Love like Emma

This year marks the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his history-changing book, “The Origin of Species.” No doubt we’ll see lots of stories and TV specials about Darwin, his theory of evolution, the controversies it still foments and the battles over religion and science, God and Man, fate and design.

I found this story in the Los Angeles Times to be both an exceptionally well-written story and an unconventional look at the intersection of two opposite worldviews:

On Jan. 29, 1839, in the little chapel in the English village of Maer, a religious, 30-year-old woman named Emma Wedgwood put on a green silk dress and got married. She believed firmly in a heaven and a hell. And she believed you had to accept God to go to heaven. She married Charles Darwin.

Starting over

I’m back.

It’s been almost two years since my last post, and a lot has happened since then.

I’ve always wanted to get back to blogging, but I never really could figure out exactly what I wanted to do with a blog, and even if I had, I wouldn’t update it consistently.

But all that has changed. I hope.

Check back here regularly, as I plan to add a lot more features, a lot more commentary and a lot more interesting things I find on the ‘Net that I’d love to share.

Feel free to comment on what you find here. Whether it’s adding to the conversation or simply making a suggestion, I welcome all feedback. And tell others about this site, if you like it.

Here’s to starting over …

Pro-life Superbowl ad rejected by NBC

I saw this ad back when it first aired during the inauguration. I thought it was a powerful — and respectful — pro-life ad, prompting people to think of the potential every unborn child possesses. It’s too bad the millions of people watching the Superbowl tomorrow won’t get to see it. It is, fortunately, available on YouTube, 1.1 million views and counting:

It’s also sad the reason NBC gave to CatholicVote for rejecting the ad:

“I was told the ad was approved and then there were a number of attorneys working on it. Then I was told (NBC) didn’t want to run political or advocacy ads.”

An ad from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals also was turned down. Mr. Burch questioned whether the same standards were applied to the PETA ad.

A statement posted on PETA.org attributed to NBC said the ad “depicts a level of sexuality exceeding our standards.” But a second note to PETA attributed to Victoria Morgan, NBC vice president for advertising standards, suggested eight “edits that need to be made” so the ad could run. PETA refused to comply.

“There’s no doubt that PETA is an advocacy group,” Mr. Burch said. “They were willing to air an ad by PETA if they would simply tone down the sexual suggestiveness. Our ad is far less provocative, and hardly controversial by comparison.”

Let’s hope NBC isn’t really operating under a double standard here and refusing to air commercials advocating the protection of life yet offering to air commercials using sex to get us all to give up meat.

Mandatory “cancer” vaccine misleading

Finding a cure for cancer is the archetypal vision of idealistic children and the lifelong challenge of medical scientists.

So when drug-maker Merck & Co. touts the world’s first cancer vaccine and state governments jump at the chance to make it mandatory, what could explain the ensuing opposition and controversy?

Simple. The debate is rife with sex, drugs and money.

Gov. Strickland on abortion, Iraq refugees

New Ohio Governor Ted Strickland is still acting like a Congressman, focusing too much on polarizing policy making.

Last week, Strickland asked for his name to be removed from an appeal to a federal court defending an abortion law passed by Ohio legislators in 2004.

A federal district court in September ruled the law, which makes it illegal for a doctor to prescribe the abortion pill known as RU-486 after the seventh week of pregnancy, unconstitutional. Judge Susan Dlott called it confusing and warned doctors could not be expected to understand its requirements.

The state’s previous Republican administration, led by Gov. Bob Taft and Attorney General Jim Petro appealed the decision, beginning the process before Strickland took office in January.

The new governor, a pro-choice Democrat, said he does not want the lower court’s decision overturned.

Had he been governor at the time of the bill’s passage, he may never have even signed it into law or supported an appeal to the lower court’s ruling.

The pro-choice camp could argue Ohio voters gave a resounding mandate for change in November, nearly sweeping Republicans out of the executive offices, and that Gov. Strickland’s position represents the will of the people.

So does the law passed in 2004.

Don’t let this happen to you, too

It’s probably already too late. We’ve all been victims of it — or at least, we know somebody who has been.

For more “Pearls Before Swine” strips, visit comics.com

A Soldier’s Final Gift

This story came out last week, but I think it’s timeless. Definitely a good read.

Danielle Burkhart, a mother of three in a small town in western Tennessee, never met the man who helped give back an active, healthy life to her 13-year-old daughter, Jessica.

The man, Army Sgt. 1st Class Gregory S. Rogers, had given a wonderful gift to them — complete strangers.

She hoped one day to meet him and thank him in person.

It will never happen…

Read the entire story, the e-mail correspondence and view photos

The Story

The E-Mails

Photo gallery

Defending the persecuted is also an American ideal

UPDATE ON AFGHANI CHRISTIAN
Abdul Rahman's story spread like wildfire, even without his death. Countries all over the world demanded his release. The government gave in to the pressure, but Islamic fundamentalists in the country still threatened his life. He has found asylum in Italy.

I believe most Christians would agree that Rahman needed to be freed — we should never give up hope for the lives and safety of our persecuted family — but I think this is something worth thinking about from a strictly American perspective as well.

Our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution both declare that all men are created equal and have rights that cannot be taken away, among which are the rights to life and liberty.

Our Constitution even holds freedom of religion as a right free people are born with. We should ask ourselves, as Americans, can we pledge allegiance to a country that embodies these ideals and NOT stand up for this man? To write it off as, 'Well, that's THEIR law, and we shouldn't interefere,' is not just unChristian, it is unAmerican.

"We hold these truths to be SELF-EVIDENT (no defense or explanation is necessary) that all men are created equal with certain, UNALIENABLE (means transnational, no country can rightfully deprive a person of them) rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Proud to be an American

A crime worthy of death?

A man went on trial last week in the court system of a newly liberated Afghanistan. His family members felt his crime so offensive, they turned him in themselves. The prosecutor is seeking the most severe penalty allowed under the nation’s law for the heinous crime – death.

What did Abdul Rahman do that deserves such swift and harsh treatment?

He became a Christian. Read the story here.

According to Islamic law, called Shariah, a Muslim who converts to any other religion is an apostate and must be given a chance to repent or be put to death.

Simplifying interactivity

Ok, stay with me here.

I have been visiting Aaron Shafovaloff’s Xanga site the last couple of weeks. It’s quite active, with ongoing debate centered around the teachings of the Mormon church.

I finally created a Xanga account for myself so I could participate in the discussion on a post about early Mormon President Brigham Young and his comments relating to Christ’s atonement, which you can read here

I posted my comments on the matter, which you can read here (mine are towards the bottom of the page, like the 70th comment. I have no picture by my name, which on Xanga is topgun0916)

Through a string of links, an active follower of Aaron’s Xanga posted a reply to my comments on this site. Since I had no appropriate post to comment on, he attached the response to “Got some time to kill.” Obviously, I couldn’t leave it there.

So…I have created this post, to frame his comment in the proper context. If you have not already done so, I encourage you to read at least Aaron’s post and my comment before reading Chris’ (that’s the commenter’s name), to grasp the jist of the conversation.

I am pasting Chris’ comment as the first comment on this post. I will include his contact info at the bottom.

Let’s keep up the linking game!