Christmas Truce 1914

This Christmas Eve marks the 100^th anniversary of the 1914 “Christmas Truce” between Allied and German forces.  World War I was only on its fifth month by that December, yet troops were already growing weary of trench warfare life.  On Christmas Eve, soldiers on both sides ceased firing at one another.  The previously incessant pounding of artillery had fallen silent.  Troops on both sides began singing carols, one of which was reportedly “Silent Night.”  The soldiers then greeted each other and exchanged spontaneous gifts and souvenirs. 

The following is from a letter written by Henry Williamson, a 19 year old British soldier, on December 26, 1914.

Dear Mother, 

I am writing from the trenches. It is 11 o'clock in the morning.  Beside me is a coke fire, opposite me a 'dug-out' (wet) with straw in it.  The ground is sloppy in the actual trench, but frozen elsewhere. In my mouth is a pipe presented by the Princess Mary.  In the pipe is tobacco.  Of course, you say.  But wait.  In the pipe is German tobacco.  Haha, you say, from a prisoner or found in a captured trench. Oh dear, no!  From a German soldier.  Yes a live German soldier from his own trench. Yesterday the British & Germans met & shook hands in the Ground between the trenches, & exchanged souvenirs, & shook hands. Yes, all day Xmas day, & as I write. Marvellous, isn't it? Yes.

The following day witnessed soccer matches in some sectors of the front.  The war would continue on for another four years, however, and progressively grew worse in its barbarity.  No further “Christmas Truces” were witnessed, at least not the likes of which had been seen in 1914.

When we sing “Silent Night” this Christmas, think about the silent field of battle on December 24, 1914.  Let that image then remind us that Jesus Christ has also silenced the wrath of God against His people.  Think about the temporary, cautious reconciliation between British and German soldier.  Then think about the eternal, bold reconciliation between those that are in Christ and the Father.  For those that have faith in Jesus Christ, the cease of hostilities between them and the Father endures forever, and that promise has been guaranteed by Christ’s resurrection. 

Marvelous, isn’t it?  Yes, indeed.

Suicides in the Military

A Christian Army chaplain was recently punished for quoting the Bible during a suicide prevention training session.  There are two things that bother me about this.

First, if one does not want a chaplain to use supporting documentation from their faith then they should not ask a chaplain at all.  It is ridiculous that something so obvious even has to be spelled out.  If someone asks a psychiatrist to teach a suicide prevention training session, we should expect some psychiatric anecdotes to support their position.  They would, after all, be a psychiatrist.  Nor should anyone be surprised or offended if a Muslim chaplain quoted the Koran or a Jewish chaplain quoted the Torah during such a training session.  There is nothing illegal about a chaplain talking about their faith, especially during an applicable topic like suicide, which brings me to my second point.

Suicide needs to be taken seriously.  I will say that again because I am not convinced that we do.  Suicide needs to be taken seriously.  The military is still losing an average of one member every 18 hours to suicide.  The military leadership that punished that chaplain needs to redirect their focus on that statistic.  It does not help that the civilian sector takes suicide no more serious.  Rather, there is now a rise of suicide glorification in our culture, even referring to such acts as “dignified.”  This is nonsense.  This is irresponsible.  This is dangerous and its needs to be addressed.  We need leadership in the military and in the civilian sector to raise awareness on this epidemic.

Sir Henry Boynton: My Rebellious Ancestor

You will find the good, the bad, and the ugly when researching your ancestry.  Going back 22 generations, Sir Henry Boynton, a knight, is a grandfather of mine on my mother’s side.  He was executed in 1405 for taking up arms against king Henry IV of England in the “Northern Rising.”  Boynton had joined Sir Henry Percy, 1^st Earl of Northumberland and Richard le Scrope, Archbishop of York, in the rebellion.  The insurrection was fueled by the king’s proposal to confiscate the clergy’s landed wealth.  On May 27, Percy, Scrope, Boynton and a force of 8,000 men assembled to battle at Shipton, North Yorkshire.  Instead of giving battle, Scrope parleyed and was tricked into disbanding the army in return for ensuring their personal safety.  Scrope and Boynton were arrested yet Percy was able to escape across the border to Scotland.  Scrope was then executed June 8 and Boynton on July 2.  At his execution, Sir Henry Boynton left behind his wife Elizabeth (daughter of Sir John Merrifield) and his son William, which is why I am here able to write this!

