Monthly Archive for July, 2005

Homosexual Agenda 101

After I posted that last article, I realized I wasn’t entirely sure what the “Homosexual Agenda” really was, technically. Since it is apparently playing a large role in my every day motivations and decisions, I figured I should research a little bit. Here is the entry for “Homosexual Agenda” in Wikipedia (a free, open-source encyclopedia, I highly recommend it):

  • “Authored by Michael Swift and first appearing in a February 1987 issue of GCN (Gay Community News), this essay is often titled The Homosexual Agenda, though the original title is Gay Revolutionary. It has been repeatedly cited by members of the Christian right as evidence that the gay community seeks to dominate and destroy “traditional” American family values. Often, however, the crucial first line, “This essay is an outré, madness, a tragic, cruel fantasy, an eruption of inner rage, on how the oppressed desperately dream of being the oppressor” is left out, as was the case when the essay was entered into the Congressional Record. Some extremists even claim that this first line was added after the fact, in some attempt to conceal the “truth”. Though clearly full of anger and vengeance, the essay is important in claiming the equality of the oppressor and oppressed: that all of us are capable of the evil we despise.”

I recommend reading the full essay (it really isn’t that long at all.)

In conclusion, let’s see if I can make a connection here… Michael Swift: Homosexual Agenda. Jonathan Swift: A Modest Proposal. Study your Swift history!!

Exploring the Homosexual Myth… by Rev. John Smid

This is quite entertaining, if you don’t mind reading a bit. There was something on GMA this morning about this topic, and I found this little bit of “truth” on the Love in Action website. They turn gay people straight in the name of Jesus. Here are my favorite parts, and I made it super easy to read by highlighting my favorite words and phrases:

  • There is no such creation as a “gay” or “homosexual” person. There is only homosexual attraction and behavior; accordingly, there can be no change from a sexual identity that never existed in the first place.
  • If we know the truth about these matters, then why do we accept the cultural definition of homosexuality? When non-Christians and Christians use the term “homosexual,” they often think of a person who is innately different from other types of people. We wonder how someone might have become a “homosexual”. Families and friends of those caught in homosexuality go deep into grief and despair because they cannot imagine how their loved ones go there, and they believe it is a lifelong prison from which there is no escape.
  • Mr. and Mrs. Jones came into my office grieving over their son’s ongoing homosexuality. They cried as I attempted to help them understand the real issues surrounding their plight. I asked them about their other children. “Well, John, our other son, lives with his girlfriend,” they replied. In an attempt to bring some reality to them, I asked why they were not so concerned about John. The truth became evident; they knew that there was hope for this other son either to marry his girlfriend or to leave her and get back to a moral life. Their son struggling with homosexuality, however, was in their minds and heart destined to remain a “homosexual”.
  • If we define homosexuality as an identity, and inborn characteristic or a hormonal imbalance, there is no answer or hope. If, however, we call it what it really is - a struggle with sinful desires and behavior - then throughout Scripture we’re given ways to handle it.
  • As we battle with proponents over the idea that “homosexuality equals identity,” we lose ground by using their terminology. We lose more ground as we seek to put forward a solution based on the terminology of their lie. The truth is there are no homosexuals.
  • There are over 100 ministries in the United States devoted to helping people and their families practically and biblically process through the dilemma of homosexuality (Exodus International, www.exodus-international.org).
(Are We Having Fun Yet???)
What Does Rev. John Say About
What Happens When a Person Leaves Homosexuality?

  • Many people we see at Love In Action International who struggle with homosexuality can tell of the heart-wrenching pain of waiting for a “change” that never comes. They struggle with feelings of rage, confusion, rejection, abandonment and hopelessness because their prayer for change was based on a lie. They are asking God to change them from something they never were in the first place.
  • The first step of the process is to move away from the subtle lies of the Enemy and take back the truth in our communication and thinking. God can and will bring progressive freedom from struggles with homosexual thoughts and practices as we begin to adjust our thinking and the thinking of those to whom we minister the truth. Jesus declared, “then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).
  • Biblical change from homosexuality requires that we respond correctly to the message God speaks of in I Corinthians 6. This message of repentance will bring forth the truth that will, in fact, set people free from this kind of bondage. When we begin to see homosexuality as a sin, a behavior and a wrong mindset, then and only then can we find forgiveness and freedom.
(Rev. John will you please share some closing thoughts?)
  • There is no such thing as a homosexual! There are many individuals, however, who struggle intensely with homosexual temptation and addictive behavior. Once we get the message right, then we will be effective in ministering to those caught in this kind of deceptive bondage.

©2001 - Rev. John J. Smid
John is the
Executive Director for Love In Action International and has worked with this ministry since 1986. John left his homosexual lifestyle in 1984.

my mpg is bigger than yours…

Class, today we will learn about fuel economy. This is sparked by a conversation with a customer service rep. yesterday. She was complaining about gas prices but then told me how proud she was of her Chevy Suburban that had a 40 gallon gas tank and could go 500 miles before having to refuel! I quickly did the math after she told me this. That equals 12.5 miles per gallon. That is nothing to brag about lady, it’s 2005!! It just refueled (pun intended) my annoyance with people who bitch about gas prices and see no connection with the vehicle that uses up the gas.

