What Do You Hope To Accomplish in 2012?

“All of us are born for a reason, but all of us don’t discover why. Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It’s what you do for others.” Danny Thomas

The past ten years have been very interesting now that I look back on it. While attending college in the late 1990′s, I had aspirations to become a Movie/Television producer. I had visions of Capra, Hitchcock and Thalberg dancing in my head.  To make a long story short, those aspirations never took off.  I still have a desire to make a few movies, but I’m more grounded in that they don’t make em like they used to.  I had to get over this major stumbling block of wishing to have been around in another time be it the 18th century, early 20th or even the 24th.  I’ve gradually been learning to take life one day at a time.  Also after being a dedicated political activist from about 2001-2006 or so, I am not even going to be voting in 2012 nor working on any campaigns.  This will mark the first time that I have not voted since 1994.  I now consider myself an idealistic realist.  The solution is not in politics, but changing ourselves.

Now for the first time in a long time, I am starting to get somewhere.  As it turns out, I am a generalist in a world of specialists.  All my life I had the desire to play sports, but was never going to be good enough for one reason or another.  Maybe coaching is the way to go then.  I am also happier when helping others more than having things.  I wish I had the ability to have been a baseball or football player, but it was never going to happen.  So I focused on teaching fundamentals.  Doing animal rescues/transports  and observing coaches/teachers over the past two years helped me to realize that.  I would actually make a better coach or teacher than anything else.

Also over the past year or so after being too shy around girls in my teenage year and swearing off dating/marriage during most of my adult life, I have had the desire for a girlfriend and/or wife.  It is a long story, but I will trust God’s plan on this and everything else too.

I’ve also learned a good deal about my inner self in this past ten years:

I feel emotional pain, but choose not to show it
I am decisive and principled
I foster insecurities                                                                                                                           I crave intellectual and spiritual growth
I am a good listener
I have a hard time asking for help
I am motivated mostly by the intrinsic
I forgive easily

Beware of Your Shortcomings

Channel your energy into something positive

I have spent a fair amount of time during my walk with Christ engaged in spiritual warfare. The past year has certainly been the most challenging. I recently read The Bondage Breaker. This book gave me some more insight into spiritual warfare and how Satan manipulates your thoughts. Satan can’t read your mind. But the accuser can gather what your shortcomings are by observing you.

It may help to make an honest assessment of your shortcomings and write it out. That way you and Satan can be on notice. My potential shortcomings will be several: I still have a desire for a girlfriend and/or wife someday. I have now defeated the nighttime attacks that were happening for nearly a year. Satan knew that I had regrets over not having lived a full life as a teenager (didn’t date, shy, wasn’t good enough to make football team), and while I was not interested in marriage in my 20′s, I was having these desires now. Satan was pulling a one-two punch by making me think I missed out on my life while taunting me to rush in and have it now. Satan will be watching for what I do in the future hoping that I will get in over my head. But this scheme will fail too.  

Another vunerabilities will be financial. I am wondering just how my job prospects will be upon graduation with thousands of dollars in student loans. Then there is the possibility that this career change to coaching may or may not work out. After all I’ve had several career attempts/jobs that never lasted long. Then there is the plan to visit San Antonio for a convention and attend a Christian counseling session. This would be like putting on new armor that I alluded to in my most recent post. The opportunity to network and meet some friends would be a tremendous boost to my morale.  Satan is going to attempt to prey on my uncertainties about being able to make this trip. But it will get done one way or another. Another one of Satan’s attempt at instilling doubt/fear will fail.

The other vunerability will be to launch a flanking manuever in order to take out my support network. Satan will attempt to incite fear that people will abandon, betray me, doubt me, etc… Satan may have me being disappointed that I may not do well on a test, get overwhelmed with classes, or cause me to screw up somewhere. But yet again, because I will keep my focus on Jesus, Satan will fail again.  

 

My Journey

“Listen carefully. An upcoming important message may be subtle.”

I did receive this important subtle message recently and it was that Satan is now changing tactics. One of the most enjoyable things I’ve done is animal rescues/transports. It was on my most recent transport that I learned of this. Satan’s attempts at taking out me out in a frontal assault have failed. Now Satan will attempt to outflank me.

