The Institute (協会)

Alpha Phi Alpha--My Fraternity, The Fraternity

Now that college is starting back up I was recently reflecting on my college fraternity days. I pledged Alpha Phi Alpha.

Since its founding on December 4, 1906, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has supplied voice and vision to the struggle of African-Americans and people of color around the world. Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African-Americans, was founded at Cornell University.

I pledged my frat while I was an undergrad at Clemson. I was no. 3 and my linename was "Penguin."

The brothers in my frat include men like Martin Luther King, Jr., W.E.B. DuBois, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Edward Brooke, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Andrew Young, William Gray, Paul Robeson, Frederick Douglass, and so on.

Is it the best frat in existence? Yes. Stop the record. Before jumping to conclusions about what my frat life was like unless you spent lots of time around the black frats and sororities are your college you bascially don't have much of an idea of just how different they are at the college level. We operate VERY differently than the predominantly white ones. Very different. I mean, very.

The saddest thing happened in my family when my brother, who must be crazy, pledged Kappa. Can you believe that? Kappa Alpha Psi. What, a Kappa? I couldn't believe it.

My mom's a Delta, by the way. Which is REALLY odd 'cause almost all her sisters are AKAs (Alpha Kappa Alpha, my frat's sister sorority).

"'06, '08 the rest are just too late!!"

19

What?? A cool dressing Christian?!!

In the current issue of Esquire Magazine there is a profile of the 5 finalists for the Best Dressed Real Men of America (click the group shot and you can see them all individually). Esquire went around to several cities and just had guys wear their regular clothes for the contest. Well, sit down, for this, but a dude who's an administrator at a Christian school is in the top 5.

Wait, so not only are men free not to act like Mr. Rogers they also don't have to dress like him either.

The revolution contines. . . down with the standard evangelical "uniform" (khaki pants or grey pants, blue or white oxford shirt, blue blazer) If you see me in it, shoot me. I was kidding about the shooting part.

Hey, what if I did a contest like this: "The Best Dressed Christian Men of America." Is that vain?

So now you're wondering, "well, you snob, you vain SOB, you materialistic @#$%, how come you come down so hard on the guys wearing the uniform?" Ok, sure, it may sound arrogant but I don't mean it to be. It's just that I grew up in a black church setting when both men and women were free to be fashionable and creative with style of dress. I guess I'm still trying to understand the evangelical world. (I still to get the thing wear people call their pastor be his first name. What is that about?)

Myth: modest dress equals bland and boring.

I will be writing this Christian school dude a letter of thanks.

Ladies Needed To Settle A 'Discussion' With My Friend About Men and Their Guts

Ok folks, so I'm having this "discussion" with a buddy about physical appearance expectations in marriage. And I said that it seems that women don't mind their husbands having a gut. My friend said that women would rather their husband have closer to a 6-pack if possible.

Is that true? Do women really care if their husband has a gut? It seems, from what I've seen, that some wives actually like the gut? Is that ever true?

Help needed here from our female readers. Does the gut matter?

What's Your Story? Meet Casey, Perhaps The Most Popular Guy at Mississippi College, Talks About The Pain of Divorce, Laughter, Love, and Authentic Masculinity

"I found it difficult to trust a man in a 'father' role."--Casey H.

"I want to be the father that I didn't have."
--Casey H.

"A man stands up for what is right, and is not passive or swayed easily."--Casey H.

If you visit Casey's blog you'll find this 19-year-old, biology/predental major at Mississippi College, with a ton of comments. And there's a reason: he's the real deal. A true man of the Way, honest, authentic, wounded, worthy of respect, and an example of what the world needs more of. His story's below.

I asked him to describe his life and he began with this, "I am an only child. My dad left my mom and I when I was about 3yrs old, so I don't remember much about him. My mom and I lived with my aunt for a while before my mom remarried when I was 5. They divorced after about a year. She started dating a guy when I was in second grade and soon after married. Their marriage was tough on me because of her previous marriages. I found it difficult to trust a man in a 'father' role.

