How Manly are Christian Men?

Read this brief article and see if you disagree with the writer. I basically don't. If what he says is true, then what is the cause? And what is the cure?

But then, is it important that Christian men be 'manly', or are we just measuring ourselves by worldly standards?

About That Mistress of Yours, Part 665

Okay, it's been literally weeks since I've posted anything as provocative as this. Before you read on, to understand the title as well as what follows, I suggest you first read James 4:4 again:

You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

Now, assuming you are a biblical Christian, we can move on.

I need to share some things about that mistress of some of you. I know she is beautiful, everyone wants her, she seems quite wealthy, she's more famous than Jesus, I know, I know, I know. She certainly is all that. She looks good in an evening gown holding a torch as well as in less ('Liberty Leading the People').

In fact, she's kinda like Carrie Prejean, isn't she? Kinda Christian; kinda maybe not so much.

Actually, this post is a test. You see, the test is simply this--which riles you up more, critique of the Church or critique of America?

So, which do you love more? Do you protect your mistress because she really is close to perfect or because you feel guilty that you are madly in love with her? Keep those thoughts in mind for the next 20 minutes (if you haven't kicked in your computer screen yet).

If the spiritual adultery doesn't bother you, maybe you'll listen when I say that your mistress may have AIDS (Acquired Insight Deficiency Syndrome), which you probably already know is an STD (Spiritually Transmitted Disease).

First, I received an email from Phil (an old Christian college classmate who is now an attorney in NJ), with a link to this article by Glenn Greenwald, a journalist who is best known (at least by me) for tracking the infiltration of Moonie influence at very high levels in Washington, including a ceremony a few years ago attended by numerous congressmen where Sun Myong Moon was crowned the heavenly/earthly "King of Peace," after having funded a campaign to get over 300 inner city Christian churches to toss their crosses into the waste bins (in order to clear the way for 'world peace.')

But I digress. This particular article deals with the degeneracy that apparently allows Americans to torture innocent people with no legal consequences. The case is Arar vs. Ashcroft. It reminds me of the biblical passages where the Apostle Paul gets his torturers' attention by telling them that he is a Roman citizen. So little has changed.

And please note that there is no doubt whatsoever that America is outsourcing Syria (!) to do torture. But I thought they were our/Israel's enemy? Guess that lady is sleeping around... You didn't know?

But if your time is limited, just jump to the second and more troubling report about your mistress. You see, the former UK Ambassador to Uzbekistan is charging that the CIA were paying Uzbek authorities to torture children in front of their parents, boil people alive and use broken bottles to rape people in order to produce false confessions.





If you can discredit these reports, please do (see what happens to those who venture to speak the truth here and here--that's why we keep silent, isn't it?), but I'm just telling you what the word on the street is about that friend of some of yours...

You see, I care about you, and I hate to see this woman use and abuse you. Do you not know that she sees you as a useful idiot? If you'll commit adultery with her, she assumes you'll murder for her. Is she right?

You see, I'm not trying to save America. I'm trying to save as many of my brothers and sisters as possible--at least a part of the Church in America. Why do I not blog like all the other good Christian pastors? Why do I get into all this? Well, sometimes you have to get wet to save a drowning person, even when you've tried to dress up in your Sunday best yourself.

And, actually, saving the Church in America could end up saving America, but I doubt the rest of us can convert the mistress while you're still in bed with her.

My concern is that if we do not soon repent, it will get worse. After all, that's exactly what Jeremiads are intended to prevent.

Weekend Inspiration Extra: If At First You Don't Succeed...

A 68 year-old woman in South Korea finally (and barely) passed her driver's test...after failing 949 times! Check it out here.

Weekend Inspiration: Love Letter from God

The Unspeakable: Clergy Suicide

Last week, USA Today ran an article (as well as Religion News Service here) about something few of us want to ever acknowledge--clergy depression...and suicide. Yes, sometimes ministers of the gospel commit suicide. I can name a couple well-recognized Assemblies of God clergy over the years that have done so.

This is a really tough subject. On the one hand, God alone is the judge, alone knowing the state of mind of the individual. On the other hand, I hesitate to indicate that suicide is not a very, very serious issue, and is probably best understood as self-murder. My nephew's life ended in such a tragedy.

What is the best thing to say to believers when such tragedies happen?

Just So You Know Department: Oral on Obama

Just came across this month-old interview with Oral Roberts, containing the following...

Q. What do you think about President Barack Obama?

A. He is the man of this time. He's taken the burdens of the presidency in a remarkable manner. If he keeps on going the way he's going, he'll be a remarkable president. I voted for him.

