Harry Potter & Real Witches

Okay, thousands of years ago in internet time I wrote a positive review about Harry Potter and got some flack. A bit later, I got hammered by a brave Pentecostal who spammed me without revealing him/herself when I disputed a "Harry Potter is sending our kids to the devil" group email. Even wrote a short dispute about the whole issue.

Later, 90&9 ran an anti-Harry Potter article disagreeing with my article, which is what we do when we get submissions on both sides of an issue. Of course, we had many letters about both articles.

Fast Forward To Now
That said, while desensitization is always an issue, I couldn't believe young adult novels that used Hogwarts as a magic high school archetype were sending kids into the clutches of devil-worshipers. In the interest of fairness, MTV.News ran this article "Young Witches Explain What They're Really About" a few weeks back, in which MTV even salutes conservative Christians for...sending some kids into the clutches of devil worshipers.

Says the article:

"A surprising number of young witches MTV News spoke with also said that they became curious about their faith through misguiding pop-culture fare like the camp Neve Campbell vehicle "The Craft" and the "Harry Potter" series. (Guess a few conservative Christian groups were right about that one).

But many young people enter the Craft in reaction to a very conservative religious upbringing — Southern Baptist, perhaps, or Catholic. "Some people don't feel God in the church, so they seek out different expressions of God that are more personal or mystic," said Raven, who has mentored younger Pagans and is active in the online community."

The Moral of this Story?
So this is just proof that anything can seduce the ungrounded. It appears I was too confident in my faith in humanity and should've taken that into consideration. My apologies if I was especially glib in the past.

Of course, reacting against a conservative religious upbringing is worth thinking about too. Never saw that as a recruiting tool for pagans either.

Now in Ireland...

David Bunch, late of Collideoscope, but now of Ireland as a short-term missionary sends the following:

Hello All!

Just wanted to let you know that we arrived safely in Belfast on Friday and we have been settling in for the last several days in the Gilford, NI area.

We have been blogging about our experiences. Please visit us there for the latest stories and pictures.

We miss everyone but at the same time we feel "home" and we are excited about what God is going to do here.

Godspeed,
David

Carter Presumably Ready To Lose Elderly Driving Privileges, Too

I was only twelve years old when Jimmy Carter was fortifying Iran's ego with sissified foreign policy. It was clear then that the man had it in for Israel, but I just didn't understand the bigger picture at the time.

Now, I'm wondering if blind hatred for the only functional society in the middle eastern sectors had been trumped by out and out senility--the kind of burnt-in remnant on his mental desktop resulting from leaving his anti-Semitic VGA monitor on for 30 years:

LONDON — Former President Jimmy Carter caused a stir over the weekend when he claimed that Israel possesses a nuclear arsenal of 150 weapons.

While experts have long maintained Israel has a nuclear arsenal, the Jewish state has refused to confirm or deny it.

In case one isn't the least bit inculcated into foreign policy, let's take a little (and not quite as oversimplified as it seems) look at the endless, Israel vs. the Rest of Islamicdom, shall we?

See the little red area on the map? Go ahead and run down to the nearest university and borrow an electron microscope if you need to in order to view it. See it now? That's Israel.

See the proliferate sea of green everywhere else? Those are the countries that are literally--hell-bent--on wiping out the little red area.

Seems Jimmy carter can't bring himself to let the little guy stash a Ruger in his sock without outing him to the well-armed regiments bent on their destruction.

No matter how you slice this, it is unconscionable--unconscionable unless your true presidential heart has always been with the Policies fostered by Ishmael's spawning. Or, you've just plain slid off the mental curtain entirely.

I'm sure Barack Obama's not thrilled by the transparency, either. After all, he's been endorsed by the man.

-R

A Little Levity for Your Holiday Weekend

A friend sent this to me today and I though you would all enjoy it, especially if you're a preacher's wife (or a PK). These three pastor's wives from Florida found a creative way to express their frustrations over constantly turning up in their husband's sermons. Check it out.

Maybe Blending Isn't Your Thing...

...try this story for warm fuzzies.

 

These two New Zealanders were flying their microlight airplane when they ran out of gas.  In an airplane, that's kind of a big deal.  They were approaching a ridge and could not tell whether there would be any place to land even if they made it over the ridge.  They began to pray that God would allow them to make it over the ridge and that they would find a place to land that was not too steep, and that would allow them to avoid ditching in the ocean.

 

They were able to coax the plane over the ridge, but just barely.  Desperately searching for a place to land, they immediately spotted a small airfield that neither of them ever knew was there.  Thanking God, they made their landing safely and taxied to the end of the runway.  Pulling to a stop, they turned and noticed a large 20 foot tall sign that said...

 

Jesus Is Lord.

 

Josh R

Will It Blend?

Today is overcast and rainy here in the Sunshine State which makes everything a bit awkward.  So to lift my spirits a little here is a fun post that avoids some of the recent controversy.

 

Will It Blend?   The concept is simple: drop items into a blender and see what happens.  Genius!  No doubt, this was inspired by David Letterman's "Will It Float?," although this game has a little more action. 

 

Have fun with the videos.

 

Josh R.

Congress Attacks Binding Oil Prices With Predictable Non-Binding Legislation

Oil speculators got your wallet in a twist? Got 30 years of untapped oil under your feet while allowing loony, schizophrenically-turned harem-keepers to play you like a fine Stradivarius? Don't worry, that fine repository of grit and guts in Washington is on the case for you:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation on Tuesday allowing the Justice Department to sue OPEC members for limiting oil supplies and working together to set crude prices, but the White House threatened to veto the measure. The bill would subject OPEC oil producers, including Saudi Arabia, Iran and Venezuela, to the same antitrust laws that U.S. companies must follow.

