This and That
It's been awhile since I've done some of my leap-blogging postings. Here are a couple thoughts from the past few days.

Using Controversy
Jeff Jarvis at the Buzz Machine reported yesterday from the NYTimes that ABC is working on a Holocaust miniseries with Mel Gibson. As you may or may not know, Gibson's father denies the holocaust. He then uses a quote from an ABC executive who says that controversy like this is good publicity.

I am in 100% agreement with Jarvis in calling this a "cynical and disgusting act of media." Jarvis also quotes Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize winner and a true champion of humanity who says that "we must not exploit the emotions of the Holocaust for the sake of drama or think that drama can adequately tell the story." If this is a way for Gibson to prove he disagrees with his father, that's one thing. If it is simply an attempt to make money off this incredibly horrific act of the last century- or perhaps any century- it is nothing short of disgusting.

Updates on Cancelling Church
Thanks to Darryl Dash at the Dash House for linking to Scot McKnight at Jesus Creed who has a soft defense of the decision by some mega-churches to cancel worship on Christmas Sunday morning so families can be with their famies. Here's a brief part of Scot's post:

Does the NT teach a Sunday morning worship service? Well, the evidence isn’t what some are making it out to be. We need to be fair here: there is a distinction between what is taught and what is mentioned or hinted at as something practiced. And there is no clear text legislating that Christians are to meet for worship on a Sunday morning.

What I’m reading is that there is too much identification of “worship” with Sunday morning and too much identification of “being the church” with “attending a Sunday morning service.” I find this pretty surprising in that so many are making the case, pretty solidly I think, that “church” is not something done on Sunday mornings but something we “are” and “are all through the week” – climaxing at the Lord’s table and in Sunday worship.

He makes nine interesting points. Worth reading and pondering no matter where you come down on the debate. Maybe Willow Creek et al. are on the cutting edge of something here. House churches don't always meet on Sunday. Hmmm.... It's worth pondering some of these deeper issues!

Also, thanks to Richard at Connexions who linked to a good list of the Top 10 Reasons to cancel a mega-church worship. Here's the link.

And Finally A Quote
From Gestalt Therapy founder Fritz Perls (from Quote of the Day):

I am not in this world to live up to other people's expectations, nor do I feel that the world must live up to mine.