What Patriotic Christians Can Do For America

By Chuck Baldwin,
http://chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2006/cbarchive_20061219.html

Among the hundreds of email letters I receive, scores of them ask the same question: "I see the problem, but what can I do?" Today's column is an attempt to answer these people.First, let's acknowledge that our Pilgrim forebears answered this question by leaving their homeland and risking their lives on a dangerous voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to a new world. There is no doubt in my mind that conditions in America today rival those of the ancient Pilgrims in Europe. (They are probably worse!) Obviously, there are no new worlds to settle, but I do know of people who are relocating to other countries for reasons very similar to those of our Pilgrim fathers.

However, what can those of us do who plan to stay and "tough it out" in America? Are we totally without recourse? Is there nothing we can do to truly help turn the ship of state around?

Let me begin by stating some things that will have very little impact on much of anything.

Continuing to vote for the majority of establishment candidates from both the Republican and Democratic parties will accomplish nothing. Voters have been changing the composition of their various and sundry elected offices for decades, and nothing has changed. The country continues to plummet down the proverbial slippery slope.

Attending the average church in the United States will produce little salt to protect against the forces of evil which currently seem to dominate our country. Regardless of denomination, most churches today refuse to address the crucial, salient issues that would educate and inspire people to make a difference.

Neither will listening to the major news media, including Fox News, prepare one to be a difference-maker. With very few exceptions, the major TV newscasts and radio talk shows are regurgitating the same redundant propaganda.

So, for those of you who really want to do something that will prepare you to make a difference in your country, I offer the following suggestions.

If you are a Christian, do your best to find a church where the pastor knows what is going on and is not afraid to teach and preach politically incorrect Bible truth. How far one might have to drive should not be a factor. Neither should denomination be a factor. Obviously, one cannot compromise fundamental convictions, but I would far rather worship in a church outside my denominational preference where the pastor was a bold and courageous champion of truth than stay in the denomination of my preference and sit under a milquetoast preacher. If one is not a Christian, he or she should become one and find this kind of church.

Our country's problems are, first and foremost, spiritual in nature. Therefore, solutions will ultimately never be discovered inside the halls of Congress; rather, they will be found in the hearts and lives of God's people. "Judgment must begin at the house of God." If enough people would leave these panty-waist, compromising, entertainment-evangelism, prosperity-theology, "purpose-driven" social clubs and start supporting true tell-it-like-it-is men of God, we could see a genuine revival in America.

Secondly, begin educating yourself. Stop relying on the major news outlets to bring you the news. I heartily recommend the New American Magazine. In my mind, it is the best news magazine out there. I also find Human Events newspaper very informative, and Middle American News is another good one. There are several smaller, independent papers out there, too. For example, in the Greenville, South Carolina area, the Times Examiner is an excellent resource.

Internet news sites such as News With Views and World Net Daily are also valuable sources of information. Read everything Jerome Corsi writes. Get on Congressman Ron Paul's mailing list. Everyone should subscribe to Howard Phillips' "Issues and Strategy Bulletin." It is a fantastic resource! For educational matters, read John Stormer. John Eidsmoe is as good as they get regarding constitutional issues. For a thorough and in-depth study of economics, read Don McAlvany.

Find non-establishment or independent radio talk shows. People such as George Putnam in California, Barbara Jean Whiteley in Utah, Stan Monteith in Colorado, and Adam McManus and Alex Jones in Texas come to mind. Alex is tough to take, sometimes, and I'm not sure I subscribe to everything he says, but at least he is in the fight and not afraid to take on the hard issues.

Joel Skousen's web site is a treasure-trove of useful information. Christians will, no doubt, enjoy David Alan Black's web site. Covenant News might be the best web site regarding pro-life issues. Alan Keyes and Tom DeWeese also have excellent web sites. For family resources, I recommend Doug Phillips' Vision Forum. One should definitely receive Phyllis Schlafly's newsletters. Pat Buchanan is an author and political commentator worth reading and listening to.

