The Good Ole Days

I have a good friend who likes to repeat something his brother often says about the good ole days: they weren't really that good. Sure it would be cool to be a sheriff in the old west, but never taking a bath and not having access to a decent cup of coffee doesn't sound like paradise. Elizabethan England holds great romance for many, but no indoor plumbing and a street that doubled as a sewer is no good either. So, in most cases I would agree...the good ole days really weren't that good.

There are, however a few exceptions, and one of them comes from the sport of Rally Car Racing. Since we in the US are mostly unfamiliar with rally racing, here's a quick primer: rally racing is the racing of cars in variously modified states on track surfaces of any combination of dry dirt, mud, gravel, pavement or snow. The track is in many places only about a car and a half wide, and can wind through narrow city streets, mountains, forests and a variety of other challenging environments. The track is so challenging that the driver has a navigator whose job it is to call out the upcoming turns so that the driver can be prepared.

In 1982, FIA sanctioned the Group B series of rally racing. Unlike Group A (production vehicles) and Group C (limits on weight and fuel), Group B had very few limitations on materials used, power levels and required very few production versions of the car to be built to qualify. This meant the series was as close to "anything goes" as possible- cars produced insane amounts of horsepower and were some of the most technologically advanced of the time. This also meant they were extremely difficult to drive, and that margins of error were even smaller than that of other classes of rally racing. The combination resulted in some of the most exciting racing in the history of motorsports.

Sadly, Group B was abruptly dissolved just 4 years after its inception after a series of high-profile accidents painted it in a bad public light. This included a collision with spectators (who routinely stand at the edges and even on the track at rally races) and a terrible accident that killed the 1986 championship leader and his navigator. Group B was both a thrilling an unforgiving racing series, and its abrupt cancellation only adds to its allure as a pinnacle of motorsport. Here is some must-watch raw footage from those four years of glory:



Nothing like Group B has been seen before or since- but if you ask those who would know, they''ll tell you about the good ole days when insanely powerful Pugeots, Lancias, Audis and many others fought it out in the mud, streets and snow of Europe. It really was better back then.

A Contextualized Christmas

The time for Christmas music has finally come. Yes, I'm one of those people who believes the tree should not go up and the smooth tones of Bing Crosby should not be heard until the holiday that has become just the last hurdle to Christmas is over. Well, whether you agree with me or not, it's time for some Christmas music.

Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb of God: The True Tale of the Coming of Christ is far and away my favorite Christmas album, and was one of the first that I have listened to this year. Besides the stunning talent evident in the album, what makes Behold the Lamb shine is the way that it tells the story of the coming of Jesus Christ.

You see, too often we function like the heretic Marcion did when it comes to the coming of Christ. He held that the Old Testament of the Bible was incompatible with the New Testament writings, and so he rejected the old in favor of the new and around 144 AD, posited that there must be two gods, the Yahweh of the Old Testament and the Jesus of the New Testament. Now, modern Christians today don't just toss out the Old Testament in favor of the new, never reading it or consulting it. But too often when someone asks "where's the important stuff in the Bible?" we point right past the Law and the Prophets (maybe pausing to stop at Psalms, Proverbs and some of the neat stories) and directly to the New Testament.

But the reality is that the Bible is one big story of God's redemptive history, the redeeming of his people. The story of God's working among his people does not begin in Matthew, but even Matthew points back to what has come before in his genealogy, reminding us that born of Abraham, from the line of David, came the one who would take upon himself the sins of this world. When the Israelites called for deliverance from the slavery and bondage they were enduring in Egypt, their waiting for a deliverer is ultimately fulfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ. The history of the kings of Israel beginning with Saul and then David is not just history, but a pointing forward to the coming of the King of Kings, the one who will rule and reign forever. The passover ritual, the sacrifice of an unblemished animal for sin and the callings forth of the many prophets like Isaiah all point forward to with great anticipation the coming of Jesus Christ.

Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb reminds us of the scriptural reality that Christmas did not start in Matthew, but God's plan to provide a way for the sins of the world to be forgiven began long ago, as he gathered together his people through Abraham. The King that we have, the King that has come, was anticipated with deep longing, pleading and prayer for many generations. The words of Simeon from Luke 2 should move us as we recognize the reality that we have something that many waited for a very long time to have:

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, ²⁸he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

²⁹ "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;
³⁰ for my eyes have seen your salvation
³¹ that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel."

Behold the lamb of God, who takes away our sin...

Must Hear Preaching

My good friends George Bednar and Stephen Farrior have both posted some excellent sermons as of late. They both posted a recent message by a pastor named Matt Chandler, and George also posted a message preached by Dr. Chuck Lawless, a dean at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. These messages are some of the finest and most impactful preaching I have heard recently, and so instead of reposting, I will link to George's post because it has both messages. Take some time to listen and be challenged by the words of these faithful men of God. It will be well worth your time.

The Reality of Following Christ

This video, from The Voice of the Martyrs website, is an important reminder that we have brothers and sisters throughout the world who do not enjoy the freedom that we as Americans have to worship. An account from several of the church members follows.



