ISRAEL UPDATEApril 3, 2005 Lebanon was, and now Israel remains the only true democracy in the Middle East. The country of Lebanon was raped, plundered, and dominated by a Syrian dictatorship that denied its existence as a sovereign nation.
On the other hand, Israel fights by the hour to keep itself safe and free from the very forces controlling Lebanon.
Representatives that are controlled by, or are members of either Hamas or Fatah fill 98% of the seats in the Palestinian National Council. The Islamic Jihad terrorist group refuses to acknowledge this “democratic process,” or its authority.
Many well-meaning Americans boast of the good done by installing a democratic process in Iraq, however, have we really done so?
The Shiite politicians who chose the current Iraqi Prime Minister are members of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq. This same group operates military cells across the country, and has close ties to the terrorist regime of Iran.
The Prime Minister of choice, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, is said to be a deeply religious man who will make Iraq a more religious state, i.e. Islamic law… equivalent to less freedom.
Apparently, our leaders have become immune to what democracy is all about. The sad truth is that the Palestinian region and Iraq are not democratic, but are in fact cesspools of hot Islamic terror and a threat to the world.
April 3, 2005 - We see the names of McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, Giambi, Canseco, and Schilling. . . brought to the forefront, as Major League Baseball continues its probe into the use of anabolic steroids by its players.
In bygone years, Ruth, Mantle, Martin, Hernandez, Gooden, and Strawberry, were all high-profile players who battled the demons of drug and alcohol abuse.
To top it off, how about the gambling fiasco that the league went through after the activities of Pete Rose were brought to light?
Baseball, like football, basketball, and the movie and music industries, continually carries the tragic stories of lives and careers cut prematurely short. Ruination of marriages and family relationships, along with reputations defamed forever, are the result of some of the same problems.
In the pursuit of and attainment of these goals, we see man's need for self worth and importance. It is against the backdrop of chaos and tragedy that we can hear the words of Jesus…
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10
As Major League Baseball attempts to clean up its own backyard through legislative morality, one cannot help but think of untold millions whose lives have been changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Rules are good live by, however, G-d's word and an awesome relationship with His Son can immediately change a life forever, regardless of social status or income.
To be continued