MEDIA-RELATED STUFF: WHITE NOISE ON AM; THOUGHTS ON NEWSMAX TV AND MORE

Really, CJBQ! Having Jim Wright broadcast for 12 hours! That's just crummy.

Have been getting this weird white noise on WTAM.

Tuned into Newsmax TV yesterday afternoon. Lots of dead air, usual Conservative-Liberal paradigm and most of the commercials seemed to be aimed at an older audience.

Interesting to see Alex Trebeque endorsing a product. The only thing I'd ever known him to be spokesman for till now was World Vision.

TV-RELATED STUFF

Was able to pick up CJOH-TV's Deseronto transmitter on 88.1 FM tonight.

Seems like TV commercials are getting shorter.

Also picked up Global's Channel 2 Niagara transmitter on my little TV tonight.

MEDIA-RELATED STUFF: ALLEN THICK AND BOB WASHINGTON WON'T SEE THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY

Regarding that Crown Royal commercial, if you're so dumb you need instructions on how to make a whisky and cola, you probably shouldn't be drinking.

So long, Allen Thick. I'll remember him best from "J-pod."

So long as well to K-tel announcer Bob Washington. The man had a literally unique ability.

Whatever happened to "Wavescan" on WWCR 12160 Saturdays at 12:30 eastern? Noticed "Music and Memories" in that slot today.

Picked up All India Radio in the nine megahertz band a little while ago with Bollywood film music. Umm mmm good!

MEDIA-RELATED STUFF

Can't stream Australian Christian Channel anymore.

Goodbye, John Badham. I'll always remember you as the CHEX-TV staff announcer and the way you told the news on 980 Cruise.

Speaking of telling the news, best wishes to Dick Smyth, who is battling cancer.

BORN TO SHOP

By Michael Starkey. Eastbourne, UK: Monarch Publications Ltd., 1989.

Introduction

Up in the Tree-house

By the time I came along, children’s stories had all been commercialized and us kids were well emersed in consumer culture.

The Real World

I was taught as a child to go along to get along and that the most important thing was to get a good job so you could pay all the taxes the Canadian government burdened the people with. Being liked and thought of as acceptable by everybody came a close second.

OINKS, WOOPIES, AND JOLLIES

Adverts, Adverts, Everywhere

This section has more relevance today than when this book was written.

Advertising in the West

Sadly, in the time since this book was published, consumerism has spread to nearly the whole world.

Buying into an Image

I personally notice a difference between Coke and Pepsi but it is negligible.

I don’t notice much of a difference in gbrands of vodka, except that vodka that’s a little more expensive is smoother.

Advertising and its Critics

It’s the old argument that Big Macks, Coke and the latest pop sensation are bad, whereas organic beef, French wine and Mozart are good. The problem with this thinking, however, is that at some point you had to find out about organic beef, French wine and Mozart, either by word of mouth or some other means. In other words, it was advertised to you. There are so many good, worthwhile, wholesome products out there that people should be made aware of that you’d be hurting those products if you banned advertising.

THE GLOBAL DUSTBIN

OBSOLESCENCE

There is a bit of a problem with functional obsolescence as well, the example Starkey uses in the book also serving as a good one here. When society went from chilac 78 records to long-playing and 45s, people threw away their 78s. When society switched from records to cds, people through out their record collections. Though each innovation of this type of technology was better, it also made waste out of things, i.e. recorded media, that could have been enjoyed many years more.

The other issue with this example is that older recordings on newer technology never sound as good as on the older technology because the original recordings were made with the older technology in mind and of course not the newer. Big gband music sounds best on well taken care of chilac records because the engineers, arrangers and musicians who recorded that music new what would sound best on the media on which the public would listen to their works.

Certainly no one wants old boots that crack and leave blisters on one’s feet, but we need a society that better integrates old technology and the aspects of such that was good with new technological innovation.

POLLUTION AND LIFESTYLE

The thrhow away problem is in many ways no better today than when this book was written and may even be worse in every way. As society breaks down and more generations are brought up by a previous generation who has no clue about how to actually run a household or raise a family, the wisdom the generations before them had will disappear. A consumerist “old is bad, the new way is always better” attitude will of course excelerate and exacerbate this problem. Nowadays, those who are having children know so little about domesticity, including ways to conserve and re-use things. One example I heard of recently was of a charity yard sale where the people running it threw out everything that hadn’t sold, including items such as board games for which the staff couldn’t be bothered to look for the missing pieces.

