weeklythoughtexchange

It can be daunting to select a parenting philosophy in this era. The media, the healthcare system, the education system, not to mention friends, family, and Facebook bombard the new parent with a barrage of parenting trends and advice. I’ve heard it all: “Never hit your child.” “These are the words you should never to say to your preschooler.” “Be sure your child always eats…” “Leave your left shoe in the back seat so that you don’t forget your baby in the car.” “Let your baby set his own schedule.” “Don’t vaccinate.” “To not vaccinate is criminal.” Some advice really makes a lot of sense, but when it starts to contradict itself it becomes overwhelming.

All I know is that I want to do the right thing for my son. I want to protect him from harm; I want him to be as healthy as possible; I hope to cultivate within him a desire for learning, a respect for life, and a fear of God. Knowing my heart is one thing. Developing a parenting philosophy to fulfill it is another thing. As a fallible human in an imperfect world it is all too easy to become imbalanced. In an attempt to protect I could become a helicopter parent. Out of a desire to teach him empathy and respect I might go too heavy on the reasoning and too light on the discipline. If I focus too much on avoiding germs it is likely that I could weaken his immune system rather than fortifying it. What does a new mother do?

She must turn to the Word of God. As our Heavenly Father, the Almighty God sets the example of perfect parenting:
– He assures His people that His name is a strong tower that the righteous can run to and be safe. He promises security, but He doesn’t promise protection from all harm. He strengthens His children by allowing them to endure hardship. I cannot protect my son from all bodily injury or sickness, but I can assure him that there will always be someone by his side to support, comfort, and encourage him as he endures the trial and becomes stronger.
– He reminds His people that fear (or awe) of Him is the beginning of wisdom. When we respect the Almighty God, we will obey His commands and in so doing we will gain wisdom and discernment to help us avoid temptation, live long in the land, and deepen our relationship with Christ. This reminds me that an education in Who God is begins at day one with my child. By keeping that in the forefront of daily parenting all other forms of education will fall into place and have more meaning to him. The discernment he learns from following God will preserve his physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
– He tests His people. On several occasions God tested the faith of those He was leading. He tests us not for his benefit, but to reveal to us where we stand in our faith. These opportunities, usually painful or stressful, remind us that we can’t function on our own. We need to cultivate our willingness to turn to Him for strength and help. If I remove all sources of temptation from my baby, like breakable items on low shelves, I am robbing him of opportunities to learn obedience and to see that I truly mean what I say.
-He delights in His own. This is key to parenting. Not only does every child want to be cared for, he also wants to be delighted in. He wants to know that his parents are glad he was born. God certainly does that with us. I want to be sure that my son knows he is a delight in my life. This doesn’t mean that I avoid disciplining him; instead, I believe that discipline will be much more effective if he knows that his parents are delighted to have him as their son.

The positive parent shouldn’t avoid confrontation with their children or hand life to them on a silver platter. I think we succumb to claiming those things as part of our parenting philosophy as a path to making us feel good about ourselves instead of truly seeking the best interest of the child. No, the genuinely positive parent provides security in times of difficulty, instills respectful fear to teach discernment and self-control, routinely tests the child in order to assess the child’s level of obedience and to show the child where he can still grow, and delights in the child’s individuality by affirming, spending time with, and showing affection to the young one. While these are just a handful of examples of God’s parenting skills, they are certainly a good place to start.

One of the most intriguing things in the Old Testament account of the manna from heaven was God’s command that no one collect extra in order to have leftovers. Any leftovers would mold by the next morning. The exception was the day before the Sabbath, as everyone was required to rest on the Sabbath. He said something similar in regards to the sacrifices. Certain sacrifices were actually given as food to the priests; this was one way that the priests and their families were supported. However, they were only allowed to keep the food for three days. Anything that was left over had to be burned.