If you wanted to use the analogy of tank warfare, for the past twelve years, I’ve been like a Tiger I tank (don’t get distracted by the fact it was used by the Germans; just focus on my point), I’ve been in a defensive position with superior armor, and a stronger gun, but I haven’t used it yet. The shells from the Shermans just kept bouncing off. I would be rattled many times, but my tank has held up. By now, I could use a new tank and after being in a defensive positions for nearly twelve years (accepted Christ March 2000), I’m wanting to take the offensive. Satan knows this and thus explains the flanking manuever. I’m also on a timetable to receive a new tank that will be used to take the offensive. But just as now that a new tank is being brought to the front lines, Satan changes tactics. If I were to receive this tank, it would be a moral booster. Satan even tried a last-ditch effort with a heavy duty machine gun just a few days ago and yet it still failed to destroy me. Yes, rattled me some, but I still held. I will explain the significance of this move soon.

Having gone through Sanctification and now embracing my role as a liberator and teacher, Satan knows I’m a threat to his future plans. This is why I suffer. But I do not complain because I do this for God’s glory and I will be protected. Even in physical death, I will reap the benefits of salvation and claim a spot as a descendant of a king. Thankfully I no longer see the political system as a means for positive change. I don’t put my faith in people and their ways. Only in God. That being said, we should liberate ourselves from the system altogether and live by faith. ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’

So what has been going on? Basically in the past ten years, I’ve gone through a lay-off from Scripps Networks and my grand plan to become a great movie producer never took off. I work this job and that job and could never imagine myself doing it for the rest of my life. I even asked God what I should do and received no answer. I also had the desire to play baseball, football and other sports, but I was never going to be big enough, fast enough, talented enough to make it. I wasn’t even good enough to make the starting lineup on any team. My identity was saked in things I was never going to have. I felt cheated as I get to watch Dwight Gooden, Peyton Manning or even Alfred Hitchcock enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Over this past year or two, Satan knows that I have had strong desires for a girlfriend/wife. I have said or written as much. Satan also knows that I feel that I haven’t lived my life to the fullest. I was and to an extent still am an introverted, shy type. I was very shy around girls in high school due to have self-doubts regarding my hearing loss, speech impediment and being too small (5’6″, 130 pounds). I had the impression girls/women were interested in taller boys who were accomplished, had cars and money. I am now 5’9″, 170 pounds and better at socializing, but my resume would come across as unspectacular. It would look nice, but nothing that causes me to stand out. I am also misunderstood still in part because of my physical shortcomings, but also because I have a very different viewpoint of the world now. 

I began opening up in college and felt that I was going to go places especially after majoring in Video Production Technology at Pellissippi State Community College. But while I was getting better at socializing, most of my conversations were technical i.e. SMPTE color bars, calibrating editing equipment, or what not. My time at Pellissippi State were some of the happiest times of my life. But I also have fond memories of being a child. Nothing beats MTV, Saturday morning cartoons, and the Dukes of Hazzard. I also enjoyed Charlie’s Angels, Black Sheep Squadron and a number of other TV shows from that era. I have enjoyed old movies since childhood (but viewing was limited to an occassional VHS rental) and first became interested in Alfred Hithcock movies at around 16. I worked in the library for two years, checking out A/V equipment to be delivered to teachers, handled the live camera feed during morning newscasts, and even wrote a play based on Amos and Andy for a church luncheon for poor parents and their children. I will never forget seeing the girl who made a mess of herself with beanie-weenies and laughing at the play on stage. I was having dreams of being the next movie director or producer. After all, set your sights high and you can be anything you want to be. But nowadays, I realize the American Dream is false gospel.

During my childhood and early adult years, Central Baptist Church of Fountain City was my home church. Then beginning at 23, West Park Baptist was my home.  Something interesting happened after committing my life to Christ on March 18, 2000. I realized I wasn’t saved simply by being a member of a church or knowing a few stories. I was a political activist working for candidates like Michael Badnarik. I was truly devoted. But after the 2004 election, I was burned out and losing faith in people. I even laid in bed for a month only to get up to eat. Over the next five years or so, I worked a few other jobs and withdrew from politics. I barely spent any time on the 2008 campaign for that matter although I supported Ron Paul. This time around, I anticipate not spending any time on electioneering. I still support Ron Paul’s ideas on liberty. But liberty is much bigger than one man. It is a gift from God. It is just that we humans haven’t been good stewards of what God has given us. Thankfully I no longer see the political system as a means for positive change. I don’t put my faith in people and their ways. Only in God. That being said, we should liberate ourselves from the system altogether and live by faith.

