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A Brief Statement of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod

January 4, 2012 By Gene Veith

Chaplain Mike at Internet Monk converted to Lutheranism, something we discussed at length not too long ago. Many of us were dismayed that we went the route of the ELCA rather than the more conservative synods (LCMS, WELS, ELS). He addresses that, with reference to our discussions here, in a recent post entitled The Post-Evangelical Path and Wilderness Update. One reason he said in that latter post is that he couldn’t join the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod because we insist on… Read more

The exotic and sinister world of Iowa

January 4, 2012 By Gene Veith

86 Comments

You’ve got to read Mollie Hemingway’s take down of that article in The Atlantic, in which University of Iowa journalism professor Stephen Bloom ridicules the state that pays his salary for being religious, for having so many farmers, for eating casseroles, and other rather normal qualities that he finds shocking. I’ll just quote Mollie’s introduction, with its great story from her father, but you’ll want to read the whole thing: My dad used to tell me a story about a… Read more

The case against Ron Paul

January 3, 2012 By Gene Veith

197 Comments

Conservative blogger Michael Gerson accuses Ron Paul of trying to completely undo the legacy of the Republican party and gives a litany of reasons to oppose him: No other recent candidate hailing from the party of Lincoln has accused Abraham Lincoln of causing a “senseless” war and ruling with an “iron fist.” Or regarded Ronald Reagan’s presidency a “dramatic failure.” Or proposed the legalization of prostitution and heroin use. Or called America the most “aggressive, extended and expansionist” empire in… Read more

From giveaway to takeaway

January 3, 2012 By Gene Veith

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Economy columnist Robert Samuelson sees our government having to transition from a “giveaway” mode, which dominated over the last half century with politicians doling out benefits and tax breaks, to a “takeaway” mode, in which many of such goodies have to be taken away. Samuelson says, however, that the politics of doing so are just not possible. Any resolution of the budget impasse must repudiate, at least partially, the past half-century’s politics. Conservatives look at the required tax increases and… Read more

China to put a man on the moon

January 3, 2012 By Gene Veith

82 Comments

China, the new America: China has declared its intention to land an astronaut on the moon, in the first official confirmation of its aim to go where Americans last set foot nearly 40 years ago. While Chinese scientists have previously discussed the possibility of a manned lunar mission, a government white paper published on Thursday is the first public government document to enshrine it as a policy goal. China will “conduct studies on the preliminary plan for a human lunar… Read more

The evangelical who made Democrats liberal

January 2, 2012 By Gene Veith

38 Comments

Scott Farris has a feature in the Washington Post about how those who lost presidential campaigns often had big and long-lasting effects on their parties and on the nation. Barry Goldwater and George McGovern would be the obvious examples. But the most powerful influence, according to Farris, was that of evangelical Christian best known today for battling Darwinism in the Scopes trial: But the greatest transformation probably occurred in 1896, when William Jennings Bryan, 36, became the youngest man ever… Read more

Virginia’s Republican loyalty oath

January 2, 2012 By Gene Veith

60 Comments

First, Virginia prevents everybody except Romney and Paul from appearing on the Republican primary ballot. And now this: In order to cast their ballots in the GOP nominating contest, Virginians will have to sign a form that says, “I, the undersigned, pledge that I intend to support the nominee of the Republican Party for president,” according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, which first reported the move. On Wednesday, the state Board of Elections approved the pledge form, as well as signs… Read more

We have become barren

January 1, 2012 By Gene Veith

76 Comments

Mark Steyn, connecting the birth of John the Baptist to the West’s current demographic and economic woes: Of the four gospels, only two bother with the tale of Christ’s birth, and only Luke begins with the tale of two pregnancies. Zacharias is surprised by his impending paternity — “for I am an old man and my wife well stricken in years.” Nonetheless, an aged, barren woman conceives and, in the sixth month of Elisabeth’s pregnancy, the angel visits her cousin… Read more

Happy New Year!

December 30, 2011 By Gene Veith

12 Comments

January is named after the Roman deity Janus, the god of thresholds. He had two faces, one that looked back and one that looked forward. So that’s what we do on New Year’s. We look back on the year that has passed and we look forward to the year ahead. Whether your 2011 was a year of trials or thanksgivings or both and whatever 2012 will hold for you, I hope that you will know the promise of Psalm 31:15: … Read more

Last year’s predictions & contest results

December 30, 2011 By Gene Veith

52 Comments

A New Year’s custom on this blog is to have readers predict what will happen in the year ahead. That’s not particularly unique. But what is unique is our other custom: To review those predictions at the end of the year and actually check how everyone did. Whoever has the most impressive prediction wins universal acclaim and bragging rights for the whole year. I urge you all to read Your predictions for 2011 | Cranach: The Blog of Veith. You… Read more