Bible Abuse

One 80 year old veteran Baptist church-goer recently told me that “you can get the Bible to prove just about anything”. This statement was his justification to dismiss the Bible; because it is impossible to understand.

Judging by some of my recent 9th grade Bible Instruction Class students’ glazed expressions, I wonder if they think like this 80 year old. In fact, one of my steepest obstacles with each year’s Bible Instruction Class is to convince the students that studying the Bible is worth it.

But then, what does it mean that Bible study is "worth it”? Unfortunately, to some of us, the Bible is worth something because it is a Pepto-Bismol devotional crutch we use to salve our emotional upsets. Taken in this light, the Bible has value if it makes us feel better. Thus, we gut the Bible of its prescriptive content and moral directives.

I talked recently with a believer who kept searching his Bible and praying for peace before he made a wrong decision. He wanted encouragement from the Bible but not exhortation. His prayer could very well have been, “Lord, make me feel better about my disobedience toward you. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.”

So how do we get kids to want to move beyond Biblical illiteracy?

1. Pray for them.
2. Provide real life applications to increase the practical value of the Bible's message.
3. Your Ideas Welcome Here:

Cleaning off the Desk

1. I just might use the new Google MY MAPS to plot and advertise our Summer Missions trip to the Big Apple this summer.
2. Speaking of the Omni-Inventive Google, I tried this out: I simply typed in my home phone number in the Google search bar and POOF! My name and complete directions to my home appeared as quick as a google-wink. This is especially handy for my new friends, predators and stalkers! Fortunately, I was able to click the link and I found directions to delete my number from this invasive service.
3. Did you know that you could buy a Cessna personal jet for $2.7 million at SAM’S CLUB? (per Consumer Report).
4. At COSCO you can purchase 6.02 carat diamond earrings for $110,999.99. And COSTCO also sells caskets!! (per Consumer Report).

Yes, sir. I'd like to have my truck "fixed"...

4 things, among others, are bugging me.

Peeve #1. I absolutely detest those artificial things that pozer macho dudes dangle from the trailer hitches of their trucks. I'm not going to go into it because I'm trying to keep this a "G" rated post. But they're disgusting. Every time I see those things I want to ask the driver to get his truck neutered. You can imagine little kids asking their dads, "What's that?" And the dad can answer, "It's Sick." I really don't like our hyper-sexualized culture.

Peeve #2. I can't figure out how to have the dates on my posts dated when I actually post them. As it is now, blogger automatically dates my posts permanently on the date that I create a draft.

Peeve #3. Another blogger peeve...why can't I create a draft and assign a certain date that blogger will automatically post it? Other blog services do this. Am I missing something?

Peeve #4. Why can't I add my own header to my site without knowing computer code?

(I'll probably be proven a real idiot for not knowing how to work blogger).