Church members reported: On Sunday, August 23, 2009, we were still gathering together for service meeting since this is necessary spiritual need. At 3 p.m., many district security officers came into my house. At that time, we were having service meeting, they came and stopped and dismissed us. We stopped and explained to them we had made the application of permission already, but they still blustered. Several of them towed Brother --- out to the house and had him sit on their motorbike. They did the same way to ---. They oppressed him ruthlessly and towed him; they did not allow for him to speak a word. And other women were towed away also. They did take away one guitar but they did not make a report to taking away guitar. After arriving at the district police station, they made the report with the accusation: “They are gathering together illegally.” They used the abuse words and threatened Brother ---: “If you came back this place again; you will be beaten.” … and at 6:30 p.m. they released us.

Continue to pray that our Vietnamese family will not succumb to the pressure against them. Pray they will continue to meet together and encourage each other, so they can continue to share the good news of Jesus Christ.


Source: VOM November 2009 Newsletter

T - 7 and counting...

No, not T - 7 seconds, minutes or hours...days. Yeah, I know, it seems a little less exciting when I put it that way, but imagine that the rocket about to launch is twenty-two plus years in the making. It then seems a little more exciting, huh? Well, there's no rocket, sorry about that; I hope you didn't have your hopes up. Rather, I'm taking about T - 7 days of classroom instruction left in my long educational career.

When I was just a curly-headed ankle biter in Mrs. Metzger's preschool class, I wanted to be a train engineer. That's right, a man who drives trains. I liked the striped engineer's cap, although I don't think they wear them anymore. I suppose I could still wear one if I kept it to myself.

In second grade (I promise I am not going to go through all my classes and teachers) I took Miss McMellon. She was a lot of fun, and she was dating this guy at the time named Dr. Sellers. He would come to class from time to time and teach us Greek, as he was a professor of some type. They eventually married, and at the time my long-lasting concern was that I now had to call her Mrs. Sellers, which sounded like a lot less fun than Miss McMellon.

In sixth grade I looked funny, had acne and met Rich Gaus. If you've never met Rich, you don't know that he's really tall- and I'm really not. And he had a locker below me. We probably should have switched lockers, but instead we became the best of friends. I think I was probably selfish about the top locker and didn't want to give it up. He and his wife just had a baby last week, by the way...here is a picture of Isabella Florence Gaus. The other thing I remember about middle school was Mrs. Fagley's amazing Civics class; I'll never forget the day she rolled up the sleeve on Frankie Buzzo's shirt and started talking about the second ammendment.

In high school I didn't want to be a train engineer any more, but instead thought I wanted to be a fighter pilot. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I wanted to go into the Navy and fly F-14s. I was serious about it, but being Red/Green Color Deficient isn't very conducive with reading the red and green lights on the sides of ships and planes, so I was out. I had a good time acting in and directing theatre productions, and had the best teacher ever for Sophomore English and Drama 1...my mom.

College brought a change of scenery: the cramped concrete jungle of Ft. Lauderdale for the rolling hills of Kentucky. The leaves fell from the trees at the end of the summer and there was a little snow, so I was happy. I studied television production, but wasn't all about it; but what else was there? A summer at home working at my home church was all God needed to call me to ministry (and a change in my major); Digital Field Production was supplanted by Dr. VanArragon's Seminar on Moral Responsibility, et al. I loved working through Philosophy and challenging my mind (although I was at times distracted by this girl I met), but I knew there was more to come.

After visiting two seminaries, I chose the classroom that has been my home for the past 4 1/2 years. My time at Southern has brought me a deeper understanding of Scripture through classes like Hermeneutics and Greek (the Greek that Mr. Sellers taught me in second grade came in handy after all!), and the preaching and teaching of my professors has had a profound impact on me personally, as well as on my still developing call to ministry. Parables, Pastoral Ministry and Preaching have been some of my favorite classes not just for the content, but for the growth I have seen in my own life. God has used my time here in amazing ways.

There you have it...22 and a half years of educational history and all of it comes to a close next Thursday. At 2:15pm I'll walk out of class for the last time. Maybe not forever...perhaps one day I'll be crazy enough to get my PhD, but for now, classes will start in the Spring and I will not be there. It's exciting and sobering at the same time. As Kristen and I wait for God to reveal the next step in our lives, this one quickly passes. I suppose now it's time to use all that stuff I learned, huh?

Theology of Swine Flu

Now I'm just a statistic. A little more than a week ago, with a fever running over 102, I went to the doctor and was told that I had the dreaded swine flu. Not to worry, no cloven hooves appeared and my desire to eat bacon is no stronger than it was before (which is, admittedly, disturbingly strong). Nevertheless, I noticed on Thursday (my first day back to class in a week) that many of my classmates were missing, doubtless also victims of H1N1 (which my father refers to as "hinie"). As I reflect on some comments my professor made regarding the flu, I can't help but restate and expand upon what the swine flu reminds us of.