What could possibly go wrong here? Oh . . . nothing, just the usual and predictable appeal to our sense of "fairness"--the same petard that makes us fall all over ourselves in a Guantanamo reflex fit and hand our Geneva-forged mallet over to our enemies so they can commence to beating us with it.

This has all the trappings of cowardice. Instead of recognizing that world will not rid itself of the need for oil--possibly ever--and acting accordingly by drilling in our own vast resources, the United States Congress mollifies its own need for artificial bravery by filing the economic equivalent of an Anita Hill harassment charge: "I won't stand up for myself when it counts, but I'll sure get you on the world stage when you don't see it coming." And we all know how well that worked for her.

War For Oil?

I for one, always wished Presidents could be more honest than they can be. But they can't. They have to make grovelling speeches about "religions of peace" and "democracy" in areas that simply don't have what it takes to operate it (especially when the only proximate democracy within missile range happens to be the one you want to annihilate anyway). Fact of the matter is, one of the reasons we are there is precisely for oil. A statement that surprised a dyed-in-the-wool leftist I was talking to the other day. He couldn't conceive that I agreed with him.

"So you agree that we're in Iraq for oil?" he asked.

"I do," I said. "Now I need you to tell me what's wrong with trying to make sure we don't lose access to the most important resource we have?" I of course stipulated that Saddam Hussein's regime needed to be taken down, and the WMD that weren't there when we got there were there before we got there and while UN Inspector Hans Blix was running interference for him.

He made the usual arguments about oil companies, disjointed Halliburton tirades and the self-deluding sense that his Honda Prius was the answer to the world's problems. I just laughed.

"You'll be ready for war over oil when it costs you 800 dollars to drive to Burning Man," I said. "We're in the same boat. I'm just paddling for you right now."

-R

Kennedy's Winter

One would be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn't heard that Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy has been given a rather bleak prognosis: that his seizure from few days ago has been spawned by what has been at least tentatively deemed an inoperable brain tumor.

Things like this make one (or at any rate, me) take pause, and ponder the big picture; does a man whose life has literally been engulfed by a never-ending string of Greek tragedies and unrequited sins ever contemplate eternity? Do his liturgical roots provide him any comfort in times like these?

I for one pray that the Senator uses his remaining days seeking the face of God, and not whittling them away in the futile venture of thrashing out "one last piece of legislation" in the name of serving his country--something that nearly always rings hollow outside the matrix of screen plays, mini-series', and Nicholas Sparks novels.

My the Lord be with him and his family.

-R

Southwest Airlines "Star Employee"

If you're flying Southwest Airlines this month, make sure you check out page 16 of their in-flight magazine, Spirit. One of our own, Andrea (Davis) Mathews, is the featured Star Employee of the month.Husband Keith, dog Einstein, and parents Richard and Sharon Davis couldn't be prouder.

Andrea attends the First United Pentecostal Church of Euless (TX), pastored by Bro. Carl McLaughlin. (For reasons that defies explanation, Southwest posts most of their magazine on the web, but not this feature.)

It's always nice to see a Pentecostal being recognized for professional excellence in the business world.

Sad Bible Quizzing News (Updated)

If you're a former UPC Bible Quizzer or Coach like me, then you've been influenced by Lonnie Brown, assistant national quizmaster until retiring three years ago (as well as national champion coach, district & regional coordinator & just about everything else along the way).

He's been attacked by cancer, and died at 3:42 p.m. (CST) today.

Said the official report:

Precious Friends and Prayer Partners,

Lonnie received his healing and promotion today at 3:42 in the afternoon while his son-in-law, Rev. Jason Sciscoe was reading John 14. All of his family was there to celebrate his homegoing with singing and worship.The peace and presence of God filled the room along with the strength of all your prayers.

We will never forget your outpouring of love, support and prayers during this journey. You are precious to us. Arrangements to follow in an email.

From our Hearts,
The Lonnie Brown Family

Viewing & Funeral Details
The viewings will be from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. on Monday, May 19th and from 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20th.

The Homegoing service will be on Tuesday, May 20th at 1 p.m. Both the viewing and the service will be held at New Life Center, 11570 Mark Twain Lane, Bridgeton, Missouri 63044.

In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established. Contributions may be made to the Lonnie B. Brown Memorial Fund, to benefit three ministries that he loved the most: Bible Quizzing, World Missions, and New Life Christian School.

Memorials may be sent to the following:

United Pentecostal Church International
Attn: Stewardship Department
8855 Dunn Road
Hazelwood, MO 63042

Condolences may be left online at www.baue.com.

Updated reports should be available at Triumph Today.

Will Rev. Wright Make The Transition From Pastor To Saboteur?

I know I can't be the only one thinking that the Rev. Jeremiah Wright is going to do everything within his power to make his former parishioner lose this election. And not because Obama was forced to throw him under the bus to maintain a political pulse, either.

Why else would Wright continue to issue poisonous, subcutaneous editorial problems for the man such as placing him on the cover of the church's literary organ, Trumpet Magazine with raging, anti-Semitic Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan? Especially when the cover manages to include Elisha Mohamed, Johnny Cochran, and the rapper, "Common," all the while omitting Martin Luther King Jr.?

What would Obama's successful ascent to the presidency serve, other than to discredit the conspiratorial gripes and hate-filled vociferations of people like Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright?

