| Monday, January 30, 2006 |
| Where Were You? |
Pearl Harbor and JFK's Assassination- two "generational moments" that touched America. Moments that cause people to remember exactly where they were or what they were doing when they first heard about them. Unfortunately, my generation has had two such moments. Obviously the terrorist attacks on America are unforgettable but the first moment was the space shuttle Challenger.
This weekend marked twenty years since the Challenger disaster. On January 28, 1986 I was in Mrs Smith's fourth grade class at John Foster Dulles elementary school. We weren't among the students watching the launch on live TV because our lunch period occurred at that time. I remember someone coming up to our table saying that the shuttle had exploded, and we thinking it was a joke. I can remember exactly where I was sitting in the cafeteria. We spent the rest of the day glued to the television watching the disastrous news come in. For years I thought that would be our generation's moment in time.
Last night A&E had a special about on about the World Trade Center bombings. Whenever these 9/11 programs come on, I feel obligated to watch. On September 11, 2001 I was working at Cincinnati Bible College in the admissions office. Evan's wife called to tell us to turn on the television. We watched intently as the smoke bellowed from the north tower. But the moment the south tower suddenly burst into flames, and we all recognized that this wasn't an accident, everything changed. I remember how numb I felt in that moment. I was coach of the school's women's soccer team and I cancelled practice that day. I stayed up that night until 3am watching the news. I couldn't believe what had happened.
A crazy thing about being human: we can feel the pain of losing someone we've never met. I didn't personally know any of the people who perished in either of those accidents yet I felt [and still feel] this connection with them. Perhaps it's because we're forced to reflect on our own humanity. Churches in this country were never as full the weekend after September 11th; and everyone was praying. These moments make us realize how frail life is, that we're not invincible, and that we should cherish all the days we have on earth.
Maybe that's why I feel the need to watch every program about these disasters. I need to constantly be reminded of how precious and fleeting my own existence is. It gives me another piece of motivation to carpe diem and make a difference in this world. My mortality should affect the way I carry myself in life, and seeing the sudden deaths of others puts that into perspective.
I don't know if that's it or not, but I keep coming back to these moments in time. I am the only one, or do these moments stir you as well? |
yet another musing of steve-o @ 4:09:00 PM
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| Thursday, January 26, 2006 |
| He Can't Handle The Truth |
The heat was too much.
I wrote a couple of weeks ago about James Frey, whose non-fiction best-seller A Million Little Pieces was found to be full of lies. Book sales were jettisoned by being in Oprah's book club. For awhile the media queen denied that this was a big deal, but she finally came to terms and brought James Frey back on her show. [Correction: NY Times pulled the transcript, but their coverage is here.]
It's hilarious that Frey's still trying to live in the false reality he's created. He said, "I mean, what was true is there was that person. Every one of the people in the book existed. I altered things about all of them." Plus, while I'm adding things, I finally saw some of the video on the news this morning and, "DANG!" That was one ticked-off billionaire! And Frey was just a deer in the headlights as Oprah tore him a new one. I wonder if he was even aware why Oprah asked him back on the show]
Oprah has withdrawn her support of Frey and his book. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 8:13:00 PM
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| La Pequena Chica |
First off, El Rancho Grande is still the best restaurant ever.
Had to get that out of the way.
A trip to El Rancho was my treat for participating in the arduous task known as "registering for baby shower." We were an hour and a half at Babies 'R' Us this evening, neck deep in pastels [which even makes Kelly gag]. Don't worry; I made it out alive.
I remember eight years ago when we were registering for our wedding. Now that was a good time. I wielded that price gun like Doc Holiday on the streets of Tombstone ["I'm your Huckleberry"]. It was the same task today, with a different purpose. The estrogen levels were awfully high. All the men in the place, accompanying their pregnant partners looked like they were being held hostage with no ransom in sight.
Look, don't get me wrong. I'm so excited about the little girl. I can't wait 'till she gets here. I'm looking forward to all the things fatherhood has to offer. But I don't care what color her sheets are, or what kind of sippie cups she'll use. But I guess it's stuff other people are going to get us. So I'll shut up now. Because I'm an idiot.
Did I mention we ate at El Rancho Grande tonight? |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 7:45:00 PM
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| Tuesday, January 24, 2006 |
| God Bless Hooters! |
Wait! Don't get all judgemental! I didn't say that. He did.
The head Catholic priest for the Greater Waco area blessed the new Hooters restaurant in town.
Monsignor Isidore Rozycki is quoted as saying, Blessings are part of the Catholic tradition. You bless the building so it will be a safe haven, so that the families that enter will be blessed, so the employees will be blessed as they support their families."
OK then.
If this works, he should expect more calls.
"Monsignor, Larry Flint on line one." |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 10:25:00 PM
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| Ten minutes to Wapner . . . |
[Insert People's Court Music here. If typed out it looks like: DA! D'DUM! DUM!]
I've always been fascinated by the law; before my preaching desires kicked in, I always thought I would be a lawyer. It seemed such a cool profession, on LA Law and in the movies [My Cousin Vinnie, anyone?], why wouldn't I want to be a lawyer?
I became a friend with Kevin while on staff at Christ's Church. Kevin is a defense lawyer up in Lebanon who sometimes tries appeals cases before the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. He always offered to let me watch and we finally made it happen this afternoon.
First off, no one tried on a bloody glove and there was no opportunity for me to yell, "No Justice, No Peace!" After getting over that disappointment, it was an interesting time. The room in the Courthouse was gorgeous, cherry wood everywhere with a Gold Eagle carved above the judges' bench. There are three judges that cases are brought before, and lawyers. At this point in the appeals process, it's all about arguments over the laws themselves.
As a defense lawyer Kevin is forced to represent scum, but he'll only argue what he believes in. Today it was an argument concerning the way a judge sentenced a drug dealer. There was no denying the guilt of the defendent, but the judge took some leeway in how he came up with the sentence; he used hearsay evidence to come up with the sentence. Kevin argued to the appeals court that it was a violation of the sixth amendment [still not sure what women voting had to do with this]. The judges get a month or so to come up with a decision but, despite already winning one of his points, you could tell that his argument wasn't going to fly.
After listening to about an hour of legaleze, I went away with one thing on my mind:
I'm glad I didn't become a lawyer.
Sure it's exciting when you're before a judge, but with all the research you have to do just to get in court, it's like being stuck in term-paper hell. You research rulings and cases to come up with arguments so you can go back and research some more. That is unless you're an ambulance chaser and then . . . well, Duebber can fill in the blanks.