The Northern Rising rebellion was just one of many during the 15^th century between the two royal houses of York and Lancaster that eventually became known as the War of Roses, which in turn inspired today’s novels and TV series “Game of Thrones.”

Andrew Van Vranken, Union University, p. 213-214, accessed from https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=XOMnAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA214. 

Why the Word "Corn"?

Etymology, i.e. the history of words, has always fascinated me.  While engaged in my German studies recently I came across the word, “Korn,” which as an English speaker I falsely assumed meant “corn.”  The German word “Korn” actually translates to “grain” in English.  I was then curious what the English word “corn” translated to in German, which turns out to be “Mais.”  Having taken two years of Spanish in High School and being raised in North America, I instantly recognized the German word “Mais” as deriving from the Spanish word “Maize.”

So, what happened?  In the 18^th century, the English and Germans referred to the many varieties of grain as simply, “corn” (Old English) or “Korn” (German.)  American colonists referred to what we today call corn as “Indian corn” i.e. Indian grain.  Over time, we in the United States eventually dropped the adjective “Indian” and kept the noun “corn."  Meanwhile, our cousins back in England and Germany adopted the Spanish term, “Maize,” which the Spanish had adopted from the Taino, an indigenous Caribbean people.

Wait a minute.  If the word “corn” was the Old English term for “grain,” then where did that word come from?  How was it used?  See my train of thought and how unending and interesting the study of words can be?  OK, perhaps not for you.

But to answer the question, “grain” comes…

Just kidding.

Essay Contest

I can now officially say that my love for writing has put money in my pocket.  The following is an essay that I submitted for a work essay writing contest.  I won, which put $250 in my pocket.

                                              The Captain: An Unsought for Mentor
                                                          by TSgt Kevin Reed

I had been in the Air Force a mere four years and one month when I pinned on Staff Sergeant.  I was fresh out of Airman Leadership School and fully motivated to change the world, starting with the Air Force.  I was green and everybody knew it except for me.  Fortunately, someone took the initiative to mentor me.  The Air Force Captain in my work center was a prior-service Marine.  I looked up to him because he was respected by co-workers, a family man, and academically accomplished.  His work load was significant, yet he took the time to pass on his professional knowledge.  He explained to me his own professional “road-map”; where he was at, what it took to get him there, where he planned to be in the future, and how he was going to get there.  He demonstrated an enthusiasm not only for the job but also for instilling in me the skills to be successful.  There was always an emphasis on the importance of learning, both on and off duty.  What I found most valuable was his genuine feedback that revealed I was a valued asset to his team. 

Using the Captain as my role model, I went on to become distinguished graduate of Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, complete my Bachelor’s Degree, and start my Master’s Degree.  These accomplishments took a great deal of time outside of duty hours.  Being a family man himself, the Captain always stressed the importance of balancing professional development with taking care of one’s family.  Using his guidance, I have been able to accomplish my professional goals while also helping my amazing wife raise our six children.

Ten years have passed since I last worked with the Captain, yet the lessons I learned from him are still fresh in my mind.  I often ask myself if I am employing the professionalism, compassion, and enthusiasm that I witnessed him display on and off duty.  In addition to my children, I am responsible for Airmen of my own.  I have become known as an academic cheerleader, motivating those around me to place a greater emphasis on education.  I empathize when their struggles and celebrate with their triumphs.  Like the Captain before me, I take an invested interest in their success.  I now help my Airmen develop their own professional road-maps, advising them to avoid mistakes that I have made on my own path.  Ultimately, I seek to employ the Captain’s attribute of leading by example.  On a character level, that includes owning up to my faults and asking for forgiveness when necessary.  Rather than viewing this as a sign of weakness, I agree with the Captain that it is a sign of strength and integrity. 

            Take the time to look around and identify those around you that are your mentors in addition to those that you could be a mentor for.  Being a mentor does not require an official acknowledgment by either party.  The Captain never explicitly stated to me, “I am your mentor.”  He did not have to.  His actions demonstrated as much.  

