"Einstein felt, at most, man had attained 1% of the possible knowledge of the universe. Do you think it's possible God is able to do unexplainable things with the 99% we don't understand?" -from
Rooms by James L Rubart

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Christmas isn't ruined

as we approach Christmas, the warm and fuzzy time of the year, i've still been thinking a lot about people going through tough times, especially those still suffering loss in newtown, connecticut.
i've been ruminating on things i've heard people say on t.v., and they've gotten me thinking. one thing i've noticed is that the Bible has answers for everyone's questions and comments!

"Evil visited this town today." -said by a newscaster reporting in Newtown.
that is true, in sense. but it's not the whole story. evil LIVED in newtown way before Dec 14, 2012, and it lives there still. you see, evil lives in every human heart. here is a description of what our evil hearts look like:
"They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." Romans 1:29-32
"Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written, 'There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away... there is no one who does good, not even one... there is no fear of God before their eyes.'" Romans 3:9b-12, 18
doesn't sound very good. and though we like to think we're not a part of it, we are... you are. i am. on our own, we simply do what is selfish. we do what is right in our own eyes. (Judges 17:6)
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 that's a common verse, but what does it really mean? well, for all our trying, all our 'good deeds,' all our efforts to 'be nice' and 'better ourselves,' we fall short. like someone shooting arrows at a target: chances are if you're 2 miles away, your arrow will fall short. you can shoot all you want, you can be the best aim ever, you can get a bigger bow... your arrow will land somewhere in the weeds between you and the target. that's how it is with our piddly human 'goodness.'
sounds like a big bummer.
it is.

"Adam Lanza may have been mentally ill." -lots of newscasters over the week.
well, if you have been reading my blog recently, you might know what i think about a lot of 'mental illness' charges. click here to see my mental illness post. and i would like to say a blip here about that. in recent years, when something terrible happens within the American borders, the finger gets pointed at mental illness. 'well, in order to do something that terrible, he must have been mentally ill. no one would do that if they were thinking correctly right??'
that is faulty thinking. it's based on the premise that we are all fundamentally 'good' to begin with.
we're not.
remember, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
and Isaiah 53:6a puts the blame squarely on us: "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way."
mental illness isn't always the answer. SIN is.

this idea of mental illness really touches on the whole huge question everyone keeps asking: "WHY??!"
how could this happen? how could someone kill children? why does evil happen? why? why?! WHY?!
in a short answer: because we, as humans, are allowed to CHOOSE. think back in your memory bank to the story of Adam and Eve, the first humans, created by a perfect God and placed gently into a perfect garden. they had it good. they had it better than we've ever experienced. they WALKED WITH GOD every day!!! (see Genesis 2:4-25)
but. God didn't want robots who would follow Him because they didn't have any other choice. He wanted a relationship with people who would CHOOSE to love Him. but you can't choose if you don't have multiple things to choose from. so God also placed in that garden ONE tree of choice, among all the other trees and bushes and plants full of perfectly scrumptious fruits and vegetables. that tree embodied everything that was opposite of God: He is good, it housed evil; He is love, it enabled them to hate; He is righteous, it gave them the desire to do wrong; He is pure, it caused them to be dirty and rotten. and they had the choice: avoid it or choose it. where did they end up? under that tree, chomping down its crooked fruit, because they wanted to turn to their own way. they wanted to satisfy self above all else. (see Genesis 2)
and humans are still making that same choice every day.
from Hitler to al-Qaeda to crooked government officials to Adam Lanza to that other driver giving you the finger (or was that you?).

are we stuck there? are we irreversibly and hopelessly left with evil hearts?
there's more to the story.

as i watched news coverage two fridays ago, it struck me how the commentators kept referring to how this 'ruined Christmas' for everyone. when describing that sentiment, Brian Williams on NBC noted how just days before, "The kids were dreaming of gifts under the tree."
yes, Christmas will be painful for those families and friends and this time of year will never be the same as long as they live on this earth.
and if all those kids and their families were looking forward to at Christmas were gifts under the tree, then yes, Christmas was ruined.
but the real Christmas can't be 'ruined' by horrors like this.
in fact, Christmas is the answer to horrors like this!
it's the answer to the evil in our hearts!
it's the answer to evil in the world!
a lot of Americans have it backwards these days. Christmas has become about gifts and buying and selling and advertising and sitting in 'Santa's' lap and decorating with lights and eating big meals and being so busy that you almost hate the season...
it's not about any of those things.
Christmas is about GOD, that Creator of the perfect people in the perfect garden who wanted a perfect relationship with humans, being so distraught about the broken relationship between Him and His humans, that He BECAME a human baby in order to communicate His love to them, even though WE are the ones who broke the relationship! 
mindblowing!!!
and a perfect answer to the hideous ugliness of death.
when death happens, Christmas is God saying, "I came to earth to save you from evil."
when a man in China stabs elementary students, Christmas answers, "Turn to Me and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
when Lanza shoots up a school, Christmas responds, "I want to comfort you and I will give My life to make it possible for you to join Me in heaven!"
when pain is overwhelming, Christmas answers, "In the midst of chaos and terror, I am your source of peace that the world cannot understand." Philippians 4:7
it is appropriate that Christmas is coming so soon after something so terrible. when people cry out to Him for help, God comes and does not delay with His comfort and peace.

i can't say how many times i've heard and read the almost annoying quote on facebook and the news that this tragedy causes us to "go home and hug our children a little tighter."
well, that's nice.
it's better than being unaffected. it's good to realize that we have been spared. the tragedy inspires people to do better. so in that regard i'm happy to hear that overused quote.
but that's not the best we can do. real better is searching for God after we've been faced with the horror of evil.
how do you spare your own child from becoming Adam Lanza? living a good life and giving great Christmas gifts and hugs aren't going to do it.
'what will help?' you ask.
good question.
RESPONDING to God's gift of Jesus this Christmas is the best response, our greatest hope.

