Five Years Without Television
At the start of our life together, my bride and I resolved that we would not get television service in our apartment for at least the first year of our marriage. June will mark five years since the resolution, and we have not connected our television to anything but a DVD player and an electric outlet.
Too much time has passed for me to remember if our resolution was based on the advice of someone whose crown was greyer than our own. If so, it also escapes me to whom we owe the acknowledgment of wisdom. Perhaps we found the recommendation in a book or magazine, perhaps we just saw it lived out by couples that we admired. Regardless, enough time had passed at the end of our first month without television to know with certainty that we had made a good decision. By the end of the first year we knew that we would never look back.
Below is a brief list of ways in which my life is different because we have not had television for five years. The perceptive reader will notice that they are all advantages.
We've Saved Money. This is perhaps the most obvious (and certainly the most tangible) advantage, and not one to be glossed over. If cable would have cost us $50 a month (probably a low estimate), then in 60 months we've saved $3,000. Very small is the list of things for which I would willingly part with $3,000. Access to "So You Think You Can Dance" does not make the list.
We've Insulated Ourselves from Temptations to Covet/Consume Excessively. What regularly sets me aback when I do find myself in front of a television are the commercials (that and how much more of a sports game can be observed on an HD screen). They are excessive in number. They are increasingly explicit and immoral. They unabashedly generate urges of greed, indulgence, and lust to drive viewers to consume. I am subjected to enough indecency in my daily commute (five different strip clubs currently advertise on NYC taxi cabs)--I relish the fact that I can do something to tear down an altar of consumerism by not connecting our cable.
I've Watched Far Fewer Sports Games. While on the one hand I do miss the chance of witnessing truly classic sporting events as they happen, there are fewer matchups and sporting events that get enough of a rise out me anymore to make me pine for the good old days (the older I get, the truer Ecclesiastes becomes to me). These five years of my married life mark the first time I've actively tried to reduce the quantity and quality of time that I invest in the sports world/culture. Without television of our own, to watch any sporting event now necessitates buckling a seat belt, burning gasoline, and inviting myself over to my parents or Ben's house. In much the same way that politicians know the surest way to discourage any activity (tax it), I have found my craving for sports irreversibly quelled by the limited viewing access I've had for the past five years. [The following is partially unrelated and entirely anecdotal, but where else am I going to share it? I am more than a little tickled to report that I've managed to finish the regular season ranked 1st and 2nd in two consecutive Fantasy Football seasons while watching a combined total of maybe half a dozen NFL games.]
I Haven't Watched a Single Rap Video, Award Show, "Reality" Show, Dance Competition, or Dating Show For Five Years. I could identify fewer than 10 American Idol contestants by mug shot, and fewer than five contestants by name.
"We Don't Have TV" Has Become My Most Reliable Party Trick. People's reactions are telling (often alarming) when I confess that we've never had television. The most common reaction is an innocent but awkward pause in the conversation, but my revelation often kills the conversation completely. Rightly so--what is there for humans to discuss other than television? The saddest observations I've made occur when people react as if I'm neglecting a great service of personal betterment by remaining unplugged. "There are children in Africa who are dying to know who's getting voted off the island tonight--how can you be so indifferent?"
It Has Been a Practical Way For Me to Obey Matthew 5.29. In this verse Jesus says, "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell." It is no small understatement to assert that the temptation to lust and to crave what is sexually immoral is heightened by watching television. I know my weaknesses. I know the spiritual dangers contained within an hour of a network broadcast, and I know that the dangers are deliberate. A friend once candidly shared his observation that his former (huzzah!) cable provider placed the empty channel number where the Playboy channel would otherwise be immediately after the sports channels. Coincidence, or a cunning tactic? It doesn't make me a beacon of righteousness just because I never connected my cable, but the decision has certainly acted as an agent in the purification of my relationship with my wife.
It Has Furthered the Health of Our Marriage. Beyond the realm of sexual purity alluded to above, keeping television out of our home has forced us to *dramatic pause* TALK to each other far more. Granted, the elimination of the computer and Netflix might potentially contribute to the deterioration of at least a couple aspects of our relationship (after all, it is possible to have too much of a good thing, right?).
