The Golden Compass: A movie worth missing?

The Golden Compass, the movie starring Nicole Kidman, will be hitting the theaters December 7th.

A children’s fantasy film that stars Nicole Kidman and features a little girl on a quest to kill God has some Christian groups upset over what they believe is a ploy to promote atheism to kids.

The movie, “The Golden Compass,” is adapted from the first novel in a trilogy called “His Dark Materials” by English author Philip Pullman, an outspoken atheist. Critics fear that the film, due out in December, will encourage children to read the anti-Church series.

It is claimed that the movie is based on a series of books with anti-religious themes. Check out Snopes. They say it is true.

Peter Hitchens has this to say:

Pullman’s stories are crammed with the supernatural and the mystical, and take place mainly in alternative worlds, most captivatingly of all in an Oxford recognisably the same place while utterly different. But while Narnia is under the care of a benevolent, kindly creator, Pullman’s chaotic universe has no ultimate good authority, controlling and redeeming all. God, or someone claiming to be God, dies meaninglessly in the third volume of his trilogy. There is life after death, but it is a dark, squalid misery from which oblivion is a welcome release. Pullman puts forward a complex theory of man’s true destiny, and his stories are a powerful epic that everyone should read. But many who buy these books for children and grandchildren would be surprised, and even shocked, if they knew just how vehemently Pullman despises the Christian Church, and how much he loathes his dead rival, Lewis. He is, in fact, the Anti-Lewis.

He has described the Narnia Chronicles as grotesque, disgusting, ugly, poisonous and nauseating. Yet, as Michael Ward, an expert on Lewis, has pointed out, Pullman’s saga begins just as Lewis’s does with a girl hiding in a wardrobe and finding more than she bargained for. It is almost as if he wants to turn Narnia upside-down and then jump on it. While Lewis portrays rationalist atheists as comically ghastly and joyless, Pullman depicts priests as evil and murderous, drunk and probably perverted, and the Church as a conspiracy against happiness and kindness.

As with all things, parents have the say in what their children read or watch on television or at the movies. This movie may warrant a check before letting the little ones see it on the screen.

HT: Read Tom Gilson's post on this movie and how it is coming to your schools.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Third World County

Technorati Tags: The Golden Compass, Narnia, C.S. Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Church, Christian, Atheist,

Porter Wagoner dead at age 80

Those of you who are country music fans will remember Porter Wagoner. He always wore his rhinestone-clad outfits. Porter Wagoner joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1957 and remains a loved member of the Opry. He helped launch Dolly Parton's career by hiring her as his duet partner.

Porter was born in 1927 in West Plains, Missouri. He died today of lung cancer at the age of 80, the same day that the Grand Ole Opry was inducting 3 more members.

I will always remember Porter singing 'Green Green Grass of Home'. He also had 2 hit duets with Dolly Parton called “Just Someone I Used To Know” and “Making Plans.”

Linked at Conservative Cat
Don Surber
The UnCooperative Blogger

Technorati Tags: Porter Wagoner, Grand Ole Opry, Lung Cancer, Missouri, Nashville

A Mouth full of Truth!

clipped from jewishworldreview.com In a world where the innocence of children is being assaulted on a daily basis from every direction, J.K. Rowling had a chance to take a higher road. Children grow up too fast nowadays. They are handed adult problems and hang-ups way too soon. She might have gone against the tide of cultural progressive dogma and allowed her young readers their chance to enjoy pure imaginative fiction in a make-believe world far, far away from contemporary realities. She might have - she could have - but in the final analysis, she chose not to. She opted instead to join other liberal voices who happily shove their views of gender diversity and homosexual acceptance into the easily influenced minds of kids.

