Have you seen the Rebecca Black video called "Friday"? Over 122 million others have. It's a 13 year old singing about Friday. In the song she ponders about sitting in the front or back seat of a car, clarifies that Sunday comes after Saturday and is looking forward to partying. I have no idea how a 13 year old parties, but I imagine it includes a lot of video games and Twizzlers.
The song is not that good. The lyrics are cheesy. (Hmmm, I wonder if Chesus is hiding somewhere in them. If that doesn't make sense, read this.) The music is weak. Oh, did I forget to tell you, A THIRTEEN YEAR OLD SINGS IT!

Some people hate it. And somehow they've come to hate Rebecca. She has received a of of negative comments including hate mail. Some people hate her video so much they are demanding it be taken off the internet. Now the Anaheim police are investigating two death threats. You read that right. Two death threats sent to a thirteen year old who uploads a music video to YouTube. When asked about her criticism she said, "At first it sucked. I cried. It's just shocking to see all these random people just hating you when they don't even know you. But they've made me who I am today. I f they weren't there I wouldn't be here so I gotta  thank them." (Interview can be seen here on E! Online.)

Am I mad or is this 13 year old far more mature than the people who are criticizing her?

What are your thoughts?

And by the way, her song has led to endless parodies. My favorite staring Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert and Taylor Hicks.
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A Muslim man showed up at the White house to pray. According to an officer in the area, he shows up every couple of days. About a week ago, he showed up about the same time an anti-Sharia protest was beginning to disperse.  

As he prayed, straggling protesters used the name of Jesus to ridicule this man. They mocked him for drinking coffee. They threw tiny crosses on the ground at his feet so when he knelt to pray, they claimed he was kneeling before Christ. They shouted at him to go back to his country. They ridiculed him for his faith.

I’m curious, does shouting insults at someone encourage them to know Jesus Christ? Does that approach really work? Did these “Christians” truly expect this man to respond by denying his own faith and converting to Christianity because he was being ridiculed? Or were they just spewing hate?
Hmm, maybe the next time I think about inviting someone to church I’ll yell at them, mock them, tell them what they believe is ridiculous and get in their face and scream insults. I wonder if that would work better than saying, “My church is doing a sermon series on loving your neighbor, since I live next door, I thought you might want to come. By the way, we serve donuts. Interested?” 

When a teenager comes to me for advice and says, “I like a girl and I want to ask her to the dance, how should I go about it?” should my answer be, “Tell her she is worthless. Scream at her. Tell her the god she worships is the devil. Mock her for her beliefs. And then ask her what time she wants you to pick her up.”?

Jesus said, "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” – Luke 6:27

Gandhi said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. “

MadPastor says, “I want to love my enemies as Christ commanded. I want to be more like Jesus. I know I fall short of being Christ-like.  I’m pretty sure verbal bashing others isn’t a good place to start.”

How should we love our enemies? How should Christians, in the name of Jesus Christ, treat this Muslim man?
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