On occasion I have been asked, “How do you know these things?”.  My response, “I read a lot”.  Additionally, I’ve always been detail oriented, asked lots of questions, and wanted to know why.  I spent 35 of 40 post graduate working years in the classroom and in or on some sort of athletic facility.  I wanted my students to read a lot.  I wanted my students to be detail oriented, to ask lots of questions, and want to know why.  I wanted my students to question everything and to make up their own minds.  I always presented my students with options and stressed that they needed to think through choices before making decisions regarding those choices because many options could be or would be in conflict with their personal values.  I stressed to them that their values were their values and were not to be compromised.  If you have read some of my prior work, you may remember that I believe our values to be what we feel is right or wrong, and not just part of the time, or when convenient, but all of the time.

My goal as a parent, and now as a grandparent was not to mass produce myself.  I didn’t and don’t want my children to believe what I believe just because I believe it.  I wanted them to believe what is absolutely True because they had examined the facts and all viewpoints and  after having done so believe what they believe because they believe it.  I wanted the same for my students.  I want the same for you.

And so here we are.  Just days away from the 2018 mid term elections.  Turmoil on every front.  Opinions flying around as facts, and many individuals don’t seem to know or to care about the difference.  Here’s what I know.  In many cases it is impossible to know the truth because opinion is often presented as truth.

At the moment a hot topic of discussion, from social media to the local coffee shop, is the tidal wave of human beings that apparently began in South America, moved through Central America, and is steadily moving  through Mexico toward the Southern border of the United States.  In many of the discussions, including some in which I have been directly involved, individuals are pointing out that the Constitution of the United States of America  guarantees that these folks be admitted to the United States as long as they claim to be political refugees.  When I ask the person(s) making the statement if they have read the Constitution, they will either tell me no, or they will say yes and then refer not to the Constitution, but to a law or to whatever they believe to be fair, or nice.  A law is not the Constitution, and the Constitution is not law, although a law must be Constitutional.  In addition, a person may not personally find the Constitution to be fair, or to be nice.  It wasn’t designed to be either.  The Constitution is nothing but a system of checks and balances for controlling the elected officials of the United States of America to protect each of us from the elected officials, and to protect us from each other.

At this point it doesn’t matter what I think, nor does it matter what the reader thinks about the “caravan”.  It does matter what the Constitution has has to say.  This great country in which we are blessed to live in, that allows us the freedom to make many choices for ourselves, to believe anything that we want to believe, to vote for the people that we want to vote for, is based upon having an educated electorate.  And so I ask you, “What does the Constitution have to say regarding immigration?”.  Really, what does it say?  I don’t want to know what someone told you it says.  I don’t want to know what you read on social media, or heard at the coffee shop.  I want to know what the Constitution of these United States of America has to say about immigration.  Have you read the Constitution that you so like to discuss, and have you read it recently?  If not, why not?

Nearby, as I type, is a copy of Magruder’s American Government, copyright 1967.  Although we went to different high schools, this was the text  used in the American Government classes  my wife and I were part of.  In this textbook, the Constitution is reproduced in it’s entirety in only 8 and 1/2 pages.  That’s right, eight and one half pages.  That includes the many footnotes of the author of the textbook as well as the signatures of  all of the representatives that produced the document.  If you haven’t read the Constitution recently, why haven’t you?  it will only take you about twenty minutes.  In addition to the original document, are a few more pages of Amendments.  The total number of amendments  is twenty seven.  Another five minutes to read.  It is not hard to understand.  It is plainly spoken.

Once you read the Constitution for yourself, you will find that immigration is not mentioned anywhere.  Nor is it mentioned in the Amendments.  May I point out that International Law provides each sovereign nation the right to control it’s own borders.  Over the years, immigration to America has been controlled through various laws.  Currently, immigration is controlled by the Immigration Act of 1990.  Now research that.

Another person for whom I have much regard is Walter E. Williams.  The themes of common sense and the ability to recognize truth that I so admire in the writings of Thomas Sowell are evident in pieces by Williams.  Just last week in a column titled, “Things to Think About”,  Williams presented a simple road map young people could use to avoid poverty.  The road map is simple as it has only four steps.  Perhaps the use of stops would be preferred to steps as Williams refers to this as a road map.  In his column, Williams didn’t claim that by following his map, a young person would one day find themselves  healthy, wealthy, and wise.  No, not at all.  Williams only claimed that it was a way to “avoid poverty”.   Most would agree, however that avoiding poverty would be a wonderful goal for all.  Anyone that would have been a high school student as recently as fifty years ago would recognize all four stops in the William’s road map of life.  Stops seared into their brains by all responsible adults in their life.  How would I know?  Because as I write this, I was sixteen years of age fifty years ago.

