What a politician does not say can be as important as what he says. An excellent example is served up by the special February 3 election for Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Fairfax County, Virginia. The county is facing an astonishing $650 million shortfall between planned expenditures and expected revenues. This is clearly the most important issue before the county government this year, and probably for the next two or three years. Candidate Sharon Bulova gives the deficit short shrift on her campaign website. Actually, ignoring the issue would be a better description. That is despite the fact—or maybe because of the fact—that she has been chairman of the county budget committee for the past 17 years. Sharon Bulova is not talking.
In days of mind-numbing expected trillion dollar federal deficits, some perspective may be needed to understand how astonishing the Fairfax County shortfall is. There are approximately 1 million residents of Fairfax County. The shortfall, using basic math, therefore amounts to $650 for every man, woman, and child in the county. Another way of looking at the problem, the shortfall is more than the combined county budgets for police and sheriff, fire and rescue, parks and health departments, and libraries.
It is common to hear people blame such shortfalls on tax cuts, despite the lengthy evidence showing that tax cuts can actually increase revenue by stimulating economic growth and reducing tax avoidance. Sharon Bulova herself likes to brag that tax rates have been reduced by her in recent years. This is, of course, the sleight of hand that local governments around the country use to try to fool their constituents. When home prices are going up by ten and twenty percent each year, it is easy enough to reduce rates by 5% while increasing actual taxes paid. That is why tax rates have been reduced by Sharon Bulova and her friends while homeowners actually pay twice as much in property taxes as they did in 2000. If you have been living in Fairfax County during that time, ask yourself if you feel that county services—including schools—are twice as good today.
Now that housing values are in decline and businesses increasingly find Loudoun, Fauquier, and Prince William Counties attractive alternatives to Fairfax, a gaping hole has opened in the fabric of the county budget. Sharon Bulova does not offer a clue as to how she would address it. If she mentions it on her website, it is hard to find.
In contrast, challenger Pat Herrity has made addressing the shortfall the central issue in his campaign for Chairman of the County Board. The problem is huge, and the solution is not easy, but Herrity’s plan has the right elements. First of all, he intends to focus on the amount of taxes actually paid—not the tax rate—and he pledges to reduce the family property tax bill regardless of whether rates go up or down. Raising taxes in the teeth of a recession is foolish, unless you want more and deeper recession. He recognizes that back in the heyday of economic prosperity in Fairfax County a much larger share of county funding came from businesses because businesses were attracted to Fairfax County rather than avoided it. Making the county business friendly again is long overdue and will boost the prosperity of the county, its residents, and add to tax revenues. Herrity also calls for a restoration of budgetary discipline, asking what is needed, what is not, and how we can economize—normal budgetary practices that have become atrophied in recent years. In other words, Herrity seems to suspect that there may be more fat in the county budget than there is in the family budget.
Special local elections are notorious for bringing out few voters. If you like the idea of voting for your leadership and want your vote to count, it will likely count more in the February 3 election for Fairfax County Chairman than in many others. For people who plan to remain in Fairfax County, this could be one of the most important times for their votes to count.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Of Faith and Repentance
I received an electronic message the other day from someone trying to persuade me that, in essence, repentance is not necessary as long as one has faith. Such a concept is nonsense and little worth commenting on, were it not so popular. There are several ways to address this absurdity. I will present a couple.
Perhaps the first is to ask, faith in what or whom? If one means faith in Christ, then I would ask how would one have faith in Christ without repenting of the sinful way of life and embracing the commandments that Christ has given us? Can you be said to have faith in Christ and yet reject the walk of life that He commanded us to follow? Following that way of life is repentance.
Second, advocating that faith is enough, without repentance, is to use the concept of faith to avoid repentance. It is using the concept of faith to avoid doing what Christ commanded us to do, to avoid living the way of life He set out for us. It is to invoke faith in order to doubt what He said. I do not remember the Savior or His prophets ever teaching that. It is a Satanic doctrine that destroys both repentance and faith--and dishonors the Christ who gave us His commandments.
Again, repentance means changing your lifestyle, turning away from following your own faulty and rebellious whims and following the way of abundant life that Christ has outlined in His commandments. The doctrine of faith without repentance ignores the commandments of Christ. Faith means that you believe Him and trust Him. Men's actions derive directly from their faith in what will bring them what they seek. That is why James declares, "I will shew thee my faith by my works." (James 2:18) Faith in Christ cannot mean disregard of His commandments. That would be faith in something or someone other than Christ.
I know of only one commandment of Christ repeated more often in the scriptures than the commandment to repent, namely the commandment to seek Christ. Jesus Christ has promised us that if we seek Him, we shall find Him. What do we do once we find Him? We believe Him and follow Him and embrace His way of living. That is faith in Christ. That is repentance, and that is life eternal. As Jesus said in prayer to the Father, the night before the crucifixion, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent." (John 17:3)
Perhaps the first is to ask, faith in what or whom? If one means faith in Christ, then I would ask how would one have faith in Christ without repenting of the sinful way of life and embracing the commandments that Christ has given us? Can you be said to have faith in Christ and yet reject the walk of life that He commanded us to follow? Following that way of life is repentance.
Second, advocating that faith is enough, without repentance, is to use the concept of faith to avoid repentance. It is using the concept of faith to avoid doing what Christ commanded us to do, to avoid living the way of life He set out for us. It is to invoke faith in order to doubt what He said. I do not remember the Savior or His prophets ever teaching that. It is a Satanic doctrine that destroys both repentance and faith--and dishonors the Christ who gave us His commandments.
