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by | August 15, 2012 · 1:46 pm

Hypocrisy and Porn

Warning: the following article may not be suitable for young people.

Questions

Is it a double standard to say a thing is completely acceptable, and then criminalize the use of the thing?

Is it hypocritical to say something is protected as free speech under the law, and then prohibit someone from listening or viewing the “speech”?

If something is deemed simply natural, not immoral or subject to the restrictions of an objective moral code, then is it acceptable to restrict someone from doing or partaking in what is simply “natural”?

These are honest questions. They are not meant to be leading. They are simply questions which I have been asking lately, because the double standard and hypocrisy are evident in our laws.

No Internet

For a while I have had the opportunity to counsel with a paroled sex offender. He is trying desperately to rebuild his life. He is completely repentant and wants to be the man God wants him to be, including provide for his family. The problem is the internet.

Almost everything we do these days, from sending emails to filling out applications, is done online. There are hardly any cell phones for sale that are not internet accessible. Yet, in the case of this man, he is not allowed to be on the internet – period. No phone, no computer, no iPad – nothing that will allow him internet access. Why? Because he might view pornography.

Excuse me? I thought pornography was perfectly legal. I thought pornography was protected as free speech. I thought that porn was safe, even good for one’s marriage. I thought porn was supposed to be art. Was I wrong?

Evidently, a convicted sex offender on parole is prohibited from viewing pornography because it might cause him to want to do sexually illegal things. Really?

Told You So

Now wait a minute! Haven’t we Christians being talking about the dangers of pornography for a while? Haven’t we said Scripture advises against such things? Sure! And here are just a few applicable verses:

But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. – Matthew 5:28 NKJV

Marriage [is] honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. – Hebrews 13:4 NKJV

I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman? – Job 31:1 NKJV

Was the Bible wrong? Why is it that Christians and their pastors who preach the Bible are considered “Victorian” and backward? “The human body is a beautiful thing,” they say, “and you Christians are just prudes.”

No, God designed sex for marriage, not the gratification of anyone with internet access. And anyone who views pornography is not only lusting, which is a sin, but he is flirting with a ticking time bomb. Pornography IS dangerous. Pornography IS obscene. And pornography can lead a man to act out his fantasies when viewing them on a computer is no longer good enough.

My question is this: if it is so wrong for a sex offender to view it, all because it might tempt him to commit another sex crime, then why is it perfectly OK for everyone else to view it?

It’s called HYPOCRISY.

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by | August 13, 2012 · 10:01 am

Monday Monkey “Dark and Early” (Episode 27)

Today is the first full day of the school year in our town. That means that the days of sleeping in are over.

The only difference this year is that Mr. Monkey thought he could handle driving a school bus. I wonder how it turned out?

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by | August 6, 2012 · 12:03 am

Monday Monkey (#26) and the 300th Post!

Last week it was 20,000 views.

This week it is our

300th Post!

Yaaaaayyyyy!

And, to beat all, the 300th post on The Recovering Legalist is not going to be serious or controversial, but fun and educational. It’s a Monday Monkey video!

Vacation

This week my family and I went out of town for a couple of days. We went to Huntsville and Decatur, Alabama. While in Decatur we stayed at the Marriott Courtyard and had a half tank of gasoline stolen, ate barbecue, went to my old employer’s bug museum, and tried to work on several papers that need to be completed before week’s end.

Hey, for the record, I normally use iMovie to do my video, but then end of this video features a piece done on the Socialcam app.

Also, here’s a shout out and hello to Gage, a little boy we met in Cook’s Natural Science Museum. He was brave enough to have his picture made with a weird man and a monkey, but his little brother chickened out. And also for the record, his mom gave us permission to take the picture. Thank’s to the mom and granny persons 🙂

Also, on our way home, we drove by the U. S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville.

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by | August 3, 2012 · 3:39 pm

20,000 Milestone Reached

Today is a special day!

This afternoon I officially broke the 20,000 views mark!

Thanks, folks! Thanks to all the regular subscribers, the occasional readers, and even the ones who hate everything about me and all I believe.

I know that to some 20,000 is a drop in the bucket. But on the other hand, I appreciate every view, whether it is counted as a “hit,” or not (many are not).

Again, thank you very much for each time you take the time to read this blog.

To God be the glory, great things He hath done!

