Stage In The Sky | Author, Essayist, Provoker of Thoughts

I knew nothing about Hillsong before watching this documentary. That being said, I think I was able to watch it with an open mind with no hard prejudices about prosperity preaching or even the concept of a mega church. I was just curious. What is Hillsong? What happened? Why do so many in the mainstream seem to care?

Food for thought: If a person preaches the word of God and rely on the Bible for their messaging…but they turn out to be hypocrites not living by the standards they preach, does that mean they’re wrong about what they preached? In this case, is Christianity wrong if the people preaching about Christianity don’t live the way they encourage other people to live?

According to the documentary, most of Hillsong’s mainstream appeal, especially to a younger audience in a secular society that’s moving away from the Bible, was due to a charismatic, good-looking speaker named Carl Lentz.

As the face of Hillsong, Carl Lentz had a magnetic gift for oratory. His popularity blossomed due to his association with celebrities like Justin Bieber. He helped Bieber to convert and be Baptized.

However, as is the case with many spiritual leaders, Carl was ensnared by the weakness of the flesh and gave into sexual temptation. He cheated on his wife with some random woman and even had an affair with his nanny. This is terrible. God knows I hate adultery so much, because I know how grateful people should be to have a loving spouse to begin with (some people don’t have that luxury).

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Random Encouragement for Christian Singles and Virgins

Posted by Rock Kitaro on May 21, 2023

Posted in: Christianity, dating, romance. Tagged: abstinence, celibacy, Christian, christian singles, Christianity, dating, God, holy union, hook-up culture, Immorality, Jesus Christ, long-term relationship, love, Marriage, married, premarital sex, salvation, sex before marriage, sigma male, spiritual, virginity, virgins. Leave a comment

Allow me to say a few words of encouragement to all my Single Brothers and Sisters who ARE Christians, who DO live by Christ’s standards, who ARE in good shape, who put yourself in places to meet people and you still haven’t found someone, you still haven’t met someone who’s marriageable. Just a random message to stay strong.

Part of living by Christ’s standards means obeying his Word the Bible. Many people, including those who claim to be Christians, have given into modern times, they’ve given into sex before marriage, engaging in the hook-up culture. Now, those people are in steady relationships, they’re married, or engaged. They have what you’ve always wanted.

My friends…you cannot compare yourself to those people. As far as I’m concerned, they’ve merely cheated by taking a short-cut. Satan’s designed these short-cuts where, if you abandon God’s scriptures, if you disregard what the Bible says about how you should live your life, you will be rewarded in this world, here and now, sooner than later. (Matt 6:16-34)

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Last week, I flew to Colorado to attend my cousin’s graduation. With God on our side, it was definitely one for the books. And honestly…just what I needed.

Ever since she was a baby, my little cousin Allyssa has always been one of the most cherished persons in my life. Sometimes, I don’t even like to refer to her as my “cousin” because she’s something much more.

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On April 4^th 2023, I went to a Jehovah’s Witness Memorial Service for Jesus Christ and something unexpected happened. I suffered some kind of emotional or mental breakdown and had to leave before it ended. I felt wretched and rotten, guilty and unworthy. And ironically, I believe it all stemmed from this lifelong criticism of being called “Arrogant.”

Modesty is not one of my strong points. I get it. It’s kinda like how I’ve been told I’m too “Judgmental”. However, with that, I am truly judgmental. I embrace it. I can accept and defend it.

But Arrogance…How can I justify that? The Bible’s constantly talking about the virtues of being meek and humble. It warns about pride and haughtiness. Jesus himself said that “the greatest among you shall be your servant.” And that whoever humbles himself like a child shall be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

So, if they are correct in their assessment…what do I do? How do I change? Do I even want to change?

Here’s what I’m going to do. First, I’m going to explain what happened that night during the Memorial Service. Then, I’m gonna dive deep into why I’m clearly so insufferably arrogant.

