The Accidental Methodist Calling Out SBC Stats

So I’m reading this article by the Southern Baptist Convention, and it says that 88% of teens are leaving the church by age 18, never to return again. Well, here’s the actual quote:

In the course of researching family life in America, the Southern Baptist Council on Family Life uncovered such gut-wrenching statistics that they were driven to their knees. Among the facts they found: 88 percent of the children raised in evangelical homes leave church at the age of 18, never to return.

SBC, I’m calling your bluff. What research led you to those statistics?

I don’t believe it’s that high. My research in college said the percentage was somewhere in the 50’s, and Tom, didn’t you find it somewhere in the 40’s? I don’t believe it’s become 88% in 2 years, AND I don’t believe you can say something like “NEVER TO RETURN.” Here’s why:

Full Post

Posted in Spiritual | 1 Comment

Biodegradeable Gum

Unlike conventional chewing gum, which contains petrochemicals, the organic chewing gum does not stick to clothing or pavements. And once disposed of, it will crumble to dust in about six weeks, dissolving harmlessly in water or being absorbed into the soil.

Full Article

Posted in Interesting | Comments Off on Biodegradeable Gum

Bag of Randomness

butter_sticker

  • I rely too much on my FireFox automatic spellchecker.  Sometimes it works, and sometimes it just turns itself off without notice, so I don’t know if something is misspelled.  Technology, you have failed me, and you are on notice.
  • It was almost comical seeing how How I Met Your Mother was trying to hide the pregnancies of the two girls on that show.
  • I’m looking forward to watching I Get That A Lot on CBS come this Wednesday.
  • House was really good last night.  Most of it was filmed from the perspective of someone who could do nothing more than blink.
  • This article states that PETA actually kills animals and doesn’t operate one adoption shelter.
  • Newt Gingrich will become a Catholic this Easter  Link
  • I keep getting emails from U2 to buy advance tickets, but it’s for cities that I’m no where close to, and those emails also provide a list of other scheduled cities . . . Dallas isn’t on the list.  I knew I was right not to trust that Dallas Morning News ticket broker site.  I’m wondering if they will even be able to play in the new Cowboys stadium . . . I’m thinking their setup won’t fit under those giant HD screens.
  • As I predicted last week, as I bring up Obama related stuff, critical comments will follow.  Most appear to more passionate than constructive, but that’s how political talk goes most of the time.
  • My friend Jonathan can’t stand cats, so here’s a stupid cat video.
  • An interesting blog with a URL that says it all: PeopleWhoSitInTheDisabilitySeatsWhenIMStandingOnMyCrutches.com
  • If you are every just really bored and just want to chat with a random stranger, here you go.  I tried it out and started chatting with someone from the UK about the monarchy.
  • Or if that doesn’t help pass the time, how about watching Twitter tweets scroll by, with the option of selecting a few key words as the topic for the tweets.  Link
  • I hear there’s a lawyer in Wise county trying to help his clients get out of tickets by selling them the Anti-Ticket Donut.
  • I don’t like jelly.  Actually, I’ve never tried jelly, so when I make a peanut butter sandwich it’s just bread and peanut butter.  Sometimes the bread is toasted, but if it’s not, I enjoy squishing the bread.
  • Man, taking a nap is usually the worst thing I can ever do.  When I wake up, I usually feel out of it for several hours, and then my sleep pattern is messed up.  And for some reason, I’m always cold after waking up after a nap.
  • I heard someone suggest that the best way to protect the Texas – Mexico border was to put a lot of alligators in the Rio Grande.
  • I saw an Enzyte commercial the other day – I thought that company went out of business.  Man, those commercials made watching ESPN awkward family watching.  Did you know the creator of that company was also the man behind those Fat Head sports posters?
  • I wonder what makes a person a Texan?  Does one have to simply be born here, but what if he or she moves away?  If someone wasn’t born here but now lives here, when can he or she be considered a Texan?  The Jonas Brothers just moved here, are they Texans?  Eisenhower was born in Texas but didn’t spend much time here, is he considered a Texan? The 43rd president wasn’t born or educated here, but he became governor, so I guess that makes him a Texan.  George Michael has a place in Dallas, is he considered a Texan?  Can Jerry Jones now be considered a Texan after living in Dallas and owning the Cowboys for over 20 years?
  • Map of  legal drinking age around the world
  • Looking into the past
  • Grace
Posted in Personal | 8 Comments