Gene Edward Veith Jr.'s Blog, page 350
February 28, 2014
George Washington, political prophet
On George Washington’s birthday, February 22, it is the custom in the United States Senate to read aloud his Farewell Address. This year those words must have stung those who heard it, since Washington seemed to be describing with great precision the state of American politics. It is as if the Father of Our [Read More...]
The pension black hole
Despite its wealthy Silicon Valley population, the city of San Jose, California, is broke and is having to slash city services, from fixing potholes to running libraries. This is because the city has to devote 25% of its revenue to pay pensions for retired city workers, which, thanks to union negotiators, is as much as [Read More...]
February 27, 2014
How to see what is invisible
The final gem I want to share with you from last Sunday’s sermon at our church is this quote from the early church father Theodore of Mopsuestia: “We have eyes to see what is visible, and faith to see what is invisible.” From Rev. James Douthwaite, St. Athanasius Lutheran Church: Epiphany 7 Sermon: An early [Read More...]
A proposal for a new national holiday
There is a proposal before the body politic to declare a 12th national holiday: Baseball’s Opening Day! Finally, a cause to unite all Americans. Or not. I suppose we could also make Super Bowl Sunday a national holiday, to keep the balance of American sports, and since federal workers usually don’t have to work on [Read More...]
Three-parent children
The FDA is trying to decide whether or not to approve a procedure that give a child three biological parents. “Defective” DNA in a mother’s egg would be replaced by “good” DNA from a second woman, then fertilized, giving the child three parents and eliminating certain inherited diseases. A great technology to ease human suffering, [Read More...]
February 26, 2014
“They’re not the enemy”
Have you noticed how Jesus fulfilled the Sermon on the Mount–turning the other cheek, returning good for evil, exemplifying each of the Beatitudes? We don’t, but He did, on our behalf. Now note how Pastor Douthwaite treats “love your enemies,” moving from Law to Gospel, with a bit of the Gospel-motivated Third Use of the [Read More...]
“A strangeness at the heart of all things”
Michael Gerson says that we are in the “golden age of physics,” which explodes the old common sense materialism and discloses “a strangeness at the heart of all things.” He gives examples of the weird science that quantum physics reveals, then speculates about the philosophical questions. Read the excerpts after the break and consider: What [Read More...]
Ukrainians overthrow their president
Over the last few days, since our last post on the subject, 88 Ukrainians died in clashes between pro-Western protesters and the Russian-dominated government. But then the Parliament convened, re-imposed the Constitution, and removed President Viktor Yanukovych from office. He is now on the run, as the newly-formed government wants to arrest him. The question [Read More...]
February 25, 2014
Be different
We had another great sermon on Sunday. This one was about holiness, based on the section in the Sermon on the Mount about “turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5:38-48) and Moses’ call to holiness (Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18). I got so much out of the sermon that I’m going to devote three posts to it. Today: [Read More...]
Changing West Point in the name of football
West Point has very high standards. It’s hard to get into. Cadets have to be outstanding not just in academics but in leadership and other personal qualities. This is because West Point is not just a good college. It’s where our elite army officers are formed. But it doesn’t have a good football team! And
