Inside this week’s issue
Heavy topics
• Everybody loves Raymond—and Barack
• Bible banned at school during “Religious Freedom Day”
• Keith Drury: What’s wrong with the church?
• The weight adventure: week 3
Light touch
• Barbie turns big 5-0: exclusive interview
• Do guys really think about sex every seven seconds?
• Top ten Super Bowl commercials
• “Writing with Humor” at Taylor University
• Best late-night lines of the week
Everybody loves Raymond—and Barack
To paraphrase the hit CBS sitcom from a few seasons back, “Everybody Loves Barack.” (According to Gallup polls, the brand-new president has a 68 percent approval rating his first week in office. Only John F. Kennedy has had higher.) And that concerns me!
1. The media loves Barack
A late-night comic quipped that MSNBC was the “Obama for President Headquarters.” The media is supposed to be a suspicious, cynical group of curmudgeons—and it performed its role with great enthusiasm during the George Bush administration. The media has traditionally been the fourth “checks and balances” component in government, but the unabashed gushing over the new president concerns me.
2. Congress loves Barack
I can’t believe that Obama’s choice for Treasury Secretary, Timothy F. Geithner, failed to pay more than $34,000 in federal taxes over several years while facing questions about the employment papers of a former household employee—and is still being considered by the Senate panel! Whether it was intentional or an honest oversight, it still seems grounds for disqualification, and that concerns me.
3. Pro-abortionists love Barack
The new president is probably the most anti-life president with his support for abortion, partial-birth-abortion and embryonic stem cell research. Here are my grave concerns.
4. Gay rights activists love Barack
And the new president apparently loves them. On the official White House Web site (www.whitehouse.gov), there are several items listed under “Support for the GLBT Community” including adding sexual orientaton as employment discrimination and expansion of hate-crime legislation. Conservative church gorups and Christian organizations are concerned that they would a) have to hire openly gay people for ministry positions and b) that speaking out against what they believe is immoral behavior would be considered a hate crime. (Click for my thoughts on hate crimes.)
5. Church leaders love Barack
It’s not suprising that so-called “liberal” church leaders love Barack, but “conservative” Rick Warren has walked through the moral mine field of hosting both Obama and John McCain at his church, inviting Obama to his AIDS summit, and praying at the inauguration, while still voicing disagreement with Obama’s pro-abortion stance. The suspicious, cynical journalist in me suspects Rick Warren is being used by Obama simply to appeal to Christian conservatives, just as Republicans have used them in the past.
6. The world loves Barack
I do appreciate Obama’s less confrontational and combative tone when it comes to international relations. Christians are taught to pray for peace. But in my darker moments—God forgive me—I think He’d make a great anti-Christ.
7. I love Barack
Barack Obama is charming, witty, gracious, thoughtful and articulate. I really love him as a person. But I’m deeply concerned when anyone is so likable. (Okay, there’s that cynical, suspicious curmudgeon journalist in me coming out again.) I’ve met too many likable people who turned into monsters when they finally married the girl, took over power, or some crisis revealed the real person beneath the facade. (I hope his recent snub of Republican legislators with, “I won,” doesn’t confirm my concerns.)
Barack Obama took office in what resembled a Woodstock love-in, but love can be blind! So, I pray for the new president—and the media, the congress, the church and ordinary citizens.
Bible banned at school during “Religious Freedom
Day”
Can you say ironic?
According to ChristianPost.com, “A Southwest Florida man who in past years has been allowed to distribute free Bibles to high school students on Religious Freedom Day was turned down this year by the district’s superintendent.” The article didn’t say if Korans or other religious material were banned as well.
Keith Drury: What’s wrong with the church?
The always insightful—and occasionally inciteful—Keith Drury lists nine things he feels are wrong with today’s church. I’ve got to agree with all nine! Plus, he asks, “Might Barak Obama help deliver Evangelicals from a tendency toward civil religion?”
• What’s wrong with the church?
• The blessing of Barack
The weight adventure: week 3
Inspired by The Biggest Loser, my daughter and I are competing with a group of Facebook friends to shed some weight, so to be accountable, I’ll be posting my percentages each week. This week—sound of scale beeping, dramatic pause, closeup of Jim gasping—+1.5 percent! Below the yellow line and back on the treadmill.
Barbie turns big 5-0
Fifty years ago this coming March, Barbie Millicent Roberts emerged from her bright pink box to become the most popular—and at times controversial—doll in the civilized world.
But this investigative humor columnist has discovered gloom beneath the glamour of Mattel’s money-making miss.
Wearing faded jeans and a T-shirt, Barbie confided, “I’m just so tired of being dolled up all the time. The whole Barbie image is just so plastic.”