Mad props to all you hard-working law school grads, but I'll stick with the preaching gig, thank you very much. No one objects to my sermons . . . well, at least not while I'm giving them.
Can't you hear Doug Llewellyn wrapping up this post? He says something like this:
"This is Doug Llewellyn reminding you that when you're too lazy to actually go to law school, you have little ambition and think you can skate through life by going to Bible College and becoming a minister, don't take the law into your own hands- go to court . . . for an afternoon."
[Insert ending People's Court theme here: DA! D'DUM! DUM! followed by the wicked drum solo.] |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 9:20:00 PM
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| Monday, January 23, 2006 |
| Delicates- Low Heat |
Problem: I hate wrinkled clothes.
Additional Problem: I hate ironing.
Ultimate solution: the dryer.
Does it remind you of this Seinfeld episode:
Kramer: Feel this. Yeah! It's piquing hot. It's fresh out of the dryer. Hey Elaine you have to feel my pants . Elaine: I'll see you later. Kramer: Oh. All right. You don't know what your missing. I'm loving this, Jerry! I am never putting on another piece of clothing unless it's straight out of the dryer.
Hijinks ensue when Kramer gets the calzone place to put his pants in their oven.
I used to do this all the time when I was growing up. My room was in the basement, as was the laundry room, so it was easy access to the dryer. I don't think I ever ironed then. I had to go without in college [no way was I going to run down four flights of stairs and pay 75 cents]. Same thing in our apartment days. I started using the dryer again in our last house, but only sparingly.
My in-laws have one of those steamers that they let me use when we were there over the holidays. In my first attempt using it I burned my hand. That's all I needed to know. I've never been burned by my trusty, reliable dryer.
Today was the first time I reinstituted the time-honored tradition at the condo. I had absolutely no desire to iron so I threw my jeans and sweater in the dryer. One has to be careful not to leave the clothes in too long, lest they end up shrinking. About four minutes gets the job done. I nailed the timing on it. And then I was able to enjoy a few extra minutes of added warmth. Friends, can life get any better than this?
We have really bad static in the house, so a dryer sheet is a must. My jeans felt like plastic-wrap on my legs for a few minutes.
Like Cosmo, I might never put on another piece of clothing unless it's straight out of the dryer. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 9:35:00 PM
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| The Only Thing We Have To Fear . . . |
From Seth Godin's blog:
"The enemy of creativity is fear.
The enemy of fear, in the short run anyway, is not creativity. It's the fetal position.
The fetal position doesn't work. It feels like it ought to, but it just gives you more room for your fear."
'Tis true. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 4:22:00 PM
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| Sunday, January 22, 2006 |
| A Whale of A Time |
 I don't know much, but the little I do know could've prove helpful to people in London yesterday.
People in England sprang to action as a bottlenose whale was swimming in the Thames River, a body of water not known for it's whale population. They dispatched help to try to get the whale back to the ocean. Unfortunately, the whale didn't survive the trip and died. Shocker.
Growing up with animals, I understood that they didn't like to hang around the house to die. Both cats and dogs alike would wander off into the woods, returning to the wild to meet their end. As Kelly and I watched the scene unfold we asked the same question: does anyone think it went down-river to die?
Hmmmm, I guess we were right. Whale dies. Thousands of dollars wasted.
BTW, forget about the Thames or Moby Dick, this is still the best whale story ever. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 11:02:00 PM
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| What time is it? |
 Just flipping through channels, we came across the new VH1 reality show featuring Public Enemy Rapper Flavor Flav; Flavor [as his friends call him] is famous for two things: 1) saying "YEEE-AH BOYZ!!!!" and 2) wearing large clocks around his neck. This reality show is a Bachelor-like dating show where he picks from a large group of girls to find his love match.
But instead of giving the girls roses, what does he give to the ladies? Oh yes: large clocks to wear around their neck. How is this not the greatest show on television?
Bring the noise. Fight the power. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 10:55:00 PM
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| Saturday, January 21, 2006 |
| Bad Boys . . . |
Another post title, another song.
As I was wrapping up that last post I heard some banging outside. There were three punk kids throwing stuff at the front door of the business across the street. They were younger kids [ages 12-14] but you never know who's packing around here so I called 911. They said they'd send someone right away. The kids kept pounding the glass door with a bar until it finally shattered. Instead of running far away, they half ran through the parking lot and hung out. The waited around for about fifteen minutes after my call and then walked up the street. A squad car pulled up half an hour later.
I know the police can't be everywhere but, with all the cop cars that fly up our street, you think they might have had someone come sooner. When the officer arrived I crossed the street to show him the damage. One glass door was slightly damaged, and the other was shattered. There's no way I could ID those kids, so I guess the business will have to make an insurance claim on the door.
Life in the city. You can't get much better than this. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 9:16:00 PM
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| If I were a carpenter . . . |
So today was our day at Christ Hospital for our birthing class. Oh happy day! Describing this eight-hour experience is a daunting task, but I have to try.
We showed up with the prerequisite pillows in hand and met our instructor Irene. She's been a delivery room nurse for twenty years and was well qualified to teach the class. I headed immediately to the back row, still understanding that if you're going to screw around you need to be in the back. We sat next to this guy named Dave and his wife Holly. Dave was my kind of people, possessing his own arsenal of smart-aleck remarks that we were able to unleash with military-like precision. Ironically Dave is on staff at the Crossroads Community Church, working in their children's ministry. We were even able to talk about the hilarious Real Old Testament. There were a bunch of cool people in the class that made the experience more enjoyable.
After we introduced ourselves it was straight to the diagrams. It feel like Biology all over again [note to reader: the only "D" I ever received was my last semester at Bible College in Biology. Why does a minister need to know Biology?]. Suffice to say, I now understand why men fifty years ago never went into the delivery room. There are some things that happen in there that men could survive without knowing. But trust me, I learned them today. I saw video . . . after video . . . after video. Tell me, dear friends, what possesses a woman expecting a child to say, "Hey, the baby's coming. Let's allow a film crew into the delivery room, film me in the least flattering view possible, and get full view of my "hoo-ha" so thousands of future parents can watch for years to come"??? This is why the Cleavers slept in separate beds [maybe Wally and the Beav' were adopted].
So after lunch we ended up on the floor to work on breathing/massage junk. It was a good . . . for the ladies who got free massages. But after seeing all the diagrams/video footage about the birth, I'm ready to give Kelly anything she wants. The craziest thing that Irene had us do all day was to spoon while lying down on the floor as she read some visualization about walking on the beach [seriously]. I would've laughed but I was trying to fall asleep. In the moment, I wondered what effect a nuclear blast would do to us. Years later, when archaeologists discovered our bodies, they would've had a heck of time figuring out what was going on there.
