PaulMoreland.com – Page 6 – Faith, Family, Friends and Firearms

The Modern Coliseum

On June 22, 2016

Things haven’t changed that much in the past couple of thousand years. Today we have the cinema and T.V. instead of the coliseum, and Christians are still being thrown to the lions (albeit figuratively) in the name of “entertainment”. What has changed is that so many Christians seek out such “entertainment” today, whereas I can not imagine a Christian having gone to the coliseum to be “entertained” those many years ago.

⁸Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things. ⁹Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9

If one were to tally up the hours spent watching television vs the hours spent in Bible reading, study and prayer – what would that comparison show? What is the source of our thought patterns? Is not what we dwell on that which we hold most dear? And is not that which we think about that which we do? And does not that which we do reflect on who we truly are? Can you imagine what would happen if the Christians stopped drinking the insipid swill that passes for “entertainment” and began to drink deep of the living water instead? What if instead of laughing at inane “comedy” rife with innuendo and dripping with all but that which is good and healthy we were to seek the face of He Who made us and look for that which He made beautiful and funny and good? Would not the world be a better place if Christians would stand up and say, “That is NOT funny, it is sad, humiliating, degrading and asinine.” We have stood by for too long and allowed a putrid, decaying society stain us with its twisted notions of what is good and right

We Must DO Something!!!

By paul

On June 22, 2016

In Culture, Firearms, Freedom

We must DO something! was the cry following the senseless slaughter of innocent people at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon on October 1, 2015 and immediately following the rampage of a muslim couple in San Bernardino on December 2, 2015, and again following the murder of homosexuals at a nightclub in Orlando on June 12, 2016. And I agree. Now WHAT that “something” is, well to say the least, there’s a huge difference between the outlook of this author and that of the current occupant of the White House. Shortly after these horrible events, the current occupant of the Oval Office went on TV to once more call for “More Gun Control!”. As many have observed, every time there is a senseless shooting, they seek to take away the property and freedom of those who DID NOT DO IT.

Illegal Immigration

By paul

On June 22, 2016

In Culture, Freedom

This is indeed a “Hot Topic” these days. If you think about it a bit, just by the very name it is obvious that these folks are criminals. If you do something “illegal” you are breaking the law. You may not LIKE the law. You may think the law is unfair. But the minute you disobey the law you are, by definition, a lawbreaker, a criminal.

Now, there’s a scourge across our land and that is the huge number of folks who have entered our nation contrary to the laws of our nation. Or they have come in according to the law – and overstayed their welcome. That is, they’ve come in as students or tourists or whatever – and then stayed as lawn care, cleaning, farming or other workers. There are folks practicing medicine or dentistry to certain degrees in various parts, catering to other folks who are also up in the US illegally – without benefit of a medical or dental liscence. And sooner or later someone’s going to be hurt and what recourse will they have?

Culture Wars

By paul

On June 22, 2016

In Culture, Freedom

“Fly over country” they call it, “they” being the denizens of the urban blights on the east and west coasts of the US of A. They look down their noses at those who live there, not having a clue that if it were not for the “hayseeds”, “hicks” and “rednecks”, they would die of starvation in short order. As Hank Williams Jr. so succinctly puts it,

I can plow a field all day long, I can catch catfish from dusk till dawn. We make our own whiskey and our own smoke too, ain’t too many things these ole boys can’t do. We grow good ole tomatoes and homemade wine and a country boy can survive, Country folks can survive!

We came from the West Virginia coalmines, and the Rocky Mountains and the and the western skies. We can skin a buck; we can run a trot line and a country boy can survive, Country folks can survive!!

Hoplophobia

By paul

On June 22, 2016

In Culture, Firearms, Freedom, Religion

Hoplophobia – An unreasoning fear of instruments (weapons). Hoplophobia is a term that was coined, if I recall correctly, by the late Jeff Cooper. It is an excellent term and describes well those who fear instruments more than the hands that wield them. The very heart and soul of the anti-weapon movement revolves around the idea that individuals are not responsible for their actions, rather it is the object that spurs the criminal to commit the act of violence. Simply put, this is idiocy. It does not take into account the millions upon millions of owners of weapons who do NOT commit crimes of violence. Such an attitude is akin to looking upon all men as potential rapists – because, after all, they’re equipped to do so. Or considering all women to be potential prostitutes – because, after all, they are equipped to exercise that activity. And that’s not to mention the slap in the face of the billions of honest poor upon the planet when we are told that high rates of criminality are due to poverty. What about the billions of poor who do NOT commit crimes? Or the rich who commit crimes? What is THEIR excuse if it is poverty that causes crime?

Are You A Hoplophobe Or A Rational Person?

By paul

On June 18, 2016

In Culture, Firearms, Freedom, Shooting Sports

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines a phobia as:

An exaggerated usually inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object, class of objects, or situation.

In other words, a phobia goes beyond reason and causes a person to act according to the fear instead of pursuing a course guided by reason. There are many ways one can gain mastery of one’s emotions and fears, but they all imply placing ourselves in the uncomfortable position of having to reason through a situation instead of allowing a knee jerk reaction to dominate our life.

In the case of hoplophobia, at the current time an irrational fear is being generated by the mass media and politicians in order to drive the public to take certain actions out of irrational fear instead of acting according to reason and wisdom. But what is hoplophobia, you ask? According to the late Jeff Cooper, originator of the term, hoplophobia is the irrational fear of weapons. Right here is where some will stop reading, much like an arachnophobe might exit an area screaming in fear over seeing a spider’s web. There’s not much reason in attempting to reason with someone who reacts so irrationally. If you’re still reading then you show some degree of common sense and a willingness to consider facts instead of hype and fear mongering.

About those “watch lists”…

By paul

On June 17, 2016

In Culture, Firearms, Freedom, Religion

So, apparently “common sense” dictates that if someone is placed on a “watch list” by a faceless bureaucrat without benefit of a trial nor the opportunity question those placing him there, that person should then be denied their constitutional rights. Really? REALLY? Does “common sense” really dictate that much trust in nameless/faceless bureaucrats? Methinks not. Why?

A right to feel safe?

By paul

On June 17, 2016

In Culture

Following the horrific attack in Orlando, Florida in the early hours of Sunday, June 12, 2016, there has been a virtual storm of posts in social media, most of which reflect, amplify, distort and or merely repeat the “main stream” media. As this author sits here contemplating the situation, he is lead to consider some of the statements made by persons of his acquaintance in regard to what transpired.

One of the most ironic statements made by some folks is made in the form of a question, “What about my RIGHT to FEEL SAFE?”. This is usually made in reply to the idea of allowing people to possess firearms for defense of self and others, and is usually made by those who are diametrically opposed to the idea of using force to resolve situations which can only be resolved by the use of force.