RetroChristian

Giving to Man

2007-02-14T12:02:00.000-08:00

But the people gave the money to God, so it's ok:

For nearly a decade, members of Ripon's First Congregational Church bared their souls to Pastor Randall Radic. But clearly it didn't work both ways. There were certain things he wasn't telling them.

That became obvious a year ago, when Radic pleaded guilty to betraying his flock and secretly selling the church and its rectory out from under them. He used the money to buy himself a brand-new black BMW and a laptop -- exploits he later chronicled in a cheeky, almost gleeful blog about his double life as a sinner.

southflorida.com

This is why all the "I've given it to God" stuff has to stop. When you give to the church you are just as accountable as the gentlemen in the parable of the talents. If the pastor can look and see who's giving how much, then you should definitely know and care about how the money you've given is being spent.

Free will

2007-02-14T06:38:00.000-08:00

If certain Christian sects are correct and God has elected some people and there is no way for them to not be elected, then wouldn't it mean that both the elect and non-elect are doing God's will?

In other words, if God says that one person will do good and another will do bad, then isn't the bad person doing the will of God?

To Grow a Church

2007-02-13T18:29:00.001-08:00

I used to go to one of the best churches I've ever known. What happened to change that?

Modern churches are focused on one thing; to grow the church. In order to grow the church you must enact certain rules and behaviors to keep it running. Now, this is where modern churches begin to lose focus. All events become centered at the facility and all programs are organized to support the facility.

"by all means that we might save some"

What's the best way to keep young people involved?

The modern church answers this by getting them involved in anything and everything from music to games to events.

Well, in order to accommodate all that is needed takes a lot of money. It is natural then that we find most modern churches drowned in debt. I understand that the Bible has something to say about usury and the like, but never mind that.

Praying before service my pastor mentioned that we "needed" about 6 more classrooms and that it would take about $100,000. This on top of all the money we've already spent on fixing up the place.

We'd all like chandeliers of gold, toilet paper of silk, and pews equipped with back message equipment, but its just not going to happen. Not while I'm doing the spending anyway. Sure, give it to God they say, but aren't I responsible and accountable for what and where I give. Can I give a homeless pimp money knowing that he's going to use it for cab fare to beat his b*tches? No, that would be irresponsible.

So no, we do not need to spend 100 grand on new classrooms. We need to pay off what we have and make due with it. Its not about the facilities and money. Else, in poor times not built up by the easy credit Americans have been bred to love, then no one would be saved.

For example, anyone can get beautiful women by flashing 100 dolla' bills around, but once the monies are gone so are they. Better to attract people with character, then a bunch of hoes searching for the latest taste of excitement.

Life After Death

2007-02-13T18:01:00.000-08:00

Life After Death: A History of the Afterlife in Western Religion
by Alan F. Segal (professor of Jewish studies at Barnard College)

I found this book in New York while waiting for a Knickerbocker's (yes, that is what it says on the ticket) game. I actually got through quite a bit and was really fascinated with what the author found in his research.

For one he shows the difference in the Jews belief of the afterlife during the first temple, then how their ideas changed towards the second temple and finally how they began incorporating the pagan ideas of reincarnation and transmigration of the soul. Finally, he reaches into the New Testament and digs up some pretty nice information regarding the Christian development of both heaven and hell.

Got to put the wife through school, but you can be sure that this one will remain at the top of my list when I get some free cash.

Big Daddy's Belt

2007-01-25T10:36:00.000-08:00

"Love Jesus or Burn Forever in Hell." I first saw this wonderfully encouraging statement emblazoned on the roof of a barn in rural South Carolina. Actually just about where I would expect to find it.

Boy does this little bit of encouragement say reams about the either/or mentality that goes with many fundamentalist teachings...

What part of eternal punishment in a lake of fire is the Good News? The Good News is what we are commanded to preach, not eternal torment. The Good News is reason people are to come to God. Paul preached the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and how to apply it to our lives. Not the eternal torment we incorporated from the pagan folks.

For instance, the apostle Paul never mentioned hell in either his speeches in Acts or his letters. And there is more just about everywhere you look on the subject: tentmaker.org, bible-truths.com and so on.

Christians have been sold a bill of goods for so long that we've come to believe in it more than the most wonderful news we've ever had in 6000 years. It's time to do away with this concept and preach the real Gospel.

Pollution

2007-01-24T19:00:00.000-08:00

If it can be shown that an incorporeal and reasonable being has life in itself independently of the body and that it is worse off in the body than out of it, then beyond a doubt bodies are only of secondary importance and arise from time to time to meet the varying conditions of reasonable creatures. Those who require bodies are clothed with them, and contrawise, when fallen souls have lifted themselves up to better things their bodies are once more annihilated. They are thus ever vanishing and ever reappearing.
~Origen

A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, P. Schaff and H. Wace editors

What a messed up period in time. One of the most frequently quoted church "fathers" believed in reincarnation. Is there anyone we can trust from the 2nd century? My guess is no. About the best we can surmise is what the prevailing beliefs of the period were and try to match them against what's in the Bible.

Difficult to say the least. Who can say what effect these guys had on modern Christianity and what heresies of theirs are still incorporated within our own churches?

Symptoms of disease

2006-10-27T13:28:00.000-07:00

Usually, the first question a doctor asks when one visits for an affliction concerns the symptoms of the sickness. Hopefully, the symptoms will lead to the problem and from there a solution.

1. People don't like to come to church.
2. People are bored when they do come and need an "exciting" preacher to make it intesting.
3. People need a plethora of programs so that they might not have need of the outside world. (modern day monasteries)

There are two ways in which the modern Western church meets these symptoms:

1. The programs and fellowship time revolve around keeping everyone entertained. Knowledged might be shared, but its rarely new or particularly deep.

2. Keeping people invovled so that they feel the need to come back again and again.

Why do we need a plethora of programs and projects in our churches to keep people interested. Could the spawn of these be linked to basic apathy of what the original intent was? If we preach the gospel and it is unaccepted they why do we try to keep people unintesested involved.

Is this not a drain? Allowing people to come back of their own volition allows for the very basic necessity of free will and determined choice.

Here's the crux: by constantly calling, inviting, and befriending we violate the very scripture itself when we re-witness to people who have already heard the gospel. It is because we are doing the choosing and not allowing God to make the call.

