Religion | Ain't Complicated

Life and Freedom Today

The online version of a popular board game from many Americans’ childhood includes an option for players to choose homosexual marriage and child-rearing as a way of life.

Through the Shockwave.com website, even children can download and play a free trial version of The Game of Life, the first game ever created by Mr. Milton Bradley in 1860.

The player’s first option in the online version is to choose a persona based on pictures that clearly depict men and women. Shortly thereafter, the game invites players to choose a spouse, regardless of the potential spouse’s sex.

So that’s life.

But do they also create the option for skipping marriage altogether and just shacking up with your “significant other” (I despise that expression!)?

And the option to divorce?

Or have an abortion?

For the record, the board version of the game also allows taking a same-sex spouse.

So…add another point to freedom’s score. 🙄

And speaking of freedom….

Freedom in the 50 States

Index of Personal and Economic Freedom

This paper presents the first-ever comprehensive ranking of the American states on their public policies affecting individual freedoms in the economic, social, and personal spheres. We develop and justify our ratings and aggregation procedure on explicitly normative criteria, defining individual freedom as the ability to dispose of one’s own life, liberty, and justly acquired property however one sees fit, so long as one does not coercively infringe on other individuals’ ability to do the same.

[…]

We find that the freest states in the country are New Hampshire, Colorado, and South Dakota, which together achieve a virtual tie for first place. All three states feature low taxes and government spending and middling levels of regulation and paternalism. New York is the least free by a considerable margin, followed by New Jersey, Rhode Island, California and Maryland. On personal freedom alone, Alaska is the clear winner, while Maryland brings up the rear. As for freedom in the different regions of the country, the Mountain and West North Central regions are the freest overall while the Middle Atlantic lags far behind on both economic and personal freedom.

As I recall, Oregon ranks #27 overall.

For perspective, I expect many people in the world would say we don’t have anything to fuss about regarding freedom here in the States. Even if they would have to live in New York or Maryland.

Blessed By

Special teddy bears blessed by church

A morning service last weekend at the First United Church of Christ in Hollywood took a cute and cuddly turn with a bunch of sweet-faced visitors staring back at worshipers from their place of honor next to the altar.

The batch of about 35 stuffed toy animals were warmly welcomed as special guests when the Rev. Jack Branford presided over the congregation’s annual Blessing of the Bears.

The critters received an inspirational send-off before going to their new home, into the arms of elderly residents at the Hollywood Hills Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center.

Blessed by Giving – Spiritually

Yet, it is a spiritual act that we perform in worship to God. When we give generously we are honoring His name, giving Him first place, and extending His Kingdom. Giving is grace.

Today, seek ways to be full of grace to others – find ways that you can give generously.

President’s Political Protector Is Ever Close at Hand

There are few words that come across the president’s lips that have not been blessed by Mr. Axelrod. He reviews every speech, studies every major policy position and works with Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, to prepare responses to the crisis of the day.

Honesty in Seeking God

I am blessed by the realization that God knows me as well as knowing about me. I am encouraged also by the assurance that He knows the course of my life even before I experience it. As Job put it, “He knoweth the way that I take” (Job 23:10).

Pastor to the deaf blessed by his calling

Armstrong officially kicked off his ministry on Sunday with a special event for deaf people in the congregation and other invited guests.

Executive Pastor James Scudder Jr. says Armstrong’s work is more significant than it looks.

“This is so much more than just providing sign language interpretation for the sermon,” he said. “David’s ministry works to keep the deaf fully included in the life of the church. They are part of our family, not a subgroup.”

So what have you been blessed by today?

Alternate question: Who has been blessed by you today?

Heads Up

So…what’s in the headlines this morning?

An Urgent Message from David Wilkerson

AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. IT IS GOING TO BE SO FRIGHTENING, WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBLE – EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US.

More Americans say they have no religion

A wide-ranging study on American religious life found that the Roman Catholic population has been shifting out o of the Northeast to the Southwest, the percentage of Christians in the nation has declined and more people say they have no religion at all.

Wikipedia scrubs Obama eligibility

Wikipedia, the online “free encyclopedia” mega-site written and edited entirely by its users, has been deleting within minutes any mention of eligibility issues surrounding Barack Obama’s presidency, with administrators kicking off anyone who writes about the subject….

World Bank offers dire forecast for world economy

In a bleaker assessment than those of most private forecasters, the World Bank predicted Sunday that the global economy would shrink in 2009 for the first time since World War II.

China’s Navy expansion “no threat to others”

China’s plans to add aircraft carriers to its fleet and an historic long-distance mission by its navy are aimed only at protecting the country and its trade interests….

