If I profane with my unworthiest hand...

Lee Ann Alexander has been reading the fine art of the playwrite, so allow me to offer one of my favorites: Edward Albee's Who's Afriad of Virginia Woolfe.

Ok, so I've only seen it in movie form, but this is a classic. It has Richard Burton, at what I consider to be his top movie-making form, and Elizabeth Taylor, who feeds of the camera like Elvis at a buffet line.

I was first introduced to this film by my dad, who had always introduced to the classic movies that most people my age never knew existed. I mean, Dustin Hoffman's Death of a Salesman was good, but can it compare with the intensity of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor going at it like rabid ferrets get any better! Even when she and Paul Newman tore it up in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof it couldn't match the intensity of the two former lovers.

Hands down, my favorite Richard Burton/Elizabeth Taylor vehicle, even over Taming of the Shrew.

Housing

I was shooting hoops with a friend of mine when the subject came up about money. We are both newly married and earn well, but we have different persepectives when it comes to buying, selling, and saving. He has just purchased a new house, a big new house, with a big note and lots of big bills. I still rent.

Everyone says what a great investment houses are, but for the life of me I just can't buy into that idea. The Bible says for us not be indebted so I can't imagine going into debt to buy a house that will take 30 years to pay off. Well, Sean, houses go up in price so its a good investment. That my friend is called, inflation. However, prices cannot rise indefinitely because inflation cannot rise indefinitely, so just because you house costs more, doesn't mean it is worth more.

Bill Bonner explains what the wise rich believe:

Mr. Vernon W. Hill, a Monroe County banker, considers the “wealth” accumulated in the housing market an illusion, as we do. He believes it will lead to big problems among both borrowers and lenders. To avoid the big problems personally, Mr. Hill, like Warren Buffett, lives in the same house he bought nearly 40 years ago. Avoiding the big problem professions, Mr. Hill requires prospective borrowers to show him their finances without considering the house they live in. Whatever value there is in the lived-in house, he says, is “inactive.” It doesn’t really earn any money for you; if you were to sell it, you’d just have to buy another one. And you can’t ship it to China to pay for your flat-screen TVs or to Japan to pay for your SUV.
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But, what about our houses? Aren’t we rich? So what if the Chinese and Japanese sell our bonds, we still have our houses!

The two economists note, “when you include capital gains, 401(k) retirement plans, and home values, U.S. domestic saving is around 20 percent of GDP, the same as in most other developed nations.”

They should talk to Mr. Hill. They don’t seem to realize that home values are “inactive.” We have yet to hear of a factory built with increases in house prices. We have yet to see a debt paid from a rising house price – without an equal debt arising somewhere else.

“Much of our meager savings and massive borrowing has gone into housing,” says the Monroe County banker. “How convenient it would be now if mansions and subdivisions could be exported, to improve our foreign trade balance. Since they cannot be exported, perhaps the foreigners who own our massive debts can be repaid by coming to live in our McMansions, with homeowners serving as houseboys and house maids to the visiting Japanese and Chinese owners of our debt.”

The Trap

Stephen Carson points out the correlation between past and present "leaders":

As one quick example among many, the President of Bob Jones University, Bob Jones III, wrote these words to President Bush after the recent election: "In your re-election, God has graciously granted America – though she doesn’t deserve it – a reprieve from the agenda of paganism… We the people expect your voice to be like the clear and certain sound of a trumpet… we who know the Lord will follow that kind of voice eagerly… The liberals despise you because they despise your Christ."

Compare this to Bishop Eusebius (c. 260–c. 341) writing in his important Church History about the first Christian emperor, Constantine: "the emperor, friend of God… the mighty victor Constantine, outstanding in every virtue godliness confers… with God… as Guide and Ally, father and son divided their forces against the haters of God on every side… all tyranny was eradicated." There is more along these lines in Eusebius' Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine.

Though we have never been burned at the stake here in America we can empathize with they way early Christians must have felt in the heat of Roman persecution. One could make the argument that, as far as relationships go, the Council of Nicene is akin to Faith Based Initiatives.

Carson reasons rightly that government feels "the American people could not be trusted to take care of each other without State guidance."

...the Roman Empire's embrace of Christianity was an attempt to sustain the Empire with the vitality of the Christian movement. That is, the Empire needed the Church not the other way around.

Religious Freedom

I hadn't thought that the murder of Terry Shiavo could be considered a threat to religious freedom, but taking this perspective it would certainly seem to be the case.

Terri Schiavo is a devout Roman Catholic. Her religion forbids her to consent to what amounts to assisted suicide.

Catholics believe that food and water provided to an invalid person are not extraordinary means. Denying such necessities to a sick person without that person's consent is tantamount to killing them.

