July 31, 2023 DDF Liberty/Old Age & World View

This is funny:

I did a push-up today

Well, I actually fell down, but I had to use my arms to get back up,

So, close enough

Now I need chocolate

Anyone else out there feeling old?

I also dread when something rolls under a chair as I used to be able to pop, lock, and drop it in my youth.

Now, I just groan, pop, and crack very loudly. Then I take a long breath and plan out in my head the standing

up part. Just saying that getting old sucks. I still exercise 5 days a week, but I think I threw out my hip,

so I had to google low-impact exercise videos. Uggg, my body. If you feel anything like I do then crack

something in my honor.

So, here is another piece of advice I read this past week:

“It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decision than by putting those

decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong” (Thomas Sowell)

The reason this quote stood out because I have been reading some real contradictory borderline oxymoronic

so let’s see if you can guess who said these:

Quote 1:

“Adolescence is hard and puberty is hard. What if you’re going through the wrong puberty?

What if you inside feel that you are female, but now you’re going through male puberty?”

Quote 2:

“I have no regrets because if I had transitioned when I was young then I wouldn’t have my children.

I can’t imagine a life without my children.”

U.S. Assistant Secretary of Health, R. Levine

So, this leads me to believe that the aggressive agenda to encourage minors to use puberty-blockers,

cross-sex hormones, and disfiguring surgeries knowing that all these destroy the ability to conceive or bear

children later as adults. Sterilization of minors is just not okay.

Now, let’s all take a look at Canada. This logically will trickle down to the U.S. I thought the article

was a really bad joke, but it's true. They have a government program called Dying with Dignity-It’s your life.

It’s your choice. Okay assisted suicide has been around a long time, but not targeting “mature minors.”

WTH? A minor can apply to assisted suicide with the pretense that that minors are mature enough to end it all.

We have preventive programs that help minors not kill themselves, but here we go. 

So, it just gets stranger as a transgender adult is fighting with the Canadian government for assisted suicide that

they did not approve. This person is seeking to be euthanized to escape trauma from transition surgery. 

Why are these issues important? Because our world view dictates our behavior. Our  worldview tells us the

truth of what is influencing society in all parts and facets that extends from the individual to the collective.

Our worldview is the way we see life formed by our culture, how we were raised, books we read, education,

and the media we are exposed to. 

So you have two options: Biblical Worldview and Moral Relativism Worldview

Biblical Worldview:

-we believe that absolute truths come from the Word of God

-we don’t base our beliefs on our emotions

-we are created by a personal God

-our beliefs are based on what the Bible teachers

Moral Relativism:

-considers nothing sacred

-people are more “spiritual” so morals and ethical standards are customized

-belief there are no absolute truths

-we are just random products of an evolutionary process

-born good, so only bad because we are products of our environment

***Side note: there is no such thing as a Liberal Christian-that is just moral relativism under a new name.

You can’t say you have fundamental faith and live with liberal views and actions.

“I do not think the devil cares how many churches you build, if only you have lukewarm preachers and people

in them” (Charles Spurgeon).

Dreamsdontfade.com (links to the articles of the stories from above are on my blog with extras-also my notes

from my Constitution class)

This song just made me pray for those who feel lost, broken, confused, and are hurting.

“Perfectly Loved” by Rachael Lampa. The lyric I wish for all our kids today:

Who said that you weren’t beautiful

And that you didn’t belong in your own skin

Rachael Lampa - Perfectly Loved (Official Lyric Video) featuring TOBYMAC

links to articles mentioned:

Transgender seeks to be euthanized

Levine-Glad I waited to transition

Levine-wrong puberty

Mature Minors-Dying with Dignity

De-Transitioner regrets gender reassignment

Outcomes of transition surgeries

De-Transitioners file law suits

Parents law suits being filed

Religious Freedom

Introduction to the Constitution with Hillsdale College Professor Larry P. Arnn Videos 11-12

 Introduction to the Constitution with Hillsdale College Professor Larry P. Arnn Videos 11-12

https://online.hillsdale.edu/course-list

Video 11: The Problem with Big Government

Explores the question: Does the Founders’ constitution enable the American people-by means of its systems of representative government-meet the new and pressing problems of today without compromising its fundamental principles?

