For those still checking in, I'm concerned about something

(With something resembling a regular schedule again, I will be rebooting the festivities here as much as possible.)

Here's something fresh off the wire services: Paul Verhoeven, the director of motion pictures such as RoboCop, Starship Troopers, and Basic Instinct, has taken up a new career goal. No longer content to be a purveyor of secular filth, he has an anti-Christian slant to his latest effort--not surprising, since he fell in with the oxymoronically-named "Jesus Seminar" crowd years back.

The latest effort from Verhoeven is a out-of-thin-air "realistic portrait" of Jesus. Never mind the eyewitness accounts we have of Jesus' earthly life and ministry, because Verhoeven wants to suggest in this not-a-biography that Jesus "may have" been sired by a Roman soldier/rapist, and that someone other than Judas Iscariot "may have" betrayed Him.

The Catholic League's Bill Donohue considers Verhoeven's screed "laughable," but I respectfully disagree with Mr. Donohue. There's another "-able" that's far, far more appropriate for this situation, particularly since Verhoeven is setting himself up as an authority figure on the subject--as a teacher, if you will. I consider it appropriate to quote thusly and like so...

2 Peter 2

1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not

Not "laughable," Mr. Donohue. "Damnable." As in the Greek apoleia, "the destruction which consists of eternal misery in hell."

If you happen by this corner of the Internet, Paul, it's the responsibility of those of us who are Christians to tell you that your current path leads to eternal separation from God in a very real place called Hell. You can write your way into Hell, but you cannot write your way out. It matters not that you refer to yourself as a Catholic, because your actions are those of someone who hates Jesus Christ. I encourage you to repent (if it's not too late for you to do so) because, unlike Muslims who would call for your head if you so much as drew a cartoon of Mohammed, Christians want the best for even those who attack Christ as you have.

--Mike

New year, new rule

Since there are some who simply will not take a hint, comments here are now (and will be for the foreseeable future) moderated. This will slow the discussion to a crawl, but will allow me to prevent that which is neither edifying nor topic-specific from appearing in the Comments sections.

--Mike

A bit of site housekeeping

Folks, I'm going to give you one heads-up, and one heads-up only.

The notion here is to deal with issues, and not with personalities--unless, obviously, a personality makes himself (or herself) an issue.

Whether it's an obvious bit of nonsense like calling someone a "moonbat" or a "sissy," or more subtly-phrased disparagements, there will be no more of them. At least, not here.

I've been tolerant, but as is often the case, my tolerance has been taken for granted. Talk about events and ideas, not about people, or your comments, too, will be eligible to join the "Remove Forever" club.

--Mike

If you don't have a catchphrase, let me suggest one

"Live for nothing, or die for something. Your call."

As a Christian, such a statement has a very specific connotation to me, but it's certainly a conversation-starter at the very least. You might have to Google the source (other than the Biblical overtones, obviously), and when you find it, you'll know one movie you might want to go see in January.

--Mike