Tag: Current Events

A Contrast of Gods

Over the last six days, Muslims around the world have taken to the streets, retaliating with violence and murder in response to a film that criticizes the founder of their religion.

Secular Westerners are struggling to understand what can possibly motivate human beings to respond in such a way to a film.

Whatever these recent events may say about the relationship between Muslim countries and the United States of America or United States foreign policy, they provide a vivid contrast between gods.

As I was praying before church today, I was reminded of the following verses from the Bible: Continue reading “A Contrast of Gods”

On Libya & Great Religions

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In response to the murder of four U.S. diplomats by angry Muslims in Libya, Secretary of State Clinton went on record today saying Islam was a “great religion.”

I wasn’t sure exactly what she meant by that.

I wasn’t sure if she meant there were some religions that were not so great. Of course if that were true, it would mean the U.S. government was preferring some religions (the “great ones”) over others (the not-so-great ones).

So then I thought perhaps she meant all were religions were great. But of course that isn’t really worth saying. If all religions are great it doesn’t really make sense to call out one without mentioning the others.

And you know, when The Last Temptation of Christ was released, I don’t remember the U.S. government apologizing to Christians or calling Christianity a “great religion.” Maybe, I thought, the moniker “great” is reserved by the U.S. government for religions whose adherents commit murder in response to criticism of their leader. I don’t know; it’s all very confusing to me.

Continue reading “On Libya & Great Religions”

Learning From The 2012 Open Championship

I was shocked watching as Adam Scott bogeyed the last four holes of the Open Championship today, allowing Ernie Els to come from six strokes back to win the tournament.

In response to the finish, I tweeted on my private Twitter account, “Under pressure the great ones focus, others fade.”

I played basketball and golf in high school. In fact, I went on to play basketball in college. I wasn’t as good in golf, not even the best on my high school team.

When I played basketball in high school I always believed I was the best player on the floor. Consequently, when the pressure was on and the game was on the line I wanted the ball. When the pressure was on everything slowed down for me. When others felt nervous and rushed, I was confident and focused. As things slowed down for me under pressure, I saw more clearly what moves to make, how to get open or how to get to the basket. As a result, I performed well in the clutch. Continue reading “Learning From The 2012 Open Championship”

On The Movie Theater Massacre

What would you think about a video game called “Abortionist Extreme”?

In it you play the abortionist and go in to the womb of a woman with your scalpel, kill the baby and then extract it. The faster you can perform the abortion without perforating your patient’s uterus the more points you score.

Would you recommend the game to your kids, or to your Christian friends? Would you see a movie based on the game? My guess is, “Probably not.”

What interests me in this hypothetical are the reasons Christians would find the game or movie objectionable. Some would say, “Abortion is murder and we shouldn’t glorify it or make sport of it.” Others would say making a game or movie about abortion will encourage kids to become abortionists. Still others would say glorifying violence will only ensure we breed more of it.

Continue reading “On The Movie Theater Massacre”

Why Our Troops Shouldn’t Urinate on the Enemy

U.S. Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta, told our troops yesterday to stop urinating on the enemy.

Urinating on the enemy, said Panetta, is bad for morale and can compromise the mission through bad publicity.

I admire Secretary Panetta for calling the troops to a higher standard, but he did so for the wrong reason.

It won’t take our boys too much cogitating to figure out their conduct is only bad for morale and the mission if the media finds out. They will think, “So long as we keep it off Twitter, Facebook and out of the Los Angeles Times, we can have at it.” They will think this, and they will be dead wrong.

Continue reading “Why Our Troops Shouldn’t Urinate on the Enemy”