Discussions on Christianity- Part 7 of 7

Here is the final blog in our 7 video discussions on Christianity.  This video talks about spending time with God.  We should all as believers seek to walk in the light.  Can this be a hard thing to do?  Why is it often difficult?

Discussions on Christianity- Part 6 of 7

Today's discussion is on distractions.  What is distracting you from your purpose?  Are you to distracted to even know what that purpose is?  Watch this brief video and leave a comment letting me know what you are thinking when it comes to distractions.

Discussions on Christianity- Part 5 of 7

Today we are going to look at sharing our faith.  This particular message deals specifically with believers, but anyone is welcome to give their opinion.  I welcome feedback from you concerning this area of the Christian life.

Discussions on Christianity - 4 of 7

Who is your power source?  Please watch my fourth installment of Discussions on Christianity.  Be sure to leave a comment below.

Discussions on Christianity- Part 3 of 7

The third video in our discussion is a little more personal to me.  We will talk about denominations, fighting, and squabbling in the church.  We are the body of Christ.  That means we should be working together.

If you have not joined our Facebook group please do so here: Randumblog Facebook Group   I will keep you up to date on new blogs as they are posted.

Three Cheers for President Obama! -- Yeah, You Heard Me Right

President Obama is receiving heat for a comment he made today at a high school in North Nashua, New Hampshire.  He said, "When times are tough, you tighten your belts. "You don't go buying a boat when you can barely pay your mortgage.  You don't blow a bunch of cash on Vegas when you're trying to save for college. You prioritize. You make tough choices."

Las Vegas is mad and republicans and democrats both are criticizing him for disparaging the "Sin City".  Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said, "I'll do everything I can to give him the boot".  The Democratic Senate majority leader Harry Reid issued a statement that was headlined "Reid to Obama: 'Lay off Las Vegas'".  He went on to say, "The President needs to lay off Las Vegas and stop making it the poster child for where people shouldn't be spending their money.  To truly re-energize our economy, we need people to travel to Las Vegas.  I would much rather tourists and business travelers spend their money in Las Vegas than spend it overseas."  

Can I say one thing?  ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!  This was an amazingly honest thing for a president to say.  Usually we get the "go out and shop" speeches designed to make us as irresponsible as our government while we waste our money hoping to jump-start a weakened economy.  Well, I say great job Mr. President!  Do not back down from the lawmakers who obviously cower politically to the money making machine that is Las Vegas.  The city is a cesspool of filth!  There I said it.  I actually feel better now.  Besides legalized prostitution and gambling it has bankrupted many families over the years by capitalizing on addiction.

All our president did was to invoke common sense.  Be assured that if democrats, republicans, and Las Vegas are angry, then someone must have spoken the truth.  The Washington Post said that he veered from his notes when he said this.  If that is the case, then maybe he should do it more often.  I can't stand it when people bash everything a president does just because he is not in their party.  Well, I'm an independent and I criticized his actions less than a week ago but, today I am voicing my support.  I hope he does not cave to the politically correct people begging for apologies.  If anything, Harry Reid should apologize for encouraging Americans to be financial morons.

Discussions on Christianity- Part 2 of 7

This video is all about letting go.  Letting go of self, sin, and whatever is holding us back from God.  He has already done the hard part.  Watch the video.  Is it hard to let go of our "stuff"?  Is it ever hard for you to trust God?  Let's talk.

Discussions on Christianity- Part 1 of 7

 

This is the first video in a series of seven.  I will be posting one each day for the next week.  It is my hope that we can discuss the topics that will be addressed.  This first one deals with legalism within the church.  Please watch the video even if you have already seen it.  Then leave your opinion here on the blog so that we can discuss the topic together.

This is open to anyone regardless of faith.  I am sure that whether you are a "Christian" or not, you have at least met some claiming to be and have formed an opinion.  Be sure to check back each day this week for the next installment.  These are all videos that I made in the past 6 months.  I would like very much to have a great discussion on the topics that will be presented this week.

Don't worry--I will still be blogging on politics, pop culture and any weird or random thing that flows through my brain!

How I would Improve the Twilight Saga!

