The Bible and the Academy
1 day ago
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
Good Morning to Me!
I thought this was cool, so I will blog it
The other night at the Sounds of Christmas concert my Kindergarten teacher was in attendance. Afterward she found me and we got to chat for a bit. A few memories came to mind (napping on a blue blanket, throwing up all over the place, losing a matchbox car under the heating unit).
That night (Saturday) I set my alarm to wake up for Lockport Wesleyan's service (for which I am the preacher). But when the alarm sounded, I turned it off thinking I would just rest for a few more minutes. Half an hour later I was having a dream about Kindergarten and the song we used to sing to start each day: "Good morning, good morning, good morning to you! Good morning, good morning, and how do you do?" The song kept replaying over and over, and getting louder and louder until I eventually woke up.
It was 7:37, leaving me just enough time to get ready and get to church on time (albeit in a hurry). I think it is neat that God (in my opinion) used my meeting with my Kindergarten teacher to get me out of bed in time to preach.
The other night at the Sounds of Christmas concert my Kindergarten teacher was in attendance. Afterward she found me and we got to chat for a bit. A few memories came to mind (napping on a blue blanket, throwing up all over the place, losing a matchbox car under the heating unit).
That night (Saturday) I set my alarm to wake up for Lockport Wesleyan's service (for which I am the preacher). But when the alarm sounded, I turned it off thinking I would just rest for a few more minutes. Half an hour later I was having a dream about Kindergarten and the song we used to sing to start each day: "Good morning, good morning, good morning to you! Good morning, good morning, and how do you do?" The song kept replaying over and over, and getting louder and louder until I eventually woke up.
It was 7:37, leaving me just enough time to get ready and get to church on time (albeit in a hurry). I think it is neat that God (in my opinion) used my meeting with my Kindergarten teacher to get me out of bed in time to preach.
Friday, December 04, 2009
Parnevik on Woods
Tiger Woods has been in the news a lot lately b/c of his car crash (it was obvious from the get go that there was a bigger story behind that) and his recent confession of transgression (though he was vague, it seems clear that he's referring to marital unfaithfulness). This post is not about bashing Tiger Woods, but about the response of his fellow-golfers, the media, and the companies that have invested in him.
Tiger wants to keep things private and pretty much everyone is willing to oblige (except that they insisting on publicly saying, over and over, that it is private). Most are speaking as if a hurricane knocked over Tiger's house ("He's strong an he'll get through this). Almost all the companies that invested in him as a spokesman are willing to keep him as the face of their company.
Everyone except fellow-golfer Jesper Parnevik. He has more at stake here since he partially played the role of match-maker:
"I would be especially sad about it since I'm kind of -- I really feel sorry for Elin -- since me and my wife were at fault for hooking her up with him. We probably thought he was a better guy than he is. I would probably need to apologize to her and hope she uses a driver next time instead of the 3-iron."
"It's a private thing of course, but when you are the guy he is, the world's best athlete, you should think more before you do stuff ... And maybe not just do it, like Nike says."
I think Parnevik's statements take the issue as seriously as it should be taken. Woods is a public figure. He chose a public life, not just in that he chose to be a PGA golfer but also because he signed multiple contracts to be the face of big companies. As Tiger once said:
“I think it's an honor to be a role model to one person or maybe more than that. If you are given a chance to be a role model, I think you should always take it because you can influence a person's life in a positive light, and that's what I want to do. That's what it's all about.”
Tiger considered himself a role model. I think the companies are wrong to keep him on as their spokesman. But I also think, in light of their reluctance, Tiger should volunteer. He saw himself as a role model and he's obviously not a good one. He's been a liar and a cheater.
Tiger wants to keep things private and pretty much everyone is willing to oblige (except that they insisting on publicly saying, over and over, that it is private). Most are speaking as if a hurricane knocked over Tiger's house ("He's strong an he'll get through this). Almost all the companies that invested in him as a spokesman are willing to keep him as the face of their company.
Everyone except fellow-golfer Jesper Parnevik. He has more at stake here since he partially played the role of match-maker:
"I would be especially sad about it since I'm kind of -- I really feel sorry for Elin -- since me and my wife were at fault for hooking her up with him. We probably thought he was a better guy than he is. I would probably need to apologize to her and hope she uses a driver next time instead of the 3-iron."
"It's a private thing of course, but when you are the guy he is, the world's best athlete, you should think more before you do stuff ... And maybe not just do it, like Nike says."
I think Parnevik's statements take the issue as seriously as it should be taken. Woods is a public figure. He chose a public life, not just in that he chose to be a PGA golfer but also because he signed multiple contracts to be the face of big companies. As Tiger once said:
“I think it's an honor to be a role model to one person or maybe more than that. If you are given a chance to be a role model, I think you should always take it because you can influence a person's life in a positive light, and that's what I want to do. That's what it's all about.”
