Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Author Donald Miller's Prayer at the DNC

Some of you may have heard of Donald Miller. He is in my mind (and the minds of many others) the greatest Christian author since C.S. Lewis. He has written the books, "To Own A Dragon", "Through Painted Deserts", "Blue Like Jazz", "Searching for God Knows What" and he is also a popular speaker, going around the world, and he has a new movie coming out based on his book, "Blue Like Jazz". The reason I post about him is he had the opening prayer at the Democratic National Convention monday night. I think its important to watch his prayer, and see how different it is from most public prayer. Also, note how non-partisal (I should hope it would be, its a prayer for crying out loud) it is, even at a democratic party dominated venue. Only time i have ever stated that i was provoked into thought at a political rally. Watch and decide what you think for yourself.

I Hate Politics...


Okay before i get into this, i suppose i should just state that i dont hate much in the world. I think this world is much more beautiful than we give it credit for, but wow, do i hate politics.

A while back i posted on here who i will be voting for, and i got a landslide of opinions on why people agree or disagree with this stance of mine. I gave them all my reasons, but yet still, people love passion. So i will use this space to tell you why i hate politics. I will give my 3 main reasons.

1. We make it about Jesus when, its not.
The campaign seems to always swing to what James Dobson and the like believe is best for us. Let me just say, while i use and appreciate some of what Focus on the Family does, i in no way endorse James Dobson. Seems like a okay guy, but he is more political than Tucker Carlson and Bill O-Reilly combined, and I dont mean as a activist either (e-mail me for further explaination). But the issue is, we make it about two issues, abortion and gay marriage.

Let me explain something about why stances on both. I in no way am pro-choice. I think abortion is murder and i think the Bible supports this stance (once again, e-mail for further discussion). But at the same time, the executive branch only has so much power, and with so many presidents who are against abortions, we still are setting record for total abortions every year in our country (last 8 years included). And i know, we want to appoint supreme court justices who are pro-life to overturn Roe v. Wade, but to base my vote on who the guy appoints, is, well, insane. So to me, abortion is a non-issue (wow people are going to hate that), only because neither candidate will help it, but i think alot could be done with our adoption policies in our nation.

And with gay marriage, i am similar. I think homosexuality is a sin, and there is no grey area to it, but if you are already living in sin, does it matter? To clarify this i am saying, being gay and married doesnt make you more gay. I know marriage IS between one man, one woman, but at the same time a life without Christ is useless to begin with, no matter what you are into (you know the drill, e-mail if need be).

Its no different than making it about the environment all the sudden. There is very little we will do to help the climate situation, so why make it be about who you elect? it is because they know it is a hot issue.

But the overlining issue is, and always is, its not about those two issues, but they want us to think it is. To elect someone because they agree with you, eventhough their opinion doesnt make anything happen is similar to being confident in a pilot because he is a buckeyes fan, eventhough he isnt qualified to fly the plane.

2. We know nothing.
Honestly, this is my major reason for hating politics. We know nothing. All our information comes from the talking heads on blogs, CNN, FOX, talk radio, etc. And if you want you info from the candidate themselves, you are going to hear what their party favors or what their advisors/speech writers think. A candidate is a product that rich people are selling to gain more power. Plain and simple.

3. We arent really qualitfied to decide this anyway.
With the lack of honest information we have at out disposal, and people mainly voting for whomever is listed as the candidate for thier respective party each year no matter what, and the crazy message hollywood is constantly putting out, how is a majority vote even the best way to do it? what i mean is, if such a small margin of people are informed to begin with, how is it that this is the best way to decide? Now i know we are a government for the people and by the people (sort of) so i am not saying change it, but i am saying, it is incrediably flawed.


In closing, i know people will be offended by much of this, but, well thats okay. It is important to open the dialogue.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

A letter to the dude who wears football jerseys...


Dear Jersey guy,
I am writing this to you, because, well i once was you. You are the guy who cant wait for the NFL draft to be over so that you can get your new jersey fresh off the printer. You are the dude who as soon as Favre was traded wanted to know if he gets to keep #4, and you even entertained the idea of pre-ordering it. You are the guy who thinks he cant go to a game without wearing a replica of the uniform of one of its participants. You are the guy who spends over 60 bucks on a shirt (jersey) that guarantees you wont have to worry about female conpanionship for some time (pretty much like load speakers in your car guy).

I understand why you do it. You are a fan, and you think your team or player needs your support. But, they dont. You wearing thier jersey, while being over the age of 17 isnt helping anyone, except maybe Reebok or Nike because now they have your money.

You know, "dude who wears football jerseys", you are bad, but you ave a more advanced coison, the obscure and repulsive, "dude who wears football jerseys, and TUCKS THEM IN" See if you are this guy, wow. Please, just repent now. Its bad enough you are rocking the jersey, but now, you are tucking it in as if the world needs to see a black Carson Palmer jersey tucked into your Wranglers. Please, i plea with you in favor of my own gender, stop.

(I know, much more negative than usual. But I think it needed to be said.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Coolest Things Known To Man...


Bon Jovi's Song - "I'll Be There For You"

The TV Show Lost

Pete Rose's Haircut


And...

Not Spending Lots of money on a cell phone

G Video For Em



will be more later. thanks, love you em

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Wow.

This is a video of a song i heard for the 1st time today. Its by a band called "Saving Jane" out of Columbus. They have had some huge radio hits like "Girl Next Door" and more recently "Supergirl", and also a local Ohio hit "Hang On Sloopy (O-H-I-O Mix), but this is a song they did called "Grace". I am researching for an upcoming sermon series called "The Grace Effect". It will just be about asking the question, "what is God's Grace?". we will be discussing it for four weeks, it should be powerful stuff (not because of me, but because of the subject. Anywho, this is the video for it. All i can say is, wow.

Friday, August 1, 2008