Friday, October 27, 2006

Yesterday's Blog Post, Today's Quote of the Day.....

I thought that this was a pretty interesting quote to have as the quote of the day on my blog. Kind of goes with yesterday's post, don't you think?

“Love begins when the needs of someone else become more important than your own.”
—Lao Wei

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Thursday, October 26, 2006

CH__CH, What's Missing?

I know that the answer is "UR" or "“You Are", but that is not what I am getting at here. What is missing from the church today and why do most churches in America suck so bad? But to really understand this question I think we need to look at what the Church really is.

Read More Here

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Sunday, October 08, 2006

6 More Weeks Until......


I am really looking forward to this game, because it is really shaping up to be a good game. But I have to give a little dig at that team down South. They have such pride in their famous "Script Ohio" as you can see in this picture....


And as a Michigan fan, I have to admit that it is actually pretty cool to watch them do it. But I found out something interesting today. Do you know who showed them how to do that? Yep, THE University of Michigan Marching Band! In the Big 10 there is a history of the home team's marching band playing the opposing school's fight song, which Michigan's Band does when they march down to the south end of the stadium where most of their fans sit. And back in 1932 they decided to form the word "Ohio" and did it in the "Script Ohio" formation. Then 4 years later, the OSU Marching Band finally figured out how to do it and it became a tradition. Here is a picture of the first time it was done, by the Michigan Marching Band.


Notice the darker color band uniforms? They have a nice maize accent to them! So OSU can't even figure out their own signature moves and traditions without having Michigan to thank for it! You gotta love it!

And just so you can read it for yourself, here are the links to the places where I saw it. Michigan Marching Band, Wikipedia & OSU's Online Library

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Tuesday, October 03, 2006

I Am Done With Being a Christian

Christian's suck! I am sick and tired of being identified with them and so you can consider me from here on out a "non-Christian". Christian have done just about everything in their power to ruin the image of Christ and are in many ways nothing like him and so I am done being associated with them. They have shown such hatred and anger towards others and I am sick of seeing it. Just like you can see in the picture to the right here. I am sorry, but I do not see that in Scripture, "God hates fags" or any other sinners for that matter. And the verse he quoted makes no sense with what he is saying.

The verse is Romans 9:13, which is, "Just as it is written: 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.'" How does that relate? Other than the word "hate" being used? Two verses later it says, "'I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.'" Romans 9:15 And last time I checked Preacher Phelps, you are not God, so who are you to say that God won't show compassion or mercy to homosexuals or any other sinner? That kind of hatred and rage is what makes me want to give up being a Christian.

I am also sick of the Christian cheese that I see all around me. I stopped listening to our only local Christian radio station because of that. One day I was listening to the DJ going on about how great God was (no problem), but then she started say that God was also so good that he gave us XYZ attorney's (BIG problem). Then they went into a commercial about how we can find ways to bring a lawsuit against people. And so I decided then and there that I was done listening to and endorsing them by listening to them.

And I could also go on about how the Christian world has done their best to market Jesus with all of their silly trinkets and what not. But I won't. Just go into any Christian Bookstore and you will see them. Speaking of which..... when did the word Christian that was supposed to denote people become and adjective for things like bookstores and radio?

In so many churches across America we sing the song "Amazing Grace"....

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.


But yet, we do a horrible job at showing that grace. God loves us all no matter what we do and He sent His son to die for all of us. All of our sins are forgiven, but it is up to us whether or not we want to actually receive that forgiveness. Just like having a Christmas present under your tree. Is it yours? Yes, but it is not really yours until you open it up and receive it. God's grace for us is the same way. He freely gives it, but it is up to us to receive it. The problem is that God doesn't want us just to get it, but He also wants us to share it with others. And Christians have not done a very good job of doing this and that is another reason why I am done with being a Christian.

The church has set up so many rules, that are not from God, that supposedly show us how a Christian should live. Things like it is a sin to consume alcohol, but yet, they fail to notice that Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine (John 2:1-11) and not just any wine, but the best wine. There are many others ones I could point out, but I am not going to.

The other thing that bothers me is the unwritten rule in the church that somehow God is a white, middle-aged Republican. And somehow I don't see that one either. Don't get me wrong, I do tend to lean towards the conservative side when it comes to politics, but I am beginning to realize many of the areas that the Republican has failed in some areas. The biggest is in the area of environmental policies. God gave us this earth and we are not doing a very good job of taking care of it and sadly many Christian's fall in that same category. I sat one day looking around my church realizing how much we waste. We could do such a better job of recycling and conserving our environment. And so that is another reason why I am sick of being a Christian.

There is so much more I could say, but I will stop here and just leave you with the fact that I no longer want to be a Christian and I am as of today going to stop being a Christian. Instead you can start calling me a "Christ follower", because that is what I am and will be.

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Drive By Blogging

I know I have not posted in a while and I have heard the complaints. I have been so busy between work, church, Caleb's soccer, my basketball and football, and just life in general. So I just have not had the time to blog. But I will later tonight..... I promise!

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