Check this out

I ran into this article the other day, this is what I call creative marketing.

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Merry Christmas Everyone

It was the day after Christmas at a church in San Francisco. The pastor of the church was looking over the crèche when he noticed that the baby Jesus was missing from among the figures. He hurried outside and saw a little boy with a red wagon and in the wagon was the figure of the little infant Jesus.

So he walked up to the boy and said, "Well, where did you get your passenger, my fine friend?"

The little boy replied, "I got Him at church."

"And why did you take Him?"

The boy explained, "Well, about a week before Christmas I prayed to the little Lord Jesus and I told Him if He would bring me a red wagon for Christmas I would give Him a ride around the block in it."

A Christmas Story

When four of Santa's elves got sick, and the trainee elves did not produce the toys as fast as the regular ones, Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule.

Then Mrs. Claus told Santa that her Mom was coming to visit. This stressed Santa even more. When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two had jumped the fence and were out, heavens knows where.

More stress.

Then, when he began to load the sleigh, one of the boards cracked, and the toy bag fell to the ground and scattered the toys.

So, frustrated, Santa went into the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum. When he went to the cupboard he discovered that the elves had hidden the liquor, and there was nothing to drink. In his frustration he accidentally dropped the cider pot, and it broke into hundreds of little pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found that mice had eaten the straw end of the broom.

Just then the doorbell rang, and irritable Santa trudged to the door. He opened the door and there was a little angel with a great big Christmas tree. The angel said very cheerfully, "Merry Christmas, Santa! Isn't it a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?"

And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.

Betcha didn't know that!

I love this...

Is the "Big Bang" a Bust?

Go Ben

God Bless America and God Bless Ben Stein.

Reflection

A milestone has been reached. We get so few as adults, so it is nice when they happen. Paradox, the church Ruth and I have dedicated our time and money to, has reached its first birthday. It was a success, not only in numbers but we as a church had accomplished some of what we sought to do. So with the celebration still fresh on my mind I took the opportunity to reflect upon where my family and I were, not only spiritually, but emotionally, and relationally as well.

This past year has been a blessing, I am not going to ignore the hard times, we have had plenty. But our relationship, between Ruth and I, has grown stronger. We have have grown closer to God, and Kirsten is starting to learn who God is. My personal journey has me looking more deeply at this God/man we call Jesus. I am studying not only Jesus and his teachings but the culture in which he chose to live in. In my opinion, we can not know what Jesus is truly saying at times if we do not know who he was speaking to. I grew up in a church where I was told what to believe, and that it was ok to just come on Sundays and Wednesdays, get lectured to and go home with warm fuzzy feelings. I was also told that if I ran into hard times it was because I did something wrong and God was punishing me. What a crock of bull. Jesus told his disciples, including you and me, to follow him, but where did Christ go? To the cross. To his death. What makes us think that if we follow him we will not face the same. Every disciple met some grisly end. When Jesus predicted Peter's death he didn't want to accept it. As with most churches, that is too much, God is asking too much. I do my time. I witness. I sing in the choir. I read my Bible. Is that not enough. No. That is not what Jesus has called for us.

There is a movement, it has been around for a very long time, and not to many people walk it. Some call it the "Barbarian Way," others, "The Third Way." I call it simply "Jesus' Way." My trials exist cause I choose to walk this path. No more will I or my family sit in a pew and thank God for our "Fire Insurance" and go home feeling everything is good. To call myself a Christian yet not do what Jesus taught or said to do. Nor will you ever see me judge someone for their lifestyle or choices. We are here to serve, to love God, to love people. To walk the narrow path, the road less traveled.

God is moving and I am following as closely as I possibly can.

KOTOR MMO?

A couple of years ago BioWare announced that they were entering the MMORPG(Massive Multi-player On-Line Role Playing Game) industry. Of course this made Blizzard, (of World of Warcraft fame), and Turbine, (of DnD online fame), a little nervous. BioWare, in my opinion, has developed the best RPGs in recent years. With, Neverwinter Nights, Balders Gate, and Knights of the Old Republic, to name a few. After the announcement everything went quiet, until recently. BioWare just opened an office in Austin Texas for their new MMO department, and they are keeping tight lipped on the goings on there.

