"Praise God I'm satisfied" - Blind Willie Johnson

The next couple of months are gonna be fun!

Starting with March 16th, my brother, his wife and myself will be driving 16 hours to Toronto to see Iron Maiden on their "Somewhere Back In Time Tour '08" at the Air Canada Centre. This is a special tour that consists of the bands earlier 80's material from the first album, all the way up to an including Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son. The stage also combines elements from the Powerslave and Somewhere In Time eras. Since most of my favorite songs are from these years, I'm sure this show will be a blast.

Then on May 10th in Winnipeg, one of my buddies and I are driving to see the Gigan Tour '08 festival. This is basically the Dave Mustain version of Ozzfest. Megadeth is headlining with Children Of Bodom, In Flames, High On Fire, and Job For A Cowboy also playing. I saw Megadeth last year in Winnipeg open for Heaven & Hell (Black Sabbath Dio reunion) so it will be good to see them play a full set this time. Not bad for only $42!

This is the first tale of death in the world
When Cain struck down Abel, a family broken
Since then mankind's dominated his own kind
To insult and injure, there's no such thing as peace
Till death do us part, till the last

Truth be told - Sin lies at the doorway
Truth be told - Hell's open for business now
Truth be told - The soil cries out for revenge
Truth be told - And death is upon the ground
All around

The battle ain't over without spoils of war
Just cause it is written does not make it so
When you dance with the devil wait till the songs over
I ask myself “how bad do I want you to live?”
My anger is near, till the last

Truth be told - Sin lies at the doorway
Truth be told - Hell's open for business now
Truth be told - The soil cries out for revenge
Truth be told - And death is upon the ground
All around

Tribulation strikes and we're hit hard
Still you just go on your way
Head in the sand, ignoring the rain
Just like the flood in Noah's day
In his day

Can't punish those ruining the earth
It's suicide to some degree
Because we are all guilty, guilty as sin
There will be no peace, never for you and for me

Before al Qaeda and Bin Laden
Long before Hitler and Hussein
Ever since the first murder was committed
The verdict's always been the same

The cursed future just repeats the past
There's hell to pay and stones to cast
So, there will be no peace, never be peace
Till the last truth be told by you and me

So last week I started my new job, nothing spectacular, just another temporary job to pay the bills. Upon finishing that shift I was in a big hurry to leave as I had pretty much decided to start looking for work elsewhere do to cetrain people's behaviour that left a bad tast in my mouth.

Having put in 4 shifts since, I have decided that all things considered it's the best job of it's kind that I could have and I'm actually loving it. Weird how we (or at least I) go from one extreme to another.

Another long winded rant from the mind of Mike Beange



Last night I went to a young adult bible study at church I randomly attend. At the end of the study when we where all standing around the room with our coats on chatting about this and that, I decdied to plug my iPod into a mini set of speakers and give us some background noise to enjoy. I decided to put on some classic white metal (or Christian metal) from a group by the name of 'Deliverance' a band I consider to be made up of a bunch of God fearing born again indaviduals who love the Lord and use their talents to glorify him and reach others with.

What I found funny is that as soon as the music began, numerous people, especially one person who shall remain nameless, automatically thought that I was playing some ungodly music like Slayer or Metallica. I replied with the statement that "No, this is Deliverance, one of the better Christian metal bands out there".

Back to that indavidual who will remain nameless. Upon hearing this what I said they basically made the half assed remark that besides having Christian metal, you can also have Chrisitan murder, Christian adaltory, ect. Turn on sarcastice tone: "Just say Jesus a few times at it's perfectly acceptable!!" The punch line was that this person, 20 minutes earlier said "who are we to judge what other Christians have been called to do?".

Quite frankly, I'm really getting tired of Christians with this narrow minded ignorant opinion of everything, especially when they preach thier opinion like it's biblical truth (without having anything in the bible to base it one.) There are so many churches run like this in the western world, especially the US, and it's truely disturbing. To put it plain and simple, I don't really care about your opinion, because God's opinion is the only one that really matters.

Did it matter that the paticular song was about "without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin"? Nope. Did it matter that another song spoke of "The sin and doom of Godless men"? No of course not. Who cares if that's entirely based on Jude 3, they're playing the guitars loud and fast. And that singer has long hair and screams!! That's not very Christian...

Or is it?

What exactly does the bible say about this? Can certain styles of music (lyrics aside; we'll deal with THAT later!) be inherently evil? I think a lot of people's ideas of what is Godly/unGodly is based on nothing more than personal tastes, traditions, upbringing's, ect.

