Natural Disasters--Are They a Sign or Punishment from God?

(Article first published as Natural Disasters--Are They a Sign or Punishment from God? on Technorati.)

The recent earthquake/tsunami/nuclear nightmare in Japan is certainly not your everyday occurrence. The incalculable toll on the people living there continues to mount. The outlook becomes more grave by the day. Ever wondered where is God in all of this? What is He saying to us through tragedies like this one or Haiti’s killer earthquake last year?

While most Americans believe in a personal God who is in control of what happens in our world, most do not believe that natural disasters are a sign from Him or that He sometimes punishes nations for the sins of its citizens through such disasters. These are among the findings of a survey designed and conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute, a non-profit, nonpartisan research and education organization. The survey was conducted between March 17, 2011, and March 20, 2011.

According to the survey results, seven out of ten Americans believe that a person can have a personal relationship with God, and 56 percent believe God is in control of everything that happens in our world. Based on these findings, it would appear that the only logical conclusion to draw from events like the recent Japan tragedy or the killer earthquake in Haiti last year is that the hand of God was involved. However, according to the findings, most Americans do not believe that to be the case. Only 38 percent see natural disasters as a sign from God, and only 29 percent believe God sometimes punishes a nation for the sins of its citizens.

The majority of Americans, almost 6 out of 10 (58 percent), attribute the severity of recent natural disasters to global climate change while 44 percent attribute it to the end of this age, as taught in the Bible. To reconcile the findings of the study, I conclude that most Americans believe that a person can have a personal relationship with God, that He was in control during events leading up to the Japan disaster, but though He did not intervene to spare Japan of this misery, He was not making a statement regarding the people of that land.

The current death toll in Japan has been estimated as high as 18,000. Over 200,000 died as a result of the Haiti earthquake. Interestingly, only about 18% of Americans say that seeing innocent people suffer shakes their faith in God, according to the survey results.

Copyright ©2011 by Frank King. All rights reserved.

We Are All Called to Serve

Sometimes, I hear fellow church members complain about the worship service. For instance, they may say something like “the service was dead today.” I guess that means they did not get what they were expecting. You know, maybe the choir didn’t sing to their satisfaction, or perhaps they feel the preacher did not knock it out of the park that day, whatever.

I understand that people want to be encouraged, edified and the like when they attend worship service. But it is also necessary that mature Christians come to worship service with a mind to contribute to the overall worship experience. The Bible teaches, for instance, that the Lord blessed the church with ministers “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature….” (Ephesians 4:12-13, NIV). There is this errant thinking in many churches that the pastor should do the bulk of the work in the local church because he gets paid. But that’s really not what God had in mind. The purpose of the church leadership is to equip the members of the church for the work of the ministry so that the entire body can become edified that way.

God gives each of us different ministry gifts and abilities. These abilities are not for us to just keep to ourselves. Rather, they should be used to help others to grow in their relationship with the Lord. Hence, one of the main purposes of the local church is to equip its members with the necessary tools to effectively use their God-given abilities. If there is one serious problem I see in the local church today, it is that too many people attend the house of God to receive, and too few come to give of themselves.

The pastor and his staff can’t do all the work needed to effectively operate the ministry, no matter how large his staff may be. Neither do all the necessary gifts reside among the paid staff. Furthermore, as we have stated above, that was never God’s concept of ministry. Each of us has been blessed with some ability to do ministry in our local church. Let us become good stewards of what the Lord has entrusted into our care.

Copyright ©2011 by Frank King. All rights reserved.

A Link between Faithful Church Attendance and Obesity?

(Article first published as A Link between Faithful Church Attendance and Obesity? on Technorati.)


Young adults who regularly attend church are 50 percent more likely to become obese by middle age than young adults who have little or no religious involvement.  The report of these findings based on a study by Northwestern Medicine researchers was released this week. To make it clear that the participants were normal weight younger adults with high religious involvement, as opposed to obese adults who became religious, the weight gain of participants was tracked over time.

The study tracked 2433 men and women for 18 years. Young adults ages 20 to 32, with a high frequency of religious participation, were 50 percent more likely to become obese by middle age, according to the findings. A high frequency of religious participation was defined as attending a religious activity at least once a week.