Team Edward!  Team Jacob!  It is all I hear when visiting middle school students from my youth group at lunch.  I am going to submit my official opinion of the Twilight Saga here and now!  It needs help.

I could fix the entire series with one simple plot change.  First of all let me set the scene.  It all takes place in the second book entitled New Moon.  Edward deserts Bella, and Jacob becomes the new squeeze.    Bella gets asked to a movie by Mike, and Jacob is there in time to crash the date.  Jacob then bails as he experiences a werewolf's coming of age.  Jacob and Edward return and Bella chooses Edward.  Boo!  The story-line is too simple.  Bella and Edward are destined for each other and Jacob is not even a viable option when Edward is in the picture.  So, where is the plot?

I suggest that Jacob leaves earlier and Edward stays gone for a while longer.   Meanwhile Bella really starts to like Mike.  At the conclusion of New Moon she tells Jacob that he is not the guy for her.  After this, she starts to tell Mike that it is Edward she loves.  Then Mike replies in a high pitched voice, "I have failed my mission".  After that, Mike walks about ten steps and is beamed up into a spaceship.  Finally Bella exclaims, "Aliens, Werewolves, and Vampires?  What am I, a magnet for monsters?"  And the movie fades to credits.  Now that is a blockbuster.  Also I would end the entire series at this point.  That way it could pretend that it wasn't trying to be serious with a sparkling, undead, Luke Perry from 90210.

I actually did enjoy the movie, but I thought I would offer a suggestion for improvement if anyone would like to do an online fan fiction novel.  I may do a prequel myself of Edward as a kid.  I would call him Eddie and possibly put him in a family of monsters where he is actually the werewolf and his grandpa is the vampire.  Now if only I had a name for my book.  Monster family?  Monster Mash? Monstars? Munsters?  Yep, thats the one.  The Munsters!

President Obama Takes a Pot Shot at the Supreme Court!

I just finished watching our President give The State of the Union Address.  I must say first of all that he is a very gifted speaker.  It was also good to be reminded of our Congress' efforts to cut taxes this past year.  I do however have a single problem with the speech given tonight.

The State of The Union Address should not be a speech used to bully another branch of government.  Unlike Congress who cheers, claps or remains seated in partisan fashion, the Supreme Court respectfully declines from showing any partiality.  This should be commended, but it was not tonight.  President Obama purposely called them out on a ruling that he disagreed with and asked that Congress work to correct it.  Was their ruling good or bad?  It does not matter!  This was not the time or place to call into question an entire branch of government that helps to balance the separation of powers.

We were told tonight that the American people have a lack of trust when they see Congress vote along party lines.  Yet, we are willing to single out the only non-partisan branch of government.  They sat in the front, with their hands in their laps, as they took the bullying in stride.  That is except for one who reacted as if in shock.  Justice Alito quietly shook his head and mouthed "that's not true" as the rest of the Justices sat in silence.  I firmly respect our President, and I ask that he would extend respect to our other branches of government as well.  This is especially true in a speech like this.  One that should not be used for pot shots or political posturing.

The clip can be seen here:  President Obama vs. The Supreme Court

Leno Picked Over Conan? What is NBC Thinking?

Well, it's finally official:  Conan O'Brien is going to leave The Tonight Show.  I have been waiting for the final decision by NBC before blogging on this media frenzy.  The Tonight Show will once again become a show I avoid like the plague.

In my opinion, Jay Leno has never been very funny.  He reads lines from people that I would let go of if I were in his position.  What gets me is that he agreed in 2004 to step down, give the show to Conan, and retire in five years.  I can still remember clapping in an empty living room at the prospect of Conan moving up to a time slot where I could watch without being exhausted the following day.  If you think I'm exaggerating check out the original clip: Jay's Lie in 2004

Conan is not some shot in the dark person that had his chance and failed.  He was the heir to The Tonight Show that received almost no publicity so that NBC could promote the new Jay Leno Show at 10pm.  In a day that late night TV is declining they thought that maybe people would watch Leno as opposed to prime time dramas.  Yeah Right!  Conan has written for two of the longest running comedic enterprises on television--The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live.  He was hilarious in Late Night with Conan O'Brien as well as his brief stint as host of The Tonight Show.

