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$200 Million Bible Theme Park, Alec Baldwin, Rick Warren, and Things That Make Me Mad…

Orginally published on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 at 6:15 AM
by Todd Rhoades

It's time for what's on Todd's mind today... a daily look and sometimes interesting, sometimes worthless stuff going on inside my head. Today... a $200 million Bible Theme Park, Pastors' response to Alec Baldwin's voicemail, Things that make me mad, Things that make me laugh, and more (I just put the Rick Warren picture there to make you click the link... see how evil I am?!

Things that make me go, “huh”?
$200 Million Bible Theme Park

Developers contend they can build a nonevangelical, nondenominational theme park based on Bible stories, and that it will appeal to people regardless if they seek secular or religious experiences.  That’s according to Armon Bar-Tur, a New York-based project manager for a proposed $150 million to $200 million enterprise. Bar-Tur works for Ronen Paldi, the founder and chief executive officer of Bible Park USA.  The developers announced Friday they are considering sites in Rutherford County, TN for Bible Park USA, which they want to open in the next two to three years. The proposed park would create 200 to 300 regular jobs and 500 to 1,000 seasonal jobs.  More here. QUESTION:  Am I the only one who probably WOULDN’T take a family vacation here?

Things that make me Mad
Pastors Who Stick Their Noses in Alec Baldwin’s Business

From a press release last week:  Two Christian leaders in Washington, DC, have expressed deep and urgent concern over a threatening phone call made by Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin to his pre-teen daughter, Ireland. The Reverend Patrick J. Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition and the Reverend Rob Schenck (pronounced SHANK), president of the National Clergy Council in Washington, DC, released this joint statement today:

“Alec Baldwin should be held accountable by the public and the entertainment industry and mandated to undergo counseling by the courts. This is an inexcusable, frightening threat on a young child.

“Today as we remember the Virginia Tech students, we must be mindful that every violent threat against an innocent person demands a strong, clear response. We should never tolerate Mr. Baldwin calling a young woman a ‘thoughtless little pig’ and saying to her he’s going to ‘straighten your a** out’ anymore than we should tolerate talk show hosts calling young female athletes ‘nappy headed hos.’ We expect NBC to immediately suspend Mr. Baldwin from the Thirty Rock show until he apologizes and successfully completes treatment.”

Alec should not be proud of what he said to his daughter; but I don’t know that we need the Christian Defense Coalition and the National Clergy Council weighing in on the matter.  Seems that somehow (in my opinion) many people have lost their focus.  Let’s face it; unsaved people act like… well… unsaved people.  And I’ve heard little criticism of Alec’s ex-wife (Kim Basinger) who supposedly leaked the voice mail message to the media.  Both parents are playing nasty games and putting their daughter in the middle.  That’s terrible.  But I still don’t see the good of these two pastor’s issuing a press release.  QUESTION:  Am I wrong?

Also Making Me Mad…
Rick Warren, A Christian?

Irresponsible headlines by other ‘christian’ groups, like:  “It’s Official:  America’s Pastor Rick Warren of the Purpose Driven Life May Not Even Be a Christian”.  Also worse, is the people that buy into that kind of stuff.  Another example from this same writer is saying that Cedarville University, also known as “CU”, rhymes with “PU”.  I think even my 8 year old has outgrown those kind of put downs.  Sorry… but those things make me mad.  (and I won’t even provide a link for this junk).  QUESTION:  What makes you angry?  (and why?)

Speaking of being off, here’s what makes Perry PO’d...Link here… it’s a great post. Kind of goes along with something I said earlier… many people act the way the do because they need Jesus!

Things that make me laugh...
I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve seen someone hit their head getting out of their seat in a plane.  I don’t know why… but that’s always funny to me (unless it’s my head of course).  Other things I find mildly amusing… Creflo Dollar, and the talking Fred Phelps doll

OK… I think I’ve wasted enough of your time today… get back to work!  smile

Have a great day.  I’m in Orlando for the National New Church Conference that gets underway today.  Hopefully I’ll have some time to blog here and there about what’s happening.

Todd


This post has been viewed 9388 times so far.


  There are 27 Comments:

  • Posted by Ken

    You are not wrong.  I love the line “Let’s face it; unsaved people act like… well… unsaved people.” And people who criticize unsaved people for acting like unsaved people rather than finding ways to engage that culture . . . well. . . they make me mad.