So what’s the mystery here? I attend church two to three times a week, and that has been a consistent part of my lifestyle for the past thirty years.  So allow me to share a couple of things I believe have bearing on the findings. For one, my experience has been that in the church we love our social gatherings that involve eating. And there is nothing holy about the portions most of us eat in these settings. Neither do the kinds of foods on the menu help the cause. It is commonly taught in church that we are to be good stewards of the body the Lord has blessed us with, but many churchgoers don’t faithfully adhere to that rule when they fellowship among themselves.

Also, for faithful churchgoers, religious activity is not limited to church attendance. They are also the ones most likely to study their Bible at home regularly, to spend solitary time in prayer, and to devote time as volunteers to their local church. This kind of lifestyle leaves less time for physical recreation and, hence, can predispose them to obesity.

The authors of the study caution that the findings indicate that those with a high frequency of religious activity are more likely to become obese by middle age, and not that their health is worse overall.  Obesity is currently an epidemic in our country, placing its victims at higher risks of diabetes, heart disease, other chronic illnesses, and dying earlier. Said Matthew Feinstein, the study’s lead investigator, “These findings highlight a group that could benefit from targeted efforts at obesity prevention.”

Copyright ©2011 by Frank King. All rights reserved.

How Can We Sing the Lord’s Song in a Strange Land?

It’s not unusual for us to sing songs of joy when we are happy. One of my favorite parts of worship service is when we corporately sing songs that exalt the name of our Lord. Each of us has his favorite songs. Those are the ones we sing around the house as we worship Him at home. But if the truth is told, singing those songs can be much more difficult when life deals us a hard hand.

When the people of God were in captivity in Babylon, for instance, its captors required of them to sing to the Lord. They were not at home in Jerusalem but in Babylon. They were not free but in captivity. They were not at the house of God but by the rivers of Babylon. “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” they asked (Psalm 137:4). Similarly, we might ask the question, how can we sing the Lord’s song when we find ourselves in a strange place?

What is a strange place? Well, it might be unemployment for the first time in your life. A strange place for you might be the real prospect of divorce after 10 years of marriage. Or it might be a serious health matter that you just found out about. In short, a strange place is one that we are not familiar with and that puts our relationship with God to the test.

As I write about this, I remember my last pastorate, over ten years ago. Some of those years were extremely trying. At times, it was hard being excited about the ministry. I had some high hopes when I started that labor for the Lord. The first couple of years were exciting and things were going well. After that, things began to go downhill. My favorite song was not coming to mind around the house. I did get to the point of singing and worshiping the Lord, but it certainly did not come as easily as before.

When we find ourselves in a strange place, we need to remember a couple of important points. One, we don’t worship God because of what He has done for us but because of who He is. In other words, God deserves our worship and adoration simply because He is the awesome God that He is. Yes, it’s easier to adore Him when life is good, and we are being showered with blessings, but He is no less God when life is otherwise.

Secondly, God is wherever we are. Through the thick and through the thin, He is with us. He never abandons His children. For instance, when the Jews were in Babylon, the same God whom they had known in Jerusalem was with them in Babylon. A strange land does not separate us from Him, though the feeling we have may be one of abandonment. Again, He never, never, never, abandons His children. If we keep the faith, He will move on our behalf—in due season.

As Christians, we are on a journey with the Lord. By the very nature of that truth, we will at times travel through strange territory. But even during those unpleasant sojourns, God is still God, He is very present, and He is in control of the situation. So sing on.


Copyright © 2011 by Frank King. All Rights Reserved.

Forty Percent of Millionaires Don’t Feel Wealthy

If you were a millionaire, would you consider yourself a wealthy person? The Fidelity Millionaire Outlook survey, an online survey, was conducted by Northstar Research Partners during the period of October 18-29, 2010. The results reflect the responses from 1011 financial decision-makers of U.S. households with investable assets of at least one million dollars.

Needless to say, most of us were not included in that survey. Millionaires make up only 5% of the U.S. population. By contrast, in 2008, the median income for all households in the U. S. was approximately $52,000, according to figures by the Census Bureau. That means the households addressed in the survey represent income levels that were at least 20 times the median income for all households. Nonetheless, of those millionaires surveyed, 42 percent of them did not feel wealthy. These millionaires said they would have to achieve an investable asset level of at least $7.5 million to feel wealthy.

