I wish I was President Bush

Never mind the fact that he's a blithering idiot. Never mind the fact that he makes up his own words during speeches. Never mind that, as a 'leader', he has made America the laughing stock of the world.

Sometimes, I wish I was George W. Bush.

(1) He's rich and privileged.

(2) Despite being incompetent, a constant failure, and...well...a moron, he manages to keep his followers supporting him.

(3) Finally, when he scratches his friends backs, they scratch his.

Must be nice to be President...

- ACL

Asleep during the storm

"A furious storm came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly filled with water. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a pillow. The disciples woke him and said to him, 'Master, don't you care if we drown?' "

- Mark 4:37-38, NIV

Sometimes the idea of going through life's storms really scares me. I think that, when it comes down to it, I'm mostly afraid of being uncomfortable. For the most part, the waters in my life have been pretty calm. So, I really don't know the feeling of weathering a huge storm. Sure, I've had my fair share of doubts, pains, and hurts; but I've never been a real storm. I mean, I've lost loved ones to death, had my heart broken, dealt with questionable friendships, been poor, and struggled through school. But, all things being equal, I'd say that I've only had to deal with a few simple storms.

In fact, through it all, I'd actually say that I came out pretty good. I've managed to accomplish a few things in my life, maintained some solid relationships, stayed out of trouble (for the most part), and kept a pretty clear and sane mind (again, for the most part). I've always had a roof over my head. I've never gone without having food on my table (though, last week I only had eggs and a bag of beets in my fridge. But, I digress...). Most of all, I have God on my side.

Yet, I find myself afraid of some of life's troubles.

What's interesting to note about the disciples at sea was that, even when they had Jesus on their side, they were still afraid. They were afraid of the gushing water. They were afraid of the strong winds. But, mostly, they were afraid that Jesus didn't seem to care. After all, this dude was asleep at the bottom of the boat.

The truth is, I don't believe that Jesus was really too concerned about the storm. I mean, how else could He get in such a good nap, even in the midst of all the chaos? I can just see Jesus now: knocked out unconscious at the bottom of the ship, with a little drool hanging from His mouth, muttering something about a three-piece chicken dinner in His sleep. That type of peace tells me that for Jesus, the same storm that froze His disciples in fear, wasn't that big of a deal to Him. The last thing on Jesus' mind was some silly storm.

I think that it's important to realize that we will all face storms. It's almost inevitable. As we travel across our own personal sea, we're sure to face opposition from the storms of life. Though most of our storms aren't really that strong, sometimes they feel like they can be. That said, it's really easy to get rattled, to lose faith, and to live in fear. But going through storms is all a part of life. It's all a part of the transitions we take so that we can move from one place in our lives to another. And even when it feels like we're being overwhelmed by our fierce storms, we should be able to rest knowing that Jesus is still with us.

Now, I'll admit: Sometimes when problems get ahold of me, I want to head down to the botoom of the ship and, like the disciples, yell to Jesus: "Dude, don't you care if I drown?!" If I did, I think that He'd eventually wake up and calm the storm for me. But, I don't think He'd do it because I really needed to be saved from the storm, but rather to show me that He's always there for me. Just because it may appear that Jesus is sleeping, doesn't mean He's won't be there for us; and it certainly doesn't mean that He's not concerned about us. It's just that He's not worried by the problems that have us so perplexed.

So, if Jesus can sleep during the storm, why can't we?

- ACL

A small victory against terrorism?

In an interesting turn of events, Zacharias Moussaoui was sentenced to life in prison. After deliberating for a week, the jury was unable to unanimously decide on the death penalty, leaving life imprisonment as the only other option.

It's likely that Moussaoui will spend the rest of his life in the Florence Maximum Security Prison in Colorado; dubbed the "Alcatrez of the Rockies". Initially, I was a little unnerved by this, mostly because of how cruel and unusual the punishment is at this instution. At this facility, prisoners spend 23 hours a day in their small, cold and damp cells; with concrete furniture, a small TV, and none of the amenities that most country club prisons have these days. The other hour of their day is used for solitary exercise (under strict supervision, of course). The conditions of this prision are virtually uninhabitable.

Other opponents of his life imprisonment (i.e. Nancy Grace, the nutcase that she is) use a skewed manipulation of numbers and dollars as justification in support of the death penalty. According to their uncalculated numbers, it will cost U.S. taxpayers approximately $50,000 a year to keep Moussaoui incarcerated. Being a numbers man myself, I'll have to actually see those figures first before I buy into that argument.

But, after thinking about it for a moment, this is a perfect punishment for sending the right message. For one, lifelong incarceration is effective. Studies have shown that people who serve life sentences are much more likely to develop pyschological complications than convicts with limited and parolable sentences. At the outset, this sounds like a pretty mean and cruel thing to impose on another person. But, if you think about it, although the prison system is allegedly designed to punish for the purpose of rehabilitating, that's not necessarily the case with lifelong convicts. Chances are, those who are condemned to life imprisonment have done something so horrible, that they forgo their rights to live happy and normal lives themselves. What better way to ensure this than by locking them up until they die (versus being barbarians and killing them ourselves)? The slow decay of time, lonliness, and diminishing sanity is a fate far worse than death.

Secondly, (and what many pro-death penalty people don't seem to get) life imprisonment robs the 'bad guy' of the opportunity of being a hero in their own eyes. For many Islam extremists (for that matter, most terrorists), their own death is the perfect conclusion to their work. They want to "go out" in a blaze of glory by making the ultimate sacrifice for their cause. By robbing them of that instant death, they are left to settle for -- what they believe -- is a prolonged, less-than-honorable death. For instance, I once read that a Japanese kamikaze actually lived through his suicide attempt and was so depressed about it, that he later killed himself anyway. The point is: some people are so convinced that they have a higher calling to die for a cause, that living through it is almost unbearable for them.

Finally, and perhaps most notable, were the interviews with two women who had lost loved ones on 9/11. Interestingly, both women praised the jury for their decision not to execute Moussaoui . I have to say that I share in their sentiments. The last thing we need to do -- in this "war on terror" -- is to create a martyr for Al Qaeda. To me, this jury has single-handedly done more for our security and international reputation than Bush or any of his buddies have ever done. There is no better way to slap the Bush Administration, Fox News, or Al Qaeda in the face than by fighting terrorism with means other than incompetence, lies, and violence. Above all, this event -- I think -- shows the entire world that not all of us have subscribed to the archaic and brute practice of the death penalty.

Are we allowing an evil terrorist to live on? Yes. Are we better off because of it? I believe we are.

- ACL

Rushing to rehab...

According to an article, conservative talk show pundit Rush Limbaugh was arrested on drug charges. Apparently, he was caught "doctor shopping" for painkillers. For those of us who aren't drug addicts, that means that he was illegally deceiving numerous doctors so that he could receive overlapping prescriptions. Though he pled "not guilty" to the charge, there's no secret that the guy's a serious addict.

A part of me felt sorry for him. Anyone who has developed such a strong and uncontrollable addiction to drugs has my sympathy. But, after the eight second sympathy period I had for him, I've been laughing at him ever since.

Here are a few interesting quotes that I dug up:

"Drug use, some might say, is destroying this country. And we have laws against selling drugs, pushing drugs, using drugs, importing drugs. And the laws are good because we know what happens to people in societies and neighborhoods which become consumed by them. And so if people are violating the law by doing drugs, they ought to be accused and they ought to be convicted and they ought to be sent up."
-- Rush Limbaugh

"What this says to me is that too many whites are getting away with drug use, too many whites are getting away with drug sales, too many whites are getting away with trafficking in this stuff. The answer to this disparity is not to start letting people out of jail because we're not putting others in jail who are breaking the law. The answer is to go out and find the ones who are getting away with it, convict them and send them up the river, too."
-- Rush Limbaugh

"It's kind of like sentencing. A lot of people say that we have a heavy sentence for this crime and a light sentence for another crime, and what we ought to do is reduce the heavy sentence so it's more in line with the other. Wrong. In most cases we ought to increase the light sentence and make it compatible with the heavy sentence, and be serious about punishment because we are becoming too tolerant as a society, folks, especially of crime, in too many parts of the country."
-- Rush Limbaugh

What's interesting to note about this whole thing is that Limbaugh's offense can be dismissed in 18 months if he stays in treatment and gets his act together. He is also required to pay the State of Florida a $30,000 restitution for the cost of the investigation. So apparently, despite his strong arguments suggesting that drug offenders need to be hit with heavy sentences, he'll be receiving a mere slap on the wrist.

