Campaign Observations

I am seeing a distinct difference between the strategies being used by the two parties in their election campaigns.
The Democrats are attempting to attract one interest group at a time. President Obama looks at his audience before deciding what to say. One of two techniques are then used. Either some sort of promise of a goodie or a demonizing of the Republicans is made. For example, to a Hispanic crowd, some sort of amnesty is promised. To a crowd of females, portraying the GOP as being at war with women is used. Yet, another theme being highlighted is that Americans should be working together to make our country better. Sacrifices should be made for one another.
The Republicans, on the other hand have a different approach. They talk about wanting our government to provide equal opportunities to ALL Americans. Their message is pretty much the same regardless of the make-up of the audience. They say the Constitution gives the framework for all Americans to have the freedom to succeed. The Constitution's main purpose is to stay out of the way so "We the People" can achieve greatness. An emphasis on individual freedom is at the heart of their message.
If you look beyond all the fancy rhetoric, you will see that our choice as voters is to decide if we want a socialist country with a bigger government presence or a capitalist country with a smaller government presence. You should also see that one party's strategy divides Americans, and the other attempts to unify them.

Believe in Yourself?

I am not a fan of the phrase, "Believe in yourself". Although I do not think there is any conspiracy on the part of any person or people (except Satan himself), I do feel that the promotion of this type of mentality is not a good thing. Just think of that phrase for a minute. It doesn't say "Believe in God" or "Believe in Jesus", it says "Believe in yourself".
I prefer to think of myself as being a unique child of God who has been blessed by that God with the traits and abilities that I have. I also know that I am a miserable sinner. God has also rescued me from my shortcomings by sending His Son to die in my place. It follows from that thinking that I want to use my God-given talents to serve Him.
I guess that in the secular world, some sort of other motivation must be used to inspire someone to do their best, and that seems to be why this phrase is used.
To me, it seems so sad that this nation which sometimes proclaims to be "under God", has morphed into such a secular country. Most of our children are in school environments where the mention of God is discouraged and teachers are forbidden to discuss Him.
What can we do about this? Christian families need to take a larger role in passing their faith on to their children. Sometimes, unfortunately, parents will need to correct the teachings they are getting from the government schools. Those that have the option of sending their children to a Christian school (and I think Lutheran schools are the best) should make every effort to send their children there. Churches should also find ways to assist families in teaching Christian beliefs and values to their children. If the government is to get involved in any way, it should be to get out of the way and allow the freedom of religion to thrive.
At the very least, we should not get caught up in promoting a "Believe in yourself" mentality, unless it always accompanied by an intentional explanation that "yourself" is a sinful, but redeemed and blessed child of God. We should also teach that a proper response to any successes in life to be glorifying the God who made it possible.

An Opportunity for Good

President Obama has a huge opportunity to show leadership right now. A veritable lynch mob is forming over this George Zimmerman case. Spike Lee has attempted to Tweet Zimmerman's address so that Zimmerman could be tormented. The New Black Panthers have put a bounty on the capture of Zimmerman. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are stirring up more strife. President Obama could have a real and positive impact on this situation by publicly saying that Americans should remain calm and allow law enforcement and the justice system to do their work. Yet he remains silent. It makes one wonder why.

Should Justice Be Partisan?

Our present Justice Department is a joke. When the New Black Panthers post themselves outside a polling place, obviously intimidating the voters, nothing is done. Now the same New Black Panthers are issuing "wanted dead or alive" threats and offering a bounty on an American's "capture", and nothing is done. It is apparent to me that it is NOT the content of someone's character that matters, but the color of his skin. The Justice Department and their leader, Attorney General Eric Holder, must have a different definition of justice than I do.

Headlining Race

   The Trayvon Martin case is yet another case where race has been highlighted.  It seems to me that stories like this one are occasionally brought to the forefront intentionally.  It also seems to me that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton always seem to show up on this kind of scene, and they are constantly stirring the pot to get people all riled up.  It also seems to me that it is the Democrats who appear to purposely want our nation to have the perception that race is still a major problem in America. 
   This election year we have seen so many efforts on the part of the re-election campaign to appeal to certain groups of voters.  I think this is another one.
   It also seems to me that it is the Republicans who are not looking at the color of a person's skin as a determining factor in someone's worth.  Maybe it is time for America to be reminded that Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Republican.

SCOTUS Questions

• Will the justices use ONLY the US Constitution to reach their decision?
• Do justices have to read an entire bill before they decide?
• Liberals say they are offended by this bill being called Obamacare.  Are they ashamed of it?  (By the way, I think they should be more ashamed of it being called the Affordable Care Act.)
• If Obamacare remains, what is the chance that it will be repealed?
• Should the SCOTUS consider public opinion in deciding?