I’ve always been a Baptist in name. But just in the past 10 years, I’ve truly immersed myself in its history and traditions. One of my favorite pieces of literature on Baptist history is the text of a speech given by Walter Shurden in 1996. I thought it was interesting that he used to teach at Carson-Newman. How ironic that I enrolled as a transfer student 2 1/2 years ago, using my video production skills to benefit the football team, have changed majors from Physical Education to Business and now to Religion. I’m seeking a career change to coaching, but now that focus has changed. My career change has now moved to an emphasis on ministry with athletics simply being the vehicle that will be used to pick people up. I’m starting to come to terms with and realize what God in His mysterious way has been molding me for. My journey while like a ship encountering storms at sea and monsters, I am in sight of land. But I will not disembark now. I will travel up and down the coast. Eventually I will step on land. But God will make the decision as to what path I take. I might start coaching at a high school. I might become a college coach. I may become an NFL scout at some point. But I will not get ahead of myself too much and rely too much on my own understanding. I have let go. God has been guiding me all along, I’m starting realize what is happening and have embraced it. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 

Next, I will write soon on my vulnerabilities, how Satan intends to exploit them and what defensive strategies I will use until my new tank arrives. I will be taking the offensive very soon

My 40 Day Fast

On Friday evening, I started on a fast that would last 40 hours. No it had nothing to do with the resurrection of Jesus. Besides, he was laid in the tomb on Wednesday and rose on Saturday fulfilling the sign of Jonah.

Basically the following is my journal entry making a note of symptoms and reactions to what I was experiencing:

Friday morning: Ate part of Thanksgiving leftover and went for a walk. Walked to the dining hall to see what time they opened again (Sunday at 4:30). I felt a presence in the room basically taunting me that I may have to go a whole day or more without food. This spirit was hoping that I would give into fear.

Friday 5:30 p.m: Ate last meal from Thanksgiving leftovers.

Saturday 2 p.m. : While on a walk on campus heading to watch a women’s basketball game, I started experiencing  disorientation. Objects in my view acted as if they were bouncing up and down. My knees were aching from walking. Slight headache while watching game.

Between 6-10 p.m.: experienced the following-some more disorientation, headaches, sunken tongue, slight memory loss, nerve feelings weren’t as acute, eyelids were getting heavy, muscles were weakening. Went to bed around 11.

3 a.m.: Woke up when I started experiencing some hunger pangs.

8 a.m.: Woke up, shaved and dressed for church. Ate again at 9:30. Quiche and strawberries. By 10, I had a stomach ache, then my body felt flushed and warm. I started feeling sleepy.

4:30 p.m.: Ate my first good sized meal in 47 hours. My body acted as if it wanted to reject food i.e. treating it as as foreign object. I felt like I was going to vomit.

Over the coming days, I will be blogging about experience with spiritual warfare and what I can expect to occur in the near future.

What Is The Deal With Joe Pa and Penn State?

Update: So this case gets more interesting. In addition to Joe being the fall guy, a District Attorney has been missing since 2005. Now he could have been abducted by UFO’s. But they usually return. Smells like a professional hit since he was getting close to uncovering a child sex ring that was being operated by the Board of Trustees. They are a very powerful group in state and national politics. They serve as a middle man between Jerry Sandusky’s organization and donors. The question I have is will the BOT ever be investigated? I doubt it since just about anybody can be bought. It will be up to the alumni, faculty, and students to put pressure on them to either resign or be indicted or both.

By now, everyone has heard about the allegations against Joe Paterno and Jerry Sandusky. This headline should be titled “Board of Trustees planned scandal to ouster Paterno”. This is where the real power in college athletics is. Whoever holds sway with the BOT and Athletic Department will usually get what they want. The fact of the matter is this: Like with Bobby Bowden, Paterno is getting old and he has been there too long. PSU hasn’t been nationally relevant in football since the late 1990′s. If these allegations occurred twelve years ago, why weren’t charges brought then? Timing is everything. Merely accusing someone of something is enough. This will give the powers that be an out to move in a new coach and thus generate excitement amongst the alumni, students and national media. I’m interested in knowing how many people in the DA’s office are also PSU alumni.

