Today's verse

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)

Today's verse

Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Proverbs 10:12 (KJV)

Update on Asia Bibi

The International Business Times lists the five most dangerous countries for women. Pakistan is listed as #3, and there is a picture of Asia Bibi's daughters in the article.

For those who do not know who she is, here is the story about Asia Bibi's unjust imprisonment and death sentence for "blasphemy" against the Prophet Muhammad.

Please continue to pray for Asia Bibi and her family.

Today's verse

And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days? And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him; How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone? And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Luke 6:1-5 (KJV)

Banning the Bible

An Islamist party in Pakistan has called for the Bible to be banned.

Please pray for Christians in Pakistan.

Today's verse

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Proverbs 28:1 (KJV)

Today's verse

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12 (KJV)

Reading list

Riemann's Zeta Function, by H.M. Edwards.

Master and Commander, by Patrick O'Brian.

Today's verse

Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.

Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.

Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.

Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.

Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.

He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.

Psalm 148:1-6 (KJV)

Today's verse

Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Deuteronomy 32:1-4 (KJV)

Autism linked to possible genetic defects

Dr. Manny Alvarez has more.

Update on Asia Bibi

According to the British Pakistani Christian Association the family of Asia Bibi reports that she is in good health, but requests more support.

For those who do not know who she is, here is the story about Asia Bibi's unjust imprisonment and death sentence for "blasphemy" against the Prophet Muhammad.

Please continue to pray for Asia Bibi and her family.

Today's verse

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Matthew 5:1-12 (KJV)

Today's verse

A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

Proverbs 22:1 (KJV)

Today's verse

And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance

Mark 2:15-17 (KJV)

Ever wonder ....

...what the meaning of the famous "Coexist" bumpersticker is? Rev. Paul McCain over at Cyberbretheren has the answer.

Today's verse

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Romans 1:16-17 (KJV)

Another cut at an old evil

Sorry about the title of this post. Actually, this is nothing to joke about.

In November San Francisco plans to vote on a ban on circumcision. I have no medical knowledge on the subject, so I have no opinion for or against such a ban.

But a comic book developed as part of the anti-circumcision campaign is blatantly anti-Semitic.

There is absolutely nothing coy about it: the bad guy (named Mohel) plainly resembles a Hasidic Jew. The hero in this comic book - named Foreskin Man (I am not kidding) - is a blonde Aryan.

See for yourself.

Not a prayer - or maybe there is

A ruling by Chief U.S. District Judge Fred Biery banning the Medina Valley Independent School District (Texas) from using specific religious words in their high school graduation ceremony on Saturday has been lifted by a Federal appeals court.

Unreal.

Does Judge Biery seriously believe that Medina Valley High School valedictorian Angela Hildenbrand's desire to say a prayer during her commencement speech constitutes a dire threat to the Republic?

In my career as a teacher, I have heard a lot of speeches at school graduations. Some have been good, more have been bad, and the rest have been downright ugly. One or two of them were so boring they should have been classified as a menace to public health (just kidding).

Is this the sort of thing we want a Federal judge - or any judge, for that matter - to concern himself/herself with? There is such a thing as overreaction.

As for those who are offended by a valedictorian's prayer, I say: suck it up and get over it. Right now, in addition to teaching a college algebra class in the local prison, I am enrolled in a graduate level education course. The course is supposed to be about curriculum and instruction, but in reality it is nothing but a bunch of left-wing activist claptrap. Both the textbook's author and the course instructor are narrow-minded obnoxious bores. So what? Life sometimes dictates that we must listen to those whose ideas and opinions we do not value. In order to graduate with a masters degree in mathematics I have to have this course. There is no escape.

If I have to suffer through five weeks of politically-motivated crapola, then opponents of a valedictorian's prayer at a graduation ceremony can likewise suffer a few moments of indignity. Deal with it.

UPDATE (6:10 PM): In Little Rock, Arkansas, there is a controversy about a high school yearbook. It seems that the yearbook from Russellville Middle School lists the "5 worst people of all time." President George W. Bush and Bush's vice president, Dick Cheney, are listed right after Adolph Hitler, Osama Bin Laden and Charles Manson.

I breathlessly await Judge Biery swooping in to save us from this terrible peril.

Today's verse

And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Mark 2:15-17 (KJV)

"Absolute truth" ain't what it used to be

Jill Abramson set to become NY Times new executive editor.

Key quote:

Ms. Abramson, 57, said that as a born-and-raised New Yorker, she considered being named editor of The Times to be like “ascending to Valhalla.”

“In my house growing up, The Times substituted for religion,” she said. “If The Times said it, it was the absolute truth.”

Hmm: journalism as religion. Is the headquarters of the Times now a church or a temple? Are kiosks that sell the Times prayer stations or sacrificial alters? Should critics who point out the fact that the Times and much of the rest of the secular media is biased and inaccurate be considered heretics or infidels? When Times reporters write editorials endorsing candidates, does this violate the separation of church and state? Should the Times be considered a religious document and banned from public schools along with the Bible? And - Darwin forbid! - does throwing away a copy of the Times or letting your pet poop on it constitute desecration?