Are you ready for the road map?  Here it is, with all credit due to Walter E. Williams:

1).  “complete high school;

2).  get a job, any kind of job;

3).  get married before having children;

4).  be a law abiding citizen.”

I admire persons that are able to recognize absolute truth.  It is only by recognizing those things that were true yesterday, are true today, and will continue to be true tomorrow that we will have real freedom.  I have much respect for Thomas Sowell and his common sense ability to recognize truth.  If I may quote Sowell, “What is most frightening about the political left is that they have no sense of the tragedy of the human condition.  All problems seem to them to be due to other people not being as wise or as noble as they are”.  The “tragedy of the human condition”.  If you really think about it, these words are most haunting.

Sowell’s insight is so clear.  He has complete understanding of cause of all of man’s problems.  This “tragedy of the human condition”, to which he refers.  Is the cause of all of the problems plaguing mankind clear to you?    If not, may I refer you to  the source of all Absolute Truth and Freedom, The Bible.  The first book of the Bible is Genesis.  By thoroughly reading the first three chapters of Genesis you will also come tounderstand the root cause of  all of  my problems and well as all of your own.

Thinking too much, as usual………………………

If you believe that “everyone” is racist, you don’t know many people.

If you believe that all members of any race are racist, you don’t know many members of that race.

If you believe that any race exists with no racists within that race, you don’t know many members of that race, and you are delusional.

If you believe that when I disagree with a member of another race I am a racist, than you have no idea what the definition of a racist is.

If you believe that when I disagree with a member of another race I am a racist, than what does that make the person whom I disagree with?  After all isn’t that a member of one race disagreeing with a member of another race?

If you believe that two or more people can not disagree without one or more becoming angry, than you are immature.

If you believe that two or more people that are angry because of a disagreement have to hate those they are angry with, either you don’t know the definition of hate, you are immature, or both.

My preferred dictionary, Webster’s New School and Office Dictionary, publication date 1959 (for background, see earlier entries of Absolute Truth and Freedom), has no entry for the word racist.  Racial is listed, however, and is defined as an adjective pertaining to race or linage.  I was born in 1952, and I have no recollection of hearing or seeing the word racist during my youth.  My antique edition of Webster’s does have an entry that I do recall hearing regularly, however.  That entry is for the word prejudice.  Prejudice is a noun meaning previous and unfavorable bias: prejudgment without due examination; detriment; injury: or a transient verb meaning to predispose against; bias the mind of; create a prejudice against; hurt, impair, or damage in any way.  Prejudge is used during the definition of prejudice.  Two entries above prejudice, Webster lists prejudge as a transient verb meaning to judge without a hearing or investigation; condemn beforehand, or hastily.  Just after I learn that prejudgment is a  noun meaning a judgment without a hearing; prejudice.

Therefore, condemning a person for any reason without adequate information would be prejudiced.  Racism would be condemning an entire (entire would mean, by definition, all that have lived, are alive, or will ever be alive) race for no other reason than the race of the party or parties in question.  To clarify, condemn is an transient verb meaning to pronounce or judge guilty; blame; censure; or declare to be forfeited.  While we all display some prejudice from time to time, I ask you, how many people do you know whom are actually racist?  Remember, a racist must condemn one hundred percent of the members of a race, one hundred percent of the time only because of their race.  Well, I for one, am not certain that I know any racists.

The publication date of this piece is January 18, 2018.  The initial draft was dated mid September of 2017.  I’m uncertain why I have held on to this so long.  For some reason, today’s timing just seemed right.  I realize that some of the statements might contain some redundancy.  I felt it was important not to be misunderstood, and I just couldn’t determine a better way to word my feelings.

I’m considering writing a novel.  The story I have in mind is based upon the following premise.  After reading it, let me know what you think.

Two men live in the same community.  One man, is wealthy, powerful, respected for his honesty, his integrity, and his impeccable judgement.  The wealthy man seems to have the Midas Touch.  Among the community, it is often joked that the wealthy man, “owns everything”.  The second man is an employee of the wealthy man.  The second man is poor due to many irresponsible choices in life.  Looked down upon by most, the poor man seems to never have anything go his way.  Among the community, it is often joked that “if you looked up poor judgement or bad luck in a dictionary, you would find a photo of the poor man”.  The poor man has been employed by the wealthy man for years.  After a lifetime of repeated bad on the job decisions, the poor man is caught stealing from his employer, and is fired.

