Bad Dreams

I am currently reading through a recent history of the notorious Auschwitz/Birkenau concentration camp. Thanks to the brilliant teaching of Dr. Dean Rapp, Professor of European History at Wheaton College, my reading habits have drastically changed in the past few years. Now my reading du jour seems to be more history, particularly European history. The book on Auschwitz, by Laurence Rees, is particularly chilling in it's description of what the Germans did to the millions of Russians, Poles, and Polish and German Jews in their attempts to exterminate men, women, and children and wipe them from the face of the earth. I have decided it is a book I should not read at night just before I go to sleep; it causes horrible dreams as my mind dwells on the horrors of what happened in WW II.

Reading these histories also makes me wonder if reading them is a primer for survival during the coming Great Tribulation. As a dispensationalist, I believe that God is going to bring a literal seven years of tribulation upon this planet. But will the followers of Jesus Christ be left on the planet to go through the tribulation? Good question. I hope not but I cannot be dogmatic about a Rapture of the Church, though I would wish it so. So why all this rambling and what does it matter?

Since the end of WW II the cry has always been "Never again." And yet...Stalin--60 million killed; Mao--60 million killed; Pol Pot, Saddam Hussein, Ho Chi Min, Caceusceu; Soviet despots; guerilla leaders in Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, and Liberia; DR Congo, Sudan, and Angola; the Balkan Wars of the 1990s; islamofascism in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Somalia, Lebanon, Israel where a human being is nothing more than a target for a mindless, deluded kid pulling the trigger that blows him and thousands of others to bits, while his masters sit in ivory palaces continuing to preach hate and death; the infanticide practiced openly, freely, and happily in many countries around the world as millions of babies are murdered every year; the numbers are staggering, mind-boggling, and incomprehensible. Considering Stalin alone, he murdered more than Hitler; but adding up the numbers of murdered due to war and terrorism since the end of WW II and the cries of "Never again," should cause a human to at least stop for a brief moment and wonder what has gone wrong.

Shouldn't the human race be getting better? We have the United Nations in place to solve all of our problems. After all if people would only sit down and talk they wouldn't kill. Sadly the talking heads of Europe and North America cannot see the folly and ills of the human heart. "It must be the fault of religion," they complain. Or a particular political party seems hell bent on destroying anyone or anything just to prove a point. "That President sees only in black and white. He speaks of truth. He speaks of faith. How juvenile and idiotic. That type of fanaticism only leads to more killing." And so the killng goes on and on and on and on and on...ad nasuem.

In spite of European headlines and speeches, the current President of the United States is not the "Hope of the World," he is not a messiah, and to compare him with the Kennedys and "Camelot" is, well, just plain ignorant. The Kennedys were bootleggers, adulterers, bad drivers, and they loved Hitler too. It is time for the so-called "Smart People" to realize that their dreams of evolutionary perfection are not anywhere near the surface, nor will they ever be in the forefront. The heart of humankind is sick and there is only one Answer: the true Messiah who loves and gave His life for every man, woman, and child on this planet no matter their religion, culture, language, passport, ethnicity, or anscestory. There is no killing with God because I am or you are of the wrong tribe. There is no mindless homocide bomber blowing up the marketplace because his puppet master is an evil man bent only on killing in the name of religion. Wake up people. The "Never Again" has continued and goes on every day with millions and millions more being killed or facing the reality of murder. Stop listening to Richard Dawkins, or the Nobel Committee, or Osama bin Laden, or a particular Prime Minister or President. God is not a "delusion." He is the only true reality in existence and the most pressing need for any of these aforementioned individuals as well as their students, disciples, or citizens.

Hope

When President Obama of the U.S. was recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, one of the rational given for the prize was that he was such a great hope for the world. Wow, how deluded people are to think that one man or woman is the hope for this world. There is only one hope for this world and Europeans need more than ever to know this Hope. Pray for dark, dark Europe.

