State of the World, part 4

George Friedman from STRATFOR has published the fourth part of the State of the World series.

This series details the history of the existence of the German state from the geopolitical standpoint, as well as the geopolitical implications of the economic crisis currently gripping the European Union.  Another author has stated in the past that an economic union is not possible without a unified political body also, which in the current state of Europe is unlikely.  So, with the future of the European Union in jeopardy, where can Germany turn to for strategic security?  The answer has global implications for Europe, the UK, and even the US.


________________________________________________________________________________

In Defense of Christianity

I found a terribly unsettling article today on Space.com.  I have not yet decided what is most unsettling about it, that people at NASA/JPL would use budgetary constraints as a convenient excuse for firing someone who espouses Intelligent Design, (which is an absolutely valid scientific theory... albeit an unproven one), or that the person fired would bring a lawsuit against them.

Was it unfair for them to fire someone for this?  Absolutely, but if anything David Coppedge should be rejoicing that he lost his job for Christ.  There is no better reason to lose your job for.  He will be honored in heaven for this sacrifice.  The whole idea of the Alliance Defense Fund is unsettling to me, as it seems that one cannot be both Christian and a prosecutor at the same time.  The whole idea of Christianity is that our fundamental worth is founded in Christ; and as such, we can absorb anything that this faithless world throws at us with grace and dignity and still show love to them.

Do we destroy the foundation of Christianity in order to defend it, or do we trust that Christianity will defend itself?  Those who truly espouse it can take anything that this world throws at us, and still love them.

State of the World, part 3

George Friedman from STRATFOR with the third portion of his State of the World series:

I have been convinced by his previous articles that China is not nearly as strong as it seems.  The geopolitical framework that he lays out below further clarifies why.

The soul of Christianity

These verses speak more to the soul of Christianity than John 3:16 ever does. 

At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.  The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group  and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.  The Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"  They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.  When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."  Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.  At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.  Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"  "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

--  John 8:1-11

Every true Christian, comes to the point of the woman caught in adultery and falls at the feet of God for mercy, with nothing to bring but our sin and our heart.  After that, the struggle not to become the Teacher of the Law begins.