Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

[CNN]

Since Tony Alamo’s start as a California street preacher more than 40 years ago, the self-styled evangelist’s story has been colorful and checkered.When his wife died of cancer, Alamo claimed that she would be resurrected and kept her body on display for six months while their followers prayed. It would be 16 years before her body was returned to her family. For a time, his elaborately painted denim jackets were a must-have in Hollywood, but sales contributed to tax problems that landed him in prison for four years in the 1990s.

Alamo was charged but not convicted of other crimes, including child abuse. Now the 74-year-old is accused by former church members of abusing children and running an organization in which girls who just reached puberty can marry. Agents raided his southwest Arkansas compound Saturday and placed six girls in state custody.

On Monday, Alamo spoke of the allegations with a mix of denial and defiance, saying that he never promoted sexual abuse but that he believes there’s a mandate from the Bible for young girls to marry.

“In the Bible, it happened. But girls today, I don’t marry ‘em if they want to at 14, 15 years old. Because we won’t do it, even though I believe it’s OK,” Alamo said.

On Saturday, he had said that for girls having sex, “consent is puberty.”

Read more here.

[From me]

Sick man.  I will pray for him.  Mr Alamo, the Bible says nothing about Puberty being the age of consent.  It says marriage = consent.

What do you think?

[USA Today]

What happened to responsible movies and TV shows when it comes to sex?  What about abstinence?  What message does this send to our youth?  Yes, I don’t get it.

What do you think?

Ever since the Mitchell Report came out a few months ago we have seen numerous ways of responding to the charges made in the report.  The report claims that many baseball players have used illegal performance enhancing drugs improve their playing and make their career last longer.  

Most of those named in the report acknowledged that they did use the drugs.  Some apologized. Others have kept quiet.  But Roger Clemens has gone on the attack to clear his good name.  I want to believe Roger.  I was never a Red Sox, Blue Jay or Yankee fan but I admired the way he played the game.

When Roger was named in the Mitchell Report there were many people who said he should come out swinging.  And swinging he has.  He has gone on 60 Minutes, made a You Tube video, held press conferences and testified before Congress that he did not use performance enhancing drugs.  He came across to me as believable.  But here is the problem.  His best buddy Andy Pettitte who was named in the Mitchell report and was trained by Brian McNamee.  Pettitte admitted that he used HGH.  But Roger flatly denies that he has taken drugs or any performance enhancements.  So what is it?

Then Roger files an anti-defamation suit against Brian McNamee.  Now team McNamee are pulling out all of the stops.  They are saying that Roger Clemens had a long time affair with Mindy McCready, a country music singer who has had her own illegal drug problems.  Truth is stranger than fiction.  You couldn’t write a more juicy story in Hollywood.

Here is the problem for me.  If Roger had admitted he took the performance enhancements would this have just blown over?  What if he had just kept his mouth shut?  Instead he makes a big deal and I think it is making him look worse.

What does this mean for us?  I usually can tell when my kids get defensive about something, they probably are guilty. When they calmly deny something, they usually are telling the truth, but when they get vocal, they are “usually” guilty.  It is probably the same for me.  How many times to we angrily argue with the police when we get pulled over for speeding (hypothetically, of course)?  I’ve found myself getting defensive with my wife and my kids and usually it is when I’m wrong.  I’m ashamed to admit that but it is true.

So what do we do?  I think the Bible gives us the best advice.  We should share our sins with one another.

James 5:16

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Had Roger just said, yes I took the HGH and steroids this story would have probably passed.

Sometimes it is best to keep our mouths shut.

Proverbs 18:2

A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.

Proverbs 10:10

He who winks maliciously causes grief,  and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

Proverbs 17:28

Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.

Had Roger just kept quiet the rest of the junk about his personal life would probably stayed out of the news.  This whole incident is sad because he is married and has children who are probably hurting.  

What do you think? 

[The Star]

Marion Jones gave up her Olympic medals. Her relay teammates aren’t quite as willing.

Jones’ former relay teammates paid for her doping offences Thursday, losing their medals from the 2000 Sydney Olympics as the International Olympic Committee stripped them from athletes who won gold with Jones in the 1,600-meter relay and bronze in the 400 relay.

“The decision was based on the fact that they were part of a team, that Marion Jones was disqualified from the Sydney Games due to her own admission that she was doping during those games,” said IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies, who announced the decision. “She was part of a team and she competed with them in the finals.”

“The (IOC) decision … illustrates just how far-reaching the consequences of doping can be,” USOC chief executive officer Jim Scherr said in a statement. “When an athlete makes the choice to cheat, others end up paying the price, including teammates, competitors and fans.

Read about it here.

[From me]

What is sad is that these women worked hard to become great athletes and the sins of one have stripped them of their talents and training. How can people say that their sin doesn’t affect others. I don’t care what that sin is, it affects someone somewhere.  

What do you think? 

Recently I’ve been exposed to several people who have for various reasons left their spouses.  They do not live in Charlotte so I’m not divulging church members lives.   Anyway, for whatever reasons these individuals are abandoning years of marriage and they have children.  My first reaction is to want to hit them over the head and ask, “what are you thinking.”  Years ago I might have reacted that way.

However, as I learn the grace message that God offers every believer, I can’t act that way anymore.  I talked to one of these people recently and I just listened to them tell me why they were making their decision.  I didn’t agree with them but I listened anyway.  Then I told them that is not who they are in Christ.  I told them that they were getting their identity wrapped up in what they do and that always leads to disappointment.  This person has been blasted by many people because of their decision.  I however asked how I could help and prayed for them.  I also left the door open for more dialogue.   They asked me if they could call me again.

A few days later I received an email from their spouse and they said their spouse said I was the only one who listened to them and seemed to care.  Now I don’t say that to brag.  What I’m saying is the other people cared but because they blasted and acted ugly, their message came across the wrong way.

This has taught me a lesson.  I’m sorry for any hurt I may have caused people discussing issues on this site.  I pray that we can talk about controversial issues with love, respect and concern.    What do you think?  Does blasting someone ever bring someone back to Jesus?