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by | August 1, 2012 · 1:15 am

Interview Questions

A Great Idea

I was just reading the blog of a new subscriber, Jessie Clemence. One of her posts consisted of an interview conducted by herself. That gave me an idea – why not interview ME?

Yes, I think it would be fun to conduct an in-depth, newsworthy interview with myself. I could ask all the right questions, none of the wrong ones, and make myself look pretty darn impressive.

The only downside to interviewing myself is that if I am the only one asking the questions, then I might get mad at myself for prying too much. I would hate to make myself so angry that I never talk to myself again.

Your Questions

So, why don’t you help me interview myself by suggesting some questions myself could ask me?

Do you have questions about my past? My favorite things? Where I was on the night of June 18, 1994? My connection with MI6? What kind of man fights in Hawaiian shirts?

Keep the questions clean, of course, or myself will have to delete them.

If this interview goes well, I may have to do one with Mr. Monkey. Now that would be interesting.

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by | July 28, 2012 · 2:17 pm

Don’t Feel Like a Failure

Depressing Motivation

I have been reading a great, classic book on leadership by John C. Maxwell, Developing the Leader Within You. The book is excellent (click here for a summary), but one part really made me question the author’s intentions. Was he trying to depress me?

In the 10th chapter, “Staff Development,” Maxwell decided to share with us a time when he took stock of his life. He went on to list what he was doing by the time he’d reached the ripe old age of 40 (I guess that’s because life’s about over by then?).

“When I turned forty,” Maxwell said, “I began to review my life. I made a list of all the things I was doing at that time.” Get that! At “that” time! Not what he had accomplished in his whole life, but what he was doing “at that time.” His list included (and I quote):

  • senior pastor of a congregation of 3,500 attenders;
  • oversight and development of thirteen pastors;
  • president of Injoy, Inc., a company that develops resource materials for thousands of people;
  • a national and internaional speaking schedule with over four hundred engagements annually;
  • producing a monthly leadership tape for Injoy Life Club subscribers;
  • writing a book every eighteen months;
  • working on another education degree;
  • and most important – taking enough time for my wife, Margaret, and our two children, Elizabeth and Joel Porter. – Dr. John C. Maxwell, 179-180

Give me a break! Are you kidding me? I’m nearly 45 and I’ve never had an international speaking schedule or even written one book! Good grief, John!

Bigger and Better

Today’s culture is all about “bigger and better.” Many people even think about churches in that way, too – the bigger the better. But is that really the case? Is bigger always better?

It may be news to some of you, but pastors sometimes get discouraged when they compare the sizes of their ministries to those of people like Dr. Maxwell. Instead of 3,500 attendees, most pastors lead churches with only 35 in attendance (1/100th). Does that make them failures? Of course not.

Don’t misunderstand, if a congregation is small because it refuses to follow God’s will, then that’s one thing. However, most churches are not mega-churches with coffee shops and book stores. As a matter of fact, most congregations average 100 or less. And that’s OK.

Little Flocks

I am encouraged by a little-talked-about Greek word, poimnion(ποίμνιον). Jesus used it when he spoke to the disciples in Luke 12:32, “Fear not, little flock (poimnion); for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Paul used it when he said to the elders of the church in Ephesus, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock (poimnion), over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers…” (Acts 20:28). In both instances the idea was not that of a mega-church, but of small groups of believers.

Pastor, God knows where you are. He has you right where He wants you. Don’t get discouraged when you see larger congregations. The King has need of shepherds He can trust to watch over the “little flocks” in His fields.

Do you ever get discouraged? Do you ever feel life has passed you by? There’s still time to make a difference. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Phil. 4:13).

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by | July 15, 2012 · 3:32 pm

Lesotho

Recognizing the World

It is almost too incredible to believe, yet it is taken for granted by almost every blogger. We rarely think of it, and when we do it is normally just another statistic. It is something that just a few short years ago would have been unthinkable. What is it that we take for granted?

The ability to reach the world.

Yesterday I shared with my wife the names of countries that have viewed my The Recovering Legalist. Believe it or not, the last count was 81! Isn’t that amazing? Many of the countries had names we had never heard before. Most are countries I will never see in my lifetime.

Well, that got me to thinking, why not take Sunday as an opportunity to recognize and thank each country for visiting? At the same time, why not use it as an opportunity to say a pray for the people in that country? I don’t know about you, but sometimes I tend to forget that I am not the only person in the world.

Lesotho

The green dot is Lesotho.

