WARNING: Content Questionable

I am licensed to kill! I am licensed to drive! I am permitted to do these things. Licensing gives permission. To use something of someone else’s legally you have to have permission which gives them license to use it. Like songs to promote products a license is required. The ethics behind licensing is directed at money. Why is this so hard to comprehend? To make millions by using your song to promote a product is selling-out? What’s the big deal? My question is what was the original content of the music to begin with and how and what are they using it to promote now? Content should be the issue. I have permission by God, by Him I have been given a choice, a license so to speak, to do whatever I think is right. He does not recommend it and neither do I but you have that option. For there is a way that seems right unto a man but leads to death. Proverbs 14:12.Yes, we are concerned with content. The content of your character. What is it made of? The contents of your mind and heart. What fills them? If the collection of money is the issue and is what everyone uses as a mark against true artistry then the rest of their practices need to be examined as well. We like to pick and choose what we think is right and wrong. We apply many shades of grey with no absolutes.

The truth is everyone loves money to some degree but the root of all kinds of evil is the LOVE of money not the money itself. 1 Timothy 6:10. Why would this be the root of all evil? There is enough abundance on earth to supply every need and want but because of greed people are in lack. Literally starving and dying because of greed. This is not the heart of God in case your wondering about the contents of His heart. He says to us “Let it be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” Matthew 6:10. What does Heaven look like? Everyone has an abundance, nothing lacking, nothing broken, and we are serving one another in love. That’s what God’s idea of work looks like. All of our needs are met by us serving in kindness with generosity, one to another. What does the contents of your heart and mind look like? Does it look anything like God’s or are you filled with greed and lust? With all of the natural disasters taking place we might want to reexamine our priorities. Maybe it is making you think twice about what is really important. That loving God and others is the most important thing.

Does money come before God therefore it has become your God? What does your idols look like? To get back to Heaven’s agenda, which is love, requires a renewed mind. To do this you need God content. If you fix your heart and mind on the things of God and not this world you will see a change.A change that can affect the world around you because of God’s love. The inward content will be outwardly expressed. But it has to begin with you.You have been given permission to choose, now with that choice what will you do? Just because you can do something doesn’t make it right and the question you need to ask is this beneficial for myself and others. Heaven is not a garbage can or sewer and if it was no one would want to go there. So the importance of content is understood. Then if the opposite is true for Hell why do we want to go there? Start promoting the things of God and make Heaven happen for yourself and somebody else today.

You Have Been Weighed and Measured and Found Wanting

Today I saw Lindsay Lohan on the cover of a magazine supposedly wasted again. This has become normal for Miss Lohan and they are not portraying it favorably. I would have to interject with if it was Lady Gaga she would receive an award. Whats the difference? Charlie Sheen is committing adultery and using pornography. He’s rich and seemingly has it all. Is this acceptable because of his money and status? Tiger Woods is another figure who has fallen into adultery with the use of pornography. Why is it better for Charlie Sheen than Tiger Woods? Mr. Woods has received much more negative publicity while Mr. Sheen’s behavior has been sensationalized in a positive manner. We see these contrasts and they are inaccurate. It is okay for one but for another it is not? One has to wonder who set that standard.
In the music industry drugs are an accepted norm what ever the reason may be. For the most part it is considered a positive, a way to supposedly enhance artistic ability. But not so for gangsta rappers. Drugs and gangsta rap are a negative? Could someone please explain this to me. When has illicit sex or drug use ever been a positive? How can we deem it cool for some but uncool for others? Where did that thinking come from and when did these subtle’s become accepted. Are these opinions right? Do you see the discrepancies in what has become “accepted norm’s”?

An accepted norm is a prevalent attitude concerning something. Can you think of something you believe to be true but maybe isn’t but because everyone accepts it to be true you believe it. There is an attitude concerning the things of God that have become accepted norms that as an American I cannot accept. For instance, we are not to speak of God in public when by our own government Evolution is classified under religion because it is a belief system yet it is taught in the public schools. I thought “religion” was not allowed? Who told us that and why do we accept it as truth?

