That which is true and right

Homosexuality

2008-11-02T12:02:00.007-05:00

Homosexual temptation is not necessarily chosen.
Homosexual act, however, is a choice.

Scientifically,
if homosexuality is something one was born with, then no one could ever be "cured" of it.
Untold thousands have been.
If homosexuality is something one was born with, every single one of those "cures" had to be fake.
If even one homosexual truly became heterosexual, homosexuality is not genetic.

And in this case, the inverse does not contradict the proof. According to both Creationism and Darwinian Evolution, heterosexuality is natural. Opposites must mate to propagate the species.

The Sword of Islam

2008-10-29T08:58:00.012-04:00

Islam was spread largely through coercion - by the sword.

Jews and Christians had the options of converting to Islam, paying the "Jizya" tax, or being murdered.

Pagans could only convert or die.

To this day, the Saudi Arabian flag has a picture of a sword underneath the Islamic confession of faith: 'There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet.'

Men are inherently evil, and can do many things in the name of a particular religion. The point is that Christians, if engaging in wanton destruction or forced conversion, operate against the teachings of Jesus. Muslims, when doing so, are operating according to the teachings of Muhammad.

Islam

2008-10-28T04:53:00.004-04:00

has not been hijacked.
90% of Muslims are peaceful, but are largely ignorant of Islamic theology.
10% of Muslims are violent, and largely know Islamic theology well.
Much of this 10%, contrary to incorrect popular belief, is not poor.

Muhammad gave peaceful Qur'anic revelations for 10 years while militarily weak.
He preached warlike recitations for his remaining 13 years once militarily strong.
He "abrogated", or canceled out, previous peaceful verses.
This is known as the Doctrine of Abrogation.

Confusion about true Islam in the West is propagated by the ignorant 90%,
but also by the knowledgeable 10% who are permitted by the doctrine of "taqiyya" to lie if it makes Islam look favorable.

Sources for truth:
www.carm.org
www.answering-islam.org
Islam and Terrorism by Mark Gabriel
Behind the Veil: Unmasking Islam by Joseph abd el Shafi
The Truth about Muhammad by Robert Spencer
Understanding the Koran by Mateen Elass

The Rich and "their fair share"

2008-10-17T13:06:00.008-04:00

The government will collect 30.8% of the nation's income in 2008.

The richest 50% of American taxpayers pay 96.7% of the U.S. tax burden.
The richest 5% pay 57.1% of the U.S. tax burden.
The richest 1% pay 36.9%.
The richest 0.1% pay 17.6%.

The poorest 50% pay 3.3%.
The poorest 33-38% of American taxpayers pay no taxes at all.

Our progressive tax punishes success and hurts our economy.
The Rich are paying more than "their fair share".

God

2008-10-11T03:10:00.014-04:00

exists. God is a Trinity, which is three subsistences in one God.
The Father - is spirit, the Creator, the Throne.
The Son - is flesh, begotten of the Father. He is the Word. Redeemer and King of the redeemed.
The Holy Spirit - is spirit, the Sanctifier, and convicts the souls of men.

Jesus is the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. Salvation is found in Him alone.

New format

2008-10-11T03:01:00.007-04:00

From now on, relation of truth will be expressed as succinctly as possible.
I will attempt to state pure truth, without much opinion or elaboration.
Debate may take place in the comments, in which my answers will also be as succinct as possible.

In this way, I hope to write more often.

Socialism. Doesn't. Work.

2008-04-05T12:41:00.005-04:00

Why don't people see the effects of socialism and understand that terrible economies are, um, bad?

http://hotair.com/archives/2008/04/05/venezuela-cements-their-economic-doom/

The Law of Diminishing Return in Literature?

2008-03-24T23:10:00.004-04:00

The more one reads, the more comprehending one becomes. The litterati, the educated, the reasoning - they are exposed to hundreds of expositions, oratories, exegeses, analyses, treatises and publications. In the modern world, that number becomes thousands, then hundreds of thousands. Mind you, I am not referring to those whom have been termed "pseudo-intellectuals", but people of true acumen.

