Nice Try

Remember the episode of Seinfeld (its 2009, and the show ended 10 years ago--of course you do) when Jerry's dentist converts to Judaism and starts telling Jewish jokes? Jerry sees a Catholic priest to tell him about how he "converted for the jokes," and the priest remarks "and this offends you as a Jew." And Jerry replies, "No, it offends me as a comedian."

I'm not offended by the Jesus vs. Mohammad online game as a Christian, although maybe I should be...I'm offended as a person with taste. This could be the worst idea since the Jump To Conclusions Mat hit the scene.

In the game "Faith Fighter," caricatures of Jesus, the Prophet Muhammad, Buddha, God and the Hindu god Ganesh fight each other against a backdrop of burning buildings.

God attacks with bolts of lighting and pillars of fire while the turbaned Muhammad can summon a burning black meteorite.

SERIOUSLY?!?!

"This was meant to be a game against intolerance and against the one-way Islamophobic satire of the Danish Muhammad cartoons," Molleindustria said in an e-mail message. "So if a respectable organization didn't understand the irony and the message, we failed."

Yes, you failed. Miserably. Combat intolerance by killing another faith's deity/high priest figure! [sarcastic clap] Bravo.

Huge Deal Tonight

1. American Idol. We're in the Top 5, people. They're singing "Rat Pack" standards a/k/a songs Frank Sinatra has sung. Now, maybe someone will do a Sammy Davis or Dean Martin number, but The Chairman was so prolific, there's no need to go outside his playlist. Although I'm hoping that we hear a song from one of the two other guys nobody remembers.
   
2. Dancing With the Stars. Its elimination night, and championship favorite Bachelor Melissa hurt her ribs, didn't compete, got by far the lowest scores and could be gone. Did the audience votes save her?????? DUH DUH DUHHHHH.
3. GAME 7. There's just no other way around it. The game is gonna be awesome. The Caps have made a huge comeback to tie up the series. The winner moves on. They are on fire. I'll be in a deacon meeting. Boo. (Just in general boo to these meetings being on weeknights)

Oh yeah, and Bible Study.

Haha, just kidding. Studying the Bible is the number 1 priority. That's why God invented DVR. Chapter 2 of Crazy Love. Should be great. Becca will be leading since I'll be in that previously mentioned meeting.

PS: This blog needs more followers. Go to your friend's computers and make them follow us. Then put pictures of people they dislike as their background. Laugh Riot. Trust me.

Because Controversy is fun: More Pageant Reactions

Soooooooo...who knew that gay marriage was such a hot button issue?

US Magazine, which is apparently the New York Times of gossip magazines, used all of its massive investigative journalistic resources and managed to gather tweets from the top celebrity Christians in Hollywood, and guess what? All Christian chicks except Miss California support gay marriage!!

Except that its Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus and Heidi Montag. Not exactly the Murderer's Row of Christian doctrine, if you ask me. Let's look at this one at a time, shall we?

Britney. Would anyone expect her to feel any differently? One, I thought she went Khabbalah, and two, if you look at my good friend Molly's blog about going to her show--its one huge pride festival WITH Perez Hilton, who is at the heart of this controversy anyway.

Heidi Montag. I know what you believers out there are thinking:

No! Not Heidi Montag! My entire faith system is crumbling to its core! What am I going to do?

Which you might then follow up by saying, well, as much as this hurts me, I could see this coming. I mean, she hangs out with homosexuals all the time on Project Runway.

Which I would then have to say...no, that's Heidi KLUM.

So who is Heidi Montag?

Good question. Turns out, she's this chick (P.S., I couldn't really find a decent--by which I mean non-bikini or skimpy clothed-- picture of the girl to link to. Just beware if you Google her) on The Hills. And, she's one of the most disliked people on planet earth. She's famous for not really being famous but acting like she's really famous. She's got this guy Spencer she's allegedly marrying for love (not publicity), and she's so Christian that in one thing I read about her she said that when she and Spencer sleep together in the same bed, she'll put a pillow in between them so as to protect her purity. She also allegedly supported John McCain last fall, but has recently been photographed wearing Obama gear. She is the most blatant and actually says she supports gay marriage.

Here's my point. When she's in your top 3 Christian twitter responders supporting gay marriage, you're grasping. Plus, it seems like this might actually be one of those reverse psychology moves by anti-gay marriage groups. "I'm on the same side of this issue with HER? I might have to re-evaluate a few things here."

Now Miley. She's a sweet girl. I admit, I enjoy the Hannah Montana television program. But I don't even read her comments as supporting gay "marriage" but rather voicing support for gay PEOPLE.

"Jesus loves you AND your partner and wants you to know how much He cares!" Cyrus said. "Like I said, everyone deserves to be happy."

Later, she added, "I am a Christian and I love you - gay or not - BECAUSE you are no different than anyone else! We are all God's children."

