no choice?

I just read a FaceBook status yesterday that people are "born gay." Well I don't think so and maybe you don't either if you ever read my blog. But I decided to do a little investigation on google to see what other, possibly unbiased sites thought. So that eliminated sites with a only Christian worldview.
It seems that the scientists don't agree on this idea. Some have tried to find a "gay gene" and have stated that they have; others have stated that to find this singular characteristic is impossible. Animals in nature may CHOOSE to be homosexual for a time but there's no evidence they're born that way. And humans that pair as same sex couples serve no biological function, that is, they can't have children naturally without adoption or surrogacy, so that's out.
Biblically, homosexuals are pictured as depraved in the Old Testament and willfully sinning in the New Testament; a sinner that God loves but a sin that God deplores.
If persons are BORN gay how do some become ex-gay? Wouldn't their physiology preclude that from ever happening?
One of my favorite TV shows that has made me laugh for over a season is now pushing the political issue. It's a shame really but if Modern Family continues going in this direction I won't be watching any more.
I don't have any gay or lesbian friends. I guess I have been propositioned in the past but I have always felt this to be an aberrant behavior. And I'm sure there are nice people that are also homosexual and someone has a ministry there, it's just not me. I've read that the philosopher/theologian Henri Nouwen was gay and celibate. Loved everything I read of his.

what "they" think of "us"

I'm into bikes these days. As in bicycles. And if I ever work again I hope that's something to save for.
Anyway, there's a whole hipster edge to faith these days. I don't think I'm trying too hard. But this was interesting from a bike blog that I visit.

stop being wimps

This was too good not to share. Hope you find it useful.

Legal

Well, if you're friends with me and not Jill on FaceBook, you might not know that I'm now legal in Canada as a visitor for one year. I can't work still and have no medical privileges, which is a pretty big deal in socialized medicine, but it's OK for me to be here as well as travel back and forth to the US. Maybe a trip down home is possible over Christmas time. And the agent who checked me through at the border also told me that my permanent residency process was seen in the database so that was a HUGE blessing as well. She took my original work document from me so maybe I'll soon be able to put that whole experience behind me. Hope so.

A Whole New World

Can't you just hear Peabo Bryson now? I was at a baptism where my church baptized a lot of people this past Sunday, and I thought and worried about new believers in this day of the church. I can't help transporting my culture to this new place, but I of course grew up in the Bible belt and living in more than just a cultural Christianity, I grew up in the church. Mom was the choir director and Dad was a deacon and sang in the choir. I grew up in Sunday School, watching Billy Graham films about the end of times, and hearing hellfire and brimstone sermons occasionally. I heard all the Bible stories and learned about quiet times and Scripture memorization and was grown in the faith by my mom and youth camps my entire life. And for all the youth that turn their backs on the church when they leave home, I was one of the success stories.
Which brings me back to why I was worried for people that are being baptized right now. Increasingly people are completely unchurched for their entire lives. No one has ever taken them to church. I would like to be one of their older and wiser Christian friends that helps them navigate the minefield that I went through when it was much safer. I mean, I was seven. How difficult could the world have been then? They are in their early 20s or older.
I may not be all that old, in years anyway, but I hope someone might need my wisdom. I'll be praying.
And I'll continue to influence the only one whose life I have any control over-Celia Grace. I read or heard all Christians used to live together in New Testament days. Now that would've been a church...

A Different Use of Social Media

I hope I haven't titled this poorly. I just had an interesting experience today that I thought I might share. As many of you know if you read this blog, I've had a rough time here in Canada with being run off from the only job I could work here, getting sick, and my wife having to go back to work while I stay at home to take care of our child. Well, I posted some raw stuff not long after losing the job and some students got hold of that blog and decided to respond to it. In a really hateful manner. On Christmas Day. Well, that's what made today interesting.
I was in a queue for food this morning at the market when who should come up but that kid. The one that tracked me through someone's friend list on FaceBook just so he could send me a snarky, even hateful, FB message. And I'm standing right next to him. Does he feel self-conscious? Should he? Is it OK to say bad things from the anonymity of a computer that one wouldn't say in person? I say that it is.
It made me consider the humanity of social media. The people on my list really were my friends at other times in my life, as well as now. I mean, I like having a big list but all of these are people that I would actually speak to again.
I don't know what I'm trying to say. I didn't say anything to this guy. I mean, he's not a friend. What would Jesus or Paul have said to the people that deliberately tried to hurt them? In Jesus' case, abuse and kill him?
So maybe people communicate their true feelings when they can be anonymous. Not me though. I'm going to try to treat everybody in the right way. Hope I'm teaching somebody something. That's what I love doing the most.

Lady GaGa analysis

I don't really listen to pop music at all anymore. When I was teaching, I listened to it a little more, and found the song Poker Face to be quite catchy. A study of GaGa's recent Rolling Stone interview was interesting, to say the least. Those that say we can change the channel or radio station must also know we can't always be with our kids, students, and youth. I need to know what and who they're listening to. I believe in studying media and think it's very important, especially living in today's culture. Not to be puritanical and say it's all bad and should be avoided, that's incredibly naive and unrealistic. But simply to know. And whether I'm ever in full-time ministry again or not, I'm always going to think that's absolutely essential to what I do.