The President can’t say “nuclear,” so Kerry says nuclear 100 times in 2 minutes. Bush tries once and says “nukular.” Then he switches to “Weapons of Mass Destruction.” Then he uses a word “transhipment.” I wonder if he knew it was a real word?

I’ve got a question. Recently I’ve realized that I am lacking in the close friendship department. I feel like I don’t really know anybody. A more specific description is here.

The biggest problem is that I don’t know how to get to know people. Meeting people isn’t that hard, but getting to know them seems impossible. So, most of you have had a little more experience than I, so, what would be your advice for a college student who wants to get to know people? How do I build real, firm relationships?

I read an interesting article on depopulation. Well, I thought it was interesting. Comments? Thoughts?

Gentlemen: Please NO DISCUSSION for the time being of God’s sovereignty/critiques of Calvinism and these sad events. I’ve already had one note from an immediate family member about something that was said on here (days ago and by me) and it’s just not appropriate.

They’re still saying the hurricanes could affect turnout for voting, which could affect the election.

Both Democrats and Republicans believe the race hinges on turnout, which likely will be affected by the hurricanes because so many potential voters are distracted by the need to find food and water and to repair their homes. Millions of Floridians have been without power at some point during the last six weeks, leaving them out of touch with campaign news and in many cases, unaware of a presidential visit.

“Bee-na-bow bee-na-bow… getchyachucka… bee-na-bow bee-na-bow…. Getchyachucka…”

Is that the text version of the Seinfeld song?

A recently released single/old song by Andrew Osenga.

So many boxes in the attic,
so many pictures off the walls,
the games we used to play as children,
they’re nothing to the ones we’re playing now,
all alone, all alone, we’re nursing our own wounds,
and if I showed you I was bleeding,
O, would you show me you are too?
cause we heal so slowly, slowly,
but we are on our way.

Bee-na-bow bee-na-bow… getchyachucka… bee-na-bow bee-na-bow…. Getchyachucka…

The Chick Tract Translator
Special Edition, folks… The Chick Tract Translator is back up and running, and all of the old translations are available at good ol’ 5minutewebs.com for your Chicky goodness. In the meantime, we’re going to celebrate with a funky lil’ pile of sexiness from good ol’ Jack T. Chick… “Caught”.

Our story opens in a seedy motel surrounded by demons, angels, and a lot of cars. Lots of cars… It’s like a freakin’ redneck front yard, except none of these cars seem to have cinder blocks supporting the axles. Meh…

Well, Roger and his babe o’ the evening have shown up at Motel Delight to, well… you know. Wink wink, nudge nu… what? You don’t? Oh, come on, man… a sleazy-lookin’ dude and his nervous, slightly cute girlfriend at the sleazy little Hotel DELIGHT. Yeah, I know everybody in town looks like they’ve checked in there, but hey… maybe it’s like, the only sleazy hotel in the Chickiverse. Have you ever thought about that? Huh?

Those poor little Chickians… only one single sleazy motel… You know, you can help them build new sleazy motels. All it costs is your donation of $15 a month. That’s right, for less than a cup of coffee a day, you can help ensure that these poor Chickians have a place to go when they need to get it on…

Anywho, Roger and his “love”, “darling”, or whatever pet name he’s made up for her, have made it to their Chamber O’ Lust for the big event. Unfortunately, they seem to have brought half the population of the Spirit World with them, as there’s four demons, a mangy terrier, and an angel with a Camcorder. That’s right… a camcorder. I guess Heaven’s ready for whenever Johnny Cochrane shows up.

Well, three hours later, Roger and his babe are eating dinner and a gu… wait a minute. They’re eating dinner three hours later? Uh… maybe it’s just me, and every other guy on the face of the earth, but I would think the Hotel Mattress-O-lympics would come AFTER paying for the woman’s meal. I mean, I’m no expert in the matter, but every movie I’ve ever seen on the subject says that gettin’ your groove on doesn’t happen until you’ve gotten your eat on.

I dunno.

Anywho, sadly for Rog, someone recognizes him at the restaurant and asks where his wife is. The unnamed woman Roger’s been dancing the undercover salsa with is shocked… How could he be married? Wow… it’s like, until this very moment, she didn’t even see the tanned spot where his wedding ring goes, the pictures of the wife and kids in his wallet when he pays for the meals, or the hunched-over dead-eyed acceptance of fate when she takes him shopping. It was right there all this time, and she just didn’t even notice it. So what’s a slutty little mistress to do?

