In a bit of scheduling serendipity, Tax Freedom Day—the day when Americans finally earn enough income to pay off the bill for all federal, state, and local taxes for the year—falls on April 17 this year. That also happens to be Tax Filing Day 2012.
Absent tax changes made by Congress, Tax Freedom Day moves earlier or later in the calendar from year to year based on the economy. If the economy is stronger, then more Americans are working and wages are rising. Larger incomes mean they pay more taxes and Tax Freedom day falls later in the year. The reverse happens when the economy is weak, as it is today.
Tax Freedom Day next year promises to be much later than April 17, but unfortunately not because of a strong economy, which even the Obama Administration is not predicting. No, Tax Freedom Day will be much later if Congress and President Obama fail to act promptly and prevent Taxmageddon from striking America’s families and small businesses.
Taxmageddon is a $494 billion tax hike. Not only would it push Tax Freedom Day much deeper into 2013, it would also make next year’s Tax Day considerably more painful than it was this year: American households would face an average tax increase of $3,800.
A big portion of the Taxmageddon increase would occur because tax cuts enacted more than a decade ago lowered all tax rates and put in place a new 10 percent bracket. They also doubled the child tax credit from $500 to $1,000, reduced the marriage penalty, and reduced the tax disincentives toward saving. These tax cuts are all slated to expire at the end of 2012. In total, because of the expiration of just these three tax policies, 70 percent of Taxmageddon would fall directly on low-income and middle-income families. That’s about $346 billion less for families to spend and a whole lot more for government to spend.
That’s not all. If Congress fails to act, then a lot more Americans are going to pay the alternative minimum tax, or AMT. This tax was only supposed to be paid by “the rich.” But, as so often happens, a tax targeted at the rich expanded over time so that it now threatens millions of middle-income families.
If Congress fails to act, workers won’t have to wait very long to feel the effects. Every payday, they would see a jump in their payroll tax as it takes a bigger bite out of every paycheck. And that only reflects the direct hit they’ll face. The health care surtax on investment income and salaries over $250,000—which begins in 2013 along with five other tax hikes—would slow job creation, because it would take away resources from businesses, investors, and entrepreneurs.
Other Taxmageddon tax hikes, such as the expiration of the “tax extenders,” the rise of the death tax, and end of 100 percent expensing for business investment, would also slow the economy. These would make it harder for those out of work to find a job or for those looking for a new opportunity to land a better job. It would also slam the stock market, making it harder to rebuild depleted retirement savings.
Congress and President Obama need to show voters they actually can get important things done, even in an election year. Stopping a nearly $500 billion economy-crushing tax hike shouldn’t be controversial. So what’s the hold up?
One of my favorite groups growing up was ABBA. Here are some of my favorite songs:
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It is sad that we are heading to where Sweden used to be and they are heading to where we used to be. Here is a great article from the Heritage Foundation:
Sweden is known for, among other things, Swedish meatballs, the pop group ABBA, and IKEA.
Well, here is another thing that Sweden should be recognized for: tax cuts. Yes, you heard right: tax cuts.
Sweden used to tax corporations at a 60 percent rate. Now that has come down to 26.3 percent. As noted in a recent article by the U.K.-based Spectator magazine, Sweden’s finance minister, Anders Borg, who was named the most effective finance minister in Europe by the Financial Times, got something awfully right.
Since becoming Sweden’s finance minister, [Borg’s] mission has been to pare back government. His “stimulus” was a permanent tax cut. To critics, this was fiscal lunacy—the so-called “punk tax cutting” agenda. Borg, on the other hand, thought lunacy meant repeating the economics of the 1970s and expecting a different result.… Three years on, it’s pretty clear who was right. “Look at Spain, Portugal or the UK, whose governments were arguing for large temporary stimulus,” he says. “Well, we can see that very little of the stimulus went to the economy. But they are stuck with the debt.” Tax-cutting Sweden, by contrast, had the fastest growth in Europe last year, when it also celebrated the abolition of its deficit.… He continued to cut taxes and cut welfare-spending to pay for it; he even cut property taxes for the rich to lure entrepreneurs back to Sweden. The last bit was the most unpopular, but for Borg, economic recovery starts with entrepreneurs.
The tax cuts, combined with Sweden’s highly efficient regulatory system, have raised the Swedish economy to 21st place in the 2012 Index of Economic Freedom. By sharp contrast, the regulation-loving “Yes, We Can” U.S. Administration has driven down our economic freedom ranking over the past three years and is steering our economy into “Taxmageddon.”
Maybe it is time for President Obama to sit down with Sweden’s finance minister for a lesson on how to achieve economic recovery.
If you are a college football fan, you are pretty aware of the Bobby Petrino scandal at the University of Arkansas. For those of you who aren’t, here’s the short version.
