John Gunter

Thoughts on Life and Living

The sex trade in my neighborhood…and fighting for the eternal TODAY

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One of the posters of the "End it" campaign to go again human trafficking.
One of the posters of the “End it” campaign against human trafficking.

This morning, as I approached my car in the parking deck of my apartment complex, I noticed a “business card” lodged on the window of my driver side door.  This is not an uncommon form of advertising here, so I didn’t think anything of it.

I picked up the card, glanced at it, and immediately realized it was a service that provided “pretty girls” for their clients, complete with a 24 hour service line to call.  Unfortunately, I was not taken back, because this type of service is also not uncommon in this part of the world.

There are many emotions and thoughts as I get “business cards” like this one and the world they represent.  Bondage.  Depression.  Desperation.  Sadness.

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Thoughts on a fallen pastor

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European churchLast December, I was sitting in a meeting when I received this message from a friend. . .

Please pray for our church.  Some awful stuff has come out about our pastor.  It is really upsetting.  Pray for him.  Pray for our church.  Very confusing.

At the break, I checked the internet only to read of adultery and other moral failures.  He had left the church and was unrepentant for his actions.  My heart broke.  Today, I read that it is not only this pastor, but two others from the same city (Orlando, Florida).  My heart breaks.

My heart breaks for the many people that follow these men.  My heart breaks for their families, their children, their wives.  My heart breaks because this is yet another example of churches whom will be marred in internal conflict, while the world around them is in need of the Savior they worship.  My heart breaks.

My heart ALSO breaks for these three men.

I am privileged to know and be friends with many wonderful Christian leaders; pastors and organizational leaders of all types.  Unfortunately, I have received a call on several occasions [Read more…]

“Mad Men” and the futility of sin

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I published this article last June. However, in light of the fact many new people are now reading this blog and in honor of “Mad Men” beginning this weekend, here it is once more (slightly revised).

MM.edited
The iconic image of the tv show “Mad Men”.

The activities of last night have become somewhat of a routine. A new episode of Mad Men hits the internet, I feverishly download it, and then Chris & Ann Marie Musgrove and I watch it. We take it all in and then promptly discuss what we just witnessed. . . what we just experienced.

Mad Men has become one of my favorite tv shows for this simple reason. . . it is a realistic study of the nature of sin. Nothing glamorous about sin. Nothing desirable. Just a weekly glance into the lives of people that live for the single purpose of satisfying their personal desires and gains.

The show does not make sin seem appealing. In fact, the exact opposite is true. The characters are pathetically and tragically enslaved to their own sin. They gain everything the world has to offer. Professional success. Financial wealth. Sexual prowess.

However, while the characters of Mad Men get EVERYTHING they want, they are miserable. Chris, Ann Marie, and I literally cringe

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Don Draper, Proverbs 7, and the reality of sin

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This post is building upon my previous article “Mad Men, Hemingway, and the futility of sin“. You can get to that post by clicking here.

Don.Draper_edited
Don Draper in all his Proverbs 7 glory. . .

This week, in the midst of thinking about the TV series Mad Men in general, and the main character, Don Draper specifically, I came upon Proverbs 7 in the Bible. After reading Proverbs 7 today, I was hit by the cut and dry nature of sin and it’s personally destructive consequences. Proverbs 7 really does read like a transcript for the aforementioned TV series, Mad Men.

This passage in Proverbs is a powerful overview of sin at the point of entry. After both my own personal pilgrimage in life and also in my experience of walking through life with many others of all stages and ages, this passage is amazingly insightful.

21 With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him.22 All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast23 till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.

Here are my thoughts:

Allure of sin (as told in this Proverb . . . and observed in Mad Men and all of life):

  1. Externally attractive (Proverbs 7:10) – We never see the insidious underbelly of sin prior to entering into it. We only see the external beauty. We see the shine. We see the long, beautiful hair, but we choose to ignore

    [Read more…]

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