Greg Crosby questioned why J.K. Rowling had to out the character Albus Dumbledore, master wizard and Headmaster of Hogwarts, as homosexual. And, I question her reasons as well.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Church and State


Technorati Tags: J.K. Rowling, Potter, Children

Third Grade Teacher promoting homsexuality to students

clipped from www.onenewsnow.com A website called Voice of San Diego recently profiled a third-grade teacher, Mick Rabin, who uses his classroom to promote homosexuality to his young pupils, according to San Diego-based pro-family advocate James Hartline. Hartline says parents need to know what is happening in public school classrooms, and demand control over their tax-funded schools. Hartline says the teacher has been getting away with this for years, and has now been glorified by another liberal media outlet. Rabin, he says, has a captive audience of innocent children and is using that to his advantage in order to indoctrinate children into accepting homosexuality as being normal.

Molly's Hosting a Giveaway

Molly is giving away a wonderful cookbook, TASTE of HOME.

You can enter to win this cookbook through Friday, which is tomorrow. So, hurry on over to Molly's and get your entry in! And, if you win, she is giving away something extra! Good luck!

Technorati Tags: Giveaway, Cookbook, Taste of Home,

Where He Leads Me, I Will Follow

We buried our oldest person in our neighborhood Wednesday. He had lived a long life of 93 years. He was a person who always thought about his neighbors. Until he was unable to garden, he was continually growing vegetables and giving them away to his neighbors. He not only gave them away, but he would come to our door, laden down with cantaloupes or other vegetables. I have known this man for 43 years and have never heard one unkind word uttered about him.

After his death, the song, 'Where He Leads Me, I will Follow' came to my mind. I thought it would be a great tribute to a wonderful man, who was loved by his family and his friends.

Where He Leads Me, I Will Follow

I can hear my Saviour calling,
I can hear my Saviour calling,
I can hear my Saviour calling,
"Take thy cross and follow, follow me".

Chorus:
Where He leads me I will follow -
I'll go with Him, with Him all the way.

I'll go with Him thru the garden,
I'll go with Him thru the garden,
I'll go with Him thru the garden,
I'll go with Him, with Him all the way.

Chorus:
Where He leads me I will follow -
I'll go with Him, with Him all the way.

I'll go with Him thru the judgment,
I'll go with Him thru the judgment,
I'll go with Him thru the judgment,
I'll go with Him, with Him all the way.

Chorus:
Where He leads me I will follow -
I'll go with Him, with Him all the way.

He will give me grace and glory,
He will give me grace and glory,
He will give me grace and glory,
And go with me, with me all the way.

Chorus:
Where He leads me I will follow -
I'll go with Him, with Him all the way.

Technorati Tags: Jesus, Leads, Follow, Neighbor

Senator Harry Reid's DREAM Act Amnesty

Senator Harry Reid is expected to bring his DREAM Act up for a vote on Wednesday. The only thing is there is to be no hearings, no committee discussions, and for the most part, no text. In other words he is going for AMNESTY any way he can get it. This will mean that this bill would grant amnesty to around 1.4 million illegal aliens between the age of 5 and 19, plus millions of illegal aliens who are between the age of 20 and 30.

Take time to fax or email your senators. Ask them to vote against this bill when Senator Reid brings it up for a vote! You can find the information for your senators here.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Don Surber
Third World County

Technorati Tags: Amnesty, Illegals, Harry Reid, Dream Act

The Man called Jesus

Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him master.

Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher.

Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer.

Had no army, yet kings feared Him.

He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world.

He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him.

He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.

Feel honored to serve such a Leader who loves us.

Technorati Tags: Jesus, Master, Teacher, Healer, Crucified

Supplements and Substitutes

Today was our yearly Homecoming at our church. We always have a speaker and people come who may have once been a member and live some place else. In other words, it is a day of fellowship and a good home-cooked meal by the ladies of the church afterwards.

Our speaker today was Don Channell, who was a musician for Benny Hinn for years and still goes on tour with him. He and his wife, Cathy, minister in music, as well. Don has been visiting our church a couple times a year for years and never fails to bring us a new perspective on the Word. Today was no different.

