In reading about the local/state elections, I've also read quite a bit about various current events. I've also watched a few thought-provoking (I'm using that term loosely) videos on Youtube as well. So, I'm just going to give a few thoughts on a few issues. I was going to do a video, but since I'm writing...
Penn State/Joe Paterno
Wow... . On one hand, I'm wondering why these men (the coaches, university officials) didn't call the police. I know people who were molested as children. I have nieces and nephews. I an a minister, and we have a good number of impressionable children in our church. If someone was to touch one of those children, or any child, I would have to do something. Children are precious, and adults HAVE to protect them. The devil always tries to yoke people with various yokes of bondage during the childhood years, mainly through abuse (physically, emotional, mental, sexual), neglect, lack of affirmation, and so forth. Many adults are walking around in society hurt, bitter, lost, spiritually bound and/or confused because of molestation and other tragedies that occurred during childhood. And, I'm even thinking that if someone would have stood up and put a stop to this when it first happened, then several more boys could've been saved. But, their silence enabled these gross crimes against children.
I can't excuse the poor lack of judgement that these men exercised, but I've tried to consider their mental/emotional state at the time. I tried to imagine how I would feel if I walked in on someone that I loved, respected, and trusted molesting a child; I know that I would be distraught. I also would like to believe that I would step up to defend the defenseless. Men are supposed to use our power, strength, and vigor to protect and uphold righteousness. I can understand that the grad assistant (now assistant coach), Paterno, and others may have agonized and been in turmoil over this situation, but they surely didn't respond in the right manner.
In short, my heart and prayers go out to all involved, especially those young boys. I hope and pray that the "accused" is able to get some help, because a person who would violate children is spiritually sick, and is in need of healing, deliverance, and a renewed mind. I pray that the Paterno, the Penn State coaching staff, and the Penn State administration will learn from this incident; I pray they learn to defend the defenseless, and that while loyalty is highly important, some issues/people/convictions are bigger than loyalty and friendship. I don't condemn Paterno and the others, but I would be remiss not to speak on the fact that they used VERY BAD JUDGEMENT in the situation and that their lack of wisdom has done more harm than good (the "accused" was unable to get help, additional boys were molested, reputations and legacies were tarnished).
Kim Kardashian
I saw a clip from ABC News about this, and I also saw a blog post about Ms. Kardashian on one of the blogs that I read regularly. According to ABC News, she's getting a divorce from Kris Humphries after a few months, she's starring in a reality show (her and her sister; I think this is the second season for the show), and she's starring in Tyler Perry's new movie, The Marriage Counselor.
The reason why I even mention Kardashian is because many Tyler Perry fans are having a sucka-attack over Kim Kardashian starring in this movie. They all say things like, she's not an example of morality and that Tyler Perry should've known better.
That's hogwash to me. There's been a load of actors/actresses that have starred in other Tyler Perry movies that haven't exactly been "poster children" for good morals. Even in nearly every Tyler Perry movie I've seen, there's been behavior portrayed that I've questioned (and ultimately led to my non-support of Mr. Perry).
Honestly, I think most Tyler Perry fans who are mad are mad because Kardashian is white. Yes, I said it. All the starring ladies in Tyler Perry's plays and movies up to this point have been African-American. Tyler Perry's fan base is primarily comprised of African-American women. So, now, all these "sistas" are feeling some type of way about Tyler Perry giving the lead role to a "white girl", but they won't keep it real and want to use "christian-nese" to cover their true feelings on the matter... this is my observation on the situation.
Intra-racial issues (Light skin/Dark skin, Good hair/Bad hair)
I was on Youtube earlier in the week, and I saw a few videos from a couple of women that I subscribed to, dealing with a fair-skinned, curly-haired woman who was griping about discrimination from the natural hair community. These two ladies, "Himay10nance" and "QueenNaturalBeauty" responded to the video, not defending the natural hair community, but addressing the irony of the situation (a "light-skinned", "good-haired" woman complaining about discrimination).
Apparently, there was an uproar over these two ladies' response videos, with folks leaving all types of unsavory comments and folks even going as far as to contact "QueenNaturalBeauty"'s Corporate Sponsors (she's an entrepreneur and media personality) and threatening to contact "Himay10nance"'s employer (according to videos that the ladies made).
Wow... .
