World Series Baseball and Manliness

Did you know there’s a correlation between baseball and life as a man?  (Actually, if you’re good, you can probably find a correlation between lots of “things” and life as a man.)  Anyway, I had these thoughts this morning, and seeing as how the Rangers battle the Giants in this year’s World Series, I thought I would share them.

As you probably know, the Texas Rangers have never been to the World Series.  Ever.  This makes it a historical year.  The Giants, as the season started, were quoted as being a bunch of “misfits” and “nobody’s”.  Neither team was expected to succeed, especially at this level.  That’s where the manliness-factor comes in.

Imagine that you are a Texas Ranger, or the entire franchise for that matter.  You are the underdog.  You’ve never REALLY succeeded at the level which you should.  You are always falling short.  This is us… at one stage of our life or another.  But, as the Rangers have proven, you don’t give up, you keep working and working hard.  You work and work and hopefully, someday, all that hard work will pay off.  Do you ever feel like the underdog?  Like there’s no point to continuing?

Imagine that you are a San Francisco Giant.  You are expected to lose.  You are expected to be a nobody.  You are written off and never given a chance.  Yet, somewhere deep down inside you, you put the effort forth and have a determination that could split an atom.  You don’t let your critics get to you, you keep fighting and in the end, you laugh (to yourself, because you are humble) at the remarks, doubts and critiques that were thrown your way from the start.  Have you ever experienced this?  Have you ever felt less-than-good-enough?

But guess what… even though a man may feel like quitting, like listening to the nay-sayers, or like laying down like a lame dog and dying, he must know that he must continue on.  When we get to this sort of thinking (we like to refer to this as logic, but we know there’s nothing logical about it) we must remember that we’re not in this fight alone, we have the entire rest of the team.  Here’s how it works in baseball, and how it relates to real-life for a man.

See, in baseball, the pitcher and catcher do most of the work.  (Are you the one dealing or the one receiving?)  The catcher signs the certain kind of pitch he wants and the pitcher delivers.  If the ball is hit, other teammates are involved.  On some plays, there may only be one or two players involved, but on some plays, the entire team is involved.  Then, as the game goes on, the pitcher might become tired – the coach calls for another man from the bullpen to relieve him.  The relief pitcher comes in and takes over.  At some point, a pinch runner might come in, or a pinch batter.  These teammates all relieve one another when one man needs a break.  In our lives, we must remember that we’re on a team and that we have the opportunity to both be relieved and to relieve.

As you watch the Series this year, don’t forget that you should be a team player.  Never does only one many win a baseball game, let alone a World Series.  And, if you’re feeling down or like the cards are stacked against you, don’t give up.  Keep fighting and you might just end up at the place of your dreams.

TrueMan up!

Message from “Morality in Media” President Robert Peters

Today, the President of Morality in Media, Inc., shared in a press release what White Ribbons Against Pornography Week (WRAP Week) can do in a community and across the country.  For information on what TrueManhood and The King’s Men are doing for WRAP Week, visit “The Fight” on TrueManhood.com and www.TheKingsMen.org.

Annual WRAP Week a reminder that citizens are not helpless to fight back against the proliferation of hardcore adult pornography

This year’s White Ribbon Against Pornography (WRAP) Week will run Sunday, October 31, through Sunday, November 7. The primary goal of the annual WRAP Week is to heighten public awareness of the harms associated with pornography and the need to enforce obscenity laws to curb the proliferation of hardcore adult pornography online and elsewhere.

WRAP Week began with one woman in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 1987. Norma Norris heard the pastor of her Catholic parish lament that prosecutors and law enforcement agencies acted as if people didn’t care about the hardcore pornography being sold in their communities. Norma looked at the people in her church and said, “That can’t be; they’re here!” The idea of a white ribbon as a symbol of community standards of decency came to her and a movement was born.

Robert Peters, President of Morality in Media, had the following comments:

In 1987, the same year that Norma Norris launched the White Ribbon Against Pornography Campaign in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese announced in Washington, D.C. the formation of a National Obscenity Enforcement Unit to combat the flood of “mail porn” and “video porn” that was then pouring into American homes and communities.

Back then, defenders of hardcore adult pornography said that the widespread availability of this material was proof that the average American was no longer offended by it and that obscenity laws were no longer enforceable because to be “obscene,” sexual material must depict hardcore sexual conduct in a “patently offensive” manner as measured by “contemporary community standards.”

Between 1987 and 1993, the U.S. Justice Department proved its critics wrong, winning one obscenity case after another and prompting John Weston, an attorney who represented hardcore pornographers, to describe the crackdown on Los Angeles area businesses as “a holocaust.”

