My Math class brought up a subject that I had no background in. I was very hard pressed to find an explanation of inductive and deductive reasoning for dummies
I did some research on the Internet and still could not find something simple. So after much adieu…
Inductive Vs. Deductive Reasoning Explained.
Deductive: Think of a detective. He deduces (reduces). He sees the big picture — a crime was committed. He then takes the evidence and deducts the parts that don’t fit until he comes up with the core of the matter. Deductive deducts the false. Elementary my dear Watson…
Inductive takes small pieces of information in and puts them together into a big picture.
Inductive study takes various individual pieces of evidence and looks for patterns (For instance, individual Bible verses) and cements them together into the big picture — a cohesive whole — perhaps into a theological proposition.
Below is an email discussion I had with my dear friend whom I’ll call “Conversant” who was an atheist a few years ago, but now is a self-avowed Pluralist. He wanted to debate politics…
Me Don’t know if you were joking around last night, but debating politics is too much on the fringe of importance to risk bad emotions.
But I am interested to know, however: disregarding what the the skeptics say, and un-Christlike behavior of so-called Christians, why do you reject Jesus?
Conversant I don’t reject Jesus. I believe that Jesus lived in a time of many men teaching different parables at that time. I believe that the Christian faith grew from that and used his teachings as a foundation to grow a religion in order to inspire or control (depending on your point of view if you follow this theory) the population at that time in history. What I do reject is the notion that if I don’t accept Jesus as my personal savior I (and all other persons on this earth who are non-believers or of another faith are damned to Hell).
As far as us debating politics and having ill feelings towards each other……I would hope that our friendship would trump that from ever happening. I enjoy our debates and find them a good exercise in voicing and reflecting on what I believe (something I rarely did when I was using and boozing). What I am learning to do is to respect all peoples faith and learn a little bit about them so that I may grow spiritually. What I feel inside is that life lived through the positivity of love and tolerance is an indescribable force and that when I operate in that manner I feel that I am on a good spiritual path.
Thanks for the question….and perhaps you would like to answer this. Does your belief in Jesus preclude any other faiths beliefs in your spiritual quiver.
Me In short, yes. Because Jesus was not a mere man — he was God came down to Earth in human form.
A good man or teacher would not claim to be God unless it were true. Otherwise he was a maniac (how many people have been put in insane asylums claiming to be God – but Jesus was not – in fact time itself is divided by the (albeit miscalculated) date of his birth) or he was completely evil. There can be no middle ground.
I can find at least 5-10 places where He claimed to be God without even trying. That is why he was crucified.
Therefore, if God says the only way to heaven is through Him, He must know what he is talking about!
Admission to Heaven is not based upon being good. Otherwise Heaven would be completely devoid of humans.
Conversant
Well, I’m grateful we don’t live in another place or during another time period where we would feel compelled to kill each other.
Me
You didn’t get it, did you?
Sigh. Yeah, glad I don’t have to burn you at the stake…
Conversant
get what?
Me
Multiple choice…
Was Jesus:
A. Lunatic
B. Liar
C. Lord
Conversant
You forgot
D. None of the above
Me
None of the above is not possible. He could not be an ordinary man and claim to be God unless he was a liar or a lunatic.
He claimed to be God, and every time He claimed it, the Jews wanted him dead.
Below are just a few.
——–
Jesus said unto them, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am”. At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. John 8:58
Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly… Jesus answered them, “I told you, and ye believed not… I and my Father are one…
Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. John 10:24-31
Jesus saith unto him… Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. Matthew 26:64-66
——-
The apostle Paul confirms:
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Philippians 2:5-7
And the apostle John confirms:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-14
Conversant
I don’t think that in this instance that you can change my belief by stating yours. I respect your interpretation of scripture as one of absolute truth. I do not share this belief. Therefore; while D. None of the above is impossible for you to consider, it is the choice for me.
Consider the existence of the color red. Consider your perception of the color red. Can you say with certainty that what your human brain has processed and is replicating in your image-sensory world….. that it is the same as another persons perception of the color red. Could you prove it?
Me
It’s not a subjective issue. Just because someone thinks the world is flat does not make it true.
You don’t have to believe the Bible is infallible. There is tons of historical, archaeological, and forensic evidence to back it up.
Have no fear. You don’t have to change your life, become “good”, start going to chuch, or anything except believe to get to heaven.
Conversant I thought that if you want to get to heaven……..you got to raise a little hell.
Obviously end of discussion.
I pray at least a seed was planted.
I stand on the statement that God’s word will not return to Him void.
The politically correct people in the US are being led to slaughter like the Eloi people in H. G. Wells’ The Time Machine.
“Killing is a great Divine gift.”
Ayatollah Khomeini: “Those who say Islam should not kill don’t understand [it]. Killing is a great [divine] gift that appears [to man]. A religion that does not include [provisions for] killing and massacre is incomplete. Those who claim that Jesus was averse to killing and war, harm his prophetic mission… Killing is the same as mercy.”
“Violence is the heart of Islam.”
Ayatollah Yazdi – Senior Advisor to Ahmadinejad and IRGC Leaders: “We must wipe away the shameful stain whereby some people imagine that violence has no place in Islam… we have decided and are determined to argue that violence is the heart of Islam.”
Tony got my names transposed. All three of my names can be first or last names, so after 51 years, I’m used to it.
Note that if you download it, it registers as being about 44 minutes long, but it is only 27. I used the RealPlayer trimmer. Tried it twice. It is just mis-marked on the file. I may try to trim it with another piece of software. Player may not work on Firefox browsers? If player doesn’t work, you can download by right-clicking the link, below and choose “Save Target As”.
Rabbi Simlai 3rd century AD says there are 613 laws in the Torah, the first five books of the Bible.
Talmud
A bunch of rabbis over the centuries had put together an enormous library of
interpretations of these laws. There were laws telling you how far you could
walk on a Sabbath day, and how much weight you could carry without breaking the
Sabbath, and numerous others. These are the kinds of things that the Pharisees
went by that Jesus complained about.
Law is necessary for an eternal society
Sin is destructive.
