Jesus Camp

I watched the movie Jesus Camp this weekend. It disturbed me greatly, not because its irreverant, but because it shows what people teach. It is sick and twisted that people are teaching children (or adults) to be good republicans. This false gospel of nationalism has infiltrated many Churches.

I was a youth leader of sorts (Royal Rangers) for years. I could have been the people on Jesus Camp. What have a done. I want to tear my clothes and wail. I may have led innocent Children astray while thinking I was doing Gods will. I felt so close to God then, but the people were so much worshipping the false gospel of nationalism that I wonder if it was real. Was it God, was it the spirit of the antichrist? I am so confused.

I went to Church today and was looking for the hook in everything, though I didnt see one. Could this Church be different.

I cannot handle it anymore. I may have had a part in leading young boys to follow George W Bush's bloody path to hell. Or did I lead them to the Lord? I am not sure anymore.

I feel convicted, but I am not sure exactly about what. My mom says people like that who teach nationalism are raising up the army for the Antichrist. I have to say I think raising up an army to take back America (which never was a Christian nation) is very unbiblical.

I dont know who I am anymore or where I am going

Vista

I know. Its not out yet, but I work for a company that allows me to have it for testing and evaluation purposes. I installed Vista on my PC. Here is my initial assessment:

1) It took 3 hours to install on a P4 2.8 with 1gig of RAM. If you have less than that, you may want to give it a day

2) My computer is a bit slower than it was, but still decent. However, I suspect I am on the edge of the REAL system requirements not what M$ posts. If you have less than I do, watch out

3) Its WEIRD. Everything is in different places, however I see no real benefits. Its like they did it just to frustrate the hell out of people. It really looks like Mac OSX to me, though its not exactly Mac. You can tell its another knockoff though.

I had to upgrade because my customers will and I have to learn how to support it. I dont think it will really hurt me, but I am a tech with over 10 years experience.

Advice, if you like XP, dont go to Vista. XP is fairly stable. Normal people should at least wait till SP2 for Vista comes out in a few years. I will post any bugs I find. Its too early to tell. I can say that I dont hate it, but overall I am unimpressed. Give me a good reason to like it.

Another stupid truck pic

Here is my truck. I like my bumper stickers. LOL

Coastal People

This is the kind of people that live around here. Here is a truck that parked outside my workplace. I cannot believe some of these stickers. This is the kind of people that really scare me. I wonder what trailer park he lives in.

Newport Freezes Over

It has happend. I never thought it would but the Oregon Coast has snow. Here is a picture to prove it. Talk about WEIRD weather.

I heard next its gonna snow in Las Vegas and it was 70 in Boston last week. Global Warming?? Maybe a big iceburg broke off and hit the west coast. Maybe I should move back to Minnesota for mild winters.

Btw, I didnt drive my normal 67 mile commute in this crap. A friend was nice enough to let me stay with them in Newport last night. I got here before it got too bad. Otherwise, I probably would have gotten hit. People in Oregon dont handle snow well at all.

More About Mall Wart

You may be thinking, he just got screwed over by their pharmacy and thats the problem. Well yes it is, however, for a long time, I have been contemplating a boycott of them.

1) Most of their stuff is made the new American way. That is in China. Made by little 8 year olds who work 20 hour days in hot stinky sweat shops.

2) Their quality sucks. They implement the PQFP principle. Poor quality, fair price

3) They arent so destructive in the big city, but that isnt where they went for the kill. The invaded small towns (many Republican inhabited) and put under all the small and mid size businesses. RIP: Pamida, Gibsons, Woolworths, Duckwalls, etc.

4) They then employ the out of work people in a degrading low level low paying job and lie to the employees about succeeding

5) They make themselves the only place you can go if you live in rural areas. Like MJ said in her comment to my last post. I have a friend here that has the same damn problem. Where else you gonna go?

I am not calling for anyone else to boycott them. I am just whining about them. Isnt that what blogs are for :)

I hate Mall Wart

I had a prescription filled at Mall Wart and I kept going there on my lunch break but the line was too long. Today I took the plunge and waited 1/2 hr only to be told, Im sorry sir we can only keep your prescriptions for 6 days. If you go stand in that line they can have it refilled. Then I guess I get to stand in the 1/2 hr line AGAIN. Well I had enough and walked out. I am having my doctor send the prescription to Fred Meyer. I will be transferring all my prescriptions from Mall Wart to Walgreens ASAP.

Its been bugging me for some time that I ever do business with an icon of capitalism and republicanism like Mall Wart. I am now pissed enough to boycott them.

They underpay and overwork their employees and sell cheap plastic crap

Church Review

Ok. We went today. Here were my observations of Church on the Hill in Salem.

1) The music was rockin and awesome.

2) The demographic was much younger than many Churches. I think the loud rockin music scares the old people away. For me right now with what I am going through at work, that is a good thing.

3) The message was meaningful but not real deep

4) The people were not mean but not overly touchy feely

5) I felt better going in than out but didnt get overwhelmed with God and have a life changing experience. More like small bites of the word, not big meals

6) The offering was low-key. They talked about not loving money. Not a word about tithing.

7) They seem to have a lot of ministries but not enough info on how to get involved with them.

Overall I think this Church is a good place for us now since I am struggling. It seems postmodernish yet not too out there.

Going to Church Tomorrow

I am going back to Church again tomorrow. For those who know the area, its Church on the Hill in Salem, Oregon. We went there last week and it was alright. Since my wife is compelled to go by her school and I want to try and view it from a new perspective (not brainwashed by Churchianity, but not negative and spiteful), I think it may be good.

I still have issues with some teachings, with pastoral authority and political agendas, but God willing, I can look past all that and just worship with these people and grow closer to Christ. That is what I need.

