Impact of TV

Somewhere I heard a story about the goodness and the hazards of fire. Fire that is created by striking a match or a flicking a lighter. The story goes that fire can produce heat to keep us warm and cook our food or the same fire can burn down a forest or a house.

As with many things in life there can be a good and beneficial use or a bad and detrimental use for the same thing. This thought applies also to things like nuclear power and to personal things like our attitudes, thoughts, actions, beliefs and our tongues.

I saw this story below in Time Magazine that talks about how beneficial television is becoming for educating and informing the world in areas that have not had access to this medium.

We in the western world can easily overlook the importance of something this simple because we have been exposed to TV since we were born. Rather than being amused by or critical of those who only now are getting access to TV or other inventions and services, we use daily, why don’t we make efforts to figure out ways to help people around the world who don’t have our advantages?

How about collecting old TV’s in the US and sending them and other used modern devices to the world. TV’s and computers can and will be used more and more to educate the world’s population.

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10 Ideas for the Next 10 Years

A thinker's guide to the most important trends of the new decade

TV Will Save the World

By Charles Kenny Thursday, Mar. 11, 2010

‘Television's most transformative impact will be on the lives of women. In India, researchers Robert Jensen and Emily Oster found that when cable TV reached villages, women were more likely to go to the market without their husbands' permission and less likely to want a boy rather than a girl. They were more likely to make decisions over child health care and less likely to think that men had the right to beat their wives. TV is also a powerful medium for adult education. In the Indian state of Gujarat, Chitrageet is a hugely popular show that plays Bollywood song and dance clips. The routines are subtitled in Gujarati. Within six months, viewers had made a small but significant improvement in their reading skills.

Too much TV has been associated with violence, obesity and social isolation. But TV is having a positive impact on the lives of billions worldwide, and as the spread of mobile TV, video cameras and YouTube democratize both access and content, it will become an even greater force for humbling tyrannical governments and tyrannical husbands alike.’

Kenny, a development economist, is the author of a forthcoming book on innovation, ideas and the global standard of living

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1971133_1971110_1971118,00.html #ixzz2Da2XHEoF

Becoming Great

Here's a quote from Niccolo Machiavelli that caught my attention in the book, 'The Next Decade' by George Friedman.

'the one who adapts his policy to the times prospers, and likewise that the one whose policy clashes with the demands of the times does not.'

Machiavelli's philosophy in the 'Prince' (see below) could be considered as humanism - putting yourself first or as he put it, 'augmenting the glory of the prince'.

This is totally opposed to the teachings of Christ who talked about, '...Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant' - from Mark 10:43. Christ's teachings do not change through the ages.

We all have a choice to make. Do we serve ourselves or God and others?

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http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/macv.htm

A reminder to most and new advice for some

Some times we have to be reminded about things we may or may not know.

The video at the site below is about Dumb Ways to Die.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/this-is-the-viral-australian-dumb-ways-to-die-psa-that-glenn-beck-loves-and-will-be-stuck-in-your-head-all-day/

Thoughts on Freedom

Following are some quotes on Freedom from some significant figures from American history.

It does not take a majority to prevail... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.
Samuel Adams

The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission.
John F. Kennedy

Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.
Franklin D. Roosevelt

Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry his own weight, this is a frightening prospect.
Eleanor Roosevelt

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/freedom.html#Dzw2tzI4tjCTODFk.99

It's easy to confuse leading and following

The quote below describes Jesus and the way that He lived. It appears that too many of today's Christian leaders are so busy being leaders that they don't have time to be followers. I guess the difference is that Jesus wasn't in it for the glory.

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'Leaders, if they will be persons of lasting and effective impact, never view themselves as anything but followers.'

Joseph M. Stowell, 'Following Christ'

Becoming an FDFC

Below is an excerpt from ‘Becoming a Fully Devoted Follower of Christ’ from McLean Bible Church in Vienna, Virginia. This excerpt is an overview from the Introduction. There is much more to the document including an explanation of each of the four disciplines identified below. I have provided the MBC link below. It is worth taking the time to read the entire document and discuss.

 

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‘Just how are people transformed into fully devoted followers of Christ? Transformation starts with God, who made it possible for us to be reconciled to Him through Christ’s death on the cross. When we receive His gift, not only do we become a new creation, but we also have the opportunity to become a vital part of the ministry of reconciling the world to God (see 2 Corinthians 5:17-20).

After accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, a person begins an amazing adventure with God, a lifelong process of transformation from  q believer to fully devoted follower. The transformation is the result of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. The transformation is also partly our responsibility (see Philippians 2:12-13). We must learn to identify the leading of the Holy Spirit and respond in obedience. It is only as we are filled with the Holy Spirit that we can follow Christ, surrender to His Lordship, be conformed to His likeness, and become fully devoted followers.

