Doctor Greta Thunberg (Hon. '23)

For decades, the global warming movement has been rightly accused as being not much more than a religion for many folks. Points are rarely made unless they include an obligatory "I believe" to their claim. Hundreds of prophesied climate disasters fail to materialize - which is a sure sign of a false religion, with a lying priesthood and hypocritical layfolk. 

But now, we have yet more evidence that climate change (or if you prefer - global warming - they are the same), is in fact, truly a religion. The University of Helsinki's Faculty of Theology has announced its Honorary Doctorates for 2023. Let's define some terms, just so we are all on the same page.

• Theology - the study of the nature of God and religious belief.
• Religion - a particular system of faith and worship (Contrast with Christianity - which is a personal relationship with a Living Lord and Savior).
• Honorary Doctorate - a degree given by a college or university to someone who is not a student, but who has done something important.

Among the fine folk nominated by this presumably reputable place of higher learning, are the following, with a very brief description of their noteworthy contribution to the world.

The Honorary Doctors Of The Faculty Of Theology

Riho Altnurme is Professor of Church History at the University of Tartu. He is the leading expert in Estonian church history and has produced a wide range of scholarly publications on issues such as Soviet religious policy in Estonia and the history of theological education in the country. He has collaborated with Finnish church historians for over 25 years.

Annabel Brett is Professor of Political Thought and History at the University of Cambridge. Her extensive publications focus on mediaeval and early modern moral and political thought, with an emphasis on the natural law tradition, Aristotelianism and scholastic philosophy, as well as, in recent years, the history of international law. Professor Brett was a member (2008–2013) of the scientific advisory board of the Centre of Excellence in Philosophical Psychology, Morality, and Politics (PMP) funded by the Academy of Finland and headed by Simo Knuuttila.

Grace Davie is Professor Emerita at the University of Exeter. She has served as a visiting professor at, for example, the University of Helsinki’s Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies and Uppsala University. Authoring a number of works on the sociology of religion that have become classics, Davie has created new concepts in the field. In her career, she has significantly strengthened the theme of religion in the social sciences as well as the approaches of the social sciences and political studies in theological research.

Philip Esler, Professor of New Testament Studies at the University of Gloucestershire, is a pioneer in the social-scientific study of the Bible. He has opened up a number of new approaches to the study of early Jewish and Christian texts through sociological, anthropological and socio-psychological perspectives. He has also explored New Testament theology and the Bible’s relationship to visual arts. Esler has collaborated closely with scholars from the University of Helsinki in joint researcher networks and as a member of support groups for research projects.

Maria Immonen has had a long career in international aid in countries including Finland, Tanzania and Switzerland. She is currently Director of the Department for World Service at the Communion Office of the Lutheran World Federation, the first woman to hold the role. She leads the federation’s extensive humanitarian and development work, focused on the most vulnerable and on global responsibility. Immonen is an alum of the University of Helsinki Faculty of Arts.

Mia Lövheim is Professor of the Sociology of Religion at Uppsala University. She specialises in religious, media and social change, particularly from the perspective of gender and youth issues. She is a founding member of the Nordic Network on Religion, Media and Populism and the International Society for Media, Religion and Culture as well as the honorary chair of the latter. She has collaborated actively for years with University of Helsinki researchers involved in the study of religion and media and communication studies. During the 2023 autumn term, she will work at the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies. 

Munib Younan has for decades been the public voice of Middle Eastern and especially Palestinian Christians. In his work as President of the Lutheran World Federation, he has played a globally significant role as a Christian leader and theological policymaker. His approach emphasises the positive role of religion as a factor encouraging public engagement. Younan completed his master’s degree at the University of Helsinki and throughout his career has fostered close relationships with Finnish partners.

AND

Greta Thunberg is a Swedish opinion-maker and activist. The School Strike for Climate she staged outside the Swedish parliament building in autumn 2018 soon expanded into the global Fridays for Future movement, in which schoolchildren urge decision-makers to take climate action based on scientific evidence. The value of her uncompromising and consistent work for the future of our planet has been recognised with several major awards and prizes. Her actions have obliged all of us with the task, as members of communities and societies, but above all as human beings, of making changes to our everyday lives.

Do you remember the Sesame Street song - One Of These Things (Is Not Like The Others)? It goes something like this - "One of these things is not like the others, One of these things doesn't belong, Can you tell which thing is not like the others, By the time I finish my song?"

Can you tell which one of the honorees just doesn't belong?

As a Christian, I have to chuckle a bit at the recipients, as I doubt many of these will ever lead someone to Christ. But at least some are nominally Christians, connected to the Lutheran denomination. So there is hope that God can use them for something. I can pray for their Salvation, so they can be placed in the Body of Christ as it pleases the Father. I keep reminding myself, this is THEOLOGY. The study OF God, not necessarily a relationship WITH Him.

