Burn baby, burn

I'm reminded of the song "Refiner's Fire" today. One of my most embarrassing moments is when during a Christian singles mixer, I offered to play guitar for that song whlie we were all singing. Yes, it was in part to impress the girls, but it was also because I really liked this worship song. Of course, after guitarist handed me the instrument I couldn't make a B flat chord, so after a miserable attempt, I suggested that we sing a capella. My friends who were there never cease to tease me about that. What's ironic is that it was a truly refining moment, maybe even divinely appointed.
This last weeek has also been refining, with my on going family issue, and I know it's divinely appointed. I'm sure everyone who pursues a relationship with God has gotten off the mark, and been forced to get back on it. But the process is not enjoyable at all. It stinks! And I know this trial is a huge part of it; don't ask me how I know, I just do. But I must remember my goal, and with that perspective, it's not only bearable, but I know I need it. And when I think about the words to the song, they just leap out right at me:

Refiner's fire,
my heart's one desire
is to be holy;
set apart for you Lord.
I choose to be holy,
set apart for you my master
ready to do your will.

A tough place

I feel for this cat. I'm feeling a little bit like him today, because I have an ongoing issue with what I thought was kindness gone bad, and now I believe I'm being held hostage. Ultimately it will be resolved, but it will get worse before it gets better. Or it will at least feel worse.

A New Day

There is a new look to this blog, and a new thought process behind it. I have to admit that I was caught up in the lure of notoriety from the blogger-world. With conservative pundits popping up all over, I believed I too could become a source of information to tens of people (one day, even hundreds), and ultimately launch a writing career where I could pontificate and sound important. That was stupid, and if life is an infinite puzzle, then I ought not be afraid of not knowing how all the pieces fit. I don't disagree with anything I wrote, but I I don't want to hide behind a persona that doesn't come from the heart. From this point onward, it's just me.

I'm Done with "The Simpsons"

For lent, I had decided to 'fast' from one of my favorite addictions, The Simpsons TV show.

For 16 years, the Simpsons has given me side-splitting, knee-slapping laughter. Always funny, sometimes with wit, sometimes with slap-stick, The Simpsons has had a way of poking fun at all factions of American life. It's been my guilty pleasure, and I think that's good for us to laugh at ourselves. But lately (as in the last few years) poking fun at ourselves has been poking fun primarily at christian America, usually through the irritaing and gullible character Ned Flanders and the shady, self-serving pastor Rev. Lovejoy. They fit every stereotype that one could have about a bible-believing U.S. cititzen, and if the humour was spread around a bit it wouldn't be so bad. It wasn't always this way, but it's gotten worse, to the point where I can't ignore it anymore. I was particularly made aware of it when one of the main characters becomes a buddhist. I guess the creator (who himself is a buddhist) need to make a "This is everything I hate about christianity" episode, which is what it was. That just about did it for me.

I have a habit of quoting funny lines from the show, and it is one of the best written of all time, but I could quote "The Simpsons" faster and more often than the bible. That, for me, is a problem, so I'm giving it up. I know I'll have the craving now and again, but with time it will go away. And whenever I wonder why I stopped watching, I'll remember Phillipians 4:8

Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is commendable--if there is any moral excellence
and if there is any praise--dwell on these things.

Terri Schiavo

It seems that everyone has an opinion about this case. I felt that I was in between opposing views earlier on, but the more I read about the particulars, the more issues I have with the "right-to-die" claims. Booker Rising pointed to this Thomas Sowell article which sums up my thoughts exactly.

I Can't Believe It!

The reverend Al Sharpton (whom I've lambasted to anyone who'd listen for the last um-teen years) has never been my favorite guy. In fact, when another black American critic called him a "poverty pimp," I thought the comment was a euphemism. However... even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Today on Fox New's Neil Cavuto show, the right (or wrong) reverend spoke out against the violence in Hip Hop, and is even trying to do something about it. Something good at that! His plan is to start an investment group which buys stock in those record companies and use the power of an investor (at investor meeting and the like)to shape the product. That's amazing! No marches, no speeches in front of government buildings with cameras clicking and tape rolling, no calls to "Uncle Sam" to fix the problem. He's actually looking to use the free market system to make positive change; using capitalism in a capitalism system. You might think that the Rev is leaning to the right, hmmmmm...

Okay, that's too much to hope for. But I gotta give him his due; good job Al, I hope you follow through.

Dangerously Liberal Journalist

Okay, I'm back.

So I was shooting a story for one of my European news clients last week. We were doing the "What-will-a-second-Bush-term-mean-to-the-world?" type piece. I always learn so much when we do these stories, but what I learned this day was sad, and unfortunately not shocking.

One of the key interviews was with a very established member of the press. While I don't really like journalists interviewing other journalists, it can be necessary to get perspective from someone with experience. Now I'm not going to name her, but let's just say she's covered every president since Kennedy. Of course, there's no surprise that journalists especially in DC are left of center, but the absolute spite and open hostility toward the Bush administration knocked me over, and I've seen quite a lot.

This reporter openly let her ideology override her journalistic objectivity! And repeatedly! Now, before I go on, let me say for the record that I do believe in the journalist's objectivity ethic, and do see it in action. Objectivity does not mean that a person has no bias; everybody has a bias. The objectivity is when a reporter takes all the facts in a given situation and draws a conclusion based on those facts. News analysis is making a judgment about what those facts might mean in a given situation. Both are necessary, and the reporter must continually prove him/herself worthy of that trust.

Now what made me furrow my brow was her stated belief that the US should continue the social policy of Linden Johnson, and that BASED ON THAT, social security reform was bad and immoral. And her reporting reflects this. She went on to express her distaste for Secretary Rice by calling her a "bitch" off camera, and claiming that Dr. Rice has never been "really black," which means that she didn't side with the majority of blacks who vote with the democrats. Not only is this an amazing oversimplification, and an assumption that blacks are or should be a monolithic political group, but as a part of that small and group majority, I took offence to that comment. She went on about a number of topics, but these were the most egregious.

Now for the record, asking tough questions is not bias. Pointing out failed goals (in itself) is not a sign of leftism, and just because a reporter leans conservative doesn't make them "more fair." But if this woman is one of the elder stateswomen of journalists, then the rumors of "liberal bias" may not have been so greatly exaggerated.

I've been off for a while... computer problems. But there's lots to write about! And a new post is coming really soon (like tomorrow or late tonight).

take the quiz

Booker Rising's blog has the "Bookerista" quiz that can determine how close or far your views are to that of the late great Booker T. Washington. I'm a Bookerista, are you?

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