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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What They Think of Us: Margaret Cho on Jesus

Margaret Cho (b. 1968, California (USA) is a comedian, singer, and writer who is an outspoken advocate for LGBT issues.  Here, she gives her views about Jesus.

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LGBT means lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual.

Sacred Harp Singing

On 14-16 June 2012, the 33^rd annual National Sacred Harp Convention was held at the First Christian Church in Birmingham, Alabama (USA).  Sacred Harp singing (also known as shape-note singing or “fasola” singing) is several centuries old and is based on four notes represented as shapes on the musical staff (Fa, Sol, La, and Mi).  The singing is always acapella and is paced by a rhythmic chopping motion of the forearm.

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Here are two links if you wish to read more:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Harp

http://fasola.org/introduction/short_history.html

Music Review: There Will Be a Light

I have said before that I am not really a follower of Gospel and Contemporary Christian music.  I am not familiar with the artists involved.

Recently a friend gave me a copy of the CD, “There Will Be a Light ,” by Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama .  The Blind Boys are a near-legendary gospel music group formed during the days of racial segregation in 1939 in Talladega, Alabama (USA) at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind.

For many years, the band performed in relative obscurity in local churches and auditoriums, growing in respect within the Black Gospel Music community.  Unlike many in the Christian music industry, the Blind Boys were willing to perform in venues not always explicitly Christian and to collaborate with other performers who were not all Christians.

Over the years the band has performed with Lou Reed, Timothy B. Schmidt, Randy Travis, Bonnie Raitt, Jars of Clay, Tom Petty, Peter Gabriel, Prince,  On the “There Will be Light” CD, they perform with the guitarist/singer Ben harper and his band, The Innocent Criminals.  The CD is clearly Gospel Music though Ben Harper is not a Christian.

It is, of course, naïve to think that everyone involved with the Christian music industry is a Christian.

There are eleven songs on the CD.  The music is a blues/country gospel mixture with many of the songs featuring Ben Harper’s slide guitar.  Jimmy Carter, one of the group’s founders (yes,  seventy-three years ago!) is still active with the group and performs the lead solo on “Satisfied Mind.”  “Mother Pray” will rip at your emotions, it certainly seems to be difficult for the lead singer.  My personal favorite is “Church House Steps.”

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Unusual Christian Places: Lexington Ice Center Miniature Golf

Lexington Ice Center Miniature Golf  in Lexington, Kentucky (USA) is described by Entertainmentdesigner.com  as “a mini-golf course God himself would be proud of. … we consider it kooky and memorable enough to make the top ten”

The complex is built around an ice skating/hockey rink to which has been added three 18-hole biblically themed miniature golf courses.  The three themes are : the New Testament, the Old Testament, and the Miracles course.  The individual holes are each based on a verse or passage of scripture, such as Jonah and the Whale, Mount Sinai, or the River of Blood.  

For those unfamiliar with miniature golf, it is usually played on short themed putting tracks which incorporate odd angles, obstacles, and themed characters or objects placed along the course.  At one famed course in Florida (USA) there once was a giant monkey whose tail swept regularly in front of the hole.

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Update: 27 July 2026: YouTube seems to have removed or blocked the previously attached video clip.

Film Comment: Be Human

Betty Boop is a cartoon character created by the near-legendary animation pioneer, Max Fleischer (1883-1972) who brought numerous well known characters to the screen (Betty Boop, Koko the Clown, Grampy, Popeye, and Superman). Betty is often incorrectly said to have been based on the "It" girl, Clara Bow but she was actually based on the singer, dancer, and television and film actress Helen Kane.  The Fleischer Betty Boop cartoons were voiced by actress Mae Questel (who portrayed Betty, Olive Oyl, Aunt Bluebell, the Sea Hag, Swee'Pea, Little Lulu, Little Audrey, Casper the Friendly Ghost, and the hilariously senile "Aunt Bethany " in the comedic film Christmas Vacation.)

Most of the Betty Boop cartoons are acceptable for children to view, but a few were actually banned.  Betty was recognized by adults almost immediately as a sexual character and a few of her cartoons have elements which are seen as objectionable today.  Be Human (1936) is such a cartoon.  Once you see it you will know why children must not see it.

