Sorry about that. . .

Thomas Heath, a 16-year-old cross country and track runner, shot himself last Wednesday. His youth group at Mason County Reformed Church mourns. Adults ask, "why?" The funeral was yesterday. Many feel guilty, like they should have/could have done more.

Thomas liked hunting, fishing, being out in the woods, had a great rapore with kids, and like most kids, he liked just hanging out with friends.

But here's the twist. Thomas' parents basically abandoned him. Both of his parents are truck drivers and they left Thomas under the guardianship to two families in his hometown because his parents travel together. The just left him. There's more to the story.

Thomas bounced back between two families that were not his own while his parents drove around America. Broken hearted, deeply wounded Thomas took his life.

I was in home of the pastor of the church where Thomas' youth groups meets and I couldn't concentrate for several days thinking about how much pain this kid was in and how much I wish I could have been working in this kid's youth group.

I am angry and saddened. As a teen, suicidal thoughts were a regular part of my week at times. I know what goes through your mind. I'm pissed because the Enemy took another one out. I long for a church that preaches to people's pain instead of only their vices. Suicidal kids of the covenant, the Prince of this world strikes back.

Due to technical difficulties with the comment section on this site the judging for the $50 prize has been postponed. Check back updates periodically. We hope to have this situation remedied shortly. Thank you in advance for your patience.

Singer-songwriter Elliott Smith was found dead in his Silverlake apartment on Tuesday, October 21. The apparent cause was suicide by a self-inflicted knife wound. Smith was brought to the University of Southern California Medical Center by his live-in girlfriend after she discovered the artist's body at 12:18pm. Smith was pronounced dead an hour after arrival. Spin Magazine's December issue has a lengthy article on this brilliant musician’s life.

Here's the recipe for suicide in Smith's life:

(1) Parents divorced while he was still a baby
(2) Step-father verbally and physically abused him
(3) Step-father sexually abused him (as he began to recall just before his death)
(4) At 14-yrs-old he moves to live with his real father (to escape the abuse)
(5) feels guilty that he left his Mom there with a dangerous man
(6) becomes heavily addicted to drugs and abuses alcohol
(7) frequently in and out of rehab for drugs; struggles with addictions
(8) he confesses to his Mom about the sexual abuse; she refuses to believe him;
(9) Spends a life time burying his pain in his music
(10) Tries to kill himself several times
(11) Vacillates from being sober to being a drug abuser; goes from heroine to crack

In his despair he stabs himself in the chest twice and dies. . .

The Enemy stole his life and prevented him from experiencing the greatest healing ever and restoration ever.

Here's why I am sometimes tempted to not send hurting people to evangelical churches. This man emerging from the bowels of divorce, who spent his childhood being raped and abused by his step-father would walk in most of our churches and hear this message:

You're a filthy-ragged sinner who needs the grace of God to be truly righteous. Stop using drugs, stop getting drunk, and ask for grace to be good, embrace your sonship, and become a Republican; support whatever George Bush does, become obsessed with fighting gay rights, become politically focused on abortion, and pursue a lifestyle of boredom.

Ok, so when guys like him hears words like "father" and "sonship." It brings back memories of rape, beatings, and verbal woundings through the words of his father(s). So here's a radical thought for the lame evangelical church that preaches the gospel to all people in the same way (as if everyone is at the same place):

SOME PEOPLE ABUSE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, and ARE SEXUALLY PROMISCUOUS TO COVER UP PAIN NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE REBELLING. So why is that Gospel presentations in most of our (in my case PCA) churches do not preach to people's pain?

Personally, I can't think of a single PCA that I would have sent this guy to that isn't too focused on "grace" (love you don't deserve) as if this guy struggles with legalism. This is not a guy who thought he was basically good. If you told him he doesn't deserve God's love he would say, "I know."

What does your church have to say to the guy who was raped as a kid? If available, could you please link us to your church's web site that introduces how the gospel deals with tough stuff like that?

Most churches probably tell people that they're filthy sinners as a starting point? Is that the place Jesus started with everyone he encountered?

Hey, stop reading this blog and go spend some time with people!! I'll be back on Monday!

Nov 25, 1897 Spain granted Puerto Rico autonomy.

Now we just need the colonialist US Gov't give it to them again. I'll be the first one to have mofongo con lechon!!