Call up the wife of course.

Ol’ Rog gets a Dear Rog letter from Linda (his wife, not his babe), and Rog is ticked. How dare Linda (the wife) write a letter and tell him that he shouldn’t have bumped uglies with Jessica (the babe). Oh, and apparently, Rog hasn’t heard about birth control, because his next thought is of little Rogers running around getting half of Roger’s paycheck, but living with the babe. Poor Roger. Whatever shall we do to calm his weary, worrying soul?

Lock him in a room with a Fundamentalist, of course.

That’s right, Roger’s cousin Henry sends Rog over to visit the computer, organic-chemistry, and Independent Baptist theology genius that is our good ol’ friend Bob. Bob, of course, takes this as an opportunity to ask Roger what he’s been up to. Rog claims he met the babe at church, but Bob sees right through that, because Roger doesn’t attend the local Independent Baptist congregation. Bob launches into the story about how David screwed up with Bathsheba. Bob tells us about how adulterers are super-evil and will spend eternity in the lake o’ fire, and Rog is one of them. Can Rog escape in time? Will Bob’s super-duper witnessing technique of calling people “SINNER” while running around beating himself on the head with a whiffle bat save Roger from being eternally roasted on a spit over the burning juices of his own lustful desires?

Not bloody likely.

That’s right folks… ol’ Roger tells Bob to stick it where the sun don’t shine. Actually, he tells Bob to go to hell. Bob grins smugly, because he knows that Independent Baptists can’t go to hell… as long as they keep distributing Chick tracts in the bathrooms of truck stops across America. Rog finally tells Bob to drop dead. 8 weeks later, Rog drops dead and goes to Hell.

The morals?

1. Angels use camcorders. Probably nice ones, too, like Sony.
2. In the Chickiverse, dinner comes AFTER the illicit sex.
3. Never tell an Independent Baptist to go to hell, or you’ll die 8 weeks later.

Got it.

Mark Steyn explains American conservatism to a European audience. This guy is one of my favorite writers. (You’ll need to sign up with The Spectator to read it, but it’s worth it.)

Happy birthday, Swede of the Afro type!

Of late, I am overrun by my emotions nearly all the time.

You’ve been leading me
Beside strange waters
Streams of beautiful lights in the night
But where is my pastureland in these dark valleys?
If I loose my grip, will I take flight?

[Strange Waters], Bruce Cockburn

Off topic, I know, but as we mourn the death of someone, perhaps we can also celebrate the life of someone.

Kurt turns 27 today.

Happy Birthday, dear.

I laid in bed that night and thought about the day

And how my life is like a roller coaster ride

The ups and downs and crazy turns along the way

It’ll throw you off if you don’t hold on tight

You can’t really smile until you’ve shed some tears

I could die today or I might live on for years

I love this crazy, tragic,
Sometimes almost magic,
Awful, beautful life

-Darryl Worley

Seems fitting, at least to me.

Last night was rough as I laid there thinking about all love and pain in the world.

I also find comfort and sense in Capon’s approach to reconcilliation of events such as this. His image of hell fitting into the nail hole on Jesus’ hand is symbolically significant to me. At the time of my father’s suicide there was no small amount of contention as to whether or nor he could be buried in “consecrated ground”. It’s funny that I don’t know the outcome, it didn’t matter to me because at that exact point in time I left the church of my childhood behind. It is impossible to separate suicide from sin, it is a sinful act. But the grading and segregating of sin is also sinful, it is inevitable that we sin.

Michael Card has a seminal song called The Edge, his insight belies the fact that he’s personally dealt with the issue of suicide. There is an “Edge” in all of our lives, the boundary between life and death, almost everybody has the power to end their life should they so choose. God allows that. I’ve been close to four people who have killed themselves, close enough that had I known the depth of their struggles I may have been able to make a difference. I’ve also been close to a couple of hundred that chose not to kill themselves though they did contemplate doing so.

I cannot think of one case where pride was not involved. And I cannot think of one case where the suicidal person had no loving resources in their lives. Somebody wanted them to live, yet they still chose or contemplated death.