Moreover, according to the survey, 4 in 10 millionaires say that their most pressing financial concern is that of securing enough resources to support their lifestyle during retirement. However, overall, these millionaires had a dramatically improved outlook on the future of the economy.

So what is the take away value from this survey for the average American? Most of us don’t need to have $7.5 million dollars to feel wealthy. And our status of living that needs to be supported during retirement is in a world that’s altogether different from theirs. Also, for many of us, our definition of wealth and/or our value system may substantially differ from those of the millionaires surveyed. Nevertheless, the views of this wealthy community should be of value to us because they have the means to influence financial markets, and their outlook on and their confidence in the future of our economy determine what level they are willing to be a player in our economic recovery.

Copyright ©2011 by Frank King. All rights reserved.

The Japan Disaster; Are We Near the End?

I’m a firm believer of what the Bible says about the end of this age and of the return of the Lord. So when things happen such as the Japan nightmare that is currently unfolding, I am prompted to think about them from a biblical standpoint. Regarding the end of this age, the Bible talks about, "Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.... And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory" (Luke 21:26-27).

Two interesting points to note about these two verses. One, the Bible promises that some horrifying things will take place on earth. And, two, these will precede the return of our Lord. Of course, we have no idea as to whether we are a day or a hundred years away from the end of this age. I dare not even take a guess at that. There are enough false prophets out in the world doing that already.

When disasters such as Japan’s strike, it should have a sobering effect on God’s people. Even we, like those who don’t believe what the Bible says about Christ’s return, often live our life as if the world as we know it will continue forever. Perhaps one of the reasons is because these portions of the Bible are not preached from and taught from in our churches nearly enough. But these cataclysmic events tend to bring to our remembrance the many places in the Bible that talk about the things that will signify the end of this age. Sometimes, I even hear reporters refer to events such as the Japan nuclear disaster as being of “apocalyptic proportions.”

A year from now, the cameras will no longer be on Japan, though its people will be affected by the current disaster into the distant future. The rest of the world will get on with its life. But with time, other events on the scale of the Haiti earthquake, the oil leak in the Gulf, and the earthquake/tsunami/nuclear disaster in Japan will visit us. I will not venture to say or suggest that any of these events be regarded as God pouring out judgment on anyone. Rather, the Bible declares that events like these we are seeing will precede the day of Christ’s return. Let us live each day as if that day is today, and let us pray for the people in Japan.

Copyright ©2011 by Frank King. All rights reserved.

The Japan Nuclear Disaster and the Power of The Images

(Article first published as The Japan Nuclear Disaster and the Power of The Images on Technorati.)

 One of the fascinating things about modern technology is that it makes this big world a real small place. Let something significant occur any place around the world, and we get the news almost instantly. During the recent unrest in Egypt, for instance, the government shut down social networks such as Facebook and roughed up some U. S. reporters. The goal was to keep the world from knowing the truth about what was going on. The government knew that, generally, pictures don’t lie, and viewers around the world could see for themselves what was really happening, as opposed to depending on the government owned news service to give us its version.

Similarly, remember the disastrous oil leak in the Gulf last year? We were not simply getting some reporter’s written or verbal account of what was happening, but via live video feeds, we were able to see the footage that showed the oil gushing from the failed blow off preventer and the environmental damage, in real time, all day long for months.

Now for the Japan nightmare, spawned by last Friday’s earthquake.  Some people are extremely fearful of the thought of power generation via nuclear plants—even though approximately 20 percent of our country’s electricity today is generated that way. On the other hand, some advocates of nuclear power plants tend to downplay just how ugly things can get when nuclear reactors go wrong. But, again, thanks to modern technology, the public can see for itself the images of the Japan disaster unfolding.

When it was first reported that an earthquake of 8.9 (revised to 9.0) had spawned a killer tsunami, little did we know, the worst was yet to come. The nuclear tragedy is playing itself out in an extremely ominous way. The images leave little to the imagination as to the dynamics of what can go wrong with nuclear power generation.  The average person may not know the theory of how a nuclear plant works, and he may not know the jargon of the industry, but he can look on his TV screen and see the compelling images of the disaster unfolding in Japan.