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This one goes out to all the ladies who are strong and independent and they think that Men are too “intimidated” by them. Don’t worry…I believe you.

In the above video, I provide a suggestion. This is coming from a man who’s always been the biggest dude in class since elementary school. For most of my life, I’ve also been a bit “intimidating” to others. When I was 15, I looked like I was 21.

And while there are some guys who revel in the fact that people fear them, that people take extra caution not to offend or disrespect them…there are big men like me who actually want people to feel comfortable around us. I know. Crazy, right?

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As a Christian…one of the things I like to think I’m good at, is having the ability to converse with other Christians, disagreeing with them, and yet I’m still able to keep it civil and not insult them. We’re likely to walk away more enlightened with a greater understanding of one another.

This week, I confess I got a little bit heated with this new Church group that I joined this year. It was on the issue of Baptisms and whether or not being Baptized is a requirement for being saved. Meaning, if you’re not Baptized, does this mean you aren’t “saved”?

This isn’t the first time I disagreed with them on something and it’s not something that would prompt me to say, “I can’t hang with y’all.” We just have different interpretations of the Scriptures.

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As many of you know, this year didn’t start off the greatest. One of my most cherished cousins was murdered and if that wasn’t bad enough…the proceeding funeral events were almost as painful.

When I came back to Tampa, I spent at least two weeks in unimaginable pain and anguish. To cope, I kept telling myself, “Rock, you’re not that important. You’re not that important. You don’t matter. No one cares about you. It’s just you.”

That’s just a complex I have, where it’s more comfortable to stay nestled in the belief that I’m on my own. Here, you’d have the common response of, “But Rock. People do love you.” But what good is their love if they never express it? How do you benefit from their love and affection if they don’t show or demonstrate it?

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A Loving Response to “Baby Momma” Culture

Posted by Rock Kitaro on February 27, 2023

Posted in: dating, millennials, News and Updates. Tagged: baby momma, black community, black culture, Christian, Christianity, dating, dating advice, dating culture, fatherless, keke palmer, married, matchmaker, motherhood, naomi osaka, pregnant, relationships, rihanna, single men, single mom, single mother, single women. 4 Comments

If you knew that getting married to a stable responsible man gave your child the best possible chances for success in life, would you take it? Even IF your child could succeed without having the married father in the household, why wouldn’t you take this route if you knew it gave your child a better chance?

I’ve already written about Single Mothers who were “Tricked and Lied” to, so I don’t want to rehash that angle. But as many of us know, things will only continue to get worse in this secular society where people turn their back on Biblical wisdom.

In this video, I respond to a clip from a woman who lays out her argument about how men are manipulative and why Single Moms should NOT lower their standards. She says that men don’t come with warning signs saying they “ain’t ish”. I wasn’t offended, mainly because I know she isn’t talking about men like me…but at the same time, I do see a pattern that’s constantly repeating itself.

1. I think too many people are comfortable with the notion of, “You gotta make these horrible mistakes to learn and grow.“…as if it’s impossible to simply heed the advice from the older generation and avoid learning from THEIR mistakes.

and

2. The lack of shame. I’m not advocating for people to walk around feeling sorry for themselves. But when you have made a mistake and you’re dealing with the consequences of that mistake…Well, part of the reason why Baby Momma Culture is making waves is because ladies who are having children outside of wedlock are bragging about their mistakes. (Jeremiah 6:15)

This is a problem, especially when you’re a celebrity with a degree of influence because it teaches/encourages others to have no shame in following in your footsteps. I break it down in the video.

First off, I apologize for the click-baity title, because I can’t entirely say the Manosphere has “ruined” the way Millennials date…in so much as it’s changed the way we date. Make no mistake, there are some great things that’s come from the rise of the Manosphere. But when experience is passed down with the absence of Godly wisdom, it can also be destructive and do more harm than good.