Short answer? Nothing. Maybe I read too much into these early salvos, but I have to wonder what kind of palpable panic will ensue at Def Jam records if Obama actually transcends the demographic divide and becomes president. Where's one to moor the ship called Rage if the harbor waters are friendly?

-R

On An Historical Note

 

But yesterday the word of Caesar might

Have stood against the world:now lies he there,

And none so poor to do him reverence

Julius Caesar, Act 3, Scene 2

 

A marble bust of Julius Caesar was recently discovered in the Rhone River that possibly dates to around 46 BC.  It shows an older Caesar who is beginning to show signs of age.  It was found in an archaeological treasure trove that also included statuettes and a 5.9 foot-tall statue of Neptune.

 

A bit outside our usual discussions, I know, but interesting.

 

Josh R

I Want To Believe...

For those of you who were wondering, the Vatican has declared that belief in extraterrestrials does not necessarily conflict with belief in God and the Bible.  Because the universe is so vast God may have created other creatures outside of Earth.  Other intelligent created beings could even be considered our "brothers" and "sisters" (and whatever else might be appropriate).  Denying even the possibility of aliens would be putting limits on god's creative freedom. 

 

No word yet on whether or not Elvis might be living among them.  Stay tuned here for updates.

 

Josh R

Vatican: "That Swamp Gas May Have Theological Merit"

It's not like I look at the Vatican as some substantial, watchtower sentinel. Actually, I see them as more of the John McCain of Christendom; they're just not happy unless they're wrenching the steadfast out of their positions with criticisms and tactical, leftward maneuvering.

I'm still listening to my Catholic co-workers hold forth with Pope John Paul's "Evolution and Creation can co-exist" nonsense. Tomorrow I'm going to go in there and have to contend with the Art Bell Eucharist and Pizza before Bedtime Delusions:

VATICAN CITY (AP) - The Vatican's chief astronomer says that believing in aliens does not contradict faith in God.

The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, says that the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones.

In an interview published Tuesday by Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Funes says that such a notion "doesn't contradict our faith" because aliens would still be God's creatures.

The interview was headlined "The extraterrestrial is my brother." Funes said that ruling out the existence of aliens would be like "putting limits" on God's creative freedom.

One could have a field day with that last line alone . . .

-R

UPDATE: Looks like Josh R. was posting about this at nearly the exact same time I was. Conspiracy?

The Wonder Of Stevie

This post is really more of an odd aside--all because I'm currently finishing a book called "This Is Your Brain On Music"--a book interestingly enough analyses the mind's many known facets with regard to music. Written by a neuroscientist/rock musician, his little asides about the composite makeup of popular songs didn't surprise me--until I learned that Stevie Wonder played the drums on his own mega hit, Superstition.

Makes his circa "long time ago" takeover of Sesame Street even sweeter. I was stunned when I saw this as a kid, and now, to see it again with a VERY young Ray Parker Jr. on the hollow body makes it even cooler. How in the world did they get a mix like that?



-R

Auction Of Einstein Letter Affords Media Rare Opportunity To Bash Bible, Jews Simultaneously

Brietbart is all over it, but even FOX Can't contain their reflexive need to kick both the antithesis to Darwinism, along with fine recipients of it in real time:

Albert Einstein described belief in God as "childish superstition" and said Jews
were not the chosen people, in a letter to be sold in London this week, an auctioneer said Tuesday.

The father of relativity, whose previously
known views on religion have been more ambivalent and fuelled much discussion, made the comments in response to a philosopher in 1954.

As a Jew himself, Einstein said he had a great affinity with Jewish people but said they "have no different quality for me than all other people".

"The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish.

Of course only a real genius with a vice-like grip on humanistic tendencies would've also been able to predict that a post 1948 world might involve the technological malevolencies spawned by his genius ("E=Mc2, oh and perhaps we should keep the nukes out of the hands of the Arabs.")

But who are we, with our little proletarian brains, to quibble with genius?

-R

Don't Be Nice, It Might Get You Arrested!

That's what this man in Miami found out recently.  The 78-year-old was at the store when a woman approached him asking for a ride.  He told her if she was still there when he was done shopping he would be happy to help her out.  He finished shopping then gave her a ride home.  Once he dropped her off he was swarmed by the police, given a fine and had his car impounded.  His crime?  Operating an illegal taxi service. 

 

The woman, it turned out, was working undercover for the consumer services department.  It was a sting operation.  Unfortunately, this old-school gentleman mistook this opportunity to commit a crime as an opportunity to do a good deed and help someone with a genuine need. 

 

Is our legal system a little backward or what?

 

Josh R

General Youth Division Polls

Check out these polls at the GYD web site.  They are in a unique position to give a fair snapshot of what UPCI youth think.  Some of the results may surprise you.

 

Josh R

Bill Clinton Sits Again Amongst Apostolic Friends

Perhaps one of the greatest "paradoxes" in Apostolic conversation is Former President Clinton's associations--yeah even friendships--with a number of apostolics. I even remember reading an article in which it was stated that a young governor Clinton would many times seek personal solace in a car, listening to the unmistakable dulcet-tones of Mickey Mangun (one of his stated favorite singers, and judging by her appearances at his inaugural ceremonies, would seem to be valid at the very least).

The Apostolic Report covers in some detail, Bill Clinton's visit to The Pentecostal Church in North Carolina this weekend:

The Pentecostal Church first learned of the visit when Clinton’s office contacted the Pastor of the Church of Pentecost, Rev. Brent Keating, on Friday to ask permission to attend. With only a couple of days to prepare, the church was busy during the weekend preparing for the former President’s visit.

