Who Really Cares?

As it turns out, those who task government with helping the poor usually have less interest in the needs of the poor than those who think the government should not redistribute the wealth.

A new book by Arthur C. Brooks indicates that conservatives in America give more than 30% of the amount liberals give to private charities and to the poor.

Another interesting discovery raised by the author is that Americans give more of their money than any other country. We give 3.5 times as much as the French, and 7 times as much as the Germans.

The only other country 'anywhere near' as close to our giving is Israel.

Is it any surprise that the two nations who are the most fundamentalist, the most evangelical, most conservative are the ones who care the most about the poor?

The lesson about earnesty is this: those who think 'others' (i.e. the rich) should give are usually not givers themselves.

The lesson for all of us should be to ask ourselves: 'Do you care enough to give, or do we just 'care' enough to get the government to take?'

Gunman Kills At Church

Read about the terrible story here.

Some people say the problem is guns, but the truth is a lot harder to handle:

The problem is inside people, not inside guns!

They told public school students they couldn't pray in school or talk about Jesus. This is the utopia, the nowhereland I never saw when I was a boy.

I've lived in England where people are forbidden to own guns, but the violent crime rate is significantly higher.

Pray for the liberal judges who try to stop people from knowing about Jesus. Pray for the victims, and their families, and pray for the killers too!

My Two Views of Bill Clinton

I have difficulty forming a single opinion about Bill Clinton.

As a conservative I see a lot that I don't like about the man, and yet as Matthew Canonicus, I see so much good in him!

As a leader, his style often involved showing great kindness to people. He is often remembered (even by conservatives) for his unique ability to kill other people with kindness. I think that speaks well of him ... I have yet to learn such a style.

Yet ... his offenses were certainly impeachable. His actions were down played in the media, and even by feminists like Gloria Steinem. The fact is that he used his office to take advantage of women who were hurting financially and then lied about it.

And he vetoed the partial birth abortion ban ... how sad.

On the other hand, he did a lot to wipe out the welfare state. Before Bill Clinton, Democrats were often seen as the 'make everyone dependent on the government' party, and Bill Clinton did a lot to change that ... although I think the Democrats are quickly returning to their old ways.

Was he contrite about his mistakes?

I have such a hard time answering that question. Perhaps the only certain person on that answer is Mr. Clinton himself. Yet there are some indications that he did mourn his mistakes ...

The man met privately on several occasions with Bill Hybels, a noted pastor at Willow Creek in Chicago. Hybels also invited him to a conference interview-a fact that many evangelicals objected to.

I can't help but wonder at his similarities to king David.

Certainly the man made mistakes, and to some extent he has owned up to them. The ethical life demands this of everyone who seeks to be real with others as well as themselves.

Conservative Earnest

A college friend persuaded me to start a blog.

My undertaking here is to understand what it means to live an honest life.

Some people will say, 'Why would someone make a blog about that? Isn't a simple and honest life easy to recognize?'

Yes! I believe it is, but the desperate cries of the media, Hollywood, and the academy have misguided people from the simple and honest life view.

My goal is not to lead a uprising or find a niche demographic to agree with me. My intent is for my own personal understanding and to find some way to let my anger at injustice out.

So disagree with me if you will, but I must come to terms with my own opinion however unpopular it may be.