These comments don't sound too terribly different than how my good friend Molly suggested Christians should respond to the question of gay marriage, trying to build bridges, rather than amplify a divide. And not to mention its obvious those tweets were 100% written by her publicist.

In all seriousness, it is really important to know that God does in fact love us, and it doesn't matter who we are or where we've been. He has laid out before us the choice between life and death. True life can only be found in the hope that Jesus Christ is God Incarnate, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, but was crucified on a Roman cross as the penalty for the sins committed by you and by me, that he died, was buried, but rose from the grave in victory over sin and death. None of us are perfect. None of us can meet God's law, whether we are heterosexual or homosexual. We're all in need of saving. Only Jesus makes a way for us. And it is THAT love and being in a relationship with Him that is what is of great importance.

Tithing the Athlete Way

ESPN's Sunday morning "60 minutes-style" program Outside the Lines recently did a piece called Televangelists and Athletes. [To watch the video, you have to click on the link, go to the video section and click on "OTL: Televangelists and Athletes"]

This piece really deals in two different issues. 1) Tithing. 2)Prosperity Gospel.

When boxer Evander Holyfield is asked if he had to choose between tithing and paying his house mortgage, Holyfield says he'll always tithe first, to the bewilderment of the interviewer. The interviewer misses the point. When you receive income, the firstfruits should go to the tithe. I believe that means to your local church body.

That's basically the end of where I agree with the people interviewed in this story. The prosperity gospel is clearly anti-Biblical.

Jesus himself says in John 16:33: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

In this world you will have trouble. Not "may." Not "will, except for when..." Not "you will have trouble. But take heart! With enough money..." Not "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have wealth." There are dozens more examples in which Christ, or Paul, or someone else points to perseverance in the midst of trial and suffering, joy in spite of pain, as commonplace for the believer.

It is sad to see that these preachers go after the rich, but also that the rich are attracted to this false teaching. Why do you think that is?

These people have exchanged God's standard of what it means to have an abundant life for man's standard. Watch Francis Chan's Just Stop and Think video. He makes a pretty clear case for how standards work. Don't elevate a human standard and put God in a box.

This piece should also teach Christians not to place celebrity Christians on pedestals. It was cool this past football season as Kurt Warner's Arizona Cardinals made it to the Super Bowl and in every interview Warner praised God and gave all credit to Christ. He's being doing that since he came on the scene in 1999 and had one of the most improbable careers in NFL history. Christians have lifted Warner up as one of the prime examples of a Christian in the public eye. Warner, nor any other person, whether its Kirk Cameron, or a preacher like Creflo Dollar or Louie Giglio...or you or me, we're all sinners in need of God's grace. We can't make too big of a deal about celebrity Christians. Continue to make God famous.

What were your reactions to the video?

Beauty Pageants and the Marriage Question

Most of you had to have heard by now that Carrie Prejean, Miss California, lost the Miss USA pageant in what seems to be large part her answer to a question from gossip blogger Perez Hilton's question on gay marriage.

Here's Carrie's answer to the question whether she believed in gay marriage:

"We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite. And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."

Carrie is being destroyed in California for taking this position. First, let's be honest about one thing. Hollywood's mantra is "Free speech is only free if you agree with me." Clearly, had she said "anyone should be able to marry anyone they want--love is love" she may still not have become Miss USA, but she certainly wouldn't be treated in such a vicious manner today. In fact, nobody would even know who she was.

The hypocrisy of the whole thing is glaring. Another quotation from the article:

"Every year, tens of thousands of dollars are donated for the pageant and its prizes," explained a source close to Moakler’s team. "Already she (Moakler) has had to deal with very upset companies, because they gave so much to Carrie, and think she betrayed them. People in California, more so than most states, are particularly passionate about overturning Prop 8 --especially those in the pageant/beauty world."

Here's the worst quotation of them all, from Keith Lewis, a business partner of Miss California pageant director Shanna Moakler

Keith Lewis released a statement to FOXnews.com Monday morning condemning Prejean and saying that "religious beliefs have no politics in the Miss California family."

THEN DON'T ASK THAT KIND OF QUESTION. The absolute arrogance of these people, to think that everyone thinks like them, is appalling to me. I know Prop 8 is a big deal in California. There is a very visible and vocal opposition to it. But as the article stated, the Prop DID PASS by a majority of California voters in November. You can argue its rightness, but to sit back and not anticipate that a pageant contestant might share a belief like this, is either total arrogance or ignorance. Maybe the beauty pageant should stop pretending it is some high-minded "scholarship" contest and stop asking these kinds of questions. Ask those silly "if you had one wish, what would you wish for" questions where all the girls get to say "world peace" and we're done with pretending that we care about their opinions.

