Final Four

My Final Four picks for 2004 are Duke (surprise), Oklahoma State (hey to the F-I-L), Kentucky, and Connecticut.  Duke beats OSU (sorry, Jerry) for the championship.

Top 10 Reasons Not to See The Passion

/sarcasm on/

 

Top 10 Reasons You Should Not See The Passion

1. Anti-Semitic
2. Too violent
3. Doesn't focus on Jesus' message
4. Too little of the resurrection
5. Too out-there version of Catholicism
6. Not good stewardship of your $ to see a movie
7. Too close to the Gospel account
8. Strays too far from the Gospel account
9. Mel’s just trying to make gobs of $
10. The actor who plays Jesus is too white and American

/sarcasm off/

All the Reasons Not to See The Passion

It's been hilarious tracking all the wailing and gnashing of teeth about The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson's film about the crucifixion of Jesus.  For several months leading up to the film's release, all we heard about was the criticism that it was anti-Semitic, and would foster hatred toward modern-day Jews.

 

After preview showings, most media and Christian leaders found the original criticism way overblown.  So, the media & Christ-critics had to find other ways to lambaste the movie.  Herein, I present the:

 

Top 10 Reasons You Should Not See The Passion

[See next journal entry for top 10 list]

 

But, of course, as NewSong sang, you can't keep a good man down.  Heartland Americans are not seeing this movie to the tune of $240 million and counting.

 

And we are reminded of the scripture in 1st Corinthians 2:14, "the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised."  Or same book, chapter 1, verse 23:  "but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness."

What a Difference a Month Makes

They say that March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb.  But February 2004 came in like a black-breasted buzzard, and went out like the Jacana. 

 

Or, abandoning the animal-theme, February came in with the elites firmly in charge of the culture, not giving one whit about things most important to you and me.  A culture where major American institutions like the NFL and CBS thought nothing of putting on a sex-laden show at the Super Bowl halftime -- and that was before the so-called wardrobe malfunction.

 

But February went out with the bloodied face of a cinematic Christ, somehow forgiving his executioners.  And the solemn faces of true believer movie-goers, in one sold-out theater after another, propelling The Passion of the Christ to blockbuster status.

 

America is hungry for change.  Change in our culture.  Change in our hearts.  And in the shortest month (the extra leap-year day wasn't even needed), America served notice that change is in the air.

Sneak Attack in the Culture Wars, Part II

Well, all they’ve done is awaken the forces, strengthened our resolve.  Enough was finally enough.  Finally.  When the other guy throws a grenade in your living room, staying on the sidelines is no longer an option.

 

The counter-punches were swift and strong, as the Heartland rose up in indignation.  Perhaps you wrote a protest letter for the first time in years, if not ever.  The NFL & CBS couldn’t apologize profusely enough (whether sincere or not).  The FCC kicked into gear.  The silent majority made an impact, because they finally spoke up.

 

The tide was already starting to turn in the Culture Wars (more on this later), but the debacle of Janet & Justin will prove to be the tipping point that leads to committed mobilization of the great mass of troops on the other side.  Hang on to your proverbial muskets, be minuteman-ready, keep your powder dry, and don’t shy away from the battle. 

Sneak Attack in the Culture Wars, Part I

Make no mistake – the Culture Wars are alive and well, and never really left us, even if we can put it out of mind, numbly going about our mundanity for months on end.  The Culture War is nothing less than a fight for the soul of America, if not the souls of Americans themselves. 

 

The other side – an army of ideologues no less zealous than the most Faithful – never lets up, using myriad tactics to erase the appearance of God in our society.  Commanded by the elites, their chief weapon is skillful erosion, a bit-by-bit dismantling of that we hold dear.  More like a swarm of grasshoppers than in-your-face soldiers. 

 

Usually, anyway.

 

What happened at the Super Bowl halftime show (and surely you know by now what happened), however, was a sneak attack in these wars.  A frontal assault right into our dens and basements.  A commando raid formulated by General MTV, with no regard for collateral damage.

In the Beginning...

Just discovered last night that AOL has this journal/blog feature.  As many of you know, i’ve been keeping a personal, private journal for many years now.  While i don’t write as much these days – the era of marriage & family contentment & busyness – compared to the earlier days of anxious single-hood, i do still jot off some thoughts every now & then.

 

But it’s time to write more frequently again, and to write more openly.  So i beg your indulgence as i begin this online journal, noting observations about life and the culture.   

 

Feel free to leave comments, as the site allows, and your conscience urges.