I have encountered this problem: I strive to be open-minded and understanding of another's opinion; but it is difficult when they commence an avenue of discourse on which I myself could deliver the next 5 minutes of their argument. Once one hears an exhaustion of opinions and investigations into a certain topic, unique thought on the subject approaches zero.

It is thus my problem most recently with a book titled The End of Faith by Sam Harris. I want to read this book, not just because study of opposing viewpoints is critical, but because a very good friend of mine read it and changed quasi-fundamentally. But within 27 pages Harris has knocked over so many "straw-man arguments" that I can't see the grass anymore. His puerile simplification and patent ignorance of the other side makes him straining to read, even if he did have a cogent point to produce.

Thoughts?
Rant finished.

Christopher Hitchens

2008-02-25T21:35:00.005-05:00

Christopher Hitchens is best known for writing a book called god is not great: the case against religion. Despite the fact that I am solidly within the camp labeled 'Evangelical Christian', I am not blogging about this controversial book.

I have said before that I would rather talk with an atheist who is awake, reasoning and thinking for himself than someone who agrees with almost every one of my political and theological points, but agrees so unthinkingly. I believe people like Christopher Hitchens are closer to the Kingdom of God than the nominal, unsaved "Christian" who has gone to church for 20 years. In fact, the latter is in one of the most dangerous spiritual positions of all.

I haven't seen Christopher Hitchens on camera a whole lot, but if this interview (regarding bias in the media) is any indication of the man's careful thoughtfulness, I'd say he's a very intelligent guy.

Enjoy.

Random rantings in run-on or rambling sentences

2008-01-28T19:02:00.001-05:00

War
How many missile tests, threats of genocide, pipe dreams of annihilating the Great Satan, America, enriched uranium plants or calls of "Death to America" by the tens of thousands will it take before we stop taking screeching elitists' ridiculous assertions of American imperialism seriously and realize that Iran, or at least those who control Iran, wants a war?

How many times must I keep hearing the empirically false statements about not finding WMDs in Iraq when we DID again and again. 500 tons of yellowcake uranium - and I wish I had Lewis Black here to shout and finger point the rest of this sentence - IS a Weapon of Mass Destruction. This besides the fact that we gave Saddam Hussein 6 months between the time we said we were going to invade him and when we actually did, in which time my sister could have PUSHED their other WMDs across the DESERT into Syria, and still had a few days to get beaten by the locals for not wearing a hijab. You can point out ignorance of the Middle East question when you hear buzz statements such as, "Bush lied about the war," "Our foreign policy caused their violence" or other such nonsensical poppycock.

Government
How many times will I watch the federal government, whose power started extending beyond the letter of the Constitution over 200 years ago, take money that I earn and forcibly redistribute it to other people, many of whom couldn't care less about me or even the government that provides them with free this or that. Yes, the private sector and charities CAN take care of homelessness, unwanted babies or a host of other things our seriously swelled bureaucracy throws ineffective money at right now.

For some of my federalist angst, and the source of my indignity at those who have ignorantly or willfully ignored our Constitution, I recommend The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Constitution by Kevin R.C. Gutzman. Out.

Anonymity

2008-01-16T21:21:00.001-05:00

Anonymity can be a great thing. Voting. Privacy. But it seems that anonymity on the Internet leads to all sorts of un-inhibition.

It is my belief that man is inherently evil, capable of doing good - or shadowed facsimiles thereof - only through societal and peer pressure, the presence of law, consequences for one's actions, and a maintenance of the status quo.

My assertion that I wish for you to explore through commenting is this: anonymity and the absence of the above factors reveals the true heart of man.

I got the idea from this post from an online community called Facebook. On it - an application called Warbook, and thousands of users are on it. Recently, despite what I considered temperant words and behavior, I was called all sorts of things that people just wouldn't dare say to me in real life. I'm 6'1", close to 250 pounds, and - recognizable to the practiced eye - a martial artist. But some of the things I hear over the anonymous world wide web (likely by scrawny 16-year-olds) are so virulent that they would likely be followed by blows if the courage were mustered to say them in real life. I knew this to be true of chat rooms and other online forums, as I used to frequent those areas when I myself was in high school.

