Ultimate Sports Force: Basketball Stars Go 'Toon

This blog is basically a logging of all the stuff I've pack-ratted since childhood, carried around from town to town, and am now either trashing or re-using. We want to study everything from a Biblical point of view.

 In one box I pulled from storage, I found a comic book sponsored by the NBA. [-garbage bound-] This book is kind of like the ones you get for free in the cereal box.

 

The comic  turns basketball players into super-powered menaces who believe they're heroes. At least, that's what J. Jonah Jameson says.

 





The comic features stars like Dirk Nowitzki, Tracy McGrady and Elton Brand, the elite at the time of the book's 2004 publication. "Air and Space" is so generic that it's about as harmful as organic milk.

 

Any kid who likes this kind of cartoon already idolizes NBA players, so imagining Gilbert Arenas as a flying jumpsuit-wearing superhero is well-trod ground.

 

The super-ballers get their powers
from a mystical basketball. That's not a typo.

In the story, a team of twelve players take advice from a striking alien. The e.t. warns them of ugly creatures, his rivals, coming to attack Earth.

 

Turns out that the creatures are the good guys. Sure, this comic book is obviously a quick money grab. But the readers, if there were any kids who bought this, are taught that appearances can be deceiving--a biblical principle which goes down nicely.

 

John 7:24  Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

 

 

Redskins Name Debate: Sports False Flag

While searching for good images of a living and breathing Native American playing the part of a Washington Redskin mascot, it became obvious that the task would prove difficult. I kept running into photos of this guy:

Chief Zee

 
From the Power, Oppression, and Privilege in Sports website: Basically those of us who are calling for a change in these racist mascots are simply calling for respect!  Once again, political correctness is essentially a call for respect.  If it is hurtful to the group in question when you use certain terms (like the blatantly racist term Redskin) or when you use certain imagery, don’t do it!  It is hurtful!

This is an honorable attitude. But longtime Skin fan "Chief Zee" and arguments over sports names are irrelevant to those with the eyes to see.

Satan and his agenda are real. He is very capable at his task, which is to blind the minds of unbelievers, and keep them from receiving Jesus Christ as the only Savior.

2nd Corinthians 4:4, “In whom the god of this world hath BLINDED THE MINDS of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

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All around us we are seeing an increase in New Age symbolism, one pastor wrote. It would seem we are being slowly indoctrinated into its philosophies supported by an acceptance of its symbols.

 

Consider the change from the "Washington Bullets" to "The Washington Wizards" with the symbols of a WIZARD (Warlock or male witch), a crescent moon, and swastika. In today's environment those symbols must be more politically correct than "bullets."

 

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 “Symbolism is the language of the Mysteries ... By symbols men have ever sought to communicate to each other those thoughts which transcend the limitations of language. Rejecting man-conceived dialects as inadequate and unworthy to perpetuate divine ideas, the Mysteries thus chose symbolism as a far more ingenious and ideal method of preserving their transcendental knowledge. In a single figure a symbol may both reveal and conceal, for to the wise the subject of the symbol is obvious, while to the ignorant the figure remains inscrutable. Hence, he who seeks to unveil the secret doctrine of antiquity must search for that doctrine not upon the open pages of books which might fall into the hands of the unworthy but in the place where it was originally concealed.”

—Manly P. Hall, The Secret Teachings of All Ages, p. 20.

 

Some of our most well-known sports names and logos display this symbolism... the communication of antichrist spirits.

 

 

 

The Houston Texans logo puts this symbolism "language" in our faces. Notice the Baphomet-esque head, with horns... the right eye, represented by a star. This is just one example of the imagery surrounding us.

It's called hiding the truth in plain sight.

Tens of millions football followers, and very few take note of the demonic underpinnings of pro sports. Some know what's going on, and either embrace it or don't care. Sitting on the fence is dangerous in spiritual matters. The fence belongs to the devil.

 

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The debate over the Washington Redskins mascot name is firing back up, after years of simmering on the coals. The president of the United States, Skins owner Daniel Snyder, media 'head Bob Costas and many others are stating their cases in public.

 

Any time we notice a minor issue like a professional sports team name making huge headlines, we should be suspicious. The Bible says several times, Be not deceived.

What does it mean? "Be not deceived." In this context, it warns us to keep our minds and hearts from focusing on issues like the Redskins debate. Sports are fine in their place, but should be low on our priority list.

Unfortunately, many people around the world have been deceived, immersing ourselves in entertainment fantasy worlds.

We're guilty of idolatry when it comes to sports and athletes. We're all idolaters, in some way. It's all about seeing this truth, admitting that it is in fact true, and repenting (turning away, or changing one's mind).

Mark 1:15, “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

To a Christian who has read his Bible with discernment, "Wizards" is more deadly than "Redskins." Partly because it seems innocent to the casual eye.

Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

 

Five Ways to Promote Your Indie Novel: Cap'n Random

For the indie writer, getting attention in a saturated market can be a challenge.

 

Here was my guerrilla marketing/promo for the 2013 short novel, "Cap'n Random"...

 

1. Buy a few reviews to be posted on Amazon, Goodreads, and other websites. You can find people to read your book and write (hopefully) honest reviews, for a fee. Fiverr is a freelance site where people perform a number of services, including book reviewing, starting at $5.

2. Make the book available for free, at least briefly, shortly after publication. Most independent writers know about Amazon's KDP platform, which lets us give the work away to gain publicity. Some conditions apply, such as giving Amazon exclusivity during the promo period. For me, this did not translate into more sales after the "giveaway" period. But hundreds of people downloaded Cap'n Random, which may spark some recognition in the future.

3. Do a Goodreads giveaway drawing. I sent three signed copies to the drawing winners. All three were international addresses. There is a "American only" type box and it will be checked, if I do another giveaway.

4. Sign up with a virtual book tour organizer. The well-connected writer can schedule his or her own. For the sake of convenience, I went with an online service, and the organizers set me up with a couple weeks' worth of QnA, essay-type blog visits. Prices and length of tours vary widely. Shopping around paid off dividends.

5. Do the usual social networking announcements. These don't pay of much of anything unless you have majorly devoted followers. Otherwise, only a percentage of them are going to respond. But it is just another place to leave a mark for search engines to sniff out.

 

 

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Did any of these things work? Depends on the goals. Mine were to make a few more neural connections on the InterWeb.  People find links in all kinds of ways... Mission accomplished.

 

I heard or read that, to sell five units of something as a writer, you will need to be exposed to one thousand people! Puts things in perspective. It's a good thing that I'm not in the writing game to make a buck.

 

For those who want that buck... the best hope for the indie writer is to create an aggregate of stories and other art. Find a niche, a personal specialty, and corner it artistically. You could get speaking engagements, seminars, books, and media appearances out of it. Again, this depends on the goals.

 

Unless someone strikes a main vein of interest, or is willing to compromise, there's little chance of a big-time career in fiction writing coming from one book. 

 

Obviously none of this applies to the publicity/marketing genius. This type of person can spin gold by sheer will and personality. For the rest of us, it's best to simply keep producing.

 

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Liz Long

 

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