Nov 25, 1841 35 Amistad survivors returned to Sierra Leone, Africa.

A thanksgiving day praise from the survivors: "Lord thank you for letting us be free from being enslaved on plantations by all those God-fearing white Christians."

You all do know the story right(it's below).

(And yes, I know this posting is inflamatory).

2348 BCE Nov 25, Biblical scholars have long asserted this to be the day of the Great Deluge, or Flood.

That's what the VOICE says. It's been telling you this since middle school and/or high school at least, right? That you suck as a person. Nobody loves you. Nobody cares about you. You're alone. You're not a man. You're fat. Everything that's bad in your life is your fault.

That the voice trying to kill you and it comes from the Enemy himself (John 8:34-45). The devil is the a liar and the father of lies. He wants you to believe the bullslitz about you sucking as a person to destroy you in one of two ways.

(1) Embrace It: "Yeah, I am a loser." And so you act like one. Passivity. Depression. Over eating. Becoming a recluse. Retreating to television. Low-self image. Looking dirty. Dressing poorly. Thoughts of suicide. And so on. Bitter attitude. Synicism all the time. A sense of hopelessness. Drug abuse. Alcohol abuse. You'll sleep with anyone who'll have you. You never take risks.

or

(2) Try To Prove It Wrong: "Heck no, I don't suck watch this." Working out constantly. Obessesed with appearance. Materialism. Womanizing. Giving your body to men. Wearing clothers to attract attention. Getting good grades. Seeking to achieve perfection in sports. Seeking approval. Being a people pleaser. Not giving a crap about other people. You take it out on your wife and treat her either with verbal or physical violence. Use sex to control your husband and so on. Fear of failure, etc.

The embracers often end up in the Ska/Punk/Skater/Indie Rock/Grunge Scene. The provers wrong end listening to rap (bling bling), hip-hop, and cross-over pop with vain lyrics.

As a follower of Christ you can't suck as a person. Think about it. You're made in God's image, destined for glory, called to have a role in the greatest story ever, and eternally loved in the midst of pain, brokeness, and confusion. Your Father is more committed to you being what he wants you to be than you are. The devil is a liar.

For some of you the holiday season is difficult. Family stuff, tension, stress, broken relationships, unmet expectations, loneliness, revenge, posing. Fake smiles and holiday cheer. This, and more, all wrapped up in the next 6 weeks or so. Get me a drink.

Be strong and courageous.

Some of you will be eating dinner on Thanksgiving at the table with man who molested you as a young girl or boy. You will hug the person that raped you. Some of you will sit at the table and exchange gifts with the parent that so deeply wounded you with words of rejection and disapproval that you've often wondered if you ever mattered to them.

Be strong and courageous.

Some of you will sit at the table of despair because of the divorce that still haunts, the hugs that never came, the words of validation that were never uttered, words of condemnation, and disapproval. For some this will be hard.

Be strong and courageous.

I have no nice, easy words to make it feel better because there may not be any. Some Christians try to force it with empty rhetoric. Truth: the pain may still suck. The only thing I can offer is the truth that the pain only temporary (that is, there is hope). Hope in what, you ask? That the God who's image you bear seeks to meet you where you are, take on your pain, offer you the way of healing, and bring into something better and he will do it.

If you need a place to vent feel free to do it here. . .

Further intricate unfoldings of the cultural revelation of the religion of globalization appear with the McDonaldization of the world, closely pursued by KFC and Burger King. What these fast food monopoly capitalist corporations have in common with Pepsi and Coca Cola is the refined art of creating and altering the food tastes of the indigenous populations in developing countries. They effect a smooth strategy. U.S. soft drink monopolies undercut prices of locally brewed soda pop, purchase a monopoly on the coin soda dispensing machines in a country, and flood the market with massive advertising linking their product with youth, sex, sports, and happy faces.

Dr. Hopkins teaches theology the University of Chicago Divinity School.

I put this in my dissertation this morning. Black liberation theology, alive and well, seems to be against economic development in Third-World contries.

I had no idea that US companies actually had special magic powers to control people. Pretty demonic, huh?

Enfant writes:

Anthony Bradley thinks that free or reduced price breakfast programs in schools are hurting society by reducing incentives for families to eat breakfast together... Let them eat dugong!