But if one girl happens to have an opinion that isn't party line, BEWARE. You will be humiliated and destroyed.

Now, I'll give Lewis some credit. He backed off his initial comments and made a quite diplomatic statement:

"I am proud of Carrie Prejean’s beauty and placement at the 2009 MISS USA pageant," Lewis said in a statement issued later on Monday. "I support Carrie’s right to express her personal beliefs even if they do not coincide with my own. I believe the subject of gay marriage deserves a great deal more conversation in order to heal the divide it has created."

Now, Carrie HAD to know the environment she was getting into. I haven't really seen if she's playing the victim card, or if she's changing her position as a result of this. If she knew that she might receive this backlash and made her response as she did anyway, kudos to her for standing up for what she believed in.

Here's a separate, but related, issue to consider regarding these pageants.

It is wonderful that this girl stood up for her beliefs as it relates to marriage. Is there any hypocrisy on her end for appearing in this pageant, considering that a third of it is a bikini contest? Is this a fair criticism of her from a Christian view? Am I being prudish and "puritanical"? I know that I struggle with lust temptation and while I'd like to be able to say that I can observe a bikini-clad female and observe the form for the beauty of God's handiwork the way I'd look at a sunset, its just not the same thing. So is she causing me, a brother in Christ, to stumble? Or is the responsibility on me, as the person who has the issue with the sin, knowing that the pageant has a bikini component, to avoid looking at her?

I'm not so sure its clear cut. On the surface level, my immediate reaction is, don't participate in the glorified bikini contest, hold yourself to a higher standard. There's also a part of me that says, do you leave the pageants wholly to the nonbeliever as long as there's a bikini portion? Also, what's different in parading around in a bikini and parading around in an evening gown? They're both about looking at the physical qualities of the female, just different amounts of covering.

So thoughts on the response to marriage question and thoughts on the participation in the beauty pageant in general.

Have an Idea?

Have an idea for a subject you would like to study with I-268?
Do you know of a curriculum we could use for a study?
Do you have any suggestions for outings/activities/trips?

Post your comments!

Good Friday

According to the Bible, about this time 1,970 years ago, Jesus of Nazareth died by crucifixion outside of Jerusalem on Golgotha by order of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate at the urging of the Sanhedrin, among others in the crowds gathered for the Passover.

Matthew 27:45-54 (NIV):

⁴⁵From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. ⁴⁶About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi,^c]">[c] lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"^d]">[d]

⁴⁷When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah."

⁴⁸Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. ⁴⁹The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."

⁵⁰And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

⁵¹At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. ⁵²The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. ⁵³They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

⁵⁴When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son^e]">[e] of God!

And in His death, burial and resurrection, we can be justified before a holy almighty God.

Thank You for the cross. Thank You for the cross. Thank You for the cross, my friend.

Off to that 100-sided die in the sky

According to the Fox News website, the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons has died.

This guy is definitely on the nerd Mount Rushmore. Not because he was a nerd necessarily, but because the kind of person he spawned. I include Star Trek-creator Gene Roddenberry on this list.

I can speak to this being an epic nerd myself. I played Dungeons & Dragons in middle school. I still own a copy of the Dungeon Master's Guide, which is probably in my parents' basement. And, I, as anyone who attended a Gathering service I preached at knows, attended a Star Trek convention in San Antonio when I was in 9th grade.

Godspeed, Dungeons & Dragons guy.

Yay! Sudan

Harvesters Reaching the Nations is a wonderful ministry operating in Yei, South Sudan. Among other things, they run an orphanage and school that is child-by-child transforming the country. MABC is blessed to have a relationship with them, and will be sending a team this November to help do some construction on the grounds, as well as assist in other areas.

Three of our very own, Mary, Molly and Stacy, have been selected to be a part of this team. We are so proud of you guys! Obviously when kingdom work is being done, the devil attempts to thwart those plans through deception, discouragement and other roadblocks. Be lifting them up in prayer on a DAILY BASIS, for our other good friends Kate and Steve, as well as the rest of the team. It is never too early to cover this trip and mission in earnest prayer.

In Case You Missed It--04/07 Home Group

So for those of you who missed Tuesday night's study, here's what you missed:

1. American Idol. I'll get in to more details in a future "What I Watch," but in short, I was a fan of the Lambert last night. Everyone was lame in picking songs from the year they were born. I sat on iTunes and looked at the iTunes Essentials for each year, and there was so much goodness to be sung, (3 of the Top 8 born in 1985 and NO ONE sang "We Are the World"??? WHAT?!?!)* yet no one took advantage of it. I've been pulling for Danny Gokey the whole time, but he sang "Stand By Me." Sorry, guy, just because someone did a cover in 1980 doesn't mean you get to sing it. Anyway, Lambert sang some song I'd never heard of, but it was really good. The last note was way off, but overall, I was definitely loving it. The first song he's sung, including his audition, that I did not hate.

