Paul's Passing Thoughts

I grew up between two political parties, that is, Democrat and Republican. My parents were Republicans residing in a Dayton, Ohio suburb, and my grandparents, who I was very close to, were staunch Democrats living in the Shawnee Forest region of Southern Ohio. My grandfather was president for the boat doc operating engineers union. They were the guys who unloaded barges going up and down the Ohio river and delivered the contents to factories and steel mills. As a young boy, I spent a lot of time during the summer going to work with my grandfather and was dubbed, “the grandchild.” Later in life, right after graduating from high school, I went to work for my grandfather and was still referred to as “grandchild,” which was my official nickname.  I literally grew up with the men that worked there. Whenever I went to work with my grandfather during my childhood, I would ride with the cement truck drivers for awhile, then the tug boat guys, and sit with the heavy equipment operators in their cabs as they unloaded the barges. Near lunchtime, I stood on top of the levy waiting for the first dump truck driver to appear at the top of the hill. The first one would stop and open the passenger door and I would make the long climb up the cab ladder to enter. This always meant a free lunch at McDonalds or Burger King, food my grandmother considered to be a vice like smoking and drinking. The lunch she packed for me would end up being fish food in the Ohio River. All the workers who adopted me for the day took opportunity to proclaim their opinions about life, women, and politics. And so my summers were.

Meanwhile, my winters were spent in the upscale suburbs of Dayton, Ohio with my elitist Republican parents. I was 9 years old when they had a Barry Goldwater party and my older brother’s band played “Louie, Louie” and other 60s hits. I remember those attending complained about the drummer being too loud. I remember Goldwater lost because he ran on a war plan that would destroy North Vietnam inside of a week and put an end to its aggression towards South Vietnam. Goldwater didn’t like Communists, and promised to make North Vietnam a “mudpuddle.”

This made Americans afraid of a nuclear war with Russia who was backing North Vietnam. Nevertheless, carpet bombing with B52s brought North Vietnam to its knees, but incredibly, instead of using that as a means to end the war, North Vietnam was allowed to use it as a bargaining chip for “peace negotiations.” Thus began the politically correct idea that winning a war is immoral. Lyndon B. Johnson won, and Goldwater lost because the fear card was played. Johnson did not run for a second term because he had no chance of winning due to his abysmal job as president. During his administration, the Democrats passed a law that allowed the government to borrow money from the Social Security trust fund and use it for social programs to buy votes, an overt criminal act. Thus began the two-tier legal system in the USA. In contrast, if you are a CEO that borrows from a company pension fund, there is no faster track to being locked up in prison.

Whenever my parents would drop my little brother and me off for the summer, there would be a political argument in the living room. I remember one night very well; it was pretty ugly. So, my grandfather retreated to the basement to add more coal to the furnace. Per the usual, I went with him. I remember that basement well; it was where my brothers and I watched grandpa and his friends “clean” (butcher) the spoils of their hunting trips. I see that night so clearly; as my grandfather shoveled coal into the furnace, I asked what all the fuss was about. He said, “Democrats are for the working man.” My age was a single digit, but regardless of how much I adored my grandparents, I knew better, and you should to.

My logic as a child was peculiar; I totally related school yard bullies to Communists, and figured if Democrats didn’t even know that, neither did they know anything about money. When I went to Shoup Mill elementary school in Dayton, the Democrats legislated forced integration through busing from inner-city schools to suburban schools. Except, during that time in Dayton, the only “inner-city” was the West side of Dayton, now all of Dayton is considered inner-city. This has been the result of Democrat leadership of Dayton throughout the years. I have a property in Dayton once appraised at 76,000 dollars; I would be lucky to get 40 for it presently despite the fact that it was built in 1993, the same year that conservative Mayor Mike Turner was elected mayor of Dayton.