  • for those of you who do not know Jesus, now is the time to search for Him. "'You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord, 'and will bring you back from captivity." Isaiah 29:13-14a    'but i'm not in captivity,' you may be thinking. in 2 Peter 2:19, Peter says, "a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him." sounds pretty straight forward and almost redundant, but it really is quite deep. think about it in your own life. what has mastered you? as in, what is your number one priority? is it your job? is it your hobby? is it your family? is it just simply YOU? then you are in captivity. you are a slave to that thing or those people or to your own finite mind. Jesus is the only choice that can offer you true freedom. if you choose to follow God as your master, He offers freedom. you will really have the power to be 
          free from sin
"When you were slaves to sin, 
you were free from the control of righteousness. 
What benefit did you reap at that time 
from the things you are now ashamed of? 
Those things result in death! 
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, 
the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 
For the wages of sin is death, 
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 6:20-23
"For we know that our old self was crucified with Him 
so that the body of sin might be done away with, 
that we should no longer be slaves to sin 
--- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin."
Romans 6:6-7
"You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."
Romans 6:18
          free from anxiety
"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."
1 Peter 5:7
          free from the pressure to earn your own salvation
"For it is by grace you have been saved, 
through faith 
--- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God 
--- not by works so that no one can boast."
Ephesians 2:8-9
          and most exciting, free from eternal death
"Who is the liar? 
It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ... 
No one who denies the Son has the Father; 
whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also...
And this is what He promised us 
--- even eternal life."
1 John 2:22a, 23, 25
  • for those of you who honestly say, 'Jesus masters me,' now is the time to SHOW it. in a world of pain, God offers peace and joy and freedom. and YOU are the means by which He chooses to do so. don't focus on worldly things this Christmas, like the lie of Santa and gifts and frustrated shopping trips; focus on JESUS. let His hope, joy, and peace overflow through you so that you can be a light to guide others to Him.
"May the God of hope 
fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, 
so that you may overflow with hope 
by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Romans 15:13
        because
"Salvation is found in no one else, 
for there is no other name under heaven given to men 
by which we must be saved."
Acts 4:12


this year, let's dream of something other than gifts under a tree. they won't save you; they won't comfort you; they won't satisfy you. 
don't let Christmas to be 'ruined' in your heart by the pain of the world; let Christmas answer the hurt. it is the story of God's own response to evil. He sent His Son to show us the way and save us from it all!

"And the peace of God, 
which transcends all understanding, 
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." 
Philippians 4:7



Monday, December 17, 2012

when children die

life is pretty manageable here in the US. we can meet someone, fall in love, get married, get an apartment, have a child, settle into new situations, adjust to jobs, life just moves along at pace.
then tragedy hits. a 20-yr-old kid walks into Sandy Hook Elementary and massacres 26 people. each one is a precious face; an individual human being; someone's child, sister, cousin, friend; most are children.

unimaginable grief.
senseless pain.
deep evil.
confused disbelief.
shock.
where can we turn?
what's the next step?

what does the Bible say about losing a child?

3 accounts of a parent losing a child stand out to me in the Bible:

FIRST, we have King David, the 'man after God's own heart.'
he desired God as his #1. it didn't mean he was perfect. after all, he lusted after someone else's wife and had that guy killed so he could get her, just to name one of his most glaring sins! but he repented, and that made all the difference to God.
David still had to live with the consequences of sin, however. we see in 2 Samuel 12 that his baby, born to that other man's wife, became seriously ill. David spent a whole week fasting and praying for his sick baby, stricken with grief and hope and fear and dismay, but his child died.
gut-wrenching.
painful.
his servants didn't even want to tell him the news, for fear that he would 'do something desperate.' v. 18.
that's what we want to do when tragedy strikes: something desperate. we want to get justice by our own hands, we want to yell, scream, express ourselves, cry, find God and ask Him questions. some desperate options are good, some not so good.
what did David do?
"Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate... Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba." 2 Samuel 12:20
David got up from the ground. he had been laying, kneeling, begging, groveling, all things devastatingly low. but then he got up. basic things first - manage to somehow get up.
he washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes. he did something normal, something daily... took a shower, shaved, put on a favorite cologne...  it didn't mean he didn't care anymore, it just meant he had to keep on living.
he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. worshiped? you ask. how could he worship? God didn't do anything! God presided over the death!! but yes, David worshiped God, no matter how he felt. David acknowledged that he wasn't God; God is God. whether it seems like it or not, God is in charge, and He is the author of everything good. He is watching, He does care, and He is also saddened and angered by evil. worship frees us, and it energizes us, because it gives control back to God. it refreshes us and restores us as we claim that God is sovereign and we submit.
then he went to his own house... and he ate. he survived. i've heard that parents (and others) might feel guilty for living when their child dies. they feel that they failed at their job. but, to anyone in Newtown, who might feel like that, you DIDN'T fail, you are NOT guilty. it is GOOD that you survived. if David could make it through, even though he really WAS guilty of causing his son's death, you can make it too.
then David comforted his wife. once he had been filled up with God's restoration, and had done some basic human functions to feed his body and spirit, he was able to pour out comfort on his wife.

SECOND, we have Job, tested by Satan on his commitment to God.
what was his story?
Job 1:1 tells us that he was "blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil." this was a wealthy and very blessed guy: he had loads of land, sheep, camels, oxen, donkeys, servants, and most precious, a big family - a wife and 10 kids!
the bummer? he lived on earth, where Satan is allowed to disrupt and cause bad things to happen. Satan personally went to God and challenged Him, saying that the only reason Job was so faithful to God was that he was so blessed. true that it's easier to praise God when things are going well, so God decided to let Satan test Job.
in one disastrous day, Job lost all of his possessions to raiding armies and a lightning strike. but most terribly of all, a tornado destroyed the house where his children were and they all died!
now, Job wasn't aware of God's conversation with Satan. all he knew is that he lost every single thing that he had in one day. all he knew was the disaster, and he also knew he hadn't done anything to deserve it.
what did Job do?
"At this Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:
'Naked I came from the womb,
and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised.'
In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing." Job 1:20-22
Job... tore his robe and shaved his head. he grieved fully. he was completely in a deep well of despair. he faced the horror and wallowed in it. it's good to grieve. if you read more of Job, you'll realize the extent of his grief: anger, frustration, despair, despondency, aching pain, confusion, doubt, and more. this didn't mean he needed medication or 'treatment,' as psychologists and doctors say these days. it meant he was going through the natural grieving process.
then he fell to the ground in worship. again with the worshiping. these are God's men... and they worship. he told it how it was, and then praised God for being God. and as the last verse says, maybe for our benefit as readers, what he said was not sinful.

