MAINLINE MELTDOWN, PART DEUX

Not to be outdone by the Episcopalians, Presbyterian Church (USA) has pushed right past electing women bishops and endorsing homosexuality to an assault on the Trinity itself:

For some Presbyterian churches, the phrase "Father, Son and Holy Spirit" may soon give way to alternatives such as "Compassionate mother, beloved child and lifegiving womb."

The Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly on Monday accepted a report that encourages, but does not mandate, using alternatives to traditional references to the Trinity.

"The language of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, rooted in Scripture and creed, remains an indispensable anchor for our efforts to speak faithfully of God," said the theological report for the 2.3-million-member Presbyterian Church (USA). "With this anchor in place, however, we are liberated to interpret, amplify, and expand upon the ways of naming the three-in-one God familiar to most church members. We are freed to speak faithfully and amply of the mystery of the Trinity."...

The theological report, five years in the making, explores and encourages such alternative formulations for the Trinity as:

"Rainbow of Promise, Ark of Salvation and Dove of Peace"

"Speaker, Word and Breath"

"Giver, Gift, and Giving"

"Lover, Beloved and Love that binds together Lover and Beloved"

"Rock, Cornerstone, and Temple"

Rock, Paper, Scissors, maybe?

GOD?: FREEDOM OF SPEECH DOESN'T APPLY

Brittney McComb tried to thank God in her valedictory address at Foothill High School (Gretchen Crehan, Principal) in the Las Vegas area. But apparently God isn't allowed at Foothill:

A local high school graduation ended with roars of protest after school officials turned the microphone off right in the middle of one of the valedictorian's speeches. The microphone cut out after the valedictorian at Foothill High made reference to God.

The family says the District's decision isn't fair. Brittney McComb says she's a straight A student, number one in her class, and is headed to Biola University in the fall.

Brittney attributes all of her success to God. Trouble is, she tried to explain that during her speech which the school district said they told her beforehand was a no-no.

"God's love is so great."

This was part of the speech that Brittney McComb says she so wanted to give on graduation night. But because it did have numerous references to God and Jesus Christ, the school district cut off the mic, leaving her practically silent. That's when many people stood up and booed, showing their support.

And those grand advocates of freedom of speech the ACLU say that pulling the plug on the mic was the right call.

With guardians of liberty like the ACLU and trainers of youth like Gretchen Crehan and Foothill High School we have every right to be worried.

Congratulations, Brittney McComb!

MAYBE DAD SHOULD BE THERE EVERY NIGHT

Even Madonna knows she should behave herself in front of Dad:

Madonna cleaned up her act for her dad.

The singer has been shocking audiences during her Confessions tour, repeatedly using the f-word, flipping her middle finger at the crowd, reaching inside her pants, and suggesting that people perform a lewd act on President Bush. At a recent show in Chicago, however, the naughty talk was all but absent, because Madonna’s father was in the audience.

“She gave the crowd the finger only one time and never once said the f-word,” says a source who attended that show as well as another one earlier. “At one point, she actually asked the audience to applaud extra loud for her so that her dad would know she made something of herself. The crowd went wild.”

Now, if she can understand her behavior isn't appropriate for her father then why can't she grasp it might not be appropriate for anyone. Papa don't preach, I guess.

THE TRAIN WRECK CONTINUES

The train wreck that is the American Episcopal Church continues as the body elected 'Bishop' Katharine Jefferts Schori as their new leader. Her stance on homosexuality will certainly not endear her to the Anglican communion as a whole:

Interviewed on CNN, Jefferts Schori was asked if it was a sin to be homosexual.

"I don't believe so. I believe that God creates us with different gifts. Each one of us comes into this world with a different collection of things that challenge us and things that give us joy and allow us to bless the world around us," she said.

"Some people come into this world with affections ordered toward other people of the same gender and some people come into this world with affections directed at people of the other gender."

We're not sure where she got that from the Bible, but maybe from the place where it talks about female bishops.

Further proof that the term 'mainline denomination' is an anachronism.

[Thanks to theosebes reader JC for the link to the article.]

PREACHING THIS MORNING...'The Image of the Invisible God' from a series on Colossians. Col 1:15-20 is one of the great Christological passages in Scripture, and it affirms to us that the Son, the Firstborn, is to have first place in everything. The Creator and Sustainer of the universe refused to let sin cheat Him of the creation created for Him.

A NEW 'NATIVITY' BLOG, covering the upcoming movie, could be worth keeping an eye on. The project could be a worthwhile one.

DESPITE POPE'S WARNING, HAWKING READY TO SOLVE UNIVERSE

Stephen Hawking claims Pope John Paul II once urged him not to dig too deep into the origins of the universe:

Hawking said the pope told the scientists, ''It's OK to study the universe and where it began. But we should not inquire into the beginning itself because that was the moment of creation and the work of God.''

The physicist, author of the best seller ''A Brief History of Time,'' added that John Paul believed ''God chose how the universe began for reasons we could not understand.''

Of course, Hawking has already ruled God out of the equation:

But Hawking questioned whether an almighty power was needed to create the universe.

''Does it require a creator to decree how the universe began? Or is the initial state of the universe determined by a law of science?'' he asked.

Hawking's groundbreaking research on black holes and the origins of the universe has made him one of the best-known theoretical physicists of his generation. He proposes that space and time have no beginning and no end.

And we're close to getting the whole thing figured out:

Hawking ended his lecture saying, ''We are getting closer to answering the age-old questions: Why are we here? Where did we come from?''

Well, I agree those are the questions on which to focus.

Limiting the scope of inquiry is ludicrous on its face, it seems to me. The problem arises from man's arrogance that he does not need God and that our existence is independent from Him. Hawking's 'law of science' will be universally binding and explanatory...until the next scientist comes along and overthrows it.

It is amazing how the scientists of the past had so much wrong, but today's scientists are always right.

UPDATE: A link to this quote was sent to me by Theosebes reader SLC:

Stephen Hawking has said, in his writings, "the actual point of creation lies outside the scope of presently known laws of physics," and a less well-known but very distinguished cosmologist, Professor Alan Guth from MIT, says the "instant of creation remains unexplained."

Hmmmmm....So maybe it has nothing to do with 'scientific law' after all.

THE I-HAVE-NO-RESPONSIBILITY GENE

Scientists have found that risk taking may be a scientific predisposition:

Now Mr. Dallas, a chef in Seattle, is convinced he has a genetic predisposition for risk-taking, a conclusion the researchers say is not unwarranted, since they believe similar variations in human genes can explain why people perceive danger differently.

"It's in your blood," Mr. Dallas said. "You hear people say that kind of thing, but now you know it really is."

A growing understanding of human genetics is prompting fresh consideration of how much control people have over who they are and how they act. The recent discoveries include genes that seem to influence whether an individual is fat, has a gift for dance or will be addicted to cigarettes. Pronouncements about the power of genes seem to be in the news almost daily, and are changing the way some Americans feel about themselves, their flaws and their talents, as well as the decisions they make.

For some people, the idea that they may not be entirely at fault for some of their less desirable qualities is liberating, conferring a scientifically backed reprieve from guilt and self-doubt. Others feel doomed by their own DNA, which seems less changeable than the more traditional culprits for personal failings, like a lack of discipline or bad childhoods. And many find it simply depressing to think that their accomplishments might not be the result of their own efforts.

Now that some people have a predisposition for certain personality traits or abilities is not shocking news. Anyone who has ever had multiple children can tell you this easily enough. A typical exchange between my two older daughters runs something like this:

"That looks like fun--can I do that?"

"No, Molly Katherine--that's dangerous."

One is a risk taker, the other is risk averse. So it goes.

But this latest push essentially takes personal responsibility away from individuals. Yes, I probably can blame genetics that I did not become an Olympic track and field star, but there's only so far one can take such reasoning.

This ultimately is the next step in deterministic evolution. One of the logical conclusions of evolutionists is that as we are simply cosmic accidents, and our brain activity is simply the result of chemical interaction (and genetic programming) then there's not really any 'you' there. You have no real control and therefore no responsibility. You're just a randomly put together bag of cosmic dust stuck in the middle of nowhere in a two-bit galaxy. Ain't science grand?

MARY WINKLER PLEADED not guilty to first degree murder charges. That's standard and not surprising.

Two observations: 1) I see she is wearing a cross necklace in the picture. 2) I see that Nancy Grace explored motives for the murder on her program this evening. I guess she wanted another chance to call churches of Christ a cult.

SOUTHERN BAPTISTS CONTINUE STAND AGAINST ALCOHOL

Southern Baptists have continued their stand against alcohol at their current convention:

Southern Baptists held the line against alcoholic spirits on Wednesday, passing a resolution expressing "our total opposition to the manufacturing, advertising, distributing, and consuming of alcoholic beverages."

The resolution blames alcohol for the breakup of families and" countless injuries and deaths on the nation's highways."

