VOICES OF AMERICA/GERALD HOLLAND

Mike brought the paper to show me a  letter to the editor of our paper by a Mr. Gerald Holland from Bella Vista.  We do not know Mr. Holland, but I found his words worth repeating.

Gerald Holland was answering an atheist professor here at the university who had written a letter about how bothered he was that 30% of Americans believe the Bible literally.

I'll not name the professor, but he is just one example of the full court press against biblical thinking in today's colleges and universities.

Here's Mr. Holland's letter...IN HIS OWN WORDS:

"This 30% (of Biblical literalists) bothers the professor a lot and he would be less concerned if those people didn't take the Bible so literally.  The prof is also scared of Islamic terrorism, but to be on the safe side, he wants all to know that he loathes Christian conservatism just as much.

Does the professor think the Islamic terrorists would be good if 30% of Americans quit believing that the Bible is literal?  Would he be content if 15% were literalists?  Or would he need 0% Biblical literalists in order to sleep well?

If it's true that 30% of Americans are Biblical literalists, nearly all of them are peaceful, law-abiding, working, self-supporting, charitable citizens.  The fact that many of them don't vote should soothe the professor's nerves.  The presence and influence of his dreaded 30% in the press, entertainment, education, Congress and the White House is virtually nil.

However, fundamental, conservative Christianity does have a legacy.  It includes hospitals, orphanages, schools, charities, disaster relief, feeding the hungry, valuing human life, patriotism, financial responsibility, faith, comfort and spiritual guidance."

Mr. Holland goes on to say "I will credit the nonbelievers.  They have managed to hide their legacy "under a bushel", as Jesus said.  Communism, fundamental atheism's first monster child, reigned for 70 years in the bloody twentieth century.  This twisted utopia that the left and atheism now softly censure publicly (while privately admiring) starved, tortured, shot, and worked to death 100 million people in "peace time".  Add to this America's fifty million babies killed in the womb, which, at the core, is the atheistic concept that human life is just a mass of pulsating flesh.

Christian conservatives should keep in mind that the professor is typical of higher education's teaching establishment that tries to tear down everything your children learned at home and at church...just as soon as they get the power of passing or failing them.

He and his comrades disdain others as ignorant, backward bigots and believe their life-work is to remold our youth into liberal secularists and atheists.  Check carefully the institutions and faculties before turning your children over to smug atheists who despise our values.

Think of it also when the public colleges regularly raise fees and complain about needing more taxpayer money while taking five-six years to grant worthless degrees and put our kids deeper into debt."

Thank you, Mr. Holland, for speaking up.

MONUMENTS AND PEACE TALKS

MONUMENT'S MEN was a good popcorn movie.  It was a "true" story with exciting moments and inspiring moments which allowed the swell of patriotism.  How welcome!

The premise was a little hard to swallow when it asked us to believe that seven men could accomplish the mission.  In fact, history records that over 300 undertook the assignment.  But we can handle that tweak because Monument's Men gave us a lot that is right to celebrate.

Besides, with a limited number of characters, girls can gaze into Matt Damon's eyes and they can study Bill Murray's face, a canvas that records amazing emotion.  And then there's George.  It struck me as I watched the movie that George Clooney is our Clark Gable.

And for the guys, there's shoot-em-ups and explosions.

Yesterday Netflix delivered THE REMAINS OF THE DAY.  It was nominated for 8 Academy Awards and was a period piece, true to detail.  But oh, it was like paint drying.  The only explosions in that one were within Anthony Hopkins, whose face only barely gave them away.  Very British.  Hopkins was the "Mr. Carson" of an English estate before WW2 and the story was about how his employer, the Earl of Darlington, was completely duped by the Germans.

While the honorable Lord Darlington carried on high level peace conferences at his estate (pushing for German appeasement), the Germans were accelerating toward war.

Late in the movie, a German contingency arrived at the manor and were put in his study, where they peered intently at his art.  And under the cover of their own language, the German ambassador coldly told his assistant to "mark the Renoir down for later".  Monument's Men helped us understand that reference!

It's hard not to see history repeating today as Secretary of State John Kerry now goes about to conferences singing "give peace a chance" while our adversaries have quite another agenda.  They SAY they want to kill us; they DEMONSTRATE they are killers.  Other world leaders warn us.  Yet we are smitten with promises from Syria to remove chemical weapons...and from Iran that they have peaceful use for their nuclear arsenal.

More alarming still is yesterday's news from Secretary Kerry.  Speaking to Indonesian college students on his tour, he oddly remarked "Climate change can now be considered another weapon of mass destruction, perhaps the world's most fearsome weapon of mass destruction."  

