Where is the line?

It’s time for me to be unpopular yet again.  It’s not a difficult thing for me to do, but this time the topic has me completely confused.  I have spent most of my life being just fine with the world thinking my beliefs or choices were unpopular.  What surprises me is that recently it seems that few fellow Christians agree to stand with me.  There are many areas this post could take off on, but the main area for discussion here is Christians and entertainment choices.  I’m writing this now because it is a topic my family and I talk about often, and we are perplexed just how many Christians are into all of the newest shows and movies without the first thought for content. 

Now, before I write any further, I am not a prude or legalistic at all.  If you know me, you know that.  I’m also not an expert or a theologian.  I am a concerned father and someone who feels bound to the teachings of the Bible.  I am not writing this to try and sway anyone, but I am willing to offer an opinion that differs among the very loud and popular opinion I hear daily.  I’m not here to judge anyone and  I’m also very open to hearing your opinion.

Even though this discussion could cross over to many shows and movies, I want to focus on the movie American Sniper.  Now, before you ever start, I am one of the most patriotic guys you will ever meet.  I am very thankful for all service members and veterans and truly appreciate all they do and go through for our country.  When I first heard about the movie, I was overwhelmingly excited to see it.  I was also apprehensive for what Hollywood would do with the story.  When I finally saw reviews and looked deeper into the movie, it was immediately clear to me that I would not be going to see the movie.  I was disappointed, but felt strongly that I didn’t need to load my mind down with the content I was hearing about.  The language alone was enough for me.  I read that the F word is used over 100 times, God’s name is taken in vain about a dozen, and that is just a part of it.  Add the sexual content, and I’m out for sure.  I just don’t need that content to be stuck in my head.  It is clear to me as a Christian that I am to fill my head and heart with God and his word. 

So, as I talk with my Christian friends who have seen the film, I hear the same thing over and over.  I hear that I must understand what those soldiers go through.  I hear that if I was in their shoes, the same words would come out. I hear that I need to look past the words and other content, and look for the real message.  I agree with the first 2 points.  I can’t even imagine what those situations would be like and I’m sure I’d be saying all kinds of things if I was there.  I feel for those guys.  But the third statement is where it goes sideways for me.  Just because it happened, just because they went through something horrific, doesn't mean I am immune from my moral compass.  I’m not being forced to watch the movie and I’m not being shot at for my country.  It makes no sense to say that something is real life as an excuse to justify content we would otherwise avoid due to our beliefs.  What gets me the most is that most Christians whom I've spoken to talk about the language like they hardly noticed it. 

 I can say for certain that sitting in this movie would have bothered me and I’d have left.  I can say this because I've been there before. When the movie Forrest Gump came out, many Christian friends recommended it and it was all the buzz as well.  So, my wife and I went to see it in the theater.  When it came to the part with Lieutenant Dan taking God’s name in vain over and over, I felt very uncomfortable.  I looked over at my wife and she clearly felt the same way, so we got up and left and never finished the movie.  I didn't see Saving Private Ryan till it came out on TV, and even then I fast forwarded through part of the beginning.  None of this is meant to say look at me.  Trust me; I’ll get a lot of flak for this post.  I’m only saying all this to ask again, what are we standing up for?  There is no wonder there are so few wholesome entertainment choices if Christians are just going to support whatever.

So, please someone explain where I am wrong and how we as Christians can just “overlook the bad parts”.  God has made it clear that I am a temple for the Holy Spirit, and he makes me feel uncomfortable when I’m in situations where I shouldn't be.  Maybe I’m wired differently, but I just can’t get that stuff out of my mind once it’s there.  So, as with any moral dilemma, I ask myself: “at what cost”.  In this case, the cost is too high for the entertainment or even for the impact of such a powerful story.

The question is......Where's the line?

That's my 2 cents......fire away.

Something is fading

We are losing something; something that every generation loses. When it is lost, it becomes simply a list of facts called history.  But facts and history don’t even begin to describe this something.  They don’t make you feel, they don’t make you begin to understand.  Facts and history are just not real to most people.  

They aren't real because they never saw it, felt it, experienced it.  They only read about it in a book or maybe saw a documentary.  This something is real.  This something is disappearing.

