3 Christian Values in ‘Deadpool’ You Probably Missed

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3 Christian Values in ‘Deadpool’ You Probably Missed

Christian Post Report – Actor Ryan Reynolds poses with fans as he arrives for the premiere of “Deadpool” in New York, February 8, 2016.

The level of violence, gore and sex in the new box office smash “Deadpool” may lead one to believe that the film contains no Christian values whatsoever. But buried beneath the vulgarity of the runaway hit starring Ryan Reynolds lay a few Christian qualities that you might have overlooked:

1. Stand Out as a Peculiar People

Deadpool isn’t your typical superhero, and the good thing is he doesn’t try to be. The Marvel character embraces his unconventional ways instead of conforming to others’ expectations. Christians can take a page from his script by standing out from the world as peculiar people, and striving to be the individuals who God created them to be, letting their inner and outer beauty shine, and resisting worldly pressures to conform.

Romans 12:2 states: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Deadpool(Photo: Reuters/Brendan McDermid)Actor Ryan Reynolds arrives for the premiere of “Deadpool” in New York, February 8, 2016.

2. Do Some Self-Reflection

In “Deadpool,” the title character periodically “breaks the fourth wall” and addresses the audience, showing an awareness of who he is and why he is.

In the life of a Christian, it’s good to do some self-examination from time to time to ensure that one’s spiritual life is on the right track. For some, what better time to do a little self-reflection than the season of Lent?

2 Corinthians 13:5 encourages Christians to, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

3. Stand-Up for What’s Right

Just as Deadpool doesn’t hesitate to fight the “bad guys” (the guys considered worse than him), so Christians should take a stand for Jesus in a day when people resist sound doctrine, and when the freedoms of religious expression are increasingly challenged.

Famed late theologian Chuck Colson once spoke out against attacks on public expressions of faith and urged Christians to ” … refuse to buckle under attempts to force them to keep silent about their beliefs — or worse, attempts to force them to deny those beliefs.”

As previously reported by The Christian Post, Colson forecasted the religious persecution that has become so prevalent in the Middle East. “We’re going to see the real anti-Christian bias over the next few years,” he wrote in 2002.

That claim could not be better illustrated than by the increasing persecution of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Arab Christians in Middle Eastern countries like Iraq and Syria at the hands of terror groups like the Islamic State and al Qaeda. Scores of believers are being massacred or sold into sexual slavery because of their Christian faith and refusal to convert to Islam.

To circumstances like this, Psalm 94:16 asks: “Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?”

Source : Christian Post

Caitlyn Jenner Says She’s Gotten More Criticism for Being Conservative Than Transgender

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Caitlyn Jenner Says She’s Gotten More Criticism for Being Conservative Than Transgender

Caitlyn Jenner (Photo: Reuters/Danny Moloshok)

Christian Post Report – Cast member Caitlyn Jenner participates in a panel for the E! Entertainment Television series “I Am Cait” during the Television Critics Association Cable Winter Press Tour in Pasadena, California, January 14, 2016.

Caitlyn Jenner told a group of students this week that she receives more criticism for being politically conservative than for being transgender.

“I have gotten more flak for being a conservative Republican than I have for being trans,” Jenner said Thursday before a packed audience at the University of Pennsylvania’s Irvine Auditorium along with biographer and journalist Buzz Bissinger.

Born William Bruce Jenner in Mount Kisco, New York, Jenner received a gold medal for winning the Olympic decathlon in 1976.

Last year, Jenner confirmed longstanding rumors that he was undergoing gender transition surgery to become a woman.

For the July issue of Vanity Fair magazine, Jenner adopted the name “Caitlyn” and was featured post-surgery on the front cover.

“Bruce always had to tell a lie, he was always living that lie. Every day he always had a secret. From morning until night. Caitlyn doesn’t have any secrets. As soon as the Vanity Fair cover comes out, I’m free,” said Jenner in a video promoting the magazine edition.

Jenner has received much support and admiration from social media, major media outlets, and fellow high profile celebrities and public figures.

He, however, surprised many supporters when noting in an interview with Diane Sawyer last April that she’s “more on the conservative side” politically.

Regarding President Barack Obama’s mention of transgender people in the 2015 State of the Union, a first for the annual speech’s history, Jenner explained to Sawyer that while “I will certainly give him credit for” doing so, “I’ve just never been a big fan” of Obama.

