Attention Word Slingers readers: Beginning December 11, 2019, all posts will be available at BaptistMessenger.com. Thank you for reading Word Slingers!
Lots to discuss in this week’s DHD. Thanks for taking the time to read!
1. Ohio’s governor
signs heartbeat bill
The heartbeat bill is growing in the United States. Georgia,
Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi have state legislation approving bills and signing
into law that would not allow an abortion to be performed after a fetal
heartbeat can be detected. This week, the state of Ohio joined the ranks, and
this is huge.
All of the lawmakers in all of these states are to be commended for supporting and passing an important legislative work that supports the Sanctity of Human Life. But it is commonly known that Ohio is one of the more influential states when it comes to political trends, especially in presidential elections. For the Ohio lawmakers to make such a strong move supporting the pro-life cause could be persuasive on the national scale.
It will be challenged in the courts and probably overturned,
but I appreciate National Review’s Alexandra
DeSanctis’ commentary:
“…these (state heartbeat) bills are an essential component
of a broader anti-abortion strategy,” DeSanctis explained. “Perhaps most
important, they create an opportunity to educate Americans about the facts of
embryology and fetal development by highlighting the scientific fact that a
fetal heartbeat can be detected so early in pregnancy. According to a recent
Rasmussen poll, after being told that a fetal heartbeat can be detected at
about six weeks’ gestation, a majority of Americans (56 percent) said they
support banning abortion after that point.
“At the most fundamental
level, these bills also challenge the common arguments and obfuscations of
abortion-rights supporters,” she continues. “If a fetus is just a ‘clump of
cells,’ as they say, why does it have its own heartbeat? If a fetus is nothing
more than a ‘part of the woman,’ as they insist, why does it have its own
heartbeat independent from that of the mother? These questions expose the
euphemisms that the abortion-rights movement uses to convince the public that
abortion is just like an appendectomy, and that’s worth celebrating.”
2. Horn needs to sign
‘abortion survivors’ petition
Continuing on the topic of abortion, a “discharge petition”
is being offered to members of the U.S. House of Representatives to bring to
vote the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.
Tony Lauinger of Oklahomans for Life has pointed out that
four of Oklahoma’s House members have signed the petition supporting the bill.
The only House member from Oklahoma who has not signed is Kendra Horn.
Lauinger is asking people to call either Horn’s office in
Oklahoma City—(405) 602-3074—or in Washington D.C.—(202) 225-2132—asking her to
sign the petition.
I ask my fellow Oklahomans to pay attention to Horn’s voting
record and consider it for how to vote in the 2020 election.
3. Films featuring foster and adoption families
I appreciate a noticeable trend in movies recently released.
Last week, the movie Shazam! opened
nationally in theaters. Next week, the movie Breakthrough will debut on Easter weekend. Both of these films
feature foster or adopted kids as part of their plots.
I saw Shazam last night. It had some disappointing elements, but I believe it’s due to DC Comic movies consistently falling short and not fully understanding what movie watchers enjoy.
But I did like how the movie presented a couple who fosters many children in their home. It’s one of the high marks. This couple prays with the kids; they demonstrate unconditional love as well as a willingness to sacrifice their own interests in order for kids, some who can be difficult, to have a home.
I have not seen Breakthrough, but WordSlingers entertainment writer Michael Foust has and offered his review, which can be read here. Dealing with adoption issues is a big part of the movie, and Foust gives Breakthrough his highest entertainment ranking (5 out of 5 stars).
4. Mohler on black hole
discovery
One of the major news stories this week is scientists
revealing a picture of a black hole in space. I confess, my knowledge and
interest in outer space is limited and lacking. However, I am aware that
secular theorists always seem to find such discoveries as opportunities to disprove
intelligent design or a sovereign creator.
This is where I rely on Christian leaders like Albert
Mohler, and I’m grateful he offered commentary on this hot topic in The Briefing.
“So how are Christians to think about this kind of headline
news?” Mohler asked, regarding the news of the black hole photo. “Number one,
we should never be afraid of it. We should never be afraid to look at a story
like this to look at scientific reports like these and come to an understanding
of how this is to be understood in a Christian biblical worldview perspective.
The world can’t throw anything at us that will be something that the biblical
worldview cannot explain or cannot understand. As we’re looking at this, one of
the central affirmations of the biblical worldview that helps to explain why
modern empirical science emerge out of a Christian worldview—one of the most
basic affirmations—is what is called the intelligibility of the universe. The
Bible begins with the declaration that begins biblical revelation and begins a
biblical worldview. ‘In the beginning,
God created the heavens and the earth.’ The theory of everything comes down
to God being the Creator of all that exists.”
It would benefit you to listen to Mohler’s entire monologue
on this scientific discovery. He proves through Scripture how God is in control
of the universe and that we can trust God and should praise Him.
