The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite insane.
~Nikola Tesla~

Religion of Peace Marches On

This post really makes me angry. Angry at the lowlifes who terrorize civilians. Angry at the politicians in this country whose political rhetoric empowers these lowlifes. Angry that our blind-eye, deaf-ear media ignore the vast amounts of information not jibing with their predetermined storylines. Angry that someone as highly exalted as the beautiful John Edwards can call the war against Islamic terror a "bumper sticker" and not be shamed into obscurity by media and public alike.

The following numbers show the Islamic terror attacks around the world in just the last 7 days! No wonder Edwards claims this is just a bumper sticker enterprise--a mere 49 attacks in the last week! I've added a link to thereligionofpeace.com in the right column under "Daily Reads." They continually update all of this stuff in nicely formatted columns that even the hardest-nosed investigative journalist ought to be able to decipher. We have to remain vigilant against this kind of evil and take it with the utmost seriousness. Have a look for yourself:

Islamic Terror Attacks 8/17 - 8/23

Date	Country	City	Killed	Injured	Description
8/23/07	Afghanistan	Helmand	3	13	Three Afghan civilians are murdered in a Taliban suicide attack.
8/22/07	Iraq	Tikrit	2	12	Jihadis kill two civilians with a roadside bomb.
8/22/07	Afghanistan	Khost	4	8	A Fedayeen suicide bomber kills four Afghans on a highway.
8/22/07	Afghanistan	Paktia	2	4	Two engineers are shot to death by the Taliban.
8/22/07	Somalia	Mogadishu	1	0	Islamic militias are suspected in the murder of a civilian at a market.
8/22/07	Somalia	Suqa Holaha	2	5	Two people are killed when Islamists hurl a grenade into the street.
8/22/07	Afghanistan	Nuristan	2	11	Two Afghan soldiers are killed when religious extremists stage an attack on a base.
8/22/07	Iraq	Tal Afar	2	5	Radical Sunnis take out two pipe layers with a bomb blast.
8/22/07	Iraq	Muqdadiyah	6	50	A suicide bomber on a motorcycle kills six Iraqis.
8/22/07	Iraq	Beiji	45	80	A suicidal Sunni drives a truck bomb into a police station, incinerating twenty-five police and twenty civilians.
8/22/07	Iraq	Kufa	1	0	A female university professer is stabbed to death by Islamic radicals.
8/22/07	Ingushetia	Nazran	1	5	Islamic terrorists attack a security convoy, killing at least one member.
8/22/07	Pakistan	Quetta	0	16	A barbershop is one of two sites attacked by fundamentalists with grenades.
8/21/07	Thailand	Yala	1	0	Muslims kill a man elected to replace another official who was slaughtered along with his family.
8/21/07	Thailand	Pattani	1	0	A Buddhist official is gunned down by Islamic radicals.
8/21/07	Thailand	Narathiwat	1	0	A Buddhist security guard is murdered by Mulslim extremists, who then attempt to cut the head from the body.
8/21/07	Somalia	Mogadishu	1	5	An Islamist walks into a restaurant and shoot a civilian to death.
8/21/07	Pakistan	Mohallah	1	4	A woman is killed when fundamentalists toss a grenade into a brothel.
8/21/07	Philippines	Zamboanga	0	14	Abu Sayyaf sympathizers place a bomb at a city plaza, injuring fourteen people.
8/21/07	Iraq	Latifiya	9	2	Nine members of a family, including a baby, are murdered by Shiite radicals inside their home.
8/21/07	Iraq	Baghdad	17	14	Two passengers on a minibus are among fourteen Iraqis murdered by Jihadis in various attacks.
8/21/07	Pakistan	Bannu	4	0	Pro-Taliban militants attack a checkpoint with rockets, leaving three Pakistani soldiers and a woman dead.
8/21/07	Afghanistan	Zabul	6	0	Religious extremists ambush and kill six Afghan cops.
8/21/07	Thailand	Yala	1	0	A man is shot to death by Muslim terrorists while sitting in a tea shop.
8/20/07	Pakistan	Hangu	4	18	A woman passerby is among four killed when a Fedayeen suicide bomber rams into a military vehicle.
8/20/07	Iraq	Baghdad	20	36	Two Jihad bombings and random shootings leave over twenty people dead.
8/20/07	India	Shopian	1	0	A farmer is shot to death by the Mujahideen.
8/20/07	Iraq	al-Rumeitha	4	2	Shiite militants assassinate a provincial governor.
8/19/07	Iraq	Baghdad	31	51	A Jihad mortar attack and various shootings leave more than thirty people dead, including children.
8/18/07	Afghanistan	Ghazni	2	2	Religious extremists kill two Afghan cops with a roadside bomb.
8/18/07	Pakistan	Jandola	1	0	al-Qaeda militants kidnap and behead a teacher.
8/18/07	Pakistan	Miran Shah	1	2	A suicide bomber detonates at an army checkpoint, killing at least one Pakistani.
8/18/07	Afghanistan	Kandahar	15	26	Fifteen Afghans, mostly civilians, are blown to bits by a suicidal Sunni along a highway.
8/18/07	India	Doda	1	0	The body of a 26-year-old woman is found murdered days after she was taken by the Mujahideen.
8/18/07	Iraq	Khalis	7	35	A baby is among seven people killed when Holy Warriors pump mortars and rockets into a residential neighborhood.
8/18/07	Somalia	Mogadishu	2	4	An elderly man and a woman are killed in separate attacks by Islamic militias.
8/18/07	Pakistan	Bajaur	1	0	Taliban militants shoot a man to death in his home.
8/18/07	Afghanistan	Kandahar	4	3	A Taliban suicide bomber targets a road construction crew, killing four guards.
8/18/07	India	Kandi	1	0	The Mujahideen chop out a 70-year-old man's eyes and behead him.
8/18/07	India	Rajouri	1	0	The Mujahideen kidnap a civilian and kill him in captivity.
8/18/07	Pakistan	Bannu	1	5	A cop is killed in a hand grenade attack by Islamic militants.
8/17/07	India	Rajouri	1	0	A civilian is kidnapped and killed in captivity by radical Muslims.
8/17/07	India	Baramulla	2	0	A policeman and his elderly father are brutally murdered inside their hom by Islamic militants.
8/17/07	India	Pulwama	5	3	Mujahideen use an IED to kill five Indian soldiers traveling along a road.
8/17/07	Pakistan	Khyber	7	0	Seven people are killed in clashes between radical Islamist groups.
8/17/07	Iraq	Kirkuk	3	42	Two separate bombings by Sunni radicals kill three civilians and injure over forty.
8/17/07	Afghanistan	Kandahar	4	2	Three young children under the age of 10 are slaughtered along with their father by a Fedayeen suicide bomber.
8/17/07	Somalia	Mogadishu	1	1	Islamic militias rocket a house, killing a woman.
8/17/07	Iraq	Haditha	3	0	Three people are kidnapped, tortured and shot to death by sectarian rivals.