"Ye have not chosen Me, but I HAVE CHOSEN YOU…" (John 15:16)

Over and over again, the Bible tells that we can't choose ourselves. How then can another choose us?

To Grow A Church

2006-10-11T12:33:00.000-07:00

The Holy Fathers of Today

2006-10-11T11:41:00.000-07:00

"In the early 1500’s a Catholic monk named Martin Luther tried to live a life holy enough to be accepted by God. Unlike most Christians of that time period, he could read the Bible. The Bible was off limits to the common people. Most Christians could not read, but even if they did, the Church forbid them from reading the Bible. Church leaders at that time (like many church leaders today) did not think the average Christian was capable of understanding it – they felt Christians needed priests to explain to them what God demands of them. Actually many Christian do not believe they can really understand the bible on their own. They attend churches who have trained ministers who tell them what the Bible really means. Things haven’t changed as much as we would like to think."

Gary Amirault

Every Christian starts at a place where they don't know much and must rely on the knowledge and learning of others. However, to remain at that place is spiritual death.

Sumaji

2006-10-09T21:51:00.000-07:00

One particular thing among many has bothered about the birth of Jesus, the mysterious appearance of the magi. I mean, what the heck?!

Until now I had no idea what to think. Out of no where these magician/astrologer types show up and start worshipping a Godly incarnation which they had foretold. I was assured along the way by pastors and preachers alike that the Jews had the keys only. Everyone else was just dead wrong.

Well, I did a little digging and it turns out that the magi were thought to be last remnants of a created caste of Sumerians desperate to preserve their identity. This makes sense, since much of the Genesis account resembles that of the preceding Sumerian accounts of creation. Abraham came out of Sumeria so we can assume that he, too, knew of these ancient beliefs.

So if the Sumerians were the forebearers of the faith can we not conclude that their prophecies are also correct and given that they got a relatively large prophecy correct, namely the birth of JC, then we can also assume that they SHOULD be correct.

So what did they have to say?

Here we find ourselves amoung the stargazers, searching the skies for the past to speak to us of the future and what do we find...2012 and a return to the cradle of cizilization: Babylon or what is now considered Iraq.

The slings and arrows are conspiring against us. Who then can we turn to, for if history can only reveal preordained events, then prevention is not possible. What good is foreknowledge if we lack the power to do anything about it?

Even it the future is ours to know, then it still remains out of our control. The question is: does ignorance or knowledge of events favor man?

De-Posit

2006-10-09T21:45:00.000-07:00

I'm sure someone has thought of this before, but I'll give it a go...

For those that believe we are the epitome of evolution and that our origin is of the ape allow me to posit this. What if evolution is taking a break and that we are not evolved from apes, but instead apes have evolved from us courtesy of the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics?

A slight detour to be sure. Never the less, we assume that evolution evolves species a linear trajectory ever upward, but what if we get little hiccups along the way. Some species remain stagnent, but cognizant enough to survive for a few millenia. Thus we have ugly ape roaming around reminding us what a slight variation for the worse can lead to.

If ever there was a case to be made for abortion and euthanasia I've made it, sadly...

Light Blowing Wind

2006-10-02T22:21:00.000-07:00

I've heard from the beginning of my Christian education that Satan/Lucifer was good (some say perfect0, then went bad.

ORLY? What JC have to say about him?

John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

"Murderer from the beginning"?

II Cor. 11:14

14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Great googly-moogly! Satan, an archangel of light himself, disguises himself as an angel of light. Why in the world would he need to make himself into something he already is?

The very definition of Satan, meaning "adversay", tells us exactly who he is and what he was created for; namely that he may "SIFT you as wheat" (Luke 22:31).

Paul reiterates:

"To deliver such an one UNTO SATAN for DESTRUCTION of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus" (I Cor. 5:4-5)"

We must be willing to believe that which we know isn't so in order to understand the truth.

A Will to Power Through

2006-10-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

I'm a Suns fan, Steve Nash is the Free Market, and Mike Di'antoni is the Gold Standard. Which means that I know something deep inside my being, down to my living soul through the very door of synaptical pistons.

The NBA is rigged. Yes, I don't know that for a fact, but it's in my gut. Does that take away from the game? A little, yes, but I'll keep watching. That's because every now and then someone figures out how to win at the casino.

The powers that be couldn't stop the Suns from reaching the playoffs. However, once they reached the concrete domes of injustice they (the evil basketball aristocracy) could unleash the full power of the whistling zebra demons (the refs).

*Side note: all this basketball terminology can be confusing, but if you'll stick with me I think it will all become salient.*

The EBA(Evil Basketball Aristocracy) wanted the LA Lakers to advance because then they would have to play the LA Clippers, which would make for great ratings in a large city. The refs did everything they could to placate the EBA to the point of letting the Lakers pretty much have their way with the Suns. Even Steve Nash got angry at some of the calls, a rarity.

Alas, down 3 games it looked like the Suns could not recover from the foul injustice that was set upon them. However, it was not to be.

Mike Di'antoni knows something.

He knows that if his team can score more points than the other team, then the refs can't cheat them out of a win. This means you have beat your opponent by nearly 20 points a game.

If the game is close, then the refs can help the other team win within the last two mintues by calling fouls, jump balls, and other silly, nonsensical inanities, but if the lead is double digits then they can't control the game.

I'm sure the NBA would like to get rid of the rules that helped make the game more to the Suns gameplan, but Phoenix is just too popular.

Do you know how much you don't know?

2006-10-02T11:49:00.000-07:00

MATTHEW 16
1 And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered them, [1] “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’
3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.

Here's the problem. We believe what the people we trust believe. They believe what the people they trust believed. How much they know and have learned on their own is not something we can know. So if we trust them for what we believe then we have no way of knowing if they are wrong.

Most people believe the rapture will take place before the 7 sevens years of tribulation because of a series of books called "Left Behind". How this helps them understand the actual Bible text is indeterminate.

The Pharisess and Sadducees knew exactly what they were supposed to believe and they missed the coming of the Messiah. It is no doubt that they were sure of what they knew. However, they didn't know what they didn't know.