-great challenge to the Constitution posed by proponents of big government, in light of the many complicated problems of the modern world

-The FDA -food and drug administration and national institute for health are unconstitutional

-argument is that they are for the general welfare-Alexander Hamilton

-if government can do what they want in the name of general welfare then where are the limits to the government and what they can do

-makes the case for limited government

-FDA, EPA, national institute of health are necessary but not in the Constitution

-drug companies make money so not cautious without some regulations?

-government was 10% of the economy-most stayed in the state-local levels

-now regulatory state is now 50% of the economy

-number of laws made in the congress 

-over time government has gotten really big

-environmental regulation through agencies and government regulations

-public needs fits into the constitution-article 1 section 8 in Constitution that states-says government can tax and spend-general welfare- Madison argues that clause is badly written-pay off the debts the states had accrued-as long as the debt was in the general cause-during revolutionary war-not to be expanded like today

-government supreme authority but only during national purposes-unspoken part is that national political purposes- things need to be done for the nation to be a free nation and well governed

-limits on government and they mean something-so can’t be breached because then we become a liberal society-transformation of our government with 50% of supreme authority

 transformation of Government

-almost all laws are made in a different way not in the Congress

-90% of laws are made by regulatory agencies 

-Regulatory agencies also enforce the laws 

-Regulatory agencies hear and adjudicate disputes concerning those laws 

-3 branches of government are united into one single hand as they are in the hands of the maker/creator of the declaration of independence 

-we have hundreds of law making bodies

-making technical laws that no one knows what they are

-become so large now that becomes a factor in the politics of the country

-almost a separate interest

-the government has become its own separate interest

Video 12: The Problem with Progressivism

Final problem: progressivism asserts a new view of the purpose of American government

political philosophy seeks to replace founding principles-such as equality, consent of the governed, and separation of powers

-with belief that all ideas are true only in the contexts in which they develop

-As a result, progressives believe the universal and timeless claims of the declaration of independence, which serve as the foundation of American constitutionalism, are not longer true or relevant today

19th century-school of thought-called progressivism

-each era changes so need to change with it

-move to new views so new ways of thinking all together

-problem is these progressives views are that the declaration of independence is obsolete 

-they say it was good for that time-but not what it says-it is good for all times (that is the battle)

-if it is false now it was false then- if true then it is true now

-rewind: declaration of independence as final cause-Lincoln-every nation has a central idea which all minor thoughts radiate-does this new revolutionized kind of government designed to serve the principles the same principles-as the old kind-is it after something different? 

-negative rights-can’t be stopped from doing things

-positive rights- you get  stuff

-agencies fulfill those needs = should feed people

-bring the full power of the national government to bare on this urgent problem

-Reagan-time for choosing speech-he brings the part of big government to bare as an urgent problem 

-we used to help the poor locally, but now it is regulated

-local churches and community groups who generally looked after the general welfare of the people

-entitlement programs lead to dependence

-Reference called the Constitution reader-written by most people who don’t like the constitution at all

-John Dewey (1859-1952) argument of the new world

-as the world changes it changes how we think

-those principles in the declaration of independence was fit for pioneering society, so a back then thought process

-legislation is much more powerful

ex.-nice idea to cure cancer-but then make babies more cyber like-how far is too far! 

-Stephen Hawking said humans will be unrecognizable in 200 years as they have remade themselves with the loss of all humanness

-old idea-human-capable of good things says the federalist but capable of really bad things

-government used to be biased on the good things we could do so limited but just strong enough so we don’t harm each other 

-don’t give it absolute power-men are not angels-god not send angels to send men to govern people

-new view-look how much more we can do by using these techniques-get these checks and balances out of the way-stop this set of government that hampers and restrains

-past-separate sovereignty and power

-give discretion so then agencies will abuse it because it is run by humans

2 problems:

-John Dewey-taught Declaration of Independence is for old times but not relevant for today’s society 

-timeless universal truths are not relevant today

-human beings have the capacity to dominant one other other-nature- nature doesn’t change

-fallenness of human beings = arrangement of government

-arrange child or society any way you want to what standard would you use

Ex. Hitler wanted no Jews

-exclude nature-God-we take control as gods-what do you mean by better?

