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"Fearful
lest it be relegated to the position of an isolated sect, Christianity
seems to be making frenzied efforts at mimicry in order to escape being
devoured by its enemies--a reaction that seems defensive, but is in fact
self-destructive. In the hope of saving itself, it seems to be assuming
the colors of its environment, but the result is that it loses its
identity. . . ."
--Leszek Kolakowski, from Modernity on Endless Trial |
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THE RECORD
Online Newspaper
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In This Issue:
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Wednesday July
20, 2005
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The
Victory
is the
Lord's
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A
Tribute
to Maine
in
Midsummer
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Always
Vote on
Principle
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'Hollywood'
Comes to
the
Queen
City
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Mike
Heath
visits
Plymouth
Plantation
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Insights
from
Bumper
Stickers
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Mike and Paulie
Heath travel on
weekends. When
Mike isn't
presenting
League Sunday
programs in
Maine churches
he helps his
wife, Paulie,
with her music
ministry. He
provides
audiovisual
support.
This past
weekend the
couple travelled
to towns south
of Boston. On
Monday they used
some free time
to visit
Plymouth,
America's first
town. They went
aboard the
Mayflower II,
visited Plymouth
Rock and walked
on the dusty
roads of Plimoth
Plantation.
Posted on the
back wall of the
recreated 1627
church at
Plimoth
Plantation was a
marriage notice.
Mike and Paulie
later talked
with the actress
depicting the
betrothed 22
year old woman.
Massachusetts is
the only state
in America to
recognize
something they
call "gay"
marriage. As
Christians the
Mayflower
Pilgrims
rejected all sex
outside of
marriage.
Marriage is, of
course, only
between one man
and one woman.
The word
marriage didn't
then, nor does
it now, refer to
same sex
relationships of
any kind.
A more recent
puritan from
Massachusetts,
John Adams,
authored the
state's
constitution. He
shared Pilgrim
moral
convictions
about sexuality
and marriage.
His constitution
was perverted by
four judges in
Massachusetts
last year to
provide support
for their
radical social
and moral views.
"The impressive
intelligence,
extraordinary
courage and deep
faith of
America's first
Christians is
inspiring," Said
Mike Heath. "I
am looking
forward to this
fall's debate
about so called
'gay' rights."
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To follow the
gulls, as
lazily, they
wheel above; to
watch the blue
sea heave afar;
to feel the
perfume of each
dawn and catch
the healing
breath of every
sunset; to live
as fully and as
happily as one
may live in
these days of
blood – this is
Maine in
midsummer.
What other land
approaches it in
beauty! No
tropic country
with eternal
sunshine; no
land of roses
all the year
around; no
valley of the
“Blest” compares
with this rugged
land of hills
and mountains,
lakes and
running brooks,
in its midsummer
garb.
Incomparable
Maine!
The summer haze
lies on the
fields….the
brooks run
noisily beneath
the old bridges;
the gardens lift
their blossoms
as if to say
“plenty;” the
blue mountains
smile as if
beckoning you
on; the hills
lift you up and
up until they
reveal the
glimpses of the
sea, the
estuaries and
the bays that
run landward
from the sea,
and everywhere,
cooling in the
breeze, comes
the perfume of
the sweet grass
and the new-mown
hay upon your
senses.
Who would live
elsewhere – once
having lived in
Maine?
And so – let us
forever tell the
truth about our
Maine. Let us
praise its
beauties, as
they deserve to
be praised, and
do it everywhere
we go. Too many
residents of
Maine speak with
half-apologetic
tone, in
mentioning the
fact that they
reside here. Its
history is the
oldest and the
most
aristocratic of
the states. It
was settled
before Plymouth.
It has been the
battle-ground of
civilization
while newer
states were in
the wilderness.
It has done its
part loyally in
every conflict
for freedom,
truth,
nationalism, and
ideals. And here
it is – fairer
than ever, with
its forest deep
and mystic, with
its country-side
like a garden,
with its
sea-coast cupped
with harbors and
with it rivers
rich in power.
Apologize!
Instead we
should hold
ourselves as the
elect of the
Lord; favored in
opportunity;
guardians of a
heritage that is
priceless. And
all this, from
the noon of a
midsummer day,
that is not
midsummer
madness.
(from Arthur G.
Staple’s “On
Maine and
Midsummer")
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Many Mainers are
reacting angrily
to the new name
Penn National
has chosen for
its Racino in
Bangor -
"Hollywood
Slots.” Some
people were
expecting a name
more in keeping
with our Maine
traditions – a
name like the
“The Downeaster”
or “The
“Windjammer”
perhaps - but
they seem to
have
underestimated
Penn National’s
capacity for
vulgarity and
cynicism. They
didn’t give the
people of Maine
or the city of
Bangor a second
thought.
The city of
Hollywood is of
course, as far
removed from the
spirit of Maine
as Mecca or
Medina or The
Sands or The
Dunes or
whatever exotic
imagery also
appeals to the
money-mad owners
of these
one-armed bandit
parlors.
Hollywood is a
symbol for all
that is glitzy,
tacky, and
superficial in
modern American
society, a place
where the seven
deadly sins are
lovingly
portrayed on the
silver screen
for all to
emulate, a place
where the
spiritual
aspirations of
the American
people are
buried in a
continual
avalanche of
lust,
malevolence, and
greed – in
short, a
spiritual
cesspool. To put
up a sign which
reads “Hollywood
Slots” in a city
beloved for its
church spires
and historic
buildings is a
stinging insult.
Penn National
owns other
casinos with the
name
“Hollywood.” One
is on New York
Street in
Aurora,
Illinois, a
tacky suburb of
Chicago, and
sports a garish
sign, exactly
the sort of
thing we will
now see in
Bangor. Its more
than one
thousand plus
one-armed
bandits are
advertised as
being of the
most modern and
up-to-date type,
with prices of
up to $25 a
play.
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The Christian
Civic League of
Maine
70 Sewall Street
Augusta, ME
04330
V-207-622-7634
F-207-621-0035
www.cclmaine.org
The RECORD is
published every
weekday before 6
a.m. Forward
this email to
your Christian
friends and
family.
Encourage them
to sign up and
stay informed
and praying
about current
issues. Please
email your
suggestions for
articles to
mike@cclmaine.org.
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