It looks like the Times will soon be giving the Onion a run for its money.

UPDATE (11:18 PM): It appears that in addition to "absolute truth" not quite being absolute, it is also not permanent. The Times has removed the quote I cited in my post. Over at Instapundit (a daily must-read for me) Professor Reynolds has noticed it as well.

I had thought about doing a screen capture of the original article, but I decided against it. Foolish move on my part. I should have realized that Abramson's quote was so dumb it probably would be dumped down the memory hole sooner or later. Which is exactly what happened.

Today's verse

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

II Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)

Jesus: a prophet of Islam?

That's the claim made in a series of billboard ads in Australia.

Which leads to the following questions: can movies, TV shows, books, magazine and news articles, college classes, athiest groups, and art exhibits that mock Jesus be considered Islamophobic? Are "artists" like Madonna and Brittney Spears who make sneering references to the crucifixion of Jesus Islamophobes? In countries such as Canada could they be prosecuted for "hate crimes"?

Please continue to pray for Asia Bibi

For those who do not know who she is, here is the story about Asia Bibi's unjust imprisonment and death sentence for "blasphemy" against the Prophet Muhammad.

Please continue to pray for Asia Bibi and her family.

Today's verse

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:6-12 (KJV)

Lawsuit by raped girl against Planned Parenthood comes to a close

The Alliance Defense Fund announced that a lawsuit in which Planned Parenthood was found to have violated an Ohio informed consent law has been “resolved and dismissed.”

Planned Parenthood is not exactly the most responsible organization. Yet performing an abortion on a 14-year-old girl who was raped by a 22-year-old soccer coach - and failing to report the rape to aither the girl's parents or the authorities - is still pretty low, even by Planned Parenthood's standards.

Please pray to end the genocide of abortion.

Today's verse

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

Psalm 121:1-2 (KJV)

End of an era

The world's last typewriter factory (located in Mumbai, India) is closing.

Malaria rates rising in Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions

Human factors may be causing an increase in malaria rates in the Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions.

Is it fair?

At Glosses From An Old Manse Mark Henderson has interesting post concerning the unintendend consequences resulting from the practice of "fair trade".

Today's verse

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends

John 15:13 (KJV)

Many blessing to everyone this Memorial Day. Remember those who gave their lives so that you can be free.

The high priests have failed us!

Well, this is certainly new! The Italian seismologists who failed to predict the 2009 quake are being charged with manslaughter by the Italian government.

In Western society there has been an unwelcome development in the past few decades. It seems that when anything bad happens, such as a natural disaster, then someone is obviously guilty and must be held legally responsible. Often this takes on a politically partisan tone: President X or Governor Y should have done something (no one can say precisely what) to have prevented a particular catastrophe. This is a favorite game of the secular media.

The charges against the Italian scientists are ridiculous. Given the present state of the science, it is impossible to predict earthquakes with any reasonable degree of accuracy.

At the same time, I feel that scientific organizations protesting the prosecution such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) are partially to blame for these developments.

The AAAS has been one of the loudest voices pushing the idea of scientism. Science, we are told, can explain everything we see in the natural world, and that those who argue that reality is more than what we see in the natural world are dangerous religious fanatics. The AAAS has also pressed hard the reactionary notion of "settled science" in an effort to avoid debating critics of flawed theories such as natural evolution and climate change.

Here is the problem when you push the notion of science as Supreme Lord: you risk turning scientists into high priests of a religious faith. And when the high priests fail, the unwashed heathen tend to get a bit angry.

It is true that Christianity has been used to advance such evils as the Inquisition and the Salem witch trials. But science's hands are not free of blood, either. A rejection of Christianity can lead to horrors such as Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. The fact that scientists in those countries either ended up in concentration camps or the terrified bootlickers of the authorities does not alter the fact that scientists were among the chief early sponsors of these monstrosities.

For that reason, don't be surprised if cases like the one involving the Italian seismologists become more common. Having used the secular media and government power to try to squelch ideas and opinions that differ from their own, the AAAS should not be shocked when the same sword is used on them.

You are ugly! Science says so....

There has been a major blow-up in the secular media over a post in Psychology Today. Dr. Satoshi Kanazawa, an evolutionary psychologist, is under fire for writing that black women are seen as less attractive that other women.

In an interesting rebuttal that also appeared in Psychology Today, Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman and Jelte Wicherts claim to have refuted Dr. Kanazawa's statistical analysis. Unfortunately, they also write this disturbing statement:

It is our view though that such research should be held to a higher standard than other research topics both in scientific rigor and presentation (see here for a similar argument). This should be so especially for topics that could potentially cause harm and suffering to individuals within a particular group. Science doesn't operate in a vacuum. Rigorous science collection and responsible science reporting is essential not just for the progress of science but also for the betterment of society (isn't that the point of psychology?).

There are some obvious questions in response to this statement: (1) Should all groups (what Dr. Kaufman means by a "group" is not clear) be protected, or just certain ones? (2) Who decides what constitutes "harm and suffering to individuals within a particular group"?

