The U.S. Health Care Money Making Scam

For a very disturbing look at the US Health Care System, see 50 Signs That The U.S. Health Care System Is A Gigantic Money Making Scam That Is About To Collapse.

Included in this article is a warning against government provided health care.

Others are urging us to become more like Europe.

But do we really want what they have in the UK?...

Sick children are being discharged from NHS hospitals to die at home or in hospices on controversial ‘death pathways’.

Until now, end of life regime the Liverpool Care Pathway was thought to have involved only elderly and terminally-ill adults.

But the Mail can reveal the practice of withdrawing food and fluid by tube is being used on young patients as well as severely disabled newborn babies.

One doctor has admitted starving and dehydrating ten babies to death in the neonatal unit of one hospital alone.

Writing in a leading medical journal, the physician revealed the process can take an average of ten days during which a  baby becomes ‘smaller and shrunken’.

The article in the link mentioned above is Now sick babies go on death pathway: Doctor's haunting testimony reveals how children are put on end-of-life plan.

According to what is reported in this article, the health care industrialists have determined that some people should be sent home to be murdered.  They are not merely sent home without medical assistance, but actually have their food and water denied to them so that they die of dehydration and starvation.  This is a very different action than declaring that no additional medical treatments will be administered.  This is a determination to kill the person.  The person is condemned to an agonizing death as this hospice pediatric nurse reported in the article:

     ‘I have also seen children die in terrible thirst because fluids are withdrawn from them until they die.’

     ‘I witnessed a 14 year-old boy with cancer die with his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth when doctors refused to give him liquids by tube. His death was agonising for him, and for us nurses to watch. This is euthanasia by the backdoor.’

What does it take to cause people to become alarmed?  This is appalling!  These decisions are not based upon helping people but upon judging people as unfit to live and to receive love and care.  This is not “end of life” care.  This is determining to end life.

Doctors do not know whether a person can survive.  Anyone with any long term experience in these issues has seen multiple cases where the doctors were DEAD wrong.  People have been healed of what doctors declared to be incurable diseases and circumstances.  People have recovered and lived when doctors judged them to be terminal, often even audaciously predetermining the time frame.

Acceptance of the judgment of doctors in these matters becomes more and more common as fewer and fewer people trust that these matters remain in God’s merciful judgment.  As God becomes reduced to technology and the limitation of medical ‘science,’ people begin to trust the arrogant judgments of doctors and bureaucrats and begin pondering the “most humane” ways of “letting people die.”

Truly loving and caring people will recognize that there are times when what is called “heroic measures” should not be pursued when a person’s heart has stopped beating and the person has stopped breathing.  But this is not the same as determining no longer to give hydration or nutrition to a person, or administering lethal drugs to hasten a person’s death.

True caring for people involves standing by their bedside, speaking kind words, leading in prayers and hymns and administering the means of grace.  Such acts truly comfort a person facing life threatening illness and even death itself.

But who believes in such things today?

As for me and my house, ... (Joshua 24:15)

+ + +

Truly Sad Business - Answers

     In response in the comments for my post Truly Sad Business, my friend the Canadian Atheist presented some very thoughtful questions.  I believe that they were presented both as respectful challenges as well as inquiries to my understanding.

     I very much admire the manner of presenting these questions as well as the depth of thought that they display.

     Here are his questions, followed by my response:

NA,

Just say that they outlawed abortion tomorrow. Do you seriously think abortions would stop? Do you think unwanted children would be better off? Do you think there wouldn't be sick people with coat hangers doing the work instead of trained professionals? Would these women be any better off in the hands of a man swinging a coat hanger?

And finally, what do you think the solution is?

---

Dear Canadian,

     You are asking some wonderful questions.  Thank you for the opportunity to address them.

     In order for abortion to be outlawed again as it was in times past, a major shift in understanding would have to occur.  Decades of misinformation and treacherous indoctrination would have to be reversed.  The entire mindset of the people would have to be turned back from what has been systematically inculcated over several generations.  While this could happen overnight as you suggest, it rarely does.

     If such a return to valuing human life did occur, then abortions would most certainly stop, even without the force of the law being imposed.

     From my world view, from my understanding of reality, there are no unwanted children.

     I believe in Yahweh, the Everlasting Father, the Creator of all that exists, the Father through whom all families have their name, the Redeemer who counseled from eternity to sacrifice Himself to save His beloved children from their self-destructive rebellion through His life and sacrificial death as one of us.  He has declared that He wants all children to be counted as precious even as He counts them thus.

     The concept of unwanted children is the product of selfishness and of turning from the understanding that all children are planned by their Everlasting Father, who graciously blesses the coming together of man and woman to bring forth new children into the world. When people return to considering children from this perspective, there are no unwanted children.  Rather, all children are counted as blessings and as beloved.

     Parents who love their children do as the Father of all and they selflessly sacrifice themselves for the sake of their beloved children.

     Early in our marriage, my wife and I discussed this as we drew close for sharing as husband and wife.  I initiated the topic, saying that if she were to become pregnant and the doctors were to determine that her life were threatened, that from my side, as frightening as the thought of losing her would be, that I could not say that her life was more important than the baby’s, that I could not turn from trusting the Lord in this matter and that if the decision were left to me I would have to insist that the doctors work to save both lives, no matter what.  She agreed.  I stated that I feared how I would feel if she died from such a decision, and she assured me that it would nevertheless be the right and loving choice.

     Being at least somewhat informed about “professional” abortion procedures, I cannot see the professional as any less sick than the person who uses a coat hanger, especially since the professional supposedly has full medical training and is fully aware that the mother is being put at risk by these procedures.  The person with a coat hanger is not going to advertise and openly try to convince people that this is a valid choice.

     In the days when abortion was illegal, abortions were relatively rare.

     As for a woman turning to coat hangers and twigs, such tactics are ordinarily only utilized early in the pregnancy, when the risk is somewhat lower to the mother.  But that really means nothing in this issue.  When women make this choice, instead of letting the pregnancy follow its natural course, they have made a very dangerous choice.  This is on their head, not society’s.

     Society’s responsibility lies in the overturn of viewing sexual relations as properly belonging only within the lifetime commitment of the marital union, where family and lifelong loving union is the mindset.  Society is also at fault for treating the pregnant woman and her unplanned pregnancy as the issue rather than teaching the great blessing of honoring sexuality for what it really is.

     So I believe that the solution is a return unto the source of Life for our understanding of our lives, both individually and communally.  When the Life is honored our lives are treasured.

     As you already know, for me absolutely everything is founded upon the continual communion of people with and in the Lord.  When this communion is genuine and unbroken, life is restored to what it should be.  Everything is again made right and good.  For people with this understanding, the notion of abortion and all of the associated troubles is not even existent.  For such people, people who make mistakes are offered forgiveness and help and healing.  For such people the pain of guilt and the continual need for the promise of absolution are felt personally to such a degree that this is their desire for all others who honestly face their own iniquity.  Among such people those who face the results of their thoughtless actions, those already feeling their own self-chosen and self-applied condemnation, turn to those who know the promise of God’s forgiveness and healing and reconciliation.

     This is the purpose of the true Church of God on earth.  The true Church does not seek to change society or to promote laws and regulations.  The law is given to restrain wickedness.  The Church does not seek this.  The Church is the congregation of the communion of saints unto their Lord in His holiness poured out through the means of grace.  The Church cries out against wickedness, calling everyone to be turned from the wickedness to receive forgiveness and reconciliation and restoration.

     The solution to abortion is not outlawing abortion.  The solution to abortion is Love, which is of God.  Love does no wrong to its neighbor.  Love defends its neighbor, especially the helpless.  Love forgives its enemies and prays for them.  Love is patient and longsuffering.  Love is of God because God is love.  Love never fails.

