Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Christmas Quotes
“It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child Himself.” -- Charles Dickens
“Just a hurried line... to tell a story which puts the contrast between our feast of the Nativity and all this ghastly ‘Xmas’ racket at its lowest. My brother heard a woman on a bus say, as the bus passed a church with a Crib outside it, ‘Oh Lor’! They bring religion into everything. Look they’re dragging it even into Christmas now!”’ -- C. S. Lewis
“Just a hurried line... to tell a story which puts the contrast between our feast of the Nativity and all this ghastly ‘Xmas’ racket at its lowest. My brother heard a woman on a bus say, as the bus passed a church with a Crib outside it, ‘Oh Lor’! They bring religion into everything. Look they’re dragging it even into Christmas now!”’ -- C. S. Lewis
Creating a Problem Where None Exists
By Howard Wolosky, Editor-in-Chief, Practical Accountant (WebCPA)
Excerpts from the article:
"Congress seems to have no qualms about making it more difficult, expensive, and frustrating for those interested parties or adding greatly to the possibility that taxpayers will not take advantages of tax benefits because they aren’t listed on tax returns where they are supposed to be and could easily have been put."
"Congress, rather than passing the “Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006” just before it adjourned last week,could have done so at the beginning of 2006. But in reported attempts to pass other unrelated legislation, the tax provisions supported by both sides of the aisle were tacked onto controversial legislation. When those proved unsuccessful, the tax provisions eventually were separated from any controversial legislation and the “Tax Relief andHealth Care Act of 2006” was passed last week."
"Here is explanation of the ramifications of the delay by Senator Baucus on the floor of the Senate:
'Congress's delay in extending these tax provisions caused uncertainty. And the delay until now will have real consequences for taxpayers.' 'TheIRS expects taxpayer confusion. The IRS expects more phone calls to the IRS with questions. The IRS expects delays in filing. The IRS expects incorrect returns. And the IRS expects more amended returns. Further, the IRS will need at least six weeks to reprogram its systems toaccommodate the changes. It is simply too late for the IRS to implementthe 2007 filing season on time.' "
Access the full article here: http://www.webcpa.com/article.cfm?articleid=22828
Excerpts from the article:
"Congress seems to have no qualms about making it more difficult, expensive, and frustrating for those interested parties or adding greatly to the possibility that taxpayers will not take advantages of tax benefits because they aren’t listed on tax returns where they are supposed to be and could easily have been put."
"Congress, rather than passing the “Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006” just before it adjourned last week,could have done so at the beginning of 2006. But in reported attempts to pass other unrelated legislation, the tax provisions supported by both sides of the aisle were tacked onto controversial legislation. When those proved unsuccessful, the tax provisions eventually were separated from any controversial legislation and the “Tax Relief andHealth Care Act of 2006” was passed last week."
"Here is explanation of the ramifications of the delay by Senator Baucus on the floor of the Senate:
'Congress's delay in extending these tax provisions caused uncertainty. And the delay until now will have real consequences for taxpayers.' 'TheIRS expects taxpayer confusion. The IRS expects more phone calls to the IRS with questions. The IRS expects delays in filing. The IRS expects incorrect returns. And the IRS expects more amended returns. Further, the IRS will need at least six weeks to reprogram its systems toaccommodate the changes. It is simply too late for the IRS to implementthe 2007 filing season on time.' "
Access the full article here: http://www.webcpa.com/article.cfm?articleid=22828
Friday, December 15, 2006
The FairTax Book
Dr. Walter E. Williams writes about the FairTax in a TownHall Column online.
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/WalterEWilliams/2006/12/13/the_fairtax_book
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/WalterEWilliams/2006/12/13/the_fairtax_book
Democracy or Republic, Which Is It?
by Benedict D. LaRosa
How many times have you heard people refer to America as a "Democracy"? We hear it all the time from relatives, friends, news reporters, local businessmen and from media "talking heads." We read it regularly on Internet websites, newspaper articles (including editorials), magazines, and even our children's textbooks. We even hear it from the President, members of Congress, state and local elected officials, and educators -- even those who possess a license to practice Law.How many times, in response, have you quietly mumbled under your breath or shouted at the television, "It's not a Democracy, it's a Republic !!, (insert your choice of belittling descriptor such as dimwit, meathead, dolt, nitwit, dunderhead, etc.)"
Those of us who know the truth of the matter could simply ignore the ignorant and go about our lives, but cannot for a very compelling reason: We are a nation of Law. (continued...) Click Here To Access The Full Update
How many times have you heard people refer to America as a "Democracy"? We hear it all the time from relatives, friends, news reporters, local businessmen and from media "talking heads." We read it regularly on Internet websites, newspaper articles (including editorials), magazines, and even our children's textbooks. We even hear it from the President, members of Congress, state and local elected officials, and educators -- even those who possess a license to practice Law.How many times, in response, have you quietly mumbled under your breath or shouted at the television, "It's not a Democracy, it's a Republic !!, (insert your choice of belittling descriptor such as dimwit, meathead, dolt, nitwit, dunderhead, etc.)"
Those of us who know the truth of the matter could simply ignore the ignorant and go about our lives, but cannot for a very compelling reason: We are a nation of Law. (continued...) Click Here To Access The Full Update
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Immigration by the Numbers
Here's a great video on immigration. Well worth watching till the end.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4094926727128068265&q=roy+beck&hl=en
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4094926727128068265&q=roy+beck&hl=en
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
America's Christian History
"A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday, does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do. We are trying to do a futile thing if we do not know where we came from or what we have been about...America was born a Christian nation. America was born to exemplify that devotion to the elements of righteousness which are derived from the revelations of Holy Scripture." -President Woodrow Wilson
What can we glean from President Woodrow Wilson's quote? If we don't know where we've been, we cannot possibly know where we are going or for that matter, we won't know what to do once we get there. Without understanding history, His-Story, God's providential plan and will through the eons of time and through His covenant people, man loses his vision and will as a result forfeit his destiny. Without a clear understanding of our godly legacy, there is no reliable rudder to steer the great ship called America through our troubling times.
History is one of two lights that can assist man as we seek to navigate through the darkness, traps, and pitfalls that abound in this world. Patrick Henry in his famous "Give me liberty or give me death" speech affirms this truth, "I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging the future but by the past." Patrick Henry is pointing to a powerful principle that provides a lamp for mankind in the midst of murkiness and uncertainty, it is the light that comes through the study of history.
