This is real footage from 80's dating videos. Watch and Learn boys.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
God and Empire - Your Thoughts Please
Amazon finally ding donged my door Saturday - bringing forth my boxful of books. I was at a Retreat with a whack of teens so I didn't get to peruse until Monday. Guns, Germs and Steel - The End of Faith - God and Empire - I am America and So Can You - The Road -plus a book about coffee - all grinned up at me as I tore open the box. I've had my face in God and Empire ever since.
The premise of the book is Jesus came to innagurate his Kingdom but civilization tends toward Empire. It always has. The book's subtitle is: Jesus Against Rome, Then and Now. Crossan has always maintained that it was the treasonous claims of Christ that lead to his crucifixion not God's divine plan of substitutionary atonement. Feel free to switch over to Dictionary.com or Wikipedia at this point. I know I had to. In other words, Jesus didn't die because it was in the cosmic cards - aka "God's plan" but because of his claims of Lord and Savior of the World. Caesar alone could make these claims and anyone who opposed him would suffer unspeakable tortures, as Jesus eventually found out. One can debate the implications of this understanding of the death of Jesus versus the traditional view that he died to save us from our sins but for the purpose of this post, I wish to go in a different direction. Perhaps I'll return to the other at a later time. FYI - Crossan would say Jesus didn't die for our sins but because of Our -humanity's - Rome's - sin of Empire and injustice. Perhaps it was some of both.
One of the things Crossan's book has made me question is the present state of God's Church. Do we funtion more like Caesar or Jesus? My guess is it probably depends on the church. That being said, perhaps the first question that needs to be asked is, what's the difference?
Crossan would argue that the difference in Jesus' day was between a dictator opearating a system of control and a leader ushering in a new way of life. Rome exercised military, political, economical and worst of all - ideological control - over most of the world. Caesar Augustus, the greatest Caesar of them all, was said to have "brought peace to the world" - which he did of course, although his chosen method was force and intimidation.
Peace as the result of control lasts only as long as the control.
Jesus' method of attaining peace was quite different. "I'm not like you" he said to Pilate a few days before his death. "My Kingdom is not of this world." Jesus didn't come to build an Empire. If I did, "my people would fight for me." He came instead to usher in a Kingdom, one where God was King. The followers of this Kingdom would not be coersed into joining then controlled once they did. They'd be invited and then allowed to choose for themselves. Either way they'd be loved, as a Father loves his own child.
With that in mind, let's return to my question. Does today's Church function more like Caesar or Jesus? Empire or Kingdom? Control or Love?
I'd love to hear your thoughts. After 7, I'll offer up my own. Not that I'm coersing you into commenting. . .
John
The premise of the book is Jesus came to innagurate his Kingdom but civilization tends toward Empire. It always has. The book's subtitle is: Jesus Against Rome, Then and Now. Crossan has always maintained that it was the treasonous claims of Christ that lead to his crucifixion not God's divine plan of substitutionary atonement. Feel free to switch over to Dictionary.com or Wikipedia at this point. I know I had to. In other words, Jesus didn't die because it was in the cosmic cards - aka "God's plan" but because of his claims of Lord and Savior of the World. Caesar alone could make these claims and anyone who opposed him would suffer unspeakable tortures, as Jesus eventually found out. One can debate the implications of this understanding of the death of Jesus versus the traditional view that he died to save us from our sins but for the purpose of this post, I wish to go in a different direction. Perhaps I'll return to the other at a later time. FYI - Crossan would say Jesus didn't die for our sins but because of Our -humanity's - Rome's - sin of Empire and injustice. Perhaps it was some of both.
One of the things Crossan's book has made me question is the present state of God's Church. Do we funtion more like Caesar or Jesus? My guess is it probably depends on the church. That being said, perhaps the first question that needs to be asked is, what's the difference?
Crossan would argue that the difference in Jesus' day was between a dictator opearating a system of control and a leader ushering in a new way of life. Rome exercised military, political, economical and worst of all - ideological control - over most of the world. Caesar Augustus, the greatest Caesar of them all, was said to have "brought peace to the world" - which he did of course, although his chosen method was force and intimidation.
Peace as the result of control lasts only as long as the control.
