The Virtual Pew Daily

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Questions of the Paranormal

‘People of faith and those who seek to find and follow spiritual truth should have nothing to do with the paranormal!’ This thought is generally held among many in our world, especially people of faith who believe that all aspects of the paranormal come from Satan. People say this, they believe this, but I have to ask, is this logical? I ask this from the faith perspective I am a part of because it seems as if the sources I use to find religious truth, largely the Bible, indicates to me that evil, horror in fact, the paranormal are weaved all through the Bible. From the devil, to sorcerers, witches, ghosts, flying machines that can’t be described and dancing bones, stories of the ‘paranormal’ abound. With that the case and the reality of our world and the personal experiences of many, why shouldn’t we look at, and explore the paranormal?

Now let me be clear; I used to dabble in ocult things. I wasn’t a full fledge Lavey member or anything like that, but I did dabble with his readings and others, and had a few friends where we explored these things together and acted out on some of the things we thought we knew. Some may say I did a little more than dabble, I don’t know, I do know I never experienced anything like the sensational reports of people many may be familiar with like Rebecca Brown or the Mike Warnke concepts presented in his earlier talks and books. That isn’t to say I wasn’t involved in a real search and didn’t believe in what I was doing. I have come to have a respectful belief in the paranormal but I have made sure that my faith in my God is strong. I have also learned to differentiate between the truth and false, as is the case I believe in many of the things reported by people like Brown and Warnke’s earlier writings. In the case of Mike Warnke, he has in fact, sought forgiveness for many of the things he reported and stated in the past.

A dear friend of mine recently started a web site, Paranormal Passages. Mary Diane Goin has been a friend for a number of years, and we recently got to spend some time together in Amarillo Texas. While there we explored the possibility and her desire to start something up that would look at the paranormal through the perspective of Christian teaching and understanding. We both recognized, the reality of evil, the reality of things we can’t always explain, and the reality that in all likelihood it was appropriate for people of faith, specifically in this case, Christians, or others trying to understand Christian concepts, to search for truth and understanding to these things. We felt this important for a number of reasons which Diane goes into on the web site.

One of the dangers is that far too often, people of faith don’t discuss these types of things and as a result, ideals and opinions are formed which can lead to more confusion and potential danger than it does answers. With the influx of television shows on the subject, and the focus at the time of year this is being written, (approaching Halloween) Diane recognized this was an excellent time to launch something like this. I agree.

I am a co-moderator on this forum which will allow discussion on the paranormal. We will share our stories and thoughts and to have others share their stories, photographs, video and more.

Many have come to know of my reviews of horror films. Truth is, right from the outset, I have a horse in this race to use a popular cliché. As mentioned above, I once dabbled in the occult. I appreciate the concepts of good vs. evil often portrayed in horror, and a little known area, is I have taken a few classes in parapsychology. I don’t talk about this stuff much because people think of quacks and loons, however, in a world where the majority of people believe in things like angels, and a huge part believes in ghosts, it is time Christians adequately addressed the questions instead of hiding from them.

My experiences, the experiences of friends and families have had me come across many stories. I have my perspectives and beliefs regarding the paranormal, which can mostly be supported to also coincide with my faith. The truth is there are other things I can’t explain. I suspect there are others in similar situations that can explain some of the things they have observed, yet there are other things we can’t.

My experience as a magician gives me a little different perspective on some of the observations and conclusions I have come to. Those who know me, know I am in a lot of ways a skeptic, some say more of a skeptic than I should be. I would say, I am observant and a rationalist. Some may not like that, but in my journey of experiencing faith, and the unexplained, I try to understand, and where I can, figure out my experiences.

Let’s start this journey together, because we all know, that in the scary moments, it is easier to be with people at your side than to be alone. I have been alone walking through scary places like cemeteries at night; I don’t want to go alone. Will you go with me?

The following is from a news story in Asheville North Carolina. If the video doesn't appear, just click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn638hy1D3w

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Monday, October 4, 2010

When Faith and Film Collide

Despite the criticism that often comes about to the faith community, there are times that miracles happen. They are miracles beyond imagination. As one who loves film and is a person of faith, there are few things as exciting as seeing the possibilities of what can happen when faith and film collide.

Many know I love Christmas, in fact, every Christmas I am involved in a number of things that frankly, yes, I will say, unapologetically brings me a great deal of pleasure. I get to play about a month long gig of being Santa Claus. I especially enjoy the opportunities of serving the homeless as Santa as well as poor children by delivering Christmas presents on Christmas Eve to families who otherwise wouldn’t get to enjoy Christmas.

This Christmas there is something special occurring that I would like to get an early plug in for, that is the collaboration between Walden Media, and the film, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and Operation Christmas Child, sponsored by Samaritan’s Purse, the ministry headed up by Franklin Graham. Graham stated, “We’re very excited to participate in the upcoming release of the movie, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. We want children around the world to know the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ, and the joy and hope that this brings.”