At McLean Bible Church, we believe that learning to identify the leading of the Holy Spirit, yielding our will to His, and responding in obedience requires discipline. Specifically, we believe that four spiritual disciplines are essential to becoming a fully devoted follower of Christ. Therefore, we encourage and challenge every believer to practice these four disciplines:

• Grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ

• Connect in Biblical community

• Serve in your God-given ministry

• Share the message of Jesus Christ

As we develop and exercise these disciplines in our daily lives, we experience both personal fulfillment as well as fruitfulness for His kingdom! The four disciplines are interconnected components of the growth process, not independent activities. They work together to prepare you to successfully navigate your spiritual journey, make wise decisions, and

withstand the hardships along the way.’

‘Becoming a Fully Devoted Follower of Christ’ from McLean Bible Church,

http://www.mcleanbible.org/uploads/FullyDevotedBooklet.pdf

 

Gaining Wisdom

Charles Stanley, Sr. Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Atlanta, has been on radio and TV with his ‘Insight for Living’ program for many years and he has influenced many people for Christ. I had the chance to listen to Stanley when I was going through some tough times a number of years ago.

What caught my attention as I began to listen to him was that Stanley seemed very authentic in his description of the problems he faced and how he trusted God to help him. I liked the way Stanley talked about God (with reverence and respect), the way he talked about how he heard from God (after lying prostate on the floor and pleading with God) and how he prayed.

Stanley has had a great influence on me and encouraged me to want to grow stronger in my faith just as he has. I think this is the essence of Christianity - finding a more mature Christian who can help you grow in your faith. Just like Jesus did with the disciples.

Jesus found 12 disciples and invested all he had in them. Although he spoke at times to thousands he wasn’t impressed by the numbers of people that showed up. But he always wanted to be with His disciples to teach them, train them and to love them. He believed that the 12 would continue His teaching and reach out to others to do the same things. I’ve read that Jesus had no plan B and He had faith in the 12 to do what He taught them.

I have learned a great deal from Charles Stanley. His son Andy has followed in his footsteps and is the Sr. Pastor of the North Point Community Church in Atlanta.

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Below is an excerpt from ‘The Charles Stanley Life Principles Bible’

How can I gain wisdom from God?

·         Seek (ask) Him

·         Meditate on God’s Word

·         Obey the principles of Scripture

·         Observe the faithfulness of God

·         Heed Godly counsel

·         Associate with wise people

Charles Stanley

http://www.intouch.org/

Atheist Activists Launch Shocking Web Site

‘Kids Without God’: Atheist Activists Launch Shocking Web Site to Convert Kids & Teens Into Non-Believers - Posted on November 13, 2012 at 11:40am by Billy Hallowell

See comments at the site
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/kids-without-god-atheist-activists-launch-shocking-web-site-to-convert-kids-teens-into-non-believers/

The atheist activist community in America has taken an increasingly-active role in trying to convince citizens with doubts about their faith to fully evolve into non-believers and to “come out,” publicly proclaiming their anti-theism. Think of it as a form of secular evangelism. Already, non-believers have attempted to reach clergy who are in doubt through The Clergy Project. Additionally, there’s a humanist church service each week in Tulsa, Oklahoma (and these are only two examples). Now, in addition to reaching adults, atheist activists have their eyes set on converting kids and teens.

The American Humanist Association (AHA), a group that seeks to create “a progressive society where being good without gods” is widely accepted, has launched a new outreach web site called KidsWithoutGod.com. According to a press release put out by the organization, the project’s key intention is to attract “humanist, atheist and other non-traditionally religious kids” so that they can find information that is not colored by “supernaturalism.”

 “Whether they already made up their minds to reject supernatural explanations, or are just questioning, it’s time to make available an online resource that’s built just for kids without God,” explained Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the AHA.

Speckhardt goes on in the news release to explain that children being reached by KidsWithoutGod.com might be from a variety of families. Their parents, perhaps, are “traditionally religious.” Or, as the humanist leader notes, the children may be “from families like that of President Barack Obama, whose mother was a secular humanist.” Speckhardt claims that the site is a friendly community for children who may not be ready or willing to ask an adult about non-belief.

Among the educational topics that the web site touts, according to the release, are: religion in public schools, science, sexuality and discrimination, among others. One video on the children’s portal shows scientist Bill Nye describing evolution, for example. Considering that both children and teens are being reached through the project, there are two separate web portals designed for these two groups (each is accessible through KidsWithoutGod.com).

“With the plethora of websites geared toward teaching kids about Christianity, Judaism, or Islam, we’re pleased to add humanism to the discussion,” Speckhardt continued. “Kids should know there’s another way to learn about morals and values — it doesn’t need to come from traditional religion.”

In an effort to get the word out, the AHA is spending $30,000 on an advertising campaign on 140 buses in the Washington, D.C. area. In addition to these placements, there will be Internet ads on Pandora, Facebook, Google, YouTube and other outlets (the press release also notes that Disney and National Geographic Kids turned the ads down based on their content).

