Our media in recent times has been suffused with an enormous, all encompassing case of hypocrisy. You know what that is, hippochrissy. Breaking the word down into its components helps to define it. Hippopotamus is an enormous animal that dominates every environment into which it is injected. The name itself is so humongous that we use the diminutive, hippo, to help keep us under arbitrary word limits in articles and publications.
Chrissy is a sweet, darling somewhere in everyone’s memory that brings a fond and wistful smile whenever it or she comes to mind. Merging the two concepts brings us to our popular media and political milieu.
Both “sides of the aisle” are guilty of oozing, no spurting, our prejudices all over the landscape when discussing current obsessions. Let’s pick on conservatives first. The “anthem protests” are roundly and soundly denounced as attacks on our flag and the brave men and women who fought and died to protect our freedom. The kneeling during the presentation of colors and playing of the national anthem is the hippo and sweet chrissy is our love and respect for flag and country.
Nothing the protesters can say or explain will deter nor deflect the criticism leveled from those who disapprove of the protest. No explanation is rational enough, nor heavy enough to resist the bull rush of the hippo.
Viewed from the other side is the hippo of an oppressive society that targets and attacks certain sections of the citizenry. Chrissy is the legitimate right and practice of expressing dissent, as guaranteed by the First Amendment.
In a reversal of roles, the Confederate emblem smashing movement and the opposition are likewise afflicted with hippochrissy, usually reversing the segment of the population which approves or disapproves. The hippo is that any reference to the Confederate cause in the Civil War becomes an overwhelming endorsement of the repugnant practice of slavery and oppression and those who engaged in it. Chrissy the sweet little thing, is a society cleansed of reminders of this dark, dismal, and disgusting past.
For the objectors, chrissy is our noble ancestors, fighting for their rights against a dominant and oppressive government that threatened to destroy a prosperous and peaceful, for them, way of life. The hippo is the destruction and desecration of legitimate history and the memories of our progenitors.
In mirroring the political divisions of society, hypocrisy continues to divide segments of the population and our refusal to see the other side of the argument threatens to permanently fragment our country. Both sides have legitimate concerns and interests. Peace will only be achieved when we realize and respect others’ points of view.
Very few issues are “all bad” or “all good,” and the sooner we acknowledge that, the better off we all will be. Accepting another view of what we perceive does not mean that we approve or even condone that view. It just means that we are willing to listen to opposing viewpoints. And when we do that, society as a whole can begin to heal these festering and legitimate wounds.
Sunday, July 22, 2018
Thursday, July 19, 2018
Tractor Tales At Least III
As many of you know who have been with me a while, I have struggled with lawn tractors and their operation. I got a “new to me,” 54 inch mower earlier this summer and hoped that the problems were over. Well....they kind of are. It stopped mowing but the engine was still running. A quick check indicated that the PTO clutch was operational, so it must be something else. The spring that keeps tension on the deck belt had become disengaged.
Again, those who have been here a while have probably read that my Dad occasionally, well, maybe often, commented that I worked harder at avoiding work than actually doing it. Yep, I did it again. After reattaching the tension spring, I thought that I could “simply” attach a ratcheting strap and stretch the spring enough to enable me to slip the belt over the drive pulley and get back to work. The spring pulls a tensioning pulley that merely puts pressure on the belt to keep it tight on the drive pulleys. Sounds simple. I did not want to have to “fight” with removing and reattaching the big, heavy 54" deck.
So, after about 90 minutes or struggling with getting the strap aligned, and having the ratchet mechanism malfunction a time or two, I decided to try the other way. Two pins drop the deck and I can maneuver it closer to the pulley, slip the belt over it, and then reattach the deck. The final step is what deterred me from doing it first.
That big old, heavy deck, did I mention that before? That big old heavy deck is tricky to align exactly right to get the pins to slip back. It took me all of two minutes to connect the belt, and about 15 to attach BOTH sides to their respective niches. I actually spent more time disentangling the strap from the deck than it took to reconnect it. Total time involved: about two hours. One and a half hours struggling with my “genius” idea to avoid disconnecting the deck and a quarter of an hour to disengage and reconnect. Add in the quarter hour to get the strap loose from all of the hooks I had rigged to “help” and we are ready to mow.
One good thing did come from this episode. If you tape the belt to each blade pulley after disengaging the deck, you will not accidentally reconnect the deck with the belt down around the shaft, like someone with his pants around his ankles. I hooked the deck up twice the first time I reattached it when I first got it. I had to unhook it to get the blade pulley on the other side of the deck engaged. It is so far across that big deck, did I mention that it was heavy? That big deck that you cannot see if the belt is on the pulley or not. So instead of going around the machine to look, just tape the belt in place until you reattach everything. Good trick.
I am not sure that people in heaven can see us down here, but if Jesus has a little “peep hole” that He lets Dad peer through, I am sure that they both had a good laugh at my “ingenuity.” In the final analysis, the mower is running and I got my workout for the day.
Until next time, try doing it the right way. It is probably easier.
Again, those who have been here a while have probably read that my Dad occasionally, well, maybe often, commented that I worked harder at avoiding work than actually doing it. Yep, I did it again. After reattaching the tension spring, I thought that I could “simply” attach a ratcheting strap and stretch the spring enough to enable me to slip the belt over the drive pulley and get back to work. The spring pulls a tensioning pulley that merely puts pressure on the belt to keep it tight on the drive pulleys. Sounds simple. I did not want to have to “fight” with removing and reattaching the big, heavy 54" deck.
