Copenhagen Smokinhagen Part 2

The Copenhagen summit did not meet it's goal of a worldwide agreement to fight "climate change"... maybe because not everyone agrees?? Just found a good article in The Daily Mail about what I mentioned last post. From the article:

The Copenhagen summit, supposed to produce an agreement limiting greenhouse gases, has, according to experts, the same carbon footprint as a medium-sized African country such as Malawi.

There are an amazing 34,000 delegates attending the event, and the grander among them are forced, says my colleague Robert Hardman in Copenhagen, to park their private jets in Norway because Denmark has run out of Tarmac, and to procure their gas-guzzling limousines from Germany.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1236497/STEPHEN-GLOVER-50-days-save-world-I-listen-doomsayers-werent-ludicrous-hypocrites.html#ixzz0aPDgWvVB

So what are we to make of all the fuss? Time to start walking the talk.

Copenhagen Smokinhagen

So the largest ever climate conference finished up, and all they came up with was a document saying "we'll take note" and might do something about it?!???

Let me get this straight. How many days, and how many delegates (and assistants, and assistants to the assistants of the delegates), and private jets, and motorcades, and heated hotel rooms, and purified water in plastic bottles (made thanks to the oil sands, by the way! but they should clean up their act too), and at the end of it all:

"Climate change?"
"Yah."
"Well wha' do ya wanna do?"
"I don't know, wha' do you wanna do?"
"I don't know. Hey, now don't start tha' game again."

(remember the vultures from the Jungle Book cartoon???)

Here's a thought: why don't we start living responsibly?? You know, shut off extra lights, waste less, car pool (or plane-pool for those big wigs), give to charity, and maybe ask for a little corporate responsibility...

Oh, right. We're in a morally relativistic society. I can't tell you what to do, because what's right for me isn't necessarily right for you.

Garbage. A bunch of garbage. And smoke. In Copenhagen. Smokinhagen. Unfortunately, garbage is one thing we're not short of.

Random Act of Reconciliation

If there was more of this going on, our world would be a much happier place:





Seen on a street near our house a few weeks ago.

The Body is Awesome!

We're going through "The Truth Project" with some people from church... talking about science today, the search for truth, to understand the particulars of the world around us. Following the truth leads me to believe there is a designer. There are so many amazing and awesome things in this world to say it was just chance and randomness and time that gave us the universe as we know it.

Here's one little clip: "The Inner Life of a Cell" by a company called XVIVO, made for Harvard Medical School. Shows some of the cellular processes in just one white blood cell. What you see in 3 minutes goes on millions of times per second in your body. Wow.



The heavens declare the glory of God - Psalm 19:1
The fool says in his heart, "There is no God" - Psalm 53:1
Since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. - Romans 1:20

Disappearance of Moral Knowledge

Just found an excellent article, via John Patrick, discussing why there is a lack of morality in society these days, why it has disappeared. This helps to answer what I brought up in my previous post about the absence of morality of doctors and the institution's attempt to fill it with "professionalism and ethics".

So without further adieu, here is an excerpt from Dallas Willard's Beyond Moral Bewilderment:

... There is a steady downward pull on human life, and special counter-forces are required successfully to resist it. In their absence, lives, dynasties, and nations crumble and fall. Many today think that, if our current state of affairs is not quite as Isaiah said, we are steadily moving toward it. Sometimes this is attributed only to enhanced will to evil. But one way of characterizing the condition of North American society at present is to say that moral knowledge—knowledge of good and evil, of what is morally admirable and despicable, of simple right and wrong—is no longer available in our world to people generally. It has disappeared as a reliable resource for living.

Grab a coffee and enjoy the read!!

Abortion in Alberta... time is limited??

This, from Alberta ProLife:

Abortion is something we would like to wish away.

The fact is abortion is a business. You and I, as taxpayers, are on the hook for between $6 and $8 million each year. That’s what it costs to abort over 12,000* little ones in Alberta-each year. The provincial government says it only funds “abortions that are medically necessary.” In fact, it pays for all the abortions performed in the province, whether at hospitals or private clinics.

The truth is abortion is an act of violence that destroys people’s lives. In 2004 almost 40% of all abortions were repeat procedures (performed on women who have obtained a previous abortion). Less than 5% of all abortions are performed to protect the mother’s health or life.