Be a Hero, Write a Hero

My dear friend, Daniel Pike, has invasive squamous cell carcinoma.  This Wednesday, November 19^th, he will have over half his tongue removed, which will be followed by radiation and chemo treatment.  As a husband and father of three children, Daniel is the family’s primary source of income, yet his recovery will take him out of work for several months.

My plan is to raise money to help mitigate a portion of the financial burden the Pike’s will incur.  I will be the editor of an anthology of short stories contributed by anyone interested.  The final product will be free, but donations would be accepted and all profits would go to the Pike family.

Daniel is a huge science fiction, fantasy, and comic book fan.  The short stories should be in one of these genres, though much leeway will be given.  The overarching theme of the stories should be about the celebration of life, imagination, and hope.  There are no age requirements for contributors, yet I ask that there be no R rated content.  All contributors will retain intellectual rights to their stories (more than one submission is fine).  I ask that all stories be submitted to me by March 1^st, 2015.  I aim to have the final product out by June 1^st, 2015.  Please send submissions to kevinandallison@gmail.com. 

If you are not interested in this collaborative effort, please still consider donating now at the Pike’s personal fundraising site.

Wading Through the Misinformation

Imagine its three months ago, one month before my daughter Melody was born, and my wife was hit by a drunk driver, resulting in Melody's death. Under current Colorado law, the drunk driver would avoid prosecution because Melody would not have been recognized as a person. Fortunately, this did not happen to us, but it has happened to others.

Amendment 67 would change that.  The ballot question states:

"Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution protecting pregnant women and unborn children by defining "person" and "child" in the Colorado criminal code and the Colorado wrongful death act to include unborn human beings?"

If passed, Article XVIII, Section 17 of the Colorado constitution would then include:

"In the interest of the protection of pregnant mothers and their unborn children from criminal offenses and neglect and wrongful acts, the words "person" and "child" in the Colorado Criminal Code and the Colorado Wrongful Death Act must include unborn human beings."

Some have erroneously made Amendment 67 into an abortion issue.  Some may find it difficult to wade through all the fear-mongering muck of misinformation out there.  They could, however, just try reading the ballot question and the legislation it will actually effect.  

Amendment 67 is about holding those accountable that commit "criminal offenses" which result in the death of unborn children. Drunk driving is a criminal offense, abortion is not. We need to hold criminals accountable.  Of course, those that vote "No" on Amendment 67 would disagree.

Valuing Life in the Face of Death

Our culture has a problem facing death.  This is seen in everything from the death penalty, abortion, foreign policy, to the acceptance of suicide.  While this list may seem like we have embraced death well, we have not.  There is one thing in common between the way we put our guilty to death, murder our unborn, kill foreigners, and praise suicide; they all place the horrible reality of death out of sight.  We want our nation’s guilty to be sentenced to death, but we do not want to watch it happen.  We are fine with encouraging others to kill their babies, but would certainly never want to watch that happen, either.  We are fine with our nation being engaged in a perpetual state of war, as long as the atrocities are committed far from our own homes.  We do not want to be faced with the discomfort of watching a loved one slowly die before our eyes.  We would rather the sick be removed from our sight, now. 

Death is repugnant.  Death is profane.  To some extent I think we grasp this or we would not avoid it so.  On the occasion that we are forced to face the grotesque reality of death, we try to change our perception of it in our minds.  When someone commits suicide, we call it “brave.”  When someone commits suicide in the face of a terminal illness, we call it “dignified.”  Never believe that suicide is “dignified.”  Never let anyone tell you that suicide is “brave.”  Those are lies.  There is nothing dignified about death.  Death is a heinous molestation of that which was once bright and beautiful.  While there may be bravery in death, as is seen when one lays down their life for another, there is nothing brave about self-murder.  I have seen close friends and family die from both agonizing illness and from suicide.  The former was brave, the latter was not, yet neither was dignified.  

As uncomfortable as it may be, facing death helps us value life and see that this value is intrinsic.  Life’s value is independent of our perception of one’s usefulness.  Life’s value is independent of our ever fluctuating standard of what is deemed as “quality of life.” 

