If you haven’t read the news today, “The Boss” Bruce Springsteen has given Sen. Obama his endorsement for President. The following is an excerpt from a letter that was posted by Springsteen on his website, www.BruceSpringsteen.net. "He speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that's interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit.”
Now I, by no means am affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican parties, but when I go to the voting booth on election day my Bible goes with me. Other people may take different things with them like their traditions, experiences, or even Hollywood. It’s the main stream entertainment factor that I want to focus on here.
Over at least the last several years we have seen people like “The Boss” and others use their popularity to try and swing the American voter in a certain way. At least with President Reagan and Gov. Arnold the money they spent was actually on their own candidacy and not someone else’s. With Springsteen backing Sen. Obama and saying that “he speaks to the America I’ve envisioned in my music for the past 35 years” it raises a big question for me. What kind of country does Springsteen want America to be? That question is raised out of my biggest concern with Sen. Obama being President and that is his belief on the right to kill babies at anytime the mother desires during her pregnancy.
If that’s the type of America “The Boss” is wanting then we are in for even worse then what the last eight years have brought, as Springsteen mentioned our current President in his letter.
I guess I’m saying I understand an old rocker backing Sen. Obama about as much as Oprah Whinfrey understands the Christian Bible. But wait, Oprah backs Obama as well.
Anyways, “The Boss” needs to stay with his music, Oprah needs to stick with interviews, politicians need to politic, and preachers need to stand firm on preaching the gospel of Christ and nothing else. No, I’m not talking about separation of church and state, even though for the most part it’s probably a good idea seeing how the church is currently in another battle. That would be the battle of trying survive with the rest of the big business world that she is wanting to be a part of. And just like business, she currently seems to be in a recession.
In Christ Alone,
Mr. V.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Americans & Their Relationships
The following article is from the March 17, 2008 edition of the Barna Update. It was a 1000 person survey about people's most important relationships. When looking at Barna's results I ask that you first, take stats for what they are.........stats. A thousand people obviously don't speak for an entire nation, but it's a good starting point for us to look at a couple of things. Secondly, I ask that you keep the following two items in mind while reading Barna's results.
1. Each individual church should examine herself and see if any of the following applies to them. & 2. If these stats do apply then that church should take a good hard look at the message being given to her people.
(Ventura, CA) Americans have a global reputation for being religious people, but a new study from The Barna Group indicates that people’s most important personal relationship is not with God. Family surpassed their Heavenly Father as the key personal connection. However, when asked to identify the most important group or network in their life, colleagues from their church topped the list, mentioned by three out of every ten adults.
Most Important Relationship
Adults are clearly most focused on their family in terms of important relationships. Overall, seven out of ten adults mentioned family or family members as their most significant connection. One-third said their entire nuclear family is tops, while one-quarter (22%) named their spouse and one-sixth (17%) identified their children. (An additional 3% mentioned their parents as their key relationship.)
The only other relationship mentioned by at least 3% was various iterations of people’s deity. God, Jesus Christ, Allah, and the Trinity were among the names listed by one out of every five adults (19%).
Surprisingly, just 2% of adults said a specific friend represented their most important personal relationship.
Among the related findings were:
The people most likely to list God were 40 or older.
Political conservatives were almost three times as likely as political liberals to identify God as their most important relationship (33% vs. 12%, respectively).
People in the Midwest were only half as likely as residents of the West and Northeast to say their children are their most important relationship.
The only subgroup for which at least one-third said God was their most significant relationship was evangelicals, among whom 70% listed God.
Thirty percent of Protestants listed God as their most important connection. In contrast, just 9% of Catholics did so.
Blacks were about twice as likely as all other Americans to describe their bond with God as their most important relationship.
Women were nearly twice as likely as men to list their children as their most important relationship.
Most Significant Groups
Although adults listed numerous groups or networks that they deem to be most important, those groups generally fit into five categories. Three out of every ten adults (29%) said their church was the most significant group affiliation. The people they affiliate with at their place of work represented the top choice for two out of every ten people (18%), followed by loose associations of friends that regularly gather together (14%), a hobby club or social group (12%) and interaction with people in the neighborhood (7%).
Various subgroups displayed divergent priorities.
People 25 or younger listed friends as their most critical network; church ranked fifth on their hierarchy. In contrast, adults over 25 ranked church as their key social group, followed by their work relationships.
Three-quarters of evangelicals (74%) said their church was their main social network. They were the only population segment from which half or more identified a given network. Atheists and agnostics were most likely to rate their workplace as their top network. Notional Christians were evenly divided, with one-fifth identifying work, one-fifth mentioning their church, and one-fifth listing friends.
Unexpectedly, residents of the West were more likely to list their church group than any other group.