Petrino, the married with four kids head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks, had a motorcycle accident. When he spoke to his employer about the accident he left out some key details. Little details like the fact that he wasn’t alone. He was with a 25 year old, engaged, female member of his staff. A female he later admitted to having an “inappropriate relationship” with. I love the term “inappropriate relationship,” it sounds so much nicer than “adulterous affair that will hurt my wife and kids,” doesn’t it?
Arkansas fired him as their head coach. End of story, right?
Why did they hire him in the first place? See, Petrino has a track record of not being a man of his word. On multiple occasions he has told whatever college he was working for that he wanted to be their coach of the future, all the while aggressively pursuing other job offers. In 2007 he was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons and left in the middle of a dismal 3-10 season. One day, after pledging his commitment to owner Arthur Blank, he left a laminated note to his players on the door to the locker room and was gone to coach at Arkansas.
Petrino’s problem is not that he leaves schools or messes around on his wife. Those are symptoms. The cause is that Petrino has no integrity. The dictionary defines integrity as, “adherence to moral and ethical principles, soundness of moral character, honesty.”
I’m not here to pile on Bobby Petrino – the media is doing a good job of that. And if the rumors are true that he “Favre’d himself,” it’s going to get a lot uglier!
My question is, who is to blame in this whole scandal? Obviously, Petrino did wrong, so he is to blame in one sense. But what about the University of Arkansas? They hired Petrino knowing his track record, knowing that he was employed by another team when they spoke to him. They understood that Petrino didn’t have much integrity, but they also knew that he was a winner (except for the Falcons). He could win football games, and that is all that was important. How’s that working out for you now, Arkansas? Now your football program is in ruins because Petrino has been fired. Your top recruits may now bow out of their scholarships because a new coach is going to come in, maybe with a different system that won’t work quite as well for them.
It always amazes me when a man and woman will cheat on their spouses with each other, then get married. How can they ever trust that spouse? They know the person is a cheater. That’s how they got together! It’s not difficult to see why so many of those marriages don’t work.
One of the things God has called Christians to be is people of integrity. Jesus put it this way:
“And don’t say anything you don’t mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, ‘I’ll pray for you,’ and never doing it, or saying, ‘God be with you,’ and not meaning it. You don’t make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.” – Matthew 5:33-37
What about you? Is your life one of integrity? Can your wife, your husband, your boss, your kids trust you when they aren’t watching your every move? If we were to compare your walk and your talk, would they line up? If not, why should we trust you? If you’re not a person of your word, can you really expect trust from us? And if we refuse to trust you, can you really be upset with us?
I have prayed for Petrino, the woman in question, and their families. This is a tragedy all the way around. I have also taken this as a chance to check my own integrity. I recommend you do the same.
If Bobby thinks he is bruised now, then he needs to read about the guy in Proverbs 7:10-27 and what happened to him. I really am hoping that Bobby Petrino can put his marriage back together. He has a clear choice between two paths. In the sermon at Fellowship Bible Church at July 24, 2011, […]
It pays to remember history. Today I am going to go through some of it and give an outline and quotes from the great Southern Baptist leader Adrian Rogers (1931-2005). Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times started this morning off with some comedy: From pro golfer John Daly’s Twitter account following last night’s Republican debate, […]
Born in what is now Podgorica, Montenegro, Raonic moved to Canada with his family at the age of 3.[5] Raonic is Canada’s highest ATP ranked male singles player since computer rankings began in 1973. He qualified for his first grand slam event at the 2010 U.S. Open. In 2011 he rose from World No. 152 to No. 37 in a month, after he reached the fourth round of the Australian Open and won his first ATP title at the 2011 SAP Open. Raonic, who prefers to play on hard courts, plays an all-court game but is most notable for his serve, which is powerful and accurate. Since late autumn of 2010 he has been coached by former Spanish pro player Galo Blanco in Barcelona.
