Stupidity and Broken Hearts

Okay, pardon me as I rant a little...

First, this past weekend, a new DVD came out locally that has caused quite a controversy. Entitled "Fresno Uncensored," the DVD apparently portrays young teens and gang members throughout the valley engaging in illegal activity, including illicit sex, drug use, and the possession of semi-automatic weaponry. The Fresno PD then went, using the video, to arrest 20 of the people in the video, many of whom had violated parole - ON CAMERA. Some people never cease to amaze me.

I don't know what's been more aggrivating, though - the reaction of some of the public, which believes that the arrests are a violation of these people's right to free speech, or the fact that all the Christian community seems to be doing is shaking their heads and saying, "that's horrible." Whatever happened to the belief in the power of the Gospel to change lives? To change our community? Instead, all we have are a bunch of conservatives who would rather sit together in their small groups singing "kumbaya" than to express a concern and broken heart for the people in our community caught up in sin. It's sickening, really. It's just like what Hudson Taylor wrote - "I am unable to bear the sight of a congregation of a thousand or more Christians rejoicing in their own salvation, while millions are perishing --lost."

How can we, as Christians, pretend that this isn't happening, and criticize everyone else for not taking care of the "problem?" Don't we realize that the problem is sin, and that we might hold the key to the solution? Arrgh.

Okay, enough on that. Please be in prayer for our city and community if you would. Pray for revival and pray for hearts that would be broken for our city. We really need it. There's too much of this purpose-driven seeker sensitive church mentality that builds churches on programs and relies on them to accomplish the job, rather than relying on the power of the Word of God.

With that having been said, I'm going to turn my attention to the recent scandal from the OC. What is up with our schools?!?!?!? And what is up with our teacher's unions? Am I the only one that finds all of the politics in the schools disturbing, to say the least?

When I was working for Roosevelt, I had no choice as to whether or not I wanted to join the union. I had to, or else lose my job. It was aggrivating to see my money go towards measures that I didn't want to support, candidates that I didn't want to support, and even more aggrivating to see my money go to fight candidates and measures that I agreed with!!! Now to hear that the teacher's unions are raising their dues to fight Schwarzenegger's proposals??? AAAAAUUUGGGGHHH!!!! And yet they have the audacity to complain that there's not enough money in the districts, and that the district is taking away too much of their money! Grrr....

At any rate, this whole situation in the OC stinks. It makes me wonder if it's all a ruse to cast blame on the president's no-child-left-behind act. Lord knows that there's a lot of opposition to that here in California with the teacher's unions. Ugh.