Today, defenders of hardcore adult pornography are still saying that widespread availability of this material is proof that the average American is not offended by it; and undoubtedly there is growing acceptance of hardcore adult pornography, particularly among young males who are hooked on it.

But as the Supreme Court observed in Hamling v. United States, the mere fact that pornographic materials are available in a community does not “make them witnesses of virtue;” and in October 2009, Morality in Media commissioned Harris Interactive to ask two questions in a national survey about pornography, with the following results: Overall, 76% of U.S. adults disagreed that “viewing hardcore adult pornography on the Internet is morally acceptable” and 74% disagreed that “viewing hardcore adult pornography on the Internet provides, generally, harmless entertainment.”

To their credit, the Supreme Court has repeatedly held that the First Amendment does not protect obscene materials, and Congress has repeatedly updated and strengthened federal obscenity laws. What our nation now needs is vigorous enforcement of these laws by the Justice Department.

By displaying white ribbons and taking other steps, including writing to members of Congress and making complaints to local U.S. Attorney and FBI offices, citizens can express their opposition to the proliferation of hardcore adult pornography and in support of our nation’s obscenity laws.

More information about WRAP Week and what citizens can do to fight back against pornography is available at www.moralityinmedia.org (WRAP Campaign) or by calling 212-870-3210.

Men’s Formation Groups

“Blood Money” – The Evils of Abortion

I’ve posted about “Blood Money” before.  “Blood Money” is a documentary film exploiting and exposing Planned Parenthood and the entire abortion industry.  This film is powerful and I highly encourage everyone to watch it.  The trailer is below and hopefully will help encourage you to not only watch the film, but also to do something about ending abortion.  I watched the film tonight with my wife and about one hundred other people from the local area.  The film is suitable for children of an appropriate age – the film does not use gruesome or graphic photos of aborted babies, but does graphically speak about abortions and the reality of what happens behind the murder-mill doors.

The pro-life fight only has two sides: one side FOR LIFE, the other side AGAINST LIFE.  There is no in-between.  Where do you stand on this issue?  “For I wish that you were either hot or cold, but because you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:15b-16.)

Men – abortion is not a “women-only” issue, it is a real issue for everyone to get involved with.  We as leaders must stand up for the injustice that abortion does to women and without question, against the unborn child (a human being) that is living inside its mother’s womb.

Watch the trailer, if you can’t view it, click HERE.

TrueMan up!

Great Pro-Life Story – Gianna Jessen

This pro-life story was written by Colorado State Senator Ted Harvey back in 2006, but I think it is fitting and appropriate considering we are in election season.  More on the elections in the coming days, but for now, please read and be encouraged to fight the good fight.  Great job, Mr. Harvey – a TrueMan.

“I want to share with you an awesome experience I had in the Colorado House of Representatives on May 8. It is a humbling experience to look back and realize that God used me to play a role in His divine orchestration.

I was leaving the House chambers for the weekend when our Democrat speaker of the House announced that the coming Monday would be the final day of this year’s General Assembly. He went on to state that there were still numerous resolutions on the calendar which we would need to be addressed prior to the summer adjournment. Interestingly, he specifically mentioned that one of the resolutions we would be hearing was being carried by the House Majority Leader Alice Madden, honoring the 90th anniversary of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.

As a strong pro-life legislator I was disgusted by the idea that we would pass a resolution honoring this 90-year legacy of genocide. I drove home that night wondering what I could say that might pierce the darkness during the debate on this heinous resolution.

On Saturday morning, I took my 8-year-old son up to the mountains to go white-water rafting. The trip lasted all day. As we were driving home, exhausted and hungry, I remembered that I had accepted an invitation to attend a fundraising dinner that night for a local pro-life organization. One of my most respected mentors had personally called me several weeks earlier and asked me to attend, so I knew I’d have to clean up and head over.

After our meal, the executive director of the organization introduced the keynote speaker. I looked up and saw walking to the stage a handicapped young lady being assisted to the microphone by a young man holding a guitar.

Her name was Gianna Jessen.

Gianna said “Hello,” welcomed everyone, and then sang three of the most beautiful Christian songs I have ever heard.

She then began to give her testimony. When her biological mother was 17 years old and seven and a half months pregnant, she went to a Planned Parenthood clinic to have an abortion. As God would have it, the abortion failed and a beautiful 2-pound baby girl was brought into the world. Unfortunately, she was born with cerebral palsy and the doctors thought that she would never survive. The doctors were wrong.

Imagine the timing! A survivor of a Planned Parenthood abortion arrived in town just days before the Colorado House of Representatives was to celebrate Planned Parenthood’s “wonderful” work.