THIRD, we have the most incredible one, the whole culmination of the Bible: God the Father, who voluntarily allowed His only Son die on behalf of everyone on the planet.
there's a lot of talk about the heroes who have emerged from the terrible story at Newtown, Connecticut. and they were definitely heroes. they were teachers who led children to safety and locked the doors and covered young ones with their own bodies. they were children who comforted their friends and stayed quiet in the terrorizing chaos and led an escape out the door right past the terrorizer.
Jesus was the original hero who gave His life for others. and also heroic, His Father had to let it happen to bring salvation to us.
God let His Son be raised by mere humans,
allowed Him to be ridiculed and beaten,
and after enduring an unfair trial full of false accusations and bribery,
He was forced to look the other way as His precious, perfect Son clothed Himself with OUR despicable sins and took our punishment of death.
Jesus cried out to Him in total anguish, and though God could have called the whole thing off, He didn't, for our sakes. He knew the future - that because of Jesus' perfection, He would be raised again to live forever.
God understands pain. He chose to go through it to save you and me. He chose to go through it so that when we experience death, we can look forward to LIFE after death, if we know Jesus.

we turn to what the Bible says because it lets us know we're not alone. God wasn't missing during David's time, or Job's time, or now in your time. and He understands what you're going through.


"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose... 
"If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all.... Christ Jesus, who died -- more than that, who was raised to life -- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
'For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.'
"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither life nor death,
           neither angels nor demons,
                            neither the present nor the future, 
                                              nor any powers,
                                                          neither height nor depth,
            nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:28, 31b-32, 34b-39

"The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord;
He is their stronghold in time of trouble."
Psalm 37:39

do you need a stronghold? if you know Jesus, take refuge in Him and worship Him. if you don't know Jesus, please search Him out. try Him and see for yourself if He proves to be who He says He is.


Sunday, December 16, 2012

for Newtown, Connecticut

as i worked yesterday, i had the radio on to the Christian music station available to us, KLOVE. they referred all day to the horrible killing of 28 people in Newtown, Connecticut.
in the course of the day, they read 2 different quotes that i would like to share with you.

a prayer by Max Lucado, Christian author:


Dear Jesus,

It's a good thing you were born at night. This world sure seems dark. I have a good eye for silver linings. But they seem dimmer lately.

These killings, Lord. These children, Lord, Innocence violated. Raw evil demonstrated.

The whole world seems on edge. Trigger-happy. Ticked off. We hear threats of chemical weapons and nuclear bombs. Are we one button-push away from annihilation?

Your world seems a bit darker this Christmas. But you were born in the dark, right? You came at night. The shepherds were nightshift workers. The wise men followed a star. Your first cries were heard in the shadows. To see your face, Mary and Joseph, needed a candle flame. It was dark. Dark with Herod's jealousy. Dark with Roman oppression. Dark with poverty. Dark with violence.

Herod went on a rampage, killing babies. Joseph took you and your mom into Egypt. You were an immigrant before you were a Nazarene.

Oh, Lord Jesus, you entered the dark world of your day. Won't you enter ours? We are weary of bloodshed. We, like the wise men, are looking for a star. We like the shepherds, are kneeling at a manger.

This Christmas, we ask you, heal us, help us, be born anew in us.

Hopefully,
Your Children



words from "Scott & Kelli's" Pastor Ray:


Today is a heartbreaking day. Our nation experienced the second worst school shooting in American history. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and everyone affected by this senseless tragedy. I, like all Americans, am devastated. 
During tragic times like this there is inevitably a mad scramble for CLARITY. How could this happen? Why would a good and loving God let this happen? Who’s to blame for this senseless violence? 
The problem – Shallow Christian clichés fall short and ultimately Clarity never comes…because at best, we see ‘through a glass dimly…'
During times like this we think we need Clarity when we really need is CERTAINTY. 
• I am certain that this senseless act breaks the heart of God because…
               I am certain that God understands what it means to lose a son.
• I am certain that every one of todays victims was precious to God
• I am certain that God is near to the brokenhearted
• I am certain that no life ever is devoid of meaning no matter how short.
• I am certain that Jesus meant it when he said, ‘Let the little children come to me’. 
• I am certain that life is precious and that every day with your kids is a gift.
• I am certain that America needs to rediscover a reverence for life.
• I am certain that a day is coming when suffering will cease and God will reign.
• I am certain that when anyone closes their eyes here for the last time and wakes up in the arms of Jesus - they will be more alive than they have ever been. 


so as you try to sleep through another impossible night, Newtown, i pray that you allow yourself to fall into the only arms that can bring true comfort: Jesus' arms.
and like max and pastor ray:
1) pray. God hears every kind of prayer, be it angry, confused, shocked, distressed, frustrated, horrified, despairing, questioning, doubting... HE WILL ALWAYS LISTEN.
2) think: of what are you CERTAIN? is there something you can point to that you know about God? what is the rock you can lean on?
if you are looking for a place to lean today, or just a place to hide and cry, God IS those things:

"He tends His flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in His arms
and carries them close to His heart;
He gently leads those who have young."
Isaiah 40:11

"He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress,
and for His children it will be a refuge."
Proverbs 14:26

"As for God, His way is perfect; 
the word of the Lord is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in Him.
For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except our God?"
Psalm 18:30-31

"Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
look at the earth beneath;
the heavens will vanish like smoke, 
the earth will wear out like a garment
and its inhabitants die like flies.
But My salvation will last forever,
My righteousness will never fail."
Isaiah 51:6

"My soul clings to You;
Your right hand upholds me."
Psalm 63:8


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Friday, December 14, 2012

where is the hope?

in light of today's terrible, horrific shooting at a Newtown, Connecticut, elementary school, i quote the verses i read today:

"I love the Lord, for He heard my voice;
He heard my cry for mercy.
Because He turned His ear to me,
I will call on Him as long as I live.

