Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Wacky Wednesday--Christmas cards are a bad idea

Note: Before reading the following arguments, please understand that they are not what I believe. On Wednesdays, I deliberately argue for wrong ideas, challenging my listeners to call and defend the obvious right answer, which is usually far harder than one would expect. This is a summary of what Wacky Andrew will be arguing, not a representation of what real Andrew believes.

~They are expensive and either a waste of money or a burden of guilt on people who can’t afford to send them.
~We feel obligated to send them to people with whom our only contact is the annual card exchange.
~Are we really looking for more ways to destroy forests and fill garbage dumps?
~Calling would be more meaningful, and probably cheaper.
~Does signing your name to a message made by Hallmark-for-hire really honor Christ?
~It creates the unpleasant and impossible situation of having to decide whom to include and whom to exclude.
~It contributes to the mad rush of the Holidays rather than to the Peace that passes understanding.

Links:
What is the point of Christmas cards? by Bill Barnwell
Cards in Britain avoid Christ by Jeff Jacoby

Wacky Wednesday--We Shouldn’t Celebrate Christmas

Note: Before reading the following arguments, please understand that they are not what I believe. On Wednesdays, I deliberately argue for wrong ideas, challenging my listeners to call and defend the obvious right answer, which is usually far harder than one would expect. This is a summary of what Wacky Andrew will be arguing, not a representation of what real Andrew believes.

~Jesus certainly wasn’t born on December 25.
~It's hopelessly bound up with things we oppose or should oppose like materialism and fables.
~It's origins come from pagan worship rituals.
~Christmas was actually illegal in America for a long time. Do you know why?
~Jesus never told us to commemorate His birth, and the disciples didn’t do so.
~By saying, "Do this in remembrance of Me," He was implying that we ought not do anything else in remembrance of Him.
~Is this a Biblical phrase?
~Christmas isn't even really all that important to the faith, compared to Easter anyhow.
~It's only in one Gospel and wasn't celebrated by the early Church.
~Birthdays are not a Biblical thing to celebrate anyhow.
~Christmas and all the traditions sets people up for great depression when they are alone or when they don't have a "good one," whatever that means.
~Jeremiah says to not have trees decked in gold and silver.

Links:
Christmas is not pagan by Richard P. Bucher
Should Christians celebrate Christmas? (Must-read) by Bible.org
A Defense of Christmas (Another Must-Read) by Prpc-Stl.org
Should we celebrate Christmas? by Cobblestone Ministries
Should Christians celebrate Christmas? by Bethleministries.com
Was Jesus born on Decmeber 25? by Gotquestions.org
Christmas: Pagan origins? by Gotquestions.org
Should we celebrate Christmas? by FreedomsPhoenix.com
Let the pagans have the holiday by Christianity Today
Christmas by Wikipedia
Christmas Controversies by Wikipedia
The Real Story of Christmas by Simpletoremember.com
The Origin of Christmas by Lasttrumpetministries.org
Controversial Roots by Origin-of-Christmas.com
Origin of Christmas Traditions by Classbrain.com
The Surprising Origin of Christmas! by Hope-of-Israel.org
The True Origin of Christmas by TheRCG.org

Give Christmas back to the pagans by World Magazine

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Theological Tuesday

~Oral Roberts
~Is gratitude a skill or a gift?
~How should Christians respond to a recession?

What Should A Christian Do With Santa Claus?

For most Christians, this is not much of an issue. In fact, given how seriously many Christians think about whether they should participate in Halloween or not, the fact that they usually don’t think much at all about the non-Christian mythology surrounding Christmas is rather surprising. Is Santa a healthy thing for children to believe in? Does Santa distract from Jesus? Is there any danger in telling children fairy tales? What happens when children discover the truth? Does Santa teach theologically helpful or theologically problematic things to children?

