Rex M Rogers - Discerning What Is Best

Discerning What Is Best
with Dr. Rex M. Rogers

Details: Written by: Rex M. Rogers; Published: 21 January 2011

On 9/11, terrorist hijackers sent more than the American economy into a tailspin. America’s cultural mindset took a hit to its very core and hasn’t gotten over it.

In addition to the ongoing threat of another major terrorist attack, Americans have endured a series of upheavals that, together, have birthed a sense of vulnerability among us like no other time in our history. We live with barely veiled anxiety or fear, which is affecting every level of society.

Wars we’ve fought before, but the Iraq and Afghanistan wars seem intractable, yielding nothing but trillion dollar costs and thousands of American lives lost. These wars seem, dare we say, Viet Nam-like, with no end, no hope, and no win in sight.

The global and Wall Street economic meltdown in 2008-2009 further depleted not just our portfolios and pension plans but our reservoir of optimism. And we’re not sure yet if we’re through the Great Recession—still, there are national debts and deficits, debt juggling, inflation, entitlements. Greece, England, and France, nearly the whole of Europe, are in serious financial straits and the United States isn’t far behind. In “the world is flat” era in which we live, what happens elsewhere in the world sooner or later comes home to roost in America. Their problems are our problems.

Our political leaders on both sides of the aisle talk big, but no one has yet stepped forward with a bona fide plan to put America on a financial, big government, entitlement diet. We, therefore, continue to risk our children’s and possibly our country’s future without any real hope of doing otherwise, the Tea Party Movement notwithstanding. The newly elected 112^th Congress offers promise, but this and a $1.50 will get you a cup of coffee. Promises unfulfilled are simply rhetoric.

We long for a return to normal, but a phrase increasingly used in journalism, “the new normal,” is becoming the new normal. In other words we aren’t going back to a satisfactory much less an idyllic past. The new normal is uncertainty.

Add natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, tsunamis, and the Haiti earthquake to a list of unsettling developments that stretch our ability emotionally and financially to respond.

While political rancor, name-calling, and divisiveness have always characterized American politics, the level of vitriol, mean-spiritedness, and polarization we’ve experienced this decade have increased, uglier in some ways than the rhetoric of days gone by. Political leaders lack class, don’t seem to have been reared with a sense of limits or social restraint, and clearly don’t think much about their reputations, let alone the reputations of others. Anything can be said because in today’s political equation the end justifies the means.

All this has engendered a cultural pessimism that’s socially and politically debilitating and dangerous. We don’t really believe in progress, in a better tomorrow, or anything much but fate or luck. Our destiny is no longer ours to create. It’s handed to us by forces beyond our control.

We’re particularly susceptible to cultural pessimism because in the past three or four decades we’ve set aside genuine faith in a real and Sovereign God who stands outside of history. If he doesn’t exist, and if he doesn’t modulate evil in this world, than we’re left with whatever the fates and our own depravity brings to us. Not a pretty picture.

But the Sovereign God does exist and he is still in charge. Within the context of his permissive will he allows human beings to make choices including bad, wrong, or negative ones. He gives us liberty and responsibility, both of which we often use unwisely. But he’s still there. He’s still working his purposes in history and his son, Jesus Christ, the Great Shepherd, still cares for his sheep.

We should place our faith and security in the Lord rather than governments, financial markets and pension plans, bank accounts, heroes in their 15 minutes of fame, or our own mind and moxie. All will fail us. Only the Lord never leaves nor forsakes us. Rediscovering who he is and how he works in history will restore our social and personal optimism, tempered by realism yes, but optimism nonetheless.

We may have concerns, and we should work for positive, productive changes that benefit one and all. But we need not live with anxiety, angst, or fear. No matter what confronts us we’re still to live as instructed in Micah 6:8:

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

*This blog may be reproduced in whole or in part with a full attribution statement. Contact Rex or read more commentary on current issues and events at www.rexmrogers.com or follow him at www.twitter.com/RexMRogers.

