10/31/2008

Ben Stein's Expelled

Last weekend I watched Ben Stein’s movie Expelled about the unwillingness of mainstream science to even consider an intelligence behind the wonders of the universe. While the movie didn’t really get into specific problems with Darwin’s theory of evolution, it did do a fairly good job illustrating the connection between teaching evolution and teaching atheism. There was one particularly telling moment when Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, admitted the intriguing possibility that an advanced alien race might have set life in motion on Earth. This in response to Stein’s questions about inconsistencies in the Theory of Evolution and nearly impossible series of events needing to occur in order for life to have sprung up from lifeless muck and mire. It is very important to remember this, if a class room teaches Darwin’s theories, then a student raises a hand and asks the question, “So, what did God have to do with it?” and the student is either laughed under the table or even answered with a simple, learned, authoritative, “Nothing, God had nothing to do with it,” then the state is essentially teaching atheism.

Click HERE to read more.

10/22/2008

Gay Marriage Debate - Part 2

...Holy marriage, legal marriage, and individuals’ perceptions of marriage are all separate. The CHURCH should never have to recognize marriages that are not in accordance with its religious precepts. The STATE should not have to recognize marriages that are not in accordance with its laws. And, INDIVIDUALS should never be forced to marry by anything other than their own traditions.

The Church-The Holy institution of marriage is a right of the religious in accordance with their religious beliefs, regardless of what those beliefs are, and regardless of the laws of the state.

The State- Sates recognize and issue licences to only those couples that fit its parameters for the most stable, productive, and acceptable forms of marriage. This is done in accordance with the will of the people.

The Individual- Any and all consenting adults can marry whomever is willing in morally binding commitment to one another, regardless of the state, and regardless of the church. This is not to say that all commitments are moral, but that an oath is a morally binding thing. Commitment is a condition of the mind and heart. Neither legislation issued by a government, nor decree issued by a church can add to moral commitment or take such commitment away...

Click HERE to read more.

10/21/2008

Gay Marriage Debate - Part 1

I just sent in my absentee ballot for the 2008 elections. Of course I had the privilege of voting for President, but that isn’t what I want to write about today. The issue here is gay marriage. Florida is proposing a new article to the state constitution officially recognizing marriage as a union between one man and one woman only. To spoil all the suspense, I voted for marriage only being between man and woman, but I must say I did not come to that conclusion lightly. In part one I’ll explain my reluctance to agree to the amendment as follows:

Florida Marriage Protection Amendment

This amendment protects marriage as the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife and provides that no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized. The direct financial impact this amendment will have on state and local government revenues and expenditures cannot be determined, but is expected to be minor.

O- Yes
O- No

To continue click HERE.

10/17/2008

Robert Luedke of Head Press was kind enough to link our website to his and we are returning the favor. Head Press publishes a Christian graphic novel/comic book series called Eye Witness. To visit his site go to www.headpress.info.

Several new stores in the Columbus, Georgia area are carrying our books, Judy Bug, Sanctuary, and The Book Exchange. If you are affiliated with a book store or gift shop and would like to carry our books, please send an email to granny@oldtimestories.com. Books can also be purchased through our distributors, STL and Ingram.

Also, we need customers to ask their local book stores to stock our books! Ask them to carry ANDY, Book 1 and 2 published by Old Time Stories. The ISBNs are as follows; 9780979277009 for Book 1, 9780979277023 for Book 2, and 9780979277016 for the Teacher’s Guide.

THANKS!

-Joseph Mazerac

PS- Thank you to those who posted reviews on Amazon.com

09/29/2008

700 Billion... with a B

I’m trying to wrap my head around this 700 billion dollar bail out. I’ll tell you what I think of it. If you have a different view, please show me my error.

In my estimation, the Fed wants to print $700,000,000,000.00 of counterfeit money, circulate it, which will devalue our currency, and for this privilege, we pay interest on money they create out of thin air.

To read more click HERE.

09/22/2008

TEACHER'S GUIDE

FYI: Just to let everybody know, the ANDY, Book 1: Teacher's Guide is now available for free download. Click HERE to visit the OTS Download Center.

This book was put together by a very talented Curriculum Designer, Amy Thoman, and we are extremely proud of it. The book contains six lesson plans that follow along with ANDY, Book 1. Also, there is a bonus materials section including, The Viking, Ninja, Super Hero, or Biblical Character Game, maps, fun Biblical facts, and more. If you would like to use ANDY as a fun way to help kids learn about the Lord, then the Teacher's Guide is a must have. Also, if you would like a hard copy, they are for sale in our STORE along with bulk rate ANDY books.

-Joseph Mazerac

09/11/2008

09-11-2001-2008

Where were you when the world stopped turning? Allen Jackson asked that question in a song he sang at the American Music Awards in 2001. Where were you?

I was driving to work. I’d been listening to a morning comedy show on the radio when the news broke. At first the announcement seemed like one of their skits had come on and didn’t sync up right. There was no, “BEEP-BEEP-BEEP we interrupt this broadcast...” It just cut in.

Remember how it happened? It happened slowly. It escalated. A plane crashed into a World Trade Center building. That’s terrible, but at first it was just one plane crash. A really bad plane crash, but still, at that point, it was a Tuesday. It was 9-11, but it was not yet the 9-11: the day that changed the world. We had a TV in the break room at work and one of my coworkers came out saying the other tower had been hit. The guy telling us this was a well known screw up, so I dismissed his news as a mistake. Of course it wasn’t a mistake. It was real and happening. We, The United States, were being attacked.

To read more click HERE.

09/04/2008

Uncle Jerry's cancer

I got a call last week that my uncle Jerry, who has cancer, was dying and only had a few days to live. I haven’t seen my uncle in many years but as a kid he was always one of my favorite relatives. This guy told the funniest stories...

To read more click HERE.

08/15/2008

We have been having problems with our shipping calculator, but the problem has been fixed! Sorry for the inconvenience. If you ever notice a problem with the website please send an email to: granny@oldtimestories.com. We always appreciate constructive criticism... well, most of the time :-)

 -Joseph Mazerac

08/05/2008

I was able to get together with Kevin Kirby, the co-author of ANDY, Book 2 and we signed about twenty Special Edition Book 2’s. I signed all of the Special Editions, but only these few are also signed by Kevin, so if you want one, it’s first come first service. The Special Edition only cost $8.50, a dollar more than the retail edition. If you want one click HERE.

-Joseph Mazerac

07/25/2008

Book Signing at ICRS, 2008