All in all, it was a good day. I'm glad we took this class in one day instead of spreading it out over weeks. And I think we'll be ready to bring home baby.
I need to take a shower. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 8:01:00 PM
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| Friday, January 20, 2006 |
| This Used To Be My Playground |
I ask forgiveness for using a Madonna song as the title to this post, but it was what came to me. I am what I am, so what else can I be?
I had some errands to run this morning and was excited at the opportunity to get out and about. Working the first five-day week at "the home office" was good, but it's a little too quiet around there. I like to be around people. So my plan was to finish the errands and get some work done at Panera.
Yes, the Panera where I used to work.
It's a strange feeling walking into the place your old place of employment; you see everything from a different perspective, and aren't quite sure how to act. Right when I walked in the store phone rang and I felt the impulse to answer it. It was nice to know that it wasn't my problem. There are a few new employees but still quite a people I know. They were excited to see me and wanted to catch up on life. Actually, they told me they wished I was still working there as some of the new hires weren't working out.
I got a couple bagels and went to sit down and employees came up wanting to talk to me. After awhile I pulled the laptop out, hoping to send a message but the message failed. I ended up talking the whole time I was there. Not exactly what I planned, but it was a good time. It always feels good to be missed. I'm not quite sure what God was doing during my time at Panera, but maybe it was to reach out to the people I worked with. Hopefully I'll figure it out someday.
I really love people. I'd prefer to be around people I dislike than no people at all. That's why ministry is the perfect profession for me. God cares about people and needs someone to relay the message. Who better than a schlep like me? Sure, I have a lot I'm still working on with myself, but I like people.
I know I've quoted this before, but the late sportswriter Dick Schaap said, Âoften I am asked what my favorite sport is, and I always say Âpeople. I collect people. Good answer.
So I'm making sure that I don't hide at the home office but get out and about to meet people.
*Madonna is a person. Does that justify the title? |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 3:38:00 PM
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| Thursday, January 19, 2006 |
| Convicts verses Catholics |
This is the one night of the year I root against Xavier.
I'm not one of those University of Cincinnati fans that's intimidated by the crosstown rival. I like Xavier, but UC is my team. I just mapped the distance between our condo and both schools and they're equidistant; we're 2.5 from both UC and XU. I know I'm a dork for just looking that up, but I was curious.
The good thing about this UC season is I'm not as anxious as I usually get. They're basically playing with the five starters. With the loss of Huggins and all the players [the Kirkland loss was a killer] I'm just glad if they do anything. A NCAA tournament birth would be a huge victory. Through thick and thin, they're still my team no matter what President Zimpher does to try to wreck it.
Bearcats have a seven point halftime lead. If they come out strong the first few minutes of the second half, I give 'em the "W."
We shall see . . . |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 9:57:00 PM
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| Wednesday, January 18, 2006 |
| Skyline Time! |
 Ate at Skyline tonight. Now that's living.
As a baby, I think I was transitioned from bottled milk straight to Skyline Chili. Living in the Cincinnati, keys to survival are oxygen, water, and Skyline. For those of you not from the area, Skyline Chili isn't like regular chili. It's a thinner consistency, having a hint of chocolate and cinnamon, and it's definitely an acquired taste. It's unique to the 'Nati, as Kelly's Elvis even asked about it. By the way, eating Gold Star feels like committing adultery.
I try to eat Skyline once a week, though I'm off that schedule since moving downtown. I've eaten in most of the restaurants in the greater Cincinnati area. My favorite location is the original in Price Hill [although they tore down the old building and moved the place down the street]. The one who serves the best chili is the Mason franchise; they never skimp on the portions.
So how can you make the Skyline experience even better? Habanero Cheese, baby! Sure it sets your mouth on fire, but it's well worth it. It's only for a limited time, so you gotta get it while it lasts.
And if you're from out of town and have never tried Skyline, it's well worth the trip our city. Fly into CVG and there's one in nearby Florence, Kentucky.
Can't wait to sneak some Skyline into the baby girl's bottle. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 9:32:00 PM
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| Tuesday, January 17, 2006 |
| When The Truth Isn't The Truth |
We really need to be honest about this . . .
. . . about a writer who wasn't really honest.
By now you've heard the embarrassing tale of one James Frey, whose literary career was boosted into hyper-drive when his book, A Million Little Pieces, became the first non-fiction book in Oprah's book club. The book is a memoir detailing James' life of drug and alcohol abuse that led to prison time; somehow he was able to overcome all this and reclaim his life. Pieces became a best-seller despite the fact that the book is full of fabrications by Frey. This wouldn't be such a big deal but the book was presented as nonfiction. "Nonfiction," for those unfamiliar with the term, means "literature that is not fictional." And, going further, "fiction" is "something invented by the imagination." So since parts of the book were invented by Frey's imagination, that would disqualify it as nonfiction.
But many people are giving Frey a free pass. They say that the fabrications aren't hurting anyone and, since the story is so inspirational, we should let it slide. Oprah herself said that since "hundreds of thousands of people whose lives have been changed by this book" it was no big deal. She also said Frey "stepped out of that history to be the man that he is today, and to take that message to save other people and allow them to save themselves."
Oprah has spoken. The issue should be settled. But we will press on.
This is a case of people underestimating the seriousness of the subject. Even Frey himself doesn't seem to get it. On Larry King the other night he said the following:
"The book is 432 pages long. The total page count of disputed events is 18, which is less than five percent of the total book."
Eighteen pages. No big deal. I might be able to go with that, but it wasn't as if he messed with minor events. He added years of prison to his life. That goes beyond a little stretching the truth. The manipulated material that Frey injected into the story gave the tale its power. This is indeed a big deal. If James Cameron's love story version of Titanic were actually true I might've cried at the end. Instead I laughed.
I'm not naive enough to think that Frey is the first person to ever fabricate the truth in a memoir. But the high-profile nature of this case cannot be ignored. If we turn our eyes to this we are giving permission for future writers looking for a payday to make up stories of inspiration and pawn it off as reality.
Laura Vanderkam in USA Today summed up the issue well,
"A newspaper story of a kid with a learning disability who overcomes rough odds to go to college inspires us to try harder in our lives in a way that fiction— where we can manipulate the outcomes to make success certain— can't. The outcome is never certain in non-fiction. Stories in this genre show we can be the architects of our existence. The good Frey might do for addicts with his books is outweighed by the damage he has done to future authors' abilities to convince readers of stories that will change their lives."
