(We take you now to the Oval Office.)

George: Condi! Nice to see you. What's happening?

Condi: Sir, I have the report here about the visiting leader from China.

George: Great. Lay it on me.

Condi: Hu is coming for a visit from China.

George: That's what I want to know.

Condi: That's what I'm telling you.

George: That's what I'm asking you. Who is coming for a visit from China?

Condi: Yes.

George: I mean the fellow's name.

Condi: Hu.

George: The guy in China.

Condi: Hu.

George: The leader from China.

Condi: Hu.

George: The Chinaman!

Condi: Hu is the leader from China.

George: Now whaddya' asking me for?

Condi: I'm telling you Hu is coming from China.

George: Well, I'm asking you. Who is coming from China?

Condi: That's the man's name.

George: That's who's name?

Condi: Yes.

George: Will you or will you not tell me the name of the leader coming from
China?

Condi: Yes, sir.

George: Yassir? Yassir Arafat is dead isn’t he? And I thought he was from the
Middle East.

Condi: That's correct.

George: Then who is in China?

Condi: Yes, sir.

George: Yassir is in China?

Condi: No, sir.

George: Then who is?

Condi: Yes, sir.

George: Yassir?

Condi: No, sir.

George: Look, Condi. I need to know the name of the leader coming from
China.
Get me the Secretary General of the U.N. on the phone.

Condi: Kofi?

George: No, thanks.

Condi: You want Kofi?

George: No.

Condi: You don't want Kofi.

George: No. But now that you mention it, I could use a glass of milk.
And then get me the U.N.

Condi: Yes, sir.

George: Not Yassir! The guy at the U.N.

Condi: Kofi?

George: Milk! Will you please make the call?

Condi: And call who?

George: Who is the guy at the U.N?

Condi: Hu is the guy visiting from China.

George: Will you stay out of China?!

Condi: Yes, sir.

George: And stay out of the Middle East! Just get me the guy at the
U.N.

Condi: Kofi.

George: All right! With cream and two sugars. Now get on the phone.

(Condi picks up the phone.)

Condi: Rice, here.

George: Rice? Good idea. And a couple of egg rolls, too. Maybe we
should send some to the guy in China. And the Middle East. Can you get
Chinese food in the Middle East?

Originally written by James Sherman. Adapted to fit the current events.

My Favorite Holiday

So, wow, Easter is coming. I love Easter. For me, the holiday serves as a renewing of my mind. It is a fresh reminder of the reality of God’s overall plan for our salvation. I have been to the Garden Tomb. Peering into it, I got to see first hand that it was empty. He is alive!! And that fact separates him from every other person who ever claimed to be the way.
But there is another holiday coming up that I think deserves as much or maybe more attention. Good Friday. Wow. Now there is a holiday. We might acknowledge it. But we don’t give it the attention it deserves. Don’t get upset, but it, in my opinion of the three days, Christmas, Easter, and Good Friday, I think it should be the one we exchange gifts on. Can you imagine people going around this Friday, hugging each other, giving each other gifts, high-fiving, saying to each other, “Happy Good Friday? Jesus died on this day!” Only to get a reply, “Yes, isn’t it wonderful?”
Let’s think about this for a minute. Do you take communion at church? You can read about the first communion in the gospels. Paul gave us more insight in 1 Corinthians 11. There is a very interesting statement there. He says in verse 26, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
Now I have to admit, every time I read or heard that verse, I really thought Paul was trying to say, “ . . . you proclaim the Lord’s death (and resurrection) until he comes.” I would hear it and think “That’s OK. I know what he really means. He means the whole Easter package.” I think I now have a clearer understanding of that. Speaking of communion, Paul encourages us to do it often. And each time we do it, proclaim his death. He then goes further and admits some there in Corinth haven’t been doing that. And the evidence of that is that some are sick and some have even died. What the . . . ?
I really like John Paul Jackson's understanding of this. In his new teaching on CD named “The Communion Effect” he goes into detail about the day of Jesus’ death. In Isaiah 53, it says “ He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquity. By His stripes we were healed.”
Here are some questions for you. When you think about the answers, you might just high-five someone else on Good Friday.
1. Do you really understand and believe that Jesus was pierced for our sins? The thorns in His brow, the spear in His side were for all of our sins. All of them.
2. Do you have thoughts or habits that you know you shouldn’t? Have you done things that you hate to even think about? Do you feel guilty about them? Christians shouldn’t have those things, right? They are the kind of thoughts and actions that you can’t really share with anyone. Let’s face it. They are perversions. So do you really understand and believe that Jesus was deformed for our perversions? The beatings he took caused Him to be unrecognizable by the people who loved Him. The horrible stuff on the inside that deforms you doesn’t have to. It has all been paid for. God knew about your perversions. He provided for it. Jesus incredibly bore all the punishment for it. Friend, . . . . . they are all paid for.
3. Have you succumbed to the fear of sickness? We have all been attacked by sickness. Cancer attacked me. Crohn’s disease attacked my wife. No known cure for either. But we have not succumbed to the fear of them. They do not rule over us. Why? Because we know they too were paid for. Jesus paid the full price. When he took that horrible punishment, He took it for our sickness. Yours too.
So, on Friday, He did it. He paid the full price for you and me. All that nasty stuff that we did, we thought about, and we suffered were paid for completely on Friday. That didn’t happen on Christmas or Easter. Those holidays are wonderful and are all wonderful evidence of God’s plan. But Good Friday? We are free, completely free because of what Jesus did for us on that day. He died on that day. Paid in full on that day. It was the best day of our lives.
Now if you are like me, with the business of life, you forget. You get spiritually tired. You regress. You relapse. We need a reminder. Take personal communion. That’s not my theology; that is Jesus’ advice. He said “Do this often in remembrance of me.” Paul said, “Do it and proclaim His death.” By proclaiming His death we are proclaiming that it is done. When the enemy tries to bring it all back, take communion. Declare Jesus’ death. The enemy knows what that means. It’s paid for. That is the truth.