Hmmm…it’s worth pondering, don’t you think? How can such a simple command be applied to our lives? I thought of two possible ways.
1. Hoarding the manna in order to have some for later was an indication of a lack of trust in God’s provision. God had promised to provide, and He expected the people to take Him at His word. This is not a green light for the frivolous spending of my paycheck leftovers once all of the bills have been paid. Rather, I believe that responsible saving of the leftovers is much like Sabbath manna – saving for a time when you will not be able to work or having available funds to help those in need. On the other hand, if a need is presented to me that would prevent me from saving one month, I do not want to hesitate from giving what I have available. That would be a testament to my trust in God’s provision.

2. The sacrifices that were offered to the LORD, for whatever reason, were holy because they were being dedicated unto Him. It didn’t matter that some of them were being used to feed the priests and their households; what mattered was that the people knew their offerings belonged to the Almighty God. He could do whatever He wanted with those sacrifices. Some of them were completely burned or poured out; others were reserved for those whose lives were wholly dedicated to His service. For the priests to allow their portions of the sacrifices to rot would be dishonoring to God; it meant they were not utilizing what had been entrusted to them. How disgraceful it would be for something holy to turn putrid! And so it is with the lives that have been entrusted to us. As Christians our entire existence should be offered unto the LORD to do with whatever He wishes. It is terribly easy to forget that we belong to God and to instead become consumed with the demands on OUR time or become focused on OUR wants and desires or be distracted by OUR troubles. Instead we need to consume our time, energy, and mental abilities with our Savior’s work and glory.

At the end of my life I want to be able to reflect on my material wealth, time usage, energy level, and thought life and be able to say, “I’m used up for Jesus. There are no leftovers to offer Him because I gave Him my all.”

In the heat of the summer there isn’t much one really feels motivated to do, except perhaps, lounge in the shade with a cool drink and a good book. Ever since I quit work I have been determined to get back into reading. My profession was devoted to getting kids hooked on reading and writing yet I rarely had time to do so myself. I want to make up for lost time. However, I also don’t want to simply indulge in frivolous entertainment reading and let my mind go to rot. My solution? That’s what I would like to share with you today just in case you’d like to try it out for your summer reading time.

The seed of my idea was planted back when I was a kid. My mom wanted to make sure that I was being exposed to a variety of genres so she required me to rotate the genres I read. I am glad she did so since it taught me discipline in reading. I have since tweaked the rotation using suggestions from various resources that explain the importance of cultivating a well-balanced mind.

1. Classic (Soup and Salad)
I find classics both fun and challenging. There is a wide selection in the classic department. They can be fiction or nonfiction; entertaining or informative. The common thread is that they were written in a different era and expose the reader to language formalities that we are probably not familiar with. This means the vocabulary may be rich and uncharted territory as well. When I read the classic I keep a highlighter, pencil, notepad, and dictionary handy. I highlight unusual words, look them up in the dictionary, and write down the definition on my notepad. This activity whets my appetite for further reading, just as soup and salad cause you to anticipate the next course on the menu.

2. (Auto)biography (Meat and Potatoes)
Classics and their abundant vocabulary might seem like the main course at mealtime, but because of their varied nature I placed them first on the menu. Instead, I think biographies should be the main focus of our reading. It is when reading someone else’s story that we can really learn from the past. We are being exposed to mentors, role models, heroes and history as we read these personal stories. They are an excellent reminder of the story we are writing, whether we consider ourselves writers or not. The last biography that I read, MIMOSA, truly touched me and inspired me. I am always curious about whose story I will be reading next.

3. Self-Improvement (Bread)
This book can actually be read at any time alongside another book. These books can be psychological in nature, such as a study done on girl aggression or a book about introverted personalities, a recipe book, a housecleaning guide, a fix-it book, a book of poetry, etc. It’s probably not one that you could read straight through, three chapters in a sitting, which is why it’s a great side. It introduces you to new thoughts and skills, but it is not a story that pulls you in and holds you.

