Controversy Continued! The Secular World View

Posted on May 25, 2013 by Scott Ranck

2. The Secular Worldview, is probably the fastest growing worldview because it is taught in all public education. I am simplifying all these worldviews to the basics. There are many variations for all them. The secular worldview would start with a presupposition there is no supernatural. There is no God, who is actively involved in the world. Life is focused on what we can see, experience and experiment on in a laboratory. The only truth, if there is such a thing is what can be discovered with science.

At the heart of this view is man is the center of all things. In our first review of Biblical Christianity’s World View, God is center of all things. In secularism, human government is the highest authority. We operate within the laws of the land but they can be based on whatever group has the most money or loudest voice.

Most in this way of thinking believe in some form of evolution as the origin of life. Most believe human life has evolved to the highest form of animal life but all animals are important and equal. Human’s have no right to view ourselves as superior. Individual sovereignty, human choice and freedom to express my individualism is at the heart of what fuels someone with this view.

Because there is no supernatural, no higher being to whom we are accountable and no after life, we can eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we will die. Life is a buffet with no real limits except not to hurt anyone else with your choices.

So, to compare these first two views it would be this: God is central; man is accountable Versus Man is central; be true to yourself.

There is one more view I want to share.

blessings,

Scott

Posted in Health and wellness, News and politics, Spirituality | Tagged | 1 Comment

Where The Controversy All Begins!

Posted on May 25, 2013 by Scott Ranck

In a few words, differing worldviews and presuppositions are the source of most our intellectual conflict on topics that divide us as individuals and as a nation. What exacerbates the issue is when someone blends two world views that are like oil and water!

A worldview is how a person views the world, that was deep :)! Each worldview is based on certain presuppositions that are built either by research, but more likely based on heredity, emotion or personal experience. I will give you three versions of world views I am most interested in currently handling each of them in a separate blog.

1. The Biblical Christian sees the world through the lens of the Bible in a historical, grammatical interpretation. That means, the Bible is interpreted in the light of its historical and cultural setting and uses the basic laws of language and hermeneutical principles to gain understanding of its meaning. Taking the Bible literally is often derided in this culture but that is based on ignorance of what it means to interpret language literally. It is actually the same way any text-book is read.

This view believes a supernatural God reveals himself in this book as the creator and sustainer of life. He is revealed as alive, personal, involved, moral and perfection. As a living being, we don’t get to define who He is. He just is. What we know about Him is what He has chosen to reveal to us about Himself. That revelation has come through His creation, His Book and His Son, Jesus Christ. Many people have a god who only lives in their head because they have defined him/her rather than accept God as He has revealed Himself to us.

This God has defined Himself as absolutely holy, just and the one to whom we will answer and yet he IS love, full of grace and truth and shows himself merciful to us all. This view believes because He is the author of life and the supreme sovereign of the universe, we are the work of his hands and therefore, He knows exactly how he designed us, why we are here, where we are going and how that all works. He gets to make the rules of life, we can follow them or choose not to.

This view believes all human beings have missed the mark. We have fallen short of what He intended for us by our own willful acts of choosing to create a god in our own image and developing our own set of values we can live with rather than submitting to what He has said. Jesus Christ came to earth as God’s perfect son, to not only model what a human should look like but to die for our sin and raise back to life to give us new life. For God so loved the world, he gave his unique son, so that whoever would believe on him would have everlasting life and never perish. That Scripture and many others teach there are options for us in life and the options carry consequences that determine eternal destinies.

God is the ultimate authority of the universe and all other authority is simply delegated from Him. Governments, and all others in places of leadership work under His authority whether they believe it or not. The biblical freedom comes to us by a verse that says we are to obey God rather than man. Anytime an earthly authority requires I violate a clear teaching of Scripture I am to obey God and suffer the consequences.

