Freedom of Speech

Life

The purpose of protecting free speech is to allow people to speak the truth. The state is forbidden from restricting speech, because it is inevitable that the state will sometimes oppose truth, and it is essential at that time that people be able to speak the truth that the state opposes.

It follows that if you use your freedom of speech just to be vulgar, or obscene, or to lie (and vulgarity and obscenity are just different kinds of lies), that you aren’t “celebrating” or “demonstrating” free speech. You are exploiting it and abusing it.

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A Fine Obituary

Life

An beautiful old woman, a true saint from our church died last week. The funeral will be this weekend, but I wanted to print her obituary here. She deserves all of the praise that we can give her.

Margaret WELCH

Margaret Welch was born in Ballard October 24, 1911. At age 95 on February 6th 2007 she went home to be with her Lord. Her parents emigrated from Norway. She had two sisters and a brother whose company she enjoyed very much until each of them went to be with the Lord. Her education was a life long quest. She attended Roosevelt Highschool and the University of Washington. She also attended Lutheran Bible Institute and eventually graduated from Seattle Pacific University at the age of 78. Margaret married Elmo Welch and they had one child Beverly.

She worked at Seattle City Light. She retired at age 61 so she could spend her time in Christian work. Her love for the Lord led to many different ministries such as Burden Bearers, Crisis Pregnancy Clinic, and New Horizons. She was a long time member of St Lukes Episcopal Church where she served in many capacities including cooking for the homeless weekly. She enjoyed traveling and made trips to New York, DC, Hawaii and Israel at age 83.

Beverly and her husband Marvin McLeod had six children Scot, Troy, Monica, Donavan, Tod, and Kelly. Margaret enjoyed her grandchildren very much and later also enjoyed her nine great-grandchildren equally. She had many close friends who gave her a great deal of pleasures. She will be greatly missed but is rejoicing in the presence of her Lord. Services will be held at St. Lukes Episcopal Church in Ballard 5710 22nd NW at 2:00pm February 17th. There will be viewing from 12:00-2:00. Parking for the service will be available at Wiggins and Sons Funeral home in Ballard. Graveside will be at Crown Hill Cemetery at 11:00 Monday February 19th.

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Today’s Random Links

Life

Sorry for the infrequent posting, but I’ve been busy and haven’t had a lot to say. So it goes. Anyway, here is a collection of links for y’all:

An Episcopalian priest explains the relationship between Scripture, Tradition, and Reason:

Fr. Stephen has excellent thoughts on being a “goddess”. I liked this observation: I could imagine having an Orthodox bumpersticker that read, “I am the worst of sinners,” except for the fact that the bumpersticker would draw undue attention to the fact and would only produce pride. I wholeheartedly agree. I have sometimes heard it said that Christians should not name themselves sinners, that self-identification as a sinner is somehow denying the saving reality of our baptism in Christ. Phooey.

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