What?  We stare down Iran's REAL nuclear acceleration, Syria's REAL chemical weapons, the REAL intentions of Russia and China, the Arab Spring's REAL terroristic volatility, and nuclear North Korea's coldblooded boy-leader's REAL malevolence.  Yet Secretary Kerry would have us believe that sparkly thing out in left field (the unsettled science) is settled science which is a weapon of mass destruction.  Really, Secretary Kerry?  While declared intentions have no connection to reality?

Methinks if the weather will get us, the weather will have to get in line.  Good grief!  Flat Earth Society, indeed.

The Monument's Men had noble loyalties while Lord Darlington's loyalties were misguided.  Was Darlington's understanding based on a high IQ, but low common sense?  Either way, his good sense did not serve him well.  With a ruined name after the war, Lord Darlington was ostracized as a traitor and died alone.

But we should not be confused.  Lord Darlington was a character in a movie, but the real British appeaser was Neville Chamberlain (pictured below).  In Chamberlain's day, the Nazi threat was just as real as today's terrorism threat.  Lord, give us leadership who realize that.

THE IMPERIAL, THE RED-FACED, AND THE VITALS

THE IMPERIAL.
Guess who's been tweaking again?

The President has imperiously messed with his own law, delaying non-compliance punishment for a business with 50-99 employees until 2016.

That makes 27 times he has either delayed a deadline or given a waiver or postponed consequences. This arbitrary decision politically manipulates the law to affect the piece of time leading up to an election.  (Translation: the Democratic boat is taking on water over Obamacare and the President has to protect the electorate from his punitive plan.)

Sage Steele

A lady on "The View" may have stumbled onto some truth about Obamacare during their DISCUSSION about the new CBO numbers.  A disappointed Barbara Walters opined "I can't remember a president who hasn't tried to implement universal healthcare.  Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter...all unsuccessfully pushed for a national healthcare act.  We know that Bill Clinton and Hillary tried and failed.  This is the mountain they can't climb."

Then Sage Steele said "AND MAYBE THERE'S A REASON...MAYBE THIS IS THE PROOF POSITIVE THAT THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT."

I don't know Ms. Steele, but her mother named her well; Sage must be a sage.  She joins others, who from the beginning have said they hoped the country would not have to suffer through the trial of such an ill-fated plan.  We can literally watch Obamacare take our country down month by month.  How can it be possible to spend a projected two TRILLION and not have ANYTHING but chaos to show for it?  This president is proving it can be done.

                                                                                                                                                                         

George Tsunis, Ambassador to Norway

THE RED-FACED.
Know what's embarrassing?  We had several ambassador nominations (Norway, Argentina, and Hungary) just approved.

This LINK shows an astounding cluelessness from them all.  The new ambassador to Norway spoke of the Norway's president (they have a monarchy), the new ambassador to Argentina has never been there, and the nominee to Hungary is a soap opera producer.  What do they all have in common?  They were big bundlers for the president.

Political rewards aren't new and if these people care to do a good job, they can learn.  Still, the stunning lack of foreign policy expertise (or even a cursive glance at the Wiki page for Norway) is cause for a red face.

THE VITALS.
The embarrassing things won't kill us, but tinkering with big things can.  The economy, healthcare, and our protection from terrorists are all vital.  Plus one more.  Americans are also concerned about a thuggish IRS.  All these things are serious because they come directly into our homes.

We see HEALTHCARE side effects and are appalled.  If this thing was as wonderful as advertised, people would be begging to join.

The ECONOMY has stalled for five years, and the recession is still blamed.  HOW ABOUT DOING SOMETHING THAT HELPS?

We desperately need jobs.  Disincentive not only steals jobs, it kills the human spirit.  So the biggest help would be to get rid of the jobs killer, Obamacare.  That's what is squashing new enterprise, holding back the addition of employees, and making impossible business' future plans.  How could anyone budget their employer requirements for the next year?

Stonewalling is dragging out THE IRS INVESTIGATIONS.

There are six on-going investigations about what the IRS has done.  The President has said there's not a smidgen of corruption, but unless he has a crystal ball, he doesn't KNOW what the outcome of the probe will be.

(Ummm...unless he put a person in charge of the probe who had maxed out campaign contributions to him.)

TERRORISM exists with actual people who want to kill us and then control the world.