Ironic, isn't it?

- ACL

Reciprocity

My apologies go out to my cybernetic comrads out there (all three of you!). I haven't been as prolific with this blogging thing as I normally am. Mostly, I've been struggling through finals (as I'm learning graduate school is a lot more difficult than undergrad...). On top of that, there is something to be said about the whole 40+ hour a week employment thing. After a while, these types of things take their toll on even the most disciplined person.

However, if something compels me enough, I'll take a moment to comment on it. Whether it's something God put on my heart, a conversation that I had with someone, something that happened in the news, or an experience that I've gone through, I'll always find time -- irrespective to how busy I might be -- to share my thoughts on it. I had such an experience yesterday...

Without getting into all of the explicit details, I'll sum up my experience with one word:

Reciprocity.

...or, should I say, a lack thereof.

Let me ask you a simple question: At what point do you give up on the people for whom you'd do ANYTHING, when it appears that they've completely given up on you? I mean, how far do you go to be mindful and considerate of others when they fail to offer even a little consideration for you?

What happens if relationships that you've tried to form with others aren't met with any reciprocity?

- ACL

Learning from an atheist

"I don't believe in an afterlife, so I don't have to spend my whole life fearing hell, or fearing heaven even more. For whatever the tortures of hell, I think the boredom of heaven would be even worse."

- Isaac Asimov, Science-Fiction novelist

Sometimes I wonder if there's some truth to this guy's thinking; at least as it relates to the whole Heaven vs. Hell thing. I remember mentioning several times in my Sunday School class that the traditional views of heaven -- sitting around on clouds singing for all eternity -- seemed rather boring to me. I can only imagine how insipid this sounds to non-believers. I often wonder how many people like Asimov were turned away from God, faith, and the pursuit of Heaven by these pretty deficient views of God and His kingdom that we share with others.

For too long, we Christians have viewed our faith as a some sort of private vocation which, if practiced correctly, would get us to Heaven, some magical place that allows us to ignore the suffering and injustice going on in the world. Rather than trying to attract people to Christ through our daily living and how we treat one another, we try to use the lure of a magical fairy land to turn people on to God. "If you worship God, you get to live with Him in Heaven forever..." is what we tell people. So, to that end, I can understand why people like Mr. Asimov could be completely turned off by Heaven and, more importantly, our God in Heaven. I only wish that atheists would encountered a more robust view of God and the kingdom.

In his last autobiographical sketch, Asimov also said:

"If I were not an atheist, I would believe in a God who would choose to save people on the basis of the totality of their lives and not the pattern of their words. I think he would prefer an honest and righteous atheist to a TV preacher whose every word is God, God, God, and whose every deed is foul, foul, foul."

Wow! He really hit on the head. Not bad for a person who doesn't even believe in God. Granted, Mr. Asimov missed the idea of being saved by grace (ensuring our salvation even after we mess up). Nevertheless, he makes a great point. I think that Asimov was definitely on to something. I only hope that his insight led him to truly seek Christ...not in the way that so-called Christians tell us we need to.

I think that, if used properly, Mr. Asimov's thoughts can stimulate us to think more clearly about the God we serve and about His kingdom. Instead of using God's word to beat people's brains out, collect a whole bunch of money, and create a classist society, we could use God's word to heal people's heart and share the love of Christ.

Maybe we really can learn more about God from an atheist.

- ACL

Lost priorities

According to an article, two Iraqi teachers were beheaded in front of their students by terrorists. Let me repeat: they were beheaded. If anyone is having a hard time understanding this, let's put it another way: they had their heads cut off; right in front of their students. This incident only represents the much larger string of brutal, violent, and vicious attacks that have plagued Iraq; even after our "intervention". So much for "freedom on the march"...

Also in the news: As the genocide in Darfur extends all throughout the Sudan, Chad, and most of Central Africa, an estimated 13,000 people a day are being killed, raped, and tortured. Over a million people, driven from their homes, now face death from starvation and disease as the Sudanese government and militias attempt to prevent humanitarian aid from reaching them. The same forces have destroyed the people of Darfur's villages and crops, and poisoned their water supplies, and they continue to murder, rape and terrorize.

In an unrelated story: We have something to celebrate. Molly the Cat has been freed from her own personal Hell. For 13 full days, she was trapped in a brick building. But, after the concerted efforts of dozens of rescue workers (including a "cat therapist". Uh...), vigils from hundreds of activists and supporters, and (apparently) lots of media coverage, we can all rest knowing that Molly the Cat is OK.

People are dying all over the world. But, at least the cat's alive.

If you can't pick up on the scathing sarcasm of my post, I'm scared for you.

Now, I respect animals as much as the next person, but can someone please explain to me how a cat can capture so much human attention, energy, and emotion while innocent people's deaths are casually dismissed? How have we gotten so lost in our priorities?!

- ACL

Jesus 2006

Another Resurrection Day has come and gone.

While I take pleasure in celebrating the fact that Jesus overcame the sting of death by raising from the dead, sometimes I wish that rising from the dead was the only thing He did. Sometimes I wish that, rather than ascending back to Heaven, He'd stay right here with us. Now, I know that He sent the Holy Spirit as a comforter for us...but, wouldn't it be cool if He stayed here? I wonder how the world would be right now. What would Jesus 2006 be like?

I think it would be interesting to see how Jesus' ministry would be shaped out in today's world. I'd be especially interested to see who He would chose as His disciples. But if history serves as an indicator, I personally don’t think that Jesus would've selected “church leaders” and religious folks of the time. Rather, I think that Jesus would probably choose the guy working the dead end job at the supermarket. He’d choose the Cuban housekeeper who vacuumed His motel room. He’d select the busboy from the diner who just cleaned His table. Maybe He’d go with the recently divorced taxi driver who gave Him a ride at 2 o'clock in the morning. I think He’d choose the broken-hearted waitress trying to earn enough money to move away from her abusive boyfriend. Perhaps the overworked social worker or the ex-cop who now has a major drug habit would be invited to come along. I imagine that the garbage collector, whose wife, a low-payed school teacher, is at home recovering from a miscarriage would be a part of Jesus’ group. How about the dirty mechanic who changed the oil in Jesus' beat up jalopy free of charge? In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if the used up prostitute who propositioned Him, along with her pimp would become two of His closet companions.

I doubt that He’d tell any of them how horrible He thought they were. Instead, He’d show them just how precious they were in God’s eyes. Just like the men who lowered their paralytic friend through the roof, Jesus would see their faith and forgive them. His love, kindness, and touch would heal them. These are the folks who would ultimately carry His message out into the world. Perhaps the busboy I mentioned earlier would go on to be the rock on which Jesus built His church. Hmmm...

I think that Jesus would have chosen people who were on the fringe of society because they really don't have much to lose. Maybe people like this are the only ones who can really grasp His message of love, acceptance, mercy, forgiveness, and grace…simply because they're the ones who need these things the most. I'm afraid that most of us have too much to lose when it comes to following Jesus. I mean, we’d have to give up too many of our possessions or those things that possess us. So rather than helping Jesus promote His message to the world, we’d be busy sitting on the sidelines playing “armchair quarterback”; while waiting for Him to screw up, fail, or get arrested.

I bet that a huge segment of the church (and America, for that matter) really wouldn’t like Jesus that much. They’d consider His teachings radical, unconventional, and…who knows…maybe even blasphemous. He'd show up at various church functions and make some of the members nervous. Some of the deacons and ministers would probably even get jealous of His popularity. I think that most of the congregation would be appalled by His message of love, inclusion, mercy and justice saying that He’s not doing things “decent and in order”.

