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There are some magazines that I would not want in my home.. I would accept almost all the official ones, but some of the others ... well I can choose not to have them in my home/office and I do that.

I doubt if I stand alone.

I think Lyndon makes a valid point. Most domestic violence reports and articles are slanted towards the woman as the victim. But there are many occurrences of men being victimized by the woman. I think perhaps one reason for less reports of men being abused is because they feel ashamed to speak up, as if it would demean their character in some way....perhaps fearing to appear "weak"..... While I know it happened 130 years ago, my great grandfather divorced his wife on grounds of physical and mental cruelty. I read the original divorce papers and was appalled at what his first wife had done to him. Women can have the same tyrannical nature that exists in some men. Men have no business abusing women. But women have no business doing it to men, either...

Sabbath Sermon: Adam and Steve 10 October 2014 | RACHEL LOGAN New Pacific Union College chaplain and PUC Church associate pastor Jonathan Henderson took the university’s week of prayer as an opportunity to deliver a message that has resonated deeply with LGBTQ Adventists and their allies. On Wednesday night, October 8, Pastor Henderson took the PUC Church stage for the third night in a row in a series on relationships. Monday night he highlighted Adam and God; Tuesday focused on Adam and Eve; and on Wednesday, Adam and Steve were the focal point of the conversation. Henderson started his presentation with a humorous tone, noting that he still had his job, despite the intense nature of his sermons. After beginning with prayer Henderson asked the audience to recognize his limitations understanding homosexuality. “You need to hear the perspective of those who have walked this journey,” he said. “I am not an expert. I am not the Holy Spirit. I am not the Judge. I am not the prophet. I am your chaplain, who is still on his journey, and I am wanting to understand even better.” Henderson quoted Matthew 19:3-12 (NIV) to propel his sermon. He focused on verse 8: “Jesus replied, ‘Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.’” Henderson went on to say that God gave in on this issue of divorce, despite this not having been God’s intent in the beginning. “You need to realize that God has given in often throughout history to us,” said Henderson. He cited God’s giving the Israelites a king when they asked for it, even though God was their King. When David, a “man after God’s own heart” became King, he was good, but after time, he became corrupt. “They [the Israelites] chose to be a part of something that was never God’s original design, but this is the world we live in,” said Henderson. “How I wish we could all go back to the way things used to be,” he continued. “And interestingly enough, God works with us in our own sinful matrix. How often that God has to put up with the way that we chose to do things. It was not God’s will that Eve take the fruit and that Adam also partook in it.” Henderson stated that maybe even up to 90% of the things that happened in the Bible did not happen as God wanted it to happen. “And you’ll say ‘but no, it’s God’s will!’” added Henderson. “God is just willing to allow us have our will. That’s it. Let’s just keep it real….just because God knew it was going to happen, doesn’t mean that God planned it.” Henderson suggested that acting as though God is in control of everything is unhelpful, because then God bears responsibility for every molestation, hungry person, and murderer. “God isn’t in control,” Henderson said. “He gave that over to you, and look what we’ve done with it.” Henderson preached that what really upsets God is when people hurt other people. He cited Nineveh as an example, calling it the city of blood where people walked over dead bodies in the streets. “We keep thinking that ‘Wicked Cities’ was like people at the slot machine in Vegas—people just watching a bunch of porn. When the Bible describes evil, it’s talking about stuff that’s so scary, so disgusting, that even the wicked city doesn’t want to be around itself.” Henderson stated that sin is everywhere, but for some reason, the church has chosen to focus on one sin that some consider worst of all. People in the church will say that God did not choose to create Adam and Steve; He created Adam and Eve. People will say that homosexuals are like rabbits, and all they want to do is have sex. Henderson said this is a problem, because these statements dehumanize. “You create all these images as if they are not people that are having soul connections—relating to one another, identifying with one another. You need to understand the foundation of relationships…and it’s not sex! It’s heart to heart connection.” Henderson admitted that he used to believe it was okay for same-sex couples to “have the soul connection,” but not to engage in sexual activity. As he began to read the Bible, Henderson