HONEST TO BLOG

2009-06-15T17:35:00.012-04:00

The Past Half Year

Let me catch you up. 2009 started out with a party (at 2640 & the Windup), as my lifelong friend, Keenan, was married. Friends and family are all happy that Rebecca is his wife. The bestman's toast I gave went something like this:

I've heard it said there are two kinds of love: the love of delight and the love of goodwill. We find each other delightful, but when that delight wanes we are resolved to continue behaving in the other's best interest. And marriage, among other things, is a sworn commitment to that effect, to will the other's good, even when there's less to delight in. We love Keenan and Rebecca, and we wish them the best. So here's to their mutual delight & goodwill, and a future of more joy than sorrow, more health than sickness, more plenty than want, more 'better' than 'worse'.

photo credit

Slightly didactic, but concise --don't you think? I reproduce it here because I gave it a lot of thought, and by the time the bubbly was swallowed it is likely my composition was utterly forgotten by everyone.

Later in January my brother Jeffrey entered Clear Creek Monastery, near Tulsa, Oklahoma. This was a grievous occasion. Besides the fact that, being an old school Reformed Confessionalist, I believe Romanist doctrine and Monastic-ascetic piety are contrary to the gospel... besides all that, it's hard to lose contact with the person closest to me. From my vantage point, it's very similar to him serving a life sentence in prison. We write letters and I can visit him for a few hours once a year or so. But the shared experience of life is now over. I wasn't ready for that.

If you're a friend of Jeff, you can write him too:

Jeffrey "Bro. Anthony" Baus
c/o Clear Creek Monastery
5804 West Monastery Road
Hulbert OK 74441-5698

February offered some cheer. My librarian and I enjoyed a Valentinesday local café tour, including the Choc-O'-Latte in Millerstown and the Espresso Yourself in Newport. We had a good time at the combination Hunting Shop & Family Restaurant in Thompsontown, the name of which escapes me somehow. Middle Pennsylvania was made for day-tripping.

In March I attended a regional ETS conference, where James Skillen spoke about political responsibilities and social justice. The part that most stands out in my mind is when he implied that all a state's coercive actions must be legitimized by satisfying something like the criteria for Just War. This seems right to me, and the interesting thing about it is that such a view can hardly be squared with the idea that civil government has responsibility for "administrating" a broad 'public' sector. (This latter idea is already refuted on the basis of a properly conceived notion of societal sphere sovereignty, of course).

Perhaps Gideon Strauss will be in a position to take the CPJ in a new direction as its new President. One can only hope that he might read and be persuaded by the New York Time's Bestseller Meltdown by Tom Woods. Here's Woods on C-SPAN BookTV.

In other news, Darryl Hart, paradoxical Luddite that he is, now blogs at OldLife.org.

I enjoyed my 36th birthday in early May with dinner at Brasserie Louis (a fancy restaurant in Lewisburg) and a meditative stroll through Shamokin Cemetery (an exquisite graveyard on a sweeping hill, lying above a Tim Burton-esque coal mining town).

I'm leaving out a mention of an early Spring traffic citation incident. I have nothing redeeming to say about it, although I am certain that even suffering under tyranny is effectual unto my salvation.

G.K. Beale was recently hired by Westminster Philly. Listen to his lecture on Christology and Scriptural inerrancy here. View a video interview with Beale here.
And John Fesko was recently hired by Westminster California. Listen to an interview with him by the Reformed Forum on justification here.

2009-01-31T22:19:00.003-05:00

25 Revelations
various things about my life and self

1. While riding a moped I was once hit by a car driven by a handicapped guy who had become paraplegic by being hit by a car while he was riding a moped.

2. As a kid I was strongly suspicious that I was adopted and had latent superpowers yet to manifest.

3. Regrettably, I still cannot read music.

4. I'm dating a librarian.

5. In late high school I often skipped classes to read philosophy in a file closet.

6. I once waterskied in the South China Sea off the east coast of Malaysia.

7. I strongly dislike in-house pets, watching or discussing sports, celebrity news, and hip-hop culture. I somewhat dislike pineapple on pizza.

8. My body weight has been consistent most of my adult life, except one year when I inexplicably gained 30 lbs and lost it the next year.

