Christians Embarass Me

I was talking to a waitress one day who told me that she doesn’t go to church because most of the Christians she knows act like hypocrites. She sees them in the restaurant after church on Sundays. They wear their Sunday clothes, put on their Sunday smiles and talk their Sunday talk. They all hold hands, bow their heads and corporately give thanks to God for the food and fellowship. And then the most amazing transformation takes place. They begin to complain about the food and the service, they are rude to the waitresses and they leave lousy tips. Regretfully, I had to agree with her; I’ve seen them too! Sometimes Christians embarrass me with their behavior. I think it would be better if they would keep quiet about their profession so no one would know.

Alexander the Great received a message that one of his soldiers had been continually, and seriously, misbehaving and thereby shedding a bad light on the character of all the Greek troops. And what made it even worse was that this soldier's name was also Alexander. He sent word that he wanted to talk to the errant soldier in person. When the young man arrived at the tent of Alexander the Great, the commander asked him, "What is your name?" "Alexander, sir," he replied. The commander looked him straight in the eye and said forcefully, "Soldier, either change your behavior or change your name."

This story has a lesson for each of us. When we call ourselves Christians, we are identifying with Jesus Christ. Does our behavior honor the one we represent or are we an embarrassment to Him?

“If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are just fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.” James 1:26

My Very Own Letter From Obama

What arrogance; what audacity; what a bunch of happycrap!

Anyone who has followed my blog for the past few months knows that I have sent several critical letters to Barry Obama. One of those letters challenged Him on His position on abortion.

So last week I received this response (hand addressed) from The White House:


June 29, 2009

Dear Friend:

Thank you for taking the time to share your views on abortion. This is a heart-wrenching issue, and I appreciate your input and thoughts.

I am committed to making my Administration the most open and transparent in history, and part of delivering on that promise is hearing from people like you. I take seriously your opinions and respect your point of view on this issue. Please know that your concerns will be on my mind in the days ahead.

Thank you again for writing. I encourage you to visit WhiteHouse.gov to learn more about my Administration or to contact me in the future.

Sincerely,

OK, so I don’t believe Obama has ever read anything I have written to Him. He must get thousands of letters and email messages every day. He can’t possibly read them all. So it is fitting and appropriate for His staff to wade through all that stuff.

And I am not bothered that His staff sent me a copy of a form letter that they send to everyone who writes on the topic. Nor am I bothered that the signature is probably printed with a stamp; I even have a signature stamp of my own that my staff uses when I send out a mass mailing.

But then, today, the insult came. In a 9” X 12” manilla envelope (also hand addressed and posted at $1.22) marked, DO NOT BEND, I received another copy of the same letter with the same stamped signature on embossed stationery (dated July 2, 2009) unfolded with cardboard protection and SUITABLE FOR FRAMING.

Well that makes me feel really special. If I offer this collector’s item for sale on eBay with a nickel and free shipping, I might get three cents for it.

Don't Confuse Me With The Facts, I've Already Made Up My Mind.

“All Things Considered" is a commentary program of national public radio. Some time ago, Dr. Drew Westen of Emory University, a well respected psychologist, was commenting upon how our feelings can predict our political decision irrespective of the facts. Westen studies the way that psychology and politics intersect, and he says a familiar format in cable TV news works with the way our brains are wired. Here is what he said:

"We've grown accustomed to hearing two versions of every story, one from the left and one from the right, as if the average of two distortions equals the truth. You've seen this on TV. The journalist provides the skeleton of the story; it's then up to partisans to try to graft flesh onto one side or the other of its clanking bones.

"For example, I heard a news anchor begin a segment about missing explosives at the al Qaida munitions dump in Iraq. He described claims that weapons were missing and then handed it over to a Democrat and a Republican to dress the skeleton in red or blue. In fact, however, the munitions were missing, and the subject of the debate that followed, when they disappeared, was a question of fact, not interpretation, unless, of course, Democrats and Republicans live in different time zones.

"Unfortunately, this format--from the left, from the right--capitalizes on a design flaw in the human brain. We have a tendency to believe what we want to believe. We seek information and draw conclusions consistent with what we want to be true. I've been studying this kind of emotion-driven political thinking over the last several years, and the results are sobering. For example, during the disputed election of 2000, we could predict whether people would believe that manual or machine counts are more accurate just by knowing their feelings towards the two parties and the two candidates.