Some may say I am selling out to the man, but I have no head, but Christ. If the Pastor is a control freak, I will go elsewhere.

I so badly want to feel the passion I used to feel when I was in Church, but without the mind control. Maybe this is possible, I will give it a try.

Attitude

Lately it has been hitting me that I have become bitter. I spend a lot of time whining and feeling sorry for myself. I am going to try, God willing to be more positive and not let the negativity of those around me rub off. Its been getting so bad, I post about it, I complain about it, I have even been snappy with my wife.

I pray that God will give me the strength to truly love the unlovable.

It really hit me yesterday morning when I was at 7-11. A guy came up to me and asked me for a jump start. I lied to him and told him I had a week electrical system. Inside I was thinking, why cant people just leave me the hell alone. I am sure someone helped him but I have always been the kinda guy who would help anyone in need. I tend to give money to bums.

I need God to change my heart. I dont have to like negative people, but I gotta stop letting them win by letting my anger and stress tear me apart.

I could use any extra prayers you all have.

ID10T Error

I feel like a moron. About 2 weeks ago I changed out all the hoses on my truck and replaced the thermostat. I am a computer tech, not a mechanic and now more than ever I know that.

Last night on the way home, my prayer life became much more active as the damn truck started running hot (not overheating but 3/4 the way up).

Since rural Oregon would be a good setting for the movie deliverance and it was a dark cold rainy night (sounds horror like). I couldnt help but be haunted by images of Ned Beatty sqealing like a pig and toothless people with guns. I prayed my way home.

Unfortunately my mechanic is the town I work in and not the town I live in so I had to drive overheating truck through the backwoods again this morning.

Thank God, I made it. Well it turns out the problem is I didnt burp the cooling system. I didnt realize it needed burping. Apparently air got in there, got hot and fried the thermostat. So in other words, I fucked up my own truck.

So I proclaim myself, an idiot and pay the $105. I hope to God thats all thats wrong with it.

Anyway, thats my rant today, anyone who tells you to do your own car work because you cant hurt anything is lying. Just like you cant hurt your computer. Yeah right.

Pat Robertson Does it Again

According to Pat, we have a lot to look forward to this year.

On January 2, 2007, during the 700 Club show, he said that God spoke to him and told him of "mass killings" in 2007. He added "The Lord didn't say nuclear. But I do believe it will be something like that."<sup>[66]

I suppose Pat hopes that those who die will be
non-republicans.

What a freaking moron. He predicted the Northwest would be devestated by a Tsunami in 2006, Im still here and as I write this, I am about a mile from the big ole pacific. I guess I should be sharkmeat by now.

So Pat, we will have to watch out for this "something like nuclear". Everyone buy a bomb shelter quick.</sup>

Drinking

I want to say right out that I think its OK to drink alcohol as a Christian. Not that I drink much. People like to condemn for drinking. It sure would make Church more interesting.

NO I AM NOT DRINKING NOW. Im at work for crying out loud.

A positive note

I realize how much I really do have to be thankful for. I have a wonderful wife. I am employed (even if it sucks at times and is 67 miles away). I have a good relationship with both my parents even though they hate each other. I have a working vehicle. They dont have blizzards in Oregon and these turds dont have the power to control me.

What is up?

Today is the first sort of business day of the new year. I am looking at this new year as new beginning. A new hope. However, it seems that many out here woke up on the wrong side of the bed and hate the world in this new year. People have threatened to sue. Customers complaining. Old people whining about being on a fixed income. A new year is a clean slate. Why must so many people crap all over it. I want to love people. I want to see them as God does, but people are so gosh darn unlovable.

I am tired, cold and soaking wet. I want to wake up tomorrow to a different world. Maybe the one that left when the old year left.

Anyone remember Ghostbusters 2? The river of negatively charged slime. I think that river must have flooded over onto the residents of Oregon this weekend.

My character and integrity were attacked by a fellow Christian this weekend who tried to make me lose my job. I called her on it. She apologized and I forgive. Why was it necessary to take that jab at me? I forgive but the hole from the knife is still there. As it heals, scar tissue will form. Eventually I fear I will be as pathetic and hardended as the old people I complain about. I realize its not them I fear, but I fear what I will become. I want to be like Christ. I want to care but I also want to tell those miserable people to shut the fsck up.

Oh well, I guess I need to pray. Pray for the wretched miserable people. Pray that whoever hurt them will become a better person. Pray that I dont end up like them. I would rather die than be that way. Pray that God has it in his heart to forgive them.

I guess deep down I do still care. Thats why it hurts so damn much sometimes.

War, what is it good for?

In the old days back when I lived in Minnesota, I was around people who were of the religious right influence. I was a republican because I was told to be. It was just a given that if you love the Lord, you gotta love Pres Bush.

After moving to Oregon, I have become deprogrammed and realize that most of what ole W does is not compatible with Christ.

I believe the war in Iraq, was based on lies and was a personal vendetta against Saddam and otherwise about money.

I am now more left in the spectrum and realize Christians shouldnt kill their enemies, but love them. I think I have become a hippy.

Heres another twist. I think that if there was ever a justification for war, it would be to overthrow the government in Darfur to save the people. Not saying thats the way because I am now antiwar, but the way the US pickes and chooses their battles is sick.

Also why do many Christians justify this. Whatever happend to:

Thou shalt not kill
Love your enemies
Blessed are the peacemakers.

I could find more. Where are the Christian hippies? Where are those who want to save his people not kill them? Where are those who value and protect nature? Where are those who are not in love with money? Where are the true followers of Christ?

I have been blessed to find friends. Mostly in this online community that seem to share some of my values.

If any of you remember the Lorax, I would say to you, Jesus is not the Once-Ler

Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! from all of us here in Albany Oregon.
May you all have a blessed and fulfilling new year.