There is another light that shines as well. It is the brightest light of all. It is called the Bible, the word of God. God's word provides an accurate filter or grid to correctly assess history. It will expose the so-called "history' that has been rewritten or revised for political gain or cultural corruption. Together, God's word and history act similar to the relationship of the sun and moon. One is the greater light that rules the day and one is the lesser light that rules the night. Both are important, however, if we are going to see clearly enough to secure a future and a hope for America.
A philosopher once stated, "the surest way to destroy a people is to sever her roots." Karl Marx, the father of communism, declared, "Take away the heritage of the people and they are easily persuaded." Psalm 88:12 states, "righteousness cannot long endure in the land of forgetfulness." All these quotes reveal the dangers of what happens to a people when they become ignorant of, revise, or deny their history. Their root system that supplies their freedom, liberty, and prosperity will become severed and their foundations will be destroyed. Thus they will be easily led astray and will become a prey to enemies from within and from without.
There is overwhelming evidence of God's hand in establishing America and developing it to be a city on a hill, a light to the nations. A University of Houston study of the founding era wanted to see why the American form of government had endured so well. They wanted to see whom the founders quoted in their writings. Out of 15,000 writings they examined, they found 3,154 direct quotes:
· 34% (or about 1000 quotes) were taken directly from the Bible
· Another 60% (close to 2000 quotes) were based indirectly on the Bible.
The Founding Fathers, though not perfect, were Biblical in their orientation and used the Bible as their political textbook, which became the basis for our government and laws. Their understanding of God's word and history gave to mankind the freest and most prosperous nation in mankind's brutal history. If we, as Americans, do not return to their understanding of God's word and history, then America as we know it will continue to stand in jeopardy.
Daniel Webster, esteemed as one of the five greatest senators in U.S. history warned, "If religious books are not widely circulated among the masses in this country, I do not know what is going to become of us as a nation. If truth be not diffused, error will be; If God and His Word are not known and received, the devil and his works will gain the ascendancy; If the evangelical volume does not reach every hamlet, the pages of a corrupt and licentious literature will; If the power of the Gospel is not felt throughout the length and breadth of the land, anarchy and misrule, degradation and misery, corruption and darkness will reign without mitigation or end." (Judge for yourself, if his warning is not coming to pass in the land of the free and the home of the brave).
"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." -George Washington, the Father of our Country.
"America needs God more than God needs America. If we ever forget that we are a nation under God, we are a nation gone under." -Ronald Reagan (America today still wants the fruits of Christianity, we just don't want the root of Christianity that produces these blessings in the first place. Can these fruits long endure if we remove the only basis for their existence).
"The highest glory of the American Revolution was this; it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity." "Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Saviour of the World, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day. Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the Progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer's mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity and gave to the world the first irrevocable pledge of the fulfillment of the prophecies announced directly from Heaven at the birth of the Saviour and predicted by the greatest of the Hebrew prophets 600 years before." -John Quincy Adams, sixth President of America
"Education is useless without the Bible." "The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all of our civil constitutions and laws....All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible." -Noah Webster, Father of American Education.
"I lament that we waste so much time and money in punishing crimes and take so little pains to prevent them. We neglect the only means of establishing and perpetuating our republican forms of government; that is, the universal education of our youth in the principles of Christianity by means of the Bible; for this Divine Book, above all others, constitutes the soul of republicanism." -Benjamin Rush, Signer of the Declaration of Independence.
"All societies of men must be governed in some way or other. The less they have of stringent State Government, the more they must have of individual self-government. The less they rely on public law or physical force, the more they must rely on private moral restraint. Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled either by a power within them, or a power without them; either by the word of God, or by the strong arm of man; either by the Bible or by the bayonet." -Robert Winthrop, U.S. representative, author and orator.
"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." -John Adams, Second President of America.
"I sought for the key to the greatness and genius of America...Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." -Alexis de Tocqueville, Historian.
Our Founding Fathers knew our goodness came from our faith in Jesus Christ and living according to His word. They knew that only "One Nation Under God" can produce order in society on one hand and freedom to individuals on the other. They knew freedom was the power to do as we ought and not to do as we want. They knew there were two enemies to liberty, lawlessness and immorality amongst the citizenry and tyranny in civil government. They knew self-government under God was the key to protecting liberty. Only a religious, moral, and virtuous people who put restraints upon their appetites, lusts, and greed can remain a free people. Both the Bible and our history attests to these truths. May we return to these truths before America loses her vision and therefore forfeits her destiny.
-Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas
Elijah Ministries
P.O. Box 3126
Waco, TX 76707
e-mail: elijahmin@ifriendly.com
Website: www.mttu.com/elijahmin
What can we glean from President Woodrow Wilson's quote? If we don't know where we've been, we cannot possibly know where we are going or for that matter, we won't know what to do once we get there. Without understanding history, His-Story, God's providential plan and will through the eons of time and through His covenant people, man loses his vision and will as a result forfeit his destiny. Without a clear understanding of our godly legacy, there is no reliable rudder to steer the great ship called America through our troubling times.
History is one of two lights that can assist man as we seek to navigate through the darkness, traps, and pitfalls that abound in this world. Patrick Henry in his famous "Give me liberty or give me death" speech affirms this truth, "I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging the future but by the past." Patrick Henry is pointing to a powerful principle that provides a lamp for mankind in the midst of murkiness and uncertainty, it is the light that comes through the study of history.
There is another light that shines as well. It is the brightest light of all. It is called the Bible, the word of God. God's word provides an accurate filter or grid to correctly assess history. It will expose the so-called "history' that has been rewritten or revised for political gain or cultural corruption. Together, God's word and history act similar to the relationship of the sun and moon. One is the greater light that rules the day and one is the lesser light that rules the night. Both are important, however, if we are going to see clearly enough to secure a future and a hope for America.
A philosopher once stated, "the surest way to destroy a people is to sever her roots." Karl Marx, the father of communism, declared, "Take away the heritage of the people and they are easily persuaded." Psalm 88:12 states, "righteousness cannot long endure in the land of forgetfulness." All these quotes reveal the dangers of what happens to a people when they become ignorant of, revise, or deny their history. Their root system that supplies their freedom, liberty, and prosperity will become severed and their foundations will be destroyed. Thus they will be easily led astray and will become a prey to enemies from within and from without.