The cords of death  entangled me,
the anguish of the grave came upon me;
I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Lord:

'O LORD, SAVE ME!'


The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
The Lord protects the simplehearted;
when I was in great need, He saved me.

Be at rest once more, O my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.

For You, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
I believed; therefore I said, 
'I am greatly afflicted.'
And in my dismay I said, 
'All men are liars.'

How can I repay the Lord
for all his goodness to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation 
and call on the name of the Lord.
I will fulfill my vows to the Lord 
in the presence of His people.

Precious in the sight of the Lord 
is the death of His saints.

... Praise the Lord."
Psalm 116:1-15, 19b

maybe this doesn't sound like the right set of verses to you... 'praise the Lord??' 'all His goodness?' 'be at rest?' 'the Lord protects the simplehearted?' 'the Lord has been good to you???' it's wrong! all wrong!!! surely this can't apply TODAY with children dying at the hands of a crazed gunman!
but wait. think of the deeper current running through these verses. these quotes don't come from David's (the author) circumstances. David is the one who was hunted down for years by the king of the land, Saul. David hid in caves in the wilderness for decades, just trying to stay alive. he knew anguish, he had people die around him, he felt the pain of betrayal, he knew the fear of being pursued.
but he was praising God anyway!
how does this happen?
yesterday i almost got a parking ticket. i just about lost it. i thought we were going to have to pay about double our entire monthly rate, just for not having the tag hanging in the window one night!! i was mad at the city, mad at the car, despairing that i have no money for this kind of thing, frustrated that i shop at the dollar store trying to save and then have to blow it on one dumb parking ticket! i could barely stand to read words of praise in my Bible that day... i was so upset!
all over a parking ticket.
needless to say, i have no way of understanding the terror, horror, anguish, pain, anger, the sheer despair of losing a child or loved one in a nightmare like today's in Connecticut.

the psalmist, David, in his deepest despair, in the midst of 'the grave, death, trouble and sorrow,' cries out to God, 'O LORD, SAVE ME!' and then he praised God for doing just that: saving him.
but you say, 'God didn't save these kids today! they died! He didn't save their lives!' it's true that He allowed this thing to happen. He allowed evil to occur.
BUT when it comes to those who have earnestly cried out to God, 'O LORD, SAVE ME,' nothing can touch them. nothing. anyone who belongs to Jesus cannot be touched by Satan. their bodies may be harmed and ill and wounded, and they may even DIE, but Satan cannot touch their souls!
"For You, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death." vs 8
God allows people to make choices. and He even allows evil choices to affect other innocent bystanders. the world is fallen. every human living on this planet has done something wrong, even if it was just one sin. for most of us, it's been a whole countless debacle of sinning! but when we honestly repent of those sins, turn around and walk towards God, He forgives us and SAVES OUR SOULS! after that, barring you throw your own salvation away and reject Christ, your soul will NEVER be touched by Satan again. THAT'S something to praise God about. David wasn't happy about his circumstances, and praising God didn't mean that he didn't acknowledge his deep pain. it just meant that he chose to lean on God in the midst of it. if you know God, then you know He wins in the end.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
His love endures forever.

Let those who fear the Lord say:
'His love endures forever.'

In my anguish I cried to the Lord,
and He answered by setting me free.
The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
The Lord is with me; He is my helper. 
I will look in triumph on my enemies.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes."
Psalm 118:1, 4-9


'what can man do to me?' nothing.
nothing at all.
he may kill me, but he cannot touch my soul, if i belong to Jesus Christ.

there is tragedy in the world, there is horror. but there is also HOPE. hope that shines like a bright spotlight into your life and mine.
when you look at a shooting like today's, i hope it causes you to think about your own soul's safety. is your soul protected by Jesus?



Thursday, December 6, 2012

NEW! from the Ridiculous Realm

have you heard of the DSM? it's the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illness here in the US. apparently, there's a new one coming out.
i remember reading my abnormal psychology textbook and thinking every other paragraph, 'i think i have that disorder!' 
then i had another thought: many of the 'diseases' or 'disorders' seem to be there for 2 simple reasons:
1) to avoid responsibility
2) to make money for pharmaceutical companies

why do i say this? well here are some 'disorders' from DSM-4 (and a couple proposed for DSM-5):

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (arguing, losing temper, annoying people)
Sibling Relational Problem (brothers and sisters just can't get along)
Partner Relational Problem (in case you're arguing with your spouse over what disorder you have)
Intermittent Explosive Disorder (3 violent episodes per year)
Mathematics Disorder (can't add or subtract easily??)
Caffeine Intoxication Disorder (possible with just 2 cups of coffee per day)
Factitious Disorder (acting like you have an illness)
Disorder of Written Expression (bad handwriting - so.... every doctor, ever)
Scrupulous Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (one symptom is 'excessive prayer'!)
Internet Use Disorder (like me, tonight)
Caffeine-Induced Sleep Disorder (drank soda, can't sleep... what's happening!?)
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (includes 'not listening,' fidgeting,' and 'losing things')
Gender Identity Disorder (possibly to be changed to Gender Dysphoria)
Compulsive Shopping Disorder (i'd say 90% of Americans suffer from this)

now, i know it can be good to label problems so that we can identify what's happening. and i know it can also be helpful to be on medication, if there is a real disorder. and when i say 'real disorder,' i mean when 10th-grade Billy honestly tries to write his name and it comes out total gibberish - then maybe he does have Disorder of Written Expression (medication isn't the answer even then, but i'm sure some doctor would put Billy on some pill asap!)
do you realize that "10% of American kids are now taking psychiatric drugs" and that "at least 3 million American children are taking amphetamine drugs like Ritalin as a result of ADHD diagnoses" alone??? how sad! and how scary!! (Citizen Magazine)
why is this happening?
well, as far as i can see, it comes down to those 2 things i mentioned earlier: 
avoiding responsibility 
making money for pharmaceutical companies.