In a moment of angry revenge, the poor man breaks into his former employer’s home to steal what he can.  During the robbery, the poor man is caught by the wealthy man’s wife, and in a final disparate act, kills the wife of his former employer.  A man of great integrity, the wealthy man demands justice for his deceased wife, and insists on the  death penalty for the offender.  The local Prosecutor agrees.  The trial is set.

The murdered woman and her husband are the parents of a son.  The son, like his father,  a man of the highest standards believes the poor man has caused many of his own problems, yet has always had a tender heart for the poor man.  The son, in the most selfless act imaginable, devises a plan that he believes will bring honor to his dead mother,  justice for his father, and hope for murderer.  The son meets with both his father and his mother’s murderer to present the plan.  The father and the murderer agree to the plan.

So what do you think?  Do I have a best seller on my hands?

What?  You aren’t ready to decide.  Not until you hear the plan.  Fair enough.  the plan follows:

1.  The son promises his father a human death to pay for the death of his mother.  The death to be provided will be the son’s own voluntary execution.  The father will accept his son’s substitutionary death as just punishment for the crime.
2. In return, his father must adopt the murderer whom he will then treat as well as he treats his biological son and will guarantee the newly adopted son a share of  the man’s inheritance.
3. In order for the murderer to be forgiven and adopted, the poor man
   1. must confess all of his previous crimes to his former employer,
   2. accept the free gift of forgiveness and adoption provided by the son’s execution,
   3. and turn from his passed life of habitually poor choices.

Now it’s your turn.  Do you believe the book has a chance?

Quite honestly, I can’t write the book.  I can’t write the book because it has already been written.  The Bible already does a wonderful job presenting the story of Christ’s birth, His  life, His mistreatment and unfair trial not for crimes that He committed, but for crimes against man and against God that I committed.  Yes, crimes that I, and all of us have committed not just against each other, but against the God of this Universe.  Crimes that Jesus was ultimately executed for.

If you are already a Believer, please remember to keep Christ in your Christmas celebrations this year.  And Easter as well.

If you are not a Believer.  If you no idea what any of this is about.  If you really think that Christmas and Easter are secular and not religious holidays, then please do some research.  Ask some questions of friends and neighbors whom are truly Christians.  Find a Bible and read the Gospels of Luke and then John.  Have a reason to truly and happily celebrate Christmas and Easter from now on.

Merry Christmas to all!

During my teaching career, covering most of the four decades from 1974 through 2014, my colleagues and I were almost constantly introduced to new educational vocabulary by educational experts and school administrators.  These often became the annual buzzwords of our  administrators.  The words, repeated often during that particular school year represented an idea to be emphasized in the classroom presentations of any highly effective teacher.  Often, it seemed to be a one year theme only to be replaced at the beginning of the next school year by the current latest and greatest.  At other times, the terminology changed, but the idea stayed the same.  I feel certain that this process occurs in every vocation.

Toward the end of my career, one of the common themes of school district in-service programs was based on the idea that American business leaders were continually stressing the fact that young entry level workers lacked critical thinking skills.  Unlike many new trends, at least the need for critical thinking skills was one idea that I could get behind.  It is a worthy ability.  One might say, the most necessary of all abilities crucial to success in life itself.  I had witnessed the lack of critical thinking skills on the part of younger Americans for quite some time, so acceptance was not difficult.   As a naturally conservative person, I am slow to change.  That, by the way, and despite current belief, is the definition of conservative.  Slow to change.   Because I am slow to change, I have never immediately accepted any new idea or concept, in any area of life.  Before I accept any new idea, even when that idea seems to be the very answer to all of life’s problems, I take the time to examine not only the plausibility of the concept, but also to make an attempt to reasonably predict all consequences, including the unintended consequences.  Even to a conservative, critical thinking skills would not be a new concept, but rather a more elite replacement for a term that I heard often as a youth.  That term would be, common sense.

The idea of being able to apply knowledge is the very essence of the definition of common sense, or, if you prefer, critical thinking skills.  Why then, I ask, is common sense so uncommon?  Readers may falsely jump to the conclusion that, based upon the title of this piece, it is Donald Trump’s common sense in question here.  It is not Trump’s common sense that I question, but rather the common sense of many American citizens.  Before I continue, might I add that like many Americans I too question Trump’s Tweets, Trump’s vocabulary, and Trump’s ego.  Never, however, do I question Trump’s intention to return America to it’s former position as the financial and political envy of the World.  I believe that the President of these United States has been very clear on his position in that regard.

