So quickly we shifted from High School graduations with their forward look to Memorial Day's looking back in remembrance to honor our deceased loved ones. As a national holiday, it pertains especially to all our military who gave their lives in defense of America. But we give it even wider meaning to include everyone who has passed on. So the cemeteries are full of flags and flowers paying tribute. I go past four each day on the route and can see clear into a couple of them, PV's Mt.Olivet and WW's Oakwood, as I drive by. Saturday I swung a block west to view PV's Old Cemetery and a couple east for a look at Bethelhem. What a contrast it was: nothing in the old but a lot of beautiful decorations at Bethlehem. The Old Cemetery has been long closed and no longer in use, but Bethlehem is very much in service and has plenty of space available. I prefer it to Olivet mainly because it's so close to PV but also for the lack of ostetation. It's markers are all quite modest in size, with nothing to impress or claim glory. After all, the most important place to have our names written is in the Lamb's book of life. Even the monumental pyramids of Egypt can't surpass those pages of remembrance. I guess that's why this column said we've built enough memorials and suggested the one for WW II just be added onto that one for The Great War there at our nation's capitol The first one paused with an armistice, so the second was only the continuation. It took the atomic bomb to hault such folly and even to ward off WW III. I still can hardly believe we made it through that Cold War without a nuclear holocaust. So our just being still alive on planet earth is memorial enough. And now there's a move on in Tulsa to build one for their terrible race riot way back in the twenties. I remember my travels in England back in the sixties when I saw so many historical markers that it was difficult relating to the current situation. My thought then was of how fortunate we were to be free of so much public domain history here. You can always find it in the library, or now on the Internet too. And the most important history is right in our Bible, the record of YAHWEH's mighty acts of creation and redemption.
Here in Wynnewood we've witnessed more damage from another storm, but again no loss of life. We were just about recovered from the Christmas night ice storm when this Memorial Sunday wind blast broke down our trees that suvived the former disaster. It even blew the cement blocks of Savage Stadium loose from the back side out onto the ground and completely demolished a nearby house trailor. Roof and fence damage is visible all over town and electricity is still off in some sections, along with cable TV. What power there can be in the wind. Jesus/Yeshua said "It blows where it wills, and you can see the power thereof." The same word for "wind" also meant "spirit" and He was drawing a parallel, as He did in parables. We are so concerned today with power: electricity and gasoline in particular. Those rolling blackouts in California recall to me the time I worked at Oakland and Richmond shipyards and the blackouts were for fear of an air attack. Pearl Harbor was still fresh in our minds then. No outdoor lights were allowed after dark. And gasoline was strictly rationed. That was in the early fourties and now we seem to have come full circle. Yet s we still need to seek first the power that only Yeshua gives as His kingdom of heaven.
Here are reflections before Fathers Day '01: I'm recalling the national debate about "civil religion" that arose back during the Viet Nam war, when I discovered that my own patriotism had become a religion to me. There's so much in nationalism that can foster such an outlook; especially here after Memorial Day and before Flag Day, with Independence Day coming up next month. I grew up with that "Bible on the table and flag upon the wall" attitude. In our home the nation motto seemed very religious: In God We Trust. Even "The Star Spangled Banner" provoked me to prayer as a teenager during my days at boot camp in San Diego, Jan.'45. We had to pause and stand at attention whenever it was played on the loud speaker system, so I used those moments to ask for victory in WW II. I was so certain that Divinity was on our side, even before I'd ever thought of studying theology or the ministry. And thus it did turn out, with the atom bomb bringing revenge on Japan from that Pearl Harbor infamy. Then I had finished at OU and was in seminary at SMU during the Korean Conflict, still quite certain of a manifest destiny for U.S. in world affairs. Next, Viet Nam posed the question of Who is the true GOD, even above nation or humanity itself. (How strange to me in retrospect that we had not studied Jesus in seminary, but gave primary attention to the existence of God. One seminary professor, Dr.Matthews, summed up the Gospel as "God is." He said "most of you are just talking to an idea in the top of your head when you pray. Probably it's the image of your own dad." That observation shook me personally because it fit so well. His words implied that I didn't yet know the true and living One. All those prayers out on the boot camp grinder had been John Hazlitt's patriotism speaking through my brain. "Land where my father's died; land of the pilgrim's pride" didn't now seem quite synonymous with Promised Land of the Holy Bible (a place on earth that had been reclaimed by Jews just a couple of decades previously). Yahweh, the GOD of Israel I saw as far more real than a mere "God" and above all other national loyalties. The eternal