Thursday, January 05, 2006
In Definition of: Misinterpretation
Misinterpretation – a disaster in progress. 1. A result of not listening, not caring, not paying attention, or not having the energy to get it right, which, in some circles, is also called “laziness”; 2. May be used as a tool for a) manipulation for the gain of power, b) avoiding reality for the gain of an alternate hallucinogenic and sometimes hyper-spiritual reality, c) an excuse for the gain of anything needing excusing, or d) an obnoxious reason to be a power hungry magic mushroom eating blame-shifter, which, in some circles, is also called “all of the above”; 3. A thief of the author’s right and authority to interpretation, which, in some circles, is also called “stealing”; 4. A major contributing cause to the writing of the majority of the New Testament, which, in some circles, is also called “the inspired word of God”; 5. A description of lazy all of the above inspired word of God thieves, which, in some circles, is called “false teacher” and “cult leader”.
Sunday, January 01, 2006
In Definition of: culture
Culture – the mold and form that shapes our understanding and outlook. 1. A collide-a-scope of actions, ideas, and thoughts direct from the inner wirings of the strange, the odd, the peculiar, the nut-job, the internerd, and the rest of the walking-breathing Adam species mixed with their polar opposite…math teachers; 2. Local structures of living influenced by local and global history; 3. Global structures of living influenced by many local and global histories; 4. An interesting and frightening colored sludge found in your typical goggle-tanned-fresh-out-of-high-school and slightly malnourished snowboard bum’s refrigerator; 5. What began as perfect in a garden, became a twisted and assorted mess of rubbish in desperate need of fixing, and ends as perfect in a city.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
In Definition of: Christian Faith
Faith – knowledge, intellect, trust, interaction >> the holy trinity of faith. 1. True faith involves knowledge of the life and times, the content, and the implications of the story of Jesus as taught in the Bible; 2. True faith involves the mind-numbing-hard-to-do intellectual acceptance of the truth about Jesus; 3. True faith involves a personal reliance and trust in Jesus and His gospel; 4. True faith involves interaction with elements of the mysterious and blatantly obvious attributes of Creator God; 5. Each of these four parts of the holy trinity of faith are necessary for our restored relationship with God; we must first learn about Jesus, then accept the truth without letting our hearts turn to stone, then, move to a personal trust in Him, and finally, live a life that interacts with Him. How’s that for didactic? And yes, I know that four does not equal trinity…but I like it.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
In Definition of: the Will of God
the Will of God – not nearly so hard as you might think. 1. What did Jesus say? He said to love God and to love people…those are the boundaries. This is the fence that surrounds everything that you do with your life; if what you do with your life falls within these boundaries you are within God’s will; 2. So then let’s ask another question: what makes you come alive? What makes you passionate? What do you love? The world doesn’t need people who are doing something because the world needs it, rather, the world needs people who have come alive in what they do. Soooo…if you have come alive in what you do and it falls into the boundaries of love God and love people…you are passionately living in the will of God; 3. Sitting around waiting for some sky-fairy’s will to fall into your lap just isn’t going to happen…so get up off your fat bum-bum and do something with your life > and love it!
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
In Definition of: the Church
the Church – a beautiful collective of Jesus followers. 1. It is a deep seeded all-inclusive community of faith in Jesus, thanks in salvation, and movement in justice; 2. We are the church, you are the church, I am the church; 3. Believe it or not, everyone is welcome – that weirdo nut-job who knows the secrets of the universe but is locked away in a padded room is welcome, and so are you; 4. The church is not emerging, it’s not submerging, it’s not outdated, it’s not postmodern (or if it is then it’s not church), it’s not a building, it’s not a political platform, it’s not where all the happy shiny people are, and, we’re not about to go away. << I suppose that could be considered a threat…but it’s not.