Bible References: Ex 20:3, Ex 20:16, Num 23:19, Deut 6:4-9, Prov 6:16-19, Prov 30:5-9, Amos 2:4, Matt 12:35-37, Matt 18:4-6, Mark 9:42, Luke 17:1-2, John 8:44, Eph 2:8-9, Eph 4:25, Eph 5:3-16, 1 Tim 1:3-7, 1 Tim 4:6-7, 2 Tim 4:3-4, 2 Peter 1:16, 1 John 2:21-28

Links:
Origin of Santa and the Christian response by Richard Bucher
What have Christians made of Santa? by ReligiousTolerance.org
Santa origins and FAQ by Lone-Star.net
St. Nicholas and the origin of Santa Claus by St. Nicholas Center
Santa Claus and the Gospel by Gretchen Passantino
God, not Santa Claus, with us by A.W. Tozer
An analysis of the theology of Santaism by Bob Cromwell
Santa and Rudolph: what's a Christian parent to do? by Living Catholicism
To Santa or not to Santa? by Families Online Magazine
Should parents perpetuate the Santa myth? by Atheism.About.com
Invisible pink unicorns, Santa Claus, and God by GodAndScience.org
Santa Claus: the great impostor by Terry Watkins
What should Christians tell kids about Santa? by GotQuestions.org
Santa Claus at Wikipedia.org
From Santa to salvation: Polar Express by Marc Newman
In defense of Santa Claus by Dennis Prager
The Santa Claus dilemma
by Chicago Tribune

Monday, December 21, 2009

The Ethics of Gift-Giving

Every year, we do a show on this topic because it’s such an important part of Christmas. Why, exactly, do we give gifts? What are the key ingredients to a good (and a bad) gift? What should you do when you get a gift you don’t want? Should you be honest with the person? Aren’t Christians supposed to tell the truth? Would you want to know if you failed at giving someone else a gift?

Angel Tree

One of the most painful parts of being incarcerated is the inability to give Christmas gifts to your children. And for the children themselves, Christmas, which is supposed to be a time of joy and celebration, becomes a time of mourning and disappointment. After her own personal experience of this pain in prison for 6 years, Mary K. Beard founded Angel Tree to give gifts on behalf of inmates to their children. With humble beginnings of just 556 children in 1982, Angel Tree gave gifts last year to 415,000 children. These gifts are a message of hope to the children, and a demonstration of the substitutionary love of Christ to their parents in jail. For ever $10.20 you give, a child receives a personally selected gift and an item of clothing on Christmas Day. Call 1-888-ANGEL-05 (888-264-3505) or click here to help as many of them as you can.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Various Current Events

Oral Roberts’s legacy (Christianity Today)
God’s man in Tulsa (Christianity Today)
Oral Roberts dies at 91 (USA Today)
Immigration bill announced in House (LA Times)
100 reasons global warming isn’t manmade (Daily Express)
If only Tiger had stayed single (ABC News)
Lessons from Tiger (Albert Mohler)
Looks buy happiness, but only in cities (MSNBC)
DC votes for gay marriage (Christian Post)
Muslim death threats over Swiss minaret (Christian Post)
Core values in health care bills (LA Times)
Why the banks still aren’t lending (WSJ)
The President is no B+ (Karl Rove)
H1N1 statistics (Fox News)
New RI prostitution law hurting strip clubs (Providence Journal)
Sec. Clinton’s human rights speech (State.gov)
Latino organization uses Jesus to promote census (USA Today)
VA middle school cancels Taliban assignment (Wash Post)
Domino’s to change its pizza recipe (USA Today)
H1N1 vaccines expiring, being recalled (USA Today)
Pope calls for action on climate change (Wash Post)
Tiger prompts advertiser “reputation insurance” (Atlanta J-C)
SC House nixes Sanford impeachment (The State)
BBC gets heat for discussing Uganda policy (London Times)
Scientists crack two cancer codes (London Times)
Sen. Schumer swears at stewardess (NY Post)
Valley teacher took students to Hooters (AZ Republic)
Sex makes people stupid (Maggie Gallagher)
Climate talks at crisis stage (CBS News)
Lieberman: people fund things they dislike (CNS News)
Spitzer’s call girl now an advice columnist (NY Post)
Obama: gov’t will bankrupt without health reform (ABC News)
Ugandan anti-gay bill divides Christians (Christianity Today)
Ugandan pleads with Americans on Hsex bill (Christianity Today)

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Wacky Wednesday--Fiction Is Sinful

Note: Before reading the following arguments, please understand that they are not what I believe. On Wednesdays, I deliberately argue for wrong ideas, challenging my listeners to call and defend the obvious right answer, which is usually far harder than one would expect. This is a summary of what Wacky Andrew will be arguing, not a representation of what real Andrew believes.

