Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Writing Letters for Life, Law, and Liberty

Because several of the regulars were on the move, the Vital Signs Ministries’ letter-writing party last night involved a smaller number than usual. However, I'm pleased to say that the 8 people who were on hand did a absolutely terrific job in turning out nearly 50 letters and cards in the 90 minutes we reserved for actually putting pen to paper. Way to go, guys!

Last night’s letters were sent to a variety of people and organizations. Nebraska’s Governor and Nebraska's two senators were among those letter targets as was Nebraska’s 2nd District Congressman.  The President and Vice-President, the Justices of the Supreme Court, and the heads of state who represent European nations (Malta, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, and Poland) who are defending their pro-life standing against the pro-abortion bullying of the European Union were also on our list.

There were also letters and cards sent to “good guys” like Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert, Kathryn Limbaugh, Mike Lindell, Joni Eareckson Tada, and Franklin Graham AND to such “bad guys” as the Disney Corporation, Hulu, and the knuckleheads at Nellis Air Force Base who continue to maintain that a recent drag queen show held there was “essential to the morale, cohesion, and readiness of the military.” Sigh.

We are convinced that letting our light shine through letters – just as we try to do in all of the other Vital Signs Ministries activities – makes a genuine difference in eternity. Therefore, we are proud to have kept this quarterly letter-writing party going throughout our 40 year history.

Of course, you can participate too either by 1) joining us in person at one of our letter-writing parties; 2) letting us help you set up a letter-writing party for your church, Sunday School class, or small group; and/or 3) writing letters and cards on your own.  To help with that last option, we can provide letter options, address lists, and even sample letters.  Just let us know.

And speaking of sample letters, I've posted a few of the open letters I wrote last night to members of the Supreme Court and over here to a few others.

"Do the Job at Hand" -- Open Letters to the Supreme Court

From last night's letter-writing party come these "open letters" to several of the Justices of the United States Supreme Court. Two of them will be sent later this afternoon to two of the genuine heroes of our day, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, Jr. But four others will be sent to Justices whose service on the Court has been considerably less than stellar. Those very disappointing four are Justices Kavanaugh, Gorsuch, Barrett, and Chief Justice Roberts.

Dear Justice Alito,

“Courage is contagious,” wrote Billy Graham. “When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” You, Justice Alito, have that brand of courage and though it may seem like it’s not yet “stiffening” the spines of your fellow Justices, please know that untold numbers of Americans (and freedom-loving people around the world) are encouraged and challenged by your example.

Please stay the course. God is not sleeping and your reward will be substantial indeed.

Dear Justice Thomas,

Admiral Chester Nimitz once wrote, “God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right even though I think it is hopeless.”

Sometimes, as in the wacky days of the present administration, the defense of the U.S. Constitution (let alone the historic ideals of Western civilization) seems almost hopeless. But thank the Lord that He uses men like you to stand with courage, integrity, skill, compassion, and humility to keep the Constitution’s message clear and strong.

You are in our frequent prayers.

Dear Justice Barrett,

Harry Truman once said, “America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination, and on unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.” Justice Barrett, “the job at hand” is to defend the Constitution, including allowing the key cases of liberty, justice, and the sanctity of human life to come before the Supreme Court in order for that Constitution to speak. You have too often already let those chances slip by – and the republic is very much the poorer for it.

Please…act in courage to do the crucial job at hand.

Dear Justice Kavanaugh,

C.S. Lewis once wrote, “Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of the highest reality.” Justice Kavanaugh, it appears that the great hopes so many conservatives and other American patriots had in your tenure on the Court have been dashed as you fail to apply the Constitution to the case...or even disallow the case to come forward for the Court to hear it.

Is your courage failing at the testing point? Please, do your job with integrity and courage – for the Republic’s sake.

Dear Justice Gorsuch,

“He who loses wealth, loses much.  He who loses a friend loses more.  But he that loses his courage loses all.”  (Cervantes)

Justice Gorsuch, you have already had several chances to stand strong for the historic ideals of fairness, morality, and the social impact that are expressed clearly in the Constitution. But alas, you have faltered in many of those moments.

Please for the sake of the Republic, show courage (the kind of moral and intellectual courage shown by Justices Thomas and Alito) and vote to help heal the nation from its far-left enemies.

Dear Chief Justice Roberts,

“You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest gift of the mind – next to honor.” (T.S. Eliot)

Oh, what hopes moral conservatives had for your tenure on the Court! And how harshly have those hopes been dashed as time and again you have failed to allow the Constitution to plainly speak to cases. Indeed, with great frequency you vote to disallow the case from even coming to the Court for review!