think about it. 
we live in a 'me first' society, with our ipods and iphones and me-time and self-help. every advertisement has us convinced we haven't taken enough time to spend enough money on ourselves.

take today's family situation, for example: 
parents are struggling to raise their kids while keeping their full time jobs. cost of living is going up, paychecks are staying the same or going down. it's not easy. plus, many new parents are young and unmarried, which makes it even harder. 
what happens when the kid wants to play? parents put them in front of the t.v. or give them a video game. 
what happens when the kid does something wrong? parents worry that if they discipline, the kid won't be their friend! so to placate them, parents give them food and soda and whatever else they want.
in the end, how does this style of parenting turn out? parents have angry kids (Oppositional Defiant Disorder), who fight with their siblings (Sibling Relational Problems), who haven't gotten any help with homework and can't add 2 and 2 (Mathematics Disorder), who throw tantrums (Intermittent Explosive Disorder), who can't pay attention in class (ADHD), who fake being sick so they don't have to face reality (Factitious Disorder), who end up serial soda drinkers wondering why they can't sleep (Caffeine-Induced Sleep Disorder), and who think buying things will make them feel better since that's what their parents did to make them stop whining (Compulsive Shopping Disorder). 
and there you have it: 8 'disorders' in one kid...

clearly, i'm exaggerating. but parents are convinced that they have done everything right, and they are not interested in changing the way they do things. so what's left to do? label a disorder. if it's a disorder, then no one can be blamed. then no one has to change.
and if it's a disorder, the doctor can prescribe a pill for it. did you know that doctors get paid by pharmaceutical companies to hand out drugs? and i don't just mean a little here and there, i mean boatloads of money, boatloads of drugs!!! one guy who specialized in "pediatric bipolar illness," Joseph Biederman, "received more than $1.6 million, mostly from.. a division of Johnson & Johnson.. between 2000 and 2007." these doctors are being paid to diagnose these disorders so they can medicate people! and as far as the DSM goes, "70% of the psychiatrists working on the DSM-5 revision have financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry." (Citizen Magazine)
if that's not a conflict of interest, i don't know what is!!!
but, hey, a win-win situation! the parents don't have to change or admit negligence, and the doctor gets paid millions! everyone's happy!
........
except the kid. 
except the whole next generation, who have been on psychotropic meds since they can remember. (this includes anti-psychotics, anti-depressants, anti-obsessives, anti-anxiety agents, mood stabilizers, stimulants, and anti-panic agents, to name a few) most psychotropic medications are NOT approved for use in children under 18, but MANY children are being prescribed these meds anyway with no real checks and balances! 
here are some of the side effects of various psychotropic meds. as you read them, think about a 13 year old taking medication because a doctor decided her 'mood swings' meant she was bipolar, or think of a boy who fidgets being given meds for ADHD:

dizziness
blurred vision
confusion
nightmares
lightheadedness
excitement
trouble sleeping
cold hands
weakness
nausea
headaches
vomiting
anorexia
changes in vision
hallucinations 
seizures
blackouts
frequent urination
swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, throat, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
loss of coordination
constipation
rigidity
tremors
skin rashes
menstrual problems
rapid heartbeat
sensitivity to the sun
drowsiness
thoughts or attempts of suicide
acting without thinking
frenzied, abnormal excitement
feeling helpless, hopeless, or worthless
severe sedation
dystonia (spasm of muscles - can prevent opening the jaw)
tardive dyskinesia (involuntary movements from long-term use - irreversible!)
increased risk for diabetes and obesity
impotence
hypothyroidism
kidney damage
hepatitis
pancreatitis

sounds like something you want your kid to take, right??
my husband works with boys who are on these medications. for the most part, the meds are not fixing the problems. the kids are angry and frustrated with their lives. they have single parents and missing fathers; they've been sexually abused and, without guidance, they are turning around and raping their siblings; they've been passed along through grade after grade without being able to read or write; they choose to join gangs, trying to fit in, trying to be cool and tough so they don't get mistreated. 
they're sad.
they're lonely.
and everyone's too busy trying to figure out how to medicate them to make their bad behavior stop. 

what if someone just prayed for them? what if someone took the time to teach them how to read, one-on-one? what if there were a RESPECTABLE ADULT MAN who would ACT LIKE A MAN and be an example, instead of smoking in front of the kids and then telling them not to smoke, or cussing them out and then telling them not to swear, or watching porn and then telling them to respect women, or yelling at their mother and then telling them off for having a temper? 

what's the point of this long, long post?? 
maybe just awareness. 
maybe a call to prayer.

our country is running down the road of selfishness and irresponsibility, all the way to dysfunction and ultimately destruction. we pass the blame. we cover up the ugliness. we medicate our wrongness instead of dealing with the SIN problem.

where do we stop?

in the Bible, God claims to provide peace, joy, love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, perseverance, blessings, beauty, power to overcome the world... 
it sounds like God has all the answers, not the doctors pushing pills and diagnoses for their own monetary gain. 

to whom will YOU turn?