I say something, but it’s really a lot of something’s.  It’s a lot of men, and women.  It’s a lot of leaders and a lot of followers.  It’s time and life.  It is real not just with those who experienced it, but with their families as well.  But as generations pass, so does the feeling and the reality.

What is this something? You say.  It is the greatest generation. It’s in the heartbeat, memory, passion, and heart of every WWII veteran.  It’s in their spouses, and their children.  It’s in their stories.  It’s in their passion for this country they believed in and loved so much.

And as their lives continue to fade into the history books, unfortunately their passion and their stories do too.

My dad’s stories live in me and will for the remainder of my life.  I feel like many of those stories have more value to me than any earthly possession. 

He told stories of ships, planes, guns, invasions, fires, explosions, bombs, and much more.  As a child, those were my takeaways from those stories.  But as a man, it became clear that his stories were about people.  He fought and lived alongside many men who died for their country.  He felt the pain, he felt the desperation, he felt the agony of loss and defeat, and he felt the amazing but costly feeling of victory.  He always remembered the faces and the real lives.  Yes the memories had smiles and laughter; but they also had fear, terror, and death.

The stories my dad told painted pictures.  They always seemed real to me.  They were real because he was on that ship and in those battles, many battles.  He felt the explosion as that Kamikaze dove into his ship.  He felt the heat from the fire, and the water from the fire hose he carried.  He helped the injured and pulled the dead out of the wreckage.  And that was just one morning out of years of service not just for my dad, but for scores of others.

The stories always ring in my head, and in my heart.  My dad represents his generation very well.  He passed away several years ago, and with him most of these great men and yes women are passing.  They will soon be gone, and so will their vivid stories.

That is, unless we refuse to let those stories fade. 

I will not let the memories and the stories be lost.  My dad and his shipmate’s memories and stories deserve to live on.  They should be remembered, honored, and repeated with the same passion in which they were told.  I will share them with my kids, and hopefully with their kids. 

We must remember the sacrifices, and we must remember that they were real, not just history.

On this Memorial Day Weekend, don’t just barbecue, swim, fish, or play.  Remember those who fought, served, lived, died.  Share their stories and honor them.

When something needs fixin, break it worse

Yep, that’s right, we have a new saying here in America. From here on out, when we identify something that needs a little fixin, we are going to fix it real good until its broke worse.

Yes, I’ll admit that certain areas of our health care system need fixin. Issues such as pre-existing conditions, tort reform, and insurance fraud do need to be dealt with. But what President Obama and Congress just did was to make things much worse. They have walked over the rule of law and the constitution to ensure that taxes and debt are about to sky rocket. They will also bankrupt a ton of small businesses in the process. This will not be an economic boost as they say; it will be an economic disaster. They will also succeed in putting us in a situation were healthcare will eventually be rationed. People have guaranteed healthcare right now with or without insurance. Soon, we will all see limited access or even someone telling us we can’t get a certain treatment or surgery. Oh, they will make history as they have desired, but it will be as a historical disaster in the life of our country. I am convinced that the Liberal Democrats’ ultimate goal is to break down our country piece by piece until a complete change to socialism is inevitable.

In honor of this new saying and the new American way of doing things, I will now start doing things differently in my life as well. The next time my household water heater needs fixin, I will call in an accountant to fix it. I will ask him to use parts from an old dishwasher I have out back. I will then be making History.

The next time my car needs an oil change, I will take it to my wife’s hair dresser. I will have her change the oil with hair gel or shampoo. I will again be making history.

Then when our laptop is ill, I will take it down to my favorite auto mechanic for fixin. All will be well for sure, and I will have yet again made history.

Nancy Pelosi spent months pounding home the point of making history. The real point is that making history is not always a good thing. Benedict Arnold also made history, and yet he is held in contempt as well he should be. I am not yet ready to say Congress has committed treason as he did; but they have lied, ignored the rule of law, and spit on the constitution to get this monstrosity voted into law.

Some are already pointing to this fall and calling for us to “vote them out”. That will come in time, indeed. For now I am bracing and preparing to fight the next round of Constitution ripping legislation Reed, Pelosi, and Obama have in store for us. They will be trying to cram a jobs bill, immigration reform, and Cap and Trade (or in my words, cap and tax) down our throats between now and that Tuesday in November. So, we must keep up our guard and not wait for November.