In my opinion, if Obamacare is upheld, it will NOT be because they found it constitutional, but that they found it to be "despite-constitiutional".  Despite what the Constitution says, they would still declare it acceptable.

The President's Energy Policy

"Ameritopia" ... A Good Read

I have recently finished reading Mark Levin's AMERITOPIA. I would strongly recommend that you read it. I really would like it if those who might be considering casting a vote to reelect President Obama would read this first.
The book begins by looking at several famous pieces of literature that have promoted some form of utopia. Then, in comparison, some literature which provided a philosophical base for the establishment and preservation of the US Constitution are discussed. Levin uses this information to point out how America has been changing from a constitutional republic to one which he describes as Ameritopia.
Levin's arguments are very compelling. Indeed, if his description is true, our country is in real trouble. President Obama's philosophy and the policies he has put into effect already fall right into line with Ameritopian thinking. It is too scary to even think what another term might do to the structure of this once great country.
If you haven't read this book yet, do so. It will inspire you to do whatever you can to return our country to the constitutional republic that its framers intended.

Maybe Code Word Is a Code Word

Political commentary from the left has referred to some phrases used by the right as being "code words" for racism. Some of the phrases included are "food stamp President", "entitlement society", and "amnesty". People using the terms "Founding Fathers" and "Constitution" too often are also being accused of being racist. Yesterday, almost as soon as Rush Limbaugh used the term "Silent Majority", it was being described as being a racial code word. It seems to me that any time some term is becoming an effective term in the political discourse, it is deemed as being racist. The Tea Party has also been branded as being racist even though there is no credible evidence of it being so. I think most of America has moved beyond being racist. Now it is time for America to move beyond being "racist branders".

More Nancy Nonsense

   Yesterday on the floor of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi compared Obamacare to the Declaration of Independence.  This is an incredible misrepresentation of the intent of the Founding Fathers who wanted Americans to retain their liberties by framing the Constitution which purposefully limited the power of the federal government.  Obamacare takes away liberty when it mandates that a person purchase something they do not want.  It is also an intentional effort to make more people reliant on the government.  In other words, she should not be comparing the Declaration of Independence to something that is more properly called a Declaration of Dependence.

Having It Both Ways

With President Obama approving half the Keystone Pipeline, he gets to be both for it and against it. How politically convenient.

The Real Obstructionists

Budget Deadlock

   Yesterday, Rep. Paul Ryan introduced the GOP House Budget bill.  It is destined to the same fate that it had last year.  It will be passed by the Republican House of Representatives, only to gather dust on Sen. Harry Reid's desk in the Democratic Senate.  While this is all taking place, the Obama administration will continue calling the Republicans obstructionists.  To the Republicans a budget is a spending allotment.  To the Democrats a budget is spending A LOT.
   I applaud Rep. Ryan's resolve in proposing a bill which would make the kinds of changes which are necessary to make our government more fiscally sound.  Certainly young people in America should be happy with a bill that might prevent them from living in a country which is strapped with a debt that will be stifling to their future economy.
   We have become an entitlement society.  That has to change.  We should make such change for the benefit of our children and grandchildren.  I am a strong believer in being a good steward with the blessings God has given me.  If our government did the same, maybe we could once again say proudly that we are a nation under God.

Students from Sheboygan Lutheran High School Chant over Protesters at WI State Capitol

Judicial Jeopardy

   One thing that I have not heard much about during this election cycle is the potential of naming new members to the Supreme Court.  If just one conservative judge is replaced by a liberal one, it will tip the balance toward judicial activism.  This is an enormously dangerous situation.  When our country is needing to return to Constitutional principles, we cannot afford to have judges who do not look just to the US Constitution when making judgments.  Right now, we already have one judge who has said she would not suggest other countries to use our Constitution as a good example to follow.  We also have judges who go to legal precedents which are made in foreign countries because they do not think our Constitution is good enough.
    We certainly should consider this issue when going to the voting booth in November.  We can already see what attitude President Obama has concerning justice.  His attorney general is an example of the kind of leadership he would like to have concerning justice.  The two justices which have already been named by President Obama are activist judges.  If we want to return our country to remain a Constitutional republic, we must have a new President.  There are some who claim that we already are not a Constitutional republic.  I tend to agree.