We live in a broken world. From the moment that Adam and Eve decided their plan was better than God's, we have suffered. The pain of childbirth, the sweat required to gain fruit from the land and even the microbial assault that keeps us on the couch for a week are all as a result of sin. The world is broken and so are we...we need someone who can put all of our shattered pieces back together.

We never know what tomorrow will bring. In our culture, the illusion of control is strong. We manage meetings on Blackberrys, schedule our family dinners and plan our vacations to maximize our relaxation. But the control that we take for granted every day is just an illusion. We never know when the flu can interrupt our plans, just as we never know when a car accident or heart attack can take one that we love, or leave our loved ones without us. We spend a lot of time imagining that we're guaranteed tomorrow, but we do not know the plans of the Lord, and it is arrogance to think that we, in our finite fallenness, have the control.

So, if the swine flu taught me anything, it has reminded me that I'm a lot weaker than I would like to think. My self-reliance crumbles in the face of a microscopic virus, and I am reminded of the words of Paul in II Corinthians 12:

"Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Why I Hate the Peacock

I'll just come right out and say it- network television as it stands now is horrible. I realize this is a well-worn soapbox for me at this point, but I can't help myself. I'm tired of mindless, sanitized drivel mixed in with reality tv trash. I want to be moved by television- it should make me laugh, make me cry...make me feel something. But it's all market research and being all things to all people now.

NBC, once the network of networks, announced today that it is cancelling the critically acclaimed drama Southland after delaying the second season premiere. You've heard me talk about this show on here before; it's a tough and interesting crime drama with unique characters in real situations. Certainly the first seven episodes were bumpy, juggling a large cast and complex, dark subject matter on a non-cable network isn't easy. But it is one of the few shows that had promise, one of the few shows I was looking forward to this year.

It's just the latest in a long-developing pattern for NBC. From the cancellation of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip a few years back, a show that was the best thing NBC had in years, to their tireless promotion of the over-hyped and seriously unfunny 30 Rock, to the overrunning of ER into jump-the-shark oblivion, NBC consistently shows they couldn't spot talent if it walked right up and bit them in the focus group. Shows like The Office continue to do well, but for how long? The marriage of main characters and resolution to so many story lines leaves one wondering where else the show can go. Meanwhile, NBC clings to worthless shows like Heroes despite a ratings plunge, pitches a ridiculous Trauma, and Conan loses every night to someone with an audience 9 years older than his own.

I realize I am probably skewering some sacred cows for some people, but seriously...have you watched these shows? They're junk food, all of them. I realize 30 Rock just won a 3rd Emmy, but that seems to be more of a testament to the intellect of the Emmy voters than the quality of the show. Tracy Morgan isn't funny...he's just Tracy Morgan. Alec Baldwin is talented, but does not shine in this role. Tina Fey has never been funny...ever. The situational comedy is one exaggerated plot twist after another, each more unbelievable and banally ridiculous than the last.

Southland was cancelled because NBC executives felt that the show was too dark and gritty for network television- never mind that shows like House and ER have excelled in this area, telling the story of raw human experience with emotion and authentic realism. John Wells, the producer of such NBC hits as ER, The West Wing and Third Watch, had this to say:

“I’m disappointed that NBC no longer has the time periods available to support the kind of critically acclaimed series that was for so many years a hallmark of their success. We remain extremely proud of ‘Southland,’ and are actively looking for another home for the series.”

Until NBC realizes that cheap does not equal good, art like Southland and Studio 60 will continue to be cast aside in favor of shows that insult our intellegence. So the next time you are channel surfing, skip the Peacock...there's nothing there for you. Maybe one day NBC will get the message.

Sources:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33234601

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/08/nbc-cancels-well-regarded-southland/

America's Best Idea

I posted about this a while back, but Ken Burns' documentary National Parks: America's Best Idea is upon us, playing this week each night on your local PBS station. I've been watching it this week as it chronicles the settling of the West and the battle for preserving the most beautiful parts of our nation before they were lost forever. It is amazing to hear how the idea of a protected national park, a concept that seems logical to us today, was revolutionary for this time. Men like John F. Lacey, Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir fought to protect places like Yellowstone, Yosemite, Mt. Rainer and Crater Lake from being overrun and their wildlife destroyed. The story is both amazing and inspiring- I want to go and see all these places for myself!

The documentary playing in 2 hour increments through the end of the week, and although two hours seems like a long time, it is such a visual and informational feast, you will find yourself drawn in, longing for more. Check it out tonight at 8pm.

President Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir together in Yosemite National Park ca. 1903

A Little Late to the Party

A musician I have always liked said not too long ago that he didn't like the band Coldplay for a long time. The reason? He just could not believe that a band that popular could make good music...then he listened to them.

I've admittedly jumped onto the very crowded bandwagon late, but I really like this band. I downloaded their free live album about a month ago, and after that decided I should try and get more of their music. My good friend George (who has sadly closed down his blog) has been nuts about Coldplay for a while. He hooked me up with X&Y, which I enjoyed, but it didn't quite pull me in on its own. But after purchasing A Rush of Blood to the Head and then the Viva la Vida/Prospekt's March set recently, I can't help myself...I love this band.