Comments?

The New Hampshire Debates

2008-01-06T15:01:00.002-05:00

The New Hampshire debates were last night, and on ABC no less, one of two stations my TV picks up. In case you missed it, here is a very short and admittedly incomplete breakdown.

I didn't watch much of the Democratic side, but from the 30 minutes or so that I did watch, I learned how Democratic presidential candidates could rephrase the statement, "I stand for change" in about 650 different ways.

On the right side, a few surprises. John McCain came out of his quiet shell and took a couple blatant shots at Mitt Romney. One of them was very deserved, but the other has been described as "classless".

As this was the first debate where candidates were encouraged to interrupt each other and talk whenever they wanted, I expected Ron Paul to get burned alive. Ron Paul is an anti-war-at-all-costs isolationist. He's a libertarian - which is good - but I think he comes off as almost crazy. He's also among the few remaining public figures still ignorant enough of comparative religion to think that American foreign policy forced 9/11 and Islamic extremism. He is usually ganged up on by the other Republican candidates whenever they get a chance.

It was somewhat surprising, then, that Mitt Romney got several digs, and was on the defensive all night. Even the mild-mannered Mike Huckabee got in a small jab about his many (sometimes contradictory) positions on issues.

One of my favorite candidates, Huckabee, had the most inarticulate night that I've ever seen. He is normally the quickest wit and manages to say exactly what he wants to. But he was slow tonight, probably because most of the candidates have been doing a dozen interviews a day for a few days straight.

The most composed and most "presidential-like" was Fred Thompson, the latecomer to the Republican race. I was very hopeful of Thompson early on like many, but his campaign hasn't convinced us that he is ready to stand up and take charge. He's my other favorite candidate - if you've ever heard an interview with him, he's one of the most solid conservatives you'll ever hear - but there are already rumors that he could step out of the race very soon.

Expository Gold from Ann Coulter

2008-01-03T18:13:00.001-05:00

Many people do not like Ann Coulter for one comment or another. Personally, I find about 90% of what she says to be spot on. Here's another gem from her about the holiday of Kwanzaa.

Before reading, note that I am not advocating infringing on another's freedom of religion. I simply thought it enlightening to know the roots of the matter.

Read it here.

Teaching African history in the United States of America

2007-12-16T18:23:00.002-05:00

It has been argued, by the modern politically correct, that a multicultural curriculum should be taught in public schools. I have heard and read of [almost exclusively] liberals gnashing their teeth against the white Anglo-Saxon, patriarchal, European, Christian, racist, intolerant machine of Western culture. They say that teaching African tribal poetry is as valid and worthy as Shakespeare or John Locke. That oriental mysticism is as applicable in teaching as is Judeo-Christian thought. That Marxism is more than a match for Capitalism. We're talking about high schools here, not universities, where one can pick their own major.

What they fail to grasp is that African tribal poetry wasn't the basis of our Constitution. The religious values of Buddhism didn't shape our system of laws. Marxism is not responsible for our economic and social progress.

I just started reading Cultural Literacy by E.D. Hirsch, Jr. It is a seminal work on the subject. He says,

...educators often stress the virtues of multicultural education. Such study is indeed valuable in itself; it inculcates tolerance and provides a perspective on our own traditions and values. But however laudable it is, it should not be the primary focus of national education. It should not be allowed to supplant or interfere with our schools' responsibility to ensure our children's mastery of American literate culture.

To teach the ways of one's own community has always been and still remains the essence of the education of our children.

Later, he alludes to the word "dollar" as being a necessary part of our cultural knowledge. We must not only know what a dollar is, but how it applies to our lives.

I believe this argument can be summed up simply thus: we do not learn the values or trade rates of the Japanese yen, Saudi riyal, Mexican peso or Moroccan dirham. We don't need to know this to buy food in the grocery store. Neither do we need to learn African, Slavic, Chinese or Chilean history, poetry or politics in high school. Those belong to the specialization available in undergraduate and graduate study.

Race

2007-12-16T13:59:00.002-05:00

Here is one of those posts where I give a strong opinion, and dare anyone to tear it down.