Schiavo's husband doesn't see it that way. With the aid of both Federal and state courts he is getting ready to order all food and water be cut off to her. He claims that she once allegedly expressed a desire to die rather than spend her life in a state of grievously disability. Her parents vehemently disagree with that assessment.

Straight from the Pope's mouth:

Last month Pope John Paul II told an international congress of physicians and ethicists in Rome, that the "administration of food and water, even when provided by artificial means, always represents a natural means of preserving life, not a medical act."

Moreover, he said that providing hydration and nutrition is "in principle, ordinary and proportionate, and as such, morally obligatory." The pope was speaking specifically about patients in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) who, because of severe brain damage, are not conscious and cannot ingest food or water naturally.

Ok, to most of us this would seem simple, but it looks like the simple is confounding the wise.

Down into Darkness

You know, I only have till the end of this month before this blog gets turned over to someone else and I've written some things that I was sure Christians would not like and be dead-set against, but I've yet to receive any denouncement of what I've written. I haven't received anything about legalizing drugs, avoiding war, women staying silent, an ungodly America, or home schooling. I know there are arguments against what I've written, but have yet to receive one.

I don't want to argue for the sake of arguing, but there must be someone who disagrees considering all the emails I've received. I like an open forum and am willing to admit when I'm wrong. So, why the silence?

The Godless Nation

Was this country founded on Christian principles? As always some say yes and some say nay.

Our Constitution makes no mention whatever of God. The omission was too obvious to have been anything but deliberate, in spite of Alexander Hamilton's flippant responses when asked about it: According to one account, he said that the new nation was not in need of "foreign aid"; according to another, he simply said "we forgot."

In the eighty-five essays that make up The Federalist, God is mentioned only twice (both times by Madison, who uses the word, as Gore Vidal has remarked, in the "only Heaven knows" sense). In the Declaration of Independence, He gets two brief nods: a reference to "the Laws of Nature and Nature's God," and the famous line about men being "endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights." More blatant official references to a deity date from long after the founding period: "In God We Trust" did not appear on our coinage until the Civil War, and "under God" was introduced into the Pledge of Allegiance during the McCarthy hysteria in 1954 [see Elisabeth Sifton, "The Battle Over the Pledge," April 5, 2004].

In 1797 our government concluded a "Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the United States of America and the Bey and Subjects of Tripoli, or Barbary," now known simply as the Treaty of Tripoli. Article 11 of the treaty contains these words:

As the Government of the United States...is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion--as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity of Musselmen--and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.

This document was endorsed by Secretary of State Timothy Pickering and President John Adams. It was then sent to the Senate for ratification; the vote was unanimous. It is worth pointing out that although this was the 339th time a recorded vote had been required by the Senate, it was only the third unanimous vote in the Senate's history.

I don't like Christianity being identified with a country. There are just too many things that can go wrong. In those places where Christianity has taken the prominant role, we've had nothing but problems. Since the emperor Constantine brought the state and church together we're seen the Inquisition, the Nicene Council, and Faith Based Initiatives. Would you want Christianity to be associated with Russia, France, China, or Britian? Why should we tarnish the name of Christ by associating it with a fallible America?

In light of how much is done in the name of government it would be wise if we let the Christian faith stand on it's own.

Small Tent Revival

Tom Cruise is first class all the way. It seems that on the set of his new movie he's set up for a small tent revival.

...on the set of the movie, there’s been an invasion of another sort: Scientologists! Tom Cruise, the film’s star and the religion’s most well-known adherent, has set up a Scientology tent with a volunteer minister. “It’s a gift from Tom to the crew,” says Lee Anne De Vette, Cruise’s sister and spokeswoman. “You can receive what’s called an assist there,” a Scientologist practice that, as she describes it, seems to be a glorified mini-massage.

According to his sister "It’s something that helps the body get in better communication with itself." Just what I need, a way to communicate with my body. Its like a human cell phone, only you call yourself. That would really save a lot of time, because I usually just use my brain, now I don't have to.

When the levee breaks

The Institute for Justice, a libertarian law firm in Washington, counts more than 3,700 cases from 1998 to 2002 of homeowners or small businesses forced to sell for the benefit of private developers. Examples:

• Norwood, Ohio, is using this power of "eminent domain" to evict people from their homes and businesses so a Cincinnati developer worth $500 million can have the property for an office-retail complex.

• Bremerton, Wash., removed a woman in her 80s from her home of 55 years supposedly to expand a sewer plant, then sold the land to an auto dealership.

"Public use" was redefined as "public purpose" and later as "public benefit." Now that has been twisted to mean that real-estate promoters with enough political clout can get government to do the dirty work of running off middle-class home and business owners in the way of their plans promising higher property-tax revenues.