THOU, revealed in Scripture, the living Source of our being, deserves our very first allegiance. Then, thanks to the Jesus Movement of the seventies (controversial inside the church), which GOD sent to restore our faith shaken by that Viet Nam nightmare, all Americans who put Christ first can honestly say "In GOD we trust." Father-Son linked together deserve always to be in capital letters, in my opinion. Jews can say it as "In G-d we trust" and Moselms can say "God" meaning Allah, while Hindus or Buddists mean "Self" of the universe. There's room for all of us in that motto and we don't need to Christianize our nation by calling this or than "Christian." So it's become a secular nation in this postmodern age? Yet we who know Christ should be urgently seeking souls for His kingdom, until He returns in glory to reign visibly over a new heaven and earth. That's our ultimate patriotism as I see it now. With the Senate back in control of the Democrats, I'll still rejoice that we have a president whose highest loyalty is to that rule for which we pray "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done." It's called the Lord's prayer not only because He taught it, but because He prays it with us i.e. "Our Father...". And even identifies with our weaknesses i.e. "forgive us our trespasses..." (He took them on Himself), but doesn't end "in the name of Jesus" because we prayed it together with Him to His father, made our's as well in prayer. All other prayers we offer to the Father through the Son, though sometimes "Jesus" may be spoken silently in our hearts.
I recall a poem in which we learned American history: "By the rude bridge that arched the flood, their flag to April's breeze unfurled; here once embattled farmers stood that fired the shot heard 'round the world." Their stand provoked the shot, but which side fired it is still debated. Nevertheless, that last line became synonomous with the start of our Revolutionary War. It was the morning of April 19, 1775, at the Battle of Lexington/Concord. On the morning of April 19, 1995, a bomb blast heard 'round the world launched another sort of war, this time reversed into terrorism. The coincidence of the dates could not have been planned because the OKC bomber took his date from Waco's 1993 shootout with those Branch Davidians. But the fact that it falls exactly two centuries minus a couple of decades after someone pulled the trigger, Minute Man or British Redcoat, seems to me a sign of sorts. The other poem we all know gives background to the battle: "Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere. 'Twas April the eighteenth in seventy-five. Hardly a man is now alive who still can recall that memorable year of the midnight ride of Paul Revere." It goes on to tell how Revere saw the signal and warned the colonists on that eve of April 19 with a loud cry of "the redcoats are coming." So locals were assembled with their muskets loaded when the British troops arrived and the shooting started. It was a year later in Philadelphia that our forefathers signed that "Declaration of Independence" on July 4th, 1776. By then the war was really on and George Washington was made general of the Continental army which finally won as British general Cornwallis surrendered some years later. It became the custom everywhere for a race to start at the opening shot. From that OKC bombing, we are now in the sixth year of this war against terrorism, and who knows how long it will last? Some, such as Enid's attorney Steven Jones, still believe the OKC disaster was connected to an international conspiracy i.e. NYC's World Trade Center. That was also my very first thought, and still seems remotely possible. All the hostility and wrath in the Middle East could be spewing underground clear over the globe in these days near the end of time. Those words of Jesus inscribed on the OKC memorial, "Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good." are surely our ultimate weapon as we become empowered by the Gospel. Maybe the new dome being added to our capitol in this state sometimes mocked as "the Bible belt," is a mark of divine grace or wisdom ("wise dome" of the bald headed) upon us for facing this oncoming wave of worldwide lawlessness. Oklahoma's now known as "the heartland" and has fired back with a word of goodness being heard 'round the world. Let us be armed with our Bibles over bullets as we await the Lord's final coming. to civil authority for crucifixion. When he told them they were stiff necked and uncircumcised of heart, they became enraged enough to break the Roman law that forbid religious executions. So they killed him theselves with stones. But he died forgiving them, as he prayed the same way Jesus had done. Yet the wrath unleashed toward him caused all other believers except the Twelve to flee from the city, thus spreading the faith. And young Saul, who had also hated these "followers of the Way" felt the impact of Christ's love shown in Stephen's marterydom that would later transform him into Paul, an Apostle to the Gentiles. Being a Roman citizen and a Pharisee lawyer, he could see how the civil law had been seriously violated by such blind religious hatred. In Acts l the eleven seek GOD's choice of a replacement for Judas by casting lots. It falls on Matthias, who is never mentioned again. That shows that casting lots isn't the way to go, even with prayer. I believe the Lord had Paul planned as number twelve, especially if Peter is number one. It's why St.Paul's cathedral in London is considered by Anglican Protestants as an equal to St.Peter's in Rome.
There may be more that I should know about Timothy McVeigh, but it certainly would not be worth the price of that book "American Terrorist" to me. Fox News this morning is interviewing the two authors "who got into his mind" but this writer won't watch. And I can see why the families of the 168 innocent persons he killed don't want any of the book's proceeds going into the OKC memorial cost. It would seem similar to those thirty pieces of silver that Judas Iscariot was paid for his betrayal of the One he had called "Master." I heard that McVeigh asked that none of his family be present for his execution, so his father stated that he'd comply with his son's request. Surely there won't be any memorial for this terrorist; not even a tomb stone, though his relatives will go on suffering just as the victim's families have. And the notion of fifteen minutes of fame for some violent terrorist act will haunt our teen culture with more high school shootings across the land. It is "the time of woes" foretold in Scripture before the final coming of the Son of Man. Can any of you recall when transactional analysis was so popular to explain human relationships? It posited "strokes" as a the basic need i.e. the way you pet an animal. We took along that aphorism "different strokes for different folks," a saying that suggests those who can't find positive ones will seek them in negative ways. T.A. is out of vogue, and it's once popular textbook "I'm OK You're OK" long since forgotten because it left out the One who makes us OK, even Christ Jesus. As we'll be reminded this coming Good Friday, He shed His divine blood to make us OK with each other and the heavenly Father; Who raised Jesus from the dead to confirm that His sacrifice had been sufficient to accomplish that eternal purpose. Hallelujah!
Now a team of British investigators claim they have proven there was a second assassin helping Lee Harvey Oswald, who fired that fatal shot in Dallas to kill JFK from the nearby grassy knoll. They have synchronized separate tape recordings to find an exact sound match of when it was fired, though there's no clue as to by whom. Just not Oswald, who was off at some distance up in that old book depository building: another mystery of history that may only be revealed in "the great and final Day when all mists are rolled away." I heard the atheist Derschowitz (who defended O.J.) talking about unsolved murders say "And most or many will forever remain a mystery." He is so wrong because in the end "every hidden thing will be revealed and every secret disclosed." For the kingdoms of this world will become the Kingdom of our GOD and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and forever.
When I looked at The PV Democrat's front page Saturday, I was delighted to see that article about P.A.W.S. and the large donation to our new animal shelter by Paul Ross. One of my favorite places is his Dairy Twist and it's always a treat to see him when I go there. If you didn't read the article, go back and find it. Paul has cared for stray dogs through the years. He even has a privately owned pound down under old #77 on the east side before it crosses Rush Creek. Now he's enabled the completion of our citie's new one clear south of Mt.Olivet cemetery on that road running east from the Halliburton metal building across from Agnew's John Deer place. Then what a shock it was for me to learn later Saturday that Paul has been stricken with a serious health condition. So our prayers go up for him, both in thanks to GOD at what he's done and also for his own healing.
It's May Day as I write and memories still come to mind of those gigantic military parades in Moscow during the Cold War. Even though it ended over a decade ago, the dangers of missile attack continue on this planet; not from another superpower but from some missile armed nation that hates what the U.S.A. represents. We in Oklahoma saw in '95 how much havoc can be wrought at the heart of this land by a single person filled with wrath toward it's government. So president Bush is going to push for a missile defense system today. It won't be any threat to other nations, since he'll also propose cuts in our offensive weapons at the same time. But it will be that shield in the sky which former president Reagan had wanted to start building back in the eighties, though probably not one as huge as then. Of course China's opposed, since their ICBM's won't serve them to threaten us (unless they hit us before it's in place). The project will probably take a decade, and lots of money. But how much more a nuclear attack could cost us, just as McVeigh's execution can't undo the colossal cost of his maniac behavior.
Senator Robert Kerry's confession about shooting women and children in Viet Nam on Feb.25 '69 has opened that terrible sore in our national memory. The massacre on Mar.16 '68 by U.S. soldiers led by Lt. William L.Calley of 347 unarmed civilians in that South Vietnamese hamlet, My Lai, comes back to haunt us. Calley was convicted and sentenced to life inprisonment in '71, but it was overturned in '74 when he was released. There are so many things we just don't want to know about and prefer trying to forget. My Lai was certainly such an incident. No wonder folks often hate the media for not allowing such relief. In the ancient world messengers were sometimes killed for bringing bad news. I hear that Nebraska's Democratic Sen. Kerry is not interested in running for president anyhow, so maybe he's beat the press to the punch: it's lethal blow. That Sunday in '69 when Saigon fell I got up to preach at St.Mark's in Tulsa where I was pastor and all I could do was weep. TV screens were filled with our helicopters rescuing the few that we could from invading Viet Cong troops. American had never seemed as helpless. Our Viet Nam allies had to flee for their lives in boats or just any way possible to get out. Such a time of shame, defeat, dishonor that was. We lost the first war ever in our history. It makes me sick just writing these recollections. My patriotic father, John M.Hazlitt, had died just a month or so previously and I felt he'd been "raptured" instead of having to see such a debacle of disgrace. LBJ get's the blame from me. He needed a foreign war to stimulate our economy for building his "great society." I'm still wary of federal aid for faith based ministries. Sounds like that same old great society approach where government first pays the fiddler, then ends up calling the tune.
Mediterrinean means "middle of the earth" and that's what the sea with such a name was once considered to be. The three continents of that ancient world--Africa, Asia and Europe--all met at the eastern end of the "Great Sea" in a place we know from our Bible as The Promised Land. The three basic races of humanity are linked by history to those three continents, Africa(black), Asia(yellow) and Europe(white). Discovery of The New World in 1492 by Columbus began the modern era that reached it's zenith in the 20th century when "globalization" began. For five centuries the march of modernism had been "onward and upward." But now the bubble has burst and left us in a post-modern world. Instead of unification and amalgamation we are seeing fragmentation and splinterization. Acts of terrorism are the supreme expressions of the latter: "I'm so absolutely right and righteous that I'll blow up all those who are so wrong and wicked." An Israeli security guard saw last week's young Palestinian suicide terrorist at the moment of his self destruction when he killed five Israeli citizens with himself in that busy mall. The guard said "I looked into his eyes and knew he was one (terrorist) as he looked into mine and knew I realized what he was going to do. He reached in his jacket and pressed the trigger (to explosives on his back) as I watched him turn into dust before my eyes." In a note found later the terrorist expressed conficence that Allah would reward him in heaven for such bravery." So post-modernism is saying that making your mark on the world in whatever way is all that counts. The 20th century saw the collapse of modernism, now called "the Catastrophy" in post-modernism. I sense in it the echos of existentialism, which was rife back in the fifties when I went through seminary. Beatniks wearing turtle neck sweaters were talking of ontological anguish, existential despair and leaping into the abyss in each moment at the coffee houses where they met to affirm the absurdity of life. (Hippies and LSD were still unknown). Beatniks were the first anti-cultural heros that I can recall. It was the "beaten generation" that had been disillusioned by WW II. Back then it had taken the Japanese air force to launch us into a war, with their attack on Pearl Harbor. Now a single individual can restart one in the Middle East. So our ally Israel responded with F-16 fighter attacks, the first time since the '67 war. And just as Mediterrinean meant "middle of the earth," Middle East now means the focus of history where things are starting to fly apart. The Bible shows how GOD chose that place to be His Promised Land because it was geographically central, the conjunction of three continents. Also, the second word of "Middle East" is that direction from which our Lord Jesus will break through the sky at His coming in glory and majesty to judge the world. So let's keep our eyes on the prize, where GOD will finally keep His promise too (Rev.22:20).