Gangrene- You COMPLETELY missed my point. They DO follow what is popular. Goth is “in” now, Punk is “in.” It has nothing to do with being a prep, it has to do with being normal. Madonna (boo) is pretty popular, but she isn’t “normal.” Same with Avrel Lavean(sp? and boo), the little wanta-be Punk is so popular, everyone calls her a punk, and she doesn’t even play punk rock! Anyways, It has nothing to do with not being your self; be your self, but don’t me geek in the process! You can be yourself without 00 gauge ear rings and orange hair. Being yourself, has to do with who you are inside, not how much like the cast of "SLC Punk" you look like!

Loving them and pitying them are to very different things. I’ll help if I see some bully picking on a kid, I will show him the love of Jesus, I’ll hang out with him, but he brought the bullying on himself, and thou I love the guy, I don‘t feel sorry for him! You act like a chump, you get picked on like a chump, it is simple cause and effect. Now, granted, many kids don’t realize this until it is to late, and that is truly sad, but that is life. You’re only there for about 4 years, let the bullying make you stronger inside, give you stronger resolve, because the world isn’t going to pick you up and wipe the tears out of your eyes.

Sapph- I would have never guessed…

Symphony, you jerk! lol, keep the puns to your self!

HS isn't that bad, I just left it. The only people who are picked on are the people who bring in on them selves. The self proclaimed "Rebels" and the "goths" and "punk rockers"! Oh please, those people are picked on all the time because they act like the biggest losers. They bring in on them selves, following the pathetic trends, doing what Rage against the Machine and Metallica tells them, all the while claiming that they are “individuals’ Then there are the people who don’t bother to shower for a week at a time, and the kids who where black trench coats in the summer… kids in high school have a choice wither or not to be picked on. I feel no pity for them.

How is it pointless is spar by a Martial Arts and a Christian Stand point? If you do not spar, how will you ever learn to use sure skills in a self defensive manor? See, you are going to meet guys like that on the street, The Street is full of Animal-like street fighters. Hopefully, you can defend against them.

Any TRUE Martial Arts would know the importance of Boxing. Maybe American Martial Arts here don’t have a place for there fighters to learn to take blows. A If hits in a street fight, and he will do out. Boxing is very importance, any true Martial Arts should spend some time in the ring. There are some fast strong boxers, if you don’t have any training, and they get a few good headshots in, you will be out like a light!

I am to wondering that too, which is why I asked her not, too. Sensei is a title to be earned, not given. Do, using the Japanese words isn’t that big of a deal, there are many that her Kwan was a Japanese Kwan. The Japan schools and Korean schools are do not all HATE each other. There are many Korean Karateka and many Japanese TKD men.

The TKD I’ve seen has no grappling. Most of the Schools I’ve been to are nothing more then glorified Sports Tae Kwon Do. Now, that is only how it is in America, many other parts of the world, there is much more to Tae Kwon Do. But we don’t see to much in the way of throws and foot sweeps on TV, mostly Kicks, so the Students here in America only way to learn kicks, and many of the masters here only want to make money…

So, what Ryu/Kwan were you are part of in Tae Kwon Do? Me, my Karate is Isshinryu and my JuJitsu is Danoshenryu.

Chick Norris learned from many Masters, like Bruce Lee for example. We was no doubt following Bruce lee’s track, learning from many masters, to find the “unknown art.” Good ol’ Jeet Kune Do  

lol

Good rant, I’m glad you‘re on our side, lol. You basicly restanded what everyone in here has said so far, I don't Understand what what we don't understand. See, the Interantional TKD, great art, the America TKD, to much of a sport. It is a joke. Watch the American's in the Olympics, they have styles that are so far from the style taugh in American school... So, I take it you take TKD, too, uh? lol, what’s with all the TKD jocks in the board?

Yes, All arts have there good points, but there is a reason TKD and Karate get stomped in UFC, and the Grapplers win. Sure, sometimes a striker win, but the vast majority of the champions are Grapplers, mostly Jujitsu.  Then again, it can be argued that UFC isn’t a good test of Martial Arts, I’ve seen this argument before. Put a Boxer in a mat with a Wrestler, it is on the Wrestlers turf, and the boxer wil  get stomped, but put some gloves on the wrestler, and if he can beat the boxer at his own game, THEN he proves something. But, you have to think, the Boxer couldn’t beat the Wrestler at his game, so that evens them out. Every art has its place, I’d advise taking several.  