While seeming strange to many that a prominent member of the LGBT community would be a self-identified conservative Republican, Hunter Schwarz of The Washington Post wrote last year that it should not be surprising given Jenner’s athletic background.

“There’s no good, definitive polling data on athletes’ political beliefs, but a poll of students conducted by the Brown Daily Herald at Brown University just this month found its student-athletes were more likely than non-student-athletes to hold conservative social and fiscal views,” wrote Schwarz.

“Anecdotally, Charles Barkley has considered running for Alabama governor as a Republican and said he likes Chris Christie and Jeb Bush. Mitt Romney in 2012 was endorsed by John Elway, and a group of Olympians spoke at the Republican National Convention for the former head honcho of the Salt Lake City Olympics.”

Source : Christian Post

Is NASCAR More Christian Than Football?

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Is NASCAR More Christian Than Football?

NASCAR (Photo: USA Today Sports/Jasen Vinlove)

Christian Post Report – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (18) during the Cam-Am Duels at Daytona race two at Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida, February 18, 2016.

Faith Driven Consumer, an organization that evaluates corporations, TV and film, says NASCAR is a better representation of Christian values than the National Football League.

Representing a reported 41 million American consumers, FDC’s Faith Equality Index ranks how well a brand represents and embraces the values of Christian consumers and employees.

Put on a scale of 0 to 100, in the most recent rankings announced Thursday, FDC gave NASCAR a 50, versus a 24 for the NFL.

Chris Stone, certified brand strategist and founder of Faith Driven Consumer, noted in a statement how NASCAR pulled ahead of the NFL in the rankings.

“Like the NFL, NASCAR is significantly made up of Faith Driven Consumers at all levels of the organization. But unlike the NFL, NASCAR is in a strong position given its initial Faith Equality Index score of 50,” stated Stone.

“With this foundation, we believe NASCAR will close the gaps and increase its score — and its relationship with the faith community — in very short order.”

NASCAR (Photo: USA TODAY Sports/Mark J. Rebilas)

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kyle Busch poses with wife Samantha Busch and son Brexton Busch after winning the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Florida, November 22, 2015.

Stone added that he and FDC “look forward to working with NASCAR, professional sports organizations, and major sponsors alike to help them improve their standing with the faith community.”

NASCAR’s ranking was based off of a combination of scores from four categories: “public commitment to faith driven consumers,” “faith-compatible corporate actions,” “equal application of equal protections,” and “corporate competency in the faith driven consumer market segment.”

NASCAR faired strongest in the faith-compatible corporate actions category with 28 out of 30 points and weakest in the equal application of equal protections category with 5 out of 20 points.

By contrast, the NFL did poorly in all four categories, its best score being in faith-compatible corporate actions with 11 out of 30 points, and worst score being in corporate competency in the faith driven consumer market segment with 2 out of 20.

According to its Facebook page, the goals of Faith Driven Consumer are to provide: “Information resources for making more faith-conscious consumer decisions;” to encourage “companies to meet the unique needs of Christians,” and to provide “a national voice for under-represented Christian consumers.”

“Faith Driven Consumers choose to carefully, constantly aim the dollars we spend directly in support of the companies whose values and behaviors match ours,” stated FDC on Facebook.

“This is action every one of us can take, every day. We can advocate for and grow values-driven businesses all over America. Whether you are looking to change the world or simply for a place that is comfortable for you, Faith Driven Consumer is your resource.”

FDC’s Faith Equality Index ranking for NASCAR comes as the racing organization gears up for the Daytona 500, scheduled to take place on Sunday.

Source : Christian Post

5 Christian Children Seized by Norway Reunited With Parents for First Time in 3 Months

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5 Christian Children Seized by Norway Reunited With Parents for First Time in 3 Months

The Bodnariu family (Photo: Facebook/Norway, Return the children to Bodnariu Family)

Christian Post Report – The Bodnariu family.

The Romanian Pentecostal parents who have been separated from their five children by Norway’s child protective services were reunited with all of their kids in the same place for the first time since the family’s ordeal began in November.

According to a website set up in support of Ruth and Marius Bodnariu after their children were removed from their home in Naustdal, Norway, by the Barnevernet on Nov. 16, the parents were finally allowed to have a three-hour visiting session with all of their children on Tuesday.

