Facebook Has Marked "Rock and Roll Devotional" as Abusive!

Well gang, this is it, I am now an enemy of the Facebook state...

Facebook's Dire Warning

Since you can't read the text, let me share what it says. I have been warned by Facebook: "You are trying to post content on Facebook that has been marked as abusive. You may request to have this block lifted from Facebook by contacting us below. Please note that we're unable to reply to every bug report at this time, but we may contact you for more details about the issue as we investigate the report."

Well, I honestly don't know why this warning has come to pass.  So if you want to check out today's posting, check out  today's entry at Rock and Roll Devotional. The whole blog can be found here.

Facebook, saving people from hate speech since 9:30 this morning.

When Others Have Moved On

It's coming up on six years ago that Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, particularly greater New Orleans. I had just been ordained and installed as Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas when Katrina struck. I hardly knew anybody in town and was just becoming more familiar with the community when I was accosted by a woman who worked at the local print shop. She wanted to know what my church and I were doing to help New Orleans.

At that moment there was a UHaul at the local Wal-Mart loading supplies to the Gulf. They were getting all sorts of supplies-the stuff that you get when you don't know what to get-and getting it ready to go the New Orleans. There was no plan really, just load the truck and head south. At the time, nobody really knew the full extent of the damage, people just wanted something done now.

In the end, considering the roads, the scope of the disaster, and the National Guard, I don't know who finally received the supplies on that truck. Did it make it to New Orleans? Or Mississippi for that matter? Or anyone who was displaced by the storm? Who knows? I'm not sure if anybody really does.

This woman was upset that I said I was checking to see what the denomination was doing. She wondered how I could be so callus not to go down and buy a ton of water to send to Louisiana at that moment. I gave her a lousy answer because I didn't have a good answer for her, but as I said, the ink wasn't even dry in my shingle. I didn't know what to say or do.

Well, one of the reasons I'm a fan of the Presbyterian Church (USA) is that the church and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance take a long term approach to helping people overcome the woes of disaster. This article provides a look at what the church is doing and continues to do five years after most disaster relief agencies left New Orleans.

There is still work to be done, and thank God for people like Presbyterian Disaster Assistance for their continuing work on the Gulf Coast and wherever God's good creation needs the church to be God's hands and help the miracle happen.

It's been a long time since I just put up a music video, and I'm not quite sure what prompted me to seek this one out, but I'm not sorry. It's hard to imagine that this gem of progressive rock came from a six piece band out of Topeka, Kansas.

One night when I was in college I saw Rich Williams, the guitar player on the left side of the video, playing pool in a 3.2 beer bar in Topeka. Ah, nostalgia...

Congrats to Alan Parsons at the ACM Awards

Plagiarism, it's a nasty word for a nasty theft. Lady Antebellum has made a mint off of this ditty. Good for them. Is the Alan Parson's Project getting any love? Only from people who know where it came from first. Love the song or hate the song, these melodies are way too close to be a coincidence. Vanilla Ice thinks it's too close to be a coincidence.

On another note, I finally heard the whole song all the way though the other night. It's about a couple trying to hook up on a late night booty call. Ah yes, drunken emotionless sex, now that's record of the year material.

Paul reviews "Paul"

The UK Release Poster

Marie and I say "Paul" last night at the local cineplex and absolutely loved it. She could not stop laughing and neither could I. The movie contained some of the best sight gags I've ever seen. But honestly, there are some things about the movie you might not like.

1. If you don't like gay innuendo jokes, steer away.
2. If you don't like or get nerd humor, steer away.
3. If you are a fundamentalist Christian and really hate it when people make fun of you and your faith, don't even steer into the parking lot.

Honestly, this is going to be the focus of my review because it's a review of me. I really hated the way the writers, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost who also starred in the movie, dealt with fundamental Christians as people who are ignorant and simple. They treated the fundamentalist characters as less than human because they eschewed sophistication for faith in something greater who is the Creator (as they see the creator of course).

Frankly, I wasn't fond of this portrayal because I share enough of these prejudices that it makes me uncomfortable.

Now the movie was hilarious, I laughed out loud several times.  It's a great "fish out of water" movie.  It's a great "sure, we're nerds, but we are who we are" movie.  It's a great road trip movie.  It's a great buddy movie.  The love story, not so much but oh well, love stories in comedies that aren't romantic comedies always fall short. (So do the recent crop of romantic comedies, but that's another matter.) There's a sight gag at the end of the movie that's worth the price of admission.

But I can't get past the whole fundamentalist thing.  If you think you're smarter than a fundamentalist Christian and you think that makes you better than any fundamentalist Christian, well, then this won't bother you.  Honestly, I have to admit as I point this finger out, three others point back at me, and I'm paying attention.

I say let it bother you.  Reflect on what this type of joke says about us and how we look at humor.  We don't laugh at black-face any more.  We don't laugh at stoner humor (much) any more. Why do we make fun of people like that and when can we stop.

I recommend this movie, and so does Marie.  Just keep in mind, gay nerd fundamentalist Christians will want to spend money on another movie.

Thanks to the Dollar General Store in Marshall, Texas

Today the church received a donation from the Dollar General Store on HWY 80 West in Marshall, Texas.  We received gift cards, bags, and candy which will go to people in the hospital and nursing homes.  We will also be able to use the gift to provide pastoral care not only to members but others who need uplifting.

We're not ending world hunger, we're not reaching world peace, but we're reaching out to people in Marshall and if we don't start there we won't ever be ready for the rest of the world.

Thanks again to Amy and all at Dollar General!  Thank you and thanks be to God!

A St. Patrick's Day Tale

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!


This tale, written by Philip Chevron (acoustic guitar and background vocals on the video) is about the immigrant's tale. It's bittersweet and nostalgic, it's mournful and hopeful. It's what I expect from The Pogues. To tonight, as you heft a pint of the Stout (NOT a Black-and-Tan unless you're itchin' for a row) remember those who have come seeking better life.