T.R.

Theodore Roosevelt is probably my favorite president of all time. I don't think he was the best, that would probably be either Washington or Lincoln. However, he is right up there. He led the nation in a time of relative peace, even though he served honorably in the Army. He was a young Governor, Vice President, and President. Though conservative, he cared about the environment. (in a true sense, unlike hypocrites like Al Gore) He believed in the free-market, yet didn't allow big business to run amok. While I believe that Winston Churchill was more important in the grand scheme of the 20th century, America needs a President much like T.R. today. Here are a few quotes from T.R. that I enjoy.

A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.
Theodore Roosevelt

A typical vice of American politics is the avoidance of saying anything real on real issues.
Theodore Roosevelt

A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.
Theodore Roosevelt

Believe you can and you're halfway there.
Theodore Roosevelt

Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt

Every immigrant who comes here should be required within five years to learn English or leave the country.
Theodore Roosevelt

Never throughout history has a man who lived a life of ease left a name worth remembering.
Theodore Roosevelt

Order without liberty and liberty without order are equally destructive.
Theodore Roosevelt

Rhetoric is a poor substitute for action, and we have trusted only to rhetoric. If we are really to be a great nation, we must not merely talk; we must act big.
Theodore Roosevelt

The pacifist is as surely a traitor to his country and to humanity as is the most brutal wrongdoer.
Theodore Roosevelt

The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life.
Theodore Roosevelt

There can be no fifty-fifty Americanism in this country. There is room here for only 100% Americanism, only for those who are Americans and nothing else.
Theodore Roosevelt

On the Meez bandwagon

OK, I was finally able to get this to work. I can't say I'll do this again, but I won't say I won't either.

Slavery

This post is a response to Diana's question about the slavery portion of Exodus directly preceding the scripture I quoted in response to Reck's question on my Personhood Colorado post. The scipture she referred to was; Exodus 21:20-21. I will start by saying this: I don't believe it is God's desire for men to own slaves, however, it is not sinful. It is not God's desire for a man to have more than one wife, however that is not sinful either. Everyone in the bible I can think of who had more than one wife had issues because of it. Similarly, slavery was permitted, yet probably wasn't a good idea.

I would argue however, that Israel took far better care of their slaves than most other (if not all) ancient peoples because of scriptures like that one (Exodus 21:20-21) as well as:


"If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, sells himself to you and serves you six years, in the seventh year you must let him go free. And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed. Supply him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today." (Deuteronomy 15:12-15)

"If a slave has taken refuge with you, do not hand him over to his master. Let him live among you wherever he likes and in whatever town he chooses. Do not oppress him." (Deuteronomy 23:16)


"Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this." (Deuteronomy 24:17-18)

Now there are many, many more scriptures which refer to how Israel was to treat slaves, foreigners, servants, etc. The heart of God was that all people should be treated well. Were slaves property? Yes. The Israelites were reminded MANY times that at one time, THEY were the property of the Egyptians, and that they needed to remember that when they dealt with their own slaves.


Where does this go to? A better question may be, what is the point of the Old Testament and its teachings? The purpose of the Old Testament was to proclaim the coming of Jesus, the Messiah. It is also the story of God's relationship with his Kingdom, primarily the physical kingdom of Israel. I would have to write many books to go into all of the intricacies of the Old Testament and how they play out into God's Spiritual Kingdom that began around 33 AD. (Indeed, many have been written)

Actual slavery is a metaphor for our slavery to sin. When we are not in a relationship with God, we are slaves to Satan and this world. When we ARE in a relationship with God, when we have been washed of our sins through the blood of Christ, then we are no longer in slavery. Just as Israel's captors were washed away and defeated in the waters of the Red Sea, so is Satan defeated and our sin washed away in the waters of baptism. When Israel crossed through the Red Sea they were freed from slavery, but had a new perspective on slavery that they needed to be reminded of. A Christian needs to be reminded of his/her former life of slavery to sin, and look compassionately on those still in sin. However, those in sin are not God's people, as their sins separate them from God. This doesn't mean that God doesn't love them. It does mean that they are lost in sin, and need salvation. They need to be set free.


Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy have the rules that God set out for His physical Kingdom on Earth; Israel. Because they were his chosen people, sin could not be among them, and the penalties for sin had to be swift and harsh. Sin not only separates the individual from God, but unchecked can destroy the entire Kingdom. Because the physical Kingdom of Israel no longer exists today, things have changed, slightly. We are not under law, but under grace. That does not mean, however that we can 'sin it up'. (Romans 6:1-2) We need to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. We need to rid our lives of all sin. To bring this to a close, as this has gotten longer than I intended (it was intended to be a comment) those in slavery to sin are separated from God, and will not see heaven. Those who have been freed from slavery WILL see heaven. If God chooses to reward and treat as better those who are not slaves in this more perfect Spiritual Kingdom, then why would he have not treated his chosen people Israel, better than those who were their slaves?

Personhood Colorado

People are finally taking on the bogus ruling in Roe v. Wade. Personhood Colorado, has added an amendment up for vote on the November ballot that would state; "The term "Person" or "Persons" shall include any human from the time of fertilization." This would rule out all abortions in the state of Colorado and while it will certainly be challenged by some activist judge, there is a conservative majority on the US Supreme Court. Let's pray and hope that the Colorado voters don't give in to the inevitable bombardment by the pro-abortion lobby which is estimated to be spending $10,000,000 to sway Colorado voters on this amendment. (Far more than Personhood Colorado has) If this goes through, more and more states are likely pursue similar amendments and appeals to the Supreme Court may eventually overturn Roe v. Wade. The website is: http://www.coloradoforequalrights.com/

From the mouth of the man who saved Western Civilisation

Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has no heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains.
Sir Winston Churchill

A love for tradition has never weakened a nation, indeed it has strengthened nations in their hour of peril.
Sir Winston Churchill

However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.
Sir Winston Churchill

It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.
Sir Winston Churchill

It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required.
Sir Winston Churchill

One ought never to turn one's back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half.
Sir Winston Churchill

The price of greatness is responsibility.
Sir Winston Churchill

An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.
Sir Winston Churchill

The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter.
Sir Winston Churchill

But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age.... Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will say, This was their finest hour.
Sir Winston Churchill