Montgomery county liberals made his life absolutely miserable regardless of the fact that he returned Dayton to its former glory of the 40s, 50s, and 60s when it was known as the “Gem City.” Turner eventually lost to Democrat Rhine McLin in 2001. McLin was known to be a drug addict and utterly corrupt. During city council meetings aired on cable TV, she was overtly inebriated. She narrowly defeated Turner with the usual weapon of identity politics. Yes, Dayton was returned to its former glory by Turner, but guess what? Right, the less fortunate “working class” had been left out. Sound familiar? Well, since making sure the less fortunate have received their fair share since 2001, what is the state of Dayton today? The whole city is a ghetto with boarded up residential properties and businesses on every side of the city.

But, back to busing. It’s hard to believe today, but the North side of Dayton where Shoup Mill elementary was located, was once considered affluent. Several children arrived to attend school with us from the West side to partake in our white privilege. Actually, the school became a hotbed of racism with both sides being equally guilty. Yes indeed, elementary children were burdened with the politcal conflicts of their parents. I had a freind who was a mild mannered child, and also huge for his age. We stuck together and avoided the mainstream fray of things, until tyranny came looking for us because I guess silence is taking sides. I was shocked at the violence my freind delivered on those who misinterpeted his kindness as weakness. Regardless, I made the equation in my mind: my freind was a Republican and the rest were Democrats.

And here we are today. How can it be? Almost 60 years later, Democrats are using the same exact pair of tactics: fear and identity politics. Let me tell you a fact: racism was not on the cultural radar screen in the 80s and 90s. I was in my twenties during the 80s, and interracial dating was commonplace and nobody thought a thing of it. Also during the 80s, at one point of time when my brother and I owned a business together, everyone of our technicians were black and no one thought a thing about it. Everyone was enjoying the prosperity of the Ronald Reagon years and didn’t have time for drama. Certainly, race issues were not trending. When Barak Obama was elected, racism began to dominate our culture once again. In the 80s and at least part of the 90s, the prevailing thought was that America had grown out of the issue. Think about this: in the very year that America elected its first black president, racism made a comeback.

Enter the Coronavirus pandemic. Once again, Democrates have made everything about fear and identity politics. The virus stimulous package, as any child can see, should be focused on what it is intended for: to give financial relief to Americans who are suffering just because Asians like to eat everything they can find crawling and walking while alive. For some reason, the bill won’t pass. Why? Here we go again, “The Republican bill only benefits corporate America and not…’the working man (or woman).'” I have had to suffer this mantra from the time my grandfather said it to me in that basement until now. When will this mindless charade end?

There are three things that are different. Conservative news reporting, real hate, and Donald Trump. Because of conservative news reporting, last night, what is really going on with the Democrats was revealed. Their version of the bill included funding for many, many, many other things than financial relief for those effected by the Coronavirus. In fact, EVERY pet project they have tried to pass unsuccessfully in the past two years was included in their bill. Yet, they are stating that the working people of America are left out of the Republican bill and accuse the Republican version of being a corporate slush fund.

No, that’s not true, the issue is the carte blanche passing of several other bills without due process. The issue involves another Democrat mainstay: making use of every tragedy to forward an agenda. Before the advent of conservative news outlets in the 90s the Democrats could get away with it. Even a child can see this, and the continuing use of the same old 60 year old mantra by the Democrats does not speak well to the average Democrat’s ability to think.

The second thing is real hate. I remember, like yesterday, sitting in my second grade classroom when the announcement came over the intercom that President Kennedy had been assassinated. Be sure of this: Democrats and Republicans alike were in mourning. Everybody was an American first and a Republican or Democrat second for a long time after that. Not so today. Be equally sure of this: if President Trump were assassinated, the Democrats would be celebrating in the streets.

Thirdly, about Trump. Since that evening in my grandfather’s basement, I have waited for a Republican like Trump. I knew America needed a Republican like my elementary school friend. My friend was kind, fair, and a likable person to be around, until a bully showed up. Yes, I was shocked at how much my friend hated bullies, but I came to understand that love for freedom and fairness can be exhibited in an equally emotional defense for it.

When I was a child and young adult, I loved my Democrats in Southern Ohio as much as my Republicans in Dayton, Ohio.  Democrats were once well-meaning liberals; but they have become freedom hating tyrants who cannot be reasoned with.