Chief Justice, please stop serving the cause of the “cool kids” of the left and start serving the Republic with courage…and honor.

By the way, a few more details about last night's quarterly letter-writing party are posted here and here.

Of Heroes & Heels (A Few More of Last Night's Letters)

Dear Governor Ricketts,

Winston Churchill once wrote that "courage is rightly esteemed as the first of human qualities…because it is the quality which guarantees all others." You have again and again demonstrated political courage as an example of your principled character and devotion to high quality leadership. Thank you.

Thank you especially for the courage you have shown in the pro-life cause. But we are also proud of you – and grateful – for all of the services you have performed for the people of Nebraska. Stay the course.

Dear President Vella, (Malta)

Just a quick note to express our admiration and appreciation of your nation’s principled defense of the sanctity of life, especially as you seek to care for preborn boys and girls and their mothers. You are demonstrating a historic Christian ideal that challenges the whole world…and inspires it too! You are in our frequent prayers as you resist the E.U.’s bullying.

This next note was sent in a card bearing this photo of Ronald Reagan.

President Joe Biden,

Do you remember when the U.S. had a man of character, courage, and compassion for all, including pre-born boys and girls as our president? Well, we do – and we are fervently praying that you start following his example!

Dear Vice President Harris,

Remember when we had a real President? One who was a man of integrity, compassion, wisdom, and true patriotism? A President who cared about morality, justice, and the sanctity of all human life? A person who wrote his own speeches, who didn’t need handlers, and who was fairly elected to the office?

Sigh! We do too.

Dear Senator Sasse,

We are still waiting for your apology to the people of Nebraska for your “aiding and abetting” enemies of our country (i.e. the radical left which is controlling the Democrat Party nowadays) in your ill-timed and extremely counter-productive remarks against President Trump prior to the election.

And the second apology for your vote for Donald Trump's impeachment, especially now that the whole nation understands the January 6 fiasco to merely be a twisted media narrative with absolutely no evidence pointing to President Trump?

We’re waiting, Senator. We're waiting.

Dear Colonel Dyer,

A drag queen “entertainment” that, as was later claimed, helped ensure "our ranks reflect and are inclusive of the American people [which is] essential to the morale, cohesion, and readiness of the military”? What a sad, sick joke to present a celebration of sexual deviancy as “essential” to military readiness. 

Sigh.

A few more details about last night's quarterly letter-writing party are posted here and here.

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Evolution's "Whale of a Tale"

Darwinists often point to the whale fossil record as one of the best examples of an evolutionary transition. But is it really? Here is an enlightening look at one of the evolutionist's "best" arguments. It's a very interesting, effective, and even entertaining look at the huge differences between evolution assumptions and scientific facts.
 

"Thinking About Missions" (Revisited)

One of the subjects under discussion at this morning's Hartford Cafe was the Western Church's decreasing partnership with Christians in other parts of the world. Despite the fact that it is the Church here that has so much of the wealth but also of the educational material, the strategies and means for effective relief (i.e., medical care, water purification, agriculture, construction, technological training, etc.), and the time availability, we have moved away in recent decades from involvement in foreign missions.

What an ironic and sad state of affairs.

Related to this morning's conversation, then, I post a brief article I wrote for Vital Signs Blog post dealing with this very problem. (Just click on the title below.) Yes, you'll notice it was originally posted 10 years ago, but I believe its more relevant than ever.

"Thinking About Missions"


Friday, June 25, 2021

The Latest R.R. R. ("Really Relevant Reads")

* "Democrats -- Not Republicans -- Are The Radicals To Worry About: Here’s The Proof" (Editorial Board, Issues & Insights)

* "Leftists Don’t Care About Mixing Politics And Religion So Long As It’s Their Politics In Charge" (Casey Chalk, Federalist)

* "Biden's gun crime prevention speech was equal parts ludicrous and scary" (Andrea Widburg, American Thinker)

* "Planned Parenthood Pushes Sex on 11-Year-Old Kids, Coaches Girls on Getting Secret Abortions" (Micaiah Bilger, LifeNews.com)

* "Soros and IPPF-funded EU parliamentarians aim to blacklist reputable Christian groups" (Staff report, Catholic News Agency)

* "Vaccine-Hesitant Nurses Face Dilemma As Understaffed Hospitals Mandate COVID Shot" (Jordan Davidson, Federalist)

* "Now MATH is racist" (Brian Stieglitz, Daily Mail)

On the American Attraction to Novelty

There is a strong and ongoing temptation towards novelty in the American Christian. Indeed, he has for so long and in so many clever ways been taught that “new is better” that he now believes it as a foundational premise. For his entire life he has been surrounded by a persuasive media that has defined him as a consumer and so it is, more than anything, the advertising agency that has determined the way he looks at the world. He has his learned lessons well and is now convinced that everything that is “new” must truly be “improved.”

