Unpopular

Nearly 250 years ago, "our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."

Abraham Lincoln spoke those words as part of his Gettysburg address to a nation reeling after a brutal and bloody civil war. We were at war because half the nation (the Democrats) thought that slavery was okay. They were unpopular.

Keep his words in mind as we enter into this last phase of a presidential election year. And note that we were "created" equal.

What is "equal?" DEFINE equal.

When Jesus walked this earth 2,000 years ago "equality" was not a thing. "Nation would rise up against nation." There were "wars and rumors of wars."

Oh, wait. Sorry. That's the world we are living in right now. But things were similar back then too.

Equality is defined as "like for each member of a group, class, or society."

Are we all equal right now? No. There are different classes, income levels, educational differences. Are we "equal" under the law? No. We are not equal in many ways. So, what happened?

Sin.

Abe was right when he said we were created equal. God created Adam. God created Eve. But then Satan got Eve to believe a lie. And Eve got Adam to sin. What a mess!

Sin is what "creates" inequality. And we, through our sin, became followers of Satan rather than God.

But then Jesus came and we were given the opportunity to follow HIM instead of Satan. More inequality as Christians began to spread the Gospel. Jesus and His followers became unpopular in the eyes of Satan and of man.

When we Christians open our mouths and speak the truth about God and sin WE become "unpopular" in the eyes of the media and the present government of this once great country.

If we say that we'd like to 'Make America Great Again' we become exceedingly unpopular.

In this writer's opinion, the only way we can save this country and make it great again is for us to all follow Jesus. Then there would  be the equality that everyone's looking for. But until that happens things will remain the same.

From what we read in the Bible true equality will never happen in this world until Jesus reigns in His kingdom. And because Satan rules the earth right now, our only hope is in Jesus. And that hope is VERY unpopular with him.

"Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away." - Revelation 21:1

Unpopular - Skillet

Critical Truth

There's been a lot of talk lately about Critical Race Theory (CRT). We see stories about it on the news. It is being taught to our children in our schools. CRT is wrong. Look at the title!

The word 'race' signifies that CRT is itself racist - separating people into groups based on race. That's a problem. The Nazi's in World War II had a "critical race theory" of their own. That didn't end well.

The second problem with CRT is that we are teaching theories to our children as if they are actual fact. That's another problem.

Darwin had a theory that we all evolved from a lower life form. That has been proven false, yet it is still being taught in our schools as if it were true.

Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, had a theory. She thought there were too many people of color in certain neighborhoods so that's exactly where she placed her abortion clinics.

Everybody seems to have their own 'theory' about what is true and right. There is only ONE truth.

Well, I have a theory about gaining weight. Every time I open the refrigerator door, I gain weight. This is a systemic problem throughout the world. Look at all of the obese people out there! Studies have been conducted. There is actual proof to support my theory. Actual physical proof! I say we should ban all refrigerators and teach this practice in our schools! Am I wrong? 

Yes. Of course, I'm wrong!

Jesus often spoke against false teachers. Most of His time throughout the Gospels was spent railing against the Pharisees and Sadducees. Why? Because they had forgotten the TRUTH found in God's Word and started making laws of their own.

The minute we start creating laws based on race and sex we have become present-day Pharisees. Creators of our OWN laws. Ignorers of God's.

Here are three quotes. One could say the first quote was by an African-American. One could also say that the second quote was by a white slave owner. Both statements would be true but separating people by race is wrong. The quotes stand by themselves, without racial or sexual attachments. The quotes are from Americans!

"I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." - Martin Luther King Jr, The "I have a dream" speech

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness".- Thomas Jefferson, The United States Constitution

Here is one more quote about truth.

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” - Jesus, John 14:6-7

True Equality

When I was much younger I heard a local radio station  advertising for an account manager position at its station. At the end of the ad the voice said, "We are both and equal opportunity and an affirmative action employer."

So, what' s wrong with that? It all sounds right. Think about it for a minute.

Their statement is completely impossible! You can be one or the other, but you can't be both.

Lots of people and companies are trying to please all of the people all of the time. Abraham Lincoln knew that.

"You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time." - Abraham Lincoln

We live in a people-pleasin' society where everyone wants to give each other a participation trophy. It seems all warm and fuzzy when the fat kid down the street gets one of those feel-good trophies at a track meet in the 100-yard dash. Is that trophy really benefiting that kid?

Our problem in society is that we are trying to please the wrong people. We are trying to please each other when we should be trying to please God.

What if we gave a pass to a certain people group at a stop signs? How would that work? Look at our politicians in Washington. They make laws. But they only make them for us, not for themselves. Is THAT right? Congress gives out participation trophies . . . to themselves.

God doesn't give out participation trophies. He doesn't look at the color of your skin or give you a pass because you've had a hard life. God looks at our souls. Are we His? Or no? That's it. DO you know Jesus? Yes/No.

"For God does not show favoritism." - Romans 2:11

"For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility," - Ephesians 2:14

"For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes." - Deuteronomy 10:17

When I was in high school I remember watching Star Trek's Captain Kirk utter these words to a distant civilization that had somehow stumbled upon a copy of the United States Constitution. Kirk's words have stuck with me all these years. Good words. True words.

"These words, and the words that follow, are not written only for the Yangs but for the Comms as well. They must apply to everyone or they mean nothing! Do you understand?"

Captain Kirk's Constitutional Speech