In good news, though, the right to repair and repairer movement are growing.

In further good news, the sharing economy is growing, despite politician’s and mainstream media’s hatred of it.

I don’t believe in global warming, or climate change, as it is now commonly called. Carbon dioxide is what plants breathe.

Also, global warming is impossible. As said above, plants breathe carbon dioxide. If there were more carbon dioxide being pumped into the atmosphere by man, it would cause the plants to get bigger, thereby consuming more carbon dioxide and thus, the problem would take care of itself.

If global warming were possible and occurring, however, a case can be made it would be a good thing. The land now thawing in the arctic as part of a natural part of a climate cycle will make good farmland for people. The Inuit will be able to grow fresh vegetables and not have to import prohibitively expensive produce from down south. This is already starting to happen.

Global deforestation rates are slowing. In more good news, there are way more trees on Earth than previously thought.

CHRISTIANITY AND NATURE

Though this book was published in 1989 and I grew up in the eighties and nineties, the Christians I grew up around never even mentioned anything about protecting the environment. It’s only been in the last few years I’ve come across anything that addresses this issue in any kind of depth.

Eastern religions are actually harmful to the environment. Because, for example, Hinduism holds the cow as sacred and Buddhism holds all life, including those of farm animals sacred, these animals are not eaten by the adherents of these religions. The animals eat grain and other feed and use up land, both of which things could be used for the benefit of people.

Also, in Buddhism, animals and plants are viewed as lower forms of life, souls that are being punished by karma.

Here is an article telling the truth about the Native attitude toward nature.

The last sentence of this article could be a post or book in itself. Today, we are truly a society of adult children.

POP, POLITICS AND PACKAGING

Today, we have people who are famous for being famous. At least, in the days when this book was written, celebrities sang, acted or had something of some degree of tangibility to go along with the glitz and glamour. In the last decade, though, people such as Paris Hilton and the Kardashians just get the media to make them famous for doing nothing.

The image-making of politicians results in things like the U.S. election being between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

I get what the author is trying to say about finding good pop bands and, of course, everyone has different tastes. However, because such things are fun, I am going to give my opinion on the examples of good and bad bands the author cites. Before I do that though, I will provide a bit of an update by mentioning that two more examples of bands with meaningless lyrics that have come along in the last 27 years are Nirvana and Coldplay.

REM: I would put them in the opposite category. What are any of their songs about? How were they an alternative to anything that was out when they came along?

Led Zepelin: Though a lot of their stuff consists of meaningless lyrics and stolen Delta blues songs, they definitely have a musicality that is worth something (see “When the Levy Breaks.”)

U2: What do people see in them, too? Sure, Bono says a lot of stuff, but they changed a song about the plight of the Natives into “Vertigo.” Also, in much of their work they don’t rise above being just another pop band, either.

BORN TO SHOP

The dualism the author speaks of in this chapter is Gnosticism invading Christianity. Modern Christians go to church, talk about the need for Christianity to pervade our whole lives, and either go about their lives after church as if the sermon were never preached or else turn the ideas into a program for which the same people in the church volunteer who volunteer for everything else. (The other 80 percent go about their lives as if the sermon were never preached.)

2 TIMOTHY

Chapter 1

V7: The word fear used in most translations of this verse doesn’t just mean fear when it comes to the Gospel but all fear. Fear is the opposite of faith. If we fear, we can’t operate in God’s power and the love He commands us to have for people.

The last of the three opposite traits of fear is not self-control but instead a sound mind. There is more than enough evidence fear can literally drive one crazy.

Chapter 2

V4: If someone is going to serve in the military, they don’t do so only on the condition that they can come home to their families, their nice, warm house, their warm bed, and a good homecooked meal every night, or on condition they don’t have to do anything that could put their life or physical well-being at risk. Though, as Christians, we must make the welfare of our families a priority as they are our first responsibility and our first ministry, we must also carry out this duty to our spouses and children in light of obedience to God and the following of Jesus Christ to which we are called.

