Ethos by Randy Elrod - How To Create Culture

Announcing "Sex, Lies & Religion" The Book & The Survey

I am excited to announce the unveiling of my new book project that has been in development for over a year.
The Book:

Sex, Lies & Religion (Enjoying The Freedom of Unconditional Sexuality)

Have you ever had an experience with God that exceeds your most wild and fulfilling sexual moment? If the answer is no, you are not alone. This book is a mysterious and arresting look at how the culture of religion turns love and desire into something you want to control.

In the book you will discover how to:

Enjoy Guilt-Free Sexual Pleasure

Unlearn Sexual Lies

Know The Difference Between Art and Pornography

Bring ALL Of Who You Are To The Sexual Experience

Let Sacred Consummation Deepen Your Passion And Intimacy

Embrace Sexual Redemption

Understand The Beauty and Sexual Symbolism of Holy Communion

Authors:
Randy Elrod – Has been married to his childhood sweetheart for over 30 years.  The lessons learned from the highs and lows of their sexual and spiritual union provide a time-tested foundation for the truths found in this book. An Ordained Minister, he has three decades of pastoral and counseling experience – the last fifteen years in two mega-churches with over 16 thousand members.

Ken Edwards, MDiv, MA – Has spent the last twenty years counseling hundreds of individuals and couples through the various issues surround their relationships, struggles with sexuality and spiritual abuse.  Ken has earned a Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling and a Master of Arts in Religious Education all from Southwestern Seminary.  He has been married to Janet, his high school sweetheart, for 27 years.

Sex, Lies & Religion will show that a seductive God desires to know us intimately. As lover He calls for all of our spiritual and physical senses to come alive during this journey called life.

The book is represented by Eames Literary Services and is presently under publishing review by several major houses. Subscribe to the RSS feed or e-mail updates HERE to receive the latest news.

The Survey:

Ken & I have created an anonymous 3 minute survey to help with further research for the book and to better understand the effect of religion on our sexual experience. Your help in taking the survey is crucial and much appreciated. Take it HERE

We would like to have over 1,000 people complete the survey. You can help us publicize the survey and the book by adding a widget to your Facebook, blog, MySpace, Digg and Twitter accounts. Simply click "Get Widget" at the top right hand column. They are completely customizable.

*** Please note that the survey is completely anonymous and your subscription to our RSS feed will in no way compromise your confidentiality.

"Where Is The Love?" or "A Jackass' Call To Unity"

Imagine my surprise a few weeks ago when witnessing a veritable Twitter tsunami about a conference in South Carolina at another one of those churches teaching other churches to be like them. The twitters were flying everywhere - some angry and some worshiping. I DM'd a few people I trust to find out what the heck was going on as I continued to follow random quotes by a "preacher" named Perry Noble.

Fortunately (or unfortunately as the case may be) the video stream is now up HERE for everyone to see. (You can fast forward past the lengthy and self-deprecating introduction to around 75 minutes and watch until the end to get most of the carnage). As Noble calls bloggers and other assorted church types "jackasses" from the pulpit, I couldn't help but respond via Twitter in 140 characters or less "The true definition of jackass is an irreverent mega-church pastor who uses a bully pulpit"

Watching the video stream brought to mind another time eleven years ago as I sat in a New York City conference room crammed full of weary Music Pastors gathered to be encouraged, when to my dismay another prominent minister who has a Tabernacle in Brooklyn appeared and began screaming against compromising "Seeker" churches - and especially one called Willow - Hmmmm. These guys sound very much alike.

Did I hit rewind or something?

Speaking of rewind - these guys (and especially this new breed of self-titled "anointed preachers") sound eerily like another guy that founded a University called Bob Jones who hated anyone with skin of color or that was not just like them.

Hey, wasn't that located in South Carolina too? They must drink something spiteful in that sweet tea.

I realize that in calling these divisive orators out, I will be accused of being like them. But I ask you - who will hold them accountable for what they say? Most Christians are afraid they will burn a bridge or make the wrong person in high places mad.

