Jesus Video #1

The more I watch this, the funnier it gets...and there's a few more that I'll post later.



In case you're offended, it may help to know that the videos were created by a church to mock some common perceptions of Jesus.
So, after I laugh, I should go cry b/c of the fact that a video like this is even made as a result of our poor understanding and demonstration of the essence of the Gospel.

Down with Daylight Savings

What's the deal with daylight savings?

We save daylight during the time of year when the days are already longer!
Then, when days get shorter, we take an hour of daylight away.

This is ridiculous. Instead of having daylight until 10 pm in the summer and 5 pm in the winter, why don't we switch it around so that daylight always lasts until around 7 or 8:00. It seems more consistent to me.

Of course, this comes from a man who is never awake early enough to know how the morning hours are affected...

Public Apology to my brother-in-law

This post is an apology to my brother-in-law for the statements made in the previous post. This afternoon, I found myself arrogantly basking in the pleasure of OSU's currently undefeated season and enjoying the abnormal season for Notre Dame.

In the process, I forgot my commitment to respect the favorite teams of close friends or family members - if they're respectful of the Buckeyes. Some friends take every opportunity to trash the Bucks, and with them, I will readily tee-off when I get the chance. However, most people in my life, including Mike, respect my fragile temperament in regard to OSU, and I always hope to make that respect mutual.

So, Mike, I'm sorry for the insensitivity of my comments on Weis. I thought about removing the post after I read your comment, but that would only reinforce my fear that I already take this stuff wayyyy too seriously...!!!

Charlie Weis fan-club

I'm starting to love this guy. Recored: 1-8
His loss to Navy (their first since 1963) quickly elevated him to my second favorite coach in NCAA. I'm going to enjoy him while I can, because he may not be around long. But we can always hope...

Evil in Heaven???

In my Hermeneutics class the other night, an intriguing conversation began as a result of a seemingly random tangent. I don't know what our professor had planned, but he allowed the tangent to dominate the rest of the evening.

The main idea being discussed was this: the presence of evil in heaven.

Two things shocked me about this at first:
1) I had never heard this theory before - I was shocked b/c it seemed so scandalous.
2) I was astonished how many other students already presupposed this theory.

I am in no way attempting to answer or argue anything here. I thought I'd simply recall a few statements and let you have your own fun with them.

- Goodness can only be considered good in light of the presence of evil, just as black could not be known as black if it were not juxtaposed with white. Therefore, if God is to be known as good(even in heaven), how could evil not have a presence?

- The presence of evil was presupposed in the Garden of Eden, the first "heaven" or paradise of sorts. Why would the new heaven be any different?

- Evil will have a presence, but it will have no power.

- Sin is a gift in the sense that the possibility of sin and the reality of our own sin drives us back to God. If our ability to sin is taken away, would we then be God? What is our functional need of God then? Sin is not our enemy. It's there to lure us, to invite us to repentance and the love of Christ.

- As we now see but a poor reflection as through a mirror, then we shall see and know fully. Evil will be present, but because of our knowledge, it will have lost its seduction.

My main question: The possibility of temptation presupposes the freedom to choose sin. Theoretically, then, could I choose to sin?

I think I would have serious problems with this theory, but as of now, I'm pretty ignorant on the whole thing. But I guess we're all ignorant. As my Hermeneutics professor said, "The only thing I know for certain about my theology is that it's wrong."

Undefeated

Is anyone else speechless?

Hope, part 2b

Just a clarification:
These are Dan Allender's thoughts, not mine. I've thrown in some thoughts, and I write in my perspective of Dan, but the basic skeleton is his, not mine - just a little clarification so you don't think I'm smarter than I really am.

So, where was I...oh yes, hope...

So, Hope is a memory of the future, an anticipation of the Day of the Lord, and the nature of Hope is having dreams which are unrealizable and yet worthy for you to die for. Furthermore, the more we wait, the more the taste is delicious and the more it's wed with agony.

Here's where it gets fun:
Faith provides an anchor, or stability; hope brings freedom.
Faith provides identity, memory, and context.
Hope provides movement and a capacity to risk.

We already know that the things in this life that we "hope" for are nothing more than delusions. We are idolators, letting security, comfort, pizza, Buckeyes, vacations all steal pieces of our hope.
These things do not bring us the reconciliation, redemption, and justice we long for; therefore, we despair in the agony of waiting expectantly and groaning inwardly.

What does this tell me?

This life is not worth living; it is not worth holding on to. Only in realizing and accepting this can I begin to truly live. This is the paradox of Christ's call.

Since our life is no longer our own, we have the freedom to risk.

So, faith is our anchor that provides stability. Hope, then, brings the sails that move us out of the harbor, into danger. The crazy thing about Hope is that it will always get us into trouble.

When we Hope, we will bleed. When we Hope, we will suffer.

So, what do you live your life in Hope for?
What are you willing to die for?

Are you willing to live with furious indifference to your own life?
Or do you live with a sense of boredom, an indifference to life itself?
These are two foundationally different ideas:
Indifference to life is an indifference to love, but indifference to your own life allows you to risk yourself in love for another.

So, where do you risk?

Are your dreams more about reconciliation or are they more about filling your sensual desires? Do you hope for redemption, or do you want your belly to be full?
Where will you persevere because your name is bound to that dream of redemption?

So, What do you Hope for?