So what does "public use" really mean? Its quite simple really, whatever they want it to mean and they are willing to change it just for you. This is one of reasons I laugh at people who tell me I need to buy property. "Really?" I say, "you can own property?" My view is that, if people can take something from you and no one will protect you, either the individual or the government, then you don't truly own it. A government should never, ever be able to force you out of your home, even with just compensation, for any reason.

WWJD - World Without Jesus Dies

Good advice from a Catholic:

H. Richard Niebuhr once wrote that the first question of ethics is not "What should I do?" but "What is going on?"

So, "What would Jesus do" with war? Imagine, based on your knowledge of scripture, whether or not Jesus would say it's ok for you to join into the fray or would he move to stay your hand. I think the time will come, when there is enough war in the world, where everyone will be faced with that question. Hopefully, I can take the path of the early Christians and that of my Lord.

On another note, I never really liked the "What would Jesus do?" thing, so I came up with some better derivatives.

Wimpy World Jesus Destroys (for those who believe he is the 4th horseman of the apoc)
Walmart Work Jesus Declines (for out of work pastors maybe?)
Woah, What Jesus Did! (in your best Ted Theodore Logan voice)
Work Will Jesus Do (in your best Yoda voice)

If you can come up with a better one just post it in the comments.

Religion and Property

On February 22nd, the future of property rights in America will be at stake as the Supreme Court begins oral arguments in the case of Kelo v. New London. The central question at issue is: should the government be able to use its power of eminent domain to seize property from one private party and transfer it to another?

The seven property owners on the side of Kelo are the last remaining of more than 70 families whose homes and businesses were targeted for demolition several years ago by the city of New London, Connecticut, to make room for a 90-acre private development. The story of one of the owners, Susette Kelo, is representative. Kelo, a nurse, bought and painstakingly restored a home that initially was so run-down that she needed to cut her way to the front door with a hatchet. After she had achieved her dream home, she was informed in November 2000 by the local government that her home was condemned, and ordered to vacate within 90 days. She and the other owners remain in their homes only by the grace of a court order, which prevents eviction and demolition until their appeals are exhausted.

What justifies this treatment of Kelo and the other owners, who simply want to be free to live on their own property? The seizures and transfers, the government says, are in "the public interest" -- because they will lead to more jobs for New London residents and more tax dollars for the government. This type of justification was given more than 10,000 times between 1998 and 2002, and across 41 states, to use eminent domain (or its threat) to seize private property. The attitude behind these seizures was epitomized by a Lancaster, CA, city attorney explaining why a 99¢ Only store should be condemned to make way for a Costco: "99 Cents produces less than $40,000 [a year] in sales taxes, and Costco was producing more than $400,000. You tell me which was more important?"

Eminent domain is right of a government to appropriate private property for public use, usually with compensation to the owner. As Christians seem to love to make the "render under Caesar" argument for justifying anything that the government does against its citizens, I wonder just how much they are willing to undergo. Please, please, study out that scripture thoroughly before you use it. It isn't even a subject Jesus cared enough about to discuss, and didn't, until his enemies brought it up in the first place.

Imagine for a moment that your church just gathered 500,000 wing-wangs in order to build a new church. It then takes 3-5 years to build the thing. You dress-up for your first service in the building only to find out that because a Wally-world would
generate more revenue and jobs the state will force your church to sell the land to them. They offer you "fair-value", but who can put a value on what you all had a hand in building. Although the church fights it a judge rules in favor of the state. You are now without a place to congregate, but remember to "render unto Caesar" and all will be well.

Next they come for your home, which would make a lovely new Wallygreens.

As you can tell, I don't like the idea of eminant domain. It is my belief that any place a person lives, resides, worships, learns, and most of all owns then that property is already serving a public good.

Ok, so you still want to "render unto Caesar". Let's try this: my home is my castle, my domain, therefore "Caesar" is me.

Anger Management

It seems that the Korn guitarist has found religion.

Korn guitarist Brian "Head" Welch has parted ways with the hard rock act, citing a recent religious awakening.
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On its official Web site (http://www.korn.com), Korn's remaining members said they respect Welch's wishes and hope "he finds the happiness he is searching for." The group is in the studio working on a new album, due in September, which will be its first since fulfilling its contract with Epic last year.

For now, no replacement for Welch has been named, nor has a new label home for the band.

When I first got in church I left just about everything so I could focus on a Christian walk. I was in the college student government, studying classical music on scholarship, had lots of friends, and was in a local band. However, after becoming a Christian I got out of all of it, but looking back I realize that it was a big mistake. The people I could have influenced the most were the very people from which I distanced myself.

This guitarist has a great opportunity to win his world, but I'm afriad that he'll just holed up in some church surrounded by people who already know Christ. Music is music, there is no evil C# or minor disonant, he could play music anywhere and still be Christian. Our youth group tried to play music at a local music fest, but applied to late. Sure, there would be metal bands and country bands, but at least we would be rocking the place for Jesus and reaching our world through our God given gifts.