It is apparent that the Pharisees and Sadducees thought they knew exactly what was coming to pass and so do the Christians of today. We believe that if one dies before coming to Christ that eterntal torment awaits even thought they claim their G-d is eternally mercifal. The Jews didn't think there was hope for the Gentiles and now the
Gentiles feel there is no hope for non-Christians.

Insulated as the Pharisees were to the outside world it's possible we might be overlooking the true power of the Savior. That he might be the savior of all humanity.

Now, here's why we can't trust leadership on this one. Like tithing, their jobs are linked to the belief that there is no hope for most of humanity. Without the preaching of eternal torment they believe it would be harder to keep the people in the pews, which would hurt the bottom line.

However, we shouldn't come to G-d out of fear of eternal torment. Since there are more reasons than I could list on this page I'll let you figure out your own reasons.

Dissappointment

2006-09-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

About a year ago my pastor called me in to see him. I went to his house and we talked about the things going on in the church while asking me questions about my committment along the way. Then we came to the subject truly on his mind: tithing. A friend and I had been debating the subject, me being against it, and now he wanted to hear it from me.

I explained myself thoughtfully. I had written my own study, which was fairly short considering I did my best to answer every critic I had talked to. Eventually he agreed with me because he couldn't counter my arguments. We compromised; I would give to the church in order to pay the bills and cover operating costs. We had gone broke months earlier while I was still paying my tithes, but now we were doing better. My wife had gotten a job so it eased our finances quite a bit and we had something left to give at the end of the month.

However, I did what shouldn't be done. I didn't write a check or fill out those little envelopes they give you. When I noticed something that needed to be purchased, I did. I spent more time at the church working. Also, I don't ask anything of the pastor. If something goes wrong I call one of my friends at the church. Most of the Bible study I get does not come from the pastor and frankly it seems like he's been preaching the same sermon for a 5 years. None of these items show up in the financial logs so it looked like I only gave a couple of hundred bucks for the year.

This was unacceptable. Another meeting was called. I explained how I had been giving. It was deemed unacceptable. So I caved. I love the church and people. All my friends are there and I would miss them were I to leave.

So I give what I call my membership fee. At the end of the day that's all it is. It covers the preacher, the bills, and everything else. It equals roughly ten percent and shows up on the books.

However, I quit working up at the church as much. Why should I? It actually costs me to work. And no, I don't believe I should be paid for working at the church, but if I've got to pay to play, then I'll do it my way.

Inspired, but only 600 years ago

2006-09-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

A friend and I have been debating back and forth about whether or not the story of Lazarus and Rich man is a parable. He stands upon the foundation of modern theology, but I have taken a different route. I think there are major problems with the King James translation as well as many of the newer ones.

It started with a single verse. I noticed that the verse disagreed with other similar verses in the Bible. So I went to other translations as well as the Greek and Hebrew and found that because our modern English has changed since the King James English, the meaning had been turned to read the opposite of what it was meant to say.

The modern Christian movement believes that the Bible is inspired, but also maintain that many of the newer translations are in error. Why were the KJV translators inspired, but our modern translators simply wrong for even trying to do better? The men of 1611 were no more inpired than our own modern translators.

This means that we can't trust any translations on it's own merit. If there is a question of meaning then research must be done, documents consulted, researchers discussed, prayer must be had and only then can we reach a conclusion.

The truth is that no matter how highly we think of the men of the past or of the present, even those people were esteem highly in our life, we must study scripture ourselves so that we know what is true.

2006-02-28T10:32:00.000-08:00

Does history repeat itself?

Genesis
4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. 5 And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.” 6 Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him, 7 and said, “I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. 8 Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.” 9 But they said, “Stand back!” And they said, “This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them.” Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door down. 10 But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them and shut the door. 11 And they struck with blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house, both small and great, so that they wore themselves out groping for the door.

For the sake of argument let's assume history is as cyclical as we assume it to be. (An assumption based on an assumption, that's the ticket) How far away are we from a time such things are demanded in our own streets? It is already demanded in prisons. When prisoner leave we know that they don't leave what they've learned behind. What inference can we draw here? Namely, that we are on our own path to Sodom.

I merely ask the question as only time can provide the answer.

Of spiders and men

2006-02-21T16:08:00.000-08:00

Along the wall of a section of cube farm I noticed a spider dangling from roof to wall. Amazing creatures, I though to myself. Yet, for all their amazing-ness I would not hesitate to smash the living breathe out of it should it perch it's head in view.
- Short thought by RC

Yeah, so it's England...so what?

2006-02-08T09:38:00.000-08:00

The case of a lorry driver who waved to warn motorists of a speed trap is to be heard in the House of Lords.

The High Court previously ruled he was not guilty of obstructing officers in the execution of their duty.

Charles Glendinning, 55, of Yeovil, was prosecuted after police saw him giving his arm signal on the A303 at Tinkers Hill, Stoke Trister, in June 2005.

On Wednesday Lord Justice Scott Baker and Mr Justice Owen said the case raised issues fit for consideration.

The point is not whether he wins or lose. Even if he does win this time someone in the future will lose and every case from then on will be judged the same way. All they need is one win.

No, that's not really the important part. What then? Well, people are starting to see police as an occupying army, even the regular joes who are trying to go about their own business.

This doesn't bode well for the cops and it doesn't bode well for everyone else. Of course, this could all be turned around with a simple decision. No fines or any kind of monetary compensation from the enforcement of crimes shall go to any law enforcement officer or its employer. Where it goes someone else can decide, but I think it would definitely help cop vs. other relations.

The year 3000

2006-02-08T09:32:00.000-08:00

A Futurama episode about the debate between the two candidates, John Jackson and Jack Johnson, for the president of the world could be substituted for own.

Johnson: [on TV] It's time someone had the courage to stand up and say: "I'm against those things that everybody hates".

[The other candidate is John Jackson.]

Jackson: [on TV] Now I respect my opponent. I think he's a good man but, quite frankly, I agree with everything he just said!

Fry: These are the candidates? They sound like clones. [He looks a little harder.] Wait a minute. They are clones!

Leela: Don't let their identical DNA fool you. They differ on some key issues.

Johnson: [on TV] I say your three cent titanium tax goes too far.

Jackson: [on TV] And I say your three cent titanium tax doesn't go too far enough!