Because nuclear plants produce no soot or greenhouse gases, and they help reduce our dependence on foreign oil, which the U. S. must do, the Japan disaster will not kill the idea of the increased use of nuclear technology. On the other hand, even though our plants have run safely the past 30 years, as far as we have been told, the images from the Japan disaster make for a compelling case of what can go terribly wrong with a nuclear plant. This will no doubt make the increased use of nuclear power in the US a tougher sell.

Copyright ©2011 by Frank King. All rights reserved.

How to Experience God's Peace

In our world today, so many things are happening around us that we don’t understand and that we can do little about. The natural disasters we have recently seen in the way of the Gulf Oil Spill, massive earthquakes and tsunamis, as well as the spreading unrest in Arab countries are unprecedented in terms of the frequency and magnitudes that they are happening.

But God can give us peace in the midst of these troubled times. One of the fascinating things about the Bible is that it gives us practical ways to deal with every aspect of our life. So allow me to present a passage that instructs us on how to experience the peace of God: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds….” (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV). Now, let’s look further into the three components of this guide to peace.

Don’t be anxious. It’s natural for us to worry and become anxious when it appears as if our personal world is falling apart, and there’s too little we can do about it. But as the people of God, we must learn to cast all of our cares upon the Lord (see 1 Peter 5:7). The better we become at doing that the less anxious we will be about life. That brings us to the second component of the way to peace:

In everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. This is the means by which we cast our cares upon the Lord, as I mentioned above. Note that the verse juxtaposes our being anxious with instructing us to petition God about everything. This tells us that we have two ways to deal with whatever stresses us. We can either worry about it, or we can petition God about it—with thanksgiving. But how can I pray—with thanksgiving—about something that troubles me? you might ask. That’s where our faith in God has to come in. We must believe that if He commands us to do that, it can be done. The first few attempts at doing this may not go so well. But we must discipline ourselves and make this our way of life.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds. When we learn how to replace our natural tendency to worry with prayer to God—with thanksgiving—He will give us a peace that only He can. The Bible refers to this peace as one that transcends our understanding. That means there is no way for our natural mind to possibly know this kind of peace.

People today seek peace in all kinds of things and in other people. But these all pale in comparison to the peace of God. The thought will never occur to the human mind that peace on the level that God can give us is to be desired. That’s because this peace from God transcends our understanding. It is superior to any peace available on this earth. Though our mind can’t even imagine this peace, the good news is that God will grant it to us when we learn how to overcome anxiety by casting our every care upon Him through prayer.

Copyright ©2011 by Frank King. All rights reserved.

Twenty-One Priests Suspended This Week; What is the Long Term Solution?

(Article first published as Twenty-One Priests Suspended This Week; What is the Long Term Solution? on Technorati.)

This week, parishioners were learning the names of the 21 Philadelphia-area Roman Catholic priests who were suspended on Tuesday, following a two-year, child molestation investigation. Feelings about this latest development are mixed. Some church members refuse to believe that their priest could do what they are being accused of. Others have expressed their dissatisfaction with how slow the Archdiocese of Philadelphia has been in dealing with the problem. Of course, those who have been victimized by priests in the past are still hurt and wounded.

As I mused the matter, I have a few questions of my own. I believe they need to be seriously addressed as the Catholic Church moves forward on this ugly situation that just doesn’t seem to want to go away. First of all, what the priests are being accused of having done is not normal. It’s not normal for a grown man to want to have sex with little boys. That one fact kind of sets the tone for my line of questions, so here goes:

What additional safeguards will the Catholic Church put in place to assure the children’s protection from a bad shepherd? Since the cloud of this misconduct/crime on the part of some priests has been hovering over the church so long, leaders must become much more aggressive in putting control measures in place to stem this tide. This will certainly make some of those priests who do an excellent job of upholding the honor of the office feel as though they are guilty by association, but if there is one place church members ought to be able to regard as safe, it should be in the house of God.

