The Gettysburg Address, 2013 Version

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.  

(These are the words delivered by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 at the Gettysburg Battle Ground paying tribute to those who had died there. Lincoln was referring to our founding fathers who founded this nation in 1776 (Four score 7 years before 1863). It has now been eleven score one decade and seven years that this great land became a nation.)

The direction this nation has been moving the last few decades makes me wonder if we are about to become engaged in a great civil war, testing whether this nation, so conceived and dedicated, can long endure. We could very well meet on a great battle-field to determine if we are able to keep our freedoms that were so bravely fought for in 1776. 

A Nation dedicated to the peace of the world fought in many more wars. The war of 1812 (which few if any remember), the civil war in 1861, the battle of San Juan Hill in 1891, World War I in which started in 1914 and ended in 1918, World War II from 1938 until 1945. Since then we have fought in Korea, Vietnam, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Up until the end of World War II we fought not only for our freedom but for the freedom of others. In World War II we defended the Netherlands, Belgium, England, France, Algiers, and the desert of North Africa from German invasion for their natural resources. We also defended hundreds Pacific islands including Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and far too many to name in this short writing from Japanese aggression.

The freedom of the world has long been placed in the hands of the United States of America and in the past our citizens have fought bravely for God, country and freedom. But we have now reached a point of selfishness and greed that seems to have quieted our desire for the liberty of others.

As other nations lose their God given freedom and liberty, so will we. Eventually we will find ourselves wanting to regain what we have selfishly given away because of our lack of interest in our Constitution and what our country was founded for. We have taken for granted that things will only get better while we do nothing to insure it. All we have to do is vote for politicians who promise to do their best to keep our Nation strong. It is obvious to anyone who is paying attention to the economy, the uncontrolled growth of the government and the social programs which are rampant that this once great nation is in dire distress.

There are many of us who feel that way who are now being called radicals and terrorists. We have reached the point where there are people desirous of removing God from the Pledge of Allegiance are the radicals and terrorists.

Yes, there are terrorists in the United States and you can readily identify them. They are wanting to change our laws to coincide with their radical laws which, in our minds, we find abhorrent. But it is not politically correct to call them by their name nor mention their political affiliation. Let's just call them progressives.

In my humble opinion there will come a day when we will have to dedicate a portion of some great battlefield, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that this nation might be saved from the progressive ruination. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. Let me now finish with the last paragraph of the Gettysburg Address which I think is totally fitting.

“But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground or any other ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will long remember what we say here, but it will never forget what they do here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

God and Apollo 11

Editor's Note: This is in regards to an article I wrote some time back entitled "An Essay for Many Athiests and Others Who Have Doubts"

By Ray Rogers

My father James Rogers wrote an article (a very good one I might add) in response to a woman who doesn't believe in God. She advised my father that the existence of God had all been proven false. That most all wars are fought over religion and that he should trust more in science.

Well I'd like to add that God is not religion He is God and there is none other. Religion is something that was created by man. I also agree that religion was invented to control people. God does not control people, if he did you would not see all this sin, murder, hate and debauchery that exists. Instead he made us individuals with free will. We are all stewards over what God has given us charge over to do with whatever our free will leads us to do.

Look at how many times that science has been wrong throughout history. Now lets consider the Bible. It has been consistent since the first book was written. Many of the books such as Psalms predicted the coming of the messiah and how he would suffer. Obadiah 1:4, says: "Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,” declares the Lord. Now how would the a prophet of God know about the space program thousands of years before a man landed on the moon? July 20, 1969 Apollo 11 lunar excursion module landed on the moon. Neil Armstrong said, "the eagle has landed." The base of that module is still sitting on the moon's surface today. Could that be the nest that God was speaking of?

The Bible has predicted many things which most all have already come true. Only a few things left before Jesus comes to set up his throne here on earth. God's word tells us to be witnesses. So I'm going to witness. When I was a small boy of seven my aunt prayed the sinners prayer with me and while we prayed I physically felt a cleansing around my heart. I felt great joy in my heart, after that there was no doubt that God was real. I was too young to imagine such a thing and no one gave me any indication of what to expect.

The Bible says that the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all flesh. This is that spirit that gave me the cleansing feeling I felt that night, this is also the spirit of truth that Jesus said we would be baptized with: Matthew 3:11. Jesus said blessed is he who believes though he has not seen: John 20:29. The bible says that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen: Hebrews 11:1.

God tells men to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute you: Matthew 5:44. Religion tells men to hate and to kill the infidel. God's people don't have to be controlled. They do good because they love God and want to bare witness to his love. Our faith is not based in science, but in the fact that we have felt his love.

So if you choose to believe in science rather than God. Don't worry I'm not going to cut your head off or blow you up, but imagine opening your eyes one day and realizing that your free thinking mind has taken you to a horrible place and you've never been so afraid before. Then it will be too late, because like the fallen angels there is no redemption outside of the flesh. God's word says also that it is appointed for us once to die and then the judgement.