I believe in two races: angels and men. I believe every "race" in existence today to be the product of man's inherent desire to make "black and white" of the world, no pun intended. To engender an "us versus them" mentality. I also believe linguistically that every mention of "race" in the Bible to be referring either to a "generation", or a "nation/culture". When the Bible warns the Hebrews not to marry outside of Israel, it is not for the purpose of 'keeping a race pure', but instead to keep idolatry and the worship of false gods out of the realm of the Covenant People of God.

Every division that man puts up regarding racism, stereotype, bigotry and bias can be sourced to a culture or sub-culture. An anonymous student of mine recently said they were scared of black people. I said, 'Oh really? So if a black gentleman with his shirt tucked in, well groomed appearance, spectacles, and a physics book in his hand walked up to you, you'd be scared of him?'

"Well, no," said the student.
"Ah, so you are not scared of black people because the amount of melanin in their skin but because of the hip-hop/gangster subculture."

The one thing I will acknowledge is a difference in phenotype, a result of microcosmal evolution. Someone brought up the question once in my class, "Why are black people better athletes?" While not true all across the board of course, I believed that a difference in phenotype may explain it. African people, tempered by millenia of hunting/gathering up to even the 19th century, might have developed a body type that excels at physical competition. (I first learned about body types when researching Mormonism. Joseph Smith claimed that Native Americans were Israelites that had left the Holy Land long ago. But Middle Easterners aren't of the same Mongoloid body type of Native Americans. East Asians were, however, lending more credence to the Alaskan land bridge theory.)

Galatians 3:26-28 says, "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

This verse does not suggest there are no differences between males and females. No difference between Jewish and Hellenistic culture. No difference between the economic positions of a master and a slave. It means that we are all one people in Christ.

Ergo, I fail to see the reason to abhor "mixed marriages" or label someone as part of a certain "race". Linguistically, "culture" provides the best categorization for the phenomena of differences I have laid out.

War, Peace

2007-12-15T12:57:00.002-05:00

Movie reviews won't be a usual part of this blog, but since this one has to do with language and martial arts, I had to write it down.

"Hero" is a fictional account of pre-dynastic China, and alludes to its unification into the Qin dynasty. While a martial arts movie, it is rather slow-going to the Western mind. It was produced in China, after all. It is beyond me why Quentin Tarantino and Miramax films "present" it; I don't think they had anything to do with the film's creation. Perhaps they just brought it to America. I saw this movie in Taiwan a year before it ever came to America. A South African friend of mine named Marie-Louise Honeyman was particularly fond of it for its cinematography (which is fantastic), and showed it to some of us on a "movie night".

You will recognize Jet Li (Lethal Weapon 4) and Ziyi Zhang (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), but the rest may never have graced a Western screen. This movie is much like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon as it contains Chinese mythological abilities such as human flight, and other metaphysical occurrences. It is such a masterpiece because it reveals part of the Chinese mind.

The movie's end is a long time coming, but when it does, it is most unexpected. I won't reveal specific spoilers, but the message is one of a warrior's role. The moral of the story is that a warrior progresses in his skill and knowledge until anything can be used as a weapon. Then until his hate is a more formidable tool than a weapon. Ultimately, he learns to give up hate and the sword, embracing those around him. A single Chinese character meaning "sword", and one of the protagonist's mottos "tian xia" reveals this secret. (Tian xia means "all under heaven", which Quentin Tarantino or whoever did the interpreting erroneously translated as "our land", almost completely reversing the ideal of the statement.)

Which brings us to the question of war and peace. Polemics on each side of the Western political spectrum have stereotypical ideas of the other side. Reactionaries might believe that all liberals are terrorist-coddling ninnies too busy "making love, not war" and waving white flags around to realize they are subservient to all aggressors. Radicals might believe that all 'neo-cons' are camo-wearing fascists with no concern for non-American life ready to bomb the next country that even looks at 'em wrong into the Stone Age. As a Christian and conservative, I hold that peace is the highest aim, but that those who would kill wantonly and in great number must be stopped by violence, so that others would be saved suffering and death. I have heard far too many times the viewpoint that values peace at any cost, even submission to tyranny and death.

