The title of this post says it all, Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show: What About It? If it wasn't for the controversy it was stirring up, I don't know. The performance as a whole wasn't memorable, but the performers did a pretty good job. But it was crammed with all sorts of political brainwashing. To me, I react by saying, "What else is new?" If you haven't noticed yet, everything is political brainwashing anymore. Nonetheless, let's do a quick overview of the show one piece at a time.
The scenery.
It was very colorful. Very colorful. Clearly someone...Coldplay...wanted an LGBT themed Halftime Show. But the scenery, despite the vibrant colors, will go down as very not memorable.
Music
I thought that the music was overall pretty good, but if you are performing a Super Bowl Halftime show, you should be aiming higher than pretty good. I was not familiar with most of the music, so I was glad to hear them open with a good song that I happen to be familiar with.
As for Beyonce, I don't possess the cultural understanding to get all of the references in her music, but maybe she could have picked an entrance song a little less racially charged. Because even if you do not understand everything else she is singing about, certain words/lyrics definitely stuck out and did not leave me with the impression that I was welcome to view this Halftime Show.
Talent
A few years ago, Beyonce lit the stage up in one of the most spectacular Halftime Shows ever. This year I did not feel quite as impressed by her performance. She sang well and still has some moves (despite almost falling, but who cares), but to me she came across too militant and was overshadowed by everyone else on the stage.
Bruno Mars on the other hand, holy moly that guy is talented. I can't remember when his first appearance at the Super Bowl was, but I was impressed by that one as well. Maybe I don't watch enough music videos (or listen to enough mainstream music) but this guy's dance skills and voice are some of the best I have ever seen.
Politically
The opening and closing were very much in your face. They wanted you to know from the get go that this is a pro LGBT performance. They changed things up in the middle, but then they went all out with rainbow flags, banners, clothing, and a huge rainbow sign supported by the audience that said "believe in love" (What does that even mean? Like, believe that love exists? If that's all, I'm sold, but something tells me that was not the message) at the end. It's sad that rainbow decor is supposed to represent the LGBT community because even though it was not a memorable theme, it was still pretty to look at.
Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't there some sort of Supreme Court decision last year regarding gay marriage? That being said, what was the meaning of this in your face display of LGBT pride? I guess I'm so used to stuff being shoved in my face by the mainstream anymore that it neither surprised nor angered me. Okay, maybe it surprised me in that I felt that they are behind the times if they are still fighting for gay rights, but after the past 3 years its been like, "Oh, whaddaya know? Another gay pride display. I wonder what else is on. [Click].". How much further can it go? The only solution anymore is to just not watch, but every now and then they hit a home run (Black Eyed Peas were really good, Destiny's Child, U2, and Katy Perry to name a few of the performances I really enjoyed in years past).
Now, Beyonce. I had to do a little research on because I have heard that her performance was Black Panther themed. I know who the Black Panthers are but I wasn't sure exactly how she made that clear. Apparently it had a lot more to do with her attire and that of her supporting dancers. In bad taste? Let's just put it this way: I don't expect Super Bowl 51 to feature Taylor Swift with an entourage clad in white hoods...just saying. Beyonce removed any doubt of her statement by signaling with the Black Power salute. It was not as bad as I thought it would be granted what I heard about it, though.
My complaint is that we should be over this sort of childishness by now. Have we not had a black President in the White House for the past 7 years? Did we not have a Supreme Court decision that ruled it unconstitutional to not allow gay couples to get married? Weren't the 60's...back in the 60's?
You know what? I do believe in love. What I saw at the Super Bowl Halftime Show had nothing to do with love. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps not record of wrongs. What I saw on display, sure they had smiles on their faces, but what prompted them to take upon the themes that they did? Pride, anger, rudeness, and an inability to let go of the past. If they had the slightest bit of an idea of what love truly is, we wouldn't be trying to dissect what they were trying to get across. We would said something more like, "Wow, those guys are good."
I'm not angry about what happened. Like I said, I'm used to this sort of stuff now. In fact, the way they went about this was far more mild than what you would get in an awards show. It just so happens that it does not belong in a place where they truly are not the main attraction. The Halftime Show is supposed to give fans time to go to the bathroom and get something to eat or drink. And if they happen to remain seated instead of battling the rush of traffic, they should be rewarded with the levity provided by a first class performance with you in mind.
