I apologize that I have not posted anything of real value the past few weeks. Here's something quite comical that should tide you over as I get back into the swing of things.
http://www.nbc11.com/news/9946298/detail.html?rss=bay&psp=news
Yesterday, September 20, 2006 Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez used part of his time at the U.N. General Assembly to call the President of the United States "the devil". As a citizen of the United States I am outraged. I don't care who the President of the United States is at any time, whether I voted for him or not; do NOT come to my country and attack my President. Can I get a witness?
This past Saturday night I had the chance to view the documentary Jesus Camp. As expected, this film made me, an evangelical Christian, outraged. This outrage was not directed at the filmakers, in fact I thought the filmakers made an even-handed documentary, the outrage was directed at the focus of this documentary; radical, fundamentalist Christians. It saddens me to tears that there are people in my faith who contort scripture to fit their own beliefs to this degree. There were points during the movie where I felt physically ill as I watched young children being manuipulated and brainwashed. This movie can't be summed up in a small review like this, you may need to see it for yourself, although I don't reccomend it for everyone.
I would also like to calm some fears that this documentary was made to paint all Christians as wacko-fundamentalists. As an evangelical Christian, I was not in any way offended by the way the content was presented. I do not believe anyone will walk out of a viewing of Jesus Camp and believe that the whole of Christianity was represented. It is a clearly presented documentatry that makes great strides to ensure that you, the viewer, know that this is a radical branch of Christianity.
I don't care what political party you affiliate with, or which side you are on, all Americans should see this commercial and be proud.
What do you think of this new documentary. It showcases a radical fundamentalist Christian church camp for kids.
Click here for more information about the documentary and to view the trailer.
Sept. 6, 2006 — ABC News has learned that President Bush will announce that high-value detainees now being held at secret CIA prisons will be transferred to the Department of Defense and granted protections under the 1949 Geneva Conventions. It will be the first time the Administration publicly acknowledges the existence of the prisons.
A source familiar with the president's announcement says it will apply to all prisoners now being held by the CIA, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the Sept.11 attacks, and senior al Qaeda leader Ramzi Binalshibh.
The source says there are "about a dozen" prisoners now being held by the CIA.
Until now, the U.S. government has not officially acknowledged the existence of CIA prisons.
The Bush administration has come under harsh criticism for its handling of detainees captured in the U.S.-led military campaign to root out al Qaeda terror cells abroad.
Many detainees have been given the legal status of "enemy combatant," which includes both lawful enemy combatants and unlawful enemy combatants.
Courtesty of abcnews.com 
This is a video teaser for our next teaching series at Northview Community Church, Tune Your Walk.
Do you believe you can find God/Truth through the music of our culture?
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday that takes place on the first Tuesday of September. In 2006, Labor Day occurred on September 4.
The origins of the American Labor Day can be traced back to the Knights of Labor in the United States and a parade organized by them on September 5, 1882 in New York City. They were inspired by an annual labor parade held in Toronto, Canada. In 1884 another parade was held, and the Knights passed resolutions to make this an annual event. Many other labor organizations, notably the affiliates of the International Workingmen's Association, favored a May 1 holiday. With the event of Chicago's Haymarket riots in early May of 1886, president Grover Cleveland believed that a May 1 holiday could become an opportunity to commemorate the riots. Thus, fearing that it might strengthen the socialist movement, he quickly moved in 1887 to support the position of the Knights of Labor and their date for Labor Day.
Labor Day has been celebrated on the first Tuesday in September in the United States since the 1880s. The September date has remained unchanged, even though the government was encouraged to adopt May 1 as Labor Day, the date celebrated by the majority of the world. Moving the holiday, in addition to breaking with tradition, could have been viewed as aligning the U.S. labor movements with internationalist sympathies.
Labor Day is generally regarded simply as a day of rest and, unlike May Day, political demonstrations are rare. Forms of celebration include picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, water sports, and public art events. Families with school-age children take it as the last chance to travel before the end of summer. Some teenagers and young adults view it as the last weekend for parties before returning to school. However, of late, schools have begun well before Labor Day, up to the 15th of August in many urban districts, including Nashville and Atlanta.
