Monday, December 5, 2005

THE NATURE OF OUR BATTLE

?For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world's rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Therefore, put on the whole armor of God,? that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.?

(Ephesians 6:12-13)

QUOTATIONS FOR THE DAY

?The first sign of corruption in a society that is still alive is that the end justifies the means.?

(George Bernanos)

?That which is won ill, will never wear well, for there is a curse attends it which will waste it. The same corrupt dispositions which incline men to sinful ways of getting, will incline them to the like sinful ways of spending.?

(Matthew Henry)

?Let the public mind become corrupt, and all efforts to secure property, liberty, or life by the force of laws written on paper will be as vain as putting up a sign in an apple orchard to exclude canker worms.?

(Horace Mann)

MAINE?S WEEK OF SHAME

This year will be remembered as a crucial year in our history, a year in which the forces which threaten our way of life finally gained the upper hand. Among these forces are the newly-built Racino in Bangor, and the gay rights lobby which won on November 8th.?? On referendum day, the voters approved tax relief for the fishing industry, an industry which is in danger of being lost forever. At the same time, Millinocket was embroiled in a bitter controversy over whether to remain a rural-based economy or to base their economy on tourism. To many observers, 2005 looked like the year we finally lost Maine.

Within this year of transformation was a week of shame, a week in which even the most jaded, apathetic citizens were forced to acknowledge that a moral calamity has overtaken Maine. On Saturday, the Kennebec Journal reported that semi-nude lingerie models were peddling their wares in the window of a store in downtown Augusta. On Monday, the story was picked up by the national news media, and on Tuesday the story had traveled as far as Europe and Australia. The reaction of our state and local lawmakers was a collective snicker, as if nothing bad could ever result from the goings-on at a store named ?Spellbound.??

On Friday, the Kennebec Journal ran an editorial which praised the store in the highest possible terms. The editorial said that the behavior of the store was ?sassy? and ?so New York;? and that it ?spiced up a bit of downtown Augusta that needed improving.? Emboldened by the press, the owner of the store promised to add male models; and by Friday, scantily-clad young women were dancing in the store window.

All the while, the media, the Governor?s Office, and state and local legislators said nothing about the importance of public morality. Their silence proclaimed to the entire state that lewd and lascivious behavior is now acceptable in public.

On the same day the paper reported on the goings-on at ?Spellbound,? a young girl was murdered in Fayette, allegedly by a fourteen year old acquaintance.? Writing on a website circulated among close friends, the alleged perpetrator said:?

(on his future) ?I?m going to be a rock star.?

(on religion) ?It?s a waste of time and energy.?

(on abortion) ?Go for it. The government has no say in what you do with your body.?

(on terrorism) ?Stuff like 9/11 is just funny to me. I guess it really depends on what is being done and why. So I?d have to address that one on a case by case basis.?

(on sex)? ?Yes (to) premarital sex! As long as you use protection. I think it is a fabulous idea to do it as soon as you feel ready.?

(on his favorite rock band) ?Slipknot.?

Far from being an exceptional case, the alleged perpetrator is the product of a culture mired in amorality and moral relativism. The mindset which snickers at women dancing in store windows, and justifies such misconduct in the name of the First Amendment, is the same mindset which opens the doors to a pop culture which glorifies evil ? in the name of the freedom of expression.?

Although Maine?s week of shame is over, the consequences of turning a blind eye to matters of public morality will still be very much with us. In all likelihood we will see worse horrors, as society continues to unravel at an alarming rate.?? While the public remains spellbound by a pop culture which exploits the dark side of human nature, those in power will continue to discuss society in purely economic terms, thus ignoring the moral crisis which is gnawing away at the heart of our society.? And with each passing day, our leaders ? Democrats and Republicans alike ? will come to look more and more like modern day Neros, who fiddle while Rome burns.

AUGUSTA CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER PROBLEM OF PUBLIC LEWDNESS

The Augusta City Council will meet tonight at 7:00 P.M, Monday, December 5th, to discuss, among other items, the problem at the store on Water Street. A pre-meeting session will take place at 6:30 P.M. when the Council will decide which issues will be taken up during the meeting.

The public will be able to address the Council at about 8:00.? Non-residents will be allowed to speak, but speakers from outside of Augusta may be reminded that the Council ?serves only the residents of Augusta.?

If you are a resident of Augusta, it is important that you attend, and make plans to speak.? You should provide your prepared comments to the councilors by e-mail. Your comments should be in large, bold type for ease of reading. You are also advised to notify the Mayor and City Clerk by e-mail of your intent to speak during the meeting. The e-mail addresses of the Mayor, the City Clerk, and the members of the City Council are listed below.

William Dowling, Mayor
wdowling@ci.augusta.me.us

City Clerk
Barbara E. Wardwell
barbara@ci.augusta.me.us

Thomas A. Sotir
tsotir@ci.augusta.me.us

Donna R.Doore
ddoore@ci.augusta.me.us

David L. Gomeau
dgomeau@ci.augusta.me.us

Karen D. Foster
kfoster@ci.augusta.me.us

Kim J. Davis
kdavis@ci.augusta.me.us

Sylvia V. Lund
slund@ci.augusta.me.us

Stanley C. Koski
skoski@ci.augusta.me.us

Donna E. Lerman
dlerman@ci.augusta.me.us

Stephen Langsdorf
slangsdorf@ci.augusta.me.us

William R. Bridgeo
wbridgeo@ci.augusta.me.us

MATCHING GRANT UPPORTUNITY
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In case you haven?t heard, the Day Foundation, a Christian organization, has offered to help the Christian Civic League of Maine through a matching gift program for this calendar year, 2005.
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The foundation will match every dollar donated to the League up to $500 per church, individual or organization in 2005 which is new giving, up to a total of $10,000.? New giving means donations by new people or churches who have never given before, or giving over an above previous giving to the League.
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The Day Foundation Consultant has informed Rev. Dallas Henry, Civic League Board President, that church, organizations and individuals can report their giving to him.? He will then forward that giving information to the Consultant who will see that a check is sent to the Christian Civic League of Maine from the Foundation.
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The Day Foundation committed only for this year of 2005.? All giving that is considered new money will be matched until December 31, 2005.
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If you or your church has made any contributions to the League that would fit the guidelines of ?new money?, please report it to Rev. Henry who can get every dollar matching under the guidelines explained above.
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Any questions and giving information can be directed to Rev. Dallas Henry, 109 Schoolhouse Rd. Oxford, Maine 04270.
?
Phone number for questions are as follows:

(207) 539-2295 office/daytime
(207) 743-7750 home/evenings
(207) 890-5228 cell/anytime?

or email at dhenry40@verizon.net

GOOD KING WENCESLAS

"Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight, gathering winter fuel.

?Hither, page, and stand by me, if you know it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling??
?Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain,
Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes? fountain.?

?Bring me food and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither,
You and I will see him dine, when we bear them thither.?
Page and monarch, forth they went, forth they went together,
Through the cold wind?s wild lament and the bitter weather.

?Sire, the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger,
Fails my heart, I know not how; I can go no longer.?
?Mark my footsteps, my good page, tread now in them boldly,
You shall find the winter?s rage freeze your blood less coldly.?

In his master?s steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted;
Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing,
You who now will bless the poor shall yourselves find blessing."

?When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.?

(Luke 14:13-14)

Click here for the music of this beloved Christmas carol:

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/o/goodking.htm