It urges that members of the denomination's trustee boards and committees be committed abstainers.

The vote followed a volley of debate by messengers to the annual meeting of the 16-million-member denomination.

As a practical matter they are correct, of course. However, conventions passing resolutions lead to a whole host of problems. How about, Resolved: We will no longer have conventions and pass resolutions.

EDOMITES HELP CONFIRM THE BIBLE

The standard position of modern scholarship is that the Bible--particularly the Old Testament--is historically unreliable. In fact, usually it's not only guilty until proven innocent, but guilty in the face of any amount of evidence to the contrary.

The latest example of this involves the ancient Edomites, a frequent nemesis of Israel in the OT. New evidence suggests that the Edomites were developed earlier than scholars have tended--or wanted--to believe:

An international team of archaeologists has recorded radiocarbon dates that they say show the tribes of Edom may have indeed come together in a cohesive society as early as the 12th century B.C., certainly by the 10th. The evidence was found in the ruins of a large copper-processing center and fortress at Khirbat en-Nahas, in the lowlands of what was Edom and is now part of Jordan.

Thomas E. Levy, a leader of the excavations, said in an interview last week that the findings there and at abandoned mines elsewhere in the region demonstrated that the Edomites had developed a complex state much earlier than previously thought.

With the addition of new dates and more evidence of the importance of copper in the emergence of Edom, the two archaeologists have amplified their interpretations in an article being published this month in the magazine Biblical Archaeology Review.

"We have discovered a degree of social complexity in the land of Edom," they wrote, "that demonstrates the weak reed on the basis of which a number of scholars have scoffed at the idea of a state or complex chiefdom in Edom at this early period."

The findings, Dr. Levy and Dr. Najjar added, lend credence to biblical accounts of the rivalry between Edom and the Israelites in what was then known as Judah. By extension, they said, this supported the tradition that Judah itself had by the time of David and Solomon, in the early 10th century, emerged as a kingdom with ambition and the means of fighting off the Edomites.

The Hebrew Bible mentioned the Edomites no fewer than 99 times. In Genesis, Esau, Jacob's twin brother, is described as the ancestor of the Edomites, and a reference is made to "the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the Israelites." Dr. Levy said this statement showed that the Israelites acknowledged Edom's early political development.

In the context, Dr. Levy and Dr. Najjar wrote, "the biblical references to the Edomites, especially their conflicts with David and subsequent Judahite kings, garner a new plausibility."

Not so fast, say the Biblical literalists:

Most criticism has come from advocates of a "low chronology" or "minimalist" school of early biblical history. They contend that in David's time Edom was a pastoral society, and Judah not much more advanced. In this view, ancient Israel did not develop into a true state until the eighth century B.C., a century and a half after David.

More widely held in recent years is the estimate that Edom did not become a complex society and kingdom until the eighth or seventh centuries, presumably as a consequence of rule by the Assyrian empire.

Israel Finkelstein, an archaeologist at Tel Aviv University and a leading proponent of the low-chronology model, has said the new research does "not shed new light on the question of state formation in Edom." He argues that perhaps the copper operations were controlled by chieftains in Beersheba, to the west, and supplied material for urban centers west and north of Edom.

Dr. Levy and Dr. Najjar said their excavations showed that "this image of external control is not convincing."

Finkelstein's objections amount to little more than a child putting his hands over his ears and repeating "I can't hear you!" over and over. The evidence mounts year by year that Bible is historically reliable. If you've already decided it can't be true, however, you'll always find a way to make sure it's not.

[Thanks to Wild Bill for the link.]

SHIN BUDDHISTS DECIDE MEDITATION IS A GREAT IDEA

The Shin Buddhist sect, long uninterested in meditation, has become convinced that maybe it's not such a bad idea after all:

So what to do if you are part of an ancient Buddhist tradition that is huge in Asia but has failed to catch on in the United States, in part because it has no real place for meditation?

Change the tradition....

Spurred by a new reform-minded bishop, Koshin Ogui, a growing number of the movement's temples have abandoned their traditional lack of interest in meditation and are offering the practice as a way to survive by reaching out to non-Japanese adherents.

I have no issue with meditation per se, nor with being sensitive to the needs of one's congregants. But if a religion is forced to change one of its fundamental approaches and practices in order to survive, does that abandonment itself signal the end of that religion. Does survival of the name and the institutional structure alone constitute substantive survival?

KISSIN' KABBALAHS NO MORE

Now that the uber-spiritual Britney Spears is no interested in Kabbalah, her former bussing partner Madonna...er, Esther is calling off their religious connection:

Madonna spent a great deal of time and money wooing the younger singer into the Kabbalah fold, and it worked for at least a while; Spears was spotted wearing the trendy religion’s trademark red string bracelet and toting around Kabbalah books.

But not long ago, Spears publicly ditched the mystical offshoot of Judaism, writing on her Web site: “I no longer study Kabbalah, my baby is my religion.” Spears, who was raised a Baptist, has allegedly been consulting with a “Christian Life Coach” about her troubled marriage to Kevin Federline.

“Madonna spent months teaching Britney the Kabbalah system and splashed out thousands on the ancient scripture for her,” according to a source quoted by Virgin.net, which is further reporting that Madonna is demanding that Spears return the twelfth-century book on Kabbalah that she gave her as a wedding present. Madonna’s rep had no comment by press time, but the source said: “She feels she has wasted time, money and precious gifts on Brit.”

Sniff...sniff...I thought those kids would make it.

'IN GOD WE TRUST' A SECULAR SLOGAN

In dismissing a lawsuit filed by professional atheist Michael Newdow who sought to ban the use of 'In God We Trust' on U.S. currency a judge has ruled that, well, it doesn't mean anything anyway:

A federal judge on Monday rejected a lawsuit from an atheist who said having the phrase "In God We Trust" on U.S. coins and dollar bills violated his First Amendment rights.

U.S. District Judge Frank C. Damrell Jr. said the minted words amounted to a secular national slogan that did not trample on Michael Newdow's avowed religious views.

If that's the case perhaps the atheists really did win.

MARY WINKLER HAS BEEN INDICTED by a grand jury for first-degree murder. The article states that the shooting was premeditated, but nothing else has been revealed about the motive.

STEALTH EVANGELISM

A Colorado high school is in a tizzy over a graduate who slipped Jesus into her commencement speech:

A high school graduate who used her commencement speech to urge families to learn about Jesus Christ has acknowledged said she did not tell school officials she planned to make the remarks.

Lewis-Palmer High School officials asked Erica Corder to tell the parents of other students that educators did not condone her remarks at the May 25 commencement. School officials said that would have been a violation of the Constitution.

In her part of the valedictorian speech, the 18-year-old Corder said, "If you don't already know (Jesus) personally, I encourage you to find out more about the sacrifice he made for you."

Corder said she planned the remarks for months but did not tell school officials or the other 14 speakers, who had cooperated on drawing up a speech and who each took a part in presenting it. Corder went last.

Corder did not include her comments about Jesus when they rehearsed in front of Principal Mark Brewer.

In an e-mail to parents, Corder said she may have offended some people but did not intend to.

She said she was sorry she had not told the principal or other speakers of her plans, but she did not apologize for what she said.

Against the Constitution? I suppose that would be the "no high school shall allow a student to mention Jesus" clause.

Well, good for her. Fight the power, baby!

PREACHING THIS MORNING...'An Excellent Wife Is the Crown of Her Husband': Thoughts on Finding a Spouse. The proverb tells us that a prudent wife is from the Lord. God is not neutral on the issue of our spouse. If we care to include Him in the process we will be well rewarded.

A DIFFERENT WORLDVIEW

Muslim women not only don't see themselves as oppressed, but actually think that maybe we need to clean up our own act:

The most frequent response to the question, "What do you admire least about the West?" was the general perception of moral decay, promiscuity and pornography that pollsters called the "Hollywood image" that is regarded as degrading to women.

It is indeed the sign of a degraded culture when we think that people who would understand the reality of the 'Hollywood image' are the ones who are brainwashed.

Yes, there are some things we can learn from their cultural understanding.

LEAVE IT BEHIND
New Video Game: What Were They Thinking?

Those wacky guys from the 'Left Behind' series apparently have their own video game coming out, and it ain't pretty:

This game immerses children in present-day New York City -- 500 square blocks, stretching from Wall Street to Chinatown, Greenwich Village, the United Nations headquarters, and Harlem. The game rewards children for how effectively they role play the killing of those who resist becoming a born again Christian. The game also offers players the opportunity to switch sides and fight for the army of the AntiChrist, releasing cloven-hoofed demons who feast on conservative Christians and their panicked proselytes (who taste a lot like Christian).


Is this paramilitary mission simulator for children anything other than prejudice and bigotry using religion as an organizing tool to get people in a violent frame of mind? The dialogue includes people saying, "Praise the Lord," as they blow infidels away.

