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United States History Textbook, Bob Jones Curriculum, Third Edition
Mar 31, 2010
Muckrakers
While I don't agree with all of the tenets of progressivism (movement in the late nineteenth century, early 1900's), the muckrakers (type of journalists) of time tell an interesting story. And yes, the quote is from my history textbook. Don't laugh.
The muckrakers served an important purpose, however, in informing the public. The golden era of muckraking journalism began in 1902 when Lincoln Steffens published in McClure's magazine an exposé of municipal corruption in St. Louis. His work was soon followed by Ida Tarbell's History of the Standard Oil Company (1904), a scathing portrait of the unscrupulous, even dishonest, methods used by John D. Rockefeller to build his oil empire. ...Unlike proponents of yellow journalism, who reported sensational stories simply to boost sales, muckrakers felt genuine concern for the causes they advanced. For the most part, muckrakers did not call for any specific action. They contented themselves with describing corruption in graphic detail and trusting in the revulsion of the American people to motivate reforms. In many cases, their faith proved justified as their attacks resulted in legislation addressing these abuses.
United States History Textbook, Bob Jones Curriculum, Third Edition
United States History Textbook, Bob Jones Curriculum, Third Edition
Mar 26, 2010
The Holocaust and Abortion: Redefinition and Devaluation
I wrote a speech last year for the NCFCA speech competition season. It did make it to nationals, but has gone unspoken since, which is sad, because I still find the concept important and fascinating. The speech was entitled "The Lie of Abortion" and discussed the mental process or condition that justifies abortion. Lately, I've been considering the idea of the speech juxtapositionally with the history of the Holocaust. (The italicized text indicates the sections of the speech)
Have you ever been riding in a car on the freeway, knowing you’re moving, but not really paying attention? It doesn’t matter that every second you cover 88 feet of pavement, it doesn’t matter that you’re burning gallons of gasoline, it doesn’t matter that you’re constantly moving further away from your starting point. You’re lulled into a feeling of disinterest, because none of what is happening is affecting you. This slab of pavement doesn’t look any different than what you drove over 10 minutes ago. All you’re thinking about is your destination. Everything feels the same. However, it’s not. You’re wearing down the pavement that you’re driving on, you’re burning the gasoline in your tank, you’re moving further and further away from where you were originally
This analogy of driving a car is an example of how people justify abortion in their minds. People understand murder. People understand what it means to be alive. People understand that when you get into a car and start the engine, you’re burning gasoline. People understand that sixty miles an hour will get you somewhere fast. But as they sit in the car, as they convince themselves that abortion is justified, they don’t care anymore, and they’re lulled into feeling entirely unconcerned.
Think about the Holocaust. Six million Jews died innocently. Why? Barry Dank, emeritus professor of sociology at California State University, said, “Hitler viewed the Jews as a powerful force that was polluting and destroying society.” Genocide was justified because the Nazis were indoctrinated into thinking that the Jews were inhibiting and threatening German society. Because of their belief that Jews were inferior and infectious beings, it seems like they became apathetic to genocide. Their indiffernce became so strong that it led to nauseating conditions in concentration camps, mothers being slashed to death with bayonets after having their children taken from their arms, and people being organized by a number, rather than identified by a name.
Man is a corrupt creature; lies permeate his awareness much faster than truth. But, no one’s going to walk around saying that they believe a lie. However, what you label something justifies what it is in your mind. Abortion advocates believe their lies, calling them truth. It’s like artificially flavored candy. You can call it blue-raspberry...but it’s not. Abortion advocates believe their blue-raspberry lie, calling it truth - lies such as, “The blob of tissue isn’t alive”, or, “you’re not killing anything”. Truth has been flatly redefined, resulting in stealthily disguised lies.
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Have you ever been riding in a car on the freeway, knowing you’re moving, but not really paying attention? It doesn’t matter that every second you cover 88 feet of pavement, it doesn’t matter that you’re burning gallons of gasoline, it doesn’t matter that you’re constantly moving further away from your starting point. You’re lulled into a feeling of disinterest, because none of what is happening is affecting you. This slab of pavement doesn’t look any different than what you drove over 10 minutes ago. All you’re thinking about is your destination. Everything feels the same. However, it’s not. You’re wearing down the pavement that you’re driving on, you’re burning the gasoline in your tank, you’re moving further and further away from where you were originally
This analogy of driving a car is an example of how people justify abortion in their minds. People understand murder. People understand what it means to be alive. People understand that when you get into a car and start the engine, you’re burning gasoline. People understand that sixty miles an hour will get you somewhere fast. But as they sit in the car, as they convince themselves that abortion is justified, they don’t care anymore, and they’re lulled into feeling entirely unconcerned.
