Saturday, April 30, 2016

The Idol We Adorn

Figure #1: Jesus: From Tiberias Caesar's Emerald


Isaiah 53:2 "For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him."

Compare what you see in this real portrait of Jesus taken from the emerld of Tiberias Caesar. Is Jesus handsom or is he homely? Truly "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"!

His name was common: Yeshua, Jeshua, Joshua or Jesus. "Archaeologists have unearthed the tombs of 71 Yeshuas from the period of Jesus' death. The name also appears 30 times in the Old Testament in reference to four separate characters..." (The Explainer: Brian Palmer).

Here we have three references to Jesus: His picture shows the appearance of a common man, Isaiah in his vision describes Jesus as plain, and his name was just a very common name.
Genesis 1:26 "God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..." 
"Our likeness" would be those in existence "in the beginning". Who are "they"? "They" are God who is identified with three characteristics: the Creator Father, his Holy Spirit and The Word who was called Jesus. Because God has foreknowledge (1 Peter 1:2) he knows what will be before it is!  In this case God had a plan. He knew all along that he must feel our pain himself and give himself in our place for there to be salvation.  As the Voice spoke to Adam in the Garden The Word knew that he would put on flesh and the Creator knew what he would look like! With that knowledge God had created man after "our likeness": the mind to know the Father, the soul to contain the Spirit to commune with God and a body like The Word would someday be.

True to his word, man is a complex being. We still have trouble comprehending our mind, we only know about the spirit what scripture tells us, leaving our bodies which are so complex that each day we learn more about it. The complexity of our existence will never be understood and it's existence beyond simple chance. We were created complex because God is complex and we are a facsimile of God, but without divinity at all. He is King and we are servants. Our job assignment in the beginning was "to tend God's garden" and our sole purpose in life is to serve God!

Because we are to be Christlike, which we already are in our genesis, we are to serve. Since our attributes are to be like Jesus we are to serve as he serves!
Matthew 20:28 "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."
What we know of Jesus is growing: he was ordinary in name, appearance and disposition. Neither was pride within him because he allowed others to see his divinity without ever saying outright "I am God in the flesh"! He came to serve and that's what we are to do. What we know of Jesus is that if he stood in a crowd he would be the epitome of us, or truly, us him, and with the exception of who he is, he would blend right in! Who was he? King!

So we have a King without decoration, neither natural nor artificial.  There are things different about Jesus, though, which would make him stand out in a crowd: he is ordinary looking, he is righteous, he is modest, and he is true. By "true" I mean that he is what he is. We're not!

Figure #2:Before and After Make-up from Power of Makeup

To the left is an "uncomely" woman. She is common in appearance, even unattractive by secular standards. On the right is her "idol". What I mean is that she took the "tree" because we are copied from "The Tree of Life", with it's God-given beauty and decorated it. She now APPEARS to be beautiful. What this woman has done is decorated her flesh and made it her idol. She did it with rouge, lipstick, eye-shadow, and hair-styling and add onto that possibly Yoga, aerobics and dieting to the extreme. She adds holiday lights to the pine tree she is.

The focus is on her own flesh. That's becomes her other god even if she worships God. Her flesh is her idol! That's mankind's problem! Compare the right picture in Figure #2 to the depiction of Jesus in Figure #1.  He is common and without decor, but she is ordinary, but all adorned. It's not "me" that she should "adore", but Jesus. Her priorities are misplaced. Rather than all about Jesus, it has always been about "me"!

Even worse are things like:

  • Being "true to self".
  • "I won't change for anybody" yet look at the change in Fig. #2. It's for "self".
  • Focusing on self-esteem rather than Christ-esteem.
  • Loving oneself.
  • etc.
You get the picture. Having "other gods before (besides) him" is adoring our own "Self". It's not idols of wood, stone nor even gold which is mankind's problem, but bowing to our own reflection!

The lady in Figure #2 on the left is not appeased until she looks like the Photo-shop of herself in the right picture. Every line is perfect and every hair in place! On the other hand look at Jesus in Figure #1. He IS what he IS. His name is "I AM" because he's nothing other than that. He's genuine. 

Of course there is no need to ignore our appearance. It's the extravagance and the priorities which matter! You can see that Jesus combed his hair and trimmed his beard. If he had been a wild-eyed strewn haired smelly man, the attention would have still been on his appearance, not his demeanor. There is a line between vanity and modesty. Pray about the difference!


Friday, April 29, 2016

Judging Yourself

King David lusted after Bathsheba, engaged her with sexual intercourse, had her husband murdered and then married her. Nathan the prophet, unknown to David, let him judge himself with a parallel incidence. It goes like this:
2 Samuel 12:1 "And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. 2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: 3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man."
For the non-decerning: 1) the rich man had many women, 2) the poor man was Bathsheba's husband Uriah, 3) the traveler was David 4) Uriah had, but one wife, 5)  the traveler, David, took the only wife of the poor man Uriah.

When told the story David got angry and judged the traveler guilty and due the penalty of death. As such David judged himself guilty unknowingly! Nathan had presented his case shrewdly and this powerful man took the bait. He was remorseful (Read Psalm 51), but he still suffered the consequences of his actions.
Jesus said Matthew 7:1 "Judge not, that ye be not judged.2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."
Of course "judge" has a range of meanings from "having an opinion" to "condemning". Scripture clarifies what "judging" means in this context:
 Luke 6:37a "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned:"
David judged the anonymous person harshly. He condemned him to death, but by judging that mercilessly he condemned himself!

I did the same thing at a lower level, but just as wrong!

After Dad passed away I found a type-written letter which was an essay full of unfounded criticism of others. Dad often wrote his thoughts and nearly always typed them out. As I read the essay I lost respect for my Dad. I was really disappointed that he was so "hateful" as I thought it. I quit reading half way through and pondered awhile "I didn't know Dad thought that way."

Then I skipped to the end. It was signed and dated by me! It was an essay I had written many years before when I was in college. I didn't know that I had thought that way and was profoundly embarrassed of myself! Just as David did, I judged myself, but if I had known it was me, my scale for judgment would not have been so critical. I judged Dad harshly, but it was my own self who I was condemning! I no longer had thoughts like that and had forgotten that I ever had!

The lesson here is twofold: 1) never judge harshly and 2) when it's necessary to have an opinion use a fair scale. Why? Because God just may judge you as you judge others,

Thursday, April 28, 2016

You're Fertilizer

Genesis 3:19 "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."
God took care of Adam's self-esteem! You see, Adam was puffed up after he gained reason. He came up with very good logical reasons why he should have what he wanted to have and do what he wanted to do. Scripture says that Adam and Eve would be "as gods" (Genesis 3:5).  How are gods?
 Psalm 10:4 "The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts."
In plain English gods are those with a predisposition to be wicked people full of pride where God is squeezed out.  In this case "pride" is the feeling of self importance and a desire for others to see you as important. Prideful people are self invested and use others to compound their interest in themselves.

Get off your pedestal, those filled with self-esteem! If it wasn't for one key ingredient you would be fertilizer. Not even good fertilizer, but dust (see Figure #1)!  When you die you again become what you were before... mere dust of the ground, except for one ingredient (not shown in the chart).

Figure #1: From Wikipedia :Human Composition"
You can see that you have some good stuff in you, but very little. Upon death you pretty much evaporate into the atmosphere. The rest of you is absorbed into the soil, but there is just a trace of you doing even that!  Are you feeling important? You shouldn't be... if it wasn't for that one thing: GRACE!

Another thing not shown in the chart is "human potential" . When you're born you have the "potential" to be sinful, but grace is when God said to his creation "You are more than dust to me! I love you and have a better use for you than mere fertilizer!"
Ecclesiastes 12:7 "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."
There is an ingredient which resides in each of us that science cannot measure. It's there, but it's supranatural! It's "spirit"! When God made you in "their image", you were endowed with mind (God), body (patterned like Jesus) and spirit (within the soul). Actually, your "soul" is the "cup" for the spirit, but there are two kinds of spirit: of God and those which are evil.

Therein lies the human potential. You can either be "of God" or "of Satan". The one ingredient that determines whether you will be mere fertilizer with a soul to stoke the fires, or an everlasting source of spiritual energy, is GRACE. Because God loves you so much that he wants you to be the latter:
 John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
"Whosoever" includes you! He gives you a chance. All that is required of you is that you "believe" in the sense that you are willing to accept and trust him for your future. That future is called "hope" because no human wants to eternally perish! Our hope then is that we shall be saved and have everlasting life! That is our "potential" composition!

You might say that there is no heaven nor hell. Because you say it doesn't make it so! If you accept God's Truth, you shall be saved. That's a win/win situation! If you deny Jesus, and are wrong, you face eternal damnation. If you are right, you merely turn to fertilizer; having even little nutrients! The gamble here is that if the unbeliever is right, "welcome to my corn field". If you're wrong, then "stoke that fire!"

I must admit: the reason I accepted Jesus is because I feared both alternatives. I feared the fires of hell, but I also feared returning to the dust  while moldering in the grave! Because I wanted to live forever, I have faith that God's Holy Word is true! Finally, because he gives me hope, I love him in return! He does expect that gratitude.

People feed their lawns 10-10-10 fertilizer which are the available amounts of nitrogen, potassium and potash, respectively in the mix. Perhaps the number of the beast is merely 6-6-6 which is merely six parts pride, six parts rebellion and six parts hateful! Don't be mere fertilizer, depend on the richness from Jesus!

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Not Even Hungry

Genesis 3:6 "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."
Just about any modern moral topic can be discussed from the experiences of our early ancestors. The wisest man on earth often said "there is nothing new under the sun!"

There are many lessons which can be learned from the above passage. Today, we will discuss "not even hungry".