Quite honestly, when I first saw it I thought "spoof". As did the guys at the website linked above:

In this way, the game resembles a send-up of Christian-themed video games by "The Simpsons." "Billy Graham's Bible Blaster," is a first-person shooter game in which you fire Bibles at club-carrying heathens to convert them into card-carrying Republicans.

According to an interview with spokesman Derek Asato this whole turn the other cheek thing is overrated:

The promoters suggest Jesus' commandment that his followers should "turn the other cheek" has been misunderstood.

"The Bible says you do not have to stand there and let someone kill you," said Derek Asato, a spokesman for Left Behind Games.

"Jesus did not say you have to let yourself be a punching bag or murder victim," Mr. [Troy] Lyndon said in a telephone interview.

I suppose it goes to show that people can convince themselves that pretty much anything is a good idea:

Asked whether the goal of "Eternal Forces" is to lead people to Christianity, Mr. Lyndon said: "Our focus is more on the teachings of Jesus, and his prayers for hope, love and peace, than on proselytizing."

He said his company hopes to sell about 500,000 games, priced at $49.95 each. A main target for marketing will be so-called "megachurches," which have thousands of members.

I guess you can chalk one up for the Antichrist with this one.

ROY MOORE FLAMES OUT

Roy Moore failed--and badly--in his bid to unseat incumbent Gov. Bob Riley for Alabama's Republican nomination on Tuesday. Taylor Bright at the Huntsville Times discusses his possible religious overreach:

Moore and Supreme Court Associate Justice Tom Parker, Moore's former spokesman, lost by landslides in their races for governor and chief justice.

Moore received one-third of the vote in the Republican primary against Gov. Bob Riley. Parker received 39 percent of the vote against Riley's former director of finance, Chief Justice Drayton Nabers.

"I think they overreached," [William] Stewart said.

Stewart said the candidates also went up against well-funded opponents in their own party: "You can't go with a pop gun versus a shotgun."

While I supported Moore's stand against the Federal order to remove the Ten Commandment display (not the same, by the way, as supporting the display itself), Moore tends to come across as a bit, well, televangelisty. Riley is a seasoned politician, who is relatively (by GOP standards) conservative.

As the article states, and as anyone who has watched the Alabama political ads of late can attest, religion won't be leaving Alabama politics anytime soon.

GOD & BASEBALL

You can get a little religion to go with your hotdog at the game on Faith Night at the stadium:

It has long been noted that in certain parts of the United States, a fine line separates sports from religion. But at a minor league indoor football game last month in Birmingham, Ala., fans may have witnessed as transparent an attempt to merge football and church as had ever been tried.

Before kickoff, a Christian band called Audio Adrenaline entertained the crowd. Promoters gave away thousands of Bibles and bobblehead dolls depicting biblical characters like Daniel, Noah and Moses. And when the home team, the Birmingham Steeldogs, took the field, they wore specially made jerseys with the book and number of bible verses printed on the back....

Faith Nights [are] a spiritual twist on Frisbee Nights and Bat Days. While religious-themed sports promotions were once largely a Bible Belt phenomenon that entailed little more than ticket discounts for church and synagogue groups, Faith Nights feature bands, giveaways and revival-style testimonials from players. They have migrated from the Deep South to northern stadiums from Spokane, Wash., to Bridgewater, N.J.

Third Coast Sports, a company in Nashville that says it specializes in church marketing and event planning for sports teams, has scheduled 70 this year in 44 cities, and many teams produce Faith Nights on their own.

They are about to become even bigger. This summer, the religious promotions will hit Major League Baseball. The Atlanta Braves are planning three Faith Days this season, the Arizona Diamondbacks one. The Florida Marlins have tentatively scheduled a Faith Night for September.

And quite frankly, what better fans to lure to the stadium. MLB could certainly use a values makeover.

VROOM, VROOM
'Dianetics' Goes Talladega

Hoping to cash in on the Nascar craze, Scientology is getting into racecars:

Don’t be surprised if Tom Cruise becomes a NASCAR fan. Scientology is getting into the wildly popular race sport.

“Dianetics,” the book written by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, is sponsoring a racing team — dubbed “Ignite Your Potential” — that will tour the NASCAR circuit. A Dianetics Racing Web site is being set up for fans.

Driver Kenton Gray credits Hubbard’s work with making him a good driver. “It’s markedly improved my focus and my consistency,” he said in an announcement from Hubbard’s publisher. “Through ‘Dianetics’ I’ve handled stress and increased my performance and ability to compete—both on the track and in life.”

“Scientology makes a point of recruiting celebrities as a part of it’s marketing appeal,” says a source. “If this is another marketing appeal — reaching out to the NASCAR crowd — it’s brilliant.”

Somehow I don't think L. Ron Hubbard will play with the Nascar crowd.

NATIVITY MOVIE SET FOR CHRISTMAS RELEASE

There's a nice sneak peek over at Christianity Today about the upcoming movie O Little Town. This sounds fairly promising:

"The nativity is usually presented as an event-board story—this happened, then this happened, then this happened," [Mike Rich] says. "It's rarely presented as a character story. That's how I wanted to do it."

I've read Rich's script, and it's faithful and reverent to the Gospel accounts, but also brings Joseph and Mary's characters alive in a very human way. They wrestle with fears and doubts and anxieties, all within the framework of unshakeable faith.

We meet their parents and families, even before they're betrothed to one another. We're there for the awkward moment when Mary's father tells his daughter that she will be Joseph's wife. We're there for Gabriel's visit, for Joseph's dream, for the journey to Bethlehem—and the gamut of emotions that each experiences, every step of the way.

We get to know Elizabeth and Zechariah. We hit the road with the three wise men—Balthasar, Gaspar, and Melchior. We meet shepherds, tending their flocks by night. We go into Herod's palace and see what a despicable, paranoid man he really is.

Things sound pretty good. One wishes they could have broken out of the traditional mold and varied the number of Wise Men, but I guess it must be three.

Now this is what we want following the success of The Passion.

CRACKING THE DAN BROWN CODE

Yes, I got as tired of posting about the Da Vinci Code as you got of reading the posts. But it appears that Dan Brown may be in hot water for plagiarism:

Controversy in the press surrounding 'Da Vinci Code' author Dan Brown, just beginning to fade, will likely revive later this week when the July issue of Vanity Fair hits the stands. According to an advance copy, the magazine's contributing editor Seth Mnookin alleges -- in a massive article titled 'DaVinci Clone?' -- two new instances of possible plagiarism in Brown's past. Two textual analysis experts also tell him they believe Brown borrowed the plot for his book from Lewis Perdue's 'Daughter of God.'

The two libel experts say they are convinced Brown borrowed heavily from the Perdue book, despite Brown's recent victory in court. John Olsson, the director of Britain's Forensic Linguistics Institute, said, 'This is the most blatant example of in-your-face plagiarism I've ever seen. It just goes on and on. There are literally hundreds of parallels.'

Brown did not respond to requests for comment from Vanity Fair.

Mnookin also cites an incident in which Brown copied for 'The DaVinci Code' an exact passage from the paper 'Leonardo's Lost Robot,' written by robotics expert Mark Rosheim. Brown's publisher, Doubleday, said it was covered under fair-use. Rosheim says, 'Every now and then I'll be giving a talk and someone will come in with The Da Vinci Code and ask me to sign a copy. Either that or they'll accuse me of copying him.'

Finally, Mnookin offers evidence that he says may link Brown's wife, Blythe, to a spate of 'mysterious' e-mails that Perdue has received, coming from one 'Ahamedd Saaddodeen.'

That Dan Brown has had few original thoughts is no surprise. That other people exist whose ideas can be lifted for such a book is downright disturbing. That Brown's wife is sending harassing emails signed with a Middle Eastern nom de plume is just odd.

LION 1, MAN 0

A man in the Ukraine chose a novel way to prove the existence of God:

A man shouting that God would keep him safe was mauled to death by a lioness in the Kiev zoo after he crept into the animal's enclosure, a zoo official said Monday.

"The man shouted, ‘God will save me, if he exists,’ lowered himself by a rope into the enclosure, took his shoes off and went up to the lions," the official said.

"A lioness went straight for him, knocked him down and severed his carotid artery."

One recalls that Daniel, whom one suspects this man sought to emulate, was placed in the lions den against his will as punishment for serving God openly. Daniel, using the good sense that God gave him, did not sneak into the lions den when no one was looking on a lark.

One suspects the man now has all the proof he needs of God's existence.

DEED OF THE FLESH RENAMED
Now called IED

In a campaign to make the Deeds of the Flesh of Galatians 5:19-21 more relevant, "outbursts of anger" (NASB) will now be known as intermittent explosive disorder, or IED:

One in 20 Americans may be susceptible to uncontrollable anger attacks in which they lash out in road rage, spousal abuse or other severe transgressions that are totally unjustified, researchers from Harvard and the University of Chicago have found.