9. I first ate pimento cheese on a sweetbread sandwich in a county jail when I was 19.

10. The commute from my house to church is about an hour and a half.

11. As a Calvinist, I don't celebrate Christmas or any religious holidays except for the weekly Lordsday sabbath.

12. I have two younger brothers; one is a Benedictine monk in Oklahoma, the other is a jazz musician in Ireland.

13. As an adult (past 17 years) I've never had health insurance, I've never made more than 12k a year, and I've never taken government welfare.

14. During 2008 I became an anarchist (or an "anti- coercive monopoly, pro- polycentric public law order'ist," to be more specific).

15. Recently, one of my favorite authors is Frank Key.

16. I remember the 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution and Iranian hostage crisis.

17. I'm working at a bank.

18. I admire mid-19th century facial hair styles, particularly walrusy mustaches.

19. I sued my high school.

20. When I first heard about the burning of the ancient Alexandrian library, I cried.

21. As a kid I had two uncles named Bob who both lived in Alaska.

22. I recently bought 100 one-ounce silver bullion coins in anticipation of eventual hyperinflation and destruction of the US dollar.

23. I have no excuse for not yet having a concealed carry permit.

24. The room temperature is usually lower than I'd prefer.

25. If you consider yourself a Reformed Christian or a Calvinist, I really want you to read Recovering the Reformed Confession by R.Scott Clark.

This meme was going around facebook, and I've been meaning to do something like this for a while. Just for kicks, leave a comment and tell me how many of these facts you knew (or didn't).

2008-12-27T17:20:00.004-05:00

Dooyeweerd's New Critique Online

Thanks to the tireless efforts of K.J. Hollingsworth (and perhaps others at the Reformational Publishing Project & Paideia Books), A New Critique Of Theoretical Thought (3 vols) by Herman Dooyeweerd is no longer restricted to near-impossible to find, long out-of-print used editions, nor to insanely over-priced reprints.

Dooyeweerd's seminal 1953 work New Critique is now online in pdf.
Here are the first and second volumes, respectively entitled The Necessary Presuppositions of Philosophy and The General Theory of Modal Spheres.
Here is the third volume, entitled The Structures of Individuality of Temporal Reality, with the extensive index 'fourth' volume.

A New Critique is an English language translation and revision of Dooyeweerd's original (Dutch language) 1935 work entitled De Wijsbegeerte der Wetsidee (roughly, "philosophy of the law-idea" or cosmonomic philosophy). This original work is available online here, and can be accessed in pdf from The Association for Reformational Philosophy here.

Paul Robinson is developing a study guide for New Critique here.
Glenn Friesen offers some English notes on WdW here.

Dooyeweerd's work is a model for my own approach to Christian scholarship. Hopefully, Reformed/Calvinistic scholars in the English-speaking world will become increasingly familiar with his ideas, because they offer the most faithful and fruitful understanding for a distinctly Christian view of philosophy and all academic disciplines, or sciences.

2008-12-05T00:17:00.004-05:00

One Among Ten Thousand

Extended quotations are always good for getting back in the groove of writing. The following is (as always) for those with ears to hear. Anyone?

" George Knight observes [as noted by Tim Keller] that the practice of the American Presbyterian church has 'always' been to distinguish between 'what was required in a confession of faith... for salvation and church membership and what was required in a confession of faith' for ordination to special ecclesiastical office. As a matter of history this seems to be the case in modern times, but it is also true that it has not always been the case. It is not obvious that establishing two levels of subscription, one for laity and another for ordained officers, is either biblical or consistent with the Reformation. From where in Scripture [or the Confessional documents] would one deduce that God expects one level of subscription for officers and another for laity? Certainly it is possible for one to be a Christian without affirming every proposition in the Reformed confession, but that is beside the point. On that rationale, why should we bother establishing Reformed congregations at all? If the Reformed confession defines what it is to be Reformed, then establishing two distinct relations to the same constitutional document would seem to be a recipe for confusion and effectively two churches within one.

...From 1647 to the beginning of the ambiguity in the American Presbyterian church in 1729 [and arguably even beyond that, into the 1890s in many congregations and presbyteries], the Westminster Confession was subscribed 'because' it is biblical [as opposed to only affirmed 'in so far as' it may be biblical]... in the European [continental] Reformed tradition, ministers and members alike have been expected to subscribe the confessions in the same way... Why should a church [hypocritically] adopt a 'confession' that some or even most of the church believes to be at least partly unbiblical? "

From R.Scott Clark's Recovering the Reformed Confession: our theology, piety, and practice; pages 179-180.