As I listened to Gianna’s amazing testimony, the Lord inspired me to ask her if she could stay in Denver until Monday morning so that I could introduce her on the floor of the House and tell her story. Perhaps she could even begin the final day’s session by singing our country’s national anthem!

To my surprise she said she would seriously consider it. If she were to agree, she wanted her accompanying guitarist to stay as well. A lady standing in line behind me waiting to meet Gianna overheard our conversation and said that she would be willing to pay for the guitarist’s room. Gianna then said that she would think about it.

As I was driving home from the banquet, my cell phone rang. It was Gianna, and she immediately said, “I’m in, let’s ruin this celebration.” Praise God!

When Monday morning came, I awoke at 6 a.m. to write my speech before heading to the Capitol. As I wrote down the words, I could sense God’s help and I knew that this was going to be a powerful moment for the pro-life movement.

Following a committee hearing, I rushed into the House chambers just as the opening morning prayer was about to be given. Between the prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, I wrote a quick note to the speaker of the House explaining that Gianna is an advocate for cerebral palsy. I took the note to the speaker and asked if I could have my friend open the last day of session by singing the national anthem. Without any hesitation the speaker took the microphone and said, “Before we begin, Representative Harvey has made available for us Gianna Jessen to sing the national anthem.”

Gianna sang the most amazing rendition of The Star Spangled Banner that you could possibly imagine. Every person in the entire chamber was completely still, quiet and in awe of this frail young lady’s voice.

Due to her cerebral palsy, Gianna often loses her balance, and shortly after starting to sing she grabbed my arm to stabilize herself, and I could tell that she was shaking. Suddenly, midway through the song, she forgot the words and began to hum and then said, “Please forgive me; I am so nervous.” She then immediately began singing again and every House member and every guest throughout the chambers began to sing along with her to give her encouragement and to lift her up.

As I looked around the huge hall I listened to the unbelievable melody of Gianna’s voice being accompanied by a choir of over 100 voices. I had chills running all over my body, and I knew that I had just witnessed an act of God.

As the song concluded the speaker of the House explained that Gianna has cerebral palsy and is an activist to bring awareness to the disease. “Let us give her a hand not only for her performance today, but also for her advocacy work,” he said. The chamber immediately exploded into applause — she had them all in the palm of her hand.

The speaker then called the House to order, and we proceeded as usual to allow members to make any announcements or introductions of guests. For dramatic effect, I waited until I was the last person remaining before I introduced Gianna.

As I waited for my turn, I nervously paced back and forth praying to God that he would give me the peace, confidence and the courage necessary to pull off what I knew would be one of the most dramatic and controversial moments of my political career.

While I waited, a prominent reporter from one of the major Denver newspapers walked over to Gianna and told her that her rendition captured the spirit of the national anthem more powerfully than any she had ever heard before.

Finally, I was the last person remaining. So, I proceeded to the microphone and began my speech.

“Members, I would like to introduce you to a new friend and hero of mine — her name is Gianna Jessen. She is visiting us today from Nashville, Tennessee, where she is an accomplished recording artist. “She has cerebral palsy and was raised in foster homes before being adopted at the age of four.

“She was born prematurely and weighed only 2 pounds at birth. She remained in the hospital for almost three months. A doctor once said she had a great will to live and that she fought for her life. Eventually she was able to leave the hospital and be placed in foster care.

“Because of her cerebral palsy, her foster mother was told that it was doubtful that she would ever crawl or walk. She could not sit up independently. Through the prayers and dedication of her foster mother, she eventually learned to sit up, crawl, then stand. Shortly before her fourth birthday, she began to walk with leg braces and a walker.

“She continued in physical therapy and after a total of four surgeries, she was able to walk without assistance.

“She still falls sometimes, but she says she has learned how to fall gracefully after falling for 29 years.

“Two years ago, she walked into a local health club and said she wanted a private trainer. At the time her legs could not lift 30 pounds. Today she can leg press 200 pounds.

“She became so physically fit that she began running marathons to raise money and awareness for cerebral palsy. She just returned last week from England where she ran in the London Marathon. It took her more than eight-and-a-half hours to complete. They were taking down the course by the time she made it to the finish line. But she made it, nonetheless. With bloody feet and aching joints, she finished the race.

“Members would you help me recognize a modern-day hero — Gianna Jessen?”

At this point the chamber exploded into applause which lasted for 15-to-20 seconds. Gianna had touched their souls.

Ironically, Alice Madden, the majority leader and sponsor of the Planned Parenthood resolution, walked over to Gianna and congratulated her.