Their nationwide study found that the condition called intermittent explosive disorder, or IED, is not the rare occurrence that psychiatrists had previously thought. Four to five percent of people in the study were found to have physically assaulted someone, threatened bodily harm or destroyed property in a rage an average of five times a year.

Intermittent explosive disorder is different from the common type of anger most people exhibit from time to time when they pout, throw a book down or walk out of a room, activities that are better described as mild temper tantrums. IED is defined as repeated and uncontrollable anger attacks that often become violent.

"Our new study suggests IED is really out there and that a lot of people have it," Dr. Emil Coccaro, the U. of C.'s chief of psychiatry. "That's the first step for the public to actually get treated for it, because if you don't think it's really a disorder, you're never going to get treated for it."

Coccaro was the first to show, through a preliminary 2004 study, that IED might be an unrecognized major mental health problem. He also pioneered therapy designed to treat the disorder involving anti-depressants (of the serotonin reuptake inhibitor class), mood disorder medications like lithium and cognitive therapy.

Known therapy also includes the Fruit of the Spirit.

DEVIL'S DAY EVE
The 06-06-06 Countdown

Okay having The Omen open tomorrow was amusing, but some evangelicals are taking tomorrow's date seriously:

A Netherlands-based Evangelical organisation has called on Christians in 21 countries to hold a 24-hour prayer vigil against Satanic forces to mark so-called Devil's Day.

Some fear the date 06/06/06, which falls on Tuesday, signifies 666, the Biblical number of the Devil, and will usher in calamities and even the end of the world.

The Dutch-based organisation Ambassadors Ministries called its 24-hour prayer vigil from 6:00 pm (1600 GMT) Monday, saying it hoped some 2,000 Dutch Christians, mainly Protestants, would take part.

"We believe that the plans the enemy has for this date (June 6, 2006) will be destroyed through violent worship and praise. We are inviting the entire world to be part of this huge unity project," it says on its website www.ambasmin.org.

"The forces of evil are using this day," Mathijs Piet of the organisation told AFP.

News alert: The enemy uses every day to promote his plans. Yes, by all means pray tomorrow and be on guard against temptation. But do that today, too. And Wednesday. And Thursday. I doubt Satan or the Lord puts too much stock in human calendar conventions.

PREACHING THIS MORNING...on 'Blessed Are Those Who Hunger & Thirst' from Matthew 5:6 in my Beatitudes series. We must want to want the nourishment that Jesus Christ supplies us, and accept that we can only be filled by His righteousness rather than our own.

JOIN THE REVOLUTION

Just downloaded to my iPod is the hilarious commercial for Song Leader Revolution. I know some of you probably have seen it, but I just got around to watching. Very clever.

CLARKSON AS EXEGETE

Well, kind of:

"It came straight from the Bible that Jesus had a glass of wine. Actually, I don't know if it says he actually drank it, but whatever."

So says American Idol-turned-real-star, Kelly Clarkson, in Blender magazine. Kelly feels if Jesus could have a glass of wine - or whatever - so can she.

Now that's model exegesis.

EUROPE'S 'OLDEST BOOK'

With the recent success in deciphering the so-called Judas Gospel, scholars are hoping for the same sucess with Europe's 'oldest book'. And, of course, no ancient document would be complete unless it held religious secrets:

A collection of charred scraps kept in a Greek museum's storerooms are all that remains of what archaeologists say is Europe's oldest surviving book _ which may hold a key to understanding early monotheistic beliefs.

More than four decades after the Derveni papyrus was found in a 2,400- year-old nobleman's grave in northern Greece, researchers said Thursday they are close to uncovering new text _ through high-tech digital analysis _ from the blackened fragments left after the manuscript was burnt on its owner's funeral pyre.

Large sections of the mid-4th century B.C. book _ a philosophical treatise on ancient religion _ were read years ago, but never officially published.

Now, archaeologist Polyxeni Veleni believes U.S. imaging and scanning techniques used to decipher the Judas Gospel _ which portrays Judas not as a sinister betrayer but as Jesus' confidant _ will considerably expand and clarify that text.

"I believe some 10-20 percent of new text will be added, which however will be of crucial importance," said Veleni, director of the Thessaloniki Archaeological Museum, where the manuscript is kept.

"This will fill in many gaps, we will get a better understanding of the sequence and the existing text will become more complete," Veleni told The Associated Press.

The scroll, originally several yards of papyrus rolled around two wooden runners, was found half burnt in 1962. It dates to around 340 B.C., during the reign of Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great.

"It is the oldest surviving book, if you can use that word for a scroll, in western tradition," Veleni said. "This was a unique find, of exceptional importance."

Although Judaism was already well established as monotheistic, there is the fervent anthropological hope to show a 'precursor of Christianity'. Well, I'm all for deciphering any ancient text like this. I'm not too concerned about the supposed secrets to be revealed.

PARIS HILTON SNUBS OWN MOVIE...FOR NUDITY!

Thespian Paris Hilton refused to see her own movieat Cannes because there was too much nudity:

Hilton plays the lead character Victoria English in Pledge This!, but boycotted the premiere at the Cannes Film Festival after discovering the producers had added extra nude scenes without asking her permission, it was reported.

Hollywood.com quoted Hilton as saying: "I took the part on the assurance I wouldn't do any nudity. I wanted to do something where I'd be taken seriously, and they added a load of scenes with naked girls.

"I was so angry I snubbed my own premiere."

If I'm not mistaken Meryl Streep got her start in a National Lampoon movie, too, so clearly it is the path to being taken seriously as an actress.

You've got to know one thing: If Paris Hilton's sensibilities are offended it's got to be bad.

3000 YEAR OLD SKELETON FOUND IN ROME

A skeleton dating from the time of Solomon has been uncoveredin Rome:

Archaeologists said Tuesday they have dug up a woman skeleton dating to the 10th century B.C. in an ancient necropolis in the heart of Rome.

The well-preserved skeleton appears to be that of a woman aged about 30, said Anna De Santis, one of the archaeologists who took part in the excavations under the Caesar's Forum, part of the sprawling complex of the Imperial Forums in central Rome.

An amber necklace and four pins were also found near the 5.25 foot-long skeleton, she said....

Alessandro Delfino, another archaeologist who took part in the excavations, said Monday's discovery highlighted a "social change" in the funerary habits of the people who dwelled in the area, from incinerating to burying the dead.

Experts have said the necropolis was destined for high-ranking personalities - such as warriors and ancient priests - heading the tribes and clans that lived in small villages scattered on hills near the area that later spawned one of the world's greatest civilizations.

Theosebes likes nothing better than a good ancient skeleton.

SHAKEUP AT FARRIS U. PATRICK HENRY COLLEGE
Or, No One Expects the Farris Inquisition!

Having documented the past abuses of Patrick Henry College (here and here) it comes as no surprise to Theosebes that Patrick Henry College has suffered a meltdown. Probably no one will be shocked to find out that President Michael P. Farris and his heretic-under-every-rock ways seem to be the cause:

A contentious debate at Patrick Henry College that began over theological differences, the interpretation of Scripture, and academic freedom has prompted 5 of the school's 16 full-time faculty members to announce they will not be returning to the conservative, Christian college next year. The announcements bring the total number of departing professors to nine in the past year, not including two adjuncts, as well as four senior executives who left in the past 18 months, departing professors say.

In the wake of the departures, the school announced significant changes to the school's executive staff. Effective July 1, Graham Walker, previously vice president for academic affairs and dean of Oklahoma Wesleyan University, will replace Farris as president, while Farris will assume the college's chancellor position. Gene Edward Veith, currently the cultural editor of World Magazine and a former English professor, will also begin that day as the college's new academic dean.

I really like the idea of Patrick Henry College. But the entire enterprise appears to have been little more than an ego trip for its founder and (now past) President. He apparently sought to run the place through arbitrary fiat:

"We were brought here on false pretenses," said David Noe, assistant professor of classics who has taught at Patrick Henry since its founding. "We are leaving due to a long train of abuses by Farris in violating both academic freedom and due process, as well as many other issues relating to Farris's running of the college."

Departing professors also cite Farris's treatment of government instructor Erik Root and his March firing of Robert Stacey, the chairman of the college's department of government, as additional reasons that confirmed their decisions to leave the 350-student college.

Noe, Root, and rhetoric and theology professor Todd Bates agreed to go public with Christianity Today earlier this month, they said, after Farris repeatedly denied their requests to respond to accusations that beliefs they had expressed were biblically unsound. "Farris said that we threatened the college's fidelity to its mission and vision," said Noe. "He spoke to the press, but told us we couldn't."

Read the article, but it ain't pretty.

Perhaps the college actually can begin working toward under its mission and realize the promise it has shown.

FORGET CHUCK NORRIS...

There's a new tough guy in town. Pat Robertson claims to have leg-pressed 2,000 lbs.--an entire ton! I wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of that roundhouse kick.

