Evil exists. Sometimes people say that all men are basically good, and that we do evil things only when there has been a bad environment, poverty, lack of education or some other unfortunate cause. That is not true. I tend to believe what Johannes Gossner, 19th century Lutheran pastor and philanthropist, once wrote, “The heart […]
Tomorrow, June 6, we mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the invasion of Nazi-held western Europe. Joseph Stalin had been pushing for this cross-channel assault since early 1942, and American military leaders were also eager to get our troops into action against the main German armies. In 1942 we were not ready. British strength was […]
Some weeks ago a friend sent me an e-mail in which there were several illustrations of how public opinion can be manipulated. Depending on a camera angle, a news story can be altered to fit the journalist’s own point of view. A crowd can be made to look much larger than it really is. An […]
Some citizens, especially those on the political left, are pushing hard for the further democratization of America. They call for the elimination of the electoral college, popular election of the President, and further measures that would promote the concept of one man, one vote. I am also certain that many wish to eliminate the Senate […]
Seventy-eight years ago, on May 24, 1941, the battlecruiser Hood, pride of the British navy, blew up and sank during a brief exchange of gunfire with the new and powerful German battleship Bismarck. Over fourteen hundred men went down with the Hood; only three crew members survived. The HMS Hood The Hood was the last […]
Nothing distresses me more than arrogance, the offensive display of superiority or self-importance. I pray that I shall never project this sort of attitude in my interaction with others. Certainly, I do not feel that way. The Bible is very clear in warning of the dangers of overweening pride. Jesus said that to look down […]
How many of you remember the name Themistocles? He was one of the true heroes of European history, but I venture to surmise that few of you can recall the name and his claim to fame. Nevertheless, his accomplishments were quite remarkable, and he should be honored by all who appreciate genius and courage. In […]
Slavery has existed since the beginning of recorded history. The great civilizations of Egypt, Greece, and Rome were built on a foundation of slave labor, and slavery continued to exist in various parts of the world until the modern era. The African slave trade was a very profitable business, and many nations and peoples reaped […]
In late 1916 the war in Europe had been raging for more than two years, and victory did not appear to be in sight for either side. On the Eastern Front there were signs that the Russians might be cracking, and outright revolution was increasingly likely. If this happened, and if Russia withdrew from the […]
In northern Spain, only a few miles from the French border, there is a mountain pass through the Pyrenees known as Roncevalles. In the year 778 the Emperor Charlemagne was returning from a campaign against Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula. His rear guard and baggage train was attacked and overwhelmed as it moved through the […]
Jordans-Journey 