INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (7874,200,'2012-10-03 12:26:32','2012-10-03 19:26:32','<p style=\"text-align: center\">Are We Really Following Christ?</p>\nWhat represents Christianity today is a far cry from the Jesus I learned about as a child, the one who said to turn the other cheek, to render unto Caesar what is Caesar\'s (pay your taxes), that if someone wants your cloak to give them your coat as well, and that what you do unto \"the least of them\" you also do unto me. He said to love your Lord your God with all your heart, to love your neighbor as you love yourself, and to love one another as I have loved you. I remember as a child not wanting to turn the other cheek or give up my possessions to another, and I don\'t think many of us do, yet we as Christians still felt like we should. However, 30 years ago the \"Prosperity Doctrine\" began to infiltrate our mainstream Christian churches, while at the same time, Ayn Rand\'s \"Atlas Shrugged\" made a comeback, and somehow with the later propaganda and influence of Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, and Hannity, being selfish is not only acceptable, but considered Christian and right. And the irony is that Ayn Rand, whom Paul Ryan is said to have idealized and even based his budget on her philosophy was an avowed atheist. And even though Ms. Rand claimed that social programs like SSA and Medicare were evil, she took advantage of both while she was dying from cancer, but used her husband’s name rather than her famous one because she didn’t want anyone to know.\n\nI have had discussions with so-called Christian conservatives who don’t want their taxes raised and believe that the rich pay enough already too. I’ve pointed out that Christ said to render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s (pay our taxes), and they have said that doesn’t mean that the taxes need to be designated to programs for poor people and Christ didn’t say that either. This is true, I’ve agreed with them; Christ didn’t get to say what Caesar’s tax money went for, but I can’t help but think he would approve. I’ve even made up a little scenario that I can vividly imagine if Caesar had sought Jesus’ advice about what to do with his tax money:\n\nThe scene opens with Caesar showing Jesus around his castle. Look at all my riches, says Caesar as they stroll through his opulent palace. Everywhere you look is a reflection of the powerful man I am, and everyone bows to me. My golden crown is incrusted with rare jewels, and I sit upon a throne of solid gold. My wives all wear exquisite jewelry and are draped in expensive silks. Even my servants wear the finest polished cotton. See my luxurious baths and lovely garden? The finest horses you’ve ever seen fill my stables, and the most beautiful team pull the emperor’s chariot. Where do you think I should apply my latest tax collection? So Jesus takes Caesar on a little stroll through his kingdom. They walk through the marketplace where the merchants sell their humble wares, past the blind and the beggars, visit in some humble cottages where the poor struggle to get by and the sick writhe in their misery, often dying with no hope, then past the leper colony where the most shunned suffer while begging for scraps of food. Jesus says to Caesar, do you see anywhere your money might be put to good use? Of course, Caesar, has the choice of being generous and helping “the lest of these” like Jesus has always stressed we should, or he can shrug and go off to seek another bauble for himself. Today’s Christians always side with the wealthy and seek an almost punishing attitude toward the needy who are most often that way because of the greed of the wealthy. And somehow it seems like if they were suffering more, had even less it would justify things for us, make it more acceptable. Do we really want to return to the tent cities, tar shacks and bread lines of the Great Depression before social programs were put into place? Would that make poverty more palatable to some? I often hear that the rich pay the majority of taxes, that they pay enough, but they don’t pay their percentage. The more you have, the less you pay. Paul Ryan is not nearly as wealthy as Mitt Romney, yet he pays more than Mitt in taxes, and so it goes downhill to the rest of us. Trickle down? Oh really???\n\nThere are other contradictions within the so-called “Christian Right” that really boggle my mind. For example, traditionally the “right” had despised draft dodgers, yet Ted Nugent, who has boasted about crapping in his pants for a week to avoid the draft is now okay and even a national hero to many. Why? Because he hates President Obama and loves guns. And on the subject of guns, how did gun ownership ever come to be part of the Christian culture? It just doesn’t line up with “turning the other cheek” to me. I understand that we have a gun heritage in our country, and my own household even has some. That said, I truly don’t believe that anyone is going to try to take away our hunting rifles and home protection guns. New laws may make registration restriction a bit stronger, but do we really want to make it easy for criminals to have them? Does any family really need assault weapons? I truly think this is just a lot of propaganda that has little to do with reality. Our Constitution gives us the Right to Bear Arms, and it would be no easy feat to take that away. Even if they tried, people would hide them away, and I think everyone is aware of that. You cannot really take guns away even if you try to outlaw them. It’s just not going to happen.\n\nThe other big issue, the one many people will vote based on it alone, is abortion. I agree that abortion is a terrible thing, and it is actually taking a life, and that we, as Christians, should never do it. If someone were to come to me seeking advice, I would try to talk them into other alternatives. However, if they are set on it, they will do it whether or not it is legal as they did in days gone by, even if it kills them, which it often did. Or, some will do like many who have made the news in recent years and conceal their pregnancy, give birth in secret and kill their babies. So, I’m not sure laws against it will stop much, only make it unsafe, and I have to ask if we want to punish people that way, as many seem wont to do. And if we do feel that way, why not just be against abortion and leave the parts of Planned Parenthood intact that counsel, advise, offer contraception and help with women’s medical issues. Why does it have to be an “all or nothing” solution? My issue is not so much about abortion as I understand why that is such an emotional issue, it’s about children and the poor. If we are that against abortion, wouldn’t we be FOR birth control? I’ve heard conservatives argue that they don’t want to pay for someone else’s birth control. I understand, however, wouldn’t that cost less than paying for someone else’s child? This is probably a moot point with them though, as most do not want to pay into social programs that help poor children. The other day, I read an article in which Pat Robertson, Christian Icon to the Right, say that Christians shouldn’t adopt either, that they are taking a risk with so many crack babies and children from other less than ideal situations being the ones up for adoption. So I summarize this by saying--We don’t want abortions, okay got that. We don’t want to pay for poor women’s birth control, and we don’t want to pay into social programs that would help them raise the child we didn’t want them to abort. And we don’t think adoption is a good idea either. So where does that leave us in our Christian conscience about this whole thing? Not many alternatives that I can see. . .unless we were actually willing to open up our hearts and our wallets as Jesus told us to.\n\nThe hijacking of the Christian religion by the Republican Party has been a slow, sure and insidious undertaking. There was a time when Christian women would have been shocked and appalled by Rush Limbaugh calling a young lady a slut, especially since she never mentioned her sex life or anyone else’s, only recounted stories of her friends who needed “the pill” for medical reasons, and how one of them who couldn’t afford it lost an ovary and the ability to bear children. Yet Christian women cheered Mr. Limbaugh on and declared that he was defending Catholic rights. Rush Limbaugh, married four times, an admitted user of Viagra, and the father of none, wants to control women from having easy access to the pill. A short time after his tirade against Sandra Fluke, Mr. Limbaugh called a group of nuns that dedicate their lives to helping the poor (his favorite word for women he disapproves of) “feminazis“! So much for respecting and defending Catholicism! Although somehow this man has become an icon of the Christian Right, I do not believe that Rush Limbaugh has ever said he is Christian, only conservative and on the side of the wealthy, of which he is as a spokesman, and one who got rich himself doing just that.\n\nIt saddens my heart that people will vote against their own interests and side with the evil One Percent that wants to turn us into a land of serfs. Don’t they understand that the problems we face today started 30 years ago and that the fault lies with the very corporations, the greedy wealthy that they are defending? They moved their factories overseas to hire foreigners at slave wages, while at the same time denying fellow Americans a living wage in the land they (the corporate owners) call home. That may be legal, and I’ve heard the “Right” defend it as their right, and I suppose that is true, but what does it say morally? Why would those who claim to have the heart of Christ vote for someone who values money over human beings? Now, the super-rich corporate owners are finding that their profit margins are starting to slip a little due to shipping costs, and there is talk about bringing some of their factories home. Does it seem likely that they are going to want to actually pay people a living wage to work in them? What would be the point if they are doing it to keep more of their money? There is a lot of talk about abolishing unions and union pension plans for police, firefighters, teachers, government workers, and railroad workers. There is also talk about doing away with minimum wage. Why? Because they don’t the serfs to have too much; they want to keep them desperate to do their bidding just to survive.\n\nBut wait, there is more. Why is it we no longer hear about overpopulation, when, indeed, we are actually living the predictions of those who warned against overpopulation back in the 1970s? And why are rightwing politicians are against contraception? I do not think most of them are against it due to moral values or religious beliefs, but because they want to keep populating expendable serfs to fight the wars they profit from and work for pennies in their factories. But they are smart enough to push those emotional buttons and get people to vote against their own best interests.\n\nThen there is immigration. Lots of anger there. I have two friends who were haters that changed their minds on that. One is a gal who was totally against it until she moved to Arizona and found herself working with a lot of underprivileged Hispanic children. She has totally changed her outlook once she came to see them as people with wants, needs and dreams just like the rest of us. The other is a guy who went there to get work, and he says after working with and being around “those people” he has done a complete turn around and says “I’d do it.” We are supposed to be hospitable and not turn people away according to scripture. And “those people” do work most of us don’t want to do, and they do it for much less money than we would accept. And lest we forget, we were all immigrants and took land from the natives who already lived here\n\nI also don\'t get why right-wing Christians are so pro war, when Christ said \"blessed are the peacemakers.“ We, as Christians, support our troops and cry at their funerals and hold parades in our towns when someone’s child comes home in a box, yet we do not care much about our veterans when they have managed to come home alive and often leave them lacking in basic needs and homeless. Shouldn’t we ask ourselves if Jesus would care about the children we kill overseas, the innocent who have no say so in the whole matter? The politicians on the right not only do NOT want to get us out of Afghanistan, but they are eagerly speculating about going to war with Iran. It has always been old rich men sending young poor men off to war. Besides Ted Nugent, other well known and respected men who managed to avoid the draft include George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Mitt Romney. What would Jesus say?\n\nThere is so much more I have to say about this but for now, I just want to say that Christianity to me is all about a heart attitude, and I don\'t see how wanting to save every fetus, while at the same time wanting to cut programs that help poor children who have managed to be born shows much Christian love or charity. Many Christians I know even want to eliminate programs like free lunches, which could be the only nutrition some children get all day. I could go on and on about this, but I would leave you with the thought that maybe some things that represent Christianity today have nothing at all to do with following Christ, but tickle our ears and make us feel good about not such loving attitudes, and perhaps it is time we took a closer look at the values we embrace as Christian. Are they more Randian than Christian???','Are We Really Following Christ?','','inherit','open','open','','7855-revision-2','','','2012-10-03 12:26:32','2012-10-03 19:26:32','',7855,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/03/7855-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(7875,200,'2012-10-03 12:30:30','2012-10-03 19:30:30','<p style=\"text-align: center\">Are We Really Following Christ?</p>\nWhat represents Christianity today is a far cry from the Jesus I learned about as a child, the one who said to turn the other cheek, to render unto Caesar what is Caesar\'s (pay your taxes), that if someone wants your cloak to give them your coat as well, and that what you do unto \"the least of them\" you also do unto me. He said to love your Lord your God with all your heart, to love your neighbor as you love yourself, and to love one another as I have loved you. I remember as a child not wanting to turn the other cheek or give up my possessions to another, and I don\'t think many of us do, yet we as Christians still felt like we should. However, 30 years ago the \"Prosperity Doctrine\" began to infiltrate our mainstream Christian churches, while at the same time, Ayn Rand\'s \"Atlas Shrugged\" made a comeback, and somehow with the later propaganda and influence of Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, and Hannity, being selfish is not only acceptable, but considered Christian and right. And the irony is that Ayn Rand, whom Paul Ryan is said to have idealized and even based his budget on her philosophy was an avowed atheist. And even though Ms. Rand claimed that social programs like SSA and Medicare were evil, she took advantage of both while she was dying from cancer, but used her husband’s name rather than her famous one because she didn’t want anyone to know.\n\nI have had discussions with so-called Christian conservatives who don’t want their taxes raised and believe that the rich pay enough already too. I’ve pointed out that Christ said to render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s (pay our taxes), and they have said that doesn’t mean that the taxes need to be designated to programs for poor people and Christ didn’t say that either. This is true, I’ve agreed with them; Christ didn’t get to say what Caesar’s tax money went for, but I can’t help but think he would approve. I’ve even made up a little scenario that I can vividly imagine if Caesar had sought Jesus’ advice about what to do with his tax money:\n\nThe scene opens with Caesar showing Jesus around his castle. Look at all my riches, says Caesar as they stroll through his opulent palace. Everywhere you look is a reflection of the powerful man I am, and everyone bows to me. My golden crown is incrusted with rare jewels, and I sit upon a throne of solid gold. My wives all wear exquisite jewelry and are draped in expensive silks. Even my servants wear the finest polished cotton. See my luxurious baths and lovely garden? The finest horses you’ve ever seen fill my stables, and the most beautiful team pull the emperor’s chariot. Where do you think I should apply my latest tax collection? So Jesus takes Caesar on a little stroll through his kingdom. They walk through the marketplace where the merchants sell their humble wares, past the blind and the beggars, visit in some humble cottages where the poor struggle to get by and the sick writhe in their misery, often dying with no hope, then past the leper colony where the most shunned suffer while begging for scraps of food. Jesus says to Caesar, do you see anywhere your money might be put to good use? Of course, Caesar, has the choice of being generous and helping “the lest of these” like Jesus has always stressed we should, or he can shrug and go off to seek another bauble for himself. Today’s Christians always side with the wealthy and seek an almost punishing attitude toward the needy who are most often that way because of the greed of the wealthy. And somehow it seems like if they were suffering more, had even less it would justify things for us, make it more acceptable. Do we really want to return to the tent cities, tar shacks and bread lines of the Great Depression before social programs were put into place? Would that make poverty more palatable to some? I often hear that the rich pay the majority of taxes, that they pay enough, but they don’t pay their percentage. The more you have, the less you pay. Paul Ryan is not nearly as wealthy as Mitt Romney, yet he pays more than Mitt in taxes, and so it goes downhill to the rest of us. Trickle down? Oh really???\n\nThere are other contradictions within the so-called “Christian Right” that really boggle my mind. For example, traditionally the “right” had despised draft dodgers, yet Ted Nugent, who has boasted about crapping in his pants for a week to avoid the draft is now okay and even a national hero to many. Why? Because he hates President Obama and loves guns. And on the subject of guns, how did gun ownership ever come to be part of the Christian culture? It just doesn’t line up with “turning the other cheek” to me. I understand that we have a gun heritage in our country, and my own household even has some. That said, I truly don’t believe that anyone is going to try to take away our hunting rifles and home protection guns. New laws may make registration restriction a bit stronger, but do we really want to make it easy for criminals to have them? Does any family really need assault weapons? I truly think this is just a lot of propaganda that has little to do with reality. Our Constitution gives us the Right to Bear Arms, and it would be no easy feat to take that away. Even if they tried, people would hide them away, and I think everyone is aware of that. You cannot really take guns away even if you try to outlaw them. It’s just not going to happen.\n\nThe other big issue, the one many people will vote based on it alone, is abortion. I agree that abortion is a terrible thing, and it is actually taking a life, and that we, as Christians, should never do it. If someone were to come to me seeking advice, I would try to talk them into other alternatives. However, if they are set on it, they will do it whether or not it is legal as they did in days gone by, even if it kills them, which it often did. Or, some will do like many who have made the news in recent years and conceal their pregnancy, give birth in secret and kill their babies. So, I’m not sure laws against it will stop much, only make it unsafe, and I have to ask if we want to punish people that way, as many seem wont to do. And if we do feel that way, why not just be against abortion and leave the parts of Planned Parenthood intact that counsel, advise, offer contraception and help with women’s medical issues. Why does it have to be an “all or nothing” solution? My issue is not so much about abortion as I understand why that is such an emotional issue, it’s about children and the poor. If we are that against abortion, wouldn’t we be FOR birth control? I’ve heard conservatives argue that they don’t want to pay for someone else’s birth control. I understand, however, wouldn’t that cost less than paying for someone else’s child? This is probably a moot point with them though, as most do not want to pay into social programs that help poor children. The other day, I read an article in which Pat Robertson, Christian Icon to the Right, say that Christians shouldn’t adopt either, that they are taking a risk with so many crack babies and children from other less than ideal situations being the ones up for adoption. So I summarize this by saying--We don’t want abortions, okay got that. We don’t want to pay for poor women’s birth control, and we don’t want to pay into social programs that would help them raise the child we didn’t want them to abort. And we don’t think adoption is a good idea either. So where does that leave us in our Christian conscience about this whole thing? Not many alternatives that I can see. . .unless we were actually willing to open up our hearts and our wallets as Jesus told us to.\n\nThe hijacking of the Christian religion by the Republican Party has been a slow, sure and insidious undertaking. There was a time when Christian women would have been shocked and appalled by Rush Limbaugh calling a young lady a slut, especially since she never mentioned her sex life or anyone else’s, only recounted stories of her friends who needed “the pill” for medical reasons, and how one of them who couldn’t afford it lost an ovary and the ability to bear children. Yet Christian women cheered Mr. Limbaugh on and declared that he was defending Catholic rights. Rush Limbaugh, married four times, an admitted user of Viagra, and the father of none, wants to control women from having easy access to the pill. A short time after his tirade against Sandra Fluke, Mr. Limbaugh called a group of nuns that dedicate their lives to helping the poor (his favorite word for women he disapproves of) “feminazis“! So much for respecting and defending Catholicism! Although somehow this man has become an icon of the Christian Right, I do not believe that Rush Limbaugh has ever said he is Christian, only conservative and on the side of the wealthy, of which he is as a spokesman, and one who got rich himself doing just that.\n\nIt saddens my heart that people will vote against their own interests and side with the evil One Percent that wants to turn us into a land of serfs. Don’t they understand that the problems we face today started 30 years ago and that the fault lies with the very corporations, the greedy wealthy that they are defending? They moved their factories overseas to hire foreigners at slave wages, while at the same time denying fellow Americans a living wage in the land they (the corporate owners) call home. That may be legal, and I’ve heard the “Right” defend it as their right, and I suppose that is true, but what does it say morally? Why would those who claim to have the heart of Christ vote for someone who values money over human beings? Now, the super-rich corporate owners are finding that their profit margins are starting to slip a little due to shipping costs, and there is talk about bringing some of their factories home. Does it seem likely that they are going to want to actually pay people a living wage to work in them? What would be the point if they are doing it to keep more of their money? There is a lot of talk about abolishing unions and union pension plans for police, firefighters, teachers, government workers, and railroad workers. There is also talk about doing away with minimum wage. Why? Because they don’t the serfs to have too much; they want to keep them desperate to do their bidding just to survive.\n\nBut wait, there is more. Why is it we no longer hear about overpopulation, when, indeed, we are actually living the predictions of those who warned against overpopulation back in the 1970s? And why are rightwing politicians are against contraception? I do not think most of them are against it due to moral values or religious beliefs, but because they want to keep populating expendable serfs to fight the wars they profit from and work for pennies in their factories. But they are smart enough to push those emotional buttons and get people to vote against their own best interests.\n\nThen there is immigration. Lots of anger there. I have two friends who were haters that changed their minds on that. One is a gal who was totally against it until she moved to Arizona and found herself working with a lot of underprivileged Hispanic children. She has totally changed her outlook once she came to see them as people with wants, needs and dreams just like the rest of us. The other is a guy who went there to get work, and he says after working with and being around “those people” he has done a complete turn around and says “I’d do it.” We are supposed to be hospitable and not turn people away according to scripture. And “those people” do work most of us don’t want to do, and they do it for much less money than we would accept. And lest we forget, we were all immigrants and took land from the natives who already lived here\n\nI also don\'t get why right-wing Christians are so pro war, when Christ said \"blessed are the peacemakers.“ We, as Christians, support our troops and cry at their funerals and hold parades in our towns when someone’s child comes home in a box, yet we do not care much about our veterans when they have managed to come home alive and often leave them lacking in basic needs and homeless. Shouldn’t we ask ourselves if Jesus would care about the children we kill overseas, the innocent who have no say so in the whole matter? The politicians on the right not only do NOT want to get us out of Afghanistan, but they are eagerly speculating about going to war with Iran. It has always been old rich men sending young poor men off to war. Besides Ted Nugent, other well known and respected men who managed to avoid the draft include George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Mitt Romney. What would Jesus say?\n\nThere is so much more I have to say about this but for now, I just want to say that Christianity to me is all about a heart attitude, and I don\'t see how wanting to save every fetus, while at the same time wanting to cut programs that help poor children who have managed to be born shows much Christian love or charity. Many Christians I know even want to eliminate programs like free lunches, which could be the only nutrition some children get all day. I could go on and on about this, but I would leave you with the thought that maybe some things that represent Christianity today have nothing at all to do with following Christ, but tickle our ears and make us feel good about not such loving attitudes, and perhaps it is time we took a closer look at the values we embrace as Christian. Are they more Randian than Christian???','Are We Really Following Christ?','','inherit','open','open','','7855-revision-3','','','2012-10-03 12:30:30','2012-10-03 19:30:30','',7855,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/03/7855-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(7891,1,'2012-09-27 23:07:14','2012-09-28 06:07:14','I\'ve never liked reality television. I remember watching the movie, \"<a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Truman_Show\"><em>The Truman Show</em></a>.\" I got a kick out of it. But I remember thinking, \"<em>What if someone did that</em>?\" Well, someone did.\r\n\r\nI\'m too lazy to look back and see where reality television started, but I remember when <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivor_%28U.S._TV_series%29\">Survivor came on</a>. I watched a little of the first season. People jockeying for position to get the grand prize. Lying to each other. Being jerks on national television. Hey, it made for great ratings, who am I to judge?\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/shore.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-7803\" style=\"margin-left: 6px;margin-right: 6px\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/shore.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"225\" /></a>Let\'s skip to today. We have all kinds of reality shows. Jersey Shore, Auction Hunters, Storage Wars, 19 Kids and Counting, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, 16 and Pregnant, Jackass, Four Weddings, Say Yes to the Dress, Cake Wars, Cupcake Wars, Big Brother, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Hoarders, Intervention, Hardcore Pawn, Miami Ink, Sister Wives, Toddlers and Tiaras, Ice Road Truckers, Whale Wars, Dog Whisperer, Deadliest Catch, several Amish shows, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, American Idol, X Factor, COPS, Dog the Bounty Hunter, Extreme Makeover, Trading Spaces, Pimp My Ride, What Not To Wear, The Biggest Loser, Duck Dynasty, Undercover Boss, blah blah blah blah and blah.\r\n\r\nI really don\'t like reality television. I do watch <em>Storage Wars</em>, I will admit that. I did read some random article that said most of it was faked. I don\'t have any real documentation to back that up.\r\n\r\nI\'m not even to my main complaint yet.\r\n\r\nWhy are we so fascinated with this stuff? Let me say this. I love watching people. I really do. I am guilty of sitting on a bench in the mall and watching families. There\'s a ton of drama at the local mall if you\'ll just sit back and watch.\r\n\r\nBut for some reason in the past decade, we have allowed the media to walk into our homes and record our faults. Worse, we watch that crap. Why? Well, I can tell you this - the advertisers are buying time slots. Because we are watching it.\r\n\r\nMy wife Allison loves some of the reality television. She started watching the Honey Boo Boo girl recently. She asked me to sit down and watch it with her for a few minutes. Listen, I can\'t stand watching the Duggars for more than five minutes. But being a good husband, I obliged. Seriously. I couldn\'t stand it for more than ten minutes. Why was I watching it?\r\n\r\nHey, here\'s a clip:\r\n\r\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQOvRVo4ZQE\r\n\r\nWell, I know why. We put people on television who are a sideshow. Lord, if <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._T._Barnum\">P.T. Barnum</a> were alive today, he\'d own half the market in reality television. Thousands watched when television cameras set up in the home of Ozzy Osbourne. And it sold advertising.\r\n\r\nWhy? I think for a couple of reasons. It gives us escape. We can watch others to make us feel better about ourselves. <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tophat.png\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7804\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tophat-300x220.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"220\" /></a>Maybe we identify with people who fight and have a worse life than we have. And also, it\'s just brainless entertainment. You spend more brain activity eating pistachios and throwing playing cards into a tophat.\r\n\r\nThat said, I\'m really, really worried about what it\'s doing to us. It\'s making us stupid. We aren\'t watching History Channel documentaries. We aren\'t watching the news or old classic movies. We\'re not watching anything that is enriching our minds. We\'re watching what Honey Boo Boo will say next when she\'s asked about make up. Honestly. I watched her do some sort of hand movements for two minutes without any dialogue the other night. People must eat this stuff up.\r\n\r\nReality television is making us stupid. Or stupider. Is that a word? See? I\'m even getting dumber.\r\n\r\nI really want to say, <em>\"What is wrong with all these people on these shows?\"</em> But that\'s not the right question. They don\'t want help. The right question is,<em> \"What is wrong with those of us who dabble too far in watching these shows?\"</em>\r\n\r\nThere\'s even proof that reality television isn\'t reality at all. There are several great articles (well researched, I might add) over at Cracked.com that you should read. One in particular is called, <a href=\"http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-secrets-making-reality-tv-they-dont-want-you-to-know/\"><em>\"5 Secrets to Making Reality TV They Don\'t Want You To Know.\"</em></a>\r\n\r\nWatching other people wallow in their own hatred, ignorance, turtle catching, duck hunting, family arguing is leaving a mark on our minds and the minds of our children. Sure, we can say, <em>\"Oh, it\'s just entertaining.\"</em> No, it\'s really not. It\'s showing us that we can be like that and it\'s okay. We revere people on television, don\'t we? And when we see them do something, we must think that it is okay to act like that.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tvs.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7805\" style=\"margin-left: 6px;margin-right: 6px\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tvs-300x230.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"252\" height=\"193\" /></a>Now, dear reader, I know you are immune to such things. But I fear your children are not. Make sure you explain to them that the people on television who use improper grammar, slap one another, scream at their mothers, allow feces to be dumped on their head are engaging in behavior that is really not standard for a growing society.\r\n\r\nExplain to them that advertisers will pay money to see people act as stupid as possible. Please. Or we will all be in trouble.\r\n\r\nSo hey, if you\'re watching that stuff by yourself as a guilty pleasure, go for it. Just be ready to separate the reality from reality. Because that stuff is not reality. Did that make sense? Probably not. I think I watched too much Honey Boo Boo.','Reality Television: What Is Wrong With Us?','','inherit','open','open','','7801-revision-3','','','2012-09-27 23:07:14','2012-09-28 06:07:14','',7801,'http://provoketive.com/2012/09/27/7801-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(8123,201,'2012-12-01 10:37:15','2012-12-01 18:37:15','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/stop-child-abuse7.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-8120 aligncenter\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/stop-child-abuse7-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"> )photo-credit: foreign policy association(</p>\r\nChild abuse is a social problem of epidemic proportions.\r\n\r\nEven though it is difficult to understand the true scope of child abuse—studies have found that only one third of child abuse is reported, for example<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn1\">[1]</a>—the reports that are available, however conservative in nature, paint a horrific picture.  In one 2008 study, researchers found that one in five children will experience child abuse—or 15 million in total.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn2\">[2]</a>  Another study found that 1 in every 3 girls and 1 in every 8 boys will experience sexual abuse; roughly half of which being incestuous.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn3\">[3]</a>.  In 2009, 6 million children were reported to Child Protective Services.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn4\">[4]</a>  A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds,<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn5\">[5]</a> and it takes the life of more than five children each day: that is seventy-one classrooms full of children that die every year as a result of child abuse.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn6\">[6]</a>  David Finkelhor, a leading researcher on childhood victimization, has argued that children are in fact the most victimized population in the United States.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn7\">[7]</a>  In addition to experiencing the same rates of victimization as adults, he argues, children also experience victimizations unique to their own status such as child sexual abuse and neglect.  “They are beaten by family members, bullied and attacked by schoolmates and peers, abused and raped by dating partners, and targeted by sex offenders in both physical and virtual realms.”  “Childhood,” Finkelhor asserts, “is indeed a gauntlet”.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn8\">[8]</a>\r\n\r\nMillions of children across America are suffering: crying out in desperate need.  Has the Church heard their cries?  These children are sleeping underneath blankets of fear, walking to school in dread, and playing on the street corners we pass by on our way home from work: crying out in desperate need.   Has the Church heard their cries?  These children are waiting in emergency rooms, visiting mental health clinics, and are often engaging in risky behavior, confounding their trauma all the more: crying out in desperate need.  Has the Church heard their cries?  These children are sitting in pews and benches, coloring in Sunday school rooms, and clapping their hands and singing to worship songs in churches all across America: crying out in desperate need.  Has the Church heard their cries?\r\n\r\nThe needs created by the problem of child abuse are vast, and the Church is in a remarkable position to be able to respond to these needs.  To be a healer.  To be Christ.  To help them move into, in both their interior worlds and their social circumstances, a lived experience of God’s love.\r\n\r\nThis is not to suggest that the Church is not already responding.  Organizations like Marie Fortune’s Faith Trust Institute and the evangelical Royal Family Kids Camp are good examples.  There are more.  And, to be sure, one shouldn’t be naïve: churches are understaffed, underfunded, and attendance in many denominations is very low.  The resources are limited; time is lacking.  Yet, amidst this EPIDEMIC—where children, the most vulnerable people in our society, are the most victimized–it is clear that the Church can do more; that is has to do more.  It must learn to trust that the Holy Spirit will make a way for it to respond to the needs of abused children.\r\n\r\nI have been wondering what it might look like for all churches—if even for a year—decided to respond collectively to the most victimized population in the United States: if every church in America dedicated some of its energies to creating a campaign against child abuse in response to the needs of abused children. In addition to meeting the needs of abused children, it seems that such a campaign would be an excellent way for the Fragmented Body of Christ to become more unified—and could also serve as a catalyst for interfaith dialogue and collaboration.  Theological and sociopolitical issues aside, certainly we can agree that this epidemic necessitates a more comprehensive response, and that the Church has the power and responsibility to meet the needs of those that are suffering.  Perhaps we can all agree with Dietrich Bonheoffer when he said, “the ultimate test for a moral society is the kind of world it leaves for its children”.\r\n\r\nWhat kind of world have we created for our children? What kind of society is ours when children are the most victimized population–and they are suffering, often in a screaming silence, amidst so much wealth and affluence?\r\n\r\nThe Church has to do more.  We have to find a way.\r\n<div>To be continued …</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> Sedlak, A. J., &amp; Broadhurst, D. D. (1996)\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref2\">[2]</a> How Common is Maltreatment: 5\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref3\">[3]</a> http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/factsheet/pdf/childhoodSexualAbuseFactSheet.pdf\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref4\">[4]</a> National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS)\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref5\">[5]</a> http://www.childhelp.org/pages/statistics#2\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref6\">[6]</a> United States Government Accountability Office, 2011. Child maltreatment: strengthening national data on child fatalities could aid in prevention (GAO-11-599). Retrieved from <a href=\"http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11599.pdf\">http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11599.pdf</a>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref7\">[7]</a> David Finkelhor, Childhood Victimization (New York: Oxford University Press, 2008) 3.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref8\">[8]</a> Ibid.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Child Abuse as an Epidemic: The Church Must Do More','','inherit','open','open','','8115-revision-4','','','2012-12-01 10:37:15','2012-12-01 18:37:15','',8115,'http://provoketive.com/2012/12/01/8115-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(8122,201,'2012-12-01 10:36:46','2012-12-01 18:36:46','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/stop-child-abuse7.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-8120 aligncenter\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/stop-child-abuse7-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"> )photo-credit: foreign policy association(</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"></p>\r\nChild abuse is a social problem of epidemic proportions.\r\n\r\nEven though it is difficult to understand the true scope of child abuse—studies have found that only one third of child abuse is reported, for example<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn1\">[1]</a>—the reports that are available, however conservative in nature, paint a horrific picture.  In one 2008 study, researchers found that one in five children will experience child abuse—or 15 million in total.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn2\">[2]</a>  Another study found that 1 in every 3 girls and 1 in every 8 boys will experience sexual abuse; roughly half of which being incestuous.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn3\">[3]</a>.  In 2009, 6 million children were reported to Child Protective Services.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn4\">[4]</a>  A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds,<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn5\">[5]</a> and it takes the life of more than five children each day: that is seventy-one classrooms full of children that die every year as a result of child abuse.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn6\">[6]</a>  David Finkelhor, a leading researcher on childhood victimization, has argued that children are in fact the most victimized population in the United States.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn7\">[7]</a>  In addition to experiencing the same rates of victimization as adults, he argues, children also experience victimizations unique to their own status such as child sexual abuse and neglect.  “They are beaten by family members, bullied and attacked by schoolmates and peers, abused and raped by dating partners, and targeted by sex offenders in both physical and virtual realms.”  “Childhood,” Finkelhor asserts, “is indeed a gauntlet”.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn8\">[8]</a>\r\n\r\nMillions of children across America are suffering: crying out in desperate need.  Has the Church heard their cries?  These children are sleeping underneath blankets of fear, walking to school in dread, and playing on the street corners we pass by on our way home from work: crying out in desperate need.   Has the Church heard their cries?  These children are waiting in emergency rooms, visiting mental health clinics, and are often engaging in risky behavior, confounding their trauma all the more: crying out in desperate need.  Has the Church heard their cries?  These children are sitting in pews and benches, coloring in Sunday school rooms, and clapping their hands and singing to worship songs in churches all across America: crying out in desperate need.  Has the Church heard their cries?\r\n\r\nThe needs created by the problem of child abuse are vast, and the Church is in a remarkable position to be able to respond to these needs.  To be a healer.  To be Christ.  To help them move into, in both their interior worlds and their social circumstances, a lived experience of God’s love.\r\n\r\nThis is not to suggest that the Church is not already responding.  Organizations like Marie Fortune’s Faith Trust Institute and the evangelical Royal Family Kids Camp are good examples.  There are more.  And, to be sure, one shouldn’t be naïve: churches are understaffed, underfunded, and attendance in many denominations is very low.  The resources are limited; time is lacking.  Yet, amidst this EPIDEMIC—where children, the most vulnerable people in our society, are the most victimized–it is clear that the Church can do more; that is has to do more.  It must learn to trust that the Holy Spirit will make a way for it to respond to the needs of abused children.\r\n\r\nI have been wondering what it might look like for all churches—if even for a year—decided to respond collectively to the most victimized population in the United States: if every church in America dedicated some of its energies to creating a campaign against child abuse in response to the needs of abused children. In addition to meeting the needs of abused children, it seems that such a campaign would be an excellent way for the Fragmented Body of Christ to become more unified—and could also serve as a catalyst for interfaith dialogue and collaboration.  Theological and sociopolitical issues aside, certainly we can agree that this epidemic necessitates a more comprehensive response, and that the Church has the power and responsibility to meet the needs of those that are suffering.  Perhaps we can all agree with Dietrich Bonheoffer when he said, “the ultimate test for a moral society is the kind of world it leaves for its children”.\r\n\r\nWhat kind of world have we created for our children? What kind of society is ours when children are the most victimized population–and they are suffering, often in a screaming silence, amidst so much wealth and affluence?\r\n\r\nThe Church has to do more.  We have to find a way.\r\n<div>To be continued …</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> Sedlak, A. J., &amp; Broadhurst, D. D. (1996)\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref2\">[2]</a> How Common is Maltreatment: 5\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref3\">[3]</a> http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/factsheet/pdf/childhoodSexualAbuseFactSheet.pdf\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref4\">[4]</a> National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS)\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref5\">[5]</a> http://www.childhelp.org/pages/statistics#2\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref6\">[6]</a> United States Government Accountability Office, 2011. Child maltreatment: strengthening national data on child fatalities could aid in prevention (GAO-11-599). Retrieved from <a href=\"http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11599.pdf\">http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11599.pdf</a>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref7\">[7]</a> David Finkelhor, Childhood Victimization (New York: Oxford University Press, 2008) 3.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref8\">[8]</a> Ibid.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Child Abuse as an Epidemic: The Church Must Do More','','inherit','open','open','','8115-revision-3','','','2012-12-01 10:36:46','2012-12-01 18:36:46','',8115,'http://provoketive.com/2012/12/01/8115-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(7879,134,'2012-10-25 08:00:32','2012-10-25 15:00:32','It feels like every year I write the same post. My favorite <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">pagan</a> holiday -- <a title=\"autumn: pumpkins &amp; apple pies\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/autumn-pumpkins-apple-pies/\">All</a> <a title=\"all hallows’ eve: the forbidden\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2010/10/30/all-hallows-eve-the-forbidden/\">Hallows</a> <a title=\"hallows eve\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/hallows-eve/\">Eve</a> -- is coming! If you\'re in NYC, you\'ll see the weirdest of the weird come out that night. <a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Hallowe\'en</em></a> (the spelling I learned as a child) is definitely the <a title=\"Ghost of New York Walking Tours\" href=\"http://www.ghostsofny.com/\" target=\"_blank\">strangest night in NYC</a>. This all begs to ask what the <a title=\"Hell\" href=\"en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell\" target=\"_blank\">hell</a>\'s this thing called <em>Hallowe\'en</em> ? The festivities of the Hallows Eve started as a <em>\"yearly</em> <a title=\"Holiday\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday\"><em>holiday</em></a> <a title=\"Halloween around the world\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_around_the_world\"><em>observed around the world</em></a> <em>on October 31, the eve before the</em> <a title=\"Western Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Christianity\"><em>Western</em></a> <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\"><em>Christian</em></a> <em>feast of</em> <a title=\"All Saints\' Day\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints%27_Day\"><em>All Hallows</em></a> [that] <em>initially incorporated traditions from</em> <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\"><em>pagan</em></a> <a title=\"Harvest festival\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_festival\"><em>harvest festivals</em></a> <em>and</em> <a title=\"Festival of the Dead\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festival_of_the_Dead\"><em>festivals honoring the dead</em></a><em>, particularly the</em> <a title=\"Celts\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celts\"><em>Celtic</em></a> <a title=\"Samhain\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhain\"><em>Samhain</em></a><em>\"</em> (<a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween</a>).\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7880\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Skye_nicolas_zuzanna2-300x180.jpg\" alt=\"Zuzanna II (The Mortelle Series, Skye Nicolas &amp; Marlon Richards; Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)\" width=\"300\" height=\"180\" />Since I\'ve grown a fascination to the relation (<a title=\"Parallels between the Christian gospels and Pagan mythology\" href=\"http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcpa1.htm\" target=\"_blank\">similarities</a>, <a title=\"Christian Feast Days and Their Relationship to Pagan Holidays\" href=\"http://www.nvcc.edu/home/lshulman/rel232/resource/RileyPaper.htm\" target=\"_blank\">papers</a>, etc) between <a title=\"Christianity and Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_Paganism\" target=\"_blank\">Paganism and Christianity</a>, as well as the <a title=\"Neo-romanticism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-romanticism\" target=\"_blank\">romanticism</a> and <a title=\"The Beauty of Death - Does God Exist? - SepOct97\" href=\"http://www.doesgodexist.org/SepOct97/TheBeautyOfDeath.html\" target=\"_blank\">beauty of death</a> (<a title=\"Science fiction\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction\" target=\"_blank\">sci-fi</a>/<a title=\"Horror film\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horror_film\" target=\"_blank\">horror movies</a>) as portrayed in the painting Zusanna II (pictured), <a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Hallowe\'en</em></a> remains as my favorite time of the year. The whole concept of the dead walking the earth always makes me curious. I guess that it\'s a sacrilege and simply wrong as a Christian or acceptable as a <a title=\"Neo-Pagan Christianity\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2010/12/07/neo-pagan-christianity/\">Neo-Pagan Christian</a>, in which <em>\"the environment that I grew up in, Pagan traditions co-existed with Christian (Catholic) ones.\"</em> The latter may be better explained in following text from the <a title=\"Library of Congress Home\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/\" target=\"_blank\">Library of Congress</a>.\r\n<blockquote>\"Halloween had its beginnings in an ancient, pre-Christian Celtic festival of the dead. The Celtic peoples, who were once found all over Europe, divided the year by four major holidays. According to their calendar, the year began on a day corresponding to November 1st on our present calendar. The date marked the beginning of winter. Since they were pastoral people, it was a time when cattle and sheep had to be moved to closer pastures and all livestock had to be secured for the winter months. Crops were harvested and stored. The date marked both an ending and a beginning in an eternal cycle.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Halloween: The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows (The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress)\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/folklife/halloween.html\" target=\"_blank\">Halloween: The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows</a>, Jack Santino, <a title=\"The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/folklife/\" target=\"_blank\">The American Folklife Center</a>, <a title=\"Library of Congress Home\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/\" target=\"_blank\">Library of Congress</a></blockquote>\r\nOne thing that I find ironically strange between various faiths is the belief of spirits, regardless of the belief of <a title=\"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Heaven\" href=\"http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07170a.htm\" target=\"_blank\">heaven</a>, <a title=\"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Hell\" href=\"http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07207a.htm\" target=\"_blank\">hell</a>, <a title=\"Reincarnation\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reincarnation\" target=\"_blank\">reincarnation</a>, <a title=\"Ghost\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost\" target=\"_blank\">ghosts</a> or whatever other belief. As such, the whole idea of life and death as part of a continuous cycle (<a title=\"Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra\" target=\"_blank\">Sam.sa-ra</a>) <a title=\"Cosmic cycle of life and death - Times Of India\" href=\"http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-01/edit-page/31111239_1_cycles-soul-path\" target=\"_blank\">intrigues</a> me. It\'s almost as if life and death, <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">Paganism</a> and <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Christianity</a> were one and the same. As such, many <em>experts</em> have accused <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Christians</a> of taking <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">pagan</a> legends and/or rites like the <a title=\"Sacrament\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacrament\" target=\"_blank\">sacrament</a> of the <a title=\"Last Supper\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Supper\" target=\"_blank\">Lord\'s Supper</a>. The <em>experts</em> have quoted texts like the <a title=\"Mithra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra\" target=\"_blank\">Mithraic</a> (<a title=\"Zoroastrianism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrianism\" target=\"_blank\">Zoroastrianism</a>) <a title=\"Communion (Christian)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communion_%28Christian%29\" target=\"_blank\">communion</a> liturgy, which states,\r\n<blockquote>\"He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood, so that he will be made on with me and I with him, the same shall not know salvation.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Mithra\'s Contributions\" href=\"http://www.innvista.com/culture/religion/deities/mithra.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Mithra\'s Contributions</a>, Innvista</blockquote>\r\nwhile the Bible says,\r\n<blockquote>\"53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"John 6:53-54 KJV - Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, - Bible Gatewa\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%206:53-54&amp;version=KJV\" target=\"_blank\">John 6:53-54</a> (KJV)</blockquote>\r\nThese similarities make some <em>experts</em> like <a title=\"Mithra the Pagan Christ | Mithraism and Christianity | Mithras the Sun God\" href=\"http://www.truthbeknown.com/mithra.htm\" target=\"_blank\">D.M. Murdock</a> use the term <em>Pagan Christ</em> quoting Swami Prapannananda (reknown <a title=\"Hinduism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism\" target=\"_blank\">Hindu</a> <a title=\"Guru\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru\" target=\"_blank\">guru</a>)\r\n<blockquote>\"Mithra or Mitra is... worshipped as Itu (Mitra-Mitu-Itu) in every house of the Hindus in India. Itu (derivative of Mitu or Mitra) is considered as the Vegetation-deity. This Mithra or Mitra (Sun-God) is believed to be a Mediator between God and man, between the Sky and the Earth. It is said that Mithra or [the] Sun took birth in the Cave on December 25th. It is also the belief of the Christian world that Mithra or the Sun-God was born of [a] Virgin. He travelled far and wide. He has twelve satellites, which are taken as the Sun\'s disciples... [The Sun\'s] great festivals are observed in the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox -- Christmas and Easter. His symbol is the Lamb...\"\r\n-- Swami Prapannananda, Christ the Saviour and Christ Myth (<a title=\"ISBN 8188446491\" href=\"http://www.google.com/search?q=ISBN+8188446491\" target=\"_blank\">ISBN 8188446491</a>, <a title=\"Vedanta Press\" href=\"http://www.vedanta.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Vedanta Press</a> , 1990)</blockquote>\r\nand <a title=\"Tom Harpur\" href=\"http://www.tomharpur.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Tom Harpur</a> who seems to a favorite at the <a title=\"Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science\" href=\"http://www.richarddawkins.net/\" target=\"_blank\">Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science</a>.\r\n<blockquote>\"Harpur discovered that the New Testament is wholly based on Egyptian mythology, that Jesus Christ never lived, and that -- indeed -- the text was always meant to be read allegorically.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"The Pagan Christ - CBC-TV - RichardDawkins.net\" href=\"http://old.richarddawkins.net/videos/2057-the-pagan-christ\" target=\"_blank\">The Pagan Christ</a>, <a title=\"CBC Television\" href=\"http://www.cbc.ca/television/\" target=\"_blank\">CBC-TV</a>, 2007</blockquote>\r\nOther <em>so-called experts</em> like <a title=\"About the near-death.com website and the webmaster\" href=\"http://www.near-death.com/about.html\" target=\"_blank\">Kevin Williams</a> have considered <a title=\"Christ\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ\" target=\"_blank\">Christ</a> as the <a title=\"Resurrection\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection\" target=\"_blank\">resurrection</a> of <a title=\"Mithra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra\" target=\"_blank\">Mithra</a> who was said to be the <a title=\"Resurrection\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection\" target=\"_blank\">resurrection</a> of <a title=\"Osiris\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osiris\" target=\"_blank\">Osiris</a>, <a title=\"Tammuz (deity)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tammuz_%28deity%29\" target=\"_blank\">Tammuz</a>, <a title=\"Adonis\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adonis\" target=\"_blank\">Adonis</a>, <a title=\"Baldr\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldr\" target=\"_blank\">Baldr</a>, <a title=\"Attis\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attis\" target=\"_blank\">Attis</a> and <a title=\"Dionysus\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dionysus\" target=\"_blank\">Dionysus</a> and perhaps even more <em>deities</em> of the ancient world.\r\n<blockquote>\"Virtually all of the elements of Orthodox Christian rituals, from miter, wafer, water baptism, alter, and doxology, were adopted from the Mithra and earlier pagan mystery religions. The religion of Mithra preceded Christianity by roughly six hundred years.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Jesus as a Reincarnation of Mithra\" href=\"http://www.near-death.com/experiences/origen048.html\" target=\"_blank\">Jesus as a Reincarnation of Mithra</a>, Kevin Williams</blockquote>\r\nConsidering all this information regarding the <a title=\"Parallels between the Christian gospels and Pagan mythology\" href=\"http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcpa3.htm\" target=\"_blank\">relationship</a> between <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Christianity</a>, <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">Paganism</a>, <a title=\"Jesus\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus\" target=\"_blank\">Jesus</a> <a title=\"Christ\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ\" target=\"_blank\">the Christ</a> and <a title=\"Mithra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra\" target=\"_blank\">Mithra</a> although heavily contradicted by <a title=\"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Mithraism\" href=\"http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10402a.htm\" target=\"_blank\">the Catholic Church</a> and groups like the <a title=\"Was Christianity Borrowed from Mithrasim? : Make A Defense Apologetics Ministry\" href=\"http://www.makeadefense.com/index.php/topics/was-christianity-borrowed/mithrasim-geisler/\" target=\"_blank\">Christian Apologetics</a> (not to mention the <a title=\"Persecution of pagans by the Christian Roman Empire\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Pagans_by_the_Christian_Roman_Empire\" target=\"_blank\">persecution</a> <a title=\"Gordon Robertson: How Christianity Survived in Pagan Rome\" href=\"http://www.cbn.com/special/DaVinciCode/GRobertson_Christianity_PaganRome.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">of</a> <a title=\"Christian persecution of paganism under Theodosius I\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_persecution_of_paganism_under_Theodosius_I\" target=\"_blank\">Pagans</a>), I might\'ve to consider <a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Hallowe\'en</em></a> a real religious <a title=\"Holiday\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday\">holiday</a>. Of course, I must admit that, although I see and understand the <em>almost certain</em> possibilities that <em>real Christianity</em> was corrupted by <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">pagan</a> beliefs and traditions, I still believe that Jesus is <a title=\"Incarnation (Christianity)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarnation_%28Christianity%29\" target=\"_blank\">God incarnate</a>.\r\n\r\nFor more information, I\'d recommend reading the following.\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Celtic Christianity\" href=\"http://www.gracemagazine.org.uk/articles/historical/celtic.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Celtic Christianity</a> (Grace Magazine)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Religion Essays - Christianity Pagan Romans\" href=\"http://www.ukessays.com/essays/religion/christianity-pagan-romans.php\" target=\"_blank\">Christianity Pagan Romans</a> (UK Essays)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"The Christmas Tree Debate\" href=\"http://www.askelm.com/doctrine/d911101.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas Tree Debate</a> (Associates for Scriptural Knowledge)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"New Enemies of Christianity\" href=\"http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/LG/enemies.