There is a great need for a sarcasm font.

This morning I emailed all the data files for both the Teacher's and Student CD. An hour ago I rec'd an email with proofs of the artwork and they look good. Assuming the finals come in a day or two I'll be on the home stretch. Tomorrow's task: the mailing.

This afternoon: golf. Ralph and Ken wanted to play from the yellow tees, the first set back from the women's. That makes it just a step beyond a pitch-and-put for Todd who is so good it's just plain fun to watch. I'd been kidding him about calling his shots, and on the 18th tee he told me to call his shot. So I told him he had to put it between those two trees and out into the middle of the dog-leg left fairway, cutting off half the hole's yardage.
He did it. I laughed.

I am OK with my round. I'm learning, making progress. I had a few blow-up holes, but I also played well enough often enough to keep me encouraged about the future. Had a few par holes. I really enjoy golf and if I can get sufficiently consistent to avoid those blow-ups I'll be satisfied with my game. Then I can work on specific things, like my short game.

Last night I read an interesting column in the current issue of WORLD magazine. The writer made the point that Christians can and should link their faith to politics on topics clearly addressed in Scripture, issues of morality. But on issues where the Bible is silent our efforts to shape laws and policies should not be linked to our faith, but rather be based on reason, on the principles of sound governance.

Today Pres. Obama issued an executive order extending to the same-sex partners of federal employees and their children many of the benefits currently going to heterosexual spouses. He went only as far as he could without Congressional action, so things aren't now strictly equal. But he called on Congress to pass laws that would bring benefits into strict parity.

This morning, while I was sending that series of emails with the curriculum data, I watched a profile on Martina Navratilova which she narrated. She talked about being a lesbian, going public with that, and the effect it had on her family, her sponsors and her career. As she told it, many treated her very unkindly, even cruelly.

The Bible certainly speaks to the issue of homosexual behavior, identifying it as sin. (Note that I specify the behavior, not the predilection.) So, should same-sex partners receive the same benefits and treatment as heterosexuals? For example, should they be allowed the same access to their partners who are in the hospital's ICU as heterosexual spouses? Does their homosexual lifestyle justify social or business ostracization?

Put another way, should Christian expect those outside the faith to live to biblical standards? Should we seek to legislate those standards? If (since) this is not God's special country and we are not preferred by him above other people or other nations, is legislating biblical standards of morality going to bring us special blessings as a nation?

Discuss

And when you're done, whaddaya think of this?