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Saturday, February 6, 2016
The Legend of St. Valentine
Claudius the Second was the ruler in Rome in the 3rd Century. This was before Christianity was recognized as a legal religion within the empire. Claudius II declared that all people would worship the 12 gods of his religion or be put to death.
A man by the name of Valentino was arrested by the Roman authorities for worshiping for not worshiping to Claudius' 12 gods. He was sentenced to death. But for a short period, he was thrown into a jail cell where he would await his ultimate fate.
His jailer had a family and a daughter named Julia. The jailer observed Valentino closely and saw that he was a well educated man. He made a deal with Valentino that he would educate his daughter until the day of his execution. Julia was blind and required such special attention. Valentino taught her history, math, and about nature. But most importantly, he taught her about Jesus.
Julia desperately wanted to see. She never dreamed that a day would come in which she would have sight. As she listened to the stories about Jesus, she asked Valentino if Jesus could give her sight. To this, Valentino replied, if it is in his will, then yes. They prayed together and at the moment that they had asked God to give her sight, her eyes opened up and she could see. They praised God for the miracle he performed.
On the eve of Valentino;s execution, he wrote a letter urging Julia to stay close to Jesus. At the end of his note, he signed it:
From Your Valentine.
He was executed February 14, 270 A.D. We now celebrate February 14 to display our affection, love, and to one another.
Not everyone knows the story of Saint Valentine or the origin of Valentine's day. Most people perceive it as a hokey day where lovers go on dates, exchange gifts, and express their committed love to one another. The story of Saint Valentine has a deeper message to it than that.
There was nothing romantic about Valentino's relationship to Claudia. She was a student, he was her teacher. Even more important to remember is that he was a prisoner being watched after by her father. Nonetheless, it is clear that they loved one another. Not in a Romeo and Juliet sort of way, but in a kindred sort of way. She loved him, because as a man marked for death, he invested the last days of his life educating her and leading her to God. He loved her because she was a precious creation of God Most High.
If only we could remember what love is in our society. The love between a man and a woman is something special. But this special bond known as agape (uh-gop-eh, the most holy form of love) is a form of love that can be shared between any two individuals and it has nothing to do with romance.
Have a happy, romantic, and blessed Valentine's Day.
A man by the name of Valentino was arrested by the Roman authorities for worshiping for not worshiping to Claudius' 12 gods. He was sentenced to death. But for a short period, he was thrown into a jail cell where he would await his ultimate fate.
His jailer had a family and a daughter named Julia. The jailer observed Valentino closely and saw that he was a well educated man. He made a deal with Valentino that he would educate his daughter until the day of his execution. Julia was blind and required such special attention. Valentino taught her history, math, and about nature. But most importantly, he taught her about Jesus.
Julia desperately wanted to see. She never dreamed that a day would come in which she would have sight. As she listened to the stories about Jesus, she asked Valentino if Jesus could give her sight. To this, Valentino replied, if it is in his will, then yes. They prayed together and at the moment that they had asked God to give her sight, her eyes opened up and she could see. They praised God for the miracle he performed.
On the eve of Valentino;s execution, he wrote a letter urging Julia to stay close to Jesus. At the end of his note, he signed it:
From Your Valentine.
He was executed February 14, 270 A.D. We now celebrate February 14 to display our affection, love, and to one another.
Not everyone knows the story of Saint Valentine or the origin of Valentine's day. Most people perceive it as a hokey day where lovers go on dates, exchange gifts, and express their committed love to one another. The story of Saint Valentine has a deeper message to it than that.
There was nothing romantic about Valentino's relationship to Claudia. She was a student, he was her teacher. Even more important to remember is that he was a prisoner being watched after by her father. Nonetheless, it is clear that they loved one another. Not in a Romeo and Juliet sort of way, but in a kindred sort of way. She loved him, because as a man marked for death, he invested the last days of his life educating her and leading her to God. He loved her because she was a precious creation of God Most High.
