Category Archives: Current Events

Landon Donovan ready to play Tues at Gold Cup

June 5, 2011 – 10:09 pm

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — A day after being routed by the World Cup champions, Clint Dempseyand the Americans were eager for another challenge.

They won’t have to wait long.

The United States plays its Gold Cup opener Tuesday night against Canada, meaning the Americans will have an immediate chance to move on from Saturday’s 4-0 loss to Spain in an exhibition game. The U.S. looked overmatched from the start against the smooth-passing Spaniards, who won the World Cup last year and the European title two years before that.

“It’s a little kick up the backside,” Dempsey said. “Even though it was a friendly, you never want to lose a game, especially by four goals. Everybody’s going to be fired up for this first game and making sure we take care of business.”

The Gold Cup is the premier event for CONCACAF, the federation representing North and Central America and the Caribbean. The tournament champion earns a spot in the Confederations Cup, an important World Cup tuneup.

The U.S. opens against Canada at Detroit’s Ford Field, and the Americans are expected to have Landon Donovan back for that game. Donovan was on the practice field Sunday after missing the loss to Spain with an undisclosed illness.

“I’m feeling better,” Donovan said. “I haven’t properly trained in a few days, so today was a little more difficult than a normal training session. I was breathing pretty hard, but I feel good, and I would expect I’ll be fine by Tuesday.”

Neither the Americans nor the Spaniards were at full strength when they played Saturday in Foxborough, Mass. Dempsey, for example, entered only as a second-half substitute for coach Bob Bradley.

“It was a game for Bob to look at a number of different players,” Dempsey said. “I don’t think at one time we had our strongest 11 on the field.”

Still, the loss was a resounding one. It was the first time the U.S. had allowed three or more goals in the first half since a 4-1 loss to Denmark at the Rose Bowl in 1997.

It could have been even worse, but Spain had an early goal disallowed for offside, then hit the crossbar moments later.

“They have that potential against any team in the world, so it’s difficult to limit their chances,” Donovan said. “We certainly learned from it. We’ll watch tape a little bit and learn from it, but the reality is, that’s done now. We’ve got to get what we can out of the learning experience, but I promise you Canada doesn’t care what happened against Spain.”

The U.S. last won the Gold Cup in 2007, earning a spot in the 2009 Confederations Cup, where the Americans stunned Spain before nearly upsetting Brazil in the final.

In the 2009 Gold Cup, with far less at stake, the U.S. fielded an inexperienced team and lost 5-0 to Mexico in the final.

The U.S. has never lost a group stage game in Gold Cup play. After taking on Canada, the Americans head to Tampa, Fla., to face Panama on Saturday night, then play Guadeloupe on June 14. The top two teams in the group automatically advance to the quarterfinals.

“What we always do is try to take a little bit from the last game, but then quickly turn our attention to what comes next,” Bradley said. “In this case, we’ve all been looking forward to getting started in the Gold Cup.”
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press


By Everette Hatcher III | Comments (0)

Mexico and U.S. favored to take Gold Cup

June 5, 2011 – 9:54 pm

In My Opinion

Mexico, U.S. favored to win Gold Cup

OFF THE POST

Who’s leading

MLS: East — Philadelphia (20), New York (18), D.C. United (16), Houston (15). West — L.A. Galaxy (30), Dallas (22), Seattle (20).

NASL: Carolina (22), Edmonton (16), Minnesota (14), Puerto Rico (11), Tampa Bay (10).

Argentina: Velez Sarsfield (30), Lanus (29), Godoy (28), Olimpo (26).

Brazil: Palmeiras (7), Atletico-MG, Vasco da Gama, Sao Paulo, Corinthians and Fluminense (6).

On the tube

Sunday: Poland vs. Argentina friendly (11 a.m., ESPN2), Colombia vs. Italy friendly (12:30 p.m., GOL-TV), Real Madrid All-Stars vs. Bayern Munich All-Stars (1 p.m., Fox Soccer Channel), U.S. women vs. Mexico (2 p.m., ESPN2), Flamengo vs. Corinthians (3 p.m., GOL-TV), Boston Breakers vs. MagicJack women’s league (6 p.m., FSC), Cuba vs. Costa Rica Gold Cup (6 p.m., Univision), Mexico vs. El Salvador (8 p.m., Univision)

 

BY MICHELLE KAUFMAN

MKAUFMAN@MIAMIHERALD.COM

The European leagues have closed shop for the summer, and Barcelona’s much-hyped Champions League title over Manchester United is history. It’s time to turn attention to our home soil for the 2011 Gold Cup — a 12-team biennial regional tournament that opens Sunday in Dallas and makes a stop in Miami on Friday night.

As usual, Mexico and the United States are favored to make the final June 25 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., with defending champion Mexico getting a slight edge.

The Mexican team routed the United States 5-0 in the 2009 final and features Manchester United rookie phenom Javier “ El Chicharito” (the small pea) Hernandez, Tottenham’s Giovani dos Santos and captain Rafa Marquez, a veteran central defender who played for Barcelona and now is with the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer.

Marquez and U.S. star Landon Donovan are among 32 MLS players on Gold Cup rosters, which raises the question: Why doesn’t MLS take a timeout for Gold Cup? But then, this is the same league that plays through the World Cup. Silly decisions, in my opinion, but I digress.

Mexico has won five Gold Cup titles, the United States has won four, and the border rivals have met four times in the final. The winner represents the CONCACAF region at the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil, site of the 2014 World Cup. Four years ago, the United States won the Gold Cup and earned a spot in the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa. The Americans earned international respect there, shocking eventual World Cup champion Spain in the semifinals, and leading Brazil in the first half of the final.

EVALUATION TIME

The Gold Cup serves as a springboard to the next World Cup cycle. It is a chance for coaches to evaluate young talent and begin weeding out aging players.

“We certainly look at this Gold Cup as being such an important tournament for the United States and something that we really put a lot of time and effort into,” U.S. coach Bob Bradley said.

Bradley’s Gold Cup roster has many holdovers from the World Cup last summer, including Donovan, Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu, Jozy Altidore of Boca Raton and Maurice Edu. He also will be looking at 18-year-old Juan Agudelo of the Red Bulls, a Colombian-born forward who scored two goals in his first four matches with the national team, including one against Argentina.

Other players to watch include much-hyped former teen phenom Freddy Adu, midfielder Alejandro Bedoya, who grew up in South Florida, and defenders Tim Ream and Eric Lichaj.

The Americans are in Group C with Canada, Panama and Guadeloupe. Their first match is Tuesday against Canada in Detroit. Mexico opens Sunday against El Salvador at Cowboys Stadium, and Cuba plays Costa Rica in the first half of the opening-day doubleheader. A crowd of nearly 100,000 is expected. Mexico gets huge crowds wherever it plays in the United States. A five-game pre-Gold Cup exhibition tour drew crowds averaging 51,000.

Group B — the group that plays Friday night at Florida International University — features Honduras, Jamaica, Grenada and Guatemala. Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz play Guatemala at 7 p.m., followed by Honduras vs. Grenada.