I remember hating their marriage. I would threaten to run away and all of those juvenile things. It took about eight years for me to be able to let my guard down. I was comfortable. We could hang out and enjoy each other."

Yet Another Divorce Blow
And then, it happened again--another divorce. "Last summer," Casey explains, "our youth group went on a mission trip. We got home late Saturday night. Sunday morning, my mom and I rode together to church like we normally did. That's when she told me that he wanted a divorce. A massive wave of disappointment and anger hit me. I have never felt like that before.

Friends, the rest is below. Casey's very real about his journey.

"I was just so upset. No words can describe the way I felt. I didn't want to see him. I didn't want to talk to him. And you know, its funny how when it seems like everything has gone wrong and you feel like there is no where to turn and there God is standing in a crowd flailing his arms in the air, pleading, "Pick me, Pick me!" and once I came to the realization that he is looking out for my mom and I--and no matter what we go through he will still be there--things became easier to handle. It's so amazing looking back on it all today.

The divorce was final last September. Since then we found a house that has more space than we need at a price we can afford, my mom was offered a better job, I am going to a christian university that I never would have been able to afford if not for his doings, he has surrounded me with unbelievable friends that mean the most to me in this world. . . the list goes on. It's just so amazing what faith combined with the power of prayer can do."

The Typical College Guy
Although he's been hurt he has not embraced dispair. As a matter of fact Casey's a pretty fun guy to hang out with. "I am pretty much your typical college guy," says Casey. "I'm laid back, sarcastic, and I'll make a joke out of just about anything. bc as the old proverb goes, "what soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul"

The Worst Of Times, The Best of Times
Difficulties with stepparents is come theme of remarriage and this did not escape Casey's journey either. "The 7th grade was probably the height of the tension between my step dad and I. And that same year I became active in a youth group. our youth group was an outlet for me. It was a place where I could go to get away from whatever was going on at home. A place to be encouraged. A place to grow. It was because of that youth group that i found gods love and saving grace. To this day i am still friends with the people in that youth group. As a matter of fact, I am rooming with one here at MC!! I became active in that youth group at a point in my life where I could have easily followed the ways of the world and become bitter about everything. That youth group was the best thing that happened to me."

On Loving The Woman and Kids
If I had a younger sister I'd definitely try to set her up with Casey because he looks forward to living the best possible way. "I am looking forward to having kids. (this is not a issue im pushing at the time.. ha) I want to be the father that I didn't have. A Godly example for my children to follow. I'm looking forward to falling in love with the woman God has for me, to love her, and grow with her. I'm looking forward to having my dental practice. . . running it in a way that people will know that im different."

On Being A Man
I asked Casey what it meant to be a man and if he was one yet. This is what he said, "haha how approapriate. . .well, I could go all day on what the world considers a man. nd I would never want to become that type of man. A real man spends time daily pursuing a deeper relationship with Christ. He sets an example for his family by attending church where the word of god is viewed as the standard of life. A man stands up for what is right, and is not passive or swayed easily. He is a man of prayer, faith, and conviction. He makes mistakes, but is willing to make them right. I'm no where near being a man.. . but i strive to be."

And folks, here's where I disagree with Casey. He's only 19 but he's definitely a man. He's committed to not being passive like Adam in Garden (Gen. 3), is a man of the Way, he has the courage to be real, and I believe him to a man destined to make a difference in the world. Is he perfect? Nope. But he's developed (and developing) skills in the art of living the best possible life (Prov. 1), and for that, Casey is not only a man to be respected but one that other's will likely follow. He's has much to offer and maybe that's why so many people read and comment on his blog. This brutha is truly encouraging.

Men, feel free to encourage the brutha in the comment section below. And, yep, he's getting blog rolled.

Ladies If You're Not "Hot" You'll Never Get To Be A Major TV Anchor

(CNN Anchor Sophia Choi)

This morning I got up to watch a little CNN and as the screen popped up I realized that there was an absolutely beautiful feminine image of God telling me about the news of the world. Then I realized, "wait, aren't these major female anchors really pretty, for the most part?"

