Category: In The News!
Articles analyzing current events.
Why I Oppose Abortion
I oppose abortion for one simple reason, I believe it to be the killing of an innocent human being. The premeditated killing of another human is murder. I believe abortion is murder.
I base my view that abortion is murder on two things. First, my understanding of how God views the unborn. There are numerous instances, some subtle, some overt, where God identifies the unborn as a child. For example, consider Luke’s description of the as yet unborn John, a cousin of Jesus, “And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb” (Luke 1:41). Second, my own senses. I have seen sonograms of unborn children, both static images and video. I have heard the heartbeat, I have felt the kicks of a child in the womb. It is obvious the babe in the womb is human, and alive.
I am disheartened and disgusted by the recent exchanges on the issue that have been reported in the media. Consider the following:
In the News: Should We Watch? (Deadpool)
There are many moral issues that have cropped up in the news this past week. Some of these concern the politics of our day, but one in particular is certainly appropriate for this space.
Many younger Christians thoroughly enjoy superhero comic books, and lately, the movies that are being adapted from the material. CGI and other sophisticated special effects make for a much more believable Superman and Batman than cinematic treatments of previous decades.
Marvel has been especially successful in bringing superheroes to the big screen. Characters such as Captain America, Iron Man, Spider Man, the Hulk and Thor have captured the imagination of a new generation, and made hundreds of millions of dollars for the Marvel company.
In the News: A Lonely Death
This past week I read an interesting, but depressing article about the 2014 death of a man in New York City. The article was titled, The Lonely Death of George Bell, was published in the New York Times last October, and was written by N.R. Kleinfield.
George Bell was a hoarder. He was found in his cluttered apartment about a week after his death. The article described the events that followed that death, as government agencies sought to identify his remains, locate any family or heirs, and settle what turned out to be a fairly large estate (approximately $500,000).
In the News: Consciousness & God
A common question in science and common theme of science fiction is the potential of robots to become sufficiently complex to become conscious. That is, have self-awareness. In a sense, it would mean that they are alive, would have self-will, and (as happens often in Sci-Fi novels and shows) perhaps would rise up in revolt against mankind (cf. Terminator, among others). Like I said, science fiction.
There is a theory out there about how the brain works, called Quantum Brain Dynamics (it’s a real theory). It states that our brains not only give us the ability to hear, see, taste, feel, etc., — our brains also use quantum mechanics to create consciousness in us.
In the News: The Colorado City Murders
Last week a mentally unbalanced man named Robert Dear killed three people in Colorado City, Colorado. The location of the attack was a Planned Parenthood clinic.
The statement above contains one assumption, that the man was mentally unbalanced. It is admittedly an assumption, but there are a number of facts that seem to bear out the assessment. First, there is the deranged look of the man in his booking photos. Second, there is the characterization of the man’s interaction with police which was described in numerous press reports as incoherent ramblings. Finally there are the descriptions of witnesses of a man who was a loner, a recluse who lived by himself in an isolated shack without plumbing or electricity. In many ways, he seems reminiscent of the “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski.
In the News: “Stand by You”
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is not the same as it used to be. Nowadays it serves as a way for current pop stars to sing snippets of their latest songs. It’s good advertising, I suppose, but kind of awkward to see the artist standing on a float that has nothing to do with his or her song, obviously lip synching for 35 or 40 seconds.
This morning Debbie had the parade on, and since the football game hadn’t started, I was watching. A young singer, Rachel Platten, was singing a portion of her song, “Stand by You.” Here is a portion of the lyrics:
Even if we’re breaking down, we can find a way to break through
Even if we can’t find heaven, I’ll walk through Hell with you
Love, you’re not alone, cause I’m gonna stand by you
Even if we can’t find heaven, I’m gonna stand by you
In the News: Red Cups & the Holidays
Have you heard the latest controversy here in America? This year, Starbucks eschewed the traditional Christmas themed red cups they serve, revealing instead a plain “ombre red” cup on November 1. Starbucks’ vice president of design and content Jeffrey Fields said that the cups, “usher in the holidays with a purity of design that welcomes all of our stories.”
In the News: A False Dichotomy
I don’t know about you, but I’m afraid I might throw a rock through my television screen before the ongoing Presidential race is settled more than a year from now.
The political discourse in our nation is full of partisanship. It is commonly charged that if you hold a particular view, you automatically are diametrically opposed to another precept that all hold dear. The partisanship is found on each end of the spectrum. A part of it is seen in the view that “our guy” can do no wrong, and if he is proven to have done so, he is to be excused; while “their guy” is obviously worthy of being horsewhipped at the slightest suspicion of wrongdoing.