Here, I expound on the sixth of eight main points I’ve personally observed to help explain how one thing after another has sabotaged (ruined) dating for my generation. And at the end of each section, I’ll try my best to provide a solution because, I know…these sound like excuses. But I haven’t given up. I still have faith.

The Hook-Up Culture (Non-Monogamous Dating)
Tinder (Dating Apps)
Cat-Calling and False Accusations
Gynocentrism – The Worship of Women
Brett Kavanaugh and Weaponizing Women
The Rise of the Manosphere
The Sisterhood
Leaving Christianity at the Door

The rise of the Manosphere was a reaction to how Gynocentric the mainstream culture has become. It’s the counterculture, the result of Men adapting to a society that’s shown them no love, no appreciation, and little to no reward for the hard work, sacrifices, or very the essence of who they are.

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This one gets a bit political. I know it might sound like it’s unrelated to how Millennials date…but ladies and gents, most Millennials are now grown adults in their 30s. We pay attention to what’s happening in the news. If you don’t think the constant sex scandals haven’t played a part in the way we think…you’re sorely mistaken.

Here, I expound on the fifth of eight main points I’ve personally observed to help explain how one thing after another has sabotaged (ruined) my generation. And at the end of each section, I’ll try my best to provide a solution because, I know…these sound like excuses. But I haven’t given up. I still have faith.

The Hook-Up Culture (Non-Monogamous Dating)
Tinder (Dating Apps)
Cat-Calling and False Accusations
Gynocentrism – The Worship of Women
Brett Kavanaugh and Weaponizing Women
The Rise of the Manosphere
The Sisterhood
Leaving Christianity at the Door

This entry is a little different than my entry about Cat-Calling and False Accusations in that this one focuses on the bigger picture. It’s about the deliberate attempt to bring down a man and using a woman to do it. What happened with Brett Kavanaugh was just one clear example of many we’ve seen over the years. Aziz Ansari. Chris Hardwick. Tory Lanz. Gervonta Davis. Johnny Depp. It’s not just about the MeToo Movement, it’s not just about false accusations, it’s about how the culture is clearly using Women as a weapon to ruin and take down the men they don’t like.

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For those who don’t know, Gynocentrism is the dominant or primary focus on women. It’s the opinion that we currently live in a society that panders and prioritizes the wants, feelings, and needs of women over the men, children, government, or even law and order.

Please understand, what I’m about to discuss is likely going to sound offensive. But before you pull out your pitchforks and torches…ask yourselves, what’s your reaction when you hear things like “the future is female” or “down with the patriarchy“? Just keep it in mind as I begin.

Here, I expound on the fourth of eight main points I’ve personally observed to help explain how one thing after another has sabotaged (ruined) dating for my generation. And at the end of each section, I’ll try my best to provide a solution because, I know…these sound like excuses. But I haven’t given up. I still have faith.

The Hook-Up Culture (Non-Monogamous Dating)
Tinder (Dating Apps)
Cat-Calling and False Accusations
Gynocentric Worship of Women
Brett Kavanaugh and Weaponizing Women
The Rise of the Manosphere
The Sisterhood
Leaving Christianity at the Door

In a Gynocentric society, the main goal is to encourage women to ascend to what is perceived to be “better positions,” positions that were traditionally held by men. Whether it’s in sports, leadership roles, politics, family, or the corporate boardroom, women are encouraged to be at the top.

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Ladies! This is a huge one. This is a big reason why a lot of people will not get married or have the traditional families our parents and grandparents had. Because of the issues I’m about to discuss, a lot of Millennials are stuck in that perennial high school dance where the boys are on one side and the girls are on the other, but nobody is making a move to approach. Once upon a time, the onus was on men to go and approach the ladies. But because of these issues, the men simply are refusing to do this.

Here, I expound on the third of eight main points I’ve personally observed to help explain how one thing after another has sabotaged (ruined) my generation. And at the end of each section, I’ll try my best to provide a solution because, I know…these sound like excuses. But I haven’t given up. I still have faith.