All I'm asking is that we love each other and work together.

"You're my brother, You're my sister, so take me by the hand. TOGETHER WE WILL WORK, until he comes."

Where is the love?

Oh yeah, and when will we Christians learn not to worship at the altar of westernized and materialistic success? Just because a guy gets to "preach" at a church where thousands attend does not mean he is infallible. He is just like me - or you. Just ask Ted Haggard.

Where Is The Love?

We can't ever fight the real enemy because we are so busy fighting and hurting each other.

This a loving but firm call from one jackass to another for LOVE.

This is the greatest commandment, JESUS said, that WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

'Atlas Shrugged': From Fiction to Fact in 52 Years

I first read Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged as an impressionable 18 year old. Upon finishing the book, I immediately turned to page one and read it all again. The controversial tome is one of the top 5 most influential books of my life.

An eerie sidebar is that my youngest daughter Lauren also found the book at age 18 and after devouring it immediately reread it and came rushing to ask me if I had ever heard of the book. Needless to say an intriguing conversation developed that continues to this day. It stands at the top of her list of most influential books.

So when my friend Carl sent me this link, I was very curious. It provides food for thought during these first 100 days of Obama's presidency.

Read the article HERE. It is in the Wall Street journal and is a MUST read, especially if you know John Galt as I do.

Papa Don't Preach - MTV Video Music Awards 2008 Spreads Propaganda Not Art

Last night, MTV continued its self-appointed role of spreading propaganda instead of its self-described role as a Music Television Channel. As @theblogstar stated on Twitter last night "How DO you have an award show of something that you don't actually show? I haven't seen an entire music video on mtv since '97."

It seems the latest MTV tactic is to import a crude and dense European host to tell us how to vote, when to have sex and how retarded our President seems to be. MTV looks and smells like Big Brother all dressed up in the latest fashion. Is it just me?

In today's world, We don't need liberal MTV, the legalistic church, a charismatic political candidate or anyone else for that matter telling us how to live our lives. Jordin Sparks' obviously took offense to the heavy handed propaganda and so did a LOT of people in the live audience.

Propaganda: information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc.

Beauty: the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (as shape, color, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else (as a personality in which high spiritual qualities are manifest).

Last night the VMA's was in large part all about propaganda. When will the people who control MTV learn that they cannot and will not control how we think and live. Come on, MTV, give us art-whether we agree with it or not! It certainly would go a long way to help legitimize a preachy and meaningless award show--and channel.

True art is about beauty NOT ideology. So, tell me, where does that leave MTV?

Could It Be That Sarah Palin Is Of Our Tribe? - She Delivers An Extraordinary Speech

Reflecting on the extraordinary speech last night delivered by Sarah Palin has caused me to wonder if we may indeed have a real person that has the courage to move from the wilderness to Washington truly to serve America.

I have been undecided and unexcited about either ticket until last night. Her words rang true to me.

Having spent my life on the stage, I can only imagine the pressure for Palin as she waited backstage for her moment of destiny. Given our obsession for Obama's charisma and oratory; any living, breathing human would have felt nerves and the responsibility to "deliver" to her fellow media obsessed Americans. But deliver she did.

Frankly, after working a lifetime for oratorically blessed charismatic men who have proudly told me backstage that they can spin anything - and then proceed onstage to do that very thing - I am weary and unimpressed with the shallowness and inauthenticity I feel when Barack Obama speaks.

Last night seemed real to me. Authentic and Sincere. Courageous and Intelligent. Layered and Compelling.

Sarah Palin quotes that resonated with me:

"Our opponents say, again and again, that drilling will not solve all of America's energy problems -- as if we all didn't know that already. But the fact that drilling won't solve every problem is no excuse to do nothing at all."     

"I've learned quickly, these past few days, that if you're not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone. But here's a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion - I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this country."