“…our response has to be majestic, theistic, biblical worship,”
Mohler said. “What a God who would make such a cosmos, and reveal His glory in
it, and create human beings and crown us with the glory of His image, allowing
us to observe the world and to see such things with our own eyes. Christians
looking at news like this do not, in any way, see less than the secular science
community sees. We just see infinitely, even eternally, more.”
5. Women flock to
Falls Creek
The Oklahoma Baptist women’s retreat is this weekend at
Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center in Davis. It has been reported this will
be the largest-attended women’s retreat since the event began meeting at Falls
Creek. An estimated 5,000 women will be hanging out in the Arbuckle Mountains
of southern Oklahoma.
I’m excited for everyone who is attending. I’m especially
envious because one of my favorite speakers Rosaria Butterfield will be addressing
the retreaters.
May God bless this event and may He also give them nice
weather throughout, which is not in the forecast tomorrow.
6. Palm Sunday
commentary
This Sunday is Palm Sunday, and I wanted to share a great
commentary from an Australian Christian writer.
Simon Camilleri is from Bundoora, which is outside
Melbourne, and I love his take on the Gospels explaining what happened on the
original Palm Sunday. Check out “Palm
Sunday & the Unexpected King.”
“Jesus was going to Jerusalem
in order to be captured,” Camilleri wrote. “He was going there to die. He was
going there to be resurrected. He was going there to bring about the first
Easter.”
Thank you for reading my weekly thoughts on six timely
topics. This week, three of my topics relate to one specific production, the
film Unplanned. I confess, because of
scheduling conflicts, I have yet to see the movie, but I plan to see Unplanned. I
hope you will too, if you haven’t seen it yet!
1. Unexpected
response
It was reported that Twitter
banned the movie’s account. It also was reported
that “several prominent cable networks—Lifetime, Hallmark Channel, HGTV, the
Travel Channel, the Cooking Channel and the Food Network—have all refused to
allow ads for the movie.”
Baptist Press reportedUnplanned was ranked No. 4 in the box
office in its opening weekend, collecting $6 million, which was double what the
movie was projected to draw. BP also quoted WordSlingers
entertainment writer Michael Foust who said the movie’s success “defies logic.”
“It was rated R—a rating
that automatically makes it a no-go for many Christians,” Foust said. “It’s
about abortion—a topic that most Americans would rather avoid.
“Most films would have failed
in such a scenario. But the controversy about the rating and the advertising
ban gave it attention it otherwise would not have received, sparking a backlash
among moviegoers who supported it in droves.”
Chris Forbes had the chance to talk with Abby Johnson, whose story is told in Unplanned, and actress Ashley Bratcher who portrays Abby in the movie. Watch this edition of Messenger Insight here.
3. West sings ‘Unplanned’ song
Finally, I had to share Matthew West singing his song that
goes along with the movie. It’s powerful. Watch the video:
4. Prior proclaims
abortion ‘unthinkable’ in 50 years
I have blogged about Karen Swallow Prior previously. She
fascinates me.
Check out her article
in Vox (not considered a conservative site), as she explains why she
believes abortion will be unthinkable in 50 years.
“Nothing marks the progress
of any society more than the expansion of human rights to those who formerly
lacked them,” Swallow Prior wrote.
And I love this comment of
hers: “…rights for women that come at the expense of unborn children
aren’t true liberation; they merely, as one writer put it, enable the ‘redistribution
of oppression.’”
Swallow Prior is a BOLD advocate for the unborn. I admire
her fearlessness when it comes to defending the Sanctity of Human Life.
5. Great piece on
origin of African Bible Study
I’ve said this before: I wish I could write articles as well
as Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra. I’m rarely disappointed and often fascinated with the
information she shares. Most of the time, I enjoy her articles so much, I read
them again.
Finally, I close with sharing Berry Tramel’s column
on Al Eschbach who is being inducted into the Oklahoma Broadcasters Hall of
Fame.
Two people who had a major influence in my pursuing a career
in sports (covering not playing) are Mike Treps, former sports information
director at the University of Oklahoma, and Eschbach who literally was the
first radio broadcaster to host a sports talk show in Oklahoma.
Many of my days of youth were spent listening to KTOK (AM
1000) from 6:15 to 7 p.m., as Al would come on the air on weeknights, and on
Fridays he would have trivia nights when you could call in his show, ask a sports
trivia question, and if you stumped Al, he would ask you a trivia question
back. If you got his answer right, you’d win a big prize. I never got far
enough to get Al’s question correct.
But read Tramel’s article, and you can find out about Mike
Steely’s success, which is quite impressive, as well as many great memories and
achievements of Al’s career.
I’m tired. Karen decided we needed a new bedroom furniture
set, which was delivered this morning. The problem is, we live among a bunch of
clutter, so the clutter had to be relocated in order to make room for the new
furniture.