BioWare has the rights to DnD's most famous campaign world, Forgotten Realms, and the rights to Starwars. Lucas Arts has been rumored to be looking for someone else to produce an online game with the license. Could this mean a Knights of the Old Republic MMO? G4 TV's show XPlay just broadcasted last night that KOTOR is more likely than DnD's Forgotten Realms. I'd be fine with either, but I would drop WoW in a heart beat if it were to be a KOTOR MMO.

Moving?

We are moving. We should be out of our apartment by the end of the month. The landlords here are in the process of doing tear-outs and remodeling. Of course that means rent will be going up. Now, if I thought that the drafty windows, unlockable security doors, and the hot water that does not get hot were worth the higher rent I might consider staying, but the biggest reason we are moving is the fact that the neighborhood sucks. It is unsafe, and no place for a 7 year old to go play. Which means my daughter is cooped up inside all day. For those of you who don't know, someone was murdered right outside our back door about a month after we moved in.

Anyway, after a lot of thinking and discussing, we decided to move in with Ruth's brother for a little while. Probably for the next school year, after that we are not sure. In the mean time all your prayers are welcome and needed, and of course help with the move would be appreciated as well.

The Wiggles

I was watching the Wiggles the other day with my daughter and got to thinking. Try to imagine Captian Feathersword in the place of Captain Jack in the Pirates of the Caribbean.

For those of you who do not know who Captian Feathersword is, you are in for a treat. Watch this and see why I am still laughing today.

Ticket Tax?

Yep, our wonderful Governor is proposing a luxury tax on tickets. That would include, but not limited too, movies, sporting events, and concerts. Why? Well it is one of the few things this government has not taxed yet. They tax our work, now they want to tax our play. Who thought that this was a good idea? We have to save money to even be able to go out once a week, and that is without a tax. Thought games were expensive before, just wait. I can not say I am surprised. I fully expected this woman to pull some cockamamie bullshit out of her ass. but this... Not like DeVos would have been better, you did not know where that man stood.

Anyway, if you are as pissed as me try this website.

Happy Birthday

Independence Day, the birth of our great nation. When I think of this day I think back to all the sacrifices that were made, in history to present day, that has made this country great. We have the oldest government in the world, and possibly one of the greatest documents ever written, The Constitution. This, what we are, was no accident, and I am proud to be an American.

Happy Birthday America.

My Hero

Phase 1 complete. (Actually I have not been counting the phases, and 1 probably happened awhile ago, but since my concept of time is a little obscure, this is phase 1). My brother Aaron comes home Wednesday, from a three week crash coarse in Spanish. For those who don't know he went to Guatemala to learn the language. He lived with a family that speaks no English and took some Spanish classes during the day. For the next few weeks the Gross family will be spending time with family and preparing to head to Texas. August 3rd is the planned date with an arrival time on August 9th.

Keep us and them in your prayers and thoughts, for this is a very exciting time, but it is also hard to see them go.

Ever notice how a Stormtrooper goes down in one shot?

I should call this my video blog. Sorry for all the videos lately but this was too good to pass up.


Enjoy...


The Injured Stormtrooper

Add to My Profile | More Videos

To Game, or Not to Game?

I have been playing role-playing games ever since I can remember. My earliest memory is playing DnD, I was not any older than seven I believe. Gavin, Bob, and I would play on lunch break at school. At that age we really had no idea how to really play the game, but it was fun. Ever since then I have been playing on and off with the same group of guys. I have not seen Gavin in many years, (parted ways after elementary school), but Bob and I and a couple of friends we graduated with still play when we can. When you talk about Gaming, (slang for playing RPGs, which stands for role-playing games), to people who have never played, mixed feelings arise. Some still believe it is evil, thanks to some drug heads in the seventies who thought it would be fun to play "Live Action" in the sewers and kill each other, and some think that because there is magic, dragons, demons, and witches, that it is of satan, which makes it evil. I just think that most of these people just need to educate themselves before rushing to harsh conclusions. Of course you have the geek or nerd reputation that comes with this, but most gamers ignore the ignorance. (Though I can not deny that these games to attract those of that social status).

