Friday, December 14, 2007

Friday Night Thoughts

Fireworks at the Nativity?

Somehow I need to find the time to go back and read the Christmas story from the Bible. I don't seem to recall a verse saying something like . . .

Then wise men from the east came, asking 'Where is he that is born King of the Jews? We have seen his sparklers, roman candles, and bottle rockets, and have come to worship him.'

or perhaps . . .

When the couple arrived at the inn, the innkeeper said, 'There is no room here. You can take your wife to the stable'. Yet Joseph saith unto him, 'Innkeeper, I have $1.3-million dollars. Can't we have the penthouse?'

No, I don't recall such verses, but apparently something similar must appear in the version used by First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. You see, the church is putting on a lavish Christmas pageant that costs $1,300,000 to produce and perform. The production uses live camels, fireworks, and Broadway producers. Whatever happened to shepherds wearing their father's bath robes and angels with tinsel and foil halos? Megachurches have gone way over the top. When you ask "What would Jesus do?", I imagine it would be to find a better use for $1.3-million. But we do know how he so loved a good fireworks display!

Heretic!

Well, speaking of religion, I am for this week a heretic from the most holy of holy religions in the Denver area. As any Coloradoan can tell you, the undying worship and adoration of the Denver Broncos IS the state religion. While I like the Broncos, I found myself rooting against them last night, as the Houston Texans spanked the ponies 31-13. What had to make it a sweet victory is that the Texans head coach, Gary Kubiak, was an assistant under Mike Shanahan while with the Broncos. To make it even more interesting, the Texans' quarterback coach is Shanahan's son Kyle. When I was in Houston, the Oilers were my NFL team, but since those turncoats moved to Tennessee, I have to be on the bandwagon for their replacement, the Texans! After all, as much as I love Colorado, I still feel like Houston is my Hometown.

A Federal Case?

In other sports news, Congress is looking into alleged use of performance enhancing drugs by Major League Baseball players. Some of the names that have been implicated have disappointed me, particularly that of Roger Clemens. Still, with the U.S. involved in two foreign wars, the mortgage crisis, a recession, and global warming all going on, why is this a case for the Congress? It seems more like MLB should be cleaning up its own house, but it is a private enterprise, so why is this the most pressing thing on the Congressional agenda?