Resources:

Thursday, November 29, 2012

how will you die?

i've been around people in the hospital. i was a nurse assistant at one time.
when people are in the hospital, their true selves seem to come out fully.
it's natural. the hospital is a scary place. you're scared for your life. you're laying in a strange bed surrounded by strangers who literally have your life in their hands. the reality is sinking in that your body and all its tiny but crucial functions are out of your control. it's unsettling. it's surreal. all your norms are gone. you're left alone with long days and troubling thoughts.
some people are sad and quiet. they stare out the window, maybe thinking about home, maybe thinking of family and friends, maybe just trying to think of nothing. they've always got a tissue clutched in their hand because they're continually crying.
some are angry. they yell at the nurses; they scream into the hallway when we don't respond to the call button fast enough; they are angry at the doctors and angry at the hospital in general; they complain about the food, the smells, the ugliness of a nurse, the noise, the size of the room, the patient in the bed next to them, the taste of the water, the pills they have to take, the itch on their toe... it's never-ending, and it's not just the regular requests.
some are scared silly. the look in their eyes is frantic with fear. they call out pitifully in the middle of the night. they can't sleep. when we enter to take their blood pressure or temperature, they cling to our hands and don't want to let us out of the room.
some are control freaks. they ask every question about everything, more than the usual inquisitive mind. they insist on everything being just so; they send back meals because the pudding was in a cup instead of a bowl. they constantly ask for the temperature of the room to be changed - first it's too cold, then it's too hot, now it's too cold again...
some become more than creepy. they leer at every nurse. they call out obscenities. they invite nurses into the bed with them. and i've heard that some even grab at the nurses' bodies!
but a few are calm, and even cheerful. who are these people? they ask us how we're doing. they listen patiently to our explanations of what we're doing. they also share how they're feeling, be it fear or anxiety or frustration or pain, but it's the kind of sharing that helps us know how to help them, and it inspires us to help. they're the ones we look forward to visiting. they're the room numbers we hope we get assigned each day. they're the smiles we see and wonder how they are managing to do so in their condition.
who do you think you'd be like if you were in the hospital? or have you been in the hospital and already know which you are? i haven't but i can imagine my natural self being super-scared, maybe a bit control-freak, and possibly withdrawn/quiet.

my pastor told of a lady who worked in hospice, where death really IS imminent. over the years, she noticed a pattern. Christians died differently than non-Christians, in their last breath. their hearts were calm. their bodies were peaceful. their eyes were hopeful.
you see, people who believe that Jesus is God, and that He died in their place because of their wrong-doings, and that He rose Himself from the dead to conquer it, these people have an assurance that there is life  after death. that same assurance means there is life for THEM in particular after life on this earth is over. death is not the end! it's more like a doorway into the best-ever new life: life as it was meant to be!
on the other hand, those who don't believe in Jesus to take them through that doorway have no such hope. death holds total unknown. is there a hell? is there some sort of good deadness that you can achieve by being a good person here on earth? is there reincarnation, another cycle of life here on earth? are you just obliterated? does this life on earth mean anything after all is said and done?
if you don't believe in Jesus, you don't know for sure. and according to the Bible, if you don't believe in Jesus, you will spend eternity (not just a few days or years, but FOREVER!) separated from goodness and love and peace... eternity without God, who is the embodiment of all those things. that's scary! that's something to fear!

so i ask again: how will YOU die?


"The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, 
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble."
Proverbs 4:18-19

Jesus said:
"...if I go and prepare a place for you, 
I will come back and take you to be with me...
"I am the way and the truth and the
life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
"Because I live, you also will live.
"Peace I leave with you; 
my peace I give you.
I do not give as the world gives. 
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
John 14:3, 6, 19b, 27


Thursday, November 22, 2012

thanks?

when Thanksgiving rolls around, i notice everyone commenting on how thankful they are: for life, family, jobs, food, safety... the list goes on. it's great. it's nice to hear and read how people are thinking outside of the 'gimme gimme' norm, and appreciating the blessings they have received.
but wait.
the word 'thank' is a transitive verb. this means that there must be an object of our thanks. you don't just say, 'thank,' you say, 'thank you.'
so to whom are YOU thankful this year? think about it.
if you're thankful for safety, who brought that safety to you? did you keep your own car from hitting that deer that leapt in front of your headlights?
if you're thankful for your life and family, who gave you your family? did you have any control over your own birth? did you enable your own baby to take its first breath?
if you're thankful for food, where did it come from? did you cause it to grow out of the ground?
if you're thankful for your job, how did you get it? did you give yourself the abilities you have to work and think?
where do these things come from? they come from Someone greater than us.
when we get into sticky situations, we all will admit that we're not in control of everything... some might think, 'ok, what's greater than i am? how about the universe?' so some try praying to the universe. but the universe isn't in control. the universe is a created thing. and God is the One who created it all.
He is the One who provides our safety, family, jobs, abilities, food, and everything else. He is the One who breathes life into each baby that is born, and He is the One who has provided every breath in your life that has brought you to this moment.
so let's thank the One who deserves our thanks: God.
He's waiting eagerly to hear from you.

Monday, October 22, 2012

gooey rot

there has been a lot of talk about 'tolerance' in the past few years. but if you honestly think about all the times you've heard it used, it really just means, 'don't you DARE disagree with ME!'
that's not tolerance; that's egomania.
but you may still be thinking, 'how could a loving God exclude anyone? how could a merciful God send anyone to Hell?' good question.
i don't claim to know all the details of how it works, but i know that God has STANDARDS and because He will never contradict himself, He justly enforces those standards.

here's an illustration:
not too long ago, i was making potato soup. i reached into my bag of potatoes to select those which needed to be used soon: the older, wrinklier, softer ones. well, one of those potatoes had a spot. a black and squishy spot, which had started permeating the whole potato.
so what did i do? did i say, 'oh well,' and throw the whole potato in my soup pot? NO! i knew that part of the potato wouldn't taste good, so i used my knife to cut out that spot, along with any part of the potato that might have been starting to turn brown. i even took a closer look at the potatoes that had been touching it, to be sure the rot hadn't spread across to them.
what kind of cook would i be if i'd left that nasty, rotting spot on the potato? and what kind of host would i be if i'd served it up to my guests?

our sins affect us like the gooey, black rot affects the potato. it grows, it eats away the good stuff, it turns everything around it into a stinking, gooey mess. God says, 'no gooey, black rot allowed in My presence!' and He sticks with His standards.
sadly, all of us, on our own, are full of gooey, black rot. and we're hopeless to fix ourselves. we're as good at fixing our sinfulness as a black, drippy, stinky potato is at becoming creamy white and solid again!
but thankfully, God also says, 'I'll save you!!!' and He sent His own CHILD to die on our behalf. all we have to do is admit our wrongness and accept His gift!
that is LOVING! that is MERCIFUL!
the question is not, 'how could a loving God send anyone to Hell?' that is like saying, 'how could God have integrity!?'
rather, the question is: 'how could you reject God's gift and CHOOSE to go to Hell?'