Forgiveness for the Offender

A group I am part of is reading through 2 Corinthians. When I got to the passage below titled 'Forgiveness for the Offender' I decided to read the commentary and was struck by what I read. I always thought the purpose was discipline but it isn't. The purpose is restoration. The commentary indicated that:

·         ‘Church discipline should seek restoration. Two mistakes in church discipline should be avoided – being too lenient and not correcting mistakes, or being too harsh and not forgiving the sinner. There is a time to confront and a time to comfort.

I know of an instance where a man was confronted by our church staff, several times I believe, and asked eventually to leave the church. I don’t recall that this was brought up to the majority of the church as indicated below. He and his family were very involved in the church.

Now after reading the commentary for this scripture I don’t recall hearing if the man repented and if the pastor forgave the man and invited the man and his family to come back. The Commentary continues: 

·         We must remember that our purpose in discipline is to restore a person to the fellowship, not to destroy him or her. We must be cautious that personal anger is not vented under the guise of church discipline.

Forgiveness for the Offender

2 Corinthians 2:5-11

⁵ If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. ⁶ The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. ⁷ Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. ⁸ I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. ⁹ Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. ¹⁰ Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, ¹¹ in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

Tyndale NIV Life Application Bible – Commentary for 2 Corinthians 2:5-11

·         2:5-11  Paul explained that it was time to forgive the man who had been punished by the church and had subsequently repented. He needed forgiveness, acceptance and comfort. Satan would gain an advantage if they permanently separated this man from the congregation rather than forgiving and restoring him. …Church discipline should seek restoration. Two mistakes in church discipline should be avoided – being too lenient and not correcting mistakes, or being too harsh and not forgiving the sinner. There is a time to confront and a time to comfort.

·         2:11  We use church discipline to help keep the church pure and to help wayward people repent. But Satan tries to harm the church by tempting it to use discipline in an unforgiving way. This causes those exercising discipline to become proud of their purity, and it causes the person who is being disciplined to become bitter and perhaps leave the church entirely. We must remember that our purpose in discipline is to restore a person to the fellowship, not to destroy him or her. We must be cautious that personal anger is not vented under the guise of church discipline.

New take on National Anthem

The group Madison Rising is trying to get 5 million views of their video of the National Anthem. They have already exceeded their first goal of 1 million view.

“Take the NEW Challenge: Help Madison Rising reach 5 million views by July 4th of next year and let’s celebrate what being an American is all about!,” the band’s web site reads.

Watch and listen to this video at:

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/rock-band-combats-liberal-attacks-on-the-national-anthem-with-this-patriotic-star-spangled-banner-video-challenge/

 

Conshohocken, PA …… Romney – Ryan Headquarters

I have been making phone calls for the Romney Ryan Campaign during the last week and this week at the Victory Center in Conshohocken, PA, a Philadelphia suburb. Today was especially exciting as there was a lot of excitement at the RR HQ as the morning wore on.

Lots of chatter as calls were being made. Volunteers and staff were excited as they would come in and greet each other. In the background the constant sounds of phones ringing, callers offering greetings to voters, questions being asked of voters and voters being encouraged to encourage their family, friends and relatives to vote for Romney and Ryan.

More volunteers kept coming in to make calls and pick up signs to be placed throughout the area. And then more excitement when it was announced that early in the afternoon a group would visit the RR Victory Center. The group would include Chad Lewis, former Philadelphia Eagle, Actor Jon Voigt, former Maryland Governor Bob Ehrlich, former Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman and former Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani.

The anticipation kept building.

When the group arrived there was increasing applause as more and more of those already in the center realized the group had arrived. Each member of the group took a few minutes to speak. Some spoke a little longer than others.  

·         Chad Lewis offered an introduction and a welcome

·         Jon Voigt, a former Democrat who now is supporting Romney, encouraged us, talked about the importance of the election  and quoted some appropriate lines from Camelot

·         Bob Ehrlich, talked about the enthusiasm of Pennsylvania Republicans,  and how important it is to turn out voters

·         Norm Coleman, who I liked best, spoke about the enthusiasm of Republican voters. He reminded us how the Democrats will try to steal seats just as his seat was stolen by Al Franken. He was uplifting and encouraging.

·         Rudy Giuliani, spoke about Obama’s failure as President, including his mismanagement of the economy, his lack of regard and respect for Israel and his inability to decide and to take action vis a vis the recent situation in Libya where 4 Americans were killed without the US taking any action and the weak excuses he made for that lack of action. And to top it off Obama’s failure to follow through on getting aid to New York City after Hurricane Sandy.

Their remarks were encouraging and motivating. They all touted why it is important to get people out to vote for Romney and Ryan and they expressed appreciation to us, the volunteers, for the work we were doing.

 It was a great experience and one I hope to participate in again. But it’s not over yet. There are more calls to make on Election Day and then voting.

Make sure you vote on Election Day. This is an important election for the US and if we have four more years that are a repeat of the past four years the US will be facing the same kinds of problems that Europe has and you will have less control over your life and the government will be passing more laws and issuing more regulations that will control you and limit your choices.