  • Posted by SLW

    Not interested in the park.
    Tired of the AB uproar. It’s nobody’s business but his.
    Don’t understand such opinions toward RW
    PN has a point, but if taken to extreme, it will result in insular ministers uncorrectible by their brothers. Iron does sharpen iron.
    Didn’t find the links even REMOTELY funny!

  • Posted by

    “What makes me angry? and why?” Oh, um......... I’m refraining from spouting off. I read some thing yesterday......... UGH!

    Funny you mention Creflo though. I was listening to him one day a few years ago. (don’t ask why - I just was.) One of our sons came thru the room and said, “Who’s that mommy?” I said, “Creflo Dollar honey.” He responded, “How do you prefold a dollar Mommy?”

    The word is “control”.... I’m doing that with my tongue.

  • Posted by kent

    200 million dollars? Som,eone has way too much time and mioney for their own good.

    As for Alex baldwin, it is none of my business, and even if it was my business, and it isn’t all I wouls say is that there oight to be an adult in the room and someone should step up.

    The list that makes me mad, well it is too long to print here.

  • Posted by

    I don’t think I’d want to trivialize the Bible in my children’s minds by equating it with theme park rides. 

    Alec Baldwin could have phrased his message better, but children can be very frustrating.  Especially when they need straightening out.  And it sounds like the young lady may have been a bit thoughtless.  But anyway you look at it, the whole situation has been handled poorly by all.  Baldwin should not have left a message in anger, better to calm down and call back.  The ex-wife shouldn’t be involving the media in private matters, and shouldn’t be using the child to hurt the ex-husband.  And everyone else, media and miscellaneous clergy, should stay out of it and let them all try to salvage what relationships they can.  Divorce is hard enough on children without every detail being prostituted by the media to attract viewers and by various “spokesmen” to further their pet causes.

  • Posted by

    Just a question…

    You claim to be angry about “irresponsible headlines by ‘Christian’ groups” that would disparage a man like Rick Warren yet you provide a link that seeks nothing else but to put Creflo Dollar in a bad light by way of fiction and satire. 

    Not sure why one form of attack/article is acceptable while the other isn’t?

    Mr. Pot, I would like to introduce you to Mr. Kettle....

  • Posted by Mike

    Re: Baldwin

    I didn’t care for all the opportunitst (including religious leaders) jumping on Imus’s stupidity, and I don’t care for them doing it with Baldwin. That said, I believe that if Baldwin was known as a conservative or as Christian, many more people, including religious leaders, would be condemning him and calling for him to be fired. The situations are different (radio host on his show vs dad on private voice mail leaked in a nasty divorce), but I think there would still be more of an outcry if he was conservative and/or Christian.  The perceived disparity is what bothers me.

  • Posted by

    Bible Theme Park?  Hasn’t that already been done?  By Ned Flanders - Praiseland, IIRC.  Seems like it didn’t work out.

    Dave

  • Posted by Leonard

    I just feel bad for the people that have to work in the lake of fire land.  Asbestos undies are expensive.

  • Posted by

    Of course, those manna burgers sure are tasty.  The tricky part is catching them as they fall from the sky.....

  • Posted by John Atkinson

    Some of this stuff just makes me want to hurl. Sorry can pastors say hurl? Probably not based on some of these criticisms. Who hasn’t said something in anger they wished they hadn’t said and didn’t mean? I don’t have a clue why Christian organazations feelt he need to chime in on such a ridiculous issue.
    As to Rick Warrent that stuff flat makes me mad. For any Christian to say this man isn’t a Christian is flat blasphemy. They need to read Acts 5:38-39 before they attack a Godly man like Rick Warren.
    Sometimes I wonder why anyone would want to join us!

  • Posted by Linda

    http://rickwarren.typepad.com/rick_warren/2007/04/whispers_about_.html

    It makes me mad that Warren has to answer those who accuse him of participating in a one-world new age government. 

    We love you Rick!!!!!

  • Posted by

    Wow,

    Alec Baldwin, a famous person, acts poorly with his children. Shocking.

    I think we need to get James Dobson involved as well,

    Somebody send Alec a talking Fred Phelps doll as a consolation present.

  • Posted by

    I don’t care to much for Baldwin’s politics, but he is pretty funny on 3rd Rock.

    As you yelling at his daughter?  Bad use of words to use to a child, a fact we can all agree on.

    But before we try and grab that splinter in his eye, many of us parents should get the lumber yard out of our own eyes!

    My 3cents,
    Al

  • Posted by

    I think I may disagree with you on the Alec one, Todd.  I at least saw the first pastor’s comments as being concern for a child.  I came from an abusive home and would have given anything for a clergyman to stand up for me and my safety - even if its only emotional. 