It Makes Us Better Hosts. Can anyone remember a significant conversation he or she has had during the Super Bowl? Or during Must See TV? What is ever learned about someone by watching television with them? When I watch football with a friend I always resolve to initiate conversation during the commercials. What happens more often than not is that the commercials are more interesting than the game and the moments are lost to shiny objects and cheap laughs. I wonder if my relationship with my college roommates would be deeper in the present than exchanging Christmas cards and an occasional phone call if we had spent fewer hours watching Joe Millionaire and Crank Yankers. Perhaps the factors contributing to the present distance relate more to geography and gender, but I think all four of us agree that we were at our relational best with the TV off.
Removing television from a home will not have the magical effect of promoting an immediate level of increased sanctity. Keeping a television from a child's room will not cause them to suddenly engage in dinner conversation. Yet for all the reasons above, it is highly unlikely that cable television will ever gain entrance into any place that we call home.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Friday, December 18, 2009
Resolved: I Will Not Create Any "My Favorite _______'s of the Decade" Lists.
It is nearly impossible to avoid the myriad lists generated at the end of any year. Magazines, radio shows, and "news" programs spend much of late December tricking us into consuming more advertising by summarizing the year between 30 second pleas to add gold to our portfolio.
Is there a better way to catalog the events of a year than with a Top 10 List? Not in the modern age, apparently. When, for an entire decade, world events are distilled and fed to us in sound bites and bottom-screen tickers, a Top 10 list does seem an appropriate way to "reflect" on things of significance. Things like the adultery of a man who plays golf well and the invention of a fancy music box...
While I will resist the urge to list and rank the few dozen books and albums that I have consumed in the last decade of my life, I believe that it befits a believer to frequently recall and meditate on what the Lord has done for him/her.
In retracing the days ordained for me since we learned that Y2K wasn't ordained to usher in the apocalypse, methinks that there will probably not be a decade of my life that will contain as many significant life events (especially of the "first" variety) as did this one.
The Scott Pearce Greatest Hits 2000-2009:
(in roughly chronological order)
I graduated from Hackettstown High School.
I began life as a college student.
I served as a counselor at Camp Susque (fulfilling a simple but significant boyhood dream).
I met the girl that I would marry.
I received a B.S. in Engineering from Geneva College.
I took on almost $20,000 in debt to accomplish the preceding, my first foray into the world of indebted servitude.
I became certified as an Engineering In Training (E.I.T.).
I began a career as a civil engineer.
I bought my first (and to date only) truck, my second foray into the world of indebted servitude (although this knife was only over my head for two years).
I proposed to the girl that I would marry. She said yes.
I married the girl who said yes.
We rented our first apartment.
I saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time.
We bought our first house, by far my farthest foray into indebted servitude.
I became certified as a Grade I Field Technician Concrete Inspector, a Structural Masonry Special Inspector, and a Reinforced Concrete Special Inspector.
We became parents for the first time.
I put 200,000 miles on my truck.
Psalm 90
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God...
It is nearly impossible to avoid the myriad lists generated at the end of any year. Magazines, radio shows, and "news" programs spend much of late December tricking us into consuming more advertising by summarizing the year between 30 second pleas to add gold to our portfolio.
Is there a better way to catalog the events of a year than with a Top 10 List? Not in the modern age, apparently. When, for an entire decade, world events are distilled and fed to us in sound bites and bottom-screen tickers, a Top 10 list does seem an appropriate way to "reflect" on things of significance. Things like the adultery of a man who plays golf well and the invention of a fancy music box...
While I will resist the urge to list and rank the few dozen books and albums that I have consumed in the last decade of my life, I believe that it befits a believer to frequently recall and meditate on what the Lord has done for him/her.
In retracing the days ordained for me since we learned that Y2K wasn't ordained to usher in the apocalypse, methinks that there will probably not be a decade of my life that will contain as many significant life events (especially of the "first" variety) as did this one.