If only we could remember what love is in our society. The love between a man and a woman is something special. But this special bond known as agape (uh-gop-eh, the most holy form of love) is a form of love that can be shared between any two individuals and it has nothing to do with romance.
Have a happy, romantic, and blessed Valentine's Day.
Friday, February 5, 2016
The Campaign Continues
The Iowa Caucus has come and gone. Winners have been announced, Losers have voiced their frustrations. Of course, in most cases the losers were not big losers so long as they walked away with delegates. Iowa has painted a very clear landscape for this political season: the American people are tired of dealing with "The Establishment." I personally appreciated the results on many levels, but Iowa's results still require a lot of explaining.
On the Republican end, Ted Cruz pulled an upset over Donald Trump (the candidate predicted to win). This should not have been as surprising as it was in Iowa. But let's start with the obvious. An establishment candidate did not come anywhere close to winning Iowa. Sure, you might say that Marco Rubio was only 1 point behind Trump, finishing a close third, but is Rubio truly establishment? It's speculative, but I would say that there is much about him that separates him from your typical mainstream career Republican. Regardless, under Rubio was Dr. Ben Carson. In no way can it be argued that the retired Neurosurgeon is part of the Republican Establishment. If you accept my premise, the top 4 candidates were non-establishment and all of the rest couldn't break 5% in Iowa.
On the Democrat end, Hillary nipped Bernie Sanders. Some might say that this was a serious blow to the Sanders campaign, but I beg to differ. Here's a guy who was trailing by somewhere around 30 points in December. December! That was barely a month ago! Combine that with lots of the strange unexpected twists that ultimately resulted in a Hillary victory and one ought to conclude that coming as close as he did to defeating Hillary was not half bad. Did I mention that Bernie is not what you would call your conventional Democrat? The common link is that people are fed up with Establishment politicians. What do both sides of the aisle expect from their elected officials?
The outcry of voters is very easy to understand, we want politicians who will follow through with their promises.
In 2008 one of the biggest promises Obama failed to deliver on was affordable health care. Remember, your premiums, according to Obama, were supposed to drop $2500. With few exceptions that vast majority of Americans are paying about that much more for less coverage than they had through their previous "substandard" plans." What's more, lots of voters expected single payer healthcare. Now, I don;t specifically recall if that was promised, but it was well understood that Obama wanted to push healthcare into a single payer system where the government pays the bill. Obama has left his base in want with his inability to deliver a true single payer system.
In 2010 and 2014, Republican voters made their voices deafeningly loud, "REPEAL OBAMACARE!" In 2010 Congressional candidates promised that they would go to Washington and repeal Obamacare. They demolished their Democratic rivals in the midterm elections, but their confidence change once they took the majority in the House. Their confident boast that they would repeal Obamacare became, "We can't repeal Obamacare. We need the Senate." It was a lame excuse, but whatever. In 2014, Republicans took back the Senate and the New Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell, immediately made a statement to the American people that, "Today, the American people have made it clear that they want Washington to work." Um, yes, Washington working would be a good thing...working for the people who elected those who occupy various offices, that is. Then he went on to say that Republicans would go to work, crossing the aisle and working with the Democrats. Why on earth, after two years of being subject to a Democrat Super Majority, would the election of a Republican House and a Republican Senate indicate that the American people wanted Republicans to get along with Democrats? Sounds to me like they wanted to defeat the Democrats. Republicans went to Washington and vowed not to stop a single thing Obama wanted to do. Under such circumstances, the Democrats have accomplished more than what they did in their Super Majority years through a Majority Republican Congress! Something smells fishy. Enter: our presidential hopefuls.
The Outsiders of the Republicans and Democrat Bernie Sanders share one thing in common: They are going to tell you exactly what they are going to do once elected. How do we know this?
Starting with Republican front-runner, Donald Trump. Question his motifs all you want, but we all know it would be much more profitable for him to stay in the business world. Immediately after entering the campaign friends and associates abandoned him left and right due to his stance on illegal immigration. If you've listened to any of the things Trump has said, it would not make sense for him to lie. The guy admitted to essentially paying off politicians in his first national debate! I don't say that to defame him; I say that because lying about that would only hurt him. I believe he truly desires a strong America.