Self-esteem vs. Original Sin in America

   There are basically two viewpoints concerning the nature of man.  One is that man is basically good, and the other is that man is born a sinner.  Most Christian denominations believe in the concept of original sin, acknowledging that man is not only born in sin, but conceived in sin.  This means that man is in need of a Savior.  I happen to think that most, if not all, of the framers of our Constitution believed in original sin, and that is the concept behind their insistence on devising a Constitution which limited the government and divided its powers.
   I think one of the things that has happened in America during the last several decades is that our education system has moved from a system that recognized children as inherently sinful to one which believes that children are basically good.  This change took place as the doctrines of secular humanism were successfully introduced into our government schools.  Even as I taught in the Lutheran school system, I began hearing about how parents and teachers ought to be primarily concerned about a child's self-esteem.  It sounded good to begin with, but it evolved into practices which refuse to acknowledge that children are doing things wrong because it was not desirable to harm someone's self-esteem.  I also think this change occurred at the same time as the insistence that God be taken out of our schools.  With God (and also sin) not being permitted in a school's conversation, the focus turned to telling children that they were basically good.
   Now our country is full of people who have experienced this kind of education, and I believe it has had a harmful effect on our culture and on our government.  I see this problem rearing its ugly head in the form of politicians who want to ignore the restraints of the Constitution.  I see the problem rearing its ugly head in movements such as the Occupy Movement.  I see the problem rearing its ugly head when people think they are entitled to the help of a bigger government.  I see the problem possibly getting worse because now politicians can use a "feel good" message to get elected, when in fact what we really need in our country right now is a message that we have messed up and need to change our ways.  We need the government to return to one which IS restrained by the Constitution. 
   Our country has changed from one where people recognized the importance of serving others to one where people expect others to serve them.  Now so many expect the government to serve them.  This too is a result of how we are educating our children in the government schools.  Parents need to take more responsibility for teaching their children that they are sinners. Grandparents, too, must take a larger role in teaching our children and grandchildren about their relationship with God.  
   More Americans need to turn to a God who esteemed us so much that He sent us Jesus to solve our sin problem.  More Americans need to read their Bibles, where they find out that they are in need of that Savior because of their sinfulness.  More Americans need to recognize that God knows what is best for them, and He has described that God-pleasing lifestyle in the Scriptures.  And more people need to recognize the wisdom that went into the framing of our government when the Constitution was developed. 
   When our nation returns to God, it will also recognize how important the Constitution is in enabling a successful government to exist despite the fact that it takes sinners to run it.
  
  

What Is Being Taught?

I wonder what students in America are learning about the US Constitution. Are students taught that the framers thought it very important to make sure the Federal government was limited in its scope and power? Are they taught about the balance of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government? Are they being taught that the states and the people were to retain powers that were not granted specifically to the Federal government? Or are they taught that the US Constitution is no longer relevant today? it seems to me that they are taught that rights are granted to people by a benevolent government, not by God? It seems to me that they are taught that the Constitution is what is holding us back as a country. It seems to me that they are being taught that Americans should expect an equality of results as opposed to an equality of opportunities. It seems to me they are being taught that the government is supposed to provide for all the needs of people. It seems to be taught that the bigger the Federal government is, the better it is.
If we do not get back to instilling in our young ones a respect for our Founding Documents, we can expect our nation to continue down the road to ruin.

No Surprise Here

We found out this week that Obamacare will cost about twice as much as advertised. This came as no surprise to me and many other conservatives. This outcome was predicted during the discussion prior to the passage of the bill, but the media refused to point this out to the general public. It was a big ruse from the get-go. The only thing that would surprise me would be if the cost of Obamacare would NOT go up even higher. Two better scenarios would be if it would be declared unconstitutional or if it would be repealed.
This bill was never about providing a better healthcare system in America. It was and still is about the government getting control of another aspect of people's lives.

Presidential Impropriety

The President gave a speech today at a junior college on the topic of energy. I considered it a pretty lousy speech from an energy policy standpoint, but I just want to focus on the tone of the speech. The President was simply not Presidential. Several of his comments were downright insulting of his political opponents. I feel the office of the President should be handled with dignity and class, and for the most part, this has been true of Presidents in our nation's past. This President seems to think that getting laughs at the expense of Republicans is in his best interest.
Just remember that this is the same President that gave a famous speech on the topic of keeping civility in political discourse. This is just one of many examples of how this man does not practice what he preaches. Our nation deserves better, and I certainly hope we get a better President in November.

Liberal Lies

Many untruths are being perpetuated by the Democrats and the liberal media these days which are being told in order to re-elect President Obama.  Let me set you straight.

• The Republican Party is NOT at war with women.
• The Republican Party is NOT opposed to immigration.
• Photo ID laws are NOT racist.
• The Tea Party is NOT racist.
• The Constitution is NOT out-of-date.
• The President CAN have an impact on gasoline prices.
• The Republicans are NOT the party of obstructionists.
• President Obama CAN be beaten in the upcoming election by ANY one of the GOP candidates.
• President Obama IS in trouble with the electorate.
• President Obama is NOT uniting this country, he is dividing it.

I am the list is longer than this.  And I'm sure the liberals will perpetuate more lies in the future.  

