What people don’t know is that the Christmas special almost didn’t happen, because some not-so-smart television executives almost didn’t let it air. You see, Charles Schulz had some ideas that challenged the way of thinking of those executives 46 years ago, and one of them had to do with the inclusion in his Christmas cartoon of a reading from the King James Bible’s version of the Gospel of Luke.

Read the rest here.

(HT:TWax)

Driving around yesterday listening to Christmas music I actually listened closely to the lyrics of a song I’ve heard for years: “Here Comes Santa Claus.” This little ditty includes lines like:
“Get in bed and cover your head, for Santa Claus is coming tonight.”
“Say your prayers because Santa Claus comes tonight.”

But this gets me thinking. If we’re going to make Santa Claus into some kind of boogeyman, instead of telling kids they should be good or Santa won’t bring them presents, why don’t we tell them they should watch their doctrine closely or Santa will punch them in the face?

Nice work Jared.

(HT: Z)

Click here to read my first guest post: Secretly Believing the Prosperity Gospel

Click here to read Friday’s post: Having Job Titles No One Understands

Read about the “movement” here.

Here’s a part of what Russell pointed out:

The power the blackmailer had over the comedian was in the truthfulness of his accusations, and in the cold, rational evidence he had for each of his charges.

You and I once felt a deeper, more primal blackmail, and it scared us to the core. In fact, we often still do. Now, for most of us, it’s not the same kind of transgression or the same type of discovery. But we’re blackmailed just as surely, in fact even more so.

The scripture says that Satan’s reign over this present order is by holding us captive through the slavery of the “fear of death” (Heb. 2:15). And why are all humans afraid of death? Because, like Letterman’s letter in the back of the car, our conscience is pointing us to judgment, with a “black box” of evidence of our guilt (Rom. 2:15-16).

That’s why the gospel is such good news for blackmailed creepy people like us…

Read the rest here.

1. Keep track of how much time you spend watching.
2. Decide in advance how much TV to watch per week.
3. Use a schedule to choose programs for the week–then stick to your choices.
4. Keep your television unplugged, store it in a closet, and/or put it in a remote part of the house (prevents mindless flip-on).
5. Periodically “fast” from television for a week or a month. Notice the “cold turkey” effects. (Avoids addiction, reminds you of all that can be done when TV off).
6. Choose programs that uplift rather than undermine biblical values.
7. Use the “off” switch freely. If it’s wrong and you keep watching, you’re saying “I approve.” (Unless it doesn’t present temptation and you’re critically analyzing it).
8. Use the channel changer frequently.
9. Watch and discuss programs together as a family–to avoid passivity and develop active moral discernment through interaction. (Avoid the second TV set that splits the family and leaves children unsupervised).
10. Don’t allow young children to choose their own programs–that’s the parent’s responsibility.
11. Don’t use television as a baby sitter.
12. Spend an hour reading Scripture, a Christian book or magazine, or doing a ministry for each hour you watch TV.
13. Consider dropping cable, Showtime, HBO, or any other service that you determine is importing ungodliness or temptation into your home.
14. If you find you can’t control it–or you’re tired of the battle–get rid of your television.

(HT: JT)

(HT: Z)

Vitamin Z here with some good thoughts:

Everyone knows that Michael has been dead for awhile now… or so we thought. Thousands gather for the memorial service a week later and are treated to the shock of a lifetime. At the end of the service, Michael jumps out of the casket in the full Thriller costume and is joined on stage by all the dancers from the video decked out as well. They perform the whole routine while the music thumps. Women are fainting, men are fist pumping, people are screaming, dancing and wetting themselves. It would go down in history as the biggest publicity stunt in history. His career would be revitalized overnight. Can you imagine it? As a child of the 80′s, it certainly would send a chill down my spine. Yeah… what if. Not gonna happen, but it would be something no one would ever forget.

Oh, but wait. Jesus did do that. But he really died and really rose again. It wasn’t’ a publicity stunt. It is a fact of history. People knew it was true and still hated him for it. Should tell us something about the human heart. We are still talking about it 2000 years later too.

Z continues:

In his memorial service today, millions are with him and applaud his life and work. Our Savior died despised and alone. Today we see clearly that God’s values are not our values. We like Michael Jackson more than Jesus. It’s a good reminder for me, a sinful guy who loves the praise of men, (maybe just as much as Michael did) that God does not play by our rules. It’s hard, but I am fighting to play by His.