The third installment of the movie within the Chronicle of Narnia series, written by apologist, C.S. Lewis opens in theaters this Christmas. Operation Narnia however, has already started. The project involves the delivery of shoe boxes filled with Christmas gifts for children around the world. This year they anticipate the delivery of presents to over 8 million children in over 100 countries. Delivery will take place as it has in the past, via plane, train, automobile, even dog sled and camels. Those presents however come from families and individuals who truly understand the power of giving. People will discover the joy of giving to someone during a time that would otherwise have those children going without. The gifts are intended to be reminders of the gift God gave to humanity, which is celebrated at Christmas, the gift of a babe born in a manger, Jesus of Nazareth otherwise known as the Prince of Peace. For many of the children receiving gifts, it will be the first presents they have ever received. Imagine the faces of a little girl opening up and getting her first baby doll, or a little boy opening up and finding a toy truck or car. There are also necessity items that are packed, such as tooth brushes, soap, school supplies and more.

This year, to know a popular movie, from a series I love, is actually doing something, it is time some of us gave them the kudos they deserved. Personally, I applaud this collaboration; it is nice to see presents delivered to children all over the world, despite the religious beliefs and preference of those children and their families. In a world, and in a time when it seems that so often, faith and film are at conflict, we can see a faith community and film community come together. Not just with each other, but with those of us in the movie going audience who have the opportunity to bless others. For more information on how you can help make the difference in a child’s life, and for instructions regarding this project, visit, www.operationnarnia.org I challenge, make a difference, do something special, make this collaboration not just between Walden Media and Samaritans Purse, allow yourself to be a part of that effort because really, it is through you that some child will receive a gift at Christmas. In a world with so much conflict, isn’t it time we found ways to come together?

To see more information and a trailer from the movie, click the following video, if the video doesn't appear, click the following link:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zblX6mwHePo

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Forgiveness, Truth, Lies, Love?

I have a stalker, who by his own admission is taking some pride in ‘getting’ at me. This stalker, a supposed Christian is one I have taken up for in the past, and I have offered Biblical reconciliation with him and his pastor. So far, he has refused. He is on facebook and despite the rules of use for facebook; he continues to violate them, on several occasions creating new accounts, and sending emails, calling me ‘childish’ for blocking him, despite the times he has called me a ‘sick pathetic looser’ or even a ‘sad idiot’. I have offered love and respect, and accepted his request for a friend invitation 3X, despite his lies, and untruths, and what seems more like jealousy than anything else. I finally decided to block him for good, and he has still maneuvered the system to send me no less than 4 messages filled with ridicule, lies and hate. I have as of yet named him by name, as I am not concerned about confronting his comments and actions publically. Despite his own tragedies, which I sympathize with, and even expressed concern about publically I can’t figure out his obsession with me and the ministry I am involved in. Despite reporting him several times to facebook I have not contacted him due to my own recognition of him stating he is sorry, him having a mental illness and constantly under a doctor’s care. I honestly don’t know if he has the ability or desire to come to rational conclusions, yet he continues on for a little while with no contact, and then back to the same thing. I suspect it is an issue related to either his illness or medication. I am not sure as I haven’t seen this person in so many years, and really never knew them very well.

Here is the question, when does one forgive, and move on and how difficult is it when not just your reputation but that of a ministry is at stake? What if you make every effort from a Biblical way to confront the issue but the person continues and refuses to accept reality? It is especially difficult when that person thinks they know you and in reality never has known you. Unfortunately, we live in a world where acquaintances think they know you. I have been fooled in this process, but am learning. I have let very few in my life get to know me. I was dealing with spiritual and psychological battles while growing up dealing with the things of my youth. To this day, I am not proud of those things, and have let few get to know me. I have met many on that same journey who have experienced the same emotions, and feelings. In many ways, our little club and the stories we tell and identity of those stories is the verification of truth. Of course on this, I have always felt the need to be able to verify truth, it was one of the things I was especially careful of in my book The Keystone Kid. I have offered up a willingness to provide names to verify the things I have said. Again, I am not proud of those things in my past, but I am honored that God has done so much since then.

I recently received the DVD of the Lifetime television movie Amish Grace for review. It is the powerful story of the school shootings and murders. The incredible story offers some tremendous insight into concepts like forgiveness and grace, and the reminder of the difficulty of those concepts were not lost on me. I was reminded of my own issues with the person who continues to stalk me and their own recognition of their mental illness, and attitudes. When the attacks get personal though, when they are made in ignorance and regarding the people of a church, or other ministry that has done so much good, what do you do? How do you respond?

While there are Biblical concepts to confrontation, the answers are not always clear or easy. The clearest is Matthew 18, here, if there is a dispute you try to work it out with the individual, if it isn’t worked out, then you go to the elders or pastor, possibly even another person to work with that person and you. In the situation which I have experienced, I have offered to do this with their pastor. If resolution doesn’t take place, and one is discovered to be wrong, then the church is to be made aware of the behavior and if need be, discipline to those who are wrong. How often have you seen this action take place? It should be noted, this is never done to punish, and it is done to bring the peson back into right relationship with Christ and those in the church. When across the miles, on the internet, or in a different church, the issue of forgiveness and truth become somewhat complicated, or do they?