     In this world of wickedness laws are necessary.  Laws are not the answer, but when they are just laws that are rightly enforced, they do help to restrain the wickedness.  But the answer is Love, which overthrows wickedness and replaces it with righteousness. If this were the one and only way, we all would live together again as one big and happy family.

+ + +

Truly Sad Business

The Real Choice article, NAF Member LeRoy Carhart Just Killed Patient in Maryland shares information and links to more information regarding a 29 year old woman who died as a result of complications during a 33rd week late term abortion when her abortion doctor could not be reached.

The abortion business is truly a very sad business.  The abortion profiteers promote their business as a caring industry that has the rights and needs of women as the primary motive.  But when one looks at how these women are treated, care is not what one observes.

It is truly a sad and even dreadful sort of care that these women receive.  After receiving dangerous drugs that are administered in lethal doses with the sole purpose of causing death, the death of the prepartum baby, and the insertion of material that gradually expands the cervix, then the mother is sent away, often to a hotel, to endure this process.  The procedure is described at Late-Term Abortion - Induction Abortion - Also known as the “MOLD Technique”.

It is hard even to imagine how traumatic this must be for the woman.

Myself, I find myself torn emotionally regarding the death of this mother.  My first emotional reaction is one of horror and grief over this woman being killed.  I also feel rage that such doctors do such wicked things, both to the babies and to the mothers.  Then I bounce to the thought, but if she had not chosen to have her baby killed, this would not have happened to her.  And true as this is, I immediately bounce again to the anguish of the mother, who has been told that this is a safe procedure and has been misinformed about the identity and worth of her baby.  The mother has been played by the abortion industry.  Her fears have been exploited.  And it this case, she was murdered.  At the very least this was negligent homicide.  And this is not the first time that this abortion doctor is guilty.

But is this so-called doctor the only guilty party?  What about the rest of us who continue to allow Congress and the White House and the Supreme Court to promote this mass murder industry?  How can we as a nation not share in the guilt?  This mass murder industry was instituted and promoted within my lifetime.  I was a teenager when this industry was birthed.  It has been nurtured and brought to full growth.  It is sustained with federal money.  It is promoted in the government schools and social programs.  It is preached through the media as right and good.

On rare occasions a few souls tortured by their awareness of this societal guilt have taken matters into their own hands and have become murderers.  Under the delusion of righting a wrong they chose to commit the same evil themselves.

Indeed, from every possible view this is very sad business.

How sad may be expressed even more powerfully by contrasting this to the number of murders versus abortions in America.  According to How many murders committed per day in US? there were about 45 murders per day in 2008.  According to the FBI Report for 2011 the Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter total was 14,612, which would be about 40 per day.

According to American Life League there were 1.2 Million abortions in 2011, which is 3,288 per day.  The CDC reports that there are 234 abortions per 1,000 live births.  This means that the abortion rate is nearly 19 percent.

Imagine the outcry that would erupt if the number of daily reported murders went from 40 to 3,288.

Or imagine if the mortality rate for wanted babies jumped to 234 per 1,000 live births, equaling a mortality rate of over 23 percent.

The gestational period for humans is approximately 38 Weeks.  The abortion procedure that resulted in this mother’s death was in the 33rd week.

What is wrong with us as a nation that we are not horrified by this?

If an abortionist is not concerned with the fact that a baby is being murdered with less than five weeks to go before parturition, how much concern can really be expected to be shown for the health and safety of the mother?

Sad business?  This is sick.  We are a very sick society.

Is this a Powerful Sermon?

      This morning I noticed the following at Against Death and For Life!:

This is an incredibly powerful sermon delivered by Pastor Matthew C. Harrison, president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, on the subject of our society’s attitude toward life deemed not worthy of being lived. Powerful, powerful stuff here folks. You owe it to yourself to gather your family and watch this together.

      So I viewed it and listened carefully, twice. Then I reviewed several portions a few additional times.

      Is this truly a powerful sermon? Does Pr. Harrison hold to the preaching that his professed quia subscription to the Lutheran Confessions define as a truly powerful sermon? Is this a sermon that rightly distinguishes between the Law and the Gospel and applies each to the hearers so as to move them to be cut to their own hearts and turned to true faith in the Gospel?

      Having viewed it and listened carefully I do not find this to be what this sermon does. I do not hear Pr. Harrison holding me and the other hearers accountable for our own sinfulness. Rather, it sounds to me like a highschool pep rally to inspire school spirit and to pit one school and team against another. “Rah! Rah! Rah! Go Team!! Yes! Our team is the best, to H with the rest! Yea.............Team!”

      In this sermon I only found one very weak attempt at applying God’s Law to the hearers. At 10:20 on the time line Pr. Harrison says:

     Then Jesus began inviting the dregs of society to be His friends, like Levi, the tax collector, Luke 5:27. And He still invites the dregs like YOU, even you in the back. (Audience chuckles.)
     I asked them before this sermon if I could mention a few of their sins up here publically, but nobody was forthcoming. (Audience chuckles.)

      This is the only attempt at application of the Law to the actual hearers. And this was making very light of their own sinful condition, actually making a joke of it. Not one person hearing this would be cut to the heart concerning one’s need for God’s forgiveness and healing. I certainly did not hear myself being confronted with my sinfulness.

      What I did hear was a condemnation of OTHERS! Over and over the Nazis were condemned. There also was a connection made to those who have promoted and performed the more than 53 million abortions in America.

      But no condemning statement was made concerning the hearers and their refusal to love their neighbors. No call to acknowledge any of our own sins and rebellion against God’s holiness was preached at all. Rather, the LC-MS and its membership were praised for their good works and urged to take pride in doing more good works. The presumed good works of fighting abortion from a “loving” and “joyful” disposition were praised and urged. “Go Team!”

      Just as the Law was not applied to the hearers, neither was the Gospel applied. No one hearing this sermon would respond with a broken and contrite heart saying, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Even a Nazi would laugh at this sermon, without any sense of wanting to turn to God to hear His gracious absolution. Even if a Nazi heard that the millions of murders were wrong, that Nazi would think that at least the six million plus murders are not as bad as the 53 million abortions of the Americans. Both the Nazis and the LC-MS membership hear an excuse to say: “At least we are not as bad as certain others. Besides, Pr. Harrison says that Jesus invites the dregs to be His friends.”

      Indeed. Where did Pr. Harrison say anything about members of the LC-MS being in need of repentance? Was it somewhere in this sermon mentioned so subtly that even with several viewings that I did not perceive it?

      On that, what about the many blatant denials of the pure Gospel and Sacraments that the pastors and congregations of the LC-MS have committed for many decades, and with increasing boldness in recent years? The Lutheran Confessions speak of these compromises as the very worst of sins, even calling them soul-murder. Do we Lutherans, regardless of whichever synodical team or congregation we belong, do we not need to hear the call to acknowledge the First Three Commandments and our many sins against them? Do we not need to hear that we daily worship at the feet of the idol of the media and movie industry and the Internet? Do we not need to hear how we have taken the Lord’s name in vain and misused it in connection with false worship practices? Do we not need to hear how nonchalantly we treat daily prayer and devotion? Do we not need to hear how we give “half-cast” prayers toward God? Do we not need to hear, especially those who are of the LC-MS, how unionism has been openly practiced without even a hint of contrition over this violation of the Third Commandment?

      How can Pr. Harrison or any other pastor imagine that anyone from outside their “fellowship” will take their preaching seriously? Why would any nonbeliever be moved to listen to this kind of pep rally drivel? This is not even honest evaluation of their own membership. Why would someone like myself, someone who counts himself as a very desperate and poor, miserable sinner turn to such a works-righteous preacher and church body? I need to hear God’s Law and Gospel carefully and accurately preached to me so that I know that my need for the remission of my sins has been genuinely addressed. I need to know that the merits of Christ crucified are imparted to me through the ordained means of grace. I need to know that my miserable attempts at righteousness are not the basis of my judgment. I need to know that the perfect righteousness of Jesus has been poured out to me so that by His righteousness I am judged.

