Fully Automatic TexMex

Unlike Jeff, I don't know much about guns. But I can tell them apart from burritos.

Hat tip: Tom McGuire

Pet Rabbit Haiku

printer cables taste
yummiest when the paper
is due tomorrow

alfalfa, apple,
timothy, banana, but
I prefer carpet

let me go human
put me down put me down now
bite down on nipple

Beth Stroud Break

That's enough Beth Stroud blogging for me for a while, here or at other blogs. My blood is boiling a bit too vigorously, and I think that both sides have reached an irreconcilible difference clearly expressed in the debates.

One commentor at another blog left a rather harsh response for me, and I need to walk away before I respond in kind.

Microsoft Blogging Software

Apparently, it's not user friendly.

Hat tip: Flying Space Monkey.

Magazine Review: Plugged In

As a libertarian, Dr. James Dobson and his extreme statism make my skin crawl. Yet I must admit that Focus on the Family has produced a fine magazine that I subscribe to at my church library: Plugged In.

Plugged In is a magazine for parents and is filled with reviews of popular media, such as movies, music, and books that kids might encounter. There are frequent spotlights on Christian materials, such as Christian rock bands, but most of the magazine is devoted to studying the media that kids actually encounter in the world, and discerning its moral cleanliness.

One of the most impressive features is its impartiality. Reviewers routinely search for and find 'pro-social content' in the vilest of gangsta rap albums. I'm sure that if they ever reviewed Penthouse that they would find something nice to say about it.

Plugged In is an oustanding magazine for church libraries, and I highly recommend it.

The Beth Stroud Decision in a Nutshell

Matthew Johnson:

If the appeals committee sat around and said, “Let’s come up with the lamest justification for overturning this ruling,” this would have been the Grand Prize Winner. It’s insulting to me as a human being with a functioning brain to try and pass this off as legitimate.

Withholding Apportionments

As much as I loathe the Beth Stroud decision, I'm not going to jump onto the bandwagon of withholding apportionments in retaliation.

By doing so, we conservative Methodists would be violating The Book of Discipline, which is exactly the criticism that we are making against Beth Stroud and her supporters.

You Are Known By Your Enemies

Victor Davis Hanson on hating America:

America should not gratuitously welcome such dislike; but we should not apologize for it either. Sometimes the caliber of a nation is found not in why it is liked, but rather in why it is not.

So as long as America is despised by the totalitarian Left and the most despotic regimes of the world, then I will remain confident that we are on the right track.

Beth Stroud Reinstated

Rev. Beth Stroud, UMC, was convicted in a church court of being a practicing homosexual and stripped of her credentials. A higher court has overturned the verdict...because they don't like what The Book of Discipline says about homosexuality. Well, that's my interpretation. The judgement actually says that the General Conference and the relevant Annual Conference have not defined 'praciticing homosexual'.

WesleyBlog has perhaps the longest comment thread in its history as Methodists debate this decision.

Church Buildings and Christ's Purpose

Shane Raynor writes about a recent study which reveals that a congregational focus on church buildings often demonstrates a lack of church vitality:

My question is, do we really need all the buildings we have? Are having multiple services and meeting for smaller events in homes really such hardships? Is using a big sanctuary for only a few hours a week good stewardship? Besides, the more buildings we have, the more likely we'll use our churches as Christian retreats from the real world. That's not always a bad thing, but at what point do the "retreats" turn into isolated Christian ghettos?

I bit my tongue yesterday at morning Bible study when several men emphatically expressed the need for a new building project at my church. Yet our sanctuary fills up only to about 1/3 on high-attendance Sundays.

Sure, a 'family life center' would be nice. But wouldn't it be more appropriate to build a homeless shelter first? Which project would more appropriately express the mission of God's church?

Yet I won't speak harshly of those men who are mostly parents of teenagers, and are reacting to the pornification of American culture.

Obey the Papillon!

Did I mention that my dog is the focus of a fanatical cult bent on world domination?

Day By Day

I enjoy Chris Muir's cartoon Day By Day.

But was the peeking thong really necessary?

Thursday Rabbit Blogging

Last Christmas, Hyzenthlay and Inlehain chewed open their Christmas present.

Protest Babes in Egypt

Glenn Reynolds suspects that the dictatorial government of Egypt is in trouble, given the appearance of protest babes marching in the streets.

This is an overly optimistic analysis of the political volatility of Egypt. She's not that hot.

Where Are They Now? Mike Warnke

A couple of years ago, I was cleaning out the library at my church and encountered a fascinating book: Hitchhiking on Hope Street by Mike Warnke. I was unfamiliar with the book and the author and was curious about the life and work of this Christian comedian from the 70s.

So I Googled him.

Wow. Warnke had, in his youth, become a Satanist and drug addict before Christ delivered him from this spiritual bondage. Empowered with the ability to make people laugh, Warnke then became a comedian/evangelist, travelling across the country, telling his story and leading others to accept Jesus Christ as their personal lord and savior.

There was just one little glitch.

He made the whole thing up.

Warnke lied, or so concluded this journalistic investigation. He had never been a Satanist, or into heavy drugs. But he had concocted an elaborate story as a marketing gimmick that appealed to evangelicals. Warnke became wealthy through his fraud.

His comedy empire collapsed as his reputation blackened overnight. Warnke still does some comedy work, even in churches. He still maintains that he was a Satanist, but did exaggerate some of the details.

I don't know who is telling the truth. I suspect that Warnke fabricated his story, but only God knows for sure. But what is so fascinating about his spiritual adventure is that inspite of his fraud, God used Warnke to lead people to salvation. The ability and willingess of God to work for the good in bad situations is breathtaking.

"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. " Genesis 50:20

Now let us pray that God finds some use for all of us broken, unclean vessels, as He has for Mike Warnke. We are all sinners in His sight, saved only by grace.

Nickel and Dimed

Beth Quick has a review up of a book that's on my lengthy to-do list: Nickel and Dimed: On (not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich.

A One Year Anniversary

Raise a glass to the fine Israeli soldiers who, one year ago today, sent death cult leader Sheik Ahmen Yassin to his seventy-two virgins.

Townhall.com and Armstrong Williams

I see that Townhall.com still publishes and archives the columns of disgraced conservative writer Armstrong Williams.

Consequently, I will no longer read Townhall.com.

Shaking off the Christian Dominionists

Glenn Reynolds thinks that the GOP and the Bush Administration may be sliding out of popularity by appearing to be too close to Christian Dominionists such as Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell.

I agree. This is a political error, since it will alienate the middle. Also, I would personally hate to see Dominionists come to power in America.

So I propose that Bush pick a public fight with James Dobson and openly condemn Christian Dominionism. Something of a Sister Souljah moment. Bush would reinforce his popularity with swing voters. I doubt that he would have much to lose because (a) he can't run for re-election again so he doesn't need them and (b) I don't think that the Dominionists have as much power as they project.

Who Would Jesus Mug?

Conservatives are not real Christians, to summarize this guy. It is a thorough, well-written attack upon conservative parsimony. Lotsa logical fallacies abound. Here's one that I found interesting:

Not so fast. Jesus didn't say have a government program to feed the hungry.

