Monday, October 31, 2005
Leading the Charge to support Samuel Alito!
The moment President Bush named Judge Samuel Alito to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor ... the opposition sounded off!
Here's what they are saying:
This is a nomination based on weakness, not strength.
-Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass
... a nominee guaranteed to cause a bitter fight.
-Ralph Neas, People For the American Way
Here's what we are saying:
The President has delivered exactly what he said he would; Judge Alito is the person we need for the job!
So today, as we launch this nationwide campaign, FORWARD this email to your entire address book and add your name to our PETITION TO SUPPORT JUDGE SAMUEL ALITO - which will be sent with tens of thousands of others to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
We must urge the Committee to stand strong against the mounting opposition and do its work well.
Judge Alito is a ''top tier'' judicial pick. He is a strong conservative with a lengthy track record of interpreting the Constitution, not legislating from the bench.
In more than 30 years of service, he has shown a mastery of the law, a deep commitment to justice and equality - and great personal character.
After 15 years of service at the U.S. Department of Justice, Judge Alito was nominated by President George H. Bush to the federal bench and unanimously confirmed by the Senate. He has been called one of the legal profession's ''best'' with ''exemplary'' judicial qualifications.
But this nomination has invoked strong opposition from groups like People For the American Way, Planned Parenthood, and others - because they know that the next Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States will play a pivotal role in major decisions regarding religious freedom ... abortion ... pornography ... and more. ''Smear'' campaigns ... public intimidation ... filibuster ... all of these could threaten the nomination of this fine and well-qualified candidate. Please stand with us today! Our legislative and legal teams and I are deeply involved - working with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Our Washington, D.C., office - across the street from the Supreme Court and down the street from Capitol Hill - positions us perfectly as this battle wages on.
But we need YOU to back us up and unite your voice with hundreds of thousands of Americans!
Do not close this email until you have signed our PETITION TO SUPPORT JUDGE SAMUEL ALITO - to lend your voice and influence to our nationwide campaign. Send this email on to your friends and family members today!
Don't let them DERAIL Judge Alito's nomination!
It's Samuel Alito!
Bush nominates conservative for Supreme Court
"Judge Alito is unquestionably qualified to serve on our nation's highest court. And on the bench, he has displayed a judicial philosophy marked by judicial restraint and respect for the limited role of the judiciary to interpret the law and not legislate from the bench." - Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.
"Unlike (Miers) nomination, which was derailed Thursday by Bush's conservative allies, Alito faces vocal opposition from Democrats."
"The nomination of Judge Alito requires an especially long, hard look by the Senate because of what happened last week to Harriet Miers. Conservative activists forced Miers to withdraw from consideration for this same Supreme Court seat because she was not radical enough for them. Now the Senate needs to find out if the man replacing Miers is too radical for the American people." - Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
Samuel Alito's conservative views
earned him nickname 'Scalito'
Alito has endorsed abortion restrictions
However we must remember that...
A new justice will not make the difference on Roe v. Wade in the court's present configuration. Besides the moderate O'Connor, five of the eight other justices have endorsed a woman's right to the procedure.
As an appeals court judge, Alito was required to follow Supreme Court precedent, which he did.
In 2000, for example, Alito was among the judges who ruled that a New Jersey law banning late-term abortions was unconstitutional, following high court precedent.
Just one more pro-life justice can't overturn Roe v. Wade. We need one or two more to flip that.
Mr. Alito's Speech following his nomination
Reaction to Alito nomination
Bloggers Reaction:
Powerlineblog:
Alito is a solid choice. Chuck Schumer and Harry Reid have already come out against him; another good sign
We're about to get the fight over Constitutional principles that conservatives have looked forward to for years.
Hugh Hewitt: (no link due to questionable ad)
"Judge Alito is a great nominee, and as a result a great political battle lies ahead."
Michelle Malkin
"This is a nominee the Right can get behind."
Sen. Bill Frist on Fox News (via Jason Smith): "If the Democrats are looking for a fight, we'll be up for the fight. We won't back down... We're gonna get an up or down vote on the Senate floor and if the Democrats want a fight, they'll get one."
ConfirmThem.com:
"For my own part, I’d also like to thank President Bush. He’s given us a nominee worth fighting for. Before the Miers nomination, one of our bloggers (I believe it was feddie), asked the President to “cowboy up.” He has. And it’s time for us to do the same."
As well as...
"Dems — filibuster this!"
The Confirm Alito Coalition is up @ GOP Bloggers
Travis' Comments:
YIPPEE!!!!!!!
This is the kind of justice the U.S. conservative movment has been dreaming of!
Now, let's get him confirmed!
My fellow bloggers, if you would like, please blog with your thoughts about Mr. Alito and then send me the link. I will try to get them posted here ASAP.
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Gone to Church Camp
Well, I guess life calls and I must answer its ring. I have attempted to make up for my absence by giving my thoughts and commentary on a Square Talk Radio special edition set to come out Friday morning. Also, Square Talk now has a new website!
Please change all your links over to:
http://squaretalkradio.com
Alex has added a new look and along with some great commentary from the depths of the square, hopefully you can last the weekend. :-)
Also, I wanted to wish two guys "Happy Birthday", but I can't tell them till 5 PM Friday. So I guess it will have to wait.
Have a great weekend everyone! I sure hope the Presidents next pick is a true and solid Christian conservative. At this point I can't help but feel somewhat sorry for Miss. Miers. Even if all her politics on issues like abortion are fuzzy, being nominated for such a thing to be rejected by many important people would feel awful. May the Lord be with her and be at work in her life.
Travis
BREAKING NEWS!
Miers withdraws her nomination to Supreme Court (READ THIS ONE!!)
Q & A: Miers Withdraws; What's Next?
Embattled Supreme Court nominee bows out
Miers joins 34 on list of failed Supreme Court nominees
Harriet Miers, We Hardly Knew Ye
We are setting up a special edition of Square Talk Radio tonight to discuss this topic. I hope you will all tune in then.