God supplied every need for his children. After all, they lived in Paradise, a spiritual utopia without sickness, death, nor hunger. Neither complained of any need at all. Neither went hungry. Fruits and nuts as well as every herb was available right there in the Garden! However, there is always a "however"; Eve went shopping. Her intention was to merely "admire the forbidden tree!

Now think of yourself. You go to the grocery store "not even hungry" and come back with delights for for the most discerning Epicurean. It may be chips, ice cream, chocolates, fancy breads, or whatever is your weakness. You know that if you est these things that you WILL get fat! Regardless, you buy those things when you're "not even hungry!" You think "I will eat them in moderation" and as you check out, there is a sense of guilt because you KNOW that you just lied to yourself! Incidentally, eating an additional 500 calories over a 24 hour period is no different than eating 500 calories in one sitting!

Most people behave this way. Most people have little will power! Guess what? Adam and Eve were much like you!

Eve stood under the tree, examined it, then thought: "it looks good to eat", "it appeals to me" and "I'm too intelligent to let it harm me'! When people stand in the grocery line full of snacks, it's the same things they think!

Eve ate of the fruit. She was "not even hungry"! What she did was submit to temptation. She was tricked by the serpent whose virus weakened her will power. That's how Satan operates. He doesn't kill you with sin. You do that! He just weakens you with his rebellious virus!

When you linger too near delightful food, you know that it will harm you. You know that you will become overweight. You may even become gluttonous! However, the serpent stands right there in the grocery line with you and weakens your will. You become powerless. No, you're not obeying Satan, he's satisfied with you "doing what's right in your own eyes" or in the case of food, "appeasing your idol the flesh"! Ironically, as you appease your own flesh, you make it sick by making it obese. Slowly you kill your own idol "the flesh"!

You appease your self although you know that you will die sooner, because you put your own desires over what is sane! I often wonder "When is the point of no return?" Putting it another way, "At what excess weight and poor health is it that people think 'I'm happy knowing I'm getting really fat, and I don't care that it's killing me?" When you get to that point that "you don't care!" the serpent has sprayed his venom to the extent that you merely wait on death!

Eve ate of the fruit when she was "not even hungry"! Likewise, if this applies, you also eat when you're "not even hungry"! Your will power is stung by the snakes virus and you begin to slowly die. For awhile you die slowly, but with time you actually kill your own idol, yourself! Satan smiles because you "are doing what you want to do" without regard to God's will for you,

I mentioned gluttons. No one thinks "I am a glutton!" They merely think "others are gluttons, I merely overeat sometimes". That's the same as Eve thinking "I won't surely die!" She lied to herself as the serpent prompted her and she was happy living the lie! No one wants to die, but most people kill themselves with heart trouble, diabetes, stress and other over-indulging outcomes.

"Overeating" sounds so benign! Most people admit to that. However, people never think of themselves as "gluttons"! That's merely people who overeat. You can tell who they are: It's people with plump gods and goddesses.
Phillipians 3:19  "Whose (enemies of the Cross) end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)"
Yep. Glutton's gods and goddesses are their bellies, but more so their own taste buds. It's their taste buds which becomes their god and is their idol. The belly is their serpent, because they are deceived by it. "I'm hungry!" the belly growls. and then people respond "I will eat good things!"  You were just a little uncomfortable, but now you have an excuse to over-indulge! You are in denial. You know the truth, but you lie to yourself. "This won't hurt me! I won't surely die." Now you have become a naive child of your own god.

That does sound cruel. However, it's true. I overeat at times. I'm therefore a glutton sometimes. I never feel good about it because it's not only spiritually unhealthy, but it's stupid to slowly kill myself. Few babies are born obese. When I looked at myself in the glass, I thought "When did I turn thin Larry to fat Buddha?" That's when my will power was strengthened. I don't want to look like Buddha and I don't want to die young! God strengthened my will power. He validated that the hunger (sic) I feel will pass. He showed me that those cup-cakes were sacrifices to my false god.

His Holy Spirit comforted me while I was being uncomfortable. True; for a while changing eating habits is uncomfortable! He is my Comfort!

Gluttony is a grievous sin because it's appeasing your own flesh! That's not my opinion; it's what God said! I'm the mere messenger of truth which most will reject, because like Adam, they deny their sin: "Eve beguiled me!" or in this case "I was hungry! I'm not gluttonous!"

Now when I catch myself eating when I'm "not even hungry" I feel bad, but rather than self-appeasement, I ask for comfort when I pray "Lord, take this desire from me!" and he does it. Sometimes I fail, but if we are committed to his will, he will not allow us to fail!

Sometimes we need to fast, to appease the One True God!



Saturday, April 23, 2016

The Ant That Was

There was an ant that was. There was an ant which does.
The ant was running forth. Running south then going north.
The ant was surely real. It is sugar she tried to steal.
This ant was born to defy. But soon it was bound to die.
I raised my hand up high. I shouted at the ant "good-bye!"
I slapped my hand down hard. This ant was surely on guard.
As my hand came down fast. This ant my hand ran past.
She hid inside the crack, where the stove and counter back.
This ant I've seen before. She comes from under the floor.
I would bet you paper money, that she's eating the honey.
She's singing the ant's song, as she sticks at me her tongue.
She puffs up her chest, as of to give me test -
to see of what I'm made, quickly she again my hand evades,
as I smack down the swatter, this time I think "I got her"!
There was an ant that was, Now she's merely a muss!



Friday, April 22, 2016

Coatesville: Part 12

As we travel west on Walnut Street many memories restore themselves. I remember walking along the backyards from Delps to Darnells to Powells and on through Davidsons and Buffos to the Herrin home. I remember shedding tears because no one would play with me when I was in grade school as I walked along this often traveled path.  This path was at the back of each lot. It was a shortcut which I hope those families never cared that I traveled.

Of course the most usual path was along the sidewalks where I passed the Powell fence of stone. Chuck and I relaid it years ago where the mortar had crumbled, making it like new again. I remember the trips from home to downtown or uptown or whatever it was!

My sister Judy told me one day "I'll buy you a Pepsi if you go to town and get me one." I accepted and ran with great speed toward Pyle's old store. There I bought two ice cold Pepsi Colas and put one in each pocket. As I ran south on Milton along the sidewalk, at that stone fence, one bottle slipped from my pocket and shattered on the concrete. I remember it exploding in a mass of foam, My yearning heart was by then breaking. I could even taste the cool refreshing taste of that bottle of "pop" because we seldom had such beverages in our home.

When I arrived home, I set the one remaining Pepsi on the table in front of me. Judy said "Where's mine?" to which I replied "I broke yours." sadly with pitiful eyes, to which Judy replied "No! You broke yours!" I was heart-broken as I watched her slowly drink that bottle of pop. She was and is still the best sister ever, but not that good! She didn't share hers. Stupidity, I learned, has consequences. Mine was disappointment!

Most of the time when going to the Delps, it was by the backyard route. There was much excitement there! I remember Mr. Delp had a mint green English Ford which he tried to get running. He was building up the peddles so that Billy could drive it. Billy was my friend. So was Jim. I did more things with Billy though because he was in my class at school.

Sometimes when I was with Billy at a ballgame, someone would stare and say "Look at the midget." because short people were uncommon in Coatesville before the media blitz of years later. I've seen Billy reach high and grab the shirt color of someone much taller. He would say "I'm not a midget; I'm a dwarf!" with his gruff voice. No one ever challenged him. I could tell that his feelings were hurt, though. It's good that "little people" is the term in vogue now. It spares somewhat those painful feelings.

Billy and I had conversations about that. I never understood why he was so short, but later learned that it's caused by the secretions of the pituitary gland not performing. In those days a fix was sought but it was never found.  Billy shared strong feelings with me. He wondered 'why me?'. I've seen him many times suppress tears. I felt badly for him, but had no capacity to help. Billy was jovial most of the time. He did well and had many friends. How could anyone not like Billy Delp with his deep laugh?

If a question was asked "What do you remember most about Bill Delp?" I would not think first of his stature, but his set-shot at basketball! Bill was deadly, even shooting over the tallest defense. When someone dogged him tightly on the court, Billy would zip right around them and shoot right through their arms. He had a deadly lay-up as well. In his basketball mind he was seven-feet tall. If his height had matched his fantasy, Billy would have been a starter on Cascade's team!

Billy married a woman he told me was five-feet-ten. The last time I saw him, he was in Mooresville. It turned out that he wasn't Billy at all. It was his son, a knock-off of his old dad.

I've already spoken of the mint vodka incident with Billy, There were many more. I may have left the impression that Billy and I were drinkers. That's not the case! In all honesty none of my friends were drinkers. We were blessed to have such clean good friends in this small town. I never had more than a few occasions where we were drinking alcohol. I quit tee-totally on my twenty-first birthday at the King's Armor in Flint, Michigan. I never looked back!

In our day, I know of not one person who used drugs of any sort in Coatesville. Even the most redneck friends of mine never did. I credit Coatesville's stunted growth in the sixties for this. Our society was always about ten years behind what was in vogue in the larger cities. The only person that I knew of who used drugs was Denny Vinson of Stilesville. That was rumored, but I believe it was true.

While Billy Delp was small for his age, Jimmy was tall. Jimmy was also a good basketball player. All of us played often at Coatesville Elevator in the winter and at the park in the summer months. That goal had a heavy gauge chain net which played a beautiful song when one "stripped the net" that being a smooth shot with no rim contact. Many of us could grab the rim at the park because the goal was about 2-inches short of ten feet.

Each of us had our technique in shooting. I've already described Billy's. Joe Jones always stuck out his tongue as he leaned back with his one-handed set shot. Joe scrambled through arms and legs for his smooth layup as if they weren't even there! He was deadly too, as his career at Cascade proved.

