Church Dress Code / What Not To Wear

What a stunning
picture of me!

“12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12-14 NIV

Have you ever been to a church that had a dress code? Suits for men, dresses for ladies, fru fru one piece outfits for baby boys (mom why did you do that to me?). Paul says here in Colossians 3:12 that as God’s people, we have a dress code.

When it’s cold, I wear a coat, when I go on a date with Stacy I brush my teeth and put on a clean shirt for a change, when it is hot I wear lighter and thinner clothes. When I run I wear running shoes and shorts. We must dress appropriately for the conditions.
God wants His people to dress accordingly, appropriate to the conditions of this world. That is why Paul said that we are to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Our world needs people who are dressed with the spirit of Jesus. The world is full of poorly dressed people. I’m not talking about men who still wear parachute pants, I’m not talking about the man who saw wearing a shirt that said “Baby on Board” with arrow pointing to his stomach, and I’m not even talking about mullets. The world is poorly dressed in that many people put on the clothing of anger, selfishness, greed, lust, and rudeness.
Paul said those things are out of style. You know that show “What not wear”? Paul gives us a list of things that we should never wear in verses 5-8, they are not fashionable to God. He does not want us to dress like the world, He wants us to dress like Jesus.
When we clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience we are simply acting the way Jesus would act if he was us in our daily lives. We do these things because we have been forgiven, we do these things because we have been transformed by the love of God. May you be blessed each day by His love and grace.

Wizards, Vampires, & Jesus

We saw the new movie "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" today. It was pretty good (I give it 2 1/2 stars). I guess it is hard to ignore all of the wizard and witch movies, books, an TV shows that are out these days. If it isn't about wizards it probably is about vampires (for some reason those are more exhausting to me). The one thing that many of these stories have in common is that most of them have a "chosen one". What I mean by chosen one is that early in the story there is a prophecy of a hero (a messiah) who will save all of humanity. This hero just so happens to be a vampire, witch, or wizard. Maybe the reason so many stories follow the same formula is that we all have a basic need to have a savior who will be there to save us.

I think we all have this spiritual side that needs to be part of something that is bigger than ourselves that connects all of us into a community that is filled with acceptance and love. As cool as wizards and vampires are they seem to have a need to be hidden, disconnected from the rest of humanity.

Jesus does not desire to be hidden like a wizard; he has no desire to be disconnected from humanity like a vampire. In fact did He not die for our sin so that we could connect with Him? Jesus is superior to these man made messiahs in that He wants to connect with humanity not hide from it.

"6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you." 2 Corinthians 4:6-12 NIV

Our savior desires to strike down evil and has more power than any wizard we could ever imagine. Our savior is eternal, He has no need of our blood to offer us eternal life, because He offers His. Our world is looking for a savior, we have a real one to offer them. He has no desire to hide from humanity, in fact He partners with us every day to show the world that He loves them and that He has the power to save them.

NFL Predictions and HOPE

I'm so ready for football, It is right around the corner and I am already making my predictions. That is the fun thing about the preseason, there is so much hope, your favorite team that has been lousy for the last few years now has a chance to go all the way. As a Texans fan my hope is often diminished by week 3 or 4. But this year hope overcomes reason, that's right I again predict that the Texans will go deep into the playoffs. They will lose in the AFC championship game to the Jets. I hate the Jets, but I think they will go all the way to the big game and lose to the Cowboys. Thats right that is my prediction, the Cowboys win it all.


That all sounds crazy I know, but hope causes us to go against the grain, it us gives the ability overcome worldly expectations and dream beyond our ability and ranking. In Romans 5 the Apostle Paul shares with us the power of hope.

"1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5:1-5 NIV

The hopeful predictions Paul gives in Romans 5 are founded in Jesus Christ. Jesus has never dissappointed us, He has never failed us, and He never will. There are those who expect us to fail, who look at the resources we have and they predict that we will fall on our face. Without Jesus we have failed, and will continue to fail if our hope is in ourselves. Predicting that the Texans win in the playoffs may seem farfetched, and it is; but what is real is that God's love guarentees us the victory. Whatever struggle you are facing today is actually a pathway to victory, because that struggle leads us to understand that we need God. May the God of grace and love give you strength and fill you with hope.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

Praying in the name of Jesus, one of the most traditional things I do. You know what I mean, you pray and at the end you say "in Jesus name, Amen." If you don't say the "in Jesus name" it just doesn't count. That's what the Bible says anyway, right? ... uhhh what? Why are you looking at me that way? Your saying that I'm missing the point? Oh wait, your saying that I am flat out wrong? Ouch!