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">New Enemies of Christianity</a> (OrthodoxPhotos)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Pagan Christian Holidays\" href=\"http://www.godkind.org/pagan-holidays.html\" target=\"_blank\">Pagan Christian Holidays</a> (The God Kind)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Pagan Origins, Pagan History, Pagan Beliefs\" href=\"http://www.patheos.com/Library/Pagan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Pagan Origins, Pagan History, Pagan Beliefs</a> (Patheos)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"RussianSIG - Russian Paganism and Christianity\" href=\"http://russiansig.wikispaces.com/Russian+Paganism+and+Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Russian Paganism and Christianity</a> (RussianSIG)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"We Should Be More Pagan | The American Conservative\" href=\"http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/we-should-be-more-pagan/\" target=\"_blank\">We Should Be More Pagan</a> (The American Conservative)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Why Did Christianity Succeed? - The Great Appeal | From Jesus To Christ | FRONTLINE | PBS\" href=\"http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/why/appeal.html\" target=\"_blank\">Why Did Christianity Succeed?</a> (Frontline, PBS)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Why Do Christians Celebrate Pagan Christmas?\" href=\"http://einron.hubpages.com/hub/whychristianscelebratepaganchristmas\" target=\"_blank\">Why Do Christians Celebrate Pagan Christmas?</a> (einron, HubPages)</li>\r\n</ol>','Neo-Pagan Christianity & All Hallows Eve','','publish','open','open','','neo-pagan-christianity-all-hallows-eve','','','2012-10-10 19:48:31','2012-10-11 02:48:31','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=7879',0,'post','',0),(7881,134,'2012-10-05 08:50:45','2012-10-05 15:50:45','','Church Graveyard Zion Reformed United Church of Christ in Hagerstown, MD','','inherit','open','open','','olympus-digital-camera-5','','','2012-10-05 08:50:45','2012-10-05 15:50:45','',7879,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/8064_Church_Graveyard_Zion_Reformed_United_Church_of_Christ_in_Hagerstown_MD_500x250.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7880,134,'2012-10-05 08:48:13','2012-10-05 15:48:13','','Zuzanna II (The Mortelle Series, Skye Nicolas & Marlon Richards; Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)','','inherit','open','open','','skye_nicolas_zuzanna2','','','2012-10-05 08:48:13','2012-10-05 15:48:13','',7879,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Skye_nicolas_zuzanna2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7882,134,'2012-10-05 08:49:05','2012-10-05 15:49:05','It feels like every year I write the same post. My favorite <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">pagan</a> holiday -- <a title=\"autumn: pumpkins &amp; apple pies\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/autumn-pumpkins-apple-pies/\">All</a> <a title=\"all hallows’ eve: the forbidden\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2010/10/30/all-hallows-eve-the-forbidden/\">Hallows</a> <a title=\"hallows eve\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/hallows-eve/\">Eve</a> -- is coming! If you\'re in NYC, you\'ll see the weirdest of the weird come out that night. <a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Hallowe\'en</em></a> (the spelling I learned as a child) is definitely the <a title=\"Ghost of New York Walking Tours\" href=\"http://www.ghostsofny.com/\" target=\"_blank\">strangest night in NYC</a>. This all begs to ask what the <a title=\"Hell\" href=\"en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell\" target=\"_blank\">hell</a>\'s this thing called <em>Hallowe\'en</em> ? The festivities of the Hallows Eve started as a <em>\"yearly</em> <a title=\"Holiday\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday\"><em>holiday</em></a> <a title=\"Halloween around the world\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_around_the_world\"><em>observed around the world</em></a> <em>on October 31, the eve before the</em> <a title=\"Western Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Christianity\"><em>Western</em></a> <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\"><em>Christian</em></a> <em>feast of</em> <a title=\"All Saints\' Day\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints%27_Day\"><em>All Hallows</em></a> [that] <em>initially incorporated traditions from</em> <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\"><em>pagan</em></a> <a title=\"Harvest festival\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_festival\"><em>harvest festivals</em></a> <em>and</em> <a title=\"Festival of the Dead\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festival_of_the_Dead\"><em>festivals honoring the dead</em></a><em>, particularly the</em> <a title=\"Celts\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celts\"><em>Celtic</em></a> <a title=\"Samhain\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhain\"><em>Samhain</em></a><em>\"</em> (<a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween</a>).\n\n<img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7880\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Skye_nicolas_zuzanna2-300x180.jpg\" alt=\"Zuzanna II (The Mortelle Series, Skye Nicolas &amp; Marlon Richards; Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)\" width=\"300\" height=\"180\" />Since I\'ve grown a fascination to the relation (<a title=\"Parallels between the Christian gospels and Pagan mythology\" href=\"http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcpa1.htm\" target=\"_blank\">similarities</a>, <a title=\"Christian Feast Days and Their Relationship to Pagan Holidays\" href=\"http://www.nvcc.edu/home/lshulman/rel232/resource/RileyPaper.htm\" target=\"_blank\">papers</a>, etc) between <a title=\"Christianity and Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_Paganism\" target=\"_blank\">Paganism and Christianity</a>, as well as the <a title=\"Neo-romanticism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-romanticism\" target=\"_blank\">romanticism</a> and <a title=\"The Beauty of Death - Does God Exist? - SepOct97\" href=\"http://www.doesgodexist.org/SepOct97/TheBeautyOfDeath.html\" target=\"_blank\">beauty of death</a> (<a title=\"Science fiction\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction\" target=\"_blank\">sci-fi</a>/<a title=\"Horror film\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horror_film\" target=\"_blank\">horror movies</a>) as portrayed in the painting Zusanna II (pictured), <a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Hallowe\'en</em></a> remains as my favorite time of the year. The whole concept of the dead walking the earth always makes me curious. I guess that it\'s a sacrilege and simply wrong as a Christian or acceptable as a <a title=\"Neo-Pagan Christianity\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2010/12/07/neo-pagan-christianity/\">Neo-Pagan Christian</a>, in which <em>\"the environment that I grew up in, Pagan traditions co-existed with Christian (Catholic) ones.\"</em> The latter may be better explained in following text from the <a title=\"Library of Congress Home\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/\" target=\"_blank\">Library of Congress</a>.\n<blockquote>\"Halloween had its beginnings in an ancient, pre-Christian Celtic festival of the dead. The Celtic peoples, who were once found all over Europe, divided the year by four major holidays. According to their calendar, the year began on a day corresponding to November 1st on our present calendar. The date marked the beginning of winter. Since they were pastoral people, it was a time when cattle and sheep had to be moved to closer pastures and all livestock had to be secured for the winter months. Crops were harvested and stored. The date marked both an ending and a beginning in an eternal cycle.\"\n-- <a title=\"Halloween: The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows (The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress)\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/folklife/halloween.html\" target=\"_blank\">Halloween: The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows</a>, Jack Santino, <a title=\"The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/folklife/\" target=\"_blank\">The American Folklife Center</a>, <a title=\"Library of Congress Home\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/\" target=\"_blank\">Library of Congress</a></blockquote>\nOne thing that I find ironically strange between various faiths is the belief of spirits, regardless of the belief of <a title=\"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Heaven\" href=\"http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07170a.htm\" target=\"_blank\">heaven</a>, <a title=\"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Hell\" href=\"http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07207a.htm\" target=\"_blank\">hell</a>, <a title=\"Reincarnation\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reincarnation\" target=\"_blank\">reincarnation</a>, <a title=\"Ghost\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost\" target=\"_blank\">ghosts</a> or whatever other belief. As such, the whole idea of life and death as part of a continuous cycle (<a title=\"Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra\" target=\"_blank\">Sam.sa-ra</a>) <a title=\"Cosmic cycle of life and death - Times Of India\" href=\"http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-01/edit-page/31111239_1_cycles-soul-path\" target=\"_blank\">intrigues</a> me. It\'s almost as if life and death, <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">Paganism</a> and <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Christianity</a> were one and the same. As such, many <em>experts</em> have accused <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Christians</a> of taking <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">pagan</a> legends and/or rites like the <a title=\"Sacrament\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacrament\" target=\"_blank\">sacrament</a> of the <a title=\"Last Supper\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Supper\" target=\"_blank\">Lord\'s Supper</a>. The <em>experts</em> have quoted texts like the <a title=\"Mithra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra\" target=\"_blank\">Mithraic</a> (<a title=\"Zoroastrianism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrianism\" target=\"_blank\">Zoroastrianism</a>) <a title=\"Communion (Christian)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communion_%28Christian%29\" target=\"_blank\">communion</a> liturgy, which states,\n<blockquote>\"He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood, so that he will be made on with me and I with him, the same shall not know salvation.\"\n-- <a title=\"Mithra\'s Contributions\" href=\"http://www.innvista.com/culture/religion/deities/mithra.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Mithra\'s Contributions</a>, Innvista</blockquote>\nwhile the Bible says,\n<blockquote>\"53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.\"\n-- <a title=\"John 6:53-54 KJV - Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, - Bible Gatewa\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%206:53-54&amp;version=KJV\" target=\"_blank\">John 6:53-54</a> (KJV)</blockquote>\nThese similarities make some <em>experts</em> like <a title=\"Mithra the Pagan Christ | Mithraism and Christianity | Mithras the Sun God\" href=\"http://www.truthbeknown.com/mithra.htm\" target=\"_blank\">D.M. Murdock</a> use the term <em>Pagan Christ</em> quoting Swami Prapannananda (reknown <a title=\"Hinduism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism\" target=\"_blank\">Hindu</a> <a title=\"Guru\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru\" target=\"_blank\">guru</a>)\n<blockquote>\"Mithra or Mitra is... worshipped as Itu (Mitra-Mitu-Itu) in every house of the Hindus in India. Itu (derivative of Mitu or Mitra) is considered as the Vegetation-deity. This Mithra or Mitra (Sun-God) is believed to be a Mediator between God and man, between the Sky and the Earth. It is said that Mithra or [the] Sun took birth in the Cave on December 25th. It is also the belief of the Christian world that Mithra or the Sun-God was born of [a] Virgin. He travelled far and wide. He has twelve satellites, which are taken as the Sun\'s disciples... [The Sun\'s] great festivals are observed in the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox -- Christmas and Easter. His symbol is the Lamb...\"\n-- Swami Prapannananda, Christ the Saviour and Christ Myth (<a title=\"ISBN 8188446491\" href=\"http://www.google.com/search?q=ISBN+8188446491\" target=\"_blank\">ISBN 8188446491</a>, <a title=\"Vedanta Press\" href=\"http://www.vedanta.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Vedanta Press</a> , 1990)</blockquote>\nand <a title=\"Tom Harpur\" href=\"http://www.tomharpur.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Tom Harpur</a> who seems to a favorite at the <a title=\"Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science\" href=\"http://www.richarddawkins.net/\" target=\"_blank\">Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science</a>.\n<blockquote>\"Harpur discovered that the New Testament is wholly based on Egyptian mythology, that Jesus Christ never lived, and that -- indeed -- the text was always meant to be read allegorically.\"\n-- <a title=\"The Pagan Christ - CBC-TV - RichardDawkins.net\" href=\"http://old.richarddawkins.net/videos/2057-the-pagan-christ\" target=\"_blank\">The Pagan Christ</a>, <a title=\"CBC Television\" href=\"http://www.cbc.ca/television/\" target=\"_blank\">CBC-TV</a>, 2007</blockquote>\nOther <em>so-called experts</em> like <a title=\"About the near-death.com website and the webmaster\" href=\"http://www.near-death.com/about.html\" target=\"_blank\">Kevin Williams</a> have considered <a title=\"Christ\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ\" target=\"_blank\">Christ</a> as the <a title=\"Resurrection\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection\" target=\"_blank\">resurrection</a> of <a title=\"Mithra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra\" target=\"_blank\">Mithra</a> who was said to be the <a title=\"Resurrection\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection\" target=\"_blank\">resurrection</a> of <a title=\"Osiris\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osiris\" target=\"_blank\">Osiris</a>, <a title=\"Tammuz (deity)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tammuz_%28deity%29\" target=\"_blank\">Tammuz</a>, <a title=\"Adonis\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adonis\" target=\"_blank\">Adonis</a>, <a title=\"Baldr\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldr\" target=\"_blank\">Baldr</a>, <a title=\"Attis\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attis\" target=\"_blank\">Attis</a> and <a title=\"Dionysus\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dionysus\" target=\"_blank\">Dionysus</a> and perhaps even more <em>deities</em> of the ancient world.\n<blockquote>\"Virtually all of the elements of Orthodox Christian rituals, from miter, wafer, water baptism, alter, and doxology, were adopted from the Mithra and earlier pagan mystery religions. The religion of Mithra preceded Christianity by roughly six hundred years.\"\n-- <a title=\"Jesus as a Reincarnation of Mithra\" href=\"http://www.near-death.com/experiences/origen048.html\" target=\"_blank\">Jesus as a Reincarnation of Mithra</a>, Kevin Williams</blockquote>\nConsidering all this information regarding the <a title=\"Parallels between the Christian gospels and Pagan mythology\" href=\"http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcpa3.htm\" target=\"_blank\">relationship</a> between <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Christianity</a>, <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">Paganism</a>, <a title=\"Jesus\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus\" target=\"_blank\">Jesus</a> <a title=\"Christ\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ\" target=\"_blank\">the Christ</a> and <a title=\"Mithra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra\" target=\"_blank\">Mithra</a> although heavily contradicted by <a title=\"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Mithraism\" href=\"http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10402a.htm\" target=\"_blank\">the Catholic Church</a> and groups like the <a title=\"Was Christianity Borrowed from Mithrasim? : Make A Defense Apologetics Ministry\" href=\"http://www.makeadefense.com/index.php/topics/was-christianity-borrowed/mithrasim-geisler/\" target=\"_blank\">Christian Apologetics</a> (not to mention the <a title=\"Persecution of pagans by the Christian Roman Empire\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Pagans_by_the_Christian_Roman_Empire\" target=\"_blank\">persecution</a> <a title=\"Gordon Robertson: How Christianity Survived in Pagan Rome\" href=\"http://www.cbn.com/special/DaVinciCode/GRobertson_Christianity_PaganRome.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">of</a> <a title=\"Christian persecution of paganism under Theodosius I\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_persecution_of_paganism_under_Theodosius_I\" target=\"_blank\">Pagans</a>), I might\'ve to consider <a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Hallowe\'en</em></a> a real religious <a title=\"Holiday\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday\">holiday</a>. Of course, I must admit that, although I see and understand the <em>almost certain</em> possibilities that <em>real Christianity</em> was corrupted by <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">pagan</a> beliefs and traditions, I still believe that Jesus is <a title=\"Incarnation (Christianity)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarnation_%28Christianity%29\" target=\"_blank\">God incarnate</a>.\n\nFor more information, I\'d recommend reading the following.\n<ol>\n	<li><a title=\"Celtic Christianity\" href=\"http://www.gracemagazine.org.uk/articles/historical/celtic.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Celtic Christianity</a> (Grace Magazine)</li>\n	<li><a title=\"Religion Essays - Christianity Pagan Romans\" href=\"http://www.ukessays.com/essays/religion/christianity-pagan-romans.php\" target=\"_blank\">Christianity Pagan Romans</a> (UK Essays)</li>\n	<li><a title=\"The Christmas Tree Debate\" href=\"http://www.askelm.com/doctrine/d911101.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas Tree Debate</a> (Associates for Scriptural Knowledge)</li>\n	<li><a title=\"New Enemies of Christianity\" href=\"http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/LG/enemies.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">New Enemies of Christianity</a> (OrthodoxPhotos)</li>\n	<li><a title=\"Pagan Christian Holidays\" href=\"http://www.godkind.org/pagan-holidays.html\" target=\"_blank\">Pagan Christian Holidays</a> (The God Kind)</li>\n	<li><a title=\"Pagan Origins, Pagan History, Pagan Beliefs\" href=\"http://www.patheos.com/Library/Pagan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Pagan Origins, Pagan History, Pagan Beliefs</a> (Patheos)</li>\n	<li><a title=\"RussianSIG - Russian Paganism and Christianity\" href=\"http://russiansig.wikispaces.com/Russian+Paganism+and+Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Russian Paganism and Christianity</a> (RussianSIG)</li>\n	<li><a title=\"We Should Be More Pagan | The American Conservative\" href=\"http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/we-should-be-more-pagan/\" target=\"_blank\">We Should Be More Pagan</a> (The American Conservative)</li>\n	<li><a title=\"Why Did Christianity Succeed? - The Great Appeal | From Jesus To Christ | FRONTLINE | PBS\" href=\"http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/why/appeal.html\" target=\"_blank\">Why Did Christianity Succeed?</a> (Frontline, PBS)</li>\n	<li><a title=\"Why Do Christians Celebrate Pagan Christmas?\" href=\"http://einron.hubpages.com/hub/whychristianscelebratepaganchristmas\" target=\"_blank\">Why Do Christians Celebrate Pagan Christmas?</a> (einron, HubPages)</li>\n</ol>','','','inherit','open','open','','7879-revision','','','2012-10-05 08:49:05','2012-10-05 15:49:05','',7879,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/05/7879-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(7883,134,'2012-10-05 08:52:21','2012-10-05 15:52:21','It feels like every year I write the same post. My favorite <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">pagan</a> holiday -- <a title=\"autumn: pumpkins &amp; apple pies\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/autumn-pumpkins-apple-pies/\">All</a> <a title=\"all hallows’ eve: the forbidden\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2010/10/30/all-hallows-eve-the-forbidden/\">Hallows</a> <a title=\"hallows eve\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/hallows-eve/\">Eve</a> -- is coming! If you\'re in NYC, you\'ll see the weirdest of the weird come out that night. <a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Hallowe\'en</em></a> (the spelling I learned as a child) is definitely the <a title=\"Ghost of New York Walking Tours\" href=\"http://www.ghostsofny.com/\" target=\"_blank\">strangest night in NYC</a>. This all begs to ask what the <a title=\"Hell\" href=\"en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell\" target=\"_blank\">hell</a>\'s this thing called <em>Hallowe\'en</em> ? The festivities of the Hallows Eve started as a <em>\"yearly</em> <a title=\"Holiday\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday\"><em>holiday</em></a> <a title=\"Halloween around the world\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_around_the_world\"><em>observed around the world</em></a> <em>on October 31, the eve before the</em> <a title=\"Western Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Christianity\"><em>Western</em></a> <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\"><em>Christian</em></a> <em>feast of</em> <a title=\"All Saints\' Day\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints%27_Day\"><em>All Hallows</em></a> [that] <em>initially incorporated traditions from</em> <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\"><em>pagan</em></a> <a title=\"Harvest festival\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_festival\"><em>harvest festivals</em></a> <em>and</em> <a title=\"Festival of the Dead\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festival_of_the_Dead\"><em>festivals honoring the dead</em></a><em>, particularly the</em> <a title=\"Celts\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celts\"><em>Celtic</em></a> <a title=\"Samhain\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhain\"><em>Samhain</em></a><em>\"</em> (<a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween</a>).\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7880\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Skye_nicolas_zuzanna2-300x180.jpg\" alt=\"Zuzanna II (The Mortelle Series, Skye Nicolas &amp; Marlon Richards; Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)\" width=\"300\" height=\"180\" />Since I\'ve grown a fascination to the relation (<a title=\"Parallels between the Christian gospels and Pagan mythology\" href=\"http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcpa1.htm\" target=\"_blank\">similarities</a>, <a title=\"Christian Feast Days and Their Relationship to Pagan Holidays\" href=\"http://www.nvcc.edu/home/lshulman/rel232/resource/RileyPaper.htm\" target=\"_blank\">papers</a>, etc) between <a title=\"Christianity and Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_Paganism\" target=\"_blank\">Paganism and Christianity</a>, as well as the <a title=\"Neo-romanticism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-romanticism\" target=\"_blank\">romanticism</a> and <a title=\"The Beauty of Death - Does God Exist? - SepOct97\" href=\"http://www.doesgodexist.org/SepOct97/TheBeautyOfDeath.html\" target=\"_blank\">beauty of death</a> (<a title=\"Science fiction\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction\" target=\"_blank\">sci-fi</a>/<a title=\"Horror film\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horror_film\" target=\"_blank\">horror movies</a>) as portrayed in the painting Zusanna II (pictured), <a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Hallowe\'en</em></a> remains as my favorite time of the year. The whole concept of the dead walking the earth always makes me curious. I guess that it\'s a sacrilege and simply wrong as a Christian or acceptable as a <a title=\"Neo-Pagan Christianity\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2010/12/07/neo-pagan-christianity/\">Neo-Pagan Christian</a>, in which <em>\"the environment that I grew up in, Pagan traditions co-existed with Christian (Catholic) ones.\"</em> The latter may be better explained in following text from the <a title=\"Library of Congress Home\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/\" target=\"_blank\">Library of Congress</a>.\r\n<blockquote>\"Halloween had its beginnings in an ancient, pre-Christian Celtic festival of the dead. The Celtic peoples, who were once found all over Europe, divided the year by four major holidays. According to their calendar, the year began on a day corresponding to November 1st on our present calendar. The date marked the beginning of winter. Since they were pastoral people, it was a time when cattle and sheep had to be moved to closer pastures and all livestock had to be secured for the winter months. Crops were harvested and stored. The date marked both an ending and a beginning in an eternal cycle.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Halloween: The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows (The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress)\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/folklife/halloween.html\" target=\"_blank\">Halloween: The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows</a>, Jack Santino, <a title=\"The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/folklife/\" target=\"_blank\">The American Folklife Center</a>, <a title=\"Library of Congress Home\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/\" target=\"_blank\">Library of Congress</a></blockquote>\r\nOne thing that I find ironically strange between various faiths is the belief of spirits, regardless of the belief of <a title=\"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Heaven\" href=\"http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07170a.htm\" target=\"_blank\">heaven</a>, <a title=\"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Hell\" href=\"http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07207a.htm\" target=\"_blank\">hell</a>, <a title=\"Reincarnation\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reincarnation\" target=\"_blank\">reincarnation</a>, <a title=\"Ghost\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost\" target=\"_blank\">ghosts</a> or whatever other belief. As such, the whole idea of life and death as part of a continuous cycle (<a title=\"Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra\" target=\"_blank\">Sam.sa-ra</a>) <a title=\"Cosmic cycle of life and death - Times Of India\" href=\"http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-01/edit-page/31111239_1_cycles-soul-path\" target=\"_blank\">intrigues</a> me. It\'s almost as if life and death, <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">Paganism</a> and <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Christianity</a> were one and the same. As such, many <em>experts</em> have accused <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Christians</a> of taking <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">pagan</a> legends and/or rites like the <a title=\"Sacrament\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacrament\" target=\"_blank\">sacrament</a> of the <a title=\"Last Supper\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Supper\" target=\"_blank\">Lord\'s Supper</a>. The <em>experts</em> have quoted texts like the <a title=\"Mithra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra\" target=\"_blank\">Mithraic</a> (<a title=\"Zoroastrianism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrianism\" target=\"_blank\">Zoroastrianism</a>) <a title=\"Communion (Christian)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communion_%28Christian%29\" target=\"_blank\">communion</a> liturgy, which states,\r\n<blockquote>\"He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood, so that he will be made on with me and I with him, the same shall not know salvation.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Mithra\'s Contributions\" href=\"http://www.innvista.com/culture/religion/deities/mithra.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Mithra\'s Contributions</a>, Innvista</blockquote>\r\nwhile the Bible says,\r\n<blockquote>\"53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"John 6:53-54 KJV - Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, - Bible Gatewa\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%206:53-54&amp;version=KJV\" target=\"_blank\">John 6:53-54</a> (KJV)</blockquote>\r\nThese similarities make some <em>experts</em> like <a title=\"Mithra the Pagan Christ | Mithraism and Christianity | Mithras the Sun God\" href=\"http://www.truthbeknown.com/mithra.htm\" target=\"_blank\">D.M. Murdock</a> use the term <em>Pagan Christ</em> quoting Swami Prapannananda (reknown <a title=\"Hinduism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism\" target=\"_blank\">Hindu</a> <a title=\"Guru\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru\" target=\"_blank\">guru</a>)\r\n<blockquote>\"Mithra or Mitra is... worshipped as Itu (Mitra-Mitu-Itu) in every house of the Hindus in India. Itu (derivative of Mitu or Mitra) is considered as the Vegetation-deity. This Mithra or Mitra (Sun-God) is believed to be a Mediator between God and man, between the Sky and the Earth. It is said that Mithra or [the] Sun took birth in the Cave on December 25th. It is also the belief of the Christian world that Mithra or the Sun-God was born of [a] Virgin. He travelled far and wide. He has twelve satellites, which are taken as the Sun\'s disciples... [The Sun\'s] great festivals are observed in the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox -- Christmas and Easter. His symbol is the Lamb...\"\r\n-- Swami Prapannananda, Christ the Saviour and Christ Myth (<a title=\"ISBN 8188446491\" href=\"http://www.google.com/search?q=ISBN+8188446491\" target=\"_blank\">ISBN 8188446491</a>, <a title=\"Vedanta Press\" href=\"http://www.vedanta.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Vedanta Press</a> , 1990)</blockquote>\r\nand <a title=\"Tom Harpur\" href=\"http://www.tomharpur.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Tom Harpur</a> who seems to a favorite at the <a title=\"Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science\" href=\"http://www.richarddawkins.net/\" target=\"_blank\">Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science</a>.\r\n<blockquote>\"Harpur discovered that the New Testament is wholly based on Egyptian mythology, that Jesus Christ never lived, and that -- indeed -- the text was always meant to be read allegorically.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"The Pagan Christ - CBC-TV - RichardDawkins.net\" href=\"http://old.richarddawkins.net/videos/2057-the-pagan-christ\" target=\"_blank\">The Pagan Christ</a>, <a title=\"CBC Television\" href=\"http://www.cbc.ca/television/\" target=\"_blank\">CBC-TV</a>, 2007</blockquote>\r\nOther <em>so-called experts</em> like <a title=\"About the near-death.com website and the webmaster\" href=\"http://www.near-death.com/about.html\" target=\"_blank\">Kevin Williams</a> have considered <a title=\"Christ\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ\" target=\"_blank\">Christ</a> as the <a title=\"Resurrection\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection\" target=\"_blank\">resurrection</a> of <a title=\"Mithra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra\" target=\"_blank\">Mithra</a> who was said to be the <a title=\"Resurrection\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection\" target=\"_blank\">resurrection</a> of <a title=\"Osiris\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osiris\" target=\"_blank\">Osiris</a>, <a title=\"Tammuz (deity)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tammuz_%28deity%29\" target=\"_blank\">Tammuz</a>, <a title=\"Adonis\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adonis\" target=\"_blank\">Adonis</a>, <a title=\"Baldr\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldr\" target=\"_blank\">Baldr</a>, <a title=\"Attis\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attis\" target=\"_blank\">Attis</a> and <a title=\"Dionysus\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dionysus\" target=\"_blank\">Dionysus</a> and perhaps even more <em>deities</em> of the ancient world.\r\n<blockquote>\"Virtually all of the elements of Orthodox Christian rituals, from miter, wafer, water baptism, alter, and doxology, were adopted from the Mithra and earlier pagan mystery religions. The religion of Mithra preceded Christianity by roughly six hundred years.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Jesus as a Reincarnation of Mithra\" href=\"http://www.near-death.com/experiences/origen048.html\" target=\"_blank\">Jesus as a Reincarnation of Mithra</a>, Kevin Williams</blockquote>\r\nConsidering all this information regarding the <a title=\"Parallels between the Christian gospels and Pagan mythology\" href=\"http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcpa3.htm\" target=\"_blank\">relationship</a> between <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Christianity</a>, <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">Paganism</a>, <a title=\"Jesus\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus\" target=\"_blank\">Jesus</a> <a title=\"Christ\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ\" target=\"_blank\">the Christ</a> and <a title=\"Mithra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra\" target=\"_blank\">Mithra</a> although heavily contradicted by <a title=\"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Mithraism\" href=\"http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10402a.htm\" target=\"_blank\">the Catholic Church</a> and groups like the <a title=\"Was Christianity Borrowed from Mithrasim? : Make A Defense Apologetics Ministry\" href=\"http://www.makeadefense.com/index.php/topics/was-christianity-borrowed/mithrasim-geisler/\" target=\"_blank\">Christian Apologetics</a> (not to mention the <a title=\"Persecution of pagans by the Christian Roman Empire\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Pagans_by_the_Christian_Roman_Empire\" target=\"_blank\">persecution</a> <a title=\"Gordon Robertson: How Christianity Survived in Pagan Rome\" href=\"http://www.cbn.com/special/DaVinciCode/GRobertson_Christianity_PaganRome.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">of</a> <a title=\"Christian persecution of paganism under Theodosius I\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_persecution_of_paganism_under_Theodosius_I\" target=\"_blank\">Pagans</a>), I might\'ve to consider <a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Hallowe\'en</em></a> a real religious <a title=\"Holiday\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday\">holiday</a>. Of course, I must admit that, although I see and understand the <em>almost certain</em> possibilities that <em>real Christianity</em> was corrupted by <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">pagan</a> beliefs and traditions, I still believe that Jesus is <a title=\"Incarnation (Christianity)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarnation_%28Christianity%29\" target=\"_blank\">God incarnate</a>.\r\n\r\nFor more information, I\'d recommend reading the following.\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Celtic Christianity\" href=\"http://www.gracemagazine.org.uk/articles/historical/celtic.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Celtic Christianity</a> (Grace Magazine)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Religion Essays - Christianity Pagan Romans\" href=\"http://www.ukessays.com/essays/religion/christianity-pagan-romans.php\" target=\"_blank\">Christianity Pagan Romans</a> (UK Essays)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"The Christmas Tree Debate\" href=\"http://www.askelm.com/doctrine/d911101.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas Tree Debate</a> (Associates for Scriptural Knowledge)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"New Enemies of Christianity\" href=\"http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/LG/enemies.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">New Enemies of Christianity</a> (OrthodoxPhotos)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Pagan Christian Holidays\" href=\"http://www.godkind.org/pagan-holidays.html\" target=\"_blank\">Pagan Christian Holidays</a> (The God Kind)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Pagan Origins, Pagan History, Pagan Beliefs\" href=\"http://www.patheos.com/Library/Pagan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Pagan Origins, Pagan History, Pagan Beliefs</a> (Patheos)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"RussianSIG - Russian Paganism and Christianity\" href=\"http://russiansig.wikispaces.com/Russian+Paganism+and+Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Russian Paganism and Christianity</a> (RussianSIG)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"We Should Be More Pagan | The American Conservative\" href=\"http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/we-should-be-more-pagan/\" target=\"_blank\">We Should Be More Pagan</a> (The American Conservative)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Why Did Christianity Succeed? - The Great Appeal | From Jesus To Christ | FRONTLINE | PBS\" href=\"http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/why/appeal.html\" target=\"_blank\">Why Did Christianity Succeed?</a> (Frontline, PBS)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Why Do Christians Celebrate Pagan Christmas?\" href=\"http://einron.hubpages.com/hub/whychristianscelebratepaganchristmas\" target=\"_blank\">Why Do Christians Celebrate Pagan Christmas?</a> (einron, HubPages)</li>\r\n</ol>','Neo-Pagan Christianity &amp; All Hallows Eve','','inherit','open','open','','7879-revision-2','','','2012-10-05 08:52:21','2012-10-05 15:52:21','',7879,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/05/7879-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(7884,134,'2012-10-05 08:52:32','2012-10-05 15:52:32','It feels like every year I write the same post. My favorite <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">pagan</a> holiday -- <a title=\"autumn: pumpkins &amp; apple pies\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/autumn-pumpkins-apple-pies/\">All</a> <a title=\"all hallows’ eve: the forbidden\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2010/10/30/all-hallows-eve-the-forbidden/\">Hallows</a> <a title=\"hallows eve\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/hallows-eve/\">Eve</a> -- is coming! If you\'re in NYC, you\'ll see the weirdest of the weird come out that night. <a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Hallowe\'en</em></a> (the spelling I learned as a child) is definitely the <a title=\"Ghost of New York Walking Tours\" href=\"http://www.ghostsofny.com/\" target=\"_blank\">strangest night in NYC</a>. This all begs to ask what the <a title=\"Hell\" href=\"en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell\" target=\"_blank\">hell</a>\'s this thing called <em>Hallowe\'en</em> ? The festivities of the Hallows Eve started as a <em>\"yearly</em> <a title=\"Holiday\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday\"><em>holiday</em></a> <a title=\"Halloween around the world\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_around_the_world\"><em>observed around the world</em></a> <em>on October 31, the eve before the</em> <a title=\"Western Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Christianity\"><em>Western</em></a> <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\"><em>Christian</em></a> <em>feast of</em> <a title=\"All Saints\' Day\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints%27_Day\"><em>All Hallows</em></a> [that] <em>initially incorporated traditions from</em> <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\"><em>pagan</em></a> <a title=\"Harvest festival\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_festival\"><em>harvest festivals</em></a> <em>and</em> <a title=\"Festival of the Dead\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festival_of_the_Dead\"><em>festivals honoring the dead</em></a><em>, particularly the</em> <a title=\"Celts\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celts\"><em>Celtic</em></a> <a title=\"Samhain\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhain\"><em>Samhain</em></a><em>\"</em> (<a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween</a>).\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7880\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Skye_nicolas_zuzanna2-300x180.jpg\" alt=\"Zuzanna II (The Mortelle Series, Skye Nicolas &amp; Marlon Richards; Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)\" width=\"300\" height=\"180\" />Since I\'ve grown a fascination to the relation (<a title=\"Parallels between the Christian gospels and Pagan mythology\" href=\"http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcpa1.htm\" target=\"_blank\">similarities</a>, <a title=\"Christian Feast Days and Their Relationship to Pagan Holidays\" href=\"http://www.nvcc.edu/home/lshulman/rel232/resource/RileyPaper.htm\" target=\"_blank\">papers</a>, etc) between <a title=\"Christianity and Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_Paganism\" target=\"_blank\">Paganism and Christianity</a>, as well as the <a title=\"Neo-romanticism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-romanticism\" target=\"_blank\">romanticism</a> and <a title=\"The Beauty of Death - Does God Exist? - SepOct97\" href=\"http://www.doesgodexist.org/SepOct97/TheBeautyOfDeath.html\" target=\"_blank\">beauty of death</a> (<a title=\"Science fiction\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction\" target=\"_blank\">sci-fi</a>/<a title=\"Horror film\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horror_film\" target=\"_blank\">horror movies</a>) as portrayed in the painting Zusanna II (pictured), <a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Hallowe\'en</em></a> remains as my favorite time of the year. The whole concept of the dead walking the earth always makes me curious. I guess that it\'s a sacrilege and simply wrong as a Christian or acceptable as a <a title=\"Neo-Pagan Christianity\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2010/12/07/neo-pagan-christianity/\">Neo-Pagan Christian</a>, in which <em>\"the environment that I grew up in, Pagan traditions co-existed with Christian (Catholic) ones.\"</em> The latter may be better explained in following text from the <a title=\"Library of Congress Home\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/\" target=\"_blank\">Library of Congress</a>.\r\n<blockquote>\"Halloween had its beginnings in an ancient, pre-Christian Celtic festival of the dead. The Celtic peoples, who were once found all over Europe, divided the year by four major holidays. According to their calendar, the year began on a day corresponding to November 1st on our present calendar. The date marked the beginning of winter. Since they were pastoral people, it was a time when cattle and sheep had to be moved to closer pastures and all livestock had to be secured for the winter months. Crops were harvested and stored. The date marked both an ending and a beginning in an eternal cycle.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Halloween: The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows (The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress)\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/folklife/halloween.html\" target=\"_blank\">Halloween: The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows</a>, Jack Santino, <a title=\"The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/folklife/\" target=\"_blank\">The American Folklife Center</a>, <a title=\"Library of Congress Home\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/\" target=\"_blank\">Library of Congress</a></blockquote>\r\nOne thing that I find ironically strange between various faiths is the belief of spirits, regardless of the belief of <a title=\"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Heaven\" href=\"http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07170a.htm\" target=\"_blank\">heaven</a>, <a title=\"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Hell\" href=\"http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07207a.htm\" target=\"_blank\">hell</a>, <a title=\"Reincarnation\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reincarnation\" target=\"_blank\">reincarnation</a>, <a title=\"Ghost\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost\" target=\"_blank\">ghosts</a> or whatever other belief. As such, the whole idea of life and death as part of a continuous cycle (<a title=\"Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra\" target=\"_blank\">Sam.sa-ra</a>) <a title=\"Cosmic cycle of life and death - Times Of India\" href=\"http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-01/edit-page/31111239_1_cycles-soul-path\" target=\"_blank\">intrigues</a> me. It\'s almost as if life and death, <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">Paganism</a> and <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Christianity</a> were one and the same. As such, many <em>experts</em> have accused <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Christians</a> of taking <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">pagan</a> legends and/or rites like the <a title=\"Sacrament\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacrament\" target=\"_blank\">sacrament</a> of the <a title=\"Last Supper\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Supper\" target=\"_blank\">Lord\'s Supper</a>. The <em>experts</em> have quoted texts like the <a title=\"Mithra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra\" target=\"_blank\">Mithraic</a> (<a title=\"Zoroastrianism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrianism\" target=\"_blank\">Zoroastrianism</a>) <a title=\"Communion (Christian)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communion_%28Christian%29\" target=\"_blank\">communion</a> liturgy, which states,\r\n<blockquote>\"He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood, so that he will be made on with me and I with him, the same shall not know salvation.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Mithra\'s Contributions\" href=\"http://www.innvista.com/culture/religion/deities/mithra.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Mithra\'s Contributions</a>, Innvista</blockquote>\r\nwhile the Bible says,\r\n<blockquote>\"53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"John 6:53-54 KJV - Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, - Bible Gatewa\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%206:53-54&amp;version=KJV\" target=\"_blank\">John 6:53-54</a> (KJV)</blockquote>\r\nThese similarities make some <em>experts</em> like <a title=\"Mithra the Pagan Christ | Mithraism and Christianity | Mithras the Sun God\" href=\"http://www.truthbeknown.com/mithra.htm\" target=\"_blank\">D.M. Murdock</a> use the term <em>Pagan Christ</em> quoting Swami Prapannananda (reknown <a title=\"Hinduism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism\" target=\"_blank\">Hindu</a> <a title=\"Guru\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru\" target=\"_blank\">guru</a>)\r\n<blockquote>\"Mithra or Mitra is... worshipped as Itu (Mitra-Mitu-Itu) in every house of the Hindus in India. Itu (derivative of Mitu or Mitra) is considered as the Vegetation-deity. This Mithra or Mitra (Sun-God) is believed to be a Mediator between God and man, between the Sky and the Earth. It is said that Mithra or [the] Sun took birth in the Cave on December 25th. It is also the belief of the Christian world that Mithra or the Sun-God was born of [a] Virgin. He travelled far and wide. He has twelve satellites, which are taken as the Sun\'s disciples... [The Sun\'s] great festivals are observed in the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox -- Christmas and Easter. His symbol is the Lamb...\"\r\n-- Swami Prapannananda, Christ the Saviour and Christ Myth (<a title=\"ISBN 8188446491\" href=\"http://www.google.com/search?q=ISBN+8188446491\" target=\"_blank\">ISBN 8188446491</a>, <a title=\"Vedanta Press\" href=\"http://www.vedanta.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Vedanta Press</a> , 1990)</blockquote>\r\nand <a title=\"Tom Harpur\" href=\"http://www.tomharpur.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Tom Harpur</a> who seems to a favorite at the <a title=\"Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science\" href=\"http://www.richarddawkins.net/\" target=\"_blank\">Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science</a>.\r\n<blockquote>\"Harpur discovered that the New Testament is wholly based on Egyptian mythology, that Jesus Christ never lived, and that -- indeed -- the text was always meant to be read allegorically.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"The Pagan Christ - CBC-TV - RichardDawkins.net\" href=\"http://old.richarddawkins.net/videos/2057-the-pagan-christ\" target=\"_blank\">The Pagan Christ</a>, <a title=\"CBC Television\" href=\"http://www.cbc.ca/television/\" target=\"_blank\">CBC-TV</a>, 2007</blockquote>\r\nOther <em>so-called experts</em> like <a title=\"About the near-death.com website and the webmaster\" href=\"http://www.near-death.com/about.html\" target=\"_blank\">Kevin Williams</a> have considered <a title=\"Christ\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ\" target=\"_blank\">Christ</a> as the <a title=\"Resurrection\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection\" target=\"_blank\">resurrection</a> of <a title=\"Mithra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra\" target=\"_blank\">Mithra</a> who was said to be the <a title=\"Resurrection\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection\" target=\"_blank\">resurrection</a> of <a title=\"Osiris\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osiris\" target=\"_blank\">Osiris</a>, <a title=\"Tammuz (deity)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tammuz_%28deity%29\" target=\"_blank\">Tammuz</a>, <a title=\"Adonis\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adonis\" target=\"_blank\">Adonis</a>, <a title=\"Baldr\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldr\" target=\"_blank\">Baldr</a>, <a title=\"Attis\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attis\" target=\"_blank\">Attis</a> and <a title=\"Dionysus\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dionysus\" target=\"_blank\">Dionysus</a> and perhaps even more <em>deities</em> of the ancient world.\r\n<blockquote>\"Virtually all of the elements of Orthodox Christian rituals, from miter, wafer, water baptism, alter, and doxology, were adopted from the Mithra and earlier pagan mystery religions. The religion of Mithra preceded Christianity by roughly six hundred years.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Jesus as a Reincarnation of Mithra\" href=\"http://www.near-death.com/experiences/origen048.html\" target=\"_blank\">Jesus as a Reincarnation of Mithra</a>, Kevin Williams</blockquote>\r\nConsidering all this information regarding the <a title=\"Parallels between the Christian gospels and Pagan mythology\" href=\"http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcpa3.htm\" target=\"_blank\">relationship</a> between <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Christianity</a>, <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">Paganism</a>, <a title=\"Jesus\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus\" target=\"_blank\">Jesus</a> <a title=\"Christ\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ\" target=\"_blank\">the Christ</a> and <a title=\"Mithra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra\" target=\"_blank\">Mithra</a> although heavily contradicted by <a title=\"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Mithraism\" href=\"http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10402a.htm\" target=\"_blank\">the Catholic Church</a> and groups like the <a title=\"Was Christianity Borrowed from Mithrasim? : Make A Defense Apologetics Ministry\" href=\"http://www.makeadefense.com/index.php/topics/was-christianity-borrowed/mithrasim-geisler/\" target=\"_blank\">Christian Apologetics</a> (not to mention the <a title=\"Persecution of pagans by the Christian Roman Empire\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Pagans_by_the_Christian_Roman_Empire\" target=\"_blank\">persecution</a> <a title=\"Gordon Robertson: How Christianity Survived in Pagan Rome\" href=\"http://www.cbn.com/special/DaVinciCode/GRobertson_Christianity_PaganRome.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">of</a> <a title=\"Christian persecution of paganism under Theodosius I\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_persecution_of_paganism_under_Theodosius_I\" target=\"_blank\">Pagans</a>), I might\'ve to consider <a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Hallowe\'en</em></a> a real religious <a title=\"Holiday\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday\">holiday</a>. Of course, I must admit that, although I see and understand the <em>almost certain</em> possibilities that <em>real Christianity</em> was corrupted by <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">pagan</a> beliefs and traditions, I still believe that Jesus is <a title=\"Incarnation (Christianity)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarnation_%28Christianity%29\" target=\"_blank\">God incarnate</a>.\r\n\r\nFor more information, I\'d recommend reading the following.\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Celtic Christianity\" href=\"http://www.gracemagazine.org.uk/articles/historical/celtic.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Celtic Christianity</a> (Grace Magazine)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Religion Essays - Christianity Pagan Romans\" href=\"http://www.ukessays.com/essays/religion/christianity-pagan-romans.php\" target=\"_blank\">Christianity Pagan Romans</a> (UK Essays)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"The Christmas Tree Debate\" href=\"http://www.askelm.com/doctrine/d911101.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas Tree Debate</a> (Associates for Scriptural Knowledge)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"New Enemies of Christianity\" href=\"http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/LG/enemies.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">New Enemies of Christianity</a> (OrthodoxPhotos)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Pagan Christian Holidays\" href=\"http://www.godkind.org/pagan-holidays.html\" target=\"_blank\">Pagan Christian Holidays</a> (The God Kind)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Pagan Origins, Pagan History, Pagan Beliefs\" href=\"http://www.patheos.com/Library/Pagan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Pagan Origins, Pagan History, Pagan Beliefs</a> (Patheos)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"RussianSIG - Russian Paganism and Christianity\" href=\"http://russiansig.wikispaces.com/Russian+Paganism+and+Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Russian Paganism and Christianity</a> (RussianSIG)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"We Should Be More Pagan | The American Conservative\" href=\"http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/we-should-be-more-pagan/\" target=\"_blank\">We Should Be More Pagan</a> (The American Conservative)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Why Did Christianity Succeed? - The Great Appeal | From Jesus To Christ | FRONTLINE | PBS\" href=\"http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/why/appeal.html\" target=\"_blank\">Why Did Christianity Succeed?</a> (Frontline, PBS)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Why Do Christians Celebrate Pagan Christmas?\" href=\"http://einron.hubpages.com/hub/whychristianscelebratepaganchristmas\" target=\"_blank\">Why Do Christians Celebrate Pagan Christmas?</a> (einron, HubPages)</li>\r\n</ol>','Neo-Pagan Christianity &amp; All Hallows Eve','','inherit','open','open','','7879-revision-3','','','2012-10-05 08:52:32','2012-10-05 15:52:32','',7879,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/05/7879-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(7889,1,'2012-10-10 19:26:59','2012-10-11 02:26:59','','heart','','inherit','open','open','','heart','','','2012-10-10 19:26:59','2012-10-11 02:26:59','',7855,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/heart.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7890,1,'2012-10-03 12:35:36','2012-10-03 19:35:36','<p style=\"text-align: center\">Are We Really Following Christ?</p>\r\nWhat represents Christianity today is a far cry from the Jesus I learned about as a child, the one who said to turn the other cheek, to render unto Caesar what is Caesar\'s (pay your taxes), that if someone wants your cloak to give them your coat as well, and that what you do unto \"the least of them\" you also do unto me. He said to love your Lord your God with all your heart, to love your neighbor as you love yourself, and to love one another as I have loved you. I remember as a child not wanting to turn the other cheek or give up my possessions to another, and I don\'t think many of us do, yet we as Christians still felt like we should. However, 30 years ago the \"Prosperity Doctrine\" began to infiltrate our mainstream Christian churches, while at the same time, Ayn Rand\'s \"Atlas Shrugged\" made a comeback, and somehow with the later propaganda and influence of Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, and Hannity, being selfish is not only acceptable, but considered Christian and right. And the irony is that Ayn Rand, whom Paul Ryan is said to have idealized and even based his budget on her philosophy was an avowed atheist. And even though Ms. Rand claimed that social programs like SSA and Medicare were evil, she took advantage of both while she was dying from cancer, but used her husband’s name rather than her famous one because she didn’t want anyone to know.\r\n\r\nI have had discussions with so-called Christian conservatives who don’t want their taxes raised and believe that the rich pay enough already too. I’ve pointed out that Christ said to render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s (pay our taxes), and they have said that doesn’t mean that the taxes need to be designated to programs for poor people and Christ didn’t say that either. This is true, I’ve agreed with them; Christ didn’t get to say what Caesar’s tax money went for, but I can’t help but think he would approve. I’ve even made up a little scenario that I can vividly imagine if Caesar had sought Jesus’ advice about what to do with his tax money:\r\n\r\nThe scene opens with Caesar showing Jesus around his castle. Look at all my riches, says Caesar as they stroll through his opulent palace. Everywhere you look is a reflection of the powerful man I am, and everyone bows to me. My golden crown is incrusted with rare jewels, and I sit upon a throne of solid gold. My wives all wear exquisite jewelry and are draped in expensive silks. Even my servants wear the finest polished cotton. See my luxurious baths and lovely garden? The finest horses you’ve ever seen fill my stables, and the most beautiful team pull the emperor’s chariot. Where do you think I should apply my latest tax collection? So Jesus takes Caesar on a little stroll through his kingdom. They walk through the marketplace where the merchants sell their humble wares, past the blind and the beggars, visit in some humble cottages where the poor struggle to get by and the sick writhe in their misery, often dying with no hope, then past the leper colony where the most shunned suffer while begging for scraps of food. Jesus says to Caesar, do you see anywhere your money might be put to good use? Of course, Caesar, has the choice of being generous and helping “the lest of these” like Jesus has always stressed we should, or he can shrug and go off to seek another bauble for himself. Today’s Christians always side with the wealthy and seek an almost punishing attitude toward the needy who are most often that way because of the greed of the wealthy. And somehow it seems like if they were suffering more, had even less it would justify things for us, make it more acceptable. Do we really want to return to the tent cities, tar shacks and bread lines of the Great Depression before social programs were put into place? Would that make poverty more palatable to some? I often hear that the rich pay the majority of taxes, that they pay enough, but they don’t pay their percentage. The more you have, the less you pay. Paul Ryan is not nearly as wealthy as Mitt Romney, yet he pays more than Mitt in taxes, and so it goes downhill to the rest of us. Trickle down? Oh really???\r\n\r\nThere are other contradictions within the so-called “Christian Right” that really boggle my mind. For example, traditionally the “right” had despised draft dodgers, yet Ted Nugent, who has boasted about crapping in his pants for a week to avoid the draft is now okay and even a national hero to many. Why? Because he hates President Obama and loves guns. And on the subject of guns, how did gun ownership ever come to be part of the Christian culture? It just doesn’t line up with “turning the other cheek” to me. I understand that we have a gun heritage in our country, and my own household even has some. That said, I truly don’t believe that anyone is going to try to take away our hunting rifles and home protection guns. New laws may make registration restriction a bit stronger, but do we really want to make it easy for criminals to have them? Does any family really need assault weapons? I truly think this is just a lot of propaganda that has little to do with reality. Our Constitution gives us the Right to Bear Arms, and it would be no easy feat to take that away. Even if they tried, people would hide them away, and I think everyone is aware of that. You cannot really take guns away even if you try to outlaw them. It’s just not going to happen.\r\n\r\nThe other big issue, the one many people will vote based on it alone, is abortion. I agree that abortion is a terrible thing, and it is actually taking a life, and that we, as Christians, should never do it. If someone were to come to me seeking advice, I would try to talk them into other alternatives. However, if they are set on it, they will do it whether or not it is legal as they did in days gone by, even if it kills them, which it often did. Or, some will do like many who have made the news in recent years and conceal their pregnancy, give birth in secret and kill their babies. So, I’m not sure laws against it will stop much, only make it unsafe, and I have to ask if we want to punish people that way, as many seem wont to do. And if we do feel that way, why not just be against abortion and leave the parts of Planned Parenthood intact that counsel, advise, offer contraception and help with women’s medical issues. Why does it have to be an “all or nothing” solution? My issue is not so much about abortion as I understand why that is such an emotional issue, it’s about children and the poor. If we are that against abortion, wouldn’t we be FOR birth control? I’ve heard conservatives argue that they don’t want to pay for someone else’s birth control. I understand, however, wouldn’t that cost less than paying for someone else’s child? This is probably a moot point with them though, as most do not want to pay into social programs that help poor children. The other day, I read an article in which Pat Robertson, Christian Icon to the Right, say that Christians shouldn’t adopt either, that they are taking a risk with so many crack babies and children from other less than ideal situations being the ones up for adoption. So I summarize this by saying--We don’t want abortions, okay got that. We don’t want to pay for poor women’s birth control, and we don’t want to pay into social programs that would help them raise the child we didn’t want them to abort. And we don’t think adoption is a good idea either. So where does that leave us in our Christian conscience about this whole thing? Not many alternatives that I can see. . .unless we were actually willing to open up our hearts and our wallets as Jesus told us to.