      Then and only then do I recognize myself as one among those who rejoices to count myself among those “who like Jesus are people of joy over life.” Pr. Harrison proclaims this as a catch phrase, but it is inestimably more. When a person hears this as what God works for us, then the person truly is made to be a person of joy over life. Then a person does not need to be urged to stand up for others, for that is the regenerated motive of the person’s heart. This is what the Holy Spirit produces. It is not something that a person must generate within oneself. The preaching of the necessity of good works in the life of Christians takes true form when preached as St. James says:

     What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:14-20)

      St. Paul proclaims the same, saying:

     So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. (Romans 1:15-17)

      A living faith causes a person to live from that faith. A living faith is not idle. It is like turning the key in a car and hearing no sound of the engine being turned. A person observing this says that the battery is dead. It has no life in it. Thus it produces no action.

      On the other hand no one imagines that a battery is made to be a good battery by turning over the engine. No. Rather, a person observes the innate goodness of the battery when it produces the work of turning over of the engine. Because the battery has life in it, the engine is turned over. The life has already been given to the battery by another source of life or energy. Then, because the battery has been made to be a good battery that is full of life, it then produces that which flows from the life that has been generated within it. Because of the life generated in it, the battery is declared to be a good battery that produces the good work that a live battery produces. If the battery dies and produces no work, it is then declared to be a bad battery and is cast into the pit.

      People in whom the true faith is alive do the works that this living faith produces. This living faith is generated in the person through the pure means of grace, that is, the pure Gospel and Sacraments. Oh that the preachers would preach and administer the pure and unadulterated Word and Sacraments rather than preaching that people should be good Lutherans or good Christians or good Whatevers. For as St. Paul masterfully proclaims, it is the Gospel that is the power of God into salvation. It is the Gospel that is the power that generates the true faith that changes people’s hearts and minds so that they live by faith and live the life of joy that produces the good works of that joy.

+ + +

Fascinating Videos

Tuesday was the Fortieth anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that the privacy of the womb belongs only to the woman, and not to its occupant, not to the unborn baby.

Yesterday I found some fascinating videos that were produced regarding this issue.  They are quite effective in evoking deeper thought concerning the issues of the reality that babies are people with hearts and souls and minds and are part of our society, part of the human race.







I don’t particularly like the notion of “potential” as the view towards a baby or any other human being.  But these videos do demonstrate that something very important is being ignored by our society in the matter of abortion and the value human life in general.

In Roe v. Wade and Roe v. Wade - 410 U.S. 113 (1973) it is reported that the woman’s constitutional right to privacy as guaranteed in several amendments and particularly the Fourteenth and Ninth amendments was the basis for the Supreme Court’s decision against the unborn baby in favor of the woman’s right for no one to know.  It seems ironic that the strongest arguments were based upon the right for privacy regarding Due Process.  And so a woman and abortionist are protected under due process while the baby is not.

It is even more powerfully ironic that in his recent inaugural address Obama spoke of reasons to ignore people’s rights to privacy in various matters.  The right to self-defense amendment is particularly under attack by a former Senator and now President who openly supports abortion as a right of women and especially of the abortion industrialists.  Is it not ironic that a woman’s so-called right to privacy has now become a right to have the rest of society pay for the termination of her baby?  Is it not ironic that the people who object to abortions on the basis of their belief that killing babies is ungodly no longer have any First Amendment rights whatsoever, even in many cases being denied the right of free speech?

The extent of the irony reaches into another area as well, as is reported at Ex-SEAL Zinke: 'Nearly Certain' Women in Combat Will Cost Lives.

It does not seem to be accidental that with the Roe v. Wade decision that the views of many women began to change significantly.  In the past it was extremely uncommon for women to think of military service as a “right” of women.  With the dehumanizing of babies and the devaluing of life in general, our society is more and more inclined to glorify warriors as role models.  Killing and fighting are predominant themes in movies.  Survival games are promoted as entertainment on TV.  Sending troops overseas to invade other countries under the guise of National Security and the War against Terrorism has become accepted. Assassinations via drones has become accepted.  Even the so-called collateral damage is hardly even counted anymore.

Are these issues divorced of one another?  Is there no common link between them?

Should we not consider seriously how far we have wandered in our thinking and values as a society?  Should we not also consider the things that have promoted this erosion and degradation and devolution of human decency?

+ + +

Newtown, Connecticut Tragedy

Such things leave us feeling the darkness of this world.  Especially for those who have lost loved ones, some children, how can they know anything but grief and devastation in their hearts and lives?

At Newtown school gunman forced his way in, police say it is reported:

Dr Jeannie Pasacreta, a nurse practitioner and psychologist who has been advising parents on how to talk to their children, says neighbours have been cancelling Christmas parties and taking down decorations.

And

Dr Jeannie Pasacreta, a nurse practitioner and psychologist in this picture postcard New England town, told me that neighbours were cancelling Christmas parties and taking down decorations, unable to celebrate amidst such searing grief.

The shock to these families is hard even to begin to estimate.

Again the school’s secular psychologist says:

People are at a loss, said Dr Pasacreta, who believes the lesson of this killing is to give more help to those showing signs of mental illness.

However, there is a much better lesson to be learned, for those who have suffered this tragedy directly, as well as those of us who experience it from a distance.

For those who cannot imagine themselves able “to celebrate amidst such searing grief” and find themselves cancelling Christmas parties and taking down their decorations, it would be very helpful to remember what the Christmas celebration really is.

For what reason was Jesus born into this world?  What did the angels shout and sing to the shepherds?  What did Gabriel announce?

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

  (Matthew 1:20-21)

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

  (Luke 2:8-11)

And as prophesied by Simeon:

And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

(Luke 2:34-35)

Christmas is the accounting of the birth of the baby boy born into the world to suffer at the hands of evil men, to be tortured to death on their behalf, to save them from their condemned condition as sinners.  The Christmas celebration is the joy that is known through the promise that God Himself took our human flesh so that He would journey to the cross of our salvation.

What lesson should we citizens of the world take from this in conjunction with the Newtown tragedy and every other tragedy in the world?

Surely we should do as this psychologist suggests and seek “more help to those showing signs of mental illness.”  This begins with realizing that we all are showing these signs, due to our fallen and sinful condition.  We all look to the wrong sources for happiness and hope and security and satisfaction, so that we find ourselves hopeless, misdirected, wandering, disappointed, failing, discouraged, depressed, angry, frustrated, and desperate.  All of us are disturbed and need help.

So, then, we should turn to this time when Advent directs us to the promise of the coming Savior.  We should use this time of our grief to understand the ultimate cause of our grief and suffering so that we look to the one who comes to help us, to rescue us, to redeem us, and deliver us.  When we partake of His gifts of grace we receive that which our hearts and souls desperately need and desire, even though we often do not even recognize what it is that we need and desire.  In the celebration of the Advent and Christmas season, we are taught what this is and how God freely gives it.  We hear His tender calling to come and taste and see that He is good.  We hear the heavenly invocation to come and adore Him and receive Him as our gracious and saving King.

Will this take away all of the pain that the parents of these murdered children endure?  No.  But it will fill them with the grace and peace of God that overpowers this pain and makes it no longer what rules their lives.  The pain of the loss remains.  But the promise yet to be realized is far greater.