Excuse #1: "Christians don't act like that"

Samuel 16:7: "But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

In otherwords, outward appearences are irrelavent. Long hair, short hair, electric guitar, accoustic guitar, passive vocals, sreaming vocals. What really matters is the heart. When we listen to anykind of music we need to be asking ourselves a question such as, "what is this person singing about? What are their motives? WHO are they trying to honor?" I think it #1 thing we need to worry about is who are we trying to please. Ourselves, or God?

Consider the following:

Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

Excuse #2: "That music sounds evil"

Had today's 'Godly traditional hyms of faith' been sung back in the 1600's, they would have been denounced as heretical and you would have been burnt at the stake, so quit insisting that God only likes piano hyms like "Bringing In The Sheeves".

Colossians 2:6-8: "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

(The last I checked, music was a form of expression.)

"8See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ."

(Do I really need to say anything else about verse 8?)

1 Corinthians 7:23: "You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men."

"But Mike! He's screaming so much I can't understand what he's saying. It must be evil!"

How do you know that? You can't undertand what's saying! Read the lyrics! You might be surprised, but then again most people are experts at judging a book by it's cover. He sounds angry. So? Maybe he's angry at the sinful nature of this world. Of course in today's church culture you have to suger-coat everything because if you told it just like it is you might step on someone's toes.

If you seriously use my previous quote as an excuse to lable certain types of music as evil, I will use that as permission to listen to any band out there, including Slayer, Christ Skinner, Rotting Christ, Impaled Nazerene, Enemy of God, Eyehategod, ect. Afterall, I can't understand what he's saying so what difference does it make what he's saying? After all, it won't have annnnny affect on my walk with Christ whatsoever.

I think we as a society also have this preconcieved notian that rock music is evil, simply because it's been associated with sex, drugs, drugs, ect. Hey guess what? If Christians had gotten a hold of it and used it first, we wouldn't think like that. You can blame Elvis Presley for ruining it by shaking his hips on the Ed Sullivan show.

Here's a quote I love from someone unknown:

"In most cases if the person was never converted to Christianity they probably still wouldn't have liked rock music in one form or another..."

The style of music you like says more about the kind of person God made you to be, rather than the quality of your relationship with him. I can't stand contemporary evagelical praise music. I makes me chringe. Does that mean I can't stand God? No, I love God more now in this part of my life than I have at any other time. I just can't stand that crap!

I've heard people say that heavy metal is a 'tool of the Devil', the 'Devil's music', ect. Hmm thats funny, because the Christian metal band Stryper used to throw bibles out to the audiences during their live set. Vengeance Rising offered a free 24 hour phone-in hot line where kids could call if they where depressed, suicidal, or just needed to talk to someone about God. The liner notes of several of Jerusalem's albums came with step-by-step information on accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal savior.Yes indeed. There we have another example of the Devil at work again!

If Christian metal bands are of the Devil why would he be against himself? Christ said it himself in Matthew 12:26, "If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?"

Excuse #3: Christians should not partake in worldly things

(ie listening to rock music, playing cards, watching cable tv *gasp!*)

Did you know the "Church of Satan" (YES, there IS such an organization), holds sacred satanic rituals to very similer kinds of music used in most traditional churches? Did you know that founder and High Priest of the CoS Anton LaVey personaly hated heavy metal? Huh? Well so much for being Satan's right hand man if you hate heavy metal!!

There is NOT a single verse anywhere in the bible that outlines what worldly music really is.

1 Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

Colossians 3:16-17 "16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Notice how Paul focuses on the words of the music, and not the actual music itself. He even recommends other types of music besides hyms, including spiritual songs.

Conclusion

The act of formulating an opinion and without listening to the defense (all the evidence) is defined in the dictionary as prejudice. If you can't take the time to sit down and prayerfully read through scripture and set your own 2 cents aside, and dare I say consider the possibility that you just might wrong, I suggest you read Proverbs 18:2: "A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions."

Knowledge is out there and if we willfully refuse to listen to it, we will one day be held accountable for it.

Bride, one of my favourite Christian metal bands has posted yet another brilliant bulletin on their myspace page. Read it!


"For anyone who would rather say “Seasons Greetings” rather than “Merry Christmas” I have some to say.

There is some bizarre movement in America to X out Christ, eliminate this Holy and Sacred name from the pages of every book and from the minds of the public. WHY? Are you people insane. What is the alternative?

Between the liberal bias of the media and the outrageous opinions and lifestyles of the Hollywood types there are great powers attempting to rewrite everything from our Constitution, to our National Anthem, and even the history books.

Don’t you people realize that you are playing into the hands of people that want to KILL YOU?