Ted Cruz. To me he is the easiest candidate to authenticate. He's only been in the Senate since 2013 (elected in 2012) and has done things their that have made him very unpopular among Establishment Republicans. He fought Obamacare, he fought granting illegals amnesty, he fought the planned parenthood scandal. He was blamed for shutting down the government by not voting to raise the debt ceiling. All of the other Republicans buckled, but he stood his ground and kept his word to those who elected him.
Rubio is the sketchiest of the four top Republicans, but I believe that overall he is solid. He was a Tea Party candidate back in 2012 who vowed to end the corruption in Washington politics upon his election. Unfortunately he was snagged up early to write the infamous "Gang of Eight Bill" that would forever be an albatross around his neck (a bill that sought to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants already in America). But when you hear this guy speak, he sounds nothing short of a pure conservative, I'm going to grant him amnesty as, if not an Outsider, a conservative.
Dr. Ben Carson made his entrance into the political arena by rebuking President Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast. He made headway for his alternative healthcare proposal and was hailed or his boldness in confronting the most powerful man in the world. Even next to giants like Trump, Carson is the most accomplished man in this entire race. I would say more, but where do I start.
Then there's Bernie. He appeals to my generation that has been loaded up with student debt and then released into a dismal job market. When I say dismal, there really are lots of jobs out there, which are ripe for the picking. The problem is, I didn't spend 7 years in school at my expense to earn less than $30,000 a year. It is a generation that truly is over-educated and underemployed. As a result, an entire generation has been saddled with debt that they will be paying off the rest of their lives through jobs that require far less training than what they paid for. Like it or not, Bernie wants to stick it to the rich and compensate the low earners of America. He calls himself a socialist. True, most Democrats are definite socialists, but they try to hide it which often results in unfulfilled promises. In the past, nobody wanted to be labeled a socialist, not even Obama in the 2012 election. That is why Establishment Democrats fear him. He wants to follow through with his promises, which might really tick off the big money donors of the Democrat party.
This is just a snapshot of what is happening in this year's election. There is still a long ways to go before the picture becomes as clear as possible. But as long as things continue to proceed as they are, one thing is for sure. This is not going to be a good year for the Establishment on either side of the aisle.
On the Republican end, Ted Cruz pulled an upset over Donald Trump (the candidate predicted to win). This should not have been as surprising as it was in Iowa. But let's start with the obvious. An establishment candidate did not come anywhere close to winning Iowa. Sure, you might say that Marco Rubio was only 1 point behind Trump, finishing a close third, but is Rubio truly establishment? It's speculative, but I would say that there is much about him that separates him from your typical mainstream career Republican. Regardless, under Rubio was Dr. Ben Carson. In no way can it be argued that the retired Neurosurgeon is part of the Republican Establishment. If you accept my premise, the top 4 candidates were non-establishment and all of the rest couldn't break 5% in Iowa.
On the Democrat end, Hillary nipped Bernie Sanders. Some might say that this was a serious blow to the Sanders campaign, but I beg to differ. Here's a guy who was trailing by somewhere around 30 points in December. December! That was barely a month ago! Combine that with lots of the strange unexpected twists that ultimately resulted in a Hillary victory and one ought to conclude that coming as close as he did to defeating Hillary was not half bad. Did I mention that Bernie is not what you would call your conventional Democrat? The common link is that people are fed up with Establishment politicians. What do both sides of the aisle expect from their elected officials?
The outcry of voters is very easy to understand, we want politicians who will follow through with their promises.
In 2008 one of the biggest promises Obama failed to deliver on was affordable health care. Remember, your premiums, according to Obama, were supposed to drop $2500. With few exceptions that vast majority of Americans are paying about that much more for less coverage than they had through their previous "substandard" plans." What's more, lots of voters expected single payer healthcare. Now, I don;t specifically recall if that was promised, but it was well understood that Obama wanted to push healthcare into a single payer system where the government pays the bill. Obama has left his base in want with his inability to deliver a true single payer system.