So I went to CNN's Headline News website to look at all the anchors and it confirmed this fact: if you're a female and you're not "hot" you won't be doing news in major markets. I think this really sucks. So you can have the most talented reporter and if she doesn't look a certain way, she won't make it on TV.

Is this the same as having a radio voice? I guess you have to have a TV face? And the standard's different for men. You don't have to look like a model but there is a look that men have to have too (I can't quite put my finger on it though--help needed).

So what do you tell a student who says she wants to be a network anchor someday because of her good reporting and communication skills but you know she doesn't have "the look?"

And by the way, FOX News is exactly the same. Checkout the bios and you'll see. You can view all the ladies that appear reguarly here. Below is Julia Bandreas. She joined FOX in this year.

Can't Afford Gasoline?? Watch This Cartoon!!

This cartoon's very funny!!

Diddy's Ex-Stylist Gives Commandments For Dressing Well

On MTV.com, Diddy's former stylist dude gives some tips on how to dress. (Brandt you're the expert here!).

Here are his "ten commandments":

(1)Pressure Breeds Creativity
(2)It's All About The Options
(3)Be The One And Only
(4)The Next Man Does Not Exist
(5)It Does Matter If It's Black Or White
(6) Waves Are Enough )Anthony says, "amen" to that--preach it!!)
(7)Don't Do The Doo
(8)Know How To Navigate Your Thermostat
(9)Don't Let It All Hang Out
(10) Know Your Design

This would be easy for all of us too if we were rolling in it($) and had people to buy clothes for us.

Trash Diaries from "Brutha" Dean

Dean Abbott chronciles a few adventures with his trash.

Newsweek Magazine Has Discovered That People Are Spiritual

(A group of guys at Franciscan University praying the Rosesary).

This week's Newsweek Magazine cover story is on America's burgeoning "spiritually." The articles in this issue celebrate the fact that Americans are worshipping all sorts of things. A whopping 79% of us say we are "spiritual."

A major poll, commissioned jointly with Beliefnet.com, reveals a breadth of tolerance and curiosity virtually across the religious spectrum. And everywhere we looked, a flowering of spirituality: in the hollering, swooning, foot-stomping services of the new wave of Pentecostals; in Catholic churches where worshipers pass the small hours of the night alone contemplating the eucharist, and among Jews who are seeking God in the mystical thickets of Kabbalah. Also, in the rebirth of Pagan religions that look for God in the wonders of the natural world; in Zen and innumerable other threads of Buddhism, whose followers seek enlightenment through meditation and prayer, and in the efforts of American Muslims to achieve a more God-centered Islam.

Organic Food Cost Less

Hey guys, guess what? The more people that buy organic food the cheaper it will become (a small lesson in supply/demand).

Wow, some Christians are weird

I have recently encountered some of the strangest people I've ever met and some of them, Christians, have just been plain odd. I wish I could explain more.

Stupid Church People Discuss Jim Wallis's Book, "God's Politics"

You can find it here.

The PCA Is Dead As A Denomination

"It's official: the PCA is now dead," declares the truly Reformed out there. Click here to find out why. Some would argue that this is exactly why ethnic minorities should all leave reformed circles en masse and simply do broad evangelical stuff. Others will caution any minority thinking about embracing Reformed thought should expect to find this reception on the part of some.

Juan Callejas Experiments With A Computer and Internet Free Weekend

The result: peace. See what one of the "Bruthas: says here.

What's even better is having and computer AND cell phone free weekend.

Kay S. Hymowitz: On The Black Family Crisis

Read through the megazillion words on class, income mobility and poverty in the recent New York Times series "Class Matters," and you still won't grasp two of the most basic truths on the subject:

Go here to read more.

Best College Football Conference: ACC vs. SEC

Aight look, I normally would say that the BEST college fooltball conference, without exception, is the SEC. However, with the additions to the ACC of Miami, Virginia Tech, Boston College, etc., the ACC is at least second if not tied for first place.

