5 Years - 4,000 Deaths Later

This weekend kept most of us busy at Easter egg hunts, the mall buying those Easter Sunday clothes, at church being seen in our Easter clothes and gathering as a family, getting food from Easter dinner all over those new clothes.

In case you missed it the Iraq War hit two important milestone markers this weekend:

5 Years
4,000 US military deaths

It seems that every so years we say that our nation has reached a crossroad and this statement could never be more true than what our country/world is facing today:

* An unpopular war which has cost us the deaths and wounds (physical and mental) of our military service men and woman as well as respect from the world's nations.
* A culture that insists on pushing the limits
* A broken economy that is going through a financial crisis not seen since the Great Depression.
* Gas prices that are approaching $4/gallon.
* Inflation that is driving up the cost of food and living expenses.
* The environment seems to be in the midst of a global change.

Wow - is this starting to sound like the 1970s?

So, where do we go from here? Is pulling out of Iraq the answer? What is the consequences if we do? Do we need to legislate morality? Will new leadership offer different results or will we see the same old song and dance out of Washington? What is the church's role in all of this?

Lots of questions - very few answers.

Good Friday...suffering enough to be holy?

I just recently read an article about a town in the Philippines where some in the town re-enact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ by nailing themselves to a cross and hanging for a period of time, while others beat their own backs with bamboo's tied to ropes- a picture even more gross then the one you see here. Go to the article to see those pictures, but be warned...gross.

This is the 13th time Fernando Mamangon has been crucified, according to the Fox News article, saying that he started having himself nailed to a cross in 1995 when his oldest son was sick and about to die. His son has recovered and now a younger son is sick, so Fernando continues the gesture every year. According to Fernando, "After being nailed to the cross, I feel so refreshed, like all my sins are washed away, I will continue this until my son Alex is cured".

The Roman Catholic church has asked the town to stop, stating that it is turning Holy Week into a circus. While I agree that this is totally unnecessary, many Catholics as well as others denominations, are encouraged to participate in lent and making other "sacrifices". Of those that I know that participate in lent, when I ask them what the suppose is, they say, "God has done so much for me, I need to give something up to show my appreciation (or something similar). I have included the Wikipedia link to lent here. I was shocked to see how many Christian world sects/denominations participate in lent.

My question is- Isn't this type of behavior almost encouraged by churches that encourage you to "sacrifice for your sin"- isn't that called doing good works? Redemption is a free gift from Jesus Christ, rest in the peace that comes from being a a chosen son/daughter of God and share it and share with others... Do I need a better education on lent?

Happy Holy Weekend and God Bless

CC

You have a 1% chance of going to jail...

Do you believe that 1 in every 100 Americans is in jail? That seems hard to believe, but it is true according to an article I just read recently 2.3 million adult citizens were behind bars at the beginning of 2008. In a time when money is tight and government are strapped for cash the 50 states spent $49 BILLION dollars on corrections last year. That breaks down to $21, 304.35 for every person behind bars. There are also 4 states: Vermont, Michigan, Oregon & Connecticut that spend more on corrections than education.

There are many interesting ways to break down this data: for instance the state with the largest increase in prison population in 2007 was Kentucky, which was up 12%. The report also says that the crime rate in Hill-Billytucky only went up 3%... Also, 1 in 30 men between 20-34 years old is behind bars but 1 in 9 black men is behind bars.

My question is: Are we safer having all these criminals behind bars? Is there any better way to punish/rehabilitate non-violent criminals than to lock then up? I admit that I am very conservative and pro-punishment for those who break the law, but something has got to change. Bottom line in that we as believers cannot legislate love to a country, and truly only by a change of heart and repentance will someone turn from serving themselves to Jesus Christ. Is Jesus the answer? Are better laws the answer? What is the answer? Violent criminals need to be locked up, but how can we punish other crimes without sending them to jail?

