For Real?

Are we seriously to the point in this country where we are actually, no joke, having a conversation about whether or not the First Amendment protects a person's right to go into a public library and view internet pornography via the computers there that are designated for public use?

For Real?

I could not BELIEVE that the story I was hearing on the radio yesterday was actually true until I was able to get home and check it out for myself. And, yep - much to my disbelief, they really are having this conversation in New York. I laugh a little even typing this... I mean, seriously. THIS is a First Amendment issue?

I've got to believe that, were they still alive, the founding fathers and all those involved with penning our nation's documents would be very ashamed at what we've done with the wisdom and words that they left us. We live in a country where the rights of debase individuals are put above those of innocent children and patrons who might just want to use the library for, oh I don't know... READING BOOKS.

Consider this... I remember watching TV with my parents on the weekdays, after dinner, where we would see things like "The Cosby Show," "Family Ties," "Who's the Boss," and those other shows that now get played on Nick @ Night. I even remember the episode of "Murphy Brown" that caused such a stink because she was a single mother being portrayed on TV in a positive way... but that's NOTHING compared to what was on TV just last night. My family didn't have cable TV for the past 5 years, so we still watch a lot of CBS out of habit. Last night, every single show that was on made some reference, had some suggestion, or specifically dealt with sexual activity.

Some of the wiser among you might say, "Well, preacher boy, just change the channel if you're worried about it." Yeah - you try that. Unless I want to watch non-stop CSPAN or QVC, the non-stop sexual barrage of TV is impossible to escape. And now, we get to add to that the fact that we're going to ALLOW people to publicly watch pornography in libraries?!

This isn't where the bad stuff ends, folks - this is where it starts.

The normal response to this is "Well, I just won't go to the library anymore..." But - have we stopped to consider that this response simply doesn't work? Giving in and walking away doesn't help your cause - it destroys it! In a battle, you don't give ground, you take ground. And make no mistake at all - this is a battle. It's a battle for the minds and morals of all those who come behind us.

I don't know that I have anything profound to say about this - just that the shock of the state of things is still sinking in. I can't believe that we're actually, as a nation, having this conversation. We have walked so far away from good and right and righteous that we wouldn't recognize it if it were shoved down our throat. You know this is true because every week, in good churches all over the world, the Righteous is shown to us through the Bible and we, sitting like stones, all too often let it bounce off of us like so much garbage.

What will it take to stir the good people of this nation into action? When will looking at something like this and shaking our head in disgust cease to be the average response? When will we act?

Or will we? Maybe that's what bothers me the most. We've allowed the world to breed all desire of fight out of us to the point that, as long as you're famous enough when you say it, we'll believe and accept anything dished out by those who seek to harm us. "But Mason," you say, "Jesus was a hippie who loved everyone and said turn the other cheek and all that..."

Read Matthew 21. You'll eventually stumble over verses 12ff. Jesus didn't see the people taking advantage of worship and profaning the temple and simply shake his head and say "Man that's terrible..."

He drove them out - he turned over tables - he kicked over chairs. He reclaimed his ground.

Shouldn't we?

Happy Easter!!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful time in worship yesterday! I was blessed to be with my church family and more blessed by their attitude of worship and the WONDERFUL breakfast that was prepared for us all. Our schedule was a lot different than normal; starting at 7am and being home by 10:45. It was nice! Different is good for a little while, normally... but we'll be back to normal in no time. :)

How about a sermon? This was during our Sunrise Service, from 7-7:30. I got really excited and had to slow myself down... correctly use the word resurrection, not rapture... and bust myself for saying "things" - but I really enjoyed being with folks this early in the morning.



Next up, the Adult Easter Cantata. My apologies for singing too loud! I didn't realize I was sticking out that much until I listened to this recording... the phrase "like a sore thumb" comes to mind. But - that one thing aside, Melanie certainly does a super job with us and really makes us sound good! I though this went great and really closed our Easter Worship in a wonderful way.





So, there you have it. I hope you spent the day with a church family, or reflecting on the beauty and wonderment of an empty tomb. Jesus did all of that for each and every one of us. How awesome!

A glitch in the matrix

So, for those of you actually keeping up - I haven't made a post to this thing in a month or more. I know, I know... where's the love, right?

No real excuse, other than the same ole' story of Seminary kicking my rear-end. I took a seminar class during Spring Break and that always gets me. Cramming that much stuff into such a short time knocks everything else out of whack. Plus, it's just goofy to take an additional class on the week that you're supposed to be taking a break. Clearly I'm lots of things, but smart ain't one - I suppose.