A person holding this belief system approaches all subjects through this lens. The ultimate Goal is to discover the nature and character of God as revealed and make the best effort to honor Him in all choices. Not all but many who hold this view believe this time of history is a big sifting time, where God allows each of us the freedom to choose Him, His revelation and His Son Jesus or reject it and do as we please.

There could be a ton more but this will convey the major idea.

If you endured to the end of this blog, blessings!

Scott

 

Posted in Health and wellness, News and politics, Spirituality | Tagged | 1 Comment

Boy Scouts and Selective Sin

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Scott Ranck

When I became a Christ-Follower, early on I saw the churches I attended seemed to be very selective on what sins were the bad ones! Though we were regularly taught we were all sinners, it seemed there were no sinners that were church members. We pointed out sins in other people but never admitted to any in ourselves. I actually saw us take partial Bible verses and make them the worst of all. For example, back in the 70’s our church had a standard concocted from a verse in 1 Corinthians that said it was a shame for a man to have long hair. You couldn’t join the church if your hair was “Over your ears, in your eyes or on your collar.” I remember a 500 pound preacher giving us the evils of tobacco and why Christians “Don’t smoke or chew or go with girls who do!”

At the time and for all my years of study, I began to see everyone is imperfect. I am constantly seeing character defects in myself that need corrected. I see a God who is very patient with me. I see times I am an eager student wanting nothing more than God’s will for me. Other times, I wander and want what I want for me. He doesn’t disown me! I believe God’s desire is each of us comes to a place where we want Him, not coerced, not intimidated by religion’s practitioners but just because down deep I’m learning He is really what I need.

Morality cannot be legislated. Laws can be imposed but they never tame the human heart. Did you know most people in churches believe the sin of Sodom was homosexuality? Yet the Bible tells us what it was. In Ezekiel 16, “Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.”

1,000’s of church leaders and members of good churches commit sexual sin. Adultery, looking at pornography and other things that are equally as wrong as homosexuality. 1000’s practice the things God says were Sodom’s issues. We are haughty, overfed and unconcerned. 1,000’s more are obese. Every sin listed in the Bible is regularly practiced in churches all across America.

Why do we want to pick out certain ones and make those the measuring stick whether someone can participate in our organization? What if we asked people before joining the church or the scouts, 1. Are you an angry person? 2. Are you proud? 3. Have you acted in any unloving ways this past week?

The bottom line is God is all-powerful and he chooses to let us choose our path. We work with Him as He wooes us to himself and shows us all the paths we choose for ourselves end up being dead ends, but He allows us to go down them anyway and is waiting when we come to our senses.

Let’s give God the right to be God while we do our best to be growing in our own lives, dealing with our own issues while letting others have the same privilege.

Food for thought,

Blessings,

Scott

Posted in Health and wellness, News and politics, Spirituality | 1 Comment

The Ultimate Battle

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Scott Ranck

After yesterday’s writing, I was thinking about the big battle in our country. The division we face in our country is really no different from the battle each of us face within ourselves. Don’t we all battle whether to serve others or expect to be served? Don’t we all battle whether we will look out for our own rights versus the rights of someone else that may interfere with my own? Isn’t it common for us as individuals to be torn between what is best for me and what is best for the many around me? As President Kennedy put it, “Ask not what your country can do for you; but ask what you can do for your country.”

When over 50% of the country is saying, “Ask what your country is going to do for you,” therein lies the rub. When I live like the world revolves around me, like everyone else owes me something; I become miserable and create more misery for those around me.

So, my theory is, what we are seeing on a national level is simply what I face every day as an individual. Will I live to please and make sure # 1 is taken care of or will I live to serve and make the world a better place.

We have too many people who have chosen to not only look out for # 1 but are demanding the government make that happen. Too many who feel somehow they are owed something. The current administration basically got elected by giving those people what they demand. “Obama is buying me a cell phone!”

As large groups of people are demanding “Their rights,” rights that are not guaranteed in the constitution and demanding the government be their sugar daddy, we create the mess our country is experiencing now.