Where do you draw the line? Yes you!

What fruit are you like?

It started with a girl who went home from junior high saying she felt like an orange.
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Every student at Brittan Elementary School had to wear a badge the size of an index card with their name, grade, photo — and a tiny radio identification tag. The purpose was to test a new high-tech attendance system. To the eighth-grader, it seemed students had been turned into grocery items on the shelf, slabs of sirloin at the meat counter, fruit in the produce section.
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Outraged parents claimed the school was trampling their children's privacy and civil liberties, maybe even threatening their health. School board meetings overflowed. Folks talked of George Orwell, Big Brother and the Bible. The American Civil Liberties Union joined the fray. Parents picketed. TV news crews from as far away as Germany descended on the 600-student school.

Just take them out of the system, right? No, you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.

Most of the pupils accepted it at first, but a few griped to their parents.

Mike and Dawn Cantrall, parents of two Brittan students, met with Graham to complain about the badges' having student photos and names, saying the information made them vulnerable to predators.

Only then did they learn about the radio tags inside.

The family asked that their children be excluded from the test.

"Our children are not inventory," the Cantralls said in a letter to the district. They said the monitoring program smacked of Big Brother. They also cited biblical warnings about the mark of the beast.

School administrators said the program was mandatory and threatened to discipline — even expel — students who didn't wear their badges.

In case you didn't notice the parents and families were just threatened. They were threatened by a government organization. Remember, it is both mandatory to miss and mandatory not to miss class, based on the judgements of that organization. It's a catch-22.

Do you want your children to feel this way:

"It's like we're in prison," said another.

Numbers Game

The sleight of hand is in the numbers.

Moreover, the notion that Hiroshima was a major military or industrial center is implausible on the face of it. The city had remained untouched through years of devastating air attacks on the Japanese home islands, and never figured in Bomber Command’s list of the 33 primary targets.

Thus, the rationale for the atomic bombings has come to rest on a single colossal fabrication, which has gained surprising currency: that they were necessary in order to save a half-million or more American lives. These, supposedly, are the lives that would have been lost in the planned invasion of Kyushu in December, then in the all-out invasion of Honshu the next year, if that was needed. But the worst-case scenario for a full-scale invasion of the Japanese home islands was forty-six thousand American lives lost. The ridiculously inflated figure of a half-million for the potential death toll – nearly twice the total of U.S. dead in all theaters in the Second World War – is now routinely repeated in high-school and college textbooks and bandied about by ignorant commentators. Unsurprisingly, the prize for sheer fatuousness on this score goes to President George W. Bush, who claimed in 1991 that dropping the bomb "spared millions of American lives."

I wonder how many other facts and figures I've taken for granted all these years. Considering the amount of innocent lives lost on both sides, it should have been only been used if the situation was otherwise deemed hopeless.

NBA and Country Music

What does the NBA have to do with country music? I can't think of one thing, but for the whole halftime at the All-Star game they had country music bands doing the music.

What?!

The NBA game is really identified with Hip-Hop, even my Mom knows that, so I'm not sure what they were thinking when they had Leann Rymes (spelled right I care not) and "Big and Rich" for the halftime show. Charles Barkley said correctly that they need to "get over that whole Janet Jackson" thing. I mean, what's next a barber shop quartet?

E-mail Sean at 99blogger@ninetyandnine.com

It's good to be queen

The Queen of England will be commanded by royal warrant to pray for Camilla Parker Bowles.

News like this makes me glad I've studied the Bible. Every now and then a preacher or leader gets his priorities mixed up and the only way to bring them down to Earth is to remind of the Word, which seems to put to rest any further debate.

Some churchgoers may also object to praying for the woman whose adultery played a part in the divorce and who is not allowed to remarry in church.

Gee, ya think?

I think I'll say of couple of Glory Be's and some Hail Mary's and be done with it. Oops, wrong fiefdom.

Depression

Hunter S. Thompson dies of a "self-inflicted gunshot wound".

I always thought that if life got so bad that I would truly carry out suicide, then I would just pack my bags take a plane ride to the most inhospitable place I could find, take every risk imaginable, do things I've always wanted to do, and maybe at the end of the day I might decide to go on living. Suicide, to me, always seemed like the cowards way out.

Back in high school, a classmate jumped off of the Greater New Orleans bridge our senior year and amazingly lived to regret it. Another friend took his life my first year of college and I never, ever would have guessed he that he was feeling that way.

Still, I'm not sure Thompson could have figured out new things he hadn't done before. He lived a rather short drug-filled life of a minor celebrity. He probably would have laughed derisively if I'd ever offered to give him a Bible study, but I think that if he would have listened for 10 minutes or even just spent some time around my church family he would have realized that there is more to life than living througha drug induced haze.