Well, we may not have human clones just yet, but we're close as Joshua Frank points out:

"I believe we lost critical time in dealing with Iran because the White House chose to downplay the threats and to outsource the negotiations," Clinton told an audience at Princeton University on January 18. "I don't believe you face threats like Iran or North Korea by outsourcing it to others and standing on the sidelines … We cannot and should not – must not – permit Iran to build or acquire nuclear weapons," Clinton added. "In order to prevent that from occurring … we must move as quickly as feasible for sanctions in the United Nations."

In other words, the war has not gone far-far enough. Ah, to be young and also a robot.

Getting down with the sickness

2006-02-08T07:37:00.000-08:00

Throw the Bum Out.
First step is to contrive a DV incident where your husband gets arrested. Provoke a fight, and hope he responds physically. You can even try asking him, directly or indirectly. "I bet you'd really like to slap me right now." Some men will oblige, although stupidly for sure. Anyway, you don't need to have been hit, pushed, slapped or punched to get him arrested. Call him into the bedroom to talk, and when he comes in the doorway, scream "stop harassing me and let me leave." When he says, "huh?" dart past him out the door, then call 911. Be sure to tell the dispatcher every detail of what happened, his past abuse, threats, and how afraid you are of him. They'll send two or three squad cars out to your house pronto.

If you attack him first, lose your balance, fall back and bump your head, even better. Now you have "evidence" of his assault.
When the officers arrive, tremble and cry, and say he lunged at you while threatening to kill you. No proof of this is available, of course, but that doesn't matter, only your word is needed.

After they remove him in handcuffs, start packing up his things and leave them on the front porch. The court will let him come by with a police officer to get his personal property, and it will go much faster if you've already put his stuff in big garbage bags.

If that doesn't scare men away from a state sanctioned marriage than I don't know what will.

The new face of the NBA?

2006-02-02T17:00:00.000-08:00

LeBron James is copping out again, copping out on his responsibility as face (or co-face) of the league. The dunk contest wasn't beneath a young MJ, and it wasn't beneath a young Kobe, but LeBron won't risk it. Just like he won't risk a last-second shot. It's getting old.

He has ascended to this sort of MJ status -- Super Bowl commercials, appearances on national TV every week -- but has not entirely deserved it. He has never been in a playoff game, much less won a playoff game, yet he shares the league right now with Kobe. He's obviously an electric player, a triple-double waiting to happen, but he's almost basketball's Peyton Manning -- no storybook endings.

All right, what and who are the real future of basketball. Is it Lebron James or Kobe Bryant or somebody else? As this guy is haarping over the fact that nobody with any chops wants to be in the slam dunk contest he's missing the big picture, namely that the NBA is going international.

Watch the Suns play or any other team near the top of the rankings. The Pistons play like an international team, unselfish, cohesive, and not extremely exciting with high flying dunks and the like. Half the Spurs are from out of the country and there is even a Russian guy running the Jazz, a Spanish guy running the Grizzlies, and a Chinese guy sharing the headlines in Houston. Of course, you can't leave out Steve Nash, last years MVP and one of the top point guards in the league.

So where does that leave us. AND1 gives us so many dunks that after a while it just becomes another a "whatever" part of the game. Not much more exciting than a nice assist or sleak bank shot off the glass. Sure, it was a spectacle at first. Most of the best dunks have been done. All of the new ones are just new takes on old ideas.

Lastly, the dunk contest is like ice skating: all subjective. There's no scoreboard, just guys flashing up cardboard with numbers of what they think is cool. You might as well watch Michelle Kwan skate in circles.

So what does that leave us? Good fundamentals, high scoring, team work, and betting shooting are what's going to propel basketball into the future. Dunks will still be a highlight, but its time as a focal point is nearly over.

So who is the future? I think its hard to say as an American writing about what's soon to be an international game, but I think we can depend on guys like Yao Ming, Steve Nash, Tracy McGrady, and Pau Gasol to take the game to new levels and new continents. Either that or the game will desolve, an idea which I find implausible.

Sure, guys like Lebron and Kobe will make big splashes, but when a easily a billion people in a nation mostly of guys start making their prescence felt it will feel like a whole different game. Sorry Lebron, you're not the future.

Personal Prayer Time

2006-01-17T09:40:00.000-08:00

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin on what he's learned while spending time deep in meaningful prayer with the Lord:

"It's time for us to come together. It's time for us to rebuild New Orleans _ the one that should be a chocolate New Orleans," the mayor said. "This city will be a majority African American city. It's the way God wants it to be. You can't have New Orleans no other way. It wouldn't be New Orleans."

That New Orleans was settled by white French settlers doesn't come close to its rich Jazz heritage. Beignets? Zeideco? The Battle of New Orleans? Nope, Jazz Fest trumps them all.

The shoe is now on the other foot

2006-01-09T12:01:00.000-08:00

A policeman complains about his new partner in crime:

When state Trooper Jeffrey Covello crashed his cruiser last July in Plymouth, he knew supervisors would investigate the accident.

What he did not know was that deep inside his Ford Crown Victoria was a small "black box," similar to those in airplanes, that recorded data in the seconds before impact - information that could be used against him by his superiors if he were found to be at fault.

"I had no idea my car had one," Covello, a 12-year veteran, said. "I feel like I took an oath to protect the Constitution for others but my own rights have been cast aside."

If you're not one of the bad boys, you're nobody...unless you're somebody. Really?

An uncivil union

2006-01-04T10:52:00.000-08:00

Conrad also obtained a restraining order Wednesday against her partner, saying Peterson punched a hole in the wall during an argument and threatened to harm a friend.

"All I want to say is that the civil union was a big source of pride for me, and now it's not," Peterson said.

The couple in question is made up of two women. Of course, we know that women would never engage in violent behavior like their male counterparts. No way. Never...

A thought occurs!

2005-11-16T14:42:00.000-08:00

Some speculate that gaming violence induces real life violence. Since violent games haven't been around for that long any claimed fact is merely theory. The truth is that the people who are criticizing the games we see today are the same people who grew up in some of the bloodiest times in history.

So the guy who shot up people in WW2, Korea, or Vietnam or even stood idly by in college is going to criticize a young person for engaging in pretend violence? Not going to happen.

