The World's Ruined: April 2009

Monday, April 27, 2009

Democrats on steriods...

... spending yours and your childrens' and your childrens' childrens' money by creating it (borrowing it) out of thin air. With no attempt at fiscal responsibility to the present or future taxpayers, the Dems put into high gear the destruction of the dollar via a reckless inflation of the money supply.

Another chart from Policy Watch:

Obama: The 100 day mark...

How are we feeling about the course set by our new President? Getting a little nervous?

Hmmm....

Chart compliments of Policy Watch.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Santa Barbara Tea Party Pt. 2...

In addition to the videos of the previous post, here are some photos:

(click on photos to enlarge)

Santa Barbara Tea Party...

Below are 4 very short videos I took of the Tea Party in Santa Barbara as it gathered in front of the IRS on Anacapa.

Everyone gathered at Alameda Park (Sola St. a & Anacapa St.) at 1:00 PM and then march down one block the IRS office building to hold the party. I guess there were four to five hundred people in attendance with police directing traffic. A number of cars, as they passed by, were honking in support. Different individuals got up and addressed the crowd extemporaneously, explaining their complaints and concerns with Washington D.C.'s handling of the current financial downturn and the ever growing power and control of the federal government. The crowd was cheering and chanting slogans against high taxes, run away federal spending, and the fed's heavy hand, all in an orderly fashion. I couldn't stay long as I had to get back to work. But all in all it was heartening to see so many turn out here in a city that overwhelmingly voted for Obama and the Democrats last fall.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

an Easter hymn...

Morning-Evening

In the morning light
Radiance of his face
There in glory bright
His shadow I can trace

I bow down on bended knee
I bow down, bow down before him

He, my filthy rags
Turned to garments white
Thus my heart was freed
From the soul’s dark night

I bow down on bended knee
I bow down, bow down before him

Middle Refrain:
Emptied himself, became a man
Humbly served, poured out in love
On the cross, he bore our sin
His name now far above all

When the evening comes
And the night draws near
In his word he speaks
Truth and grace I hear

I bow down on bended knee
I bow down, bow down before him
2009 - Jack Miller

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Smiley face diplomacy...

Abe Greenwald, in a post at Commentary (Don’t Think They’re Not Keeping Score, Mr. President) draws attention to what has become an Obama obsession and a real security concern for the U.S.

Greenwald's key point:
We’re in uncharted territory. Never - the Carter years included - has an American administration been so deliberate and thorough in spreading the word of an America with its guard down. If you’re Moscow or Pyongyang or Tehran, it’s a free-for-all. No one is minding the store. Take what you want, work in groups, work in shifts, pretend you’re law-abiding or be brazenly criminal. You’ll get the same “have a nice day” from the shopowner either way.

William Kristol follows up here with a more in depth critique of Obama's diplomacy for a world free of nuclear weapons: A World Without Nukes -- Just Like 1939

Jack

The Mere Mercy of God

This calling of Abram is a signal instance of the gratuitous mercy of God. Had Abram been beforehand with God by any merit of works? Had Abram come to him, or conciliated his favour? Nay, we must ever recall to mind that he was plunged in the filth of idolatry; and God freely stretches forth his hand to bring back the wanderer. He deigns to open his sacred mouth, that he may show to one, deceived by Satan's wiles, the way of salvation.

But this is done designedly, in order that the manifestation of the grace of God might become the more conspicuous in his person. For he is an example of the vocation of us all; for in him we perceive, that, by the mere mercy of God, those things that are not are raised from nothing, in order that they may begin to be something.

-John Calvin, Genesis, (Banner of Truth), p. 343

"Nor the faith also does not shut out the justice of our good works, necessarily to be done afterwards of duty towards GOD (for we are most bounden to serve GOD, in doing good deeds, commanded by him in his holy Scripture, all the days of our life): But it excludes them, so that we may not do them to this intent, to be made good by doing of them. For all the good works that we can do, be imperfect, and therefore not able to deserve our justification: but our justification doth come freely by the mere mercy of God..." (Thomas Cranmer - Homily of Justification)

Justification-Sanctification/Law-Gospel

In short, I affirm, that not by our own merit but by faith alone, are both our persons and works justified; and that the justification of works depends on the justification of the person, as the effect on the cause. (John Calvin, Acts of the Council of Trent with the Antidote)

The law guides, directs, commands, all things that are against the interest and rule of sin. It judgeth and condemneth both the things that promote it and the persons that do them; it frightens and terrifies the consciences of those who are under its dominion. But if you shall say unto it, “What then shall we do? this tyrant, this enemy, is too hard for us. What aid and assistance against it will you afford unto us? what power will you communicate unto its destruction?” Here the law is utterly silent, or says that nothing of this nature is committed unto it of God: nay, the strength it hath it gives unto sin for the condemnation of the sinner: “The strength of sin is the law.” But the gospel, or the grace of it, is the means and instrument of God for the communication of internal spiritual strength unto believers. By it do they receive supplies of the Spirit or aids of grace for the subduing of sin and the destruction of its dominion… (John Owen, A Treatise of the Dominion of Sin and Grace)