The ACC:
Boston College
Clemson
Duke
Florida State
Georgia Tech
Maryland
Miami
North Carolina
NC State
Virginia
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest

P.S. There's not question that the ACC dominates in basketball.

The Truly Emergent Are Celtic Christians--really?

Many "emergent circles" have what seems to me to be an odd coupling of Christianity and Celtic culture. For some, the emergent church expression finds its home in celtic symbols. Go to many emergent churches and there's Celtic stuff everywhere. Why is this? Ginkworld.net has gone so far as to actually have an entire Celtic Christian section on their web-site. Look here.

So, this type of association prevails and THEN people wonder, "why does the emergent stuff struggle to attract people of color?" I'm trying to imagine taking some Celtic Christian stuff down to my progressive friends in Miami. Hey, Miami, you guys are into stuff like "Braveheart" (the movie) and Celtic culture, right?

What would "emergent con clave" look like?

Rod Garvin Discusses Pimps and Porn

Garvin (one of the "Bruthas") has an interesting discussion of the movie "Hustle & Flow." Have you seen it? Any thoughts? Also, Rod posts a story about Kirk Franklin's struggle with pornogrpahy.

College Football vs. Professional Football--Which is better?

Ok, this is kind of a dumb question because we all know the truth. But is college football more exciting to watch than pro ball? I vote, "YES!" Of course it is!! College ball is WAY better. College football has much more energy, unpredictability, and so on. Pro football only gets good during the playoffs and the superbowl usually is lame. Do you agree? Why or why not?

Humanflyz On The Need To Validate True Masculinty

Which brings me to my next point: deep down inside, every man has wanted to become a Viking. What do I mean by that? The Viking, as a concept that exists in the popular imagination, is simply a person who is fearless, strong, and macho.. . .And if the Viking dies on the battlefield, which is the most honorable way to die for a Viking, he gets to go to Heaven. If you think about that, that is pretty much the masculine ideal.

Read more here.

Back From the Poconos

Whew. WOW!! That was awesome. I spent a few days of study/solitude alone and then had a few men come up for a few days of engaging the journey of being a God-made man. The schools represented include Geneva College, Elon University, Lee Univeristy, The University of St. Andrews (Scotland), Townson State Univeristy, and one other but I can't remember. Looks like Covenant College might be next (I'll keep ya posted). . .

Afterwards I spent a few days in Philly. I love that place. I could so totally live there.

Why White Kids Love Hip Hop: wankstas, wiggers, wannabes, and the new reality of race in America

Read this book. I just got it. It looks good. I'm so totally going to use it for an article I can already tell. Listen to this interview on NPR. But it is a good question. Can anybody give insight as to why white kids love hip hop? There are white kids that love hip hop and they don't even have any black or hispanic friends. Insight needed. . .post away!!!

Buy This CD

. It's Coldplay. I can't stop listening to number 12. I read one guy (in a magazine I won't name) refer to them as U2 with a piano. Is that right?

Postmodern Negro Offers A Peak At His Books

Postmodern Negro reveals a few of his books. This is almost porn for nerds. This is a good idea. You can really know a man by looking his book case. Maybe I'll show you guys one of mine when I set it up.

Gin and Tonic, Anything better?

Yummy. . .and Tangueray only please, thanks. I don't know if there's a better drink out there. Do you?

Fathers and Sons: Why Humanflyz's Really Mad At His Father Following His Mom's Death

I know I'm away but I ran across this and had to post it. This 19-year-old has one of the most authentically honest sites I've seen. His mother recently died after battling cancer and he's pretty disgusted with his Dad for walking out on them when he was a very young child. His posting is amazing (warning: Mike's site contains language and themes that will be offensive to some). Mike Z says this to his father:

So f*$k you dad, you no good f*$king son of a bitch. You think that just because you are my father, that you have the g*#d@#n right to fu*$ing lecture me about sh!t that you have no fu*$ing clue about? What the f*$k happened to eighteen years of neglect huh you fu$%ing a$$hole. What happened when you fu*$ing left my mom and ran away and fu*$ing left us for sh!t you fu*$er? Oh so now that mom's dead you think you can just fu*$ing waltz back in, exercise your authority as my father, and pretend that eighteen years of sh!t would just suddenly disappear?