God doesn't want this for you and neither do we his children. After all He sent his only begotten Son to die for our sin. Please put your faith in the Creator of science, not just science itself. Just look at the Apollo 11 insignia and remember Obidiah 1:4 "Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,” 

God....Is He or Isn't He?

I endeavor to not wear my religion on my sleeve but this has become necessary because of one person. I belong to “social” web site that’s dedicated to discussions, sometimes arguments about current events in subjects of entertainment, politics and family. Recently I came across a comment by a lady named “Sue”, no last name given. The following is her comment:

“Learn more of science. You may become enlightened. Some 'god' did not 'create' everything. Some 'god' does not 'cause' weather conditions. Some 'god' does not give children to couples. The bible is not based on fact. Much of it has been proven myths & stories from other cultures or just plain wrong. Death wasn't 'caused' because some woman who was 'created' from a rib ate an apple. Death always existed. A rib cannot grow arms, legs, etc; THAT'S a proven. 'God' is an invention of man to explain how things started as well as to control people. Give me ONE PROVEN piece of factual evidence. Whenever I ask that basic question, no one answers. I wonder why? Religion is responsible for most of the wars fought in the world. Your comments are senseless. You are just repeating the things you have been indoctrinated in.”

That was in answer to my statement to a previous anti-God statement she had made. Below is my answer to her “learn more of science” comment:

“None of you non-believers have any factual evidence that He isn't running things? The Bible was written over a period of 1500 years by more than 66 men and all of them agreed that there was but one all knowing, all seeing, ever present God who created this whole universe and all that is in it. Once He set things into motion, it's reasonable that according to Genesis, on the 7th day he rested. Maybe He isn't "running things". Maybe we're living in the 7th day and He isn't actively doing anything accept being God. See my explanation in the paragraph above. I cannot say anything more or second guess what God has on His Mind. The sad thing is that people do not really know GOD and think of him as a benevolent old man sitting on a throne somewhere. They are very mistaken.” I also stated that: “God is God, and being God, He can do whatever He wants to whomever He wants, whenever He wants. No reason needed for His actions. Another fact is that there is no way a book that took 1500 years to write by many different men could be so much in agreement. No other such book has been written in our entire history. The Qu’ran was written by one man and it has parts in it that are in total disagreement with other parts. God's followers have fed more hungry, provided medical facilities to more poor nations, put themselves in danger to go to the aid of people who have been devastated by hurricanes or floods than any other of earth's community. That's a proven. The IRS reports that Conservative Christians donotate more money and time helping others as shows on their tax forms each Apriil 15th.

And her “learn more science” statements leads me to think of her as too young to remember all the mistakes science has made over the years. How many things have they claimed causes cancer then changed their minds. And I’m old enough to remember when the Milky Way was considered the whole universe until Hubble and the Hubble telescope started looking deeper into space. Scientists think they can look far enough back into the universe to find the beginning of the Big Bang. My question for science is which way do you look? The universe is a gigantic sphere with no end. We can look at the north star but which way is it to the beginning of the universe, the Big Bang if you wish. And if the Big Bang happened at the speed of light, some scientists say it was faster, how can we, looking back at the speed of light, see something that happened 400 million years ago. Another thing scientists were wrong about is the expanding-collapsing universe. When I was in school, they thought that the universe would eventually start collapsing back into itself. Now they are saying we are living in an ever expanding universe.

As I sit here in my glorious stupidity glad that I’m a Christian, I don’t need to worry about tomorrow, whether the universe is collapsing or even what causes cancer. I know who holds tomorrow and I know who holds my hand.

When Love Is Not Enough

The thought, when love is not enough, crossed my mind this week and I decided to let it grow into whatever would come out of my keyboard. As I sit here I think of the high divorce rate in America…maybe even the world. An old lady was asked by a reporter how her and her husband had remained married for over 60 years. The old lady calmly replied: “We were married during a time when something got broke, we fixed it.” That could be said of many married, or formerly married people today. They were once in love and for some reason something went awry and instead of trying to fix it, they just separated, then divorced. 

When I was in Junior High many years ago, my home room teacher, Miss Kate Foster, had me to memorize a chapter in the Bible. First Corinthians, chapter 13. I quote part of it here to say that in truth, love can be enough if it is exercised rightly. “Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love is not boastful, is not arrogant, does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not its own, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; rejoices not in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” (I took the liberty to put the words into a more modern English for those who are not comfortable reading Shakespearean.)

There may come times when we think love is not enough. We may want to give up and call it quits. But when we sincerely think that there was one who loved us enough to die for us two thousand years ago and since then there have been many men and women who have fought and died for ours as well as others freedom, and all of that because of love for this country, one nation under God with liberty and justice for all. 

When we think in the broad terms of all that has been, there is no reason for love to not be enough in any situation we face.

Well, I said I would let it grow into whatever it would and there you have it. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Your comments will be appreciated, pro or con. Thank you and God Bless.