Housebreaking a puppy
During the World War
a luxurious French villa lay in the path of the oncoming armies. Although
deserted, it was shelled and left with great gaping holes in its stone sides. A
few swine, which had somehow escaped extermination, rooted their way into the
magnificently furnished drawing room. Over the rich, velvet carpet they tracked
their muddy feet, overturned the upholstered furniture, tore the expensive
draperies and chewed whatever gave any promise of satisfying their hunger. The
beauty, the elegance, the cultural characteristics of the place meant nothing to
the beast nature. They were not partakers of the intellectual or spiritual
qualities of the owner.
To the unregenerated millions of earth, the glories of Heaven would be like
the French villa was to the swine. They are not partakers of the Divine nature
and would have no capacity for enjoying the holy atmosphere of the Glory Land.
I’m sure the pigs were “good” as far as pigs go. But they did not belong in a
French villa.
Isaiah 55:8-9
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your
ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Jesus will bring you peace, joy, love, lasting happiness…
A lot of people try to entice people into the Kingdom: “Jesus loves you! He
will make your life better” Which is true, but not true from a fleshly
standpoint. Jesus promised tribulation (John 16:33). He did not promise a bed of
roses. People who are told, “Seek Jesus, he will make your life better” will be
disillusioned when life happens. “I thought you told me…!”
Gal. 3:21b (NIV)
the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by
faith.
How should Christians deal with the law?
We obviously cannot go around killing people and committing
adultery..
Dear Dr. Laura:
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. ……I
have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with
as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle,
for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be
an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however,
regarding some other elements of God’s Laws and how to follow them.
When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a
pleasing odor for the Lord as written in Leviticus.1:9. The problem is my
neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite
them?
I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2
clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him
myself, or should I ask the police to do it?
A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an
abomination, Leviticus. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality?
I don’t agree. Can you settle this? Are there ‘degrees’ of abomination?
Leviticus. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have
a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my
vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here?
Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around
their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Leviticus. 19:27.
How should they die?
I know from Leviticus. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes
me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
My uncle has a farm. He violates Leviticus.19:19 by planting two different
crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two
different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and
blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of
getting the whole town together to stone them? Leviticus.24:10-16. Couldn’t we
just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who
sleep with their in-laws? (Leviticus. 20:14)
We’ll see if we can go back and answer these later.
“There are lots of people worse than me. It’s not like I killed
somebody!”
Try saying that to a judge.
Law is a schoolmaster (Gal. 3:19-25)
Law was not meant to save.
Galatians 2:16
know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus
Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified
by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no
one will be justified.
Adam was not promised damnation.
The Ten Commandments never offered eternal life.
The Jews had only a vague understanding of the concept of hell
Judaism 101
Torah emphasizes immediate, concrete, physical rewards and punishments rather
than abstract future ones…
Sheol
Abraham’s bosom
The law cannot be kept
See how successful the Hebrews were
James 2:10
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is
guilty of all.”
Romans 3:20 (NIV)
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the
law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
Grace has superceded Law
Matthew 5:17
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not
come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
Fulfilled the sacrificial law and holidays
(except the ones that are future)
Jesus said he did not do away with the law. But Paul said we are not under
the law!
Confused? Me, too…
The concept of laws being superceded is not foreign to the Jews:
Exodus 20 vs. Jeremiah 31:29-30
… visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and
fourth generation…
‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on
edge.’ Instead, everyone will die for his own sin; whoever eats sour grapes–his
own teeth will be set on edge.
The book of Galatians
Circumcision on the 8th day
Galatians 3:10
All who rely on observing the law are under a curse
Romans 10:4
Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone
who believes.
I Corinthians 15:56-57 (NIV)
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks
be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Colossians 2:14 (NIV)
God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled
the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood
opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.
Colossians 2:16-17 (NIV)
Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with
regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These
are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in
Christ.
Hebrews 9:9b-10
the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience
of the worshiper.
Matthew Henry wrote:
So Christ made an improvement of the law and the prophets by his additions
and [clarifications]… the Christian institutes … promote [the law] to the
highest degree. The gospel is the time of reformation, not the repeal of the
law, but the amendment of it, and, consequently, its establishment.
Love thy neighbor vs. Ten Commandments
(Which were divided in two: Love the Lord thy God 1-4 and Love they neighbor
5-10)
The law won’t save you, but we are expected to act like the
King’s kids
Jesus’ first sermon
Some behavior will keep you out of heaven:
1 Corinthians. 6:9-11
God is not mocked (Gal. 6:7)
We will be Judged according to our works (Rev. 20:13 )
Don’t use grace for an occasion of the flesh (Gal 5:13)
Galatians 4:4-7 (Abba)
Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the
Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
2 Peter 1:5-8
(These things do not save us, they keep us from being unproductive.)
The secular humanists believe that the entire universe and life are simply an
incredible coincidence. They believe that the universe created itself 4.5
billion years ago, and lucky for us, some combination of chemicals combined to
make a single-celled life form that mutated over billions of years into the
incredible array of life we see today on planet earth.
Identity
To the secularist, we are nothing more than an advanced animal (Weider
& Gutierrez, 2011, p. 57), or a bunch of cells and atoms.
Meaning/ Purpose
I would venture to say that for most unbelievers in the western world,
their main purpose is to the pursuit of some sort of temporal happiness.
Everyone has a different idea about happiness. Some try drugs, others pursue
money, some it’s a misguided concept of love. The list is virtually endless. In
the inner cities, some people’s purposes may be mere survival.
Life can not possibly have any deep meaning to a pure secularist since life
is “just an accident”. When taken to extremes by those who don’t believe in God,
on one hand life can either be considered cheap (for instance Communist purges)
or if taken to the other extreme, all life is considered precious and humans are
no more value than other animals (Weider & Gutierrez, 2011, p. 57). In an
astonishing dichotomy, the same groups of people who vote for a candidate who
promotes abortion are also the most vocal environmentalists. And they obviously
cannot see any problem with this.