Only a return to the morality of our fore fathers can turn us back. I believe some of those values are as follows and are based on Scripture.

  1.  We answer to a higher authority, namely God.
  2. If a person is able and won’t work they don’t eat there are no free rides.
  3. We have equal opportunities but not equal outcomes. Some through giftedness; discipline and hard work will achieve more than others. Some win; others are content to get by. We choose!
  4. Benevolence is strictly monitored and only given to those in real need, widows, orphans and the handicapped.
  5. The government’s primary role is to protect our freedoms, to punish wrong doers and keep order so we may pursue our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
  6. The practice of religion is to be protected with no fear of the state stepping in to run those organizations or make it difficult for them to practice their faith.
  7. Those faith organizations were to largely take care of each other and the benevolent needs of the community.
  8. We are to be one nation under God, from many various backgrounds, one United States of America.

As our government has drifted from its intended purpose and has become the great Santa Claus, our human nature and greed has captured too many of us who have our hands out asking, “What have you done for me lately?” Personal responsibility for myself, my family, my community and our country is slipping away from us as we crumble from within like ancient Rome!

I’d like to say blessings, but this is more sobering. God, bring us back to our roots!

Scott

Posted in Health and wellness, News and politics, Spirituality | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

One Nation Under God?

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Scott Ranck

The last month has been quite eventful on the political scene. Hearing Hillary Clinton testify before congress with her pseudo anger and  theatrical “What difference does it make,” to watching the smoke and mirror antics of the administration and chief press puppet, Jay Carney over the IRS scandal and all the other stuff going on is sad.

Obama doesn’t know about any of these things happening under his watch, so that makes him not culpable. He knows more about his golf game than anything happening in the world it seems.

So, I’m reminded a few years back it was the Bush administration scrambling. The media and everyone jumping on the band wagon to find whatever they could. No one believing what was being sent out.

Before that we have a president having sex in the oval office and lying to us on national TV who is now still a big player in the party. Both Clinton’s have no business in political life, they should go retire in the country somewhere never to be seen or heard from again.

Really, are we the people willing to fight among ourselves for these people who we will likely never meet and who apparently care very little about any of us? I say, pray for them! Pray justice will be done. Pray anyone who shouldn’t be in office will be removed.  Pray that our beliefs and actions as a nation will be such that we will deserve and demand better. My fear is right now our leaders are simply a reflection of what we have become as a society, divided, deceptive, entitled and self-serving.

I’m tired of democrat and republican spin doctors. I’m tired of knowing anytime a politician’s lips are moving they are scheming, lying and looking out for their own reelection. I’m tired of giving up my right to free speech because it offends someone. I’m tired of political correctness. I’m tired of a very small percentage of people being able to take away the rights of the majority. And I’m damn tired of the government’s out of control spending of my money while living large themselves.

The country is going crazy! We are living in a time where we call evil good and good evil! Some racist politician had the audacity to call the Tea Party worse than extreme Muslims! What? I’m not a tea party person but there had never been an arrest at a tea party event and extreme Muslims kill people! To the liberal democrat there is total intolerance for anyone who opposes their views.

The Boy Scouts are voting this week whether to allow homosexuals to be scout leaders. It is like we have had our brains removed as a society! The ACLU and all these groups are destroying our country. Let me ask you liberal or conservative. Are you sending your boys to campout with a homosexual scout leader? If you would, the next paragraph refers to you!

Someone told me a long time ago we are a product of our education. Liberalism has taken over our schools a few decades ago and we are now living with the result. A bunch of erudite but ignorant people.

To me it is a sad time in America!

Scott

 

Posted in News and politics | 2 Comments

All we like sheep have gone our own way OR Come to Me?

