Lenten Series 1: Play the Tape to the End: The Real Me

I just watched this video series (Play the Tape to the End) put on by Universal Nutrition and I decided to do another Lent series. I'm behind but I think it's worth it. Before I start, this series is why I like this company and it's sub-company Animal. There's not a lot of flair, its all pretty raw and honest. I think a lot of companies, businesses, etc, would toss someone like Antoine to the side but you can see them supporting him and using his story to hopefully help others.

In this first episode Antoine gives a brief glimpse into what he has gone through for the past two years, sex, drugs, partying. The death of a close friend of his was the wake up call for him to take a step back and examine where he was, how far he had fallen.

I'd venture to say that that is the first step in having a successful Lent, realizing where you are at. Ok, successful makes it sound like a business venture. But, the goal of Lent is to get us back in line, re-orient our relationships with Christ. And to be able to do that we need to take a step back and see where we actually are. Some people say "Why do you need Lent to try to better yourself?" Well, we don't need Lent. But, due to the wisdom and mercy of the Church, she has provided us with this annual season. I think that's valuable. I believe we live in a society that asks us to shoot for mediocre. And I think due to that mentality a lot of people do not stop and meditate on their lives. In the spiritual life people settle for I'm OK, you're OK. People don't truly believe they can achieve holiness. That's for priests and religious. I know for myself, when I had fallen the furthest from living out my faith, I realized how far I had fallen due to taking that time, being in silence in the late late hours of the night.

Fr. Dave Pivonka in his The Wild Goose series on the Holy Spirit, has a segment titled The Spirit and the Desert. This segment focuses on the deserts in our lives and how the Spirit can, if allowed, lead us through them. At a young adult study I was leading we watched the video and discussed. We came to the conclusion that within the video they were talking about at least 3 different deserts: a desert that we enter into through the course of our life, a desert the spirit brings us into, and a desert that we bring ourselves into due to sin. I then asked how the Spirit operates in each desert. Our most interesting discussion came from the desert we bring ourselves into due to sin. One person mentioned they didn't think the Spirit is there/present in the midst of a sinful life. I asked for clarification. The person then went on to explain that in the midst of so much sin you may not even feel or realize the Spirit's promptings or presence and it has to do something or at least use an event to pull you out. It will need to send someone in your life to pull you out. In the video the young man was pulled over by the police. I think for Antoine, the Spirit was able to reach him through his friend's death.

Antoine comes to the realization that he has fallen away from the real him. He is in the struggle to leave his destructive lifestyle and get back to his passion of bodybuilding. It's important to get back to the reality of who we are, we are God's children. As corny as that may sometimes sound due to it's overuse and placement on cards and Precious Moments, it's a fact. And the fact is that as God's children we were not made for mediocrity as Pope Benedict XVI put it:

Through the rest of this series we'll see how the people Antoine surrounds himself with make a huge difference and that this is not a quick fix. This is an every day decision making process with many pitfalls. But as Antoine puts it the hardest part is going to be staying consistent.

Video: Play the Tape to the End: Episode 1

You can see Fr. Dave Pivonka's segment here: The Spirit and the Desert

Who Gets to Decide on the Wild West: Open Carry in TX

Open carry is allowed in Texas now.

I'm going to be honest. I'm fine with open carry...as long as I don't get shot if someone is trying to take out a criminal.

But, I honestly don't understand the rationale other than "I want to do what I want to do". I was even shocked to hear Michael Berry, local conservative radio talk show host, admit that he hadn't heard any solid reasons to advocate for it other than to dissuade criminals. Yet, if I were a criminal, and I'm not, and I wanted to rob an establishment, I'd target the open carriers first. I'd take out my competition. I think you're honestly putting a target on yourself.

My biggest problem with the whole drama once the law went into effect was people bashing businesses and schools for not allowing open carry on their grounds. It seems to me that the majority of the people for open carry are along the conservative vein of politics. This is traditionally the side that is pro business, especially local/small business. Shouldn't they have the right to decide what happens or doesn't happen on their property? And to take the care of their customers out of it, I'm sure they want as many people spending money there as possible. I'm sure they took into consideration that if people knew they intentionally allowed open carry they would choose to shop elsewhere. I personally know people who have said so. And you know what, according to the law (have you even read the law) they have the right to do so. How dare they exercise their right?!

I would go as far as to say that the majority of the people supporting open carry supported businesses opting out of The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) due to it infringing on their religious beliefs. How come they can't opt out of open carry? What happen to your support of them making decisions for their own business?

Anyways, those are my thoughts. I haven't witnessed someone open carrying yet. Fact is, I'd trust someone open carrying and having their CHL because I bet they know more about the use of a firearm than the next person.

Listen to the broadcast of the Michael Berry Show where he talks with Tom Gresham, host of Gun Talk.
The Michael Berry Show

OOPS! Pope Francis Did It Again

Oops, Pope Francis did it again. He made everyone with an opinion reveal their total ignorance of the Catholic Church. It's pretty sad, from the Facebook trending feed to the radio talk show talking heads, just about everyone has the situation and their understanding of the Catholic Church wrong. Pope on Trump. you can catch up in the link above. But you can get the gist in this graphic below.

Ok, seriously though, the Pope is not always the smoothest when it comes to interviews. It's off the cuff, it's his opinion. But there in lies the key, it's his opinion. Let's discuss.

Ok, yes, the Pope is the leader of the largest Church on the face of the planet. Notice I didn't say denomination. The Catholic Church is not a denomination, it did not break off from anything. So let's set that straight. Yeah, being the leader, his words, his opinions hold some weight and will sway and affect people's views. But, the key word is opinion. Many talking heads are saying he needs to stay out of politics. If you want religion, religious figures to stay out of politics, then stop bring it in. Every person running for an office needs to stop talking about their Christian faith and using that as proof they'd be trustworthy and honest. He was in an interview and he was asked a question. He didn't call into Fox News and tell them he had something to say. Keep religion out of politics? Well then stop calling this a Christian nation. We sure don't live up to it.

Let's talk about infallibility. The biggest misunderstanding about the pope is on infallibility. Infallibility is very specific. The pope only speaks infallibly when teaching on elements of faith and morals. Now here's where it is obviously confusing people. This happens when the pope is speaking ex cathedra, from the chair, from the power of his office. By office I don't mean the room he is in, but the role given to him. Now, his statement is talking about faith and morals. Yet, he is not teaching, nor is he speaking ex cathedra. He's on a plane being interviewed by the press. A pope's opinion is not teaching. He could say that Freebirds is the best burrito restaurant and if you disagree and believe that Chipotle is better then you are going to hell (he is right, but this is not an infallible statement). This, holds no weight and in no way is anyone bound to believe this, though they should.

Now here's where I will offer some criticism of the pope. I honestly don't think it's our business to judge the "Christianess" of a person. I can attempt to make judgments about the morality of one's actions and words but I don't know the inner workings of their brains, souls, etc. Oh yeah, that's right I can judge others actions, just not their salvation (2 Timothy 3:16). If you make faith based judgments based on your politics, left and right, you're doing it wrong anyway. And please tell me, how does building a wall fulfill Matthew 25:31-46?

For those pointing at the Vatican walls as being hypocritical, here's a defense against that from a non religious site: In Defense of Trump, Some Point (Wrongly) to Vatican Walls

You can listen to this audio clip, which is about another controversial statement Pope Francis made, and go to 20:50 to understand more about infallibility.

Pope Francis-Contraception OK to Slow Zika Virus

You can watch this video to challenge your politics...I mean faith on your relationship with the less fortunate:

Get to Know God