Questions To Start With

In Luke 10 a Lawyer confronts Jesus. The matter of the confrontation will not be addressed here because that’s not my point. My point is how Jesus attempts to answer this smart guy’s question. He starts off with two questions of His own.

1) What is written in the law? The first way to answer a challenge to your faith is to ask the other person what scripture says. If they don’t know what scripture says, or if you don’t for that matter, there will never be a solid resolution.

2) How readest thou? Now that Jesus has pointed smart guy’s brain to the scripture, He then asks how the guy reads it. Just because the Bible says something doesn’t mean people read it that way! These two questions should be the foundation to the beginning of any answer in a doctrinal disagreement.

Knowing the answer to these two questions will aid in coming to a good conclusion. However, even Jesus had trouble with this guy. After answering that he should love his neighbor, lawyer man decides to justify himself or excuse himself by asking who his neighbor is.

The third step to coming to a conclusion is to eliminate justifications. Often, even though we know what the Bible says and we have even read it right, we still don’t want to do it.

With these three steps in mind, you can have a fine conversation with someone, or at least know that any further conversation is going to be a colossal waste of time and energy. Cutting to the point is the object. These three steps cut well.

Fat Tuesday

As we all know, God failed miserably in His attempt to judge the heathens in New Orleans. One funny thing about that is that New Orleans, home to Mardi Gras, is actually celebrating a “Christian” holiday.

Mardi Gras, literally “Fat Tuesday,” has grown in popularity in recent years as a raucous, sometimes hedonistic event. But its roots lie in the Christian calendar, as the “last hurrah” before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. That’s why the enormous party in New Orleans, for example, ends abruptly at midnight on Tuesday, with battalions of streetsweepers pushing the crowds out of the French Quarter towards home.

I think Fat Tuesday is an excellent example of the failure of legalism. Lent is supposed to clean you up, supposed to guilt you into good behavior.

All it does is make us what we are not and the result will be a party before and after. “Hey, I did good, I deserve a break.” Or “Hey, I have to clean it up, but before I do, look out here I come!” Either way, you are serving in the letter not in the spirit.

I would also like to point out the freedom in Christ that not only could I have Fat Tuesday, but I can follow it with Fat Wednesday, Fat Thursday, Fat Friday, Fat Saturday, Fat Sunday, Fat Monday and right back into Fat Tuesday, 52 weeks a year. God is not impressed with your humility and will-worship (Colossians 2:23). He is impressed with faith that rests in His provision.

Jesus Driftwood

A woman from Ohio has a piece of driftwood in her garden that has an image of Christ on it. She was afraid to tell people about it for fear they would think she was nuts. No, no, who would even think that? But then the grilled cheese sandwich fiasco happened so she started showing it to people.

After sending a photo of it to a friend, the friend spotted an image of Satan on the same piece! Now she wonders what the deal is. Is it a message? Is it a miracle? Is it worth money?

Hocevar said some of her friends view the wood as a miracle, but her husband isn’t sold. “He thinks it’s dumb and wonders what I’m going to do with it,” she said.

I don’t even know the guy and I feel as though we have some sort of connection.

Henry Morris

Dr. Henry Morris passed away at the age of 87 after a series of strokes. Morris was one of the founders of the modern Creation Science movement. His most notable work is The Genesis Flood. He was also the founder of the Institute for Creation Research.

I remember back in college I had an 8 am Earth Science class. This wouldn’t be so bad now, but at the time I worked until 2 am. One of the books we were supposed to read was The Genesis Flood. I can’t honestly say I read too much of it. Since then, I still have the book on my bookshelf and I’ve always meant to read it, which is pretty close to actually having read it.

My wife, who also had an Earth Science class at the same college, read the book and claims it’s one of the best books she’s ever read. She actually got one of those “A’s” they always talk about. Maybe I’ll read it now in memoriam.

British Church Trends

New research has shown that more than 1,000 new churches have started in Britain over the last seven years. Only 450 Starbucks have opened in that time. Seriously, that’s one of their conclusions.

All the major denominations opened new churches but the biggest growth was among the black Pentecostal churches. About half of the new congregations were created by the Pentecostal churches, with help from other ethnic minorities such as the Chinese and the Croatians. New initiatives such as “Fresh Expressions“, alternative worship services aimed at young people, accounted for a fifth of new congregations.

This may sound like good news, perhaps more people are going to church now. Only problem is, the UK closed more churches than it started in the last seven years. Most of the people who are going to these new churches are the same people who were going to the old churches!