Everyone thinks it's about holding Frey to an unreasonable standard. We can't think too small here. It has nothing to do with him. It's actually about all those people whose lives were changed by his book. A book based on lies.
We need to hold people accountible to tell the truth. If you own the book, I'd suggest trying to return it for a refund. That would be a statement.
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| yet another musing of steve-o @ 9:28:00 PM
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| You Big Baby! |
Went with Kelly to the doctor this morning to see an ultrasound of the little girl. I got to see the first one a few months ago, but it's such a fascinating experience I really wanted to go again.
The only detraction of the whole trip is having to actually go into the OBGYN's office. There are some things there- models, diagrams, special instruments and charts- that men just shouldn't have to see [and isn't painting an examination room pink predictable?]. There should be a special testosterone room in every OBGYN office so that men can maintain their machismo. How about some SportsCenter or a power saw? Dang, I'd settle for a freaking Sports Illustrated in the waiting room [although I was able to find some good dish about Kevin and Britney]. I'm pretty sure that if I was forced to go into this office before we had the baby, there might not be one now.
That being said, Kelly really likes the doctor, as do I. I went to elementary school through high school with her doctor's daughter which, by the way, adds absolutely no awkwardness to having to be in the office. It is nice to know that the person who will be in the delivery room with you is someone you know and trust.
So to the good news: the baby's very healthy. We even got to see her sticking her tongue out. More and more I'm looking forward to her arrival.
But the one interesting thing we learned today is that the child is already three pounds, three ounces. At this stage in the pregnancy, that puts her in the 94th percentile of baby sizes. In normal people speak, this is a big honkin' baby. Now there's always the chance that she had an early growth spurt and her weight will even out through the next few months. The doctor factored out her current growth rate and gave us a computer generated image of what she will look like at 4 weeks old. Apparently it's something like this:
Pray for Kelly. Not only is she big, but I guess she got my looks. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 3:32:00 PM
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| Monday, January 16, 2006 |
| Finding A Voice |
This week's NPR religion podcast is causing me to revisit the Pat Robertson remarks about Israeli PM Ariel Sharon.
The evangelical Christian community was quick to separate themselves from Uncle Pat's ramblings. This leaves the media with a new dilemma. No self-respecting Christian wants to be identified with Robertson's opinions; he's just a lone-lunatic who represents only himself. So now, they need to find a new spokesman, someone to quote when something crazy happens in the world. Amy Sullivan at the Washington Monthly blog offered up her suggestions to replace Pat and also defunct blowhard Jerry Falwell. Her list frightens me more than a hairspray shortage at the TBN studios. Here's the men she offers up [notice no females. Interesting?] and my immediate vote on their representation of the evangelical nation.
Ted Haggard- Not my President.
Rick Warren- The guy I [purposely] like best on this list.
Brian McLaren- Does he even know what he believes?
Joel Osteen- Um, no.
Rod Parsley- Um, seriously, no.
Franklin Graham- I'd rather have his dad.
Jim Wallis- Well intentioned, but a too liberal for even me.
Ron Sider- Call me ignorant but I really don't know who he is
Tony Campolo- I just can't see it.
Herb Lusk- See Ron Sider.
TD Jakes- Sorry, but thou art loosed.
So with my almost unanimous rejection of this list I'm left to wonder a few things.
- Are my standards too high?
- Am I expecting these guys to be/do more than humanly possible?
- Is the problem with me, feeling caught in the middle of the conservative/liberal theological spectrum?
- I am just stuck up?
I'm still sorting through those questions but, in the meantime, who's my choice to speak for American evangelicals?
No one.
That's right, I'd prefer silence.
It's an impossible task, so why even bother? No one would think of selecting one person to be the official spokesperson for all American Caucasians. And it's the same thing with evangelicals. If you gathered that group above in a room, how many issues do you think they'd agree on? I'd be embarrassed to hold the theology of at least half the guys on that list so why would I want them answering spiritual/theological/cultural questions on my behalf? True, I share some of the same foundational beliefs as these guys- Jesus, Bible, etc. But when some of them open their mouths, it makes me want to hide . . . or hurl . . . or do both.
Obviously this whole debate hinges on whether or not I continue to identify myself as an evangelical. Of that I'm not too sure. I find myself drifting back to my Restoration Movement roots where just being a Christian was enough. This way no one has to do the talking and I can just let Jesus speak for me.
If only it were that simple. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 3:21:00 PM
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| Sunday, January 15, 2006 |
| It's Tough Living In The 'Nati |
Despite a good week personally, I had a rough week as a Cincinnati sports fan. Thinking Sunday evening, "well, even though the Bengals are out of it, at least I have my Bearcats," by Monday night all was lost. Armein Kirkland tears an ACL and two of my teams are done in the same week.
The Enquirer felt my pain and today published their "what-if's" of Cincinnati sports.
Maybe the new Reds owners will give me something to cheer about. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 2:13:00 PM
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| Saturday, January 14, 2006 |
| CityLink Center Revisited |
In my first post about the proposed CityLink Center, I laid out why I would invest funds into starting urban churches rather than in a one-shop mall for those in need. My thinking was derived from a pastor's perspective, having nothing to do with the current political controversy plaguing the project. Because of some of the comments posted on Beit Carr, and not wanting my beliefs to be misinterpreted, I wanted to expound on my previous post. Three thoughts:
1) I agree with One City's vision to help people out. Just because I disagree with how they're going about it, I understand and appreciate what they want to accomplish. Unlike others, I don't believe that the groups behind this project are driven by ego, but that backers honestly care about the lives of impoverished Cincinnatian; they should be commended for their move to action. Just because I wouldn't do it this way doesn't believe I'm against what they're doing. This isn't about theology, but methodology so I'm good. If they've honestly researched this and believe that this is God's calling for their ministries, then I say, "Godspeed." That being said . . .
2) You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. This is quickly turning into a PR nightmare for the One City group. Many [vocal] West End residents are against CityLink and, most likely, they will never sway from that position. But still, I think you have to make a concerted effort to at least pretend to listen to the community opposition. Constantly waving the flag of "we're a private corporation so we can do whatever we want" isn't the best way to win friends and influence people.
3) I don't believe churches are a "magic wand" solution to our city's problems. However, I still think they are the best solution. As one person commented, it's not merely about more churches, but communities consisting of passionate believers willing to advance the cause of Christ in the city. Yes, this might seem simplistic, but if we followers of Jesus truly believe in the promises of Scripture then this shouldn't be a stretch. That's why I'm doing what I'm doing.