Personally I'm not all that crazy about calling it a game. I have no clue what else you would call it, but I still do not like it. My reasoning is as follows, this is one of a very few games where you do not compete with anyone. There is no winner or loser, and really no ending. Now some may say that the GM/DM, (game master/dungeon master), is who you are competing against, but I say no. I liken it to God. Yep you heard me right, God. Let me explain, God has a story, or a plan, we are the characters or players in this story. He does not make us do anything or live our lives a certain way, that is up to us. He is not out to kill us or make our lives difficult but he does lend a helping hand to those who have learned to help themselves. The same holds true to a GM/DM of a RPG, the said GM/DM is telling a story and the characters or players are the ones who is making it happen.

I have learned a lot from role-playing, to work as a team, strategy, vocabulary, how to write small, but most importantly, to use my imagination in new and creative ways. There are many different kinds of games, Dungeons and Dragons, Rifts, and a personal favorite White Wolf Games, just to name a few. The games are only as evil as the people playing them. Do I feel like I am compromising my faith when I play? No. But for others? Maybe. To each his own. Whether or not this is wrong in the eyes of God is really between you and him. As for me, I'll play in one form or another till the day I die.

Stolen Babies

This band is simply amazing. I joined My Space for one reason, to check out new music. The crap the music industry is pushing is just nauseous. There is a lot of junk on My Space as well, but every so often you find a gem...

Gil Sharone of Fishbone fame,
Creative and unique sound,
A chick playing an Accordion,
and original artwork of Crab Scrambly,
What is there not to love...

Missions?

This speech was done about a month ago. A friend of my brother's posted it awhile back and it started some good discussion. I'm presenting here, again, for a couple of reasons.

1)I don't believe we are currently fighting a war on terrorism. We are fighting a war on poverty. This strictly between the "haves" and the "have nots." Unfortunately the world view on our country is not the same as the citizens of this country. Many people see us as a greedy, consuming people who care nothing about who is in our way of our goal, whatever that may be. If we used some of our resources to help some of these people we could help tremendously. (Not relying on our government of coarse, we all know how they spend their money). It is very difficult to hate or bomb someone who just fed you. Who just built a new school in your village. Who just saved hundreds or thousands of people with a simple vaccine. Unfortunately our government does not see this, and we lose more soldiers and resources in a fight that can not be won by violence.

2)Before I get to my second reason, watch this...





The world has a warped view on Missionaries, or "Missions." In fact, even though I grew up in a Baptist church, I don't think I really understood the concept, or more accurately understood why? Why? When we have our own country in need. There are people who have an overwhelming urge to sell their positions and move to a different country to make a difference in peoples lives, who do not have the same liberties as we Americans do. My brother Aaron is one of these individuals. I can not tell you how proud I am. Why? I could never do this myself. He and his family are moving to Texas for some training, then proceeding to Mexico to live. To help people who are less fortunate. He believes, as do I, that he will be able to make an impact and change peoples lives.

Bono's call is to Africa. My brother Aaron's is to Mexico. God bless you both. You are in my prayers.

Why do Bad things happen to Good people?

That is the age old question. For centuries people have been asking that very question, and I believe no real satisfactory answer has been found. I'm not going to try and convince you or myself that I have the answer, but I have thought about this. I believe in God, and His Son Jesus. I try to live my life by Jesus' teachings, but even I find this a very tough subject.

A little over a week ago, Paradox, my church, asked this question. We have started a four week series on the question, "Why?" Though it would be a lot easier to just stream a podcast of it here, I actually have some thoughts on this as well. To steal a tidbit of my friends message, I believe the real question here, or at least the first question we need to ask is, "Who, or what is good?"

My God says He is Good. So, if He is good, what am I? I hesitate to use the word "evil" so I will say, non-good. If I were to say I am good, that would imply, on some level, that I am equal to my God. If I am equal to my God, even in a small way, what is the point in worshiping Him at all? He wouldn't be a God at all. My Creator has to be better than me in every way, or there is no point.