Below is the text of the letter from Harriet Miers to President Bush, withdrawing her name from consideration as a justice of the United States Supreme Court.
Dear Mr. President:
I write to withdraw as a nominee to serve as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. I have been greatly honored and humbled by the confidence that you have shown in me, and have appreciated immensely your support and the support of many others. However, I am concerned that the confirmation process presents a burden for the White House and our staff that is not in the best interest of the country.
As you know, members of the Senate have indicated their intention to seek documents about my service in the White House in order to judge whether to support me. I have been informed repeatedly that in lieu of records, I would be expected to testify about my service in the White House to demonstrate my experience and judicial philosophy. While I believe that my lengthy career provides sufficient evidence for consideration of my nomination, I am convinced the efforts to obtain Executive Branch materials and information will continue.
As I stated in my acceptance remarks in the Oval Office, the strength and independence of our three branches of government are critical to the continued success of this great Nation. Repeatedly in the course of the process of confirmation for nominees for other positions, I have steadfastly maintained that the independence of the Executive Branch be preserved and its confidential documents and information not be released to further a confirmation process. I feel compelled to adhere to this position, especially related to my own nomination. Protection of the prerogatives of the Executive Branch and continued pursuit of my confirmation are in tension. I have decided that seeking my confirmation should yield.
I share your commitment to appointing judges with a conservative judicial philosophy, and I look forward to continuing to support your efforts to provide the American people judges who will interpret the law, not make it. I am most grateful for the opportunity to have served your Administration and this country.
Most respectfully,
Harriet Ellan Miers
The PresidentThe White HouseWashington, D.C. 20502
Comments: Oh boy. Here we go again.
Here is where she blew her cover on Roe v. Wade. She stated
"...the more I think about these issues(abortion and other religious matters) the more self determination makes the most sense."
This lady just lost me as a supporter, but that doesn't really matter now.
Here is a note from a Q and A at the NPR. (Linked above)
What do you make of the fact that access to White House documents keeps coming up in the confirmation process?
It was an issue when President Bush nominated John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and it was an issue in the Miers nomination.
It turned out that the brewing fight for documents provided the perfect exit strategy for a nomination that was already in trouble. Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer, who was a Miers opponent, laid all this out two weeks ago, saying this would be an excuse for a gracious exit for Miers. The fight over Bolton's documents was between the White House and Democrats. The difference in Miers' case was that Republicans also wanted access to those documents. The real reason Miers withdrew was that she did not have enough support among Republican senators. She had many private meetings with them this week and she was not impressive or forthcoming enough to prompt more than four of them to come out in support of her. (They were Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Orrin Hatch of Utah, and the two Texas senators -- John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison.)
It seems that Miers was losing support fast within the senate and President Bush was no longer confident that she could be confirmed. Also her thoughts on overturning Roe v. Wade have become distorted at best. We now have documents that say she is for overturning it and she is for upholding it. Not the kind of solid pro-life conservative person we want on the Supreme Court.
A big hat tip to SecDef Yeah, yeah, you told me so. :-)
Hugh Hewitt isn't happy.
Michelle Malkin is relieved.
Look for more views tomorrow on Square Talk Radio.
Travis
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Michel Gorbachev comes to Town.
Hello everyone! Yesterday, my dad, sister and I went into town to hear a speech given by former U.S.S.R. President Michel Gorbachev. As we entered the building, I took note of the high volume of security. There were policemen and highwaypatrolmen guarding every door and stairwell of the building. We worked our way to our seats and sat down. Mr. Gorbachov entered and began his speech. He was a bit hard to hear, but I managed to make out most of it. He spoke on issues of national foreign policy and globalization. Here are some of the key parts of the speech that I made note of.
"Communication is the key to reconciling disputes"
From my experience this quote is very true. Without good communication no one gets anywhere with anything.
"Trust but verify" Very true statement.
"Reagan was a real dinosaur"
BHODL, he used this quote to show that while he and Reagan were at such odds at one time, good communication pulled them out and allow negotiations to continue.
"Rise above current problems to reach for future goals" Sounds like good advise.
He made note that there are new nations coming to the forefront of the world. He advised to to ignore them.
He hinted that good communication would solve all of our problems with Al Quita. This is totally crazy. The communication would run something like this.
Bin Ladin: Join our national Muslim State or die you infidels!
U.S.: No
Bin Ladin: Jihad! Jihad! Death to Americans!
U.S.: *Tank fires*
Bin Ladin: Retreat! Retreat! Death to Israel!
Israel: *Tanks fire*
Bin Ladin: Ok guys, you stay here and blow yourselves up while I run back and hid my cowardly little self in the mountains of Tora Bora.
Get the picture? Anyway...
He spoke against "policing the world". This I agree with to some extent. We don't have to go in and solve everyone's problems for them. However, if something in a foreign land threatens Americans or Americas national security, we have very right to go after them.
He made note to a JFK speech about or called "Pax America(cana?) I thought I might look that up later.
With that he concluded his speech and begin to take questions. While I was there I got to speak with Oklahoma House Representative Shane Jett. I found out he was homeschooled for a time and them went to a Christian school. He was very encouraging to me and offered some good advise for me to pursue in the future.
Altogether, it was a very fun and educational evening.
Travis
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Law Books, Singer Kooks, and Other News
Law Books:
We went up to my Grandparents on Sunday and they had a surpise for me! Grandma had found some 1921 Oklahoma law books that belonged to my great-greatdad and she wanted to pass them on to me! I was overjoyed! These books are really cool, they have every Oklahoma state law from 1907 (when Oklahoma became a state) to 1921. Now, just to make that date seem a little more real, that was almost 20 years before World War I! It is interesting to look at the pay scale for public servants, a judge made an annual salery of $1500. That's almost $4.11 a day! Not hour, day. Inflation must not have been nearly as high as it is now. But, anyway on with the news!