When you think of supplements or substitutes, it will usually remind you of vitamins and minerals that you can take when you don’t eat correctly. In the spiritual world, there are also substitutes that many use to try and justify their not going to church. Take Christian television for instance. There are many faiths, many beliefs with a wide range of preachers who appear on television. You dial up who you want to hear according to what you want to believe – it is all there for anyone who wants to watch. You don’t get to know them personally and they don’t get to know you. But, a person will listen to them rather than go to the church God would have them in to hear someone who may tell them things they do not want to hear. In other words, they do not want to be held accountable for anything they may want to do.

He made one comment that was comical but oh so true. He said ‘some people treat God like Burger King; just drive through for a quick fix.’ They seem to think Christianity is all about comfort and convenience.

Nothing can substitute for the Word of God. He has His plan for our lives written in His workbook, so to speak. Anybody who wishes to learn more about His plan for their life needs only to open up the Book and read. God speaks through His Word to those that want to hear what He is saying today. Words in the Old Testament are just as relevant today as they were back then. Had God not wanted us to know about it, it would not have been written. The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. In other words, they correlate with one another.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Pursuing Holiness

Technorati Tags: Supplements, Substitutes, Christianity, God, Bible, God, Spiritual

Remember ........

tryphorgetin.wmv

Anti-Discrimination law receives scorn

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger may have opened a can of worms when he signed the anti-discrimination bill to make words like “Mom” and “Dad” obsolete in the schools. There is also to be no mention of marriage in schools. Anything pertaining to a normal lifestyle as conservative families see it will not be permitted in the schools. Even the kindergarteners will not be protected. They will be introduced to homosexuality, bisexuality, and transsexuality even if the parents protest.

World Congress of Families Global Coordinator Allan Carlson said the measure, SB 777, is "a blatant attack on the natural family orchestrated by the alternative-lifestyles lobby."

In my opinion, California’s governor has sold the conservatives, who chose to vote for him, a bill of goods that isn’t to their liking. He mis-represented his views. I would venture to say this will probably harm his chance at re-election, if he chooses to run for another term.

"It will prohibit anything that suggests that the natural family – a man and a woman, married, with children – is normal or typical," said Carlson. "Thus, under this latest advance toward a Brave New World of polymorphous perversion, California textbooks will no longer be able to use words like 'mother and father' and 'husband and wife,' because they suggest that heterosexuality is the norm – even though that is manifestly the case, even in California."

May God help a nation who seems to be forever getting it wrong. If God had meant for there to have been a diversity in marriage or lifestyles, then he would not have made ‘woman for man’, as he did in Genesis 2:21-24, when he took the rib of Adam and made Eve for his own. He gave them the charge to replenish the earth, which cannot be done through homosexuality.

Perversion is becoming the ‘norm’ among so many in this nation. One day, the Lord is going to get tired of blatant disobedience to His Word. He will bring calamity to this nation, if we don’t begin to realize what this is doing to society. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had my fill of political correctness! It is time we got down to business for God; otherwise, this nation is not going last. He will have the last say, and it is up to us whether we want the ‘freedoms’ the officials are handing us, or for this nation to be seen as a God-fearing one.

Other links:
Schwarzenegger signs pro-homosexual bills

Linked at Pursuing Holiness
Conservative Cat
Don Surber

Technorati Tags: Anti-Discrimination, Schwarzenegger, California, Pro-homosexual bill

God Sees

Mom, do you ever feel as though you are invisible, that nobody sees what you do? Do you feel like your are unappreciated?

Mothers seem to be overlooked more than anyone else I know. You can be on the phone, and the hollering by a child starts. They don’t realize that you are even on the phone. All they know is that they need attention right now! Mop the floor and it never fails that the children will come in from outside, tracking in dirt. You keep the clothes washed and ironed, but never a thank you – just happy that they can come in and grab a clean set of clothes to put on.

Mothers spend their time raising their children, making sure they get what they need to have a healthy body. They keep their clothes clean so they will be presentable any place they may go. They make sure the children get enough rest so they are able to function the next day. They see to it that the homework is done daily. They take the children to the doctor when they are sick. I could go on and on about the job (yes, it is a job!) a Mother does daily. But, you get the picture. She is continually busy, and sometimes overlooked. Some people even look down on the job of a Mother. Seems they think a woman has to have an outside job in order to be productive. But, a Mother has the hardest job on earth – to raise a child to be the best he/she can be, to honor his/her parents, to be a productive citizen in society, and to teach him/her about God.