Now the human part of me does not think that is good enough. Too simple of an answer, so I looked for something else. That something else came into my life almost seven years ago. Her name is Kirsten. Ever since the day she could do things for herself she did bad things. Taking cookies after I told her she couldn't, going into my room when she knows she is not allowed. I never had to teach her to do bad. It came natural. I did however, have to teach her to do good. So, if we are good, and are born good, shouldn't we automatically do good from day one. Our environment and our nurturing would be the cause of our own bad behavior, right? Not so, watch any child grow, and you will see, that is not true.

I know that this does not answer the question, but it brought a lot of clarity for me. Why does God allow for bad things to happen? I don't know. As I said before, I'm not going to begin to even try to understand the mind of an infinite being. My little finite mind would literally go insane with the attempt. What I do know is that, it is very easy to blame the bad things on God. We do it all the time, but when the good things happen...God is forgotten.

Exploitation

News has been unavoidable lately. I try to stay away from or just simply ignore celebrity rants, most of them have no clue what they talking about anyway, but this latest tidbit is just to stupid to ignore. There is a growing theory that 9/11 was an inside job. They are even filming a documentary on it. There is no evidence to support this mind you, but they are running with it anyway. Is it not bad enough that we rushed into war as it is, lets make all the deaths of Americans completely pointless.

The latest tragedy at V Tech is being exploited as well. What is with all the focus on the killer. Television and paper news are trying to understand this young man's head. Completely ignoring the victims and their families. We can still do something for the people still alive. Who cares what this sicko was thinking before he committed this heinous act? Then my favorite, just yesterday Tom Leykis decided to use this tragedy to push his atheistic beliefs. Reveling in cutting down people who believe in God.

So yay, to the Hollywood bumpkins who use various platforms to preach their filth irregardless of the facts. Yay, to the government who finds the need to shove democracy down everyones throat. And yay, to the National Media who give more attention to the killer than the victims and their families, cause it makes for better ratings.

You all make me sick.

Life happens

It has been so long since I last posted. I feel bad. Not because I have a ton of readers, but because this is my way of venting and journaling, and if I'm not writing, it most likely means I'm bottling it up. Not good.

Anyway, I have been a bit preoccupied with my daughter of late. She has been officially diagnosed with ADHD, which kid hasn't, but just to throw us a curve, she has also been diagnosed with a form of autism. A mild case but nonetheless... Now I have to rethink how we discipline. Is what she is doing normal, ADHD, or autism? How do I react? It's like I have to start all over. Unfortunately it is affecting school. Her teacher says she doesn't think she will be ready for 1st grade. (She is six right now, if we hold her back, she will be eight going into 1st grade). But everyone says now is the best time to hold her back, any later and we will have to deal with emotional problems as well.

Life has many obstacles, but concentrating on the important ones makes it a bit easier. Pray for me, if that is your thing, otherwise think about me during this time.

talk to Me.

We have all seen it. In movies, t.v., and even in song. People who cry out to God, in what seems to be their most desperate hour. "God if you could just get me out of this one." or "God please help me with this test, I know I didn't study, but help me remember what the professor talked about, or what I read.", and so on. Then He is forgotten when times are okay, or good for that matter. This epidemic is everywhere, affecting everyone, Christians and non. Heck, even I do it.

A couple of weeks ago in our little devotion time, on Sunday mornings before service, we discussed this issue. Well, not exactly this issue, but about talking to God. Have you ever prayed just to talk. No agenda. No, help me please. Just a nice talk with God. About absolutely nothing. It got me thinking. I do this more often than I first thought. I work nights, and often on my own. Radio sucks at 3 am, and sometimes my music selection for the evening just doesn't sound good, so, I pray. Occasionally, I start out with a "help me please" or two, but it quickly turns into me just rambling about everything under the Son. (Not a typo, why say "under the sun" when everything really is "under the Son"). I find by doing this I feel God is closer. Like a friend. Think about it. Do you call your best friend just to ask for stuff? No. So, why do we do it to God? God created us for a relationship, with Him first and foremost, but with others as well. God would love to just hear you, and to treat Him and call Him your best friend.

My challenge to those of you who actually read this, (meaning my blog in general), to try this if you have not already, and if you have, make it a habit. It will challenge you to look at your relationship with God differently, and quite possibly change it altogether.