Max Dean was a riot. He had a red flattop haircut which was in vogue at the time. I'm sure Marv Robinson cut his because Max's haircut looked like all the others in town! (Herrins never had a barber because of the cost, Mom cut all our hair all the time!).

Max wore bluejeans. His were new. Ours wasn't. His were not torn. Ours was! Herrins set the style for jeans which came years later. Torn jeans... and we were ashamed, but now it's cool! We were just born before our time, I guess.

The reason that I remember Max's jeans is that he rolled them up quite high. He invented "high water" pants. Why? So he could obviously show his nice white basketball socks. Max always dressed that way! I believe, if memory still serves me, that he wore a white belt as well.

Ted Von Tress would drive his white Vette up and play ball with us younger guys. He married Linda White Pettit and visited me at the Corvette Plant years later a few times. The Von Tress/Von Treas name is common around Alvaton, Kentucky here in Warren County. Ted played ball for Amo and was in my sister's class.

Jimmy Delp was a great friend... most of the time. However, I did a series of perceived "wrongs" to eight of my friends. Jim dated Sharon Horner from Clayton. I stopped at her house to talk one day. No. I didn't "hit on her" as we called it then, but Jim was upset that his girl talked to another guy.

I gave David Hill's girl friend a ride in my '49 green Dodge. I took her to Sharon's and dropped her off. I became David's enemy that day.

Ronnie Love was my natural enemy. We were always into it. (More on that shortly). He was after me as well.

All told, there were eight "friends" who saw me at the park. I was shooting basketball by myself since I was public enemy number one. All of a sudden there was a mob standing by the court, led by Dave Hill. I knew it was trouble because Dave was fuming. Gene was there too. He is part of the Ronnie Love story.

David stood upfront. All the others were behind him.  Dave was known for his temper and violence. Here he stood red-faced before me. He mumbled something about hitting on his girl friend. I surveyed the odds and took the sane strategy. David swung and hit me in the mouth. My lower lip spewed blood. I didn't strike back because the odds were great; 8:1. I simply stood there bleeding and wiping my mouth. I made a wise decision. David apologized to me and all the others wandered off.

To this day I have a lump on my lower lip. Whenever I chew on it as I tend to do, I think of David Hill, 51 years later!

While at this point, it's timely to discuss Ronnie Love. We were playing basketball at the park with a large group. J.D. Ellett was parked near the basket working on his white 57 Chevy. He had the hood up. For some reason Ronnie insulted me. I forget why. I got him in a headlock and he bit me on the side underneath my left armpit. His bite was hard and he wouldn't quit biting. I was screaming in pain!

I dragged Ronnie over to J.D.'s Chevy with him still firmly attached to my skin much like a tick or leach. I picked him up, threw him on the engine and slammed the hood twice on him. Ronnie still had his teeth in my skin!

As I was struggling to free myself from Ronnie, Gene Hill came up behind me and hit me over the head with a two-by-four. I blacked out as I fell to the ground. Ronnie was no longer eating my flesh, but a few minutes later I came to. Gene was settled down, and Ronnie was gone. I was left bleeding with teeth marks and excruciating pain. It took years for those bites to lose their red color and blend in, but the scar is still there. How can I NOT still think of Coatesville? It scarred me for life!

Before we leave the Delps, let's talk some about the others for their were many!  The following is from Bob Delp's Obituary. I didn't know Bob for he was much older:

Delp
Feb. 2, 2003 
Robert "Bob" Delp of Greencastle died Feb. 2 at Manatee Memorial Hospital in Bradenton, Fla. He was 69. Born Jan. 23, 1934, in Potomac, Ill., he was a son of the late Estine Ora and Ada Marie (York) Delp. He married Eleanor L. Yeager Aug. 5, 1955, at the Greencastle Christian Church. She survives. Mr. Delp was a 1952 graduate of New Winchester High School. He worked 40 years at Allison Gas Turbine/Rolls Royce in Indianapolis before retiring in 1992. He also served 35 years in the Indiana National Guard 38th Division. He was a member of the Hanna Street Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon. He was a past member of the Greencastle Community School Board. He was a member of the American Legion and the United Auto Workers Local 933. He was active with Little League and Babe Ruth baseball. He also worked as an assistant coach and timer for the Greencastle cross country team. He had formerly played on the Greencastle Travelers Basketball Team. Additional survivors include daughters Cathy Hartman of Plainfield and Karen Bromm of Indianapolis; brothers Everett Delp of Lizton, Donald Delp of Indianapolis, James Delp of Greenwood, and Billy Delp of Mooresville; sisters Shirley Ross of Nebraska, Irene Shoeing of Texas, Mary Delp of Plainfield, Betty Sutton of Martinsville, Loretta Fay Grouns of Spencer and Judy Shields of Florida; two grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Services were Feb. 8 at New Life Baptist Church in Greencastle with the Rev. Patrick Smith officiating. Interment was at Forest Hill Cemetery. Bittles and Hurt Funeral Home in Greencastle handled arrangements. Memorials may be made to the Hanna Street Baptist Church, 501 E. Hanna St., Greencastle, IN 46135 or to Seedline Ministries, 5409 S. C.R. 250 E. Greencastle, IN 46135.
To be truthful, the years had stolen the names of the Delp parents: Estine and Ada. If the truth be known, I'm not sure anyone knew Mr. Delp's first name! He may have been called "Ora" rather than by his first name. He was a big man, serious but friendly. He seemed to adore his many children. I remember helping him start a boat which he had in his shed out back. As he pulled the cord it failed to start. Because I was a little slow, for I must have been, I stood behind him as he pulled hard on the cord. Suddenly the motor responded and his arm shot back hitting me squarely in the left eye. I had a shiner there for quite some time.

It blurred my vision and at the next ball game I was catching a fly ball. Because my vision was blurred, I missed the catch and my right eye was hit with full force. I now was the proud recipient of two black eyes! Yes, "proud"! Why because kids seek attention and most bragged when they got a black eye, but I had two!

There were Delp girls too! All were older than me. Fay was slightly older, but she was a "killer". Her beauty was unsurpassed by few in Coatesville. Of course Vicky West was  top notch, but so was Fay. I do remember her being Loretta, but to us, she was Fay. I suppose that many of us truly spent time with the Delps because of Fay, and of course, Mary. She was Fay's older sister and quite attractive herself. Whereas Fay had dark hair and a dark complexion, Mary was a blond. Us younger guys nearly did hand stands to get their attention, but their minds were on the older boys.

Some of the others visited us at home and we saw them at their's. I believe that most of them were already married when I knew them. I vaguely remember Irene, but not the others.

This was a fine family. It seems that most of them have done well. It appears that the Delp family probably moved to Clayton for they are both buried there.

Estine Ora Delp was born in Parke County in 1901 and died in Indianapolis in 1982. He was the son of Chancey C. Delp and Marjorie Daughtery. He was a truck driver and farmer.

Ada York Delp was born in 1909 and died in Plainfield in 1999, the daughter of Killis Nelson York and Frances Emerson. By a strange coincidence Ada's parents were from Pulaski County, Kentucky, my own place of birth. Her mother was Sarah Meece. I have first cousins who married into the Meeces of Pulaski County.

Next to the Delps was the Primitive Baptist Church. They had services there on alternating Sundays with other churches of like faith. Dad and I attended there one time. It was all day Sunday! They stopped for lunch and had a nice spread. Many wore work clothes and sat around a wood burning stove between services. The building was white clapboard and without a steeple as I remember.

There were many on Walnut who we saw, but didn't know. I do remember the family on the north of the street who had a handicapped son. It was an emotional disturbance I'm sure because he rocked back and forth in the car as they traveled. They were nice, but very elderly by this time.

This brings me to Ida Bugg. I don't believe that she lived on Walnut, but perhaps it was south of the tracks on the east part of town. She was very elderly, stooped badly, and she bought corn cobs from me to start her fire. I just remembered her. A very nice lady!

Ida was born in 1877 in Harrison County, Kentucky to Jacob Huffman and Sarah Stadler. She died in 1965 in Bainbridge. Ida married  James Bugg who died in 1947.

Further west on Walnut were the Waltons and Kivetts. Wayne Kivett was married to the daughter of Vern William Walton and Minnie Harmon whose name was Christina. With time I have gotten all the Waltons confused, but there was Donald, Ray, Harold called Bob, and Harry as well as several daughters. William's brother was Leonard, called Pete, Walton who was town marshal for a while after Glen Curtis. William and Pete were sons of John Walton and Sarah Ray. It seems that it was Harry Walton who lived next to Wayne Kivett.

Gracie Hathaway was Pete Walton's sister. Doris Runnels, Herb and Rex Hathaway were her children, hence cousins of the Waltons, and the Kivetts.

Proceeding further, Anna Morgan, wife of Harry Morgan, was the sister to Vern William and Leonard Walton. Marjorie Wingler was their daughter, hence Winglers and Hathaways were cousins.

Grace Walton Hathaway's sisters were Anna Morgan, Mary Huble and Floy Spencer, the latter two who I did not know.

The Wingler's lived on Broadway St. Marjorie was married to Maurice "Tubby" Wingler. She generously played piano at my own wedding at Coatesville Methodist Church. Most of the Walton's, Runnels and Winglers also were members there.

Wayne Kivett had a plumbing shop "downtown" next to Pyles grocery at that time or right across the street on Milton from Pyle's new store.

Wayne was a preacher as well. His church was Knightstown United Methodist.  He was a fine man.  Wayne was born in 1917 and lived a long life being 88 when he passed in 2005.