True. And so what? Jesus never said to use a government program, and he never said not to use a government program. Similarly, Jesus never said to use private charity, and he never said not to use private charity. Matthew 25 doesn't say how or how not to help Jesus in the guise of the suffering, it just says you must help them.

Jesus didn't say how, he just said do it.

Jesus said "I was hungry and you gave me food." He didn’t say how to feed the hungry or how not to feed the hungry. In whatever system you live under, however you want to do it, just do it!

So Jesus just wants us to take care of the problem and not quibble about the means. Results matter. Means justify ends, etc.

So, I will go out and rob a bank or mug someone and use the money to care for the poor.

Yep. Jesus would approve of that.

You see, taxation is really nothing more than legalized thievery.* Government it taking money through force. The fact that it is government taking the action does not necessarily morally validate the action. Liberals are invited to prove otherwise.

*I am not opposed to all taxation. I just recognize that it is thievery. Government is a necessary evil, and serves certain necessary functions for a society. Yet it is still predicated upon the initiation of force, which is evil.

Hat tip: Gutless Pacifist

Libertarian & Arminian

I wonder if there is some subconscious connection between my libertarian politics and my Arminian theology. Both ideologies are predicated upon free will. Hmm.

I Thought That There Were Only Two

Doctor Horsefeathers asks a question that I'm too afraid to ask.

How Will I Die?

I will drown while bobbing for apples, according to this funny test.

Hat tip: What Attitude Problem?

Yet Another Awards Show

Just what we need. Yet another stupid primetime awards show that takes up The Simpsons time slot.

UMC and Land Mines

Here's a neat story. Oh, I know that the UMC does a lot of charitable work, but there's something extra-special nice about our apportionment dollars being used to protect innocent people from landmines.

The Detergent Church

I like Dr. Mike's idea for a new church.

Cat People...

...are weird. Via Jeff.

Just War v. Pacifism Debate

There's are a couple dialogs going on in the Methodist blogosphere right now about Christian views on war, over at Richard Hall's blog and Jonothan Norman's blog. Join in and share your perspective.

Librarians are Genocidal Maniacs...But Worse!

We librarians don't have the best image among the professions -- stuffy, crabby, and technologically obsolete are the common archetypes. But now the Minneapolis Public Library is advocating the trade by reminding patrons that Mao Zedong, one of the most bloodthirsty dictators in human history, was once a librarian. Lileks via Reynolds:

The Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library – a group presumably formed to combat the work of their tireless foes, the Enemies of the Minneapolis Public Library – has a new ad campaign out to hype next year’s opening of the new downtown library. One side of the poster has a big picture of Mao; beneath him, it says, well, MAO. On the other side, a picture of the new library, with the letters MPL, for Minneapolis Public Library. From the Skyway News article on the campaign:

“What’s the connection? China sports the world’s third largest economy, while the library claims the nation’s third largest collection of books (per capita.)

“It’s a stretch, and a little weird, but it made us look, and that’s the point.”

Hmm. I’m curious: how many people do you have to kill, and how many books do you have to destroy, before you’re no longer a benign historical image to be used in a “clever” ad campaign? The campaign also features J. Edgar Hoover and Batgirl, because they, like Mao, were librarians at some point in their lives. “Mao Tse-Tung became a convert to Marxism while working as a librarian at Beijing University prior to launching a communist revolution in China,” the article explains.

Next up: Stalin shills for the church! Hey, he was a seminarian, once. See, it’s funny and clever when they didn’t kill anyone you know. Criminey.

Stalin was in seminary? Sheesh. I'm going from one horrible profession to another.

I've done some websearching, and looked through the periodicals database Infotrac (subscription only), and can locate no source to verify what Lileks is saying. Nothing. Lileks has always proven honest before, but before we start screaming at the Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library, let's get some verification.

In the meantime, I'll be taking night classes at the Hitler School for the Fine Arts.

Generic Blog Post

Refined to a high art, by Jim Treacher.

Warning: Comments have foul language.

UPDATE: Link fixed.

Methodist Blogs Weekly Roundup # 10

Here's the week in review in the Methodist blogosphere:

Dave Warnock critiqued Sun Ray Server software, caught blogger Tim Ray time travelling, and disdained the election manifesto of the British National Party. He also wrote favorably of a new wiki program, the Methodist Church issuing a statement against racism, investing in BlogShares, and improvements made to Wikipedia. And again, he also wrote about a number of computer technology issues completely over my head.

James Gibson celebrated his first blogoversary, found hilarity in the Left's reaction to Benedict XVI, and blogged about the possible alliance between the UMC and ELCA, how revolutionary the Gospel message was and is, and eulogized Diane Knippers.

Chris Arveson returned to the blogosphere after a month-long absence. He blogged about the allure of convenience and the good and bad effects of guilt.

Beth Quick went to the General Board of Church and Society spring meeting (Best of the Methodist blogosphere!) and blogged about it. She also wrote humorously about the addictive affects of e-mail, Earth Day, a new UMC newsfeed, and the election of the new Pope.

Ken Carter blogged about Earth Day and a book about racism and murder in North Carolina.

Theresa Coleman wrote about the exhaustion that is ministry and seminary, catblogged, and wrote about a dramatic reading of Genesis 1 and John 1 and poured jokes on Pope Toast. Theresa also had a lengthy posts about helping older women be content, wisdom gleaned from chicken salad and (Best of the Methodist blogosphere!) what she has learned in Contextual Education. Theresa wrote about her Meyers Briggs test and the new pope.

David of ConXian wrote about a film called The Meatrix, a legal settlement between Iliff and its former president, and praying through the Lectio Divina.

Jordon Cooper preached his 500th sermon and wrote about the growth of Canadian liberal bloggers, the portable Play Station, AdScam, how the US could wean itself off of oil and Canadian reactions to the new pope.

Donald Sensing wrote about religious tolerance in Islam, the Business Week story on blogging, comparisons between Bush and FDR, the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, a debate on conscription, shopping for digital cameras, drying up the Iraqi insurgency, the value of interreligious dialogs, American private donations for tsunami relief, discovering Wes Magruder's blog, Schwarzenegger calling for closing the U.S.-Mexican border, the moral and doctrinal challenge of Benedict XVI. There's probably more that Sensing blogged about, but his archive function isn't working at the moment.

Pen of Gutless Pacifist blogged about Africa Malaria Day and compared Tom DeLay to Britney Spears.

At Connexions, Richard Hall wrote about the shrinking Antarctic glaciers, Hollywood and violence, prison as a holy place, a new blog on Christian environmentalism, and the Methodist Church and the Gambling Act.

Gavin Richardson blogged about what the Desert Fathers had to say about materialism, the Rapture which apparently I missed, the new blog map generator, the Virgin Mary appearing in an underpass, and the new pope.

Gregory Lee wrote about how sin can creep up on you.

Jay Voorhees blogged about the appointment system in the UMC and the Emergent movement.

The Methodist returned from a lengthly hiatus from the blogosphere and blogged about the death of his dog.

Methotaku wrote about leaving the UMC for the Episcopal Church, the formation of a homosexual Christians' group at UTA, and the new pope. She also blogged about anime, but I'm not sufficiently familiar with the field to summarize it.

Chris Morgan blogged about how important it is to learn the basics of the Christian faith (Best of the Methodist blogosphere!), God's relationship with nature, and the new pope.

Wes Magruder wrote about making Methodist materials available in French.

Raymond Rooney asked whether Christians are selling the Gospel or cultural conformity.

Jonothan Norman wrote an eloquent prayer here (Best of the Methodist blogosphere!). He also wrote about war from a Methodist prospective, the itinerancy system, and an Episcopal priest becoming a druid.

Scandal of Particularity wrote about teaching Wesleyan thought to teens, the balance between the needs of accurate doctrine vs. social justice here and here. At least, I think that's what she's saying -- I'm too sleepy and brainfuzzy to be sure. She also wrote about the new pope.

Greg Hanson blogged about the importance of praying for government officials.

Cole Wakefield wrote that you can be anti-Pope and not anti-Catholic, compared life in Tennessee and Arkansas, SoulForce taking on Focus on the Family, and popeblogs here, here, here, here, and here.

Shane Raynor blogged about Wal-Mart, Methodist boycotts, the new pope's theology, the proposed union between the UMC and the ELCA, the death of Diane Knippers, and why the UMC should switch to the TNIV translation.

Do you know of a blog that should be added to the MBWR? Leave a note in the comments.

Defining Theology

As I've mentioned before, it bothers me that Calvinists insist on referring to their perspective as Reformed or Reformation theology. It suggests that the Arminian viewpoint has no grounding Reformation history, which is historically ludicrous.

In response, I propose that we Arminians start referring to our perspective as Biblical Theology. Just to tweak those Calvies.

Who Are We Impressing?

In preparation for an ongoing Bible study on Hosea, I ran across this profound statement in Chapter 5, verse 11:

Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment,
Because he was determined to follow man's command.

How easy it is to care more about what other people think, than what God thinks. As a ministry candidate, I feel this temptation often. Am I acting in the service of the Lord, or am I trying to impress people? It is a delicate and difficult balance.

The Left is Not Anti-Religious

I am getting really tired of the rightwing fundies lying about how the Democratic Party and American liberalism have turned against Christians and other people of faith. Mike Whitney has more:

Marx was wrong. Religion isn’t the “opium of the masses”. Its effects are never that benign. No, religion is a shackle clasped to the mind of man, keeping him from utilizing the one thing that lifts him above the primordial swamp of fear and superstition; his inquiring mind.

Oh, wait -- wrong article.

UPDATE: Sloppy grammar fixed.

Corruption in Wal-Mart

AP brings us the story of a federal grand jury investigating Wal-Mart for misusing money to root out pro-union activity within the company.

While in library school, I worked for three years in a Wal-Mart warehouse. For unskilled labor, the pay was good -- I left making $15.50 an hour. But it was a deeply corrupt organization. The essential problem was that every worker was held accountable to certain statistical standards, such as production and accuracy. Most critically, production -- the number of cases, pallets, or whatever, moved per hour. The problem was that the required quotas were so high that everyone cheated on production every day -- you simply couldn't hope to make production (and keep your job) if you were honest. There was one day that I did not cheat on production (this was long before I became a Christian), but that was under bizarre circumstances.

Anyway, it was possible to get caught turning in phony numbers, so workers came up with cunning methods of making their deceptions hard to detect and prove. In fact, because the quotas were so high, workers entered the warehouse every day with one thought on their minds: "How can I most effectively lie today?"

As you can imagine, once lying becomes the primary concern, it can become a rapidly unpleasant workplace. The internal numbers were all phony, and the management knew it. For one thing, it would seem odd that the truckers reported that, let's say, 10,000,000 cases entered the warehouse in a certain month, and 20,000,000 were processed internally, and 30,000,000 left the building on a certain month. For another, most of the managers had risen through the ranks, and were accomplished cheaters in their own right.

So I suspect that at some point in the future, Wal-Mart will implode in an Enron-like fashion, because many of the accounting numbers are fake -- at least in the distribution side of the company.

Friday Rabbit Blogging

Sunny, our Papillon puppy, thinks that he is a rabbit. Yes, that is a real carrot that he is munching on. He also enjoys timothy hay and Purina Rabbit Chow.

Benedict XVI = Hitler

Or so says this goober.

Episcopal priest leaves for Druids

Via St. Phransus, in The Philadelphia Inquirer:

An Episcopal priest who resigned from a Downingtown church last fall after his ties to a Druid society were made public has renounced his Episcopal ordination and become a Druid priest.

W. William Melnyk, former rector of St. James' Episcopal Church, has formed the Llynhydd Grove of the Druid Order of the Yew, which he is leading under his Druid name, OakWyse.

In a phone interview yesterday, Melnyk called his move "a joyous occasion."

The involvement of Melnyk and his wife, the Rev. Glyn Ruppe-Melnyk - also an Episcopal priest - in New Age activities came to light in October, when two Druidic liturgies attributed to them were posted on the Episcopal Church's national Web site as a model of feminist liturgies.

Why am I unsurprised by this story?

And I Want My Own Pope Hat

The owner of the domain name BenedictXVI.com has a few demands before he turns the site over to the Vatican.

Hat tip: Acrentropy

Smarter Than I (3)

The next edition of the Smarter Than I blog carnival is being hosted by Pseudo-Polymath.

This carnival is different from others, because you submit other people's posts in admiration. And although the carnival draws in a wide variety of bloggers, I find it to be a very Christian effort:

33They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, "What were you discussing on the way?"
34But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.
35Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, "If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."
36Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them,
37"Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me."

Entries are due by April 26th.

The Methodist Left and Schism

There is a schismatic movement among theological conservatives in the United Methodist Church. Coming from the conservative end, I can certainly understand why.

What I wonder is, why isn't the Left interested? I mean, surely they must be tired of dealing with us backward retard conservatives dragging down the church. Wouldn't they be happier without these constant fights over homosexual clergy and whatnot? Wouldn't they perfer a denomination where their beliefs were orthodox?

It's the Orthodoxy, Stupid!

Via Stones Cry Out, Mark D. Roberts provides an eloquent smack-down of Benedict XVI's detractors:

I say this as someone who, were I a Roman Catholic, would be quickly dismissed from an official church teaching position. My views on many things (ecclesiology, papacy, sacraments, grace) are way too Protestant for a Roman Catholic teacher. But, given what I believe and teach, I would hope that I wouldn't expect to receive authorization from the Catholic church to advocate clearly non-Catholic doctrines.

I operate in a denomination that allows for much greater freedom of conscience in many things than the Roman Catholic Church. But even I have promised to uphold the basics of the Christian faith as it's understood in the Reformed tradition. If I were to reject these basics, to teach, for example, that salvation can be found apart from Jesus Christ, then I could lose my right to speak as a Presbyterian pastor. Yet I don't resent this sort of accountability. In fact, I would argue that if I ever were to teach that Christ is my savior but not the Savior of the world, then I should be removed from my office as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian church. Actually, I hope I would have the decency to remove myself before others had to do the dirty work for me.

Read the whole piece. It reflects my opinion of the theological Left of the United Methodist Church. When they espouse universal salvation and polytheism (I won't get into the homosexuality issue because I consider it to be less alarming), they shouldn't be surprised when they are defrocked or otherwise condemned by Bible-reading Methodists. Definitionally, they have ceased to be Christian in any debatable way. When they deny core tenets of the Christian faith, let alone orthodox Methodist beliefs as expressed in The Book of Discipline, they should expect a response of outrage and schism. Their surprise is either feigned, or demonstrates a profound underlying stupidity.

UPDATE: James Lileks expresses the same sentiment in Wednesday's Bleat (HT: LGF):

The selection of Ratzinger was initially heartening, simply because he made the right people apoplectic. I’m still astonished that some can see a conservative elevated to the papacy and think: a man of tradition? As Pope? How could this be? As if there this was some golden moment that would usher in the age of married priests who shuttle between blessing third-trimester abortions and giving last rites to someone who’s about to have the chemical pillow put over his face. At the risk of sounding sacreligious: it’s the Catholic Church, for Christ’s sake! You’re not going to get someone who wants to strip off all the Baroque ornamentation of St. Peter’s and replace them with IKEA wine racks, okay?

I have my doctrinal differences with the Catholic church as well; I understand the reasons for requiring priestly celibacy, but I don’t agree with them. I don’t agree with many Catholic positions on issues regarding sexuality. Growing up Lutheran, I was gently guided away from the clanging errancy of Maryolatry. Because I disagree with the Catholic Church on these and a few other matters, I am– how do I put this? – NOT CATHOLIC. Hence I am always amazed by people who want the church to accommodate their thoughts, their new beliefs, their precarious and ingenious rationales, instead of ripping themselves from the bosom and seeking a congregation that doesn't make them feel like a heretic banging thier head on Filarete's doors.

And via Jeff the Baptist, Frank J's hilarious take.

Me Likey New Pope

Benedict XVI:

Christianity is not "our" work; it is a Revelation; it is a message that has been consigned to us, and we have no right to reconstruct it as we like or choose. [emphasis added]

Hat tip: Frank J.

A Liberal Responds to Pope Benedict XVI

Andrew Sullivan on the election of the new Pope:

It's not simply a continuation of John Paul II. It's a full-scale attack on the reformist wing of the church. The swiftness of the decision and the polarizing nature of this selection foretell a coming civil war within Catholicism. The space for dissidence, previously tiny, is now extinct. And the attack on individual political freedom is just beginning. [emphasis added]

Really, Mr. Sullivan? Is someone forcing you to stay in the Catholic Church?

Hat tip: Instapundit

Morally Conservative and Politically Libertarian

That's what I am. Edward C. Feser says that it is an illogical position:

Suppose you're a contractarian libertarian. Then you think that all moral rules derive, roughly, from what all rational agents would agree to. But not everyone would agree to redistribution, so that can't be morally required. And not all people would agree either to rules against prostitution, smoking crack, etc.—which means these things can't be considered wrong either. So, not only should there be no law against them, but they can't be regarded even as immoral. This sort of libertarianism is therefore strictly incompatible with moral conservatism. And some libertarians who take the contractarian approach (e.g. Jan Narveson) explicitly acknowledge this.

Feser is being slippery here, but like many conservative critics of libertarianism, he's confusing libertarianism and libertinism. I agree that prostitution and smoking crack are wrong. I also think that gorging on Twinkies all day and engaging in pre-marital sex are wrong. Furthermore, I think that worshipping gods other than the one true God revealed in Scripture is morally wrong, since it contradicts God's commandments.

However, it does not directly harm me if another person sells his body for sex, smokes crack, eats a horrendous diet of junk food, or bows down before false gods. Since he, as an individual, has absolute soverignty over his own life, it is his right to engage in immoral behavior.

My values extend to my own self, and do not force themselves on others. That's good, because in a society where it is acceptable to force my values on others, other people could force their values on me. The consequence might be that I could be forced to commit prostitution, take drugs, and worship false gods because in a politically conservative society, we've legitimized the use of force to enact social change.

But anyway, Feser is talking about libertinism, which is a moral philosophy that says that there are no moral limits to personal behavior. Libertarianism, however, is exclusively a political philosophy which limits the use of force in a society. It is morally silent.

Now suppose your libertarianism is grounded instead in some sort of Aristotelian or natural law moral theory. Then our rights derive from the role they play in helping us to flourish as rational social animals, fulfill our natural end, or something of that sort. But in that case it is very hard to see how there could, strictly speaking, be a right to do what is contrary to moral virtue. If we grant, for example, that smoking crack is contrary to virtue, and that rights only exist insofar as they facilitate our ability to master the virtues, then there can be no such thing as a right to smoke crack. There may, of course, nevertheless be all sorts of prudential reasons why we might wonder whether it is a good idea to have government forbid or regulate drug use. But what we can’t say in this case is what libertarians usually want to say—that a government that forbade you to smoke crack would be violating your rights. And this is, indeed, why many libertarians don’t like Aristotelian and natural law approaches to arguing for rights—they fear that such attempts, if followed out consistently, will end up denying that we can really have a right to many things libertarians want to claim we have a right to. [emphasis added]

Feser is arguing that the morality of a chosen action and the practicality of it are philosophically separable. This is his key premise, and it is wrong. After all, we say that smoking crack is immoral because it leads to the death of the crackhead. We say that casual sex is immoral because it leads to STDs and a loss of intimacy between husband and wife. We say that worshipping false gods is immoral because it leads to damnation. We premise moral right and wrong based upon the practical implications of moral and immoral actions. And, in the same vein, we say that an individual has a right to rule of his own body and property because the practical implications of ignoring these rights leads to totalitarianism.

So in a libertarian society, we ask "Which morals should be compelled through the use of government force, and which shall not?" The answer is that government will enforce moral standards on actions which impact nonconsenting adults.

Now this raises all sorts of questions, but it will suffice to make the point. I would argue that any attempt to give a moral foundation to libertarianism (e.g. utilitarian, Lockean) will inevitably end up either favoring moral conservatism to such an extent that it fails to count as genuinely “libertarian” at all (since it will end up denying that we can, strictly speaking, have a “right” to do many of the things libertarians want to claim we have a right to), or it will succeed in being genuinely libertarian, but in a way that rules out the possibility of moral conservatism. In short, there is no coherent way to be both morally conservative and strictly libertarian. “Fusionism,” the attempt to fuse libertarianism and conservatism, is incoherent—whatever my younger self might have said to the contrary. You can still be a conservative who strongly favors the free market and severe limitations on government power. And you can, as a conservative, doubt for pragmatic reasons whether paternalistic regulations are a good idea. But no conservative can hold that it is strictly an injustice to outlaw what is immoral, that there is “a right to do what is wrong.” You cannot be both a conservative and a libertarian. [emphasis added]

I can. Now, once again, my moral conservativism is fused directly with my Christian faith. I have sinned, and sinned greviously. For the most part, I hurt myself with this sin, flailing about in immorality. Before I became a Christian, I had pre-marital sex. I'm glad that I didn't go to jail for it. I even once visited a go-go bar. I'm glad that I didn't go to jail for it. I drank. I'm glad that I didn't go to jail for it. I smoked a hookah. I'm glad that I didn't go to jail for it. I was disrespectful, even rude, to my parents. I'm glad that I didn't go to jail for it.

What do all of these sins have in common? Besides, of course, being morally wrong, they only affected myself and consenting adults. God worked these sins out of me, and I would have been outraged if anyone else had interfered, let alone punish me, for what went on between me, other consenting adults, and God was my business alone. And rightfully so, because the society that punishes private, personal sins, will lock up everyone.

Is this the world that political conservatives want?

I would add that if you are morally conservative, you should advocate a libertarian polity if no other reason than to maintain your own liberties when you are out of power. If you have a conservative government that enforces conservative moral values, all well in good. But the consequence is that it valides the notion that one of the purposes of government is to enforce personal morality. Later, this government is out of power, and a liberal/libertine one is in charge. It compels you to engage in immoral personal activity in large part because of the political foundation that you have built.

Smarter Than I

The new edition of the Smarter Than I Carnival is up at L'esprit d'escalier.

Nevermind Ghandi

Glenn Reynolds has a lengthly and regularly updated post up this morning in response to a columnist who thinks that America should not be leading the charge for democracy:


This is a country that 40 years ago restricted the right to vote, use public facilities or eat in restaurants to some of its citizens. It's a country with a long-standing record of supporting autocratic regimes and dictatorships and overthrowing democratically elected government officials around the world.

When did the United States become the chief exporter of democracy to the Arab world?
Sorry, bloggers. When it comes to regime change and nation-building, I can't follow the wisdom of Bush and his crew. I lean more toward the words of a real straight shooter, Mohandas Gandhi:

"The spirit of democracy cannot be imposed from without. It has to come from within."

Reynolds then goes on to debunk the silly Ghandi analogy (which I've written about in the comments here). I'll focus Brown's dripping contempt for America, which is just another sign of the hated that many on the Left has for our country, and why they can never again be trusted with the reins of political power.

Methodist Blogs Weekly Roundup # 9

Here's the week in review in the Methodist blogosphere:

Dave Warnock blogged about a new variant of HTML for theological writers, buying a new cell phone, recumbent bicycling, a new newsfeed for the British Methodist Church, online formatting for hymns, downloadable free fonts, and a whole heap of technological issues so far beyond me that I can't even summarize them.

James Gibson critiqued popular eschatology (of the Left Behind variety), delegitimizing debate in the Anglican community, and posted an open letter from conservative Episcopalians about the conservatives priests in Connecticut who refuse to recognize their Bishop.

Beth Quick posted an open letter regarding the controversy within the United Methodist Women's Division. She also quoted 1 Peter 3:15-16a, and asked readers how they defend their hope in Christ. She wrapped up her blogging for the week by pointing John Wesley's journals, now available in blog form.

David at ConXian is adopting a child.

Jordon Cooper critiqued the Liberal Canadian government. He also asserts that being effective in evangelism means getting involved in people's lives. Cooper also exposed his dirty secrets, criticized leadership training in churches and seminaries, and expressed his fondness of former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

Donald Sensing blogged about new developments in Gwen Shamblin's cult, shopping for digitial cameras, photos of terrorist activity in Iraq here and here, the University of Tennessee's football program, and downplayed fears of a new theocracy in America. Sensing also updated his comments policy, wrote about what it's like being a soldier returning home, differentiated between evangelicisim, dominionism, and theonomy.

Pen of Gutless Pacifist accounced that his baby girl is now walking.

Grandma Jean said that Christians need to live openly as Christians in all aspects of their public lives.

At Connexions, Richard Hall blogged about using worldview filters to read the news, starting a blogging autograph book, providing free national health care, President Bush's iPod, and changes in liturgical language. Joel wrote about his position on eschatology.

Gavin Richardson blogged about contemporary worship vs. traditional worship, his brother in Iraq giving out beanie babies to children in Iraq, the spiritual discipline of reading, the irony of life in Tennessee, and picking up chicks at Wal-Mart.

Jay Voorhees wrote about a new Methodist podcast and how emerging computer technology has revolutionized how people get their news.

John Wilks asserted that Jesus has compassion and love for us, but still wants us to turn from sin. He also blogged about having the courage and faith to answer Jesus' call and the simplicity of the Gospel.

Wes Magruder visited a Pygmy community in Cameroon.

Jonathon Norman wrote that a spiritual retreat means more than being physically alone.

Jennifer of Scandal of Particularity is now halfway through her pregnancy. She also wrote more on the Archbishop of Canterbury's views on the Resurrection.

Greg Hanson asked readers how to overcome mistrust of Christians trying to serve in the community. He also wrote that Christians involved in politics need to be 'for' things, and not just 'against' everything, and compared the shining light of God to the flashlights used by charaters on the TV show CSI.

Dean Snyder wrote about the worldwide governance of the UMC, the UMC's position on homosexuality, and that the Resurrection story presented in Luke.

At Web Parish, Gary Webb described the time between Easter and Pentecost as a spiritual threshold.

Shane Raynor blogged about the NCC suggesting that the next Pope be more concerned with 'social justice', sinful lifestyles among evangelicals, getting the UMC to move past the homosexuality debate, the Central Pennsylvania Conference promoting alternatives to abortion, and Bill Moyers writing for UM Reporter.

Cole Wakefield now has a radio show. He also blogged about God speaking to Jesse Duplantis and changing the purpose of his blog.

Gregory Lee warned readers to keep their mouths shut and defined Christian worship.

Theresa Coleman directed readers to a fun quiz on American English dialects, catblogged, took a stand on eschatology, and argued that a lot of theological debate in the blogosphere is egotistical (Best of the Methodist Blogosphere!) posturing.

Chris of Assembled Reflections reminded readers the importance of finding God time in their daily lives, blogged about a Biblical position on taxation and the recognition that God has for each individual.

Upper Room Ministries' blog wrote about what God wants us to know about death, fasting from e-mail and other unusual Lenten practices, and the 70th birthday of the Upper Room.

Do you know of a blog that should be added to the MBWR? Leave a note in the comments.

UPDATE: Misunderstood post of Dean Snyder's corrected.

Teaching Obadiah

The Book of Obadiah does not lend itself to ready Biblical instruction, yet the discerning Bible study leader can find a lesson within it if the class is sufficiently patient. Thankfully, my Friday morning group permits me to experiment with more obtuse and off-the-wall Bible studies. If some passage or theme that I am trying to pull out falls flat, then they talk about golf.

But back to Obadiah. When presenting Obadiah, also bring in Proverbs 24:17-18, Proverbs 17:5, and and Job 31: 29-30. The central, teachable theme in this one-shot Bible study is not to rejoice when your enemies suffer, which is Obadiah's main indictment against the Edomites.

Here are the study questions and notes that I place on the distributed Bible study, which can be shoehorned into two legal-sized sheets of paper:

(v.3) The Edomites are heavily fortified in caves and mountain fortresses. They are safe and secure – even from the vengeance of the Lord. Or so they think. What leads a man to think that he is immune from the judgement of the Lord – that God cannot or will not harm him?

