Just Under the Surface

While in line at the grocery store I noticed the text on the tee shirt worn by the man standing behind me. He was grumbling about the current shortages of some items on grocery store shelves. I suppose that he thought his tee shirt was witty or funny but it may have spoken more than he meant to express. The text was


                                DON'T MAKE ME VIOLATE MY PAROLE! 


The message is a subtle threat. He is expressing that "I am angry and seething inside and if you irritate me in any way I may respond with physical violence." Any police officer can tell you that there are many people like this. I suspect that the numbers of these sociopathic people would horrify you. We live in a fallen lost world.

(For those who may not know, parole is the early release of persons from criminal incarceration based on their good behavior while incarcerated.)

Another Update on the Karen Shahan Murder Case

The Karen Shahan Murder investigation just continues to become more and more bizarre.  The case has not yet gone to trial so more information will probably follow.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2541359/Pastor-53-arrested-airport-stabbing-wife-death-heading-Europe-marry-boyfriend.html

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2014/01/richard_shahan_allegations_abo.html

Update on the Murder of a Birmingham Pastor's Wife

Karen Shahan, the wife of Richard Shahan, Associate Pastor at the First Baptist Church of Birmingham (Alabama, USA) was found murdered on 23 July 2013 in her home.

http://saintsontheloose.blogspot.com/2013/07/pastors-wife-found-murdered.html

There have been almost no updates forthcoming from the police.  The husband, Richard, voluntarily went to the police station to answer questions and was held there for two days for what the police called “investigative purposes.”  Pastor Shahan was released with no charges being filed and without being officially named as a suspect in the killing.  The church has place him on administrative leave “to give him time and space to focus on his family and healing at this time.”

Many of those involved in the situation have become quite frustrated with the apparent lack of progress in the case.  The Senior Pastor, Charles T. Carter, has told his church members that it is acceptable to ask questions and to express doubts and frustrations. “Asking questions is not a lack of faith.”

http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2013/08/its_ok_to_ask_questions_interi.html

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/08/the_rev_richard_shahan_jailed.html

http://topics.al.com/tag/Karen%20Louise%20Shahan/posts.html

http://www.cbs42.com/2013/08/10/update-pastor-takes-administrative-leave-after-wifes-murder/

Film Comment: El Evangelista

You say that you want to see a Christian comedy about a professional drug gang enforcer/assassin?  Well, here it is.

Pablo (J. Salome Martinez) always pauses before killing his victims to allow them the chance to make their peace with God.  Whether or not they do, he then fills them with bullets.  Surprisingly, though the film is extremely violent, there is no cursing.

Pablo and his assistant are bumbling hit men who eventually are able to carry out their assignments.  There is a lot of running around and shooting and killing.

The turning point for Pablo comes when he is assigned by his boss to assassinate a Pentecostal pastor who is interfering with the local drug trade.  Pablo becomes a Christian and turns his life around.  This is where the real problem with El Evangelista (2006) lies.

Pablo moves to another area and begins his happy new life.  What about his probably vengeful former associates?  What about his responsibility for numerous murders?  Did he have a responsibility to self-report to the authorities?  Should he have given his knowledge of the drug trade to the police?  Is repentance without confession really repentance?  Can we escape temporal consequences for our actions?

This is a Spanish language film with English subtitles.

Wire Fencing

Atheists in Santa Monica, California apparently have mounted a campaign to displace the traditional Christmas nativity scenes usually created annually by a coalition of churches and the police department.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/12/10/atheist-group-ousts-church-christmas-displays-from-santa-monica-park/

The back and forth battle between Christians and outspoken atheists has been raging for several years across the United States to the point where many Evangelical Christians speak of a "War on Christmas."

The thing which struck me immediately when I saw the news reports on the current Santa  Monica situation was that the displays, including the non-Christian ones, had wire fencing in front of them to prevent vandalism.

Caught in Sin

"A minister was pulled over for speeding. As the cop was about to write the ticket, the minister said to him, 'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.'

The cop handed the minister the ticket and said, 'Go thou and sin no more,'" 

“From The Big Book of Church Jokes, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission.”