Spam Phone Calls

I received a phone call from Woonsocket, Rhode Island (USA) and totally ignored it. In fact I deleted it. I do not know anyone in Woonsocket or the entire state of Rhode Island. The call was either a wrong number or what is called "spam." (The derisive word "SPAM" comes from a canned spiced ham product which many people consider to be awful but which many others enjoy. It has a reputation similar to that of the also unfairly maligned fruit cake.)

Spam phone calls are a particular problem in the United States. Massive numbers of automated phone calls are sent by businesses trying to increase their profits or are sent to deliver a particular message (often political) to as many people as possible.  This type of Spam is merely a nuisance. In 2017, the United States Federal Trade Commission received 7,157,370 complaints about spam calls. The problem is escalating. There were 4.5 billion reported spam phone calls in the United States in June of 2018. These spam phone calls are essentially total garbage.

A second type of spam calls is is intended to be hostile and is criminal. One form of these aggressive attacks is intended to completely clog up phone lines and render them useless. This is a form of denial of service attack.

An even more criminal type of spam attempts to deceive or trick as many people as possible to respond to the call and to voluntarily give out their personal information such as bank account numbers, credit card numbers, computer sign-on passwords, etc. The motive here is to steal money.

In today's world  everyone is constantly surrounded by what is essentially SPAM; totally worthless garbage. Messages flood at us from television, movies, radio, music, books, news organizations, junk mail, flyers, and other people. The vast majority of it is secular or explicitly non-Christian. Some of it is malignantly anti-Christian.

There is an old saying in the Southern United States about a person so holy and high-minded that he or she is of no use in the real world. This is not what God wants. He wants us to let Him use us for His purposes here in the real world. We are told to he holy (separated) because God is holy, but we are also told to be "in the world but not of the world." Essentially, do not be useless.

Ignoring the vast majority of the garbage swilling around us does not mean that we must have no interest in culture, or learning. or books, or music, or sports, or fashion, or outdoor activities, or politics, or any other thing. It does, however, require us not to chase after every wind (especially those which we know stink). It also requires us to learn to recognize "the stink" even when a little perfume has been added.

Leviticus 11:44,45; 19:2; 20:7, 1 Peter 1:16, John 15:19; 17: 14-16, Ephesians 4:14, Ecclesiastes 6:9

What They Think of Us: Unblack Metal

Advisory: There may be profane and/or disturbing content in this post. 

http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=64176

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110616205051AAMWMWX

“The whole purpose of black metal was to create the most dirty, unclean, antichristian sound possible. The spirit behind black metal will always be antichristian. That's where the sound comes from. You can't have good and evil mixed together and it be Christian” Death Raizer  (Note: Many black metal musicians draw a distinction between black metal music and satanism.) 

Unblack metal is music which sounds identical to black metal but which has lyrics and content which promotes Christianity.

http://christianmetalfellowship.blogspot.com/2009/10/interview-with-elgibbor-22208.html

2008, the Polish Christian Unblack musician Fire (Jarek), comments: "God created music and satan distorted it.  I want to bring people to know Christ through music that they enjoy.  My lyrics are always either from the Bible or inspired by my life testimony and experiences.  ... he delivered me from drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and black magic!  We serve an awesome God."

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22fire%22+%26+%22Elgibbor%22&hl=en&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=MjytUP2CFpDk9gTmk4DgCw&ved=0CDcQsAQ&biw=1202&bih=812

http://sonic14va.tripod.com/Christianextrememetal/elgibborinteview1.html

You tube video

A list of Unblack Metal bands.  Several of the bands are European.  A few of the names are based on Hebrew or Greek words.
Admonish
Arch of Thorns
Armageddon Holocaust
Azmaveth
Bedeiah
Beeroth
Bleedience
Borgarzur
Cabalistic
Crimson Moonlight
Dark Endless
Demoniciduth
Diamoth
Dormant
Elgibbor
Exaudi
Fire Throne
Frosthardr
Grim
Horde
Hortor
Keber
Lo-Ruhamah
Phanerosis
Sanctifica
Shadows of Paragon
Slechtvalk
SorrowStorm
Soterion
Stronghold
Syringe
Trastorno
Vaakevandring
VIXIVI

My personal take on this: Unblack metal music is certainly on the far extreme fringes of Christianity.  I believe that the Christian musicians who produce it are sincere in their intent and that God knows men's (and women's) hearts.

Do the form and origins of this type of art make it inherently evil?  Is Christian country music acceptable?  Is Christian rap music acceptable?

A few years ago there was a woman named Kellie Everts who claimed to be a "stripper for Christ."  Could there be Christian pornography?  Where is the line?

Fundies Say the Darndest Things!

Fundies Say the Darndest Things! (a title stolen from Art Linkletters' television program, Kids Say the Darnedest Things!) is another one of the Christian-hater websites which seem to be all over the internet. The word, "fundies: is a derisive shortening of the the label, fundamentalist. The website claims to have the world's largest collection of what it calls "hilarious, bizarre, ignorant, bigoted, and terrifying" quotations from Christian blogs, forums, etc. The problem with this website is that the quotations are exactly what fstdt says that they are. People!!!!!  Don't give them any ammunition!  They already think that you are idiots. Christians should be in the intellectual forefront of discussions on every topic, not running around saying stupid things.


There is a saying that it is better to remain silent, and be thought stupid, than to open your mouth and prove it. This has been attributed to numerous people: George Eliot, Confucius, Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Samuel Johnson, Benjamin Franklin, Socrates, etc. Actually, the saying probably originated from a mangled mis-quotation of Proverbs 17:28. " Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: [and] he that shutteth his lips [is esteemed] a man of understanding."

Morkemann

     In Norway, an insult word, Morkemann ("man of darkness"),is becoming common when referring to Christians, especially those who oppose abortion rights, homosexuality, and same-sex marriage, and who express support for Israel.

     In the United States we haven't quite gotten there yet but it is obvious that we could easily, as a nation, move in that direction.  Christians (those not already infected) must stand peacefully against this.  They'll hate us for it but that just means we're doing God's will.

"Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake." Luke 6:22