If you were like me and never really listened to Coldplay, give them a try...you'll be surprised. I haven't turned an album up that loud in my car in a long time as I have Viva. It's one of the most musically enjoyable albums I have ever heard. It's official: I have become a fan of Coldplay.

The System is No Longer Down!

Just in time for the second week of the semester, our laptop is finally operational again. A Master Boot Record Error left us without the ability to load, so after removing and backing up data, a hard reformat and a long reinstallation process, we're back on the internet. Does this mean you'll see more blogging from me? Hopefully, although with the semester starting, we'll just have to see.

I realize that I promised months ago to get this blog in order, and that it is still a mess. Not sure at this point what to do about that...I may just go with another template. Stay tuned for more posting!

Women, Men and Abortion

Below is an article I read a few weeks ago in First Things magazine. Don't be put off by its length...it's worth a full read. It offers a unique analysis of the implications of abortion on-demand on the cultural view of pregnancy and the responsibility (or lack thereof) that males have in such circumstances. Regardless of your view on abortion, Stith makes some interesting points that are worth considering.

Her Choice, Her Problem
How Abortion Empowers Men
Richard Stith

This summer, President Obama proclaimed again that we “need fathers to recognize that responsibility doesn’t end at conception.” In a sense, of course, he is absolutely right. But the problem is that, in another sense, he is completely wrong: Male responsibility really does end at conception. Men these days can choose only sex, not fatherhood; mothers alone determine whether children shall be allowed to exist. Legalized abortion was supposed to grant enormous freedom to women, but it has had the perverse result of freeing men and trapping women.

The likelihood of this cultural development was foreseen by the radical feminist Catherine MacKinnon, one of the critical voices responding to Roe v. Wade’s extension of the right of privacy to cover abortion. In an essay called “Privacy vs. Equality,” MacKinnon argued that “abortion’s proponents and opponents share a tacit assumption that women do significantly control sex. Feminist investigations suggest otherwise. Sexual intercourse . . . cannot simply be presumed coequally determined.” Indeed, she added, “men control sexuality,” and “ Roe does not contradict this.”

“Abortion facilitates women’s heterosexual availability,” MacKinnon pointed out: “In other words, under conditions of gender inequality [abortion] does not liberate women; it frees male sexual aggression. The availability of abortion removes the one remaining legitimized reason that women have had for refusing sex besides the headache.” Perhaps that is why, she observed, “the Playboy Foundation has supported abortion rights from day one.” In the end, MacKinnon pronounced, Roe’s “right to privacy looks like an injury got up as a gift,” for “virtually every ounce of control that women won” from legalized abortion “has gone directly into the hands of men.”

At the time, MacKinnon’s work may have seemed little more than a curiosity on the left, but, as the years have passed, some of the essay’s claims have proved prescient. I recall a law student who would admit when pressed, “I’m in favor of keeping abortion legal because I don’t like using condoms.” Since abortion could now come between conception and birth, he saw no benefit to missing any portion of sexual pleasure, even though it imposed a risk of surgery on his partner. He may have assumed a rational partner would choose abortion either freely or under pressure. With less deliberate callousness, under the influence of passion almost any male may think quite simply: “At least there’s a way out if the unlikely happens and pregnancy occurs.”

I’ve also met a clever female undergraduate student living with her boyfriend, who thought she had solved this problem. When I asked whether she was for or against abortion, she answered: “I’m pro-choice, but you can bet I tell him I’m pro-life!” She reasoned that, in light of her warning, he would be careful not to fool around in ways that could lead to pregnancy.

Such a lie may not provide protection for every young woman in her situation, however. If she says she is pro-life so that he thinks abortion is not an option for her, he might decide to keep her from getting pregnant by leaving her for someone more open to abortion, a woman who doesn’t insist on his using a condom. That is, the presence in the sexual marketplace of women willing to have an abortion reduces an individual woman’s bargaining power. As a result, in order not to lose her guy, she may be pressured into doing precisely what she doesn’t want to do: have unprotected sex, then an unwanted pregnancy, then the abortion she had all along been trying to avoid. Even though her abortion in this case is not literally forced, it would be, in an important sense, imposed on her. And, far from alleviating her overall situation, it would merely return her to the same sexual pressures, made worse by a new assurance to her boyfriend that she is willing to take care of a ­pregnancy.

Perhaps it was difficult to foresee such cultural trends back in 1973, when Roe v. Wade was handed down by the Supreme Court. But they simply track the inner logic of choice and the market. Economists have shown that such scenarios have in fact become common since abortion was legalized in the United States. Easy access to abortion has increased the expectation and frequency of sexual intercourse (including unprotected intercourse) among young people, making it more difficult for a woman to deny ­herself to a man without losing him, thus increasing pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. (See, for instance, Jonathan Klick and Thomas Stratmann’s 2003 study, “The Effect of Abortion Legalization on Sexual Behavior,” in the Journal of Legal ­Studies.)