The Scott Pearce Greatest Hits 2000-2009:
(in roughly chronological order)
I graduated from Hackettstown High School.
I began life as a college student.
I served as a counselor at Camp Susque (fulfilling a simple but significant boyhood dream).
I met the girl that I would marry.
I received a B.S. in Engineering from Geneva College.
I took on almost $20,000 in debt to accomplish the preceding, my first foray into the world of indebted servitude.
I became certified as an Engineering In Training (E.I.T.).
I began a career as a civil engineer.
I bought my first (and to date only) truck, my second foray into the world of indebted servitude (although this knife was only over my head for two years).
I proposed to the girl that I would marry. She said yes.
I married the girl who said yes.
We rented our first apartment.
I saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time.
We bought our first house, by far my farthest foray into indebted servitude.
I became certified as a Grade I Field Technician Concrete Inspector, a Structural Masonry Special Inspector, and a Reinforced Concrete Special Inspector.
We became parents for the first time.
I put 200,000 miles on my truck.
Psalm 90
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God...
4 ...For a thousand years in your sight
are but as yesterday when it is past,
or as a watch in the night...
12 ...So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom...
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Listen, My Son (Installment II)
William, one of the most important things you can learn is how to work. Through the work of our hands, we men fulfill one of the first commands that God gave Adam at Creation. The fruit of a man's labor is the ordinary means by which God has ordained that his family will eat, be sheltered, and meet physical needs of others.
While I hope that the majority of what I teach you is through example, I thought it worthwhile to record a set of axoims which would behove you to observe.
- Work the same way / produce the same work product whether or not you are being supervised or observed. There is One who always sees how you are working and you are to do all things to His glory (I Corinthians 10.31).
- Let your reputation speak highly of you. Let your body or work build your reputation. Don't produce anything, even a minor project, that isn't your best work.
- Be suspicious of a man who boasts about his work ethic. Remember that the son who obeyed was the son who did his father's will (Matthew 21.28-32). Remember that a tree is known by its fruit (Luke 6.43, 44).
- God does not command you to always make a profit. He does command you to always be righteous.
- The most efficient way is not always the easiest way. Be wary of those who would suggest that the fastest way to complete a list of tasks is to skip items on the list.
- Memorize the following and put them to practice: Measure twice, cut once. Fifteen minutes early is on time. Don't ever sit down on a job. Take care of your tools. Pay the extra money for steel toe boots.
William, one of the most important things you can learn is how to work. Through the work of our hands, we men fulfill one of the first commands that God gave Adam at Creation. The fruit of a man's labor is the ordinary means by which God has ordained that his family will eat, be sheltered, and meet physical needs of others.
While I hope that the majority of what I teach you is through example, I thought it worthwhile to record a set of axoims which would behove you to observe.
- Work the same way / produce the same work product whether or not you are being supervised or observed. There is One who always sees how you are working and you are to do all things to His glory (I Corinthians 10.31).
- Let your reputation speak highly of you. Let your body or work build your reputation. Don't produce anything, even a minor project, that isn't your best work.
- Be suspicious of a man who boasts about his work ethic. Remember that the son who obeyed was the son who did his father's will (Matthew 21.28-32). Remember that a tree is known by its fruit (Luke 6.43, 44).
- God does not command you to always make a profit. He does command you to always be righteous.
- The most efficient way is not always the easiest way. Be wary of those who would suggest that the fastest way to complete a list of tasks is to skip items on the list.
- Memorize the following and put them to practice: Measure twice, cut once. Fifteen minutes early is on time. Don't ever sit down on a job. Take care of your tools. Pay the extra money for steel toe boots.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
But Stay-At-Home Mothers Surpass Them All
I have always been proud of the work of my wife's hands. Employed as a registered nurse for four years, Becca served hundreds of patients at two hospitals in our area. She commuted 45 minutes each way to the first hospital, then logged 13+ hour shifts--many of them logged as the overnight variety. Her passion and heart for the care of others came through in all she did as a nurse, and I believe that the luster of the staff at her former hospitals is lessened slightly without Rebecca R. Pearce, RN among them.
