I’m going to do a short teaching on how Christians get caught up in the things of the world that are meaningless. We are to follow Christ, not mysticism. A few days ago I got an e-mail from someone with some “information” on the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. I believe I saw a printed copy of this first in the middle sixties and although I had to look up dates to refute some things, I am amazed I didn’t see some of the flaws then.

It is almost a spooky flashback thing as presented but it isn’t what it appears to be. I counseled on the first response that the similarities don’t mean anything. He responded that history repeats itself, a concept that is not true. History does not repeat itself, men repeat the mistakes of the past.

I will give the same counsel here as Paul gave Timothy. 1Ti 6:20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: 1Ti 6:21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

On the second e-mail I started to respond with a philosophical response. Here is what I said with a little cleanup of the wording. I actually spent more time on this than it deserves. I just hope this lays to rest this one and some others that are just as bad. As an aside there is one out there about Bill Gates and Windows that is easier to debunk.

“It is meaningless. I’m a mathematician, actually have lots of Statistics. I can find more DISSIMILARITIES than SIMILARITIES. The problem is that people who do these things only focus on the likes. And given enough time someone will find some in any two situations.”

I started posting differences to the list (see below where DIF is shown. I was looking for differences and I wanted to check if Kennedy and Lincoln were both elected to the Senate or House. I pulled up the Lincoln biography and found this:

“In 1858 Lincoln ran against Stephen A. Douglas for Senator. He lost the election, but in debating with Douglas he gained a national reputation that won him the Republican nomination for President in 1860.

LINCOLN NEVER WAS ELECTED TO EITHER BODY OF CONGRESS. The first similarity is a lie and even the date he ran if that were used as a similarity is wrong.

Brothers and sisters, many of these things that are being passed on the internet are just junk. These are not Godly, they are not pure, they are not edifying to this country or the church. They are interesting, things to cause idle conversation, they are things for those who are into mysticism to hang on, but these things are not of God.

With the Apostle Paul I say to the church:

Phi 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

I have included the list here with comment and a couple items that are DIFFERENT that I came up with in a couple minutes of thought. When these things come into your mail, ponder this, do they edify? If not, there is a delete button on your mail reader. Use it.

Have a history teacher explain this – If they can.

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846. DIF He ran as a Republican and HE DIDN’T WIN.

From is biography “In 1858 Lincoln ran against Stephen A. Douglas for Senator. He lost the election, but in debating with Douglas he gained a national reputation that won him the Republican nomination for President in 1860.”

John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946. DIF He ran a democrat and won.

Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860. DIF As a Republican from the Midwest.

John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960. DIF As a Democrat from New England.

Both were particularly concerned with civil rights. DIF I would have said this is probably the most accurate statement here without research but when I checked I found this in Kennedy’s bio. ” John F. Kennedy voted for final passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957 after having earlier voted for the “Jury Trial Amendment,” which effectively rendered the Act toothless because convictions for violations could not be obtained.” Essentially he gave lip service to civil rights.

Both wives lost their children while living in the White House FALSE Actually this statement is not accurate, Kennedy had two children who survived and Lincoln one who survived. DIF Robert Todd Lincoln who was born 1843 and was about 22 when his dad died lived till 1926 or age 77. There is a story that he was present shortly after his father and the two subsequent ones who were assassinated were killed, that appears to be false at least for his dad. He served later as Secretary of War, Chairman of Pullman Company and a minister to England – as well as other positions. Carolyn Kennedy is a lawyer and is still alive at age 50. John Kennedy Jr. died at 29 and was born after JFK was elected. Robert Lincoln consulted with his dad on political matters and was a political figure in his own right after his father’s death. John Jr. was only three when his dad was killed and was little more than a playboy as an adult.

Both Presidents were shot on a Friday. RIGHT One chance in 7… Both Presidents were shot in the head RIGHT. DIF Lincoln was killed at very close range by a single pistol shot and Kennedy was killed at long range (actually nearly too long to be believable) by a rifle that was fired three times.

Now it gets really weird. Lincoln “s secretary was named Kennedy. Kennedy”s Secretary was named Lincoln. I couldn’t find info on this. It may be true. From memory I believe the part on Kennedy’s secretary is.

Both were assassinated by Southerners. This is not surprising. The south hated both men for their stands on civil rights. Both vice presidents were southerners and many in the south felt they would be better of without Lincoln/Kennedy. They were only half right.

Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson. DIF After Lincoln’s death Andrew Johnson frustrated the efforts of furthering civil rights by vetoing civil rights bills. This haunts the nation to this day. After Kennedy’s death Lyndon Johnson pressed civil rights even more than Kennedy.

Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln , was born in 1808. Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.. Right.

John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln , was born in 1839.DIF Actually booth was born May 10, 1838. No match. Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939.

Both assassins were known by their three names. Most people have three names. If they meant that they were BOTH commonly called by three names, this I not accurate. DIF Lee Harvey Oswald was known to friends and associates as only Lee, not with his middle name. If you watch any of the documentaries the people who knew him who were interviewed use only Lee. The press picked up the middle name – probably from the police who would have had and used all three in their documents. John Wilkes Booth was billed with all three as an actor, part of his persona. Both names are composed of fifteen letters.[Ralph] Most names are somewhere in the 12-18 letters range. Now hang on to your seat.

Lincoln was shot at the theater named “Ford.” DIF Was the box he was shot in called a Kennedy? Kennedy was shot in a car called ” Lincoln ” made by “Ford.” RIGHT.

Lincoln was shot in a theater and his assassin ran and hid in a warehouse. DIF Booth actually was on the run for days, Oswald for only a couple hours. Booth hid in a tobacco barn which is a place to dry, not store tobacco.Kennedy was shot from a warehouse and his assassin ran and hid in a theater.

Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials. DIF Actually Booth was not assassinated. He was killed by soldiers trying to arrest him. This is not the definition of assassination. The term assassination does apply to Lee Harvey Oswald who was killed by a civilian while in police custody.

And here’s the kicker… A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe , Maryland and a week before Kennedy was shot, he was with Marilyn Monroe DIF Lincoln was a marginal believer, Kennedy was a devout catholic.

Other Articles by Ralph Brandt

Churches That Get Government Money

Financial Help in These Trying Times

Anonymous and Irresponsible: the Radical Left

The Comparison of the Assassinations of Kennedy and Lincoln

Relationship of Church and State

An End to Complacency

I’m Going on
Compromise in the Church
Come Away My Beloved
Communion
Contradictions – Science and Religion