This fight is about so much more than a bill or series of bills, it is about the foundation of this country. It is about Freedom. It is about a government of the people, for the people, and by the people. We must stop and realize that we are no longer talking about big government; we are talking about huge, out-of-control government. It is time to wake up, speak up, and STAND UP!

I have a lot more to say on the topic, and I will as time goes on. I have taken my time this week to calmly react to this sad occasion for our country. I am still a Proud American, and I will stand up for the principals and laws it was founded upon!

That’s my 2 cents! Apathy must die!

Random thoughts from the Knucklehead

•Google is actually a codename for a group of people who are carrying out a plot for world domination.

•Today kids have iPod and Nintendo DSi. I had and eight track player and pong!

•Hey you with the Diet Coke and the large pizza all to your self, Really?

•I think I figured out why I like nature photography so much. My eyes are so bad, looking at the picture close up looks much better.

•Why do all drive through speakers make the cashier sound like the teacher from Peanuts?

•Acronyms are this generation’s contractions.

•The new Lynchburg traffic circle and the existing broken water main fountain in the James are much more offensive than the LU monogram. At least LU paid for theirs, while the city forced taxpayers to pay for their masterpieces.

•Bald is the new comb over.

•Why do things that are good for you have to taste so bad and things that make you fat and sick taste so good?

•Remember, Kate Gosselin is only doing dancing with the stars for her kids.

•Within ten years, no one will talk anymore. We will just all text or e-mail. Then we will truly see if my dad was right when he said “silence is golden”.

•Counter productivity: As I work doing productive tasks to try and help my company turn a profit, our government is trying to find more ways to take that profit away from both the company and me.

•Bojangles actually uses a Chicken recipe from heaven.

•OK, “underwhelmed” is apparently not a word, but I plan to make it one soon.

•My daughter is quite the singer. My prayer is the American Idol will be canceled before she is old enough. I don’t think it will be a problem.

•It is striking to me how government schools are failing both academically and monetarily when private schools are booming in both areas.

•I just saw Elton John on TV with pink glasses. I think he’s a book that you can judge by looking at the cover.

•When I was 7 in grade school eating PB&J for lunch every day, I never thought I’d be a 40 year old eating the same thing at my desk at work.

That’s my 2 cents, and you know you liked it!

A Veterans Day Tribute

As a I thought about veterans day today, it was impossible not to think of my Dad. I truly appreciate the service of our military men and women, and I learned that early from my dad. He served his country proudly and with everything he had to give.

I thought I would share a letter I wrote to him while he was still alive on Veterans day 2005. Please remember our veterans and those currently serving today and say a prayer for them..

Dad,

It's Veterans day, and I thank you for your service to our great country. It's interesting though how sometimes we can allow ourselves to make war a distant, vague, and almost unreal concept. I mean sometimes we fail to acknowledge in our minds the reality of what has really gone on in the wars of our country's past. I've heard all of your stories, and from time to time I've paused to think how terrible and intense some of those moments must have been. But I still think I have fallen into a mode where war is just one of those things that happened. We allow ourselves to talk about war just like we talk about any other historical event. The reality is that the soldiers, sailors, airmen, etc. are real. They faced real pain, they saw horrifying things, they lost real friends, they spent unreal amounts of time away from home and loved ones.

So this morning, on my way to work in the silence of my little mini-van, I tried something different. I began to visualize some of the events of your war experience. I tried my best to put myself in your shoes. Now, I have never been in any situations even close to war, so it was not the easiest thing nor the most realistic I'm sure. However, as I began to think through and actually picture some of the things you have told me about, it began to actually seem real. I saw the massive convoys of ships. I saw the explosions, and gun fire. I saw sailors faces, and their pain. I was able to put myself on that deck when those Kamikaze planes were coming off of that little island. I tried to feel the intensity and the fear that must have been thick enough to cut with a knife. I was pulling for the gunners shooting at the planes, and praying with you for the planes to be downed. I felt the horror of the plane diving right towards your ship. I was able to picture the faces of the men that you pulled away from the fires. I felt the intensity of the flames and the seriousness of the mission to extinguish them.

