The First Thing a Christian Shouldn't Say

Phrases I Think Christians Shouldn't Say
This was the title of a post I read that was recommended by someone I respected on Facebook.  It was written by a preacher and he gave examples of the kinds of things he thought people shouldn't say who claim to be Christians.  He introduced his arguments against these thoughtless phrases by saying that sometimes he cursed.  Maybe not often, but he felt it was acceptable when he couldn't do anything else. to let slip a curse or two.  He gave very human reasons why this was OK.  You can read his article by clicking this link Phrases I Think Christians Shouldn't Say.

I agree with him about most of the thoughtless, empty phrases, but I don't agree that cursing is a recourse a Christian should take.  Cursing  does not do anything to mitigate the damage caused by a wreck or a storm.  Cursing may vent the anger of the one who is cursing, but it does not restore the heart or life of those who  suffered damage.


He cited the example of devastation so complete that the results went beyond human ability to remedy.  In that kind of case, he felt a curse might slip out.  Indeed, you might hear curses in that scenario, but it is not helpful and it is still sin.  The Gospel of Mark 3:28-29 says that all sins will be forgiven, even blasphemy against God the Father and the Son, but not against the Holy Spirit, so those who choose to blaspheme need to be careful whom they  offend.  Just a minute, even Mark still calls it a sin in need of repentance.  But in the face of a tsunami or a hurricane or a plane crash, maybe it's OK.  NOT!!!


God calls us to use words of blessing, not curses, to attack the pain and disaster in the world.  Psalms 19:14--Let the worlds of my mouth and the medications of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord my strength and my redeemer--is often quoted before a speaker or a preacher begins to speak, but I don't believe that is the only place our words should be examined.  I don't think Christians, preachers or laymen, are called to curse in the face of need or evil.

Christians are called to live as an example of love and care and exhibit a standard of behavior that is in line with our example--Jesus.  If, indeed, we find a curse or other language that is unworthy of Christian demeanor in our mouths, we don't have to justify it or give excuses for it.  We just need to repent it.  We must view that slip as a sin.  We need to do more than ask God to forgive the words; we need to ask him to cleanse our minds and hearts, as well.  James 3:10 Out of the mouth come praise and cursing.  My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

Our praises are corrupted by the curses as the fresh water would be corrupted by the tainted water in the spring if they flowed together.

Bottom line--The first thing a Christian shouldn't say is a curse.

The Political Scandal Next Door

I have posted some comments on the sad decline of human morals based on the political scandals in the US.  I did a little research and found that countries all over the world are subject to the same kind of behavior that I have seen in the States.  This crime against righteousness and conscience is not limited or confined.  It is worldwide!  


Guess what?  It accompanies all human endeavors.  Selfishness is a global problem.  Men and women of all nationalities and races and beliefs fall to the temptation of money and power and sex.  And we also seem to universally condemn the flaw in the character of those who seek high office when they succumb.


One of the big stories in the US at the present is the trial of John Edwards because of funds contributed to him that were used for his mistress's expenses.  There is a great deal more to this sordid affair if you want to research it.


Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi paid Karima el-Mahroug a night club dancer who performs under the name Ruby Heart-stealer for sex.  According to the charges she was underage when the relationship began.


Russia--The State Duma is the lower house of the Russian Parliament.  It was accused of being a rubber stamp for Dimitry Medvedev's initiatives.  In May of 2010 a new law against drunk driving passed by a vote of 440 out of 450.  The problem arose when it was revealed that only 88 deputies showed up for work that day.  There was a video of people running from desk to desk to press the "Yes" button.

Silvio Berlusconi , the Prime Minister of Italy, a former cruise ship lounge singer, and no stranger to the legal system, was charged many times with fraud, bribery, and corruption, but those allegations were overshadowed by his sex scandals.  Patrizia D'Addario claimed that Berlusconi had been her client on three occasions.  He was also linked with Noemi Letizia who was a minor at the time.


John Major was the British Prime Minister when it was discovered that British Ministry of Defense employees had coached the Saddam Hussein regime on how to get export licenses to transport weapons components made by Matrix Churchill to Iraq. Findings of the investigation damaged the Conservative Party and Major lost the election.

Valentin Kovalev, the Russian Minister of Justice was forced to step down when videos of him cavorting with women in a night club bathhouse surfaced. The films substantiated rumors of his links to one of Russia's organized crime rings.