Morality
The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) bylaws assert that
humanists want to build “a more humane society through an ethics based on human
and other natural values…”and they reject “supernatural views of reality” (IHEU,
2009). But there are no genuine natural values. Only someone from a western
culture could come up with an idea like that. A real unbeliever raised in a
third-world country with no Western values would laugh at such a “wimpy”
concept. “You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.” (Commonly
attributed to Josef Stalin). Without a moral God, there is no reason why Stalin
would not be able to send the entire IHEU to the firing squad if they complained
about his morality.
Destiny
Though they may try to leave an earthly legacy behind, the only thing a
true atheist can look forward to after death is annihilation.
The Secular Worldview vs. the Christian Worldview
Origins
In contrast to the Secularist’s view that everything was an accident, the
Christian believes that God created the universe and all life. The Christian
believes in “microevolution” or adaptation. This is where an animal will undergo
slight changes in order to adapt to changing conditions, but no new species is
formed. For instance the beaks of Darwin’s finches change with the environment,
but the finch will never evolve into, for instance, an eagle. There is no
scientific evidence that any life form has transitioned into another life form.
And God was careful to make note that this would not happen (Genesis 1:11-12,
21-25).
Identity
In contrast to the secularist idea that we are but mere animals, the Bible
tells us that we were a special creation, formed in God’s image. The animals
were spoken into existence in groups, but Adam was made from the dust into a
living soul (Genesis 2:7). We were to be caretakers of, and have dominion over
the earth (Genesis 1:28). Adam changed the whole thing when he disobeyed God,
and we were cast out of paradise. But God sent us a Savior; and under the new
covenant, we are now to be conformed to Christ’s image (Romans 8:29). He was our
perfect example, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can grow to become
more and more Christ-like (2 Peter 1:5-8).
Meaning/ Purpose
In contrast to the vain and empty pursuits of the unbeliever, the
Christian’s purposes are to know God (Weider & Gutierrez, 2011, p. 61); to
love one another (John 13:35); and to serve each other (Matthew 25:34-40). There
is no higher calling, no occupation so satisfying. Anybody who has ever given a
gift to a child and watched them excitedly open it knows first-hand that it is
more blessed to give than to receive.
Morality
Without God, morals have no real clout. The IHEU (above) wants to build a
utopian society based on “natural values”. Which is an exercise in futility
because there is no such thing. The strong arm of God backs the Christian moral
code. But happily, we do not live by the letter of the law under the New
Covenant. God writes His laws in our hearts. In my experience, I don’t want to sin. This is in stark contrast to before I believed! Before God
found me, I vigorously pursued nearly every form of carnal pleasure I could
think of. God is not mocked (Galatians 6:7); we cannot use grace for an occasion
to sin (Galatians 5:13); but God knows we are weak and we will stumble (2
Corinthians 12:9).
Destiny
In contrast to the Secularists’ bleak hope of annihilation, the believer
has the hope of eternal joy. The hope of being welcomed into the eternal Kingdom
of God (Matthew 25:23). Some of us will even be kings and priests (Revelation
5:10).
… And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be
no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:
for the former things are passed away.
(Revelation 21:4)
IHEU (2009). IHEU Bylaws. Retrieved July 31, 2011 from
http://www.iheu.org/bylaws
References
Weider, L., & Gutierrez, B. (2011). Consider. Virginia Beach,
VA: Academx Publishing Services, Inc.
When I was about two years old, my parents got a divorce. Dad got custody of my brother and me, and Mom soon moved back to Kansas never to contact us again. In later years, Dad would tell me that when I was a baby, a rich old Indian (Native American) man wanted to buy me from my parents because he had no heir; but Dad would not sell. After that, from time to time, the question would come up in my mind: what would I have grown up like if I had been raised by a rich old Indian?
Then when I was about 18 years old, my brother found my natural mother. By this time, she had two girls from subsequent marriages. She was a working mother and the girls, in stark contrast to my strict upbringing, had very little supervision – they were allowed to do just about whatever they felt like. Later, my brother moved down to Oklahoma to spend his last couple of years of High School with Mom and was essentially allowed to do whatever he pleased. This again sparked my interest in how I would have “turned out” under different circumstances.
My Thoughts on The Nature Vs. Nurture Argument
I don’t think that any thoughtful person could attribute 100% of our characteristics to either nature or nurture alone. “You need nature to be able to absorb nurture” (Ridley, 2003, p. 173). The extent that each affects us will probably be debated until Jesus returns. Which is a great segue into my next thought: There appears to be very little mention of spirituality and probably none about how the Holy Spirit and the “Renewing of the mind” in psychological circles. I can attribute much of my mental foibles to genetics as well as my environment. But since I was about age 20, the Holy Spirit has been renewing my mind into something that I could never have accomplished myself. Many emotional diseases could be attenuated or eradicated by the Holy Spirit if people would seek Him. I’ve worked with alcoholics and addicts for years, and have seen several be able to completely rid themselves of antidepressant medication after they stay sober for a while and let God do His work.
The History of the Nature Vs. Nurture Issue
The concept has been around even before Shakespeare’s time (Ridley, 2003, p. 71). Sir Francis Galton (1822-1911), a half-cousin of Charles Darwin, was credited with coining the phrase: “Nature versus Nurture” (University of Indiana, 2007). Some people strongly affirm that genetics influence what people become, while the other side favors “nurture”. Ridley (2003, p. 69) says that “it was Galton’s fate to ignite the feud in 1864″. Since then, the discussions have often been very passionate. The feud has raged for over a century. And by all appearances, it will not be over in my lifetime.
What are The Most Essential Characteristics of This Issue?
Psychologists want to know to what extent our traits are genetically inherited from our parents, and what is the influence of our environment (i.e. upbringing) on who we become. Certainly some physical features are exclusively inherited (I have blue eyes because my ancestors had blue eyes.). Some, like a propensity to gain weight, are partially inherited, and partially influenced by our environment (Myers, 2010, p. 460). But since this is a psychology paper, I’ll be concentrating on the psychological aspects.
What do we inherit from our ancestors, and what role does our environment play?