Singer Kooks:
And now our main story from ABC News, Spunky Homeschool, and Agent Tim Online.
Before I go into details, I want to supply you with the definition of the word "kook".
"kook": is a pejorative term for a person who writes or speaks in an authoritative fashion about a particular subject, often in science, but is alleged to have false or even ludicrous beliefs.)
With that definition in mind, here in brief, is the story.
Two white young female singers are pushing a message of hate for all other races except whites.
The reason this is even here is because these singers happen to be homeschooled.
As my family and I have discovered, just because a family says their homeschoolers does not mean that they are Christians, it just means that they for some reason or another have pulled their children from the public education system. In this case, the mother of these girls has pulled her girls to indoctrinate them with hate for all other races other then whites. A majority of homeschoolers take their children out of public school for the right reasons, to instill in their children a godly Christian worldview which they feel cannot be obtained at the local public school. However, every so often a story like this hits the airwaves and sends shocks through the Christian homeschooling community because it gives many people the only news they will ever hear about homeschoolers, the false news that all homeschoolers are white racists, child abusers or worse.
This lie is quickly countered if you take a look through the blogosphere. The great majority of homeschoolers are growing Christians who take pride in their country and believe that what a man does shows what he stands for, not the color of his skin.
So let the light shine, as they say, "there is a bad apple in every barrel", and this family is one of those.
Other News:
Square Talk Radio is up!
Pete's Place has a interesting article written by Robert Bork about the Miers nomination.
Calling all debaters! I would like to draw your attention to a gun control debate currently raging over at Sold Out. Click here to view debate. (Calling SecDef?)
Hurricane Wilma leave 6 Million without power
That's all for now!
Travis
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Around the Blogosphere
Virtue Magazine is up.
Square Talk Radio should be up sometime tomorrow.
Apparently I have been nominated for the Blog of the Year Award over at the King's Highway. It you should like to vote please head over there and give it a spin! Thanks a lot MVB!
Also, David Ketter emailed me to let me know that the 2006 Evangelical Blog Awards are up over at EricRagle.com. I was blessed to be the runner up for Best Evangelical Teen blog last year and I bet there will be many cool blogs for your viewing pleasure. Please give it a view.
That's all for now, I hope to be blogging more in these coming days.
Travis
Christian Persecution
I just got this story for Newsmax.com, have a look.
Damare, a small Sudanese boy, was taken as a slave and forced to tend camels after his village was attacked by radical Muslims. One day Damare, who had been raised in a Christian home, snuck away from his master to attend a church service. When he returned, his Muslim master was waiting for him and accused of committing a deadly act, "meeting with infidels." The master then dragged Damare into a field where he nailed his feet and knees into a large board while the boy cried out in agony.
Damare was miraculously rescued and has told The Voice of the Martyrs that just as Jesus was nailed and forgave, he forgives also. What bold faith from a simple Sudanese boy!
Damare is not alone in the persecution he has endured. The Muslim government of Khartoum in the North has declared a jihad, or holy war, against the mostly Christian South. Omar Hassan al-Turabi, an Islamic leader, has stated that anyone who opposes Islam "has no future." Since 1985, approximately two million have perished due to the genocide. Families in the South are terrorized-fathers killed, mothers raped, and children sold into slavery. Yet in the midst of these atrocities, the Christians in Sudan remains strong, worshiping their Savior and leading others to Him.
Damare has now received some assistance from workers with The Voice of the Martyrs. His wounds are still open and additional medical attention as well as some rehabilitation is still needed. (VOM is looking into further assistance.)
Voice of the Martyrs Homepage
PersecutionBlog.com
(Excellent post here here.)
(Quick quote: Worldwide it is believed that more believers were martyred in the last century than during the previous 1900 years of Christian history...But one place this slaughter has never occurred is in the United States. Please read)
Comments on Main Story:
Wow, I can help but wonder is there anyway to stop this injustice? Whenever I hear I story like this the first thing that seems to come to my mind is how can this be stopped. Maybe that's just how I am geared up. What can be done to free these innocent people from tyranny? Let have a look.
The first thing we should know is that all true Christians will be persecuted.
2 Tim 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
However that does not mean we should not defend and help these fellow Christians. In fact we are commanded to.
Prov 31:8 Open your mouth for the mute, For the rights of all the unfortunate.
Prov 31:9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, And defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.
What kind of evil are we to look out for?
Ps 94:21 They(evil persons) band themselves together against the life of the righteous And condemn the innocent to death.
Is 59:7 Their feet run to evil, And they hasten to shed innocent blood; Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity, Devastation and destruction are in their highways.
I can't help but wonder is there anyway we could help the largely Christian southern part of Sudan to raise up and overthrow their oppressors? What do you think? Is it the part of one nation with great power to defend the righteous people throughout the world?
Luke 12:48b ...From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.
It seems that we are continually playing the worlds policeman these days, but I wonder, is that just the price of being a superpower at this time? What do you think?
The Blogging Boy Scout,
Travis
Friday, October 21, 2005
Busy Day
Today has been busy with school and more school, so I thought I would take a bit of time to write an update over here. Tonight we will be recording the 4th edition of Square Talk Radio on the issue of government spending. I look forward to that issue. Also Virtue magazine should come out here pretty soon.
I hope to be able to publish more soon.
Travis
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Scouting the News and the Views of the Blogosphere
I must apologize for my resent absence from the blogosphere. Life caught up to me and seemed to take over my blogging time slot, but now I am back at the blogging controls!
News and a new blogger!
I have an intorduction to make, my good friend and fellow Eagle Scout, Taylor has started a blog called Reliable Politics. Please stop by and check him out!
Also, The King's Highway has a really cool contest going right now called the "Blog of the Year Award" Please stop by and cast your vote! Great idea MVB!