The media in general isn’t exactly run by the most ethical and honest people. It is one reason why I am not in journalism anymore and that was just for a year or so (newspaper reporter). Anything is done to generate headlines. Headlines brings in viewers and that makes advertisers happy. It also explains the jockeying for position in the conference realignment talks. Decency, honor, loyalty. Nice catchphrases. But in the end, it is all about winning.

So Joe, don’t let this cause you to be bitter. You have earned your way and you ought to ride off into the sunset. Let those who accuse you stand before a higher authority someday.

According to Genesis

According to Genesis, God created the Earth in six days and rested on the seventh day. There is a conservative estimate of as many as 100 billion galaxies in the universe and some estimates put it as high as 500 billion galaxies. God also created something as complex and as small as DNA and molecules. Yet for all their complexities, the universe operates with a certain logic to it.

However, it is noteworthy as to what God DID NOT create. In His wisdom, a government was not created. According to the scripture chronology, there were no kings or emperors. The result was that there were few or no wars; it is human error that resulted in the creation of governments and “heads of state”. Hence, man tried to “perfect” God’s perfect creation.

Government by Kings were first introduced into the world by the heathens, from whom the people of Israel copied the custom. The heathens paid divine honors to their deceased kings, and the Christian World absurdly thought it could improve on the plan by doing the same to their living ones. It was the most prosperous invention the Devil came up with for the promotion of idolatry. As the exalting one man so greatly above the rest cannot be justified on the equal rights of nature, so neither can it be defended on the authority of scripture; for the will of the Almighty expressly disapproves of government by Kings.

All anti-monarchical parts of scripture have been very smoothly glossed over in monarchical governments, but they undoubtedly merit the attention of countries where governments had yet to form. “Render unto Cesar the things which are Cesar’s” is the scripture doctrine often used to defend the existence of tyranny imposed by governments, yet it is no support of monarchical government, for the Jews at that time were without a king, and were essentially in a state of serfdom to the conquering Romans.

During the early stages of the American Revolution which in itself was a divine movement, not just a war for independence, dissenting churches of the day were the “schools of radicalism”. Congregationalists, Baptists and Presbyterians based their principles and willingness to rebel against tyrants on their reading of the Hebrew Bible. The stories that influenced them the most were Genesis, which taught all men were created equal, Exodus, which taught Pharaoh must be defied, and Judges, which taught there is no divine right of kings. Can you imagine any church doing this today? What happened?

Religious motivation for Independence, unlike Enlightenment thinking, was not limited to the intellectual elite. It included rich and poor, men and women, frontiersmen and townsmen, farmers and merchants, blacks, Indians and whites, deists, and Baptists alike. The relationships while one of tension at times, saw through to the bigger and more noble purpose of the liberty to make choices for oneself.

I’ve been a self-identified Baptist pretty much all of my 35 years. I identify very much with the four fragile freedoms and the priesthood of all believers. Almost 40 years ago, Baptist historian Walter Shurden wrote Not A Silent People: Controversies That Have Shaped Southern Baptists. He titled the very first chapter “Here Come the Battling Baptists.” Even to this day, he remains convinced of the appropriateness of the title of the first chapter to describe the emergence of Baptists as a distinct denomination.

In his address to the Baptist Joint Committee on October 8, 1996 titled “How We Got That Way: Baptists on Religious Liberty and Separation of Church and State” he spoke that “the Baptists emerged as a specific body in the midst of a crippling adversity. They came battling! If you ever write an historical essay on early Baptist life in either England or the American Colonies, a good place to begin your research is in the records of court proceedings, search warrants, and prison records. While that story of repression and oppression may be over-dramatized, and even skewed in a comprehensive retelling of the Baptist story, it is nonetheless a fact that Baptists bled in their earliest years of the seventeenth century, and they remained handcuffed in much of the eighteenth century. They bled from the whip of religious oppression, and they were constricted by the arms of both church and state and of the two acting in concert.”

Today’s churchgoers have most likely never bled from the whip or being handcuffed to a certain method of worship. Most Americans especially of the past several generations have not had to experience the true hardship of chaos, ruined dreams, and wasted lands.

Yes, freedom is not free, but freedom can’t be won by soldiers alone. The military is essentially an instrument of the state and takes its orders from the state. But the military comprises of your son, daughter, uncle, best friend and what not. “Our” military is not being conducted for the benefit of national defense or our national best interests. It is being conducted for the international banking cartel and elite criminals such as Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, the Rothschild/Rockefeller/Morgan dynasty, and the “Federal” Reserve of which these cartels are the primary stockholders. If you don’t think that banks don’t get rich off war, then answer this: Who was the largest issuer of war bonds during World War I and World War II? You guessed it. The House of Morgan!