"There's nothing out on the battlefield that a Marine rifle squad couldn't easily deal with."
Col. Richard L. Simcock II, USMC, Commanding Officer, Regimental Combat Team 6, commenting on the improving security situation in Iraq

Lark News

In his review of Doug Wilson's A Serrated Edge, John Frame writes, "I enjoyed the Wittenburg Door back in the days before it got all serious on us and tried to solve all the world’s problems. Now I find it hard to live without my monthly dose of www.larknews.com, and Credenda Agenda."

I've enjoyed C/A for years, but Lark News was new on me. It's definitely in the best tradition of The Door. Check it out.

For My "Moderate" Friends

So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold,
I will spit you out of my mouth. Revelation 3:16

The above quote isn't intended to argue that Jesus is liberal or conservative. It is simply meant as a commentary on the "politics of the middle." Aristotelian moderation is often held up as some glorious ideal by academics and down-homers alike. One is often exhorted to do "all things in moderation" (Like executing underperforming pitbulls?) as if moderation itself were a virtue.

In the political realm such moderation takes the form of "independents" who either consider themselves too brilliant to swallow conservatism or liberalism whole, or they simply refuse to be dragged into the partisan fray where one risks offending and being offended. And so we end up with groups like the Committee for a Unified Independent Party, who seem way too impressed that Michael Bloomberg has become an "independent." That alone should be enough to call the "independent movement" into question.

So, the problem with these fence-sitting types is perfectly demonstrated by "Carl," who called Rush Limbaugh last week. Carl has no core beliefs other than "Why can't we all just get along?" (I apologize that the Limbaugh quote is so long, but I can't get my "read more" hack to work at the moment.) If you proudly call yourself moderate, this is what you sound like; and I ask you like Rush asks Carl, "What do you believe in?"

RUSH: Carl in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. You're first, as we go to the phones today on the EIB Network.

CALLER: Rush, why can't we all just get along? Now, I listen --

RUSH: Oh, Carl, give me a break. Don't do a Rodney King on me. You gotta be kidding me.