During his brief visit to the church, Clinton spoke of his long relationship with Pentecostal churches, thanking them for all the support they have given him over the years.

I've always wondered whether or not Bill's political career was one of those "miscarriages" referred to by the Rev. Carlton Pearson--the kind that morph from true "moves of God" into political liberation movements. Maybe Bill is an erstwhile apostolic preacher.

The congregation listened attentively as Clinton told stories of his relationship with Pentecostal churches over the years. Clinton even spoke about how Barbara Streisand was inspired to record her first spiritual album after listening to a Pentecostal singer who performed at Clinton’s mother’s funeral.

Clinton never asked the congregation to vote for his wife, instead, he asked them to pray for her.

The Apostolic Report has the full story, as well as pictures and audio here.

UPDATE: Go and listen to the audio clip link at the bottom of the story. Funniest moment is when he quotes Colin Powell leaning over to him during a song by Mickey Mangun:

Where'd you find a white woman that can sing like that?

-R

WWJVF-Who Would Jesus Vote For?

"The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state.  It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool."-- Martin Luther King Jr.

 

"Don't teach me about politics and government, just tell me who to vote for."-- "A New Law" by Dereck Webb

 

Some evangelical leaders have drawn up a document that revisits the idea of the church's involvement in politics.  While traditionally evangelical involvement in politics has focused on a handful of issues like abortion and marriage, these leaders are calling for a change.  They claim that Christians have lost the focus of proclaiming the truth of God's Word and have, instead, become puppets and tools of the political parties.

 

Is God a Republican or a Democrat?  If Jesus were voting in this election, who would he vote for?  Many pastors are willing to tell you, but I don't think it's a very clear issue at all.  If the only issues are abortion and the family, it would be easy to choose a candidate.  But there are so many more issues that should be important to Christians as well.  Attitudes toward the poor, going to war based on shady intelligence, stewardship of the environment are only a few issues that muddy the clear distinction between the "religious right" and the "secular left." 

 

Who should a good Christian support?  The few passages in the Bible that do speak to politics were certainly not anticipating the democratic republic that is the United States.  We have a very unique responsibility in being able to choose our leaders.  We should take this responsibility seriously and not simply vote for whoever makes the most visits to churches.  It should be a matter of a lot of prayer.  Only God's Spirit could guide us through such a difficult and multi-faceted decision.

 

Josh R

Congressional Energy Pilots Continue Wearing Patch Over Good Eye

As the markets continue to spasm over speculatory $200 per barrel oil prices, our Congress, the clueless pantheon of America's alleged brightest and best--the governing body more dedicated to eradicating legal substances from Major League Baseball than stopping the Jihadist threat--continue to ignore the offshore writing on the wall.

Or, as cartoonist Richard Ramirez points out:

-R

Positive Politics

In this world of Mayors who hire call girls and presidential candidates who are willing to throw their former spiritual leaders under the bus for a few percentage points in the polls, it's nice to have some positive politicians to focus on from time to time.

Alaska governor, Republican Sarah Palin has taken the political world by storm, completing what many have called a "startling first year in office."

During her first year in office, Palin distanced herself from the old guard, powerful Republicans in the state GOP, even calling on tight-lipped veteran U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens to explain to Alaskans why federal authorities were investigating him.

She asked Alaska's congressional delegation to be more selective in seeking earmarks after what came to be known as the "Bridge to Nowhere" turned into a national symbol of piggish pork-barrel spending.

She stood up to the powerful oil industry, and with bipartisan support in the statehouse she won a tax increase on oil companies' profits.

She also found time to pose for the fashion magazine Vogue while she was pregnant, and she has been mentioned as a potential running mate for presidential candidate John McCain.

But it is not only her startling political rise that people are talking about. In December, Palin and her husband found out that the child they were expecting had tested positive for Down syndrome. Having never had any complications with her four other children Palin was faced with a life and career altering decision.

"It took a while to open up the book that the doctor gave me about children with Down syndrome, and a while to log on to the Web site and start reading facts about the situation."

Once her husband got the news, he told her: "We shouldn't be asking, 'Why us?' We should be saying, 'Well, why not us?'" There was never any doubt the Palins would have the child, and on April 18 she gave birth to Trig Paxson Van Palin. "We've both been very vocal about being pro-life," Palin said. "We understand that every innocent life has wonderful potential."

Three days after giving birth, Palin returned to work in her Anchorage office, accompanied by Trig and her husband.

This was not a mother's typical visit to the office to show off the new baby; instead, she was serving notice that a child of special needs would not hinder her professional commitments. "It's a sign of the times to be able to do this," she said.

So my hat is off to Sarah Palin for standing up for what she believes in and proving to the world that there are some politicians left in this country who still maintain their integrity.

Tacit Jimmy Carter Endorsement = Major Boost For Obama?

Sometimes I wonder how we ever get ourselves wrapped in the self-loathing paroxysms about how forward-thinking the Europeans are. Seems the online Telegraph sees the man who recently resurrected his penchant for placating anyone who would drop a nuclear bomb on Jerusalem as the pinnacle of electoral moral wisdom:

Former President Jimmy Carter has given Barack Obama a major boost by calling for the bitter Democratic nomination battle to end on June 3rd and speaking glowingly of his ability to “transform the image” of America.

Mr Carter did not formally endorse Mr Obama but in an interview with The Daily Telegraph made crystal clear where his sympathies lie. He even sketched out the kind of inaugural address the first black United States president could deliver.

