Letter of Liberty News Edition (Christmas Eve Edition)

This is the Christmas Eve News Edition, where I give a round-up of articles that I really like.

Walter Block shows why left-wing and right-wing thought is ultimately incompatible with libertarianism.

Kelly Vlahos gives a little spin on A Christmas Carol while recommending a few anti-war books.

Jacob Hornberger asks whether America's healthcare system is socialist or not.

Sheldon Richman gives his take on the 100th anniversary of the Federal Reserve.

An eyewitness to Hitler advises us to buy guns, guns, and more guns.

Conor Friedersdorf shows the incompatibility of self-government and secret operations.

Michael Barone on the wariness of America toward big government

David Howden explains that not every single health condition is insurable.

Karen DeCoster smashes the opponents of traditional Christmas music.

Have a Merry Christmas with Duck Dynasty.

Ron Paul shows the progress toward peace being made in 2013, even as there is still darkness.

Paul Craig Roberts shows why the Gospel is the greatest gift of all.

Peter Schiff on the non-change in the Fed

Patrick J. Buchanan warns of the blacklisting of Christianity in light of the Duck Dynasty controversy.

Paul Huebl laments the extreme political correctness that is dividing us all.

A cute rendition of the Christmas story

Julian Sanchez exposes the neocons' Jedi mind trick.

Chuck Baldwin shows the link between Christ's birth and America's birth.

Jonathan Turley makes the case for Obama pardoning Edward Snowden.

Edward Snowden says his mission is accomplished.

Letter of Liberty News Edition (12-20-2013)

Here is the Friday News Edition of Letter of Liberty:

Alexander William Salter addresses the issue of whether government should stabilize the purchasing power of money.

Frank Shostak addresses the issue of psychology and bubbles.

John Odermatt addresses the abuse of Second Amendment rights to attack the Fourth Amendment.

Ilana Mercer gives an interesting perspective on the issue of apartheid South Africa and libertarianism.

Seismic Mike warns against statism mixed in the homeschooling business.

Kristin Tate shows how the recent Duck Dynasty controversy seems to be distracting people from the real issue.

Matt Welch on the death of Obama's noble lie

C. Jay Engel addresses the issue of foster care and statism.

Jacob Hornberger shows why federal spending is going up and up.

Catherine Frompovich reports on the tripling of kids on Rx drugs.

Brandon Turbeville shows that the case against the Big Pharma-corporate media complex is getting stronger and stronger.

Sheldon Richman gives his analysis of the pope's economics.

Laurence Vance deals with the controversial issue of porn and the First Amendment.

Logan Albright defends gift cards from an economic perspective.

Harriet Sherwood reports on Nelson Mandela's training from the Mossad.

Radley Balko on 2013 as safest year for cops

Joseph Sobran on the government of Jesus vs. the government of the world.

Pat Buchanan on the rise of anti-interventionism

Sam Staley writes on the libertarian subtext of The Hunger Games and its sequel Catching Fire.

Lee Shelton writes on Christmas.

Butler Shaffer explains why Scrooge might have been right and Dickens may have misguided.

Peter Schiff gives his take on the Federal Reserve policy statement.

Adrian Salbuchi reports on Arctic wars flaming up.

Eric Peters on Americans and driving

Conor Friedersdorf shows the dangers of reckless drone policy.

Mark Sisson gives his take on the holidays.

Harry Mount gives some tongue-twisters.

Mark Thornton reviews The Dao of Capital.

Brett and Kate McKay gives some tips on how to escape a sinking car.

Gaye Levy gives some holiday suggestions for backdoor survival.

C. Jay Engel on libertarianism and conservatism and what a Reformed Christian libertarian should think (Parts 1 and 2).

C. Jay Engel on Gays as Faculty Members in Christian Colleges

C. Jay Engel at The Reformed Libertarian has written an article on gays serving as faculty members in Christian colleges and the left-wing reaction to this. I recommend that everyone share it through Google+, Facebook, Twitter, email, and through any means possible, for it shows the importance of this issue in Christian circles.

Says Engel:

Brian McClaren linked to an article this morning written by a homosexual faculty member at an (undisclosed) “Christian” college.  The homosexual issue is one that has been garnering more attention recently, especially in progressive Christian circles.  Now, I realize that the issue has been around for nearly the entire previous century and has increased rapidly since the turn of the twenty-first century, but it has certainly not died off.  In fact, I see it arise every single day on one blog or another.  Which of course means that it is another opportunity for Christians who recognize the sin of homosexuality to stay strong and be prepared to defend the Biblical understanding of sex.  Challenges are healthy.

The author, who writes anonymously for fear of losing his job, provides us with a small list of “ironies and bright spots for gays in the Christian College World.”  I do want to tread this fragile issue quite carefully.  For while we should never compromise the eternal truth of the Bible, neither should we use it in an unloving way.  For those of us who do not struggle with the sin of homosexuality, we recognize that this sin is not thought of as worse in the eyes of God than our own sins.  If God can have mercy on those of us who struggle with non-homosexual sins, surely he can have mercy on those who do.  We all have different sin struggles and we worship a God who is powerful to overcome anything.

