Greatly Earned Praise

 You may notice that I do not criticize individual countries, political parties, or individuals on this blog (unless there is a direct connection to Christianity). That is not its purpose. The blog is intended to be completely non-political and to be devoted to the teaching ministry of the Church. That does not mean that I cannot praise countries, political parties, or individuals.

At the 2026 FIFA World Cup games there have been many positive things: great attendance and enthusiasm, the attendees seriously enjoying themselves, pleasantly surprised positive reactions to actually experiencing the United States, and highly competitive game play with no obviously overmatched teams.

Something not directly related to soccer (aka football) has stood out to me. At the end of all of their games, the Japanese fans have handed out plastic bags and cleaned up all the trash from the stands! What else needs to be said?

Religious Humor: Laziness

The Bible actually contains many instances of humor which we may not readily recognize today because our modern culture does not understand the ancient worldviews. Their humor was often based on sarcasm, hyperbole, metaphors, absurdity, ridiculous visual images, and displaying idiocy in full view.  The humor is intended to make a spiritual point. An example occurs at Proverbs 26:15.

A literal translation of this verse from the Proverbs is: Hides a lazy one his hand in the bowl it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.

The pleasure of eating is not enough of a reward for the lazy man to raise his hand to his mouth. He is too much of a sluggard, too lazy to move at all.

This is a warning against spiritual laziness. If you are too lazy to act on spiritual matters of the moment, like prayer, charity, and Bible study, you will miss out on the immediate pleasures of the spirit and will eventually starve.

In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul uses sports examples while speaking about being intentional, practicing self-discipline, and working to win rather than just being a participant, an also ran. 

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.

The Get Back Coach

This video is a humorous look at a phenomena in American sports.  In American style football most teams have a coach who is assigned to act was the “get back coach” during games.

Sometimes, during the heat of a game, one of the team’s coaches or players will become so emotional that he will run out onto the field of play. This can result in a penalty being assessed on the coaches team. In the professional version of American football, the action may even result in monetary fines assessed against the team. Sometimes, players and coaches in unauthorized areas on the field can even be injured by accidentally colliding with 300 pound men running while wearing protective armor and hard helmets.

To prevent penalties and/or injuries, one of the other coaches is assigned the in-game duty of being the “get back coach.”  He continually reminds the other coaches and players to “get back” when they get too close to illegally entering the field of play by crossing over the sideline “out-of-bounds” strip of paint.  He will often resort to grabbing the momentarily insane coach and “escorting” him back off the field of play. 

 Sometimes, we as Christians can go off on tangents and have to be grabbed and restrained by a loyal friend until we return to our senses.

“Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.” Galatians 6:1. 

"Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®,
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973,
1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Some of those listed may surprise you.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

David L. Ramsay III: (b. 1960, USA) Personal money management expert, motivational speaker, author.  Ramsay encourages people to live debt-free.

Bruce Manning Metzger: (b. 1914, Pennsylvania, USA – d. 2007) Biblical translator and textual critic, university professor.  Specialist in Greek, New Testament, and New Testament textual studies.

Karl Ludwig Harding: (b. 1765, Germany – d. 1834) Astronomer.  In 1804, Harding discovered three comets and an asteroid, 3 Juno.

Mark Tronson: (b. 1951, Australia)  Tronson is pionerrin sports ministry in Australia.  He retire in 2001 after seventeen years as the chaplain of the Australian cricket team.  Baptist.

Andrew Wingfield-Digby: (b. 1950, England) Cricketer, pastor.  Founder of the organization, UK Christians in Sport.  Anglican.

Super Bowl Controversy

Today is Super Bowl Sunday during which about 117,000,000 people are expected to watch the annual professional American football game on television.  There are numerous storylines around the story of the current game: the two head coaches are brothers; one of the prominent players (who once was charged with murder) is playing in his last game and is openly talking about his relationship with God; the two teams were both unlikely participants in the championship game; one of the quarterbacks is playing in his second season of professional football and did not get his first starting assignment until the middle of this season; the sport itself is embroiled in controversies over player injuries and the use of performance enhancing drugs; etc., etc., etc.  But another controversy has grabbed the headlines.