In fact, isn't allowing kids to take the bus to school reducing incentives for families to take care of their children's transportation needs? Isn't Coats-for-Kids reducing incentives for families to take care of their children's clothing needs? Down with free and reduced price clothing!

My response is listed under Blog 9s the Nov. 19 entry: Enfant Bites the Hand the Feed Him.

The Tigers and Gamecocks fought hard on Saturday, literally. From CNN:

The Tigers and Gamecocks had a brief confrontation before Saturday's game and throughout officials had to quell small skirmishes and separate players.

The brawl broke out with 5:48 to go. It started when Tigers defensive lineman Bobby Williamson took down South Carolina quarterback Syvelle Newton and appeared to linger too long on top of him.

South Carolina offensive lineman Chris White came to help Newton. White's teammates Na'shan Goddard and Jabari Levey went after Williamson. Tigers Cory Groover, Donnell Clark and Gaines Adams joined in and the chaos began as both sidelines cleared.

I wonder where these players got the idea that fighting is a good thing during a game. Hmm. . .What sucks is for Lou Holtz to end his coaching career with a loss and a fight. Clemson beat South Carolina 29-7.

This rivalry is one of the most heated in country. I would easily out in the top five of all time.

Yes, I'm serious folks. We have the money to do this. There will be a $50 gift-certificate awarded to the winner of the contest.

Simply, post the stories under "Share Your Engagement Stories" below. But again, we need TEN true stories.

CNN Reports

Scientists in Spain announced Thursday that they've unearthed a 13 million-year-old fossilized skeleton of an ape that is possibly a common ancestor of humans and great apes, including orangutans, bonobos, chimps and gorillas.

The find could add a yet another branch to the human family tree and fill in a gap in our knowledge of hominoid evolution.

"It's very special," said Frans de Waal of the Yerkes Primate Center at Emory University in Atlanta. "It's almost as if we will have to redraw the (evolutionary) tree if these discoveries keep coming out."

America, I've decided to sponsor a contest. Below under "Share Your Engagement Stories" the five entries have encouraged me to sponsor a contest for the best stories.

The winner will receive a $50 gift-certificate to a resturant from a list that will be given at the end of the contest. We need at least 10 entries to make it fair. The top three stories will be choosen and then YOU, the blogging audience, will vote on the winner.

The entries must be posted by next Wednesday, November 24th. The winner will be announced on December 1.

So my friend and I are curious about ideas on wedding proposal strategies, combining surprise and romance. So if you can remember, could you please offer the story of your wedding proposal event??!!

Think of your sharing as a public service. There's a house of guys in Grand Rapids that could really use this information!! Thanks!

ALSO, POST YOUR STORY HERE TO ENTER THE CONTEST TO WIN A $50 GIFT-CERTIFICATE!! YES, WE'RE SERIOUS!!

I'm attending the 56th annual Evangelical Theological Society meeting. I'll be back on Monday

Ladies (and guys too) please choose the best marriage proposal plan below (yesterdays blog) for our friend Bryan and also share your marriage proposal stories/wishes. There's a house of 5 single guys who need to know this stuff so we can do it right in the future (one of us in the VERY near future)!!

Help us pick a proposal method. One of my best friends will be asking his girlfriend to marry him in a few weeks and we need some advice on what to do. Here's the scenario: His girlfriend left last August to go study abroad for a year and he plans to ask her while she's home for Christmas break. She'll then leave and finish the spring semester. The wedding is already planned for the summer. They have already discussed this with their parents, so she's expecting a ring over the Christmas break at some point.

Here are the options:

Option A--The Airport. Seeking to completely surprise her, one option is to ask her as soon as she walks off the airplane in the Detroit airport in front of an audience of strangers. He'd bring lots of flowers, gather an audience, and as she exits security he greets her, gets down on a knee and asks her. Then announces to the airport that she said "YES," etc. Or, if possible have her page to an area of the airport with a the scene set for a proposal. They have already arranged for only to have my friend pick her up from Detroit and then drive a couple of hours to meet her parents back here in Grand Rapids.