There's no such thing as evolution. There are only the animals Pat Robertson has allowed to live.

It's been discovered that Pat Robertson's tears cure cancer. Too bad Pat Robertson never cries.

Pat Robertson has already been to Mars. That's why there are no signs of life there.

URIBE GETS SECOND TERM IN COLOMBIA

Colombian President--and American ally--Álvaro Uribe won a landslide reelection. Why does Theosebes care? Uribe has done a great deal to break the cartels and contain the leftist rebels. His actions have allowed greater access to areas previously off limits due to kidnappings. No, it's still not a good idea to go for a mountain stroll, but if you're a preacher traveling to Colombia it makes you breathe a little easier.

PREACHING THIS MORNING...Psalm 77: 'Remember the Deeds of the Lord'. On this Memorial Day weekend there is nothing more important to remember than that God has not only performed mighty acts, but that He remembers us.

JERUSALEM MODEL MOVED

The detailed model of the Second Temple has been moved to the Israel Museum:

On a crest of Jerusalem's Hill of Tranquility overlooking the Valley of the Cross, the Knesset, the Supreme Court, Hebrew University's Givat Ram campus and the National Library, a model of the Second Temple has been relocated adjacent to the Shrine of the Book on the campus of the Israel Museum, in a spot where history and archeology intersect.

The Second Temple Model, which was located for the last four decades since its construction in the mid-1960's on the grounds of Jerusalem's Holyland Hotel, was moved to the Israel Museum this winter due to the construction of a new residential complex on the slopes of the Holyland hill.

The model, an exceptional cultural artifact depicting the Jerusalem of two millennia ago, was created before the reunification of the city at a time when Jews could not go to the Old City or the Temple Mount.

For the last 40 years, it primarily served as a tourist site, with about 300,000 visitors flocking to see it annually.

Although I own quite a few digital pictures of the model I've never had the pleasure of seeing it personally. It's good to know that care has been taken and that the model is being preserved.

NEED AN EASY TARGET? HOW ABOUT JESUS?

Neil Cavuto recognizes that if you want to cause an easy controversy--and easy dollars--then take a swip at Jesus:

You wanna make a quick buck? Take a cheap shot at Jesus.

Just ask Dan Brown. Just ask Madonna. Both have built careers on tearing Jesus down, even as they make outlandish stuff up!

...Jesus, a good man, and for many, a good Savior, is good material for writers who can't bother with the truth. And aging rock stars who can't handle the truth.

In an age we like to shock to score, going after Jesus, gosh, even thinking you "are" Jesus, is the Hail Mary of financial touchdowns.

It gets people talking, and marching, and protesting. But it keeps otherwise insipid movies alive, and pointless careers afloat. They thrive not on the brilliance of their points, but the controversy of their actions.

And as Cavuto rightly reminds us, trashing Jesus is a quick buck but woe to then one who targets Muhammad.

NO BIBLES FOR SICK & DYING IN AUSTRALIA

Gideons have been banned from leaving Bibles in Australian hospitals:

The banning of bibles in Queensland and Victorian hospitals was political correctness gone crazy, Health Minister Tony Abbott says.

Almost all of Melbourne's main hospitals have withdrawn bibles because of the risk of them spreading germs.

And Gideons International, which supplies bibles to hospitals and hotels worldwide, said it had been banned from leaving bibles at several Queensland hospitals to prevent giving offence to non-Christian patients.

Mr Abbott told parliament there were enough problems with state hospital administration without adding concern over bibles.

"I can inform the House that administrators in Victoria and in Queensland have just discovered a new priority - it's banning bibles," Mr Abbott said.

"This is not an infection control measure - it is a thought control measure.

"It is political correctness gone crazy."

Yes, that's exactly the group from whom to keep Bibles.

BRITNEY'S NEW RELIGION

Ah, sometimes commitment is fleeting. Britney Spears is ditching Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical religion introduced to her by Madonna...er, Esther, in favor of something new:

Why did Britney Spears really dump Kabbalah?

The pop star revealed on her Web site that she was ditching the trendy religion for motherhood. “I no longer study Kaballah,” she recently wrote, “my baby is my religion.”

In light of the recent news that she is expecting again does that mean that Britney is polytheistic?

Oh, and she didn't seem to like that whole tithing thing very much, either.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, A.C. DOYLE

Today is the day of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's birth. I love the Google search graphic. Now's a great time to get your New Annotated Holmes, short storiesand novels.

PREACHING THIS MORNING...'Mary of Magdala: First Witness of the Resurrection'. In a return to biographical sketches of Bible characters, a look at current center of controversy Mary Magdalene. Mary is all things to all people, goddess, apostle, wife of Jesus, prostitute. In reality, she was a humble servant of the Lord who through persistence of service was given a great blessing: to see the risen Lord.

IS PROSELYTIZING PERSECUTION?

Apparently it depends on who you ask. To Bradley Burston it is if you're Jewish and someone (oh the humanity!) gives you a flyer:

We were driving in the Galilee, waiting for a red light to change, when they came up to the car. Their smiles were engagingly open as they wished us a fine trip. Then they offered us the flyer.

Jews for Jesus. Who says that evil can't be imported, and delivered, free of charge, direct to your car door?

Yes, it's that dangerous group Jews for Jesus in action. And their evil isn't because of their character (they are acknowledged as "pure souls"), but because of their target:

But bear with me for one brief moment, if only to read the next sentence, which has specifically to do with you, as well as with your Jewish prey, thousands of years of Jewish history, and evil:

Proselytizing is persecution.

Granted, it's not the same as burning us at the stake for Christ's sake, firebombing our homes for Christ's sake, staging apres-church pogroms for Christ's sake, ostracizing and terrorizing and beating our children for having killed Christ, lynching Jewish adults for church-distributed blood libels, torturing Jews to force them to convert, converting entire Jewish communities on point of death, deporting entire Jewish communities on point of death for having resisted conversion, or, after eliminating the conversion option, annihilating entire Jewish communities with the complicitous blind eye of the Holy See.

But there's more than one way to wipe out a people, and poison, like gas, comes in many forms. Sometimes it looks like a leaflet. Sometimes it looks like the Internet. Sometimes it looks like a smile.

One wonders how acknowledgement of the Jewish Messiah, the Son of David, could possibly be persecution. Certainly the 3,000 Jews who heard the gospel about the Jewish Messiah gladly on Pentecost from a Jewish preacher named Peter didn't seem persecuted.

Who knew?

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE? GO TO CHURCH

A study of black Americans has concluded that religious activity lowers blood pressure:

Researchers found that people in the Jackson (Miss.) Heart Study who were involved with or participated in religious activities had significantly lower blood pressure than people who did not, even though the people involved in religious activities were more likely to have high blood pressure, higher body mass index (BMI) scores, and lower levels of adherence to medications....

"Our findings show that the integration of religion and spirituality -- attending church and praying -- may buffer individuals exposed to stress and delay the deleterious effects of hypertension. These practices can be useful for individuals to incorporate into their daily lives," [Sharon] Wyatt said.

If you feel that the weight of the world is on you, no wonder you would feel stress.

[Thanks to Jeff at Truth-in-Love for the link.]

SEVENTEEN YEARS?

Shane Scott reflects on his17 years of preaching. Wow!--that's almost twice as long as I've been preaching. Does that mean he's twice as old, too?

THE LATEST IN HIP NAMES

For my generation it was 'Jennifer' and 'Michelle'. A few years ago it was 'Madison' and 'Brittany' (choose your spelling). The new name for today? Why, Nevaeh, of course:

In 1999, there were only eight newborn American girls named Nevaeh. Last year, it was the 70th-most-popular name for baby girls, ahead of Sara, Vanessa and Amanda.

The spectacular rise of Nevaeh (commonly pronounced nah-VAY-uh) has little precedent, name experts say. They watched it break into the top 1,000 of girls' names in 2001 at No. 266, the third-highest debut ever. Four years later it cracked the top 100 with 4,457 newborn Nevaehs, having made the fastest climb among all names in more than a century, the entire period for which the Social Security Administration has such records.

Nevaeh is not in the Bible or any religious text. It is not from a foreign language. It is not the name of a celebrity, real or fictional.

Nevaeh is Heaven spelled backward.

The name has hit a cultural nerve with its religious overtones, creative twist and fashionable final "ah" sound. It has risen most quickly among blacks but is also popular with evangelical Christians, who have helped propel other religious names like Grace (ranked 14th) up the charts, experts say. By contrast, the name Heaven is ranked 245th.

And whose was the brilliant mind behind such, um, creativity? The source of all brilliant creativity, a Christian pop singer:

The surge of Nevaeh can be traced to a single event: the appearance of a Christian rock star, Sonny Sandoval of P.O.D., on MTV in 2000 with his baby daughter, Nevaeh. "Heaven spelled backwards," he said.