Is there more to this lesson?  Yes, there is.  We surely should learn not to ignore the fact that none of us knows the length of life in this world that has been granted to each of us.  We each should eagerly run to the fount of life, where God regenerates us through water and Spirit to be made to be members of His kingdom.  We should not delay to bring our little children to this washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, so that they are made safe in Christ’s body and are made to be regular partakers of His Holy Communion.  Then, both they and we are filled with the peace of knowing that together we are kept safe in Christ Jesus.  Then, when tragedy strikes, even in the midst of our shock and woe and fear and heartache, we nevertheless will rejoice in the comfort that came down from heaven as a little baby boy who is Jesus, God’s salvation for us.

For those whose children are baptized, the Christmas lights and decorations still can be viewed as reminders of God’s great promises, even as He promised that the descendants of Abraham would be like the number of the stars in the sky, and as reminders of the great light of God’s glory that shown round the angels as they announced the birth of the Savior in Bethlehem.  The world has usurped much of this and used it contrary to what is salutary, but God’s promises still shine for us, even in the darkest of nights.

This is why God has ordained Baptism.  This is why He also ordained the Holy Supper.  This is how He gives us great cause for celebration even in this world of darkness and suffering and terror.  No one can take away what God grants to us through these blessed Sacraments.

Take they our life,
goods, fame, child, and wife,
let these all be gone,
they yet have nothing won;
the Kingdom ours remaineth.

+ + +

Puzzling Facebook Comment on Connecticut Tragedy

The Posted Comment:

   

It is reported that in the kindergarten classroom attacked today in Connecticut, one six year old, seeing the threat, led several of his classmates outside as he held the door.

    God bless and keep those who find their vocation as sheepdogs who would protect the flock around them, even six year olds!

Comments on the comment:

Amen, dear Pastor. Amen.

- - -

Amen here too.

- - -

I'm agreeing with you, Sheepdog.

- - -

I think I'm gonna call you Sheepdog from now on.



It is extremely puzzling to observe that this kindergarten boy’s wisdom and understanding is not grasped by those who laud him.

? ? ?

How is it that those who laud the action of this little boy do not see that the reason that his action was worthy of notice and emulation is that he actually led those who were in danger out of the group where the danger existed?

? ? ?

In case the point still is not clear, what good is a sheepdog who does not actually drive the sheep clear of the gathering where the danger is, but merely barks loudly about the danger?

This kindergarten classroom was established as a safe haven for students to be gathered to learn and grow.  However, danger entered this previously safe gathering so that it was no longer what it was established to be.  This young boy, perceiving the transformation from haven to trap and slaughter house, responded by leading his classmates out of the trap.

Yet pastors today, when they see that their church bodies are no longer the safe havens that they originally were held to be, when they see that their church bodies have become spiritual traps and slaughter houses, continue to tell the people that they are safe.  Rather than leading people to the door and holding it open for them, they tell the people that they are safe and to continue in the gathering in the trap.  Moreover, the people praise their pastors for their loving leadership that binds them to continual decay of the faith.

The shooting in this school is a terrible tragedy.  The community and the people are hurting, confused, and afraid.  Families have been changed through loss of loved ones.  Certainly this should not be exploited.

Yet this little boy does stand as a shining example.  Certainly he should be encouraged and we should learn from his actions.  And when pastors point to this boy’s actions, they surely should emphasize what he did that was effective.  Moreover, pastors are not sheepdogs, but shepherds. Neither did this little boy act as a sheepdog.  Sheepdogs do not lead tenderly but with barks and snaps of their teeth.  Shepherds lead through the proclaiming of the gentle voice of The Shepherd.

The fact that a pastor would liken this little boy’s actions and the vocation (calling) of the shepherds of the flocks to that of sheepdogs, is very disturbing.  It certainly moves me to ask myself how many times that I may have acted like a sheepdog rather than a shepherd.  But that a pastor would make this shift in terminology is very disturbing.  This certainly is not found in the Scriptures.  Neither is this found in the Lutheran Confessions.

If a pastor thinks this way and speaks this way, both he and those entrusted to his care should be asking themselves:

What does this mean?

+ + +

Youcef Nadarkhani Released From Jail

At Iran Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani Acquitted of Apostasy, Released From Jail it is reported that after three years this poor man and his family are finally reunited.  The man whom the Muslims wanted to murder for the false accusation of apostasy, has been spared this hateful action.  They have not killed him.  He was accused of converting from Islam to Christianity.  He never professed to believe in Allah.  Nevertheless, those who hate Christ wanted to kill this man.  So far, his three year imprisonment has been counted as enough hatred displayed, along with changing his sentence:

Though acquitted of apostasy, the Iranian pastor was found guilty of evangelizing Muslims. He was sentenced to three years imprisonment but was released because he already served this time.

Such is the way of peace practiced by those who bow down to Allah.  Many who call themselves Muslims will argue that this is not truly the way of Islam.  Yet their writings from their one true prophet of Allah do teach this as their way.  Moreover, those who practice Islam regularly support Jihad with their money.  And finally, they do not denounce those who do this as condemned by their God.  They may say that this is not truly the way of Islam, but they do not actually condemn it, either.  Some exceptions may be found, but they do not count themselves as truly separate from their Muslim brothers who do these things.  So what is to be concluded?

Sadly, Christianity has been abused so that many imagine that the Bible and the faith taught in the Bible can be likened to this religion of Muhammad.  Sadly, it is true, that many who have professed to be of Christ and of His Church have acted shamefully, inhumanely, and against all that Christ has ordained for those who are His disciples.  Horrible atrocities have been committed in the name of Jesus.

So is there a difference?

The Bible teaches that those who are of Christ love their enemies and pray for them.

The Bible teaches that the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Christ, is not of this world but is a spiritual kingdom and that the disciples of Jesus are not to seek to establish a kingdom by any force other than the means of grace, that is, the pure preaching of the Gospel and the right administration of the Sacraments.  No one is to be coerced to believe.  No one is to be threatened beyond the warning of the self-condemnation of rejecting God’s Word and grace, which finally result in the very thing that the person has chosen for oneself, everlastingly to be cut off from the life in God’s Holy Communion, to be everlastingly confined instead to the ways of those who reject life in God’s Communion.

The Bible teaches that God’s governance of His Church is through Word and water and bread and wine, which administered as He has ordained provide limitless grace, mercy, and peace through forgiveness, reconciliation, restoration, renewal, and healing.  Through these it is taught that God gives His very own body and blood, mind and spirit, to His Church, the communion of His saints on earth.  These saints count themselves as subjected to one another in the love of Christ, bound together not by their act of submission, but by the love and peace of God.

Much more can be said, but even with this much, does the Church of Christ and the faith of this Christian Church sound at all like what is openly professed and practiced within Islam?

Sadly, however, it must be admitted that this Church of Christ is very small and hard to find, so that Christians are perceived to be what is commonly observed in the world.  If a person is open to seek the Church that the Bible declares to be truly of God, where will this person find this Church?

Will Christ be found in the big cathedrals?  Will He be found in the Mega churches?  Will He be found in the many little churches?  Where will He be found?

Where does He say that He is to be found?

It is a shame that such hate crimes have been and continue to be committed as Youcef Nadarkhani and his family have experienced.  It is horrible to know that such hate crimes happen in all parts of the world, even by those professing to be disciples of Christ.  One example is reported again at Church says military funeral protests will continue despite new restrictions.  This truly is a hate crime.  I’m not sure that under the Constitution of the United States that it should be illegal, but it certainly is a crime motivated by hatred.  And this is really very small compared to the atrocities committed that have been recorded throughout history.

What hope is there?  Will the hatred ever end?  Will these terrible acts ever stop?

For some, they already have.  For those whom the Holy Spirit gathers into the name of Jesus through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit so that they confess their sins together and receive God’s absolution and then humbly receive God’s body and blood at His Table of forgiveness and life, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding does guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Gathered into His name they begin to experience the end of the hatred and begin to enjoy the life of God’s love together which overflows to everyone whom they encounter.