More than a year ago, in the midst of a brutal race for the Presidency Donald Trump stressed that the welfare of  American citizens was being damaged by current foreign trade policies.  Policies he felt had been enacted during any number of previous administrations and to the determent of it’s citizens.  Trump’s views included America being financially raped by the Chinese.  At the time, Trump’s detractors bristled at this idea.  Recently, President Donald Trump was on a diplomatic trip to the East.  This trip included a lengthy stop in China.  During an early address to the Chinese,  the President mentioned those very allegations.  Trump went on to say that he did not blame the Chinese government for taking advantage of trade policies detrimental to American citizens and beneficial to Chinese citizens.  Many of Trump’s detractors, be they media, celebrities, or elected officials, were beside themselves claiming that Donald Trump was back tracking, bowing down to Chinese officials.  But was he.

Did you catch the President’s next line.  Immediately after declaring he didn’t blame the Chinese government for putting their people first, the President finished with and so I don’t expect the Chinese to blame me when the policies are revised and are beneficial to Americans to the detriment of the Chinese.  Why would any American disagree with this.  I can see how the Chinese would disagree.

And so I ask all American citizens, how are your critical thinking skills?  The powers that be in the United States, apparently believe that the majority of Americans accept what they say as truth.  Truth without question, and just because a reporter, a celebrity, an elected official or some combination of the previously mentioned said so.  You don’t have to like the President to agree with his belief that the America government should put Americans first.  You don’t have to agree that he’s the type of guy you would your daughter to marry, or that he would make a good boss or even an ideal neighbor in order to agree with the concept that a country should look after it’s citizenship before caring for the citizens of other countries.  I will admit that putting Americans first to the point of selfishly taking advantage of others would be wrong.  At the same time, isn’t it possible to put Americans first without selfishly taking advantage of others?

Critical thinking skills, or common sense.  Call it what you like.  Do you possess that ability?

On the evening of Wednesday, November 8, 2017, my wife and I chose to view the CMA Award Show broadcast on ABC.  Before I go any further, please let’s not argue  whether or not today’s version of country music actually qualifies as country music or pop music.  If you viewed the show, you must admit that at least some of the presentations would qualify as country music.  After all, several numbers included steel guitars and/or fiddles.

For me, at least, the highlight of the evening was not a country song at all, but rather a hymn published almost 150 years ago by Will L. Thompson.  I was deeply moved, as were countless others, as Carrie Underwood presented the beautiful hymn, “Softly and Tenderly”,  in front of an ever changing display of the names and faces of the many members of the music industry who died during the passed year, as well as the country music fans gunned down during a Las Vegas concert on the first day of October.  Good Morning America, co-anchor Lara Spencer, felt Underwood’s presentation was a very moving response to the losses.  Is that what that was?  Is that all it was?  Was the intent of the presentation of the song merely a tribute to the loss of human life?  Is the most sad event in this life, death?  Well, almost.  The one event that I find more sad, would be for death to result in an eternity spent in Hell, rather than in Heaven.

Based upon my research and as stated earlier, the church standard, “Softly and Tenderly”, was penned in 1880 by Will L. Thompson.  It has been my personal experience to find this song used frequently in church’s for decades.  The website that I choose to research noted that Thompson’s inspiration for the hymn is the Biblical book of Mark, the tenth chapter and the forty-ninth verse, or more appropriately, Mark 10:49.  Also noted is a theme of invitation and salvation.  To an Evangelical Christian, these are two extremely important subjects.

One of Carrie Underwood’s greatest hits, if not the greatest hit, is “Jesus Take the Wheel”.   The theme of the song is a young lady’s realization that so much of this life, as well as the one after, is hopelessly out of our control, and that our only real hope is to trust God’s plan for this life and Jesus Christ for the life after.  What I heard during Underwood’s presentation was not a tribute to those whose lives’ are over, but rather an invitation to those of us who remain behind to accept the soft and tender call of the Savior of the World, Jesus Christ.  Please review the lyrics, as well as the result of my research below.

What do you hear?  Is the Master calling to you?

I was born in 1952.  That’s right, I’m officially old.  Anyway, in my youth, there existed quite a few sayings that aren’t in common use these days.  One of those expressions was, “I’ll have to chew on that awhile”.  Normally, one heard that expression after asking an older person, and especially one that had grown up in rural America, what they thought about an idea.    For example, one might ask, “Do you think it would be a good idea for me to ……….(fill in the blank)”.  And the response might be, “I don’t know.  I’ll have to chew on that awhile”.  If that is Greek to you, the responder is saying, “I’ll have to think about that before giving you an answer that I’m comfortable with”.  With that understanding in mind, when you see a post titled, “Something to Chew On”, I’m asking you to think about it.

So, think about this……………

Just because I feel that I’m right, doesn’t mean that I am.