~When we invent imaginary worlds, we are playing God.
~Fiction has a powerful capacity to shape our beliefs and our morals.
~You can easily write a story which generates sympathy for anyone, including the most detestable villains.
~Fiction is like an emotional drug which then makes you less and less satisfied with the ordinary experiences of real life.
~Ethics should be based on reality, not on hypothetical examples in a world which God didn’t actually make.
~When you can easily escape your own world by consuming fiction, you become less motivated to change the things about your life which dissatisfy you.
~The Bible says to pay no attention to fables and old wives tales.
~Fiction is highly addictive, and, if we are to not be attached to the real world, how much more should we be not attached to an imaginary one.
~Only God should be the Creator of worlds.
~How does fiction point people toward the Bible?
~Authors of Christian fiction always take some license, and license is just another word for error.

Wacky Wednesday--Logic Doesn't Matter

Note: Before reading the following arguments, please understand that they are not what I believe. On Wednesdays, I deliberately argue for wrong ideas, challenging my listeners to call and defend the obvious right answer, which is usually far harder than one would expect. This is a summary of what Wacky Andrew will be arguing, not a representation of what real Andrew believes.

~It must not matter since so many people are terrible at it, and yet we live fairly well.
~Our actions are guided almost entirely by emotion, experience, and programming, not logic.
~Name a major human problem solved by logic
~The Bible didn’t give us logic as a tool. Greek philosophy did.
~Reality is often unlikely or improbable and even irrational.
~The Pharisees killed Jesus because of logic. As a Sabbath-breaker, He clearly couldn’t be a true prophet and deserved death.
~Even highly logical people are still irrational
~Things don’t really need to be logical to be functional, just consider the English language.


Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Theological Tuesday


~Should Christians say, “Jesus is coming back soon?”
~Is gratitude a skill or a gift?
~How should Christians respond to a recession?

Monday, December 14, 2009

Ethics Class, Session 32: Sexual Deviance 3

Tonight’s planned material includes: Homosexuality.

You can get more information at
http://andrewtallmanshowethics.blogspot.com.

Click here to post your thoughts on the Ethics Class.

Obama’s Nobel Acceptance Speech

Last week, President Obama accepted his Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, and he gave what can only be described as a stunningly unexpected speech. In it, he defended American foreign policy, defended the importance of warfare under the right circumstances, and even acknowledged that the committee was premature in giving it to him when he hasn’t really done anything yet. So, today, I thought we would talk about the speech and analyze it since I believe it’s one of his best so far.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Wacky Wednesday--Legalism Is Right: Works Save You

Note: Before reading the following arguments, please understand that they are not what I believe. On Wednesdays, I deliberately argue for wrong ideas, challenging my listeners to call and defend the obvious right answer, which is usually far harder than one would expect. This is a summary of what Wacky Andrew will be arguing, not a representation of what real Andrew believes.

~Doesn’t James say that faith without works is dead?
~Matthew 25 teaches the parables of the 10 virgins, the talents, and the goat and sheep nations. All of these explicitly show that works are necessary for salvation.
~Jesus finishes His Sermon on the Mount (Matt 7) by telling us that obedience is necessary and to judge people by their fruit.
~In the parable of the wedding feast (Matt 22), the guy who isn’t wearing the right clothes is thrown out of the house.
~Many are called, but few are chosen.
~Paul says that sinners won’t inherit the kingdom (1 Cor 6:9-10)
~Why would God give us rules unless He expected us to follow them and believed that we could? It would be unfair to impose rules that are impossible.
Aren’t we supposed to have the fruit of the Spirit? (Gal 5:22-23)

Wacky Wednesday--Antinomianism Is Right: Sins Don’t Matter

Note: Before reading the following arguments, please understand that they are not what I believe. On Wednesdays, I deliberately argue for wrong ideas, challenging my listeners to call and defend the obvious right answer, which is usually far harder than one would expect. This is a summary of what Wacky Andrew will be arguing, not a representation of what real Andrew believes.

