A good quote, one I could learn from

"No unwelcome tasks become any the less unwelcome by putting them off till tomorrow. It is only when they are behind us and done, that we begin to find that there is a sweetness to be tasted afterwards, and that the remembrance of unwelcome duties unhesitatingly done is welcome and pleasant. Accomplished, they are full of blessing, and there is a smile on their faces as they leave us. Undone, they stand threatening and disturbing our tranquility, and hindering our communion with God. If there be lying before you any bit of work from which you shrink, go straight up to it, and do it at once. The only way to get rid of it is to do it."

-Alexander MacLaren (1826–1910), Scottish preacher

4 things to define a Christian

Matt Chandler gives our culture's definition of a Christian (around 26:20):

1. I attend church regularly

2. I don't cuss in front of you.

3. I have some scripture memorized that I can quote in certain situations.

4. I can give you moral advice.

If I can do those 4 things then I am a godly man or woman in our culture.

I would add any number of things to this list including: I don't drink alcohol, I only listen to Christian music, I only wear cool clothes, or I only wear really nerdy/ unattractive clothes for that matter.  The possibilities are endless. 

But doing those things do not at all exemplify what I believe scripture teaches is the characteristic of the truly converted, that which he describes as one dealing with the dark places in the heart and being obedient not to the arbitrary rules of religion but actually having communion with God, a relationship with the divine for which we were created.  

I know I suck here.  I haven't always, but always more than is acceptable.  I suppose anything lacking is unacceptable since I don't see where you could draw the line and say "I'm alright now," since that would be making arbitrary religious rules too.  Funny how that works.

Real Hope

I found out that someone I knew from college died this past Sunday, suicide.  It's extremely sad.  However, my friend Marcus points out where the real hope lies for her, and everyone one day.

A Celibate Priest's Sex Book?

It's a confusing thing when a Catholic monk writes a book about sex.  How would he know anything?  This is somewhat disturbing to me.  Maybe it's a good thing for the Catholics?

What is Religious Tolerance?

D.A. Carson points out (at around 16:00) that the notion of "tolerance" was once defined in popular culture by what Voltaire said, if not directly, to the effect of:

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

This illustrates a great American value, the freedom of speech.  But Carson makes the observation that this definition has changed and today it is in fact considered wrong to even suggest that someone is wrong in their beliefs, religious or otherwise.  Despite the self-contradicatory nature of saying this, most people we know would agree.  I find it interesting the evolution, or rather devolution, of the freedom of speech or what we could call "tolerance" as Voltaire once defined it.

In fact, this so-called tolerance (as currently held) is not tolerance at all, since you have to disagree with someone's beliefs before you can actually be tolerant of their right to believe them (if this is in fact what the big idea of freedom of speech is about, isn't it?), and what you don't have to agree with to be tolerant is the notion that it is wrong to say those beliefs are wrong, indeed this is something very different than what it means, as Voltaire defined it, to be tolerant of someone's beliefs!  Is it not?

Now, to be tolerant as a good Westerner means that you have to agree with the set of beliefs that asserts that it is wrong to say someone else is wrong in their set of beliefs.  But what if I say my particular set of beliefs asserts that this notion of tolerance, being that which states that it is wrong to say someone's beliefs are wrong, is wrong?  What then?  Am I accepted with open arms in the society of tolerance?  Probably not.  I think I would be socially shunned by the broad culture and maybe labelled as one lacking an enlightened mind, as has the population of these "narrow-minded" folk, which includes these freaks called Christians.  

I really wish someone would try to answer this accusation.

Tim Keller @Google

Here, Tim Keller presents his arguments for belief in God at Google last year.  This is an excellent thing to watch, and it is amazing to listen to someone so esteemed and researched.  I recommend his book also which goes further into this content, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism.

Trying to make sense of things

Sometimes I find myself lost and confused in a sea of information and data bytes that is the world we live in with its internet and exponential daily growth.  There is no way anyone can keep up with the amount of information that you are bombarded with every day, much less the amount of information that we are missing every day, which is gargantuan.  

Sometimes I feel like I'm searching for all this information, whilst in my peculiar daily philosophical meanderings that I call a search for truth and learning, even one small bit of this sea of information, and trying to grasp onto it, but once I grab hold there is the next monumentally crucial task of knowing what to do with it.  

And once I know what to do with it, there is the next painful task of knowing how it relates to the one I just got done with, and so on until there appears a shape through the fog that all this small bits often seem to be pointing to.  

Sometimes I can feel that I'm getting near some grand truth that signs and quotes and points are pointing me to, but I can never quite grab a hold of it and it slips through my fingers and out of sight, out of mind.  I have nothing much specific to say here, but it is an itch that constantly bugs me, that the scratches of reading and listening and discussing can never quite satisfy.  I guess our knowing is limited and that is that.  But how can we know our knowing is limited?  Maybe we can't, but that would seem to prove the statement anyway.  


Just some more random thoughts.



What the crap...

Wilson vs. Hitchens

Doug Wilson has one of the most entertaining styles of writing, which I enjoy.  I've recently taken delight in his takes on Christopher Hitchens' polemic God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything.