Becca and I have together decided that she will not, Lord-willing, work outside the home while our children are young. As such, she has not worked as a nurse since March. Deciding to try to live on one income in New Jersey has been a continual act of faith on our part (I am not boasting--it's the truth!), but our Lord has seen fit to bless our decision thus far. Praise the Lord, Jehovah Jireh: we have lived on one income since January 1, 2009!
The purpose of sharing the above is not to garner pity or even to hearten our fellow Garden State families. I wish for the above to reinforce the significance of the new work in which my wife has engaged herself--the work of furnishing our home, raising our son, filling our table, caring for our church, etc. Using the phrasing of the description of an excellent wife found in Proverbs 31, below are examples of some of the ways in which I wish to praise my wife for what she does.
verse 13 "She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands" It may seem an inconsequential thing, but Becca has taken up knitting again. She has quickly learned to make winter hats, and has knitted one for our friends' newborn son; she has plans for two more next month.
verses 14, 15 "She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens." Becca makes her own granola; she has made two loaves of homemade bread and a different pot of soup each week since it got chilly; I have not had store-bought cookies in my lunch since May; I don't remember the last time our dinner involved a portion of anything that was bought pre-made. One of Becca's greatest delights is preparing food and serving it to others. I, of course, delight in eating it. I love her love languages.
verse 16 "She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard." Although she already did a wonderful job before we were pregnant, Becca has since re-dedicated herself to saving money in every aspect of our lives. She has resurrected her affinity for coupons and upgraded it to a passion. She takes our $50 groceries per week budget on as a challenge and meets it more weeks than not. She plans our meals throughout the week, accounting for leftovers and lunches--it is rare for any food to be tossed. She uses every part of the buffalo, so to speak: she used part of a baked chicken for four different meals, and recently stretched a baked ham into three dinners, one breakfast, and seven lunches!
verse 18b "Her lamp does not go out at night." Until Liam finally slept 12 hours straight last week, Becca had not enjoyed a single night of uninterrupted sleep for over a year! Considering that pregnancy prevents a woman from sleeping well, and further considering Becca's dedication to breastfeeding, Becca might possibly wake up three times a night out of habit for the rest of her life. How she manages to be as gracious and cheerful as she does despite the sleep deprivation is beyond me.
verse 20 "She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy." One of the advantages of a homemaking mother that I did not consider is the availability of the mother to minister to others. Although Becca's "To Do" list is hardly ever satisfied, she has not hesitated to minister to different families in the church as she has been aware of their needs. She has made and delivered meals for mothers of newborns, she has spent two days with a church family after the passing of their grandfather, she has visited her recently widowed grandmother, and more. Seeing my wife's example of love for others has helped me to better understand how my employment is fulfilling Ephesians 4.28, which reads, "...let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need." The Lord has blessed my labor with enough income that Becca does not have to work. As a result, she has a greater abundance of time to spend ministering to others.
verse 27 "She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness." Becca has dedicated herself solely to the purposes of being my wife, being Liam's mother, managing our home life, and ministering to others. There is hardly a hint of "taking up a hobby" or "finally getting Becca time." The self-less-ness of stay-at-home mothers is something that can hardly be overstated.
verse 28 "Her children rise up and call her blessed;" While Liam is not speaking coherently at this point, the ways in which he praises his mother are myriad. He is abundantly healthy, bubbling over with cheerfulness, and developing rapidly. All these are primarily testaments to the Lord's graciousness, and secondly are convincing evidences that my son has a mother who loves and cares for him well. I have made it my standard response to any compliment I am paid regarding Liam to say merely, "He has a great mother."
To conclude, my heart does trust in Rebecca, my bride (v.11); I know full well that she does me good, not harm (v.12). Together, she and I will face many snows without fear (v.21); we delight to consider the future that our Lord has for us (v.25).
It is the Lord who has allowed me to find a wife of such excellence and worth. To me, there is not a woman in my life whom Rebecca does not surpass.