The number one fallacy of the day is the separation of church and state. If you do some research you will find that clause was put there to protect the church and its believers from the state interfering with their right to assemble or worship. Many of our forefathers came to America seeking freedom from religious persecution. They wanted to prevent that from happening but it is happening before our very eyes. Today we can talk about anything but the God of the Bible. That kind of God talk is censored!

The discrimination is heavy and some say the Christian religion has been reduced to a theory. If it is theory then it has a place in our schools next to the evolutionary theory that is taught as truth when in fact it is but a theory. I say it has been reduced further than that to an unmentionable. The one’s preaching tolerance seem to have none for the Christian God. They are trying to push God out of everything. Why is okay for some to talk about their belief systems and not others? A belief system is just something you “believe” to be true. Our government at least got that one right. As an American, who has freedom of speech and religion, I refuse to be silent because of an incorrect accepted norm. I believe in Jesus Christ and have the right to speak openly about it. It is what I believe.

America was known as the great melting pot by the 1780‘s. In 1970 we became known as the great salad bowl. No, we do not all look alike or sound alike, this is America and that is why I agree with the salad bowl metaphor. As for the idea of the melting pot that could be applied to the tolerance message of today. That no matter what you believe to be true it is your right as an American. The only time I draw an intolerant line is in regards to children. That is another discussion altogether but a discussion about rights as well. Slavery has been abolished and to that I say amen. Let tolerance be what we now embrace as long as the same courtesy is given to all.

The Truth Because It Simply Is

What images does the word slavery invoke? Does that one word have the power to incite a riot? Does it stir feelings of hatred and oppression because slavery may be over but it is not forgotten? There are many issues in our world still today. A mark on American history is that ugly word slavery. But it was not only America who practiced the cruelty of slavery but the entire world. America should be celebrated for the war on abolishing slavery and overcoming such a detestable pratice. It will never be forgotten but it should be a reminder of the debasement of mankind and why we can never go there again.
The idea of a free world where all men are created equal and have inalienable rights such as the pursuit of happiness really is the American dream. In this "free" world not only are people not owned but they have a right to believe and say what they want. We have the birth of religious freedom and speech. Evereyday on this earth people die trying to come to what is known as "free" America. There are many blacks who contributed to this freedom we have today and Isabella Baumfree born in 1797, was one of them. She was born a slave but died a free woman in 1883. A political activist against slavery, she was the first black woman to ever take a white man to court and win. She aided in raising black troops during the Civil War. You may know her by her adopted name she took in 1843 as Sojourner Truth. She changed her name as she claimed by the instruction of the Holy Spirit after she became a Methodist and got saved. She announced, "The spirit calls, me I must go." And go she did to preach about God and abolitioning slavery. She also spoke publicly about women's rights and religious tolerance.
Her story as a slave was not an uncommon one. But once Sojourner Truth received the love of God it changed her whole life. What love would an abused slave feel? How could she even believe that God is a God of love after experiencing and witnessing all she had? I have lived not as a slave but I have lived in my life without love. I did not know the meaning of true love nor did I have it in my life. Until I came to God and received his love I was lost and hopeless. As a child and young adult I was physically and verbally abused. As a woman I have experienced the violent act of rape. All of which Miss Truth suffered quite more extensively than I. I know that it is difficult to look around this broken world and think there is a God who cares. I have been there. But what I will be comemerating this Easter is an act of love that supercedes all I can think or imagine.The crucifixation and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We do not have to be genius to see the effect of choosing hate instead of love on mankind. The acts that we committ are so hurtful. To treat other human beings with such ill regard and no value is exactly what our constitution was formed to prevent. The constituiton did not lead me to God's love but it allows the free expression of it. And for that I am so thankful. I have always found it to be fascinating that slaves in chains would be praising God! How amazing is that? There are many remembered slave hymns that were sung by those beautiful people in chains. A former slave trader himself was saved and responsible for writng one of the most famous hymns of all time. That would be Amazing Grace.
The slaves could receive God's love because they knew it was not God's will for men to choose the evil that they were doing. It is all about choices. You can choose. That is not only the beauty of God but the beauty of America. I get to freely worship my "choice" of God and speak openly about it. This is not true in many countries around the world. Sojourner Truth went to proclaim the truth about God's love and real freedom. She impacted the lives of all around her because she became more than physically free she became spiritually free in her heart that only a realtionship with God can provide and that my friends is true freedom.

