Womyn Fight The Good Fight…

… of the perpetually offended.

From the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

In the battle of the sexes, women’s magazine editor Cynthia Good said this was a skirmish she had to fight.

Across Atlanta they stood, orange signs with black letters that read “Men At Work” or “Men Working Ahead.”

Sometimes, the signs stood next to women working alongside the men.

Good demanded Atlanta officials remove the signs and last week, Atlanta Public Works Commissioner Joe Basista agreed.

Score one for gender equality, Good said Wednesday.

“They get it,” Good said about the city in a telephone interview.

Public Works officials are replacing 50 “Men Working” with signs that say “Workers Ahead.” It will cost $22 to cover over some of the old signs and $144 to buy new signs, said Public Works spokeswoman Valerie Bell-Smith said.

Good, founding editor of Atlanta-based PINK Magazine, a publication that focuses on professional women, said she’s not stopping with Atlanta.

“We’re calling on the rest of the nation to follow suit and make a statement that we will not accept these subtle forms of discrimination,” said Good, 48.

This is story about much more than who is leaning against their shovel on the county road crew.  Egalitarianism, the bastard child of democracy*, is not content with pointing out that girls and boys can both wear steel-toed boots.   At its core is a belief that all sex distinctions between men and women are ‘evil’ and as any one who has listened to a Ronald Reagan Margret Thatcher speech knows, evil must be vanquished.

What it means is this… if God is not an egalitarian, and He is not, then by definition He must be evil and belief in His rule over man (again ladies this includes you) is the source of evil in the world.   In the end, the fact that the Father has a Son and they both send out the Holy Spirit is anathema to those who believe in a flat authority structure.

I have too much to do this evening to write much more, but let me just leave you with a link to a series of messages from Steve Schlissel:   This is his series on egalitarianism and it is golden.

One last thing and I will go…  In creation, God made “them” male and female and did so in His own image (Gen 1:26-2 .   Now in that creation God made Adam first, which had implications.  Adam then named Eve, again - implications.   Adam then made a road sign which read “ADAM AT WORK” and Eve refused to hold the sign for him.  She went looking for fruit instead - implications abounded.

al sends

Continuing Saga…

… of the perpetually offended.

From the Dallas Morning News:

County commissioners were discussing problems with the central collections office that is used to process traffic ticket payments and handle other paperwork normally done by the JP Courts.

Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield, who is white, said it seemed that central collections “has become a black hole” because paperwork reportedly has become lost in the office.

Commissioner John Wiley Price, who is black, interrupted him with a loud “Excuse me!” He then corrected his colleague, saying the office has become a “white hole.”

That prompted Judge Thomas Jones, who is black, to demand an apology from Mayfield for his racially insensitive analogy.

I have created a new category for posts like this…  “The Perpetually Offended”

al sends

Jackson “Fixes” Obama

So, Jesse Jackson whispered unflattering things about Democratic presumptive Obama while the microphone was still hot. He said that he wanted to do unkind things to Mr. Obama’s privates. I assume it was hyperbole. At any rate, the aftermath is more interesting than the math itself. Here are the bullets:

• Jackson issued an immediate apology. (Natch.)
• Jackson did not say he didn’t mean what he said. (He still presumably wants to do damage to Mr. Obama’s reproductive system.)
• Jackson’s apology included this statement: “For any harm or hurt that this hot mic private conversation may have caused, I apologize. My support for Senator Obama’s campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal. I cherish this redemptive and historical moment.” (How this contributes to the Obama-as-antichrist discussion, I’m not sure…but surely it does!)
• Jackson’s own son, Illinois congressman and Obamaniac, denounced his father’s statements in rather strong terms: “I thoroughly reject and repudiate his ugly rhetoric.  He should keep hope alive and any personal attacks and insults to himself.”
• In virtually every media report I’ve read on the incident, the 1984 “Hymietown” incident is mentioned (Perhaps to show that Jackson is prone to making invidious statements and shouldn’t be taken seriously?)
• Obama displays his power to forgive through a spokesman, who said, “he of course accepts Rev. Jackson’s apology.”

From all of this I take the following:

• Jackson favors Obama’s political support, but wishes to deprive him of athletic support.
• Jackson, goodies notwithstanding, sees Obama as some sort of messiah figure (Redemptive and historical?! Really?!).
• Jackson’s son supports Obama, apparently preferably in his pristine state.
• Obama may wear kevlar unders next time he meets with Jackson.
• I’m glad I don’t have a television.

::blank stare::

And Now For Something Completely Innocuous…

…brought to you by the perpetually offended.

This headline appeared on Drudge this morning:

 

SHOCK: Swastika symbol appears as TOP search trend at GOOGLE…

Here is more information!

al sends

Mac Envy…

… slayed at last.***

I have a friend:  Good guy.  One of my favorite guys.  Superb Dentist.  Loves Jesus Christ.  Owns a MacBook Pro. 

That last little trait has been, for me, a stumbling block in our relationship.  Not because I own a Dell, I do, but that is not why.  It is because I suffer from Mac Envy.  Sure, I try to cover up my envy with snippy little remarks about how Apple can make a guy in a t-shirt and jeans look pompous or how I hate the fact it is ‘MacBook’ and not ‘Mac Book’.  Again, pompous.

