The Obama Poll

I just set up a poll on facebook asking about Obama's leadership.

Take it here: http://apps.facebook.com/realpolls/m/tsiw5dn93.

Words We Can Use Today

"Black Hawk Down" and "Saving Private Ryan" are the movies for military people.

"Miracle" is the movie for hockey players.

"Rudy" is the movie for football players.

Everyone has their movie, the movie that speaks to their profession and represents it.

Mine, as a journalist, is "Good Night, and Good Luck."

It tells the story of Edward R. Murrow and his fight against the crazy and illogical actions of Sen. McCarthy during the Red Scare in the 1950s.

And it tells the story of Murrow completely and utterly OWNING McCarthy.

True, Murrow and the CBS crew that helped bring McCarthy down were "liberals," and true, McCarthy was "conservative," but to all who point to that, let me remind you that definitions of those two words change almost weekly.

Anyways, the movie details how Murrow and CBS took on the "junior senator from Wisconsin," and is a rallying cry for journalists everywhere. Corporate is pressuring the reporters not to get too heavy, McCarthy is attacking everyone (he picked the most convenient cause; anyone that disagreed with him was automatically a communist), and one of their own snaps under the pressure and kills himself.

Not exactly a easy story.

But they pursued it. They went after what they knew was wrong, what they disagreed with, and sought the truth.

And reported it.

This is something the journalists of today can take to heart. Today, much like in the 1950s, people are happy with their lives (for the most part), and don't want bad news.

"We have currently a built-in allergy to unpleasant or disturbing information. Our mass media reflect this. But unless we get up off our fat surpluses and recognize that television in the main is being used to distract, delude, amuse, and insulate us, then television and those who finance it, those who look at it, and those who work at it, may see a totally different picture too late." -Edward R. Murrow

He of course was referring to television itself, but the quote is easily extrapolated to news itself. Instead, people whine when FOXnews covers the anti-Obama things. They just want happy things, they want Biden saying the stimulus is working (it's not, and the AP even fact-checked Biden's speech), they want Obama telling them the economy is fine.

They don't want the Truth.

God forbid we should give the people information they need to know about their world.

"Let us dream to the extent of saying that on a given Sunday night the time normally occupied by Ed Sullivan is given over to a clinical survey of the state of American education, and a week or two later the time normally used by Steve Allen is devoted to a thoroughgoing study of American policy in the Middle East." -Edward R. Murrow

This movie, even though it is a few years old at this point, still applies to us today.

Journalists, don't be pansies. Seek The Truth, And Report It.

My Favorite Photo of the Day

This is one of my favorites simply because of it's randomness. That's Philip Gardner's unicycle. I worked with him at a camp in Colorado called Bear Trap Ranch, and he loved to unicycle off road (don't ask, it's as weird as it sounds). I saw his unicycle just resting against one of the cabins and decided it would be a great shot. And great it was.

Once again, here's the link to purchase an 8x10 glossy unframed print of it.

The Problem With Prosperity Preachers

I'm sure you've all heard them. Whether it's by word-of-mouth, flipping past TBN, or hearing them in megachurches, Prosperity Preachers are out there.

And allow me to be blunt right away.

They are lying to you.

They are wrong.

They are false prophets.

They tell you that you have enough faith, God will give you money, possessions, and arrange circumstances in the way that you want. Sometimes that faith is accompanied by a suggestion to send money to their ministry, which is another problem, and one that the Senate likes to get involved in.

These Prosperity Preachers spout a message of flowers and sunshine, telling you to "live victoriously" and then defining what they think that victory looks like. Their definition. They tell you that God doesn't want us to be uncomfortable (even though Jesus never even had a permanent bed), and that he will take care of you monetarily.

They often flout the last part of John 15:7 which says: "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." They leave out the whole remaining in Him.

This magical view of prayer makes us the boss of God.

Let me tell you flat out, your life will NOT become easier the second you become a Christian. In fact, it may get "worse" according to your own definition, but therein lies the problem.

When we define what "victory" and "better" mean, we are going off our own interpretations. Our own ideas. In reality, when we become Christians and pledge to follow Christ, we are forsaking our old selves and the old definition of self we had. We are no longer our own, we are His. We are no longer living for ourselves (what would be our purpose, anyway?), but we are living for Him.

Our purpose is to glorify Him, not to glorify ourselves. When those Prosperity Preachers say that if you have enough faith, all your problems will be solved, they are halfway right.

Your problems will be solved, but they will be solved God's way, and sometimes you may not like that, even though it is best for you in the end.

The Prosperity Preachers apparently missed the following verses. (Note the recurrence of the word "suffering.")

1 Peter 4:12, 13

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

Romans 8:17, 18

¹⁷Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. ¹⁸I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Romans 5:1-5

¹Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. ³Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Hebrews 2:10

¹⁰In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.

There were dozens more passages talking about suffering, but these prove my point. There is going to be suffering, and what's more, we as Christians should embrace it.

By suffering, we realize our state as sinners. Yes, that's right, that's something you won't hear from Joel Crest Whitening Strips Osteen.

We Are Sinners.

When we suffer, via hard times or persecution or whatever, we are struck with the realization that we are not in control of our own little world. Someone else is, and we don't know what He has in mind.

That's the problem people have with Real Christianity. That's why Osteen and his crew pipe up with the Prosperity Gospel drivel.

We are not in control.

The Matrix can sum up my point about the state of our society and why people like Osteen are so popular. The whole premise, for all three of you who haven't seen/heard about it, is that Neo learns that he can influence the computer program humanity is subjected to living in. He can fly, dodge bullets, and kill without consequence.

This exchange with another character, Morpheus, explains everything.

Morpheus: I imagine that right now, you're feeling a bit like Alice. Hmm? Tumbling down the rabbit hole?
Neo: You could say that.
Morpheus: I see it in your eyes. You have the look of a man who accepts what he sees because he is expecting to wake up. Ironically, that's not far from the truth. Do you believe in fate, Neo?
Neo: No.
Morpheus: Why not?
Neo: Because I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life.

And there you have it.

He, and most of modern America, doesn't like the idea that he's not in control.

Prosperity Preachers thrive because people love the idea that there's something tangible they can do to better their situation. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying just sit on your butt and expect God to do all the work. It's a active relationship between God and us. We listen and meditate on His Word, and we follow what He says, either through others, His Word, circumstances, or a "still, small voice."

We don't better our circumstances simply by following a single preacher.

We don't better our circumstances by sending someone money.

We better our circumstances by surrendering.

We better our circumstances by realizing that God is in control, and has what's best in mind for His children.

Romans 8:28

²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

On a related note, I'm not convinced Osteen himself is even a Christian. Just watch this video of him on Larry King.