Category: Popular Culture
Updated on November 30, 2023
Who Are The Top Five “Hallmark” Rom-Com Actresses?
What Is A TV Rom-Com?
A Romantic Comedy (Rom-Com) is exactly what it claims to be, a comedy whose plot involves a romantic story. The story usually includes people reuniting after many years of separation, or two folks from different worlds, or backgrounds, are somehow thrown together and discover they have more in common than they thought. A big lie, or some sort of deception, often is used initially to bring the couple together. This often becomes a final plot point that undermines the relationship – until it is ultimately restored in some dramatic way. These almost always have a happy ending, and the same plot is often repeated in different settings with different actors.
Updated on January 13, 2023
99 Luftballoons – January 1983 Remembered
The Beginning Of The End
In January of 1983, I was beginning the last semester of my Senior Year in High School. And the only thing on my mind was leaving home and heading off to college. I had arranged my schedule where I had just one required course – English Literature for Seniors – basically college prep, and an elective class – German III. The remainder of my day was a mix of working in the office/homeroom – which became an extended, often off campus lunch time. A class on being a consumer. The concept being that we would learn everything from buying cars to homes, financing, taxes etc. – My assignment, as the only Senior was to set up interesting field trips to expand our knowledge base. And a few other classes like that which required very little homework, or study. I was working about 30 hours a week at the new Tom Thumb Supermarket and did not have the time to mess with homework. If it couldn’t be finished at school, in class, or during homeroom, it did not get completed.
Updated on September 28, 2022
Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? Truth Or Treat?
Much of Halloween glorifies evil and darkness, and is designed to instill fear. Believers should have nothing to do with any of these.
Updated on August 26, 2022
The Chosen – A New Perspective on Jesus And The Woman At The Well
The Chosen – Now Streaming Online
I’ve watched The Chosen, Season 1 & 2 and was quite pleased. The quality is very impressive for a crowd funded production. Unlike Gospel of John, which kept very carefully to the Book, there was plenty of creativity employed. But unlike the debacles of Exodus: Gods and Kings (Moses) and Noah, it does not undermine the story. Instead it supports the narrative. Case in point, the clip below is one of my favorite stories – Jesus and the woman at the well. This story has been butchered and reimagined for centuries. Many have assumed she was a prostitute, or notorious tart – when nothing in Scripture even suggests this. Life was just hard for women in the 1st century. Men died, divorced, and abandoned their wives for a host of reasons. She was a woman who had a very poor self image – no surprise after what she had endured.
Posted on April 29, 2018
He Was A Good Man
“A short time ago, my dad died. He was an atheist, but he had all four of his children baptized. He was a good man. Is Dad in heaven?”
You can hear the Pope’s answer below.
Pope gives sweet answer to heartsick boy who lost his papa
Our hearts break for this little boy who lost his father. When he told Pope Francis that he was worried his papa wasn’t in heaven, the Pope had a beautiful response.
Posted by Detroit Free Press on Friday, April 27, 2018
I’m not here to criticize his response. The question grabbed my attention as I thought about how I would respond. The boy in the picture looked no older than 10. I may be wrong, as kids are getting so much bigger at much earlier ages. Certainly, the child’s maturity would factor into any explanation I would attempt to share.
Only God can answer such a question definitively, as He is the only one that knows what is in every person’s heart. And a mature Believer can be confident, based on God’s Word, of their present state in Christ, and future with His Heavenly Father. (Romans 8:31-39, 1 John 3:18-24)
It is not uncommon for the parents and family of criminals or terrorists, to claim that their child or brother was a good man. They only saw what was on the outside, how the individual behaved in their presence. God knows our thoughts, desires, and dreams. He sees what is done behind closed doors and in darkness. And more importantly, He knows who truly is in His family. (John 10:1-18)
But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. — 1 Samuel 16:7 (<AMP>)
And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. — Luke 18:18-19 (<KJV>)
Updated on October 19, 2022
My Top 5 Favorite Songs From The 1980s
My top 5 favorite songs from the 1980s, and why that decade was so awesome.