Details: Written by: Rex M. Rogers; Published: 21 January 2011

The meltdown of the global economy has been front and center in the evening news for at least the past year and one-half. Not that economics is ever far from news coverage. It’s just that since stock markets went awry, real estate plummeted in value, pension plans lost thirty or forty percent of value, and countries like Greece teetered on the edge of bankruptcy we can’t get away from bad economic news.

Add to this scenario terrorism since 9/11, wars and rumors of wars, unemployment, national debt and deficits, inflation, debt juggling, and political divisiveness. People are running scared. The new normal seems to be no normal, at least not like any we’ve seen since the Great Depression. We’re now in the Great Recession with few prospects of a true end in sight. Very few of the rich are getting richer and the rest of us? Forget it. We’re toast.

What to do? Dr. David Jeremiah, Senior Pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, California and popular national radio speaker on his program “Turning Point,” has written The Coming Economic Armageddon, examining economic trends and interpreting them in terms of biblical prophecy.

If you care at all about economics the book is easy to read and engaging, though it’s not fun. The doom and gloom is, well, too doomy and gloomy. But the story told is an important one.

Jeremiah believes we are living in what the Bible calls “the End Times,” the period leading to the bodily return or Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Reviewing both economic indicators, U.S. and some global, and biblical teachings on prophecy, Jeremiah concludes all the signs point to Jesus’ return. When? No one knows and Jeremiah thankfully doesn’t try to pick dates.

Jeremiah discusses political concepts like the “New World Order,” tracks the breakdown of the American economy and the consolidation of governmental power resulting from it, reviews Scripture telling of the Anti-Christ, False Prophet, Mark of the Beast, and more. He is particularly, and rightfully, concerned and incensed by the fact we’ve largely done this to ourselves. In other words, we’ve lived well beyond our means for decades, have piled entitlement program upon entitlement program—like prescription plans, Social Security, Medicare, and veterans’ benefits—have put the country into $13 trillion in visible debt, and have done nothing about it.

Jeremiah’s concerns are well taken. The real problem in America is not economics but moral character. We want, we borrow and spend, we acquire, we ignore accountability and stewardship, and we act like there really is a free lunch. All the while, we’re mortgaging our country, culture, and children’s future.

I liked this book’s timely topic and its research coupled with explanations of biblical prophecy. And I especially appreciated that Jeremiah did not write like an alarmist or make you want to jump off a bridge. Yes, he’s genuinely alarmed, but he isn’t crying in despair.

Jeremiah knows God is Sovereign and in charge, and he reminds us of this vital and liberating truth. He concludes by saying “Keep your head in the game,” meaning stay informed. “Keep your house in order,” meaning minimize personal indebtedness and manage your money well. “Keep your heart in your faith,” meaning obey the Lord and follow him no matter what. As Jeremiah says, “Though the world may seem to be crashing down around us, it really changes neither our basic duty nor our ultimate security.” And finally, “Keep your hope in God,” meaning we only lose hope when we take our eyes off the God of hope. I recommend this book.

Details: Written by: Rex M. Rogers; Published: 20 January 2011

MTV was considered edgy when it went on air in 1981. Music TV helped make the music video industry, and advanced Hip Hop, rap, and highly sexualized video content. In the years hence MTV has shown fewer music videos and more so-called reality programs, racy, and trumped up programs about who’s sexier than whom and who’s sleeping with whom. Lately, programs have crossed the line into outright vulgarity.

Now comes “Skins,” a program imported from the UK featuring “actors,” which is to say underage youth with no experience, in wall-to-wall questionable, immoral, and illicit behavior. Stealing, drunkenness, lying to parents, drugs, sexual encounters, nudity, orgiastic innuendo, all get airtime.

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But the problem is it’s illegal to portray naked pictures of children. It’s called Kiddie Pornography.