Jesus' method of attaining peace was quite different. "I'm not like you" he said to Pilate a few days before his death. "My Kingdom is not of this world." Jesus didn't come to build an Empire. If I did, "my people would fight for me." He came instead to usher in a Kingdom, one where God was King. The followers of this Kingdom would not be coersed into joining then controlled once they did. They'd be invited and then allowed to choose for themselves. Either way they'd be loved, as a Father loves his own child.
With that in mind, let's return to my question. Does today's Church function more like Caesar or Jesus? Empire or Kingdom? Control or Love?
I'd love to hear your thoughts. After 7, I'll offer up my own. Not that I'm coersing you into commenting. . .
John
Friday, February 22, 2008
Statement bytes
I thought it was funny last night when Hillary said that Obama's campaign isn't "change you can believe in, but change you can xerox." She said that because of the plagarism accusations. . . and her dip in the polls.
I was talking to a friend who compared homosexuality to pedophilia. We were talking about the rise in gay clergymen.
In 4 hours I'm leaving for our youth group's annual Fire and Ice Retreat. This year we're doing an Oscar theme except we're handing out Pez instead of solid gold statues. The Pez Awards. I'm in the middle of writing acceptance speeches that unsuspecting teens will have to read when they win awards like "fastest texter."
I made an Amazon order a few days ago and have been living under the delusion it might actually arrive this week. A few minutes ago my wife called to say "a postal truck was backing up and I think it might be your books John." She hung up to greet the postal guy and then called back to say "sorry, it was just a Valentine's parcel from my parents." Stupid insenstive selfish inlaws.
I'm excited for the Oscars Sunday. Go Daniel Day. I've only seen the trailer but based on that alone I say give him the Oscar. I predict he'll win, along with Javier Bardem, No Country, The Coen Brothers. Big fan of them all.
I've been trying all morning to sing a showtune from the muscial/movie Chicago but can't get the rhythm. It's frustrating as well as "embarassing and retarded." Thanks Ang.
Castro fianally retired from controlling Cuba. 49 years is impressive even if the guy did smoke. (and be a Dictator)
My Oilers are 11pts out with 21 games to play. The realist in me says Go Jays Go, the idealist is still hoping for a miraculous run.
The Marcus Borg article I posted sparked some good discussian. There's more where that came from so I suggest you check him out online along with John Dominic Crossan, NT Wright, Karen Armstrong and if you're really brave Sam Harris. In fact, Harris recently sat down with Rick Warren and chatted about God, Relgion and other things bad. There's a lot to learn from our critics. If we're serious, we'll take the time.
It's noon now and I really have to go write some Oscar speeches, a Friday tradition this time of year.
John
I was talking to a friend who compared homosexuality to pedophilia. We were talking about the rise in gay clergymen.
In 4 hours I'm leaving for our youth group's annual Fire and Ice Retreat. This year we're doing an Oscar theme except we're handing out Pez instead of solid gold statues. The Pez Awards. I'm in the middle of writing acceptance speeches that unsuspecting teens will have to read when they win awards like "fastest texter."
I made an Amazon order a few days ago and have been living under the delusion it might actually arrive this week. A few minutes ago my wife called to say "a postal truck was backing up and I think it might be your books John." She hung up to greet the postal guy and then called back to say "sorry, it was just a Valentine's parcel from my parents." Stupid insenstive selfish inlaws.
I'm excited for the Oscars Sunday. Go Daniel Day. I've only seen the trailer but based on that alone I say give him the Oscar. I predict he'll win, along with Javier Bardem, No Country, The Coen Brothers. Big fan of them all.
I've been trying all morning to sing a showtune from the muscial/movie Chicago but can't get the rhythm. It's frustrating as well as "embarassing and retarded." Thanks Ang.
Castro fianally retired from controlling Cuba. 49 years is impressive even if the guy did smoke. (and be a Dictator)
My Oilers are 11pts out with 21 games to play. The realist in me says Go Jays Go, the idealist is still hoping for a miraculous run.
The Marcus Borg article I posted sparked some good discussian. There's more where that came from so I suggest you check him out online along with John Dominic Crossan, NT Wright, Karen Armstrong and if you're really brave Sam Harris. In fact, Harris recently sat down with Rick Warren and chatted about God, Relgion and other things bad. There's a lot to learn from our critics. If we're serious, we'll take the time.