V8-10: No matter how we suffer for the sake of Christ and His Gospel, no matter how we are persecuted, no matter what man thinks, no matter how the world feels, no matter what people feel comfortable in believing, the Gospel is and will always be true. “Let Christ be true and every man a liar.”

V14-18: Verse 14 puts me in mind of, for instance, the Seventh-day Adventist teaching (also believed by others and known as the anihiliation theory) that the word in the Bible translated forever doesn’t actually mean forever.

Once, I studied so that I might be able to answer the Jehova’s Witnesses and Mormons who came to the door. Now, upon further study of the Word, I realize there is no point in trying to rebut such people and their teachings face to face. As verse 14 says, disputing about words with those who want to twist the Scriptures doesn’t profit anything. They aren’t going to listen to you and you aren’t going to listen to them. In the case of the Jehova’s Witnesses, they’re not even allowed to intellectually consider anything that contradicts their doctrine, and in the case of Mormons, most of them literally shut off their critical thinking ability at the age of twelve or so when they are baptized.

Fruitless theological arguments, such as the exact nature of predestination, only increase ungodliness. A young Christian can join a church, be a member for forty years and end up with not much more actual knowledge of God and His Word than when they first started attending precisely because most of the preaching and Bible study in that church has been mainly concerned with vain theological babblings as described in this verse.

Similarly, doctrines that are not only incorrect, but even cheapen the Good News of Christ Jesus to a nearly (or completely) blasphemous level only sidetrack and increase ungodliness in Christians because they take valuable time away from the study of Christ’s truths and the truths concerning our relationship with Him. Such profane babblings include the more extreme examples of the prosperity gospel as well as easy believeism.

V20: In ancient times, common everyday plates, cups and such things were made of earthenware or wood, while “fine china” was made of gold and silver. This verse pictures a rich family who, when they are hosting important people, use their gold and silver plates and goblets; but when it’s just the family by themselves, they eat off wooden plates and drink from earthenware mugs like everybody else. Thus, we are to present our life to God as though it was a meal set before an important and special person.

V24-26: The reason there is so much forcing the Gospel down people’s throats these days, in direct contradiction to how Paul instructs Timothy here, is because we’ve made the church into an institutional organization operated upon worldly principles. Thus, we must use whatever it takes, the soft soap or the hard stuff, the good cop or the bad cop, to make the sale and get someone to join the church. However, this approach only leads to false converts, or genuine converts who don’t get properly parented in the faith and thus fall away in blasphemous bitterness to God and His (real and false) people when the church’s behavior modification techniques don’t work on them.

Chapter 3

V1-6: In a  Godly community of believers, the humble should get ahead and the proud should bring up the rear, but this is the exact opposite way the modern church functions. This is at least partially because we have made the church into an organization and thus it now functions like any other worldly institution. The stories are numerous of the person who was an abusive, self-centred person at home and to people (especially the vulnerable) of the church but was thought of as a wonderful man of God and able minister of the Gospel due to their ability to talk the talk around the other Christians.

V7: Those described in verse 6, the metaphorical silly women, are expounded upon in this verse. They spend all their time going to conferences, reading Christian books and periodicals, listening and watching Christian media, but they never actually grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. They only want to hear what sounds good to them and backs up, that is, gives value to, the three dollars worth of God they already possess. They don’t want to grow in their knowledge or in their relationship with God.

V13: These people who want to be deceived and, in turn, in their zeal without wisdom or knowledge, deceive others, will just sink deeper and deeper into deception. That’s what happens when you evaluate everything on whether or not it appeals to you emotionally.

Based on “Chained to the Gospel” by Michael Baughen.

YOU MEAN WE CRUCIFIED THE PAGANS?

Haven’t had one of these in years. As always, so many Christians are going to swallow this devotional hook, line and sinker. What’s said in commentary here is in hopes of at least reaching some of those people, though I know most would rather cling to what they’re comfortable with than actually think about anything. For those unfamiliar, paragraphs featuring my comments will be headed by my initials.

Who Started Christmas?

"On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us."

2 Corinthians 1:10 (NIV)

A friend told me about a woman who was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After hours of scanning the shelves of toys, and everything else imaginable, and after hearing her children begging for all the things they wanted, she finally made it to the elevator. The doors opened and typically, the elevator was packed with people. But she managed to squeeze in with her bags and children. When the doors closed she let out an exhausted sigh and said, "Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up, and shot!" From the back of the elevator a voice responded, "Don't worry, we already crucified him!"

