Civility & Good Advice From the Past

A couple of questions:
-Were people just more civil and discerning in the past?
-Why can't we have politicians that have this type of character?

Quote From A Michael Jackson Fan

"I'm trying to hold in my emotions," said Hernandez, wearing a wristband to allow her admittance to the service and holding a framed photograph of Jackson. "I know right now he's teaching the angels to dance."

You can read the whole article here.

I really don't know what to say about this. The sad thing is that she really believes this. It is amazing what "coping" opens one up to believe.

Michael Jackson Tribute During Church Service

Some questions:
-What is a church service for?
-What should take place in a church service- biblically?
-Does this have a place in Church?
-Would this be okay in your church? Should it?

Billy Mays Dead At 50

Mays, 50, the emphatic and well-known hawker of the OxiClean stain remover, the Zorbeez super chamois, a sticky substance called Mighty Putty and many other items offered for an amazing low price, was found unresponsive in his Tampa, Fla., home Sunday morning. He was declared dead by a fire rescue crew at 7:45 a.m., according to Sgt. Christopher Ugles, a spokesman for the Tampa Police Department.

The cause of his death was unknown, but Mays had told his wife, Deborah, that he didn't feel well after a U.S. Airways flight he was on made a bumpy landing Saturday afternoon. In an interview with a local TV station, Mays said he was struck on the head by a falling object during the landing.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-Will infomercials ever be the same?
-Three celebrities in a week... is there anything to learn/take away from this?

Michael Jackson Most Wanted Love

"I am going to say something I have never said before and this is the truth. I have no reason to lie to you and God knows I am telling the truth. I think all my success and fame, and I have wanted it, I have wanted it because I wanted to be loved. That's all. That's the real truth. I wanted people to love me, truly love me, because I never really felt loved. I said I know I have an ability. Maybe if I sharpened my craft, maybe people will love me more. I just wanted to be loved because I think it is very important to be loved and to tell people that you love them and to look in their eyes and say it."

-Michael Jackson

One cannot read these words without feeling a tremendous sadness for a soul that was so surrounded with hero-worship but remained so utterly alone.

-Rabbi Shmuley Boteach

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

-I John 4.9-10

Michael Jackson penned a song called Morphine. It is very telling of his final years. You can read the lyrics here and watch/hear the video (as long as it stays up) here.

You can read the entire article by the Rabbi here.

Some questions:

-How does this impact you?

-Do you think the lure of money and fame would have caused you to be an enabler to MJ?

-Does this make death a little more of a reality for you?

-Does how we live and what we believe in life really matter?

-If you had 15 minutes with MJ, what would you have told him?

Savior Obama

I don't quite understand the messiah complex that has been bestowed upon President Obama. He seems like a nice guy that has the privilege of holding an office that can do much good or much evil. I pray that he will do much good and that what he does will be of benefit to the people in this country and around the world; but this guy, Julio Osegueda, takes it to an extreme!

Chuck Norris Tribute

HT: Randy

A few questions:
-Can anybody possibly be a better candidate for this?
-Since Chuck Norris cannot be beat, who would be the best possible candidate for second runner up (first loser) position?
-What of Todd Weeks?

Denny Burk: Thoughts On The Saddleback Presidential Debate

Denny Burk has chosen to blog live on the Saddleback Forum hosted by pastor of Saddleback: Rick Warren, author of all things purpose driven. I would encourage you to take a look at what he has written and watch the debate/forum between Obama and McCain yourself. As Christians we have a responsibility to make informed choices in every area of our lives as we are stewards over them; entrusted by God. The same holds true in elections.

Below you will find the links to the discussion.

Live Blogging Part 1 Here.

Live Blogging Part 2 Here.

Commenting On Rick Warren Here.

Overall Rating Here.

Some questions:
-What did you think of the forum?
-Does this put Rick Warren in a different light for you?
-Who do you think came out with more compelling, true arguments?
-Does this affect who you will vote for?
-Did you find this beneficial? What about the candidates being asked the same question?
-Why do some Christians not think it important to think through issues considered "secular"?

Has Our Democracy Become A Joke?

See more Paris Hilton videos at Funny or Die

Some questions:
-What do you think our founding fathers would say concerning the current state of our union?
-Is nothing kept from mockery?
-Should our electoral system be revamped?
-Do the youth of our nation take seriously the issues concerning our future? If not, what do you think contributed to this?