There is overwhelming evidence of God's hand in establishing America and developing it to be a city on a hill, a light to the nations. A University of Houston study of the founding era wanted to see why the American form of government had endured so well. They wanted to see whom the founders quoted in their writings. Out of 15,000 writings they examined, they found 3,154 direct quotes:
· 34% (or about 1000 quotes) were taken directly from the Bible
· Another 60% (close to 2000 quotes) were based indirectly on the Bible.
The Founding Fathers, though not perfect, were Biblical in their orientation and used the Bible as their political textbook, which became the basis for our government and laws. Their understanding of God's word and history gave to mankind the freest and most prosperous nation in mankind's brutal history. If we, as Americans, do not return to their understanding of God's word and history, then America as we know it will continue to stand in jeopardy.
Quotes From The Founding Fathers
Daniel Webster, esteemed as one of the five greatest senators in U.S. history warned, "If religious books are not widely circulated among the masses in this country, I do not know what is going to become of us as a nation. If truth be not diffused, error will be; If God and His Word are not known and received, the devil and his works will gain the ascendancy; If the evangelical volume does not reach every hamlet, the pages of a corrupt and licentious literature will; If the power of the Gospel is not felt throughout the length and breadth of the land, anarchy and misrule, degradation and misery, corruption and darkness will reign without mitigation or end." (Judge for yourself, if his warning is not coming to pass in the land of the free and the home of the brave).
"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." -George Washington, the Father of our Country.
"America needs God more than God needs America. If we ever forget that we are a nation under God, we are a nation gone under." -Ronald Reagan (America today still wants the fruits of Christianity, we just don't want the root of Christianity that produces these blessings in the first place. Can these fruits long endure if we remove the only basis for their existence).
"The highest glory of the American Revolution was this; it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity." "Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Saviour of the World, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day. Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the Progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer's mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity and gave to the world the first irrevocable pledge of the fulfillment of the prophecies announced directly from Heaven at the birth of the Saviour and predicted by the greatest of the Hebrew prophets 600 years before." -John Quincy Adams, sixth President of America
"Education is useless without the Bible." "The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all of our civil constitutions and laws....All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible." -Noah Webster, Father of American Education.
"I lament that we waste so much time and money in punishing crimes and take so little pains to prevent them. We neglect the only means of establishing and perpetuating our republican forms of government; that is, the universal education of our youth in the principles of Christianity by means of the Bible; for this Divine Book, above all others, constitutes the soul of republicanism." -Benjamin Rush, Signer of the Declaration of Independence.
"All societies of men must be governed in some way or other. The less they have of stringent State Government, the more they must have of individual self-government. The less they rely on public law or physical force, the more they must rely on private moral restraint. Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled either by a power within them, or a power without them; either by the word of God, or by the strong arm of man; either by the Bible or by the bayonet." -Robert Winthrop, U.S. representative, author and orator.
"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." -John Adams, Second President of America.
"I sought for the key to the greatness and genius of America...Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." -Alexis de Tocqueville, Historian.
Our Founding Fathers knew our goodness came from our faith in Jesus Christ and living according to His word. They knew that only "One Nation Under God" can produce order in society on one hand and freedom to individuals on the other. They knew freedom was the power to do as we ought and not to do as we want. They knew there were two enemies to liberty, lawlessness and immorality amongst the citizenry and tyranny in civil government. They knew self-government under God was the key to protecting liberty. Only a religious, moral, and virtuous people who put restraints upon their appetites, lusts, and greed can remain a free people. Both the Bible and our history attests to these truths. May we return to these truths before America loses her vision and therefore forfeits her destiny.
-Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas
Elijah Ministries
P.O. Box 3126
Waco, TX 76707
e-mail: elijahmin@ifriendly.com
Website: www.mttu.com/elijahmin
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Regarding Iraq: Open letter to Andy Rooney
By Larry Elder
Published: 10-26-06
Dear Mr. Rooney,
You ask, in your recent "60 Minutes" commentary, for the president to finally flat-out "explain" why we have troops in Iraq. While busy preparing your commentaries, you perhaps failed to hear the president explain this -- over and over and over again.
Allow me to try.
-- The world changed for many -- apparently not you -- after 9/11.
-- Saddam Hussein violated numerous United Nations resolutions following the first Persian Gulf War. Saddam's military continuously shot at U.S. and British planes patrolling the Northern and Southern No-Fly Zones. He offered $25,000 to families of homicide bombers. We know he possessed chemical and biological weapons because he used them during the Iraq/Iran war, and on his own people, the Kurds.
-- The October '02 National Intelligence Estimate concluded with "high confidence" -- the highest certainty allowed -- that Saddam possessed stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons. All 16 intelligence agencies contributing to the NIE unanimously agreed on the chemical and biological weapons assumptions, with disagreement only on how far along Saddam was toward acquiring nukes.
-- Weapons inspectors found no WMD stockpiles, leading many Americans to feel that the president either lied or cherry-picked intelligence to lead us into war. But the Robb-Silverman Commission concluded that the president didn't lie. The bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee's 511-page report concluded that the president did not lie. The British Butler Commission, which examined whether Prime Minister Tony Blair "sexed up" the intelligence to make a case for war, concluded the PM didn't lie.
-- Kenneth Pollack, an opponent of the Iraq war, served as Iraq expert and intelligence analyst in the Clinton administration. Pollack writes that during his 1999-2001 tour on the National Security Council, " . . . the intelligence community convinced me and the rest of the Clinton Administration that Saddam had reconstituted his WMD programs following the withdrawal of the UN inspectors, in 1998, and was only a matter of years away from having a nuclear weapon. . . . The U.S. intelligence community's belief that Saddam was aggressively pursuing weapons of mass destruction pre-dated Bush's inauguration, and therefore cannot be attributed to political pressure. . . . Other nations' intelligence services were similarly aligned with U.S. views. . . . Germany . . . Israel, Russia, Britain, China, and even France held positions similar to that of the United States. . . . In sum, no one doubted that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction."