Monday, December 19, 2005
In Definition of: Christianeze
Christianeze – krǐst~ĕn/ëž – An alien language. 1. To the native of said language; a nonsensical and exclusive language that confuses most natives and creates tribal warfare; a language of superiority and secrecy to show who is in and who is out; 2. To the grudgingly invited outsider of said language; a nonsensical and exclusive language that confuses most natives and creates tribal warfare; a language of contempt and condemnation to show who is in and who is out; 3. In strict violation of the Geneva Anti-Christianeze accord punishable by irrelevance and loss of credibility.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Sexy Autonomy
I am sure that you have all heard the popular and incredibly chic phrase, “I am simply an autonomous complex structure of biology expressing my own thoughts, my own desires, and my own freedoms. I am an individual; free to do what I want, when I want, and how I want. Please do not enter the personal twenty-one inch stratosphere bubble of me….because it’s mine.” Oh…you haven’t heard this incredibly popular phrase before? Well, maybe that is because I just spent the sum total of all my intellectual powers crafting what is sure to become a popular and incredibly chic phrase. Or not. It is a sexy idea though isn’t it? In actuality, the vast majority of us subscribe to this idea that individuality is the most important attribute that any human can posses. The great traditions of philosophy, world religion, and humanism, have jumped in bed together, made out, and produced the most individualistic (read here: lonely) culture that mankind has ever seen. Your mom, your future spouse, your mailman, the cashier at the checkout (or the cashier you check out), your neighbor, your leaders, your professors, and that weird nut-job you see most days in the mirror have all felt the impact of the lonely and individualistic culture of now.
For years, anthropologists, linguists, and archeologists have wondered in awe at the supposed simultaneous development of great empires and civilizations around the planet that rose up, matured, got sick, died, and left artifacts and ancient clues to the nature of these peoples. Most interestingly is the fact that there is theory based on new* archeological findings that place ancient tools and ideas (such as language) in geographical places that they should not be. The implication? Ancient peoples migrated, traveled, and shared ideas across cultural lines that ultimently led to the evolution, development, growth, and sometimes destruction of the respective civilizations. In our typical self-centered fashion, we eagerly and egotistically consider our generation to be the first in the age of globalization, the universal people, and the global village. Fact is that people groups, since the beginning of civilizations, have always inspired other people groups around the world – we are just now aware of it. But really….who cares.
Well I do. In fact, all of us have been impacted by the thoughts, actions, values, and ideologies of other people. There is no one who can say they exist without outside influence. Yet, the thought remains that individualism is the highest of all human attributes. Why? Because we are as selfish as a daycare full of two year olds, as greedy as overfed boxing day shoppers, and as prideful as any gangster rapper on any given radio station. We just like ourselves so much.
Individualism thrives on the belief that the primary importance of the individual is the "virtues of self-reliance" and personal independence. The virtues of self hey? Interesting. That sounds a lot like saying, “the cooler part of hell” or “coffee is good even when it is burnt.” Where did we ever get this idea that being the individual was good? I know it wasn’t from God’s word the Bible or from the Holy Spirit teaching us. I do know that the Bible has a lot to say about selfish ambitions, pride, and greed though.
Ok – how is that for an incomplete thought – anyone want to add to this or finish it? Seriously.
For years, anthropologists, linguists, and archeologists have wondered in awe at the supposed simultaneous development of great empires and civilizations around the planet that rose up, matured, got sick, died, and left artifacts and ancient clues to the nature of these peoples. Most interestingly is the fact that there is theory based on new* archeological findings that place ancient tools and ideas (such as language) in geographical places that they should not be. The implication? Ancient peoples migrated, traveled, and shared ideas across cultural lines that ultimently led to the evolution, development, growth, and sometimes destruction of the respective civilizations. In our typical self-centered fashion, we eagerly and egotistically consider our generation to be the first in the age of globalization, the universal people, and the global village. Fact is that people groups, since the beginning of civilizations, have always inspired other people groups around the world – we are just now aware of it. But really….who cares.
Well I do. In fact, all of us have been impacted by the thoughts, actions, values, and ideologies of other people. There is no one who can say they exist without outside influence. Yet, the thought remains that individualism is the highest of all human attributes. Why? Because we are as selfish as a daycare full of two year olds, as greedy as overfed boxing day shoppers, and as prideful as any gangster rapper on any given radio station. We just like ourselves so much.