-problems come up in society but there are suspicious concentration of  powers

You can’t legislate morality-but today morality is always being legislated 

-All laws are imposition of morality

-All laws reflect someone’s opinion of what is good and bad, punished or not punished, 

-Christians should not be ashamed to be part of the debate but insist on it

-Christians' morality are told not part of the laws, but it is a lie-not scriptural-not in Constitution

-George Washington, father of our country, president of the convention that gave us our Constitution

-it is essential and necessary for our government to listen to God’s eternal word 

-stop allowing secular culture demands to silence the church

-stop apologizing for proclaiming the truth  “thus saith the Lord”  in matters of public policy

-theological debate-what government is allowed and not allowed to do?

-everyone is appealing to God when making laws-either a false god or the one true God

“praises to God, sing praises; Sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with a skillful psalm. God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne. The princes of the people have assembled themselves as the people of the God of Abraham, For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is highly exalted” (Psalms 47: 6-9).

 

Introduction to the Constitution with Hillsdale College Professor Larry P. Arnn Videos 9-10

Introduction to the Constitution with Hillsdale College Professor Larry P. Arnn Videos 9-10

https://online.hillsdale.edu/course-list

Video 9: The Necessity of Virtue

Constitution = structure that channels the public control of the government in a way that encourages good character in the people

-the separation of powers is the greatest of the institutional restraints on government

-the principal restraint is a virtuous people

-ultimately, the maintenance of free government depends on the people themselves

-Auxiliary precautions such as separation of powers and checks and balances are necessary but they are insufficient

-experience has shown that a people will either be virtuous and free or else corrupt and ruled

-people are going to be self-governing and uphold sovereignty then they must be good people

-purpose of government is to protect our rights and freedom 

-building our character-George Washington 1st inaugural-quotes James Madison

If we become better people then we will be happier people 

-Thing about the founders-political system-they were warriors-fought a war and won it

-set it up in some way that it will not collapse under its own weight

-George Washington part of Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus 519-430 BC-premise is he was a farmer-called to fight a war-once done return to his life as a farmer-Washington not want association to aristocrats so almost not show for the Constitutional Convention-Madison talked him into it. 

-James madison-the most important thing in the constitution is its structure

-there is no one provision but the whole thing

-it channels the way we do politics to make that results healthier

-the whole structure-the separation of powers is how it is laid out

-He then talks about justifying this-he talks about the order of the human soul -arrangement of rationality and passion

-passions are important but not to be managed

-Constitution engenders the correct cooperation in its structure of reason and passion

-2 virtues of ethics-Aristotle-doing and thinking virtues-courage, moderation, and justice 

-courage-deals with pain

-moderation-has to do with pleasure 

-virtue- is the right disposition to those two things 

-you have to want to do the brave thing

-action is beautiful a thing then you are courageous 

Video 10: Ballots Rather Than Bullets

-Declaration of Independence asserts that government is legitimate only when the people consent to it

-the election of 1800 demonstrated the legitimacy of the American system of government because the people were able to assert their will and change the government, according to the structures of the Constitution.

-with the election of Thomas Jefferson to the presidency, the American people affected a change of government without firing a shot

-no longer a king with all the sovereignty but a popular vote 

-1861 Abraham Lincoln-1st time that ballots replaced bullets as a way to change government

-Economy-set up their own government-foolish-constitutional convention urgent-seed planted in Declaration of Independence-grows-logical-principal-but put into practice

-ratification: hard to get harbor states on board-follow the money

- levy tariffs:  paid by the importers when the cargo landed-follow the money

-Chief leaders-Madison & Hamilton-NY and Virginia-constitution-stake in current arrangement 

-American Revolution-1763

-1800-election of Thomas Jefferson-abolition of the federalist party-and his new party-president of the united states

-1861-lincoln-ballots is the way we choose our government

-the final causes of the union planted in the declaration of Independence gave rise to the structure to all to cooperate -government working by consent 

-Government: laws have to be made, laws have to be enforced, borders have to be protected, trade has to be secured 