“I won’t go so far as to say that we are favorites,” Mexico coach Jose Manuel de La Torre said. “We are aspiring to be champions, but there are teams in this tournament that could surprise us.”

Costa Rica could make life difficult for Mexico. The Ticos are led by veteran coach Ricardo La Volpe and Bryan Ruiz, a creative playmaker based in the Dutch league. Honduras, which won the title in 1991, played in the 2010 World Cup and relies on the England-based trio Wilson Palacios, Maymor Figueroa and Hendry Thomas.

NOTABLE ABSENCES

Jamaica will be missing Tyrone Marshall and Omar Cummings, who decided to stay with the Colorado Rapids, but Reggae Boyz fans still have reason for optimism. L.A. Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts is minding the net, Theodore Whitmore is in the midfield and young speedster Dane Richards of the Red Bulls could make a name for himself.

Canada could make a run with a talented roster that includes Dwayne DeRosario and fleet-footed forward Simeon Jackson, a key reason Norwich City was promoted to the English Premier League for the 2011-12 season.

Guatemala, Guadeloupe, Cuba and Grenada are considered the lightweights — with an 8-31-9 combined Gold Cup record. Grenada will be without Shalrie Joseph, who chose to stay with the New England Revolution. Guatemala could be a surprise, with Carlos “ El Pescadito’’ Ruiz and Marco Pappa on the roster. And Cuba, led by Roberto Linares, played well at the recent Caribbean Cup, losing just once.

Fox Soccer Channel will be broadcasting all U.S. matches, the quarterfinals, semifinals and final. The U.S. team plays Canada at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Panama at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Guadeloupe at 8:30 p.m. on June 14.

Univision is televising the Mexico matches, beginning with the 8 p.m. Sunday opener, the Cuba vs. Costa Rica match Sunday (6 p.m.) and also the quarterfinals, semifinals and final.

Tickets for the matches at FIU are $20 to $60 and available at goldcup.org.

By Everette Hatcher III | Comments (0)

“I’m Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Vote for me and I promise to solve the Medicare and Social Security crisis!”

June 5, 2011 – 4:11 pm

“I’m Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Vote for me and I promise to solve the Medicare and Social Security crisis!” I am sure that Dr. Jack Kevorkian never used that slogan in his race for Congress.

Wikipedia reported:

On March 12, 2008, Kevorkian announced plans to run for United States Congress to represent Michigan’s 9th congressional district against eight-term congressman Joe Knollenberg (R–Bloomfield Hills), Central Michigan University Professor Gary Peters (D–Bloomfield Township), Adam Goodman (L–Royal Oak) and Douglas Campbell. (G–Ferndale). Kevorkian ran as an independent and received 8,987 votes (2.6% of the vote).[44]

Chuck Colson wrote:

Art to Die For

The Kevorkian Exhibit

By Chuck Colson|Published Date: July 17, 1997

Well-heeled art patrons wandered through Detroit’s Ariana art gallery, sipping wine and nibbling strawberries. But the exhibit was enough to make most lose their appetites.

One painting, titled Coma, showed a bedridden man being dragged through the jaws of a gigantic skull. In another painting, titled Genocide, soldiers hold a bleeding, severed head by the hair. A third painting depicts Santa Claus stomping the life out of the Baby Jesus.

What is this, the latest outrage funded by the National Endowment for the Arts? No, it’s an exhibit of paintings by Jack Kevorkian. And you couldn’t have asked for a better illustration of the real Dr. Death.

Many Americans have been drawn in by sympathetic media accounts, and view Kevorkian’s suicide machine as a rational and compassionate solution for the sick and suffering. Or they view him as at worst a harmless crank. But in a recent article in the New Republic, Michael Betzold says reporters have kept Kevorkian’s background and true agenda firmly under wraps.

IN ONE PAINTING, SOLDIERS HOLD A BLEEDING, SEVERED HEAD BY THE HAIR.

For example, Kevorkian was given the nickname “Dr. Death” decades ago—not because he favored assisted suicide, but because he enjoyed photographing patients’ eyes as they lay dying. Kevorkian also campaigned for the legalization of medical experiments on prison inmates. As a young pathologist, he conducted bizarre experiments, such as transfusing blood from corpses into live volunteers.

But the most chilling of Kevorkian’s private compulsions is his conviction that doctors alone should make life-and-death decisions.

During his murder trials, Kevorkian frequently reassures the public that “the patient always has… absolute autonomy;” that doctors are ethically bound to honor the patient’s decision. But listen to what he said during a 1993 interview. When asked who should determine when someone’s life is no longer worth living, Kevorkian snapped, “That’s up to physicians, and nobody can gainsay what doctors say.”

In other words, if Kevorkian says it’s time for you to check out, don’t even think of arguing.

Even worse, Kevorkian once testified that his goal was to implement “a rational policy of planned death for the entire civilized world.” A chilling scenario.

Americans have been taken in by Kevorkian’s rhetoric of autonomy—the idea that the patient should decide if he wants to live or die. But this is a classic diversionary tactic. Ever since the great founder of medicine, Hippocrates, doctors have been morally committed to preserving life. The current talk of autonomy is nothing but a ploy to get rid of the traditional ethic in favor of a deadly new one.

As bioethicist Nigel Cameron puts it, “Autonomy is a smokescreen for the introduction of a new substantive ethic… [for] sinister new values.”

Kevorkian exemplifies this ethical sleight of hand. He’s been so dressed up by the media and by his own slick language that we don’t realize what’s really behind his actions.

In fact, maybe we ought to be grateful for Kevorkian’s grotesque artwork, because it’s helping to expose the real Jack Kevorkian. As one art lover put it: “I used to respect what [Dr. Kevorkian] did. These paintings changed my mind. He’s a sick person.” She added: “How do I know he doesn’t do what he does because he enjoys killing people?”

In light of what we now know about Kevorkian’s history, that’s an excellent question.
By Everette Hatcher III | Also posted in Prolife | Comments (0)

Solomon, Woody Allen, Coldplay and Kansas (Coldplay’s spiritual search Part 6)

June 5, 2011 – 10:02 am

Ecclesiastes 1

Published on Sep 4, 2012

Calvary Chapel Spring Valley | Sunday Evening | September 2, 2012 | Pastor Derek Neider

_____________________

Ecclesiastes 2-3

Published on Sep 19, 2012

Calvary Chapel Spring Valley | Sunday Evening | September 16, 2012 | Derek Neider

_____________________________

Here is an article I wrote a couple of years ago:

Solomon, Woody Allen, Coldplay and Kansas

What does King Solomon, the movie director Woody Allen and the modern rock bands Coldplay and Kansas have in common? All four took on the issues surrounding death, the meaning of life and a possible afterlife, although they all came up with their own conclusions on these weighty matters.

Let me start off by pointing out what they all had in common. First, they were very successful and rose to the top of their fields. Second, they were very famous and of course, thirdly they were wealthy and experienced the privileges that fame and wealth brought. Finally, they were still seeking answers to life’s great questions even though it seemed they had experienced all the world had to offer.

Unlike many the past grammy winners of “Best Rock Album,” Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends by Coldplay is filled with songs that deal with spiritual themes such as death, the meaning of life and searching for an afterlife.