This is my favorite hymn. It was written by Francis of Assisi in 1225. The musical score was written the year of 1623. One of my favorite modern arrangements is by the David Crowder Band. God bless you on this beautiful day.
All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in Heaven along,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
I woke up this morning to a whole new universe. When I went to sleep last night I slept in peace knowing that our solar system had 9 planets, and they were all orbiting the sun the way God made them. Then I woke up.
Leading astronomers have declared that Pluto is no longer a planet today, August 24, approving new guidelines that downsize the solar system from nine planets to eight. The International Astronomical Union stripped Pluto of the planetary status it has held since its discovery in 1930.
No more Pluto. What's next, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, or the unfortunately named Uranus?
This is all apart of the lunar landing conspiracy.
When you are through changing, you are through. ~Bruce Barton
Life is a series of changes, growth, and progression. Nothing ever remains static, unless of course you are dead. Some people are exceedingly afraid of change, some people embrace it, but regardless, you must accept that it is a fact of life. Change is good. It is part of the design of the Creator.
My only sibling is my sister Brittany, and she is making a big change in her life this week. She is moving off to college. Even though in reality she is only moving 7 miles away from home, this transition takes you 1 million miles away from familiarity and comfort. For those who know Brittany, here is a peek into her new world on campus. Change is good.
Paul Gardner once said, “A painting is never finished.” The scriptures constantly refer to God as a creator. The ultimate painter if you will. I often imagine God as a cosmic Michaelangelo with a paintbrush in his hand constantly making changes and revisions, adding texture and color, and stepping back to look at his painting and smiling, not because it’s finished, but because he takes great delight in the creative process.
C.S. Lewis constantly referred to the fact that we were all made in the image of God, and everything we do, everything, comes from a beautiful desire that he already has. Think about it. Genesis refers to a God who went on a creative binge and designed what we call the universe. If you can remember back to your childhood, can you reminisce about the excitement you had when you were finished with your first watercolor? There seemed to be a passion to create. The education philosophy for elementary aged students in this day and age revolves around the “creative learning” process. God has instilled in us a passion to create, because he is creative.
Like I said at the beginning of this article, God is creating you as you sit here and read these squiggles on this post. In the early years of greco art, being commissioned to paint a human subject was one of the highest honors you could receive. The process of a human subject painting was a long and arduous one. The subject would have to remain perfectly still for months on end as the painter worked his mess of lines and colors into depth, character, and beauty. I sometimes wonder if God is asking me to “please sit still, I’m not finished”.
©2005 tommybailey.com
Absolutely.
How can it get any better than this? (Actually, Spiders on a Plane would be a bit more horific, but I digress).
Click here to read more about this movie.
If you will reminisce with me, around 10 years ago a big controversy surrounded the original lunar landing. A documentary was released showing evidence that the landing on the moon was a hoax, a big staged production from the Americans in order to beat the Russians to the moon. If you want to read more about the hoax click here. If you want to read the arguments against the hoax click here. The controversy is long gone, although wannabe conspiracy theorists like myself enjoy holding on to these types of things.
According to NASA, the footage of the transmissions seen by millions of viewers on July 20, 1969 has failed to turn up after 1 year of searching for it. Is it really lost? Hmmmm....
Former President Bill Clinton will be turning 60 this Saturday.
I always thought of Slick Willy as young and vibrant, but he's not looking very young or vibrant. It's amazing what a few years in the presidency can do to you. What's astounding though is that Bush Sr. who is 82 years old still sky dives out of airplanes, now that's vibrant.
This is one of the best articles I've read on creativity. Give it a read.
Sacred Creativity
-Dan Wilt
This past week Northview's Children's Department put on a one night extravaganza for kids in our community. They called it Boot Camp. It was absolutely amazing. Never have I seen such a force of people working at their fullest potential to reach kids in the community. Here are a couple of videos that recap the weekend.
This video is a wrap-up of the entire weekend.
This video was used as part of the "skit" that was used throughout the night. It's a real helicopter flight.