But for others, those who choose for themselves another way, who reject the pure means of grace that God has ordained for our salvation and healing, they shall continue forevermore in the ways in which they now continue.  Mankind, according to his corrupted nature, always resorts to the ways that we observe all around us.  It is as the Epistle reading for this week declares:

     Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness,revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

     But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

The contrast is stark.  The former is not a choice.  It is what has been inherited according to the sinful nature.  One can even say that this propensity is genetic, as it inheres to the flesh.

The latter is not a choice either.  It is what is inherited in connection with the rebirth through water and spirit.  It is a new life that accompanies the baptismal gift of the indwelling of the Spirit of God.  The Word, Jesus, is in the consecrated water.  He gives the promised Spirit.  The Spirit generates the new life of faith.  This faith then rules the heart and mind and spirit of the newly generated saint.  This faith is nurtured through the continual gathering for the feast of Word and Sacrament.

But the flesh and the spirit are at war.  This is true even within the newborn saint, so that the flesh continually needs to be crucified through confession and absolution and feasting at the Supper of Everlasting Life in God’s Communion.

In the world this war is manifested openly with persecutions against the saints.  The true saints are sometimes tolerated by the world, but eventually the world rises up again against the saints.  The true Church is seen as the enemy because the saints stand apart from the world even though they live in the world.  The true Church even stands apart from the so-called visible church, the church that makes so much noise about how much they love God and how much they love Jesus and how hard they try to be “good” Christians and to conquer the world for Jesus and to conform the world to the good ways.  Often the most severe persecution of the saints is instigated by this so-called visible church.

And so the war continues.  It appears to be very one sided, since the only weapons that the true saints use in defending the Church and the Faith are the pure Word and Sacraments.  To everyone but these saints this seems like utter futility.  But to all the believing it is the power of God into salvation.  (Rom. 1:16)

The release from jail of Youcef Nadarkhani is cause for rejoicing, even from a secular perspective.  It is always a cause for rejoicing when those who are acting hatefully are turned from their evil ways.  And of course, for Youcef and for all of the people, there is a respite from these acts against them.  Surely all of the people in Iran can sigh at least a brief sigh of relief.

+ + +

Obama’s Ideal Son

Obama: "If I Had A Son, He Would Look Like Trayvon"



Like “father” like son, I guess.

This actually does seem to be a mirror image of what the Obama continually gestures to the nation.

But then, the Obama is not alone as both houses of Congress, the Judicial branch all the way to the Supreme Court, the mainstream media, and the two party political system continually flip us this gesture as well.


Funny, I remember a time when parents slapped the smirk off their children for such disrespectful, hateful, and wicked gestures, and they were praised for their loving disciplinary actions rather than prosecuted for them. What happened to this nation?

Was it all just a dream?

- - -

Oh no! Oh No! Oh NO!

This article, Aborted Babies Are Being Chopped Up And Sold To Researchers All Over America, presents a truly horrifying reality. Fetal body parts used for reseach is a more extensive article.

An example of the sellers of these parts and the extracted RNA and such from the baby parts is Agilent Technologies.

From the Page Info from the headers:

keywords: tissue, human, fetal, purified, application tested, mRNA, poly, A, A +, messenger RNA, RNA, pure, FirstChoice, MVP, Ambion, normal, Premium, Clontech, 778001, 778002, 778003, 778008, 778009, 778011, 778013, 778015, 778019, 778021, 778025,

description: Highly pure, intact, human fetal tissue poly RNA collection that is ready-to-use for Microarray, QRT-PCR, cDNA synthesis and Northern Blot Analysis.

title: MVP Human Fetal Tissue Poly(A)+ RNA

mosskeywords: tissue, human, fetal, purified, application tested, mRNA, poly, A, A +, messenger RNA, RNA, pure, FirstChoice, MVP, Ambion, normal, Premium, Clontech, 778001, 778002, 778003, 778008, 778009, 778011, 778013, 778015, 778019, 778021, 778025,

The first time that one visits this web page a little pop up screen appears providing a list of countries from which to choose so as to make available what parts can be sold.

Here are screenshots showing the first and last on this very comprehensive list.

Is Antarctica now a country? Are there research centers in Antarctica that are experimenting on body parts? Who would have guessed that Antarctica would be listed? Just how far does experimentation on humans extend? Who is monitoring what it being done in Antarctica?

From the article Aborted Babies Are Being Chopped Up And Sold To Researchers All Over America With The Full Approval Of The Obama Administration at The American Dream, in the comments section is a comment that shows how far this thinking truly goes. People who argue for this treatment of the unborn try to conceal how far this mentality extends. But here is what that person stated:

At what point does this become shocking? This person says that experiments AND the harvesting of body parts should be conducted on prisoners. Can it be that people are actually thinking this way? It certainly has happened before. Is it happening now? (Yesterday 5 people had “liked” her comment. Today the number is up to 19.)

Not surprisingly, this person has listed on her Facebook page The Animal Rescue Site.



In conjunction with this there is a very high likelihood that she judges God as cruel for such reasons as hell being reserved for those who reject His mercy in favor of bringing death to the human race.

As Leonard Nimoy is famous for saying, “Fascinating.”

Actually, I would say, “Horrifying!” Or perhaps also, “Sickening.”

This truly should be alarming to us all, that this mentality has been propagated among us. If this can be done to more than a million babies every year in the USA alone, not counting the many other countries doing this, and if the mentality is being expanded to include prisoners and mentally impaired people, who is next? It is actually already being done on the poor in certain countries.

+ + +

By the way, for clarity’s sake, I am an animal lover and I do support animal rescue. I do not, however, count animals to be more important than humans, not even more important than convicted violent criminals, not even more important than those who kill babies and harvest their body parts or support this inhuman industry, for that matter, not even more important than those who have brought great harm to me and my wife. My view of these things flows from the God who gave Himself into death for the sake of sinners of every sort, even those who scourged Him and nailed Him to a tree. If this view extends even to murderers and rapists, how can compassion not be held concerning the helpless?

+ + +

Are They Persons?

Deliberately fraudulent and misrepresentative headlining such as Republicans introduce legislation targeting abortion access really frustrates me.

Yes, this legislation has as its underlying agenda protection for babies from being killed through abortion which will indeed reduce abortion access to those desiring to kill their babies. But abortion access is not the issue. The identity of people as persons who should be protected is the issue. The legislation is entitled the Life at Conception Act. It has as its purpose the clear legal definition of personhood that US Supreme Court denied to the US Constitution.

Those Supreme Court Justices who farcically claimed that they could not declare whether or not babies are persons should have been immediately impeached for directly violating their oath of office. Instead, the annihilation of 14% of the US population has been permitted. 56 million of 400 million is 14 percent! That is 14 out of every 100 or 7 out of every 50 people.

For a more tangible grasp of what this is, imagine sending executioners with machetes into the schools with the mission of going through the school and hacking to pieces 7 children out of every two classrooms!

If one considers the national response of one crazy school massacre, imagine what such an outrageous act as abortion on demand should cause. Yet rather than headlines decrying the continual slaughter of millions of innocent children for profit, rather the headlines demonize those who attempt to act in defense of these poor defenseless children.

The deceptive rhetoric of those arguing for abortion on demand is criminally insane. They call abortion a “reproductive right” of women. Abortion is an act against the reproductive functions and rights of women. Abortion is an act of Anti-reproduction.

Another abortionist favorite is to cry out that to prohibit abortion is to deny a woman the right to do with her body as she desires. But this is another absolutely false claim. The fact is that except in rare cases the woman HAS utilized her reproductive rights and that is why reproduction has occurred. At this point, as abortion is being contemplated or pursued, it is no longer the woman’s body that is at issue, but another person’s body that is at issue. The newly conceived and growing body of a brand new person is what abortion attacks and kills. The woman’s control over her own body is no longer in question. Whether her control of her body was usurped through rape or whether she actively engaged her body in reproductive activity, that time has passed. Reproduction has occurred and now another person is being denied rights concerning that person’s body and life.