Whether you like it or not

2005-10-25T15:48:00.000-07:00

One of the libertarian proposals to building and maintaining roads without having government manage them using taxpayer money is for private companies to build and maintain them using the money from tolls. People usually scoff at the idea, but what do you do when the state asks you to do both?

Citing confidentiality, Transportation Secretary Nathan Hayward III couldn’t say whether motorists, already paying $3 at the Newark tolls, would pay more if a partnership deal is finalized.

If the state moves forward, the I-95 overhaul would be the first venture under the Public Private Partnership Act of 1995, which was passed to help the state finance big road projects. The same law allows the state to act with minimal legislative oversight and public input.

The plan is being considered because DelDOT doesn’t want to use so much of its cash to fund one project when it has so many others it wants to work on.

Because of the secrecy surrounding the plan, it is unclear how the public-private I-95 deal might work.

DelDOT turned to the private sector for help 15 months ago, soliciting proposals that would have businesses bear some of the immediate costs of the I-95 project in return for a long-term payback. Citing confidentiality, the state won’t disclose how the partners proposed being repaid.

A similar situation happened in New Orleans. The second side of the Greater New Orleans bridge was built using funds from tolls. According to the plan, the people were promised that the tolls would be removed after it was completed. The bridge has been completed for a long time and tolls were taken right up until hurricane Katrina.

Doing time

2005-10-17T07:19:00.000-07:00

Slave labor:

There are approximately 2 million inmates in state, federal and private prisons throughout the country. According to California Prison Focus, "no other society in human history has imprisoned so many of its own citizens." The figures show that the United States has locked up more people than any other country: a half million more than China, which has a population five times greater than the U.S. Statistics reveal that the United States holds 25% of the world’s prison population, but only 5% of the world’s people. From less than 300,000 inmates in 1972, the jail population grew to 2 million by the year 2000. In 1990 it was one million. Ten years ago there were only five private prisons in the country, with a population of 2,000 inmates; now, there are 100, with 62,000 inmates. It is expected that by the coming decade, the number will hit 360,000, according to reports.

How can this be the case? As always the answer lies in human greed: "The private contracting of prisoners for work fosters incentives to lock people up. Prisons depend on this income. Corporate stockholders who make money off prisoners’ work lobby for longer sentences, in order to expand their workforce. The system feeds itself..."

There are better ways for handling crime and punishment, as libertarian Murray Rothbard has pointed out, which have benefits for both victims and criminals.

Who is your daddy and what does he do?

2005-10-17T06:57:00.000-07:00

I always liked that line. It's from Kindergarten Cop, with Arnold Shwarznegger, a movie about a cop trying to locate a mobster's son in a elementary school. "Who is your daddy and what does he do?" is the way he roundabout asks each kid to find out what their father does for a living without giving his motive away. The questioner is leading the questioned to get the desired answer without having the questioned to realize it.

Yesterday, I got the opportunity to talk with a couple of pastor friends of mine after playing some basketball (my team won all four games). My pastor was lamenting that the schools were doing away with some Christian and patriotic holidays. His argument was that this was Christian nation (I've argued against this before) and that those days should remain as they are.

I asked him what exactly was stopping him from keeping his kids home on those days. The answer is, of course, that absolutely nothing is keeping him from doing so.

Some might argue that the child would fall behind other children, but even in the worst cases it would be easy enough to find out what the other kids did that day and go over it sometime later. School don't usually teach any more than two to four hours of material a day so that shouldn't be a problem.

Imagine if all parents did that on those days. The school, realizing that it can't drag the children into class, would just close the school for that day.

So take the day off for what you want, when you want, and whatever you want. Who's going to stop you?

Breaking the world

2005-10-14T10:56:00.000-07:00

Slipping towards Gomorrah:

A slippage in manners is obvious to many Americans. Nearly 70 percent questioned in an Associated Press-Ipsos poll said people are ruder than they were 20 or 30 years ago. The trend is noticed in large and small places alike, although more urban people report bad manners, 74 percent, then do people in rural areas, 67 percent.

Society always has a way of dealing with these types of attitudes...eventually.

My wife hates it, but I like to exact my own revenge on those who lack the civil manners that accompany a well rounded society. In one case, I was trying to get into the Cracker Barrel while carrying some delicate material, but one guy and his wife decided to stand right in doorway so no one else could pass. I politely waited 10 seconds, gave my wife a "tsk, tsk" and gently dropped my knee into the back of his own and pushed right by as he dropped. I heard him mutter something as I walked away slowly, but he didn't do anything more than that.

Did the guy learn anything? Maybe not, but at least he realizes that a lack of manners will have consequences.

On many other occasions someone will knowingly jump in front of me in a long line. Usually, not directly in front of me, as I can hold the kind of blank and emotionless stare you'd only find on a dangerous maniac, but in front of someone else. Sure I could say something directly to them, but I prefer to speak badly about them like they aren't even there just the lower lifeforms surviving on the scum of societies refuse.

However, if someone is polite by all means I will shower with manners of a Victorian gentleman.

Think of the children

2005-10-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

Allen Iverson on the NBA dress code:

"It sends a bad message to kids. If you don't have a suit on when you go to school, is the teacher going to think you're a bad kid?"

What lovely art!

2005-10-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

On the Mayans:

“We now know that Maya warfare was intense, chronic, and unresolvable…” and that the sadness Stephens detected long ago was due to some very nasty customs indeed:
“Captives were tortured in unpleasant ways depicted clearly on the monuments and murals (such as yanking fingers out of sockets, pulling out teeth, cutting off the lower jaw, trimming of the lips and fingertips, pulling out the fingernails, and driving a pin through the lips), culminating, sometimes years later, in the sacrifice of the captive in other equally unpleasant ways such as tying the captive up into a ball by binding the arms and legs together, then rolling the balled-up captive down the steep stone staircase of a temple.”

Mayaball!

Civilizations can produce wonderful things. Heck, I'm just thankful for running water. To think that your civilization could be summed up as a monument to bloodlust leaves a lot to be desired. Ok, I'll grant you that the conquest of the Americas might have destroyed some or many of the artifacts which one could regard with a certain awe, but I doubt it would help much.

Pyramids and blood. That doesn't look too good the archeaological resume.

Feeling up the Electorate

2005-10-11T08:50:00.000-07:00

Homer is pulled over for having a broken tail-light. Though nothing
seems wrong until Chief Wiggum smashes it with his baton.

