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THURSDAY APRIL 20, 2006
RELIGION
Life 1B
Bible
STUDING
JOB
Lesson Background
Throughout this book Job
goes back and forth in his
thinking. This polar swing is
normal for grieving people.
Chapter 14 seems to return to
the despair of Job expressed
earlierin the book. Our lesson
picks up at the end of the first
cycle of dialogues with Blip-
haz, Bildad, and Zophar.
Some evaluate Job’s respons
es to these three men as being
almost totally negative and
fatalistic. Others see in his
words hints of hope.
It is important for us to take
the ride with Job. What he
says in this section is not to be
taken as the last word. He is
not shartr^ final conclusions
or convictions. He is engaged
in a give-and-take where he
answers some questions but
raises others. We must
engage in the discussion with
Job and his fiiends.
Job’s Reflections on Life
(Job 14:1-2, 11-17)
1. What two illustrations
did Job use to emphasize the
fleeting nature of life? (v 1-2)
Our lesson text begins in
the middle of Job’s response
to Zophar, the last of his three
misguided fiiends to engage
him in argument. Rather
than comfort Job, these
“fiiends” implied he was
guilty of wrongdoing and
treated him condescendingly
Wth their simplistic answers
and insensitivity, they pro
vide a textbook example of
how not to treat a sufferer.
In these two verses, Job
tells us that life is not only
short, but also hard. He uses
two illustrations to demon
strate this point. 'The fii'st
example is that of a flower.
Flowers are beautiful when
they bloom in the spring, but
before you know it, they have
wifliered and the gardener
cuts them back. As people
age in fife, they realize that
life has went by very quickly
Even at age 24 (soon to be 25
in a few weeks), I have real
ized how fast life has passed
on. We should strive to live
everyday vmto the Lord.
Job also uses the example of
a shadow. A shadow only
appears when there is li^t,
and then it is gone. It is an
efiective illustration because
it also reminds us of how
insubstantial fife is. We can
not grab hold of it or control it.
Some might think Job was
just being morbid in his
observations, perhaps beit^
xmduly affected by what he
, had suffered. What he said,
however, is echoed elsewhere
in Scripture (cf Jas. 4:14).
Realizing the brevity of life is
a key part of living wisely (c£.
Psa. 90:10-12).
Reconstructing Jesus
Two books are latest attempts to rewrite the messiah’s history
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
For each of the past 10 years, the
media have given American audi
ences the unhappy Easter season
message that “the Jesus that
Christians bdieve in is a hoax,”
complains Bill Donohue of the con
servative Catholic League.
He dtes presentations by ABC,
NBC, PBS, Discovery Times Chan
nel, National Public Radio,
Newsweek, 'lime and U. S. News &
World Report-
In time for this year’s holy sea
son, two well-publicized books
offered supposed secrets to sup
plant traditional accovmts about
Jesus Christ:
• ‘"The Jesus Papers: Exposing
the Greatest Covo'-Up in History”
(HaiperSanFrandsco) by Rfichael
Baigent-
• “The Jesus Dynasty: The Hid
den History of Jesris, His Royal
Family and the Birth of Christiani
ty” (Simon & Schuster) by James
D. Tabor, who chairs the religion
department at the University of
Nortli Carolina at Charlotte.
(National Geographic’s “The
Gospel of Judas” was a different
case. It published an odd heretical
text that was written too long after
Jesus’ and Judas’ lifetimes to pro
vide authentic material about
them.)
Baigent and Tabor differ on many
things, but both claim their 21st-
century theories are nearer the
truth than the first-century’s New
Tfestament books.
Tabor reworks an old liberal
Protestant scenario, that Paul
overturned Jesus’ original move
ment and message. He deals with
actual New Tfestament texts but
regards fliem with considerable
Please see LATEST/7B
Bill would criminalize funeral protests
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLUMBIA, S.C. - South
Carolina became one of the
latest states to discuss legis
lation limiting funeral
protests after a Senate sub
committee unanimously
approved a bill that would
make it a crime to picket
within 1,000 feet of a service.
Members of Westboro Bap
tist Church of Tbpeka, Kan,
have demonstrated around
the country at funerals for
U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq,
claiming soldiers are dyir^
because God is punishing
America for toleratir^ homo
sexuality
Bin supporters say they
haven’t heard of any protests
in South Carolina, and they
hope to keep it that way
‘We want to make sure
they cant do this at the
funeral of a hero,” said Mari
lyn Miller, the mother of a
Marine and president of the
Spartanburg Cotmty Blue
Star Mothers.
About 14 members of
Upstate chapters attended
the meeting, all wearing
American flag scarves.
“Protesting in the face of a
grieving family is unaccept
able,” MUler said.
Senators agreed and began
addir^ their names as bill
sponsors. Later Wednesday
on the Senate
floor, as the
mili-
tary^
moth-
The bill makes it a misde
meanor for protesters to
come within 1,000 feet of a
funeral service.
The panel’s oiily problem
with the hill was that it did
n’t go far enoi^i. Senators
approved stiffening penalties
for the
s a spon-
chamber,
the entire Sen
ate was tacked on
sor.
Sen. Joel Lourie, D-Coliun-
bia, said pictures of protest
ers in other states “make me
sick to my stomach.”