Suppose you went to see some fantastic illusionist, and he did something remarkable, like levitate himself. His beautiful assistant with insufficient clothing -- and this might have something to do with the success of the trick -- comes out on stage and passes some metal hoops every which way around the floating body. Jeepers, you think, and head on home scratching your noggin. When you get there, you find yourself in a discussion with your cousin who used to do a small time illusionist act of his own down at the local Ramada Inn, and he explains to you how the trick is done. He doesn't have to be a big time headliner -- he just has to have enough experience to be able to explain how such tricks are pulled off.

I am the Ramada Inn guy, only drop the illusionist aspect now. I write a lot, like Hitchens, and I know how to put a sentence or two together. I believe I also know how to make a metaphor crawl up your back and make an unpleasant smacky noise in your ear. Or, more pleasantly, to get a couple of cute zephyrs to fool around with your hair on a warm spring day. Here, pick a card, any card.

A good quote I heard recently

"Sorry this report is so long, I didn't have time to make it short."

Sometimes it takes more effort to make something simple than to make it complex.

And sometimes it's okay to be a nerd and notice these things and write a blog post about it.  I can smell the comment coming from my wife :)  You know you were thinking it.

Collision: Hitchens vs. Wilson

Here are the first 13 minutes of the upcoming film, Collision, answering the question: "Is Christianity Good for the World?" This looks to be a very well done movie (great music) and one I'm interested in seeing, although I've already viewed the entirety of one of these debates at Westminster Seminary between Wilson and Hitchens on YouTube, which is quite entertaining and beneficial.  I would highly recommend it.  Or you can read the written debates that prompted the creation of this debate tour and book.

COLLISION - 13 min VIMEO Exclusive Sneak Peak from Collision Movie on Vimeo.

via

"The Hand of Hope"

This is a cool story about the baby boy, who's now 9 years old, who was photographed grasping a doctor's hand when a surgery was being performed on him from his mother's womb.  Here's the link for the photos (caution, these are graphic).

Samuel, now 9 and living in Villa Rica, Ga., said the photo likely gave countless "babies their right to live" and forced many others to debate their beliefs on abortion, something he's proud of.
"It's very important to me," Samuel said of the photograph. "A lot of babies would've lost their lives if that didn't happen."

Good quote

If there is a sound downstairs during the night and it might be a burglar, you don’t say to her, “This is an egalitarian marriage, so it’s your turn to go check it out. I went last time.” And I mean that–even if your wife has a black belt in karate. After you’ve tried to deter him, she may finish off the burglar with one good kick to the solar plexus. But you’d better be unconscious on the floor, or you’re no man.

- John Piper, This Momentary Marriage

via

Kicking Caffeine

Like most people I know I have been addicted to caffeine for a while to where I will get a back headache if I don't have it.  This article offers a generally insightful take on the matter stating that we're a culture obsessed with feel-good food and drinks and use caffeine to feed our overly busy lifestyle, although it does offer some slightly whacko solutions at the end, like rubbing your chest, clapping your hands above your head, and even talking to yourself with nonsensical selfish affirmation (Stuart Smalley-esque).  I've for the most part weened myself down to about half a coke in the morning and I'm fine the rest of the day.  Hopefully I can eventually stop drinking them every day and only enjoy them every once and a while.

Just how did we manage to get addicted to caffeine? There are numerous reasons as caffeine often seems like a harmless quick-fix when we are not getting enough sleep and not making the time in our busy lives to fulfill our emotional and physical needs. Addiction also includes our over-identifying with products and images that are socially accepted and encouraged. It has become noble to always be on the run. "Busy" has come to be seen as important, secure and fulfilled, but is it really? Perhaps the biggest hook of all is that we have bought into the myth ourselves that we need caffeine to wake us up and to keep us going, and have thus become slaves of habit. 

Putting Kindergarteners to the Test

This New York Times article explains that kindergartens today are starting to put little kids through a rigorous testing program.  I share Voddie Baucham's analysis in that we should just let kids be kids while they can:

Many of our children (especially boys) are being drugged by their parents and teachers in an effort to make them sit still for all of this teaching and testing when all they want to do (and what God put in their hearts to desire) is to run and play.  Don’t buy the lie.  Our children are behind in math and science because our system is broken, not because we aren’t starting early enough.  Slow down.  They grow up fast enough.  Enjoy the kindergarten years.  You’ll never get them back.

Anyone heard of this?

Hilarious Craig's List resume

I was just curious and this was one of the first ones that popped up.  Will gladly fight Samurais!  I don't think there's anyway this is real, but this is priceless:

I am a longswordsman in search of a bodyguard position. Student of the lichtenauer tradition. Will provide for own weapon. Will fulfill a variety of duties including protection of clients (may include pre-emptive protection). Ten years worth of protection experience. Expect payment in the form of gold bullion but rates are negotionable. Will gladly fight Samurais. 

Member of the CCCP (conservative conquestador party) 

• it's ok to contact this poster if you are a potential employer or other principal
  

• Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job seeker.
  

• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests