Christian Chaff
Strange Fire
by Peggy Drinkard
As most of you know, our pastors have been preaching a series of sermons on Leviticus (currently suspended until after Advent.) Reading Leviticus in my devotions, I was once again confronted with the story of Nadab and Abihu presenting “strange fire” before the Lord. To recap, when the tabernacle was …
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Christian Chaff
Church of what?
by Peggy Drinkard
Having lived in Wayne County (adjacent to Johnson County in NC) for several years, I can only imagine the consternation this must be causing. That’s about all the commentary I can muster up…you just have to read it herehttp://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_rel_piercing_church;_ylt=Ap7F3W0wJ2vlOamvjUI_zeys0NUE …
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Christian Chaff
When a Pharisee Invites Some Phollowers to the Lincoln Memorial
by Tim Lien
Show up. Make sure you are two steps down from where MLK spoke.
Keep emphasizing personal responsibility to regain lost virtue, kindness, and nobility. Mention all manners of worthwhile exertion. Repeat. Use different words. Wait for cheers. Wait for huzzahs. Affirm every quality that no one is really against. Espouse …
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Christian Chaff
When A Pharisee Does the Dishes
by Tim Lien
I am doing these dishes because it means that I cannot be inconvenienced in any other way. Do not ask me to do anything else; I am doing the dishes, can’t you see? I am doing these dishes because it means that I now have the right to selfishly …
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Christian Chaff
Pharisees, pharisees, everywhere!
by Peggy Drinkard
Seems certain Muslim men in Afganistan have gone above and beyond the Koran’s requirement to abstain from sexual relations with their wives during unclean periods each month by considering their wives unclean all the time. But of course, this presents a dilema. The solution? Young boys. (see article here …
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Christian Chaff
When Pharisees Are Happy
by Tim Lien
Adorable Pharisee: Can I play Wii?
Phather: No. Why do you want to play the Wii?
Adorable Pharisee: If I play Wii, I will be happy.
Phather: Aren’t you happy now?
Adorable Pharisee: No. I’m only happy when people let me do what I want to do.
Another …
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Christian Chaff
When Pharisees Are Cool
by Tim Lien
The problem with Pharisees is that everybody thinks they are probably the joy-sucking goody-two-shoes who are just asking for a wedgie. But what happens when the Pharisees start listening to awesome indie music, wear thrift-store t-shirts with nonchalance, and mutter ironic, witty references to pop-culture?
The Order of Pharisees(OOP …
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Christian Chaff
Trying Hard to be Hip
by Tim Lien
The WSJ recently had an article describing the mass exodus of young evangelicals from church. You see, on paper this is a puzzler: At no other time has the church attempted to be so relevant, culturally abreast, pop-cultured, and techno-savvy. So what gives? It seems that young evangelicals want the …
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Christian Chaff
Arrgh
by Jeff Miller
This is the spot where the long post I had written would have been, before it disappeared……..
We’ll see if it returns.
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Christian Chaff
Preying on those in Pain
by Tim Lien
A brief scan of this advert makes it almost impossible to believe that someone would clip out the order form, carefully fill it out, and send it in.
Laughter was my first response.
And then I think of the desperation that some may feel to just…try anything. Anything at …
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Christian Chaff
Barbie Gets Ordained
by Clay Staggs
No, I’m not making that up. Read all about it here.
Western Civilization is so over.
UPDATE: Walter Russell Mead uses this occasion to call out the Episcopal Church. Ouch:
As a church which has borne Christian witness in this land for more than 400 years falls to pieces …
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Christian Chaff
Would Jesus Be Santa or Kill Santa?
by Clay Staggs
In the Christmas spirit, I’m offering up two simply unbelievable intersections of Jesus and Santa Claus. The second is definitely by Christians; the first by someone I believe to be a Christian, because when he was interviewed, he said that Christmas was supposed to be about Jesus, which I …
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Christian Chaff
A quote that needs no comment
by Peggy Drinkard
“Frankly I had thought that at the time Roe was decided, there was concern about population growth and particularly growth in populations that we donâ??t want to have too many of.” ~Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, July 7, 2009 http://tiny.cc/IOKK9
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Christian Chaff
Civil Religion
by Tim Lien
I know many people are puzzled when they hear that America and the Christian religion are not mutual bedfellows. I love America. I just don’t want patriotism exalted in the worship of God. Take me to the park. Give my kids sparklers. Let me listen to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 …
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Christian Chaff
Patriotic Worship?
by Tim Lien
Here is a cover to a church bulletin for July 5, 2009:
Two glaring errors:
1 - Patriotism conflated and equated with the Christian Religion.
2 - Flagrant abuse/misuse of a bible verse dragged from its context and thrown into the street without a fair trial.
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Christian Chaff
Cheesus
by Clay Staggs
That’s Cheeto Jesus. Really.
Auction it on eBay? If you believe that it’s more than just a Cheeto, isn’t that sacrilege, or something?
Better question: Why am I trying to apply logic to this situation?
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Christian Chaff
Literal Salt, Not Much Light
by Tim Lien
Unsatisfied with no viable â??Christianâ? alternative to kosher salt, retired plumber Joe Godlewski is the brain trust behind Blessed Christians Salt â?¢. An Episcopalian priest will bless all salt.
After watching television chefs extol the benefits of kosher salt, Mr. Godlewski thought to himself:
Actual quote from the article …
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Christian Chaff
God Goes Cellular: In A Blitz
by Tim Lien
Holy Spirit Breakout: Day Nine.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control just won’t make a YouTube video like this.
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Christian Chaff
While we’re on amazing Christian videos…
by Eric Venable
I present to you “The Porpoise Driven Life”
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Christian Chaff
…And They’ll Look Good Doing It
by Tim Lien
Just when we thought the Left Behind series fad would go the way of WWJD bracelets, a California pastor has decided to apply the shock paddles and continue giving life-support to this American Evangelical obsession with the Apocalypse. Enter Armageddon Now, the comic book.
A news article is here. And …
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Christian Chaff
Those Zany Christians
by Clay Staggs
I can’t decide what’s at work here. Is it that American Christendom has lost its collective mind, or, instead is it that the media diligently seeks out wackos and magnifies them? Maybe both. Either way, members of the Praise Chapel Christian Fellowship in Missouri decided that Christ had …
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Christian Chaff
Joel McHale Answers for God
by Tim Lien
Evidently E! Entertainment Television was captivated by The Way’s rendition of “The Renewed Mind is the Key”. The Friday, September 19th broadcast:
I realize that unbelievers can’t identify the best parts of the Redemptive story(except, perhaps, moralism), but they sure can recognize the worst.
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Christian Chaff
Imitation: The Sincerest Form of Battery
by Tim Lien
Since Rock and Roll is clearly responsible for musical atrocities such as Milli Vanilli, N*Sync, and the Jonas Brothers, cautious and pious Christians everywhere declined to pick up the proverbial axe when Guitar Hero I came to video-game console systems. They sniffed at the temptation of Guitar Hero II …
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Christian Chaff
Adding Fuel to the Fire
by Tim Lien
Groups are beginning to gather around gas stations to pray for lower gas prices.
Short article, here.
I realize that we should “pray without ceasing.” But have we really run out of things to pray for?
I am reminded what R. Laurence Moore (Cornell University) said of much of American …
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Christian Chaff
I AM the Calorie, the Carb, and All Trans-Fat
by Tim Lien
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Christian Chaff
The Worst Church Sign Yet
by Clay Staggs
Is this the best we’ve got? Has it come to this?
HT: Instapundit
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Christian Chaff
Actual Results May Vary
by Tim Lien
We know that Jesus said that he was the “Living Water.” But he didn’t copyright “Spiritual Water.” And that’s where these misguided capitalists step into the picture.
A sampling from their website:
Spiritual Water was born as bottled water with spirituality, positive thinking, prayers, God, and beliefs. You …
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Christian Chaff
Your Word I Have Hid On or Around My Heart
by Tim Lien
Sent in by alert reader and R’wood member-in-exile, Kenny Gilbert.
Check out the Nano Bible.
Tag lines:
You can now take comfort in having the Bible with you at all times!and
The whole bible in a tiny crystal to keep close to your heart!
Available in: KJV, The …
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Christian Chaff
Jay-walking, British style
by Jeff Miller
Last night, Jimmy Hopper and I were having some post-book group discussion. Having been focused on Dostoevsky for the previous 90 minutes, our conversation turned rather Anglophilic and we talked a bit about Churchill. I got home a few minutes later and Dana told me about this article.
