From inside the closet:

I've been wondering about purity for about a month now. We say that we are living for Christ, but are we living like Christ? Are we living lives that are so radically different from the norm that people actually notice? If we are just a little different no one will notice. What is 'a little' purity? It is still impurity. Are we following God wholeheartedly or are we doing just enough to be recognized as status quo Christians or worse, 'good people'?

I am specifically wondering about movies because that is what I struggle with the most. If we are trying to live a life that is pure, then we have to carefully examine our lives and if there is anything impure, we have to purge it. If we watch movies that say things are good when God says they are bad, and believe that they have no affect on us, then we are listening to a lie. If a movie has sex scenes or sexual inuendos that is what its promoting. If we watch that then we are compromising with Satan and sinning. I do not understand how any Christian can watch movies like Austin Powers without being completely repulsed. Its whole premise is to make sin (specifically lust) look funny and appealing. There is no way to seperate the humor from the sin.

I could put up with bad parts of movies to get to the good parts (eg close my eyes for sex scenes) but I don't think that is what God is calling me to. I was already doing that, but God has kept at me on this issue. So, I think He is calling me to take the stronger position on this issue and not watch movies that call black white. That will be hard, but worth it. I have decided not to watch any more movies that God would not be pleased with. That may limit my options to 3 or 4 movies, but sacrifices have to be made. Christ made a few sacrifices for us, what are we willing to sacrifice for him?


I will set before my eyes no vile thing... (Psalm 101:3)

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. (Ephesians 5:1-4)

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. (Romans 12:9)

Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter.
(Isaiah 5:20)


BTW, you guys (I just learned tonight that some people actually
read this) should check out the audio stuff at Focus on Family. If you go online soon, you can check out Journey to Salvation or Mirror of the Soul. I highly recommend both.

Who are the tax collectors and sinners in your life? Saying people that you see every once in a while doesn't count. These have to be people that hang out with you.

“We no longer dare to believe in beauty and we make of it a mere appearance in order the more easily to dispose of it. Our situation today shows that beauty demands for itself at least as much courage and decision as do truth and goodness, and she will not allow herself to be separated and banned from her two sisters without taking them along with herself in an act of mysterious vengeance. We can be sure that whoever sneers at her name as if she were the ornament of a bourgeois past — whether he admits it or not — can no longer pray and soon will no longer be able to love.”

Hans Urs Von Balthasar
“The Glory of the Lord: A Theological Aesthetics,”

ACAA - Asian Christian Art Association

This is a cool page that reminds us how God is not God of the West but God of the World. Christianity is not a white man's religion.

Well this is my first blog of 2004. There are a thousand things that have happened since the last time I blogged. I went to my parents' house in Loveland, Colorado (where, incidently, a group of Rice students are going for a Spring Break Habitat for Humanity trip). But more importantly, I went to Urbana 03. It was awesome (for a lack of a better word). I can't over recommend it. At least check out the video.

Urbana 03