Ultimately the Biblical model is Jesus, but even here, it isn’t as simple as some think. While Jesus never seems to have actively gone after individuals, he made his points clear, and he responded, at times, even sarcastically, when confronted by the religious community. Does that mean a lack of love from Jesus? I don’t think so but there is a time to stand for truth and distinguish the difference between the action of the individual and the potential of the individual. There are times the follower of Jesus has to stand for truth. Knowing when that is requires spending time with Jesus, reading the Bible, and studying Jesus teachings. Yet, some refuse to accept the truth of Jesus. Their allegiance is not to Jesus and the Kingdom principals he taught. Jesus did not engage in elongated arguments or debates with his detractors, nor did his followers. They let their lives speak truth. They continued in love and moved on, much like Paul did as a follower of Jesus when he and one of his partners in ministry just didn’t agree, and then moved on and went their separate ways.

Of course there is the assumption that in church we must all get along and agree. That just isn’t possible, as people are different. It isn’t that we should get along and agree but we can find areas where we recognize the greater good and greater harm, and do what is right. There will always be people we don’t agree with for one reason or another. Here, it is critical we keep the focus on the love of Christ that unites us. When we place ourselves over the love of the body, or church which Jesus calls his bride, and on our own desires, then we are in the wrong place. I have seen it get to the place where dishonesty takes place and people take up with, and accept their own perceived truths. I realize there are some who will imply and say that we have a responsibility of pointing out the false, at that point, we must use the tests the New Testament mentions as a guide or a test. That is, who do you say Jesus is, and are you willing to do what he says? If confronted with the biblical solution regarding personal disagreements of following for example the Matthew 18 concept, and you refuse, it is clear at that point, you are not willing to do what Jesus says. Following Jesus is required, not just in the easy things, but the hard things, it is one of the reasons we are admonished and warned of the need to take up our own cross, and follow Jesus daily.

As of late I have been confronted about several things I have said regarding my comments about Hollywood Jesus, and the population of the Tri-Cities. I have also been confronted about talking about the things God has done for me. Despite the importance of testimony as illustrated by Paul and other New Testament writers. Many need to be reminded, their testimony, isn’t just their conversion experience, it is the story of the continuation of God working in their life. For those that genuinely know me, they know I see myself in a lesser role than I likely should since God has abundantly shown me his love in so many ways. That said I am still amazed at the ways God has blessed me. I have repeatedly said, if God would and has done those things for me, he will for others. That isn’t to brag, I know my own unworthiness, it to describe the incredible ability of God.

Of the things I have been confronted with from one person is regarding my home town population and the visits at Hollywood Jesus website, the first was a mistake, and the other was the truth at the time the comment was made. I have been accused of either hyping myself up or lying about other things God has done for and through me. Regarding this one person, even though information and verification is provided, the person either ignores it or is so blinded to their own hate or jealousy they either can’t see it or refuse to see the truth. It is important to realize, in situations like this, the attitude of what drives a person says something about that person. One of my faults is that I have freely and sacrificially given of myself. I really don’t care about wealth, and those types of things. As a result, my family has suffered, but as I observe my daughter in particular and her example, I see a child who has chosen at least part of the path her father led, at least regarding the service and love to the poor, needy, outcast, and in recognizing the call and directive of Jesus that we be peacemakers. Unfortunately, many find ways to change the word of God to fit their theology, unfortunately, their theology may not be the ways of God. I have learned, those among Christian circles most often doing the attacking, are those who say they are following Jesus. Unfortunately, they either don’t care or ignore the harm they do to others, but not just others, but those seeking spiritual truth. Let me ask, would Jesus violate rules, and laws to accomplish his purpose? Would he have his followers harass others? Would he say he is sorry for his actions, and then go back to the same actions over and over?

The truth is, trying to emulate Jesus isn’t easy, but in the words of the famous philosopher Lynn Anderson, we need to remember; “I never promised you a rose garden. Along with the sunshine, there’s got to be a little rain sometime.” Life isn’t always easy; it is far from easy to figure out. Life and getting along with others will be tough. People will say and do things we don’t appreciate. In those times it is important when we don’t know the answers to look to Jesus, our attitude, our actions, our questions; our answers are all encompassed in trying to be like him. Whether that be forgiving one another, or the things we do which would require another to forgive us.

I was on today checking out my friend Jon Trott’s facebook p

age and as usual he was stirring the pot. Not in a bad way but in a way that makes one think. He said some things regarding truth I thought was spot on. Jon wrote: “Truth belongs solely to God. My handling of the truth (as in discovering it regarding those wolves in sheep's clothing) does *not* mean I *have* the truth. At best, the truth has me. Just because I correctly discern error -- bigtime error in the case of Warnke, Stratford, and the "Satanic Ritual Abuse" myth spinners -- I should not compound that error by imagining that I become righteous simply because I tell the truth about unrighteousness. Only God is True in the ultimate sense. These things deeply affect me on a daily basis. I don't mean to posture in some sort of faux humility (confession: humility is a barely visible goal at best in my heart). But I very sincerely believe that love and truth are married. My love is only as strong as my words and actions reflect truthfulness. And since love is the goal of the Christian life, how can we not tell the truth -- even and esp. when it reflects poorly on ourselves?”