It seems that perhaps Dante may have reserved a place for such a person. As the headline to the article asks, 'And if It's a Boy, Will It Be Lleh?'

FERRELL JENKINS, ever informative, has a handy page on Da Vinci Code resources.

ROBERTSON: SUN TO RISE IN EAST

Stepping out on a limb Pat Robertson predicts storms will hit America's coasts this year. Oh, and maybe a tsunami, too. But he's sure about the storms bit.

SLAYING DEBT & REALITY TV WORTH WATCHING

Dave Ramsey and others are featured in 'The Debt Slayers', which contains this interesting tidbit I had not heard:

Although he is overtly Christian, [Dave] Ramsey resonates with a market beyond the evangelical niche: His show is carried on 272 secular stations. In March, cbs television began filming a pilot for a reality series that will follow Ramsey around the country, helping families conquer overwhelming debt and cut the credit umbilical cord.

I wonder if there will be any 'What's in your wallet?' commercials on that one?

PERUVIAN 'PRINCESS' MUMMY FOUND

Here at theosebes we like old things dug out of the ground just because it's cool. Fitting in that category is a newly found mummy in Peru:

A female mummy with complex tattoos on her arms has been found in a ceremonial burial site in Peru, the National Geographic Society reported Tuesday.

The mummy was accompanied by ceremonial items including jewelry and weapons, and the remains of a teenage girl who had been sacrificed, archaeologists reported.

The burial was at a site called El Brujo — "The Warlock" — on Peru's north coast near Trujillo.

They said the woman was part of the Moche culture which thrived in the area between A.D. 1 and A.D. 700. The mummy was dated about A.D. 450.

The presence of gold jewelry and other fine items indicates the mummy was that of an important person, but anthropologist John Verano of Tulane University, said the researchers are puzzled by the presence of war clubs, which are not usually found with females.

The woman had complex tattoos, distinct from others of the Moche, covering both arms and other areas. Bone scarring indicated the woman had given birth at least once. The cause of her death was not apparent.

No connection to The Da Vinci Code was found.

'DA VINCI': UNDERMINES BELIEF & THUMBS DOWN?

A new poll indicates that reading The Da Vinci Code undermines belief:

"The Da Vinci Code" has undermined faith in the Roman Catholic Church and badly damaged its credibility, a survey of British readers of Dan Brown's bestseller showed on Tuesday.

People are now twice as likely to believe Jesus Christ fathered children after reading the Dan Brown blockbuster and four times as likely to think the conservative Catholic group Opus Dei is a murderous sect.

That's a difficult thing to gauge, of course, due to the fact that those who read the book are obviously a self-selected group. Still, it points to the reality that education on the facts that counter the book needs to occur.

Meanwhile in Cannes, audiences have been underwhelmed by the movie's initial showings.

SULLIVAN'S BIG DODGE

Andrew Sullivan has a problem with 'Christianism', but his real problem is with Christianity:

And there are those who simply believe that, by definition, God is unknowable to our limited, fallible human minds and souls. If God is ultimately unknowable, then how can we be so certain of what God's real position is on, say, the fate of Terri Schiavo? Or the morality of contraception? Or the role of women? Or the love of a gay couple? Also, faith for many of us is interwoven with doubt, a doubt that can strengthen faith and give it perspective and shadow. That doubt means having great humility in the face of God and an enormous reluctance to impose one's beliefs, through civil law, on anyone else.

As a conservative Christian, but not really allied with the Religious Right per se, much of this strikes me as a dodge rather than his claimed 'humility'. Of course God is unknowable except through revelation, which is what the Bible is. Now if he doubts the Bible as a source (I hear doubt brings 'perspective and shadow' to faith *cough* *cough*), then why is he--or how can he be called--a Christian? The source of knowledge we have about Christ is Scripture. If you doubt Scripture then you can't really believe in Jesus as the Christ and the Son of God. If you don't believe that then you aren't by any reasonable definition a Christian. The same Bible that reveals Jesus as the Son of God also reveals certain moral truths. Jesus stated "If you love me you will keep my commandments."

Once one recognizes Jesus as the Son of God that then necessitates certain allegiance to Him. Submitting oneself to His will is what humility is. It's not saying, "I refuse to acknowledge anything other than what I want to do." That's narcissism.

Or maybe I just need more perspective and shadow...

PREACHING THIS MORNING

'Cracking the Code: The Da Vinci Code & Scripture' with guest appearances by King Arthur, Indiana Jones, the Little Mermaid and Ignatius of Antioch.

A GREAT EXCUSE to go to Wales/

COWBOY CHURCH TOLD TO MOSEY ALONG

Beford County, Virginia's Cowboy Church can't meet in a barn:

Garland Simmons was excited when the Cowboy Church began meeting at his place on Horseshoe Bend Road in late March.

It appears, however, that somebody did not share his enthusiasm. Simmons was notified by Bedford County officials that the Cowboy Church meetings violate county zoning regulations.





"I got the notice certified through the mail, Monday morning," Simmons said.

The notice consisted of two letters. One was from Gary McIver, the county's building official. McIver wrote that, by hosting the Cowboy Church on his property, Simmons is using it in a manner contrary to its agricultural (AR) zoning.

He also wrote that the building in which the Cowboy Church is being held, is defined as a farm building by the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code. The Cowboy Church constitutes a change of use for the building.

"We are all in agreement that this event is a worthy and admirable cause," McIver wrote.

However, he wrote that it is an unpermitted change of use for the property.

The other letter was from Lindsay Blankenship, a planner in the county's department of planning. It directs Simmons to "obtain the necessary permits for the establishment of a Religious Assembly" on the property by May 28.

"I don't think it's the county," commented Simmons. "It's somebody that is against religion or against me."

The church has rustled up some legal representation, and seem to make a valid point:

Meanwhile, the Liberty Counsel has contacted [church pastor Raymond] Bell. According to Liberty Counsel's Web site at www.lc.org, the organization offers free legal representation to people whose civil liberties have been denied. Bell said the organization called him Friday evening and he agreed to accept their offer of representation.

Bell said that the issue is whether or not we have government authorized churches. He feels the zoning restriction on churches puts the government in a position of authorizing, or not authorizing, a church.

According to Rena Lindevaldsen, the Liberty Counsel attorney representing the Cowboy Church, the zoning code in Bedford County is very broad. It could even impact things people do in their own home and a person hosting a home Bible study could be required to get a special use permit.

Lindevaldsen said that, because the code is overly broad, it violates the Cowboy Church's First Amendment rights, and also runs counter to a federal law, the Religious Land Uses and Institutional Persons Act. According to this law, local zoning can't impose a significant burden on a church's right to worship.

"If he was having a square dance, nobody would have bothered him," noted Lindevaldsen, who said that she has read Bedford County's zoning ordinance.

Maybe they should just schedule a square dance following services...

HANKS: 'DA VINCI' IS "HOOEY"

'Da Vinci Code' lead actor Tom Hanks says don't take things too seriously:

But Oscar-winner Hanks said objectors to The Da Vinci Code are taking the film too seriously, telling the Evening Standard: "We always knew there would be a segment of society that would not want this movie to be shown.

"But the story we tell is loaded with all sorts of hooey and fun kind of scavenger-hunt-type nonsense.

"If you are going to take any sort of movie at face value, particularly a huge-budget motion picture like this, you'd be making a very big mistake."

Hooey and nonsense. Sounds about right.

GOD DOESN'T CARE?

When it comes to instrumental music in worship Mike Cope doesn't think so. Personally, I like to be circumspect about declaring what God does and does not care about (cf. Nadab, Abihu). Then again, I'm sure Cope would declare that my views are "lame, built on shoddy hermeneutics." Thankfully, however, "those in the a cappella tradition don’t need to be ashamed of it." Whew! I can hold my head up with pride over my lame and shoddy tradition--thanks, Mike!

ANOTHER ALABAMA CHURCH FIRE

Birmingham's NBC13 reported this morning that the building of a church of Christ in Walker County, Alabama had burned last night. No word yet on the cause. There's no story yet on the website, but likely one will be up later.

UPDATE: From the Birmingham News:

Sheriff John Mark Tirey said no obvious cause of fire has been found at the Tubbs Church of Christ near Oakman. He said investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives plan to bring a specially trained dog to the scene to search for the source of the fire.

Tirey said a call came in to authorities through the 911 system at 3 a.m. It was made by a passerby who saw flames coming from the church and stopped at a nearby house to use the phone and alert authorities.

The two-story, metal-roofed, brick building was a total loss, authorities said. Its roof had collapsed over the sanctuary. It was built in the 1950s and wings were added in the 1970s.

I hope it's accidental rather than arson.

UGLY AMERICANS

No, it has nothing to do with my looks, but a new company seeks to teach Americans how to act overseas:

Enter Business for Diplomatic Action Inc. (BDA), a non-profit organization founded by advertising executive Keith Reinhard after a worldwide survey of attitudes toward Americans convinced him that "our collective personality is one of the root causes of anti-Americanism."

