For school, actually for our school newspaper, I am writing a feature story on the porn debaters, Craig Gross and Ron Jeremy. It is a feature so I decided to fill it with information about what Gross’s overall goal is. I think this quote explains it…

“We’re trying to reach a new audience and so we can’t just do things like our parents did, like the generation did before us,” Craig Gross.

So, his objective is basically the same as ours. But, that is not the point. The point is that this quote came from an abc news article titled “Does ‘Jesus Loves Porn Stars’ Bible Go Too Far?” In the context, the quote is used to explain why he ordered the porn star Bibles. Beforehand, the article refers to how the American Bible Society refused to print Gross’s Bibles because they are “out of a sense of propriety” and the “wording… was misleading and inappropriate.”

Immediately after Gross’s quote, ABC quotes the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Albert Mohler. “These younger guys seem to say that older evangelicalism is just out of touch,” Mohler said. “In a rush to be relevant I think these guys have crossed a line that I would not cross and i would not commit.” Soo… From what I am getting, he is saying he is against the Jesus Loves Porn Stars Bible. 

And this is where my opinion comes in… Now, when I read about the American Bible Society (let’s call them ABS ) and Mohler’s view one main thing popped into my head: they are basically saying Jesus doesn’t love people who sin as much as porn stars. 

Now, this kind of makes my head hurt thinking about it (i’m taking this medicine that gives me headaches already plus whenever I look at the high school, I think I may die of such a head pulse. but that’ not the point) because at the begining of the article–before ABS & Mohler–ABC News quoted Matthew 18:19 and started with “Christians agree that the Bible commands them to ‘go and make disciples of all nations’ and that Jesus ‘came to invite all sinners’ to be his followers and ’save people who are lost.’”

If you have not already figured out my point, my question is if these people are christians who read, preach and follow God’s word, HOW would they come to the conclusion that it isn’t okay to reach out to people like porn stars? 

There was a comment I really admire on this article that doesn’t say it better. Basically, he says Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners… he would visit people whether they were prostitutes or an average person. 

I really admire Craig Gross’s work, his faith and his attitude towards all of this. (He posts hate mail on his website–from christians and non–lol.) I would be so frustrated! Like in the last homechurch teaching I taught, it said how God worked through Paul to give compassion to a demon possessed girl, God’s enemy… and when I talk to people about God and they say that they aren’t worthy of Him, I’m just so surprised like I was at these quotes, you know? There could be a lot of reasons as to why people grow up thinking that God’s grace doesn’t reach them. But, the reason to why people think God only loves them and no one on such low a level as porn stars, that just stumps me. I see no reason… But, I could be wrong.

If anything, I would be more surprised that God gives grace to people who think so that others aren’t interested, aren’t worthy or are too hopeless to be reached out to…. Well, that statement could totally back fire on me. But, I’m gunna leave it.

So, thats something I found interesting.

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thought i should start posting what i write… this is just the beginningggg…

The 2009 NeoXenos baptisms, held Sunday, September 13, began with a potluck and proceeded to the beach for individuals’ testimonies. Neil Brooks explained the symbolism of water baptism. Then fourteen people being baptized proclaimed how Christ’s power changed them.

Adam, a high school senior, spoke of his Christian home life and how he accepted Christ at an early age. But he started doing drugs and trying to control his friends. After Adam met people from Word, the high school group, he soon became interested in following God and now wants to lead others to experience God’s love.

 Asta, Rachel, Mandy, Mike and Jim also experienced some knowledge of Christ in their home.

Jim Watson had the wrong idea of what God wanted. He was taught that non-Christians were bad. He read Galatians and could not believe he worked so hard when God’s grace forgives all. After that, he knew he was wrong and started a real relationship with God.

Mike was raised Catholic and went to a private school. His Bible teacher showed him the way to have a relationship with God. But he became a “dormant Christian” and made bad decisions. God worked through Mike’s daughter Shelly to show him the depth of her Christian friendships. Now Mike is “happy to know I’m going somewhere and I’m happy to know I’m not going alone.”

Mandy asked for salvation ten years ago. She thought God wanted her to be a good person while living a comfortable life. She began to wonder, “Is there much significance in my life?” She understood she was sinful and decided to have a personal relationship with God after realizing, “He already forgave me!” She’s learned God won’t finish working on her “until the day I die!”

At eight years old, Rachel accepted Christ. She was made fun of, became bitter and started doubting God’s love. After some difficult disappointments she came to a Bible study with Charlotte and Leah. She started building friendships as her relationship with God grew. Now she’s serving others and inviting people to see what she experienced.

Asta grew up in Xenos. She believed since she went to church, she would go to heaven. During middle school she was fearful and desperate to please people. And with her sisters she acted selfishly. At summer camp she heard a teaching about self image and realized she should “not fear for God is always there.” She became bolder after deciding to follow God, and has led many friends to know Jesus.