One of the pastors of one of the fastest growing denominations said that “the secret of church growth was lively worship and meeting the needs of the community.” I won’t even make my next statement.

God Is A Bit Rusty

New Orleans is gearing up for Mardi Gras, which gets in full swing tomorrow on Fat Tuesday.

Throngs lining the routes of the family-friendly uptown parades were six- to eight-feet deep, but still not as thick as in years past. Restaurants reported brisk business, but there are fewer restaurants: 506 of the pre-Katrina number of 1,882 restaurants were operating, said Tom Weatherly, vice president for research with the New Orleans Restaurant Association.

Hotel rooms were filled, but again, there are fewer – about 15,000 instead of the usual 25,000 – according to Denise Estopinal, a spokeswoman for the Greater New Orleans Hotel & Lodging Association.

Back in the day when God judged people regularly, He did it for real. Not only did cities not return to pagan holidays the following year, they were lucky to have anything left. I guess God is a bit rusty. I hope He practices some more so we can all celebrate some good smiting of heathens sometime soon.

Theological Word Of Today

Today’s theological word is Pelagianism. Pelagianism.

It was decided long ago that Pelagianism was heretical, it won’t take you long to understand why. However, some Pelagian thought remains today. Pelagius was the mind behind this theological theory. No one knows too much about him except that he was a strict ascetic–disciplined himself highly.

Pelagianism is the belief that mankind can save itself by being good. Adam’s sin did not taint our nature, it merely set a bad example. Christ was not a sacrifice for us nor did He represent us on the cross. Instead, Christ merely set a good example. God’s grace is just an added bonus, the icing on the cake for good people.

Obviously this is heretical. If it were true there would only be two people good enough to be in heaven–Me and Pelagius. Be sure you thank God for his grace.

Nice Testimony

IRS exams found nearly three out of four churches, charities and other civic groups suspected of having violated restraints on political activity in the 2004 election actually did so, the agency said Friday.

Among the prohibited activities, the examiners found that charities and churches had distributed printed material supporting a preferred candidate and assembled improper voter guides or candidate ratings. Religious leaders had used the pulpit to endorse or oppose a particular candidate, and some groups had shown preferential treatment to candidates by letting them speak at functions. Other charities and churches had made improper cash contributions to a candidate’s political campaign.

Churches have become quite politically minded lately and we always hear Romans 13 (one of the few times the modern church uses Romans), to tell us to go vote. We’re supposed to take our Christian worldview and vote it on the world. This shows honor and tribute to our government leaders and the laws of the land.

While doing so, churches violate the law by telling people how to vote! So, while attempting to honor the law we violate the law to honor it. Nice one.

By Hook Or By Zook

University of Illinois head football coach Ron Zook scored some major points Sunday when he forsook the field to appear as a guest speaker at Forsyth United Methodist Church. The occasion was a fund-raiser for the church’s Sunday school “Sowers Class” to help underwrite their mission projects for helping single mothers and the homeless in Macon County. Zook delivered for the church big-time, with more than 200 people packing the building and paying $7 a ticket to hear the coach.

In all the coach’s comments there was no mention of Christ. Zook is celebrated as a guy who understands teamwork and the church needs teamwork to do their mission stuff. Of course, one would never think of looking to Scripture, which may say a thing or two about teamwork too.

One more example of the Church selling out to the world’s system of things. I don’t think we believe what we say we believe. If a guy who coaches a perennial loser can teach the church how to get along, we’re all in trouble.

Where’s That Pastor Guy?

The pastor of the mega-church Calvary Chapel in Albuquerque, NM resigned recently and none of the church members knew why. Sounds like a job for Franklin Graham, and that’s exactly who they called in to fill the pulpit this last week. He attempted to explain what went on.

Graham told the congregation that he was on the board that hired Nelson. He also said there was a concern that the young preacher didn’t have the experience to run a mega-church. Graham said it was his idea to keep founding Pastor Skip Heitzig on as chairman in the church, allowing Nelson to handle pastoral duties. According to Graham, it was a situation that Nelson was unable to accept.

The church members are much relieved to know why he left. They will begin looking for a new pastor soon. The idea of having a pastor fulfill pastoral functions while letting another pastor be the pastor seems like a situation ripe for disagreement. Hopefully they will learn to fix that deal first.