Some traits are more inheritable than others are. For example, a person’s temperament is almost exclusively biological (inherited) (Myers, 2010).
Personality
David Myers (2010) says that personality is virtually 100% inherited: “The environment shared by a family’s children has no discernable impact on their personalities.” (p. 139). And I know this to be true. My brother and I are 21 months apart. We were raised almost as twins. We both got nearly identical clothes, and same treatment. We were grouped together as a unit. It was “Allen Lee and Dale” as though we weren’t even individuals. But we have always been as different as night and day in personality. My biological mother affirms that I was easy-going, and my brother was “wild” even from birth. And to this day, despite nearly identical upbringings, we are still very, very different.
Beliefs
There are a few things that are not so strongly tied to genetics. Among those are “attitudes, values, manners, faith, and politics” (Myers, 2010).
Nature in the formative years
Matt Ridley (2003) shows how complex the issue really is:
Nurture is reversible; nature is not. That is the reason responsible intellectuals have spent a century preferring [environment over genes]… But what if there was a planet where it was the other way around? … [A] world in which lived intelligent creatures whose nurture they could do nothing about, whereas their genes were exquisitely sensitive to the world in which they lived.
Search no more… You live on precisely such a planet. To the extent that people are products of nurture… they are largely the products of early and irreversible events. To the extent that they are the product of genes, they are expressing new effects right into adulthood, and often those effects are at the mercy of how they live. (p. 151)
If a person is exposed to certain environmental factors while in the womb, or during critical phases in childhood, there can be irreversible catastrophic consequences. A girl named Genie was raised chained to a potty chair or a crib most of her childhood. She was finally found and freed. But tragically, the only words she learned to speak were “stopit” and “nomore” (sic). She was deprived of appropriate verbal input at a critical age. (Ridley, 2003, pp. 169-170)
Jensenism: The heritability of intelligence.
Arthur R. Jensen (1923-) became the focus of a very emotional controversy when in 1969 he published an article saying that intelligence was a result of genetics, followed by biological environmental differences. He asserted that socioeconomic status (SES) had little or no influence on intelligence. This was published at a time when it was popularly believed that the 15 point IQ difference between blacks and whites was attributed to financial status. People were outraged that Jensen suggested Black people were genetically less intelligent. (Miele, 2002, p.18)
So, was Jensen right? Is intelligence inherited? Intelligence seems to be a product of genetics. But perhaps not as much as Jensen thought. David Myers (2010) says that the heritability of intelligence runs about 50 percent (p. 429) though he then goes on to explain (p. 434) that there is a “stubborn” ethnic gap in intelligence scores. But that has been narrowing since 1970.
Conclusion
“Mental similarities between adopted children and their adoptive families wane with age, until the correlation approaches zero by adulthood” (Myers, 2010, p. 428). I could expect my native intelligence and personality to be about the same after I grew to adulthood. What I would do with this mind would certainly be influenced by my environment. I could not imagine that if I had been whisked off to Libya or the Soviet Union as a child that my life would be much the same, for instance.
Like Bandura’s reciprocal determination (Myers, 2010, p.577), my genes most certainly affect what I am interested in. So discounting an environment of inadequate resources, I would still have been interested in paleontology as a child and not so interested in math. Genes ultimately control who we become, but our experiences add shades of hue to our genetic dispositions. “Our genes shape the experiences that shape us” (Myers, 2010, p 429).
So, all secular things considered, with similar advantages, I probably would still have grown up to be just about what I am today. And Jesus would have had to step in and mould me into someone He can work with. Because left to my own devices, I did not do very good!
References
Miele, F. (2002). Intelligence, race, and genetics: Conversations with Arthur R. Jensen. Boulder, CO: Westview Press
Myers, D. (2010). Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers.
Ridley, M. (2003) Nature via Nurture. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. Published again in 2004 under the title: The agile gene:How nature turns on nurture
University of Indiana (2007). Human intelligence: Francis Galton Retrieved June 16, 2011 from http://www.indiana.edu/~intell/galton.shtml
What does Mark 9:2-29 tell us about Jesus?
First, it tells us that Jesus is divine – or at least more than just a mortal man. While walking down the mountain, He asked the disciples not to tell anyone about the transfiguration that had just happened — certainly not an everyday event! He had requested several times for certain deeds not to be proclaimed (i.e. Mk 7:36, Mt 8:4, etc.). Probably for several reasons, but the first thing that comes to my mind is for His own safety. His life was in constant danger, and every time He alluded to His divinity, the people wanted to throw Him off a cliff or started picking up stones. But it was not yet His time. Secondly, the talk of resurrection (v. 9:9) shows that Jesus is more than an angel (or other supernatural being), but the actual Messiah, Himself! Jesus alluded to the fact that John the Baptist was the Elijah predicted to precede Him, further demonstrating that He is nothing less than the predicted Messiah (vv.
12-13).
The central message:
As mentioned, above, clearly one central message of these verses and the surrounding context is Jesus’ Divinity.
If we include the verses before and after (Mk. 9:2-29), it is a panorama or
snapshot of Jesus’ history. The transfiguration shows Jesus in His glory before the world was (vv. 2-12); then He came down among men (vv. 9-13) to teach and to do for us what we could not do for ourselves (vv. 14-29). It spoke of His pending resurrection (v.9). And by casting out the demon that the disciples could not (vv.14-27), He displayed His dominion over demons and superiority to man.
It also shows that we are completely blind and powerless without Jesus:
a.) Peter is completely bewildered at the transfiguration.
b.) The apostles cannot grasp the concept of the coming resurrection.
c.) The other disciples are unable to cast out the demon, and
d.) There were possibly still questions in their minds concerning Jesus’ Messiah-ship as well. For instance, it had been prophesied that Elijah would precede the Messiah. So they may have been politely asking: “Ok, so if you are the Messiah, where is Elijah?” (v. 11)
The entire book of Galatians is Paul’s effort to correct the heresy of Judaizers who were trying to tell people that they had to be circumcised and follow Jewish law to be saved. Paul explains at length that we are not saved by law or ritual (i.e. Galatians 4:4-5). In Chapter 5, he is talking about circumcision: how if a person trusts in circumcision to save them, then Christ is of no value (5:2). Paul was furious! He even went so far to say that he wished the people who were trying to convince the Galatian believers to be circumcised (Judaizers) would emasculate themselves!