On the other hand, kids would absolutely cling to Him. Women would feel safe and secure, important, and recognized. Some members would be genuinely captivated by His knowledge of God's word and, more important, by His actions. Others, however, would try to argue and debate with Him over interpretation of the Scripture. When Jesus would try to explain to them that He was the Word, I can imagine some church folks having the nerve to challenge Him on it. Furthermore, can you imagine how funny it would be to see Jesus snatch the sheets off of the church and expose their nakedness through His sermons?

I can imagine Jesus moving His ministry outside of the church as well. During a speech He'd give in Washington during an anti-war rally, He’d probably be arrested, mocked, and unfairly tried by the Supreme Court. After finding Him guilty of trumped up charges like conspiracy and treason, the cops would then beat the crap out of Him and toss Him in a jail cell with two criminals on death row. I wonder who would be cheering, "Crucify! Him!” (actually, since we now use the electric chair, I guess it would be more like “Cruci-FRY Him!”). Would I be in the group cheering for His death or would I be one of the guys who claimed to support Him but ran away and hid when things got sticky? Would I be one of the guys who completely denied knowing Jesus?! Would I sit back and do nothing as my Savior was being persecuted?

What if Jesus 2006 walked among us?

- ACL

Green eyed bandits

This is for my new Blogger chap, The Green-eyed Girl on Planet Earth:

http://www.flash-gear.com/eye/eye.php?c=e&id=174604&k=24249924

I guess this means I should rename my blog "The Green-eyed Guy on Planet Earth"...

- ACL

Who killed Jesus?

I've always loved this picture. In a way, it gives me chills. It almost makes my body cringe as I wait for the hammer to strike that nail. It's pretty odd...

Anyway...

Take a good look at this picture. Who do you think that is nailing Jesus to the cross? Keep reading and you'll find out..

I remember during the release of Mel Gibson’s movie "The Passion of Christ", there was a ton of controversy brewing about the anti-Semitic overtones aroused by the movie, particularly with the idea that Jews killed Jesus. The question still circulates today: Who was responsible for the death of Jesus? Was it Judas Iscariot, the traitor who turned Jesus over for money? Nope. How about the Jewish leaders who brought Him to trial? Sorry. Try again. Was it the blood thirsty crowd who preferred to release a murderer than to let Jesus live? Well, while it was pretty ironic that they freed a criminal bearing the same name as Jesus, that's not it either. Should we blame Pilate for giving in the crowd for political purposes? I'm sorry, but he's not the red-herring here.

I believe that, while the Jewish leaders, Judas, the angry crowd, and Pilate all served as key players in fulfilling God’s plan of Jesus’ death, they were not at all responsible for His dying.

The truth is: we are responsible for Jesus’ death. You and me. Jesus died for my sins as well as yours. It was only through His death that we would have the chance to procure salvation. As the Bible reminds us in Hebrews 9:22, “without the shedding of blood, [there] is no remission of sin.” So, Jesus had to sacrifice Himself to deliver us from our sins.

Essentially, Jesus was born so that He could die. He died so that we could live. He rose from the dead so that we could be with Him forever. End of story. He paid a debt that He did not owe to free us of a debt that we could never pay. Jesus Himself came to the understanding that He had to endure the agony of death in order to take away the sins of the world. Otherwise, we could have received salvation through our works…which would have made Jesus’ death pointless (Galatians 2:21).

With all of this to consider, let me repeat the question that I asked you at the beginning of this post: Who is that person nailing Jesus to the cross? For the answer to this question, take a look -- a good look -- at the person in the mirror. There's your culprit. That’s the person for whom Jesus gave His life.

- ACL

The Passion of Tom Delay

According to this column from The Nation, supporters of former House Leader Tom Delay (who was recently indicted for fraud and conspiracy) have likened him and his legal battles to Jesus during His cruxifiction. Perhaps even more hilarious is that -- rather than admitting his wrongdoing -- Delay actually embraces the sentiments of his supports. According to Delay:

"We have been chosen to live as Christians at a time when our culture is being poisoned and our world is being threatened. The enemies of virtue may be on the march, but they have not won."

Nevermind the fact that Christianity is the dominant religion in our culture and that the laws of this land are geared toward securing Christian "values". Nevermind the fact that Conservatives have control of each of the three federal branches. Nevermind the fact that Jesus really was innocent. We should all somehow feel sorry for Tom Delay.

And you wonder why I think Christianity -- as we know it -- is starting to get watered down.

- ACL

Fighting the Great Divide?

According to an article, former Treasury secretary Robert Rubin is working with Democrats to launch an effort to identify the sources of national economic inequality and to confront those imbalances. After years of minimal improvement of the economic gap, coupled with all sorts of fiscal irresponsibility from the current administration, this probe into the economy has been long overdue.

However, there are a couple of burning questions that I have:

(1) What took them so f***ing long?! I mean, you don't have to look overseas to recognize that there is a huge divide between the rich and the poor. Hello?! Ever been to New York?! Have you ever watched E! Entertainment?!

(2) Is this the Democrats' way of maintaining their position with the poor and underclassed? If so, why haven't the Republicans followed suit?

(3) Does it take massive fiscal screw-ups like the ones conducted under Bush for us to realize how serious this problem is?

I don't presume to know the answers to any of these questions. But one thing's for sure: it'll be interesting to see where this all goes...

- ACL

My Solution to Immigration

Initially, I thought that I was going to put together a long and drawn out explanation for what I think needs to happen with this whole Immigration Amnesty Debate. But, since this whole issue is primarily about political agenda (Dems and GOP are both rallying for the Hispanic vote) and economics, I'd like to propose a simple solution to the Immigration "problems":

Congress should fine corporations $50,000 a day for each illegal immigrant they employ.

That should make for some interesting immigration reform...

- ACL

Federal counterfeiting?

Yesterday, I attended a lecture here on campus about money matters. During this lecture, there was an interesting point raised about the serious decline of the U.S. dollar, coupled with the government's attempts to divert our attention away from the dollar's collapse. While most of the media is concentrated on Iraq (well, sort of anyway...), immigration (I'll be writing on this one soon), and missing white girls, the feds are involved in a widespread (damn near 24/7) printing operation. This is disturbing to me because a massive wave of currency printings like this will only lead to a significant devaluation of the U.S. Dollar. According to analysts, the Federal Reserve has ordered approximately $2 trillion of currency to be printed. If this is true, then our government is committed illegal counterfeiting. That in mind, I suppose that it's really no wonder why missing white girls are still making headlines all across the nation. Since I think that the government seems to always have a hidden agenda, I wouldn't be suprised if the information shared in this lecture was true.

Tthe speaker went on to say that, six months ago, the Federal Reserve quietly announced that as of March 23, 2006, they would no longer publicly disseminate any information regarding "M3" statistics. "M3" data is the amount of cash that the government prints and puts into circulation (through large-denomination time deposits, repurchase agreements, and Eurodollars). M3 is used most to prop up the U.S. economy; especially when valuing the dollar against the gold and silver deposits around the world. This decision to print more money is a pretty unsettling move by the government, especially since it's now becoming harder to determine the true value of the "dollar".

On a hunch, I did a Google search on "M3" and, sure enough, the federal government is discontinuing this practice. According to information compiled at Wikipedia, Congressman Ron Paul introduced a bill, H.R. 4892, in an effort to reverse this change and force the government to continue publishing M3 statistics on a weekly basis. I wonder what type of congressional support this bill will receieve. Perhaps the bigger question is: Why would Congressman Paul go through all this trouble to produce this bill if M3 doesn't really convey any additional information about economic activity that isn't already included in M2 (as the Federal Reserve continues to tell us)?

There is so much misinformation and deception out there, I have no idea where the truth lies. One thing's for sure, nothing is ever what it appears to be.

Does all of this nonsense mean that the U.S. Dollar is falling against all major world currencies as this lecturer suggested?

Your thoughts?