Even a child can see it.

paul

I am so numb to Church foolishness that it takes a whole lot of it to provoke a post. In this case, a worldwide pandemic did the job. This isn’t a post about some outrageous church scandal that is trending, that stuff is business as usual, and according to Churchians, just more proof of how much people need church because we are “all just sinners saved by grace” and church is the grace breadline overseen by “men of God.” Of course, “men of God” fall into sedition, but that’s not the point; their deep knowledge of warranted anti-humanity ideology is the point.

First, these people who supposedly have a high view of God, continually give God credit for anemic misguided judgements. And, on top of that, “the Bible is our authority” they say. Yet, the book of Revelation makes this clear: when God wants to make a point in regard to judgement, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that God did it. On an individual level, a king that was ruling the whole world at the time offended God by something he said and immediately became a cow. Another king was immediately eaten from the inside out by worms on the spot. When God makes a point, there is no serious debate about whether he did it or not.

And then there is the always-present church tyranny which is by far the most annoying. America did away with the church-state, so apparently, God is enforcing church orthodoxy via plagues. The Coronavirus has hit because people are not living the way church people say we should live and they know how we should live because they were told by pastors who were told by seminary professors who were told by church counsels where Christ wasn’t present. This from the consummate child unsafe zone. The following recent statement is typical:

With the Corona virus pushing a lot of women back into their homes with their children (which is a good thing, in my opinion), here are some ideas to help you not be bored at home while being productive too!

Of course, all of this flows from the idea that God’s kingdom is presently on earth, and since a kingdom is an institution, the appointed institution to oversee the kingdom, and consequently, the only place salvation can be received on the installment plan, is church. But, supposedly, God’s kingdom really has difficulty competing with the world’s institutions and other kingdoms. Christ is the king of the church institution, but he can’t seem to whip things in shape. In fact, he can’t even keep his own ministers in line. And, as far as exposing their crimes against children and other injustices, he needs the world’s help to do it. I see.

God couldn’t do much about America breaking up his church-state, so he is using plagues to protest; that, and his displeasure about the church not supporting Marxist ideology, which apparently is his preferred government model.

God’s kingdom is NOT presently on earth. If it was, new meaning would be given to, “There’s a new sheriff in town.” That’s a proper commonsense view of God.

Apparently, God is also a poor planner. Worship can only be conducted at church, but he sent a pandemic as a judgment that also prevents people from worshipping him. Perfect. Don’t forget, so-called “church worship” or the “worship service”  is the primary means of receiving the “ordinary means of grace.” That better reads, “the ordinary means of salvation.” This is the virtual shutting down of salvation gas stations that keep the church bus moving down the salvation road to “final justification.”

Of course, debate is going on among church leaders concerning what should be done about this. Some say we should “trust God’s will” and show up at church anyway. Others say we should “obey the governing authorities,” and will resume preaching that church attendance is efficacious for salvation when all of this is past tense. Yes, a judgment has come because people don’t go to church, so they darn well better start when this is all over.  It’s all steroidal cognitive dissonance.

Many in the church point to the benefit of God’s latest slap on the wrist this way: “It reminds us that the church is the people and not a building.” One new T-shirt inspired by all of this reads, “The Church has left the building.” As propagated often in church-speak: words have dual meanings in their doublespeak dictionary of paradox. “Church” and the concept of church, is part and parcel with institution, and institutions speak of authority through its infrastructure. Obviously, church success is measured by its infrastructure and always has been, but yet, when this kind of verbiage is tossed around mindless pew-dwellers bob their heads up and down. Most all churches in our day are incorporated.

News flash: a corporation is not a family. A corporation is not a person. A corporation is not a living organism. A corporation is not a living body. A corporation is an institution used by humanity to execute authority.

When it is all said and done, whether intended by God or not, if this pandemic is anything, it is a big, fat, Donald Trump I told you so on many different levels such as trade, borders, outsourcing, and China. Maybe God has fired the church and hired Donald Trump Inc.  instead.