began to see the situation differently. He realized that God can “call an audible” because the game of life changes. In Jonah 3:10, Nineveh repented and God saw their repentance, so He changed His mind. “Listen, the character of God never changes. His heart never changes. His love never changes. It will never–we could never be separated from that. But God will change His mind because we change! The game changes and God will adjust based on the circumstances. Why wouldn’t He? In fact, coaches get fired because they don’t know how to change their game plan within the game!” Henderson reminded the audience that not everyone will accept or interpret the Bible the same, though some people find that hard to accept. Henderson pointed out that in the Bible, Christ says some people are born asexual. Henderson suggested that it’s possible for people to be born homosexual. Again, this is hard for some people to accept. “‘It just couldn’t be that way, pastor, because then somehow we wouldn’t be able to judge them in the same way that we are used to doing...If they are born that way then we might have to be more compassionate and understanding!’ And there’s something wrong with that picture!” said Henderson. Henderson stated that while some people may be born homosexual, others might be shaped that way by experiences they had as a child. People in the church find this all hard to accept because it is complicated; it isn’t black and white. He went on, noting that people have a tendency to want to fit sins in a box, but one size does not fit all. In the past, people did not believe a white woman should marry a black man, but things change–people change, Henderson pointed out. He asserted that people believe the Bible governs morality, but oftentimes culture shapes our moral beliefs. “We are afraid of what we don’t understand. We are afraid of what’s different,” said Henderson. Henderson drew attention to the fact that there is a ministry on Pacific Union College’s campus called Safe Place. He believes that the fact that this group exists on campus is a “tragedy.” PUC itself should be the safe place. “How do you have a sanctuary within a sanctuary?” he asked. Sometimes, when homosexual individuals “come out,” their parents have a hard time dealing with it. Some unsupportive parents tell their child not to bring their partner around the house. Henderson said that thankfully, this isn’t always where the story ends. Sometimes, parents come around to accept their child, and their child’s partner because they love their child, and nothing can change that. “If your parents can come to that point, how much more will your heavenly Father, who loves you more?” Since Henderson’s talk on Wednesday, his words have prompted an overwhelming response. PUC student David O’Hair, who also works as the editor for the Campus Chronicle, called Henderson’s sermon surprising and great. “The talk addressed the differences between being born, made, or choosing to be part of the LGBTQ community. The honesty and different approach was refreshing to hear,” said O’Hair. “In an age where controversial issues are touched on, but never fully divulged, Pastor Henderson crafted a great message that was able to reach all listeners, not only those personally influenced by this topic.” O’Hair stated that the “Adam and Steve” sermon seemed to draw the biggest crowd of the series so far. “I honestly have not heard one bad review of the talk or its message. It was well received and led to many discussions outside the sanctuary.” PUC professor of psychology, Dr. Aubyn Fulton, spoke highly of Henderson’s talk. “This just may be the most powerful sermon ever preached from the PUC pulpit," he said. “What makes Jonathan's talk last night such a landmark is that it so clearly creates the space for pretty conservative Christians, who still might believe that LGBTQ is not quite what God originally had in mind, to still treat LGBTQ people with love and respect. From now on, no conservative Adventist has an excuse for their hate or rejection. We now know it is possible for people with those views to still be loving and respectful - and (I think) from now on we should expect nothing less than this.” Seventh-Gay Adventists producer Daneen Akers also spoke passionately about Henderson’s sermon. “I was weeping through much of this sermon because I know what a step it is, and it just felt like this—this is what Jesus was talking about when he said his followers would be known by their love,” said Akers. “It’s really just the Gospel, and it’s what Christians should be known for—love and respect, even if we all don’t fully agree. But somehow we’ve gone so terribly wrong, especially around this topic, that tears are shed when someone preaches such a beautiful sermon about what Jesus said it should be all about.” Jonathan Henderson began working at PUC in September 2014. Previously, he served as the head pastor for Grand Advent Seventh-day Adventist Church in Oakland, California for eleven years. Watch Adam and Steve: Rachel Logan is a writing intern for Spectrum Magazine

