The news of my death has been grossly exaggerated.
Mark Twain
These are troubled times, but apparently not bad enough to stop some people from supporting Biden and the Democrats. It is breathtaking to see how much damage “Joey Demento” and his clowns have done in just 29 months. Yet despite damage to the economy, education, national defense, transportation, foreign policy, energy independence, as well as female sports, crime, drugs and alien invasion, it hasn’t gotten bad enough. We are like the proverbial frog in a pot of water on the stove. The water hasn’t gotten hot enough to boil us yet.
A recent email from a reader said he is ready for Jesus to return because we have made such a mess of things, and my reader sees no other solution.
I’m not there yet. I still have hope, and we may get one more chance. All the early maneuvering for the next election cycle doesn’t interest me much. However, a friend recently texted me that President Trump was doing a rally in New Hampshire. I didn’t have anything else to watch so I tuned in and was surprised to see and hear a measured, calm, hopeful, rational and non-confrontational Trump. His only jab was to retire the “crooked” Hillary moniker for Mrs. Clinton and apply it to Biden. Given that our titular Pres is the Godfather of Biden Inc., it seems appropriate.
Perhaps I was seeing Trump 2.0, a Trump without Tweets or media taunts. He certainly has more energy and hope than I have. After speaking for an hour, he then took questions from regular citizens without a cheat sheet or programmed answers. He was sharp, personable and exuded confidence in America. What a stunning contrast to Biden, who is in the White House due to media-stoked irrational hatred of President Trump. The closing music of President Trump’s rally was, “Hold on, I’m coming.” The Democrat leadership understands this and realizes Trump must be destroyed. They’ve been trying to do this for eight years.
The term “useful idiots” has been attributed to Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin, but probably predates the Soviet era. The term denotes a credulous person, duped and manipulated, often for a political agenda. Joy Behar says she would rather have the demented geezer and the cackling fool in the White House than any Republican. But then what kind of a person would listen to “Maud” Bahar or watch the view, let alone sit in the audience?
I played ice hockey through the first several years of college before having to drop out and study to get into medical school. I usually only watch hockey during the playoffs, when fights and cheap shots don’t often occur. The consequences of such ridiculous behavior are just too costly during the playoffs. Unfortunately, consequences have been largely eliminated from our permissive culture.
Since I haven’t been paying attention to hockey, I just learned that the expansion Seattle Krakens eliminated the Colorado Avalanche, the winner of last year’s Stanley Cup. And with a bit of research, I discovered that a kraken is a mythological sea creature, after an old Norse legend. Like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’ll find in my column, “The Doctor Is In.”
But since we’re exploring the netherworld and mythological beasties, let’s discuss myths. I am no student of paranormal entities, nor do I put much stock in myths. However, conceptually I understand why they occur. Myths come down to us as explanations of otherwise mysterious events or supernatural forces. We define the natural world in terms of what we can observe or explain. By definition, a supernatural event is beyond naturalistic explanation. Some might picture The Resurrection of Jesus Christ as a myth.
Years ago, I read Lee Strobel’s “The Case for Christ.” Strobel was a journalist and an atheist, and set out to debunk Christianity. Through a series of interviews with experts and his own extensive research, Strobel concluded that Jesus was the real deal and he became a Christian and an apologist for the Way, the Truth and the Life. I can recommend the book, but I’ll distill Strobel’s findings to the 5Es: Jesus existed; Jesus was executed; there was an empty tomb; there were more than 500 eyewitnesses to the resurrected Christ; and there was early adoption of Christianity. By contrast, myths take generations, if not hundreds of years to become established. Christianity spread across the entire Roman world in just 30 years and changed the world.
I hope that the Democrats have overplayed their hand, and the mythological Furies will ascend from the netherworld and sweep “the wicked” from power. We’ll see. This wish includes notable Congressional Harpies – and I’ll add the loons of The View to my wish list!
Perhaps I should add the leaders of the Methodist Church. As my church continues to disintegrate, I am thankful that since the Reformation ecclesiastical overlords no longer hold sway over my soul. They can’t excommunicate me for my non-progressive, traditionalist beliefs. I answer to God, my conscience and my wife, not to any minister, bishop or pope.
In 1521 priest, professor and theologian Martin Luther was on trial for his life before an imperial court in Worms, Germany. Luther had dared recommend Church reforms and this threatened the establishment. It was demanded that he recant or he would be excommunicated and burned as a heretic which would send his immortal soul to Hell for eternity. In his own defense, Luther delivered the “Here I Stand Speech,” saying, “I cannot recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God. Amen.”
This is what it means to stand against tyranny, whether from the Church or Washington. Jesus is not dead, nor is America nor Trump. My soul is at peace, but my Church is not and neither is my country. I told my “priest” that I will not go against my conscience.
And I look forward to throwing the clowns out of office and sending a businessman back to Washington to Make America Great Again. But perhaps the pathway to renewal might be through presidential candidate and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and his 25-point plan. Check it out.