Name your top 5 bands in 5 seconds...Go!

I asked that in my small group a few months ago. I always thought I could tell a little about a person by the kind of music they listen to. One person was actually able to answer within the allotted time, even I hesitated. As always I answered with a question, "Depends on my mood." (That really wasn't a question but you get the idea). There are always a least 2 or 3 in my top 5, but the others change from time to time. So this time around I thought I would list my top 10 favorite bands/artists of all time. These are artists I just can't live without. They are not just "cool" this stuff actually moves me. To the point that I will stop what I am doing and just listen. I can feel the emotion and it stirs something inside me. That was the criteria I used to compile my list. Now these are not in any particular order, except for the last one. The last entry, hands down, if I had to rid myself of all my musical library and could only keep one album, it would be the last one I list here. I thought I would have a difficult time listing these but after I got going it wasn't hard at all, especially the last one.

So without further ado:
The Sisters of Mercy
Bauhaus
The Cure
Depeche Mode
Faith No More
Primus
King's X
The Cult
Pink Floyd
Leonard Cohen (album; The Essential Leonard Cohen)

Now these may not be the best bands ever to pick up an instrument or pen, but they speak to me. I love music, you could say I have a passion for it, though I have no talent in it. The things I do have a talent for, I don't necessarily have a passion for. Isn't that funny, it makes me appreciate those who do have the talent all the more.

A joyous occasion

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of attending my niece Erin's wedding (Ruth's brother's daughter). Her husband, Travis, is a really great guy and we're so happy for them. My daughter Kirsten had the honor of being a flower girl for them and she really enjoyed it. She did so good - we were so proud of her. Here's a few pictures from the event that Ruth threw on a slideshow.

Friend?

Friend.

Here is another word, in my opinion, that is used way too much.

What is a friend to you? And what kind of qualities do you look for in a "friend?"

Nature or Nurture

Rather than writing a long post, I thought I would just ask the question and see where it goes.

I had a discussion with a friend and the subject of homosexuality came up and how Christians view this issue. Naturally the question came up as to whether this is something you are born with or something you grow into. The idea that someone can be born this way really disturbs the Christian community and rarely is the subject brought up.

So... Can someone be born homosexual?

MMORPG

A few years ago I got caught up into the addictive world of the MMORPG. (Massive Multi-player Online Role Playing Game). It started with FFX1 (Final Fantasy 11), on the PS2, most MMORPGs are on PC and mine at the time was nothing more than a giant calculator. When I finally decided to upgrade my PC, because I fried the motherboard I had no choice, I moved on to Starwars Galaxies. After about a year of SWG I jumped on the WoW (World of Warcraft) bandwagon, which was fun, until a problem with their latest patch made it impossible to play. So now I am playing DDO (Dungeons and Dragons Online).

I like the idea of MMORPG, interaction with real people and a game that really has no end. So now I am curious on peoples thoughts on these games, not the ones I mention specifically, but on all MMORPGs?

I decided to do a light topic, and if I get enough response I got a real controversial topic next time, one that most Christians would not touch with a ten foot pole. So please comment away.

Move over Myspace

I moved all my blog posts to this site. I like this better.

Christian + Goth = Evil?

This is a subject I wanted to bring up for awhile. People ask me how one can believe in God, or follow his son, if they are Goth. Though I have tried many times to answer their question, they still walk away perplexed, or is it that Goth goes against everything they were brought up on and they refuse to believe otherwise? Either way, I have decided to explain here, but instead of beating you over the head with my explanation, I thought the creative geniuses at White Wolf would do a better job. This is an excerpt from their Storytellers Handbook, from Vampire: The Masquerade Role-playing Game:


The gothic aesthetic is not about misery and depression as so many people assume it to be. The gothic style is just the opposite.

The gothic style takes the very things that seem miserable and depressing and finds a sense of beauty in them. In the gothic sense, the night isnt something to fear. Instead, the night casts a seductive spell on those willing to wander in and explore. The morbid and the tragic can seem romantic, even sensual, for those brave enough to look into the eyes of the things the fear most. It embraces the decadence of the modern world and cherishes the strength it takes to do so. Squalid surroundings can drive the weaker man insane, but the crumbling ruins of a once-thriving town are somehow comforting in the gothic aesthetic. To look into the eyes of the destitute is almost blissful because there is a strength there, strength that the ordinary person doesnt have.

