DEAR ANONYMOUS

01/03/09

"Do you think [a]theists should just 'shut up and go away' during the holiday season, that they have no rights whatsoever? They should just put up with having religious displays forced down their throats on public property?"

Why not? That's what Christians must do on Halloween, isn't it?

My children attended public schools, because I could afford nothing better. Every year, the public schools celebrated Halloween and forced their small charges to participate in various anti-Christian activities. And every year, I found it necessary to remove my children from school on the day of the Halloween parade and party, rather than allow them to participate.

Often, my children were taught fallacies and outright lies in public schools that, by the way, are funded with my real estate taxes!!

In one class, one of my sons was required to take to class an astrology column from the local newspaper. In lieu of that column, I sent a polite note advising the teacher that the study of astrology was in opposition to the religious beliefs of my family and asked her to give my son another assignment. She kindly agreed.

Note that I did not insist that the astrology assignment be removed from the curriculum, nor did I insist that a Bible study be instituted at the school. I simply requested an alternate assignment for my son. Are you able to understand the difference between standing up for one's own rights and trampling the rights of others?

And, or course, both my sons were taught the fairy tale of the theory of evolution, even though there is not a shred of scientific evidence to support that theory. Certainly, there is microevolution within species, but not one example of macroevolution exists in any of the fossil record. Yet my children were taught that nonsensical theory as fact — in public schools that were funded with my money!!

But back to Christmas.

What "rights" concern you, Anonymous? You already have the right to worship whatever deity you choose, or to worship none at all. You already have the right to hold whatever beliefs your conscience dictates, do you not? You already have the right to celebrate any holiday you choose, or to celebrate none at all. We all have these rights. I don't trample on your rights or try to ruin your holidays; I simply observe my own. I would appreciate the same courtesy from you.

So when you clamor for your "rights", I must assume you want the "right" not to be exposed to the 3-month commercial extravaganza that occurs in our nation each year. Frankly, I'd like nothing better myself, but that's not going to happen, is it? The only way to avoid the commercialism is to refuse to participate. I did. Why don't you?

You say you find the public displays at Christmas disturbing? Why? Most of them have nothing whatsoever to do with Christianity. The most popular public display is a brightly lit Christmas tree. There is certainly no basis for equating a decorated tree with Christianity. What, then, do you find offensive about it? Decorated trees should offend me, rather than you, springing as they do from Druid tradition.

We used to have a fine tradition of religious tolerance in this country. What has happened to it? Why do you hate Christianity? Why does it disturb you so much?

And you're right, Anonymous. Though I thoroughly enjoy reading your comments, I will not publish them. The reason is simple: This is MY Two Cents, not a dialogue.

I'm sorry this reply is late. You see, I was busy celebrating Thanksgiving, several birthdays, Christmas and New Year's Day according to the multi-cultural traditions of my family and I was paying not a whit of attention to the din around me. I hope you had the pleasure of doing the same.

I look forward to hearing from you again.

© 2009 by Libbi Adams. All rights reserved.

DISCIPLINE IN THE CHURCH

12/19/08

The Grace Community Church in Jacksonville, Florida, has been threatened with a lawsuit for its plan to discipline a member for engaging in an immoral sexual relationship with her boyfriend.

The church members followed all the guidelines laid out in scripture. The member in question, Rebecca Hancock, a 49-year-old divorcee, was counseled by her "mentor" to discontinue the immoral relationship. When she persisted in immorality, several other female members of the church met with her, pointed out the appropriate scripture passages, and encouraged her to end her sexual sin and restore her relationship with God.

Still, she refused, and so the elders of the church sent her a thoughtfully-worded letter in which they cited scriptural admonitions against sexual sin and pointed out that we are called to live godly lives. The letter reviews the disciplinary steps that had been taken and warns:

"Your refusal to repent and be restored in your relationship to God and His church leave us with no other alternative than to carry out the third step of the discipline process. In accordance with Matthew 18:17, we intend to 'tell it to the church'. Unless you repent of this sin and agree to meet with the elders regarding this issue, this third step will be carried out publicly on Sunday, January 4th, 2008 [sic].'"

The letter concludes:

"Our prayer is that you would repent of your sin, return to God soon, and permit Him to help you in this area."

It is no surprise that community members and the media are appalled that a congregation should confront a member about a relationship that the world considers "normal". What is surprising is the outcry from so-called Christians.