Option B--The Birthday Dinner. Every year this girl's parents take her out on a special birthday dinner which will be a few days after she returns. The idea is that while she's out with her parents having dinner, my friend will be setting up her folk's place as romantic central (candles, flowers, etc.). When they bring her back from dinner, she'll enter the house, see the set up. Her parents will leave, and my friend will take her away to a possible barn fire set up out back (she likes barn fires) and will proceed to ask her. She will not be expecting him to be at her house because it's usually just a family night. Also, since her birthday is close to Christmas she doesn't usually get much attention on that day.

So tell us which option you think would be better, the airport or the birthday. Which one would be more of a surprise, more romantic, or does it not matter which one? Also feel free to offer any suggestions on how to make either one of those options better!!

After he asks her, the complete story, with pictures, will be posted. We appreciate your help on this America! Feel free to invite all of your friends to contribute to this discussion!!

Help us pick a proposal method. One of my best friends will be asking his girlfriend to marry him in a few weeks and we need some advice on what to do. Here's the scenario: His girlfriend left last August to go study abroad for a year and he plans to ask her while she's home for Christmas break. She'll then leave and finish the spring semester. The wedding is already planned for the summer. They have already discussed this with their parents, so she's expecting a ring over the Christmas break at some point.

Here are the options:

Option A--The Airport. Seeking to completely surprise her, one option is to ask her as soon as she walks off the airplane in the Detroit airport in front of an audience of strangers. He'd bring lots of flowers, gather an audience, and as she exits security he greets her, gets down on a knee and asks her. Then announces to the airport that she said "YES," etc. Or, if possible have her page to an area of the airport with a the scene set for a proposal. They have already arranged for only to have my friend pick her up from Detroit and then drive a couple of hours to meet her parents back here in Grand Rapids.

Option B--The Birthday Dinner. Every year this girl's parents take her out on a special birthday dinner which will be a few days after she returns. The idea is that while she's out with her parents having dinner, my friend will be setting up her folk's place as romantic central (candles, flowers, etc.). When they bring her back from dinner, she'll enter the house, see the set up. Her parents will leave, and my friend will take her away to a possible barn fire set up out back (she likes barn fires) and will proceed to ask her. She will not be expecting him to be at her house because it's usually just a family night. Also, since her birthday is close to Christmas she doesn't usually get much attention on that day.

So tell us which option you think would be better, the airport or the birthday. Which one would be more of a surprise, more romantic, or does it not matter which one? Also feel free to offer any suggestions on how to make either one of those options better!!

After he asks her, the complete story, with pictures, will be posted. We appreciate your help on this America! Feel free to invite all of your friends to contribute to this discussion!!

So it seems that Ms. Rice yeah is the one!! National security adviser Condoleezza Rice is President Bush's choice to succeed Secretary of State Colin Powell, two senior administration officials tell CNN. Rice's nomination could be announced as early as Tuesday. It would be a historic move: Rice, who turned 50 on Sunday, would be the first black woman, and only the second woman ever, tapped to be the nation's top diplomat.

AHHH, why can't this single woman be between 25 and 30 years-old and briefly living in Grand Rapids?? Why, why, why?????

For about 20 minutes, I was like a Dad in the airport in Minneapolis. While waiting on my plane to come back to the tennis shoes with pants wearing mid-West, two seats over was a this really cute Latin young woman with her baby.

The 13-month-old Maria caught my eye, walked over to me and proceeded to crawl into my lap. She began turning pages in the book I was holding (McManus's, Seizing Your Divine Moment) and she sat there for about 20 minutes. I was really surprised that the Mom let the girl just sit my lap like that.

What kind of Mom would let her 13-month-old sit in a strangers lap?

The Mom looked exhausted. I begin to probe her marital status to discover that she and Maria were going to connect with the baby's father (I'm pretty sure he was just a boyfriend) and this guy's parents who live in Grand Rapids.

When they announced to parents with kids and others needing special assistance to board the plane I honestly felt sad. My 20 minutes with this beautiful baby was over. As she continue to look into my eyes, play with the book, and use my fingers as a toy, her Mom walked over and I handed Maria over and they walked away.

I began to pack up my things so I could hide my obvious look of disappointment. For as much as some parents complain about having kids they are still incredibly blessed--this is especially true for those of us who desire children but aren't able to have them for various reasons.

Ok, bro, I wasn't able to watch the game but what kind of coach beats Miami (one of the best teams in the country) and then the next week loses to Duke (one of the worst).

That sounds like a coaching deficiency to me!!