Wayne Kivett and Christina Walton's son was Lawrence "Larry" Kivett. I remember him well, but he was a few years older than I was, so I have few memories of him. He was quiet, studious and a hard worker as I remember. Wayne was born in Morgan County to Frank Kivett and Pearl Oliver.

I'm missing a few homes of families on Walnut Street, but Roy and Ella Mae "Ellie" Johnson lived on what was the end of the street at that time. It since has been extended. The Johnsons came from Tennessee, I remember, because quite often they would go "down home" Ellie was my own mom's best friend. Whenever mom would get lonely she would go and visit Ellie or perhaps Murl Walters on the corner of Mill and Waters Street.

Ellie, like mom and I believe even Roy, didn't drive. In the south those with no wealth had no car so driving was a luxury they did not have. Mom would sometimes sneak off in our salmon colored 1956 Studebaker wagon and head toward her sister's home, Jessie Carlton, outside New Winchester. It was quite a ride for us young boys because mom had no concept of the laws of the road and was as nervous as a tick on a hound dog.

I remember when we lived in Hazelwood, dad was teaching her to drive his model T Ford down Jacktown Road. He told mom to "turn here". Mom turned, ran into someone's yard and hit a tree. Dad exclaimed  "Agnes what are you doing?" She replied "You said "Turn here!" It was all his fault.

Mom was unique. Dad thereafter always drove except when mom was cavorting (with no license). Dad used street signs for directions. Mom used natural markers. "You were supposed to turn at that tree, Elston, because I remember it from last time!' Then an argument would ensue, especially when the marker was a Holstein cow!

Ellie Johnson was the daughter of Liburn Fisher and Mary Johnson. of Lee County, Virginia. She was born in 1912 and died in 2002. She and Roy had children: L.J., Pleas, Hugh, Colby and Paul for the sons and daughters were: Ruby Heavin, Sereda Daniels, Lorene Decker, Ann Toney and Mona Sue Johnson who died as a teen.

Ellie's sister, Rosie, married an Eldridge of Lee County, Virigina. My own great-grandmother was married to John Eldridge in Lee County. Again... small world!

Sereda was married to Melvin Daniel and they lived on West Main Street. Melvin had a gray Ford tractor. He plowed our garden each year as he did many others.

Roy Johnson worked at Bridgeport Brass for many years before he retired. He was a strict disciplinarian as I remember. Before Colby and I could run off to do things, we helped Roy in his big garden. One conversation went like this as Colby was doing deficient work; "Colby. Do it right! Don't do things half way when you do them. You wouldn't want only half a tater would ya?" That was Roy.

Roy was born in 1906 and died in 1981. They were married in 1928.

There were many Johnson kids as you see. Most of them were older. Pleas lived out on Hwy 75 by the railroad and L.J lived on West Main Street, I believe.

Hugh lived at home for awhile after graduation. He would often pay Colby and I to help him detail his 1959 Black Ford Galaxy which was always spotless to start with.  He was a quiet person, a good shot at basketball and somewhat of a loner. He graduated with my sister Judy.

Paul was the youngest. He and I double-dated for a time. His date was Ginny York and I dated Cathy Baker, both from Clayton. It's evil of me to admit it now, but one night after our double-date I dropped Paul off first, Cathy second and Ginny last. She kissed well! Yes, I was a dirty rat, but hopefully grew up after that. My belated apologies to all!

Paul, when he was about 14, was playing basketball. He created a new sport actually. It was "hit the basketball with a baseball bat". When he did so, the bat bounced back swiftly and smacked him on the tongue. There was a huge cut on it and it swelled. "What happened, Paul?" I asked. He replied "I hut my ton wid a bazbull bad." "And how did you do that?" "I wad hutin the bskboll wid da bad."

Paul always aimed with his tongue when playing ball. In fact Paul aimed with his tongue when he did anything!  He was a superb basketball player. Better than Colby for sure.

Colby and I ran around together quite often. Most of the time he was one of my best friends. At other times we would fuss and fight. He was smaller, but faster than me and I took his fist in my mouth one time. I don't remember for what, but it really hurt that we came to blows.

Colby and I, as well as Paul, Steve Trump, Fuzzy Woods, and several others would play "slips" a sort of group game of "tag". We would play much of the day and up into dusk. That was the curfew of most of us to be home. The boundaries for slips was the town limits. Other than that there were few rules. Some even rode bicycles in the game. I remember hiding under the desk in the church basement at the Missionary Baptist Church when it was flooded with water. I could hear them sloshing around in two feet of water hunting me, but I wasn't found!

One big problem with slips was that many would just quit playing while others were sill hiding out. Smart players would meet at an agreed upon time somewhere. Gullible players would still be hiding long after most had quit!

Colby dated Sandy Beaman from Indianapolis who stayed with her grandparents on West Main during the summer. She was Warney Beaman's cousin; a pretty blonde. We spent much time together because Sandy would bring her friend Kathy Kladden with her who I befriended. That was the days previous to Joyce Burnett.

Joyce was from rural Hazelwood. Her dad was Welby Burnett and in later years they moved to Coatesville. Welby worked with dad at Allsion's back then. That's when we too lived outside Hazelwood. The Burnetts and my family were really close. I always wondered why and recently found out. They were also from Pulaski County, Kentucky and it turns out that I am related to them three different ways on my mom's side of the family. Colby married Joyce. My own nephew by marriage, Dean Fishel, is Glenda Burnett Fishel's son. Glenda is Joyce's sister. It's s small world indeed!

We didn't get Christmas presents. There was no money for that. At Christimas time the union at Allisons would have a Christimas party. All us younger Herrin kids would pile into Welby's sstation wagon  and head to the union hall.  There they would give us all treats and the kids would get one toy. I remember getting a metal helicopter. Except for my set of "Fanner Fifties" from my brother Richmond and a plastic toy with middle finger out from Carroll, that was the only toy that I received as a kid.

My parents had no money for gifts and I used my own earnings for clothes for school. When we had Christimas drawings I would rig it to get my own name or trade another name for my own. My parents didn't have the money for toys for us let alone others. That was my way of helping out.

Billie Jamison often had biorthday parties. I always skipped them rather than go empty handed. Billie understood. He would fill me in on what I missed.

At school. after Christimas vacation, we sometimes were required to write an essay on what we got for Christmas. My paper was all fantsasy. Billie remarked one time "I never saw that." I never answered and he knew why! It never existed.

Across from the Johnson's were the John Jellison family. He preached for a spell in the building that held Dan Bennett's insurance office just north of the Standard Station.

John Jellison and Saphronia Smith were the parents of John and Eddie Johnson. Alberta Johnson married Eddie's son. Alberta married Pleas Johnson in Putnam County in 1937. I remember her well. Of course she was in her forties then, an old woman by the standards of a teenager, but she was gorgeous!  Eddie Jellison of course was her father and Alice Madd her mother.

Neighbors married neighbors. It created a small world. Most churches consist of groups of cousins, some with the same last names and others buried with marriage, It's never safe to criticize someone in a small town because it is likely someone's cousin or cousin-in-law.  It's the same everywhere, but more likely in towns small enough to be "villes". As you can see, Coatesville is no different.

Later we'll proceed on down Mill Street and turn down Water Street and meet the Walters and the Duncans before moving on.








Monday, April 18, 2016

Don't Look Back

Roger Bannister ran the first four minute mile. It was said that the way to win is facing what's ahead, never looking back, because there is a cost to looking back. In a race, it's time! Also, because someone is right on the heels of a runner, that may intimidate enough to slow one down. In fact, there was a famous NASCAR driver called "The Intimidator" because indeed, intimidation is a tactic for winning.
Genesis 19:26 But his (Lot's) wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
The moral to this passage is "Look back... you lose!" Lot's wife lost. Now she is is a pillar of salt somewhere in the bottom of the dead sea. Why was she looking back? Was it to see if who was dying?  Was it because of all the action going on behind her? What was it that she did which was dreadful enough that she would be destroyed? She was remembering "the good times", at least the perceived best times of her life.

The number one rule of the sinner is this: Sin is fun! That's why Satan uses pleasure to tempt! If sin wasn't fun people would reject it!

When people commit themselves to Christ the number one objective for the changed person is: "Don't look back!" It's the flip-side of the "sinner's motto": Don't look back. Why? Because sin is fun. "Don't look back" is a corollary of "Sin is fun". Why not look back? Because Satan wants you to look back. That's how you lose the race so to speak. He knows that when you look back you are longing for the desires of the flesh. That's our curse. We want to be pleasured and right now! Sin is "immediate gratification".

On the other hand "being righteous is not fun". righteousness is not for pleasure. It's for long-term safety, contentment and joy. Joy comes not from fun, but from security and contentment. People give up joy for fun all the time. They give up hope for immediate gratification. When Satan wants to undermine the Christian, he merely rewinds the tape and tells you to look back!

Just about the time a Christian is tempted the Holy Spirit silently screams "Don't look back!" Lot's wife ignored the command. Most people do too!

For Lot's wife immediate death followed looking back. With us, we minimize revisiting the pleasures of sin, but it's criminal under divine justice. If you are sincerely a born-again Christian God has a short memory:
Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins."
But for people even the small items can be brought forth again with a subtle cue. It's best to put the past beside because the Voice said "Remember you not the former things, neither consider the things of old". What's done is done. What's gone is gone. " I will do something new." he said.

Satan uses the past against you. Never listen to him. He will drag you back there!

My own problem, if I look back, is my own divorce. That was grievous to God and a great sin. For most it's a sin which continues on and drags others into its path. The formal church, even my own, looks upon it as "the unpardonable sin", not in doctrine, but in practice. I can never be a deacon nor a preacher. My own former preacher refused to marry us because we had both been married before in spite of both of us had been forgiven! With that contrition God "remembers not my sin", but the church does! I can never serve the Lord because when I was a youth of eighteen I sinned.