Leadsinger Chris Martin notes, “…because we’ve had some people close to us we’ve lost, but some miracles — we’ve got kids. So, life has been very extreme recently, and so both death and life pop up quite often” (MTV News interview, June 9, 2008).

Russ Briermeier of Christianity Today observes that this album is “often provocative, spiritual, and seemingly on the verge of identifying a greater truth, asking and inspiring many questions without providing the answers.” It reminded me of King Solomon’s search for answers in the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament. Solomon also dealt the subject of death a lot. Ecclesiastes 7:2-4 asserts, “It is better to spend your time at funerals than at festivals. For you are going to die, and you should think about it while there is still time. Sorrow is better than laughter, it may sadden your face, but it sharpens your understanding.”

The subject of death is prominent in the songs “Poppyfields,” “Violet Hill,” “Death and All His Friends,” “42,” and the “Cemeteries of London.” Then the song “The Escapist” states, “And in the end, We lie awake and we dream, we’re makin our escape.” In the end we all die. Therefore, I assume this song is searching for an afterlife to escape to. The song “Glass of Water” sheds some more light on where we possibly escape to: “Oh he said you could see a future inside a glass of water, with riddles and the rhymes, He asked ‘Will I see heaven in mine?’

Coldplay is clearly searching for spiritual answers but it seems they have not found them quite yet. The song “42“: “Time is so short and I’m sure, There must be something more.” Then the song “Lost“: “Every river that I tried to cross, Every door I ever tried was locked, I’m just waiting til the shine wears off, You might be a big fish in a little pond, Doesn’t mean you’ve won, Because along may come a bigger one and you will be lost.”
Solomon went to the extreme in his searching in the Book of Ecclesiastes for this “something more” that Coldplay is talking about, but he did not find any satisfaction in pleasure (2:1), education (2:3), work (2:4), wealth (2:8) or fame (2:9). All of his accomplishments would not be remembered (1:11) and who is to say that they had not already been done before by others (1:10)? This reminds me of the big fish in the little pond that Coldplay was talking about. Even if you think you are on top, are you really? Also Solomon’s upcoming death depressed him because both people and animals alike “go to the same place — they came from dust and they return to dust” (3:20).

In 1978 I heard the song “Dust in the Wind” by Kansas when it rose to #6 on the charts. That song told me thatKerry Livgren the writer of that song and a member of Kansas had come to the same conclusion that Solomon had. I remember mentioning to my friends at church that we may soon see some members of Kansas become Christians because their search for the meaning of life had obviously come up empty even though they had risen from being an unknown band to the top of the music business and had all the wealth and fame that came with that. Furthermore, like Solomon and Coldplay, they realized death comes to everyone and “there must be something more.”

Livgren wrote:

“All we do, crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see, Dust in the Wind, All we are is dust in the wind, Don’t hang on, Nothing lasts forever but the Earth and Sky, It slips away, And all your money won’t another minute buy.”

Both Kerry Livgren and Dave Hope of Kansas became Christians eventually. Kerry Livgren first tried Eastern Religions and Dave Hope had to come out of a heavy drug addiction. I was shocked and elated to see their personal testimony on The 700 Club in 1981 and that same  interview can be seen on youtube today. Livgren lives in Topeka, Kansas today where he teaches “Diggers,” a Sunday school class at Topeka Bible Church. Hope is the head of Worship, Evangelism and Outreach at Immanuel Anglican Church in Destin, Florida.

The movie maker Woody Allen has embraced the nihilistic message of the song “Dust in the Wind” by Kansas. David Segal in his article, “Things are Looking Up for the Director Woody Allen. No?” (Washington Post, July 26, 2006), wrote, “Allen is evangelically passionate about a few subjects. None more so than the chilling emptiness of life…The 70-year-old writer and director has been musing about life, sex, work, death and his generally futile search for hope…the world according to Woody is so bereft of meaning, so godless and absurd, that the only proper response is to curl up on a sofa and howl for your mommy.”

The song “Dust in the Wind” recommends, “Don’t hang on.” Allen himself says, “It’s just an awful thing and in that context you’ve got to find an answer to the question: ‘Why go on?’ ”  It is ironic that Chris Martin the leader of Coldplay regards Woody Allen as his favorite director.

Lets sum up the final conclusions of these gentlemen:  Coldplay is still searching for that “something more.” Woody Allen has concluded the search is futile. Livgren and Hope of Kansas have become Christians and are involved in fulltime ministry. Solomon’s experiment was a search for meaning to life “under the sun.” Then in last few words in the Book of Ecclesiastes he looks above the sun and brings God back into the picture: “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.”

You can hear Kerry Livgren’s story from this youtube link:

(part 1 ten minutes)

(part 2 ten minutes)

Coldplay – Cemeteries of London ( FULL VIDEO)

The brilliant video for Cemeteries of London. It’s the perfect mix between music and image, Coldplay sold around 8 million albums with Viva La Vida.

_________________________________________

Coldplay is my favorite band and I hope to have many more posts in the next few days. Here are some posts I have done up till this point:

Three things that do not bring lasting Satisfaction, (Coldplay’s spiritual search Part 5)

Coldplay – 42 Live Coldplay perform on the french television channel W9. I wrote this article a couple of years ago: The Spiritual Search for the Afterlife Russ Breimeier rightly noted that it seems that Coldplay is “on the verge of identifying a great Truth” and their latest CD is very provocative. Many songs mention […]

Are Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin looking for Spiritual Answers? (Coldplay’s spiritual search Part 4)

  CP I wrote this article a couple of years ago. Are Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin looking for Spiritual Answers? Just like King Solomon’s predicament in the Book of Ecclesiastes, both of these individuals are very wealthy, famous, and successful, but they still are seeking satisfying answers to life’s greatest questions even though it […]

Insight into what Coldplay meant by “St. Peter won’t call my name” (Series on Coldplay’s spiritual search, Part 3)

Coldplay seeks to corner the market on earnest and expressive rock music that currently appeals to wide audiences Here is an article I wrote a couple of years ago about Chris Martin’s view of hell. He says he does not believe in it but for some reason he writes a song that teaches that it […]

Will Coldplay’s 2011 album continue on spiritual themes found in 2008 Viva La Vida? (Series on Coldplay’s spiritual search, Part 2)

Views:2 By waymedia Coldplay Coldplay – Life In Technicolor ii Back in 2008 I wrote a paper on the spiritual themes of Coldplay’s album Viva La Vida and I predicted this spiritual search would continue in the future. Below is the second part of the paper, “Coldplay’s latest musical lyrics indicate a Spiritual Search for the […]

Will Coldplay’s 2011 album continue on spiritual themes found in 2008 Viva La Vida? (Series on Coldplay’s spiritual search, Part 1)

Coldplay performing “Glass of Water.” Back in 2008 I wrote a paper on the spiritual themes of Coldplay’s album Viva La Vida and I predicted this spiritual search would continue in the future. Below is the first part of the paper, “Coldplay’s latest musical lyrics indicate a Spiritual Search for the Afterlife.” Coldplay’s latest musical […]

The wait is over, Coldplay single “Every Teardrop is a waterfall”

Coldplay – Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall (Official) The new single – download it now from iTunes at http://cldp.ly/itunescp (except in the UK, where it will be released to download stores at 12.01am on Sunday June 5th). Written by Berryman / Buckland / Champion / Martin / Allen / Anderson. Produced by Markus Dravs, Dan […]

By Everette Hatcher III | Comments (0)

Three things that do not bring lasting Satisfaction, (Coldplay’s spiritual search Part 5)jh63

June 5, 2011 – 9:17 am

Ecclesiastes 1

Published on Sep 4, 2012

Calvary Chapel Spring Valley | Sunday Evening | September 2, 2012 | Pastor Derek Neider

_____________________

Ecclesiastes 2-3

Published on Sep 19, 2012

Calvary Chapel Spring Valley | Sunday Evening | September 16, 2012 | Derek Neider

_____________________________

Coldplay – 42 Live

Coldplay perform on the french television channel W9.