Cindy Crawford downs a Diet Pepsi in classic Super Bowl ad
Do guys really think about sex every seven seconds?
Where do women get these ideas?! Probably the same source that tells them if they turn the thermostat to 90 the room will heat faster. Or maybe it’s from watching Super Bowl ads. (See pic above and text below.)
According to the folks at snopes.com, the “seven-second rule is pure fiction.” Alfred Kinsey’s research revealed 97% of men thought about sex between a few times a day and a few times per month, with 54% falling into the daily category.
• The scoop at snopes
• Love, marriage and incredible sex (my “adult” site for adults)
Top ten Super Bowl commercials
Guys probably think about sports more than sex—if you believe the Super Bowl hype. Me? I watch it for the commercials. So, if you’re like me—and that’s a frightening prospect—here are . . .
• ESPN’s top ten picks
• Metromix’s top ten
• MSNBC’s top ten
Writing with Humor at Taylor University
I’ll be teaching a course on “Writing with Humor” at Taylor University Fort Wayne Saturdays February 14, March 14, April 18 and May 9. Click for syllabus; call 800.233.3922 for details and registration.
Best late-night lines of the week
Craig Ferguson
• Oscar nominations came out today. “Benjamin Button” got 13. That’s as many as people who have actually seen the movie.
Jimmy Kimmel
• After 10 inaugural balls, Obama was up and in the office at 8:30 this morning, and then he went to church. Is it a good sign that after one hour of being president he decided the best thing he could do for the country was pray?
Jay Leno
• Barack Obama said his first act as president will be to pardon Aretha Franklin’s hat.
David Letterman
• In “Top Ten Signs Obama’s Getting Nervous,” 4. Offered Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, $100,000 to buy his old Senate seat back.
John Stewart
• ChangeFest 2009: There’s no change! video
Final touches
Thought for the week
If people are kicking you in the behind, at least you’re in front of them. Billy Graham
• Click for more encouraging quips and quotes.
More light touches
• Church humor from Rev.
• The Dredge Report (Humor page)
• Top ten lists
Have a great weekl! (And come back next Monday for more “heavy topics with a light touch.”)
5 Comments
January 26, 2009 at 7:07 am
Too likeable? I suppose all this silver hair is evidence I’ve lived a long time. I’ve lived meeting many charmers who never delivered on anything they promised.
You wrote: “7. I love Barack
Barack Obama is charming, witty, gracious, thoughtful and articulate. I really love him as a person. But I’m deeply concerned when anyone is so likable. (Okay, there’s that cynical, suspicious curmudgeon journalist in me coming out again.) I’ve met too many likable people who turned into monsters when they finally married the girl, took over power, or some crisis revealed the real person beneath the facade. (I hope his recent snub of Republican legislators with, “I won,” doesn’t confirm my concerns.)
Barack Obama took office in what resembled a Woodstock love-in, but love can be blind! So, I pray for the new president—and the media, the congress, the church and ordinary citizens.”
I am praying for us all. Saturday morning I met with a group of Christian business people who ADORED Obama. Every illustration pointed his successful campaign as a role model for each of us. Later I was with a group who were mourning new legislature by Obama and right to life. Everything about Obama was evil and bitterness and fear dripped off every statement about him.
All these folks are model saints. I prayed, “Lord, so many voices and opinions are filling my hearing. Please show me what You see and what is my prayer and response to this time in my nation?” I’m still listening to Heaven; and I’m trying to buffer all the other heated conversations bombarding me with conflicting messages.
January 26, 2009 at 9:38 am
Jim: regarding “Everybody Loves Raymond and Obama”:
My husband and I heard Obama speak at a “town meeting” before he even decided to run for pres. He had quick answers for every question. He was too smooth, too witty, too charming. Hmmm…
I was reading today in Matthew 22 where Jesus told us to give to the government that which is due it, and to God what’s due Him (my paraphrase). When we adore a person, no matter how charming they seem, we are giving them the honor only due to our Creator and Lord.
Although this mass idolatry is reason for concern, we must not let our hearts be afraid. God knew this was going to happen before He crafted the universe. I am not a Calvinist, but I do believe He is in charge, and He will help us. If we humble ourselves. And if we pray.
Our call is to ask and believe that God will turn Mr. Obama’s little bitty heart in His enormous, loving hand (Prov. 21:1).
When we look to man for answers, we fall into a pit of deception. When we look to the God of all wisdom, our hearts can have peace. This isn’t idealism. It is what King David, the prophet Daniel and Jesus all employed when they were surrounded by hostile enemies.
I always entreat God to spare our nation from ruin because the Gospel is funded worldwide by generous Americans. “Have pity on us, Lord! Do not allow the light of your Word to be snuffed out because of our stupidity!”
May our God bring change to this nation, HIS brand of change!