The Hook-Up Culture (Non-Monogamous Dating)
Tinder (Dating Apps)
Cat-Calling and False Accusations
Gynocentrism – The Worship of Women
Brett Kavanaugh and Weaponizing Women
The Rise of the Manosphere
The Sisterhood
Leaving Christianity at the Door

Back in 2014, almost every media outlet and social forum was talking about that Cat-Calling video. It was the beginning of a campaign that eventually demonize what many believe to be “toxic” male behavior. It was the beginning of acceptance towards open misandry, which many felt was justified due to what they perceived as years of open and accepted misogyny. (because apparently two wrongs do make it right)

In the video, a woman walks through parts of New York and is filmed while a multitude of men are greeting her, complimenting her, wolf-whistling and trying to hit on her. Some were rude and disrespectful, absolutely. But not all of them. The problem is, all of it was deemed cat-calling and sparked a nationwide debate about the terrible harassment women have to face from men who behave like this.

As soon as I saw that video and the reaction it produced, I knew…My first thought was, “Well, damn. Now, how are we gonna talk to women?”

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How Tinder and Dating Apps Ruined Dating for Millennials

Posted by Rock Kitaro on January 22, 2023

Posted in: dating, millennials, romance. Tagged: andrew tate, bumble, bumble dating app, Christianity, courtney ryan, dating, dating advice, dating apps, dating sites, faith, hook ups, Jesus Christ, kevin samuels, match.com, okcupid, one night stand, online dating, sex, tinder. 2 Comments

Here, I expound on the second of eight main points I’ve personally observed to help explain how one thing after another has sabotaged (ruined) my generation. And at the end of each section, I’ll try my best to provide a solution because, I know…these sound like excuses. But I haven’t given up. I still have faith.

1. The Hook-Up Culture (Non-Monogamous Dating)
2. Tinder (Dating Apps)
3. Cat-Calling and False Accusations
4. Gynocentrism
5. Brett Kavanaugh and Weaponizing Women
6. The Rise of the Manosphere
7. The Sisterhood
8. Leaving Christianity at the Door

I’ll never forget back in 2012, when a girl vying for my interest told me about Tinder. With a smile on her face, she said:

“Rock, have you heard of this app called Tinder?”

“No, what is it?”

“It’s a dating app that basically shows you the location of people in your area who want to have sex with you. You just pull it up, and if you check them off and they check you off, you can meet and have sex.”

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This is the first of eight posts explaining how my generation of dating is not our father’s or grandfather’s generation.

Why am I doing this? First off, you should know that there are millennials who are fortunate enough to find their partners and get married. These Millennials are blessed and likely have no idea what’s going on…which also means they probably don’t care and have a “sucks to be you” mentality…until they’re single again and are hit with the same reality rest of us have to deal with.

Secondly, this is for the ladies who are still surprised about things like how men have stopped “making the first move”. Or why we don’t approach like we used to. They’ll say things like, “where have all the good men gone?” or “Whatever happened to chivalry” as if no one’s been watching the news for the past ten-fifteen years.

And lastly, this is for the Older Generation, the Boomers, the Gen-Xers, and even some Millennials who are so far removed from commons folk, like Sen. Josh Hawley here, talking about how Men need to step up and marry these girls. Again, it’s like they have no idea about what’s been going on.

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Recently, Russia passed laws “banning the distribution of materials promoting homosexuality, pedophilia, and gender reassignment.”

In a speech, Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin said the law would help protect the motherland’s traditions and values for her children and the future of Russia from the “darkness spread by the United States and European states.”

But Russia is the bad guy, right? They got all kinds of problems. They’re mean and wicked and evil, right? They invaded Ukraine! Who cares what they think! Right?