So, after about 90 minutes or struggling with getting the strap aligned, and having the ratchet mechanism malfunction a time or two, I decided to try the other way. Two pins drop the deck and I can maneuver it closer to the pulley, slip the belt over it, and then reattach the deck. The final step is what deterred me from doing it first.
That big old, heavy deck, did I mention that before? That big old heavy deck is tricky to align exactly right to get the pins to slip back. It took me all of two minutes to connect the belt, and about 15 to attach BOTH sides to their respective niches. I actually spent more time disentangling the strap from the deck than it took to reconnect it. Total time involved: about two hours. One and a half hours struggling with my “genius” idea to avoid disconnecting the deck and a quarter of an hour to disengage and reconnect. Add in the quarter hour to get the strap loose from all of the hooks I had rigged to “help” and we are ready to mow.
One good thing did come from this episode. If you tape the belt to each blade pulley after disengaging the deck, you will not accidentally reconnect the deck with the belt down around the shaft, like someone with his pants around his ankles. I hooked the deck up twice the first time I reattached it when I first got it. I had to unhook it to get the blade pulley on the other side of the deck engaged. It is so far across that big deck, did I mention that it was heavy? That big deck that you cannot see if the belt is on the pulley or not. So instead of going around the machine to look, just tape the belt in place until you reattach everything. Good trick.
I am not sure that people in heaven can see us down here, but if Jesus has a little “peep hole” that He lets Dad peer through, I am sure that they both had a good laugh at my “ingenuity.” In the final analysis, the mower is running and I got my workout for the day.
Until next time, try doing it the right way. It is probably easier.
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
An Alternative Scenario
Imagine that one morning thousands of students “spontaneously” leave their classes and congregate in a central area of the city. (It was probably organized and orchestrated by an outside interest, but for now let’s ignore that.) The teenagers begin, again, spontaneously, to chant a phrase.
“Stop killing our brothers and sisters! Protect our rights. Choose life. Ban abortion!”
How many minutes of network news would that demonstration receive? How many inches of newsprint and how many front page, above the fold, photos would be printed by the major newspapers all across the country?
Are the protests of “our children” based on strongly held juvenile beliefs or are they fueled by special interest groups working for a specific agenda? Consider an alternative. How many teens are killed every year in auto accidents? Or even more germane to the national discussion, how many teens are killed in alcohol-related auto accidents?
Kids are in cars more often, though for fewer hours, than they are in school. And the death toll is staggering. Incidentally the numbers can be found at:
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/teenagers/fatalityfacts/teenagers
Summarizing, they tally 2820 in 2016 and 12% were alcohol related (338). And these numbers are for 16-19 year old drivers. More can be added for passengers in autos driven by older drivers.
Over 55% of teen related auto deaths were to passengers. And right at half of teen deaths occurred to anyone in the car without a seat belt employed.
Yes, protest school shootings, but focus on some solutions other than banning all guns. I would bet that every school shooter was known by someone in his school as displaying suspicious tendencies. Why do we read of social media postings after the fact? Did not one see the threatening posts? Why did they not respond or alert authorities?
And for our teen auto statistics, try a few preventative measures. Don’t get into any vehicle if the driver is “buzzed.” Second, always fasten the seat belt. And finally, only ride with a teen on a specific mission, such as going to school, an activity, church, etc. Just “cruisin” is looking for a “bruisin.”
Protests should focus on the solution of an issue and not just to raise “awareness,” which, frankly, usually means to promote someone’s agenda. Did the “anthem kneelers” advocate or promote any concrete solutions? (There, I should have insulted just about everyone.)
“Marching for life,” is a noble sentiment, but without concrete and executable solutions, it is a futile activity. Let’s not just promote agendas, let’s produce results.
“Stop killing our brothers and sisters! Protect our rights. Choose life. Ban abortion!”
How many minutes of network news would that demonstration receive? How many inches of newsprint and how many front page, above the fold, photos would be printed by the major newspapers all across the country?
Are the protests of “our children” based on strongly held juvenile beliefs or are they fueled by special interest groups working for a specific agenda? Consider an alternative. How many teens are killed every year in auto accidents? Or even more germane to the national discussion, how many teens are killed in alcohol-related auto accidents?
Kids are in cars more often, though for fewer hours, than they are in school. And the death toll is staggering. Incidentally the numbers can be found at:
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/teenagers/fatalityfacts/teenagers
Summarizing, they tally 2820 in 2016 and 12% were alcohol related (338). And these numbers are for 16-19 year old drivers. More can be added for passengers in autos driven by older drivers.
Over 55% of teen related auto deaths were to passengers. And right at half of teen deaths occurred to anyone in the car without a seat belt employed.
Yes, protest school shootings, but focus on some solutions other than banning all guns. I would bet that every school shooter was known by someone in his school as displaying suspicious tendencies. Why do we read of social media postings after the fact? Did not one see the threatening posts? Why did they not respond or alert authorities?
And for our teen auto statistics, try a few preventative measures. Don’t get into any vehicle if the driver is “buzzed.” Second, always fasten the seat belt. And finally, only ride with a teen on a specific mission, such as going to school, an activity, church, etc. Just “cruisin” is looking for a “bruisin.”