CALLER: No, I'm not kidding you. I think it's a very realistic thing. See, here's what I hear. First of all, I -- as an independent, all the politicians work for me. Well, they work for all of us. But what I hear is, if -- if someone on one side of the aisle comes up with a good idea the other side has to disagree with it just because they're on the opposite side of the aisle.

RUSH: You're just --

CALLER: When I listen to radio talk show hosts, I hear the same thing. I hear the conservative people whining about the liberals; I hear the liberals whining about the conservatives. And -- and you can go to any kind of newspaper articles that you want and pick and choose whatever you want, what works for you. You know, there's probably just as many articles there that would be opposite and against what you have to say.

RUSH: What? Most of them would be opposite and against what I have to say. In a newspaper?

CALLER: Well...

RUSH: I mean --

CALLER: Well, look it, when I listen to you and I don't listen a lot...

RUSH: Carl, look, I have a question.

CALLER: I don't listen a lot, what I hear is you pick and choose different newspaper articles, and you say, "Here, look at this. Read this."

RUSH: That's right! That's right. I'm an agenda guy. I have a belief system. It's called conservatism. I believe it's the best thing for the most people.

CALLER: So let me ask you this, then. If you -- if you think conservatism is the best thing for most people, should we just wipe out the Democratic Party altogether?

RUSH: No, you have to beat them. I'd love to be able to do it, but that's not the way.

CALLER: No, but, I mean, just eliminate them? Let's just have conservative Republicans.

RUSH: No! No! Carl, now, look, now, be realistic.

CALLER: That's what you sound like when you talk.

RUSH: Yes! I'd love to wipe 'em out to the point that they are a minority for the rest of this nation's history, yes. Exactly right, Carl, because I think the Democrat Party and liberalism will destroy the fabric and the institutions and traditions that made this country great. But I want to --

CALLER: How about...? How about all the people on the opposite side of the aisle that are saying the exact same thing? You see... And who do we listen to?

RUSH: Carl, you're not hearing me. You're not hearing me because you're not letting me finish the point. I want to do it in the democratic political system that we have in this system. I want as many informed people as possible voting and defeating those people so that we have a genuine governing mandate. Now, here. I can illustrate the problem that you have with all this with one question.

CALLER: What makes you think I have a problem?

RUSH: You called and said you did!

CALLER: See that's part of my problem with you.

RUSH: You called and said you have a problem. You don't like all the bickering.

CALLER: No, I...

RUSH: You said, "Can't we all just get along?" That to me tells me you've got a problem. I've got one question.

CALLER: No, it was a question. It's not a problem.

RUSH: It stems from a problem. You're upset, Carl. You wish all this weren't going on. You want us to all get along, and for that to happen one side is going to have to give up.

CALLER: (Laughing.) No, we can't just... We can't compromise and meet in the middle. One side's gotta give up.

RUSH: We can't compromise on principles. You can't compromise on good versus evil. You can't compromise on victory and defeat.

CALLER: And so the Democrats are evil, as you see it?

RUSH: No! I think something like abortion is, and you don't compromise on pro-life versus killing a baby in the womb. Where's the compromise on that? That's what I mean. Now, let me ask you a question, because this is central to helping you understand where you are. As an independent, what do you stand for?

CALLER: (silence) How do you mean the question, what do I stand for?

RUSH: What do you believe in?

CALLER: I mean, is it...? Is it...?

RUSH: As an independent, what do you believe in? What are your core principles?

CALLER: (longer silence) I -- in -- in terms of what, exactly? I mean, I'm not taking everything as a whole. I'm looking at -- at everything.

RUSH: This is not a trick question. I'm not trying to trick you, and you're not being roped into anything here. As an independent, or moderate, whatever -- you call yourself an independent -- what do you stand for?

CALLER: (really long silence) Give me an example.

RUSH: Ahem. Victory or defeat in Iraq?

CALLER: Well (sigh), that's going to open up a whole 'nother kettle of fish.

RUSH: Well, see, there's the problem. You don't have a core belief running through your body at all and so you have nothing to stand for. You have nothing you believe in that you want to be victorious with because you believe it's right. So you sit out there, and you hear people who have these core beliefs argue about it, and it makes you nervous, and you want to do a Rodney King on the country -- and that's not going to solve any problem. I'm glad you called.

Landmark

If you've ever traveled I-20 east of Atlanta, you've probably seen this:

If so, you've seen part of my mail route. This billboard belongs to United Truckers Insurance and has been up since shortly after the movie that inspired it came out around 30 years ago. It comes in handy for directions:

Questioner: "Can ya tell me how tuh git tuh thuh Probayshin Awfis?"

Me: "Sure. Turn right at the billboard and it's the third building on the left."