  

Free Will, The Fall and The Holy Spirit

“Why do some desire God while others do not?”  

Such questions inevitably bring up terms like, “Free Will,” which should only, if at all, be used in carefully explained situations.  Free Will here is defined as making choices according to one’s own desire.1  The nature of mankind, however, is marred by The Fall2, making us unable to desire God.3  Our inclination towards evil and self-destruction does not free us from such a responsibility, however.  In this state, we freely choose to flee from God.  In this state, Free Will is a curse, which continues until the Holy Spirit performs a work of regeneration in us, renewing our desire such that we can freely run to, rather than away from God.4 As such, the glory of a sinner repenting and trusting in Christ alone for their salvation belongs to God alone.5

Despite this, we who now have renewed wills capable of desiring God are still capable of sinning, as corruption from The Fall remains within us.  This remaining corruption can make us unnecessarily miserable and depressed.6 We overcome this corruption over time as we rely on the strength of the Holy Spirit.7 This same Spirit also ensures that we persevere in our desire for God to the end.8 

1. R.C. Sproul, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1992), 179.

2. Gen. 3:6-8; Rom. 3:23; Gen. 2:27; Eph. 2:1-3; Rom. 5:12; Gen. 6:5; Jer. 17:9; Titus 1:15; Rom. 3:10-19; 1 Cor. 15:21-22, 49; Ps. 51:5; John 3:6; Rom. 7:18; Rom. 8:7;

3. Rom. 8:7-8; John 6:44, 65; John 15:5; Rom. 5:5.   

4. Acts 26:18; 1 Cor. 2:10, 12; Eph. 1:17-18; 2 Cor. 4:6; Ezek. 36:26; John 6:44-45; Acts 16:14; Ps. 110:3; John 6:37; Matt. 11:28; Rev. 22:17; Rom. 6:16-18; Eph. 2:8; Phil. 1:29.

5. Titus 1:1; Heb. 10:39.

6. Gal. 5:17; Rom. 7:14-15; 1 John 1:8-10.

7. 2 Pet. 3:18; 2 Cor. 3:18.

8. Phil. 1:6; 2 Pet. 1:10; Rom. 8:28-30; John 10:28-29; 1 John 3:9; 1 John 5:18; 1 Pet. 1:5, 9.

Christian Zionism and American Foreign Policy

Never fails. War starts up between the states of Israel and Palestine and American Christian Zionism rears its ugly head.  Why?  While Christian Zionists believe that Christ’s covenant was a fulfillment of the Mosaic covenant, i.e. dealing with salvation, they do not believe that Christ’s covenant was a fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant, i.e. dealing with Abraham’s offspring and land.  Christian Zionists, however, miss the Apostle Paul’s point in Galatians 3 that the offspring (singular) and the land (God’s Kingdom) are realized in Christ.  Christ is the offspring.  Those that belong to Christ are also Abraham’s offspring (Gal 3:28-29).  Abraham’s children are spiritual, not ethnic.  Furthermore, this “land,” God’s Kingdom, is not dependent upon where lines are drawn on a map in the Middle East.  Rather, the Kingdom of God is found in Christ.

Does this mean that I do not support the contemporary state of Israel?  Certainly not.  I support Israel’s right to defend itself just as much as I support any nation’s right to, including Palestine.  It is a complicated situation and I do not have any easy answers for that region.  If Christian Zionists, however, are going to allow their interpretation of Scripture to affect their foreign policy, I would ask that they re-read the New Testament and consider how Christ’s covenant affected the Old Testament covenants.

Encouragement for This Season's Mover

Having a military career means lots of moving.  In the last fifteen years I have moved my family no less than nine times; an average of once every 20 months.  Military members also often help each other move.  Over an entire career, that is a lot of moves I have participated in.  Over time, our nomadic lifestyle has disciplined us into developing adaptive and persevering natures.  We grow not only accustomed to change but over time thrive and even yearn for it.  

