This is from the Motley Fool, a great financial website, and the link to the actual article by Seth Jayson is here. I have copied the article and placed it below:
Paulson's Plan to Punish the Public
By Seth Jayson November 30, 2007
If you don't learn from the past: If the mortgage crisis and housing bubble have taught us one thing, it should be to watch out for the unintended consequences of greed. Unfortunately, our nation's legislators and political appointees haven't learned that lesson. Recent plans for housing and mortgage bailouts generally run from dumb to dumber. Today, The Wall Street Journal reported on yet another scheme, reportedly being spearheaded by Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson. It's an idea so naively populist and antimarket that you would think it came from Hugo Chavez, Evo Morales, or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, if not for its cringe-inducing, Beltway-wonk moniker: the Hope Now Alliance.
In short, bankers and loan-servicing outfits are going to lower interest rates on strapped borrowers so they don't lose their houses. How much, how long, and who qualifies are all still up in the air. No doubt, this will sound good to those folks who signed on for mortgages they can't actually afford. It will also look good to politicians angling to score points before the next election, and to bleeding hearts everywhere. It will also look good to select mortgage-industry players -- like Countrywide Financial (NYSE: CFC) and Citigroup (NYSE: C), which could really use a government-led bailout.
Unfortunately, this ill-conceived salve will ultimately punish the silent majority of Americans, people who didn't go out and make boneheaded financial decisions over the past half-decade.
Let's take a look at why.
A history of the housing Ponzi scheme: Since 2001, too-cheap financing pumped up housing prices to ridiculous levels. This was enabled by speculative lending from Wall Street to Main Street: Big banks like Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), Bear Stearns (NYSE: BSC) and others were providing the lending capital to outfits like death-watch candidate Countrywide, mostly dead NovaStar Financial and Impac Mortgage Holdings, along with dozens of completely dead lenders. They did this by purchasing mortgage loans from these lenders so that they could chop them into mortgage-backed securities of dizzying complexity and dubious credit quality, which were, in turn, sold to suckers ... er, "investors" all over the world.
This provided a musical-chairs-like situation in which lenders produced as much volume as they could, no matter how bad the loans or credit risk, because they got paid to pass that risk along, through Wall Street's Wise bankers, to whatever "investor" ended up with the loans, in the form of stuff called MBS, CDOs, CDO-squared, R2D2, and so on. There was a flood of money to the lenders, which stimulated excessive demand, in turn stimulating excessive price appreciation. (You will note that there was no Paulson-led "Hope Now Alliance" coming together at that point to try and rein in this dangerous orgy of greed, though the consequences were plain to anyone who bothered to examine it.)
Greedy flippers and naive homebuyers resorted to gimmicky loans, like interest-only and "option" adjustable-rate mortgages, because it was the only way they could pay inflated prices for the properties they wanted. They got a few years of artificially low payments, thanks to artificially low teaser rates. The catch was that when the loans reset after a few years, they'd jump up several points, to 9%, 10%, 11%.
This may not sound like a big deal, until you run the math on the payments to see that many people would be facing twice the mortgage bill they were used to. Now that those mortgages are resetting and home prices are dropping like rocks, they can't make their payments, and they can't flip the houses for a profit, so loans are defaulting. The fancy securities -- what I call Wall Street dog food -- have become nearly worthless, and the music has stopped, without any chairs for anyone. Ironically, stupid, leveraged bets on these lousy securities have crippled the banks themselves, and CEOs and other execs have been getting the boot at places like Citigroup, Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER), and Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS).
Hank to the rescue!: Hank Paulson's latest plan to protect homebuyers from their own mistakes is simple: Lenders extend those teaser rates for a few years. It's a win-win, right? What's the harm, especially when there's no bill to pay? You just reset those interest rates to low levels, and everything will be fine, right? Who could be against a policy that would keep Americans in their homes? One negotiated with the private sector itself?
This Fool, for one.
Making the credit crunch crunchier: Remember, the only reason those teaser-rate loans were made in the first place was because lenders (and thus the investors buying the mortgages from the lenders) could count on a much larger, contractually guaranteed payoff in the future, when those interest rates were due to reset. Take away that payoff, and you take away any incentive to loan to borrowers of marginal credit quality. Usher in an era when government and banks reset loan rates at their whim, and you can be sure that investors will never again buy securities based on adjustable-rate mortgages.
If you think credit is tight now, just wait until you yank away potential returns from the people putting up the capital for all those loans.
And let's not forget that Paulson's plan introduces an incredible moral hazard. By rescuing greedy and naive borrowers from their mistakes, our government encourages others to take big, stupid, bankruptcy-inducing risks, secure in the knowledge that the government will bail them out when times get rough. That means trillions of dollars in capital will be ill-invested yet again, something that's much less likely to happen when speculators are made to suffer the consequences of their behavior.
No free lunches: Here's another problem. Someone is going to have to foot the bill for this. Banks and associated entities that will, over the short term, finance this homeowner bailout are not going to do it out of the goodness of their hearts. Reported Hope Now Alliance honchos such as Countrywide and Citigroup (NYSE: C) are, I'm certain, only doing this because they hope it will be cheaper than having to pay up for their lending sins all at once. Moreover, it gives them a chance to look like good guys who care about the commoners -- never mind that they were quite happy to fleece borrowers with gawd-awful mortgage "affordability products" for years.
Still, this will sting some of these banks and mortgage servicers, so you can bet they're going to pass along the costs. They're going to do it by firing employees. (Countrywide and Citigroup are already doing that.) They're going to do it by moving offices to offshore tax havens, outsourcing, closing branches, lowering deposit rates, hiking fees, and whatever else it takes. (Golden parachutes for Wall Street failures are pricey.)
Worst of all, they're going to do it by soaking future borrowers -- people like the majority of us, who didn't do something stupid -- with higher rates than we would have otherwise paid for mortgage loans, credit cards, and commercial loans. They'll have to. They've got their own lenders to pay, and those lenders aren't going to simply hand over-stretched Americans a pile of money.
Foolish final thought: There's another reason that Paulson's latest plan will punish the public. It will have the effect of artificially supporting a home-price bubble that desperately needs a correction. Historical rent-to-purchase data show just how far home prices need to come down in order to return to mean. That requires a painful drop, and it will happen sooner or later.
Paulson's plan means fewer homes dumped back on the market at lower prices, where they belong. Now that he's a politician and not the CEO of Goldman Sachs, Paulson apparently believes that the market shouldn't be allowed to correct on its own. He's wrong about that, and he's wrong to support any plan that will only delay the inevitable. Better the quick, painful correction than the decades-long, slow bleed that he's nurturing now. For evidence of how ugly things get when policymakers try to coddle the financial industry rather than let the market apply its harsher, faster, medicines, just take a look at how long the banking mess continued in Japan.
Of course, a decade from now, if the economy is still suffering because of an ill-conceived housing bailout plan designed to win favor with the public and cover the economic hind-end of his boss, George Bush, Paulson won't have to issue any gomen nasai. He'll already be long gone, retired to his millions.
You and I will pay the bills.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
The First Time
The lyrics below are from Lifehouse's newest song, "The First Time". I finally listened to the lyrics today and was overwhelmed. When I fell in love with my wife back in 2000, I couldn't think of words to describe what I was feeling at the time. But much as I have used music in my life to express emotions, the song I needed 7 years ago was finally written. Ann Bailey Saylor, this is how I felt about 3 days into my first Nashville visit.
The First Time
We're both looking for something
We've been afraid to find
It's easier to be broken
It's easier to hide
Looking at you,holding my breath,
For once in my life,
I'm scared to death,
I'm taking a chance,letting you inside.
Feeling alive all over again,
As deep as the sky, under my skin
Like being in love, she says
For the first time
Maybe I'm wrong,
But I'm feeling right where I belong
With you tonight
Like being in love
To feel for the first time
The world that I see inside you
Waiting to come to life
Waking me up to dreaming
Reality in your eyes
Looking at you,
Holding my breath,
For once in my life
I'm scared to death,
I'm taking a chance,
Letting you inside.
I'm feeling alive all over again
As deep as the sky under my skin
Like being in love, she says, for the first time
Maybe I'm wrong, I'm feeling right
Where I belong with you tonight
Like being in love to feel for the first time
We're crashing
Into the unknown
We're lost in this
But it feels like home
I'm feeling alive all over again
As deep as the sky under my skin
Like being in love, she says, for the first time
Maybe I'm wrong, I'm feeling right
Where I belong with you tonight
Like being in love to feel for the first time
The First Time
We're both looking for something
We've been afraid to find
It's easier to be broken
It's easier to hide
Looking at you,holding my breath,
For once in my life,
I'm scared to death,
I'm taking a chance,letting you inside.