    I guess I see it more from the girl’s point of view rather than the parents’ - I think the call for accountability is noble.

  • Posted by

    What really irritates me is the position taken by supposed Christians.  They claim that they believe in a righteous, all loving, all caring, all knowing God, but claim the only way to Him is through his Son.  So, this all loving God only loves Christians?  Kind of arrogant in my opinion.  If the Muslims believe in one God, the Christians believe in one God, the Jews believe in one God, then I propose that it must be the same God, or somebody believes there is more than one God.  If the Muslims, Jews, Hindus, etc. believe they can get to Heaven, Vishnu, Valhalla, Paradise, etc.  then a requirement to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour must not be a requirement.  For the Christians that believe 2/3 of the world or condemned to spend eternity someplace other than with God, I say I don’t want any part of your religion.  For those that can accept God, in all his wisdom and mercy, is not the vain, jealous God portrayed by the majority of Christians, I say wonderful, you have a great religion.  But, if your religion segragates 2/3 of the world as not being holy enough to enter your Heaven, then I say, “Shame on you,” because you have now blasphemed your God as Vain and Jealous, which are two of the seven deadly sins.  How many more sins is God capable?  The God of my understanding is so wise, loving, caring, that I can not possibly know what he has in store for this world, me, you, or anybody.  God is like a Father, and I like the new born baby, He is vastly superior to me, but accepts me in all my flaws.  In His perfect world, I must be perfect, and so are you, as is everybody, because to say someone is less than perfect is to say God is less than perfect.  I don’t think He is capable of anything less than perfection, so we are all doing exactly what we are supposed to be doing, from the President to the latest mass murderer.  We may violate mans laws, but we can never do anything to violate God’s perfect world.  We may interpret things as bad, but is a new born baby capable of bad things?  We are no smarter than the new born baby when compared to God, so accept that you life in God’s perfect world, along with the Gays, Lesbians, theives, murderers, Muslims, Jews, etc.

  • Posted by Linda

    Hi Bruce,

    You said,

    “So, this all loving God only loves Christians? “

    The answer is no.  “For God so loved the world.” God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but to save it.  As for being holy, being holy means set apart.  Like the computer I’m typing on.  It’s holy because it’s set apart for my use.

    The bible teaches that ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  Sin is actually an archery term.  It means you missed the target.  You fell short of it.  God’s word teaches that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.  Jesus paid the penalty.  You can accept that He made the payment or reject it.  The road to heaven is narrow because few will choose it.  If I reject the way to your house I won’t get there.  God calls us to repent of our sins and receive the free gift of eternal life. 

    God so loves you!!

    Aloha,

    Linda

  • Posted by

    The Tominthebox article on Creflo $ is so obviously a joke… c’mon, everybody knows he would never charter a jet, that would show a huge lack of faith; he owns his own.
    Bruce you kind of hop around in your train of thought.  You might want to actually check out some of your presuppositions regarding christian thought and attitude.

  • Posted by

    You so-called ‘Christians’ are the worst. Condmening people while you spout hatred and intolerance for other religions, womens’ rights and gays. Jesus would do no such thing. You are a shame to your so-called ‘religion of peace’! Learn to shut up, because not everyone WANTS to be Christian! We’re perfectly happy as we are! Who are you of all people, to judge anyone?

  • Posted by

    Just who are you to go around telling people they have sinned?? My soul, my life, my religion are no one’s affairs but my own, and I must say that most of the ‘Christians’ I have met have been pushy, rude, intolerant and abusive to me simply because I am not Christian and will never be one. You say your religion’s peaceful and that you’re all Godly? Then stop meddling and preaching hellfire and damnnation to ‘unbelivers’. We have a right to live and worship in a way that’s right for us and no one, not you, not anyone has a right to say we’re wrong. What part of ‘do unto others’ do you people not understand?

  • Posted by karthik cmouli

    Well i do agree with you that alec baldwin does need help and the sooner the better it would be for all of us including his daughter. Can you imagine threatinga young child especially one that is your own daughter at that?

  • Posted by

    do not cast your pearl befour the swine, or you know what will happen.

  • Posted by

    todd was that a joke about hell? that is sad and funny.

  • Posted by

    someone buy my bible for 1000000

    Lasik

  • To each there own.  I perfer to keep my god and amusement park apart.  Unless I get stuck on a ride upsidedown.  Then I start talking to god.

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