Homer: You know, one day, honest citizens are gonna stand up to you
crooked cops!
Chief Wiggum: [suddenly afraid] They are? Oh, no! Have they set a date?
-- ``I Love Lisa''

If the people of a fark.com comments section can be used as a barometer for a nation's feelings about it law enforcement, then the current crop of cops have nothing to look forward to.

Should cops continue to act in ways to their detriment they'll find themselves as occupiers in nation full of guerillas. Coincindentally, if I have to defend cops here with comments like "but not all of them are that way" or "my best friend is a cop and he's one of the good guys", then that also says something about the current attitude towards them i.e. that is the exception rather than the rule.

Meaningful

2005-10-11T06:17:00.000-07:00

VS

There is only one force on Earth capable of preventing Sen. Hillary Clinton from winning the White House in 2008 - and her name is Condoleezza Rice.
That is the thrust of a new book by former Bill Clinton adviser-turned-nemesis Dick Morris and his wife, Eileen McGann. A copy was obtained by the Daily News.
In "Condi vs. Hillary: The Next Great Presidential Race," Morris and McGann paint a potential presidential catfight as a struggle between good and evil - and New York's junior senator is wearing the black hat.

If you are choosing your candidtates on the basis of their gender, then I can only assume that you have nothing meaningful to offer.

What's next? Candidates based on their musical tastes, clothing style, or number of heads?

Zaphod Beeblebronx for el presidente 2008!

Looking for love

2005-10-11T06:04:00.000-07:00

Vox Day has postulates about the future of America:

Is motherhood instinctive or learned behavior? Both religion and science tell us that it is instinctive, much to the distaste of the feminist ideologists, who have never been overburdened by a solid grasp on either. But one need only watch the way in which a young girl mothers her stuffed animals to see the maternal instinct at work.

This is not to say behavior that contradicts these instincts cannot be learned, only that the individual will always possess a certain level of instinct – and, for the purposes of this discussion, it does not matter if those instincts are instilled by evolution or a Creator God – that must be overcome by years of propaganda and social pressure.

The pastors and I had a talk about contrceptives before church a few weeks ago. It boiled down to what exactly was God's thoughts on putting children off until whatever. We came to the conclusion that God was definitely and definitively against it.

If we are to "go forth and multiply", "subdue the earth" we can hardly do it willout a sizeable human population.

Still, the couples I know who are now trying to have children in their early thirties are finding that waiting brings as much trouble as it does benefits. In other words, we do our best to "turn off" our reproductive systems for as long as we like, then when we are "ready" to turn it back on we go straight to God when their is a problem because we hesitated.

Why should God make it work, when you totally ignored Him to focus on what you wanted?

Center of Attention

2005-10-07T15:02:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago I attended a seminar by a preacher named Irvin Baxter in which he said that the U.N. would move to Jerusalem, the so called "international city". Apparently, he had been saying this for some time because of the scripture in Zachariah 12:2-3: "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces..."
He goes into greater detail here.

I'm sure I thought it was quite unbelievable at the time that something like that would or could happen, but I filed it away anyway. However, in a recent speech to the U.N. General Assembly Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says that the U.N. should be moved to Israel.

Why would a Venezuelan president encourage moving anything to Isreal much less the entire United Nations?

I understand that people have been burned before by these so called men of God, who proclaim that the endtimes are happening on such and such a date, then turn out to be totally wrong, but given statements such as these one has to begin to wonder.

Newspapers are for the dogs

2005-10-07T14:08:00.000-07:00

Apparently, this is the state of the news paper.

High school teacher Mark Franek says most of his students think that a newspaper is something you use to clean up after a dog or put beneath an open can of paint. "They get most of their news from the Internet or from cable shows such as John [sic] Stewart's The Daily Show." TIME FOR A LESSON FROM THE KIDS?: "Navigating simple websites presents a challenge," says Franek, who is in his mid-30s. "There is too much on-screen commotion, and I still click on things that can't be clicked. I much prefer newspapers that I can hold and fold - and occasionally save."

News really doesn't teach anything, contrary to popular opinion. What doesn John Stewart enlighten people about? Foolish beaurocrats and bumbling media whores. What have you learned? Nothing. Tv as a medium of education is slow. One chapter in a good history book can teach you more about modern day subjects than a thousand hours of John Stewart. The names change, but human nature remains the same and in understanding that, the principals of history and the news becomes simple comparison.

Burn baby!

2005-10-07T10:45:00.000-07:00

Burning for you

There's outrage in northern Minnesota after firefighters allowed a man's mobile home to burn.
Carl Berg had failed to pay the 25-dollar annual fee required for fire protection for homes outside International Falls city limits.Berg says he couldn't afford the fee or fire insurance. He says he lost everything in last month's fire.

We had orders not to stop the fire because the guy didn't pay. Maybe they should ask the local mafia to come in for fire protection. At least you know what you're getting.

Grown men don't...

2005-10-07T10:14:00.000-07:00

I was making fun of my wife's music one day and just tearing it to pieces. I wasn't really listening, but I thought the music was cheesy so I started busting it up. Driving to work this morning I caught it on the radio and thought I'd at least give it one listen. By the end of the song I could feel a tear welling up. I knew exactly what was going to happen during every verse, but the dang thing beat me. That's right Tim Mcgraw! Don't take the girl indeed!

The song is so simple, yet this is where it gets you. You'd like to make fun of it, but it gets you any way. Just like the geeky kid who makes you laugh so you don't beat him up.

So dang you Tim Mcgraw!

Under Cover

2005-10-07T08:23:00.000-07:00

Our church started a new Wednesday night class from a John Bevere video series entitled Under Cover. In it, Bevere deals with the Christian mandate to obey the higher powers. He begins with the call from the book of Romans chapter 13. If you've ever been a naughty boy or girl then you've probably heard these verses quoted often.

1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to [execute] wrath upon him that doeth evil.

He correctly points out that rebellion is a form of witchcraft, but I'm unsure if he would agree with my logic. (1 Sam 15:23)

If he'd thought it out thoroughly he would realize that America was established by witchcraft. Don't agree? Well, let's follow John Bevere's reasoning.