I have always been proud of the work of my wife's hands. Employed as a registered nurse for four years, Becca served hundreds of patients at two hospitals in our area. She commuted 45 minutes each way to the first hospital, then logged 13+ hour shifts--many of them logged as the overnight variety. Her passion and heart for the care of others came through in all she did as a nurse, and I believe that the luster of the staff at her former hospitals is lessened slightly without Rebecca R. Pearce, RN among them.
Becca and I have together decided that she will not, Lord-willing, work outside the home while our children are young. As such, she has not worked as a nurse since March. Deciding to try to live on one income in New Jersey has been a continual act of faith on our part (I am not boasting--it's the truth!), but our Lord has seen fit to bless our decision thus far. Praise the Lord, Jehovah Jireh: we have lived on one income since January 1, 2009!
The purpose of sharing the above is not to garner pity or even to hearten our fellow Garden State families. I wish for the above to reinforce the significance of the new work in which my wife has engaged herself--the work of furnishing our home, raising our son, filling our table, caring for our church, etc. Using the phrasing of the description of an excellent wife found in Proverbs 31, below are examples of some of the ways in which I wish to praise my wife for what she does.
verse 13 "She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands" It may seem an inconsequential thing, but Becca has taken up knitting again. She has quickly learned to make winter hats, and has knitted one for our friends' newborn son; she has plans for two more next month.
verses 14, 15 "She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens." Becca makes her own granola; she has made two loaves of homemade bread and a different pot of soup each week since it got chilly; I have not had store-bought cookies in my lunch since May; I don't remember the last time our dinner involved a portion of anything that was bought pre-made. One of Becca's greatest delights is preparing food and serving it to others. I, of course, delight in eating it. I love her love languages.
verse 16 "She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard." Although she already did a wonderful job before we were pregnant, Becca has since re-dedicated herself to saving money in every aspect of our lives. She has resurrected her affinity for coupons and upgraded it to a passion. She takes our $50 groceries per week budget on as a challenge and meets it more weeks than not. She plans our meals throughout the week, accounting for leftovers and lunches--it is rare for any food to be tossed. She uses every part of the buffalo, so to speak: she used part of a baked chicken for four different meals, and recently stretched a baked ham into three dinners, one breakfast, and seven lunches!
verse 18b "Her lamp does not go out at night." Until Liam finally slept 12 hours straight last week, Becca had not enjoyed a single night of uninterrupted sleep for over a year! Considering that pregnancy prevents a woman from sleeping well, and further considering Becca's dedication to breastfeeding, Becca might possibly wake up three times a night out of habit for the rest of her life. How she manages to be as gracious and cheerful as she does despite the sleep deprivation is beyond me.
verse 20 "She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy." One of the advantages of a homemaking mother that I did not consider is the availability of the mother to minister to others. Although Becca's "To Do" list is hardly ever satisfied, she has not hesitated to minister to different families in the church as she has been aware of their needs. She has made and delivered meals for mothers of newborns, she has spent two days with a church family after the passing of their grandfather, she has visited her recently widowed grandmother, and more. Seeing my wife's example of love for others has helped me to better understand how my employment is fulfilling Ephesians 4.28, which reads, "...let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need." The Lord has blessed my labor with enough income that Becca does not have to work. As a result, she has a greater abundance of time to spend ministering to others.
verse 27 "She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness." Becca has dedicated herself solely to the purposes of being my wife, being Liam's mother, managing our home life, and ministering to others. There is hardly a hint of "taking up a hobby" or "finally getting Becca time." The self-less-ness of stay-at-home mothers is something that can hardly be overstated.
verse 28 "Her children rise up and call her blessed;" While Liam is not speaking coherently at this point, the ways in which he praises his mother are myriad. He is abundantly healthy, bubbling over with cheerfulness, and developing rapidly. All these are primarily testaments to the Lord's graciousness, and secondly are convincing evidences that my son has a mother who loves and cares for him well. I have made it my standard response to any compliment I am paid regarding Liam to say merely, "He has a great mother."
To conclude, my heart does trust in Rebecca, my bride (v.11); I know full well that she does me good, not harm (v.12). Together, she and I will face many snows without fear (v.21); we delight to consider the future that our Lord has for us (v.25).