Rev. Jesse Jackson Wants To Make Obama A Eunuch

“My appeal was for the moral content of his message to not only deal with the personal and moral responsibility of black males, but to deal with the collective moral responsibility of government and the public policy which would be a corrective action for the lack of good choices that often led to their irresponsibility.”

Jackson was speaking to a fellow guest at the time about Obama’s speeches in black churches and his support for faith-based charities. Jackson added before going live, “I want to cut his nuts off.”
“I have great passion for this campaign and traveled across the country … arguing the case for the campaign,” Jackson said. “And this thing I said in a hot-mic statement that’s interpreted as a distraction, I offer apology for that. I don’t want harm or hurt to come to this campaign.”

You can read more here and here.

Some questions:
-Is an apology enough?
-Should the same standard he held for Don Imus be enforced concerning him?
-What is Jesse Jackson a reverend of?
-Why do you think Jesse Jackson felt "okay" saying this type of comment about another person?
-Are we all subject to sin nature and in need of forgiveness? If so how many times should we forgive?
-Is there a double standard at work here? Where is the outcry?

Steven Curtis Chapman Video With Daughter Maria

In case you did not hear, Steven Curtis Chapman's daughter Maria Chapman died two nights ago when her brother accidentally ran her over in their driveway. She was 5 years old. I can't even begin to imagine what the brother must be going through. May God grant him (and his family) much grace!

Here is the video.

Some questions:
-What would you say to the brother who has to live with this for the rest of his life?
-If you were his family, how would you minister to him while still grieving the death of Maria?
-How does Satan use guilt in circumstances such as these?

Note To My Women Readership: Age Gracefully

Please do not undergo the knife for a vain pursuit of beauty. Age gracefully. Embrace it. It befalls us all and women who can come to grips with gracefully growing older in our "stay young forever" culture are far more attractive than those who seek to postpone the inevitable by way of the knife. Sure, your surgeries may not end up like the one pictured here but why subject yourself to such procedures?

I for one will be just as satisfied with my wife when she is old and gray as I am now when she is young and youthful. Our physical bodies will suffer the consequences of time and give way to the grave, but love and hope endure. Don't chase what you can never catch ladies. Age gracefully.

You can read more on Ms. Wildenstein here.

Some questions:
-If you are a woman, would you consider getting plastic surgery? Why or why not?
-Do you think the benefits outweigh the risks?
-Do you think that the underlying culprit in getting plastic surgery is self-worth issues?
-If self-worth is the root issue, should we attempt to address that issue as opposed to the surface bandage that is plastic surgery?
-Where do you think our worth comes from? In other words, how are we satisfied?

C. J. Mahaney Conftronts Rob Bell's Erroneous Doctrines

Today’s pastor is given the challenging task of discerning error that comes published in hip packaging from Christian publishers, authored by professing Christians.

So many errors, so little time.

In executing this responsibility, pastors must discern whether the influence of the individual and the gravity of their error necessitate research and evaluation by a pastor. Today I want to explain one particular concern and give you an inside look at how I approach this difficult task.

Mahaney goes on to point the reader to Greg Gilbert's critique of Rob Bell's NOOMA videos (here are some examples) and gives four biblically guided priorities for those in positions of pastors/elders/overseers.

Here are his four biblically guided priorities. Read the article to see meat behind them.

1. Protect your people.

2. Prepare your heart.

3. Preach sound doctrine.

4. Pray for Rob Bell.

You can read more here.

Here is an excerpt from Greg Gilbert:
Once you get past the razzle-dazzle of the videos’ style and really listen to what Bell is saying, you start to wonder if maybe they’re not so good after all. Watch the videos with a discerning eye, and certain questions start nagging you: What’s the cross for again? Why did Jesus die? How do you become a Christian? Hold on—did he just say that everyone has the Spirit of God living in them already? Jesus has faith in me? I am the gospel? What in the world does that mean?

You can read more from Gilbert here.

Some questions:
-Do you think Greg Gilbert is right?
-Why should we invest time guarding against unsound teaching?
-Do you see anything wrong with the NOOMA videos? What about after reading Greg Gilbert's critique?
-Do you find these four principles worthwhile?
-Is it arrogant to call another "christian" out if they teach something slightly different than you would?

CA Boy Flies To TN To Hijack Plane

I heard about this on the radio this morning and it is a little close to home. A boy was found with duct tape, hand cuffs, and rope in his possession in Nashville, TN. The boy is 16 years old and flew from California to Nashville so he could allegedly hijack a Southwest Airlines plane and fly it into a Hannah Montana concert. The parents were unaware of where their child was or what he was up to, but yet he had a mock cockpit at his home.