Raonic started 2011 playing qualifying matches for the 2011 Aircel Chennai Open where he lost in the qualifying round against Édouard Roger-Vasselin. Next, he successfully qualified for the 2011 Australian Open. He won his first round match against German Björn Phau in three sets, his first victory in a main draw Grand Slam match.[13] In the second round he defeated No. 22 seed Michaël Llodra of France, again in three sets, becoming the first Canadian man in 10 years to reach the third round of a singles Grand Slam.[14] He then knocked out the Russian World No. 10 Mikhail Youzhny in four sets to reach the fourth round, the first qualifier to make the 4th round of a Grand Slam since 1999.[15] Playing his next match at the Hisense Arena, he fell to World No. 7 David Ferrer after he lost the last three sets, despite winning the first.[16]
Despite the loss, Raonic received rave reviews for his performance at the Australian Open, such as when John McEnroe referred to Raonic as “the real deal” on Twitter,[17] or the BBC‘s reference to Raonic as part of “a new generation”.[18]Martina Navratilova referred to Raonic as “a new star” saying that “the sky is the limit” for the young tennis player,[19] and the Sydney Morning Herald referred to Raonic as a “future superstar”.[20]
Two weeks later, Raonic began play at the SAP Open tournament. After upsetting No. 4 seed Xavier Malisse in the first round in two sets, he then beat James Blake, again in two sets.[21] After beating Ričardas Berankis in the quarterfinal match 6–4, 7–6, he reached ATP tournament semifinals for the first time in his career. Raonic advanced to his first final of an ATP tournament when the No. 2 seed Gaël Monfils defaulted in the semifinals citing a wrist injury.[22] In the final, Milos beat 1st seeded Fernando Verdasco 7–6, 7–6, winning his first ATP title, and became the first Canadian player to win an ATP singles tournament since Greg Rusedski in 1995 (before Rusedski started representing Great Britain).[23]
Raonic received a wild card into the main singles draw of the following week’s 2011 Regions Morgan Keegan Championships. Interestingly, he opened against Fernando Verdasco, the player he had just faced two days earlier, and prevailed again, this time in three sets. Milos next defeated Radek Štěpánek also in three sets, serving a career-high 38 aces in the process.[24] After defeating qualifier Robert Kendrick in the quarter-finals, again losing the second set before prevailing, Raonic continued his unbeaten run, defeating No. 4 seed Mardy Fish in the semis, once again despite dropping the second set. He lost a closely contested final, however, to No. 1 seed and two-time Memphis champion Andy Roddick 6–7, 7–6, 5–7, with Roddick making a diving forehand to win break point, on his fifth championship point for the match.[25] Raonic’s performance in this tournament elevated him to yet another career high ranking of World No. 37, making him the highest-ranked Canadian male singles player in ATP Rankings history.[26]
Raonic won both his singles Davis Cup rubbers against Mexico on clay as well as the doubles tie together with Vasek Pospisil to advance Canada to the second round.[27]
On grass courts, Raonic’s reached quarterfinals at the 2011 Gerry Weber Open by taking out both Pablo Andujar and Tobias Kamke in straight sets before losing to Philipp Petzschner in three. In doubles with partner Robin Hasse, he reached his first ATP World Tour doubles final. The pair lost to Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (the nicknamed “Indo-Pak Express“) 9–11 in the deciding tie-break. At Wimbledon 31st seeded Milos advanced to the second round after disposing of Marc Gicquel. However in his second round match Raonic had to retire after winning 3 games in the first set due to injury.
On January 8 he won his second ATP title at the 2012 Aircel Chennai Open in Chennai, India, defeating Janko Tipsarević in the final 6–7, 7–6, 7–6. Raonic did not drop serve during the tournament, becoming the first player to do so since Roger Federer at the 2008 Gerry Weber Open. Later in January, Raonic advanced to the third round of the 2012 Australian Open, disposing of Filippo Volandri of Italy and Philipp Petzschner of Germany. He was beaten by Lleyton Hewitt of Australia 1 set to 3 (6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 3-6) in 3 hours 6 minutes after going to deuce (5) for the match point. On February 19 in San Jose, California, Raonic won his third ATP title and second SAP Open in a row, defeating Dennis Istomin 7-6, 6-2.[30]
To prevent confusion and double counting, information in this table is updated only once a tournament or the player’s participation in the tournament has concluded. This table is current through the 2012 Australian Open.
I am hoping that Bobby Petrino can put his marriage back together but only time will tell. What price did Petrino pay? Everyone knows that he lost his job, but there are more costs on top of that.
The article below was written by Neal Pollard of Colorado.
Thanks to a morality clause in their contract, the University of Arkansas was able to fire head football coach Bobby Petrino and save nearly $18 million dollars. That will be money, no doubt, that can be used toward finding and signing his replacement. Though the fan base openly stated they could not care less about his sexually immoral ways (after all, he had led the Razorbacks to a stellar 21-5 record as coach), the university fired him for a series of indiscretions at the bottom of which was the married man’s affair with a 25-year-old, engaged former volley ball star from the school. It is yet to be seen what impact his actions will have on his marriage or his relationship with his four children. How hard will it be for another university to trust him enough to hire him? He has embarrassed himself and damaged his reputation. And, for what?
There was another man, a man who by every indication was a much more spiritual man, who centuries ago gave up so much for comparatively little. He had it all, power, wealth, reputation, respect, and a healthy relationship with God. But one trip to the roof of his house began a downward spiral fueled by his own lust for a married woman. By the time the dust settled, the man would experience the loss of four children, death threats, displacement, wholesale embarrassment, and his own spiritual compromise. Though David was forgiven and restored in his relationship with God, look at the carnage that came of his tragic decision.