Jon said a mouthful there that transcends beyond just the aspect of truth, but from the aspect of where truth comes from. The truth is, God knows, God knows the heart, he knows the intent, it is my goal, my desire, that God’s truth is revealed through me and my life, and that includes having the ability to forgive even those, who may choose to nail me to a cross. My goal, my life, my example is Jesus, he knows, and his Spirit is still wholly powerful enough and able to convince me of where I am wrong, and of where I am right. May in all things, in all examples, Jesus be lifted up, and may my actions, and yours point people to the truth of Jesus. No other, Jesus!

The following is that song with a lot of spiritual truth to it. Just click on the video, if the video doesn’t appear, just click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4wcNVbYOQ

Thursday, September 9, 2010

The Mysterious Islands, Creation Vs. Evolution

Over the years The Virtual Pew has been on the forefront of online ministry. As a result I have been involved in various online social groups. One of the things I have seen is many debates on various issues. Near the top of those debates is the debate of Evolution VS Creation. Not many sources from the view of a Creationist have been available. With the release of The Mysterious Islands, this documentary may very well be the best exploration on the subject from a Creationist perspective.

Unfortunately, it seems as if most Christian filmmakers are satisfied with lack luster quality. I have personally seen many a documentary that isn’t worth the cost of the plastic it is pressed on. In regards to the technical quality of The Mysterious Islands I was more than pleasantly surprised at the quality of cinematography, sound, editing, and story. This top notch documentary accomplishes its purpose in providing a quality product beyond the typical lackluster ‘Christian’ film.

The Mysterious Islands follows the journey of the father son team of 16-year-old Joshua Phillips and with his father Doug. Also on the journey is Dr. John Morris, a noted Creationist. They travel with their team to the Galapagos Islands to search for evidence to refute many of the teachings and beliefs of Charles Darwin. The fact that this is done on Darwin’s 200th anniversary and 150th anniversary of the release of the book Origin of the Species is not lost in the production. It has been said that the Galapagos Islands are the birth place of evolutionary thought. While this is partially true, it is certain that many of the concepts espoused by Darwin were birthed on the islands.

The Mysterious Islands does a good job at following this road journey format as the exploration team searches out to discuss some of Darwin’s findings and conclusions regarding Evolution and the Origin of the Species. One of the concepts strongly challenged through out the journey is the belief in the Survival of the Fittest. Most documentaries start out with a premise supported by the film makers. Unfortunately, many don’t state their intent and present their film under the premise of fair journalism. The makers of The Mysterious Islands, from the get go, lets the viewer know of their intent and beliefs. There is no doubt their view will be presented from a Conservative Christian Creationist point of view. Thankfully on the exploration of the subject matter, they present their case in a logical way with the layman in mind. Most will understand the scientific material in a way that makes sense to them.

Unfortunately, I felt the action between the father and son was somewhat contrived and not needed. The story involving the two seemed to take away from the material being presented. The documentary would have been just as good without the preconceived concept of a father, son journey; I think it would have in fact been better.

This film respectfully explores the differences between Creationist and Evolutionists. From the start, they clearly point out that in their opinion; there were many things Darwin got right. They also point out that he got more wrong than right. They use the arguments of several well known individuals in the field who do not accept their faith to point this out. There is also respect and recognition given to many religions of the world that recognize and believe in creation. They also come to a place where they state that one who says they believe in God cannot believe any concept outside of creation. I would have liked to have seen more debate and openness on this subject. Especially from those who believe that God may have used parts of evolution, or even evolution as a means of creation. It is one of the things that Exposed by Ben Stein has over this film, a more open means of possibility. There are certainly far more beliefs than were presented by the makers of The Mysterious Islands, even from within a Christian perspective. One gets the opinion that if one doesn’t agree with a literal 6 day creation, then one can’t believe in the God of the Bible or be a Christian. It is these types of dogma that have the tendency to turn people away from a faith journey and honest discussion on the subject.

The Mysterious Islands does explore the concepts of transitional design within species. This is an interesting concept that was somewhat educational. As a lay person, I found this concept interesting and at times seemingly only a matter of semantics in regards to the differences between the two trains of thought. Concepts of transitioning, sounding like evolution seem to be accepted by the Creationists in the film. In this view however, the concept of transitions or changes outside of species is strongly attacked. There are compelling arguments and concepts presented that would have been interesting to hear from Evolutionists on. The documentary looks at the concepts presented in the Genesis account, specifically looking at the concepts of God created animals ‘in kind.’ From these various kinds of ‘in kind’ animals others came about.

