To trick or treat? (Christians and Halloween)
October 31, 2008
On the night of October 31, millions of Christians will lock their doors and turn off the lights to their front porches to make it appear as though they’re not home. Why? October 31 is Halloween or All Hallows Eve.
On the night of Halloween, millions of children will get dressed in costumes and go trick-or-treating from door to door in their neighborhoods, ‘begging’ for treats which usually come in the form of candy.
Christians tend to shy away from celebrating or appearing to celebrate Halloween mostly because of it’s association with paganism, citing Bible verses including, but not limited to Exodus 22:18 and Acts 8: 9-24.
By shunning Halloween altogether, Christians I believe, are missing out on the greatest opportunity ever to plant seeds of faith in the hearts of those who may never have another opportunity to find out about Jesus on their door steps!
In 2005, according to the National Confectioners Association, 80 percent of American adults gave out candy to trick-or-treaters who accounted for 93 percent of American children on the night of Halloween.
There is no other time of the year (not even Christmas) where you would find a more opportune moment to ‘treat’ them with the message of a loving Savior who came into this world to love, forgive and save.
Now, I’m not talking about hosting Church Seminars on your front lawns or putting up Ten Commandment posters on your front porches. Be creative! At your local Christian book store, you would find candy with the words ‘Jesus loves you’ and other niceties of the like printed on them.
Remember, you’re just planting a seed of faith; also known in the Christian vernacular as ‘fishing for men’. You’re doing the fishing, while allowing the Holy Spirit to clean the fish….catch the drift?
There is so much more to Halloween than witches, ghouls and ghosts; as a matter of fact, Christians should turn this holiday into their own good-over-evil Holy Ghost party night!
Resources
Fun Halloween ideas for Christians
Ten ideas for Halloween Costumes for Christians
Is Sarah Palin a modern day version of Queen Esther?
October 17, 2008
My response to a Bible.com email I received a couple minutes ago.
Good night,
I am writing to express my utter disappointment with the injection of Politics and subtle endorsement of a particular candidate by Bible.com by and through the article entitled “Is Sarah Palin a modern day version of Queen Esther”. I would only assume that a similar article would soon follow about Senator Barack Obama, the only practicing Christian who is running for the Presidency. I reckon, however, that that would not attenuate the inappropriateness of the Palin Article in the context of Bible.com.
Please understand that I am not writing this as a supporter of either candidate, I am writing, however, to express my disappointment that you are using your subscriber list (to which I belong) to further the cause of Sarah Palin who has on the most part exhibited the most un-Christian like behavior with a rhetoric that has been predominantly laced with negativity and deception.
That considered, I reject the notion that she is representative of “An American Version of Esther”. Sarah Palin, while I respect and admire her as a civilian, on the campaign trail, she has hardly exuded any qualities that would warrant a favorable comparison to Queen Esther, a woman of great virtue and infinitely remembered for the positive life that she led.
ARTICLE TO WHICH I RESPONDED…
In today’s troubling times, we encourage each believer to pray and seek the Lord as to the future of our country. We ask you to join us in prayerfully seeking God’s will concerning which candidates to support and that our elected officials will look to God in how to help our troubled nation.
As Christians seek to discern God’s will concerning the upcoming presidential election, many have been asking us: “Is Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska a modern day version of Israel’s Queen Esther? Could it be that she is the unlikely answer to the prayers of Christians all across America?” While Christians should ask such questions concerning all candidates, let’s consider Sarah Palin as a case in point.
Read the remainder of the article here
Akhenaton
mail@pharaohsprotege.com
Romeo and Juliet
October 10, 2008
I just got back from the Hartman Center for the Arts (Shakespeare Theatre Company) in Washington, D.C. I took my mom to see Romeo and Juliet. She had a blast; as a matter of fact, many a time she laughed out louder than I did. I was pleasantly surprised that she enjoyed it so much, that is considering that all of the actors were men (including the actor that played Juliet!).
Juliet’s role has often been said to be one of the greatest parts that was ever written for a woman. Her role, however, like all of Shakespeare’s female roles, was actually written for a man. To add some historical context, women were not allowed to act on stage in England until around 1670.
In the play, there were comedic moments, while at the same time, there was an equal amount of drama and the solemn which left for a satisfactory balance to the delight of what was an appreciative audience.
I would most certainly recommend this play to anyone including, but not limited to the theatre enthusiast. Click here for more information about Romeo and Juliet, playing at the Harman Center for the Arts (Shakespeare Theatre Company) in Washington, DC.
Akhenaton
mail@pharaohsprotege.com
How deep the Father’s love for us
October 9, 2008
Tim and Katina singing ‘How deep the Father’s love for us’ at New Hope Church in Fulton, MD. Click here to download the sermons and daily messages for the 40 Days of Loving Series hosted by New Hope to your iPhone or iPod from iTunes.
Book review- For men only
October 6, 2008
For men only by Shaunti and Jeff Feldahn
I finally got to the last page of For men only: a straightforward guide to the inner lives of women a few days ago. The writing style of the authors, I have to say, left much to be desired; suffice to say, I found the book at many times to be a potent sleep aid.