One of the biggest lies men and women swallow is that sexual immorality and deviance from God’s pattern for sexuality is relatively harmless. They know there is risk, and sometimes risk is part of the thrill for the guilty. Perhaps one sees all that is at stake, but driven by sinful passion are too intoxicated with such to care. But as sad as this week’s newest scandal is and as lastingly tragic as David’s decision was, it serves as a reminder and a warning for us today. What does the “after” picture look like? Let David have the last words: “For I know my transgression, and my sin is ever before me” (Psa. 51:3). What a price!
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I wonder if Bobby Petrino thinks a few months with a mistress was worth a chance at losing his family forever?
In this undated image released by the University of Arkansas, Razorback Foundation assistant director Jessica Dorrell is shown. Dorrell was a passenger of Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino during a weekend motorcycle ride that ended with a crash that sent him to the hospital, according to a police report released Thursday, April 5, 2012. (AP Photo/University of Arkansas, Wesley Hitt)
If Bobby thinks he is bruised now, then he needs to read about the guy in Proverbs 7:10-27 and what happened to him. I really am hoping that Bobby Petrino can put his marriage back together. He has a clear choice between two paths. In the sermon at Fellowship Bible Church at July 24, 2011, […]
It pays to remember history. Today I am going to go through some of it and give an outline and quotes from the great Southern Baptist leader Adrian Rogers (1931-2005). Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times started this morning off with some comedy: From pro golfer John Daly’s Twitter account following last night’s Republican debate, […]
(CNN) — Earl Scruggs, whose distinctive picking style and association with Lester Flatt cemented bluegrass music’s place in popular culture, died Wednesday of natural causes at a Nashville hospital, his son Gary Scruggs said. He was 88.
“I realize his popularity throughout the world went way beyond just bluegrass and country music,” Gary Scruggs told CNN. “It was more than that.”
For many of a certain age, Scruggs’ banjo was part of the soundtrack of an era on “The Ballad of Jed Clampett” — the theme song from the CBS sitcom “The Beverly Hillbillies,” which aired on CBS from 1962 to 1971 and for decades afterward in syndication.
But much more than that, he popularized a three-finger picking style that brought the banjo to the fore in a supercharged genre, and he was an indispensable member of the small cadre of musical greats who created modern bluegrass music.
Scruggs was born in 1924 to a musically gifted family in rural Cleveland County, North Carolina, according to his official biography. His father, a farmer and a bookkeeper, played the fiddle and banjo, his mother was an organist and his older siblings played guitar and banjo, as well.
Young Earl’s exceptional gifts were apparent early on. He started playing the banjo at age 4 and he started developing his three-finger style at the age of 10.
“The banjo was, for all practical purposes, ‘reborn’ as a musical instrument,” the biography on his official website declares, “due to the talent and prominence Earl Scruggs gave to the instrument.”
While Scruggs’ status as the Prometheus of the banjo may be overstated, many musicians feel he changed the game. John Hartman, quoted in Barry R. Willis’ “America’s Music: Bluegrass,” summed it up this way: “Everybody’s all worried about who invented the style and it’s obvious that three-finger banjo pickers have been around a long time — maybe since 1840. But my feeling about it is that if it wasn’t for Earl Scruggs, you wouldn’t be worried about who invented it.”
In an article on the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s website, bluegrass historian Neil V. Rosenberg described Scruggs’ style as “a ‘roll’ executed with the thumb and two fingers of his right hand” that essentially made the banjo “a lead instrument like a fiddle or a guitar, particularly on faster pieces and instrumentals. This novel sound attracted considerable attention to their Grand Ole Opry performances, road shows, and Columbia recordings.”
In 1945, Scruggs met Flatt when he joined Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys, for whom Flatt was the guitarist and lead vocalist. Along with the group’s mandolin-playing namesake were fiddler Chubby Wise and bassist Howard Watts (alias: Cedric Rainwater).
Scruggs and Flatt left Monroe in 1948 to form the Foggy Mountain Boys, according to the Country Music Hall of Fame website. Along with guitarist/vocalists Jim Eanes and Mac Wiseman, fiddler Jim Shumate and Blue Grass Boys alum Rainwater, the group played on WCYB in Bristol, Tennessee, and recorded for the Mercury label.
He married Anne Louise Certain that year. In the ’50s she became Flatt & Scruggs’ business manager. They were married for more than 57 years until her death in 2006.
The Foggy Mountain Boys’ roster changed over the years, but Flatt and Scruggs became the constants, the signature sound of the group on radio programs, notably those sponsored by Martha White Flour, and as regulars at the Grand Ole Opry. They became syndicated TV stars in in the Southeast in the late 1950s and early ’60s, and they hit the country charts with the gospel tune “Cabin on the Hill.”
