It’s been a while since I did a roundup article of smaller current events items. Here are some items from various places that might be of interest.
Crop Circles Made by Stoner Wallabies
In one of the stranger articles I’ve come across recently, the Telegraph reported on 26 June 2009 that wallabies have been breaking into fields of opium legally grown to sell to drug companies.
Lara Giddings, the Tasmanian attorney general, said: “We have a problem with wallabies entering poppy fields, getting as high as a kite and going around in circles.
“Then they crash. We see crop circles in the poppy industry from wallabies that are high.”
The article also mentions that other animals tend to run in circles when high after eating poppies.
So much for the theory they were created by UFOs, I guess. Of course, Richard Dawkins believes it is possible that life evolved on earth after space aliens dropped off some DNA on the planet. Maybe he’s been hanging around the wallabies.
Searching For God
ABC News reported “Online Evangelists Tap Millions Looking for God” on 22 June 2009. According to the article, “Two million people look for God each day — not in church, but in a search.” The article goes on to say:
Ask, “Who is Jesus?” and CCCI pops up number 8 on the search. “Who is God?” brings up an ad for Global Media’s largest Web site, Jesus2020.
After a short introduction to the tenets of evangelism, the site asks if you are interested in more information and directs you to a form providing contact information.
Global Media, one of the largest sites, gets so many emails, 649,000 during 2008, that they are having trouble keeping up.
Reality TV More Important Than God
The MailOnline from the UK on 22 June 2009 reported that “Two-thirds of teenagers don’t believe in God… and think reality TV is more important”. 16% have not ever been to church. Folks, the US is only one step behind the UK in becoming secular!
Faith is Important Say Gays
USA Today on 25 June 2009 reported “Survey: 60% of gays say faith is important to them”. Furthermore, while 85% of heterosexual adults identify themselves as Christian, a full 70% of gay adults do as well.
According to George Barna, “A substantial majority of gays cite their faith as a central facet of their life, consider themselves to be Christian, and claim to have some type of meaningful personal commitment to Jesus Christ active in their life today.”
Yeah, but which Christ? The One of the Bible or one of their own imagination?
German Schools to Teach Islam
Germany was surprised to learn how many Muslims they have. Monsters & Crtics reported on 23 June 2009 that “Germany discovers it has more Muslims than suspected”. So, on 25 June 2009, the same site reports “Germany to teach Islam to Muslim schoolchildren”. It should be noted that religious studies are currently part of the German educational system, although I assume that means some form of Christianity.
The Muslim population will continue to rise in Europe. Exactly how this ties in with Biblical prophecy remains to be seen.
“America Destroying Itself” Says George Barna
UCG blog Forward to the Kingdom! reported on 7 May 2009 that Dr George Barna, the famous Christian pollster, delivered a speech at the banquest of the Evangelical Press Association. “George Barna’s Sobering Speech: America Destroying Itself” tells us that using the APA’s definition of addiction, “media consumption is our most widespread addiction.” Barna also noted that instead of “One nation under God”, we have become “One nation under self”.
Speaking of Decline in America: Family
Paul C Vitz of the Catholic Education Resource Center has published online one of the most comprehensive articles on “Family Decline: The Findings of Social Science” that I’ve seen to date. Among other things, it documents the simultaneous rise in illegitimacy, divorce and sexually transmitted diseases. It documents that those who live together before marriage are more likely to divorce. It documents the link between single-parent homes and poverty. It shows that marriage may improve one’s health, while divorce can wreak havoc on a person’s physical and mental health. It also documents the affects upon children’s health that are caused by family break-up. The incidence of abuse is higher in single-parent and even stepparent situations.
It also documents the importance of fathers in the family, an idea that was once downplayed by radical feminists.
It is a long article, but a worthwhile read for anyone needing the information.
Mini-ebook Available
Mike Bennett of UCG has posted a “mini-book” online called The Wonderful World Beyond Today! It has about 15 chapters, and there are links at the bottom of each page to navigate to the next chapter. You can also navigate it using the right navigation bar.
Mass School Shootings Double
According to the Telegraph on 29 June 2009, “Mass school-shootings double in a decade, report shows”. The rate of school shootings has doubled since Columbine, compared to the previous decade.
So, are we better off for all of the social experimentation we’ve been doing? When are we going to learn and stick to the tried-and-true values laid down in the Bible? Adam and Eve did some social experimentation of their own, and that didn’t work out so well. Humanity has been picking from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil ever since.
Keeping Dangerous Animals
Apparently, the Connecticut woman who was attacked by a chimp belonging to her friend was concerned he might hurt someone. MSNBC.com reported on 28 June 2009 that her “Brothers: Victim of chimp attack feared animal”. Apparently the chimp was “mean and so strong that [his owner] had to repair his cage several times, [Nash’s] brothers said.”
There are 2 things wrong here: First of all, evolution basically says we are just animals. Animals then are viewed on the same level as humans, gaining “rights” that equal or even outweigh human rights. This degradation of human life leads to a lack of respect, a culture of death and a lack of common sense. The second thing is that the emphasis on evolution leads to discarding what the Bible says. That’s what the enemy wants to happen. The Bible has the answers to life’s most pressing issues. If Satan can distract people away from it, then people go on to destroy their lives and the lives of those around them.
Yes, the Bible even deals with keeping dangerous animals:
If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.
But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death.
If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him.
Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.
~ Ex 21:28-31
Generation Gap Now Larger
MSNBC.com reported on 29 June 2009 “Study: Generation gap in U.S. largest since ’60s”. The gap seems to be particularly large in areas of values and morality.
The US society is becoming more fractured over time. Polarization on issues is evident on a number of fronts. Divided we fall.
Slavery Apology
On 20 June 2009, the Bangkok Post reported about President Barack Obama’s praise of the US Senate passing a “’Historic’ US slavery apology”.
On Thursday, the Senate passed a bill stating that the US Congress “acknowledges the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery and Jim Crow laws” that enshrined racial segregation at the state and local level in the United States well into the 1960s.
Frankly, I’m not convinced that this sort of thing does any good other than make white liberals feel good. Indeed, some black lawmakers were angry because there was no provision to pay reparations. You see, it really isn’t about the money – it’s about the money.
I really don’t care what my great, great grandfather did to your great, great grandfather and vice-versa. In fact, don’t even think about insulting me with some sort of apology about how the Scots, American Indians and the Irish were treated. I cannot change history, nor can you. People treat people badly. It’s what people do. It’s in the past, so get over it!
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
~ Mt 6:14-15
Green Rain
No, not “green” as in eco-friendly, but “green” as in frogs! The Telegraph reported on 10 June 2009 that the “Sky ‘rains tadpoles’ over Japan”. While they have various theories, very few of them really fit the facts.
Of course, incidences like this are often used to point to the Biblical Ten Plagues of Egypt to try to discredit them. It should be noted that the incident has been limited to one prefecture in Japan, while the Biblical plagues affected an entire nation.
So, we started with an animal story, so let’s leave off with an animal story, shall we?