4. Leisure Read (Dessert)
Irresistible! This category is for your relaxation reads. It is something you read for pure entertainment. These are the ones that will keep me up until midnight reading. If we were to only read these kinds of books our minds wouldn’t be expanding all that much, but they sure are fun when they are read. Personally, I like the ones that have some historical facts in them so that I am learning and having fun at the same time. I prefer to have my self-improvement book going at the same time as this one because dessert books don’t get my mind working too hard.

And then I start the cycle all over again. I am on my second round through the cycle at this point. I just started THE CONFESSIONS OF ST. AUGUSTINE and have my word research tools on the ready. 🙂 I do hope you find this helpful. Please tell me about your reading experiences this summer.

As my readership knows quite well, I consistently wrestle with perfection – which means that I have a pride issue. I have written about the different ways pride pops up its nasty head in my life, but writing about pride doesn’t rid my life of it, just as writing about a sinus infection won’t cure it. Rather, my pride problems drive me to prayer and devotions on a daily basis as I ever seek new insight on how to keep Christ first in my life.

I recently began to think that one way humility can be practiced is by being content with life as it is. This is one area where I am in need of improvement. I have a habit of comparing myself with others or discreetly competing with them. I often have a train of thought that goes something like this: “I don’t have as many children as A” or “I’m not as smart as B” or “I’m not as influential as C.” I can see this having the potential of only getting worse as I begin active parenting and homeschooling. At the heart of this dissatisfaction is the sin of pride. I want to prove that I’m better than everyone else, and that I have it all figured out. But the facts are that I’m not and I don’t. I have a unique calling for my life that was placed on me by God. My home must be my first priority. Everything else, no matter how noble or necessary, must come second to ensuring my home is peaceful and my family is content. The first place that starts is with me. If I am stressed, rushing, or discontent my family will be too; I set the tone of my home.

Who am I that God is mindful of me? The majestic king of the universe has gifted me with existence, and I dare think that I want or deserve more? Humility comes when I thank God for life exactly as it is and then go on to embrace it with joy. I absolutely need God’s help to let go of all the extras and only keep the ones He deems necessary to my life. I think God has to routinely slow me down to help me remember that He is in charge of my schedule, and I need to remember that. With the right perspective in place, the pause really isn’t so bad. It’s kind of like He’s serving me a slice of humble pie with a glass of milk.

Never before have I been more aware of the war on boys that is being waged by our western, feminist society. I am sure that my previous sentence has already garnered many protests, but I hold firmly to my stated sentiment. It is true that females are continuing to be objectified in our culture, but at the very same time our males are either being emasculated or dehumanized. The same propaganda that turns women into sex objects on the one hand is portraying men as violent, sex-crazed beasts on the other. It’s either that or they are being told to stop playing soldiers on the playground.

The focus on strengthening girls has certainly amped up, and necessarily so. I do not condone cultivating a sense of inferiority within girls that is prevalent in the Islamic cultures. Women have a vital role to play in society and in order to do so they must be strengthened and encouraged. There is no shame in fighting, playing, or working “like a girl,” as the video being promoted on Facebook states. Yet after a moment of careful consideration one can hear the subtle message within the message – that boys are not as good as girls. This message carries through in stores, in classrooms, in movies, and in games. Boys are expected to embrace extreme violence in their hobbies and free time and then are expected to play nice, sit still, and color in the classroom.

The same is true about men. Most of the weekly sitcoms portray men as dense, stupid, idiotic. Movies often show them as ridiculously violent or absolutely clueless about reality. It’s true that men often don’t understand the intricacies of the female psyche, but does that make them useless or ridiculous? My husband and I attended our first birthing class last night, and the only complaint I had about it was how the instructor referenced men. Her examples of how the men should support the laboring mother gave the impression that she presumed these new fathers would say and do the most insensitive things. While her husband did do a lot of those very things, but he is just one man. Simply because men and women are different does not mean either sex is superior to the other.