- ACL

Dedicated to a friend

Last night, my best friend and I had a pretty good time out together. For the record, this wasn't the first time that we've enjoyed each other's company and it certainly won't be the last time. So, the evening itself wasn't that big of a deal. But, it wasn't until I dropped her off at home that I really took inventory on what the night really signified.

On my way home, I whispered a quick prayer to God. I said two simple words, "Thank you". With those two words, I was thanking God for my family, my health, my blessings, my salvation, the incredible seats we got at the Pistons game, being able to avoid getting pulled over by that cop on the side of the road, etc. But, I was also thanking God for blessing me with my friend.

You see, this friend is one of the types of people that we all need in our lives, but only a few of us actually have. Once we actually do gain a friend like this, I think it's important for us to recognize them as often as we can. A "thank you" here; a hug there; a blog entry every once in a while.

There are so many things about her that I can talk about. But I can sum it all up in a nutshell. She's the type of friend...

...who is a fighter. I really admire that she has enough courage to dream big and to fight for her dreams; even when the rest of the world is against her.

...who can find something to smile about, even on her worse days.

...who convicts me when I'm wrong; but does so in a way where it doesn't feel like conviction.

...who patiently deals with me and my incessant issues.

...who can make me laugh, get angry, and laugh again in the same breath.

...who can actually make me feel guilty for not serving on the Finance Ministry (inside joke).

...who can impart spiritual insight on me without ever cracking open her Bible.

...who can educate me as much a college professor.

...who can Instant Message me while talking to me on the phone.

...who -- even when I've dissed her thousands of times before (sometimes for other people) -- has never given on me.

...who reminds me of how great I am, even when I don't feel it.

...who tells me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear.

...who opens my eyes to the blind and misguided truths that I've created about my past relationships.

... who can take one of my small and simple accomplishments and turn it into a milestone.

...who has a heart as pure as gold and integrity as solid as oak.

Simply put: She's the type of friend who challenges me to become a better me.

I dare any of you out there to say that they've got a better friend than I have. You'll be disappointed to find out that you don't...

- ACL

Is this yours?

"If your name's not on it, don’t pick it up."

I keep a little sign in my office with this saying. It reminds me not to “pick up” things that don’t belong to me. In other words, I don’t need to take on other people’s concerns. Instead, I need to focus on taking care of my own issues.

Of all the annoying things that people do, perhaps the most irksome -- to me -- is when people offer their unsolicited opinions/advice about things in my life. It's almost like barging into someone else's house and arranging it the way they think it should be. It drives me crazy when people do stuff like this to me. Why, then, would I do this to someone else? Why should I waste my time and energy providing unrequested advice and opinions to people who wouldn't care otherwise?

The truth is when I butt in to other people’s lives by offering unsolicited advice, I’m trying to save them from what I think are their problems. But in reality, it really isn’t about helping them; it's more about satisfying my ego and making myself feel better. I feel like I'm being a decent person by offering my services. But, as I'm learning, it's time for me to stop that.

Now, don’t get me wrong. This is not to say that I will completely turn my back to someone in need. In fact, I pride myself in being a person to lean on when times are difficult. I just don’t want to create this legacy of butting in where I’m not invited. There’s a huge difference. When I only deal with what’s on my own plate, I think that I'll find a greater sense of peace and content with myself. Even when I still have things that I need to face, at least I don’t have to compound my problems by attempting to solve everyone else’s too – especially if I’m not asked to.

There is a God who can fix problems and I’m not it. God has the power and the will to handle other people’s problems just as He does mine. I believe that everyone is on their own journey with God – whether they accept it or not. That said, I don't need to get in the way of what God is doing by "picking-up" something that does not have my name on it.

- ACL

Momument to Pro-Life

For April Fool's Day, I had the perfect prank to play on you all. I was going to tell you that there was some sculpture out there depicting Britney Spears giving birth. I worked long and hard to come up with this gag. It was going to be an instant classic!

But, unfortunately for me, reality got a hold of this story first...

According to an article, sculptor Daniel Edwards recently unveiled his art (?), "Monument to Pro-Life: The Birth of Sean Preston", a piece dedicated to highly publicized (and talent deficient) pop star and her newborn son. This art (again, ?) has been displayed at art studios in Connecticut and will be moved to an art gallery in New York next week. I guess that this art (for the last time, ?) is an affirmation of the Pro-Life ideology.

I wish that I could yell out "April Fool's!" at this point. But sadly, I can't...

- ACL

Wish granted...

Uh oh.

Apparently, the US has broken its ties with the Hamas-controlled Palestine. This move came only a few weeks after we plotted with Israel to get rid of the Hamas altogether ; undoubtedly paving the way for more turmoil to mount in the Middle East. What I don't get is how the U.S. and Israel can get so wrapped up in their warped sense of values/morality, thereby creating more unrest than what they claim to want to eliminate. They try to promote freedom and democracy, and then call Palestine evil since they selected the Hamas (emphasis on the word selected).

No matter how you slice it, the Hamas regime is product of free elections. For the West to oppose and, ultimately, attempt to destabilize, a government created under the process of democracy is hypocritcal; especially when they want democracy to be the world's mantra.

This just goes to show: Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it...

- ACL

Dichotomy

I hate my church.

I hate the mindlessness of our routine. I hate some of the silly man-made norms that we follow. I hate that we don't have any real goals. I hate how we've developed the "Keeping up with the Joneses" mind set. I hate how we hate on people who don't fit into our inner circles. I hate the shallowness of our fellowship. I hate when the my pastor constantly solicits people to say "Amen" to every little thing. I hate hearing wordy and scripted prayers. I hate seeing kids exploited in "Children's Church". I hate the classist mentality that exists in our congregation. I hate not being able to understand the sermons. I hate when my ex-sort of-girlfriend keeps text messaging me during service. I hate how we've erected a multi-million dollar life center, while we're located in one of the poorest parts of one of the poorest cities. I hate how our foreign mission contributions dwarf the efforts of our our church expansion. I hate that I've been forcibly appointed to the deacon's ministry. I hate how our service is dictated by our radio broadcast. I hate the suspicion and mistrust that's the product of our refusal to be open and honest.

So Andre, if you hate this all so much, why don't you just leave?

Because...

I love the 70+ year old lady who embraces me every week and tells me that she's "praying for me". I love the support that I get from my pastor. I love the knowledge that is imparted to me by many of the older people in my congregation. I love the lady who tells me how handsome and intelligent I am. I love when my pastor's wife calls me "her son". I love my best friend (and spiritual partner) who hasn't given up on me just yet. I think it's safe to say that I'd go crazy without her. I love the other young minds who are caught in the middle of the same issues that I have, but refuse to give up on the church. I love the group of kids who crowd around me, but are a little 'too cool' to come out and say "We love you." I love how our choirs, even on 'off days', can lift their hearts in worship. I love the feeling of accomplishment that I get when I play the drums well. I love the commitment that many hard working members have to the various ministries in our church. I love the support that our church provides (funerals, financial assistance, clothes, food, etc.) for people who haven't stepped foot in the church for years. I love the elders of our church who may be trapped in their 'old ways' of thinking, but who have suffered and endured for a long time. I love my "Sandy"; who has been a true mentor to me and who has nothing to gain by giving herself to me. I love the organization of our church. I've been to churches where they make up the order of service as they go. I love the deacon who, despite his lack of education, can talk to God as well as any theologian. I love being 'put in check' by people if I'm missing for too long of a time; a sure sign that people care about me. I love the people who selflessly give extra offerings to support the church in whatever way possible. I love the people who take time to call or leave encouraging messages on my voicemail. I love that, even when people don't always agree with, they love me anyway.

Essentially...

...I love my church.

- ACL

Move outta the way!

Not too long ago, a Catholic co-worker of mine bursted in my office (without knocking, by the way), almost to the point of tears. Apparently, she was "disturbed" by some artwork in our University gallery which -- depending on how you look at -- could have been offensive to Christians. The artwork had a cross that was submerged in a bowl of urine. According to the atrist, this piece was created to capture the humanity of Jesus while He was dying; suggesting that He may have either urinated or deficated while on the cross. Despite a pretty reasonable explanation from the artist, this co-worker of mine was beside herself. She declared how fed up she was with Christians being "persecuted" and that she "wasn't going to take it anymore". Despite my best effort to calm her down, in Christian love, she fell deaf to everything I was trying to say. She just couldn't seem to realize that she was doing the type of fighting that Jesus doesn't need. Let me explain...