The new bedframe with tall headboard, new dresser and two
bedside tables look really nice. Karen’s excited because, as she declared, it’s
the biggest addition for the house we have purchased since we’ve been married.
I’m whooped from all the rearranging. Olive is worn out too,
from stressing over her confusion of what we were doing.
But I have just enough energy to offer thoughts on six
timely topics. Thanks for reading!
1. Smith’s series on ‘Transgender
Moment’
WordSlingers’ blogger Ryan Smith is offering a three-part
series on “The Church and the Transgender Moment.” Part
two was published on the website yesterday, and I think Ryan’s commentary
is excellent and helpful.
He reminded me of a piece I wrote almost five
years ago, after I attended a conference focused on the Gospel and issues
of sexuality. I mentioned in that blog how the church is not prepared for major
social changes, especially ones relating to LGBTQ issues. Looking back then and
comparing to now, local churches today may be more aware, but I am curious from
a national perspective how well churches are ministering.
Ryan’s part-two piece is relevant to this, and I especially
appreciate how he shares the gender issue is not all that new for the Christian
church.
2. Modern-day take on
a N.T. parable
Some of my favorite blogs are of those who share how Bible
passages are relevant. Peter Gurry discusses an interesting question on Jesus’
story on The
Rich Man and Lazarus. He asks whether or not the teaching illustration is a
parable (fictional) or an actual occurrence.
I remember being taught in my younger years that since there
was a specific name, Lazarus, mentioned, it was to be concluded as a real
event.
I appreciate Gurry’s diagnostic approach in his commentary
and his conclusion:
“Bank balances aside, none of
us is above helping others; we are all beggars helping beggars. When I see the
homeless, the helpless or the hurting, I should see myself, because this is
what I am like before God.”
Wax’s breakdown of how evangelical Christians seem to think
every issue is two-sided. I agree that it is more important to learn from
everybody regardless and not think Christians who may differ on an issue are
not that far apart.
“My point here is not to
offer a middle or a third way on these debates,” Wax wrote, “but to call
brothers and sisters who share a common commitment to biblical authority to
recognize that they may be closer on the spectrum than they realize. Those who
see these debates as two distinct sides would do well to articulate the real
dangers of their own side (quietism and social apathy in some circles, and ideological
compromise and theological liberalism in others).”
4. Abortion and the
movies
Today is the theater debut of the movie Unplanned. Wordslingers entertainment writer Michael Foust offered
his review
on the movie, and he and others have considered it a “must-see” movie.
Brett McCracken wrote an interesting piece this week on how movies
promoting abortion are rather rare, especially compared to the abundance of
movies that present a more favorable message regarding the Sanctity of Life.
“There is no way to depict or
even suggest abortion on screen without reminding audiences of
the ugly, ‘doing harm to another’ violence of the practice,” McCracken wrote.
5. Tramel’s travels
Berry Tramel, Oklahoman sports columnist, likes to
offer travel blogs whenever he makes a business trip, covering athletic events.
I love reading about Berry’s adventures.
His latest travel blog, about
his trip to Columbia, S.C. to cover the OU men’s basketball team in the NCAA
tournament, is almost like a modern day version of the movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Check it
out here.
6. Get paid to watch MCU movies
I like watching the Marvel
superhero movies. I especially like how many of them string together almost
like a single TV drama. Marvel struck gold with this approach, especially as
they are building up their latest film Avengers:
Endgame which will be in theaters April 26.
Now a company is offering
someone $1,000 to binge watch the 20 movies that relate to the latest Avengers
movie. Check out the story here.
Reportedly, it would take 40
hours to watch them all back-to-back. And the company wants the movie fan they
pay to also offer social media commentary while they are binge watching.
Here’s my thoughts on some interesting topics that have been
shared this week. Thanks for reading!
1. Mohler on Clarence
Thomas
It is no secret that I enjoy listening to Albert Mohler’s The
Briefing. I think it is one of the best regular Christian commentaries on world
news. Mohler gave an excellent report in Thursday’s
Briefing on Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, after an article was
published criticizing Thomas’ conservative approach to presiding on the bench.
This is great narrative that Mohler offers because he points out historic, trivial and Christian worldview elements about Thomas, who is a fascinating figure in the highest court in the land.
You should listen or read Mohler’s dialogue entirely, but
here’s a great passage:
“One of the issues for us to
understand is that there’s a parallelism between liberal interpretations of the
Constitution and liberal interpretations of scripture. It’s not by accident.
There’s a parallelism between conservative interpretations of scripture and
conservative readings of the United States Constitution. Justice Thomas is
really hated by the left because he is perhaps the most consistent conservative
interpreter of the Constitution currently serving on the United States Supreme
Court.”