Some other interesting views in the film look at the history of what they say have occurred as a result of Evolutionary thought. Here they present that the human species have been devalued. There are quotes provided by Darwin and others that accepted Evolution to promote their beliefs. These include people like Hitler and Margaret Sanger, the creator of Planned Parenthood. While it is debatable as to the role evolution played in supporting their perspectives and support of things like racism and prejudice, the quotes provided, seem to support these premises. They also seem to support the general notion that concepts held and presented from Darwin’s teachings were in agreement with the thought process of these individuals. There are additional interesting historical information presented including information regarding an affair between HG Wells and Sanger. It seems these are attempts to not just attack the various beliefs, but the character of these individuals.

While I greatly appreciated the technical quality of The Mysterious Islands, and the ability to communicate the message in layman’s terms I felt part of the story, while done to a small extent, could have been better developed with a more open exploration of the points. This would have taken this film from being widely supported by the Creationist community to a film widely used and effective to people in all belief systems. This could have effectively been used as a discussion point between Evolutionists and Creationists. This could have facilitated great discussions at Film Festivals, Churches, and Scientific Study Groups among others.

The Mysterious Islands is interesting and beautiful to watch. I appreciated that the makers recognize that their argument is an argument of faith, they also point out that the argument of the Evolutionist is also an argument of faith. When presenting the randomness and possibilities of evolution they ask the question of what it is greater to have faith in, random chance, or a God.

One of the things I like to comment on is the special features. I actually give them a mixed review. While there are ample features and information on how to obtain a study guide, much of the focus is more editorial. They vary from the history of the Galapagos to the history of Whaling in the area. It is certain; much of the features material will be controversial. I personally enjoyed The Flightless Cormorant, and their response to the findings of noted Atheist, Richard Dawkins as well as the history of the islands.

As stated earlier, while not perfect, this may be the best documentary on the subject from a Christian, Creationist perspective that has been made. While it will do little to change minds, it is done in such a way it can be understood and appreciated by audiences outside of Academia. I would have appreciated a more balanced approach, but I recognize this wasn’t the intent. It is worthwhile viewing and one Creationists will likely want to own.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products for services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog, and in my reviews. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The following is the trailer for the movie, just click on the video, if the video doesn't appear, just click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwyteUF43d0

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Abusing the Abused, The Challenge

Rachel has lived a rough life filled with abuse, neglect, misunderstanding and more. Her story carries the burden many victims of abuse have to carry, rejection, hurt, pain, even into adulthood.

Some of Rachel’s friends and family did all they could to reject and deny the story of her experiences, ‘you must be imagining things, there is no way that happened.’ ‘Rachel must have some issues; I don’t recall any of that happening to her.’ The rejection adds up, the rejection of experiences by others add to the continuation of depression she has gone through, it continues to have a negative impact.

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, Rachel has been away from her family for some time, years in fact. She has moved on from the horrors, the nightmares associated with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She has moved on from the years of counseling and therapy that forced her to either deal with the past or to face the likelihood of isolation and the potential suicide that many victims turn to. Rachel doesn’t understand, she hurts, and she even questions God. She has learned though, talking about her past seems to help. It helps because it opens up doors of talking to others who have gone through the same issues, it helps her understand, ‘I am not alone.’

Rachel still questions God for various reasons, one of which is what she feels in the continued rejection of others. They say they love, but they question either without thinking or in the attempt to protect themselves.

Rachel has relatives who have experienced their own horrors. She wasn’t there for all of the occurrences; she understands the need to block out memories. She has never doubted the experiences even though she has no memory of them, she wonders, ‘why they have to question me on my experiences? They may not remember, they may not have been there, but don’t they understand that when they question my experiences they cause me to hurt even more.’ There are few things worse than the rejection, and denial of stories she has regretted and wished she had never had to go through.

Rachel has gone on to live life, to discover faith, a miracle really because in the same situation, many have gone on to have nothing to do with God. While many blame God, she has sought refuge in God, yet the criticism of things she knows is real is like a fiery dart from the enemy trying to tear her down and break her spirit. If she had not taken her faith so seriously in the study and application of her faith, she would lose confidence and hope, but she knows her faith is real, she has been consistent in her faith and in the practice and living of her faith. It doesn’t help though, when those who had once either walked away from, or not taken their faith seriously all of a sudden know more than her, not just the reality of what she has gone through, but the serious study and conviction of the application of her belief system. While many listened to others around them as to what the Bible said, Rachel decided to look for herself and the reality is, that what she discovered was far different than much of what she had been told. There was a reason so many like Gandhi respected Jesus, but had little good to say about the church or many of those Christians who make up the church.