Condemnation of the church's stance is based largely on the opinion that since the woman is a consenting adult, it's no one's business that she sleeps with her boyfriend — or anyone else, for that matter.

Ms. Hancock said she knew the relationship was "against church rules" but she apparently doesn't know or care that her immorality is a sin against God. When confronted by some of the women of the church, she complained that she was being "persecuted" because the woman told her that what she was doing was wrong.

While we might expect that attitude from the world, I'm amazed that professed Christians are so ignorant of the Bible and of the instructions it contains regarding discipline in the church.

Rather than submit to the church's discipline, she insisted that her sexual activity is none of the church's business and that it's her right as an adult to engage in sexual activity whenever she wants. Perhaps. But is it her right as a Christian?

Let's take a look at what the Scripture has to say. What guidelines were the first Christians expected to follow?

In the letter to the church at Rome, in Romans 13.13-14, we read, "Let us behave decently… not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealously. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature."

In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul not only addresses sexual immorality but discusses discipline of one who indulges in sexual sin. "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you…. I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people — not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral…. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral…. With such a man do not even eat." In other words, the church should not associate with a Christian believer who engages in sexual immorality.

Paul goes on to tell the Corinthians, "Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you…? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God in your body." (1 Corinthians 6.18-20)

In his letter to the Ephesians (chapter 5, verse 3), Paul writes, "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality or of any kind of impurity…because these are improper for God's holy people."

Finally, in his letter (1 Timothy 5.20), Paul discusses church discipline with Timothy. "Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning."

Outraged church attendees quote Jesus when He was presented with the woman caught in adultery: "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." They conveniently forget Jesus' instruction to the adulterous woman after He had forgiven her: "Go now, and leave your life of sin."

That is precisely what Grace Community Church is telling Ms. Hancock.

© 2008 by Libbi Adams. All rights reserved.

RIGHTS - OR SIMPLY REBELLION?

12/04/08

Lately, various groups have been making much of demanding their "rights" — "gays" and atheists, to name the two most prominent.

I find it curious that in their effort to obtain what they term "rights", these people find it necessary to attempt to destroy and denigrate the beliefs of others.

When my ancestors left Europe, they came to the New World and settled in Penn's Woods for the purpose of religious freedom. They wanted the right to worship God as their consciences demanded. They did not attempt to redefine the words "God" or "worship", nor did they attempt to foist their ideas of a humble, godly life on others; they simply wanted to avoid persecution for their beliefs.

Today's advocates have quite a different idea of "rights".

"Gay rights" involves revising the ages-old definition of marriage and teaching your children and mine that perversion is normal and acceptable, merely an "alternate lifestyle" — in public schools that are funded by our tax dollars.

As clearly demonstrated in California, they do not acknowledge the democratic process of election in this country, but resort to terrorism, vandalism and persecution in their effort to undermine the will of the majority and overturn the results of a constitutional amendment referendum.

Last night, I watched a curious program called "Sex Change Hospital". This documentary-type program followed two men through sex change surgery. Each of these men insisted he was born to be a woman, that he was a woman "inside", and that hormonal therapy and surgical alteration of his anatomy to make him appear feminine would enable him to be his "true self". Interestingly, both these men-turned-women had GIRLFRIENDS.

Yes, you heard me correctly. They were men who were attracted to women — but who wanted to be surgically altered so that they could engage in lesbian relationships. Talk about mental and spiritual confusion!

And then there are the atheists pretending to be "free thinkers" who want to spoil everyone else's Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations because they feel left out during the big American shop-till-you-drop marathon in December.

They insist on erecting Christmas trees, all the while loudly denying belief in a supreme being and ridiculing those who recognize God.

They insist they're only fighting for their "rights". Dare I ask what "rights"??

In all my life, none of my employers has asked me about my religious beliefs. None of my teachers ever asked me about my religious beliefs. None of my landlords ever asked me about my religious beliefs. I have never been discriminated against because of my religious beliefs or lack of them — and I daresay, neither have they.

In my experience, there was no religious discrimination in this country before "gays" and atheists took to bashing Christians and those they perceive to be Christians.