Then, there is wee Greta. How vast is the difference between her academic background and life achievements, and the rest. She is a school drop out, and an itinerant agitator. Her work encourages kids to skip school and pester adults about topics that not even scientists completely understand, or can even find common ground. And have the exalted faculty at the ivy-covered walls of Helsinki U ever listened to the teen ne'er-do-well speak? This is from the transcript of her infamous UN rant, along with my comments, 

"My message is that we'll be watching you."

Who is this we? Climate fanatics? Truant children? Should the world be afraid of tiny global warming fanatics coming at us because we prefer to get to places as efficiently and cheaply as possible? What is this delusion that she thinks the world cares what some brainwashed teen thinks? People wonder how the tyrants in history came to be. Look no further than this little tyrant in training, Dr. Greta.

"This is all wrong. I shouldn't be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you!"

You bet its wrong. She (at this time) was 16. She SHOULD be in school - a real one that actually educates. Who is going to young people for hope? And why is she so angry? Nobody asked her to be a climate martyr. Where are her parents? Why are they allowing her delusions to fester?

"You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. And yet I'm one of the lucky ones. People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!"

Who stole her dreams? Most likely her nutty parents, and the handlers and groomers they forced on the impressionable young girl. Who is suffering and dying? Man's humanity to man is a big reason people might be dying. Certainly not climate. And its the ideology that Greta embraces, big government tyranny, and loss of individual Liberty, that has historically murdered the most people. There has been an estimated 262 million victims of democide in the last century. That by far surpasses war and ALL weather events in body count by multiple times. And yet Greta demands even bigger government, or possibly one government for all? Let the elevator reach the top floor doctor!

If you want anything done young lady, you are going to need MONEY. Even the supposed solution to this climate insanity is a major transfer of wealth from rich nations to poor. And of course higher taxes, more regulations, and less freedom for all, while our benevolent dictators fill their Swiss accounts with our wealth. Sounds downright peachy, don't you think? Its funny, for EVERY crisis, the solution is always the same.

I feel sad for the girl. Her parents royally screwed up her childhood. She truly believes she has the whole world on her shoulders. That's too much pressure for any young'un. But then again, her delusions fit perfectly with the granola crowd at the UN, which is nothing but a bunch of fruits, flakes, and nuts. 

"You are failing us. But the young people are starting to understand your betrayal. The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us, I say: We will never forgive you."

"We will not let you get away with this. Right here, right now is where we draw the line. The world is waking up. And change is coming, whether you like it or not."

These are the last two paragraphs of this twaddle. Whoever penned her rant tried their best to add some scientific muscle to it, but failed. If we are all to die because of 1.5 degree Celsius increase, there is no hope for man. But anyone with a brain knows that is rubbish. The Earth has been far hotter, and far colder throughout its time. Mankind has adapted throughout history to significant changes in climate - its a historical fact, or if you are Algore - an inconvenient TRUTH.

The Medieval Warm Period (roughly 1000-1300) was a time when Europe saw higher crop yields, and Vikings settled a place called Greenland, which was much greener than it is today. And there was also a period of time called the Little Ice Age (roughly 1500-1850), when the Greenland Viking colony collapsed, glaciers spread, crops failed etc. The point being, just within recorded history there have been SIGNIFICANT climate change events that had nothing to do with the actions of men. Common sense should tell you this. But when you are an uneducated teen, pretending to be an expert in climatology, its like the ceiling - over your head. 

One only has to look up in the sky and see the primary reason why this planet warms up and cools down. Its called the Sun. And unless you can create a dimmer switch for it, there is literally NOTHING you can do to influence its behavior.

In closing, look at her language - "We will never forgive you." Its not class warfare, but worse. Its dividing families, turning children against adults, kids against their very own parents. Imagine suburban parents both working 40+ hours a week to keep the lights on and food on the table. Their little Nazis come home, radicalized by protests at school, demanding that the parents do more to "save the planet!" That is not a recipe for a healthy family. Educators pulled that crap on me in the 70s, telling us that we had to flee to Mexico to avoid the coming ice age. Thank God for a Spirit-filled Mother who knew the Word. We sat down and she ended all my fears concerning the Earth. But it sure made me angry that a teacher would lie to me. Still bothers me today. Its why I get so passionate on this issue!

There's that word - change. Its every radical's favorite word. But they never answer this - change to what? Here is a paraphrase of one of my favorite Obama speeches. He loved change. Just imagine a few fainting coeds in the audience.

