I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, but Newt Gingrinch thinks our constitutional freedom of speech should be limited in order to … wait for it … protect that freedom!  My God, what fools people like this are.  The real sad and frightening aspect of this bullshit is that a good number of Americans would agree with him.  The day we allow our government to curtail our freedoms — freedoms our sons and daughters continue to die for today –  in the name of safety and freedom, to paraphrase Benmjamin Franklin, is the day the terrorists have beaten us.

People are being killed and kidnapped in Iraq on a daily basis and all people seem to be worried about is whether we should or shouldn’t call it a civil war.

By the way, does anyone remember a little thing called the Iraq Study Group Report?  Apparently, no.  Even by Washington standards this group has come and gone quicker than warp speed.

I was walking through Barnes & Noble yesterday — a mad house I might add — and saw a display of several faith-based books by journalist and former atheist Lee Strobel.  He’s written several "investigative" book in which he purports to find evidence or Christianity:  The Case for Christ, The Case for a Creator, The Case for Christmas, etc.  I’ve often heard members of my church discuss these books as if they handed from God as proof of His existence.  So as I stood there perusing the display I decided to pick up The Case for Christmas; it’s small, not even one hundred pages, so it didn’t take me long to read.  Heck, I could have read the book standing in the store. 

So, what’s my first impression?  If you’re already a believer like me this book will do nothing to strengthen, or weaken, your faith in God or the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ.  Mr. Strobel is obviously passionate about his topic, which is not unusual for a former atheist.  People who come to God after nearly a lifetime of non-belief or one spent engaging in activities that even a sporadic church-goer would find questionable are often like that.  He inquisitive and asks some interesting questions, but I found nothing ground-breaking about what he writes.  Mr. Strobel only seeks out those who will reinforce what he already believe, and what his readers already believe.  As a Sunday School teaching tool I see the worth of these books, but as a tool to turn the non-believer towards God I have a problem.  Mr. Strobel makes no attempt to seek out sources who might intellectually disagree with him and offer their own opinion on the topic.  When I have discussions with people about topics of faith I like it when we can intellectually debate the topic.  It doesn’t threaten my faith when someone disagrees with me; I don’t automatically think this person is out to destroy God in America.  Of course, that’s what makes me different than many people with whom I attend church. 

Don’t get me wrong, the books are interesting and the author does present some compelling information.  He seeks out scientists who can intellectually present their case.  I just think Mr. Strobel could have presented a better "case" if he’d sought out an opposing viewpoint.