My prediction: The GC has determined that there is no theological basis on which to deny WO. The vote today will be purely political. There is no way you are going to impose WO on the Africans etc. Even if the GC imposed a quota - the Africans would defy it. The same is on the other side. If you imposed a rule that stated there could be NO WO ... some unions in NAD and Europe etc..... would defy it. The only solution is for each union to decide on their own. This is not a matter of doctrine. This is not a Fundamental Belief. If you want the church fractured .... try the billyclub approach on either extreme and there will be disunity and fracture. So ... what needs to be done is clear. Let it be decided by each region. Now --- on with today's vote ...

She is beautifully humble. God is Love! Jesus saves!

Are you referring to the Election Identification Certificate? That would not be issued to those with valid drivers license or other accepted forms such as passport etc. If you are not a citizen,guess what,you should not vote. All of the "privileged ones" are required for numerous things to provide proof of identity. All those receiving government assistance are required to do so. All over 62 on SS have to jump thru the same hoops. If,like my mother you don't have any birth certificate,there are steps you gave to take to obtain one as she did. If voting is as important to me as proving my identity to adopt a puppy or obtain a library card I will do it to vote.

Wonderfully brave, intelligent...

You are not a Rock Star: 4 Guidelines for Worship Leaders by Clint Archer I use “worship leader” in the vernacular sense of the guy who leads the music. Of course, musical worship is only a smidgen of the worship that happens on Sunday. It’s one candle in the worship array of preaching, fellowship, serving, giving, and parking far away so that the elderly can park closer. But when people talk about liking/hating “the worship” they generally mean “the band.” One congregant who should avoid this is the worship leader. Here are four guidelines for the leader of a worship band... 1. You are not a rock star Like a ball-boy at Wimbledon, the task of the worship leader in church is to get out the way. He is there to lift our attention to God. He cannot do this effectively if he is deliberately showing off his dextrous command of his instrument. Worship leaders need to be humble. They should dress modestly. Sometimes musos have a particular look they are going for in their midweek paid gig; that’s fine. But when they ascend the platform at church their personal brand is expendable. When a drummer complains about being caged in perspex you know he’s more interested in showcasing himself than the Lord. When the bass player requests a solo stint you may have sniffed out another prima donna in cognito. The pastor needs to take primary responsibility for the musical worship. If the band leader demands creative freedom, balks at stylistic input from the elders, or becomes impatient with the limits put on his song selection, then he is not the man for the job. He needs to take his cue from Ethan the Ezrahite (see Psalm 89), not the pop band Better than Ezra. 2. Content is king The leader needs to understand that the content of the songs is the primary concern. Solid doctrine should be the hallmark of every lyric. He may even need to alter the original lyrics (gasp!) to align them with the church’s beliefs. We’ve altered words before at our church. The sentimental, “He thought of me above all,” became the marginally more astute, “He showed His love above all.” When selecting songs and hymns for the church service the priority of one’s personal preference needs to shuffle off stage and slink into the back pew. If the gray-hairs in your congregation enjoy “Mighty Fortress” and the elders agree that it is edifying to accommodate them, then play it. If the musos don’t like it…so what? This isn’t their garage band, this is the service of God and His people. 3. Less is more The music is there to support the lyric. Worship fundi, Stuart Townend, at a music workshop seminar in Johannesburg reminded worship leaders that there are times to skip over the question:”How should I play to make this better?” and ask rather: “Should I play at all right now?” He meant there are moments when it may be best to mute the instruments and allow the congregation’s voices fill the air. It serves as a good reminder that frills, whistles, and bells can be distracting if they trip up the congregation. Case in point: when a lead guitarist is performing a gratuitous solo lead break think of what the rest of us are doing. We’re standing there watching him. I guess we could be using that time to admire the glory of God in His creature’s ability to jam. But in reality most of us are just waiting for our turn to praise God. 4. Worship! The band members are not performing, they are worshipping. God must remain their central focus. He is why they come early to rehearse and stay late to disassemble the drum kit. He is the reason they practice mastering their instrument on their own during the week. Sunday is their offering to the Lord. They need to take a page out the Little Drummer Boy’s songsheet and play their best for Him (pa-rumpa-pum-pum). This mindset also helps the band to develop necessary thick skin when people complain to them. In this iPodian era we have become accustomed to getting all the music we prefer on demand and at the volume we like. We can skip songs and change CD’s mid performance. Naturally the preference for style of musical worship has developed into quite a sticky wicket in churches. Some would prefer more bass and less reverb, others wish the drummer would take a break from banging the kit for a stanza or two, or perhaps even take a six month sabbatical. Some like volume pumped up loud, others want to hear the voices of those around them (or at the very least their own voices!) The plethora of preferences clamoring for attention can be paralyzing for the worship leader. But when one remembers Who the audience really is it takes off the pressure to cater to congregational preferences. http://thecripplegate.com/you-are-not-a-rock-star-4-guidelines-for-worship-leaders/

The harsh reality is that only 10% of rapes are reported, and only 10% of those reported result in any conviction. Many of these occur on dates, and within relationships and in families. Far fewer acts of violence, and controlling behaviors within families are reported, or addressed. The issue of accountability in this area is something nebulous, with so little reporting. The effect of abuse and controlling in relationships results in so much blurring of what is right and what is acceptable and what is not. To imagine the church has some means of holding individuals accountable, or should be controlling abuse and stopping it in their congregations is beyond comprehension. My suggestion is that the church is called to meet these problems with the Gospel. The Gospel alone brings divine power to lives to change motivations and behaviors. Of course we should offer options for safety to victims, men, women, and children when it is recognized to be a need and is a desire. At least be aware of the local shelters or nearby locations of protective shelters. The problem is that many who are victims do not seek safety, they instead seek to equalize the power relationship that leaves them at a loss, and in some measure intimidated. Controllers justify themselves and it seems they by example teach the victims to believe it is ok. There are so many endless variables in these kinds of social issues, and every degree of control or aggression. Our conference does maintain a safe house to address domestic violence, providing safety, and counseling for victims. And it is the power of the Gospel that is brought to these families.