-- Meanwhile, neighboring Iran defiantly pursues nuclear weapons. Bush reasoned that a free, democratic and prosperous Iraq would destabilize Iran, accomplishing regime change without military force. This would encourage the rest of the Arab world to direct their grievances toward their own leaders, rather than against the "infidels."
-- We remain in Iraq because, as former Secretary of State James Baker put it, "[I]f we picked up and left right now . . . you would see the biggest civil war you've ever seen. Every neighboring country would be involved in there, doing its own thing, Turkey, Iran, Syria, you name it, and even our friends in the Gulf."
-- Former Secretary of State and informal Bush adviser Henry Kissinger -- who knows something about the consequences of cutting and running -- wrote, "Victory over the insurgency is the only meaningful exit strategy."
-- The political aim of our Islamofascist enemies is a worldwide Caliphate, or Islamic world. Renowned Islam expert Bernard Lewis recently reiterated his support for the war: "The response to 9/11 came as a nasty surprise [to bin Laden and his followers]. They were expecting more of the same -- bleating and apologies -- instead of which they got a vigorous reaction, first in Afghanistan and then in Iraq. And as they used to say in Moscow: It is no accident, comrades, that there has been no successful attack in the United States since then. . . . [T]he effort is difficult and the outcome uncertain, but I think the effort must be made. Either we bring them freedom, or they destroy us."
True, 2,800 of our best have died. Any figure above zero is a tragedy. But America -- on both sides of the Civil War -- lost more than 600,000 soldiers, or 2 percent of the country's population of 31 million. Of our country's 132 million, we lost more than 400,000 in World War II, or .3 percent of our population. In the Korean War, we lost 37,000, and the Vietnam War saw 58,000 dead.
Many people say that after failing to find stockpiles of WMD, Bush "switched" rationale for the war. Consider this excerpt from a New York Times editorial about a speech Bush gave weeks before the coalition entered Iraq:
"President Bush sketched an expansive vision last night of what he expects to accomplish by a war in Iraq. Instead of focusing on eliminating weapons of mass destruction, or reducing the threat of terror to the United States, Mr. Bush talked about establishing a 'free and peaceful Iraq' that would serve as a 'dramatic and inspiring example' to the entire Arab and Muslim world, provide a stabilizing influence in the Middle East and even help end the Arab-Israeli conflict."
Still confused? Please write back, and I'll try again.
Sincerely yours, Larry Elder
Larry Elder is an accomplished attorney, radio personality, syndicated columnist, host of daytime television's The Larry Elder Show, and author of Showdown: Confronting Bias, Lies, and the Special Interests That Divide America.
Friday, October 20, 2006
The Biblical Answers to Our Special Election Questionnaire
from the St. Louis MetroVoice
Listed below are the responses which the MetroVoice believes candidates should have chosen from a biblical, Christian world view perspective along with our justification for those choices.
1. Legislative Philosophy – Biblical response: “C”
According to Romans chapter 13, God ordains human government as a means to curb evil and reward good in this life. Government officials are here called the “servants” of God. Government originates in the Divine will; therefore, God desires that it conform to the Divine will or law.
Civil government is not, as some have taught, an evil institution. It is a good institution designed to punish evil. The State is required by God to keep law and order by protecting the law-abiding citizen and punishing the law-breaking criminal. The State is, therefore, an agency of “wrath” or “vengeance” against those who violate the law. To this end, God has given the State the “sword,” which is a symbol of its power to inflict physical punishments on criminals.
However, it is erroneous to assume, therefore, that because Church and State are distinct institutions, that the State is a non-religious, or purely secular, institution. Romans 13 teaches that civil government has its origin in the Divine Will, thus it does not have a secular (non-religious) foundation. Moreover, the duty of the State is to implement law, and law has its foundation in religious belief. Law is inescapably moral, and morality expresses notions of ultimate value or religious presupposition.
In a sense, law is the legal codification of a society’s religious values. For instance, in our founding legal document, we are told that “men are endowed with certain inalienable rights,” such as “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness;” and that these rights are derived from “the laws of Nature and Nature’s God.” Here we have a religious principle codified in a legal document. As a result, we criminalize and punish murder. Yet, we do so because we believe that human life is sacred. But our belief in the sanctity of human life is religiously derived; it is an article of faith.
2. Immigration: “C”
On the Missouri Candidate Questionnaire, one of the issues tackled is immigration. For our purposes, we want to specifically focus in on illegal immigration. Three answers were presented that would be submitted to those running for public office. The purpose is to best describe the candidate’s position on this pressing national security issue. Two of the answers are unacceptable from a Christian viewpoint.
The first one allows those who enter our borders illegally the rights and privileges of U.S. citizens. This would in essence reward those who flagrantly violate our laws, instead of subjecting them to penalties. The second answer that best describes the candidate’s position on this burning issue was not a “concern to the office.” Obviously, this would constitute a neglect of duty on the part of any civil official that would turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to our nation’s protection.
The third answer states, “Those who enter our country illegally should not enjoy the same benefits as legal citizens of our nation. If they wish to become a citizen then they should do so legally. If they break the law then they and those who aid and abet them should be subject to the penalties of the law.” This is the answer the church needs to hear from candidates seeking our vote.
Biblically, God established the nations for His glory and our benefit. Acts 17:24-27 states, “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.”
The God of the Holy Bible established the boundaries of each nation. Knowing man’s sinful, warlike nature, his greed, lust, and quest for power, God established the different nations as checks and balances to restrain the evil tendencies of our world’s dictators, tyrants, and oppressive regimes. Therefore each nation has the right to defend those boundaries from foreign invasion, whether through defensive measures militarily or through legislative measures as in the case of illegal immigration. An invasion is an invasion, regardless of the means employed.
The other important point in dealing with this thorny issue is God’s warning found in Deuteronomy 28:43,44. God’s word states, “The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low. He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.” When a nation is foolish enough to disregard and defy God’s moral laws, one of the consequences is immigration nightmares. As a nation, our sayings and doings have been against the Lord for years, therefore the alien, the stranger, the foreigner, and the illegal immigrants are rising up and damaging all our institutions and national infrastructure. They strain and drain our schools, hospitals, law enforcement, and failed welfare system. Thus it behooves American not just to pass laws that protect our borders, but to repent and return to the God of our fathers and the Biblical principles that we are violating to our own demise.