We know that church was never meant to be God’s model for fellowship or his vessel for spreading the gospel. Clearly, church doesn’t come for 300 years after Christ’s ascension, and with excessive political intrigue and bloodshed following.

It’s all a lie, and the mindlessness that flows out of it like an endless tsunami is indicative of that fact.

paul

As I wrote yesterday, Trump impeachment 3.0, the Coronavirus “crises,” is going to end up being a disaster for Democrats at the polls in November. Most Democrats have to admit that their party isn’t going to give Trump any credit for doing anything right, which is unrealistic in and of itself, but allowing this virus to be blown out of proportion has had a profound effect on American lives and will continue to do so.

It is indeed a good idea to error on the side of caution with this virus, but the positive results will be credited to Trump, especially when compared to how the Democrats reacted to the Swine Flu in 2009. They played down the threat resulting in 16,000 American deaths while Joe Biden was rebuked by the Obama administration for suggesting travel restrictions. Barak Obama didn’t have to worry about any fatality rate connected to his response; he knew the media had his back.

Moreover, the virus crisis is going to highlight Trump’s accomplishments. Where would we be with this pandemic if Trump would have backed down on open borders advocated by the Democrats? While the economy is Trump’s greatest ally for the 2020 elections, hopes that the virus will destroy the economy may also backfire. Democrats also own businesses and depend on Wall Street for their retirement, but if this crisis blows over quickly, Democrat business owners and those who lost their jobs are going to be much slower to forget, especially if they think TDS had anything to do with it.

TDS is ok with many people, until the overplaying of TDS prevents your family from experiencing a once in a lifetime experience. Case in point regarding my neck of the woods: Dayton, Ohio; the Dayton Flyers being rated 3rd in the nation and having a shot at the NCAA national title will probably be something that will not happen again for a very long time, if ever. If the lost opportunity is chalked up to excessive TDS, Democrats are not going to forget it at the polls. TDS is great for political theater until it hits close to where people live.

Our local news did a report from UD arena tonight (Where opening games for the NCAA tournament were to be played) and thought they were dissing Trump by contrasting the vacant arena with news that the final touches were being applied to a Coronavirus drive-thru testing center in the UD arena parking lot. My first thought was, “Wow, that’s going to be a reality already?” Only a week ago, experts were saying that this country was not set up for anything like that at all.

However, locally, the most interesting sign arrived via the cancelling of First Fridays in Xenia, Ohio. This is a huge citywide event that takes place on the first Friday of May, June, and July. But, they are only cancelling May. Why? Obviously, they think the Coronavirus scare is going to be over by June. It is also being reported that more than half of those infected to date have recovered. It was also reported today that a vaccine for Corona is in testing stage.

Last, but certainly not least, this crisis highlights what Trump has been saying about China and globalism from the beginning of his candidacy, not to mention the outsourcing of critical medical supplies to China happened way before his watch. Who outsources 96% of their antibiotics to a sworn enemy? Just who in the hell has been running this country until Trump came along?

All of this adds up to Trump having way too much ammunition against the Democrats. In fact, I am going out on a limb here, but I predict they will avoid the presidential debates to avoid a landslide and perhaps hold on to the House. There is one exception: if Biden picks Hillary Clinton as his running mate, she is way too delusional to accept the fact that this thing is beyond over.

And we can’t forget about a major theme we have seen among Trump’s following: the invoking of God’s help which seems conspicuously missing among Democrat ranks. I think the gravity of the job has caused Trump to welcome this, and I think it is a huuuuge factor…pun intended.

paul

There is no difference between Protestantism and Catholicism. Both focus on the need to deal with “present sin” and the supposed authority of the church being efficacious for that purpose. Catholics call it the “sacraments,” while Protestants call it the “ordinary means of grace.” Clearly, in both cases, there is no maintaining of salvation without the church. Again, I will repeat, as I often do, that Catholics are more honest about it while Protestants deliberately hide the fact. We also contend that salvation is a onetime finished work by God inside the believer obtained by faith that does not have to be maintained.

