Eviscerated

This morning I feel disgusting. I feel like I have been eviscerated by peopel who criticize and find fault and do not show mercy. I think I shall just lie here and be walked all over. No one shows pity. No one listens.
I suppose God can say the same that no one listens. Thanks for His mercy but only if you are good.

Falwell

I am saddened by the death of Jerry Falwell. I did not always agree with his actions or politics. I found he was a little too far to th eright for me. Nevertheless, he stood for Biblical morality against the forces of of society which accept all sorts of blatant sexual immorality inclduing homosexaulity. He stood for the Biblical family against the lie of homosexual "marriage" which is not marriage at all but sin. he also led the fight against abortion. In the end the fight was not his to win, but the Lord's.
I also thank him for Liberty University and the Distance Education program. Falwell had the insight and wisdom to create this program which allowed me and thousands of other men and women to get their degrees without disrupting their lives too much. The program was exceptional and was ahead of its time. Thanks Dr. Falwell. I am sure to see you in heaven.

Gaia and Global Warming

Yesterday I delivered a sermon at 2EFC on the strength of weakness. Prior to the service I was speaking with our head usher, our worship leader and the youth director. One of them mentioned that he used some web engine called Gaia. Well, this irked me. Gaia was the Greek goddess of the earth, mother earth as many would like to refer to it as. This bothered me because a lot of people in America worship Gaia either in pagan rites or unwittingly. How easy it is for people to talk about Mother Earth regarding the weather and the natural world and the climate. What about Almighty God? No can't talk about Him because that would offend some people, the non-monotheists or the neoBuddhists. Taking care of Mother Earth is what is behind the concern about global warming. We have a responsibility to care for her. We are kin to all flora and fauna and must watch out for them.

Hogwash!

We are not products of evolution. We are made by God in His image. He controls the earth and the weather. We should care for what He has given us yes, but this does not mean humans are causing global warming. Clean air is desirable so is clean water and chemical free food. We should care for our fellow human beings all over the world by denying our rights and luxuries. The celebrities and politicians who talk the loudest about global warming are among the ones who could stand to do a lot of self-denial. Instead they are concerned about image and their fake ideals. Put your money where your mouth is. I do.

Alec Baldwin

Now I am not any big fan of Mr Baldwin's but I do not see how his private communications are of any interest to us. Granted that what he said was foul and hurtful especially from a parent to a child but we had no right to hear it. It was private and to tell you the truth who among us is without sin here? Who among us has not said similar words to others including children? We all use such words and we have no right to criticize him for what we too do. As Jesus said we often sin by looking at the speck of wood in our brother's eye while ignoring the 2x4 in our own. In other words, we are all sinners and we should have a little humility. Perhaps Mr Baldwin should be taken to task if he is abusive but let us not be hasty to condemn him unless we are willing also to condemn ourselves.

I doubt that anyone will take the time to think this out. Our whole culture is wrapped up with blaming someone for our troubles. oh wait, Cho, the Virginia Tech shooter did that too. Are we all a race of ego maniacal narcissists? Except those who in Christ Jesus. We Christians too are selfish and sinful but we realize it and confess it and submit to the Lord's discipline as He works to purge us of it.

Spontaneous Prayer

I do not mean to imply that I have the corner on the market when it comes to spontaneous prayer. It is something I do. I think I do it well but could do it better. I do not know the mind of God but I do know how to tell Him what I want and I know how to tell Him: with honesty and fervor.

I grew up as a Catholic and one of the reasosn I left the church was the matter of rote prayers recited over and over. I understand that these make people feel better and give comfort but they are prayer only if meant as commmunication to God. Prayer is just that, a message I say to God. Sometimes He speaks back, not in an open way but through circumstances and spiritual insight.

Spontaneous Prayer

I went to a chaplain's conference yesterday. One of the workshops discussed the idea of spontaneous prayer. For me this is an obvious tool though I gather it is a new idea for most chaplains. I suppose those in the Roman Catholic and Anglican-Episcopal traditions find it new because they are so used to prayer books. I gather that such an idea is foreign to Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus. But if prayer is talking to God why not just tell Him what you want to say? All prayer is best as spontaneous. For us in the non liturgical churches written prayer is often used to remind us of our Christian heritage. It is novel, helpful but not the norm. In CPE I was admired for my gift at spontaneous prayer even though I did not think that it was all that exceptional. I listened to patients and was better able to pray for their needs. It was that simple and yet so many people make it so complex. I guess I could have taught the workshop but then maybe not. I may believe that prayer has power to change and heal but not every prayer. Only those prayers made to God in the name of Jesus have such power. Thus prayer cannot be taught to people who do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior or are not seeking to know Him.

Rosie is scared

Concerning Rosie's allegation that 9/11 was a government orchestrated conspiracy, this is nothing new. Many people feel this way or did, myself included. I feel that making such an allegation is a coping mechanism that helps one deal with his/her fear. I thought for a while that 9/11 was perpetrated by the government because such a thought was more comforting to me. I did not want to think that there were thousands of Moslem fanatics who could kill me or my loved ones without a moment's notice. It is safer to think the government caused it. At least we have some means of dealing with them. We have no way of preventing attacks from fanatics nor can we reason with them or be sure that we can be safe from them.

Rosie is speaking out of fear. She is afraid to think that she could be a target of fanatics. She is not as afraid of the government since her celebrity status and her loud mouth serve to protect her by putting her in the public eye.

But the fact is, people are born evil. There are hundreds of thousands of religious fanatics not just among the Moslems but in every group who will kill without guilt. There are thousands of unstable people who do the same.

Rosie herself and most of the Hollywood elite are one of the main reasons the Moslems hate the USA. Hollywood exports immorality on a large scale in the movies and TV shows that are broadcast round the globe. Rosie is a symbol of that immorality since she has chosen to become a lesbian and feels that there is nothing wrong with that. As a Christian I say that she is entitled to do what she wants but that lifestyle is sinful and immoral. The Moslems feel that way too but the fanatical ones say she has no right to export that to them and she and others like her should be stopped.

Me? I stopped watching ABC TV years ago because there is nothing worthwhile on it. Yet I think Rosie should apologize and shut up or else be fired. This won't happen because controversy like this sells. Money is more important in America than morality.