Protests should focus on the solution of an issue and not just to raise “awareness,” which, frankly, usually means to promote someone’s agenda. Did the “anthem kneelers” advocate or promote any concrete solutions? (There, I should have insulted just about everyone.)
“Marching for life,” is a noble sentiment, but without concrete and executable solutions, it is a futile activity. Let’s not just promote agendas, let’s produce results.
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
See Something Say Something
Just after 9/11 when the terror threat was high, the US promulgated a saying: “See something, say something.” The idea was that with everyone looking for potential bombs and other devices, we would be more likely to avoid random attacks on our country and its citizens.
A new, and persistent threat has arisen to threaten our country and its citizens. Firearm violence has become almost daily news. The Waffle House shooting on Sunday was followed by another report today of a shooting at a Home Depot. It is hard to keep up.
Some have suggested, and even demanded that firearms be removed, in one degree or another. Since the right to own such weapons is protected by the Second Amendment and several Supreme Court decisions, a limitation of ownership appears to be an arduous and drawn out ordeal.
A simpler and more direct solution is staring us in the face. Today’s “Tennessean” (4/25/18) headline reports, “A history of red flags didn’t stop suspect.” Almost every “shooter” is described, after the fact, as being “troubled” at best and definitely a threat at worst. The potential next shooter is walking among us today, just waiting for “something” to set him off. (Or her–gotta be non-sexist.)
It is not legal for someone with a history of mental problems or worse, a record, to possess guns. If everyone would look into their own circle of acquaintances and identify any who may be subject to these aberrations of behavior and report them to the proper authorities, we will avoid most, if not all, of these tragedies.
See something, say something. Not everyone who is troubled is a potential time bomb, but there is still no sense in preserving their ability to own or possess firearms. That is not a right, and has been affirmed by the Supreme Court. The little ditty we used as a kid, “Better safe than sorry,” certainly applies here.
Don’t wait and hope for a James Shaw to save us. See something, say something.
A new, and persistent threat has arisen to threaten our country and its citizens. Firearm violence has become almost daily news. The Waffle House shooting on Sunday was followed by another report today of a shooting at a Home Depot. It is hard to keep up.
Some have suggested, and even demanded that firearms be removed, in one degree or another. Since the right to own such weapons is protected by the Second Amendment and several Supreme Court decisions, a limitation of ownership appears to be an arduous and drawn out ordeal.
A simpler and more direct solution is staring us in the face. Today’s “Tennessean” (4/25/18) headline reports, “A history of red flags didn’t stop suspect.” Almost every “shooter” is described, after the fact, as being “troubled” at best and definitely a threat at worst. The potential next shooter is walking among us today, just waiting for “something” to set him off. (Or her–gotta be non-sexist.)
It is not legal for someone with a history of mental problems or worse, a record, to possess guns. If everyone would look into their own circle of acquaintances and identify any who may be subject to these aberrations of behavior and report them to the proper authorities, we will avoid most, if not all, of these tragedies.
See something, say something. Not everyone who is troubled is a potential time bomb, but there is still no sense in preserving their ability to own or possess firearms. That is not a right, and has been affirmed by the Supreme Court. The little ditty we used as a kid, “Better safe than sorry,” certainly applies here.
Don’t wait and hope for a James Shaw to save us. See something, say something.
Friday, February 16, 2018
More Adultery
Did you ever have a topic that grabbed you and wouldn’t let go? Well, here we are, about to tug again at the ribbons wrapping the beguiling package of adultery. Did you ever notice that the root word of adultery is adult? Isn’t it terribly ironic that this activity is as about as far removed from adulthood and adult activities as it can be?
It is doubly ironic in that often the actions are justified as being “between consenting adults.” In reality, most of the time they look more like the actions of consenting 13-year olds. Randy 13-year olds. It is also termed an “affair of the heart” in an attempt to, if not glorify the activities, to at least rationalize them. “Heart” implies a love relationship. And nowhere in the lexicon of love do we find an action that is so contrary to the best interests of both parties, and everyone else who is impacted.
When the ultimate day of reckoning, the inevitable day of reckoning occurs, both parties are invariably damaged. As are the families and friends of both, the associates of both, even curious bystanders. It should be called an affair of the crotch. When the final accounting is made, only the immediate urges of 13-year old hormones were what were involved.
And yes, we will consider the proverbial elephant in the room. In fact he seems to be in the whole county, perhaps the entire mid-state, and even the state. Marriages are damaged, if not destroyed. Families are decimated. Careers are discarded. And entire populations are disgusted with the careless and heedless actions of leaders.
The Apostle John described just such a situation in 1 John 2:16. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life....” He offered a tripartite analysis. “The lust of the flesh.” This is the childish attitude of I want it and I want it now. A friend of ours who writes children’s musicals coined a word for this: “Gratifaction.” We can imply “immediate gratifaction.” It is a combination of gratification and satisfaction. And it is urgent. There is no consideration for any one, or any thing else.
In the vacuum cleaner business, we had a term for peoples’ evaluation of their cleaning equipment. “See, hear, feel.” They could see dirt before running over it, and see that it was gone afterwards. They could hear the motor running and feel their dust bag filling up. We had to show them that even though some was picked up, most of the dirt was left behind. Our eyes can be tricked. And the “lust of the eyes” is a perfect example of this. What looks “good” is not always and a lot of times never, good.