Another case in point: Paul Warburg, a former director of the Council on Foreign Relations among other positions. While he was serving on the Federal Reserve Board during WWI, his brother Max Warburg was the financial advisor to Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. They were also major backers of the Russian Revolution which led to the murder of the Romanov family and the rise of communism throughout much of the world. So it didn’t matter who “won” the war, the banking cartels were the winners either way built on the death and destruction of everyone else. The United States is at least a mixture of communism and fascism. It is not and has not been a free-market for the better part of 100 years.

Which brings us to now. Clearly to anyone who has been paying attention, this country if not the world has been going in the wrong direction for some time now and we’ve not seen the worse of it yet. There will be a war in the near future. It won’t be a traditional war in the sense of it being determined on the battlefield between professionally trained militaries. It will be basically a mish-mash of different people working together mixed in with the adversary whom will be comprised of various levels of government, but will also find dissenters who just happen to wear the same uniform. In regards to the national government, there is no sense in trying to tame the monster. Prick it, irritate it, resist it, but don’t try settling with it. Eventually Washington D.C. will feed on itself and collapse and very likely within our lifetime. Focus on taking back your local governments and state governments to a certain extent. This war will comprise of moral, political, physical and spiritual components.

The majority of people being in the state of denial and express comfort that they are will attempt to sit this one out. But there will be no one sitting on the sidelines in this conflict. Potentially millions of people will meet their demise via vaccine, execution or starvation. We will just need to get on going about the hardships and stay focused on the ultimate goal.

Here is what I see happening in the future: The U.S. will take a similar course to what happened to the various European empires before, during and after World War I. Everyone talks about WWII and yes while the British and French empires fell afterwards, WWI had far more reaching implications. The various empires, some that stood for hundreds of years broke up and the map was literally re-drawn overnight.

The U.S. likewise will break up into various city-states, regions, etc… Massachusetts was the primary physical place of the first American Revolution that eventually spread throughout the colonies. My inner voice tells me that Texas will follow up a similar path in which will further inspire people of other states and nations to stand up for themselves. As much as I want it to be my native Tennessee, I feel that I must move to another place to fulfill this quest. It is simply my destiny as much as I’ve attempted to fight it and just settle down into a normal life.

While I embrace another revolution, it is with a good deal of caution. The problem with revolutions, historically, has always been that the revolutionaries themselves gradually morph into the new power structure that must again be removed by revolution. It is inevitable that the Ring of Power will ultimately, and inevitably, corrupt its wielder, no matter how iron willed or noble he or she may be. So what is a person to do? Will this new arrangement finally “get it right” or in a desperate attempt to restore “law and order”, we end up embracing something like the Russian Revolution or a Hitler coming to power. Only time will tell.

Until the time comes, I will continue to pray, prepare and seek guidance as to what to do. Amen!

“But I can not speak”

Moses said to the LORD, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” The LORD said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” Then the LORD’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.” Exodus 4:10-14

What you read about Moses in chapter 4 of Exodus is the beginning of a method called Sanctification. Sanctification is God’s deliverance of a person from the power of sin. Sanctification means to dedicate, to make holy, to separate and to set apart. To sanctify is to set something apart or someone for God from its common use. (Titus 2:14)

The primary purpose of this process is make the believer holy for the purpose of God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)

The method is a seven step process (God’s perfect plan) whereas we are 6 (falling short of God’s perfection).

DIVINELY: “Chosen by the foreknowledge of God the Father through the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and by the cleansing of the blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:2)

PERSONALLY: “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (11 Corinthians 7:1)

BEAUTIFULLY: The beauty of holiness (1 Chronicles 16:29); Glorious in holiness (Exodus 15:11)

PROGRESSIVELY: “Follow holiness without which no person can see God.” (Hebrews 12:14)

LOVIINGLY: Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of the Word. (John 1:1-14) 

REDEMPTIVELY: “Wherefore Jesus, that might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered…” (Hebrews 13:12)

PURPOSELY: “Because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctificiation of the Spirit and belief in the truth.” (II Thessalonians 2:13)

Epilepsy Foundation of East Tennessee

The Epilepsy Foundation of East Tennessee had its annual Mud Volleyball Tournament. Feel free to contribute in any way be it donations, volunteering, education, etc…

A Summer of Contentment

I’ve just spent seven weeks in North Carolina working as a counselor at a summer camp. While the obvious was to make money which is a big help for one who doesn’t make much, the greater experience was getting to minister and serve the youngsters who were doing everything from camping, hiking, canoeing, learning about plants and Bible studies. This experience has further confirmed my decision to go into coaching and confirmed my reasons for this calling were the right reasons: in an age of big money and win-win mentality, my reasons are rooted in a more humble approach and that is to serve others and be a disciple for Christ. Football is simply one avenue among many.