Individualism thrives on the belief that the primary importance of the individual is the "virtues of self-reliance" and personal independence. The virtues of self hey? Interesting. That sounds a lot like saying, “the cooler part of hell” or “coffee is good even when it is burnt.” Where did we ever get this idea that being the individual was good? I know it wasn’t from God’s word the Bible or from the Holy Spirit teaching us. I do know that the Bible has a lot to say about selfish ambitions, pride, and greed though.
Ok – how is that for an incomplete thought – anyone want to add to this or finish it? Seriously.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Smoke and Mirrors
Have you ever felt like you lived behind some kind of curtain – desperately hoping that a little bit of smoke and mirrors would convince people that you are bigger, better, smarter, more passionate, more spiritual, or more real then you really are? Truth be told, I often times feel like I’m dancing in and out of a house filled with smoke, mirrors, and curtains only allowing a select few to see me without the smoke and mirrors while happily dancing with all the other smoke and mirror dancers.
When it comes to spirituality, so many people believe that anything is possible if they just work hard enough or long enough. Are duty and discipline the keys to salvation or to God? No. How many people think like this? It’s important to get better, move ahead, and ultimately arrive – work hard for God and you’ll get the desires of your heart. Obedience, after all, leads to blessing. God really values people who take Christianity seriously…the people who leap tall buildings in a single bound and are willing to run themselves ragged for the kingdom!! High five to these spiritual super-hero’s! I hope you don’t jump out of a phone booth one day with your cape tucked into your underwear! Ha! Really, this all seems a little suspect to me…..a little more like smoke and mirrors and a lot less about Jesus Christ.
I’m looking forward to a time and place when people move from the smoke and mirrors hero attitude to a day when we recognize that we are simply people who are screwed up, messed up, and incapable of saving ourselves. I’m looking forward to a day of stunning honesty and authenticity; the day that we begin to live. Why? Well, maybe we would actually start to understand grace.
God, thank-you for grace, your unmerited favor towards me, even though I get tired and cynical. Your grace sustains me and reminds me of your great love…I’m sorry for the smoke and mirrors.
When it comes to spirituality, so many people believe that anything is possible if they just work hard enough or long enough. Are duty and discipline the keys to salvation or to God? No. How many people think like this? It’s important to get better, move ahead, and ultimately arrive – work hard for God and you’ll get the desires of your heart. Obedience, after all, leads to blessing. God really values people who take Christianity seriously…the people who leap tall buildings in a single bound and are willing to run themselves ragged for the kingdom!! High five to these spiritual super-hero’s! I hope you don’t jump out of a phone booth one day with your cape tucked into your underwear! Ha! Really, this all seems a little suspect to me…..a little more like smoke and mirrors and a lot less about Jesus Christ.
I’m looking forward to a time and place when people move from the smoke and mirrors hero attitude to a day when we recognize that we are simply people who are screwed up, messed up, and incapable of saving ourselves. I’m looking forward to a day of stunning honesty and authenticity; the day that we begin to live. Why? Well, maybe we would actually start to understand grace.
God, thank-you for grace, your unmerited favor towards me, even though I get tired and cynical. Your grace sustains me and reminds me of your great love…I’m sorry for the smoke and mirrors.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Silver Screen Spirituality
Applaud Lord of the Rings. Be frightened by the Sixth Sense. Laugh at Bruce Almighty. Take offence at Dogma. Be amazed by the Matrix Trilogy. Squirm through Joan of Arcadia. Feel the emotion in Crash. Be conned by Catch Me if You Can. For many, the church and the cinema work in very different ways and therefore should never meet. When I discuss films with people, I am often met with one of two responses; one from the “world” and the other from the institutional church. The world often wonders why I am so interested and often moved by the religious imagery in movies. On the other hand, the church’s traditional response has been with a frown of disapproval; “Be in the world, not of the world. Flee from evil!”