There’s more to this, and I
love it all. Check it out for yourself.
2. Liberty “most hated”
It was brought to my
attention that the two “most hated” teams in the NCAA Men’s Basketball
Tournament are Liberty University and Abilene Christian University, according
to a group called “Deadspin.” I am not going to share the link to the article I
read because of the profanity spewed.
This has much to do with the
ridiculous perspective on the two schools observing conservative Christian
standards, specifically on the belief that sex should be observed in a biblical
marriage relationship. From this, Deadspin and other political groups interpret
this standard as being against LGBTQ views.
Abilene Christian was
defeated in the first round against Kentucky. Liberty faces Mississippi State
this evening. Liberty also is my alma mater. I don’t expect them to go far, but
wouldn’t it be fascinating if the Flames found some success just to see what
kind of reaction groups like Deadspin would have.
3. San Antonio against Chick Fil A
Speaking of more “hate,” the city council of San Antonio is stirring up hate against Chick Fil A, because the fast food chain made donations to groups like Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Salvation Army, claiming these organizations are “against the LGBTQ community.”
David French believe Chick
Fil A has a powerful
case against San Antonio.
“San Antonio is defying the law,” French wrote, “it’s
further polarizing our country, and it’s telling the Christian citizens and
Christian ministries in its own city limits that their beliefs are so repugnant
that the government should punish even private organizations who support their
work.”
Here’s why French thinks Chick Fil A will win big if they
decide to sue:
“Simply put, the government may not condition the ability to
operate a business on the government’s distaste for the religious or political
donations of its owners.”
4. A modern take on
church discipline
Church discipline, as prescribed in Matthew 18, can be difficult to administer in today’s world. I have been a part of churches that attempted to follow Matthew 18 with good intentions, but the end result made situations even messier with greater (more public) divisions, as well as wrong conclusions.
I share this not to say Matthew 18 is not applicable for the church today. It most certainly is! But prayerful, humble discernment by church leaders is a requirement, along with pure hearts, thorough planning and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
This does not directly relate to Jen Oshman’s blog that I’m sharing, but
after reading her piece on the
correct application of Matthew 18, it made me realize how many misapply
Jesus’ teaching of church discipline. Oshman gives a great response to those
who have criticized her book reviews.
5. The church that
has rockers
My co-worker Emily Howsden made some serious social media
noise with her article on Skiatook,
First adding rockers in the church’s sanctuary. This innovative move allows
mothers with newborns to attend regular worship services.
The article was a major hit as it was shared 75 times on Facebook and reached than 12,000 people.
6. LifeWay is leaving
Major news also came this week as LifeWay Christian Resouces
decided to close
all of its regular stores and go completely online. Obviously, this is due
to declining sales, as online shopping is becoming more popular.
I am disappointed with this decision, though I do understand.
So much is happening right now that it’s hard to sit down
and write an elaborate DHD. A day will come soon when I can share extensive
thoughts. But, just like last week, think about these comments that I found
interesting from articles I read this week.
1. “We have to be
more for justice than the fallen world because justice comes from God. What we
have to make sure, first and foremost, is that the Gospel is clear”—Al
Mohler
2. “Activities like giving birth and nursing are creational,
not social. Reproduction is basic to how God designed us. People are male or
female in every cell of the body, in both nerves and hormones—not in the
reproductive organs alone”—Dan
Doriani
3. “From personal experience, there are times when black
people and white people get to joking. It can be good-natured to start. Then,
there’s a very fine line, a breaking point you could call it, where something
is said that strikes a nerve. As a black person, you don’t know if it was
intentional, sheer ignorance, or what, but it’s 100-percent uncomfortable and
digs at the core of your humanity. Suddenly, you don’t feel like joking
anymore. Even if I haven’t reacted like (Russell) Westbrook did, I’ve felt the
emotion of Westbrook and wanted to react. It’s a unique, painful, frustrating
feeling”—Erik
Horne, Oklahoman Thunder beat
writer about Westbrook’s confrontation with a fan when the Thunder played at
Utah this week.
4. “As cohabiting becomes
more commonplace in our society, the lines between getting married and just
moving in together can begin to blur, making it harder for young people to
recognize what is so special about the marriage vow. But despite prevailing
myths about cohabitation being similar to marriage, when it comes to the
relationship quality measures that count—like commitment, satisfaction, and
stability—research continues to show that marriage is still the best choice for
a strong and stable union”—Bradford
Wilcox
5. “Treating Genesis as if it were a purely human document
leads to distortions because Genesis claims to give an account of very early
events, including the creation of the world before any human beings existed”—Vern
Poythress
6. “(St. Patrick) was motivated to be sure, though not by
greed… Patrick’s motives were pure and exemplary of what should animate
missionary passion even today”—Andrew
Ballitch