Because others won't forget, neither can I! Satan drags my failure before me all the time and the church helps drag it out. I try not to look back, but people keep dragging me back. There was no joy in my sin and neither have I found joy in being forgiven because people hang on to my past!

Let's look at the woman at the well.
John 4:16 "Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. 17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly... 29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?"
Because she believed in Jesus Christ this woman drawing  water became a Christian. She had before she believed five husbands. With her new belief in Christ, Jesus, because he said  "I will not remember thy sins." forgot them right there on the spot! However, few even today think of her salvation, but remember the five husbands that poor woman was duped into having by Satan. Sure she was a great sinner, but those with the greatest sin are forgiven the most and love him the most!

Because Jesus forgave me, I love him much, but those who speak with Satan tell me "You're too bad to be loved. You sinned too greatly to be loved. You are kidding yourself if you think you're forgiven." My great faith tells me "that's not what God says! Quit looking back with the others!"

I deserve to be a pillar of salt. You do too! We all deserve death, but trusting Jesus is looking forward! Jesus' word is so much more true than the doctrines of men. Like me, "don't look back!"





Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Genetics

Some people are "Christians" because their parents were and they are because of their heritage. Surprise! Salvation is NOT genetic. You cannot depend on being saved from hell because some ancestor was. The problem is that many are "Christian in name only" (CINO). Unfortunately there is no Christian gene. If you're counting on a trip to heaven because your great-grandfather was born-again, forget it! It's not going to happen!

Most people will readily say "Yes, I'm a Christian. I believe in God!" I'm glad they believe, for even the demons do! They believe in God so much that their full-time occupation is deriding him! If we spent as much time praising God with our belief as the demons do minimizing him, we would be great Christians!
James 2:19 "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."
You believe and stand rigid. The demons believe and shake in their socks. Who has the most belief? Surely the demons do! The most profound verse in the Bible says it all:
 John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
If we look at the Greek word transliterated to English  "believeth" it is pisteuō which means "to believe, commit and trust". In the case of the devils, in contest they merely "believe". Hence, the important part of being "saved" is the trust and committed part! Those who have genetic "Christianity" aren't committed because they have never placed a personal trust in Jesus, let alone be committed to him!

The problem with this "Christian nation" is that it's not Christian! Most people are genetic "Christians" who have never been "born-again". You see the new birth is not genetic. It's one's personal acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice and love and the commitment to trust in him for salvation. The genetic "old creature" who has contaminated genes becomes a "new creature" with, well, clean genes!

On the other hand "sin" is genetic! It's a terrible disease in the genes of all people! You get the disease when you are born because both your mother and father are carriers of this terminal malady:
Romans 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned..."
If you are descended from Adam, and you are; then you are born with "original sin". That's the disease caught from the forbidden fruit way back in the Garden whose virus flows in your own blood. The only cure for this virus is a transfusion of pure blood! The only pure blood to decontaminate you is the blood of Jesus Christ:
Romans 3:25 "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God..."
1 John 2:2 "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."
1 John 4:10 "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
To cure this genetic virus it must be by "the blood". Of course that is Jesus' blood which he shed for us on Calvary:
Hebrews 9:22 "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."
Some will say that it's the water which "saves". However, that's obedience in gratitude for being cleansed. It's the blood of Jesus in whom we trust which makes the new creature!

The new creature is starts all over without that genetic virus:
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
What Adam had is cleansed from the born-again person. The genetic virus is no longer in the blood of the new person! It's a new start and the durability is based on regular inoculations from the Holy Spirit whose antidote comes from reading Holy Scripture. The Holy Spirit is symbolized by "living waters" and it's this water which inoculates Christians against this virus. We get comfort from being inoculated so that our hope continues!

Usual genetic diseases have no cure. We are born that way and die that way. However, what came to us through the genes from Adam can be "cured". It's a transfusion with totally clean blood which cures.
Romans 5:17 "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)"
By Adam the virus causing death was inherited, but by one man, Jesus, we have life!  It's unfortunate that some believe that salvation is an inherited family trait, but don't believe the virus of sin is genetic!

If you're counting on your parent's or grandparent's belief to save you, it's you that you deceive! If you think that you are a good person, again you deceive yourself. You've got that virus whether you admit it or not!
 Romans 3:9 "What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God."
You can do something about that! Quit merely "believing" and start "accepting and trusting". It's the trust in Jesus' death and the blood shed there on the cross which cures what you genetically inherited. That's the only cure and is being "born-again" a new creature. Take the plunge. Immerse yourself in that living water contained in the blood of Jesus!

Daily Cliffyisms

Cliffy was the postman who always sat at the bar in the sitcom Cheers. Cliffy always had a high opinion of his own understanding and shared it, unasked, with whomever expressed interest; or not!  Most of Cliffy's knowledgeable quotes were partially true, but mostly incorrect. Cliffy was laughable because of his intelligent stupidity. Cliffy was a know-it-all! Many people on social media are Cliffy's. Yes, sometimes we ALL are!