I got Age of Empires III yesterday! It is the most incredible game I think I have ever played! It is truly awesome! Please check out Knights of Valor for other AoE updates.
Also, here are some national news stories, I found interesting.
Senators want more on Miers, who vows to try
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said Miers has taken the most extreme position of anyone I have ever known on abortion, assuming she believes that there ought to be a constitutional ban on abortion which would make it a crime except if a womans life is at stake.
Sweet!
This is the kind of thing that makes me think that Miers could be a good justice. We will just have to see what happens. I like the fact that she stated that she is/was pro-life some 20 years ago on a survey. I hope she proves to be the kind of pro-life strict constitutionalist justice we need on the bench.
Extremely dangerous Wilma batters Cancun
Comments: Is there anything Congress could do to forbid hurricanes from striking our coastlines until AFTER we get the last one cleaned up? Shesh. All kidding aside, how many hurricanes does this make this year? Five? Six? I have lost count. There is going to have to be some kind of life change for coast dwellers if this keeps up.
Congress gives gun industry a lawsuit shield
Comments: Good. They needed such a thing. I am tired of people people suing gun companies for murders that some robber committed. Assault weapons and other such is another topic, but I believe that people are responsible for their actions when using a firearm, not a gun company.
The Blogging Boy Scout,
Travis
Monday, October 17, 2005
Today, from the look of it is going to be a busy day. My sister and I have a science lab in town this morning and no telling what after that. However, I should like to supply you with some links for your viewing pleasure.
Square Talk Radio has launched an new episode just about blogging!
With two guests on the air, a special announcement, and a visit from Jake you won't want to miss this new show!
I have been playing around with the Knights of Valor site and have added two cool pictures to the site. Please stop by and have a look, I think you will like them!
Also, SecDef offered his thoughts about Harriet Miers. He has a very well taken point. I am impressed by his arguments. This has caused me to rethink my stance on Miers. I will have to give it some thought.
That's all for now!
Have a good day all!
Travis
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Saturday Afternoon Post
We are having a garage sale today and I just sold a computer game! *grin*
In other news today:
We the members of Square Talk are planning to tape a new edition tonight about blogging! With a surprise special guest! Coming soon to a server near you.
Also, look for my latest post over at The Knights of Valor.
That's all for now!
Travis
Friday, October 14, 2005
Age of Empires III
This is another slight departure from my normal politic'in, but I'd like to do it anyway. *grin*
As some of you know, the world famous Age of Empires series is launching its newest addition to the family, Age of Empires III, in 4 short days. For some time, I have thought it would be great fun to have a Christian Age of Empires Clan, where Christians could get together and enjoy this great game. On that note, may I unveil, the The Knights of Valor, THE place for Christian AoE gamers. We have about 6-8 members and would welcome many more. We hope to try out some clan vs. Clan gameplay as well as continuing our ranking system. I have recently downloaded the Age of Empires Fan Site Kit and hope to add some cool stuff over there soon.
Have a great day everybody!
Travis
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Quick Commentary
A really quick post for now, today looks like it may be a very busy, so here are some hurried links for your viewing pleasure.
How Harriet Unleashed a Storm on the Right
Blessed are the meek - Includes a profile of Miers
ConfirmThem.com continues to provide good commentary
TTFN - Ta Ta For Now!
Travis
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
A Timely Response
This is going to be a little off my usual posting subjects so please bear with me.
I was over at To Give an Answer last night where I found this article from the London Times. This article sights various polls and data to conclude that "religious" nations such as the United States have worse rates of "social ills"(teenage pregnancy, crime rates, abortion, and STD infection, etc.) then more secular nations like the UK. Please give this article a quick read and then come back.
Startling, is it not? Why would a nation with more people who claim to be Christian, have greater amounts of sin acting within those same people? Let's have a look.
What is the first thing you must do to come to Christ? Your eyes must be opened to the fear of the Lord.
Prov 1:7 ¶ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
What is the fear of the Lord?
Prov 8:13a "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil;
When a sinner learns that there is a God out there and he punishes sinners with burning death forever, if that sinner receives that truth, he will become fearful of the Lord's wrath. Then he will come to hate the sin that condemns him to eternal destruction. He will reads verses like:
Jer 15:7 "I will winnow them with a winnowing fork At the gates of the land; I will bereave {them} of children, I will destroy My people; They did not repent of their ways.
He fights against that sin alone but to no avail.
Gal 2:21 "I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness {comes} through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."
This increases his terror of judgment. He cries out to the Lord saying "Lord, let me turn from my wicked ways!" "Change me, oh God, who is my hope!" He expresses his hate for his sin and his utter rejection of it, he seeks the Lord's help, he humbles himself. He is repenting.
Repentance - a change of mental and spiritual habit respecting sin, involving a hatred of and sorrow because of it, and a genuine abandonment of it in conduct of life.
James 4:6b "..."God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Now, with his heart crying out to God in humility, the Lord gives him grace and forgiveness. and says:
Ezek 18:31 "Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel?
Ezek 18:32 "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord GOD. "Therefore, repent and live."
Grace - the gift of God inhering in the soul, by which men are enabled to perform righteous acts.
He is now free from the bonds of sin that once bound him! He now seeks the Lord through His Holy Word, the Bible. He must know how the Lord who freed him wants him to stay free. He goes to a well-meaning local church, where after a week or two of attendance, he finds that the pastors daughter has had a child out of wedlock. He questions a member of the church asking how this could be allowed within the church. The church goer replies; "Well, nobody's perfect. Its a good thing she got saved back in '99" The man asks "How can she be living under the Lords protection and still be practicing these things?" "The Lord speaks very strongly against such activities." "Look mister, the church goer replys, "At least she is going to heaven, no one can go a day with out sin anyway." The man returns home in shock at what he has seen and heard. Is it true that no man can stop sinning and all you must do is be covered by this "grace" yet, continue in sin?