Yeah, that is the main Reason Aikido get a lot of crap. I’ve sword fought an Aikidoka in a sword match. NEVER tell them that have to master the art to be good while he has a Shinai in his hand, lol. The Grappling does take a master to use, but the Kata from the Sword style deadly! I’d be more then happy to spar their legs off in a grappling or striking match, but after facing one of them in a sword match, I have new respect for those guys! And lets face it, the Hakama are just cool! Don’t look at me like that, you know you all argee with me  

God is in control...

Right, that is the attitude to have.  What exactly happened? What was your relationship to them? What is it now? You have to keep praying for Gods will. Pray that is plants a seed in there mind, helps them understand that you care, not matter how misplace they think your attempt was.

Sensei, I am not. I am deeply honored that you would consider we such, but I am no Sensei. Thank you for the compliment, I’m always felt such titles should NEVER be self-proclaimed, and given, not by the masters, but by the students. But, I am not a teacher. Thank you, thou.

What if, by some chance, you are in a phone booth, and an attack walls in, shuts the door, and stands over it. Are your high kicks gonging to help you there? That would turn to close-combat pretty fast, maybe even a little grappling. High kicks will not do you to good. The secret is to learn and combine the styles, not use one and forget the other. I would advise you give Judo a try. Judo has no striking in it, maybe you could feel comfortable with not losing you form if you took a style TOTALLY different, and try to combine them. Also, Judo might be the easiest to find. On top of that, you can enter both your arts in the Olympics, if you want  

Yeah, it is a tough one. The area is a pretty small town, of about 15,00 people. My father works for one of the larger hospitals in the area, and they see a LOT of case, the majority of the time they end up doing charity work, because many of the people just can not pay. They can’t pay the bills, and they can’t pay for the insurance to cover it all, if that gives you a better idea of what kind of town this is.

Maybe the reason we are not able to decipher between sarcasm and seriousness, has to do with the fact you have yet to learn how to WRITE sarcasm! We are reading what you are saying, we don’t hear the inflexions in your voice, we don’t see your face expression, we can’t tell what your tone is. If you are going to be “SARCASTIC” then use a smiley! The use of sarcasm relies almost ENTIRELY on hearing and seeing, all we can do is read. If you are going to use sarcasm, please use a smiley, otherwise we will never know.

Ok Tibby,

(I knew I could count on you)

I had a feeling you would :-D

You'll get no argument from me about holding people responsible for their own actions. I think the question though is whether there's a social responsibility on the part of the artist. As much as I hate Eminem's music and everything his genre and attitude represent, I'm not about to suggest prosecuting him for what others do, influenced though they might be by him.

right

Forget the legal stuff for a second though and simply ask:

Philosophy time, uh? Ok, lets dance!

Do we as Christians have a moral responsibility to not support art and entertainment that is degrading to a Christian understanding of humanity through its depiction of gratuitous sex, violence and vulgarity?

That is good questions. One’s first response would be, no, of course not. But, but Bible gets rather graphic, does it not? The bible is rather crude in places, gory in others, and in some ways, the bible says things Hollywood wouldn’t dream of putting in the big screen (for no, at least). But, all of the things in the bible have a point. If the bible just said God punished David, and gave no record of his REPEATED wrong doings, we wouldn’t understand. If the bible did not explain Paul/Saul’s story, we would never understand half of what he says.  Meanwhile, movies are only here to entertain. Or are they? Such as in Bruce Almighty, he did some wrong things with his powers, but he learned and repented, and we learned with him. So, maybe some movies with parable-like qualities need the violence and sex. That is a whole other discussion.

But let us for a second imagine we are only talking about movies like Fast and the Furious (the sequel of which I just came from seeing). These movies, the bad guy is the good guy, and the good guys (like the cops) are bumbling buffoons. The one cool cop ended up letting the bad guy go in the end. Are movies like that for Christians to watch? Good question. I feelings, if you can handle it, watch it. I’m sure we agree that a little wine is ok, but for an ex-alcoholic, they might want to stay away, right? Maybe it is the same with movies. If you enjoy it, go for it, but if you can’t handle it, or you just don’t like it, then don’t do it! Sure, some movies are clearly not health for Christians to watch, porn for example, and those R movies that borderline on porn. But a little action, sure, why not? Not every one is an unstable freak who is about to go postal, post people are. This is why we have age limits on movies, hopefully they have matured to the point where they can handle these things and not copy them!

I think Eminem puts it best:

“Music can alter moods and talk to you, but can it load a gun for you, and cock it, too? Well, if it can, then the next time you assault a dude, just tell the judge it was my fault, and I'll get sued”

I think he captures my feelings just right. Sure, music can make you feel different, it can touch your mind and heart in ways other things can, but YOU are the one who chooses to go on a crazy at your school. YOU are the one who chooses kill the cops, YOU are the one who went picking fights! Like I said, Eric and Dylan shot up Columbine, not Lawrence Fishbourne and Keavu Reaves!

