Oct 24, 2013

Separation of Church and State Wrongly Taught in a Religion Class?! What?

My religion teacher taught his class that the education system in America is a branch of the Government... Hmm I guess I missed that Article of the Constitution last time I read it. He then so egregiously miss applied a scripture from the 132 Section of the Doctrine and Covenants on the role of government, that anyone in the class who hasn't made a serious study of the proper role of government as established by inspiration through the Founding Fathers, probably thinks that it is a good thing that the government continues to make it more difficult to pray and otherwise acknowledge and honor God in schools; we must keep the separation between church and state you know...

It is little wonder that those who wish to eliminate God and Christianity from society are having so much success when we are being taught such flagrant principles. We have been fooled into thinking that religion and the demonstrations of a religious life should be kept entirely separate from public life. We have even been conditioned to be hyper-sensitive to not being perceived as an advocate for religious views and practices in public.

The Lord needs a people who are willing to demonstrate the signs and blessings of those who believe so clearly that you leave no doubt in those around you that you are a disciple of Christ, even as a city set on a hill. This must be us! We must be advocates of the Lord and His work. We must be living witnesses of the power and blessings that come to those who follow Christ. We can never do that if we buy into this false interpretation of separating Religion/Church and State/public life.

Don't forget your daily dose of Music!

Oct 1, 2013

Looking out the Window

I stood looking out the window of the Snow building on BYU-Idaho campus this morning before class started. I stood watching all the students walking on campus, crossing the street and coming and going from buildings. Backpacks on their shoulders. Ear buds playing away. Nary a care in the world beyond the next assignment or that next date. A knot in my stomach turned.

The government shut down. The debt crisis will careen out of control half-way through the month. The socialist bill for universal health care has rift congress beyond action (not that I'm convinced that is such a bad thing under the circumstances.) The American people go on like nothing is happening. WHAT IS WRONG WITH US?

It is a mark of how apathetic and disinterested we are in current events and the world situation that not once, all day long, did I hear anyone discuss what is happening. Crash a plane into a tower, the whole world stops and watches. Bring such a heated moral and ethical issue into the heart of Congressional debate that the division runs so deep the government halts in its tracks, we hardly bat an eye. Never mind that there the result of what happens will have a profound effect on all the citizens of these United States.

I wished all through my music theory class that instead of burying our heads in the sand and hoping that the problem will go away, we would stop our study of Neapolitan chords and take time to discuss what is happening in our nation. Why is this not the most important topic being discussed on campus?

I have to admit that I get a little more annoyed each time that I hear someone call the Republican party out for being childish, or uncooperative, or unreasonable. Do not misunderstand me. I am not an advocate for everything that the Republican party has done, or is doing. But it's about time that we finally see our representatives stand up and defy the liberal agenda, and their puppet the President. We ride a fine line between barely floating and sinking into disaster on so many fronts. So I say "Bravo!" to the congressmen who have stood up and stood their ground.

What?! Did you think it was going to be an easy fix, getting out of the mess we are in? Do you think that the socialist movement is just going to throw in the white towel and hand over the victory? Lets get real. We have only two choices: we are either going to be compliant, and compromise our way down to hell, or we are going to have to stand up and take a few blows to the face.

Maybe the Republicans haven't picked the best way to handle the situation. But at least someone has put the breaks on. Buckle up, ladies and gentlemen. I expect to get hit a few times.