Phil "fouled" up...

Duck Dynasty responds...
http://duckcommander.com/news/robertson-family-offical-statement


This troubles me. I admire and respect the Robertson Clan. But the Duck Commander was wrong.

The tell-tale comment, for me (in the family statement), was "While some of Phil’s unfiltered comments to the reporter were coarse..." coarse indeed; the remarks were "unfiltered" because Phil failed to season his freedom to speak with loving, godly restraint. The "but" that follows does NOT mitigate the inappropriateness of the way Phil described his objection to Homosexuality.

If a pastor used the same language with a congregation, it would scandalize the saints--I realize that's not difficult to do, but in this case, it would be an appropriate response. 

I share Phil's faith and his values. I don't share his decision to go "on the record" to put his EARTHY spin on those values and in the process distort God's mission to save people--he may have thought it clever, perhaps instructive, but those were not words that honored God. 

As difficult as it is to embrace (who can fully understand the depth and breadth of Grace?), God loves all of us, REGARDLESS of our sin--and desires that "none should perish."  So intense is His love for humankind that He gave His beloved Son to remove the taint and penalty of sin.  Phil's remarks did not reflect that love...and that was an unfortunate error--another reminder that we are all flawed and in need of God's grace.

Phil simply needed to allow the Scriptures, the full discourse on sin and God's resolution of that gash on His crowning creation (because of His unfailing love), to speak for him and for people of faith--period.  God's Word, His narrative, does not need help. 

Done.    bN

Science and Art...

The election of 1800 required 32 elector ballots before Jefferson prevailed to become the nation's 3rd President.  Talk about controversy!

In his first inaugural address, March 4, 1801, President Thomas Jefferson made this remark.  

"All will bear in mind the sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful, must be reasonable.  That the minority posses their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression.  Let us then, fellow citizens, unite in one heart and one mind."  

There is Political Science, then there is the Art of Power.  Today we have leaders, in both parties, who are not schooled in exercising the art of power.  Then there are the citizen groups, the "red meat freaks," on both the left and right who can't/won't tolerate the art of power.  The result is what we see in DC today.

In less than a year we will go to our polling-places for the Mid-Term election of 2014.  So much hangs in the balance.  I hope that we will be blessed with leaders, on both sides of the isle, committed to making the American "idea" (not the Dream) a reality again.

May God bless America's leaders in 2014 with "art" (statesmanship) to empower our process to work justly, compassionately and humbly; and...with integrity to act in the best interest of the people, rather than their parties or own self-interest. 

May He also deliver us from ALL those bad actors in Citizen groups, without regard for their orientation,  seeking to force the country on a path that suits only their vision of what America was, is and must become.

Let freedom ring.  bN

Goof Proof!

"The Incarnation of Christ serves as a glorious reminder that God’s willingness 
to clean things up is infinitely bigger than our willingness  to mess things up."

TULLIAN TCHIVIDJIAN
 

Not only DO we "mess things up" we don't have the ABILITY or the PROCILIVITY to get things right!  Not to worry, the God of the universe has our backs.  The Word became flesh and dwellt among us.  Emanuel.

Merry Xristos.   bN

A Bill of Rights... Good call.

During the battle to ratify the US Constitution, many Americans worried that the founding document failed to list specific rights to be protected against government's tendency to abuse power. Thomas Jefferson gave voice to their concerns in a letter to James Madison: "A bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth...and what no just government should refuse."

Reluctant at first, Federalists agreed to add amendments protecting personal liberties. Madison along with several others, crafted a set of 10 Amendments, a "Bill of Rights," which ironically, were ratified December 15, 1781. These of course, constitute the first 10 Amendments to our Constitution.

These are historic days. Regardless of what the future holds, the strength of our Nation is demonstrated by the civility of our process.  I pray the extremists on both sides of the isle, and their Citizen Groups, will take a breath and stop talking.

I am proud to be an American. God bless America.  

Merry Xristos.  bN