2008-09-25T23:11:00.003-04:00

Last Night Of The Fair*

I'm seriously bummed out that Postum is gone. Alas, I drank the last of my own stash a week ago. So, I'll have to look around for this reputedly superb Polish substitute called Inka (45% Roasted Barley, 27% Rye, 25% Chicory, and 3% Beet Roots).

This month I'm taking some dance lessons with my friend Tara. Yes, really. Foxtrot and waltz. Don't expect any videos.

Hoping to catch the fair this week and explore more local cuisine and customs.

Heard this song mentioning Baltimore tonight (you can listen), it's kind of a love&driving-themed song. I'm feeling a little nostalgic for the hometown.

2008-09-24T22:39:00.005-04:00

Last Hurrah Of Summer

So, it's been a while. Here's some occurrences since July and recent thoughts.

Went camping with friend Rick. We were looking for a genuinely secluded, rustic woodsy area. It turned out alright. The weather was great, and the forests and surrounding farms and small towns were ideal. Had it only lasted longer.

Visited friends down in Vienna/Fairfax, VA. I think the highlight was the Amphora, 29 Diner, grocery trip to H-mart.

I've really been digging Christ the Center podcast at the 'Reformed Forum' (formerly called "Castle Church").

Been reading A.W. Pink's work on monergistic sanctification. The last two chapters are phenomenal.

Heroes, third season got off to a good start. They managed to work in one of my favorite poems ever.

Constitution Day has come and gone. Speaking of which, I'm planning on buying silver before the dollar crashes. See mises.org for help, and take a cue from Ron Paul by voting for Chuck Baldwin in November. Consider the vote pact if you were planning to vote for a "lesser" evil.

2008-07-10T17:02:00.015-04:00

We'll Meet Again

My friend and former professor, Theo Plantinga, died last week. I suspected this had happened when I noticed in the site data that someone had come to my blog by searching for his name and "obituary". He was only 61, but had prostate cancer.

I am most grateful to Theo for his frequent warmth and kindness to me, and his intellectual and moral support in my philosophical studies. He had a terribly rare kind of good humor and lack of pretense that was nevertheless full of conviction and socially refined. He was broadly and well read, and his breadth of life experience, and depth of reflection will always stand as an inspiration for me. When I was living in Amsterdam for grad school, his correspondence was a real comfort and help.

I first met Theo as my adviser in my single year at Redeemer University College in Hamilton, Ontario where I finished up my BA in philosophy in 2002-2003. I thoroughly enjoyed his courses in Asian and Aesthetic philosophy. I was happy to attend his wedding (he was a widower and married again), and help him move some things to a new place. We would often discuss ethical issues and the church.

More than once we also commiserated about institutional "officialdom," as he called it. In his last few years especially, Theo was treated shamefully by certain administrators at the college. He deserved better than that, and was an example of Christian charity and principle to the end.

I feel I had much more to learn from him. His development of the CPRT index, the "reading room" and a reformational movement history were particularly promising. Steve Bishop has more of Theodore Plantinga's writings linked here and here. David Koyzis has the public announcement here.

2008-07-04T23:56:00.005-04:00

Experiment, part 8

I watched the fireworks from the diner window. The waitress told us they were from the neighboring town's country club. I hadn't known there was a country club, or that you could see the fireworks from the diner, but it turned out quite nicely.

This American Independence Day I want to offer you several readings. First, in case you missed it, check out this little manifesto.

And in keeping with the above, here are two reviews of a slightly larger and more recent manifesto: 1, 2. Highly recommended.

And since Ron Paul is out of the presidential running, we will be voting for one of his supporters. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's true: you do not have to choose between evils (or between baddest and worser, if you're squeamish about calling spades). You can hold your head up and vote with a clear conscience for Chuck Baldwin. You even have a second option (after Baldwin) for a conscientious vote, but the philosophy of the Constitution Party is preferable.

This is a campaign worth joining too.

2008-07-03T23:51:00.003-04:00

Experiment, part 7
now updated with photo and annotation in last paragraphs

I stained a little more of the deck with a friend, but it began to rain. So we cleaned the house instead and had a late lunch. If you can do your chores with a friend, I highly recommend it.

As I've largely cut my own hair for the past 17 years, I'm thinking about going to a real barber to get my hair cut. I'll let you know what comes of this wild idea.

This evening was spent in conversation. Sometimes these evening-long conversations are like debates, sometimes they are like dances, sometimes they are like dadaist literature, and sometimes they are like diplomatic missions. Tonight I have no confidence that anything I said was taken seriously, and am almost sure my pleas will be forgotten. I really have mixed feelings about it, but the feeling of disgust is prominent... or maybe it's resignation.

