What ever happened to Mark?

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it" (Mark 8: 35).

We've been going through the book of Mark with the kids this month. We recently did a background study to impress on them that the author was a "real person."

Sometimes I forget that Mark wasn't one of the 12 disciples (and neither was Luke). I'm not sure if he ever met Jesus. Mark heard the narrative of Christ's life from his friend Peter. Peter approved of Mark's written version of his remembrances and proceeded to distribute it to all the surrounding churches.

Mark went on to spread the gospel in Africa--including Egypt and Libya. Many people were converted due to his testimony. He so enraged the pagan authorities in Alexandria that they ordered a mob to kill him. They punctured his flesh with large metal hooks and dragged him repeatedly over rocky ground until he died. They wanted to burn his body, as well, but apparently a storm came and forced the mob to disperse. This allowed Mark's friends to retrieve the body and bury it before the crowds could come back to mutilate it further.

We also learned that Thomas was burned in a furnace and simultaneously speared to death (in India!), that Andrew was crucified in Greece, Peter crucified in Italy, James (the cousin of Jesus) thrown off the roof of the temple in Jerusalem, and Matthew beheaded in Ethiopia. These accounts aren't in Scripture, of course, but can be found in places like Eusebius's Ecclesiastical History or van Bragt's Martyr's Mirror.

Anyway, the kids were pretty fascinated by this history and it brought home verses like: "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel," and, "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake."

Abandon public education?

This article is of interest to me for two reasons. One, because I've experienced both the government school model (as a student) and the homeschool model (as "the principal," as my wife says). And two, because one of my friends in college was the son of Chaplain E. Ray Moore, the man behind the Exodus Mandate.

Here's the accompanying video. My only critique is that it shouldn't be framed as a reactionary retreat, but rather a willful return to a more ideal model.



If we're to render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and unto God what is God's, then it's not unreasonable to ask which category our children fall into. Are they Caesar's or God's?

I realize homeschooling is impractical for some families--single working mothers, for example--and I've never said it was a Christian commandment per se. We have many friends and family members who are trying to be salt in the government schools and we wish them well. They may fare better than my family in the end. So I don't push homeschooling on people. It's just what's best for our family right now. And it gives us a chance to exercise our liberty and say, "We choose not to play by the enemy's rules today."

We'll see how it turns out. So far we've avoided Bratz dolls, Earth Day, pro wrestling, and Hannah Montana. So that's a start.

Verse of the month

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe...

Ephesians 1: 17-19

Great songs

Subpar videos, but I'm posting them for the music. By a group called Sixpence None the Richer.

Merry Christmas

Apropos of nothing

Some random humorous pictures from across the 'net to lighten the mood.

And for the statistically inclined...

And of course the best for last...

A different "10 Commandments"

For the last couple nights I’ve been reading the Communist Manifesto. I suppose fewer people are compelled to read it than during the high tide of the Soviet Union, but it’s worth revisiting if only to gain some perspective on the current situation in America. Marx had “ten commandments”: ten objectives that would ensure an omnipotent, deified state:

1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes [see Kelo v. New London, eminent domain].
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3. Abolition of all right of inheritance [so-called “death taxes”].
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5. Centralization of credit in the hands of the state, by means of a national bank [the Federal Reserve].
6. Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the state [the FCC, Fairness Doctrine, TSA, DOT, etc].
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state [see Congress’s recent play for a share of GM, Ford, and Chrysler].
8. Equal liability of all to labor. Establishment of industrial armies [Obama’s proposed national service corps, FDR’s civilian workforce initiatives].
9. Gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country.
10. Free education for all children in public schools [and mandatory at that, unless you can jump through certain hoops to satisfy the government].

Clearly, many of these steps have been completely implemented by the U. S. federal government, and most state and local governments, as well. Some of them have been partially implemented. My own opinion is that the first 9 are impossible to implement without #10.

What’s the point? Nothing really, except to get people thinking about where their leadership is taking them if good people don’t pay attention; get them thinking about what the next generation might be learning. If the state can control your business, your property, your kids—then it can eventually control your freedom of speech, assembly and worship.

On the other hand, if a vocal minority of atheistic Marxists can be so successful in implementing their game plan, think of what could happen if the silent majority of freedom-loving Christians resolved to live out their own set of commandments. One result would be a culture where people look to God, rather than the state, for “every good gift and every perfect gift” (James 1: 17).

Verse of the month

"And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit..."

Mark 4: 18-20