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Reality Can Be Too Painful
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Nov 6, 2009 7:12 pm
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When the going gets tough, sometimes people find out they are not tough enough to get going but they freak. I feel life is way bigger than we can handle. We have two choices. WE can find reality and conform or we can lash out and create our own world no matter who we hurt, ourselves included.
Recent headline events show people making either choice. It has taken me much, if not most of my life, to find some semblance of reality. Religion hints at reality. What is reality for you?
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The Rape That Would Not Quit
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Oct 30, 2009 12:20 am
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It was 9:00pm Friday evening, October 24, 2009, a week ago today. The Homecoming dance of the Richmond, California High School was over. It was time to go home. She, age 15, phoned her dad to come pick her up. Someone asked her to go over to another area of the campus a short distance away. There she was raped for 2 1/2 hrs., from 9:30pm until 12:00pm and left unconscious.
When found she was taken to the hospital in critical condition and remained there for four days. 10 people were involved in the felony rape according to police and 10 others watched. Some have been reported to have even taken pictures and cam recordings. No one called 911. So far six have been arraigned: Montano, Smith, Peter, Morales, Ortega, and Marcelles and more arraignments are expected. Some of these were wearing bullet proof vests in court.
Why? In my opinion, the exalting of self and the depersonalization of people is so evident. I have been watching advertising on TV and much of the time its about empowering the individual, rather than community, or relationships and respect for others. Christianity re personalizes people. This electronic age is making brutal heroes of the individual, rather than Christianity's approach of making servant heroes out of people.
The exalting of the individual at the expense of others is the way of the world, not the way of the cross. This degeneration and isolation of the individual exalts self and masks the depravity created until it breaks out upon society.
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Ceara Sturgis Senior Picture Is Banned !
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Oct 19, 2009 1:12 pm
269 Views
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She is a straight A student. She plays the trumpet. She is a goalie on the High School soccer team. She is also openly gay. She has no girl clothes. She wears only boys clothes.
The Mississippi High School, Wesson Attentance Center, has refused to print her picture because she is wearing a Tuxedo, as in the picture. She says that this year book picture represents who she is. The high school has no policy in place on cross dressing, yet it does have a policy in place against discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, or sex.
Anyone who has read the Bible knows God's view on gays and homosexuals. But, what many do not know in my opinion, who have read the Bible, is God's view on our sins in the New Covenant or Agreement He has made with the world. All sins of everyone are on the cross and paid for in blood or the death of Jesus. What we deserve, He bore. Anyone can come to Him and have their sins cleansed. There is power at the cross for us to change. Jesus does not refuse anyone who bows before Him. He accepts all comers and makes them part of His family. Everyone in his following is family. Should we then kick out family members or leave this to Jesus who is Head of the family?
Of course the High School is not a Church. The governmental institutions are a long way behind the Church, yet I wonder sometimes how far ahead we as a Church are from our schools and government agencies.
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Technology Violence Student Violence
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Oct 17, 2009 3:57 am
235 Views
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You can not tell me that violent video games, violent movies, where violence is glorified so that the heroes are the most violent of the pack is not affecting our kids? How can any reasonable person believe that filling our minds with image and sound and thoughts of extreme violence day after day does not set in motion our students to follow suit?
It happened again. This time its near Mrytle Beach in northeast South Carolina. A 16 year old student of Carolina Forest High School, yesterday, is dead after stabbing the high school's resource police officer who shot him in defense.
Before this it was Chicago where black students beat to death another innocent black student. Next, four black students set on fire a white student. What is our responsibility as Christians? I feel we are duty bound by Jesus to witness. By this I mean show a difference. Our society is now desperate for a visible difference. If we Christians can not show a difference, then we are worthless to the world. I believe we can. But, we are going to have to clean it up and stop fighting among ourselves and stop acting like the world. I am not talking about preaching holier than thou, but walking our talk more. This requires more of Jesus in us and less of us in Jesus. It's not our help that Jesus needs. It is our humility He needs so His spiritual maturity can grow in us. He is the big Boss. The less we try to be little bosses to the world and respect His leadership in our individual lives the more the world will see a noticeable difference in us. Perhaps then more of the world will come our way and this will diffuse the violence at least somewhat.
