While anyone may choose to be kind, decent, and gracious, there is no compelling reason for him to choose to do so if there is no God. With God, there is obligation. If there is no God then how one treats others is inconsequential. His mistreatment of the innocent and weak will not be faced in eternity since there is no eternity–according to their perverted view.

But there is a God and eternity is in the future of every person on earth.

Plato wrote about goodness as it relates to education of children: “We educate them so that they become a good person, because good persons behave nobly.” All societies want noble citizens since the result will be a well-ordered citizenry producing peace, prosperity, and progress.

The principled Irishman, Edmund Burke, wrote of valor, honor, duty, responsibility, compassion, and civility. As a Member of the English Parliament for many years, he supported American independence and criticized the French Revolution. He practiced what he preached.

Seems quaint doesn’t it!

Of course, we must define “goodness” to make any kind of sense in this discussion. The Bible declares there is none good, no not one, but I am speaking of the general or obvious “goodness.”

The philosophically minded will demand a definition of “good” and that is not unreasonable although most people usually know the difference in good and bad, right and wrong. Basically, everything that is forbidden in the Bible is bad and that which is commended is good. We can start with the Ten Commandments and move on to other requirements. So, up front, we know that it is always wrong to lie, steal, kill, lust, mistreat animals and people, covet things, use illegal drugs and alcohol, and not go to church. Not a bad start.

But, it is even more than that. Not only must we not kill, we must not hate anyone for any reason. Not only must we not be sexually impure, we must not even think about it! Not only must we not steal from a neighbor, we must not even covet his farm, vehicle, or wife. If we don’t covet, we won’t steal.

Atheists are right in that I don’t have the authority to decide what is right and wrong for others but God sure has that authority and sets it forth in the Bible. If not, then there is no place on earth where the answer can be found. And that is true for those who don’t believe the Bible. The standard is still there and everyone will be held to that standard even if they profess profusely that they don’t believe it.

Society ridiculed and rejected the Ten Commandments and the teaching of Christ and is surprised that we have a generation without character or honor and has no desire for duty. C. S. Lewis wrote, “We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst…We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.” We have sired a generation of tattooed and pierced street thugs who have no convictions about anything. Their mantra is, “Whatever.” They are non-thinkers who jump to support any minority or subculture without considering the possibility they may be defending culprits and encouraging them in destructive behavior.

Sane people are horrified at the violence, vileness, and vulgarity that is everywhere; yet what else could be expected? We are responsible for this generation. If not, then who is? We have removed the teaching of morals, mores, and manners from public schools and see our streets filled with disobedient, disgusting, and dangerous children only a mother could love.

When we do wrong then there is a price to pay since another scriptural precept is that one can never get away with doing wrong. There is always a payday someday. If not here, then hereafter.

By goodness, I am not just referring to obeying laws, paying bills, and not pushing little old ladies into traffic. That is a given. I mean being decent in language, honest in all dealings, doing the right thing all the time, living honestly and honorably, and when we lapse (as we all do from time to time), there is regret, repentance, and reformation.

I am referring to doing one’s duty as a husband and father by working hard, being an example to children, and being faithful to his wife–mentally, emotionally, and physically. He makes his wife the most important person in his life, cherishing her above all others, and building her up in every way. I refer to a wife being kind, thoughtful, modest, gracious, obedient, doing her duty as a mother and wife.

I refer to children who are obedient and disciplined–honoring, respecting, and obeying their parents. Children who would never bring shame to the family by wicked, irresponsible behavior; they will work hard in school and never cause a problem in the classroom because that is not “right.”

I’m referring to college students who will study hard and not party, play, and protest while parents sacrifice to pay their college bills. They will confront arrogant university professors who spout immature, illogical, and insane philosophies. When professors seek to defend their reckless rantings, courageous students will refute them realizing that the professors are defending a castle in ruins.

I am referring to employees who do quality work without trying to evade responsibilities by permitting someone else to do their work. Workers should do more work than is expected of them by their employer; after all, if not then why would they ever get a raise?

I’m referring to politicians at every level who do their homework and sincerely seek to make a difference in their office. I’m referring to politicians who, when confronted with evil, will stand against it even if it means personal defeat.

I’m referring to pastors who are dedicated to truth and will preach it without fear. And, if fearful, still preach it anyway even if it affects the offerings. I refer to pastors committed to the discipline of church members who transgress the church covenant and the Bible even if most members don’t like such “judgmental” discipline.

I’m referring to journalists who are committed to the facts, not fiction and fraud, who will report a story even if it negatively impacts a friend or associate. Or their political party.