"We are seen as loud, arrogant and completely self-absorbed," said Reinhard, chairman emeritus of the advertising agency DDB Worldwide. "People see in us the ultimate arrogance -- assuming that everybody wants to be like us."

My recent overseas travel has caused me to give these issues a bit of thought already. The new group offers some good advice:

*** Think as big as you like but talk and act smaller. In many countries, any form of boasting is considered rude. Talking about wealth, power or status -- corporate or personal -- can create resentment.

*** Speak lower and slower. In conversation, match your voice level and tonality to the environment and other people. A loud voice is often perceived as bragging. A fast talker can be seen as aggressive and threatening

*** Dress up. You can always dress down. In some countries, casual dress is a sign of disrespect. Check out what is expected and when in doubt, err on the side of the more formal and less casual attire. You can remove a jacket and tie if you are overdressed. But you can't make up for being too casual.

***Listen at least as much as you talk. By all means, talk about America and your life in the country. But also ask people you're visiting about themselves and their way of life. Listen, and show your interest in how they compare their experiences to yours.

I've not seen the entire list, but it probably should be handed out to everyone boarding an international flight. Yes, it's common sense, but trust me, it's not always followed. (Right, JC?)

DOES 'FAIR HOUSING' MEAN NO BIBLE STUDY?

Residents of a Spartanburg, SC apartment building have been asked to stop their Bible study:

The owners of a Spartanburg apartment complex have asked residents to stop a Bible study held in a common area.

The owners of Heritage Court said the study violates the Fair Housing Act. The apartments are privately owned by One Management of Raleigh, N.C., but many residents have their rent subsidized by federal vouchers.

"It's not our rule. It's Fair Housing law, which says you cannot discriminate against religion," One Management Vice President Jenny Petri said. "It's unfortunate, but we are required to comply to Fair Housing laws. We hope that the residents can continue doing what they're doing within their own apartment."

Others are saying, however, that the law is being misapplied:

But the owners may be misinterpreting the law, said William Dudley Gregorie, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's field office director for South Carolina.

The Bible studies are likely OK as long as permission was also given to any other religious group who wanted to use the area, Gregorie said. "In other words, if you let one, you have to let all," he said.

U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis, R-S.C., plans to send a letter to the apartment complex management telling them the Bible studies can legally continue.

The Bible studies were quite important to the 20 or so people who turn out for an hour each Monday night for worship, singing and fellowship.

"We were really into this Bible study. It was a sharing time. Now we can't do anything spiritual. That's the pits," said Sara Bryant, who lives at Heritage Court with her husband, Bob.

If a roadblock to the free exercise of religion ('free exercise'...hmmm...I read that phrase somewhere) can be thrown up, you can be pretty sure it will.

[Thanks to Jeff at Truth In Love for the link.]

'THANK YOU, "DA VINCI"'?

Catholic priest Jonathan Morris FOXNews.com - 'The Da Vinci Code'
reveals a real conspiracy:

Someone, somewhere, deeply involved in the institutional promotion of "The Da Vinci Code," has suggested I lead a boycott against the movie. They proposed to me both dates and method. I declined. I can’t say a whole lot more....

How can we forget the swirling controversy over Mel Gibson’s "The Passion of the Christ!" Because I worked on the film and witnessed the phenomenon first hand, I know Jewish lobby groups — the Anti Defamation League in particular — were responsible in part for 'The Passion" becoming the all-time box office winner for R-rated productions. Neither Gibson nor his opponents planned it that way, but the results are indisputable, and in the opinion of at least one Hollywood studio, that same spontaneous drama is worthy of a staged imitation.

Not surprising, really. It confirms my opinion that 'Da Vinci' is in many ways the anti-Passion. In a confluence of Hollywood's deep resentment over the success of Mel Gibson's presentation of orthodox Christianity in 'The Passion' and their deep desire to cash in on the supposed craze for religious movies, 'The Da Vinci Code' seems custom made. They can undermine orthodoxy while making money!

But Father Jonathan is very right about this:

Dan Brown is capable of passing fiction for fact because Christians don’t know their faith — what and why they believe. That’s not Mr. Brown’s fault....

If the millions of readers and viewers of "The Da Vinci Code" knew the Christian faith, Dan Brown would be unable to muddle fact and fiction in the irresponsible way he has.

It is not a shock that most do not know their faith, but it presents a challenge to those of us who seek to teach the truth of Scripture.

...but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence... (1Peter 3:15)

[Thanks to theosebes readers SLC for the link.]

SUE 'DA VINCI'?

A Nigerian Cardinal is suggesting legal action against 'Da Vinci Code':

Cardinal Francis Arinze, a Nigerian who was considered a candidate for pope last year, made his strong comments in a documentary called "The Da Vinci Code-A Masterful Deception."

Arinze's appeal came some 10 days after another Vatican cardinal called for a boycott of the film. Both cardinals asserted that other religions would never stand for offences against their beliefs and that Christians should get tough.


"Christians must not just sit back and say it is enough for us to forgive and to forget," Arinze said in the documentary made by Rome film maker Mario Biasetti for Rome Reports, a Catholic film agency specializing in religious affairs.

"Sometimes it is our duty to do something practical. So it is not I who will tell all Christians what to do but some know legal means which can be taken in order to get the other person to respect the rights of others," Arinze said.

"This is one of the fundamental human rights: that we should be respected, our religious beliefs respected, and our founder Jesus Christ respected," he said, without elaborating on what legal means he had in mind.

Well, there would be plenty of money to target, I suspect, but good luck on that lawsuit. Arinze does make a good point, which has been discussed here before:

"Those who blaspheme Christ and get away with it are exploiting the Christian readiness to forgive and to love even those who insult us. There are some other religions which if you insult their founder they will not be just talking. They will make it painfully clear to you," Arinze said.

This appeared to be a reference to protests by Muslims around the world over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad.

The wonderful thing is that the One on whom Christianity is founded is different. His kingdom is not of this world. And His followers must be different, too. I have no problem with the Catholic Church taking the 'Da Vinci' crowd to court, but our role is to correct the record in the face of those who would intentionally misrepresent it.

PREACHING THIS MORNING...'The Kingdom of His Dear Son', from Colossians 1:13-14, the second in my Colossians series: God's great rescue of man from the clutches of darkness, transferring us into the kingdom of His Son, which will stand forever.

ANOTHER HOMOSEXUAL EPISCOPAL BISHOP?

The California diocese of the Episcopal Church elects a new bishop today. Three of the seven candidates are openly homosexual:

The election would normally play out as a decidedly local event, but many from the broader Episcopal Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion to which it belongs are focused on it because three of the seven candidates are openly gay or lesbian ministers in long-term relationships.

Three years ago, when the Episcopal Church consecrated the Rev. V. Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire, making him the first openly gay bishop in the church's history, it set off a bitter fight in the denomination about homosexuality that threatened to rend the church and the worldwide communion.

If the diocese of California elects a gay bishop, experts on the church said, the denomination could edge even closer to the point of fracture.

Of course, the reality is the Episcopal Church has tolerated this for years or otherwise these candidates would not be in the position they are in.

THE SIN OF ARSON

A Knoxville Bible college student has confessed to burning down an adult bookstore

Police say a Bible college student charged with setting fire to an adult bookstore confessed to the crime after realizing it was a sin.

Benjamin Daniel Warren, 20, is a student at Crown College, a fundamental Baptist college and seminary of about 900 students in Knoxville.

Warren waived a preliminary hearing this week, and a grand jury is considering his case. His attorney, Chris Coffey, did not immediately return a call for comment Friday.

Authorities said a man wearing black clothing and a ski mask and carrying what proved to be a fake gun entered the Town and Country Bookstore on Jan. 31 and asked the clerk if anyone was inside. Assured the store was empty, he ordered the clerk to leave.

He poured about six gallons of "an ignitable liquid" inside the bookstore and set it on fire, according to an arrest warrant.

No one was injured, but the fire destroyed $600,000 in merchandise and caused up to $300,000 in damage to the building, owner David Stubbs said.

Apparently his class must not have covered that arson is a sin until just this week...

X-TREME BIBLE TRIVIA

Think you know you're Bible? These kids do:

Consider this question posed in the finals of the International Bible Quiz for Youth, held in Jerusalem on Wednesday as part of nationwide celebrations marking Israel's Independence Day:

"'There were 80 men who came from Shechem, Shiloh and Samaria and carried out a massacre. In tears, a man from Mizpah came to the killers and beckoned them to follow him. He then slew all but 10 of the killers.' Who was the man and who among the killers survived?"

If you assume the correct answer about this obscure story in the book of Jeremiah would ensure victory and first prize of a free college education in Israel, the mostly youthful crowd that packed a 1,000-seat Jerusalem concert hall to watch the contest would have a one-word reply:

Fuggeddaboutit.