While 44% of Protestants said their church was the prime social group in their life, only 16% of Catholics concurred. Among Catholics, their church ranked as the third most significant social group.
Political conservatives were more than twice as likely as political liberals to position their church as their central social group. Liberals were nearly evenly divided among work, social clubs, friends and church as their dominant social associations.
Interesting Patterns
George Barna, leader of the company that conducted the research, highlighted several intriguing outcomes.
"People were more than 50% more likely to say that their church’s congregation is their most significant group than to say that God represents their most important personal connection. That certainly reflects the interpersonal comfort that millions of people have developed at their church, but also indicates that people may have forgotten the ultimate reason for belonging to a Christian church."
In Christ Alone,
Mr. V.
1. Each individual church should examine herself and see if any of the following applies to them. & 2. If these stats do apply then that church should take a good hard look at the message being given to her people.
(Ventura, CA) Americans have a global reputation for being religious people, but a new study from The Barna Group indicates that people’s most important personal relationship is not with God. Family surpassed their Heavenly Father as the key personal connection. However, when asked to identify the most important group or network in their life, colleagues from their church topped the list, mentioned by three out of every ten adults.
Most Important Relationship
Adults are clearly most focused on their family in terms of important relationships. Overall, seven out of ten adults mentioned family or family members as their most significant connection. One-third said their entire nuclear family is tops, while one-quarter (22%) named their spouse and one-sixth (17%) identified their children. (An additional 3% mentioned their parents as their key relationship.)
The only other relationship mentioned by at least 3% was various iterations of people’s deity. God, Jesus Christ, Allah, and the Trinity were among the names listed by one out of every five adults (19%).
Surprisingly, just 2% of adults said a specific friend represented their most important personal relationship.
Among the related findings were:
The people most likely to list God were 40 or older.
Political conservatives were almost three times as likely as political liberals to identify God as their most important relationship (33% vs. 12%, respectively).
People in the Midwest were only half as likely as residents of the West and Northeast to say their children are their most important relationship.
The only subgroup for which at least one-third said God was their most significant relationship was evangelicals, among whom 70% listed God.
Thirty percent of Protestants listed God as their most important connection. In contrast, just 9% of Catholics did so.
Blacks were about twice as likely as all other Americans to describe their bond with God as their most important relationship.
Women were nearly twice as likely as men to list their children as their most important relationship.
Most Significant Groups
Although adults listed numerous groups or networks that they deem to be most important, those groups generally fit into five categories. Three out of every ten adults (29%) said their church was the most significant group affiliation. The people they affiliate with at their place of work represented the top choice for two out of every ten people (18%), followed by loose associations of friends that regularly gather together (14%), a hobby club or social group (12%) and interaction with people in the neighborhood (7%).
Various subgroups displayed divergent priorities.
People 25 or younger listed friends as their most critical network; church ranked fifth on their hierarchy. In contrast, adults over 25 ranked church as their key social group, followed by their work relationships.
Three-quarters of evangelicals (74%) said their church was their main social network. They were the only population segment from which half or more identified a given network. Atheists and agnostics were most likely to rate their workplace as their top network. Notional Christians were evenly divided, with one-fifth identifying work, one-fifth mentioning their church, and one-fifth listing friends.
Unexpectedly, residents of the West were more likely to list their church group than any other group.
While 44% of Protestants said their church was the prime social group in their life, only 16% of Catholics concurred. Among Catholics, their church ranked as the third most significant social group.
Political conservatives were more than twice as likely as political liberals to position their church as their central social group. Liberals were nearly evenly divided among work, social clubs, friends and church as their dominant social associations.
Interesting Patterns
George Barna, leader of the company that conducted the research, highlighted several intriguing outcomes.
"People were more than 50% more likely to say that their church’s congregation is their most significant group than to say that God represents their most important personal connection. That certainly reflects the interpersonal comfort that millions of people have developed at their church, but also indicates that people may have forgotten the ultimate reason for belonging to a Christian church."
In Christ Alone,
Mr. V.
The Modern Family
I just read an interesting article in Newsweek by Kathleen Deveny entitled "Liar, Liar, Parents on Fire". It's interesting to see how people view topics such as bearing false witness/telling lies.
In this particular article the author shares some in-sight from her relationship with her 7 year old daughter. The article is found below, but you can also read it by clicking on the following link:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/129545
When my daughter asked me why it was embarrassing that former New York governor Eliot Spitzer was involved with a cowgirl ring, I didn't hesitate. "Bad lariat tricks," I explained. She looked a little confused, but let it drop. I know that I'm not supposed to lie to my kid, but I didn't feel like explaining prostitution to a 7-year-old. But it is hardly the first whopper I've told my child, and it got me thinking about how I really feel about honesty as a policy. Over the years, I have concocted elaborate tales of how the Easter Bunny finds us even when we're on vacation in Florida. I have artfully dodged questions about where babies come from and proclaimed my child's half-hearted scribblings works of genius. I have promised her that I would be home at 6:30, even though I knew in my heart I would never make it in time. I have implied that if I don't do some work while we're on vacation that we could someday end up homeless. I'm not proud, but I also know I'm not alone. "Don't feel bad," says Alan Hilfer, director of psychology at Maimonides Medical Center in New York. "We all tend to lie to our children on a regular basis."