Down With The Mainstream

I used, I got high, I got drunk, I got laid but I didn’t get saved. Miss Aaronson makes it sound like its some metaphysical enlightenment. What she fails to mention are the substance’s abused in these circles. Hallucinogens, ecstasy, and pills of all sorts. Rave, funk, techno. Followers like to take you on a trip. This lady is on a trip. She must have had some encounters while on some semi-decent shrooms. She uses a common belief amongst the hallucinogenic crowd (p.109) “This kind of music modifies the consciousness we have of ourselves and according this world.” Its “funky stuff” is an often quoted phrase in that subculture. She says “We enter a funky dimension of perception.” (p.109)

Also on p.109 she “raves” about how "they generate wild corporeal expressions initiated by rhythm and the sound of light effects they skillfully manipulate." These venues are known for their light shows. It is a very popular feature. The light shows are synchronized by participants of these shows. The combined effect of the techno and rave sound, while “trippin’, can create quite a sensation. These sensations she further describes on (p.113).are that of disorientation caused by the technology used for these shows. The combined effect leaves one disoriented? That is the same thing as confused! Then she says when you have sensory overload you can go into a trance where you can escape political and social classification.(p.114) What kind of trance is that? A dead trance? I do not suggest that going to one of these events and ingesting hallucinogenics can solve ANY of your problems! Taking drugs and dancing like crazy at a light show is not the answer. I used, I got high, I got drunk, I got laid but I didn’t get saved.

Now I would like to further this discussion by talking about the social and political aspects that Aaronson claims to escape. A prevalent ideology acknowledged and embraced by the techno, funk/rave crowd is not to be involved politically or socially. That “fusional media has no concerns with social power.” (p. 112 Music and Culture) Show me someone high on drugs that does. These genres embrace rebellion. Rock n' roll, rap, rave, punk and the others.
Whatever it is, it is going against the so- called mainstream. For once I would like them to identify exactly what this mainstream looks like. Not abusing drugs is that mainstream? Not having abortions and indulging in immoral sex practices, is that mainstream? Not being a dead beat dad, is that too mainstream? It seems to me they do what they want to do, anyway. It is not the product but the producers under question and scrutiny. Lets answer a So What? Who cares? question.

Does it matter that thousands of teenagers a day are contracting “social” diseases and we kill thousands of babies a day for our "social" well-being?
Who cares? I do!

Suicide amongst the youth is at an all time high and our families have fallen apart.
So what you say?

You should care!

This aggressive sexual agenda being pushed in our faces has wrought nothing but destruction. Exactly what does your mainstream look like? Are you applauding Lady Gaga as some social elite and Charlie Sheen? If you attended The Monologues was it really all that enlightening?What about being pro-life or pro abortion? Do our elderly even have any rights? What is a proper age for sexual consent? I don’t think it is ten. Are you supporting death, disease and child molestation by indulging in pornography just because you get a tickle in your britches? Give me a break! What does your mainstream look like?

It is time for you to see and recognize the truth. The only rebellion is against God. God does not support such practices and neither should you. To satisfy the lust of our flesh we have to kill babies?! That lust also includes our lust for money and violence. Is not abortion an act of violence on another human being? Wake up people!