Each of us has the right to believe as our conscience demands. However, atheists want the "right" to push their beliefs on others. They want the "right" to ridicule believers — more specifically, Christian believers — publicly. They held a "Blaspheme Challenge" to entice gullible teens to deliberately blaspheme God and offered as an incentive a free atheist "documentary" DVD, loudly proclaiming that the only price is "one soul". This isn't an expression of their right to believe in a Supreme Being or not; it's a deliberate attempt to ridicule and undermine Christianity and Judaism.

They want to intrude into what they think is Christianity's major religious holiday, Christmas. Their "enlightened" minds are too dull to realize that this secular holiday has evolved from a minor religious holiday into nothing more than an excuse for excess. They know so little about the Christian religion they're bashing that they aren't even aware that the focus of Christianity is not Christmas, but Jesus' sacrificial death and resurrection, which occurred during Passover.

These people aren't "free thinkers". Their pathetic arguments against the Gospel contain misquotes, outright lies and deliberate deception. They possess no discernment and are unable to discriminate between religious myth and true Christian faith. They are nothing more than intellectually-challenged contrarians.

I was once an atheist. I had been raised in the "church" and had seen nothing of God's power there. All I saw was hypocrisy, and I wanted no part of that. Since I found no evidence of God's existence in organized religion, I decided He did not exist. However, I did NOT demand that others adopt my belief or even accept it. I did not engage in a vendetta against Christians or churches. I did not push my belief on others. It was not necessary. I felt no need to justify myself or my beliefs by defaming others.

A few years later, I found myself face to face with the very real power of the One True God, and I became a believer. My belief in God and my acceptance of Jesus as my Savior and Lord has not required me to put my brain in neutral or to shelve my intellect.

Only atheism demands a closed mind and a stunted intellect.

And only a fool would demand fictitious "rights" by seeking to deny the rights of others.

© 2008 by Libbi Adams. All rights reserved.

A VERY MERRY UNCHRISTMAS

12/03/2008

The Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia, the misnomer for a group of atheists, applied for and was granted the right to erect a holiday display on public property in West Chester County, alongside a crèche, a Christmas tree and a Menorah.

To celebrate the notion that they are slaves neither to religion nor tradition, these "freethinkers" have erected a 15-foot evergreen tree which they have dubbed "The Tree of Knowledge" and which they have decorated with colorful book covers.

Some view this as a satisfactory compromise. I do not. Why should Christians and Jews be forced to share their holidays with nonbelievers? Why should either holiday be compromised?

A number of questions arise, not the least of which is why would an atheist want to share in the celebration of either Christmas or Hanukkah, since both are based on worship of the One True God?

Speaking on Fox & Friends last December, a spokesman for the group said they just didn't want to be "left out", that they, too, enjoy getting together with friends and family, "especially at this time of the year."

And what, precisely, is "this time of the year" to an atheist? Anyone care to hazard a guess?

To Christians, it's a celebration of the time when God descended to earth to dwell among us in the form of his Son. To Jews, it's a commemoration of the rededication of the Temple, when a small flask of holy oil miraculously lasted eight days. To atheists, it's… Why, it's nothing at all! The holiday season holds no significance at all for an atheist!

If these folks were truly atheists, Christmas would be just another day. If they were truly atheists, rather than feel "left out" when they pass a Christmas display, they would rejoice that they are not among the poor deluded souls who celebrate such nonsense.

And then there's the evergreen tree they chose to erect—a Christmas tree, if you will. And they dare to call themselves "freethinkers"?! Surely one whose intellect is truly free, who is unencumbered by religious myths and cultural traditions, could have come up with something more original than a Christmas tree!!

The atheists claim to be promoting free speech and free thought with their display of a secular Christmas tree when, in fact, they are doing nothing more than copying the very tradition they claim to disdain—and setting a very poor example for their children in the process. They are telling their children, in effect, that they have nothing worth celebrating, no focus for their lives, so they must insinuate themselves into the holidays of those they claim to despise in order to feel they are a vital part of society.

Christmas is a Christian holiday. Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday. If atheists don't wish to celebrate either, they certainly have the freedom not to participate!

But if they think that by erecting a Christmas tree decorated with covers of books written by atheist authors, they are persuading the rest of us that their sole purpose is to encourage free speech and free thought, they are deluded.

If atheists are the freethinkers they claim to be, then why don't they exhibit a little of that vaunted freethinking and create their own holiday? While they're at it, they could develop their own holiday traditions!