I think this whole thing is going to get uglier as the weeks go by. It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 11:19:00 PM
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| Leaving Las Vegas |
 It's pretty sad when you take pictures of fake landmarks when you already saw the original. Kelly's favorite thing in Vegas was the fountains at the Bellagio, so on our last night here we went to see them one more time. At night there's a show every fifteen minutes so we hung around for a couple. The first time we watched it from the hotel side, facing the Paris casino. It's a cool little show. It's amazing how people will clamor over lighted fountains. Maybe that's the kind of thing they should try at Fountain Square.
This was a great mini-vacation, one "last hurrah" before the little girl arrives. We knew about this trip since Christmas, so I still don't feel like I've started the new year yet. But I'm rested and I'm ready to hit things hard when we get back to town. We have a full day tomorrow: preaching for the last time out at Amelia and Echo tomorrow night, so I'd better be ready.
We're sitting in the airport now, an hour and a half before our flight leaves [By the way, props to McCarran Airport for free wi-fi. Cheap old CVG makes you pay]. We're on a three-hour time difference, so we'll have to get back in sync with Cincinnati time, but after the jet-lag we felt from our Israel trip, this should be a piece of cake.
Quoting the brilliant philosopher, "Mama, I'm coming home." |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 11:56:00 AM
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| Friday, January 13, 2006 |
| I'm On A Break |
| The CityLink Center has stirred some strong feelings in a lot of people. Just today, a West End resident wrote an Enquirer editorial about the Center. I have some more comments about my thinking on this topic, as well as comments on others comments from my post, but I'm going to wait until we're back from out west. Until then, feel free to chime in and keep the conversation going. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 12:33:00 PM
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| A Little Less Conversation |
 We have one more day here in Vegas, as we fly out tomorrow morning. We've seen a little bit of everything. Casinos, Hoover Dam [pic below], and Kelly finally got to see here Elvis impersonator. Yesterday we even had the chance to stop by and see fellow CCU alum Adam Reid who is a middle school minister at the massive Central Christian Church out here. Sounds like he's doing some great ministry. I just can't imagine having to do youth ministry where your kids are constantly exposed to soft-core porn ads 24/7. He says it's a struggle, but it allows them the opportunity for an open-dialogue about all things sexual. I have a lot of respect for these guys doing ministry out here.
I've seen/heard some of the most bizarre things here. Best story: we were driving down the road and this guy was jamming to his car stereo. The song blaring out: Michael Jackson's Black and White. I couldn't get over it. I thought that maybe the song came on the radio and he was too lazy to change the station. But four minutes later we pull up to an intersection and the same guy is still listening to the same Jacko's song. YES, THE GUY HAD THE SONG ON LOOP! I don't care what town you're in, that's just not right.
So far, we're $3.00 down to the slots. Fortunately, we're not the big gambling type, so it shouldn't get any worse. I'll keep you posted on what trouble we get to today. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 12:03:00 PM
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| Thursday, January 12, 2006 |
| This Just Looks Vegas |
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| yet another musing of steve-o @ 6:18:00 PM
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| Viva Las Vegas! |
Where's the best place in the United States for a pastor and his pregnant wife to spend a few days of vacation?
Las Vegas, of course.
In perhaps one of the greatest Christmas presents ever, the in-laws gave us a four day/three night trip anywhere in the continental United States. After much deliberation, Kelly and I chose a place where we'd most likely never go with kids. And now, here we are in Sin City. The best way to describe it: Gatlinberg with gambling . . . and some billboards of half naked women. I'm averting my eyes, but still we're having a blast.
Fortunately we're staying in a hotel that doesn't have a casino in it, so it's a much tamer atmosphere. We made it in yesterday at noon Pacific time, got our rental car and checked in at the hotel. After getting a bite to eat at the famous In-N-Out Burger, we headed for some of the casinos on the Strip. We walked until our feet felt like they would fall off but, as we often do on our vactions, we saw everything. I'll post more later, but here's a pic from the fountains in front of the Bellagio for ya.
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| yet another musing of steve-o @ 12:08:00 PM
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| Tuesday, January 10, 2006 |
| CityLink Center |
 I've withheld comment [until now] concerning the proposed CityLink Center set to be placed in the West End area of Cincinnati. Sponsored by a group called One City- a group primarily backed by the Vineyard and Crossroads Community, the two largest Protestant churches in the area- CityLink combines the services of several non-profit organizations already serving the inner-city and places them under one roof. It's supposed to provide one-stop shopping for people in need. The Center is modeled after the Path Mall in Los Angeles, although CityLink will be double the size.
The plans for CityLink have been public for awhile now, everyone was just waiting on a location. Because of the urban renewal effort taking place within the city, wherever One City chose as a site was going to invite controversy. Once an abandoned factory in the West End was chosen, local community members began a vocal, NIMBY campaign against the center. You could see this coming: a lot of people banking on the city being revitalized have begun to invest in urban properties. The announcement of a center for the down-and-out built in their backyard put them in a bad mood. West End residents are claiming that the center will force the relocation of all the city's under-resourced to their neighborhood, which will decrease property values. To their dismay, because One City is a private company, there's nothing residents can do about it.
It needs to be noted that many of the organizations already signed to relocate into CityLink are currently located in Over-The-Rhine. None of them have a history in the West End. It's naive to think that these organizations exiting OTR has nothing to do with the condo/loft construction taking place in the area. In ten years, the poor will not be able to afford to live there. Can you say gentrification? I find it interesting that no politician is willing to take up for the objecting West End residents. But I really don't want to focus on that issue here. I have a different take on CityLink altogether.
CityLink is a bad idea because of the thinking behind it. As I said, the powers behind One City are two of our area's megachurches: one suburban [Vineyard] and one a hybrid urban/suburban [Crossroads]. The main reason for starting CityLink, obviously not the official One City reason but my interpretation, is that these churches want to fix the problems of the inner-city. So they got their heads together and decided the "real problem" is that people in need have to go through too many organizations to get all the necessary help. If only they could get everything in one place at one time, then they could succeed. The solution: one-stop shopping and, thus, CityLink.
What we have here is a hyper-modern solution for a problem that cannot be solved this easily. Logical thinking would lead you to believe that it's all about instituting the proper structures and then you will be able to methodically solve the problem. But despite the best efforts from the best and the brightest, this has yet to work anywhere. I think the true solution is deeper than community leaders [including religious leaders] are willing to look.
When we decided to relocate to urban Cincinnati and start a church, we began to strategize about how we would reach this community. The big temptation was to try to provide for physical needs. There are so many in our community who have needs, it just seemed natural to start there. But a friend informed us that there are over 900 community service organizations in Walnut Hills alone. People are already trying [massively at that] to fill these needs. So if there is more than enough resources available to take care of these problems, then why do they still exist?