Furthermore, if a woman attempts to choose birth instead of abortion, she may well find the child’s father pushing the other way. Her boyfriend’s fear of fatherhood would once have been focused on intercourse itself and could have led him either to be careful to avoid conception or else (overcoming that fear) to commit himself beforehand to equal responsibility for the child. His fear now will turn to getting her to choose abortion. One investigator, Vincent M. Rue, reported in the Medical Science Monitor, that 64 percent of American women who abort feel pressed to do so by others. Another, Frederica Mathewes-Green in her book Real Choices, discovered that American women almost always abort to satisfy the desires of people who do not want to care for their children.

Catherine MacKinnon seemed to suggest that abortion leads to greater male sexual aggression only “under conditions of gender inequality,” which implies more equality for women could reduce the male exploitation caused by Roe v. Wade. That makes sense in theory. To the degree that individual women are economically, educationally, and in other ways empowered, they should be more able to stand up to male pressures to have unwanted sex (and to have unwanted abortions in order to give the guys still more unwanted sex).

But counteracting the negative forces of sexual competition is difficult. Even if women were universally to agree to refuse sex without condoms, for example, enforcement of this agreement in such an intimate sphere would be nearly impossible. Women would always be tempted to increase their individual sexual competitiveness by consenting to sex without a condom, while relying on abortion as a backup, thus causing female solidarity and power to collapse. Only women strong enough to forgo boyfriends altogether might be likely in the end to resist.

Furthermore, if MacKinnon is right, wherever women have not yet overcome gender inequality, involuntary sex and involuntary abortion will tend to be more frequent, precisely as a result of abortion’s availability. To the degree that a culture is built on machismo, for example, the legalization of abortion will make women relatively worse off by giving men another tool to manipulate women as sex objects. Again, to the degree that an economy employs mainly men, leaving women dependent on economic handouts, women will be much less likely to resist male pressures to make use of abortion. Wherever men make women’s decisions for them, the option of abortion will be a man’s choice, regardless of how the law may label it.

Human-rights activists in developing nations must learn to consider this fact. In those countries, only a thin, elite layer of truly independent and powerful women may be relatively unharmed by the availability of abortion, because only for them is the abortion option more nearly their own. Proclaiming a right to abortion in developing countries may mean just adopting the viewpoint of these well-to-do professionals—which ought to be no surprise. Those elites are often the only voices for women heard in the transnational political arenas where abortion is debated.

Moreover, the availability of abortion may make all societies less open to empowering women in other ways. MacKinnon may well be right that stronger women would more often resist male pressures to risk pregnancies and have abortions. But, perhaps paradoxically, the option of abortion actually makes sympathy and solidarity—and thus women’s empowerment—less likely.

When birth was the result of passion and bad luck, some people could sympathize with a young woman who was going to need help with her baby, though the stigma of bastardry was genuine. If money or a larger place to live were going to be necessary for her to stay in school, a sense of solidarity would likely lead friends and family to offer assistance. The father would feel strong pressure as well, for he was as responsible as she for the child. He might offer to get a second job or otherwise shoulder some of the burdens of parenting.

But once continuing a pregnancy to birth is the result neither of passion nor of luck but only of her deliberate choice, sympathy weakens. After all, the pregnant woman can avoid all her problems by choosing abortion. So if she decides to take those difficulties on, she must think she can handle them.

Birth itself may be followed by blame rather than support. Since only the mother has the right to decide whether to let the child be born, the father may easily conclude that she bears sole responsibility for caring for the child. The baby is her fault.

It may also seem unfair to him that she could escape motherhood (by being legally allowed to prevent birth), while he is denied any way to escape fatherhood (by still being legally required to pay child support). If consenting to sex does not entail consenting to act as a mother, why should it entail consenting to act as a father? Paternity support in this context appears unjust, and he may resist compliance with his legal duties.

Prior to the legalization of abortion in the United States, it was commonly understood that a man should offer a woman marriage in case of pregnancy, and many did so. But with the legalization of abortion, men started to feel that they were not responsible for the birth of children and consequently not under any obligation to marry. In gaining the option of abortion, many women have lost the option of marriage. Liberal abortion laws have thus considerably increased the number of families headed by a single mother, resulting in what some economists call the “feminization of poverty.”

The mother is even worse off if, during pregnancy, tests show that the child will have a disability: Doctors often press for abortion, in order to be sure that she does not later blame and sue them for the costs of raising her child. Some have suggested that health-care plans should provide no postbirth coverage for a handicapped child whose mother refuses a paid abortion. If she does not abort, after all, she will be causally responsible for the costs and the alleged burdens that the child brings. Even her friends and neighbors may make her feel ashamed for not choosing to abort her child.

Employers may likewise react negatively to maternal needs where abortion has been available. If they (or the state) pay for abortions, they may feel less obligated to shape labor practices to the needs of mothers. If maternity causes problems with work routines or job schedules, the employer may well consider these to be private or personal problems that female employees brought on themselves. The availability of abortion makes women’s claims for better working conditions lose a measure of legitimacy.