He continues here. . .

For the record: offensive language is nothing that World Magazine would openly promote or advocate. What you read is authentic Mike.

Anthony Away Until August 18th

Friends, I'm off to take a short study trip in the Pocono Mountains just north of Philly before school starts.

And August 11-14, I'm leading a group of college guys into dealing with masculine journey as God-made men that, unfortunately, their churches really never talked about. Pray for us as we enter into some pretty tough subject matter.

Below I 've offered some stuff to talk about while I'm away. Have a great couple of weeks!!

Pain and Suffering: From A Man Born In 1985 Struggling To Understand It

Humanflyz says this after watching his mom die from cancer:

And that, my friends, is the sad, fundamental human condition. No matter who we are or what we did, whether we be kings or paupers, male or female, genius or idiot, we are all slaves to pain and suffering. In the end, we are all going to be there, at the same time, writhing in the ineffable suffering, wishing that someone would either kill us or give us morphine. At that moment, we lose everything; nothing matters anymore. Forget our ideals, our principles, forget who we are. Pain knows no distinctions.

There's more here.

Men: Humanflyz Defines Futility

Humanflyz explains in his words what futility is (warning: this post contains material that will be offensive to many).

Alright, then, what's the best beer you've ever had?

Hmm. . .On a hot day, I actually like Grolsch (from Holland). But Gallo (from Guatemala is a close second).

Rites Of Passage: From Boys To Men (what does Christianity offer?)

Nearly every culture in the world has a "rite of passage" process to signal to a boy that he is now being intiated into the world of men. In the Jewish tradition 13-year-old boys read the Torah at Bar Mitzvahs.

The celebrant is also generally required to make a speech, which traditionally begins with the phrase "today I am a man." The father recites a blessing thanking G-d for removing the burden of being responsible for the son's sins.

Other cultures send boys on a quest, often alone or with other boys his age, to complete a task and upon return or completion the men celebrate, validate, confirm, and bestow a masculine blessing. But what about for men of the Way?

Questions: Men, what were you offered that signaled that "today I am a man"? American culture offers boys the rites of sports, sex, drinking, drugs, etc. Young men of the Way adopt these same rites. What does the church offer? How are boys in the church initiated into the world of men, discipled into or mentored into the world of men by other men? Becoming a man just doesn't happen it involves the process of seperation from the world of women, initiation into the masculine journey, and reincorporation of adult responsibilities as a man among men and women, says Sam Keen.

Got the picture from a BBC article on parents and teens.

Wife Beaters: Good Men Misguided In The Wrong Battle

I actually know guys who are primarily concerned with wearing wife beaters not to beat their wives but to beat up on the bride of Jesus: the church. Seriously, I know men, many men, who focus almost exclusively on fighting battles within the church and Christianity. These sick freaks think it's fun to fight with other Christians about theology, church practice, etc. just to fight. That's pretty much all they care about. This is the Enemy's strategy to keep many gifted men out of the Great Battle. Ever read C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters?

Hold on, dear contrarians, as I know your fingers are twitching to respond with venom, exceptions, and "yeah, but. . .," this does not mean that some men should not be working hard to keep the church pure in it's doctrine and practice. Paul does commend us to "watch our doctrine closely" and SOME guys are called to this but MOST are not.

You see, there's another battle that a lot of capable Christian men are absent from. The enemy seeks to lead the whole world astray and what do a lot of Christ guys do that I know: fight with other Christians. It's sick.