In 2010 and 2014, Republican voters made their voices deafeningly loud, "REPEAL OBAMACARE!" In 2010 Congressional candidates promised that they would go to Washington and repeal Obamacare. They demolished their Democratic rivals in the midterm elections, but their confidence change once they took the majority in the House. Their confident boast that they would repeal Obamacare became, "We can't repeal Obamacare. We need the Senate." It was a lame excuse, but whatever. In 2014, Republicans took back the Senate and the New Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell, immediately made a statement to the American people that, "Today, the American people have made it clear that they want Washington to work." Um, yes, Washington working would be a good thing...working for the people who elected those who occupy various offices, that is. Then he went on to say that Republicans would go to work, crossing the aisle and working with the Democrats. Why on earth, after two years of being subject to a Democrat Super Majority, would the election of a Republican House and a Republican Senate indicate that the American people wanted Republicans to get along with Democrats? Sounds to me like they wanted to defeat the Democrats. Republicans went to Washington and vowed not to stop a single thing Obama wanted to do. Under such circumstances, the Democrats have accomplished more than what they did in their Super Majority years through a Majority Republican Congress! Something smells fishy. Enter: our presidential hopefuls.
The Outsiders of the Republicans and Democrat Bernie Sanders share one thing in common: They are going to tell you exactly what they are going to do once elected. How do we know this?
Starting with Republican front-runner, Donald Trump. Question his motifs all you want, but we all know it would be much more profitable for him to stay in the business world. Immediately after entering the campaign friends and associates abandoned him left and right due to his stance on illegal immigration. If you've listened to any of the things Trump has said, it would not make sense for him to lie. The guy admitted to essentially paying off politicians in his first national debate! I don't say that to defame him; I say that because lying about that would only hurt him. I believe he truly desires a strong America.
Ted Cruz. To me he is the easiest candidate to authenticate. He's only been in the Senate since 2013 (elected in 2012) and has done things their that have made him very unpopular among Establishment Republicans. He fought Obamacare, he fought granting illegals amnesty, he fought the planned parenthood scandal. He was blamed for shutting down the government by not voting to raise the debt ceiling. All of the other Republicans buckled, but he stood his ground and kept his word to those who elected him.
Rubio is the sketchiest of the four top Republicans, but I believe that overall he is solid. He was a Tea Party candidate back in 2012 who vowed to end the corruption in Washington politics upon his election. Unfortunately he was snagged up early to write the infamous "Gang of Eight Bill" that would forever be an albatross around his neck (a bill that sought to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants already in America). But when you hear this guy speak, he sounds nothing short of a pure conservative, I'm going to grant him amnesty as, if not an Outsider, a conservative.
Dr. Ben Carson made his entrance into the political arena by rebuking President Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast. He made headway for his alternative healthcare proposal and was hailed or his boldness in confronting the most powerful man in the world. Even next to giants like Trump, Carson is the most accomplished man in this entire race. I would say more, but where do I start.
Then there's Bernie. He appeals to my generation that has been loaded up with student debt and then released into a dismal job market. When I say dismal, there really are lots of jobs out there, which are ripe for the picking. The problem is, I didn't spend 7 years in school at my expense to earn less than $30,000 a year. It is a generation that truly is over-educated and underemployed. As a result, an entire generation has been saddled with debt that they will be paying off the rest of their lives through jobs that require far less training than what they paid for. Like it or not, Bernie wants to stick it to the rich and compensate the low earners of America. He calls himself a socialist. True, most Democrats are definite socialists, but they try to hide it which often results in unfulfilled promises. In the past, nobody wanted to be labeled a socialist, not even Obama in the 2012 election. That is why Establishment Democrats fear him. He wants to follow through with his promises, which might really tick off the big money donors of the Democrat party.
This is just a snapshot of what is happening in this year's election. There is still a long ways to go before the picture becomes as clear as possible. But as long as things continue to proceed as they are, one thing is for sure. This is not going to be a good year for the Establishment on either side of the aisle.
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Welcome to Williamhseng.com!
Greetings to one and to all! My name is William (Bill) H Seng and I am creating this web page to both inform people about the most relevant topics of our day and to make viewers aware of the books I have authored.
As you have probably already noticed on my web page, I label myself as a Christian Author. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior when I was 8 years old. It was not until middle school that my faith was challenged in any significant way, but it was not until college that I started to grow in leaps and bounds in my faith. It was during college that I started to understand the connection between our personal beliefs and how we react to circumstances. I became very interested in learning about how a person's ideology impacts every aspect of life.