Lesotho will be our first country. I have to say that until this week I had never heard of this little land-locked country right in the middle of South Africa.

99.7% of the population in Lesotho is Sotho. Their official languages are Sesotho and English.

The predominant religion in Lesotho is Christianity (80%). I am not sure how they practice Christianity, however. The statistic, nevertheless, is interesting.

The thing that stood out to me the most, however, is that (according to the Central Intelligence Agency) in a country with a population of just under 2 million, at least 26% of the people have HIV (Aids)! That is incredibly tragic, don’t you think? It is heartbreaking to think that 1 in 4 people in a country have an incurable, deadly disease.

Thank You and Prayer

So, thank you so much, Lesotho, for visiting this blog. I hope you will visit again. In the meantime, Let me lead in a prayer for your people.

Dear Lord God, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, to bring hope to a hurting and dying world. Without Him we would be lost without hope, both in this world and the one to come. Lord, the people of Lesotho need to be reminded that you love them, and though they be small in number, they are not forgotten.

English: Flag of Lesotho Sesotho: Seboko ye Le...Lord, we pray for the monarchy and government of the Kingdom of Lesotho. May they seek you and your Wisdom, not the wisdom of man. Raise up future generations who will lead their people with integrity and righteousness.

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by | July 14, 2012 · 12:20 am

Evil Pants

The Old Days

Do you remember the old days? No, I’m not talking about when there were only three channels on TV, or when telephones were anything but mobile. I am not even talking about the old days when cartoons were reserved for Saturday morning, providing a distinct break between school day and weekend. I’m talking about…

…when it was forbidden for women to wear pants.

What? You don’t remember those days? Well I certainly do! I remember them very well. I even remember culottes (which is a memory I try to drown with anything short of alcohol – because I don’t want to die and go to H.E. Double Hockey Sticks).

Must be Liberal

I remember the old days when one could easily determine who was spiritual, and who wasn’t. There use to be a day when a godly man could look at a woman (without lusting, of course) and know right off the bat if she was a God-fearing, fundamentalist catch. Now it’s getting hard to judge by appearances.

Once, when our pastor gave us the freedom to visit another church (it was a special occasion – we were visiting family), we went to what we thought was a very conservative Independent Baptist church. I was only a young boy at the time, but I can still remember the words my daddy said as we looked down from the balcony, “Evidently, this church has gone liberal…look there…isn’t that sad?…the pastor’s wife is wearing pants.”

The Uniform

Seriously, I am a firm believer in modesty. And if it is your honest, heart-felt, full-of-faith conviction that a woman should only wear dresses, then hallelujah! However, I am not going to make my little girl wear a dress as she learns how to kick the you-know-what out of the first boy who tries to touch her.

How many black belts (or sashes) have you ever seen wearing a dress instead of a traditional uniform? I’ve never seen one. Oh well. I guess that may pose a problem for some that are still living in the old days.

But on a different note, a Wing Chun uniform isn’t exactly a white shirt and polyester pants, either. So, you guys (especially the one in the video with the long hair) might ought to consider what you are wearing (insert winking smiley face, which is meant to inform the reader that the last comment was in fun).

Haley Get’s Her First Promotion

Click here to find out more about Dojo Chattanooga and Trevor Haines.

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by | July 11, 2012 · 9:23 am

Decaffeinated Christianity

Like vs. Love

I like coffee, but I wouldn’t say I love it. My wife and kids, on the other hand, are worth dying for. I love them. I only like coffee. I’m not going to jump in front of a moving train to save an espresso.

But there are times when I like coffee more than I like my wife. Every once in a while I want a cup of coffee more than a kiss or a hug. I still love my wife, but she won’t fit into the French press.

Now, it must be said that I also like tea. Thanks to the influence of certain English folk, my tea consumption has increased a thousand fold! Yet, tea is not coffee. Sometimes I want coffee more than tea. Sometimes tea needs to leaf me alone. There’s a big difference between loose-leaf anything and some medium roast Jamaican Blue Mountain. That’s real coffee, and I really like it.

What is Real?

But wait! That raises a question. What is real coffee? What is the difference between freshly brewed coffee and let’s say, uh, freeze-dried instant? Both are real, aren’t they?

Fake coffee. Whoever still drinks that stuff on purpose should be psychologically evaluated. Coffee is only coffee if it comes about as the result of gently ground coffee beans being caressed by steaming hot water. Chicory is of the Devil.