In western culture, filmmakers are the storytellers that tell the tale of mystery and intrigue which appeal to and reflect many an individuals’ personal pilgrimage towards truth and purpose. Our culture is very spiritual; it is very “god” oriented but often has a magnet placed on it’s co-ordinates which causes a spinning pilgrimage of directionless experimentation. Film, T.V., and other performing arts are dealing with issues of God, angels, and the paranormal on a very regular basis while popular music is continuing to reflect the inner quest of the soul.
The truth is, for many, the institutional church is boring while spirituality seems exciting and mysterious. We now live in a “post-apologetic” world that rely’s heavily on experience and story. As a result, people are seeing flashes of the divine on screen which may be contributing to more soul searching then any three point sermon ever could!
Welcome to the narratives and parables of today. True to the form that Jesus displayed; some stories are straight and to the point while others require deeper probing to find the underlying meanings and realizations of God. The story of God is all around us, “The basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long hard thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes of such can’t see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being.” Romans 1:20 – The Message.
That being said, “spiritual malnutrition” is a very real threat if we as believers exclusively look for God in theatre, film, fiction, art, music, television. God has given us his divinely inspired word, and as believers, that needs to be our template of how we see his imprint on the world around us.
We often look for balance on theses issues, unfortunately, we do not serve a very balanced God! In fact, it is quite the opposite. Paul, in Galatians 5:16-26, addresses the matter of lifestyle choice/differences while also reminding us of the eternal battle of good vs. evil; life by the Spirit vs. acts of the sinful nature.
Our sinful nature caters to and feeds our corrupt desires. The activities mentioned here by Paul, (sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, and orgies), if practiced by or engaged in by believers, “disqualifies” them from the kingdom of God.
*Many of these are popular themes/issues in film, art, etc.
Life by the Spirit – As black is to white, these by-products of a spirit-filled life are to those of a sinful nature. These, (love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control), are products of a spirit directed and spirit influenced life.
*Many of these are popular themes/issues in film, art, etc.
My question then is this: What lens do you see the performing arts through? Inherent evil or simply a medium of art with many different interpretations?
In western culture, filmmakers are the storytellers that tell the tale of mystery and intrigue which appeal to and reflect many an individuals’ personal pilgrimage towards truth and purpose. Our culture is very spiritual; it is very “god” oriented but often has a magnet placed on it’s co-ordinates which causes a spinning pilgrimage of directionless experimentation. Film, T.V., and other performing arts are dealing with issues of God, angels, and the paranormal on a very regular basis while popular music is continuing to reflect the inner quest of the soul.
The truth is, for many, the institutional church is boring while spirituality seems exciting and mysterious. We now live in a “post-apologetic” world that rely’s heavily on experience and story. As a result, people are seeing flashes of the divine on screen which may be contributing to more soul searching then any three point sermon ever could!
Welcome to the narratives and parables of today. True to the form that Jesus displayed; some stories are straight and to the point while others require deeper probing to find the underlying meanings and realizations of God. The story of God is all around us, “The basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long hard thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes of such can’t see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being.” Romans 1:20 – The Message.
That being said, “spiritual malnutrition” is a very real threat if we as believers exclusively look for God in theatre, film, fiction, art, music, television. God has given us his divinely inspired word, and as believers, that needs to be our template of how we see his imprint on the world around us.
We often look for balance on theses issues, unfortunately, we do not serve a very balanced God! In fact, it is quite the opposite. Paul, in Galatians 5:16-26, addresses the matter of lifestyle choice/differences while also reminding us of the eternal battle of good vs. evil; life by the Spirit vs. acts of the sinful nature.
Our sinful nature caters to and feeds our corrupt desires. The activities mentioned here by Paul, (sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, and orgies), if practiced by or engaged in by believers, “disqualifies” them from the kingdom of God.
*Many of these are popular themes/issues in film, art, etc.
Life by the Spirit – As black is to white, these by-products of a spirit-filled life are to those of a sinful nature. These, (love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control), are products of a spirit directed and spirit influenced life.
*Many of these are popular themes/issues in film, art, etc.