So, without further ado - I present A VIDEO. Please keep your public displays of excitement down so that those near you aren't startled or offended.



Cute, huh?

AAAaAaaaaaannd, just for you - I've decided that it's "watch one video - get two more free" day, so have some sermons:






Hey Mom - you're welcome.

:)

Survive This!

This video has been pretty popular on the various web and radio outlets that I'm commonly checking out. I don't watch Survivor, specifically because I hate a show that glorifies the human condition and our ability to take advantage of any given situation that might give us a personal benefit. (/end sermon)

However, it seems that a bit of Christianity crept into the show recently in this new season. Check out this video:



The video is long, so if you're thinking "Ehh... no thanks, tl/dr." (That's "too long/didn't read" for you folks playing at home), let me summarize; Two contestants on the show were open about their faith and one of them had a Bible. She lost the competition and gave the Bible to the other guy who was also a Christian.

Most people are talking about the amazing fact that CBS didn't cut the religious portions out of the episode. Everyone's like "Wow - I can't believe they left that in there!"

As my youngest son would say... "Why come?"

Please don't get me wrong - I watched the whole video and really appreciated seeing two people who were willing to speak out about their faith, even in a situation where that faith would be wildly unpopular. I was Especially touched by the loser giving her Bible away and the appreciation that you could see on the guy's whole body. That's good stuff.

But what happened to us as a people that makes this issue so surprising? I could, perhaps, be seeing an issue where there isn't really one in the first place, but it just seems so heartbreaking to me that a TV show that actually showed Christians openly would be considered a "wow" type thing.

I'd like to submit the following as a reason why; Because we (the Church) let it happen.

God's been on my case a great deal, recently, on the importance of being a disciple and the cost that comes along with that. In fact, in my preaching class Monday I preached on discipleship, and so did the other 3 guys that preached. We could have preached ANYTHING from any of the four Gospels, yet we all preached discipleship? Tell me that's random... you can't.

What has bothered me the most is a reference Paul made to the Corinthian believers. Look:

Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1

I think things like this Survivor deal highlight the fact that we, the Church, have failed to imitate Christ. And, in turn, the world imitated what they saw - a limp-wristed faith that would rather shrug and say "oh well," than actually getting dirty and taking care of business. So, you then might say - "Hold up preacher boy... the world doesn't even pay attention to the Christian Church, so they didn't imitate us - they are just nasty, dirty sinners!"

We need to realize that the Devil never took any ground that we did not first surrender to him.

In a survivor sort of mood - I wonder how the church survives with any sort of relevance as we go into the future. Christianity, if it hasn't been already, is about to be "voted off the island" in the hearts and minds of a lot of people... and that's my fault. That's your fault Sister Christian. You too, Brother - we did this.

But, we can undo it too. We can reclaim the beauty of the Gospel and start living like the disciples we have been called to be. We can really live the life we've been called to live and take back what we so foolishly turned over to the Devil.

Cause even the gates of Hell can't prevail against us.

No wonder they did it naked!

Scouring the internet, as I am wont to do, I came across a most interesting story on one movie star giving another movie star advice on the art of movie-nudity. Not that it matters, but specifically it was Kate Winslet (of Titanic fame) giving the advice to Evan Rachel Wood (of I have no clue who she is fame). It seems Ms. Wood is/was required to do a full-frontal nude scene in some HBO thing that she's a part of called Mildred Pierce.

She was nervous. She perhaps didn't want to do it, I don't really know. But - Kate came to the rescue - to comfort and encourage Ms. Wood to expose herself to the entire world on television. What were her words of wisdom, you ask? What could possibly shore up a person's uncertainty at the thought of being totally nude and captured for all time through TV and Internet media? Well - let me share a direct quote from the article:

"You've got to do it. Trust me, it's so brave. Put a merkin on and you'll be fine."

Seriously... it's SO brave? Talk about enlightening. I had no idea.

I know history records that some groups, like the Ancient Celts and the Hyksos, used to fight battles in the nude and the Ancient Greeks participated in sporting events sans pants... but never had I realized that all these women taking nude pictures of themselves and flashing it all on the big/little screen was bravery. This is life-altering information here folks!