On a personal basis, I find that my life is much easier when I do not attempt to control others. I have enough on my plate that I am quite willing for others to take responsibility for their life and I do not want it.

It will be your choice not to respond to any of my posts. However, whenever you post in a public forum, you can expect that I will respond, if I chose to do so. I will respond due to the fact that this is a public forum and my response will be directed to that public. IOW, you cannot come to a public forum such as this and expect to make public statements that will not be responded to. Your choice, as long as you post in a pubic forum will simply be to decide whether or not to post. If you chose, you can ask to have a private forum set up for you. In that private section, only those who you select will be allowed to read and post. That will no longer be a public forum and it will be limited to those who want to participate and you allow to aprticipate. But, if you want the larger audience of a public forum then anyone who wants to respond to you will be able to do so. As to having a dialogue with me, you clearly do not have to have any dialogue with me. You do not have to respond to anything that I say or post. I am fine with that. The choice is yours as to what you do. As you have stated that you will not further respond to me, I will expect that you will not respond.

Llife said: If the best you can say is "somewhat much," you, in my opinion, are out of touch reality. Not in my wildest dreams would i want to have 300 wives and 600 concubnes. I would go well beyond "somewhat much." To all reading here, please take this as my dry sense of humor.

It says that this is things that Jesus' never said. It is sarcastic. The Mormons believe that Jesus came over here to teach the people here who were the characters in the book of Mormon. So this picture is picturing Jesus saying to his disciples that he was now going to America and it points out that Jesus never said that.

pk, that was as good as the original "party-for-prostitute" post. People have heard me talk about "taking Jesus to the streets" before. Both of these stories are perfect examples of doing just that. Father God, please send us all the Holy Spirit right now at this time, that Your Son Jesus would flood the streets, cities and nations of this world!

Here's a great story: From XXX to the Pulpit http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Articles/From-XXX-to-the-Pulpit.aspx?source=NEWSLETTER&nlsource=38&ppc=&utm_campaign=Prayer&utm_source=NL&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_term=yahoo.com

I'm an old (65) worship leader. IMO, after 40 years as a worship leader, that passion and virtuosity are part of the act of worship towards God. We do not perform for the congregation; we perform for God. We want to give our best to Him; so we perform! That being said, no one band member should ever stand out. The most talented musician should be a mentor and support of the other members. As an old guy, I am starting to feel irrelevant to younger congregations. It's time to turn leadership of worship (indeed, of the church) over to the next generation. Do we want young people to stay in the church? What better way than to let those young people who are still in the church lead us into a strategy to bring young people into the church? Who knows better than they do concerning the needs of their own generation?

Without christians in America you still would have had the power and greed. Just as the Native American tribes warred with other tribes when they had the land,hunting grounds etc that was wanted. Along with freedom loving settlers there were many that came that were lawless,criminals fleeing punishment in their home country,those that really didn't give much thought to a God. You also seem to think that crossing an ocean would magically transform decades of conditioning and training in a much different mindset than we have today. Maybe it is to the shame of the US very ordinary people settled this land. Perhaps someone like yourself would have done much better using the knowledge of the late 20th and early 21st century at that time. But we had to settle for ordinary people that muddled thru and did some pretty extraordinary things. Are you surprised that the freedom loving indigenous people made war on other tribes,took captives,sold them as slaves,plundered from other freedom loving indigenous people? Committing atrocities on others seems to be a universal problem. There certainly was plenty of room before the settlers came that there shouldn't have been any reason for war.

there were occasions when e white used the substances to help her when her system needed it. i dont think it is a black and white thing. health reform is something progressive, and e. white took a long time to stop using meat, and said excessive sugar was more harmful them eating meat. we may not have meat at potlucks, but we do have generous pies, cookies and cakes. sin is whatever you know the Lord is asking you to do, and you do not do it. if he has not spoken to you about the Sabbath for you Sabbath breaking is not sin. when we are in ignorance God winks. also God is leading us step by step, if we take steps apart from him we fall into self righteousness, and that is tougher to deal with then whether we drink tea or coffee. our conscience does not live on the dry pages of a book, it is in our heart.

there are too many people with real issues in life to spend a lot of time talking about trivials.