Saints on the Loose! Tools: "Search This Blog" and "Translate This Blog".

        On this blog, Saints on the Loose!, there are two useful tools: "Search This Blog" and "Translate This Blog".

        The "Search This Blog" drop-down tool provides the reader with access to over 1700 subject listings from Christian doctrinal issues, social and cultural issues, sports, health, movies, food, books, television programs, history, Christian heresies, apologetics, and many other subjects.

        The "Translate This Blog" drop-down tool allows the the reader to select a language other than English in which they may read the blog post. This tool uses the Google Translate function and, as of January 2025, can translate 249 languages. A detailed but not excessively technical discussion about Google Translate can be found on Wikipedia.

        Use of these two tools in tandem can greatly increase the usefulness of this blog to you.

        The Google Translate tool provides what is probably a very literal, but readable translation.  Idiomatic meaning and some subtleties unique to particular languages may be lost. The following two example translations are of a portion of this post, in Traditional Chinese and in Spanish..

在這個部落格 Saints Loose! 中，有兩個有用的工具：「搜尋此部落格」和「翻譯此部落格」。

        「搜尋此部落格」下拉工具為讀者提供了數千個主題列表，包括基督教教義問題、社會和文化問題、體育、健康、電影、食品、書籍、電視節目、歷史、基督教異端、護教學，以及許多其他主題。

        La herramienta desplegable "Buscar en este blog" proporciona al lector acceso a miles de listas de temas, desde cuestiones doctrinales cristianas, cuestiones sociales y culturales, deportes, salud, películas, comida, libros, programas de televisión, historia, herejías cristianas, apologética, y muchos otros temas.

Look at This!

Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines, displacing at least 600,000 people and killing upwards of 3200 people.  The death toll continues to rise as rescue and recovery efforts continue.  Supplies of food and water are only now beginning to reach many of the victims.   The people need our prayers and support.

In the midst of the death and destruction there are, of course, acts of heroism and nobility, and there is one thing which stands out as truly amazing.  I am a rather concrete, historically based, and non-superstitious Christian.  Images of Jesus on food, or in the shape assumed by a Cheeto, or in a stain on a door, I find to be ridiculous.  I am skeptical of religious relics, signs, and supposed miracles.  I do not deny their existence, I merely realize that we cannot base our faith on them. 

Look at this. 

Ezekiel 4:9 Cereals

This is not a joke.  There is a breakfast cereal named Ezekiel 4:9.   It is produced in the State of California (USA) by the Food for Life Baking Company.

The cereal is multigrain (wheat, barley, millet, lentils, soybeans, and spelt).  I bought a box of the Ezekiel Almond Cereal to test it.  If you eat this cereal, expect that it will have little inherent taste and will be highly crunchy.  The fiber count is 6 grams per a ½ cup (57 grams) serving.  This is 24% of the recommended daily human fiber intake.  Total fats are 3 grams.  Cholesterol is 0 grams , so this may be an option for those who need to restrict their lipid intake.  The sodium and potassium levels are 190 and 220 milligrams respectively.  The sugars are less than 1 gram but this is counterbalanced by the 38 grams of total carbohydrates.

I personally found the cereal to be mostly inedible by itself but, with added bran flakes and cut fresh strawberries, I could eat it.  It would not be one of my favorites.

The included grains were used mainly to feed cattle; they were used to make bread by people who were extremely poor or during a time of famine.  The Israelites considered it to be a humiliating defilement to be forced to mix these grains together and eat them.

A sarcastic response.  Be warned that it contains vulgarities.

http://www.nobeliefs.com/washingtonnews/EzekielBread.htm

Christmas Recipes

Here is a link to a group of Christmas recipes at Yummly.com.

http://www.yummly.com/recipes?q=christmas

The First Meal As a Married Couple

"A couple sat down to eat their first meal as newlyweds.  The wife said, "today I learned how to make meat loaf and chocolate cake."

The husband looked at his plate and said, "That's great, honey!  Which one is this?"

From the Big Book of Church Jokes, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission.

National Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day

Chick-fil-A (pronounced “chik fill-ay” as in the word “filet”) is a fast-food restaurant chain which sells fried chicken sandwiches and waffle style French-fried potatoes.  On 16 June 2012, the devout Christian president of the company, Dan Cathy, in a radio interview ignited a firestorm of criticism for saying this when asked a question about same-sex marriage.

"I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say, 'We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage'. I pray God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about.”

Supporters of same-sex marriage were outraged, leading Thomas Menino, the mayor of Boston, to declare that he would not allow the company to open franchises in his city.  Chicago Alderman Proco Moreno announced that he would work to block Chick-fil-A’s attempt to add any more stores in the city of Chicago.  The Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, declared that “Chick-fil-A values are not Chicago values.”  The Mayor of San Francisco, Edwin M. Lee, also joined into the condemnation.