\r\n\r\nThe hijacking of the Christian religion by the Republican Party has been a slow, sure and insidious undertaking. There was a time when Christian women would have been shocked and appalled by Rush Limbaugh calling a young lady a slut, especially since she never mentioned her sex life or anyone else’s, only recounted stories of her friends who needed “the pill” for medical reasons, and how one of them who couldn’t afford it lost an ovary and the ability to bear children. Yet Christian women cheered Mr. Limbaugh on and declared that he was defending Catholic rights. Rush Limbaugh, married four times, an admitted user of Viagra, and the father of none, wants to control women from having easy access to the pill. A short time after his tirade against Sandra Fluke, Mr. Limbaugh called a group of nuns that dedicate their lives to helping the poor (his favorite word for women he disapproves of) “feminazis“! So much for respecting and defending Catholicism! Although somehow this man has become an icon of the Christian Right, I do not believe that Rush Limbaugh has ever said he is Christian, only conservative and on the side of the wealthy, of which he is as a spokesman, and one who got rich himself doing just that.\r\n\r\nIt saddens my heart that people will vote against their own interests and side with the evil One Percent that wants to turn us into a land of serfs. Don’t they understand that the problems we face today started 30 years ago and that the fault lies with the very corporations, the greedy wealthy that they are defending? They moved their factories overseas to hire foreigners at slave wages, while at the same time denying fellow Americans a living wage in the land they (the corporate owners) call home. That may be legal, and I’ve heard the “Right” defend it as their right, and I suppose that is true, but what does it say morally? Why would those who claim to have the heart of Christ vote for someone who values money over human beings? Now, the super-rich corporate owners are finding that their profit margins are starting to slip a little due to shipping costs, and there is talk about bringing some of their factories home. Does it seem likely that they are going to want to actually pay people a living wage to work in them? What would be the point if they are doing it to keep more of their money? There is a lot of talk about abolishing unions and union pension plans for police, firefighters, teachers, government workers, and railroad workers. There is also talk about doing away with minimum wage. Why? Because they don’t the serfs to have too much; they want to keep them desperate to do their bidding just to survive.\r\n\r\nBut wait, there is more. Why is it we no longer hear about overpopulation, when, indeed, we are actually living the predictions of those who warned against overpopulation back in the 1970s? And why are rightwing politicians are against contraception? I do not think most of them are against it due to moral values or religious beliefs, but because they want to keep populating expendable serfs to fight the wars they profit from and work for pennies in their factories. But they are smart enough to push those emotional buttons and get people to vote against their own best interests.\r\n\r\nThen there is immigration. Lots of anger there. I have two friends who were haters that changed their minds on that. One is a gal who was totally against it until she moved to Arizona and found herself working with a lot of underprivileged Hispanic children. She has totally changed her outlook once she came to see them as people with wants, needs and dreams just like the rest of us. The other is a guy who went there to get work, and he says after working with and being around “those people” he has done a complete turn around and says “I’d do it.” We are supposed to be hospitable and not turn people away according to scripture. And “those people” do work most of us don’t want to do, and they do it for much less money than we would accept. And lest we forget, we were all immigrants and took land from the natives who already lived here\r\n\r\nI also don\'t get why right-wing Christians are so pro war, when Christ said \"blessed are the peacemakers.“ We, as Christians, support our troops and cry at their funerals and hold parades in our towns when someone’s child comes home in a box, yet we do not care much about our veterans when they have managed to come home alive and often leave them lacking in basic needs and homeless. Shouldn’t we ask ourselves if Jesus would care about the children we kill overseas, the innocent who have no say so in the whole matter? The politicians on the right not only do NOT want to get us out of Afghanistan, but they are eagerly speculating about going to war with Iran. It has always been old rich men sending young poor men off to war. Besides Ted Nugent, other well known and respected men who managed to avoid the draft include George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Mitt Romney. What would Jesus say?\r\n\r\nThere is so much more I have to say about this but for now, I just want to say that Christianity to me is all about a heart attitude, and I don\'t see how wanting to save every fetus, while at the same time wanting to cut programs that help poor children who have managed to be born shows much Christian love or charity. Many Christians I know even want to eliminate programs like free lunches, which could be the only nutrition some children get all day. I could go on and on about this, but I would leave you with the thought that maybe some things that represent Christianity today have nothing at all to do with following Christ, but tickle our ears and make us feel good about not such loving attitudes, and perhaps it is time we took a closer look at the values we embrace as Christian. Are they more Randian than Christian???','Are We Really Following Christ?','','inherit','open','open','','7855-revision-4','','','2012-10-03 12:35:36','2012-10-03 19:35:36','',7855,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/03/7855-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(7892,1,'2012-10-10 19:27:42','2012-10-11 02:27:42','What represents Christianity today is a far cry from the Jesus I learned about as a child, the one who said to turn the other cheek, to render unto Caesar what is Caesar\'s (pay your taxes), that if someone wants your cloak to give them your coat as well, and that what you do unto \"the least of them\" you also do unto me. He said to love your Lord your God with all your heart, to love your neighbor as you love yourself, and to love one another as I have loved you. I remember as a child not wanting to turn the other cheek or give up my possessions to another, and I don\'t think many of us do, yet we as Christians still felt like we should. However, 30 years ago the \"Prosperity Doctrine\" began to infiltrate our mainstream Christian churches, while at the same time, Ayn Rand\'s \"Atlas Shrugged\" made a comeback, and somehow with the later propaganda and influence of Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, and Hannity, being selfish is not only acceptable, but considered Christian and right. And the irony is that Ayn Rand, whom Paul Ryan is said to have idealized and even based his budget on her philosophy was an avowed atheist. And even though Ms. Rand claimed that social programs like SSA and Medicare were evil, she took advantage of both while she was dying from cancer, but used her husband’s name rather than her famous one because she didn’t want anyone to know.\r\n\r\nI have had discussions with so-called Christian conservatives who don’t want their taxes raised and believe that the rich pay enough already too. I’ve pointed out that Christ said to render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s (pay our taxes), and they have said that doesn’t mean that the taxes need to be designated to programs for poor people and Christ didn’t say that either. This is true, I’ve agreed with them; Christ didn’t get to say what Caesar’s tax money went for, but I can’t help but think he would approve. I’ve even made up a little scenario that I can vividly imagine if Caesar had sought Jesus’ advice about what to do with his tax money:\r\n\r\nThe scene opens with Caesar showing Jesus around his castle. Look at all my riches, says Caesar as they stroll through his opulent palace. Everywhere you look is a reflection of the powerful man I am, and everyone bows to me. My golden crown is incrusted with rare jewels, and I sit upon a throne of solid gold. My wives all wear exquisite jewelry and are draped in expensive silks. Even my servants wear the finest polished cotton. See my luxurious baths and lovely garden? The finest horses you’ve ever seen fill my stables, and the most beautiful team pull the emperor’s chariot. Where do you think I should apply my latest tax collection? So Jesus takes Caesar on a little stroll through his kingdom. They walk through the marketplace where the merchants sell their humble wares, past the blind and the beggars, visit in some humble cottages where the poor struggle to get by and the sick writhe in their misery, often dying with no hope, then past the leper colony where the most shunned suffer while begging for scraps of food. Jesus says to Caesar, do you see anywhere your money might be put to good use? Of course, Caesar, has the choice of being generous and helping “the lest of these” like Jesus has always stressed we should, or he can shrug and go off to seek another bauble for himself. Today’s Christians always side with the wealthy and seek an almost punishing attitude toward the needy who are most often that way because of the greed of the wealthy. And somehow it seems like if they were suffering more, had even less it would justify things for us, make it more acceptable. Do we really want to return to the tent cities, tar shacks and bread lines of the Great Depression before social programs were put into place? Would that make poverty more palatable to some? I often hear that the rich pay the majority of taxes, that they pay enough, but they don’t pay their percentage. The more you have, the less you pay. Paul Ryan is not nearly as wealthy as Mitt Romney, yet he pays more than Mitt in taxes, and so it goes downhill to the rest of us. Trickle down? Oh really???\r\n\r\nThere are other contradictions within the so-called “Christian Right” that really boggle my mind. For example, traditionally the “right” had despised draft dodgers, yet Ted Nugent, who has boasted about crapping in his pants for a week to avoid the draft is now okay and even a national hero to many. Why? Because he hates President Obama and loves guns. And on the subject of guns, how did gun ownership ever come to be part of the Christian culture? It just doesn’t line up with “turning the other cheek” to me. I understand that we have a gun heritage in our country, and my own household even has some. That said, I truly don’t believe that anyone is going to try to take away our hunting rifles and home protection guns. New laws may make registration restriction a bit stronger, but do we really want to make it easy for criminals to have them? Does any family really need assault weapons? I truly think this is just a lot of propaganda that has little to do with reality. Our Constitution gives us the Right to Bear Arms, and it would be no easy feat to take that away. Even if they tried, people would hide them away, and I think everyone is aware of that. You cannot really take guns away even if you try to outlaw them. It’s just not going to happen.\r\n\r\nThe other big issue, the one many people will vote based on it alone, is abortion. I agree that abortion is a terrible thing, and it is actually taking a life, and that we, as Christians, should never do it. If someone were to come to me seeking advice, I would try to talk them into other alternatives. However, if they are set on it, they will do it whether or not it is legal as they did in days gone by, even if it kills them, which it often did. Or, some will do like many who have made the news in recent years and conceal their pregnancy, give birth in secret and kill their babies. So, I’m not sure laws against it will stop much, only make it unsafe, and I have to ask if we want to punish people that way, as many seem wont to do. And if we do feel that way, why not just be against abortion and leave the parts of Planned Parenthood intact that counsel, advise, offer contraception and help with women’s medical issues. Why does it have to be an “all or nothing” solution? My issue is not so much about abortion as I understand why that is such an emotional issue, it’s about children and the poor. If we are that against abortion, wouldn’t we be FOR birth control? I’ve heard conservatives argue that they don’t want to pay for someone else’s birth control. I understand, however, wouldn’t that cost less than paying for someone else’s child? This is probably a moot point with them though, as most do not want to pay into social programs that help poor children. The other day, I read an article in which Pat Robertson, Christian Icon to the Right, say that Christians shouldn’t adopt either, that they are taking a risk with so many crack babies and children from other less than ideal situations being the ones up for adoption. So I summarize this by saying--We don’t want abortions, okay got that. We don’t want to pay for poor women’s birth control, and we don’t want to pay into social programs that would help them raise the child we didn’t want them to abort. And we don’t think adoption is a good idea either. So where does that leave us in our Christian conscience about this whole thing? Not many alternatives that I can see. . .unless we were actually willing to open up our hearts and our wallets as Jesus told us to.\r\n\r\nThe hijacking of the Christian religion by the Republican Party has been a slow, sure and insidious undertaking. There was a time when Christian women would have been shocked and appalled by Rush Limbaugh calling a young lady a slut, especially since she never mentioned her sex life or anyone else’s, only recounted stories of her friends who needed “the pill” for medical reasons, and how one of them who couldn’t afford it lost an ovary and the ability to bear children. Yet Christian women cheered Mr. Limbaugh on and declared that he was defending Catholic rights. Rush Limbaugh, married four times, an admitted user of Viagra, and the father of none, wants to control women from having easy access to the pill. A short time after his tirade against Sandra Fluke, Mr. Limbaugh called a group of nuns that dedicate their lives to helping the poor (his favorite word for women he disapproves of) “feminazis“! So much for respecting and defending Catholicism! Although somehow this man has become an icon of the Christian Right, I do not believe that Rush Limbaugh has ever said he is Christian, only conservative and on the side of the wealthy, of which he is as a spokesman, and one who got rich himself doing just that.\r\n\r\nIt saddens my heart that people will vote against their own interests and side with the evil One Percent that wants to turn us into a land of serfs. Don’t they understand that the problems we face today started 30 years ago and that the fault lies with the very corporations, the greedy wealthy that they are defending? They moved their factories overseas to hire foreigners at slave wages, while at the same time denying fellow Americans a living wage in the land they (the corporate owners) call home. That may be legal, and I’ve heard the “Right” defend it as their right, and I suppose that is true, but what does it say morally? Why would those who claim to have the heart of Christ vote for someone who values money over human beings? Now, the super-rich corporate owners are finding that their profit margins are starting to slip a little due to shipping costs, and there is talk about bringing some of their factories home. Does it seem likely that they are going to want to actually pay people a living wage to work in them? What would be the point if they are doing it to keep more of their money? There is a lot of talk about abolishing unions and union pension plans for police, firefighters, teachers, government workers, and railroad workers. There is also talk about doing away with minimum wage. Why? Because they don’t the serfs to have too much; they want to keep them desperate to do their bidding just to survive.\r\n\r\nBut wait, there is more. Why is it we no longer hear about overpopulation, when, indeed, we are actually living the predictions of those who warned against overpopulation back in the 1970s? And why are rightwing politicians are against contraception? I do not think most of them are against it due to moral values or religious beliefs, but because they want to keep populating expendable serfs to fight the wars they profit from and work for pennies in their factories. But they are smart enough to push those emotional buttons and get people to vote against their own best interests.\r\n\r\nThen there is immigration. Lots of anger there. I have two friends who were haters that changed their minds on that. One is a gal who was totally against it until she moved to Arizona and found herself working with a lot of underprivileged Hispanic children. She has totally changed her outlook once she came to see them as people with wants, needs and dreams just like the rest of us. The other is a guy who went there to get work, and he says after working with and being around “those people” he has done a complete turn around and says “I’d do it.” We are supposed to be hospitable and not turn people away according to scripture. And “those people” do work most of us don’t want to do, and they do it for much less money than we would accept. And lest we forget, we were all immigrants and took land from the natives who already lived here\r\n\r\nI also don\'t get why right-wing Christians are so pro war, when Christ said \"blessed are the peacemakers.“ We, as Christians, support our troops and cry at their funerals and hold parades in our towns when someone’s child comes home in a box, yet we do not care much about our veterans when they have managed to come home alive and often leave them lacking in basic needs and homeless. Shouldn’t we ask ourselves if Jesus would care about the children we kill overseas, the innocent who have no say so in the whole matter? The politicians on the right not only do NOT want to get us out of Afghanistan, but they are eagerly speculating about going to war with Iran. It has always been old rich men sending young poor men off to war. Besides Ted Nugent, other well known and respected men who managed to avoid the draft include George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Mitt Romney. What would Jesus say?\r\n\r\nThere is so much more I have to say about this but for now, I just want to say that Christianity to me is all about a heart attitude, and I don\'t see how wanting to save every fetus, while at the same time wanting to cut programs that help poor children who have managed to be born shows much Christian love or charity. Many Christians I know even want to eliminate programs like free lunches, which could be the only nutrition some children get all day. I could go on and on about this, but I would leave you with the thought that maybe some things that represent Christianity today have nothing at all to do with following Christ, but tickle our ears and make us feel good about not such loving attitudes, and perhaps it is time we took a closer look at the values we embrace as Christian. Are they more Randian than Christian???','Are We Really Following Christ?','','inherit','open','open','','7855-revision-5','','','2012-10-10 19:27:42','2012-10-11 02:27:42','',7855,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/10/7855-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(7893,1,'2012-09-28 05:03:33','2012-09-28 12:03:33','As I write this, our family is about to begin a journey into the Unknown.  We\'re stepping off the dock into our boat, setting sail in a sea of options.  It\'s a voyage we\'ve never undertaken together.  In fact, it\'s one I\'ve never taken at all.\r\n\r\nWe\'re in process of finding a new church.\r\n\r\nChurches have always found me.  A friend brought me as her guest to the first church in which I held membership.  My second church was one of convenience.  As a college student without a car, I simply attended church with a carload of friends.  My third church was a happy accident.  I wanted to volunteer with middle schoolers, I had met the youth director when I worked as a summer camp counselor, and he had a place for me there.  For ten years, it was home.  Our last church was a refuge, a place in a spiritual storm where we sought shelter until we were ready to move on.\r\n\r\nI\'ve never had to enter a search cold.\r\n\r\nBeing without a church has felt like a foray into a strange country all by itself.  It reminds me of the story of the elementary children on the playground.  When there were fences, the children used all the available space to play.  When the fences were removed, however, the children clustered toward the middle, uncertain where the boundaries lay.\r\n\r\nI happen to like boundaries.  They feel safe, comfortable.  I know where the lines are.  Sure, I might like to push at them a little, see if there\'s any give.  I might even fantasize about what it\'s like beyond them—would I be free of the things that make me feel angry or confined?  But I don\'t <em>really</em> like the idea of all that open space.  It\'s frightening.\r\n\r\nIsn\'t that what happens so often in our churches?  We erect fences around our theology to protect ourselves from what some might call \"the world.\"  We mustn\'t have any error in our interpretation of the Bible, and we must be clear on the things we stand against.  But instead of protecting ourselves, we end up continually moving the lines inward, shutting out not only that which we believe is wrong, but people as well.  We\'ve locked the gate to the fence and stationed guards, only allowing in those who are willing to play by our narrow set of rules.\r\n\r\nYet the opposite end of the spectrum is just as scary.\r\n\r\nFor the last several weeks, while we caught our collective breath and gathered our bearings, we\'ve stayed huddled in the middle of the playground.  We\'ve remained safe, pretending there\'s a fence holding us in and keeping us from chasing a stray ball into traffic.  We\'ve said prayers and read Scripture and sung songs.  We\'ve tried to pretend that we\'re \"having church.\"\r\n\r\nI wonder if that means that we\'ve stifled ourselves in some way.  We haven\'t given ourselves permission to explore freely, to think about what we want, what we need, even what we believe.  We no longer have a fence against which to push.  In these last hours on our own, I feel panic rising.  The desperate planner in me wants graphs, charts, and spreadsheets so we can measure the outcomes and perform statistical analysis on our church hunt.  I\'m grasping for anything that will let me build my fence again.\r\n\r\nThat\'s not how life works, is it?  We don\'t get a matrix for every decision-making process.  There\'s no road map, no answer key, no Cliffs Notes.  Sometimes, there isn\'t even a fence we can trust to protect us.  We can only keep our hearts, minds, eyes, and ears open.  And we can trust: Each other, those who have gone before us, and God.  The wide unknown may feel terrifying at first, but in the end, we may be better off on the outside of the fence.\r\n\r\nAs our time to board the ship draws near, we still have very little idea where the compass is pointing.  All we can hope is that we land safely on the shore, trusting our Captain to steer us.\r\n\r\nWhat journey are you on today?','No Boundaries','','inherit','open','open','','7799-revision-5','','','2012-09-28 05:03:33','2012-09-28 12:03:33','',7799,'http://provoketive.com/2012/09/28/7799-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(7894,1,'2012-10-10 19:30:33','2012-10-11 02:30:33','As I write this, our family is about to begin a journey into the Unknown.  We\'re stepping off the dock into our boat, setting sail in a sea of options.  It\'s a voyage we\'ve never undertaken together.  In fact, it\'s one I\'ve never taken at all.\r\n\r\nWe\'re in process of finding a new church.\r\n\r\nChurches have always found me.  A friend brought me as her guest to the first church in which I held membership.  My second church was one of convenience.  As a college student without a car, I simply attended church with a carload of friends.  My third church was a happy accident.  I wanted to volunteer with middle schoolers, I had met the youth director when I worked as a summer camp counselor, and he had a place for me there.  For ten years, it was home.  Our last church was a refuge, a place in a spiritual storm where we sought shelter until we were ready to move on.\r\n\r\nI\'ve never had to enter a search cold.\r\n\r\nBeing without a church has felt like a foray into a strange country all by itself.  It reminds me of the story of the elementary children on the playground.  When there were fences, the children used all the available space to play.  When the fences were removed, however, the children clustered toward the middle, uncertain where the boundaries lay.\r\n\r\nI happen to like boundaries.  They feel safe, comfortable.  I know where the lines are.  Sure, I might like to push at them a little, see if there\'s any give.  I might even fantasize about what it\'s like beyond them—would I be free of the things that make me feel angry or confined?  But I don\'t <em>really</em> like the idea of all that open space.  It\'s frightening.\r\n\r\nIsn\'t that what happens so often in our churches?  We erect fences around our theology to protect ourselves from what some might call \"the world.\"  We mustn\'t have any error in our interpretation of the Bible, and we must be clear on the things we stand against.  But instead of protecting ourselves, we end up continually moving the lines inward, shutting out not only that which we believe is wrong, but people as well.  We\'ve locked the gate to the fence and stationed guards, only allowing in those who are willing to play by our narrow set of rules.\r\n\r\nYet the opposite end of the spectrum is just as scary.\r\n\r\nFor the last several weeks, while we caught our collective breath and gathered our bearings, we\'ve stayed huddled in the middle of the playground.  We\'ve remained safe, pretending there\'s a fence holding us in and keeping us from chasing a stray ball into traffic.  We\'ve said prayers and read Scripture and sung songs.  We\'ve tried to pretend that we\'re \"having church.\"\r\n\r\nI wonder if that means that we\'ve stifled ourselves in some way.  We haven\'t given ourselves permission to explore freely, to think about what we want, what we need, even what we believe.  We no longer have a fence against which to push.  In these last hours on our own, I feel panic rising.  The desperate planner in me wants graphs, charts, and spreadsheets so we can measure the outcomes and perform statistical analysis on our church hunt.  I\'m grasping for anything that will let me build my fence again.\r\n\r\nThat\'s not how life works, is it?  We don\'t get a matrix for every decision-making process.  There\'s no road map, no answer key, no Cliffs Notes.  Sometimes, there isn\'t even a fence we can trust to protect us.  We can only keep our hearts, minds, eyes, and ears open.  And we can trust: Each other, those who have gone before us, and God.  The wide unknown may feel terrifying at first, but in the end, we may be better off on the outside of the fence.\r\n\r\nAs our time to board the ship draws near, we still have very little idea where the compass is pointing.  All we can hope is that we land safely on the shore, trusting our Captain to steer us.\r\n\r\nWhat journey are you on today?','No Boundaries','','inherit','open','open','','7799-revision-6','','','2012-10-10 19:30:33','2012-10-11 02:30:33','',7799,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/10/7799-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(7895,1,'2012-10-02 17:23:22','2012-10-03 00:23:22','I\'ve spent the majority of my life in the institutional church, giving of myself and being blessed by folks gi\r\n\r\nving of themselves into my life.  That time in my life was very valuable.  It was necessary.  Had I not spent so much of my life in that environment, I would not be suited for the plan God has for my life, for my family and for my church.\r\n<div>\r\nMy wife and I are planting <a href=\"http://churchofthemisfitsatl.wordpress.com\">Church of the Misfits</a> in the West Atlanta Metro area.  We have both spent so much of our lives to the institutional (brick, mortar and steeple) church.  That time is valuable as I said previously and I wouldn\'t trade it for the world.  I thank God for the churches in my hometown that allowed me to serve for so many years.\r\n\r\nHowever, I am at a point now where the practices of the institutional church don\'t necessarily work for me anymore.  The idea that only one person (the pastor) of a congregation has the ability and responsibility to interpret Scripture doesn\'t work for me anymore.  I am no longer interested in going to listen to a 30  -45 minute lecture on one man\'s interpretation of what a particular Scripture has to say.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-7863\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/thinking-critically.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"361\" /></div>\r\n<div>\r\nI am through being \"given\" and \"giving\" concrete interpretations on Scripture.  Instead, I want to start building interpretations.\r\nWe\'ve all heard the phrase, \"Give a man fish and he eats for a day.  Teach a man to fish and he eats for the rest of his life.\"  Another telling of that phrase goes, \"Give a man a fish and he eats for a day.  Teach a man to fish and you\'ve lost a customer.\"  I think a lot of churches treat parishioners like customers.  We give them a good hearty \"meal\" once a week, just so they can come bns on Scripture.  To build a beautiful building, you need a lot of things.  You need a foundation layer.  You need a framer.  You need an architect.  You need an interior decorator.  You need a landscaper.  All of these things and more are important, so why when we are \"building our faith\" or \"working out our own salvation with fear and trembling\", do we let only one person dictate what that faith should look like?  Shouldn\'t a group of folks have an input on what that faith should look like?\r\n\r\nack hungry the following week.  Yet, how many folks are we teaching to fish?  How many folks are we equipping so that they might internalize their faith?  I much rather my parishioners have a faith that is unique to them than have 750 folks attending every week with a cookie cutter faith.\r\n\r\nGod created us all differently and  we all interact with God differently.  We should allow room for questions.  We should allow room and create space so that folks know that it\'s okay for them to interpret Scripture for themselves.  They don\'t need to rely on a pastor.  We all need help molding our faith, even your pastors.\r\n\r\nYour faith should be unique to you.\r\n\r\nHow do we create a faith that is unique to us?  We find safe space for us to question.  We find folks who challenge us to think critically.  We challenge others to think critically.  We take the words of Jesus seriously.  We wrestle with the writings that we don\'t agree with or don\'t like, rather than just write them off.\r\n\r\nAre you brave enough to create a faith that is unique?  Are you brave enough to think critically about Scripture?  Are you brave enough to let the Bible and the Spirit of God ruin your life?  Are you brave enough to lose your life, so that you may find it?\r\n\r\nJoin me on this path.  Let\'s come to church and not check our brain at the door.\r\n\r\n</div>','When to Give and When to Build','','inherit','open','open','','7854-revision-4','','','2012-10-02 17:23:22','2012-10-03 00:23:22','',7854,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/02/7854-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(7896,1,'2012-10-10 19:37:04','2012-10-11 02:37:04','','christ on the cross','','inherit','open','open','','christ-on-the-cross','','','2012-10-10 19:37:04','2012-10-11 02:37:04','',7854,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/christ-on-the-cross.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7897,1,'2012-10-10 19:32:47','2012-10-11 02:32:47','I\'ve spent the majority of my life in the institutional church, giving of myself and being blessed by folks gi\r\n\r\nving of themselves into my life.  That time in my life was very valuable.  It was necessary.  Had I not spent so much of my life in that environment, I would not be suited for the plan God has for my life, for my family and for my church.\r\n<div>My wife and I are planting <a href=\"http://churchofthemisfitsatl.wordpress.com\">Church of the Misfits</a> in the West Atlanta Metro area.  We have both spent so much of our lives to the institutional (brick, mortar and steeple) church.  That time is valuable as I said previously and I wouldn\'t trade it for the world.  I thank God for the churches in my hometown that allowed me to serve for so many years.However, I am at a point now where the practices of the institutional church don\'t necessarily work for me anymore.  The idea that only one person (the pastor) of a congregation has the ability and responsibility to interpret Scripture doesn\'t work for me anymore.  I am no longer interested in going to listen to a 30  -45 minute lecture on one man\'s interpretation of what a particular Scripture has to say.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_7869\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/intellect-or-belief-500x500.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7869\" title=\"intellect-or-belief-500x500\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/intellect-or-belief-500x500-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Image courtesy of David Hayward (http://nakedpastor.com)[/caption]\r\n\r\nI am through being \"given\" and \"giving\" concrete interpretations on Scripture.  Instead, I want to start building interpretations.\r\nWe\'ve all heard the phrase, \"Give a man fish and he eats for a day.  Teach a man to fish and he eats for the rest of his life.\"  Another telling of that phrase goes, \"Give a man a fish and he eats for a day.  Teach a man to fish and you\'ve lost a customer.\"  I think a lot of churches treat parishioners like customers.  We give them a good hearty \"meal\" once a week, just so they can come bns on Scripture.  To build a beautiful building, you need a lot of things.  You need a foundation layer.  You need a framer.  You need an architect.  You need an interior decorator.  You need a landscaper.  All of these things and more are important, so why when we are \"building our faith\" or \"working out our own salvation with fear and trembling\", do we let only one person dictate what that faith should look like?  Shouldn\'t a group of folks have an input on what that faith should look like?ack hungry the following week.  Yet, how many folks are we teaching to fish?  How many folks are we equipping so that they might internalize their faith?  I much rather my parishioners have a faith that is unique to them than have 750 folks attending every week with a cookie cutter faith.\r\n\r\nGod created us all differently and  we all interact with God differently.  We should allow room for questions.  We should allow room and create space so that folks know that it\'s okay for them to interpret Scripture for themselves.  They don\'t need to rely on a pastor.  We all need help molding our faith, even your pastors.\r\n\r\nYour faith should be unique to you.\r\n\r\nHow do we create a faith that is unique to us?  We find safe space for us to question.  We find folks who challenge us to think critically.  We challenge others to think critically.  We take the words of Jesus seriously.  We wrestle with the writings that we don\'t agree with or don\'t like, rather than just write them off.\r\n\r\nAre you brave enough to create a faith that is unique?  Are you brave enough to think critically about Scripture?  Are you brave enough to let the Bible and the Spirit of God ruin your life?  Are you brave enough to lose your life, so that you may find it?\r\n\r\nJoin me on this path.  Let\'s come to church and not check our brain at the door.\r\n\r\n</div>','When to Give and When to Build','','inherit','open','open','','7854-revision-5','','','2012-10-10 19:32:47','2012-10-11 02:32:47','',7854,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/10/7854-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(7898,1,'2012-10-10 19:37:19','2012-10-11 02:37:19','I\'ve spent the majority of my life in the institutional church, giving of myself and being blessed by folks gi\r\n\r\nving of themselves into my life.  That time in my life was very valuable.  It was necessary.  Had I not spent so much of my life in that environment, I would not be suited for the plan God has for my life, for my family and for my church.\r\n<div>My wife and I are planting <a href=\"http://churchofthemisfitsatl.wordpress.com\">Church of the Misfits</a> in the West Atlanta Metro area.  We have both spent so much of our lives to the institutional (brick, mortar and steeple) church.  That time is valuable as I said previously and I wouldn\'t trade it for the world.  I thank God for the churches in my hometown that allowed me to serve for so many years.However, I am at a point now where the practices of the institutional church don\'t necessarily work for me anymore.  The idea that only one person (the pastor) of a congregation has the ability and responsibility to interpret Scripture doesn\'t work for me anymore.  I am no longer interested in going to listen to a 30  -45 minute lecture on one man\'s interpretation of what a particular Scripture has to say.</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_7869\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/intellect-or-belief-500x500.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7869\" title=\"intellect-or-belief-500x500\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/intellect-or-belief-500x500-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Image courtesy of David Hayward (http://nakedpastor.com)[/caption]\r\n\r\nI am through being \"given\" and \"giving\" concrete interpretations on Scripture.  Instead, I want to start building interpretations.\r\nWe\'ve all heard the phrase, \"Give a man fish and he eats for a day.  Teach a man to fish and he eats for the rest of his life.\"  Another telling of that phrase goes, \"Give a man a fish and he eats for a day.  Teach a man to fish and you\'ve lost a customer.\"  I think a lot of churches treat parishioners like customers.  We give them a good hearty \"meal\" once a week, just so they can come bns on Scripture.  To build a beautiful building, you need a lot of things.  You need a foundation layer.  You need a framer.  You need an architect.  You need an interior decorator.  You need a landscaper.  All of these things and more are important, so why when we are \"building our faith\" or \"working out our own salvation with fear and trembling\", do we let only one person dictate what that faith should look like?  Shouldn\'t a group of folks have an input on what that faith should look like?ack hungry the following week.  Yet, how many folks are we teaching to fish?  How many folks are we equipping so that they might internalize their faith?  I much rather my parishioners have a faith that is unique to them than have 750 folks attending every week with a cookie cutter faith.\r\n\r\nGod created us all differently and  we all interact with God differently.  We should allow room for questions.  We should allow room and create space so that folks know that it\'s okay for them to interpret Scripture for themselves.  They don\'t need to rely on a pastor.  We all need help molding our faith, even your pastors.\r\n\r\nYour faith should be unique to you.\r\n\r\nHow do we create a faith that is unique to us?  We find safe space for us to question.  We find folks who challenge us to think critically.  We challenge others to think critically.  We take the words of Jesus seriously.  We wrestle with the writings that we don\'t agree with or don\'t like, rather than just write them off.\r\n\r\nAre you brave enough to create a faith that is unique?  Are you brave enough to think critically about Scripture?  Are you brave enough to let the Bible and the Spirit of God ruin your life?  Are you brave enough to lose your life, so that you may find it?\r\n\r\nJoin me on this path.  Let\'s come to church and not check our brain at the door.\r\n\r\n</div>','When to Give and When to Build','','inherit','open','open','','7854-revision-6','','','2012-10-10 19:37:19','2012-10-11 02:37:19','',7854,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/10/7854-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(7899,144,'2012-10-10 20:29:49','2012-10-11 03:29:49','<strong>One look at the news lately tells me that human beings are drawn to conflict.</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Iran wants to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.</li>\r\n	<li>Israel demands a red line from the United States, so it can bomb Iran.</li>\r\n	<li>Militants execute a 9-11 anniversary attack and kill our ambassador to Lybia.</li>\r\n	<li>Muslims around the world use an idiotic and inflammatory film as an excuse to attack U.S diplomatic institutions in their countries.</li>\r\n	<li>Obama and Romney get ready to duke it out for the best zinger of the next debate.</li>\r\n	<li>The Republican House passes bills that the Democrat Senate rejects out of hand.</li>\r\n	<li>A couple of days ago, I witnessed two men nearly come to blows in the local  Walmart parking lot because one walked in front of the other’s vehicle.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<strong>Why do we seem to love conflict?</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>It makes us feel alive. There seems to be something almost therapeutic about getting riled up.</li>\r\n	<li>It makes us feel principled. We love to fight for what we believe.</li>\r\n	<li>It gives us a simple framework for understanding things. It’s black and white. “I am right. You are wrong. I am standing up for what I believe. You are an idiot.”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>But, consider the downside of conflict.</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>It makes enemies out of potential friends because it is possible to be friends with someone, while still disagreeing.</li>\r\n	<li>It keeps us in our camps of “us” and “them,” so long as we never get to know one of “them” in an interpersonal way.</li>\r\n	<li>It deprives us of the best solutions. When half of the people are shut out of the discussion, you will seldom, if ever, arrive at the best possible conclusions.</li>\r\n	<li>It fuels hate and keeps us apart. It spreads like a wildfire, sparked by repeatedly focusing on the very worse of “them,” as it drags more and more people into the conflict.</li>\r\n	<li>It keeps us from understanding each other and our personal and ethnic history and culture.</li>\r\n	<li>It sustains tribalism. The group that has the power seeks to enrage and do damage to the other. So they shove their legislation down the throats of their opponents, demonize those who disagree, treat some people as less human that others, and sometimes even go to war.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Can you add to the list? Is there ever a place for conflict?</strong>','Love to Hate','','inherit','open','open','','7842-autosave','','','2012-10-10 20:29:49','2012-10-11 03:29:49','',7842,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/10/7842-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(7900,1,'2012-10-10 19:43:36','2012-10-11 02:43:36','','argue','','inherit','open','open','','argue-2','','','2012-10-10 19:43:36','2012-10-11 02:43:36','',7842,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/argue.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7901,1,'2012-10-03 09:33:24','2012-10-03 16:33:24','<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/love-to-hate.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-7843\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/love-to-hate.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"454\" height=\"201\" /></a></p>\r\n<strong>One look at the news lately tells me that human beings are drawn to conflict.</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Iran wants to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.</li>\r\n	<li>Israel demands a red line from the United States, so it can bomb Iran.</li>\r\n	<li>Militants execute a 9-11 anniversary attack and kill our ambassador to Lybia.</li>\r\n	<li>Muslims around the world use an idiotic and inflammatory film as an excuse to attack U.S diplomatic institutions in their countries.</li>\r\n	<li>Obama and Romney get ready to duke it out for the best zinger of the debates..</li>\r\n	<li>The Republican House passes bills that the Democrat Senate rejects out of hand.</li>\r\n	<li>A couple of days ago, I witnessed two men nearly come to blows in the local  Walmart parking lot because one walked in front of the other’s vehicle.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Why do we seem to love conflict?</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>It makes us feel alive. There seems to be something almost therapeutic about getting riled up.</li>\r\n	<li>It makes us feel principled. We love to fight for what we believe.</li>\r\n	<li>It gives us a simple framework for understanding things. It’s black and white. “I am right. You are wrong. I am standing up for what I believe. You are an idiot.”</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>But, consider the downside of conflict.</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>It makes enemies out of potential friends because it is possible to be friends with someone, while still disagreeing.</li>\r\n	<li>It keeps us in our camps of “us” and “them,” as long as we never get to know one of “them” in an interpersonal way.</li>\r\n	<li>It deprives us of the best solutions. When half of the people are shut out of the discussion, you will seldom, if ever, arrive at the best possible conclusions.</li>\r\n	<li>It fuels hate and keeps us apart. It spreads like a wildfire, sparked by repeatedly focusing on the very worse of “them,” as it drags more and more people into the conflict.</li>\r\n	<li>It keeps us from understanding each other and our personal and ethnic history and culture.</li>\r\n	<li>It sustains tribalism. The group that has the power seeks to enrage and do damage to the other. So they shove their legislation down the throats of their opponents, demonize those who disagree, treat some people as less human that others, and sometimes even go to war.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Can you add to the list? Is there ever a place for conflict?</strong>','Love to Hate','','inherit','open','open','','7842-revision-10','','','2012-10-03 09:33:24','2012-10-03 16:33:24','',7842,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/03/7842-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(7955,1,'2012-10-24 16:28:36','2012-10-24 23:28:36','This is a season when people are particularly bold and passionate about telling the world who they place their faith in.  Physical expressions of this faith are everywhere. Take a look around.  On billboards, bumper stickers, vacant lots, fences, public land, private land, businesses and in front yards you’ll see them — campaign signs!  All have the names of a person or ballot initiative, many have arresting slogans too.  You can argue the validity or truth behind the candidates and the messages, many do, but I contend that at the heart of all these is faith and hope.  Faith in the people and process changes put forth to create positive changes in the world and hope for a better community and world.  I find it a sad irony that in the days, weeks (and sometimes months) that follow elections these campaign signs often remain, becoming weathered and  beaten-down reminders of the hope that quickly fades in the reality of a political system based on fatally flawed people who inevitably fail to live-up to the superhuman hopes we place in them.\r\n\r\nIf you look at stories recorded in the Bible about the things prophets did to get the attention of people around them, it’s hard to imagine that many of their contemporaries didn’t simply think they’d lost their grip on reality. They did some crazy stuff!  A talking donkey, a talking serpent, cooking food over excrement, dead people coming back to life, the list goes on from cover to cover. But through experience, witness, and faith God has shown Himself to be true and His word to be faithful in my life.  So I have faith.  As I was reading through some of these this week I wondered to myself how I’d react if I encountered someone who did crazy things like a prophet  of old, would I listen or discount them?  So it’s no wonder that within the week, my question was tested in reality…. Last night.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_7949\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://instagr.am/p/RKyUXeMCDk/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7949\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/cross-statement_of_faith-300x300.jpeg\" alt=\"Public Statement of Faith\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> In a time where people post signs promoting candidates and ballot measures in which they place their faith and trust, here\'s a very different kind of statement.[/caption]\r\n\r\nIt was around 8:00pm when I got an unexpected call from a friend.  I’ve known this guy for years and love and respect him, but we travel different paths and don’t see each other all that often. Nonetheless, when he asked if he could have “two minutes of my time” I happily agreed. He was in my driveway moments later.  With excitement in his voice and fire in his eyes he expressed his inspiration at having seen campaign signs everywhere… and went on.  At this point, I saw wood posts in the back of his truck and I feared he was going to ask me to post a sign for his favorite candidate. I was dreading having to respectfully decline.  At this point the conversation took an unexpected turn.   He told of how, instead, he wished he could erect a huge campaign sign that simply said, “Jesus is Lord.”  Again, I inwardly dreaded he wanted to do this in my front yard. But he went on with clear and focused passion to explain how he had heard from God that this wasn’t what He desired. (Sigh of relief.)  Instead, if he wanted to express his passion for the Kingdom of God, he could do so with the sign that’s stood for Christianity for hundreds of years—by fashioning a simple cross.  He explained that simplicity was, in fact, a critical part of it.  Modeling what he meant, he proceeded to take a light wooden post from his truck, break it in half and bind the two pieces together with a single nail, driven in not by a hammer but a large flat rock!  It was the simplest of crosses, handmade, right before my eyes in less than a minute. While assembling it, he explained the symbolism he had come to understand from each step—the breaking, the nailing, the rock.  I was at once taken aback by the sheer surprise of such an unexpected visit and swept away by the zeal with which he presented his experience.\r\n\r\nI anticipated the final step in process … posting the finished cross in my yard.  But that’s not what happened.  Instead, he explained that, like faith itself, in order to make this statement for the Kingdom of God, you had to do it for yourself.  So instead of posting <em>his</em> finished work, he handed me a piece of wood, a nail and the rock and left the next steps to me. What happened next surprised me.  As taken as I was with his story and the passion with which he told it, when faced with actually doing it myself I started thinking … what will neighbors think? This is crazy, do people even know what this means?  It’s Halloween week, maybe people will think it’s just supposed to be a grave in my front lawn. (Really, I thought that.)  But even in this the parallels to coming to faith were unmistakable.   In that process almost everyone at some point considers what their family, friends, classmates or coworkers will think of their newfound “religion”.  If you’re to move forward you have to reconcile this for yourself and accept the real consequences however they play out. Real faith has to be expressed in some form, not as an obligation, but as a natural outcome. Though I don’t think a person has to post a cross on their front lawn to be a real follower of Jesus, for me at that moment it was clear what I had to do.  So I took the post, broke it, nailed the pieces together … with a rock and pounded it into my front lawn.\r\n\r\nA very simple thing, made of and with simple things, but immeasurably symbolic.  I don’t know how long I’ll leave it posted and I don’t know if anyone will even ask about it. When my friend left he said he’d done what he believed he was called to do and told me what happened next was up to me, I needed to listen for God’s voice myself.  A very simple statement, an extremely challenging call. Then he left, headed to visit another of a list of friends he felt lead to see.\r\n\r\nSome might call my friend crazy.  Perhaps.  But that charge puts him in pretty good company with folks like Abraham, Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, just to name a few … and let’s not forget the crazy claims of a man named Jesus.  The world needs more crazy people.\r\n\r\nPeace.','Where do you place your faith?','','inherit','open','open','','7947-revision-4','','','2012-10-24 16:28:36','2012-10-24 23:28:36','',7947,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/24/7947-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(7904,1,'2012-09-28 12:29:16','2012-09-28 19:29:16','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/bobDylan_2275506b2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7819\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/bobDylan_2275506b2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"309\" /></a> I haven’t always been a Bob Dylan fan. Being the son of a quirky engineer 60s folk music aficionado, I now live with a personality shaped by the nasal twang sound track that assaulted my young and impressionable ears. As the years rolled on, like a rolling stone, my musical tastes began to morph from 80s hardcore punk, to 90s Manchester shoe-gazing bands and eventually to an appreciation and love of of Bob Dylan. The generational gap was filled completely when I had the honor and blessing of treating my dad to see Dylan live at the Houston Rodeo in 2000. Although my dad always classified himself as an “old school” Dylan fan, I can’t help but imagine the emotions that he must have felt sitting beside his 31 year old son and enjoying the same music he had for much of his life. It was a spiritual experience.\r\n\r\nI don’t get paid for being a music critic and I’m certainly not a professional music reviewer. My intention in this review comes from a desire to express what I feel in listening to Bob Dylan’s newest album release, “Tempest”. For when my ears attended to this 68 minute compilation of lyrical nostalgia, I thought of my dad. He died 7 years ago, but it is through the music of Bob Dylan that he lives on in my life.\r\n\r\n<em>“Dad, what do you think of the new Bob Dylan album?” I would say.</em>\r\n\r\n<em></em>\r\n<em>“I don’t know. What do want me to say? I’m an old school Dylan fan. It’s good to see him still making music, but I just can’t get into his new stuff.”</em> he would respond with a smirk on his face. He wouldn’t allow me to think that I “got” Dylan in a deeper way than he did.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Bob-Dylan-Tempest1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7820\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Bob-Dylan-Tempest1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"195\" height=\"173\" /></a>And so the argument would develop. Because you see, I think that “Tempest” is one of the most “real” albums that Dylan has released in a long time. I would be tempted to say that it is his best work, but that’s impossible considering the vast array of “best” albums he has released. But I would argue that he has not been more real in musical expression since his 1997 release, “Time Out of Mind”, and “Tempest” is certainly more appealing than his last droning release, “Together Through Time”. Dylan has definitely reclaimed his place in modern music, but with “Tempest”, he has ceased the losing battle of trying to be something that he’s not; both musically and personally.\r\n\r\nAt 71, the mere fact that Dylan is still able to carry a tune is nothing short of a miracle, but it never fails. With the release of every new Bob Dylan album, there is the collective cry from fair-weathered fans and arm chair critics; “Man, his voice is really sounding horrible!” This revelation would actually mean something if Dylan ever had a voice to begin with. With a career that spans fifty years, Dylan has always been known as a lyricist and songwriter; not an eloquent singer. The closest that he ever came to being labeled for his vocal ability was the release of “Nashville Skyline” in 1969, when he supposedly quit smoking. And how many of us have to admit that when we first realized that “Lay Lady Lay” was Dylan, said to ourselves, “That’s Dylan?”\r\n\r\nThis is the man that David Bowie sang of having a “voice like sand and glue”. And although today one might say it more resembles gravel and tar, the sentiment still stands. Dylan seems to slip comfortably into the voice that God and life has given him; both physically and philosophically. “Tempest” is a collection of raspy phlegm coated bellows of soot that would be rejected by most of the music industry if it was not for one simple fact: He’s Bob Dylan. The substance of lyrics has always overshadowed the content and this release does not contradict the dichotomy of Dylan’s music. In “Tempest” Dylan reaches back to a simple concept that launched him into an American icon: Story. With songs that range in topic from life, death, murder, culture, despair and eventually hope, reveal that he not only views the landscape, but sees redemption on the horizon.\r\n\r\nThe album deceitfully begins with the whimsical lighthearted “Duquesne Whistle”, reminiscent of a classic western flavored swing tune. The simple blowing a of a train whistle takes Dylan through a list of analogies, reminiscent of his early Woody Guthrie influenced canticles. But the whistle blows a false sense of expectation in what’s to come.\r\n\r\nFrom this point on the album takes a much darker turn, not so much in a negative sense, but in the stark realities of living a long life and facing a redemption that is not always easy. “I’m searching for phrases/to sing your praises.” The opening line to “Soon After Midnight” quickly catches the attention. I wonder if Dylan is expressing his battles of faith. I imagine him confronting the dichotomy of faith and reality. “It’s a long road, it’s a long a narrow way”, which most of us would agree with. The road is long.  The road is narrow. “Narrow Way” concludes that “If I can’t work up to you, you\'ll surely have to work down to me someday” Obviously Dylan parallels the thoughts from the Gospel of Matthew, “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”\r\n\r\n“I could stone you to death for the wrongs that you’ve done….The more I die/the more I live….I pay in blood, but not my own” “Pay in Blood” reveals a harder edge and changes the albums mood quickly. There are no illusions of faith here. Death and vengeance may redeem, but they find a wide gate to enter. Death is a common theme in “Tempest”. A Gloomy atmosphere continues to develop. “Scarlet Town” is long 7 minute dark journey of repetition, but the journey gets darker. Blues lead in to a 14 minute sea chanty, which tells the dark story of the sinking of the Titanic, filled with grim descriptions of despair and death. Dark humor creeps out of the story, with references to Leonardo DeCaprio touting his sketch book.\r\n\r\n“Tempest” concludes with a tribute to John Lennon in “Roll on John”. The positioning of this song, at the far end of a very real and melancholy collection of music, causes one to wonder if Dylan ponders what his end will be like. Mortality is an essential aspect of redemption. You can see Dylan pointing out similarities to Lennon, similar journeys that the two have shared and lyrics that cross musical boundaries. Mortality is something that we all face. But facing it’s reality in the cloak of redemption brings a strange peace. Tempest is dark, but filled with a peaceful reconciliation of a life filled with darkness and light.','Bob Dylan\'s Tempist: A Dark Journey to Redemption','','inherit','open','open','','7815-revision-16','','','2012-09-28 12:29:16','2012-09-28 19:29:16','',7815,'http://provoketive.com/2012/09/28/7815-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(7906,1,'2012-10-10 19:48:14','2012-10-11 02:48:14','It feels like every year I write the same post. My favorite <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">pagan</a> holiday -- <a title=\"autumn: pumpkins &amp; apple pies\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/autumn-pumpkins-apple-pies/\">All</a> <a title=\"all hallows’ eve: the forbidden\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2010/10/30/all-hallows-eve-the-forbidden/\">Hallows</a> <a title=\"hallows eve\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/hallows-eve/\">Eve</a> -- is coming! If you\'re in NYC, you\'ll see the weirdest of the weird come out that night. <a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Hallowe\'en</em></a> (the spelling I learned as a child) is definitely the <a title=\"Ghost of New York Walking Tours\" href=\"http://www.ghostsofny.com/\" target=\"_blank\">strangest night in NYC</a>. This all begs to ask what the <a title=\"Hell\" href=\"en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell\" target=\"_blank\">hell</a>\'s this thing called <em>Hallowe\'en</em> ? The festivities of the Hallows Eve started as a <em>\"yearly</em> <a title=\"Holiday\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday\"><em>holiday</em></a> <a title=\"Halloween around the world\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_around_the_world\"><em>observed around the world</em></a> <em>on October 31, the eve before the</em> <a title=\"Western Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Christianity\"><em>Western</em></a> <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\"><em>Christian</em></a> <em>feast of</em> <a title=\"All Saints\' Day\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints%27_Day\"><em>All Hallows</em></a> [that] <em>initially incorporated traditions from</em> <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\"><em>pagan</em></a> <a title=\"Harvest festival\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_festival\"><em>harvest festivals</em></a> <em>and</em> <a title=\"Festival of the Dead\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festival_of_the_Dead\"><em>festivals honoring the dead</em></a><em>, particularly the</em> <a title=\"Celts\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celts\"><em>Celtic</em></a> <a title=\"Samhain\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhain\"><em>Samhain</em></a><em>\"</em> (<a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween</a>).