For centuries, the Romans controlled the Western world. Their many advantages included their military, their commerce, their administration, and their transportation systems. The Roman legion was feared by many. However, most people do not know that one of the greatest advantages of the Roman army was what is known as the marching camp.
An editorial in Friday's Wall Street Journal pondered the path of televangelism since its heyday in the 1980's. Beginning in 1987, a series of scandals broke the empires of the tube down. Jim Bakker was led away from his mansion in handcuffs. Jimmy Swaggart gave a public confess of his relationship with a prostitute. Oral Roberts locked himself up in his Tower of Prayer until somebody paid for the unneeded medical center that a 900-foot-tall Jesus had told him to build. He told his audiences that he would certainly die if no one came through with the money. Strangely enough, he once had to flee the tower because it was struck by lightening--a message from God if ever there was one.
Baylor University is listed on www.baptistschools.org as a Southern Baptist university. This school was the place of education for such preachers as Lester Roloff and J Frank Norris. These men in their day won multitudes to Christ and are still having an effect in various ways today. Both of these men also made a strong break from the university. So why would these men break with this Baptist university?
We are so gullible and Hollywood knows it. The home video division of Twentieth Century Fox said Tuesday it will acquire family friendly movies and market them under the FoxFaith banner. Is it because of a revival at Fox? Of course not. It is because Christians are gullible enough to buy every one of their movies. See if you recognize these titles, "The Passion of Christ" (which is based on the visions of a nun rather than scripture), "The Chronicles of Narnia", and "Woman, Thou art Loosed" (which has scenes of nakedness and dancing).
An article in the September 15, 2006, edition of "Forward" tells of the sweet challah bread that is on every Rosh Hashanah table throughout the Jewish world. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and it is equivalent to the Feast of the Trumpets in the Bible (Leviticus 23:23-25). Challah is a sweet bread especially made for the occasion to symbolize the desire for a sweet and good year. It is usually baked in a round or spiral shape. This roundness is used to symbolize the round crowns of the righteous and the cycle of the year. Since a circle has no end, it also indicates the desire for a long life.
