Ok, I can almost understand why FEMA wants to reimburse churches for their relief efforts. The government is trying to look good. But if any churches actually take the money, I'll be disappointed.

I'm proud of Bob Reccord, the president of the SBC's North American Missions Board. "Volunteer labor is just that: volunteer. We would never ask the government to pay for it." Charity means not getting paid back. My prayer is that more church organizations remember that -- especially when it comes time for Faith Based Initiative money. Churches don't need government money, and shouldn't go looking for it. Faith Based Initiative is a terrible idea.

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 11:15 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The blogosphere has generated donations of over half a million dollars in the past two days. That speaks volumes, I think.

There's also an effort going on with webcomic artists. Click on the button to read more about this.

Al Mohler has an interesting article today. National Geographic talked about the devestation that a Cat-5 hurricane could bring to New Orleans over a year ago. So someone WAS able to predict this. We all should have been more prepared. My hope is that we can learn something from this, so that we are better prepared in the future.

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 02:39 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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As of 8PM Eastern time, the blogosphere has raised over $100,000 to help in disaster relief efforts in the southeast. Thank you.

If you've donated through a blog today, NZ Bear has set up a place for you to log your donation. You don't have to do this to donate -- I figure a LOT of people aren't logging their donations. But if you are so inclined, you can do it there.

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 07:59 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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It's hard to write about the hurricane. I've been in one (a minor deal named Erin back in 1995). My parents went through a few more after I moved. My mom has survived Ivan and Dennis in Pensacola, FL. So I know what happens, and what the aftermath can be. If you haven't been there, it's hard to imagine.

When I go home, I still see the effects of Ivan. You can see straight through to the ocean in places where there used to be only trees. Restaurants I loved to go to don't exist any more. And Ivan was minor compared to Katrina. The damage was bad, but nowhere near the scale we've seen in this storm.

Dr. Russell Moore can relate. He's from Biloxi. And he's got an interesting perspective on hurricanes in general.

The Psalmist reminds us that God originally put all things under the feet of Adam (Psalm 8:6). But the writer of Hebrews reminds us that we do not yet see all things under the feet of humanity (Hebrews 2: , although we do see a crucified and resurrected Jesus (Hebrews 2:9). The apostle Paul likewise reminds us that the creation itself groans under the reign of sin and death, waiting for its rightful rulers to assume their thrones in the resurrection (Romans 8:20-23). The storms and the waves are one more reminder that the "already" has not yet been replaced by the "not yet."

Our own. We had it made, and we blew it. And we can't blame Adam and Eve, because if our history has shown us anything, it's that we wouldn't have done things any better than they did. Once, we were masters of all of creation, put in charge by God Himself. But we rebelled against God, and lost our authority.

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:20-21 ESV)

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 04:33 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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1 Please don't capitalize Mom or Dad when they follow a possessive pronoun. Then it's not a name, but a pointer. I'm sorry, but I can't help myself. I'm an English teacher, and "My Mom" is one of the particular no-no's I so often come across. Let me keep going. Please don't put a comma after "So" when it begins a sentence, unless a participle element follows. Also, and this is no big deal since English spelling's so crazy, but under the entry "Small World" you misspelled devastate. Now proceed to my blog and uncover my boo-boos. I'm sure they're a lot worse than yours!

Posted by: Brent at September 01, 2005 04:44 PM (bxsZ7)

2 Jeez louise, I now see your e-mail address on the pretty site. I'd have rather done it that way.

Posted by: Brent at September 01, 2005 04:47 PM (bxsZ7)

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Pat Robertson's latest idiocy is having some repercussions.

"Visas will be denied to American missionaries."

That was the headline in a Venezuelan newspaper Saturday in response to comments by Pat Robertson who recently called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

The government of Venezuela, which was already investigating mission organizations in their country, has put a hold on all visas for missionary activity and is intensifying their investigation. NTM [New Tribes Missions] has several missionaries who have visas awaiting renewal.

So the Gospel is not going to be proclaimed in Venezuela because Pat Robertson is an idiot. Way to go, Pat.

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 01:14 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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There are a LOT of hurting churches in New Orleans and the surrounding area. Thanks to The Pastor for this address.

If you want to send donations to the churches in N.O. metro area, send them to this address:

NEW ORLEANS ASSISTANCE
c/o Louisiana Baptist Foundation
P. O. Box 311
Alexandria, Louisiana 71303

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 12:19 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The blogosphere is banding together. Instapundit, NZ Bear, everybody is supporting the disaster relief efforts in the South.

Southern Baptists are there, though most media outlets aren't really covering it. Southern Baptist teams from all over the nation are heading south -- according to NAMB, 100 disaster units have been activated. I just found out that Ryan DeBarr is headed that way as part of an SBC team.

We can all help. Support the SBC efforts (we're serving over 300,000 meals a day in the disaster areas) by donating. Click here for more information, and to send your own contribution.

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 11:43 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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As a certain Curmudgeon said today, the Internet makes the world a much smaller place. I was thinking this morning, as I looked at the devestation that Katrina has left behind, about people I "know" who have been affected:

Maybe not even a whole thought, since I'm really ripping it off from someone who emailed CNN yesterday evening.

When the tsunami hit, American relief was quick. We were criticized for not giving enough. Now that a huge disaster has hit the US, how soon can we expect aid from our allies?

Personally, I'm not holding my breath.

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 02:53 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I've gotten WAY off track. My purpose in starting this blog was to engage in commentary on Christian issues without becoming just another Christian political blog. And for the past two days, my regular posting has had it's position usurped by my comments on Pat Robertson.

And now, I'm going to do another political post. {sigh} But you'll understand when you read it ... more...