Ripping off someone else's holiday and aping their traditions are poor ways of communicating your supposed intellectual superiority! The members of the Freethought Society strike me not as freethinkers, but as little children sulking because no one else wants to play their game.

© 2008 by Libbi Adams. All rights reserved.

BOO

11/08/08

No, this isn't a belated Halloween post. I've just been getting weirded-out by the increasingly bizarre news stories coming out of Washington, San Francisco and, yes, even Antigua and Barbados, so I've decided to write about my gray-and-white parakeet, Boo. (See photo on sidebar!)

His proper name is Birdie Boo, but he also responds to Boo-Boo, Baby Boo, Sweetie Boo — and nearly anything else I call him, as long as it contains the name Boo.

I purchased Boo at a local pet shop a couple of years ago. I'd fully intended to get a standard green-and-yellow parakeet, but the green birds the shop had were splotchy to the point of being unattractive — to my eye, at least. However, there in the middle of the top perch, tucked in among assorted blues and greens, was a little guy who looked like he was wearing formal white tails. He immediately stole my heart, and I knew he was the bird for me!

Boo has a light gray-and-white breast, dark gray back and pure white wings and tail — an absolutely gorgeous little bird, as you can clearly see! He scolded like crazy while waiting in the little cardboard box for me to pay for him but then didn't open his mouth for six months after I got him home.

Now, however, I can't shut him up and he's a regular showoff! He loves music — almost any kind, loves to play on his homemade play tree (a black walnut sapling) with it's assortment of toys, enjoys conversing with his outdoor sparrow friends, and is fond of taking naps while sitting on my hand. When I use the desktop PC in "his" room, he plays on the keyboard, and when I write on my laptop, he perches on the rim of the lid and twitters away as I type.

Boo is particularly fond of molting/conditioning food, which purports to enhance feather color. I believe it, for my little gray-and-white bird now has a small cobalt blue patch of feathers on his rump and a slightly blue cast to some of the feathers on one side. But I let him eat the stuff, anyway, because for him, it's like ice cream.

His favorite treats are dandelion leaves and stems of grass seeds plucked straight from the front yard. In wintertime, a bit of lettuce or apple or broccoli will do.

He loves to show off his acrobatic skills, which he hones by practicing on a string of 8 interlocking plastic rings. He especially enjoys being praised for his prowess when he sits in the topmost ring. If I don't happen to notice him, he'll sit there patiently and whistle at me until I turn around and applaud his marvelous feat.

Oh, yes, and he talks. But only when he wants to! He has quite a repertoire: Boo's a pretty boy! (His favorite, and often accompanied by a wolf whistle.) Birdie-boo. Hello! You wait here! (That one's a long story…) Boo's a big boy! and various other jabberings. You never know just what will come out of that sassy little beak!

Just now, he's out of his cage and has decided it's nap time. He has settled on my left forefinger, making it particularly difficult to type. Somehow, his feather-light weight and warm little bird feet are comforting. He has just pulled one foot up and tucked his beak into the feathers of his back. That he trusts me enough to sleep that way on my hand makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

You might not think that such a tiny creature could be a good companion, but you'd be wrong. He's an enjoyable little feathered friend!

© 2008 by Libbi Adams. All rights reserved.

DRINKING THE KOOL-AID

11/08/08

You may have noticed the way the mainstream media nearly swooned over Obama during the primaries and, later, during the presidential campaign.

Perhaps the most famous quip is Chris Matthews' excited description while covering one of Obama's primary speeches: "I have to tell you, it's part of reporting this case, this election — the feeling most people get when they hear Barack Obama's speech. My, I felt this thrill going up my leg! I mean, I don't have that too often. No, seriously, it's a dramatic event!… And that's an objective assessment."

Of course, it is, Chris. I can't imagine anyone suggesting you weren't being objective. I mean, is the Pope Catholic?!

Describing another of Obama's victory speeches during a primary campaign, Joe Scarborough, host of Morning Joe on MSNBC, gushed, "If anybody in America has heard a better speech in modern American political history, please email me!" Pul-eeze!!

Chris Matthews, "objective" anchor of MSNBC's Hardball, was even more effusive. "Two days before, I heard him speak before hundreds of people in the old Palace Theater in Manchester. It was the best speech I've ever heard! …first it was conversational, then it was unbelievable, and I'm tearing up and I'm writing down notes…. And he did it again that night at midnight."