Throughout human history, children have been the consequence of natural sexual relations between men and women. Both sexes knew they were equally responsible for their children, and society had somehow to facilitate their upbringing. Even the advent of birth control did not fundamentally change this dynamic, for all forms of contraception are fallible.

Elective abortion changes everything. Abortion absolutely prevents the birth of a child. A woman’s choice for or against abortion breaks the causal link between conception and birth. It matters little what or who caused conception or whether the male insisted on having unprotected intercourse. It is she alone who finally decides whether the child comes into the world. She is the responsible one. For the first time in history, the father and the doctor and the health-insurance actuary can point a finger at her as the person who allowed an inconvenient human being to come into the world.

The deepest tragedy may be that there is no way out. By granting to the pregnant woman an unrestrained choice over who will be born, we make her alone to blame for how she exercises her power. Nothing can alter the solidarity-shattering impact of the abortion option.

Richard Stith teaches at Valparaiso University School of Law in Indiana.

Article reposted from firstthings.com.

Recommended Listening

My brother Andrew just completed his first EP entitled Summer Musings. In a folk-acoustic style similar to Andy Gullahorn and Andrew Peterson, he ruminates (sometimes humorously) on life and Summers past. It's a great first effort from someone who is very talented, and I highly recommend the album.

You can listen to previews for free below, and download it through NoiseTrade. The website has a unique approach to music...you can download the full album it for free if you email 5 friends about it through their website (it doesn't put anyone on a mailing list) or you can pay what you like ($1-$25) and get the full download.

Check out Summer Musings by Andrew Groves!

Hudson Taylor

Upon Kristen's urging, I read a chapter from a biography of the missionary to China, Hudson Taylor. Below are some words of his that impact me deeply even as I read them now. Read them carefully and ponder the meaning of identification with Christ in your life.

I thought that holiness, practical holiness, was to be gradually attained by a diligent use of the means of grace. There was nothing I so much desired as holiness, nothing I so much needed; but far from in any measure attaining it, the more I strove after it, the more it eluded my grasp, until hope itself almost died out, and I began to think that- perhaps to make heaven the sweeter- God would not give it down here. I do not think that I was striving to attain it in my own strength. I knew I was powerless. I told the Lord so, and asked Him to give me help and strength...

I strove for faith, but it would not come; I tried to exercise it, but in vain. Seeing more and more the wondrous supply of grace laid up in Jesus, the fullness of our precious Saviour, my guilt and helplessness seemed to increase. Sins committed appeared but as trifles compared with the sin of unbelief which was their cause, which could not or would not take God at His word, but rather made Him a liar! Unbelief was I felt the damning sin of the world; yet I indulged in it. I prayed for faith, but it came not. What was I to do?...

But how to get faith strengthened? Not by striving after faith, but by resting in the Faithful One. As I read, I saw it all! "If we believe not, he abideth faithful." I looked to Jesus and saw (and when I saw, oh, how joy flowed!) that He had said, "I will never leave thee."...I have striven in vain to rest in Him. I'll strive no more. For has not He promised to abide with me- never to leave me, never to fail me?...

The sweetest part, if one may speak of one part being sweeter than another, is the rest which full identification with Christ brings. I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize this; for He, I know, is able to carry out His will, and His will is mine. It makes no matter where He places me, or how. That is rather for Him to consider than for me; for in the easiest position He must give me His grace, and in the most difficult His grace is sufficient.

40 years later

Forty years ago today, Neil Armstrong first set foot on the surface of the Moon. It was a spectacular technological achievement, and a victory for America in the Space Race against the Soviet Union. Not before or perhaps even since, has such a triumph inspired as the Moon landing did in 1969.

But there are some that continue to insist that this amazing feat did not actually occur, and the footage that so many hail as authentic was really shot in a desert or on some soundstage rather than the Lunar surface. A government conspiracy of nearly unimaginable magnitude is necessitated to cover the tracks of this colossal hoax.

So, on the 40th anniversary of the landing of man on the Moon, I thought it would be appropriate to look at a few of the most common hoax arguments regarding the Moon landing and evaluate them in accordance with the facts.

There are no stars in any of the Moon photographs. This is because the pictures were taken in a studio rather than the Lunar surface, where stars would have been visible.

Cameras, set for daylight exposure, did not detect the relatively faint points of light from the surrounding star field. Additionally, it was "day" on the Moon (the astronauts were on the light side) and the light of the Sun would most likely overpower the faint light of stars, just as it does during day on the Earth.

The flag planted by the astronauts in the Lunar environment waves as if being blown in the wind, despite the lack of atmospheric wind. This is most likely caused by the massive air-conditioners needed to keep the astronauts cool in their bulky suits while in the studio.

Numerous tests (including one by the Mythbusters) prove that the "flag waving" is easily explained by free swinging of the corner of the flag in a low-gravity environment, as a pendulum would. The waving only occurs after the astronauts move the flag, casting further doubt that the flag was fluttering in the air currents of a studio air conditioner. Additionally, analysis of over 30 minutes of Moon footage shows no further movement of the flag whatsoever.