Granted, a quick glance around the world and sneak peeks into random homes will show us great travesties being committed against helpless women and children by ruthless men. True, women have been and still are being promoted as sex objects, toys for men without scruples. Yes, the majority of violent crimes are probably perpetrated by males and yes, boys do like to fight, wrestle, and play with imaginary guns. It is also true that women are not the innocent strengths that they would like to say there. A quick glance around the world and sneak peeks into random homes will reveal women enforcing brutal traditions on young girls or being anything but the peacemaker in their households. Women often promote themselves as sex objects by what they wear, how they speak, and where they spend their free time. Girls can be vicious in the classroom, on the playground, and through social media- destroying with their tongues much more than boys can with their fists.

My point is that before we all get on the bandwagon to promote women’s rights and self-esteem we should stop and consider what that means. Are we truly improving things or are we throwing our men under the bus in our efforts to place women on a pedestal? Perhaps the only way to make the world a better place for women and girls is to protect the integrity of men and boys. Encourage the boys to fight for what’s right, to honor what is beautiful, and to celebrate the differences between the two sexes. Then turn to the girls: encourage them to thank boys for their assistance, to cultivate beauty of character, and to celebrate the differences between the two sexes. It would make the world a better place for all of us.

My journey through the Old Testament continues, as does my discovery of truth gems in these Ancient Words. Critics and Christians alike often seek to undermine the relevancy and validity of the Old Testament; I, myself, have often read it with “a grain of salt” – meaning I rarely sought to apply its words to my Christian walk unless they explicitly applied to my situation. I am reading with a different attitude this time. I earnestly seek to absorb and implement at least one truth from each chapter I read, and it is transforming my heart towards the Almighty God. You see, He is the epitome of INTENTIONAL – a quality that I have cultivated in my personality for some time, yet often doubted if it was socially acceptable.

I am nearing the end of Leviticus, a book that is filled with laws and consequences. From the 21st Century and post-modern perspectives many of these laws appear absolutely ridiculous and the consequences intensely brutal. The Israelites were told that they could not wear clothing made with two kinds of material or eat rabbits. If two people had homosexual relations they were to be put to death. If a man or woman mated with an animal, the human and the animal were to be put to death. If a person committed incest or adultery or had sex before marriage, the penalty was death. There are chapters filled with the explicit laws and consequences covering almost every situation the human mind could ever conceive of. After almost every law and consequence it is written, “I am the LORD” or “I am the LORD who sanctifies you” or “I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” What is the meaning of this?

Finally, in chapter 25, we are introduced to the concept of the Sabbatic Year and the Year of Jubilee. Every seven years the land was allowed to rest. It would not be cultivated or harvested. This was the Sabbatic Year. After seven of these sabbatic years had passed (meaning 49 years total), the fiftieth year was considered the Year of Jubilee. In this year, not only did the land rest, but servants were to be freed from their indentured service; debts were to be forgiven; and real estate was to be returned to the family it originally belonged to. These years had a dual purpose. Not only did they improve the fiscal and social environments, they also reminded the people that, ultimately, everything belonged to God – land and people alike. He promised that if they followed these laws, on the sixth year He would so abundantly bless their harvest they would be eating of it for the next three years. This would give them time to plant and harvest in the eighth year. How does this apply to me?

The intrinsic detail that is written into these chapters reveals the heart of God to us. He shows us how intimately He knows the human heart. He is well aware of the path upon which sin leads the human heart. He appreciates the necessity of community, social organization, and social justice. He is prepared to answer the “what ifs” that will pop out of human mouths as they are told His plans. Most of all, He knows that we will ask “why?” when we are given rules and boundaries. “I am the LORD your God” is the ultimate answer. Our current society has decided to make its own rules and set its own boundaries and in doing so we assume that we are erasing those divinely instituted so long ago. We are used to “sell by” dates, sequels, and updated versions of what tickles our fancy today and discard them as yesterday’s toys when the new ones hit the shelf. We apply the same attitude to philosophies, parenting methods, the Constitution, and God Himself. Time determines value and relevancy in our estimation and it leaves no room for intentional living.