"9Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." John 14:9-14 NIV

When Jesus said to Philip "don't you know me?" He was being very personal. Jesus reminded them of His greatest strength, which was His realtionship with the Father. It was a relationship that went deep, one in which Jesus was so connected to the Father that He knew His Father's will. You know how some old married couples can finish each other's sentences, they do that because they are connected. They have the same desire and will. When Jesus said that we are to ask for things in His name He was not saying that He is the magic genie that makes wishes (prayers) come true. What Jesus is saying is that when we pray in His name we are asking out of a relationship in which we are so connected to Him that we know His will, we know what He desires, we can finish His sentences. To pray in the name of Jesus is to declare a moment by moment relationship with Him. To pray in the name of Jesus is to live in the name of Jesus, to live His will every moment, to live in the Father and the Father live in you. To live in the name of Jesus is to be empowered to overcome temptation and worldliness. To live in the name of Jesus is to be so empowered that we use our talents to love and help others. To live in the name of Jesus is to have the power to do the right things no matter what the dilemma. "In Jesus name" it is not a way to end a prayer, it is a way to live. May God be glorified as we seek to be close to Him. In Jesus name, Amen.

I Already Miss LOST

I am already missing my favorite show, and today I was thinking about how sad it is that I cannot look forward to another season. Anyway these are some thoughts that I forgot to publish last month. Better late than never.

The series finale made sense. It had a very Luke 15 Prodigal Son feel to it. They were lost at first, and at the end the father welcomed Jack back where he belonged, with the people that he needed most. Independently he was lost, but with those people he was found. Very cool.

Other Lost Thoughts.
Were they dead on both the island and on the flash sideways world? I think they were dead only in the purgatory flash sideways world. That doesn't mean they all died at the same time. Hurley might have lived for hundreds of years as the new Jacob before he died. Sawyer and Kate made it off the island. Who knows how far into the future the flash sideways was. My big question is what happened to cause the isalnd to sink? If you remember it was sugmerged at the begining of the final season. Someone removed the stone. Any thoughts out there? I imagine there will be books and graphic novels for years to come that will fill in those blanks.

Go to Entertainment Weekly to check some rather deep thoughts on my favorite show: http://www.ew.com/ew/package/0,,20313460,00.html

The 80 / 20 Rule

In Jim George’s book “A Husband After God's Own Heart” he shares a story about Bud Wilkinson, the legendary coach of the University of Oklahoma football team from 1947 to 1963. Coach Wilkinson once described his game as "50,000 people who desperately need exercise watching 22 men who desperately need rest."
Unfortunately, that's the situation in most churches today. Most of us have heard of the 80 /20 rule; 80% of the work done in a church, business, or organization is done by only 20% of its people. As God’s people we are blessed by His grace and love. Motivated by love God sent His son to this earth to die for our sins. By that act of love we receive the gift of life. It was not a gift that we earned; we received it out of His grace. The apostle Paul once said “by the grace of God I am what I am”, he was one of the hardest working ministers that the church had ever known. So what is the point, it is grace and love that motivates individuals to do good works. Rescue from laziness and apathy is found in the grace and love of God. It is by grace that we are motivated to do more, and it is out of love that we give of ourselves to help others. I encourage you to connect with God in a personal way that would help you appreciate His love for you. Moments with God inspire us to get up and help others, to love others, to give, and to serve. It is by the grace of God that any one of us would become part of the 20% that changes the world. - Vic

“9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.”
1 Corinthians 15:9-11 NIV

Facebook. Colossians Series

I have been preaching a sermon series through the book of Colossians called "facebook, what is your status?".

If you own a computer, you probably are on a social networking site called Facebook. On Facebook, people have a place to update their status; it allows us to tell our friends what we are doing or what's on our mind. Your Facebook status basically informs your friends of what you’re doing or feeling. The status of things like our heart, attitude, and thoughts are often determined by where we are going in life. Whenever I’m about to take a vacation my excitement is difficult to contain (it is usually mentioned on my Facebook status). In every moment my status is influenced by the excitement of wherever I am about to go or what I am about to do. Funny thing about facebook is that most us update our status with mundane updates like "I went to the dentist today", "I had a great burrito", or simply "my kids are driving me crazy". The world may look at our status update and say "who cares", but as we read Colossians we begin to see that God cares deeply about our status, he cares about the little things, the simple things, or even the difficult we go through in life. I’m excited about this series because I love the message of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossian church. Paul was reminding the Colossians (and us) that we are to live a life that honors and acknowledges God. He also wanted to remind them that their hope in Heaven and their faith in Jesus would give them the strength to live a life that honors Him. Most importantly our status should always include Him, because with Him we have life.