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

who gets the glory?

how do you feel about the following phrases?

'give God the glory'
'we were created for God'
'we will spend eternity praising God in heaven'
'live your life to please God'
'my purpose in life is to know God'

i admit that i used to secretly think heaven would be really boring if all we did was worship God!
i also remember one particular chapel sermon at wheaton college. the pastor made the point that we, as americans, want to glorify ourselves, not God. in fact, we think it's selfish of God to want our praise. we struggle with the thought of Him saying He's a jealous God (He says it in Exodus 20:5 and 34:14, to just name a couple places).
in fact, we live our lives as though 'it's all about ME!'
we want to be the center of attention... at all times.
we think, 'what about my purpose for ME? what about recognition for all the things I'VE done? isn't it normal and even good to be praised sometimes?'
how do YOU feel about spending your life on earth and in eternity with the purpose of glorifying God?

today, as i drove home from work, a song about being made for God came on the radio. here are some of the lyrics, speaking to God:

I was made to love You, I was made to find You
I was made just for You, made to adore You
I was made to love, and be loved by, You

You were here before me, You were waiting on me
and You said You'd keep me, never would You leave me
I was made to love, and be loved by, You

when God made us, He made us FOR HIMSELF. that wasn't selfish or egotistical of Him; He's GOD! if you went to ceramics class and made a pot, you wouldn't think it was selfish if you had made it for yourself. and you sure would hope it was useful enough to hold your soup! you made it. you're the creator, it's the dish! same with us. yes, we are more valuable than a ceramic bowl, but the Bible says God is the potter and we are the clay (Isaiah 64:8).
now, just for a minute, imagine yourself as a piece of clay in God's hands:

"Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker,
to him who is but a potsherd among the potsherds on the ground.
Does the clay say to the potter,
'What are you making?'
Does your work say,
'He has no hands!'"
Isaiah 45:9

now, just because you're a potsherd, a piece of clay, doesn't mean God doesn't care about you. it doesn't mean you don't have an important purpose. it doesn't mean humans weren't created specially, higher than any other part of creation.
but it does mean we must learn to see ourselves in perspective. it means we must be malleable to HIS purpose, not headstrong for ours. it means HE knows best, not you. it means HE is the only One deserving ANY praise!
here's my paraphrase of Psalm 139. notice how we are completely helpless under God's authority, but notice also how caring and loving towards us He is!

Lord, You know EVERYTHING about me: every movement I make.
You know every time I go to work, every time I sit down to watch t.v.
You see me singing in the kitchen, or packing in the basement.
While I'm still thinking of a sentence, You know what I'm about to say.
You are all around me, above me and below me;
     nothing can get to me that You don't allow.
I don't even have the power to remove myself from Your presence,
     because You are everywhere.
Even if I think I've shut off the light,
     You can see me like it's midday.
Even if I've hiked into the depths of a forest,
     You are there.
I am in Your hands.

You made every inch of me before I was born.
You started my heart 25 days after I was conceived.
In my 24th week of life in the womb, You gave me fingerprints.
HOW AMAZING!
You planned out every single day of my life before I even took my first breath!

God, I want to know You!
I can't even begin to understand Your mind!
Please stay with me;
     spare me from anyone who is evil.
I hate evil, but I want to hate it like You do;
     please open my heart and show me anything that displeases You.
If You find that I am on an evil path,
     show me the road that leads to You.

we are clearly 'the creaTION,' not 'the CreaTOR.' we don't have anything to be praised about, when it comes down to it! that is why, in the New Testament, Paul (who was born into high class, then studied hard to gain all sorts of credentials, and once he became a Christian was completely on fire for God, did miracles in His name, was inspired to write half the New Testament...) said this: "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord... I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own... but that which is through faith in Christ..." Philippians 3:8-9
according to the church of his day, Paul of all people could call himself righteous, having been the perfect example of a Jewish leader, but he called his own attempts at 'goodness' garbage, compared to what true righteousness is! he knew that whatever he had to offer on his own wouldn't cut it!
remember that ceramic pot i theorized that you might have made for yourself? it wouldn't matter how many bowls of soup you ate out of it, or how many times you were able to run it through the dishwasher without it cracking, it would NEVER be able to gain your debt. you would never logically be at the point when you should give your life for its sake. or even when you should have to pay for it. you made it, you still own it, and it still is expected to hold your food and go through the dishwasher, no questions asked! that's the position we are in compared to God.
He owes us nothing. we owe Him everything.
incredibly, even though He didn't have to, God chose to become a ceramic pot. He became a piece of clay named Jesus, so that He cold save us! even though He was the CreaTOR of all pots and didn't owe His creaTION anything, He chose to humble Himself and come to save us, because He loved us so much!!!
that is why, even when a Christian suffers because he carries Jesus' name, if he's called names or stoned or burned or beaten or has his family killed in front of him, he praises God. God gave the ultimate sacrifice to us and it compels us to live out every moment worshiping Him. it won't be boring to praise God forever in heaven; it is what we can't wait to do!!! "You see, just at the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly (that's us!). Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6-8) our attitude is usually, 'i ain't dyin for no one!' but maybe, just MAYBE, we could imagine jumping in front of traffic to save someone we are convinced deserves to be saved. but Jesus didn't do it that way; He died for everyone, WHILE WE WERE STILL UNDESERVING!
that is why Paul said, "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ..." Galatians 6:14a
and that is why, when Peter and some other Christians were found preaching about Jesus, and then FLOGGED for it, they "left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name." Acts 5:41
Jesus is the Name we praise. and he is the only One worth glorifying.
"For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord... For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay (that's our bodies) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 2 Corinthians 4:5-7
it's true that as believers in Jesus, we WILL be given crowns and recognition for the good choices that we've made here on earth, but in the end, we will be so in awe of God when we approach His throne, that I'm sure we will lay our crowns at His feet, following the example of His own heavenly beings. (1 Peter 5:4 & Revelation 4:10)
who is getting the glory in YOUR life?