The folks at IPTAY can't be excited to talk about this. I expect us to loose then Gamecocks. They've been playing consistent football.

Ok, after being here a few days, I've realized that this is a city I could totally live in. The people here overall are VERY progressive stylistically. Art and fashion are important here. It's refreshing. There is a style here that reminds me urbanites in New York City or Philly.

It seems that wearing cool clothes is just part of the culture regardless of age. Seattle has the coolest dressed senior citizens second only to New York City, that I've EVER seen.

Basically if you see a guy wearing running shoes with jeans you can pretty much assume that he's a tourist. The natives here are likely to have a really cool pair of Diesels, dark colored Addidas or Pumas. Leather shoes and with all pants. Actually, it will remind you of being in Europe where Americans are known by the whole jeans and tennis (running) shoe thing.

Call me vain but considering where I live now it's just really refreshing to see a large community of people who dress in fun ways (male, female, young or old). You can really see how Asian styles have had a strong influence on how people dress here. This place is really, really cool.

Have a great weekend! No, really I'm not blogging again until Monday (I mean it this time)!

I don't understand this:

The foster mother of a disabled child who was found dead under a mountain of garbage at a city dump pleaded guilty Wednesday just as jury selection was to begin for her trial.

Renee Johnson, 51, pleaded guilty to improper disposal of a dead body and falsely reporting an incident in exchange for 60 days in jail and three years probation. She faced up to a year in jail if convicted after trial.

Johnson was accused of leaving the body of 8-year-old Stephanie Ramos in a plastic bag amid garbage sacks lining a Manhattan sidewalk. The child, with Johnson for two years, was blind and had cerebral palsy, diabetes and other ailments.

Johnson first told police Stephanie was missing but later admitted she had dumped the child after she died at the woman's home.

Anthony B., blogging from Seattle

Friends, I'm in Seattle speaking at a Reformed University Fellowship meeting at the University of Washington and at an Acton Conference for seminary students. I'll be back on Monday.

A glaring lack of racial and cultural diversity among teachers is hurting the chances of success for minority students, a coalition of school groups contended Tuesday.

A small but growing body of research shows minorities tend to do better in class and face higher expectations when taught by teachers from their racial or ethnic group, says the National Collaborative on Diversity in the Teaching Force, a partnership led by six groups. "Teachers of color" often serve as role models and cultural brokers who help students connect to their school through shared identities, group leaders say.

About 60 percent of public school students are white, 17 percent are black and 17 percent are Hispanic. Yet 90 percent of teachers are white, 6 percent are black and less than 5 percent are of another race or ethnicity, according to federal figures the coalition cited.
Roughly 40 percent of schools have no minority teachers on staff, the group says.

Our culture should look to Christian schools to see how it's done. Oh wait, that's right Christian school teachers are the least diverse group of all schools in the country (at primary, secondary, and college levels). Let's hope the New York Times doesn't find out about that? Change in this area is doubtful. For many Christian schools this is not an important issue.

Self-sabotage occurs when men give our strength away to a useless cause. Masturbation is sabotage. It does nothing, as we know, but tears us down and make us feel less than the men God desires for us to be. Addiction to masturbation can really erode a man's strength.

It's more than just a bad habit. It's more than just lust. It's a vain attempt at affirming masculinity. It's a lie manifest in the flesh.

A friend and I were discussing the fact that often when men feel like their masculinity is being threatened through pressures to perform, rejection from women, stress, confusion, etc. masturbation become a way to answer the question.

We jokingly phrased it this way, "See, I am a man damnit, see what I can do." And when you're finished you feel like the biggest loser ever. And that's the deception from the Enemy: that masturbating will deliver a validated sense of the masculine self but it NEVER delivers what it promises. Ever. You always feel worse than you did before falling. True self-sabotage.

Eldredge describes it this way:

Sabotage happens when we give our strength away. Taking a bribe, letting yourself be bought off, accepting flattery in exchange for some sort of loyalty, is sabotage. Refusing to confront an issue because if you keep quite you'll get promoted or be made an elder or keep your job corrupts you deep down. Masturbation is sabotage. It is an inherently selfish act that tears you down. I've spoken with many men whose addiction to masturbation has eroded their sense of strength.