The fact is the majority of Albertans polled over the past 15 years oppose tax-funded abortion.
The time has come to de-fund abortion.
Helpmake it happen.

This is a grassroots campaign to de-fund abortion in Alberta.
Give financially or volunteer your time or expertise.

Campaign to De-fund Abortion in Alberta
Box 11479 Edmonton, AB T5J 3K5
or e-mail apl@albertaprolife.com.
You can call us at 1-877-880-5433.
Donate • Contact yourMLA• CallUs

* Reference: Alberta Reproductive Health: Pregnancies and Births Surveillance Report 2009

Abortion Distortion

The health minister in Quebec recently tried to enact universal standards for cleanliness for surgical procedures... standards that apply to hospitals, smaller public surgical clinics, private clinics... and standards that would apply for any type of surgery - breast cancer surgery, appendectomy, gallbladder removal, wisdom teeth, abortion...

Whoops, did I say abortion? The actual bill didn't mention any specific surgery, just that all sites performing surgeries need to meet the safety requirements. Well, the pro-abortion lobby jumped right on it - this bill (by a pro-choicer, I might add), would shut down 3 abortion clinics until they could renovate! Then how would women get the abortions they need?

Here's the CBC article: Quebec abortion clinics excused...
Not quite accurate in its reporting, but the essentials are there. 2nd paragraph should read: "Bill 34 would have required all surgical clinics to have ventilated operating rooms and surgical clothing for all staff."

Andrea Mrozek and Rebecca Walberg, founders of ProWomanProLife.org, have written an excellent commentary about the whole debacle, published in the National Post August 21: The Abortion Distortion.

Definitely worth the read, even if you don't like the whole abortion debate.

One Small Step...

From CatholicVote.org

Are you Normal?

From the Summer '09 issue of Geez Magazine:

Normal is getting dressed
in clothes that you buy for work
and driving through traffic in a car
that you are still paying for -
in order to get to the job you need
to pay for the clothes
and the car
and the house
you leave vacant all day
so you can afford to live in it.
- Ellen Goodman

Ouch. Yes, for now, I'm normal. But working on that. And You?

Obama in Notre Dame, Pt 2

Ann Coulter had some strong criticism of President Obama's speech at Notre Dame last week. She also reflects on the illegitimate "constitutional right" of abortion:

Liberals were awestruck by Obama's statesmanlike speech at Notre Dame, but whatever he says about abortion is frothy nonsense because we're not allowed to vote on abortion policy in America. If it's a "constitutional right," we can no more vote on abortion than we could vote on free speech.

With Roe v. Wade, abortion supporters ripped the issue out of the democratic process -- limb from limb, you might say -- and declared their desired outcome a "constitutional right." They have hysterically defended that lawless decision for the last quarter-century.

All of Obama's soothing words about joining hands and not demonizing one another are just blather as long as that legal monstrosity remains the law of the land.

Showing his open-mindedness, Obama asked, "How does each of us remain firm in our principles ... without demonizing those with just as strongly held convictions on the other side?" (What do I have to do to get you murderers and you non-murderers to shake hands and be friends?)

A good start would be letting us vote.

Wesley J. Smith also offers a short but excellent critique of Obama's speech on the First Things daily blog called First Thoughts. Obama says one thing, but does another. He talks about unity, but his actions and policies do nothing to promote the "middle ground" that he mentions.

As my cousin Chris, and numerous other sources, pointed out last week, recent polls show more Americans consider themselves to be Pro-Life rather than Pro-Choice/Abortion. So if Ann Coulter's vote were to happen (and I'm sure countless millions would gladly go to the polls), the "right to abortion" would be seriously challenged and Roe v. Wade overturned! What a glorious day that will be!

For discussions on other life issues, check out Wesley J. Smith's blog Secondhand Smoke - "Your 24/7 seminar on bioethics and the importance of being human."

Obama in Notre Dame

President Obama gave the commencement address at the University of Notre Dame today, and also received an honorary doctor of laws. The decision to honor one of the country's most extreme abortion advocates at one of the country's oldest Catholic institutions was not without some controversy. And rightly so.

