Seven Billion And Counting

            At the end of WWII, the world population was around 2.25 billion people.  On October 31, 2011, the world population reached seven billion.  These numbers indicate that more people have been born following WWII than were born during all of human history prior to that war.

            It is also interesting to note that humans have not changed from humanities earliest recorded history.  Certainly, our technologies have changed, as have our standards of living and acquired knowledge, but physically, mentally, and spiritually, humans remain the same.

            Relating this information to the purported “science of evolution” it seems strange that over the billions of cycles of life, known throughout recorded human history, nothing has changed for the better. 

Of course, one might believe that further evolutionary change was unnecessary because humans reached the pinnacle of efficiency eons ago.  The problem with this belief is that there are some obvious physical, mental, and spiritual, deficiencies among present-day humans.  For example, eyes in the backs of our heads would allow us to see approaching danger, as would the mental ability to see the future, and if we were at the spiritual pinnacle there would be no crime, jealousy, greed or hatred.

On the other hand, one might think that evolution is a slow process only bringing change when absolutely needed for survival.  If this is true then changes seem behind schedule, because the exponential population growth will soon overtake the earth’s ability to support life as we know it, and the millions of years said to be required for evolutionary change do not exist between now and the time Earth’s population reaches unsupportable numbers. 

Evolution science offers no hope for humanity because it denies The Creator who created humans in His own image.  Humanities problem is not the depletion of natural resources, neither is it overpopulation.  Humanities problem is sin and only the One who created humans has the power to save them from the death and corruption wrought by their sins.

Jim

www.jim-mac.com

Arab Spring?

            In his editorial, titled, “Gadhafi Bites the Dust … What’s Next?” (http://www.calthomas.com/index.php?news=3392) Cal Thomas is spot on in his assessment of the “Arab Spring” and U.S. involvement.

            Perhaps, the biggest mistake in dealing with Islam is thinking it is a political system that can be changed with revolutions, demonstrations, civil disobedience or popular vote.  Islam is not a political system.  It is a religion that given opportunity, controls every political system where it gains a foothold.  Because Islam was conceived to oppose Christians and Jews and the Koran sanctions killing them, adherents will not be satisfied until these two groups are exterminated and all other “infidels” are assimilated into their belief system.  Add to this, the fact they are instructed to patiently wait for the opportunity, to use any means available to accomplish their goals and it should be understood that believers in the Koran cannot be trusted, irrespective of their political system.

            How bizarre, that our political leaders seem to fear Christianity that is based on a descendant of Israel who loved all people and willingly became their sacrifice for sins, while supporting a religion based on hatred of Israel’s Children and Christians.

Jim

www.jim-mac.com

The Real Tax Bite

            From time immemorial, divide et impera (divide and rule) has been used to break populations into small manageable groups so they are unable to resist those in power.  This strategy is working well in establishing and maintaining government revenue streams. 

            Proposals to reform or abolish the IRS and the present tax code are hot issues in the current election cycle.  Clearly, many Americans think it is time for a change and the politicians are individually hoping their respective plan will be the key to elected office.  But all we hear are plans involving income taxes, payroll taxes, corporate taxes and sales taxes, along with endless debates concerning the merits of each plan.  A real problem with reforming these taxes is that everyone is afraid their own ox will be gored.  So while attention is on debating these plans, the hidden taxes imposed on our citizenry go untouched. 

While few people enjoy paying taxes, most citizens realize they are required to fund our necessary government expenses.  The problem is that many of our necessary government expenses are no longer funded by the taxes politicians are proposing to reform.  Fees charged to people that must use them fund many essential government services.  Among these are license fees, permit fees, inspection fees, use fees, turnpike fees, court costs, the list is long.  This frees large sums generated by taxation on the general populace to go toward government largess, since many government agencies are dependent on revenues they generate through fees.  You guessed it!  When these agencies fall short on revenue they raise fees, most often by administrative fiat from bureaucrats with no accountability to the voters.  As a revenue stream this system is preferred by government agencies because it removes the pesky need for voter approval and shields elected officials from voters when revenues are increased.