The newer ones are at the top of the list).
  1. Yes, I am incontinent. Never made it to Antarctica.
  2. I'm not stupid, I just say assthetic thiings.
  3. I'm spiritual, but not religious. I guess I don't know what I am.
  4. I don't even know the deafignation of "mistake".
  5. Insidious is a kind of plant like a snap dragon.
  6. Rhinoplasty? Oh, that's when rhinoceri get plastered on fermented foilage.
  7. I'm pissenchanted with life!
  8. Dysexia: A lifelong dysfunction suffered by men, normally having an onset at age 14, where all read words have sexual connotations.
  9. Terrific is the state of being terrified.
  10. I graduated "Summer Come Loud". Top of my class I was!
  11. Being pragmatic is when women get pregnant without trying.
  12. Women are like men, but without a kickstand.
  13. Socialism isn't too bad. When I'm drunk at parties I'm uninhibited and quite socialist!
  14. My feet step all over me.
  15. The postman told the postwoman "The male must go through".
  16. My back hurts so I'm going to a masochist today.
  17. I fart, therefore I am! If I can't fart, then I'm not, because all people fart!
  18. Urgency is being around urchins too long!
  19. You may be wrong, but let's go with it! No one will notice.
  20. I don't know if it's going to be a boy or a girl, but it's one or the other.
  21. "Vomit" is  a hybrid car; a cross between an old Valiant and a Comet.
  22. Aboriginals are the original abnormal people.
  23. I slept with the love of my life. Don't tell my wife!
  24. Why can't the side effects of my pills ever last for four hours?
  25. My wish is that my wish comes true!
  26. Yesterday I will be younger than I was today.
  27. People call me brain dead. I have the brain of a dinosaur!
  28. Jeopardy is when one crosses a jackal with a leopard. Don't believe that? Just look at the breeder run!
  29. I love a breeze so I got out my osculating fan!
  30. I took my wedding vowels seriously! When I was married she hit me hard and I said a-e-i-o-u! 
  31. Love is not having to say that you're wrong.
  32. The Pentegon was named that because the military is either penned up in there or gone somewhere.
  33. Justice is only served when the mob gets their own way.
  34. "I can hardly contain myself" means that my inside is bigger than my outside!
  35. Jeopardy is what a jealous leopard has!
  36. I'm not passionate about anything, but I vote my heart.
  37. Being pragmatic is automatically pragging.
  38. I'm confident in what I say is correct always. I hope you agree?
  39. Momentum is Latin for "I'll be there in a moment".
  40. A penal institution is a place where only men can be sent.
  41. Wow! I wish I could think of a palindromic word! Perhaps "Sarah Palin" would be one!
  42. It's called the Pentegon because that's where we make the enemy wish they had repented!
  43. He axed me a question as I answered.
  44. She's a gorgeous girl even though she gorges herself with food.
  45. He didn't stretch the truth. He just exacerbated.
  46. Veterans Day honors all veterinarians.
  47. Those who practice barbarism should have went to a better barber college.
  48. If you think the sky is blue, then close your eyes at sundown and look again.
  49. Shallow people have thinner shadows than do normal people.
  50. I heard that girl's name is Annie Climactic. It's no wonder her family didn't get excited when she was born!
  51. By the way "proselytizing" is the manipulation of swollen prostates.
  52. Islam is actually a compression of the term "I Slam" because that's their method of proselytizing. 
  53. God dealt the most elite people a full deck of cards. I pity those playing with half their deck missing. 
  54. I don't understand why people are offended at what I say! When they develop the wisdom that I have they'll understand my words better.
  55. My coin collection has some dated as early as 1200 B.C.!
  56. I save my old calendars in case I need them again.
  57. Jesus was transformed on the mountain. I bet Peter Cullen would be amazed at that!
  58. It would be nice of my medicine had four-hour side effects other than intestinal gas!
  59. The six of us can't fit in a car, but my entire family sang a duet a church/ 
  60. My new girlfriend said that I osculated well. That made me so sick! I'd never do anything like that!
  61. I'm offended! He called my wife a thespian, but I know she's not.
  62. You can call me a halfwit, but how dare you call me nitwit!
  63. My half brother and I were twins.
  64. Quit calling me weak-kneed! I'm apathetic.
  65. Look at this new bib! It keeps spilled wine off my shirt. When I wear it, it's a winebibber.
  66. I like being a cynosure. If you have a big nose, it can't go unnoticed!
  67. Cows which graze on hillsides have stronger calves.
  68. I'm not redundant. Am I? Am I?
  69. I can see clearly because my eyes are opaque.
  70. It's almost exactly 11:12 PM to approximate the time.
  71. I had all my records digitized. I put my thumb print on each page.
  72. You know how I learned to speak Latin? I read their telephone books.
  73. I get disgruntled easily. If you tape my mouth I don't grunt at all!
  74. Those ambidextrous have opposite feelings all at the same time.
  75. The Battle of the Bulge wasn't won in France. It was lost to French food.
  76. I had an enigma because I was constipated.
  77. When I was a child my mom incarcerated me in a '55 Olds while she went shopping.
  78. I pity those with tattoo diabetes. I always tell them not to mark themselves!
  79. I'm always astounded at the breathe of my own knowledge. 
  80. Ambiguity makes things crystal clear for me. It removes the cataracts from my mind's eye.
  81. I've forgotten more than most people know if my memory serves me right.
  82. Epicureans give the prettiest manicures. Epic!
  83. Because I "think" I "am", I think.
  84. I believe that being a shallow thinker is an attribute.
  85. How dare you! Don't ever accuse me of being astute again!
  86. I'm smarter than even the those most vacuous.
  87. "Wow" is an example of a Palindrome.It's because Sarah Palin said Wow so much.
  88. I'm not prefect. Sometimes I make arrows.
  89. When I get upset in my stomach I get nostalgia.
  90. Antonyms are hard to control. They are the newly hatched ants who aren't out in search of food yet.
  91. My friend named his sickly son "Flem". I guess he didn't know how to spell it correctly: "Phlegm".
  92. Oxymorons are ammonia cleaning agents for fools.
  93. Freud says that there is competition between father and son for the sexual affection of the mother. My dad doesn't even want to have sex with her! Why should I?
  94. Those who are dead don't worry about dying. Why should the living worry about it?
  95. I like to sing Acapulco so that the music doesn't drown out my voice.
  96. I've invested in some land in town. Where? Uh, at Crown Hill Cemetery (blush).
  97. The girl got her foot decapitated in the car wreck!
  98. I've got neuropathy. I think I'll go to the Neuropathist.
  99. What comes after "the fat lady singing" and it's over? The fat lady gasping for breath.
  100. There are three things men prefer in life: women.
  101. It's a well known fact that men think buxomy women are the most qualified.
  102. I like my steaks brazen. Those who eat pink meat are sissies!
  103. Germs aren't germane to the discussion of a virus.
  104. I don't like people who proselytize. I can't help if I have prostrate trouble and they shouldn't make fun of it!
  105. People don't respect their feet. They walk on them and then complain because they hurt'em.
  106. Kissing is sucking on a long tube filled with things you ate yesterday.
  107. Transparency is when you can see through the thin skin of  politicians.
  108. I'm not lazy. I just don't like to work!
  109. I've got a good mammary. I inherited it from my mama.
  110. A not so smart girl said "No, I don't see what you mean. I was born blond!"
  111. Men like to employ women with big breasts and small minds so they can't figure out who just squeezed them!
  112. Chevrolet makes a truck called the "Sonoma". Next year they'll make a sedan called the "Carcinoma".
  113. It's called "Mass", but should be "Mess". The early church father's just misspelled what they were doing.
  114. Pontifex Maximus means "Supreme Pontiff" or "Pope".He was called "Pontiff" because his favorite car was named after that.
  115. I 'm diversed from my wife... I'm just one of many for her!
  116. "Feast" is derived from "fast"! They only added an "e" for eating and they have a new word.
  117. Eggs must have came first. It's easier for an egg to be laid than a hen. Do you know how hard it is for a rooster to lay a chicken?
  118. I have the big head to hold my huge brain. 
  119. I'd never kiss you! Oscillating is for romanticists.
  120. Because I'm smarter than you doesn't mean you're dumber.
  121. I don't have anything against Arabs. My mother even knits Afghans!
  122. 9/11 will always be special to me! That's where I bought my first cigarettes.
  123. You always screw things up turning clockwise. That's why I don't do anything wearing a watch.
  124. The Pope's word is gospel because Jesus should have said that it was.
  125. I know all about how Washington is run. I vacationed there one time.
  126. Peri-Donald disease is the virus now spreading which is "all about Donald" being the next President.
  127. "Fasting" is called that because if you eat little it digests quicker.
  128. You need to be pacific when you say things.
  129. Ignorant people just have a lot to say, but they don't know what it is.
  130. I wear a uniform. Yeah, I'm a Vet. I went to Purdue Agricultural School.
  131. My head isn't as big as the thoughts within it.
  132. "Indians" are called that because it's Apache for "red".
  133. Lies which merely distort the truth aren't lies at all.
  134. If you could read my mind you'd be astounded at how convex it is!
  135. Before I argue with others I have to convince myself that I'm right in spite of the evidence.
  136. I love flowers and landscaping. I guess I'm a naturalist at heart!
  137. I'm always pacific in my speech.
  138. People who use great big words have a large vocabulary.
  139. I've believe that silence is better than golden. It's silvery.
  140. I can feel people dislike me when their hate is solid.
  141. Chemicals are more toxic when awful people spill them.
  142. Data proves that there is a magnetic attraction between water and cell phones.  
  143. 1 +1 equals 3 and it is called multiplication.
  144. 2 + 2 does not make 4 on the bilateral numbering system.
  145. There are three things on my mind and two of them are on your chest.
  146. Indians are at fault of all our problems. They should have kept us out.
  147. I once had a double barrel shotgun. I had to duck every time I shot it!
  148. Shortsighted people can see the earth is flat. Those who look afar just imagine it's round.
  149. The sun shines always, but the clouds cools it down so that it doesn't seem so hot.
  150. There's advantages to being shallow. Shallow people never need waders. 
  151. Although money will buy almost everything, if you don't have more than the next guy, you don't have anything.
  152. Two plus two is not four in Washington. They have the  bicameral numbering system.
  153. I'm glad you voted for "change". It was the big bucks I voted for.
  154. Anyone can see that my humility keeps me from bragging.
  155. It's called "crap" because John Crapper was the first person who crapped. 
  156. Kosher bacon strips are the leanest and cleanest.
  157. Pubic speaking makes me feel ill at ease!
  158. The famous Wright brothers manufactured the first cough drops.
  159. My grandfather was an early photographer. Grandma said he did stereotypes.
  160. I am above having strong opinions, unlike all the rest of you opinionated people!
  161. The killing of any animal is inhumane although I like a good steak!
  162. If I could share my mind, I'd have less to think about!
  163. You think I'm stupid? The capitol of Kentucky is spelled L-O-U-I-S-V-I-L-L-E.
  164. Holes in underwear have a hidden purpose. It's to allow the legs to go through.
  165. His murdering was more extreme. He did it out of hate!
  166. Blaming others is a legitimate way of justifying your own mistakes.
  167. The Bible speaks about publicans and sinners. I'm not a sinner so I vote Republican.
  168. I went to Naples many times. It's a beautiful city arising out of water with plenty of canals!
  169. Dictionaries are for people who dictate. 
  170. I'm always right and never let pride enter into the picture!
  171. It doesn't matter how much you eat and how little you burn if you eat fast enough to burn off what you eat.
  172. Artificial sweetener causes cancer and heart trouble so I use real sugar on everything.
  173. Slimfast doesn't work. I drank 5 cans Monday and actually gained weight!
  174. Since cream cheese is lighter than water, eating it actually makes a person weigh less.
  175. I always think twice before I say anything. I don't know if I thought before I said that.
  176. Never call me "astute". That's a fighting word!
  177. I have Washington's hatchet. I broke the handle and changed it, then I lost the blade end, but have another one now.
  178. That's not a sunburn. I smack my forehead when things begin to make sense. 
  179. Speed of light! Any fool can see that it takes a day for the light from the sun to reach earth!
  180. Women are fatter than men because they're bigger around.
  181. I found a really scarce nickel dated 12 B.C.
  182. In Asia watches run counterclockwise.
  183. You need to speak with more detail! Be pacific.
  184. Some states succeeded from the Union.
  185. If everybody would just get along we'd all get along.
  186. Pain only hurts when we're hurting.
  187. I can discern things better than most discerning people can.
  188. We need to conserve water. The earth only has so much and we don't want to use it all up!
  189. I believe that linking intelligence of the races to genetics is ignorance, but that believing homosexuals are born that way, is enlightenment.
  190. In spite of most people turning in middle age, they all are still born that way.
  191. It's a proven fact that those who hug trees believe themselves to be more loving.
  192. All environmental destruction is caused by people. If it wasn't for people there would be no smoke. 
  193. Extra cold air in the Arctic Circle is caused by global warming.
  194. In England they drive on the wrong side of the road because most people there are left handed.
  195. Flat tires are caused by old air. 
  196. If you drive fast it takes less gas because you get to where you're going sooner.
  197. Cows farting is the worst cause of global warming.
  198. I learned Latin from reading their phone books.
  199. I hate people who hate others.
  200. I read that between the lines.
  201. It must be true because most people believe it.
  202. Yellow people must all be cowards.
  203. What's wrong with race jokes? Runners are funny too!
  204. Electrons flow in our brains. That's why some thoughts are shocking.
  205. I understood very little of your comment, but let me give an opinion on what I did understand.
  206. I wrote a comment on Facebook today: "Only idiots write on Facebook!"
  207. I'm never intolerant. I'm equally selective who I choose to dislike.
  208. People who use their left hand only do it because they can't use their right hand.
  209. Ambidextrous people can think on both sides of their brains.
  210. He got his head decapitated when he stuck his neck out the car window.
  211. "INUA" I commented. That means "I Never Use Acronyms".
  212. Incredible people can't be believed!
  213. Evolutionists believe that life started with the egg, and creationists that it started with the chicken. I like eggs and chickens so I say they are both right.
  214. Cream cheese is the substance of which all good things are made. Why else would all recipes have it?
  215. Cows who graze on mountainsides have stronger calves.
  216. It's a proven fact that facts can't be proven.
  217. If at first you don't succeed you have made the first step in a journey of failure.
  218. Vain people stand in front of mirrors, not because they think they're attractive, but because mirrors are there.
  219. If no one else is in the restroom farts are all silent.
  220. What you just said was just plane stoopid!
  221. My daddy is the one who learnt me good English.
  222. Men in uniform need respect because there is nothing more important than the mail.