CNN showed the address live, and somehow we had full cable and were able to watch it. Obama spoke well (as usual) and talked about some of the controversial issues. To me, he seemed to justify his stance on abortion by saying he'll speak fairly about both sides, and called for more dialogue. And his reasoning for embryonic stem cell research (he omitted the "embryonic"): some people oppose it because of their view on sanctity of life, and some people are for it because they hold on to the sanctity of life of their child with juvenile diabetes who could be helped (by killing tiny unborn humans - my words there). But that's about all he said; no other rationale for his positions. Obama also talked about the economic crisis, climate change, and gave some encouraging words for the grads.

Somehow, Obama got standing ovations for a couple of his controversial points. Curiously, Father Hesburgh wasn't one of them. He's a former president of Notre Dame, and was mentioned several times in Obama's speech as a pioneer in "dialogue" in the sixties for racial justice.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the media. I look forward to the commentary on First Things... Maybe President Obama should read Healing the Culture (see previous post)!! That would do more for dialogue and fair treatment of the issue that all his rhetoric combined.

Healing the Culture

Just started reading "Healing the Culture: A Commonsense Philosophy of Happiness, Freedom and the Life Issues" by Robert J. Spitzer. Here's a couple quotes from the introduction:

When we ground our culture and public policy in metaphysical materialism, we advocate for not only a radically incomplete view of reality but also a radically incomplete view of human dignity, destiny, and community.

and

our view of the reality and value of the intangibles (anything that is not visible, like love, justice, personhood, etc.) underlies every moral and cultural issue upon which the quality of our individual and communal life depends.

I look forward to exploring these intangibles, and how I can bring healing to the culture and within the medical profession.

He Is Risen!!

Ash, Caleb and I went to see 'Love According to John" at the Jubilee Auditorium last night. I was Caleb's first theatre experience!



The passion play is put on by Alberta Lyric Theatre. They do a fantastic job, really bringing to life the gospel of John. Congrats to them, and thanks for bringing us closer to our Creator, and a greater understanding of our need and His sacrifice.




I found this short reflection on the resurrection on Randy Alcorn's blog:

"Make no mistake: if he rose at all it was as His body; if the cells' dissolution did not reverse, the molecules reknit, the amino acids rekindle, the Church will fail. Let us not mock God with metaphor, analogy, sidestepping transcendence; making of the event a parable, a sign painted in the faded credulity of earlier ages; let us walk through the door."
- John Updike, as quoted by Randy Alcorn on his blog.

As over 500 witnessed firsthand, and countless millions since by His indwelling presence, may we say with confidence with them this Easter: "He is Risen, He is Risen indeed!"

Reflections on The Lord's Prayer

From "Names of God and other Bible studies" by Rose Publishing:

How Can I Pray?

How can I pray "our" if I live only for myself?
How can I pray "Father" if I do not act like his child?
How can I pray "who are in Heaven" if I am laying up no treasures there?
How can I pray "hallowed be Thy name" if I don't care about being holy myself?
How can I pray "Thy kingdom come" if I live for my kingdom, power, and wealth?
How can I pray "Thy will be done" if I disobey His word?
How can I pray "on earth as it is in heaven" if I will not serve him here and now?
How can I pray "give us... our daily bread" if I am dishonest or unwilling to share what I have with others?
How can I pray "forgive us our debts" if I nurture resentment against another?
How can I pray "lead us not into temptation" if I willingly place myself in its path?
How can I pray "deliver us from evil" if I refuse to put on all of God's armor?
How can I pray "Thine is the kingdom" if my life does not reflect his lordship?
How can I pray "Thine is the... power" if I fear what people may do?
How can I pray "Thine is the... glory" if I seek honor for myself?
How can I pray "forever" if my life is bounded only by the things of time?

-adapted from "Alone with God" by John MacArthur, Jr.

Theodore Dalrymple's monthly article

Theodore Dalrymple, who wrote "Life at the Bottom" which I just finished, writes a monthly essay for the New English Review. I was pretty excited to find this out. Dr Dalrymple's essays are poignant commentaries on the state of society, healthcare, and the results of intellectual ideas carried out in real life.Click here for the page with his essays, and Enjoy!

Here's the opening paragraph from his latest essay,The Rules of Perspective:

If I were asked, without time to give the question much thought, to name the greatest political virtues, I should reply, ‘Prudence and a sense of proportion.’ A New Jerusalem could not be built of these virtues, of course, but neither could a Hell on Earth; and since Hells on Earth are two a penny in human history, but New Jerusalems are infrequently encountered in it, to say the least, there is much to be said in presumption of those admittedly tepid and unexciting qualities.