(v.6) ‘hidden treasures’ -- ancient pagan sources confirm that the Edomites hid their valuables in rocky crags to avoid capture in case their villages and forts fell to enemy hands.

(v.7) “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Oops! Allying with the Babylonians didn’t work out very well for the Edomites, as Obadiah prophesied. Have you ever made an alliance with a wicked person, and you suffered for it?

(v.11) This verse, although not Messianic prophesy, is similar to what would happen to Jesus.

What warning do you see in Edom’s examples about how we should not respond to other people’s misfortunes?

Keep Your Hands Off Her Breasts!

Jacob Sullum:

For decades members of the National Organization for Women and other groups that support abortion rights have been urging politicians to "keep your hands off our bodies!" Today women who want to enhance their appearance with silicone breast implants can justly turn this slogan against NOW, which is pro-choice on abortion but anti-choice on cosmetic surgery.

NOW President Kim Gandy says the controversy over whether the Food and Drug Administration should allow wider use of silicone breast implants, which are currently limited mainly to reconstructive surgery following mastectomies, is about "science and medicine." But while science can tell us (in theory) what risks the implants pose, it cannot tell us whether the risks are justified.

Different women will answer that question differently, depending upon their values, tastes, and circumstances. In sharp contrast with its position on abortion, however, NOW argues that they should not be allowed to do so. [empahsis added]

Not suprising. NOW is no longer concerned with women being free to rule their own lives, but only compelling women to conform to their image of the modern woman.

More Terri Schiavo Opportunism

Shame on the Republican staffer for Sen. Mel Martinez who suggested taking advantage of the Terri Schiavo case for political advantage. And now shame on DNC Chair Howard Dean for doing likewise:

"We're going to use Terri Schiavo later on," Dean said of the brain-damaged Floridian who died last month amid a swarm of political controversy after her feeding tube was removed.

Hat tip: Prof. Bainbridge.

Your (Idaho) Tax Dollars at Work

Live in Idaho? I bet that you're proud of your state legislature, and the tax dollars that you shell out every year so that members can sweat out important pieces of legislation like this one.

Hat tip: Oxblog

The Inconvenience Store

Rev. Ed has a masterpiece up on his blog, reminding readers that Christian service is sometimes inconvenient and unrewarding. But we still have to do it:

We have placed such a value on convenience in our culture. But why? I think the answer is plain. It's selfishness. We do not want to give away anything, or at least not anything that will hurt us in any way. Our comfort reigns. Give up cable TV and instead give the money to a homeless shelter? Unthinkable! Stop doing some expensive hobby to volunteer time for evangelism? Are you nuts? How dare anyone ask us to give up our convenience... our comfort... our excess.

But that's just what Jesus asked us to do. He who tries to save his life will lose it. Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow. You know. Those verses we tend to blow right past without looking at them. Jesus told us to put our selfish desires to death, but that's oh, so hard to do. But if the only love we show to our neighbor costs us nothing, is that love really and truly love?

Read the whole thing.

China Begs Japan to Develop Nuclear Weapons

At least, that's how I'm interpreting these stories.

Are Evangelicals Really so Awful?

Shayne Raynor links to a Christianity Today article on widespread divorce, premarital sex, and racism among evangelical Christians. The conclusions are premised on recent surveys by Gallup and Barna. Raynor notes:

Before some of my conservative readers try to spin this as polling bias, save your keystrokes. Because even if all these numbers were improved by half, I'd still be embarrassed. Sadly, the modern evangelical movement in many places has become a brokerage for fire insurance. United Methodists are guilty of it too, although we have less of an excuse because we have holiness and discipleship in our heritage, so we know better than to focus only on "walk the aisle" Christianity. For all of its good points, we need to face the fact that modern evangelicalism has created more than its share of shallow Christians.

Agreed. But I've done some research and have found the polling methodology to be curious. Gallup lets you get a 30-day free trial registration, so sign up and let's have a look at the numbers.

First, what is an evangelical? There are lots of definitions going around. Donald Sensing defines evangelicism as:

...a theology that holds the greatest imperative for a Christian is to lead others to confess personal faith in Jesus Christ as risen Lord and savior. Its primary fealty is to Christ personally rather to his ethical propositions or moral examples. Evangelicalism insists that human sins have been fully and eternally remitted by the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection by the power of God. Hence, all persons who “believe in their hearts that Jesus was raised from the dead and confess with their mouths that Jesus is Lord will be saved,” to slightly paraphrase Saint Paul’s teaching in Romans 10.

This is a theological definition. But evangelicals, in the sense that Gallup and Barna are using, are a social cohort -- a group of individuals with common and discrete characteristics. I preface with this distinction because I think that an evangelical, in the sociological sense, is someone who is strongly culturally tied to a church.

So how do Gallup and Barna identify evangelicals? Gallup defines it as someone who has had a 'born again' experience. Theologically, I agree. But if that self-identified person does not show up to church at least once a week, I do not think that he could be defined sociologically as an evangelical or, better put, a member of the evangelical culture. Gallup says that 41% of Americans self-identify as evangelical. Maybe so, but 41% of Americans aren't showing up to church on a weekly basis. Barna defined the Christians within their sample as those who have "accepted Jesus Christ as their savior"...and that's it, no other identifiers. So Gallup and Barna are theologically correct in their defintion, but not sociologically correct.

Another Gallup survey says that 41% of Americans claim to attend church at least once a week, which I find unbelievable. I would have placed weekly church attendance down lower, at perhaps 20%, with regional variations. I may be falling into the "Nobody I know voted for Nixon" fallacy, but I've never lived in a community with such high church attendance, and I'm from the Deep South. However, this number does support Gallup's conclusion about evangelicals and demonstrated morality.

All of this is not to say that divorce, premarital sex, and other moral problems do not exist for evangelicals, possibly even at the levels that Christianity Today is talking about. But I think that the polling methodology was sufficiently flawed as to call into doubt the conclusions being drawn.

Homosexuality and the UMC

A new liberal Methodist blogger, Dean Snyder, wants to start a conversation about the UMC's position on homosexuality:

A significant factor in thinking this through is the question of whether Leviticus or the Apostle Paul understood that there is such a thing as sexual orientation, which is innate and established by nature.

These questions need further discussion and attention.

Happy Grandfather

Send your congratulations to Peter Bogert on the birth of his granddaughter.

This Would Have Been Handy in College

Heh.

Friday Rabbit Blogging

...on Thursday. Because I'll probably be absent from the blogosphere tomorrow. Anyway, this is Inlehain, my 2-year old Mini Lop mix buck.


UPDATE: I would like to add that I am rabbit blogging even though Shane Raynor hates it. Maybe even because he hates it.

Ordering the Blogosphere

Frank J:

Few people disagree that the blogosphere is a very big thing - at least of those who heard of it. While liberal blogs suck and no one cares about them, right wing blogs are very important and influence the news and are read by big important people. Why, President Bush is probably reading this right now (Hey, Dubya!). Since the blogosphere is so important and so influential, a leader must emerge.

That leader should be me.