Happy Independence Day

July 4, 1776 was over 230 years ago, but the events of that day impact what we are doing right now. In the declaration of Independence these words were written:

“We think it is obvious...That all men are created equal. That they have a god given rights, that no one can take away including LIFE, LIBERTY and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

No part of the Declaration of Independence is more right than those words. Only God gives life, freedom, and the blessing of true happiness. Over 230 years ago those words were written to declare independence from oppression, however those words also declare a dependence upon God. Whether it is overcoming oppressive regimes or sin; freedom can only be found in a relationship with God. Today as we celebrate our independence as a nation, do not forget to celebrate our dependence upon the God who gives us real freedom and the blessing of His love and grace. May God bless you this 4th of July.

90 / 10 Principle

Some of you might have heard of the 90/10 Principle written by the author Stephen Covey.

The Follow is from Stephen Covey: I would like to share with you his 90/10 Principle. What is this principle? 10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react. We have no control over 10% of what happens to us. We cannot stop the car from breaking down. We cannot stop the plane from arriving late, which throws our whole schedule off. A driver may cut us off in traffic. We have no control over this 10%. The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%. How? By our reaction. You cannot control a red light., but you can control your reaction.
Here is an example. You are eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt. You have no control over what just what happened. What happens when the next will be determined by how you react. You curse. You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over. She breaks down in tears. After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and change your shirt. Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus.
Your spouse must leave immediately for work. You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school. Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 mph speed limit. After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60 traffic fine away, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible. As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to coming home, When you arrive home, you find small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter. Why? Because of how you reacted in the morning. Why did you have a bad day?A) Did the coffee cause it? B) Did your daughter cause it? C) Did the policeman cause it?D) Did you cause it?
The answer is D. You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day. Here is what could have and should have happened. Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say, "It's ok honey, you just need,to be more careful next time". Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves.You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having.
Notice the difference? Two different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended different. Why? Because of how you REACTED. You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% was determined by your reaction.

Vic's Thoughts: That all makes sense doesn’t it? Some will say it is impossible to react that way, but before we dismiss this idea and say “I can’t control how I react to negative things” I simply ask “where is our faith?” I am a recovering legalists, I relapse sometimes. When I do relapse I find myself trusting me more rather than God. I find myself easily angered, frustrated, and full of excuses of why nothing is my fault. Whenever anyone ever calls me out for being sinful or divisive I simply say this is me, deal with it. To say and believe that we can’t change, that we can’t be more encouraging, or joyful is to live without faith. That is the danger of legalism, it refuses to grow, it settles for less, and it ignores the transforming power of Jesus to turn even the worst of sinners into a kind and loving spirit. To live by faith believes that the spirit of Jesus is continuing to transform us into a loving, obedient, and encouraging members of His body (of His church). To live by faith, is to live a life connected to Jesus every day. We can’t control the events that happen around us, but with the power of Jesus we can control how we react to them. Jesus gives us a reason to live with love and joy. Connect with Him today!

Nooma - Rob Bell

We just started using the Nooma videos in our Sunday night small groups. They have been a refreshing change, and our small group participants seem to really like them. Rob Bell is the speaker on each video, and he brings relevant messages using everyday stories to display God's love and affection toward us. You can check out these video clips on www.nooma.com. They even come with small group discussion questions that allow for good discussion and sharing. If you are looking for an example of postmodern preaching or if you are looking for material that will reach today's postmodern generation then check out Nooma.

Self Reliance

When we try to get things done on our own, we really make a mess don’t we?

Sometimes three year old daughter says to me, “daddy, your so strong.” She is so sweet, however she too has those just get it done kind of moments. Trying to unscrew the lid off a jar of peanut butter, she can get so frustrated, but she wont ask for help, as if I her big strong dad isn’t there or capable of opening it. She says, “I can do this all by myself.” Her face distorts, she starts to make loud squeals and pouts, her frustration is about to get the best of her. Would you like to know what I said? “Let me help you.”

Here I am just sitting in awe while I watch my frustrated daughter; I want to fix the problem for her, but more importantly I want her to know her father is right here. I want her to understand that she doesn’t have to do this by herself. Doesn’t she know I love her, that I would do anything for her? Of course I want to help her open that jar, but more importantly I want her to learn to trust me, to allow me to be there for her, to help her, to give her my strength and direction. I wanted her to learn to hand it over to me.

