Having spent 25 years in the golf industry I wasn’t shocked with the reports about Tiger Woods. Women flock to tournament golfers like rabbits in heat.  We knew at the club I was associated with in the 90’s, (as matter of fact it was a running joke or bet),  that when the tour came thru we would lose a couple of our lifeguards and club staff. These local hotties would hookup for a few weeks of Cadillacs, nightclubs and luxury hotels.

The press has ignored Tiger’s occasional rudeness and sometime unsportsman like behavior since his days as an amateur, mostly because of his ability to perform under pressure and partly because of the racial issues and the marketing opportunities he represented. Now the same crowd will strip his ability to sell and participate in the shrinkage of his fortune, while claiming to want to help in his resoration.  The bill has come due.

According to news reports Ted Haggard is trying to rebuild his revenue base by starting a new church in his home. No problem right? Well if you ask Rev. Joe Trull editor of the journal Christian Ethics Today this is a hireling no-no.

http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2009/11/as-haggard-returns-questions-l.php

The fact Ted is doing this near his old sheep fold could raise the accusation of “sheep stealing” according to the most reverend Joe Trull. I guess if Ted had moved to Alaska and stole his sheep from some churches up there it would have been cool with his brother thieves and restoration committee. Was not the purpose of his restoration to bring him back to the hireling business after a period of time? Although I’m not an expert in the wool industry I have reread John 10 a couple times and can’t find a code of conduct for hirelings.

Hey  Rev. Trull, where were you and others when Ted was stealing sheep in Colorado Springs and building his empire the first time???

The church has a responsibility to deal with “all” sin, so here is a few seminars we are looking for.

“Please join Paula White for an exciting conference on vanity held at the Trump Tower”.

“Register now for a cruise with Fred Price and team for an overcomers conference on covetousness.”

“Creflo and Taffi Dollar welcome you to attend a life changing conference on where the apostle Paul missed his blessings.”

Any conferences your waiting for?

“A camouflage Christian is someone who uses Christianity as a method or vehicle to gain power and money.”

I have argued for years with WOFers, primarily the misuse of scripture this movement employs, with little effect, so let me try some simple logic.

The central premise of the faith movement is; to demonstrate your “faith” to God, you must give to the “camouflage Christian” till it hurts and by doing so, God will reward your faith by restoring and increasing your wealth.

The “camouflage  Christian”, as your example, has laid down their worldly desires and the success they could have had to become you servant of this message from God and are proving their “faith” in this system by living large on your money.

In the secular world this scheme is illegal, ask Bernard Madoff?

The Washington Post has an interesting article regarding sexual abuse in religious settings. 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/09/AR2009090901724.html?hpid=topnews

Most denominations have written policies and classes required for those who seek offices in the church and have issued policy statements regarding sexual contact between shepherds and sheep. According to the Rabbinical Assembly, the international association of Conservative rabbis,

“power imbalance between clergy and those to whom they minister makes it clear that sexual contacts in these situations are by definition non-consensual.”

The umbilical power abuse created by the faith industry today is in direction contradiction to 1Peter:5. This wickedness  will continue irregardless of semiars and official positions, as long as the power is granted and scripture is ignored.

What would happen if there was no music at your church? How many people would quit coming, 50%, 70% everybody?

In the church the second highest paid position(behind only the pastor and sometimes his wife) is the music director.

If you did not inherit or receive the talent to sing or play does that mean you are incapable of worship with out help?

If worship has to be entertaining to the worshipper, then who is being worshipped?

The latest news from “Team Schuller” is that daddy has taken the business from junior and given it to his sister. 

http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-crystal-cathedral,0,6901124.story

As far as I know the Schuller’s have never claimed to be bible teachers. They use the bible when it’s convenient or when it will accessorize their topic.  This is not a bible based church, but a family business using the tax code to their advantage.  The message is daddy’s message,  not God’s message.  It’s hard to sell positive thinking from the grave,  I don’t think the kids can keep this thing going.

 Here’s a opinion piece about the silent revolution taking place in American, from of all places Pravda. This author lays some of the blame on the church and education system, which I can find little to disagree with. Our celebrity driven culture and celebrity driven churches are definitely aided by our dumbed down education system. Everyone who has spent any time on a college campus in the last thirty years or so knows that the easiest way to a college degree is through the department of education. What will we do,  now that American Idol is over until next winter! 

http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/107459-0/

In Luke 11 one of Jesus disciples ask of Him “Lord teach us to pray”. This request would seem somewhat odd coming from someone,  who more than likely had spent a life time surrounded by religious customs. What follows is probably the best known prayer and most repeated in the christian world. The Lord’s example of  how to pray is important for not only what it says, but also for what it doesn’t.

Psalm 100:4 “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him and bless His name”.

The Lord’s prayer begins and ends with praise(Matt 6:13) which is essential to communicate your request. It is important to realize that Jesus did not instruct this disciple or those at the sermon on the mountain, that prayer has to be done with a bowed head or closed eyes, or kneel-ed,  or facing the east or any other custom many are bound by. Prayer doesn’t need to be a corporate activity or public one (Matt.6:5,6) and for those who think our country is doomed because of the prohibition of prayer in schools I have a question. How can the government stop me or anyone else from praying the way Jesus instructed?

The bible doesn’t rank  sin, it merely list sin.

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the Kingdom of God. 1Cor 6:9,10

Sexual sin is no different than covetous or extortion, yet it gets much more attention. Even those who “openly preach covetous” are successful until they get caught in a sexual sin. The church allows this.

Homosexual sin is especially evil to some, even more so than adultery.  According to Ezekiel (16:49) the iniquity of Sodom was “fullness of food and abundance of idleness”, which leads  to all kinds of debauchery.  The homosexuals I have met  have mostly been very well heeled. Homosexuality doesn’t seem to be much of a problem in Darfur.

Jesus will forgive all these sins, even homosexuality, however the church rates the sins listed in 1Cor. 6 in the following matter, with 1 being the coolest part of hell and 10 being the hottest.

1.covetous  (1-4 are not considered sin in some churches)

2. revilers                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2.2.revilers

3. idolaters

4. extortioners

5. drunkards (some baptist have this one much lower)

6. thieves

7. adulterers

8. fornicators (8-10 are bordering on unforgiveable to crusaders)

9. homosexuals

10. sodomites

For those of you who are especially aroused by or disturbed by sexual sins, remember the lineage of  Jesus was thru Bethseba. David had many wives but God decided his successor would be Solomon. Think about it?