First off, have you ever noticed how hard it is to talk to really religious people like this? You know...the ones who are so hung-up on their system of beliefs. Most often, it's difficult (seemingly impossible) to talk to people whose idea of right and wrong is limited to their own beliefs.

What I've started to notice with many Christians is that we've become too caught up in practices, rituals and customs; without placing any emphasis on doctrine and, most importantly, the love of Christ. We find comfort in hangin' out in our 'invisi-square', where everything is safe, secure, unquestioned, and familar. For the record: this cultural phenomenon is not unique to the church. This happens just about everywhere. However, as Christians with a higher calling, we need make sure that our beliefs, norms, and agendas don't get in God's way.

The Bible illustrates that even Paul adjusted his thought process once he realized that he was inteferring with God. At one point in his life, he really believed that he was called to silence the people who were following this 'Jesus' guy. He was merely defending God from (what he thought) were some radicalize messages from this dude claiming to be the Messiah. The truth is: Paul wasn't really that bad of a guy. He simplied governed himself by what he thought was right. But once Paul had a Close Encounter of the Third Kind with Jesus on the road to Damascus, he was never the same.

As followers of Christ, we need to share in a similar experience. We must be careful in examining the beliefs and values that we hold so sacred. There is a strong possibility that we could be wrong about them. And we all know how much people hate to be wrong, don't we?

The Gospel reminds us about how much difficulty Jesus had talking to the religioius folks of His day. They were so focused on rules, customs, norms, and rituals that they often lost sight of the 'Big Picture'. They made it a habit of challenging Jesus on everything. Even when they thought that they were going to bat for God, the reality was they were only defending their beliefs about God and His law.

But here's a shocker: God doesn’t need us to come to His defense. Nor does Jesus.

In fact, if you remember when Jesus was getting arrested, Peter tried to save Jesus by cutting off the soldier's ear...only to have Jesus tell him to go sit down somewhere. Peter was only getting in Jesus' way.

Doesn't that seem to be the story of the church today? I mean, you've got people who grab their swords every Sunday in an effort to defend Jesus. They try to cut down and kill anybody or anything that they feel poses a threat to Him. But what they usually don't realize is that they're not defending Jesus. They're defending their beliefs of Jesus. I can just see Him telling us to "Put away our swords. Those who live by the sword shall die by the sword."

In a nutshell, I think that Jesus is telling us to get out of His way.

- ACL

Thankful for slavery?

So, I think that I've found a prime candidate for natural de-selection...

I just read this unbelievably offensive editorial by columnist Adele Ferguson. In it, she makes the argument that God somehow used slavery to help blacks and that we should be thankful that we are here in the U.S. She's also baffled why so many of her black "brothers and sisters" support the Democrats since she thinks they are responsible for our conditions.

Rather than try to aggregate blacks in one category based on her interactions, wouldn't it have been easier for her to ask why some blacks supported the Democrats? The truth is: I'm not a fan of Democrats. I never have been. They're just as guilty of sustaining the permanent underclass status of blacks as Republicans are. So, to that extent, I agree. Blacks shouldn't support Democrats just because they tolerate us a little more than Republicans.

But, it's very easy to get lost in her message after reading the first paragraph where she tries to use, what I call, the "history card", by claiming that we should be grateful for the opportunity to be in America; even if it meant going through slavery. She goes on to juxtapose the Middle Passage to other movements involving indigent groups who had to 'endure hardship' in this country. I'm speechless.

Apparently, so many people complained about the article that it was pulled from circulation. However, it wasn't before it was copied, pasted, and emailed to several people/groups.

Now, I'm not in a fan of censorship in any form. A fellow blogger recently posted a compelling entry that shares in my sentiments. Censorship, unless done to protect a person's physical well-being, is hypocritical and a blatant violation of the First Ammendment. And, yes, this includes censoring Fergusen's nonsense. So, to that end, she has my support.

But, at the same time, I think that it's imperative for a person who steps on this type of platform to be knowledgable about the subject on which they are commenting. It appears to me, from this article, that this woman truly is ignorant of history and doesn't really know anything about the conditions that our ancestors had to endure aboard those slave ships. I mean, you had men, women, and children alike crammed into every available nook and cranny. They were denied adequate room, fed diseased and contaminated food (if they were even fed at all), and left to wallow in their own human waste. The conditions were absolutely appalling. The atmosphere was so inhumane, in fact, that many died before they ever set foot on these shores; whether from the conditions or from suicide. Some historians say that the death toll was in the hundreds of millions. How someone could callously say, "we should be thankful" for slavery simply amazes me.

But, again, I'm not for censorship. I can't be. I mean, if I became too much of a proponent of silencing others for their beliefs, then that would mean that half of my blog would be deleted. However, if someone were to...let's say... 'accidentally' blow up this lady's computer and place her in an asylum, I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it. Hint, hint.

- ACL

Taking punches

Yesterday, I was watching Million Dollar Baby. This is undoubtedly one of my favorite movies. I can go on and on about how great this movie was; from the controversy surrounding euthanasia to the struggles that we have to endure to pursue our dreams. But, I'll save all that for another day. This movie blessed me in another significant way...

The opening scene of the movie really struck a chord with me. In this scene, Clint Eastwood's character, a legendary cut man and long-time boxing manager, shows his true skills in dealing with his fighters' wounds. During one point of the fight, one of his boxers had a cut that was so deep that the referee threatened to stop the fight. Eastwood advises his man to take a punch, allowing the oppenents punches to close the wound. Eastwood didn't have to raise another finger.

You may be asking me what's so interesting about this? Well, read on...

You see, I think that God works in the same way. I think that sometimes He tells us to take the punches that come with life in order for our wounds to heal.

As I mentioned in a previous post, we can't always spend our time waiting around expecting for God to fix our problems. We have to be willing to do things, sometimes uncomfortable, to resolve our issues. This includes taking punches to the most hurtful and wounded places in our lives.

Lately, I've been dealing with a hurt that I can't even begin to describe. Don't worry: I'm not depressed about my ordeal, especially not to the point where I'm deranged, suicidal or anything crazy like that. But I will admit that a huge hole has opened up in my life, exposing my vulnerability. I've been continuously going to God in prayer about this, but seemingly to no avail. Often times, it seems like God is turning a deaf ear to me. The more I pray, the more the 'situation' pops up in my face. Maybe... just maybe...God is telling me to take this punch to face so that my wounds can heal.

Perhaps the biggest question for me is whether or not I'm willing to accept His advice. I can imagine that the fighter thought that Eastwood was crazy for suggesting that he take a vicious shot to face. Not only did he stand to sustain even more bleeding, he could have been put in a position where he would have never fully recovered from the wound. The damage to his face could have been permanent. Nevertheless, the fighter placed his trust and...well...his face in the hands of his manager. The results were better than anyone could have ever imagined.

Do you have the courage to follow God's advice by taking a hit, or are you too concerned about the possibility for long-term damage?

My new prayer involves me asking God for the courage I will need to do whatever I must to experience His gift of healing. Most important, I must be ready to accept whatever He says, even if I have to take a beating for it.

- ACL

Credit or debit?

Damn the devil.

In a dramatic move before the mid-term elections, your boys in the Senate recently approved a bill which will raise the Federal Debt Limit to $9 trillion. This bill will allow for the government to pay for high costs of war, Medicare, and other expensive programs without raising taxes. Instead, these funds are going to continue to be a product of TONS of borrowing. So, rejoice and be glad people! You won't see any of these expenses deducted from your paychecks by way of taxes!

Why, then, am I not excited about this?

I don't know. I think it may have something to do with the estimated $30,000 of debt that this fiscally irresponsible move will create for every single person in this country. That's right. $30,000. That's a Cadillac.

