Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Funny, but important short video from Puerto Rico Baptist College.

A few of our very talented students used their considerable skills to make this funny mini-movie that also touches a more serious theme. It was made to honor 3 recent graduates and pokes fun at some of the students, but it also points out the importance of the missions of our Bible College and taking the gospel to the world. If  you look fast and don't blink you may see me teaching a computer class for about 1 millisecond. I am at min. 8:54 teaching a computer class. The video has three parts, the first introduces our recent 3 graduates, the second is a funny "Missions Impossible" type skit and the third is about our Bible College. There is even a blooper segment at the end.

Monday, January 09, 2012

For my "M.O.P" (Mothers of Preschoolers) Friends

"If You Give a Mom a Muffin...." by Kathy Fictorie, 
(based on "If you Give a Mouse a Cookie" by Laura Numeroff)

If you give a mom a muffin, she'll want a cup of coffee to go with it. She'll pour herself some. Her three-year-old will spill the coffee.  She'll wipe it up. Wiping the floor, she will find dirty socks. She'll remember she has to do laundry. When she puts the laundry in the  washer, she'll trip over boots and bump into the freezer. Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan supper. She will get out a pound of hamburger. She'll look for her cookbook. (101 Things To Make With A Pound Of Hamburger.) The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail. She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow. She will look for her checkbook. The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two-year-old. She'll smell something funny. She'll change the two-year-old. While she is changing the two-year-old the phone will ring. Her five-year-old will answer and hang up. She'll remember that she wants to phone a friend to come for coffee. Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup. She will pour herself some. And chances are, if she has a cup of coffee, her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.






Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Motive Malignment: A game anyone can play (but that no one should).

I am getting tired of the word "homophobia." This word is an accusation that assumes people against the practice of homosexuality are afraid of homosexual people. It also assumes that the accusers know the hearts, minds and motives of the accused. But is this really fair?

 Have you never heard of someone rebuked for saying "I know how you feel," when trying to express sympathy in a tragedy? Even though they mean well, they are often rebuked, with “No you don’t! No one can know how I feel!” It is understandable because no one can really know another’s inner feelings. Likewise, assuming to know a person has a phobia because they don't like something is equally unfair. They may have personal reasons unknown to anyone.

I know individuals who are very sympathetic to homosexual people but feel that the practice of homosexuality is harmful. They oppose it to help their friends avoid problems. The motive for opposing the practice of homosexuality can be an altruistic one, such as friendship or even love for the homosexual. One might not agree with the position, but to attack the motive of person involved in not right. How can it even ever be truly know?

Besides, motive accusation is a two-edged sword. One could just as easily say that those who call others “homophobic” are secretly using a debate trick called the “straw man.” Why? Because in their inner selves they are afraid their arguments are weak and so use “homophobia” to redirect the argument to the personality of the position holder. Since this “straw man” is the invention of the accusers, they make it easy to beat up on, in order to give themselves the illusion of a victory. They do this so they can feel better about a position they could not defend in an honest debate.

See? Once questioning motives is the name of the game, anyone can play. Please do not question motives anymore. Do not call anyone homophobic because they do not like homosexuality. They might not be afraid of you or it at all. They may be the person that loves you the most in the entire world.