Internetmonk writes,

I started to look around. Joyce Meyer's books were everywhere in Barnes and Noble. Two shelves. Two tables. Displays. New books at the front. Even at the check out, looking at me from a display behind the desk. This is weird. Rick Warren has convinced these bookstores that there is money to be made, and General Joyce is cranking out all kinds of titles that look great in B&N. So we've gone from a generic evangelical Baptist to an intimidating female word-faith life coach who flashes the bling-bling at every opportunity, and she's looking at me from every aisle like she wants to hit me.

This is creepy. While Meyer is theologically light years ahead of Joel Osteen, she's also a classic televangelist multi-mazillionaire scamming tons of people while she purports to be using the money responsibly. (Read the articles. Don't bark at me.) And she's taken over Barnes and Noble. I kept looking for her jet in the parking lot.

Now that Rick Warren has revealed the buckets of money to be made, the larger publishing industry will be pushing the Osteens and the Meyers to the top of the pile. Why? They know how to play the game. The titles. The packaging. The rehashed content. The multiple tie-ins to some big event at a stadium. General Joyce has the added bonus of being a cross between Dr. Laura and Lou Gossett, Jr in An Officer And A Gentleman. She's the pastor most Southern Baptists wish they had, even though their version of God won't allow her in the ministry.

With so few pastors helping their people sort through this mess, and with Christian television pumping Joyce Meyer into our homes 24/7, it's no wonder she's a hit with the "practical Bible teaching" crowd. That success will translate into books, and as fast as she can crank them out, title them and smile for the cover photo, they will be at a Wal-Mart near you. If you love God and your kids, you'll buy them all.

Read the whole piece.

I have been doing some thinking and a little writing on James 2:1-13, and it has dawned on me that this section on James has a lot to say in regard to Affirmative Action.  James, because God is no respecter of persons, condemns all forms of preferential treatment based on economic status, race, or sex.  Consider again what he says,

James 2:1-13 My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. ² Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. ³ If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," ⁴ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? ⁵ Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? ⁶ But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? ⁷ Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong? ⁸ If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. ⁹ But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. ¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. ¹¹ For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. ¹² Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, ¹³ because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

Here are some thoughts I jotted down for a Word Interact.  I will publish the whole thing next week.  But until then, here is a glimpse of what I am seeing.

God is no respecter of persons.  He judges righteously not showing favoritism.  Elsewhere Paul writes,

            For God does not show favoritism (Romans 2:11).

            …and there is no favoritism with him [God] (Ephesians 6:9).

Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism (Colossians 3:25).

Because God is no respecter of persons, those who call God ‘Father’ are not to be respecters of persons either.  Now, don’t misunderstand me here.  I am not saying that we should not show respect or honor to those whom it is due.  Showing honor or respect is a virtue.  We as Christians are to show honor to our parents (Ephesians 6:1-3).  We are to honor those who are in authority over us (Romans 13:1-7).  But James is not talking about this.  Rather, he is talking about showing preferential treatment to some and not to others.  James specifically uses the rich and the poor as an illustration of preferential treatment.  But the categories could be reversed and expanded.  For example, it is not simply showing preferential treatment to rich, which is wicked, it is showing any preferential treatment to anyone which is wicked.  All preferential treatment is condemned by James.  Why?  Because God does not show preferential treatment to anyone.  God saves from all classes, races, and sexes.  Why does he save from all tribes and tongues?  Because of his mercy; because he chooses to save.

What do you think?

I am in the process of reading Black Rednecks, and it is very good.  It is the latest book by Thomas Sowell.  Here is his own summary of the book.

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/printts20050505.shtml