Feeling alive all over again,
As deep as the sky, under my skin
Like being in love, she says
For the first time
Maybe I'm wrong,
But I'm feeling right where I belong
With you tonight
Like being in love
To feel for the first time
The world that I see inside you
Waiting to come to life
Waking me up to dreaming
Reality in your eyes
Looking at you,
Holding my breath,
For once in my life
I'm scared to death,
I'm taking a chance,
Letting you inside.
I'm feeling alive all over again
As deep as the sky under my skin
Like being in love, she says, for the first time
Maybe I'm wrong, I'm feeling right
Where I belong with you tonight
Like being in love to feel for the first time
We're crashing
Into the unknown
We're lost in this
But it feels like home
I'm feeling alive all over again
As deep as the sky under my skin
Like being in love, she says, for the first time
Maybe I'm wrong, I'm feeling right
Where I belong with you tonight
Like being in love to feel for the first time
Thursday, August 02, 2007
John Piper's Letter About Minneapolis' Bridge Collapse
Putting My Daughter to Bed Two Hours After the Bridge Collapsed
What Do Tragedies Like This Mean for Us?
August 1, 2007
By John Piper
Read this resource on our website.
At about 6 PM tonight the bridge of Interstate 35W over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis
collapsed. I am writing this about three hours after the bridge fell. The bridge is located within sight of Bethlehem Baptist Church. Most of us who minister at the church cross this bridge several times a week. At this point I don’t know if any staff was on the bridge. Desiring God offices are about a mile from the bridge.
There are no firm facts at this point about the total number of injuries and fatalities. When we crossed the bridge Tuesday on our way out of town, there was extensive repair work happening on the surface of the bridge with single lane traffic. One speculates about the unusual stresses on the bridge with jackhammers and other surface replacement equipment. This was the fortieth anniversary of the bridge.
There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."
Jesus implies that those who brought him this news thought he would say that those who died, deserved to die, and that those who didn’t die did not deserve to die. That is not what he said. He said, everyone deserves to die. And if you and I don’t repent, we too will perish. This is a stunning response. It only makes sense from a view of reality that is radically oriented on God.
All of us have sinned against God, not just against man. This is an outrage ten thousand times worse than the collapse of the 35W bridge. That any human is breathing at this minute on this planet is sheer mercy from God. God makes the sun rise and the rain fall on those who do not treasure him above all else. He causes the heart to beat and the lungs to work for millions of people who deserve his wrath. This is a view of reality that desperately needs to be taught in our churches, so that we are prepared for the calamities of the world.
The meaning of the collapse of this bridge is that John Piper is a sinner and should repent or forfeit his life forever. That means I should turn from the silly preoccupations of my life and focus my mind’s attention and my heart’s affection on God and embrace Jesus Christ as my only hope for the forgiveness of my sins and for the hope of eternal life. That is God’s message in the collapse of this bridge. That is his most merciful message: there is still time to turn from sin and unbelief and destruction for those of us who live. If we could see the eternal calamity from which he is offering escape we would hear this as the most precious message in the world.
We prayed during our family devotions. Talitha (11 years old) and Noel and I prayed earnestly for the families affected by the calamity and for the others in our city. Talitha prayed “Please don’t let anyone blame God for this but give thanks that they were saved.” When I sat on her bed and tucked her in and blessed her and sang over her a few minutes ago, I said, “You know, Talitha, that was a good prayer, because when people ‘blame’ God for something, they are angry with him, and they are saying that he has done something wrong. That’s what “blame” means: accuse somebody of wrongdoing. But you and I know that God did not do anything wrong. God always does what is wise. And you and I know that God could have held up that bridge with one hand.” Talitha said, “With his pinky.” “Yes,” I said, “with his pinky. Which means that God had a purpose for not holding up that bridge, knowing all that would happen, and he is infinitely wise in all that he wills.”
Talitha said, “Maybe he let it fall because he wanted all the people of Minneapolis to fear him.” “Yes, Talitha,” I said, “I am sure that is one of the reasons God let the bridge fall.”
I said, “You know, Talitha, that is true whether you die in a bridge collapse, or in a car accident, or from cancer, or terrorism, or old age. God always keeps you, even when you die. So you don’t need to be afraid, do you.” “No,” she shook her head. I leaned down and kissed her. “Good night. I love you.”
Tonight across the Twin Cities families are wondering if they will ever kiss a loved one good night again. Some will not. I am praying that they will find Jesus Christ to be their Rock and Refuge in these agonizing hours of uncertainty and even loss.
The word “bridge” does not occur in the Bible. There may be two reasons. One is that God doesn’t build bridges, he divides seas. The other is that usually his people must pass through the deadly currents of suffering and death, not simply ride over them. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you” (Isaiah 43:2). They may drown you. But I will be with you in life and death.
Killed all day long. But not separated from Christ. We go through the river. Not over it. He went before us, crucified. He came out on the other side. He knows the way through. With him we will make it. That is the message we have for the precious sinners in the Twin Cities. He died for your sins. He rose again. He saves all who trust him. We die, but because of him, we do not die.
Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” (John 11:25)
Talitha is sleeping now. But one day she will die. I teach her this. I will not always be there to bless her. But Jesus is alive and is the same yesterday today and forever. He will be with her because she trusts him. And she will make it through the river.
Weeping with those who weep, and those who should,
Pastor John
Psalm 71:20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again.
What Do Tragedies Like This Mean for Us?
August 1, 2007
By John Piper
Read this resource on our website.
At about 6 PM tonight the bridge of Interstate 35W over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis
collapsed. I am writing this about three hours after the bridge fell. The bridge is located within sight of Bethlehem Baptist Church. Most of us who minister at the church cross this bridge several times a week. At this point I don’t know if any staff was on the bridge. Desiring God offices are about a mile from the bridge.
There are no firm facts at this point about the total number of injuries and fatalities. When we crossed the bridge Tuesday on our way out of town, there was extensive repair work happening on the surface of the bridge with single lane traffic. One speculates about the unusual stresses on the bridge with jackhammers and other surface replacement equipment. This was the fortieth anniversary of the bridge.
Tonight for our family devotions our appointed reading was Luke 13:1-9. It was not my choice. This is surely no coincidence. O that all of the Twin Cities, in shock at this major calamity, would hear what Jesus has to say about it from Luke 13:1-5. People came to Jesus with heart-wrenching news about the slaughter of worshipers by Pilate. Here is what he said.
There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."
All of us have sinned against God, not just against man. This is an outrage ten thousand times worse than the collapse of the 35W bridge. That any human is breathing at this minute on this planet is sheer mercy from God. God makes the sun rise and the rain fall on those who do not treasure him above all else. He causes the heart to beat and the lungs to work for millions of people who deserve his wrath. This is a view of reality that desperately needs to be taught in our churches, so that we are prepared for the calamities of the world.
The meaning of the collapse of this bridge is that John Piper is a sinner and should repent or forfeit his life forever. That means I should turn from the silly preoccupations of my life and focus my mind’s attention and my heart’s affection on God and embrace Jesus Christ as my only hope for the forgiveness of my sins and for the hope of eternal life. That is God’s message in the collapse of this bridge. That is his most merciful message: there is still time to turn from sin and unbelief and destruction for those of us who live. If we could see the eternal calamity from which he is offering escape we would hear this as the most precious message in the world.
We prayed during our family devotions. Talitha (11 years old) and Noel and I prayed earnestly for the families affected by the calamity and for the others in our city. Talitha prayed “Please don’t let anyone blame God for this but give thanks that they were saved.” When I sat on her bed and tucked her in and blessed her and sang over her a few minutes ago, I said, “You know, Talitha, that was a good prayer, because when people ‘blame’ God for something, they are angry with him, and they are saying that he has done something wrong. That’s what “blame” means: accuse somebody of wrongdoing. But you and I know that God did not do anything wrong. God always does what is wise. And you and I know that God could have held up that bridge with one hand.” Talitha said, “With his pinky.” “Yes,” I said, “with his pinky. Which means that God had a purpose for not holding up that bridge, knowing all that would happen, and he is infinitely wise in all that he wills.”
Talitha said, “Maybe he let it fall because he wanted all the people of Minneapolis to fear him.” “Yes, Talitha,” I said, “I am sure that is one of the reasons God let the bridge fall.”
I sang to her the song I always sing,
"Come rest your head and nestle gently
And do not fear the dark of night.
Almighty God keeps watch intently,
And guards your life with all his might.
Doubt not his love, nor power to keep,
He never fails, nor does he sleep. "
Tonight across the Twin Cities families are wondering if they will ever kiss a loved one good night again. Some will not. I am praying that they will find Jesus Christ to be their Rock and Refuge in these agonizing hours of uncertainty and even loss.
The word “bridge” does not occur in the Bible. There may be two reasons. One is that God doesn’t build bridges, he divides seas. The other is that usually his people must pass through the deadly currents of suffering and death, not simply ride over them. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you” (Isaiah 43:2). They may drown you. But I will be with you in life and death.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life . . . will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-38)
Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” (John 11:25)
Talitha is sleeping now. But one day she will die. I teach her this. I will not always be there to bless her. But Jesus is alive and is the same yesterday today and forever. He will be with her because she trusts him. And she will make it through the river.
Weeping with those who weep, and those who should,
Pastor John
Psalm 71:20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Excuses Are For Losers
I was a high school football player for Buckeye Union High School almost 20 years ago. I played offensive line, starting left tackle, for three of the four years (my senior year I was converted and started at tight end). I had never played before my freshman year, but my size (6'2", 200 lbs) meant that I was needed to keep the opposing lineman off our quarterback. As I said, I started every year I played offensive tackle, including my first year on varsity, as a junior. That year I made 1st team All-Region.
But what I remember most was one afternoon during two-a-days that junior year. We were doing drills against the scout team, who held blocking pads in their hands, so it wasn't exactly realistic, but it was early in the season and we were getting the plays down. My assignment on this particular running play was to block the linebacker, and I remember doing exactly just that. I ran him completely out of the play.
When the whistle sounded to end the play however, I found that our running back was hit behind the line of scrimmage by the nose guard when the he stunted into the gap between me and the offensive guard next to me, thus having a clear path to the running back. The play lost yardage, and the nose guard was assigned to the offensive guard next to me, but obviously he missed his block.
Coach Nunez, who wasn't the most cool headed of coaches, yelled at me, "Why did you not block Jarvis Berry?", the scout team nose guard. I answered, "I was supposed to block the linebacker, and I did." Technically I was correct. I did what I was supposed to do on paper. Instead, my coach blew up at me.
"Excuses are for losers, Danny Saylor," he said, and sent the entire team to run gassers for my answer.
At the time, I was angry. I did nothing wrong, done my job correctly. It was someone else's mistake. I, and most of my team, were now running because of some stupid whim of who was truly a very tempermental man.
But, I still remember this moment, now 17 years (almost to the day) later, because it taught me something very valuable, something that has shaped me into who I am today. See, it wasn't that I blocked the wrong guy, I should have read that my linemate, the offensive guard, had blown his assignment and blocked the nose guard myself (Jarvis was a quick guy!). I failed the team that day, and realized much later, due to my legalism in justifying my actions based on what was right technically, when instead I needed to learn that sometimes when you head out on a course of action, doing another's job is necessary for the benefit of the team. The guard should have released the nose guard to me, and gone on and done my assignment by going to pick up the linebacker. I should have done his job, and combined, the play would have been successful.
Excuses are for losers. Coach Nunez, as much as I hate to say it, was right. Responsibility lies not in how each of us performs, but what each of us should do in order to benefit the team. We all have reasons why we don't accomplish the things we set out to do- family, work, no time, etc.- but they are all the cliched "the dog ate my homework" excuse. Even if it were true, you had to get the assignment done anyway. In my case, the assignment of the team- to be successful- had been lost sight of instead for my personal assignment. It was my fault, coach, I admit it. Thanks for the lesson.
But what I remember most was one afternoon during two-a-days that junior year. We were doing drills against the scout team, who held blocking pads in their hands, so it wasn't exactly realistic, but it was early in the season and we were getting the plays down. My assignment on this particular running play was to block the linebacker, and I remember doing exactly just that. I ran him completely out of the play.
When the whistle sounded to end the play however, I found that our running back was hit behind the line of scrimmage by the nose guard when the he stunted into the gap between me and the offensive guard next to me, thus having a clear path to the running back. The play lost yardage, and the nose guard was assigned to the offensive guard next to me, but obviously he missed his block.
Coach Nunez, who wasn't the most cool headed of coaches, yelled at me, "Why did you not block Jarvis Berry?", the scout team nose guard. I answered, "I was supposed to block the linebacker, and I did." Technically I was correct. I did what I was supposed to do on paper. Instead, my coach blew up at me.
"Excuses are for losers, Danny Saylor," he said, and sent the entire team to run gassers for my answer.
At the time, I was angry. I did nothing wrong, done my job correctly. It was someone else's mistake. I, and most of my team, were now running because of some stupid whim of who was truly a very tempermental man.
But, I still remember this moment, now 17 years (almost to the day) later, because it taught me something very valuable, something that has shaped me into who I am today. See, it wasn't that I blocked the wrong guy, I should have read that my linemate, the offensive guard, had blown his assignment and blocked the nose guard myself (Jarvis was a quick guy!). I failed the team that day, and realized much later, due to my legalism in justifying my actions based on what was right technically, when instead I needed to learn that sometimes when you head out on a course of action, doing another's job is necessary for the benefit of the team. The guard should have released the nose guard to me, and gone on and done my assignment by going to pick up the linebacker. I should have done his job, and combined, the play would have been successful.
Excuses are for losers. Coach Nunez, as much as I hate to say it, was right. Responsibility lies not in how each of us performs, but what each of us should do in order to benefit the team. We all have reasons why we don't accomplish the things we set out to do- family, work, no time, etc.- but they are all the cliched "the dog ate my homework" excuse. Even if it were true, you had to get the assignment done anyway. In my case, the assignment of the team- to be successful- had been lost sight of instead for my personal assignment. It was my fault, coach, I admit it. Thanks for the lesson.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Oh My God Jars!
Youtube is pretty awesome, you can find almost anything you want there.
Was turned onto the Jars of Clay song "Oh My God" which is featured in the background of a previous John Piper youtube link on this blog...you can find the song in it's entirety with someone else doing a slideshow and providing some lyrics here:
Oh My God
Here are the lyrics:
Oh my God, look around this place
Your fingers reach around the bone
You set the break and set the tone
Flights of grace, and future falls
In present pain
All fools say, "Oh my God"
Oh my God, Why are we so afraid?
We make it worse when we don't bleed
There is no cure for our disease
Turn a phrase, and rise again
Or fake your death and only tell your closest friend
Oh my God.
Oh my God, can I complain?
You take away my firm belief and graft my soul upon your grief
Weddings, boats and alibis
All drift away, and a mother cries
Liars and fools; sons and failures
Thieves will always say
Lost and found; ailing wanderers
Healers always say
Whores and angels; men with problems
Leavers always say
Broken hearted; separated
Orphans always say
War creators; racial haters
Preachers always say
Distant fathers; fallen warriors
Givers always say
Pilgrim saints; lonely widows
Users always say
Fearful mothers; watchful doubters
Saviors always say
Sometimes I cannot forgive
These days, mercy cuts so deep
If the world was how it should be, maybe I could get some sleep
While I lay, I dream we're better,
Scales were gone and faces light
When we wake, we hate our brother
We still move to hurt each other
Sometimes I can close my eyes,
And all the fear that keeps me silent
Falls below my heavy breathing,
What makes me so badly bent?
We all have a chance to murder
We all feel the need for wonder
We still want to be reminded
That the pain is worth the thunder
Sometimes when I lose my grip,
I wonder what to make of heaven
All the times I thought to reach up
All the times I had to give
Babies underneath their beds
Hospitals that cannot treat
All the wounds that money causes,
All the comforts of cathedrals
All the cries of thirsty children,
This is our inheritance
All the rage of watching mothers,
This is our greatest offense
Oh my God
Oh my God
Oh my God
Lead singer Dan Haseltine's comments:
“I think there are more lyrics in that one song than there were on our entire last record,” Haseltine says of Oh My God. “People all have their reasons for crying out to God. Some of those are really deep, deep doubts, and one of the questions in that third verse where it asks whether Jesus is real or not. Growing up in the church, I was scared to death to ask that question, because I didn’t know whether the Gospel could stand up to the scrutiny. There are times when I wrestle with that even now, but it’s a question that needs to be asked.”
Was turned onto the Jars of Clay song "Oh My God" which is featured in the background of a previous John Piper youtube link on this blog...you can find the song in it's entirety with someone else doing a slideshow and providing some lyrics here:
Oh My God
Here are the lyrics:
Oh my God, look around this place
Your fingers reach around the bone
You set the break and set the tone
Flights of grace, and future falls
In present pain
All fools say, "Oh my God"
Oh my God, Why are we so afraid?
We make it worse when we don't bleed
There is no cure for our disease
Turn a phrase, and rise again
Or fake your death and only tell your closest friend
Oh my God.
Oh my God, can I complain?
