NC Passes Animal Safety Bill to Balance Liberal Backlash Over House Bill 2

In an unprecedented move, North Carolina legislators have passed a groundbreaking bill to require the use of safety restraints for all animals riding in vehicles. The bill was passed late last night and is thought to be a measure used to pacify the liberal outcry over controversial House Bill 2. The office of one NC legislator issued a statement saying "It just made sense. The liberal agenda needed a win of some sort after such a loss. Since more conservatives eat animals rather than transport them, it was no great loss for us." The Animal Safety Bill (AS 9) will also undoubtedly create jobs as there are so few vehicle safety restraints on the market today. There will need to be safety restraints for so many types of animals that it could create an initial problem. When asked about how animal lovers will get their beloved pets to the veterinarian until such time as they are created, one representative stated, "We are asking veterinarians to be considerate of this and make house calls. That's what some of them do on the TV. Either that, or rig some restraints of their own." The representative declined further comments. One concern this raises is whether or not farm animals are counted among this group. If so, farmers will have to get on board quickly or risk losing much of their livestock. Some farmers have stated one way around this possible roadblock is to ship or fly livestock, which is not regulated by the AS 9. Many changes may be coming about due to AS 9. One might even say they could see the day coming when pigs fly.

Bruno and People

Read this movie review of Bruno. It is less of an actual movie review and more of a social commentary. It is a fascinating look at the writer's view of sociology.



www.slashfilm.com/2009/07/06/bruno-movie-review

Questions for Personal Spiritual Reflection

Fellowship
• Am I gathering with other believers regularly?
• Do I have a desire to gather with other believers regularly?
• What Scriptures inform me about getting together with other believers?
• What should my motivation be in gathering?
• How does this motivation relate to the gospel?

Evangelism
• Am I doing things to engage unbelievers?
• Is there something I could do better to engage unbelievers?
• What have I done in the past month to show the gospel to unbelievers?
• Am I delivering a clear understanding of the gospel?
• Does my life lived before them match the message that I bring?
• What Scriptures inform me about giving the gospel to unbelievers?
• Am I so loving God’s gospel that it is easily seen in me?

Listening to God
• On a scale of 1 to 100, how would I rate my obedience in the past week?
• What does Scripture say about my obedience and my salvation?
• Am I seeing the gospel as my motivation for obedience?
• What specific things should I be repentant about?
• How familiar am I with Scriptures that motivate my obedience?
• Am I resting in my faith in the gospel?

Speaking to God
• When was the last time God heard from me?
• When was the last time I thanked God and didn’t ask for anything?
• Does my belief in God’s sovereignty prevent me from praying as I should?
• What Scriptures inform me about what prayer should look like?
• How does the gospel relate to prayer?

Teaching the Body

So, I'm trying to consider if the areas a church body should be taught in regularly. For example, it is important for the body to be reminded of Christ's divinity. What things do you think a church should make sure are taught? Maybe you have one or two things, or maybe you have a list. Should we pull the categories from a systematic theology book? Respond in the comments section with your thoughts. Also, it would be helpful if you talked about why you found the things you mentioned important.

Idle Worship Is Idol Worship

Ever sing along at church with your lips mouthing words your heart and mind don't follow? I find myself doing that and realize mid-sentence that I'm not thinking about the words; and sometimes don't even feel the joy expressed in them. Part of that is due to the bundle of joy I call my daughter, but part of it is a lack of desire on my part. So, why do I mouth the words? Largely it is because I feel I am supposed to do it, which makes my "sacrifice of praise" no better than the literal sacrifices the Israelites brought before God without a love for Him. It makes me think of this passage: "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!" Revelation 3:15 In some way, all of sin is a type of idolatry - loving God less than something else. In my particular case, it is mouthing along to praise songs because I want to say I did it well, or to help our little church sound decent in volume, or something else. And in doing so, I have done what God asks for reasons He asked me not to. My idle worship is idol worship. What would be better is for me to listen to the songs and reflect on them, or to pray as others sing. Our God deserves no less.

"Fight Club" and Your Bible

So, I know my church is weird. That is, we are weird compared to those around us. For example, my friend has a ministry where he interacts with culture (books, movies, TV shows, etc.) and compares them with what Scripture says. He is going to be doing this with the movie "Fight Club." And in an attempt to reach out to those around me I invited a guy who I happen to know likes movies a lot. I was upfront with him because I didn't want to tell him it was just a movie and shock him with the Bible portion afterward. He looked at me with the strangest look. It was like I asked if he wanted to join a cult. It was that look that I usually fear so much that I don't share the gospel. He later said he thought it was a "good joke." Another guy in the room had me repeat myself because he couldn't understand how we could put "Fight Club" and the Bible in the same sentence. I later thought, you know the Bible has some pretty gruesome stuff in it. Just this week my pastor mentioned that some portions "were not for public reading." In fact, "Fight Club" seems pretty tame compared to the Bible. In truth, God's history of redemption makes "Fight Club" seem comparatively like a children's story. Think of 1 Kings 18 where Elijah taunts the prophets of Baal as they cut themselves in a frenzy or John the Baptist who has his head cut off and displayed at a banquet or Judges 19 where a woman is raped, left for dead, and eventually cut into 12 pieces and mailed to the tribes of Israel or when the entire world (save 8 people) are drowned to death or the book of Revelation (need I go into specifics) or the death of Jesus, which is the most gruesome by far. So, with all this (and more) in the pages of Holy Scripture, why would people think that "Fight Club" need be kept separate from the Bible? What has caused our culture to think in this way?

Of Freedom and Maturity

It is my finding that the Christian life can be quite ironic. As we mature, we recognize our freedoms in Christ and happily exercise them. However, as we mature even more we recognize our freedoms, yet forfeit them when we do not have to.