Antioch Road

One Paragraph Review: America in Crimson Red by James Beller

America In Crimson Red: The Baptist History Of America by James R. Beller

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the best worst written book I have ever read. Or maybe it is the worst best written book I have ever read. Either way, everyone should read it. "The Baptist History of America" is really a history of how the United States went from independent states that almost uniformly practiced religious persecution to United States that understood religious freedom as a basic right. Before the formation of the United States, many Baptists died, lost their homes and other property, and were kicked out of their communities merely because they refused to baptize infants and refused to pay the tax for the salaries of the pastors of government-established churches. Through the persecution, the Baptists in America thrived and ultimately led America to embrace religious freedom. We have since lost that understanding, meshing Baptists into Protestantism. James Beller, importantly, reminds us of this history and the important people who played a part in this history, with great attention to detail, good story telling, and impeccable research. Unfortunately, he needed an editor, or a better one, for every page of the book contains poor sentence structure, commas out of place, and many other grammatical problems. Nevertheless, everyone should overlook those faults and read this book.

View all my reviews.

Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman Merger Advertisement

My law firm ran the following advertisement on page A15 of today’s Cedar Rapids Gazette. My picture is near the lower left-hand corner.

One Paragraph Review: How to Dethrone the Imperial Judiciary by Edwin Vieira.

How to Dethrone the Imperial Judiciary by Edwin Vieira

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I really would like to give this book more than three stars. It is smart, persuasive, well-researched, and almost always right. It also, unfortunately, contains sentences that go on too long, favors ostentation over clarity, and is boring. Nevertheless, it is an important book. Edwin Vieira convincingly argues against the United States Supreme Court's decision in Lawrence v. Texas. The Lawrence Court illegally employed foreign law to interpret the U.S. Constitution and preposterously purported to strike down all legislation based on traditional morals. Vieira demonstrates the absurdity of "judicial supremacy," the notion that the U.S. Supreme Court is the supreme interpreter of the U.S. Constitution. And then he demonstrates several practical things "We the People" can do to curtail the Supreme Court's power grab. The options include amending the Constitution (not ideal because it implies the Supreme Court got the pre-amendment interpretation right), pardons by the President, presidential refusal to enforce an unconstitutional decision, limitation of the court's jurisdiction, and removal of judges for lack of "good behaviour," among other possibilities. Many of the proposed actions are not currently politically possible. However, We the People delegated to the judicial branch the judicial power. We the People have the right and responsibility to ensure that power is not abused. How to Dethrone the Imperial Judiciary presents an important warning and challenge and ultimate plan of remediation. It is worth reading despite its faults.

View all my reviews.

Go Cubs Go as a Bible Song?

After family Bible devotions, I have our family sing a Bible song. My four-year-old daughter, Hannah, usually picks the song and we end up singing “Jesus Loves Me” or “Jesus Loves the Little Children,” only occasionally straying into a verse of a hymn. Tonight I asked Noah, my son who turned two yesterday, what we should sing. His choice: “Go Cubs Go.” We’re going to have to work on his priorities.

One Paragraph Review: The Great Alaskan Dinosaur Adventure by Buddy Davis

The Great Alaskan Dinosaur Adventure by Buddy Davis

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is the story of the true journey of fine men into Alaska in search of unfossilized bones. As an adventure story, it's good. I learned a lot about Alaska (watch out for the mosquitoes!). It's also a very quick read, as it's just 133 pages in relatively large typeface. I did expect more from the book on the significance for a young earth of unfossilized bones. But I had fun reading it nonetheless.

View all my reviews.

Hope

The following was originally published on December 24, 2007.

When people today say they hope for something, what they often mean is that they wish for something.

"I hope that my children turn out right" means "I wish for my children to turn out right." "I hope I will have a bigger home someday" means "I wish that I could have a bigger home." In both instances, the hope is some uncertain thing in the future. We do not know that our children will turn out right.

But when the Bible uses the word hope, it is often referring to something that, while in the future, is certain. It shall--not may--come to pass.

In my prayers, I often thank God for the hope of heaven. That is not because I am uncertain about my eternal home, but because I am certain. Colossians 1:5 speaks of "the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel."

1 Thessalonians 5:8 says that the "hope of salvation" is part of our protection. Something that is uncertain is not much protection, but our salvation is certain, if we have accepted the free gift Ephesians 2:8-9 speaks of. That free gift is Jesus, "which is our hope" (1 Tim. 1:1), being born to die--"the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God" (1 Pet. 3:18)--for you and for me.

It is my prayer that you have that hope this Christmas season. If you do not, please read this. God's blessings on you and your family.

The Religious Case for Throwing Away Your Issue of Newsweek

In Newsweek's Dec. 15 issue, someone named Lisa Miller makes "the religious case for gay marriage." Except the magazine put a picture of the Bible on the cover. The "religious case for gay marriage" is not the same thing as "the Biblical case for gay marriage." Newsweek would have given itself more intellectual credibility had it at least gotten the cover right.

Anyway, on to the story behind the cover.

