Monthly Archives: July 2011

Congressman Weiner’s Hot-Dogging Fall from Grace Reveals True Nature of Adultery

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Congressman Anthony Weiner’s fall from grace highlights the transcendent nature of Christ’s teachings. Long before “sexting”, the Internet, electricity, or even the printing press, Christ warned that those who lust in their hearts commit adultery.

At the sad end of the Weiner sexting scandal, the Congressman took refuge in the defense of “no physical contact” with any of the various interns, porn stars, and housewives with whom he shared inappropriate and racy photos and comments.

Christ nailed it 2000 years ago, like a Michael Jordan three point shot. It is the heart and mind that matter. “You have heard it said ‘Do not commit adultery. But I tell you that anyone who looks upon a woman lustfully has already committed adultery in his heart.'” Matt. 5:27-28.

For Christians, the line is not drawn at physical touching. Reverend Jimmy Swaggert found that out the hard way years ago, when he found himself caught in a tawdry tryst that also involved no physical touching (of him by anyone else anyway), but involved a whole heap of inappropriate conduct in a motel room.

For men, who reportedly think about sex every 15 seconds, is there any hope? First, understand where the line needs to be drawn. Physical touch? Way too late in the game. Bill Graham holds to a rule for his ministry that women and men should not be alone in a closed office together or even share a car ride. Better, but try that in a modern workplace! The key remains to set the boundary at your heart, and way before sexting, or the more traditional “innocent flirting.”

Second, get your Christian wife in the game. Just because you are married, you don’t have to be boring! Show me where the Bible says that! Quite the contrary, take a gander at Song of Solomon. Mix it up. Flirt with your spouse. Pick her up at a bar. Talk her into a “long lunch” once in a while. Sext her, for God’s sake (literally)! Take it as far as you both feel comfortable taking it. Shocking raw lust for your spouse–perfectly legal! Get creative. Then get very creative! (Just make sure mutual respect
and mutual consent remain part of the equation.)

Adultery ruins marriages, harms children, ruins lives—in all its forms. Recognize it and steer clear. If you find yourself in an adulterous relationship of any kind, seek help from Christian friends and professional counsel. You deserve the real thing, and so does your spouse. Don’t be the next Congressman Weiner!

Copyright 2011–David J. Carr–All Rights Reserved

An American in Scandinavia

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Happy 4th of July! What follows provides a brief report of what this American found upon a recent visit to Scandinavia and England.

London, England

Great Britain, wracked by hard currency concerns, now rents out Stonehenge. Summer solstice brought out the Druids and their cash for a drenching at the historic monument. Ordinary tourists could merely gape in wonder as the white-clad tree worshipers did their thing. Oddly enough, as soon as the Druids left, the drenching rain stopped. Our guide claims wheat circles happen frequently in the area, and remain unexplained except for the occasional prank event. Downtown London offers a multi-cultural experience. We found ourselves in Lebanon West. Not what we expected!

The North Sea

Not listed on the itinerary, it still made its presence felt. Final tally: AJ, sea sick; Alex, badly sea sick; Jake, not sea sick but threw up in the room from alcohol sickness (he claims–smelled no better, nonetheless); SSC, deathly sea sick, skin really can turn green!; DJC, nope, brain too numb to get sick, but just call me the old sea dog. Took care of everyone else including a trip to the ship physician for SSC.

Copenhagen, Denmark

We biked with Mike through downtown Copenhagen. Our existentialist guide took us to the park dedicated to Kirkkegaard, and bragged about how Denmark offered the highest tax rates in the world, as well as very high rates of smoking and drinking, both of which bore heavy taxes. He waxed poetic on the great health care and high standard of living these taxes created and then took his fee in cash, most likely so he could avoid said taxes. Rank hypocrisy aside, this place ranks as first rate 21st century living. Downtown moats restored so well you could drink out of them (try that in St. Petersburg). Huge emphasis on bike riding as a means of transportation. Running trails galore. The people all struck you with their trim fitness despite the apparently heavy smoking and drinking. You also sense the happiness and optimism of the people. Overcast skies and a big emphasis on that little mermaid in the harbor, but you feel strongly of a nation on the rise.

Stockholm, Sweden

The “Venice of the Baltic” proved to be all of that and more. Built on and around a series of small islands, and at the back of a long, narrow natural harbor, Stockholm presented a postcard vista at every turn. We will never forget the cruise out to sea in the evening, as we passed close by to endless small “lake” cottages on both sides of the channel. Happy people, tasty food, and not too proud to build an entire exhibit around the wreck of the Vasa. The 1628 pride of the Swedish navy sunk on its maiden voyage in the harbor, and was raised, intact, 350 years later. The restoration and preservation both sparked accolades, but none of us will ever forget the rumors that the “malice of Poland” caused the sinking. In fact, poor engineering did the deed (top heavy).