Unfortunately, this is a dangerous game to play. Intentional living requires reflection on the past and forethought into the future. It requires attention to detail and an application of drawn conclusions. The intentional person realizes that things of value are not limited by time; in fact, time actually proves their worth. This is proven in Scripture. The human race has forgotten that they did not create themselves nor can they determine what will fulfill them. They were created and their Creator is the One who determines how they will be fulfilled. This is why He instated the laws, systems, and boundaries that He did. He is not bound by time and neither are His words. So as we seek to reason away what makes us uncomfortable in His Word with our, “Who does this apply to?” and “What is He really saying here?” and “When was this actually written?” and “Where were these laws coming from, culturally speaking?” and “Why would God be so harsh?” and “How do I explain God’s cruelty to someone who doesn’t believe?” let’s remember that He did not time-stamp His words with “I was the Lord their God.” No. His ultimate response? “I AM the LORD your God.” The Timeless Time-maker is not bound by the Time that He keeps.

I lead a young ladies’ Friday night Bible study in my home, and we are journeying through Proverbs together. We started our study with Proverbs 31 and gleaned so many amazing and applicable truths from that chapter. Now we are nearing the end of Proverbs 1 and are using the truths in this chapter to help us become more like the Proverbs 31 woman. It’s an enriching and convicting journey. One phrase in particular grabbed my attention in Proverbs’ first chapter. It was the phrase: Keep your feet. It was mentioned in reference to staying away from the path of sinners, but I wanted to give it a little more of my attention than a mere head nod.

For one thing, ‘keep your feet’ is an imperative statement. This means that it is a command, not a suggestion. ‘To keep’ something means that you are maintaining it, guarding it, giving it your full attention. We have such compound words as ‘shopkeeper,’ ‘gatekeeper,’ ‘innkeeper.’ We also have ‘the keep’ of the castle where things of value or importance are usually held. Thus, when the Lord tells me ‘to keep’ my feet I assume that He wants me to maintain them, guard them, and be fully aware of the path that they are on because they have significance in my growth as an individual. How is this accomplished?

Keeping one’s feet can include the physical care that is given to them, but in this context it has a spiritual reference. We cannot go where our feet do not take us. Think about it: every sin involves movement of the feet. Affairs happen when two people walk to their cars, push the gas pedal down, and walk through that hotel door. Pornography happens when a person walks to his computer and turns it on. Abuse happens when a person rushes forward to get in that first punch. Devotions do not happen when an individual does not walk towards his Bible. However, feet do not have a will of their own. They are simply slaves to the human will; hence, the imperative statement. God is not speaking to the feet; He is addressing the master of the feet – ME.

I am in control of where my feet go and how they are shod. Ephesians 6:15 declares, “and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness of the gospel of peace.” If my feet are properly maintained by being shod with the gospel; if they are exercised on a daily basis with time spent in devotions; if they are protected by walking only on carefully selected paths that are illuminated by the Lamp of God’s Word; then I can move confidently forward in my Christian journey. I do not have to fear the path of evil, even when it occasionally runs parallel to my path and may appear easier than the one I am following. The alternative would mean being in the company of those whose “feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.”

Narrow is the way so you had better keep your feet carefully.

It’s not been an easy day for me. I hardly slept last night because of physical trials coming from being in the third trimester of pregnancy. This has left me exhausted and emotional today. I don’t think I would mind a sleepless night so much if time would just stand still and hold my responsibilities at bay. But the dust still falls; the fridge gets empty; the floors only get dirtier; the pets are just as demanding, and, well, life happens. I wish I could simply kick back, put my feet up, grab a glass of iced tea and say, “Oh well, I’ll get to it later. Right now I’m going to relax,” as my amazing husband insists that I do. Yet every Swiss fiber in my entire being resists that. I don’t want to leave everything for my husband to do because his responsibilities wait for no man either. I also think that if I take shortcuts now, it will be that much easier to get into a habit of taking shortcuts later. I really only want to ease up when I absolutely have no choice.