Elders Sacked

CONGREGATION members at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Camberwell [Australia] have been advised to dissociate themselves from a cult-like group to which most of them belong. They were told in church yesterday that their 15 elders — members of the secretive group within the Presbyterian Church known as the Fellowship– had been sacked for failing to carry out their duties.

First of all, how cool is that to have secret groups in your denomination? Cool. But how do they know about it if its secretive, that’s my question. Almost makes me want to start a denomination just so I could have a secret group.

Second, how cool is it to sack elders? I would love to sack anything besides lunch and groceries. Which, of course, reminds me of the line “Those who were responsible for the sacking of the elders have now been sacked.” I think Americans should restore the word “sacked” to our vocabulary. It just makes you feel so medieval and knightly. I envy people who have secret groups to sack. Sigh.

Unorthodox Orthodox Spending

Allegations of financial misconduct are rocking the Orthodox Church in America, whose former treasurer says top officials misappropriated millions of dollars in donations from agribusiness titan Dwayne Andreas, U.S. military chaplains and ordinary parishioners across the country.

According to Wheeler, in 1993 the church received a $62,838 donation from the U.S. Department of Army Chaplains to distribute Bibles in Russia, but the Bibles were never purchased. Meanwhile, “the budget was tapped for regular payments to cover Father Kondratick’s personal Platinum AMEX card in the amounts of approximately $5,000 to $12,000 per month,” Wheeler’s letter said.

These allegations and troubles will come to a head this week as the Orthodox Church gathers for their Holy Synod, which apparently now is not quite so holy. The “Not Quite as Holy as Last Year’s Holy Synod Synod.” The Orthodox Church is an offshoot of the Russian Orthodox Church which is an offshoot of the Roman Catholic Church which is an offshoot of the Original Church which is an offshoot of Jesus Christ. Ah yes, the simplicity of Christ in action.

St Matthews Churches

St Matthews Churches send out “prayer rugs” which are pieces of paper with a picture of Christ on it. If you look at the picture long enough his eyes open. You are then supposed to send them your prayer request “and a small donation” and they will pray for you and you’ll get what you want.

I got one of these things about a year ago. I read some of it. I looked at the picture for a bit to see if his eyes would open. They didn’t. I threw it away. However, they apparently make money at it because they are still doing it.

According to the Better Business Bureau of Oklahoma, St. Matthews Churches doesn’t meet its standards for charities. St. Matthews responded to the Better Business Bureau by stating that it is not a charity but an “evangelical” church.

Don’t be dumb out there. These idiots are making money by taking advantage of the gullible Christian who is ever learning and never able to come to the truth. Come to the truth, it allows you to see lies for what they are.

World Population And Age

Jim, over at Mathesonian Theorems, has an interesting post on the age of the world and world population. Hmm.

Dead Bible Society

The Palestinian Bible Society in the Gaza Strip is receiving strong persecution from Islamic extremists, who are threatening to blow up the centre if workers don’t close up shop and abandon their ministry by the end of February, according to Cybercast News Service.

As part of the world fellowship of the United Bible Societies, the Palestinian Bible Society’s mission is to make the Bible available, in different languages and in different formats, to as many people as possible.

Several non-Christian groups in Gaza have expressed dismay over the threats and expressed their solidarity with the Christians. The neighbours, too, have tried to convince the Bible Society not to close down, said the officer.

This latest persecution is believed to stem from the cartoon controversy. I don’t understand why people would get upset about something so ridiculous like cartoons to the extent that killing is the answer. But, I guess maybe that means I have the mellowing influence of the Spirit, or it might just mean I have a sense of humor. It’s a sick world.

Jesus Sheet Metal

Two workers at a hardware store in Connecticut have seen an image of Jesus on a piece of sheet metal. They now have it on eBay, of course.

Thomas Haley, 23, who’s been working at Hardy’s for the past three years, said he was busy unloading a supply truck about two weeks ago when he turned a corner at the back of the store and was struck by the face of Jesus staring back at him.

Since then, the two workers have shown the piece to a few other workers and customers, and even took it on a short pilgrimage to a nearby hair salon. Haley, who was raised Catholic but doesn’t consider himself religious, said, “I mean, it hasn’t done anything miraculous as of yet, but seeing it is kind of groovy. Just seeing it brightens people’s day.”

He said people’s reactions have been those of amazement and amusement. While some remarked that the $15.49 piece of metal had a striking image of Jesus on it, others suggested the image looked more like Jim Morrison, Haley said. Still a tad ambivalent about the sale, Haley added, “I feel kind of bad just pawning off Christ.”