After it was alleged that the parents spanked their children — a disciplinary tactic that is banned in Norway — the parents were only allowed limited visitation with their three sons and were barred from visiting their two daughters.

“It was joyous because for the first time in three months, Marius and Ruth were together with all five children at the same time, in the same place. It was such a happy reunion, for everybody had so much to say,” the website announced in an official statement on Thursday.

“Naomi couldn’t stop talking; Ioan, the 2-year-old boy had learned a few more words and had a lot to say also. Baby Ezekiel was happier than ever,” the statement continued.

After the family talked and played, they sat at the table to eat a meal.

The statement details how the family, which previously claimed that their children were taken because of concerns with their Christian faith, was allowed to pray and even sang a prayer-song before they ate their rooster and soup.

Although most of the visit was joyous, the parents grew concerned after Naomi told them that she didn’t want them to die because she still has much to learn from them. Naomi’s comment led them to wonder where she got the idea that they were going to die.

“The day was a mixture of joy and sorrow, for after three hours had passed, they had to part again,” the statement explains. “The children cannot understand why they can’t stay with their parents but, instead, have to go to strangers.”

The Bodnarius still need to stand trial in order to regain custody of their children. As the agency wants them to submit to a psychological evaluation, the family has requested that a psychologist not associated with the Barnevernet to do the evaluations.

The statement claims that the prosecutor denied the family’s proposal for an outside psychologist.

Although supporters believed that the Bodnarius would have their day in court sometime in March, the statement implies that the case might not be heard until May.

“The same prosecutor is too busy to attend a court hearing before the end of May and Barnevernet thinks this is in the superior interest of the baby,” the statement argues.

While the Norwegian media has been less-than sympathetic toward the Bodnariu family, the children’s grandfather released a statement on Friday to break his silence about the situation.

“This case has hurt the whole family and way beyond us. It has also been painful to read articles about the case in different newspapers where the upbringing of the children has been presented negatively without knowing the actual conditions,” Ruth’s father was quoted as saying. “We who live here in the home and have had the children around us since they were born, must be the ones who know best how the children have been with their parents.”

“Grandmother has at times taken much care of the children. When they came from school and the parents were not at home, the kids were with us,” he continued. “When their present home was being refurbished, the whole family lived with us for six months, and we, thereby, had full insight into their upbringing.”

The grandfather added that he has never seen any violence in their family.

“We can assure that we have never seen that violence has been used against the children. Not even that they have raised their voices to them,” he said. “The children themselves have never told us that the parents have been nasty to them. For us who love our grandchildren so much, it would be inconceivable to know that they were not happy and not to intervene. After all, we are well informed people.”

Follow Samuel Smith on Twitter: @IamSamSmith

Source : Christian Post

Pastor Judah Smith Stumped by Question From Maria Shriver: ‘Why Should I Believe in God?’

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Pastor Judah Smith Stumped by Question From Maria Shriver: ‘Why Should I Believe in God?’

Judah Smith, Chelsea Smith, Maria Schriver (Photo: Screen Grab via YouTube)

Christian Post Report – Pastor Judah Smith (C), sits down with Maria Shriver (R) in an Architects of Change Live conversation about the new children’s book he wrote along with his wife Chelsea (L) titled ‘I Will Follow Jesus Bible Storybook’

When Maria Shriver asked Pastor Judah Smith this week “Why should I believe in God?” he seemed stumped initially until he admitted that he doesn’t like convincing people to worship God.

Smith, who sat down with Shriver in an Architects of Change Live conversation about the new children’s book he wrote along with his wife, Chelsea, titled I Will Follow Jesus Bible Storybook was engaging with his host about faith when she asked him the question he introduced himself.

“How do you answer that question?” asked Shriver.

“What’s that?” responded Smith.

“How can I believe in God? You know these terrible things have happened. I don’t have a job, my parents are dead, you know, I don’t have any money, why should I believe in God? Nothing is going my way,” said Shriver, playing devil’s advocate.

“I tell them to talk to my wife,” said Smith, who leads The City Church in Seattle, Washington, with his wife. “I think she has a lot of great answers. … Diversion is a powerful thing I’ve learned.”