CC

The Precious Gift of Life

My wife works at the Hope for Life Crisis Pregnancy Center here in Mayfield, KY and just about each day she hears stories of great sadness and great joy - sadly more times sad than joy. I had never seen the social activitist side of her before she started working at Hope but she has developed such a strong, heartfelt desire to see the unborn given the chance to live a life that you and I have been given.

Like dominos, when we as a society devalued the life of the unborn we in turn also minimized the value of women in general. All you have to do is turn on the TV, radio or google a word or phrase and you will see (or hear) how women have been turned into an object of man's desires and fantasies. Instead of seeing woman as the bearer of the great gift of life who should be loved and cherished, we have found that we can use her for man's pleasures because that life can be easily terminated. 35 years after Roe vs. Wade we have witnessed a women's right to choose turn into a man's right to abuse and use her.

Helpless and abandoned are words that often (but not always) best describes a pregnant single woman's situation that she faces the difficult choice of what to do with her unborn child. It is not fair to judge anyone in this situation who would consider ending her pregnancy, but what great joy when she decides to either keep the baby or give it up for adoption!

God give comfort, peace and stength to those women who are facing this situation. Pray God opens the hearts and give courage to the men who consider the cowardness of abandoning the pregnant mother. God bless those willing to open their homes and hearts to an adopted child.

Amen.

Recycle or go to Hell!!

Before I begin, I must confess something... we recycle. We started at the beginning of the year and even though we currently only recycle soda cans, we will probably begin recycling paper and plastic soon.

Now I know you may ask "what is a good Republican boy doing recycling?" You may wonder if I have fallen into the media spin that the world is about to end because we as humans are destroying the environment with our landfills and toxic pollution.

And I will have to admit that yes, the media has perhaps helped to wake us up to the fact that our children will face a far more dangerous world simply because we chose not to be more mindful when throwing out our trash, not flushing the toilet after every single tinkle, choosing a little more expensive translucent light bulb or... gulp! a car that gets good gas mileage but may not be the coolest (PS - we're not there yet - we still drive a Honda Pilot SUV).

So what kind of influence should the environment have on our faith? Many Christians, even evangelical Christians, are starting to question "What Would Jesus Drive?" When God gave man the earth and told him to take care of it, was he calling him to be a tree hugging hippi environmentalist? Did that also gives us the right to do with it as we please?

I hate to say it, but is politics getting in the way of our concern for the earth? What shapes our decision to be more or less environmentally sensitive - our faith or our voter registration card?

Will God punish us for neglect of the planet? Now, in my humble opinion I don't think He will. I must admit that I often wonder if there is a link between the impact of global warming such as the sudden increase in drug resistant medicines, frequent and powerful hurricanes (and other such environmental events) and the end time events.

That goes contrary to what the Vatican decided today. According to the Vatican, recycling - or not recycling - is one of the "seven deadly sins of our times" and replace the "sins of the yesteryear" such as lust, pride, greed, sloth and so on which were way too individualistic for our modern day society.

The new seven deadly sins include genetic modification, carrying out experiments on humans, polluting the environment, causing social injustice, causing poverty, becoming obscenely wealthy and taking drugs which are all mortal sins.

Let me get this straight... the Vatican decided that our society - which seemly grows increasingly self centered each second of the day - no longer needed individualist pitfalls to stay away from. Hmmm... is it any wonder that people do what they do?

So if you want to go to heaven, please recycle... but while you are doing it take great pride in the fact that your neighbors are watching you!

Get over the Monday Morning Blues!

Here is what you might have missed at church on Sunday...

The Human Condition

I will not try to over-spiritualize this, becuase this is just plain funny. Not sure where they came from either.

Your Welcome,

CC

Oops... It's Time To Get Over IT!

I'll be honest with you, I have wanted to post something about Britney Spears since we first began this blog almost 2 months ago. I knew from what perspective I wanted to write from but just couldn't find the right article to frame my post with. Well, here it is.