That said, it is also interesting to note that so many Christians who consider themselves gay and who also do not see it as a sin, treat the issue as if they are crusaders on behalf of another civil rights revolution.  For instance, the opening to the post is this: “As a gay professor at a Christian college where it’s not safe to be out….”  This can be taken in to ways.  First, it can be seen as a situation where the Christian college recognizes the sin of homosexuality, realizes that it compromises God’s plan for sex, and therefore has taken up a policy of heterosexuals only.  The other way of understanding this is that the situation is one in which there is a tyranny of legalists at the top of a hierarchy ready to impose their will on the modern day witch: the homosexual.  The tone of many “gay Christians in hiding” is the latter.  They, by all appearances, are the victims in a theocratic scheme.

The source of this tone lies in the fact that there is a fundamental disagreement about whether homosexuality is a sin.  Those who do not see it as a sin, and indeed practice this lifestyle, are inclined to victimize themselves by assuming that traditional Christians are out to get them.  The “not safe to be out” gives off an air of a “hunted man” with a fake identity.  An interesting framework indeed.  However these closeted gays do feel though, is not the theme of this post.

Read the rest here.

Harold Camping Is Dead

The Christian Post reports that Harold Camping, a controversial Christian minister and predictor of end times, has died at the age of 92.

The report says:

Camping, co-founder of Family Radio and controversial doomsday radio Bible teacher, died on Sunday at around 5:30 p.m., according to the Family Radio Network email sent out Monday evening.

"On Saturday, November 30th, Mr. Camping sustained a fall in his home, and he was not able to recover from his injuries. He passed away peacefully in his home, with his family at his side," the email reads.

Camping made national as well as global headlines in 2011 when he proclaimed that Judgment Day would come on May 21. Thousands of listeners of Camping's radio show around the world believed him and many sold all their possessions, emptied their bank accounts and prepared for the rapture.

Harold Camping made numerous predictions and all of them ended up being false prophecies that fleeced many Christians. The failure of these "predictions" to come to pass has given non-Christians an opportunity to blaspheme, just like King David's sin with Bathsheba gave God's enemies an opportunity to blaspheme (2 Samuel 12:14).

As to what I hold regarding end-times prophecy, I am a premillennial dispensationalist who believes that there will be a rapture of the saints before the seven-year tribulation before Christ comes again and the Millennium is brought about. However, I reject the need to predict dates for end times, for Scripture shows us that "of that day and hour no man knoweth" (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32). But that does not mean in any way that we should be neglectful of such matters. In fact, thinking about the last days should urge Christians to spread the Gospel even more.  And it ought to remind us from falling into the error Harold Camping and Family Radio fell into for so many years before they came back to their senses.

Letter of Liberty News Edition (12-17-2013)

Here is the Tuesday roundup of news from Letter of Liberty

Ryan McMaken shows that being an Austrian economist is easier than ever.

Fred Reed explores the psychology of drone operators for the USG (United States government).

Tom Mullen reports on a federal ruling on the NSA.

Kelly Vlahos shows how Snowden became the carol of 2013.

John Whitehead laments the decline of childhood in the police state of Amerika.

Jacob Hornberger shows why abolishing the NSA is the only solution to police statism.

Jean MacKenzie show the truth about America's Nelson Mandela policy.

Conor Friedersdorf gives new evidence that the NSA chief lied to us.

Eugene Robinson encourages Americans to demand their privacy.

Spencer Ackerman explores the flaws with the 60 Minutes report.

The New York Times gives an editorial on the recent rebuke of surveillance statism.

Dr. James D. Boys writes on Parkland and the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination.

Tony Newman rebukes cops for entrapping kids and getting them charged with drug offenses.

C. Jay Engel shows the truly greedy system in contrast to free markets.

Walter Williams reminds the pope that free markets are the best economic system ever.

Laurence Vance reviews Lizzie Collingham's new book The Taste of War: World War II and the Battle for Food.

Robert Wenzel picks the top books of 2013.

Peter Schiff defends his father Irwin Schiff.

Paul Rosenberg talks about when he said something positive about a politician.

Daniel McAdams on John McCain

Michael Snyder writes on the impending doom that will come next year.

Julian Adorney shows the lessons that Nazi Germany holds for us, and they are warnings against statism.

Ann Jones exposes the militarization of children by the American government.

Joseph Mercola shows the problems of too much sitting.

Daisy Luther on real-life survival

Paul Huebl writes on the reality of police brutality and corruption.

William Norman Grigg writes on Commissioner Wendy Olson.

Brian McWilliams on the first judicial hit to the NSA

Mike Holly shows how government regulations make healthcare expensive.

Letter of Liberty News Edition (12-13-2013)

This is the Friday News Edition

Ilana Mercer on the truth about Nelson Mandela

Pat Buchanan asks whether the Senkakus is worth warring over.

Phillip Bagus shows the end of the paper money facade.