I don't get it. The devil is trying to kill everyone and destroy the world. Followers of Jesus are called to be salt and light in the world, called us to the Great Commission, and you've turned N.T. Wright, Brian MacClaren, John Eldredge, Joel Osteen, T.D. Jakes, Rob Bell, Rick Warren, and others into the "big enemies" to fight. Really, is that it.

This is slap boxing. The guys fighting the in Great Battle spend their time warring for the hearts of real people trapped in brokeness, sin, misguided thinking, destructive habits. Getting a guy to love his wife and kids well is trench warfare in a sense. The marriage and family crisis in the West is HUGE both inside and outside the church.

When I was in India last with some slaves a rice mill I wasn't mad at N.T. Wright because I men people who have been slaves for decades.

Our culture and world goes to pot and you're worried about "the new perspective." Really? So the devil's crafty: "let's take the some of the most gifted men in the kingdom and have them fight each other. That way, instead of men focusing on dealing with the brokeness in their own lives and the lives of folks in their communities we'll keep them completely distracted on each other. HAHAHA (said with a Dr. Evil kind'a laughter)."

History paints are dark picture of Christians misguided with energies focussed on the wrong thing.

Titus 3:9 "Avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless."

I actually know guys doing PhD in theology and biblical studies, not for the sake of advancing the kingdom, but just to fight with other Christians. I've nearly sucessfully purged myself from having these misguided men as friends. I can't hang these wife beaters any more. There's just too much "salt and light" to do in the world where the real enemy prowls around like roaring lion.

And this was so me. When I first became a Christian and got into Reformed theology that's all I wanted to do was fight with dispensationalists, liberals, Catholics, Mormons, and other Reformed people that weren't "Reformed enough."

So I've noticed, and this is really disgusting part, I've been around people so bent on fighting with other Christians that when I speak about men coming alive and boldly speaking the truth fearlessly in all places and all times many criticize me and warn me about the types of theologically driven men they will become.

And I'm like, "dude, we are not on the same page. I have no interest in dealing with current crisis of passive men in the church to mobilize them to fight other Christians. And it's sick, that you can't even think beyond a man's purpose in the Kingdom other than fighting with other men of the Way."

No More JUST Prayers

Aight, look this is driving me crazy. "We just wanna thank you for just all that you do. And we just wanna say, that we just believe that you do just good things all time. We just pray for Sarah that you would just do what you need to do for her in her life and the you would just help her."

Hey, I have a prayer. . .why don't we JUST stop saying JUST so much. Does every other word have to be JUST.

Pastor the Emergent Generations? What?

I was recently at a baby-boomer church that actually has a guy on staff whose title says that he works with "emergent generations." Admittedly, I laughed and sighed because this church DOES NOT GET IT!! You're actually trying to program that?

Driving A Truck Is A Hard Life: "I'm Not Livning In A Truck Any More!!"

A couple of weeks ago I spent a day with my friend Troy who drives an 18-wheeler (until he gets his firefighter job back on August 13th). It was one of the most amazing days of my life for a few reasons:

(1) I've always wanted to be a truck driver since I was a kid.
(2) Troy actually let me drive the truck. Yep, you read that right. I drove an 18-wheeler with a 53-foot trailer for about an hour--including the interstate and city streets.
(3) I earlized that truckers have really hard lives and that driving those things ain't easy. I'll never cut another one off ever again and I'll let'em always merge into my lane.
(4) We met a guy who had been a truck driver for over 15 years, he was 50 years-olds and confessed to us that he was tired of living in a truck delivering OUR stuff to us (those of us who work M-F, 9 to 5). As a trucker, he said that he missed his kid's birthdays, graduations, holidays, etc. so that we can have our books from Amazon.com delievered in a few days.

I thought he was going to cry when he went into what life was like as a truck driver and said, "I'm not liviing in a truck anymore." There was one time where had to sit in a parking lot for two days because the place he was delivering to refused to accept his shipment and it was not even his fault. It was pretty heavy. Very heavy in fact. I have so much respect for these guys who live very difficult lives and are the backbone of our economy. Without truch drivers our economy would come to a screaching hault.

