Historic Charismania

Those who, rejecting Scripture, imagine that they have some peculiar way of penetrating to God, are to be deemed not so much under the influence of error as madness. For certain giddy men have lately appeared, who, while they make a great display of the superiority of the Spirit, reject all reading of the Scriptures themselves, and deride the simplicity of those who only delight in what they call the dead and deadly letter”.

- J Calvin, Insitutes, I.9.

The Real Jesus

“I think we have to get passed importing our own notions into Who Jesus was and what He was like. You read through His life and uh … He wouldn’t’ve faired very well in many-a Sunday School.”

- Christian singer and song writer, Jamie Soles, answering a question about a children’s song he wrote inspired by the Psalmist’s sentiment of rejoicing at the destruction of God's enemies.

True North

How many times have you heard this one? "The Bible isn't a textbook of ..." If this is true, then just how, specifically and concretely, does it provide answers for life's problems? Either it answers real-life problems, or it doesn't.

In short: Does the Bible make a difference?

Let's put it another way. If a mass revival at last hits this nation, and if millions of people are regenerated by God's grace through faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ at Calvary, will this change be visible in the way new converts run their lives? Will their politics change, their business dealings change, heir families change, their family budgets change, and their church membership change?

In short: Will conversion make a visible difference in our personal lives? If not, why not?

Second, 2 or 3 years later, will Congress be voting for a different kind of defense policy, foreign relations policy, environmental policy, immigration policy, monetary policy, and so forth? Will the Federal budget change? If not, why not?

In short: Will conversion to Christ make a visible difference in our civilization? If not, why not?

- Gary North, What are Biblical Blueprints? [photo: mises.org]

Forget Swine Flu - watch out for Guitar Hero-itis!

"Get out of the house because those video games are death."

- Aaron Fotheringham

Born with spina bifida,17 yr old Fotheringham invented "hardcore sitting" [extreme wheelchair stunt riding]. He's pictured below performing his signature wheelchair back flip [the first person ever to do so].

Now, I have no intention of encouraging my sons to spend 4 hours a night practicing skateboard tricks. But I can't help but admire this kid. It makes me marvel at the 'dominion potential' our sons possess, even those with providential handicaps. Aaron is gaining publicity these days, but says - in his typically soft-spoken and humble way - that all he really wants is to keep getting better and find some guys who can give him some competition. What a kid! In his own way, Aaron Fotheringham is a true inspiration. [photos: top: Lisa Wyatt; bottom: Bancroft Media]

Enmity with God

“Any system of morality that is predicated in any way upon a threat of violence is a morally bankrupt system. It may not cross the mind of many of you believers that if there actually is a Heaven and a Hell – there’s not ... and there’s no soul either – but if there were a Heaven and a Hell, some of us might proudly choose to go to Hell in order to avoid having to pretend to worship this bloodthirsty, immoral dictator of the God of the Bible. We might proudly resist ‘the Hitler’ and say, ‘Send me to the gas chamber. Fine!’ At least we will go with dignity and pride.”

- Dan Barker, atheist author and spokesman, [unintentionally] doing a great job of articulating a Reformed understanding of the radical depravity of the unregenerate human heart. The statement was from a public Q&A forum after the debate ‘Should God and Government be Separate?’ w/ Douglas Wilson.

King for a Day

Q: If you could recommend any 2 changes to reform the US gov’t, what would they be?

A: Every[one] probably has a cabinet-level agency that he thinks should be abolished first. I dream such dreams, too. But as I grow older, I become less utopian. So, I [recommend] 2 minor technical revisions of the tax code:

1. Repeal withholding on all federal income taxes.
2. Move the date that federal taxes are due to the first Monday of November. [Federal elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November.]

These are just a couple of minor technical revisions, right? Nothing too revolutionary here! I find it difficult to believe that a critic could go on national television and say, "This strikes at the very heart of the American experiment in liberty!" …Would voters rise up in wrath against a President who proposed these reforms? …

The withholding tax system is popular with the federal government for 4 reasons:

1. The government deliberately over-withholds. This forces taxpayers to file their forms to get their refunds.
2. It creates a "free money from the government" emotional response when the refund check arrives.
3. The government gets to use this money, interest-free, during the taxable year.
4. It makes income taxes and Social Security taxes less painful and therefore more acceptable.

If all federal income taxes were due on the same day, this day would become the most feared and hated day of the year, assuming that it isn't already. I ask: Why not have this day fall on the day before federal elections?

Personal income tax forms must be mailed by April 15. Think about this date. Before they vote in November, taxpayers have almost seven months to forget about tax misery day the previous April, and their next form-filing day will not come for almost six months. Out of sight, out of mind.
I say, let every citizen recall his previous day's tax filing and check-writing experience when he steps into the polling booth to cast his vote. Let democracy speak!

- Gary North

All Puffed Up

To grow in knowledge and not in meekness is not to grow; a thing may well swell and not grow.

-Thomas Watson on the Application of Redemption

Growing in grace is not [to be confused with a] strong interest in one or two doctrines - when someone gets hooked by a doctrine. Young men are famous for getting excited about Calvinism or the millennium or something else. But their interest in theology - their burning interest in election or the rapture - doesn't translate into better lives. In fact, it often makes them worse. It makes them look down on others; it makes them monopolize conversations or bully people who know less than they do; and hate pastors who may be mistaken at one point, but are still faithful shepherds of God's people. It's good to care about doctrine, but these things by themselves are no proof that you're growing in grace.

- Pastor Michael Phillips