I hope that you start challenging the real mainstream. It is filthy and full of destruction. The answers are with God. Seek Him for He alone has the solutions we need. And help we do need!

Gettin' High

Writing about substance abuse is no fun. Having lost family members to drug abuse I can personally say that it is vile. Tomorrow, March 25, 2011, in Lancaster, Ca., friends of our family will be burying their beloved daughter because of a drug overdose. She has left two small children behind. My brother in-law is dead because of drugs and left behind his children and my cousin has recently survived an overdose and coma. She is very fortunate to be alive. We love her and her children need her here and need her to be better here. Thankfully, she was baptized two Sundays ago and we pray she is healed.

No matter what a persons reason for indulging in drug use is, it is a destructive lie. It is apart of that scene though. Sex, drugs, and music. It doesn’t matter what the genre is. I have told addicts of limited means that it was a good thing that they had no money because they would be dead if they had an unlimited supply. We know that drugs and alcohol completely distort your ability to discern. We know that people will do things when they are high or drunk that they would never do when they are sober. When musicians are using drugs and making music they are known as functional users. They are actually working, even though addicted, and making money. It's hard to comprehend that description isn’t it? A functioning addict? But the fact is they are not functioning. We see the devastating effects of that lifestyle and those choices. Many musicians have died because of drug overdoses. If people who recover from drug and alcohol abuse have a better quality of life and their job performance is also better as a result of sobriety, why wouldn’t that also pertain to a musician?

The real tragedy is that they are famous and very influential and our young people want to be just like them. They do not need these substances to make music. Those are gifts, talents, and abilities given to them by God. Drugs are destructive not constructive. What an unnecessary question. We can call a thing exactly what it is and still be politically correct. If being politically correct means we have to lie then we need to shut our mouths. Truth never goes out of style or season. It is the one prevailing force that people will always need. There are many destructive “habits” and lifestyles that we are accepting as correct today. If you don’t agree, don’t feel like you have to. You are still entitled to your own opinion. We push tolerance yet we don’t want to tolerate anyone who disagrees with the so called free love and lifestyles of society today. It is still that so called free love people but love has nothing to do with it. Does it look like the sexual revolution is over even though it has wrought mass destruction? I would have to say no. In 1971 we wanted abortion on demand because we wanted to have sex not babies. Nothing has changed, thousands of babies die everyday. We embrace pornography and the music videos are filled with it. What else would you call it? The drugs and sex aren’t enhancing anything but death and there is nothing sexy, glamorous, or appealing about that. Is your perception of right and wrong distorted because a twisted culture is dictating to you? The answers are not in the mass media, more sex, drugs, or politics. The answers we need are with God. How can the obvious destruction by you be ignored? You be sober and vigilant and go with God. Choose life not death and get high on the Most High.

　

　

　

　