I’ve been there myself, I’m not discounting the profound pain and helplessness of clinical depression, but the key to the resolution of these thoughts and feelings is to address the pride that is isolating the sufferer from his or her community, the people around him or her that care and will work for resolution and reconcilliation.

Sometimes it just doesn’t happen. But countless times I’ve seen a profoundly suicidal person quickly turn around after engaging on an honest level with the people around them. I can’t say how many times I heard someone say, “boy that Prozac Dr. ____ gave me this morning really worked, yesterday I was suicidal but today I’m fine.” Nearly all anti-depressant’s take 4-6 weeks to achieve efficacy.

My point? Be aware of the people in your life, relate to them, call them, listen to them, be in community with them. When something like this happens, know that the victim felt isolated and alone, and know that the victims he/she left behind will feel the same way. Any of you in or contemplating being in “ministry” will have to deal with isolation, our church communities do not deal well with openness and honesty, especially regarding the feelings of our “leaders”. I’m saddened that so many loved and felt love from Pastor Roukas, yet there was still some sort of boundary of isolation.

Death, and the misery that comes both before and after it, are terrible affronts to the dignity of both the Creator and the creatures made in His image. When Jesus stood at the grave of His friend Lazarus He wept and He was “deeply moved in spirit and troubled” (John 11:33, 35). The word for “deeply moved in spirit” is the word used for the violent snorting of a horse. When applied to humans it means “outraged” or “furious”. Jesus is by no means indifferent to death and the suffering that accompanies it. He cares and is moved by the death of pastor Roukas and the suffering of his family. He cares and is moved by the death of Barry and the grief of his family (I blogged about Barry here - we bury him tomorrow).

I would, of course, never have known pastor Roukas if it had not been for this blog. But I checked out the website when Noel first told us of TCPC and I have read and listened to sermons in these last few days of concern. The tributes are moving. Sounds like pastor Roukas was a wonderful pastor, preacher, counselour and friend to hundreds of people as well as a kind husband and father. I was moved, too, in reading of his wife and how beautifully she copes with her disabilities and ministers with such love to troubled children.

This is outrageous. This is war. But thank God our standard bearer in this war is the Lamb that was slain, the Lamb who Himself was swallowed up by death itself and yet lives now, victorious over death and Hades and all His enemies. He has won the battle and now goes forth victorious to finish the job. Without Him no hope. With Him we are more than conquerors. Death shall never have the last word!

Prayers for all those touched by this event.

My heart hurts. I hate to see this turn into a theological discussion about loving or not loving God mostly because people would be hurt and not learn from it.

On the flip side hearing about such events often pales my issues and thoughts as they are often petty. It’s a real world out there with real hurts outside of my tiny single sided personal problems.

Since we’re sharing stories, a local Christian family lost their 21 year old son to suicide hanging a couple weeks ago. He went to a remote wooded area to do it so they didn’t find his body for 12 days. It took a group of 150 church folks covering the area to find him. He had been active in the church as a youth. I knew his sister from a youth group when I was in Jr. High. He got involved in meth at some point.

Tom: This crap happens because we suck.

Or, to use the technical term: sin.

This is why I am passionate about recognizing the depth and breadth of sin. It is not limited to just certain actions that we do that are “bad,” it is all around us, in everything we think and do, in everything that we are.

Suicide strikes me as the ultimate expression of the effect of sin. It is a celebration of death, while in Christ is life. It is the end of complete despair, while in Christ is hope. It is a complete disconnection from the wonder of God all around us in creation, and it makes no freaking sense whatsoever.

That’s what sin does. And that’s why we should fall on our faces before God and thank him for delivering us from the final cost of sin, though we continue to suffer from it here in this life.

Tom/Phillip, thanks for putting into words what I am thinking. It always freaks me out when we lose one of our ministers for any reason. It makes me wonder how my puny faith can possibly survive when these great men of God succomb to their situations.

Just as we are discussing the tragedy concerning Pastor Roukas, I get an e-mail from the seminary chaplain telling me that the 19-year-old daughter of one of my fellow seminarians was found hanged in her garage last night. If you would like to remember this in your prayers, the daughter’s name was Katie, and her mother’s name is Rejina. Rejina came home from class last night and found her, so she really needs everyone’s prayers.