I have told you where I stand. Would anyone care to opine for the political Left? Libertarians? When is war necessary? Is it ever necessary?

Adieu.

Have fun!

2007-12-12T23:05:00.002-05:00

I saw a "bumper sticker" of sorts a few weeks ago that read the following:

HEAR NO EVIL
SEE NO EVIL
SPEAK NO EVIL
HAVE NO FUN

I am still thinking of exactly where to start on this one, but I wanted some input from anyone on this blog or the SayAnything Reader Blog on which it will be reposted.

From Christians and "other" alike, how do you view this? True? False? Misleading? You feel it's correct?

Please contribute some comments, and they will be incorporated in a later post.

Marriage, Installment 1

2007-12-11T13:54:00.002-05:00

This comes from an independent blogger, posting notice of a group called The American Association for the Advancement of Science. The Association puts out the publication Science, and has a membership of 120,000 scientists and institutions.

Redefinition of marriage abounds. Didn't think I'd see consideration of humans marrying robots for another few decades.

Enjoy.

Quid est veritas? What is truth?

2007-12-10T20:34:00.001-05:00

Since this blog is about seeking truth, the first post should define the word and its interaction with our society.

We live in the Western world, which was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, and now swims in the trackless sea of moral relativism and self-adulation. Truth is esteemed, yet when it becomes inconvenient, cast aside.

There are several theories as to how one discovers truth. Without relating the technicalities of them here, I believe the correspondence theory of truth is the most “realistic,” in that it describes what is objectively, inherently real and true. Opposed to this are the constructivist and consensus theories, which posit that truth is subjectively created. That is to say, something can be made true through human agency such as culture and thought. These latter schools of thought are more prevalent than you might think.

Some quotes from here and here to illustrate feelings of philosophers and others on truth:

Postmodernists believe that truth is myth, and myth, truth. This equation has its roots in pop psychology. The same people also believe that emotions are a form of reality. There used to be another name for this state of mind. It used to be called psychosis. ~ Brad Holland

Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true. ~ Demosthenes

In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. ~ George Orwell

As scarce as truth is, the supply has always been in excess of the demand. ~Josh Billings

The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus by the Supreme Being in the womb of a virgin, will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter.
~ Thomas Jefferson

And from the "other side":

I believe that ignorance is the root of all evil. And that no one knows the truth. ~Molly Ivins

Say not, 'I have found the truth,' but rather, 'I have found a truth.' ~Kahlil Gibran

Truth is beautiful, without doubt; but so are lies.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

A lie told often enough becomes the truth. ~Lenin

Now the Bible - a venerated work of antiquity no matter what your religion - on truth:

"I, the LORD, speak the truth; I declare what is right."
~Isaiah 45:19b

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" ~John 14:6

"They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised." ~Romans 1:25, about those who suppress truth with their wickedness

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace."
~Ephesians 6:13-15

"The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him." ~1 John 2:4

Finally, all of we who call ourselves Christians should always tell the truth. In Matthew 5:34-36, Jesus says,

"But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. "

Truth exists. It is not a force that can be shaped by the wills and whims of fickle man. Let us seek it together and not be deceived by those who proclaim to know truth with one breath, and yet deny its very existence in the next.

The Purpose of this Blog

2007-12-09T14:46:00.002-05:00

It cannot be summed up with only a line or two under the blog title. αλήθεια means "truth" in Greek, a language that was used by the creator of our universe to reveal its deepest truth. I am a Christian. I believe the Bible to be the Word of God. Yet the search for truth does not end in a canonical work, however authoritative it may be.

I want to investigate not only eternal truth, but truth as far as it can be found in politics, history and popular culture. (As a linguist, I will diverge from the pursuit of truth vs. deception in a moral sense when discussing philology and linguistics.)

I heavily encourage reader comments, especially if you disagree with anything posted here. It is the nature of reason and logic to require differing viewpoints to sift falsehood from fact. I do not believe this investigation into truth will be successful without criticism of my initial assertions.

Finally, I will repost blog topics relatively often as new research, data or theory comes to light.