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Monday, November 22, 2004
Good article
Which Nature Are You Feeding?
A few years ago I satisfied an unfulfilled childhood urge by adopting a pair of baby iguanas. Liberty and Justice were about the same age and size when they arrived at their new home and, like any good father of two, I did my best to treat them equally. They scampered around the same 55-gallon aquarium. They drank from the same water dish. They soaked in warmth from the same hot rock and heat lamp. A Vita-lite shone on both. In short, his leathery pals shared an identical environment. There was just one noticeable difference in their lifestyles: diet.
While Liberty consumed fruit, vegetables and various forms of protein, Justice was a very picky eater with a meager appetite. Consequently, Liberty grew bigger and stronger—a richly colored, muscular animal. But lacking proper nutrition, Justice became more lethargic. She got thinner and assumed a paler shade of green. He matured. She wilted like a flower deprived of sunlight. From that point on, if Liberty wanted to bask on the hot rock, he commandeered it. If he chose to drink, she had to get out of his way. It was only a matter of time before Justice’s poor diet (aggravated by Liberty’s bullying) led to her death, leaving one healthy iguana to rule the aquarium.
This tale of two lizards serves as an illustration of the inner conflict facing Christians. Within each of us dwells two natures: the flesh and the Spirit (Eph. 2:1-3, Gal. 5:16-17, John 3:6). They share the same environment. Same body. Identical eyes, ears and other senses. And like reptilian roommates, these two human natures, by definition, become territorial. Even adversarial. Each wants to rule the “aquarium” of our hearts and minds. The one that eats best will be the one that thrives. But keep in mind that the dietary preferences of the spirit and flesh are quite different from one another.
The spirit is nourished by Bible study, prayer, Christian fellowship and serving others. According to Galatians 5:22, this holy regimen results in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. It is to that end that God calls His children to engage in Spirit-led (Spirit-fed) living (Rom. 13:14, John 6:63, Eph. 4:22-24, Heb. 5:14). However, the flesh has an appetite for junk food: movie scenes of a sexual nature, violent video games, television programs filled with profanity, perversity and graphic violence; songs celebrating rebellion, drug use, casual sex or skewed theology. Young Christians (in fact, all believers) have both natures at war within them, fighting for control. As one prospers and grows to dominance, the other nature, deprived of the food that fuels its development, withers.
The apostle Paul knew this internal struggle well (Rom. 7:14-25), yet many teens don’t understand its impact on daily decision making and overall spiritual health. Of those who do, a large percentage are tempted to compromise, confident that they’re strong enough to resist the enemy’s snares.
Think about this scenario. Two teen guys. Same age. Similar home and school environments. One avoids all entertainment of a sexually perverse nature. The other dabbles in Internet porn. Which young man is more likely to see his spiritual nature grow strong? Which nature will dominate the “aquarium” of their hearts and minds? In the daily battle between flesh and spirit, it’s winner take all.
11/22/2004 11:21:00 AM by Todd Bacon
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Tuesday, November 16, 2004
NYC Paramedic
11/16/2004 08:31:00 AM by Todd Bacon
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Thursday, November 11, 2004
You're A Bum!
11/11/2004 03:12:00 PM by Todd Bacon
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Friday, November 05, 2004
11/05/2004 02:22:00 PM by Todd Bacon
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Thursday, November 04, 2004
bush country
11/04/2004 11:24:00 AM by Todd Bacon
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Exit Polls Scandal?
Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2004 10:02 a.m. EST
Dick Morris Calls for Probe Into Exit Poll 'Scandal'
Renowned pollster Dick Morris is calling for an investigation into early exit polls run by the Associated Press that wrongly called the election results for John Kerry and sent the stock market spiraling downward.
"Exit polls are almost impossible to get wrong this way," Morris said in a column posted to the New York Post's Web site early Wednesday morning.
Because exit polls are based on interviews with people who have just cast their ballots, says Morris, they've always been considered the gold standard of polling.
"That an exit poll is always right is an axiom of politics. It is easier to assume that a compass is not pointing north than to assume that an exit poll is incorrect."
Morris pointed to possible corruption as the reason why early exit polls showed Bush losing all but one of the battleground states by 2- and 3-point margins.
"It takes a deliberate act of fraud and bias to get an exit poll wrong. Since the variables of whether or not a person will actually vote are eliminated in exit polling, it is like peeking at the answer before taking the test."
"The fact that they were so totally, disastrously wrong is a national scandal," the former White House pollster said.
He called for "a national investigation to unearth the story behind the bias."
11/04/2004 09:36:00 AM by Todd Bacon
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Thank you from President Bush
Dear Todd,
We had a long night -- and we had a great night. The voters turned out in record numbers and delivered an historic victory.
I want to thank our supporters across this country. At every stop I asked you to make the calls, put up the signs, talk to your neighbors, and get out the vote. And because you did your part, we are celebrating today. Thanks to you, we received more votes than any presidential ticket in history.
America has spoken. And I am humbled by the trust and confidence of my fellow citizens. With that trust comes a duty: I will serve all Americans, so help me God. I am proud to lead such an amazing country -- and I am proud to lead it forward.
Reaching our goals will require the broad support of Americans. A new term is a new opportunity to reach out to the whole nation. We have one country, one Constitution, and one future that binds us all. And when we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America.
A campaign has ended, and our cause is renewed. The United States of America goes forward with confidence and faith. I can see a new day coming, and I am eager for the work ahead. God bless you all, and God bless America.
11/04/2004 08:54:00 AM by Todd Bacon
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