Apparently, there …
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Christian Chaff
Carbon Fasting
by Clay Staggs
Sometimes, you read something in the news that is so stupid, so insipid, so completely and utterly ridiculous, that you wonder whether you’ve stumbled onto the Onion, or some such. Although, when I tell you that this story involves the intersection of the Church of England, Global Warming, and …
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Christian Chaff
Signs of the Apocalypse
by Tim Lien
Please, please do not buy me any Christian merchandise. Depressing story here. Why is the target demographic middle-aged moms? (No offense to middle-age moms; it just seems to be a rather monochromatic approach.) Does this depict American Christianity? Ok, maybe I’ll just give in. You can buy me the …
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Christian Chaff
Vulgar Sign Language
by Tim Lien
I feel like Dave Barry, when I say, “I’m not making this up.” Someone saw this church sign here in Tuscloosa, alerted me, and then sent me the photos. Here it is in all its glory:
I even feel I’m being too nice by pixelating the church name …
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Christian Chaff
Just Around Budget Time
by Tim Lien
Last week Sen. Chuck Grassley from Iowa launched a Senate Panel investigation into 6 televangelists. It turns out that Creflo Dollarâ??s church bought him a Rolls Royce. (Article here.) To the Riverwood faithful: I like the color charcoal.
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Christian Chaff
Jesus and Santa
by Clay Staggs
I ran across these “Christian” spoofs of the I’m a Mac / I’m a PC ads.
Go see it for yourself… and weep at the sorry state of Christendom.
They’re here.
Words fail me.
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Christian Chaff
Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice
by Tim Lien
Recently, someone sent me this link: http://www.sermonspice.com/listings/2/sermon-illustrations/
Basically, itâ??s an online version of a sermon illustration bookâ??the bane of all diligent ministers. It has â??powerful illustrationsâ? indexed by topic and user rated for its heart-rending effectiveness. Once the perfect illustration, video …
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Christian Chaff
Signs, Signs…
by Clay Staggs
I know, I know. Another post about a church sign. But the whole phenomenon both facinates and disgusts me at the same time. What is it about giving a church a signboard that impels them to put something irretreivably stupid on it?
Passing by a church on my way back …
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Christian Chaff
Vacation Musings
by Clay Staggs
Well, it has been a long time since I’ve had the chance to sit down and put up a post. However, this week, that should change. I’m at the beach this week, and will hopefully have the time to do some things that I really enjoy, and blogging …
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Christian Chaff
Christian Consumerism at its ‘finest’
by Jeff Miller
Gene Veith’s blog is one I enjoy reading regularly. He was with World Magazine until he recently took a position with Patrick Henry College. Today he referenced an article about Christian theme parks. I really can’t do it justice. Here’s the link. … and yes, there really was …
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Christian Chaff
Face in the Foam
by Clay Staggs
I think this is the first advertisement to be submitted for Christian Chaff:
Apparently a British group called Churches’ Advertising Network will place this ad with a caption reading “Where will you find him?” Their stated intention is to spark discussion about where people find God.
This has ticked off …
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Christian Chaff
You Say It Best, When You Wear Nothing At All
by Tim Lien
After some discussions from a bunch of â??non-commenters,â? I think it would probably be helpful if I offered some real affirmation and proper critique of the â??Christianâ? products that I doom to carry the label of â??Christian Chaff.â? (And, no, these products will not eventually …
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Christian Chaff
Jesus Bluffed, and I Went All-In
by Tim Lien
Todayâ??s Christian Chaff (formerly known as Christian Cr@p) comes from the purveyors of all things tacky and tasteless. The company, Kerusso (© 2006, All Rights Reserved, ®, etcâ?¦.), is aptly named. â??Kerussoâ? is the English phonetic equivalent of â??κηÏÏÏ?Ï?Ï?â??â …
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Christian Chaff
Overt Christianity
by Jimmy Hopper
On a recent vacation trip to Atlanta and South Carolina, I decided that there must be a religious revival taking place among Southern young people, or at least, what passes for Christianity amidst the teen set. Everywhere we went; Stone Mountain, the Carolina Aquarium, Six Flags, and even individuals in …
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Christian Chaff
Jesus on the Beach
by Tim Lien
For the past 9 or 10 years, I have been collecting novelties and trinkets that I have found mostly in Christian bookstores. These items have earned themselves the title: “Christian Crap.” These useless, cheap parodies of our secular culture have provided me with hours of sad, sad entertainment. If they …