“Yeah, right up there with denial,” Shriver hit back, laughing.

He continued deflecting for a while before he began settling into a response.

“I think this idea that believing in God is something that you concoct, it is something that you conjure up. It is something that over a succession of emotional discussions or sermons you develop this habit of now it’s happened. I think, I believe that there is a God space in every human soul,” he said.

Judah Smith, Chelsea Smith (Photo:Facebook/Judah Smith)

The cover of ‘I Will Follow Jesus Bible Storybook’ by Pastor Judah Smith and his wife Chelsea.

“I believe we were designed inherently to be worshipers, and I think you see it in culture. We end up worshiping great athletes or entertainers. So I actually think it’s not far-fetched when they say ‘how do I possibly do it?’ Actually, its way more possible than you think. I believe that it’s there,” he said.

“I also believe that if there is a God and He’s big and He’s real, then He’ll actually meet you in a genuine and authentic way. That it won’t just be this blind faith as it’s said. … I think that God is real. I’ve talked to friends that still don’t believe as I believe that say ‘hey, no big deal,'” he continued in a suppositional tone.

“If you want to believe, let’s just pray and I believe that God will meet you in a real way. And I believe there’s a space inside you for God. The awesome thing is you don’t have to defend God because He is God; and you don’t have to talk people into God because He is God. And I don’t want to get into that habit anyways of convincing people to worship God and believe in God, because if you can convince them then they can be unconvinced just as easily,” he ended.

Shriver then told the couple that she went to an all-girl Catholic school all her life and wanted to become a nun but decided against it when she found out “you had to be poor and celibate.”

“It’s like well, that’s not gonna work for me,” she said.

She then got into a discussion about spiritual crises and asked them if they had ever faced any like the saints she read about in school that had an impact on why they believe.

“In Catholic school I used to read all the autobiographies of the saints, right, and they would be thrown up against the cross and their lives were like, oh my God! They were just horrendous right. But I thought you had to do that to actually be a saint,” said Shriver.

“And when you read, whether it’s about Mother Theresa and others that I’ve read about, they often talk about the dark night of the soul, you know. Their own spiritual crisis and having to kind of work through that and find their way back to God. Does that happen to you or are you too young?” she asked.

Smith turned to his wife with a searching almost quizzical look before Chelsea chimed in with an uneasy laugh “way too young. Definitely.”

“No doubt in God? No spiritual crisis? No having to find your way back? No giving up on Jesus?” asked Shriver.

Smith then talked about the challenges of being a parent and explained that watching his father — who was also a pastor — being destroyed by cancer was a dark hour for him. He felt the suffering of his father didn’t make any sense considering how he served God, but he said he found refuge in the Bible.

“I found that in my darkest night I found God to be nearer than I imagined.”

When Shriver asked him how, Judah said: “I think His presence, His nearness.”

Shriver then talked about the appearance of Jesus in the book, noting that she grew up with a lot of books about Jesus and He was always white, but in the couple’s new book Jesus looked “more authentic.”

She then asked Judah if that was deliberate and he said it was.

“It was important to me as a dad to be honest and we showed those depictions to our kids and my 11-year-old acknowledged that Jesus is brown. And I said, ‘that’s right'” added Smith, noting that it was a very meaningful moment for him.

“I could get really emotional because I think Jesus is for everyone, but I think where Jesus came from and I think the diversity of this book. I wanted my babies to see who Jesus really was and I know it’s just a cartoon character but the color of his skin mattered to me,” he continued.

“It really did and the fact that my 11-year-old acknowledged that and the fact that I had an African-American friend text me in tears. He said ‘I’m ordering them right now.’ I said, ‘don’t order them,’ I’ll send them to you.’ He said because it’s the first Bible I’ve seen Jesus depicted with brown skin. He says, ‘I want to thank you.’ And I cried. I secretly cried,” Smith added.

Contact: [email protected]; follow me on Twitter @leoblair

Source : Christian Post

Aaron Rodgers Thanks God for ‘Hail Mary’ Pass in Playoff Game Against Cardinals

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Aaron Rodgers Thanks God for ‘Hail Mary’ Pass in Playoff Game Against Cardinals

Aaron Rodgers REUTERS/Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Christian Post Report – Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers in a game versus the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field.