Unfortunately, this tendency to not slow down unless the situation is absolutely dire only makes matters worse. My exhaustion leads to tears, which exhaust me more. When I simply can’t complete my to-do list I accuse myself of being a weak person and a terrible wife. This in turn causes me to evaluate everyone else I know and to only see their successes which of course, makes me feel like even more of a failure. I’ve been through this self-critical routine so many times since I’ve been married that I have become quite the expert at it. Admittedly, this is not an area of expertise that makes me proud – only miserable. That’s just it: my problem is pride. My woes sound so sacrificial and laudable. I want to create an organized, clean, happy home for my family. I don’t want my husband to have to do more work than necessary. I don’t want to be lazy. Yet the real heart of the matter is that I want to do it all. I want to fight through my misery and still perform at 100%. I’d like to be that superwife and supermom. I never want to admit defeat, to admit that I can’t always keep it all together and that sometimes my house does get dirty. The heart of the matter is clearly described in Scripture.

In Leviticus 16 God is giving instructions for the Day of Atonement; the day when all of the people’s sins would be forgiven. On this holy day it was said to the people, “…you shall humble your souls, and not do any work…It is to be a sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls…” What struck me as poignant in these verses is that humility came with resting, and resting came by not doing any work. The souls would not be considered humbled if the people continued working on that day. By continuing to work they would be putting God’s priorities on the back burner and insisting that their work was more important than His commands. Resting forced them to focus on Him rather than on themselves.

I realize that we no longer recognize annual days of atonement since Jesus paid the penalty for our sins once and for all. However, Christ does call us aside for times of introspection, conviction, and repentance, and these times require stillness and humility. We cannot be truly in tune with His still, small voice if we are all a-hustle and a-bustle about our daily business. This thought continues in the New Testament. In chapter 5 of the book of 1 Peter we are commanded to humble ourselves under they mighty hand of God by casting all of our anxiety upon Him. Pride declares that, “I can handle my problems on my own. I don’t need any help.” And so our weary souls wrestle and writhe under the weight of anxiety mixed with the daily demands of our schedules and responsibilities. A humbled soul puts her hands in the air before God and surrenders. She admits that, “I can’t continue to pretend to be able to do it all. I am going to stop working and start listening to your convicting, cleansing voice. Teach me what I must know to live better for you; tell me where I can begin applying your lessons; train me to incorporate Atonement Moments into my routine.”

As we prepare for the debut of our little son into this big, big world, my husband and I often discuss what we believe he needs to learn in order to be a blessing to those around him. Of course we want him to lead a successful life, but much of that depends on how he is received by those who interact with him. A key to a positive reception will be how well he respects others, and this respect is usually exhibited through common courtesy – something that is really not so common anymore. Here are a few common courtesies that we plan to emphasize as he grows and matures:

1. Open doors for ladies and those who are unable to.
2. Offer your seat to ladies or those who are unable to stand for long periods of time.
3. Make eye contact and give a firm handshake when you greet someone.
4. Acknowledge others when you see that they have acknowledged you.
5. When you enter a room, greet all who are present.
6. Remove your hat at the table, in church, in a home, or when singing the National Anthem.
7. When you see that someone is taking a picture or filming, do not stand in front of their camera. Graciously move out of the way or take an alternative path around them in order to reach your destination.
8. If someone sends you a text message or an e-mail, acknowledge that you received it and let them know that you will respond in detail as soon as possible.
9. Remove your earbuds if someone is talking to you, and do not talk on the phone while you are trying to do something that might be interfering with others’ time (e.g. at the checkout).
10. DO NOT BE LATE TO AN APPOINTMENT! If you know that you are going to be late, make sure you call ahead so that those waiting on you can still be productive.
11. If someone asks you a question, do not default to a shoulder shrug or “I don’t know.” Pause, give an informed response, and if you really don’t know the answer, say so.
12. Eat everything on your plate even if you don’t like it. If you are filling your own plate, take small amounts to ensure that you can finish it. If you don’t like what was given to you, eat everything and do not take seconds.
13. Never say that the food you are eating looks, smells, or tastes gross.
14. Show gratitude and verbalize appreciation when someone serves you.
15. Do your best at any task even if it is one that is not your favorite.