Monday, April 11, 2016

On Priorities

Priorities and Growth

Priorities determine where we are spiritually. Those are the things at the top of our "bucket list" to do first. They are dynamic since priorities are bound to change.  Let's look first at the priorities of the newborn infant. (See Chuck's infant  "Self" in Figure #1 above).  

Chuck was born with basic "needs" as we all are. They are the needs for nourishment, comfort and protection. Above that need at the next level is the need to be loved. There are studies which show that infants who are not loved become detached and may not even have a desire for the basic needs. Love is an important emotion induced by caring actions. Love from the parent by doing things for the infant emotes a feeling of protection and being wanted from the child. That love puts the infant in his comfort zone. Withdrawing that love emits an emotion of isolation, loneliness and finally anger which is exhibited by red-faced temper tantrums on the part of the infant.

The anger from not obtaining what the infant wants or needs is the result of not meeting the priorities of the child. Infant Chuck's bucket list is in order: comfort, nourishment and protection; all a part of being loved. The infant Chuck will wail until his "self" gets what he needs and wants. Hence, the newborn infant is entirely focused on "self", but needs you, the parent. to bow to it. Being an infant means being all about "self". Sure, parents are in the picture, but parenting, in the child's eyes, is all about appeasing the infant's self. This inborn desire to desire and demand things, and show irritation if it's not forthcoming, are the original condition of all mankind. Seeking adoration and fulfillment for the self is "original sin". It's the same as what Adam and Eve sought; pleasure to satisfy the wants of each of their selves.

Then the priorities of an infant is to have his own needs and wants met. Infancy is all about "me", you and little Chuck until experience ensues. With time there develops a bond between mother and child. At birth this bond is strong because of the warmth and breasts of the mother. With the father, not so much. As food and warmth proceeds from the mother the young baby recognizes its own dependence on the mother. That dependence is transferred to the mother as love. As the father begins to meet the needs of the infant and plays with him to provide pleasure, the baby develops love for the familiar figure of the father with whom he is comfortable and wanted. 

This is normal growth for any infant. Take away any component and the child's emotional and even physical growth can be stunted. It's important to be Chuck-centered early on so that Chuck will feel loved. However, it's still "all about Chuck" at this early stage! In Figure #1 it is shown that the balance is completely toward the "self" in the infancy stage and God is of no concern. Remarkably, many adults are fixed in infancy just as is infant Chuck. All their life, everything is "all about them"! Self-centered infantile adults have no place for God in their lives. Just like adult Adams and Eves they want pleasure, they want it immediately and they are going to get it come "hell or high water". If not, anger and even tears ensue; just like baby Chuck's!  This is original sin and all people have it! It's when priorities are on the "self" just as you see with baby Chuck in Figure#1.

Since cognition has yet to develop in infants they are eternally safe if they die young. However, those who age to maturity yet still are spiritual babies are accountable and must come to a decision "Am I going to trust God or take my chances that hell doesn't exist, or if it does, I can work my way in?" Scripture says that all have sinned (including infants). Hence, whenever it is that the youngster understands eternity, it's imperative to trust Jesus that he died in each of our places!

Figure #2 shows a juvenile Chuck. By this time Chuck should be aware that there is an end to this life. With that thought he should examine his own destiny with regard to eternity. If a teenager lives in a secluded environment scripture says that he should examine the world around him and be curious about "Why?"
Romans 1:19 "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse..."
Basically, this says "Look around you. The invisible God can be seen in his creation!"  Because of this you should be considering the reality of God for your own good!" Children start noticing things and asking questions. Jews allow that the "age of accountability" is twelve years old. For me it was about six because I laid on the ground, looked at the expanse and wondered about its creation! God inspired me that it was him that did it all. Since those years I sought to learn more.

I have come to maturity. Things besides "me" become important as I learn from the creation.  For "youth Chuck" in Figure #2 at least by twelve or so, Chucky should be to the point where he considers others as well as himself. His priorities shift to friends, family and even God if he has any sense at all.  Chuck begins to grow up; at least some Chucks do. He starts to consider the feelings of others and to consider God. His parents guide him in the process by teaching and by example. In civilized countries it's likely that others and most often parents have mentioned God.  Chuck by his own volition loves his parents because they first loved him, love his friends because they befriended him and start sharing his world with others. His priorities has shifted from "all about Chuck" to "much about Chuck" and "some about relatives and friends". 

In Figure #2 I show Chuck's priorities as centered and there is a balance between Chuck's focus on"self" and his focus on others. Since he has by now heard about hell, Chuck begins to think "I don't want to go to hell!" Because he is still self-centered he wants to save the "self" from hell. Ironically, the only way to save the self is to turn to God. Chuck comes to the realization that he can't save himself so he'd better consider God!  It's laughable that we preserve our own "idol" (the self) which is our own flesh, by turning to God Almighty. We actually ask God to keep our other god from dying! Since God understands this, he has grace enough to overlook our other god for a time. 

Although Chuck in Figure #2 takes some priority off him and puts it on God, he still has that other god of self which he hangs onto. Chuck does that because he has reason and is wise to consider God. Others are still infant Chuckys and never consider God because, like the baby "It's all about me!" Freud would say that these adults who fail to mature are stuck in the "oral stage". For those adults who are so focused on their own self, they are narcissists stuck in a "spiritual infancy stage". They are aging, but their priorities are still on "me"!

Some people, in order to have hope, change priorities enough to consider God and how to be bailed out of their bleak destiny. The Holy Spirit "calls" those who consider salvation to consider Jesus. 
John 6:44 "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."
Because Chuck wants to live forever and avoid eternal damnation he has but one choice. It can no longer be "his way". It must be God's way. Jesus is the only path to salvation so Chuck must change his priorities. Jesus knocks and Chuck must answer. He turns to Jesus to save his wretched "self'. His priorities change. It is no longer "all about Chuck", but must include God. It must be serious consideration. He can't give God lip-service and still keep the priority on his own devices. He is without excuse now and he is responsible for changing his priorities. Still in the background the "self" is still there, but the god of "self" thinks "I'm limited. There's no way I can save me from hell. I must turn to Jesus!"

After learning more about Jesus by reading God's Word, Chuck realizes that he has come short of God's expectations. He is a sinner and starts to think about how disappointed God must be!  Chuck is sorry for his self-centered behavior and asks God for forgiveness. If he is sincere Jesus forgives Chuck. Because Chuck wants to please Jesus now for offering hope, his priority should now be on obedience. He realizes that to please Jesus he should demonstrate it by being baptized. Because Chuck's self-interest changes, although it's still there, he prioritizes God in his life. 

His change in priorities from "self" toward God is his expected and reasonable "living sacrifice". Because his priority is now more on God, he takes infant Chucky and hands him over to God. God protects youth Chucky from his own self. Chucky is born-again a new creation and then his sins are symbolically washed away with baptism. This new Chuck is now ready for being like Christ. It's endeavoring to change his priorities even further and tipple the self more toward God (Figure #2). Spiritually adult Chuck shifts his priorities, a little at a time, toward God. He seeks to set himself (under the comfort of the Holy Spirit) apart from "the world" which is all things around him which tantalizes Chuck's flesh. It's many of the same things infant Chuck demanded with the addition of sexual pleasure which youth Chuck was destined to seek and desire! Youth Chuck's priorities are high on sexual pleasure and to appease the himself, he seeks a mate, Marriage is actually a priority on self rather than God, but God understands because marriage his his institution!

The process of seeking to live a Christ-centered life is when the "self's" priorities keep shifting toward God. The Holy Spirit guides Chuck there and encourages him to submit his self time and time again in the sense that what was once pleasurable becomes an abomination. The Holy Spirit helps Chuck change his priorities in life. If a person could do it, and they can't, the complete change in priorities would be "entire sanctification" where Chuck's one priority is to please God! 

We can never be entirely sanctified, but we please God by trying to be like him. Our priorities are now largely on God and when Chuck fails, God forgives as long as there is repentance on Chuck's part! Why would Chuck repent? Because his own "self" disappointed him and God. He repents to draw nearer to God because his priority, out of gratitude is now on God!

Most people aren't born-again. They remain spiritually old creatures their entire lives whose priorities remain on "self". Those infantile rebels choose their own destiny. They choose hell and eternal damnation over eternal life. Their pride keeps them focused on their own self who in reality is their god. Spiritual infants can't serve two gods. He loves one and hates the other. Those selfish adult babies love the "self" and reject God. This rejection is in effect, hating God because the spiritual deviant refuses to submit to him! "I'll do whatever I please. Nobody is going to get me to change!" That includes Almighty God who never forces one to love him. He cries at the rejection, but he moves on! Judgment day will close the loop.

If it's not obvious, becoming a Christian and being a Christian, is a process of shifting priorities from the "self" to "God".  Those priorities we are free to choose. God never forces our priorities on us! He wants us to submit our "self" a living sacrifice to him because God is accepted as our top priority.  What does that take on the part of Chuck and anyone else? Have a trusting belief in Jesus Christ and that his shed blood and death was in Chuck's (and my) place. You see, that's shifting from you toward God in your priorities although your own self is still in the background. We have the "self" there all the time wanting and demanding appeasement, but God's grace allows us to give God a higher priority if we obey his command to love him! Go for it!