I wrote this article a couple of years ago:

The Spiritual Search for the Afterlife
Russ Breimeier rightly noted that it seems that Coldplay is “on the verge of identifying a great Truth” and their latest CD is very provocative. Many songs mention God and other Biblical themes such as dealing with death, and the afterlife and meaning in life and the shortness of life. The song “42” states,
Those who are dead are not dead
They’re just living my head
And since I fell for that spell
I am living there as well
Oh…Time is so short and I’m sure
There must be something more
This is the same journey that Solomon went on 3000 years ago in the Book of Ecclesiastes. The Christian Scholar Ravi Zacharias noted, “The key to understanding the Book of Ecclesiastes is the term UNDER THE SUN — What that literally means is you lock God out of a closed system and you are left with only this world of Time plus Chance plus matter.” Most people are not in the position of Solomon was in because he had a great deal of resources and could see if getting true lasting satisfaction was possible without God in the picture and Solomon went about this experiment.  He found out these hard cold facts.
Three things that do not bring lasting Satisfaction
Satisfaction does not come through (#1) learning more, or (#2)  putting more effort in your work or  (#3)seeking pleasure.
Read Solomon’s words for yourself.
Ecclesiastes 1:16- 2:11
16-17 I said to myself, “I know more and I’m wiser than anyone before me in Jerusalem. I’ve stockpiled wisdom and knowledge.” What I’ve finally concluded is that so-called wisdom and knowledge are mindless and witless—nothing but spitting into the wind.18 Much learning earns you much trouble.
The more you know, the more you hurt.
Chapter 2
1-3 I said to myself, “Let’s go for it—experiment with pleasure, have a good time!” But there was nothing to it, nothing but smoke.What do I think of the fun-filled life? Insane! Inane!
My verdict on the pursuit of happiness? Who needs it?
With the help of a bottle of wine
and all the wisdom I could muster,
I tried my level best
to penetrate the absurdity of life.
I wanted to get a handle on anything useful we mortals might do
during the years we spend on this earth.
 4-8 Oh, I did great things: built houses,
planted vineyards,
designed gardens and parks
and planted a variety of fruit trees in them,
made pools of water
to irrigate the groves of trees.
I bought slaves, male and female,
who had children, giving me even more slaves;
then I acquired large herds and flocks,
larger than any before me in Jerusalem.
I piled up silver and gold,
loot from kings and kingdoms.
I gathered a chorus of singers to entertain me with song,
and—most exquisite of all pleasures—
voluptuous maidens for my bed.
 9-10 Oh, how I prospered! I left all my predecessors in Jerusalem far behind, left them behind in the dust. What’s more, I kept a clear head through it all. Everything I wanted I took—I never said no to myself. I gave in to every impulse, held back nothing. I sucked the marrow of pleasure out of every task—my reward to myself for a hard day’s work!
 
 11 Then I took a good look at everything I’d done, looked at all the sweat and hard work. But when I looked, I saw nothing but smoke. Smoke and spitting into the wind. There was nothing to any of it. Nothing.
No band has worked harder than Coldplay (creating 4 of the greatest cds in pop history) and Chris Martin is a very educated man who has achieved the storybook life in many areas. Why has his writing turning more towards spiritual matters now? Could he be traveling down the same road that Solomon was going 3000 years ago?
Other posts that deal with Coldplay:

Three things that do not bring lasting Satisfaction, (Coldplay’s spiritual search Part 5)

Coldplay – 42 Live Coldplay perform on the french television channel W9. I wrote this article a couple of years ago: The Spiritual Search for the Afterlife Russ Breimeier rightly noted that it seems that Coldplay is “on the verge of identifying a great Truth” and their latest CD is very provocative. Many songs mention […]

Are Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin looking for Spiritual Answers? (Coldplay’s spiritual search Part 4)

  CP I wrote this article a couple of years ago. Are Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin looking for Spiritual Answers? Just like King Solomon’s predicament in the Book of Ecclesiastes, both of these individuals are very wealthy, famous, and successful, but they still are seeking satisfying answers to life’s greatest questions even though it […]

Insight into what Coldplay meant by “St. Peter won’t call my name” (Series on Coldplay’s spiritual search, Part 3)

Coldplay seeks to corner the market on earnest and expressive rock music that currently appeals to wide audiences Here is an article I wrote a couple of years ago about Chris Martin’s view of hell. He says he does not believe in it but for some reason he writes a song that teaches that it […]

Will Coldplay’s 2011 album continue on spiritual themes found in 2008 Viva La Vida? (Series on Coldplay’s spiritual search, Part 2)

Views:2 By waymedia Coldplay Coldplay – Life In Technicolor ii Back in 2008 I wrote a paper on the spiritual themes of Coldplay’s album Viva La Vida and I predicted this spiritual search would continue in the future. Below is the second part of the paper, “Coldplay’s latest musical lyrics indicate a Spiritual Search for the […]

Will Coldplay’s 2011 album continue on spiritual themes found in 2008 Viva La Vida? (Series on Coldplay’s spiritual search, Part 1)

Coldplay performing “Glass of Water.” Back in 2008 I wrote a paper on the spiritual themes of Coldplay’s album Viva La Vida and I predicted this spiritual search would continue in the future. Below is the first part of the paper, “Coldplay’s latest musical lyrics indicate a Spiritual Search for the Afterlife.” Coldplay’s latest musical […]

The wait is over, Coldplay single “Every Teardrop is a waterfall”

Coldplay – Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall (Official) The new single – download it now from iTunes at http://cldp.ly/itunescp (except in the UK, where it will be released to download stores at 12.01am on Sunday June 5th). Written by Berryman / Buckland / Champion / Martin / Allen / Anderson. Produced by Markus Dravs, Dan […]

By Everette Hatcher III | Comments (0)

Are Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin looking for Spiritual Answers? (Coldplay’s spiritual search Part 4)jh62

June 5, 2011 – 8:56 am
 

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin (CP)

I wrote this article a couple of years ago.

Are Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin looking for Spiritual Answers?