Many have called this an assault on Christians who uphold a traditional worldview and understanding of what is stated in Scripture. Ordained Southern Baptist minister and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee called for a national Chick-fil-A appreciation Day for today.  The result: massive lines of people at Chick-fil-A stores nationwide!  As the Chick-fil-A mascot spotted cows say, “EAT MOR CHIKIN!”

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The Jesus Toaster

You will have to decide for yourself what you think about this.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/jesus-toast-toaster-sears-christs-face-onto-bread-63568/

http://www.burntimpressions.com/ 

This does not appear to be a Christian company.  They obviously just want to sell toasters.  They also sell other toaster designs, including the “pot leaf” toaster.

Unusual Christian Places: Daytona Beach Drive In Christian Church

"We like to worship outdoors by the seashore like Jesus did!" Pastor Larry Deitch.
Daytona Beach Drive In Christian Church  in Florida is an open-air church in which everyone can simply drive up to the front of the church building and sit in their automobiles for the worship service.  This means that worshippers can dress in any way they like.

The church is affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and invites attendees to join them before and after the worship service for hot coffee and Krispy Kreme doughnuts.  This is so very, very "southern"!  In the American South, we are known for our hospitality and our love for food.  The very thought of Krispy Kreme doughnuts sends many of us into a rhapsody!

Krispy Kremes are yeast-raised doughnuts traditionally glazed and served while still warm, usually accompanied by a cup of coffee.  Some of the older restaurants had glass windows which let diners watch the automated production of the doughnuts from start to finish.  Trays of the finished pastries were then immediately brought out for sale.

http://www.driveinchurch.net/

The Jesus Vine

I do not for one second believe that this is a divine manifestation, but it is very interesting.  Every time something like this happens people rush to declare it a "sign."  To me it is a sign that people are desperate for "proof."  The problem with "proof" is that knowing is not faith, knowing is not trusting.  The devil and his demons know, and they believe (James 2:19).

A self-described non-believer noticed that a patch of kudzu vine on a telephone pole in Littleton, Colorado resembled Jesus hanging on the cross .  Pause the video at 00:55 and look at the clearly visible face.

The signs are all around us for anyone who has not intentionally shut their eyes and ears.  We don't need to see Jesus in the water stains on a wood door, on the browned portions on a piece of toast , in the shape of a cheese puff , or in a vine hanging on a telephone poll.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork." Psalm 19:1

Film Comment: The Stuff

The Stuff (1985) is a science-fiction/horror/comedy directed by Larry Cohen, who has given the world God Told Me To! (see the Labels below for "film comments") and the particularly disturbing killer infant film, It's Alive! (What would you do if everyone, including the police, wanted to kill your newborn son because he used his claws and fangs to massacre everyone in the hospital delivery room immediately after his birth?)

In The Stuff, a corporation begins marketing a yogurt-like dessert called The Stuff and it quickly becomes a sensation.  People love it and quickly develop a missionary-like desire to get all their family, friends, and acquaintances to eat it, even if they have to force them to do so.  Devotees of the dessert call themselves Stuffies.  A television commercial presents the the snappy jingle, "I just can't get enough of the stuff!"

Enter an industrial spy, Mo Rutherford, who's trying to discover (steal) the secret of the dessert's popularity.  He discovers that it is not manufactured at all; it is siphoned from a hole in the ground and is alive and sentient.  One boy, who allies with Rutherford, ran away from home after he saw The Stuff move in his refrigerator and his Stuffie parents tried to force him to eat it.

Rutherford realizes to his horror that The Stuff is colonizing those who consume it, hollowing them out inside, making them empty.  He teams up with the young boy, a group of right-wing militiamen led by a possibly insane Colonel, and Chocolate Chip Charlie, a cookie manufacturer who has lost control of his company due to other's stock manipulations (think of Famous Amos ).  This odd conglomeration of people set out to do battle with the dessert.

This is a pointed social satire about our shallow and empty modern consumer society.  We jump on fads and trends and pursue them with gusto, even when they are clearly damaging to us.  Many of us put pressure on others to join us in our self-destructive ways.

Whatever we continually think about and do repeatedly becomes our God.

What Do You Have To Offer?

As saints indwelled by the Holy Spirit, we, each one of us, have been given spiritual gifts for use within and for the Church.  Each gift is a manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit.  Some of the gifts may be obviously supernatural (such as speaking in tongues or healing), others may seem to be more mundane (such as an always ready willingness to cook for the group or to maintain the church facilities or to lovingly tend to the small children and infants while their parents attend a worship service.)  Each of these gifts has been given to us for the good of the Christian community and for our own good and all of the gifts are equally important.  What we have been given we are expected to immediately turn and give to the Church. What do you have to offer?

"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal."  1 Corinthians 12:7

"As every man hath received the gift, [even so] minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 1 Peter 4:10

Jewish Festivals

"One of my Jewish colleagues explains that all jewish festivals reflect the same theree-part pattern: they tried to kill us, we survived, now let's eat!"  Kristin Swenson in Bible Babel (2010)

Pretzels

The next time you are at a baseball game and are about to stick your giant salted pretzel into the dollop of mustard the vendor gave you, think about this: pretzels have their origins in Christian symbolism.