War ON the States

Once again the Department of Justice is blocking the implementation of a state law. This time it is a law stipulating a photo ID to be required by residents of Texas in order to vote. I do not remember another time in my lifetime when there were so many efforts on the part of the Federal government to impede laws which have been passed by the states.
Upon looking up the term "federalism" in Wikipedia, I quickly noted that the writer described federalism as an "evolving" idea. The article then proceeds to list changes which have been made to this concept of government over the years since the Constitution was ratified. I, for one, do not think the framers of the Constitution intended that the original concept of federalism be changed. I think they intended for to have a limited central government with the states reserving the powers which are not given to the central government.
In my opinion, we have a Justice Department that does not understand justice. We also have an administration that does not understand the Constitution. We need big changes in Washington, D.C.

Two Grumpiness Suppressors

Normally I am full of venom to spew forth on this blog. The last two days, my grumpiness has been stifled. Why is that? I have had two grandchildren here for a visit. They just bring too much joy to my life. So I guess if you are visiting my blog to enjoy my venting, you will have to wait until these two little ones are gone. Sorry.

What's Your Choice?

Do you want a government modeled after the ideas of Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and James Madison or a government modeled after the ideas of Saul Alinsky, Bill Ayers, and Derrick Bell?

Media Math....8.3 is NOT equal to 8.3

   Yesterday, I observed how the liberal media covered the story of the new unemployment numbers.  They portrayed this story, which amounted to the unemployment rate staying at the same rate as the previous month.  You would think that a little bit of heaven had reached earth with the positive descriptions being given to a number that did not change.  I think it was just another example of the lack of good journalism we have now.
   I hear that there are over 7 million more people in the USA than when President Obama was inaugurated, yet there are fewer workers in the work force.  Yet this administration keeps talking about how many jobs it has created.  The numbers have to be manipulated. 
   The way the unemployment rate is calculated has been changed by this administration.  If the same formulas were used that were used during the Bush administration, the unemployment rate would be over 10%. 
   I don't think I'm the only one who remembers the days when the Bush administration was taken to task by the media when the rate went up to 5%.  Now the rate stays at the same incredibly large number, and the media paints our President as doing miraculous things for our economy.
   I happen to think that a better argument for the unemployment rate not going even higher is the fact that Tea Party Congressmen have managed to slow down the changes that this administration is attempting to make.  It is frightening to think about what kind of country we would be left with if we re-elect President Obama.
   The lousy 8.3% rate this month is just as lousy as it was last month.  Yet you can fully expect that the numbers you will hear as we lead up to the election to be amazingly wonderful.  We will get a full dose of media math.  I hope enough Americans can see beyond this deception and vote to move our country back to a country which fits the Constitutional blueprint.

Random Questions

• Why do Democrats, especially President Obama, continue to get the Jewish vote?
• How did this country ever get to the point where an administration requires a business to provide a product to a client at no cost?
• How did it ever happen that the USA elected a socialist as President?  And after 4 miserable years of his leadership, how is it possible that the oddsmakers are saying that he is likely to be elected again?
• How is it that the Republicans get branded as the obstructionists when the Republican House keeps passing bills, only to get obstructed in the Democratic Senate?
• Who is behind the efforts to get a moderate Republican to run against President Obama?

First Lutheran Teacher

  Pictured above is a plaque on the Trinity Lutheran School building  in Altenburg, Missouri.  This school was in existence from the early years of the German immigration in Perry County, Missouri until now, although it has undergone some changes.  In the 1960's, this school joined with Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna, Missouri to become Concordia-Trinity Lutheran School.  Then last year a decision was made to also include Salem Lutheran Church in a new association, so it is now called United in Christ Lutheran School, which is located in Frohna.  This is their first year of existence.
   Johann F.F. Winter (probably pronounced Vinter) was the only "teacher" among the immigrants on the original five ships traveling to American in 1838-1839.  A good argument could be made that he was the first Lutheran school teacher in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.  Teacher Winter is also given credit for the only drawing of the Log Cabin College when it was in its first location.
   As we celebrate National Lutheran Schools Week, we do well to celebrate the teachers of our Lutheran schools.  They do amazing things in our Synod's schools.  For the most part, these teachers get salaries which are considerably less than their government school counterparts.  The job descriptions of these teachers also go above and beyond the expectations of a typical government school teacher, including such tasks as youth director, coach, choir director, or Sunday School teacher.  These Lutheran teachers are incredibly dedicated to not only the welfare of their students, but also the welfare of their school and church.  Their hours of work extend well beyond the hours that they spend in their classrooms each day.
   One alarming fact about Lutheran teachers these days is that there are not enough of them that are male.  This is not just the case for Lutheran schools.  It exists in government schools too.  However, I think it is probably worse in Lutheran schools.  For example, United in Christ Lutheran School here in Perry County has NO male teachers on its staff, unless you count the pastors that come in to teach confirmation.  One thing our Synod ought to do is somehow encourage more of our young men to pursue careers in our Lutheran schools.
  Please take time to honor Lutheran teachers this week.  Hold them in high esteem. 

