I think I have a strong opinion about a lot of things. Many of my thoughts are well worked out and have human examples. A lot of people hear what I have to say, but are seemingly caught in a rut of "normal" and not able to think outside of the box. Therefore for the most part, incompatible. To me, somebody caught in the rut of ultra-conservatism is lost in trying to mold themselves to the conservative ideal. Whereas to me, God is not a right-winger, he is ever Creative, and will always be the same. There is a difference.

Risks... hmmm... like stepping out the the main stream work ethic (at 40 years old) and concentrating 100% on going from a zero degree to a PhD? How risky is that? I may not have anything at the other end, but I forge on knowing I take the risk, but taking the risk makes me feel alive, and it is my calling from God.

Edgy? I'm not sure you could truly deal with it... I'm not necessarily a "nice" guy... and I am definitely not a bad boy. Not everybody climbs on the Braveheart band wagon. When a person is truly a revolutionary, most people take a step back. I have very revolutionary view points and I have no intention of ever changing any of them even one bit. I have no fear, I don't even fear death, but I doubt you find me or anything about me... "sexy."

You asked for thoughts, there are some from the gut.

Well, its all good....it takes people from all walks of life to make the world turn....

everyone fits in somewhere...its just a matter of each person finding out where they should be in life, and doing what it takes to get there....

Two points...
One: I heard an AMAZING homily about "Jesus the rebel" once upon a time. Think about it during His time on earth - sure wasn't a conformist!
Interesting perspective given the current fundamentalist political stance (government and God rarely make good bedfellows in that regard!)

Second - you underestimate yourself.

(((((((((((((( FREEDOM ))))))))))))))))

I loved Braveheart by the way... I have a best friend with the last name of Wallace, and he says he is related to the original William Wallace... lol

That movie was amazing. Do you consider yourself to have his mindset?

no...I am a rebel....I have my own mindset....thank you very much....

WAIT A MINUTE! You're not Telephone Man

Hence the REBEL part of me....and just attention seeking...thanks for letting me know that I am not someone else though....I was getting a little worried...

I would definitely be William Wallace to the bitter end. I have a close knit set of friends of whom I encourage in their faith, I am a rebel in this respect because I do so outside of the organized church scene. But I will not back down one inch because I have seen God deliver men from sin in my travels, and these same men I have kept in contact with for years, and they do still serve the King of Kings. In that I am a warrior.... for whatever reason, God gave me those as a flock. Those that know me in that circle know me as a warrior for Christ, and they follow Him (not me) in spite of the governments of churches. It is rebellious, but I see fruit, so I remain, for Him.

I think the horde battles in Braveheart just kick butt! Ha! Picture the Army of the Living God rushing the field of battle to destroy the Evil One. Oh yeah....

((((((((((((((((((FREEDOM)))))))))))))))))))

And remember when the English sent the Irish in as the first wave? Yup, those are the folks I teach the scriptures to... the folks who would least likely to be considered men of faith by the status quo.

I just live it uncomprimisingly, and He draws them in and does the rest.

I have this one thought, and it is a bit "out there" for the mainstream... but... there were Christians on Earth a long time before there was a U.S. Constitution. And when this country dries up and shrivels away, there are still gonna be Christians here. So many Christian people get caught up in (sort of) "worshipping" the Constitution, that they take money from their offering plates (some times given by saintly gray-haired old women) and use it for what they think is doing good by lobbying Congress. But if history repeats itself as it has over and over again, this country will one day pass away just like every other form of man-made government has at one time came to an end. America is not eternal, but the Holy Bible is eternal, because it is God's word. In my rebellion against such teachings as right-wing lobbying, I would tell such folks to get back to the Bible, and knock off the Constitution worship. Get back to the simple Gospel message, and forget about the political issues. One day this country will not exist, and all that political bickering is going to be for naught. But what any person may release out of there mouths concerning God's Word, THAT going to have eternal consequences. To this effect... "you shall no the truth and the truth shall make you free"... and also... "faith comes by hearing, and hearing the Word of God."

Faith does not come by defending the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Constitution is not "God-breathed" canon of scripture. Howbeit those in power would like us to believe it by telling us the old tale about the founding fathers, blah blah blah. Hogwash. There is but one Book that was God-breathed, and that is the Holy Bible. Anybody that puts any other man-made drivel in front of that book is in error. The fight outhg to be to spread the word, not to battle in politifcs. There was no right-winger lobby group in Rome. There were only lions and crosses for people to get thrown to and nailed to... how many of these folks would run if they thought their faith might cost them their lives. We live in a conveniently peaceful province with very little physical persecution. It isn't that way everywhere on the planet.

I'd be one of those standing, waiting to kick the lion's butt... or going down with my convictions.

My 2 rebel cents on political right-wing "Christian" conservativism, as a non-compromising Chrisitan in my own right. Politcal sides will come and go, but Christ will never change. Men and women bicker about political issues, meanwhile there are people dying and going to hell every day because someone forgot to teach the simple Gospel message. Picture oneself as a resident of planet Earth, with no geographical, man-made boundaries, minus all the nationalism that leads to war... and that's where you'll find me. Not necessarily an Anacrhist, but no slave to any government. I am owned by God, and that'sit.