I'm a married man. I have children. One of them is a daughter. I now know that I have been a terrible father to her these past 5, almost 6 years. While I was busy teaching her to honor herself, to realize how precious she was in the eyes of God and of her Daddy... I was really supposed to be teaching her that exploitation and a disregard for anything private were the real traits to be admired. How awful can I possibly be?

I shouldn't tell my little girl that she needs to be respected as a person. I shouldn't tell her that a man needs to love HER and ask nothing FROM her physically. I shouldn't even teach her that she is completely beautiful and not just physically beautiful. Nope... those are old school and foolish.

Instead, bravery won't come from holding herself in a high regard, it'll come from her getting naked in front of people and then letting EVERYONE on the planet see that nakedness. Don't fight for the right to be loved completely and honored as a Woman - just get naked! Don't expect a man to forsake all else and cherish you as a gift from the Almighty - just get naked! Be BRAVE!

We could be talking about the solution to World Peace here people!

I hope my sarcasm is clear here. I hope I've been able to make this a humorous little aside that forces you to consider the larger issue. Because - let me be clear here - this is NOT brave. The only way you might convince me to consider showing yourself like this for a POINTLESS TV program is to mention the fact that she had to overcome her embarrassment. Maybe, maybe that could be viewed, in some loose way, as bravery. But that "bravery" would be so watered down, so diluted in the stupidity of the situation, that it would be akin to more like "gullible stupidity" than it would bravery.

The truth is this - Bravery walked out the door a long time ago. Bravery asked us to stand up for what was right and just and, after being ignored for so long, decided to retire and live a life of seclusion - only coming out for brief moments to remind the world that there is another way; a better way.

Ladies - this isn't brave. Ladies, living with him before marriage isn't brave. Ladies, giving yourself to him outside of a marital commitment isn't brave. It's just a sign that you weren't taught how precious you really are. It's a sign that you aren't being loved the way you deserve to be loved. It's a sign that too many people failed to tell you these things. On their behalf, I apologize. I'm sorry that we didn't let you know - didn't share with you the absolute gift that you were made to be - didn't share with you how you are supposed to be cherished and protected.

Stepping on toes? Yes. Telling the truth? Yes.

You ask how I know? You suggest that I'm a narrow-minded fool who wants to ignore "woman's rights" and chain women back to the stove - never letting them leave the home?  Oh please....

We've been force-fed that mess for so long we think it's a valid way of looking at things. I'm not selling some idea that's a veiled attempt to make you less of a person - what I'm trying to show you is that you're living life SO MUCH LESS than what you were made to be. You are a treasure and you live like trash. And you let these "friends" and these "respected people" teach you to think that this exploitation isn't exploitation - it's Women's Rights!

Whatever.

How about we settle the argument that this isn't about respect or bravery? How about I provide my summation:

When's the last time you saw someone tell a DUDE that getting naked on screen was brave?

I rest my case.


"Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature that then the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen." Romans 1:24-25

Back from the Brink

I live! I made it back from Marietta, GA just a little worse for wear. Those week long classes are a close kin to torture, but only because of how much they try to cram into those few short days. I'm always amazed how a chair can start out feeling so comfortable, but after 7 hours feel like it's lined with spikes. I suppose we're not supposed to sit in one spot for that long...

How about some sermons? Now - I confess to you that I noticed Tanner moving the camera back and forth a little (he's trying to "do good for Mimi"), so if it's a little too all-over-the-place, just leave a comment and I'll tell him to tone it down.

It was interesting to feel driven to another place in the Bible that I wasn't originally thinking to go, but the morning sermon didn't belong to me one bit. I've never prepared a sermon and then felt God tell me that I needed to say something else... but that's what happened. And then, when I stood before the church, I found myself questioning what I was about to do. But, I know all too well what happens when you deny the boss... so I "girded my loins" and just said what I was supposed to. Hope it's worth the listen.



This evening sermon wasn't so much a sermon as it was just some thoughts that occurred to me as I was attending class. Of course - who can take some "thoughts" and end up talking for 26 minutes? Me.

Short and sweet

I'm getting ready to head to Marietta, GA for a week-long workshop class on Missions. So, I don't have my usual amount of time to think up something witty to say...

That may be a positive thing, I don't really know.

Anyway - here are the sermons from yesterday:






I hope that there's a positive message there for you and that you hear God speaking to you. I really appreciate the comments that I've been getting recently and want you to know that its encouraging to know that you're listening and thinking on the things that I have the honor to preach about.

Ok - gotta go... GA awaits me. As my Dad used to say: Remember who you are.