\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-7880\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Skye_nicolas_zuzanna2-300x180.jpg\" alt=\"Zuzanna II (The Mortelle Series, Skye Nicolas &amp; Marlon Richards; Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)\" width=\"300\" height=\"180\" />Since I\'ve grown a fascination to the relation (<a title=\"Parallels between the Christian gospels and Pagan mythology\" href=\"http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcpa1.htm\" target=\"_blank\">similarities</a>, <a title=\"Christian Feast Days and Their Relationship to Pagan Holidays\" href=\"http://www.nvcc.edu/home/lshulman/rel232/resource/RileyPaper.htm\" target=\"_blank\">papers</a>, etc) between <a title=\"Christianity and Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_Paganism\" target=\"_blank\">Paganism and Christianity</a>, as well as the <a title=\"Neo-romanticism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-romanticism\" target=\"_blank\">romanticism</a> and <a title=\"The Beauty of Death - Does God Exist? - SepOct97\" href=\"http://www.doesgodexist.org/SepOct97/TheBeautyOfDeath.html\" target=\"_blank\">beauty of death</a> (<a title=\"Science fiction\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction\" target=\"_blank\">sci-fi</a>/<a title=\"Horror film\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horror_film\" target=\"_blank\">horror movies</a>) as portrayed in the painting Zusanna II (pictured), <a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Hallowe\'en</em></a> remains as my favorite time of the year. The whole concept of the dead walking the earth always makes me curious. I guess that it\'s a sacrilege and simply wrong as a Christian or acceptable as a <a title=\"Neo-Pagan Christianity\" href=\"http://christiannoob.wordpress.com/2010/12/07/neo-pagan-christianity/\">Neo-Pagan Christian</a>, in which <em>\"the environment that I grew up in, Pagan traditions co-existed with Christian (Catholic) ones.\"</em> The latter may be better explained in following text from the <a title=\"Library of Congress Home\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/\" target=\"_blank\">Library of Congress</a>.\r\n<blockquote>\"Halloween had its beginnings in an ancient, pre-Christian Celtic festival of the dead. The Celtic peoples, who were once found all over Europe, divided the year by four major holidays. According to their calendar, the year began on a day corresponding to November 1st on our present calendar. The date marked the beginning of winter. Since they were pastoral people, it was a time when cattle and sheep had to be moved to closer pastures and all livestock had to be secured for the winter months. Crops were harvested and stored. The date marked both an ending and a beginning in an eternal cycle.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Halloween: The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows (The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress)\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/folklife/halloween.html\" target=\"_blank\">Halloween: The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows</a>, Jack Santino, <a title=\"The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/folklife/\" target=\"_blank\">The American Folklife Center</a>, <a title=\"Library of Congress Home\" href=\"http://www.loc.gov/\" target=\"_blank\">Library of Congress</a></blockquote>\r\nOne thing that I find ironically strange between various faiths is the belief of spirits, regardless of the belief of <a title=\"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Heaven\" href=\"http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07170a.htm\" target=\"_blank\">heaven</a>, <a title=\"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Hell\" href=\"http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07207a.htm\" target=\"_blank\">hell</a>, <a title=\"Reincarnation\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reincarnation\" target=\"_blank\">reincarnation</a>, <a title=\"Ghost\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost\" target=\"_blank\">ghosts</a> or whatever other belief. As such, the whole idea of life and death as part of a continuous cycle (<a title=\"Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra\" target=\"_blank\">Sam.sa-ra</a>) <a title=\"Cosmic cycle of life and death - Times Of India\" href=\"http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-01/edit-page/31111239_1_cycles-soul-path\" target=\"_blank\">intrigues</a> me. It\'s almost as if life and death, <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">Paganism</a> and <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Christianity</a> were one and the same. As such, many <em>experts</em> have accused <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Christians</a> of taking <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">pagan</a> legends and/or rites like the <a title=\"Sacrament\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacrament\" target=\"_blank\">sacrament</a> of the <a title=\"Last Supper\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Supper\" target=\"_blank\">Lord\'s Supper</a>. The <em>experts</em> have quoted texts like the <a title=\"Mithra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra\" target=\"_blank\">Mithraic</a> (<a title=\"Zoroastrianism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrianism\" target=\"_blank\">Zoroastrianism</a>) <a title=\"Communion (Christian)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communion_%28Christian%29\" target=\"_blank\">communion</a> liturgy, which states,\r\n<blockquote>\"He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood, so that he will be made on with me and I with him, the same shall not know salvation.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Mithra\'s Contributions\" href=\"http://www.innvista.com/culture/religion/deities/mithra.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Mithra\'s Contributions</a>, Innvista</blockquote>\r\nwhile the Bible says,\r\n<blockquote>\"53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"John 6:53-54 KJV - Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, - Bible Gatewa\" href=\"http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%206:53-54&amp;version=KJV\" target=\"_blank\">John 6:53-54</a> (KJV)</blockquote>\r\nThese similarities make some <em>experts</em> like <a title=\"Mithra the Pagan Christ | Mithraism and Christianity | Mithras the Sun God\" href=\"http://www.truthbeknown.com/mithra.htm\" target=\"_blank\">D.M. Murdock</a> use the term <em>Pagan Christ</em> quoting Swami Prapannananda (reknown <a title=\"Hinduism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism\" target=\"_blank\">Hindu</a> <a title=\"Guru\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru\" target=\"_blank\">guru</a>)\r\n<blockquote>\"Mithra or Mitra is... worshipped as Itu (Mitra-Mitu-Itu) in every house of the Hindus in India. Itu (derivative of Mitu or Mitra) is considered as the Vegetation-deity. This Mithra or Mitra (Sun-God) is believed to be a Mediator between God and man, between the Sky and the Earth. It is said that Mithra or [the] Sun took birth in the Cave on December 25th. It is also the belief of the Christian world that Mithra or the Sun-God was born of [a] Virgin. He travelled far and wide. He has twelve satellites, which are taken as the Sun\'s disciples... [The Sun\'s] great festivals are observed in the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox -- Christmas and Easter. His symbol is the Lamb...\"\r\n-- Swami Prapannananda, Christ the Saviour and Christ Myth (<a title=\"ISBN 8188446491\" href=\"http://www.google.com/search?q=ISBN+8188446491\" target=\"_blank\">ISBN 8188446491</a>, <a title=\"Vedanta Press\" href=\"http://www.vedanta.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Vedanta Press</a> , 1990)</blockquote>\r\nand <a title=\"Tom Harpur\" href=\"http://www.tomharpur.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Tom Harpur</a> who seems to a favorite at the <a title=\"Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science\" href=\"http://www.richarddawkins.net/\" target=\"_blank\">Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science</a>.\r\n<blockquote>\"Harpur discovered that the New Testament is wholly based on Egyptian mythology, that Jesus Christ never lived, and that -- indeed -- the text was always meant to be read allegorically.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"The Pagan Christ - CBC-TV - RichardDawkins.net\" href=\"http://old.richarddawkins.net/videos/2057-the-pagan-christ\" target=\"_blank\">The Pagan Christ</a>, <a title=\"CBC Television\" href=\"http://www.cbc.ca/television/\" target=\"_blank\">CBC-TV</a>, 2007</blockquote>\r\nOther <em>so-called experts</em> like <a title=\"About the near-death.com website and the webmaster\" href=\"http://www.near-death.com/about.html\" target=\"_blank\">Kevin Williams</a> have considered <a title=\"Christ\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ\" target=\"_blank\">Christ</a> as the <a title=\"Resurrection\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection\" target=\"_blank\">resurrection</a> of <a title=\"Mithra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra\" target=\"_blank\">Mithra</a> who was said to be the <a title=\"Resurrection\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection\" target=\"_blank\">resurrection</a> of <a title=\"Osiris\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osiris\" target=\"_blank\">Osiris</a>, <a title=\"Tammuz (deity)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tammuz_%28deity%29\" target=\"_blank\">Tammuz</a>, <a title=\"Adonis\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adonis\" target=\"_blank\">Adonis</a>, <a title=\"Baldr\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldr\" target=\"_blank\">Baldr</a>, <a title=\"Attis\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attis\" target=\"_blank\">Attis</a> and <a title=\"Dionysus\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dionysus\" target=\"_blank\">Dionysus</a> and perhaps even more <em>deities</em> of the ancient world.\r\n<blockquote>\"Virtually all of the elements of Orthodox Christian rituals, from miter, wafer, water baptism, alter, and doxology, were adopted from the Mithra and earlier pagan mystery religions. The religion of Mithra preceded Christianity by roughly six hundred years.\"\r\n-- <a title=\"Jesus as a Reincarnation of Mithra\" href=\"http://www.near-death.com/experiences/origen048.html\" target=\"_blank\">Jesus as a Reincarnation of Mithra</a>, Kevin Williams</blockquote>\r\nConsidering all this information regarding the <a title=\"Parallels between the Christian gospels and Pagan mythology\" href=\"http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcpa3.htm\" target=\"_blank\">relationship</a> between <a title=\"Christianity\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Christianity</a>, <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">Paganism</a>, <a title=\"Jesus\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus\" target=\"_blank\">Jesus</a> <a title=\"Christ\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ\" target=\"_blank\">the Christ</a> and <a title=\"Mithra\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra\" target=\"_blank\">Mithra</a> although heavily contradicted by <a title=\"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Mithraism\" href=\"http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10402a.htm\" target=\"_blank\">the Catholic Church</a> and groups like the <a title=\"Was Christianity Borrowed from Mithrasim? : Make A Defense Apologetics Ministry\" href=\"http://www.makeadefense.com/index.php/topics/was-christianity-borrowed/mithrasim-geisler/\" target=\"_blank\">Christian Apologetics</a> (not to mention the <a title=\"Persecution of pagans by the Christian Roman Empire\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Pagans_by_the_Christian_Roman_Empire\" target=\"_blank\">persecution</a> <a title=\"Gordon Robertson: How Christianity Survived in Pagan Rome\" href=\"http://www.cbn.com/special/DaVinciCode/GRobertson_Christianity_PaganRome.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">of</a> <a title=\"Christian persecution of paganism under Theodosius I\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_persecution_of_paganism_under_Theodosius_I\" target=\"_blank\">Pagans</a>), I might\'ve to consider <a title=\"Halloween\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Hallowe\'en</em></a> a real religious <a title=\"Holiday\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday\">holiday</a>. Of course, I must admit that, although I see and understand the <em>almost certain</em> possibilities that <em>real Christianity</em> was corrupted by <a title=\"Paganism\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism\">pagan</a> beliefs and traditions, I still believe that Jesus is <a title=\"Incarnation (Christianity)\" href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarnation_%28Christianity%29\" target=\"_blank\">God incarnate</a>.\r\n\r\nFor more information, I\'d recommend reading the following.\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Celtic Christianity\" href=\"http://www.gracemagazine.org.uk/articles/historical/celtic.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Celtic Christianity</a> (Grace Magazine)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Religion Essays - Christianity Pagan Romans\" href=\"http://www.ukessays.com/essays/religion/christianity-pagan-romans.php\" target=\"_blank\">Christianity Pagan Romans</a> (UK Essays)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"The Christmas Tree Debate\" href=\"http://www.askelm.com/doctrine/d911101.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas Tree Debate</a> (Associates for Scriptural Knowledge)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"New Enemies of Christianity\" href=\"http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/LG/enemies.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">New Enemies of Christianity</a> (OrthodoxPhotos)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Pagan Christian Holidays\" href=\"http://www.godkind.org/pagan-holidays.html\" target=\"_blank\">Pagan Christian Holidays</a> (The God Kind)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Pagan Origins, Pagan History, Pagan Beliefs\" href=\"http://www.patheos.com/Library/Pagan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Pagan Origins, Pagan History, Pagan Beliefs</a> (Patheos)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"RussianSIG - Russian Paganism and Christianity\" href=\"http://russiansig.wikispaces.com/Russian+Paganism+and+Christianity\" target=\"_blank\">Russian Paganism and Christianity</a> (RussianSIG)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"We Should Be More Pagan | The American Conservative\" href=\"http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/we-should-be-more-pagan/\" target=\"_blank\">We Should Be More Pagan</a> (The American Conservative)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Why Did Christianity Succeed? - The Great Appeal | From Jesus To Christ | FRONTLINE | PBS\" href=\"http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/why/appeal.html\" target=\"_blank\">Why Did Christianity Succeed?</a> (Frontline, PBS)</li>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Why Do Christians Celebrate Pagan Christmas?\" href=\"http://einron.hubpages.com/hub/whychristianscelebratepaganchristmas\" target=\"_blank\">Why Do Christians Celebrate Pagan Christmas?</a> (einron, HubPages)</li>\r\n</ol>','Neo-Pagan Christianity &amp; All Hallows Eve','','inherit','open','open','','7879-revision-5','','','2012-10-10 19:48:14','2012-10-11 02:48:14','',7879,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/10/7879-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(7907,1,'2012-10-10 19:50:08','2012-10-11 02:50:08','&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"color: #888888;\"><a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Scared-Audiences.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-7683 alignleft\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Scared-Audiences-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a></span>\n\n<span style=\"color: #888888;\">Th</span>e new Islamic Center of Murfreesboro was finally able to open its doors after a two year feud with a few concerned citizens.   Some of the members of the Islamic Center have lived in Murfreesboro for over thirty years and always felt at home; that is until they needed a larger mosque.  A soon as they broke ground, they became the subject of protests, vandalism, arson attacks, and a bomb threat, as well as being dragged into the courts to defend their religion.  The source of the contention was summed up by Joe Brandon, the attorney representing the anti-mosque contingency, “We don’t want Sharia law.”\n\nSharia law refers to the rules in the Quran that cover a wide range of topics, such as fasting, prayer, pilgrimage, trade, inheritance, marriage and divorce.  It’s the most sensational parts that get the most publicity, i.e. men’s right to unilaterally divorce or cutting off hands for a robbery.   Of course, the Bible has many extreme rules in it too (stoning adulterers and rebellious children to death) and, like the Bible, Sharia is interpreted and followed to varying degrees by Muslims.   Never-the-less, the word “Sharia” conjures up fear in the hearts of those who are bracing for an all out jihad.\n\nTake the case of Samar Ali, a young Muslim woman who now works in the Tennessee Governor’s office.  Born and raised in Tennessee, Samar became a voice of calm and reason while she was an undergraduate at Vanderbilt University in the aftermath of the September 11<sup>th</sup> attacks.  (She was so popular she became the Student Body President).   Samar went on to Vanderbilt Law School, was a White House Fellow, and clerked at the US and South African Court of Appeals.   To add to her international experience, she spent three months in as an intern for the Islamic International Arab Bank where she was exposed to Sharia compliant finance.   Sharia?!  Sound the alarm!\n\nThe Tennessee Tea Party and several Republican county groups have characterized Ms. Ali as a Sharia “specialist” and demanded that Governor Haslam (the Republican who appointed her) immediately remove her from her post.   The Chairman of the Williamson County Republican Party, Kevin Kookogey, said, “To date, the Haslam Administration has displayed an unfortunate ignorance to the threat of Sharia.  They seem willing to accept the claims and defense of the Muslim Brotherhood at face value, refusing to even consider that, perhaps, those bent on destroying Western Civilization might just be infiltrating our institutions.”\n\nThe fact that the US Constitution prohibits an official religion does not alleviate concerns that Muslims like Ms. Ali and members of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro will attempt to force Sharia law in small towns across the country.   “We don\'t want a Constitution-free zone in Rutherford County, Tennessee,” said attorney Joe Brandon, who now considers Sharia law in Murfreesboro \"a probability.\"   This would be quite a coup considering only 0.6% of Americans are Muslims and the vast majority of them say they have no interest in changing US laws.  In Turkey, where Muslims comprise 99% of the population, they recently voted to not make Islam the national religion.\n\nThis type of prejudice isn’t exactly a new phenomenon.   During the ‘Cold War’ in the 1950s, communist sympathizers were sniffed out and often prosecuted.   In World War II, Japanese Americans were rounded up and put in detention camps.   German Americans were viewed with suspicion and endured mistreatment during both World Wars.   And anyone with a British accent was probably watching his back during the Revolutionary War.   It’s human nature to distrust anyone who bares a resemblance to those we are fighting.   While Jesus tells us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44), most of these aforementioned people were never our enemies; they simply had a different ethnicity or religion.\n\nMany of the most vocal opponents of Muslims and Sharia are Christians, and yet Jesus himself didn’t seem to have a problem with those who had a different faith.   The 2<sup>nd</sup> great commandment is to love our neighbors as ourselves and, when asked who our neighbors are, Jesus answers by telling the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25 - 37).  The Jews considered Samaritans to be their enemies; however, the Samaritan is the good neighbor and, therefore, the very ones we are called to love.  That parable may have been told over two thousand years ago in the Middle East, but the message is just as relevant today in Middle Tennessee.\n\nJeff Fulmer lives in Middle Tennessee and is the author of “<a href=\"http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/\">Hometown Prophet</a>.”  You can download his e-book, “As a Christian, Why the GOP Doesn’t Speak for Me,” for free by signing up at his website, <a href=\"//www.hometownprophetbook.com/.\">http://www.hometownprophetbook.com</a>/.','Sharia!  Coming to a Town Near You','','inherit','open','open','','7682-revision-2','','','2012-10-10 19:50:08','2012-10-11 02:50:08','',7682,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/10/7682-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(7908,1,'2012-08-28 21:05:16','2012-08-29 04:05:16','\"This can\'t be right...\"\r\n\r\nAs Dave studied the lush landscape through the spots on his windshield he quickly concluded that he had made an error somewhere along the way.\r\n\r\nFrom a young age Dave had come to acknowledge certain facts about his life. He would never be the biggest or strongest. The things that fascinated all the \"cool\" people held no interest for him. But Dave had two things that very few people could match, an insatiable curiosity that drove him to learn everything he could about subjects that piqued his interest and a deep hatred for being wrong.  This combination was strong enough to key to his rapid rise at Unified Solutions, the top engineering firm in the state, despite his deficiency of social skills.\r\n\r\nDave traded the comfort of his air conditioning for the thick heat of late morning. He needed more information. The idea of embarrassing himself was miniscule compared to the itch to know where his calculations had gone wrong. After locking his car, he began his trek towards the gleaming white building around which the parking lot wrapped.\r\n\r\nA scattering of individuals and families, dressed in their Sunday best, surrounded him as he walked among trees and flowers that could easily rival the city\'s botanical gardens. As he approached the entrance an elderly gentleman opened the door and greeted him as if they were old friends. Cool air seeped out from the lobby and Dave ducked inside quickly, grateful to escape the summer sun.\r\n\r\nBeige tiles stretched across the spacious lobby, filling the room a mix of echoes from each footstep, conversation, and laugh. Dave moved off to one side to study the situation and wait for his boss. Several doors lined the far side of the lobby, which led to what must be the main sanctuary. Dave was in the middle of counting the flat screens that were mounted on some of the walls when he felt a hand on his shoulder.\r\n\r\n\"Good morning Dave.\"\r\n\r\nDave turned to see the towering figure of his boss. His hand-tailored dark suit and grey tie contrasted sharply against his grey hair and the pale blue eyes that seemed to always be smiling.\r\n\r\n\"Good morning Mr. Stultz.\"\r\n\r\nThe Sr. V.P. had a legendary eye for detail, and an amused smile strained the corners of his mouth as he looked over one of the company\'s most valuable assets. Dave\'s blue t-shirt proudly displayed the smiling face of Mickey Mouse atop his faded jeans and sandals.\r\n\r\n\"Thank you for the invitation sir. I think I have made an error. You are a Christian correct?\"\r\n\r\nThe booming laughter that exploded from his boss\' mouth merged with the thousand other sounds that filled the lobby and to Dave\'s relief no one turned to see what had caused it.\r\n\r\n\"Yes Dave.\" Mr. Stultz said gently. \"That is why I invited you to come with me. To church.\"\r\n\r\nHe said the last two words slowly, trying to clear up any confusion. It did not have the desired effect.\r\n\r\n\"I did quite a bit of research on the Christian religion, including reading the New Testament, and I was under the impression that Christians went <em>out</em> to preach the \'good news\', feed the hungry, and clothe the poor.\"\r\n\r\n\"We do those things, but we also come together to hear the word and worship.\"\r\n\r\nDave looked around the room once more before asking his next question.\r\n\r\n\"I see. Well when do you go to help the needy? I think I would like to try that too.\"\r\n\r\nHis boss began speaking in a tone that one uses to address a child.\r\n\r\n\"Well I\'m not sure <em>exactly </em>when we help them out. I give money to the church and they have a system that helps make sure the people who need help get it.\"\r\n\r\n\"It was my understanding that <em>you</em> were the church?\"\r\n\r\nStultz took a breath and paused, realizing he would have to choose his words more carefully.\r\n\r\n\"I am. But what I can do on my own is very small compared to what we can all do together. The church has systems in place so that we can do the most good with the resources we have.\"\r\n\r\n\"Please forgive me if I am asking too many question, but I am trying to understand. I was under the impression that some of the good that comes from helping the needy is for you? And is it not your responsibility to share information that you believe will save a soul? I don\'t see how your character or soul benefits from outsourcing the commandments that...\"\r\n\r\n\"I am not outsourcing it. I am merely... doing what I am good at. Some people have a gift for empathizing with the hurting, caring for those in need, or speaking eloquently. I do not. I am more analytical by nature, which has helped facilitate my career and given me the ability to help provide the food, clothes, and other things that those people need by giving in the offering. Do you understand?\"\r\n\r\nA quiet voice deep inside urged Dave not to ask the question that rested on the tip of his tongue, but his mind would not rest until he had a satisfactory answer.\r\n\r\n\"Are you sure you\'re a Christian?\"\r\n\r\nFor the first time since he had met Andrew Stultz his eyes ceased to smile. His boss shoved his hands in his pant pockets in what looked like an attempt fight the urge to reach out and grab the man in front of him.\r\n\r\n\"Of course I\'m sure! Why would you even ask that?\"\r\n\r\nA uncomfortable silence suddenly filled the space between the men. Dave watched as his boss took a deep breath in an effort to calm himself. He realized that making an enemy out of his boss was too high a price to pay for curiosity and not knowing what else to do, began to study the tops of his shoes.\r\n\r\n\"Dave.\" Mr. Stultz\'s was calm again and Dave looked up. \"I\'m sorry. Please. Tell me why you asked that.\"\r\n\r\n\"I meant no offense sir. I guess I just see it differently.\"\r\n\r\n\"That\'s okay. It\'s one of the reasons you have been such a valuable asset for the company. How do you see it?\"\r\n\r\n\"If I took my child to class and each day the lady there turned him over to a tutor for his learning, I would not consider her a teacher. If I took my car to man to have it fixed and he passed it along to another to do the work, I would not consider him a mechanic, but a facilitator. A middle-man of sorts. If most of the people in church are just giving money to the few who are doing the things that Jesus commanded his followers to do, then I would estimate that there are far fewer Christians in the world than I thought, and quite a bit more facilitators of Christianity.\"\r\n\r\nDave watched his boss\' eyebrows slowly sink as he spoke, first in frustration, but then in contemplation. Although he stood almost a foot taller than him, to Dave he looked like a small boy standing at the edge of a high dive, desperately trying to decide if he has the courage to jump.\r\n\r\n\"Dave, you have given me a lot to think about. Please forgive me, but can we take a rain-check on church?\"\r\n\r\n\"Sir? Have I offended you?\"\r\n\r\n\"No Dave. You have done what you have always done for me. You have solved a problem that I never knew I had.\"','The Middle-man','','inherit','open','open','','7655-revision-3','','','2012-08-28 21:05:16','2012-08-29 04:05:16','',7655,'http://provoketive.com/2012/08/28/7655-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(7909,1,'2012-10-10 19:52:49','2012-10-11 02:52:49','\"This can\'t be right...\"\n\nAs Dave studied the lush landscape through the spots on his windshield he quickly concluded that he had made an error somewhere along the way.\n\nFrom a young age Dave had come to acknowledge certain facts about his life. He would never be the biggest or strongest. The things that fascinated all the \"cool\" people held no interest for him. But Dave had two things that very few people could match, an insatiable curiosity that drove him to learn everything he could about subjects that piqued his interest and a deep hatred for being wrong.  This combination was strong enough to key to his rapid rise at Unified Solutions, the top engineering firm in the state, despite his deficiency of social skills.\n\nDave traded the comfort of his air conditioning for the thick heat of late morning. He needed more information. The idea of embarrassing himself was miniscule compared to the itch to know where his calculations had gone wrong. After locking his car, he began his trek towards the gleaming white building around which the parking lot wrapped.\n\nA scattering of individuals and families, dressed in their Sunday best, surrounded him as he walked among trees and flowers that could easily rival the city\'s botanical gardens. As he approached the entrance an elderly gentleman opened the door and greeted him as if they were old friends. Cool air seeped out from the lobby and Dave ducked inside quickly, grateful to escape the summer sun.\n\nBeige tiles stretched across the spacious lobby, filling the room a mix of echoes from each footstep, conversation, and laugh. Dave moved off to one side to study the situation and wait for his boss. Several doors lined the far side of the lobby, which led to what must be the main sanctuary. Dave was in the middle of counting the flat screens that were mounted on some of the walls when he felt a hand on his shoulder.\n\n\"Good morning Dave.\"\n\nDave turned to see the towering figure of his boss. His hand-tailored dark suit and grey tie contrasted sharply against his grey hair and the pale blue eyes that seemed to always be smiling.\n\n\"Good morning Mr. Stultz.\"\n\nThe Sr. V.P. had a legendary eye for detail, and an amused smile strained the corners of his mouth as he looked over one of the company\'s most valuable assets. Dave\'s blue t-shirt proudly displayed the smiling face of Mickey Mouse atop his faded jeans and sandals.\n\n\"Thank you for the invitation sir. I think I have made an error. You are a Christian correct?\"\n\nThe booming laughter that exploded from his boss\' mouth merged with the thousand other sounds that filled the lobby and to Dave\'s relief no one turned to see what had caused it.\n\n\"Yes Dave.\" Mr. Stultz said gently. \"That is why I invited you to come with me. To church.\"\n\nHe said the last two words slowly, trying to clear up any confusion. It did not have the desired effect.\n\n\"I did quite a bit of research on the Christian religion, including reading the New Testament, and I was under the impression that Christians went <em>out</em> to preach the \'good news\', feed the hungry, and clothe the poor.\"\n\n\"We do those things, but we also come together to hear the word and worship.\"\n\nDave looked around the room once more before asking his next question.\n\n\"I see. Well when do you go to help the needy? I think I would like to try that too.\"\n\nHis boss began speaking in a tone that one uses to address a child.\n\n\"Well I\'m not sure <em>exactly </em>when we help them out. I give money to the church and they have a system that helps make sure the people who need help get it.\"\n\n\"It was my understanding that <em>you</em> were the church?\"\n\nStultz took a breath and paused, realizing he would have to choose his words more carefully.\n\n\"I am. But what I can do on my own is very small compared to what we can all do together. The church has systems in place so that we can do the most good with the resources we have.\"\n\n\"Please forgive me if I am asking too many question, but I am trying to understand. I was under the impression that some of the good that comes from helping the needy is for you? And is it not your responsibility to share information that you believe will save a soul? I don\'t see how your character or soul benefits from outsourcing the commandments that...\"\n\n\"I am not outsourcing it. I am merely... doing what I am good at. Some people have a gift for empathizing with the hurting, caring for those in need, or speaking eloquently. I do not. I am more analytical by nature, which has helped facilitate my career and given me the ability to help provide the food, clothes, and other things that those people need by giving in the offering. Do you understand?\"\n\nA quiet voice deep inside urged Dave not to ask the question that rested on the tip of his tongue, but his mind would not rest until he had a satisfactory answer.\n\n\"Are you sure you\'re a Christian?\"\n\nFor the first time since he had met Andrew Stultz his eyes ceased to smile. His boss shoved his hands in his pant pockets in what looked like an attempt fight the urge to reach out and grab the man in front of him.\n\n\"Of course I\'m sure! Why would you even ask that?\"\n\nA uncomfortable silence suddenly filled the space between the men. Dave watched as his boss took a deep breath in an effort to calm himself. He realized that making an enemy out of his boss was too high a price to pay for curiosity and not knowing what else to do, began to study the tops of his shoes.\n\n\"Dave.\" Mr. Stultz\'s was calm again and Dave looked up. \"I\'m sorry. Please. Tell me why you asked that.\"\n\n\"I meant no offense sir. I guess I just see it differently.\"\n\n\"That\'s okay. It\'s one of the reasons you have been such a valuable asset for the company. How do you see it?\"\n\n\"If I took my child to class and each day the lady there turned him over to a tutor for his learning, I would not consider her a teacher. If I took my car to man to have it fixed and he passed it along to another to do the work, I would not consider him a mechanic, but a facilitator. A middle-man of sorts. If most of the people in church are just giving money to the few who are doing the things that Jesus commanded his followers to do, then I would estimate that there are far fewer Christians in the world than I thought, and quite a bit more facilitators of Christianity.\"\n\nDave watched his boss\' eyebrows slowly sink as he spoke, first in frustration, but then in contemplation. Although he stood almost a foot taller than him, to Dave he looked like a small boy standing at the edge of a high dive, desperately trying to decide if he has the courage to jump.\n\n\"Dave, you have given me a lot to think about. Please forgive me, but can we take a rain-check on church?\"\n\n\"Sir? Have I offended you?\"\n\n\"No Dave. You have done what you have always done for me. You have solved a problem that I never knew I had.\"','The Middle-man','','inherit','open','open','','7655-autosave','','','2012-10-10 19:52:49','2012-10-11 02:52:49','',7655,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/10/7655-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(7915,67,'2012-10-10 19:47:10','2012-10-11 02:47:10','I haven’t always been a Bob Dylan fan. Being the son of a quirky engineer 60s folk music aficionado, I now live with a personality shaped by the nasal twang sound track that assaulted my young and impressionable ears. As the years rolled on, like a rolling stone, my musical tastes began to morph from 80s hardcore punk, to 90s Manchester shoe-gazing bands and eventually to an appreciation and love of of Bob Dylan. The generational gap was filled completely when I had the honor and blessing of treating my dad to see Dylan live at the Houston Rodeo in 2000. Although my dad always classified himself as an “old school” Dylan fan, I can’t help but imagine the emotions that he must have felt sitting beside his 31 year old son and enjoying the same music he had for much of his life. It was a spiritual experience.\r\n\r\nI don’t get paid for being a music critic and I’m certainly not a professional music reviewer. My intention in this review comes from a desire to express what I feel in listening to Bob Dylan’s newest album release, “Tempest”. For when my ears attended to this 68 minute compilation of lyrical nostalgia, I thought of my dad. He died 7 years ago, but it is through the music of Bob Dylan that he lives on in my life.\r\n\r\n<em>“Dad, what do you think of the new Bob Dylan album?” I would say.</em>\r\n\r\n<em></em>\r\n<em>“I don’t know. What do want me to say? I’m an old school Dylan fan. It’s good to see him still making music, but I just can’t get into his new stuff.”</em> he would respond with a smirk on his face. He wouldn’t allow me to think that I “got” Dylan in a deeper way than he did.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Bob-Dylan-Tempest1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7820\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Bob-Dylan-Tempest1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"195\" height=\"173\" /></a>And so the argument would develop. Because you see, I think that “Tempest” is one of the most “real” albums that Dylan has released in a long time. I would be tempted to say that it is his best work, but that’s impossible considering the vast array of “best” albums he has released. But I would argue that he has not been more real in musical expression since his 1997 release, “Time Out of Mind”, and “Tempest” is certainly more appealing than his last droning release, “Together Through Time”. Dylan has definitely reclaimed his place in modern music, but with “Tempest”, he has ceased the losing battle of trying to be something that he’s not; both musically and personally.\r\n\r\nAt 71, the mere fact that Dylan is still able to carry a tune is nothing short of a miracle, but it never fails. With the release of every new Bob Dylan album, there is the collective cry from fair-weathered fans and arm chair critics; “Man, his voice is really sounding horrible!” This revelation would actually mean something if Dylan ever had a voice to begin with. With a career that spans fifty years, Dylan has always been known as a lyricist and songwriter; not an eloquent singer. The closest that he ever came to being labeled for his vocal ability was the release of “Nashville Skyline” in 1969, when he supposedly quit smoking. And how many of us have to admit that when we first realized that “Lay Lady Lay” was Dylan, said to ourselves, “That’s Dylan?”\r\n\r\nThis is the man that David Bowie sang of having a “voice like sand and glue”. And although today one might say it more resembles gravel and tar, the sentiment still stands. Dylan seems to slip comfortably into the voice that God and life has given him; both physically and philosophically. “Tempest” is a collection of raspy phlegm coated bellows of soot that would be rejected by most of the music industry if it was not for one simple fact: He’s Bob Dylan. The substance of lyrics has always overshadowed the content and this release does not contradict the dichotomy of Dylan’s music. In “Tempest” Dylan reaches back to a simple concept that launched him into an American icon: Story. With songs that range in topic from life, death, murder, culture, despair and eventually hope, reveal that he not only views the landscape, but sees redemption on the horizon.\r\n\r\nThe album deceitfully begins with the whimsical lighthearted “Duquesne Whistle”, reminiscent of a classic western flavored swing tune. The simple blowing a of a train whistle takes Dylan through a list of analogies, reminiscent of his early Woody Guthrie influenced canticles. But the whistle blows a false sense of expectation in what’s to come.\r\n\r\nFrom this point on the album takes a much darker turn, not so much in a negative sense, but in the stark realities of living a long life and facing a redemption that is not always easy. “I’m searching for phrases/to sing your praises.” The opening line to “Soon After Midnight” quickly catches the attention. I wonder if Dylan is expressing his battles of faith. I imagine him confronting the dichotomy of faith and reality. “It’s a long road, it’s a long a narrow way”, which most of us would agree with. The road is long.  The road is narrow. “Narrow Way” concludes that “If I can’t work up to you, you\'ll surely have to work down to me someday” Obviously Dylan parallels the thoughts from the Gospel of Matthew, “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”\r\n\r\n“I could stone you to death for the wrongs that you’ve done….The more I die/the more I live….I pay in blood, but not my own” “Pay in Blood” reveals a harder edge and changes the albums mood quickly. There are no illusions of faith here. Death and vengeance may redeem, but they find a wide gate to enter. Death is a common theme in “Tempest”. A Gloomy atmosphere continues to develop. “Scarlet Town” is long 7 minute dark journey of repetition, but the journey gets darker. Blues lead in to a 14 minute sea chanty, which tells the dark story of the sinking of the Titanic, filled with grim descriptions of despair and death. Dark humor creeps out of the story, with references to Leonardo DeCaprio touting his sketch book.\r\n\r\n“Tempest” concludes with a tribute to John Lennon in “Roll on John”. The positioning of this song, at the far end of a very real and melancholy collection of music, causes one to wonder if Dylan ponders what his end will be like. Mortality is an essential aspect of redemption. You can see Dylan pointing out similarities to Lennon, similar journeys that the two have shared and lyrics that cross musical boundaries. Mortality is something that we all face. But facing it’s reality in the cloak of redemption brings a strange peace. Tempest is dark, but filled with a peaceful reconciliation of a life filled with darkness and light.','Bob Dylan\'s Tempist: A Dark Journey to Redemption','','inherit','open','open','','7815-revision-17','','','2012-10-10 19:47:10','2012-10-11 02:47:10','',7815,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/10/7815-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(7916,67,'2012-10-14 17:10:15','2012-10-15 00:10:15','I haven’t always been a Bob Dylan fan. Being the son of a quirky engineer 60s folk music aficionado, I now live with a personality shaped by the nasal twang sound track that assaulted my young and impressionable ears. As the years rolled on, like a rolling stone, my musical tastes began to morph from 80s hardcore punk, to 90s Manchester shoe-gazing bands and eventually to an appreciation and love of Bob Dylan. The generational gap was filled completely when I had the honor and blessing of treating my dad to see Dylan live at the Houston Rodeo in 2000. Although my dad always classified himself as an “old school” Dylan fan, I can’t help but imagine the emotions that he must have felt sitting beside his 31-year-old son and enjoying the same music he had for much of his life. It was a spiritual experience.\n\nI don’t get paid for being a music critic and I’m certainly not a professional music reviewer. My intention in this review comes from a desire to express what I feel in listening to Bob Dylan’s newest album release, “Tempest”. For when my ears attended to this 68 minute compilation of lyrical nostalgia, I thought of my dad. He died 7 years ago, but it is through the music of Bob Dylan that he lives on in my life.\n\n<em>“Dad, what do you think of the new Bob Dylan album?” I would say.</em>\n\n<em></em>\n<em>“I don’t know. What do want me to say? I’m an old school Dylan fan. It’s good to see him still making music, but I just can’t get into his new stuff.”</em> he would respond with a smirk on his face. He wouldn’t allow me to think that I “got” Dylan in a deeper way than he did.\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Bob-Dylan-Tempest1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7820\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Bob-Dylan-Tempest1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"195\" height=\"173\" /></a>And so the argument would develop. Because you see, I think that “Tempest” is one of the most “real” albums that Dylan has released in a long time. I would be tempted to say that it is his best work, but that’s impossible considering the vast array of “best” albums he has released. But I would argue that he has not been more real in musical expression since his 1997 release, “Time Out of Mind”, and “Tempest” is certainly more appealing than his last droning release, “Together Through Time”. Dylan has definitely reclaimed his place in modern music, but with “Tempest”, he has ceased the losing battle of trying to be something that he’s not; both musically and personally.\n\nAt 71, the mere fact that Dylan is still able to carry a tune is nothing short of a miracle, but it never fails. With the release of every new Bob Dylan album, there is the collective cry from fair-weathered fans and arm-chair critics; “Man, his voice is really sounding horrible!” This revelation would actually mean something if Dylan ever had a voice to begin with. With a career that spans fifty years, Dylan has always been known as a lyricist and songwriter; not an eloquent singer. The closest that he ever came to being labeled for his vocal ability was the release of “Nashville Skyline” in 1969, when he supposedly quit smoking. And how many of us have to admit that when we first realized that “Lay Lady Lay” was Dylan, said to ourselves, “That’s Dylan?”\n\nThis is the man who David Bowie sang of having a “voice like sand and glue”. And although today one might say it more resembles gravel and tar, the sentiment still stands. Dylan seems to slip comfortably into the voice that God and life has given him; both physically and philosophically. “Tempest” is a collection of raspy phlegm coated bellows of soot that would be rejected by most of the music industry if it was not for one simple fact: He’s Bob Dylan. The substance of lyrics has always overshadowed the content and this release does not contradict the dichotomy of Dylan’s music. In “Tempest” Dylan reaches back to a simple concept that launched him into an American icon: Story. With songs that range in topic from life, death, murder, culture, despair and eventually hope, reveal that he not only views the landscape, but sees redemption on the horizon.\n\nThe album deceitfully begins with the whimsical lighthearted “Duquesne Whistle”, reminiscent of a classic western flavored swing tune. The simple blowing a of a train whistle takes Dylan through a list of analogies, reminiscent of his early Woody Guthrie influenced canticles. But the whistle blows a false sense of expectation in what’s to come.\n\nFrom this point on the album takes a much darker turn, not so much in a negative sense, but in the stark realities of living a long life and facing a redemption that is not always easy. “I’m searching for phrases/to sing your praises.” The opening line to “Soon After Midnight” quickly catches the attention. I wonder if Dylan is expressing his battles of faith. I imagine him confronting the dichotomy of faith and reality. “It’s a long road, it’s a long a narrow way”, which most of us would agree with. The road is long.  The road is narrow. “Narrow Way” concludes that “If I can’t work up to you, you\'ll surely have to work down to me someday” Obviously Dylan parallels the thoughts from the Gospel of Matthew, “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”\n\n“I could stone you to death for the wrongs that you’ve done….The more I die/the more I live….I pay in blood, but not my own” “Pay in Blood” reveals a harder edge and changes the albums mood quickly. There are no illusions of faith here. Death and vengeance may redeem, but they find a wide gate to enter. Death is a common theme in “Tempest”. A Gloomy atmosphere continues to develop. “Scarlet Town” is long 7 minute dark journey of repetition, but the journey gets darker. Blues lead in to a 14 minute sea chanty, which tells the dark story of the sinking of the Titanic, filled with grim descriptions of despair and death. Dark humor creeps out of the story, with references to Leonardo DeCaprio touting his sketch book.\n\n“Tempest” concludes with a tribute to John Lennon in “Roll on John”. The positioning of this song, at the far end of a very real and melancholy collection of music, causes one to wonder if Dylan ponders what his end will be like. Mortality is an essential aspect of redemption. You can see Dylan pointing out similarities to Lennon, similar journeys that the two have shared and lyrics that cross musical boundaries. Mortality is something that we all face. But facing it’s reality in the cloak of redemption brings a strange peace. Tempest is dark, but filled with a peaceful reconciliation of a life filled with darkness and light.','Bob Dylan\'s Tempest: A Dark Journey to Redemption','','inherit','open','open','','7815-autosave','','','2012-10-14 17:10:15','2012-10-15 00:10:15','',7815,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/14/7815-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(7917,67,'2012-10-14 17:07:16','2012-10-15 00:07:16','I haven’t always been a Bob Dylan fan. Being the son of a quirky engineer 60s folk music aficionado, I now live with a personality shaped by the nasal twang sound track that assaulted my young and impressionable ears. As the years rolled on, like a rolling stone, my musical tastes began to morph from 80s hardcore punk, to 90s Manchester shoe-gazing bands and eventually to an appreciation and love of of Bob Dylan. The generational gap was filled completely when I had the honor and blessing of treating my dad to see Dylan live at the Houston Rodeo in 2000. Although my dad always classified himself as an “old school” Dylan fan, I can’t help but imagine the emotions that he must have felt sitting beside his 31 year old son and enjoying the same music he had for much of his life. It was a spiritual experience.\r\n\r\nI don’t get paid for being a music critic and I’m certainly not a professional music reviewer. My intention in this review comes from a desire to express what I feel in listening to Bob Dylan’s newest album release, “Tempest”. For when my ears attended to this 68 minute compilation of lyrical nostalgia, I thought of my dad. He died 7 years ago, but it is through the music of Bob Dylan that he lives on in my life.\r\n\r\n<em>“Dad, what do you think of the new Bob Dylan album?” I would say.</em>\r\n\r\n<em></em>\r\n<em>“I don’t know. What do want me to say? I’m an old school Dylan fan. It’s good to see him still making music, but I just can’t get into his new stuff.”</em> he would respond with a smirk on his face. He wouldn’t allow me to think that I “got” Dylan in a deeper way than he did.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Bob-Dylan-Tempest1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7820\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Bob-Dylan-Tempest1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"195\" height=\"173\" /></a>And so the argument would develop. Because you see, I think that “Tempest” is one of the most “real” albums that Dylan has released in a long time. I would be tempted to say that it is his best work, but that’s impossible considering the vast array of “best” albums he has released. But I would argue that he has not been more real in musical expression since his 1997 release, “Time Out of Mind”, and “Tempest” is certainly more appealing than his last droning release, “Together Through Time”. Dylan has definitely reclaimed his place in modern music, but with “Tempest”, he has ceased the losing battle of trying to be something that he’s not; both musically and personally.\r\n\r\nAt 71, the mere fact that Dylan is still able to carry a tune is nothing short of a miracle, but it never fails. With the release of every new Bob Dylan album, there is the collective cry from fair-weathered fans and arm chair critics; “Man, his voice is really sounding horrible!” This revelation would actually mean something if Dylan ever had a voice to begin with. With a career that spans fifty years, Dylan has always been known as a lyricist and songwriter; not an eloquent singer. The closest that he ever came to being labeled for his vocal ability was the release of “Nashville Skyline” in 1969, when he supposedly quit smoking. And how many of us have to admit that when we first realized that “Lay Lady Lay” was Dylan, said to ourselves, “That’s Dylan?”\r\n\r\nThis is the man that David Bowie sang of having a “voice like sand and glue”. And although today one might say it more resembles gravel and tar, the sentiment still stands. Dylan seems to slip comfortably into the voice that God and life has given him; both physically and philosophically. “Tempest” is a collection of raspy phlegm coated bellows of soot that would be rejected by most of the music industry if it was not for one simple fact: He’s Bob Dylan. The substance of lyrics has always overshadowed the content and this release does not contradict the dichotomy of Dylan’s music. In “Tempest” Dylan reaches back to a simple concept that launched him into an American icon: Story. With songs that range in topic from life, death, murder, culture, despair and eventually hope, reveal that he not only views the landscape, but sees redemption on the horizon.\r\n\r\nThe album deceitfully begins with the whimsical lighthearted “Duquesne Whistle”, reminiscent of a classic western flavored swing tune. The simple blowing a of a train whistle takes Dylan through a list of analogies, reminiscent of his early Woody Guthrie influenced canticles. But the whistle blows a false sense of expectation in what’s to come.\r\n\r\nFrom this point on the album takes a much darker turn, not so much in a negative sense, but in the stark realities of living a long life and facing a redemption that is not always easy. “I’m searching for phrases/to sing your praises.” The opening line to “Soon After Midnight” quickly catches the attention. I wonder if Dylan is expressing his battles of faith. I imagine him confronting the dichotomy of faith and reality. “It’s a long road, it’s a long a narrow way”, which most of us would agree with. The road is long.  The road is narrow. “Narrow Way” concludes that “If I can’t work up to you, you\'ll surely have to work down to me someday” Obviously Dylan parallels the thoughts from the Gospel of Matthew, “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”\r\n\r\n“I could stone you to death for the wrongs that you’ve done….The more I die/the more I live….I pay in blood, but not my own” “Pay in Blood” reveals a harder edge and changes the albums mood quickly. There are no illusions of faith here. Death and vengeance may redeem, but they find a wide gate to enter. Death is a common theme in “Tempest”. A Gloomy atmosphere continues to develop. “Scarlet Town” is long 7 minute dark journey of repetition, but the journey gets darker. Blues lead in to a 14 minute sea chanty, which tells the dark story of the sinking of the Titanic, filled with grim descriptions of despair and death. Dark humor creeps out of the story, with references to Leonardo DeCaprio touting his sketch book.\r\n\r\n“Tempest” concludes with a tribute to John Lennon in “Roll on John”. The positioning of this song, at the far end of a very real and melancholy collection of music, causes one to wonder if Dylan ponders what his end will be like. Mortality is an essential aspect of redemption. You can see Dylan pointing out similarities to Lennon, similar journeys that the two have shared and lyrics that cross musical boundaries. Mortality is something that we all face. But facing it’s reality in the cloak of redemption brings a strange peace. Tempest is dark, but filled with a peaceful reconciliation of a life filled with darkness and light.','Bob Dylan\'s Tempest: A Dark Journey to Redemption','','inherit','open','open','','7815-revision-18','','','2012-10-14 17:07:16','2012-10-15 00:07:16','',7815,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/14/7815-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(7918,67,'2012-10-14 17:09:00','2012-10-15 00:09:00','I haven’t always been a Bob Dylan fan. Being the son of a quirky engineer 60s folk music aficionado, I now live with a personality shaped by the nasal twang sound track that assaulted my young and impressionable ears. As the years rolled on, like a rolling stone, my musical tastes began to morph from 80s hardcore punk, to 90s Manchester shoe-gazing bands and eventually to an appreciation and love of Bob Dylan. The generational gap was filled completely when I had the honor and blessing of treating my dad to see Dylan live at the Houston Rodeo in 2000. Although my dad always classified himself as an “old school” Dylan fan, I can’t help but imagine the emotions that he must have felt sitting beside his 31-year-old son and enjoying the same music he had for much of his life. It was a spiritual experience.\r\n\r\nI don’t get paid for being a music critic and I’m certainly not a professional music reviewer. My intention in this review comes from a desire to express what I feel in listening to Bob Dylan’s newest album release, “Tempest”. For when my ears attended to this 68 minute compilation of lyrical nostalgia, I thought of my dad. He died 7 years ago, but it is through the music of Bob Dylan that he lives on in my life.\r\n\r\n<em>“Dad, what do you think of the new Bob Dylan album?” I would say.</em>\r\n\r\n<em></em>\r\n<em>“I don’t know. What do want me to say? I’m an old school Dylan fan. It’s good to see him still making music, but I just can’t get into his new stuff.”</em> he would respond with a smirk on his face. He wouldn’t allow me to think that I “got” Dylan in a deeper way than he did.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Bob-Dylan-Tempest1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7820\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Bob-Dylan-Tempest1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"195\" height=\"173\" /></a>And so the argument would develop. Because you see, I think that “Tempest” is one of the most “real” albums that Dylan has released in a long time. I would be tempted to say that it is his best work, but that’s impossible considering the vast array of “best” albums he has released. But I would argue that he has not been more real in musical expression since his 1997 release, “Time Out of Mind”, and “Tempest” is certainly more appealing than his last droning release, “Together Through Time”. Dylan has definitely reclaimed his place in modern music, but with “Tempest”, he has ceased the losing battle of trying to be something that he’s not; both musically and personally.\r\n\r\nAt 71, the mere fact that Dylan is still able to carry a tune is nothing short of a miracle, but it never fails. With the release of every new Bob Dylan album, there is the collective cry from fair-weathered fans and arm-chair critics; “Man, his voice is really sounding horrible!” This revelation would actually mean something if Dylan ever had a voice to begin with. With a career that spans fifty years, Dylan has always been known as a lyricist and songwriter; not an eloquent singer. The closest that he ever came to being labeled for his vocal ability was the release of “Nashville Skyline” in 1969, when he supposedly quit smoking. And how many of us have to admit that when we first realized that “Lay Lady Lay” was Dylan, said to ourselves, “That’s Dylan?”\r\n\r\nThis is the man who David Bowie sang of having a “voice like sand and glue”. And although today one might say it more resembles gravel and tar, the sentiment still stands. Dylan seems to slip comfortably into the voice that God and life has given him; both physically and philosophically. “Tempest” is a collection of raspy phlegm coated bellows of soot that would be rejected by most of the music industry if it was not for one simple fact: He’s Bob Dylan. The substance of lyrics has always overshadowed the content and this release does not contradict the dichotomy of Dylan’s music. In “Tempest” Dylan reaches back to a simple concept that launched him into an American icon: Story. With songs that range in topic from life, death, murder, culture, despair and eventually hope, reveal that he not only views the landscape, but sees redemption on the horizon.\r\n\r\nThe album deceitfully begins with the whimsical lighthearted “Duquesne Whistle”, reminiscent of a classic western flavored swing tune. The simple blowing a of a train whistle takes Dylan through a list of analogies, reminiscent of his early Woody Guthrie influenced canticles. But the whistle blows a false sense of expectation in what’s to come.\r\n\r\nFrom this point on the album takes a much darker turn, not so much in a negative sense, but in the stark realities of living a long life and facing a redemption that is not always easy. “I’m searching for phrases/to sing your praises.” The opening line to “Soon After Midnight” quickly catches the attention. I wonder if Dylan is expressing his battles of faith. I imagine him confronting the dichotomy of faith and reality. “It’s a long road, it’s a long a narrow way”, which most of us would agree with. The road is long.  The road is narrow. “Narrow Way” concludes that “If I can’t work up to you, you\'ll surely have to work down to me someday” Obviously Dylan parallels the thoughts from the Gospel of Matthew, “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”\r\n\r\n“I could stone you to death for the wrongs that you’ve done….The more I die/the more I live….I pay in blood, but not my own” “Pay in Blood” reveals a harder edge and changes the albums mood quickly. There are no illusions of faith here. Death and vengeance may redeem, but they find a wide gate to enter. Death is a common theme in “Tempest”. A Gloomy atmosphere continues to develop. “Scarlet Town” is long 7 minute dark journey of repetition, but the journey gets darker. Blues lead in to a 14 minute sea chanty, which tells the dark story of the sinking of the Titanic, filled with grim descriptions of despair and death. Dark humor creeps out of the story, with references to Leonardo DeCaprio touting his sketch book.\r\n\r\n“Tempest” concludes with a tribute to John Lennon in “Roll on John”. The positioning of this song, at the far end of a very real and melancholy collection of music, causes one to wonder if Dylan ponders what his end will be like. Mortality is an essential aspect of redemption. You can see Dylan pointing out similarities to Lennon, similar journeys that the two have shared and lyrics that cross musical boundaries. Mortality is something that we all face. But facing it’s reality in the cloak of redemption brings a strange peace. Tempest is dark, but filled with a peaceful reconciliation of a life filled with darkness and light.','Bob Dylan\'s Tempest: A Dark Journey to Redemption','','inherit','open','open','','7815-revision-19','','','2012-10-14 17:09:00','2012-10-15 00:09:00','',7815,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/14/7815-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(7919,67,'2012-10-14 17:10:42','2012-10-15 00:10:42','I haven’t always been a Bob Dylan fan. Being the son of a quirky engineer 60s folk music aficionado, I now live with a personality shaped by the nasal twang sound track that assaulted my young and impressionable ears. As the years rolled on, like a rolling stone, my musical tastes began to morph from 80s hardcore punk, to 90s Manchester shoe-gazing bands and eventually to an appreciation and love of Bob Dylan. The generational gap was filled completely when I had the honor and blessing of treating my dad to see Dylan live at the Houston Rodeo in 2000. Although my dad always classified himself as an “old school” Dylan fan, I can’t help but imagine the emotions that he must have felt sitting beside his 31-year-old son and enjoying the same music he had for much of his life. It was a spiritual experience.\r\n\r\nI don’t get paid for being a music critic and I’m certainly not a professional music reviewer. My intention in this review comes from a desire to express what I feel in listening to Bob Dylan’s newest album release, “Tempest”. For when my ears attended to this 68 minute compilation of lyrical nostalgia, I thought of my dad. He died 7 years ago, but it is through the music of Bob Dylan that he lives on in my life.\r\n\r\n<em>“Dad, what do you think of the new Bob Dylan album?” I would say.</em>\r\n\r\n<em></em>\r\n<em>“I don’t know. What do want me to say? I’m an old school Dylan fan. It’s good to see him still making music, but I just can’t get into his new stuff.”</em> he would respond with a smirk on his face. He wouldn’t allow me to think that I “got” Dylan in a deeper way than he did.