Warming Up for the Justification Book

Gregory L. Jackson has left a new comment on your post "Book List for Students of the Word":

Narrow-minded, UOJ unites everyone because it eviscerates all creeds. That may be why the creedless ELCA pastors join the Roman priesthood, simply to have some standard of truth.

Since UOJ is the only real doctrine of WELS, the only one they teach with vigor and brain-dead obstinacy, all other points are adiaphora.

UOJ is the license that allows WELS and Missouri to work hand-in-glove, or claw-and-hoof, with ELCA. UOJ gives the ELS permission to go along with Enthusiasm while carrying the Book of Concord around like the True Cross of Jerusalem.

UOJ is mainline denominational doctrine, the NCC and WCC in a nutshell.

Cross Banned in Jerusalem

Jesus Who? Christian Cross Banned from Bethlehem Souvenir Shops

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/jesus-who-christian-cross-banned-from-bethlehem-souvenir-shops/

Two-thousand years after Jesus Christ was born in the town of Bethlehem, the Christian cross has reportedly been banned from souvenir shops as tourists and pilgrims pour into the Holy Land for the Christmas season.
According to AsiaNews, textile shops in Jerusalem and Hebron have begun to print and sell tee-shirts “depicting the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem without the cross.”  The cross has also been removed from tee-shirts of local football teams “because of the growth of Islamic fundamentalism in the Palestinian territories.”

Interviewed by AsiaNews, Samir Qumsieh, journalist and director of the Catholic television station Al-Mahed Nativity TV in Bethlehem, said: “I want to launch a campaign to urge people not to buy these products – he says – because the removal of the cross is an intimidation against Christians, it is like saying that Jesus was never crucified. “

Like every year, thousands including authorities, faithful and tourists from all over the world crowd, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem for midnight mass on the night of 24 December. It will be celebrated by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and will be attended by the highest offices of the Palestinian Authority.

Qumsieh says that the population is living these days with joy, but the situation for Christians is still dramatic. According to the journalist, the dialogue of recent years between Muslims, Christians and Jews has not changed the situation.

“In the Holy Land – said Qumsieh – the emigration of Christians is growing, even if the authorities refuse to give precise numbers. Every day there are people who flee to other countries. As Christians, we live in a constant feeling of fear and uncertainty, and if you live in constant tension and pessimism you can not plan anything.

Al Gore Pronounces Anti-Global Warming Measures a Success As Blizzard Rocks NYC

Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But Al Gore was so insightful,
Since Global Warming is a big 0
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

It doesn't show signs of warming,
So thanks for all the warnings,
The lights are turned way down low,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

When we finally go John Galt,
How I'll hate giving up all my cards!
But if the Left says “It’s really our fault!”
All the way home I'll be warm.

The nation’s slowly dying,
Hope and change have turned to crying
But as long as you love Gore so,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Christmas Is for the Birds

The main bird feeder, from Duncraft, is only a few feet from my desk - outside the window. The squirrel is already enjoying his corn feeder, nearby on the sill. I added another suet basket, hanging from the first one. My plan is to have a comfortable view of various creatures feeding at once. The multiple feeding arrangement generates noise, and more birds will come because of the noise.

The squirrel does not even try the Duncraft feeder, because his weight on the bar shuts off the supply of seed, which is now pure black oil sunflower.

For your amusement and edification, I compared the price of seed at a store. Blended seed (cardinal on the front) was $2 a pound, while sunflower seed was around 50 cents. Thistle (for finches) and safflower (hated by squirrels) were both higher priced than sunflower. As Bruce Church said, all the blended seed sacks featured various song birds. Sunflower seed is loved by 42 species of birds and costs less than all the other seeds.

The backyard corn feeder attracted a pair of blue jays, the most majestic of all the colorful birds. The jays rested above the feeder, looked around, and landed on the ground to pick up corn. They pecked away at it in the security of the branches above. I noticed them harvesting corn from the ground last year, too.

We probably have many jays living behind our house. We are surrounded by oaks, a favorite habitat for jays. A pair nested in the bush near the Duncraft feeder, so I wonder if they will nest there in the spring and notice the equivalent of a McDonald's outside their door.

"Jay, the nestlings need more food, dear."

"I'll just hop over to the feeder."

"So convenient, Jay. I hope we always nest here at the Jackson's. Grab a few seeds for me, too."

We now have one main feeding station (sunflowers, suet, corn and water). I can be inches away from a chickadee enjoying his suet - a foot away from cardinals, finches, titmice, and chickadees eating sunflower seeds. The squirrel is closest of all, because tree-rats are shameless food hustlers. They cannot be frightened through glass.

Three other places provide seed, corn, and suet. Now I will look for extra nuts for the jays and squirrels.

Some people think it is strange to feed the creatures, but the Lord of Creation shared His nursery with them.

Book List for Students of the Word

"The child is the father of the man." What we read and give to our children has a lasting effect. This newspaper article from 58 years ago reminds us how swiftly time passes.

I have divided this book list by priorities:

I. Essential
A. The King James Version of the Bible, or - at least one of the KJV updates at the very least. The rest of the translations are Dreck.
B. The Book of Concord. The Triglotta is the best edition. Tappert is a good portable edition. The Book of Concord is the best one-volume Biblical commentary available.
C. Luther's Sermons. It is better to have a small usable set than to leave all of Luther unread, unless you want to be a Lutheran leader. The synod leaders and professors are ignorant of Luther - that is a definite career path today. Here are some of them on the Net. This inexpensive set contains the Lenker series and Klug set, all for the cost of dinner out.

II. Wish List
A. Lenski's commentaries are the best single source for doctrinal issues, grammar, and translation problems. His introductory material alone makes the set worthwhile. He does not teach forgiveness without faith (UOJ).
B. Any book by Chemnitz. Once again, reading is better than just owning. Depending on your doctrinal interest, buy one volume and read it carefully.
C. Krauth, H. E. Jacobs, and Schmauk - all three fought the Confessional battle in the Muhlenberg tradition. The anti-Confessionals ultimately won, leading to the ELCA of today. Could these men get a job in ELCA today? No. Do you think your synod is not sliding downhill fast? These books often appear in used book offerings and library sales.
D. Robert Preus, Justification and Rome. The UOJ Stormtroopers will not admit that he repudiated their precious doctrine. ELCA loves UOJ, so the obvious apostates were happy to compromise with Rome about justification.