If indeed, John Bevere was correct in his interpretation of Paul's admonishment to obey their Roman rulers means that we should do likewise with ours, then it has several reprecussions. Namely, this country is not a Godly country at all. Its very foundations were based in rebellion, ergo witchcraft. The English colonies rebelled against their God-given rulers, going so far as to war against them. In doing so they were practitioners of witchcraft.

However, since I'm French this doesn't apply to me because it was the English who were fighting against their rulers in rebellion. Since the French weren't under the authority of the English it is perfectly acceptable for them to war (if they were Christians it wouldn't be) against non-rulers. When Napolean sold the French part of America in the Louisiana Purchase, we (French colonists) merely transferred over, thus earning our good graces with the Lord.

Aint logic fun?

I don't particularly like what Paul says in Romans 13, but since it wasn't just Paul iterating the concept I have to take it into account. 1 Peter 2:13, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king, as supreme, or unto governors."

Okay, so if we are to obey the state in all ways, except those that would have us do contrary to scripture, then we must follow them out fully. I assume there is an excepting law since the second most important commandment affects everything.

If a state orders you to war, you must decline. Christians are commanded to love our enemies and to bless those that seek to harm us. (Mat 5:44, Luk 6:27) What the state and unbelievers do is entirely different.
You must not accept welfare, even if it is lawful and except in cases where it is given freely. Money given to you by the state, which is money taken from another against their will, is stealing.
If the state passes a law to take your church land through eminent domain, you must give it. How will you fight it if you cannot disobey and engage in a physical beatdown.

There are more of which I can't think of at the moment, but I'm sure that we will encounter them soon enough.

Many preachers and pastors like to use this as a call for obedience to them, but Paul seems to be clearly talking about government.

Rom13

2 "resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God"

If he was talking about a God ordinance he wouldn't specifically say otherwise.

3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

When preachers start jailing people giver me a call.

6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute [is due];

Taxes baby! There ain't no taxes in the church.

Well, that's my two cents. I'm talking with some Bible scholars about and I'll post wherever that goes.

More Information

Update!

2005-10-07T06:54:00.000-07:00

It appears here is the real reason people are unable to see Alex Jones website, along with some others as well.

Broadband News

Both Roadrunner and Cogent users are complaining about a level 3 decision to turn off public peering with Cogent, likely because of an ongoing peering and contract spat. As a result, many broadband users can't hit websites such as Photo Bucket or The Drudge Report. Customers who call in for support are being told that the network partners are working on a resolution, but aren't given an ETA.

Some additional information is available on the NANOG newsgroup, where Cogent is blaming Level3, and Level3 is blaming Cogent. The official statement from Cogent:
"As of 5:30 am EDT, October 5th, Level(3) terminated peering with Cogent without cause (as permitted under its peering agreement with Cogent) even though both Cogent and Level(3) remained in full compliance with the previously existing interconnection agreement. Cogent has left the peering circuits open in the hope that Level(3) will change its mind and allow traffic to be exchanged between our networks. We are extending a special offering to single homed Level 3 customers.

Cogent will offer any Level 3 customer, who is single homed to the Level 3 network on the date of this notice, one year of full Internet transit free of charge at the same bandwidth currently being supplied by Level 3. Cogent will provide this connectivity in over 1,000 locations throughout North America and Europe.
However a large number of users heap the blame for the cutoff squarely in the lap of Cogent, who has a bit of a sketchy history when it comes to peering arrangements. One of our users hits it cleanly on the head.

So the real reason may be simply: money.

Old Maxims Make True

2005-10-05T15:29:00.000-07:00

Remember the old maxim to believe something only after it has been officially denied? It seems that Alex Jones' site prisonplanet was censored by AOL-TimeWarner and some other British based media companies as proliferating hate material. Anybody who has ever been to his site will know there is no hate material to be found. Most of the material there is taken from major media outlets with some conspiracy (not as much as you might imagine) mixed in for thought provocation.

Time Warner's ISP, Road Runner, has blocked access to all of Alex Jones' flagship websites across the entire United States.

We were first alerted to this problem early this morning when several locals in Austin reported that they were unable to access Infowars.com, PrisonPlanet.com or Prison Planet.tv.

Austin Time Warner had previously shut down access to our websites on a whim, claiming they were 'hate material' but in all cases had quickly restored them after receiving complaints.

You may not like what ideas the guy has, but blocking him for hate is just reaching beyond the believable.

Free Market not so free

2005-10-05T11:11:00.000-07:00

Gulf Firms Losing Cleanup Contracts

Companies outside the three states most affected by Hurricane Katrina have received more than 90 percent of the money from prime federal contracts for recovery and reconstruction of the Gulf Coast, according to an analysis of available government data.

The analysis by The Washington Post takes into account only the first wave of federal contracts, those that had been entered in detail into government databases as of yesterday. Together they are valued at more than $2 billion. Congress has allocated more than $60 billion for the recovery effort, and the ultimate total is expected to rise far higher.

But already the trend toward out-of-state firms is clear, despite pledges by administration officials that federal funds for Katrina relief will become an engine of local economic redevelopment. Among the contracts analyzed, 3.8 percent of the money went to companies that listed an Alabama address, 2.8 percent to firms in Louisiana and just 1.8 percent went for Mississippi contractors. Taken together, that amounts to less than $200 million.

A relatively small area of the US is devastated by a natural disater. After the disaster, people are still functioning and working who live in or near the affected areas. The government comes in throw it money around only to have none of it land in the pockets of those who are most willing to work for it.

There is nothing in the Constitution that allows public money to be spent on something like this, never the less if it is going to be spent they might as well do it right. To say the least, this will actually remove jobs and savings from the area thus devastating it even more.

Due Consideration

2005-10-05T10:22:00.000-07:00

Here is something to consider, from the Federalist papers no less. I think it does far better to explain, than any of the media whores do, about what a poor choice Harriet Miers is for the Supreme Court.

"To what purpose then require the co-operation of the Senate? I answer, that the necessity of their concurrence would have a powerful, though, in general, a silent operation. It would be an excellent check upon a spirit of favoritism in the President, and would tend greatly to prevent the appointment of unfit characters from State prejudice, from family connection, from personal attachment, or from a view to popularity. In addition to this, it would be an efficacious source of stability in the administration."