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The obvious answer is “Yes.” As others have pointed out, “The gospel is quite clear that there is no distinction between the saved prostitute and the person who grew up in church.” (see Galations 3:28) And yet, if someone does have a problem with accepting them…I think it’s important to understand why. Let’s talk about it.

Very often, what I’ve observed from some Christians is essentially this sentiment of, “God accepts them, so shut up. It’s not your place to have an opinion on it one way or the other. You’re no better than they are, so don’t get cocky. Everybody’s a sinner! Everybody sins! We’re all the same! You’re nothing special.”

Here, at Stage in the Sky, we aim to explore those feelings and dig deep as to why anyone would harbor animosity towards the reformed Christians in the first place. Maybe then, we can get over it, let go, and come to accept them?

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Redemption: Why Should Millennials and Gen-Z Care about This?

Posted by Rock Kitaro on September 18, 2022

Posted in: Christianity, Essays, religion. Tagged: Blessed, Christian, christian men, Christianity, God, Jesus Christ, love, millennials, ministry, Modern Christians, redemption, religious, romance, secular christians, spiritual, writing, young Christians. 6 Comments

Sometimes when more scholarly Christians toss around words like “Redemption” or “Sanctification” it can be a bit difficult to comprehend or understand what that looks like or what it is. What’s so appealing about it? Why should I care?

Seriously…when I was a kid, my parents used to talk about the “kingdom of heaven.” Then, I looked around the church and thought to myself, “No, Thank You!” That’s because I couldn’t understand what the Kingdom of Heaven was. Back then, they made it seem like “heaven” was this place where there was nothing but a bunch of stiff, pious, monks and nuns who don’t really do anything interesting.

It’s like being back in Advanced Algebra. When I asked when I would ever need to use things like the Quadratic Formula in real life? The teacher didn’t have an answer. And since I saw no benefit, I wasn’t motivated to learn. I didn’t care about getting better beyond that which was required to pass the class because…what’s the point?

I think it’s the same with concepts like “Redemption” or “Sanctification”. Now, to be completely honest. I was prompted to write about Redemption and encouraged by another website called, SigmaFrame. You should check it out, because Jack’s an awesome intellectual and the comments sections are always full of thinkers I’ve come to have a tremendous amount of respect for.

But after much reflection and ample prayer…I asked myself, who do I want to reach? Who’s my audience? Other knowledgeable Christians who are already striving to do what’s good in God’s eyes? I don’t think so.

Instead, my aim has always been on those who call themselves Christians but don’t know what Christ taught. I also target the agnostics who are on the fence, and the Christians who are indifferent towards the Truth because of terrible experiences they may have had with Christianity. If my aim is to help the layman to “embrace” the truth, I believe we have to talk to them at their level. So here goes…

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Is it bad that I wish we could go back to the Old Testament laws? One of the things I like to say about the Bible is the New Testament teaches us the Gospels (Greek for good news), but the Old Testament teaches us about God’s character.

This is my 3rd reading of Deuteronomy and I confess…it’s getting really difficult to see what’s happening in the world and not harbor all kinds of hate and resentment in my heart. It’s tough because, as Christ said, we as Christians should be the light of the world. I want to be an example of shining optimism, fully believing in the hope of everlasting life beyond this world…but lately, I’ve been this guy.

For those who don’t know, Deuteronomy is the 5th Book of the Bible penned by Moses as God’s Word. Aside from the recap of Israel’s exodus from Egypt and their blunder that resulted in most of a generation perishing in the wilderness, Deuteronomy is essentially a book of laws, of traditions, of warnings, of blessings and curses. It’s the ultimate book of “cause and effect.” The answer to the question of, “WHY ARE THINGS SO BAD!?”

As I’m going through, I’m reminded of the brutal punishments God laid out for specific crimes and…i know this sounds bad, but I kinda wish we could go back to that. Part of me wishes we could go back to capital punishment for things like rape and adultery.

“But Rock! If those old laws were put in place, there’d be no one left alive!”

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