3. Discrimination – Biblical response: “B”
The Bible does not encourage persecution against persons because of race, religion, nationality, religion or gender. The modern notion of “sexual preference” (a code word for homosexual) is foreign to a biblical world-view.
In the Bible, we are told that God created “male and female” and commanded them to “be fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1:27-28). Marriage was instituted to facilitate procreation and alleviate man’s loneliness, requiring the “man to leave his mother and father, and cleave unto his wife” (Gen. 2:18-25). (It was intended primarily by God to make men and women holy, not necessarily happy. Homosexuality is a sinful behavior that is foreign to holiness). Clearly, then, God’s created order for human sexual expression is heterosexual, monogamous marriage.
All sexual activity outside of the marriage institution is considered sinful. Therefore, the Scriptures prohibit adultery (Ex. 20:14; Rom. 13:9); fornication (Dt. 22:28-29; Mk. 7:21); bestiality (Ex. 22:19; Lev. 20:15); incest (Lev. 18:6-18; I Cor. 5:1), and homosexuality (Lev. 18:22; Rom. 1:24f; I Tim 1:10). Since the duty of the State is to punish evil and reward good, it has a legitimate right (if not duty) to discourage or criminalize each of these activities, rather than grant any of them a protected status.
4. Abortion – Biblical response: “E”
The Christian view of abortion can only be understood in the broader context of the Bible's overwhelmingly pro-life teaching. The indisputable sanctity of human life is taught throughout the Scriptures. From Genesis onward, for instance, the creation account states that men and women are created in the very image of God (Gen.1:26-28). This simple but profound fact gives human life a priceless value. Moreover, Genesis also tells us that God commanded man to be fruitful and multiply, a command that includes a moral judgment that human life is a positive good that should be reproduced. In addition, God required that murder be punished by death because man is made in the image of God (Gen. 9:5-6). Of course, the ultimate statement on the value of innocent human life is the death of Christ for mankind. How precious is a human soul for which Christ was willing to die?
In light of this biblical testimony, we must answer the question of the “hard cases” – rape and incest? According to the Bible, only those should be punished who commit a crime. Thus, the offending party, the rapist or incestuous perpetrator should suffer, not the unborn child who is the innocent party.
For many Christians the most difficult case is when a mother's life is in danger from childbirth. However, the same Christ who laid down his life for us has told us to lay down our lives for others. This is not mere cant; it is a literal command. When necessary, we are to follow Christ's example and die that others may live. A Christian mother, who risks her life that her child might live, is exemplifying Christian love of the highest order.
5. Gaming – Biblical response: “C”
That gambling has proven detrimental to society is evident from all the studies that have been conducted: it drains investment away from business, increases addiction, lowers property values, and strengthens organized crime. From a biblical perspective, Christians must avoid any activity that causes illegitimate harm to society. Thus, the second great commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself” is sufficient reason for Christians to oppose gambling. Moreover, gambling wastes one’s time; estranges the heart from God; seduces to love of the world; breeds laziness; inspires discontent; and is a contempt of God’s providence – all further reasons for Christians to support the abolition of State gambling.
6. The U.S. Constitution – Biblical response: “B”
The Bible does not directly address the question of Constitutional interpretation. However, it does address the issue of truth telling. In the Ninth Commandment, we are told not to bear false witness; this requires not only that we tell the truth, but also that we accurately represent the words and actions of others. Misrepresentation of someone else’s words is a distortion or perversion of meaning. It is a form of lying. This is forbidden by Scripture, and is the biblical basis for a strict interpretation of the Constitution – indeed, of any written document. To read the Constitution contrary to the meaning of the drafters is to falsify their meaning, which the Bible forbids. Those who argue that the Constitution is a “living, breathing document” generally attempt to change the plain meaning of the text to fit a modern politically-correct agenda.
7. Education – Biblical response: “C”
The Bible recognizes at least three “orders” or “institutions” ordained by God to administer His authority: the State, the Church and the Family. These three are institutionally separate, with different duties and rights. The State is to administer civil justice as defined by God: its symbol is the sword. The Church is to administer grace through the Gospel, the sacraments and charity: its symbol is the keys. The Family is to administer nurture, instruction and welfare: its symbol is the rod. Thus, there is no biblical mandate for State involvement in education, while there is a clear and forceful mandate to the Family (the parents) to train and educate their children (See Dt. 4:9; 6:3-9, 20-25; Pr. 1: 8-9; 22:6; Eph. 6:1-4). A biblical approach to education, therefore, will limit the involvement of civil government while simultaneously encouraging parents to assume full responsibility for their children’s education.
8. Second Amendment – Biblical response: “C”
Although the Bible does not directly speak to the issues of gun control or the “right to bear arms” as we understand them, it does teach that self-defense is permissible; thus the “means” of defense, or the right to bear arms is assumed. The Bible gives us a specific law that teaches the right of self-defense. Ex 22: 2 reads: “If the thief is found breaking in, and he is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt for his bloodshed.” Commenting on this verse, Old Testament scholar Walter Kaiser says, “the thief was exposed to the loss of his life as the householder defended himself, his family, and his home by delivering a lethal blow. This was especially true at night when the thief’s intentions (whether to steal, kill or both) could not be easily and quickly determined.” Because the Bible recognizes the right to private property, as well as the sanctity of marriage, a man has the right to defend both his property and family from violent criminal action.
The right to self-defense would be useless of course, if law-abiding citizens did not have the appropriate means to halt aggressive criminals. Thus, self-defense assumes and requires the right to bear arms. A disarmed citizen is a defenseless citizen, regardless of his supposed “rights.” This was surely the view of our nation's Founders who drafted and ratified the Second Amendment.
9. Stem Cell Research – Biblical response: “B”
The debate over stem cell research revolves around the use of “embryonic” stem cells versus “adult” stem cells. In the process of manipulating embryonic stem cells, the embryo is destroyed – it dies. Thus, if the embryo is a human person, then embryonic stem cell research requires the destruction of innocent human life. This is the basis for Christian opposition to the practice. Therefore, the arguments against abortion are equally valid here (See Response 4).