What folks need to get back to in the man-made, high-tech, highly governed land of ours is... simply, Jesus Christ and Him crucified. On the third day raised from the dead. His blood was for the redemption of all that believes in Him. Faith in him gives us eternal life.

The message wasn't meant to be a sport for arguments, or a means to bash people over the head if we didn't like how they lived... it was intended to show the most awesome example of love this world has ever seen. And I cringe at times to see where the mainstream of people who say they have "faith" take this sledgehammer of guilt and try to bust people up side the noggin'. Some of the people I talk to have been beat up so much by life that a bible bashing and a Jesus Sledgehammer has no effect. But... whisper in a soft, gentle voice... live the stuff uncompromisingly in the face of all Hell itself, and thus you find converts in the least likely of places.

Well... maybe that was more like 16 or 17 cents.....

William Wallace would be proud to be my buddy.

Edgy...???

...yup, like the two-edged sword variety...



TM

ha ha .. I'm here for ya buddy

Telephone Man .. I totally agree. I'm not disheartened because of who sits in the White House.

God doesn't NEED the White House .. He has an eternal one that far outdoes the rest.

And seriously, when does the light get brightest?

In the darkest of dark . He KNOWS what He's doing .. after all .. He IS sovereign and if He wasn't - well why would we be serving Him?

nice Jim

<<<<< Spits coffee on monitor....

Oh my.... that so made me giggle... hahaha...

...excellent morning belly laugh !!!

((Thinking this is a great place for a ...))



"GIGGLESNORT...!!!!!!!"

For a short time I worked on staff at a half way house. It was a 100% Christian-based program. There was no methodon, no radios, no television, no newspaper, and the music listened to was screened by the staff to contain only Christian lyrics.

One time I saw a man come in to get away from his drug of choice, this place was a cold-turkey, we-pray-our-way through kind of place. I saw this man shiver in cold sweats for three days straight. I also saw God deliver him from that poison and set his life straight.

I also saw men leave the program for a day with their families, and come back so smashed drunk that they couln't walk. Sometimes they would be pretty upset because they were sincerely wanting to follow Christ, but they fell. Nobody condemned them, but instead we welcomed them back home, put them to bed, and continued to feed them the Gospel, and with that they found sobriety, not a 12-step program...

My favorite story was that of Davey Greathouse. Davey was in his 30s and had grew up on the south side of Chicago in a very rough neighborhood. His testimony was psectacular and I have rarely, if ever, met someone so affectionately in love with Jesus Christ. When Davey was young, growing up in the city, his role models were drug dealers and prostitutes, he remakred how they had all of the money and the fame on the street, so he tended to grow up like one of them.

When Davey came to the half way house, he had needle tracks over every inch of his body. His forearms, the back of his hands, his thighs, his feet, there was hardly a place on his body that he hadn't tried to pump heroin into... He said it really hit home to him when he was in his chair shooting up one day, and as he was nodding out from the fix, his little daughter peeked around the corner and asked him what he was doing. He said that was the turning point for his addiction.

That is when he decided to come to the half way house. The program at the house was Jesus, and there was a church service there every morning. The first day in the program, Davey came up and knelt down with those who wanted prayer and he gave his heart to the Lord. Davey had been a heroin addict for 15 or 20 years or more. Davey claims that God performed a miracle that day. Because when he stood up, and went about his business, Davey never went through any withdrawals.

He often paraphrased a scipture verse "whoever was forgiven much, loveth much." I don't have chapter and verse, but I saw it in Davey's eyes. He came to know the Savior and it changed his life permanently. Later in the program (it was intended to be a one-year stay) I saw Davey as a prayer warrior, with an un-moveable faith that was an example for many of the other folks who came later.

The program was called "Teen Challenge" and it is a ministry founded by a man by the name of David Wilkerson. This center was located (and is still there today) in Muskegon, Michigan. Men (and women, there was a women's center, but at a different campus) have been walking off the street, and walking into Teen Challenge centers for several decades now. From sun up to sun down its Jesus Jesus Jesus, and God is faithful. Seeds are planted, a harvest is reaped, and sinners find the love of Christ. I saw hard men, felons, heroin junkies, cocaine freaks, wine-o's, vodka drunks, beer alcoholics, pot heads, abusers, molesters, typically what the world categorizes as "scum of the Earth" ... all fall to their knees before the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The junk, the smack, the coke, the booze, and the lifestyle couldn't keep the Holy Spirit from doing His job.

To me, He is a Mighty God, looking similar to that picture I posted. One day He will return, riding on His white horse, with the two-edged sword coming out of His mouth, which is the Word of God. In a twinkling of an eye, its all gonna change. And I know one thing, I'm gonna be right there beside him. A lot of these folks that lived in the street and chose to follow that Man are gonna be there, too.

And in that day, there aren't going to be any more goverments. That day when the lion lays down with the lamb. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

If you are familiar with Dave Wilkerson then I'm SURE you are familiar with Nicky Cruz .. probably the most well known NYC gang member brought to Christ.

Nicky has spoken at my chapel, and is an incredible man of God. Talk about livin on the edge .. both these men have walked the walk.

Just broke up with a "edgy guy." He's so edgy that he doesn't know what he want and I go tired of being strung along for the ride.

Where's the page geeky guys?

Ooooooo.....you should start one.