Running a not too distant second in formulating the believer's attraction to novelty is the school system in which he was taught. There he was instructed carefully and incessantly in evolutionary thought. Whether the classes involved science, humanities, ethics, or Marxist-laced economics, the government school system has instructed him that everything is moving towards that inventible force called (note the capital P) Progress. A key part of his worldview is the maxim, “Every day in every way, things are getting better and better.”

It should be no surprise then that American Christians find themselves ever attracted to novelty…even in theological matters. The latest trend. The fashionable formula. The pragmatism promised by the most recent book. The American Christian, taking his lead from the advertising jingles in his head, believes that even in the search for religious significance, success will be found in the “new and improved” theological tricks – the latest, the hippest, the faith flavor of the month.

But G.K. Chesterton had it right when he declared, “It is the old things that startle and intoxicate.” And indeed, the believer’s strength is always found in the ancient truths, the essentials, the fundamentals of the faith. Ours is a Faith grounded in history and beautifully enacted by real heroes who have given us an extremely rich heritage. And we worship and serve a Messiah Who is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” and Who has revealed himself in the timeless writings of the Holy Bible.

So please, my friends, beware of the siren calls from novelty for they represent an alluring but ultimately misleading force. No, it is much better to stay the course with He Who was, is, and is to come…He Who holds the future in His Hands…He Who is, quite rightfully titled, the Rock of Ages.

Thursday, June 24, 2021

Are Journalistic Ethics & Relevance Forever Gone?

Well, I'm pleased to say that there are still a few honest, skilled, and relevant journalists out there. And they are writing articles you need to be aware of. Like this list...

* "Our Increasingly Unrecognizable Civilization" (Mark Steyn, Imprimis)

* "Identity crisis: how the politics of race will wreck America" (Charles Murray, The Spectator)

* "The Definition of Courage Has Shifted Since Normandy" (Ben Shapiro, Daily Signal)

* "Biden vs. the Pentagon" (Byron York, Washington Examiner)

* "Disney+ Hosting LGBTQ Pride Concert Aimed at Children, Starring Drag Queen Nina West" (Dvid Ng, Breitbart)

* "Hulu’s ‘Love, Victor’ Shows Catholic Mom Evolve from Rebuking Gay Teen Sex to Rebuking Priest" (Warner Todd Houston, Breitbart)

* "Nellis Air Force Base Hosts First-Ever Drag Queen Show: ‘Essential to the Morale, Readiness’" (Kristina Wong, Breitbart)

Tuesday, June 22, 2021

"You Must Be Born Anew" (The Night Visit of Nicodemus)

He was a rich, influential, and, to all appearances, spiritually prosperous man. Indeed, he was a respected member of the Sanhedrin, the ruling court of Israel. Nevertheless, Nicodemus came to Jesus as a "night visitor" to hear the Lord speak of the radical new relationship God was offering to men -- a relationship that came through being "born anew." This brief sermon opens up this remarkable account with an emphasis on what it means to us today. P.S. Below the embedded video, we also post the links to the music selections featured in Sunday's service.
 

"No More Night" (First Baptist Dallas Choir & Orchestra) 



Thursday, June 17, 2021

Perchance, Whence Cometh Thy News? (Part 2)

* "Top 10 biggest lies liberal media has been caught peddling -- and why it matters" (Michael Goodwin, New York Post via Fox News)

* "Surrendering the Public Square" (Mark Pulliam, American Greatness)

* "Flashback: DC Mayor Honored At DNC For Riot Response. New Reports Reveal She, Not Trump, Teargassed Protesters" (Mollie Hemingway, Federalist)

* "Former Planned Parenthood board member: Defund this ‘racist’ organization" (Carole Novielli, Live Action)

* "The Number of Small Businesses Destroyed by COVID Lockdowns Will ASTOUND You" (Victoria Taft, PJ Media)

* "Virginia parents furious after graduation speaker's 'incendiary' warning on racism and White supremacy" (Joshua Q. Nelson, Fox News)

* "Hate Crimes Against Catholics Are Multiplying (But Politicians And Media Don’t Want To Talk About It)" (Christopher Bedford, Federalist)

Perchance, Whence Cometh Thy News?