You take away my firm belief and graft my soul upon your grief
Weddings, boats and alibis
All drift away, and a mother cries
Liars and fools; sons and failures
Thieves will always say
Lost and found; ailing wanderers
Healers always say
Whores and angels; men with problems
Leavers always say
Broken hearted; separated
Orphans always say
War creators; racial haters
Preachers always say
Distant fathers; fallen warriors
Givers always say
Pilgrim saints; lonely widows
Users always say
Fearful mothers; watchful doubters
Saviors always say
Sometimes I cannot forgive
These days, mercy cuts so deep
If the world was how it should be, maybe I could get some sleep
While I lay, I dream we're better,
Scales were gone and faces light
When we wake, we hate our brother
We still move to hurt each other
Sometimes I can close my eyes,
And all the fear that keeps me silent
Falls below my heavy breathing,
What makes me so badly bent?
We all have a chance to murder
We all feel the need for wonder
We still want to be reminded
That the pain is worth the thunder
Sometimes when I lose my grip,
I wonder what to make of heaven
All the times I thought to reach up
All the times I had to give
Babies underneath their beds
Hospitals that cannot treat
All the wounds that money causes,
All the comforts of cathedrals
All the cries of thirsty children,
This is our inheritance
All the rage of watching mothers,
This is our greatest offense
Oh my God
Oh my God
Oh my God
Lead singer Dan Haseltine's comments:
“I think there are more lyrics in that one song than there were on our entire last record,” Haseltine says of Oh My God. “People all have their reasons for crying out to God. Some of those are really deep, deep doubts, and one of the questions in that third verse where it asks whether Jesus is real or not. Growing up in the church, I was scared to death to ask that question, because I didn’t know whether the Gospel could stand up to the scrutiny. There are times when I wrestle with that even now, but it’s a question that needs to be asked.”
John Piper and Joel Osteen
Last week in community group I was directed to a couple of youtube.com links that I really wanted to share.
The first is on Joel Osteen, who myself watched on TV one Sunday morning while home sick. While watching I couldn't get past the perfect teeth, the perfect coiffed hair, the elaborate delivery. In my mind, if he was trying to sell me a car, I would have been very skeptical. But instead he is sellling Jesus, and if you don't know your Bible it is easy to get sucked in by the pizzazz of the show he puts on. But he is selling a false gospel, known as the prosperity gospel...in other words, Christians are not supposed to be sick or suffer or have bad things happen to them. The are supposed to be rich and drive Mercedes and retire early. But I ask you, where does it say that in the Bible? Watch and see for yourself...
Joel Osteen Said What?
The prosperity gospel sells...think about how many books O'Steen has sold, how many "Prayer of Jabez" books Bruce Wilkinson sold, how many people go and see Benny Hinn.
Now here is John Piper's commentary on the prosperity gospel, given to a speech at UCF in Birmingham.
John Piper on the prosperity gospel
Tell me if you feel convicted...
The first is on Joel Osteen, who myself watched on TV one Sunday morning while home sick. While watching I couldn't get past the perfect teeth, the perfect coiffed hair, the elaborate delivery. In my mind, if he was trying to sell me a car, I would have been very skeptical. But instead he is sellling Jesus, and if you don't know your Bible it is easy to get sucked in by the pizzazz of the show he puts on. But he is selling a false gospel, known as the prosperity gospel...in other words, Christians are not supposed to be sick or suffer or have bad things happen to them. The are supposed to be rich and drive Mercedes and retire early. But I ask you, where does it say that in the Bible? Watch and see for yourself...
Joel Osteen Said What?
The prosperity gospel sells...think about how many books O'Steen has sold, how many "Prayer of Jabez" books Bruce Wilkinson sold, how many people go and see Benny Hinn.
Now here is John Piper's commentary on the prosperity gospel, given to a speech at UCF in Birmingham.
John Piper on the prosperity gospel
Tell me if you feel convicted...
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Next week, GNR's "November Rain" is Tackled...
I smiled as I remembered a conversation I had with my 5 year old son yesterday afternoon while coming home from Lowe's. I am pretty much a rock dude, with my favorites being on the scale of Van Halen, Matchbox 20. While listening to a local station, that 80's anthem "Every Rose Has It's Thorn" by Poison came on the radio. My son asks, "Why does he say a rose has a thorn dad?" While trying to sound intelligent on the subject after hearing the song for almost 20 years and able to sing almost every lyric in time, I came up with "sometimes the things that are pretty can still hurt you." Not bad for answering on the fly, if you ask me. Bret Michaels would be proud.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Don Imus
There is a firestorm going on over shock-jock radioman Don Imus' comments about the Rutgers University women's basketball team. For those of you who missed them, he described them using the derogatory and racial terms "nappy headed hos". NBC's Today Show had host Matt Lauer interview him and Rev. Al Sharpton concurrently, then later interviewed Jesse Jackson. For the record- he has been suspended for 2 weeks beginning next Monday (due to a previously scheduled telethon that runs Thursday and Friday to raise money for his charities).
Here's what bugs me...why the big deal?
It is not that what he said was right. Certainly I agree with those saying that he was wrong. I feel diversity aware enough to feel disgusted about his portrayal of women as nothing more than sex objects as he did in using the word "ho", slang for "whore". To me, that is simply seeing a female as nothing more than a vagina, and if that is all you think about when you see a female, believe me you are missing the best parts of a woman. Then to characterize them as "nappy headed" surely is inane and inflammatory. This reference wasn't too hard to comprehend- and black people should not be characterized like this. So overall what did his term mean? A team of black whores. That sounds very intelligent. It just proves he's an idiot.
But why the big deal? Rappers have been using this term in their lyrics for years. Do you see any one of them being raked across the coals for what they publish and put across the airwaves? So it is OK for a black person (and I am stereotyping this group because most of them are black) to use these words? I find them offensive! Let's get them to stop making records! Let's keep their music off the shelves! They have no right to do this also!
What? You don't hear this argument? You don't agree? They are being "artistic"? You say I can choose to not listen if it offends me (which I do)? Well, guess what, you can do the same with this man as well! Don't like him, TURN HIM OFF! That will get his network and his sponsor's attention more than anything the media, of which he is part and parcel, can do. In fact, I think he is basking in the attention of it all. Free PR!
Just great...
Here's what bugs me...why the big deal?
It is not that what he said was right. Certainly I agree with those saying that he was wrong. I feel diversity aware enough to feel disgusted about his portrayal of women as nothing more than sex objects as he did in using the word "ho", slang for "whore". To me, that is simply seeing a female as nothing more than a vagina, and if that is all you think about when you see a female, believe me you are missing the best parts of a woman. Then to characterize them as "nappy headed" surely is inane and inflammatory. This reference wasn't too hard to comprehend- and black people should not be characterized like this. So overall what did his term mean? A team of black whores. That sounds very intelligent. It just proves he's an idiot.
But why the big deal? Rappers have been using this term in their lyrics for years. Do you see any one of them being raked across the coals for what they publish and put across the airwaves? So it is OK for a black person (and I am stereotyping this group because most of them are black) to use these words? I find them offensive! Let's get them to stop making records! Let's keep their music off the shelves! They have no right to do this also!
What? You don't hear this argument? You don't agree? They are being "artistic"? You say I can choose to not listen if it offends me (which I do)? Well, guess what, you can do the same with this man as well! Don't like him, TURN HIM OFF! That will get his network and his sponsor's attention more than anything the media, of which he is part and parcel, can do. In fact, I think he is basking in the attention of it all. Free PR!
Just great...
Sunday, March 25, 2007
ROMANS Chapter 1, Vs 1-7
My wife and I are working our way through Tom Nelson's, the teaching pastor at Denton Bible Church in Denton, TX, current sermon series on the book of Romans. You can download it for free on iTunes, just search podcasts for "Denton Bible Church". I will post my notes on his sermons (currently he is somewhere in the 20's, and the series began back in October!) as we delve into his teaching on this book.
Tommy Nelson Study- ROMANS
OVERVIEW
1. Most important book in Bible
2. Theme- How a perfect, holy God can get an imperfect man into a perfect, holy place and yet remain perfect without compromising His holiness.
3. Purpose- Paul had never been to Rome, and word on the street was that he was afraid to go to Rome because he couldn’t preach it to Rome, the height of culture, the “enlightened” philosophers, the classic “city of Man”, and hold up to Rome’s (man’s) intellectual attack on it. But Paul had wanted to go to Rome, but God had not allowed him to do so yet, thus the writing of this letter.
Chapter Breakdown by Subject:
Tommy Nelson Study- ROMANS
OVERVIEW
1. Most important book in Bible
2. Theme- How a perfect, holy God can get an imperfect man into a perfect, holy place and yet remain perfect without compromising His holiness.