National Lutheran Schools Week - Part 2

  

 

    Earlier this week, I wrote about the log cabin school which was built on my property. These are pictures of that log cabin as it exists today on display at Lutheran Heritage Center & Museum in Altenburg, Missouri.  The top picture shows a list of the original eleven students who attended this school during that first year in 1839.  My personal favorite is J.A.F.W. Mueller, who around these parts is referred to as "Alphabet" Mueller.

   In 1842, this building was moved closer to where Pastor Loeber lived in Altenburg.  When it was moved at that time, it was disassembled and then reassembled.  Shortly after that, the purpose of this school was changed from that of a coed school to one whose purpose was to train young men to be ministers.  In other words, it became a seminary.  This building then housed the beginnings of what became Concordia Seminary which was later relocated to St. Louis.  It is my understanding that there were five graduates of Concordia Seminary, Altenburg before it was relocated.

   I really think that one of the driving forces behind the establishments of these early schools in America was that these German immigrants had just come from a place where the state was determining what their children were learning,  In addition, their pastors had been in a situation where they were being told to change their teachings to correspond with dictates of the state.  These Germans did not want this to happen again.  They wanted to make sure that their children knew the basic tenets of their faith while preparing them to live in this new country.  They also wanted to make sure their doctrinal beliefs were passed along to the next generation of pastors.  They also recognized that these new pastors were going to be necessary for a church body that they believed would thrive and grow in America.  And it did.

   Lutheran schools continue to fulfill these functions today.  Students get a quality education in an environment where the Law and Gospel permeate everything they do, preparing them to be good American citizens.  Lutheran schools also have become the best breeding grounds for producing the next generation of professional church workers and congregational leaders.  Happy National Lutheran Schools Week.

Bogus Ballots

   It is painfully obvious to me that the Democrats are absolutely opposed to any kind of legislation which would require a voter to definitively prove their identity when going to the polling places.  I cannot come anywhere close to understanding how passing such laws is supposed to be racially discriminatory.  That seems to be the ONLY reason why the Democrats are opposed to any legislation which  wouldrequire a photo ID to vote. 
   I can only come to one conclusion.  The Democratic Party is the party of voter fraud.
   I recently voted here in Altenburg.  I knew every person sitting behind the table and they knew me personally, yet they required me to show them my voting registration card.  I was very pleased with that, and would be even more pleased if they were required to have me show them a photo ID.
   The election process in America is too important.  We need to make sure it is not corrupted with bogus ballots.

Two Documents under Attack in America

 Without these two documents, America is doomed.  Let's honor and defend them both.

Doctrine Timidity?

   The American religious environment has in my opinion developed a characteristic which I find disturbing.  Many denominations are putting less emphasis on their church's doctrines.  If you look around, you see quite a few churches that have even taken their denomination identification out of the name of the church.  In my neighborhood, for example, there is a Baptist church that calls itself the Cowboy Church.  I know of some Lutheran churches which have taken Lutheran out of the name they display on their signage, logos, and stationery.  I think the intent is to not intimidate visitors with an emphasis on the church's doctrine.  In many cases this is part of the attempt to make their churches "missional" in nature.
   I disagree with this approach.  In the case of the Lutheran church, I think the understanding of the doctrine of the church is being lost.  Members of our churches simply do not know their church's doctrine the way they have in the past.  In addition to become knowledgeable in what is in the Bible, I believe it is important for Lutherans to become familiar with the beliefs as they are explained in the book shown above, the Lutheran Confessions, often described as the Book of Concord.  C.F.W. Walther once said that every Lutheran household should have these writings in their homes and parents, especially the father, should teach it to their children.
   One of the important ways that these doctrinal beliefs can be taught today is through LCMS schools.  It is National Lutheran Schools Week.  The primary purpose of our school system when it was begun many years ago was to pass along our faith and its tenets to our children.  I must admit that there are forces at work right now which cause our Lutheran schools to drift away from this focus.  We have so many non-Lutherans in our schools that it becomes a temptation to be bashful about our doctrinal beliefs. 
   In recent days, we have seen that many churches have been put in a position to put on public display what their doctrinal beliefs are.  The HHS mandate has caused this.  Maybe this will turn out to be a beneficial thing for some churches.  I applaud the Catholic Church for boldly standing by their position on contraceptives.  The LCMS has made an almost unprecedented stand in the public square on this issue as well.
   I do not think we ought to be bashful about what we believe.  I think we are demeaning people by thinking that we ought to be watering down our faith for them.  Let's give them some credit.
   Our churches should be educating its members about our doctrine.  Our schools should be helping the church with this process by passing along our doctrine to our children.  And most importantly, Lutheran parents should be teaching our Lutheran beliefs to their children.  As Lutherans, we boldly say that our doctrines are based more solidly upon the Scriptures alone than any other denomination.  Let's not be bashful are ashamed of our doctrine.