Chin Shui-bian was elected president of Taiwan in 2000.  It was his son-in-law who first brought scandal to his office, but by the time all was said and done, his son, his daughter-in-law and his wife all were included.  He and his family members were first assessed a life sentence for embezzlement and insider trading, but it was commuted to 20 years.


Iris Robinson was a member of the Northern Ireland Parliament and her husband Peter Robinson was the leader of the government.  Mrs. Robinson had an extramarital affair with a 19 year old for whom she secured government funds of $80,000 for him to open a restaurant.  Her husband's career was damaged in the fallout over this event and hers was ended.


Am I just being judgmental?  Pointing fingers at those in power?Do we hold them to a higher standard?  I guess I believe we all should stand firm on that higher standard.  To make a better nation or a better world, we need to live up to our claims of honesty and righteousness.  It's not just the poor and down-trodden that should be honest and forthright.  It's everybody.

If you want to review the slides and get more information about these and other scandals, click here.

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

I love humor.  I love to view life with humor and find the value of humor in dealing with stressful and painful situations.  It is refreshing and strengthening.  If I can find humor in a situation or event, it reduces the stress and makes it more tolerable.  I have been studying the way humor is expressed in cultures other than my own.  I have written posts on this blog that indicate my disgust with the Secret Service mess created by agents in Columbia, so I think maybe that is too serious right now for me to find humor in it.  


Sometimes people in the most dire situations find humor helps them survive.  When my husband was dying, he had a respirator and could not speak.  He was awake and alert, and he had things he wanted us to do.  He made hand gestures that my daughters and I tried to decipher.  We guessed wrong and he got frustrated, but eventually we got it right.  We laughed and he even smiled as he saw how ridiculous it all was.  The memory makes his passing less painful.


In most jokes the humor rests in the misunderstanding or change in some expected behavior.
For instance a frog called the Psychic Hotline and he was told, "You are going to meet a beautiful young girl who will want to know everything about you."
The frog says, "This is great!  Will I meet her at a party?"
"No," says the psychic.  "Next semester in her biology lab."

Old one-liners provide a twist to get a laugh.  This is a standard from my childhood.
Q. Why did the chicken cross the road?
A. To get to the other side.


Q. Why did the chicken cross the road?
A. To show the armadillo it was possible.
This one is good in Texas or the Southwest.


Q. Why did the chicken cross the road?
A. To get away from Colonel Sanders.
This one goes over great in Fast Food venues and Kentucky.


Q. Why did the chicken cross the road twice?
A. He was a double crosser.
This one is as old as I am.


Q. Why did the chicken cross the playground?
A. To get to the other slide.
In this one the rhyme provides the twist.


Q. Why did the Iraqi chicken cross the road?
A. To take over the other side.
Political humor crosses the road, too.


Q. Why did the chicken cross the beach?
A. To get to the other tide.
Let your imagination run wild.


Q. Why did the dinosaur cross the road?
A. Chickens hadn't evolved yet.
Very scientific chicken.


Q: Why did chicken cross road?

A: I have not seen chicken since I was very young, on my parents' farm. This is before the Cossacks slaughtered them. I can still hear screams of sister as soldiers rape her. But back to question, where did you see chicken? I am very, very hungry.

This is a joke I found on the net that was attributed to Latvia.  Historical events may become a setting for jokes.  Sometimes, as I said before, the joke may reduce the pain of the true situation so that you can at least talk about it.

The Ugly American--Again!

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 28: Comedian Jimmy Kimmel delivers remarks at the 2012 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner held at the Washington Hilton on April 28, 2012 in Washington, DC. This was the 98th annual dinner and was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

The Secret Service debacle was the subject of teasing and fun at the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday, April 28.  Both the president and speaker Jimmy Kimmel referred to the   juvenile   exploits of these top of the line national security forces.  I guess you have to be more sophisticated than I am to find this behavior funny.  For the men in the black suits, I guess it is just business as usual.  I was personally insulted that they represented our country in the international arena with such poor taste.


I wonder how the people of Columbia look at us now.  Were they as insulted as I was that government employees of a visiting nation would involve their citizens in such a disreputable event?  One woman stated in an interview that her efforts were directed toward reducing the exploitation of underage girls through prostitution.  Some newspaper reports implied that Columbia was well known for the quality of its prostitution.  For the people who are struggling to change their international reputation, this kind of behavior from government representatives is a severe affront.