The baked bread was created by monks (possibly in 610 AD/BCE in Italy) to hand out as treats to children who successfully remembered their prayers. Pretzels rapidly spread across Europe, always carrying their religious significance with them. Dough was formed into long strips which were crossed in the characteristic pattern to resemble a heart in shape, and then were baked. The crossed pattern in the center of the pretzels represented children's arms folded over their chests in prayer and the three holes in the pretzel were meant to stand for the Trinity.

Various derivations have been offered for the name. "Pretiola," Italian for "little rewards," has been suggested. The Italians claim to have made the first pretzels, as do some Greeks, French, and Germans. The German name is "brezel." Some claim the word is derived from the Latin words "bracellus" ("bracelet") or "bracchiola" ("little arms").

Trivia: The marriage euphemism, "tying the knot," reflects the practice of using a pretzel to represent the tying together of two families in marriage.

The 1 and Only Restaurant

Located in St. Ann, Missouri, The 1 and Only is a Christian family restaurant and lending Library. Their menu is all natural and organic and can be adjusted for the vegetarian, gluten-free, no-dairy, no-salt, and/or no-sugar requirements of their customers. Their chicken is Free Range and Cage Free. All carry out packaging is compostable. Also, for their customers, they have a lending library composed of Christian DVD's, VCR tapes, books, and Home Schooling materials. Purchases in the restaurant are not necessary for use of the lending library. They warn non-Christians that they have Bible verses on the wall! The prices are very reasonable, most ranging from between $5.00 to $10.00.

The restaurant uses Psalm 86:12 as its inspiration. Because of their unashamedly Christian orientation they eagerly welcome Bible study groups and meetings of Christian organizations.

Book Comment: The Church Ladies' Divine Desserts

The Church Ladies' Divine Desserts. Heavenly Recipes and Sweet Recollections (2001) is a cookbook compiled by Brenda Rhodes Miller. The recipes are for cakes, pies, cookies, candy, custards, puddings, frozen delights, sauces, frostings, fillings, glazes, and beverages. Sweet delight.

Along with the recipes are numerous biographical sketches of gracious Black Church Ladies (and one male pastor) who faithfully serve their churches, and have done so for years. The compiler, Brenda Miller, is the executive director of the DC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and is the wife of a Baptist pastor.

The foreword was written by Dr. Dorothy Irene Height (b. 1912, Virginia - d. 2010), an educator and social activist who, for forty years, was the president of the National Council of Negro Women. In 1994, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and, in 2004, the Congressional Gold Medal. At her death, US President Barack Obama had the capitol's flags flown at half-mast to honor her.

Three New Blogs Listed

I have added three new blogs/websites to my list.

"The Paranormal Pastor," a blog in which a Christian minister examines the occult and paranormal phenomena.
http://theparanormalpastor.blogspot.com/

The Allison Lynn Blog, in which a professional musician talks about her life and events in her career.
http://allisonlynn.blogspot.com/

The Chef Whitt Website, where E.M. Whittington posts articles about food and religion.
http://www.chefwhitt.com

Recipes from Biblical Times

Chef Whitt (E.M. Whittington) presents "Recipes from Biblical Times." He speaks of a Persian banquet related in the book of Esther which lasted 100 days! The recipes he lists on this page are: Lamb Stew with Figs and Wine; Raisin Cake; Rose Apple Salad; Barley Cakes; Date Syrup; Broiled Fish with Honeycomb; Whole Baked Onions; Chicken Braised with Spinach and Prunes.

http://www.chefwhitt.com/index_files/Page706.htm

The Bread of Life

"One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating." Luciano Pavarotti

Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007) is considered to have been one of the greatesy operatic tenors of all time,with a strong booming voice which never missed a note. He was a large man who loved life, women, and food, a lot. His meals, especially, were legendary.

Gluttony is considered one of the great sins, but enjoyment of food is not gluttony. The idea of the sin of gluttony is eating (or any other activity) taken to an excessive level, especially when the activity is at the expense of others. It reduces back to The Great Sin; the deification of self.

The enjoyment of food, the study of food, and the appreciation of cooking as an art form are all acceptable to God as long as we remember that our real food comes from study of the Word of God, communion with His people, and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit.

"Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works." 
Ecclesiastes 9:7

"Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." John 4:34

"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." John 6:35

"I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." John 6:51

Christian Chefs Fellowship

The Christian Chefs Fellowship was started in 1997 by students at The Culinary Institute of America. Their website (http://www.christianchefs.org/) includes job listings, a culinary academy, recipes, and message boards.

The director of the fellowship is Ira Krizo, who is profiled in "Not Iron Chef, Christian Chef!" at http://www.christianchefs.org/about/news/encountersclip.pdf

A mystic walks into a hot dog shop ...

A mystic walks into a hot dog shop and places his order, "I'll have ...  one with everything."