Questioner: "Thanks, man." And he jumps back in his rough-idling Datsun with his bottle-blond girlfriend.

History is a vast early warning system.
~Norman Cousins~

Here Come Jesus, Kemosabe

Well, this is a really new one on me. I thought I already knew most of the end times options. Who knew the American Indians held the key to everything? Apparently an Indian named Mel!

(Click for larger image)

More Birthday News

I forgot to include in the birthday news one of the main events. Drew got popped in the mouth on the "inflatables" and came running, hand to bleeding mouth, to Mom and Dad. When the blood cleared, his tooth was turned 90 degrees in its socket! A minute later he looked like this:

Facebook

I'm not at all sure why, but I'm now on Facebook. If you have any clue what that means, come check it out. If not, stay far away.

Video Clips from the Boys' Birthday Party

"Oh yeah, Daddy. If we do get a dog, I want the kind that smells good."
~Jacob~

Blood, Sweat, and Cheers

Well, Rome wasn't built in a day, but our new treehouse sure was. And on the hottest day of the year to boot! Click on the slideshow to check this thing out--complete with a 21-foot lightning rod / firehouse pole. Hat tip to PawPaw for all the hard work (with a little help from me!), but I should tell you that Jacob said, "Whew, that's the hardest I've ever worked from morning to night!" So, hat tip to Drew and Jacob, too; they were strangely willing to go above and beyond the call today. The pictures include neighbors Brandon (11) and Jalen (5).

Jihad: The Musical

Watch the video below (bottom of the page) on the "Daily Mail Tube" of "I Wanna Be Like Osama" from the British production Jihad: The Musical. From their webpage:

Featuring songs such as 'I wanna be like Osama' and the love ballad 'I Only See Your Eyes', JIHAD THE MUSICAL is a madcap gallop through the wacky world of international terrorism; one that puts the powers that be in their place, and that invokes the Blitz spirit that we must laugh at those who seek to intimidate us. Stand back! This is a high-kicking chorus line!

Early word is that it will really blow you away!

We Believe

I have to give you one more from Steve Turner. I was simply going to quote the postscript beginning with "If chance be the Father of all flesh," but the whole poem is quite good and has some juicy nuggets throughout. Substitute "Radical Muslims" or "Islamofacists" or the like to update the "Russians" reference. Very insightful.

Creed

We believe in Marxfreudanddarwin

We believe everything is OK

as long as you don't hurt anyone

to the best of your definition of hurt,

and to the best of your knowledge.



We believe in sex before, during, and

after marriage.

We believe in the therapy of sin.

We believe that adultery is fun.

We believe that sodomy’s OK.

We believe that taboos are taboo.



We believe that everything's getting better

despite evidence to the contrary.

The evidence must be investigated

And you can prove anything with evidence.



We believe there's something in horoscopes

UFO's and bent spoons.

Jesus was a good man just like Buddha,

Mohammed, and ourselves.

He was a good moral teacher though we think

His good morals were bad.



We believe that all religions are basically the same-

at least the one that we read was.

They all believe in love and goodness.

They only differ on matters of creation,

sin, heaven, hell, God, and salvation.



We believe that after death comes the Nothing

Because when you ask the dead what happens

they say nothing.

If death is not the end, if the dead have lied, then its

compulsory heaven for all

excepting perhaps

Hitler, Stalin, and Genghis Kahn



We believe in Masters and Johnson

What's selected is average.

What's average is normal.

What's normal is good.



We believe in total disarmament.

We believe there are direct links between warfare and

bloodshed.

Americans should beat their guns into tractors .

And the Russians would be sure to follow.



We believe that man is essentially good.

It's only his behavior that lets him down.

This is the fault of society.

Society is the fault of conditions.

Conditions are the fault of society.



We believe that each man must find the truth that

is right for him.

Reality will adapt accordingly.

The universe will readjust.

History will alter.

We believe that there is no absolute truth

excepting the truth

that there is no absolute truth.



We believe in the rejection of creeds,

And the flowering of individual thought.



If chance be

the Father of all flesh,

disaster is his rainbow in the sky

and when you hear



State of Emergency!

Sniper Kills Ten!

Troops on Rampage!

Youths go Looting!

Bomb Blasts School!

It is but the sound of man

worshipping his maker.

Van Til in Ten Words or Less

Sorry, but this post is hopelessly esoteric for most Daily Mail readers . . .

This evening as we prayed together as a family (shocking and scandalous, I know) we were considering how to pray for the boys' friends. Marian suggested that they pray for them to "know God," to which Drew said, "They know God, they just act like they don't." How Van Tilian!

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

(Might make for a good caption contest?)