What is your solution?
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Interracial Marriage
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Oct 16, 2009 7:01 am
277 Views
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Black and white, or hispanic and white. or asian and European, these are possible combinations of people with differing race. Where is Jesus on this? As usual, He is way out ahead of the rest of us. He does not believe in any divides at all. He believes in love. He believes in the new creature. He makes all things new.
Where are we in this 21st century of prejudice, bias, discrimination, and law observing civilization? I feel we have made some progress toward the Masters call and empowerment, but not much really.
An interracial couple in Hammond, Louisiana were denied marriage by the justice of the peace because he felt these marriages don't last and its hard on the children.
This man, Terence McKay age 32, and his white girlfriend Beth Humphrey age 30, were denied marriage by the white justice of the peace because they are interracial. Is this Christian? No, it is not!
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Take Risk To Get Ahead?
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Oct 7, 2009 9:00 pm
328 Views
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To get ahead, find good fortune, make progress, the Pilgrims left Europe and sailed the seas for many weeks to the shores of the new world. Now we have the United States. The Jews left Egypt and followed Moses, Joshua, and Caleb to the land of promise. Now we have the Bible. Benjamin Franklin went to France to secure favor for us during the revolunary war with England. Now we have the U.S. constitution and the Statue of Liberty.
First I prayed like there was no tomorrow, then I left the state of Kansas 24 years ago to move and live on the coast of South Texas. I knew no one here, had no job, did not know the city, and it was an icy winter giving treacherous travel until I got here 3 days later. Now with a house, family, and business I can from experience say fortune sometimes favors the foolish. To get ahead history is on the side of those who start out not knowing how they will get there, or even exactly where they are going, but with the help of Providence they will persevere and be blessed.
We live in times of economic distress felt especially by the 15 million unemployed in America. “We're never so vulnerable than when we trust someone - but paradoxically, if we cannot trust, neither can we find love or joy”, said Walter Anderson.
There are four cardinal virtues. One of them is fortitude or the attitude and action of stepping out on an uncertain path toward a definite goal. God requires fortitude of us. He wants to be in on this risk taking of ours so we can experience his Providence and grow in creativity.
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David Letterman's Last Sin?
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Oct 7, 2009 3:33 pm
335 Views
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No, these affairs of the past are not Mr. Letterman's last and final sin. Bertha Smith, a well balanced Baptist, in her book "How the Spirit Filled My Life", 1973 Broadman Press, made a stunning statement. She said that we never stop sinning all of our life. The Apostle John, in his Epistles, had the revelation that we don't make a practise of sin. He never denied that it happens.
Sin is part of our life from cradle to grave. This is hard for some people, if not many people, to accept. The truth of this brings us to trust in Jesus to take care of us. Actually, it forces us to rely on Him. We never do enough good works to justify oneself. Thankfully we don't have too.
Overly critical people and overly indulgent people are always obvious as to where they are in dealing with this salient fact of life. Those who criticize Mr. Letterman are themselves sinning in some place in their life. Jesus implied this when He gave permission to anyone in the crowd of stone throwers who was without sin (implying present tense) to go ahead and throw. The oldest left first. The truth heals but also hurts. I feel in fact we do sin all our life in that we are never live without sin in attitudes, or words, or actions. Yet, blessed said Jesus are the people who mourn.
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Rio, Rio, Rio !
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Oct 3, 2009 12:02 am
368 Views
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Over 7 million Brazilians of the city of Rio de Janeiro (River of January) are ecstatic. They will host the 2016 Olympiad. South America has never had this favor. Now only Africa and Antarctica are left of the world to host an Olympiad for the first time.
Rio is as astonishing city of contrasts. The hugh statue of Christ the Redeemer on top of the mountain overlooks the city which is close to 79% religious, with some 61% Catholic and 18% Protestant. The city is famous for new year's eve celebrations on the copacabana beach of 7 kilometers length, great wealth along side poverty, and reputed to be one of the most violent cities of the world.
I wonder what the Apostle Paul would say in a sermon to the Brazilians? He would probably be reminded of the city of Corinth to which he wrote his famous two letters of the New Testament knows as 1Corinthians, and 2Corinthians. The second letter is one of my favorites. Paul used the imagery of sporting events to remind us of our life in Christ. He compared our relationship to Jesus as being like a race.