Atheists may be “good” and declare that no credit be given to belief in the Bible since they never read the Bible, never went to church, and were life-time atheists; however, what they believe has been absorbed into their inner core over a lifetime. Without knowing it or being willing to admit it, they base their “goodness” on the Bible! There is no “goodness” without God. Without some biblical influence, they would be sitting around a fire chewing on the bones of a neighbor.

Is goodness the same in every culture? Would murder and rape be wrong if there were no God? A few obscure South American tribes consider fornication the norm; however, they have always been far removed from biblical influence but are still held to the same standard. Fornication is always wrong in every location.

However, everyone wants to be exonerated from personal guilt. We don’t want to recognize evil as evil and we will decide what is good. That way no one is guilty of anything.

Those of us who talk about guilt are accused of being narrow minded bigots who try to cram our religious beliefs down the throat of others. It seems no one is accountable even to his own conscience.

The barbarians are not beating on the gates or climbing the walls; they are coming at us from our churches, colleges, and communities. They are home-grown barbarians. Even the Washington Post recognized our condition when they opined, “common decency can no longer be described as common” and the New Republic seemed to agree: “There is a destructive sense that nothing is true and everything is permitted.”

That is because the standard has been ridiculed, repressed, and rejected.

If there is no God then what is the foundation for right and wrong? Anyone and everyone can decide what is right and wrong and no one can rightfully disagree if there is no definitive standard. We are told that an inflexible authority (Bible) is out of date in a fast changing world. But is the Bible unreliable because it is ancient?

God warned ancient Israel not to remove the landmarks; but that is what modern man has done and has come under His judgment.

God for sure knows the difference in good and bad, right and wrong and so do we. And we all will give an account someday as to how we responded to it.

Boys’ new book Muslim Invasion: The Fuse is Burning! was published by Barbwire Books; to get your copy, click here. An eBook edition is also available.

However, my main reason for obedience is my respect for authority–authority that basically comes from God. But no authority except God deserves unqualified obedience.

Many of my critics will consider me a chauvinist because of my position on female officers but they fail to deal with the issue. It’s happened scores of times in public debates, television and radio talk shows, and in the political area: I am accused of being a chauvinist or racist. When that happens, I relax, smile, and know that I am winning the argument. My accusers are usually not too bright but they have learned that it is easier to make accusations than to provide answers.

Since I know myself better than anyone else does, I can declare that I don’t hate anyone, envy anyone, or fear anyone. However, I do have strong opinions about women, Muslims, homosexuals, corrupt politicians (Republican and Democrat), free loaders (Black and White), and cops (good and bad).

Full disclosure: my number one son-in-law is a retired Florida deputy sheriff and his son is now serving with that department. I give the benefit of the doubt to the cops who serve with much courage for little cash. Their lives are at risk every day as they deal with thieves, killers, and maniacs putting the officers in a place where they must make split-second decisions. In those circumstances there should be some patience and understanding even when an officer makes a bad decision; however, he or she must be held accountable.

With that said, I find some police officers to be despicable people! Too many are poorly trained and emotionally unqualified to have a badge and gun. Too many homicidal cops get their jollies when they abuse their authority and terrorize innocent people. They are almost always child and wife abusers. They are in another category from the officer who makes a mistake, even a bad mistake.

I go for decades without losing my temper. In fact, I don’t think my four children ever saw me angry. I almost lost control maybe 20 years ago with a cop in Lake City, Florida. We were there to do a Christian Couples’ Conference at a local Baptist Church and I pulled in front of the post office to permit Ellen to exit and mail a card to a grandchild. There was a “No Parking” sign but I wasn’t parking. I was “standing.” And it would only take a few minutes.

While sitting there with my engine running a burly white police officer told me to move as he pointed to the “No Parking” sign. I kindly replied that I was not parking but standing and it would be safer for me to wait a few minutes than to drive around the parking lot until my wife was finished. Evidently he did not agree with my interpretation of “parking” and “standing” and he lost control as his face flushed red and was contorted. He cursed and menacingly moved toward me as I began to feel anger welling up from the tip of my toes to the top of my head. I jerked my car into gear and pulled away giving him a “not-too-Christian” look.

That officer was not only a jerk but he was a dangerous jerk. Since he was a public servant and there was no emergency, he could have patiently told me that there was no difference in parking and standing and for me to move my car. I assumed he took my slowness to obey as a challenge to his authority. Of course, my unchristian reaction was not his fault but mine.