"I'm not talking about loose change. I'm not talking about spare change, or change from the vending machine. I'm for real change not a change of address. Feelings change, seasons change, time changes, so we must change. You change your tires, you change your brakes, you even change your socks and underwear. But that's not the change I'm talking about. Regime change, social change, changing hearts and minds. That's the change I'm talking about. Who's up for change?"

One might wonder, what does global warming agitation have to do with theology? There may be a connection, since everything about the global warming scam is predicated on believing without question what the media and scientists tell you. These same individuals are funded by folks who demand that they report the most catastrophic outcomes possible, based on unreliable models built by humans, with manipulated data. And if you dare object, question, or present alternative facts, you are immediately labeled a heretic, or the more fashionable title, climate denier, and canceled from social media, and shunned by woke folks. Sounds familiar, right?

As "theologians" you would think some of these people might know the Creator. It just might be possible that God knew precisely what man would do, and planned accordingly. He provided all the elements a modern society needs. His Earth provides energy in a plethora of plentiful ways - oil, gas, coal, water, and on and on. His creation, trees, plants, and oceans absorb CO2 and release Oxygen in its place. How cool is that? And He told the sea, “You may come this far, but no farther; your proud waves stop here” (Job 38:11 HCSB)

21 Hear now this, O foolish people without understanding or heart, who have eyes and see not, who have ears and hear not: 

22 Do you not fear and reverence Me? says the Lord. Do you not tremble before Me? I placed the sand for the boundary of the sea, a perpetual barrier beyond which it cannot pass and by an everlasting ordinance beyond which it cannot go? And though the waves of the sea toss and shake themselves, yet they cannot prevail [against the feeble grains of sand which God has ordained by nature to be sufficient for His purpose]; though [the billows] roar, yet they cannot pass over that [barrier]. [Is not such a God to be reverently feared and worshiped?] 

23 But these people have hearts that draw back from God and wills that rebel against Him; they have revolted and quit His service and have gone away [into idolatry]. Jeremiah 5:21–23 AMP

It is idolatry, to worship the Earth and ignore its Creator. And you have to be pretty darn arrogant to think that mankind, occupying less than 10% of the Earth's surface, and far less than that in any appreciable density, is somehow able to exert more power and more influence than forces like the Sun, gravity, Milankovitch cycles, magnetic field, volcanoes, oceans/currents, and on and on. If only God had provided a way to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen!

She's a regular rock star. I wonder how many of these students were either taken to the event by a teacher, or given extra credit by their school for attending. I can't imagine even Finnish children giving up their personal time to hear the crazy teen agitator from Sweden. Unless they want Fridays off to "protest" against the Sun.

Over 10 000 people in Helsinki today for the #ilmastomarssi / climate march ! #nytonpakko #climatestrike pic.twitter.com/NzriQrJlKI

— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) October 20, 2018

At the end of the day, I suppose all we can do is pity Greta. Her parents created this monster, and now they will have to live with it. Although I suppose their income and quality of life has dramatically changed since she has taken on her climate quest.

But I imagine a simpler life for Greta. Where the family sits down for dinner, and she shares how she painted a picture at school. And then in science class, she learned all about photosynthesis - and was amazed at how wonderfully complex God made our world. After they eat, the family would gather for a fun game of King Oil. Where she would learn to enjoy the hunt for oil and big profits. What a lovely dream.

I suppose since she was awarded the Honorary Doctorate, a gift might be appropriate. It should be mandated that every climate agitator presented with an Honorary Doctorate in Theology gets their very own King Oil board game. Then, they can learn to love oil, and leave civilization to folks who actually accomplish things. 

I get no pleasure in the ridicule of a child - although she is 20 now. That is why the left grooms kids to be agitators from an early age. They imagine adults will be less likely to counter the crazy claims of a child. But the stakes are too high when it comes to the global warming scam. If they succeed at claiming CO2 is poison - a gas that is essential for life on this planet, they literally can control everything anyone does on Earth. And that is the goal - absolute control. Scare enough people so they will not resist higher taxes, less freedom, and bigger government. And before long, we are just peasants to a handful of benevolent overlords. The money will flow freely into the hands of the elite, and not make one degree of difference in the global climate, or lift a single person out of poverty. Truly demonic in every way. 

Useful idiots like Greta are great at spreading the message in what seems a harmless way. And once enough people stop resisting, its always the useful idiots that are quickly and quietly liquidated. Some learn from history. Others just make the same mistakes.

Final Thought - Greta also published a book!

I think for my next blog, I will list my accomplishments, and make my case for deserving one of those doctorates. If Helsinki U is handing out Doctorates in Theology like candy, I want in on it. Call Me DOCTOR. Watch for that this week!

My Honorary Doctorate Credentials.

