Teach your kids math, turn on TBN and count commandments being broken

I, for some reason, happen to be sitting here watching the Trinity Broadcasting Network on Direct TV channel 372. It happens to be their Spring 2008 Praise-A-Thon. The "praise-a-thon" apparently is a primary means of fund raising for TBN, which, according to the Orlando Sentinel, took in $194 million in 2005 alone. When you add this to their 19 seat private jet, you can't help but wonder what exactly it is that they are praising? A continually running banner proclaims "Give to shut the door on lack and open it to abundance." Huh?

Ministry co-founders Paul and Jan Crouch oversaw TBN's purchase in 2007 of the Holy Land Experience theme park in Orlando, Florida. On the Praise-A-Thon this evening, Paul Crouch described this as doing the "Lord's work." He said that you don't "own" a non-profit organization, but it is run by a board of directors. He said that Jan and him are on the board, as well as Paul Crouch Jr., and he said, "I don't know who else is on the board," giving the impression that this is not about power and ownership. He clearly implied that he is not in this for control, but rather to do the Lord's work. The reality of the situation is that there is only one other person on the board, their other son Matthew. Is it possible he can't remember four people, especially when all of them are close relatives? Is it really a board of directors anymore if it is composed of a husband, wife, and their two kids? No. It is that he was being dishonest. The previously mentioned article from the Orlando Sentinel exposes more on the reality of the reality of their intentions, as it discusses the laying off of 100 workers and the outsourcing of much of the park's work

As I sit and watch Paul Crouch ask for money tonight, it makes me angry. Their fusion of their business with the work of God is nauseating. I certainly do not wish them anything bad. I certainly could be exposed as a hypocrite for much of what I do and say. I just cringe thinking of the people who are giving beyond their means to these thieves. May the grace of God reach these people so that they might know that His love is not attached to the strings of their giving to TBN.

suftastic

in my best behavior, I am really just like him.

This is what 4,000 looks like

As of this week, 4000 Americans have been killed in Iraq. Although certainly not a large number compared to other wars (more than twice this number died in 3 days at Gettysburg), this is a huge loss of life nonetheless. So as to feel the reality of this, I would like to memorialize these people by typing 4000 question marks. I chose the question marks because I didn't know any of them and I am not entirely sure why they died.


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brains don't think, people do

I was thinking about the rationale behind the expression "Guns don't kill people, people do." I guess without a person to pull the trigger, a gun is reduced from a threatening object to an arbitrarily-formed mass of steel. As I look at the faces of my students, I can't help but apply the same logic to the intellect. If a brain is not used, can it any longer be considered a brain?