Maybe it had something to do with universal health care?:)

Christian Movie Making, Big Time

Q: Where is the Christian movie capital of the world?

A: Hint: Not Hollywood, Bollywood or the Magic Kingdom, for sure. It's Nollywood in Lagos, Nigeria.

What's your favorite Christian movie (if you have one)?

Midweek Funny

Maybe you've already seen this. Thanks, Ralph.

Curtis & Leroy saw an ad in the Starkville Daily News Newspaper in Starkville, MS and bought a mule for $100.

The farmer agreed to deliver the mule the next day.

The next morning the farmer drove up and said, "Sorry, fellows, I have some bad news, the mule died last night."

Curtis & Leroy replied, “Well, then just give us our money back."

The farmer said, "Can't do that. I went and spent it already."

They said, "OK then, just bring us the dead mule."

The farmer asked, "What in the world ya'll gonna do with a dead mule?"

Curtis said, "We gonna raffle him off."

The farmer said, "You can't raffle off a dead mule!"

Leroy said, "We shore can! Heck, we don't hafta tell nobody he's dead!"

A couple of weeks later, the farmer ran into Curtis & Leroy at the Piggly Wiggly grocery store
and asked.

"What'd you fellers ever do with that dead mule?"

They said, "We raffled him off like we said we wuz gonna do."

Leroy said, "Shucks, we sold 500 tickets fer two dollars apiece and made
a profit of $898."

The farmer said, "My Lord, didn't anyone complain?"

Curtis said, "Well, the feller who won got upset... So we gave him his two dollars back."

Curtis and Leroy now work for the government.

They're overseeing the Bailout Program.

Repent or Resign?

Today is Election Day in many parts of the U.S. Many Christians are running for office, and deserve our prayers. I trust all Christians will go vote in a prayerful and informed manner. I do believe it is part of our civic duty.

I have often wondered why the Roman Catholic Church deals so mildly with member politicians who are totally committed to promoting things (such as abortion) that are totally opposite the clear teachings of the church.

Here is an interesting NYTimes article that says that African RC bishops have had it with corrupt members of their own churches and are openly challenging them to "repent or resign."

But, let me ask you this...would you want evangelical/pentecostal clergy openly challenging evangelical/pentecostal politicians? If so, who and whom? One would think Matthew 18 certainly applies, but what if they do not respond to a loving approach (after all they only have so much time in the day, too)? And when do you want your clergy telling you when they believe that you're being lied to?

In short, when is it appropriate, if ever, to do what the African bishops are doing? How bad does it have to be for this sort of thing to be appropriate?

A Christian Graffiti Artist Finally Gets His Due

This is a lovely story from Australia about a man who spent much of his life writing the word "Eternity" on anything and everything, inspired by a sermon he heard.

He did it for 37 years. He wrote the word in chalk about...500,000 times, until he was finally outed by someone in his church. The nation remembered him in their Millenium celebration when the word was emblazoned in the sky with fireworks. Really.

Are you like me and grit your teeth everytime you see Christian graffiti on bridges, etc., or are you grateful for such artistic expressions?

Weekend Perspiration: How Some Christians Are Celebrating Halloween

For us, we are doing Let it Shine/Light the Night once again, birthed here in State College a decade or so ago.

For others, they are simply doing what Jesus/The Early Church would do as a witness to the world. Or not. Gotta specially love getting the media into the fun.

Here is the USA Today story. No wonder the number of religiously unaffiliated in America has tripled (from 8% to 25%) in the past 20 years.

The Scariest Halloween Costume Ever

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween in Any Way? (Updated)

Here's a 2 minute video from the Christian Stand to Reason Blog. Any flaws in his reasoning?

We have such great commenters here. Have at it!

Updated 12/31: I've never known the Roman Catholic Church to say something this negative and directly about Halloween. I always thought they more-or-less embraced/accommodated it. I suppose that's what happens when a real theologian is elected Pope.

How Gimmicky is Too Gimmicky?

I grew up on gimmicky church attendance booster programs. We gave away almost anything to get people to come.

But dry times are here again. I have mixed feelings about these things, for sure. I realize Jesus fed the 5000 and some focused on the loaves and fishes (John 6:26), but it wasn't His motive to entice them.

Anyhow, you've probably heard of this story by now (here and here). What are the limits here? For instance, should we use incentive programs to get our kids to invite others to come, but not adults? Should we incentivize anything, including bringing your Bible, memorization, etc.? What do you think?

Midweek Funny: Wedding Faux Pas

Since this month Arline and I celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary, and I had weddings on my mind recently when I ran across this, tell me the worst thing that has gone wrong in a wedding you attended...