January 27, 2009 at 12:55 pm
In light of sections 2 and 7 of “Everybody Loves Raymond – and Barak” I’d like to add the following.
As my wife, Jeanette, said in her comment, we did see Barak in Paris, Illinois on 15 August 2006. This was in a gathering of around 100 people or maybe less. While he was talking everything seemed so plausible. Then I got home and started to think about it, and my reaction was NO, NO! The rhetoric only lasted as long as his presence.
Both candidates in the recent election talked about reaching the hand across the aisle. In only one week this president has done exactly that in shutting down the prison at Guantanamo Bay, starting up stem-cell research, starting up international abortion spending. The hand went not to our hand to get us to co-operate, but to slap our face and tweak our nose.
The decision with regard to Guantanamo Bay shows a lack of interest in justice, and the abortion related decisions show a reckless faithfulness to body rights of women. As many have pointed out, if a woman has a right to do this, then why doesn’t she have a right to use cocaine, meth and other drugs? How could any law ever be enforced which involved the use of a person’s body. There is an inconsistency here. It’s not that I’m calling for allowed usage of such drugs, but for the conservative consistency of setting limits.
In President Clinton’s time in office he could have covered a multitude of disagreeable political policies by signing the partial birth abortion ban, but he had to prove to himself and the world that he was a thorough-going liberal in every way. Mr. Obama didn’t wait so long.
In signing these things Mr. Obama did with a single stroke of the pen what a conservative president would have to go to congress to get approval. This is not an imperial presidency, but AN IMPERIAL PRESIDENCY. Where are the checks and balances of congress? Why are they letting these things pass unchallenged? Haven’t they read John Locke’s Essays on Government, Montesquieu’s Spirit of the Laws or even the Federalist Papers? What we have now is not what Madison, Hamilton and Jay envisioned.
January 27, 2009 at 10:02 pm
I don’t love Barack Obama, I leave that to his family, but I am quite happy with him as president. I voted for him in February and in November, and have no regrets. I agree that adulation of any person, much less outright adoration, is wrong. There are some who adore the man. I suspect they are the most likely to turn on him when they don’t find exactly what they want in him. To his credit, he has not sought that kind of attention. I have worked with people who started to do a great deal of good, but poisoned it all by demanding honor and glory and adoration. It taught me in practical terms why we give all the glory to God — God is the only one who can handle it. To a human, glory is as corrosive to the soul as nitric acid is to the body.
I think the message behind Obama’s invitations to and from Rich Warren is, this man, what he teaches, those who look to him for spiritual leadership, are part of America. We don’t all have to appreciate or agree with him, but he has a place at the table. Since we are not all going to agree on much, that is important to what unity we can have as a nation. We don’t have a common spiritual doctrine, but spiritual principles and practices are an important component of who we are.
As to abortion and gay rights, I consider these rather MINOR issues, in both the positive and the negative. I don’t much care to push them or stop them. I can find gaping holes in the reasoning of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts, and I voted against a marriage amendment to my state’s constitution, since our supreme court was not following the lead of Massachusetts. I am firmly pro-choice, and I make the distinction that John Andersen made 28 years ago between pro-choice and pro-abortion. I believe the decision should be made by the parents, not by the state, and if the parents are not married, the father should not bewail the mother’s decision, he should have been more careful to be in a covenant relation with her before sowing his seed. There is a moving passage in The Audacity of Hope concerning a pro-life acquaintance who wrote to Obama in 2004, to say he might vote for Barack, despite differences on abortion, but he objected to the language of Obama’s senate election web site. Obama replaced the boilerplate language with something more nuanced, without pretending that he favors restoring criminal penalties.
The day may come when the Roman Catholic church, Focus on the Family, and Liberty Counsel, will have cause to thank God for Roe v. Wade. Think if a government came to power which advocated MANDATORY abortions in some circumstances… but that would be unconstitutional, wouldn’t it? We also have a firm secular protection from discrimination laws being applied to force churches to hire homosexuals. It is called the First Amendment. Congress shall make no law… prohibiting the free exercise of religion. For matters of faith and doctrine internal to the church, its hands off, whether Lambda likes it or not.
The press should analyze critically, but for now, we have a president who, in the words of Joe Klein, won an election without insulting the intelligence of the American voter. That’s worthy of some positive coverage. I’m not worried about any Anti-Christ. I’m convinced by the argument that the Revelation concerned Emperor Nero (666 is Nero’s number), not events 2000 years later. Otherwise, John’s letters warn of anti-christs, not The Anti-Christ.
January 29, 2009 at 6:48 pm
I like Everybody loves Raymond (and why not) and I like Obama. However, he is still on his “honeymoon” with everyone, especially the press. Time will tell *and he is young enough, to do well!!!