~If good works can’t promote salvation, how can evil works hinder it?
~If we were capable of obeying the moral law, then we wouldn’t need the sacrifice of Christ, right?
~If salvation can’t be lost, then what would it matter how you live?
~Just as we don’t make sacrifices at the temple any longer, why would we need to obey the teachings of the law any longer?
~Circumcision has been done away with, why not the entire moral law?
~This solves the very tricky problem of distinguishing the parts of the Old Testament that still apply from those that do not. None of them do.
~The just shall live by faith, not by anything they do or avoid doing.
~David was a man after God’s own heart, despite adultery and conspiracy to commit murder.
~If you reject this, why is your view of Christian liberty so narrow?
~God welcomes and saves all people, not just the well-behaved.
~Isn’t this just the logical conclusion to be drawn from the concept of justification by faith alone?
~We are either under the law or under grace, not a little of both.
~This seems to be the dominant view held by mainline Protestants today, at least concerning sexual sins. How likely is it that all of them are just wrong?
~Consider how liberating it is to embrace this reality. Now you’re truly free to love God and even to honor Him in your behavior, since what you do earns you nothing and forfeits you nothing.
~Once saved, always saved, but with footnotes?
~We’re going to sin anyhow, so why fight it?
~The more we sin, the better God looks, right?
~The thief on the cross was saved without any works whatsoever, right?

Links:

Antinomianism (Catholic Encyclopedia)
Antinomianism (Grace Valley Christian Center)
What is Antinomianism (Got Questions)
Antinomianism Misapplied (Robert Traill)

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Monday, December 7, 2009

Ethics Class, Session 31: Sexual Deviance 2

Tonight’s planned material includes: Contraception.

You can get more information at
http://andrewtallmanshowethics.blogspot.com.

Links:
A Brief History of Church Teaching on Contraception
Theology of the Body by Christopher West (And other Articles)
Contraception: Why Not? by Janet Smith
The Case Against Contraception by W. Patrick Cunningham
Why Not Contraception by George Sim Johnston
The Case Against Contraception by Rachel Miola
A Critique of the Culture of Contraception by Chris Brown
Quotes on Contraception
A Full Quiver Book on Large Families by Rick and Jan Hess
Pandora's Pillbox Conference Tapes at One More Soul
Humanae Vitae by Pope Paul VI 1968
Castii Conubii by Pope Pius XI 1930
Populorum Progressivo by Pope Paul VI 1967
Griswold v Connecticut 1965 USSC Case
Roe v Wade 1973 USSC CaseNFP book
Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler
Pharmacists refusing to fill prescriptions by Washington Post
Under-Population, Not Over-population Real Problem by UN
Rude "When Are You Having A Baby?" Question by Dear Abby
Debate Over "Deliberate Childlessness" by Albert Mohler
Under-Population Worries Baptist Leader by Bob Allen
Pro-C:
Contraception and Abortion Twins? By Wayne Jackson
Pro-C:
Catholics for Contraception by Catholics for Choice
Pro-C:
Christians and Contraception by Bart Garrett
Pro-C:
"Full-Quiver" Theology Appeals to Race by M. Torre
Pro-C:
Inconceivable: Couples Refusing Kids by V. Shodolski
Pro-C:
HappilyChildFree.com

Confrontation: Why We Don’t And How We Should

It seems like I’ve been besieged lately with confrontation opportunities (as even the thought of the day notices). Naturally, we all have situations in our daily lives where we observe people either irritating us, violating some social rule, sinning, or even breaking the law. Sadly, in my opinion, most of us fail to confront people when such things happen. The reasons why we avoid confrontation are fairly obvious: fear, laziness, expectation of failure, etc. But the Bible is pretty emphatic about the importance of confronting people effectively and lovingly. So, tonight I’d like to hear your stories of confrontations handled well, handled poorly, or avoided as we talk about how and why to confront people.