Instant coffee. It comes packaged in a jar, but it is made from real coffee. It may not taste as good as fresh-brewed, but it’s real, nevertheless. The worst instant coffee is still better than dandelion tea, believe me.

Nasty coffee. Even the stuff you find in a gas station, an army mess tent, or a crazy relative’s thermos is still coffee. Coffee is coffee, even if it tastes like road tar.

“Unleaded.” What I don’t understand is decaffeinated coffee. Sure, it tastes the same to most people, but why would anyone want it? Without the caffeine coffee is…well…it’s just not coffee. It has the look and taste, but no umph, no kick, no power.

Powerless

Decaffeinated Christianity is the same way. It looks like the real thing. It smells like the real thing. It tastes like the real thing. For crying out loud, it even outsells full-strength, real Christianity 10 to 1! People love it! They wear t-shirts promoting their favorite brand. Yet, decaffeinated Christianity is no better than decaffeinated coffee without the Power.

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! – 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NLT

What are you drinking?

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by | July 9, 2012 · 1:09 pm

Rude Witnessing

Just the other day I read a story about a preacher who got arrested. The reason was not what you probably think. He was not guilty of beating his daughter. He was not found possessing child pornography. No, the only thing he was guilty of was preaching – at a July 4th festival.

Is there anything wrong with preaching at a public festival? No, not really. Here in America our freedom of speech is still protected by the Constitution (for now). Then what was it that got this preacher into trouble? Well, I will get to that in a second, but first…

I have the utmost respect for anyone who can stand on a street corner and preach to a hostile crowd. I have stood on a street in eastern Europe and handed out Bibles, but I didn’t preach. Seeing soldiers with AK-47’s watching me was enough to keep my English to myself. So, don’t get me wrong, if you want to be another Ray Comfort, have at it. God bless you!

The thing that got the festival-crashing preacher in trouble was not the fact that he was preaching in a public place, it was because he was being rude. Yes, I said it. He was being rude.

Justifying Rude Behavior

There are some people in the Christian world who think making people angry is doing God’s work. Some Christians are convinced that they are fulfilling the Great Commission by crashing public events and barking out, “Repent! Repent!” In reality, many just come off as being inconsiderate, impolite, and obnoxious.

In defense of their actions, many street preachers and their followers (but not all) have suggested the following points:

  • “The Gospel is more important than ______.” (whatever is going on that is being interrupted, such as music, fireworks, etc.)
  • “We’re here to get sinners saved, not to make friends.”
  • “100 years from now the crowd will forget [the event], but they will be happy they heard the Gospel.”
  • “The Gospel (and Bible in general) is supposed to offend. Jesus said, ‘They hated me, so they’ll hate you.’ Jesus never held back when He talked to the Pharisees, did He?”

In response, let me share…

A Few Thoughts

First. In Mark 16:15 Jesus said, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” But in Romans 12:18 we are told, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” Even though we are commanded to preach the gospel, we’re not commanded to stir up strife.

Second. Paul told the Romans, “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another (14:19).” Maybe that’s because Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek (Matt. 5:5),” and “Blessed are the peacemakers (Matt. 5:9).”

Third. Even though Jesus never pulled any punches with the Pharisees, it is never recorded where He went to a Pharisee picnic with a bull horn blasting out “Repent, you serpent-breathed, white-washed tombs!” As a matter of fact, as best I can tell, it was the Pharisees who came to Jesus in order to stir up trouble, not the other way around (Matt. 3:7; 15:1; 16:1; 19:3). It should even be noted that all the words Jesus spoke to the Pharisees in Matthew 23 were spoken in the temple (Matt. 21:23), not on the street.

A Matter of Manners

Folks, it’s really a matter of decency, respect, and good manners. Emily Post said, “Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others.  If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter which fork you use.” A Christian should be the most mannerly person in the world! Jesus was never rude or obnoxious, so why should we?

The preacher that got arrested went where people had probably already “staked out” a good place to watch the fireworks display. One person told me, however, “He had the right to speak, and they had the right not to listen…they could have moved.” But really, what kind of message was that sending? Remember, people don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care (paraphrasing Zig Ziglar).

The English novelist and war correspondent Maurice Baring is quoted as saying, “Whoever one is, and wherever one is, one is always in the wrong if one is rude.” That should be a lesson to us. It doesn’t matter how great the message or how right the cause, rudeness is the great negator.

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