“Iran crossed nuclear tech threshold”

In a chilling indication that Iran’s arms program is advancing steadily, Israel acknowledged for the first time that Teheran had mastered the technology to make a nuclear bomb on the same day that the Iranians announced they had successfully tested a new air-to-surface missile.

Syria: Peace With Israel Possible

Syria President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview published on Monday that a peace deal with Israel was possible but that normal relations would only be possible if Israel ended its conflict with the Palestinians.

There. I don’t know how long that took. But it was quite a while. It would have been faster, but I did it between other computer and online projects. It’s much more efficient for me that way.

Now, make it a good day.

The Beatles and Focus on the Family

From the Lighthouse:

According to the article below, the two remaining Beatles (the musical group from the 60s) will be teaching children around the world to meditate. But they aren’t the only ones who are putting kids in touch with their higher, mystical selves. From AWANA clubs, to Focus on the Family’s Odyssey to Eugene Peterson’s Message Bible for Kids to Rob Bell’s Nooma films in the Christian schools, Christian leaders and teachers are bringing kids to the contemplative, mystical waters as well. Please see our links below.

So there you are.

The Trokosi

The Trokosi: Religious Slavery Today

Slavery in the West has largely become a shamed subject of history. Most Westerners are unaware of the thousands of slaves still suffering and dying in various locations around the world. One such group are the Trokosi slaves of Ghana.

Guayo was never told why her family gave her to the fetish priest when she was a young child. Raped by the priest from the age of 12, Guayo gave birth to four children over the years. The priest had no obligation to provide for Guayo’s basic needs or for her children, who were also considered his slaves. The young mother has lived in constant despair, seeking to feed herself and her children while working hard long days for the priest. Now Guayo is 30 and has few skills and no education. Yet, since the priest has died, nobody will dare to help her, since the community believes she is owned by the gods.

Guayo’s situation is typical of the Trokosi slaves in Ghana. In the ju-ju religious system in Ghana, the local fetish priest is the mediator between the villagers and the gods. There is great fear among the villagers that if they do not abide by the priest’s demands, they will be cursed and die. If the priest says there must be a payment made for some sin in the family, families will give a virgin daughter to become his property and she will go to live at the shrine in the service of “the gods” – often for the rest of her life.

Click the link to see what some Christian groups are doing to liberate and restore these women and their children.

Jesus came to set the captives free!

Cannon Fodder from America?

American Somali children join jihad

Several Somali children have left the US to join the ‘jihad’ against foreign forces in Somalia, it has been reported.

According to the MidEast News Source, the children, mainly from Minneapolis and Minnesota left the country in secret, with one mother claiming that the first she knew of it was when her son called her from Mogadishu. She had earlier reported her son missing to police.

[…]

Observers believe that American children are now joining the jihad, and they have suggested that some were involved in a string of suicide attacks in Somaliland and Puntland.

It seems that their involvement coincided with the arrival of Ethiopian troops, who defeated the Islamic Courts Union. Following the recent peace deal, the Ethiopian troops have now departed.

Most of the children appear to have links with Abubakar Alsiddiq mosque in Minneapolis. But the imam there, Sheikh Abdirahman Ahmed, claimed the accusations were baseless and denied that he was recruiting fighters. There are also concerns in Europe and other continents that children are leaving for jihad in Somalia.

Right to Life in Mexico

From yesterday’s good news:

Colima Amends Constitution to Protect Right to Life

In an overwhelming 19-0 vote, legislators in the state of Colima, Mexico, decided Tuesday to amend the state’s constitution to protect the right to life “from the moment of conception.”

Article one of the state’s constitution now reads: “Life is a right inherent in every human being. The State will protect and guarantee this right from the moment of conception. The family constitutes the fundamental base of society. The State will encourage its organization and development. For the same reason, the home, and particularly the children, will be the object of special protection on the part of the authorities. Every measure or disposition for protecting the family will be considered to relate to public order…”

[…]

Similar amendments have been passed recently in the states of Baja California, Sonora, and Morelos. However, the constitutionality of the Baja California amendment is now being contested in the nation’s Supreme Court. If the Court rules negatively in the case, all similar amendments could be negated as well, making it impossible to defend the right to life at the state level.

I don’t know if amending a state constitution in Mexico is as simple as that. If it is, then that must be the law of the state.

And if it is, it’s too easy. Nineteen votes in favor is an awfully small number…especially when there were no votes against.

Maybe their Supreme Court will decree similar sentiment.

In any event, thank the Lord for good news like this.