Socialism Part 2: The Scary Reality

Though we do not know the family mentioned below, many of our friends from here in Vienna do know them personally or know of them. As you read through this excerpt of an email sent to one of our friends, pay special attention to the role of the medical commission and the fact that they can determine whether this person dies or is able to receive treatment. This is exactly what so many in the U.S. are fearing and protesting against. Do not let the fascination some policticians have with European social climes and mores allow our nation to follow in the footsteps of European medical practices.

Nuni has been going through a battery of medical tests. He has an enlarged spleen. They have a diagnosis now. He has a very rare blood cancer. Ileana and us, and now you know the diagnosis, but Nuni and their kids don't know yet. They are going to meet with the doctor on Sunday for a more in depth discussion about it. Please pray for their family as they go through this awful ordeal. They are still grieving the loss of their daughter in a car accident two years ago. It's so hard to even imagine that they have to go through this now.



Last week his anemia was a 6 and this week it is a level 3. Ileana said that his body is not able to replenish his blood. And he has tumors in his bone marrow. He needs to go through chemotherapy and then some type of bone marrow transplant- maybe that isn't quite right- they have to do something with the spine (maybe drain off fluid and do something to it and put it back in- we don't understand exactly, but it's supposed to be very painful.)

The doctors worked quickly to get his paperwork sent off to Bucharest. A medical commission meets tomorrow to review his case and to make a determination if they will approve the treatment for him (the chemo and the bone treatment). If they don't approve the treatment there is no hope for him. It's one thing if he decides to end the treatment, but it's quite another not to be allowed even to have a chance to try. Ileana has to hang onto the hope that the commission will give the ok for the treatment. Just finding out that he has cancer is like getting kicked in the gut- but it will be horribly difficult to accept if they don't allow the treatment. The doctors in the hospital seem to think that because Nuni is so young and was healthy up till this point, that he has a chance with the chemo and bone treatment, but without this commission’s approval they can do nothing. That's nationalized health care for you. And even with government insurance, the costs for the tests and treatment are very high. Nuni has had all kinds of blood tests and scans and just all kinds of tests. I went to the doctor this week and they told me insurance covers only 20%, so I know all this is really expensive for them.

Deja Voux

Last night--yesterday afternoon--depending upon where you live in our world, the Nebraska Cornhuskers played Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, VA. We lost on a last second touchdown pass that obliterated an awesome defensive display by Nebraska that kept Tech on the run all night. But I guess we should take heart: back when NU was somewhat respected in the college football world, we won and won and won except when playing Oklahoma, Miami (FL), and Florida State. How many times in the 70s and 80s were we ahead, outplaying the aforementioned opponent and then suddenly, one desperation fling of the ball or a trick play and suddenly we were punched in the gut, down on the field, wondering how we possibly let the game get away. Then oftentimes the team we played the next week was obliterated by an NU team that wanted everyone to know they might have been sucker punched, but it wasn't going to happen again (until the next season, that is).

So, if NU comes back and obliterates it's next opponent and then smashes its way through the Big 12 schedule, we still have a chance for a more than respectable 11-1 or 10-2 regular season. Last night's loss is a tough one, but the way we play in the coming weeks will show whether we are truly back or not.

Not Typical

When one writes an autobiography of oneself, the author, the main character, usually includes all of the great things he/she did or accomplished when doing whatever he/she was noted for. "I saved the economy as President of the United States." "I led us to victory over the enemy as Prime Minister of England." Etc., etc., etc. And when the character has problems, faults, or crimes that cannot be hidden, even in an autobiography, that character usually glosses over the evil or blames it on someone else, i.e. Bill Clinton still blaming a "vast right wing conspiracy" for all of his problems while as president.

However, when one reads God's autobiography, the Bible, He does not tolerate such shennanigans or glossing over of history. God gives us pictures of all and everything, the good, the bad, the ugly, the joy, the tears, the heartbreak.