"The Josie sequel is the new Top Gun: Maverick! Anyone know where I can score a Zima?"

Its Good To Give Thanks!

 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. -- Psalm 150:6 KJV

Its that time of year when family and friends gather together to give thanks for all the GOODNESS God has placed in their lives.

This is the perfect time for the enemy to declare all out war against people - attacking their health with the pandemic, as well as dividing them as to what choices make the most sense to protect themselves and their children.

To make matters worse, the issues have been politicized, so the party in power has their allies in mass media to first shame the folks into obedience, and if that fails, bring the hammer down, with the threat of legal action.

And if all that was not depressing enough, signs of inflation are all around us. Ships are sitting offshore, waiting to be unloaded. This is a problem already noticed at retail, as many things are in short supply and racks sit empty. This will become far more significant as Christmas approaches.

And then there is the final insult, the ne'er-do-wells in academia and media crawl out of the ashes wanting the world to reimagine the first Thanksgiving. No longer is it a nice celebration giving thanks to God for a good harvest and peace, but another opportunity to demonstrate how the evil white man destroyed Native America.

What is a Good Christian to do?

Fear Not!

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. - 3 John 1:2 KJV

That's the beauty of being in the Body of Christ. You don't have to worry about anything. You can cast ALL your cares on Jesus. (1 Peter 5:6-8) You can eat your food with joy and thankfulness, surrounded by those you love. You can CHOOSE to be full of JOY! Don't let the enemy and his earthly thralls derail your holiday.

George Washington - from his Thanksgiving Proclamation 1789

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor ... Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be ... 

Final Thoughts - November 22, 1963

Today is the anniversary of the JFK assassination. Contrary to many reports, neither Dallas, or Conservatism, had anything to do with his murder. A radical communist, one who spent more time in New York, New Orleans, and the Soviet Union than in Dallas, murdered President Kennedy. I am really tired of this revisionist BS the media spews this time of year. Did Washington DC kill Lincoln and Garfield? Did Buffalo kill McKinley? Did LA kill RFK? Did DC attempt to kill Reagan and Clinton. Heck, maybe the media needs to examine the radical and violent tendencies of DC?

Click here for info on the real story behind America's Thanksgiving.

Have A Very Happy Thanksgiving!

Freedom - You Keep Using That Word...

...I do not think it means what you think it means. 

Pope Francis appeared before Congress this past week, and in a meandering speech touched on numerous current issues. Normally, I would simply ignore a religious leader's opinion on politics. But this pope continues to push ideas that have no place in the United States, and are often contrary to God's Word. I especially found his continual use of words like "free, freedom, and liberty" rather odd.

Building a future of freedom requires love of the common good and cooperation in a spirit of subsidiarity and solidarity.

That sounds rather consistent with America's founding principles. All decisions should be handled at the lowest possible political level, leaving it to the individual would always be the ideal. That is true freedom. "Building a future of freedom" would require rolling back the massive growth of the Federal bureaucracy over the last 60 years, and drastically shrinking government at all levels. Somehow, I don't think that is what this pope has in mind.

A delicate balance is required to combat violence perpetrated in the name of a religion, an ideology or an economic system, while also safeguarding religious freedom, intellectual freedom and individual freedoms.

I found this quote very interesting. Throughout history, what economic systems have been most prone to violence, and which ones were best at protecting individual freedom? Socialism, Fascism, and Communism gave us death camps, extermination by hunger, wars, gulags, killing fields, political prisoners, censorship, oppression, shortages, ethnic cleansing, and many other splendid accomplishments. The Feudalism of the past was not much better, leading to constant conflict and little freedom for the majority of people. Only Capitalism, best exemplified by the post-industrialized United States, shines in comparison. Freedom flourished, economic growth was unprecedented, and millions were lifted out of poverty.

Consider the various religions and ideologies, and the savagery they have unleashed on mankind. Even a cursory review of history's darkest hours reveals a common thread - rejection of God's Word. The pagan empires of antiquity tortured, murdered, and enslaved their conquered foes by the thousands. Islamic attacks on infidels, piracy, and slavery has continued unabated for almost 1400 years. Catholicism's golden age, when the religion dominated Europe, included violent suppression of dissent, religious wars, torture, genocide, and unspeakable barbarism. After centuries of oppression, reformers broke free from Rome's iron fist. And once they were in the majority and had power, many Protestants returned the favor, demonstrating that Christianity without Christ is just another religion, and no better than the pagans. Intellectuals told us they had a better way apart from God. Their foolishness gave rise to the economic systems mentioned above. Their philosophies devalue life, and the lack of a moral foundation leads to diabolical concepts like eugenics, population control, and family planning. Secular humanists attack the very foundation of society, undermining family and faith. Without God, they become their own deity, choosing life for themselves, and violence and death for those they deem unworthy. The weak, elderly, poor, and innocent become victims of cruel experiments, euthanasia, forced sterilization, and abortions. The latter alone has claimed the lives of over 1 Billion children just in the last 50 years!

