Why Dick Durbin will not be in heaven

because he doesn't know how to admit guilt. To be completely honest I am not judging Senator Durbin's eternal destiny. That isn't my job and I am more than delighted to leave that to the One whose job it is for all of us.

By now you have heard and the hype is over about the Senator's comment concerning GITMO and his subsequent reasons for saying what he said. By comparing the "Americans in control of prisoners" to Nazis and so forth he created a fire-storm of criticism with most calling for an apology. At first he offered explanations of what he meant with respect to the Adminstration and their policies of interrogation. That was followed by his regret "if" he was misunderstood.

"I have learned from my statement that historical parallels can be misused and misunderstood. I sincerely regret if what I said caused anyone to misunderstand my true feelings: our soldiers around the world and their families at home deserve our respect, admiration and total support." Durbin Senate Statement

Then he came forward with his apology. Which as you read it you see that it really isn't. That is why I titled this post as such. In the above scenario replace the American public and critics of Sen. Durbin with God and replace Sen. Durbin with yourself. In the course of events you and I say and do things that are just wrong. We become aware of their wrongness and we seek to explain our rationale for such "wrongness" only to realize that still doesn't change their wrongness nor our condition of being wrong. Then we attempt to justify and posture ourselves as being regretful about our wrongness. That is a step, albeit a tiny one, in the correct direction but it still isn't sufficient to move us from our position of being wrong.

Turning to Sen. Durbin's apology. Associated Press Article The apology, however, falls incredibly short. "Some may believe that my remarks crossed the line, to them I extend my heartfelt apologies." That isn't an admission of being wrong. That's being condescending about the possibility of being wrong. I honestly do not want to castigate Sen. Durbin for his insufficient political apology. I don't really believe that he thinks that he was wrong and that is my whole "eternal destiny" point.

Go back to the substitution of God as the American public and you and I as Sen. Durbin. Offering this kind of apology to God for our "wrongness" isn't going to wash with Him. Only when we fully admit our guilt and complete need of forgiveness, only when we change our minds about offense that is Godward for our personal sin can we begin to fathom the gift of salvation offered in Jesus Christ. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us."

We who are "wrong" before God must say, "I am wrong I need Your forgiveness through Jesus Christ." That isn't quite the same as "Some people say that I have offended you God, if that is true I regret that"

No explanations, no excuses, just admit it...we're guilty...and need Christ.

Peace

Redirected by a mentor

Look just a little bit to your left...see the list of books I'm reading. Maybe not so important to you but I like to read and am often influenced by other peoples reading list. I haven't finished it yet but that book at the top of the list. Good stuff...well at least as far as I've gotten in it.

I had the privledge of having Dr. Bruce Ware for a professor and the contents of his new book aren't foreign but they are compacted and refined, to me, as purer gold then when I heard them the first time in class. That is probably due to changes in me rather than in his teaching or doctrine. That you can take to the bank.

In the acknowledgements he writes, "More that any other needs we have as human beings and as Christians, we need to know God." AMEN I said and then began to think about the activities of my life and my recent fascination with NUMB3RS. God worked as only He can and I found myself redirected in this activity...blogging. I'm still working through the actual details but faithful reader, and newcomer alike, I will be writing differently as I blog. So pay attention to the shift and I trust that God will bless you as together we "know Him, the one true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent = eternal life." John 17.3

Peace

Laughing at Tom Cruise

Yesterday I saw the report where Tom Cruise got squirted in the face with a squirt gun by a ficticious reporter at the opening of one of his movies overseas. He laughed at first and then held on to the guys hands so he couldn't get away. The man posed as a reporter to get the prank on film for a television show that pulls pranks on celebrities. I hope that the irony isn't lost on you.

As of late Tom has had his face everywhere and he seems to enjoy the limelight. He's even placed his proposal to Katie Holmes on display for the entire world to see. Not to mention his scientology. Which by the way he wasn't displaying very well the serenity and inner peace of an upper level practitioner when he was seething mad at the squirt gun assailant and restraining him physically. Nor was he displaying well when he used the media immediately to degrade the assailant. But enough of that digression. Rather look at the irony. Tom who ostensibly wouldn't be anyone without the media industry was "attacked" by one of his own. Which showed the world that the megastars aren't really. He reacted rather humanly. But the t.v. show guy and Tom are cut from the same cloth. They need each other. If Tom doesn't get the coverage he becomes a nobody and if the t.v. guy doesn't have Tom his show isn't all that interesting. Sorry Mr. Funt but it's already been done.

I guess what I'm trying to say is Hollywood, yer all wet. *snicker snicker*

NUMB3RS

Have you seen the show? It's on Friday nights. And I'm hooked. I really don't care much for t.v. and watch far less now than I once did but I like this show.

The premise is that an older brother works for the FBI and he is an excellent agent but some crimes have his team stumped. Enter the younger brother who is a math genius and uses NUMB3RS to help assist his brother solve cases. Add in a few interpersonal relationships and struggles and viola you have a show.

I think there are two reasons why I like the show so much. One is my own interest in numbers. In high school I was quite good at the math and sciences. I even entered college to become a math teachers. Then I got to differential equations and bottomed out...failed the course twice. So I like the show because it fulfills a distant dream of mine from long ago. Besides I am not really certain that the show and the way math is used is an honest and real use of math but that leads to the second reason why I like the show.

The idea that math could be used for such an application, whether the show is accurate is irrelevant to the point, leads me to think about intelligent design of the universe we live in...Yeah God. And that after all is the real bottom line. Whatever you do in word or deed do all for the glory of God.