The next time you feel like you are being overlooked, invisible, then remember God is watching. He sees everything you do. He knows to the extent that you have given your life to your children to make them into the person who will remember when they get older. I, for one, was the recipient. After my son moved from our house and was attending college, he called home one day. Seems he had run into a couple of his high school classmates. He wanted us to know that we had done an excellent job in training him up, or he might have become an alcoholic, a drug addict, or even a homeless person. So, Mothers, don’t ever give up; GOD is always watching, and perhaps your child will soon realize how much you have meant to him, too.

Linked at Pursuing Holiness
Conservative Cat

Technorati Tags: God, Mother, Invisible, Child,

Delta Faucets: The Right Choice for your Home

Whether you are building a new home or replacing the faucets in your older home, you will find all you need in the way of faucets to enhance your home at Faucet.com. It makes shopping for Delta faucets easy for you. They have a wide selection, fast delivery, and a satisfaction guaranteed policy for the buyer. Faucet.com also has free shipping for orders over $99.

Delta Faucets come in many styles and finishes and different price ranges. You can choose from both kitchen and bathroom faucets.

To help in choosing the correct faucet for your needs, faucet.com has buying guides for both kitchen and bathroom faucets. The guides help you choose between different handle options and the correct height and width for your sinks. You will also find that Delta has a variety of additional accessories to fill the empty holes in your kitchen sinks. Why not visit Faucet.com today for your home faucet needs.

Chalk Drawing by a Child called Graffiti

We grew up playing hopscotch, only we did not have sidewalks on which to draw. But, when my children came along, we had concrete driveways on which they drew hopscotch, faces, and other things. Never did we consider it graffiti. It was just a way for children to have fun; after all, water washes it off. Sidewalk chalk comes in all different colors and gives a child a way of expressing himself/herself without being destructive.

The city of Brooklyn apparently thinks differently. In fact, a woman reported a young 6 year old girl, Natalie Shea, after she had drawn on her front step, and reported a graffiti drawing.

Obviously not all of Natalie Shea’s 10th Street neighbors thought her blue chalk splotch was her best work — a neighbor called 311 to report the “graffiti,” and the Department of Sanitation quickly sent a standard letter to Natalie’s mom, Jen Pepperman.

The family faces a $300 fine for this ‘graffiti’ drawing of this little 6 year old child! The city has passed a local law 111 in 2005, which defined “graffiti” as “any letter, word, name, number, symbol, slogan, message, drawing, picture, writing … that is drawn, painted, chiseled, scratched, or etched on a commercial building or residential building.”

The law says that the drawing can only be considered graffiti if the owner of the property does not give consent. How could the woman who called the law know if Natalie’s Mom had given her consent or not? In a world where many children have become criminals, what is wrong with a 6 year old drawing with sidewalk chalk to pass off the time? She definitely is staying out of trouble – or is she? What damage does chalk do to any surface? After all, it washes off with water or with the first rain. And, it gives a city child, or even a country child, an outlet for staying out of trouble – again, does it? Seems we have a group of people who think it is criminal. What will be deemed criminal next?

Linked at Conservative Cat
Stuck on Stupid

Technorati Tags: Chalk, Graffiti, Brooklyn, Law

Guilty until proven innocent

Take the Lacrosse players, for instance. Nifong declared publicly that these guys were guilty from the very first. He did everything in his power to make them guilty – even withholding valuable information that would have proved from the very start that they could not have been guilty. Yet, he kept to his word; he would prosecute and prosecute he did.

So many people deem others guilty only because they may be associating with others who are guilty of things that could be proven against them. But, to say others are guilty when there is no real evidence is wrong. This is called ‘guilt by association’.

