More Stories That Almost Defy Our Understanding

On Monday I read an article written by Bob Unruh, a long time reporter for the Associated Press who is now writing for WND.  The article was titled, "Bill of Rights 'Don't Exist on School's Campus.'"  You can find the article at www.wnd.com/2014/05/bill-of-rights-dont-exist-on-schools-campus.  I found the article shocking to the degree that people no longer have an understanding of our Constitution or the Bill of Rights.  Let me quote from the article:

"A dispute over a student's attempt to express his opinion about religion on campus is now in court after a university executive insisted the school's rules are above the Bill of Rights.  The Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a First Amendment lawsuit against Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, over its discipline of student Daniel Harper in February for distributing religious fliers.  Harper says he was told by Thomas R. Russell, the equal opportunity officer at Cameron, that the university policies are above 'those amendments to the Constitution' and that he had to abide by university policy regardless of the First Amendment.  Russell allegedly told Harper: 'I like those amendments to the Constitution.  They are foundations to democracy.  But that's all they are - foundations. ... You can't live on them.  You'll freeze to death in the winter and burn up in the summer.'"

Friends, the Constitution of the United States and the Amendments to that Constitution, including those first ten known as the Bill of Rights, are the foundation of the American way of life.  It is that Constitution and those Amendments that have shaped us as a nation, that have identified us as being different from other nations in the world.  I remember reading a fascinating book, written by Joseph Ellis and titled, The American Creation, which tells the story of the writing of the Constitution.  Can any other set of laws in our country supersede the Constitution?  Can the rules of a university, for example?  Of course not!  The rules governing other entities in our country are not only grounded upon the Constitution but molded by it as well.  To say that the policies of a university are above the Amendments to the Constitution shows an entire lack of understanding about the meaning of the Constitution.  Personally, if I had been an administrator at Cameron University, I would require Mr. Russell to sign on to the Hillsdale College's online class on the Constitution.  Perhaps then his eyes would be open to see its significance.

Another article from the almost endless list of "Here-we go again."  This article was written by Molly Beck for the Wisconsin State Journal and is titled, "Janesville superintendent issues apology for 'Kids React to Gay Marriage' video."  You can find the article at www.host.madison.com/news/local/education/local_schools/Janesville-superintendent -issues-apology.  "The Janesville School District superintendent issues a public apology Tuesday (May 13) for the showing of a video that she describes as pro-gay marriage and in violation of district policies requiring the presentation of all sides of 'controversial' or 'political' topics.  In April, Craig High School's Gay-Straight Alliance showed 'Kids React to Gay Marriage,' a 16-minute video of children reacting to marriage proposals between same-sex couples and sharing their thoughts on issues like gay marriage bans or whether they would stay friends with someone who told them they were gay.  Bits of text flashed during the video offering viewers information about the history and status of gay marriage in the United States or about discrimination and hate crimes, among other things. ... Schulte said the video was 'very biased' and violated the school district's policies on controversial and political issues because it did not offer a similar look at views in support of keeping marriage between men and women.  The policy requires classroom discussions to include all sides of a political matter."

Here is the problem with what happened in Janesville.  The school board had an established policy on how to handle potentially controversial issues and the superintendent was aware of that policy.  The principal of the high school saw no issues with the film, thus its being shown.  Problem: a lack of communication and a lack of clarity on board policy.  I served on a school board for several years and one of the chief functions of the superintendent was to communicate clearly to all the staff those policies that were determined by the board.  But there is a second problem that is almost becoming epidemic: it is better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission - at least that is how I have heard it expressed.  The problem with that philosophy is that it is difficult to retract something that has already been said, or, as my grandfather used to say, "It is useless to close the barn doors after the horses have all gone."  How we need to guard with care what we say.  Let's think first, then speak or act.  Might save ourselves a bundle of heartaches and headaches that way.

Finally, I was intrigued by the title of the article written by Michael Snyder.  It was titled, "Transhumanists: Superhuman Powers and Life Extension Technologies Will Allow Us to Become Like God."  You can find the entire article at www.endoftheamericandream.com/archives/transhumanists-superhuman-powers-and-life-extension.  The article begins with the following question: "If you could merge your current mind and body with technology that would give you superhuman powers and would allow you to live forever, would you do it?"  The article then continues, "Transhumanists envision a day when technology will allow humanity to become so advanced that sickness, disease, poverty and war will essentially be eradicated.  They believe that merging with machines will permit us to become trillions of times more intelligent that we are today, and they also believe that radical life extension technologies will make it possible for humanity to actually achieve immortality.  The article quotes from Mark Pesce: "Men die, planets die, even stars die.  We know all this.  Because we know it, we seek something more - a transcendence of transience, translation to incorruptible form.  An escape if you will, a stop to the wheel.  We seek, therefore, to bless ourselves with perfect knowledge and perfect will; To become as gods, take the universe in hand, and transform it in our image - for our own delight.  As it is on Earth, so it shall be in the heavens.  The inevitable result of incredible improbability, the arrow of evolution is lipping us into the transhuman - an apotheosis to reason, salvation - attained by good works."

As I read this article my heart was drawn to those discussions I envision the people of Babel having as they were constructing their tower.  "We are so bright.  We have this all figured out.  We don't need a god.  We are gods."  That is the thinking of these transhumanists.  What did God do with such thinking at Babel?  Well, as you read the story in Genesis 11, He brought mass confusion into their ranks by an instantaneous linguistic change.  Suddenly their brilliance became chaos.  Their lofty ideals and plans became a meaningless waste of time and effort.  "Becoming as god" is a lie that is as old as the Garden of Eden and comes right from the pit of hell itself. 

So the world continues its march toward the sounding of the trumpet and the ascent of our Savior-King upon His royal throne there in Jerusalem.  I am so grateful that God is in total control, aren't you?