Ok, so Clemson beat Miami in overtime 24-17. So Bowden can stay. I admit perhaps I was wrong about him. But our first four games had me really skeptical.

A brief blurb about the game from the AP:

MIAMI (AP) -- Reggie Merriweather ran for a career-high 114 yards and three touchdowns, including a 2-yard score in overtime Saturday night to cap Clemson's 24-17 comeback victory over No. 11 Miami.

Clemson needed five plays to score in the extra session, with the Tigers benefiting from a pass-interference penalty against cornerback Kelly Jennings. That moved Clemson to the 10, and Merriweather scored three plays later to cap the Tigers' rally from a 17-3 halftime deficit.

On its overtime possession, Miami moved to the Clemson 5, but three straight incompletions by Brock Berlin sealed the Hurricanes' second straight loss. Berlin's final attempt was intended for Lance Leggett in the corner of the end zone, but Clemson's Tye Hill had him well-covered and the ball bounced away.

The loss knocked the Hurricanes (6-2, 3-2) out of first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference, leaving them a game behind Virginia and Virginia Tech in the race for the league title and automatic Bowl Championship Series berth. Miami visits Virginia next weekend, and hosts Virginia Tech on Dec. 4 in the regular-season finale. Clemson (5-4, 4-3) has won four straight games for the first time in four seasons.

Lucky Charms at Meier, the mega-food trough in Grand Rapids, has Lucky Charms on sale 4 boxes for $10.

I won't tell you how many boxes I got but had it been Fruity Pebbles (the world's greatest cereal) I would have emptied the store.

The Amazing Human Mind (this is fascinating)

I cdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdgnieg The
phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aodccrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde
Uinervtisy, it dnsoe't mttaer in what oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the
olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit
pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a
porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the hmuan mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by
istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azmanig huh?

yaeh and I awlyas tghuoht slpeling was ipmorantt .

"America has spoken, and she has changed the course of history. My fellow Americans, I pledge to honor the role that you have given me as your new president."

--president-elect, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Nov. 5, 2008

(There was one democrat who cheered yesterday at Kerry's loss. . .)

Look, we ALL know the ONLY reason this election now hinges on Ohio is that the state has an huge inferiority complex and wants to feel important.

I mean, really, what does the state have? Cleveland? Are you kidding me. It's the state's arm pit. Then there's Cincinnati. It's a nice town but has nothing of national significance.

So the state jacked-up it's election process just so that America will notice it. It's like the kid who does drugs just to get his parents attention.

Ok, Ohio, we see you! Now, can we end this thing? And Ohio, even though you screwed this up just to get attention, in a few months you'll still be ignored by the rest of us. Nice try.

This pisses me off. CNN reported this story:

Florida has agreed to pay $1.45 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the mother of a teenager who died in agony from a burst appendix in a juvenile jail. Cherry Williams sued the state and Miami Children's Hospital for $25 million over the death last year of her son, 17-year-old Omar Paisley, alleging jail employees and nurses ignored his desperate pleas for help for three days before he died.

Granted I don't know all the circumstances or the kind of kid this was in terms of attitude or difficulty. He could have "cried wolf" several times before but when it looks like criminals are treated worse than animals instead of image bearers I want to start cussin' and throwing things.

Actually, often time rabid animals get treated better than criminals. If this had been a dog yelping in pain in a dog pound they would have rushed in a veterinarian.

As you can see in the "recent comments" section. The spammers have finally caught up with me. I'll be working in this for the next few days. . .

The Enemy is a real @#$%!!!

I get it. I understand why people are voting for Kerry in a country syncretizing being a Republican with being a Christian. It makes convincing sense.

While surfing cable yesterday before church (to watch Sports Center on ESPN) I ran across a sermon being preach a large church in San Antonio by a large pastor. The sermon title was "The War on Christianity"

Guess what, Psalm 2 was about America. I never knew that. My seminary professors lied to me. All this time I thought the book was set in Israel.

And then I almost kicked in the television when I saw this picture: on the screen was a Bible with the American flag waving behind it and circling the Bible were the fifty stars. This image was displayed during the sermon.What does the Bible have to do with the American flag? Why was the Bible being circled by the stars of the American flag?

If a non-Christian or a thinking Christian had then said to me, "just for that I'm voting for Kerry." I would have responded, "yeah I think I know why."