But there are lies, and then there are lies. Hilfer assures me that Santa and the tooth fairy are not (necessarily) the stuff of future therapy sessions. Instead, they fuel kids' imaginations and make holidays more magical. Children long to believe in these stories, and parents like me are only too happy to accommodate them. Coaxing children to lie in order to spare someone's feelings—"tell Grandma you love the pair of socks she knitted for you even though they're really scratchy"—is also perfectly acceptable, according to the pros. In fact, the ability to understand these kinds of "pro-social" lies is a positive developmental milestone for children, according to Victoria Talwar, an assistant professor at Montreal's McGill University and an expert on children and lying. It shows they have developed empathy and have begun to understand that there is a world beyond them.
The experts were less reassuring, however, about what I have come to think of as lies of convenience. You know, telling your child you cannot afford to buy a $3 sack of polished stones at the science museum when the truth is that you just don't want any more rocks at your house. Pretending to call Santa on your cell phone to alert him to bad behavior also apparently falls into the unacceptable category. Even though I think that what most parents lament about this particular white lie is that it can be employed effectively during only a few short months, it actually represents abdicating parental responsibility. "That's asking Santa to do your job," says Wendy Mogel, a child psychologist in Los Angeles. "That's asking Santa to do your job. Santa's job is to get down the chimney and eat the cookies. You have the courage to say 'no' to your own child." After absorbing that bombshell, I asked Mogel about the downside of false praise. She says that telling your child everything he or she does is great ultimately does them a disservice. We do this because we want our kids to be secure and to like us, she says, but plenty of research shows that external reward reduces intrinsic motivation. Better to ask them about their process—why they chose blue for their artwork or decided to make Mommy's head square.
Like most parenting advice, the truth about lying is both slightly obvious and nearly impossible to follow. I'd like to think I've lied for the best of reasons—to make a holiday extra-special or because I really meant to leave work early and spend time with my child. But I've also lied because I was exhausted and wanted to avoid an argument. By 7 or 8, experts say, most kids understand the intentions behind a lie, which puts me right in the danger zone. So I'm going to try to stop lying to my daughter because I want her to trust me, and because I don't want her to learn that lying is an effective strategy for dealing with the adult world. Even if that's the sad truth.
By the author's own admission in the article it's obvious that she lies to her child, but the big question is what are the motives behind her or us for that matter in doing so. The author makes a few statements like "I've lied for the best reasons" or because "I wanted to avoid an argument," but that is only justification for what she/we are doing. We lie because at the time it seems to be in our best benefit to do so and not for the good of our children as the author claims. It's all about us and what we want. The author says she lies because she doesn't want more rocks in the house or because the topic was of discomfort to her. Our motives are for ourselves first, but to suppress that realization we justify it by saying everyone does it or we want our children to have an extra special holiday.
If you want your children to have an extra special holiday then teach them Jesus' birth on Christmas and His resurrection on Easter.
Based on this article I tend to agree with Wendy Mogel when she puts the responsibility back on the parents. Santa shouldn't be the authority in our homes, but rather the parents through the Scriptures.
Lying to our children doesn't teach them how to lie. Just remember back to the first time your child knew they were going to be in trouble after you asked if they had colored on the wall. They said no. And they did so because at that time they thought it would benefit them. So again, we lie for our own benefit and the only difference is that as adults we have become better at it.
Effects of lying.....
First off it's a sin against God. The 9th Commandment says that you shall not bear false witness.
Secondly, when we lie it becomes real hard for others to trust us in anything.
Thirdly, when our children begin to view us a liers then we lose all authority and credibility with them.
Therefore, hold the Bible above the rulings of your household and God will take care of the rest.
In Christ Alone,
Mr. V.
In this particular article the author shares some in-sight from her relationship with her 7 year old daughter. The article is found below, but you can also read it by clicking on the following link:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/129545
When my daughter asked me why it was embarrassing that former New York governor Eliot Spitzer was involved with a cowgirl ring, I didn't hesitate. "Bad lariat tricks," I explained. She looked a little confused, but let it drop. I know that I'm not supposed to lie to my kid, but I didn't feel like explaining prostitution to a 7-year-old. But it is hardly the first whopper I've told my child, and it got me thinking about how I really feel about honesty as a policy. Over the years, I have concocted elaborate tales of how the Easter Bunny finds us even when we're on vacation in Florida. I have artfully dodged questions about where babies come from and proclaimed my child's half-hearted scribblings works of genius. I have promised her that I would be home at 6:30, even though I knew in my heart I would never make it in time. I have implied that if I don't do some work while we're on vacation that we could someday end up homeless. I'm not proud, but I also know I'm not alone. "Don't feel bad," says Alan Hilfer, director of psychology at Maimonides Medical Center in New York. "We all tend to lie to our children on a regular basis."