In one of the innumerable pre-game player interview, ahe San Francisco 49ers player, Chris Culliver, answered a question about homosexuals in the game of football.  "No, we don't got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do.... Can't be with that sweet stuff. Nah…can't be…in the locker room man. Nah."  A firestorm erupted, as would be expected.

Brendon Ayanbadejo, a player for the Baltimore Ravens team, said he thinks about half of the league’s players agree with Culliver.  Of the 50%, he says, 25% think like him and 25% “are religious – they don’t necessarily agree with all of the things I agree with, but they’re accepting.”

As a conservative Christian, I believe that the Bible does condemn homosexual acts and I also believe as do most conservative Christians that homosexuality is a chosen lifestyle. I know about some scientific studies which suggest subtle differences in brain anatomy between homosexuals and heterosexuals but I am also aware of fmri (functional magnetic resonance imaging) research which seems to suggest that brain anatomy may be functional rather than rigidly fixed and that behavior may influence which portions of the brain perform which tasks.  Behavior may determine anatomy.  I am not a neurobiologist and that controversy will not be resolved here.

I work with several homosexuals who know what I believe and who have no problem with me because they understand that I treat them with respect as individuals.  The workplace is not a sexual situation and one’s sexuality should be left at home.  There are laws in the United States against sexual harassment of any sort and most companies will immediately dismiss employees who engage in sexual activity (heterosexual or homosexual) with another employee, even if it is totally consensual.

Various perspectives on homosexuality and the Bible.  Never be afraid to examine views other than your own.

http://bible.org/article/homosexuality-christian-perspective

http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/gay/long.htm

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

http://christianteens.about.com/od/whatthebiblesaysabout/a/wbsaHomosexual.htm

http://www.bible.ca/s-homo=sin.htm

http://www.gaychurch.org/gay_and_christian_yes/gay_and_christian_yes.htm

Roll Tide! War Eagle!

I have spoken before about how football is almost a religion in Alabama.  People are born into Alabama or Auburn families and sons of players at one school almost invariably play at the same school.  Most approach this in a rational fashion and take good natured pokes at one another.  As with anything, a few become obsessive to absurd levels.

Today is the first game day of the 2012 season.  Auburn is playing the Clemson Tigers in Atlanta, Georgia and the currently second-ranked Alabama is visiting the Michigan Wolverines in Dallas, Texas. 

(Some videos will not play properly when you click on the triangle.  Instead,  click on the title line in the picture and the video will begin .  When the video is completed, close the You Tube pop-up window to return to this blog.)

Roll tide

War Eagle flight

The origin of Crimson Tide and Roll Tide:

The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California is where the Alabama team won their first four national titles (a total of fourteen.)  The national sports writers spoke of the team looking like a tide of red, a Crimson Tide, pouring onto the field.

The association with an elephant (the mascot: Big Al) began because the sports writers noticed a picture of a red elephant on the personal storage trunks the players brought with them.  The trunks were supplied to the team by a local Birmingham luggage company, Rosenberger's Birmingham Trunk, whose business logo is a red elephant.  The elephant logo refers to the strength of the trunks which they sell.

The origin of War Eagle:

The Auburn Tigers mascot is Aubie the Tiger.  The eagle, also, became associated with the team very early in Auburn history. In 1892, an eagle circled over the football field during a football game and the fans pointed into the air and yelled “War Eagle!”  

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.

________________________________________________________________________

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

The Waterproof Bible

At first glance, the Waterproof Bible  sounded like a silly novelty to me, but the more I read about it, the more sense it made.  I still don't need or want one, but I can see how it would be very useful to some people.