The United States, while far from perfect, was founded for the very purpose of religious freedom. The Founders, inspired by God's Wisdom, placed a premium on Liberty for the individual - the smallest minority. No delicate balance is needed when the foundation is built on THE ROCK. Religious freedom would not even exist without the Founders understanding the Liberty Believers have in Christ, and the oppression of the past. To preserve this Freedom, all that is required is that everyone respects the Rule of Law, and understands that their Liberty ends when it clashes with the Liberty of another. Cutting off the heads of infidels may be desirable in your homeland, but it is unacceptable in a land where people have the right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Torturing and burning people for fun and profit who disagree with your religious system is contrary to both the Word, and Freedom. Genocide in the name of a deity, religion, economic system, the Fatherland, or the Motherland, is not exactly safeguarding the freedom of anyone.

America has had its dark moments. However, no nation has done more to defend Freedom globally. Very few countries have conquered nations, and even empires, only to give them back to the people and assist in their reconstruction. No nation has shed more blood, or shared more wealth with the rest of humanity than the United States of America.

But there is another temptation which we must especially guard against: the simplistic reductionism which sees only good or evil; or, if you will, the righteous and sinners.

When I read this quote, I wondered if Pope Francis has ever really studied God's Word. I truly want to give him the benefit of the doubt, but this is an egregious departure from the Truth. Consider just a few verses from God's Word.

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 (KJV)
²¹ Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
²² Abstain from all appearance of evil.


This is written by Paul to Believers in the New Testament. He warns Christians to even avoid the appearance of evil. Believers are in the world, but not of the world. There should be no compromise with evil, or even the appearance of evil. That does not mean any departure from the Law of Love. (Matthew 22:35-40, 1 John 3)

John 10:10 (KJV)
¹⁰ The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

This is the Bible's dividing line. The thief is Satan, the enemy of man. His children imitate him. God's children imitate Jesus. Knowing John 10:10 will help you understand what went wrong throughout most of Christendom's history.  If you are imitating Satan, stealing, killing, and destroying, you cannot be following Christ.

There is Light and darkness, Good and evil, Love and selfishness, and most importantly Children of God - those made alive in Christ, and children of disobedience - those who are spiritually dead. Light cannot compromise with darkness. And as a champion of Christianity, the pope should know this. God has made it quite clear throughout His Word what He considers evil. This should not be up for debate. The same goes for what He considers Good.

Proverbs 16:25 (KJV)
²⁵ There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Isaiah 5:20-21 (KJV)
²⁰ Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
²¹ Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!


Nothing is more dangerous to a Believer than relativism. Without clinging to God's Word, man will always compromise with the world. There is no Truth apart from His Word. The moment you start seeing the world in shades of gray, you are in trouble. If you value the reasoning man, or the theology of your denomination above God's Word, you end up in the religious ditch. The moment you elevate a leader, no matter how charismatic, above Jesus Christ, things go catawampus. There is only ONE HEAD in the Body of Christ, Jesus. And you cannot know Him apart from His Word and the Holy Spirit.

I would like to mention four of these Americans: Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton.

Of all the hundreds of great Americans you could pick as examples, why would you pick two obscure figures of the extreme religious left? Obviously, I have no problem with Lincoln and King being mentioned. The other two show a profound misunderstanding of what has made this nation great. BTW - if you had to look these folks up, you are not alone. I had no clue who they were.

We know that no religion is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological extremism.

This is a true statement, but not in the way Pope Francis intends. Religion is everything man does apart from God's Word. Faith comes from hearing God's Word. (Romans 10:17) And faith is the only way you can please the Father. (Hebrews 11:6) Apart from God's Living Word, you can do nothing. His Word must abide in you in order to bear fruit. (John 15:1-8) The pope is correct, no RELIGION is immune from delusion and extremism. The difference is that TRUE Christianity is RELATIONSHIP with the Father through Jesus. It is NOT religion.

Delusion is thinking you can chart your own path to God apart from His Truth. That was the sin of Cain. By faith, Abel offered a lamb as his substitute as a sacrifice to God. It was accepted. Since Abel did it by faith, we know that he followed God's Word. Cain offered produce from the cursed ground. It was not accepted. There is a profound contrast here. Following God's way versus man's way. One was by faith, while the other was by works. All religious error, including much within Christianity, flows from a choice between following Christ, or religion, God's Grace, or human merit, His Word, or the reasoning of theologians. Choose your path wisely. It will save you from much frustration. And note, even after murdering his brother, God was still reaching out to Cain. God is LOVE. He will never give up on you as long as you are alive. (Genesis 3, 4, Romans 1, Ephesians 2, Hebrews 11:4)

Even in the developed world, the effects of unjust structures and actions are all too apparent. Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments, and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples.