3. Purpose- Paul had never been to Rome, and word on the street was that he was afraid to go to Rome because he couldn’t preach it to Rome, the height of culture, the “enlightened” philosophers, the classic “city of Man”, and hold up to Rome’s (man’s) intellectual attack on it. But Paul had wanted to go to Rome, but God had not allowed him to do so yet, thus the writing of this letter.
Chapter Breakdown by Subject:
- Ch 1-3: Condemnation
- Ch 4-5: Justification
- Ch 6-8: Sanctification
- Ch 9-11: Vindication of God’s Sovereignty
- Ch 12-16: Application
CHAPTER 1: Vs 1-7 Faith’s Foundations
- A servant and apostle- one who saw and was sent forth
- Was given a message by God himself
- He is not a mystic, a thinker
- Promised beforehand by his prophets- not in man, but of God
- In the Holy Scriptures- purpose of the Old Testament was to show you your sin and point you to Christ
- If Moses, David, or Elijah were here, they would believe in Christ
- Regarding His Son- Jesus- perfect humanity and deity
- He was fully man- a descendent of David
- He is also fully God
- He died and was resurrected- proving/declaring his deity- declaring = “horitzo” in Greek- translated into appointed, determined, something clearly marked out
- He showed that death has no power over him
- Thus, Jesus is the Son of David who was resurrected- He is the Messiah- he fulfilled the prophesies, thus He is our LORD
- Human salvation depends on obedience by faith and this only
Vs 6: The Scope
- God has commanded all mankind to repent- those that worship the earth, idols, other things are to abandon that way of thinking and repent of that and come to their Creator or risk being judged accordingly
Vs 6: The Recipients
- Those who were called- God summoned the Christians, they are the objects of His grace, even though he commanded all to repent, only the Christians have obeyed
- Has nothing to do with moral or intellectual superiority or any other characteristic of man
Vs 7: Benefits of Being Saved- Sainthood
- He LOVES us and because of this we are to be progressively changed in Christ throughout our lives in a process that will culminate with our resurrection to be with Him on the day of judgment to join the family of God. When He looks at us He sees His Son, and His righteousness has been imputed to us through our faith in Him alone. We are thus reconciled to God.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Doctor's Don't Listen and MRI's Lie
Here is a cool listen on NPR's Fresh Air on a recent book by a New England physician who states how MD's easily err in their thinking and misdiagnose by failing to listen to patients and hanging their hats on what are often poorly reliable imaging. The book is "How Doctors Think" by Jerome Groopman, MD.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Deductive Reasoning for Prevention
As an allied health care professional- a physical therapist to be exact- it amazes me how passive so many people are when they go see a practitioner in any of the vast medical fields- from RN's to MD's to DC's to PT's. A system has been created, from as far back as ancient tribal shamans to the father of modern medicine, Galen, where a patient tells the practitioner what is wrong and expects the practitioner to heal them. In fact, this model is thoroughly utilized every time you go see your family physician- you have some symptoms and he/she prescribes an antidote, typically pharmaceutical, and you're told to call if you do not improve. It works most of the time, even with the expectation that there may not be a response to what has been prescribed, especially if the patient follows as he or she has been advised.
So here's my scenario- a patient walks in last week with a prescription for rehabilitation for spinal pain from an orthopedic specialist. He has private commercial insurance, and as a favor my company always researches his medical benefits prior to his appointment just so he will know what his costs will be for utilizing my services. While we do this he chooses to wait to see what they are before he schedules his initial evaluation.
We get through to his insurance company fairly quickly (and by this I mean in under 20 minutes) and find that he will have a $250 deductible that must be met before his insurance company will pick up 80% of the bill. He declines to schedule.
So this is a man who probably started out at his primary care physician for complaints of back pain. He was then most likely prescribed pain medications, either steroidal or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, and possibly muscle relaxants to relieve his symptoms because 80% of spinal complaints resolve in less than 1-2 weeks (thus the use of medication- it gets you through those two weeks). But for this guy, we can only guess it did not work, because he was sent on to a specialist, maybe even after his primary care doctor ordered a series of imaging (X-ray, MRI) to better assess what he or she was treating.
So he now arrives at his second physician appointment, a specialist in the care of back pain we would imagine. This physician most certainly would order imaging of some sort if it had not been done before, might also again try some medications, and in this case determined that he should try rehabilitation in the form of physical therapy as well.
Let's recap: 2 physician appointments, great chance for the use of medications, probably some imaging of the spine involved, and our patient still has complaints of pain in his back. A specialist, who he chose to visit after being referred by his primary care physician, tells him to go to therapy.
BUT...when he finds out that he will have to pay for at least a few visits out of his own pocket- and I know that $250 can be a lot of money for some people, which is why we have a payment assistance program for those who need it- HE DECLINES TO BE SEEN!
I want to ask him, "Why did you take the time to go through the hassle above when you were not going to follow the physician's advice anyway?" Obviously what he has tried himself has not been working, else why would he have sought out care?
The sad thing is that in someone who has gone this far through the system, he likely will not return to the specialist until his case becomes so involved that he would require surgery. And this surgery will cost him the deductible plus a whole lot more, especially when you think about the time off work required and the fact that his deductible probably will go up in the coming years, for something he may have been able to prevent if he had not worried so much about that $250 right now.
So here's my scenario- a patient walks in last week with a prescription for rehabilitation for spinal pain from an orthopedic specialist. He has private commercial insurance, and as a favor my company always researches his medical benefits prior to his appointment just so he will know what his costs will be for utilizing my services. While we do this he chooses to wait to see what they are before he schedules his initial evaluation.
We get through to his insurance company fairly quickly (and by this I mean in under 20 minutes) and find that he will have a $250 deductible that must be met before his insurance company will pick up 80% of the bill. He declines to schedule.
So this is a man who probably started out at his primary care physician for complaints of back pain. He was then most likely prescribed pain medications, either steroidal or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, and possibly muscle relaxants to relieve his symptoms because 80% of spinal complaints resolve in less than 1-2 weeks (thus the use of medication- it gets you through those two weeks). But for this guy, we can only guess it did not work, because he was sent on to a specialist, maybe even after his primary care doctor ordered a series of imaging (X-ray, MRI) to better assess what he or she was treating.
So he now arrives at his second physician appointment, a specialist in the care of back pain we would imagine. This physician most certainly would order imaging of some sort if it had not been done before, might also again try some medications, and in this case determined that he should try rehabilitation in the form of physical therapy as well.
Let's recap: 2 physician appointments, great chance for the use of medications, probably some imaging of the spine involved, and our patient still has complaints of pain in his back. A specialist, who he chose to visit after being referred by his primary care physician, tells him to go to therapy.
BUT...when he finds out that he will have to pay for at least a few visits out of his own pocket- and I know that $250 can be a lot of money for some people, which is why we have a payment assistance program for those who need it- HE DECLINES TO BE SEEN!
I want to ask him, "Why did you take the time to go through the hassle above when you were not going to follow the physician's advice anyway?" Obviously what he has tried himself has not been working, else why would he have sought out care?
The sad thing is that in someone who has gone this far through the system, he likely will not return to the specialist until his case becomes so involved that he would require surgery. And this surgery will cost him the deductible plus a whole lot more, especially when you think about the time off work required and the fact that his deductible probably will go up in the coming years, for something he may have been able to prevent if he had not worried so much about that $250 right now.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Are you up on your Sesame Street?
Do you know the name of Big Bird's wooly friend? Take this quiz at one of my favorite MD blogs...
No More Ice Cream For Ann...
We have finally figured out the key to the Bailey family's fertility: ice cream.
It appears that a recent study from the Harvard School of Public Health published in the European Journal Human Reproduction showed that eating full-fat ice cream and other high-fat dairy items (Ann loves her cream cheese too!) may lower the risk of one type of infertility.
Sherbet and frozen yogurt for this family for here on out! And hey, how bout some non-dairy creamer for that coffee!
It appears that a recent study from the Harvard School of Public Health published in the European Journal Human Reproduction showed that eating full-fat ice cream and other high-fat dairy items (Ann loves her cream cheese too!) may lower the risk of one type of infertility.
Sherbet and frozen yogurt for this family for here on out! And hey, how bout some non-dairy creamer for that coffee!
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Phoenix Drivers
From a former Phoenician, provided as a public service announcement:
1. You must first learn to pronounce the city name, it is: "FEE-NICKS."
2. The morning rush hour is from 5:00am to noon. The evening rush hour is from noon to 7:00pm. Friday's rush hour starts on Thursday morning.
3. The minimum acceptable speed on most freeways is 85 mph. On Loop 101, Your speed is expected to match the highway number. Anything less is considered "Wussy.
4. Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere. Phoenix has its own version of traffic rules. For example, cars/trucks with the loudest muffler go first at a four-way stop; the trucks with the biggest tires go second. However, East Valley, SUV-driving, cell phone-talking moms ALWAYS have the right of way.