Again, repentance means changing your lifestyle, turning away from following your own faulty and rebellious whims and following the way of abundant life that Christ has outlined in His commandments. The doctrine of faith without repentance ignores the commandments of Christ. Faith means that you believe Him and trust Him. Men's actions derive directly from their faith in what will bring them what they seek. That is why James declares, "I will shew thee my faith by my works." (James 2:18) Faith in Christ cannot mean disregard of His commandments. That would be faith in something or someone other than Christ.
I know of only one commandment of Christ repeated more often in the scriptures than the commandment to repent, namely the commandment to seek Christ. Jesus Christ has promised us that if we seek Him, we shall find Him. What do we do once we find Him? We believe Him and follow Him and embrace His way of living. That is faith in Christ. That is repentance, and that is life eternal. As Jesus said in prayer to the Father, the night before the crucifixion, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent." (John 17:3)
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Of Christ and Christmas Trees
In a few days we will take down our Christmas tree. We will remove the ornaments, the lights, the strings of silver beads. We will remove the angel ornament that stands now and each year of many years has stood atop the tree. As we do, we will retain the reflections on what the Christmas tree symbolizes for us. It may be the most powerful symbol that decorates our Christmas celebration.
The symbolism of the evergreen tree may be familiar to many, a reminder that Christ is the author of immortality and eternal life for man. The conical shape of the tree points the mind heavenward, like the spires of a Temple.
After bringing the tree into the house each season the first thing that I place on the tree, and the last that I remove, is the figure of an angel sounding a trumpet and holding a book. He reminds us of the prophecy of John, fulfilled in modern days: “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and unto every nation, kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” (Revelation 14:6,7)
The second thing that I do is cover the tree in lights. In my mind I am seeking to create a reminder of the stars in the sky, representing the creations of God that extend beyond this world throughout the universe, a universe filled with the children of God. As the modern-day prophet, Joseph Smith, heard the Heavenly Voice proclaim, by and through Jesus Christ “the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:24)
I like to think that the strings of silver beads, reflecting the light of the tree, represent the sons and daughters of God joined together in their faith in and acceptance of the Savior, reflecting His light, resting on His strength.
On our Christmas tree, like many trees of many families, we have a wide number and wide variety of ornaments. There are cartoon characters, seashells, ballerinas, birds, pianos and other musical instruments, fruits and candies. Each year, high on the tree, is an ornament with a silhouette of the Washington Temple. Nearby is a small, crystal oyster shell with a pearl inside—a reminder of the pearl of great price that the Savior taught in a parable was the gospel of life, that a man sold all he had to possess. There are boats, bells, animals, and fairy tale figures. There are symbols of our free nation, the Senate, the Congress, the President, all elected to represent the people and preserve the freedoms of our nation. There are reminders of family and friends, gifts from grandparents, children, and neighbors.
These ornaments may be the most significant Christmas symbols of all. As diverse as they may seem, they are all part of the same message. From the Testimony of John we have this record of the Savior’s words, describing His mission to the children of God: “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Similarly, the ancient American prophet, Mormon, testified two centuries later, that “in Christ there should come every good thing. And behold, there were divers ways that he did manifest things unto the children of men, which were good; and all things which are good cometh of Christ” (Moroni 7:22,24). And so we fill our Christmas tree with memories of the good things that we have received—material and immaterial, intellectual, spiritual, and physical—all through Jesus Christ. Even while we put away our tree and its trimmings for another year, we set about gathering all the good things of that abundant life that Christ promised to all who would follow Him.
The symbolism of the evergreen tree may be familiar to many, a reminder that Christ is the author of immortality and eternal life for man. The conical shape of the tree points the mind heavenward, like the spires of a Temple.
After bringing the tree into the house each season the first thing that I place on the tree, and the last that I remove, is the figure of an angel sounding a trumpet and holding a book. He reminds us of the prophecy of John, fulfilled in modern days: “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and unto every nation, kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” (Revelation 14:6,7)
The second thing that I do is cover the tree in lights. In my mind I am seeking to create a reminder of the stars in the sky, representing the creations of God that extend beyond this world throughout the universe, a universe filled with the children of God. As the modern-day prophet, Joseph Smith, heard the Heavenly Voice proclaim, by and through Jesus Christ “the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:24)
I like to think that the strings of silver beads, reflecting the light of the tree, represent the sons and daughters of God joined together in their faith in and acceptance of the Savior, reflecting His light, resting on His strength.
On our Christmas tree, like many trees of many families, we have a wide number and wide variety of ornaments. There are cartoon characters, seashells, ballerinas, birds, pianos and other musical instruments, fruits and candies. Each year, high on the tree, is an ornament with a silhouette of the Washington Temple. Nearby is a small, crystal oyster shell with a pearl inside—a reminder of the pearl of great price that the Savior taught in a parable was the gospel of life, that a man sold all he had to possess. There are boats, bells, animals, and fairy tale figures. There are symbols of our free nation, the Senate, the Congress, the President, all elected to represent the people and preserve the freedoms of our nation. There are reminders of family and friends, gifts from grandparents, children, and neighbors.
These ornaments may be the most significant Christmas symbols of all. As diverse as they may seem, they are all part of the same message. From the Testimony of John we have this record of the Savior’s words, describing His mission to the children of God: “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Similarly, the ancient American prophet, Mormon, testified two centuries later, that “in Christ there should come every good thing. And behold, there were divers ways that he did manifest things unto the children of men, which were good; and all things which are good cometh of Christ” (Moroni 7:22,24). And so we fill our Christmas tree with memories of the good things that we have received—material and immaterial, intellectual, spiritual, and physical—all through Jesus Christ. Even while we put away our tree and its trimmings for another year, we set about gathering all the good things of that abundant life that Christ promised to all who would follow Him.
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