The quickest way to promote the well-being of individuals is to set them free, spiritually, economically, and politically. Oppressive governments, religious bondage, and spiritual darkness hinders God's Blessing.

In Laudato Si’, I call for a courageous and responsible effort to “redirect our steps” (ibid., 61), and to avert the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity.

I addressed his global warming manifesto previously. Its so sad that someone who claims to represent God on Earth, has such little faith in the Creator's ability to prepare this planet, fully anticipating everything mankind might do. I wonder, does the pope know who ultimately owns this planet? The Earth is the Lord’s. The world and all its people belong to Him. He created the Heavens and the Earth. (Genesis 1, Psalm 24:1, 89:5-18) The Earth long ago was created by God's Word, and then it was destroyed by water and darkness. The present Earth is preserved by that same Word until the day of judgment. (2 Peter 3:3-8)

And speaking of Freedom again, who determines what is environmental deterioration, and what is economic or human progress? What the pope imagines is hurting the planet, may actually be creating jobs, protecting the environment, or improving lives. Our heavenly Father gave the Earth to us. (Psalm 115:12-18) He gave man dominion over the Earth, and authority over all things. (Psalm 8) God made the world to be inhabited, He made it for His children. (Isaiah 45:18) He instructed both Adam and Noah to be fruitful and fill the Earth. (Genesis 1:28. 9:1)

Now is the time for courageous actions and strategies, aimed at implementing a “culture of care” (ibid., 231) and “an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature” (ibid., 139).

Nature does not need protecting at the expense of humanity, or individual Liberty. We certainly do not need more government oversight and regulation. We need less government, more private ownership of land, and more of God's Wisdom. We need FREEDOM from economic, political, and religious bondage. Giving more power to spiritually dead politicians, religious leaders, and agitators is a recipe for even more final solutions.

“We have the freedom needed to limit and direct technology” (ibid., 112); “to devise intelligent ways of… developing and limiting our power” (ibid., 78); and to put technology “at the service of another type of progress, one which is healthier, more human, more social, more integral” (ibid., 112).

Who is the "we" in his statement. Because if government bureaucrats, or some global enforcement agency, is limiting the use of technology and/or energy consumption, there is no Freedom. Oil, gas, nuclear, and coal, are the most efficient forms and energy, and readily available without the constraints of government. They have fueled economic prosperity for over a century. Would the pope deny those in developing countries the ability to enjoy what most people in the developed world take for granted? Can those nations struggling to emerge from poverty do this without modern technology, and the energy required to drive this progress? And further, would the pope have those in the developed world relinquish one hundred years of economic and technological progress simply to equalize the misery on a global scale? Where is his compassion for humanity?

On this continent, too, thousands of persons are led to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunities. Is this not what we want for our own children? We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation. To respond in a way which is always humane, just and fraternal. We need to avoid a common temptation nowadays: to discard whatever proves troublesome.

America is a very welcoming nation to those seeking freedom and the American dream. Over a million LEGAL immigrants arrive annually. However, what is happening on our Southern Border can be best described as an invasion. As Believers, we can and should be compassionate. But we also have to obey the laws of the land. There is a LEGAL way to enter this country. If people disobey the immigration laws, they are ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS and should be deported. Nobody should be rewarded for breaking immigration laws - especially when millions spend their hard-earned wealth and time to be admitted legally. If you do not like the immigration laws, change them. Its troubling when religious folks encourage illegal activity. The pope should remember Peter's inspired words on this subject.

1 Peter 2:13-16 (KJV)
¹³ Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
¹⁴ Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
¹⁵ For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
¹⁶ As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

They too need to be given hope. The fight against poverty and hunger must be fought constantly and on many fronts, especially in its causes. I know that many Americans today, as in the past, are working to deal with this problem. 

 It goes without saying that part of this great effort is the creation and distribution of wealth. The right use of natural resources, the proper application of technology and the harnessing of the spirit of enterprise are essential elements of an economy which seeks to be modern, inclusive and sustainable.