Emil was lost in every sense while living as his own god, but it left him empty. Then Jeremiah and Michael asked if he had a personal relationship with God. He didn’t know what they meant  until he read John 3:20: “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.” Life became a lot more peaceful after starting a relationship with God, and his other relationships have benefited too.

At 15, Liz deemed her life worthless. She struggled with depression and was constantly in and out of the hospital. She became involved in men, drugs and cutting. Finally she asked God for help and for Jesus’ death to count for her sins.  “I’m worth something! I’m worth everything to him!” she exclaimed. She is learning to depend only on God for her significance.

Eleni, Doug and Laura had religious backgrounds before accepting Christ.

Laura and Doug grew up Catholic. Laura “knew He was there on Sundays.” She tried to be a good person and after hearing about God’s grace as an adult, she was afraid to accept it because she thought it might be a sin.  Nicole assured her it wasn’t, and Laura asked God for His free gift.  Since then her relationships have deepened as she became more open through God’s grace.

Doug was raised Catholic but stopped going to his family’s church in his teens. Later on, his wife Lisa started going to Xenos meetings. Lisa invited him for a year, along with Rick, and Doug finally agreed to go. At his first Bible study, he felt like Keith was talking right to him. Doug became a Christian after learning more about the Bible. Doug is excited to learn more but says God’s grace was the most important truth to learn.

Eleni grew up with a big Greek family in a big Greek orthodox church. She left the church because she did not understand it. Her father verbally abused her and her college scholarship fell through after an injury. Eleni then looked to men for love, but was raped while still mourning the death of a family member. She met Kate on her first day at Kent State. Kate pushed her to think about her life, eventually leading her  to pray to receive Christ. Eleni says she cannot do anything without God.

Matt started his story as an agnostic Darwinist. He was rebellious, depressed and empty. One day, after a period of partying, his girlfriend invited him to a Bible study. He went and got answers to his hard questions about how God and science could coincide. The love of the fellowship shocked him. He received Christ during Labor Day camping. Matt has learned what true joy is through loving and serving others. “It’s not something you find in the world,” he observed.

Dave was raised Catholic but turned to Wicca. He loved to argue about Christianity, even after coming to a Bible study with his girlfriend, a new believer. The teachings seemed oddly relevant to his life. Then everything started going downhill. He finally gave in and accepted Christ’s payment for his sin. “The love was weird but the more I saw, the more it made sense,” he said about Christian community. “People started serving me, and the weird thing was that I wanted to serve them.”

Trisha recalls eight years ago when God started working in her life, but she became bitter since then. She went home church just to make friends, but the Bible teachings caught her attention.  Then she heard Evan’s testimony at a Bible study and wanted to find out how to become a Christian. She talked to Jackie and prayed to receive Christ in a restaurant booth. Jackie told how Trisha wanted “to do this so I can benefit other people,” and Trisha knew she could only do this through God.

The day ended after 14 brothers and sisters emerged from the water, demonstrating both unity and diversity in the Body of Christ. From married people to high school students, God works in uniquely personal ways while bringing people together under his grace.

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Oh and I’m gunna decide to be happy

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Where I’m at right now is actually quite relaxing. I’m sitting at a computer facing a window that opens to the field in front of the high school. The frosty grounds are no stranger but I cannot help feel intimidated by the vast emptiness of it. The truth is, I can’t like it because it’s school. I want to get out of here, now. And I might have a chance! Stow offers an option to take college classes in your senior year of high school. Most kids take this because it is free so it saves money in college. I would go because I hate high school. Yeah, I would still be in high school but not all day, just a couple classes. One of my main concerns is that I just won’t be able to keep up. I’m not the brightest student and don’t really know what it is going to be like. Other than that, I’ve had a lot of encouragement to go for it… But then, what if it isn’t what is good for Word? I have no idea and feel a little anxious about it. I have been praying and am so anxious for an answer… Haha that’s not even right. I want to grow up. But I don’t. Pretty mature right? Lol.
In other news… there is so much. School wise, I have been trying to do better, pumping out good grades so I will be prepared for post secondary if it happens. I have a feeling I’m not going to know for a while. Also, Word is going through some drastic changes. Basically, the adults are stepping back and students are stepping up. We are taking over the forums, schedules, teachings and activities. This step has the potential to make us very unified. To make that happen, I think it requires much prayer, from everyone. And as of right now, I don’t think that’s happening. People seem to be dying to be right and have it their way. I might be wrong but it is just the feeling I get when we meet, independent. So, if you’re reading this, please pray for Word. J
Another thing I have been thinking about is trying to be compassionate with people. I tried this before but I, as predicted, failed. But lately, I have been asking God to show me how to love people. I don’t think I’m loving people as much as I should but it has been a cool experience to be going to God about it. There really isn’t any excuse for me now, haha, so I guess I should start working on it.
So, that is a little in the life of Elli. It’s pretty cool I guess. A little lonely when I decide to be… but “we’ve got each other and that’s a lot for love – we’ll give it a shot!” OOOoooOooOooooOOOOoOoooooOOhhhhhHhhHhHHhhh yeah.

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