For me, salvation is a choice we consistently make, though not perfectly, which keeps it alive. If at the end of our life the choice of Jesus is still alive and being made, we are in heaven. If the choice is no longer being made for Jesus, we are more than dead. God has given us a second chance. One more time we can choose Him or not.
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Beaten To Death In America
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Sep 28, 2009 9:25 pm
422 Views
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Christianity has failed in Chicago. Derrion Albert, an 19 year old High School honor student, went to Church on Sunday, then Bible Class on Tuesday, then Thursday when school let out at 2:50pm and minding his own business he was walking to a bus stop. He was an innocent by-stander when two rival factions met and began fighting over an earlier shooting during the day. Each in turn started beating him. The first attack knocked him unconscious, and regaining consciousness he was then beaten to death by the second. The ages of the four students, now charged with murder, are 16, 17, 18, and 19.
This is America? This is Christian America? I feel the causes are so complicated that no one single cause can be singled out. It seems to me to be excess and riotous living that brings to dominance our savage untamed natures when void of the Holy Spirit. I believe everything the Bible talks about regarding the flesh, and its savage unruly desires, is in play here. The Bible never says that people have self control. It always says that self control is a gift of the Holy Spirit. So, there we go. Self indulgence is disaster. Spiritual mindedness brings peace.
Is it the schools, or the families, or the community that is the cause here? Actually, I believe what is happening in Chicago, and many communities around our country is a vaguely little understood concept known as community. The loss of community not only invites distress, but demands it. The strength of individuals and of families I feel is derived from the strength of communities. This loss of community is being represented now daily in the electorate. As human beings we desperately need to be connected to community, the loss of which is being reported hourly now in the tragedies of each days news broadcast.
How can we get community back? Usually an outside, higher, or larger force does this. Wars, and disease have done this for us in the past. But now these are not enough. I actually believe in the years ahead that Space travel and experiences may give us the pulling together we need. There has to be a reason for people to pull together. I see no reason or threatening force right now large enough to do this. I have little doubt however that it will come.
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The Brave New World Of IVF Surrogates
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Sep 25, 2009 10:15 pm
494 Views
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She cried and cried. Today, Friday September 25, Carolyn Savage of Sylvania, Ohio gave birth to a baby boy who was not hers. Sustained by prayers from people around the world, she and her husband, Sean Savage, fulfilled their decision they made after the shocking phone call they received 10 days later from the IVF (in vitro fertilization) clinic that she had been implanted with another couples fertilized embryo by mistake. She was now a surrogate mother, like it or not for Mr./Mrs. Morell of Troy, Michigan. The Morell's were very concerned, when they found out a day after the Savages, if their baby would be terminated or not. The Savages never even considered that nor did they think about keeping the baby as theirs since the baby was someone else's.
During the remainder of her pregnancy, Carolyn received the utmost support and professional care. The real DNA's mother went one time with Carolyn to one of her doctor's appointments during the pregnancy. Her and her husband Sean will now give up the baby boy to his true genetic parents, the Morell Family. Understandably, her and Sean have asked for privacy.
This mix up of embryos is not the fault of either set of parents, nor of course the baby boy. We can applaud all parties concerned who have made the best of a difficult time. In our brave new world where we learn more of the deep secrets of our God of creation, we marvel once again at the mysteries of life.
Is surrogate Christian? This is like saying if God had meant for us to fly He would have given us wings. What makes anything christian anyway? In whatever we do said Paul the Apostle, give glory to God. Be respectful in everything. These kinds of responses make our actions Christian.
In His life on earth, Jesus performed wonders surpassing anything since, including today, and far into our future. Manipulating matter and energy, speaking to he dead, calling the deceased to life again, propitiating the mercy of God with His own blood for our sins, in all things He acknowledge the majesty of God.
Most anything can be Christian depending on who receives the credit, why and how we use it. The brave new world has been here for some time. As Christians, lets catch up and help the world understand it. This is our job! With God's help we are to bring all things to the feet of Jesus so that He may be Lord of all.
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