I know!  I know!  The standard rationalization for this system is that the people who use the services should pay for them.  Remember “divide et impera.”  When government is allowed to divide the people into small groups for the purposes of specific taxation, special fees, or anything else, we all eventually lose.  Real tax reform will come when all government services and agencies are funded solely by general taxes levied on all citizens with their consent.  “Of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

Jim

www.jim-mac.com

Stop The Misdirection

One necessary ingredient that every successful stage magician, illusionist and sleight-of-hand artist employs is misdirection.  While the audience watches the obvious, the not so obvious is also happening.  For the past 50+ years, the battle to remove any mention of God or the Bible from our public schools has been the obvious, while the not so obvious is the political indoctrination of our children occurring in those same schools.  At the same time, the obvious in our churches is the battle to restrict their involvement in politics, while the not so obvious is the lack of instruction to counter the indoctrination occurring in all levels of education.

The result of these misdirections is a society that embraces the welfare state, absolute government authority and open borders.  They think God, the Constitution and the Pledge of Allegiance are irrelevant.  Their moral compass is calibrated by the letter of the laws written by lawyers, judges and politicians, rather, than the character of our Creator.  They have been taught that education is the key to success; that hard work is for those who lack education and when they do not get what they want, they are told to blame anyone or anything but themselves.  When it comes to a politically correct education, no child in the system has been left behind.

Teachers are a second group victimized by these misdirections.  For most, teaching is a calling and lifelong commitment.  They enter the profession with high hopes, only to be treated as pawns in the illusion.  They are caught in a system that tells them what to teach and when to teach it under penalty of law. 

As we Okies might say it, “Our chickens have come home to roost.”  Perhaps, it is time to reintroduce the “board of education” for discipline, the “Three R’s” for curriculum, and to give teachers the support and freedom they need to teach. 

Jim

www.jim-mac.com

Legal Tender No Longer Legal

Written on the face of U.S. Currency in all capital letters is this statement:  “THIS NOTE IS LEGAL TENDER FOR ALL DEBTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE.”  With the passing of H.B. 195, in the State of Louisiana, legal tender is not always legal.  The law prohibits the use of cash to buy or sell second-hand merchandise.  Ostensibly, the bill, by forcing people to use a check, money order or electronic transfer, will provide a paper trail for police to track criminal activity.  However, it is most likely that only law-abiding businesses such as Goodwill, Salvation Army Stores, Veterans Thrift Shops, Flea Markets, and their law-abiding customers will be affected.  Also, the cost of checks, money orders and electronic transfers is sure to rise when people are forced to use them. 

Anyone, who thinks criminals will leave a paper trail or stop their illegal activities because this law says they cannot use cash, is dreaming, but the cost and inconvenience to law-abiding people, the undermining of our currency and the abrogation of individual freedom to conduct business in private, is no dream.

To paraphrase a saying from the Gun Rights Advocates:  “When cash is outlawed, only outlaws will have cash.”

Jim

www.jim-mac.com

My Roots Run Deep

My roots run deep in America.  The bones of my paternal grandfathers are buried in Vinita, Oklahoma; Athens County, Ohio; Wheeling, West Virginia and Fort Pitt, Pennsylvania.  My mother was Cherokee and while the formal records of her family begin with the Dawes Commission Rolls, her people were among the pre-historic occupants of this land.

Even though, the McColloch Brothers were Indian fighters in Wheeling and perhaps, encountered my mother’s ancestors, my mother loved my father in spite of his family history and vice-versa.  Some of my ancestors were Christians and some were called savages.  Perhaps, accordingly, I have acted like both Christian and savage at various times in my life. 

I mention my ancestry, not to claim special dispensation, but to say that my family has a long history of “skin in the game.”  From the Revolution to Vietnam, we fought in this Nation’s wars.  In the Revolution, we knew the sweet taste of victory and freedom from an oppressive monarchy, yet, we also knew the bitter taste of captivity as we were driven from our homes and force-marched, like animals, to a reservation in present day Oklahoma.  The path to tomorrow was not always easy for any of my ancestors, but their accomplishments and their failures; their victories and their defeats; like those of millions of other families were the building blocks of this Great Nation, because through it all they came together as one people, desiring a better life for themselves and others. 

Now, we stand on the edge of the precipice.  Will we allow the blood and sweat sacrifices of previous generations to disappear into the sands of time, by allowing this Nation to disappear because we are divided?  Contrary, to what seems a popular notion that individuals can do nothing to change the direction of this Country, I think individuals, now as always, are the only group capable of changing the direction.  In fact, we need to stop expecting politicians to provide political solutions to a spiritual problem.  The direction this Nation is headed will change if individuals follow the divinely inspired directives to treat others as you would be treated and love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.

Clearly, not all Americans have at all times adhered to these principles, not even my own ancestors, but through the years enough Americans have embraced them to influence those who did not.  It has worked before and it will work again.

Jim

www.jim-mac.com