This is the real issue being addressed by the Life at Conception Act.

The Supreme Court maliciously overturned the Constitutional right of persons to live. The justices who supported this deliberately and maliciously turned the issue of life into an issue of privacy. They redefined murder as an act of privilege to privacy.

For those who have a desire to see this Supreme attack on Life set right again, here is the link for the Life at Conception Act Petition.

Regarding just how far this issue extends, here again is the link for my earlier post, After-birth abortion: why should the baby live?

See also The Ethics of Killing Babies with Investigative Reporter Jon Rappoprt. This video in 3 clips begins with this issue, shows how far it extends, speaks of the globalist agenda and control of the mainstream media, and concludes by addressing the baby killing issue.

For anyone preferring to view them here, I’ll embed them below as well.

I remember when the veterans of the Viet Nam conflict returned home and were attacked as “Baby Killers.” Do you remember this? Surely it has been regurgitated in enough movies that even younger generations should be aware of this abuse that was wrongfully inflicted upon the devoted military service people who were victimized by this wrongful and unjust military action. These sons of the nation bravely faced horrible conflict, being victimized by the President and Congress, only to return home to be further abused by many of their fellow countrymen.

“Baby Killers” they were called. Yet according to Wikipedia’s Vietnam War casualties the total civilian deaths for the entire period of the conflict, a period of 15 years is as follows:

R.J. Rummel's mid-level estimated that 65,000 North Vietnamese Civilians died from 1960-1975.

The Vietnamese government in 1995 estimated that 4,000,000 Vietnamese civilians on both sides died in the war. Overall figures for North Vietnamese civilian dead range from 50,000 to 2,000,000.

These estimates, which are not clearly defined, are for all civilians killed of all ages. Moreover, these numbers reflect the civilian deaths caused by both sides of the military conflict in open warfare. Still, even if the outside number of 2 million is used, the total number of all civilian deaths is about the same as the number of babies killed in only one year in the US at the peak of the abortion industry’s activity. Compared to the total of more than 56 million babies killed since the Constitutional right to life was usurped via Roe V Wade, 2 million total civilian wartime casualties seems small.

Yet the Viet Nam vets were called “Baby Killers.”

But in the war against humanity called abortion more than 28 times that many actual babies have been killed. Yet those who cry out, “Baby Killers” against those who have killed more than 56 million babies and continue killing thousands of babies each and every day, such voices are called radicals and even terrorists.

How does that make any sense?

Sadly, the only possible expected outcome of this is that this killing spree will expand to include more than just the unborn. It will expand to many people who are of minority status, who have no political clout. Eventually, by this process of singling out “minority” groups, the majority of people will lose their voices until the elite minority have total say.

Gainsayers will continue to mock this until their day comes. They will continue to vote for those who go along to get along in the mainstream establishment of the elite. Because of this either the Obama will be “reelected” or one of the Republican globalists will be “elected.” And the people will stand bewildered and wonder how their Constitutional freedoms disappeared.

The pace is being accelerated, as the following clips declare. Mr. Jones and Mr. Rappoport express more hope for the country than I personally hold. They express hope that people are waking up and will take action. My long-time observation is that people go along until they are personally affected and then they rise to action that results in violence and bloodshed. History is replete with evidence of this pattern. This is truly sad because especially in this case we have some candidates who would make a genuine difference.

Here are the video clips for anyone caring to view them:







Mr. Rappoport speaks of people making videos of the issues and making them public. For a short time this will likely happen. However, the Internet is largely controlled by the elite. They own Google and YouTube. They control ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). And the Obama or whomever the next president may be, has been given power to shut down the Internet if an “emergency” is declared. Since the sitting/ruling president has the authority to declare an emergency, that gives total control for when the Internet becomes too “out of control” for the elite globalists.

But for the time being, we do have this for our use and we have the power to go and flood the voting stations with votes for a candidate whom the elites fear will shut them down. What if people actually did awaken from their apathetic stupor and defended the defenseless and placed into office those who actually uphold their office in accord with the Constitution? What if people feared injustice more than they feared taking responsibility for their own sexual activity and responsibility for raising their children? Could it be that something unprecedented in the history of nations could actually occur in these United States of America? Could it be that the precedent of reestablishing true liberty and justice for all could be held before the world?

- - -

Starve Iran

These reports disturb me in my soul.

Israeli officials: Starve Iranians to stop nukes

Israeli Officials Call for Starving Millions of Iranians

This is being compared to the refusal to send foreign aid to North Korea where the tyrannical dictatorial government committed and continues to commit atrocities on their people daily. North Korea’s leaders caused the starvation in North Korea.

There is a vast difference between saying “No” to the sending of foreign aid and saying “Yes” to trade sanctions and even military embargos against a nation, cutting it off from the world militarily.

Finding it difficult to justify outright military attacks on Iran, starvation is now being suggested as the means of killing the people.

Why? What have these people done? Whom have they attacked?

Who are the real monsters?

Yes, the Muslim leadership who are persecuting Christians with intensity and others as well, these truly are monstrous and evil. But is this reason for starving the entire populace? Is that not an even greater evil?

Recently many church leaders protested vehemently against the forced support of abortifacients and contraceptives. Church bodies angrily stormed Washington DC demanding to be exempted from violating their pro-life beliefs. Reports such as COP commends Synod president on religious-liberty statements boast with great pride regarding these actions.

OK. Very well. Good job boys!

In this same church body the new slogan and logo is: Witness, Mercy, Life Together.



Very catchy! Sounds wonderful!

I find myself wondering, will there be an outcry from these merciful ones regarding the globalist agenda to starve the Iranian children? Will they storm Washington DC to demand intervention on behalf of these children? Will they demand that their tax money not be used to help cut off food and supplies to the Iranian people?

Will they even publish a blog notice? Will they even send a letter?

Will they pray for the children in Iran? Will they pray for the parents who will struggle to find food for their starving children?

I am ashamed of the fact that in the past I often have turned a blind eye to such things as these. I am ashamed that I must admit that I did not cry out under the two Bush and the Clinton dictatorships and the unjust wars that they conducted and the other evils that they perpetrated.

Oh, I did cry out concerning at least some of the things, but with more of whimper.

Am I really doing anything more now? Is there more that I really can do?

Well, at the very least I believe that I can support candidates who likewise say that this is wrong, that warmongering is wrong, candidates with a record of opposing such evils, both abroad and at home.

- - -

Save Christian Pastor Nadarkhani from an Iranian Death Sentence

Here is an update on Pastor Nadarkhani Yousef from the ACLJ: Save Christian Pastor Nadarkhani from an Iranian Death Sentence. The ACLJ is calling for signers of a petition to the US Congress to support the Congressional Resolution introduced by Rep. Joe Pitts demanding the immediate release of Pastor Youcef.

I do not know how effective such a resolution will be, especially concerning the USA’s hypocrisy in such matters and in it’s dealings with Iran, but at least it is a way for me to make at least some statement to the Iranian government on behalf of Nadarkhani and all who suffer similar injustice. What other contact can I have? At least this is something.

Frankly, if Nadarkhani is a true believer in Christ, then going to be with the Lord will be a blessing. Yet life in this world is God’s gift, too. Moreover, remaining in this world and giving witness to God’s grace in Christ is a precious privilege. Furthermore, this injustice should be prevented. It is nothing less than murder if he is executed. Why should his family be robbed of his life with them? Why should such hatred be promoted and perpetrated?

Such is not uncommon in this world. Sadly, inexcusably, such has often been done by those pretending to be of Christ, too. How can it be that even today many so-called Christians are calling for such wickedness to be done upon the people of Iran?