People are reacting nationally—which is somewhat encouraging in the sense that there’s enough moral reservoir left within the culture to lead people to object. Strangely, or maybe predictably, MTV executives so far claim to be surprised or clueless.

Surely it isn’t much of a stretch to argue that programming child pornography, however “hip,” is unadvisable, wrong, immoral, and likely illegal. Yet here we are.

It shouldn’t surprise us. American culture has been jettisoning moral absolutes, the idea of right and wrong, since the 1960s. But in doing so our culture, i.e. us, leaves itself open to an anything goes, do what’s right in your own eyes society.

In particular we’ve tried to have our cake and eat it too in terms of sexuality. We want total freedom but no physical or emotional consequences. We want to preserve quaint ideas like marriage when we finally have children, but even that concept is being challenge.

Culturally we’ve argued, reflected and encouraged by Hollywood, for embracing the idea that consenting adults without the benefit of marriage can sexually do whatever they want whenever they want with whomever they want. Let it all hang out.

After a time even this isn’t enough so we get “Skins” on MTV. We get a program exposing and exploring teenage sexuality and calling it normal. We get Kiddie Porn.

MTV and others will make the argument “If you don’t like it don’t watch it. Censorship is wrong.” But this libertine statement is at bottom narcissistic and self-indulgent, wanting the protection of society but accepting no responsibility for reinforcing, building, or contributing to the social good.

Years ago the United States Supreme Court used the phrase “no redeeming social value” in reference to pornography. This phrase describes “Skins.” It has nothing to offer but debauchery.

Details: Written by: Rex M. Rogers; Published: 20 January 2011

It causes me pause when older celebrities adopt. It happens fairly often. Celebrities well into their 50s or 60s finally decide they want children and adopt.

One could say, Why not? Celebrities have resources with which to care for children and shouldn’t they have the right to the joys of parenting too?

On the other hand: recently, Elton John and his partner David Furnish adopted a baby boy. Aside from your views on same sex marriage or adoption, focus just on age. Elton John at 63 will be in his late 70s when his new son hits his teens. Why adopt now?

With John in particular it’s difficult not to wonder whether this is another planned PR move to break ground for same sex relationships. John and Furnish were married in England after same sex unions were legalized. Now they’re adopting. Pioneers or parents? I don’t know.

I do know that at some point Baby Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John will be a youth with an aged or elderly parent, if the parent survives into those years. Again, I know many kids have been born to their parents well into life. Many kids have been reared successfully by grandparents. But these instances generally occurred out of necessity. Celebrities delay having children in order to preserve their careers or physical appearances and finally get around to adopting late into life.

Without casting aspersions on older parents generally, I wonder what celebrity kids really experience.

Details: Written by: Rex M. Rogers; Published: 20 January 2011

There was a time when one might say, “Steve Jobs’s Apple.” He co-founded Apple, Inc. April 1, 1976, with Steve Wojniak and Ronald Wayne, owned it, and operated it. Now, after he and others who joined him built a g lobal computer behemoth one might say, “Apple’s Steve Jobs.” He successfully built a company bigger than himself. Or did he?

In the wake of Jobs’s recent announcement that he’ll once again step away from Apple for an indeterminate time on medical leave, industry analysts are wondering aloud if Apple can withstand a long term or permanent Jobs departure. In other words, how important is Steve Jobs the persona to Apple’s success?

I don't know Steve Jobs but wish I did. I don't know his personality or character, but I'll root for him on his medical leave. His business, leadership, and marketing acumen are, if not unique, truly rare, and the impact his technological vision has made on America, mostly for the good, is phenomenal. I pray his cancer issues can be vanquished.

Other business leaders evidence exceptional talent for innovation, leadership, and marketing. Think Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Googles’ Sergey Brin and Larry Page, even Martha Stewart. But there’s not as many leaders like this as people think. Jobs stands apart from nearly all of them.