Not bad enough to not sell it however. Jesus is a busy man. Hey, what would you do for all eternity?

If The Dozer Don’t Fit, You Must Acquit

A Warren County jury has acquitted a man accused of bulldozing a church building in 2004.
Authorities said a bulldozer plowed through a mobile home serving as the home for First Assembly of Yahweh Vicksburg Church on U.S. 80 on Oct. 30, 2004.

Zane Bearrick, 22, was charged with felony malicious mischief. The charge carried a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The jury on Thursday found Bearrick innocent of the charge. Bearrick, who has been in jail since his arrest, denied he was at the church. Two prosecution witnesses testified they saw Bearrick on the bulldozer shortly before it went through the church.

The question still remains, who was on the bulldozer and why did it go through a church? You thought your church had building problems.

Theological Word Of Today (TWOT)

Theology is man’s attempt to understand Scripture. The problem is that man is generally stupid. Theology is not the same thing as doctrine. Theology is man’s conception of God. Talking theology is tough because you have to know all these big words and the history of theological thought in order to converse with someone of a differing theology.

In order to do my part to help people understand theology and doctrine, I will attempt to make big theological words easy to grasp. Right. No problem. Well, there’s one problem, I don’t always have a real good idea what thee guys are talking about. I like things simple, not smart sounding. Anyway, here’s a word I came across in some light reading yesterday I thought I’d expound on.

The Theological Word of the Day is: Supralapsarian. That’s supralapsarian. Break it down for me brothah.

Supra– means super, above and beyond.
Lapsarian–is a term used to describe the doctrine that man is fallen, that we sin and are not perfect.

Putting those together we have someone who really believes that man is really screwed up. This term is used to describe a particular kind of Calvinist. They believe that God has decreed the following things in the following order
1) God decreed to elect some to salvation and reprobate all others.
2) God decreed to create man both elect and nonelect.
3) God decreed that man would fall.
4) God decreed to provide salvation to the elect.
5) God decreed to apply salvation to the elect.

Basically, supralapsarian means that man is fallen because God made him fall and there’s nothing man can do about it. Don’t you just feel so much more smarterester? My thanks to LS Chafer’s Systematic Theology for this definition.

Oprah’s Hero

When world renowned American talk show host Oprah Winfrey announced a hero voting competition, she asked people to send true stories about a teacher, a firefighter, a parent or a relative, who has done something extraordinary for them. But many Muslims are voting in the longest-running daytime television talk show in the United States for Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

“This is an opportune moment to vote in droves for our prophet on Oprah’s Web site to draw the world attention to our religion and the prophet of Islam,” a young lady using the name Hadeel said in a contribution to IslamOnline.net Discussion Forum.

I hope he wins, it will show the world’s Muslim population how great democracy is and show Americans again just how horrible democracy is. I say, to show them Muslims a thing or two, we all vote for the Apostle Paul, the only man greater than Jesus Himself. Little dispensational humor there for ya.

100 Years of Experience

The modern Pentecostal movement, which began at a revival on Azuza Street in Los Angeles, marks its centennial this year. There are now some 10 million Pentecostal Christians in America, many of them members of traditional denominations. The growth of the movement has been phenomenal worldwide, to the extent that one-fourth of the world’s Christians are now Pentecostals. Latin America, Africa, and Asia are experiencing the greatest growth.

Speaking in tongues is prized by Pentecostals as a sign that God’s spirit speaks through them. The problem, of course, is that no one comprehends what they are saying. Revivalists have long gloated that “a man with a doctrine doesn’t stand a chance against a man with experience,” and it is the presence of the spirit that animates Pentecostals.

And that, in a nutshell, is my problem with Pentacostal types. Doctrine doesn’t matter if you have an experience and anyone can have an experience at any time. A stray question: in the last hundred years of the overpowering growth of Pentacostals, have believers increased in their knowledge of Scripture or decreased?

Special Me!

My six-year old daughter attends one of our town’s communist fronts, otherwise knows as the public school. We got a letter home today that my child has been chosen for Special Me Day! This is a day to celebrate Belinda and have everyone tell her how wonderful she is.

Now, it was my choice to put my child in public school and I knew full well this was the drivel that would come home. But still, why pass up an opportunity to make fun of socialist commie pinkos?

If my child were one of the few who were chosen for special me day, I would think that was cool. But since every stinking little snotty kindergarten kid is chosen, it’s not really that big of a deal. I think my kid is special, more special than the others, cuz she’s mine. But to equate her specialness with some of them others? I don’t think so.