So, other than the other run-of-the-mill life events that keep us from going to church, of late, we have the Coronavirus. There is a lot of spiritual cheerleading going on as a result, but conspicuously absent is discussion of how “Christians” keep themselves saved apart from church. Can atonement take place apart from church? And if it can, how? As another aside, we would contend that sin is not covered, but ended.

It seems that there would be a formal doctrine that addresses this. However, there does seem to be an unspoken doctrine of sorts: if you can’t attend church through no fault of your own, God will forgive your sins apart from the church. But, with that said, shouldn’t there be a stated doctrine of some sort? Priests and Protestant pastors alike have stern warnings for professing Christians  who “think they don’t need church.” Yet, when access to church is blocked, there seems to be no doctrine of interim atonement spoken of.

I at least have a partial answer for this. As a former Southern Baptist pastor, I can tell you that many, many, many Baptists believe they are saved by being a member of a church whether they show up or not. This is an irrefutable fact that I saw and experienced firsthand for years. Formal church membership coronated by water baptism supplies an ongoing cleansing for “present sins.” Those who “show up for church every time the doors are open” are a spiritual elitist class of Christians and not “casual Christians.” They are of the “devout” class.

Where in the world would Protestants get that idea? Well, from Protestant orthodoxy. Protestant orthodoxy has always held that “present sin” removes one from salvation  without ongoing repentance leading to forgiveness that can only be found in the church:

“Moreover, the message of free reconciliation with God is not promulgated for one or two days, but is declared to be perpetual in the Church (2 Cor. 5:18, 19). Hence believers have not even to the end of life any other righteousness than that which is there described. Christ ever remains a Mediator to reconcile the Father to us, and there is a perpetual efficacy in his death—viz. ablution, satisfaction, expiation; in short, perfect obedience, by which all our iniquities are covered” (The Calvin Institutes: 3.14.11).

“Nor by remission of sins does the Lord only once for all elect and admit us into the Church, but by the same means he preserves and defends us in it. For what would it avail us to receive a pardon of which we were afterwards to have no use? That the mercy of the Lord would be vain and delusive if only granted once, all the godly can bear witness; for there is none who is not conscious, during his whole life, of many infirmities which stand in need of divine mercy. And truly it is not without cause that the Lord promises this gift specially to his own household, nor in vain that he orders the same message of reconciliation to be daily delivered to them” (The Calvin Institutes: 4.1.21).

“To impart this blessing to us, the keys have been given to the Church (Mt. 16:19; 18:18). For when Christ gave the command to the apostles, and conferred the power of forgiving sins, he not merely intended that they should loose the sins of those who should be converted from impiety to the faith of Christ; but, moreover, that they should perpetually perform this office among believers” (The Calvin Institutes: 4.1.22).

“Secondly, This benefit is so peculiar to the Church, that we cannot enjoy it unless we continue in the communion of the Church. Thirdly, It is dispensed to us by the ministers and pastors of the Church, either in the preaching of the Gospel or the administration of the Sacraments, and herein is especially manifested the power of the keys, which the Lord has bestowed on the company of the faithful. Accordingly, let each of us consider it to be his duty to seek forgiveness of sins only where the Lord has placed it. Of the public reconciliation which relates to discipline, we shall speak at the proper place” (Ibid).

“Q87: What is repentance unto life?
A87: Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavour after, new obedience” [the newly applied obedience of Christ in response to re-repentance] (Westminster Shorter Catechism (1674).

“. . . forgiveness of sins is not a matter of a passing work or action, but comes from baptism which is of perpetual duration, until we arise from the dead” (Luther’s Works: American ed.; Philadelphia: Muhlenberg Press; St. Louis: Concordia, 1955, vol. 34, p. 163).

“. . . Forgiveness of sins is not a matter of a passing work or action, but of perpetual duration. For the forgiveness of sins begins in baptism and remains with us all the way to death, until we arise from the dead, and leads us into life eternal. So we live continually under the remission of sins. Christ. is truly and constantly the liberator from our sins, is called our Savior, and saves us by taking away our sins. If, however, he saves us always and continually, then we are constantly sinners” (Ibid, p.164).