Since the election on Tuesday, the press coverage has gotten even more bizarre. Take this item from Friday's news broadcast, for instance, in which Chris Matthews admits that he will no longer even try to be objective.

Matthews told Joe Scarborough, "I want to do everything I can to make this thing work, this new presidency work."

Scarborough asked him, "Is that your job? You just talked about being a journalist."

Matthews replied, "Yes, it is my job. My job is to help this country…. To make this work successfully. This country needs a successful presidency."

Can you believe it? After eight years of Bush-bashing, a mainstream news anchor has suddenly decided that it's his job to make the Obama presidency successful??

You may remember that in a campaign speech, Barack Obama told the crowd, "A light will shine down from somewhere, it will light upon you, you will experience an epiphany, and you will say to yourself, 'I have to vote for Barack!'"

It sounds like that light shined down on Chris Matthews from somewhere (I won't hazard a guess as to its source.) and he experienced that epiphany and he suddenly knew he just had to support the Obama presidency.

This is getting scary, folks.

© 2008 by Libbi Adams. All rights reserved.

THOUGHTS ON THE DAY AFTER

11/05/2008

Did any of you watch the news on the days following election day? Did you note the bizarre images that assaulted you and the absolute cluelessness of the news anchors, commentators and political pundits — and their glee that the rest of the world finally loves us?

I watched Barack Hussein Obama's extended family marching through the streets of Nairobi carrying a portrait of their homeboy and an upside-down American flag and it struck me as totally bizarre for several reasons.

• First -person accounts of Obama's birth indicate that he is a native-born citizen of Kenya, not of the United States of America — thereby making him ineligible to run for the presidency. Even if he later became a naturalized citizen, Obama would still be ineligible for the presidency. Some journalists insist that Obama holds dual citizenship, both American and Kenyan — possibly even Indonesian, since his school records in that country list him as a citizen, made so by adoption by his Indonesian stepfather. Contrary to what you might believe if you've been listening to the mainstream media, Lady Liberty is a jealous mistress. The United States has never permitted dual citizenship. When you take the oath to become a citizen of this country, you are required to renounce every other allegiance.

• That Obama's African kinsmen were carrying the flag upside-down was more appropriate than they may have known. An upside-down flag is a universal distress signal.

News anchors seem to be delighted that, at last! the rest of the world appears to love us — or, at least, to love Obama. Oh, joy! All over the world, people are celebrating Obama's election to the highest office in our land. Perhaps someone can explain to me why that is a good thing?

• The rest of the world has never had America's best interest at heart. They hold out their hands for our billions in foreign aid but couldn't care less if we were completely destroyed.

• The world despises America for its wealth and strength. They would like nothing better than to see us get our comeuppance. They would love to see us reduced to their level, to be one of them and no longer the leader of the free world.

• Does anyone remember the dancing in the streets after the attacks of September 11, 2001?

The stock market plunged nearly 500 points after news of Obama's win and "analysts" and "experts" were baffled. Me, I'm baffled that the analysts were clueless. Haven't they been paying attention to what Obama has been saying? And if they have, why are they surprised that the Dow dropped like a rock when he was elected president? I'm surprised it didn't completely tank.

• Obama said he wants to "spread the wealth around". That's a loose interpretation of the Marxist dogma, "From each according to his ability; to each according to his need." As anyone with any brains should realize by now, under a Marxist regime, there is no incentive for anyone to succeed, since any profit a man might make belongs to the collective. Such societies have always failed. Wouldn't you think a Harvard grad like Obama would be smart enough to know that? Or has his lust for power simply overshadowed his common sense?

• Obama has clearly stated that he intends to raise the capital gains tax.

• Obama has threatened to bankrupt any company that tries to build a plant using coal power, no matter how cleanly it is burned. This is not only bad news for power companies, it is the death knell for the West Virginia and Pennsylvania coal industry.

• Jim Moran, Democratic Congressman of Virginia and Obama supporter, condemned the Bush administration for believing "in this simplistic notion that people who have wealth are entitled to keep it." Yes, you DID read that correctly. Democrats think it's simplistic for you to expect to keep the money you've earned by the sweat of your brow.

All in all, it's been an interesting day — and I'm sure that, as the saying goes, we ain't seen nothin' yet

© 2008 by Libbi Adams. All rights reserved.