Another ‘Miraculous’ Appearance

In the news is a woman who spotted an image of Jesus Christ on her daughter’s iron.  She says that it was uplifting and inspirational.

I can’t help but wonder if there could be another explanation:

Married by the Book

As a licensed counselor, I have read more than my share of books on managing emotions and relationships.  Unfortunately they are all the same.  Sure they each have a slightly different take.  Some even include their own unique Venn diagrams of emotional issues and how they relate to physical boundaries.  Even the Christian books simply take what everyone else has already done and add a dash of Scripture, especially the latter part of Ephesians for flavor.

So when a friend told me that she had read a fantastic book on marriage, I have to admit I had a generous level of skepticism.  I trust her judgment so thought to myself, “What’s the harm?”  Perceiving my reservation, she sat me down and read a few pages from the first chapter.  My curiosity sparked, I graciously borrowed her copy.

Oprah and the Evangelical Church: Where Is the Difference?

Ranked as the world’s most influential woman, Oprah Winfrey is undoubtedly a woman who has inspired millions with not only her wisdom, her wide circle of connections, but also with her very own rags to riches story.  Although much ink has been spilled over her questionable influence in matters of spirituality, this post is not about her, instead it is about the church.

In 2005 a national survey of pastors was conducted, asking each of them to name the books that have most influenced them.  The Purpose-Driven Life was the most frequent response.  Authored by America’s pastor, Rick Warren, the book which has sold the most copies of any book in print, excepting only the Bible.  Warren, who has amassed significant wealth as a result, retains a significant level of influence including the ear of the President of the United States.

Here is where we play the game regularly found in copies of the children’s magazine Highlights: circle the differences in these two pictures.

“It’s Your Time”: the Latest Refuse from Joel Osteen

It has been said, “Never judge a book by it’s cover.”  Yet even alone, some book covers cause so much difficulty they require special notice.  After all, many more people are influenced by the cover of books as they glance over a bookstores wares than who actually read them.  Last week (November 3, 2009), a “new” installment of the tripe that Joel Osteen calls “truth” graced the shelves of bookstores across the country.  Having written two best-sellers that are essentially carbon copies of one another, any wise entrepeneur would make the third attempt to repackage the same refuse and sell it yet again.

Speaking Creatively

Creationists and evolutionists are interesting groups of people.  It would seem that both sides of this debate are so passionate that the sound of the blood pumping in their ears prevents them from really hearing the other side very clearly.  Oh, I know, it is all about “intelligent conversation,” but if we are honest there are too many times that both sides are at fault for giving in to subjectivity.

A friend sent me a link to the following article just today.  While there are plenty of issues that I have no doubt will be hot points for debate, there is an excellent sentiment in the tone of the article as well as the challenge to discussion at the end.  The author, Alan Dowd, suggests that his fellow creations speak respectfully, humbly (yet boldly), intelligently, and personally.  He is quick to acknowledge that the debate, as much as we want to say is completely academic, is of such concern on both sides of the table that it is sincerely difficult to have apart from emotional context.

Click here for the full text of the article.  Then come back here and comment until your heart’s content.