February 18, 2009

Kopp Disclosure
(John 3:19-21)

@#$%

I was president of a cinema club in college; meaning I got lots of free passes for flicks.

It was really helpful back then: "Would you like to go see _____? I'll take care of the tickets. You pay for dinner."

It doesn't work that well anymore.

@#$%

I recommended Eugene H. Peterson's Tell It Slant, which you can order through us thanks to Kathie (right column), on 2/13/09 (scroll down).

Here's a complementary echo to KD: "We need preachers and teachers to keep us focused on God in Christ and alert us to the seductive idolatries that surround us...The first commandment establishes our lives before God in undiluted worship so that we can love Him without compromise. That last commandment protects our friends and neighbors from being depersonalized into objects of greed, things that we can love without loving them. Just as idolatry results in a pollution of our love for God, so covetousness results in a pollution of our love for one another."

My favorite last scene from one of my favorite movies comes to mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fKN5VkDAkg.

@#$%

Speaking of idolatry, did you know most members of Congress didn't read PBHO's stimulus package before voting on it?

Geez.

That's like mainliners who preach without opening the Bible.

@#$%

Staying on idolatry, Muslims and their ignorant apologists amaze me; refusing to admit their absolute my-way-or-the-uh-chop-your-head-off-highway weltanschauung.

Here's the latest.

The United Arab Emirates refused a visa to Israeli tennis star Shahar Peer; effectively excluding her from their lucrative Dubai tournament.

Is this just another example of the reconciling spirit of their murderous founder; or just another illustration that ragheads and yarmulke-wearers ain't sittin' down for a fellowship meal until the parousia?

@#$%

Get this!

Representative John Conyers (Michigan) and Senator Patrick Leahy (Vermont) are spearheading efforts to skewer GWB for ethics violations related to, in the words of angry racist Conyers, "excesses in the so-called war on terror."

Help me, Jesus!

While I'm the first to admit GWB's tenure can best be described as crappy - though I voted twice for him because the alternatives were so, uh, really crappy - those two Democrats really have some clanging ones to pick on GWB when their idolatry of PBHO has exempt anybody relating to him from, uh, uh, uh, any kinda scrutiny.

Mark Twain's counsel for the church comes to mind as equally applicable: "The church is always trying to get other people to reform; it might not be a bad idea to reform itself a little by way of example."

@#$%

Getting back to the movies where I really relax if I'm not with Him (poustinia), on the links, ridin' my mule (someday), or having ___, I just saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2171469849/.

I'll probably end up seeing it about as often as I've seen Easy Rider, Amadeus, Platoon, Apocalypse Now, Chariots of Fire, The Big Chill, The Breakfast Club, and Animal House.

All of 'em share a common theme that somebody summed up this way while signing my 8th grade yearbook: "May you live as long as you want to and want to as long as you live."

Benjamin Button: "Your life is defined by its opportunities...even the ones you miss...For what it's worth, it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or worst of it...I hope you live a life you're proud of...If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again...Some people were born to sit by a river. Some get struck by lightning. Some have an ear for music. Some are artists. Some swim. Some know buttons. Some know Shakespeare. Some are mothers. And some people dance."

I wanna dance.

Vrrroooom.

@#$%

Getting back to the last scene from one of my favorite movies, Eric Liddell fought idolatry to his king; which I hope will inspire the same to ours: "God made countries, God makes kings, and the rules by which they govern. And those rules say that the Sabbath is His. And I for one intend to keep it that way."

A few more inspirations from the Scot: "Regrets? Yes. Doubts? No...I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure."

Vrrroooom.

@#$%

Daisy to Benjamin: "Will you sleep with me?"

Benjamin to Daisy: "Absolutely."

Daisy to Benjamin: "Have you slept with a woman before?"

Benjamin to Daisy: "Never on a Sunday."

Vrrroooom.

@#$%

Though the artist's personal life repulses me, especially in joining the other pushers who have destroyed A-Rod's status as American icon, a favorite song comes to mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dggpKeZJSQ8.

@#$%

Heard on a morning talk show: "1 in 5 marriages are sexless."

Heard from a friend in Chapel Hill: "The report is married couples have sex twice a week. If it weren't for my marriage, the average would be three times a week."

Same guys: "Do you know why every woman smiles in those newspaper wedding pictures?"

Sorry, their response is too gender-chauvinistic.

Vrrroooom.

@#$%

KD and KDers aren't afraid to talk about anything.

San Diego: "As Ronald Reagan said, 'I did not leave the Democratic Party. It left me.' The leadership of mainline denominations has veered so breathtakingly to the left that the membership from orthodox days has departed or become disinterested. The leftover membership from lukewarm days does what lukewarm people do. The lefties just extract tithes and per capita for a-Biblical purposes..."

Pennsylvania: "Regarding your bean counter narthex tile lady, one of my good elders used to say this about building an all-purpose room in the church: 'The trouble with getting more kids into the church is that they break things.' Another elder said, 'What we need is a bunch of first class funerals.'"

Oklahoma: "The truth is many people don't want the truth; but would rather believe a lie and be damned."

The Illinois/Wisconsin border: "Your beautiful bean counter extolling the shiny floor in the narthex reminded me of the dedication prayer for a beautiful addition to our old country church building: 'Lord, we pray that our new rooms and kitchen and fellowship hall will be used up by the time You return. We pray we're worn out because of Kingdom use.'"

Vrrroooom.

@#$%

Vrrroooom is a metaphor.

@#$%

Blessings and Love!