The Muslim movement in this country is appalling. Moses would have burned down every Mosque in his day. He wouldn’t have left a stone standing. He most certainly would not have voted a practicing Muslim into Congress.

Didn’t you know that Islam looks at America as Infidels, dogs and Anglo Saxons that need to be exterminated? Do you know their preferred method of extermination? A dull knife to the back of the neck then slowly sawed through until your head hits the floor!

The news media acts like in their reporting that they are sympathizing with the enemy and that they are offended by Christian values. If Islam ruled America there would be no freedom of the press and the news reporters would be some of the first to be publicly executed. Do movie stars and rock stars think that they are exempt? Don’t they realize that these fanatical Islamic groups hate all that the west stands for and fume in great contempt?

When the Koran rules over the Bible in the hearts of the people and people worship in Mosque rather than churches, when Mohammed is recognized as the true prophet and Jesus Christ a liar and lunatic fanatic terrorist of His time then it will be too late.

As a nation that says we were founded on Christian principles, let us clean the filth from our lives. Stop supporting bands that go against what you believe just because they have talent. Stop watching programs on t.v. that are either morally disgusting, or whose themes are anti-Christian or whose sponsors give money to anti-Christian organizations.

America needs to repent, to start thinking straight to morally, ethically and spiritual rebound from this blindness that has over taken us. Awake from the darkness that has blanketed the land.

Pornography earnings are estimated at $10 billion to $14 billion a year in the United States (the lower figure is according to Fortune magazine) and $56 billion worldwide. Forbes magazine breaks down the global profits this way: adult videos, $20 billion; sex clubs, $5 billion; magazines, $7.5 billion; phone sex, $4.5 billion; escort services, $11 billion; cable, satellite and pay-per-view
TV, $2.5 billion; CD-ROMs and DVD ROMs, $1.5 billion; Internet (sales and memberships), $1.5 billion; novelties, $1 billion; and others, $1.5 billion.1
Some mainstream corporate giants, allured by immense profits, have reached a new low trying to reach a new high on Wall Street. Profiting from porn-peddling is a dirty ring around the white collars at AT&T, MCI, Time-Warner, Comcast, Echo Star Communications, GM’s DirecTV, Hilton, Marriott, Sheraton, Radisson, VISA, MasterCard and American Express.
Oh yeah, did you not know?

Come on people, we don’t have to roll over and die, or give up just because everyone else is doing it. You see when Christ is totally eliminated from our core we are dead!

Seems like after 911 the whole country got real stupid and started accepting this whole Muslim lie. People were afraid to speak up because someone’s civil rights were going to be violated. But I am not one to stay quiet. Christians be Christians! Be Christ in your work, your home, and in public. Live as an example of holiness and faithfulness to the one that died and rose for you.

If we the people of the United States go ahead full steam we will find ourselves sunk at the bottom of the sea because we just excepted our course and never went around those giant icebergs.

Anyone that reads this who believes I am being too harsh on the Muslim community, you obviously have no ideal what sort of animal you are dealing with when it comes to their ideologies. Don’t come preaching to me. 911 happened, our soldiers are dying and are in harms way, and there is a group of killers over there and among us who are waiting for the word to kill us.

Thank God for Home Land Security, for listening in to conversations on the telephones and for providing a safe environment for me to raise my children in.
Thank my God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has not abandoned us, nor forsaken us.

These thoughts are quick ramblings, sorry the message zig zagged around. Oh yeah Merry Christmas!

Dale

P.S. Here is a list of actors that are liberal “Wacko Nutcases” some are great actors but truly want you as a Christian gone!

Streisand, Barbra

Douglas, Michael

Katzenberg, Jeffrey

Lear, Norman

Reiner, Rob

Pollack, Sydney

Thomas, Marlo

Fonda, Jane

Chase, Chevy

Newman, Paul

Baldwin, Alec

Garofalo, Janeane

Woodward, Joanne

Burrows, James

Hoffman, Dustin

Moore, Michael

Williams, Robin

Clooney, George

Penn, Sean

Sarandon, Susan

Springer, Jerry

Thomas, Heather

Asner, Ed

Norton, Edward

Devito, Danny

Robbins, Tim

Honorable Mentions: Brooks, James | Danson, Ted | Midler, Bette | O'Donnell, Rosie | Sheen, Martin | Brinkley, Christie | David, Larry | Gere, Richard | Glover, Danny | Lange, Jessica | Stone, Oliver | Whitford, Bradley | DeNiro, Robert | Dreyfuss, Richard | Hawke, Ethan | Beatty, Warren | Bergen, Candice | Harrelson, Woody | Hawn, Goldie | Redford, Robert | Spacey, Kevin