The Federalist #76

A look at a book: The Real Heretics

2005-10-05T08:28:00.000-07:00

David Bercot is an interesting fellow to say the least. A former attorney and Anglican priest he doesn't mind looking at what he knows might be wrong about his beliefs and exposing them. His main interest is aligning modern day Christian with the thoughts of the Patristics, the early church fathers.

In church services everywhere we never really realize how many subjects are neglected at the pulpit. While salvation should always be the center and mainstay, learning what the Bible says about war, abortion, communittee, etc is also important. In Bercot's book Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up: A New Look at Today's Evangelical Church in the Light of Early Christianity, he reminds us what ideas of the early church fathers we have either neglecte or missed entirely. Is he correct in every assumption and conclusion. No, but who is?

What he gives us is a brief, basic, and insightful look our modern through the eyes of our early church Apostolics.

30 Seconds

2005-10-05T06:26:00.000-07:00

Let's see you ride The War of the Worlds in 30 seconds!

2005-10-04T16:13:00.000-07:00

News baby!

"The mayor of New Orleans says the city has to lay off as many as 3,000 workers.

Mayor Ray Nagin says he's worked for weeks to try to find the financing that would allow him to keep the city workers on the payroll. But he says in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, that isn't possible."

Let's be honest, he was wanting to keep them on the payroll even though they are probably not working, have not worked in weeks, and will not be able to do anything for the next couple of months or maybe even longer. I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of them were simply bureaucratc paper pushers.

Remember, there is no right in the Constitution or anywhere that says you have a right to a job or to be paid for doing anything. This is just a different type of welfare.

If these are indeed genuine bureaucratic paper pushes then we should see an upsurge in general productivity.

Religious Indoctrination

2005-10-04T13:13:00.000-07:00

Some college students find they are having trouble with handling their shallow beliefs:

"Each summer more than 1,200 of them come from around the country to attend a two-week workshop on how to defend their faith during college. They listen to lectures on creationism versus evolution, abortion, homosexuality, Christianity and the media, euthanasia, and postmodernism, among other topics. While the workshop is sometimes referred to as a camp, that moniker is misleading: On an average day, students sit through six hours of classes. This is not about horseback riding or leather tooling; this is serious business.
Spend a couple of days at the workshop and it becomes clear that, for many of these students, college is fraught with peril. There is the pressure to party, to drink, to have sex. There is also the subtle pressure to conform to a non-Christian worldview. There are biology courses that ask students to accept evolution, which workshop organizers and most of the students reject as untrue and ungodly. There are literature courses that see any text, including the Bible, as open to multiple interpretations. And there are philosophy classes that view absolute truth as nothing more than an illusion."

How is it possible that at the beginning of the nation and even some time before it, man through more perillous situations than what these kids are dealing with, were able to build Christian colleges and schools?

Know the truth: colleges and school both public and private need you more than you need them. Each school gets paid for each kid a certain stipend from the government. The more kids they have the more stipends they get. If more and more people remove thier kids, they'll begin teaching the basics and not their affirmative action science and political courses.

However, if there is such a desire for alternate places to embark into education then we would create them, but the truth is that Christians and others don't consider it that important to pay the price, namely tuition and time.

Conflicting Realities

2005-10-04T12:51:00.000-07:00

I hate when this happens. How many really died? Simple question, should be simple to answer.

Loss of bodies adds to grief of many families

"Cataldie, a former medical examiner, acknowledged that identifying and releasing bodies has been painfully slow. Of the nearly 8,000 bodies taken to the morgue, he said, just 32 have been identified positively and another 340 have been identified tentatively.
Because many bodies decomposed in heat and floodwaters after being left uncollected, Cataldie said, some victims never will be identified and their cause of death never known."

La. Search for Katrina Dead Ends at 964

"The search for Hurricane Katrina victims has ended in Louisiana with a death toll at 964, but more searches will be conducted if someone reports seeing a body, a state official said Monday."

Miers/stealth, bad movie, bad nominee

2005-10-04T11:13:00.000-07:00

"What does it tell us that the White House, in selling her to the party and press, is pointing out that Miers "has no paper trial"? What does that mean, other than that she is not a Rehnquist, a Bork, a Scalia or a Thomas?"
Pat Buchanan

Buchanan is entirely correct. Liberals and Democrats should be fuming over a nomination, not graciously accepting them. I fear that this time, the lack of a "paper trail" is not for the enemies of freedom, but for us instead. What other reason could there be? If we knew the truth we would be adamantly furious, but since we know nothing about this woman we are at a loss.

Indeed, this stealth nominee is to trick the masses not the committee.

RetroC begins again

2005-10-04T07:54:00.000-07:00

We moved into our new church last month.

THE GOOD
I think what's great about it is that it used to be a gym. What we are using as the sanctuary has one full wall covered in mirrors, which can be distracting. All four walls are painted different colors: red, blue yellow, and green. There is a lap pool, great any kind of water ball you can imagine.

The youth now have place where they can have a separate service. In the room are three cable TVs in working condition. Our idea is to have some Playstations and Xboxs hooked up to them soon. We're also got enough room for a pool table, ping-pong table, and whatever else we can think of.

A no-remodeling-needed nursery for kids and infants. With the current influx of children this is probably the biggest God-send we could have hoped.

To help with funds, the church has decided to rent out the adjacent buildings. The faster this thing is paid off, the faster we'll be free to help the communittee more abundantly.

THE BAD
The sanctuary mirrors have got to go. There is a ton of painting and remodeling to do. It may not be cheaper to build from scratch, but moving in does have it's problems. The low ceiling can make the place very cramped if there were a large enough crowd in the sanctuary and sound could be better because there seems to be some electrical interference somewhere.

CONCLUSION
Blessed beyond all we could hope for and achieve on our own. The best thing is that it's not typical. Right when you walk in the doors you can't help but realize that just maybe we are a little closer to living the Apostolic church.

Getting Farved

2005-10-04T07:21:00.000-07:00

I was following the Packers-Panthers game last night before I decided that it was pretty much and thought it better to hit the hay, then I look on this mornings sports page only to find that Farve nearly led his team for a comeback. Makes me sick. I watcht the first two hours when nothing much happens and when I turn away it gets really exciting. Story of my life.

Cool

2005-10-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

That was really simple.