How Paul deals with the Judaizers
In Galatians 5:19-25, Paul helps distinguish what proceeds from the Spirit, and what proceeds from the flesh. He describes the evidences of living by the flesh (sexual immorality, drunkenness, etc.) and then he proceeds to describe the results (fruits) of walking in the Spirit (Love, Joy, Peace, etc.) and encourages us to continue to walk in the Spirit.
Judaizers were telling people that they had to follow Jewish law to be saved. If they had succeeded, Christianity would have become just another Jewish sect (Barclay, 1976). In the preceding verses, Paul is talking about how if a person trusts in circumcision to save them, then Christ is of no value (Gal 5:2). Paul was furious! He even went so far to say that he wished the Judaizers would emasculate themselves! In verse 13, he warns the church not to use our Christian freedoms to indulge the flesh. Verses 5:16-18 may have been seen by the 1st century church as a “how-to” guide for living in grace instead of under the law. Paul explains that if we live by the Spirit, we will not satisfy our fleshly nature. It’s not going to be easy! Our flesh and spirit are at war, and this conflict does not allow us to do what we want (cf. Romans 7:14-25). And that if we walk in the Spirit we are not under the law. The verses that follow (vv. 19-26) are indications of a life of walking in the flesh contrasted to those of walking in the Spirit. Gal 5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Gal 5:17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
Gal 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
How might the Galatian people perceive Paul’s letter?
The poor Galatian people had to be so confused! Judaizers were telling people that they had to follow Jewish law to be saved (Barclay, 1976). Paul was furious! (Gal 5:12) If they had succeeded, Christianity would have become just another Jewish sect (Barclay, 1976, p. 3). Paul devotes most of this letter to answering the judaizers. Chapter 5 is the peroration (summary) of his argument (Fausset, 1871). In the preceding verses, Paul tells us we are called to freedom but warns us not to use our Christian freedoms to indulge the flesh (v.13). The poor Galatian people might see vv. 5:16-18 as a “quick-start” guide for living under grace: Live by the Spirit, and we will not satisfy our fleshly nature. But it’s not going to be easy! Our flesh and spirit are at war; we are never free from this conflict (Gl 5:17b NLT). Verse 18 reminds us that if we walk in the Spirit, we are not under the law. The verses that follow (vv. 19-26) describe the fruits of a life of walking in the flesh vs. those of walking in the Spirit.
We could relate to the Galatian people!
We in the Western World could easily relate to the Galatian people. The Galatians, as a part of the Roman Empire, would have been bombarded on all sides by a myriad of religions competing for their attentions just as we are today. And I dare say the subtleties of law vs. grace would easily be lost on the average new believer in America. A new believer in America (and many “old” believers) would be easy prey for a slick-talking judaizer.
The Theology of Galatians 5:16-18
Gal 5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Gal 5:17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
Gal 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
The theological principles of Galatians 5:16-18 are: 1.) How to live a clean life – to keep from following through with our carnal desires with the help of the Holy Spirit (v. 16); 2.) The ongoing war between our flesh and spirit (v. 17) and; 3.) Christian liberty – living by grace rather than under the law (v.18).
How can we apply God’s Grace to our lives?
1.) In the year 1531 AD, Martin Luther wrote: “When I was a monk I thought I was lost forever whenever I felt an evil emotion, carnal lust, wrath, hatred, or envy. I tried to quiet my conscience in many ways, but it did not work, because lust would always come back and give me no rest…” You don’t have to be a monk to feel this way. I also tend to be a “perfectionist” and have a very hard time dealing with any shortcomings. It is comforting to know that we are not under the law. And as I walk in the Spirit, though I feel unholy desires at times, when I walk with God, I need not carry them out.
Today I am free of the obsession to drink by the grace of God. When I first got sober, I tried everything I could think of to be at peace when not drinking – to no avail. Today, I am doing what is suggested in the 12-steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. The 12 steps are a “spiritual program” based on Christian principles. It is not about being “good”, it is about getting rid of the garbage in our mind that is blocking God, then improving our relationship with God and helping others. Today though once in a while, a drink sounds tempting, it is no longer a losing battle because I walk in the Spirit. I quit trying to cure myself long enough to let God in to do His work.
References
Barclay, W. (1976) The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians Revised Edition. Philadelphia: Westminster Press.
I saw an article today that gave me hope. A pastor in Seattle has invited Westboro protesters to donuts and a sermon.
This is the kind of thing that will beat Westboro’s evil: love. Perhaps if even one member is touched by a truly godly sermon, the word will spread and Westboro will be defanged.
In a word, “no”.
He tolerates things that appalled the “religious” of the times. But notice, for instance, Zacchaeus who immediately offered to pay restitution; and clean up his act, repentance was implied (why pay people back then start ripping them off again?) Or the woman caught in adultery, He instructed her not to sin anymore.
Jesus accepts sinners, but he expects us to turn from our sins.
His first ministry, after the temptation, but before he called the disciples was walking through the countryside proclaiming “repent!” (Matthew 4:14)
On the other hand, Jesus did not tell people to go out and kill infidels. But would that be considered “tolerance”?
You decide.
Step 2: Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Restore us to sanity?
Yes, we are insane. Everybody is to some degree. No not necessarily ready for the rubber room, but a form of insanity nonetheless. Insanity has many different definitions like most words. But clearly doing something destructive time and time again is a form of insanity.
The first time I read the 12 Steps was on the wall of a Narcotics Anonymous meeting in Ardmore, Oklahoma. I read step 2, looked around the room, and thought smugly, “Maybe these guys are insane, but not me. I can just skip to step 3.”
Turns out I was probably the craziest one in the room at the time. I was over 5 years sober before I realized that.
That’s real insanity.