One of the things that hurt is that Rachel has tried to love, she has tried to understand, yet every time she starts to get close to someone, it seems the pain resurfaces. ‘What are my options,’ she wonders silently but with deep conviction? ‘I can crawl back into bed and try to sleep it off, I can engage the pain, but it will be painful, or I can totally remove myself from my family. The rejection of family isn’t what I want to do, but I have to wonder, what is the best option for me to continue in life?’ Rachel contemplates on her faith, she remembers the stories of Jesus, not that she is a Jesus, but she remembers how he was not accepted by many in his family and community. She realizes that sometimes the people closest to you know you the least, they don’t always see or understand the experiences one close to them goes through. This is a sad commentary on relationships and friendships, even family, the denial of experiences. There has to be an openness of these types of things, but it isn’t easy to open up to real feelings, real emotions, especially when we have to recognize our own failures and weaknesses. It is so easy to ignore and deny reality, especially when it keeps our world in a nice clean 50’s Leave it to Beaver kind of way. That isn’t always reality though. It certainly isn’t reality the way Rachel has experienced life. If only more people understood and sought to understand instead of making judgment of things they know nothing about.

There are also those that are so nit-picky. There is the focus on a specific date or a simple mistake in timing. Those people also seem to ignore the pain, the hurt the reality of the overall picture that Rachel has gone through. In their self righteous indignity, they make accusations; they make comment of things they know nothing about, as if someone could be with someone else for 24 hours in a day, 7 days a week. She also knows her own loner ways, she knows of how she was seldom around people in her life where the abuse was taking place. She knows of her efforts to discover truth and the discovery of certain aspects. If the abuse, if the horrific situations people go through took place in public, they wouldn’t take place, but Rachel knows all too well, they do take place, they took place with her.

Rachel should keep on sharing her story though; she will keep on because she has seen her story impact others. She has seen the value of the release of pain from other victims of abuse who have shared their own stories. She realizes, ‘I have discovered a new family, a family that understands, and a family God has blessed because God has used the story to relate to others in a way they understand and escape the bonds of hell that have held them captive.’

Now understand, Rachel is a fictional character, the experiences are unfortunately all to real, I know, I speak to people almost daily that have experienced the pain and rejection of things they know they have lived. They and I have lived these things, these experiences and unfortunately still live them in ways I wish I didn’t. What can you do for a victim of abuse, love, try to understand, and by all means, understand, these are stories, experiences that no one wants to make up. While false memories do exist in rare cases, it is rare. It should be noted, blocking out events is not a false memory, and it is a coping mechanism. Two different things, that impact a victim in an all too real a way. For me, the accusations, the assumptions have been in some ways especially difficult. It is hard enough for a male to share the experiences of abuse, to have people pile on, to take on the judgment role makes it even more difficult. Essentially, we all have our experiences, for those of us who have gone through abuse; we realize the importance of discovering, as much as possible, the part of ourselves that can give emotional health. It is also important that those of us who have gone through the horrific experiences have the potential for help, that is if we realize we are not alone and find a way to share of ourselves.

I have seen several times the documentary Finding Angela Shelton. For those who haven’t seen the movie, (it is available on line and via order through the web site) there is a confrontation scene between Angela and her father. This scene unfortunately all too often plays itself out in real life. It happens in large ways, it happens in small ways, but to ask one who has been through abusive situations to deny their own story, their own past, still hurts, it still causes one to question their own reality, not from an experiential perspective, but from a perspective of self value and self worth. I wish I didn’t have these feelings, I didn’t have to go through these emotions, but I do. It is a part of the hurt and harm abuse perpetuates on others. May God help us all, and may we learn the value of helping each other.

A movie I would strongly recommend to see is Searching for Angela Shelton. To see the trailer for the movie click on the following video, if the video don't appear click on the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-zRe2voQoo

Thursday, August 12, 2010

The Vacation Diary Day 2; Roger Miller, Leaning Towers and the Pro American Jesus

Day 2, I looking forward to this day as one of the highly anticipated highlights of this vacation lies ahead. Off on our journey to visit the Route 66 Museum in Clinton OK, and then to the Roger Miller Museum which I have been looking forward too along with the additional sights unseen on Route 66 to Amarillo Texas.

The day starts off early, I have a great breakfast at The Hampton Inn. Most motels have a continental breakfast. Sometimes one gets lucky and you get a waffle maker to go with the toast, muffins and coffee. This one is different though, from Biscuits and Gravy to fried bacon, yogurt, eggs and more. There are enough items for a diabetic to have a good breakfast and have a few items to take along the remaining day’s journey.

It isn’t long before we stop in Clinton Oklahoma to visit the Route 66 Museum. I passed this on my way to Mexico for my college graduation trip but that was many years ago. Back then we drove by late in the evening and didn’t stop. I remember my mother, wife and daughter was with me on that trip. The memories cause me to recall the last year or so, the upcoming release of my book and the truth behind what one person has challenged regarding the book. I won’t let those things bother me much though. I am with my wife, taking a vacation to enjoy some of the time we have left of our life together.

The Route 66 museum is quite nice and well worth the small fee. To think of America’s history, to think of the value of this highway and a time when people lived a simpler life is quite refreshing, and at times, sad. I don’t know, call me crazy, but I think of the animated movie Cars while at the museum. So many small towns, businesses and people’s lives were changed with the interstate highway system, all for convenience, but at a cost. Much like the song I wrote several years ago, America’s Highway, Route 66, this is and was for many, a spiritual journey.

