Proverbs 29:2

 When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.

American Indians Found in Obscure 15th Century Vatican Fresco

From the Christian Science Monitor:

"The discovery was made by restoration experts who were cleaning a large fresco painted by

The figures are men who seem to be dancing and are naked except for exotic-looking feather headdresses. One appears to have a Mohican-style haircut.  

Pinturicchio created the work, which shows Jesus' Resurrection, in 1494, just a year after Columbus returned from his first journey of discovery across the Atlantic." Once they had removed layers of dirt, they noticed a group of tiny figures, almost in the middle of the painting.

New Study: Turin Shroud 'is not a medieval forgery'

From Nick Squires at the telegraph UK:'

'Experiments conducted by scientists at the University of Padua in northern Italy have dated the shroud to ancient times, a few centuries before and after the life of Christ.

Many Catholics believe that the 14ft-long linen cloth, which bears the imprint of the face and body of a bearded man, was used to bury Christ's body when he was lifted down from the cross after being crucified 2,000 years ago.

&&&

Archeologists Find Obituary for Jesus of Nazareth

Of course it's not a photoshop...

Obviously, the reports of His death have been greatly exaggerated.

Friday Night Hoop-la

Christ Is Risen By Matt Maher



Distilled from 1Corinthians 15:55-57

"He who knew no sin..."

Thoughts on Good Friday by Kevin McCullough at Townhall blog:

"Often when I have debated the "total depravity of mankind" I have been able to stump the other debater simply by observing that in seeing my own life, I know that left to my own devices I would make a royal mess of everything around me.

It is out of this reality that I approach Good Friday this year. Perhaps more in touch with my fragile mortality, perhaps more in touch with my fragile morality, or perhaps simply being more aware than ever before that God's work in me has such a long way to go to be fully realized.

Yet this is the message of Good Friday for all of us."

TY MF

Luke 17: 1-4

"He said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble.

“Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. “And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

The Suicide of American Freedom (AUDIO)

 Can freedom flourish where virtue does not? That's a question the late Chuck Colson cared deeply about, but it's also one addressed powerfully by theologian and author, Os Guinness. During this week's interview, you'll meet Os, author of the book "A Free People's Suicide," as he discusses the real basis of American freedom.

1 Samuel 8:7-18

And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king.

And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you:

&&&

*Are We suffering from “Bad Religion”?

That's the question Ed Morrissey over at Hot Air asked in regards to the theory Ross Douthat proposed in his new book, "Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics."

EM comments,

"There is much to agree with in Douthat’s interview.  As people fall away from traditional churches, they tend to look for other saviors.  Douthat calls this a “God haunted” affliction; we have a deep-seated religious impulse that will go in destructive directions when we try to elevate the secular to the divine.  To the extent that people do so with (Glenn) Beck, (Oprah) Winfrey, and other secular figures in cultural is their own error, since neither figure explicitly claims to be a religious leader, even if their fans sometimes treat them as such."

The obvious straight line of deification mania can be drawn to the current occupant of the White House, with those in the MSM being a large part of his fanatical base.

So, I, too, agree with Ross Douthat; good religion needs to remain vigilant as a necessary counter balance to the malignancy of bad religion, which is far worse than no religion.

I’ve oft said that Pres. Divisive is a proponent of bad religion. Obama claims to be a Christian, and I won’t dispute his claim, but he’s demonstrated himself to be a very shallow and immature Christian, short on Biblical literacy, yet long on taking Biblical text out of context in order to further a mendacious secular pretext (the usual suspects of abortion, homosexual marriage, violations of conscience, etc. - even accessory to murder!).

*repost, updated

Leviticus 19: 23-37

“‘When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden. For three years you are to consider it forbidden; it must not be eaten. In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the Lord. But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the Lord your God.

“‘Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it.

“‘Do not practice divination or seek omens.

“‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.

“‘Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.

“‘Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness.

“‘Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord.

“‘Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.

“‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.

“‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

“‘Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.

“‘Keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them. I am the Lord.’”

Sunday

Revelation 21: 1-8

"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Sunday, Sunday

"Where Were You" (9/11 Faith, Hope, & Love)  - by Alan Jackson

Is America Becoming a Pagan Kingdom?

An interesting and thoughtful article in the Canada Free Press:

"...Paganism is a set of beliefs and practices essentially tied to the societies of the ancient world outside Judaism and Christianity. In particular, classical paganism was the worldview of the ancient Greeks and Romans. The revival of these ancient cultures during the Renaissance by way of the ancient writers is the foundation for Humanism. Despite the many high points of ancient classical paganism, these cultures’ values were rejected by the Christian West as utterly at odds with the great standards created by the rise of Christian Europe. This article details how these standards, misunderstood and rejected, are being slowly lost and replaced by unenlightened instincts and more primitive beliefs."