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Bob-Dylan-Tempest1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-7820\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Bob-Dylan-Tempest1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"195\" height=\"173\" /></a>And so the argument would develop. Because you see, I think that “Tempest” is one of the most “real” albums that Dylan has released in a long time. I would be tempted to say that it is his best work, but that’s impossible considering the vast array of “best” albums he has released. But I would argue that he has not been more real in musical expression since his 1997 release, “Time Out of Mind”, and “Tempest” is certainly more appealing than his last droning release, “Together Through Time”. Dylan has definitely reclaimed his place in modern music, but with “Tempest”, he has ceased the losing battle of trying to be something that he’s not; both musically and personally.\r\n\r\nAt 71, the mere fact that Dylan is still able to carry a tune is nothing short of a miracle, but it never fails. With the release of every new Bob Dylan album, there is the collective cry from fair-weathered fans and arm-chair critics; “Man, his voice is really sounding horrible!” This revelation would actually mean something if Dylan ever had a voice to begin with. With a career that spans fifty years, Dylan has always been known as a lyricist and songwriter; not an eloquent singer. The closest that he ever came to being labeled for his vocal ability was the release of “Nashville Skyline” in 1969, when he supposedly quit smoking. And how many of us have to admit that when we first realized that “Lay Lady Lay” was Dylan, said to ourselves, “That’s Dylan?”\r\n\r\nThis is the man who David Bowie sang of having a “voice like sand and glue”. And although today one might say it more resembles gravel and tar, the sentiment still stands. Dylan seems to slip comfortably into the voice that God and life has given him; both physically and philosophically. “Tempest” is a collection of raspy phlegm coated bellows of soot that would be rejected by most of the music industry if it was not for one simple fact: He’s Bob Dylan. The substance of lyrics has always overshadowed the content and this release does not contradict the dichotomy of Dylan’s music. In “Tempest” Dylan reaches back to a simple concept that launched him into an American icon: Story. With songs that range in topic from life, death, murder, culture, despair and eventually hope, reveal that he not only views the landscape, but sees redemption on the horizon.\r\n\r\nThe album deceitfully begins with the whimsical lighthearted “Duquesne Whistle”, reminiscent of a classic western flavored swing tune. The simple blowing a of a train whistle takes Dylan through a list of analogies, reminiscent of his early Woody Guthrie influenced canticles. But the whistle blows a false sense of expectation in what’s to come.\r\n\r\nFrom this point on the album takes a much darker turn, not so much in a negative sense, but in the stark realities of living a long life and facing a redemption that is not always easy. “I’m searching for phrases/to sing your praises.” The opening line to “Soon After Midnight” quickly catches the attention. I wonder if Dylan is expressing his battles of faith. I imagine him confronting the dichotomy of faith and reality. “It’s a long road, it’s a long a narrow way”, which most of us would agree with. The road is long.  The road is narrow. “Narrow Way” concludes that “If I can’t work up to you, you\'ll surely have to work down to me someday” Obviously Dylan parallels the thoughts from the Gospel of Matthew, “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”\r\n\r\n“I could stone you to death for the wrongs that you’ve done….The more I die/the more I live….I pay in blood, but not my own” “Pay in Blood” reveals a harder edge and changes the albums mood quickly. There are no illusions of faith here. Death and vengeance may redeem, but they find a wide gate to enter. Death is a common theme in “Tempest”. A Gloomy atmosphere continues to develop. “Scarlet Town” is long 7 minute dark journey of repetition, but the journey gets darker. Blues lead in to a 14 minute sea chanty, which tells the dark story of the sinking of the Titanic, filled with grim descriptions of despair and death. Dark humor creeps out of the story, with references to Leonardo DeCaprio touting his sketch book.\r\n\r\n“Tempest” concludes with a tribute to John Lennon in “Roll on John”. The positioning of this song, at the far end of a very real and melancholy collection of music, causes one to wonder if Dylan ponders what his end will be like. Mortality is an essential aspect of redemption. You can see Dylan pointing out similarities to Lennon, similar journeys that the two have shared and lyrics that cross musical boundaries. Mortality is something that we all face. But facing it’s reality in the cloak of redemption brings a strange peace. Tempest is dark, but filled with a peaceful reconciliation of a life filled with darkness and light.','Bob Dylan\'s Tempest: A Dark Journey to Redemption','','inherit','open','open','','7815-revision-20','','','2012-10-14 17:10:42','2012-10-15 00:10:42','',7815,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/14/7815-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(7971,0,'2012-10-30 22:25:28','2012-10-31 05:25:28','Children\'s spirituality.  Particularly in the context of social justice and healing.\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Paul Blankenship\nAUTHOR EMAIL: pblankenship@ses.gtu.edu\nAUTHOR URL: http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com\nSUBJECT: Provoketive Magazine Writing For Provoketive\nIP: 108.254.145.158\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Paul Blankenship\n    [Email] =&gt; pblankenship@ses.gtu.edu\n    [Existing Blog or Website] =&gt; asocialspirituality.wordpress.com\n    [List the topic you are interested writing about] =&gt; Children\'s spirituality.  Particularly in the context of social justice and healing.  \n    [Current or New WordPress Login Name (We\'ll send you a password.)] =&gt; asocialspirituality\n)\n','Paul Blankenship - 2012-10-30 22:25:28','','publish','open','open','','724d2e09cf1058256f1ca4f0c1c12032','','','2012-10-30 22:25:28','2012-10-31 05:25:28','',358,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=7971',0,'feedback','',0),(8196,0,'2013-01-02 10:50:47','2013-01-02 18:50:47','Technology, Philosophy, Questions, Movies, Books,\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Christopher Hutton\nAUTHOR EMAIL: chris@liter8.net\nAUTHOR URL: http://liter8.net\nSUBJECT: Provoketive Magazine Writing For Provoketive\nIP: 24.129.4.220\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Christopher Hutton\n    [Email] =&gt; chris@liter8.net\n    [Existing Blog or Website] =&gt; liter8.net\n    [List the topic you are interested writing about] =&gt; Technology, Philosophy, Questions, Movies, Books,\n    [Current or New WordPress Login Name (We\'ll send you a password.)] =&gt; liter8media\n)\n','Christopher Hutton - 2013-01-02 10:50:47','','publish','open','open','','4a9481bbbf70bab980aabf1b237a64a4','','','2013-01-02 10:50:47','2013-01-02 18:50:47','',358,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=8196',0,'feedback','',0),(7973,43,'2012-11-20 17:56:05','2012-11-21 01:56:05','<em>Note: I was given an advance copy of </em>A Year of Biblical Womanhood<em> as part of the launch team.  I volunteered to be on the team because I believe in this project and I wholeheartedly support the ongoing work of Rachel Held Evans.  My review is not without bias.  My other reviews of the book can be found at Amazon, Barnes &amp; Noble, CBD, and my personal blog.\n</em>\n\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/A-Year-Biblical-Womanhood-med-white.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-7974\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/A-Year-Biblical-Womanhood-med-white-190x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"190\" height=\"300\" /></a>I was first introduced to the writing of Rachel Held Evans by following a bunny trail from one blog to another.  At the time, she was about two thirds of the way through the year-long project which resulted in this book.  I was fascinated by the idea of taking literal interpretation of Scripture to its natural conclusion.  With great anticipation, I continued to follow Rachel\'s blog over the 15 months or so between then and now.\n\nI was not disappointed with the book; it lived up to my expectations and then some.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Rachel\'s adventures and misadventures bringing the Bible to life.  I recognized myself in the pages of the book; from her struggle to bring out her inner Martha Stewart to her desperate plea for help on a sewing project, I found a kindred undomestic spirit.  I laughed out loud at her description of standing at her town\'s welcome sign, holding a poster board in praise of her husband (she was reenacting the call to \"praise her husband at the city gates\" from Proverbs 31) and wept tears of mirth (sorry, Rachel!) at the frequency with which she ended up on her kitchen floor in less joyful tears of her own.\n\nThere is more to the book, however, than Rachel\'s wit and self-deprecating humor.  When it comes to Rachel\'s thorough examination of Scripture, she rises to the challenge.  Her analyses are in-depth and the amount of research cannot be denied or ignored.  Each chapter highlights a woman whose story can be found in the pages of the Bible, but Rachel offers a new perspective on every one of them.  She treats each woman with the dignity she is due and explains the ways in which many of them defied their culture.  This was new for me, as I had learned that women in the Bible were peripheral to the \"real\" stories.  More often than not, the women were only heralded as examples of \"good Christian wives\" who knew their proper place and kept to it, letting the men take the spotlight.  Rachel effectively demonstrates that this is patently false.\n\nI deeply appreciate Rachel\'s examination of Proverbs 31, the Wife of Noble Character. I had always seen the Proverbs 31 wife as an enemy, because she was an ideal I could never match, yet I was supposed to use her as my model.  The majority of writing on the subject to which I had been exposed can be summed up like this: \"The Wife of Noble Character is God\'s ideal for us as women.  None of us can live up to this, of course, but that\'s okay, that\'s what Jesus died for—to redeem even those of us who can\'t be perfect.\"  Rachel expertly navigates the text and explains the origin of this beautiful piece of poetry.  She concludes by telling women that each of us is <em>Eshet chayil</em>--a woman of valor; this is a term she then continues to use throughout the book.\n\nAlthough there has been much talk about Rachel being irreverent, \"ignoring\" Scripture or tradition, or making a mockery of the Bible, not one of those things is true. It is obvious that Rachel\'s love for the Bible grew as she worked her way through the year.  She offers personal insights into what the Bible came to mean for her during each phase of her project. This provides a welcome change from the hard-line \"commandment\" view of a woman\'s role within the community of faith.  It opens doors for all of us to examine the texts and learn what God wants to show us through even the challenging passages.\n\nI believe this book is one of the most important books of our time.  For those who agree with Rachel\'s perspective, she is a fellow traveler on the road of egalitarian theology; she provides solid support for her views.  Even for those who would disagree with Rachel\'s conclusions, it is worth reading.  The places of divergence offer a chance for those in disagreement to clarify their views.\n\nI highly recommend <em>A Year of Biblical Womanhood</em> to anyone wishing to find a compatriot, understand a perspective different from his or her own, or just interested in a good read full of humor and grace.','Book Review: A Year of Biblical Womanhood','','inherit','open','open','','7962-autosave','','','2012-11-20 17:56:05','2012-11-21 01:56:05','',7962,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/31/7962-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(7990,1,'2012-11-01 06:57:35','2012-11-01 13:57:35','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/RomneyObama1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-7984\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/RomneyObama1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\nI’m ready for this election to be over.   As with most hotly contested campaigns, it’s been full of half-truths and outright lies.   And, while I have my opinion on the source of the vast majority of deception, the casual observer simply sees partisan bickering and endless gamesmanship.   The result can be a cynical electorate who loses interest in the whole political process.   I’ve noticed many Christians who seem to fall into this category.  Already suspicious of politicians, they hear the hypocrisy espoused in the campaigns and no longer trust either party to be a viable part of the solution.\r\n\r\nIn an attempt to transcend the right and left, it can be tempting to avoid making any choice at all, leaving less scrupulous elements to pick our leaders and determine our policies.   It’s true; Jesus sidestepped politics.  He talked of feeding the poor and showed compassion for the sick and suffering.  He admonished us to take care of the least of these and warned about the love of money.  He even paid taxes without complaint.   At the same time, he avoided questions about Roman rule.   Of course, Jesus had a much more important mission; one that takes place in hearts and souls.\r\n\r\nOnce we have responded to the gospel, we should have a desire to do God’s work here on earth.  For me, this involves trying to support causes that reflect his love and mercy in all aspects of life: families, communities, culture, and yes, politics and government.   So, shouldn’t we want a government that more closely aligns itself with the principles that Christ exemplified?   Do we want to cut social programs to the poor while giving tax breaks to the wealthy?  Do we want to turn our backs on the uninsured?  Do we want an economic model that is based on survival-on-the-fittest?\r\n\r\nThese are not just ideological questions.  They are real to a mother who has been cut from her health care provider.  It’s real to a boy who can’t afford a school lunch, much less a decent education.  It’s real to a dad whose job has been shipped overseas.   It’s real to a grandmother who worries she’ll outlive a voucher to cover her end-of-life expenses.  It’s real if we find ourselves in another war and thousands are sent off to fight.   It becomes real in the wake of a natural disaster.  Even if you are not directly affected by any of these issues, hopefully, you still care about them because they do affect real people.\r\n\r\nThe government cannot be all things to all people and we must make some hard choices.   We need to discuss how we can reasonably reduce the debt; however, surely, the most marginalized are not the first that need to be asked to pay.   If the richest 1% controls 40% of the nation’s wealth (and certain wealthy people are paying less than 15% in taxes), maybe they can do a little more.  Let’s discuss how we can reduce abortions, including all the ways to lower the number of unwanted pregnancies.   Let’s talk about gay marriage, and how can give all people equal rights.   While I know no politician or party is perfect, I don’t hear a willingness to talk about both sides of an issue from the right.\r\n\r\nReligion can transform a person’s life, but government can help feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and provide basic shelter for the homeless.   It can heal the sick.  It can educate the young, providing a brighter, safer future for all of us.   It can help ensure that the strongest don’t take advantage of the weakest.  I believe these are all worthy goals of a society.  God has given us the free will to determine what kind of world we want to live in.  Hopefully, Christians will not lose their faith in a flawed system, and be willing to make the tough choices.\r\n\r\nJeff Fulmer is the author of the Christian fiction, <a href=\"http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/\">Hometown Prophet</a>.   You can receive a free copy of his e-book, “As a Christian, Why the GOP Doesn’t Speak for Me,” by going to his website and signing up for his newsletter at http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/.   A short video on <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PubdnWLfva8\">Real Christian Values</a>.','Time for Christians to Make a Choice','','inherit','open','open','','7982-revision-4','','','2012-11-01 06:57:35','2012-11-01 13:57:35','',7982,'http://provoketive.com/2012/11/01/7982-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(7927,160,'2012-10-19 08:00:57','2012-10-19 15:00:57','<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Say what you will about Mitt Romney; he is a devoted to his religion.   A mutigenerational Mormon, he has held high-ranking leadership positions and donated millions of dollars to the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS).   For many, religion goes to the core of their belief system, so what does it mean for Mitt to be a Mormon?    Of course, Mitt is not just any Mormon; he inherited the special status that comes with being the son of a wealthy Governor.   Looking into Mitt’s religious experience might provide some insight into his character and an explanation to some of the things he says on the campaign trail.</p>\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Mormons are expected to spend a couple of years as missionaries and, when Mitt’s time came, he was sent to France.   While in France, Mitt was involved in a terrible car wreck that killed his supervisor’s wife.   When his supervisor went home for the funeral, Mitt was left in charge of the French effort.    He immediately moved from the countryside to a home in the wealthy district of Paris complete with artwork and servants.  By all accounts, the young Romney led a heroic effort of converting over 200 French people to a religion that prohibits drinking any alcohol, including wine.   If Mitt seems undaunted by taking unpopular positions (i.e. more tax cuts for the wealthy), it could stem from his days of selling austerity to the French.</li>\r\n	<li>There is a well known strong puritanical streak that runs through Mormonism.   The “Word of Wisdom” requires members to abstain from not only alcohol, but also tobacco, coffee and tea.   In addition, they are supposed to refrain from sex until marriage.   Non-Mormons are not even allowed at the wedding ceremony, including family members of the bride or groom.   Although Mitt admits to tasting a beer and sampling a cigarette during his wild teenage days, he’s been squeaky clean ever since.   And while this demonstrates a determination and discipline that is admirable, it makes me wonder how relatable he is to most Americans.</li>\r\n	<li>There are no paid clergy in the LDS.  Instead, they rely on members to take on temporary leadership roles.   Mitt took his first turn at 30 years old (in 1977) as a counselor to the President of the Boston stake.   Among other responsibilities, he counseled fellow Mormons who were going through tough times: lost jobs, marriage troubles, unwanted pregnancies.   Peggie Hayes has told about being an overwhelmed single mother who was pregnant with her second child.   She went to her friend and LDS Bishop at the time, Mitt Romney, who advised her to put her unborn child up for adoption, even threatening her with excommunication.   Being a counselor to struggling people gave Mitt an opportunity to see suffering up close, although he wouldn’t deviate from his opinion of what it meant to be a ‘good Mormon.’</li>\r\n	<li>In their August cover story, Bloomberg Magazine chronicled how the Mormon Church has become a business empire, owning corporations in a variety of industries that bring in $1.2 billion annually, as well as an estimated stock (and bond) pile of $6 billion.  LDS has been accused of blending spiritual values with financial success, seeing the latter as a blessing from God and a way to improve life for its members.  Mitt embodies this glorification of materialistic success.   At 37, he was tapped to head Bain Capital, which would use leveraged capital to invest in businesses.   While he never managed any of the companies they bought, he was effective in making money for investors and himself, even if profits came at the expense of slashing jobs or piling up debt for the companies.   Mitt and the Mormons are proud of their achievements, even if they do not want anyone to know the details of their business or the extent of their wealth.</li>\r\n	<li>Like most religious institutions, Mormonism has adapted, albeit slowly, to the times.  Through revelations that coincided with an outcry of public opinion, church leaders decided that polygamy wasn’t such a good idea (1890) and that African Americans should be treated with equality in their church (1978).  To an outsider, it can seem convenient that God speaks to His chosen church through ‘progressive revelation’ after the rest of the nation has already gotten the message.   In a similar manner, Mitt seems to have no trouble switching to the side that is in the majority, or at least in the majority of his party.   Unfortunately, his stances on issues such as abortion, healthcare, immigration have regressed in an attempt to appease the far right.</li>\r\n	<li>Mormons are very generous, especially to other Mormon causes.   While other Christian churches suggest a tithe; to be in good standing, Mormons requires members to give 10% back to the church.  The Bloomberg article (8/12) estimates that tithing brings in an estimated $8 billion a year (in addition to their business revenues).   This money is used for a variety of worthy endeavors, along with trying to keep their own members off government or public assistance.  Having struggled with acceptance into the mainstream, Mormons are wary of the government and this comes out in some of Mitt’s rhetoric.   Like many Republicans, he wants to control an institution that he seems to view with suspicion and distrust.</li>\r\n	<li> Predestination, or the belief that they were chosen to be born into a specific family at a given time, is central to Mormonism.   Likewise, they believe in a multi-tiered heaven, which is certainly nicer than the Christian fundamentalist version of fire and brimstone.   Never-the-less, only those sealed in the Mormon Temple can live with Christ in the highest realm of heaven, where they can eventually go on to rule their own universe.   While Mormons are certainly entitled to believe this, if not careful, it can breed a subtle form of elitism.  Couple pre-destination with a life that has known nothing but wealth and privilege, and it is possible to understand how Mitt thinks in terms of an “us” versus “them,” whether it’s the other 47% or the 99%.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nIn the end, I won’t vote against Mitt Romney because he’s a Mormon.  While parts of Mormonism seem strange to me, I’m sure my own Christian faith sounds irrational to outsiders too.  The reason I won’t vote for Mitt Romney is because I want a President who cares about 100% of the population; yes, including the poorest members of our society.   In my reading of the scriptures, real Christian values means policies that provide a safety net for “the least of these,” affordable healthcare for everyone, and a more equal playing field between the rich and everyone else.   No, the reason I won’t vote for Mitt is not because he’s a Mormon, but because his political agenda conflicts with what I believe as a Christian.\r\n\r\nJeff Fulmer is the author of the book, <a href=\"http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/\">Hometown Prophet</a>.    You can receive a free copy of his ebook, “As a Christian, Why the GOP Doesn’t Speak for Me,” by going to his website and signing up for his newsletter at http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/.','How Mormonism Shaped Mitt','','publish','open','open','','how-mormonism-shaped-mitt','','','2012-10-18 16:30:16','2012-10-18 23:30:16','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=7927',0,'post','',0),(7928,160,'2012-10-17 15:19:22','2012-10-17 22:19:22','Say what you will about Mitt Romney; he is a devoted to his religion.   A mutigenerational Mormon, he has held high-ranking leadership positions and donated millions of dollars to the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS).   For many, religion goes to the core of their belief system, so what does it mean for Mitt to be a Mormon?    Of course, Mitt is not just any Mormon; he inherited the special status that comes with being the son of a wealthy Governor.   Looking into Mitt’s religious experience might provide some insight into his character and an explanation to some of the things he says on the campaign trail.\n<ol>\n	<li>Mormons are expected to spend a couple of years as missionaries and, when Mitt’s time came, he was sent to France.   While in France, Mitt was involved in a terrible car wreck that killed his supervisor’s wife.   When his supervisor went home for the funeral, Mitt was left in charge of the French effort.    He immediately moved from the countryside to a home in the wealthy district of Paris complete with artwork and servants.  By all accounts, the young Romney led a heroic effort of converting over 200 French people to a religion that prohibits drinking any alcohol, including wine.   If Mitt seems undaunted by taking unpopular positions (i.e. more tax cuts for the wealthy), it could stem from his days of selling austerity to the French.</li>\n	<li>There is a well known strong puritanical streak that runs through Mormonism.   The “Word of Wisdom” requires members to abstain from not only alcohol, but also tobacco, coffee and tea.   In addition, they are supposed to refrain from sex until marriage.   Non-Mormons are not even allowed at the wedding ceremony, including family members of the bride or groom.   Although Mitt admits to tasting a beer and sampling a cigarette during his wild teenage days, he’s been squeaky clean ever since.   And while this demonstrates a determination and discipline that is admirable, it makes me wonder how relatable he is to most Americans.</li>\n	<li>There are no paid clergy in the LDS.  Instead, they rely on members to take on temporary leadership roles.   Mitt took his first turn at 30 years old (in 1977) as a counselor to the President of the Boston stake.   Among other responsibilities, he counseled fellow Mormons who were going through tough times: lost jobs, marriage troubles, unwanted pregnancies.   Peggie Hayes has told about being an overwhelmed single mother who was pregnant with her second child.   She went to her friend and LDS Bishop at the time, Mitt Romney, who advised her to put her unborn child up for adoption, even threatening her with excommunication.   Being a counselor to struggling people gave Mitt an opportunity to see suffering up close, although he wouldn’t deviate from his opinion of what it meant to be a ‘good Mormon.’</li>\n	<li>In their August cover story, Bloomberg Magazine chronicled how the Mormon Church has become a business empire, owning corporations in a variety of industries that bring in $1.2 billion annually, as well as an estimated stock (and bond) pile of $6 billion.  LDS has been accused of blending spiritual values with financial success, seeing the latter as a blessing from God and a way to improve life for its members.  Mitt embodies this glorification of materialistic success.   At 37, he was tapped to head Bain Capital, which would use leveraged capital to invest in businesses.   While he never managed any of the companies they bought, he was effective in making money for investors and himself, even if profits came at the expense of slashing jobs or piling up debt for the companies.   Mitt and the Mormons are proud of their achievements, even if they do not want anyone to know the details of their business or the extent of their wealth.</li>\n	<li>Like most religious institutions, Mormonism has adapted, albeit slowly, to the times.  Through revelations that coincided with an outcry of public opinion, church leaders decided that polygamy wasn’t such a good idea (1890) and that African Americans should be treated with equality in their church (1978).  To an outsider, it can seem convenient that God speaks to His chosen church through ‘progressive revelation’ after the rest of the nation has already gotten the message.   In a similar manner, Mitt seems to have no trouble switching to the side that is in the majority, or at least in the majority of his party.   Unfortunately, his stances on issues such as abortion, healthcare, immigration have regressed in an attempt to appease the far right.</li>\n	<li>Mormons are very generous, especially to other Mormon causes.   While other Christian churches suggest a tithe; to be in good standing, Mormons requires members to give 10% back to the church.  The Bloomberg article (8/12) estimates that tithing brings in an estimated $8 billion a year (in addition to their business revenues).   This money is used for a variety of worthy endeavors, along with trying to keep their own members off government or public assistance.  Having struggled with acceptance into the mainstream, Mormons are wary of the government and this comes out in some of Mitt’s rhetoric.   Like many Republicans, he wants to control an institution that he seems to view with suspicion and distrust.</li>\n	<li> Predestination, or the belief that they were chosen to be born into a specific family at a given time, is central to Mormonism.   Likewise, they believe in a multi-tiered heaven, which is certainly nicer than the Christian fundamentalist version of fire and brimstone.   Never-the-less, only those sealed in the Mormon Temple can live with Christ in the highest realm of heaven, where they can eventually go on to rule their own universe.   While Mormons are certainly entitled to believe this, if not careful, it can breed a subtle form of elitism.  Couple pre-destination with a life that has known nothing but wealth and privilege, and it is possible to understand how Mitt thinks in terms of an “us” versus “them,” whether it’s the other 47% or the 99%.</li>\n</ol>\nIn the end, I won’t vote against Mitt Romney because he’s a Mormon.  While parts of Mormonism seem strange to me, I’m sure my own Christian faith sounds irrational to outsiders too.  The reason I won’t vote for Mitt Romney is because I want a President who cares about 100% of the population; yes, including the poorest members of our society.   In my reading of the scriptures, real Christian values means policies that provide a safety net for “the least of these,” affordable healthcare for everyone, and a more equal playing field between the rich and everyone else.   No, the reason I won’t vote for Mitt is not because he’s a Mormon, but because his political agenda conflicts with what I believe as a Christian.\n\nJeff Fulmer is the author of the book, <a href=\"http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/\">Hometown Prophet</a>.    You can receive a free copy of his ebook, “As a Christian, Why the GOP Doesn’t Speak for Me,” by going to his website and signing up for his newsletter at http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/.','How Mormonism Shaped Mitt','','inherit','open','open','','7927-revision','','','2012-10-17 15:19:22','2012-10-17 22:19:22','',7927,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/17/7927-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(7929,1,'2012-10-18 16:26:18','2012-10-18 23:26:18','Say what you will about Mitt Romney; he is a devoted to his religion.   A mutigenerational Mormon, he has held high-ranking leadership positions and donated millions of dollars to the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS).   For many, religion goes to the core of their belief system, so what does it mean for Mitt to be a Mormon?    Of course, Mitt is not just any Mormon; he inherited the special status that comes with being the son of a wealthy Governor.   Looking into Mitt’s religious experience might provide some insight into his character and an explanation to some of the things he says on the campaign trail.\n<ol>\n	<li>Mormons are expected to spend a couple of years as missionaries and, when Mitt’s time came, he was sent to France.   While in France, Mitt was involved in a terrible car wreck that killed his supervisor’s wife.   When his supervisor went home for the funeral, Mitt was left in charge of the French effort.    He immediately moved from the countryside to a home in the wealthy district of Paris complete with artwork and servants.  By all accounts, the young Romney led a heroic effort of converting over 200 French people to a religion that prohibits drinking any alcohol, including wine.   If Mitt seems undaunted by taking unpopular positions (i.e. more tax cuts for the wealthy), it could stem from his days of selling austerity to the French.</li>\n	<li>There is a well known strong puritanical streak that runs through Mormonism.   The “Word of Wisdom” requires members to abstain from not only alcohol, but also tobacco, coffee and tea.   In addition, they are supposed to refrain from sex until marriage.   Non-Mormons are not even allowed at the wedding ceremony, including family members of the bride or groom.   Although Mitt admits to tasting a beer and sampling a cigarette during his wild teenage days, he’s been squeaky clean ever since.   And while this demonstrates a determination and discipline that is admirable, it makes me wonder how relatable he is to most Americans.</li>\n	<li>There are no paid clergy in the LDS.  Instead, they rely on members to take on temporary leadership roles.   Mitt took his first turn at 30 years old (in 1977) as a counselor to the President of the Boston stake.   Among other responsibilities, he counseled fellow Mormons who were going through tough times: lost jobs, marriage troubles, unwanted pregnancies.   Peggie Hayes has told about being an overwhelmed single mother who was pregnant with her second child.   She went to her friend and LDS Bishop at the time, Mitt Romney, who advised her to put her unborn child up for adoption, even threatening her with excommunication.   Being a counselor to struggling people gave Mitt an opportunity to see suffering up close, although he wouldn’t deviate from his opinion of what it meant to be a ‘good Mormon.’</li>\n	<li>In their August cover story, Bloomberg Magazine chronicled how the Mormon Church has become a business empire, owning corporations in a variety of industries that bring in $1.2 billion annually, as well as an estimated stock (and bond) pile of $6 billion.  LDS has been accused of blending spiritual values with financial success, seeing the latter as a blessing from God and a way to improve life for its members.  Mitt embodies this glorification of materialistic success.   At 37, he was tapped to head Bain Capital, which would use leveraged capital to invest in businesses.   While he never managed any of the companies they bought, he was effective in making money for investors and himself, even if profits came at the expense of slashing jobs or piling up debt for the companies.   Mitt and the Mormons are proud of their achievements, even if they do not want anyone to know the details of their business or the extent of their wealth.</li>\n	<li>Like most religious institutions, Mormonism has adapted, albeit slowly, to the times.  Through revelations that coincided with an outcry of public opinion, church leaders decided that polygamy wasn’t such a good idea (1890) and that African Americans should be treated with equality in their church (1978).  To an outsider, it can seem convenient that God speaks to His chosen church through ‘progressive revelation’ after the rest of the nation has already gotten the message.   In a similar manner, Mitt seems to have no trouble switching to the side that is in the majority, or at least in the majority of his party.   Unfortunately, his stances on issues such as abortion, healthcare, immigration have regressed in an attempt to appease the far right.</li>\n	<li>Mormons are very generous, especially to other Mormon causes.   While other Christian churches suggest a tithe; to be in good standing, Mormons requires members to give 10% back to the church.  The Bloomberg article (8/12) estimates that tithing brings in an estimated $8 billion a year (in addition to their business revenues).   This money is used for a variety of worthy endeavors, along with trying to keep their own members off government or public assistance.  Having struggled with acceptance into the mainstream, Mormons are wary of the government and this comes out in some of Mitt’s rhetoric.   Like many Republicans, he wants to control an institution that he seems to view with suspicion and distrust.</li>\n	<li> Predestination, or the belief that they were chosen to be born into a specific family at a given time, is central to Mormonism.   Likewise, they believe in a multi-tiered heaven, which is certainly nicer than the Christian fundamentalist version of fire and brimstone.   Never-the-less, only those sealed in the Mormon Temple can live with Christ in the highest realm of heaven, where they can eventually go on to rule their own universe.   While Mormons are certainly entitled to believe this, if not careful, it can breed a subtle form of elitism.  Couple pre-destination with a life that has known nothing but wealth and privilege, and it is possible to understand how Mitt thinks in terms of an “us” versus “them,” whether it’s the other 47% or the 99%.</li>\n</ol>\nIn the end, I won’t vote against Mitt Romney because he’s a Mormon.  While parts of Mormonism seem strange to me, I’m sure my own Christian faith sounds irrational to outsiders too.  The reason I won’t vote for Mitt Romney is because I want a President who cares about 100% of the population; yes, including the poorest members of our society.   In my reading of the scriptures, real Christian values means policies that provide a safety net for “the least of these,” affordable healthcare for everyone, and a more equal playing field between the rich and everyone else.   No, the reason I won’t vote for Mitt is not because he’s a Mormon, but because his political agenda conflicts with what I believe as a Christian.\n\nJeff Fulmer is the author of the book, <a href=\"http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/\">Hometown Prophet</a>.    You can receive a free copy of his ebook, “As a Christian, Why the GOP Doesn’t Speak for Me,” by going to his website and signing up for his newsletter at http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/.','How Mormonism Shaped Mitt','','inherit','open','open','','7927-autosave','','','2012-10-18 16:26:18','2012-10-18 23:26:18','',7927,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/17/7927-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(7934,1,'2012-10-17 15:23:57','2012-10-17 22:23:57','Say what you will about Mitt Romney; he is a devoted to his religion.   A mutigenerational Mormon, he has held high-ranking leadership positions and donated millions of dollars to the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS).   For many, religion goes to the core of their belief system, so what does it mean for Mitt to be a Mormon?    Of course, Mitt is not just any Mormon; he inherited the special status that comes with being the son of a wealthy Governor.   Looking into Mitt’s religious experience might provide some insight into his character and an explanation to some of the things he says on the campaign trail.\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Mormons are expected to spend a couple of years as missionaries and, when Mitt’s time came, he was sent to France.   While in France, Mitt was involved in a terrible car wreck that killed his supervisor’s wife.   When his supervisor went home for the funeral, Mitt was left in charge of the French effort.    He immediately moved from the countryside to a home in the wealthy district of Paris complete with artwork and servants.  By all accounts, the young Romney led a heroic effort of converting over 200 French people to a religion that prohibits drinking any alcohol, including wine.   If Mitt seems undaunted by taking unpopular positions (i.e. more tax cuts for the wealthy), it could stem from his days of selling austerity to the French.</li>\r\n	<li>There is a well known strong puritanical streak that runs through Mormonism.   The “Word of Wisdom” requires members to abstain from not only alcohol, but also tobacco, coffee and tea.   In addition, they are supposed to refrain from sex until marriage.   Non-Mormons are not even allowed at the wedding ceremony, including family members of the bride or groom.   Although Mitt admits to tasting a beer and sampling a cigarette during his wild teenage days, he’s been squeaky clean ever since.   And while this demonstrates a determination and discipline that is admirable, it makes me wonder how relatable he is to most Americans.</li>\r\n	<li>There are no paid clergy in the LDS.  Instead, they rely on members to take on temporary leadership roles.   Mitt took his first turn at 30 years old (in 1977) as a counselor to the President of the Boston stake.   Among other responsibilities, he counseled fellow Mormons who were going through tough times: lost jobs, marriage troubles, unwanted pregnancies.   Peggie Hayes has told about being an overwhelmed single mother who was pregnant with her second child.   She went to her friend and LDS Bishop at the time, Mitt Romney, who advised her to put her unborn child up for adoption, even threatening her with excommunication.   Being a counselor to struggling people gave Mitt an opportunity to see suffering up close, although he wouldn’t deviate from his opinion of what it meant to be a ‘good Mormon.’</li>\r\n	<li>In their August cover story, Bloomberg Magazine chronicled how the Mormon Church has become a business empire, owning corporations in a variety of industries that bring in $1.2 billion annually, as well as an estimated stock (and bond) pile of $6 billion.  LDS has been accused of blending spiritual values with financial success, seeing the latter as a blessing from God and a way to improve life for its members.  Mitt embodies this glorification of materialistic success.   At 37, he was tapped to head Bain Capital, which would use leveraged capital to invest in businesses.   While he never managed any of the companies they bought, he was effective in making money for investors and himself, even if profits came at the expense of slashing jobs or piling up debt for the companies.   Mitt and the Mormons are proud of their achievements, even if they do not want anyone to know the details of their business or the extent of their wealth.</li>\r\n	<li>Like most religious institutions, Mormonism has adapted, albeit slowly, to the times.  Through revelations that coincided with an outcry of public opinion, church leaders decided that polygamy wasn’t such a good idea (1890) and that African Americans should be treated with equality in their church (1978).  To an outsider, it can seem convenient that God speaks to His chosen church through ‘progressive revelation’ after the rest of the nation has already gotten the message.   In a similar manner, Mitt seems to have no trouble switching to the side that is in the majority, or at least in the majority of his party.   Unfortunately, his stances on issues such as abortion, healthcare, immigration have regressed in an attempt to appease the far right.</li>\r\n	<li>Mormons are very generous, especially to other Mormon causes.   While other Christian churches suggest a tithe; to be in good standing, Mormons requires members to give 10% back to the church.  The Bloomberg article (8/12) estimates that tithing brings in an estimated $8 billion a year (in addition to their business revenues).   This money is used for a variety of worthy endeavors, along with trying to keep their own members off government or public assistance.  Having struggled with acceptance into the mainstream, Mormons are wary of the government and this comes out in some of Mitt’s rhetoric.   Like many Republicans, he wants to control an institution that he seems to view with suspicion and distrust.</li>\r\n	<li> Predestination, or the belief that they were chosen to be born into a specific family at a given time, is central to Mormonism.   Likewise, they believe in a multi-tiered heaven, which is certainly nicer than the Christian fundamentalist version of fire and brimstone.   Never-the-less, only those sealed in the Mormon Temple can live with Christ in the highest realm of heaven, where they can eventually go on to rule their own universe.   While Mormons are certainly entitled to believe this, if not careful, it can breed a subtle form of elitism.  Couple pre-destination with a life that has known nothing but wealth and privilege, and it is possible to understand how Mitt thinks in terms of an “us” versus “them,” whether it’s the other 47% or the 99%.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nIn the end, I won’t vote against Mitt Romney because he’s a Mormon.  While parts of Mormonism seem strange to me, I’m sure my own Christian faith sounds irrational to outsiders too.  The reason I won’t vote for Mitt Romney is because I want a President who cares about 100% of the population; yes, including the poorest members of our society.   In my reading of the scriptures, real Christian values means policies that provide a safety net for “the least of these,” affordable healthcare for everyone, and a more equal playing field between the rich and everyone else.   No, the reason I won’t vote for Mitt is not because he’s a Mormon, but because his political agenda conflicts with what I believe as a Christian.\r\n\r\nJeff Fulmer is the author of the book, <a href=\"http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/\">Hometown Prophet</a>.    You can receive a free copy of his ebook, “As a Christian, Why the GOP Doesn’t Speak for Me,” by going to his website and signing up for his newsletter at http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/.','How Mormonism Shaped Mitt','','inherit','open','open','','7927-revision-2','','','2012-10-17 15:23:57','2012-10-17 22:23:57','',7927,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/17/7927-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(7935,1,'2012-10-18 16:29:59','2012-10-18 23:29:59','Say what you will about Mitt Romney; he is a devoted to his religion.   A mutigenerational Mormon, he has held high-ranking leadership positions and donated millions of dollars to the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS).   For many, religion goes to the core of their belief system, so what does it mean for Mitt to be a Mormon?    Of course, Mitt is not just any Mormon; he inherited the special status that comes with being the son of a wealthy Governor.   Looking into Mitt’s religious experience might provide some insight into his character and an explanation to some of the things he says on the campaign trail.\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Mormons are expected to spend a couple of years as missionaries and, when Mitt’s time came, he was sent to France.   While in France, Mitt was involved in a terrible car wreck that killed his supervisor’s wife.   When his supervisor went home for the funeral, Mitt was left in charge of the French effort.    He immediately moved from the countryside to a home in the wealthy district of Paris complete with artwork and servants.  By all accounts, the young Romney led a heroic effort of converting over 200 French people to a religion that prohibits drinking any alcohol, including wine.   If Mitt seems undaunted by taking unpopular positions (i.e. more tax cuts for the wealthy), it could stem from his days of selling austerity to the French.</li>\r\n	<li>There is a well known strong puritanical streak that runs through Mormonism.   The “Word of Wisdom” requires members to abstain from not only alcohol, but also tobacco, coffee and tea.   In addition, they are supposed to refrain from sex until marriage.   Non-Mormons are not even allowed at the wedding ceremony, including family members of the bride or groom.   Although Mitt admits to tasting a beer and sampling a cigarette during his wild teenage days, he’s been squeaky clean ever since.   And while this demonstrates a determination and discipline that is admirable, it makes me wonder how relatable he is to most Americans.</li>\r\n	<li>There are no paid clergy in the LDS.  Instead, they rely on members to take on temporary leadership roles.   Mitt took his first turn at 30 years old (in 1977) as a counselor to the President of the Boston stake.   Among other responsibilities, he counseled fellow Mormons who were going through tough times: lost jobs, marriage troubles, unwanted pregnancies.   Peggie Hayes has told about being an overwhelmed single mother who was pregnant with her second child.   She went to her friend and LDS Bishop at the time, Mitt Romney, who advised her to put her unborn child up for adoption, even threatening her with excommunication.   Being a counselor to struggling people gave Mitt an opportunity to see suffering up close, although he wouldn’t deviate from his opinion of what it meant to be a ‘good Mormon.’</li>\r\n	<li>In their August cover story, Bloomberg Magazine chronicled how the Mormon Church has become a business empire, owning corporations in a variety of industries that bring in $1.2 billion annually, as well as an estimated stock (and bond) pile of $6 billion.  LDS has been accused of blending spiritual values with financial success, seeing the latter as a blessing from God and a way to improve life for its members.  Mitt embodies this glorification of materialistic success.   At 37, he was tapped to head Bain Capital, which would use leveraged capital to invest in businesses.   While he never managed any of the companies they bought, he was effective in making money for investors and himself, even if profits came at the expense of slashing jobs or piling up debt for the companies.   Mitt and the Mormons are proud of their achievements, even if they do not want anyone to know the details of their business or the extent of their wealth.</li>\r\n	<li>Like most religious institutions, Mormonism has adapted, albeit slowly, to the times.  Through revelations that coincided with an outcry of public opinion, church leaders decided that polygamy wasn’t such a good idea (1890) and that African Americans should be treated with equality in their church (1978).  To an outsider, it can seem convenient that God speaks to His chosen church through ‘progressive revelation’ after the rest of the nation has already gotten the message.   In a similar manner, Mitt seems to have no trouble switching to the side that is in the majority, or at least in the majority of his party.   Unfortunately, his stances on issues such as abortion, healthcare, immigration have regressed in an attempt to appease the far right.</li>\r\n	<li>Mormons are very generous, especially to other Mormon causes.   While other Christian churches suggest a tithe; to be in good standing, Mormons requires members to give 10% back to the church.  The Bloomberg article (8/12) estimates that tithing brings in an estimated $8 billion a year (in addition to their business revenues).   This money is used for a variety of worthy endeavors, along with trying to keep their own members off government or public assistance.  Having struggled with acceptance into the mainstream, Mormons are wary of the government and this comes out in some of Mitt’s rhetoric.   Like many Republicans, he wants to control an institution that he seems to view with suspicion and distrust.</li>\r\n	<li> Predestination, or the belief that they were chosen to be born into a specific family at a given time, is central to Mormonism.   Likewise, they believe in a multi-tiered heaven, which is certainly nicer than the Christian fundamentalist version of fire and brimstone.   Never-the-less, only those sealed in the Mormon Temple can live with Christ in the highest realm of heaven, where they can eventually go on to rule their own universe.   While Mormons are certainly entitled to believe this, if not careful, it can breed a subtle form of elitism.  Couple pre-destination with a life that has known nothing but wealth and privilege, and it is possible to understand how Mitt thinks in terms of an “us” versus “them,” whether it’s the other 47% or the 99%.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nIn the end, I won’t vote against Mitt Romney because he’s a Mormon.  While parts of Mormonism seem strange to me, I’m sure my own Christian faith sounds irrational to outsiders too.  The reason I won’t vote for Mitt Romney is because I want a President who cares about 100% of the population; yes, including the poorest members of our society.   In my reading of the scriptures, real Christian values means policies that provide a safety net for “the least of these,” affordable healthcare for everyone, and a more equal playing field between the rich and everyone else.   No, the reason I won’t vote for Mitt is not because he’s a Mormon, but because his political agenda conflicts with what I believe as a Christian.\r\n\r\nJeff Fulmer is the author of the book, <a href=\"http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/\">Hometown Prophet</a>.    You can receive a free copy of his ebook, “As a Christian, Why the GOP Doesn’t Speak for Me,” by going to his website and signing up for his newsletter at http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/.','How Mormonism Shaped Mitt','','inherit','open','open','','7927-revision-3','','','2012-10-18 16:29:59','2012-10-18 23:29:59','',7927,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/18/7927-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(8115,201,'2012-12-03 08:00:03','2012-12-03 16:00:03','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/stop-child-abuse7.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-8120 alignleft\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/stop-child-abuse7-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a><span style=\"text-align: center;\">Child abuse is a social problem of epidemic proportions.</span>\r\n\r\nEven though it is difficult to understand the true scope of child abuse—studies have found that only one third of child abuse is reported, for example<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn1\">[1]</a>—the reports that are available, however conservative in nature, paint a horrific picture.  In one 2008 study, researchers found that one in five children will experience child abuse—or 15 million in total.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn2\">[2]</a>  Another study found that 1 in every 3 girls and 1 in every 8 boys will experience sexual abuse; roughly half of which being incestuous.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn3\">[3]</a>.  In 2009, 6 million children were reported to Child Protective Services.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn4\">[4]</a>  A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds,<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn5\">[5]</a> and it takes the life of more than five children each day: that is seventy-one classrooms full of children that die every year as a result of child abuse.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn6\">[6]</a>  David Finkelhor, a leading researcher on childhood victimization, has argued that children are in fact the most victimized population in the United States.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn7\">[7]</a>  In addition to experiencing the same rates of victimization as adults, he argues, children also experience victimizations unique to their own status such as child sexual abuse and neglect.  “They are beaten by family members, bullied and attacked by schoolmates and peers, abused and raped by dating partners, and targeted by sex offenders in both physical and virtual realms.”  “Childhood,” Finkelhor asserts, “is indeed a gauntlet”.<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/#_ftn8\">[8]</a>\r\n\r\nMillions of children across America are suffering: crying out in desperate need.  Has the Church heard their cries?  These children are sleeping underneath blankets of fear, walking to school in dread, and playing on the street corners we pass by on our way home from work: crying out in desperate need.   Has the Church heard their cries?  These children are waiting in emergency rooms, visiting mental health clinics, and are often engaging in risky behavior, confounding their trauma all the more: crying out in desperate need.  Has the Church heard their cries?  These children are sitting in pews and benches, coloring in Sunday school rooms, and clapping their hands and singing to worship songs in churches all across America: crying out in desperate need.  Has the Church heard their cries?\r\n\r\nThe needs created by the problem of child abuse are vast, and the Church is in a remarkable position to be able to respond to these needs.  To be a healer.  To be Christ.  To help them move into, in both their interior worlds and their social circumstances, a lived experience of God’s love.\r\n\r\nThis is not to suggest that the Church is not already responding.  Organizations like Marie Fortune’s Faith Trust Institute and the evangelical Royal Family Kids Camp are good examples.  There are more.  And, to be sure, one shouldn’t be naïve: churches are understaffed, underfunded, and attendance in many denominations is very low.  The resources are limited; time is lacking.  Yet, amidst this EPIDEMIC—where children, the most vulnerable people in our society, are the most victimized–it is clear that the Church can do more; that is has to do more.  It must learn to trust that the Holy Spirit will make a way for it to respond to the needs of abused children.\r\n\r\nI have been wondering what it might look like for all churches—if even for a year—decided to respond collectively to the most victimized population in the United States: if every church in America dedicated some of its energies to creating a campaign against child abuse in response to the needs of abused children. In addition to meeting the needs of abused children, it seems that such a campaign would be an excellent way for the Fragmented Body of Christ to become more unified—and could also serve as a catalyst for interfaith dialogue and collaboration.  Theological and sociopolitical issues aside, certainly we can agree that this epidemic necessitates a more comprehensive response, and that the Church has the power and responsibility to meet the needs of those that are suffering.  Perhaps we can all agree with Dietrich Bonheoffer when he said, “the ultimate test for a moral society is the kind of world it leaves for its children”.\r\n\r\nWhat kind of world have we created for our children? What kind of society is ours when children are the most victimized population–and they are suffering, often in a screaming silence, amidst so much wealth and affluence?\r\n\r\nThe Church has to do more.  We have to find a way.\r\n<div>To be continued …</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<hr />\r\n\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref1\">[1]</a> Sedlak, A. J., &amp; Broadhurst, D. D. (1996)\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref2\">[2]</a> How Common is Maltreatment: 5\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref3\">[3]</a> http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/factsheet/pdf/childhoodSexualAbuseFactSheet.pdf\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref4\">[4]</a> National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS)\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref5\">[5]</a> http://www.childhelp.org/pages/statistics#2\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref6\">[6]</a> United States Government Accountability Office, 2011. Child maltreatment: strengthening national data on child fatalities could aid in prevention (GAO-11-599). Retrieved from <a href=\"http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11599.pdf\">http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11599.pdf</a>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref7\">[7]</a> David Finkelhor, Childhood Victimization (New York: Oxford University Press, 2008) 3.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"\" href=\"http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref8\">[8]</a> Ibid.\r\n\r\nphoto-credit: foreign policy association\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Child Abuse is an Epidemic: The Church Must Do More','','publish','open','open','','child-abuse-is-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more','','http://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref2\nhttp://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref3\nhttp://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref4\nhttp://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref5\nhttp://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref6\nhttp://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref7\nhttp://asocialspirituality.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/child-abuse-as-an-epidemic-the-church-must-do-more/#_ftnref8','2012-12-01 15:03:01','2012-12-01 23:03:01','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=8115',0,'post','',6),(8101,0,'2012-11-26 09:25:03','2012-11-26 17:25:03','A Message to My Conservative Friends and Relatives\r\n\r\nThe election’s over, and believe it or not, my heart goes out to you with what you are probably feeling right now, as I know you probably feel about Obama like I do about the Evil One Percent, and it is frightening and unsettling to think that the enemy won.  But for myself, I have to say that I feel greatly relieved, like a giant boulder has been lifted off my chest and that I can live with the certainty that I will have the pension I worked so hard to achieve at least for the next four years and I thank God that people won over $$$. You know, if those One Percenters had put their millions into making America better, had actually created jobs with living wages, instead of trying to buy our nation and turn it into China, I might have even voted as a Republican. \r\n\r\nAs it stands, I have never been happier about seeing selfish control freaks lose large amounts of money,  Adelson, the casino magnate losing his bet, Trump and all the hatemongering rumors and lies he stirred up, the Koch Brothers and their “Right to Work“ anti-union agenda, and the awful propaganda movie they put out to inspire hate and fear and demonize our president--millions spent all for their own selfish goals!  Their losses won\'t affect their lifestyle and they will go on with all their luxurious homes scattered around both here and abroad, their car elevators, and their every whim being met, and they can go for generations never making another cent and be just as wealthy as ever.  However, what they wanted to impose on the common people was just plain evil.\r\n\r\nRight now, at a time I should be jubilant, my feeling about winning is bittersweet, and I pray for the safety and protection of our president and his family, as well as those who supported him, as there is already a call for violence out there.  I pray that this time around congress will do as Chris Christie had to do and work with the leader of our nation to make it work for the people.  If that could happen, if those jobs bills, especially the ones Obama tried to get for veterans, were to pass this time around, if outsourced corporations were more heavily taxed or fined, and corporations that employed American workers and paid them a wage they could live on were given incentives or deserved tax breaks, if those suffering families who lost their incomes to greedy outsourcing actually could get jobs with living wages and those who have no working skills could get a little training, all those people would be putting back into the economy, but people need a hand up, not punishment, and telling them they are lazy slobs and to get a job when there are none only creates hate and resentment. I believe if our congress, both democrats and republicans could work together with the good of the people at heart instead of partisan goals, we could have our America back, the one we grew up with and still cherish in our hearts and believe our great nation should be.  I believe in Government, that we ARE the government, and it can\'t be \"small government\" as we are a huge population and we need to try to make life equitable for all. God Bless America, Everyone!!!