Quest

The scene was 10 years ago. I was a 45 year old student for a month on the University of Texas campus. Campus activity looked the same as my own school (University of Oregon) 25 years earlier. I had changed though. As a 45 year old, I was aware of the spiritual atmosphere and confident of my place in it. At Oregon, when I was a young student, I was self focused and unsure of my world. Any confidence I projected, any resolve I espoused were merely generated out of the need of the moment to project and espouse confidence and resolve. Twenty-five years later I could see the same fragile masks on some of the young students as we walked through campus between classes.
On the Texas campus, there is a big lawn crisscrossed by sidewalks. Between classes it teems with a sea of students as they cross through it for the next class. At the far end is the tallest building on campus. It is at the same time famous and infamous. It is the “Clocktower Building”. If you are old enough, you might remember the first real sniper killing in our country that was covered live on television across the nation. A man had made his way up the Clocktower Building’s 23 stories with a rifle and started killing students as they crossed the lawn on their way to class. Many more would have died if it wasn’t for a couple of brave patrolmen who, armed with only a pistol and a shotgun, climbed up the 23 flights of stairs and put an end to the carnage. I was about 15 when it happened. I had not remembered or thought of it since, but when I walked on campus 30 years later and looked up to see that building, I instantly remembered. This was that building.
However as I approached it, remembering the black and white TV images, I saw something that I was not prepared for. Engraved in the marble across the face of the huge base of the building was the quote, “Know the truth and the truth will set you free.” Young students walked past, oblivious of the building’s infamy and unmoved by the huge message carved in stone before them. The scene was surreal. Oblivious students walking past a structure that had all the impact of Golgotha. A place made infamous by the mass murdering of innocent students. The same place had the message of ultimate freedom emblazoned on it.
I watched the scene before me and realized that the students represented all of us. We are all on a quest for truth. We all walk the path that represents the quest for truth, oblivious of the fact that death itself can scour the same path, seeking who it may devour. We all are somewhere between the realization of death and the revelation of the truth.
The irony of the scene was that the author of the building’s inscription was not a sponsor of academic pursuit at all. And his statement was not about the pursuit of knowledge. Nor was it a simple platitude. After all, what he was talking about is so powerful that it is the only certain and successful defense from the clocktower killer. I wanted to walk through the square, point to the inscription and ask the students, “Who do you think first said that? What do you think that means?” What was he talking about?” I didn’t stop anyone. They all had just minutes to get to their next class. They were all too focused to pay attention to some middle aged stranger.
But you’ve got time? What do you think it means?