The Moon rocks match exactly rock samples taken from Antarctica.

While there is a ring of truth to this argument, it still doesn't support any moon hoax theory. Lunar meteorites are not an unheard of phenomenon- Lunar impacts eject rocks from the surface of the Moon, and some of these rocks survive entry into the atmosphere and crash to Earth. Furthermore, some of these rocks have been found in places like Antarctica. However, there are only about 66 lbs. of Lunar meteorites known to exist since the first was identified in 1982. The largest robotic Moon rock/soil return thus far is 326 grams by 3 Soviet Luna missions. The total weight of recovered Moon rocks from the Apollo missions is 840 lbs. Under a hoax scenario, either more than 12X the official number of Lunar meteorites exist as hoax Moon rocks, or at least 300 robotic rock return missions (based on the most modern plans for robotic rock collection) must have been flown to account for all the rocks collected.

The hoax proponents allege that the Moon landing was staged. There are, however, a myriad of problems with this suggestion. Just one example: low gravity and the vacuum of space causes dust to settle differently than it would in the Earth's atmosphere, and the footage from the Moon landings shows physical behavior of dust inconsistent with the Earth's gravity and atmosphere. Implicit in this suggestion is that there are at least a sizeable number of people who hatched and continue to hide the most massive government conspiracy in the history of the United States at a time when it is no longer critical we maintain the illusion of having gone to the Moon. The argument for faking the Moon landing made some sense during the time of the Soviet Union- it makes no sense now.

Allegations of missing telemetry data tapes and original video recordings abound, and sadly, a great deal of the original data from the Apollo 11 landing has been lost, though copies remain. But this is not proof of anything substantial, just that someone wasn't smart enough to preserve the tapes or observant enough to check what was being erased. Even if this argument did disprove the Apollo 11 landing, it doesn't hold water with regard to later missions for which all or almost all original data and video is accounted for.

Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke states: "We've been to the Moon nine times. Why would we fake it nine times, if we faked it?" Perhaps to throw us all off the scent of the massive government conspiracy? In the end, I find that allegations of a Moon landing hoax are probably some of the least logically consistent and most poorly-supported ideas I have ever come across. Suspicion of the government is often cited as a presuppositional motive for the 6% of Americans that still hold to some Moon hoax view. I can sympathize with this idea, but not in this case- there's just too little evidence, and I can't believe that so many people have kept quiet, lying about one of the greatest events in human history, for so long with no exception.

My approach has been to rationally and scientifically evaluate the arguments...Buzz Aldrin took another approach when he was accused of lying about landing on the Moon by Bart Sibrel, maker of the film A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Moon. Here's Aldrin's response:

40 years ago today we took one small step for man...how much longer before the next giant leap for mankind?

***Check out my brother Andrew's Apollo 11 blog here. He includes an excellent video clip also.

The Most Beautiful Place on Earth

I've been fortunate in my life to have traveled many places. I've seen the Grand Canyon, driven the Pacific Coast Highway, sailed beautiful Lake Michigan and watch the ocean smash against the rocks off the coast of Newcastle, Australia. I've even been to Fiji. But of all the places I've been and the things that I have seen, nothing compares to a slice of wilderness in Northwest Wyoming. Yellowstone National Park is, at least for me, the most beautiful place on earth.

My family took a trip there when I was in my teens, and I still remember the vast expanse of beautiful wilderness. Bison dotted the plains and waterfalls carved into the yellow rock from which the park gets its name. The sulfur springs and geysers like Old Faithful are some of the most prominent reminders of the massive geological activity in the Yellowstone Caldera upon which the park sits. Yellowstone has it all- mountains, plains, geysers, lakes, forests and massive rock formations, the combination of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

Yellowstone is America's first national park, but it is only one of 54 featured in Ken Burns' upcoming 6-part PBS documentary entitled The National Parks: America's Best Idea. The fruit of 5 years of production, this promises to be both a historic and visual feast. My brother Matthew first brought this documentary to my attention on his blog, and I join with him in anticipation of the September premiere. You can (and should!) watch an amazing 25 minute preview, with finished footage from the film as well as the crew at work, here.

Too often our tunnel vision prevents us from seeing the wonders of the world around us. We can recite the details of our work day but cannot name the species of tree in our back yard. Getting outside, both literally and figuratively, does us great good as individuals and collectively. If you've never been to a national park just to be there, then I would encourage you to consider going. The experience is both perspective-altering and awe-inspiring, and should be on the must-do list for every family and individual. And if you haven't been, go to Yellowstone- you won't regret it.

*Black and White Photos by Ansel Adams

A year ago today...

Today, our Paisley turns 1 year old. Here's a little photographic trip through her life. I know it's a little obsessive, but we don't have any kids, so she's our baby!

One year ago today, June 22, 2008, she emerged, an "oops" puppy in a litter of a black mother and a harlequin (black and white) father. There were some recessive genes in there somewhere!

Our first visit with the puppies had me holding the little three week old puppy that would become our Paisley.