And in AA you will hear stories galore. Once you are around for a while, what seemed to be normal behavior when you were drinking, you will see is entirely insane.
But that’s not the insanity they are talking about. Again, they are talking about the insanity of the first drink. Knowing this behavior is destroying your life and the lives of those close to you… But here you are drinking again.
In Step 1 we learned we had a problem. The problem can be serious and often fatal. Our lives are unmanageable. (If it were not unmanageable, there would be no reason to quit drinking.) And there is no solution for it within our own power. We are powerless.
In Step 2, we find there is a solution. The solution to homelessness is a home. The solution to powerlessness is power. And since we have found we do not have the power, the solution must lie outside ourselves. The solution lies within a power that is greater than we are.
AA is very liberal about what higher power you choose. Some even go so far to say a doorknob can be a higher power. Which is of course hyperbole. A doorknob has no power. People who suggest such things are trying to get you to reach outside yourself… for something. Anything. A power that is truly greater than you will come later after you become willing to reach out.
AA’s success was due partly to the fact that people did not have to believe in God the same way you do to stay sober. Some people I hear in AA circles have had bad experiences in organized religion. They judge God by the mistakes His people make. Which is sad, but a fact of life.
But there is clearly a solution. I’ve met people who have been sober over 30 years. And I had a hard time staying sober 24 hours! They solved the problem – but how?
Some people who have had a bad experience with religion choose to use the AA group as a power greater than themselves until they can manage to eject the prejudices that they have. Surely the AA group with many sober members is more powerful than one poor soul who can barely draw a sober breath.
Then there are people who belong to other faiths or are atheists in AA and remain so. I’m not going to argue with them here.
How to find God?
God cannot be seen with the human eye. He is not electromagnetic. He does not reflect light in the tiny bandwidth we can see with our eyes.
He must reveal Himself to you.
And you have to ask Him. He will reveal Himself to you in a way that will make sense to you. It will not be the same way that made sense to me. It will not be in the same way He revealed Himself to your sponsor. Everybody is different. God will customize His revelation to you.
Note: It will probably not be a “burning bush” or a spectacular supernatural event. Things will happen in just the right way at just the right time that when it all gels together, you will have what they call in AA a “Spiritual awakening”.
Note also that there is no mention of doing any rituals or incantations or other special things to find God. Simply ask Him with a humble heart, and start watching for His answer.
We found that God does not make too hard terms with those who seek Him. To us, the Realm of Spirit is broad, roomy, all inclusive; never exclusive or forbidding to those who earnestly seek. It is open, we believe, to all men. Alcoholics Anonymous “The Big Book” Page 46
Alcoholics Anonymous’ Step 1 is about desperation. How desperate a person must be depends upon the individual. Some have to sink quite low; others “get it” without going so far down.
Step 1 states, “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable.” (Alcoholics Anonymous Page 59)
Two things are going on at the same time. We are powerless over alcohol: No matter how much willpower we exert, we are not able to stop drinking. Our lives had become unmanageable: No matter how much it wrecks our lives, we are not able to control our drinking or stop.
Why don’t you just quit? If willpower alone would do it, there would be no alcoholics. We’d just quit. Some people can be quite heavy drinkers and not be actual alcoholics. Alcoholism is actually a threefold disease. It is a disease of the mind and of the body. It is also a disease of the spirit, though some people do not believe in spirits.
Why don’t you just read your Bible, pray and Jesus will remove your alcoholism? If that were so, then then AA would never have had to been formed – the alcoholic would just go to church and that would be that. In the 1930s when AA was being born, people were going to church and reading their Bibles even if they didn’t really believe in what they were doing. Remember “Otis” the town drunk on The Andy Griffith Show? Even he went to church. Sure, Jesus could just cure you by a miracle, but that would not be getting to the core of the problem.
It is a disease of the body. It is an allergic (abnormal) reaction to alcohol. The reaction is not sneezing like hay fever, or not hives like an allergy to strawberries. The allergic reaction to alcohol is to immediately want another drink. Non-alcoholics to not experience this reaction. A non-alcoholic will want to stop drinking after a while. The alcoholic will want a drink worse after the 5th drink than he did after the first.
It is a disease of the mind. In AA lingo, it is called the obsession of the mind. The alcoholic’s mind wants a drink. The alcoholic cannot stop thinking about a drink for any appreciable amount of time. This is a very compelling desire, and can go on for months or even years (in my case, a little over two years. Dr. Bob, co-founder of AA obsessed for 2-1/2 years. I thought I was going to match or beat his record. I got close! But by the grace of God, it finally went away after 25-1/2 months). An obsession is described as an idea that overpowers all ideas to the contrary. The result is: at first the alcoholic may have made a solemn promise to himself never to drink again (And he really means it!) only to find himself sitting at the bar just a few hours later wondering how it happened.
It is a disease of the spirit. Sometimes called a soul-sickness. Alcoholics can be filled with resentment: Churning over and over in their minds bad things that other people have done to them. Alcoholism brings fear. Fear of just about everything. Whether the fears are founded or not, they are very real. One of the first things that happens in your mind is that alcohol lowers a person’s inhibitions. People will do things while drinking that they would not do sober. This is why men try to ply women with drink. Doing things that you would not do otherwise will cause you to have a guilty conscience. Spending money on drinking that, for instance, should be spent buying your children shoes can lead to a guilty conscience. Some people become violent when drinking. People drink to drown their sorrows. You lose all self-respect. One great AA speaker said, “I became everything I detested in a human being.”
A person really arrives at step one when still drinking. Some people will call the trip to step 1, step zero. You have come to the end of your rope. You can’t live with it and you can’t live without it. You realize that you have to have help. You are powerless over alcohol.
Step one is not just admitting — “saying” — you are an alcoholic. People used to call me an alcoholic all the time, and I’d say, “Heck, yeah! Bring me another beer!”
Admitting you are powerless is an entirely different process: a process of helplessness. A feeling of desperation.
“For the Bible Tells Me So” is a documentary that attempts, among other things, to prove that the Bible says it is ok to be gay. Is that the case? Is homosexuality divinely ordained? Read on….