10. Private Property – Biblical response: “B”
The Bible recognizes the right of private property (Ex. 2:22 and elsewhere). Therefore, environmental legislation that will encroach upon private property must be subject to citizen approval. In other words, the Bible makes no provision for the involuntary relinquishment of property, except in cases of restitution for a crime. When a government arbitrarily takes ownership of private property, regardless of the rationale, it is guilty of theft. All legislation affecting ownership of property should be subject to a vote by the citizenry.
There is a sacred bond between, God, the land, and His people. There are no substantial freedoms for citizens in America, if private property can be subject to public opinion, Supreme Court Decisions, or Marxist, environmental policies.
The Eminent Domain Supreme Court Decision is a direct violation of our Constitution and more importantly, a direct violation of God sacred law, “thou shalt not steal.” Theft is theft, regardless of the perpetrator, whether it is a hooded robber with a gun or a black- robed judge with an unrighteous decree. This tyrannical decision needs to be reversed and civil officials must use their legislative powers to overthrow this despotic ruling issued by the highest court in our land.
sent by Rusty Lee Thomas
Listed below are the responses which the MetroVoice believes candidates should have chosen from a biblical, Christian world view perspective along with our justification for those choices.
1. Legislative Philosophy – Biblical response: “C”
According to Romans chapter 13, God ordains human government as a means to curb evil and reward good in this life. Government officials are here called the “servants” of God. Government originates in the Divine will; therefore, God desires that it conform to the Divine will or law.
Civil government is not, as some have taught, an evil institution. It is a good institution designed to punish evil. The State is required by God to keep law and order by protecting the law-abiding citizen and punishing the law-breaking criminal. The State is, therefore, an agency of “wrath” or “vengeance” against those who violate the law. To this end, God has given the State the “sword,” which is a symbol of its power to inflict physical punishments on criminals.
However, it is erroneous to assume, therefore, that because Church and State are distinct institutions, that the State is a non-religious, or purely secular, institution. Romans 13 teaches that civil government has its origin in the Divine Will, thus it does not have a secular (non-religious) foundation. Moreover, the duty of the State is to implement law, and law has its foundation in religious belief. Law is inescapably moral, and morality expresses notions of ultimate value or religious presupposition.
In a sense, law is the legal codification of a society’s religious values. For instance, in our founding legal document, we are told that “men are endowed with certain inalienable rights,” such as “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness;” and that these rights are derived from “the laws of Nature and Nature’s God.” Here we have a religious principle codified in a legal document. As a result, we criminalize and punish murder. Yet, we do so because we believe that human life is sacred. But our belief in the sanctity of human life is religiously derived; it is an article of faith.
2. Immigration: “C”
On the Missouri Candidate Questionnaire, one of the issues tackled is immigration. For our purposes, we want to specifically focus in on illegal immigration. Three answers were presented that would be submitted to those running for public office. The purpose is to best describe the candidate’s position on this pressing national security issue. Two of the answers are unacceptable from a Christian viewpoint.
The first one allows those who enter our borders illegally the rights and privileges of U.S. citizens. This would in essence reward those who flagrantly violate our laws, instead of subjecting them to penalties. The second answer that best describes the candidate’s position on this burning issue was not a “concern to the office.” Obviously, this would constitute a neglect of duty on the part of any civil official that would turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to our nation’s protection.
The third answer states, “Those who enter our country illegally should not enjoy the same benefits as legal citizens of our nation. If they wish to become a citizen then they should do so legally. If they break the law then they and those who aid and abet them should be subject to the penalties of the law.” This is the answer the church needs to hear from candidates seeking our vote.
Biblically, God established the nations for His glory and our benefit. Acts 17:24-27 states, “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.”
The God of the Holy Bible established the boundaries of each nation. Knowing man’s sinful, warlike nature, his greed, lust, and quest for power, God established the different nations as checks and balances to restrain the evil tendencies of our world’s dictators, tyrants, and oppressive regimes. Therefore each nation has the right to defend those boundaries from foreign invasion, whether through defensive measures militarily or through legislative measures as in the case of illegal immigration. An invasion is an invasion, regardless of the means employed.
The other important point in dealing with this thorny issue is God’s warning found in Deuteronomy 28:43,44. God’s word states, “The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low. He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.” When a nation is foolish enough to disregard and defy God’s moral laws, one of the consequences is immigration nightmares. As a nation, our sayings and doings have been against the Lord for years, therefore the alien, the stranger, the foreigner, and the illegal immigrants are rising up and damaging all our institutions and national infrastructure. They strain and drain our schools, hospitals, law enforcement, and failed welfare system. Thus it behooves American not just to pass laws that protect our borders, but to repent and return to the God of our fathers and the Biblical principles that we are violating to our own demise.
3. Discrimination – Biblical response: “B”
The Bible does not encourage persecution against persons because of race, religion, nationality, religion or gender. The modern notion of “sexual preference” (a code word for homosexual) is foreign to a biblical world-view.
In the Bible, we are told that God created “male and female” and commanded them to “be fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1:27-28). Marriage was instituted to facilitate procreation and alleviate man’s loneliness, requiring the “man to leave his mother and father, and cleave unto his wife” (Gen. 2:18-25). (It was intended primarily by God to make men and women holy, not necessarily happy. Homosexuality is a sinful behavior that is foreign to holiness). Clearly, then, God’s created order for human sexual expression is heterosexual, monogamous marriage.
All sexual activity outside of the marriage institution is considered sinful. Therefore, the Scriptures prohibit adultery (Ex. 20:14; Rom. 13:9); fornication (Dt. 22:28-29; Mk. 7:21); bestiality (Ex. 22:19; Lev. 20:15); incest (Lev. 18:6-18; I Cor. 5:1), and homosexuality (Lev. 18:22; Rom. 1:24f; I Tim 1:10). Since the duty of the State is to punish evil and reward good, it has a legitimate right (if not duty) to discourage or criminalize each of these activities, rather than grant any of them a protected status.
4. Abortion – Biblical response: “E”
The Christian view of abortion can only be understood in the broader context of the Bible's overwhelmingly pro-life teaching. The indisputable sanctity of human life is taught throughout the Scriptures. From Genesis onward, for instance, the creation account states that men and women are created in the very image of God (Gen.1:26-28). This simple but profound fact gives human life a priceless value. Moreover, Genesis also tells us that God commanded man to be fruitful and multiply, a command that includes a moral judgment that human life is a positive good that should be reproduced. In addition, God required that murder be punished by death because man is made in the image of God (Gen. 9:5-6). Of course, the ultimate statement on the value of innocent human life is the death of Christ for mankind. How precious is a human soul for which Christ was willing to die?