The First LCMS School

  I feel compelled to tell you the story of the very first school of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The story is very special to me.  The marker shown in this picture was taken this morning on my property behind my barn.  It designates the location of the log cabin school which was located there from 1839-1842.
  In the early 1800's in what is now Germany, the state church was Lutheran.  It was governed by the royalty.  During this time period, there was a movement to unite the Lutherans with some Reformed church bodies.  As a result, Lutheran churches were mandated to make changes in how they were worshiping and what they were teaching.  There were some Lutherans, sometimes referred to as "old Lutherans", who, being dictated by their consciences, would not tolerate such changes.  After years of fighting against this movement, a group was organized which had the goal of leaving Germany to go to a place where they could maintain their confessional beliefs.  An immigration society grew to about 700 people who left Germany in late 1838 to come to America so that they could enjoy  freedom of religion.
   The story of this immigration is filled with stories of hardships.  However, despite the difficulties, these immigrants survived, establishing a colony in Perry County, Missouri.  During their first year, this group decided it was important to build a school so that their faith could be taught to their children.  You see, one of the reasons they left Germany was because they thought it was important to pass their doctrinal beliefs on to the next generation.  A small log cabin was built at the location above which opened its doors in 1839 to eleven students, which consisted of 7 boys and 4 girls. Classes were taught in German, but English as well as several other languages were part of the curriculum.  The log cabin still exists today and is on display at the Lutheran Heritage Center & Museum in Altenburg, Missouri.
   Part of this story is that the first Lutheran church in Perry County was built in 1845.  That's right.  A Lutheran school was built BEFORE the first church was built.  Church services were held in a pastor's parsonage during those first years.  Just think about that for a moment.  The Lutheran school was considered so important that it was built well before they got around to building a church.  They certainly valued the Christian education of their young ones.
   Today, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has several thousand early childhood centers, elementary schools, high schools, and colleges.  It all started behind my barn.  I confess that I am rather proud of that.  God has granted countless blessings to proceed from that humble beginning.  Those immigrants did not just see their school as a nice thing to have.  They considered it to be a NECESSARY part of their church and community.  God bless Lutheran schools.  Let's start more of them.

National Lutheran Schools Week

   For schools that are part of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, this week is National Lutheran Schools Week.  Having served in Lutheran schools for 38 years, I feel very strongly about the great benefits which come from schools which teach about Jesus and promote very high standards of education and morality. 
   I also know that there are tremendous challenges in keeping these schools funded and full of students.  Recent years have been very tough on Lutheran schools, and I suspect this trend to continue.  Here are some of the challenges as I see them.

• Most Lutheran schools operate with most of their income coming from tuition.  With the economy the way it is, schools find it necessary to raise tuition to cover the increased costs of operation.  If you ask administrators, they will tell you one of the biggest factors driving increased costs is the continuous rise in the cost of providing health care for its workers.  At the same time, parents are finding it more difficult to have the income necessary to afford sending their children to Lutheran schools.  Many parents would love to have their children receive the quality Christian education that is being offered in Lutheran schools, but the money is just not there  With regard to the economy, I put a lot of the blame for its poor condition squarely on the backs of politicians.  It angers me that the irresponsible actions in Washington, DC are having such a harmful impact on our Lutheran schools.  Parents reluctantly put their children into the government schools where they are not able to learn their Bible and instead are learning tenets which are part of the philosophy of secular humanism.
• While many forces working against our schools are external, I believe one of the biggest problems facing these schools is an internal one.  Members of churches and in some cases the pastors as well have started looking at their schools as being a drain on the finances to the congregations.  In other words, the support from our congregations for our schools is not at the level it once was.  I happen to be where a Lutheran school is supported by three congregations in which no tuition is charged to the parents.  Almost all of the students attending our school are members of these congregations.  It is a rare case nowadays to have a Lutheran school that charges no tuition.  Even here, however, you hear some grumbling about how the school is costing too much money.  I have served at other congregations where the support has been much  less.  The attitude in many situations is that it is acceptable to have a school as long as it pays for itself.  The result of having a tuition-only approach to a school is that many of the children of members of a congregation do not attend the school.  These schools also morph into schools which learn to depend on non-member students to attend the school, paying the higher non-member tuition rates that are part of most school's policies.  Then a few other dominoes fall.  Members of a congregation become even less supportive of the school because they lose their sense of "ownership" of the school.  Also, there are forces at play in the administration of the school which tend to make the school less "Lutheran".  In addition, when a school is run by tuition, parents who have put their own children through school by sacrificing much financially feel that they have done their "fair share" in supporting the school while their children attend.  Once their children are out of school, their support is no longer there.  

