Month: June 2007

County taxes

Now here’s some interesting news from the Texas Comptroller.
The latest numbers I have is for 2005 and I’m not sure if that means 2004-2005 or FY2005 or 2005-2006… but here’s some data on Texas Total County Property Tax Rates:

The Average Tax Rate in 2005 was: 0.531450673
Ellis County Tax Rate was: 0.3499
There were 28 counties with a tax rate below .3499
And 225 counties with a tax rate above .3499
Of those 225, 202 of them were above .4

If I’m not mistaken, our current tax rate is .3495. With the recent bond election, the tax rate is expected to increase between 3 and 4.5 cents or to .3795 or .3945. Even if somehow the bond had been expected to increase the tax rate by 5 cents, the county tax rate would be .3999, or below 4 cents per $100 of property valuation. So while many counties may very well have lowered their tax rate since 2005, if they remained at the same rate or higher, Ellis County will still have a tax rate lower than 202 of the 254 counties in Texas.

WWE shocked at latest developments in Benoit tragedy

The WWE has released a press release regarding the Chris Benoit double-murder-suicide over the weekend.
The company said they are “concerned with the sensationalistic reporting and speculation being undertaken by some members of the media.”
According to the press release, the murder of both Benoit’s wife and son was likely deliberated and not in an act of rage.
The press release also says there was no evidence of illegal drugs in Benoit’s house and he tested clean for steroids in mid-April.
Read the full press release and a timeline of events.
After the facts surrounding the case were made known, WWE removed “all tributes to Chris Benoit” both on-air and on the web.
Vince McMahon also made a brief introduction before the WWE ECW show last night, dedicating the show to everyone affected by the tragedy and saying there would be no further mention of Benoit after his statement.
It appears that other than the above links, there are no other pages for Chris Benoit anywhere on the WWE website. A search of his name brings up a number of pages but none of the links are valid anymore.

Encouraging creative thought in the church

SBC blogger (that’s Southern Baptist not Southwestern Bell) Wade Burleson suggests there may be a connection between mathematics and the Gospel.

It is interesting to note that in both the study of mathematics and gospel doctrine one learns precise systems of thought with established, constant truths that never change (at least from my conservative theological viewpoint).

Burleson takes a look at the academic life of Albert Einstein and how he flourished when he was encouraged to think creatively.

‘What kind of environment is needed for great thinkers and theologians to arise out of the Southern Baptist Convention who possess the creative genius to lead us into new and even more effective methodologies of gospel ministry?’

From Einstein’s life Burleson offers five pointers:

  1. Young evangelical pastors and leaders need an atmosphere where they are free to think and flourish in each his own, individual, and creative way as God has gifted him.
  2. Demands to submit to authoritarian control through mental assent to force-fed facts or truths, and demands for blind allegience to established systems of denominational structure will thwart any sense of creativity and possibly restrict new and more effective means for accomplishing even greater Christian ministry.
  3. The discovery and advancement of more effective methodologies in missions ministry comes from hands on experience of Southern Baptists who are actually doing missions rather than Southern Baptists who are hearing about missions.
  4. If young evangelical pastors and leaders ever get a taste of the freedom to do ministry as they visualize it needs to be done, but feel attacked or threatened by older mentors, they will eventually renounce their allegiance for, and membership in, the Southern Baptist Convention.
  5. The threat to the Southern Baptist Convention does not come from more freedom given to her members, but rather, the tightening of parameters and the authoritarian control that stifles creativity in missions and ministry.

I think God is a very creative God and encourages us to be creative as well. When people are restricted and not allowed to be creativity you lose passion and joy. But when people can be creative with their work, their ministry, their outreach and are given a chance to think outside the box, it’s amazing to watch them flourish.
I’m thankful myself that I have a place where I can be creative. I have a place where I’m allowed to stretch myself and be all that I can be and not tied down to tradition or “this is how we’ve always done it.”
And I love watching other people find their place as well.

The Sermon on the Mount

According to John Dear, a Jesuit priest and peace activist, Mahatma Gandhi read from the Sermon on the Mount twice a day for the last 40 years of his life.
“He considered these texts the greatest writings on nonviolence in the history of the world. Since he wanted to become a person of nonviolence, he treated these teachings as a basic primer, as the catechism of nonviolence.”
I wonder how many times most Christians have read Matthew 5-7.
Hat tip to DMN for the info

Huckabee blogger conference call

Mike Huckabee’s website has posted the audio of the blogger conference call from earlier today.
The call started off with James Robinson, who heads his own ministry in Texas and hosts the television program, Life Today. The ministry brings aid to people around the world.
Michael Ferris, president of Patrick Henry College also joined the former governor and bloggers on the line.
With Ferris, Huckabee talked briefly about his support of education in public schools, private schools and homeschooling. He said he believes all parents should have an opportunity to choose the best education for their kids, and personally he sent his children to public schools. “I believe in competition in education. This is a mom and dad decision not a bureaucrat decision.”
Robinson and Ferris both gave their support to Huckabee during the first portion of the conference call.
Ferris said Huckabee was the most able communicator he’s ever met.
Ferris also said Huckabee is a real conservative and senators and mayors don’t win the presidency.
Huckabee said news from the polls has been encouraging and he’s now tied for support with McCain in several states now.
As for immigration, Huckabee said he doesn’t support the current legislation because it doesn’t focus on border security and doesn’t require authentic paperwork at the border or a legitimate reason for entry into the country – such as American’s are now required to have when crossing our own borders.
“We’re a nation not selfish about our freedom. American’s don’t resent the immigrants, they resent their government for botching the manor in which they’ve been allowed to come in.”
On media attention, regarding fundraising:
“Our goal is not to get elected by the national media but it’s to get elected by folks out there in America.”
On his energy plan:
Huckabee plans to have true energy dependence before the end of his second term.
“This is not only for the economic factor but for the security factor… If we want to see innovation and conservation the Fair Tax helps us accomplish both. If our only tax is your tax on consumption people will find ways to be less consumers of energy because it will be in their best interest.”
Huckabee also said companies will have advantages to innovate because they won’t be taxed for coming up with innovations.

Listen to the full conference call online.

Benoit strangled his wife and smothered son

The latest from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is a report that WWE wrestler Chris Benoit strangled his wife and smothered his son before hanging himself in his weight room.

The couple and their 7-year-old son were found dead Monday in their home on Green Meadow Lane just east of Peachtree City. Nancy Benoit and her son, Daniel, were killed during the weekend and Benoit died Sunday, police said.
The son was found dead in bed. Nancy Benoit was found in the home office. The cause of death for both was ruled asphyxiation.
Benoit is believed to have hanged himself on late Saturday or early Sunday.

The paper also reports that Benoit and his wife had previous marriage problems including some abuse and a separation in 2003.
To me this is such a sad state of affairs. It’s true evidence of a confused and lost world.
Only the king of deception, Satan himself, could lead someone to do something so horrific to their own family members.