Each decade for the past 50 years has had a pop icon martyr:
The 60's - Marilyn Monroe
The 70's - Elvis
The 80's - John Belushi
The 90's - Kurt Cobain

As we enter the last few years, the pop icon that best symbolizes the first decade of the 21st Century has to be Britney Spears. From her explosive rise as a teen idol in the late 90s/early 2000s, to her open rebellion against her sexual abstinence stance mid decade. Now we see this lost soul struggle against her own demons of fame played out daily on our television, internet and tabloids.

I was watching at TV psychiatrist the other day (I really wish I could remember his name because I would like to quote him) and he said very bluntly that we are about to lose Britney Spears. He said that the chances are about 50-50 that a normal person would survive what she is going through.

He went on to say that as our country's morals fall (this psychiatrist is not a Christian) we become increasingly numb to the fact that this is a real person. Our reality TV society sees it as nothing more than a show.

This article says it all...

There is something very wrong here, a country that's been at war without ever feeling the effects. A populace that responds to a slowly crumbling empire by fiddling away with a copy of US Weekly. We all need to escape sometimes...but do we need teenage celebrities, or Angelina and Jen to fill that void?

What makes Britney's case more troubling is that she seems to base her self worth on her popularity. This would explain the reason who most of her escapades have been in public and in front of the paparrazi.

It makes me sick to think that I am partly to blame. Instead of praying for her, I stop and watch the latest Britney news. When I gawk, I should be ill and sad instead of yearning to know what happens next.

I have spent enough time worshiping the "god of culture" as it sacrifices another life. I have chosen to join the author of this article and pray to feel ill when I see these things being played out in the media - to pray for a Christ-like perspective.

And I am going to pray for Britney Spears and others like her. Will you join?

Long live the king of "Christian" rock and roll...

I know he wasn't much to look at, but for those of you who enjoy listening to music with a Christ-based message but that rocks and rolls, you owe Larry Norman a big "thank you". Larry was a Christian making music back before there was a "Christian music industry". Larry went home to be with the Lord on February 28, 2008.

As an outspoken christian on a secular record label back in the 1960's Norman's band opened for The Greatful Dead, The Doors, and Janis Joplin. According to his website... Time Magazine described him as "the top solo artist in his field." Billboard called him "the most important songwriter since Paul Simon." You can and should read more about his life at the bio on his website.

Larry was a good 10-15 year ahead of other early groups such as The Jesus People in reaching out to the current culture for Jesus Christ. Artists such as Randy Stonehill were unbelieving musicians with whom Larry shared the Gospel and took on the road with him. Larry also started a church in his home that later became The Vineyard Church, which later grew to several hundred locations, and Jew For Jesus, an outreach to Jews worldwide. His music has been covered countless musicians, both Christian and non-Christian.

What is your favorite Larry Norman song/cover? Mine is "Reader's Digest (covered by Johnny Q Public)"...with "Why should the Devil have all the Good Music" and "God Part 2 (for you U2 fans)" a close 2nd and 3rd. "I wish We'd All Been Ready" is good too.


CC

Women Lie Better than Men

Finally some science to support what we already know: women lie beter than men. In support of writing a book, "Little White Lies, Deep Dark Secrets: The Truth About Why Women Lie" Susan Shapiro Barash interviewed 500 and came to the conclusion that women lie "more cleverly and successfully than men"...but for good reason..."Women lie as a survival technique, but also to get what they want," said Barash. Well maybe not for good reason... sounds like for any reason.

All this lying is coming to the spotlight because of the Fox television show "Moment of Truth". It is a gross show that hurts people and appeals to our wicked hearts (like Jerry Springer). There is an article in the NY Post about, you can read it here.

What do you think? One additional question...are women better liars OR are men more trusting?

CC

Thought for the Day: Use Extreme Caution when Making Wine

The infamous Grape Lady Video.