Opus 2023-264: Headlines: Conservative Bad

The Gateway Pundit had a provocative bit of click bait.  It talked about the beginning of the hate attacks by the left on Mike Johnson, the new speaker of the House.  There was nothing surprising in that.  I have been predicting an onslaught of attacks in my conversations over the last few days.  It is their pattern.  It puts him in good company with people like Clarence Thomas and president Trump himself.  Expect it to get worse before it gets better.

I did not read the entire article but one of the things I noticed was that everything that the elites Progressives have to say could be answered by, “Sounds good.  What else can you tell me.”  I am also interested in finding out about all the mysterious affairs he has had, billions he has embezzled and library books he has overdue.  They may also accuse him of white privilege.  It is possible that he has a mean tweet somewhere.  Maybe he likes the KJV.  I can forgive him for that.

The key point for us is to realize this is what the left does.  Consider the source.  Don’t believe a thing you read.  Whether or not he does a good job, he is a man of integrity.  Of course that may be the thing that keeps him from being effective.

Pray for him like it makes a difference.  Realize that your prayers are the reason he has the gavel.

homo unius libri

Opus 2023-263: The Danger of Dull Eyes

Let me share an old story that you may have heard but is still funny.  A little boy asked his father where he came from.  The father gulped, took the bull by the horns and went into a detailed explanation of why there are babies.  The boy listened attentively and when his father was finished he said, “That is very interesting, Dad.  Johnny next door said he came from Chicago.  Where did I come from?”

Often in life people ask us questions and we answer in great detail but miss the whole point.

It can happen in politics.

It can happen in Bible study.

We need to work at answering the questions that need to be answered on the appropriate level.  A good answer will inform.  It will also bring up more questions but those tend to show what the listener needs to know rather than the expertise that you want to demonstrate.  Watch for the dull look in the eyes.  Less glory but more value.

homo unius libri

Opus 2023-262: The Ultimate Eye Roll

Human beings are special.  We are created in the image of God.  The Bible tells us so.  Some humans are more special than others.  Abraham was one of those picked out by God.  In spite of that I think that Abraham tested God’s patience a bit.  I was reading about one of his moments in Genesis 18:22-33.  The Lord was on His way to Sodom to give His final judgement on them as a city.  He intended to destroy them.  Abraham starts to argue with Him about His decision.  If you don’t know the story, I will put it at the end of the post.

I don’t know about you but if God stopped by my tent on the way to destroy a city I am not sure that I would feel like that was the time to argue with Him.  Like I said, Abraham was more special than most.  He preceded to continually up the ante, or down the ante, until he moved God from needing 50 righteous to only needing ten.  As I read this it seemed to me that I could almost see God rolling His eyes as Abraham made his pitch.  After all, God knew where this was going.  I think there are time when He finds us amusing.  

Another irreverent thought I had was that maybe we do eye rolls because God did them.  Maybe things like that are part of the image of God.  I will put that on my list of questions I plan to ask during eternity.

Related Scripture

(Gen 18:22 KJV)  And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
(Gen 18:23 KJV)  And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
(Gen 18:24 KJV)  Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
(Gen 18:25 KJV)  That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
(Gen 18:26 KJV)  And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
(Gen 18:27 KJV)  And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
(Gen 18:28 KJV)  Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
(Gen 18:29 KJV)  And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.
(Gen 18:30 KJV)  And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
(Gen 18:31 KJV)  And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
(Gen 18:32 KJV)  And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
(Gen 18:33 KJV)  And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

homo unius libri

Opus 2023-261: New Term: Prophetic Satire

This word emerged in my writing.  I was looking for an expression that fit what the Babylon Bee does so often and so well.  They call what they do Christian Satire.  Then they bill themselves as a trusted name in news.  Have you noticed how often they come out reporting before the actual event.

One explanation is that the Biden handlers and legacy media have infiltrated the Bee and base their plans on what the Bee predicts.  After all, if you are incapable of coming up with original ideas why not borrow from the best.

The other is that the Bee staff is full of people with the gift of prophecy.  My pastor would deny that because he does not think the gift of prophecy is given any more.  I would say he is wrong.  How else can you come up with so much pre-truth?