Each of our grandchildren will owe the government a Cadillac.

On the one hand, I accept the fact that this was a messy solution to an incredibly intensified problem. If the government doesn't borrow more money now, then it seriously runs the risk of defaulting on all of its Treasury Bonds; the first time in history that this would ever have happened. So, to some extent, the end justifies the means. But, if we want to avoid indebting the government any further, how 'bout we just stop spending so much frickin' money on pointless things?! This silly war is costing us a fortune while little, if any progress is even being made. Are the mass killings and rampant insurgency attacks an indication of an improved Iraq?! I mean, what's wrong with your blitheringly idiotic president?! Most of this nonsense is his fault anyway.

I guess that what bothers me most is the fact that our nation is facing its largest deficit in history, and all we have to show for it is even more chaos in the Middle East. It sort of reminds me of the "My (friend or relative) went to (name a cool place) and all I got was this lousy T-shirt" message that I see on t-shirts now-a-days. With all of this money being spent, every school in this country should be state-of-the-art, every family should have health insurance, and every person should be off the streets. Why haven't our nation's financial investments done anything to actually add value to our nation?!

Would any of you max out all of your charge cards and destroy your credit to buy a car; add expensive accessories, toys and gadgets; buy gas; and pay for maintenance, only to watch it depreciate over time?! Why should the government be allowed to do so with Iraq?! Oh! That's right. We have a "war president", instructed by God Himself to liberate Iraq. How could I forget?

Silly me...

- ACL

Dirty hands

I don't know why, but lately I've been feeling weaker in the spirit. I told myself that I need to adjust something -- probably my prayer life -- because I felt like God wasn't listening to me anymore. It was a pretty hurtful feeling.

In a strange turn of events, I was instant messaging my best friend today when the question of our prayer lives resurfaced. While I was talking with her (well, more like typing), I remembered a really good quote that I once heard: "Jesus is more impressed with dirty hands, not dirty knees."

When I first heard this quote, I didn't get it. But after thinking about it, I started to realize that maybe I was asking for the wrong things when I prayed. Was I asking God to do things that I could get up and do myself? Was I spending too much time getting my knees dirty and not enough time getting my hands dirty?

I think that we spend so much time on our knees trying to get God to reveal things for us, that we don't spend enough time looking around for His revelations. God provides us the opportunity to find Him in virtually any situation and around virtually any type of person. God's revelations could come from annoying co-workers, the morning news, the guy we ran into on the elevator, physical examinations...anything! I guess what I'm trying to say is: we don't always have to bow down in prayer to find God's revelations.

Don't get me wrong. I fervently believe in prayer. More importantly, I believe in the power of prayer; especially in dealing with things that are beyond anyone's control. But, I also believe that prayer is not just about calling on God to 'do something' or to 'reveal something'. Rather, prayer also includes us asking God for the wisdom and the courage neccesary for us to experience Him, to live for Him, and to live through Him. After all, that's all a part of our calling, right?!

I believe that we can get a sense of individual empowerment if we spend enough time on our knees in prayer. But if we stay on our knees begging God to do something for us that we could do ourselves, aren't we really praying, "Lord, let this cup pass from me" (in other words, "Lord, don't make me do this...")? How can I ask God to bless the homeless when I walk right past them everyday? How can I ask God to forgive someone whom I haven't forgiven yet? How can I ask God for a "financial breakthrough" (as so many of the pimps in the pulpit insist that I should do), without getting a job? How can I ask God to help me get along with people if I deliberately avoid them? How can I pray to God for deliverance for disaster victims without dedicating my time, energy, and money to help the cause? Can I really expect for God to come down to Earth and write a personal check, payable to the State of Louisiana for what happened during Hurricane Katrina?

As my best friend and spiritual partner reminded me (and I quote), "we need to be more proactive in our prayers, instead of sitting back waiting for God to come to the rescue". I couldn't agree more.

What if our hands got as dirty as our knees?

Holla at me!

- ACL

Apathy

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...

Ever feel that way?

- ACL

Happy "Crazy Drunk White People" Day!

So, am I the only one who thinks that St. Patrick's day is a ridiculous holiday?

Well, I guess it's not so stupid if you like:

• Going to pubs to to get drunk off near-fatal consumption of alcohol.
• Pinching girls (for not wearing green), and not getting charged with sexual harrassment
• Throwing up green vomit to match your clothes
• Watching a bunch of drunk white people do crazy stuff.

I guess that, considering that last point, St. Patrick's day isn't so stupid after all...

- ACL

The Birth of a Nation

Although New Orleans has been trying to use Mardi Gras as a tool for 'recovery', the truth is: this city won't ever be the same. Hurricane Katrina completely ravaged the city. But equally as significant is the fact that Katrina exposed this country's patterns of racism, poverty, and neglect.

Understandably, most commentators have focused on the woeful response from the federal government of today; as they very well should. Others, however, have used this sad situation as a way to awaken this country from the historical coma that its been in. It is time for us to come to terms with how our government has historically neglected the needs of the poor and marginalized, while supporting agendas that led to the creation and sustaining of two completely different Americas.

As history reminds us, it was during the presidencies of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman that great progressive policies like Social Security, protective labor laws and the GI Bill were adopted. But with these initiatives came a pretty subtle and destructive movement: the creation of "Affirmative Action for White People." It's not a movement that you'll ever read about in history books, but it's something that plays a significant role in outlining the states of Black and White America today.

Although the late 1930s/early 1940s virtually spelled the end of Jim Crowism, Congress was still largely controlled by southern lawmakers. Under southern-controlled legislation, policies that dealt with welfare, working relations, and war either excluded the vast majority of African Americans or treated them differently from other groups (particularly whites). Between 1945 and 1955, the federal government dedicated more than $100 billion in support of retirement programs, job skills development, educational opportunities, homeownership and small-business formation. Together, these programs dramatically reshaped the country's economic and social framework by creating a modern, well-schooled, home-owning white middle class. At no other time in American history had so many resouces been devoted to a current generation for completing its education, entering the workforce and forming families.

Unfortuntely, however, the black generation was left out of this governmental support effort. Southern members of Congress, who relied on the use of occupational exclusions, took advantage of the concept of American federalism to ensure that national policies would not disturb their region's racial order. In simple terms, they wanted to make sure that racist institutions of segregation and disparity were allowed to survive in their areas of the country. This is unsettling history, especially for those of us who keenly admire the New Deal and the Fair Deal (if you don't know about these initiatives, I would strongly recommend that you look into them).

What's disturbing is that while many public policies were providing priviledged white Americans with valuable tools (in the form of good jobs, economic stability, educational opportunities, middle-class status, security blankets for their old age, etc.), black Americans were left to fend for themselves, battling against an oppressive, exclusive, and destructive system.

When you think about the hurricane relief provided to predominately white Floridians a few years ago versus the hurricane relief of predominately black Gulf Coasters today. What does that tell you?

I strongly recommend "When Affirmative Action Was White: An Untold History of Racial Inequality in Twentieth-Century America" by Ira Katznelson. It's a very interesting read.

But, be prepare to be unnerved...

- ACL

Mission Accomplished?

According to CNN, Iraqi police have found the bodies of at least 86 people who have been killed, execution-style. Many officials think that these killings were performed in a wave of sectarian reprisal slayings.

Incidentally, the mass killings include both Shiite and Sunni Iraqis, supports the idea that the country is on the brink of a civil war. Don't be fooled by what Condi is saying: this country really is in conflict.

Now, throw in 2300+ dead U.S. soliders and about 100,000 dead Iraqi civilians, and you've got an international disaster. It's odd, because I thought that the whole point of this Iraqi war was to 'spread peace and democracy abroad'. So much for that idea.

We've removed the Iron Fist of Saddam and replaced it with a gauntlet.

- ACL

You scratch my back...

Recently, I found this list of contributing Political Action Committees (PACs) during the 2005-2006 fiscal year. These PAC 'donations' go to various House leaders and Committee Chairs in exchange for legislative support. Oddly enough, this practice is legal and has existed for a long time.