* "Biden Divides Us. Here Are 12 Principles That Can Unite Us." (Charmaine Yoest, Daily Signal)

* "HHS Secretary Struggles To Define Term 'Birthing People'" (Charlotte Pence Bond, Daily Wire)

* "Biden Land Management nominee 'collaborated with eco-terrorists,' traded testimony for immunity" (Houston Keene, Fox News)

* "This is not a joke: should harmful stereotypes about chickens be criminalised? UK academics argue that animals can be victims of hate speech." (Michael Cook, Mercator)

* "Abortion numbers record high accompanies introduction of ‘DIY’ home abortions" (Right to Life UK News)

* "G7 Embraces Abortion Language in Communiques as U.S. Reverses Position" (Dr. Rebecca Oas & Alexis I. Fragosa, C-Fam) 

* "Wikipedia’s Quiet, Big-Tech-Funded Grip On Internet Knowledge Gives It Too Much Power" (Jordan Davidson, Federalist)

Epaphroditus: A Fellow Soldier in the Gospel

To be little known to the crowd doesn't mean you are little known, little appreciated, or of little value in the service of the Lord Jesus. No indeed. In this 14-minute sermon, we learn of the richly significant life of a person mentioned only twice in the New Testament; namely, the "recklessly" dedicated disciple, Epaphroditus. (And to learn why we use the word "reckless" here, you'll have to give a listen!)
 

Sunday, June 13, 2021

The Best of... (Part 3 of 3)

To help with the ongoing problem of information overload, here's 6 of the latest articles, chosen from the very best, the very brightest, and the most relevant to the culture wars.

* "How Five Media Lies Won Biden the White House" (Larry O'Connor, Town Hall)

* "How Ending Freedom Of Expression Gives Up Your Right To A Private Life" (Stella Morabito, Federalist)

* "Our Increasingly Unrecognizable Civilization" (Mark Steyn, Imprimis)

* "The Woke Takeover of the U.S. Military Endangers Us All" (Dakota Wood and Mike Gonzalez, Heritage Foundation)

* "Guatemalan President Blasts Biden's Border Policies for Enabling Criminal Human Smugglers" (Katie Pavlich, Town Hall)

* "The ‘kill whites’ psychiatrist and the high price of wokeness in medicine" (Kurt Mahlburg, Mercator)

Friday, June 11, 2021

The Best of... (Part 2 of 3)

In our continuing series aimed at helping you stay informed (without being completely inundated), here's some must-read articles from the many, many out there.

 * "How Google Is Attempting to ‘Newspeak’ the English Language" (Douglas Blair, Daily Signal)

* "Is Grafting Dead Babies’ Scalps Onto Lab Rats Any Better Than Child Sacrifice?" (Joe Allen, Federalist)

* "Danish journalist has sex during interview for segment on swingers club" (Mark Lungariello, New York Post via Fox News)

* "Why Did CNN Bring Back Jeffrey Toobin?" (Jim Geraghty, National Review)

* "Democrats silent on sexual assault allegations involving 62 children" (Jimmy Sengenberger, Washington Examiner)

* "Open Doors: U.S. should be demanding religious freedom" (Charlie Butts, OneNewsNow.com)

* "Why Woke Christianity Is The Greatest Threat To Christians Today" (Carina Benton, Federalist)

The Best of... (Part 1 of 3)

Feeling informationally overwhelmed? I can sure identify with that. However, that's the reason I offer these occasional compilation posts; that is, to pass along a few of the web's most important, most accurately researched, and best written articles from the alternative media. Don't be overcome...but don't be unaware either. Here you go.

* "Toobin, Cuomo scandals prove liberals can get away with anything at CNN, experts say." (Brian Flood, Fox News)

* "The 'Root Causes' Of The Migrant Crisis Are Biden’s Border Policies" (John Daniel Davidson, Federalist)

* "Anthony Fauci Says His Critics Are Attacking Science Itself" (Robby Soave, Reason)

* "It Is a Sordid Thing, This Divvying Us Up by Race" (John o. McGinnis, Law & Liberty)

* "Hunter Biden and the "n" Word'" (Paul Mirengoff, Power Line)

* "H.R. 1 Is a Non-Solution to a Non-Crisis" (Rich Lowry, Jewish World Review)

* "Trump Was Right: Study Shows Hydroxychloroquine Boosted Ventilated COVID Patients' Survival by 200%" (Michael Austin,  The Western Journal)



Thursday, June 03, 2021

So, You're Pregnant

Mega-thanks to the Canadian pro-life organization Choice42 for a terrific video aimed at young women facing an unplanned pregnancy.