"When people draw conclusions about political events, they're not just weighing the facts. Without knowing it, they're also weighing what they would feel if they came to one conclusion or another, and they often come to the conclusion that would make them feel better, no matter what the facts are.

"An experiment completed right before the election shows just how powerful these emotional pulls can be. Here's what we told the participants. A soldier at Abu Ghraib prison was charged with torturing prisoners. He wanted the right to subpoena senior administration officials. He claimed he'd been informed the administration had suspended the Geneva Conventions. We gave different people different amounts of evidence supporting his claims. For some, the evidence was minimal; for others, it was overwhelming.

"In fact, the evidence barely mattered. 84% of the time, we could predict whether people believed the evidence was sufficient to subpoena Donald Rumsfeld based on just three things: the extent to which they liked Republicans, the extent to which they liked the US military, and the extent to which they liked human rights groups like Amnesty International. Adding the evidence into the equation allowed us to increase the prediction from 84% to 85%.

"A readiness to believe what we want to believe makes it all the more important for journalists to distinguish what's debatable from what's not. The line between facts and interpretations isn't always easy to draw, but presenting opinion as fact is not objective reporting. It isn't objective to preface news that's unflattering to one side or the other with phrases like 'critics claim' when it doesn't take a critic to claim it. There's nothing like a healthy debate, but there's nothing as unhealthy as a debate about the undebatable." (NPR Radio)

There was one sentence in that article that is shocking. "Adding the evidence into the equation allowed us to increase the prediction from 84% to 85%." In Dr. Westen's study, the actual number was 84.5%. His study centered around politics but the implications are broad. In the arena of faith, there are so many differences of opinions on truth.

A few years ago, I was discussing a point of doctrine with a friend who had been raised and taught an opposing view. After several weeks of examining scripture passages and contexts, he said to me, "You have presented overwhelming scriptural evidence in support of your view of the issue but there is just one problem; it is not what I have always been taught." For him, the facts did not make any difference. He based his beliefs on his feelings.

Unlike politics, in faith we have the absolute, authoritative and inerrant Word of God as the basis for our beliefs. This basic "design flaw in the human brain" that Dr. Westen referenced might explain why people are so willing to form their beliefs based on their emotions rather than the facts.

The old joke, "Don't confuse me with the facts. My mind is made up!" may be funny in politics but when it comes to matters of faith, believing the wrong thing could have disastrous, eternal consequences.

Barack Obama Is NO Abraham Lincoln

The Greatest American Hero

Barack Obama is here to save the day.

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From the guys at Jib Jab

A Reposted Tribute To The Memory Of My Dad

A pastor once asked some children in a Sunday school class to draw pictures of God. He intended to use them to illustrate his sermon. At the end of class the children were excited to show off their pictures of men with long robes, white hair and big hands amid rainbows and clouds. Finally, one little girl showed her picture of a simple man dressed in a suit and tie. "I don't know what God looks like," she said, "so I just drew my daddy instead."

It has been said "a child is not likely to find a father in God unless he finds something of God in his father." My dad was a little brisk on the outside; a construction worker with leathery skin, rough hands and a direct, no-nonsense style of conversation. He was not overtly affectionate and I don’t remember him ever telling me he loved me. But I never doubted his love; he demonstrated it in very practical ways.

I don’t remember ever having what some people today would describe as “quality time” with my father (or my mother, for that matter). In fact, I don’t remember ever hearing the phrase, “quality time,” used in any context when I was growing up. With seven children, there was always work to do and most of the times I had with my father were spent in hard work.

Dad always meant what he said. You could count on it. Disobedience often brought fearful consequences by his own large, rugged hand. He understood the Proverbs…”evil is bound in the heart of a child but the rod of correction drives it far from him” and “he that spares the rod hates his son.” He never sided with me against my teachers or others in authority. He taught me that, although they are not always right, it is always right to submit to their proper authority.

But he was also fair and kind. We never had much but we always shared what we had with others. And he was always forgiving. I remember how often I disappointed, failed, and hurt him but still, he loved me because I was his son.