If everyone is special, then no one is special. Yes, as my daughter pointed out to me when I explained this, God did make her special. That’s true, in that He specially made her individually. One of the reasons I think my kid is special is because she came up with that! Everyone is specially made by God, but not everyone is special.

Think about it. The term becomes irrelevant if we are all special. Parents are invited to attend their kid’s special me day. I might just have to go in there and ‘splain some things. I’ll be sure to be a special visitor.

Boycott!

With the recent success that non-tv-watching Christians had boycotting and canceling the show “Book of Daniel,” they have renewed vigor to change more programming. OneMillionMoms.com, which is affiliated with the always vigilant American Family Association, has decided to target Desperate Housewives.

The group plans to monitor the program from April through June to identify companies that advertise during the show. OneMillionMoms.com will then call for a one-year boycott of one or more of the leading sponsors.

So, here’s the deal, OneMillionMoms is going to watch Desperate Housewives (for the commercials, of course) and then tell me not to watch it. Got it. Can do. Not sure how I can stop watching something I don’t watch already but I will do my best to continue to not watch it while not watching it.

Of course, they aren’t telling people not to watch it, because then they’d have to stop. They’re just telling people not to buy stuff from the sponsors of the show. I can hardly wait to hear their list of businesses to boycott. Then I can truly feel like I’m making a difference by continuing to not be buying Maybeline cosmetics.

Outside The Box

A suspicious box was found outside the LDS temple in St. George. Authorities say the package was left on a staircase outside the building. Police say the small white box was found with a message written on it, saying “Happy Birthday to Jesus, from the Bailey’s.” Inside the box, investigators found strips of papers with little messages written on them.

Officers say just a simple act of leaving a heartful message to Jesus can cause trouble because in today’s world they’re looking for bombs and terrorists.

Of course, the most suspicious thing about it is that anyone would think they could communicate with Jesus through an LDS temple. Red flags all over that one.

Literal Body of Christ Missing

A historic and sacred piece of a church in Western North Carolina is missing. It’s being described at the most important and priceless religious artifact in Rutherford County. Wow, if Rutherford County is anything like my county, and I’m guessing it is, that’s saying quite a bit!

The item stolen was their ciborium (a “cup” for those of you who read the NIV). The cup, which is used to store the elements of communion, was gold plated and had gems on it. It is reportedly worth $50,000. Not only does the church want the costly cup back, there’s something else they are worried about.

Rebecca Melton, a church parishioner says, “What was in the ciborium, the Body of Christ, the consecrated bread, that’s what distresses me so, because we don’t know what they did with that, you can sell rocks and sell metal, but to destroy the Body of Christ, that’s been blessed in Church is just beyond comprehension to me.”

It’s beyond my comprehension too. Maybe the body of Christ was resurrected, ever think of that? An empty tomb and now an empty communion tabernacle. Could be, miracles never cease. It would be fun to read the police report on this one–“missing: one body of Christ.”

The Necessity Of Good Following

Paul understood how vital it was for him to continue following the Lord. If you know others are following you as you follow the Lord, you will take your following more seriously. That’s called “responsibility.”

Paul often talks about doing good works, things that are good that others can see. Christianity is not all about how good you feel on the inside. Every time he talks about doing good works he relates it to one of two things, if not both.

Good works are always brought up in relation to the coming and judgment of Christ and heaven. Paul always uses eternity as a motivating factor in getting people to do good. Christ has saved you for eternity and in the mean time has provided you the means to do something with it, so do it (Ephesians 2:6-10)!

Paul also makes it clear that the reason you are doing good works is not for you and not even for God (although they are indirectly). Paul uses your testimony before others as a motivator to do good. Titus 3:8 demonstrates this best, “they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.”

Being a good follower of Christ is expedient for two reasons: 1) That’s why you were saved–so you could be pleasing to God and 2) it helps others see the love of Christ. If we were more concerned with following Christ then we are with leading others, our impact would be tremendously greater!

Baby Got Book

Back in the early 90’s, Sir Mix-a-lot put out a rap song called “Baby Got Back.” The song was about his preference for women with “junk in the trunk.” It’s most famous line is “I like big butts and I cannot lie.”

Well, now a white Christian rapper by the name of Southpaw has come out with his own version of the song celebrating his preference for women with large Bibles. You can watch the video here. Here are some of the lyrics, which I must say, are quite funny.