Wait a second. I don't want to go on to that. The "religious case for gay marriage" has been "made" a hundred times. What a boring cover story. The Bible is antiquated. Modern scholars have found new meaning in the passages or now doubt their veracity. God is love and all He wants is for us to just be happy, however we define happiness. King David was a polygamist. And on and on and on.

Ms. Miller even writes that "while the Bible and Jesus say many important things about love and family, neither explicitly defines marriage as between one man and one woman." Well, she's got us there! There is no verse in the Bible that says "the definition of marriage is the union of one man and one woman." I don't know how we could have missed that.

Anyway, let's leave Ms. Miller's story before she starts writing things like "the Bible endorses slavery." (Oops, too late.)

Instead, let's go on to Newsweek editor Jon Meacham's editorial note on the cover story. Unlike Ms. Miller's story, Mr. Meacham's note is interesting, if in a train wreck sort of way.

Mr. Meacham writes that "conservative resort to biblical authority is the worst kind of fundamentalism." The worst kind? Really? He can't think of a kind of fundamentalism worse than that?

And, is liberal resort to biblical authority OK, then? Apparently not, for "to argue that something is so because it is in the Bible is more than intellectually bankrupt—it is unserious, and unworthy of the great Judeo-Christian tradition." That's right—Mr. Meacham says that resort to Biblical authority is "unworthy" of the "Judeo-Christian tradition." Also, it is "intellectually bankrupt," which does not exactly explain why he just put a cover story in his magazine resorting to Biblical authority to argue for one side of an issue. Intellectually bankrupt for thee, but not for me?

But if we are to discard Biblical authority, to what authority should we resort? The closest Mr. Meacham comes to offering an alternative is when he says that "history and demographics are on the side of those who favor inclusion over exclusion." So history--by which Mr. Meacham means historical trends--and the opinions of younger generations (i.e., "demographics") are to be our guides, eh? Those guides are less than definitive and consistent.

Perhaps, then, Mr. Meacham himself is to be our authority, given as he is in "full possession of the relevant cultural and religious history and context" of the important issues.

Not doubting his good intentions but his omniscience, I pray that he will excuse me from submission to his authority, though it appears that he has already declined my request.

Invite Shonn Greene to the Heisman Ceremony

AOL FanHouse's Ray Holloman wonders what would happen if the Heisman Trophy actually went to college football's most outstanding player, as opposed to the most hyped quarterback or running back. He goes on to list Iowa Hawkeyes running back Shonn Greene #6 on his ballot (which includes 2 defensive players in the top 3), writing:

6. Shonn Greene, RB Iowa: Greene is the only player in the nation to rush for 100 yards in every game this season and currently leads the nation in total rushing yardage (though Connecticut's Donald Brown might overtake him). He won Big Ten player of the year award, blocked Penn State from the BCS title game and ground out 6.2 yards per carry, despite playing behind a muddled quarterback situation. Unfortunately, like Berry, Greene will get no consideration because being the most outstanding player to Heisman voters means that you're surrounded by other outstanding players.

The quarterback situation became unmuddled after a one-point loss at Pittsburgh, but the passing game was mediocre at best overall, finishing 8th in the Big Ten. Greene was running, and running well, against defenses stacked against him.

There's also this: Greene had 286 combined rushes and receptions without a single fumble, let alone a lost fumble.

Iowa finished 8-4 and lost its 4 four games by just 12 combined points. Green was the biggest reason for a nearly great season.

Iowa had the AP National Player of the Year as recently as 2002 (Brad Banks). Greene deserves significant consideration and should be invited to the Heisman Trophy ceremony.

Iowa Takes Down (Formerly) Undefeated Penn St.

I was at a wedding reception late this afternoon, with my Blackberry open to ESPN.com's game page for the 4th quarter of the Iowa-Penn St. game. The automatic refresh was activated. I didn't need my Blackberry when Daniel Murray hit his 31-yard field goal to win it, though. There were a few other people paying attention, and when the field goal went through, a cheer erupted throughout the reception hall.

Iowa has 4 losses this season by a combined total of 12 points. For the first time this year, they won a close one, and it was a big one.

One Paragraph Review: Ten P's in a Pod by Arnold Pent III

Ten P's in a Pod : A Million-Mile Journal of the Arnold Pent Family by Arnold Pent III

 

My review

  rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a fabulous book; one of the best non-Bible books I have ever read. It was written by Arnold Pent III, the 3rd of 8 children of Arnold Pent II and his wife Persis, when he was 21-years-old from entries in his journal from when he was 17-to-19-years-old. The 10 members of the Pent family traveled around the country singing and preaching for churches, television and radio programs, and anyone who would listen. Their goal was to win people to Christ and encourage Christians to read and memorize the Bible daily. Ten P's in a Pod is filled with (not necessarily chronological) stories over a few years of their travels. They were not from anywhere and went wherever God led them. They homeschooled and ate natural foods well before such things gained popularity in the early 1980s. Mostly, they lived their life completely trusting that God would supply their needs. This book has numerous examples of God doing just that. This book will also challenge you to have individual and family devotions, and to read your Bible daily, in a greater way than you ever have before. It is well written, reads quickly, is funny, and is inspiring. I highly, highly recommend this book. This book was first self-published in 1965. This version is an excellently published edition from Vision Forum.  

View all my reviews.