In light of this biblical testimony, we must answer the question of the “hard cases” – rape and incest? According to the Bible, only those should be punished who commit a crime. Thus, the offending party, the rapist or incestuous perpetrator should suffer, not the unborn child who is the innocent party.
For many Christians the most difficult case is when a mother's life is in danger from childbirth. However, the same Christ who laid down his life for us has told us to lay down our lives for others. This is not mere cant; it is a literal command. When necessary, we are to follow Christ's example and die that others may live. A Christian mother, who risks her life that her child might live, is exemplifying Christian love of the highest order.
5. Gaming – Biblical response: “C”
That gambling has proven detrimental to society is evident from all the studies that have been conducted: it drains investment away from business, increases addiction, lowers property values, and strengthens organized crime. From a biblical perspective, Christians must avoid any activity that causes illegitimate harm to society. Thus, the second great commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself” is sufficient reason for Christians to oppose gambling. Moreover, gambling wastes one’s time; estranges the heart from God; seduces to love of the world; breeds laziness; inspires discontent; and is a contempt of God’s providence – all further reasons for Christians to support the abolition of State gambling.
6. The U.S. Constitution – Biblical response: “B”
The Bible does not directly address the question of Constitutional interpretation. However, it does address the issue of truth telling. In the Ninth Commandment, we are told not to bear false witness; this requires not only that we tell the truth, but also that we accurately represent the words and actions of others. Misrepresentation of someone else’s words is a distortion or perversion of meaning. It is a form of lying. This is forbidden by Scripture, and is the biblical basis for a strict interpretation of the Constitution – indeed, of any written document. To read the Constitution contrary to the meaning of the drafters is to falsify their meaning, which the Bible forbids. Those who argue that the Constitution is a “living, breathing document” generally attempt to change the plain meaning of the text to fit a modern politically-correct agenda.
7. Education – Biblical response: “C”
The Bible recognizes at least three “orders” or “institutions” ordained by God to administer His authority: the State, the Church and the Family. These three are institutionally separate, with different duties and rights. The State is to administer civil justice as defined by God: its symbol is the sword. The Church is to administer grace through the Gospel, the sacraments and charity: its symbol is the keys. The Family is to administer nurture, instruction and welfare: its symbol is the rod. Thus, there is no biblical mandate for State involvement in education, while there is a clear and forceful mandate to the Family (the parents) to train and educate their children (See Dt. 4:9; 6:3-9, 20-25; Pr. 1: 8-9; 22:6; Eph. 6:1-4). A biblical approach to education, therefore, will limit the involvement of civil government while simultaneously encouraging parents to assume full responsibility for their children’s education.
8. Second Amendment – Biblical response: “C”
Although the Bible does not directly speak to the issues of gun control or the “right to bear arms” as we understand them, it does teach that self-defense is permissible; thus the “means” of defense, or the right to bear arms is assumed. The Bible gives us a specific law that teaches the right of self-defense. Ex 22: 2 reads: “If the thief is found breaking in, and he is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt for his bloodshed.” Commenting on this verse, Old Testament scholar Walter Kaiser says, “the thief was exposed to the loss of his life as the householder defended himself, his family, and his home by delivering a lethal blow. This was especially true at night when the thief’s intentions (whether to steal, kill or both) could not be easily and quickly determined.” Because the Bible recognizes the right to private property, as well as the sanctity of marriage, a man has the right to defend both his property and family from violent criminal action.
The right to self-defense would be useless of course, if law-abiding citizens did not have the appropriate means to halt aggressive criminals. Thus, self-defense assumes and requires the right to bear arms. A disarmed citizen is a defenseless citizen, regardless of his supposed “rights.” This was surely the view of our nation's Founders who drafted and ratified the Second Amendment.
9. Stem Cell Research – Biblical response: “B”
The debate over stem cell research revolves around the use of “embryonic” stem cells versus “adult” stem cells. In the process of manipulating embryonic stem cells, the embryo is destroyed – it dies. Thus, if the embryo is a human person, then embryonic stem cell research requires the destruction of innocent human life. This is the basis for Christian opposition to the practice. Therefore, the arguments against abortion are equally valid here (See Response 4).
10. Private Property – Biblical response: “B”
The Bible recognizes the right of private property (Ex. 2:22 and elsewhere). Therefore, environmental legislation that will encroach upon private property must be subject to citizen approval. In other words, the Bible makes no provision for the involuntary relinquishment of property, except in cases of restitution for a crime. When a government arbitrarily takes ownership of private property, regardless of the rationale, it is guilty of theft. All legislation affecting ownership of property should be subject to a vote by the citizenry.
There is a sacred bond between, God, the land, and His people. There are no substantial freedoms for citizens in America, if private property can be subject to public opinion, Supreme Court Decisions, or Marxist, environmental policies.
The Eminent Domain Supreme Court Decision is a direct violation of our Constitution and more importantly, a direct violation of God sacred law, “thou shalt not steal.” Theft is theft, regardless of the perpetrator, whether it is a hooded robber with a gun or a black- robed judge with an unrighteous decree. This tyrannical decision needs to be reversed and civil officials must use their legislative powers to overthrow this despotic ruling issued by the highest court in our land.
sent by Rusty Lee Thomas
Monday, September 18, 2006
What's Discrimination?
By Walter E. Williams
CNSNews.com Commentary
September 06, 2006
There's so much confusion and emotionalism about discrimination that I thought I'd take a stab at a dispassionate analysis. Discrimination is simply the act of choice. When we choose Bordeaux wine, we discriminate against Burgundy wine. When I married Mrs. Williams, I discriminated against other women. Even though I occasionally think about equal opportunity, Mrs. Williams demands continued discrimination.
You say, "Williams, such discrimination doesn't harm anyone." You're wrong. Discriminating in favor of Bordeaux wine reduces the value of resources held in Burgundy production. Discriminating in favor of Mrs. Williams harmed other women by reducing their opportunity set, assuming I'm a man other women would marry.