Tonight I stopped by my parents' to exchange cars with them because I have a wagon and they needed to transport some stuff. Anyway, as I approach the door my mind is deeply occupied by profound sundries... I lift the key to the lock, and out of the bottom corner of my vision a mass of shining black skirts to the left. I gaze down, and in a single moment a rush of adrenalin floods me as I stumble backwards into the rocking chair on the porch. I completely lose my breath; I mean it has utterly gone out of me from shock. Finally my higher brain functions kick back in and I realize I am face to face (or toe to face) with a (four foot?) black rat snake.

For a while neither of us move as I regain my composure and decide that since I almost stepped on him, and he surely saw me coming, if he was going to strike then it would be done already. So I take a few steps and unlock the door and go in. I grab my parents' camera and go out the side of the house and around and snap a few photos. Then I find some info on Pantherophis obsoletus. Wikipedia still has him mis-taxonomied as a sub-species of Elaphe obsoleta.

2008-07-02T23:32:00.002-04:00

Experiment, part 6

I had a hard time falling asleep last night. Which reminds me: did you hear the one about the agnostic dyslexic insomniac? He would lay awake all night wondering if there really was a dog. Eh-hem. Yeah so, this morning I hit the 15 minute snooze about 8 times. For you math wizzes, that's 2 hours of unproductive half-sleeping. I'll never do it again. Thanks for hearing my confession.

A friend's car broke down, so I drove out to the parents' and borrowed Dad's car battery recharger. Alas, it looks like an alternator problem. This evening consisted of two very long conversations and shrimp&veggie kabobs minus the kabobs.

Spend some time with this one. Scroll down for audio links.

2008-07-01T23:45:00.004-04:00

Experiment, part 5

I met up with some friends to see (yet another) flick. It's just that time of year. I can't decide at this point if it dealt with profound issues in any depth, or just referred to them somewhat less than superficially. I'll get back to you on that (not a promise) after more reflection.

I had a coffee "Italian ice" drink which amounted to a regular blended ice coffee drink as far as I could tell. I worried about how much high fructose corn syrup it contained between small bursts of brain (and belly) freeze.

I read about Obama's (apparently reversed, now 'pro') position on "faith-based initiatives," and at some point (not a promise) I'll have to explain why the whole idea is a horrible one no matter how you slice it, despite the fact that it is nearly the only present-day federal policy in the U.S. significantly influenced by certain neocalvinists. I really have an axe to grind about this. Can't you wait?

In any case, speaking of celluloid... Were you aware that I and this blog were mentioned in an American Dialect Society listserve message* about the use of the phrase "honest to blog" in the film Juno? Hilarious!

*For the historical record, I first conceived of the title in December of 2002 and thought I was being superbly clever and original. Although little exploited so far, I thought of the title "honest to pod," just after I discovered podcasting in January 2006.

2008-06-30T23:47:00.007-04:00

Experiment, part 4

I bought some sausages and green salsa. Outside the grocery I saw a massive moth, the size of a bird. It gave me chills.

This evening I appreciated reading Lane Tipton's article on the Reformed "incarnational" analogy to Scriptural inspiration. He does not mention it, but no doubt he is responding to misconceptions promoted by Peter Enns' book Inspiration & Incarnation. Lane writes that any such "analogy we suggest will need to be clearly articulated, carefully qualified, and presented in a way that avoids ambiguity and misunderstanding... [such a concept must not] be introduced or applied in a popular or loose way." By 'popular' I take it he means something like 'simplification yielding imprecision yielding distortion or error.' In any case, Art Boulet has a list of debates provoked by Enns' book.

I suppose all this is not properly mundane in the sense I intended. So the experiment somewhat fails for today (and maybe yesterday too), minus the talk about rain, food and moths. But the idea is to post an entry every day (for some undetermined number of days) even if there's nothing besides "everyday" stuff to mention. Possible future topics include grooming, frogs, smoking, and sleep.