The “pride of life, the boastful pride of life” is the most insidious probe of all. If our pride and self appreciation are based upon how we “look” we are fishing in a very shallow pond. Self worth and value are not dependent upon the “eye candy” we sport, whether it is people, position, or power. Integrity of the inner person is what gives true worth and value to anyone and everyone. To ignore or disparage that is a true marker of immaturity and incompetence. Many people discover that way too late.
And look at John’s final analysis: “(All that is in the world) is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts;....” True significance does not come from leaning on a failing philosophy. True value in life is presented in the final phrase of the verse. “...but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” For true significance and meaning it is required that we look above the horizon. Fixation on this world will doom us to mediocrity and ultimately destruction. Paul also counsels us to “seek those things which are above.” (Colossians 3:1)
Love is based upon seeking and demanding the best for the other person. That not only includes the specific person, but those who revere and respect the other person. Selfish immaturity seeks “what I want, when I want it” regardless of the consequences, especially when someone else is involved. And the cost is never considered until the time of accounting.
Paul had an interesting comment on this. 1 Corinthians 13:11 sums up the whole chapter on love. “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man (or woman), I put away childish things.”
Living life as an adult, should include an abhorrence and avoidance of adultery. Otherwise we are merely grown children, acting out unbridled passions.
It is doubly ironic in that often the actions are justified as being “between consenting adults.” In reality, most of the time they look more like the actions of consenting 13-year olds. Randy 13-year olds. It is also termed an “affair of the heart” in an attempt to, if not glorify the activities, to at least rationalize them. “Heart” implies a love relationship. And nowhere in the lexicon of love do we find an action that is so contrary to the best interests of both parties, and everyone else who is impacted.
When the ultimate day of reckoning, the inevitable day of reckoning occurs, both parties are invariably damaged. As are the families and friends of both, the associates of both, even curious bystanders. It should be called an affair of the crotch. When the final accounting is made, only the immediate urges of 13-year old hormones were what were involved.
And yes, we will consider the proverbial elephant in the room. In fact he seems to be in the whole county, perhaps the entire mid-state, and even the state. Marriages are damaged, if not destroyed. Families are decimated. Careers are discarded. And entire populations are disgusted with the careless and heedless actions of leaders.
The Apostle John described just such a situation in 1 John 2:16. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life....” He offered a tripartite analysis. “The lust of the flesh.” This is the childish attitude of I want it and I want it now. A friend of ours who writes children’s musicals coined a word for this: “Gratifaction.” We can imply “immediate gratifaction.” It is a combination of gratification and satisfaction. And it is urgent. There is no consideration for any one, or any thing else.
In the vacuum cleaner business, we had a term for peoples’ evaluation of their cleaning equipment. “See, hear, feel.” They could see dirt before running over it, and see that it was gone afterwards. They could hear the motor running and feel their dust bag filling up. We had to show them that even though some was picked up, most of the dirt was left behind. Our eyes can be tricked. And the “lust of the eyes” is a perfect example of this. What looks “good” is not always and a lot of times never, good.
The “pride of life, the boastful pride of life” is the most insidious probe of all. If our pride and self appreciation are based upon how we “look” we are fishing in a very shallow pond. Self worth and value are not dependent upon the “eye candy” we sport, whether it is people, position, or power. Integrity of the inner person is what gives true worth and value to anyone and everyone. To ignore or disparage that is a true marker of immaturity and incompetence. Many people discover that way too late.
And look at John’s final analysis: “(All that is in the world) is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts;....” True significance does not come from leaning on a failing philosophy. True value in life is presented in the final phrase of the verse. “...but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” For true significance and meaning it is required that we look above the horizon. Fixation on this world will doom us to mediocrity and ultimately destruction. Paul also counsels us to “seek those things which are above.” (Colossians 3:1)
Love is based upon seeking and demanding the best for the other person. That not only includes the specific person, but those who revere and respect the other person. Selfish immaturity seeks “what I want, when I want it” regardless of the consequences, especially when someone else is involved. And the cost is never considered until the time of accounting.
Paul had an interesting comment on this. 1 Corinthians 13:11 sums up the whole chapter on love. “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man (or woman), I put away childish things.”
Living life as an adult, should include an abhorrence and avoidance of adultery. Otherwise we are merely grown children, acting out unbridled passions.
Thursday, February 15, 2018
Evolution and Conception
I am often struck with the realization that I believe evolution more than adherents of the theory. I operate with a better understanding than most of the experts I read. I have often read the following or similar statements: ”Evolution needed to make XX happen so it evolved a method to accomplish this.”
I have been thinking about birth lately (no personal connection, just thinking) and recall reading an explanation of conception years ago. I have not seen an update nor a disclaimer. This will be a little delicate so if there are kids in the room, you might want to occupy them elsewhere.
Speaking as an evolutionist here, the lower animals copulate from the rear. This is convenient and meshes with their life style with no problems. Once the sperm has been “deposited” (is that delicate enough) within the vagina, the female can go on about her business while the little “guys” swim up the appropriate tubes to meet and merge with the egg. Voila`! We have a new little whatever on the way.
While we are here, most of the animals are capable of multiple births because mutiple eggs are released each cycle. Most, of if not all, of the larger animals only release one egg at a time, limiting the “litter” to a single entry into the population. Some aberrations occur and occasional multiple ovulations occur, but that is not the normal situation.