Aaron Rodgers is tweeting to God, thanking Him for making a play that only Divine intervention could explain.

In reminiscing about his 2014-2015 NFL season, Rodgers, the 32-year-old Green Bay Packers quarterback, wrote to God in front of 1 million Twitter followers.

“Have to start my return by thanking @TheTweetOfGod for an exciting season,” Rodgers wrote Tuesday, after returning to practice after one month off. “Tell your sons mother I said thank you for those two throws.”

Rodgers is referring to the wild card game against the Arizona Cardinals at the beginning of the NFL playoffs in January.

Although the quarterback’s team lost, he was able to throw a difficult, high pressure, last minute pass to wide receiver Jeff Janis for a touchdown known as a “Hail Mary” pass.

The NFL term refers to a pass that only Divine intervention could explain as a Hail Mary and Rodgers made sure to find a creative way to thank His creator for being able to throw one. It is unclear how serious Rodgers was in writing the tweet, since he previously expressed beliefs that God does not determine the outcome of football games.

“I don’t think God cares a whole lot about the outcome,” Rodgers said during an ESPN radio show interview last September. “He cares about the people involved, but I don’t think he’s a big football fan.”

Still, the quarterback has been vocal about his Christian faith in the past.

“I grew up knowing what a stable relationship was by my parents’ example and how it centered on Christ,” Rodgers said in a Beyond Ultimate report. “When our family had its ups and downs, I knew my parents relied on God for everything and He always got us through those rough spots.”

“It is my daily walking in faith and dealing with life issues and not giving into temptation that can be very challenging,” he added. “I am always struggling in finding time to daily grow in my faith. If you are not in the Word or focusing on Christ, or into prayer, you can’t help but slip at times.”

Source : Christian Post

Adrienne Bailon on What Real Love Looks Like to Her

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Adrienne Bailon on What Real Love Looks Like to Her

Adrienne Bailon (Photo: Reuters/Fred Prouser)

Christian Post Report – Adrienne Bailon, one of the members of the pop music group “The Cheetah Girls”, poses as she arrives for the world premiere of the animated film “Wall-E”in Los Angeles, California, June 21, 2008.

Last year, Adrienne Bailon and her longtime boyfriend Lenny Santiago split up. Now the singer, actress and co-host of “The Real” talk show is focusing on the love of Jesus.

The 32-year-old took to her Twitter Saturday to let her more than 600,000 followers know “real love brings the Jesus out of us.”

Earlier this month, the entertainer tweeted “Psalm 139” to fans.

Bailon has used the social media platform to share her faith and her journey after breaking up with Santiago, her then music executive boyfriend of six years.

“Life lessons are hard but I’m grateful that I have a platform to share my journey and hopefully encourage, inspire, or just let women know they are not alone and to never give up on finding love. I still believe,” Bailon told Us Weekly last year after splitting with her fiance.

Although she’s staying positive, Bailon admitted that breaking up with someone you’re emotionally attached to isn’t easy.

“I am, of course, sad that things didn’t go as we planned, but we still remain close friends,” she said. “Six years is a long time to be together, but we had to make the decision to go with our hearts and not be embarrassed or afraid of change. He absolutely helped make me a better person and I will forever cherish the time we shared together.”

In 2014, Bailon spoke to The Christian Post about seeking God to overcome emotional trials, such as a breakup.

“It’s so funny because in that moment you think you’re going to die, you’re like ‘Oh my God, how am I going to live without this person.’ In those moments, cling to God and build your relationship with God,” Bailon told CP. “I love the saying, I believe it’s from Maya Angelou, but it’s a woman’s heart should be so focused on God that a man has to seek Him to find her. It’s funny because people in the world even say ‘Girl, when you’re not looking that’s when the right one comes along.'”

While Bailon stressed the importance of forgiving people and letting go of bitterness, she also insisted that people will recognize what a good relationship should look like when they are at peace.

“God gives you peace in a situation that’s meant for you. I feel like the moment that you don’t feel peace, you’re not where you should be,” Bailon said. “Being in a relationship that doesn’t give you peace, that makes you not want to sleep at night, that makes you want to go through their phone and all of those things … that’s not God’s perfect plan for your life.”