2008-06-29T23:55:00.003-04:00

Experiment, part 3

I witnessed baptism in the service this morning. Inevitably the doctrine of "improving" baptism in Westminster Larger Catechism #167 came to mind:

[We must draw the benefits from our baptisms] "all our life long, especially in the time of temptation, and when we are present at the administration of it to others; by serious and thankful consideration of the nature of it, and of the ends for which Christ instituted it, the privileges and benefits conferred and sealed thereby, and our solemn vow made therein; by being humbled for our sinful defilement, our falling short of, and walking contrary to, the grace of baptism, and our engagements; by growing up to assurance of pardon of sin, and of all other blessings sealed to us in that sacrament; by drawing strength from the death and resurrection of Christ, into whom we are baptized, for the mortifying of sin, and quickening of grace; and by endeavoring to live by faith, to have our conversation in holiness and righteousness, as those that have therein given up their names to Christ; and to walk in brotherly love, as being baptized by the same Spirit into one body."

In the afternoon I enjoyed the company of my niece and nephew. After intermittent rain we noticed what seemed a tremendously wide rainbow on the eastern horizon.

Just for kicks: good song.

2008-06-28T23:42:00.005-04:00

Experiment, part 2

I went to a group picnic at a nature reserve. From the exit where I had to follow directions, the park was only 10 minutes away, but the directions were wrong and I drove around for almost an hour in a big circle. By the time I arrived everyone had eaten, and I was feeling that special kind of angry that accompanies bad directions, getting lost, and missing meal time.

I ate two hot dogs and tried to calm down and played some volleyball and watched kids smash a piñata. Then I followed some friends back to their house and lounged and chatted until we went bowling. Between two entire frames of gutter balls, I got a strike on a "red pin" and won a free game... so I wasn't too frustrated by my otherwise un-zen performance.

One of my plans for this summer was to learn (start learning) how to read music so I can sightread and sing parts. Note to self: get old piano books from parents.

Why isn't honeysuckle a flavor or scent in flavored and scented products, I wonder.

2008-06-27T23:55:00.004-04:00

An Experiment In The Mundane, part 1

I met up with some friends to see a flick. It was funny and entertaining. Then we stopped by a drive-in burger joint because I was in the mood. But I didn't have any cash and they were cash only, so a friend spotted me. It was all tasty. Also had a taste of mint chocolate chip ice cream, the green kind with the flat square-ish chips. Made me remember great-uncle Buddy as it always does.

I've noticed my clothes, though just washed, have a somewhat sour mildewy smell. I must have left them in the washer too long before drying. Or maybe buying that ultra-cheap detergent wasn't a good idea. On the way home I went to the 24-hour market and got some higher quality stuff and am re-washing everything.

I came across this article on the moral theology of William Ames. No opinion on it yet.

The may flies and lightning bugs are out in droves.

2008-04-27T19:15:00.006-04:00

Of Spheres And Such

On Tuesday, I voted for Ron Paul in the Pennsylvania Republican primary. Find out why I did, at http://knowbeforeyouvote.com
It was my first time ever voting for a GOP candidate, and while I intend to vote for Ron Paul in the main election, I'm going to return my registration to the Constitution Party.

This past week I was substitute teaching first grade (yes, really) at the local Christian school. Sure enough I caught a cold. But the regular teacher is out recovering from surgery, so I'm praying for strength to persevere another week.

Speaking of education, I enjoyed the Kuyper Center conference on Civil Society and Sphere Sovereignty at Princeton Theological Seminary. I think my presentation went well (read it here). You can view the video below. Part 1 is about 35 minutes, and the Q&A starts at about 29 minutes. Part 2 is the remainder, about 8 minutes. Thanks to Brian Dijkema, Jonathan Chaplin, Russ Kuykendall, and others for the good questions. I may revise and expand the paper for submission to the Kuyper Center Review.

Thanks to my friend Scott Graybill for driving out to the conference with me, and buying the most expensive brunch I've ever eaten.

We couldn't have asked for better weather, and Princeton was in full Spring bloom. Here I am at the sepulcher of Archibald Alexander. We searched for the grave of Jonathan Edwards, but somehow couldn't find it. Alas.

Before heading home, we saw Ben Stein's documentary Expelled. I believe in academic freedom, so I liked the film and its main point. It makes me wonder if Stein would enjoy reading The Myth of Religious Neutrality. Anyway, it's sad and hilarious to see the dogmatic natural positivists going ape.

2008-03-02T00:30:00.005-05:00

Sunday Post
audio

Monergism mp3 library

Christ the Center :doctrine for life at the Reformed Forum

Grace OPC in Hanover Park, Illinois

New Hope PCA in Fairfax, Virginia

Providence OPC in Fitchburg, Wisconsin

The Upper Register, with Lee Irons

Westminster Seminary California

The Academy at Christ Reformed

Presbyterian Polity, with Stuart Jones

These are sermon and theology audio sites that I visit. My audio section was starting to get too long, so I'll be linking to this post on the sidebar.