Hunter Lewis explains why Obamacare exchange policies are so bad.

Nebojsa Malic tells of the long retreat from Syria to Ukraine.

Sheldon Richman analyzes how 2016 will be for the corporate state.

Sheldon Richman analyzes the weakness of Mandela's radicalism.

Patrick Barron addresses the issue of quantitative easing (QE) and inflation.

Gary North on the grand illusion of Social Security

L. Neil Smith addresses the issue of same-sex marriage and involuntary servitude.

Sean Gangol addresses misconceptions about libertarianism.

Justin Raimondo looks at Max Blumenthal's new book Goliath.

Eric Peters looks at the bailout.

StoryLeak shows how the Kiev protests are influenced by the CIA.

It turns out that the American missing in Iran was on an unapproved mission.

Jonathan Goodwin gives his rejoinder to Phillip Bagus's piece.

Jacob Hornberger gives us a reminder to immediately lift the embargo on Cuba.

J. D. Tuccille gives some tips on turning a desk into a pharmaceuticals factory.

Conor Friedersdorf explains how Obama misled Chris Matthews on NSA surveillance.

Ryan Lizza exposes the state of deception within Obama's administration.

James Peron gives his obituary of Ayn Rand biographer Barbara Branden.

Samuel Eaton explores whether Robert Levison might have been a victim of a CIA faction fight.

Tom Mullen shows how statistics are irrelevant to the Second Amendment.

It turns out that the NSA is working with Canada's spy agency, the "Five Eyes."

America has now become a nation of "tent cities," according to a recent report.

Peter Brimelow talks on smoking.

Paul Rosenberg talks about how the enforcers planted the seeds for their own destruction.

Arturo Lopez-Levy shows how the U.S.'s cuba embargo makes diplomacy impossible.

Teo Ballve attacks the futile war on drugs.

Dan Gilmor comments on the patriotism of Edward Snowden.

Mark Sisson looks at the problems with the government's food pyramid.

Margaret Durst gives tips for natural calmness not brought to you through pills.

The Daily Mail reports on Nelson Mandela's memorial, with Obama in the picture.

Patrick L. Smith tells the truth: American exceptionalism is dead.

Ellen Finnigan on THE HUNGER GAMES and Christians

Let me introduce this post by saying that while I have definitely heard of the phenomenon of The Hunger Games, both the books and the movies, I never got the chance to read either of them. But I do look forward to that chance if I get it. And it's not really because of any peer pressure, but rather because I am interested in this myself.

And the Catholic teacher and anti-militarist Ellen Finnigan has written an interesting and poignant piece on this phenomenon entitled "What We Missed In The Hunger Games." It is important for both Christians and Catholics, especially of the conservative persuasion, as it exposes the whole issue behind the story that either we neglected or deliberately chose to ignore.

What is that issue?

Let us turn to Finnigan to find out the answer:

Upon the release of the first Hunger Games in March of last year, reviewers and commentators in the Christian media weren’t much quicker on the uptake. Christian websites, magazines, blogs, and chat boards were abuzz with discussions about the film and the series of novels it was based on. Parents questioned whether they should allow their children to see the film, exchanged warnings about the content, and advised each other onhow to talk to your kids about [insert part of story deemed morally questionable]. Nearly every moral issue in the story was considered and discussed—the suicide pact, the scene where Katniss and Peeta sleep together but don’t “do anything”—every moral issue that is, except that one which lies at the heart of the story.  

The United States has been at war for over a decade, the war in Afghanistan now the longest in our history. Recent wars have been responsible for the deaths of almost half a million people in Iraq, tens of thousands in Afghanistan. Those numbers don’t include the wounded, the disfigured, the poisoned, the displaced. Those numbers don’t include the suicides. The United States has spent $10 trillion on defense and homeland security since September 11, 2001, on bombs, drones, guns, bullets, planes, artillery, tanks, rocket launchers, assault rifles, etc. As a teacher, I’m amazed at the frequency with which students mention 9-11 in classroom discussions and student papers. They were toddlers when it happened, yet they refer to it as if it were a real memory. That is how present it is in their consciousness.

Miller’s theory that world of The Hunger Games couldn’t possibly make any sense until you see it through the lens of a teenage wasteland only belies her faulty assumptions about, as she put it, “what’s happening, right this minute, in the stormy psyche of the adolescent reader.” The young readers who first discovered this series back in 2008, and the readers who have been eating it up ever since, have virtually no memory of pre-9-11 America. Their entire experience of living has been one of living in a country at war. They grew up steeped in that toxic brew of fear, propaganda, aggression, militarization and violence that is post 9-11 American culture, a culture that has created a “stormy psyche” for all us all and to which children are certainly not immune, and are probably especially susceptible. The respect Collins paid her young readers in writing this trilogy was to see them as not only conscious, but socially conscious, and potentially curious about or concerned with that central human problem called war. It was interesting to see that Christian adults saw very little about the central human problem of war in this wildly popular film that was, in the words of its Roman Catholic author, written about war, and after a decade of living under a government that is perpetually waging war.