Here's what you've been waiting for:
IT'S NOT A PHYSICAL NEEDS PROBLEM! IT'S A SPIRITUAL PROBLEM!
Aaron and I know the pastor of a church not too far from where CityLink's proposed location is. We met with him a few months ago to talk about doing ministry in the city. He gave us some excellent advice, such as be prepared to go the distance because urban ministry is built on trust and trust takes time. But of all the things he said, one thing has stuck with me. In observing his mission field, he recognized all the local government and parachurch organizations working in the community and found one thing lacking. His words: "These people don't need bread; what they need is The Bread Of Life."
We're doing things backward, starting from the wrong point. Somehow we started believing the following lie as if it were Scripture: "First you have to take care of their physical needs before you can take care of their spiritual needs." Nowhere does the Bible teach this, but we think it to be gospel. Because we've bought into this mentality, we've become apologetic about the way we do ministry and have overcompensated by hitting physical needs perhaps more than we should. I think that the main reason we do this is out of ignorance. We know how to give stuff away, but do we know how to tell people about Jesus.
I totally understand what One City and these churches are trying to accomplish. I in no way question their motivation; they are doing this because they love people. But if they really wanted to make a difference in the city, there are better ways. Actually there is one thing that they could do that would make a huge difference in the city.
Watch me work here: WE NEED TO START MORE CHURCHES.
Oh yeah, I went there.
What we're missing from the city are communities living out their faith. Without churches that are actively living out Christ on a daily basis, these places will never change. It'll be group after group of "short-term missions trips" that do a lot for the volunteer but little for the people needing ministry. Until people are living out Christ in these areas EVERY DAY, loving as He loved and serving as He lived, then there is no chance for change. I'm telling you, friends, churches are the answer. These churches then become the arm of outreach in their communities, while keeping Jesus the main thing.
And while I'm at it, it's my belief that the reason our city is in such dire straights is our fault, the fault of Christians, in the first place. At one point in Cincinnati history, churches abounded in our urban areas. As neighborhoods began to deteriorate, the decision was made to flee for the hills. Thriving congregations left for safer suburban areas where they could avoid the problems the city brought. Ironically, now the suburban churches feel the need to come back and clean up the mess they helped create. Painful, but true.
I realize this might be harsh, but I'm calling it like I see it. And I don't want you to think that I view myself as "more spiritual" because I'm here in the city. I'm just doing ministry where God has called me; we all have different callings. If He's called you to the 'burbs or the rural areas that's cool, then do what you can where you are. But if He's really called you to the city, and you feel the need to do something, then go all the way. Move down here. Get dirty. Don't do it from afar.
I care about the people of this city. I want to see them cared for. . But more than that, I want to see them embrace the lifesaving grace of Jesus Christ. It's not an either/or type thing; we need to help people holisticly. But the emphasis must remain on Jesus. More than doing good works, we're called by God to spread his message far and wide. That's our number one mission.
And I can't apologize for that.
A lot has been written about CityLink. Here are some articles about, for, and against it. If you want more, try a Google of CityLink Cincinnati. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 5:43:00 PM
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| Monday, January 09, 2006 |
| The Real Old Testament |
 Here's an official Beit Carr endorsement:
Last August, through an obscure Google search, I came across a website for an independent movie produced by a couple of brothers out in California. They made a comedy movie morphing MTV's The Real World and the book of Genesis. The result: The Real Old Testament. This December they put out the DVD so I pre-ordered a copy that arrived right before Christmas. It was everything I thought it would be and more. I honestly think that this is the funniest movie I've seen all year [sure, the year just started, but the movie has staying power].
The film traces the paths of the major characters of Genesis in a documentary type format, totally mimicking The Real World. Like the show, participants do one-on-one "reflection interviews" with the camera, describing their thoughts and feelings as the story progresses. And yes, they even have someone portraying God [co-director Curtis Hannum] who allows us a chance to see The Lord's true opinions about creation ["if I had it to do all over again, I don't think I'd create ticks"].
With movies like this, there's always a fine-line to walk between comedy and blasphemy. But this movie finds its way between the two. I'm not sure if Curtis and Paul Hannum [the movie's creators] intended their movie for church use, but it could be. The Real Old Testament is surprising accurate to the Biblical text; they even put chapter and verse on the screen as each scene begins. And they don't hold back from the seedier parts of the storyline: How did Cain go about killing Abel? Was Abraham really that gullible? What were Lot's daughters thinking? And what was up with Rachel and her mandrakes?
I won't lie to you: this is not for the ultra-conservative crowd. Adam and Eve are shown naked; though digitally "blurred out" they're still rather exposed. And there is some foul language, which is also [mostly] bleeped out but still discernible. But despite all this, I definitely recommend this movie because the message remains authentic. I think this film would resonate with people who are struggling to connect Scripture that is thousands of years old to life today. To them, this film might actually make the Bible seem more real. I'm trying to figure out how to use it in our current message series. Maybe I should partner with these guys and produce The Real Old Testament Bible study?
If you really need to be sold on the movie, go to the website, click on video clips and check out the "Covenant" clip. It shows God explaining to Abraham the covenant of circumcision. All men will resonate with Abraham's line, "YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT?!?!?!" I can't remember ever laughing so hard. I guarantee, if you watch that clip, you'll get the DVD too.
Good flick. Two thumbs up. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 8:38:00 AM
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| Sunday, January 08, 2006 |
| Ouch! That'll Sting For Awhile |
What if Tim Krumrie hadn't broke his leg in Super Bowl XXIII?
What if Kenyon Martin hadn't broke his leg before the 2000 NCAA tourney?
And now . . .
What if Carson Palmer had lasted more than two downs in the Bengals' 2006 playoff game?
FYI, all will be forgotten if we can get a Lombardi trophy in the next five years. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 9:09:00 PM
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| Saturday, January 07, 2006 |
| Man Up! |
 Here's hoping that the Bengals will be able to keep up a weekend of Cincinnati sports domination.
The Bearcats pulled out their tenth win in a row at Marquette [you thumped previously unbeaten UConn this week]. The huge performance of the day was turned in by Eric Hicks who posted the first triple-double by a Cincinnati player since 2001. Yes, Eric did man-up. UC is set to play at Connecticut on Monday night.
And now, from the disrespect department, all I've heard all week from every national commentator is how the Bengals don't stand a chance against Pittsburgh tomorrow. I think that crow will be on the Bristol, Connecticut cafeteria menu tomorrow night. My prediction: Cincinnati by six, 27-21.