2008-02-21T02:00:00.007-05:00

To Look For America

I wish I could tell you about my Valentine's weekend. Perhaps privately over beer. There's nothing scandalous; just a literature-worthy character or two. The less dramatic events involve my car breaking down, and my having to walk about 10 miles in the freezing cold and dark along a windy shoulderless highway. It was a 2hr30min hike home.

So I'm working night shift at the Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant, which resides in my back yard. It's temp work, and I'm proctoring National Academy for Nuclear Training e-Learning (NANTeL) and other computer-based training (cbt) exams for the contracted outage workers. Some of these guys travel all over the U.S. for outages. The parade of Americana is interesting. I was invited to a bar with mud wrestling. Not kidding. If I go, maybe that'll be one for private conversation too.

I've also been working with the Susquehanna Valley Community Education Project (SVCEP) as acting secretary. Mostly, I just take meeting minutes, but I'm learning a bit about institution building. Here's some local news coverage (post commercial). You can see part of the back of my head briefly [at 2:08 - 2:12], on the left, front row.

Here is a recent photo of me and nephew Owen doing some coloring.

Rural Pennsylvania life must be getting to me, because lately I've had a hankerin' for scrapple. And did I tell you about my occasional hangout in Sunbury, The Squeeze-In? Five bar stools. Hotdogs and coffee.

Exterior and interior photos (below) courtesy of Denny Gibson, road trip photographer extraordinaire.

2008-01-24T23:36:00.000-05:00

Announcement

I'm officially scheduled to attend the conference on Civil Society and Sphere Sovereignty at Princeton seminary 17 thru 19 April 2008 (about 12 weeks from now) and to present a paper Friday morning (10:30am til noon) at a session on "education as a sovereign sphere".

The purpose of the conference is to explore and critically examine neocalvinist thought concerning its relevance to contemporary debates about the relations between religion, society, and politics. I can't tell you how tremendously I'm looking forward to this. Any of you showing up?

I've been to Princeton once before, in 1998, for the 100th anniversary of Kuyper's "Stone Lectures" on Calvinism. I had just dropped out of college, sans degree, and it was like a pilgrimage to my intellectual motherland with a heavy heart, seeking inspiration and direction. Ten years later, I find myself in an oddly similar state. I'll be sure to update you on what comes of this opportunity.

In other news, I had a good week-long visit from brothers Jeff and Gary. We imbibed in our traditional DS9 fest, bowling and bar routine without incident. Our dear Garçon, natural enemy of oppression that he is, thoughtfully joined la cause pressante.

Be sure to examine my sidebar for a new 'about' page (top), audio and book link sections (above archives).

2007-12-29T15:52:00.007-05:00

Educate for 2008
what you don't know about monetary policy is hurting you... terribly

Find out how private bankers (the so-called "Federal Reserve"), irresponsible officials, and corrupt bureaucrats have been robbing you, your family, and other American citizens, causing inflation, devaluing your salary and savings, and driving our government into over $9,000,000,000,000.oo (that's over 9 trillion dollars) of debt at an increase of over a billion dollars each day.

This is one of the most outrageous injustices we suffer today, and RON PAUL * is the only presidential candidate who clearly understands the issue and speaks out for our God-given liberty.

If this weren't enough, Social Security, government medical, and other "entitlement" programs will be bankrupt in our lifetime. See the 60 minutes report with David Walker, U.S. Comptroller General. Glenn Beck explains that the federal government is today $53 trillion in debt (or more) with future entitlement obligations. The socialist system is collapsing and no one in D.C. is willing to be honest with you except Ron Paul.

Ron Paul is [as of summer 2008, Chuck Baldwin is] the only presidential candidate who will uphold the rule of law, reinstate the Constitutional limits on government, restore the Republic, re-establish a just monetary policy, and protect each citizen's life, liberty, and property. Read more on Ron Paul's position on the Federal Reserve, monetary policy, debt, taxes, and economic freedom & prosperity [pdf here].

Update : visit http://www.truthin08.org

Even this ever-increasing "true" debt number looks a little shy compared to more comprehensive estimates. How about $100 trillion?
New flim I.O.U.S.A. is helping to wake some people to the reality (one can only hope). See trailer here.