I realized recently that my “adaptive and persevering” nature has developed a thorn.  I have become condescending towards those that rarely move and therefore buckle under the pressure of doing so.  However, in a moment of my significant lack of sympathy in my neighbor’s struggle, I was hit with an epiphany; moving is not normal.  Consider the first move of Man.  Adam and Eve lived in the paradise of Eden until they sinned and were promptly evicted from the premises (Gen 3:23-24).  Every time we move it is a reminder of original sin and the resulting alienation between Man and God.  Even in the best of situations, when we choose to move rather than be evicted, we are merely seeking something better than we have, ultimately searching for that which can only be satisfied when we finally arrive in God’s Heavenly Kingdom.  We drag our families around in pursuit of that better job, prestigious school district, bigger house, etc.  There is nothing wrong with any of these, yet our never ending hunger for such things is really an ancient echo of our eviction from Eden and our longing to return.

Moving will continue to be a part of life this side of glory.  Being adaptive and persevering through change are sound traits.  However, one should never become so callous to moving that they look down on those that rightly struggle.  Do you trust in the righteous works of Jesus alone for your salvation?  If so, you can go through the process of moving with the peace of mind that at least your move into the Kingdom God has already been accomplished.  

Here's to Complicating Your 4th

Every 4^th of July I have mixed feelings. There are, of course, the patriotic emotions that are hard to avoid when one is surrounded by loved ones under a firework filled night sky. Why the mixed feelings? As my wife often points out, I am a rule follower. I am most comfortable when I obey the established authority. As a child I obeyed my parents. As a Christian I obey God. As a citizen I obey my government. In this context I realize that I would most likely have been a Loyalist during the time of the American Revolution. I cannot see myself taking up arms against my country, in that case England, and my King. 

I sympathize greatly with the often misunderstood "traitor," Benedict Arnold. He first fought beside his countrymen (English & American colonists) in 1755 against the tyranny of France and their terrorizing Indian tactics during the French and Indian War. Later, believing in the American struggle against British oppression, Arnold took up arms against his country and became the most brilliant soldier of the Continental Army, most notably at the Battle of Saratoga, at which his right leg was desperately wounded. His private correspondence displayed both a spirit of rebellion against tyranny and a desire to see America eventually rekindle her communion with England.  However, Arnold was beside himself upon learning of the Franco/American alliance of 1778, an unthinkable treason to any British-American. Arnold changed sides and once again fought for his King.  Having traded his blue coat for a red one, Arnold later asked a captured Continental officer what the Americans would do if they captured him.  The officer replied, “Cut off your right leg, bury it with full military honors, and then hang the rest of you on a gibbet.”

I do not live during the American Revolutionary era, however. The American colonists won and I live on this side of history. I have since attempted to take up and participate in this experiment of liberty and the spirit of rebellion against tyranny. The mixed feelings continue, however, and will likely endure for some time.

The Taliban Are Not Terrorists

There are a few common misconceptions regarding the Afghanistan War that I would like to address.  

First: “Our military is fighting Taliban terrorists.”

The Taliban our military is fighting are not terrorists but rather enemy combatants of an insurgency that seeks to regain control of Afghanistan.  As such, when an enemy combatant is captured they become a prisoner of war (POW) and afforded the rights acknowledged by both U.S. and international law.   

Second: “We traded 5 terrorists for 1 U.S. soldier.  We don’t negotiate with terrorists.”

The tradition of conducting POW exchanges has an historical precedent found throughout modern warfare.  During the current Afghanistan War the U.S. has returned over 600 Taliban POWs since 2002.

Third: “The terrorists we have released are dangerous.”

Possibly.  This is more of an assumption than a misconception.  The recently released Taliban POWs swore to cease from hostilities for the duration of the war and must remain in Doha for the next year with monitored, restricted liberty.  One in ten released Taliban POWs have returned to fight in the war.  Will the recently released Taliban POWs rejoin the fight?  Possible, but not probable as the Afghanistan War will likely come to a close in the next year or two.  At that point in time, the remaining 140 Taliban POWs in Guantanamo will also be returned.  This is not to be lamented but solemnly accepted as a necessary condition for the completion of a tragic period of the early 21st century.  

