previous here, here, here

More Snakes on a Plane


humor snakes plane news offbeat+news

pt 1

The project should be up and live hopefully by the end of this weekend. Check back soon.

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update 6/5 9:48p
I'm working on it, there have been some time restraints, coming soon, I promise.


Andrew+Seely personal project new

New Ghetto Blog


Andrew+Seely ghetto+blog blog humor

May the Force be with you.


Star+Wars 30th+anniversary

Not sure how to respond to this news.

Jerry Falwell has died.


Jerry+Falwell dead

I just realized something. Well it's something that I've been thinking about for a while, but it just came to me now.

I've been thinking a lot about "social justice" and helping the "other". But what has irked me lately was all the high profile help that's been occurring as of late.

When I say high profile I mean, on the scale of Extreme Home Makeover or American Idol. There was something about these kinds of charity acts that didn't sit quite right with me. Not because what they were doing was wrong, more importantly what they were doing was right.

Let me be VERY CLEAR here, I in no way am saying that what these groups are doing is bad or unhelpful in any way.

I'm not sure how to explain how I've been feeling for the past few months, when I kept hearing about large scale efforts to help others. But "something" just hasn't sat right with me.

And that leads us to now and my realization.

I read a quote from Will Samson (who I met through the emergent vein) that said (in reference to Simon Cowell) "And to see him use his huge bully pulpit to bring awareness to issues of justice? I cannot think of a better thing. This is very Matthew 25, using the resources he has at his disposal to help the least of these." This got me thinking.

It's not that I'm upset or think that these companies and shows do it for the money or the attention.

What seems to irk me is that these are non-christian people/organizations that are banding together to do such great good.

Why have Christians, who are just as smart, just as creative and probably have enough resources to pull this off, not been able to find good causes and create such an awareness of issues that get millions of people to support them?

Before you all ring my neck, let me say that yes, I know Christians do good and are very involved in social justice issues.

BUT...why have we been so much (seemingly) less successful in our attempts to do anything and get people behind it?

Do we lack the notoriety of such personalities as Simon Cowell and the producers of Home Makeover? Do we attach a salvation condition onto our acts of charity?

Or is it that (what some claim to be) the majority religious group in america is incapable of doing good on a large scale, united front?

These are tough questions that I have been wrestling with for a while.

I even recall a time in high school where I openly questioned whether people who did not have faith, if there acts of generosity were equal to those of whom had faith. Meaning in my mind I thought doing good in the name of God was better than trying to do good either for selfish or other than God, reasons.

I have since come to the realization that even though it may be one of our stated values as christians to do good, that even if we do good in the name of God, our good acts, can be dwarfed by those who may not do good in the explicit name of God, but garner such amazing support and backing.

In some ways this whole post is about shame.

Shame that I have not done more.

Shame that christians are being out done by the secular.

But I must find hope that people are becoming aware of the great social needs that exist around the world and are willing to do something about it.

So I say to Oprah, Bono, Dr. Phil, Simon Cowell, the entire Home Makeover team: Thank you. Thank for you for doing what we Christians talk about, but so rarely have the drive to actually do. May your acts be a pleasing gift to God, even though God may not be the reason you do what you do.


Andrew+Seely social+action injustice christians church emerging+church shame

I wish this were coming at least somewhere in the western us.

So if you happen to live near any of these places you should go and check it out.

And if you haven't already been, hit up xxxchurch.com


porn debate ron+jeremy xxxchurch.com

I'm getting tired of what Christians seem to find important.

Especially when it means finding a "cause" to back.

Let me remind you that Jesus doesn't talk about homosexuality.

Things like this only confuse me when the "christian" message is supposed to be love.

read this article

My favorite line is from Andrea Lafferty, executive director of the Traditional Values Coalition when she says "Pastors' sermons can be considered hate speech under this bill."

Well maybe pastors should be saying things that would never even have the chance to be considered "hate speech" even if any law was ever passed.

What do you all think?


christianity politics church emerging+church civil+rights homosexuality hate+crimes

Didn't even know about this, even though I'm a part of it.

My friend Aaron started this in response to the now defunct emerging church blogs site that has been down since late last year.

If you keep up with the emergent blog scene then you should be visiting

http://www.thevoiz.com/emergentblogs

on a regular basis.


emergent emergent+church blog blogmergent aaron+flores