Ash Wednesday - beginning of Lent

Today marks the beginning of Lent, a season of fasting, reflection and preparation for the death and resurrection of Christ. Here's a brief explanation from catholic.org:

Lent is about conversion, turning our lives more completely over to Christ and his way of life. That always involves giving up sin in some form. The goal is not just to abstain from sin for the duration of Lent but to root sin out of our lives forever. Conversion means leaving behind an old way of living and acting in order to embrace new life in Christ. For catechumens, Lent is a period intended to bring their initial conversion to completion.

Being brought up in a baptist/protestant tradition, we didn't celebrate lent. I didn't really know what it was until my late teens. Now I see it as a valuable exercise in examining one's life and removing or giving up things that prevent us from knowing Christ more fully... giving up a worldly habit and instead using that time to focus on Christ. Easier said than done, but still a useful practice, any time of year.

So what will I give up this year? Useless TV viewing and Internet usage. (some TV is useful... can we say UEFA Champions League Soccer?). That should save me at least an hour or so each day... more time to reflect, read, pray. Draw near. Lent.

What will you give up?

Attack on Conscience... again

The CBC Edmonton website had a random article today about a pro-life doctor who refuses to provide referrals for abortion. Dr. Johnston was commenting on the upcoming review of standards by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, where they may require physicians to refer a patient to an abortion center if the patient asks. This would essentially make it illegal for a doctor (myself included) to use our moral judgment in advising and treating our patients. And a brief reading of the comments shows most people do not understand the nature of medicine or the nature of abortion.

Practicing medicine is a moral activity. We, as physicians, recommend to our patients what they ought to do with their bodies/health. It is then up to the patient to proceed. As such, we must use our clinical judgment, but also our moral judgment in recommending what we feel is best for our patients. If we cannot do this, then the autonomy of the doctor is hampered and we become simply automatons of the system. Just because a law is in place does not make it right. And just because a patient demands for a procedure does not make it right, either. Particularly when there are so many negative sequelae to that procedure. See Abort73.com for excellent overviews of the abortion topic.

A fitting quote from Theodore Dalrymple in his book, "Life at the Bottom":

If the doctor has a duty to relieve the suffering of his patients, he must have some idea where that suffering comes from, and this involves the retention of judgment, including moral judgment. And if, as far as he can tell in good faith, the misery of his patients derives from the way they live, he has a duty to tell them so - which often involves a more or less explicit condemnation of their way of life as completely incompatible with a satisfying existence. By avoiding the issue, the doctor is not being kind to his patients; he is being cowardly. Moreover, by refusing to place the onus on the patients to improve their lot, he is likely to mislead them into supposing that he has some purely technical or pharmacological answer to their problems, thus helping to perpetuate them.

Rumors of Transcendence

Philip Yancey has a great article in this month's First Things, titled "What Art Can - and Can't - Do." He reflects on the closing words in Ecclesiastes: "The words of the wise prod us to live well. They're like nails hammered home, holding life together. They are given by God, the one Shepherd" (Ecc 12:11, the Message). He talks about artists spurring on others to action "as a goad", and others as being firmly embedded nails, reaffirming truth. Some points stood out:

Civilization once looked to art as the means of passing on wisdom from one generation to the next. The act of writing was invented, after all, to convey the sacred: Permanent things must be passed on in a permanent way, hence the hieroglyphs on Egyptian tombs. But a civilization that no longer believes in permanent things, one that holds to no objective truths, resorts to deconstruction, no construction.

Our civilization doesn't believe in permanent things, or objective truth. What will that mean to the next generation? Yancey gives the example of Russia and their experience with communism: "A regime that tried harder than any other to kill of God instead ended up committing suicide."

Another quote:

Perhaps the existence of art - its inherent, permanent-seeming worth, as well as its echo of original Creation - can be a pointer to a grand artist, a rumor of transcendence."

I think this should apply to everything in life... are we living in such a way that points to a grand artist. Are we spreading rumors of the transcendent? Yancey suggests that even "writing in the sand" can make a difference; after all, that's the only "art" Jesus ever did... no paintings or books or videos... just some random writing in the sand when the Pharisees came to condemn the woman caught in adultery. In so doing, Jesus created time for reflection, and left rumors of transcendence on the hearts of man.