52 Paths to Heaven

I’ll be the first to admit that some family sites sometimes make movies seem worse than they are on screen.

I saw the new Hulk movie the other day and didn’t even recall the women with low-cut tops and short shorts. Maybe they were on the screen for a second - in the background.

But I have to give these sites credit - they often do provide an honest assessment of the vulgar language, sexuality, gore, etc. Many of their observations are dead on.

Before deciding on a movie, check out  a few of these resources. For example, Mike Myers and Adam Sandler have some so-called comedies out this summer. The problem is that they’re loaded with sexual jokes and sight gags. Do I really want to go to a movie with my 12-year-old son Eric (or let him go to the movies with his friends) just so he can see people cheapen and mock sexuality and intimacy?

I read and paraphrased the entire description of one movie for Eric. I think he finally got the point.

The problem is that youth don’t use enough discretion. So I have to be, well, a parent. I’m sorry he’s embarrased to tell his friends he can’t go. Well, maybe I’m not really sorry. I keep telling him to let them know he doesn’t want to see it - that would be a more mature way to address the issue.

Anyway, here is a handy list. Check out a couple before drawing conclusions. In some cases, take in a movie first and then act like a responsible parent before allowing your children to see what Hollywood suggests they view.

Focus on the Family’s Plugged In
www.pluggedinonline.com/

Kids-In-Mind
www.kids-in-mind.com

Christian Spotlight on Entertainment
http://www.christiananswers.net/spotlight/home.html

ChristianityTodayMovies.com
www.christianitytoday.com/movies

Screen It
www.screenit.com

Parent Previews
http://www.parentpreviews.com

As my book points out, one of our paths to heaven may be a scene from a movie that touches our heart. You still need to be careful about your selections.

Did you see that extremely short, sexy outfit Carrie Underwood recently wore on “American Idol?” I hope not.

What a disgrace.

Another beautiful woman sells out to the music industry - so much for young people who may look up to her. Why can’t a superstar accept responsibility for how he or she comes across?

And now her single “Last Name” is doing real well. In the song, the character has some kind of fling with a guy - didn’t even recall his last name. If you’re going to party on a dance floor with a guy, I guess it might make sense to get his last name. But hey, maybe that’s not the standard.

In Romans 12:2, the Lord used Paul to remind is that we’re not to “conform any longer to the pattern of this world.” God’s will for us is to be like His son, Jesus.

Instead, we go after our lusts.

Life for us is about us. Jesus takes a back seat.

Oddly, Carrie also sings the popular “Jesus, Take the Wheel.” I never cared much for the melody of that song, but I love the message about yielding control.

All I can do is shake my head.

In her concerts, does Carrie sing about “Jesus” right before or right after her new “Last Name” song?

As she “matures” in her career, will Carrie act like an idol worthy of some praise or will she become some kind of sexualized country icon who favors sleazy outfits and strutting over some reasonable level of modesty?

Lord, please surround Carrie with people who will mentor her with your wisdom…

The news media is having a field day with New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer who may have been involved in a prostitution ring. It’s a pertinent news story given how he has come down hard on prostitition in the past. In fact, Spitzer is known for crusading against all sorts of crime.

But there he was yesterday - with his wife at his side - talking about a personal indiscretion. Hmmm. Wonder what that might be?

I felt bad for his wife, Silda. I respect her choice to stand by her man. Any temptation to be critical of her should be supressed.

A man, especially a married man, should keep his private parts to himself. Sometimes, I guess men sleep with hookers because they’re tired or lonely. They don’t necessarily walk away with incurable diseases.

But some people - I guess it’s too soon to say Spitzer - think they’re above the law. Or, they deal with stress in unusual ways. But when we sin, we need to own up to it.

I guess he hasn’t resigned (not because he didn’t do anything bad) because he’s waiting to cut a deal. I can’t blame him. But give it a few days. Why drag it on and continue to embarrass his wife? It’s like knocking a kid against a wall and showing up to chair a PTA meeting the same night even if everyone learns about the abuse.

If he did it - hired a prostitute and made arrangments to get her to cross state lines - he needs to go public with his admission, resign and move on to something better. I hope he’ll go on TV shows and maybe even write a book about his horrific lapse or lapses. Talk to young people about sexual responsibility, commitment, vows, crime, forgiveness.

Be human.

When someone that public goes that wrong, the public can benefit from the way he presents himself in the aftermath.

Sin can be forgiven through a relationship with Jesus, but sin has consequences.

I’m eager to see how he deals with his mess and confronts the public. We deserve to see him do something good with something so foolish - if he did anything at all. In his next news conference maybe he could be more honest. And maybe he’ll be a man and stand alone while his wife holds hands and welcomes hugs from friends - away from the cameras.

It’s probably a good thing that we have such intense debates about capital punishment. Our humanity may be lacking if it were easy to kill someone for killing someone else.

The Bible isn’t clear about when it’s OK to apply capital punishment. In Genesis 9:6, God pretty much sounds like it’s OK to repay blood for blood. And in Romans 13:1-7, we’re pretty much told to honor government and authorities.

Ex-cop Bobby Cutts Jr. made the national press for killing his wife and unborn baby. In the end, the jury decided to spare his life and allow for a lengthy prison sentence. Personally, I think he deserves to die. We’re not talking about a vehicular accident. He took his rage out against her and the child.

When does mercy apply? After all, in John 8:7 Jesus is all for sparing a woman caught in adultry (not sure where her spouse is). The jury had more mercy than I have to offer. I guess I’d have more mercy if Cutts was on the phone admitting his mistake seconds or minutes after his attack. Instead, he allowed days to lapse while pretending he didn’t do it.

