(2005) What a year it has been. Some might say 2005 was a year full of fallen heros, villains and corrupt role models. After all could the sins of man be more exposed than they have this year? Let’s take a quick walk down memory lane of some of the bigger things that have happened this year various popular people:
* A California jury acquits pop singer Michael Jackson of 10 charges, including molesting a child, conspiracy, and providing alcohol to minors
*Martha Stewart wraps up prison term after being convicted of corporate fraud
* Terrell Owens gets kicked of football team after stupid comments made about teammates and loses millions of dollars
* Former Dallas Cowboy star Michael Irvin gets busted again for not paying speeding tickets and being in possession of crack pipe and drug items in his Mercedes
* Long time GOP congressman Randy Cunningham resigns after admitting bribes CIA
* House Leader Tom DeLay (R) is arrested for suspicion of contribution fraud
* Governmental leaders point fingers at each other for FEMA failures in response to to the Hurricane Katrina disaster
* Mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin, curses and acts vulgar on radio media outlet
* Republican Party takes major hits for issues of integrity and character
* Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove investigated regarding concerns of CIA leak about intelligence findings
* Democratic Party continues to spew verbal hatred and unprofessional personal attacks against GOP in speeches across country with the likes of Dean and Kerry leading the way
* For some unknown reason, Saddam Hussein is allowed a trail process in and acts arrogant despite his own years of committing atrocities and murders, claiming his trail is an “act of terrorism”
* Baseball hero Rafael Palmerio loses respect after testing positive for steroids just months after standing before Congress, pointing a finger at them and saying he ahs never taken steroids.
* Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman and former HealthSouth CEO, Richard Scrushy were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of a "widespread racketeering conspiracy"
* Various WorldCom and ENRON execs receive jail time for fraud and corruption
* Brain damaged patient Terri Schiavo is allowed to die of starvation based on medical teams advise that she should could not feel pain
* Tyco CEO Dennis Kozlowski received 8-1/3 to 25 years in prison for his part in stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from the manufacturing conglomerate
* Teenager Jeff Weise, 16, kills nine people, many at his own high school, including his grandfather, before turning the gun on himself
* Nearly 125 years later, the U.S. Senate finally apologizes for failure to enact anti-lynching laws and issues a formal apology for decades-long failure to pass laws making lynching illegal. From 1882 to 1968, 4,742 people (3,446 of them black) were killed by lynch mobs
* In a totally hypocticial move, famous musicians urge the world to unite during Live 8 to end poverty in Africa, though most don’t give hardly any of their own money themselves to their own cause
* A federal grand jury indicts I. Lewis Libby, Vice President Cheney's Chief of Staff, with one count of obstruction of justice, two of perjury, and two of making false statements in connection with an investigation into who disclosed the identity of a covert CIA officer
* Arlington pastor, Terry L. Hornbuckle, 43, indicted amid numerous sex allegations and then later is busted with drugs and denies it all
* The pastor of East Waynesville Baptist Church, Chan Chandler, resigned after terminating the membership of nine church members because they voted for John Kerry.
* Boston Pastor, Rev. Jerome F. Gillespie, resigned of St. John the Evangelist Church, after allegedly propositioning a mother and her daughter
* A 55-year-old former pastor was indicted for allegedly having sexually abused six males over a 14-year period, many inside his Westside Victory Baptist Church.
* The Internal Revenue Service is looking into the operations and finances of televangelist Benny Hinn's organization. The ministry is estimated to raise more than $100 million a year yet begs people for money daily to build supposed “healing centers”
* MinistryWatch.com advises donors to withhold support to Trinity Broadcasting Network and calls also for new leadership
* Pastor Joel Olsteen of 30,000 member Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, steers away from talking about sin and judgment…stating he is not sure about who won’t go to heaven on the talk show Larry King Live…
KING: What if you’re Jewish or Muslim, you don’t accept Christ at all?
OSTEEN: You know, I’m very careful about saying who would and wouldn’t go to heaven. I don’t know . . .
* Teenagers David Ludwig, 18, and Kara Beth Borden involved in cold blooded murder of Borden’s parents after parents refuse to allow Ludwig to date her.
The devil is no respecter of persons. He’ll get anyone he can and it amazes me just what people will do. Day after day we read headlines like these that include people from all walks of life; athletes, politicians, business leaders, actors, and even ministers. Time after time they fail leaving us shaking our heads in amazement and wonder.
But we need to be honest here. We love seeing the failures of others, don’t we? It makes us feel better about ourselves. Yet, we need to be careful because we are treading on shaky ground. We must ask ourselves this question: Are we really any different? If we were famous, had superstar status or the popularity of many of these people, what would the media “discover” about us? What would they find in our lives?
Truth is, most of us are glad we don’t have the spotlight on our own lives. We tend to hide in the comforts of being unknown. It makes things easier to hide and easier to get away with. All of us are sinners and all of us have done terrible things. As a matter of fact, some of us will do so today.
Christ addressed nearly the same issues once in His day. A woman was popular and had a reputation that followed her. She was known for her actions and the way she lived her life. In His day, Fox News and CNN weren’t around, but Pharisees were everywhere, ready to point their finger. They kept stones readily available, so they could keep the attention on the “sinner” while acting the part of a “saint”. That was their “m.o.”. Keep the focus off of them and let others take the heat.
Do you do the same? Do you shake your head when you hear these stories like I do? I know for me, sometimes hearing another person fall makes me feel a little better. My flesh has a way of soaking in it and telling my mind, “See, you’re not so bad. At least you didn’t do what Michael Irvin did and you don’t scam people like Benny Hinn!”
There is no excuse for what these people have done or continue to do and surely there is a need to expose the fallacies of man. The media isn’t going away. I just hope they continue to not see me. I’ll be sure to avoid making eye contact.
In the meantime, I’m going to get on my knees and thank God He covers me and let’s me start each day a new. I suggest you do the same.
CNN or Fox News might be heading your way….but even if they don’t God knows it all just the same.
“They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, "The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone." John 8:8
© 2005, J. Brady"
I say it how I see it and I make no bones about it."
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