Long live the Bee.

homo unius libri

Opus 2023-260: It’s for Your Own Good

Safety equipment comes in many shapes and sizes.  Some is optional and others are required.  Take your average combination of driver and automobile.

The first level of protection is an example of both optional and universal.  It is called providence.  Whether you admit it or not, God has His eye on you as you drive down the road.  For a while I kept a list of the times that a few seconds or a few inches would have caused serious injury or death.  Then I realized I had no idea how many times I had really been shielded from a malicious virus or a drunk driver.  The best protection is the kind you don’t know about.  In a sense there is little you can do to influence providence, or as some would call it, luck.

The second level is how you drive.  This is a big factor.  We have all seen people on motorcycles that seem to be hurrying to their next accident.  Our actions in life are a major influence on what happens on the other levels.  In the recent panic over the Chinese virus it was no surprise how often the people who died “from” covid already had their left foot in the grave because of obesity,  a liver eaten up by alcohol, a mind dulled by recreational drugs and lungs ruined by smoking.  In addition they often were balanced on the edge with severe diabetes and if you looked further you might find they were people who had not been taking their medication as directed.  Behavior produces results.

Only then does your seat belt come into play.  Usually seat belts save lives, with one caveat:  You have to wear them for them to work.  We live in a society that keeps trying to build in safeguards to take the thrill out of life.  I remember going Christmas caroling with the back of my dad’s dump truck full of my church friends.  We could never get away with that today.  Would we be safer?  Yes.  Would we build as many memories?  No way.

You make your choices and you live with the results.  Enjoy what liberty you have left.  Live dangerous, don’t wash your fruit or boil your water.

homo unius libri

Opus 2023-259: One Liners: How’s It Going?

One of the standard mantras of our culture is, “Hi, how are you?”  We invariably answer, “Fine.”  I have been trying to get away from that.  I will use something like, “Marvelous!”  At the same time I am open to the masters of the one line.

I don’t know if this will develop into a series but if it does I want to start with Dave Ramsey.  I do not listen to him on my own.  My wife will have the radio on in the car and I will pick up part of his broadcast on occasion.  I will see clips of him embedded in things I read.  In spite of that little exposure he has introduced me to a great one liner.

When asked how he is doing Dave Ramsey will answer, “Better than I deserve.”

That is an attitude I am working on.  I think it would be great if we all recognized it.

homo unius libri

Opus 2023-258: Contrails Anyone?

This morning, October 21, 2023, as I sat in the fading dark of the morning I noticed the track left by a jet far above.  It was high enough that the laggard sun illuminated it against a dark sky.  I thought about how I have seen these kinds of things most of my life.  There was some kind of arrangement of physics that made it happen, accidentally, or so I thought.

I started thinking that way this morning and continued with that frame of mind when I came inside.  The mosquitoes were waking up and I don’t find them good company.  It is hard to praise God with a buzzing around your ears.

Later I tried a new experience.  I decided to eat my oatmeal on the front porch.  Morning was well on its way to maturity.  The sun was up.  The world was bright.  As I looked up I noticed that the jet trail was still there and had not spread much, but I also noticed another one behind it, running parallel, that had expanded enough to be a ribbon instead of a line.  Odd, I thought.  I started looking around and saw a significant number of trails in various levels of dissipation.  My mind was stirred by one of the conspiracy theories I have heard:  Contrails.

This is a conspiracy that hides in plain sight.  It goes back to rain dances and rain makers that toured the country claiming that they could make it rain.  Evidently there is some factual basis for this.  If you want an up-front view check out the site called Weather Modification.  

That is not the conspiracy.  The conspiracy theory is that there is a nefarious plot being worked out by the forces of darkness to control the weather.  I think it is part of the WEF plan to starve us and get rid of the scourge of human infestation.  I generally don’t pay much attention to this theory but this morning, looking at the sky, I had to wonder.  There were a lot more than I saw as a kid and they seemed to be in a pattern.  

Keep looking up.  Keep in mind that conspiracy theorists are running close to 100% true.

homo unius libri