____________________________
Think about the Holocaust. Six million Jews died innocently. Why? Barry Dank, emeritus professor of sociology at California State University, said, “Hitler viewed the Jews as a powerful force that was polluting and destroying society.” Genocide was justified because the Nazis were indoctrinated into thinking that the Jews were inhibiting and threatening German society. Because of their belief that Jews were inferior and infectious beings, it seems like they became apathetic to genocide. Their indiffernce became so strong that it led to nauseating conditions in concentration camps, mothers being slashed to death with bayonets after having their children taken from their arms, and people being organized by a number, rather than identified by a name.
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Ultimately, this feeling of apathy comes from not recognizing truth. The car is burning gasoline, that’s truth. You’re moving at 60 miles per hour, that’s truth. You’re wearing down the pavement, that’s truth. Life begins at conception, that’s truth. Murder is wrong, that’s truth.
(Skipping a bit)
Man is a corrupt creature; lies permeate his awareness much faster than truth. But, no one’s going to walk around saying that they believe a lie. However, what you label something justifies what it is in your mind. Abortion advocates believe their lies, calling them truth. It’s like artificially flavored candy. You can call it blue-raspberry...but it’s not. Abortion advocates believe their blue-raspberry lie, calling it truth - lies such as, “The blob of tissue isn’t alive”, or, “you’re not killing anything”. Truth has been flatly redefined, resulting in stealthily disguised lies.
(Skipping a bit)
Abortionists have ignored and redefined what it means to be human. With every mile they apathetically travel, they wear down the pavement, they burn gasoline. With every mile they apathetically travel, they murder helpless human beings. As they sit in their car succumbing to that feeling of indifference, their sixty mile an hour justification process takes them miles and miles from truth.
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In the same way the Holocaust murdered six million Jews, abortion has murdered 50 million helpless children. Both were the result of the philosophical and psychological redefinition of the meaning of "human life." Both instances of redefinition resulted in a devaluation of a portion of the human race. The Holocaust ended in 1945. Abortion was legalized in the US in 1973. How did they so quickly forget?
Mar 24, 2010
Peter, John, and Acts 4:13
Acts 4:13
Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.
For an individual to be used by God doesn't require them to be impressive in human terms. It's not a matter of how to fulfill a calling, it's a matter of who called you. If its God calling you, then you are of no lack, because adequacy is from Him.
2 Corinthians 3:4-6
Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Peter and John claimed their confidence through Christ, not by anything esteemed in human terms. And standing before the rulers and elders of the land... it was enough.
Please understand, this does not mean we shouldn't work towards excellence in everything we do for the sake of Christ. It is a means by which doubt is cast away, and true confidence is gained.
Hebrews 13:5-6
He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," (Deut. 31:6) so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?" (Psalm 118:6)
Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.
For an individual to be used by God doesn't require them to be impressive in human terms. It's not a matter of how to fulfill a calling, it's a matter of who called you. If its God calling you, then you are of no lack, because adequacy is from Him.
2 Corinthians 3:4-6
Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Peter and John claimed their confidence through Christ, not by anything esteemed in human terms. And standing before the rulers and elders of the land... it was enough.
Please understand, this does not mean we shouldn't work towards excellence in everything we do for the sake of Christ. It is a means by which doubt is cast away, and true confidence is gained.
Hebrews 13:5-6
He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," (Deut. 31:6) so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?" (Psalm 118:6)
Mar 16, 2010
If God is Sovereign and Loving...Then Why?
...this is a question that I have asked myself. This is a question I have attempted to explain to my bedroom walls time and time again. This is also a question that I attempted to explain while giving an apologetics card yesterday evening. It's not an easy question, and the answer makes me quite uncomfortable.
If God is so good, why do I hurt? If God is so sovereign and loves us all so much, then why is there evil in the world? If God is so omniscient and omnipotent, then why do I suffer? If God is sovereign and desires perfection, then why did He allow us to fall, and still hold us accountable?
I was explaining the thought process to a friend that night, and I reached the end of my explication and said, "So, it's almost comforting... I don't have to have an answer. But then you look at it and you realize, 'Bummer! I don't have an answer!'"
The basic, underlying question behind this issue is... "If God is so powerful and loving, why does He give Himself the prerogative to allow "bad" things to happen to people?" (such as sin, suffering, and hell)
Romans 9:18-20 (The verses preceding this passage are facinating, by the way)
“So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?" On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it?
1. God has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.
2. The human response is, "Well, why?! If God is so loving, why does he allow suffering?"
3. God's response, "Who are you, O man, who answers back to God?"
4. Man's response, "Oh darn."
Tim Keller, a presbyterian pastor, says something that I found quite interesting...
"If you have a God great and transcendent enough to be mad at because he hasn’t stopped evil and suffering in the world, then you have (at the same moment) a God great and transcendent enough to have good reasons for allowing it to continue that you can’t know. Indeed, you can’t have it both ways.”