Standing Room Only

Will the responsible party please stand up? Everyone can stand up. Where do we get the idea that responsibility is an isolated or one sided obligation? Oh thank you very much for the parent advisory warning but if the material is being sold to my minor anyway what difference does it make? Its just like alcohol. Where do these minors get all that alcohol? Someone older is purchasing it for them and sometimes it is sold directly to them. With music it is always sold directly to them. I never had anyone stop me when I was a teenager from purchasing anything because of a warning label. "Oh no you may not purcahse that CD there is a warning label on it!" Oh please they want your money. They do not feel obligated to regulate the stuff because they're not the one's producing it.
Okay, I know you're thinking alcohol and music cannot even be compared but the concept is the same. So what is the point of their labels? To shut the complaing parents up? To keep quiet those who do not like what is being produced? Basically. Noone sees it making a difference, its a joke. For the few parents out there that are involved, because our homes are very broken and missing vital components called parents, how effective are those labels anyway? We keep repeating the same questions here but we know that every has a responsibility in their own family and we have a social responsibilty as well. We are to act on an individual basis in regards to our homes and communities. Everyone taking responsibiltiy for their parts is what we are talking about and that will bring us full circle back to one question. What do you consider to be right or wrong.? Obviously we are not in agreement. We have mass confusion today because everyone is wanting to redefine everything to suit their own preferences.
Do you have a core belief system or does anything go? Embracing tolerance means we must chuck a moral absolute. So what is right or wrong? With no moral standard how do you measure behavior as being acceptable or unacceptable, right or wrong? If indeed tolerance is the great religion of the day and you disagree with all the illicit sex, violence, and drugs are you to be considered intolerant? Having a standard does not make you intolerant and because you do not openly embrace the practices of today, that are becoming the norm, doesn't make you intolerant. The evidence is in folks all we have do is look around and see. With no standard or moral absolute we are destroying are our selves. There is a right from wrong. I base that on clear facts that we all are surrounded by. To know right from wrong and continue to do the wrong that is harming us is insanity. I vote for a moral absolute. I vote for God's idea of how man should conduct business on planet earth. Those 10 Do's and Don'ts are full of wisdom and pretty infalliable. We may think we know it all and redefine it all, according to what we think we know, but that has never worked. It's not working now and will never turn itself around. We have to start making the right choices to turn it around. Would everyone please stand up because everyone is accountable. God Bless.

OPEN YOUR EARS SO YOU CAN SEE

"Somebody's Knockin' Should I Let Them In"

Mr. and Mrs. Karma came knocking at my door.
"Pay up" they say, "and no excuses we've heard them all before."
"But wait!" I say, "I thought I had more time." And they say "No no, now thats a lie." And Karma  punched me right in the eye!
So then they start to collect everything you thought was yours. They stripped me bare right to my drawers!
They said I had no shame and I gave no love. Wow, that Karma is tough.
They knocked me around with their finger in my face. Slapped me a couple of times to put me in my place!
But now I'm still not humbled they just got me upset. Am I really that bad to deserve all this?
"We know you been lying, cheatin', stealin', and a massive whore too. You'll be lucky to be alive when we get through with you!"
Can anyone help me to get out of this? I'm crying and begging but it don't help. They say, "Shut up you're going to Hell!"
Then I remember what my grandma use to say that I got to call on Jesus when it gets to be crazy days.
I almost hesitated cuz I know I don't deserve anything good from the Lord.
But I yelled with all my my might, "JESUS HELP ME! Karmas kicking my butt and I'm losing the fight! You know I really do believe. I repent right now from my evil ways and I truly am sorry from the straight and narrow I ever strayed."
Well right then and there Karma backed off and said,"Well we think you've had enough."
All I could do was breathe a sigh of relief cuz that old couple Karma was after me.

Negative influences. I encounter those everyday and so does our youth and so do you. The question is what is considered negative by me or you. You can obviously sort through some of the muck and mire but how much of it do you accept without question? What is acccepted by you and is by you a common practice? You don't have to be a rocket scientist to look around and see all the destruction that bad choices cause.
Illicit sex, drugs and violence are produced and aired aggressively everyday for our listening and viewing pleasure. We are indulging in harmful practices that have no good end result. These cycles are continued when we perpetrate them. What is seen and heard is learned. We then put into practice what it is we have been taught. If this negativity is constant it will effect our thinking thus affecting our behaviors. If we sow destruction, destruction we will reap. In a developed country with access to mass media at our finger tips, every waking moment we are receiving instruction. Parents need to teach their children not to conform or indulge in these bad behaviors. But are we calling good evil and evil good?
Once you reap what you sow and are hurting maybe then your eye's will be opened. I don't need an eye opener. All I have to do is look around and see all the hurting people, young and old, that I'm surrounded by. The media doesn't have the answers you need. They will not be there to comfort you or cure a disease. They will support their agenda of death and profit off of you as long as they can. We are sowing negative therefore reaping negative. This we can clearly see. I hope you stop these negative cycle's and call upon Jesus with me.
He will save as He promises. He can change all those negatives to positives. He has the answers we seek.