Source : Christian Post

Pastor DeVon Franklin Defends Wife Meagan Good for Showing Breasts in Revealing Dress

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Pastor DeVon Franklin Defends Wife Meagan Good for Showing Breasts in Revealing Dress

DeVon Franklin (Photo: Courtesy of Omg! Publicity)

Christian Post Report – DeVon Franklin and Meagan Good release their first book, “The Wait” on February 2, 2016.

Meagan Good was brought to tears when someone criticized her clothing choices at a church event, but the actress’ husband, DeVon Franklin, defended his wife’s honor.

On Valentine’s Day, the couple spoke at an event that took place at One Church Los Angeles
to promote their new book The Wait: A Powerful Practice for Finding the Love of Your Life and the Life You Love. During the event that was live streamed all over the world, one woman questioned the 34-year-old “Minority Report” actress about her clothing choices.

“This is not offensive, but I was at the grocery store and I looked at a newsstand and saw you, and you had your breasts showing. I wasn’t going to come here, but the Lord brought me here to see you,” the woman told Good. “You are a beautiful young woman and your testimony is awesome. The Lord let me come and push past the judgement, because you have to make sure what you say and what you do match up, you understand?”

When the woman concluded her statement by asking Good if she would “cover up,” her husband and the president of Franklin Entertainment stepped in.

“Wait a minute. No! That is not what we’re here for,” Franklin firmly told the woman. “She’s not gonna cover up, she is gonna wear what she wants to wear in the name of Jesus, amen. Amen?”

The exchange left Good emotional, and she was seen wiping tears from her face. Franklin, the 37-year-old preacher who co-authored The Wait with his wife made sure to express love with the woman while defending his wife’s Christian faith.

“God bless you, we love you. I love you dearly, but she has been a Christian as she is right now. She wore whatever she wanted to wear. So no, we ain’t doing that,” he said. “Y’all about to see another Devon that y’all ain’t never seen! Remember, I’m from Oakland now!”

While the audience was amused at Franklin’s response, Good decided to address the issue firsthand.

“I’d like to say one thing. I could’ve addressed what she said and it would take me a while to address it because I have very specific feelings about that,” she said. “But I just want to say to that young lady, however you feel, if that’s how you really feel, then pray for me. And God bless you.”

Good has not shied away from choosing clothing options with a plunging neckline or exposed skin and admitted to being upset with her critics from within the Church after receiving their negative responses. Last year the couple appeared as speakers at the Essence Festival empowerment panel where they spoke about overcoming harsh criticism from the Church.

“It kind of made me upset with the Church for a while. People don’t know what they do, but you have to love them regardless,” she said at Essence Festival. “But you have to own your truth.”

Although her husband is a preacher, he supported his wife and shared his perspective on the matter.

“So many people try to live by a label, but that’s not the box God put us in,” he said while serving on the panel with his wife. “Who we are is not defined by a box. When I live by your expectations of what I should do, then I limit who I am and then I become depressed because I can’t be my true self.”

During an interview with The Christian Post last month, the couple, who married in the summer of 2012, spoke about their views on dating, love, and keeping God at the center of it all. For the actress, honoring God by waiting to have sex before her wedding night helped her find a newfound confidence in her marriage.

“I’ve seen so many marriages around me deteriorate. The short term thought was a great one but the long term one was very scary to me,” Good revealed to CP. “I think the difference is with implementing The Wait, the foundation that we have is so solid that it makes me feel so much safer and gives me so much more confidence — not just in our marriage but in what God is doing in us and through us. He honors our marriage because we took the time to honor Him with our foundation.”

Source : Christian Post

Manny Pacquiao Defiant After Nike Firing: ‘I’m Happier That People Hear the Truth’ About Gay People

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Manny Pacquiao Defiant After Nike Firing: ‘I’m Happier That People Hear the Truth’ About Gay People

Manny Pacquiao REUTERS/Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Christian Post Report – Manny Pacquiao speaks during a press conference to announce his fight with Floyd Mayweather.

Former boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has said that he has no issues with sportswear giant Nike terminating his contract after his controversial comments about gay people, and insisted that it is more important for people “to hear the truth.”

“Whatever decision Nike makes is its decision and I respect that,” Pacquiao said, according to USA Today Sports. “Its sponsorship of me now only involves my clothes for my fight. Our contract had already ended aside from sponsoring the boxing.”