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Scott Ranck

The scriptures teach we are born disconnected from God. It is only later, as we hear and receive the good news of what Jesus did that we are reconnected to the Father. In a sense all Christians are bilingual. Our native tongue when we feel pain, hurt or are suffering is to withdraw, isolate, turn inward and run to “objects”.  Objects are living or non living things we run to for comfort. Objects could be a half-gallon of ice cream, work, pornography, video games or an object could be using a person. The Bible says, all we like sheep have gone astray, each of us turns to our own way. This is our native tongue.

Our second language is rather than running to an object to help us we turn to relationship. Relationship with God, “Come to Me all who are struggling, I will give you rest for your souls,” or to a spouse or close friend to share your burden. “Bear each other’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Every time I’m confronted with a struggle my knee jerk reaction is to fall back to my native language, it is what comes natural to me. I have to choose the healthier path to run to the Lord and share my battle with another human whom I trust.

This will always be a choice that I live with daily. It will never go away. I may do it right today and then fall back to what comes easiest tomorrow. The life of one who is following Jesus will always be a life of choices and there will always be the need for grace. I will never get it all right, I will never be good enough for heaven on my own! I needed a Savior 35+ years ago, but I need a Savior just as much today! “Come to Me,” Jesus said. Those three words sum up the heart of what Christianity is all about.

Blessings,

Scott

Posted in Health and wellness, Spirituality | 1 Comment

Possibly the Most Helpful Message I’ve Ever Given!

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Scott Ranck

This message was given to me through my relationship with the Lord. I believe it has the potential to help thousands of people. With social media maybe ten’s of thousands!

May the Lord bring healing and blessing and fruitful living!

https://vimeo.com/65561184

Blessings,

Scott

Posted in Health and wellness, Spirituality | 2 Comments

A Few More Thoughts On Losing A Loved One

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Scott Ranck

Though I haven’t lived near my mom since 1979 when we left home to go to Bible College, I lost someone who has always been a very active part of my life. There were years before cell phones, mom would send us cassette tapes every week. She would sit at the table and talk to us (It was cheaper than a long distance phone call). We would talk to her and send them back. We would usually also have a long distance phone call on the weekends.

Mom and dad came to see us several times a year and would live in our home for several days at a time. This was one of the highlights for our kids growing up. Then we would load up a time or two a year and head to PA from wherever we have lived and stay at their house.

Since being in FL, I’ve talked to mom a minimum of three times a week and often more, nearly daily. We always clicked. We both are talkers and would talk about everything imaginable. I learned so much about our family, her growing up days, etc. through our talks. So, in losing her, I lost more than a mom I lost a close friend. She also was one of my biggest “Cheerleaders” in life. She always believed in me.

The Bible says simply our role in helping others who are grieving is, “Weep with those who weep.” Come along side and don’t try to make it better, just show your support and love. You and I really don’t know how anyone else feels unless you have had a very similar relationship and loss. In that case, Scripture says, “Comfort others with the same comfort you received from the Lord.”

In most cases our response to others loss should be to see what is needed and take care of the thing to lighten the load while the person with the loss is immobilized by grief. Or if you must say something, it should be, “I can’t imagine the depth of your loss, I’m sorry.”

In the rare case you have had a similar loss you may enter more fully into conversation with the person because your loss will resonate with their loss and they will perceive you understand. You will know to proceed because the person will engage with your conversation, rather than trying to get away from you!

The bottom line is death is an intrusion to life. There is no simple way to navigate through the loss. Death makes us uncomfortable. We don’t like to think about it and we don’t really know what to do when it comes knocking. Christians still experience great loss when they have a loved one go to be with the Lord, we just don’t grieve like those who have no hope of seeing a loved one again.

Hopefully these thoughts will be helpful to someone.

Blessings,

Scott

 

Posted in Health and wellness, Spirituality | 7 Comments

What Do You Say When Someone Loses A Family Member?