Just like King Solomon’s predicament in the Book of Ecclesiastes, both of these individuals are very wealthy, famous, and successful, but they still are seeking satisfying answers to life’s greatest questions even though it seems they have experienced all the best the world has to offer.

Gwyneth Paltrow is an Academy Award winning actress and in 2003 she married Chris Martin who is the leader of the musical group Coldplay (currently one the most successful bands in the world today).

On July 9th it was revealed that the Rupert Murdoch owned paper The Guardian in London had secretly paid more than 1.6 million dollars to cover up legal cases involving celebrities (including Gwyneth Paltrow) who had their phones bugged. It is ironic to me that the press wants to find pieces of information about what Paltrow and Martin are doing with their spare time when to me what they are saying in their music and art is so much more interesting.

It is a little known fact that Gwyneth Paltrow is an descendant of Rabbi David HaLevi Segal of Krakow through the Russian rabbinical family Paltrowitch, which produced 33 rabbis over several generations. Even more surprising are the lyrics that Chris Martin wrote for his latest album.

Unlike many the past grammy winners of “Best Rock Album,” this year’s winner Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends by Coldplay is filled with songs that deal with spiritual themes such as death, the meaning of life and searching for an afterlife.

Lead singer Chris Martin notes, “…because we’ve had some people close to us we’ve lost, but some miracles — we’ve got kids. So, life has been very extreme recently, and so both death and life pop up quite often” (MTV News interview, June 9, 2008).  In 2005 the song “Fix You” was written by Martin to help his wife deal with the death of her father Bruce Paltrow, and it has become one of Coldplay’s most popular songs of all time.

The subject of death is prominent in the songs “Death and All His Friends,” and the “Cemeteries of London.” Then the song “The Escapist” states, “And in the end, We lie awake and we dream, we’re makin our escape.” In the end we all die. Therefore, I assume this song is searching for an afterlife.

The song “Glass of Water” sheds some more light on where we could possibly go: “Oh he said you could see a future inside a glass of water, with riddles and the rhymes, He asked ‘Will I see heaven in mine?’ ”

Coldplay is clearly searching for spiritual answers but it seems they have not found them quite yet. The song “42“: “Time is so short and I’m sure, There must be something more.” Then in the song “Lost” Martin sings these words: “Every river that I tried to cross, Every door I ever tried was locked..”
Solomon went to the extreme in his searching in the Book of Ecclesiastes for this “something more” that Coldplay is talking about, but he found riches (2:8-11), pleasure (2:1), education (2:3), fame (2:9) and his work (2:4) all “meaningless” and “vanity” and “a chasing of the wind.” Every door he tried was locked.

Overshadowing it all was  Solomon’s upcoming death which depressed him because both people and animals alike “go to the same place — they came from dust and they return to dust” (3:20).
In 1978 I heard the song “Dust in the Wind” by Kansas when it rose to #6 on the charts. That song told me that Kerry Livgren the writer of that song and a member of Kansas had come to the same conclusion that Solomon had. I remember mentioning to my friends at church that we may soon see some members of Kansas become Christians because their search for the meaning of life had obviously come up empty even though they had risen from being an unknown band to the top of the music business and had all the wealth and fame that came with that. But just like Solomon  before him and Coldplay after him, Kerry Livgren realized death comes to everyone and “there must be something more” than just these material possessions of this world.

Livgren wrote:

“All we do, crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see, Dust in the Wind, All we are is dust in the wind, Don’t hang on, Nothing lasts forever but the Earth and Sky, It slips away, And all your money won’t another minute buy.”

I am glad to report that both Kerry Livgren and Dave Hope of Kansas found the answers they needed eventually. Kerry Livgren first tried Eastern Religions and Dave Hope had to come out of a heavy drug addiction. In 1981 I saw both gentlemen on The 700 Club in a clip (available now on youtube) that can be summed up by Blaise Pascal’s quote: ” There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man that cannot be filled by any created thing but only by the Creator made known through Jesus Christ.”

Livgren lives in Topeka, Kansas today where he teaches “Diggers,” a Sunday school class atTopeka Bible Church. Hope is the head of Worship, Evangelism and Outreach at Immanuel Anglican Church in Destin, Florida.

Are Paltrow and Martin looking for spiritual answers? Clearly the facts indicate that they are, but they have not found them quite yet.  Russ Briermeier of Christianity Today observes that the latest work by Martin’s musical group Coldplay is “often provocative, spiritual, and seemingly on the verge of identifying a greater truth, asking and inspiring many questions without providing the answers.”Solomon’s experiment in the Book of Ecclesiastes was a search for meaning in life “under the sun”(1:3). Then in last few words in Ecclesiastes he looks above the sun and brings God back into the picture: “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.”

You can hear Kerry Livgren’s story from this youtube link:

(part 1 ten minutes)

(part 2 ten minutes)

Coldplay – Cemeteries of London ( FULL VIDEO)

The brilliant video for Cemeteries of London. It’s the perfect mix between music and image, Coldplay sold around 8 million albums with Viva La Vida.

Other posts that deal with Coldplay:

Three tings that do not bring lasting Satisfaction, (Coldplay’s spiritual search Part 5)

Coldplay – 42 Live Coldplay perform on the french television channel W9. I wrote this article a couple of years ago: The Spiritual Search for the Afterlife Russ Breimeier rightly noted that it seems that Coldplay is “on the verge of identifying a great Truth” and their latest CD is very provocative. Many songs mention […]

Are Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin looking for Spiritual Answers? (Coldplay’s spiritual search Part 4)

  CP I wrote this article a couple of years ago. Are Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin looking for Spiritual Answers? Just like King Solomon’s predicament in the Book of Ecclesiastes, both of these individuals are very wealthy, famous, and successful, but they still are seeking satisfying answers to life’s greatest questions even though it […]

Insight into what Coldplay meant by “St. Peter won’t call my name” (Series on Coldplay’s spiritual search, Part 3)

Coldplay seeks to corner the market on earnest and expressive rock music that currently appeals to wide audiences Here is an article I wrote a couple of years ago about Chris Martin’s view of hell. He says he does not believe in it but for some reason he writes a song that teaches that it […]

Will Coldplay’s 2011 album continue on spiritual themes found in 2008 Viva La Vida? (Series on Coldplay’s spiritual search, Part 2)

Views:2 By waymedia Coldplay Coldplay – Life In Technicolor ii Back in 2008 I wrote a paper on the spiritual themes of Coldplay’s album Viva La Vida and I predicted this spiritual search would continue in the future. Below is the second part of the paper, “Coldplay’s latest musical lyrics indicate a Spiritual Search for the […]

Will Coldplay’s 2011 album continue on spiritual themes found in 2008 Viva La Vida? (Series on Coldplay’s spiritual search, Part 1)

Coldplay performing “Glass of Water.” Back in 2008 I wrote a paper on the spiritual themes of Coldplay’s album Viva La Vida and I predicted this spiritual search would continue in the future. Below is the first part of the paper, “Coldplay’s latest musical lyrics indicate a Spiritual Search for the Afterlife.” Coldplay’s latest musical […]

The wait is over, Coldplay single “Every Teardrop is a waterfall”

Coldplay – Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall (Official) The new single – download it now from iTunes at http://cldp.ly/itunescp (except in the UK, where it will be released to download stores at 12.01am on Sunday June 5th). Written by Berryman / Buckland / Champion / Martin / Allen / Anderson. Produced by Markus Dravs, Dan […]

By Everette Hatcher III | Comments (1)

Will Maria Shriver’s marriage survive Arnold Schwarzenegger’s admission of infidelity? I hope so (Part 23)

June 5, 2011 – 1:20 am

Maria Shriver Asks – How Do You Handle Transitions in Your Life?