But it was during an appearance at a Hollywood folk club that brought them into contact with the producer of “The Beverly Hillbillies” and led to “The Ballad of Jed Clampett.” It was their only single to climb to No.1 on the country charts.
The 1967 film “Bonnie and Clyde” featured their 1949 instrumental “Foggy Mountain Breakdown,” with its distinctive Scruggs-style banjo solo perhaps the most ubiquitous of bluegrass sounds.
The duo split in 1969, and Scruggs’ fame as a solo and featured act continued to grow, even as his most iconic licks echoed through the years among his acolytes — basically, anyone who played banjo, and many who picked other instruments.
Playing “Foggy Mountain” on banjo became a staple of Steve Martin’s comedy routine, and blossomed into a reverential tribute. In November 2001, Martin and Scruggs were joined by Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, Jerry Douglas and others on “Late Show With David Letterman” to play a fiery version of the song — soloing alternately on banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, steel guitar and harmonica. Even Paul Schafer took the chorus for a spin on piano.
In an article in the New Yorker in January, Martin wrote, “A grand part of American music owes a debt to Earl Scruggs. Few players have changed the way we hear an instrument the way Earl has, putting him in a category with Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, Chet Atkins, and Jimi Hendrix.”
Flatt & Scruggs were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1985, six years after Lester Flatt’s death. In 1991, Scruggs, Flatt and Monroe were the first inductees in the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.
His sons Gary and Randy both are accomplished musicians and songwriters, and played with their dad in a 1973 album, “The Earl Scruggs Revue.”
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The Beverly Hillbillies: Jed Throws a Wingding – Season 1, Episode 20 (1963)
Stringbean with Earl Scruggs and Lester Flat-Run little rabbit run
Uploaded by Nekrophyliac on May 16, 2006 the best instrumental bluegrass song ever done!! ________ FLAT & SCRUGGS Uploaded by wininternetnetwork on Dec 2, 2007 Flat & Scruggs Shortbread From CNN: Bluegrass great Earl Scruggs dead at 88 By the CNN Wire Staff updated 11:43 AM EDT, Thu March 29, 2012 (CNN) — Earl Scruggs, […]
The Beverly Hillbillies: Jed Throws A Wingding Uploaded by AllegroMediaMovies on Feb 23, 2012 The Beverly Hillbillies is one of the funniest and most inspired TV comedies of all time! The show was ranked #1 and attracted as many as 60 million viewers per week! The Clampett Clan includes Buddy Ebsen (Jed), Irene Ryan (“Granny”), […]
It has taken me a long time to make my decision but I’ve finally made it. Their 3rd best album is X&Y. I love this album so much! The CD includes many good songs like ”TALK” ”WHAT IF” ”SQUARE ONE” ”THE HARDEST PART” ”TILL KINGDOM COME” ”SPEED OF SOUND” and my favorite Coldplay song ever ” […]
Davy Jones was a great singer and we will miss him. Jones, 66, born in Manchester, England, became the principal teen idol of the rock quartet featured on the NBC comedy series “The Monkees,” which was inspired in part by the Beatles film “A Hard Day’s Night” and ran from the fall of 1966 to […]
(Sittin On) The Dock Of The Bay Uploaded by taylorgdaniel on Jun 9, 2010 Downtown Memphis, July 9, 2010, solo by Taylor G. Daniel of Germantown. This song was actually sung just a few miles away from where Redding originally recorded it in downtown Memphis at Stax Records. ______________________ Over the years Otis Redding’s influence […]
The “American Idol” contestant-turned-actress is getting positive reviews for her role in “Smash.” The singer plays an actress who is competing for the part of Marilyn Monroe in a Broadway show. The Hollywood Reporter calls it “‘Glee’ for grownups” and Entertainment Weekly calls McPhee “mediocre” but “very likable.” Great song: Uploaded by KatharineMcPheeVEVO on Nov […]
Dr. Williams gives an introduction to Schaeffer’s life and work at the Francis Schaeffer Centennial, an event honoring Francis Schaeffer’s 100th birthday.
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This year Francis Schaeffer would have turned 100 on Jan 30, 2012. I remember like yesterday when I first was introduced to his books. I was even more amazed when I first saw his films. I was so influenced by them that I bought every one of his 30 something books and his two film series. Here is a tribute that I got off the internet from Chuck Colson’s website www.breakpoint.org :
I cannot begin to express how many sympathetic back pats, mildly shaken heads and ever so slightly rolled eyes I have gotten at the news that I was reviewing a book on the apologetics of Francis Schaeffer. I must say that I have understood, at least partially, those reactions by Godly and loving people. After all, who can not have a bit of a smile, or a tug at one’s heart and maybe their intellect, at the thought of Francis Schaeffer? At the myriad explanations of him, the differing opinions on him, the disciples who revere him and the opponents who remain baffled by him even in their distaste for him?
