Billy Graham is Ready to Speak

Colleen Jenkins wrote for the huffingtonpost.com saying, “Evangelist Billy Graham’s voice is softer and his body weaker, but the man who helped transform Christianity in America and counseled U.S. presidents will reach out to the nation on his 95th birthday in an effort to revitalize the church.”

“Graham, who has not preached publicly since 2006 because of frail health, has filmed a public message to air on national television on his Nov. 7 birthday, giving fans a rare and possibly final opportunity to see the man dubbed ‘America’s Pastor.'”

“‘Our country is in great need of a spiritual awakening,'” Graham says in a program titled “The Cross.” “With all my heart, I want to leave you with the truth.”

I agree with this last statement Graham said. Our country, and this world, need a spiritual awakening. I’m happy Graham is seeing that and wants to speak out about it.

Pastor’s House is Too Big?

An article in huffingtonpost.com states, “Elevation Church’s pastor Steve Furtick came under fire earlier this week for his multi-million dollar mansion, raising questions about his financial profits from the success of his church and subsequent book deals and speaking engagements.”

“In his comments, he thanked God for his blessings and described the big, beautiful house as a gift from God. The Charlotte Observer reports that he told his congregation, “It’s a big house, and it’s a beautiful house, and we thank God for it …. We understand everything we have comes from God.”

I don’t understand why people care about this. If this man has a big house it means he has to be stealing from the church? or doing something wrong. I think that’s wrong…for people to assume bad things about this pastor.

Oprah’s God?

Senior religion editor for thehuffingtonpost.com, Paul Raushenbush, posted that, “Recently two celebrities offered us mirror textbook cases on how not to talk about the belief — or lack thereof — of another.”

“On a show that aired on Oct. 13, Oprah Winfrey hosted Diana Nyad who has recently completed a historic swim from Cuba to Florida. In the now famous exchange, Nyad, who is an atheist explained her beliefs to Oprah:”

I can stand at the beach’s edge with the most devout Christian, Jew, Buddhist, go on down the line, and weep with the beauty of this universe and be moved by all of humanity. All the billions of people who have lived before us, who have loved and hurt and suffered. So to me, my definition of God is humanity and is the love of humanity.

“Well, I don’t call you an atheist then,” Winfrey said. “I think if you believe in the awe and the wonder and the mystery, then that is what God is. That is what God is. It’s not a bearded guy in the sky.”

“Oprah came under a heated attack by atheists who thought they deserved an apology for her lack of understanding.”

I think Oprah is completely off base. Believing in God does not mean you believe in the “awe and the wonder and the mystery,” no, that is not God. God is a personal Savior. He sent His son to die for our sins and rose three days later. He’s not a mystery? I think Oprah is confused. You don’t get to say you believe in God because you believe in awe and wonder, that’s not how this relationship works. At all. 

10 million

So…Pope Francis has 10 million followers on twitter. i think i have 10?

“A jubilant Pope Francis celebrated reaching 10 million followers on messaging site Twitter on Sunday , a milestone in the Vatican’s drive to spread the gospel through social media.”

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/27/pope-francis-twitter-followers-vatican-10m

So Help Me God

An article in the huffington post states, “Air Force Academy cadets are no longer required to say ‘so help me God’ at the end of the Honor Oath. School officials said Friday the words were made optional after a complaint from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, an advocacy group.”

Why? This is so frustrating to me. I don’t agree with it at all. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/25/air-force-oath-god_n_4164796.html?utm_hp_ref=religion

The Right to Drive

Abdullah Al-Shihri wrote in the huffington post saying, “Around 150 clerics and religious scholars have rallied outside the Saudi king’s palace, protesting against women seeking the right to drive. The senior religious leaders said the United States was behind a campaign calling for women to drive on Oct. 26 that claims to have garnered 16,000 signatures”

What? This is obviously crazy. These women should be allowed to drive.

The President’s Devotionals

Senior religious editor of the huffington post, Paul Brandeis Raushenbush wrote about “The Man Behind the President’s Devotionals.” He said, “Dubois has been sending devotionals to Obama every morning since the 2008 presidential campaign. A collection of these spiritual messages to the president has now been published Dubois’ new book, The President’s Devotional.”

I love that there is someone making devotionals for the president, and that the President does devotionals. I think it is the best way to start the day. To have a moment of silence with the creator. So, this man is very important, and I bet it would be stressful to have the position that he does. In hard times the only thing I look to is God, so Dubois has to take it upon himself to steer the President in the right direction.

“Dubois started working for Obama shortly after he became a senator. A public policy and economics student at Princeton University, he was also ordained at a small Pentecostal church where he served as an associate pastor. It was this combination of skills that led him to become Obama’s faith outreach coordinator during his first presidential campaign and, later, to be appointed as the Director of the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships during the president’s first term.” 

Modern Churches

There’s an article on the huffington post titled, “Best Modern Churches Awards Find Stunning Examples of Sacred Architecture.” 

There is a “best modern churches competition”……

“Held by the National Churches Trust, The Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association, and the 20th Century Society, the competition will announce the “Top 10 Best Modern Churches” built in the last 60 years, on Nov. 7th.”

This is so silly to me. Churches being ranked on which one is the most modern?

Obama’s Faith During Tough Times

Josh Lederman wrote in the huffington post saying, “President Barack Obama is not an overtly religious man. He and his family rarely attend church, and he almost never elaborates in public about his own relationship to his Christian faith. But far away from the public eye, his longtime advisers say, the president has carefully nurtured a sense of spirituality that has served as a grounding mechanism during turbulent times, when the obstacles to governing a deeply divided nation seem nearly insurmountable.”

Obama’s religion has always been questioned. He has made comments on being a christian but rarely do we see that side of him. This post makes me happy though. That there is a religious side to Obama and that the people that he is close to see. Obama also said that he gets advice from scripture on how to be a better man, husband and dad..as well as a better president. I think that’s good that he looks to God’s word for wisdom.