The gothic ideal finds a fascination with the macabre and has an affinity for all things dark. Darkness means more than a simple lack of sunlight. It is the overriding attitude, especially in the gothic sense. Unlike the rest of society, those embracing the gothic lifestyle do not fear the dark side nor do they pretend that it doesnt exist and they sure as hell dont hide from it. The gothic attitude is an acknowledgement and an acceptance of the darkness. It does not mean acting upon the urges that the dark side sometimes brings, but it does mean seeking out a better understanding of why the urges are there in the first place.

What may seem like a preoccupation with death is actually a celebration of life. It isnt about suicide or murder, but it is a realization that an appreciation of death gives an appreciation of life. Comfort is found in the icons or images of death. Graveyards and crosses provide a dark ambience to what could otherwise be a boring backdrop.

Style, flair, and imagination permeate the gothic world. Creativity is essential for the gothic ideal because in that same search for beauty in all things, the gothic sensibility refuses to give in to dullness. Whether its through art, personal fashion or architecture, the gothic sense always ensures its interesting...


Mere words cannot change a person's heart; in fact only God can do that. Am I trying to change people's minds on the whole Goth thing? No. But when something this close to my heart, a part of who I was and in some respect who I still am, I cannot remain quiet on the issue. For those people who know me, I was never the depressive sort, dressing in all black, made up, sitting in the back of the room, BEGGING for attention, but I was still Goth.

For all those people who are still convinced that Goth is evil. Open your eyes, and your hearts. There is a generation of adults and kids out there who still find beauty in things you may find ugly, it does not make them evil people. There are bad seeds of coarse, and somewhere Goth got a bad rap, but for that matter Church has a bad rap as well. To be brutally honest, I have yet to see or hear of any prep or suit really break through to this culture. So Christian Goth to me? Why not?

The Art of a Smear Merchant

Smear. What is the point? It seems to come from the extreme left more than the right, but what is its purpose? Why do we feel it is necessary to call names or tell lies to try to get our point across? In my experience it does nothing more than end any productive conversation, but some of us cannot seem to help ourselves. The majority of people who do the smearing are usually at the losing end of an argument. I recall some recent fights I have had with my wife, and as soon as one of us swears the fight/conversation is over. (Most of the time it is me who is doing the cussing ). At that point it does not matter what is said, no one is listening anymore. So why do we do it? I can understand the occasional slippage of the tongue in a heated argument, but what is the excuse for the outburst or the flat out disrespect of the other, when no discussion/debate is taking place. I do not get it. You would think that intelligent people would know better. Right?

Why do I bring this up? Ann Coulter, in her latest book, crosses the line. She makes a point to single out four women from Jersey who lost their husbands in the 911 disaster. Calling them "Harpies" and saying they are "enjoying the deaths of their husbands." To this point, the right has kept silent, for the most part, when it comes to name calling and smearing. (I only say this cause the left's Air America far overshadows anything the right has been spewing). As I stated above, what is the point? As soon as you sink to this level, the only people listening anymore are your devoted followers. All attempts of persuading or reasoning with the other side are null. Is it that they do not care, do they just want to sell books, but why limit your audience?

Years ago I worked in a youth group at a church, and every year we would take a group of teenagers to a training event that would equip kids to evangelize. For all intents and purposes this was a good thing, though a bit off. What I mean is, it was not really teaching them to evangelize, it was teaching them to argue. It gave them a better knowledge of their own beliefs and how best to explain said beliefs in different circumstances. Not exactly the best way to win someone to Christ. One of the first things I learned in youth ministry was this - it does not matter how much knowledge you may have, if the kids, (or people) do not know you care about them, they do not care about what you have to say. It is not as simple as just saying you care, you have to show it.

