This is Viewpoints for Friday, May 27, 2016

Rethink fairness

There is a growing movement to block the upcoming requirement for our young women between 18 and 26 to register for the draft, as stipulated in next year’s defense authorization act. I warned you last year it was coming when this administration determined that women have equal rights to all combat arms fields. The commander in chief himself said “Elections have consequences, and I won.” Well, America, welcome to yet another of those consequences. If you don’t like the path of progressivism which is fundamentally transforming America, like candidate Obama promised, be sure you think out the long-term impact of your next vote. Before you have to take your daughter down to the courthouse next year to register to vote, and for the draft, rethink the consequences of voting for those who push the progressive approach to redefining who we are because something “feels fair.”

Higher criticism

Higher criticism is nothing new, earlier forms are traced back to English Deism and German scholarship of the 18th and 19th centuries. Then and now, the biblical higher critic is not born as result of one’s supposed unbiased historical analysis of scripture and its inherent claim to divine inspiration. Rather, these men adopt a particular presupposition concerning the old and new testaments and approach both accordingly. Dr. Bill Cummings has been taught this well and adopted a higher critic’s literary approach. He has referred other proponents by name (Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan).

This camp’s presupposition is that God cannot be objectively known. The higher critic begins by dismissing the divine origin of scripture, then follows with acknowledgment that his historical literary approach is itself fallible. The reverse order in a cause-effect relationship is illogical, as this would utilize a fallible means to judge a self-attested claim to infallibility. With an unknowable God, the higher critic cannot be held accountable to an ageless ethical standard and therefore immune to final judgment. This is practical agnosticism in garbs of theism.

Higher criticism does not yield an academic reservation, but rather stems from and reinforces an ethical one (John 3:19, 20). Christ’s moral law code is loved by those who love the lawgiver, as it reflects his character. But what is clearly revealed is suppressed by the higher critic, and not due to how he approaches the Bible, but rather due to his knowledge of (Rom. 1:18-21) and aversion of the triune God revealed who requires submission and obedience to the gospel.

Synecdoche or witticism

At the top of the fold on Page one of Tthe Telegraph’s May 11 edition is a picture of the Macon-Bibb County Commissioners chambers and it highlights a slide of past, present and a proposed budget of Macon (?). You see the slide is labeled “Macon our future.” Is this only Macon’s budget, the consolidated governments budget or, perhaps this is a paronomasia, a witticism or pun. Well, Mr. County or Macon official who added this slogan (or motto?) to the slide, us western Macon-Bibb County citizens are confusus sum (Confused!).

Maybe the title is a synecdoche — a literary device in which a part of something represents the whole; or it may be signifying a whole to represent a part. I am not sure, but maybe the former. So, does the slide, as titled as “Macon…” not mean us wild westerners of Macon- Bibb County; or does it refer to the whole of the consolidated governments’ county. Whatever it is, I beg to remind the chamber members (including the mayor), that we previous county-only folks are merged with Macon now. Or are we?

Also, the reaching of the milestone, as the slide is so vigorously trying to highlight, is so anti-climactic, is it not? You see when the consolidation commenced it was argued we should not reach for this 20 percent reduction with the consolidated budgets in the few years prescribed. Why? Because we would hurt many of our citizens. (Did we do that?) And wasn’t it also all the rave at that time to bicker and hem-and-haw to reduce that milestone since many of our experts perceived, firstly, that we could not attain it, and, secondly, that we were excluding many from our government’s fair share of the dole with such a large cut to the collected taxes?

Who cares! Pop the champagne, but hold onto your wallets since more SPLOSTs and T-SPLOSTs are right around the corner to make up for this reduction. This is the ugly truth how we got to 20 percent an ad infinitum of SPLOSTs will make up the difference.

Bravo to Stalnaker

Congratulations to the chairman of our Houston County Commission-ers,Tommy Stalnaker,for receiving an award from the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia. The award of “Legislative Advocate of the Year.”

I would assume that this award means that Tommy lobbied our state Legislature while it was in session in Atlanta for three months. Mainly in favor of bills helping our county commissions on common issues. Bravo to Tommy in his role of being our county lobbyist in Atlanta for all county commissions.

Cancer Friends Foundation

Georgia Cancer Friends Foundation wants to thank the volunteers who so generously contributed their time and efforts to our garage sale held May 6-7. The sale netted $3,500 which will allow us to continue to offer assistance to families who are enduring the hardships of dealing with cancer. Their willingness to assist makes our hearts happy and makes them a part in easing the lives of those in our community who will benefit from this event. A hearty “thank you” with hugs and big smiles to all who participated — volunteers, donors and buyers. Our role is to support those individuals and their families who are fighting cancer by helping them deal with the consequences of this diagnosis. We provide emotional, intellectual, spiritual and financial support and resources in their times of need. We encourage men and women to take charge of their health by getting routine examinations and diagnostic tests.

This story was originally published May 26, 2016 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Friday, May 27, 2016."