I'm not so sure Mr. Obama is relishing the attention from Carter, whose primary accomplishments include 444 days of prostrating himself in front of Iranian hostage takers, giving away the Panama Canal, double-digit inflation and around-the-corner gas lines. Not to mention his one notable swipe at terrorism: beating down a vicious, marauding rabbit with the oar of his rowboat.

Alas for Obama, this backhanded endorsement comes just as Carter buttressed the statements of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright on larry King just as Barack was cutting the final ties with them.

Interesting, to say the least.

-R

This Man's Got His Finger On The Pulse Of . . . His Pulse

I've been between jobs, and I've been a heartbeat away from losing one. But I've never used the tiny interval between my heartbeats to complete a job like Russian micro-miniaturist Vladimir Aniskin, who apparently had a decade to sit around and figure out how to manufacture a chess set small enough to pack around in one of your capillaries:

A microscopic chess set no bigger than a match head could be the smallest board game in the world. The board is 3.5 mm by 2.5 mm and the gold and silver pieces are 0.15 mm and 0.3 mm high.

Of course the crux of why I find this story so ridiculously compelling:

He uses powerful microscopes and equipment that he designed himself and says that he must work between his heartbeats to create the tiny pieces.

Leave it to those pesky, "Got all the time in the world" Russians. It seems Mr. Aniskin hasn't batted an eye, flitting away a third of his lifespan on this stuff. His protoypes are none-too-unimpressively weird as well:

The chess took six months to complete and he has about another 40 works to his name. His first was a grain of rice inscribed with 2,027 letters. “The rice grain took three months, camels in an eye of a needle took two months and camels in a horse hair also took two months,” he said. “Even with these simpler jobs it is still time-consuming.”

Mr Aniskin, 30, works at the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science in Tyumen, specialising in developing microphobes for aerodynamic investigations.

Cool. Weird, but cool.

-R

Justice Prevails!

                     

 

While the Dark Knight was busy fighting corruption in Gotham and preparing for his upcoming movie release, the regular cops were bringing down a more mundane type of criminal.  This Denver, Colorado man was sentenced to 21 months in prison and was ordered to pay $715,000 to the IRS for tax evasion and sending hudreds of thousands of falsified spam emails.  While this is not likely to make much of a dent in the spam you receive, perhaps a few more of these convictions will do us all some good.  Let's at least hope this joker learns his lesson.

 

Josh R

When Internal Polls Don't Jibe With Conventional Chatter

Some kind of internal polling alarm in the Obama camp is signaling a four-alarm conflagration. Why else would he begin to publicly disown his own pastor of twenty years, calling into question his recent statements, referring to them as “rants, not grounded in truth?” It’s not like the old statements he passively defended were “non-rants” and “based in the truth.”

One thing is becoming clear despite the allegedly smitten Obama-esque demeanors of the super delegates: The only person in the situation that doesn’t seem to be changing his opinions is the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Like him or hate him, his ranting delusional myopias are consistently delivered and defended by him—unlike the man that has assented to his preaching for the last 20 years. The initial 5th amendment pleas, claims of ignorance, and surgical attempts to separate himself from the church that has galvanized his view of middle America are ringing hollow. And it seems Obama understands this, and is willing to sever permenantly his relationship with his pastor in the name of securing the Democratic nomination.

It would also seem that between the two, the only one with any measurable character of belief is also Rev. Wright—who seems less than thrilled that his apprentice now seems willing to throw him under the bus, as it becomes apparent that Obama’s phenomenal rise will have to ultimately be sustained by the updrafts of his own beliefs—and no one wants to elect someone with a backdrop as negative as the one Rev. Wright provides.

-R

President Bush Handles Media At End Of Presidency The Way He Should Handled It At Beginning Of Presidency

Talk about a case of being frustrated by the lateness of the attack. I don't know if anyone else heard this this morning, but it was about time our President fashioned a corded whip, and beat the merchants of arrogance out of the temple. I simply smiled as he plowed headlong into to their "just descended from Mt. Olympus" pomposity.

One thing is apparent in his point: The clueless are every bit as dangerous as the malevolent.



-R

Calvary Christian School: Media Love

Calvary Christian School of Indianapolis gets some media love from the local paper, The Indianapolis Star, as it moves into its new 110,000 (!) square foot building.

Says the article:

"It was a real school before, but now it's a real school," said Candace Barcus, a middle- and high-school Bible teacher who attended the school growing up. "I walk down the hallway and get teary eyed."

Calvary Christian started in 1946, so I'm guessing it's the oldest Apostolic/UPC K-high school in existence..?

James Simm's Live Recording -

April 28, 2008
Dateline: Old St. Charles

8:04 p.m. - He's deep into a song from his "Life & Love" CD w/most of the crowd singing backup.

8:07 p.m. - "We're going to slow it down a little bit. This is good coffee drinking music." A largely instrumental piece ensues, night club like.

8:11 p.m. -The crowd again sings backup as James sings "Paint a picture of your love...portrait of our life...let the words be colors that flow..." Wild clapping.

8:14 p.m. - James introduces the next song asking if you've ever messed up a good thing. This is an area he's obviously building in confidence. Soon enough, he's playing & singing w/backup singers. "Speaking of heaven..." he says then, "When we all get to heaven, it'll be alright...no more tears to cry, when we all get to heaven."

8:22 p.m. - He calls up a couple friends to sing with him - Hugh Holt & Angie Glen (Apologies if I misheard). Angie has a sweet, soft voice with great range, while Hugh belts out "It's been way, way too long" to great response. Not sure if the instruments aren't drowning out the lyrics for those of us who don't have the songs memorized. End w/"Welcome Home" "Welcome Home."

