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| Caddo Lake, Texas-trekearth |
LA Times July 7, 2014
Cited
'Sleeping New York Yankees fan suing ESPN for showing him on air'
'A New York Yankees fan caught sleeping in the stands during an April game against the renowned rival Boston Red Sox has had enough of being made fun of and is bringing legal action against ESPN for broadcasting his slumbering image.
Andrew Rector filed a defamation lawsuit in New York against ESPN, John Kruk, Dan Shulman and MLB Advanced Media for showing him slumped in his chair, eyes closed and mouth open during the April 13 broadcast.
Rector is seeking $10 million in damages, according to Courthouse News Service. “In the course of watching the game, plaintiff napped and this opened an unending verbal cascade against the napping plaintiff,” the complaint says. Game commentators made fun of Rector while the camera showed him sleeping, using such words as "'stupor, fatty, unintelligent and stupid' knowing and intending the same to be heard and listened to by millions of people all over the world, including people who know the plaintiff or interacted with the plaintiff in person,” according to the complaint. The lawsuit also accuses the defendants of juxtaposing Rector’s sleeping image with other pictures, further damaging his reputation, according to the suit.'
Here is the video from the New York Post and it does not seem a verbal assault took place whatsoever...
New York Post July 7, 2014
Cited
'The recording doesn’t include any of the most inflammatory words alleged in the suit — including “fatty” and “stupid” — which Rector claims were heard “by millions of people.” Rector’s lawyer, Valentine Okwara, said only, “We’ll settle this in court.”
His mom, Hana, said he was out of town and couldn’t be reached, but she defended his suit. “It should send the message that idiots need to stay out of people’s business and not make fun of people who are harmless,” she said. In a statement, ESPN refuted Rector’s claims.'
End citations
Related lessons from Proverbs...
Proverbs 16: 8 New American Standard Version
Better is a little with righteousness Than great income with injustice.
Proverbs 21: 6
The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue Is a fleeting vapor, the [a]pursuit of death.
End
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On the weekend a friend and his family went to see a Michael W. Smith concert. This is not my musical style at all as in, if I listen to any kind of 'Christian' music it would be classical.
My friend then visited me for my birthday party.
My good friend did make an interesting philosophical statement and he has made 'like' on the same issue over the years...
Quote
"Went to a Michael W. Smith concert this past weekend. He's a Christian performer who's been in the business for around 30 years; popular as he's handsome, well dressed and non-threatening."
My friend then looked at me, laughed and stated non-threatening, 'unlike you...'
And that was in the context of non-threatening, to be clear!
What we then both agreed on was that in person and on my blogs that I never attempt to be offensive, but that like Jesus, not that I am in any way sinless, like God incarnate, Jesus Christ, I did challenge at times religious and secular authorities in regard to views.
I have remained Biblically orthodox, Reformed and evangelical, but I do through reasoning with the academic disciplines of theology, philosophy and philosophy of religion at times seriously question, not only some of the common issues that those in the Church like to question the world in regard to, or question the liberal church in regard to, but I question the Church, and the evangelical church, and the Reformed Church.
And I question myself.
2 Corinthians 5:17 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, [a]he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
I am concerned that all too often some Christians are far too concerned about avoiding 'rolling around in the mud' with certain issues as far as reasoning things out using Scripture, theology and philosophy. Because if this appeared in public this could damage image with family and friends.
But, Christians are already soiled with sin and so better to be realistic and seek Biblical sanctification and not hide behind cultural comforts that are non-threatening.