"WHO-DEY!" is what is say. "WHO-DEY!" indeed. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 10:41:00 PM
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| Friday, January 06, 2006 |
| Daniel, My Brother . . . |
With the end of 7th Heaven in sight, apparently the American viewing audience was in need of another television show detailing the life of a minister and his family. NBC is attempting to fill the void with their new show The Book of Daniel.
I'm always interested in the media's interpretations on faith, so I decided to watch tonight's two-hour premier. The best word I could use to define the show would be "spastic." In case you didn't know, the show has nothing to do with the Biblical book of Daniel. Actually, I don't think it has anything to do with anything.
Let me try to fill you in on the series storyline:
Daniel [last name Webster] is a pill-popping Episcopal priest married to a martini muzzling wife. Their raising a family where one of son is gay, the other son is an adopted Chinese teen who's having sex with a deacon's daughter, and their only daughter sells drugs [but doesn't use them] to make a little extra money. The priest's family has a maid who smokes the chronic that she steals from the daughter. The priest's father is a bishop who's having an affair with the priest's governing bishop, all while his wife is suffering from Alzheimers. Things get bad when the priest's brother-in-law, who handles the church's money, embezzles the funds and then dies of a heart attack. The brother-in-laws wife was having an affair with his secretary. To find the lost funds, the priest enlists his a member of the Catholic clergy with mafia connections. And if this wasn't enough, the priest constantly converses with a Life-Saver distributing Jesus who looks like he's straight out of 1970.
I think that about covers it.
Thanks, NBC, for producing such a realistic view of what it's like to be in the ministry. I only wish my life was as tame as old Daniel's.
I'm just saying the Peacock Network better watch out: they're going to get Uncle Pat talking again. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 11:20:00 PM
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| Lose Yourself |
Dear Pat Robertson,
Thanks for trying to help out, but we don't think we need you anymore. You've become everyone's favorite crazy uncle- always putting your foot in your mouth whenever you speak. We never know what you're going to say next. From calling down God's wrath on a small Pennsylvania town, to calling for political assassinations of South American dictators, you've always kept us guessing what you'll say next. We'll admit: it's been somewhat entertaining.
But you've changed, to much for us to stomach anymore. We when you find yourself on the same side as the President of Iran [the same guy who believes the Holocaust was a myth], you've probably gone too far. Calling Ariel Sharon's stroke a punishment from God because he handed over the Gaza Strip to the Palestinians? Come on, Pat. Now you've become that embarrassing uncle- the one who likes to expose himself in public. No one wants to see that at family reunions; we're trying to eat here.
Plus, as a result of you're comments, we keep having to apologize for you all over town. Whenever we talk about the family, everyone brings up our demented Uncle Pat who goes around waving his "privates" at people. We can't keep putting out your fires. It's getting old . . . kinda like you. That's why we're suggesting that it's time to hang it up.
You had a good run there, Pat. I mean, you ran for President! Isn't that enough? Why not find a good retirement community where you can say all the crap you want while playing Bridge [far, far away from any microphones]? It's about that time. We hear Florida's nice this time of year. And you look pretty good in flip-flops.
Sincerely,
Sane Christians Everywhere
p.s. We'll let you know about the location for Thanksgiving dinner. We're thinking about cancel this year. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 7:50:00 AM
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| Thursday, January 05, 2006 |
| Hitting the Links |
Every once in awhile you have to practice tough love. This is one of those times.
It was time to redo the links on the right side of the page. I try to recommend sites that I frequently read. That means I've had to drop some existing sites off the list. Some of my friends have great things to say, but have been keeping there mouths shut. The MIA bloggers have to go [is it just me or has Coates' blog has become the Jimmy Hoffa of the world wide web?]. Perhaps this move on my part will get these guys back posting again. We can only hope. Like I said, it's all done in love.
But, on the brighter side, you'll notice some new additions. I listed the sites of all my favorite sports teams. As [former?] Jets coach Herm Edwards says, "You play to win the game! Hello?"
And check out some of those blogs over there. Evan Casey has finally arrived, Jeremy Furniss is ready to talk about his kid [who could be born any day], and, most notably, one Dr. Jon Weatherly of Cincinnati Christian University now displays his wit online for all to see.
I know if you have time to read this, you have time to check these sites out. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 6:44:00 PM
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| College Football Is Done |
Since I stayed up past midnight to watch college football's championship game [the BCS is still lame], I thought I'd at least jot a few late-night thoughts . . .
Why start this game so late? Kelly went to bed five hours ago. There is no west coast bias until it comes to the starting times of these games. Kick-off wasn't until 8:30. Are California's ratings so important that you give kids [and people who have to wake up early] in the Eastern Time Zone no opportunity to watch the best games? You wonder why kids these days aren't as into the major sports. They've never been able to stay up late enough to watch playoff/championship games.
Is instant replay worth it? College football held out from instant replay until this past year. All season it was working well until this game; this one has been a mess. This officiating crew has had way too many calls to the booth. Instant replay did even more to prolong this game.
Dan Fouts is unbearable. Playing quarterback for the Chargers doesn't make you a great color-commentator. Didn't his unsuccessful stint on Monday Night Football teach us anything? And I really do love that Keith Jackson is still announcing games, but I think it's time for him to hang it up. It takes him ten seconds to get around to describing what actually happened. Team these two guys together and a great game becomes a little annoying. My take: drop Fouts and I'll tolerate Jackson.
Vince Young is incredible. I just watched him run in a touchdown to take the lead with 19 seconds left in the game. Barring a miracle, Texas will be the national champs. Even though his delivery is ugly, he gets the ball out quick. I know everyone is hyping Reggie Bush as the number one pick, but Vince Young might be able to be what everyone thought that Michael Vick would.
I'm glad I'm not at Mason anymore. Yep, Texas pulled it out. That being said, I would hate to have to be around Troy Clark tomorrow. Troy, the student minister at CCM, is a huge Texas fan. He wears that burnt orange crap everywhere. Of course, Troy takes Thursdays as his off-day. I bet he might just come into work anyway just to gloat. At least I won't have to listen to him.
It's way too late. Time for sleep. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 12:35:00 AM
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| Wednesday, January 04, 2006 |
| Back To School |
 My nephew Tyler had his tonsils removed today, which meant that his brother Kasey needed someone to take him to preschool. Not only that, but it was also the day that Kasey's mom was supposed to be class helper. Who would step up to take her place? Enter Uncle Steve.
Let the fun begin.
It's been awhile since I spent a few hours with a bunch of four-year olds. It might be awhile before I do it again. That being the case, let me fill you in on the lessons I learned on my day back in school.