My dad taught me to judge people on the merits of their character, not on their appearance. He understood that true friendship required work and that people must be accepted with and in spite of their shortcomings. He had friends of varied colors, backgrounds, and stature. The only people he could not tolerate were intolerant bigots.

Our family depended on him to provide for our needs. Although he was a skilled craftsman, no job was beneath him. Several times in my life, construction work was hard to find so, over the years I watched him work as a school janitor, a drive-in theater usher and a door-to-door salesman. He found dignity in honest work and he wanted his children to see him getting up early in the morning and going to work to bring home a paycheck instead of going to the mailbox and bringing in a welfare check.

He valued his good reputation. He was honest and just in his dealings. Sometimes, as a contractor, he would make costly mistakes. But he always finished the job at the agreed price regardless of the loss. He was a man of his word.

He was faithful to his wife and his children and that provided a great deal of security for us. Home was a good safe place to be. We didn’t always have everything we wanted but he always tried to give us everything we needed.

Not only was he our provider, he was also a strong, fearless protector. I remember one evening when, at the age of nine, he had sent me over to a neighborhood store to buy something (in those days it was safe for children to be out after dark). On my way home I passed a parked care with four men who yelled something at me. I was scared and felt threatened and told my dad when I got home. He immediately got up and went out to confront the men and advised them to keep their mouths shut and leave his kids alone.

Many of the ideas I have about the character and attributes of God, I learned experientially from my dad.

Babs Goes Bonkers

It's a great country! Even mentally deficient people can be Senators.

The Eleventh Commandment - Thou Shalt Not Offend

The president of a major Christian denomination (The Southern Baptist Convention) was quoted as saying, "...it is impossible for all Christian parents to be able to afford private and Christian education. That is a fact and we must not make them feel like second rate citizens or bad Christian parents."

Perhaps there is something to this. Let's apply it to some other issues.

Taking this into consideration the church probably shouldn't address the issue of divorce. Particularly in light of the fact that parishioners in some dominations divorce more frequently than the general public. We must not make them feel like second rate citizens.

The church probably shouldn't address the issue of tithing. After all, only a small percentage of the church tithes, and many say they really can't afford it. We must not make them feel like second rate citizens.

The church probably shouldn't address the issue of sex. After all many in our church participate in sex outside of marriage, what we like to call peccadillo's. We must not make them feel like second rate citizens.

The church definitely shouldn't address the issue of sin. After all we're all sinners, and we must not make them feel like second rate citizens.

The church probably shouldn't address the issue of salvation. If we point out that salvation involves repentance and a change in life style, some may wonder if they are really saved. Since that isn't evident in many, we must not make them feel like second rate citizens.

The church probably shouldn't address the issues of adultery, homosexuality, abortion, evangelism, welfare, voting or the Cultural Mandate, Bible study, drinking, drugs, cursing, or smoking. These issues are all controversial, and we must not make anyone feel like second rate citizens.

I guess the church probably shouldn't address the issue of education although it seriously troubles me not to do so, since according to studies 88% of children attending public schools leave the church. However, I guess the president of a 16 million (member) Christian denomination knows best. We had probably not point out that Christian Children Need A Christian Education. We must not make them feel like second rate citizens. After all, even educators have begun to take the lead from the church. They are considering banning the word "fail" from use in classrooms and replaced with the phrase "deferred success" to avoid making students feel bad.

The church needs to remember to be loving, and not be so critical. If we take the lead from social groups and country clubs, and make everyone comfortable, I'm sure we will see an increase in church growth.

Perhaps we should make "Lets Not Offend" the 11th Commandment!

(This article is by Dr. Bob Dreyfus, who works with Exodus Mandate in Florida, and who spoke to the S.B.C. Resolution on Education this June at the S.B.C. Convention in Nashville, TN. In the article, Dr. Dreyfus challenges the most recent mantra of those in leadership in the S.B.C. as to why they cannot support a Christian education for Christian children.)

Dan Phillips On Barack Obama

Guy Davies (Exiled Preacher) interviewing Dan Phillips asks, "What is your early assessment of your President and the "Leader of the Free World", Barak Obama?"

