What Could Be Better?

[Nicodema]

[]http://cagle.slate.msn.com/working/050303/thompson.jpg[/]

[Dr. Shane]

You know having the Ten Commandments on public display doesn't seem like a big deal to me. The Pathfinder group in El Salvafor donated a Ten Commandment monument to the state and they placed it in a central park in El Salvador. So obviously the Adventists in El Salvador don't have a problem with the Ten Commandments being displayed in the public square.

The issue really seems to ride on whether other religions, like Budhists or American Indians can donate simular monuments of their faith to be displayed in public places. If the state isn't going to sponsor any religion I would suspect they would have to allow other religions to donate monuments to be placed in parks and other public places.

I listened to an interview of Texas Attorny General Greg Abbot before he argued the case before the Supreme Court and must say I was not real impressed with his arguement.

[Nicodema]

I just thought the cartoon was cute and made a good point about what's really important when it comes to honoring God. Displays are not important. Actually listening to Him is.

[cricket]

Yep.

This is sort of on topic, but not really:

When the Pharisees and Saducees fasted in a very public fashion, they looked terrible.

God cautions us to use make-up and make ourselves look presentable and healthy--doesn't He?

And so, sometimes, it is important to look the part, isn't it?

[Dr. Shane]

Yet when we actually get a tithe-paying President that honors God, many call him insincere. When we have a President that openly lies and commits adultry they make excuses for him.

One's heart can be found where their treasure is. When I first learned that Bush gives 10% of his gross income to charity it made me pause. That was the very first time that Bush impressed me. The IRS statistics show that the higher a peron's income is the smaller of a percentage they give to charity. So far from it being easy for a rich man to give from his abundance, it seems it is easier for a poor man to pay tithe than a rich man.

I also remember that one year Al Gore only gave $600 to charity. When I heard that I chuckled as most Christians pay more than that in offerings alone not counting the tithe.

[Dr. Shane]

Sister Christine, I believe it is important to look like a Christian. Part of that is avoiding the appearance of evil. Yet the point being made here is that we need more than the look. We need the change.

As far was women and make-up I have become convinced that women have a drive to look pretty that is as strong as a man's drive to have realtions with his wife. It seems natural and God-given. Both drives can get out of hand and cause us to lose our focus on God. That is a caution given in the Bible.

[Nicodema]

It's awfully hard to look past all the killing and torturing and economic oppressions of others going on to see his stellar example of tithe-paying, though. I guess I'm just supposed to ignore all that injustice because if I notice it that means I'm "judging" somehow. Or "hating". Or something else that Doesn't Count As Real and Legitimate Concern.

[Dr. Shane]

I don't look past any of that because it isn't there. This President has done what any honorable President would have done and went well beyond the call. I remember when this President asked each child in America to send one dollar to the White House for the Afghan children. Name one other military force in history that has called upon its children to send money to help the children of a nation they had just invaded. The President is going to going down in history as one of our finest. Unless something unexpected happens between now and when he leaves office.

[Nicodema]

I see differently.

[Dr. Shane]

Bush makes me think of the promise in Scripture that if we humble ourselves He will lift us up. Bush is such a humble public servant and unless he lets pride get the better of him surely God will continue to lift him up.

He really is an example of what God can do with each one of us if we will humble ourselves and surrender to Him.

[Nicodema]

It must be a great comfort to you to have such faith in our national leader. If I thought it were so simple a matter of wicked men opposing his Christianity I'd probably be inclined to feel as you do. I see a different picture, however.

[Dr. Shane]

I must confess that at one time I was inclined to believe in conspiracy theories. I didn't have much peace at all. That was when Bush the elder was President. Yet as I have grown older and more religious I am trusting in God more. If things arn't as they seem, I trust God will take care of that. I have decided not to live my life on a roller coaster of one conspiracy theory after another.

[Nicodema]

I don't believe in 'conspiracy theories'. Like I said: I see a different picture, which is why I reject the conspiracy theory fabricated for us to embrace.

[Ron Lambert]

For a long time, I suspected that George H.W. Bush was one of the two gunmen on the grassy knoll at the Kennedy assassination--but my suspicion was not strong enough to keep me from voting for him for president. I guess it's OK to entertain conspiracy theories as long as you don't take them too seriously.

[Dr. Shane]

I heard some conspiracy theories about President Reagon and Bush the elder and at the time I was young enough to believe some of them. During the Clinton Adminstration I heard countless conspiracy theories and rightly thought nothing would come of them.

During GW Bush we have been bombarded with conspiracy theories I think for two reasons. First is due to the Internet which is a form of media that lets anyone have a forum. The second is because the radical left is more despart than the radical right was during the Clinton years. (The Republicans did control Congress for most of Clinton's term).

Some of the popular Bush conspiracy theories is that Bush planned to attack Iraq before 9/11 happened, Bush knew 9/11 was going to happen but did nothing to stop it, the Iraq war was for oil money, Haliburton, Bush joined the NG to get out of Vietnaum and Bush used cocaine in the White House.