But there are lies, and then there are lies. Hilfer assures me that Santa and the tooth fairy are not (necessarily) the stuff of future therapy sessions. Instead, they fuel kids' imaginations and make holidays more magical. Children long to believe in these stories, and parents like me are only too happy to accommodate them. Coaxing children to lie in order to spare someone's feelings—"tell Grandma you love the pair of socks she knitted for you even though they're really scratchy"—is also perfectly acceptable, according to the pros. In fact, the ability to understand these kinds of "pro-social" lies is a positive developmental milestone for children, according to Victoria Talwar, an assistant professor at Montreal's McGill University and an expert on children and lying. It shows they have developed empathy and have begun to understand that there is a world beyond them.
The experts were less reassuring, however, about what I have come to think of as lies of convenience. You know, telling your child you cannot afford to buy a $3 sack of polished stones at the science museum when the truth is that you just don't want any more rocks at your house. Pretending to call Santa on your cell phone to alert him to bad behavior also apparently falls into the unacceptable category. Even though I think that what most parents lament about this particular white lie is that it can be employed effectively during only a few short months, it actually represents abdicating parental responsibility. "That's asking Santa to do your job," says Wendy Mogel, a child psychologist in Los Angeles. "That's asking Santa to do your job. Santa's job is to get down the chimney and eat the cookies. You have the courage to say 'no' to your own child." After absorbing that bombshell, I asked Mogel about the downside of false praise. She says that telling your child everything he or she does is great ultimately does them a disservice. We do this because we want our kids to be secure and to like us, she says, but plenty of research shows that external reward reduces intrinsic motivation. Better to ask them about their process—why they chose blue for their artwork or decided to make Mommy's head square.
Like most parenting advice, the truth about lying is both slightly obvious and nearly impossible to follow. I'd like to think I've lied for the best of reasons—to make a holiday extra-special or because I really meant to leave work early and spend time with my child. But I've also lied because I was exhausted and wanted to avoid an argument. By 7 or 8, experts say, most kids understand the intentions behind a lie, which puts me right in the danger zone. So I'm going to try to stop lying to my daughter because I want her to trust me, and because I don't want her to learn that lying is an effective strategy for dealing with the adult world. Even if that's the sad truth.
By the author's own admission in the article it's obvious that she lies to her child, but the big question is what are the motives behind her or us for that matter in doing so. The author makes a few statements like "I've lied for the best reasons" or because "I wanted to avoid an argument," but that is only justification for what she/we are doing. We lie because at the time it seems to be in our best benefit to do so and not for the good of our children as the author claims. It's all about us and what we want. The author says she lies because she doesn't want more rocks in the house or because the topic was of discomfort to her. Our motives are for ourselves first, but to suppress that realization we justify it by saying everyone does it or we want our children to have an extra special holiday.
If you want your children to have an extra special holiday then teach them Jesus' birth on Christmas and His resurrection on Easter.
Based on this article I tend to agree with Wendy Mogel when she puts the responsibility back on the parents. Santa shouldn't be the authority in our homes, but rather the parents through the Scriptures.
Lying to our children doesn't teach them how to lie. Just remember back to the first time your child knew they were going to be in trouble after you asked if they had colored on the wall. They said no. And they did so because at that time they thought it would benefit them. So again, we lie for our own benefit and the only difference is that as adults we have become better at it.
Effects of lying.....
First off it's a sin against God. The 9th Commandment says that you shall not bear false witness.
Secondly, when we lie it becomes real hard for others to trust us in anything.
Thirdly, when our children begin to view us a liers then we lose all authority and credibility with them.
Therefore, hold the Bible above the rulings of your household and God will take care of the rest.
In Christ Alone,
Mr. V.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
ALL FOOLS DAY
From what I've read the origins of this day are for the most part a mystery. Some say that it started in France and others just admit to not knowing. Since my worldview is based upon the Bible, here is my two cents worth for this day.
Psalms 14v1 The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God
So in celebration of today, find your friendly neighborhood atheist and witness to them.
After all, today is their day......
In Christ Alone,
Mr. V.
Psalms 14v1 The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God
So in celebration of today, find your friendly neighborhood atheist and witness to them.
After all, today is their day......
In Christ Alone,
Mr. V.
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