[snip]

Not like a president, though; that's so last century. It needs an overlord who will reward what is good and crush what is bad, bringing order to the blogododecahedron. He will wear a cape and a helmet with spikes and all will fear him. Also, he should have blog thugs - or "blugs" - at his disposal to beat up any who fall out of the order.

I should be this overlord.

We should have an election. My campaign slogan will be: "Frank J. for blog overlord - because he told you so!" And that's what an overlord should be like - he should just command things to be done.

Yea! I hereby endorse my Dear Leader, Frank J. Fleming, for blog Overlord! Where do I send the campaign contributions?

On second thought, no election; I declare myself overlord now. I know ninjitsu and will fight to the death anyone who dares say I am not overlord.

Oh...nevermind then.

Now that I rule the blogododecahedron, no blogs shall be recognized unless I recognize them. But I am also too busy to read other blogs or be bothered by them, so I'll need people under me to approve blogs and report back to me. Each shall be fierce himself and secretly plot to overthrow me and become overlord - though I am too smart for that. These people will be known as the blog... uh... well, I'll come up with a cool name for them later. Everyone else will be known as my minions.

Well, I had a minor in Minioning as an undergrad. Still, I'd rather be promoted into Backstabbing Functionary or Devious Lieutenant. Or maybe something in the Accounting Department. Of course, I'd still like to 'Blug' on the side.

All hail Blog Overlord Frank J. and spread the word of my coming!

Where's the Outrage?

In the comments, Jeff the Baptist writes on the subject of overreaching federal judges:

The activist federal judge is the "big man" villian of the western in any case. He has the system working for him so he doesn't need to whoop or holler, he just sends his hired guns out to execute his desires with orders from his bench.

The root of this problem is that it has become politically acceptable in American society at large to ignore the plain text of the U.S. Constitution, which strictly limits the powers of the federal government. Since the so-called Progressive Era, the American people have expected the feds to intrude into every sector of public and private life without the task of passing a Constitutional amendment to permit such an expansion. The President and Congress have done it for a century. Now the judges are moving into this racket. Let's not be surprised that they can get away with it -- the American people love Big Brother, or else we wouldn't even have Social Security, Medicare, and the Department of Education, let alone talk about reforming them.

Bottom line: fillibuster nominations, impeach wild judges, whatever. These are not real cures because they do not address the actual problem: Americans (in general) no longer believe in limited government.

Scripture of the Day

Here's a gem buried in the Minor Prophets:

7Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams,
In ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts,
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God?

The Christian Store

Joe Carter has a good post on the commercialization of Christianity:

When I walk through Lifeway or Family Christian stores I avert my gaze from the figurines and paintings so that I will have minimal exposure to Christian kitsch. I carefully arrange my life so that I can avoid exposure to Scripture Candy or Bibleman action figures. But today the dastardly Tgrish from Lean Left sent me a link to a story about the foot-tall Jesus doll which can “recite five Biblical verses at the push of button on its back.” I had just recovered from the Jesus-scented candles; I didn’t need anything else to get my blood boiling.

While you're at it, read this hilarious satire on the subject.

9 Types of Girlfriends

Via Stephen Green comes the definative list of girlfriend archetypes (scroll down). Although I am with a Ms. Dreamgirl design now, I have also had a long and brutal experience with a Ms. Vaguely Dissatisfied/Woman from Mars hybrid. Well thank God (literally) that that single nonsense is out of the way. I couldn't be happier now, and I only wish that I had met my wife at age 17, instead of 27.

A Sense of Proportion

On the NRO today:

Last time I checked, activist federal judges weren't riding into towns on horseback, whoopin' and a-hollerin', burning crosses on lawns and lynching folks for no good reason.

I bring this up for the benefit of James Dobson, who needs to spend a couple minutes breathing into a brown paper bag before he does his next radio show.

It's not just the consistent piercing insight, but his rhetorical flourish, that makes Jonah Goldberg the best columnist writing today.

Interview: Randy Watters (expert on the Jehovah's Witnesses)

Indulging in my fascination with cults, I have interviewed Randy Watters, the President of Free Minds, Inc., an organization devoted to combating the cult known as Jehovah's Witnesses. Here are the results:

1. What is the purpose of Free Minds?

I think the most honest answer to that question is, “TO HELP STOP THE ABUSE.” I have no reason to be bitter against anyone, but I DO have strong principles. One is to respect others as equal human beings, and to work within that realm of respect when matters are disputed. Most of all, TELL THE TRUTH! The abuse comes in many forms, including lying to their members, restricting what is read and certain behaviors that are normal to humans, as well as covering over sexual abuse.

I had no negative feelings about other Witnesses, just a very bad impression of the true cowardly nature of those on the Governing Body. I lost all respect for them forever, in much the way a child would lose respect for his dad if seeing him sexually abuse another child. They were chronic abusers of people. THAT is my main message, if one could say that I had a "main" message. STOP the abuse!

2. How would you reason with a Jehovah's Witness who knocks on your door?

First of all, I would (not) turn a Jehovah’s Witness (away) from my door! Instead, I would ask to hear more. When a person turns a Jehovah’s Witness away from their door, they are only allowing that fellow human being to walk away continuing to walk in darkness, and most of all, they continue to be abused by the Watchtower Society.

In summary to this question, a most effective technique to cause the JW to reexamine what he has been taught is to ask him how the Governing Body interprets the Bible. Since they do not tell their followers what procedure they use, the JW will be at a loss to comment. He can then be shown the proper technique of interpretation, and will be in a position to compare the two methods. He will find one to be arbitrary, the other logical and consistent.

From then on, he will be more able to research and investigate on his own, which will give him a good start to finding many deceptions which can lead to his freedom from the false interpretations of the Watchtower! The Internet “Information Corvette” seems to be moving to fast for the Watchtower’s liking!

3. What do you think about the allegations of widespread child sexual abuse among the Witnesses?

The Watchtower’s information shows without doubt something is terribly wrong in this matter. Their “Policies” present a danger to children within the organization as well as those who are met in the door to door work.

If the Governing Body really wishes to be a “faithful slave” they should move at ONCE to correct these mistakes and protect the children. Pedophiles within the Watchtower organization still hold positions in the congregations, as well as combing our neighborhoods therefore placing every child in danger!

The leadership is determined to give the public the impression that they are “God’s Organization” a safe haven from the world. However, the truth of the matter is far different as news media and court testimonies have shown!

4. Are the Witnesses a cult in decline or ascension?

Though the word "cult" may have several dictionary meanings, it is largely used to describe a religious organization that centers around a man or a group of men who claim to be God's exclusive channel of truth to the world. The nineteenth and twentieth centuries have seen an abundance of such groups, each with similar roots yet divergent paths. Groups such as the Mormons, the Worldwide Church of God and Jehovah's Witnesses all started with a man (or woman in other cases, such as Christian Science) rejecting Christianity in its historical context, and rejecting the churches as well. There are patterns to these groups, and some of these patterns are:

1.Rejection of the antinomies of Scripture.
2.Formulation of a simplified interpretation of Scripture.
3.A different basis for interpretation.
4.Followers of the leader(s) must recognize them as the modern day spokesman for God, or leave the group.
5.One's salvation must depend on belonging to the group.
6.The saving power and nature of Christ and the identity of the Holy Spirit is denied.
7.Freedom of thought is inhibited.