It is the Lord who has allowed me to find a wife of such excellence and worth. To me, there is not a woman in my life whom Rebecca does not surpass.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
UN Speech Falls on Unborn Ears
President Barack Obama addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations on Wednesday. It was his first such address, and was a speech that the President himself acknowledged was significant on many levels. Talking (not to mention screaming, blabbering, and driveling) heads of every medium and political persuasion have flooded all 113 cable news channels, each of the 2.1 million political websites, and both remaining newspapers with a glut of expert, fair-and-balanced opinions. If you are one to consider and draw conclusions from national and international events, it is likely that your opinion has been formed, reinforced, tied with a ribbon and placed on your living room mantle in the time since the President's address. Well, no--who am I kidding? It was probably formed before the speech was delivered.
With a straight face, I would request that the reader temporarily forsake as many political presuppositions as possible, and engage with me in what I find to be a worthy exercise. Consider with me, first at face value, selected portions of the President's speech. Then, below I will ask you to re-read them in light of a particular position on which President Obama has shown a clear history of consistency.
Below are word-for-word excerpts from the transcript of the speech (as presented at CNN.com). I have tried to precede each paragraph with enough contextualization so as to maintain the integrity of the President's message. I have changed certain words to boldface for reasons that will be apparent in my comments below.
Speaking in the context of the "Second Pillar of Our Future, the Pursuit of Peace":
"That effort [to end conflicts around the world] must begin with an unshakable determination that the murder of innocent men, women and children will never be tolerated. On this, no one can be -- there can be no dispute."
Speaking of children in Israel afraid to sleep at night because of the threat of ever-present violence:
"These are all God's children. And, after all the politics and all the posturing, this is about the right of every human being to live with dignity and security. That is a lesson embedded in the three great faiths that call one small slice of Earth the Holy Land. And that is why -- even though there will be setbacks, and false starts, and tough days -- I will not waiver in my pursuit of peace."
In the section discussing objectives that the President deems imperative to solidifying a global economy which advances opportunity for all people:
"And I pledge that America will always stand with those who stand up for their dignity and their rights, for the student who seeks to learn, the voter who demands to be heard, the innocent who longs to be free, the oppressed who yearns to be equal.
[one paragraph later]
But that does not weaken our commitment. It only reinforces it. There are basic principles that are universal. There are certain truths which are self-evident, and the United States of America will never waiver in our efforts to stand up for the right of people everywhere to determine their own destiny."
Taken at face value, the above statements would hardly spur even the most tongue-jerking "Political Consultant" to dispute or debate. There is nothing in the above text to suggest from which source or political party the words originate. There is nothing in the speech that almost any political figure wouldn't say given the same position, podium, and pre-written political verbage to recite.
But we do know the source of these words, and I think that it's worth considering some of the ideals behind the speaker. I think it will be beneficial for the reader to view the above boldfaced statements through the lens of President Obama's position on Abortion.
It is no secret that the President's voting record and Presidential campaign speeches identify him as strictly in favor of legalized abortion. There is, in fact, little room for discussion on the matter. A quick Google search of "Obama's position on abortion" led me to this itemized presentation of the President's own words and votes on the issue of abortion. The complete list can be found HERE . (Disclaimer: I cannot speak to the credibility or potential sensational nature of www.ontheissues.org as I've never used the website before)
Considering that the excerpts presented above were delivered by a President who has repeatedly voted in favor of legalized abortion (even partial birth), and has not confessed anything resembling a biblical perspective regarding the beginnings of human life, I find the boldfaced statements above to be at worst hypocritical and hollow at best.
Is the following a fair alteration to the President's promise to the General Assembly? "And I pledge that America will always stand with those who stand up for their dignity and their rights, for the student who seeks to learn, the voter who demands to be heard, the innocent who longs to be free...unless, of course, the innocent in question is an unwanted child still within his or her mother's womb."