This became clear to me as I was recently reading the Book of Job, one of the more fascinating yet troubling books of the Bible. This book certainly raises as many questions as it might answer, but the thing that challenged me most was that God was not afraid to include the questions, the doubts, and the hurts of Job. A normal autobiography would never have the authors characters questioning the goodness, love, value, reasonings, etc. of the president or prime minister. But God allows us to see Job as we might be: "Why God, why is this happening? Give me a fair hearing and I will prove to you that I do not deserve these troubles. I don't know what I did to you God, but allow me to question you in court and find out the truth."

I am thankful we have a God who is not afraid of our questions, doubts, fears, etc. He already knows them anyway, so to think we can hide them from God is ridiculous. We may as well as go ahead and ask them and argue with God. And ultimately, sooner or later, we must then come to the conclusion that He is God, I am not, and He absolutely knows what is absolutely best for my life and the life of my family.

True Tragedy

The BBC is even now carrying live the funeral of Senator Kennedy from a large cathedral in Boston. Yo Yo Ma is playing the cello and Placido Domingo is singing "Panis Angelicus." The local priest/pastor of the family finished telling us what a fine man Sen. Kennedy was and soon the President will tell us even more about how famous and great the Senator was to history.

As already written, the masses will pour into Vienna in late September to euologize Michael Jackson at a gigantic tribute show behind of the city's palaces.

Meanwhile in a small town in central Nebraska, another man lays dying, perhaps even this day being his last day of drawing breath upon this planet. In stark contrast to the show atmostphere surrounding the deaths and funerals of Senator Kennedy and Michael Jackson, Fox News and CNN will not be there the moment this man dies. No networks will cut into regular programming with the breaking news that our friend has died. Yo Yo Ma and Placido Domingo will not show up to play and sing at his funeral; President Obama will not interrupt his vacation to fly off to Nebraska and make an elequent speech about this man's life; the BBC will not cover the funeral live. But may I say, and try to say respectively, that our friends funeral will be of far greater meaning and significance than anything we might have observed on television or yet to come here in Vienna.

You see, our friend, Pastor Cooper, was just a simple country preacher who loved our Lord and Savoiur with all of his heart, soul, and mind. No one will have to pray and ask God to forgive Pastor's sins after he dies, as they did for Senator Kennedy. Pastor Cooper knew his Saviour, Jesus Christ, and knew Him well. Pastor and Mrs. Cooper loved people no matter what and in their own ways and words, showed the love and life of Jesus to many, many hundreds of people throughout their long life as Pastor and Pastor's wife.

Pastor Cooper will need no television audience to try and make him look good. Though he never served in politics, never rocked and rolled across the stages of the world, never sought after the fame and fortune of televangelism, Pastor Cooper made a far greater impact upon our nation and world than any politician or rock star ever did, could, or will. Pastor Cooper was in the work of changing hearts: living the Gospel; preaching the Gospel; helping the poor, the widowed, the orphan,; raising children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; all with the goal of making sure that each one knew who Jesus was, what Jesus had done for each one of them, and what it meant to have a sure and eternal relationship with the Lord Jesus. Hearts, lives, families, and marriages were saved as people understood Pastor's life and words and became followers of the Jesus Pastor and Mrs. Cooper so wonderfully lived.


So yes, family members of Senator Kennedy and Michael Jackson are mourning death, but Pastor Cooper's family will do more than mourn; they will know will all of their hearts that their husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather is in heaven and being told by the Saviour of humankind, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Irony IV

The BBC today reported that a group of several hundred protesters are sneaking about London trying to set up some type of "Green Camp" outside of the eyes of the local authorities. The purpose of the sneaking about and the so-called camp are to call attention to global warming. How interesting. Meanwhile...

