Disgusting

There was news today about a woman who has left her McDonald's hamburger and fries out in the open for six months. Six months! And behold, there is not one indication of mold or decay. Absolutely petrifying if you ask me -- figuratively and literally, as the burger and fries have quite literally petrified it seems.

As the article from Yahoo! goes on to say, McDonald's vehemently denies the claim that there is funny business in their food. They say that their hamburger patty is "100% USDA-inspected ground beef" and that their buns are made with "common government-approved ingredients designed to assure food quality and safety."

Phew! Well, that's good. Now I know what to do next time I cook too many burgers tailgating at the season opener. I'll just save 'em for the playoffs!

Or maybe in trying to cover their bases, McDonald's has inadvertently revealed the true culprit. What exactly does the USDA approve? And what are the "government-approved ingredients"? And why do they use the word "designed" in regard to those ingredients?

Hmmm.

America: A Christian Nation? Part III

Happy Constitution Day! Today is the 223rd anniversary of the miraculous day when our nation's most sacred document and final authority was completed.

George Washington, who presided over the Constitutional Convention, declared that its completion was "little short of a miracle." It is the very foundation of the greatest country the world has ever known. Its import cannot be understated.

In light of the absolute magnificence of the United States Constitution, it would be fitting to remember the man nicknamed "The Father of the U.S. Constitution." It should also be added that this same man introduced the first 10 amendments to it, now known as the Bill of Rights. It could be argued that this man, perhaps more than any other, is responsible for the greatness of this country. Would it not stand to reason that this man's beliefs influenced his impact on our country?

I have sometimes thought there could be no stronger testimony in favor of Religion or against temporal Enjoyments even the most rational and manly than for men who occupy the most honorable and gainful departments and are rising in reputation and wealth, publicly to declare their unsatisfactoriness by becoming fervent Advocates in the cause of Christ, & I wish you may give in your Evidence in this way. Such instances have seldom occurred, therefore they would be more striking and would be instead of a "Cloud of Witnesses." -- James Madison

-- Letter to William Bradford (September 1773), quoted in The Lustre of Our Country : The American Experience of Religious Freedom (2000) by John Thomas Noonan, p. 66

America: A Christian Nation? Part II

In a recent periodical, someone wrote a letter to the editor expressing discontent that this certain periodical had a section highlighting Christian fiction. They wrote, "This is not a Christian nation; it is a multifaith one..."

In response to that comment, I wrote to the editor myself. What follows is an excerpt:

To paraphrase the late Harvard professor Dr. Samuel Huntington, the U.S. is at
its core a nation of Christian principles; we are not a generic melting pot, but
a tomato soup with its blend of different spices and croutons while still
retaining its overall tomato base.

Huntington was not what you would call a Christian thinker. He was, so I'm told, a liberal Harvard professor who just happened to see the facts rather clearly. Another notable figure from the more liberal side of things, President Woodrow Wilson, also said something curiously remarkable about our nation:

America was born a Christian nation. America was born to exemplify that devotion to the elements of righteousness which are derived from the Holy Scriptures.

When those held in admiration by those who claim we are not a Christian nation, say that we are, in fact, a Christian nation, it makes one think.

A Marvel of Creation

Yesterday, the famed British physicist Stephen Hawking made news when it was revealed that his new book, due later this month, stated that God was unnecessary for creation of the cosmos.

This wouldn't have been so interesting normally. But it was made all the more ironic as I was just recently introduced to one of the most fascinating things I have ever seen in support of an intelligent design.

Behold the Japanese honeybee. The Japanese honeybee has a predator: the incredibly ferocious Japanese hornet. The Japanese hornet wreaks havoc on European honeybee colonies. Japanese honeybees, on the other hand, have a very unique defense. You must watch it.




Now, I know this may not be an absolutely-fail-safe proof, but how in the world could that amazing collective ability have evolved? How could natural selection have chosen the bees that just happened to randomly learn that collectively they could defeat this predator. It's not as if their unique quality is some physical trait shared by each individual. Their unique quality is only expressed in and as a community. It's as if every single individual in that original primeval community had to evolve at about the same time in the same way, so they could all function in one unit to defend themselves. Otherwise, this predator would have seemingly made them extinct. It's as if this collective trait was something learned and passed down from generation to generation, which would only speak to their genius and the genius of their designer.

And then there's the temperatures. It's quite extraordinary that this honeybee has a maximum threshold of 118⁰ and, oh-so-perfectly, their dreaded predator has a maximum threshold of 116⁰, and they can somehow generate enough heat to just barely kill their predator while not killing themselves. The whole thing just smells of divinity's touch.

America: A Christian Nation? Part I

With Independence Day having just passed and with Constitution Day on the near horizon (September 17th), now is a proper time to reflect on something important: our country's heritage. So much talk has been made of the idea that this country is not a Christian nation. The roots of our country have significant ramifications for our present-day attitudes and mindset for the future. Regardless of whether you think it is Christian or not, the question is a crucial one. Now, as for the answer, let's examine that. Ultimately, history and the evidence, as in most every case, will be the deciding judges.