How about this? "There are basic principles that are universal. There are certain truths which are self-evident, and the United States of America will never waiver in our efforts to stand up for the right of people everywhere to determine their own destiny. But let me clarify: The only "people" who have such a right are those whose life is not dependent on an umbilical cord for survival."
This? "These are all God's children. And, after all the politics and all the posturing, this is about the right of every human being to live with dignity and security. That is a lesson embedded in the three great faiths that call one small slice of Earth the Holy Land. At the risk offending the other great faiths, consider Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who 2,000 years ago exercised a woman's God-given right to choose."
But the quote that appears first in the speech is the one that I find most telling. It is a fine thing to claim that "the murder of innocent men, women, and children will never be tolerated." I hope that the United States never knows a time where her President would not stand by such a statement with actions as well as words.
An easy way to measure the effectiveness of a judicial system is to evaluate how it treats those who cannot speak for or defend themselves. Any politician who claims to have no tolerance for the murder of "innocent" human beings cannot at the same time approve of the current prevalence of abortion in this or any nation. The President's words to the UN in this regard are inconsistent with the biblical concept of justice.
Imagine that a house in your neighborhood was burning. Imagine that it burst into flames at midnight while all the residents were inside. Every able person would rush to respond to the fireman who proclaimed "We must rescue the family, regardless of how much of the house is lost!" The response personnel would be regarded heroes by all as they pulled men, women, and children from a house that otherwise would have been their death.
Yet how different we would regard the same leader in crisis if he had instead called out, "We must rescue the family in the burning house--except for the people trapped in the basement! Although it is possible to save them, we must only save those above ground!" He would unanimously be discredited as a barbarian and would probably be removed from the scene so as to not be a hindrance to the rescue.
Is it any different when a politician (of any nation or political party) boasts of the life-saving efforts and relief projects championed by his administration while remaining resolute in the belief that death should be a legal destiny for an unwanted unborn child?
I am more than a little grieved to be reminded that the billions of dollars which have been put to AIDS relief in recent years (a Bush initiative), have come from the government of the same nation that has perhaps never been more committed and invested in the murder of American children.
My interpretation of President Obama's message to the world: "Applaud us and love us for saving the family members on the first and second floors, but don't dare ask us to save those burning in the basement."
President Barack Obama addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations on Wednesday. It was his first such address, and was a speech that the President himself acknowledged was significant on many levels. Talking (not to mention screaming, blabbering, and driveling) heads of every medium and political persuasion have flooded all 113 cable news channels, each of the 2.1 million political websites, and both remaining newspapers with a glut of expert, fair-and-balanced opinions. If you are one to consider and draw conclusions from national and international events, it is likely that your opinion has been formed, reinforced, tied with a ribbon and placed on your living room mantle in the time since the President's address. Well, no--who am I kidding? It was probably formed before the speech was delivered.
With a straight face, I would request that the reader temporarily forsake as many political presuppositions as possible, and engage with me in what I find to be a worthy exercise. Consider with me, first at face value, selected portions of the President's speech. Then, below I will ask you to re-read them in light of a particular position on which President Obama has shown a clear history of consistency.
Below are word-for-word excerpts from the transcript of the speech (as presented at CNN.com). I have tried to precede each paragraph with enough contextualization so as to maintain the integrity of the President's message. I have changed certain words to boldface for reasons that will be apparent in my comments below.
Speaking in the context of the "Second Pillar of Our Future, the Pursuit of Peace":
"That effort [to end conflicts around the world] must begin with an unshakable determination that the murder of innocent men, women and children will never be tolerated. On this, no one can be -- there can be no dispute."
Speaking of children in Israel afraid to sleep at night because of the threat of ever-present violence:
"These are all God's children. And, after all the politics and all the posturing, this is about the right of every human being to live with dignity and security. That is a lesson embedded in the three great faiths that call one small slice of Earth the Holy Land. And that is why -- even though there will be setbacks, and false starts, and tough days -- I will not waiver in my pursuit of peace."
In the section discussing objectives that the President deems imperative to solidifying a global economy which advances opportunity for all people:
"And I pledge that America will always stand with those who stand up for their dignity and their rights, for the student who seeks to learn, the voter who demands to be heard, the innocent who longs to be free, the oppressed who yearns to be equal.