Vienna is preparing for a gigantic open air memorial concert for Michael Jackson to be held later in September behind one of the palaces in the city. His mother was happy about this because Michael liked palaces. The concert will, no doubt, be televised around the world using millions of watts of electricity and causing much CO2 to explode upon our atmosphere. The private jets flying in from around the world will probably cause quite the spectical at Vienna's Schwechat airport. The limos hauling all of these apparently important people from the airport to their luxury hotels, the concert site, back to their hotels, and back to the airport will, I am sure be very exciting. And let us not forget the TV cameras and journalists and their entourages. Then all of the paper and plastic that will be strewn around the palace grounds after the masses leave. I sincerely hope some sincere politician from the EU and Washington DC and Hollywood elites will manage to stop and give their opinion about global warming and CO2 just before they get back into their limo or jet. Hey, maybe Al Gore will show up!

And then, this weekend, Boston and Washington DC are preparing for the funeral of Edward Kennedy. No doubt the rich and famous from both coasts will be in attendance as will the President. Imagine the private jets flying in and out of Boston; imagine the convoy of vehicles carrying Mr. Kennedy's coffin to the church, from the church, to an airplane, to Arlington cemetary in DC; imagine all of the TV cameras and reporters driving to the events in their gas guzzling vans and cars and jets and helicopters. Imagine all of the CO2 that will blow into the atmosphere this weekend along the east coast (OK, probably not much more than a typical day of harping when Congress is in session and the President is in town).

Where are the protesters calling attention to global warming when you need them? Go figure...

Socialism: Coming Soon to a Town Near You!

Unless we as citizens of the greatest nation in the world continue to take a stand and work against the radical wishes of east and west coast politicians, we have the following to look forward too (sooner rather than later [real stories from various parts of the continent upon which we as a family live. Hint: it is not North America]):

1. "Your daughter has some kind of growth in her brain. We are unable to see it well on a CT scan. She needs an MRI but, in order for your state health insurance to pay for it, you must wait 6-8 months before the MRI can be done. And oh, by the way, don't worry!" A doctor addressing some of our close friends in another country.

2. "You will be able to have the chemotherapy you need for your cancer because you are not paying enough for your state health insurance plan. You may pay with cash out of your own pocket, if you wish, but we will not give you the medicines you need; or you may pay a higher premium for your state plan and then we might be able to help you." A doctor to a cancer patient denying the necessary chemo because the state (think federal in this case) has levels of coverage and well, they didn't pay the right premium.

3. A daughter was born to a family two months premature. The hospital in which she was born did not have a neo-natal intensive care unit, so the baby was taken from the mother and sent by ambulance across the city to another hospital. Admittedly the total hospital bill was much cheaper than what would have been required in the U.S., but the care was frightening to say the least. The parents were denied any contact with the doctor in charge; questions were forbidden; and the sense was that the sooner the preemies died, the better off for everyone else. The mother of the baby was a nurse which at least allowed the parents a bit of news surreptitously as she would sneak glances at the baby's chart when possible to see what progress their baby was making.

4. Many parking areas in a city are made of cobblestone. One year ago, a group of workers, mostly immigrants, showed up and removed the cobblestones, cleaned off the dirt, and put them back in the same place. They did this up and down both sides of the street. Why? Don't know. What did it do to make the street nicer? Nothing. But it was certainly "make work" that kept the unemployment numbers low and allowed the citizens extremely high taxes to go even higher to pay for this kind of "government stimulus program."

5. As one walks the sidewalks of some cities, one cannot help but notice how uneven they are and full of lines and holes due to constant digging up. When sidewalks are dug up for new telephone lines, for example, the cable company will not also do their work at the same time, nor will the gas company, the electric company, the sewer company, and whatever other utility has lines and pipes under the sidewalk. So the telephone people will do their work, fill in the ditches and asphalt over them leaving yet another uneven spot of construction scarring. In one or two years, another utility will come along and dig up the same spot to do their work. But again, it keeps the unemployment numbers low. Government stimilus again!