As men you and your fellow crew-men were no different than me, but you chose to put yourself into a situation where your life was on the line. But there was no second guessing or no thoughts of turning back. I could, for once, see why you and many other veterans don't see yourselves as heroes. You were just doing your job, for YOUR country. It was do or certain death for your way of life and the country you loved. Two countries were threatening our people and our land, and this was not going to stand. The threat was real to everyone in the country. I think this is what our country is missing right now. The images on the TV of war are so frequent, but so watered down. People begin to think that it is "no big deal". It becomes as commonplace and as normal as a football game. It's sad really that several generations are missing the reality and the dedication of the men of World War II. If we could find a way to rekindle that fire in the hearts of the young men and the leaders of this country, there would be no stopping us. Even during the cold war, our country was united against the USSR. Now, we are threatened by one of the most venomous enemies possible in radical Islam. Thousands of men and women have died. Some died in New York, DC, and Pennsylvania in a horrid attack. Some died on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. For some reason, the threat and the loss of life is still not real to some. The soldiers now are the last of a dying breed. They understand your dedication. They get the real meaning of your sacrifice. They know what real fear, real danger is. The American people do not know. I pray that this changes, and we see a REAL resurgence of American Pride and a Resolve that does not depend on the opinions of the "global community".

In the mean time, I choose to make these men and women, these soldiers, real in my mind. I choose to teach my kids the reality of their grandfather's sacrifice. I choose to teach them how great our country really is. I will not be swayed from the reality that is war. It is a necessary evil. It is the reason we are still America. I thank you and every other American Serviceman for your service for me, my family, and the future of our great land.

Thank you!
Your son,
K.C.

Breathe

Life has a way of smacking me right in the face on a quite regular basis. It seems every time things get boring and stable, there is a crisis or major change right around the corner. The key though is not what the change is, but how you handle it. The change will come, and it’s critical that I am able to navigate through the mine field.

So, recently there have been lots of changes and crises to face. These encompass lots of different areas of life. The biggest change for me involved the death father who was also one of the greatest friends ever. He and I were extremely close. I have spent time helping my mom get through the adjustment and grief while dealing with my own. I had said to my wife several times during his two plus year illness that there was no way I would be able to handle loosing dad. But we got through it. Other big changes have involved finances and work. Things have had to tighten up significantly, and now I have additional duties at work. But, I’m getting through it.

The big thing for me, especially for those of you who know me well, is that I have actually been able to stay calm through all of this. I think this hardheaded guy is actually learning something through these trials. Don’t get me wrong I’m still having all the fun stress seems to bring along with it, but, it is different this time around. I’m still able to smile, laugh, and say “Oh well”. I was joking with some friends and asking if that means I’m Bi-polar. In reality it is 100 percent the compassion and comfort of our Heavenly Father.
2 Corinthians 1:3 says: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort”. I thank God regularly for that fact. I am trying harder to read the word and pray with more consistency, and man does that ever help.

The most comforting fact of all is that even though my life in an ever changing roller coaster, my savior Jesus never changes. One of my favorite verses is Hebrews 13:8 which says: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Wow, what a great truth. No matter what I am going through his love, comfort, compassion, and mercy is the same every day and every moment. I know that my dad is in heaven and that I will join him there some day as Jesus has promised.

Thank you Jesus for your love for me even when I take my eyes off of you and turn them on to me. Thank you Jesus for your ultimate comfort and compassion. Thank you Jesus for your forgiveness and payment for my sins. Thank you Jesus for your Word and the open line of communication you gave us with prayer. And thank you Jesus that you are with me every moment giving me the strength to carry on.

This stress is short term and from this world. The smile and the eternal comfort come from my Lord and Savior.

That knowledge is worth more than my 2 cents I usually give.

Takin' a break

For those who have wondered, I haven't stopped blogging. I love to write about things that I am passionate about. However, I got so burnt out on politics in the election season, that I have been taking a break from this blog. I also had a tough event happen in my life at the first of the year that truly changed who I am as a person.

I have been working exclusively on my Sports blog. It's more fun right now, and it seems to be read more widely. It is http://sportsfromthedome.blogspot.com .

I will be back to this one shortly though as there are several topics that have been boiling in my head recently. One of the next entries will likely be on gun control. I have also had a spiritual entry eating at me lately.

So, Stay tuned, and that's my 2 cents for now!