I enjoyed playing baseball and football as a youngster, but never was going to be even big enough or talented enough to even become a starter on the high school team.  It was unfortunate that I would miss out on those experiences from the morning dew of August practices to making it to a championship game.  Perhaps God is using coaching as the approach to fulfill other areas of my life, but most importantly I am serving and witnessing to others and glorifying God.

No one knows the future, but I’m feeling the best I have in about ten years in regards to my career/job direction. A number of other careers/jobs haven’t panned out. But those experiences can be applied to coaching especially my background in media/PR, politics and being able to handle the many personalities in a large organization.  Actually coaching is a calling. You either have a passion for it or don’t.  You don’t view the long hours, pressure and tasks as just another job.  Many people love to watch sports, but only a few are willing to deal with the challenges that coaching involves. At least now, I know for certain this is the avenue I should have been on 10-15 years ago. Maybe in a certain way, I already was.

Discernment In The World At Large

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“It is the standards of civilized men not of beasts that must be kept in mind, for it is good men not beasts who are capable of real courage. Those like the Spartans who concentrate on the one and ignore the other in their education turn men into machines and in devoting themselves to one single aspect of city’s life, end up making them inferior even in that.” Aristotle

My struggle in life hasn’t been alcohol, drugs or other issues of the flesh. My struggle has being able to reconcile the acknowledgement and knowledge of deeper truths in the universe with my own physical realities. I desire to live in another century or to do other things, but my physical abilities and size don’t measure up. My dreams to be a baseball or football player were pretty much over before it even began. I still however hold out that someday I will be able to make a few movies even if I don’t reach the levels of Alfred Hitchcock or Darryl Zanuck.

Many Christians struggle or should struggle with the realities of the world they are in. In a certain way, our bodies should feel as if we are in a prison.  We are supposed to be the salt of the earth as we boldly proclaim the gospel.  I think Americans have become prudish even hypocritical especially when it comes to female sexuality. But this doesn’t come from moral discernment, merely their own legalistic way of looking at life. I mean we don’t ever complain about scantly clad men parading around. I have even had women tell me that it is okay for them to watch (even as they condemn women doing the same thing) because they “aren’t tempted in the same way men are”. Really? But that is just my observation.  I’m not hung up on people’s sexual choices even if I don’t care for it myself. I’ve been a fan of mud/oil wrestling and general WAM since childhood. I never considered playing in mud or having pie fights to be sinful behavior. Yet, some people insist that it is even as they throw down big money gambling or watching boxing on PPV.

Violence on the other hand has far-reaching consequences.  I used to watch wrestling, big action movies, played video games as a kid and what not. However, I have moved away from the violence on TV whether real or perceived. I will not watch hockey “fights”, UFC or cock/dogfighting. I question the use of violence in sports in general. I am not legalistic about it, but I do discern and draw my own limits. I do like a good action movie, but not if CGI fills in for a poor story. I’ve eaten my fair share of beef, chicken and pork in my lifetime. Yet over the past ten years, as I became aware (although part of me already knew that) of the practices on industrial farms, I have reduced my meat consumption and say that I’m “85% vegetarian”. Is it right to cause another living being to suffer and lose their life just for my pleasure? Generally it is immoral.

Life is not about rules and regulations like the Sadduccees. It is about making  choices. Since I aspire to get into coaching, I’ve been giving a great deal of thought to the physical aspects of sports and particularly the crowd mentality that at times wants more violence. I have decided that ultimately I have to stand on my own two feet. I will not coach players on how to injure opponents, instruct a pitcher to throw a ball at a batter’s head or encourage a player to fight or hit another player as some payback. The world measures a man or woman in a totally different way than Christ. Walking in Christ means being the salt of the Earth, not sugar.