You can read more here.

Some questions:
-How does a 16 year old purchase a ticket and board a plane without his parent's knowledge?
-Why do you think he wanted to fly it into a Hannah Montana concert?
-What do you think would be just punishment for this boy?
-Should the parents share in the punishment as well?

Creflo Dollar: Prosperity Gospel

Why in the world would you think the son of God would come here poor?

You can watch the 12 minute interview here.

Some questions:
-What do you think of the prosperity gospel?
-In the context provided in the video, is Creflo Dollar correct in his assessment of Christ?
-Is it honorable for Dollar to "stand up for the privacy act for all churches" by keeping his financial records hidden?
-Does personal testimony in affirmation of the prosperity gospel trump what scripture teaches concerning the Gospel?
-Was Jesus a rich man as Creflo Dollar teaches (in the video)? Does scripture support this?

Hillary Will Be President & Britney Will Commit Suicide

At least, that is what Mexico's most prominent grand warlock, Antonio Vasquez Alba, saw in his Tarot card reading.

You can read a little more here.

You can read more on Mexico's ocult here.

Some questions:
-Do you think divination is real?
-Does the Bible speak to divination?
-Do you think there is any merit in such predictions?
-Why does the possibility of knowing the future peak our interest as humans?

Scientology: The Basis For A New Religion

Scientology describes itself as the "the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others and all of life," and "encompasses all aspects of life from the point of view of the spirit" — including "auditing" and training in morals, ethics, detoxification, education and management.

Prime among Scientology's beliefs is "that man is a spiritual being whose existence spans more than one life and who is endowed with abilities well beyond those which he normally considers he possesses." Scientology believes man to be basically good, that his experiences have led him into evil, that he errs because he seeks to solve his problems by considering only his own point of view, and that man can improve to the degree he preserves his spiritual integrity and remains honest and decent. According to the Church, the ultimate goal is: "a civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights."

More beliefs held by Scientologists are as follows:

• A person is an immortal spiritual being (termed a thetan) who possesses a mind and a body.
  The thetan has lived through many past lives and will continue to live beyond the death of the body.
• Through the Scientology process of "auditing," people can free themselves of traumatic incidents, ethical transgressions and bad decisions which are said to collectively restrict the person from reaching the state of "Clear" and "Operating Thetan." Each state is said to represent the recovery of native spiritual abilities and to confer mental and physical benefits.
• A person is basically good, but becomes "abberated" by moments of pain and unconsciousness.
• Psychiatry and psychology are destructive and abusive practices.

You can read more about Scientology here.
You can read more on Tom Cruises's unauthorized biography from the biographer of Princess Diana here.
You can read more about David Miscavige here.
You can read more about Scientology's founder, L. Ron Hubbard here.

Some questions:

-Have you ever had an ecounter with scientologists?
-Do you see their basic belief system as being threatening to your world view?
-What do you think about Tom Cruise's biography? Do you think he is a magnet for bringing others into their "new religion"?
-If you read any on Lafayette Ron Hubbard, what is your opinion of his beliefs and reasoning for starting the church of scientology?

Mall Santa Allegedly Groped

One would need to look hard to find a more unusual year for Mall Santas. This year Mall Santas have had it hard. One was hit with a pumpkin pie; another lost his job for saying Ho, Ho, Ho instead of Hi, Hi, Hi as previously instructed to please the politically correct visitors. And now we have a report of a Mall Santa being groped by a grown woman.

You can read more of Sandrama Lamy's side here.

You can read more of Santa's side here.

Some questions:
-What are your thoughts concerning "Mall Santas"?
-Who do you believe Santa or Ms. Lamy?
-Do you think this will hurt Mall Santas in the future?
-Do you think our culture's understanding of Santa Claus in general takes away from Christ?

GummyBear Reaches Celebrity Status

Caution!

This has the potential of getting stuck in your head and quite possibly making your IQ lower by double digits, but then again don't all addictions?

You can watch and listen here.

200+ Hits for Big Brother Rape YouTube

I am sort of suprised by how many hits I have received (over 200 in less than 30 minutes) on the Big Brother Rape post I blogged on yesterday. The suprising part is not that I have received a lot of hits but what people are searching for. A vast majority of people from all around the world are searching for these terms: "Big Brother Rape YouTube".

Some questions:
-What does this say about our nature?
-Does being "anonymous" on the web make way for being entertained by things that we would normally speak against in real life?
-What is the draw of televised "rape"?