Month: January 2007

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has got some parents steaming over his racy new stage play role.

One of the publicity photos for the play shows a topless and buffed Radcliffe being hugged by a naked woman. Another shows him leaning against bales of hay as he stares up at the topless woman. A third has him posing in front of a white horse.

The pictures have been released ahead of the opening of Equus, a controversial Peter Shaffer play showing at London’s Gielgud Theatre from next month.

Radcliffe,17, plays a troubled stablehand who one night blinds six horses with a hoofpick.

He features in numerous nude scenes with co-star Joanna Christie, the woman in the publicity shots.

The UK’s Daily Mail reports that Harry Potter fan sites have received emails from concerned parents…

…The play’s producer, David Pugh, told the Daily Mail that Radcliffe had been rehearsing the nude scenes with Christie for more than a week and had overcome his initial shyness.

The young actor’s spokeswoman, Vanessa Davies, said: “Daniel does not want to step away from Harry Potter but he does want to show he is a rounded actor capable of very different and diverse roles.”

“He has tremendous support from Harry Potter fans,” she said.

Jano Gibson
Sunday Morning Herald

Analysis:

It is shameful that the young actor who plays Harry Potter feels that to prove his ability as an actor he must appear in nude scenes on stage, and scenes depicting sexuality. In fact, it is sad that any 17 year old would do so, and likewise a sad commentary that such a move is lauded as “brave” and “daring.”

While it is a bit presumptuous for Radcliffe’s publicist to claim that he has “tremendous support from Harry Potter fans” (many are shocked and dismayed at what he is doing), nevertheless it is true that others are taken with his lewd turn. In fact, many fans admire the publicity photographs released for the play. One female fan said, “When I saw it I couldn’t breathe for a moment … I like it … They’re awesome!”

This is just another example that in the midst of our ungodly society, sex sells. Of course, the Bible has something to say about such ungodliness. “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).

While the world is characterized by such ungodliness, the Christian should be clear of it. Both in his personal life and conduct, and in his approval of the same. Remember the apostle Paul’s condemnation of the ungodly in Romans 1, “Who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them” (vs. 31). We must be sure not to approve of that which God clearly and forcefully condemns. Think about it!

The throne room scene in Revelation chapters 4 and 5 is one of the most stirring passages of scripture in the entire Bible. At the climax of this wonderful vision we see the entire creation bowing down to worship God Almighty.

“And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!’ Then the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever'” (Revelation 5:13-14).

Ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, gathered around the throne, declared the worthiness of the Lamb of God to receive worship from all.

Continue reading “Fall Down and Worship God!” →

The book of Acts reveals the joy of each individual as they obey the gospel of Christ, and become children of God. They rejoice when they rise from the waters of baptism, and all of God’s children rejoice with them.

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Podcast Number 37

The Catholic church contends that it, as an institution, is the final arbiter and authority for all matters pertaining to the spiritual welfare and condition of man. A careful reading of the scriptures shows this claim to be invalid. God intended His word to be the final standard man must submit to religiously.

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Hebrews 8 establishes that Jesus Christ, as our High Priest, is superior in every way to those who ministered in that office under the Old Covenant.

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Ephesians 2:8-10 not only establishes the means by which we obtain salvation (by grace through faith), but also establishes the responsibility of the child of God to perform the good works God has prepared for us.

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Podcast Number 36

Moses was a great man of faith. However, on one occasion he exhibited a lack of faith in God, as recorded in Numbers 20:7-12. Even in that failure he teaches us great and important lessons concerning the faith that we have toward God.

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Two thousand years ago the Son of God was delivered up to be crucified on a cross. Not long after, some in Jerusalem expressed amazement at Peter and John as they healed a lame man at the gate of the temple. Peter took the opportunity to address the gathering, and said:

“Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses” (Acts 3:12-15).

Peter later acknowledged the necessity of Christ’s sacrifice, saying, “But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled” (vs. 18). He then called on those present to “repent therefore, and be converted” (vs. 19).

Continue reading “The Rejected Savior” →

First there was the LP sized Laser Disc, then the VHS—Beta battle (won by VHS). Now we have DVD’s, and already released HD DVD’s and Sony’s Blue Ray discs, that will be fighting a battle for supremacy for the next few years.

There were a number of reasons why VHS systems won out over Betamax (despite the Betamax tapes being slightly superior in technical quality). But, one of the primary reasons is that the pornographic distributors chose VHS. It seems that SONY (the manufacturer of Betamax) did not want its product to be associated with pornography, and so pornographers went with the alternative.

“Quite famously in the war between Betamax and VHS the latter won especially because the adult industry preferred it.” (Aaron McKenna, TGDaily.com)

If you can believe it, it is probable that the same thing will happen again.

Continue reading “In The News: HD DVD VS Blu-ray Disc” →

Podcast Number 35

The doctrine of Premillinialism is false. Those who teach it, with their predictions of the second coming, and their belief of a future physical reign of Christ on earth, misuse texts such as Revelation 20.

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“Then Peter said, ‘See, we have left all and followed You.’ 29 So He said to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life’” (Luke 18:28-30).

A few months ago we examined the position that Luke 18 gives a rationale for a person to divorce their mate, “for the sake of the kingdom of God,” without sin. The article dealt not only with the context of the passage, but also the greater context of scripture, and concluded that the position is without merit. Jesus said in Matthew 5:32, “But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except for sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.” The text clearly reveals a single reason for which a man or woman may put away their spouse. To appeal to a passage where divorce is not contextually found in an attempt to explain away the plain import of another passage is, at best, poor hermeneutics, and is a common tactic of those who twist the scriptures to fit their pet theories.

Continue reading “Luke 18 Revisited” →

NASA recently reported photographic evidence indicating that water may occasionally rise to the surface on Mars. Of course, the excitement among scientists centers on the possibility of what water allows, the possibility of past life on the planet.

Pictures originally taken in 1999 have been compared to new images taken in September of 2005, showing a definite change. Though it is possible the changes in the image can be attributed to frost, or even movement of soil, the explanation that most intrigues scientists is that the deposits are the result of water bursting to the surface, and momentarily running down the hill either before freezing, or evaporating to leave mineral deposits behind.

Continue reading “In The News: Water on Mars! So What?” →

We can trust in the promises God has made to us because of His ability to keep His promises.

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A reference to the Will of God should include not only His commands and requirements of mankind, but also his purpose for man.

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In order for us to please God, self must be crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20).

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