   Lutheran schools are such an important part of the spiritual life of a congregation.  The Lutheran school helps ensure that the next generation of members have a solid foundation in their Christian beliefs.  The passing on of the Lutheran doctrine to our children is vital to the life of a congregation.  Add to that the fact that our children would be subjected to teachings in the government schools which do not coincide with our Biblical beliefs.  The children would also not learn in an environment where Law and Gospel are taught and implemented.  Lutheran churches are going to need future leaders who are well-versed in their Lutheran doctrine.
  My wife and I plan to continue my support for Lutheran schools for the rest of our lives, and if there are any funds left, we plan to make it possible for our support to continue even after we die.  I urge you to do the same.  Do what you can to make sure those schools are operated in a fiscally responsible way.  Make sure the Lutheran doctrine continues to be taught there.  If you are parents, send your children there.  If you are grandparents, do what you can to make sure your grandchildren attend.  Give encouragement to the teachers in your Lutheran school.  Lutheran schools are important enough that it justifies us making sacrifices to keep them functioning.  Pray for our schools.  Pray for the staff of the schools.  Pray for the students and their parents.
   Join me in celebrating National Lutheran Schools Week.



 

Nice Disadvantage

   A disadvantage that is inherent in the GOP is that they are just too nice.  They are proponents of legislation which promotes responsibility.  In the pursuit of doing the right thing and promoting high standards of behavior, this often keeps the GOP from being mean and hard-nosed.  And I would support this attitude as being the correct one.  The GOP should take the higher ground, being ethical and civil in their behavior and discourse.
   One of their opponents, the media, which are primarily made up of people who support the Democrats, often takes advantage of this mindset of the conservatives.  I guess they know that the GOP will take the meek approach when they unfairly paint the conservatives as being the mean, hateful ones.  Just look at the image that has been projected onto the Tea Party.  I have been to a Tea Party Rally.  It was one of the most patriotic, civilized events I have ever attended.  They went to extremes to make sure the event was respectful, civil, and clean.  I trust that other Tea Party events have been conducted in similar manners.  Yet the media has portrayed the Tea Party as being evil, racist, hateful, obstructionists, and the list goes on.  On the other hand, look at the image that has been created by the media about the Occupy Wall Street protesters.  They are the ones being accorded such adjectives as patriotic, civil, and respectful, even though these protests have resulted in many forms of disobedience, unlawful and immoral behavior, and filth. 
   Although the folks on the right have spoken publicly about how unfair this portrayal is, they have done it with class, not resorting to retribution.  For the most part, they keep doing the right thing.  Of course, the right SHOULD be passionate about their beliefs and willing to promote their philosophy with enthusiasm.  However, they must do so with complete understanding that true journalism is practically dead in America.  The right can also take comfort in the knowledge that their beliefs are ones that are in a majority in America.  If this were not true, we would not have ALL of the candidates fighting over who is the most conservative.
   Rush Limbaugh is enduring the wrath of the liberal media right now.  The reason he is being attacked so vehemently is that the GOP is supposed to be the moral party, and his choice of words was considered immoral.  He could have used different words.  However the liberal media is always listening and watching, waiting to pounce on any perceived mistake made by a conservative.  The same kind of actions on the part of a liberal is overlooked.  The exact same word Rush used was also used by a liberal TV personality referring to a female conservative talk show host prior to Rush's recent words.  Nothing was said.  She received no call from the President either.  The double standard is incredibly obvious.
   I guess if you used a Biblical parallel, you could say that this double standard is a cross the conservatives must bear.  My friends and acquaintances are mostly conservative, and I can vouch for the fact that they are fine, decent people, as are the few liberal people that I know.  For the most part, I think conservatives bear that cross rather well.
   The upcoming Presidential election will be vicious.  Whoever the Republican candidate is will be portrayed unfairly.  The conservatives must continue to speak the truth without lowering themselves to use the tactics of the left.