Carpet squares are dumb. I can understand if you want to give the kids something to sit on so they don't get dust all over their bums. Carpet squares are perfect for tile floors. But they were using carpet squares on a carpeted area. What's the point? It's like wearing two layers of socks. I think it stems back to Buddy cutting a deal with local educators to get some cheap advertising.
You can do anything with markers, glue sticks, and paper plates. I was in charge of the craft table, which was making a weather wheel out of paper plates. I guess being a parent means an endless line of paper plates crafts coming home from school and work. If Nickelodeon ever makes MacGyver for kids, paper plates would be in every episode.
Bad aim starts early. Part of being a good room parent was making sure the classroom was tidy. This included the bathrooms- bathrooms being used by four-year old boys who had just recently become potty trained. Yeah, I was wiping up a lot of pee today. Unfortunately, it doesn't get much better thirty years later . . . um, with every other male but me.
I still hate B-A-N-A-N-A-S. Honestly, [special thanks to Gwen Stefani because I no longer need to use spell check for that word] I still can't stand that fruit. I don't think it's the taste so much as the texture. Of course, that was today's snack so I had to suck it up and eat the thing to be a good example. The things I do for the kids.
I'm ready for fatherhood. It was fun seeing the little girls today. I know most guys want a boy so they can do cool father/son stuff, but I'm really looking forward to having a little girl. They're adorable, they're precious, and less evil than little boys.
Plus they have better aim. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 8:45:00 PM
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| Tuesday, January 03, 2006 |
| Back To Work |
So I woke up this morning and went to work. It was a shorter commute than normal. I put on a pair of shoes, walked downstairs and started working.
Maybe I should back up a bit: I quit Panera.
It happened right before Christmas. Apologies for not blogging about it, but I wanted to concentrate on doing nothing over the holidays [note: mission completed]. After three months of employment, the end has come.
The purpose for me working at Panera was twofold: 1) to meet people from the community with whom I could build relationships and 2) to make a little extra money on the side. Unfortunately, due to the fast-paced environment, I was unable to develop good relationships with patrons. My job was to get people in and out of the store as fast as possible, not to get to know them better. And while I was making money, it became more than a part time job. I should take it as a compliment that they appreciated my work ethic but that meant more hours than I needed. Panera, though a fine company, is extremely dysfunctional and the daily chaos was really getting to me.
There were other things at work here. At the end of last year, I was primed to get two different job offers that would've paid much better than Panera. I thought I would get offered both; I didn't get either. Kelly and I sat down and we discussed what my goals are. The reason we left our previous ministry, the reason we moved to Walnut Hills, is to start this church. I've been disappointed that I haven't been able to commit enough time to Echo.
This feeling has been brewing in me for a few weeks now. My first day at Panera was the day after my last day at Mason. I haven't had ample time to invest in our new ministry. And it was starting to bother me. Plus, coming home exhausted after eight hours of work, I found myself putting off church tasks in order to rest.
All of this led us to the following decision: I'm going to spend the first few months this year "full-time" at Echo. How long "a few months" will be remains to be seen. Our community has set a goal to have 60 people in our core group by June. This is a lofty goal, but I feel like I need to do some of the background work to help us get there.
The thing that kept me from making this decision was my lack of trust in God. Throughout this process, God has provided for us in every way. But the thought of not being able to do it all myself has kept me from diving in. Now I'm ready and . . .
I'm so excited, I just can't hide it.
Just this first day I was able to get some things done that I've been putting off for weeks. And, being a self-starter, I think working from home will work out for me. So I was "in to work" at 6:45 this morning, called it quits when Kelly came home this afternoon, and had a good first day.
Oh, and my boss is the coolest guy I know. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 6:52:00 PM
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| Monday, January 02, 2006 |
| Christianity in Iraq |
 I'm going to have to talk a little politics here, so sorry in advance to those I offend.
The President's decision to invade Iraq was supported by many evangelicals who lauded Bush's goal of giving the gift of freedom to the Iraqi people as "the Christian thing to do."
But the scene now playing out in the newly liberated country is that of many Christians fleeing Iraq for fear of persecution. NPR did a report [as did the Chicago Tribune] about Christians celebrating this Christmas in Iraq and, apparently, Christians there felt more protected under Sadaam's regime. They claimed there used be tolerance toward Christianity whereas, now, the country's Muslim leadership [95% of Iraqis practice Islam] is suffocating them. Another reason for alarm is the newly established Iraqi government. All the nation's power is being divided between different Muslim sects, providing no voice for Iraqi Christians. The wisest thing to do is for Christians to flee to nearby Jordan.
As American Christians lined up to support the President's decision to invade Iraq, did they even consider the well-being of their Iraqi brothers and sisters? And was establishing an Iraqi democracy worth it, if it ends up being an Islamic dominated government? It seems no one bothered to ask these questions beforehand.
Now this isn't meant as an insult to our troops serving in Iraq; they have a job to do and are giving it their all. Nor do I propose an immediate withdrawal from Iraq; we made the mess, so we need to clean it up. And this isn't an endorsement of the Hussein regime; he was lunatic and a tyrant. I just find it ironic that the very people who contend that America was established by Christians and for Christians, those who decry separation of church and state, blindly supported the Iraqi War- a war fought to [re]establish a country for Islam by Islam where Christians would demand separation of church [mosque] and state. To invade or not to invade? Which decision was the Christian thing to do? Just asking . . .
This story just begs the question that should haunt followers of Jesus who live in America: to which kingdom do our loyalties lie?
We should never stop asking the tough questions. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 1:49:00 PM
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| SNL Narnia Rap |
I did a poor job over the holidays trying to explain how funny the Narnia rap from the Christmas episode of Saturday Night Live was, so here's a link.
My favorite line: "You can call us Aaron Burr from the way we're dropping Hamiltons." |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 1:26:00 PM
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| Sunday, January 01, 2006 |
| Is That You, Dave Shula? |
Way to go, Bengals.
Get the city excited with your best season in fifteen years, make the playoffs and then end the season by laying two enormous eggs: losing to Buffalo at home and then embarrassing yourself at Kansas City. Cincinnati goes from being the team no one wanted to see in the postseason to the one everyone wants to play. Our defensive secondary couldn't stop an arthritic turtle walking up the side of a mountain while towing a motor home. Peyton Manning is praying to see orange and black in a couple weeks.
This will be a suicidal week around town as leery Bengal fans experience flashbacks from the 1990's. Backing into the playoffs doesn't feel very nice. |
| yet another musing of steve-o @ 3:07:00 PM
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