Can you not tell the difference between entertainment for
the troops and politics?

I have very agressive views about whether we should be doing what we
are doing and have done in Iraq. But folks, I am very glad that my son
had the opportunity to shake hands with him this past week.

Its hard work over there. Its dangerous work over there. And it can also be tedious, boring and lonely. Chuck Norris did a good thing by making
my son happy. Would I prefer my son to be home? Yes. Would my son
prefer to be home? Yes. But that aint reality.

Reality is, anything that makes life happy for our men and women over there is a blessing.

Thanks Chuck for giving my son a moment of rest, relaxation and joy.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
There is very little in what he does every day.

Ah yes, we should listen because a Western karate “champion” is such an authority on … what the heck exactly being a Western karate “champion” qualify you for?! Karate stands in Japanese for “empty hand”. Perheaps they should, in honour of Chuck, rename the Western version of it to “empty head”…

Also being a world “champion” of karate is like being a winner of a Chinese yodeling competition or a Carribean tobogan racing tournament. No self-respecting Japanese karate master would be cought dead in the same room with that clown. And I do not mean the bousouzoku pretenders, the real masters, odds of whom being called “sensei” by a Westerner are astronomically unlikely. You should note that none of these masters ever take part in the “world” “championships”. Probably because they find the whole notion of calling life-time devotion to their religion/phillosophy/life-style/art of discipline/etc a “sport” disguisting beyond description. Many an aspiring Japanese karate student got kicked out of his master’s dojo for mere insinuating about his desire to “compete” in some sparring match with some goofy pretenders. Guys like Gichin Funakoshi believed that a karate master might use his skill against an opponent once in his life-time, when all other means of resolving a conflict fail (that is why courtesy and ways to avoid conflict are such prominent aspects of that phillosophy), and should it ever happen the fight will be to the death. Karate is no sport. There are no “matches” in real karate.

But then again there is this whole Western instant gratification “I am kickin’ ass!” crap (which also has a lot of Japanese youth in its clutches today – to be fair) …

It of course goes without saying that being a “karate master” and a Christian are pretty much mutually exclusive (never you mind a fundie like Chuck), as it is the Shinto phillosophy which is such an integral part of the true karate and permeates throughout all of its aspects.

Comment by gdm — September 17, 2007 @ 1:16 pm

“Did Norris talk to the seven troops who wrote the NYT op-ed? I guess not.”

You are right. He talked to a quite a few MORE than those seven particular troops who wrote in the NY Slimes.

Comment by bobh — September 17, 2007 @ 10:54 am

You don’t get out much do you?….at least in the South.

When the Bogeyman goes to bed at night he checks under his bed for Chuck Norris.

May I suggest that if he is in so much favor of this policy that he put on a uniform and use his superior talent for hurting others to good use by joining the soldiers on their patrols.

As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion – as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen, – and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arrising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries. (Charles I. Bevans, ed. Treaties and Other International Agreements of the United States of America 1776-1949. Vol. 11: Philippines-United Arab Republic. Washington D.C.: Department of State Publications, 1974, p. 1072).

Just to be clear – this is the treaty that John Adams…

“…hereby enjoin and require all persons bearing office civil or military within the United States, and all other citizens or inhabitants thereof, faithfully to observe and fulfill the said Treaty and every clause and article thereof.”

Those are his words, not mine.

Yeah, I recognized the White Goodman line.

If meeting Chuck Norris and getting to shake his hand lifts a soldier’s spirits just a little bit, then we should be thanking Chuck Norris! Let’s hope that soldier makes it home to watch her/his favorite Chuck Norris movie.

What would really raise morale is seeing Chuck Norris kick the crap out of our sick, sick “war president.”

Comment by toasterhead — September 17, 2007 @ 1:56 pm

Why not? Are non-Christians unable to support their nation, value their citizenship, or obey the law without a Jesus telling them what to do? I’d love to see some proof of this.

I believe non-Christians can do all the things you list. They can even participate in a marriage between a men and woman – another gift from God that seems to predate all religion. They can participate in a marriage even if they don’t believe in God.

But my questions is, “Why do non-Christians support their nation, value their citizenship, and obey the law?”

What influences, motivates, and causes them to do these things?

And if the U.S. was really held together by Christian values, as you claim, why don’t we have universal health care?

Though a good question it’s even more off topic than my posts. If you made the statement, “The U.S. is not a Christian nation because we don’t have universal health care,” I’d probably agree with you.

The Bible uses the images of an “open hand” and of not harvesting 100% of the grain in a field when discussing benevolence. God’s people are instructed to be generous.

The Bible also associates prosperity with righteousness. “Righteousness exalts a nation.” Seems highly probable to me that if the citizenry behaved in a way that honored the creator, much of the need for health care would decrease. We know that certain behaviors have certain health consequences.

I think you’ll find that Christians are some of the most generous people on earth. Southern Evangelicals have been generous beyond belief in rebuilding the gulf coast.

Colloquially you’ll often hear conservation Christians say, “God feeds the birds but he doesn’t kick it into their nests. “

I think you’ve juxtaposed two things that aren’t really related but which probably could be if it were a Christian nation and not a nation for Christians.

Comment by bitblt — September 17, 2007 @ 1:51 pm

Why not? Are non-Christians unable to support their nation, value their citizenship, or obey the law without a Jesus telling them what to do? I’d love to see some proof of this.

And if the U.S. was really held together by Christian values, as you claim, why don’t we have universal health care?