8:27 p.m. - "One last song - God is our home, the place we can all go..." Gonna be "You're the only one I got, I got you," the first track from "Life & Life." Angie sings lead. The crowd sings everything. Wicked groove hypnotizes us as Angie sings "You're the only one I got, I got you."

8:30 - "Thank everyone for coming!" Then he introduces everyone in the band and signs off.

Sadly, there is neither an encore nor a request for me to share my deep love for playing the bongos in public. Otherwise, a great night of Christian music that mesmerized at least one table of non-believers into absorbing the entire set.

The Concert Begins

7:50 p.m. - It begins w/James thanking Wayne Francis for coordinating the night w/Picasso's, then they start in with "Melody of Love."

7:55 p.m. - A mention of the "L Word" (Love, silly) & a mention of an engaged couple before starting the next song which... well, I can't make out the lyrics.

7:58 p.m. - He talks about appreciating flowers in the park & God's creativity, which is what we're gonna sing about now. "Lord you're so beautiful, beautiful to meeeeee." The remaining table of non-believers has stopped playing their cards & are totally engrossed in the song. The chorus cranks up and just about everyone's clapping, hands over head.

Side Note
* Turns out the piano is not a piano, but a keyboard inside the shell of a piano.

James Simm's Liveblog

So, thankfully they're still setting up instruments & doing sound checks at Picasso's, as we arrived 20 mins late. This now makes us unfashionably early but allows for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes looks at the 3 backup singers, w/full accompaniment (a real piano, drum cage, bass, bongos, full sound board,et al).

This is a big deal, as they're videoing it (they're doing a live recording, probably for CD/DVD. Strange then, that he didn't ask me to sing a duet...). There's over 40 people here, which considering they've taken over the main lower floor means we're all enjoying mosh pit-like intimacy.

More soon, w/pix assuming my beautiful photog will snap some good ones.

Liveblogging Tonight: Simms & Brewer

Nita & I will be attending a special concert (open to all) highlighting the amazing music of James Simms tonight at Picasso's Coffee Shop in Old St. Charles (MO). It's my understanding that there will also be a gallery showing of Pentecostal artist Ricky Brewer as well, so expect some liveblogging around 7 p.m. tonight, April 28.

Read 90&9's review of the most contemporary CD ever created within the Apostolic ranks here.

The Youth Congress video produced by AEM, the live "sweating beneath the tent" NAYC video
& the NAYC Gateway booth vid, & the SFC anthem.

This Is An Awareness Test

Click on the video and test your awareness (less than a minute) . . .



My brother sent this to me a few weeks back and I just love how true the concept is.

Director Of Really Bad Movies Now Writing Even Worse Books

Sooner or later this had to happen. And tragicomic fallout remains to be seen.

Just when you thought a decently written DaVinci Code written by Dan Brown, distilled into an inarticulate cinematic morass by Ron Howard, couldn't get any sillier. Now, the man who gave the culturally-enriching masterpiece, Basic Instinct, has co written a book claiming that Jesus was the product of . . . um, the unwanted, invasive advances of a military Roman Lothario:

In his upcoming biography of Jesus, "Basic Instinct" director Paul Verhoeven will make the shocking claim that Christ probably was the son of Mary and a Roman soldier who raped her during the Jewish uprising in Galilee, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

And it seems at the outset, that the sort of "rage" and "humanity-reducing threats to one's person" are not going to be the order of the day (as if they ever are in any large scale are when Christians are mocked). Perhaps even Mr. Verhoeven's enthusiasm has caused him to run the ball too far into the anti-Jesus end zone, and spiked--the only raging coliseum applause existing in his own head. At least according the the Catholic League's president, Bill Donahue:

"He's been working 20 years trying to sell this argument and hasn't come up with anything. This won't make a dent with Christians, nor with scholars somewhat wary of the biblical account. It's a European version of Hollywood. He should go back to Sharon Stone's legs."

Hopefully, the whole of Christendom will sit back and let these things roll out on their own with little or no protest. No one, not even the rank unbeliever, is really interested in such bitter rewrites of Jesus' life. To try to stop it in any way will merely contribute to the same protest purchases that took erstwhile paupers like the 2LiveCrew and made them into incidental millionaires. No sense in bankrolling one that already is.

-R

Old Gray Lady Denies Being Old, Gray

As much as economic downturns are generally bothersome to me, I must admit; watching the New York Times' self-vaunting, journalistic Babylon come crashing down has all the hallmarks of a vicarious schadenfreude:

"New York Times Co (NYSE:NYT - News) Chairman Arthur Sulzberger Jr told shareholders on Tuesday the company is not for sale, disputing media reports.

This company is not for sale," he said, calling recent media reports suggesting otherwise "ill informed."

Speculation over a sale has dogged the company over the years, most recently resurrected as its share price falling close to 20 percent in the past 12 months.

The cutbacks and stock losses suffered by the paper in the last few years will of course, be fully attributed to whatever economic blame can be leveled at a sitting president, but no matter. Any paper that pats itself on the back for compromising our national security simply needs to die off--even if they again, deny the presence of the weapons--of their own mass destruction.

-R

Morrissey Review's Ben Stein's Movie, Expelled

Ed Morrissey, writing on one of Michelle Malkin's side blogs, Hot Air, posts his review of a pre-screening of the upcoming move, Expelled, produced by Ben Stein.