At 20:20, Reverend Steven Kingle, “If you read the Bible at a face value level, it leaves out some very important things. The first one is just a few verses before that; that Moses teaches it is an abomination to eat shrimp… it is an abomination to eat a rabbit.
Call it what you want. It was not a capitol offense to eat a rabbit. However, they even mentioned in the movie that homosexuality and certain other sexual abominations were capitol crimes.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu… “The Bible was written in the idiom of the time… We don’t take it as literally so…”
Et Tú Tutu? Bible scholars have poured their hearts into accurately translating the Bible. They know that their very souls are on the line… This was especially in the forefront of people’s minds the 1600s. Any Bible student knows that it has been remarkably well preserved, and the King James and most modern translations, such as the NIV are meticulously translated. There is no mystery about Biblical idioms if you study. Secondly… There is nothing idiomatic about the statement that someone should be put to death! It is obvious, either Tutu doesn’t know what an idiom is (I find this unlikely) or he is deceived.
At 21:36, Reverend Dr. Laurence C. Keene: When the word “abomination” is used in the Bible it is always used to address a ritual wrong. It never is used to refer to something innately immoral… Eating pork was never “innately” wrong… (The word “always” was emphasized in his speech. It was not added by me.)
This guy is truly scary. He does not know Hebrew and is misleading his followers – and anybody else watching this video: I cannot trust another word he says.
in ritual sense (of unclean food, idols, mixed marriages)
in ethical sense (of wickedness etc.)
At 22:12 Reverend Susan Sparks That particular section about a man not lying with a man was about procreation…
Where did she come up with that? Where is her evidence?
God did not say “why”. Does knowing the reason why not to kill make murder any less of an offense? God rarely explains Himself – He said not to. God also talked about not having sex with close family members and animals. He did not explain why. How ridiculous does this sound? “Oh, well. I’m not in the mood to procreate, the planet is overpopulated, anyhow. So I’ll just have sex with that animal over there – or maybe my sister…”
At 21:36, Reverend Dr. Laurence C. Keene: Onan spilled his seed on the ground. It was an abomination.
Commentators are virtually unanimous: God struck Onan down not for the act of coitus interruptus. Onan spilled his seed on the ground to keep from getting Tamar pregnant because any child born to her would have belonged to his late brother…
At 23:12 They show a clip from an episode of TV’s West Wing where actor Martin Sheen proposes a scenario: When someone works on the Sabbath – who should put him to death?
The Sabbath being a capital offense was superceded by Jesus when He said that the Sabbath was made for the man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27) However, homosexuality was condemned in both the Old and New Testaments. Homosexuals (and many others) will not be admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven. (See 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
It would appear some people have stopped reading here…
Don’t you know that those who do wrong will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, who are idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusers, and swindlers–none of these will have a share in the Kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NLT)
But Paul continues in the very next verse
some of you were just like that, but now your sins have been washed away… (1 Corinthians 6:11 NLT)
God loves people. God is Love… He hates the fact that we sin, but anybody who thinks that they are sinless has some self-examination to do. He loved you before you believed, why not homosexuals?
Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying you can continue to practice such things with impunity. God is not mocked (Galatians 6:7). But he will help the homosexuals overcome their sins just the same as He will any other sinner.
Case closed.
By the way, there is help if you are looking to be free from homosexuality.
Some people tend to believe that their sins will be overlooked because “They’re not that bad”; “There are a lot worse people than me”; Or, “I’m basically a good person”; “Hey, I never killed anybody”; or “I didn’t hurt anybody but myself”…
Imagine this scenario: You have been arrested for a relatively minor offense – say shoplifting. The judge gives you jail time. As you are handcuffed and hauled away to jail, would any of those arguments work? You would not even dream of it, would you?
Sin breaks God’s Heart
Now, imagine the saddest situation you can think of. How about a mother clutching her dying baby to her chest with no way to help. Remember, God is Love – not that he has Love – Love is His very nature. God has been watching things like this happen for thousands of years. If we, being mere humans are grief stricken, imagine how a scene like that breaks His poor old heart.
God’s Wrath
How can God feel anger if He is love? Imagine another scenario. You are walking down the street and you see a poor old lady being robbed… Would it not make you furious? You are furious because even though you may not know the lady, you have a certain measure of love in your heart. God’s wrath is clearly justified.
Victimless crimes (or “I never hurt anybody but myself”)
All sin has consequences. How about alcohol and drug abuse? According to the book, Alcoholics Anonymous, the alcoholic is like a tornado roaring through the lives of others. Even people who drink alone affect people other than themselves: Their employer, family and so on… Pornography, for another example. Looking at porn has consequences for you, and the person who posed for it. And whether or not you believe it him, it twists your mind and opens the door for Satan. Here is an excerpt of a study on pornography’s effect on the mind.
Internet pornography is the new crack cocaine, leading to addiction, misogyny, pedophilia, boob jobs and erectile dysfunction, according to clinicians and researchers testifying before a Senate committee Thursday.
Witnesses before the Senate Commerce Committee’s Science, Technology and Space Subcommittee spared no superlative in their description of the negative effects of pornography.
Mary Anne Layden, co-director of the Sexual Trauma and Psychopathology Program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Cognitive Therapy, called porn the “most concerning thing to psychological health that I know of existing today.”…
Pornography addicts have a more difficult time recovering from their addiction than cocaine addicts, since coke users can get the drug out of their system, but pornographic images stay in the brain forever, Layden said…
God’s grace is not a license to sin. God wants to help release you from sin through grace. If you have given your life over to God, your whole perception on sin will change over time. I used to enjoy and actively pursue sinful pleasures. And at some point, if you are honest with yourself, you will find that you did, too. Or if you have not been baptized, you still do. But if you turn your life over to God, his Holy Spirit will “quicken” your spirit to life. Your whole perception will change. Now you will regret your sins and try to get rid of them. You may never completely get rid of them, but you will want to. You are not suddenly better than anybody else, and with cooperation from God, you will not become hypocritical and look down upon people who are still lost in sin – you will feel sorry for them and try to help.