Throughout his time as pope, there have been plenty of hints of his socialist leanings. It should be no surprise since he was raised in Argentina. His attacks against Capitalism specifically, and the United States indirectly, are misplaced. America has never had true economic Freedom. Government has been picking winners and losers, and regulating businesses and industries into bankruptcy for decades. However, even with so much state involvement, no nation has ever lifted more people out of poverty, or created more jobs, wealth, and quality of life than the United States. I have seen what socialism does to countries. Even the "good kind" in the Nordic nations that is often hailed as a model for the world, features unmotivated drones who are little more than slaves of the state. Everyone is equally miserable, unless you get the golden ticket into the club that enforces the misery on others. If he truly cares about the poor, making everyone else poor is not the answer, nor is it Scriptural.

2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 (KJV)
¹⁰ For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
¹¹ For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
¹² Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.


Success, wealth, and prosperity never come before work, except in the dictionary.

Ephesians 4:28 (KJV)
²⁸ Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.


To all those religious socialists out there including the pope, look at God's formula - work with your own hands so that you can give to those in need. Note that it says GIVE, not confiscation and redistribution by a government.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (KJV)
⁶ But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
⁷ Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:


All of 2 Corinthians 9 is germane. Note the emphasis of giving from the heart. This has nothing to do with government redistribution. This lays out God's economy. Believers give from the heart, trust God's Word, and He makes sure that His Favor and Blessing is working, supplying all needs in abundance. (see also Proverbs 19:17, Luke 6:38, Philippians 4:15-19)

Deuteronomy 8:18 (KJV)
¹⁸ But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.


Proverbs 10:22 (KJV)
²² The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.


Prosperity and wealth comes from the Lord, not from governments, economic systems, or redistribution schemes. The state will NEVER be able to provide every need, much less the desires of everyone. But God certainly can.

I bristle at the notion that the United States even needs a lecture on giving, or helping the poor. Individuals in the US give nearly $30 Billion a year to charities. That is more than the economies of most nations. No nation has sent out more missionaries, fed more people, built more orphanages, or sent more Bibles worldwide than Christians in America. $4 TRILLION is taken every year from taxpayers and sent around the world, often given to tyrants, or people who hate us. Knowing how governments waste money, I am pretty certain very few of those dollars truly helps anyone. And yet the pope and his lefty friends demand more redistribution?

Since 1964, US Taxpayers have had over $22 Trillion taken from them and given to the "poor" in a vain attempt to win the war on poverty. That figure does not even include social security and medicare, which are also redistribution programs. America has some of the richest poor folks in the world, almost half own their own home, many have cable TV, AC, computers and a higher quality of life than many taxpayers. Its no surprise many people want to come here and enjoy the gravy train. Its anecdotal, but I often stand in line with guests at Walmart buying carts full of food that would break my budget with their Lone Star card - the EBT of Texas. While waiting in line, they check their Facebook on the latest iPhone. I'm still rocking my 3-year old Android that I bought for under $50. And as I am leaving in my 20 year old vehicle, I often find them pulling ahead of me in a late model SUV. I'm not complaining or envious. I am debt free, and very Blessed. Simply making the point that this nation has made far too many people comfortable in their poverty. The programs designed to help the poor, to be a safety net when hard times hit, are now nothing more than a hammock for too many people. Spiritually, we are doing the poor a great disservice. If a person is dependent on the state for survival, stuck on the government plantation if you will, are they really Free? There is only one way to be truly Free.

John 8:31-32 (KJV)
³¹ Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
³² And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.


This is what the pope SHOULD be discussing. Setting people Free through God's Word. That is why I wonder if he truly understands what Freedom in Christ really means.


  

Train Up A Child In The Way He Should Go

I came across an article on education in Texas that caught my eye. It had this quote.

"Hopefully, in ten years, we will have begun the process of dismantling all the state's over-priced but low-performing universities and be moving toward post high school education sources that better meet the needs of students, communities and the job market. These universities are dinosaurs.”

This statement is worthy of serious consideration. Its way past time to rethink education at all levels.

Obligatory Judge Smails comment.

Instead of shoving everyone through the same broken system, we need to be identifying the grace and talent God has given kids, and prepare them accordingly. For some that may be an advanced degree, others an apprenticeship, and still others something new and completely different.

Too many college graduates I have met in the last few years have nothing more than an advanced high school degree, loads of debt, and few skills. There has to be a more efficient way to prepare children for success. And it needs to start very early in life.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)

God has a perfect plan for every one of His children. We must be diligent in finding that path for ourselves, and helping others find their calling as well. It all starts with being rooted and grounded in Love. And being firmly attached to the Vine, allowing the Life of God to flow through each branch, bearing the spiritual fruit God has planned for each person. Education that is hostile to God's Word robs kids of the Truth. It undermines their spiritual growth, denies them the Wisdom of God, and leaves them vulnerable to the enemy.

An education that focuses on intellectualism, vain deceit, human tradition, and elemental teachings of the universe, while disregarding the Word of God, leaves a child forever in bondage to the world. True Freedom comes from knowing God's Truth. True Love comes from knowing God. And mature Love removes ALL fear.