Have you ever had a “just get it done” kind of day? The day that just seems to go nowhere unless, you make it happen through pure will power and personal strength. The task can be brutal, staying up with a baby all night, because he just can’t go to sleep. It’s never fun having to put up with an uncooperative coworker. That ministry area, “no one wants to help me, I can’t get any volunteers.” In those moments we feel all alone and frustrated, we begin to think, “How can I get out of this? No, I said I would do it; I can do this all by myself.” We act as if God doesn’t notice, as if he doesn’t care. It’s as if He too is a non-volunteer in our ministry, not a team player at work, or possibly another detached member of the family. Does our pain escape His notice? No, in reality, God is saying, “let me help you; hand it to me.”

61 pounds and counting!!!

I now weigh 175 lbs. That means I have lost 61 lbs since mid August. Wow! It hasn't been a hard road either, it just required discipline and some accountability. My wife was the accountability, and the discipline was through a online Weight Watchers plan. I will let you know when I hit my goal of 170 lbs. If you need help or a plan, talk to me I'll be glad to get you going in the right direction.

The X-odus Files

"The X-odus Files: Following God in an Alien Land" by Reg Cox & Rick Brown has been such an enjoyable read. However I must admit it was not always easy to accept its message. I was challenged over and over again by its ideals and over all message. Even though it can be humbling, I love to be given a fresh view of God's word. Too often my ministry is wandering though maintenance church agenda, when in reality we are called to be warriors with a ministry that has purpose and an already secured victory. You can find the book at http://www.leafwoodpublishers.com/ .

Your Best Life Now

I love the idea of this book! I am so into motivational power of positive thinking type of books. Especially ones that focus on the power of God. In Joel Olsteen's "Your Best Life Now" I really bought into the first few chapters. In them there are some very positive things we all can learn or at least be reminded of. However, I got lost in this book. Not the good kind of lost, but kind of lost that said, "Where is He going, is this it?" The whole idea of if your a child of the KING therefore expect to be treated like a king message kind of seems weak & worldly. To be fair Joel Olsteen never used the above statement, that's just the idea I got out of the book. It is ashame too, I really wanted to like this book. Use the book, non-christians are reading it. It could be a way to connect with someone who is searching. There are positive things to learn from it. But if you are looking for depth, you may want to avoid its shallow message.

Church Bible Class: Teaching the facts Vs. Meeting Needs

The title does sounds kind of funny doesn't it? I have always wondered about the purpose of church Bible class, since it is a man made thing. Basically there is no Bible verse that requires or asks for it. Yet it seems obvious that it is a good thing to do based on Bible understanding.
So how is your program doing? Do you have a good Bible class attendance? Is it 80 % of your worship number? Probably not, it more than likely hangs in the 60% to 40% number. I'm a people pleaser by nature, therefore I want to give people what they want. So when I create a new program or class I am often tempted to give people what they want rather than what they need. Some people want Bible class to be like a college lecture course that gives out only exegeted information with little or no application or even speculation. These "just the facts" Christians seem to have a hard time relating to non-christians or anyone that isn't just like them. So the temptation is to please this group of church people by giving them that option; here is your "just the fact class". In these classes we learn how to Biblically evangelize, pray, and worship; yet it is common that no one would apply evangelism or prayer to their everyday life. I fear that many of us who study diligently in Bible class are learning about a life that we are not willing to live.
On the otherhand there some who wont even come to Bible class unless there is a special class that meets a very targeted need in their life: marriage, finance, Parenting, etc. They want classes heavy on application with the hope of a quick fix. These are my "buffet (pick and choose at my convenience)" christians. The "buffet" christians typically never get too involved nor ever become leaders within the church, but they relate very well with non-christians and usually are the ones who bring the bulk of our vistitors. While they are good at bringing people to church they often don't know how to bring them to Jesus. So when I am creating a program it is easy to allow these extremes to dictate what we do. In order to keep convenient peace the temptation is to keep these groups separated, but as you can see, they really need each other.

Here is the problem. If your classes are catering directly to certain groups by giving them want they want, it's possible the message of Christ will be completely missed by all. Too many times the "just the facts" classes discect the Bible or just make it so dry that they miss the message of Jesus and His love all together. The "buffet" Christians are so focused on their special need that they forget that it is Jesus who will help them overcome the very thing that burdens them.
So what is a Bible class teacher to do? Got any answers? First, I try to make sure my class whether it's studying the book of Joshua or the finer points of parenting will never forget that all good answers and Bible classes point to the Christ who loves us. Second, I try to encourage "just the facts" & "buffet" christians to have some connection in both small groups and interactive classes. Extreme groups in a church cannot be united through a brilliant Bible class program but they can be through Christ who is the peace that unites us all together. It's time our Bible classes focus on the Christ who gives us the power and conviction to apply His message to our lives. When we collectively focus on Christ, we'll begin to take on the very character of Christ. Then we can say, "that is a meaningful Bible class."