This Bible is made of plastic which feels like glossy paper and which can be marked with a ballpoint pen or a dry ink highlighter.  Originally known as The Outdoor Bible, there are editions of the NIV, KJV, ESV, NLT, and NASB versions.

The Waterproof Bible will float if dropped in water so it can be carried and used by hunters, boaters, fishermen,  by missionaries in rainy climates, or at the beach or pool.  It would be ideal for use by soldiers in combat assignments.  One commentator suggested that it would be excellent for use by children.

Watching

Yogi Berra (b. 1925, in Missouri, USA, as Lawrence Peter Berra) is considered to have been one of the greatest players ever at the Catcher position in professional baseball.  As a team manager he led teams in both the American and National Leagues to the World Series.  He deservedly became a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972 but, in the mind of the general public, he is best known as a mangler of the English language.  One of his most famous malapropisms is "You can observe a lot just by watching."


Malapropisms, on their faces, seem to be absurd, but sometimes they carry a grain of truth.  You really can observe a lot by watching.

"Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Luke 12:27  (If God takes care of mindless plants, He surely will take care of you!)

"Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace." Psalm 37:37  (Strive to imitate the finest examples of humanity.)

Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, Proverbs 6:6 (Use the hyper-industrious insect as an example for your own life.)

Be an example for others:

http://www.openbible.info/topics/lead_by_example

An Example for Other to Imitate

http://bible.org/seriespage/mark-1-example-others-imitate

Christian Sport Bike Racing

Christian Sport Bike Racing is a ministry devoted to maintaining a Christian presence in the sport of motorcycle sport racing. The members of the group make their presence known at the track by wearing 
logo clothing and placing banners in prominent view. By making themselves known, they present the opportunity for those who are interested to ask questions or seek counseling.

The group provides chapel services, free Bibles, tracts, biblical literature, and Christian videos to anyone who asks. They take the message into the sport that Christian laymen have a ministry wherever they are, as ambassadors for Christ.


"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." 2 Corinthians 5:20

Attempts To Kill the Church

Sparky Anderson, a manager of several different American professional baseball teams continued a long American tradition of malapropisms when he said, "We try every way we can do to kill the game, but for some reason, nothing nobody does never hurts it."

What he said makes no sense grammatically, but it does make sense.  There is something about the game of baseball (my favorite competitive sport) which survives problems within the baseball community and criticisms from outside.  I believe that the unifying factor in baseball is the love for the game, for the team comraderie, for the level of artistic skill needed to successfully play the game.  It becomes an all-consuming passion for some.

Christians understand the same thing about their community and the Bible.  Christianity has withstood, and even prospered and matured, under severe intellectual challenges, criticisms and outright persecutions.  We have also fought, sometimes bitterly, over seemingly trivial matters and over some foundational and non-negotiable matters.  One of the strongest criticisms non-believers offer is the question of why there is no true Christian unity, no unanimity of belief.  (They totally fail to understand the concept of The Church, existing within the various religious traditions, but not contained exclusively in any of them.  This is the Remnant, those few who truly share the Mind of Christ, those traveling on the straight and narrow path.)

The reason the Church endures is because it is of God.  Who can stand up against His glory and power?  Who can possibly cause any damage to His People, His Word, and His Church?  

The link below is a forceful declaration about the futility of trying to harm God's Bible (and also His Church).

http://www.grmi.org/Richard_Riss/evidences/11survival.html

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

John Croyle: (b. USA) Former University of Alabama football player who turned down a National Football League (NFL) contract to found (1974) The Big Oak Ranch, a home for boys from troubled and abusive families in Alabama.  In 1988, he and his wife, Tee added The Girl’s Ranch.  He needed $30,000 as a down payment on the original parcel of land for the ranch: Croyle’s teammate and fellow Christian, John Hannah, donated his $30,000 NFL signing bonus to make the payment.  Croyle is the father of NFL quarterback, Brodie Croyle.

http://www.bigoak.org 

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Bringing-Out-the-Winner-In-Your-Child/John-Croyle/e/9781581823516 

John Brodie Croyle: (b. 1983, Alabama, USA) Son of Big Oak Ranch founder, John Croyle.  University of Alabama college football player, professional football quarterback.