What is to be lamented is that after nearly 13 years of war Americans still call the Taliban terrorists, demonstrating their significant lack of knowledge regarding the entering arguments for the war to begin with.  I say lament, but as an Active Duty Armed Forces member, Americans' general ignorance regarding U.S. foreign policy scares the hell out of me.

We Say Goodbye to Trip

Our dog, Trip, passed away last night. He lived a full life of 13 years.  As we bury him this Memorial Day morning, Trip was in a way a veteran to us. A few years ago he protected the children from a rattle snake. Taking a bite on the paw as he placed himself between the snake and our children typified his life of safeguarding us from danger over the years.

Our five year old asked the expected, universal question of all children that age (and all adults, if we are honest with ourselves), “Will we see Trip in heaven?” Our response is that we don’t know.  We do know God is love. We know God loves us. We know the Father is the creator of all things, including our precious Trip. If it would please us to be with Trip again in heaven, we believe it would please our Father, who in His providence both brought and took Trip away, to unite us once again.

The New Order: A Worthy Addition

The Wolfenstein family of games have come a long way since I got involved with Wolfenstein 3D back in 1992. The newest installment of Wolfenstein: The New World Order was released on May 20th and it does not disappoint. As one would expect from Bethesda, who brought us hits like Fallout 3 and Skyrim, The New Order is fantastic. The game takes place in 1960 Europe in an alternate timeline where the Nazis had won the Second World War. The gamer takes on the perspective of an American soldier attempting to overthrow the heavily technocratic Nazi powers that have since taken over the world.  One faces cyber men, robots, and drones in a dark, dirty distopia, where it is as if Nazis have joined powers with Skynet. The soundtrack is noteworthy, as well. The alternate timeline theme continues with a comical but somewhat creepy twist on our familiar sounds of the 1960s.  What if The Animals' “House of the Rising Sun” did not take place in New Orleans but rather NeuBerlin?

I was living in Germany when Return to Castle Wolfenstein was released in 2001.  The American edition of the game was illegal in Germany because of the Nazi symbols found throughout.  Because of this, the German edition had the Wolfenstein eagle symbol in place of Swastikas.  Anything related to the Nazis in games or toys is still illegal in Germany today; as such the German version of The New Order has been white-washed of any Nazi symbols.  Even the term “Nazis” has been replaced with simply “The Regime.”  I know anything related to Nazis is a sensitive issue in Germany, but the removal of such related symbols and terms always struck me as odd.  Like a vampire at the sight of blood or a werewolf at the sight of a full moon, is there a fear that there is something inherent to the German that will uncontrollably turn him or her into a psychopathic, world dominating Nazi at the mere sight of a Swastika?  Perhaps our way in America is also strange; train our youth through games to shoot those that wear the symbol.  

Awkward for One, Awkward for All

Social etiquette requires that we, if at all possible, not make others around us uncomfortable.  We have all experienced it; the collective, uncomfortable silence.  “Somebody say something,” we think to ourselves.  I was once at a social gathering where my host commented that although she was already my wife’s Facebook “Friend,” she would not “Friend” me because “that would just be weird because you’re a married man.”  I thought, “Yes.  That is weird...now...because you’ve just made it awkward for everybody listening.”  I do understand that for some people social media can mean nefarious business.  One does not need to be Facebook “Friends,” however, to engage in such activity as even the messaging capability is available to everyone, “Friend” or not.  Regardless, this person felt awkward with the concept.  I can comprehend that.  However, she made her awkwardness everyone’s awkwardness as thoughts of infidelity spread throughout the room.  I call this the “Awkward for One, Awkward for All” scenario.

A mother is nursing her infant in public...with her breast!  This may be an awkward situation for some, especially Americans, even if the woman is covered.   When I was stationed in Europe, I often witnessed women breastfeeding their baby uncovered.  At first I was uncomfortable.  I grew up in the U.S. where women rarely breastfed and when they did they were most certainly covered.  Rather than make my discomfort everyone’s discomfort, I took my cue from the Europeans around me who did not make a scene of it.  Today, I am fine being around a woman breastfeeding, covered or uncovered, but I know not all are.  In fact, some may not only feel awkward about public breastfeeding but may actually be against it.  They may even make passive aggressive comments about it.  Their discomfort becomes everyone’s discomfort, and that is poor social etiquette.