Updated on June 23, 2016
There Is A Way That Seems Right To Man
Marriage is not a legal right. The question should never have gone to trial. Marriage is a covenant, ordained by God between one man and one woman. That has always been the ideal. Adam was created first. Eve was taken from him. Meaning that the two together were one complete person. God, who knows the heart of individuals, brings them together in marriage to be a whole person – spirit, soul, and body. Anything that deviates from this original ideal leads to problems, as is obvious from the many examples in the Bible, and life itself.
The question is, in a Constitutional Republic, how do you guarantee the rights of Believers, while accommodating the desires of the world. In this case, the only solution is to get the government completely out of the marriage business. They had no business getting involved in the first place. You don’t redefine and diminish the marriage covenant, to indulge the world.
I will defer to the legal experts on how best to make this work. Instead, I would prefer to address the Biblical and Spiritual aspects of this issue. The moment this case made news, everyone on the planet was suddenly a Biblical scholar. Even some clergy got in the act, telling us that we did not understand God’s Will on this issue. So let’s dive in and see what God’s Word has to say on this topic.
It must be made perfectly clear that a Believer in Jesus, a follower of His Word, does not hate homosexuals, or any sinner for that matter. Sin means separation from God. Everyone is born spiritually dead, the sin nature has severed the connection to God, and instead connected them to the father of lies, Satan. There is only one way to reconnect to your Heavenly Father – faith in Jesus Christ, making Him Lord of your life. (Romans 10:6-13) It is God’s Will, and He is very patient, that all be saved. (Mark 16:14-16, John 3:14-17, 1 Timothy 2:1-6, 2 Peter 3:9) He wants you to choose Life, to choose Him. In this dispensation, He will never force you to choose Him, and protect your right to reject Him, all the way to the grave. And even to the very end, He will continue to love you, reach out to you, and desire that you turn to Him, so that you may be saved, not only in this life, but be eternally with Him.
For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord. — Romans 6:23 (<AMP>)
Its spiritual death, and then the rejection of Jesus that brings judgment. Sins are simply a symptom of the fallen nature in unbelievers, and an unrenewed mind, or the sin nature still influencing a Believer. Sins have consequences, and they are often not pleasant. Satan has one clear mission – to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus came to give Life, in abundance, and to the full. (John 10:10) Don’t make Satan’s job any easier.
Sexual sins – adultery, fornication, homosexuality, molestation, and rape are especially egregious because they so often affect others, sometimes whole nations. From the Bible, we can see how adultery can break up families, lead to murder, and even civil war. Fornication can lead to unwanted pregnancies, murder of the unborn, health complications, and emotional scars. Sexual perversion and abuse creates both physical and emotional victims, who often repeat the cycle. When it comes to sexual sins, there are no winners. That is why God has established the ideal. He is not a killjoy. He identifies sin and tells you to avoid it because He knows what comes from it. He knows you better than you know yourself. He sees the very best in you, and knows that the enemy is looking for an opportunity to deprive you of everything, including your life. Sin may seem exciting at first, but it rarely ends well.
The left is fond of pushing the narrative that anyone who preaches against homosexuality is preaching hate. Some countries are already prosecuting preachers, and the persecution of churches is well underway here in America. The homosexual community once called for tolerance. Now, they demand endorsement of their lifestyle choice. This is done by intimidation, lawsuits, and in some cases violence. In order to accommodate a very tiny, but seemingly powerful group, freedom of speech and religion are to be compromised. What has become of this once free nation? Can we not disagree, and not be disagreeable?