Why would evolution limit the number of offspring, since its “goal” is to preserve the species? Now you can throw in natural selection and say that the mothers who only carry one fetus to term have a greater probability of survival for both themselves and the new entity. But that does not explain the DNA modification that now restricts the ovaries to one at a time.
I think that I believe evolution more than they do. They just say that “it happens” while I am pestering the method to explain how, in addition to why the changes occurred. And while we are at it, it is remarkable that all “up and down the line” once an egg has been penetrated by the sperm, it develops a shield to repel any additional “fertilizations.” But the sperm count in the male “contribution” continues to be many times more than necessary for the vital process to occur. Just a thought.
But back to our now pregnant “higher” animal. The horizontal birth canal is conducive to the movement of sperm from “one end to the other.” Then when man comes along, walking on two legs, a species-fatal adjustment occurred. Now the birth canal is vertical, and the probability of the “little guys” being able to swim all the way up to the egg are greatly diminished. In fact, the natural flow of fluids would tend to “wash” them all out before they can accomplish their vital function. Ergo, species death.
Now for the fun part. I aver that I am not making this up. (I wanted to say swear, but forebare.) So evolution realized that the twin hemispheres of the female hinder parts were a guide and beacon to the male to aid in copulation. In order to get him to approach from the front, and the female to lie on her back (horizontal for the directionally challenged), nature needed to “add” a pair of hemispheres to the front end of the female. So the mammary glands enlarged and became that beacon to attract the male to the front. Then, just to sweeten the pot, the ability to orgasm was added to the female, so that after copulation, she would continue to lie on her back, side , or front, enjoying the sensation. This allowed the “s-troop” time to migrate past the danger zone and into the business part of their trek.
(I am not making this up. I have not researched it lately, but this was what I read.) And while we are at it, the number of mammary glands has been decreasing. (We call them teats in animals. Pronounced, “tits.”) Evolution surely has funny ways.
So that explained how the “naked ape” was developed by a benevolent evolutionary force. Only if you believe evolution, you have to admit that all of this was random, non-directed mutation. It was just propitious that the modifications worked out as they did. Well, the problem is not satisfied by this simplistic explanation.
For instance, which came first, the ability to walk upright, and the multitude of changes to the skeleton and appendages, or the recognition of the need for a horizontal birth canal. See where I am going? Random, non-directed changes would not only have to be coincident in time, but also in sexes. Both would have to “develop” simultaneously, but most probably from different mothers. It is getting kind of messy.
The enhancement of the mammary glands would also have to randomly, spontaneously occur with the ability to experience orgasm. Female animals do not exhibit visible evidence of wild, rapturous response to coitus. Neither do males, as a matter of fact. Growing up on a farm gave me many opportunities to observe animal reproduction. The mechanics, which you probably know, are similar. An erection is required for penetration, and after ejaculation, it shrivils back to a manageable size for transport. Nuff said.
Like I said, I believe evolution more than my evolutionist friends. I believe that the random, unguided process would have to have done this. That is why I cannot believe that it could have happened. One last comment. The entire sexual reproduction process, from the lowest animals to man, is so intricate and exquisite that to believe that it is the product of random mutations stretches the credibility far beyond the breaking point. If someone really believes it, they wouldn’t believe it.
“‘scuse the pun,” but who could conceive of this?
I have been thinking about birth lately (no personal connection, just thinking) and recall reading an explanation of conception years ago. I have not seen an update nor a disclaimer. This will be a little delicate so if there are kids in the room, you might want to occupy them elsewhere.
Speaking as an evolutionist here, the lower animals copulate from the rear. This is convenient and meshes with their life style with no problems. Once the sperm has been “deposited” (is that delicate enough) within the vagina, the female can go on about her business while the little “guys” swim up the appropriate tubes to meet and merge with the egg. Voila`! We have a new little whatever on the way.
While we are here, most of the animals are capable of multiple births because mutiple eggs are released each cycle. Most, of if not all, of the larger animals only release one egg at a time, limiting the “litter” to a single entry into the population. Some aberrations occur and occasional multiple ovulations occur, but that is not the normal situation.
Why would evolution limit the number of offspring, since its “goal” is to preserve the species? Now you can throw in natural selection and say that the mothers who only carry one fetus to term have a greater probability of survival for both themselves and the new entity. But that does not explain the DNA modification that now restricts the ovaries to one at a time.
I think that I believe evolution more than they do. They just say that “it happens” while I am pestering the method to explain how, in addition to why the changes occurred. And while we are at it, it is remarkable that all “up and down the line” once an egg has been penetrated by the sperm, it develops a shield to repel any additional “fertilizations.” But the sperm count in the male “contribution” continues to be many times more than necessary for the vital process to occur. Just a thought.
But back to our now pregnant “higher” animal. The horizontal birth canal is conducive to the movement of sperm from “one end to the other.” Then when man comes along, walking on two legs, a species-fatal adjustment occurred. Now the birth canal is vertical, and the probability of the “little guys” being able to swim all the way up to the egg are greatly diminished. In fact, the natural flow of fluids would tend to “wash” them all out before they can accomplish their vital function. Ergo, species death.