I. The Drift of Modern American Public Policy & Societal Mores
II. Ancient Roots of Modern Paganism
III. Chief Doctrines of Reborn Paganism

Christmas 2012: Around the World in Pictures

Click on any picture to go to the originating website and accompanying captions.

Courtesy of aljazeera (yes. really) .

&&&

Merry Christmas; Oh, Holy Night

Ave Maria by Franz Schubert.

Sung by Andrea Bocelli.

I'm just a hard oak Baptist, but even I can appreciate that the Catholics got a few things wonderfully correct.



Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas; A Celebration of Christ's Earthly Incarnation

O HOLY NIGHT - wonderfully performed by Josh Groban.

This is truly my favorite Christmas song because it ain't about Santa or toys or fighting Druids or Gaia worship or sparklies.

At its core, Christmas is a religious holy day celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ upon this earth. I'm puzzled as to why pagans, secularists, and anti-theists wish to indulge their hypocrisy by participating, however superficial or profane,  in a Christian holy day - then denigrate and marginalize the very essence of the reason for the season, Jesus Christ.

Yet they'll gladly pocket the holiday pay.

Oh, well. I'm tolerant.  

Merry Christmas, anyways.



Matthew 1:17-25

 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.

Christ Born of Mary 

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

Vatican says Pope Beats Justin Bieber on Re-tweets

This is the 2nd sign of the apocalypse.

And What About Those 8 Wise Men?

*repost

"Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh." - Matthew 2:11

"We three kings of Orient are, bearing gifts; we've traveled so far..."

Yup. That's the way the song goes, but how do we know there were exactly three kings? Or were they even kings? Scripture never mentions their names or country of origin, but Scripture does indicate that they arrived almost two years after the birth of Jesus to pay homage to this new born King.

Just consider the modern manger scene a 'reader's digest condensed version' of the event:


***

Why No New Christmas Songs?

That's a question put forth by blogger Cylar over at  Rotten Chestnuts:

"It makes me wonder – why AREN’T new holiday carols being written and recorded each year as with other songs? I’d wager good money that “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree” was the last original Christmas song ever written or recorded, and that song is probably fifty years old by now or close to it."

 It's a good question, one with no easy answer, yet if one does ponder it, the answer does hold an explanation to our fractured secular society, and changing cultural landscape.

I read some good comments under that post which touched on ‘why are there no new Christmas songs?’ Yet most merely describe the symptoms and not the cause. I think the answer is  very simple: Nobody wants them. There are cultural reasons and commercial reasons, to be sure, but why are these the reasons?

I think it’s because the public reality about the traditional things from our once shared Western heritage are no longer important to the culture at large. The celebration of Christmas was often a reflection of a shared cultural heritage that drew the particulars and participation of that celebration from the many Christian immigrants who came to the shores of the U.S.; IE: The Catholic church gave us the very word Christmas, from their ‘Christ Mass’; The Protestant Germans gave us the Christmas tree; The Scandinavians gave us the Yule log; The Anglican English gave us caroling and Christmas cards; Currier & Ives immortalized it all in print. The American descendants, distilled from all of them, gave us the shopping mall.

Christmas is a religious holy day at its core, and in the United States, the faithful are still free to observe and worship as they please. Over the centuries, the joy and beauty of the celebration did overlap into the secular arena, and was enjoyed by the culture at large, but in a pluralistic society, such as the United States, there is a malignant & virulent anti-theistic ideology pervasive within our instant gratification society that eschews Faith, is enamored of sophistry, idolizes hedonism, and claims to be intolerant of intolerance.

The tap root of this noxious anti-theistic weed is firmly entrenched in universities, spreading its seeds via credit hours, manifesting itself in the hive mind of disciples, utilizing ridicule and derision for protection, with woody tentacles stretching well into elementary schools; eventually choking out the tender fruit of the Spirit, and relegating the Christ child to the nether region of relativistic myth, separated by state edict. The ACLU, et al, makes a small fortune insuring this repression.

In the new millennium, nanny-state is god; political correctness is theology; and turpitude is worship. There are anthems to debauchery and hagiography to political rock stars because there's money to be made and agendas to advance, but there are no new Christmas songs because nobody wants them.

Merry Christmas to all.