Our lives are spent discriminating for or against one thing or another. In other words, choice requires discrimination. When we modify the term with race, sex, height, weight or age, we merely specify the choice criteria.
Imagine how silly, not to mention impossible, life would be if discrimination were outlawed. Imagine engaging in just about any activity where we couldn't discriminate by race, sex, height, weight, age, mannerisms, college selection, looks or ability; it would turn into a carnival.
I've sometimes asked students if they believe in equal opportunity in employment. Invariably, they answer yes. Then I ask them, when they graduate, whether they plan to give every employer an equal opportunity to hire them. Most often they answer no; they plan to discriminate against certain employers. Then I ask them, if they're not going to give every employer an equal opportunity to hire them, what's fair about requiring an employer to give them an equal opportunity to be hired?
Sometimes students will argue that certain forms of discrimination are OK but it's racial discrimination that's truly offensive. That's when I confess my own history of racial discrimination. In the late 1950s, whilst selecting a lifelong mate, even though white, Mexican, Indian, Chinese and Japanese women might have been just as qualified as a mate, I gave them no chance whatsoever. It appears that most Americans act identically by racially discriminating in setting up marriage contracts. According to the 1992 Census Bureau, only 2.2 percent of Americans are married to people other than their own race or ethnicity.
You say, "All right, Williams, discrimination in marriage doesn't have the impact on society that other forms of discrimination have." You're wrong again. When there is assortive (non-random) mate selection, it heightens whatever group differences exist in the population. For instance, higher IQ individuals tend toward mates with high IQs. High-income people tend to mate with other high-income people.
It's the same with education. To the extent there is a racial correlation between these characteristics, racial discrimination in mate selection exaggerates the differences in the society's intelligence and income distribution. There would be greater equality if there weren't this kind of discrimination in mate selection.
In other words, if high-IQ people were forced to select low-IQ mates, high-income people forced to select low-income mates, and highly educated people forced to select lowly educated mates, there would be greater social equality. While there would be greater social equality, the divorce rate would soar since gross dissimilarities would make for conflict.
Common sense suggests that not all discrimination should be eliminated, so the question is, what kind of discrimination should be permitted? I'm guessing the answer depends on one's values for freedom of association, keeping in mind freedom of association implies freedom not to associate.
(Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., and a member of the Board of Advisors for the Media Research Center's Free Market Project.)
Copyright 2006, Creators Syndicate, Inc.
CNSNews.com Commentary
September 06, 2006
There's so much confusion and emotionalism about discrimination that I thought I'd take a stab at a dispassionate analysis. Discrimination is simply the act of choice. When we choose Bordeaux wine, we discriminate against Burgundy wine. When I married Mrs. Williams, I discriminated against other women. Even though I occasionally think about equal opportunity, Mrs. Williams demands continued discrimination.
You say, "Williams, such discrimination doesn't harm anyone." You're wrong. Discriminating in favor of Bordeaux wine reduces the value of resources held in Burgundy production. Discriminating in favor of Mrs. Williams harmed other women by reducing their opportunity set, assuming I'm a man other women would marry.
Our lives are spent discriminating for or against one thing or another. In other words, choice requires discrimination. When we modify the term with race, sex, height, weight or age, we merely specify the choice criteria.
Imagine how silly, not to mention impossible, life would be if discrimination were outlawed. Imagine engaging in just about any activity where we couldn't discriminate by race, sex, height, weight, age, mannerisms, college selection, looks or ability; it would turn into a carnival.
I've sometimes asked students if they believe in equal opportunity in employment. Invariably, they answer yes. Then I ask them, when they graduate, whether they plan to give every employer an equal opportunity to hire them. Most often they answer no; they plan to discriminate against certain employers. Then I ask them, if they're not going to give every employer an equal opportunity to hire them, what's fair about requiring an employer to give them an equal opportunity to be hired?
Sometimes students will argue that certain forms of discrimination are OK but it's racial discrimination that's truly offensive. That's when I confess my own history of racial discrimination. In the late 1950s, whilst selecting a lifelong mate, even though white, Mexican, Indian, Chinese and Japanese women might have been just as qualified as a mate, I gave them no chance whatsoever. It appears that most Americans act identically by racially discriminating in setting up marriage contracts. According to the 1992 Census Bureau, only 2.2 percent of Americans are married to people other than their own race or ethnicity.
You say, "All right, Williams, discrimination in marriage doesn't have the impact on society that other forms of discrimination have." You're wrong again. When there is assortive (non-random) mate selection, it heightens whatever group differences exist in the population. For instance, higher IQ individuals tend toward mates with high IQs. High-income people tend to mate with other high-income people.
It's the same with education. To the extent there is a racial correlation between these characteristics, racial discrimination in mate selection exaggerates the differences in the society's intelligence and income distribution. There would be greater equality if there weren't this kind of discrimination in mate selection.
In other words, if high-IQ people were forced to select low-IQ mates, high-income people forced to select low-income mates, and highly educated people forced to select lowly educated mates, there would be greater social equality. While there would be greater social equality, the divorce rate would soar since gross dissimilarities would make for conflict.
Common sense suggests that not all discrimination should be eliminated, so the question is, what kind of discrimination should be permitted? I'm guessing the answer depends on one's values for freedom of association, keeping in mind freedom of association implies freedom not to associate.
(Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., and a member of the Board of Advisors for the Media Research Center's Free Market Project.)
Copyright 2006, Creators Syndicate, Inc.
-
- Reclaiming America for Christ
- John Piper Ministries
- Elijah Ministries
- Man in The Mirror
- Setting Captives Free
- Stand to Reason
- Foundation for American Christian Education
- American Center for Law and Justice
Marriage & Family
Christian Views
Tax Reform
General Politics
God, family, and country. My allegiance stands in that order. Church and State will illustrate my opinions on issues of religion and politics, along with regular thoughts on family.
Contact Me
Recently Published Letters
Blogs I Read
- Blue Dog
- The Market Center Blog
- Government Bytes
- RedState
- The Club for Growth
- Tax Policy Blog
- Joshua P. Allem
Archive
- March 2006
- April 2006
- May 2006
- June 2006
- July 2006
- August 2006
- September 2006
- October 2006
- November 2006
- December 2006
