I saw something in the news that was disturbing to me

Not that that's anything new...but I thought I'd post about it. I haven't seen it online and only caught part of the story. I can't remember what city it was in but I believe it was California. It was about firemen and 113 of them had taken the test to become a captain and only one man passed the test. Not only did he pass it, he aced it. But, he was passed over and not given the promotion. Why? Because he's white. Yep. They gave the promotion to a guy that didn't deserve it simply because he was black and they "needed" a black guy to be "fair". They showed the force there and it certainly seemed to be a very mixed group without a real majority of any one race, but the whites and hispanics are now suing because they get passed over for blacks and it's not fair. Of course they showed the blacks too and how upset that are because they said if they lose this case it would be just disastrous for their race as a whole.

It just made me want to scream

!!! I mean what in the world does race have to do with it???? And why should race have anything at all to do with it???? A test was given. The promotion should go to the person or persons that passed the test period. I could care less what color their eyes are or their hair is or their skin is! If more then one passes, it should obviously go to the one with the highest score. If there's a tie, and for some reason both can't be given the promotion then other things can be considered such as time on the force, experience, etc, but NOT race!!!

To me this is just an example of how stupid we've become as a nation. It's one of the reasons I've always stayed away from politics in the past. It all just seemed so incredibly stupid to me. Like supposedly intelligent people get elected and then have a celebration and take a handful of stupid pills or something. I'm serious!

Race shouldn't be an issue for any job or any application anywhere for anything. If someone can't pass the test, poor baby, go study harder and stop whining about what a rotten break you've gotten. You got a rotten break because you were so busy whining you didn't study!

I'm just sick to death of hearing people whine that because they're black or hispanic or white or green or red or whatever, that they got treated badly and didn't get what they deserved etc. No wonder the country is in such a mess! We have people that can't even pass the exams to get the positions they hold, running corporations, businesses, fire departments, police departments, schools, stores, hospitals, treating people and calling themselves doctors even though they couldn't get into med school on their grades and were passed because of their race or nationality and for no other reason; so people die for that!

can you tell this upsets me just a little?

Can a Goth be a Christian?

I’ve met some Goth’s who say they are saved and yet still dress, talk, and act very much like a Goth. This seemed strange to me until I realized that most Christians today still act the same way they did before they were saved.  Of course that doesn’t make it right, but it does make it very confusing for others who are newly saved. 

Christ call us all to be apart from the world, not a part of it, and that includes everything about us.  If a person is a Christian, a true follower of Christ, they are required to leave behind their old life, and to become a new person, set apart by God and for God. That means that those of us who used to dress in sexually suggestive clothing, stopped doing that, and began dressing modestly as befitted a follower of Christ. That means that those of us who got into music that was about drugs, sex, violence etc., stopped listening to it and instead listened to music that was uplifting and had the elements in it that the Lord told us to look for in the things we put into our minds: Phil 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.

The same is true of the "Goth" experience. When you become a true follower of Christ, you are no longer "Goth", instead you belong to God, you become a Christian and are called by His Name.  Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

So as far as being "Goth" goes, there is no such thing if you are indeed a true disciple of Christ. You must give up your life, pick up your cross, and follow Him. As we’re told in Ephesians, we are to put off our old way of life and put on our new self which is created to be like God.  Goth’s who want to be saved, need to do what Jesus told us all to do first: “Count the cost”. (Luke 14)  they need to decide if it’s worth it to them to really give up their old ways and live according to God’s Word, just as every person that comes to Christ needs to decide.  Sadly, we don’t hear a lot about “counting the cost” in churches today.  All we hear is about the free gift of salvation.  Well, the gift is free, but our response to it is going to cost us since we have to give up our old ways, and give up being the masters of our own lives and give Jesus the reigns. We no longer run our lives according to our wills, but instead according to God’s Will.

Lastly, we’re told that when we are saved we become part of a “new man”, a part of the body of Christ. We’re also told that our job is to be an ambassador of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) to the world. We represent God and His Kingdom to the world.  Therefore we’re to dress, speak and act like citizens of Heaven, not citizens of this world.  So you shouldn’t try to dress, speak or act like me, or your pastor, or anyone else you know.  Instead, you should study God’s Word and find out what He says we’re to dress, speak and act like. For that’s the only way we have to know for sure how citizens of Heaven are to do things. In the “Pursuit of God” Tozer says:

"Millions call themselves by His name, it is true, and pay some token respect to Him, but a simple test will show how little He is really honored among them. Let the average man be put to the proof on the question of who or what is above, and his true position will be exposed. Let him be forced into making a choice between God and money, God and men, between God and personal ambition, God and self, God and human love, and God will take second place every time. Those other things will be exalted above. However the man may protest, the proof is in the choices he makes day after day throughout his life."

To that we can add, “let them choose between Goth or Christ, or Goth and popular music, etc” and God will take second place every time.”  Sad, but true.  All we have to do is look around and we can see the truth in it.  Not many have truly given up their lives for Christ, even though they say they have. I would certainly not want to be one of the ones who hear Jesus say, "I don’t know you” as He does in Matthew 25:12.

To help you get started, the following verses are a few that tell us how we’re to live when we’ve been saved.

Ephesians 4:22–24 —You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; *to be made new in the attitude of your minds; *and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

James 4:4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

Romans 12:2 —Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Leviticus 20:26 `And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.

Psalm 4:3 Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord will hear when I call to him.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

1 Peter 3:15-16 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

John 15:19 "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Romans 13:14 —Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Ephesians 5:1–2 —Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children *and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

1 Corinthians 12:27 —Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.