Us versus THEM

I don't think it's a liberal notion to oppose Torture. Ask John McCain.
I think there is a vast difference between Liberal and Socialist. And there are many instances of creative socialism that work very well in our country (think of Church Pot-Luck Dinners and Public Libraries). Personally, I don't see what's wrong with the word "Liberal." But the word has been co-opted by some in the Right-Wing to mean something that it was never meant to mean. "Liberal" now means to many "THOSE people who need to be insulted, hated and feared for trying to CHANGE things!" Oh my! It's the politics of fear and division during a time when we are supposedly at war.
There is a classic political cartoon called "Join Or Die." We need to unite as a country and stand up for the CONSERVATIVE LIBERATING VALUES we share. We oppose tyranny and torture. We believe in justice and that NO justice can result from torture. We don't believe in cruel or unusual punishment and this should extend to our interrogation methods. We are in favor of free speech and the freedom to exchange ideas including a free press. We believe in the rule of law. And that there is a spirit to the law that goes beyond the letter of the law. We believe in Democracy and one-person/one vote. We believe that ALL people; regardless of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation or viewpoint, nationality or any other LABEL we want to use to divide us; ALL people are created equal, with certain inalienable rights. Let's face it people, this CONSERVATIVE view (put forth by the founders of our country) was once considered RADICAL thinking.

God Will Rescue Me!

Here's an old joke:

News reports come over the radio that a flood is coming.

A police car stops in front of a house and shouts to a man raking his leaves, "Hey buddy, a flood is coming! Hop in my Squad Car and I'll take you to higher ground!"

The man turns and smiles and says, "Officer, I am a Christian and I trust that the LORD will protect me!" So, the officer drives off.

A few hours later a rowboat comes down the street. The water is up to the homeowner's front door and the man in the rowboat shouts, "Wade out to the boat and I can row us to safety!"

The man waves and smiles, saying, "Sir, I've been praying to the Lord and I KNOW He will save me!"

A few hours later the home owner is up on his roof with the waters of the flood lapping at his feet and a man in a hot air balloon comes floating by. The man in the balloon throws down a rope ladder and shouts, "Hurry, grab the rope ladder and climb up! I can rescue you!"

The man on the roofs smiles and waves and shouts back, "God is my Savior! I have FAITH in GOD! HE will do the rescuing!"



Later, in Heaven...



The man is very angry and he shouts at God, "Lord, I told everyone that you would protect and save me. And you let me die! Not only that, you made me look like a liar and a fool! Why didn't you help me, Lord?"

And God turns to the man as says, "Hey, I sent a cop car, a boat and even a hot air balloon! What did you expect?"

Studio 60 vs.Christianity!

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is a new TV Show on NBC this fall. There has been some chatter that the show has a Christian bashing viewpoint.

I really think many folks have missed the point. Studio 60 is NOT Christian Bashing. It doesn't belittle Christians to point the spotlight on the debate, "What should and what shouldn't be on TV?" Frankly, it empowers us all.

Studio 60 has a main character; a funny, smart and attractive MAIN character who is also a committed Christian. That character is not there as a dart board for jibes. In the first episode, Studio 60 made a point to draw a line between Satire and just Stupid Christian Bashing by actually having a character do a bit of stupid Christian bashing and then get shot down in flames for it. There were NO cheap shots at Christians in the first episode.

OK, Pat Robertson and the 700 club are likened by one character to Klansmen. That's a cheap shot. But that is the CHARACTER'S viewpoint, not necessarily the shows. And the character get's slapped in the FACE for his comment! Maybe THAT is the shows viewpoint? Not the comment, but the slap. You can debate what the viewpoint of the show is, but the show was NOT made up of cheap shots.

Right now there is one (and I said "ONE" and not "THE") Christian Church that organizes sidewalk protests at the funerals of servicemen killed in Iraq, because they feel the deaths of American Soldiers are directly related to God's Ire over the USA's tolerance of homosexuals. They feel that the desecration of a funeral for a family who has paid the ultimate price in service to our country is protected by the First Amendment and is frankly God's Will. If that scenario doesn't deserve a sketch on a Comedy Show called "Crazy Christians!", what does!

Studio 60 is a smart, attractive and funny show. As Christians, we need to open our eyes and realize when we are NOT being made fun of and when we NEED to be made fun of.

Studio 60 is smarter than most TV shows and a good site more moral and in touch with Christian Values than most of what gets passed off on the American Public as entertainment. As a Christian, I can't endorse the first episode of Studio 60 more highly.

New Blog

This is the new Rocking Jamboree Blog. I know, this isn't much. But I'm just getting started.