It's noon now and I really have to go write some Oscar speeches, a Friday tradition this time of year.
John
Thursday, February 21, 2008
War Stance
Here's a good news story coming out of the war in Iraq. Regardless of how you feel, this is one stance we all can share.
Nice job Al and Dad.
John
Nice job Al and Dad.
John
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Friday, February 15, 2008
Agnostic about the After life
Note: This is an article from one of my favorite Christian thinkers - Marcus Borg.
I am a committed Christian and a complete agnostic about the afterlife. I use “agnostic” in its precise sense: one who does not know. Moreover, I know that I cannot resolve “not knowing” by “believing” – whatever we believe about an afterlife has nothing to do with whether there is one or what it is like.
There is more to say. I think that conventional Christianity’s emphasis on the afterlife for many centuries is one of its negative features. I have often said that if I were to make a list of Christianity’s ten worst contributions to religion, it would be its emphasis on an afterlife, for more than one reason.
When the afterlife is emphasized, it almost inevitable that Christianity becomes a religion of requirements and rewards. If there is a blessed afterlife, it seems unfair to most people that everyone gets one, regardless of how they have lived. So there must be something that differentiates those who get to go to heaven from those who don’t – and that something must be something we do, either believing or behaving or some combination of both. And this counters the central Christian claim that salvation is by grace, not by meeting requirements.
Another problem: the division between those who “measure up” and those who don’t leads to further distinctions: between the righteous and the unrighteous, the saved and the unsaved.
Another problem: an emphasis on the afterlife focuses our attention on the next world rather than on this world. Most of the Bible, on the other hand, focuses our attention on our lives in this world and the transformation of this world. At the heart of the Lord’s Prayer is the petition for the coming of God’s kingdom on earth: your kingdom come on earth, as it already is in heaven. There is nothing in the Lord’s Prayer asking that God take us to heaven when we die.
As yet another reason for my agnosticism about an afterlife: does it involve the survival of personal identity and reunion with those we have known in this life? Are family reunions part of the afterlife? For some people, this is much to be desired, for family has been the primary source of love and joy in this life. But for perhaps an equally large number of people, family has been the primary source of pain and unhappiness. So, are we going to be with those people forever?
What I do affirm about what happens after death is very simple: when we die, we do not die into nothingness, but we die into God. In the words of the apostle Paul, we live unto the Lord and we die unto the Lord. So whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
For me, that is enough. My not knowing anything more does not bother me at all. And I am very wary when the Christian gospel becomes a message about the afterlife. I am convinced that it invariably leads to distortion. This is not the Christian gospel.
I am a committed Christian and a complete agnostic about the afterlife. I use “agnostic” in its precise sense: one who does not know. Moreover, I know that I cannot resolve “not knowing” by “believing” – whatever we believe about an afterlife has nothing to do with whether there is one or what it is like.
There is more to say. I think that conventional Christianity’s emphasis on the afterlife for many centuries is one of its negative features. I have often said that if I were to make a list of Christianity’s ten worst contributions to religion, it would be its emphasis on an afterlife, for more than one reason.
When the afterlife is emphasized, it almost inevitable that Christianity becomes a religion of requirements and rewards. If there is a blessed afterlife, it seems unfair to most people that everyone gets one, regardless of how they have lived. So there must be something that differentiates those who get to go to heaven from those who don’t – and that something must be something we do, either believing or behaving or some combination of both. And this counters the central Christian claim that salvation is by grace, not by meeting requirements.
Another problem: the division between those who “measure up” and those who don’t leads to further distinctions: between the righteous and the unrighteous, the saved and the unsaved.
Another problem: an emphasis on the afterlife focuses our attention on the next world rather than on this world. Most of the Bible, on the other hand, focuses our attention on our lives in this world and the transformation of this world. At the heart of the Lord’s Prayer is the petition for the coming of God’s kingdom on earth: your kingdom come on earth, as it already is in heaven. There is nothing in the Lord’s Prayer asking that God take us to heaven when we die.
As yet another reason for my agnosticism about an afterlife: does it involve the survival of personal identity and reunion with those we have known in this life? Are family reunions part of the afterlife? For some people, this is much to be desired, for family has been the primary source of love and joy in this life. But for perhaps an equally large number of people, family has been the primary source of pain and unhappiness. So, are we going to be with those people forever?