Learn from Daniel and his friends who knew God and depended on His Blessing and Favor - God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm. (Daniel 1:17, 20)

Those are the types of reports we should have on all our graduates, and at every education level. We should be raising up mighty men and women loaded with Godly Wisdom in every profession. And placing children of God of the highest integrity in every elected office.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 

For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

 Romans 12:2-13 (KJV)

Help Me UN, You're My Only Hope

The greatest hope for mankind to live and enjoy an abundant life, is the advance of faith, freedom, and family. Briefly, faith is the recognition of a benevolent Creator, who has provided a moral framework founded on Love. Freedom recognizes that rights such as expression, life, worship, and defense, come from the Creator, not government. And family, as designed by the Creator, is the building block of a stable and prosperous society. With those three firmly established, a society can prosper.

Things go catawampus when some government, or committee of Nimrods*, seems to think they can organize society better than their Creator. Such is the case far too often with the United Nations, hereafter referred to as the un, and pronounced the same as the prefix in their favorite word - unsustainable. Various un committees claim the power to change the global climate, attempt to manage and/or end private property rights, infringe the right of self defense, and keep millions poor and hungry by their meddling in developing nations, and their insistence that they finance poverty, instead of working towards eradicating it.

They have a $5 Billion dollar annual budget (25% comes from the US), and a workforce of over 40,000 people. Clearly, nothing good can come from such a massive bureaucracy. And let's not forget their "generosity" with your money. Honestly, it might be far more effective to simply fire the blue beret bureaucrats and distribute that money to the world's poor. But I digress.

Am I against the un? Not exactly. There should be a forum for discussing international issues, and a process to attempt to settle conflicts peacefully. That was the original intent. But now the un has devolved into an army of ne'er do wells, academics, and socialists (although I repeat myself) that have no business having any power, or influence.

Here is a yet another example of what is wrong with the un, the curiously named Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The title sounds noble enough. Who is for racism, right? And then you read what tops the agenda of their taxpayer paid meeting/vacation in Geneva - stopping hate speech spread via Internet. Heck, I even have a quote from El Jefe herself.

“Where does the right of expression, which we all want to respect, stop and the need to sanction and prevent hate speech begin? What is the point in time when one right has to recognize that it cannot be exercised if it implies the violation of another one,” -- UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Flavia Pansieri

If these little tyrants REALLY respected the freedom of expression, meetings like this would never happen. While the right to speak freely exists, the right to be offended does not. Offense is a choice. If you don't like what someone writes, or says on the Internet, don't read their blog, or watch their video. Its not complicated to anyone with half a brain. A free and polite society has a way of dealing with any speech that goes over the line. You ignore it. There's no need for Commissar Pansieri to come and save us. And of course there are legal remedies for slander and libel. Again, no need for the un to get involved. The animals that feel it necessary to riot for the cameras at the slightest perceived offense are the problem, not freedom of expression.

What motivated me to write this post is the whole notion of stopping "hate" speech. How anyone could look into the heart of another person and know their motivation is a mystery to me. Do the un folks have superpowers? Who is going to determine what is, and what is not "hate" speech? If a preacher says that homosexuality is sinful, is that "hate" speech? It already is in some countries. If I say Jesus is Lord, is that "hate" speech? It is in some countries. If I write that the un racism committee needs to be dissolved, along with all the rest of the bureaucracy, is that hate speech? It might be if Flavia and her storm troopers get their way.

You can't have freedom-lite. PC language rules on college campuses are killing higher education. Note how freely the terms "racism" or "homophobe" are tossed out to end any productive debate, or shutdown disagreement of any kind. How do you even prove you don't "hate" someone?  You can't. But in this brave new utopia the socialists have framed for us, the nature of the evidence is irrelevant. The seriousness of the charge is all that matters now, right?

If Flavia gets her way, would you have to run and hide immediately after publishing, for fear that the blue beret wearing secret police storm in and end your Internet privileges? And then would you be summoned before the un Tribunal Against Hate and Other Bad Stuff We Don't Like, or just sent directly to the death camps?

Either we are a free people, or we are in bondage. You end, or curtail the freedom of expression, and the entire world suffers. Communication, the free exchange of knowledge and ideas, is compromised to the detriment of humanity.  No subject should be off limits. No debate should be verboten.

One commentator once compared the un General Assembly to the Mos Eisley Cantina scene from Star Wars. I don't think you could come up with a better comparison. As Obi-Wan warned,

"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious."

*Nimrod was a tyrant who enslaved people and attempted to create a single world government without God. His rebellion led to a scattering of the people. His name is synonymous with the futility of defying your Creator.