Government as Charity

   Lately, President Obama has been talking about how important it is that we ought to care about our brothers and sisters in need.  I agree with the President on this one.  However, I disagree with him on how that care ought to be put into action.  Liberals in this country, as well as the President, think that the Federal government is the agency which should be providing the care for the needy.  In other words, they consider the government to be a giant charitable organization.  The big difference is that contributions to this charity are mandatory.  I, on the other hand, see churches as being the primary agency to be involved in the care of the needy.
   One thing is obvious to me.  The US Constitution does not describe the government as a charitable agency.  I do not see any place in the Constitution where it describes how it should be taking care of people, other than to protect the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  Historically, the time when the government became a charity seems to have taken place during the administration of FDR when the government became involved in such things as the New Deal and Social Security.  Once that precedent had been set, it opened the door to many other government programs that had goals of helping the needy.  The latest example of this is Obamacare.  While it may sound wonderful to say that we have such a caring government, these kinds of programs also carry with them the loss of our freedoms.  The government is taking more and more control of our lives.  They also encourage irresponsibility. Another aspect of this dilemma is that government has been shown to be a lousy manager of these charitable programs.
   I am aware of several studies which have been done over the years which show that there is quite a bit of difference between the giving habits of liberals and conservatives.  All of the studies show that conservatives are more charitable in their giving than liberals.  I think there is a basic reason for this.  Liberals want the government to be a charity and therefore consider their taxes to be their charitable contributions.  Conservatives have the opposite opinion.  They believe the government should be limited to the powers given to it in the Constitution and do not view their taxes as charitable contributions.  They consider their charitable giving to be to other agencies which are caring for the needs of others.
   Another insidious aspect of this is the fact that liberal party, the Democratic Party, consists of a larger percentage of the people who are recipients of the government's charitable help.  In other words, their party likes the idea of the government being a charity, while the conservatives, the Republican Party, who do not consider the government to be a charity, become the ones who provide the funds to support this giant charity.
   The huge problem is how to get us out of this mess without tearing our country apart.  But we must.  Otherwise, this country will no longer continue as the great country it has been.  I do know this. The current efforts to drive a wedge between the rich and the poor is not going to heal our nation.  Also, if we do manage to get the government out of the charity business, religious organizations are going to have to step up boldly to provide for the needs of the poor.

Deflection

Five well-respected leaders of mainstream religions reluctantly testified before a Congressional hearing because the HHS mandate is violating their beliefs and their freedom of religion.
One unknown women's rights activist coed testifies before another committee saying she needs to have her contraceptives provided to her because she cannot afford them. She wants them free so she can continue having sex. As far as I know, she is not married.
Which of these people gets the most attention? Which one gets a call from the President? Which one is portrayed by the liberal media as the biggest victim? Which one gets the most respect from the President and the liberal media? The answer is obvious.
It is all an attempt to deflect the attention from the issue being one of religious freedom to one of what somehow gets described as women's healthcare, which wasn't threatened in the first place. It's also part of the strategy being used by the Obama re-election campaign.

Mandater-in-Chief

I really do not think we have ever had a President who has been involved in MANDATING so many things. Just remember...the more the mandates, the fewer the freedoms.

Picking Winners and Losers

   The Federal government has been granting subsidies to "green" energy companies, many  of which have turned into absolute failures.  At the same time, this administration has been pushing for taking away tax breaks from the oil companies.  They also always refer to these tax breaks as subsidies.  I happen to think these two terms are not the same.  With a subsidy, money is given to a company.  With a tax break, money is NOT taken from a company.  The bottom line may be the same, but the terms are different. 
   At a time when gasoline prices are outrageously high and appear to be heading higher, it makes no sense to me that the solution is to punish the oil companies. The President simply does not want the oil industry to succeed.  The threat to take away tax breaks is just one example to illustrate this.  There are so many others as well.
   What it boils down to is that  President Obama feels he can be the one who determines who is going to succeed in this country and who is going to fail.  I feel that if we are going to be in the business of subsidies or tax breaks, they ought to be made the same for all.  This administration is always talking about being fair, but in some of its policies, it is attempting to do the opposite of being fair.  The President's record at picking winners is also abysmal.  Just look at how many "green" energy companies that received subsidies that are now going bankrupt.  You could even make an argument that President Obama is attempting to make winners out of his cronies.  "Crony Socialism" seems to be an accurate description of what is going on.
   I would rather see our government stay out of trying to impact businesses altogether.  Let the free market work. American would be better off for it.
   Another BIG question would be this:  Where in the Constitution does it say that the government should be determining winners and losers in the business world?
  Oh, by the way, this is also part of President Obama's re-election campaign.  His base is made up of people who like to think of themselves as victims who look to the government to take care of them.  This requires the manufacturing of as many villains as possible.  I certainly hope there are enough Americans who are wise enough to recognize this as something which is not good for America.  America has never been about victim-hood, it's been about freedom and opportunities to succeed with hard work.

Random Questions

• When did pregnancy become a disease?  If indeed contraceptives and abortifacients are considered a "women's health" issue, then it logically follows that what is prevented or cured by these drugs must be some sort of disease.  That would be pregnancy.
• Why does the Congress need to pass a bill which basically says that the Executive Branch cannot do something which is against the Constitution?  In other words, why does the Congress have to pass a bill which says that the freedom of religion is still applicable?
• Is the HHS mandate a part of the Obama Campaign's re-election effort?  Was this issue brought up just to deflect political discourse which was focused on the President's record to a discussion of social issues that the campaign thought would paint the GOP as religious extremists? And was the media part of the plot?
• Are gas prices increasing now a calculated effort to make them high now so that they can be manipulated later this year at a time when it may get more votes for Democrats in the election?