Where will it end? It will end with the Lord’s return in glory. Until then, the true children of peace will endure such abuses, looking beyond this vale of sorrow and trouble to the everlasting abode that the Lord has prepared for them. Until then we continue to cry out, not with hateful anger, but with righteous anger that has peace and love as its motive. Yes, righteous anger is proper as it moves one to cry out against evil, not with murderous hatred, but with a desire for loving confrontation that leads to forgiveness and reconciliation both regarding fellow men and God.

+ + +

From Whence Come Wars

     From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. (James 4:1-3)

Old Man Attacked by Obama Administration

An 80 year old man is being attacked by the Obama Administration and the FBI as a violent criminal because of his pro-life stand. His big acts of violence? He stood on a side walk and he accidentally stepped on someone’s shoe.

More information is available at:

Obama Admin: Fine Pro-Lifer $25,000 for Stepping on Shoe

Bias at Justice: A Tale of Two Cases

Federal government out of step with pro-life America.

How this man’s actions can be counted in any way as violent is beyond reason. Certainly he may have been annoying to those seeking to eradicate the babies whom they do not want to consider. Certainly he may have been a nuisance to the Planned Parenthood Limitation staff. But he caused less actual accosting of people than the Justice Department daily causes, or that Congress and the President cause, or that telephone opinion pollsters cause.

He certainly did nothing like the woman did to him with the pepper spray. Yet he is treated as a perpetrator of violence and she is not.

According to the US government, those who cry out for those who have no other advocates are to be punished as violent offenders while those who deny the voiceless a chance to be heard or even to live to see the light of day are counted as innocent.

Just how perverted must the abuses of justice reach before people awaken from their apathy?

+ + +

More on Pastor Nadarkhani

The Washington Post has an article, Clearing up the facts on Pastor Nadarkhani’s fate.

It includes a link to this translation of the Iranian Supreme Court verdict against Nadarkhani.

+ + +

Petition on behalf of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani has been in the news as a man sentenced to death in Iran for his refusal to repent of his conversion (apostasy) from Islam to Christianity. International pressure has helped to forestall at least temporarily the Iranian government’s plans to execute him. Additionally, the Iranian government has circulated propaganda claiming that the charges in the court documentation are not the real crime for which he is sentenced to death.

More information is available at Youcef Nadarkhani Still in Danger: Ayatollah Khamenei to be his Final Judge . As this article reports, the matter has been carried to its highest level in Iran, to the Ayatollah Khamenei.

The ACLJ, the American Center for Law and Justice, is preparing a petition to present to Secretary of State Clinton urging her to “call for Iran to overturn Pastor Youcef’s death sentence and demand his full and unconditional release from prison.” The petition is available at Petition to Secretary of State Clinton - Call on Iran to save Christian pastor. A form is provided at this link for having your name added to the petition if you would like to join the outcry on behalf of this man’s life. Alternatively, you can call the PETITION LINE at 1-877-989-2255.

If you know of people without Internet access who would like to have their names added to the petition, this phone number gives easy access to do so. It is again: 1-877-989-2255.

Here is the petition that is to be presented to Secretary Clinton:

To: Secretary of State Clinton

We cannot allow this atrocity to be carried out. Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani faces imminent execution in Iran for his Christian faith. In July, your office stated that it was “dismayed over reports that the Iranian courts are requiring Youcef Nadarkhani to recant his Christian faith or face the death penalty for apostasy.” Now, Pastor Youcef faces execution that could be carried out at any time.

It is absolutely critical that you call for Iran to overturn Pastor Youcef’s death sentence and demand his full and unconditional release from prison. As other world leaders denounce Iran’s condemning this man to death just for being a Christian, it is critical that America – the land of liberty – take a stand and pressure Iran to release Pastor Youcef.

I urge you to take immediate action to call on Iran to stop this ultimate human rights abuse, and free Pastor Youcef before it’s too late.

+ + +

Sharia Law & Islam - Extremist or Radical

How many times have the media, our governmental leaders, even so-called Christian leaders referred to the hateful and murderous acts of Islamic followers as “radical” or “extremist”? How many times have these terms been falsely equated? Extremist means: advocating or resorting to measures beyond the norm, especially in politics. Radical means: from the root.

According to what is being done to this man in Iran, under Sharia Law, are the acts that have been perpetrated in the name of Allah throughout the world extremist or are they radical, that is, are they beyond the norm or do they truly represent the religion of Islam?



This man has been tried and convicted of professing to be a Christian. Actually, he is accused of converting to the Christian faith from Islam. He says that he never was a Muslim. Regardless, he has been convicted of the crime of converting to the profession of believing in Christ and has been sentenced to death.

Is this the way of Islam? It is according to the Quran. It is according to centuries of Islamic law and practice.

If this is extremism, why are not the Muslims of the world screaming in outrage? Have I missed it? Has there been such an outcry from the so-called moderate Muslims? Are they denouncing this ruling of the Iranian courts as being against the will of their Allah and their religion of Islam?

While my search has not been extensive, I have found nothing of such an outcry being reported. One search was: “Are Muslims defending Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani?” Google produced only articles regarding what others are saying against this crime against humanity. Nothing appeared that answered the actual query. No examples were produced of any Muslim speaking out on behalf of this man being persecuted and sentenced to death for his profession of faith. (Nota bene: I only checked the first five pages of articles or fifty articles.)

However, Google did produce this article in which Nadarkhani’s attorney speaks out.

Nadarkhani Refuses to Repent; Awaiting Final Ruling on Apostasy Death Sentence

The article does not say whether or not the attorney is Muslim, although some of the statements of the attorney would seem to indicate that he is not.

But returning to the issue of whether these actions are extremist and going beyond the norm of Islam or is actually radical and following the very root or foundation of Islam, what does this action of the Iranian courts reveal?

- - -

Yousef Nadarkhani Needs International Support

- - -

Letter from Youcef Nadarkhani

- - -

Why do they do it?

My wife rented some movies for us to watch. Two of the movies, “The Road” and “Shrink” were based upon suicide and the question: “Why do they do it?” The question was left unanswered, with only the pain for the survivors on display.

Why do they do it?

The answer is actually contained within the nomenclature. The two parts of the word mean self - kill.

Suicide is all about self. Another way of saying this is selfish. Suicide is selfishness manifested in its fullest measure.

Suicide seems senseless until one becomes completely preoccupied with self. Once a person’s thoughts are purely selfish, suicide becomes the only action that seems reasonable.

The reason behind this is what a person encounters through selfishness. When a person is concerned only about self, what does the person find? What the person finds is disappointing beyond what can be borne. The person finds endless weakness and failure. The person finds helplessness and becomes entirely without hope. The person finds no purpose. This leads to terrible frustration. Frustration becomes anger. Anger becomes deep-felt resentment, often first concerning the unfair and uncaring actions of others, and eventually the self-loathing of honest self-examination. The person becomes more and more aware of the inescapable facts of self-awareness. “I hate myself!” becomes the prevailing mindset.

People find various alternative forms of suicide. While it seems to be more and more common in today’s materialistic and hedonistic and immoral as well as amoral society to kill oneself outright, there are many other forms of getting rid of oneself, at least temporarily. Most forms of addiction are just this. Whether it be alcohol, drugs, food, junk food, work, exercise, gambling or sex or pornography, these all are often used as forms of temporarily escaping oneself, or at least of dulling one’s self-awareness. People immerse and drown themselves and push themselves out of consciousness of self through these various indulgences. Even such things as charity and evangelism can be used in these ways.

Why is this so powerful? Why do people seem to be unable to escape these forms of self-destruction?

The answer is that they are already dead.

