America’s Pastor? Shoot Me Now…
August 31, 2007
My latest issue of the Christian Book Distributors catalog arrived today, and the top book on the front page was Joel Osteen’s upcoming Become a Better You, undoubtedly more drivel like his first book. But that’s not the scary thing…what’s really freaky is that in their promo, they call Joel Osteen “America’s Pastor”. Let those words sink in…
Was he elected, somehow? Did I miss the chance to cast my vote? Was he appointed by the bookseller/Christian media types, whose lack of discernment is often appalling? How did he take office? Can he be voted out? Can I join another church?
The questions just keep coming…
When it Comes to Marriage, Gays HAVE “Equal Rights”
August 31, 2007
Greg Koukl, as usual, is dead-on:
Denying Same-Sex Marriage Isn’t Unequal Protection
We’ve posted this exact same thing almost verbatim before here at TNKZ, but it has to be periodically reiterated. Koukl’s “voting in France” illustration is perfect, a nice way to illustrate the point.
The issue isn’t “equal rights”; never has been, and never will be, no matter how the “gay lobby”, the far-left, and the sycophant drive-by MSM try to spin it. The issue is the definition of marriage. We can say, and mean it, that we support “equal rights” for homosexuals when it comes to marriage—but we must add, in the next breath, that homosexuals have always had equal rights in this area, and always will. What we cannot support is the special right to redefine marriage in a way that it hasn’t been defined previously.
If the issue, on the other hand, is securing reasonable rights for homosexuals that have been denied them, then that is a different story. I don’t personally believe we should criminalize sexual behavior between consenting adults, regardless of whether I consider that behavior to be moral. I believe that a person should be able to have whomever he pleases at his bedside as he lays ill. I believe that every person should be able to serve our country, so long as military readiness is not compromised one iota (which is why I support “don’t ask, don’t tell”, and did when Clinton proposed it, and did when the “gay lobby” thought it was a good thing, which apparently they don’t anymore). But “equal rights” in marriage? No need to change a thing to achieve them.
Tip of the cap to Matt Mitchell for this one.
UPDATE: Didn’t realize when I posted this that they’d lost their minds in Iowa as well.
As a pastor, I have got to begin to think very seriously about the response I will have in the event this kind of lunacy continues. Well, actually, I have: I will sign no marriage license in any state that redefines marriage in this way. Perform a wedding? Yes. Sign a license? No. Is that an illegal thing to do in many states, currently? Yes. Does that matter to me? No. Are those laws constitutional, by the way? No.
Liberal Double-Standard, Installment #4857293
August 27, 2007
Courtesy of our friends at the Washington Post…
Michael Vick Completes a Short Pass
August 27, 2007
Michael Vick’s apology today, following his pleading guilty in a federal court, was the equivalent of completing a short pass for a moderate gain, IMHO. He said the right things, and appeared, to me, to say them the right way. He asked forgiveness, and didn’t seem to leave anybody out to whom he owed said apologies. His tone seemed contrite, and he spoke, encouragingly, of finding Jesus. In short, given the horrible situation, Michael Vick did about as well as he could have, and for that, I applaud him.
As a follower of Christ, I’m thrilled to hear him speak of finding Jesus, of course. The cynic in some people will hold this up for much ridicule, but I can’t do that: I’m compelled to give him the benefit of the doubt, to sincerely hope that his words in this regard are sincere, and signal a complete change that has recently taken place in his life. I have no doubt whatsoever that the Lord can work a miraculous transformation in Michael’s life, that God can use Michael in tremendous ways given his situation, and that that is exactly what the Father wants to do.
That said, the words of John Baptist are fitting; I’d urge Michael Vick to “bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance.” As we all know, it’s easy to say the right things, but another to prove the validity of our words by living a life that backs them up. Such is the challenge for Michael Vick now, and I have a few suggestions, items that, to me, would demonstrate the sincerity of his contrition.
1. Don’t fight the Atlanta Falcons when they attempt to recover $22 million that they’re claiming. In fact, recognize the tremendous damage you’ve done, and voluntarily return the money. Now. Forget what your lawyers might say, or what the NFLPA might say.
2. Give a significant (something in the millions) contribution to the SPCA. In this way, you do something to make restitution for your sins.
3. Repudiate, in the strongest possible terms, the hip-hop culture that poisoned you, and is poisoning the lives of so many of our children. Is anybody surprised that DMX is under investigation for animal cruelty? Nope…he’s also part of this heinous culture that is glorifying all the wrong things and encouraging young people, particularly young black boys, to be thugs and woman-abusers.
4. Repudiate gambling in all its forms. Dogfighting thrives on men who are willing to put their money on animal brutality, and gambling is a vice that has become epidemic in our society. It destroys lives, based as it is on lies. Tell kids it’s wrong, that they shouldn’t make a virtue of this vice.
My readers, perhaps, can add other pertinent signs of repentance?
All in all, Vick’s statement today is equivalent to a short pass completion. It’s a start; it was a good start. Every drive in football begins with a positive play, and Mike Vick has a completion under his belt. Now, he needs to put together a sustained drive, not to win a football game, but to win in life. If he’s sincere about his relationship with Christ, then he has every opportunity to do just that, and I, for one, pray that he will.
Few University of Vermont Students Not Transgendered…
August 26, 2007
Well, at least that’s according to one quote by the assistant vice-president for student and campus life…
University of Vermont Adds “Gender-Neutral” Bathrooms
The state that brought us Socialist Bernie Sanders and Jumpin’ Jim Jeffords as Senators, and Howard “Scream Machine” Dean, now brings us potties for folks who aren’t what they’d appear, anatomically.
Here’s a fun quote: “A multi-use bathroom doesn’t necessarily feel safe to transgendered students, because they have concerns about how their gender would be read by others,” said Dot Brauer, director of the school’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Ally Services. Uh-HUH. I’m wracking my brain here, but I can’t recall attempting to “read” another person’s gender while in the head, but hey, who am I to judge other people’s gender-reading habits?
Here’s the quote I referred to above: “It’s about inclusivity and accessibility and the importance of meeting all people’s needs, not just a few,” said Annie Stevens, assistant vice president for student and campus life. Yep, we’ve got to have transgendered bathrooms, apparently, because not having them caters to the “few”.
Things must be worse in Vermont than we thought…
Newt’s Tremendous Idea
August 26, 2007
Nope, I don’t want Newt Gingrich for President, but I’ll tell you what, the man is a veritable IdeaBank. In contrast to the absolute jokes that we call “debates” in 2007, Newt proposes
How refreshing would that be, for two candidates to go toe-to-toe for 90 minutes on 9 separate occasions, allowing the American people to judge, in more than scripted sound-bites, what the candidates stand for, with the rules being very, very minimal.
I’m proud to say that the only candidate thus far to put down in writing his commitment to such a debate format is Mike Huckabee. Does that surprise us? Nope, at least not anyone who’s paying attention. He’s a stand-up guy, and he excels in debate formats to boot. I mean, can there be any doubt that he’d skeletonize Mrs. Bill, or the Obamanation, or the Prettiest Presidential Candidate? Of course not.
Sadly, Newt’s idea is far too good to ever come to pass, at least in this day and age.
This phrase comes from the 1978 "Jonestown massacre" in which most members of the Peoples Temple cult, blindly following their leader Jim Jones, committed suicide by drinking cyanide-laced Kool-Aid.
Osborne: A Contrarian's Guide to Knowing God
Schlossberg: Idols For Destruction