Well, I am pleased to report that my envy has been dealt a death’s blow.  Phil Johnson has posted about his experience with a MacBook (I feel icky just typing that), their tech support, the Apple Store and keyboards.  It is a lovely piece of writing. 

I took joy in reading about his troubles, not for his sake you understand - bless his heart-, but for mine and my struggle with besetting sin.  I am sure Phil is Job like right now, stating that the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away - Blessed be the Name of the Lord.  And I am like a real friend of Job, simply agreeing and rejoicing right along with him.  See?  Righteousness all around.

And as I glance at my Dell, with its hideous boxy shape, hiding massive amounts of bloated code and a Windows registry that is bigger and more unwieldy than a Shanghai phone book - I smile.

Yep, envy has been laid low.  I am sure you can tell.

al sends

*** I am still working on self-deceipt and pride.

I Was Glad When They Said To Me…

… “Let us go into the House of the Lord.” (Psalm 122:1)

An Exhortation to Worship God.

—

It may have escaped your attention this morning but the sun rose in roughly the same patch of sky it occupied yesterday.  This has been going on morning after morning since creation and while you may not have noticed it I am sure you did not despise it.

Oh no.  It’s the Sun… again.

This rising of the Sun is a wonderfully glorious event that occurs every day.  It is routinely glorious and while there are times when we stop and admire it we are, more often than naught, blinking and basking in its routine glory.

As we were last Sunday we are gathered for worship.  God willing we will gather here again next Sunday and the day will flow pretty much as it did last week and this week.   There may some of you who pause at moments and marvel at the beauty of the Word of God sung or preached. But for most it will all be gloriously routine.

Some will, I am afraid, despise the worship and I want to tell you: it is a sinful heart that despises the routine glory of worship.

Oh no, we are going to confess… again.  Awww, we are going to sing… again.  Another sermon?  Let me guess… Bread and wine?

That, beloved, is an abomination, not because of the routine, but because of a sinful inclination to despise the familiar.

Are you glad someone this morning said to you, “Let us go into the house of the Lord?”  I hope so.

Come let us bow down before Him just as we did before.  Let us pray… again.

—

al sends

Justice Sealed With A Kiss…

… the Lord’s Supper

Matt 12:15-21

But when Jesus knew it (that his death was plotted), He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. 16 Yet He warned them not to make Him known, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

18 “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen,

My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased!

I will put My Spirit upon Him,

And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.

19 He will not quarrel nor cry out,

Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.

20 A bruised reed He will not break,

And smoking flax He will not quench,

Till He sends forth justice to victory;

21 And in His name Gentiles will trust.”

Ps 85:10

10 Mercy and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed .

The death of Christ was justice going forth to victory.  For the Church the Lord’s Supper is the victory dinner.  Justice has dealt its blows and in them we have received our kiss.  This meal is the promise of God that your life has been judged in Christ and God seals his justice over your life.  The Spirit witnesses with your spirit that you are children of God and you are bound to the Son of God, innocent in Him, and the Father delights to give you good things in this bread and wine.  So come to The Judge and receive your kiss before dinner and then taste and see that the Lord is good.

—

al sends

He Is Unique…

… and you are like Him.  An exhortation

1 Cor 15:20-22

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

Jesus is unique.  Jesus Christ is the only begotten of the Father.  At Providence we confess this truth on the first Sunday of every month in the Nicene Creed.  Our Savior is uniquely begotten of the Father for He was eternally begotten.  There never was a time when the Son was not the Son and the Father the Father.  But we are gather to worship Him not just because He is the unique Son of God, but also because He was the first of many.  He is the first born from the dead.

We are gathered on Sunday because it is a day of resurrection.  In our worship we reaffirm in our confessions, our songs, our prayers, sermon and supper that we are people of God.  We are followers of the First Born from the dead and in all that we do in worship we anticipate our own resurrection.

We confess our sin, looking forward to the consummation of kingdom, when every sin shall be cast into the deepest sea.  We sing songs of praise to the Lord in anticipation of joining our voices with redeemed from all time, who sing Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!  We turn our attention to word of God in the sermon that we might be drawn closer to our God and king, relishing the thought of an eternity with Him.  We gather around His table, preparing for our marriage supper where Jesus will take up the cup and we will marvel that he has saved the best wine for last.

Beloved, the Lord’s Day is a great day of resurrection.  Come and rejoice in Him and live forever.

—

al sends

Warrior Princess

Sarah, the Warrior Princess, turned 13 today. It is at once a great and sad day. Happy birthday, sweet girl.

5 Things I have learned…

… in the last couple of weeks.

1. If we don’t post you don’t come by.  We miss you.
2. I am busier than a one armed paper hanger. 
3. When busy it is better to pray than to post.  Again, we miss you, but it is far better to pray than to post.
4. God loves a cheerful giver.  A giver of time and talent as well as greenbacks is pleasing in His sight. 
5. God forgives the sin of resentfulness.  This is important for busy people (like me) who carry around the old nature (again, like me).

 al sends