Hermann of Reichenau: (b. 1013, Swabia (Germany) – d. 1054: aka> Hermannus Contractus, Hermannus Augiensis, Herman the Cripple) Son of the Duke of Altshausen.  Benedictine monk, scholar, composer, music theorist, mathematician, astronomer, poet, beatified by the Roman Catholic Church in 1863.  He is probably the first to make a numerical-chronological listing of the Popes of the Roman Catholic Church.  He was crippled from birth, born apparently with cleft palate, cerebral palsy, and possibly spina bifida; he went blind as an adult.

Giovanni Battista Cybo: (b. 1432, Republic of Genoa (Italy) – d. 1492; aka. Pope Innocent VIII) Roman Catholic Pope 1484-1492. An opponent of witchcraft and of the Waldensians.  He appointed (1487) Tomas de Torquemada as Grand Inquisitor of Spain.

Hubert Ira Davis: (b. 1970, North Carolina, USA) Professional basketball (NBA) player, ESPN college basketball analyst.  He is the nephew of former professional basketball (NBA) player, Walter Davis.

What Did jesus Look Like?

The Bible says nothing about the physical appearance of the man, Jesus of Nazareth.  I believe that this fact points out an important point.  The Jews were looking for a Messiah who would be an impressive military leader who would throw off Roman rule.  He might even, if successful, have become a king.

Kings, for all the history known up to that time, were massively egotistical self promoters, repeatedly building monuments and cities named for themselves. The king was always touted as a god of a man, handsome, brave, rich, powerful; his queen was the most beautiful woman in the land.  The greatest kings were known for their wealth, power, and military conquests.  How well, or how poorly, they dealt with their subjects was secondary.  This attitude toward kings has been repeated down through the centuries since the time of Christ.

Jesus was a nobody, a carpenter from an ignored small country town.  He probably looked like everyone else, like one of the modern West Bank Palestinians we regularly see on the nightly news.  While He could read and write and was obviously very intelligent (He amazed the Pharisees with His knowledge at age twelve, Luke 2:41-52), He is not mentioned as having specialized theological training or as being recognized as a Pharisee.  That He didn't stand out by his appearance is shown by the fact that the traitor, Judas Iscariot, had to point HIm out to the Roman soldiers who came to arrest Him. (Matthew 26:47-56, Mark 14:43-51, Luke 22:47-53, John 18: 1-11)

The Iconoclastic Controversy arose in the Christian community over whether or not representations of Jesus and the other persons mentioned in the Bible should be allowed within the Christian Church. The issue still causes controversy.  Of the artwork depicting Jesus, possibly the most recognizable in history (known to have been reproduced over 500,000 times) is The Head of Christ  by Warner Sallman.

Other representations of Jesus abound and reflect many different understandings of the same man.  Most appear to be honest attempts to emphasize some particular aspect of the Lord.

In Undefeated by Stephen S. Sawyer, Jesus is seen as a handsome, muscular boxer   The painting is based on Psalm 136:12.

Christ Walking on the Sea , a print by Nathaniel Currier (of Currier & Ives), emphasizes Jesus's gentleness, calmness, and kindness.  Some viewers, me included, feel that this print makes Jesus so gentle that He seems to be effeminate.  The event depicted is recorded in John 6:16-21, Mark 6:45-52, and in Matthew 14:22-33.

Sister Wendy Beckett , host of the Public broadcasting System program, "Sister Wendy's Story of Painting," in 1999 chose Jesus of the People  as the winner of the National Catholic Reporter's competition for a new image of Jesus, a peasant Jesus. 

