Various Ramblings and Thoughts from a Politically Incorrect Southern Baptist Preacher

 

The older I get the more politically incorrect I become.  There are some things in life that I simply do not understand.  As a young preacher, I knew all the answers.  Today, I don’t even know the questions!

 

I do not understand why young men walk around in public with their britches down to their knees and their underwear exposed.

 

I do not understand the thinking of the modern church that we must be “all inclusive” in our doctrines, teachings, and practice.  Jesus taught a very “exclusionary” gospel when He taught that in order to enter heaven a person must be born again and that the only way to be born again was through Him.  This doesn’t leave any room for buddah, confucius, mohammed, my opinion, or yours.  He also taught that we were to live a “separated” life. Seems that I remember hearing somebody somewhere say: A person (or a church or any organization) who does not stand for something – will fall for anything!  Jesus commanded us to be both salt & light in this world.  We are to change the world by adhering to His standards.  Instead, we are compromising all we hold sacred with the hopes of attracting the world - without changing the world when and if they do come.  We tend to think we can “add” Christ to our lives without “subtracting” sin from our lives and our churches.  It just does not work.

 

I do not understand people getting tattoos.  Don't these people understand that, if they live long enough, those tattoos that are now on nice firm skin, will one day be on saggy, wrinkly skin?  Tattoos that were once on their chest will be around their bellybutton.  Nursing homes will be filled with old people sporting saggy, wrinkly tattoos that say, Born to be Wild!

 

I do not understand the difference between video poker, online gaming, the lottery, and a church raffle.  Isn’t it all gambling?  Just a thought.

 

I do not understand why I seem to be the only one who has a problem with President Obama inviting his professor friend and the offended Cambridge police officer to the White House for "a beer” to settle their problems.  Yep, that certainly sets the example that we should be teaching our kids.  If you have a problem with somebody – just have a beer with them.  Not!!!

 

I don’t understand why I have to push a button on the ATM I use at my bank, or on my phone, to continue in English.  This is America.  If anybody should have to push a button, it should be those who do not know how to speak English!

 

I do not understand the concept of “hate crimes” legislation.  As I understand it, hate crimes legislation imposes stiffer consequences upon a person who commits a crime against someone in one of the protected categories defined by the legislation, than if they committed the same crime against someone who is not in one of these defined protected categories.  The unintended consequence of this legislation is that it devalues the lives of those not in one of these designated protected categories.  If someone is, God forbid, murdered because they are gay, their assailant will receive a stiffer penalty than if they murdered someone who was not gay.  The unintended implied meaning is – the life of someone who is gay is of more value than the life of someone who is not.  Shouldn’t any taking of life that rises to the criteria of capital murder, or murder one, be tried on equal footing and if found guilty, the punishment be meted out uniformly?

 

I do not understand the concept of “hate speech” which is another spoke on the wheel of “hate crimes.”  Why is it that the First Amendment guarantee of free speech applies to everybody except a preacher/pastor in a pulpit preaching against homosexuality?  Somehow, when a preacher/pastor exercises his first amendment rights to free speech, this is considered “hate speech” and if congress has its way, it will soon be punishable by imprisonment of the preacher/pastor.

 

I do not understand the prevailing mindset griping America today that we can somehow borrow ourselves out of a financial crisis and into prosperity.  A great hero of mine, Neal Phillips, Sr. once told me, Preacher, if your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep will be your downfall.  He was right!  He also told me, Preacher, if you ever run across a situation in life that you just absolutely cannot understand, if you will watch it long enough you will usually discover that either money, politics, sex, or religion will be at the root of the problem.  Ain’t it so? 

 

I agree with the late, great preacher/pastor Adrian Rogers who said, You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.

 

I do not understand why America has to the world’s nanny.  I believe if we would redirect the billions of dollars going overseas to support the governments and regimes of those who hate us, that we just might change some attitudes toward us and solve our financial problems at home at the same time.  It’s just a thought!

 

I do not understand rap.

 

I do not understand why illegal immigration is a problem.  I welcome any immigrant from any country on earth who wants to come into America legally.  If they choose to enter illegally – they should be deported.  If they are caught again, they should be sentenced to hard labor in prison right beside the employer who hired them.  And for the life of me, I cannot understand why illegal immigrants are on the roles of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment benefits, and other government programs.  What part of illegal don’t we understand?  What part of eradicating a trillion dollar budget deficit don’t we understand?

 

I do not understand why America’s energy policy has to be an either or proposition.  Why can’t we explore, develop, and implement all the different options at the same time? Seems logical to me.