Introduction to the Constitution with Hillsdale College Professor Larry P. Arnn Videos 7-8

 Introduction to the Constitution with Hillsdale College Professor Larry P. Arnn Videos 7-8

https://online.hillsdale.edu/course-list

Video 7: Reason and Passion

 reason outweighs the passions

-problem latent in majority rule

-the majority has the right to express the will of the people as a whole, it is important that its decisions be products of calm reason and not volatile passions

-a democracy is just as capable as a monarchy of becoming tyrannical

-Founders designed the Constitution to enable the people as much as possible to make well-reasoned laws that are beneficial to the common good

***Side note: British Constitution,Magna Carta, was issued in June 1215 and was the first document to put into writing the principle that the king and his government was not above the law.

-American constitution longest living in all of history, why?

1. Gives effect to consent through representation

2. Locates all the sovereignty in the people not the government

-no one in government can say they are acting alone in his own will

3. Excludes the sovereign from the ordinary operation of the government

-places a check on the sovereign as well-ruled by reason-things should be talked through before making decisions and should not be our passions

-enthusiasms come and go-reason talks over a long period of time-long term purposes-

-passions come and go and will not withstand the 6 years is take to change the government then reason outweighs the passions

-conviction-Madison-connection between people and government

-power to government but ultimate authority to the people

-prescribes how the people must hold opinions over time is most effective 

-delegate more authority in more than just one place 

-legislative power to the congress-article 1 of the constitution

-executive power to the president-article 2 of the constitution

-they each have their own relationship with the sovereign people

-they are equal that guards authority

-judicial power to the courts-article 3 of the constitution

-article 1 and 2 combined appoint judges

-leave most of the power in the hands of the states 

-protect the state-article 4 of the constitution

***see the symmetry and centric and strength-in this consent of the sovereign

-Government by consent-we see these truths to be self-evident-secure these rights

-God-natural law-we the people-government-separation of powers 

-Government should be grounded in the people and powers are so arranged that drives the government 

***a way of arranging the government so we can control it, and it can protect our freedom with sufficient power to do 

Video 8: Separation of Powers

-built on the principles of equality, consent, and rule of the majority, the Constitution provides the sovereign people with the means of effective and reasonable self-governance

-as the sovereign, the people separate the three functions of government into departments and delegate specific powers to each, which protects against tyranny and preserves liberty

-the principle of separation of powers helps the people maintain control of their government.

-separation of power:

-kinds of powers we have in government are divided into different branches and same people don’t hold them at the same time-means more than one person running the government all the time and in its different functions & more than one group is running them

-James Madison says it's the most important thing about the constitution and gives the constitution structure

What are the grounds for the separation of powers?

-Federalist papers Madison makes a point & Hamilton says the judiciary is the least dangerous of all three branches and the house of representatives is the most dangerous of the branches 

-house of representatives closest to the people and power of the purse

-the seed is that all men are created equal so no one can be governed unless by their consent

-have unanimous consent to form the republic then majority rule to decide things 

-country is rooted in the gift of speech we have-always going to have laws-laws are built on some agreement-final cause of the nation makes the people strong

-monarchy makes the eldest son of the the oldest family the most powerful

-sovereign is the strongest then the sovereign is the most dangerous thing against a monarchy

-only thing that can cause imbalance is the sovereign-where all power is unto itself

-all men are created equal, therefore they may be governed only with their consent.

- Therefore, the majority will be sovereign. Therefore, the majority will be the most dangerous thing. 

-how does the sovereign going to operate alongside the government 

-where do they put the sovereign in the government 

-Madison 63rd federalist-unique-we put the sovereign on the outside-which means they can get out of hand-they are in control so it's harder to oppress others 

-Madison-in nature of things-the Constitution has built in check and balances 

-if you give someone absolute power over you they are more likely to abuse that power

-power delegated in variety of ways to a variety of people to do a variety of tasks and delegations can be at different times 

-our powers are separated and equal only done to protect

 single biggest protection is separation of branches

-people through Constitution delegating to authorities

-by giving consent is also divisions of power-keep them separate and accountable to the sovereign