We usually do hate the arguments that disprove ours.
Money, fame, career success… in the end they always prove to be unsatisfying things.
Things that money cannot buy: true joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, and eternal life.
Are you just praying that you don’t die? Ah, but “to live is Christ and to die is gain!”
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in ever difficulty.” – Winston Churchill
“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” – John F. Kennedy, Yep. As the saying goes, “Readers are leaders.”
Do you know any professing Christians who don’t believe Jesus will come back? I do. It makes me sad for them.
A non-Christian said, “A wise person saves 10% to pay themselves first.” I jokingly said, “Should that be 10% net or 10% gross?” But all kidding aside, the first 10% should go to God. A wise man gives always God His 10% first.
************
Headline: “Eleven-year-old Florida Girl Forced to Marry Twenty-Year-Old Who Raped Her to Avoid Criminal Case.” This makes no sense. How would “her parents marrying her off” make the rape go away? How did this happen? Plus, there was a so-called church involved? (And a second rapist, by the way.) What sort of world has it become when no justice has ever been handed down on anyone involved in the case? Why? Sick! Disturbing!
While on the topic of disgusting! The excuse used to be that people simply need to know what is happening. Well, people have known for years. So, what’s the excuse now? https://www.nationalreview.com/2017/05/undercover-video-center-medical-progress-exposes-gruesome-abortion-practices/
Remember the past, when appropriation in the context of a restaurant making burritos used to be called emulation, and it was a good thing? Seriously, appropriation is only bad if you “own” what someone is appropriating; like your wallet or your novel. (This is called stealing.) Sadly, though, as long as Americans can still serve Irish whiskey and German beer most folks won’t care about this. By the way, why are we all allowed to eat chocolate (originated in Mexico), watch color TV (invented in Mexico), or grow corn (first cultivated in Mexico)? https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/food/wp/2017/05/26/should-white-chefs-sell-burritos-a-portland-restaurants-revealing-controversy/
************
There was a time London police tweeted: “Run, Hide, Tell.” A friend reacted, “That’s not the American way. Stand, Fight, Defend. Gun rights for citizens matter, especially when you are incapable of protecting everyone.” I don’t think this is truly the American way anymore. Not after the lack of spine that’s been on display since 2020. Also, I wonder, would this have happened in the UK if London had better knife control laws and van control laws?
A person who posted this next item was being “judgmental” without realizing it: “Sometimes the nicest people you meet are covered in tattoos, and sometimes the most judgmental people you meet go to church on Sundays.” All I said to this friend in response was, “And sometimes you meet the people who are covered in tattoos when you go to church.” Seriously, that original statement goes the other way, too. Not all tattooed people are nice, and not all church goers are judgmental. Aren’t we all being a little judgmental when we make these kinds of statements?
A rant unrelated to church, but that does address the “wussification” of culture. A ball player is plunked in the backside by a “purpose pitch” and the benches clear. Since when does a ball to the butt necessitate a “meeting at the mound”? A bunch of wimps!! Save the brawls for headhunters. The pitcher almost assuredly did it on purpose, but he hit him in the tush!! That’s where you hit a guy when you want to send him a message. (As opposed to aiming at the head). Baseball has become about crying, when it used to be “There’s no crying in baseball.” Can’t break up double plays, can’t run through the catcher to get to home plate, can’t throw purpose pitches… what’s next? Maybe they’ll outlaw the fastball.
************
Here’s something from social media that you can tell was posted long before the past couple of years. The person wrote on line: “Canada seems nice.” Of course, now we know differently. Incidentally, an often-neglected problem when moving to Canada is the pounds gained. Due to the exchange rate, people moving to Canada add 35% more weight. So, a 200-pound person immediately weighs 270 pounds once crossing the border. Of course, 270 pounds equates to about 122 kilograms, so that makes it not so bad.