It seems that all the Secret Service officials have done is assure the public that there was no breech of security and hastily cover up the whole mess.  The president accepted no responsibility and I am insulted by that.  I would like to announce to the people of Columbia that the people I know find this very bad behavior a reason for an apology--I am sorry citizens of my country displayed such poor manners in your presence and held your country up to ridicule. 

Russian Christians and American Christians--Unite!

Thousands gathered Sunday outside Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow to pray for the defense of the faith from irreligious and secular social forces.  It's funny that I just thought that sort of pressure was happening in the USA.  For more on the story click here. 

Last Christmas there was a huge protest to the Manger Scene on the Court House lawn from a group in Wisconsin called Freedom from Religion.  Apparently the problems in Russia are similar to the ones we are facing in East Texas.  In Moscow a female rock group entered the Cathedral and performed an obscenity-laced "punk prayer."  The group left when a priest ordered them out.  Henderson County pastors are planning an assembly in the county seat of Athens to make a similar protest to the one in Moscow.  


All of this seems to be directed at the Christian faith.  Our churches and our symbols are under attack from freedom fighters.  The freedom fighters need to wake up--It was the Christians who fought for freedom from slavery, segregation, unjust rule, oppression, and women's rights.  If you really want freedom, the Christians are you allies. 

The Ugly American--Still?

The Ugly American was a political novel published in 1958 written by Eugene Burdick and William Lederer and the events it described gave the USA a really bad black eye.  I am not active in the international arena, but it seems to me that the Secret Service and other scandals of this nature would keep the reputation alive for another generation.  Is there any way to change that?  I just write these dumb blogs, but for some reason I have been getting readers from all over the world.  It makes me wonder why?  Am I offending those I'll never meet by my opinions and prattling?


I hope not!  It thrills me to have readers in Russia, and India, and Bangladesh.  Sometimes I get a lot of readers in some location that seems very remote from me, and I can't help but wonder why.  


These readers make me want to learn about the countries and the cultures represented.  Where do they work?  What do they eat?  What kind of music do they listen to?  What is their style of worship?  Maybe I'll find out and share my results with the rest of you. At least I'll learn something new. I've thought travel would be out of my budget and now I have an opportunity to research a lot of new places.  Watch for my stuff.  Send comments if I get it wrong.  I don't want to be The Ugly American.  

Baptism Should Mean Something

Recently someone asked me if I could give an account of my salvation, and I can't.  I am saved according to all I understand from the Bible about the meaning of salvation, but I got here by a circuitous route--it was not the simple act of asking Jesus to forgive my sin and live in my heart as I have heard many times over the years.  Here is the story; if you see how it happened, let me know.


When I was nine years old, someone came to my Sunday school class on the Sunday before Palm Sunday and asked if any of us wanted to join the church on Palm Sunday.  The District Superintendent was going to visit on Palm Sunday, and somebody, the preacher of some of the teachers, thought it would look good to have a bunch of kids get baptized and join the church that day.


Reflecting on the event I question this method of evangelism.  It seems artificial and unchristian.  Nothing I have learned about salvation is included in here.


On Palm Sunday there I was in my new pink taffeta dress with 14 other kids my age and some older.  My mother was there for moral support.  My chief concern was the disastrous effect the water the D.S. put on my head in the sacred act would make my curls fall.


I went to Church off and on through my high school years.  My mother died the year after the baptism, and my father was not a member of the Church.  Others relatives and friends wooed me to Church for Vacation Bible School and parties.  Eventually I began to get a sense of guilt about my foolish and stupid behavior which I read as conviction.  I never strayed far from Church.  It was safe and I knew people there.  Mostly they were friendly.


I'll be 76 years old on my birthday, and I still cannot tell you when I began to believer in Jesus as my Lord and my Savior.  I guess I find it a little embarrassing that I cannot identify the time I first truly believed in Jesus.  I find the fact of salvation astonishing and Jesus' sacrifice on the cross absolutely amazing, but I don't know the time when it became real to me.  I do know that on Palm Sunday of the year I was 9 is the time when Jesus believed in me.  He led me and guided me and spoke to me since that day even though I just did it to look good for the D. S. on Palm Sunday.