6. Sales at shops must be approved by the government. Competition is not encouraged; in fact it is discouraged. Commodity prices are the same all over (no gas wars here!) so one hopes to be able to travel to another country where sugar might be cheaper; or flour; or oil, etc. Automobiles have a 32% sales tax placed upon them. In one country a discount grocery chain, also operating in the U.S., was publicly chastized by the government because they were making so money and the more expensive chains were losing big Euros. "Not fair," opined the government. "You cannot make more money than other grocery stores. You must raise your prices so that things are fair." No word as to whether the grocery chain obeyed. (Perhaps they went to a Town Hall meeting and protested to their government representative loudly, and then were accused of being right-wing terroristic fear and hate mongerers!)

7. If you must go to the doctor and can pay in cash, they are very happy. The state pays them almost nothing through the state insurance program, thus the care is oftentimes slipshod and suspect. If you need an operation or test and things look grim for you, good luck. It is better to plan your funeral service than try to wait for the needed test or surgery.

8. The elderly in one country fear having to go to a nursing home or geriatric home. They would rather commit suicide rather than have to go to one of these places. They know that if they are sent to a home they will soon be dead anyway, but it will be a longer and more painful process than if they killed themselves at home. They know the plan is to simply dispose of them, and the sooner the better.

9. Discplining one's children is against the law. So the streets are filled with characters that despise their parents, teachers, and any other kinds of authority. The state doesn't know what to do when their young people are killed while drinking and driving. Or they simply look the other way, smile sheeplishly, and assume the badness will soon be outgrown. Schools are simply places for drugs, cigarettes, and sex; especially the frequent school trips taken by middle and high school students. Teachers are angry, disinterested, and really don't care if a student makes it or not. There is no authority and no respect. Children throw fits and are smiled upon by the parents who secretly would love to put the hand of education upon the rear seats of the one throwing the fit. But the government knows best, so no seat of education.

So, if you don't like responsibility, decision making, having to choose which food shop to buy at, just wait. The government will soon be doing all of that for you/us and won't life be so much the better. Hey, "we" already own car plants, banks, and who knows what else. Whats wrong with the hospitals, doctors, grocery stores, shopping malls, Dillards, and your local McDonalds? And 55% in taxes to boot! What a deal. I for one can hardly wait!

Irony III

Early this summer a notorious abortionist from Wichita, Kansas, was murdered in his own church on a Sunday morning. The outrage and condemnation was swift from those against abortion and those for it. However, there is great irony in the fact that those in favor of murdering innocent little babies have never once raised even a smidgeon of outrage over the murder of any of the babies Dr. Tiller killed, even if that baby was brutally killed one hour or one day before she/he was to be born.

Dr. Tiller had no conscience when it came to the murder of babies. He and other "doctors" of death are responsible for tens of thousands of killings each year and yet the silence over these indefensible murders is more than deafening. Killing Dr. Tiller was not and is not the way to put a stop to the infanticide that is the practice du jour in so-called civilized societies. But what will it take for these murderers of the innocent to finally realize what their scalpels, scrapers, and vaccum machines are really doing?

Generations and generations of skilled workers, loving parents, farmers, teachers, doctors, researchers, journalists; tax payers, social security tax payers; etc. have been wiped out, cut to pieces simply because they were seen as a burden; simply because it just wasn't convienent; and yes, simply because the church is not always ready to stand with and support the girl/woman who finds herself pregnant, alone, afraid, homeless, and penniless.

Even as we attempt to raise the lonely voice of protest against baby murder, let us also renew ourselves to being on the front lines of helping those who need help; praying for those who do the murdering; and helping the murderers escape their life of despair.

Wedding joy

It was an honor and privilege to be a part of Johanna and Seth's wedding in June. God was honored and they are off to a good start as husband/wife and figuring out what it means to be married. Enjoy the pictures!

Irony II

A large window display/kiosk in Vienna had highlighted the following message:

"STOP AIDS," the same weekend the annual homosexual ball began in the city.