[one paragraph later]
But that does not weaken our commitment. It only reinforces it. There are basic principles that are universal. There are certain truths which are self-evident, and the United States of America will never waiver in our efforts to stand up for the right of people everywhere to determine their own destiny."
Taken at face value, the above statements would hardly spur even the most tongue-jerking "Political Consultant" to dispute or debate. There is nothing in the above text to suggest from which source or political party the words originate. There is nothing in the speech that almost any political figure wouldn't say given the same position, podium, and pre-written political verbage to recite.
But we do know the source of these words, and I think that it's worth considering some of the ideals behind the speaker. I think it will be beneficial for the reader to view the above boldfaced statements through the lens of President Obama's position on Abortion.
It is no secret that the President's voting record and Presidential campaign speeches identify him as strictly in favor of legalized abortion. There is, in fact, little room for discussion on the matter. A quick Google search of "Obama's position on abortion" led me to this itemized presentation of the President's own words and votes on the issue of abortion. The complete list can be found HERE . (Disclaimer: I cannot speak to the credibility or potential sensational nature of www.ontheissues.org as I've never used the website before)
Considering that the excerpts presented above were delivered by a President who has repeatedly voted in favor of legalized abortion (even partial birth), and has not confessed anything resembling a biblical perspective regarding the beginnings of human life, I find the boldfaced statements above to be at worst hypocritical and hollow at best.
Is the following a fair alteration to the President's promise to the General Assembly? "And I pledge that America will always stand with those who stand up for their dignity and their rights, for the student who seeks to learn, the voter who demands to be heard, the innocent who longs to be free...unless, of course, the innocent in question is an unwanted child still within his or her mother's womb."
How about this? "There are basic principles that are universal. There are certain truths which are self-evident, and the United States of America will never waiver in our efforts to stand up for the right of people everywhere to determine their own destiny. But let me clarify: The only "people" who have such a right are those whose life is not dependent on an umbilical cord for survival."
This? "These are all God's children. And, after all the politics and all the posturing, this is about the right of every human being to live with dignity and security. That is a lesson embedded in the three great faiths that call one small slice of Earth the Holy Land. At the risk offending the other great faiths, consider Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who 2,000 years ago exercised a woman's God-given right to choose."
But the quote that appears first in the speech is the one that I find most telling. It is a fine thing to claim that "the murder of innocent men, women, and children will never be tolerated." I hope that the United States never knows a time where her President would not stand by such a statement with actions as well as words.
An easy way to measure the effectiveness of a judicial system is to evaluate how it treats those who cannot speak for or defend themselves. Any politician who claims to have no tolerance for the murder of "innocent" human beings cannot at the same time approve of the current prevalence of abortion in this or any nation. The President's words to the UN in this regard are inconsistent with the biblical concept of justice.
Imagine that a house in your neighborhood was burning. Imagine that it burst into flames at midnight while all the residents were inside. Every able person would rush to respond to the fireman who proclaimed "We must rescue the family, regardless of how much of the house is lost!" The response personnel would be regarded heroes by all as they pulled men, women, and children from a house that otherwise would have been their death.
Yet how different we would regard the same leader in crisis if he had instead called out, "We must rescue the family in the burning house--except for the people trapped in the basement! Although it is possible to save them, we must only save those above ground!" He would unanimously be discredited as a barbarian and would probably be removed from the scene so as to not be a hindrance to the rescue.
Is it any different when a politician (of any nation or political party) boasts of the life-saving efforts and relief projects championed by his administration while remaining resolute in the belief that death should be a legal destiny for an unwanted unborn child?
I am more than a little grieved to be reminded that the billions of dollars which have been put to AIDS relief in recent years (a Bush initiative), have come from the government of the same nation that has perhaps never been more committed and invested in the murder of American children.
My interpretation of President Obama's message to the world: "Applaud us and love us for saving the family members on the first and second floors, but don't dare ask us to save those burning in the basement."
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