If I am wrong, it doesn’t mean the person whose idea is the polar opposite is right.  In fact, we could both be wrong.

Just because I feel that I have been offended doesn’t mean that I should be.

Life is a series of choices.

Choices have consequences.

Consequences can be good or bad.

The consequences of a choice may last a lifetime.

I am responsible for my choices.  No one made me do it.  It was my choice.

Unless legally bound, I am not responsible for the choices of others.

I am not responsible for the choices that my ancestors made.

I am not responsible for the choices of my children, nor those of my grandchildren.

“Is God a conservative”?

A few days back, Ms. Stephany Bailey of North Little Rock, Arkansas posed this very question to readers of “Voices”.  “Voices” is the Editorial section of Little Rock, Arkansas’s newspaper, The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.  So, what do you think?

Don’t be too hasty in expressing your opinion.  Take time to think this through carefully.  Don’t assume that you know my response to the question.  My belief is irrelevant.  What is your personal belief?  Well……………..time’s up.  Do you have your answer?  Is God a conservative?

I have my answer.  My answer is not necessarily the correct one.  It’s just my personal belief.  Please keep in mind that the Almighty has not selected me as a spokesman for God.  That being the case, I’m not being the mouthpiece of God here.  I do, however, have an answer.  An answer that is exactly that.  My answer.  You may agree, or disagree.  It matters not that you side with me.  It does matter, I think, that you have an answer that is suitable to God.

In formulating my answer, I used the only resources available to me.  Those resources are: my brain; my senses; my personal knowledge; the English language; an English language dictionary; an English language translation of God’s Holy Bible; and most importantly, my ability to reason.  Please excuse my repeated reference to the English language.  I’m afraid that is a weakness of mine.  I’m sorry that my prejudice for the English language is on display.  I’m not very highly educated, I guess.  Frail as I am, and as much as I hate to admit it, English is the only language that I speak with any comfort and that I have any understanding of.  Even if I were fluent in several languages, I’m afraid that under pressure, I would resort to English.  So, with the help of Noah Webster’s Dictionary, please allow me to explain.

Webster states the word conservative is an adjective meaning having the tendency or power to preserve.  Conservative may also be used as a noun meaning that which preserves, or one opposed to hasty changes in political, religious, or civil institutions of the country.

In the New International translation of the Biblical book of Malachi, chapter 3, verse 6 we find the very God that Ms. Bailey refers to speaking to the Israelites saying, “I the Lord do not change”.  Ms. Bailey also refers to examples of right living provided us by Christ.   Since most Christians believe Jesus is fully man and fully God, I would like to  continue in the New International Translation of the Bible.  Moving from the Old Testament into  the New Testament, we find the Apostle Paul reminding us in the book of Hebrews, chapter 13, verse 8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever”.  Just a few pages forward brings us to the book of James, chapter 1, verse 17, “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows”.

So my answer is yes, I believe God is beyond a shadow of a doubt both conservative, and a conservative because God never changes, and because God’s expectations for us never change.  God’s being (a) conservative, however, doesn’t mean that God is a liberal.  God’s being (a) conservative doesn’t mean that God is a Republican.  Don’t assume that if God isn’t a Republican, than God must be a Democrat.  God is neither.  In fact, do some research of your own.  Review God’s feelings when the Jews asked God to allow them to be governed by an earthly king just like their neighbors.  Was God’s answer that of a conservative or that of a liberal?

Absolute Truth and Freedom!!!!!

Keep in mind that my website is titled Absolute Truth and Freedom.  I believe freedom to be a gift from God.  God wants me to have the freedom to make all of my own decisions and to be in control of my life, including choosing to believe He exists, or doesn’t exist and choosing to follow Him, or choosing not to follow Him.  If my God provides me that level of freedom, why would I choose to give up that freedom to a mere man or woman.  To be enslaved by not an individual, but by a government?

I ran across this article on Twitter as I have presented it here.  I have no idea where or when it was originally published.  The article appears to have been published in a newspaper, and that Garret Geer should be given credit for the piece.  For those who know nothing about the Progressive political movement, Socialism, Saul Alinsky, or Alinsky’s  influence on modern thought, I would recommend this piece as well as some research.

You do realize, don’t you, that individuals exist in this country that wish to enslave you.  As an institution, slavery exists and has existed worldwide almost since the beginning of time.  Although slavery was practiced at one time in this nation, slavery was not created by anyone in this country.  Slavery existed long before any Europeans arrived on this continent.  Slavery takes many forms, but always involves the loss of freedom by the enslaved.    It seems to me that Alinsky promotes slavery in his eight levels of control.