Al Gore Is Seeing $Green$

There is nothing wrong with influential people requesting some compensation for their speeches. But Al Gore is going too far.

The former Vice President and now global warming prophet Gore is getting kicked around a bit for his pricey appearance at a London function. It appears that, among other things Gore received, he charged over 3000 British pounds per minute of his green lecture. Just to make it worse (or better), Gore’s speech was given lukewarm reviews, and his persona towards the patrons (who paid no cheap change to get in the place themselves) is not exactly winning friends and influencing people.

Why be concerend about this? Simply because it’s not an isolated thing. The Follywood elite have decided to make global warming the supreme moral issue of their time–as they fly in their private jets, ride around in their limousines and charge through the nose for their enlightenment. Wouldn’t it be more persuasive, just to the average person, if global warming pundits actually acted like they really do care about what they’re talking about? Is that too much to ask?

I don’t care whether or not you think global warming is real. The point is that the people who told you it was are not. Al Gore either believes his issue is of critical moral importance, second only to his personal wealth, or he believes that global warming is a useful media tool but not worth serious sacrifice. Either way, I think the temperature just went down.

Why?

Yet another in what seems like an endless stream of shootings. These two incidents happened in churches and missionary dorms, which begs the question: why? Why do people feel the need to do this? What possible harm can these people claim has been done to them by these victims? I don't understand it.

Well, maybe I do. Maybe there is something in my own heart, too far deep to speak of, that is of the same nature as what controls murderers. There is nothing *I* have done that makes me a better person. I did not choose to be with the family, friends, and life that have made me what I am. I was not given a choice. I was given this.

"There, but for the grace of God, go I..."

Callous Costuming

A bizarre, ugly, and ultimately saddening story about some students at Penn State dressing up as victims of the Virginia Tech massacre. I couldn't get the mp3 format interview with the Penn student to work on my laptop. Anyone who did feel free to comment and enlighten me further.

Two Penn State students, dressed as Virginia Tech shooting victims, at a Halloween party have enraged people from the Virginia Tech community, as well as the entire country.

"It's not that it was funny, it's that we are notorious and infamous in the state college, so we have to do things that push the envelope just for shock value," [a student who wore one of the costumes] said.

Penn State officials were quick to respond to the costumes.

"We are appalled that these individuals would display this level of insensitivity, indifference, and lack of common decency and sense by dressing up in this manner," the school said.

As bad taste goes, this is certainly sour. But what vexes me even more is the frankly scary turn this article takes:

After seeing the pictures, a Virginia Tech student created a Facebook group called, "People Against This Costume." Some of the upset members have left threatening messages to the Penn State students.

"This is a group of college students who now think it's trendy to be upset about their friends being killed," one of the two Penn State students who wore the costume said. "I don't know what they teach people in Virginia Tech, but at Penn State we don't learn to threaten people with murder to teach them that murdering is wrong."

He goes on to defend the pictures.

"The thing is, everybody's making a big stink about Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech was 32 deaths out of the 26 thousand that happen in America everyday," he said. "That's the problem with college students. They all live in an ivory tower of privilege. They don't understand, when it all boils down to it, it's someone wearing a costume."

Hm, excuse me sir: I don't believe you are in a position to evaluate the legitimacy of outrage when it comes to other people's loved ones being murdered. I can tell you right now this student certainly has never been through anything remotely similiar to the tragic events at Virginia Tech. Callousness is the offspring of ignorance.

What do these students hope to accomplish? Notoriety. Their names are in the news. That's all that counts. That reminds of the Virginia Tech shooter himself, really. Didn't he just want some good old fashioned exposure? Woe to us.

Some thoughts on "The Golden Compass"

Quite honestly, I do not feel a need for yet another Christian boycott of a film. "The Golden Compass" is a movie that presents believers with a unique challenge to see into a prevalent worldview and examine what it really is. If nothing else, it's a culturally relevant event that Christians do not need to tune out.

A friend of mine posted some excellent thoughts on this. Read and enjoy, and let me know what you think.

Birthday thinking...

Today is my birthday. I was born 19 years ago today in a university hospital in Dallas, Texas. And that is cause for celebration (so my family tells me). This got me thinking some things.

Think about birthdays. They are, viewed as singular days, very meaningless. There is so real difference between yesterday (when it was not my birthday) and today (when it is). Someone asked me what it felt like to be 19; I half-jokingly replied that it felt a lot like 18. There's just not a real difference between two days, and yet we shower well wishes and congratulations and gifts and food upon loved ones like there is.

Well, then again, maybe there IS a difference. I'm afraid that I live in a culture of death. Hopelessness, emptiness, meaninglessness, and subsistence existence permeate the world we live in. Need proof? Turn on your local television stations tonight at 10 or so. Watch the news. We love the song, yet can hardly say the words with a straight face: "...what a wonderful world." It is NOT wonderful world. My generation (to either its credit or disgrace) is fully aware of this.

What is the answer to a society of death? Life. Birthdays are small reminders that human beings by nature cherish life. We love our friends and our family enough to commemorate those otherwise fairly meaningless days we call birthdays. We celebrate this time because we are thankful this person is alive today. In a culture of darkness, I think this stands out.

Why are we like this? I believe God is like this. God loves life and values what he creates. So do we. Hopelessness is not a phenomenon but rather a natural difference of existence minus God. Not only does God make sense, He makes everything else make sense too. Life is valuable because that is the way the Source has made it. Therefore it matters absolutely nothing how many wars, diseases, or university professors seem to convince us that life is nothing. It will always have meaning, because the Meaning exists outside of it.

I'm one year older, and that means, in all honesty, one year closer to the grave. Yes that is sobering. But it is not defeating. Life means much because it comes from Much. Cherish it. Love it. Give it. Share it. Worship through it.

My first post

Well this is my first post. My name is Sam, I'm a college student in Louisville, KY. This blog may last only a day, a week, or maybe a few years. Regardless, I hope you find something useful and true here. Here are some lists that may help you know me more:

I LIKE:

Christ
His Church
A good book
A good movie
Writing things
Being with people
My school
Politics (most of the time)
Philosophy (all of the time)
Randomness


I REALLY DON'T LIKE:

Math
Spam
Relativism
Politics (some of the time)
Possible world theory (all of the time)
Disney's "Enchanted"