At six weeks the puppies were playing outside for the first time, and loving all the new stimuli. Look at that cute face!

After a hard day's play, they were anxious to climb into Kristen's lap for a nap. This one always wanted to be close to her, even if it meant squashing her brother!

Still struggling to decide which puppy was the best for us, we went out again that weekend to make our final decision. It came down to me asking Kristen the question. "When I say Paisley, which puppy pops into your mind?" It was this sweet but independent little fawn.

Here's a cute shot of Paisley and her beautiful mom Bella around six and a half weeks...we felt bad taking her away!

Paisley came home at exactly eight weeks old, and the first day was quite the adjustment period. She was uncomfortable with the unfamiliar surroundings, and did a lot of moping and staring and sleeping. All that would soon change!

Her first playdate with other dogs she would soon outgrow came at 10 weeks, and so did her first encounter with stairs!

Trips to the park like this one at twelve weeks became routine for our growing puppy.

Soon she began to develop new habits...staring out the window at fourteen weeks was one of them!

Her first official photoshoot came at seventeen weeks...she loved playing in the leaves.

She took well to her first big snow at seven months, frolicking and rolling in it and loving every minute of it!

More of her new habits emerged and by 8 months, she was more than comfortable sitting on the couch with (or on) us.

Her spay and stomach tacking surgery at just past 9 months was a setback for her energy level- she was down and out for at least a week, and we had to try and keep her calm for much longer than that!

At eleven months she enjoys some of Kentucky's finest...

Here are picture from our most recent outing to the seminary lawn just a few days ago. From 5 pounds at birth to 20 pounds upon arrival at home to 100 pounds as of right now, she's grown quite a bit, shedding her rolly-polly figure, turning into the lithe and muscular adult puppy she almost is. But she's still a puppy at heart!

Happy Birthday Paisley!

I left my heart...

This is the third time I have traveled to San Francisco, and each time I go I find that I love the city more and more. Despite the fact that I'm not a big fan of urban sprawl, the beautiful architecture and the rich, unique character of the city leaves me yearning for more. Kristen and I noted that despite the fact that our time has been full during both our visits to San Francisco, we still have a very long list of things we want to do and see there.

Our trip began at the Palace of the Legion of Honor, an art museum that can be seen in the Alfred Hitchcock classic Vertigo. The museum has a great collection, a few pictures of which can be seen below.

Center in the courtyard is a cast of what may be French sculptor Auguste Rodin's most famous work, The Thinker. Known as a symbol of philosophy, this cast was made under the direction of the artist around the turn of the century, and is the most visible part of the museum's Rodin collection, the largest outside of the Musee Rodin in France. Though I know a lot less about sculpture than I should, I was moved by the beauty of his work.

The Kiss, 1884.
The Prodigal Son, 1889.

Here are two other works of art that I enjoyed:

Forest Interior, Cezanne, 1898-1899.

After the visit to the Palace of the Legion of Honor, we ate lunch at an Indian Restaraunt. Those of you who know me may find this surprising...I am, after all, someone who prefers my cheeseburgers with cheese and meat only. But Kristen has been pushing me to experience new kinds of food, and I must say that our visit to the India Clay Oven was a great experience. The atmosphere was great and the buffet allowed me to try a number of different dishes. If you're ever in San Francisco, check it out!

One of the best things about our visit to San Francisco was the fact that we spent time before our visit researching and locating the best cheap eats in the city. Instead of eating at chains or whatever was closest, we had our meals at some of the best hole-in-the-wall places in the city. I told Kristen that it was definitely one of the highlights of our trip, and I would recommend the ahead of time research to anyone planning a trip to San Francisco.

Next, we visited the botanical gardens in Golden Gate Park. Because of San Francisco's mild climate, plants from all over the world can be grown there. The park is huge and is laid out by country and region, so you can walk through native Australian flora and next experience an Asian bamboo forest. Here are just a few of the many pictures we took.

On our way back to the hotel, we had to stop and visit the famous "Painted Ladies." Featured on the intro to Full House, these Victorian mansions are beautiful examples of the architecture of the city.

Our second day began with a visit to Grace Cathedral, an imposing Episcopal church between Nob Hill and Union Square. It's a beautiful church, and a landmark of the city.

We're kind of dorks when it comes to Alfred Hitchcock movies, and Vertigo, filmed in San Francisco, is one of our favorites. We spent a little time in the afternoon looking for a real-life piece of the film- the apartment where "Scottie," Jimmy Stewart's character, brings the character played by Kim Novak after she nearly drowns in the bay. Here's the door, painted a different color but mostly unchanged from when the movie was filmed in the mid 50s.

Much of our second day was spent just walking around. We spent some time at the infamous tourist trap Pier 39, and walked through the neighborhoods of North Beach, hiking up to Coit Tower in the afternoon.

Finally, this is what I love about San Francisco so very much. The steep neighborhood streets, unique city skyline and beautiful Victorians are just beautiful in the late afternoon.

So the trip was great, and we did a lot in 2 days. But it was still all too short... I guess now's the time to start planning trip #3!