and the people said...: 2013

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Trick or Treat? Is It Hallowed or Is It Not?

For centuries the Christian church honored its deceased members on All Hallows’ Day (All Saints Day), November 1. The night before was known as “Hallowed Eve.” The liturgical churches—Catholic, Episcopalian (Anglican), and Lutheran—still celebrate All Saints Day, but as most everyone knows, the evening of October 31 is no longer a hallowed evening. It has become quite unholy, even though the etymology of the word Halloween would indicate otherwise.

Every act around Halloween is in honor of false gods, which are spirits in the realm of the Satanic. Thus, Halloween is seen primarily as a satanic holiday.

Should Christians have anything to do with the celebration that glorifies the power of God’s enemies?

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Truth or the System? Was Zimmerman Really Innocent?

Everyone had their own opinion as to how the case of the state of Florida vs. George Zimmerman should end. For some it ended in justice. For many it was just another case of the system working for some and not for others. The prosecution all along wanted to make sure that the truth came out. They believe to the best of their abilities it did. However, according to our justice system the truth coming out means nothing if it is not proven in court; at least if it is not proven to a jury. For the millions who watched the 2 weeks of testimony during the case saw what they believed was the truth coming out. Even before the verdict by the jury many believed that either side had done its job in either proving or defending what really happened that dreadful, dark, and rainy night. But in reality, only two people really know exactly what happened that night. One was in court and the other one is dead. As stated by the prosecutor during the closing rebuttal: To the living we owe respect; to the dead we owe the truth.

As much as I would like to inject my opinion as to how things really came out, as a Christian leader I cannot afford to do that. However, here is the real ultimate truth: A child is dead and the man that shot him is free. It is God who really knows what happened. It is God who is still on the throne. It is God who sees everything. If Zimmerman is really innocent then the system worked. If he is really not innocent, although he is free, God will handle it. No one gets away with anything. That is where we as Christians ought to be; let God be God and not us. As Romans 12:19 says, Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave itto the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

We must pray for Trayvon Martin’s family. At this moment they are really hurting. A son is gone. Dreams are dashed. Hopes have dissipated. That beautiful bouncing baby boy that his mother had on her knee will not be able to grow up and become whatever they had hoped for him to become. That young boy who started to grow and stand tall like his dad will never stand again. But God is able.

I don’t know what God is going to do as a result of this but I do know God. He always has the last word.

We cannot afford to erase the struggle of so many because a few would like to become vigilantes. So let’s not lose control but let’s allow God to still be in control.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Jada Pinkett Smith and Hollywood's Open Marriage Trend

If you were in a celebrity marriage, would you allow your husband to cheat? Jada Pinkett Smith opened up about this very topic on Thursday when during an interview with HuffPo Live, she addressed longstanding rumors that she and her husband of 15 years Will Smith are allowed to sleep with other people. "I've always told Will, 'You can do whatever you want as long as you can look at yourself in the mirror and be okay," said Pinkett Smith. "Because at the end of the day, Will is his own man. I'm here as his partner, but he is his own man. He has to decide who he wants to be and that's not for me to do for him. Or vice versa."

It's not the first time one half of the power couple as spoken out about their unconventional relationship. In 2008, Will Smith told British magazine Now, "Our perspective is, you don’t avoid what’s natural and you’re going to be attracted to people. If it came down to it, then one would say to the other: 'Look, I need to have sex with somebody. Now I’m not going to do it if you don’t approve of it.'"

Hollywood isn't exactly known for its successful marriage rates—seems like you can't walk by a newsstand without seeing headlines such as "$200 million dollar divorce!" or "Details of their shocking split"—but there are a handful of couples who do seem happily wed with one caveat: They're in open marriages. In 2010, comedian Mo'Nique told Barbara Walters that her husband Sidney Hicks is allowed to sleep with other people. "Could Sid have sex outside of his marriage with me? Yes. That's not a deal breaker. That's not something that would make us say, 'Pack your things and let's end the marriage.' What if it's 20 times? So what? We've been best friends for over 25 years, and we truly know who we are. Often times, people get into marriages and they don't know who they're laying next to. I'm very comfortable and secure with my husband."

Angelina Jolie and her maybe/maybe not husband Brad Pitt are rumored to have permission to see other people with Jolie once telling German magazine Das Neue that she didn't believe fidelity was "essential to a relationship." And in 2012, reality star Bethenny Frankel announced on her talk show that she and now-soon-to-be ex-husband Jason Hoppy agreed to give each other a free pass if the other ever met their celebrity crushes (his, Angelina Jolie; hers Taylor Kitsch). Is this arrangement crazy or realistic? Its no secret that people are becoming more wary of marriage as an institution. For starters, fewer people are getting hitched in the first place, with only 51 percent of adults married, compared with 72 percent in 1960, according to a recent study conducted by Pew Research Center. And on Thursday the CDC released data which found that couples are exchanging house keys at much higher rates than wedding vows and choosing to live together for much longer periods of time than ever before.

And that's just in real-people world—while there are no official stats on the divorce rate in Hollywood, it make sense that when you mix two gorgeous celebrities (who typically crave validation and attention), boatloads of cash and fame, sexual temptation is bound to occur. What's more, these people have more opportunity to stray than normal folks. Toss in screaming, obsessed fans who often go to great lengths to throw themselves at celebrities, bodyguards who can arrange discreet hook-ups at the drop of a non-disclosure agreement, and movie roles that require celebs to get naked with other gorgeous co-stars, it's a head-scratcher why the famous get married in the first place. For the ones that do, having an open marriage may simply be a logical lifestyle for two people who don't have much of a fighting chance of staying faithful in the first place.

Sounds sensible, right? Well, this type of arrangement can get messy, even with the strictest of ground rules. A source told Radar Online that Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher reportedly had an open marriage (“They would have threesomes. Demi liked women and Ashton would bring another woman into their relationship for flings, but they both agreed to it") however Moore was humiliated when Kutcher's fling with San Diego administrative assistant Sara Leal went public and she filed for divorce. And Pink and motocross star Carey Hart allegedly separated in 2007 because their reported "Don't ask, don't tell" policy caused too much tension in their marriage.

In the end, celebrity marriages will all play out differently regardless if monogamy is on the table. And we'll continue to be rapt audiences.