What prompted this article was reading some of the musings of preachers on this issue. I was amazed at their willingness to abandon Scripture, claiming Believers simply misunderstand God’s Word. And even demanding that the Bible be altered to reflect the times we live in and embrace homosexuality, well, in the same way churches have accepted most sexual sins. I am also amused when they change their views based on the majority opinion. Somehow, I don’t think God works by consensus. I’m not going to link to any of their posts because my goal is not to embarrass anyone.
So much of Christendom has become nothing more than religion. They teach a social gospel, having long ago abandoned preaching the Word. The Seed, the Word of God sown in the spirit brings Life. Religion can’t do this. It cannot be earned. Only the Word of God can accomplish this in someone’s heart. God’s Word is alive and powerful (Hebrews 4:12). It is the source of the Believer’s armor, and the only offensive weapon for spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-17). Religion evolves, theologians change opinions, but the Word of God is Eternal, Incorruptible Seed (1 Peter 1:13-25). The Word is the source of faith, and its impossible to please God without faith (Romans 10:17, Hebrews 11:6). It is milk for babes in Christ, but meat for the spiritually mature. (Hebrews 5:10-14, 1 Peter 2:1-3). If you want to change someone’s fruit, you must first change their root. The only way that happens is by people hearing God’s Word.
Can two walk together, except they be agreed? — Amos 3:3 (<KJV>)
So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. — John 8:31-32 (<AMP>)
Updated on June 23, 2015
Green Is The New Gospel
I remember my Mother’s expression when I started asking about moving to Mexico. She was a Spirit-filled Believer, and a mature woman of God rarely moved by fear. She sat me down with the Bible and explained from God’s Word His plan for man and the Earth. Even at such a young age, I had peace in my heart. In my head though, I had a whole lot of anger for those who attempted to peddle such nonsense to children. Its bad enough we get this garbage daily through the media, schools, and politicians. When it comes from the religious, especially those who claim to know God and His Word, it is highly offensive.
Archbishop of Canterbury joins faith leaders calling for urgent action on climate change:
https://twitter.com/lambethpalaceSince climate change and the global economy now affect us all, we have to develop a sense of the oneness of humanity.
https://twitter.com/DalaiLama
Apparently, just about every denomination is getting in on the fun, some with a more generic “take care of the planet” response, while others read more like The Communist Manifesto. The latest missive from Rome falls somewhere between the two. Concern for the environment – clean water and air, preservation of species and habitat, and quality of life are all good things. NOBODY is against clean water. Those who are “looking for quick and easy profit” as the Pope puts it, very often are, in fact, truly interested in their preservation. Who is more likely to preserve and care for deer, a government bureaucrat on public property, or a hunter on his own land? Who takes better care of their home, people living on the backs of taxpayers in government housing, or someone who owns their own home?
Take a look at the United States, and the quality of the environment versus developing nations to our South, many of which have been dominated by Catholicism for centuries. What is the difference? There is far more freedom in the US. Prosperity always flows from freedom. Progress always flows from prosperity. A prosperous nation is far more capable of innovation that corrects environmental challenges, whether real or imagined.
Quoting another religious monarch, the Pope added this.
Patriarch Bartholomew has spoken in particular of the need for each of us to repent of the ways we have harmed the planet, for “inasmuch as we all generate small ecological damage”, we are called to acknowledge “our contribution, smaller or greater, to the disfigurement and destruction of creation”. He has repeatedly stated this firmly and persuasively, challenging us to acknowledge our sins against creation: “For human beings… to destroy the biological diversity of God’s creation; for human beings to degrade the integrity of the earth by causing changes in its climate, by stripping the earth of its natural forests or destroying its wetlands; for human beings to contaminate the earth’s waters, its land, its air, and its life – these are sins”. For “to commit a crime against the natural world is a sin against ourselves and a sin against God”.
Updated on April 7, 2015
Freedom From Religion
To understand what religion is, you must travel back to the beginning. God created Adam from the dust of the ground and filled him with spiritual life. He placed His children in the Garden and gave them dominion over the Earth.