Why does this s*** happen? It makes no sense.

Possibly a better way to deal with God’s Sovereignty in something like this is to take the Capon approach. Somehow, this event too is reconciled in Christ. Somehow, even though it is horrible and devastating, on so many levels, in the final accounting, God has reconciled even this through Christ.

To me this allows the events to be real, and really horrible, which they are. It also allows God to be Sovereign, and over all, and in all, and through all, which He is.

When I lost my son it was far easier to deal with it in terms of “the devil did it” and any other explaination but God. There was no medical reason for him to die, even after the autopsy, so what was I left with? Eventually, though, I did have to come to grips with the fact that God kills and God makes alive, and He is sovereign in the death of my son. But immediately after it happened, that perspective would be more harmful than helpful. How postmodern and relativistic is that?

I’m going to risk incurring the wrath of iMonk here, and agree with Tom, somewhat. While clearly the poster from Tate’s Creek finds comfort and solace in the knowledge that God’s plans encompass even tragic events such as these, it is very easy to take a different view. I hope that those words provide succor for many, but I want to rage.

It’s sin that did this. Adam’s sin, the fall, death, and decay. The church militant has been robbed of someone about whom I’ve heard many great things, and that gathering has been rocked by the devastation. Pastor Roukas was apparently in the grip of something that shook him and tortured him and drove him to measures to which many of us simply cannot relate, and other of us relate all too well. This is bad! I know I shouldn’t have to say that, but I’m angry. This isn’t just tragic—though it is that—it sucks!

There is comfort in knowing that God holds Pastor Roukas in His hands, and in believing that Pastor Roukas is now with his Redeemer, experiencing the comfort that he could not find here on earth.

But there is also pain for all of those still here, and it might seem a little glib to describe these events as “God’s plans” right now.

When I first heard of the details of the situation with Pastor Roukas, even though I’m many miles away in Oklahoma and did not know him, I nearly broke down and cried, while at the same time praying for him, his family, and the church. As I am in seminary studying for the ministry, the situation made me take a hard look at my own vulnerability. I’m making good grades (GPA 3.81 right now), I’m doing well in Preaching class this semester, there is part of my life that is really together. But I am prone to depression, sometimes to anger (as people have seen on this board!), I lack confidence that I will be received because I’m obese, and I don’t have a very strong support system being single with both my parents deceased. How will being in ministry affect my own mental health? That’s a scary proposition right now.

In the post from the Tate’s Creek Message Board, I object to one thing, and I’m sorry if this sticks in someone’s Calvinistic craw. It is wrong to imply that Pastor Roukas’ suicide was part of “God’s plans.” If God planned for one of his servants to be so miserable and without hope that the only alternative he saw was to take his own life, then I don’t want to serve that kind of God. That’s like saying it was God’s will that your nephew got run over by a truck. That is of no comfort to anyone. If it diminishes someone’s concept of God’s sovereignty, so be it.

This post has been made at the Tate’s Creek Message Board:

We’ve had some extremely sad news. Pastor Roukas was found this afternoon at Red River Gorge (a state park) by a Park Ranger. There are no plans made for a service yet, but I’ll keep posting. I am so sorry. Please continue to pray for his family and church.

Still, Pastor Roukas is with God now. It is always so hard when God’s plans do not coincide with our hopes, but He is working for our ultimate good and will keep us in the faith.

Kent: Obviously, senility is setting in. I may have confused the 40,000-foot Pole with this guy.

I feel very nostalgic tonight as I listen to the radio broadcast of the Expos last home game. Except for the last four or five years it’s been a great ride. I grew up a Baseball fan in Montreal. I’m old enough, just, to remember the excitement of their first game (a win against the Mets) and their first home game (a win against the Cards – I think) and first season (1969). Their names were Carl Morton (P), Bob Bailey (3B), Bobby Wine (SS), Gary Sutherland (2B), Ron Fairly(1B), Bill Stoneman (P), John Bateman©, Mack Jones (LF), Rusty Staub (RF) and a bunch of other journeymen – and skipper Gene Mauch (I’m so glad I can still remember all these names by memory!). They played in tiny Jarry Park, a couple of Metro (subway) stops from my house. Bleachers tickets were under a dollar for a kid. There was not a bad seat in the ugly little park. Mack Jones was so close that he could talk to us without raising his voice. The fans loved him and the left field bleachers were renamed “Jonesville”. The place was packed night after night. These childhood memories are indelible.