A few weeks ago a Texas cop stopped a 76-year-old man for not displaying an emission sticker on his vehicle; however, the cop was wrong and obviously did not know that his dealers’ plates were exempt from such stickers. The officer told the man to get out of his car and tasered him twice knocking him to the ground. It was bad until some knowledgeable officers arrived on the scene and regained control. Both men were white.

Such irresponsible, dangerous officers should be fired, not fined or suspended. They do not deserve a second chance; however, the police union is almost as strong as the teachers’ union. It is good to have a group with money and power to defend honest and sincere teachers and law enforcement personnel but when either one proves by their behavior that they are irresponsible, they should be fired. In fact, the union should insist they be fired but that won’t happen until pigs learn to fly.

We must respect those in authority and obey them unless some official orders us to disobey some Bible principle. Obviously, there was no such principle in my experience.

Fire all brutal cops or at least keep them off the streets; but I, for sure, don’t want to live in a city without police protection.

Fire the bad guys and give the good guys a huge raise accompanied with an abundance of admiration, appreciation, and allegiance. I give that to all police officers until their actions prove they deserve disdain, disrespect, and dismissal!

Meanwhile, I haven’t gone back to Lake City since I had my confrontation with a big, bad, bully with a badge–and gun!

http://bit.ly/1iMLVfY  Watch these 8 minute videos of my lecture at the University of North Dakota: “A Christian Challenges New Atheists to Put Up or Shut Up!”

I affirm that the U.S. has great power but its authority is limited. Obama needs to be taught that lesson which seems to have escaped him in his Muslim school. But then, Muslims don’t believe in separation of church/mosque and state. They believe that the mosque is over the state! Christians know the church is not over the state–God is! However, neither Obama, nor the U.S. Supreme Court, nor Congress, even with 100% vote, has authority over the church of the living God. We will see if some major Christian leaders have the courage to teach Obama and other tyrants that lesson.

James Madison wrote, “There is not a shadow of right in the general government to intermeddle with religion. Its least interference with it would be a most flagrant usurpation.” The First Amendment forbids any interference in religion. “Congress shall make no law.” What is it about the word no that Obama and his lackeys don’t understand? No still means no. And any entity of government trying to force religious institutions or religious people to march to its music is a rape of the Bill of Rights.

It is commendable that some religious colleges, seminaries, hospitals, etc., are fighting ObamaCare in the courts, and they may win; however, what will they do if the end result is that they must obey the court to provide abortion for their employees? If those religious leaders have any biblical convictions, they will tell the courts and the government that they have no choice but to disobey. That means a one million dollar plus fine per day which they cannot pay and should not pay even if they had unlimited funds.

Refusing to obey a court order means their doors will be closed and their leaders imprisoned for contempt of court. And, of course, they would be “guilty” of contempt! What else could one expect? Catholics have gone on record that they will not obey the law; what about Protestant and Baptist leaders? It is one thing to fight an issue in court, and another thing to say, “We will not bend or bow and are willing to burn if necessary, but we will not obey the law to facilitate the killing of innocent babies.”

Many of those religious leaders will finally capitulate to the evil command of Obama, and will plead their defense on what they call, “biblical grounds.” But they will have to twist the Bible like a pretzel to justify their cowardice. Some will decide that life does not begin at conception so abortion in the early months is not killing a baby; it is more like removing a mole, wart, or tumor. Sounds almost noble! You can justify anything if you play with it long enough.

Others will tell us that while they believe it is wrong, they must obey the government as the Bible teaches in Romans, chapter 13. Other pragmatic leaders will say, “Look, I don’t like it but if the government puts us out of business and some of us go to jail, then we will not be able to continue our ministry. After all, one has to be practical.” No, one does not have to be practical. One has to do right, not what is practical, profitable, or pleasing. Moreover, if the college and seminary presidents go to prison, they can have a new ministry with an abundance of people who need to hear the Gospel message. Those college presidents can write their autobiographies titled, From President to Prison: To God be the Glory! Now, that is noble.

Algernon Sidney in 1683 was beheaded by King Charles II for declaring that there is no divine right of kings to rule over a nation. He said that no man had a right to rule unless he had the consent of the people. He was right. Obama thinks he is a king, but he is more like a court jester.

Sitting Bull surrendered at Fort Buford in July of 1881 and declared, “I wish to be remembered that I was the last man of my tribe to surrender my rifle, and this day have given it to you.” There is a time to do that, but not when it comes to Christian principles and obedience to God. I will not be the first or the last to “surrender my rifle (of obedience to God).”

The fight goes on and good people will be going to prison to satisfy the Marxist doctrine of a tin-pot dictator in the Oval Office.