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The Word's Eye View is a newspaper column written by
"Compromise, The Slow Death" Popeye’s, the chain of fast food chicken restaurants, is running a TV ad showing a cook preparing food. The byline proposes that the ingredients are made without compromise. It is easy to understand why this would have some appeal to the consumer because, after all, who wants to ingest compromised nourishment? The alternative to strict preparation would be, at best, a lack of excellent edibility and, at worst, e-coli or food poisoning. The public has come to expect enforced regulations involving the food industry to ensure the health and well being of the customer. Unfortunately, this non-negotiable principle loses a lot of steam in the social and political arena. Teenagers who dare to wear a purity ring indicating their desire of sexual abstinence until marriage are mercilessly ridiculed by their peers. They are frequently victimized by a caste system of cruel separation if they refuse to smoke a joint or consume large amounts of alcohol or in general act as if every moral standard has been thrown aside. The media reports a growing expectation in the teen culture to take lewd pictures of themselves and broadcast them electronically. There exists an incredible pressure to compromise the higher road for gutter activity. The very word suggests a downward spiral that would be unacceptable in the food chain but for some strange reason has been embraced in societal thinking. It is hard to imagine the college fraternity brothers, who often demand illicit behavior for initiation, protesting against the local eatery because of the sign posted in the restroom requiring employees to wash their hands thoroughly before returning to work. In similar fashion compromise seldom indicates the right direction in the political world. Conservatives should learn a lesson from the liberals by observing their unwillingness to waiver from their core beliefs. From their perspective abortion is as fixed as the North Star, the drum of socialized medicine will be beat until it is instituted, an ever growing welfare state is critical, and increased taxation is always the solution. Socialism is the charted course, and it will always be the conservative who is expected to compromise, giving a little here and a little there until the final goal is achieved. In hope of political gain the Republicans have conceded too much and have consequently lost their way and congressional strength. Many conservatives took heart when not one Republican in the House voted for the recent stimulus bill. The hope is principled politics will gain momentum in the ranks of the right. The signers of the Declaration of Independence understood the difference between a preference and a conviction. This beloved document contains a list of convictions that they were willing to die for as indeed many of them did. Conservatives should establish a list of convictions and never again depart from them. Ancient Israel eventually found itself divided by huge religious and philosophical differences. The northern kingdom was the extreme liberal element that embraced a more tolerant and passive attitude toward its enemies which resulted in their defeat and captivity by the Assyrians. (II Kings 18:9-12) Hezekiah, a true conservative, was king of the southern kingdom. His list of good and noble accomplishments was long and varied. Seven years after the Assyrians had conquered the northern relatives they were knocking on Hezekiah’s door demanding total capitulation. In fear of a frightful destiny the king caved in by rounding up all the gold and silver he could find. The Temple of God was even stripped of valuables in an effort to pacify the enemy. In a short period of time of the Assyrians reappeared demanding even more and heaped ridicule and mockery upon the Jews for their original concession. After a severe loss of goods and respect Hezekiah finally came to the conclusion that his obligation was to do right, stand by his Biblical convictions, and leave the consequences to God. This decision was vindicated by God Himself who provided protection that is so politically incorrect that I will leave it to the reader to investigate. (II Kings 19:35-37) Historically, there has always been a gravitational pull downward against righteousness which results in the constant insistence to compromise moral standards. Any dead fish can float downstream, but it takes one with vitality and courage to continue to fight the current and the force of gravity. At least symbolically this may be why the salmon population of the Northwest has severely diminished. “Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.” Hosea 4:1-3
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