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Jul
21

News of the Week: “You Didn’t Build That”

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Recapping the interesting and significant events of the past week.

This week, President Barack Obama told a crowd that if you have a business, “You didn’t build that.” Congratulations to “The Great Orator” for his greatest foot-in-mouth moment ever. LOL!

For more “You didn’t build that” meme pictures, check out DidntBuildThat.com.

By the way, I didn’t write this post either. Or even type that sentence. But moving on to other things I didn’t do…

On Friday just past midnight, a lone gunman killed twelve and injured 50+ more people in a movie theater premiering Batman: The Dark Knight Rises. Obviously, this is terrible, but do not be deceived by the media telling us that we need stronger controls on guns because of this tragedy. The Luby’s Massacre in 1991 killed nearly twice as many people, and yet it was one of the survivors – Suzanna Hupp – who then pushed for the Texas State government to pass concealed carry legislation in response. We should know better than to give up our freedom to carry firearms for the supposed “security” that the State can provide – which is no security at all. If you think guns should be banned, why don’t you check this out.

The new website reviewing libertarian science fiction, Prometheus Unbound, continues their giveaway of Matthew Alexander’s book “Withur We” in exchange for your email address. What are you waiting for?!?!

Brian McLaren posted this week about Evangelicals for Peace. Of course, LCC beat him to the punch by a long shot…

LCC reader E. Lee MacFall has a new website called Christ and Liberty. Please support him and check out his inaugural post on the Golden Rule.

Do you need to unlock yourself from the clock?

There is an unusual new movement out there called “Hebrew Roots” that teaches people that following the Torah is the proper way of being a Christian. That’s dangerous in and of itself, but they are strange in many other ways as well. I recently wrote a short essay about their theology of sin that has been posted publicly at the Joyfully Growing in Grace Facebook page. You can learn much more about the Hebrew Roots Movement at the Joyfully Growing in Grace website.

I love Amazon Prime – order something and it arrives at my front door two days later. Sometimes it is so fast that it’s scary. Check out this hilarious video about Amazon’s [fictitious] new service, Amazon Yesterday!

Have you been missing LCC for the past few weeks? Here are some things you may have missed…

Norman Horn

Norman is the founder and editor of LibertarianChristians.com. He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from the Austin Graduate School of Theology.

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Categories : News
  • http://intellectualmusing.com/ David D.

    I did a post about the Colorado shooting on my blog this past weekend, but wanted to ask the community a question.  As a newer libertarian and Christian, I wasn’t sure of the right response on capital punishment.  My views on capital punishment have changed over the years, but I can’t help but feel it is appropriate in cases such as these.

    In my research, it seemed libertarians were all over the board in their support or opposition to the death penalty.  Perhaps we can have some discussion on it?

  • http://libertarianchristians.com Norman Horn

    One might ask: when does the State ever have the right to take a life at all? If the State is illegitimate — and I contend that it is — it is difficult to advocate that they be given any power over life and death.

    Moreover, so long as the justice system is so utterly decrepit and unjust, I also have a very hard time advocating for the death penalty.

    Yet I do see that, in principle, restitution to a victim may be served by a death penalty — in that case it must be the desire of the victims (or in the case of a murder, survivors).

    There, that should start things off a bit…

  • http://intellectualmusing.com/ David D.

     If the victims do desire the death penalty, who would be responsible for carrying it out?  How would they receive their restitution?

    I share your concern with giving government the ability to take human life, but in the case of the James Holmes or even the guy who shot representative Kathy Giffords and killed 6 people in Tucson last year, what do you do? 

    I would probably be more comfortable saying “lock them up for life” if the benefits in prison weren’t so good in many places (i.e. cable tv, free healthcare, free food and lodging, conjugal visits, etc.)

  • http://libertarianchristians.com Norman Horn

    David, if the victims justly desire the death penalty, they can delegate that activity to their proxy. That seems reasonable to me.

    As it is now, though, the State gets to decide who lives and who dies. If the victim justly desires it but the State doesn’t, the State gets its way. If the victim wants to forgive it but the State doesn’t, the State gets its way.

  • http://intellectualmusing.com/ David D.

     So in a scenario like the Colorado shootings, what do you do if some of the families want to forgive while others may want the death penalty?  I follow your answer and mostly agree with it when only 1 family is victimized.  When multiple families are involved, what then?

    Also, as a Christian and newer libertarian, I’m curious about your thoughts on whether or not the capital punishment is biblical?  If so, doesn’t that trump our libertarian beliefs?

    Thanks for your engagement!  I hope others join the conversation :)

  • http://libertarianchristians.com Norman Horn

    One person cannot forgive FOR someone else. I suppose that in the case of multiple victims/survivors, that either (a) the restitution would need to be agreed upon, or (b) there would be agreed upon legal principles that would determine what happens in such a situation. My guess… that principle would be that restitution must be met to each party victimized by a crime. For instance, suppose a criminal burns down the houses of two families. One victim could call for complete forgiveness for his particular loss, but he cannot force the other party to forgive it. The criminal must pay for one, and he is forgiven the other.

    Is capital punishment biblical? Yes, it would seem that it is. But I don’t think it is just “set in stone” that all possible capital punishments must be meted out. General principles in the Bible suggest that capital punishment is acceptable in certain circumstances. But is it required for justice in every case where it is permissible? Not necessarily.

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