Through the years they’ve provided excellent entertainment and some very fine baseball. Think of all the top-notch players who came through this organisation. The list is staggering. Randy Johnson, Larry Walker, Andre Dawson, Gary Carter, Tim Raines, Pedro Martinez, Dennis Martinez, Vladimir Guerrero… one could go on. Even Mark McGwire was originally drafted by the Expos – as a pitcher!

With such players they contended for a playoff berth year after year through the late 70’s, the 80’s and the early 90’s). They came 1 pitch short of the World Series in 1981 (a Rick Monday home run that put the Dodgers over the Expos and into the WS – to this day Monday is a hated man in Montreal). In 1994 they were clearly the best team in MLB – but the strike prevented them from proving it. After the strike the fans didn’t come back.

Bottom of the 9th now. Marlins lead 9-1 with one out. It’s been a great ride boys! Thanks for the memories. Merci beaucoup!

This is will be running through my head for the rest of the evening.

Jim, who’s got the 40,000 foot poll going, Barna or Gallup?

Phillip, great reversal regarding Canada and Britain. More interesting fodder would be the difference I noted in YWAM between US citizens and “subjects” of NZ, Australia and Canada. US citizens quickly gained a reputation for “rebelliousness” among the members of the other former colonies.

In my area, most “successful” church youth ministries start from the assumption that the vast majority of their participants are unchurched. Our own church provides the church kids who attend with the opportunity to participate in service, but the youth program is largely an “outreach” program.

I won’t touch either the “treating any Muslim like a terrorist” or the “pastor calling someone out for adultery” questions with a 40,000 foot poll. I doubt I can handle the flaming emails my responses would engender.

I do not believe students are being grounded through discipleship. Most churches are happing entertaining their youth and keeping them involved and not giving them the essentials of the Christian faith. I have worked with college students the last few years and I can tell a big difference in students who have gone to Churches that are more serious about spiritual maturity rather than fun and games.

This came by email today:

The Southern Baptist Council on Family Life uncovered some disturbing facts: of the children raised in evangelical homes, 88% leave the church at age 18 and never return (The Foster Letter-Religious Market Update, August 10, 2002, p.1).

Why do you suppose this is so?

QotD: Is it the pastor’s job to enforce morality?

Frankly, I like the PCA’s take on this. The answer is plain: it’s the pastor’s job to begin the process of driving the person to repentence. The PCA has a disciplinary proceedure set up, and as far as I can see, the whole purpose of the entire process is to try to encourage the person into a repentant state – to bring their lives into line with scripture. Beyond that, there are other steps that can be taken.

Is it the pastor’s job to enforce morality?

I am going to say Yes. But qualify it.

The tender of the flock is to ensure that everyone is in “line”. Although like sheep we are stupid and the flock is a bunch of stupid four legged animals used to clothe another.

Pastors have a unique responsibility to ensure that the Church remains Holy. Ouch, sounds rough. This is not yet legalism or enforced morality as neither of those come into the equation when Grace is applied.

I love Peter, who slices off the ear, and is scolded by Jesus. Jesus didn’t hit him or question his Salvation or even his faith. I don’t think anyone, unlike evanjellyfish today, question someone’s Salvation if they understand that we are all sinners. Those who follow Jesus, and therefore are apart of the visible church, have expectations for their behavior. They are to love. That’s how we are to be known as followers of Christ.

So I’ll say “yes” to church discipline but no to the many ways these situations are handled. There is no question of Salvation. There is simply confronted hypocrisy. If I was going to quote Paul I’d say “Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! ” Or better yet I’ll quote Jesus “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” Or perhaps the Danny’s paraphrase “Peter!! Didn’t I tell you I was going to die? Why are you trying to stop it? Listen, you aren’t acting in love or obedience”.

Only Jesus sucessfully combined “Truth” and “Grace”.

When did Jefferson say that? When he was President of the USA? Or some time before that? Even the Bolsheviks stopped being interested in rebellion at one point, namely, when they took power.

Kent: An interesting way to reverse the question you asked is to ask this: Would Canada and the U.K. be what they are today had the colonies not rebelled?

For better or worse, I think not.