tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251071768405316872024-02-08T07:01:00.628-05:00Un-Reconstructed SouthronThis blog is the place to come if you want to know what I think about: Christianity, History, Government, Current Events and anything else I may happen to have an opinion about.Justin Honakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15557946972279280471noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225107176840531687.post-17008354155066029332012-08-15T11:11:00.000-04:002012-08-15T11:11:42.239-04:00Literary NazisIf you have spent any time on the Internet, and especially in the comments sections of blogs and news sites or on message boards, you have probably seen someone referred to as a grammar Nazi, or more likely, a spelling Nazi.<br />
<br />
But is this an accurate label?<br />
<br />
The historic face of Nazism is, of course, Adolph Hitler. Nazi government was totalitarian; Hitler was a dictator. ("1. a ruler who is not effectively restricted by ... laws ... .") [1] Law had no restraint over Hitler because Hitler's rule <em>was</em> law. Whatever he wanted the law to be, that is what it was. If he changed his mind, so did the law change. The law, <em>his</em> law, was anything he desired it to be.<br />
<br />
The problem here is that law is meant to be a standard. Civil law is a society's standard of justice. Grammar and spelling rules are the standard of written language. If a standard constantly moves or changes it is <em>not</em> a standard. Hitler was the law in Nazi Germany.<br />
If standards of acceptable behavior in society were to change at the whim of any one person or group of people, there would be huge problems. If people can make their own rules, then why is what James Holmes did so terrible? Or Ted Bundy? Or ... 9/11?<br />
<br />
I understand misspelling a word is not the same as killing someone. But in this time when we are told that "truth is not absolute," that "what is right for one person is not necessarily right for another," what is the difference?<br />
And so, because I believe (with this eloquent commenter [2]) in standards of language and spelling, I say that those who write and spell with the same respect for grammar and spelling rules that Hitler showed for the sovereign national border of Poland are the true grammar Nazis and spelling Nazis.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[1] "dictator." <i>Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition</i>. HarperCollins Publishers. 14 Aug. 2012. <dictionary .com=".com" a="a" href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dictator">http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dictator</dictionary><br />
>.<br />
[2] This is a comment posted in response to Dictionary.com's <em>The Hot Word</em> blog post: "<a href="http://hotword.dictionary.com/obsolete-words">These words may be removed from some dictionaries — find out why, and if you agree</a>."<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
i say no, cuz u'l neva know when pple need dem. Every word is important its nt jst it era yet. on August 24, 2011 at 5:56 pm<br />
i say no,u neva know wen we all are going 2 need those words 4 diff purposes.every word is important and significant no ma how short. Its nt jst its time yet, hang on</blockquote>
<br />
It is interesting that the commenter considers that "every word is important and significant," but he/she can't be bothered to take the time to spell them out correctly.Justin Honakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15557946972279280471noreply@blogger.com0Parkersburg, WV, USA39.2667418 -81.561513539.1683948 -81.719442 39.365088799999995 -81.403585tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225107176840531687.post-52053718881849120872011-11-14T18:07:00.002-05:002011-11-14T18:13:28.259-05:00Dr. R.C. Sproul on Reformed TheologyIn Reformed theology we constantly test our doctrine by going back to our fundamental understanding of the character of God.<br />--Dr. R.C. Sproul<br /><br />From <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/what_is_reformed_theology/">What Is Reformed Theology?</a></span> A Teaching Series by Dr. R.C. Sproul, <a href="http://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/what_is_reformed_theology/catholic-evangelical-and-reformed/">Lecture 2, Catholic, Evangelical, and Reformed</a>.Justin Honakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15557946972279280471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225107176840531687.post-83228505033260722202011-10-01T11:01:00.000-04:002011-10-01T11:02:22.178-04:00Christianity's Neglect of Duty"It is difficult to sell responsibiity, and there is so much to do. Our task today has grown so great because so much undone work has accumulated for so long. Christians have neglected their comprehensive assignment from God. We have lost at least three centuries, most of the churches, and every university. We can and must win back these institutions, plus many more that Christianity never controlled. We have been commissioned to do it. <em>We must get to work</em>."<br /><br />--From Gary North's Publisher's Foreword to Kenneth L. Gentry's <em>The Greatness of the Great Commission</em>.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Genesis 1:28</strong><br />And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.<br /><br /><strong>Matthew 28:18-20</strong><br />And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.<br /><br /><strong>Philippians 2:9-11</strong><br />Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.Justin Honakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15557946972279280471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225107176840531687.post-29877009081078871652011-07-26T17:48:00.004-04:002011-07-26T18:04:23.070-04:00Surprised by Joy(The title of this post is also the title of a book by C. S. Lewis, which I highly recommend you read.)<br /><br />Here is a question at least partially inspired by Lewis's book:<br /><br />Must man be an active, or even willing, participant in his salvation?<br /><br />Your thoughts?Justin Honakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15557946972279280471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225107176840531687.post-38880881492732835492011-01-24T15:15:00.004-05:002011-01-24T15:33:54.002-05:00An Honest Politician? A Rare Breed, Indeed."But let this also be clear: I will not be bland in what I write, for I am not blind to what I see." Former Senator Zell Miller in his book <i>A National Party No More</i> (p. 63).Justin Honakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15557946972279280471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225107176840531687.post-20533058329214591212010-01-10T14:57:00.006-05:002010-01-10T15:02:48.116-05:00<h3 style="font-weight: normal;" class="GenericStory_Message" ft="{"type":"msg"}"><span style="font-size:85%;">117 years ago tomorrow, January 11, the "Butcher of New Orleans" Gen. Benjamin "Beast" Butler died.