Persecution & Myths, Lies & Downright Stupidity

Last night, I'm not sure when, somehow Mia slipped into bed between Jess and I. I woke up suddenly with this beautiful little person stretched out between us. My knees were hanging off of the side of the bed, and I could see that Jess was pressed up against the wall on his side with our petite princess taking up the entire center (and on top of the covers, so neither of us could cover up). I woke up several times during the rest of the night and early morning, and every time I looked at the two of them sleeping, my heart was so full. In those few hours this morning, I felt nothing but love and complete contentment watching them sleep and knowing that they were safe near to me.

Persecution: How Liberals are Waging War Against Christianity by David Limbaugh is the book that liberals should be worried about. While Ann Coulter's Godless is getting all the press, it's this book that should have them shaking in their shoes. Limbaugh doesn't use hysterical vitriolic name-calling to get his point across, he uses facts and builds his case slowly, brick by brick. He's like a prosecutor bringing forth each piece of evidence and allowing the jury to see it and listen to each witness and allowing them to make their own judgment. Many of the cases do quote the same lawyers again and again, but that really can't be helped when there are only a few groups defending the rights of Christians to express their views. The book shows case after case in schools, workplaces, and the government in which Christianity is not just being suppressed but oppressed. The good news that in many of the actual court cases, the court upheld the rights of Christians. The bad news is that most people don't bring court cases, they just quietly fold up and give in. These court cases are the exception proving the rule, and the liberals are going to continue pushing and pushing because they know that most people will give in without a fight. Limbaugh also does a great job at the end of the book proving that America was founded on Christian principles by Christian men who never intended for Christianity to be hounded out of American life. This is a good book for everyone to read. It's one of the few books that just might change people's minds.

Myths, Lies & Downright Stupidity... by John Stossel is an enjoyable lightweight read. I like the format of myth, truth, explanation. It's easy to read through what I was interested in and skim what wasn't so interesting. Fortunately, most of the book is very interesting, even the parts I don't agree with. Reading about the failures of public schools and the wonder of free market principles was enlightening and helped me to think about lots of things I hadn't before. Irradiated food: no big deal. Cousins marrying cousins: no big deal. (I'm not advocating it!) But Stossel takes free market principles to extremes in encouraging the sale of organs. I just can't find a way to agree with him about that no matter how he justifies it, and that undercuts some of his other arguments as well. I was also a little disappointed to find that some sections had been aired on 20/20 almost verbatim. While I understand that it saves time and adds pages to the book, I enjoy Stossel, so I had already viewed those segments, reading them just made me feel like the book was padded. It's a good book, and Stossel makes it clear where he stands politically, so read and enjoy, but on some things it probably won't change your mind.

I'm taking a break from heavy reading and enjoying a mystery. I love P.B. Ryan! Enjoy the weekend!