My question then is this: What lens do you see the performing arts through? Inherent evil or simply a medium of art with many different interpretations?
Sunday, November 13, 2005
How to Kill a Rabbit
Here is an interesting little convo I had with my friend Sam. He raises rabbits but is not a hippie. He was talking about some of his rabbits when he dropped the bomb that he eats them…….
Sam Whut?!? says:
the other ones are going to be tasty
Sam Whut?!? says:
hey man have you read case for Christ?
Sam Whut?!? says:
there was this one night I was contemplating stuff and was gonna drive out to cell phone range and call you to discuss things
eddie def says:
man - you should sometime
eddie def says:
you eat these rabbits??!!
eddie def says:
What the heck is wrong with you?! Your making Candace cry....
Sam Whut?!? says:
yeah rabbit is amazing
it's the most lean meat ever
Sam Whut?!? says:
killing them is kinda sketch though
eddie def says:
I read Case for Christ a bunch of years ago...
eddie def says:
how do you do it?
Sam Whut?!? says:
but once you get past it (I only have ever done one before I ever came to BC) they say it's no problem
you bop them on the head with something hard
and slit their jug
then bleed them
alive
then hang them uppside down
by the feet
slice the stomach up (without cutting the organs)
Sam Whut?!? says:
then around the "parts"
then around the feet
and peel the skin off like a sock
it's gross
Sam Whut?!? says:
the meat is so good
Sam Whut?!? says:
I was in highschool when I did the first one
I was pretty effected
I felt sick
Sam Whut?!? says:
and it took time to get over
Sam Whut?!? says:
but i have eaten rabbit for easter and stuff (ones I didn't kill) and it is amazing
Sam Whut?!? says:
so I am hoping I get over it fast when it comes time
aparantly if they wake up while you slit them their cries sound like little children skreeching
Sam Whut?!? says:
they told me that last year it happened and eveyone ran out of the house to see cause they thought is was one of the kids
Sam Whut?!? says:
it's pretty sick, even for me
(not the screaming, never head it)
Sam Whut?!? says:
heard
Sam Whut?!? says:
total blair witch
eddie def says:
yeah man
EDIT: Please do not kill rabbits.
Sam Whut?!? says:
the other ones are going to be tasty
Sam Whut?!? says:
hey man have you read case for Christ?
Sam Whut?!? says:
there was this one night I was contemplating stuff and was gonna drive out to cell phone range and call you to discuss things
eddie def says:
man - you should sometime
eddie def says:
you eat these rabbits??!!
eddie def says:
What the heck is wrong with you?! Your making Candace cry....
Sam Whut?!? says:
yeah rabbit is amazing
it's the most lean meat ever
Sam Whut?!? says:
killing them is kinda sketch though
eddie def says:
I read Case for Christ a bunch of years ago...
eddie def says:
how do you do it?
Sam Whut?!? says:
but once you get past it (I only have ever done one before I ever came to BC) they say it's no problem
you bop them on the head with something hard
and slit their jug
then bleed them
alive
then hang them uppside down
by the feet
slice the stomach up (without cutting the organs)
Sam Whut?!? says:
then around the "parts"
then around the feet
and peel the skin off like a sock
it's gross
Sam Whut?!? says:
the meat is so good
Sam Whut?!? says:
I was in highschool when I did the first one
I was pretty effected
I felt sick
Sam Whut?!? says:
and it took time to get over
Sam Whut?!? says:
but i have eaten rabbit for easter and stuff (ones I didn't kill) and it is amazing
Sam Whut?!? says:
so I am hoping I get over it fast when it comes time
aparantly if they wake up while you slit them their cries sound like little children skreeching
Sam Whut?!? says:
they told me that last year it happened and eveyone ran out of the house to see cause they thought is was one of the kids
Sam Whut?!? says:
it's pretty sick, even for me
(not the screaming, never head it)
Sam Whut?!? says:
heard
Sam Whut?!? says:
total blair witch
eddie def says:
yeah man
EDIT: Please do not kill rabbits.
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