I like big Bibles and I can not lie
You Christian brothers can’t deny
That when a girl walks in with a KJV
And a book mark in Proverbs
You get stoked
Got her name engraved
So you know that girl is saved
It looks like one of those large ones
With plenty o’ space in the margins
Oh baby, I wanna read witcha
Cause your Bible’s got pictures
My minister tried to console me
But that Book you got makes (“M-m-me so holy”)
Ooh, momma-mia
You say you want koinonia
Well, bless me, bless me
And teach me about John Wesley

Megachurches And The End

Bill J. Leonard, dean of the Wake Forest University Divinity School and noted church historian, gave a lecture the other night entitled “The Church: Joel Osteen, Mega-Churches and the Non-Denominationalizing of America.”

He said many interesting things, part of which includes the following:

For a variety of reasons, people are shunning traditional denominations in favor of huge nondenominational congregations across the country. . . The huge churches use marketing techniques, positive messages and ministries targeting specific age groups to draw their members, Leonard said.

Leonard sees younger clergy members shunning sectarian warfare in doctrinal issues and migrating toward ecumenism, a movement promoting unity among Christian churches or denominations. At the same time, some spiritual people now see themselves as “believers, not belongers” to a certain denomination, Leonard said.

“We wonder if it’s a new Reformation, or just a new ecumenical fad,” Leonard said.

Basically, his point is that the church is a slick marketing tool that has to do with getting people in the doors. In order to do this, they will forsake doctrine to create “unity.” Megachurches, in his opinion, are a major demonstration of ecumenical ideas and thus, in my opinion, saying that megachurches are aiding the coming of the One World Religion and the End of the World.

Wow, chew on that for awhile.

Followers Of Me

It is my contention that believers should be more concerned with following than with leading. I brought up Moses yesterday as an example of how not to lead. Moses blew it when he stopped following the Lord. If Moses had stuck with following, everything would have been better.

The Apostle Paul was a man worth emulating. He even encouraged people to follow him. What arrogance! Who does Paul think he is to tell people to follow him? Isn’t he setting himself and others up for failure?

Paul tells people to follow him four different times (1 Corinthians 4:16; 11:1; Philippians 3:17 and 1 Thessalonians 1:6). In three cases Paul relates their following him to his following of Christ. Philippians 3:17 it is stated in the context–his way of life is lived in anticipation of the return of Christ.

1 Corinthians 4:16 Paul tells them to follow him because he is their spiritual father. He’s the one who brought them the Gospel and brought them to new birth. They have many instructors, but only one cares for them like a father and that’s Paul.

Many people think Paul is arrogant. I think Paul is confident. He’s confident in his message, which leaves room for human error. Paul is very strong in his desire to follow the Lord and doesn’t mind telling others to follow him as he follows the Lord.

Paul understood the necessity of good following. He knew having a visible example was necessary for people to realize growth. He also understood his own vital role in continuing to follow Jesus Christ. Paul tells people to follow. Never once does he tell anyone to lead!

Quilting Bible Women

The Bible is often cryptic when it comes to women. A passing reference to one woman’s wisdom in this book of the Old Testament, a suggestion of debauchery about another in the New. It is from the often-mysterious and short references to women that 47 artists from throughout the United States have pieced and painted, beaded and stitched 22-inch-square art quilts for a national exhibit.

The show, called “Women of Biblical Proportion,” was put together by two women who thought they needed a project to work on. They also have a similar show about “Men of Biblical Proportions.” Apparently biblical proportions are quite small, about 22 inch-square. Who knew?

That’s great. Keep yourself busy to stay out of trouble. Ask the biblically proportioned David about that one.

Stressed Out

An interim pastor had been appointed at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, which was rocked by a Jan. 19 shooting that prompted authorities to seek charges against the former pastor. Sheriff’s investigators requested that the district attorney’s office charge Reynolds with filing a false police report in connection with the Jan. 19 shooting.

“We will keep the services the same. We are not going to be changing the way we operate,” Lingl said. “Richard Reynolds has been placed on temporary disability leave. It’s been determined by (mental health) professionals that he is suffering from stress.”

Lingl attributed the stress to the fallout of the Episcopal Church accepting gay and lesbians, which caused some people to leave the congregation, and the district attorney’s office filing charges against parishioner Euell Ryles regarding his operation of a legal document assistance company. One of the alleged victims in the criminal complaint against Ryles is another parishioner. Ryles was banned from church activities until his legal matters are resolved.

Wow, now there’s a story. Bad doctrine can be stressful, it’s true.