I did a little research on the EPA website, they publish handy little fuel economy guides every year showing every popular model of car and its corresponding gas mileage. I’m going to compare my favorite car, the Honda Civic, with my least favorite, the Ford Excursion. For some kicks, in the end I’m going to throw in a Hummer.

If you have a 2005 Civic, with manual transmission, you will spend approx. $800 on gas, getting 32/38 mpg.

With a 2004 Ford Excursion, you would get approximately 13 mpg in the city, 17 mpg highway. I couldn’t compare the ‘05 model because it was discontinued due to being too darned big. It was also exempt from EPA regulations last year because vehicles heavier than 8,500 lbs. are exempt not only from reporting mileage estimates, but they don’t count against the average fuel economy standards that automakers must meet. Not sure how that makes sense…

So to be fair in my research, I’ll switch to a 2005 Ford Explorer. If you drove this economical miracle (that doesn’t have the manual transmission option) you would spend about $2,000 a year on gas. Averaging about 11 mpg/city and 15mpg/highway.

Now let’s pretend you’re a 40 yr. old guy still playing G.I. Joe in a flat-as-all-heck area like Ohio. If you had a 2005 Hummer H2, you would spend about $3,000 on gas, getting about 9/12 mpg. Not to mention insurance premiums averaging around $1,200/yr.

I’m not entirely sure what I wanted to accomplish by bitching about this. I realize my bitching doesn’t make me any better than people who bitch about gas prices. But if people in the year 2050 ever look back and wonder why they have no more oil and go to blame our greedy American society, I would like them to know that at least some people realize the stupidity of our driving habits. I would also like the people of 2050 to know that I drive a 16 yr. old Civic that miraculously gets 40/45 mpg and I buy gas from Citgo which comes from Venezuela, not the Middle East. Not that I expect recognition for my actions, I just want to show there are alternatives!!!

I’ll wrap up my complaining with a question to ponder. What ever happened to the year 2000 bringing us Jetson’s cars? I was really looking forward to those…

I dedicate this to the man I didn’t vote for.

Megalomaniac… by Incubus
I hear you on the radio
You permeate my screen
It’s unkind but if I met you in a scissor fight
I’d cut off both your wings on principle alone
On principle alone…

Hey megalomaniac
You’re no Jesus
Yeah, you’re no f***ing Elvis
Wash your hands clean of yourself, baby
and Step down
Step down
Step down

If I were your appendages
I’d hold open your eyes
So you would see
That all of us are heaven sent
And there was never meant to be only one
To be only one…

Hey megalomaniac
You’re no Jesus
Yeah, you’re no f***ing Elvis
Wash your hands clean of yourself, baby
and Step down

You’re no answer!
Step Down… Step Down…

politik… by coldplay

“Look at the earth from outer space
Everyone must find a place
Give me time and give me space
Give me real don’t give me fake
Give me strength, reserve control
Give me heart and give me soul
Give me time, give us a kiss
Tell me your own politik

And open up your eyes, open up your eyes, open up your eyes, open up your eyes

Give me one ’cause one is best
In confusion, confidence
Give me peace of mind and trust
Don’t forget the rest us
Give me strength, reserve control
Give me heart and give me soul
Wounds that heal and cracks that fix
Tell me your own politik

And open up your eyes, open up your eyes, open up your eyes, open up your eyes
Just open up your eyes

But give me love over, love over, love over this…”

tony hawk huck jam @ nationwide


ellen and i went to the tony hawk huck jam at nationwide arena last night. definitely very cool to check out. i got buy-one-get-one-free tickets through CD101 so it was actually affordable. what a concept eh?

i gotta say, skateboarders, BMXers, and motoX’ers are very good to their fans. i’m used to watching pro sports where the players never even look at the fans, let alone high-five them every time they walk/skate/ride past. so that was good to see, especially with the # of children in attendance. it was definitely a show geared (no pun intended) towards entertaining the fans, which was new to me. and there were soooo many cute little skater kids there! we both loved it. little boys with mohawks, skater girls.. and their parents right next to them, it was awesome to see such acceptance.

my only qualm… there were no women in the show! i know that women can do the stuff they were doing… so why aren’t they up there with the boys?? thumbs down for that mr. hawk.
but .. we had awesome seats, and DJ Aero provided the soundtrack all night, including some System of a Down that made us happy.

rock on.

Sudan’s Darfur conflict

From BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3496731.stm:

“The impact on people of the two-year conflict in Sudan’s western region of Darfur has been described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis by the United Nations.

Some two million people are estimated to now live in camps, having fled their homes and at least 180,000 are thought to have died during the crisis. Sudan’s government and the pro-government Arab militias are accused of war crimes against the region’s black African population, although the UN has stopped short of terming it a genocide.”

…god forbid the UN “officially” declare it genocide, then they’d actually have to do something about it… it’s a good thing we learned so many lessons from Rwanda and are doing things differently this time. again i will say: wake up.


i guess it’s easy for us to decide when to intervene: oil or no oil?
nope?
sorry, you’re on your own…