King Kong

Awesome special effects! If you enjoyed Jurassic Park then you will like this movie. However, it was long (over 3 hours) and kind of preachy. They could have taken about 30 minutes out of the movie, and the story would have been fine. It was preachy in that King Kong seemed to be more noble and moral than humans. The movie seems to make it clear that rich people use and throw away both animals and people in pursuit of profit.

The movie was fun and entertaining, however I would not take children under the age of 10 to see this movie. It was pretty rough at times.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Why He Wrote 'Narnia'C.S. Lewis "almost certainly did not want his readers to notice the resemblance of the Narnian theology to the Christian story," says biographer George Sayer. "His idea, as he once explained it to me, was to make it easier for children to accept Christianity when they met it later in life. He hoped that they would be vaguely reminded of the somewhat similar stories that they had read and enjoyed years before. [He told me,] 'I am aiming at a sort of pre-baptism of the child's imagination.'"
Breakpoint Worldview, 11/05

Thoughts on Prayer

“Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Dear God, help me to be an air force pilot, and an astronaut, a preacher, and millionaire. Help me to be smart like the really smart kids in school. Help me make all A’s & B’s and no F’s. Help my mom and dad to get me Star Wars & GI Joe toys for my birthday. Be with my mom, dad, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, my friends, our cats, and our dog Spot. Help them all go to heaven. Be with the hostages in Iran, and bring them home. In Jesus Name, Amen. … oh PS. Keep all the monsters away.”

A prayer by Vic Pruett, age 7, September 1980

Over 25 years have gone by and I still remember those prayers like they were just the other day. Why is that? I have always wondered why I still think about those prayers I prayed so many times. They were not amazing prayers, in fact many seven year olds have prayed much better prayers. But for some reason this prayer more than all the others is burned into my memory. Sure I said it over and over again, but I have prayed many repetitious prayers all my life. Why did that one stick?
One day while reading 1 John 3:11-22, I read this verse, “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.” NIV. It hit me, the reason that prayer in 1980 is so powerful to me is because I really believed God was listening and that He would give me what I was asking for. Prayer by faith is powerful, prayer with doubt is weak and forgettable. If we have a hard time remembering our prayers, especially the recent ones, maybe it’s time to take them more seriously. To know that we are not just speaking to air, but that we are speaking to the Creator and our Father. He asks us to be faithful to Him, and promises to give us more than we need or imagine.

49 pounds and counting!

49 pounds and counting! That's right, I can't believe it. I have been on the weight watchers plan for about 4 months now and have gone from 236 to 187. I haven't been down to this weight in more than 11 years. I have been in the 230 range for about 3 to 4 years, sometimes weighing in the 220's because of some lame diet that never really stuck. My goal weight is 170, which I think I will be sometime in early Spring. It has been the easiest diet ever, actually it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle change. People from church have been amazed at the results and some have started weight watchers because of me. I am really proud of Stacy, she has lost a lot of her pregnancy weight since she has been on the diet. Together I think we have really helped each other stay disciplined. I am so glad I did this and I plan to keep eating healthy for the rest of my life, because I do not want to ever be over 200 pounds again.

Hollywood Values

I will first make you aware of the fact that I am a movie nut. My wife and I love to watch movies. With that said, I find myself becoming more skeptical and picky about the movies we will see. For example, I see Hollywood marketing a movie about a love story. Two young people in love in the mountains of Wyoming in the early 60's. They happen to be two young cowboys. Yep two guys. I am sure the movie is well directed, acted, and written. In fact before most anyone has even seen it, Heath Ledger is already been given a lot of praise for his potential Oscar winning performance. I think he will win, not because He will have best performance of 2005 but because this is a message movie that Hollywood wants to send out to the world. What is the message? Our society should bend over backwards to accept gay love, gay values, and gay marriage. Many in Hollywood believe Jesus and His teachings get in the way of such a message. They are right. As a Christian I am not going spend money or time on this Hollywood sermon (opps, movie). I don't hate gay people, in fact I do my best to respect all people including anyone who is gay. However I don't have to agree with or condone their sinful lifestyle decision. I hope "Broke Back Mountain" flops, and that America will show Hollywood just how out of touch it is with the rest of the country. We'll see.