However, they weren’t alone for long. There was an enemy present, Satan. His rebellion before led to a catastrophic judgment of Earth, leaving it in darkness, and covered with water. This was the condition when God recreated the earth in Genesis 1. He was an outsider, an intruder, and had Adam or Eve exercised their authority, they could have sent him packing. Instead, he engaged in a conversation with Eve. And she listened to what he had to say.
The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”
“Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied.
“It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”
“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman.
“God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” — Genesis 3:1-5 (<NLT>)
Updated on June 25, 2015
I Would Not Have You To Be Ignorant, Brethren
This is where knowledge of God’s Word, His Truth, is so very important. Faith comes from hearing His Word, not fear. If something in the Bible makes you afraid, you may have misunderstood, or failed to rightly divide the Word. The Word of God is Truth. It is meant to set you free from fear, bondage, and even the bondage of religious tradition. Since God has provided so many answers to questions concerning the End Times, its sad to see people ignore what is written.
For Part 1 On The End Times – Its The End Of The World As We Know It
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 <KJV>)
Updated on August 29, 2014
Its The End Of The World As We Know It
Where is the wise man (the philosopher)? Where is the scribe (the scholar)? Where is the investigator (the logician, the debater) of this present time and age? Has not God shown up the nonsense and the folly of this world’s wisdom?
(1 Corinthians 1:20 <AMP>)
Let no person deceive himself. If anyone among you supposes that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool [let him discard his worldly discernment and recognize himself as dull, stupid, and foolish, without true learning and scholarship], that he may become [really] wise. For this world’s wisdom is foolishness (absurdity and stupidity) with God, for it is written, He lays hold of the wise in their [own] craftiness; And again, The Lord knows the thoughts and reasonings of the [humanly] wise and recognizes how futile they are.
(1 Corinthians 3:18-20 <AMP>)
Updated on November 4, 2022
Do You Believe In Love?
There is nothing wrong with romance and attraction. But that type of love, and those types of feelings, will not be the firm foundation you need to build a committed relationship. You need a love that is spiritual, eternal, and cannot fail. This is not a feeling, but a supernatural force that can change you into a reflection of Love Himself, who is Truth.
Updated on August 22, 2013
George Carlin On Religion – A Response
There is a reason that people have continually looked for something greater than themselves. To put it simply, there is something greater. One cannot rationally examine creation and not see the handiwork of a master designer. From the smallest organism to the heavenly bodies, everything has been designed to work perfectly within their prescribed place. And you want educated people to accept that this was all just some big cosmic accident? That would take a whole lot of faith.
Updated on February 5, 2012
Christmas Is Just Presents?
The decline and dismissal of Christmas. Why the Christmas holiday is still one of greatest celebrations in the history of mankind.
Updated on October 18, 2022
My Favorite 80s Music Cover Songs
Cover songs for some of my favorite hits from the 80s. Featuring 311, Ace Of Base, Letters To Cleo, Alizee, No Doubt, Orgy and others.
Updated on August 19, 2011
Moi C’est – Camélia Jordana
Moi C’est - A song by Camélia Jordana is today's Finnish Friday selection.
Updated on August 19, 2011
Missä Muruseni On – Jenni Vartiainen
Missä Muruseni On - A song by Jenni Vartiainen, the music selection for Finnish Friday.
Updated on August 19, 2011
Ehkä ensi elämässä – Johanna Kurkela
Ehkä ensi elämässä - A song by Johanna Kurkela, the music selection for Finnish Friday.
Updated on August 19, 2011
Love Machine – Melissa Mars
Today's video selection for Finnish Friday is Love Machine, a post-apocalyptic search for love by Melissa Mars.
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Updated on November 22, 2011
Ode To Blog Spam
by harrison
Spam comments - the ridiculous and unusual in my spam comment folder.
read more
Category: Business, Personal, Popular Culture Tags: blog, ridiculous comments, spam, spam-bots