Those of us of “a certain age” remember firsthand the differing schools of thought surrounding Schaeffer, the powerful way that he affected almost everyone who encountered him either personally or through his writings. What I found interesting even then was the way in which parishes and wide swaths of laymen were moved positively by Schaeffer to begin to study, yes STUDY, the doctrines of the faith that some had embraced uncritically since childhood. I remember the way these lifelong Christians say next to those still challenging the faith, those new to the faith and those just desirous of seeing what all the commotion was about. At the same time, I was moved by how many “educated” Christians, those with degrees, those who taught in seminaries and other institutions of higher learning, were frequently critical, even dismissive of this man that their unwashed counterparts in the pews embraced so fully.
In his book on the apologetics of this much-misunderstood thinker, Bryan Follis has done a grand job of untangling the knot that was the apologetic of Francis Schaeffer, without succumbing to the Alexandrian need to simply cut the knot and declare it untied. Follis has broken his book down into an Introduction, 4 simple chapters and a stirring Conclusion. He has shown a willingness to interact with major critics of a man he clearly loves, while at the same time seeking to use Schaeffer’s words, and not Follis’ own, to make his case for his understanding of Schaeffer’s apologetic. The chapter titles, “Calvin and the Reformed Tradition,” “Arguments and Approach,” “Rationality and Spirituality” and “Academic or Apologist” describe the path Follis treads in giving us a clear view of Schaeffer in light of the major influences on him and questions concerning him.
To oversimplify, Schaeffer received criticism from several different and differing viewpoints. The Warfieldian evidentialists dismissed him as a presuppositionalist. The Van Tilan presuppositionlists dismissed him as a rationalist with evidentialist leanings, and all looked with great disfavor on his extensive use of rational arguments with non-believers. Follis eventually places Schaeffer as leaning more toward the “verificationalist” method described by Edward Carnell in his “An Introduction to Christian Apologetics” published in 1948. While describing Schaeffer as being most like this method of apologetics, Follis shows that Schaeffer defies pigeon-holing, which is what seems to have driven his rejection, in large part, by the academy in his day.
Follis says this in setting the framework for understanding Schaeffer, “…it is impossible to understand Schaeffer, never mind properly evaluate his apologetics, unless we grasp that he was a practitioner and not a theoretician, and so interpret him in the context of what he sought to do.” Follis does an admirable job of keeping the focus on Schaeffer’s heart for the lost, and his willingness to understand the language and context of his conversation partner so that he could most effectively relate the Gospel message to that person in the way most relevant to their understanding and situation in life. What caused such consternation in academic circles, it seems in retrospect, is that while Schaeffer defied strict definition in philosophical/apologetical terms, he happily embraced the only definition he sought, Evangelist.
One of the areas in which Schaeffer was most roundly criticized was that of his lightly regarded scholarship, particularly as it relates to his formulation and interpretation of the flow of human history and how it related to the Modern and post-Modern thought so prevalent then and now. Follis makes a telling point when he shows that while some of Schaeffer’s critics might have had their say in his day, Schaeffer is most assuredly having his say now, as we see almost precisely the progression of thought and deterioration of values, language and morality that he predicted and against which he warned in the 50s, 60s and 70s.
In describing Schaeffer’s methodology, Follis continues to return to Schaeffer’s idea that we must lovingly “take the roof off of” the inconsistent logic, denial of reality and false psychological props that most unbelievers use to give themselves “a false sense of meaning or a fleeting feeling of satisfaction.” Schaeffer contended that we should never be cruel in exposing the unbeliever’s shortcomings, but rather learn his language and move into his story in order to solve the “problem of how to communicate the Gospel so that it is understood.”
The highlight of the read for this reviewer was the Conclusion, entitled “Love as the Final Apologetic.” In this section, Follis takes what he has given us in the previous four chapters and contextualizes it to the local church today. Follis asks the questions that are already coursing through the mind of his reader, “Do we see compassion and love like this (Schaeffer in his work) today in many churches? Can the outsider visit your church and experience the reality of Christ’s love and truth both being taught and lived? And what of our individual lives – do they reflect the love of Christ, and do we, in an age of doubt, commend His truth?” As the beginnings of an answer to these questions, this book will be a valuable addition to any bookshelf.
In the final analysis we can ask “Should we seek to teach Schaeffer’s apologetic?” The answer is “Probably not,” because Schaeffer’s apologetic seems uniquely fitted to who Schaeffer was. But if we ask, “Should we seek to instill Schaeffer’s heart for the lost in our own lives and apologetic, as well as the lives of all we teach, lead or among whom we live?” who among us could possibly answer “no?”