In response to severe animal cruelty by an ill-tempered farmer , Betty and Grampy decide to take matters into their own hands and inflict severe cruelty on the farmer, in a sort of "eye for an eye" justice.  While torturing the man, they laugh and obviously enjoy themselves.

The first video seems to have been deleted. Try this one instead:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWoNsOWhbXQ

Justice in the Bible means "setting things right."  God, whose motives are always pure, reserves to Himself the right to exact vengeance.

"To me belongeth vengeance and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste." Deuteronomy 32:35

"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." Romans 12:19

The Bible is very clear that we must not mistreat animals and we also should not allow others to do so.  The desire to inflict physical pain or harm on abusers, though, and especially the desire to enjoy doing it, is as evil as the animal abuse itself.

What They Think of Us: Jesus Christ Action Figure

DO NOT WATCH THIS VIDEO IF YOU ARE EASILY OFFENDED!

This is a spoof commercial for a children's action figure.  What I find especially problematic is that whoever made this piece of garbage thought it was funny to involve their children in the project.

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Hallelujah for These Children!

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I had to post this wonderful video from the Kuinerrarmiut Elitnaurviat 5th Grade students in Quinhagak (Kuinerraq in the Yup'ik language), Alaska (USA).  These are Yup'ik people (you probably would call them Eskimos, but they do not like that word).  There are about 16,900 speakers of Yup'ik, which is as different from its sister language,Yupik, as Spanish is from French.  The word Yup'ik comes from "yuk" = "person" plus "Pik" = "real."

Quinhagak is a fishing and canning village and had a permanent population of 555 as of the 2000 census.  The name means "new river channel."  The village has been proven to have existed since at least 1000 AD/CE.

These are poor but proud, hard-working people.  From the video, it looks like almost the entire village helped in the production of this wonderful statement.  I especially love the girls spinning at 2:04 and the very cold girl at 2:32.

"...the Devil will get you!"

Just north of Prattville, Alabama (USA) on Interstate Highway 65 is a roadside billboard on which there is painted a gleefully leering red-skinned devil with a pitchfork. On the billboard, is the inscription in bright red, “Go to Church or the Devil will get you!” 

There he stands, with a long pointed tail and little horns on his head.  Just like the little devil who stood on Little Lulu’s shoulder in the classic cartoon, A Bout with a Trout (1947). A little white-robed angel with a halo stood on her other shoulder as Lulu struggled with whether to be good or to skip school and go fishing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqzEWzorf5A

I used to pass by this sign without any serious thought, but, this last weekend, it really bothered me.  I know that the people who put up the sign were well-meaning and devoted Christians and I share their concern.  The primary and overriding task of the Church is evangelism. (Matthew 28:19)

There are several things I see as troubling about the billboard.

1.                     The devil on the sign is cartoonish and stereotypical.  Non-believers will laugh at the supposedly “stupid” Christians rather than be frightened by the Devil whose existence they deny. 

2.                     If we are serious about challenging the world’s evil system and wish to draw others to Christ, we must present arguments which are intellectually unchallengeable, not trite and stereotypical ones which will be dismissed as silly by unbelievers.

3.                     As presented, the message seems to state that        

church attendance will save someone.  Then why does every honest pastor know that, among the people in their churches, some, perhaps many, are totally lost? “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:23 (The full passage is Matthew 7:15-28)

4.                     The billboard's message implies that an action, church attendance, is important in our salvation.  We are told not to forsake assembling ourselves together (Hebrews 10:25) but we are also told that observance of the law and assembling on a particular day will not save us; we are saved by our relationship with Jesus Christ.  (Galatians 2:16, Romans 14:4-8.)  There is nothing which we can do to save ourselves, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.”  Ephesians 2:8-9

The person(s) who placed the devil billboard on the side of the highway had only the best intentions and, if only one person was moved by the billboard to accept Jesus as Lord, there was rejoicing in Heaven (Luke 15:10).  We must, however, be careful about the unintentional messages we are sending by our statements and actions to be sure that the received message is the biblical one we intended to send.

Ultimate Tube

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