In the News: Is the Pope Humble?
I am sure some who read this would object to the question. They might first object to any question of his humility as absurd. It has, after all, been his most commonly acknowledged attribute, proclaimed by the media which has covered each of his appearances in America. Others might object to the idea we might “judge” the heart of another. Who are we to deem the Pope as being anything other than what he “appears” or “claims” to be.
Of course, the judging of hearts is not appropriate. And, I freely admit that despite the adulation supplied him, his cloistered lifestyle, and his privileged existence, he continues to speak to and show compassion toward those who are poor and destitute.
A church for people who don’t like church?
A few weeks ago I came across a website for a “Cowboy church” in the metroplex which trumpeted that they were “A church for people who don’t like church!” It is an interesting phrase. An internet search shows it to also be a popular one, being adopted by different groups who want to reach out to the lost by inappropriately accommodating their discomfort with the practice of religion.
Note this quote from VERVE, a non-denominational church in Las Vegas, NV:
“But the reality is that there are a lot of people who are looking for God and seeking a spiritual dimension to life, but just don’t want to go to church to find it.
And who can blame them? Most churches seem judgmental and holier than thou. They make you wear your Sunday best, play music from the 1800s, and are too into politics. And they seem to care more about people’s money than people.”
Continue reading “A church for people who don’t like church?”
In the News: Faith vs. Fact?
I recently read at the Washington Post online, a review of the book, Faith vs. Fact (Why Science and Religion are Incompatible) by Jerry A. Coyne. The review itself was written by Jeffrey Schloss, a biologist at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA. The book apparently consists of a series of logical arguments designed to pit religion against science, with the author’s assertion that ultimately, religion’s methods “are useless for understanding reality.”
The review is largely complimentary of the book, but Schloss argues that Coyne falls short in some areas in his treatment of the topic. Consider the following quote by Schloss from the article:
“The preface [of Coyne’s book, SC] begins with a quote from Neil deGrasse Tyson: ‘The good thing about science is that it’s true, whether or not you believe in it.’ But this is simply wrong. Facts are true whether or not one believes in them. Science is an impressively reliable but fallible means for ascertaining facts. Indeed, facts are true whether or not science itself believes in them.”
In the News: Abortion Obscenity
By now you may have viewed the two hidden camera videos of representatives of Planned Parenthood negotiating the sale of fetal tissue to a supposed bio-medical research firm. It is illegal to sell human fetal tissue, which may lead to legal problems for the organization.
Already, politicians are calling for a full investigation, and there is a call to defund Planned Parenthood, which received about half of its total funding (45%, 540 million dollars) from government grants in the fiscal year ending in June 2013. In 2012, the organization performed a self-reported 327,166 abortions.
In the News: Homosexual Marriage Legal
As I write this article, the Supreme Court has struck down any state laws that limit civil marriage to a contract between a man and a woman. The decision is considered a watershed moment in American history, and a victory against discrimination.
The decision is the latest societal victory for homosexual activists. One television reporter correctly noted that the decision will spark debate in religious institutions throughout America. Which is, of course, the saddest note in this entire matter.
For a Christian, the Supreme Court decision should be irrelevant. Men do not have the right to redefine parameters that were put into place by God when He created man:
In the News: Drunken Robots
Last month, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) held its annual Robotics challenge. The main competition was a testing of android like robots in skills such as walking across uneven surfaces, opening doors, turning knobs, and flipping switches.
There is a youtube video that is making the rounds, showing the robots failing miserably at the assigned tasks. Type in this URL: http://tinyurl.com/p563vz6 to see the video.
Now, to be fair, some of the robots probably did a good job, but it is interesting to note just how difficult it is to get these kinds of robots to perform successfully the simplest of tasks. This, despite amazing technological advances that have been made.
In the News: “Sex” and “Gender”
The latest cover for Vanity Fair Magazine has been revealed, and features former Olympic decathlete Bruce Jenner, who now gender identifies as a woman. The caption — “Call Me Caitlyn.”
With surgical advancements, some have determined to change their physical characteristics from male to female, or female to male. With hormonal therapy, augmentation, amputation, reconstruction — it is possible to mask a person’s sexual characteristics, and look like the opposite sex. The first time I became aware of this was way back in 1975 when a man named Richard Raskind had what is referred to as sex reassignment, or sex change surgery. From that point on known as Dr. Renee’ Richards, he petitioned to play in the ladies bracket of the U.S. Open tennis tournament in 1976, and was denied. He sued, and won, and actually played in both singles and doubles in 1977. He played on the women’s tour through 1981.