Thirdly, get involved with likeminded patriots. Hook up with your local John Birch Society. Join Larry Pratt's Gun Owners of America. Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership is another terrific pro-Second Amendment organization you should be familiar with.

In addition, I recently left the GOP and am now proud to be identified with the Constitution Party. I recommend the CP to my readers. I also like what Jim Gilchrist is doing with the Minuteman Project. Congressman Tom Tancredo deserves our support, too.

Fourthly, never discount prayer. God's true champions have seldom, if ever, been a majority. Throughout history, God has used a small number of faithful and courageous Christian soldiers to accomplish His divine will. He can still do so.

If everyone reading this column would sincerely and seriously be willing to change their affiliations and associations, would endeavor to personally educate and inform themselves with the truth, would endeavor to not knowingly support organizations and individuals that contribute to the compromise of our national sovereignty and independence, and would be willing to fervently and faithfully pray for America, there is no telling what may result.

So, what are you waiting for? Get busy!

(c) Chuck Baldwin

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Reindeer: The Truth Behind the Legend

Each Christmas season we hear the stories of the eight tiny, flying reindeer that pull Santa's sleigh all over the world in one night. But what made Santa choose reindeer to help him accomplish this feat? Wouldn't elephants, with their huge flappable ears, make a better choice?

Okay, there's the weight factor, but what else makes reindeer the right choice for the jolly North Pole toymaker on his annual voyage? Read on to learn some of the secrets of the world's most famous deer.

Are Reindeer for Real?
While Prancer and Dancer and the gang are the stuff of legend, reindeer are not. These large deer live in northerly climes, in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Arctic. In Eurasia (and the North Pole) they are called reindeer and in North America more commonly caribou, but they are all the same species. The wild herds of Alaska and Canada are known for their mass migrations, while large numbers of those in Eurasia are domesticated, raised for fur, meat, milk, and as work animals. Whether you call them reindeer or caribou, one thing is certain: they are physically well suited to pull a sleigh full of toys and a right jolly old elf.

Questions and Antlers
We've seen the pictures and we know that Santa's reindeer -- Dasher and Dancer and Blitzen and the rest -- sport antlers. Does this mean that all of them (even Vixen?) are males? Not exactly -- in fact, it almost means the opposite. Reindeer and caribou are unique among deer in that the females grow antlers, too. And even more interesting is the fact that the females retain their antlers from one spring till the next, while mature males shed their antlers in the fall -- and are unadorned on Christmas Eve. So the creatures that pull Santa's sleigh must be females or youngsters. Of course, it's entirely possible that a male reindeer with the power to fly also has the power to keep his antlers through the holidays.

All-Terrain Feet
The all-terrain vehicle enables humans to traverse rough, muddy, snowy, or icy terrain. The caribou or reindeer has it beat: it has an all-terrain foot. The animal's remarkable hoof actually adapts itself to the season -- becoming a sort of ice skate in the winter and sneaker in spring. The caribou of North America can run at speeds of almost 50 miles per hour and may travel 3,000 miles in a year. Luckily, the animal is helped along by its amazingly adaptable footpads. In the summer, when the tundra is soft and wet, the footpads become spongy like the soles of tennis shoes and provide extra traction. In the winter, when snow and ice coat the North, the pads shrink and firm up, while the rim of the hoof, like an ice skate's blade, bites into the ice and crusted snow to keep the animal from slipping. Sounds like the perfect footwear for an animal that needs to come to a flying stop on an ice-encrusted rooftop in the dark of the night!

Fur Float
Given its geographic preferences, a reindeer has to have a pretty warm coat. In fact, the coat has two layers of fur, a dense woolly undercoat and longer-haired overcoat. The outer coat consists of hollow, air-filled hairs that give the animal such buoyancy when it enters water that only the lower two-thirds of its body submerges. A caribou or reindeer swims with ease and good speed, and migrating herds will not hesitate to swim across a large lake or broad river. If Santa ever decides to take to the seas rather than the air, he is in good hands!