For Apple to continue to do well it will need to continue to develop creative new products like the iPhone, and iPad. But the real test of Steve Jobs’s legacy, which is to say if Apple thrives for years after he steps down permanently (and as I said, I hope that’s not now), will be his leadership skills. The question yet unanswered is how well will people he’s recruited and developed do in leadership after he’s gone?

In Jobs’s earlier medical absence, COO Tim Cook became the interim company top executive and company voice. He apparently handled this task with aplomb and was richly rewarded for it. He now steps in again.

A lot of leaders lead well, even exceptionally, during their run. But they fail to develop leaders around them for the time to come after their run. For the organization this can be a fatal mistake.

Preachers, I might add, are especially inclined to do this, too often leaving their church floundering once they move on—and everyone, eventually, moves on. Reassignment, Retirement, Illness, Death…every leader moves on.

So I will pray Steve Jobs returns to health and I’ll watch the company. The latter will offer many lessons in leadership.

Details: Written by: Rex M. Rogers; Published: 15 January 2011

Susan Boyle is the overnight international sensation from “Britain’s Got Talent.” On April 11, 2009, she was greeted by an audience who dismissed her as odd and unworthy from the moment she walked onto the stage. Even judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, and Piers Morgan clearly looked upon her with bemusement. Then she sang “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables.

Susan Boyle’s voice was so powerful and poignant, so utterly beautiful, the only thing that rivaled it was her own fairy tale story. Within seconds members of the audience were in tears, judges’ eyes widened and jaws dropped, and in the end she was given a much-deserved standing ovation. The YouTube video of this event, along with a couple of other song videos quickly made available, attracted over 100 million hits within 9 days of her coming-out performance. At age 47, Susan Boyles attracted worldwide attention, affirmation, and adoration.

The embarrassing part of the tale is the arrogance and presumption evidenced by the audience and judges before Susan sang, all based upon her appearance. She clearly did not present herself well. She’d traveled by train for a couple of days, had not changed her dress or fixed her hair, was awkward in her social interaction, is heavy set and otherwise not an especially attractive woman. But still, the audience’s quick put-down attitude is a shame to us all because if we’d been there we’d likely have reacted right alongside them.

Susan Boyle’s story is a long-deferred dream come true. She was born with a slight learning disability, had a father who treated her harshly and didn’t have much use for her, is the youngest of 4 brothers and 6 sisters, was unemployed, and cared for her Mother until 2007 when Mrs. Boyle passed away at age 91. The lyrics of “I Dreamed a Dream” fit her desire to use her extraordinary talent to become a professional singer, something only a local voice teacher and her Mother encouraged.

Susan Boyle isn’t perfect. She’s known to be feisty, has a temper, and can be less than socially adept. But reading her story and hearing her sing can bring tears to anyone’s eyes.

Two kinds of lessons abound, first for us about us:

--Aspire; dream dreams.

--Never give up on your dreams.

--Keep trying no matter what others say.

--Don’t always listen to experts.

--Everyone has talent(s); focus on your best.

Second, lessons for us about others:

--Never judge a book by its cover or a person by appearance.

--Treat people with respect no matter who they are.

--Give people the benefit of the doubt.

--Encourage others in the use of their talent(s).

--Always suppress arrogance.

There are many other lessons and much inspiration in Susan Boyle’s journey. People worldwide respond to her because she’s authentic. There’s no hype, no celebrity narcissism, no spin. So long ignored and so long without opportunity her triumph is a tale that uplifts the human spirit. It encourages us all because it suggests our dreams can also be fulfilled.

What arc Susan Boyle’s life takes hereon no one knows. But she’ll forever be a symbol of strength of spirit and resolve, the moral of her story being every human being is both valuable and significant.

*This blog may be reproduced in whole or in part with a full attribution statement. Contact Rex or read more commentary on current issues

and events at www.rexmrogers.com or follow him at www.twitter.com/RexMRogers.