Be Excellent to Each Other

Am I Always on the Wrong Side of the Fence? The Bong Hits For Jesus case is making me mad at those on the conservative side who refuse to look past their own face and see the consequences of worrying about tying the name of Jesus to Smoking Dope. It is just a saying, get over it.

This kid in Alaska who is now a school teacher in China had every right guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution to make a banner that said Bong Hits For Jesus. He had every right to say anything he pleases as long as it does not physically hurt those around him. Protected speech is all about tolerance: It is not about agreeing.

It seems that conservatives have given up the common sense that was given to them by their creator and become pious-dullards who have forgotten that this world was created for us to enjoy not to make everyone else miserable by making everyone just like us. How dare we try to make such a creative creation just like us? That would be telling God he made us perfect and everyone else was a mistake and that we need to correct His mistake. How arrogant is that?

I am finding more and more that I am a total and unrepentant Libertarian. That is what happens when social conservatives and fiscal conservatives believe in tolerance. I am totally convinced that the Founders were Libertarians to the core. The believed in personal responsibility and individual freedom.

Maybe we need all need to re-watch Bill and aTed’s Excellent Adventure and listen to Abraham Lincoln one more time. Then heed his last words and get that 4×4 piece of lumber out of our rears and, “Party On Dudes!” It is not about drugs, it is about enjoying the creation that we have been given to enjoy.

Confusing Preaching with Discipleship

I am reading a book about preaching right now. I am sure that preaching is a subject that is important to write about. I am concerned that this person may have confused preaching with a discipleship class as I force myself to continue to turn the page.

I wonder if the emergent church movement has taken into consideration the Biblical model of worship when I look at some of their writers. I also wonder the same thing about the seekers and others who have taken worship and made it into a side show for the community at large instead of the believers who are gathered together to worship the creator of the universe.

As I plod along in this book I find great advice for discipleship settings and superior statements about how to accomplish discipleship, but not worship. He and I absolutely disagree concerning worship. I believe worship is where believers are gathered for the singular purpose of worship: (1) Hearing God proclaim His message through a preacher who is preaching from the Biblical text and (2) Having the people respond to God in adoration and praise.

I absolutely believe the young man who wrote the book I am reading is a believer, I think he has not realized that he is writing about discipleship and not worship when he is writing about preaching.

Bring On Being Judgmental

I was reading an article today over at FreeRepublic.com about Mitt Romney and his Mormon beliefs not being acceptable to Evangelicals. I have a problem voting for a Mormon for anything, even Dog-Catcher because of their belief system and their systematic deviousness in calling themselves Christians. They are NOT Christians, they are followers of Joseph Smith.

They may appear to be good people, but they are completely submerged in a cult. Mormonism is NOT Christianity, it is a cult. It is impossible to call the followers of Joseph Smith Christians. They deny that the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. They also hold to beliefs that they can “save” other people by being baptized for them. I say, “No, Thanks Mitt!”

Am I being judgmental in not voting for Mitt Romney for president, YES! Am I being judgmental in not voting for John McCain for president, YES! Am I being judgmental in hoping to vote for Fred Thompson for president, YES! Being judgmental is not a bad thing, it just means that you have a brain that can think logically and discerning according to the values you deem most appropriate for a person to be able to adequately represent you in the government of the United States.