I graduated from Winebrenner Theological Seminary in 2011 with a Master's of Divinity (M.Div). Since then, I have preached at a multitude of churches and I am currently working on releasing my 3rd (technically my 7th) book. I like to write about matters of science, theology, politics, and even a little bit of fiction. My works include The World That Then Was, 10 Irrefutable Proofs of Creation, and, my upcoming book, Predestined for Eternity. Aside from these books, I have 3 smaller books taken from The World That Then Was: The Fall of Satan and the Redemption of Man; Mountains, Boxes, Canyons, and Gaps; and The Creation Week. I also have a book that is exclusive to Kindle: Spirit and Truth. Aside from Predestined for Eternity, I am currently working on two other books and am brainstorming for at least two more. One of these "in the works" books, is what I consider a super-secret project that I think will rock your socks off once its ready...so be ready for it!
At the top of this page you will notice 4 topics: Video Blogs, Religion in Everyday Life, What's Happening in the World, and Marriage and Relationships. These will be common topics that I discuss on this blog. I believe that as a Christian thinker it is my responsibility to inform people regarding these topics. This should eventually develop into a very fun and informative site.
I would also like to point you in the direction of one of the ministry teams I am involved with: The Worldview Warriors. The co-founder of this organization is Jason DeZurik and I am one of his bloggers/speakers. I HIGHLY encourage you to check out www.worldviewwarriors.org to check out this ministry as you will read daily blogs from some really awesome people, as well as myself (my blogs are currently posted on Tuesdays). I am grateful for all of the work Jason has done in assembling this team, conducting ministry, and promoting our works. It really is something special.
This is williamhseng.com. I am humbled that you would take the time to browse its contents. Your support is what makes the contents of this page possible. I look forward to future discussions and friendships that will form as a result of this page. Thank you and be richly blessed!
Bill Seng
As you have probably already noticed on my web page, I label myself as a Christian Author. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior when I was 8 years old. It was not until middle school that my faith was challenged in any significant way, but it was not until college that I started to grow in leaps and bounds in my faith. It was during college that I started to understand the connection between our personal beliefs and how we react to circumstances. I became very interested in learning about how a person's ideology impacts every aspect of life.
I graduated from Winebrenner Theological Seminary in 2011 with a Master's of Divinity (M.Div). Since then, I have preached at a multitude of churches and I am currently working on releasing my 3rd (technically my 7th) book. I like to write about matters of science, theology, politics, and even a little bit of fiction. My works include The World That Then Was, 10 Irrefutable Proofs of Creation, and, my upcoming book, Predestined for Eternity. Aside from these books, I have 3 smaller books taken from The World That Then Was: The Fall of Satan and the Redemption of Man; Mountains, Boxes, Canyons, and Gaps; and The Creation Week. I also have a book that is exclusive to Kindle: Spirit and Truth. Aside from Predestined for Eternity, I am currently working on two other books and am brainstorming for at least two more. One of these "in the works" books, is what I consider a super-secret project that I think will rock your socks off once its ready...so be ready for it!
At the top of this page you will notice 4 topics: Video Blogs, Religion in Everyday Life, What's Happening in the World, and Marriage and Relationships. These will be common topics that I discuss on this blog. I believe that as a Christian thinker it is my responsibility to inform people regarding these topics. This should eventually develop into a very fun and informative site.
I would also like to point you in the direction of one of the ministry teams I am involved with: The Worldview Warriors. The co-founder of this organization is Jason DeZurik and I am one of his bloggers/speakers. I HIGHLY encourage you to check out www.worldviewwarriors.org to check out this ministry as you will read daily blogs from some really awesome people, as well as myself (my blogs are currently posted on Tuesdays). I am grateful for all of the work Jason has done in assembling this team, conducting ministry, and promoting our works. It really is something special.
This is williamhseng.com. I am humbled that you would take the time to browse its contents. Your support is what makes the contents of this page possible. I look forward to future discussions and friendships that will form as a result of this page. Thank you and be richly blessed!
Bill Seng
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