What impact is this on-going nightmare having on how priests are vetted for the ministry in the future? Yes, I know they are servants of God, but like the rest of us, they are not above reproach. I also know that when the best effort is made to try and weed out the bad priests, the process is not foolproof. But I believe the current situation warrants taking a second look at how to prevent sexual predators from becoming priests.

How committed are the dioceses to adequately addressing the child molestation problem? For instance, a grand jury report criticized the Philadelphia archdiocese's handling of sexual abuse accusations, claiming that 37 priests were child molestation suspects, yet these priests remained in ministry.

Priests who prey on children need serious help. And you would think that those who are spiritual leaders should at least know when they need help in this area. Perhaps it’s pride and/or embarrassment that keeps them from admitting moral failure. But if they shun getting the help they need, at the expense of the children, church leaders need to stand up and vigorously defend those who can’t defend themselves.

Copyright ©2011 by Frank King. All rights reserved.

Faith Does Not Preclude the Need for Wisdom

We can never put too much emphasis on the importance of faith in the life of a Christian. I think it’s safe to say that no one can live the Christian life if he is not willing to exercise faith in God. We can’t see God, we can’t see Jesus, and we can’t see the Holy Spirit, yet the teachings of the Bible require us to make these the essence of our life.

On the other hand, many Christians tend to put too little emphasis on the importance of wisdom. In fact, some people have the idea that a person must be mindless to be a good Christian. On the contrary, the Bible commands us to pursue wisdom: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God…and it shall be given him” (James 1:5, KJV). Specifically, this verse is referring to the times in which we find ourselves in various kinds of trials. During such times, not only do we need faith, but also we need wisdom.

If you are a Christian business man or woman, all the faith in the world will not compensate for you making bad business decisions. “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?” (Luke 14:28, NIV). The idea of a Christian claiming to be acting by faith while acting totally contrary to wisdom is not biblical.

It is incumbent upon us to study the Bible to get a practical understanding of the Scriptures. They impart to us faith AND wisdom. This is not the wisdom that comes from this world but from God. This wisdom works hand and hand with our faith in God. The latter without the former will render us an ineffective Christian.

Copyright ©2011 by Frank King. All rights reserved.

Let’s Get Serious About Energy Independence

(Article first published as Let's Get Serious About Energy Independence on Technorati.)

The current unrest in Libya and the rise in prices we are seeing at the gas pump highlight the precarious situation we find ourselves in because of our heavy dependence on foreign oil. Some lawmakers are urging President Obama to tap our oil reserves in an attempt to stabilize prices.  But there are some who doubt that this will be done; they argue that the White House is only saying that it will consider tapping the reserves as a ploy to stabilize prices.

I seem to remember that we were in a similar situation back in early 1991, when Iraq invaded Kuwait. What we need to do is to get busy fixing the problem once and for all. That brings me to a current law called the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007). Section 433 of this law requires that for new federal buildings and major renovations, they shall be designed so that the fossil fuel-generated energy consumption will be reduced in accordance with the following: 55% reduction by year 2010; 65 % reduction by year 2015; 80 percent reduction by year 2020; 90% by 2025; and 100% by 2030.

The target reductions are based on comparisons with the fossil fuel-generated energy consumption of similar buildings in fiscal year 2003, as measured by Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey data (CEBCS 2003) or by Residential Energy Consumption Survey data, according to the type of building under consideration. What this energy conservation requirement means is that the federal buildings built in 2030 are to result in NET ZERO fossil fuel consumption. This in effect requires that the buildings be powered, heated, and cooled via solar technology, photovoltaic, wind power, biofuels, etc.

We are far behind on compliance with this energy conservation mandate. For instance, most federal buildings constructed in 2010 did not meet the 55% energy reduction of fossil fuel use, relative to the CBECS 2003 baseline.  Our country is not alone in this endeavor. Six weeks ago, I and about 400 other engineers, researchers, and program managers from 12 countries attended a weeklong Energy Conference in Las Vegas, NV, to share information as to what our respective countries are doing to meet this serious energy conservation challenge. Of course, one of the challenges will be the first cost associated with incorporating the required new technologies into new and renovated buildings. But we must find a way to get it done. Our energy independence and national security and depend on it.