He returns home and begins to study his Bible in great depth. One day while reading through Romans, (one of the things he had heard in that church was the Romans road to salvation) he goes past the verses the church gave him and reads on into chapter 12. Four verses seem to jump out at him,
Rom 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, {which is} your spiritual service of worship.
Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Rom 12:9 ¶ {Let} love {be} without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.
and
Rom 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good
Ah ha! He says to himself. They didn't read far enough. The "Roman's Road" goes on a bit farther than they thought. But, how can I be perfect? I am just a simple man.
Still thinking about that church, he flips back to a section of Luke.
Luke 12:1 Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first {of all,} "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
Luke 12:2 "But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.
Luke 12:3 "Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops.
Luke 12:4 ¶ "I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.
Luke 12:5 "But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!
He looks for more verses on the Pharisees and finds,
Luke 11:39 But the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness.
Matt 23:25 ¶ "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.
Matt 23:26 "You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.
He says, " I understand now!" Those people back at that church look like Christians on the outside, but inside they are full of sin and unrighteousness! Well, phooy, if they messed up, what chance have I to live my life without sin as the Lord commands? Now, where was that commandment...oh here it is!
John 5:14 Afterward Jesus *found him in the temple and said to him, "Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you."
Phil 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,
Phil 1:10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;
1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;
Col 3:5 ¶ Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
Col 3:6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience,
Col 3:7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.
Col 3:8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, {and} abusive speech from your mouth.
Col 3:9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its {evil} practices,
Col 3:10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him
But, Lord, He said, how can I be sinless? I tried that before and I failed. Then a verse jumped out at him.
Rom 8:31 ¶ What then shall we say to these things? If God {is} for us, who {is} against us?
WOW! I see now! With the Lord on my side, I can overcome sin! What I couldn't do on my own Christ can do through me! It is possible to live without sin! One last verse caught his eye.
Phil 3:12 ¶ Not that I have already obtained {it} or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
This man, has great spiritual understanding for this day and time. How does this apply to the Times article? Let me explain.
America is full of church's, and a vast majority of our nation's population claims to be Christian, but are these people really hearing the saving true gospel that instructs a person to put away sin for good? Or are church's like the church our friend visited? A church that looks clean on the outside, but inside is dirty with sin? Are they hearing the Word when it says,
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, {he is} a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
There should be a change in a persons life when they come to Christ. It is people like the Pharisees who give sinners reason to curse the Lord as David did in his sin with Bathseba. The true Word of God changes a persons conduct and way of life. Let's look at a person floating out in the world, they sin and they think about joining a church. But, then one day they see the pastor of the congregation in open sin. They think, "Man, that guy in into sin deeper then I am and he is supposed to be spiritual, I don't want any part of that, I can deal with sin better myself." And they become an atheist or a agnostic because of that church's hypocrisy.
This is a somber post today guys, but I feel this had to be said. If the one true church is becoming perverted in America, what hope have we for our nation?
The Blogging Boy Scout,
Travis
Monday, October 10, 2005
Scouting the News: Square Talk, Paintball, and Harriet Miers
First up this morning is,
Harriet Miers and Square Talk Radio:
The new Square Talk Radio show is up! Listen to Alex King , Tim Sweetman and myself discuss in-depth the pros and cons of Harriet Miers nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States.
My thoughts at this point are: "She was not my first choice, but as I hear more about her personal views, the better she is sounding."
Other links below:
Half of Senate Republicans doubt Miers
Transcript: Conservatives Debate Miers' Nomination
Miers gets standing ovation at church
Judiciary committee chief decries criticism of Miers
Miers Mire From Hugh Hewitt and World Magazine
Paintball:
Just a quick personal update on me, yesterday after church about 10 of the teens all got together and played paintball! It was so much fun. One of the guys(Arron) bought a stock gun at Walmart and then upgraded it to look just like a M-16, it was incredible! And one of the other guys(Joseph) upgraded his from semi-auto to full auto(machine gun)! He can get about 13 balls a second with that thing. As I arrived and took in these things, my response was one of joy for them and slight butterflies from me. I have a $20 pump action gun which gets 4 balls a second on a good day. *weak smile* But, then Joseph was nice enough to long me his spare gun, a really nice pump with great sniper capabilities. After firing it a few rounds I knew I would enjoy using it. My strategy was to work in co-op with a gunner in a swat team like manner to make the best use of both our strenghs, accuracy and rate of fire. The greatest disadvantage to using a pump/sniper is that you can fight a gunner/semi-auto or better head to head. You have to use stealth and your accuracy to win.
The first round Donny(A nice fellow with a semi-auto) and I were in a sub-team together. At the beginning of the game we moved down the middle of the field, one of us covering the other while our partner run to a forward bunker. We started to take fire from the left, which we returned. Soon Donny landed a good shot and one of their players had been eliminated. I asked Donny to cover me while I ran across a little clearing in the woods to get to another bunker. A minute or two after I dashed into the bunker, I started to see figures in camo darting through the woods in front of me. The enemy team was counter-attacking. I ducked behind the bunker and opened fire on them. Suddenly, loads of paint begin pounding against my bunker. It was Joseph(the guy with the machine gun) and one other fellow. I called for Donny to cover me, but he didn't respond. One thought when through my head, "uh oh". Paint was hitting my bunker like there was no tomorrow when suddenly I saw the enemies flanker strafing across my field of fire. I got off about 2 shots when the incoming paint found its mark. I had been eliminated. As I was walking back I saw Donny coming back to the battleline. He told me he had run out of paint and had been forced to go back and reload. Oh dear.
The next game was probably my best, Arron(the M-16 guy) and I teamed up. Gunner and sniper working together. It was awesome! We flanked on their right side and totally demolished their flank and center. That was a awesome round.