What do you think of when you see a beggar on the street? Sure, the first thing that pops up in your mind is ‘he looks well, so he could have a job if he got out and tried to find one’. How do we know he is well? How do we know he has the ability to hold down a job? Guilty?

Can you imagine how Jesus felt when they cried ‘crucify him’? He knew this was what he had to go through in order for God’s plan for salvation to be met. But, He was innocent of any wrongdoing – just guilty of compassion for man. But, this didn’t stop those who called him guilty. Even Pilate knew he had done no wrong; yet, he delivered him into their hands to crucify him.

The Lacrosse players are among the elite. There is no better person to be in the company of than that of Christ Jesus!

Technorati Tags: Guilty, Innocent, Jesus, Lacrosse

Gifts for the Guy in your life

Are you looking for a neat gift for that special fellow? Look no farther than Car Guy Garage. They have gifts for him that will light up his eyes! I know my husband would be happy to receive the five drawer modular base cabinet for his birthday next month. Car Guy Garage also has over 1,000 products to choose from including flooring, work out benches, and storage cabinets. Any one of these items for his garage should make your fellow happy!

Technorati Tags: Gifts, Garage, Car Guy Garage, Cabinets, Benches, Flooring

Perfect Love

We view perfect as being without flaws. But, in our earthly state, there is nothing perfect. Our body is often full of pain. We experience diseases and sickness that sometimes man is unable to fix even with his vast knowledge of medical technology and the finest medicines.

Perfection only comes with the knowledge of the Savior, the one and only Son of God. He came to earth to live and to give His life that we might be set free from sin and death. He came to set us free from an imperfect world that we might live with Him in a perfect world after death in this life.

Man considers himself as having the ability to make perfect that which isn’t. But, only through the mercy of our Lord are we able to become the perfect person and then only when we come to know Him as our true Father. He hung on the cross, shed His blood for our sins and all our sicknesses and diseases.

John 15:13, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

Perfect love comes when we give our hearts and lives to Him through the faith he has given each of us. If only everyone would come to the knowledge of His saving grace, each could know the perfect love that only comes from above.

Society will and has tried to tell us that we can have perfect love if we do this or that. But, only He can provide the true and perfect love, which keeps us from searching mercifully for something else or someone to fill the void we feel in our lives.

Technorati Tags: Love, Perfect, Faith, Savior

Take it to the Lord in Prayer

What A Friend We Have in Jesus

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear.
What a privilege to carry, everything to God in Prayer.
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry, everything to God in Prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? take it to the Lord in prayer;
in his arms He'll take and shield thee, thou wilt find a solace there.

Creative Commons

This was a poem written by Joseph Scriven in 1855 when his mother became ill. Scriven was found dead laying in water in 1886. Shortly before his death the poem was found by Ira Sankey who added music written in 1868 by Charles Crozat Converse .


My granddaughter's boyfriend has been in the hospital with a serious staph infection since last Wednesday morning. They think he may have been bitten by something during football practice on Monday afternoon, but nobody is sure. But, this morning, my daughter called to tell us that he seems to be on the mend, since the Doctor changed the kind of antibiotics they had been giving him the night before. The swelling has started going down in his left arm and it is draining, which are good signs. He did find he will spend at least one more night in the hospital and go home with an expensive pill to be taken every day until he is completely well.

When the cost of this medication was mentioned, I thought the only thing that family can do is 'take it to the Lord in prayer'. It is so terrible that a medication that is needed to save a life can cost so much a parent cannot afford it. But, if the insurance will no pay for it, and the hospital will not dispense it to him, then it is left up to them whether they can afford this medication. So, we are definitely going to the Lord in prayer on his behalf for this medication that his body has to have in order to get well. I also want to thank all of those who have been praying for his healing. God bless you!

Technorati Tags: Prayer, Healing, Lord, Poem

Mathetes Award - Excellence in Discipleship

The Excellence in Discipleship award was given to me by Carolyn at Talk...to...Grams. Thank you, Carolyn, for recognizing me. I feel honored although I may not do this award justice.