What disturbs me is that this whole thing demonstrates how these rich donors play a significant role in shaping public policy. By paying substantial amounts of money to politicians, corporations and rich individuals have been able to gain direct access to political representatives and lobby effectively for their causes. Inversely, low-income and poor people who do not offer financial contributions don't have the same opportunity to have their voices heard.

This list of PACs only proves that (1) we need money to buy Democracy and (2) only certain interests are really being served by Congress.

- ACL

Asking the right questions

I was reading an interesting post from one my new blogger friends. In it, he's contemplating the "mixed feelings" that he has for a girl that he barely knows.

As I read his words, I was found myself really impressed by the way he's dealing with his situation. Rather than jump in headfirst, he's taking a moment to objectively analyze his position and his feelings toward her. I think that this is a critical step to forming a great relationship with another person.

Why didn't I think of this earlier?!

If I would have relied on the same analysis that he did, maybe I wouldn't be in the strange and hurtful place that I'm in now. In the past year, I've been burned by...not one...but two different people. Though I could try to cheer myself up by telling myself that "It was them, not me...", I don't think I believe that. In fact, I think that my downfall was really the product of me not asking myself the same self-assessment questions that I read on his blog. Instead, I jumped in the pool headfirst, assuming that there would be nice, cool water in there. What actually wound up being there was nothing but concrete. Ouch...

All I'm left with from my experiences are those cartoon-sized lumps on my head; reminding me not to go "jumping in" to areas of uncertainty without asking myself the right questions.

Damn. The truth really does hurt...

- ACL

The "Real World" of Reality TV

"We're living in a material world…”

- Madonna

Yesterday, my best friend and I were talking about the ridiculously popular reality show, "Flavor of Love", starring the great-great-great grandfather of Hip Hop, Flavor Flav. In this show, a host of beautiful women (with a couple of bad apples) vie for Flav's love and affection by doing crazy s***.

That's it. I don't know what else there is to say about it.

This show, along with other thousand reality shows out there remind me of how surreal the entertainment world has gotten.

American materialism has never been more evident than it is now; as we’ve seen a proliferation of “reality television” seep its way into our culture. This so-called "reality" TV is one of the newest tools being utilized by the media to hook people into a shallow and vacuous TV-centric society. But is it really "real"? With shows like "Survivor", “The Apprentice” and "Big Brother", it often feels like I’m watching a primetime drama, complete with all the bickering, rather than a contest.

Other shows such as "The Bachelor/Bachelorette", “Joe Millionaire” or "For Love or Money" demean the allegedly "holy" institution of marriage (I threw this one in for people who object to gay marriages, but don’t mind seeing a guy who marries the girl who can ram her tongue the furthest down his throat). Should one of life’s most sacred moments be reduced to a contest?

Then you have shows that are designed to completely destroy a person's psyche. You're either too fat, too unattractive (dare I say "ugly"), or not talented enough. "American Idol", "The Biggest Loser", "The Swan" and "America's Top Model" remind us that only the thin, pretty, and 'talented' people can ever 'make it' in industry (yet, no one has been able to explain Paris Hilton to me...)

As if that's not enough, you have shows dedicated to chronicling the lives of celebrities. As cameras follow the likes of Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie (the no-nothings that they are), Jessica/Ashlee “Lip Sync” Simpson, Anna Nicole Smith and...yes...Flavor Flav; the idea is reinforced that we have become mindlessly obsessed with the lives of rich people.

“Fear Factor” is in a world of its own. I’m still trying to find the right words to describe it...

Reality TV represents the ongoing decline in media morality. The pursuit of money/fame has become so dire that these shows thrive off the “Dog Eat Dog” mentality (Marxism at its finest!). Since rewards (money, fame, employment, or mates) are usually involved, the worse sides of humanity are exposed; as people greedily stopping at nothing to achieve their goals. Is this really what society is about? Is reality TV reflective of true human behavior?

I don’t deny that people have their shortfalls and are usually self-centered. But I also believe that everyone has their good side as well. However, the good side often goes unexposed. I mean, it makes perfect sense. The media simply doesn't like to promote niceness, unless they stand to benefit from it (Can you say "Oprah"?!). The media doesn't go for sugar, it goes for spice. We’ve all experienced racy programming at some point but it was originally just in acting. But, now we have real people engaging in real activities.

So what is the solution? Better yet, IS there a solution?

Reality TV, sadly, has become an American phenomenon which creates cult-like followings from millions of viewers. A sizeable portion of these shows’ audiences actually take a sort of guilty pleasure in sneeking a peek at these shows or, in stranger circumstances, vicariously living out their own lives through the contestants. One critic described reality television as “Dumb people who get lots of cash, win mates, or achieve their 15 minutes of fame by having camera follow them around everywhere they go; as they attempt to lead a drama-filled life". When you break it down to that level, you can really start to understand the pathos of this type of programming. It all starts to make sense.

Your thoughts?

- ACL

Celebrity look-alikes

If you think that the George Bush/chimp resemblance is striking, get a load of this...



- ACL

Crashing Down

Does anybody remember The Passion of the Christ?

When the movie first came out, there was this incredible wave of hype. Some people thought that it was the greatest evangelism tool ever. Churches were renting out entire movie theatres. Some churches were posting Passion-type signs outside of their buildings. My sister told me about strangers hugging each other in the parking lot after the movie. I can't tell you how many cups of tears I lost during the movie. Allegedly a man turned himself in to authorities for crimes he had gotten away with after watching the movie. This was a mega-success for followers of Christ. Sadly, though, not much else resulted in the hype. Not long after the novelty of the movie wore off, much of the fervent support and energy generated from the movie seemed to get cold and faded away.

But, lately, I came in close contact with -- hands down -- the most significant and culturally relevant movies in cinematic history: Crash. Now, I'm really starting to understand why this movie got so much Academy Award hoopla. This movie was seriously the most important movie I've ever seen.

To me, the church needs to promote this movie just as much as it did for Passion. I think that the church, as well as many other institutions, should use this movie as a discussion piece for many of the core elements and principles of which Jesus spoke during His ministry; priniciples involving human nature. Yes. This movie had harsh overtones. Yes. There was violence, foul language, and sexual themes. But, more important, this movie provides critical analysis on important topics like racism, oppression, hate, and fear; things that we, as Christians and humans fight on a daily basis.

Never mind The Passion of the Christ. Crash, in my opinion, is the greatest evangelsim tool to ever hit the big screen.

Your thoughts?

- ACL

Getting down & dirty

I didn't go to church today. I just couldn't get myself moving. I know, I know....I need Jesus! :)

To make up for not going to church, I thought I'd flip through some channels and watch a televised morning service. I found some minister (the name escapes me right now) who shared an awesome message about Jesus' parable of the woman with the lost coin (found in Luke 15:8-10). After listening to his sermon (or about as much of it as I could before going back to sleep), I started thinking again. Since I've been in the habit of discussing Jesus' radicalized messages lately on my blog (while stirring up a little controversy in the meantime), why should I stop now?

I've always loved this parable; probably more than any other. This parable, in my opinion, shows the true extent to just how radical God’s love can be. In this story, Jesus compares God to a woman who lost a coin, one of her most valuable possesions. She got down on her hands and knees looking for this coin; through all the dirt, mud, and filth. After crawling through the dirt, she finally found the coin. With her discovery, she began to rejoice. All this work for one coin..

What’s cool about this story is that Jesus points out the true nature of God. We are so valuable to God that He has no problem getting on His knees to find us…even if it means going down into the dirtiest, most filthy places in our lives. How’s that for love?! You see, as God’s creations, we are His most prized possession. When we are lost, God will stop at nothing to seek us until we are found. When He does find us (more like when we allow Him to find us), he rejoices over it. Did you get that? He rejoices over it! God rejoices over us, the finite, sinful, and sometimes idiotic creatures that we are. How cool is that?!

Plus, by us being the "lost coin", we are considered victims in this story, not criminals. God doesn't view us as dirty, vile, and sinful people who deserve to be lost, but rather as victims to sin. Knowing this, He will stop at nothing to free us from the guilt and condemnation that comes with sin.