Copyright ©2011 by Frank King. All rights reserved.

God’s Ultimate Plan for this World

Sometimes I hear people jokingly make the statement that this world must be coming to an end. This they say because of all the troubling things happening around us. We are talking mega challenges, here. For instance, our nation is drowning in over 14 trillion dollars of debt! There is gridlock in Washington, as lawmakers debate this current year’s federal budget, not to mention next year’s. Many of our states have critical budget crises. The spreading unrest in the Middle East is interrupting the normal flow of oil, driving up the price of gas, and who knows when things will stabilize there. The list goes on and on, but I won’t bore you with the details since it’s all in the news.

There is much speculation as to who will get in the race for the presidential election of 2012. Where is the dream team that will solve all of our problems so that we can know the prosperity we once knew? And what about God? What is His game plan for our world?

First of all, there is no dream team that will be coming to Washington to solve all of our problems. I appreciate all of our politicians who sincerely desire to make a positive difference at the local, state, and federal levels of government. But there is one thing I am convinced of, having observed one administration after the other descend on Washington with enthusiasm and lots of great ideas, and it is that our politicians don’t have the answers to many of our most serious problems. That does not mean we should not do our best to find effective solutions.

But it is not hopeless. God does have a master plan. Consider this prophecy regarding the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder” (Isaiah 9:6). We often quote this verse during Christmastime because it foretells of the birth of the Savior. But note the last part—“the government shall be upon his shoulder.” You see, eventually this world as we know it will cease to exist. Ultimately, the Lord’s Christ will return, and He will bear the rule of government. He will reign forever, establishing rule in righteousness.

Generally, our government prefers that God not butt into its affairs. Too many of our politicians feel they can solve the nation’s problems without God’s input. Well, a truth about God is that He does not force His help on those who don’t want it. But if it is one thing that we have proved, in our zeal to show that we are in control, it is that we are not in control. With time, our inability to rise to the occasion will only highlight the truth that we are at our wits’ end.

I believe that God will allow us to do things our own way until we have exhausted all human attempts to succeed, after which we will be forced to look beyond ourselves for answers. This will set the stage for Christ to return and to sit on the throne of David. And the Bible says something awesome about Jesus’ return to reign: “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end” (Isaiah 9:7). Can you imagine a government that will abound in peace and increase? Well, friend, that’s God’s ultimate plan for this world!

Copyright ©2011 by Frank King. All rights reserved.

The Faith Community's Preferred Republican Candidates for 2012

(Article first published as The Faith Community's Preferred Republican Candidates for 2012 on Technorati.)

Presently, there is much speculation as to which Republicans will run for president in the 2012 election. The Barna Group, a private, non-partisan, for-profit organization recently released a report based on a survey conducted February 10 through February 18, 2011, to see how potential Republican candidates resonate among people of faith. The broad classifications of groups within the faith community and who participated included born again Christians, evangelicals (these meet the criteria of a born again Christian, but evangelicals are more conservative and are more involved in religious activity), Catholics, and non-Christians.

According to the study results, among evangelical Christians, the favorites were Huckabee (88% favorable, 11% unfavorable), Palin (79% favorable, 21% unfavorable), Gingrich (57%-37%), Romney (56%-29%), and Ron Paul (51%-26%). All of these potential candidates were clearly favored by evangelicals more so than was President Obama (6% favorable, 94% unfavorable).

In the larger Christian circle, the less conservative group referred to as born again Christians, the favorites were Huckabee (58% favorable, 27% unfavorable), Romney (49% favorable, 33% unfavorable), Palin (53%-45%), Gingrich (43%-47%), and Paul (39%-31%).

According to the study, the Catholics’ views of the potential candidates differed from those of Protestants. For instance, while most Catholics had a positive view of President Obama (54% favorable, 45% unfavorable), most Protestants did not (44% favorable, 55% unfavorable).

Generally, those from the non-Christian faith community liked President Obama. Rating, 61% positive, 38% negative. By contrast, among this faith community, all potential Republican candidates had a higher negative favorability rating than positive.