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Scott Ranck

Most of us have not been trained in any way how to deal with tough situations. Over the years I have been fortunate to not have many deaths in the family that were just brutal to overcome. Losing one of my favorite aunts when she was only 28 years old rocked our family. Losing two aunts and an uncle at one time in my early 20’s was tough. Losing grandparents and uncles over the years was sad but most were not real involved with my life. Then losing my dad in 1989 and now mom ten days ago brought death and loss closer to home. I really can’t imagine getting closer yet and losing my wife, or one of our children or grandchildren.

Having just lost my mom, and being very close to her, I started thinking about things people say and do that are helpful and things that actually don’t help at all. So, I thought while it is fresh, I will pass on what I have found helpful and that which is almost hurtful.

Helpful comments for me are: “Your mom was an amazing woman who impacted my life in the following way(s). . .” “I am really sorry for your loss.” “I am thankful she had such a clear faith and you know where she is, but I still know your loss hurts.” If you are in a place where you can help, then asking and spending some time in conversation to find out what would be the most helpful thing, “I seriously want to do something to lighten your load, what would that be?” “I can run errands, bring food, make some phone calls. I am available at this time and want to help.”

Helpful actions: I’ve never been one to send flowers but I have to tell you when I saw the names of people I know on flower arrangements at the viewing and funeral, it nearly brought tears to my eyes. It was way more encouraging to me than I would have ever believed. Text messages and emails and cards that give support and simply say, “Praying,” were very helpful to me. Posting stuff on Mom’s Facebook Page and reliving some great memories was a real blessing.

Not So Helpful Comments: “How old was she? Oh, 86, well, she lived a full life.” (That comment irritates me! What that means is for 59 years she has been a nearly constant part of my life. Living longer often makes it tougher to say goodbye.) Pretty much all comments that don’t acknowledge our loss by attempting to focus on her gain. I’m thankful mom lived an active full life. I’m thankful I know she is in heaven. I’m thankful she isn’t suffering anymore but now that she is gone and all those things are true, we, the family are who is left. Our pain may be lessened some by those things but by not acknowledging our loss and focusing on her gain, your comments don’t help the only people who need it, those left behind. One last comment, “If you need anything let me know.” Like anyone will call you and tell you what they need. I remember when dad was dying a friend named Bob Zaccaria would come to visit, he’d leave and then come back with something he saw while there on his visit that would help. One time he came back with a window unit air conditioner! One time he came back with some food.  I learned from him, just observe and then take action.

Sometimes there isn’t anything you can do, so just commit to praying and then do it. Delete from your vocabulary, “If I can do anything let me know!”

Hope my thoughts help us improve our approach to grieving people.

Scott

Posted in Spirituality | 2 Comments

Pilgrims

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Scott Ranck

Ever since becoming a Christian, I’ve heard we are pilgrims. Being a pilgrim means, I/we are just passing through this life. We aren’t here to stay. I know in younger years it felt like that wasn’t true. It felt like I would just be living here on earth and nothing much seemed to change.

Life has a way of lulling me to sleep spiritually. There have been long periods of life where everything is the same. For example my first nineteen years were all lived at one address, with both parents and a sister and brother. There were a few tragedies along the way but nothing that really changed my little world.

Then Gayle and I got married and everything changed. We lived in a different town, our own apartment. My sister was off in another place, and what I knew growing up was totally different. Life has been that way all the way till the present. Seven, ten maybe slightly more years all very similar with little variance and I get lulled into thinking it will always be like this. Then wham, a defining moment a life changing event happens and reminds me, this life is like being a transient vagabond.

But the transient vagabond is here with a purpose. To glorify God in all I do, to enjoy life and live it fully and introduce as many people as possible to the Savior along the journey. This world is not my home, I’m just a passin through!

My mom’s home going was one of those defining moments that snapped me awake again to realize life here is not the ultimate prize. Life here can be chasing the wind, empty or it can be filled with purpose and full.

Blessings,

Scott

Posted in Spirituality | 2 Comments