Arnold Schwarzenegger admitted to his wife several months ago that he had fathered a child about 10 years ago with a member of their household staff. Maria moved out, but has not filed for divorce. In the you tube clip above she comments:

“Like a lot of you I’m in transition: people come up to me all the time, asking, what are you doing next?” she said, adding: “It’s so stressful to not know what you are doing next when people ask what you are doing and they can’t believe you don’t know what you are doing.”

“I’d like to hear from other people who are in transition,” she said. “How did you find your transition: Personal, professional, emotional, spiritual, financial? How did you get through it?”

Mrs. Shriver has asked for spiritual input and I personally think that unless she gets the spiritual help that she needs then she will end up in the divorce court. I am starting a series on how a marriage can survive an infidelity. My first suggestion would be to attend a “Weekend to Remember” put on by the organization “Family Life” out of Little Rock, Arkansas. I actually posted this as a response to Mrs. Shriver’s request on you tube.

Below is a portion of the article, “Infidelity’s Warning Signs:
Be on guard for your spouse … and yourself,” by  Nancy C. Anderson:

Gruard Yourself

Affairs begin in many ways and for many reasons, so we must be always on guard for the slightest hint of temptation.Corinthians 10:13 says that God will always provide a way of escape, but we have to make a decision to run toward the door.

When you’re  Because hints turn into flirtations, flirtations turn into attractions, attractions turn into affairs, and affairs turn into disasters. 1st guarding your marriage, you’re not guarding just your spouse, but guarding yourself too. I rationalized my way into a boatload of trouble because I thought, The rules don’t pply to me. I’ve been to Bible College, I’m smart, I have self-control, and I can stop before it gets too far. All lies!

My affair began at work, so I’m an expert on workplace temptation. Once, the most common type of office infidelity was between male bosses and females who were lower-ranking employees, but that’s changed in the last ten years. With more and more women working, the most common office affair is between coworkers. The man I had my affair with (Jake) was not my boss; we were both sales reps—equals.

My relationship with Jake started innocently. I noticed that we laughed at the same things, and he noticed that we liked similar music, so we started to sit together at lunch. We were just friends … until we weren’t.

I remember the first time we went out of the friendship zone and into the danger zone. We were sitting next to each other at a sales meeting when his leg brushed up against mine. I felt a spark at the contact point and was a bit disappointed when he pulled away. A few minutes later, he shifted slightly in his chair and his leg, from knee to thigh, pressed gently against mine. I liked it, and I didn’t pull away.

I should have. But because I didn’t, I sent him a signal that I was unguarded. We both began to look for excuses to be together. If I’d not responded to his flirtations, I would have avoided the biggest regret of my life.

Dealing with Attraction

Coworkers sometimes work on projects or solve problems together, and the resulting closeness can build teamwork—but it can also build a feeling of intimacy. If you feel an attraction to someone in your office, consider a transfer to a different department, a different position, or maybe you should quit. No job is more valuable than your marriage. I knew that I could not continue to work with Jake without being tempted, so I quit my job the same day I confessed my affair to my husband.

Be honest with yourself. If you’re dressing to please someone at work or lingering in the parking lot hoping that person will ask you to lunch, stop now, before you’ve gone too far. If you’re in doubt as to what conduct is inappropriate, ask yourself, Would I do this in front of my spouse? And if you’re still not sure, ask yourself, Would I do it in front of the Lord? (You are, you know.) Here is a simple rule to keep you on the straight and narrow: If you’d have to hide it or lie about it—don’t do it!

The key to growing effective guarding hedges is to be honest about your weaknesses, both as individuals and as a couple. Set up distinct boundaries and enforce them. If your spouse reminds you of the rules, don’t be defensive or point out your mate’s faults; accept his or her correction because it’s for the greater good of the marriage. Some of the most difficult phrases to say—you’re right and I’m sorry—can save your marriage—and your love.

When Secret Service agents guard the President, they regard the President’s life as more important than their own individual lives. Guard your marriages in the same way. You may be required to sacrifice part of your individual life—hobbies, profession, TV time, computer time, sports activities—to strengthen your marriage. If you’re both willing to make your marriage a priority, however, and guard it from internal and external dangers, your home will be a safe haven.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 “It is God’s will that you should be holy; that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like those who do not know God.” (NIV)

Adapted from Avoiding the Greener Grass Syndrome: How to Grow Affair Proof Hedges Around Your Marriage (Kregel Publications 2004)

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Requirements to Resolve Conflict (pt 4)

To resolve conflict effectively and Biblically there are two absolutes that both parties must agree on – do you know what they are? Without this framework, you can try all kinds of things to avoid or resolve conflict in your marriage and relationships, but you probably won’t be successful. Listen and discover the common ground that can literally transform even the most challenging points of conflict. Want to learn more? Download the full message from guest speaker Tim Lundy for free at: http://www.venturechristian.org/files/sermons2/t032011.mp3

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The clip above has some material that originally came from a video from Family Life. I have mentioned this organization several times in this post. Contacting “Family Life” (out of Little Rock, Arkansas) would be a great place for Arnold and Maria to begin their recovering. I am hoping that Maria realizes that this family is worth saving. It will take a lot of forgiveness and she will have to turn to Christ for his supernatural help to make it happen.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Shriver and their family photo

Weekend to Remember Story – Dennis Rainey

By Everette Hatcher III | Comments (0)

Kate Middleton and Prince William: Marriage made in Heaven? (Part 47)

June 5, 2011 – 12:08 am
[2011] The Royal Wedding – MARRIAGE part 2
photo

The Official Royal Wedding photographs

The Royal Wedding Group in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace on 29th April 2011 with the Bride and Groom, TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in the centre.

Front row (left to right): Miss Grace van Cutsem, Miss Eliza Lopes, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, HM The Queen, The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Lady Louise Windsor, Master William Lowther-Pinkerton.

Back Row (left to right): Master Tom Pettifer, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, HRH The Prince of Wales, HRH Prince Henry of Wales, Mr Michael Middleton, Mrs Michael Middleton, Mr James Middleton, Miss Philippa Middleton.

Prince William and Kate moved in together about a year ago. In this clip above the commentator suggested that maybe Prince Charles and Princess Diana would not have divorced if they had lived together before marriage. Actually Diana was a virgin, and it was Charles’ uncle (Louis Mountbatten) that gave him the advice that he should seek to marry a virgin.

I really do wish Kate and William success in their marriage. I hope they truly are committed to each other, and if they are then the result will be a marriage that lasts their whole lifetime. Nevertheless, I do not think it is best to live together before marriage like they did, and I writing this series to help couples see how best to prepare for marriage.