Helsinki, Finland

Heavily advertised in the tourist literature: Finland kept out the Soviet Union Commies in the heroic “Winter War” of 1940-41. Not heavily advertised: Finland sided with the Nazis in WWII, and had to pay heavy reparations to the Soviet Union as a result. What a hell hole! Easily the “Gary, Indiana of the Baltic,” the bus tour included the driver running a scam where DJC handed him a 100 Euro note and he switched it with a 10 Euro, and then claimed he was shorted. Rather than getting in a fist fight in a foreign country, DJC simply told him that God knew what he had done, and he should give the money he just stole to the Church or he’d be sorry. Better than DJC spending time in foreign jail. (Any one else see “Midnight Express”?) Giant flea market downtown–very white trash. Total waste of a stop, although the salmon at lunch was mighty tasty!

St. Petersburg

On to the the jewel of the Baltic (not), St. Petersburg, for two days, no less. If you observe the port security, apparently the Cold War never ended. After a process similar to the “soup nazi” episode of Seinfeld, we received reluctant approval to meet our private guide. No tourists possess the right to visit the city without official escorts. And what a city! Having been born in 1958, I missed most of the glory of the ’50’s, but obtained a pretty good taste of them in St. Pete. Traffic jams, smog, pollution, all in the wake of the “Glorious People’s Revolution” as our brain-washed, but pleasant, guide kept calling it. We visited the spectacular, but oppressively crowded, Hermitage, situated on the banks of the very polluted canals. We then ventured via hydroplane to the spectacular, but crowded, summer palace of the czars. No wonder these people revolted!!! Obscene opulence in every room.

On day two, the kids revolted, and were left on board the ship. Good riddance! We visited the summer residence of Catherine the Great in the suburbs–no wonder these people revolted! (See prior comments.) Amber room was spectacular, as was the photo montage showing how the Russian people put the palace back together after a total trashing by the Nazis. I’ll give the Russians credit for pure grit. We then visited the Church of the Spilled Blood (not making this up) where Czar Nicholas the First was assassinated by anarchists in the 19th century. The inside was Russian Orthodox iconography to the extreme. We also visited another church of extreme beauty, Church of St. Isaac, which would have been bombed by the Nazis, except they used it as a reference point for their bombing missions.

St. Petersburg remains a work in progress at best. We saw Putin’s official residence and, surprise, it is no less than a restored Russian czar’s palace. Bad visual; bad judgment. Many signs of wealth in terms of Mercedes and Lexis cars on the streets. However, the very unpleasant temperament of the locals, the terrible poverty of our guide, and expressions of frustration with Putin, combined with the inability to articulate what policies Putin failed to implement, other than limiting his term in power, all bode poorly for Russia. Short Russia!

Tallinn, Estonia

You just knew in your bones Estonia would be awesome. 1.3 million people in the entire country, so we are talking about a country the size of central Indiana. These people just got their freedom in 1991, and they are on fire for democracy. They have the best internet access in the world, and they teach English from 4th grade on. An Estonian invented Skype, and this place beams its happy face at everyone, with a certain vampire flair. Great food (pork loin, sauerkraut, and mustard–yum!), pleasant old world charm, better prices than Russia, and an astonishing number of striking young women on the street. Our attractive tour guide told a very moving  story of their bloodless singing revolution of 1991, as they threw off their Soviet oppressors. She showed us the KGB headquarters, where they found a “mincer” when the people took over the building. DJC visited the ELA affiliate, and received a very kind, if puzzled, reception. Forget the stories about white slave trade, this place seems ready to take off. Buy Estonia, the Baltic’s little gem!

Gothenburg, Sweden

Arrived Sunday morning after a day at sea. Very clean alleys, very little going on. Volvo headquarters nice but hardly worth the stop. King Gustuff Aldolpho needed a window to the West (who doesn’t?), so here we are. At this point, the Carr family could care less. DJC had a nice conversation in French with somebody until SSC spoke to DJC in English. Then the Frenchman said in English: “You speak English, too?” and proceeded to conduct the rest of the conversation in English, to show off that he could speak English as well. With such attitudes, DJC’s French will never get better.

Ready to head home. Really great time in many respects, but it re-enforced the issues that caused our ancestors to get the hell out of Dodge, and head for a new land, away from monarchists, socialists, and communists. A land where the government didn’t tell you what to do, allowed you to breath free, and make your own success. We return believing in American exceptionalism more than ever. Turns out, we live in the greatest country on earth after all, although it wouldn’t hurt to start charging a fee to use the restrooms, and finding some super power to safeguard our freedoms for us at no charge. Perhaps we could balance the budget after all.

Copyright 2011–David J. Carr–All Rights Reserved