All three of these representations of Jesus are meant in reverence. Some object to them, especially to Jesus of the People, but why?  Jesus is the Lord of every individual on Earth and His Church includes people from every race, nationality and country on the Earth.  None of these pictures above are blasphemous, unlike those detailed below, which are.  The difference is in the intent: to glorify Christ or to show contempt for Him.

Piss Christ 
Christ the Yogi 
The Truth 

Interesting discussions of what Jesus may have looked like are here  and here .  The truth is, no one knows.

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, of their orthodoxy or lack of it, or of their actions.  Readers are encouraged to suggest persons who should be included on this list.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Epenetus: The first Christian convert in the Roman province of Asia. Romans 16:5

Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu: (b. 1910, Kosovo – d. 1997; aka. Mother Teresa; Blessed Teresa of Calcutta) In 1950, Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India.  The ministry of the organization focuses on the sick, poor, orphaned and dying.

Louis Zamperini: (b. 1917, New York, USA) Olympic runner, WWII pilot, prisoner of war, Christian inspirational speaker.  In 1998, he carried the Olympic Torch in Nagano, Japan.  In 2008, he was elected to the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame.

Richard Melville Hall: (b. 1965, New York, USA; aka. Moby) keyboardist, guitarist, drummer, singer, songwriter, disc jockey, vegan.  He performs in the following music genres: electronic dance, electronica, pop rock, and ambient.

Simon Kimbangu: (b. 1887, Congo Free State – d. 1951)  Founder of Kimbanguism (The Church of Jesus Christ on Earth by His Special Envoy Simon Kimbangu, a member church in the World Council of Churhces).  Baptist preacher and healer, nationalist.

  

A Come to Jesus Moment

This post is about a current American idiomatic phrase: a come to Jesus moment.  I had heard this phrase used before in a sports context, then later in business and in politics.  I had an idea what it meant but decided to investigate it, so I went to the Urban Dictionary (http://www.urbandictionary.com/ )

On this website, Internet respondents can submit their interpretation(s) of current slang (popular "street" idioms).  Besides the traditional religious interpretation of the phrase, there were several fanciful, sarcastic,  and/or vulgar comments.

The most accurate interpretation of this phrase seems to be one of being called into a meeting in which one is severely criticized and possibly threatened with strict punishment for one's actions or attitudes.  The intent of the meeting is to produce an emotional response which produces a complete change in behavior and/or attitude.

This seems to play into a popular misconception of Jesus, and "religion" in general, as stuffy, unpleasant,  hypercritical, prudish, threatening, and disapproving.   This is an insulting stereotype.

Sweaty Football Player on a Bench

My wife was having surgery the other day (a total knee replacement!).  As I sat waiting to hear that her surgery was completed and that she was heading to her room, I saw a man walking down the hall.  He had on a red sweatshirt (crimson, actually. Roll Tide!).  On the front of the shirt was a picture of a lone football player sitting on a bench, his helmet by his feet, head bowed in fatigue, with sweat dripping. 

Hmmmm!???

On the back of the shirt was the slogan: "The true image of a champion is one of a man, sitting on a bench, dripping sweat, with no else around."

This is the attitude Christians need to take in their Bible study and prayer life.  We need to be champions.

 

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, their religious beliefs, or their actions.  This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Robert Barker: (d. 1645, England) Printer to King James I of England.  In 1631, Barker and Martin Lucas released a reprint of the King James Version which was deemed to be of very poor quality and came to be known as The Wicked Bible because Exodus 20:14 said “Thou shalt commit adultery.”  Barker and Lucas were fined 300 Pounds Sterling and their printer’s licenses were revoked. Only eleven copies are known to survive.

William James O’Reilly: (b. 1949, New York, USA) Television host, author, columnist, political commentator.