MYTH #1: Living together is a good way to “test the water.” Many couples say that they want to live together to see if they are compatible, not realizing that cohabitation is more a preparation for divorce than a way to strengthen the likelihood of a successful marriage — the divorce rates of women who cohabit are nearly 80 percent higher than those who do not. In fact, studies indicate that cohabiting couples have lower marital quality and increased risk of divorce. Further, cohabiting relationships tend to be fragile and relatively short in duration; less than half of cohabiting relationships last five or more years. Typically, they last about 18 months. (Janice Shaw Crouse PhD, from the article, “The Myths and Reality of Living Together Without Marriage” as posted on Crosswalk.com)

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I have mentioned above a lot about Family Life. Here is more info below that comes from Family Life originally. I am starting a series today that talks about conflict in marriage and how to resolve it.

 

Chip Ingram – Why Conflict is a GOOD Thing (pt 1)

 

 

We finished a five part series about marriage at Venture Christian Church this weekend. As I shared God’s plan for marriage, I could sense it stirring up a lot of questions and even some conflict among people. I’d recently heard Tim Lundy share a powerful message about resolving conflict … so I invited him to join us. The good news is that conflict in your marriage or friendships doesn’t mean the relationship is bad, it means it’s alive! When you learn to recognize conflict as an opportunity you’ll learn how to push through tough conversations and actually come out better for it! I wanted to share some of Tim’s key points about resolving conflict and invite you to listen to the full message for free athttp://www.venturechristian.org/files/sermons2/t032011.mp3 – it should be available by Monday.

 

 

Weekend to Remember Story – Dennis Rainey

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By Everette Hatcher III | Comments (0)

Top Ten List of greatest soccer players: E. Hatcher’s list v. W. Hatcher’s list (Part 6)

June 5, 2011 – 12:05 am

Today’s discussion is about who the fifth best all time player is.

Wilson Hatcher’s pick:

Zinedine Zidane Born in France in 1972, even Pelé considered Zidane to be one of the greatest midfielders to ever play the game. During his 18-year career he played for Juventus, Real Madrid and represented France in three World Cups, helping them win the 1998 World Cup. He was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1998, 2000, and 2003. He is one of only four players to have scored goals in two different World Cup finals, and is certainly among the best soccer players of all time.

Everette Hatcher’s pick for the fifth best player. 

The below list has Ronaldo the fifth best in the world and that is what I have on my list too.

Ronaldo This legendary Brazilian striker was born in 1976 and is one of the best soccer players of all time. He has played for FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan and represented Brazil in three World Cups. During the 2006 World Cup he became the World Cup All-Time Leading Scorer. He was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1996, 1997, and 2002

10 Best Soccer Players of All Time

By: Paul Goss

Break Studios Contributing Writer

Naming the 10 best soccer players of all time is a difficult task. The first World Cup was played in 1930 and a large number of amazing soccer players have played since then. There are many other players who could arguably deserve a place on this list, but here you go: the top ten best soccer players on all time.

  1. Pelé Pele was a Brazilian champion of legendary talent and skill. He was born in 1940 and joined the Brazilian national team at age 16. In his 21-year career, he represented Brazil in four World Cups, helping them win three of them. While Pelé played, Brazil held a record of 67 wins, fourteen draws and only eleven losses. He was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee in 1999. In 2000, he was named FIFA Player of the Century along with Diego Maradona. Pelé is without a doubt one of the best soccer players of all time.
  2. Diego Maradona Born in Argentina in 1960 he enjoyed a 21-year career with teams including Boca Juniors and FC Barcelona and represented Argentina in four World Cups. He led Argentina to a World Cup victory in 1986. He was named FIFA Player of the Century along with Pelé in 1999.
  3. Ronaldinho Born in Brazil in 1980, Ronaldinho is one of the best soccer players of all time. He has played for FC Barcelona and AC Milan and represented Brazil in two World Cups, including Brazil’s victory in 2002. He was named FIFA World Player of the Year in both 2004 and 2005.
  4. Zinedine Zidane Born in France in 1972, even Pelé considered Zidane to be one of the greatest midfielders to ever play the game. During his 18-year career he played for Juventus, Real Madrid and represented France in three World Cups, helping them win the 1998 World Cup. He was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1998, 2000, and 2003. He is one of only four players to have scored goals in two different World Cup finals, and is certainly among the best soccer players of all time.
  5. Ronaldo This legendary Brazilian striker was born in 1976 and is one of the best soccer players of all time. He has played for FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan and represented Brazil in three World Cups. During the 2006 World Cup he became the World Cup All-Time Leading Scorer. He was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1996, 1997, and 2002.
  6. Cristiano Ronaldo This Portuguese striker possesses amazing talent and speed. Born in 1985 he quickly proved his talent and has played for Manchester United, Real Madrid and the Portugal national team. He was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2008 at the age of 23.
  7. Zico Born in Brazil in 1953, Zico was known to possess amazing dribbling and finishing skills and is one of the best soccer players of all time. He represented Brazil in three World Cups and was recognized for his vision and organization abilities.
  8. Franz Beckenbauer Born in Germany in 1945 Beckenbauer is one of the best soccer players of all time and made his name by playing sweeper. He was known for being a versatile, elegant and dominant player with leadership skills. In 1999 the International Federation of Football History and Statistics voted him third in a World Player of the Century election.
  9. Johan Cruyff This Dutch player was born in 1947 and is famous for pioneering a strategy called Total Football. He scored 371 goals in his career and was named European Footballer of the Year in 1971, 1973 and 1974.
  10. Michel Platini This French midfielder was born in 1955 and is one of the best soccer players of all time. He is regarded as one of the best passers in history as well as one of the best finishers. He helped France win the European Championship in 1984 and was named European Footballer of the Year in the same year.
By Everette Hatcher III | Comments (0)

Insight into what Coldplay meant by “St. Peter won’t call my name” (Series on Coldplay’s spiritual search, Part 3)

June 4, 2011 – 1:43 pm
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Coldplay seeks to corner the market on earnest and expressive rock music that currently appeals to wide audiences
Here is an article I wrote a couple of years ago about Chris Martin’s view of hell. He says he does not believe in it but for some reason he writes a song that teaches that it exists:
Belief of Eternal Punishment in Grammy Winning Song
By Everette Hatcher
Chris Martin of the rock group Coldplay wrote the song Viva La Vida, and the song just won both the grammy for the “Song of the Year” and “Best Pop Performance by a duo or Group with Vocals.”
In this song, Martin is discussing an evil king that has been disposed. “I used to rule the world…Feel the fear in my enemy’s eyes…there was never an honest word and that was when I ruled the world, It was the wicked and wild wind, Blew down the doors to let me in, Shattered windows and the sound of drums, People couldn’t believe what I’d become…For some reason I can’t explain, I know Saint Peter won’t call my name,  Never an honest word, But that was when I ruled the world.”
Q Magazine asked Chris Martin about the lyric in this song “I know Saint Peter won’t call my name.” Martin replied, “It’s about…You’re not on the list. I was a naughty boy. Its always fascinated me that idea of finishing your life and then being analyzed on it…That is the most frightening thing you could possibly say to somebody. Eternal damnation. I know about this stuff because I studied it. I was into it all. I know it. It’s mildly terrifying to me. And this is serious.”
I have been following the career of Chris Martin for the last decade. He grew up in a Christian home that believed in Heaven and Hell, but made it clear several years ago that he actually resents those who hold to those same religious dogmatic views he did as a youth. Yet it seems his view on the possibility of an afterlife has changed again.
Chris Martin is a big Woody Allen movie fan like I am and no other movie better demonstrates the need for an afterlife than Allen’s 1989 film  Crimes and Misdemeanors.  It is  about a eye doctor who hires a killer to murder his mistress because she continually threatens to blow the whistle on his past questionable, probably illegal, business activities. Afterward he is haunted by guilt. His Jewish father had taught him that God sees all and will surely punish the evildoer.