I would posit that an individual's faith is not where it ought to be when they look at God's actions and distrustfully ask "Why?". That individual has more faith in their judgement of God, than of God's knowledge, wisdom, and faithfulness. Faith is authentic when it looks at God with a sense of submission to His all-knowing, all-powerful, sovereign, loving, gracious nature... and asks, "Why?" with a sense of wonder. This requires realizing that our finitude does not compare to God's infinite nature.
Does this answer make me uncomfortable? Yes. But not uncomfortable with God, necessarily. Rather, I'm uncomfortable with... myself. If I elevate God to His true position in the universe and in my understanding... I am left to stand in wonder and amazement... because rather than deeming God as the irrational one, ...I realize that I'm incapable of understanding.
Only when I realize how much I am not, can I truly realize how great God is.
If God is so good, why do I hurt? If God is so sovereign and loves us all so much, then why is there evil in the world? If God is so omniscient and omnipotent, then why do I suffer? If God is sovereign and desires perfection, then why did He allow us to fall, and still hold us accountable?
I was explaining the thought process to a friend that night, and I reached the end of my explication and said, "So, it's almost comforting... I don't have to have an answer. But then you look at it and you realize, 'Bummer! I don't have an answer!'"
The basic, underlying question behind this issue is... "If God is so powerful and loving, why does He give Himself the prerogative to allow "bad" things to happen to people?" (such as sin, suffering, and hell)
Romans 9:18-20 (The verses preceding this passage are facinating, by the way)
“So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?" On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it?
1. God has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.
2. The human response is, "Well, why?! If God is so loving, why does he allow suffering?"
3. God's response, "Who are you, O man, who answers back to God?"
4. Man's response, "Oh darn."
Tim Keller, a presbyterian pastor, says something that I found quite interesting...
"If you have a God great and transcendent enough to be mad at because he hasn’t stopped evil and suffering in the world, then you have (at the same moment) a God great and transcendent enough to have good reasons for allowing it to continue that you can’t know. Indeed, you can’t have it both ways.”
I would posit that an individual's faith is not where it ought to be when they look at God's actions and distrustfully ask "Why?". That individual has more faith in their judgement of God, than of God's knowledge, wisdom, and faithfulness. Faith is authentic when it looks at God with a sense of submission to His all-knowing, all-powerful, sovereign, loving, gracious nature... and asks, "Why?" with a sense of wonder. This requires realizing that our finitude does not compare to God's infinite nature.
Does this answer make me uncomfortable? Yes. But not uncomfortable with God, necessarily. Rather, I'm uncomfortable with... myself. If I elevate God to His true position in the universe and in my understanding... I am left to stand in wonder and amazement... because rather than deeming God as the irrational one, ...I realize that I'm incapable of understanding.
Only when I realize how much I am not, can I truly realize how great God is.
Mar 3, 2010
To Truly be Beautiful...
Girls,
I know we have all heard that true beauty is within. We ought not to wear our beauty, but rather, be it. This issue of true beauty in a young lady is not a "been there and done that" sort of issue. Rather, it's a constant process. Being truly beautiful should not be thought of as an end, but rather, as a compass point.I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Here's what I've concluded...
No matter how much we discover about God, there is always more to know. While I understand that my finite nature cannot parallel God's infinite nature in this manner, the principle is worth emulation. The people that I most respect in my life are the people that I never get to the bottom of. My father is a case in point. No matter how much I get to know him, there is always more about him to know; he constantly surprises me with his knowledge, insight, and wisdom. As a young lady, that is the trait that I want to have. A character that runs deep.
John Stonestreet, the executive director of Summit Ministries, said, "Purity and excellence in your life is never a line, it is a direction." My friends, beauty is not achieved, it is pursued. Beauty is not a finish line, it's a track. This view of beauty has a different perspective, a different dimension, and a different focus. It is hidden so deep that its not always visible to others at first. Why? Because this sort of beauty is cultivated in secret - in your personal studies, in your relationship with God, while you seek the face of your creator, and while you strive to be like Christ and follow His commands.
I'm not trying to imply that we're supposed to hide, or be less transparent. God does not call us to hide our character, but rather to have deep character. I want to be the type of girl who grows where no one can see her. I want to be the type of girl who cares so much about what God thinks, and realizes how great He is, that her pursuit of beauty, excellence, and purity never ends.
God says in 1 Peter 3:3-4...
"Your adornment must not be merely external--braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God."
The phrase, "Let it be the hidden person of the heart" takes on a new meaning when we view beauty as a direction and not an achievement. That hidden person of the heart can continue to grow and deepen as long as we continually pursue that which is precious in the sight of God.
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