In fact, the right answer (Ishmael and 10 men who offered wheat, barley, oil and honey) would not even have earned you a place in the top three.

Now that is hardcore.

And what was the winning question?

Israeli teenager Adi Diament won the International Bible Quiz with this question from a story in the Book of Judges about the victorious battle of the Israelites over the Midianites in the Jezreel Valley.

QUESTION: Who led the military operation at the beginning of the second watch and what was happening in the enemy's camp at the time?

See the story (or your Old Testament) for the answers.

CHRISTIAN GENDER GAP

David Murrow says we need to re-evaluate our message to get men in the pews:

"We don't have to have hand-to-hand combat during the worship service to get men there," Murrow said. "We just have to start speaking (their language), use the metaphors they understand and create an environment that feels masculine to them."

Today's churches, Murrow argued, just aren't cutting it.

"My background is in marketing and advertising and one day I was sitting in church and all of a sudden it dawned on me that the target audience of almost everything about church culture was a 50- to 55-year-old woman," said Murrow, a Presbyterian elder who's now a member of a nondenominational congregation in Anchorage, Alaska.

The gender gap isn't a distinctly American one but it is a Christian one, according to Murrow. The theology and practices of Judaism, Buddhism and Islam offer "uniquely masculine" experiences for men, he said.

"Every Muslim man knows that he is locked in a great battle between good and evil, and although that was a prevalent teaching in Christianity until about 100 years ago, today it's primarily about having a relationship with a man who loves you unconditionally," Murrow said. "And if that's the punchline of the gospel, then you're going to have a lot more women than men taking you up on your offer because women are interested in a personal relationship with a man who loves you unconditionally. Men, generally, are not."

He does make some good points, and I think that there is imbalance in the presentation of the gospel at times that results from generational priorities. We must be careful not to make God--or the gospel--in our own image.

Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. (1 Corinthians 16:13)

WELTY'S ROOMS

Roger Mudd pays tribute to Eudora Welty and her Jackson, Mississippi home, which is now open to the public.

METHODIST COURT UPHOLDS REJECTION OF HOMOSEXUAL MEMBER

The United Methodist Church has refused to allow a homosexual to place membership:

The United Methodist Church's top court has refused to reconsider its ruling that a minister acted correctly when he refused church membership to a gay man, the church announced on Tuesday.

The nine-member Judicial Council was split on the matter, however, reflecting the continued divisions within many churches on the treatment of homosexuals in matters ranging from same-sex marriages to roles in the clergy.

The tribunal reaffirmed a decision made last October that the Rev. Edward Johnson of the South Hill, Virginia, United Methodist Church was within his rights for refusing to admit a homosexual man to church membership and should not have been suspended for doing so.

The earlier ruling said Johnson followed church law that gives the pastor-in-charge the right to decide who can be received into membership. It said he should be reinstated and given back pay to July 1, 2005, when he had been removed by his bishop.

The real crime was that Johnson was suspended in the first place.

CHAPLAIN MAY BE COURT-MARTIALED FOR PRAYER

A navy chaplain may be charged and court-martialed for praying:

chaplain stationed at Naval Station Norfolk said he could face court-martial for praying in uniform outside the White House.

Lt. Gordon Klingenschmitt said he prayed at a March 30 protest opposing Department of Defense rules forbidding military chaplains from invoking the name of Jesus Christ.

He's accused of violating an order not to appear in uniform at news conferences in support of personal or religious issues.

The issue seems to hinge on whether his praying at the event was permissible participation at a bona fide religious service. Klingenschmitt is rejecting non-judicial punishment in favor of trial by court-martial.

One hopes he is not next charged with wanton hymn singing.

[Link via Drudge]

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

Today is the National Day of Prayer, an event I find entirely in keeping with Biblical commands to pray, as well as the Biblical example of nations recognizing God (and being punished for not doing so!). Specifically, we are encouraged to pray for our nation and rulers, and again, Biblically we are to be very concerned for those who rule over us. I would think most would recognize our leaders could very much use our prayers.

So today get in your closet and speak to God. What a right and privilege Christians have!

SHANE SCOTT EXPLAINS 'Why I am not a Calvinist'.

HEAVEN ON TV

Local Birmingham station NBC 13 does frequent religion focused segments, often pretty well directed. Many, if not most, of the anchors clearly are religious, which is a nice aspect of Alabama. This week they did a two part report on Heaven; the video is on their website. Part II I thought was quite good. There's no way to link to the story directly, but right now it's on the front page. If it's not there when you visit, go to 'Watch Video' and you should be able to track it down.

EGYPT: 'I WANT MY MUMMY...

mask back.' Egypt claims the St. Louis museum has a hot mummy mask, and Egypt wants it back:

The Supreme Council of Antiquities for Egypt has given the Saint Louis Art Museum a May 15 deadline to turn over the burial mask of Ka Nefer Nefer, which they believe left the country illegally.

Officials with the museum are evaluating documents from the council that seek to prove that the mask from around 1307-1196 B.C., could have been stolen from an Egyptian Museum storage room.

We don't feel like we've seen everything yet," Saint Louis Art Museum Director Brent Benjamin said. "It's premature to speculate what the outcome will be. We are looking at documentation and we are still awaiting other materials from Egypt."

Benjamin would not say if the museum planned to meet the deadline....

Zahi Hawass, Egypt's antiquities chief, said he has grown impatient with the St. Louis museum and will turn the matter over to law enforcement or the legal system if the museum does not act soon.

"I have sent them all the proof they need," Hawass said. "I don't understand why they insist on fighting this."

But it's not as simple as that:

The museum bought the mask from an art dealer in the United States in 1998 for about $500,000, only after checking with authorities and the international Art Loss Register to see if the item was stolen. The Museum also approved the purchase with the Egyptian Museum, Benjamin said.

It sounds as though the museum acted in good faith. After going through the proper procedures, at one point ought the Egyptian right of claim end? I'm sure you would get two different answers depending on whehter you posed the question in Cairo or in St. Louis.

EDWARD ALBEE TRAVELS TO EASTER ISLAND; he thinks you should, too. (And I linked it because I found it interesting.)

THEY HAD NO CHOICE

Presbyterian Church (USA) is trimming staff:

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) said Monday that 75 employees at its headquarters will lose their jobs as $9.15 million in budget cuts have forced the denomination to reorganize its mission program.

In addition, nine unfilled jobs at headquarters were being eliminated, along with 55 overseas mission positions — 40 of which were being lost either through retirements or end of assignments, the church said....

It was the third round of job cuts in four years at church headquarters.

A sad day for those being laid off, to be sure, but it reflects a downward trend for the old liberal mainline denominations.

AS LOW AS YOU CAN GO

Police in Peterhead [England] are hunting a mugger who stole a bible from an 81-year-old woman.

The victim suffered shoulder injuries in the attack in the town's King Street on Sunday morning.

Maybe he thought it was one of those new Femme Sud Bible purses.

LATINO PENTECOSTALS

A few weeks ago I attended a lecture by Dr. David Edwin Harrell at UAB on 'The Pentecostal Century'. One of the items of interest he noted was the particularly strong growth of Pentecostalism and Charismatics in South America. Dovetailing with that, the Washington Post shows that Hispanic immigrants are also attracted:

Fabiola Briones is one of thousands of Latino immigrants who have left behind the ritual and perceived formality of the Roman Catholic Church for the personal experiences and boisterous services of Pentecostalism. The mass migration of Latinos to charismatic Christian movements, such as Pentecostalism, is more than a religious transformation. It also could have strong political ramifications.

Thirty years ago, about 90 percent of Latinos in the United States were Catholic, sociologists estimate. Today that number is about 70 percent, and it remains steady only because of high birth rates and new immigrants filling the pews. Most other Latino Americans -- 9.5 million of them -- are Protestant, usually Pentecostal or another evangelical denomination. Their numbers are fed by the conversion of second- and third-generation immigrants, whose families become more likely to convert the longer they are in the United States.

Regardless of one's political position on immigration, our position as Christians must be to see this as a door of opportunity to spread the gospel. And Pentecostalism is not what they need to hear.

AND MORE ON DA VINCI

In one of the best mainstream explanation of the errors of The Da Vinci Code, the AP of all people get the facts out. And it's not just the right-wingers who see the problems in Brown's book/movie:

Among more liberal thinkers, Harold Attridge, dean of Yale's Divinity School, says Brown has "wildly misinterpreted" early Christianity. Ehrman details Brown's "numerous mistakes" in "Truth and Fiction in the Da Vinci Code" and asks: "Why didn't he simply get his facts straight?"

Because one doesn't want the facts to get in the way of a good story, of course.

The article really is a strikingly balanced by explaining straightforwardly why scholars have problems with Brown's claims regarding the divinity of Jesus, the Biblical canon and the marital status of Jesus. It would probably be worth printing out and having handy when your iconoclastic friends come over.