This post itself may have made you feel uncomfortable but what did you expect on Hardly Tolerable?

Does a Name Prefix Matter?

Every child enjoys receiving mail addressed to them personally.  I enjoyed receiving birthday cards from my great-grandmother more than anyone else as the envelopes were always addressed to “Master Kevin Reed.”  At first I was confused and my mother explained to me that “Master” was the proper title for a boy and that upon becoming a man I would be addressed as “Mr.” I then learned that young girls were addressed as “Miss,” unmarried women as “Ms.” and married women as “Mrs.” In this light, I found that the title “Master” made me feel significant.  I knew that while only a young boy, society was already acknowledging me and my place in it.

Today it is common for unmarried and married women alike to be addressed as “Ms.” In many situations one may not know if a woman is married or not and so it is believed safer to address a woman simply as “Ms.” However, I recently received a letter addressed to “Mr. and Ms.” Clearly in context of the correspondence the “Ms.” was really a “Mrs.” Was it a typo?  Not likely.  My experience has witnessed that many professional women today prefer to be addressed as “Ms.” Just as I understood as a young boy; a title reflects how society acknowledges a woman and her place in it.  The title “Mrs.” can be seen as too submissive to her husband, an irreconcilable trait for today’s professional woman seeking to be taken as an equal among male co-workers.  It is not enough that a married woman reject her husband’s surname, for a maiden name could also be mistaken for her husband's surname, and that just wont do.

If this sounds like a lament for the loss of the title “Mrs.” among married women of my time, it is true.  Hold the accusations of “misogynist,” however.  Remember that a title is how society acknowledges you and your place in it.  Women in my time have adopted the title “Ms.” because men have not treated them well in decades past, most specifically in the professional environment.  I regret the loss of the title “Mrs.” not only because the married association in the title of a woman is gone, but because it reminds me of why it has been dropped in the first place.

Pipe Smoking and the Doctor Visit

Six months ago I discovered the joy of pipe smoking, a leisure activity I occasionally indulge in.  Contrary to American suburban life in the twenty first century, the pipe smoking ritual is a slow one.  I often smoke alone, but enjoy the thought provoking company of other pipe smokers.  I smoke on my back deck, not just out of consideration for my family but because the view and weather in Colorado is great.  With my pipe in hand I entertain my thoughts uninterrupted to the pleasant aroma of pipe tobacco.

 

It used to be an annual requirement to meet with my doctor in the military.  Due to recent cost cuts, I have not seen a doctor in a few years.  Instead, I meet with an 18 year old airman who takes my blood pressure, height and weight, and then asks me a series of questions relating to eating habits, frequency of drinking and smoking, mental health, sleeping habits etc.  During my recent meeting, the airman asked me if I used tobacco products, to which I almost replied with a “no” out of habit.  I affirmed that I started smoking six months ago. 

“Cigarette, pipe, or smokeless tobacco?” asked the monotone airman, his back to me and face glued to the computer screen.

“Pipe,” I responded, perhaps with a hint of pride.  The airman glanced over his shoulder at me, raised a classic Spock eyebrow, and then returned to typing.

 

“How many times a day do you smoke?” asked the airman, returning to his zombie like state of data entry.

 

“I don’t smoke daily,” I replied a bit too defensively, “just on weekends.”  The airman continued to click the data away into the electronic medical archive, where it will remain hidden until reluctantly discovered by a future, equally disinterested VA employee.

“Have you made plans to quit?” the airman asked, not out of genuine concern but because he had come to his final required question. 

“Why would I do that?” I asked, unable to control a laugh.  “I just started!”

Defense of a Pro-Life Libertarian

As a Libertarian I have been slammed from both sides of the “political aisle.”  Being a Confessional and Reformed Christian, some of my harshest critics, however, have come from my Christian friends on the Right.  Their contention has been primarily centered around the Libertarian Party’s position on abortion.  From my experience, the common belief seems to be that the Libertarian Party is pro-abortion.  It is not.  Section 1.4 of the Libertarian Party's platform states:

“Recognizing that abortion is a sensitive issue and that people can hold good-faith views on all sides, we believe that government should be kept out of the matter, leaving the question to each person for their conscientious consideration.”