What I do affirm about what happens after death is very simple: when we die, we do not die into nothingness, but we die into God. In the words of the apostle Paul, we live unto the Lord and we die unto the Lord. So whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
For me, that is enough. My not knowing anything more does not bother me at all. And I am very wary when the Christian gospel becomes a message about the afterlife. I am convinced that it invariably leads to distortion. This is not the Christian gospel.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Don't Recycle
Here's a story that'll put hair on your knuckles. The family and I were headed to small group last night and after stopping for coffees at Tim's we proceeded to the Safeway where I was hoping to engage in some much needed recycling. As we arrived, Angie said, "don't recycle, we don't have time anyways." The kids all chirped with agreeement and for whatever reason I actually listened to them and kept on driving. Seconds later 3 police cars came speeding towards us. "It's the recycling police" I said. I wish I had, but not even I'm that witty. What I did say was "whoo, maybe someone got murdered (I said murdered all scary like). The mature one in the car said the joke wasn't funny nor appropriate.
2 hours later we were driving home and as we passed the Safeway we saw that the Domo Gas Station, located right beside the recycling bins, was all taped off. We flipped on the news and discovered there had been a gang shooting at 6:30pm and 2 young men had been critically injured. 6:30pm. The exact same time I had planned to engage the family in some much needed recycling. I think about what could have been, and I'm thankful for my mature one.
John
2 hours later we were driving home and as we passed the Safeway we saw that the Domo Gas Station, located right beside the recycling bins, was all taped off. We flipped on the news and discovered there had been a gang shooting at 6:30pm and 2 young men had been critically injured. 6:30pm. The exact same time I had planned to engage the family in some much needed recycling. I think about what could have been, and I'm thankful for my mature one.
John
Monday, February 04, 2008
10 things I'd hate not to tell you
1. I enjoyed a bowl full of Super yesterday. As much as I wanted history to be made, Eli's scamper and Tyree's one armed clutch was one for the ages. Unbelievable.
2. I preached a sub par sermon yesterday. Perhaps it was the 11 minutes of Greek Mythology.
3. Angie and I were having a "disagreement" the other day when Alexa casually looked over and said "don't guys, you don't want to go on Dr. Phil."
4. 30 Rock. Check it out. While it's no Arrested Development, it's better than most other stuff.
5. The Oilers announced today that Horcoff will undergo season ending shoulder surgery. While I'm ever hopeful, the playoffs are now in the realm of pipe dream.
6. Breakforth was good this year. The Highlights were Chris Seay, Erwin McManus and Lee Strobel. Josh McDowell tried way to hard.
7. I'm doing a youth rally in South Carolina next month. It'll be great to see my brother and parents.
8. Maddison's gonna be on TV Friday for a project she's doing with her school and MS.
9. I hope the writer's strike ends soon.
10. I just had my first webcam conversation. Next thing you know I'll be Facebooking from my cell phone.
Battle of Alberta in 45min. My prediction: Oilers 3-1.
UPDATE: Ok, so I was wrong. It was 5-0. Worst Flames lost against Edmonton in 8 yrs.
John
2. I preached a sub par sermon yesterday. Perhaps it was the 11 minutes of Greek Mythology.
3. Angie and I were having a "disagreement" the other day when Alexa casually looked over and said "don't guys, you don't want to go on Dr. Phil."
4. 30 Rock. Check it out. While it's no Arrested Development, it's better than most other stuff.
5. The Oilers announced today that Horcoff will undergo season ending shoulder surgery. While I'm ever hopeful, the playoffs are now in the realm of pipe dream.
6. Breakforth was good this year. The Highlights were Chris Seay, Erwin McManus and Lee Strobel. Josh McDowell tried way to hard.
7. I'm doing a youth rally in South Carolina next month. It'll be great to see my brother and parents.
8. Maddison's gonna be on TV Friday for a project she's doing with her school and MS.
9. I hope the writer's strike ends soon.
10. I just had my first webcam conversation. Next thing you know I'll be Facebooking from my cell phone.
Battle of Alberta in 45min. My prediction: Oilers 3-1.
UPDATE: Ok, so I was wrong. It was 5-0. Worst Flames lost against Edmonton in 8 yrs.
John
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