Hubba Hubba

This week, we heard with sorrow of the deaths of four round-the-world missionaries on their yacht off the coast of Somalia. a yacht filled with Bibles that they were distributing around the world. This week we hear of the plight of the Coptic Christians in Egypt, brought to Egypt by the disciple Mark, he was martyred in the streets of Alexandria, but from the humble beginnings of Mark, the Christian Church grew in Egypt until, at one time, Egypt was mostly Christian. There are thousands of Coptic Christians in Egypt today, their lives are not easy, according to Egyptian law, on every form of identification, religion is specified, even on their passports. In such an Islamic country, it is difficult for a Christian to get a job. In India, converting to Christianity from Hindu or Muslim faiths, you must report such to the police or face such a severe fine. As cruel as Saddam Hussein was in Iraq, Christians were protected, there were 500,000 Christians in Iraq before the American invasion. Today, most Christians have fled, the Christian churches are being persecuted and destroyed, only a few thousand are left.

Christian history has been marked by the martyrdom of saints. One does not face death for a false religion, these martyrs believed in their religion. More Christians were killed last year, martyrs to the faith, than had been killed in all previous Christian history, an estimated 165,000. Among those killed last year, one of my college friends, Dr. Thomas Little, killed along with his missionary group in Afghanistan, he was one of the few doctors caring for people in the mountains of that country. He, his wife, children and others had been there for many years, his father is a doctor in Canada, but he chose God's work in Afghanistan. All in the missionary group were killed by the Islamic terrorists, except their guide, who kept shouting to the killers, “I am Muslim!”. Even though the guide had witnessed the miracles of healing provided by this missionary group, he escaped death by clinging to his false faith.

Many of us remember the movies of WWII, servicemen being entertained by USO troops and others. A shapely young woman would come on the stage, and from all corners you would hear, “hubba hubba”. This was an expression of approval, excitement, pleasure. The men and women who fought the Axis powers of WWII, were real men and women, patriotic, oriented to the love of God, family and country. This phoney-baloney, “Ask, Don't Tell”, anticipation for retirement pay, did not enter the equation for their devotion for country. Many times during the past 50 years, I have been in and out of veteran's hospitals. Before that, I was a staff member, as a medical service officer of army military hospitals. Service to God and country was considered an honor. In recent years, I have seen a totally deterioration of service in VA facilities, there is not one doubt in my mind that it has come from this attitude of political correctness...the employment of people who would never meet the qualifications for employment in a private facility. I said to one VA physician, “the technician outside, doing the preparatory work, does not know what she is doing.” He said, “doctor, this place is full of people who do not know what they are doing.”

There may be a computer that can count the number of letters that I have written to VA officials concerning discrepancies in veteran's treatment. Like the organization, supposedly interested in defending veteran's rights, Blind Veteran's Association (BVA), the only thing these organizations care about is getting your membership fee (DAV, VFW, etc.). Next to slavery, the greatest shame of this nation is its treatment of disabled veterans and handicapped citizens. Just as Christians do not face death for a false religion, and the most repulsive thing in the world is religiosity, young men and women do not face death for a false patriotism.

I do not hold myself up as an example of anything for anyone. But, coming from the poverty of an eastern North Carolina tobacco farm, the inadequacy of a small country school (13 in graduating class), working at night in order to go to university in day time, for eight years, passing all boards and requirements for military commission. Entering the army as a medical officer, returning, 100% disabled, service-connected. I feel that, totally blind, I can offer some criticism. Criticism for the fact that veterans pension benefits are totally inadequate (mine were never established). Criticism that there is no preparation for disability (I never had one minute of rehabilitation), criticism regarding healthcare (I have never been able to obtain a white cane from VA, pay for my own talking watch).

It must be a stench in the nostrils of our blessed Lord, to see teachers and other government workers protesting in the streets about their pay and entitlements. In the state of North Carolina, a graduating college student can start teaching school at age 23 or 24, going to summer school to obtain advanced certification by a masters degree or such, and retire at age 54 or 55...30 years service, drawing a wonderful retirement check with benefits. After working 30 years, most are retired for another 30 years, retired as long as working, drawing checks and benefits. This applies to most government workers, including the double dippers, who get addition government jobs, for instance in the postal service. I know several government workers, who on your taxpayer dollar, have spent 30-40 years of their life playing golf.

The user friendly Gospel is straight from hell, user friendly patriotism leads to enslavement. Who loves you enough to tell you the truth? The pitiful politicians, pastors, and parents who know better, but want you to like them.