I think that's why I love this parable. It suggests a radical idea about God.

A God who gets down and dirty for us...

- ACL

Really, Really, Really Pro-Life...

I'm not the biggest fan of abortion, but I can't help but to be amazed at the ridiculous bill passed in South Dakota which basically outlaws abortion in all cases unless it's done to save the woman's life.

Yes, this includes victims of rape and incest. Not even they are exempt from this abortion ban.

So long Roe v. Wade...

- ACL

Dubai pulls out

Hmmm...

Apparently, your boys from DP World are going to divest themselves of all U.S. port operations in order to avoid an ugly showdown between its allies in the White House and a pretty skeptical Congress. Despite support from Bush (who threatened to veto any legislation in opposition to their control), DP has decided to abandon any ideas of seizing control of any ports. According to the article:

"DP World will transfer fully the U.S. operations … to a United States entity," the firm's top executive, H. Edward Bilkey, said in an announcement that capped weeks of controversy.

Relieved Republicans in Congress said the firm had pledged full divestiture.

So, when Mr. Bilkey says a "U.S. entity", does he mean...oh...let's say...the Shell Corporation?! I guess we'll have to wait and see. I think it's interesting that Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has been quoted as saying that "the devil is in the details." I can't say that I disagree.

One important thing stood out for me in this article:

It was unclear how DP would manage the planned divestiture, and Bilkey's statement said its announcement was "based on an understanding that DP World will not suffer economic loss."

Does that mean taxpayers will be reimbursing the firm for "loss of profit," sort of like in corporate suits against state policies under NAFTA? Again, we'll have to wait and see.

One thing's for sure: I don't think that we've heard the last of DP.

- ACL

Racial Redundancy

So I decided to watch FX's new series: "Black. White." last night. Other than during Bush's State of the Union address, I couldn't think of another time when I wanted to throw my TV out the window.

For those of you who haven't been exposed to this nonsense (and I'm praying that you don't), this show is about two families -- one black and one white -- who "exchange" places. Using makeup (which, for the record, isn't really that convincing), they are transformed into some sort of undercover race detectives. Am I the only one not impressed by this?!

For one, this experiment has already been done before. One of the writers, John Howard Griffin, made his mark back in 1959 when he turned his skin from white to black and traveled to the south. He was able to experience, firsthand, the true depths of racism and classism. But, for some bizarre reason, he and Ice Cube have decided to redo this 'experiment'; as if something has actually changed. Why...?!

Since we know what racism is still alive and well, why do we need another silly documentary to prove that point? Why are we dedicating our resources, our intelligence, and our capital to identifying a problem that we already know exists?! Why not use those resources to combat the issues?!

Ooh! I know!

Ratings, right?

- ACL

Did He say what I think He said?!

Yesterday, I had a pretty interesting conversation with a girl on campus who belongs to a student group, "Students for Christian Values". We were discussing the performance of President Bush. For the record, this girl fervently supported Bush for his so-called "Christian and family values". I, on the other hand, think that he's a moron. During our discussion, I called him a "dumb shit" (I stole this line from one of my favorite movies ever, The Shawshank Redemption). Knowing that I’m a Christian, she quickly called me out on what I said. “Is that how Christians are supposed to act? Is that something that Jesus would say?”

Hmm...

Would Jesus ever call someone a " dumb shit?" Would He ever use cuss words? I’ll let that one marinate for a second…

That was a terrific question she asked me. “Is that something that Jesus would say?” This question ties in perfectly with the late-90's "WWJD" wave that struck our culture. My initial thought was, “Of course not! There’s no way that Jesus would ever use that kind of language. So, neither should I.” In fact, I still hold true to that philosophy. So, in that respect, yes; I was wrong for calling Bush a "dumb shit" (I guess I'm just as wrong for repeating it, right?!).

But after I thought about it for a moment, another question popped up in my head. I thought to myself, “Who cares?” There are people suffering all over the world. Children are dying from starvation every day. Women are getting abused at this very moment. There are far worse things that are happening in today's time. I know that this sounds like I’m justifying my wrongdoing. But, let me assure you, I’m not. Trust me. I’m going somewhere with this…

People who try to use their understanding of right and wrong to criticize others remind me of the devoutly religious folks of Jesus’ time. You know…the guys whose actions were based solely on following the Law word-for-word. So, from that end, I think that I could see Jesus using cuss words. But, here’s the catch: I think that if He did cuss, He’d do it directly at those religious folks. I think that He’d do it to radicalize the same laws that most religious folks use to tear down the very people that they should be trying to lift up.

Now, obviously I can only speculate what Jesus would really do. But, since the Gospel gives us a good indication of His demeanor, we can suspect how Jesus would respond to certain situations. The Bible reminds us that, despite his status as a rabbi, He broke numerous "laws"-- particularly those used to smack others over the head with. For instance, religious folks were more concerned about Jesus ‘breaking the law’ by healing on the Sabbath, than they were about human suffering. The truth is: Jesus didn’t need to heal on the Sabbath, but I think He intentionally did so to prove a point. I think that He deliberately broke the rules used by dominant religious figures so that He could create relationships with those who were considered “outcasts” of society. He ate with sinners. He spoke with the poor. He healed the sick. He cast demons from the “mentally challenged”. He was intimately involved with the very people who were excluded by the religious society for not obeying the Law. There's no question that Jesus used unconventional tactics to prove His point. So if using cuss words would awaken the religious community to the Spirit of the Law; as opposed to the specific rules of the Law, then I wouldn't be all that surprised if Jesus threw one out every now and then. In doing so, Jesus would’ve showed the Pharisees of the world that they were more concerned about following rules than they were about living in the Spirit.

The reality is, I seriously doubt that Jesus would rely on cussing to do His work. Not only is He a perfect being, but He is at a much higher level -- mentally and spiritually -- than we could ever be. However, since Jesus was known for shocking the uppity religious folks of His day, I wouldn’t be all that surprised if He flipped the script on them by calling them "dumb shits". Wouldn’t it be something to see how Jesus would suprise all those guys who thought that they had mastered the Law? It would show them that they’ve completely missed the spirit of the God through their exclusion of people who they have marginalized.

All of this from a few cuss words…

- ACL

How to be bipartisan

Also, in the news...

According to this report, Congress recently approved the USA Patriot Improvement and Reauthorization Act; with a vote of 89 - 10, with 1 not voting. This new piece of legislation reauthorizes all expiring provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act, while adding additional safeguards to protect Americans' privacy and civil liberties, strengthening port security, and providing tools to combat terrorism.

Whether you agree with the vote or not, one thing you can say: the widespread Congressional approval shows that, partisanship aside, Democrats and Republicans can actually work together on something. Though they didn't all agree on the Patriot Act (Personally, I hate it), at least they're all willing to work with it...with some adjustments.

This, to me, is the first step to leading the nation toward recovery.

- ACL

National Security: Ours & theirs

About a week ago, I blogged about New Orleans celebrating Mardi Gras while most of the area was still @#$!ed up. I guess I still haven't gotten over it; especially after I found the following disturbing information:

This is the Dutch levee system; especially important since most of its land is below sea level.




This is a diagram of Italy's levee system. The giant platform (the yellow part of diagram) rises us to break up waves.




This is the levee system in the UK...

And yet...


This is the levee system that the 'leader of the free world' uses to protect itself from flooding.

Amazing.

After looking at the levee systems of these other developed nations, can you honestly tell me that there isn't something fundamentally wrong with our country?! Why haven't we pushed for more work to be done so that we can offer the same kind of protection to our people that these other nations provide for their citizens?! Oh, that's right! Because Mardi Gras time is upon us.

Simply put: there is absolutely no excuse why New Orleans is spending their time partying, exposing breasts, and acting like fools, while many parts of the area are still in dire need and are still vulnerable to disaster. What happens when the next Katrina comes around? Would you rather see stronger levees protecting our cities or levess that use Mardi Gras beads to patch the holes?

- ACL