This was brought to my attention just recently and I was amazed. A constitution is a very important, defining document for any entity. It would stand to reason that a constitution says a lot about a government's beliefs and goals. What would it mean if every individual government comprising a larger federation had in each of their constitutions a reference to God? Would that federation be considered a nation under God? What about recognition of God in the preambles of all those constitutions? Well, without further ado, we have before us the preambles of all fifty state constitutions. Without fail all of them acknowledge the authority of one figure: God.

Click here for all fifty state constitution preambles; the relevant article is on pages 4-5.

Expert Parenting Wisdom

Alright, having been a dad (ex utero) for roughly five months, I now feel confident enough to offer some advice to any other parents or parents-to-be. I trust any readers will find my wisdom self-evident.

Aolani, consider this one blog dedicated to / resultant from you, however you would like to look at it.

In a list, because today's reader (and writer) loves lists:

1. Consider it a definite positive answer to prayer when God says, "No," to your request for twins -- especially when it is your first pregnancy.
2. Babies don't do fasting. Try as I might, and as noble as it is, Aolani just can't grasp the merit of skipping a meal. She can't even handle the concept of slightly postponing a meal. We'll try again when she's six. Months.
3. A new parent's best friend is a dish of leftovers. Ahhh, yes, after a hard, stressful day of work, chores, and baby-rearing, there is nothing quite like the relief when you remember that you don't have to cook tonight. Dinner is just one oven-warm-up away.
4. Pray in Jesus's name for your babies and trust that in the unseen realm powerful things are happening. You may not see results for a long time. You may not see results ever. But trust that somewhere in a non-visible way, the Spirit is rocking your baby's world. Visualize Him coming and bestowing grace and power and mercy to your baby.
5. Your newborn receives a lot of communication through touch. Massage and gently rub your baby in calm, smooth strokes. This relaxes babies, lets them know that they are loved, helps them with digestion, and might even relax the parent.
6. Never cook while wearing the baby in a sling. The food doesn't taste good for some reason.
7. Most importantly, make sure to never, ever, ever forget the diaper bag when going out in the car for extended periods of time.

Have a Multicultural July 4th!

Oh, what a blessed, uh… happy, holid-- I mean, occasion, we have in store this weekend.

This 4^th of July, as we celebrate our polite, but flawed, country's independence from Great Br-- well, a country that was mean to us -- let us remember to give the hol-- oh, there I go again -- the day proper, globally-minded justice. This hol-- for crying out loud, I did it again -- This day, really just like every other day, is a day to respect all those other countries that have so generously provided our country with citizens. In showing respect be sure to wave any flag you like, just so long as you don't wave any flags of historically imperialistic nations. And especially don't wave the Stars and Stripes as it might offend some.

When you pause to remember all the men and women who have given us independence and freedom, don't forget those who gave us the opportunity to fight for freedom by standing for their own beliefs -- be those beliefs in totalitarianism, Communism, terrorism, really any belief, because they're all equal and acceptable. Actually, when you pause to remember independence, do a subsequent pause to mourn the fact that we are so independent when the world needs to be united and more dependent on each other.

While you're at it, be sure to shush anyone who says anything patriotic. It's better if you and your friends don't use the word "patriotic" at all, or "patriot," "patriotism," etc. Words more suited for this global occasion are "muli-culti," "international," "bilateral," things like that. Come to think of it, be extra careful not to wear anything red, white, or blue. Choose more polite colors like green, yellow, or purple. That'll make everyone feel more comfortable. Especially green.

When thinking about the greatness of this country, DON'T. It really isn't that exceptional. It's parochial to think such. Our country and its heritage are just like everybody else's. Everyone has their own way of government and who are we to judge. Words like "pluralism" and "coexist" are good ones to use here. Definitely don't bring up George W. Bush. Instead, focus on such great and universally renowned figures as Mao Zedong, Che Guevara, or Yasser Arafat.

Above all else, you must not, under any circumstance, give reference to God, or this country being under God, on the 4^th of July. It would help to shun any notion you've ever heard or read about this country being a Christian nation. Most people take great offense to anything Christ-related. Therefore, try to keep these people from learning about or reading quotes from George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Abraham Lincoln, Alexander de Tocqueville, Ronald Reagan -- the list is rather extensive. Even Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin or Woodrow Wilson aren't exactly safe. So be very careful. It's best to make the occasion as secular as possible.

Well, with those simple tidbits, you and your neighbors should have a wonderful hol -- sorry -- occasion! Enjoy the 4^th of Ju -- well, on second thought, calling it July would offend any anti-Roman friends of yours. Enjoy the 4^th Day of the 7^th Month!