\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Beverly Donner\nAUTHOR EMAIL: Buddynet02@att.net\nAUTHOR URL: \nSUBJECT: Provoketive Magazine Writing For Provoketive\nIP: 108.82.202.128\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Beverly Donner\n    [Email] =&gt; Buddynet02@att.net\n    [Existing Blog or Website] =&gt; \n    [List the topic you are interested writing about] =&gt; A Message to My Conservative Friends and Relatives\r\n\r\nThe election’s over, and believe it or not, my heart goes out to you with what you are probably feeling right now, as I know you probably feel about Obama like I do about the Evil One Percent, and it is frightening and unsettling to think that the enemy won.  But for myself, I have to say that I feel greatly relieved, like a giant boulder has been lifted off my chest and that I can live with the certainty that I will have the pension I worked so hard to achieve at least for the next four years and I thank God that people won over $$$. You know, if those One Percenters had put their millions into making America better, had actually created jobs with living wages, instead of trying to buy our nation and turn it into China, I might have even voted as a Republican. \r\n\r\nAs it stands, I have never been happier about seeing selfish control freaks lose large amounts of money,  Adelson, the casino magnate losing his bet, Trump and all the hatemongering rumors and lies he stirred up, the Koch Brothers and their “Right to Work“ anti-union agenda, and the awful propaganda movie they put out to inspire hate and fear and demonize our president--millions spent all for their own selfish goals!  Their losses won\'t affect their lifestyle and they will go on with all their luxurious homes scattered around both here and abroad, their car elevators, and their every whim being met, and they can go for generations never making another cent and be just as wealthy as ever.  However, what they wanted to impose on the common people was just plain evil.\r\n\r\nRight now, at a time I should be jubilant, my feeling about winning is bittersweet, and I pray for the safety and protection of our president and his family, as well as those who supported him, as there is already a call for violence out there.  I pray that this time around congress will do as Chris Christie had to do and work with the leader of our nation to make it work for the people.  If that could happen, if those jobs bills, especially the ones Obama tried to get for veterans, were to pass this time around, if outsourced corporations were more heavily taxed or fined, and corporations that employed American workers and paid them a wage they could live on were given incentives or deserved tax breaks, if those suffering families who lost their incomes to greedy outsourcing actually could get jobs with living wages and those who have no working skills could get a little training, all those people would be putting back into the economy, but people need a hand up, not punishment, and telling them they are lazy slobs and to get a job when there are none only creates hate and resentment. I believe if our congress, both democrats and republicans could work together with the good of the people at heart instead of partisan goals, we could have our America back, the one we grew up with and still cherish in our hearts and believe our great nation should be.  I believe in Government, that we ARE the government, and it can\'t be \"small government\" as we are a huge population and we need to try to make life equitable for all. God Bless America, Everyone!!! \n    [Current or New WordPress Login Name (We\'ll send you a password.)] =&gt; Beverly Donner\n)\n','Beverly Donner - 2012-11-26 09:25:03','','publish','open','open','','4433fd9f0ebb9bdacd3973351087c7cd','','','2012-11-26 09:25:03','2012-11-26 17:25:03','',358,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=8101',0,'feedback','',0),(8016,201,'2012-12-07 08:00:05','2012-12-07 16:00:05','<strong>Growing Up in Fear</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a kid, I’d often wake up in the middle of the night: gasping for air and in a cold sweat, I’d be in a state of utter horror: believing that God had returned from heaven and left me behind, I feared that I would have to struggle for three and a half to seven years to avoid the Mark of the Beast in order to be saved from eternal fire and brimstone.\r\n\r\nNo, seriously.\r\n\r\nDuring the day, I’d keep my eyes peeled for the anti-Christ.  Democrats were particularly suspect.  The stock market was also indicative.  I’d look for places where I could camp out during the tribulation.  I found a tree house once that I thought I could stay in until the water next to it turned to blood.\r\n\r\nAt night, though, when this would happen, I’d start praying incessantly: confessing the awful sins that I believed I had committed, and asking that God be gracious to me because of them.  I’d be <em>pleading</em> for God to save me from the flames of hell that I thought I was in danger of.\r\n\r\n<em>“Oh, God!  Please!  Save me!  I am so sorry to have cursed at Josh today.  He’s not a fucking asshole, God.  He’s my </em>\r\n\r\n<em>friend and your precious child.  Oh, please, forgive me!  I don’t want to go to hell!  Why did I do that?!  I am so sorry! Don’t leave me behind, God.  I am sorry that I masturbated tonight!  Why, God?!  How could I be such a foolish sinner? In your love, forgive me!  If you have already come back, God, then will you please swoop back down and rapture me?  I am so afraid of the devil!  I am so afraid of the anti-Christ!  I promise that I will never get the Mark of the Beast! I am so afraid of hell!”</em>\r\n\r\nThis began in elementary school and lasted through High School: to varying degrees, and in relative forms.  It’s funny now but it was traumatic as hell then.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, I did not create these fantasies.  They weren’t the manifestation of a deranged child.  No, I am afraid they came from the fear-based Evangelical world that I grew up in. The dangerous myths about God that they taught me and coerced me to live into.\r\n\r\nThe place truly believed and lived as though God’s return was immanent, and that people that were either (a) unsaved or (b) living a life of sin would soon be suffering God’s wrath and, thus, the flames of hell: first on earth in a sort of tribulation,  and then in eternity.  If one wanted to avoid this suffering, then one needed to profess Christ as God and live a rather sinless life.\r\n\r\nThis was serious business.\r\n\r\nWe’d watch videos on this stuff: of God leaving people behind, of people getting the Mark of Beast, of people getting their heads chopped off as a result, of the waters of the earth turning to blood because of God’s beef with the world, of people in hell for various arbitrary reasons.\r\n\r\nThe implicit message was always: “this is what’s <em>going</em> to happen, and this is what’s going to happen to <em>you</em> unless you accept Jesus and ,basically, not sin”.\r\n\r\nThey’d illustrate the message through puppet shows.  We’d color this reality on paper.  And into the very depths of our psyches.\r\n\r\nThings got pretty scary when the demons of puberty struck.  On numerous occasions, I remember teachers coming up to me and saying: “Let me see you hands, Paul.  [At which point I’d show the teacher my hands].  Is there <em>semen</em> on these hands?  I know there is.  I know you’ve been masturbating.  You better clean yourself, boy.  Lift your hands up to heaven and pray for forgiveness.  Do it.  Right now!”\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-8017 alignleft\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/gw-al-gore-fire-300x221.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"221\" />\r\n\r\nIn 1999, Al Gore was the anti-Christ and Y2K was the beginning of the immanent end.  Families bought land in far off places, stocked their garages with the basic food groups, and purchased things like generators.\r\n\r\nThat same year, as a gesture of love, he claimed, my Bible teacher suggested that we write out the entire book of Revelation and then address it to an unsaved friend.  The purpose?  So that when God returned, that unsaved friend, who would be left behind, would have an opportunity to be saved by reading it.\r\n\r\nSorry about that, Mark.\r\n\r\nHow an “unsaved” kid could ascertain that information from a long and complicated book—that many suggest isn’t about the “end times” at all—is sort of interesting to think about now.\r\n\r\nMy friend’s brother also went to an Evangelical Christian school.  When he was in 9<sup>th</sup> grade, the school called everyone into the chapel and then locked them inside.  It was an emergency, the school said.\r\n\r\nThe principle got on stage and told everyone that the nuclear power plant outside of Denver had just exploded.   That all of their family members were dead.  That they only have hours to live.\r\n\r\nFortunately for them, there was still time to accept Christ.  If they didn’t, they’d soon be dead and in hell forever.  Like the rest of Denver.\r\n\r\nThe principle made the whole thing up to scare the kids into accepting Jesus.  Some parents complained, but he got off with a mere warning because his “intentions” were good: because, so the logic went, leading people to Christ can never be quite that bad.\r\n\r\n<strong>A Father and His Son</strong>\r\n\r\nThis past weekend I dropped my doctoral program to-do list and drove from Berkeley to Orange County in order to spend time with friends from college.  Thanks be to God that my old Volvo survived the trip.  I wasn’t sure that it would.  But I am so glad: I needed the respite and rejuvenation that my beautiful friends—many of whom also grew up in the sort of Evangelical world I did—lavishly bless me with.\r\n\r\nOne afternoon, as I dug my toes into the warm sand of Newport Beach, listened to the waves crash onto the shore, and ate a <em>ridiculously</em> expensive acai bowl, I watched and listened to a father teach his son how to boogie board.\r\n\r\nI watched as the boy’s father gently held his shirt until a wave was powerful enough to carry him forward.\r\n\r\nI listened as he told his son what to do: “here comes a big one, my boy, kick your feet as hard and fast as you can!”\r\n\r\nI watched as his son struggled to learn and failed to ride the waves.\r\n\r\nAnd I listened as his father encourage him in his struggles and failures: “that’s okay, my boy, we’ll get the next one”.\r\n\r\nAs I watched and listened to this simple and yet beautiful exchange, I gave thanks to God: for being the sort of Father that gently teaches us how to ride the waves of life, and that encourages us when we struggle and fail to do so.\r\n\r\nI also gave thanks to God for not actually being the God of the fear-based Evangelical world that I grew up in.  And for helping me understand that.\r\n\r\nThe fear-based Evangelical God is a monster.  He’s a child abuser.  And a lot of people that have left the church have left for that very reason: because they don’t want be around a God-monster that abuses children.  We should applaud their departure.  And seriously mourn their loss and the reason for it.\r\n\r\n<strong>Addressing Abuse in the Church</strong>\r\n\r\nI got to wondering about this on my drive back up to Berkeley.\r\n\r\nHow many children have had similar experiences?  How many children are experiencing this sort of thing right now?  Have people left the Church because of this reason?  What are the consequences these experiences? Has it been seriously studied yet?  Have I changed my doctoral focus yet again?  How many questions can one ask before going insane?\r\n\r\nBut seriously, is this issue on our radar?  How concerned are we about it?\r\n\r\nChildren enter the world with a profound sense of openness and trust.   That is a gift.  A blessing.  But it is also a vulnerability, and something that can be taken advantaged of and murderously destroyed if handled inappropriately.   And what some churches do to children to get them “saved” is nothing short of child abuse.\r\n\r\nThe Church ought to wake up to this fact and deal with it within its own walls lest the State take up the worthy cause to the detriment of both the Church and the State.\r\n\r\nA few important points:\r\n\r\nI am not suggesting that churches are intentionally and consciously abusing children.  I am also not suggesting that the people that teach children to be afraid of God are child abusers. Some churches are also more extreme than others.  Not every fear-based Evangelical church is like the one I grew up in.   Some are worse.  And some, like mine, are also very beautiful and loving places.  I fell in love with God in my fear-based Evangelical world, however pathological that love initially was.  And that is a testament to God’s presence there.\r\n\r\nThe situation is complicated and nuanced.  And, most of all, it’s a sacred tragedy.\r\n\r\nGod is love, and the Church is called to be an orchestra of that love.  It ought to be a place of safety for children—a place where they can go to understand how<em>ridiculously</em> in love God is with them.  Not a fear factory garbed in godliness.\r\n\r\nThe Church ought to be a place where children need <em>absolutely not</em> be afraid of God: because that is the last thing God wants for children.  When the Church teaches children to fear God, and thus alienates them from God, it perverts the essence of its mission and it embarrasses itself.  It takes advantage of children, and it often destroys something sacred in them.  And few things grieve the Spirit more than that.\r\n\r\n“Woe to you who cause children to stumble,” Jesus warned.','God In A Fear Factory','','publish','open','open','','al-gore-as-the-anti-christ-and-the-nuclear-explosion-in-denver-that-never-happened-on-god-in-a-fear-factory','','','2012-12-01 15:12:10','2012-12-01 23:12:10','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=8016',0,'post','',3),(7947,126,'2012-10-26 11:19:19','2012-10-26 18:19:19','This is a season when people are particularly bold and passionate about telling the world who they place their faith in.  Physical expressions of this faith are everywhere. Take a look around.  On billboards, bumper stickers, vacant lots, fences, public land, private land, businesses and in front yards you’ll see them — campaign signs!  All have the names of a person or ballot initiative, many have arresting slogans too.  You can argue the validity or truth behind the candidates and the messages, many do, but I contend that at the heart of all these is faith and hope.  Faith in the people and process changes put forth to create positive changes in the world and hope for a better community and world.  I find it a sad irony that in the days, weeks (and sometimes months) that follow elections these campaign signs often remain, becoming weathered and  beaten-down reminders of the hope that quickly fades in the reality of a political system based on fatally flawed people who inevitably fail to live-up to the superhuman hopes we place in them.\r\n\r\nIf you look at stories recorded in the Bible about the things prophets did to get the attention of people around them, it’s hard to imagine that many of their contemporaries didn’t simply think they’d lost their grip on reality. They did some crazy stuff!  A talking donkey, a talking serpent, cooking food over excrement, dead people coming back to life, the list goes on from cover to cover. But through experience, witness, and faith God has shown Himself to be true and His word to be faithful in my life.  So I have faith.  As I was reading through some of these this week I wondered to myself how I’d react if I encountered someone who did crazy things like a prophet  of old, would I listen or discount them?  So it’s no wonder that within the week, my question was tested in reality…. Last night.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_7949\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://instagr.am/p/RKyUXeMCDk/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7949 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/cross-statement_of_faith-300x300.jpeg\" alt=\"Public Statement of Faith\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> In a time where people post signs promoting candidates and ballot measures in which they place their faith and trust, here\'s a very different kind of statement.[/caption]\r\n\r\nIt was around 8:00pm when I got an unexpected call from a friend.  I’ve known this guy for years and love and respect him, but we travel different paths and don’t see each other all that often. Nonetheless, when he asked if he could have “two minutes of my time” I happily agreed. He was in my driveway moments later.  With excitement in his voice and fire in his eyes he expressed his inspiration at having seen campaign signs everywhere… and went on.  At this point, I saw wood posts in the back of his truck and I feared he was going to ask me to post a sign for his favorite candidate. I was dreading having to respectfully decline.  At this point the conversation took an unexpected turn.   He told of how, instead, he wished he could erect a huge campaign sign that simply said, “Jesus is Lord.”  Again, I inwardly dreaded he wanted to do this in my front yard. But he went on with clear and focused passion to explain how he had heard from God that this wasn’t what He desired. (Sigh of relief.)  Instead, if he wanted to express his passion for the Kingdom of God, he could do so with the sign that’s stood for Christianity for hundreds of years—by fashioning a simple cross.  He explained that simplicity was, in fact, a critical part of it.  Modeling what he meant, he proceeded to take a light wooden post from his truck, break it in half and bind the two pieces together with a single nail, driven in not by a hammer but a large flat rock!  It was the simplest of crosses, handmade, right before my eyes in less than a minute. While assembling it, he explained the symbolism he had come to understand from each step—the breaking, the nailing, the rock.  I was at once taken aback by the sheer surprise of such an unexpected visit and swept away by the zeal with which he presented his experience.\r\n\r\nI anticipated the final step in process … posting the finished cross in my yard.  But that’s not what happened.  Instead, he explained that, like faith itself, in order to make this statement for the Kingdom of God, you had to do it for yourself.  So instead of posting <em>his</em> finished work, he handed me a piece of wood, a nail and the rock and left the next steps to me. What happened next surprised me.  As taken as I was with his story and the passion with which he told it, when faced with actually doing it myself I started thinking … what will neighbors think? This is crazy, do people even know what this means?  It’s Halloween week, maybe people will think it’s just supposed to be a grave in my front lawn. (Really, I thought that.)  But even in this the parallels to coming to faith were unmistakable.   In that process almost everyone at some point considers what their family, friends, classmates or coworkers will think of their newfound “religion”.  If you’re to move forward you have to reconcile this for yourself and accept the real consequences however they play out. Real faith has to be expressed in some form, not as an obligation, but as a natural outcome. Though I don’t think a person has to post a cross on their front lawn to be a real follower of Jesus, for me at that moment it was clear what I had to do.  So I took the post, broke it, nailed the pieces together … with a rock and pounded it into my front lawn.\r\n\r\nA very simple thing, made of and with simple things, but immeasurably symbolic.  I don’t know how long I’ll leave it posted and I don’t know if anyone will even ask about it. When my friend left he said he’d done what he believed he was called to do and told me what happened next was up to me, I needed to listen for God’s voice myself.  A very simple statement, an extremely challenging call. Then he left, headed to visit another of a list of friends he felt lead to see.\r\n\r\nSome might call my friend crazy.  Perhaps.  But that charge puts him in pretty good company with folks like Abraham, Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, just to name a few … and let’s not forget the crazy claims of a man named Jesus.  The world needs more crazy people.\r\n\r\nPeace.','Where do you place your faith?','','publish','open','open','','where-do-you-place-your-faith','','','2012-10-26 11:19:19','2012-10-26 18:19:19','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=7947',0,'post','',0),(7948,126,'2012-10-24 13:30:55','2012-10-24 20:30:55','This is a season when people are particularly bold and passionate about telling the world who they place their faith in.  Physical expressions of this faith are everywhere. Take a look around.  On billboards, bumper stickers, vacant lots, fences, public land, private land, businesses and in front yards you’ll see them — campaign signs!  All have the names of a person or ballot initiative, many have arresting slogans too.  You can argue the validity or truth behind the candidates and the messages, many do, but I contend that at the heart of all these is faith and hope.  Faith in the people and process changes put forth to create positive changes in the world and hope for a better community and world.  I find it a sad irony that in the days, weeks (and sometimes months) that follow elections these campaign signs often remain, becoming weathered and  beaten-down reminders of the hope that quickly fades in the reality of a political system based on fatally flawed people who inevitably fail to live-up to the superhuman hopes we place in them.\n\nIf you look at stories recorded in the Bible about the things prophets did to get the attention of people around them, it’s hard to imagine that many of their contemporaries didn’t simply think they’d lost their grip on reality. They did some crazy stuff!  A talking donkey, a talking serpent, cooking food over excrement, dead people coming back to life, the list goes on from cover to cover. But through experience, witness, and faith God has shown Himself to be true and His word to be faithful in my life.  So I have faith.  As I was reading through some of these this week I wondered to myself how I’d react if I encountered someone who did crazy things like a prophet  of old, would I listen or discount them?  So it’s no wonder that within the week, my question was tested in reality…. Last night.\n\n<a href=\"http://instagr.am/p/RKyUXeMCDk/\" rel=\"nofollow nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">http://instagr.am/p/RKyUXeMCDk/</a>\n\nIt was around 8:00pm when I got an unexpected call from a friend.  I’ve known this guy for years and love and respect him, but we travel different paths and don’t see each other all that often. Nonetheless, when he asked if he could have “two minutes of my time” I happily agreed. He was in my driveway moments later.  With excitement in his voice and fire in his eyes he expressed his inspiration at having seen campaign signs everywhere… and went on.  At this point, I saw wood posts in the back of his truck and I feared he was going to ask me to post a sign for his favorite candidate. I was dreading having to respectfully decline.  At this point the conversation took an unexpected turn.   He told of how, instead, he wished he could erect a huge campaign sign that simply said, “Jesus is Lord.”  Again, I inwardly dreaded he wanted to do this in my front yard. But he went on with clear and focused passion to explain how he had heard from God that this wasn’t what He desired. (Sigh of relief.)  Instead, if he wanted to express his passion for the Kingdom of God, he could do so with the sign that’s stood for Christianity for hundreds of years—by fashioning a simple cross.  He explained that simplicity was, in fact, a critical part of it.  Modeling what he meant, he proceeded to take a light wooden post from his truck, break it in half and bind the two pieces together with a single nail, driven in not by a hammer but a large flat rock!  It was the simplest of crosses, handmade, right before my eyes in less than a minute. While assembling it, he explained the symbolism he had come to understand from each step—the breaking, the nailing, the rock.  I was at once taken aback by the sheer surprise of such an unexpected visit and swept away by the zeal with which he presented his experience.\n\nI anticipated the final step in process … posting the finished cross in my yard.  But that’s not what happened.  Instead, he explained that, like faith itself, in order to make this statement for the Kingdom of God, you had to do it for yourself.  So instead of posting <em>his</em> finished work, he handed me a piece of wood, a nail and the rock and left the next steps to me. What happened next surprised me.  As taken as I was with his story and the passion with which he told it, when faced with actually doing it myself I started thinking … what will neighbors think? This is crazy, do people even know what this means?  It’s Halloween week, maybe people will think it’s just supposed to be a grave in my front lawn. (Really, I thought that.)  But even in this the parallels to coming to faith were unmistakable.   In that process almost everyone at some point considers what their family, friends, classmates or coworkers will think of their newfound “religion”.  If you’re to move forward you have to reconcile this for yourself and accept the real consequences however they play out. Real faith has to be expressed in some form, not as an obligation, but as a natural outcome. Though I don’t think a person has to post a cross on their front lawn to be a real follower of Jesus, for me at that moment it was clear what I had to do.  So I took the post, broke it, nailed the pieces together … with a rock and pounded it into my front lawn.\n\nA very simple thing, made of and with simple things, but immeasurably symbolic.  I don’t know how long I’ll leave it posted and I don’t know if anyone will even ask about it. When my friend left he said he’d done what he believed he was called to do and told me what happened next was up to me, I needed to listen for God’s voice myself.  A very simple statement, an extremely challenging call. Then he left, headed to visit another of a list of friends he felt lead to see.\n\nSome might call my friend crazy.  Perhaps.  But that charge puts him in pretty good company with folks like Abraham, Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, just to name a few … and let’s not forget the crazy claims of a man named Jesus.  The world needs more crazy people.\n\nPeace.','Where do you place your faith?','','inherit','open','open','','7947-revision','','','2012-10-24 13:30:55','2012-10-24 20:30:55','',7947,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/24/7947-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(7949,126,'2012-10-24 13:34:06','2012-10-24 20:34:06','','cross-statement_of_faith','In a time where people post signs promoting the candidates and ballot measures in which they place their faith and trust, here\'s a different kind of statement. ','inherit','open','open','','cross-statement_of_faith','','','2012-10-24 13:34:06','2012-10-24 20:34:06','',7947,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/cross-statement_of_faith.jpeg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7950,126,'2012-10-24 13:30:56','2012-10-24 20:30:56','This is a season when people are particularly bold and passionate about telling the world who they place their faith in.  Physical expressions of this faith are everywhere. Take a look around.  On billboards, bumper stickers, vacant lots, fences, public land, private land, businesses and in front yards you’ll see them — campaign signs!  All have the names of a person or ballot initiative, many have arresting slogans too.  You can argue the validity or truth behind the candidates and the messages, many do, but I contend that at the heart of all these is faith and hope.  Faith in the people and process changes put forth to create positive changes in the world and hope for a better community and world.  I find it a sad irony that in the days, weeks (and sometimes months) that follow elections these campaign signs often remain, becoming weathered and  beaten-down reminders of the hope that quickly fades in the reality of a political system based on fatally flawed people who inevitably fail to live-up to the superhuman hopes we place in them.\r\n\r\nIf you look at stories recorded in the Bible about the things prophets did to get the attention of people around them, it’s hard to imagine that many of their contemporaries didn’t simply think they’d lost their grip on reality. They did some crazy stuff!  A talking donkey, a talking serpent, cooking food over excrement, dead people coming back to life, the list goes on from cover to cover. But through experience, witness, and faith God has shown Himself to be true and His word to be faithful in my life.  So I have faith.  As I was reading through some of these this week I wondered to myself how I’d react if I encountered someone who did crazy things like a prophet  of old, would I listen or discount them?  So it’s no wonder that within the week, my question was tested in reality…. Last night.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://instagr.am/p/RKyUXeMCDk/\" rel=\"nofollow nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">http://instagr.am/p/RKyUXeMCDk/</a>\r\n\r\nIt was around 8:00pm when I got an unexpected call from a friend.  I’ve known this guy for years and love and respect him, but we travel different paths and don’t see each other all that often. Nonetheless, when he asked if he could have “two minutes of my time” I happily agreed. He was in my driveway moments later.  With excitement in his voice and fire in his eyes he expressed his inspiration at having seen campaign signs everywhere… and went on.  At this point, I saw wood posts in the back of his truck and I feared he was going to ask me to post a sign for his favorite candidate. I was dreading having to respectfully decline.  At this point the conversation took an unexpected turn.   He told of how, instead, he wished he could erect a huge campaign sign that simply said, “Jesus is Lord.”  Again, I inwardly dreaded he wanted to do this in my front yard. But he went on with clear and focused passion to explain how he had heard from God that this wasn’t what He desired. (Sigh of relief.)  Instead, if he wanted to express his passion for the Kingdom of God, he could do so with the sign that’s stood for Christianity for hundreds of years—by fashioning a simple cross.  He explained that simplicity was, in fact, a critical part of it.  Modeling what he meant, he proceeded to take a light wooden post from his truck, break it in half and bind the two pieces together with a single nail, driven in not by a hammer but a large flat rock!  It was the simplest of crosses, handmade, right before my eyes in less than a minute. While assembling it, he explained the symbolism he had come to understand from each step—the breaking, the nailing, the rock.  I was at once taken aback by the sheer surprise of such an unexpected visit and swept away by the zeal with which he presented his experience.\r\n\r\nI anticipated the final step in process … posting the finished cross in my yard.  But that’s not what happened.  Instead, he explained that, like faith itself, in order to make this statement for the Kingdom of God, you had to do it for yourself.  So instead of posting <em>his</em> finished work, he handed me a piece of wood, a nail and the rock and left the next steps to me. What happened next surprised me.  As taken as I was with his story and the passion with which he told it, when faced with actually doing it myself I started thinking … what will neighbors think? This is crazy, do people even know what this means?  It’s Halloween week, maybe people will think it’s just supposed to be a grave in my front lawn. (Really, I thought that.)  But even in this the parallels to coming to faith were unmistakable.   In that process almost everyone at some point considers what their family, friends, classmates or coworkers will think of their newfound “religion”.  If you’re to move forward you have to reconcile this for yourself and accept the real consequences however they play out. Real faith has to be expressed in some form, not as an obligation, but as a natural outcome. Though I don’t think a person has to post a cross on their front lawn to be a real follower of Jesus, for me at that moment it was clear what I had to do.  So I took the post, broke it, nailed the pieces together … with a rock and pounded it into my front lawn.\r\n\r\nA very simple thing, made of and with simple things, but immeasurably symbolic.  I don’t know how long I’ll leave it posted and I don’t know if anyone will even ask about it. When my friend left he said he’d done what he believed he was called to do and told me what happened next was up to me, I needed to listen for God’s voice myself.  A very simple statement, an extremely challenging call. Then he left, headed to visit another of a list of friends he felt lead to see.\r\n\r\nSome might call my friend crazy.  Perhaps.  But that charge puts him in pretty good company with folks like Abraham, Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, just to name a few … and let’s not forget the crazy claims of a man named Jesus.  The world needs more crazy people.\r\n\r\nPeace.','Where do you place your faith?','','inherit','open','open','','7947-revision-2','','','2012-10-24 13:30:56','2012-10-24 20:30:56','',7947,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/24/7947-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(7952,126,'2012-10-24 16:27:20','2012-10-24 23:27:20','This is a season when people are particularly bold and passionate about telling the world who they place their faith in.  Physical expressions of this faith are everywhere. Take a look around.  On billboards, bumper stickers, vacant lots, fences, public land, private land, businesses and in front yards you’ll see them — campaign signs!  All have the names of a person or ballot initiative, many have arresting slogans too.  You can argue the validity or truth behind the candidates and the messages, many do, but I contend that at the heart of all these is faith and hope.  Faith in the people and process changes put forth to create positive changes in the world and hope for a better community and world.  I find it a sad irony that in the days, weeks (and sometimes months) that follow elections these campaign signs often remain, becoming weathered and  beaten-down reminders of the hope that quickly fades in the reality of a political system based on fatally flawed people who inevitably fail to live-up to the superhuman hopes we place in them.\n\nIf you look at stories recorded in the Bible about the things prophets did to get the attention of people around them, it’s hard to imagine that many of their contemporaries didn’t simply think they’d lost their grip on reality. They did some crazy stuff!  A talking donkey, a talking serpent, cooking food over excrement, dead people coming back to life, the list goes on from cover to cover. But through experience, witness, and faith God has shown Himself to be true and His word to be faithful in my life.  So I have faith.  As I was reading through some of these this week I wondered to myself how I’d react if I encountered someone who did crazy things like a prophet  of old, would I listen or discount them?  So it’s no wonder that within the week, my question was tested in reality…. Last night.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_7949\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://instagr.am/p/RKyUXeMCDk/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7949\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/cross-statement_of_faith-300x300.jpeg\" alt=\"Public Statement of Faith\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> In a time where people post signs promoting candidates and ballot measures in which they place their faith and trust, here\'s a very different kind of statement.[/caption]\n\nIt was around 8:00pm when I got an unexpected call from a friend.  I’ve known this guy for years and love and respect him, but we travel different paths and don’t see each other all that often. Nonetheless, when he asked if he could have “two minutes of my time” I happily agreed. He was in my driveway moments later.  With excitement in his voice and fire in his eyes he expressed his inspiration at having seen campaign signs everywhere… and went on.  At this point, I saw wood posts in the back of his truck and I feared he was going to ask me to post a sign for his favorite candidate. I was dreading having to respectfully decline.  At this point the conversation took an unexpected turn.   He told of how, instead, he wished he could erect a huge campaign sign that simply said, “Jesus is Lord.”  Again, I inwardly dreaded he wanted to do this in my front yard. But he went on with clear and focused passion to explain how he had heard from God that this wasn’t what He desired. (Sigh of relief.)  Instead, if he wanted to express his passion for the Kingdom of God, he could do so with the sign that’s stood for Christianity for hundreds of years—by fashioning a simple cross.  He explained that simplicity was, in fact, a critical part of it.  Modeling what he meant, he proceeded to take a light wooden post from his truck, break it in half and bind the two pieces together with a single nail, driven in not by a hammer but a large flat rock!  It was the simplest of crosses, handmade, right before my eyes in less than a minute. While assembling it, he explained the symbolism he had come to understand from each step—the breaking, the nailing, the rock.  I was at once taken aback by the sheer surprise of such an unexpected visit and swept away by the zeal with which he presented his experience.\n\nI anticipated the final step in process … posting the finished cross in my yard.  But that’s not what happened.  Instead, he explained that, like faith itself, in order to make this statement for the Kingdom of God, you had to do it for yourself.  So instead of posting <em>his</em> finished work, he handed me a piece of wood, a nail and the rock and left the next steps to me. What happened next surprised me.  As taken as I was with his story and the passion with which he told it, when faced with actually doing it myself I started thinking … what will neighbors think? This is crazy, do people even know what this means?  It’s Halloween week, maybe people will think it’s just supposed to be a grave in my front lawn. (Really, I thought that.)  But even in this the parallels to coming to faith were unmistakable.   In that process almost everyone at some point considers what their family, friends, classmates or coworkers will think of their newfound “religion”.  If you’re to move forward you have to reconcile this for yourself and accept the real consequences however they play out. Real faith has to be expressed in some form, not as an obligation, but as a natural outcome. Though I don’t think a person has to post a cross on their front lawn to be a real follower of Jesus, for me at that moment it was clear what I had to do.  So I took the post, broke it, nailed the pieces together … with a rock and pounded it into my front lawn.\n\nA very simple thing, made of and with simple things, but immeasurably symbolic.  I don’t know how long I’ll leave it posted and I don’t know if anyone will even ask about it. When my friend left he said he’d done what he believed he was called to do and told me what happened next was up to me, I needed to listen for God’s voice myself.  A very simple statement, an extremely challenging call. Then he left, headed to visit another of a list of friends he felt lead to see.\n\nSome might call my friend crazy.  Perhaps.  But that charge puts him in pretty good company with folks like Abraham, Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, just to name a few … and let’s not forget the crazy claims of a man named Jesus.  The world needs more crazy people.\n\nPeace.','Where do you place your faith?','','inherit','open','open','','7947-revision-3','','','2012-10-24 16:27:20','2012-10-24 23:27:20','',7947,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/24/7947-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(7956,1,'2012-10-26 11:20:29','2012-10-26 18:20:29','This is a season when people are particularly bold and passionate about telling the world who they place their faith in.  Physical expressions of this faith are everywhere. Take a look around.  On billboards, bumper stickers, vacant lots, fences, public land, private land, businesses and in front yards you’ll see them — campaign signs!  All have the names of a person or ballot initiative, many have arresting slogans too.  You can argue the validity or truth behind the candidates and the messages, many do, but I contend that at the heart of all these is faith and hope.  Faith in the people and process changes put forth to create positive changes in the world and hope for a better community and world.  I find it a sad irony that in the days, weeks (and sometimes months) that follow elections these campaign signs often remain, becoming weathered and  beaten-down reminders of the hope that quickly fades in the reality of a political system based on fatally flawed people who inevitably fail to live-up to the superhuman hopes we place in them.\n\nIf you look at stories recorded in the Bible about the things prophets did to get the attention of people around them, it’s hard to imagine that many of their contemporaries didn’t simply think they’d lost their grip on reality. They did some crazy stuff!  A talking donkey, a talking serpent, cooking food over excrement, dead people coming back to life, the list goes on from cover to cover. But through experience, witness, and faith God has shown Himself to be true and His word to be faithful in my life.  So I have faith.  As I was reading through some of these this week I wondered to myself how I’d react if I encountered someone who did crazy things like a prophet  of old, would I listen or discount them?  So it’s no wonder that within the week, my question was tested in reality…. Last night.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_7949\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://instagr.am/p/RKyUXeMCDk/\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-7949 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/cross-statement_of_faith-300x300.jpeg\" alt=\"Public Statement of Faith\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> In a time where people post signs promoting candidates and ballot measures in which they place their faith and trust, here\'s a very different kind of statement.[/caption]\n\nIt was around 8:00pm when I got an unexpected call from a friend.  I’ve known this guy for years and love and respect him, but we travel different paths and don’t see each other all that often. Nonetheless, when he asked if he could have “two minutes of my time” I happily agreed. He was in my driveway moments later.  With excitement in his voice and fire in his eyes he expressed his inspiration at having seen campaign signs everywhere… and went on.  At this point, I saw wood posts in the back of his truck and I feared he was going to ask me to post a sign for his favorite candidate. I was dreading having to respectfully decline.  At this point the conversation took an unexpected turn.   He told of how, instead, he wished he could erect a huge campaign sign that simply said, “Jesus is Lord.”  Again, I inwardly dreaded he wanted to do this in my front yard. But he went on with clear and focused passion to explain how he had heard from God that this wasn’t what He desired. (Sigh of relief.)  Instead, if he wanted to express his passion for the Kingdom of God, he could do so with the sign that’s stood for Christianity for hundreds of years—by fashioning a simple cross.  He explained that simplicity was, in fact, a critical part of it.  Modeling what he meant, he proceeded to take a light wooden post from his truck, break it in half and bind the two pieces together with a single nail, driven in not by a hammer but a large flat rock!  It was the simplest of crosses, handmade, right before my eyes in less than a minute. While assembling it, he explained the symbolism he had come to understand from each step—the breaking, the nailing, the rock.  I was at once taken aback by the sheer surprise of such an unexpected visit and swept away by the zeal with which he presented his experience.\n\nI anticipated the final step in process … posting the finished cross in my yard.  But that’s not what happened.  Instead, he explained that, like faith itself, in order to make this statement for the Kingdom of God, you had to do it for yourself.  So instead of posting <em>his</em> finished work, he handed me a piece of wood, a nail and the rock and left the next steps to me. What happened next surprised me.  As taken as I was with his story and the passion with which he told it, when faced with actually doing it myself I started thinking … what will neighbors think? This is crazy, do people even know what this means?  It’s Halloween week, maybe people will think it’s just supposed to be a grave in my front lawn. (Really, I thought that.)  But even in this the parallels to coming to faith were unmistakable.   In that process almost everyone at some point considers what their family, friends, classmates or coworkers will think of their newfound “religion”.  If you’re to move forward you have to reconcile this for yourself and accept the real consequences however they play out. Real faith has to be expressed in some form, not as an obligation, but as a natural outcome. Though I don’t think a person has to post a cross on their front lawn to be a real follower of Jesus, for me at that moment it was clear what I had to do.  So I took the post, broke it, nailed the pieces together … with a rock and pounded it into my front lawn.\n\nA very simple thing, made of and with simple things, but immeasurably symbolic.  I don’t know how long I’ll leave it posted and I don’t know if anyone will even ask about it. When my friend left he said he’d done what he believed he was called to do and told me what happened next was up to me, I needed to listen for God’s voice myself.  A very simple statement, an extremely challenging call. Then he left, headed to visit another of a list of friends he felt lead to see.\n\nSome might call my friend crazy.  Perhaps.  But that charge puts him in pretty good company with folks like Abraham, Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, just to name a few … and let’s not forget the crazy claims of a man named Jesus.  The world needs more crazy people.\n\nPeace.','Where do you place your faith?','','inherit','open','open','','7947-autosave','','','2012-10-26 11:20:29','2012-10-26 18:20:29','',7947,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/26/7947-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(8021,1,'2012-11-05 10:11:07','2012-11-05 18:11:07','<p style=\"text-align: left\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000000\"><a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Thin-Blue-Smoke-Doug-Worgul/dp/0985295325/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1352138606&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=thin+blue+smoke\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-8005\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/thin-blue-smoke-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"641\" height=\"276\" /></a>I am seriously moved, definitely warmed and inspired as I just finished a new novel by Doug Worgul, entitled, </span><a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Thin-Blue-Smoke-Doug-Worgul/dp/0985295325/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1352059633&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=thin+blue+smoke\"><em>Thin Blue Smoke.</em></a></strong></p>\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">These characters got into my heart and let me know I still have a heart. They’re real and flawed. Some of them have had some really bad breaks in life, but those bad breaks did not set their destiny; one human being caring about another did.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\">Having stumbled upon a review while surfing my Facebook updates, it was the context of Kansas City barbecue that intrigued me because I love barbecue and spent a good many years living just north and later, just south of KC. A downtown hole-the-wall barbecue joint is a connecting point for many of the characters in the story.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\"><a href=\"http://www.dougworgul.com/\"><span style=\"color: #000000\"><img class=\" wp-image-1205 alignright\" src=\"http://www.glennhager.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/worgul-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"159\" height=\"240\" /></span></a><strong>Food, friends, and faith are all meshed in a raw and real way to keep you eagerly reading.</strong> I was sucked in with a mention of hometown in the first paragraph of chapter one and later references to obscure northwestern Missouri locales, all of which were familiar to me.</span>\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #000000\">Worgul is a former features, book and magazine editor for the </span><em>Kansas City Star</em></strong><span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>, the author of two non-fiction works, and a bona fide barbecue expert.</strong> He writes so beautifully and warmly that you know this man knows something about people, God, relationships, redemption, and barbecue. It’s not preachy in the least and is not a Christian book, in any conventional sense, but its message of love and redemption through relationships is, perhaps, the most beautiful I have ever read.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>The characters are colorful, including the cranky old former professional baseball player and proprietor of the BBQ joint,</strong> the sort of adopted lost boy who runs the place, the scholarly, alcoholic, has been author Episcopal priest, the real estate developer with a secret, and the seventy-five year-old local legend blues singer, known as Mother. These are real people who have serious regrets, drink too much, have sex, and yes, some of them, are violent and corrupt. Not everyone is redeemed. It’s like life.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>There are scenes so tender that they got to a crusty old dude like me.</strong> The eccentricities of the people made me laugh out loud and the circumstances of their love and grief caused me to weep silently.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #000000\"><strong>I loved reading this rich and rewarding story set in a place I know, but it is the people</strong> (I don’t even think of them as characters) that encouraged me and inspired me to see if maybe, somehow in the twists and turns of life, I could be something of a redeeming influence for somebody.</span>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.dougworgul.com/\">Doug Worgul’s site</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://burnsidewriters.com/2012/03/19/introducing-burnside-books/\">Burnside Books (publisher) site</a>','Thin Blue Smoke','','inherit','open','open','','8004-revision-6','','','2012-11-05 10:11:07','2012-11-05 18:11:07','',8004,'http://provoketive.com/2012/11/05/8004-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(7960,161,'2012-10-28 10:27:22','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Book Review: Walking away from Nuremberg','','draft','open','open','','','','','2012-10-28 10:27:22','2012-10-28 17:27:22','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=7960',0,'post','',0),(7962,43,'2012-10-31 08:17:27','2012-10-31 15:17:27','<em>Note: I was given an advance copy of </em>A Year of Biblical Womanhood<em> as part of the launch team.  I volunteered to be on the team because I believe in this project and I wholeheartedly support the ongoing work of Rachel Held Evans.  My review is not without bias.  My other reviews of the book can be found at Amazon, Barnes &amp; Noble, CBD, and my personal blog.\r\n</em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/A-Year-Biblical-Womanhood-med-white.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-7974\" title=\"A Year Biblical Womanhood-med-white\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/A-Year-Biblical-Womanhood-med-white-190x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"190\" height=\"300\" /></a>I was first introduced to the writing of Rachel Held Evans by following a bunny trail from one blog to another.  At the time, she was about two thirds of the way through the year-long project which resulted in this book.  I was fascinated by the idea of taking literal interpretation of Scripture to its natural conclusion.  With great anticipation, I continued to follow Rachel\'s blog over the 15 months or so between then and now.\r\n\r\nI was not disappointed with the book; it lived up to my expectations and then some.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Rachel\'s adventures and misadventures bringing the Bible to life.  I recognized myself in the pages of the book; from her struggle to bring out her inner Martha Stewart to her desperate plea for help on a sewing project, I found a kindred undomestic spirit.  I laughed out loud at her description of standing at her town\'s welcome sign, holding a poster board in praise of her husband (she was reenacting the call to \"praise her husband at the city gates\" from Proverbs 31) and wept tears of mirth (sorry, Rachel!) at the frequency with which she ended up on her kitchen floor in less joyful tears of her own.\r\n\r\nThere is more to the book, however, than Rachel\'s wit and self-deprecating humor.  When it comes to Rachel\'s thorough examination of Scripture, she rises to the challenge.  Her analyses are in-depth and the amount of research cannot be denied or ignored.  Each chapter highlights a woman whose story can be found in the pages of the Bible, but Rachel offers a new perspective on every one of them.  She treats each woman with the dignity she is due and explains the ways in which many of them defied their culture.  This was new for me, as I had learned that women in the Bible were peripheral to the \"real\" stories.  More often than not, the women were only heralded as examples of \"good Christian wives\" who knew their proper place and kept to it, letting the men take the spotlight.  Rachel effectively demonstrates that this is patently false.\r\n\r\nI deeply appreciate Rachel\'s examination of Proverbs 31, the Wife of Noble Character. I had always seen the Proverbs 31 wife as an enemy, because she was an ideal I could never match, yet I was supposed to use her as my model.  The majority of writing on the subject to which I had been exposed can be summed up like this: \"The Wife of Noble Character is God\'s ideal for us as women.  None of us can live up to this, of course, but that\'s okay, that\'s what Jesus died for—to redeem even those of us who can\'t be perfect.\"  Rachel expertly navigates the text and explains the origin of this beautiful piece of poetry.  She concludes by telling women that each of us is <em>Eshet chayil</em>--a woman of valor; this is a term she then continues to use throughout the book.\r\n\r\nAlthough there has been much talk about Rachel being irreverent, \"ignoring\" Scripture or tradition, or making a mockery of the Bible, not one of those things is true. It is obvious that Rachel\'s love for the Bible grew as she worked her way through the year.  She offers personal insights into what the Bible came to mean for her during each phase of her project. This provides a welcome change from the hard-line \"commandment\" view of a woman\'s role within the community of faith.  It opens doors for all of us to examine the texts and learn what God wants to show us through even the challenging passages.\r\n\r\nI believe this book is one of the most important books of our time.  For those who agree with Rachel\'s perspective, she is a fellow traveler on the road of egalitarian theology; she provides solid support for her views.  Even for those who would disagree with Rachel\'s conclusions, it is worth reading.  The places of divergence offer a chance for those in disagreement to clarify their views.\r\n\r\nI highly recommend <em>A Year of Biblical Womanhood</em> to anyone wishing to find a compatriot, understand a perspective different from his or her own, or just interested in a good read full of humor and grace.','Book Review: A Year of Biblical Womanhood','','publish','open','open','','book-review-a-year-of-biblical-womanhood','','','2012-10-31 08:18:01','2012-10-31 15:18:01','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=7962',0,'post','',3),(7963,43,'2012-10-28 13:34:19','2012-10-28 20:34:19','<em>Note: I was given an advance copy of A Year of Biblical Womanhood as part of the launch team.  I volunteered to be on the team because I believe in this project and I wholeheartedly support the ongoing work of Rachel Held Evans.  My review is not without bias.</em>\n\nI was first introduced to the writing of Rachel Held Evans by following a bunny trail from one blog to another.  At the time, she was about two thirds of the way through the year-long project which resulted in this book.  I was fascinated by the idea of taking literal interpretation of Scripture to its natural conclusion.  With great anticipation, I continued to follow Rachel\'s blog over the 15 months or so following.\n\nI was not disappointed with the book; it lived up to my expectations and then some.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Rachel\'s adventures and misadventures bringing the Bible to life.  I recognized myself in the pages of the book, from her struggle to bring out her inner Martha Stewart to her desperate plea for help on a sewing project, I found a kindred undomestic spirit.  I laughed out loud at her description of standing at her town\'s welcome sign, holding a sign of her own in praise of her husband (she was reenacting the call to \"praise her husband at the city gates\" from Proverbs 31) and wept tears of mirth (sorry, Rachel!) at the frequency with which she ended up on her kitchen floor in less joyful tears of her own.\n\nThere is more to the book, however, than Rachel\'s wit and self-deprecating humor.  When it comes to Rachel\'s thorough examination of Scripture, she rises to the challenge.  Her analyses are in-depth and the amount of research cannot be denied or ignored.  Each chapter highlights a woman whose story can be found in the pages of the Bible, but Rachel offers a new perspective on every one of them.  She treats each woman with the dignity she is due and explains the ways in which many of them defied their culture.  This was new for me, as I had learned that women in the Bible were peripheral to the \"real\" stories.  More often than not, the women were only heralded as examples of \"good Christian wives\" who knew their proper place and kept to it, letting the men take the spotlight.  Rachel effectively demonstrates that this is patently false.\n\nI deeply appreciate Rachel\'s examination of Proverbs 31, the Wife of Noble Character. I had always seen the Proberbs 31 wife as an enemy, because she was an ideal I could never match, yet I was supposed to use her as my model.  The majority of writing on the subject to which I had been exposed can be summed up like this: \"The Wife of Noble Character is God\'s ideal for us as women.  None of us can live up to this, of course, but that\'s okay, that\'s what Jesus died for—to redeem even those of us who can\'t be perfect.\"  Rachel expertly navigates the text and explains the origin of this beautiful piece of poetry.  She concludes by telling women that each of us is Eshet chayil--a woman of valor; this is a term she then continues to use throughout the book.\n\nAlthough there has been much talk about Rachel being irreverent, \"ignoring\" Scripture or tradition, or making a mockery of the Bible, not one of those things is true. It is obvious that Rachel\'s love for the Bible grew as she worked her way through the year.  She offers personal insights into what the Bible came to mean for her during each phase of her project. This provides a welcome change from the hard-line \"commandment\" view of a woman\'s role within the community of faith.  It opens doors for all of us to examine the texts and learn what God wants to show us through even the challenging passages.\n\nI believe this book is one of the most important books of our time.  For those who agree with Rachel\'s perspective, she is a fellow traveler on the road of egalitarian theology; she provides solid support for her views.  Even for those who would disagree with Rachel\'s conclusions, it is worth reading.  The places of divergence offer a chance for those in disagreement to clarify their views.\n\nI highly recommend <em>A Year of Biblical Womanhood</em> to anyone wishing to find a compatriot, understand a perspective different from his or her own, or just interested in a good read full of humor and grace.','Book Review: A Year of Biblical Womanhood','','inherit','open','open','','7962-revision','','','2012-10-28 13:34:19','2012-10-28 20:34:19','',7962,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/28/7962-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(7964,43,'2012-10-28 13:40:48','2012-10-28 20:40:48','','RHE-project-rachel_vs_rachel','Rachel vs. Project Rachel','inherit','open','open','','rhe-project-rachel_vs_rachel','','','2012-10-28 13:40:48','2012-10-28 20:40:48','',7962,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/RHE-project-rachel_vs_rachel.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7965,43,'2012-10-28 13:35:44','2012-10-28 20:35:44','<em>Note: I was given an advance copy of </em>A Year of Biblical Womanhood<em> as part of the launch team.  I volunteered to be on the team because I believe in this project and I wholeheartedly support the ongoing work of Rachel Held Evans.  My review is not without bias.</em>\n\nI was first introduced to the writing of Rachel Held Evans by following a bunny trail from one blog to another.  At the time, she was about two thirds of the way through the year-long project which resulted in this book.  I was fascinated by the idea of taking literal interpretation of Scripture to its natural conclusion.  With great anticipation, I continued to follow Rachel\'s blog over the 15 months or so following.\n\nI was not disappointed with the book; it lived up to my expectations and then some.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Rachel\'s adventures and misadventures bringing the Bible to life.  I recognized myself in the pages of the book, from her struggle to bring out her inner Martha Stewart to her desperate plea for help on a sewing project, I found a kindred undomestic spirit.  I laughed out loud at her description of standing at her town\'s welcome sign, holding a sign of her own in praise of her husband (she was reenacting the call to \"praise her husband at the city gates\" from Proverbs 31) and wept tears of mirth (sorry, Rachel!) at the frequency with which she ended up on her kitchen floor in less joyful tears of her own.\n\nThere is more to the book, however, than Rachel\'s wit and self-deprecating humor.  When it comes to Rachel\'s thorough examination of Scripture, she rises to the challenge.  Her analyses are in-depth and the amount of research cannot be denied or ignored.  Each chapter highlights a woman whose story can be found in the pages of the Bible, but Rachel offers a new perspective on every one of them.  She treats each woman with the dignity she is due and explains the ways in which many of them defied their culture.  This was new for me, as I had learned that women in the Bible were peripheral to the \"real\" stories.  More often than not, the women were only heralded as examples of \"good Christian wives\" who knew their proper place and kept to it, letting the men take the spotlight.  Rachel effectively demonstrates that this is patently false.\n\nI deeply appreciate Rachel\'s examination of Proverbs 31, the Wife of Noble Character. I had always seen the Proberbs 31 wife as an enemy, because she was an ideal I could never match, yet I was supposed to use her as my model.  The majority of writing on the subject to which I had been exposed can be summed up like this: \"The Wife of Noble Character is God\'s ideal for us as women.  None of us can live up to this, of course, but that\'s okay, that\'s what Jesus died for—to redeem even those of us who can\'t be perfect.\"  Rachel expertly navigates the text and explains the origin of this beautiful piece of poetry.  