New Year Traditions

Growing up my grandfather made sure that the family followed certain traditions. These traditions were rooted in superstition, but they were fun. I still choose to follow some of these traditions.
1. Greens and Black Eyed Peas - the most important of New Years traditions. The Greens can be collard, turnip or mustard greens. Spinach is also allowed. Greens are eaten to insure folding money in the coming year and are the critical part of the meal (contrary to what some Yankees put on their websites). Black Eyed peas are eaten for change. I like to round out the meal with pork chops and cornbread.
2. Do not wash clothes on New Years Day. By washing clothes you are washing someone out of the family or you will have to wash clothes for a funeral in the coming year.
3. Whatever you do on New Years Day you will do the rest of the year.
4. Do not sweep on New Years Day - similar reasons to number 2.
While these superstitions have no real impact on life, they are fun and harmless. Plus they provide a good excuse to avoid regular household chores.

Merry Christmas!!

Are Christians Prone to Anti-Semitism?

There is a great deal of concerns that Christians are anti-Semitic. Some scholars, many within Christianity, argue that there are elements within Christian orthodoxy that are inherently hateful toward the Jews. That is rather strange for a faith that uses the Jewish Bible, was founded by Jews and worships a Jewish Rabbi. The New Testament is a Jewish work with the exception of Luke's writings, and even his identity as a Gentile is questioned.

The idea that Christians hate Jews is foreign to my upbringing. I was taught that the Jews had been persecuted and would be persecuted (but the same holds true for faithful Christians). However, we were warned never to persecute the Jews. Every people or nation that persecutes the Jews will experience the judgment of God. Those who bless the children of Abraham will be blessed and those that curse them will be cursed.

Have Christians persecuted Jews? Yes, but they have also persecuted other Christians in the name of Christ. Is evangelism persecution? The free exchange of ideas with the intent to persuade is not persecution. True evangelism is never coercive.

How can Christians avoid anti-Semitism? Love God with all our heart, mind, soul and body (The Jewish Shema and the Greatest Commandment for Christians). We must love God with our whole self. Next we must love our neighbor as ourselves. When we love God and neighbor without qualification or reservation - we cannot hate anyone.

Blogging in Anger

Blogs have elevated the art of character assasination and angry tirade to a whole new level. In the past people had to settle with sending an angry letter to an editor. If the letter was interesting and mildly coherent, then the editor might even publish it. Now the least little offense can spawn blistering commentaries that circle around the globe. What is worse is that people not only pay attention to these withering assaults, they often attribute credibility to the authors. All the sides of the issue or conflict are rarely heard. It is simply not fair, but then who ever said that life was fair?



The problem, though, takes on a different character when it involves Christians and churches. There are two many church members who will take their greivances to the net. They gripe about their pastor or some policy that the church agreed to. There have been instances where a church staff member in anger posted confidential material on blogs. Blogs have been used to rally other angry people and get media attention about internal church matters. Christian leaders are assaulted by other Christians over a variety of matters.



MY BROTHERS, THIS SHOULD NOT BE!! Paul never imagined the technology involving blogs, but he would certainly understand the vitriolic spirit that drives many of them. If you have a grievance with another member or leader of a church it is a sin to post it on a blog. It is a clear violation of Paul's instructions on conflict resolution. Galatians 6:1 "Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted." Jesus instructed in Matthew 18:15-17 that conflicts should be dealt with privately. If a private resolution is not possible, then two or three witnesses should be brought in to confirm the facts.



If you are so angry that you must blog about your pastor or church, then prayerfully consider that you should find a new church. If you haven't first talked with the pastor or leadership about your gripe and instead post a blog about your complaint, consider yourself backsliden and pray for forgiveness.



The church has enough problems without fighting over the net. We can discuss important doctrinal issues and debate, but it should always be in a spirit of Christian love. The internal disputes and disagreements of the local church should not be fodder for blogs. Those who do so should spend more time reading the Bible than writing self-serving blogs.

Why Hillary will be our next President

I will not vote for Hillary nor do I support her in any way. But I want to prepare my fellow conservatives for the reality of the next election. The certainty of another Clinton presidency is not yet secured, but the possibility grows greater everyday. Here are some reasons why Hillary will be the next president:

1. 1. The Clinton's are scandal proof. Crooked donors, bad tax records or misleading testimonies never stick to the Clintons. For example, in recent weeks the Hillary campaign had to give back large sums of money because the donor was a fugitive from justice. Name the fugitive donor. Most people cannot and do not even know about the situation. For any other candidate, whether Democrat or Republican, it would have been an albatross around their neck. The Clintons know how to weather scandals better than anyone else in politics.
2. 2. Face facts, there are still plenty of Democrats who would prefer to vote for a white woman over a black man. Yes, there are many progressive Democrats who are colorblind. But there are still plenty of the old Jim Crow Democrats across the South that will never vote for a black president.
3. 3. For many people the name Clinton is synonymous with peace and prosperity. The high tax rates and multiple terrorist attacks were quickly forgotten. Never mind that America experienced several high profile terrorist attacks that were not avenged. The ground work for 9/11 was laid during the Clinton years. The Clinton administration could only fire a few cruise missiles at some tents and blow up an aspirin factory in Sudan (a clear instance of lying about a military action). The military was stretched thin with air strikes in Bosnia and ill-equipped troops in Somalia with no clear mission objective. Despite the escalation of terrorism world-wide and growing sectarian violence in Europe and Africa, the Clintons made people feel safe.
4. 4. The Republicans do not offer much of an alternative. A Republican Congress was ineffectual and out of touch. They failed to do the things that got them elected. Government spending went up and border security went down. Republicans are failing to adequately explain to the American people why we are in Iraq or what the war on terrorism is all about. Republicans can not claim the moral high ground because of numerous real, ethical scandals. There are too many Republican senators that act like democrats and have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.

There are more reasons, but this is a good start. I would like to see a Republican candidate who did not lead from focus groups. A man who had strong convictions and did not care if they were politically correct. A man who follows his conscience and who possesses a moral compass orientated toward the Judeo-Christian ethics. Does such a candidate exist? At the moment I am doubtful and I am also doubtful that America would want such a candidate. In the end we always get the President we deserve. I am afraid that President will be Hillary R. Clinton.

Originally posted on towk775.blogspot.com