We leave Clinton and head towards Erick Oklahoma. Erick is a small town in western Oklahoma not far from the Texas Panhandle. Erick is the home of former country music great Roger Miller, and Sheb Wooley. Without the luxury of even a red light, on the corner of Sheb Wooley Avenue and Roger Miller Boulevard sits a small museum in tribute to Roger Miller.

Roger Miller was an incredible performer, likely best known for his song King of the Road. He died from lung cancer, due in part to his heavy smoking habits. The museum was a gem of Americana. From the incredibly nice lady who welcomed us to the small but significant nature of the items in the museum.

I found out a lot about Roger Miller, he suffered from Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD). He never finished high school and yet he won more Grammy Awards in a single year than any artist up until Michael Jackson. Miller had numerous top-40 songs, many of which crossed over, and the song King of the Road beat out the Beatles Yesterday for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. All of his success came at the height of the British invasion, and yet so few knew of the things this man had to overcome. In many ways, his ability to persevere, and endure is a tribute to the people of Western Oklahoma, and Erick in particular.

The museum was great, we had the opportunity to watch a one hour video documentary on the life of Roger Miller and the lady at the museum is kind enough to offer us a coke while watching. We spend time speaking with her; we purchase a few souvenirs and leave out. I can’t help but think about Roger Miller and his example.

Roger Miller had what many consider a disability, but he was a terrific song writer and performer and made a good living doing what he loved. In many ways, especially if you listen to some of his songs, he used his so called disability to turn around and advance his career. So many of us, including myself at times, focus on the negative and make excuses as to why something can’t be done. That wasn’t the case for Roger Miller. He took full advantage of his life and opportunities, despite his so called disability. He gave much to his fans. I am reminded, don’t quit, persevere, and keep on going for my dreams.

We leave the museum shortly after noon and head west; we drive on the original Route 66 for much of the afternoon. It runs parallel with Interstate 40 for much of the journey. There are cracks in the road, grass growing through the pavement, and the narrow, curving road reminds me of history once again. I can’t help but wonder, if the road was rebuilt, reestablished, not as an interstate but much like the original Route 66 would there be people like me who would prefer to travel it instead of the rush on the Interstate. Are there those that enjoy meeting the people of America, seeing her sites, and enjoying the landscape? What would a rebuilding of this historical road do for the towns and businesses along the journey? I can’t help but think, it may be a financial burden initially, but in the long run, it would pay incredible benefits for those along the route, either living or traveling the road. For me, the benefits would far outweigh the cost.

It wasn’t long and we are approaching Groom Texas. This is a town that likely most haven’t heard of, but it is popular on Route 66 for its Leaning Water Tower. While we may never visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa, we have visited the Leaning Water Tower of Britten. What can one say at such as a significant moment in life?

We are hungry and decide to stop in Shamrock Texas. Shamrock is one of those towns I wish I had known about before the trip. They have a stay and play golf package. It would have been great for my wife and me to enjoy a game we both love. We enjoy some of the scenery in Shamrock including Texas Largest Water Tower. Something about the day seemed to center on water towers. We enjoy a decent meal at one of the towns’ highly publicized restaurants Big Vern’s. My wife has a hamburger and I have Barbeque. While my wife says the hamburger was good, the Barbeque was only average as it resembles Barbeque out of a can. The price was a little high which prevents us from eating steak. We know we are on a budget.

After Shamrock we see signs for the 2nd largest Cross in the Western Hemisphere. This is a must stop.

This 19 –story cross is impressive. We see it from miles away. After exiting in the middle of nowhere, we are surprised. It isn’t just a giant cross; it is a large complex with multitudes of statues and a gift shop/ministry center.

As I walk around the complex, I have mixed emotions. I can’t help but think of that graven images thing in the Bible. I am not saying this is the intent of the complex, but I can’t get over everything I am taking in. There are many people taking photos of various angles of the cross, various statues around the cross and more. I also can’t help but notice people at certain points of the attraction praying. I love my faith, I love my God but there was something unsettling about all of this.

It isn’t long and I decide to go into the gift shop. I begin to feel uncomfortable in a matter of seconds. The first thing I notice is a picture for sale of an American soldier in full military garb, complete with a rifle. He had angle wings that were painted like the American Flag. I want to take a photo, but the shop requests no photos. If this isn’t confusing or disturbing enough, it isn’t long before I see another picture that bothers me. It is a picture of the Mother Mary holding the Baby Jesus. I have seen similar pictures before, that didn’t bother me, but the fact that she is draped in an American Flag bothers me. I can’t help but think, what does Jesus think of this nationalization of faith, and what do people from other countries think when they see this?

As we are leaving the Giant Cross we notice a restaurant that commercializes faith once more, it is a sign to eat at the Blessed Mary’s Restaurant. I wonder, is the commercialization of faith appropriate?

We leave and before long are in Amarillo Texas. We check in to another Priceline Bid room, The Extended Stay Inn in West Amarillo on Interstate 40. There is a movie theater and plenty of commercial property around us, restaurants, a mall, and more. We have a mini suite but the room isn’t quite as nice as the night before. There is Wi-Fi internet access for $10 a week which I splurge for. We have a small kitchen so a trip to the grocery store helps us save money. It’s getting late and close to bed time. We look forward to the next morning which will be rooted in faith.