<br /><br />The link goes to an editorial/obituary published in the "Nashville American" on January 12, 1893, the day after Butler's death. It was not written from a sympathetic perspective, to say the least.<br /><br />You have to appreciate th<span class="text_exposed_show">e backbone shown by whoever wrote it. Would that we had a few newspapers and newspapermen with this kind of conviction today.</span></span></h3><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.theamericanview.com/index.php?id=1542">“Nashville American” Spoke No Ill Of Dead “Butcher Of New Orleans” — Just Told The Truth</a></span><br /><br /></span>Justin Honakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15557946972279280471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225107176840531687.post-69665614140172083262009-11-08T23:17:00.002-05:002009-11-08T23:47:38.934-05:00Consider This"[We] need to communicate more effectively the true nature of what the First Amendment says and doesn’t say. It never promises a religion-free society. At the very most, you can say that the First Amendment guarantees a secular government. But that secular government – for its very survival – presupposes the continued existence of a deeply religious nation." -- Michael Medved, best-selling author and radio talk show host.<br /><br />This quote comes from <a href="http://www.adftruthandtriumph.org/200911/onthesquare.html">an interview</a> that the <a href="http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/main/default.aspx">Alliance Defense Fund</a> (ADF) did with Michael Medved on public education. The interview was published in the ADF's quarterly publication <a href="http://www.adftruthandtriumph.org/">Truth & Triumph</a>.Justin Honakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15557946972279280471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225107176840531687.post-27246741147366037342009-10-20T22:43:00.006-04:002009-11-08T23:21:19.339-05:00A Thing to Remember<span class="body">"There are hundreds of millions of gun owners in this country, and not one of them will have an accident today. The only misuse of guns comes in environments where there are drugs, alcohol, bad parents, and undisciplined children. Period.</span>" -- Ted Nugent<br /><br /><br />He is at least 99% right. Things like pride or anger could be added to his list. The list could even be summed up in <span style="font-style: italic;">one</span> word: Sin. This is the only reason anyone kills someone else, except in self-defense and in defense of others, which, actually, result from the first action of murder or attempted murder.Justin Honakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15557946972279280471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225107176840531687.post-34017381635426239762009-10-18T17:33:00.003-04:002009-10-18T17:58:13.715-04:00A Question for Barack Obama . . .And all the legislators in Washington, D. C. that voted for his "Stimulus Plan", and everyone else who supported it.<br /><br />"When was the last time YOU, as a citizen, as a regular person, gave some of your own money to another regular person, someone you didn't know, to help them pay off a debt, or buy health insurance, or buy a home?"<br /><br />I'm going to take a wild guess and say that you have probably NEVER done that. None of you. But you have no problem taking other people's money and using it to buy everyone health insurance and to bailout failed businesses. MY money, and Bill's money, and Sharon's, and Rick's, and Jenny's, etc. It's easy to give away other people's money isn't it?<br /><br />Well, Mr. Obama, Mrs. Pelosi, and you others, I could use some money right now. And I'll bet Robert and Anna could, too. And a few million other people while you're at it.<br /><br />A personal check will do just fine. Just make it out to "The American People".<br /><br />I won't hold my breath.Justin Honakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15557946972279280471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225107176840531687.post-55151731268836560102008-02-12T21:43:00.009-05:002009-10-18T15:00:17.548-04:00You Can Help Ron Paul Fight the International Super-Highway<h3 style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Representative </span>Ron Paul introduced on January 29 a bill (<a href="http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.5191:">H.R.5191</a>) that would prohibit the use of Federal funds to build the highway known as the 'Trans-Texas Corridor.'</span></h3><h3 style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Below is the entire text of Rep. Ron Paul's bill.</span></h3><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" ></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS FOR TRANS-TEXAS CORRIDOR PROJECT.</span><h3 style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size:100%;">No Federal funds appropriated or made available before, on, or after the date of enactment of this Act may be used by a unit of Federal, State, or local government to carry out the highway project known as the 'Trans-Texas Corridor'.</span></h3></blockquote><h3 style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></h3><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>This bill was referred to the House <strong style="font-weight: normal;">Transportation and Infrastructure </strong>Committee<strong style="font-weight: normal;">'s </strong>Subcommittee on Highways and Infrastructure. H.R.5191 will almost certainly be allowed to die in committee if we don't help.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here's how you can help.</span> Follow the link below and find out if your representative is on this subcommittee. (If you don't know who your representative is, go here to <a href="http://www.house.gov/">www.house.gov</a>, and enter your ZIP code in the upper left corner.) If your representative is a member of this subcommittee I ask that you call, fax, or email him/her and urge him/her to support this legislation.<br /><br /><a href="http://transportation.house.gov/highways/index.shtml">Members of the Subcommittee on Highways and Infrastructure</a><br /><br />Even if your representative is not a member of this subcommittee, I encourage you to contact the subcommittee's chairman, Rep. Peter DeFazio. (Click here, <a href="http://www.house.gov/formdefazio/contact.html">Contact Rep. DeFazio</a>, to email the chairman.)Justin Honakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15557946972279280471noreply@blogger.com0