Category: Government, Law, and Education

The Good Guys Don’t Always Win – Response

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An article and response illustrating the right and left political tug of war in America in 2024. We might understand one another better if we discussed our assumptions. We might understand each other better if we wanted to understand each other. As Christians, we must be involved, but we must put Christ first and politics later.

Initial article by J. Damon Cain columnist, Beckley Register-Herald

Apr 19, 2024

Bob Dylan’s third studio album, “The Times They Are a-Changing,” was released in February of 1964. A departure from his first two efforts, the disc featured only original compositions, stark and sparsely arranged ballads that offered a critical if not searing examination of the myriad issues in that decade of seismic change so long ago. Racism, poverty and social change primarily dominated the headlines and the discussion, big issues those. The storm clouds of the counterculture movement and the protests over our nation’s involvement in Vietnam were just forming on a distant horizon. Lightning was flashing.

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Praying for the USA – National Day of Prayer, 2 May 2024

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On America’s National Day of Prayer, Christians’ thoughts and prayers turn to our nation. We see a mighty and beautiful nation with a heroic history, high ideals, and trouble living up to those ideals. Few other peoples have matched our hopes for goodness, and no peoples with such hopes have ever perfectly met them. Christians lament our national sins and our personal sins, and by the grace of God, strive to improve. In this time of self-doubt, weakness, confusion, and division, how do we pray for the USA?

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How Should I Vote?

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Christians must render unto God what is God’s, but also render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s. In our representative democracy, that means that every Christian must vote, and be informed and prayerful. Many will be called to be poll workers, a few activists, and a tiny minority…candidates.

By Mark D. Harris, MD, MPH, MBA, MDiv, ThM, PhD, DBA

Primary elections are fast approaching, and the political storms are surging in this presidential election year. West Virginia’s primary elections are on May 14th. Many people are just now beginning to pay attention to the races, and many do not know who they should vote for. National races, like Trump and Biden, swallow up media time and space, and local candidates rarely gain publicity.

For Christians, the question of who to vote for is secondary to the question of why and how to vote. Christ-followers are first citizens of heaven and only second citizens of our earthly nation. Our allegiance lies first with Jesus and only second with the United States (in our case). The direction of believers’ allegiance is not new. Followers of Jesus refused to worship Roman emperors and perform religious duties that would put Rome above God. Often, these Christians were killed for their “disloyalty.” Killing Christians was a bad move for Rome.  Christianity was spreading like wildfire through the Empire regardless of the persecution. Further, the sterile and abortive Romans needed to have their failure to make more Romans offset by the fecund Christians.

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Planning and Executing Medical Missions Trips and Telemedicine

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Planning a medical missions trip to another country? Unsure which medications to put on the formulary? Concerned about how to handle malpractice and other regulatory requirements? Looking for inexpensive medication, equipment, and supplies? Need to know what other services would be useful to make available? Wanting to integrate telemedicine?

By Mark D. Harris, MD, MPH, MBA, MDiv, ThM, PhD, DBA

Christ told His disciples to go into all the earth and make disciples of all nations. For millennia, medical care has been a reliable and fruitful way that Christians have obeyed His commands. Medical missions, however, are increasingly fraught with difficulties. Can we make the standard of care in the developing world the same as the developed world? Will we undermine the local medical system and economy by providing treatment that the locals would have otherwise done? What if the locals cannot provide the same standard of care that foreigners can? How can our doctors, often US-based, practice medicine on patients they cannot understand in countries in which they are not licensed?

Sample Formulary

Medications are a large part of clinical medicine. Health care providers do more with medications than just about any other intervention. Patients often expect medication when they walk out. This sample formulary should be modified to meet the needs of the people at the trip location.

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A Biblical View of Education

Biblical view education
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Education is a major issue in America in 2024. What does the Bible say about it? How should Christians think about education? What should we say? What should we do?

By Mark D. Harris, MD, MPH, MBA, MDiv, ThM, PhD, DBA

Radio moderator Hoppy Kercheval asked the candidates what their top priority would be to build West Virginia if each was elected governor. Business owner Chris Miller laid out an economic plan including power and natural resources. Delegate Moore Capito gave a forgettable reply. Attorney General Patrick Morrissey restated his desire to “go to war” with neighboring states to reclaim workers and opportunities. Veteran Mac Warner said “education, education, education.” Mac is a self-described Christian, and I know him to be an upright man, but what did he mean when he emphasized education? What does the Bible say about education?

Educating children is a vital task in every society. Cultures teach their little ones to be constructive members and to preserve, propagate, and improve the culture. Recent controversies in the US pit parents against schoolteachers and administrators, in one case going so far as to suggest that parents are domestic terrorists.[1] Then-gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe said, “I don’t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach,” adding fuel to the fire.[2] Whatever ones’ stance, Christians must ask what the Bible says about education. Only then will we know what to do.

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Abortion – Questions and Answers

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Real answers for Christians on tough questions about abortion. What are we being told by pro-abortion forces? What is the truth? What does the Bible say? What does (real) science say?

By Mark D. Harris, MD, MPH, MBA, MDiv, ThM, PhD, DBA

From a Christian perspective, a preborn child is a complete human person (Psalm 139:13-18). The most questioned Biblical passage on abortion (Exodus 21:22-23), when correctly interpreted, supports the personhood of the pre-born. Therefore, abortion is murder. Though Christian women have abortions, and people who claim to be Christians work at abortion clinics, there is no question that abortion is antithetical to Christianity and cannot be countenanced. To participate in abortion in any way is a grave sin.

Isn’t abortion a modern issue?

Abortion has been around for thousands of years.

“…we are not permitted, since murder has been prohibited to us once and for all, even to destroy the fetus in the womb… It makes no difference whether one destroys a life that has already been born or one that is in the process of birth.” Tertullian, Apology 9.8.

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