As the applause began to die down, I raised my hand to be recognized one more time.

“Mr. Speaker, members, if you would allow me just a few more moments I would appreciate your time.

“My name is Ted Harvey, not Paul Harvey, but, please, let me tell you the rest of the story. “The cause of Gianna’s cerebral palsy is not because of some biological freak of nature, but rather the choice of her mother.

“You see when her biological mother was 17-years-old and 7-and-a-half months pregnant, she went to a Planned Parenthood clinic to seek a late-term abortion. The abortionist performed a saline abortion on this 17-year-old girl. This procedure requires the injection of a high concentration of saline into the mother’s womb, which the fetus is then bathed in and swallows, which results in the fetus being burned to death, inside and out. Within 24 hours the results are normally an induced, still-born abortion.

“As Gianna can testify, the procedure is not always 100 percent effective. Gianna is an aborted late-term fetus who was born alive. The high concentration of saline in the womb for 24 hours resulted in a lack of oxygen to her brain and is the cause of her cerebral palsy.

“Members, today, we are going to recognize the 90th anniversary of Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood…”

BANG! The gavel came down.

Just as I was finishing the last sentence of my speech — the climax of the morning — the speaker of the House gaveled me down and said, “Representative Harvey, I will allow you to continue your introduction, but not for the purposes of debating a measure now pending before the House.”

At which point I said,

“Mr. Speaker, I understand. I just wanted to put a face to what we are celebrating today.”

Silence.

Deafening silence.

I then walked back to my chair shaking like a leaf. The Democrats wouldn’t look at me. They were fuming. It was beautiful. I have been in the Legislature for five tough years, and this made it all worthwhile.

The House majority leader wouldn’t talk to me the rest of the day.

Was it because I introduced an abortion survivor, or was it because we touched her soul? She could congratulate an inspirational cerebral palsy victim and advocate, but was outraged when she discovered that the person she congratulated was also an abortion survivor.

The headline in The Denver Post the next day read “Abortion Jab Earns Rebuke.” The majority leader is quoted as saying, “I think it was amazingly rude to use a human being as an example of his personal politics.”

Yes, Representative Madden, Gianna Jessen is a human being. She was when she was in her mother’s womb, and she was when she sang the national anthem on the floor of the Colorado House of Representatives.

The paper went on to quote Gianna, stating she was glad I told her story.

“We need to discuss the humanity of it. I’m glad to be able to speak up for children in the womb,” she said. “If abortion is about women’s rights, where were my rights?”

All I can say is, “Glory to God!” He orchestrated it all, every minute of it, and I was so honored to have been chosen to play a part. May we all continue to be filled with and to fight for the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ!”

Out of the Darkness

There’s a new documentary film coming out in 2011 called “Out of the Darkness”. The film is about the pornography industry and the story of a former pornstar named Shelley Lubben. Shelley shares the hard-to-hear truths about the industry and how it is affecting the women involved.

Mark Houck, Co-Founder of The King’s Men, is featured in the documentary. Here’s the trailer. If you can’t view the video below, click HERE.

Out of the Darkness Trailer from Anteroom Pictures on Vimeo.

“In the sex industry, every single day was traumatic…” – Shelley Lubben.  Find out more about Shelley HERE.

We have to do something about this.

TrueMan up!

The Power of One

The following story, written by a website writer, is very disturbing and I hesitate to include it on my website simply because I do not know enough about the topic to speak to it specifically.  What I will write about is the power of one man.  As you will read in the linked articles below, Alfred Kinsey had incredible power and influence.  His power and influence continue to this day and have [negatively] shaped the culture and specifically, the view of sex, sexuality and morality.

I write to share this thought… you, as one man, have an incredible opportunity to influence!  Your scope of influence may be one other person, or it may be the entire society!  If Kinsey, just one man, could influence an entire society, for over sixty years, just imagine what you might be able to do.  But, you can’t do it sitting at your computer alone – you must get to work!  Do something!  If you don’t know what that is, figure something out and get started!

So, here is the crazy-gross article about Kinsey and his “scientific” experiments, which were basically just legal-pedophilia… CLICK HERE.

And then, CLICK HERE for another article about Kinsey.  This article happens to include some information from the Air Force Academy from the 90’s, but that has nothing specific to do with this post – even considering my past involvement there.

I hope to do some more research and find out more about Kinsey and his “findings”, as well as report back more details about how screwed up he was.  If you want to do some research your self, check out a book by Susan Brinkmann called “The Kinsey Corruption: An Expose on the Most Influential ‘Scientist’ of Our Time.”

TrueMan up!

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