“Anyone who pickets a
funeral is attacking all
decency and sanity in Ameri
ca,” he said.
cnme, mcreas-
ing the fine to $500 fiom
$100, and extending the
protesting ban to 30 minutes
before and after a service.
Sen. Ronnie Cromer, a
retired military officer, said
he introduced the bill last
month after a funeral home
director told him about the
protests elsewhere.
‘T’m very supportive of any
Please see JOB/7B
Church News
Hammond
puts extra
stamp on
Singletons
Singletons
Better Than That
Fred Hammond, producer
Zomba Recordings Group
thing we can do to help the
military out,” said Cromer,
R-Prosperity
His bill now heads to the
Senate Judiciary Committee.
A similar bill was introduced
in the House last week.
Lawmakers in 29 other
states have
introduced
s imil ar
legisla-
;tion this
year.
Eight
,states
already
have enacted
them into law: Indiana, Ken
tucky, Missoiui, Nebraska,
Oklahoma, South Dakota,
Wrginia and Wisconsin,
accnrdmg to the National
Conferaice of State Legisla
tures.
Last week, Nebraska Gov.
Dave Hdneman signed a bill
against military funeral
protests.
The Singletons seem to be
talented enough to carry a
CD on their own, but Fred
Hammond continues to put
his personal stamp on the
group.
Hammond sings on and
wrote a lot of the tracks. He’s
in the background but his
voice is distinct.
The Sir^etons have their
own soimd The six-women,
two-man group has great, big
harmony The sound is excep
tionally rich- Heck, they’re
nearly big enou^ to be a
choir.
The music is a typical Ham
mond affair - lots of upbeat
stuff that ranges fi'om neo
soul to funky gospel and rock.
That’s not a bad thing, but I
loi^ for the day when Ham
mond’s compositions and pro
duction style weren’t so
trendy
There’s plenty to like.
“Dance In 'The Spirit” nearly
leaps off the CD. The energy
is effervescent. Hammond
comes out of the backgrormd
to do most of the lead on “Cre
ated Tb Worship You,” which
is one of the happiest songs
I’ve heard this year. It raoides
. joy
You can’t have a gospel CD
these days without Kirk
Franldin, so he shows up on
the funky “Give Him The
Praise.” Hammond’s on the
bass guitar and Franklin
does his traditional, um, well,
you know. It’s the kind of song
that would send a youth
revival into a fi'enzy
The Singletons are also
very effective when things
slow dovm. “For Me” gives
one of the male members to
shine. But ‘T Need You” is
probably the CD’s best song.
It’s a heartfelt ballad to God
that shows this group is deep
er than drum beats and hand
claps.
The deadline for announcements is noon on Fri
days. Fax your announcements to (704) 342-2160 or
e-mail to cheris.hodges@thecharlotlepostcom.
Ongoing
Inspiration Networks is holding a gospel tal
ent search for its nationally televised series
Christian Artist Talent Search. The winner
will receive a national recording contract with
Point Of Grace Entertainment. All entrants
must -be at least 15 years old by Friday when
aitries are due. For rules and entry forms, log
onto www.insp.com or call the CATS hotline at
(704) 561-7955.
April 21
Chappell Memorial Baptist Church will pre
sent an evening to uplift and celebrate women
throu^ song and ministry during “Soulful Sis-
tas in the Spirit” at 7 p.m. in Ihe sanctuary at
Chappell Memorial.
Hosted by the Chappell Memorial EAGLES
Women’s Ministry powerful and weU-respect-
ed female gospel vocalists including Ametta
Murrill-Crooms and Deborah Clybum wfll
minister through song and testimony
Emceed by Praise 100.9 FM radio personali
ties Tbnya Rivens and AC Stowe, the program
wfll provide a unique interview and question-
and-answer session following each perfor
mance that wfll allow the guest artists to share
their experiences and testimony
The chmnh is located at 110 Bradford Drive.
April 22
Preserve Pro Inc. is offering a workshop on
“Optimizing Your Church’s Records: A Preser
vation Workshop.” The workshop will be held
Saturday fi'om 9-11:20 a.m- on the campus of
Central Piedmont Community College, Room
215, Professional Development Building.
The purpose of the workshop is to bring
together individuals who have an interest in
joeserving the history of chiorches. This work
shop is also open to the public and highly rec
ommended for aU individuals interested in
learning about preservation, and archival
practices. Registration fee is $50.
For more information contact Preserve Pro
Inc at (704) 995-0731 or email
preservepro®earthlinknet.
April 23
Melva Costen Ph.D a well-known authority
on music and worship within Afiican Ameri
can churches, will speak at Charlotte First
United Ihesbyterian Church, 406 N. College
Street,fix)m 4-5 p.m. The title of her presenta
tion, “In Spirit and in TVuth: Music in Afiican
American Worship,” is taken fix»m her 2004
book published by Westminster John Knox
Press. Costen wfll trace the Afiican roots, of
liturgical and musical practices up through
contemporary music in worship.
The event is part of the Faith Seeking
Understanding series of public lectures spon
sored by Union-PSCE at Charlotte, the North
Carolina campus of Union Theological Semi
nary and Presbyterian School of Christian
Education. A I'eception and book sales wfll fel
low the lecture at the church For more infor-
Please see FAITH/6B
o#o r