"Movie Star Jesus" on a Hillside

What I’m about to discuss is neither controversial nor terribly exciting in nature, so be warned. So I’m taking this History of the Catholic Church class…strange for a Protestant I know, but the subject fascinates me and for the first 1500 years or so the history of the Protestant church is that of the Western Catholic church, so it’s relevant, and hey, we’re all Christians, right? So anyway, each week in class we talk about a different aspect of Catholicism. It’s cool because the class is really a course in Catholic theology with a little bit of history thrown in here and there. A few weeks ago a guest speaker from Wisconsin was talking to us about Christology…the development of our ideas of Christ and how He has been different things to different people in different circumstances. All of this was told so you could understand what follows

A large question was inspired by a picture that the speaker had set up on the screen to act as “eye candy” in case we got bored with his speaking. It was a gorgeous picture of Jesus sitting on a hillside with the sunset in the background. Everything was glowing, everything was beautiful, looking very much like the way I would be sitting and how I would look reflecting upon creation sitting at a summit on the Appalachian trial. It makes me wonder....when Jesus sat and looked at creation, His creation, did he think, “Wow, Creation is beautiful and wonderful!” or did he think, “Wow, this is beautiful…I’m goooood!”

Just something to think about…

~AndyJams~

Final Afghan Convert Update (Hopefully)

Once again, from Fox News:

"Afghan Court Dismisses Case vs. Alleged Christian Convert

KABUL, Afghanistan -- An Afghan court on Sunday dismissed a case against a man who converted from Islam to Christianity because of a lack of evidence and he will be released soon, officials said.

The announcement came as U.S.-backed President Hamid Karzai faced mounting foreign pressure to free Abdul Rahman, a move that risked angering Muslim clerics here who have called for him to be killed."

You can also read some of Rahman's comments on his situation before he knew he would be released here -- brave and inspiring words.

~Tribal~

Seussical the Musical

Just in case any of you do not know about the current Dallastown High School musical, we are doing Seussical this year. It really is a very good show and I highly reccomend everyone to come see it. The showtimes that are left are tomorrow (Saturday) at 7 and Sunday at 3.

~Tribal~

Afghan Convert Update

New article at Fox News:

"WASHINGTON -- Concerned about the fate of a Christian convert in Afghanistan on trial for his life, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday seeking a 'favorable resolution' of the case.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack reported that Rice underlined to Karzai the 'fact that the United States stands forthrightly for principles of freedom of worship, freedom of expression, and that these are bedrock principles of democracy around the world, these are principles that are enshrined in the Afghan constitution and they're principles that are enshrined in the U.N. Universal Declaration on Human Rights,' he said."

Attaining the support of the U.S. government is a big stepping stone in resolving this situation. Still keep this man in your prayers however, as there is much that still must be done.

~Tribal~

Present Day Martyrdom

From Fox News:

"KABUL, Afghanistan -- An Afghan man who allegedly converted from Islam to Christianity is being prosecuted in a Kabul court and could be sentenced to death, a judge said Sunday.

The defendant, Abdul Rahman, was arrested last month after his family went to the police and accused him of becoming a Christian, Judge Ansarullah Mawlavezada told the Associated Press in an interview. Such a conversion would violate the country's Islamic laws."

Please keep this man in your prayers. This situation is a sad reminder that Christians are still martyred today just as they were 2,000 years ago. If I hear anymore about this case, I will share what information I have.

~Tribal~

National Security

I am very sick of having to listen to the whole UAE port deal issue. What annoys me the most, though, is that those who support the president's take call those who oppose it racist. As far as my stance on the issue, I wonder why anyone even allowed foreign countries to control such valuable access onto our soil. Specifically when it comes down to the UAE, I guess I would have to side with the Republicans opposing Bush. Europeans did not attack us on 9/11; Europeans are not fighting us in Iraq; Europeans are not seeking to violate United Nations resolutions in pursuit of nuclear proliferation; Middle Eastern Muslims are.

Now before you label me a racist in the typical democrat campaign fashion, I do not hate Muslims, I do not hate Arabs, and I willingly recognize that not all Muslims are terrorists. I also recongize that there have been white, western, caucasian men who have committed terrorist acts in the past. The point is, however, that the biggest threat to freedom lies in the middle east, the "Axis of Evil." In World War II, what ethnic group was sent to prison camps for fear of internal attack? Mexicans? Of course not, the Japanese were. Our enemies in today's world have a unique identifying factor that stands out as well...they are Middle Eastern and they are Muslim. How easy would it be for terrorists to get a job working at one of these U.S. ports controlled by other friendly UAE members? What if this terrorist has shown no past signs of militant involvement? What if the only talk of jihad he has uttered has been in the privacy of those he supports? Such a man would be absolutely unidentifiable in a working group of innocent Arabs.

I am in no way promoting racism and I am in no way supporting concentration camps with this post, but I believe the United States needs to strictly control all routes of possible access into our country. We need to get all of our ports back into our hands and we need to better patrol the Mexican border before we find ourselves with a smuggled suitcase bomb killing our people in our cities. If we are to make the world a safer place to live, we absolutely must start at home.

~Tribal~

Announcement

Sometime this evening, our fellow writer and friend Steve (Fiat volvntas tua) will be leaving for basic training. He made the final decision to join the Army just a couple of weeks ago. He hopes to be able to pass airborne training and ranger school as well, and we hope that he succeeds in all that he sets out to do. Please keep him in your daily prayers as we are. Godspeed Steve.

~Tribal~

Let's Play Dominos

Once again, from Fox News:

"JACKSON, Miss. -- A state House committee voted to ban most abortions in Mississippi, which already has some of the strictest abortion laws in the nation.
The bill approved by the House Public Health Committee on Tuesday would allow abortion only to save the pregnant woman's life. It would make no exception in cases of rape or incest. The bill now goes to the full House, which could vote next week, and then to the Senate."

We as Christians need to be praying earnestly for this state to take a prolife stance as well. Obviously, Planned Parenthood will protest this too and take it to court, but taking it to the Supreme Court might be a blessing in disguise for us. While the courts in the recent decades have been of questionable wisdom in their decision making, Bush's new appointees may make a difference. If this case would wait a few years to roll around, Bush might even have another opportunity to appoint judges if some retire or pass away. An America that appreciates the value of infant life may be just around the corner. We need to keep working to get this done.

~Tribal~