AH: First of all, you know this story never happened.

AH: Notice how the woman is made out to be the bad guy, just because she’s exasperated with all the stress and busyness this time of the year brings.

AH: “It’s too late. We already crucified Him.” Don’t you just love zeal without wisdom?

AH: Jesus, in fact, did not start Christmas. Christmas has its roots in the Roman Satturnalia celebration, a commemoration of the Winter Solstice still observed by pagans today.

In the busyness of the season it's easy to forget who started Christmas. Cards have to be written and mailed out, special treats cooked (and tasted!), parties attended, shopping bags filled, the tree trimmed, lights hung, relatives phoned, the dog groomed, the snow shoveled, the house cleaned, and more. It's tiring just thinking about it!

AH: Again, Jesus didn’t start Christmas and didn’t command us to do all the things we do to celebrate his supposed birthday these days. In fact, Jeremiah specifically speaks against the Christmas tree.

AH: Did you ever think about whose idea it was to add all these traditions to our Saviour’s un-Biblical birth in the first place? Look it up.

AH: In addition, I bet a lot of people, like the fictitious woman on the elevator, have had enough of all the things in this list as well. Look around you; really observe people. Let’s face it, when your working three jobs just to make ends meet and you have to be on the Equal Billing Plan for your heat and a discount for your hydro just so you can keep the bills paid, your Christmas card list, baking, parties, and all the usual celebratory activities are going to seem a lot more trivial and maybe even less necissary.

Which is why we need to keep a clear focus: Christmas isn't about us; it's about Him. It's about the Word who became flesh. It's about the One who left a spotless castle for a dirty stable. It's about the One who exchanged the worship of angels for the company of liars, thieves and killers. It's about the One who swapped the splendor of heaven for the straw of a barn. It's about the One who can hold the universe in the palm of His hand but gave that up to float in the womb of a teenage girl. And it's about the sinless One who came to die for sinners like you and me.

AH: Actually , Christmas is about the Catholic church compromising with the pagan Romans to make the day of the sun the day of the Son and putting a Christian spin on a bunch of pagan rituals so that all the pagans who, by imperial decree, were now Christians wouldn’t get in an uproar.

AH: I thought Easter was about all those above-mentioned things. Actually, since Easter is itself another pagan holiday compromised into Christian tradition, we might want to question our celebration of that, too.

So let's not forget who started Christmas or why He started it. Remember Him when you're lighting a candle, wrapping a gift, or carving the turkey. Think about Him in the Mall when you hear Santa's, "Ho! Ho! Ho!" And keep Him in mind when you're singing, "Chestnuts roasting On an Open Fire."

AH: Yes, let’s not forget who actually started Christmas, Easter and a whole bunch of so-called Christian traditions that not only aren’t Biblical but actually take our focus off of Jesus, just as all the trappings of the holiday season tend to do.

At the end of the day Advent is about putting Jesus first. After all, He put us first. He started it all when He humbled Himself and became a man - a man who lived and died as the once-for-all sacrifice for our sin. Praise the Lord! The salvation of our lives was more important than the saving of His life. He gave up His glory so we could go to glory. That's the rub. Christ started Christmas because our souls were His highest concern . . .

(Dr. Lawson Murray Director – Scripture Gift Mission Canada)

AH: If you really want to put Jesus first, why not look in the Bible and see how Jesus wants to be worshipped, rather than going with religious tradition because that’s what you were taught and you like it.

RADIO-RELATED STUFF

Picked up CFNV Montreal Friday night with French music.

Picked up Easy Rock Niagara tonight with female anncr.

Don't worry, CBC management. Just because a newscaster is going to be doing a cast that's heard in a significant portion of the province, there's no need for him to be able to pronounce simple words or place names.

Have tuned into the Grand Ole Oprae a couple times since the Saturday before Halloween. It's funny. I've been interested in radio most of my life but never heard the longest running program in radio history till this year.

Eric Metaxas has sure sucked this past week. Just do your show and quit making it a two hour infomercial for Christian Solidarity International.