While we are not consistent in incorporating these courtesies in our every day life, preparing to teach them has certainly moved them into the forefront of our attention. Modeling is one of the most effective forms of teaching; therefore, we are making more of an effort to practice common courtesy. It is uncommonly refreshing!

I don’t know about you, but I have grown accustomed to hearing the cultures of primitive peoples lauded as untainted and the closest thing to perfection. These tribes, kingdoms, and people groups, relatively unexposed to western customs, seem to have the close connection to nature and instinct that developed people groups have supposedly lost, declare anthropologists and those resistant to modern changes. I almost began to believe it during my college tutelage. The textbooks declared it; the professors declared it; the field trips declared it; the documentaries declared it. Yet certain nagging contradictions held me back from fully subscribing to that conviction:

1. The treatment of women. Progressive America is all about the rights and equality of women. We resent anything that gives even a hint of placing males above women. Yet primitive cultures do just that. Look at the sexual objectification of women in Tahitian hula, for example, beginning at very tender ages. This hula is an extremely sensual dance, but it is celebrated because of its cultural value. What about the hoots, hollers, and catcalls that resonate through the audience as the women and girls violently gyrate their hips and hold their hands above their head or place them provocatively upon their sides? That’s not objectifying women?

2. The acceptance of social classes. Progressive America is appalled by social class. We are agonizing over the fact that there is a growing gap between the middle and lower classes in our own country, and everyone is pointing fingers at everyone else as they actively play the blame game. But if I remember my anthropology studies well enough, every ancient culture had the very same thing. In Hawaii, if even the shadow of an Ali’i fell upon a peasant worker, that worker was to be killed. Life was great if you were a member of the ruling class, but woe! if you were an average citizen. This is true for any primitive culture – then or now.

3. The role of religion. Progressive America is deliberately removing all traces of Judeo-Christian values from the public and governmental sectors of society. For some reason, these values threaten the rights, freedom, and progress of the American people. They are seen as bigoted, intolerant, and hateful. Christian speech is viewed as hate speech. But interestingly enough, traditional religion was an integral part of ancient culture – and these religions were anything but inclusive. If the people didn’t adhere to them one hundred percent it cost them their lives. Sometimes the religion demanded the lives of its people on an annual basis in the form of human sacrifice. Sometimes these religions incorporated child prostitution in their places of worship. This certainly isn’t discussed too much when ancient and primitive cultures are praised on NPR or PBS or the Discovery and History channels, is it?

These were just three simple examples of the selectivity used by those leading progressive America. There are so many more – the cannibalism, the child brides, slavery, slash and burn techniques in farming, polygamy, honor killings, genital mutilation, etc. America is not innocent either. Less than 200 years ago we ended the cultural tradition of slavery and what a horrific tradition that was. We are currently harboring the tradition of infanticide in the form of abortion. We are celebrating homosexual marriage and stripping all traditional values from family entertainment. Any resistance to these cultural changes are condemned, just as they were during the time of slavery.

Culture is inseparable from humanity. It is what defines us as individuals and as community members. Culture formulates our worldview by gaining our approval or disapproval. The very fact that culture is integral to mankind makes it fallible. Culture cannot set our moral standard for culture is designed by man. As Brad Pitt declared in 12 Years a Slave, “Laws change. Social systems crumble. Universal truths are constant. It is a fact, it is a plain fact, that what is true and right is true and right for all. White and black alike.” This can be said for all cultures. Murder is wrong in every culture; not because the culture says so, but because murder, in and of itself, is wrong. Child molestation is wrong in every culture; not because the culture says so, but because child molestation, in and of itself, is wrong. Why? Because the Creator of mankind is the Creator of universal law. He has set the standard for right and wrong, good and evil, and in the end He will administer supreme justice for every law that has been broken. Neither wistful glances into the past nor romantic stories about days gone by can erase the wrongs committed by tainted cultures, past and present alike.