Bryan A. Follis / Illinois: Crossway, 2006
Review by Bing Davis, Pastor of Grace Fellowship, Spring Hill, TN
Dr. Francis Schaeffer – Extra – Interview – Part 2 Francis Schaeffer had a big impact on me in the late 1970′s and I have been enjoying his books and films ever since. Here is great video clip of an interview and below is a fine article about him. Francis Schaeffer 1912-1984 Christian Theologian, Philosopher, […]
E P I S O D E 1 0 How Should We Then Live 10#1 FINAL CHOICES I. Authoritarianism the Only Humanistic Social Option One man or an elite giving authoritative arbitrary absolutes. A. Society is sole absolute in absence of other absolutes. B. But society has to be led by an elite: John Kenneth […]
What Ever Happened to the Human Race? Bachmann was a student of the works of Francis Schaeffer like I am and I know she was pro-life because of it. (Observe video clip above and picture of Schaeffer.) I hated to see her go. DES MOINES, Iowa — Last night, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann vowed to […]
E P I S O D E 9 How Should We Then Live 9#1 T h e Age of Personal Peace and Afflunce I. By the Early 1960s People Were Bombarded From Every Side by Modern Man’s Humanistic Thought II. Modern Form of Humanistic Thought Leads to Pessimism Regarding a Meaning for Life and for Fixed […]
E P I S O D E 8 How Should We Then Live 8#1 I saw this film series in 1979 and it had a major impact on me. T h e Age of FRAGMENTATION I. Art As a Vehicle Of Modern Thought A. Impressionism (Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Sisley, Degas) and Post-Impressionism (Cézanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin, […]
E P I S O D E 7 How Should We Then Live 7#1 I am thrilled to get this film series with you. I saw it first in 1979 and it had such a big impact on me. Today’s episode is where we see modern humanist man act on his belief that we live […]
Dr. Francis Schaeffer – Extra – Interview – Part 2 Francis Schaeffer had a big impact on me in the late 1970′s and I have been enjoying his books and films ever since. Here is great video clip of an interview and below is a fine article about him. Francis Schaeffer 1912-1984 Christian Theologian, Philosopher, […]
E P I S O D E 6 How Should We Then Live 6#1 I am sharing with you a film series that I saw in 1979. In this film Francis Schaeffer asserted that was a shift in Modern Science. A. Change in conviction from earlier modern scientists.B. From an open to a closed natural system: […]
E P I S O D E 5 How Should We Then Live 5-1 I was impacted by this film series by Francis Schaeffer back in the 1970′s and I wanted to share it with you. Francis Schaeffer noted, “Reformation Did Not Bring Perfection. But gradually on basis of biblical teaching there was a unique improvement. A. […]
How Should We Then Live 4-1 I was impacted by this film series by Francis Schaeffer back in the 1970′s and I wanted to share it with you. Schaeffer makes three key points concerning the Reformation: “1. Erasmian Christian humanism rejected by Farel. 2. Bible gives needed answers not only as to how to be right with […]
How Should We Then Live 3-1 I was impacted by this film series by Francis Schaeffer back in the 1970′s and I wanted to share it with you. Schaeffer really shows why we have so many problems today with this excellent episode. He noted, “Could have gone either way—with emphasis on real people living in […]
How Should We Then Live 2-1 I was impacted by this film series by Francis Schaeffer back in the 1970′s and I wanted to share it with you. Schaeffer points out that during this time period unfortunately we have the “Church’s deviation from early church’s teaching in regard to authority and the approach to God.” […]
How Should We Then Live 1-1 Today I am starting a series that really had a big impact on my life back in the 1970′s when I first saw it. There are ten parts and today is the first. Francis Schaeffer takes a look at Rome and why it fell. It fell because of inward […]
During the Clinton scandals of the 1990s, we heard a relentless refrain from the big media outlets – personal behavior and character do not really count in job performance. They beat the drum that Clinton’s all-too-evident personal failings did not affect his ability to do his job well. I call that nonsense.
I remember a young pastor I knew who was being touted as “the next Chuck Swindoll” – a great pastor, great preacher, with a growing church and unlimited potential for the future. All of that was true right up until he appeared on the evening news for all the wrong reasons. His public and promising ministry was completely undermined by a chink the armor of his character than allowed the enemy’s arrows to pierce him.
Character matters.
This week, we had another extremely public piece of evidence in this sad debate. Bobby Petrino was forced out as the coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks football program. It had nothing to do with his job performance. That cannot have been any better. He took a struggling program and moved them to the head of the class. Next season was supposed to be their best, with a lot of returning players. Petrino is an excellent football coach.
Then, poof, it all went away. He was in a motorcycle accident. He claimed he was by himself. Not so much. He was with a 25-year-old former volleyball player with whom he had been conducting an affair (Petrino is married with four children) for some time. His girlfriend had recently landed a cherry job within the football program and it was discovered that Petrino had used his influence in that hiring.
That is what cost him his job. Not adultery. Not lying. Not cheating. He lost his job because he used his influence to hire the young lady.