It is unfortunate that the Watchtower Society sets the standard for fine tuning every one of these patterns. Such organizations are, in effect, sealed in a course of history. All cults seem to go down the same road. In the end, the persecuted, if they grow, will become the persecutors. As the quest for power rears its ugly head, thousands will be discarded alongside the road, bringing great bloodguilt on the organization.

Recent statistics show that in many countries Jehovah’s Witnesses have shown absolutely (no) increase at all, and instead of the numbers of their anointed remnant declining according to Watchtower prophecy, the anointed seem to be growing which must be very upsetting to the Governing Body!

5. What can Christians do to help Witnesses leave the cult and recover?

You can begin by asking a question about the Watch Tower’s 1914 prediction and how they could answer that. They may have trouble at first, so walk them through the answer using the Society's literature, both older and newer publications.

By creating an environment of freedom to allow them a safe place to talk about anything and never be criticized. Give them what I had given myself in reading x-JW literature. Having read the book, Crisis of Conscience by Raymond Franz in the spring of 1989, I had many of my own concerns about the organization verified. What he wrote was right on the money.

Freedom to think, speak, and have their views and opinions valued is very important. This process takes time. It takes time and gentleness to allow them a safe place to think for themselves. You and I cannot think for them. If we try to, we will lose them to the Watch Tower organization or the world in general.

Questions and listening are principle keys to this effort. Offer them time, freedom to talk openly, value of their opinion, to think for themselves, and no pressure, or fear tactics, and most of all unconditional love!

Smarter Than I

Via Joe Carter, we have a new Carnival -- and in fact, a new kind of Carnival: Smarter Than I. Yes, we've all submitted posts to Carnivals in order to gain attention and traffic. Smarter Than I is different. You anonymously submit other people's posts.

Very clever. And very Christian.

I've already submitted an entry. I won't tell you who, of course.

Check out L’esprit d’escalier in a few days to see who has won.

Love = Free Trade

Scott Scheule compares love and trade policy:

Let’s imagine it in an economic sense, shall we? Let us say that putting barriers up between one’s self and others is precisely the same as raising tariffs. And let us take note of Ricardo’s basic arguments of comparative advantage. Trade barriers hurt both parties: they’re fine grains of economic balderdash. And so, if I close myself off, hide myself away from the people around me, then I not only hurt everyone else, I hurt myself. And, if I open up, we all gain.

Methodist Blogs Weekly Roundup #8

Dave Warnock took the denominational quiz circulating around the Christian blogosphere. He also blogged about privacy concerns with Google searching, taking his kids to a local science museum, and investing in BlogShares.

James Gibson wrote about Bishop Gene Robinson's recent remarks that Jesus might be gay, called Cain a sissy, and contemplated the death of the Pope. He also wrote about growing homosexualism in the ELCA, provided the text of two letters by Nigerian Archbishop Peter Akinola on the division between the ECUSA and the rest of the Anglican Communion, and rejoiced at his separation from the theological Left.

Beth Quick noted cognitive dissonance in a reading of the novel Les Miserables. She also provided a recipe for vegan chocolate chip cookies, noted the odd results of a recent survey on religion in American life and Maryland legislation requiring companies of a certain size to provide health care to employees.

David of ConXian went through a blizzard so terrible as to cancel church in Colorado!

Donald Sensing described democracy as an antibody to a clash of civilizations between the West and Islam. He quoted Orson Scott Card on what causes religions to rise and fall. Sensing linked to information on an anti-terror rally by Muslims in Washington, D.C, explained the advantage that potential fathers-in-law have if they are intelligence officers, and noted that John Paul II failed to understand that Islamic terrorists could not be reasoned with. Sensing noted that the culture of death has permeated modern sexuality, asserted that there was no significance in the handshake between Israeli and Syrian leaders at the Pope's funeral, and linked to (Best of the Methodist Blogosphere!) a horrendous computer problem. He described the defeat of the insurgency in Iraq and the pacifism of the Pope.

Pen of Gutless Pacifist blogged about the tendency to diefy mortal humans in funerals, overheard Gen-Xers reflecting on the death of the Pope, and compared the Papal succession process to the TV show Survivor.

Grandma Jean attempted to provide rational analysis on Catholic tradition regarding the Schiavo case.

At Connexions, Richard Hall described common ground between Muslims and Christians, noted spiritual hypocricy in mourning the Pope, confessed to being tired of the long Pope news cycle, and experimented with blogging via e-mail.

Gavin Richardson described the effect of blogging on his youth ministry, grappled with the danger that his brother faces in Iraq, and rejected the suggestion that Jesus is gay.

Wendy of Lakeland Community Church Blog noted that Jesus looks upon us with love and not condemnation.

John Wilks took the denomination test and found out that he's Anglican and described a Christian epistimology.

Wes Magruder photographed a clash of two worlds, compared doing God's work when exhausted to fishing with torn nets, and scouted out locations for future churches in eastern Cameroon.

Jennifer of Scandal of Particularity quoted Archbishop Rowan William's Easter sermon at length, remembered Oscar Romero, and mourned the Pope.

Greg Hanson considered recharging his spiritual battery.

Jay Voorhees blogged about the difference between the expansive church and the inclusive church, offered free gmail invitations, letting God lead the way in a pastor's career direction, problems in itinerancy in the UMC, rejected schism in the UMC, the UMC noticing the Emergent movement and sexual immorality among Methodist pastors.

At Web Parish, Shawn Smith pondered about the relationship between what he's studying at Asbury Theological Seminary and practical ministry. Michel looked at how people have responded to the death of the Pope. Susan Ferguson was strongly affected by a painting of Jesus Christ. J.D. Walt mourned the death of the Pope.

Shane Raynor blogged about the future of the UMC in the inner city, the UMC and the National Association of Evangelicals, the language of conversion in the church, a Florida Conference employee being sued for embezzlement, Terri Schiavo and end-of-life decisions, gun control, the Tennessee Conference settling a sexual assault lawsuit, the future of WesleyBlog, and the evangelicism of Pope John Paul II.

Cole Wake wrote about the NBC miniseries Revelations. He asked 'where are the good Christians?' Wake also wrote about the low-cal, diet Christianity (minimal effort required!), criticized official mourning of the Pope, Christian-themed programming on TV, the lessons of the Epistle of James, emerging from a fundamentalist past, and the scam of the prosperity gospel.

Gregory Lee has a loooong list of reflections on the Resurrection. He also pondered the reason for the continuing existence of the UMC and mourned the death of the Pope.

Ken Carter mourned the death of the Pope.

Matthew Johnson pondered the meaning behind the parable of the vinyard workers and clarified a mis-statement on Wesley's theology.

Theresa Coleman compared PhD and DMin degrees, catblogged, and held a complex discussion on the theology of Communion (Best of the Methodist Web!).

Do you know of a blog that should be added to the MBWR? Leave a note in the comments.

Apologies in advance for any mistakes. I've been in a tremendous hurry today.