5. If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be rear-ended cussed out, and possibly shot.
6. Never honk at anyone. Ever. Seriously. It's another offense that can get you shot.
7. Road construction is permanent and continuous in Phoenix. Detour barrels are moved around for your entertainment and pleasure during the middle of the night to make the next day's driving a bit more exciting.
8. Watch carefully for road hazards such as drunks, skunks, dogs, barrels, cones, cows, horses, cats, mattresses, shredded tires, squirrels, rabbits, crows, vultures, javelinas, roadrunners, and the coyotes feeding on any of these items.
9. The Maricopa Freeway, Papago Freeway and "I-10" are the same road. SR202 is the same road as The Red Mountain Freeway. Dunlap Rd. and Olive Rd. are the same street too. Jefferson St. becomes Washington St., but they are not the same street. I-17 is also called the "Black Canyon Freeway" as well as the "Veterans Memorial Highway". And if all that isn't enough to remember SR 51 has recently been renamed to Piestewa Freeway because Squaw Peak Parkway was too easy pronounce. Lastly, Thunderbird Rd. becomes Cactus Rd. but, Cactus Rd. doesn't become Thunderbird Rd. because it dead ends at a mountain.
10. If someone actually has their turn signal on, wave them to the shoulder immediately to let them know it has been "accidentally activated."
11. If you are in the left lane and only driving 70 in a 55-65 mph zone, you are considered a road hazard and will be "flipped off" accordingly. If you return the flip, you'll be shot.
12. For summer driving, it is advisable to wear potholders on your hands.
HOW TO DRIVE IN PHOENIX
1. You must first learn to pronounce the city name, it is: "FEE-NICKS."
2. The morning rush hour is from 5:00am to noon. The evening rush hour is from noon to 7:00pm. Friday's rush hour starts on Thursday morning.
3. The minimum acceptable speed on most freeways is 85 mph. On Loop 101, Your speed is expected to match the highway number. Anything less is considered "Wussy.
4. Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere. Phoenix has its own version of traffic rules. For example, cars/trucks with the loudest muffler go first at a four-way stop; the trucks with the biggest tires go second. However, East Valley, SUV-driving, cell phone-talking moms ALWAYS have the right of way.
5. If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be rear-ended cussed out, and possibly shot.
6. Never honk at anyone. Ever. Seriously. It's another offense that can get you shot.
7. Road construction is permanent and continuous in Phoenix. Detour barrels are moved around for your entertainment and pleasure during the middle of the night to make the next day's driving a bit more exciting.
8. Watch carefully for road hazards such as drunks, skunks, dogs, barrels, cones, cows, horses, cats, mattresses, shredded tires, squirrels, rabbits, crows, vultures, javelinas, roadrunners, and the coyotes feeding on any of these items.
9. The Maricopa Freeway, Papago Freeway and "I-10" are the same road. SR202 is the same road as The Red Mountain Freeway. Dunlap Rd. and Olive Rd. are the same street too. Jefferson St. becomes Washington St., but they are not the same street. I-17 is also called the "Black Canyon Freeway" as well as the "Veterans Memorial Highway". And if all that isn't enough to remember SR 51 has recently been renamed to Piestewa Freeway because Squaw Peak Parkway was too easy pronounce. Lastly, Thunderbird Rd. becomes Cactus Rd. but, Cactus Rd. doesn't become Thunderbird Rd. because it dead ends at a mountain.
10. If someone actually has their turn signal on, wave them to the shoulder immediately to let them know it has been "accidentally activated."
11. If you are in the left lane and only driving 70 in a 55-65 mph zone, you are considered a road hazard and will be "flipped off" accordingly. If you return the flip, you'll be shot.
12. For summer driving, it is advisable to wear potholders on your hands.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Boy Have I Sucked At This...
No posts since last May! Let's see what has transpired since my last post...
Trip to the lake in July...
Trip to Mammoth Cave with my lovely (and very pregnant) bride...
Birth of Anna Kate Saylor...
Starting new job in new clinic...(same company though)...
Fixing up/Marketing/Selling old home...
Finding/Buying new home...
Thanksgiving...
Moving all earthly contents to new home...
Christmas...
New Year's in Knoxville...
Finding out new home address is incorrect...
Going to the circus with family...
Nah, not much. Maybe I'll take another 7 months off!
Trip to the lake in July...
Trip to Mammoth Cave with my lovely (and very pregnant) bride...
Birth of Anna Kate Saylor...
Starting new job in new clinic...(same company though)...
Fixing up/Marketing/Selling old home...
Finding/Buying new home...
Thanksgiving...
Moving all earthly contents to new home...
Christmas...
New Year's in Knoxville...
Finding out new home address is incorrect...
Going to the circus with family...
Nah, not much. Maybe I'll take another 7 months off!
Sunday, May 07, 2006
The Da Vinci Code and Mohammed?
When The Da Vinci Code opens in theaters on May 19th, it certainly will garner a great number of tickets sold for what may be the most anticipated movie of the year. Truly no other book, other than the Bible itself, has had such a big impact in terms of copies sold and interest in historical religiosity so far this decade. The Catholic Church and Opus Dei organization are already on a defensive campaign to spin what is perceived to be negative PR from the book and certainly the movie's release itself.
Author Dan Brown himself says that "The Da Vinci Code is a novel and therefore a work of fiction" and the goal for the reader is "that the story would serve as a catalyst and a springboard for people to discuss the important topics of faith, religion, and history. "
A lot of Christians are seeing the release of the movie as an opportunity to discuss religion with those unfamiliar with their faith, and this surely is a great chance for evangelism to take place. Many sites have also commented on the book's impact on Christianity- Christianity Today and Campus Crusade for Christ both having information readily available for those seeking truth.
All the above to put forth a simple query: What if The Da Vinci Code had at its basis the question of religious history with relation to Mohammed instead of Jesus? How would the Islamic community have handled it? With all the outrage from the Islamic community regarding the publishing of editorial cartoons depicting Mohammed in various situations recently can you imagine the outcry from the Arabic speaking world? Does this speak volumes about the sensitivity and tolerance of both faiths to questioning and the attitudes of those who follow both?
Author Dan Brown himself says that "The Da Vinci Code is a novel and therefore a work of fiction" and the goal for the reader is "that the story would serve as a catalyst and a springboard for people to discuss the important topics of faith, religion, and history. "
A lot of Christians are seeing the release of the movie as an opportunity to discuss religion with those unfamiliar with their faith, and this surely is a great chance for evangelism to take place. Many sites have also commented on the book's impact on Christianity- Christianity Today and Campus Crusade for Christ both having information readily available for those seeking truth.
All the above to put forth a simple query: What if The Da Vinci Code had at its basis the question of religious history with relation to Mohammed instead of Jesus? How would the Islamic community have handled it? With all the outrage from the Islamic community regarding the publishing of editorial cartoons depicting Mohammed in various situations recently can you imagine the outcry from the Arabic speaking world? Does this speak volumes about the sensitivity and tolerance of both faiths to questioning and the attitudes of those who follow both?
Day Without an Immigrant = Absent From School?
I would like to applaud those that took to the streets, stayed at home, or chose other peaceful protests to bring to a head the importance of the issue of immigration here in this country. Truly, we are at a crossroads with how we handle the vast number of individuals who desire entrance into this country, often with the motive of giving themselves or their children a better life. That in and of itself is honorable, and it says a lot as to the accomplishment of this country from the fledgling society we started out back in 1776, when we declared independence from England by stating "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." However, that success has also driven the immigration issue we face today- since the United States is perceived to be the country where one must go to achieve a level of economic and personal security, with the relative safety of respect for cultural individuality thus fostering our populous diversity, there exists large numbers wanting to cross our borders, both legally and illegally.
Many come and work hard to achieve these goals. In fact, we have the dilemma of wanting cheaply produced and thus cheaply sold products in this country, as evidenced by the impact the Wal-Mart concept has had on consumer shopping. No where is this more evident than in two different areas in our economy- agriculture and construction.
Last fall, there was fear of a worker shortage in Arizona, where during November 35,000-40,000 workers are needed to harvest the produce- lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli and celery- necessary to deliver to your corner grocery store. Like a head of broccoli for under $2? Then you have just voted for allowing illegal aliens across our borders by using your wallet. The same goes for the keeping the price of fruit, cotton, and other agricultural products low. In a time of $3 a gallon gas, I think an increase in the price of food and socks would surely make people stand up and take notice.