When survey respondents were asked to choose their preferred Republican nominee from a list of 11 possible candidates, only five of those candidates received at least 4% of the positive responses (Romney, Palin, Huckabee, Paul, and Gingrich, in that order). The largest number of positive responses went to “none of the above.” Much of those came from registered Democrats among the respondents.

According to Barna’s report, if the election were held today, President Obama stands a better than 50-50 chance of being re-elected. Furthermore, in the match-up, Huckabee would be the most difficult Republican candidate for Obama to defeat, and Palin would be the easiest. But according to Mr. Barna, “The most striking feature of those contests, however, is how many people are not firmly in support of either candidate.”

The fact that many voters have not decided on a candidate as yet is understandable, given that we are 20 months away from Election Day. Also, given the current state or our nation, and the growing unrest in the Middle East, the political landscape could be radically different a year from now. But what is certain not to change, relative to recent elections, is that the faith community will play a significant role in electing the next president of the United States.

Copyright ©2011 by Frank King. All rights reserved.

Westboro Baptist Church's Right to Demonstrations Upheld

I was preoccupied with some other writing, but when I got wind of this news, I could not resist putting my two cents in. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court upheld the controversial Westboro Baptist Church’s right to stage demonstrations during the funerals of dead soldiers. Voting 8-1 in favor of the church, the Court ruled that the church’s demonstrations were protected by the First Amendment.

Known for its radical anti-gay protests, the church’s demonstrations often includes signs with messages such as “God Hates Fags,” and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers.”

This is one of those painful realities of the First Amendment. We all like its provision when it works in our favor. But freedom of speech is protected even when what is being said is hurtful and there is utter disregard for others. The Court acknowledged that the church was law-abiding during its protests. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion for the Court. Justice Samuel Alito dissented.

Ok, I get the First Amendment stuff, so let me move beyond that. Being a former church pastor myself, being a preacher of the gospel, and being a Christian, I have serious trouble trying to reconcile the conduct of this church with its claims to be a voice for God. There is a right way to proclaim one’s message and a wrong way. There is nothing Christian about exploiting the pain of the bereaved to promote one’s message. Neither is there anything Christian about celebrating the death of those who give their lives to defend our country. Moreover, I see absolutely no way that this radical and insensitive activity will endear the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to the world.

The Christian church’s role is not drive people from Christ and the church but to help lead them to Him. It is only in this vein that Christ has made His followers ambassadors to speak on His behalf. But who would be positively motivated by this church’s inflammatory activity? Moreover, the effect of the Court’s ruling will be that of emboldening the Westboro Baptist Church in its misguided crusade.

Copyright ©2011 by Frank King. All rights reserved.

Google’s Latest Algorithmic Change Is A Big Deal

Just last week, Google announced a major adjustment to its algorithm that determines search results, and the company estimates that about 12% of sites will be negatively affected. Google said the change was necessary to reward sites with high quality content and penalize those with poor quality content. The reason this is a big deal is because businesses depend on the world’s largest search engine for driving traffic to their websites, and this traffic translates into dollars.

This being the case, there is no lack of ideas out there as to how to influence one’s ranking in search engine results. For instance, it is believed that more backlinks (inbound links from other sites) into one’s site gives it a stronger ranking. That has resulted in attempts to game the system through forming alliances to backlink into each other’s site. In fact, JC Penney was recently exposed for taking part of this very practice of trading backlinks, and the company benefitted financially. Once Google got wind of it, however, the company was reduced to a very low ranking.

Another practice that causes low quality sites to rise in the rankings is the practice of placing large amounts of content that is far from original, high quality content on one’s site. This can be achieved through using content from the sites of others, utilizing so-called content farms, etc. The main goal is quantity and not quality, based on the view that sites that are updated more often receive a higher ranking in the search results.

The end result of these practices and others is that poor quality sites end up at the top of search results. Of course, this is an on-going process. There will always be attempts to work the system to one’s advantage. Against this backdrop, Google says it has to periodically tweak its algorithm so that users of its search engine can be assured of getting the most relevant results based on their queries. Google’s recent actions should serve as a wake-up call to businesses and individuals involved in website marketing who embrace the idea of employing certain SEO services being advertised on the internet.

Copyright ©2011 by Frank King. All rights reserved.