Think Wink.

I will be the first to admit that I was not pleased with the election of Barak Obama from a political standpoint. From a racial and civil point of view it was great to finally see a man who was not white get into the oval office. That was a great step forward for the US. But from the perspective of the policies he supports and will enact as president, I couldn’t be more unhappy. That being said, I would never in a million years call the man the Antichrist. May be in the sense that he stands against Christ in issues like marriage and life, but not the label associated with the eschaton. However, someone put together some Youtube videos that indicate just that (I admit that the author/narrator of the vids says to think about the connection but that no assertions are being made. But the tone and the most obvious implication that appears to come from the vid is that Obama is the Antichrist.). Dan Wallace writes up a nice response to the videos–and provides the links to both videos as well.

Some good news has come out of the NFL, namely that the Philadelphia Eagles have signed Michael Vick to a two-year deal. Vick was recently released from prison, not too far from where I lived in KC for a while, having been convicted of dog-fighting and torturing animals. He served a two-year sentence and missed the 2007 and 2008 seasons. Many players and teams and fans–including myself–felt that Vick should be given a second chance, and he was. Erik, from the IrishCalvinist blog, makes a very keen and deeply troubling observation. That is cruelly torturing and killing dogs put Vick in prison for two years (and I’m not disagreeing with that sentence that Vick served nor am I saying the crime wasn’t horrible; I love my dog) but no one goes to jail for murdering humans because abortion is a choice. Why do humans value the life of animals more the life of their own species? That is backwards in a very fundamentally flawed way. Why is that?

What a country we live in.

“Loved More/Loved Less” Vs. “Loved/Hated”

Everyone Loses It At Some Point

A Picture of the Christian Life in Captain America

Yesterday I blogged about Psalm 72 and some of the ideas of righteousness language in the text. I want to come back to this psalm because I really enjoyed this passage. Specifically I want to look at Psalm 72:8-14 and the domain of the king to whom God grants righteousness and justice. The psalmist pens,

8 May he have dominion from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth!
9 May desert tribes bow down before him,
and his enemies lick the dust!
10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands
render him tribute;
may the kings of Sheba and Seba
bring gifts!
11 May all kings fall down before him,
all nations serve him!
12 For he delivers the needy when he calls,
the poor and him who has no helper.
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life,
and precious is their blood in his sight.

Read more

Blessing and Psalm 72

Sabertooth and Gambit

“My name is Wade Wilson…”

Humanity has rebelled against their maker and creator, I AM. I AM has therefore cursed his entire creation by taking away shalom, the universe in that state where everything is as it should be. The created order is thrown into chaos and misery. Sin and death reign supreme over I AM’s creation now that shalom is gone. Yet I AM did not abandon his creation to its abysmal failure and self-destructing sinful rebellion against him. He gracious entered into the world and created a community through which shalom is restored. A sacrificial system in put into action, with a priesthood and temple/tabernacle to facilitate it, to atone for the rebellion of the people and re-establish communion between I AM and humanity, and the members of the community. Laws were enacted to facilitate proper relationship of I AM and the people within the community, including amongst themselves. The people were taught how to relate to I AM and to each other. The poor and oppressed were cared for. Now let us see if this worked. Read more

Peace Part 1

The “euaggelion” of Peace

Peace Part 2

I, like so many around the blogosphere, just recently finished watching John Piper present his take on the election. He does not endorse a candidate nor does he give away his personal vote this election. I like his take on the election and the interesting dichotomy that is presented to the Christian. As a Christian I hate racism. There is no place for it anywhere. All human beings are created by God. All human beings are condemned by sin. All human beings are saved by sovereign grace through faith in the finished cross-work of Jesus Christ. No one can belittle anyone on a racial or gender or socio-economic ground (that is also true for political views as well). I hate abortion. It is infanticide, the wanton murder of thousands–no millions–of infants since 1973. In the black population alone since Roe v. Wade in 1973 some 12 million babies have been killed (see the video below)! The problem is that the black candidate in Barak Obama is the most radical pro-abortion person in both houses of Congress. I want to vote for Barak Obama because of what will happen for race relations in this country. It will go a long way to heal the wrong of American slavery and the rampant racism that was so prevelant in this country–even today. Yet by putting that man in office, more will be done to further cheapen the sanctity of human life by furthering the cause of abortion. Millions more people will die as a result of this same candidate that can do much to heal the grievous wound caused by slavery and racism. It is almost a question of what is more evil, racism or abortion? I think the question is better stated, “What is more important to me, healing the wound of racism or eliminating the murderous practice of abortion?” I guess I’ll find out come Tuesday.

By the way, I love Piper’s smile when he speaks of an African American president. He really wants to see this happen. And he is right, Obama needs to address the issue of 12 million African American babies dead because of Roe v. Wade. Why is it this way? Tears well up just trying to grasp the breadth of that number, let alone the total number of people who are dead because of abortion. Here is the video and I know that certain readers of this blog will squirm at Piper’s comments and probably want to dismiss everything else he has to say about the election.

Wednesday and Thursday

With All His Warts

If anyone ever thinks Piper is perfect…

Here are two great articles to close out Labor Day Weekend.

Voddie Baucham weighs in on John McCain’s VP pick in Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska. As a pro-family conservative, I am really forced to agree with Baucham. I suspect some of my friends who lean more liberal or secular, which ever is least offensive, will not like what Rev. Baucham has to say. I say right on Voddie.

Bill Mounce shows just how important a semi-colon (aka ; ) in translation really is and the meaning it can carry. Wow is all I can say.

Enjoy.

Eschatology and Antichrist

Justification

Some Interesting Bits

This past Wednesday my father completed his 48th revolution around the sun. So Friday I went home to watch the new Star Wars film, Clone Wars (it is a large pilot episode that is really well done I thought), and hang out. Today, he had to work in St. Louis, MO so Olivia, Mom, and myself went to church together. The sermon was very interesting. The series they are working on is questions that the congregation wanted their pastors to answer. Read more

Clinton and Carter’s New Initiative.

So Illogical It’s Illogical

A Prayer Request

Having just gotten back from a wonderful weekend in Chicago, I find that two of my favorite Bible teachers are at odds with one another–in a very respectful manner of course–over the use of guns in self-defense. Read more

Islam, the Pope, and the Christian Response

He’s Back!

What to do?

Here are two clips of John Morgan impersonating George W. Bush.

Alex Ross Rocks!

“Christopher Hitchens” on the Divinding Line

Who Is In This Film?

I know who I am going to vote for in November. One person I cannot vote for is Barak Obama. His record on abortion is abysmal, to put it nicely. Here is an open letter by Sherif Girgis to Barak Obama that is very good and gets to the heart of the issue of abortion.

Click here.

H/T: Denny Burk

Piper on this Election

Everyone Loses It At Some Point

Obama Must Die!!!

I don’t know if I can say this any more than this clip does. Do be careful, the images are graphic.

H/T: Denny Burk

Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Inferno

Morning Workout: Dr. Meredith Kline

Pop Culture and Humanity