1. Chances are I accidentally stumbled upon your blog - it definitely wasn’t bookmarked
2. Your blog theme sucks compared to the next guy’s
3. Your blog has significantly fewer subscribers than the next blog
4. Your blog has significantly fewer comments that the next blog
5. Most people don’t care about your blog or your story

Heck, I’ll even throw in a bonus one:

1. It’s probable that someone has already written about the same thing you just wrote about…and it’s probably better

Got any more sad blog truths??

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In response to the coming release of Hollywood’s, “The Golden Compass,” my friend and FriendlyChristian author Jason (The Magnificent Frog) asks an interesting question:

Do you think that religion should dictate how people choose to entertain themselves? Does the act of banning a book or movie actually attract more attention to it?

There have been news reports of Phillip Pullman’s books being removed from libraries and schools because of the anti-religious sentiments expressed by the author.

Looking a bit further into this, Snopes.com, our Internet source of confirming/denying Internet rumors reports this:

It is written by Phillip Pullman, a proud Atheist who belongs to secular humanist societies. He hates C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of the Narnia and has written a trilogy to show the other side. The movies has been dumbed down to fool kids and their parents in the hope that they will buy his trilogy where in the end the children kill God and everyone can do as they please.

Read the rest of the article here.

FriendlyChristian audience: the floor is yours!

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Helen tagged me asking the question:

What is simple faith?

My answer: an oxymoron
I tag: hov, Tam, inWorship, Gretch

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Christians love to use the phrase “I’m waiting on God.” My favorite response to this statement is something along the lines of “waiting on God? Are you ahead of him?” I can’t take credit for that one. Thanks!

Christians, if we were honest with each other (and we can do that, right?), we could admit that the “waiting on God” thought does 2 things. 1, it makes us sound super holy, and 2, it gives us an excuse to not do anything, right?

I wonder who is waiting on who, though. Sometimes I picture God up in heaven, looking down on me…watching us pray, cry out to him, hit something, pissed off…frustrated and aggravated…begging “WHY, God?? WHEN, God?? HOW God?? And I see him shaking his head at us saying, “My son/daughter…I’m waiting on YOU!”

Too many Christians today are “waiting on God” to part the sea or move the mountain before taking their next step. God doesn’t always have to stop the sun before we make our next move. In addition, he’s given us a brain and the ability to put one foot in front of the other. If I had to take a guess, chances are that God is waiting on YOU to make the next move. Make a prayerful decision and go for it!

Certainly there are times, when used properly, that waiting on God is the best thing to do.

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According to HollywoodReporter.com (where I get all my news from, of course), the #1 Franchise in 2007, Subway, has found themselves a new face: Peter Griffin of Family Guy.

Yep, this guy (click to enlarge)

I have 7298355346 comments for this one. Anyone care to start?

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“God, I pray you give me patience…NOW!” That’s pretty much how it works for me. I’m about as patient as the Interrupting Cow (follow the link if you don’t get that). I pretty much want what I want…now.

Take my lack of patience and combine it with my attempt at a Christian approach to life and I’m sure you can easily see the problem. Anyone else fighting this one? Man!

I’ve finally allowed myself to embrace this vision…this dream if you will, of a new project that I feel God might be leading me to(see this post). My personality, being the way it is, wants immediate results. I want, as I enjoy calling it, my 20-year plan to unfold RIGHT NOW. Unfortunately, that’s not the way it’s gonna work.

Baby steps. Planning. Sacrifice. Worst of all - patience. Sigh…

This is the beginning of the journey. Standing at the foot of the mountain I can see how high it really is. I already struggle. I feel this strong desire to take this project into my own hands and run with it, despite my serious lack of direction and knowledge on starting a project such as this. Proberbs says,

Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed.

God, you know my tendencies and my weaknesses. Please help me overcome them. I commit this project to you.

Proverbs also says,

There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.

God, I pray that give me wisdom to steer clear of that path. Also, if THIS is that path, please crush this project.

What are two things in your life right now that you’re having to be patient with? How do do with patience?

…that we might all come together as one, both believers and unbelievers, shed all pride and remove every mask, withhold judgment of one another, put all religion aside, and embrace this journey together.

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I don’t want to cause offence.  I have my beliefs and I’ve got good reasons for having them.  I also have an inquisitive (as well as sarcastic) nature.  I like to know why people believe the things that they do.  Recently many of the Christians who contribute to this site seem to have withdrawn.  Some cite a lack of respect for their views as a reason.  Some a desire to be closer to their God and to listen to that Voice rather than speak out.

I find this frustrating.  Not only do I enjoy the debate but I feel that I’m learning something from everyone who contributes.  Does it annoy me when the debate breaks down to insults (and let’s face it, it does) and things get heated?  Not really.  Things should get heated from time to time.  If your beliefs excite a passion within you then why not defend them passionately?

Does it matter that your views may be unpopular?  If it is what you believe then please say so.  Defend your position.  If it become untenable to you then admit your error and reevaluate your position.  If the opposing side fails to comprehend or appreciate your argument then please rephrase it.  I know that I will listen and I’ll argue if I think you’re wrong.

Will this constant debate and argument ever prove the other side (whoever that may be) wrong?  I doubt it.  I would hope that there is still room to learn from each other.  Do you?

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Now that it’s officially Thanksgiving, it’s time to unleash all the wonderful Christmas stuff. I present to you, my friends, my favorite Christmas time commercial. Enjoy!

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A special note for the FriendlyChristian regulars:

I don’t know how you guys do it. You guys are nonstop! You’re in the trenches, day in and day out…discussing…debating…sometimes arguing…sometimes having to step away out of frustration and anger. I can’t even imagine how it must feel.

See, there are a few reasons why you’ll rarely see me in a FriendlyChristian.com heated debate:

• I don’t have the intellect (I’m just being honest here)
• I don’t have the answers that people are looking for (then again, who does?)
• I know that nothing I say will convince any person one way or the other
• I don’t have the time
• And because of the above, I truthfully don’t even have the desire

So, to the handful of you guys who are battle-worn…bruised and battered, I have only this to say: wow.

Play nice. Respect each other. Learn from each other. Encourage each other. Most of all, love each other. It’s possible. It really is.

Comments are open

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I have a vision…

there will be a team of people involved…not just me. i see us putting our creative ideas together…discussing…formulating plans…building test environments…and going for it!!it’s gonna be revolutionary

it will be focused on the two greatest commandments: love God and love your neighbor

it won’t be pushing Christianity down anyones throat, although there will be no secret that I (maybe we) are strong believers

i see the results of building the type of community that we’ve built over the past 4 months. imagine it on a larger scale…

people loving each other for WHO THEY ARE, not who we think they should be.

it will be a place where people, regardless of faith, will be able to come and participate in discussion

it will encourage people to be real

there will be many contributors

i’m done adding things to this website. it’s time for me to start thinking bigger…outside of the box! i’ll definitely continue blogging here - i love it!

if I fail, well, I fail. i have to try, though…i just have to. maybe this is my life’s mission - i have no clue. i’m so passionate about what we’re doing here.

i’m praying that God will began to build a team. that he will start to lead people here…together…with the same passions and purposes…different talents…different background…christian…atheist…hands joined. i’m a bit anxious about this - it will really require the hand of god for this to happen.

i’m praying that i learn to step out of the way and let god do god things.

hang on, friends. this could get fun. to all you loyal readers…whether you comment or not - from the bottom of my heart: thank you. you guys are always in my thoughts and prayers (especially all you silent ones)

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