2. CrazyLove. We will begin going through Francis Chan's book CrazyLove for the next 3 months. You can buy your own copy, which is available wherever books are sold, or I can do a mass order. Let me know if you want a copy. Francis is the pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, CA, and my Asian American hero. You really DO NOT want to miss being a part of this study.

3. Washington Capitals. I was watching the end of the game, no one else really was. If Stacie V. were there, she'd have gotten angry because she DVRs games and watches them all a day later. I don't get that, but whatever, she's been to more games than me this year and even shared the gospel with Center Nick Backstrom--so who am i?

4. Forgiveness. It was turning out to be a relatively light night spiritually, but towards the end, I made an off-hand comment about an event that occurred in the ministry about 4 years ago, and it touched off a very important revelation and a discussion about the necessity to forgive. It was a powerful time to pray for a friend and speak truth into their life. I was blown away by the power of the Holy Spirit to ordain the events of the evening to lead to that moment so naturally. I truly believe that healing will come from this. Even though I'm being intentionally vague, allow the Spirit to prompt you in joining in with this prayer for this situation.

So there you go. You gotta come to Home Group. Don't make me post anymore of these!

*That was a joke. "We Are the World" is good for the unintentional comedy of the video only. The greatest superstars in music of that day-Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Bono, Bob Dylan...and there's actor Dan Akroyd in the back row.

What I Watch (Part 1 of a series)

Television is great. There is very little that beats crashing on your coach, in a comfy chair, on your bed, and just simply losing yourself in a 30 minute or 1 hour show.

When we talk about our childhoods, we get about, what, five seconds, before the conversation settles on our favorite cartoons? "Thundercats!" "Transformers!" "Gem!" (Hey--let's be honest. EVERYONE my age watched Gem). Noah, my 2-year-old, can count to 15 and recite his alphabet. He can sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and the chorus to "Your Grace is Enough." Why? Because I'm a great parent, that's why. OR, he watches Sesame Street and VeggieTales.

But too much TV will rot your brain! You'll be an overweight, isolated dope with no social skills!

Look, if you're the kind of person who does nothing but watch TV, refuses to socialize and conduct any physical activity, I'm not ready to blame the TV for your condition.

The advent of High Definition TV has made things EVEN better. I remember a few years ago, my dad bought a flat screen HDTV, and then ordered HD Cable just in time for that year's Super Bowl (I think it was the Patriots-Eagles). It was a life-changing revolution. I can't even watch regular digital broadcasts anymore. Its better to watch a game on TV than go live, and you save money and your sanity. Call me a snob.

So, here's what I watch: Dancing With the Stars.

Its so much more than just a girl show. Its more than just reality TV. Anyone whose dancing resembles mine wishes they could dance. This show has marginal celebrities (always a plus), fantastic professionals, and real competition. You get to see athleticism, grace, artistry. Women clearly dig guys who can dance, as exhibited by the season after season love that guys like Derek, Mark and Maks receive, and what "celebrity" Gilles Marini is getting this season.

Unlike Idol, where the judges play only a persuasive role in the elimination of contestants, the DWTS judges actually score performances which have a 50% contribution to a personal's overall ranking. There's the democracy of fan voting, but the reality of limited votes--hoardes of 12-year-olds can't keep a sub-par performer much past their time the way that Idol voters can keep a Sanjaya around. A voter must choose how to cast their votes.

There's also a wonderfully Biblical quality to ballroom dancing. The male is to lead his female partner; however, without a suitable helper, even the most technically gifted male will fall. The ultimate purpose of the dance, so far as I can tell, is to show off the female, so the male's leading is simply in sacrifice to the uplifting (sometimes literally) of the female, to show her off as prized and desired. The female, in turn, follows the male's lead, providing that honor and respect.

When it's all said and done, I love pretending that I know how to separate good dancing from bad, that I can predict the judges' scoring, and I love to pick a star and cheer them on to the end. I'm cheering for bullrider Ty Murray, but he has no realistic shot. My second choice is Melissa, the girl who got dumped by the most recent Bachelor.

So guys out there, don't be scurred. Its ok to like Dancing.

The NEW new blog!!!! (More exclamation points means more fun)

Okay, so I have no idea what happened with the other blog site. Becca could post to it, but I could not after the first day. I attempted to contact Google about it, but I never received any answers. Their Help message boards did nothing.

So rather than continuing to wait, and wait, and wait, and wait--its the interweb! Make a new blog! Call it something else! Use letters instead of numbers. It's genius!

So hopefully Google lets me have this one longer than one day. I promise I won't make veiled references to my dislike of certain American Idol contestants (which is the reason I think they shut me out in the first place. The dark side of the force is strong!)

I look forward to chatting up life, the universe and everything with you.