Monday, September 17, 2012

all the frogs are boiling!

disturbing t.v. trend i've been noticing: networks subtly and slowly make changes to their shows' content to slowly desensitize us to things that are actually wrong - and it's working without the american public even realizing it!!!
if our values are frogs in pots of water, they are being heated to boiling under our very noses. and here we float, blissfully unaware of impending death.
it's already happened with modesty, especially on women. ever since the 70s (i wasn't around, but i've seen reruns of older shows and that's when i noticed the big rise in immodesty...), the networks have been slowly introducing shorter and shorter skirts, more and more cleavage, tighter and tighter outfits... and like i said in my last post, if we laugh at something that is supposed to be wrong, like a guy gawking at a woman's chest, we will no longer take the sin seriously. (see the post: laughter)
now, on regular primetime t.v., i consistently see bra advertisements that not only show a woman in a bra, but have her acting extremely seductively.
show after show portrays many or all the women in 'stylish,' form-fitting outfits, while men still wear normal, baggy outfits. (interestingly enough, the immodesty is starting to spread to men more too.)
then we arrive at the olympics. safe, right? WRONG! beach volleyball... are you serious!?? those women have on the tiniest bikinis known to man and we don't bat an eye. what has happened to our ability to sense impropriety? what has happened to our minds that immodesty doesn't even phase us?
the modesty frog in the proverbial pot has boiled to death without even knowing it.
and now, another pot is coming to a boil without us feeling the heat: the desensitizing of the american public to homosexuality.
americans have already fallen for the subtle push to believe that homosexuality is an inherited trait. according to my observations, this is how that happened: back in the 90s, scientists put out the word that they were searching for a 'gay gene.' that's all the news had to do to make the public believe that there WAS a gay gene: just label the suspected gene and report that scientists were looking for it. nothing came of it, and no gene was ever found, but the general belief among all americans i've talked to and overheard talking is that homosexuality is genetic. and that makes all the difference in their argument - if something is genetic, like race, how could anyone ever say that it's WRONG??! that's good logic, but the problem in this case is that homosexuality is NOT genetic. so the argument is based on a lie.
(the only genetic link is the same kind of link that they find with other problematic predispositions, like alcoholism or drug use or serial killing. many serial killers share particular genes, but there is no 'serial killing gene' and serial killing is still WRONG, even if someone is slightly more susceptible to the behavior based on their genes. if a man molested 5-year-olds, we'd put him in jail, even if he had some sort of genetic imbalance that predisposed him to the behavior. if a woman had the tendency to be addicted to heroin, we would try to help her stop because it's destructive and wrong behavior.)
so back to the ever-heating pot with the american public's values in it.
we used to have the 'token black guy' in different shows. he or she was there so that all races would be sure to be represented. kinda funny/odd/obvious, but GOOD. but now they're using the same tactic with homosexuality. this time, NOT good. the Bible clearly lists homosexuality as a SIN. it's NOT 'how you're born,' it's a wrong act, just like any other sin. it may be an extra-difficult one to overcome, like alcoholism or drug use or pedophilia, but it's still wrong. (for Bible references, in case you wonder, see the end of this post.)
for a few years now we've noticed that some of the competitive reality shows we watch, like CBS' Amazing Race or NBC's Celebrity Apprentice, repeatedly include a 'token' gay couple or a gay guy. slowly desensitizing us... causing us to get used to seeing their lifestyle portrayed - they kiss or discuss their 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend' or 'partner,' as the case may be. we are left thinking, 'lots of people must be gay, right??' and 'everyone thinks it's ok, right??!' we'd better get up to speed, lest we be seen as judgmental!
in 2009, an ABC show came out called Modern Family. even the title is a subtle message playing to the desire of all americans to be MODERN. we just couldn't stand being called 'out of date!!!' so, the message is that if you want to call yourself 'modern,' you'd better be perfectly happy with a gay couple in your family.
now a new and slightly more daring twist comes this year: a show called The New Normal. this NBC gem features a gay couple. the main story line, according to the ads, revolves around how they use a woman as the 'surrogate' parent to have a child. again, the title says it all to the american public: if you want to call yourself 'normal,' you'd better get with it and be ok with gay couples having children.
(you may be wondering why i think it's intentionally done by the media. well, here's one reason: americans have generally been more reactive and 'homo-phobic' about men, not women. guess what gender almost ALL of the homosexuals on these shows are? MEN.)
most americans won't even realize they are being indoctrinated and desensitized to these ideas. we like to think we've come to our beliefs all by ourselves! but when someone like me comes along and calls the act of homosexuality 'wrong' and 'a sin,' the arguments against me will go something like this: 'how dare you JUDGE them for being gay!? that's how they were born! it's NORMAL! stop holding onto those backwards beliefs, and start living in the MODERN WORLD!!'
americans are being fed these ideas and arguments by the media, without even realizing it. and it's not just immodesty and homosexuality, it's all sorts of things: disobedience to parents, adultery, and the list goes on.

how about you? 
are you listening to the Bible for your guidance, or are you slowly being convinced by the shows you watch to change your morals?
are your values on their way to being boiled to death?
or will you take notice and get out of the pot?



verses about homosexuality:
Leviticus 18:22 - the original command against homosexuality
Romans 1:26-27 - listed in the history of sin
1 Timothy 1:10
1 Corinthians 6:9 - in the list of sins which cause you to lose your rights to the kingdom of God... BUT as a Christian, it is possible to turn from ANY sin: 1 Corinthians 6:11 "... that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."