I looked for various videos but believe the following will best sum up day 2. Just click on the video to watch, if the video doesn’t appear, click on the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5cDuzselc4

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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

The Vacation Diary Day 1

It has been a while since my wife and I have had a real vacation. We finally decided to take one this year and the following is day one of our journey diary, not just the actual perspective, but in the tradition of The Virtual Pew, from a spiritual perspective.

We have lived a life of ministry, somewhat to the surprise of some, one that has taken us across many roads, many journeys. We have gained many new friends, and as a result of our journey, lost a few old ones.

Over the years one of the things people in ministry, not just us, but many, sacrifice is things like vacation, finance, wealth and the list could go on. Of course in the age of the MEGAchurch there are those who insist on large salaries and benefit packages. Somewhere along the line, on the backs of small churches seeking to grow, many pastors and people involved in ministry have sacrificed much in human terms, little in the concepts of the Heavenly Father. I can assure you, there are many pastors and people who have dedicated their life to service that will understand the luxury of writing about a vacation. I have on several occasions left jobs that paid better, with better benefits to go to a position that paid less with less benefits, on 2 occasions I even requested the agency or church I worked for pay me less because they couldn’t afford it. I don’t know, call me weird, call me strange, I just have these crazy beliefs that I don’t want to be a burden on the body of Christ, or the work I do which is ultimately for the Kingdom of God. If Jesus freely gave, surely some of us can make the sacrifice required to share the good news.

My wife and I haven’t had a real, legitimate vacation since around 2003 or so. There were the times we went to Fargo ND with our son for national wrestling tournaments, and on one occasion we went to the Badlands and the Black Hills to see Mt. Rushmore. This was the last time we had a legitimate vacation, and that was the first time in a number of years. I have learned how to take advantage of the internet, coupons, things like Priceline and more when having the rare opportunity to do these types of things.

It took us some time to figure out what we could do with the limited funds we have. We decided to go to Amarillo Texas to spend a few days, and then return through Dodge City Kansas. What we discovered was enjoyable, and affordable.

The first thing I did was go online to check out the sites between Wichita Kansas, and Oklahoma City Oklahoma and between Oklahoma City and Amarillo. I also went to Priceline.com to place my bids for motels. I have learned that the name your own price benefit of Priceline pays off most of the time. We decided to leave out on a Friday morning, and drive to Oklahoma City where we would spend the night. The $30 room at the Hampton Inn in Oklahoma City didn’t hurt. We also mapped out and printed online coupons for Amarillo and locations along the way.

It only took 3 hours to drive to Oklahoma City from Wichita. We wanted to enjoy a night of relaxation before the next days drive. While in Oklahoma City we ate at Pearls’ Fish House, one of my favorite places to eat. I had a luncheon portion of Bourbon Chicken and my wife had a luncheon portion of Fried Fish. Both meals were excellent as usual, although a little pricey. We ordered water with lemon, something we normally do because it is healthier and saves us about $4 a meal; we splurged on desert though. Even though I am diabetic, I have learned to treat myself to a small treat on occasion. We ordered the bourbon bread pudding, which we shared and is out of this world. Now for the critics, I had a very small portion which satisfied the craving, and my wife only ate part of hers. Both of us used the large portions for supper that evening, including enough desert for her to have desert. After a tremendous lunch, costing us around $20 we went across the street to the motel we were staying at.

I have to say, over the years I have seen places where Priceline works wonders. Among those are Omaha Nebraska, Kansas City KS or Missouri, Tulsa Oklahoma, and Oklahoma City. The Hampton Inn had a wonderful room, with wonderful friendly staff. We had a full kitchen in the room with a marvelous, comfortable King Sized Bed. After a nap, we enjoyed the evening, watching television, going to the local Wal-Mart for groceries and a few other things. The motel also offered a tremendous hot and full continental breakfast.

Some may ask, what are the spiritual lessons here? For me it was actually quite simple, that sometimes, new beginnings, and fresh starts can be an enjoyable thing. Sometimes, even on a budget, a little planning and a little effort can make for an enjoyable time if we take time to enjoy life. That is why in part we only wanted to drive for a few hours on that first day. We wanted to start things off on the right foot, to enjoy the moment. We didn't want to forget that this vacation was about relaxation and spending quality time with each other.

Are you taking time to enjoy the simple things of life? Are there significant others involved in that process? Sometimes, and I am as guilty as anyone, we get so caught up in life that we forget about the simple things, There seems to be such a rush that before we know it, life has passed us by. There is an old saying, 'we should take the time to stop and smell the roses.' I think that is true, it is a lesson and concept that was rekindled on the first day of our vacation. It is a lesson I think we can all learn from, the question is, will we do it or not.

The following is a video of Oklahoma City, to watch, just click on the video, if the video doesn't appear, click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEEi8ylWACs

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