2007-11-27T20:38:00.000-05:00

Thanking Jesus
retro-posted

Thanksgiving was so good, I had two feasts this year.

Brother Jeff came for a visit, and we stopped by to see Nate and "uncle" Steve. Our discussion at Market Cross was just what we all needed.

A thought for the occasion, something I like to read aloud every year after the big meal --The First National Proclamation of Thanksgiving, given by the Continental Congress in 1777:

"FOR AS MUCH as it is the indispensable Duty of all Men to adore the superintending Providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with Gratitude their Obligation to him for Benefits received, and to implore such farther Blessings as they stand in Need of: And it having pleased him in his abundant Mercy, not only to continue to us the innumerable Bounties of his common Providence; but also to smile upon us in the Prosecution of a just and necessary War, for the Defense and Establishment of our unalienable Rights and Liberties; particularly in that he hath been pleased, in so great a Measure, to prosper the Means used for the Support of our Troops, and to crown our Arms with most signal success:

It is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive Powers of these UNITED STATES to set apart THURSDAY, the eighteenth Day of December next, for SOLEMN THANKSGIVING and PRAISE: That at one Time and with one Voice, the good People may express the grateful Feelings of their Hearts, and consecrate themselves to the Service of their Divine Benefactor; and that, together with their sincere Acknowledgments and Offerings, they may join the penitent Confession of their manifold Sins, whereby they had forfeited every Favor; and their humble and earnest Supplication that it may please GOD through the Merits of JESUS CHRIST, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of Remembrance; That it may please him graciously to afford his Blessing on the Governments of these States respectively, and prosper the public Council of the whole: To inspire our Commanders, both by Land and Sea, and all under them, with that Wisdom and Fortitude which may render them fit Instruments, under the Providence of Almighty GOD, to secure for these United States, the greatest of all human Blessings, INDEPENDENCE and PEACE: That it may please him, to prosper the Trade and Manufactures of the People, and the Labor of the Husbandman, that our Land may yield its Increase: To take Schools and Seminaries of Education, so necessary for cultivating the Principles of true Liberty, Virtue and Piety, under his nurturing Hand; and to prosper the Means of Religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that Kingdom, which consisteth in Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost.

And it is further recommended, That servile Labor, and such Recreation, as, though at other Times innocent, may be unbecoming the Purpose of this Appointment, be omitted on so solemn an Occasion."

Amazing, isn't it?

This year I'm particularly grateful to the Lord for work at the Academy, my pastors Roth and Paul, and my gracious landlord Gordon.

2007-10-23T19:45:00.000-04:00

Allegheny Autumn

I was in the car, driving through fall-time beauty, listening to the radio when Supreme Court Justice Breyer said (rhetorically, implying a negative response) "There are 112 treaties where [the United States] submits to international jurisdiction, mostly commercial, like the WTO and NAFTA. Are all these unlawful?" I shouted out loud "YES!, You Tyrannous Flunky!" wanting to somehow reach my arm through the radio and slap him silly with a copy of The Constitution.

Mars Hill Audio offers an mp3 free issue of their new series Dialogues on Justice and Judges. Perhaps Roberts will help improve things. Now, if only we elect someone to the Executive who follows The Constitution too...

P.Robinson draws my attention to a book on our favorite pastimes.

Selected Shorts at Symphony Space finally puts their stories online.

In several entries Lee Irons proposes how Meredith Kline could have revised his earlier work By Oath Consigned according to his mature covenantal thought represented in Kingdom Prologue [pdf]. Kline said to Irons that "the passages [in BOC] on covenant theology were the ones that needed the most extensive revision. [Nevertheless,] he still stood by the main outline of his interpretation of circumcision and baptism, including his case for infant baptism."

Brother Jeffrey introduced me to quinoa (keen-wah), a SouthAmerican sort of grain. It's texture is like couscous, but heartier. And quinoa is rich in protein, essential amino acids, and iron. It's also fast & easy to cook and has a light, pleasant flavor. Does it sound like I'm selling something? Just a recommendation. Maybe I'm feeling a little hungry.

2007-09-27T23:53:00.000-04:00

Say Uncle

After the trip to Iowa, I took an unplanned hiatus from blogging just in time to receive a pleasant approbation (#59). Thanks, Joe.