Dan Phillips responds: "Obama is the triumph of postmodernism. America elected a hollow image, a human projection-screen, prepped and served by our media. They gave arguably the most powerful office in the world to a man with no accomplishments, no preparation, and no qualifications. Worse, they elected a faux-Christian who sat under a viciously racist, marxist ministry for 20 years, who embraces abortion in every form and wants to crush liberty under totalitarian governmental control."

"Otherwise, no opinion."

Dan Phillips is one of the contributors to the Excellent Blog, Pyromaniacs.

Advocates Of Baby Dismemberment

"Abortion is advocated only by persons who have themselves been born."

Ronald Reagan

A Gay Rhino Party

Young Miss Rhinoceros gave a beach party;

She greeted her friends with a welcome most hearty.

They laughed and they joked and they swam in the sea,

And the party was gay, as a party should be.

From ANIMAL CHILDREN
By Edith Brown Kirkwood

Illustration by M. T. Ross

Copyright 1913 P. F. Volland & Co.

Shooting The Messenger

"Not everyone is called to be a watchman. However, some are. Do you remember Jeremiah in the Old Testament? God called him to tell the children of Israel the truth. The children of Israel did not want to hear the truth. The people hated Jeremiah. The people devised plans against Jeremiah. Does that make Jeremiah a bad guy because he was telling people what God had said?

Today, like in the past, when a watchman warns what is ahead, the people don’t want to hear it. They want to shoot the watchman or destroy the watchman with their words.

God’s Word should be our standard for truth. Check it out."

From Shepherds Or Wolves

Commentary by Roger Oakland at Understand The Times

What I Want For Father's Day

Since I didn't get what I wanted for my birthday, maybe my kids will get me one of these new nail guns, for Father's Day. It's made by DeWALT. It can drive a 16-D nail through a 2 X 4 at 200 yards.
This makes construction a breeze. Think about it. You could sit in your lawn chair and build a fence. Just get someone like your wife to hold the fence boards in place while you sit back, relax with a cold glass of iced tea and, when she has the board in the right place, fire away. With the hundred round magazine, you can build the fence with a minimum of reloading.

And, the best part is, after a day of fence building with the new DeWalt Rapid fire nail gun, she probably won't ask you to build or fix anything else ever again.

So much for dreaming; I'll probably get another tie!

There Are Still A Few Conservative Voices In The Republican Party

This is the kind of leadership we need.

"Saber Rattling" Doesn't Work With Terrorists

Here's an update on my problem with the crows that were "terrorizing" us for weeks.

Prior to the writing of this post, I had taken several shots at them to no avail. Obviously, "shooting across the bow" didn't bother them. They scattered temporarily but always came back in full force.

Then I hit one. That's all it took; one single, direct hit. One crow dropping like a lead balloon. Once the band of terrorists figured out that I was serious, they vanished.

I'm actually kind of dissappointed. I come home every afternoon, load up and go outside hoping to line one up in my scope. But no, there are none. They haven't been back since the kill.

There might be a lesson here for liberals in charge of our national security. Terrorists don't respect weakness or symbolic finger wagging. Terrorists only respect "big sticks."

The Health of Our Church Is More Important Than Our Size and Comfort

An Interesting Perspective From Jason Robertson, Pastor of Murrieta Valley Church, Murrieta, CA. Posted on Fide-o.

Blessed with One Worship Service

"About a year ago our church decided that we would no longer have two worship services on Sunday mornings. We made this decision based on our ecclessiology. We knew that having two worship services had caused a division in our church body and had robbed the body from enjoying the gifts and blessings of all of the members. Furthermore, we worship with the Lord’s Supper every Sunday and it was important for us to do so as one congregation.

So we did away with both our 8:00 am service and our 10:45 am service. We now only have one which starts at 10:15 am. In this one service our congregation is united in worship, Scripture reading, the ordinances, preaching, prayer, giving, and fellowship.

We knew this would cause seating issues and parking issues for us, but the health of our church was more important to us than our size and comfort. Six months later God blessed us with a move to a larger facility so that we could continue to meet as one body. The health and unity of our congregation has increased in ways that only can be understood by those who are in attendance.

I will write more on this subject in the future. But for now, I hope to at least draw the attention of pastors to this important issue of single vs. multiple worship services."

Go here for a little further reading from "The Deliberate Church" by Mark Dever.