Check out Dan King at Management by God to learn more about this award. We are supposed to pass it on to five other people who we think are deserving of this award. That part is hard for me, in that most of the people I would pick already have the award.

• Cathy at Melodies and Hymnsongs
• Stacy at Active Christian Media
• Susan at Sisters' Weblog - It Boggles The Mind
• Maxine at Nanna's Reflections

My list isn't five long, but this is the best I could do. :)

Technorati Tags: Discipleship, Award

Halloween

The following story is used by permission from Rev. Larry Davies, of Sowing Seeds Ministry.

Halloween and All Saints Day - Part 1

(One of the more controversial stories I've written was about Halloween. The story below is edited and rewritten but to really appreciate the story, be patient and read the reactions and my response to come over the next few weeks.)

I have a confession to make! This is going to be hard for a preacher to admit. Gulp! I always liked Halloween. No, I'm not kidding -- I like Halloween! I like the candy, scary costumes, more candy, horror movies, jumping out of the bushes screaming, "Boo!" Hmmm, did I mention the candy?

Our elementary school held Halloween carnivals with costume judging, cake walks, bobbing for apples and other games. Inevitably, a few of the wilder boys would bring water balloons and bomb the crowd until we ran out of ammunition or were collared by a teacher. Halloween brought out the prankster in us. After all, when else can you knock on a stranger's door, scream "trick or treat" in your scariest voice and receive free candy? Halloween is a great day to be a mischievous kid!

But there is another side to Halloween that is not so innocent.

After becoming a preacher, I learned of the dangers surrounding Halloween. "If you allow your children to participate in Halloween (Trick or Treating, costume parties, etc.) you are allowing them to play on 'the devil's turf,' and Satan will definitely press his home court advantage." wrote William Schnoebelen. Stories abound of witches and devil worshippers meeting throughout the night and many of these stories are all too real.

Which view is right? "All of the above. No, I mean none of them! Larry, what do you mean?"

The custom known as Halloween began with the ancient Celtic tribes who lived in the British Isles. November 1 was a day of honoring the dead and celebrating the New Year. Christians combined the ancient practices and came up with "All Saints Day," today a sacred Christian holiday to honor Saints of the church who died the previous year. The night before All Saints Day became known as All Hallow's Even or "holy evening," later shortened to Halloween. In others words, Halloween is a unique blend of pagan and Christian rituals all designed to help us remember and honor those who died.

Paul says to the Corinthians, "I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ." (9:22) I like this attitude because we are urged to love people and find ways of connecting before sharing our faith. Halloween is an opportunity to find common ground and bring them to Christ.

So, both views are right. We can participate in Halloween activities with caution but we also honor those who passed away. Many churches now offer alternative Halloween celebrations that allow children and adults to have fun within a safe environment. In addition, people who seldom venture inside a church are provided opportunities to experience Christians in action. So, if we participate we should be cautious but we can say to evil, "I am not afraid of you. I will not give in to you."

One anonymous story goes: "After someone was baptized, a co-worker asked what it was like to be a Christian. Caught off guard the new Christian didn't know how to answer but she saw a jack-o'-lantern on her desk and answered: "It's like being a pumpkin."

"What do you mean by that?" the other worker asked.

"Well, God picks you from the patch and brings you in and washes off all the dirt on the outside that you got from being around all the other pumpkins. Then he cuts off the top and takes all the yucky stuff out from inside. He removes all the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then he carves you a new smiling face and puts his light inside of you to shine for all to see. It is our choice to either stay outside and rot on the vine or come inside and be something new and bright."

Halloween is a reminder that evil forces may occasionally have their day, or night but as sure as the sun comes out the next morning, All Saints Day will belong to God and the Saints of the church who will all rise from their graves on their way toward the promise of heaven. Now that I think about it, I may never look at a pumpkin or Halloween the same way again. But, I still like the candy.

To read the rest of the story, visit Sowing Seeds Ministry and sign up for his newsletter.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Don Surber
Maggie's Notebook

Technorati Tags: Halloween, All Saints Day, Story, Sowing Seeds Ministry