Sunday, April 10, 2016

Oughta Be That Way

In bible study I always hear "I think that __________." You fill in the blank. The problem lies in the support for the opinion. Seldom do I hear anyone say "Acts 3:2 says __________." or whatever. Why? Because people's opinions are based on "what it oughta say". In other words they believe their view is the right view just because they each are"me". Therein lies the problem: "Me" always has a predilection toward "self" rather than God.

If we allow ourselves to form opinions based on "how it oughta be" a new religion is in the making. Since the author is "self" and it's commentary on what the "self" thinks about what's right, the doctrine becomes one of "selfism". Of course my contention is that the "self" of each of us are the "other gods besides God", the theology is "reason" and the idol is "the flesh" because if doctrine is not from the Holy Spirit it is from "the world" which supplies "the flesh" with its desires.

Ours was at one time a Christian nation because with the lack of modern media people actually read the bible. As such The Word did what it was supposed to do:
2 Timothy 3:16 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness..."
Scripture is The Word of God given to the writers to elevate righteousness by  providing right doctrine, conviction to do right, correction of sinful behaviors and how to be righteous. Without Holy Scripture those who fail to read are "doing it their way"!
 Proverbs 12:15  "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise."
When doctrine is established without scriptural support, those who formulate opinions are doing "what's right in their own eyes"!  Because those unwise people have "a feeling inside" they fail to consider from where that "feeling" comes! Satan is a deceiver and people are innately gullible to his deception. When you think "this is what I think" chances are that your thoughts are manipulated and you are not even aware of it unless you back up your doctrine with God's word!

One reason I don't care much for group bible study is that people cling to what they always thought just because they always thought that way. Others cling to wrong doctrine taught by their own denomination! Yes, there is wrong doctrine in every church. When doctrine is at odds with another church somebody IS WRONG.

Sometimes people think a way because they always thought that way! If your views aren't changing with time after becoming a Christian, you are not being inspired by God because Holy Scripture is all about change: teaching, confronting, correcting, etc.

When I was young I wrote in the margins of my bible. Now when I read what I wrote, some of it was heretical. I hate to say it, but I did not know it all, although my perception then was that I knew it all! Now I'm open to growth and consider doctrine in the light of what scripture says, not what other commentaries say, and not necessarily what my church even teaches. "My church" can be wrong too!

There is a constant battle going on: God wants me to know truth (you too) and Satan deceives me (you too). What better place to draw the sword for battle than from God's armor?
Ephesians 6:13 "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand... 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..."
I guarantee you, "what is right in your own eyes" is far from what is right in God's will! I know... you have a right heart and desire to do right... but Satan is so much stronger than you without the whole armor of God. Take up his sword! Read scripture.  Quit saying "I think..." when it's Satan doing your thinking.

Many people think "God is a loving God; he would never send anyone to hell!" Why do you think that way? Because you have a graceful heart and believe "it oughta be that way"! There is one big problem; that's not the way it is. God is a just God and it's his justice which is served! He allows us all a lifetime to present ourselves to him with a warning from the "Surgeon General"... "Failure to submit to God can kill you forever!" He is graceful for your entire life, he has a gift to give you (eternal life), but you see the gift, but never accept it!

God is a loving God. He gives us millions of chances. He doesn't "send anyone to hell"; sinners damn themselves because they are reprobate. Why would a loving God even want to spend eternity with a person who rejected him time after time?  Just because people think "everyone should go to heaven", doesn't mean it "oughta be that way"!

What do we need to do to quit using our own reasoning and logic to rewrite scripture "the way it oughta be written"? We can read and STUDY it to find out "how it really is"!

Saturday, April 9, 2016

On Political Correctness

"Political Correctness" (PC for short) is the regulation of speech, attitudes, behaviors and policies propagated by society, mainly by the media and progressives, which are intended to insure certain groups of people are  not offended. While offensive language is hurtful for some, the control of speech is in violation of the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights; "the right to free speech". This raises the issue to many "Is free speech as a 'right' more important than protecting the feelings of another from hurtful thought?"

This question is phrased that way for a purpose because when speech is controlled "free thought" is suppressed. Truthful and valid speech cannot be expressed because someone might be hurt by truth! Of course there is no "right to comfort" in our Constitution. Even in scripture there is no "right to be stress free" although "eternal hope" alleviates stress. Consider this:
Matthew 23:33 "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"
Jesus Christ said this to a sensitive and small group of people who were highly offended!  He called them "snakes" and essentially told them they were hell-bound! That would not be considered PC in today's world. Why did Jesus say such a thing? Did he not know that their feelings would be hurt and that they would be angry? He sure did! He wanted them to be uncomfortable!

Before people can change it's imperative for them to know that what they are doing or believe is unacceptable to society or to God. When that's pointed out, it's not hateful if it's truthful. In this case the Pharisees plotted to undermine this group of people who would come to be called "Christians". They needed to be called out! Jesus did just that. He failed to be either PC nor "religiously correct" (RC), telling the simple truth in spite of others having their feelings hurt!

I just introduced another form of "correctness": "religious correctness" (RC). Nowadays society not only must be PC, but RC as well! They are entwined. For instance scripture speaks out against homosexuality. Society demands that everyone accept that behavior and same-sex marriage, and ostracizes those who fail to toe the line. It's not PC to condemn same-sex marriage, but for a church to even condemn it is not RC! In other words, society is determining church doctrine and denigrates even the Word of God because it's at odds with modern thought! It's dangerous when society creates religion, but this has been done many times before!

During the French Revolution Pierre Gaspard Chaumette and Jacques Hébert founded the "worship of Reason" which was anti-Christian and replaced Christianity as the religion of France during the early times of the French Republic. Churches were transformed into "Temples of Reason".  "Liberty" was their goddess! The goddess Liberty yet stands on Staten Island in New York Harbor while the Ten Commandments have been forcefully removed from the nation by government dictate. It's ironic that it's not PC to acknowledge God, but is PC to honor the goddess Liberty! You see, it's the irreligious and progressives who decide what is PC! The rest of us are required to goosestep right behind these fascists who guillotined people for not being PC!

In almost all dogmas ending in "ism" the PC thing to be is to be RC, controlling the church and the very faith of Christians. Yes, it's Christians who are they which are never PC!
Matthew 5:11 "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."
Jesus was persecuted and mankind was saved by the PC and RC who killed him! Yes, it was not only because he claimed to be God that he was crucified, but because he was King! He was a threat to those in power, the Romans and the Hebrew leaders! Christianity is by definition NOT PC!

PC is at odds with truth.  Scripture is always truthful! Yes, "truth hurts" for those who are weak! We are not to use truth to distress others unless that truth is to lead to change. As Christians our mission is that we love others so much that we should not want any to perish just as Jesus said (John 3:16). To do that we are required to take the Truth to the nations. That's the "Great Commission" :
Matthew 28:18 "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you..."
Those who are PC demand that we not proselytize. We are not to try to convert pagans nor atheists to Christianity because we might hurt their feelings! I suggest that it's better that they cry when they are shamed than die an eternal death in a fiery hell! Why? Because Jesus loves them so much that he doesn't wish that any of them should perish and I feel the same way! Being PC to save others from self-destruction is called "love" yet society calls us "haters"! This is Orwellian "doublespeak" and being told how to think is "doublethink"!

Now for the issue of today! Public acceptance of Christianity is dying. Of course we are not denied our "faith" (yet), but "civilized" and "enlightened" France did that! On the other hand Islam is aggrandized. I believe it is the end-of-time global religion of the anti-Christ, the prophet they call their "Jesus". Like France before them Islamic leaders will decapitate them for failing to bow to Sharia Law:
 "...I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands..." (Revelation 20:4).
This passage describes an Islamic Caliphate whose "beast" is their prophet called "Jesus". He is described as a vengeful prophet when he returns according to their own writings!

What I write here is NOT PC and NOT RC. Society, led by progressives, even in the church, propagate the false notion that "Islam is a peaceful religion." To say otherwise is not PC nor RC!

Donald Trump is waging a war against the silly and dangerous PC which is the law of the land. It's in opposition to truth! We can't even call the enemy "the enemy" because it might hurt feelings, but while innocent people die just because they "are"  Trump rightfully ;points out the dangers of Islam, and as a precaution, wants their immigration to be controlled for safety. Those who are PC call him a hater! Name-calling is the last argument for those who are at odds with truth!

Now it's not PC to favor Trump because the PC Police has marked him with their number "666" and he's called out for persecution. Those crying "hater" are the "haters" and that is PC. It's all about allowing haters to hate with the people applauding. Trump is not Jesus, but the same PC and RC people did that to Jesus:
Mark 15:13 "And they cried out again, Crucify him."
That's what they are doing to Trump right now! It's just a crucifixion of truth and reputation, but they are killing free speech. PC-ness is the enemy of freedom and as Jesus came to set people free, Trump at least is speaking truth!  We all have been told that Jesus came to bring peace on earth; well read this:
Matthew 10:34 "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.  35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me."
Jesus is in effect saying "Truth is divisive so it will divide!" Trump is telling the truth and it will divide.  Christianity is divisive. It even admits to it because "strait is the gate and narrow is the way" (Matthew 7:14). Most will reject Jesus because Jesus is not only not PC, but society rules, led by liberal churches, make it RC as well!  Liberal churches are already siding up with the beast which is the end-of-time church led by Islam. The organization is happening slowly because change is seldom abrupt!

For me personally, I favor Ted Cruz. I'm not a cheerleader for Donald Trump. He has his faults. However, if that is who God chooses to fight his battle I will go with him. Sometimes God does use "crooked sticks" for his own purpose (Ecclesiastes 7:13).