September 5, 2008
Uncovering The Shack | Sweet Tea & Theology

Dr. Youseff begins, “In the 33 years since I’ve was ordained to the ministry, I remember, only, this is to be the third time of all 33 years that I have taken sermon time. The entire sermon time to focus on a book.” He explains that his responsibility as an under shepherd to feed the flock as well as protect them from false teaching.

Another excellent quote as he begins, “I want to warn you, especially, of books and teachings that are almost right, but devastatingly wrong. Teachings and preachings and books that have a measure of truth in them, but they’re wrapped in a whole lot of poisonous dough.”

Georgia and the Former Soviet Union: Impacts & Options

Ultimately, there are only 2 approaches when one is faced by a larger neighbor or Great Power at one’s doorstep, with designs on one’s territory or regime.

… If the Great Power is inflexibly predatory, however, as China was with Tibet and Russia has been with Georgia, we come to option #2: making it too expensive for the Great Power or hostile neighbour to force the issue. In other words, deterrence.

… For Eastern Europe, therefore, and for larger Central Asian neighbours like Kazakhstan, growing their economies must also be a long term priority, so that they’ll still be able to keep pace a decade from now.

… Longer term, however, Ukraine’s prosperity requires integration into Europe’s industrial and agricultural markets.

… So, yes, spend some more on defense, as Max Boot suggests, and make the case to your people as to why. After all, “Model Cajander” stuff won’t cut it when push comes to shove, just as the UN and lies about a mythical “international community” will provide zero protection against Russia.

Even so, Viktor Yuschenko’s most important initiative for the Ukraine may not be NATO membership (which looks very doubtful) - but EU membership. In his case, it’s also (to quote James Carville) “the economy, stupid”.

Which is why American policies that recognize this element via bilateral free trade agreements with countries like Poland, the Ukraine, et. al. are just as important as any military aid or equipment we may choose to send.

September 4, 2008

Only the Brits could create such a cutting — and accurate — argument for school choice.

Tertium Quids: Required Viewing on School Choice

Catholic Homily on Nancy Pelosi & Abortion

Fr. John De Celles, STL, is an associate pastor at Old St. Mary’s Church in Alexandria, Va. This is his homily for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Aug. 31, 2008), as prepared for delivery.

It’s a powerful reminder of our duty to speak up to protect the innocent — even when it’s unpopular or politically dangerous.

“

It was just this week, in fact, in my continual thinking upon this sad state of affairs, that the only appeal remaining—not that the fight is over—but the only appeal remaining without a convincing rebuttal is your Archbishop Chaput’s: So the two of us are in a discussion about life, and you are pro-abortion; I say:

“Which side do you think God will take when I stand before him in judgment? That I protected the rights of a woman over her reproduction or the rights of the unborn to live?”
The Corner on National Review Online
July 14, 2008
John McCain’s Progressive Model
As if I needed more reasons to vote Barr in 2008.
June 26, 2008
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There is no difference between the Hebrew word for desire and the Hebrew word for covet. Coveting means desiring something too much. And too much is measured by how that desiring compares to desiring God. If desiring leads you away from God rather than closer to God, it is covetousness. It is sin.

I suspect that the reason the Ten Commandments begin with the commandment “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3) and ends with the commandment “You shall not covet” (Exodus 20:17) is that they are essentially the same commandment. They bracket the other eight and reveal their source.

Not coveting means not desiring anything in a way that diminishes God as your supreme treasure. And not having any gods before God means the same thing: Don’t treasure anything or anyone in away that competes with God’s supreme place in your life. Idolatry is what we call disobedience to the first commandment. And idolatry is what Paul calls disobedience to the tenth commandment (Colossians 3:5).

… But how, Paul? Do you have a practical suggestion that we can use to fight for this satisfaction in Christ? Here is what we saw in Philippians 3:17, and it is striking: “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us” (Philippians 3:17).

Here is amazingly practical help for us: Pick out some people whose lives show that they treasure Christ above other things. Then “keep your eyes on them.” Watch them. That, Paul says, is a good way to conquer covetousness.
Fighting Covetousness by Looking at Others :: Desiring God Christian Resource Library
June 13, 2008
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How can it be so easy to bilk Medicare??

Health-care experts say the simplicity of Campos Ramirez’s scheme underscores the scope of the growing fraud problem and the need to devote more resources to theft prevention…

What’s that you say? Not enough administrative resources dedicated to preventing fraud?

A critical aspect of the problem is that Medicare, the health program for the elderly and the disabled, automatically pays the vast majority of the bills it receives from companies that possess federally issued supplier numbers.

So Medicare’s approach to paying claims is not unlike, say, shoveling money out the door?

Officials who oversee the Medicare program say they are vigilant despite time pressure and limited resources. Employees review fewer than 5 percent of the nearly 1 billion claims filed each year…This year, CMS is working to finalize a rule that would prevent convicted felons from obtaining Medicare billing numbers.

But the important thing here is that Medicare is keeping administrative costs down, and passing the savings on to you, the taxpayer.
Cato-at-liberty » The Amazing Story of Medicare’s Low Administrative Costs
Leaving Christ(ianity) - A Christian Epidemic | Parchment and Pen

“I don’t really even care what you have to say to me,” she told me that day. “I just don’t believe anymore and there is nothing anyone can do about it.” As I thought about this young lady over the last week, only one thing keeps coming to mind: how was she a part of the church for so long without the church engaging her on these issues. You see, her issues were numerous, but foundational. She doubted the resurrection of Christ, the inspiration, inerrancy, and canon of Scripture, and the historicity of the Christian faith in general. If the church had legitimized her questions during the doubting phase and truly engaged her from an intellectual front I can’t help but think, from a human point of view, things might have been different. But once she reaches the point of apathy, this seems to be a point of no return.

My life and my ministry is committed to one thing: rooting people theologically by presenting the intellectual viability of the Evangelical faith. While I understand this is not all there is to the Christian faith, it is an absolute vital part of discipleship and foundational to everything else.

Everyone will go through the doubt phase. Everyone should ask questions about the faith. If you have not asked the “How do you know …” questions about the message of the Gospel, this is not a good thing. We should be challenged to think through these questions early in the faith. The Church needs to rethink its education program. Expositional preaching, while important, is not enough. Did you hear that? Expositional preaching is not enough. It does not provide the discipleship venue that is vital for us to prevent and overcome this epidemic. We should not fool ourselves into thinking that it does.

The church has been on an intellectual diet for the last century and we are suffering from theological atrophy. What else do you expect when we have replaced theological discipleship with a gluttonous promotion of entertainment, numbers, and fast-food Christianity that can produce nothing more than a veneer of faith seasoned for departure?

The solution: to reform our educational program in the church. To lay theological foundations through critical thinking. To understand that the great commission is to make disciples, not simply converts. And most importantly, we must pray that God will grant a revival of the mind knowing that without the power of the Holy Spirit, no amount of intellectual persuasion can change an antagonistic heart.

Not Your Father's Space Program
NASA isn’t going anywhere very fast these days, but people in the space enthusiast community aren’t as gloomy as you might expect. In fact, they seem more cheerful than I’ve seen them for years. The reason is that talk about “the space program” (singular) is out of date. Now there are numerous space programs, and while NASA’s isn’t doing especially well, others seem to be flourishing.