Then there is the construction industry. In many parts of the country the housing market has been booming thanks to low interest rates and the large number of individuals wanting to buy homes. But tell me, have you seen many non-Hispanic faces on the work crews? How many of your friends would work 10+ hour days 6-7 days a week for less than $15/hour? Take into consideration that a lot of these people are also sending a good portion of their incomes back across the border for their immediate and extended family members. Their dedication to hard work and for their family is something we can all learn from.
This leads us back to the "Day Without an Immigrant" 6 days ago. Again, it seemed like those most affected by immigration law would want less attention drawn to them, for if any change is made to further determine the legality of a person's presence here in this country, those that would be at risk would not want to stand out by having their absence noted in the workplace. But, taking a stand for something you believe is something this country was founded on (see above), and this shows the incorporation of American ideals into the diverse ethnic and cultural peoples who chose to make their presence known. If these same people can become legal citizens, can you imagine what their presence can do in the polls if they continue to take their civic responsibility so seriously?
However, one thing does show me the Americanization of the immigrants may have been too complete. Almost everywhere you will read that those here both legally and illegally are here to better themselves and/or their children. In fact, three high school students, all undocumented who are here with their undocumented families, stated in an NPR interview on May 2 that they reason the United States should allow them to stay was that they were "studying hard" in school. But why were they out of school on May 1? Does this not contradict their reason for staying?
Here locally it was reported that the absence rate for Hispanic students in Metro Nashville schools was 30%. Again, if parents of minority students, some of whom are certainly immigrants and here to better the lives of their children, would appreciate the fact that in order to accomplish that goal attendance in school is an absolute necessity. Has school attendance, as it has to many of the American students who are natives of this country, become a convenience to these students as well?
I, as an educated American would call this contradiction ironic. It is a pity that those who were taking a stance may be missing the point of their purpose in being here, and may be more like us than they know.
Many come and work hard to achieve these goals. In fact, we have the dilemma of wanting cheaply produced and thus cheaply sold products in this country, as evidenced by the impact the Wal-Mart concept has had on consumer shopping. No where is this more evident than in two different areas in our economy- agriculture and construction.
Last fall, there was fear of a worker shortage in Arizona, where during November 35,000-40,000 workers are needed to harvest the produce- lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli and celery- necessary to deliver to your corner grocery store. Like a head of broccoli for under $2? Then you have just voted for allowing illegal aliens across our borders by using your wallet. The same goes for the keeping the price of fruit, cotton, and other agricultural products low. In a time of $3 a gallon gas, I think an increase in the price of food and socks would surely make people stand up and take notice.
Then there is the construction industry. In many parts of the country the housing market has been booming thanks to low interest rates and the large number of individuals wanting to buy homes. But tell me, have you seen many non-Hispanic faces on the work crews? How many of your friends would work 10+ hour days 6-7 days a week for less than $15/hour? Take into consideration that a lot of these people are also sending a good portion of their incomes back across the border for their immediate and extended family members. Their dedication to hard work and for their family is something we can all learn from.
This leads us back to the "Day Without an Immigrant" 6 days ago. Again, it seemed like those most affected by immigration law would want less attention drawn to them, for if any change is made to further determine the legality of a person's presence here in this country, those that would be at risk would not want to stand out by having their absence noted in the workplace. But, taking a stand for something you believe is something this country was founded on (see above), and this shows the incorporation of American ideals into the diverse ethnic and cultural peoples who chose to make their presence known. If these same people can become legal citizens, can you imagine what their presence can do in the polls if they continue to take their civic responsibility so seriously?
However, one thing does show me the Americanization of the immigrants may have been too complete. Almost everywhere you will read that those here both legally and illegally are here to better themselves and/or their children. In fact, three high school students, all undocumented who are here with their undocumented families, stated in an NPR interview on May 2 that they reason the United States should allow them to stay was that they were "studying hard" in school. But why were they out of school on May 1? Does this not contradict their reason for staying?
Here locally it was reported that the absence rate for Hispanic students in Metro Nashville schools was 30%. Again, if parents of minority students, some of whom are certainly immigrants and here to better the lives of their children, would appreciate the fact that in order to accomplish that goal attendance in school is an absolute necessity. Has school attendance, as it has to many of the American students who are natives of this country, become a convenience to these students as well?
I, as an educated American would call this contradiction ironic. It is a pity that those who were taking a stance may be missing the point of their purpose in being here, and may be more like us than they know.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Islam vs. the World
This is the first of what I hope will be many posts on the radicalism seen in the Muslim world today.
Today an Austalian news company ran a report of new photos of the Abu Gharib abuse scandal, and according to the report on MSN, the Muslim world in once again "inflamed". In fact, here is a quote from the report:
“This is truly American ugliness that no other country in the world can compete with,” Yemeni journalist Saleh al-Humaidi told Reuters.“The Americans ought to apologize to mankind for their government’s lie to the world that it is fighting for freedom and that it came to Iraq to save it from Saddam Hussein’s oppression,” he said.
Now surely what happened at Abu Gharib is indefensible on all fronts. The man responsible, Army Spec. Charles Graner, has been tried and convicted and is now serving 10 years in prison for his atrocities. Justice has been served.
But how can this be "ugliness that no other country in the world compete with"? So Saddam's gassing of the Kurds in northern Iraq is not ugly? So the children walking to school this morning that were killed by a terrorists' bomb in Iraq this morning is not ugly? So the genocide that occurred in the Sudan and Somalia is not ugly? So the killing of thousands at the world trade center is not ugly? So the Yemini bombing of the USS Cole is not ugly?
The statement, from a Muslim, condemns the US on a political level for something that is more a result of his personal hatred and intolerance, something that his culture and many in his faith feel is defensible in their twisted, self-righteous, bigoted way of thinking if it occurs by their hands or is according to their "purpose". If they kill people, it is ok; if we torture people, it is the extreme in "ugliness".
Sounds to me like the pot is calling the kettle black, Mr. al-Humaidi. Police yourself and establish some sort of tolerance for views that are other than your own and maybe you can have some credibility with your comments.
Today an Austalian news company ran a report of new photos of the Abu Gharib abuse scandal, and according to the report on MSN, the Muslim world in once again "inflamed". In fact, here is a quote from the report:
“This is truly American ugliness that no other country in the world can compete with,” Yemeni journalist Saleh al-Humaidi told Reuters.“The Americans ought to apologize to mankind for their government’s lie to the world that it is fighting for freedom and that it came to Iraq to save it from Saddam Hussein’s oppression,” he said.
Now surely what happened at Abu Gharib is indefensible on all fronts. The man responsible, Army Spec. Charles Graner, has been tried and convicted and is now serving 10 years in prison for his atrocities. Justice has been served.
But how can this be "ugliness that no other country in the world compete with"? So Saddam's gassing of the Kurds in northern Iraq is not ugly? So the children walking to school this morning that were killed by a terrorists' bomb in Iraq this morning is not ugly? So the genocide that occurred in the Sudan and Somalia is not ugly? So the killing of thousands at the world trade center is not ugly? So the Yemini bombing of the USS Cole is not ugly?
The statement, from a Muslim, condemns the US on a political level for something that is more a result of his personal hatred and intolerance, something that his culture and many in his faith feel is defensible in their twisted, self-righteous, bigoted way of thinking if it occurs by their hands or is according to their "purpose". If they kill people, it is ok; if we torture people, it is the extreme in "ugliness".
Sounds to me like the pot is calling the kettle black, Mr. al-Humaidi. Police yourself and establish some sort of tolerance for views that are other than your own and maybe you can have some credibility with your comments.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Playing Football Causes Suicide?
This week's Sports Illustrated covered a high school in Maine who had 5 players or ex-players from the football team commit suicide in the past 2+ years. Here is a synopsis:
Six deaths. Five suicides, one drunk driving accident. Five men all under the age of 24, who should be in the prime of their lives and experiencing the excitement and enjoyment of freedom and adulthood, instead being mourned by their families and their community. The article goes into detail about how the community was overwhelmed with what seemed to be "copycat" behavior. Looking externally, they saw the connection that all were male, played football for Winthrop, and died within a two and a half year period (excluding the drunk driving incident). Here's what happened:
In the article from E.M. Swift, Winthrop High School's first suicide was on April 10th, 2003, when Jason Marston, a 15 year old backup varsity player who was reportedly popular with his friends and teammates became distraught after he had an argument with his girlfriend, and after locking himself in his room for that evening he snuck outside during the night and shot himself in the head in the backyard. He had no classic warning signs- he had a stable home life, no indication of use/abuse of drugs or alcohol, no history of depression. His father eulogized him wearing his football jersey, and the next year the football team wore his number on their helmets.