Since they are already dead, killing themselves and eliminating or attempting to erase or eradicate themselves seems like an answer. “Stop the pain. Make it go away! There is no other way of escape! I must do this!”

This is why God has provided Baptism. Through Baptism the dead and corrupt person is washed away and an entirely new person is raised up to a brand new life. This new person has a brand new image, the image that was lost, the image of God, which is Christ. This new person is alive with the goodness of the Lord Himself. The Holy Spirit comes to the person and fills the person with the very will of God, the good and gracious and holy will of God. With the Holy Supper this is renewed through continual eating of the body of the unity of Christ and drinking of the blood of forgiveness.

So we learn that the answer to the hopelessness of mankind is not ending oneself but being regenerated into the image of God in the unity of the body of Christ. Therein God works a complete change of heart and mind that restores to the person the hope that cannot be found through any other means. Peace truly begins to rule the person’s heart, mind, body, and soul. Then the person hears and understands and believes the answer that the Lord Jesus gave to St. Paul which is recorded for us in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “Sufficient for thee is My grace.” (YLT)

When a person has been converted so that this is what dwells in one’s soul, even the self-loathing suicidal thoughts have no power over the person. No one who knows the pure grace of God in Christ can continue to hate oneself, nor anyone one else. Then one sees beyond the mirror to what God has declared in Christ Jesus. Then hope is restored, and even more than restored, so that true contentment in all things is known and peace rules over everything in the person’s life.

Oh that this would be what Hollywood’s producers would explain on the big screen. But who would buy it? Oh that the churches would preach this without compromise! But who would believe it?

How about you? After all, God has declared it for you. He has purchased it at the ultimate cost so that it would be yours free of cost to you. He provides it continually and without limit in His means of grace in His true Church. Its yours! It is already yours to receive freely through the means of grace.

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. (Isaiah 55:1-3)

† † †

Excuses and other Lies

Last night as I was driving to park my truck and chipper, I had a frightening occurrence. At one major intersection, I waited patiently for the left turn arrow and then proceeded to turn into the proper lane of a four lane road. A short distance after making my turn I began signaling to change lanes, checked my mirrors, and seeing no vehicles, I began to change lanes.

Moments later I heard a horn honking. I checked my mirrors and still saw no one. I checked again and found a car to the side of me, whom I was about to crush. I eased away. The driver of the car backed off. I signaled again and checking carefully, changed lanes.

I wondered how it was possible that this happened. I have a ten inch convex mirror that shows the entire lane and that side of the truck. However this car must have pulled just ahead of the viewing area, a blind spot.

How did it get there? I was the first to round the turn. I was doing the speed limit. The other person must have been speeding to try to get around me. The other driver must not have turned into the legally required lane. This must have been the result of that driver breaking the law.

I was making excuses. It matters not what the other person did wrong. I am responsible for not turning into another vehicle. I am responsible even if the other person violated safety rules and ignorantly entered into my blind spot. I was wrong. Realizing this I wished for an opportunity to apologize to the other driver, but the driver turned off at the next intersection. How that person must have trembled! How terrible to be put into such a situation!

Excuses and blaming others are forms of lying. When I find myself doing this, I am in need of God’s forgiveness and restoration to His grace.

This is true for all Christians. Pastors especially need to be aware of this as people look to pastors as examples of the true faith and the way of life to which God calls us through the Gospel. If pastors make excuses for their mistakes and sins, what will those who look to them as fathers in the faith do?

The pastoral office is one for which no man is worthy, save the One who ordained it. All the rest of us are in perpetual need of being called to repentance. We need always to stand ready to confess our sins and receive God’s forgiveness. When the matter is one of which people have encountered publicly, then the confession and recognition of God’s absolution need to be public, too. This is for the sake of the perception of the Gospel that people will receive.

On another pastor’s blog I recently asked him about a very simple mistake that he made. I knew not whether it was a mistake or a choice based upon some other reason. It turned out to be a mistake. But his response was first to ignore my question. Then when I asked again, he made excuses, blamed others for his mistake, even tried to divert attention to the Antichrist, and accused me of impatience and arrogance in asking why he did not answer my question. Each of these was deception on his part. He was being dishonest. He outright lied.

Here is the response that he gave:

Do you think my job is to answer your questions, pronto? Sorry, the pay for that is rather skimpy. I simply misread my computer calendar, and I don't have a Thrivent desk calendar, if they even publish it anymore.

The Lutherans are taking all their cues on the liturgical calendar from Rome now, so I suggest you write to His Holiness, the Antichrist, for additional details and advice.

If you know this pastor, please do not hold this against him. I have no desire to identify him personally. My desire is to hold forth an example of the way that pastors sin against the office, often without realizing it. I began with an example from my own life. I can recount other ways in which I have failed in this regard as well. The point is not to accuse but to preach awareness.

Here then is an explanation of what is wrong in this response:

First is the false accusation of impatience on the part of the questioner, namely, me. This pastor’s blog is set up for moderation of comments, which means that no one can post a comment that this pastor does not first read, examine, and then post. In addition to posting my comment, he posted several others as well. I waited another day after this before asking why he did not answer my question. His diversionary tactic was dishonest. It was a lie.

Next he blames Thrivent for not supplying him with a calendar. The hymnal that he uses has the calendar printed within. It is the calendar that I use, in coordination with my regular secular calendar. Even my secular calendar tells when Ash Wednesday and Easter occur, the festivals by which the Sundays in Epiphany are calculated. My question to him was regarding his ending of the Epiphany season a week early. This was his mistake. Thrivent did not cause this. Thrivent was not even driving in his blind spot.

Next he blames Lutherans in general for his mistake. There is without doubt a multitude of blame for which Lutherans in general deserve. But whatever compromises apostate Lutherans have made and are making, none of them had anything whatsoever to do with his failure to check the dates of the Sundays that he observes. Moreover, Vatican II, the alterations of which he attempts to connect to this issue, occurred long after the hymnal that he uses was compiled. Moreover, Vatican II and the Pope did not change the calculation of Ash Wednesday and Easter.

Excuse upon excuse. Lie upon lie.

Why should anyone care? Because lies are not of God but of the devil and of the sinful flesh. Lies work to diminish or even annihilate the life that the preaching of the Gospel generates. Lies undermine the pastoral office and the Church.

Lies must be recognized and confronted, condemned and rejected. They have no place in the life of a Christian. They have no place in the life of a pastor. But we are all liars. We all lie, both unintentionally and intentionally. From this we need to be called to repent.

Moreover, the attitude displayed in the making of excuses, the acceptance of lying to divert attention from oneself and one’s own mistakes, is infectious. It is a leaven that works its way through the entire loaf. This is true for the spirit and life of the pastor as well as for the congregation or even church body. Pastors must be on guard against this in themselves and in their daily service in the office of the Word.

Children follow in the footsteps of their fathers. Pastors have been ordained by God as spiritual fathers or overseers of those who look to them for guidance. This is a very serious matter.

Now while I have singled out myself and then also this other pastor, this is an issue that all pastors need to face personally. The making of excuses is a trait that we all have inherited from Adam. Cain did not guard against it and it made a murder of him. In trying to cover his own dishonor, in trying to cover the shortcoming of his own ego compared to Abel’s, Cain rose up and murdered his brother.

We do the same when we make excuses and especially when we try to shift the blame for our errors to someone else. We kill another’s reputation in order to try to save our own. Understanding this begins with the Eighth Commandment and moves to the Fifth, upward to the Third, Second, and finally the First.

In this we injure everyone involved. First we injure ourselves by not being honest with ourselves. Then we injure whomever we attempt to blame. Then, we also injure anyone who follows us in our sinful behavior.

How much easier and better it is to be honest and simply to say: “Oh, I made a mistake. I am sorry. Thank you for making me aware of my error. Please forgive me.”

Now, I pray that God will make me to remember this next time myself.