There was been violence thru out the ages. Do you think killing and fighting is a new thing? No, it isn’t, we had weapons that make it easier, and TV that brings it to our living rooms, so we notice it more, but violence that remained steadily the same. Thanks to the liberal, Communistic propaganda, people have it in there heads they are a product of the system. “How is it just that we first make criminals then punish them” is there common arguments. PLEASE! No, it isn’t just, IF we made them, but we do not! They choose these things over a life as a law-abiding citizen.

The sex scene was a big waste of time.

All of Zion was a big waste of time. All we need is to see the councilmen who believes Morphous, the commander who doesn’t, and see the seen with the spoon, and that is it. The Dance was CLEARLY nothing more then a cheap attempt to capitalize in the emotions of the Mosh pit and Rave crowd. The dance it self didn’t make any since

“YES, we are the last remaining humans on earth and giant squid-like robots are coming to kill us, lets PPAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR-TTTYYYYYYYY”

But since sex seems to be the big rage in Hollywood nowadays, they just HAD to put it in, you see.

 

Why? They took the sex seen out of the first one and it did fine!

Here is the story. My town, though own a 30 minute trip from a big city, is a very poor town. Many of the people live in abject poverty. We have many poor Latino families fresh from Mexico, and many of the natives are very poor, as well. The majority of the housing was made 50 years ago, and much of it is falling apart.

A church in the town, who has a fine building, has decided to spend over 6 million dollars for a brand new church, on a brand new piece of land. This 6 million is not including the cost of the land, which is great property. This was the planed budget, they have gone over.

So, my question is this, is it responsible stewardship of money to do this? Is the church in the wrong for building themselves a great building with THEIR money, or should they have build a build that works just as well for half that and spend the money to help some of the need families in the area. Your thoughts, and why? It is a big deal it this community. Some say as the largest church in the area, they need to good building, but is 6 million overkill? I mean, they have a 15-20 foot door in the front, I kid you not! Others say as they larges church in the area, they have a responsibility to the community, and that money isn’t their money, it is Gods, but how do we know god don't want them to have a nice building! God never said he wanted us to have ugly thinks, he wants us to prosper, right? But, shouldn’t we help the whole town, and not just our selves?

I don’t know, as I said, it is a big deal here, What are your thoughts?

I'd say no. He will think of you as a Holy Roller, a Jesus freak, and will hate you even more. I know, some people seem to think the name "Jesus Freak" is cool, but I'm sure he doesn't! He will look at your prayer as an attempt to be superior. We know it isn’t, but he could very well take it as such. Keep it to yourself. Most Satanist are just Satanist to annoy Christians anyways. It isn’t a REAL religion, it is Humanism with Judeo-Christian names added for kicks.

yes, but the things that he uses the power of God for are just wrong! They aren't what God would do either. And, worst of all, he's doing selfish things. THAT'S the problem. It's good that he gets saved at the end. But the end does not justify the whole movie

Oh, it is good that he gets saved, but the moments that us acts human that cause deep introspection that could lead somebody to the lord isn’t a good part? He see what happens to him, and we see him get saves, we are glad for him, but by seeing the events that lead up to his salvation, we gain understanding as to WHY he made this choice. This may be the “WHY” that someone who is straddling the fence is looking for. They see what happens to him, they relate to him. We can’t go out, into the streets, and just tell people to get saved, we must explain WHY they need to get saved. People will understand his choice only if the see his life before salvation.

Okay,
You give me some things that he does good and honorable and not selfish with the power, and I'll check into it.

He does his power for his own good at first, and ignores the rest of his domain, but he soon finds that there is more to being God then pleasure, but begins to behave more upright. He finds that you don’t need gods powers to do good, he choose to “be his own miracle” as Morgan Freedom’s character, God, puts it. Miracle’s aren’t just waking on water, he says, every time a child chooses an education over drugs, THAT is a miracle. He fixes he damage without using the Powers of God gave him. After using his powers to cause his recently promoted Rival to loose his job, Bruce turns down the offer to take his place, and see that his rival is placed in the proper place. Earlier in the film, Bruce same something heartwarming and touching, when his rival was promoted, he quoted this, not saying Bruce was the author, and took all the credit for it, he mocked Bruce a every turn, and Bruce still did the right thing, and let him have his job back. So, I've told you one thing, you go and check into it!  


On another note, why is it so ludicrous from someone to have these powers in the first place? Didn’t Jesus say that we will do great things they he has done? Do we not have dominion over the earth? Can we do ALL things thru Christ? No, we can’t answer prayers like Bruce, but when you look at it as biblical principle, is it not somewhat sound?