She concludes by telling women that each of us is Eshet chayil--a woman of valor; this is a term she then continues to use throughout the book.\n\nAlthough there has been much talk about Rachel being irreverent, \"ignoring\" Scripture or tradition, or making a mockery of the Bible, not one of those things is true. It is obvious that Rachel\'s love for the Bible grew as she worked her way through the year.  She offers personal insights into what the Bible came to mean for her during each phase of her project. This provides a welcome change from the hard-line \"commandment\" view of a woman\'s role within the community of faith.  It opens doors for all of us to examine the texts and learn what God wants to show us through even the challenging passages.\n\nI believe this book is one of the most important books of our time.  For those who agree with Rachel\'s perspective, she is a fellow traveler on the road of egalitarian theology; she provides solid support for her views.  Even for those who would disagree with Rachel\'s conclusions, it is worth reading.  The places of divergence offer a chance for those in disagreement to clarify their views.\n\nI highly recommend <em>A Year of Biblical Womanhood</em> to anyone wishing to find a compatriot, understand a perspective different from his or her own, or just interested in a good read full of humor and grace.','Book Review: A Year of Biblical Womanhood','','inherit','open','open','','7962-revision-2','','','2012-10-28 13:35:44','2012-10-28 20:35:44','',7962,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/28/7962-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(7966,43,'2012-10-28 13:41:38','2012-10-28 20:41:38','<em>Note: I was given an advance copy of </em>A Year of Biblical Womanhood<em> as part of the launch team.  I volunteered to be on the team because I believe in this project and I wholeheartedly support the ongoing work of Rachel Held Evans.  My review is not without bias.</em>\r\n\r\nI was first introduced to the writing of Rachel Held Evans by following a bunny trail from one blog to another.  At the time, she was about two thirds of the way through the year-long project which resulted in this book.  I was fascinated by the idea of taking literal interpretation of Scripture to its natural conclusion.  With great anticipation, I continued to follow Rachel\'s blog over the 15 months or so following.\r\n\r\nI was not disappointed with the book; it lived up to my expectations and then some.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Rachel\'s adventures and misadventures bringing the Bible to life.  I recognized myself in the pages of the book, from her struggle to bring out her inner Martha Stewart to her desperate plea for help on a sewing project, I found a kindred undomestic spirit.  I laughed out loud at her description of standing at her town\'s welcome sign, holding a sign of her own in praise of her husband (she was reenacting the call to \"praise her husband at the city gates\" from Proverbs 31) and wept tears of mirth (sorry, Rachel!) at the frequency with which she ended up on her kitchen floor in less joyful tears of her own.\r\n\r\nThere is more to the book, however, than Rachel\'s wit and self-deprecating humor.  When it comes to Rachel\'s thorough examination of Scripture, she rises to the challenge.  Her analyses are in-depth and the amount of research cannot be denied or ignored.  Each chapter highlights a woman whose story can be found in the pages of the Bible, but Rachel offers a new perspective on every one of them.  She treats each woman with the dignity she is due and explains the ways in which many of them defied their culture.  This was new for me, as I had learned that women in the Bible were peripheral to the \"real\" stories.  More often than not, the women were only heralded as examples of \"good Christian wives\" who knew their proper place and kept to it, letting the men take the spotlight.  Rachel effectively demonstrates that this is patently false.\r\n\r\nI deeply appreciate Rachel\'s examination of Proverbs 31, the Wife of Noble Character. I had always seen the Proberbs 31 wife as an enemy, because she was an ideal I could never match, yet I was supposed to use her as my model.  The majority of writing on the subject to which I had been exposed can be summed up like this: \"The Wife of Noble Character is God\'s ideal for us as women.  None of us can live up to this, of course, but that\'s okay, that\'s what Jesus died for—to redeem even those of us who can\'t be perfect.\"  Rachel expertly navigates the text and explains the origin of this beautiful piece of poetry.  She concludes by telling women that each of us is Eshet chayil--a woman of valor; this is a term she then continues to use throughout the book.\r\n\r\nAlthough there has been much talk about Rachel being irreverent, \"ignoring\" Scripture or tradition, or making a mockery of the Bible, not one of those things is true. It is obvious that Rachel\'s love for the Bible grew as she worked her way through the year.  She offers personal insights into what the Bible came to mean for her during each phase of her project. This provides a welcome change from the hard-line \"commandment\" view of a woman\'s role within the community of faith.  It opens doors for all of us to examine the texts and learn what God wants to show us through even the challenging passages.\r\n\r\nI believe this book is one of the most important books of our time.  For those who agree with Rachel\'s perspective, she is a fellow traveler on the road of egalitarian theology; she provides solid support for her views.  Even for those who would disagree with Rachel\'s conclusions, it is worth reading.  The places of divergence offer a chance for those in disagreement to clarify their views.\r\n\r\nI highly recommend <em>A Year of Biblical Womanhood</em> to anyone wishing to find a compatriot, understand a perspective different from his or her own, or just interested in a good read full of humor and grace.','Book Review: A Year of Biblical Womanhood','','inherit','open','open','','7962-revision-3','','','2012-10-28 13:41:38','2012-10-28 20:41:38','',7962,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/28/7962-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(7967,43,'2012-10-28 13:42:29','2012-10-28 20:42:29','<em>Note: I was given an advance copy of </em>A Year of Biblical Womanhood<em> as part of the launch team.  I volunteered to be on the team because I believe in this project and I wholeheartedly support the ongoing work of Rachel Held Evans.  My review is not without bias.</em>\r\n\r\nI was first introduced to the writing of Rachel Held Evans by following a bunny trail from one blog to another.  At the time, she was about two thirds of the way through the year-long project which resulted in this book.  I was fascinated by the idea of taking literal interpretation of Scripture to its natural conclusion.  With great anticipation, I continued to follow Rachel\'s blog over the 15 months or so following.\r\n\r\nI was not disappointed with the book; it lived up to my expectations and then some.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Rachel\'s adventures and misadventures bringing the Bible to life.  I recognized myself in the pages of the book, from her struggle to bring out her inner Martha Stewart to her desperate plea for help on a sewing project, I found a kindred undomestic spirit.  I laughed out loud at her description of standing at her town\'s welcome sign, holding a sign of her own in praise of her husband (she was reenacting the call to \"praise her husband at the city gates\" from Proverbs 31) and wept tears of mirth (sorry, Rachel!) at the frequency with which she ended up on her kitchen floor in less joyful tears of her own.\r\n\r\nThere is more to the book, however, than Rachel\'s wit and self-deprecating humor.  When it comes to Rachel\'s thorough examination of Scripture, she rises to the challenge.  Her analyses are in-depth and the amount of research cannot be denied or ignored.  Each chapter highlights a woman whose story can be found in the pages of the Bible, but Rachel offers a new perspective on every one of them.  She treats each woman with the dignity she is due and explains the ways in which many of them defied their culture.  This was new for me, as I had learned that women in the Bible were peripheral to the \"real\" stories.  More often than not, the women were only heralded as examples of \"good Christian wives\" who knew their proper place and kept to it, letting the men take the spotlight.  Rachel effectively demonstrates that this is patently false.\r\n\r\nI deeply appreciate Rachel\'s examination of Proverbs 31, the Wife of Noble Character. I had always seen the Proberbs 31 wife as an enemy, because she was an ideal I could never match, yet I was supposed to use her as my model.  The majority of writing on the subject to which I had been exposed can be summed up like this: \"The Wife of Noble Character is God\'s ideal for us as women.  None of us can live up to this, of course, but that\'s okay, that\'s what Jesus died for—to redeem even those of us who can\'t be perfect.\"  Rachel expertly navigates the text and explains the origin of this beautiful piece of poetry.  She concludes by telling women that each of us is Eshet chayil--a woman of valor; this is a term she then continues to use throughout the book.\r\n\r\nAlthough there has been much talk about Rachel being irreverent, \"ignoring\" Scripture or tradition, or making a mockery of the Bible, not one of those things is true. It is obvious that Rachel\'s love for the Bible grew as she worked her way through the year.  She offers personal insights into what the Bible came to mean for her during each phase of her project. This provides a welcome change from the hard-line \"commandment\" view of a woman\'s role within the community of faith.  It opens doors for all of us to examine the texts and learn what God wants to show us through even the challenging passages.\r\n\r\nI believe this book is one of the most important books of our time.  For those who agree with Rachel\'s perspective, she is a fellow traveler on the road of egalitarian theology; she provides solid support for her views.  Even for those who would disagree with Rachel\'s conclusions, it is worth reading.  The places of divergence offer a chance for those in disagreement to clarify their views.\r\n\r\nI highly recommend <em>A Year of Biblical Womanhood</em> to anyone wishing to find a compatriot, understand a perspective different from his or her own, or just interested in a good read full of humor and grace.','Book Review: A Year of Biblical Womanhood','','inherit','open','open','','7962-revision-4','','','2012-10-28 13:42:29','2012-10-28 20:42:29','',7962,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/28/7962-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(7969,0,'2012-10-29 10:23:25','2012-10-29 17:23:25','Hi,\r\n \r\nGood Day!\r\n \r\nThis is Chris Davie and I’m curious to know if you have any List or Emailing requirements for your company. We are a leading Mailing List &amp; Marketing Services Company. We help our clients with our Email List &amp; Email Marketing Services for improvising their business marketing/branding/recruiting, etc. by using our B2B Email Lists.\r\n \r\nIf you feel I should talk to somebody else in your organization, it will be great if you can forward this email to the right person.\r\n \r\nList Buy: let us know your précised criteria and I will assist you with the counts, samples and other necessary information. Our lists can be targeted by any of your specifications as below:\r\n• Industry\r\n• Title/job roles\r\n• Geography\r\n• Revenue type/Employee size\r\n• Company Size\r\n• Product/Service Type\r\n• Any other specifications.\r\n \r\nOur lists comes with all information such as Full Name, First Name, Last Name, Titles, Company Name, URL, Telephone Number, Fax Number, Industry Type, Employee Size, Revenue Size, Postal Address with City, State, Country, Zip Code and more importantly with their Direct Email Addresses.\r\n \r\nCategories: Healthcare, Insurance, Finance/Banking, Manufacturing, Media, Automotive, Marketing/Advertising, Electronics, Telecom, Retail, Consulting, Information Technology, Food and Beverage, Construction, Engineering, Computer Software/Hardware, Transportation, Education, HR, Business Services, Oil and Gas, Energy and Utilities, Fortunes, Large Corporations, SMB/SME, Freelancers, etc.\r\n \r\nAudience: C level, VP level, D level, M level, others like Owners, CEO, CFO, CTO, COO, CIO, VP, SVP, EVP, Presidents, Managing Director, Marketing Directors, GM, Office Manager, Sales and Marketing Managers, HR Managers, IT Managers, Procurement / Supply Chain Execs, etc. (Technology users and Product specific users are also available)\r\n \r\nBenefits: Global Coverage, Affordability, Guarantee on Services, Faster Deliverability, Unlimited Usage License on Lists, etc\r\n \r\nLet me know if you have any questions.\r\n \r\nThanks and we like to grow your business.\r\n \r\nChris Davie\r\nBusiness Development Executive\r\nTel: +1-302-353-4442\r\nSpecialty Lists | Email Lists | Direct Mail Lists | Telemarketing Lists | Fax Lists | Email Marketing | Email / Data Appending | Lead Generation\r\nP Think about the environment before printing this e-mail\r\nNOTICE: This e-mail is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged and confidential. Access to this email by anyone else is unauthorized, copying, distribution or any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender and destroy all copies of the transmittal.\r\nWe respect your privacy, if you do not wish to receive any further emails. kindly reply us as remove in the email subject.\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Chris Davie\nAUTHOR EMAIL: chris.davie@intellectualinfinity.com\nAUTHOR URL: \nSUBJECT: [Provoketive Magazine] Contact Us\nIP: 122.167.218.231\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Chris Davie\n    [Email] =&gt; chris.davie@intellectualinfinity.com\n    [Comment] =&gt; \r\nHi,\r\n \r\nGood Day!\r\n \r\nThis is Chris Davie and I’m curious to know if you have any List or Emailing requirements for your company. We are a leading Mailing List &amp; Marketing Services Company. We help our clients with our Email List &amp; Email Marketing Services for improvising their business marketing/branding/recruiting, etc. by using our B2B Email Lists.\r\n \r\nIf you feel I should talk to somebody else in your organization, it will be great if you can forward this email to the right person.\r\n \r\nList Buy: let us know your précised criteria and I will assist you with the counts, samples and other necessary information. Our lists can be targeted by any of your specifications as below:\r\n• Industry\r\n• Title/job roles\r\n• Geography\r\n• Revenue type/Employee size\r\n• Company Size\r\n• Product/Service Type\r\n• Any other specifications.\r\n \r\nOur lists comes with all information such as Full Name, First Name, Last Name, Titles, Company Name, URL, Telephone Number, Fax Number, Industry Type, Employee Size, Revenue Size, Postal Address with City, State, Country, Zip Code and more importantly with their Direct Email Addresses.\r\n \r\nCategories: Healthcare, Insurance, Finance/Banking, Manufacturing, Media, Automotive, Marketing/Advertising, Electronics, Telecom, Retail, Consulting, Information Technology, Food and Beverage, Construction, Engineering, Computer Software/Hardware, Transportation, Education, HR, Business Services, Oil and Gas, Energy and Utilities, Fortunes, Large Corporations, SMB/SME, Freelancers, etc.\r\n \r\nAudience: C level, VP level, D level, M level, others like Owners, CEO, CFO, CTO, COO, CIO, VP, SVP, EVP, Presidents, Managing Director, Marketing Directors, GM, Office Manager, Sales and Marketing Managers, HR Managers, IT Managers, Procurement / Supply Chain Execs, etc. (Technology users and Product specific users are also available)\r\n \r\nBenefits: Global Coverage, Affordability, Guarantee on Services, Faster Deliverability, Unlimited Usage License on Lists, etc\r\n \r\nLet me know if you have any questions.\r\n \r\nThanks and we like to grow your business.\r\n \r\nChris Davie\r\nBusiness Development Executive\r\nTel: +1-302-353-4442\r\nSpecialty Lists | Email Lists | Direct Mail Lists | Telemarketing Lists | Fax Lists | Email Marketing | Email / Data Appending | Lead Generation\r\nP Think about the environment before printing this e-mail\r\nNOTICE: This e-mail is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged and confidential. Access to this email by anyone else is unauthorized, copying, distribution or any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender and destroy all copies of the transmittal.\r\nWe respect your privacy, if you do not wish to receive any further emails. kindly reply us as remove in the email subject.\r\n \r\n\r\n\n)\n','Chris Davie - 2012-10-29 10:23:25','','publish','open','open','','eb2c7e385ebc626a422b9b32b0cae5f6','','','2012-10-29 10:23:25','2012-10-29 17:23:25','',16,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=7969',0,'feedback','',0),(8031,0,'2012-11-15 06:54:14','2012-11-15 14:54:14','We are looking for information on the nativity scene on your cover.  We have a partial set and we are looking to complete the set.  We will need Joseph, Gabriel, camels, cow, the little lambs, little boy.  Our baby Jesus has been badly damaged so if we could replace it that would be great.  Thank you for your help and time.\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Stephanie\nAUTHOR EMAIL: Stephanie_Luimes@hotmail.com\nAUTHOR URL: \nSUBJECT: [Provoketive Magazine] Contact Us\nIP: 209.87.254.250\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Stephanie\n    [Email] =&gt; Stephanie_Luimes@hotmail.com\n    [Comment] =&gt; We are looking for information on the nativity scene on your cover.  We have a partial set and we are looking to complete the set.  We will need Joseph, Gabriel, camels, cow, the little lambs, little boy.  Our baby Jesus has been badly damaged so if we could replace it that would be great.  Thank you for your help and time.\n)\n','Stephanie - 2012-11-15 06:54:14','','publish','open','open','','38c342a1bf0b0d38be3983ba7e8d18b6','','','2012-11-15 06:54:14','2012-11-15 14:54:14','',16,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=8031',0,'feedback','',0),(7974,1,'2012-10-31 08:16:55','2012-10-31 15:16:55','','A Year Biblical Womanhood-med-white','','inherit','open','open','','a-year-biblical-womanhood-med-white','','','2012-10-31 08:16:55','2012-10-31 15:16:55','',7962,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/A-Year-Biblical-Womanhood-med-white.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7975,1,'2012-10-28 13:49:28','2012-10-28 20:49:28','<em>Note: I was given an advance copy of </em>A Year of Biblical Womanhood<em> as part of the launch team.  I volunteered to be on the team because I believe in this project and I wholeheartedly support the ongoing work of Rachel Held Evans.  My review is not without bias.  My other reviews of the book can be found at Amazon, Barnes &amp; Noble, CBD, and my personal blog.\r\n</em>\r\n\r\nI was first introduced to the writing of Rachel Held Evans by following a bunny trail from one blog to another.  At the time, she was about two thirds of the way through the year-long project which resulted in this book.  I was fascinated by the idea of taking literal interpretation of Scripture to its natural conclusion.  With great anticipation, I continued to follow Rachel\'s blog over the 15 months or so between then and now.\r\n\r\nI was not disappointed with the book; it lived up to my expectations and then some.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Rachel\'s adventures and misadventures bringing the Bible to life.  I recognized myself in the pages of the book; from her struggle to bring out her inner Martha Stewart to her desperate plea for help on a sewing project, I found a kindred undomestic spirit.  I laughed out loud at her description of standing at her town\'s welcome sign, holding a poster board in praise of her husband (she was reenacting the call to \"praise her husband at the city gates\" from Proverbs 31) and wept tears of mirth (sorry, Rachel!) at the frequency with which she ended up on her kitchen floor in less joyful tears of her own.\r\n\r\nThere is more to the book, however, than Rachel\'s wit and self-deprecating humor.  When it comes to Rachel\'s thorough examination of Scripture, she rises to the challenge.  Her analyses are in-depth and the amount of research cannot be denied or ignored.  Each chapter highlights a woman whose story can be found in the pages of the Bible, but Rachel offers a new perspective on every one of them.  She treats each woman with the dignity she is due and explains the ways in which many of them defied their culture.  This was new for me, as I had learned that women in the Bible were peripheral to the \"real\" stories.  More often than not, the women were only heralded as examples of \"good Christian wives\" who knew their proper place and kept to it, letting the men take the spotlight.  Rachel effectively demonstrates that this is patently false.\r\n\r\nI deeply appreciate Rachel\'s examination of Proverbs 31, the Wife of Noble Character. I had always seen the Proverbs 31 wife as an enemy, because she was an ideal I could never match, yet I was supposed to use her as my model.  The majority of writing on the subject to which I had been exposed can be summed up like this: \"The Wife of Noble Character is God\'s ideal for us as women.  None of us can live up to this, of course, but that\'s okay, that\'s what Jesus died for—to redeem even those of us who can\'t be perfect.\"  Rachel expertly navigates the text and explains the origin of this beautiful piece of poetry.  She concludes by telling women that each of us is <em>Eshet chayil</em>--a woman of valor; this is a term she then continues to use throughout the book.\r\n\r\nAlthough there has been much talk about Rachel being irreverent, \"ignoring\" Scripture or tradition, or making a mockery of the Bible, not one of those things is true. It is obvious that Rachel\'s love for the Bible grew as she worked her way through the year.  She offers personal insights into what the Bible came to mean for her during each phase of her project. This provides a welcome change from the hard-line \"commandment\" view of a woman\'s role within the community of faith.  It opens doors for all of us to examine the texts and learn what God wants to show us through even the challenging passages.\r\n\r\nI believe this book is one of the most important books of our time.  For those who agree with Rachel\'s perspective, she is a fellow traveler on the road of egalitarian theology; she provides solid support for her views.  Even for those who would disagree with Rachel\'s conclusions, it is worth reading.  The places of divergence offer a chance for those in disagreement to clarify their views.\r\n\r\nI highly recommend <em>A Year of Biblical Womanhood</em> to anyone wishing to find a compatriot, understand a perspective different from his or her own, or just interested in a good read full of humor and grace.','Book Review: A Year of Biblical Womanhood','','inherit','open','open','','7962-revision-5','','','2012-10-28 13:49:28','2012-10-28 20:49:28','',7962,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/28/7962-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(7976,1,'2012-10-31 08:17:27','2012-10-31 15:17:27','<em>Note: I was given an advance copy of </em>A Year of Biblical Womanhood<em> as part of the launch team.  I volunteered to be on the team because I believe in this project and I wholeheartedly support the ongoing work of Rachel Held Evans.  My review is not without bias.  My other reviews of the book can be found at Amazon, Barnes &amp; Noble, CBD, and my personal blog.\r\n</em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/A-Year-Biblical-Womanhood-med-white.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-7974\" title=\"A Year Biblical Womanhood-med-white\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/A-Year-Biblical-Womanhood-med-white-190x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"190\" height=\"300\" /></a>I was first introduced to the writing of Rachel Held Evans by following a bunny trail from one blog to another.  At the time, she was about two thirds of the way through the year-long project which resulted in this book.  I was fascinated by the idea of taking literal interpretation of Scripture to its natural conclusion.  With great anticipation, I continued to follow Rachel\'s blog over the 15 months or so between then and now.\r\n\r\nI was not disappointed with the book; it lived up to my expectations and then some.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Rachel\'s adventures and misadventures bringing the Bible to life.  I recognized myself in the pages of the book; from her struggle to bring out her inner Martha Stewart to her desperate plea for help on a sewing project, I found a kindred undomestic spirit.  I laughed out loud at her description of standing at her town\'s welcome sign, holding a poster board in praise of her husband (she was reenacting the call to \"praise her husband at the city gates\" from Proverbs 31) and wept tears of mirth (sorry, Rachel!) at the frequency with which she ended up on her kitchen floor in less joyful tears of her own.\r\n\r\nThere is more to the book, however, than Rachel\'s wit and self-deprecating humor.  When it comes to Rachel\'s thorough examination of Scripture, she rises to the challenge.  Her analyses are in-depth and the amount of research cannot be denied or ignored.  Each chapter highlights a woman whose story can be found in the pages of the Bible, but Rachel offers a new perspective on every one of them.  She treats each woman with the dignity she is due and explains the ways in which many of them defied their culture.  This was new for me, as I had learned that women in the Bible were peripheral to the \"real\" stories.  More often than not, the women were only heralded as examples of \"good Christian wives\" who knew their proper place and kept to it, letting the men take the spotlight.  Rachel effectively demonstrates that this is patently false.\r\n\r\nI deeply appreciate Rachel\'s examination of Proverbs 31, the Wife of Noble Character. I had always seen the Proverbs 31 wife as an enemy, because she was an ideal I could never match, yet I was supposed to use her as my model.  The majority of writing on the subject to which I had been exposed can be summed up like this: \"The Wife of Noble Character is God\'s ideal for us as women.  None of us can live up to this, of course, but that\'s okay, that\'s what Jesus died for—to redeem even those of us who can\'t be perfect.\"  Rachel expertly navigates the text and explains the origin of this beautiful piece of poetry.  She concludes by telling women that each of us is <em>Eshet chayil</em>--a woman of valor; this is a term she then continues to use throughout the book.\r\n\r\nAlthough there has been much talk about Rachel being irreverent, \"ignoring\" Scripture or tradition, or making a mockery of the Bible, not one of those things is true. It is obvious that Rachel\'s love for the Bible grew as she worked her way through the year.  She offers personal insights into what the Bible came to mean for her during each phase of her project. This provides a welcome change from the hard-line \"commandment\" view of a woman\'s role within the community of faith.  It opens doors for all of us to examine the texts and learn what God wants to show us through even the challenging passages.\r\n\r\nI believe this book is one of the most important books of our time.  For those who agree with Rachel\'s perspective, she is a fellow traveler on the road of egalitarian theology; she provides solid support for her views.  Even for those who would disagree with Rachel\'s conclusions, it is worth reading.  The places of divergence offer a chance for those in disagreement to clarify their views.\r\n\r\nI highly recommend <em>A Year of Biblical Womanhood</em> to anyone wishing to find a compatriot, understand a perspective different from his or her own, or just interested in a good read full of humor and grace.','Book Review: A Year of Biblical Womanhood','','inherit','open','open','','7962-revision-6','','','2012-10-31 08:17:27','2012-10-31 15:17:27','',7962,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/31/7962-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(8063,12,'2012-11-16 23:16:14','2012-11-17 07:16:14','','chipx','','inherit','open','open','','chipx-3','','','2012-11-16 23:16:14','2012-11-17 07:16:14','',0,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/chipx2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(8064,12,'2012-11-16 23:16:47','2012-11-17 07:16:47','','civilwar','','inherit','open','open','','civilwar-3','','','2012-11-16 23:16:47','2012-11-17 07:16:47','',0,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/civilwar2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(8017,201,'2012-11-10 13:40:22','2012-11-10 21:40:22','','gw-al-gore-fire','','inherit','open','open','','gw-al-gore-fire','','','2012-11-10 13:40:22','2012-11-10 21:40:22','',8016,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/gw-al-gore-fire.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7982,160,'2012-11-02 08:00:18','2012-11-02 15:00:18','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/RomneyObama1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-7984 alignleft\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/RomneyObama1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\nI’m ready for this election to be over.   As with most hotly contested campaigns, it’s been full of half-truths and outright lies.   And, while I have my opinion on the source of the vast majority of deception, the casual observer simply sees partisan bickering and endless gamesmanship.   The result can be a cynical electorate who loses interest in the whole political process.   I’ve noticed many Christians who seem to fall into this category.  Already suspicious of politicians, they hear the hypocrisy espoused in the campaigns and no longer trust either party to be a viable part of the solution.\r\n\r\nIn an attempt to transcend the right and left, it can be tempting to avoid making any choice at all, leaving less scrupulous elements to pick our leaders and determine our policies.   It’s true; Jesus sidestepped politics.  He talked of feeding the poor and showed compassion for the sick and suffering.  He admonished us to take care of the least of these and warned about the love of money.  He even paid taxes without complaint.   At the same time, he avoided questions about Roman rule.   Of course, Jesus had a much more important mission; one that takes place in hearts and souls.\r\n\r\nOnce we have responded to the gospel, we should have a desire to do God’s work here on earth.  For me, this involves trying to support causes that reflect his love and mercy in all aspects of life: families, communities, culture, and yes, politics and government.   So, shouldn’t we want a government that more closely aligns itself with the principles that Christ exemplified?   Do we want to cut social programs to the poor while giving tax breaks to the wealthy?  Do we want to turn our backs on the uninsured?  Do we want an economic model that is based on survival-on-the-fittest?   What are real Christian values?\r\n\r\n[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PubdnWLfva8&amp;w=420&amp;h=315]\r\n\r\nThese are not just ideological questions.  They are real to a mother who has been cut from her health care provider.  It’s real to a boy who can’t afford a school lunch, much less a decent education.  It’s real to a dad whose job has been shipped overseas.   It’s real to a grandmother who worries she’ll outlive a voucher to cover her end-of-life expenses.  It’s real if we find ourselves in another war and thousands are sent off to fight.   It becomes real in the wake of a natural disaster.  Even if you are not directly affected by any of these issues, hopefully, you still care about them because they do affect real people.\r\n\r\nThe government cannot be all things to all people and we must make some hard choices.   We need to discuss how we can reasonably reduce the debt; however, surely, the most marginalized are not the first that need to be asked to pay.   If the richest 1% controls 40% of the nation’s wealth (and certain wealthy people are paying less than 15% in taxes), maybe they can do a little more.  Let’s discuss how we can reduce abortions, including all the ways to lower the number of unwanted pregnancies.   Let’s talk about gay marriage, and how can give all people equal rights.   While I know no politician or party is perfect, I don’t hear a willingness to talk about both sides of an issue from the right.\r\n\r\nReligion can transform a person’s life, but government can help feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and provide basic shelter for the homeless.   It can heal the sick.  It can educate the young, providing a brighter, safer future for all of us.   It can help ensure that the strongest don’t take advantage of the weakest.  I believe these are all worthy goals of a society.  God has given us the free will to determine what kind of world we want to live in.  Hopefully, Christians will not lose their faith in a flawed system, and be willing to make the tough choices.\r\n\r\nJeff Fulmer is the author of the Christian fiction, <a href=\"http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/\">Hometown Prophet</a>.   You can receive a free copy of his e-book, “As a Christian, Why the GOP Doesn’t Speak for Me,” by going to his website and signing up for his newsletter at http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/.   <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PubdnWLfva8\">\r\n</a>','Time for Christians to Make a Choice','','publish','open','open','','time-for-christians-to-make-a-choice','','','2012-11-01 20:54:28','2012-11-02 03:54:28','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=7982',0,'post','',3),(7983,160,'2012-11-01 06:44:07','2012-11-01 13:44:07','','RomneyObama','','inherit','open','open','','romneyobama','','','2012-11-01 06:44:07','2012-11-01 13:44:07','',7982,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/RomneyObama.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7984,160,'2012-11-01 06:44:42','2012-11-01 13:44:42','','RomneyObama','','inherit','open','open','','romneyobama-2','','','2012-11-01 06:44:42','2012-11-01 13:44:42','',7982,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/RomneyObama1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7985,160,'2012-11-01 06:49:49','2012-11-01 13:49:49','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/RomneyObama1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-7984\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/RomneyObama1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nI’m ready for this election to be over.   As with most hotly contested campaigns, it’s been full of half-truths and outright lies.   And, while I have my opinion on the source of the vast majority of deception, the casual observer simply sees partisan bickering and endless gamesmanship.   The result can be a cynical electorate who loses interest in the whole political process.   I’ve noticed many Christians who seem to fall into this category.  Already suspicious of politicians, they hear the hypocrisy espoused in the campaigns and no longer trust either party to be a viable part of the solution.\n\nIn an attempt to transcend the right and left, it can be tempting to avoid making any choice at all, leaving less scrupulous elements to pick our leaders and determine our policies.   It’s true; Jesus sidestepped politics.  He talked of feeding the poor and showed compassion for the sick and suffering.  He admonished us to take care of the least of these and warned about the love of money.  He even paid taxes without complaint.   At the same time, he avoided questions about Roman rule.   Of course, Jesus had a much more important mission; one that takes place in hearts and souls.\n\nOnce we have responded to the gospel, we should have a desire to do God’s work here on earth.  For me, this involves trying to support causes that reflect his love and mercy in all aspects of life: families, communities, culture, and yes, politics and government.   So, shouldn’t we want a government that more closely aligns itself with the principles that Christ exemplified?   Do we want to cut social programs to the poor while giving tax breaks to the wealthy?  Do we want to turn our backs on the uninsured?  Do we want an economic model that is based on survival-on-the-fittest?\n\nThese are not just ideological questions.  They are real to a mother who has been cut from her health care provider.  It’s real to a boy who can’t afford a school lunch, much less a decent education.  It’s real to a dad whose job has been shipped overseas.   It’s real to a grandmother who worries she’ll outlive a voucher to cover her end-of-life expenses.  It’s real if we find ourselves in another war and thousands are sent off to fight.   It becomes real in the wake of a natural disaster.  Even if you are not directly affected by any of these issues, hopefully, you still care about them because they do affect real people.\n\nThe government cannot be all things to all people and we must make some hard choices.   We need to discuss how we can reasonably reduce the debt; however, surely, the most marginalized are not the first that need to be asked to pay.   If the richest 1% controls 40% of the nation’s wealth (and certain wealthy people are paying less than 15% in taxes), maybe they can do a little more.  Let’s discuss how we can reduce abortions, including all the ways to lower the number of unwanted pregnancies.   Let’s talk about gay marriage, and how can give all people equal rights.   While I know no politician or party is perfect, I don’t hear a willingness to talk about both sides of an issue from the right.\n\nReligion can transform a person’s life, but government can help feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and provide basic shelter for the homeless.   It can heal the sick.  It can educate the young, providing a brighter, safer future for all of us.   It can help ensure that the strongest don’t take advantage of the weakest.  I believe these are all worthy goals of a society.  God has given us the free will to determine what kind of world we want to live in.  Hopefully, Christians will not lose their faith in a flawed system, and be willing to make the tough choices.\n\nJeff Fulmer is the author of the Christian fiction, <a href=\"http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/\">Hometown Prophet</a>.   You can receive a free copy of his e-book, “As a Christian, Why the GOP Doesn’t Speak for Me,” by going to his website and signing up for his newsletter at http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/.   A short video on <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PubdnWLfva8\">Real Christian Values</a>.','Time for Christians to Make a Choice','','inherit','open','open','','7982-revision','','','2012-11-01 06:49:49','2012-11-01 13:49:49','',7982,'http://provoketive.com/2012/11/01/7982-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(7986,160,'2012-11-01 06:51:34','2012-11-01 13:51:34','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/RomneyObama1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-7984\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/RomneyObama1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nI’m ready for this election to be over.   As with most hotly contested campaigns, it’s been full of half-truths and outright lies.   And, while I have my opinion on the source of the vast majority of deception, the casual observer simply sees partisan bickering and endless gamesmanship.   The result can be a cynical electorate who loses interest in the whole political process.   I’ve noticed many Christians who seem to fall into this category.  Already suspicious of politicians, they hear the hypocrisy espoused in the campaigns and no longer trust either party to be a viable part of the solution.\n\nIn an attempt to transcend the right and left, it can be tempting to avoid making any choice at all, leaving less scrupulous elements to pick our leaders and determine our policies.   It’s true; Jesus sidestepped politics.  He talked of feeding the poor and showed compassion for the sick and suffering.  He admonished us to take care of the least of these and warned about the love of money.  He even paid taxes without complaint.   At the same time, he avoided questions about Roman rule.   Of course, Jesus had a much more important mission; one that takes place in hearts and souls.\n\nOnce we have responded to the gospel, we should have a desire to do God’s work here on earth.  For me, this involves trying to support causes that reflect his love and mercy in all aspects of life: families, communities, culture, and yes, politics and government.   So, shouldn’t we want a government that more closely aligns itself with the principles that Christ exemplified?   Do we want to cut social programs to the poor while giving tax breaks to the wealthy?  Do we want to turn our backs on the uninsured?  Do we want an economic model that is based on survival-on-the-fittest?\n\nThese are not just ideological questions.  They are real to a mother who has been cut from her health care provider.  It’s real to a boy who can’t afford a school lunch, much less a decent education.  It’s real to a dad whose job has been shipped overseas.   It’s real to a grandmother who worries she’ll outlive a voucher to cover her end-of-life expenses.  It’s real if we find ourselves in another war and thousands are sent off to fight.   It becomes real in the wake of a natural disaster.  Even if you are not directly affected by any of these issues, hopefully, you still care about them because they do affect real people.\n\nThe government cannot be all things to all people and we must make some hard choices.   We need to discuss how we can reasonably reduce the debt; however, surely, the most marginalized are not the first that need to be asked to pay.   If the richest 1% controls 40% of the nation’s wealth (and certain wealthy people are paying less than 15% in taxes), maybe they can do a little more.  Let’s discuss how we can reduce abortions, including all the ways to lower the number of unwanted pregnancies.   Let’s talk about gay marriage, and how can give all people equal rights.   While I know no politician or party is perfect, I don’t hear a willingness to talk about both sides of an issue from the right.\n\nReligion can transform a person’s life, but government can help feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and provide basic shelter for the homeless.   It can heal the sick.  It can educate the young, providing a brighter, safer future for all of us.   It can help ensure that the strongest don’t take advantage of the weakest.  I believe these are all worthy goals of a society.  God has given us the free will to determine what kind of world we want to live in.  Hopefully, Christians will not lose their faith in a flawed system, and be willing to make the tough choices.\n\nJeff Fulmer is the author of the Christian fiction, <a href=\"http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/\">Hometown Prophet</a>.   You can receive a free copy of his e-book, “As a Christian, Why the GOP Doesn’t Speak for Me,” by going to his website and signing up for his newsletter at http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/.   A short video on <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PubdnWLfva8\">Real Christian Values</a>.','Time for Christians to Make a Choice','','inherit','open','open','','7982-revision-2','','','2012-11-01 06:51:34','2012-11-01 13:51:34','',7982,'http://provoketive.com/2012/11/01/7982-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(7987,160,'2012-11-01 06:57:00','2012-11-01 13:57:00','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/RomneyObama1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-7984\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/RomneyObama1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nI’m ready for this election to be over.   As with most hotly contested campaigns, it’s been full of half-truths and outright lies.   And, while I have my opinion on the source of the vast majority of deception, the casual observer simply sees partisan bickering and endless gamesmanship.   The result can be a cynical electorate who loses interest in the whole political process.   I’ve noticed many Christians who seem to fall into this category.  Already suspicious of politicians, they hear the hypocrisy espoused in the campaigns and no longer trust either party to be a viable part of the solution.\n\nIn an attempt to transcend the right and left, it can be tempting to avoid making any choice at all, leaving less scrupulous elements to pick our leaders and determine our policies.   It’s true; Jesus sidestepped politics.  He talked of feeding the poor and showed compassion for the sick and suffering.  He admonished us to take care of the least of these and warned about the love of money.  He even paid taxes without complaint.   At the same time, he avoided questions about Roman rule.   Of course, Jesus had a much more important mission; one that takes place in hearts and souls.\n\nOnce we have responded to the gospel, we should have a desire to do God’s work here on earth.  For me, this involves trying to support causes that reflect his love and mercy in all aspects of life: families, communities, culture, and yes, politics and government.   So, shouldn’t we want a government that more closely aligns itself with the principles that Christ exemplified?   Do we want to cut social programs to the poor while giving tax breaks to the wealthy?  Do we want to turn our backs on the uninsured?  Do we want an economic model that is based on survival-on-the-fittest?\n\nThese are not just ideological questions.  They are real to a mother who has been cut from her health care provider.  It’s real to a boy who can’t afford a school lunch, much less a decent education.  It’s real to a dad whose job has been shipped overseas.   It’s real to a grandmother who worries she’ll outlive a voucher to cover her end-of-life expenses.  It’s real if we find ourselves in another war and thousands are sent off to fight.   It becomes real in the wake of a natural disaster.  Even if you are not directly affected by any of these issues, hopefully, you still care about them because they do affect real people.\n\nThe government cannot be all things to all people and we must make some hard choices.   We need to discuss how we can reasonably reduce the debt; however, surely, the most marginalized are not the first that need to be asked to pay.   If the richest 1% controls 40% of the nation’s wealth (and certain wealthy people are paying less than 15% in taxes), maybe they can do a little more.  Let’s discuss how we can reduce abortions, including all the ways to lower the number of unwanted pregnancies.   Let’s talk about gay marriage, and how can give all people equal rights.   While I know no politician or party is perfect, I don’t hear a willingness to talk about both sides of an issue from the right.\n\nReligion can transform a person’s life, but government can help feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and provide basic shelter for the homeless.   It can heal the sick.  It can educate the young, providing a brighter, safer future for all of us.   It can help ensure that the strongest don’t take advantage of the weakest.  I believe these are all worthy goals of a society.  God has given us the free will to determine what kind of world we want to live in.  Hopefully, Christians will not lose their faith in a flawed system, and be willing to make the tough choices.\n\nJeff Fulmer is the author of the Christian fiction, <a href=\"http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/\">Hometown Prophet</a>.   You can receive a free copy of his e-book, “As a Christian, Why the GOP Doesn’t Speak for Me,” by going to his website and signing up for his newsletter at http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/.   A short video on <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PubdnWLfva8\">Real Christian Values</a>.','Time for Christians to Make a Choice','','inherit','open','open','','7982-revision-3','','','2012-11-01 06:57:00','2012-11-01 13:57:00','',7982,'http://provoketive.com/2012/11/01/7982-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(7988,160,'2012-11-05 11:09:42','2012-11-05 19:09:42','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/RomneyObama1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-7984 alignleft\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/RomneyObama1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\n\nI’m ready for this election to be over.   As with most hotly contested campaigns, it’s been full of half-truths and outright lies.   And, while I have my opinion on the source of the vast majority of deception, the casual observer simply sees partisan bickering and endless gamesmanship.   The result can be a cynical electorate who loses interest in the whole political process.   I’ve noticed many Christians who seem to fall into this category.  Already suspicious of politicians, they hear the hypocrisy espoused in the campaigns and no longer trust either party to be a viable part of the solution.\n\nIn an attempt to transcend the right and left, it can be tempting to avoid making any choice at all, leaving less scrupulous elements to pick our leaders and determine our policies.   It’s true; Jesus sidestepped politics.  He talked of feeding the poor and showed compassion for the sick and suffering.  He admonished us to take care of the least of these and warned about the love of money.  He even paid taxes without complaint.   At the same time, he avoided questions about Roman rule.   Of course, Jesus had a much more important mission; one that takes place in hearts and souls.\n\nOnce we have responded to the gospel, we should have a desire to do God’s work here on earth.  For me, this involves trying to support causes that reflect his love and mercy in all aspects of life: families, communities, culture, and yes, politics and government.   So, shouldn’t we want a government that more closely aligns itself with the principles that Christ exemplified?   Do we want to cut social programs to the poor while giving tax breaks to the wealthy?  Do we want to turn our backs on the uninsured?  Do we want an economic model that is based on survival-on-the-fittest?   What are real Christian values?\n\n[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PubdnWLfva8&amp;w=420&amp;h=315]\n\nThese are not just ideological questions.  They are real to a mother who has been cut from her health care provider.  It’s real to a boy who can’t afford a school lunch, much less a decent education.  It’s real to a dad whose job has been shipped overseas.   It’s real to a grandmother who worries she’ll outlive a voucher to cover her end-of-life expenses.  It’s real if we find ourselves in another war and thousands are sent off to fight.   It becomes real in the wake of a natural disaster.  Even if you are not directly affected by any of these issues, hopefully, you still care about them because they do affect real people.\n\nThe government cannot be all things to all people and we must make some hard choices.   We need to discuss how we can reasonably reduce the debt; however, surely, the most marginalized are not the first that need to be asked to pay.   If the richest 1% controls 40% of the nation’s wealth (and certain wealthy people are paying less than 15% in taxes), maybe they can do a little more.  Let’s discuss how we can reduce abortions, including all the ways to lower the number of unwanted pregnancies.   Let’s talk about gay marriage, and how can give all people equal rights.   While I know no politician or party is perfect, I don’t hear a willingness to talk about both sides of an issue from the right.\n\nReligion can transform a person’s life, but government can help feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and provide basic shelter for the homeless.   It can heal the sick.  It can educate the young, providing a brighter, safer future for all of us.   It can help ensure that the strongest don’t take advantage of the weakest.  I believe these are all worthy goals of a society.  God has given us the free will to determine what kind of world we want to live in.  Hopefully, Christians will not lose their faith in a flawed system, and be willing to make the tough choices.\n\nJeff Fulmer is the author of the Christian fiction, <a href=\"http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/\">Hometown Prophet</a>.   You can receive a free copy of his e-book, “As a Christian, Why the GOP Doesn’t Speak for Me,” by going to his website and signing up for his newsletter at http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/.   <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PubdnWLfva8\">\n</a>','Time for Christians to Make a Choice','','inherit','open','open','','7982-autosave','','','2012-11-05 11:09:42','2012-11-05 19:09:42','',7982,'http://provoketive.com/2012/11/01/7982-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(7991,1,'2012-11-01 20:53:59','2012-11-02 03:53:59','','romeny and obama','','inherit','open','open','','romeny-and-obama','','','2012-11-01 20:53:59','2012-11-02 03:53:59','',7982,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/romeny-and-obama.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(7992,1,'2012-11-01 20:50:16','2012-11-02 03:50:16','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/RomneyObama1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-7984\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/RomneyObama1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\nI’m ready for this election to be over.   As with most hotly contested campaigns, it’s been full of half-truths and outright lies.   And, while I have my opinion on the source of the vast majority of deception, the casual observer simply sees partisan bickering and endless gamesmanship.   The result can be a cynical electorate who loses interest in the whole political process.   I’ve noticed many Christians who seem to fall into this category.  Already suspicious of politicians, they hear the hypocrisy espoused in the campaigns and no longer trust either party to be a viable part of the solution.\r\n\r\nIn an attempt to transcend the right and left, it can be tempting to avoid making any choice at all, leaving less scrupulous elements to pick our leaders and determine our policies.   It’s true; Jesus sidestepped politics.  He talked of feeding the poor and showed compassion for the sick and suffering.  He admonished us to take care of the least of these and warned about the love of money.  He even paid taxes without complaint.   At the same time, he avoided questions about Roman rule.   Of course, Jesus had a much more important mission; one that takes place in hearts and souls.\r\n\r\nOnce we have responded to the gospel, we should have a desire to do God’s work here on earth.  For me, this involves trying to support causes that reflect his love and mercy in all aspects of life: families, communities, culture, and yes, politics and government.   So, shouldn’t we want a government that more closely aligns itself with the principles that Christ exemplified?   Do we want to cut social programs to the poor while giving tax breaks to the wealthy?  Do we want to turn our backs on the uninsured?  Do we want an economic model that is based on survival-on-the-fittest?   What are real Christian values?\r\n\r\n[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PubdnWLfva8&w=420&h=315]\r\n\r\nThese are not just ideological questions.  They are real to a mother who has been cut from her health care provider.  It’s real to a boy who can’t afford a school lunch, much less a decent education.  It’s real to a dad whose job has been shipped overseas.   It’s real to a grandmother who worries she’ll outlive a voucher to cover her end-of-life expenses.  It’s real if we find ourselves in another war and thousands are sent off to fight.   It becomes real in the wake of a natural disaster.  Even if you are not directly affected by any of these issues, hopefully, you still care about them because they do affect real people.\r\n\r\nThe government cannot be all things to all people and we must make some hard choices.   We need to discuss how we can reasonably reduce the debt; however, surely, the most marginalized are not the first that need to be asked to pay.   If the richest 1% controls 40% of the nation’s wealth (and certain wealthy people are paying less than 15% in taxes), maybe they can do a little more.  Let’s discuss how we can reduce abortions, including all the ways to lower the number of unwanted pregnancies.   Let’s talk about gay marriage, and how can give all people equal rights.   While I know no politician or party is perfect, I don’t hear a willingness to talk about both sides of an issue from the right.\r\n\r\nReligion can transform a person’s life, but government can help feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and provide basic shelter for the homeless.   It can heal the sick.  It can educate the young, providing a brighter, safer future for all of us.   It can help ensure that the strongest don’t take advantage of the weakest.  I believe these are all worthy goals of a society.  God has given us the free will to determine what kind of world we want to live in.  Hopefully, Christians will not lose their faith in a flawed system, and be willing to make the tough choices.\r\n\r\nJeff Fulmer is the author of the Christian fiction, <a href=\"http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/\">Hometown Prophet</a>.   You can receive a free copy of his e-book, “As a Christian, Why the GOP Doesn’t Speak for Me,” by going to his website and signing up for his newsletter at http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/.   <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PubdnWLfva8\">\r\n</a>','Time for Christians to Make a Choice','','inherit','open','open','','7982-revision-5','','','2012-11-01 20:50:16','2012-11-02 03:50:16','',7982,'http://provoketive.com/2012/11/01/7982-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(7993,1,'2012-10-10 19:57:13','2012-10-11 02:57:13','[caption id=\"attachment_7719\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"500\"]<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/2226145803_c420b399ed.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-7719 \" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/2226145803_c420b399ed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"456\" /></a> Photo Credit: CRASH: candy via Flickr[/caption]\n\nThe five of us have been sitting around the same antique table on a semi-monthly for more than four years. We rarely see each outside of these monthly get-togethers, yet I consider these women to be among some of my dearest friends. We come from different backgrounds, different demographics, and different parts of the metro Chicago area, yet we always have one thing in common – our mutual interest in facilitating each other’s spiritual accountability by engaging in respectful faith sharing.\n\nWe began meeting as part of a small group through the Unitarian Universalist church that we were attending at the time. Since then, our group’s members have changed slightly – some members leaving and a new member joining – but the purpose of the group has always been the same.\n\nWe eat. We drink. We talk. We share.\n\nWe talk about food and wine and sex and God. We talk about our jobs and our kids and our spouses and our spirituality.\n\nWe share our dreams, our insecurities, our doubts, and our faith. We share our joys and concerns. We share our thoughts and ideas about what it means to live a life of compassion, generosity, justice, and spirituality. We share our life stories and our faith stories.\n\nAnd in doing so, we share the deepest parts of ourselves. We share our faith and we share our relationship with God. We share our most vulnerable and sensitive beliefs, laying ourselves raw and fully open to the possibility of knowing each other on a deeper level.\n\nIn talking about our beliefs and sharing our faith with each other, we have granted one another a rare glimpse into the deepest recesses of our souls – a place that many of us don’t even let our closest friends and family members see.\n\nYou see, we live in a society that shuns faith sharing. We are scared of it. We are afraid of being judged and we are afraid of judging. We are afraid that if we talk about sensitive and personal issues such as faith and spirituality that we might be forced to acknowledge that there are differences between us.\n\nBut when we do this, we forget that differences do not need to divide us; rather, acknowledging differences can be a means of expanding our options and opening our minds. When we talk about beliefs – not necessarily <em>what</em> we believe but <em>why </em>we believe – we grant ourselves the opportunity to know someone on a deeper level and open our minds to alternative perspectives. When we share our faith – not just how we practice our faith but how our faith shapes our life – we give someone else the gift of knowing us more intimately.\n\nSo ask me what I believe; I will tell you.  And I will, in turn, ask you what you believe in the hopes that we can embark on an educational conversation, in which we both learn something about each other and our respective faiths.\n\nIf you shy away from religious or spiritual conversations, ask yourself two questions: Am I uncomfortable with this conversation because I am afraid that I will be judged?  Or am I uncomfortable with this conversation because I am unsure of what I believe?\n\nIf it is the former, and there is a genuine fear of judgment, feel empowered to say so. Let the listener know that you fear that you will be judged.  If the other person tends to judge, they deserve to be called out on it.  On the other hand, your fear of judgment may be unwarranted and you owe the other person the benefit of the doubt.\n\nI suspect, however, that fear of judgment is not the only thing that keeps us from talking about our faith. Many of us shy away from conversations about our faith simply because we are unsure of what we believe. We have doubts. We have questions. We see inconsistencies and, regardless of how strong our faith is, there are times when we just don’t know what we believe. But if you look into your heart – I mean <em>really</em> look into your heart – you just might come to some conclusions about your faith and spiritual beliefs. There is no shame in admitting your doubts. In fact, acknowledging doubts is a critical part of an authentic faith.\n\nEvangelism is not a dirty word. Evangelism (not to be confused with evangelical) is about faith <em>sharing</em> – listening to the beliefs and faiths of someone else without the expectation of conversion. Evangelism is <em>not</em> the act of proselytizing, which is a dictatorial one-sided persuasive commentary; rather, evangelism is the participation in a responsible and respectful conversation that involves a full and fair informational exchange.\n\nFor many of us, our faith – or lack of faith – is a large part of who we are and how we live our lives. By refraining from talking about our faith, we are preventing ourselves from really getting to know others, including those people who are closest to us. And when we fail to know and understand others and ourselves, we are ultimately preventing ourselves from fully knowing the power of a graceful and compassionate God.','Evangelism Is Not a Dirty Word','','inherit','open','open','','7713-revision-10','','','2012-10-10 19:57:13','2012-10-11 02:57:13','',7713,'http://provoketive.com/2012/10/10/7713-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(8072,0,'2012-11-17 16:26:54','2012-11-18 00:26:54','I think I submitted an article called \"A Message to My Conservative Friends and Relatives\" but I\'m not sure.  Also it appeared to take my name as Blackie01 instead of Beverly Donner.  Jonathan corrected this once for me, but whatever we did didn\'t last.  I\'d like to submit articles under Beverly Donner.  I think the confusion in the system is because I commented on articles for years under Buddy aka Beverly, and I may be in there twice.  Help!~\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Beverly Donner\nAUTHOR EMAIL: Buddynet02@att.net\nAUTHOR URL: \nSUBJECT: [Provoketive Magazine] Contact Us\nIP: 108.75.45.104\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Beverly Donner\n    [Email] =&gt; Buddynet02@att.net\n    [Comment] =&gt; I think I submitted an article called \"A Message to My Conservative Friends and Relatives\" but I\'m not sure.  