Stein's movie, one that attempts to chronicle the rabid, intellectual intolerance of academia, is already making waves, and panicking the atheists as a going concern. My favorite quote from the review:

. . . In this, the film does an excellent job of demonstrating atheism as a belief system. Atheism as represented by Richard Dawkings and others in this film gets exposed as exactly the kind of belief system they claim to despise. They can’t prove God exists — and they can’t prove God doesn’t exist. They make the common fallacy of arguing that absence of evidence amounts to evidence of absence.

I always knew there was something inherently likable about that guy Stein. An affable personality attached to an ironclad faith. Something frequently mistaken for "intolerance" in and of itself.

-R

Da Boss says Ya Got Thoity Days, And Then...

Wow!  This woman received a letter in the mail from her pastor telling her, of all things, that she was behind in her tithes.  This was not just a friendly reminder, however.  It stated that she had only paid tithes twice in the past year, and she had thirty days to cough up the tenth or she was going lose her church membership. 

 

It seems like Jesus preached about tithes once.

 

Josh R.

Howard Dean Panicking In The Cockpit

If there's ever been a better illustration in recent history about the cost/effect ratios of faux populism, I can't think of one. Democratic National Committee chairman, Howard Dean, is demanding that the "Superdelegates" make their decision now--in order to keep from losing another three months to John McCain.

“We cannot give up two or three months of active campaigning and healing time,” the Democratic National Committee Chairman told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. “We’ve got to know who our nominee is.”

Fair enough. But for a party who's spent the last eight years contesting the legitimacy of the Bush Presidency on Floridian margins to demand that the rest of the state primaries are ignored outright? Pure poetry of incompetence. Way to advocate for the Vox Populi, too.

The reasons for these problems? Endless tinkering with the DNC's own bi-laws, by the DNC cognoscenti. Although the technical term here would be Progressives. The GOP, despite its mind-numbing and completely frustrating penchant for wearing the patch over the good eye, at least landed on a nominee--the one who got the most votes--a labyrinthine, square-peg/square hole puzzle to the party that created the "superdelegate," the very hallmark of distrust in the very votes for which they campaign.

.-R

Royal Caribbean To Build 220,000 Ton Ship--Complete With It's Own New York Style Central Park

No word yet on whether muggers and smog will be stock features, but:

The world's biggest cruise liner is to have a New York-style "Central Park" on the ship, its owners have revealed.

Royal Caribbean is building the 220,000-tonne liner with the working name Project Genesis and the announcement is the latest salvo in the intensely competitive global cruise market.

The company said the park would be "a revolutionary design in which the centre of the ship opens to the sky and features lush, tropical grounds spanning the length of a football field".

Is it just me, or does the continual need to 'up the ante', whether it be reality-based television (marriage decimating polygraph tests) or ships of this gilded magnitude just scream "breaking point?"

-R

Creating Art as Christians

How evangelistic does Christian art have to be?  In order to faithfully produce art as Christians does it have to include scriptures, the name of Jesus, a call to repentance, the plan of salvation, or worship directed specifically to God?  Whether writing books, writing music, painting pictures or producing film, the Christian artist must determine where they are going to draw the line.  These artists have drawn their own line very clearly.

 

BuzzDixon and Marlon Schluman of Realbuzz Studios are attempting to challenge the general consensus that Christian art these days is more Christian and less art.  After years of watching cheesy rapture movies, viewing unfulfilling angelic television shows, and listening to hundreds of CCM songs that all sound the same some Christian artists have had enough.  Specifically, the Christian comic realm has suffered one less-than-compelling Bible-themed story after another. 

 

With one eye on the comic book market and another on the Bible, these artists are doing everything they can to create professional, well-drawn, gripping comic stories for teens from a Christian perspective.  But the line they have drawn leaves out the scripture references, the name of Jesus, the calls to repentance, and all the other stuff that “good” Christian comics are supposed to include (remember Chick tracts anyone?).  The Christian values are throughout the stories, but in a subtle way.  Instead of using art to browbeat people with the Gospel, they are simply being faithful Christians producing art.  May they become an inspiration for other artists out there who are also Christians!

 

(For a similar discussion on what it means to be a faithful Christian partaking of art see this week’s dueling cover stories over at the mother ship.)

 

Josh R.

 

Obama Courting The Amish Vote?

I just saw this a few minutes ago. Barak Obama's Pennsylvania-based campaign website actually has a delineated page devoted to the most unlikely demographic--the Amish.

The immediate reaction to this for me was the dubiousness of any real Amish actually being on line, much less concocting avatarless, cutesy screen names.

Either way, it is yet another odd aspect to a rather odd election season.

-R

Us Versus Them?

This April 25^th (and it appears to be an annual event) there is going to be a nationwide Day of Silence in participating government schools and colleges.  Protesting the harassment and “silencing” of the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered) community, participants will remain silent for the entire day wearing or passing out cards describing why they are doing so.  The cards challenge the reader to “think about the voices you are not hearing today.  What are you going to do to end the silence?”

 

Of course one way to react to this would be the approach the American Family Association is taking.  Try to create a fear-based emotional response to this protest in an attempt to silence this segment of society.  But this sort of reaction is exactly what these students are protesting.  It draws the kind of lines that Jesus avoided —us, the pious and faithful against them, the wicked sinners.

 

Perhaps a better tack is that taken by the Allied Defense Fund in sponsoring the counter-protest, the Day of Truth.  Students wear signs or hand out cards similar to those of the Day of Silence, but with an entirely different message:

 

I’m speaking the Truth to break the silence.

True tolerance means that people with different—even opposing—viewpoints can freely exchange ideas and respectfully listen to each other.