“On no condition is sin a passing phase, but we are justified daily by the unmerited forgiveness of sins and by the justification of God’s mercy. Sin remains, then, perpetually in this life, until the hour of the last judgment comes and then at last we shall be made perfectly righteous” (Ibid, p.167).

“For the forgiveness of sins is a continuing divine work, until we die. Sin does not cease. Accordingly, Christ saves us perpetually” (Ibid., p.190).

“Daily we sin, daily we are continually justified, just as a doctor is forced
to heal sickness day by day until it is cured” (Ibid., p.191).

Protestants howl in protest at the idea they teach progressive justification that can only be found in church. But I must ask, what is it to be continually “justified” daily for “daily” sin?

The best answer I have for all of this follows: the best salvation insurance underwritten by church is Catholicism. If you can’t go to church to get daily justification, you can fall back on purgatory.

True, you need church going on to get people out of purgatory, so, I would suggest churches focus on that heavily in-between things like the Coronavirus. People unable to obtain the church’s authority over salvation are counting on it.

At any rate, good luck with the whole hot mess.

paul

I have followed politics since I was a nine year old Barry Goldwater conservative. One thing has always characterized my view of the American electorate: cynicism. It was obvious from the beginning that Jimmy Carter would be a disaster. The American people elected him anyway. Everyone knew Bill and Hillary Clinton are corrupt. The American people elected them anyway. Everyone knew Barak Obama had a negative view of America. The American people elected him anyway.

I could never figure it out, until now. For the most part, like me, the electorate has been cynical and unenergized. Look, for some time, at least forty years, everyone knew political promises are made to be broken; we came to expect it. George Bush’s infamous “read my lips” was merely political business as usual. Even more frustrating was the following: Ronald Reagan clearly demonstrated that a smaller government empowers America and its people.

However, knowing the brilliance of the founding fathers of America, who put a failsafe constitution in place leading to a very resilient America, we have always figured we could keep America afloat by voting for the least of two evils. Hence, we made up enough of the electorate to keep things close. Question: who was the last Democrat to win an election by a landslide? See what I mean? The problem has always been inactivity by commonsense Americans who are fed-up with looking and acting “presidential” being more important than keeping promises. The icing on the cake was watching the Bush’s frolic with people who obviously hate this country and everything it stands for in the name of “civility.”

Donald Trump has changed all of that. Finally, a leader who says what he means and means what he says. He not only keeps promises, but doesn’t let opposition from others stop him from fulfilling his promises. It’s the fulfilling of promises times two because he doesn’t use opposition as an excuse to not get the job done. In other words, he views campaign promises as his job description. In the business world, you either get the job done or you don’t, period. This is how Trump is running the country and it is more than we could ever hope for.

Moreover, his unceremonious disrespect for those who disagree with him is balm for years of frustration. It’s payback for those who make America work while being dismissed as worthless grunts by elitists. Oddly, regardless of Trump’s pedigree, we hear, “He’s one of us!”

It’s why the Russia hoax didn’t work. It’s why the Ukraine hoax didn’t work, and it’s why the Coronavirus fear mongering hoax to trash the economy is not going to work, but this time with an added twist.

Everyone knows this virus is being exaggerated so that Trump doesn’t get credit for a good economy, but meanwhile, it has robbed thousands of Americans from once in a lifetime family experiences. This is going to backfire bigtime. Trump has no choice but to send the Navy Seals to take care of a schoolyard bully, but more than likely, it is going to put a quick stop to this virus and Trump will get all of the credit. Meanwhile, people will remember what the exaggerated response costed them personally. This is a political disaster for the Democrats. They have made it personal on ground level.

Have you noticed that Nancy Pelosi et al have changed their tune this week? It’s because they see it regardless of their TDS. In addition, consider that more than half of the people infected, even in China, are now recovered. Again, when the smoke clears, this is going to be a political disaster for the Democrats.

The character assignation and “political qualifications” playbook no longer works because the American electorate is no longer marginalized by the disenfranchised. Trump has begun an era of new politics, and it will result in the mother of all electorate landslides in 2020.

paul