Faith like a child

I went to a baptism service today at church. The pastor gave a good illustration of the importance of baptism as a sign. Baptism is like a wedding ring, he said: you're just as married without it, but it cheapens it if you keep it quiet.

The amazing thing about this baptism was the age of these new believers - in a Bible (neo-Baptist) church, remember. Beto Berry is 4, Kenton Geyer is 5. I tried to transcribe their testimonies in response to why they were being baptized.

Beto: "Because I believe in Jesus Christ, that He died for me and gave His life on the cross."

Kenton's was a bit more detailed and harder to take down: He talked with his mom about his family all being baptized... and prayed that Jesus would come into his heart.

It is tempting to look down on the faith of these children, and think our grown-up, rational faith is better than theirs. But Christ condemned this attitude in Matthew 18:1-4:

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


And in the next chapter:

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

The angels in heaven are rejoicing.

Choose between the two evils

You, fellow voter, have a choice: #1 or #2. Nope, #3 is not an option.

And we wonder why half the population doesn't vote in a given presidential election?

On a side note, I wish we'd take local elections more seriously. They affect us as much as presidential elections, and your vote makes at least as much of a difference. Caleb Derby for Clayton Township trustee! Kick out the homeowners-association-president types and their sycophants!

It's going to be so freaking close...

Here is the tally of likely electoral votes from poll data, updated daily. This data is used to make a very cool animation.

And then, here is the site's prediction: Gore was polling consistently farther below Bush than Kerry is currently, yet won the popular vote; thus, Kerry will win.

But there's no telling. It'll be all about turnout, I guess. But I know who will win in the end:

Keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time–God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords - 1 Timothy 16:14, 15

More good stuff

Another of my favorite thinkers. This time, he's not a cartoon character, though he can be as funny as one: Jonathan Cannone. His latest article is again great.

Christian unity in China

Ralph Covel, a missionary to China after WWII, explains why he doesn't want China to "open" to Western missionaries. Apparently, they're doing fine without us, being led by God. They don't have to deal with criticisms that Christianity is western. And - get this - he says they don't have schisms or separate denominations as the West.

We American Christians have a lot to learn from our Chinese brethren about unity. It is humiliating to the Church, and thus humiliating to Christ who deserves a single holy and spotless bride, that the church is split into multiple dozens of competing groups. It is humiliating that God's one eternal, never-changing Word is sold in dozens of different flavors.

We have one Lord, one faith, one baptism, people. Take a cue from our brothers in China. Go worship with another local group this Sunday. You don't have to become a member; you don't have to agree with all of their petty differences. Just prove that you are their brother or sister, worshipping the same God and Savior.

disclaimer: I don't consider all denominations listed in the above directories to be following Christ.

Why do blogs and news sites so often go for the sensational? There is an answer, but I'm too tired to write it out. But here is a good commentary on the fact that it is bad, from possibly my favorite person in the newspaper: Frazz

Court throws Nader off PA ballot

Apparently over 3/5 of the signatures he collected were forged or not elegible. How do you do that? If his supporters are that dishonest, it reflects poorly on Nader's honesty. It probably wasn't a sabatoge attempt by Democrats - they wouldn't take the risk of him actually making it to the ballot. Maybe dishonest Republicans trying to kill Kerry's chance in PA?

I'm all for Nader being on the ballot, and I don't say this because I want him take votes from Kerry. It's because I hate the two-party system. More on that later.

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