Also it appeared to take my name as Blackie01 instead of Beverly Donner.  Jonathan corrected this once for me, but whatever we did didn\'t last.  I\'d like to submit articles under Beverly Donner.  I think the confusion in the system is because I commented on articles for years under Buddy aka Beverly, and I may be in there twice.  Help!~\n)\n','Beverly Donner - 2012-11-17 16:26:54','','publish','open','open','','e94c877e8128b7fa0f5cf2eb9a71b67b','','','2012-11-17 16:26:54','2012-11-18 00:26:54','',16,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=8072',0,'feedback','',0),(8112,1,'2012-11-23 22:15:52','2012-11-24 06:15:52','Once again, <a href=\"http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/11/22/charlie-brown-thanksgiving/\">Charlie Brown\'s Thanksgiving special outdrew other major programs including the X-Factor and Survivor</a>.\r\n\r\nWhy is that? The X-Factor is a great show. I\'ve actually watched it. It\'s a reality show where people compete with great talent to get to get noticed. Survivor? A long running show where people survive on an island. Both are great programming with good networking people behind them.\r\n\r\nHow can <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Charlie_Brown_Thanksgiving\">a show that has been airing since the year I was born (1973)</a> beat both of them out in the ratings? And most likely, <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Brown_Christmas\">A Charlie Brown Christmas</a> will probably beat out most programs in that time slot as well.\r\n\r\nWhat\'s up with Charlie Brown? Charles Schulz was the crafter of the cartoon and made it come to life with its simplicity in the comic strip. With characters like Lucy, Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, and others, they made the weekly and Sunday morning comics come to life. They were Americana. They have stood the test of time.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/chbr2.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-8087\" style=\"margin-left: 6px;margin-right: 6px\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/chbr2-300x231.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"269\" height=\"207\" /></a>Bring on reality television. They have heartwarming stories, success, drama and tension. They are the norm for today. But apparently, they cannot compete with a show from 1973 for some reason.\r\n\r\nI\'m sure there are network executives banging their heads against the wall trying to figure it out. Or maybe they aren\'t. Maybe they\'re saying, \"<em>Well, it\'s tradition. People are watching because it\'s part of their heritage. It\'s just middle America making sense of life when everything is falling apart.</em>\"\r\n\r\nThat may be true. But I think the story of Charlie Brown is more than that. It\'s something we can all wrap our hearts around.\r\n\r\nIt\'s the story of a boy who nothing goes right for. A boy who just wants simplicity and joy. Who wants a few friends, a dog and normal relationships. More than that, even when Christmas comes, he doesn\'t pick out a giant Christmas tree, he picks out a puny little tree and makes it his own. He\'s an underdog.\r\n\r\nHe\'s pure Americana. He represents the underdog of us all. He can\'t kick the football because someone keeps pulling it out from us when we try to kick it. He can\'t seem to catch the fly ball despite his best efforts. He doesn\'t seem to understand the adults in his life because they all seem to say as if through a muffled trombone, \"<em>MUUHHH MAHHH MUHHHH MAHHHH MUHHHH MAHHH MUAHHHHH</em>.\"\r\n\r\nAnd he says, \"<em>Yes, ma\'am</em>.\"\r\n\r\nHe doesn\'t roll over, he just keeps going. He just wants joy. He just wants that final scene where Schroeder is playing the <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/snodan.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-8088\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/snodan-240x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"166\" height=\"208\" /></a>piano, where Pig-Pen is dancing, where Snoopy is doing the Snoopy dance, where Linus is grasping his towel in joy, and where everyone is happy. He isn\'t an apple polisher. He is a person who lives up to his potential and wants complete joy.\r\n\r\nThat\'s what all of us want. A life where all of us are dancing at the end. Where piano music is heard and all of us can dance together.\r\n\r\nThat piano music is much more enchanting than the X-Factor or any reality television show. And we all soak it in, hoping and wishing for all of it. Hoping to put ornaments on that sorry little tree.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Charlie Brown vs. Everything Else','','inherit','open','open','','8085-revision-2','','','2012-11-23 22:15:52','2012-11-24 06:15:52','',8085,'http://provoketive.com/2012/11/23/8085-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(8080,0,'2012-11-22 22:20:10','2012-11-23 06:20:10','Politics\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Beverly Donner\nAUTHOR EMAIL: Buddynet02@att.net\nAUTHOR URL: \nSUBJECT: Provoketive Magazine Writing For Provoketive\nIP: 108.82.200.150\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Beverly Donner\n    [Email] =&gt; Buddynet02@att.net\n    [Existing Blog or Website] =&gt; \n    [List the topic you are interested writing about] =&gt; Politics\n    [Current or New WordPress Login Name (We\'ll send you a password.)] =&gt; Beverly Donner\n)\n','Beverly Donner - 2012-11-22 22:20:10','','publish','open','open','','e2abe20052eaf6d90afd772187efd96e','','','2012-11-22 22:20:10','2012-11-23 06:20:10','',358,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=8080',0,'feedback','',0),(8077,160,'2012-11-20 14:10:21','2012-11-20 22:10:21','','election night','','inherit','open','open','','election-night','','','2012-11-20 14:10:21','2012-11-20 22:10:21','',8076,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/election-night.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(8076,160,'2012-11-21 05:12:46','0000-00-00 00:00:00','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/election-night.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-8077\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/election-night-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\nThanksgiving is a time to reflect on what we have to be grateful for, such as family, friends, and faith.   This year, I’ll have to add the election to that list.  I know better than to put too much hope in a man, much less a political party.   At the same time, the people we elect can make a real difference in peoples’ lives.   While we don’t know how the economy will fare over the next four years, or what will happen in the Middle East tomorrow, these are some of reasons I’m thankful for the 2012 election:\n<ol>\n	<li>In spite of voter suppression laws, the people overcame new requirements and long lines to fill out a ballot.  It was as inspiring as it was depressing to see voters standing in mile long lines on Election Day.   The democratic process in the United States should be an example to the world, and yet, some Governors made a conscious choice to make voting as difficult as possible on their own citizens.   Never-the-less, people overcame the shameful hurdles that were put in front of them and made their voices heard in record number.</li>\n	<li>Courtesy of the Citizens United case, the flood gates were swung wide for special interest groups to pour money into the election process.   As a result, conservative Super PACs outraised liberal PACs by an estimated 5 to 1 ratio.   Eight of the top ten Super PACs supported Republican candidates.   And yet, the avalanche of the commercials designed to mislead and create doubt were not enough to overcome the American people’s common sense.   In the end, billionaires like the Koch Brothers and mega-rich hedge fund managers were not able to buy this election.</li>\n	<li>I confess, I took a certain amount of satisfaction in the failed predictions of Karl Rove and the right wing pundits.  It’s become the norm to hear Fox News and Rush Limbaugh declare their own sets of facts without having to back them up.   That’s why it’s was especially gratifying to see their bombastic claims come crashing headlong into real time reality.  Perhaps they will have greater regard for the science and math behind issues such as climate change.   While that’s probably too much to ask, it was nice to see them have to face the facts for once.</li>\n	<li>The US is a multi-cultural country that is at its best when it embraces its minorities.  The Democratic Party is much more diverse than the GOP because their message is inclusive and inviting.  That’s something Mitt Romney still doesn’t seem to understand.   And so, it was rewarding to see people from across ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, educational backgrounds, and social statuses, all coming together to vote for a President that represents all of the people.</li>\n	<li>I try not to take my health for granted, but I can imagine the only thing scarier than being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness is to then be told my insurance provider won’t pay for the treatment.   Because of the Affordable Healthcare Act, millions of people will have access to decent healthcare and providers cannot rig the system to maximize their own profits.   The House of Representatives has voted to repeal “Obamacare” 33 times and yet, despite all their efforts, the Affordable Healthcare Act will be the law of the land.</li>\n	<li>Disregarding our poorest members for the sake of our richest is a policy that will lead to moral bankruptcy.   For over a decade, the Bush tax cuts have largely benefited the upper class over the middle and lower classes.   Because of these elections, we will hopefully have a slightly more equal playing field.   At least social programs will not be slashed to the bone in order to continue to increase tax cuts for the top percentile.   At our best, we are a nation that provides equality to all of its citizens and I believe the majority of us voted for that in November.</li>\n</ol>\nA wise man once told me that politics is never an end-game.   They weren’t finished counting the votes before the sniping started up again.  Fox News continues to promote a cover-up regarding the tragedy in Benghazi.  The most celebrated General in the last decade has resigned in disgrace.   The fiscal cliff looms.   While political struggles will continue, an important victory has been won.   With that in mind, I am going to take a few days to enjoy my family, good food, and football.  And, for that, I’m thankful.\n\nJeff Fulmer lives in Nashville TN and is the author of the novel, <a href=\"http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/\">Hometown Prophet</a>.   <em>If God spoke through a prophet today, would we really want to hear what He has to say?</em>','Post-Election Reasons to be Thankful','','draft','open','open','','','','','2012-11-21 05:12:46','2012-11-21 13:12:46','',0,'http://provoketive.com/?p=8076',0,'post','',0),(8164,198,'2012-12-17 05:45:35','2012-12-17 13:45:35','The tragedy in Connecticut has once again thrown Americans into a tailspin. None of us can wrap our heads around the horror of it. We can’t find a reason for what happened. In our bewilderment, there are no words to say.\n\nOf course, that doesn’t mean that some well-meaning Christian folks don’t try to come up with <em>something</em> since apparently any God-awful answer trumps silence on any and all current events. Here is some of the Facebook wisdom that some have offered up as a reason for what happened: “How does Barack Hussein Obama have the nerve to get up and quote scripture and offer prayers for the children of Sandy Hook? Maybe if scripture and prayer were still allowed in schools, this would have been avoided?” Christians have reposted en mass the cartoon showing someone asking, “Why didn’t God stop the shooting?” to which another responds, “How could He? He’s not allowed in school anymore.”\n\nAlthough my Facebook has become a public page since I had my book published (so I try to be somewhat benign with my posts) I am also a public school teacher. I had to weigh in. I wrote on my wall: “I love you all. I really do. But the next person who shows up on my thread with a post about God not being in public schools will be deleted and blocked. Think before you click.”\n\nLet’s clarify.\n\nBelieve me when I tell you, prayer has never been banned from the public schools in this country. Ever. As my good friend (and co-contributor for Provoketive e-Magazine) Cody Stauffer said yesterday on my thread, “Unfortunately, many have a problem distinguishing the difference between ‘endorsed’ and ‘allowed.’ It goes hand in hand with the idea that, if we\'re not in the a place of privilege, than we must be getting persecuted, or if others aren\'t losing, than I\'m not winning.”\n\nHe’s brilliant, and he’s my friend.\n\nThe law regarding prayer in school simply provides that I can’t make my students pray to the Guy (or Gal) I pray to. This is a good law since I could send my own son to school without having to worry if someone who did not share my own religious convictions would force him to pray to some guy (or gal) I have not signed off on.\n\nEverybody with me?\n\nHowever, we’ve brought up a few generations now (since Madeline Murray O’Hare whom Christians have vilified mercilessly) who don’t pray in schools because they believe that they are not allowed to—NOT because the law have told them that they can’t and NOT because public schools have told them that they can’t—but because CHRISTIANS have told them that they can’t. And because they’re so <em>loud</em>, children among others assume that they’re <em>correct</em>.\n\nPonder the irony of <em>that</em> for one brief moment.\n\nYou know that “thirty seconds of silence” that public schools provide for students after we say the Pledge of Allegiance? (Yes, we still say the Pledge of Allegiance contrary to what you’ve heard.) Yeah, we provide that time so that kids can PRAY. Some schools still do it daily. Most schools provide it in times like these, when we’ve suffered a national tragedy or when we should be mindful of past grief such as the anniversary of 9-11.\n\nTo insinuate that this tragedy occurred because the “liberals” have taken prayer out of schools is straight up stupid and hurtful and wrong. I’m not trying to be mean here if you’re one of the ones who threw that crap up on your Facebook page, but damn. If you don’t know what you’re talking about, shut UP. You are making it harder for the rest of us who aren’t looking to fix this world with the next zinger of a sound bite. We’re looking simply to wrap our arms and hearts around those who are broken—and right now that’s a whole lotta people. One of our problems is, they think we’re <em>you</em>.\n\nSilence is golden.','Untitled as yet...','','inherit','open','open','','8163-revision','','','2012-12-17 05:45:35','2012-12-17 13:45:35','',8163,'http://provoketive.com/2012/12/17/8163-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(8166,1,'2012-12-09 15:27:26','2012-12-09 23:27:26','<em>This is a pretentious open letter for Psy, South Korean native and recent hit author of \"<a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0\">Gangnam Style</a>.\" It was recently discovered that he launched an <a href=\"http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/12/08/gangnam-rile-psys-past-anti-american-performances-stir-controversy/\">anti-American tirade back in 2002 during the Iraq war</a>. Yeah. He\'s been lapping up the limelight, so of course the media has to dig up some dirt on him. So I\'m here to write him an open letter in the utmost sincerity I can muster telling him why he is such a terrible human being. <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Pastor-Finding-Restoration-Broken/dp/0615567096/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1354242998&amp;sr=8-1\">I have the right to do this since I have never, ever, ever, ever committed a sin in my entire life</a>. Yeah. <strong>(This is a satire warning.)</strong> So here is my open letter to Psy</em>:\r\n\r\nPsy,\r\n\r\nFirst of all, this is an open letter. This is what people do when they have an issue with celebrities. They write open letters. They blog or write in an open fashion, spewing their outrage in an open manner so that everyone but the concerned party can see it. So, take that.\r\n\r\nI mean, Psy. How dare you. How dare you mess with us like that. Here we are <a href=\"http://923now.cbslocal.com/2012/12/07/does-south-korean-rapper-psy-hate-america/\">using you for your 15 minutes of fame</a>. We plucked your song out of relative obscurity and this is how you treat a country you weren\'t born in?\r\n\r\nForget that you have become part of our culture. Even for a minute. You became part of Halloween, part of the <a href=\"http://mashable.com/2012/10/22/roy-hibbert-gangnam-style/\">NBA</a>, <a href=\"http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000098513/article/gangnam-style-invading-toronto-for-billsseahawks\">NFL</a>, <a href=\"http://gawker.com/5965850/what-hath-psy-wrought-pa-high-schools-gangnam-style-parody-dubbed-worst-video-on-the-entire-internet\">high schools</a>, <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNo9x7KQ4ZI\">colleges</a>, <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDpgzn7KuzE\">parodies</a>, <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZmkU5Pg1sw\">television </a>and <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX153eYcVrY\">whatever</a>. Know this - we as Americans can kick you to the curb whenever we want.\r\n\r\nYou had to go and do something to mess it all up. Almost a decade ago, in 20/20 hindsight, <a href=\"http://www.mediaite.com/online/gangnam-style-singer-psys-vitriolic-anti-american-past-revealed-outrage-ensues/\">you had to go America bashing</a>. Well before you even knew you\'d be a hit here. How dare you.\r\n\r\nHow dare you, as a South Korean citizen, have feelings about another nation engaged in <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_War\">a war years ago</a>? Unbelievable. <a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/iraq1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-8140\" style=\"margin-left: 6px;margin-right: 6px\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/iraq1-300x195.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"195\" /></a>Excuse us while we go ahead and judge you, a man who we loved for one song as if you were the ambassador to an entire nation. You don\'t get to say what you want when you want to. <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_speech\">Where do you think you are?</a> Anyway, you were in South Korea when you said that stuff.\r\n\r\nWe obviously have the right to judge you. A man who came to this country, learned the language and then went back to his come country and became superstar. We have the taste to fall in love with a song that we don\'t understand the words to but we like the beat and enjoy seeing a guyacting like he\'s riding a horsey. But darnit, don\'t you disrespect our country ten years ago.\r\n\r\nThe things you said were just outright horrifying. You said this in a song during the Iraq War:\r\n\r\n<em>Kill those f**g Yankees who have been torturing Iraqi captives</em>\r\n<em> Kill those f***g Yankees who ordered them to torture</em>\r\n<em> Kill their daughters, mothers, daughters-in-law and fathers</em>\r\n<em> Kill them all slowly and painfully</em>\r\n\r\nCome on Psy. We can\'t dance to that.\r\n\r\nSure, you apologized. I\'m sure at the time you were outraged at the death of Christian missionary <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Sun-il\">Kim Sun-il</a> and his death. I\'m sure you felt like your voice might count. Maybe you felt like you should take a stand and as a performer, you had an obligation to say a few things. Or maybe your anger at the death of a national hero sparked in you a voice that led to anger that was overwhelming, even if you claim to have made mistakes ten years ago.\r\n\r\nNo excuse, dude. You are supposed to be perfect. In America, all of our entertainers, actors, singers, politicians and authors are perfect. Start living up to it if you\'re going to be making money here.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/merica.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-8141\" style=\"margin-left: 6px;margin-right: 6px\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/merica-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"208\" height=\"208\" /></a>But listen here, mister. Here in America, our entertainers <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_J_Simpson\">never let us down</a>. They never say things to embarrass us or disappoint us. <a href=\"http://www.tmz.com/\">They don\'t stick their collective feet in their mouths</a>. <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindsay_Lohan\">Ever</a>. <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_Chicks\">Ever</a>.\r\n\r\nLook at where you where. <a href=\"http://www.slate.com/blogs/trending/2012/12/07/psy_youtube_record_nets_870_000_profit_from_gangnam_style.html\">On top of YouTube.</a> O<a href=\"http://blog.music.aol.com/2012/12/05/psy-youtube-ads-gangnam-style/\">n top of iTunes</a>. Then you had to go back in time, back ten years ago and mess it all up. Just when we started accepting you.\r\n\r\nGo back to South Korea, stand in a corner for a while and don\'t come back.\r\n\r\nEver.\r\n\r\nFor a while.\r\n\r\nOr at least until you come up with another catchy tune with an accompanying dance.\r\n\r\n_______________________\r\n\r\nRay Carroll is author of  <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Pastor-Finding-Restoration-Broken/dp/0615567096/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1355039920&amp;sr=8-1\"><em>\"Fallen Pastor: Finding Restoration in a Broken World.\"</em></a> He blogs regularly at <a href=\"http://www.fallenpastor.com\"><em>www.fallenpastor.com</em></a>.','An Open Letter to Psy of \"Gangnam Style\": \'Merican Style','','inherit','open','open','','8138-revision-3','','','2012-12-09 15:27:26','2012-12-09 23:27:26','',8138,'http://provoketive.com/2012/12/09/8138-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(8168,1,'2012-12-11 06:11:01','2012-12-11 14:11:01','<blockquote>Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—\r\nhow good God is.\r\nBlessed are you who run to him.\r\n\r\n[Psalm 34:8, <em>The Message</em>]</blockquote>\r\nA few weeks ago, the pastor of the church we\'ve been attending came to our house for a visit.  She wanted to get to know us and talk a little about the church.  One thing that she said stood out to me above everything else:\r\n<blockquote>Worship is such a sensory experience.</blockquote>\r\nShe elaborated, describing the taste and smell of the Communion elements, the candles, the stained glass, the sound of the songs of praise.  Even listening to her, I could feel my pulse quickening with the longing that good, deep worship brings to me.\r\n\r\nLater that night, as I lay in bed, her words ran through my mind.  The Scripture I quoted above sprang to mind, and I turned it over and over, meditating on it and thinking about what that meant.\r\n\r\nAdvent is here, and Christmas is nearly upon us, and I find myself feeling sad that we have reduced this beautiful season to a string of arguments about how to greet one another and whether or not writing \"Xmas\" is appropriate. We spend our time in stores and online, seeking the perfect gifts.  We plan and prepare elaborate feasts.  We stress about vacation plans, in-laws, and family drama.\r\n\r\nThe one thing we <em>don\'t</em> do is focus on why we celebrate.  We\'ve lost our ability to \"taste and see that the Lord is good,\" all while accusing others of taking Christ out of Christmas.\r\n\r\nEven in all the busy moments of December, I love this time of year.  I can recall in exquisite detail the very first Christmas that I celebrated as a follower of Jesus.  For the first time, I understood exactly what the words of the songs meant.  Everything took on a new meaning—the decorations in the mall and the lights on our tree and the stockings full of gifts.  Even Christmas cookies tasted different.  The almost-magic of the season permeated my whole life.  It still does now, even after almost twenty-five years, and even through all the challenges that life has brought.\r\n\r\nChristmas can be a difficult time for many people, with all its busyness and heartache and anxiety.  The usual suggestion I hear for easing holiday tension is to take time, slow down, and worry less.  However, I propose something radically different.  Instead of letting it go and stepping away from our holiday plans, why not seek the Lord <em>in</em> them?  Why not \"taste and see\" <em>through</em> our festivities?\r\n\r\nWhat if we...\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Appreciate the beauty of the lights in store windows and on our streets, and let them remind us that Jesus is the light of the world?</li>\r\n	<li>Smell the baking cookies, holiday pine, and roast turkey and think of it as an aroma pleasing to God?</li>\r\n	<li>Feel the pen in hand as we write cards and know that we are sharing our joy with the ones we love?</li>\r\n	<li>Hear the carols and the organ and the bells and remember that among them, we can still hear the still, small voice of the Lord?</li>\r\n	<li>Taste the spice and sweetness of gingerbread and remember the sharp tang of our sin, but the forgiveness of the One who died for us?</li>\r\n	<li>Bustle about our tasks, remembering that it is God who is present in all of it and gives us strength to carry on?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWhat about you?  How will you \"taste and see that the Lord is good\" this Christmas?','Taste and See','','inherit','open','open','','8151-revision-6','','','2012-12-11 06:11:01','2012-12-11 14:11:01','',8151,'http://provoketive.com/2012/12/11/8151-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(8169,1,'2012-12-11 00:40:57','2012-12-11 08:40:57','when the pain is\r\n\r\ndeep\r\n\r\nand the intimacy\r\n\r\ncheap\r\n\r\nwhen the fear is\r\n\r\nreal\r\n\r\nand is your only\r\n\r\nmeal\r\n\r\nShe is there,\r\n\r\nHer motherly care,\r\n\r\nwhispering Her kisses into your\r\n\r\near\r\n\r\nthough you can’t\r\n\r\nhear, feel Her\r\n\r\nbreathing Her love into your\r\n\r\nfear, She\r\n\r\nis moving in the deep\r\n\r\npain:\r\n\r\nthe blood red dripping from the cross, a love\r\n\r\nstain\r\n\r\nin your heart is\r\n\r\nHis heart\r\n\r\nso take heart, dear heart\r\n\r\nand bring that smile you danced with in your\r\n\r\nsoul last night, dig that dance into that\r\n\r\nhole:\r\n\r\na seedling will come\r\n\r\nHer winds will cause it to grow\r\n\r\nHer rain will bring it to a felt\r\n\r\nknow\r\n\r\ning, you’ll be singing that He is here\r\n\r\nwhispering kisses in your\r\n\r\near\r\n\r\nbreathing love into your\r\n\r\nfear:\r\n\r\nthat, indeed, nothing is more\r\n\r\nnear, that, indeed, there is nothing to\r\n\r\nfear','whispering kisses','','inherit','open','open','','8148-revision-2','','','2012-12-11 00:40:57','2012-12-11 08:40:57','',8148,'http://provoketive.com/2012/12/11/8148-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(8170,1,'2012-12-17 11:39:31','2012-12-17 19:39:31','','sidlence','','inherit','open','open','','sidlence','','','2012-12-17 11:39:31','2012-12-17 19:39:31','',8163,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/sidlence.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(8171,1,'2012-12-17 11:40:27','2012-12-17 19:40:27','The tragedy in Connecticut has once again thrown Americans into a tailspin. None of us can wrap our heads around the horror of it. We can’t find a reason for what happened. In our bewilderment, there are no words to say.\n\nOf course, that doesn’t mean that some well-meaning Christian folks don’t try to come up with <em>something</em> since apparently any God-awful answer trumps silence on any and all current events. Here is some of the Facebook wisdom that some have offered up as a reason for what happened: “How does Barack Hussein Obama have the nerve to get up and quote scripture and offer prayers for the children of Sandy Hook? Maybe if scripture and prayer were still allowed in schools, this would have been avoided?” Christians have reposted en mass the cartoon showing someone asking, “Why didn’t God stop the shooting?” to which another responds, “How could He? He’s not allowed in school anymore.”\n\nAlthough my Facebook has become a public page since I had my book published (so I try to be somewhat benign with my posts) I am also a public school teacher. I had to weigh in. I wrote on my wall: “I love you all. I really do. But the next person who shows up on my thread with a post about God not being in public schools will be deleted and blocked. Think before you click.”\n\nLet’s clarify.\n\nBelieve me when I tell you, prayer has never been banned from the public schools in this country. Ever. As my good friend (and co-contributor for Provoketive e-Magazine) Cody Stauffer said yesterday on my thread, “Unfortunately, many have a problem distinguishing the difference between ‘endorsed’ and ‘allowed.’ It goes hand in hand with the idea that, if we\'re not in the a place of privilege, than we must be getting persecuted, or if others aren\'t losing, than I\'m not winning.”\n\nHe’s brilliant, and he’s my friend.\n\nThe law regarding prayer in school simply provides that I can’t make my students pray to the Guy (or Gal) I pray to. This is a good law since I could send my own son to school without having to worry if someone who did not share my own religious convictions would force him to pray to some guy (or gal) I have not signed off on.\n\nEverybody with me?\n\nHowever, we’ve brought up a few generations now (since Madeline Murray O’Hare whom Christians have vilified mercilessly) who don’t pray in schools because they believe that they are not allowed to—NOT because the law have told them that they can’t and NOT because public schools have told them that they can’t—but because CHRISTIANS have told them that they can’t. And because they’re so <em>loud</em>, children among others assume that they’re <em>correct</em>.\n\nPonder the irony of <em>that</em> for one brief moment.\n\nYou know that “thirty seconds of silence” that public schools provide for students after we say the Pledge of Allegiance? (Yes, we still say the Pledge of Allegiance contrary to what you’ve heard.) Yeah, we provide that time so that kids can PRAY. Some schools still do it daily. Most schools provide it in times like these, when we’ve suffered a national tragedy or when we should be mindful of past grief such as the anniversary of 9-11.\n\nTo insinuate that this tragedy occurred because the “liberals” have taken prayer out of schools is straight up stupid and hurtful and wrong. I’m not trying to be mean here if you’re one of the ones who threw that crap up on your Facebook page, but damn. If you don’t know what you’re talking about, shut UP. You are making it harder for the rest of us who aren’t looking to fix this world with the next zinger of a sound bite. We’re looking simply to wrap our arms and hearts around those who are broken—and right now that’s a whole lotta people. One of our problems is, they think we’re <em>you</em>.\n\nSilence is golden.','','','inherit','open','open','','8163-revision-2','','','2012-12-17 11:40:27','2012-12-17 19:40:27','',8163,'http://provoketive.com/2012/12/17/8163-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(8181,1,'2012-12-21 10:29:59','2012-12-21 18:29:59','','bullets','','inherit','open','open','','bullets','','','2012-12-21 10:29:59','2012-12-21 18:29:59','',8176,'http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/bullets.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(8182,1,'2012-12-21 08:53:41','2012-12-21 16:53:41','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wake1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-8178\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wake1-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\nI wish I could write a nice piece about the miracle of the season, but the Newtown shooting ripped away any remnants of a Norman Rockwell Christmas.  Because the primary targets were young children, it was a stark reminder of the madness that exists in this world.   Of course, every day, children are forced into war, slavery, prostitution, and extreme poverty… So, Newtown is not a new or unique story.   Even the Christmas story itself has a bloody postscript of Herod slaughtering all the male babies in and around Bethlehem.\r\n\r\nWhile Americans have mourned the victims and embraced the survivors, there are disturbing signs that evil continues to thrive among us.   Just over the last few days, there have been more threats, some against schools, others railing against the government.   Most of these people are probably just venting or seeking attention, but when police investigate, they often do find caches of weapons\r\n\r\nOn the weekend after the shooting (December 15<sup>th</sup>), one person fired off rounds outside a mall in Newport Beach, while another shot up an emergency room in Birmingham.   Just down the road from me, in Columbia, Tennessee, a 19 year old posted on his Facebook page:<em> “feel like goin on a rampage, kinda like the school shooting were that one guy killed some teachers and a bunch of students :D”</em>  19 people had “liked” his comment.\r\n\r\nThere’s a lot of blame to go around, but there are a few factors that contribute to the anger and violence in our society… For example, according to Nielson, the average TV viewer witnesses 200,000 violent acts on TV by the time they are 18.   While this desensitizes all of us, many kids have also been busy mowing down their enemies in video games.  These games are so lifelike, they simulate the experience, giving the player actual skills they can use to kill.  Obviously, the vast majority of players never take their game playing into the real world, but it shouldn’t surprise us when they do.\r\n\r\nThe mother of the Newtown killer was apparently stockpiling weapons and food in preparation of an economic collapse.  This phenomenon has become so popular that it has launched a TV show called “Doomsday Preppers.”   I understand someone wanting to protect their family from an attacker, but many of these end-of-the-world “enthusiasts” are preparing for a long, sustained war.  If you indulge in a paranoid fantasy for long enough, you might turn it into a reality or, at least, a reality TV show.\r\n\r\nWe live in a country with approximately 350 million guns, and sales have been soaring since the tragedy in Newtown.   For years, the NRA has effectively whipped up the fear that guns will be taken away.  While no one is advocating for this, it does seem reasonable to limit the size of clips or implement background checks at gun shows.   But the NRA, and its most militant members, refuses to compromise and, despite all the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, maintain that even more guns are the answer.\r\n\r\nViolent video games, preparing for disaster, and stockpiling weapons all exacerbate the problem, but what is behind the fascination with these destructive tendencies?   Of course, there are no easy answers to that question, so I’ll defer to Thomas Merton who, after spending many days meditating on the nature of war, came up with this, <em>“At the root of war is fear: not so much the fear men have of one another as the fear they have of everything.   It is not merely that they do not trust one another; they do not even trust themselves… They cannot trust anything because they have ceased to believe in God.”  </em>\r\n\r\nCould fear be at the root of our need to make war on a global scale or strike out against our fellow man?  Could lack of faith be at the root of needing to arm ourselves to the teeth?   When we need to protect ourselves from perceived enemies, we are really saying we don’t trust God.  Throughout the Old and New Testaments - God, the Prophets, and Christ are continually telling us to “Fear Not.”  Of course, that’s easier said than done in a world with real, dangerous enemies.\r\n\r\nPart of the problem may be that God’s protection doesn’t look like our version of it.   God doesn’t necessarily come cloaked in military might.    In fact, God willingly sent an innocent baby into a harsh, violent world; a world that would eventually crucify Him.   This makes no sense to a world that glorifies power and strength, and yet, 2,000 years later, Christ’s light still burns in the midst of darkness.   When sometimes this world seems to have gone mad, Christ offers an alternative path of love and peace, and that’s the true miracle of the season.\r\n\r\nJeff Fulmer lives in Nashville, TN and is the author of the book and the blog, <a href=\"http://www.hometownprophetbook.com/\">Hometown Prophet</a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','The Miracle of the Season','','inherit','open','open','','8176-revision-2','','','2012-12-21 08:53:41','2012-12-21 16:53:41','',8176,'http://provoketive.com/2012/12/21/8176-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(8199,0,'2013-01-07 12:50:53','2013-01-07 20:50:53','Faith:  Spirituality, Theology, Interfaith Dialogue, Philosophy, Spiritual Practices, Questions\r\nJustice: Social Justice, Gender Equality, Politics and Economics\n<!--more-->\nAUTHOR: Alexander Marshall\nAUTHOR EMAIL: alexanderpmarshall@gmail.com\nAUTHOR URL: http://apmarshall.wordpress.com\nSUBJECT: Provoketive Magazine Writing For Provoketive\nIP: 76.250.228.89\nArray\n(\n    [Name] =&gt; Alexander Marshall\n    [Email] =&gt; alexanderpmarshall@gmail.com\n    [Existing Blog or Website] =&gt; http://apmarshall.wordpress.com\n    [List the topic you are interested writing about] =&gt; Faith:  Spirituality, Theology, Interfaith Dialogue, Philosophy, Spiritual Practices, Questions\r\nJustice: Social Justice, Gender Equality, Politics and Economics\n    [Current or New WordPress Login Name (We\'ll send you a password.)] =&gt; timbarnabus\n)\n','Alexander Marshall - 2013-01-07 12:50:53','','publish','open','open','','3892ec4295abeb664db2759fe7fbdf54','','','2013-01-07 12:50:53','2013-01-07 20:50:53','',358,'http://provoketive.com/?post_type=feedback&p=8199',0,'feedback','',0),(8293,204,'2013-01-16 13:04:59','2013-01-16 21:04:59','I have a love-hate relationship with Ayn Rand. Its kind of like the song Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg sing together, \"Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die.\" One the one hand, I don\'t want to encourage recreational drug use, but on the other, I can\'t help but chuckle at the irony of this song sung by two famous recreational drug users. The song draws me in and then I realize that as much as I like the song, smoking dope would not go over very well with my wife. I get the same feeling when I read Ayn Rand. Effort, she says, is something that I must do on my own and not at the cost of another\'s loss. She draws me in, and then she explains I should not consider others\' interests because life is about me and my interests. My problem with her ethical theory is that I have to coexist with my wife.\n\nAyn Rand\'s ethical theory is fairly simple: I should only take actions and make decisions by using my natural ability to think rationally. Therefore, I must only act according to my interests, not those of others or those of a group. Rand would not want me to save a stranger from a burning building if it means that I risk loosing my life, or if I have nothing to gain personally by sacrificing myself for a stranger. However, I should save my wife from a burning building because I need her to wash my clothes, bear my children, and cook my dinner (keep in mind Rand is a woman). If an emergency does happen, then I should volunteer to help strangers (after all, you don\'t want to look like a total jerk), while not risking my life and not dedicating the rest of my life to help these strangers. To put it another way, people should help other people not because of notions of obligation or duty (like first responders), but because of notions motivated by reason and personal self-interest (like Bernie Madoff). In Ayn Rand\'s world every man is a king and every woman is a queen. In her world, brotherly and sisterly love are optional. But in the real world, I am a king because my wife lets me, and to love someone else is to see the face of God.\n\nIn 1916 Einstein presented his general theory of relativity. In it he asserted that space is not three-dimensional and time is not a separate entity—space and time are different aspects of the same something—and all measurements involving space and time are not absolute. Einstein\'s theory of relativity opened the door for scientist to push the boundaries of human imagination. The deterministic world of solid objects in the Newtonian world view came under fresh scrutiny. There came a sense of an alive universe. Instead of being isolated, everything seemed to connect.\n\nIn 1900 Max Planck delivered a paper that rocked the scientific world. His paper displaced the notion that energy comes only in continuous waves with that of bundles of energy. Planck called these bundles of energy \"quanta\" and was able to show that these bundles could behave both as waves and particles at the same time. The idea that quanta were real was so counter-intuitive that Planck himself could not make this leap of faith. In 1968 scientists smashed electrons into protons and neutrons and discovered \"quarks.\"\n\nThe early explorers warned us that to try to summarize quantum theory is to risk sounding mystical. Einstein was not willing to accept that quarks could travel faster than the speed of light. Yet, towards the end of his life he admitted that it is impossible to get anywhere in quantum theory without sinning against reason. Observing a quark can instantaneously influence the behavior of another distant quark and appear in two places at the same time—even if no physical force connects the two. The evidence for these intuitions of \"quantum entanglement\" emerged with Bell\'s Theorem in the 1960s. This theory is often described in poetic terms, but one that reflects the true nature of the theory: the flapping of a butterfly\'s wings in New York City can affect the course of a typhoon off the coast of China. In the quantum worldview nothing makes sense while in isolation. There are no boundaries, and influences can emerge from several sources, many probably unknown to the human mind. Reality is bigger that our ability to perceive and since it grows forever in complexity it will probably always outstretch our imaginations and outwit our intelligence. Strange, I know, but quantum theory makes more sense to me than Ayn Rand\'s ethical theory. Quantum theory says that there is no end to where our imaginations can take us. Rand\'s theory says that all there is, is me. Rand says that I can experience joy in life through productive work, human relationships, recreation, art and sex as long as I can control my destiny. Quantum theory says there is something beautiful happening just beyond my reach, just outside the space-time continuum. Rand says that it\'s not impossible to know the truth as long as I think rationally. Quantum theory says that I must sin against reason and rationality to get at the truth. Maybe this is why Jesus never refers to us as sinners. In his day, the religious élite dictated the conventions of rationality and reason. Jesus sinned against these conventions by turning them upside down and delivering us from the idea that we need to be protected from God. Now this changes everything.   Photo Courtesy of Cea.','Sinning Against Reason','','inherit','open','open','','8259-revision-31','','','2013-01-16 13:04:59','2013-01-16 21:04:59','',8259,'http://provoketive.com/2013/01/16/8259-revision-31/',0,'revision','',0),(8270,204,'2013-01-16 07:39:50','2013-01-16 15:39:50','&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI have a love-hate relationship with Ayn Rand. Its kind of like the song Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg sing together, \"Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die.\" One the one hand, I don\'t want to encourage recreational drug use, but on the other, I can\'t help but chuckle at the irony of this song sung by two famous recreational drug users. The song draws me in and then I realize that as much as I like the song, smoking dope would not go over very well with my wife. I get the same feeling when I read Ayn Rand. Effort, she says, is something that I must do on my own and not at the cost of another\'s loss. She draws me in, and then she explains I should not consider others\' interests because life is about me and my interests. My problem with her ethical theory is that I have to coexist with my wife.\n\nAyn Rand\'s ethical theory is fairly simple: I should only take actions and make decisions by using my natural ability to think rationally. Therefore, I must only act according to my interests, not those of others or those of a group. Rand would not want me to save a stranger from a burning building if it means that I risk loosing my life, or if I have nothing to gain personally by sacrificing myself for a stranger. However, I should save my wife from a burning building because I need her to wash my clothes, bear my children, and cook my dinner (keep in mind Rand is a woman). If an emergency does happen, then I should volunteer to help strangers (after all, you don\'t want to look like a total jerk), while not risking my life and not dedicating the rest of my life to help these strangers. To put it another way, people should help other people not because of notions of obligation or duty (like first responders), but because of notions motivated by reason and personal self-interest (like Bernie Madoff). In Ayn Rand\'s world every man is a king and every woman is a queen. In her world, brotherly and sisterly love are optional. But in the real world, I am a king because my wife lets me, and to love someone else is to see the face of God.\n\nIn 1916 Einstein presented his general theory of relativity. In it he asserted that space is not three-dimensional and time is not a separate entity—space and time are different aspects of the same something—and all measurements involving space and time are not absolute. Einstein\'s theory of relativity opened the door for scientist to push the boundaries of human imagination. The deterministic world of solid objects in the Newtonian world view came under fresh scrutiny. There came a sense of an alive universe. Instead of being isolated, everything seemed to connect.\n\nIn 1900 Max Planck delivered a paper that rocked the scientific world. His paper displaced the notion that energy comes only in continuous waves with that of bundles of energy. Planck called these bundles of energy \"quanta\" and was able to show that these bundles could behave both as waves and particles at the same time. The idea that quanta were real was so counter-intuitive that Planck himself could not make this leap of faith. In 1968 scientists smashed electrons into protons and neutrons and discovered \"quarks.\"\n\nThe early explorers warned us that to try to summarize quantum theory is to risk sounding mystical. Einstein was not willing to accept that quarks could travel faster than the speed of light. Yet, towards the end of his life he admitted that it is impossible to get anywhere in quantum theory without sinning against reason. Observing a quark can instantaneously influence the behavior of another distant quark and appear in two places at the same time—even if no physical force connects the two. The evidence for these intuitions of \"quantum entanglement\" emerged with Bell\'s Theorem in the 1960s. This theory is often described in poetic terms, but one that reflects the true nature of the theory: the flapping of a butterfly\'s wings in New York City can affect the course of a typhoon off the coast of China. In the quantum worldview nothing makes sense while in isolation. There are no boundaries, and influences can emerge from several sources, many probably unknown to the human mind. Reality is bigger that our ability to perceive and since it grows forever in complexity it will probably always outstretch our imaginations and outwit our intelligence.\n\nStrange, I know, but quantum theory makes more sense to me than Ayn Rand\'s ethical theory. Quantum theory says that there is no end to where our imaginations can take us. Rand\'s theory says that all there is, is me. Rand says that I can experience joy in life through productive work, human relationships, recreation, art and sex as long as I can control my destiny. Quantum theory says there is something beautiful happening just beyond my reach, just outside the space-time continuum. Rand says that it\'s not impossible to know the truth as long as I think rationally. Quantum theory says that I must sin against reason and rationality to get at the truth.\n\nMaybe this is why Jesus never refers to us as sinners. In his day, the religious élite dictated the conventions of rationality and reason. Jesus sinned against these conventions by turning them upside down and delivering us from the idea that we need to be protected from God.\n\nNow this changes everything.\n\nGrace and Peace.','Sinning Against Reason','','inherit','open','open','','8259-revision-11','','','2013-01-16 07:39:50','2013-01-16 15:39:50','',8259,'http://provoketive.com/2013/01/16/8259-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(8217,202,'2013-01-08 19:42:57','2013-01-09 03:42:57','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/file76912791172721.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-8214\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/file76912791172721.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"511\" height=\"342\" /></a>\n\nI remember hearing a story in college about a large church with a young pastor who boldly preached the gospel according to Calvin and Albert Mohler.  The mega-church he led had lost a sizable number of members (though certainly not enough to diminish its mega-church status) and a friend commented that this was because this pastor was “preaching the truth.”  What he meant, which I agree with, is that the truth isn’t always what we want to hear.  What he implied, which I want to question, is that any consequences of bluntly telling the truth are perfectly acceptable.\n\nA friend of mine said to me recently that what we believe determines how we live and treat others.  Whether he meant to or not, he seemed to imply that the primary concern of any spiritual leader must be making sure people believe correctly.  Lifestyle will follow if we just get people’s theology in order.\n\nBut what happens when our quest to enlighten others with “the truth” leads to our causing others pain?  Or what happens when people reveal to us deep pain and hurt caused by those with whom we theologically or ideologically agree?  What happens when people ask for our advice and we discover that they believe “the wrong thing?”\n\nBefore we go any farther with this I need to confess that I am by no means a master of discretion when it comes to difficult situations like these.  So what follows is not the teachings of an expert in the field but the honest questionings of a fellow journeyer.  I am guilty of having done (and probably will do again) many things similar to those I am about to describe.  I write this not to chastise others but to bring to light a concern that all of us engaged in conversations about faith need to keep in mind.\n\nWith that confession in mind, let me share three types of situations in which conversations about faith often turn into \"arguments\" which subject the people around us to \"friendly fire\":\n\nThe first happens when we cross lines of theological difference.\n\nI have heard many pastors, bible study leaders, and seminary students, whether they be Calvinist, Wesleyan, or none-of-the-above, describe moments in which someone came to them with a question or a pastoral concern which simultaneously revealed that they held the “wrong theology.”  Not missing a beat, said “teacher” took the opportunity to inform their new, unsuspecting “student” of a more theologically robust and accurate way of conceptualizing the “issue at hand,” with the resulting private lecture in systematics often taking up most of the 30 minute block set aside for their “coffee meeting.”  With a shrug many of these stories end with \"I haven\'t heard anything from them lately...\"\n\nThe second happens when we cross lines of political difference.\n\nA friend told me a couple of years ago of a painful experience involving a mentor and colleague who was leading a local church outreach program.  In the course of meeting to plan activities for this program, they realized that they came down on opposite sides of a very controversial political issue.  My friend humbly asked to continue working with this mentor and colleague despite their disagreement.  In return he was given an ultimatum: until you change your mind about this, we can’t work together.\n\nThe third happens when we cross lines of cultural or experiential difference.\n\nSqueezed into the middle seat on a long Southwest flight to visit family for the holidays, it comes out that we work in ministry or are studying theology.  Or maybe the guy next to us notices the title of the N.T. Wright book we are reading.  Whatever it was, suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere a host of stereotypes and accusations are flying: the diatribe against organized religion from the woman on our left, the stories of personal pain and hurt caused by church when the fellow on our right was growing up.  My first instinct, and I suspect I’m not alone, is to do one of two things:  either dodge the bullet and play the I’m-not-that-kind-of-Christian card, or spend the rest of the flight arguing about why they have got Christianity all wrong.\n\nUnderlying all three of these types of situations, I think, is a concern for the advancement of particular commitments and beliefs in the life of the church.  And on one level, these are good, important things.  The church needs to better educate its members about theology.  The church needs people who are serious about arguing for the right application of Christianity to the needs of this world.  The church needs to deal with its historical and cultural baggage and try to change people\'s hearts and minds.  And when we engage in conversations about faith we will often find ourselves on the front lines of all of these concerns.\n\nBut what also needs to be considered is the concrete reality of the other person in each of these situations.  Does the church member across the table from us need a lesson in theology or do they need to be heard out?  Does the colleague with which we disagree politically need an ultimatum or do they need an outstretched hand?  Do our fellow passengers (or perhaps prisoners?) on a long flight home need the sales pitch for our particular brand of Christianity or do they need someone who is willing to own the harm done to them and simply say “I’m sorry”?\n\nThese are difficult questions to answer and there are no hard and fast rules for deciding them.  All too often we go into conversations with those with whom we disagree trigger-happy and ready to shoot.  Spoiling for the fight, we don\'t take the time to stop and consider the consequences of our words.\n\nI was pretty astonished today when I watched this \"interview\" of Alex Jones by Piers Morgan:\n\n[youtube]http://youtu.be/Tf-i3Y5iRYo[/youtube]\n\nUnfortunately, a lot of people see Christians this way and a lot of times we Christians act this way toward one another.  Aggressive and argumentative have become synonyms with \"Christian\" in our society, and we haven\'t done much to help our cause.\n\nWhat I think we need to ask ourselves more often is whether the way we have conversations with those with whom we disagree has more to do with advancing our favorite hobby-horse than with addressing the actual needs of the person we are talking with.\n\nPut another way, I think we need to ask ourselves on a regular basis if our calling to be servant leaders is best accomplished by taking every conversation as an opportunity to argue with others about the right things to think or a moment to accept what we consider false assumptions for the sake of meeting people where they are.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<em>Alexander Marshall is a blogger, writer, teacher, and student at Yale Divinity School.  You can connect with him on <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/alexanderpmarshall\">Facebook</a>, <a href=\"https://twitter.com/alexp_marshall\">Twitter</a>, or by <a href=\"http://apmarshall.wordpress.com\">visiting his blog</a>.</em>','When Should We Stop Arguing?','','inherit','open','open','','8205-revision-10','','','2013-01-08 19:42:57','2013-01-09 03:42:57','',8205,'http://provoketive.com/2013/01/08/8205-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(8216,202,'2013-01-08 17:13:37','2013-01-09 01:13:37','<a href=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/file76912791172721.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-8214\" src=\"http://provoketive.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/file76912791172721.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"511\" height=\"342\" /></a>\r\n\r\nI remember hearing a story in college about a large church with a young pastor who boldly preached the gospel according to Calvin and Albert Mohler.  The mega-church he led had lost a sizable number of members (though certainly not enough to diminish its mega-church status) and a friend commented that this was because this pastor was “preaching the truth.”  What he meant, which I agree with, is that the truth isn’t always what we want to hear.  What he implied, which I want to question, is that any consequences of bluntly telling the truth are perfectly acceptable.\r\n\r\nA friend of mine said to me recently that what we believe determines how we live and treat others.  Whether he meant to or not, he seemed to imply that the primary concern of any spiritual leader must be making sure people believe correctly.  Lifestyle will follow if we just get people’s theology in order.\r\n\r\nBut what happens when our quest to enlighten others with “the truth” leads to our causing others pain?  Or what happens when people reveal to us deep pain and hurt caused by those with whom we theologically or ideologically agree?  What happens when people ask for our advice and we discover that they believe “the wrong thing?”\r\n\r\nBefore we go any farther with this I need to confess that I am by no means a master of discretion when it comes to difficult situations like these.  So what follows is not the teachings of an expert in the field but the honest questionings of a fellow journeyer.  I am guilty of having done (and probably will do again) many things similar to those I am about to write about.  I write this not to chastise others but to bring to light a concern that all of us engaged in conversations about faith need to keep in mind.\r\n\r\nWith that confession in mind, let me share three types of situations in which conversations about faith often turn into \"arguments\" which subject the people around us to \"friendly fire\":\r\n\r\nThe first happens when we cross lines of theological difference.\r\n\r\nI have heard many pastors, bible study leaders, and seminary students, whether they be Calvinist, Wesleyan, or none-of-the-above, describe moments in which someone came to them with a question or a pastoral concern which simultaneously revealed that they held the “wrong theology.”  Not missing a beat, said “teacher” took the opportunity to inform their new, unsuspecting “student” of a more theologically robust and accurate way of conceptualizing the “issue at hand,” with the resulting private lecture in systematics often taking up most of the 30 minute block set aside for their “coffee meeting.”  With a shrug many of these stories end with \"I haven\'t heard anything from them lately...\"\r\n\r\nThe second happens when we cross lines of political difference.\r\n\r\nA friend told me a couple of years ago of the painful experience of having a conversation with a mentor and colleague who was leading a local church outreach program.  In the course of meeting to plan activities for this program, they realized that they came down on opposite sides of a very controversial political issue.  My friend humbly asked to continue working with this mentor and colleague despite their disagreement.  He was met with an ultimatum: until you change your mind about this, we can’t work together.\r\n\r\nThe third happens when we cross lines of cultural or experiential difference.\r\n\r\nSqueezed into the middle seat on a long Southwest flight to visit family for the holidays, it comes out that we are involved in ministry or are studying theology.  Or maybe the guy next to us notices the title of the N.T. Wright book we are reading.  Whatever it was, suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere a host of stereotypes and accusations are flying: the diatribe against organized religion from the woman on our left, the stories of personal pain and hurt caused by church when the fellow on our right was growing up.  My natural instinct, and I suspect I’m not alone, is to do one of two things:  either dodge the bullet and play the I’m-not-that-kind-of-Christian card, or spend the rest of the flight arguing about why they have got Christianity all wrong.\r\n\r\nUnderlying all three of these types of situations, I think, is a concern for the advancement of particular commitments and beliefs in the life of the church.  And on one level, these are good, important things.  The church needs to better educate its members about theology.  The church needs people who are serious about arguing for the right application of Christianity to the needs of this world.  The church needs to deal with its historical and cultural baggage and try to change people\'s hearts and minds.  And when we engage in conversations about faith we will often find ourselves on the front lines of all of these concerns.\r\n\r\nBut what also needs to be considered is the concrete reality of the other person in each of these situations.  Does the church member across the table from us need a lesson in theology or do they need to be heard out?  Does the colleague with which we disagree politically need an ultimatum or do they need an outstretched hand?  Do our fellow passengers (or perhaps prisoners?) on a long flight home need the sales pitch for our particular brand of Christianity or do they need someone who is willing to own the harm done to them and simply say “I’m sorry”?\r\n\r\nThese are difficult questions to answer and there are no hard and fast rules for deciding them.  All too often we go into conversations with those with whom we disagree trigger-happy and ready to shoot.  Spoiling for the fight, we don\'t take the time to stop and consider the consequences of our words.\r\n\r\nI was pretty astonished today when I watched this \"interview\" of Alex Jones by Piers Morgan:\r\n\r\n[youtube]http://youtu.be/Tf-i3Y5iRYo[/youtube]\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, a lot of people see Christians this way and a lot of times we Christians act this way toward one another.  Aggressive and argumentative have become synonyms with \"Christian\" in our society, and we haven\'t done much to help our cause.\r\n\r\nWhat I think we need to ask ourselves more often is whether the way we have conversations with those with whom we disagree has more to do with advancing our favorite hobby-horse than with addressing the actual needs of the person we are talking with.\r\n\r\nPut another way, I think we need to ask ourselves on a regular basis if our calling to be servant leaders is best accomplished by taking every conversation as an opportunity to argue with others about the right things to think or a moment to accept what we consider false assumptions for the sake of meeting people where they are.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Alexander Marshall is a blogger, writer, teacher, and student at Yale Divinity School.  You can connect with him on <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/alexanderpmarshall\">Facebook</a>, <a href=\"https://twitter.com/alexp_marshall\">Twitter</a>, or by <a href=\"http://apmarshall.wordpress.com\">visiting his blog</a>.</em>','When Should We Stop Arguing?','','inherit','open','open','','8205-revision-9','','','2013-01-08 17:13:37','2013-01-09 01:13:37','',8205,'http://provoketive.com/2013/01/08/8205-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),