Sometimes I do keep my thoughts to myself, and the past few months occupied me with a heavy load of private thinking. In any case, I have a few stories to share. The first involves a visit with my friends Nathan and John in Harrisburg over a vat of oatmeal that may or may not be transformed into a delicious and healthy beverage at this very moment.

We discovered that (contemporary) beer is rarely, if ever, brewed exclusively with oats because, after the grain is steeped, what little liquid can be leached from them is more akin to cream. Modern oatmeal stouts normally use a maximum proportion of 5% oats. An update on our chemistry project may be forthcoming.

My car died. This made me very sad because, not currently living in the city, my livelihood depends on having one. Happily, brother Jeff decided not to keep his wagon and I flew out to Chicago and drove back. While there, we saw the amazingly superb documentary The King Of Kong *. You really ought to see it, because it's a terribly engaging Millerian anti-tragedy. Interestingly enough, this theme relates to Fukuyama's Kojevean-Hegelian notion of 'thymic' longing for recognition as the engine behind universal historical development. Take that for what it's worth. It's the feel-good film of the year.

As of the 11th I'm a proud uncle to my first nephew, Owen Jasper Rees!

I've moved to a new dwelling, which turns out to be across the street from the house of Nick Coyle, the lead singer of the Nu Metal band The Drama Club, originally of Strangers With Candy. Not kidding. It's not my favorite genre, but they've got melodic hooks and the band seems like friendly people.

This semester I am pleased to be instructing on Apologetics at the Susque Academy in Trout Run, PA. I'm using Roy Clouser's "Knowing With The Heart" as the main text. Perhaps I'll publish a study guide blog when the course is through (with some assistance from S.B.?). Unrelatedly, after class the other day, I went with my students to the historic Bloomsburg Fair. Mulled apple cider means autumn.

Finally, for your further pleasure and edification:

1. Jonathan Chaplin speaks on a Christian view of state and city.

2. Aaron Belz* reads poetry and catalyzes unity and succeeds in his administration.

3. G.K. Beale speaks (mp3) about his book The Temple and The Church's Mission.

4. Lars Brownworth wonderfully educates us about the Byzantine Empire.

5. Frank Key hosts the Hooting Yard in the style of Garrison Keillor's and Douglas Adams' illegitimate child.

6. My friends, the Costanzos, offer a sophisticated guide to finer points of Japanese culture.

7. Radio Lab has an episode on musical language, and introduces David Cope in the last segment.

2007-06-19T20:42:00.000-04:00

Somewhere In Middle America

Extraspecial thanks go out to Dr. Roger Henderson and family for their warm hospitality and encouragement to me while here in Sioux Center, Iowa.

In the above video I ask John Muether a few questions. We are at Dordt College for General Assembly. Mr. Muether is an historian, librarian, and editor... and an all-around swell guy.

2007-06-02T16:20:00.000-04:00

Doing It Better

Reflecting on the passing of Falwell, while some preferred his (false) gospel to his politics, my sentiments were much the opposite. And I am reminded of what F. A. Schaeffer had to say about Falwell's politics:

"Some of us may perhaps have some questions about the Moral Majority and some of the things they have said... we must realize that regardless of whether we think the Moral Majority has always said the right things or whether we do not, or whether we think they have made some mistakes or whether we do not, they have certainly done one thing right: they have used the freedom we still have in the political arena to stand against [secularism]. They have [sought to bring] the fact that law is king, law is above lawmakers, and God is above the law into this area of life where it always should have been... The Moral Majority has [sought to] draw a line between [a Christian] total view of reality and [non-Christian] total view[s] of reality and [their respective consequences] in government and law. And if you personally do not like some of the details of what they have done, do it better. But you must understand that all Christians have got to do the same kind of thing or you are simply not showing the Lordship of Christ in the totality of life."

-from A Christian Manifesto, p.56,61

Speaking of which, the John Jay Institute has a podcasted lecture series of Christian Perspectives on Engaging Political Islam. The inaugural lecture by fellow-neocalvinist Paul Marshall is not to be missed.

In other news, it appears that only after about 500 years of reformation, Romanists have finally produced a complete English Psalter? See the "motherload" of biblical psalms in meter in English.

This past month I enjoyed visiting friends in New York City and Philadelphia. Some were celebrating the independence of Mexico, some graduating from school, some merely watching the finale of their favorite tv series. I've also been eating up Escape Pod, a sort of sci-fi audio zine. Happily, the host provides a rating system which I utilize by avoiding anything rated R or worse for sexual content. I really enjoy both the material and format of the shows.