Bible References: Lev 19:16-18, Deut 19:15, Matt 5: 21-26, Matt 6:9-15, Matt 18:15-20, Luke 12:56-59, Luke 17:1-10, John 13:34-35, John 15:12, John 15:17, 1 Cor 6:1-8, 1 Cor 13:4, 2 Cor 13:1, Gal 6:1-3, 1 Thess 5:14-15, 2 Thess 3:6, 2 Thess 3:14-16, 1 Tim 5:19, 1 John 2:8-11, 1 John 3:15, 1 John 4:19-21, James 5:19-20

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Various Current Events

20 health advances people don’t notice (WSJ)
Climategate: Follow the money (WSJ)
Climategate: Facts on GW have changed (Guardian)
Climategate: UN doesn’t care (Guardian)
Climategate: Worst scandal of generation (Telegraph)
Climategate: WH denies importance (The Hill)
Climategate: The science isn’t settled (WSJ)
Seven stories Obama doesn’t want told (Politico)
Lose weight or no diploma (CNN)
Police shoot cop-killer in Washington (USA Today)
Cop killer was out despite rap sheet (Fox News)
Huckabee clemency issue resurfaces (NYT)
Study claims 45,000 Americans die from no insurance (Harvard)
Read the abstract
Megachurch donates $9.6 mil in volunteer hours (Christian Post)
Chinese megachurch leaders sentenced to jail (Christian Post)
5 more pastors jailed in China (Christian Post)
Planned Parenthood drops lawsuit (Christian Post)
Rampant extinction threatens all species (LA Times)
Swiss ban minarets (LA Times)
Switzerland and the minaret (WSJ)
Swiss vote for intolerance (NYT)
Obama’s Afghanistan speech (White House)
Risk meets reality in Dubai (LA Times)
Tiger Woods should explain (AZ Republic)
Woods blames same media he profited from (Yahoo)
CA movement to ban divorce (CBS)
This I believe (NYT)
A conservative praises Obama on Afgh. (CS Monitor)
Tiger Woods scandal (CS Monitor)
UK counselor fired for not counseling gays (Christian Post)
Belgian man recovers after 23 year coma (Christian Post)
NH court to hear home school case (Christian Post)
FRC releases porn study (Christian Post)
NY rejects gay marriage bill (NYT)
Questions for Obama on Afghanistan (CS Monitor)

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Wacky Wednesday--We Should Enact A War Tax

Note: Before reading the following arguments, please understand that they are not what I believe. On Wednesdays, I deliberately argue for wrong ideas, challenging my listeners to call and defend the obvious right answer, which is usually far harder than one would expect. This is a summary of what Wacky Andrew will be arguing, not a representation of what real Andrew believes.

~This is a natural extension of requiring men to register for selective service.
~All Americans should share the burdens of conducting a war.
~If people won’t pay for it, they shouldn’t be conducting it.
~Paying now is better than indenturing our children with massive debt.
~War should not be possible without at least some daily awareness of its costs.
~This might encourage clearer goals and a speedier resolution.
~We have to pay for the war somehow, isn’t this the most fiscally responsible way?

Links:
Pay as you fight (Politico)
Time for a war tax (Tax.com)
Historical perspective: sacrifice and surcharge (Tax History.com)
Some dems propose tax surcharge (USA Today)
Obey’s war tax (Time)
David Obey’s war tax (Economist)
Obey wants Obama to pay for troop increase (ABC)
Hoyer signals support for war tax (CNS News)
“Share The Sacrifice Act of 2010”

Wacky Wednesday--A Little Lust Is Alright

Note: Before reading the following arguments, please understand that they are not what I believe. On Wednesdays, I deliberately argue for wrong ideas, challenging my listeners to call and defend the obvious right answer, which is usually far harder than one would expect. This is a summary of what Wacky Andrew will be arguing, not a representation of what real Andrew believes.

~When it comes to alcohol, tobacco, savory foods, and other things, we say that it’s okay to use it just a little as long as we don’t overdo it.
~Moderation in all things, right?
~Lust perpetuates gender distinctions, and isn’t it important to keep this concept alive and well?
~It’s okay to look as long as you don’t touch.
~The vast majority of men indulge in a little lust and still make great husbands.
~Trying to prohibit it entirely doesn’t work. So maybe allowing it a little is the way to go.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Theological Tuesday

~Should churches have performance reviews for members?

~Is gratitude a skill or a gift?

~How should Christians respond to a recession?

~Should churches be pet-friendly?