But that is what people need to remember. These things don’t happen in a vacuum. Character drives behavior. Petrino has never been known as a paragon of honesty and virtue. An ESPN article by Mark Schlabach details his history of playing free and loose with the truth.
In 2003, which coaching Louisville, he met secretly with Auburn about replacing their coach, Tommy Tuberville. He denied it until the press produced records that proved the meeting took place. He then admitted he made a “mistake.”
In 2007, as coach of the Atlanta Falcons, he assured his owner he wasn’t going anywhere, but would fulfill his contract. A couple of days later, he resigned immediately to become head coach at Arkansas. His word was not his bond.
From this article, it was generally known that Bobby Petrino was not a man who tied himself too tightly to the truth or to his word. This tendency evidently bore fruit in this illicit relationship, the lying to the school, the manipulation of her job search and the eventual disintegration of his professional standing.
It is not a secret that I am no big SEC fan, and I could be accused of piling on here. That is not my intent. I like poor ol’ Doug Hibbard a lot and I know that he is hurting. This is a sad tragedy and any Christian who gloated over something like this would be sinning against God.
But I would like to make one point.
People act in accordance with their character. That is why character matters most.
The idea that we can compartmentalize our character and do a good job professionally while our character is misshapen is fiction, a myth like the phoenix or unicorns. You character flaws are going to find their way into your behavior in every part of your life. A man who will cheat on his wife will cut corners in other areas as well. A cheater will cheat. A liar will lie. Our character shapes our actions.
If anyone other than Bobby Petrino can be assigned blame here, it might be the university administration who ignored his character flaws when it benefited them. That choice came back to bite them. Did they think that occupying an office in Fayetteville would suddenly transform him? Soul transformation only happens through Christ.
Observations:
At some point, people are going to have to realize that character flaws cause significant behavioral issues that will come to evidence eventually. We cannot compartmentalize character.
There is another lie that is often told in the world. ”You are what you are and that is okay.” Nonsense. You are what you are, but every character quality that destroys our inner life and our outer behavior can be transformed by Christ so that we are conformed to the image of Christ. God doesn’t just change our behavior, he transforms us from the inside out so that we become different people – new in Christ. To deny that is to denigrate the gospel.
Okay, have your say.
In this undated image released by the University of Arkansas, Razorback Foundation assistant director Jessica Dorrell is shown. Dorrell was a passenger of Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino during a weekend motorcycle ride that ended with a crash that sent him to the hospital, according to a police report released Thursday, April 5, 2012. (AP Photo/University of Arkansas, Wesley Hitt)
If Bobby thinks he is bruised now, then he needs to read about the guy in Proverbs 7:10-27 and what happened to him. I really am hoping that Bobby Petrino can put his marriage back together. He has a clear choice between two paths. In the sermon at Fellowship Bible Church at July 24, 2011, […]
It pays to remember history. Today I am going to go through some of it and give an outline and quotes from the great Southern Baptist leader Adrian Rogers (1931-2005). Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times started this morning off with some comedy: From pro golfer John Daly’s Twitter account following last night’s Republican debate, […]
LONDON (Reuters) – Singer Robin Gibb, a founding member of the disco-era hit machine the Bee Gees, is in a coma surrounded by members of his family in a London hospital, British media reported on Saturday.
A spokesman for the 62-year-old, who has been battling cancer and recently contracted pneumonia, was not immediately available to comment on the reports.
“Our prayers are with Robin,” an unnamed family friend told the Sun newspaper, which first reported the news.
“He has kept so positive and always believed he could beat this. Sadly, it looks like he has developed pneumonia, which is very bad in his situation.”
The tabloid said that Gibb’s wife Dwina, sons Spencer and Robin-John, daughter Melissa and brother Barry were keeping a bedside vigil.
In February, Gibb announced he had made a “spectacular” recovery from cancer. But in late March he underwent further surgery on his intestines.
He was forced to cancel all engagements, including the world premiere earlier this month of his first classical work, co-written with Robin-John, called “The Titanic Requiem”.
Gibb had emergency surgery in 2010 to treat a blocked bowel and further surgery for a twisted bowel – the condition that killed his twin brother Maurice in 2003 at the age of 53.
He was diagnosed with colon cancer, which later spread to his liver.
Gibb originally formed the Bee Gees in Australia with brothers Barry and Maurice. The group released its first record in 1963.
But it was in the 1970s that they rose to worldwide fame, producing a string of disco favorites including “Jive Talkin'”, “How Deep Is Your Love” and “Night Fever”.
The brothers never matched that success in subsequent decades, however, but wrote and produced a string of hits for other artists.
The band’s distinctive tight harmonies and falsetto vibrato delivery helped the Gibbs sell an estimated 200 million records worldwide.
(Reporting by Mike Collett-White; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
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