So then why has it taken the President so long to even SAY the word "terrorism"?  Why did he say AlQaeda was on the run?  Why have we entered into an agreement with Iran, giving away the cookies and getting nothing but unkept promises?  What about Syria's promises to remove chemical weapons?  They've removed 4%.  Who actually thinks Iran/Syria will keep their word?

Our military stands vigilant between us and the uncivilized.  Yet the military is reduced and compromised with ridiculous rules of engagement and social engineering.  In the last five years, every tinhorn dictator on the planet has poked us in the eye.  Every "spring" in the Arab world has sprung.  And countries who have been loyal allies for decades have left our side.

We need a leader (not a king) who understands the way forward.  We need informed public servants whose desire is to serve their country.  And we can tell Barbara Walters that there were several good presidents she forgot...ones who knew not to mess with the vitals.  Lord, give us another one.

FACES OF AMERICA/BECKY GERRITSON

This is BECKY GERRITSON.

Becky is the Tea Party lady who testified before Congress eight months ago regarding IRS abuse.  LINK

Her compelling testimony included these words: "I'm not here as a serf or a vassal or begging my lords for mercy.  I'm a born-free American woman, wife, mother, and citizen and I'm telling my government you've forgotten your place."

Becky's story succinctly explains why there are six on-going Congressional investigations into the IRS.

These days, if you disagree with the government, you are targeted for investigation, harassed, and put on hold for tax-exempt status.  Fiercer still are the verbal assaults and mocking derision as terms like RACIST and TERRORIST are lobbed at the Tea Party.

Last week Becky was back before Congress, testifying again.  This LINK goes to a written copy of her testimony from the Congressional record which includes her biography.  She is an intelligent woman who loves her country.  When the Congressmen asked Becky if she had heard from government after her grievances, the answer was "no".

The same IRS tax law (making it a felony to share information/donor lists between departments of government) have been in effect for over 50 years...precisely because of the potential for abuse.  The President said there was some confusion about the rules, implying they were "difficult" to interpret and "bureaucratic".   This LINK from the Wall Street Journal calls such explanation a "fairy tale".  And according to an uncovered email between Treasury and Lois Lerner, as early as 2012 the IRS has been trying to change the rules "off-plan" (behind our backs).  Boneheaded decisions?  Smidgen-free?

Please consider giving Becky the courtesy to listen as she explains a government's willful act of discrimination to intimidate a point of view.  It should be bone chilling for all Americans to watch the destruction of civil liberties.

LEAVING A TRACE

"How often do you get to see the Dead Sea scrolls?"

That's what a neighbor asked when she cancelled her Friday night plans to go with us to the lecture and exhibit of Biblical treasures.

Every seat was taken and people stood around the wall.  Over 250 people came out to learn more about the veracity of God's word.

Fellowship Bible Church NWA sponsored the event with Azusa Pacific University (from the greater Los Angeles area) and the generous Green family (who own Hobby Lobby and The Green Collection, the world's largest private collection of rare biblical texts and artifacts).

THE EXHIBIT
The antiquities on display included two fragments from the Dead Sea scrolls, a Cuneiform clay tablet from the Sumerian civilization (1950-1750BC), a Hebrew scroll written on deerskin from the 15th century, a complete copy of the first King James Bible, a leaf from both the Guttenberg Bible (written in Latin, mid-1400's) and the Tyndale Bible (the first Bible to be translated from Greek/Hebrew to English, mid-1500's), an early Geneva Bible, a small "Bishop's Bible" that Queen Mary ordered toward the end of the 1500's...and the first American Bible, the Aitken Bible from the late 1700's.

Those Bibles came at great personal expense.  We are weak at the knees to remember how William Tyndale and other men of conviction lost their lives for what sits in duplicate on most home shelves today. Tyndale's story alone challenges my fervor.  Strangled (as a courtesy) and then burned at the stake, Mr. Tyndale revived and in a loud voice shouted "Lord!  Open the King of England's eyes!".

Tyndale's 1496 prayer was answered two years later when King Henry VIII ordered a Bible, which was then written based on Tyndale's translation.  In 1611, the prayer was answered again as the Bible ordered by King James also drew from Tyndale's translation.  In fact, all the Protestant Bibles printed in English lean heavily on William Tyndale's efforts.

DEAD SEA SCROLLS 
Before the Bedouin goat herder  chunked a rock into this Qumran cave, our earliest Bible was dated 1,000 AD.  But the Lord gave us new evidence in 1946 when this cave gave up text from EVERY book of the Old Testament except Esther.   This new evidence could be dated TO A THOUSAND YEARS BEFORE CHRIST!

