“Every human being, created in the image of God, is endowed with a power akin to that of the Creator—individuality, power to think and to do. The men in whom this power is developed are the men who bear responsibilities,…
Tag: liberty
American Beastly Leadership (4 of 5)-#16 in Series
This series has contrasted servant and beastly leadership. The last 3 posts brought Adventism and America into this contrast. The prognosis of Revelation 13 is that America could abandon its role as servant leader. How? Here, I explore four ways…
American Beastly Leadership (2 of 5)-#14 in Series
In post #13 on “servant” or “beastly” leadership, I used Revelation 10-14 to show the emergence of Adventists and America in prophecy and as agents of servant leadership. The strongest match was made for Adventists. The identifiers were: use of…
American Beastly Leadership (1 of 5)– #13 in Series
The last 12 posts contrasted beastly and servant leadership, using scripture illustrations to show a great war wages for our allegiance. One side pulls individuals and nations toward evil and beastly leadership, characterized by lots of speaking, limited or poor…
Bethlehem’s Mourning: Herod the “Not-So” Great
Christmas celebrates God’s great love to the world. The gift of Bethlehem’s Morning was a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. Jesus, Immanuel. God with Us. The King of the Universe stepped down to save his subjects. Jesus would win his…
Resisting Beastly Leadership: Jesus Flowering in Dark Places
Bad leaders have several ways to lead people astray but there may be only one good way to prevent that from happening. One way leaders lead us astray is when they appear “good” or “strong” but lack moral character and…
Democratic Republics need Educated Citizens and Wise Leadership
The Influence of Democratic Republics on Morality Democracy has shaped the moral landscape of the west for centuries. It has led many to throw off monarchies and lose their interest in dictators. It has made the WEST suspicious when power…
Prophets and Politics
If you live in the United States it is hard to avoid the vitriolic moral wars that characterize this year’s U.S. Presidential race. The police shootings of black men and the shooting of police has fueled an added moral fear…
Judgment or Hiding
A lot of people fear divine judgment. It is because they have a distorted view of God and what He can do on the way to and through judgment by his work of redemption. There is no option to avoiding…
Three Stories that Frame the Moral Life: God’s, Satan’s, and Yours
The following is longer than usual and Adapted from a talk given at Andrews Academy, Sept 9, 2014…. Seniors, Thank you for letting me talk with you on your special day. Your motto “Bene in Christo” is in Latin.…
Self-Control, Legalism, or Moral Schizophrenia
“Dad, you’re talking to yourself again,” My daughter chided. I do that to coach myself. I like to use my last name. It was disconcerting to my daughter who shares the same last name. “Covrig, pick up your feet. Keep…
The Sabbath as Moral Healing and Training
In his controversial book, The Righteous Mind, and on several YouTube videos Jonathan Haidt talks about the six main moral values that help frame people’s sense of right and wrong. He notes that liberals tend to focus on the first…
Metaphors of Progress and Reform–be careful when you are right
We all work from metaphors or operating “paradigms” about what we think is happening around us. We take the data we see and try to clump things together. Like making a mud ball or snow ball (pick the climate that…