But, the issue that I wanted to bring up dealing with this whole light-skinned/dark-skinned situation is that I've yet to hear anyone, especially women, address how MEN perpetuate this whole controversy. In just about every discourse I've participated in, no one has addressed that most of this issue surrounds one's perception of beauty based on what men think. They may mention that all the "video girls" are light-skinned, but they don't question why the singers/rappers usually pick light-skinned women to star in the videos. No one questions why men are STILL saying things like, "You're cute, for a dark-skinned girl", or "She's a cute little chocolate thing", or "Wow - you're the prettiest dark-skinned girl I've met"; I've never heard of a light-skinned women being subjected to such comments (example - "You're pretty, for a light-skinned girl"). No one deals with the role of men - instead, these women would rather fight each other, as always, and never bring change to the situation.
I may do a video speaking more on this issue and post it up. I did one, but my phone ran out of memory, and in frustration, I deleted the seven minutes of recorded video. I'll see how I feel tomorrow....
**************************************************************
Personally, I'm good. I'm in prayer for some people in my personal life (of course, there's always souls that need salvation, and some people in my life need encouragement and physical and/or spiritual healing).
I'm still praying for my city and pondering the things I wrote about in the previous blog (Haters: Cincinnati Edition).
I'm quietly working on some writing projects, and I'm always getting it in for the Kingdom (ministry, administration, prayer, counseling, prayer, et cetera).
Until next time - I'll holla.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Haters: Cincinnati Edition
Hello, my name is Jonathan Daniels, and I live in Cincinnati, Ohio. I was born here, raised here, educated here (well, I went to college at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, but that's close enough), and I live here.
I write today regarding my reactions (and other people's reactions) to the results of the recent local/state elections, and a sense of negativity that I've perceived for years in this city.
Yesterday (November 8) was election day; yes, I did vote. Locally, the election was a big surprise to many as four incumbents (all Republicans) were unseated and replaced with three Democrats and an former councilman (Christopher Smitherman) who ran as an independent candidate (Here's a link to an article regarding the election results).
The thing that's bothering me most with the elections is people's reactions. In the article that I read (which I've provided a link for in the previous paragraph), there was an interview with Councilwoman Leslie Ghiz, who lost her bid for reelection. The article reported the following as her response:
Also, I read many of the comments that were left in response to the Enquirer's article; all I could do was put my head in my hands before logging off. The main gripes that were posted about the election were dealing with the fact that now that there were seven Democrats on council, that Cincinnati is going to become Detroit (I'm assuming those people are inferring that Cincinnati will be met with financial ruin). These commentators claimed that this new council will raise taxes, spend money that the city doesn't have, empower the "thugs" and other "have nots" of the city, and force the tax base out of the city.
Now, I was very disappointed in hearing that people would write such negative comments about their outlook on the future of our city, and that people were actually expressing a desire to just give up on the city and find a suburb to relocate to. We don't know for certain how these new council members will interact with each other, the mayor, and other city officials; in fact, the newly elected council persons won't even take office for another three weeks.
But, bigger than the election, bigger than local politics, is the issue of self-hatred in Cincinnati. Too often, I hear people be so negative about Cincinnati. Yes, there are many things that need improvement in Cincinnati - and the Number 1 area of improvement for Cincinnati is ATTITUDE.
People here have such an negative attitude in general, and don't even take time to appreciate the positive things about living in Cincinnati, and even living, in general. Cincinnati schools are continuously improving. Cincinnati has some of the most respectable schools in the nation (including my alma mater - Walnut Hills High School). Cincinnati has a unique cuisine (Cincinnati-style chili, Grippos, LaRosa's, etc). Cincinnati has some stunning river views and some awesome city and county parks. Downtown Cincinnati has one of the livest skylines one could ever drive up on. Cincinnati is one of the most centrally located cities in the country (you can reach most of America's major cities in less than 12 hours). Cincinnati is home to one of the livest churches in America - Anointed Word Fellowship (I know that was a shameless plug, but it's my blog - lol). I could continue, but I think I've made my point that there is much to celebrate in our city.
Yes, there are issues (financial issues, housing issues, employment issues, public safety issues). But, those are issues that can be improved and remedied. But, with the average Cincinnatian seeming to only desiring to expressing his/her sense of hopelessness and/or looking to escape to some suburb or other city, how can we really improve upon the issues and celebrate the great things going on?
I could write more on this issue, and there surely will be part 2 sometime in the future, but I just needed to get this out there. People in Cincinnati really need to seek God for hope and optimism. If we don't believe in Cincinnati, neither will others.
I write today regarding my reactions (and other people's reactions) to the results of the recent local/state elections, and a sense of negativity that I've perceived for years in this city.
Yesterday (November 8) was election day; yes, I did vote. Locally, the election was a big surprise to many as four incumbents (all Republicans) were unseated and replaced with three Democrats and an former councilman (Christopher Smitherman) who ran as an independent candidate (Here's a link to an article regarding the election results).