Back in 2017 I knew things were changing, but I didn’t have the Woke/Reset language at the time. Looking back, it’s so easy to see. Here’s what a colleague shared back then:
Yesterday, David Rank, the number two diplomat at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, resigned, telling his staff that as “a parent, a patriot, and a Christian,” he could not in good conscience, participate in the implementation of President Trump’s decision to bail from the Paris climate accord. Note Blank’s inclusion of the category ‘Christian.’ So, contrary to the belief of some, that reckoning with the climate is solely a political issue, it’s not. As Blank well notes: this is a Christian issue as well. But not everyone agrees. In fact, a lot of people vehemently disagree. Thus, this week’s blog entry – entering the climate controversy. Your comments and ensuing discussion (related to past blog posts) have been rich and informative. So, keep participating! https://wwwpaulmundey.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-climate-controversy.html?spref=fb
All I said in response at the time was:
Christians are clearly called to be stewards of all that God has given us. This includes the environment. Does the Paris Accord accomplish this? At least one professing Christian, David Rank, clearly believes that it does. There are other professing Christians who disagree. It would seem that Christians can agree to disagree over the answer to this question. The importance of stewardship is not up for debate. The importance of the Paris agreement is.
************
A longtime friend shared the link below, along with this comment:
This is why I have soured on legislative bodies, whether they are in Congress, state legislatures or county/city councils. They always operate behind closed doors, and people have been trained to believe that their “civic duty” is to vote and then pay no attention. I am far, far more in favor of SMALL republics and something much closer to the Swiss model of regular constitutional/charter referendum voting. It is no longer enough for the “people” to simply vote and then walk away. When that happens, this is what happens. https://abc3340.com/news/local/business-license-required-for-teens-to-cut-grass
My sarcastic side kicked-in and I responded:
Why all the fuss? Wait a few years and mowing lawns will be added to the list of jobs that American’s just won’t do. Then we can justify having immigrants come to the USA illegally, so that they can cut our grass. And they won’t need a business license because they won’t need any sort of documentation at all. As for the American teens? They can go on welfare. See how simple it all is? Problem solved. (And if I’m wrong, robots will be cutting our grass anyway.)
Quick aside:
Twitter really is the wild west. It can cost you your job. A person can lie and not have to retract it. It’s insane! Not sure why it’s taken so long for people to realize this. I mean, the letters “t w i t” are right there in the name of the darn thing! And do you recall “Covfefe”? Once we look at it like Harry Caray would have, it makes much more sense. Harry always loved spelling things backwards. Spell the infamous tweet backwards: EFEFVOC. See, that clears it up. (Speaking of the Trump years, what ever happened to Kathy Griffin?)
************
There was a time when I worked in sports radio, so when someone accused the Chicago Bulls of artificially building a stacked team in the 1990’s, I couldn’t help but take the bait. I had to step in and defend my formerly beloved Bulls. The Bulls drafted both Michael and Scottie, so it happened organically. Rodman joined when basically no other team wanted him. I don’t recall them ever trying to go after another premier player in free agency. Certainly, the Jordan-led Bulls added a few key free agents during the ‘90’s to plug some gaps in the line-up. However, they were a very home-grown team. From their six championship years they had 17 players on those rosters that started their careers with the Bulls. (Bill Cartwright, John Paxson, and Dennis Rodman are the only three starters that stand out as huge contributors missing from the list… and of these only Rodman could possibly be considered a “hired gun” in this context.) The 17 players are: BJ Armstrong, Ricky Blanton, Keith Booth, Jason Caffey, Jo Jo English, Horace Grant, Jack Haley, Michael Jordan, Stacey King, Toni Kukoc, Rusty LaRue, Will Perdue, Scottie Pippen, Dickey Simpkins, Matt Steigenga, Corey Williams, Scott Williams. I’d just add that the NBA was at its best in the 80’s and 90’s, and just hasn’t been the same since. The Bulls were “my team” from the 70’s through the early 2000’s. I’ve been following them less and less over the past ten years, as I’ve been following the NBA less and less. The game just doesn’t entertain me the way it once did. (By the way, they last few years I’ve begun to feel the same way about the NFL. Too many selfish players in both leagues makes it difficult to root for them.)