“I am not condemning the LGBT (community),” the Christian fighter and Filipino politician added. “What I am condemning is the act. I’m happier because I’m telling the truth … It’s worse if we will hide the truth.

“I’m happier that a lot of people were alarmed by the truth,” the eight-division world champion said.

Pacquiao’s comments that led to the controversy came from an interview he gave with Filipino station TV5, where he said:

“It’s common sense. Will you see any animals where male is to male and female is to female?

“The animals are better. They know how to distinguish male from female. If we approve [of] male on male, female on female, then man is worse than animals.”

Pacquiao later clarified in a number of social media postings that he did not mean to offend LGBT people, but was only talking about what he believes based on the Bible.

“I still stand on my belief that I’m against same-sex marriage because of what the Bible says, but I’m not condemning LGBT. I love you all with the love of the Lord,” he wrote on Facebook.

That did not stop Nike from terminating their professional relationship, however, and the sportswear giant called the boxer’s comments on gay people “abhorrent” in a statement.

“Nike strongly opposes discrimination of any kind and has a long history of supporting and standing up for the rights of the LGBT community,” the statement added.

Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, the chairman of Top Rank, also argued that the boxer made a mistake by not realizing the gravity of what he was saying.

“Look, there is a portion in the Bible, both in the Old Testament and New Testament, against homosexuality. Modern thinking is that this is prohibition in an ancient time. Many people feel that way. Other people think differently,” Arum said.

He also tried to add context to Pacquiao’s words by noting that the former champion is a “politician first and a fighter second,” and that his views on gay marriage are directed more toward his home country, where the practice is not legal.

“So the statement that he made, as inarticulate as it was, was basically designed for home consumption. It was said in Tagalog (the Filipino language). He didn’t realize – or maybe he did realize and didn’t care – that the world is a small place and a statement made in the Philippines goes viral on the internet,” Arum added.

Source : Christian Post

Kirk Franklin Talks Kanye West’s Song, ‘Ultra Light Beams’

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Kirk Franklin Talks Kanye West’s Song, ‘Ultra Light Beams’

Kirk Franklin and Kanye West (Photo: Instagram/Kirk Franklin)

Christian Post Report – Kirk Franklin and Kanye West pose after SNL performance, New York City, February 13, 2016.

Kirk Franklin surprised people by appearing on rapper Kanye West’s recent album The Life Of Pablo, but the gospel music star is revealing his purpose for appearing on the project.

Franklin, the 46-year-old gospel music artist, songwriter and producer, is featured praying on West’s song “Ultra Light Beams.” In an interview with Hip Hollywood, Franklin revealed how he got involved in the project.

“He asked me to be apart of this one song and it’s very clear what I represent. No profanity, or something that is outside of my faith or what I preach,” Franklin said. “I’m just here to walk out life with people, and whoever. I’m not a pastor to the stars, I ain’t trying to be all that, My job is to just win people to God.”

Franklin appeared on “Saturday Night Live” to perform the song with West, singers Kelly Price and the Dream. For the gospel artist, West is not beyond God’s grace.

“As a Christian I’m trying to be what God wants me to be to whoever, and nobody is beyond receiving Him,” he said. “Nobody’s unforgivable, or unredeemable.”

The musicians were first pictured in a studio when an image on Instagram surfaced on Jan. 29. Since then, 38-year-old West spoke highly of Franklin, 46, in interviews.

While some have questioned why Franklin would be spending so much time with a rapper who frequently engages in public rants, named his sixth album “Yeezus” and uses profane lyrics in his music, Franklin explained his perspective on the matter.

“Before one song was released, I was crucified because my brother asked me to take a picture. Again ‘no Kanye, you’re not good enough,'” Franklin said on Instagram. “No. That is a dangerous message I believe we send to the world when our posture is they have to meet certain requirements before they are worthy to kiss the ring. It says people are not redeemable, forgivable or candidates for grace.”

Franklin’s 12th studio album is called Losing My Religion and he believes shunning West would be acting out of a religious nature.

“I will not turn my back on my brother. I will love him, prayerfully grow with him,” he wrote. “However long he’ll have me, and however long the race takes. To a lot of my Christian family, I’m sorry he’s not good enough, Christian enough, or running at your pace…and as I read some of your comments, neither am I.”

Source : Christian Post

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