Cave One gave us seven complete scrolls, including every chapter of Isaiah.  Cave Four in 1952 gave us 122 Bible scrolls or fragments and 15,000 fragments from Biblical and extra-Biblical books.

The scrolls were written by the Essenes, a communal scholar/scribes sect of Judaism who drew aside to dedicate themselves to prayer, expressions of faith, and to preserve God's Word.  One group of these Essenes lived close to Qumran.  It is thought that in 70AD when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, they came through Qumran on the way to destroy Masada and killed the Essenes.  Many of their scrolls were torn into pieces.

THE LECTURE
Azusa Pacific University sent this man, Dr. Robert Mullins, and Dr. Robert Duke...both archaeologists with Ph.D.'s in Biblical history, as well as about six additional staff who had lovingly carried the exhibits.  In fact, one prof held the Dead Sea Scrolls in his lap for the flight rather than check them through the airlines.  They all stood beside the artifacts for three twelve-hour days, explaining and interacting with the public.

Dr. Mullins gave the lecture and as he bounded to the podium, our church blasted the theme from Indiana Jones.  This professor's gray hair might be in a ponytail, but his passion for God and his enthusiasm for what he does is like a youth.  Take a look at Dr. Mullins HERE.

The good teacher's qualifications?  He teaches at Azusa but has lived over twenty years in Israel, got his Ph.D. from Hebrew University in Jerusalem, wrote his dissertation in Hebrew, speaks fluent modern Hebrew, and over many summers has excavated numerous sites in Israel.

Dr. Mullins is now co-director of one of the last active digs in Israel at Tel Abel Beth Maacah, which is in northern Israel close to the border with Lebanon.  This site was just opened in 2013, but the dig has already given up several exciting finds, including this flask that was incorporated into a tshirt logo for the diggers.  The archaeologists find this northern gateway into Israel promising, as they can identify it in verses in Second Samuel, First and Second Kings, and Second Chronicles.  It is a major crossroads where the road going east/west (from Egypt to Damascus) crosses the north/south road (from Europe down to Africa).

MORE RANDOM THOUGHTS
     *We loved hearing Dr. Mullins cause Scripture and archaeology to mesh.  It's exciting to hear him tell how a discovery close to Dan became the first time King David was authenticated by evidence outside of Scripture.  Something belonging to Tiglath-Pileser (1115-1077BC), an Aramean King of Damascus, had the inscription: "House of David".

    *We should all appreciate the Green family because they underwrite a "Green Scholars Initiative" program which trains undergrads in the project of reading/translating/publishing those 15,000 fragments from the Qumran caves (as well as other projects).  More than 60 universities around the world participate in this initiative.  Hollywood may tout fictional characters in "National Treasure" and "The Da Vinci Code", but the Green Scholars are true treasure hunters.

     *Did you know the Aitken Bible was known as "The Bible of the Revolution"?  I didn't.  England had banned the colonies from printing a Bible, wanting instead for us to import Bibles and pay taxes.  The Colonial Congress tried but failed to import 20,000 Bibles from Holland and Scotland.  Then a brave Scottish-American named Robert Aitken in Philadelphia bucked the King and undertook the printing task.  By 1782 the colonists' dream of a Bible in their language became reality.  Today this book is very rare; of the original printing of 10,000 copies, only an estimated 30-40 remain.

     *One of the exhibit tables included a tiny microfiche Bible that had been taken to the moon.  We thought the exhibitor said it was taken on the Apollo 13 mission.  A friend beside me had worked on that flight in 1970 and rightly said "But that flight didn't make it to the moon."  The professor smiled and said "You're right!"  Houston had forgotten to include it on Apollo 12...then Apollo 13 packed it, but something malfunctioned and the mission returned to earth...and finally the Bible made it to the moon on Apollo 14.

When Dr. Mullins began his talk, he quoted Jesus to say if we remain silent about God, the rocks will cry out.  They do.  The layers of civilization have piled up, but the discoveries declare that what God has said is TRUE.

If you google Wiki's page on "Dead Sea Scrolls", you will see that not everyone has a piece of this treasure.  Azusa Pacific has 5 fragments, the University of Chicago has 1, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has 8, a private collection has 60, the Museum of Jordan has over 25, and the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem/government of Israel have over 15,000.

Azusa's fragments of the Dead Sea scrolls are very special.  One is from 8th chapter of the Deuteronomy scroll.  The piece of scroll proclaims the same thing Jesus repeats when He tells the devil "man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God".  (Deuteronomy 8:3/Matthew 4:4)

And all God's people said "AMEN!".