To sum up, this goes back to what I have been saying for a while now. Love. Love. Love. Love God, love people. If we would talk to people like they were...people, and showed a genuine respect (love/compassion), we might actually get through to someone. Not that everyone we show love/respect to will suddenly think the way we do, but it will break down barriers that might have been put in place because of this "Right Vs. Left" crap. We should embrace differences, not push them away.

My Testimony

Church. What is church? What is the purpose of church? Do I really care? These are the questions I have been asking myself for the last few years, but in order to answer them I have to go back to where my life with church began. I grew up in church; I never really knew life without it. My first 25 years was in a traditional Baptist church. I went everyday the doors were open, and I liked it. I knew all the stories, read the Bible a few times, and had the Sunday school answer for everything. All my friends were there; it was like a second home, or family if you will. That all changed a little over a decade ago. The church was slowly dying, and the elders knew they needed to do something to keep it alive. The problem was, that required change, and most of the members didn't want change or at least the kind that was needed.

Five years before I left, they hired a new pastor. With him, he brought a new outlook. Evangelize, service, getting out of our comfort zone. Do something with our faith instead of just sitting on high looking down on the world. The changes being made did not sit well with a lot of people, but most kept quiet. The silence didn't last long however and the war began. Backstabbing and gossip were just the tip of the iceberg. No one was safe. People I looked up to - teachers, mentors - stabbing each other in the back, stabbing me in the back. All for what? A pulpit? Hymns? Stupid, petty stuff. All this lasted for a few more years, when finally the pastor was "asked" to resign, and the rest of the staff followed suit. When the dust settled, my wife and I stood there wondering what was next. The question was, do we stay or go? After getting a glimpse of what church could be, there was no way I was going back, plus a little part of me, which turned out to be a big part later, was done with church. I wanted no more.

Which brings me back to the original questions. What is the church, what is its purpose, and do I really care anymore? Well, one is easily answered. Yes I do care, otherwise I would not be writing this or even thinking about it. Praying, talking, and reading brought me to a conclusion. The church is a refuge, a place of comfort and spiritual learning. It is also, and most importantly, the people. It is not a building, and it is not the worship service. It is the people. The church needs to be a place where you can find comfort, rest, someplace safe. A place to be encouraged/uplifted, and where you can ask the tough questions. The church also needs to be a part of the community. You see, the church I used to call home, if it did die, no one in the surrounding community would have noticed. That is sad, and not what Christ intended. So is the traditional church doing what was outlined in Acts? No. That is why Christianity is failing in the world today. Not only is the word being over used, it is also being misused, and the church, for the most part, is not helping. We need to bring Christ back into the church, back into our everyday lives, and live the church, not just attend the church. That is why I praise God for Paradox, FINALLY, a church that gets it.

I got this email the other day...

Let me start by saying, I am an indepenent. I have always voted for the right man for the job and never for a party as a whole. Some of my views may lean right, and some lean more left, but, I'd like to think I have the best interests for my family and country in mind. With that...

I got this email the other day, it was your typical left-bashing-right rhetoric, but I gave it a reading. Sometimes these things can be funny, though this made a poor attempt at humor, if that was its purpose. Normally these things don't bother me, I brush off most crap spewed from either side, but the opening line pissed me off. Well, that was my first reaction, then it just saddened me.

"Jesus loves you and he shares your hatred for homosexuals and Hillary Clinton."

Do people actually think this? If so, can I really blame them? The church, I think, is to blame mostly. They have obscured the view of Christ beyond recognition. For people to actually think that Jesus would hate ANYONE, means that someone, somewhere, seriously misunderstood who Jesus is. I really don't care if you think Jesus was God or if he was just a teacher/prophet. Both historians and theologians agree he was a man of love and compassion, a pacifist even. The idea of him hating someone is just...asinine, ignorant at best.

This is what passes as Christianity today, and why I try to stand apart. I believe the gospel story, I believe Jesus is God. What I don't believe and I refuse to entertain is, God/Jesus is religion, which is exactly what Christianity has become. I would love to call myself a Christian, the original meaning was 'Christ like,' but as I stated above that doesn't seem the case. Jesus said the greatest commandment was, "love God, and love people." If the 80% of Americans that claim to be "Christian," really believed that, what would this country look like?