Conan will get 32 million from NBC to step down and will be free to join a new network as early as September.  Fox has already approached him.  That alone should tell NBC that they made a mistake since Fox is the powerhouse that they once were.  I believe that we will see Conan overtake both Leno and Letterman from a network that knows how to properly promote a show.  You may or may not agree (or watch late night TV at all), but if you do, there are over 600,000 fans of the I'm with COCO group on Facebook where you can add yourself and show your support to the funniest man on late night television.  Stephen Colbert (The Colbert Report) is the second in case you are wondering.  If I sound a little perturbed it is because I am.  Conan has been a part of my late night viewing since I was 13 (and I am now 30).  Well, Conan, it was fun (and funny) while it lasted.

The Plan B Bill - A Continuation of Trampling on Parental Rights

Have you seen the Plan B Emergency Contraception commercials yet?  If not, you are in for one big misleading load of hooey.  The Plan B (or morning after pill) commercials are showing young teen girls that have had unprotected sex and letting them know that it is not too late. I want to address three problems that I have with this pill and our government's handling of it.  The first two are freebees but the third is a call to action.  Please read this with an open mind regardless of your stance on contraception and/or abortion.


First of all, let's talk about the message they are sending: unprotected sex does not lead to pregnancy.  This is only encouraging sexually active teens not to worry about whether or not they have any protection available if they are in the heat of the moment.  What does this mean?  We will see a rise in teens who are contracting STDs.  Pregnancy is the far greater scare since teens see peers that are pregnant or have babies.  The adolescent has a feeling of indestructibility (that live forever attitude), that causes STDs to not be a factor until a friend or they themselves contract one.


The second is the commercial's claim that the Plan B pill is not an abortion pill.  They back this notion up by saying that it cannot terminate a pregnancy if it has already begun.  They also claim that it will work for the first 72 hours after sex.  So when does a pregnancy begin?  Well, a pregnancy is charted by doctors as being the first day of a woman's last menstrual cycle.  They use this day since many women do not know the time they ovulate.  Scientists say that pregnancy (and viable life) begin at implantation.  Let's look at the facts though.  An egg can be fertilized in the first 24 hours after sex.  The DNA is now present in this first cell to make the baby into a unique individual.  All of the chromosomes necessary for human life.


You would guess from what scientists say, that the egg probably waits until implantation to begin dividing since it is not life yet.  This is not the case.  It begins to divide and grow shortly after conception and may remain in the fallopian tubes for several days before making its way to the uterus for implantation.  There are even ectopic (tubal) pregnancies that take place in the fallopian tubes.  This ends in death for the baby and happens to one in sixty pregnancies.  So if life and pregnancy can begin prior to the uterus, then what is the purpose of implantation?  It is for nourishment.  The baby will form an attachment in the form of an umbilical chord and will receive food necessary for growth until the time of birth.  Plan B does not always prevent life from occurring.  It does however, prevent life the food it needs to survive.


My third problem with Plan B is the government agenda driving its use.  The FDA had already moved it from a prescription drug to an over the counter drug for those over eighteen.  Now it is available to 17 year old girls or guys for their sexual partner.  U.S. District Judge Edward Korman, strong-armed the FDA into lowering the required age to 17 without parental consent.  The argument is now being made that any girl capable of becoming pregnant should be able to buy the pill without consent.  Let me get this straight.  Parents are legally responsible for raising their children and making decisions pertaining to their well being until eighteen except in this area?  A 17 year old who cannot even vote is being infused with rights that make it seem as if the age for being a minor  has changed.  


Parents should not stand for this continual trampling of parental rights by federal judges.  At the moment, parental rights are not in the constitution and are supposed to be left to the states.  We need a constitutional amendment guaranteeing parental rights while there is still time--before our multiple treaties and international law dictate to us how to raise our children.  You may say this is not possible .  Well, let me direct you to Article Six of our constitution:  This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.  


Please share this blog with everyone you can.  We need to do something while we still have rights as parents.  Write, email, or call your congressional representatives and ask them to propose an amendment to the constitution guaranteeing rights to parents pertaining to raising children.  Do not let this blog become an "I told you so" for years to come.