The next round Arron, another guy and myself were flanking again when we were pinned down by Joseph! He was well dug in and was pouring out the paint. Arron and the other fellow pushed on toward the flank and I remained to cover the center and work my way to a strategic bunker. I heard Arron call that he was eliminated (gulp) so I made my move and dashed to the bunker. Donny and Joseph were slugging it out and I made it to the bunker unseen. I watched and waited. Then I made out Joseph's form as he raised out of the brush. I fired twice and he quickly ducked back behind his bunker. He then opened fire on my position and I in turn ducked. Then I waited. Joseph and Donny were still trading shots and I think Joe thought I had moved to another bunker. I raised up, was very thankful I was in full camo, and leveled my gun on a tree limb and waited. Then I saw Joe slowly raising up to get a better shot at Donny. I waited until I could see his waist above the brush then fired two shots. He spun around as the first shot sang past him, and was almost back behind his cover when my second shot caught him! Whoopee! And that was then end of that round.
Altogether, it was an incredibly fun day.
That's all for now!
The Blogging Boy Scout,
Travis
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Scouting the News
First up today, Happy Birthday Alex and Tim! That's right SmartHomeschool and Agent Tim have been blogging for a year now! That is so cool that we all started a blog (unknowingly) within a week of each other! Truly incredible.
Virtue Magazine launched
Virtue Magazine issue 19 is up and running! Please check it out!
Rumor Debunked
Another interesting new tidbit, I have heard the rumor that at a meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, President Bush said the following:
'I'm driven with a mission from God. God would tell me, 'George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan.' And I did. And then God would tell me, 'George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq.' And I did,
This has since been proven false. Abbas calls it false as does the White House.
Harriet Miers
President Bush today gave a strong speech in support of Mrs. Miers today on his radio show.
Transcript here
Bush calls Miers a conservative nominee and asks for conservative support
Miers and a History Squinting Lefty
Hehe, this article makes me happy. The guy is obviously a lefty, but he tells us right wingers a thing or two.
"Miers, like Bush himself, is classic Texas conservative Establishment, with the addition of Christian fundamentalism. What I mean by fundamentalist is one who believes in both biblical inerrancy and salvation by faith alone."...
She is enrolled in the Valley View Christian Church of Dallas, which she attended for at least 20 years before moving to Washington five years ago. Among her fellow churchgoers was Nathan Hecht of the Texas Supreme Court, considered second only to Priscilla Owen as that court's most adamant anti-abortion judge."
Sweet! Now this guy either doesn't know his history or looks at it through left wing glasses(only sees what he wants to see) because he uses a Madison quote:
As an 1803 quote attributed to James Madison goes: ``The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe with blood for centuries.''
to back up his point. However if you look at this history a little deeper you will find that Madison is right but this fellow is wrong. The founders did not want only on Christian denomination in power at any time. They had way to much of that back in England where you were thrown in jail if you were more Protestant then the king. However they had no intention of removing Christianity from government! They only wished to see that no one denomination could run the government and persecute the other denominations. I cover this topic in-depth in my Virtue Magazine series Christianity in Government. You can find them all here.
(Also see David Bartons article on this issue here
Thats all for now!
Travis
Friday, October 07, 2005
GOP email
- The BBS
"Dear Travis,
On Monday President George W. Bush nominated Harriet Miers to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the United States Supreme Court.
Harriet Miers has a long and distinguished career as one of the foremost lawyers in the country which makes her exceptionally well qualified to serve on the United States Supreme Court. As a Justice on the Supreme Court, she will strictly interpret the Constitution and laws of the United States, not legislate from the bench.The President has once again nominated someone to the federal bench who stand strong for our shared principles. Like Chief Justice John Roberts, Harriet Miers will bring to the Supreme Court modesty, humility, and a conservative judicial philosophy.
In recent days, many conservative leaders are rallying to support her nomination.
Dr. James Dobson:
"We welcome the president's nomination of Harriet Miers to the U.S. Supreme Court. He pledged emphatically during his campaign to appoint judges who will interpret the law rather than create it. He also promised to select competent judges who will 'not use the bench to write social policy. To this point, President Bush's appointments to the federal bench appear to have been remarkably consistent with that stated philosophy."
David N. O'Steen, Executive Director - National Right to Life Committee:
"President Bush has an excellent record of appointing judges who recognize the proper role of the courts, which is to interpret the law according to its actual text, and not to legislate from the bench. We believe that Harriet Miers is another nominee who will abide by the text and history of the Constitution."
Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel - American Center for Law and Justice:
"At a time when the High Court is facing some of the most critical issues of the day - including a number of cases dealing directly with abortion and life issues - the person who replaces Justice O'Connor is critical. She [Harriet Miers] is bright, thoughtful, and a consummate professional and I enthusiastically endorse her nomination. Once again, President Bush showed exceptional judgment in naming Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court to replace Justice O'Connor"
Roberta Combs, President - Christian Coalition of America:
"She [Harriet Miers] was the first woman to be elected the Texas State Bar Association President and the first woman to be hired in her law firm and to become President of the law firm. I trust that she will be an excellent addition to the High Court and all Americans will be proud of her."
Dr. Richard Land:"I'm supporting her because I know this president. There is no issue he is more committed to than turning around the role of judges in this culture and his commitment to strict-constructionist, original- intent jurists. There is no promise he has kept more faithfully."
Take Action! Sign our petition in support of Harriet Miers
Take Action! Let us know why you are supporting President Bush and his nomination of Harriet Miers.
Email faithandvalues@gop.com and let us know why you are supporting her nomination.
Sincerely,
David Rexrode
Director of Conservative Development "
Harriet Miers - The Winds Are Shifting
Hey guys,
As more information is becoming available about Harriet Miers, I am becoming more and more favorable towards her confirmation. After a visit to AlbertMohler.com I found two very informative posts.
The first one called, What Should We Think of Harriet Miers? is a very good post listing the pros and cons of her nomination.