It is also interesting that Dr. Kaufman admits that Dr. Kanazawa might have reached a valid conclusion, even though he takes issue with the analysis used to reach it. This leads to a third question: (3) what is the highest priority of science - the betterment of society, or a fearless pursuit of the truth? The fact is that these two values can and sometimes do collide.

I am a mathematician, a white American who is married to a beautiful black African woman, so I find the idea that "attractiveness" is a quantity that can be measured objectively a bit of a crackpot notion. Beauty, as Dr. Kaufman notes, is mostly in the eye of the beholder. The images in the secular media of what constitutes female beauty come from a relatively tiny minority that happen to work in Hollywood and the fashion industry. Fashions change from year to year, and the images we see likewise vary. Trying to measure something as ephemeral as "attractiveness" is like trying to measure starlight by pouring it into a measuring cup.

Even so, I am not really in sympathy with Dr. Kaufman's concerns. He may be on solid ground with his analysis of Dr. Kanazawa's work, but it seems Dr. Kanazawa's real sin was in offending the wrong people. Let me ask a hypothetical question: what if Dr. Kanazawa had performed a similar analysis using similar data and concluded that Christian women were seen as less attractive than other women? Or Republican women? Or traditional women (meaning stay-at-home mothers)? Would Dr. Kaufman and others attempt to debunk that research with the same vigor they are showing now?

If one takes the writings of Richard Dawkins seriously, then religious belivers in general - and Christians in particular - are perhaps the most evil people in history. If there has been any backlash against Dr. Dawkins from the scientific community for his many popular bestsellers advancing such claims, then I have missed it.

Let Dawkins be Dawkins - and let Kanazawa be Kanazawa. If Dr. Kanazawa gets fired for this article don't pretend that political pressure had nothing to do with it. If you sow the wind (in pushing edgy topics in science) do not complain when you reap the whirlwind.

Today's verse

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

John 3:16-21 (KJV)

Update on Asia Bibi

Lately there has been very little in the news about Asia Bibi. But rest assured God has not forgotten her.

God forgets no one.

For those who do not know who she is, here is the story about Asia Bibi's unjust imprisonment and death sentence for "blasphemy" against the Prophet Muhammad.

Please continue to pray for Asia Bibi and her family.

Today's verse

I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

Psalm 18:1-3 (KJV)

Today's verse

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matthew 10:28 (KJV)

Kiswahili for Windows

Windows 7 is now available in Kiswahili.

Today's verse

And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

Luke 4:1-13 (KJV)

Put not your trust in the princes of this world

Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik is one of the prime reasons why it is risky to invest too much hope in political leaders - or take too seriously what their cheerleaders in the secular media say.

It is worth recalling the events that took place in Tucson, Arizona this past January. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and many others were shot by Jared Loughner. Six died, while 14 others were injured.

In the aftermath of the shooting, Sherrif Dupnik claimed that Loughner was motivated by right-wing hate, and charged that Arizona had become a "Mecca for prejudice and bigotry". The secular media echoed Sheriff Dupnik's speculations, and tried to pass them off as proven facts. Sarah Palin, FOX News, the Tea Party - anyone whose political views annoyed the secular media were painted as culprits in the shooting.

But it turned out that Loughner was motivated by the weird voices in his head - and not by any coherent political philosophy of either the left or the right. Yet rather than admit their error, the secular media mostly dropped the story. Sheriff Dupnik vanished from news accounts so quickly you would think he had entered the Federal witness protection program.

Sheriff Dupnik is still on the job. Unfortunately. Now he is engaged in an ever-evolving explanation of how his SWAT team mowed down U.S. Marine Jose Guereña, who was an Iraq War veteran. There are conflicting reports about the botched raid (allegedly about Guereña being a drug dealer), but the SWAT team admitted that they fired first, and not Guereña. They also admit that after Guereña was shot they kept medical attention from him for more than an hour, possibly costing his life.

Guereña's house was entered by the SWAT team because he was suspected of dealing drugs. No word yet on whether any drugs were actually found in Guereña's house, or whether there is any other evidence to back up the original justification for the raid.

It would be tempting to give Sheriff Dupnik and his supporters in the secular media a taste of their own medicine and suggest that racial prejudice played a role in Guereña's death. Tempting, but wrong. Absent any proof I believe people should resist making these charges.

But the strange, twisted turns that Sheriff Dupnik's career has taken over the past five months should remind everyone (no matter their politics) that the ends do not justify the means. Rather than wait for proof, Sheriff Dupnik and the secular media tried to exploit the shootings in January for political gain. They had no proof that the shooter Jared Loughner was the product of a political system that had lost all civility. Yet Dupnik and the secular media tried in a cold-blooded manner to exploit the tragedy for political gain. Even after their narrative was proven wrong they continued to make false charges against those they disagreed with. And now that Dupnik may be in serious hot water over Guereña's death many of his cheerleaders in the secular media have clammed up rather than report the news. For them, the ends still justify the means.

In a strange yet fitting coda to this story Jared Loughner has been found mentally incompetent to stand trial. No word on whether Dupnik and the secular media will ever admit they screwed up.

Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. (Psalm 146:3 (KJV))