Robert I Estienne: (b. 1503, France- d. 1559, aka: Robertus Stephanus) A printer and classical scholar, Estienne was a Catholic convert to Evangelical Protestantism.  He is the first person known to have printed the Bible with numbered verses.  He also published many of John Calvins’s writings.

Clay Morgan Shepherd (b. 1941, North Carolina, USA) NASCAR Sprint Cup race car driver, lay Christian minister.  

Caster Semenya: (b. 1991, South Africa) Female track and field athlete (800 meters) whose gender became a source of contention in 2009 after her dominant performance at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.  The International Association of Athletics Federation has cleared her to continue to compete as a female.  She and her family are members of the Zion Christian Church in South Africa.

Juno Whips It

The two Ellen Page (b. 1987, Canada) movies, Juno (2007) and Whip It (2009) are usually seen as female empowerment films. I loved these two films and agree, but see another consistent theme, strong families headed by men who take seriously their responsibilities as fathers.

In Juno, a teenager has to respond to finding herself pregnant. The "boy" is Paulie Bleecker (Michael Cera), an immature and nerdishly nerdy nerd. I mean it; nerd.

Fighting back his urge to punch Paulie in an unhappy place, Dad (J.K. Simmons) decides instead to support his daughter Juno in whatever decision she makes.

At the abortion clinic, Juno can't stop thinking about what the lone protester outside, a Chinese girl (Valerie Tran) has told her. Juno makes her decision; to bring the baby to term and place the child with a family she chooses. Her dad supports her all the way.

In Whip It, Bliss Cavendar is destined, according to her mother (Marcia Gay Harden), to be a beauty pageant queen, just like Mom was. Mom is going to make sure of it.

Seventeen year old Bliss unhappily works as a waitress at the Oink Joint, a barbecue diner, and dreams of escaping little Bodeen, Texas ... and her mother.

While on a shopping trip to Austin, the nearby big city, Bliss sees THEM; roller derby girls, and her future opens up before her. She pulls out her long discarded roller skates and actually makes the team roster of The Hurl Scouts, eventually becoming their star player.

At the height of her success, everything suddenly unfolds until Dad (Daniel Stern) decides that his role as Father is more important than the unrealistic fantasies of his wife and his own indecision and cocooning from real life. He chooses his daughter and his family.

Neither of these movies are Christian films, but there are two things I find significant about these comedies.
1. The fathers are treated as important to their families. In much of modern entertainment in films and television, the father is presented as absent, disinterested, or as an ineffectual doofus. Think of Al Bundy.
2. The main characters, Juno MacGuff and Bliss "Babe Ruthless" Cavendar, take responsibility for their own lives. In much of modern culture, everything is someone else's fault. I'm the way I am or I did that because ... 1,2,3,4, etc.

In Whip It, Maggie Mayhem (Kristen Wiig) tells Bliss to "Be your own hero," In other words, don't depend on someone else to straighten out your life. You have to make the choice.

**************************************************************************
The movie title, Whip It, refers to a classic roller derby move in which two players skate arm in arm and a third holds onto the outstretched leg of the second skater, who whips the third skater forward at a very fast speed.

The Glory for Christ Football League

Tim Tebow is the most well known home-schooled football player. He grew up in Florida which is one of the twenty-four US states to allow home schooled kids to play with public or private school teams. Georgia is one state which does not.

The eight team Glory for Christ Football League is made up of homeschoolers and students from small private Christian academies which don't have teams of their own. One coach has told his team to "block as if you're blocking for God," which of course, they are. Any activity performed for the glory of God is holy. We often forget that.

Football can be holy. Being a lawyer can be holy. Acting can be holy. Brother Lawrence, a 17th century lay Carmelite brother, in his book, The Practice of the Presence of God, showed that even cooking, cleaning pots and pans, and repairing shoes can be holy.

To see a slideshow on The New York Times website about The Glory for Christ Football League, go to http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/06/25/sports/0626-FOOTBALL_index.html