Now for the fun part. I aver that I am not making this up. (I wanted to say swear, but forebare.) So evolution realized that the twin hemispheres of the female hinder parts were a guide and beacon to the male to aid in copulation. In order to get him to approach from the front, and the female to lie on her back (horizontal for the directionally challenged), nature needed to “add” a pair of hemispheres to the front end of the female. So the mammary glands enlarged and became that beacon to attract the male to the front. Then, just to sweeten the pot, the ability to orgasm was added to the female, so that after copulation, she would continue to lie on her back, side , or front, enjoying the sensation. This allowed the “s-troop” time to migrate past the danger zone and into the business part of their trek.
(I am not making this up. I have not researched it lately, but this was what I read.) And while we are at it, the number of mammary glands has been decreasing. (We call them teats in animals. Pronounced, “tits.”) Evolution surely has funny ways.
So that explained how the “naked ape” was developed by a benevolent evolutionary force. Only if you believe evolution, you have to admit that all of this was random, non-directed mutation. It was just propitious that the modifications worked out as they did. Well, the problem is not satisfied by this simplistic explanation.
For instance, which came first, the ability to walk upright, and the multitude of changes to the skeleton and appendages, or the recognition of the need for a horizontal birth canal. See where I am going? Random, non-directed changes would not only have to be coincident in time, but also in sexes. Both would have to “develop” simultaneously, but most probably from different mothers. It is getting kind of messy.
The enhancement of the mammary glands would also have to randomly, spontaneously occur with the ability to experience orgasm. Female animals do not exhibit visible evidence of wild, rapturous response to coitus. Neither do males, as a matter of fact. Growing up on a farm gave me many opportunities to observe animal reproduction. The mechanics, which you probably know, are similar. An erection is required for penetration, and after ejaculation, it shrivils back to a manageable size for transport. Nuff said.
Like I said, I believe evolution more than my evolutionist friends. I believe that the random, unguided process would have to have done this. That is why I cannot believe that it could have happened. One last comment. The entire sexual reproduction process, from the lowest animals to man, is so intricate and exquisite that to believe that it is the product of random mutations stretches the credibility far beyond the breaking point. If someone really believes it, they wouldn’t believe it.
“‘scuse the pun,” but who could conceive of this?
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Adultery
When I attended a small, Christian college in the ‘60's we had chapel every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We complained until we talked to some of the “old timers” and alumni who told us that in the “old days” they had chapel five days a week. Years later, after I left, I listened to a radio program called “Morning Chapel Hour.” And did it revive memories. I had not realized how fortunate we were to get pretty good preaching all through the week. And often we had some great speakers.
One such pastor was most students’ favorite. He was the local pastor of the big Southern Baptist Church which was just down the street. Many of the SBC pastors went by their first names, like Pastor Jerry, or Brother Bobby. I was used to “Reverend McClun” and so on. This preacher went even farther and told us to call him by his name only. So when Billy was going to preach, we were anticipating a real treat. He was funny, and told very good stories to illustrate his points.
The crowd was very ready when he approached the podium one of the days he was scheduled to preach. We expected to be entertained, enlightened, and encouraged. He took the podium, looked out at us for a second or two, (Dramatic pause) and began.
“The seventh commandment says, ‘THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY!’” He ended his pronouncement with a hearty fist slam to the pulpit. “Now I know that most of you guys (700 guys and about 40 girls) think your are exempt from this because you are not married. But a lot of you have girl friends and you are touching and kissing places that you should not touch or kiss. If you don’t have a girl right now, maybe you are looking at pornographic literature. You are committing adultery. Fornication and adultery are both included in this commandment. And those of you who are not yet convicted, if you even look at some of the town girls or the Kilgore Rangerettes and fantasize about them you are too.”
Talk about a wake up call. Many of us had never before considered what Jesus said when He said that to look at a woman with lust was to commit adultery in one’s heart. Brother Billy ended that somewhat wilfull ignorance.
His sermon came to mind as I prepared the lesson for Genesis 2:18-25. There we have the ideal marriage. Boy does our society need to get back to the basics. From business men, to politicians, to entertainers, to ordinary “guys in the street,” we are floundering with how to respond to what almost seems incessant temptation. And many high profile personages all over the landscape have succumbed. And crashed and burned.
Let’s look back to the “drawing board” to see how the prototype was displayed and perhaps find our way out of the morass in which we flounder. First, God brought all of the animals to Adam to name. (We explored this is detail in the lesson: Genesis 2:18-25, Eve. It is posted on my page on FaceBook. Video and text.) Somewhere during the process, Adam became aware of something that God already knew. There were two of everything else, but only one of him. Only then, did God put Adam to sleep and take a rib to fashion a “helper, suitable for him.”
When Adam work up, he expostulated, “This is it!” (League’s Loose Translation) “This is my bone. This is my flesh.”
Then, either he or Moses, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, spelled out the framework of the ideal marriage. (Verse 24) “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”
There are three prongs to this statement. First “a man shall leave his father and mother....” This “leaving” is not an isolation or totally ignoring them. It is a spiritual and emotional separation. The family, and mother in particular, is to assume a lower place in the hierarchy of his esteem. His wife is now the highest priority of anyone or anything on earth. God is first, of course, then the wife. No exceptions.
A good way to summarize it is in the little phrase that occasionally occurs in some wedding ceremonies, “Forsaking all, I choose you.” This leads into the second prong, join. The man is joined to his wife. This is not the “one flesh” part, which comes next. This is a compact or a contract, if you please, between the man and woman that turns them from a couple into a single unit. They are no longer two individuals, but they have become one, a family of two to begin with. King James uses an archaic word that maybe we should revive: “Cleave.” Cleave means to cling together inseparably.