"There is much to like and admire about our opponent. But listening to him speak, it's easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform - not even in the state Senate,"

"But when the cloud of rhetoric has passed, when the roar of the crowd fades away, when the stadium lights go out, and those Styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot, what exactly is our opponent's plan? What does he actually seek to accomplish, after he's done turning back the waters and healing the planet? The answer is to make government bigger, take more of your money, give you more orders from Washington and to reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world. America needs more energy, our opponent is against producing it."

Noonan and Murphy Trash Palin On-Air

After an MSNBC segment hosted by Chuck Todd ended, guests Mike Murphy, a former McCain senior aide, and Peggy Noonan, the Republican presidential speech writer and Wall Street Journal columnist, continued to chat among themselves. Unfortunately, they didn’t realize their mics were still hot, and clearly audible to MSNBC viewers as the camera focused on a street scene.

Here’s a transcription of the audio:

Noonan: [Inaudible as Todd speaks on the air over her]

Murphy: Um, you know, because, I come out of the blue swing state governor world. Engler, Whitman, Tommy Thompson, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, I mean, and these guys, this is all like how you win a Texas race, just run it up, and it’s not gonna work.

Noonan: It’s Over.

Murphy: Still, McCain can give a version of the Lieberman speech and do himself some good.

Todd: Don’t you think this Palin pick is insulting to Kay Bailey Hutchinson to…

Noonan: I saw Kay this morning…

Todd: She’s never looked comfortable about..

Murphy: They’re all bummed out.

Todd: I mean, is she really the most qualified woman they could have turned to?

Noonan: The most qualified? No. I think they went for this, excuse me, political bullshit about narratives and youthfulness and the picture…

Todd: Yeah, but what’s the narrative?

Murphy: I totally agree.

Noonan: Every time Republicans do that, because that’s not where they live and it’s not what they’re good at, they blow it.

Murphy: You know what’s the worst thing about it, the greatness of McCain is no cynicism, and..

Murphy and Todd together: This is cynical.

Todd: And as you called it, gimmicky.

Live From Beijing 2008 Olympics - Journey To Mt. Everest in Tibet

There are many frustrating things about China. To name a few:
CREDIT CARDS-they don't take them.
SECURITY-they body search you even when the X-ray doesn't go off and the lines are horribly disorganized and long.
TAXIS-they stink and drivers don't speak any English.
FOOD-they rarely bring what you want, but the biggest most frustrating thing happened this morning. We were meant to fly out first thing. However, the hotel concierge gave our taxi driver the wrong terminal for our flight and after 45 minutes of confusion we realized the mistake but it was too late and missed our flight. A few hundred dollars and hours later we finally arrived in Lhasa, Tibet. Note: Nothing is easy or fast in China.

We are currently at 12,000 feet and I'm starting to feel the effects of the altitude. Tomorrow we begin our ascent to Mt. Everest Base Camp.

More photos from Tibet HERE.

Live From Beijing 2008 - Photos & Report - Swimming, Tennis & Military

It has been a crazy few days. Watched Michael Phelps win 3 Golds and break 3 records, endured the longest tennis match in Olympic history, and experienced my first Chinese bus mauling (see photos). Also, got lost in the Olympic village and stumbled upon a military base armed to the teeth within a few hundred yards of all the stadiums. Didn't really make me feel safe for some reason.

More great photos HERE.

Live From Beijing 2008 - Michael Phelps - World Records & Gold Medals

A once in a lifetime (maybe once EVER) chance to see the superhuman quest of Michael Phelps as he breaks world records and wins gold medals. More Michael Phelps photos HERE.

Live From Beijing 2008 Olympics - Tennis Photos & Report

Been a crazy few days. I have been to tennis, swimming, and diving, and spent much of today getting prepared for Mt. Everest. We leave early in the morning.  I will also upload some more pictures from the last few days then. I was able to see Hewitt, Nadal, Federer, Djokivic, and Murray all play tennis. A huge plus was seeing Michael Phelps win 3 gold medals and break 3 world records. Pretty amazing! More soon.