But the doctor’s crime is never discovered. Later in the film, Judah reflects on the conversation his father had with Judah’s unbelieving Aunt May during a Jewish Sedar dinner  many years ago:

“Come on Sol, open your eyes. Six million Jews burned to death by the Nazi’s, and they got away with it because might makes right,” says Aunt May.

Sol replies, “May, how did they get away with it?”

Judah asks, “If a man kills, then what?”

Sol responds to his son, “Then in one way or another he will be punished.”

Aunt May comments, “I say if he can do it and get away with it and he chooses not to be bothered by the ethics, then he is home free.”

Judah’s final conclusion was that might did make right. He observed that one day, because of this conclusion, he woke up and the cloud of guilt was gone. He was, as his aunt said, “home free.”

The basic question Woody Allen is presenting to his own agnostic humanistic worldview is: If you really believe there is no God there to punish you in an afterlife, then why not murder if you can get away with it?  The secular humanist worldview that modern man has adopted does not work in the real world that God has created. God “has planted eternity in the human heart…” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). This is a direct result of our God-given conscience. The apostle Paul said it best in Romans 1:19, “For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God  has shown it to them” (Amplified Version).

It’s no wonder, then, that one of Allen’s fellow humanists would comment, “Certain moral truths — such as do not kill, do not steal, and do not lie — do have a special status of being not just ‘mere opinion’ but bulwarks of humanitarian action. I have no intention of saying, ‘I think Hitler was wrong.’ Hitler WAS wrong.” (Gloria Leitner, “A Perspective on Belief,” The Humanist, May/June 1997, pp.38-39). Here Leitner is reasoning from her God-givne conscience and not from humanist philosophy. It wasn’t long before she received criticism. Humanist Abigail Ann Martin responded, “Neither am I an advocate of Hitler; however, by whose criteria is he evil?” (The Humanist, September/October 1997, p. 2.). Humanists don’t really have an intellectual basis for saying that Hitler was wrong, but their God-given conscience tells them that they are wrong on this issue.

Evidently  Chris Martin who said he resented dogmatic religious views a few years ago, has now written a grammy winning song that pictures an evil king being punished in an afterlife. Could it be that his God-given conscience prompted him to put that line in? Or do men like Hitler get off home free as Woody Allen suggested in Crimes and Misdemeanors?

Bob Robinson had some good insights:

7/20/2009

Coldplay’s Viva La Vida – The Will to Power vs. Shalom

A Christian Interacts with Viva La Vida, Or Death and All His FriendsColdplay’s latest hit was one of my top ten albums of 2008. In it, lyricist Chris Martin explores the subject of death from different angles. As I listen to this wonderful album, I wish Chris was sitting next to me. I’d love to understand what he would think of my opining about his lyrics. In future posts, I’m going to do that, with you, here in the vanguard.Viva La VidaIn the most famous song from the album, the main character is a man reflecting on lost power and prestige, a king who no longer rules but rather lives a very humble and humiliating life.I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to ownThis king was able somehow to overtake the previous king, but his power was fleeting –One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sandJust as he had taken power, others were seeking to overthrow him –Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?So now, after the “wicked and wild wind” had allowed him to have power, he finds himself no longer “ruling the world.” And he is now wondering about his eternal fate. What will happen to him? In the chorus the king sings –

I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringing
Roman cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can’t explain
I know St Peter won’t call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

Why does he feel that “St. Peter won’t call his name?”

Throughout the song, there is a clear indication that the character understands what philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche called “the will to power,” that most of us will often allow our need for achievement to outweigh our desire to be good to our fellow human beings. Our ambition and our striving to reach the highest possible position in life often does incredible damage to the harmony and love that should be the standard for our human existence.

The main character understands this. It was not right that he took power; it was also not right that he lost power. It was not right that he once ruled the world; it was also not right that he now sweeps the streets alone. It was not right that there was “never an honest word” while he “ruled the world.” And now, “for some reason,” he knows that St. Peter won’t call his name.

This concept of peace and harmony between human beings, where we do not will to have power, but we submit to one another out of love, seeking the very best for others, is an old biblical concept. It was what the Hebrews called “Shalom.”

Nicholas Wolterstorff says that a society characterized by shalom combines peace, justice, and enjoyment of all relationships so that all peoples can flourish in their lives, and that they can also delight in their relationship with God(Wolterstorff, Until Justice and Peace Embrace). Writing on shalom, Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.embraces and expands Wolterstorff’s definition:

“We call it peace, but it means far more than mere peace of mind or a cease-fire between enemies. In the Bible, shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight…the webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight. Shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be.” (Plantinga, Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: The Breviary of Sin, p. 10)

So what the character in the song Viva La Vida is experiencing is this: the lack of SHALOM. Plantinga has it right: Things are NOT the way they are supposed to be. There is evil where Shalom is supposed to be. I like the way Plantinga describes it:

“We might define evil as any spoiling of shalom, any deviation from the way God wants things to be. Thinking along these lines, we can see that sin is a subset of evil; it’s any evil for which somebody is to blame – sin is culpable evil… Sin grieves God, offends God, betrays God, and not just because God is touchy. God hates sin against himself, against neighbors, against the good creation, because sin breaks the peace… God is for shalom and therefore against sin.” (Plantinga, Engaging God’s World, p. 51)

So why does the character feel that St. Peter won’t call his name? Because he has a deep-seated understanding that his life was full of sin, that he was culpable for his will to power. And, if God is just, there must be consequences to the destruction of shalom.

Fascinating song.

1 comments:

Larry said…
Just found your page on a search as I prepare for a sermon on Ecclesiastes for next week. Going to play Johnny Cash “Hurt” against/with Coldplay’s “Viva”(Thanx for the YouTube link).Yeah, not sure what to make of “I know St. Peter won’t call my name.” At first I thot it was our typical human arrogance that “death will never happen to me”. Perhaps from an earlier time in his life.Seems like the story in Eccl 4:13-16 has some fit with the picture of the story in the song as you describe it.Can’t help but wonder as I think about how to package this for the sermon, that good music is like good art … trying to deconstruct it takes away from the beauty. So maybe when I preach I need to let my words be few.
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