It is like welding two pieces of steel together. A properly done weld cannot be broken. If it is cut apart, some of each piece will remain as part of the other. The marriage agreement, likewise, joins a man and a woman into a single unit, that we call a family. And this points to the final prong of our discussion.
“...and they shall become one flesh.” This is the whoopee! part of marriage, but even more it represents the perfection of the joining process. They are no longer two, but one. Physically, they are joined in body, but more importantly, the unification of their souls and spirits is complete. Brother Billy may have been the one to suggest this picture. He said just as several threads are combined to weave a single tapestry, so the threads of our lives are woven together in the tapestry of our marriages.
The threefold paradigm can be encapsulated in leave, cleave, and weave. And adultery not only violates, it vitiates, destroys all three aspects of marriage. That is why it was forbidden in the seventh commandment. It is bad for everyone.
When we promise to leave or forsake everyone else, that means nobody or no thing can come between us. (Changing from third person to first person here. It is deliberate, Mrs. Cheney.) Entering into an adulterous liaison trashes that promise by replacing the wife with someone else. It hurts me because I have now become a liar, a covenant breaker, and probably several other things. It hurts my bride, because first, I have lied to her, then second I have devalued her. That is something I have no right to do. In fact, I am commanded to build her up. More obedience issues there, it seems.
The second leg that is shattered is the joining. Just like cutting a weld in two damages both pieces, so violating the integrity of my bond with my wife is injurious to both. This is true even if I do not immediately recognize it. Just ask any of the perpetrators who “got caught.” Even if they did not get caught and publically exposed and condemned, they are damaged goods. (Aside: Second marriages fail more often than the initial marriages. You can check out the statistics and save me the trouble of making them up.) Those damages undermine any subsequent relationship.
Adultery is perhaps the most injurious activity that we can pursue out of all the human relationships in which we participate. It hurts the two participants. It hurts the spurned spouse/spouses. It hurts the immediate family–of both. It hurts the extended family. It hurts friends who trusted one or both of the adulterers. It hurts associations or even companies of the violators. It hurts observers who can only wonder how such devastation could be unleashed.
Finally, adultery decimates the one flesh. The spiritual and emotional bonds have been discussed before, but the physical union of man and woman is violated by adding a third participant. Even is the third party is remote and separate. In 1 Corinthians 6:18 Paul points out that all other sins are outside of our body. Immorality is actually taking sin into our own body.
Warning to parents, adult content here: Many people involved in immorality use a condom to avoid taking disease causing bacteria into their body, or transmitting them to another. But the damage from breaking covenant is far worse than STD’s or AIDS. Our suddenly uptight society is exacting a price for these violations. And this is not all bad. The solution, as it appears now, is that we are all willing to paste the violators to the wall and strip them of honor, esteem, and treasure.
The problem is that the same seeds lie in ourselves, and without the deliverance Jesus offered in John 8:11 the relentless train of betrayal will continue. Jesus told the adulterous woman to, “...go and sin no more.” We often dwell on the first phrase, “Neither do I condemn you....” Jesus final words were not an exhortation to try one’s best to avoid sin. It was a promise that He could deliver us from the sin that He just forgave. It is empowering. It is not only possible, it is the normal outcome of believing, receiving, and accepting His offering.
Brother Billy’s sermon is just as cogent and germane today as it was 50 years ago. God did not prohibit things to keep us from enjoying life. Rather He gave us guidance as to how to maximize our enjoyment of life as we live it down here. Leave, cleave, and weave.
As we watch the Olympics we do not see a skier deliberately ski off the side of a cliff. Instead, he follows the path marked by the organizers to achieve fame and glory–and a safe thrill. Why would we “ski off the path for happy marriage,” by deliberately turning over the side of the mountain?
“Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
One such pastor was most students’ favorite. He was the local pastor of the big Southern Baptist Church which was just down the street. Many of the SBC pastors went by their first names, like Pastor Jerry, or Brother Bobby. I was used to “Reverend McClun” and so on. This preacher went even farther and told us to call him by his name only. So when Billy was going to preach, we were anticipating a real treat. He was funny, and told very good stories to illustrate his points.
The crowd was very ready when he approached the podium one of the days he was scheduled to preach. We expected to be entertained, enlightened, and encouraged. He took the podium, looked out at us for a second or two, (Dramatic pause) and began.
“The seventh commandment says, ‘THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY!’” He ended his pronouncement with a hearty fist slam to the pulpit. “Now I know that most of you guys (700 guys and about 40 girls) think your are exempt from this because you are not married. But a lot of you have girl friends and you are touching and kissing places that you should not touch or kiss. If you don’t have a girl right now, maybe you are looking at pornographic literature. You are committing adultery. Fornication and adultery are both included in this commandment. And those of you who are not yet convicted, if you even look at some of the town girls or the Kilgore Rangerettes and fantasize about them you are too.”
Talk about a wake up call. Many of us had never before considered what Jesus said when He said that to look at a woman with lust was to commit adultery in one’s heart. Brother Billy ended that somewhat wilfull ignorance.
His sermon came to mind as I prepared the lesson for Genesis 2:18-25. There we have the ideal marriage. Boy does our society need to get back to the basics. From business men, to politicians, to entertainers, to ordinary “guys in the street,” we are floundering with how to respond to what almost seems incessant temptation. And many high profile personages all over the landscape have succumbed. And crashed and burned.