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 05:42 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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He needs one, because this is really lame:

August is a slow news day, but it seems like the whole world is talking about my comments about the Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez. Â… I didn't say 'assassination.' I said our special forces should 'take him out.' And 'take him out' can be a number of things, including kidnapping; there are a number of ways to take out a dictator from power besides killing him. I was misinterpreted by the AP, but that happens all the time.

You know, I don't know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it. It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war.

Can someone please muzzle Pat Robertson? At least tell him to be quiet before he makes this any worse.

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 10:27 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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The news that Harvard scientists have successfully converted human skin cells into embryonic stem cells -- without using a human egg or new embryo -- is likely to muddle the already complex debate over federal stem cell research policy.
from The Washington Post

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 05:56 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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{Well, THAT headline should get me some hits from Google!}

from Associated Press
Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson suggested on-air that American operatives assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to stop his country from becoming "a launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism."

"We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability," Robertson said Monday on the Christian Broadcast Network's "The 700 Club."

"We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator," he continued. "It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with."

And before you argue with me, yes it is a boneheaded thing to say. Especially for a minister of the Gospel. Ever since Robertson ran for President, he's become increasingly political at the expense of his ministry. Maybe he thinks politics is his ministry. He needs to read the Mark Study I just posted ...

And no matter who he is, calling publically for the assasination of a foreign leader is completely irresponsible -- no matter how badly the guy needs killing. The President has publically stated that we aren't in the assassination business. That should end the issue as far as private citizens goes -- if there's something else going on covertly, then it needs to stay that way.

Pat Robertson needs to realize that he's doing absolutely nothing to further the kingdom of God when he says this kind of stupid thing. I wonder sometimes if he's more concerned about furthering the kingdom of Pat.

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 10:17 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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This just in -- Planned Parenthood has hired a superhero to terminate the lives of pro-life picketers and abstinence-advocating Christians.

Don't believe me? If it's still there, you can gaze on this marvel of animation here

Now -- if something like this had shown up at a pro-life site, there would be a huge outcry. Planned Parenthood, though, is untouchable. Their intolerance is simply unbelievable. And so .... {insert drumroll here}

I am awarding the entire Planned Parenthood organization the coveted Pewie award for Conspicuous Intolerance. I'm still working on the graphic for this (seriously ... when I get one, I'm going to email it to everyone who gets the award so they can display it proudly on their site).

I'm taking bets on how long it stays on the site (IF it's not down already. Someone said that the link has been taken off the PP website). I give it two days.

{UPDATE: The link has been taken off the Planned Parenthood Golden Gate site, where it originated, and I'm not having any luck getting the video to play now. Check out The Dawn Patrol to see actual stills from the cartoon, and some insightful commentary as well.}

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 10:14 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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PETA kills animals. more...

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 10:57 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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I never know how to pray in a hurricane. Al Mohler had a great post about this -- if the storm goes a different direction, people still are affected -- it's just not "us."

So all we can do is pray that the damage isn't severe, that our loved ones are safe, and that things turn out for the best. And that is what happened today. more...

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 08:58 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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This is all that's on my mind today, so I figure I'll blog about it. Maybe I'll feel better.

Right now it looks like Dennis has come ashore about 30-40 miles from Mom's house. She's inland with some good friends of ours (their kids have almost adopted my Mom as a third grandmother) so she's with people who care about her, and who she cares about.

My biggest worry is that there is so much debris still left over from Ivan that hasn't been picked up yet. The county said that the state was supposed to clear it away, but the state said it was the county's job -- end result was that it didn't get done. Piles and piles of potential projectiles to fly through windows and crash through roofs.

But the house can be fixed. Mom is safe, and that's what matters.

Pray for the people in Fort Walton, Navarre, and points east. They are getting a bit more of this storm than they expected, so they may not be as prepared as they should be.

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 03:41 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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My Mom's birthday is today.

She lives in Pensacola, Florida, about a mile from NAS Pensacola.

Guess what SHE'S getting for her birthday?
And she just finished fixing everything from Ivan about a week or so ago. Happy birthday, Mom.

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 06:30 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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One thing that blogging has done for me -- it's brought international events into a different perspective. Two years ago, the bombings in London would have outraged me, but from a purely "how dare they kill innocent people" point of view. Now, I know people in London. My first thoughts were about two bloggers I know who are in London right now, and the readers I have in London (I usually get 3 or 4 hits daily from London). The world is, indeed, a much smaller place.

Christians throughout the blogosphere have called for a day of fasting and prayer for our leaders, and for revival among God's people on July 11, 2005. Please participate with us. History shows that fervent, corporate prayer is the one sure cause of revival among God's people -- and that revival has a habit of extending throughout the world.

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 07:00 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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By now everyone knows about this one. The tubes in London have been bombed. A bus has been blown up. And this time, it's not the IRA.

We're under attack. Not "we" as in the United States. "We" as in Western society. Western civilization. Everything that we believe as a society is under attack, and the people doing the attacking don't care who they hurt or what they have to do.

A list of links to check out:{Updated as of 10PM Thursday}

• Frank J over at IMAO is not amused, and is not being amusing today. This is the first blog post I read about the bombings, and I have to say it's a great post. I read IMAO regularly through RSS -- when these guys are serious, it makes an impact.
• Scott at The Crusty Curmudgeon reports on Adrian Warnock and Phil Johnson, who are both in London.
• Instapundit has his usual plethora of links.
• Agent Tim says that "We Are All Britons Today"
• Espresso Roast had the story early this morning.
• Maranatha offers a prayer for the people of London.
• Reformissionary has a frightened quote from an eyewitness.
• Matt at This is Not for You has a great summary post.

Posted by: Warren Kelly at 11:37 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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