 

I do not understand the need for government run universal health care.  In fact, the thought of a government run anything scares me to death.  If you want to see a good example of a government run entity – just take a look at the Post Office.  The billions (Yes, that’s billions with a “b”) of dollars they are projected to lose should inspire you to turn over the healthcare system to the government.  And dare I mention Social Security?  I know I over simplify, but if the congress can pass a law that mandates employers, through private insurance carriers, to offer COBRA benefits to former employees, why can’t they simply pass a law that states everybody in the United States, regardless of pre-existing conditions, is eligible to purchase private healthcare insurance at fair, competitive rates?  

 

I also do not understand why congress & the president will have a different healthcare program than the one they are debating for us!

 

I don’t understand how some people think we can stand more taxes. As my friend Ellen Gilmore reports, we already pay: Accounts Receivable Tax, Building Permit Tax, Capital Gains Tax, CDL license Tax, Cigarette Tax, Corporate Income Tax, Court Fines (indirect taxes), Dog License Tax, Federal Income Tax, Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA), Fishing License Tax, Food License Tax, Fuel permit tax, Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon)  (more today), Hunting License Tax, Inheritance Tax Interest expense (tax on the money), Inventory tax IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax), IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax), Liquor Tax, Local Income Tax, Luxury Taxes, Marriage License Tax, Medicare Tax, Property Tax, Real Estate Tax, Septic Permit Tax, Service Charge Taxes, Social Security Tax, Road Usage Taxes (Truckers), Sales Taxes, Recreational Vehicle Tax, Road Toll Booth Taxes, School Tax, State Income Tax, State Unemployment Tax (SUTA), Telephone federal excise tax, Telephone federal universal service fee tax, Telephone federal, state and local surcharge taxes, Telephone minimum usage surcharge tax, Telephone recurring and non-recurring charges tax, Telephone state and local tax, Telephone usage charge tax, Toll Bridge Taxes, Toll Tunnel Taxes, Traffic Fines, (indirect taxation), Trailer registration tax, Utility Taxes, Vehicle License Registration Tax, Vehicle Sales Tax, Watercraft registration Tax, Well Permit Tax, and Workers Compensation Tax.

COMMENTS: Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago and our nation was the most prosperous in the world, had absolutely no national debt, had the Largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

 

I do not understand why when a parent administers corporal punishment (not child abuse) to their child – the parent is the one arrested or viewed with disdain by society at large.

 

I do not understand why years ago AT&T was forced to spin off all the “Baby Bell’s” because they violated anti-trust laws (they were a monopoly) but oil companies today don’t fall under the same laws.

 

If refining capability causes gasoline prices to increase, why not build new refineries?

 

How is it okay for oil companies to make record profits while claiming shortages and gas prices were topping $4 per gallon?

 

Can synthetic gasoline be refined from synthetic oil?  Just a thought!

 

Why do we allow speculators to drive up gasoline by speculating?  I once speculated I was pretty valuable but my net worth never increased!

 

I wonder what happened to manners like:  Yes sir.  No sir.  Yes ma’am.  No ma’am. Please.  Thank you.  And I’m sorry.

 

I do not understand global warming.

 

I do not understand why there is any question if a child inside its mother’s womb is a life.  The opposite of life is death.  If it is not a life, is it a death?

 

I do not understand how if a woman goes to an abortion clinic and kills her unborn child it is called abortion and is legal.  Yet, if a stranger walks up to that woman, places a pistol on her stomach, pulls the trigger and kills the baby, he or she will be charged with infanticide.  What’s the difference?

Speaking of abortion, I do not understand why the death sentence is imposed upon an unborn child for the crimes of its mother and father.

 

I wonder why, at the end of a sermon, preachers instruct their congregations to “stand to their feet.”  Where else are they going to stand?

 

I wonder why preachers preface an illustration by saying, “This is a true story.”  Was everything else a lie?

 

I wonder what happed to the institution of marriage.

I do not understand how a company can be “too big to fail.”  Does anybody remember American Motors?

 

While I am vehemently opposed to discrimination in any form, I do not fully understand the opposition to profiling.  If the attacks on 9-11 had been carried out by middle-aged, overweight, tall, balding white guys, I would fully expect law enforcement personnel, at all levels, to take a second look at me.  But hey, that’s just me.

 

I do not understand why Christmas, a federal holiday so named, is called everything but Christmas.

 

I do not understand why people who tout “tolerance” are often so “intolerant” of others and those who say there are “no absolutes” in life are “absolutely” sure they are correct.  Just a thought!

 

I do not understand why you never see a baby pigeon.

 

There are many things in life I do not understand.  But one thing I do understand.  My time on this earth is limited.  I, as you, have a limited amount of time to do that which I will do.  My personal mission statement states that, God has placed me here to consistently and passionately reflect the character of Christ through every role and season of my life.  My struggle is to leave this world a better place than I found it.

 

Brother Aaron

 

Comments welcome:  freshfire@mindspring.com

 

 

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