Let’s look back to the “drawing board” to see how the prototype was displayed and perhaps find our way out of the morass in which we flounder. First, God brought all of the animals to Adam to name. (We explored this is detail in the lesson: Genesis 2:18-25, Eve. It is posted on my page on FaceBook. Video and text.) Somewhere during the process, Adam became aware of something that God already knew. There were two of everything else, but only one of him. Only then, did God put Adam to sleep and take a rib to fashion a “helper, suitable for him.”
When Adam work up, he expostulated, “This is it!” (League’s Loose Translation) “This is my bone. This is my flesh.”
Then, either he or Moses, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, spelled out the framework of the ideal marriage. (Verse 24) “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”
There are three prongs to this statement. First “a man shall leave his father and mother....” This “leaving” is not an isolation or totally ignoring them. It is a spiritual and emotional separation. The family, and mother in particular, is to assume a lower place in the hierarchy of his esteem. His wife is now the highest priority of anyone or anything on earth. God is first, of course, then the wife. No exceptions.
A good way to summarize it is in the little phrase that occasionally occurs in some wedding ceremonies, “Forsaking all, I choose you.” This leads into the second prong, join. The man is joined to his wife. This is not the “one flesh” part, which comes next. This is a compact or a contract, if you please, between the man and woman that turns them from a couple into a single unit. They are no longer two individuals, but they have become one, a family of two to begin with. King James uses an archaic word that maybe we should revive: “Cleave.” Cleave means to cling together inseparably.
It is like welding two pieces of steel together. A properly done weld cannot be broken. If it is cut apart, some of each piece will remain as part of the other. The marriage agreement, likewise, joins a man and a woman into a single unit, that we call a family. And this points to the final prong of our discussion.
“...and they shall become one flesh.” This is the whoopee! part of marriage, but even more it represents the perfection of the joining process. They are no longer two, but one. Physically, they are joined in body, but more importantly, the unification of their souls and spirits is complete. Brother Billy may have been the one to suggest this picture. He said just as several threads are combined to weave a single tapestry, so the threads of our lives are woven together in the tapestry of our marriages.
The threefold paradigm can be encapsulated in leave, cleave, and weave. And adultery not only violates, it vitiates, destroys all three aspects of marriage. That is why it was forbidden in the seventh commandment. It is bad for everyone.
When we promise to leave or forsake everyone else, that means nobody or no thing can come between us. (Changing from third person to first person here. It is deliberate, Mrs. Cheney.) Entering into an adulterous liaison trashes that promise by replacing the wife with someone else. It hurts me because I have now become a liar, a covenant breaker, and probably several other things. It hurts my bride, because first, I have lied to her, then second I have devalued her. That is something I have no right to do. In fact, I am commanded to build her up. More obedience issues there, it seems.
The second leg that is shattered is the joining. Just like cutting a weld in two damages both pieces, so violating the integrity of my bond with my wife is injurious to both. This is true even if I do not immediately recognize it. Just ask any of the perpetrators who “got caught.” Even if they did not get caught and publically exposed and condemned, they are damaged goods. (Aside: Second marriages fail more often than the initial marriages. You can check out the statistics and save me the trouble of making them up.) Those damages undermine any subsequent relationship.
Adultery is perhaps the most injurious activity that we can pursue out of all the human relationships in which we participate. It hurts the two participants. It hurts the spurned spouse/spouses. It hurts the immediate family–of both. It hurts the extended family. It hurts friends who trusted one or both of the adulterers. It hurts associations or even companies of the violators. It hurts observers who can only wonder how such devastation could be unleashed.
Finally, adultery decimates the one flesh. The spiritual and emotional bonds have been discussed before, but the physical union of man and woman is violated by adding a third participant. Even is the third party is remote and separate. In 1 Corinthians 6:18 Paul points out that all other sins are outside of our body. Immorality is actually taking sin into our own body.
Warning to parents, adult content here: Many people involved in immorality use a condom to avoid taking disease causing bacteria into their body, or transmitting them to another. But the damage from breaking covenant is far worse than STD’s or AIDS. Our suddenly uptight society is exacting a price for these violations. And this is not all bad. The solution, as it appears now, is that we are all willing to paste the violators to the wall and strip them of honor, esteem, and treasure.
The problem is that the same seeds lie in ourselves, and without the deliverance Jesus offered in John 8:11 the relentless train of betrayal will continue. Jesus told the adulterous woman to, “...go and sin no more.” We often dwell on the first phrase, “Neither do I condemn you....” Jesus final words were not an exhortation to try one’s best to avoid sin. It was a promise that He could deliver us from the sin that He just forgave. It is empowering. It is not only possible, it is the normal outcome of believing, receiving, and accepting His offering.
Brother Billy’s sermon is just as cogent and germane today as it was 50 years ago. God did not prohibit things to keep us from enjoying life. Rather He gave us guidance as to how to maximize our enjoyment of life as we live it down here. Leave, cleave, and weave.
As we watch the Olympics we do not see a skier deliberately ski off the side of a cliff. Instead, he follows the path marked by the organizers to achieve fame and glory–and a safe thrill. Why would we “ski off the path for happy marriage,” by deliberately turning over the side of the mountain?
“Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
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