Cutts is an enemy of society. Killing him is no worse than killing an opponent on the battle field. His horrific actions have consequences. One day God will deal with Cutts for all of eternity. Maybe I’ll hang out with him in heaven.

It’s a shame that I had to turn off a DVD the other day with puppets…

Jeff Dunham, an amazing ventriloquist, ruined our family evening with his crass humor. He had such a memorable act with some occasional PG humor. Sexual overtones weren’t necessary, but they were few and far between - sometimes over our kids’ heads (not always).

I’m kicking myself for not turning it off sooner when he brought out his new super hero puppet. In real life, the pervert would be in jail.

I finally did stop the DVD - enough jokes about the character’s nose looking like…

I gave up on comedy clubs long ago - way too smutty and cruel. You should see how far down the sewer Carrot Top went in just a few short years.

Few things are safe anymore…I have to work on my judgment skills - even with puppets. What a waste of good talent.

The Golf Channel did the right thing recently by suspending anchor Kelly Tilghman for her stupid lynching remark about Tiger Woods.

Apaprently, Tilghman and Woods are friends, but that doesn’t excuse lousy judgment in front of scores of viewers. But was the comment racist?

It all came down this this: Anchor Nick Faldo and Tilghman were talking about up and coming players who could compete with Woods. Faldo set the stage with his comment that “maybe they should just gang up for a while” against Woods.

“Lynch him in a back alley,” Tilghman replied.

Ouch.

Would she have said that is Woods was white - probably not.|

But does it mean she’s racist because the concept of lynching, black people, Woods and “clever” thinking filled her mind? I’m not sure what racist things I’ve said or suggested, but I know I’ve run my mouth and said some really, really dumb things. The difference is I’m not on TV.

Is she secretly racist? I doubt it, unless it’s a conditioning thing some people can’t avoid - the old “which side of the street would you walk on if you saw white people and black people approaching you on different sides?” I’d like to think I’d choose the side where people look like less of a threat. In my book, on any given day three white men in suits beat three black people with sunglasses, dark hooded jackets and pants dropping to their knees.

Oops…did I just say “beat?” I didn’t mean strike as in beat up.

I think the “lynch” reference is just tied to something under the surface for her. In the public arena, people like her need more training for stupidity, which would also help with the racist overtones that may be other things but not racist.

Why do people assume God checked out or never existed in the first place just because of a natural disaster or a school campus shooting?

Sure, He made the world and maybe He knew hurricanes would kill people. But who can say the weather patterns weren’t different before sin? And earth is supposed to be temporary anyway. On the crime front, the last time I knew God didn’t pull the trigger.

Despite the ugly aspects of our world, God is very much in charge. And He has a way of comforting us - if we’re willing to let him. Simply asking, “God, I need your help” may not be enough - though He’s known to respond in different ways.  We’d be better off saying, “I need you.” It’s not His help we need in the middle of a crisis as much as the relationship He longs for us to embrace.

Have you?

Babies, young kids, and others like mentally or handicapped people will go to heaven without having one of those born again moments we think about.

Most people are going to hell. Most people won’t get the fact that Christianity requires a denial of self, a turning away from sin and a love of Jesus - accepting His sacrifice for sin. It’s a simple prescription for heaven. But Matthew 7:13 says most people will miss it:

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

We want to hope for the best, think about God and His mercy and the fact that He’s loving. The fact is, He gave us a free will. Our sin makes us His enemy. And He’s all about justice. We’ll face the punishment of eternal separation from God for a single sin.

It should sound scary. And yet, don’t most people remain apathetic about their souls and fate? They do because they live the self-deception - literally. They’re so focused on themselves that they don’t think God will send them to hell. He will. He must.

I could care less of the Freedom from Religion Foundation is upset that Wisconsin lawmakers decided to call a Capitol rotunda tree a Christmas tree. I guess someone started calling it a holiday tree years ago (for some pathethic reason).

Maybe some non-Christian could be offended that public lawmakers call it a Christmas tree. Be offended. It’s a Christmas tree - the kind of lights, a star, gifts underneath and all of that.

Don’t celebrate Christman? That’s your choice. No one forces you to be a Christian. I’m sure many people exchange gifts on Christmas Day that aren’t Christians. Actually, I think that’s kind of funny.

Why don’t lawmakers decorate the the rotunda with Jewish, Muslim and Wicca symbols? Because not enough people care. People identify with Christmas. Those who feel put out can spend their time complaining in their private group meetings so no one has to be offended by their dispute.

Lawmakers represent the majority. If most people are annoyed with the Christmas tree name, they can voice their opinion at the polls. Somehow, I think the majority (vast majority) won;’t.

I’m impressed that my son has picked up a concept I touch on in the book. It’s about how we seem to forget that you don’t need to see something to believe it’s real. He’s challenging his teacher and students to realize that’s what faith is - not seeing but knowing something is real.

Scientists amaze me with their knowledge and discoveries. But like some scientists, many people grow frustrated when they can’t prove something exists. Therefore, it must not be real, right? Wrong. We can’t see gravity, but we respect its presence. We can’t see God, but we still have faith in Him. He’s more real to us than He needs to be - in that soft, still voice we hear in our minds and in our hearts, in an embrace of a friend or a stranger, in nature, in circumstances and in His Word.

Can’t see Jesus? Set aside your pride and His presence will be clear enough.