In the second one here, Dr. Mohler quotes from these two articles,
In Midcareer, a Turn to Faith to Fill a Void
Strong Grounding in the Church Could Be a Clue to Miers's Priorities
Both posts are very enlightening and take a look into the character of this lady. Dr. Mohler speaks directly to concerned conservatives like myself in this selection of his first post on the subject:
"Conservatives who have long been troubled by the courts are always (justifiably) concerned that every new nominee is another David H. Souter. In other words, another nominee represented as a conservative who, once on the bench, turns out to be another judicial activist. There are two reasons why this is not likely to be a good analogy in this case. In the first place, President George H. W. Bush had no personal knowledge of David Souter when he nominated him to the Supreme Court in 1990. President George W. Bush has known Harriet Miers for over a decade and has worked with her closely. As the President made clear in his remarks yesterday, he knows Harriet Miers very well, and he trusts her heart. Given the fact that she worked so closely with the President on judicial appointments, this is a significant positive factor. Secondly, President Bush has established a track-record of outstanding judicial nominations at every level, even as he has articulated a vision of judicial philosophy and constitutional interpretation that should give us confidence. As I see it, the President deserves our support for this nomination unless clear evidence should indicate otherwise. I do not expect any such evidence to appear."
These points are very encouraging to me as well as the repeated emphasis on her membership in a conservative Christian and pro-life church and the abundant praise of the ACLJ, including the Jay Sekulow report on her overtly pro-life stance within the American Bar Association. Again I don't see why Bush didn't pick a proven conservative with a long track record, such as Edith Jones. I think that would have made most conservatives very happy, and there is not much the left could do about it. It would have also drawn some very far right wingers back into the GOP who have joined other political parties such as the Constitution Party. But, as more of Mrs. Miers beliefs come forward, I am growing more favorable.
I am hoping to get a show together today on Square Talk today to talk about the split opinions within the GOP. I think the bottom line is that conservatives aren't just willing to take the President at his word anymore. There have been too many disappointing judicial picks by Republican Presidents, and "We The People" are ready to take on anyone from the President on down to make sure our views are heard and meet. I think that is great! The power in the US has always belonged to the people(even though the people have often given it to others) and I am glad to see that the people of the United States are awaking to the fact that all Americans must play a part in their government. I don't think this is totally all about Miers, it is about the Presidents conservative base holding the President acountable on a national scale, that is something new in modern American Politics. We want facts about nominees, not just the Presidents say-so, and I think that is a good thing.
Other Bloggers covering this issue are Legal Redux, Pete's Place, Spunky Jr. and of course, ConfirmThem.com.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Miers Links and Commentary
Some conservatives today voiced their concerns about the Presidents nomination of Harriet Miers today in a private meeting.
On the flip side, Listen to Jay Sekulow's audio clip on Harriet Miers and have a look at this.
ACLJ Calls Harriet Miers - President Bush's Nominee to Replace Justice O'Connor - an "Excellent" Choice for the Supreme Court
(Below quoted from Jay Sekulow)
"Harriet Miers is an excellent choice with an extraordinary record of service in the legal community and is certain to approach her work on the high court with a firm commitment to follow the Constitution and the rule of law. I have been privileged to work with her in her capacity as White House counsel. She is bright, thoughtful, and a consummate professional and I enthusiastically endorse her nomination”
Hmm, interesting. So Mr Sekulow knows Mrs.Miers personally? That's a good thing.
He goes on to say,
“We look forward to a speedy confirmation process and will work aggressively to ensure that Harriet Miers gets full and fair consideration before the Senate. We call on members of the Senate to reject the partisan political rhetoric and focus on the judicial philosophy of this conservative mainstream nominee.”
Some pretty high praise coming from the ACLJ. If she is a conservative, (which it is looking more and more like she is) I would like to see her confirmed. The only concern I have heard from other conservatives is that we just don't know what she believes. Well, I hope we are starting to get that information. completelytly understand the conservative confusion on this ladies nomination, no news was quick to come on just where she stands on some of these issues. The best thing she can do is get some people who know where she stands(Jay Sekulow) to start telling the public her record. That is the quickest way to reunited the conservatives behind her or against her is to let her true stance come out.
I am still unhappy that Edith Jones was not appointed, but perhaps this lady will do. I would have really liked to have seen President Bush make a strong political statement by apointing a well-known conservative, but if this lady can stand in the gap against abortion supporters, I am willing to back her up.
However I still think it would be wise to wait a bit before calling her stance on the issues either way, because even Dr. Dobson isn't sure yet.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
The Political Perusal: The War in Iraq - Right or Wrong?
Travis
1. First up we have this great article by SecDef.
In his analysis of the War he covers five areas of discussion from which he draws his conclusion. Namely,
The Role of Government in Defense
Constitutionality of the "War"
Reasons for War
The link to Al-Qaeda (This one is good!)
"Divide and Conquer."
2. Next we have this article by a new member of the blogosphere, A Tinted View.
He is a second year seminary student and a good writer, so stop over and give him a big welcome to the blogosphere!
3. Next we have this article by Hannah of Recordari.
Her article sets out to "show that George Bush, president of the United States, made a noble and ethical decision when he initiated the Iraq War" and she covers it in six sections with many quotes scattered throughout.
The Beginning of a War
A Need for Freedom
The Motivations
A Presidents’s Reasoning
“Nothing Good”
A President’s Resolve
4. Next up is this article by Lita Harman of Virtue Magazine.
She uses quotes links and historiargumentsents to drive home her point that the War in Iraq is indeed a just war.
5. And last, but certainly not least, we have this article by David Ketter of the Account.
This very good article goes to the heart of the issue, when should a nation wage war, period? David Ketter(with a little help from Thomas Aquinas) shows that this war meets the Aquinas requirements to declare war:
Just Authority
Just Cause
Just Intent
And raps it up for this edition of the Political Perusal. A big thanks to all who contributed!
Was this fun? Did you enjoy this selection of articles? If so, would you enjoy seeing another bunch of articles next week on a different topic? Please, tell me what you think.