This position does allow the possibility for a Libertarian to be pro-abortion.  It also allows for one to be pro-life, as well.  However, Section 1.4 most accurately represents the pro-choice Libertarian; one who is personally pro-life, but believes one has the right to make a choice.  I hold to neither the pro-abortion or pro-choice positions.  Being pro-life, I believe the unborn child is an individual and should be afforded the same right to life as one who has already been born.  The party platform states under “Statement of Principles” that:

“…individuals have the right to exercise sole dominion over their own lives, and have the right to live in whatever manner they choose so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal rights of others to live in whatever manner they choose.”

A pro-life Libertarian views abortion as an infringement on the right to life for the unborn, who are the ultimate voiceless minority in any society.  The Libertarian Party takes great pride in rejecting the historical premise that “the State has the right to dispose of the lives of individuals.”  I, therefore, find the pro-abortion and even pro-choice positions to be inherently anti-libertarian.  Abortion simply is the most totalitarian act any individual could ever make.  While the State should not have the right to dispose of the lives of individuals, neither should an individual.  The Libertarian Party is the penultimate anti-government party and yet concedes that a legitimate use of government is to uphold prohibition of murder.

I disagree with Libertarian Party platform Section 1.4.  I am still a Libertarian and will remain so for the foreseeable future.  One can be a member of a political party without agreeing with every single tenet and action of that party.  I sincerely doubt that Christian Republicans and Democrats want to kill or ruin the lives of their Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East, yet their party’s foreign policies have done just that.  I would hardly call a Republican or Democrat a persecutor of Christians even though their foreign policy says otherwise.

Open Invitation to Join Me in Learning

I love learning. Learning for free is better. If I earned credit from all the free online courses I have watched, listened to or read over the years I would have several undergraduate degrees. However, the purpose of learning is not about holding a piece of paper that says "degree." Rather, learning is a life long process of exercising our critical thinking skills as we grow in our understanding of the world around us. There is also an interconnection of knowledge that requires the learner to expand beyond their favorite areas of study. In order to grow one must widen their knowledge base. This does not occur in isolation, but rather through engaging with others. "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another" (Prov.27:17), highlighting the importance for the online learner to find others to wrestle with.

Open Culture and Ligonier provide free online courses. It would be a pleasure to join you in the course of your choice.

The Golden Rule and the Masochist

Theocratic states have blood on their hands.  Christian Crusades, Jewish conquest of Canaan, and the contemporary Islamic conflict in the Middle East are just a few of a very long list of religious sanctioned violence.  Theocracies are not alone; secular atheist states are familiar with atrocity, as well.  The last century witnessed godless dictators of fascist and communist countries kill 242 million of their own people.  The concurrent theme between the theocratic state and the secular atheist state is the state and its use of force to progress an ideology.  Both atheist and theist must come together and find common ground if they are to subdue the state.  

Religions share the theme of love, commonly referred to as the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you would want to be treated.  This concept is not exclusive to religions.  Atheists also see value in treating others the way they in turn would like to be treated.  The Golden Rule operates on the assumption, however, that everybody cares for their own well-being.  The masochist has no place in this model.  These individuals are insecure self-haters with self-destructive personalities and could care less about those around them.  The Golden Rule means nothing to them.  They seek to dominate others and there is no better means to satisfy their desire than through governmental force.  With such power at their disposal liberty is freely molested.  Citizens are spied on, their income stolen and arms confiscated.  They are told who they are permitted to marry and who is to educate their children.  The hatred within these masochists knows no bounds, going so far as to justify and encourage the murder of their unborn children.

“What moral system should government follow? The same one individuals follow. Do not steal. Do not murder. Do not bear false witness. Do not covet. Do not foster vice. If governments would merely follow the moral law that all religions recognize, we would live in a world of peace, prosperity and freedom. The system is called classical liberalism. Liberty is not complicated.” – Ron Paul, Liberty Defined

In order to stop government from taking your liberty we must first stop trying to take it from each other.  You see, there is a little masochist in all of us.  Search within.  Find him.  Subdue him before he rears his ugly head and strikes another.