Don’t you know that someday we Christians are going to judge the world?… Don’t you realize that we Christians will judge angels?… (1 Corinthians 6:2a,3a NLT)
On Judgement day, which side of the bench do you want to be on?
Good Friday is actually very important. Good Friday has been described as the crux of time, itself. Good Friday is the day that Jesus was crucified. Easter is not about Easter bunnies and Chocolates… It is the day that Jesus rose from the dead – never to die again.
Did you ever notice that Easter varies so much as to what time of year it is celebrated? Easter is actually determined by Good Friday – not the other way around as you might suppose. Easter is the first Sunday after the first Friday after the first full moon after the Spring (Vernal) equinox. Good Friday came within one day of being as early as is possible in the year 2008 because the full moon and the spring equinox fell on the 21st. This will not happen again until 2106. The earliest possible Easter is March 22. The next occurrence of the earliest possible Easter will be March 22, 2285. The last time it fell on the 22nd was in the year 1818. The latest possible Easter is May 10. Easter has not fallen on the 9th or the 10th ever in history. The first time in history that it will fall on the 9th will be the year 2173. We will not see a May 10th Easter until the year 2268. The dates listed above may be verified at timeanddate.com
A lot happened on Good Friday. It is also known as Holy Friday and several other names.
On the original Good Friday, Jesus was convicted of blasphemy in front of a kangaroo court. He admitted to being God Incarnate (God in a human body so to speak) and that was the last straw! They did not throw Jesus in an insane asylum like they might, today — the religious leaders demanded his death! Jewish leaders did not have the authority to execute people under Roman Law so they took Him to Pontius Pilate. Pilate wanted to release Jesus badly — especially since Pilate’s wife had had a disturbing dream about Jesus. But the Jewish people would not hear of it. Instead of letting Jesus off the hook, they let a rebel named Barabbas walk.
Pilate had Jesus scourged. This is the most heinous thing you can imagine. The whip was tipped with bone and iron shards so it cut through both skin and muscle. Many people did not survive a scourge. This did not satisfy the people. They want Jesus dead.
On the third day (early Sunday morning — Approx. 36 hours after He died — if the Good Friday model is correct. Jesus was actually dead only one full day: Saturday. He died Friday evening and was raised sometime before sunup on Sunday morning.) some people went to Jesus’ grave but he was gone. He had been resurrected! And He still lives! This is now known as Easter.
Jesus was taken up to heaven approximately 40 days after He was resurrected, and now rules at God the Father’s right hand.
The angels that attended Jesus’ ascension told us that Jesus will be coming back in the same way He was taken to Heaven.
Yesterday, I was reminded of something that I’d noticed a few months ago. There was a wasp in my car trying to fly through the glass. I rolled down a window so he could fly out, but the only way he could see was through the window that would not roll down. I even tried to coax him over to the open window but he became even more determined to fly through the glass.
Also, yesterday, our dog had her cable jammed under the tire of a car. Had she pulled left instead of right she would have been free. But she pulled so hard in the wrong direction that it became terribly jammed under the tire. And she was immobilized.
God told me that we are the same way. We see only one way to a solution, but that solution will never work. And when it fails we try even harder… accomplishing nothing at best — or at worst, getting ourselves really jammed up.
But if we let go, and do what God leads us to do, no matter how ridiculous it may appear to us, we can fly right out of that glass prison.
It was that way with me and the 12-steps. There is no way the human mind can go from reading the 12-steps off the wall to understanding how doing these things can make it possible to stay sober. But once you do the steps, it just works. As simply as flying out the open window.
Stop beating yourself against the glass and let God guide you out.
… It is about control. Some my think I’m crazy, but hear me out. Obama never made any secret of his plans to socialize the United States during the campaign. And his extreme far left friends and mentors are proof. Google these people:
Frank Marshall Davis
Saul Alinsky
Gregory Galluzo
He received the endorsement of the Chicago branch of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) http://www.dsausa.org/dl/Summer_2008.pdf also, the Socialist International, and the Workers International League, and the Communist Party of the USA.
His voting record during his brief tenure in the senate was left of even the late Ted Kennedy!
Obama is not stupid. He knows full well that our economy cannot handle another burden. He should also just be able to look around him and see that the government cannot even handle the job they have taken on in the past such as Social Security and Medicare. How can anyone dream that they will handle an exponentially larger task?
Face it, he has no intentions of helping anybody. He wants government to control every aspect of our lives. An economic collapse is the best way for a dictator to take power. Remember how Adolph Hitler gained power? This is just the first step. Ronald Reagan saw this in the 1960s. You can hear his speech on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRdLpem-AAs
But the “Public Option” has been removed from the bill!
Sure the express public option language has been removed, but the way it is set up, it will have no choice. Think about this. Insurers are going to be forced to accept people with “pre-existing conditions” they do not do it now because it is good business sense. They would go bankrupt covering people who have not paid them a dime then suddenly draw hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in “benefits”. Healthcare insurers are going to go belly-up so fast it will make your head spin. The government of course cannot allow this to happen, so they will be “forced” to step in.
Government control is written in.
The way it is written now, the IRS will be tasked with checking to be sure that everyone is covered by government “approved” health care insurance. Your will be checked every month to be sure you are in compliance.
But we want to help people who can’t afford health care.
Who doesn’t? There are ways to get health care prices down so more people can afford it. The state of Mississippi has had enormous success simply by Tort reform — making it more difficult to sue doctors for malpractice frivolously.
Since passing tort reform in 2004, Mississippi has seen the number of medical malpractice claims plummet by 91 percent from its peak. The state’s largest medical liability insurer dropped its premiums by 42 percent, and has offered an additional 20 percent rebate each year since tort reform went into effect.
This one act of tort reform by itself would make health care a non-issue… If it were even about health care in the first place.
In the end times, there is prophesied that a one-world government and one-world economy will be in place. We see it happening before our very eyes. Make no mistake. If one part of this passes, our freedoms and the American way of life are history.
The Bible and Reality | A.L. Howard | 
January 8, 2012 9:27 pm | 
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