Commentary

Minnesota native Michele Bachmann was our guest speaker at this year’s Christmas Dinner.  She delivered a powerful talk, an analysis of the practical impact associated with choosing to accept the gift of Life from our Creator.

Idaho and Minnesota provide the wise observer with a powerful contrast, as the peoples of each state are on very different paths.

Minnesota once was a leader in protecting pro-Life values – despite its historical embrace of more liberal policies.  In fact, Minnesota was once ahead of Idaho in providing basic protections for preborn children.  They were ahead of us in requiring parental consent for abortions.  They were ahead of Idaho in denying taxpayer funds for abortions.  They enacted a ban on Partial Birth Abortions before Idaho did.

As you may have heard, Minnesota is on a radically different path these days.  These days, it is among the nation’s most radical states in actually promoting abortion and the mutilation of tender children under the guise of “transgender medical treatment”.  This hard turn toward the Culture of Death has come at a price.

The people of Minnesota have turned to inept leadership … people like Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison. No objective observer of this past presidential election could deny that Tim Walz is pretty much a dufus.  Thank the Lord he got nowhere near the White House.

Contrast Minnesota’s foolish leadership with the high caliber of leaders nurturing Idaho’s future: Governor Brad Little and Attorney General Raul Labrador, to name just two.  We are blessed to have such competent, morally sound leaders; our legislature and executive branch are loaded with rich examples of quality leadership that will help Idaho families for many years to come.

I submit to you that each of the states is harvesting the curses and blessings promised by the Lord at the very beginning of the Biblical story of His saving grace:  In his last speech before the Israelites, Moses says:

                “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now choose life, so that you and your children may live ….”  (Dt. 30:19).

Many falsely believe that the abortion issue is some kind of distraction to the “real issues” – guns, taxes, crime.  They are mistaken.  The question of refusing God’s gift of Life is at the very heart of nearly every problem and challenge we face as a society.  He is, after all, our Creator.

It may seem like the contrast between a Walz and Little has nothing whatsoever to do with abortion.  But I submit it has everything to do abortion.  Immature and corrupt leadership is part of the curse associated with rejecting God’s commands.  And that sorry leadership reaches into all aspects of Minnesota’s future.

The fact is, Minnesota is a state in serious decline.

It now ranks 35^th among the states in population decline.  It ranks 25^th in the nation for reading scores among 4^th graders in the public school system – where once it could take pride in leading the nation in literacy.  Minnesota ranks 33^rd in the country for new business start-ups.  Net farm income is projected to decline some $2.7 billion in that state over 2023.  And Minnesota ranks 40^th in growth, as measured by the state’s GDP. 

These are all signs that Minnesota is reaping what it has sowed.  The embrace of a culture of Death does not just affect the tender preborn. It carries with it an increasingly severe judgment that affects everyone in that society. Judgment is inescapable and certain.

Thank God Idaho is on a radically different path.  We are being blessed by that same God … by those same precious promises as we continue to battle to rebuild a Culture of Life in Idaho.

Because of the Defense of Life Act … Idaho stands as a light to the nation.

Updated photo of the state of things in Minnesota:

This Thanksgiving is Particularly Important.

America has been especially blessed by the Lord throughout its history – from a miraculous founding to overcoming the threats of two world wars to protecting our precious grant of freedom.  God has used America to provide a beacon of hope to a world mired in paganism, oppression and poverty.

But these past several years have been downright painful as that beacon of light grew pretty dim.  It often felt like evil, perversion and chaos were about to swamp the boat as the “progressive agenda” was shoved down our throats at every turn.

Many Americans shared a sense that the country was at a critical crossroad during this last election.  Millions of Americans feared what would become of us should Ms. Harris win the presidency and extend the progressive revision of our nation.  It seemed unlikely that the American Vision would survive a Harris Presidency.  Yet, in our hearts, we knew that she was the kind of leader we deserved.  For much of this long Biden reign, it seemed the only rational thing was to reach out to the Lord and plead for His intervening mercy.

Just weeks ago, the Lord answered those prayers.  He has granted us a reprieve, a chance to repent and recover those values which have always made America unique among the nations. 

We have a hard struggle ahead; so much damage has been done to this nation by Biden & Co.  But today we can take a long breath to soberly consider what God has done for us.  Hope has been restored.  The chance to overcome utter insanity has been given us.

As we gather today to mark God’s bounty, it is imperative that our thanksgiving carry a somber recognition of our great escape from certain calamity.

Thank you, Lord, that we still live in biblical times.