Elders Wearing Jeans On Sundays

Rob Hatch, one of the "bruthas," talks about being an elder and wearing jeans up front in church on Sunday. Elders in jeans. The southern presbyterian guys are doing backflips in their graves.

Ban Coffee, It's A Performance Enhancer: Free Tibet, Free Palmeiro!!

Why does the government care if guys take steroids in sports. Really? Why are performance enhancers so bad anyway? Over the years I've worked with men that drink brown performance enhancers every morning (and some are even dumb enough to pay $4 a cup per day for it at Starbucks). I say, "no suspention for Palmeiro". Let the performance enhanced men play. The government will want to regulate your whey protein intake guys, just wait.

Aight, if you want to make the case that he should be suspended because he broke the rules, I'll grant that. But I'm not sure there should be a rule against steroids in professional sports anyway. If grown-@$$ men want to destroy their own bodies for a few million dollars that they won't get to into because their dead, let them. I laughed when Bush commented on it.

We have more pressing problem of people addicted to caffiene than stanozolol.

For the record, I don't drink coffee much at all. Maybe a few times a year.

It's Almost Time

Don't even think about calling me Saturdays this fall between noon and 9 pm.

My Brother-In-Law (and long-time friend) Died In Iraq

Twenty-four year-old Desertfather (one of the Bruthas) reflects on the loss of his close friend and brother-in-law who died in Iraq only 4 months into his marriage to Brad's sister. Brad tells his story:

My sister's husband was 20. They had been married for four months. He was a longtime friend of mine. He left after the wedding to go to Iraq where he was killed one month into his deployment by a roadside bomb. I am a pastor. My father is a pastor. Most of my family are very strong followers of Christ. And yet, despite our many prayers which were prayed daily by many people he was killed.

There's more here.

Woman Beats Husband To Death (allegedly): A Victim Of His Own Passivity

A 61-year-old St. Louis area man was allegedly beaten to death by his ex-wife. Jay Godt, 61, had been beaten on the head and body with a blunt object, possibly a baseball bat or club, when polics arrived. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Godt's former wife, whom police did not identify, was inside the mobile home when police arrived. Even though they were divorced he was living with his former wife. There was a history of spousal abuse by the woman.

Context from the community:

"If he'd done something, this probably wouldn't have happened," said police chief Terry Delaney. "He didn't take any action, and that's sad." "She was very precise about how she wanted stuff done," said James Freiburger, who lives across the lane from Godt's trailer. "We'd just sit over here and watch her yell at him. He was very passive. He wouldn't say anything."

I was struck by the fact that this guy "did not take action," "he was very passive," "he would not speak up." I wonder if this guy thought he deserved it? Why didn't he stop her? Is it simply true that when men are passive, don't take appropriate action, and don't speak up for what is right bad things happen? Sound familiar?

Adam fell into passivity in the Garden and it nearly destroyed the world forever. He was with Eve but passively did not stop her, speak up and tell her "no", or speak truth against the serpent and the consequence of his inaction has lead to much pain, destrcution, and death.

Coming to terms with worse vs. worst

I recently realized that I struggle to know when to use worse vs. worst. Please don't tell anyone.

What's the Worst Beer You've Ever Had

I'm gonna say, Bud Light!! Yick!

Brucesky02 Getting Ready For Ministry

Brucesky02 (Peter Bruce), one of the "bruthas", is getting ready to do some teaching and seeks discernment regarding whether or not to quit playing baseball for a different focus.

Good-Bye Grand Rapids

Living is Grand Rapids was interesting. I'm now looking forward to a new life in a new city.

Al Gore Launches News Portal

Al Gore's new Current TV network seeks to be "the television home page for the Internet generation," the former vice-president said. With its debut today, Current TV seeks to be a more "hip" and "cutting-edge" form of presenting the news to reach a younger, web savvy generation. "I think the reality of the network will speak for itself," Gore told reporters. "It's not intended to be partisan in any way and not intended to be ideological."