A Letter to My Grandfather

(author unknown, published as a letter to the editor) Dear Grandpa: You have been such an important part of my childhood. From my earliest days, the lessons you taught me have served as my guide to a good and proper life. When I denied taking cookies from the cookie jar, you taught me why it …

Eight Tests for Decision Making

(author unknown) Scriptural Test – Has God already spoken about it in His word? “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (II Timothy 3:16) Secrecy Test – Would it bother me if everyone knew this was my choice? “The integrity of …

The Lecture Hall Lesson

(by Liza Hall) The professor enters the lecture hall. He looks around. "You there in the 8th row. Can you tell me your name?" he asks a student. "My name is Sandra," says a voice. The professor asks her, "Please leave my lecture hall. I don't want to see you in my lecture." Everyone is …

Ten Common Logical Fallacies

Ad Hominum Attack Attacking the person making an argument directly rather than criticizing the argument itself. Straw Man Argument Attacking a distorted version of the original argument that has been created by the attacker. Appeal to Authority Asserting that something must be true because it is backed up by someone who is allegedly an authority …

Who am I?

(by Mike Ryan) I would like to make this a public post and discuss this with all of you. This very subject is my calling. (IMO). I am going out of town and will not be on for a while. So I am leaving you with these words of my often misunderstood position to debate …

The Dead Horse Theory

(author unknown) The tribal wisdom of the Dakota Indians, passed on from generation to generation, says that, "When you discover that you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount." However, in modern business, education and government, a whole range of far more advanced strategies is often employed, such as, Buying a …

The Stand

(by Bill Blood) It was a grey, dreary day, and thunderheads were gathering on the horizon. Charlie could see his neighbor's cows grazing in the pasture in the distance as he sat and drank hot, black coffee. He had tried to sleep last night, but sleep had eluded him. When he was done with his …

Six Feet

(by Shannon Sedam) A few years ago we were at soccer practice. I have never forgotten this moment. The kids were told to run around the field, go to the corner and make their way back to the center. The first few kids did it correctly, but they all quickly started cutting the corner. When …

The Grass

(author unknown) Once upon a time, the donkey told the tiger the grass was blue. The tiger replied that the grass was green. The discussion became heated, and the two decided to submit the issue to arbitration, and to do so they approached the lion. Before reaching the clearing in the forest where the lion …

Unpopular

(by Mike Ryan, adapted for this article) It is an unpopular message to tell people the United States was never a Christian nation. But, I believe this is important in the here and now. If we allow ourselves to believe the nation was Christian by our forefathers we will seek new fathers instead of Christ. …