While on the subject of basketball, a super devoted fan of the Golden State Warriors bragged that a Vegas computer simulation had the Bulls of the ‘90’s losing to the Warriors of more recent days. To this I’d say that playing “today’s game” (less physical) would make for a closer series. Playing “yesterday’s game” (more physical) would be a clear Bulls win. Heck, playing “yesterday’s game” the Warriors couldn’t beat the Pistons of the late ’80’s.
The very best Warriors team outscored opponents by 11 points per game during the season. “Them Bulls” outscored opponents by 13 points per game (during an era when 10% fewer points were scored in a game… making the Bulls stat even more impressive). Regardless of stats like this, the teams would be pretty evenly matched… so the Bulls win… because of Jordan. I say this because the Bulls were over-matched a couple of times during the Finals in the ’90’s… and they still won… because of Jordan. If he could will his team to victory when over-matched, he’d definitely will his team to victory when evenly matched. Swap any player on the Warriors for Jordan and the Warriors would win. He’s the total difference-maker in the comparison.
Now, I could have fun with this all day, but I better quit soon and get back to real life. 🙂 Before I do, one last heave from half-court at the final buzzer… The Bulls of the 90’s consistently proved that they could out-scheme great offenses with even greater defense.
In ’90-’91 the Lakers and their “Showtime” offense lost to the Bulls in five games.
In ’91-’92 the high scoring and offense minded Trailblazers lost to the Bulls in six games.
In ’92-’93 the top scoring team of the season, the Suns, lost to the Bulls in six games.
In ’95-’96 the #2 scoring team (behind only the Bulls), the Sonics, lost to the Bulls in six games.
In ’95-’96 the #1 scoring team (tied with the Bulls), the Jazz, lost to the Bulls in six games.
In ’97-’98 the Jazz, again from the big scoring Western Conference, lost to the Bulls in six games.
Because the Triangle Offense was so revolutionary, people tend to forget how the Bulls could often impose their will on other teams with their smothering defense.
And as for trusting Vegas computer simulations – Nine of the past ten NFL pre-season favorites to win the Super Bowl had NOT won the Super Bowl. So, they do “sometimes” get it wrong. After all, Vegas had Hillary beating Donald… as we all know.
************
So, is THIS what a climate denier really looks like? https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/three-hill-tornado-lawn-mower-1.4145466 A friend laughed and said, “His wife must be a nightmare if he stayed outside to mow the lawn.”
Here’s me trying to be funny. A friend says, “Well, that was a glorious success! You may now add ‘plumber’ to my resume… water pressure tank has been repaired and water is restored to the house. Nary a drip in sight!” To which I say, “Soooo, that’s what you meant when you said, ‘I’ll be back in a minute; I have to go check the plumbing.’”
Are you suggesting that we’re going NEED some global warming? We are going to save earth and the sun is going to burn out anyway 😢 https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/06/06/solar-update-june-2017-the-sun-is-slumping-and-headed-even-lower/
I’ve still been busy debating whether the computer simulation in Rocky VI gets it right. Would Mason “The Line” Dixon win? Or would Rocky “The Italian Stallion” Balboa win? I’ve decided that whichever fighter could have Michael Jordan in their corner… that’s the fighter who would win.
Mindless riddle: Firing off a fax for a fake fuse effectuates a faulty flash from Facebook. Fantastic! Fuhgeddaboudit. Fully for fun, my friend.
************
Thanks for musing with me these past few minutes,
Pastor Troy Skinner
P.S. Shoutout to my former seminary professor, and his excellent introductory Hebrew grammar. Dr. Bill Fullilove always gets his students into the actual biblical text, and keeps them there. A great teacher. מזל טוב