The second suicide occurred 10 months later on February 17, 2004, when 20 year old Lee St. Hilaire shot himself in the stomach with a shotgun in his apartment he shared with his girlfriend in Bangor. He was a celebrated quarterback for Winthrop High, leading the team to a 35-6 record while playing and winning the state championship in 2000. Athletically he was not your typical prototype quarterback, and flamed out after trying to play collegiately at Maine and smaller Husson College in Bangor, disenchanted with the "structure" of college ball and also the taste of losing. He brought a little more baggage to the table however- he was the product of a divorced family and chose to live with his girlfriend's family in high school. He reportedly "kept things to himself" and was "defensive about how he was perceived in the community", and while at Maine did not like the idea of a curfew or being told when he could not go home to Winthrop, a freedom a college athlete gives up to play at that level. He also had conversations with his ex-high school football coach about the direction his life was going and what he was going to do in the future. Again no drugs or alcohol were noted.
The next suicide came 11 months later on January 8, 2005, when Bryant (Mox) Donovan, another 19 year old ex-Winthrop player, hung himself. Donovan idolized St. Hilaire, having many clippings from his days as a player, where Donovan was his backup, adorned on his wall at home. Donovan was reported to be "devastated" by Hilaire's death. However, Donovan did show some signs of being at risk. His parents divorced during his freshman year of high school, and his coaches report that he "had a hard time dealing with that." He was kicked off the team his senior year for violating team rules. The night he killed himself, he had been drinking, and an open whiskey bottle was found beside his body.
Lee Ellis died 3 days later, a 24 year old ex-lineman, also by hanging himself. Ellis and Donovan were 5 years apart in school so they barely knew each other, and he had a lot of signs for being at risk- he had a history of depression and a grandmother who committed suicide, was $2000 behind in child support, and had already tried to kill himself twice before succeeding on January 11, 2005.
Chad Garwood also hung himself, on June 11, 2005. He seemed to be a person who had a lot going for him- a top student and star football and basketball player, he was admitted to Colby, a very selective college in the state of Maine. He played football there his freshman year but struggled academically, and did not return for his sophomore year. He moved on and enrolled at the University of Southern Maine, but as a student only, since the school did not have a football team. When Donovan died, Garwood was already struggling with his parents separation- specifically his father, who struggles with depression- and that "double blow" was hard on him emotionally. Still dealing with this, he also struggled with his "failure" at Colby, and prompted a school nurse to have a Winthrop assistant coach call on Garwood to assess how he was doing. He struggled with talking about himself, "clamming up" when the subject of conversation turned to him, but he promised the coach he would call if he ever thought of hurting himself. He began heavily drinking alcohol for about 6 months prior to his death, and had consumed a 6 pack of beer the night he killed himself.
On November 5, 2005, the football team lost another Winthrop player and 2003 graduate, when Jason Ruman was killed in a motor vehicle accident. He had also been drinking heavily that night, and lost control of his car at high speed and flipped over, striking a utility pole. Thankfully, two female passengers also in the car survived the crash.
Six deaths. Five suicides, one drunk driving accident. Five men all under the age of 24, who should be in the prime of their lives and experiencing the excitement and enjoyment of freedom and adulthood, instead being mourned by their families and their community. The article goes into detail about how the community was overwhelmed with what seemed to be "copycat" behavior. Looking externally, they saw the connection that all were male, played football for Winthrop, and died within a two and a half year period (excluding the drunk driving incident). Here's what happened:
- The person who plays football was profiled- men who would not talk about suicide, who would not express themselves emotionally, who had been "trained" to "suck it up" and "play hurt", to show no weaknesses or vulnerability, play football. And they were action oriented, demonstrating such in their athletic prowess and with the success they had with killing themselves.
- The environment was examined- the football coach had kept a board of clippings of players who died young (not only suicide, including those in uniform or in traffic accidents) in the locker room, the players wore Marston's number that year after his death, and St. Hilaire's memorial service was held in the school gym. There was an article in the Augusta paper wondering if the "pressure of fan expectations" on the team strained these players, making them more at risk to themselves.
- The coaches were examined- fortunately the only good story worth printing. The coaches appeared to be model mentors, reaching out to the young men both while they were playing for them and often for many years afterward, a pattern that was kept even though there were changes in the staff during this period.
- The school and the community addressed the issue- the coaches ramped up their efforts at communication with the players, the athletic director worked towards getting students to utilize resources while notifying adults of at risk behavior, and memorials that were requested for the fallen students have been declined by the school.
What did they surmise? That even though the pattern amongst the dead is that they are male and between the ages of 15-24 (the demographic where suicide is the third leading cause of death), the community, and the article itself, concludes that football may predispose males to killing themselves.
Here is where I start to have a problem. I agree with the findings that can be logically traced above, but I think that the writer and the community failed to make some very important points. First, what about the issue of divorce? While it may be taboo to bring it up in today's progressive and relativistic society, parent's who choose to break their wedding vows are modeling the selfish distaste for the value of commitment they are trying to hold their children up to. By saying "Do what I say and not as I do", they potentially demonstrated that value is relative to the person, and is accountable to no one else. So why should someone who is planning on taking their life express their feelings to someone else, even a parent, because in their mind it is an agreeable alternative to struggles that all people of this age range inevitably experience?
My second problem is with alcohol consumption and apparent abuse in minors. Emotional instability is a hallmark for this age demographic, and while many think that drinking alcohol is a right given that they are "exploring" during this time in their lives, the combination of instability and drinking can be deadly. As a resident assistant in college, I was repeatedly trained to recognize the warning signs of suicidal behavior, and my two instances in "talking someone down" both involved relationship break-ups- emotional instability- and heavy alcohol intoxication. The community above has done many of the right things in trying to stop this rash of behavior, but they, and the writer, glaringly fail to bring this point up at all, other than to state the fact that the male had been drinking that day/night. Perhaps the attention to this detail by the parents, the school, the coaches, and the community may limit the next fatality in Winthrop.
Could these two factors have played a role in this as well?
Thursday, October 27, 2005
How do you tell the difference between Democrats, Republicans And Southern Republicans?
Question: How do you tell the difference between Democrats, Republicans And Southern Republicans?
The answer can be found by posing the following question:
You're walking down a deserted street with your wife and two small children. Suddenly, an Islamic Terrorist with a huge knife comes around the corner, locks eyes with you, screams obscenities, praises Allah, raises the knife, and charges at you. You are carrying a Glock 40 cal., and you are an expert shot? You have mere seconds before he reaches you and your family. What do you do?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Democrat's Answer:
Well, that's not enough information to answer the question!
Does the man look poor! Or oppressed?
Have I ever done anything to him that would inspire him to attack?
Could we run away?
What does my wife think?
What about the kids?
Could I possibly swing the gun like a club and knock the knife out of his hand?
What does the law say about this situation?
Does the Glock have appropriate safety built into it?
Why am I carrying a loaded gun anyway, and what kind of message does this send to society and to my children?
Is it possible he'd be happy with just killing me?
Does he definitely want to kill me, or would he be content just to wound me?
If I were to grab his knees and hold on, could my family get away while he was stabbing me?
Should I call 9-1-1?
Why is this street so deserted?
We need to raise taxes, have a paint and weed day and make this a happier, healthier street that would discourage such behavior.
This is all so confusing! I need to debate this with some friends for few days and try to come to a consensus.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Republican's Answer:
BANG!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Southern Republican's Answer:
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! click.....(sounds of reloading).
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! click
Daughter: "Nice grouping, Daddy! Were those the Winchester Silver Tips or Hollow Points?"
The answer can be found by posing the following question:
You're walking down a deserted street with your wife and two small children. Suddenly, an Islamic Terrorist with a huge knife comes around the corner, locks eyes with you, screams obscenities, praises Allah, raises the knife, and charges at you. You are carrying a Glock 40 cal., and you are an expert shot? You have mere seconds before he reaches you and your family. What do you do?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Democrat's Answer:
Well, that's not enough information to answer the question!
Does the man look poor! Or oppressed?
Have I ever done anything to him that would inspire him to attack?
Could we run away?
What does my wife think?
What about the kids?
Could I possibly swing the gun like a club and knock the knife out of his hand?
What does the law say about this situation?
Does the Glock have appropriate safety built into it?
Why am I carrying a loaded gun anyway, and what kind of message does this send to society and to my children?
Is it possible he'd be happy with just killing me?
Does he definitely want to kill me, or would he be content just to wound me?
If I were to grab his knees and hold on, could my family get away while he was stabbing me?
Should I call 9-1-1?
Why is this street so deserted?
We need to raise taxes, have a paint and weed day and make this a happier, healthier street that would discourage such behavior.
This is all so confusing! I need to debate this with some friends for few days and try to come to a consensus.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Republican's Answer:
BANG!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Southern Republican's Answer:
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! click.....(sounds of reloading).
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! click
Daughter: "Nice grouping, Daddy! Were those the Winchester Silver Tips or Hollow Points?"
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