Hypocrisy?

On May 27, 2011, the LA Times reported that Obama has approved an extension on the Patriot Act. Often used by Democrats as a weapon against the Democrats, it seems that once they are in power the Patriot Act doesn't sound so evil any more. Perhaps they viewed it as a necessary evil to play towards the conservative voters, so that reelection wouldn't as hard as it is appearing to be in 2012. Even deeper and perhaps even a bit of a long shot, but perhaps they figured out that the Patriot Act is rather useful and should be kept around for awhile longer to make sure major terrorist incidents don't happen again in the U.S..Crazy right? But I've learned that people do crazy things some times. This looks to be that at least the government can function at critical times even though it is mostly happening due to reelection year coming up. I'll take what I can get.

LA Times: Patriot Act

This week's core biblical truth is Sin. Mankind is totally depraved and his sinful nature is seen throughout history.  Law and government were established to restrain this depravity in the governors as well as the governed. What we have here is the extension of a law allowing the governors to restrain the depravity of the governed. Yes, this can be a little nerve-wracking, but it is all for the greater good. Scary words, right? Well that is often the case for the government, it is something that we have to live with every day. 

Somewhat Unexpected

On May 22, 2011 a major salvo by the Republican Party to garner votes for the 2012 presidential election has taken place. Republicans took the chance after President Obama's speech on Israel to portray the man as a fickle friend to Israel. This surprisingly enough wasn't aimed at the Jewish voters, but at the evangelical Christian voters. If it does detract Jewish support, who are largely Democratic, then all the better for the Republicans, but most political analysts agree that if it did happen it would be very minor. Due to this little ruckus, peace in the Middle East will once again become a major issue in the upcoming election, no doubt. Filling out the major issues to three: unemployment, gas prices, and now peace in the Middle East. Looks to be a good ol' fashion brawl being stoked up for 2012, I wonder who will fight the most dirty this time around.

LA Times: Obama and Israel

This week's core biblical truth is Creation Part Two, "In God's sovereignty, He controls the rise and fall of rulers and nations". A very core biblical truth for this week and it is very apt. Whether this particular salvo will do anything to President Obama's chances of being reelected is beyond me and is left up to God. Which is of course the whole point of this. We do not know what is going to happen, but to some people any little thing they can to try to change the course history is a chance they cannot pass up. This holds true especially for politics. All those charts, graphs, percentages, and polls. All used for one thing: to try to predict the future and therefore change it. I shall now have a private moment to chuckle.

Back in the Running

Representative Ron Paul, a Republican from Texas, has declared that he is running for president reported the LA Times May 13, 2011. This will be his third time running for president and he firmly believes that winning the Republican primary is a absolute possibility. Ron Paul has always had a small, but very passionate support group ever since he first ran for president on the Libertarian Party ticket in 1988. In other words it is a distinct possibility that we have a 75 year old man face against President Obama in the upcoming election. Furthermore, we could have a president who is 75 years old, depending on how well President Obama milks the Osama Bin Laden assassination. Personally, I have nothing against the elder generations, but what kind of image does it give America? We have always prided ourselves on always looking toward the future in government and as a people.  Electing someone of this age could lead to a sort of cultural or even a technological stagnation. The status quo must always be changing.

LA Times: Ron Paul running for President

Is this article journalism? Why yes it is. It is an article providing information on the fact that a certain person will be running for the Republican nomination for president. In gives us what we need to become more free and self-governing, so that when we vote we know who we are voting for and what they represent. If only there were more articles like this.

The core biblical truth for this week is Growth, “God’s people are stewards of His blessings, and with those blessings come great responsibility to further God’s ministry of redemption”. Here we are seeing the first of many future stewards of our nation and with the upcoming election it is important to see and understand what each of these stewards will offer to us and then hopefully vote in the best steward for this nation. Begin praying. Hard.
 

The Curse of Politics

We all know that Osama Bin Laden is dead, but what about that all important photograph of the body which makes it impossible to doubt? Well it was reported on May 4th by the LA Times that President Obama has sealed that photograph. One has to wonder at the political implications of this action. Is he simply waiting till he starts to campaign to release the photo and therefore create a wave of support for his reelection? Or is the President simply making sure that it is truly Osama Bin Laden? In either case the irony is not lost on me that Obama will be taking the credit for the decade long hunt which was started and continued by his predecessor who is so despised by the American public.

Link to Article: LA Times

And now to the question which everyone has been waiting for. Is this article journalism? Well yes, yes it is. It has a subject, it expounds upon that subject, and the author even throws in some conjecture. All these things are signs of journalism, for they allow the readers to gain information and even makes them think a little bit which is of course all important in becoming free and self-governing.

This weeks core biblical truth is Revelation, "In society, truth is not relative to the individual, but rather is absolute and its source is solely God." Though not the full quote it is the most important in relation to this article. President Obama is holding the one thing which would establish the truth of Osama Bin Laden's death. This photo will no doubt become a great part of his reelection campaign and it is that fact which drives me a little bit nuts. Truth should not be manipulated for political victories. Not only does that sully the truth, but it ruins the reputation of the one who thought to do the manipulating.