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A La Carte (12/4)

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Hunting Tiger Woods
CJ Mahaney offers some wise words concerning the Tiger Woods situation. “Let us make sure we do not join the hunt. A Christian’s response to this story should be distinctly different. We should not be entertained by the news. We should not have a morbid interest in all the details. We should be saddened and sobered. We should pray for this man and even more for his wife.”


Cheaters and Tigers and Idiots
This article takes a much harsher line with Tiger. I certainly don’t endorse all the author says here, but I do think he gets right to the heart of things when he says, “At the end of the day, while 7th commandment violations may be their ‘sin du jour,’ I believe that the 1st commandment is where the whole deal gets started. ‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me.’ These pathological narcissists break this commandment from the moment they get out of bed, because they have no functional understanding whatsoever that they are not God themselves.” This sin, like so many others, is first a violation of the 1st commandment.


The Vampire Attraction
Mary Kassian points to some interesting research on the Twilight phenomenon. “New research from the University of Missouri shows that the reason teenage girls have fallen hard for the Twilight book and film series has to do with its portrayal of a traditional, abstinent romantic relationship.”


Mormon Vampires
And while we’re on the subject of Twilight this article from Touchstone draws interesting connections between the stories and the Mormon faith of their author.


More on the Manhattan Declaration
Nicholas T. Batzig offers a useful perspective on the Manhattan Declaration. “Should we voice our opinions publically on these issues? Absolutely! Can we join with other Christians and make joint declarations? Certainly! We can also join with non-believers and make statements concerning life, marriage and religious freedom. Is it the work of the church to make such declarations? Perhaps. But let us beware of the dangers of joining forces with representatives of ecclesiastical bodies that have a different Gospel than the Gospel we have received.”


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    Yesterday Abby and Nathan welcomed their first child into the world: Finnegan Safir Nicholas Elfarrah. Because they live just minutes away, Aileen and I were able to be there shortly after his birth to rejoice with them and to meet our first grandchild. We are thrilled beyond measure. And he is cute beyond belief. They…

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  • What Grieves the Heart of God

    What Grieves the Heart of God?

    What pleases God? What delights his heart? And what displeases God? What grieves his heart? If asked, I think most of us would assume that if we ever grieve the heart of God it will be through denying the gospel or committing a grave moral scandal. Or if we do so as a local church,…