It’s time for an honest conversation about homosexuality.

There’s freedom to change if you want to.

Let’s talk.

 

Josh R.

Festival of Faith and Writing 2008

This Thursday through Saturday, April 17-19 I’ll be attending the Festival of Faith and Writing at Calvin College in Grand Rapids , MI. I’ve requested interviews with Pulitzer Prize-winner Michael Chabon, Mann Booker Award-winner Yann Martel, Christian favorite Francine Rivers, and the Bridge of Terabitha author, among others. No word back yet, but I'm hopeful.

Whatever happens, I’ll be reporting daily from the conference on sister blog Word.

If you've never attended a literary festival, put this one on your calendar for 2010 (it's bi-annual), as they've always got fascinating programming.

Climate Change Activist Demands, Gets Facts Reversed In BBC Story

I'm not posting this in any way to take umbrage with 90 & 9 Cover Story, although I do admit that it can become tiring trying to explain that just because I don't buy the catastrophic arguments of climate change, that I really do think clean water is most swell and that I don't justify oil spills in the name of increased river-otter viscosity.

Thus, I do submit it as further evidence that environmental deception is afoot. And it always seems to come down to the socialists.

Anyway, interesting, how an aberration that became a story intending to launch with:

"Global temperatures this year will be lower than in 2007 ... This would mean global temperatures have not risen since 1998, prompting some to question climate change theory,"

was suddenly transmogrified into:

"Global temperatures will drop slightly this year ... But experts say we are still clearly in a long-term warming trend --and they forecast a new record high temperature within five years."

And all within the space of one hour and sixteen minutes. This was accomplished how? With a sudden mea cupla by the submitting agency? The hazy fog of a simple syntax error? A Hoax?

None of the above. Seems all Jo Abbess of the UK group, Campaign Against Climate Change had to do was threaten an editor with a reputational Fatwa--i.e., "change the story now, or I'll paint you as a snake-handler."

And the BBC complied. Hastily. Perhaps the most chilling indictment on left-leaning journalism was captured in the last paragraph of Ms. Abbess' story-changing email salvo:

I am about to send your comments to others for their contribution, unless you request I do not. They are likely to want to post your comments on forums/fora, so please indicate if you do not want this to happen. You may appear in an unfavourable light because it could be said that you have had your head turned by the skeptics. Respectfully,

jo.

Or was it Roger Harrabin's response?

Have a look in 10 minutes and tell me you are happier. We have changed headline and more.

Apparently, Earth isn't the only climate with changeable features.

-R

2008 Christianity Today Book Awards

Sister blog Word has a link to the 2008 Christianity Today Book Awards, a worthy list of titles if you're seeking quality reads.

Take a look!

Minnesota: The State That Brings You Lutherans, Garrison Keillor, and . . . Jihadist Madrassas?

Seriously, I thought it was a reactionary fluke when maverick Minnesota voters elected Keith Ellison to the state's 10th congressional district--who then went on to take his oath of office on the Koran.

Now it looks like the Minnesota Board of Education is not only looking the other way while a state-funded Islamic school flagrantly hoardes the children to and fro for compulsory prayers, but contiues to do so despite the fact that a teacher has come forward to say that this is exactly what is happening.

Any thoughts on how long it will take to strip their funding against the backdrop of the seperation clause? I's say about . . . um, never, actually.

Albeit, I take specific comfort in all of this; for the God I serve can't get past the state-funded religo-meter without being tossed out the Gate called Voucher.

Just like He said it would be.

Ready for a little perspective?

This link is a map that shows the historical birth and spread of the major religions: Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam.  It is a wee bit simplistic, but it does an excellent job of showing the big picture both historically and geographically.  Remember, sometimes the spread of one religion lead to war with another religion.

 

Want to see 5,000 years of religion in 90 seconds?  Buckle your seat belt and click the link!

 

Josh R

Well, You See . . .

it went a little something like this . . .

10 days in Central Europe
3 days in New York, 3 midterms
5 days in California
2 weeks ridiculously sick

. . . and that's where I've been for the month or so. Hopefully things will now return to normal and I'll be around a bit more. In the meantime, I thought I'd share a few pictures with you from my travels.



My brother and me in Prague



Prague Castle and Lesser Town as seen from the tower on Charles Bridge



The Hofburg - Vienna



Schonnbrunn Palace - Vienna



Salzburg at dusk

Avoid Offense At Any Cost...

That seems to be the motto of those running many local government school systems.  This young man , A.P., drew a scene with a cross and scripture reference on it for an art class.  He was told to remove them because other students were making comments.  When he refused, he received a zero on the project.  Of course, when beginning the class, A.P. had to sign a policy prohibiting violence, blood, sexual connotations, or religious beliefs in the artwork.  But you cannot legally sign away your constitutional rights.  The school is arguing that class assignments can be censored, and that his drawing was infringing on the rights of the other students.

 

Any religious expression in a class art assignment might offend people.  But the school allows other types of religious expression.  Artwork depicting Medusa, the Grim Reaper and demonic figures are posted in the art room.  Additionally, depictions of a Buddha, Hindu figures, a robed sorcerer, and Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Man” adorn various areas of the school.  I guess the thought process goes, “Religious artwork is OK as long as the school approves it, but students shouldn’t be allowed to express themselves religiously while at school.” 

 

Doesn’t make much sense to me either.

 

The lawsuit seems a bit more rooted in logic when it says “Students do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate.  No compelling state interest exists to justify the censorship of A.P.’s religious expression.”  Let us hope that logic wins out in this case.

 

Josh R.