The Kid, the Computer, and Carpal-Tunnel Syndrome

My son decided I needed a new computer. My old Gateway gave up the ghost and my laptop is in early stages of Alzheimers. So Andy Claus bought dear old dad a new Gateway desktop (nice to have a kid with a good job). However he decided Dad needed to download World of Warcraft so he could teach an old dog new tricks. Well, that's where the carpal/tunnel comes in. It didn't take log until these old hands started to seize up as they attempted to guide my character through the virtual landscape. Of course I was sitting at the computer for an hour at a time! My hands weren't the only thing that was aching either. WOW is fun, but I can see the danger it presents to kids and adults. No, not the "it's Satanic", "it has Mages and Warlocks and other un-Christian stuff", or "there's to much violence". My concern is the time it can use up. We only have 24 hours in a day and WOW (or any video game for that matter) can suck away an inordinate amount of a person's day. Technology comes with a cost, and the cost is responsiblity. How many of us (Christians that is) lament the fact that we don't have time for prayer or daily devotions, yet can wile away many hours in front of a computer doing anything from gaming to cruising the internet and not think a think about it? There is a spiritual lesson to be learned here and I'll discuss that next time.

Stoopid Kristians

"Madeline Murry O'Hare is trying to stop Christian Broadcasting...."
"Barack Obama was raised a Muslim and wants to overthrow Christianity..."
"Janet Reno called Christianity a cult......"
All it takes is one ignorant, naive, easily lead follower of Jesus with an internet connection and Christianity gets a black eye for being full of dummies. Early one in my internet experience I too fell victim to internet fraud. However I found such wonderful places like snopes.com to verify the truth about e-mails I receive. I have helped many find the path to enlightenment by directing them to Snopes or other such sites. However, some like my daughter don't always check things out before they send it to me, so I have no resort but to hit "reply all" when I send back my reply. Therefore I am able to educate all who were sent the ignorant message.
Why do some people find it so hard to actually read and think about what they get in their e-mail? Are they so used to having their thinking done for them by their doctors, pastors, and elected officials that they can no longer think for themselves? How blissful it would be if people were taught to think before they react.
By the way, I don't always like the conclusions that Snopes comes to, therefore I use other means to verify weird e-mails.

Civilization will not fall.

I haven't made it to the movie yet. People tell me the critics don't like it; that means I will. However I suggest interested people visit the following website for an intelligent and insight full critique of the movie from the Christian perspective. www.christianitytoday.com/movies/commentaries/fearnotthecompass.html .

I have, however, finished the three books of the series and have found no surprises. The author is rabidly anti-Christian and makes no bones about it. His world view is obvious to all but the blind; however consider this; one cannot write outside of one's world view. So I don't get a rash when he writes what I consider shallow and narrow concepts of Christianity.

About my facist Christianity: give it up? No way.

Once Again it begins

Today the movie "The Golden Compass" appears in theatres nationwide. As an evangelical Christian, I have been advised not to go to it because its author is an atheist, oooooooo! As soon as I got the message from my pastor (which he got from the district superintendent), I had to find out what the heck was going on. I have learned that many well intended Christians come off as stupid because they have turned off the ability to think for themselves and let their leaders do the thinking for them. Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately) I was taught to consider all that is being said. So I bought the three books and am reading them. I can see where a person who is weak in their faith might be frightened by the idea of killing off god, but you have to remember that this is a book of fantasy, it ain't real. I will be seeing the movie tomorrow and comment on my thoughts afterward. I will also comment of the movies supposed plan to trap our youth into becoming atheists, oooooo!