Albeit being loaded with information about the expectations of the fairer sex (among other things), For men only often times painted too unrealistic a picture. One gentleman in his review asserted that it put too great an onus on men; too high an expectancy level. I do not fully disagree with that.
Upon conclusion, I personally found For men only to be yet another classic example of societal boxed-thinking notions (and a few misnomers) about what men and women want, expect, think, should want, should expect or should think.
In the final analysis, I give the Feldahns credit for their collating and binding between two book covers some great insight about women, however they offered hardly anything that is revolutionary. I would, however, recommend it to anyone who is absolutely clueless about women, including, and possibly limited to the Feral young man who is new to the dating scene.
Akhenaton
mail@pharaohsprotege.com
Why I support Senator Obama…
October 6, 2008
INTERVIEW ADAPTED FROM friendsforobma.aorg
Akhenaton is one of the founders of F∙R∙I∙E∙N∙D∙S for Obama. He is a practicing Christian and is active at his local church, is an advocate against Genocide in Darfur and volunteers at a Homeless Shelter in Washington, DC. He is an Independent who supports Senator Obama.
Q. You seem to be very enthusiastic about the prospects of Senator Barack Obama being elected to the Office of President of the United States of America. Why Senator Obama?
A. I actually live just about 8 miles away from the White House. The White House however, seems to be more than a million miles away. A million philosophical miles, that is. Under the Bush Administration, Big Oil made approximately $525 billion in profits while at the same time, home foreclosures rose by as much as 45 percent, wages declined by nearly $1,700 and the number of Americans without Health Insurance increased by 6 million. This Election year, President Bush has a proposed protégé in the name of Senator John McCain who on the most part has committed to continuing his disastrous policies. That is why I support Senator Obama over Senator McCain for the Office of President of the United States of America,
Q. Senator Obama’s has run his campaign on a platform of ‘hope’ and ‘change’. How does that resonate with you?
A. As a man of faith, it is not hard for me to identify with that message. I can sum up Senator Obama’s message of the ‘Audacity of Hope’ and ‘Change we can Believe in’ with one word: faith. I find in Senator Obama’s message a striking parallel to the Christian message which is that with faith (which is the audacity of Hope), anything is possible. If ordinary citizens believe that change is possible and are proactive about it, change can happen! I think that it is important to realize that Sen. Obama cannot affect change in Washington without the grassroots support from ordinary people who are proactive believers. Blacks were afforded the right to vote because of change they believed in, women were afforded the right to vote because of change they believed in, on the most part, the United States sees beyond Senator Obama’s skin color because of the change that Martin Luther King, Jr. believed in. The United States can make a turn for the better with the change that Senator Obama is offering (that we can believe in).
Q. What type of change is Senator Obama proposing that you support?
A. Congressional Republicans and Democrats alike have received more than $182 million from Big Oil since the 1990s. Senator Obama has acknowledged that corruption has plagued both parties and has pledged to reverse this trend, starting with his campaign for the presidency and more recently, the Democratic Party by not accept money from corporate lobbyists. Lobbyists continue to write national policies and have been largely responsible for many Congressional terms that have yielded little successes in the favor of the American people. Senator Obama has done more than any other candidate in the race for the Presidency to take on Lobbyists (and has won). That is the change in Washington that I am most anxious about.
F.R.I.E.N.D.S for Obama is a grassroots movement working to elect Senator Barack Obama to the Office of President of the United States of America. Each member has committed to recruiting their friends, who will recruit their friends and their friends recruit other friends to the movement that will help change the United States of America for the better by electing Senator Obama. For more information about F.R.IE.N.D.S for Obama, visit www.friendsforobama.org. To join this movement, send an email to join@friendsforobama.org.
Post VP Debate Message
October 5, 2008
WRITTEN FOR F.R.I.E.N.D.S for Obama
I am writing this because I am confident that after watching the October 2nd Vice Presidential Debate, you are now convinced that the Obama-Biden ticket is the best choice for CHANGE and REFORM in Washington. Change from and Reform for the failed policies of the Bush Administration that the McCain-Palin Team are fighting to continue over the next four years.
I invite you to find out why ordinary people like you and I are supporting Senators Obama and Biden such as Nijel who is only 7 years old or Delamae, a single mom and school-teacher or Andre who is passionate about Civil Rights in his Community and Michael, an acrosport athlete in Maryland or Beverly, a stay-at-home mom of two.
I am writing this now because of what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called “the fierce urgency of now” and because it will take YOU AND I to be the catalyst for the substantive, realistic and sensible CHANGE AND REFORM that Senator Obama is advocating.
In the key ‘battleground States’, Senator Obama is leading, but as you know, the only poll that would matter is the November 4th Poll. What you and I do between now and then would greatly impact our future and that of our loved ones.
Below are some helpful resources that would help put us (YES US!) on the path to victory and to a better future for ourselves, our friends and our family on November 04, 2008
REGISTER to Vote: www.voteforchange.com
Know your State Voter Registration DEADLINE: Click here
CONTACT your local Secretary of State: Click here
FIND Campaign Events or VOLUNTEER in your area: Click here
DONATE to the Obama Campaign: Click here