The thing that's bothering me most with the elections is people's reactions. In the article that I read (which I've provided a link for in the previous paragraph), there was an interview with Councilwoman Leslie Ghiz, who lost her bid for reelection. The article reported the following as her response:
Ghiz said she didn't feel particularly sad about the loss. She was relieved she wouldn't have to face a December of contentious budget battles. She did say she and her husband would put their North Avondale house up for sale Monday. They'd been waiting for the results to make a move.Really??? That sounds like a really sore loser to me. More than that, it makes me believe that she wasn't really committed to her service to the city, but to the benefits of being on city council - $66K a year plus benefits, name recognition, and so forth. I'm compelled to put her in the category of being an opportunist; and now that the opportunity is passed, she will be moving on to different territory (the 'burbs).
Also, I read many of the comments that were left in response to the Enquirer's article; all I could do was put my head in my hands before logging off. The main gripes that were posted about the election were dealing with the fact that now that there were seven Democrats on council, that Cincinnati is going to become Detroit (I'm assuming those people are inferring that Cincinnati will be met with financial ruin). These commentators claimed that this new council will raise taxes, spend money that the city doesn't have, empower the "thugs" and other "have nots" of the city, and force the tax base out of the city.
Now, I was very disappointed in hearing that people would write such negative comments about their outlook on the future of our city, and that people were actually expressing a desire to just give up on the city and find a suburb to relocate to. We don't know for certain how these new council members will interact with each other, the mayor, and other city officials; in fact, the newly elected council persons won't even take office for another three weeks.
But, bigger than the election, bigger than local politics, is the issue of self-hatred in Cincinnati. Too often, I hear people be so negative about Cincinnati. Yes, there are many things that need improvement in Cincinnati - and the Number 1 area of improvement for Cincinnati is ATTITUDE.
People here have such an negative attitude in general, and don't even take time to appreciate the positive things about living in Cincinnati, and even living, in general. Cincinnati schools are continuously improving. Cincinnati has some of the most respectable schools in the nation (including my alma mater - Walnut Hills High School). Cincinnati has a unique cuisine (Cincinnati-style chili, Grippos, LaRosa's, etc). Cincinnati has some stunning river views and some awesome city and county parks. Downtown Cincinnati has one of the livest skylines one could ever drive up on. Cincinnati is one of the most centrally located cities in the country (you can reach most of America's major cities in less than 12 hours). Cincinnati is home to one of the livest churches in America - Anointed Word Fellowship (I know that was a shameless plug, but it's my blog - lol). I could continue, but I think I've made my point that there is much to celebrate in our city.
Yes, there are issues (financial issues, housing issues, employment issues, public safety issues). But, those are issues that can be improved and remedied. But, with the average Cincinnatian seeming to only desiring to expressing his/her sense of hopelessness and/or looking to escape to some suburb or other city, how can we really improve upon the issues and celebrate the great things going on?
I could write more on this issue, and there surely will be part 2 sometime in the future, but I just needed to get this out there. People in Cincinnati really need to seek God for hope and optimism. If we don't believe in Cincinnati, neither will others.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
October 2011 (The Month from Hell/ #TheLifeOfAnAssistantPastor)
HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm sooooo glad that it's November!
October 2011 was off-the-chain for me, spiritually speaking. The spiritual warfare was on a level that I hadn't experienced before! I stayed fighting thoughts in my mind, discouragement, heaviness, and the desire to walk away from all that God is doing in my life. All I wanted to do was stay in the bed with the blankets over my head and play Angry Birds (lol).
But God's word and God's promises gave me just enough strength to persevere. I had to recall Galatians 6:9 (And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not), II Corinthians 10:4-5 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong heolds;) Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;), II Timothy 2:3 (Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ), and other passages of Scripture.
God is good.
I even did a quick video talking about October; here it is -
I'm sooooo glad that it's November!
October 2011 was off-the-chain for me, spiritually speaking. The spiritual warfare was on a level that I hadn't experienced before! I stayed fighting thoughts in my mind, discouragement, heaviness, and the desire to walk away from all that God is doing in my life. All I wanted to do was stay in the bed with the blankets over my head and play Angry Birds (lol).
But God's word and God's promises gave me just enough strength to persevere. I had to recall Galatians 6:9 (And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not), II Corinthians 10:4-5 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong heolds;) Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;), II Timothy 2:3 (Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ), and other passages of Scripture.
God is good.
I even did a quick video talking about October; here it is -
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