The Blogging Boy Scout,Travis
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
The Boy Scout Blogger's First Anniversary
Hello everyone!
Yes, it is true, I have now been at this for a whole year. Wow, I can't hardly believe it has been that long. I started this blog with the vague idea of typing something and maybe covering the 2004 presidential and senatorial elections. As I started typing about these issues and covering events, I was struck by just how incredible it was to be able to type something and it be available to just about anyone with an internet connection. Communication is a wonderful thing, and blogging has made communication that much easier. Then I started running onto other bloggers, the first 3 I met are now my fellow commentators on SquareTalk Radio, Agent Tim(a big hat tip to him for providing this great graphic), Mission3:6teen, and SmartHomeschool. We swapped links and AIM tags and haven't stopped talking since! *grin* Then later along came this idea for a teen political/news online magazine. Alex and Jake created the site for the new staff and so became Virtue Magazine, currently in its 18th issue. I began to meet other bloggers, Spunky Jr., The Account, SecDef, and even FaithMouse! :-) It has been a blast!
So, where will the BSB go from here? Well, I will be graduating this year and will most likely begin college next fall. I am currently planning to major in history(or history education) and then go to law school. I hope to grow in Christ and learn more of His wonder and glory. I want to be a man he would be pleased to call His. I think that is every young Christian man's desire and I pray that we would accomplish that goal.
Announcements:
The Political Perusal should be up tomorrow.
There is a new Scouting blog devoted just to Christian homeschoolers! Jay Ryan, a Christian Scoutleader in Ohio has asked me to help out with this blog, so be checking in there for my Scouting memoirs and suggestions. *grin*
Blessings upon all you who honor and fear His name!
The Blogging Boy Scout,
Travis
Monday, October 03, 2005
Square Talk Radio
First up, the Boy Scout Blogger's First Anniversary is tomorrow!
Now on with the news. *grin*
Today, I am happy to report that a new Radio Show has entered the blogosphere! Agent Tim, SmartHomeschool, and I got together and tried our best to play Hannity, Mohler, and Hewitt. The 3 of us in addition to Mission3:6teen, have launched a show called SquareTalk Radio. Our first show deals with John Roberts confirmation and the constitutionality of the government rebuilding the Gulf Coast. I fear I said "Uh..." one hundred time too often , but I hope you can all over look that. :-) We should get better at this the more we do it, and I hope you can stand us until then. *grin*
With all that said, enjoy the show!
Also in the news today, President Bush nominated his new pick for O'Conners seat on SCOTUS, Harriet Miers. I have no idea what to think on this lady yet.
ConfirmThem.com has mixed feelings.
Jay Sekulow likes her.
Hugh Hewitt calls her a "B+".
Townhall.com reports:
"Democratic strategist Bob Beckel on Fox News today:
I'm telling you we're working on it. Just finish that up. So we're relieved that he didn't pick people that would have been from our standpoint quite unacceptable. We don't know a lot about her, we have to wait and see. But it's an important job and we'll learn more about her. But we didn't -- we didn't get a jones and that's important to us.
Well, at least someone is "relieved" ...
UPDATE: Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid has said he is "happy" with the pick..."
(Travis's Comments) That makes me mad. Why didn't we get a Jones? We have conservative majorities in the House and the Senate. We have a Republican President. Why in thunderation are we not getting die hard pro life conservatives on the Court? Maybe one of you guys can tell me that, but I really want to know. Why in the world is President Bush waffling on topics of this importance? These people "may" turn out ok, but as I said on SquareTalk Radio a day or two ago, after a justice in on the Supreme Court for LIFE, it's a little late to find out what they believe. We can pray and hope that Mrs. Miers is what we would like her to be but it doesn't seem we have any guaranty.
Rush Limbaugh gave his thoughts today saying:
"This is a pick that was made from weakness. There was an opportunity here to show strength and confidence, and I don't think this is it. There are plenty of known quantities out there who would be superb for the court."
Which was responded to later by Vice-President Dick Cheney:
"I'm confident that she has a conservative judicial philosophy that you'd be comfortable with, Rush."
Read the very interesting transcript here.
The bottom line is I would love to see this lady turn out to be a great conservative as many people say she will be, but I would have liked to have seen a proven conservitive selected.
What do you think of this new nominee? Please drop me a comment and let me know.
The Blogging Boy Scout,
Travis
Sunday, October 02, 2005
U.S. Rep. Ernest Istook prepares to run for Governor of Oklahoma!
Hey guys!
Another bit of local news here, one of Oklahoma's best Congressmen, House member Ernest Istook (R) is considering running against incumbent Governor Brad Henry(D). Mr. Istook is one of my favorite Congressmen largely due to his wonderful stance on Ten Commandment displays, prayer in school, and other issues of importance to Christians. I cannot think of a better candidate to run against Gov. Brad Henry. Even if a Washington poll is convinced of his defeat. Gov. Henry is playing the tricky game of being a blue governor of a red state and I think Mr. Istook could have a very good chance at the office. I will look forward to this race with great anticipation.
In other news:
The Boy Scout Blogger will be celebrating its first anniversary in 2 days! That's right on October the 4th I will have been blogging for 1 year! I can't hardly believe it has been that long! I hope to have a surprise or two for you guys on the 4th so make sure to log in then!
Also, if you are planning to enter the Political Perusal, remember your entry must be in by Wednesday. We have 4 posts submitted so far and I am looking forward to bringing them to you soon!
That's all for now!
The Blogging Boy Scout,
Travis
Saturday, October 01, 2005
Explosion at the OU Football Game
Apparently, there has been a at least a suicide, at worse a suicide bomber at the OU game tonight in Norman. Some person blew themselves up about 100 yards from Gaylord Family-Memorial Stadium where the game took place. No damage appeared to be done to anyone else but this person. The Police found another explosive device and detonated safely.
Click here for updated coverage from Newsok.com.