Tiger considered himself a role model. I think the companies are wrong to keep him on as their spokesman. But I also think, in light of their reluctance, Tiger should volunteer. He saw himself as a role model and he's obviously not a good one. He's been a liar and a cheater.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Thanksgiving Scam
After my family Thanksgiving get-together, Katie & I decided to stop at church to get my laptop. When I got into the office, the dreaded answering machine light was blinking. The message was very hard to make out. At first I thought it was a Doctor leaving a death notice (weird). But each time I listened I understood it a bit better. It was a guy named Scott asking for a pastor to call him in regards to a death. I figured I better check into it.
It was extremely difficult to make out the number. I tried 3 numbers, but finally did get an answer from this 'Scott.' He explained, with a southern accent, that his mother had been killed by a drunk driver a few days previous in Florida. He and his family had driven down for the funeral and to take care of her belongings. He also explained that he was struggling with the big 'Why' question. He quoted a few passages (God works all things out for good, God won't allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle). He seemed to just want some counsel. But then the conversation changed gears.
Apparently, on their way back home, the family car had broken down on the Florida turnpike. Scott wondered how things could get any worse! He wanted to send his family home via a Greyhound bus, but he was short on cash (no credit card?). Why was he calling our church, you may wonder? Scott suggested that his family had visited our church a few weeks previous. I had met him, his wife, and their two little girls.
Now, I find these to be difficult situations. There is always the chance that I did meet such a couple and simply forgot. There's always the chance that this is a true story and helping out would be a very Christ-like thing to do. Of course, that's exactly why a con-artist would use such a story! I told Scott that he should contact a local church down there and that we wouldn't be be able to just 'wire' him some money. As soon as I indicated that I wouldn't be helping, Scott hung up.
Now, if my recent history has anything to do with it, it'll turn out that Scott was legit and I blew a chance to help a family in need. If, on the other hand Scott is a con-artist (as I suspect) then I have a few tips for him. First, if you want to succeed in the scam business, you have to leave clearer messages. I almost gave up trying to call you because I could not tell the difference between your 5's and your 9's. Second, be more persistent. Never hang up. Force the pastor to hang up on you. Work harder to live your lazy life.
I also have some tips for churches. Never send or give cash to strangers unless God audibly tells you to (though I'm sure that suggestion will give the con-artists a whole new strategy). Maybe I've just gone cold, but I think churches need policies against giving cash in such situations. At least in our area, there is just too much scamming going on. We get this sort of junk on an almost weekly basis (calls and actual visits). The story is always desperate, the cash needed immediately, and they're always eager to pay you back within the next few days. It's a scam.
It was extremely difficult to make out the number. I tried 3 numbers, but finally did get an answer from this 'Scott.' He explained, with a southern accent, that his mother had been killed by a drunk driver a few days previous in Florida. He and his family had driven down for the funeral and to take care of her belongings. He also explained that he was struggling with the big 'Why' question. He quoted a few passages (God works all things out for good, God won't allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle). He seemed to just want some counsel. But then the conversation changed gears.
Apparently, on their way back home, the family car had broken down on the Florida turnpike. Scott wondered how things could get any worse! He wanted to send his family home via a Greyhound bus, but he was short on cash (no credit card?). Why was he calling our church, you may wonder? Scott suggested that his family had visited our church a few weeks previous. I had met him, his wife, and their two little girls.
Now, I find these to be difficult situations. There is always the chance that I did meet such a couple and simply forgot. There's always the chance that this is a true story and helping out would be a very Christ-like thing to do. Of course, that's exactly why a con-artist would use such a story! I told Scott that he should contact a local church down there and that we wouldn't be be able to just 'wire' him some money. As soon as I indicated that I wouldn't be helping, Scott hung up.
Now, if my recent history has anything to do with it, it'll turn out that Scott was legit and I blew a chance to help a family in need. If, on the other hand Scott is a con-artist (as I suspect) then I have a few tips for him. First, if you want to succeed in the scam business, you have to leave clearer messages. I almost gave up trying to call you because I could not tell the difference between your 5's and your 9's. Second, be more persistent. Never hang up. Force the pastor to hang up on you. Work harder to live your lazy life.
I also have some tips for churches. Never send or give cash to strangers unless God audibly tells you to (though I'm sure that suggestion will give the con-artists a whole new strategy). Maybe I've just gone cold, but I think churches need policies against giving cash in such situations. At least in our area, there is just too much scamming going on. We get this sort of junk on an almost weekly basis (calls and actual visits). The story is always desperate, the cash needed immediately, and they're always eager to pay you back within the next few days. It's a scam.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Lust
Jesus said that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart... and maybe every man present (and every future man) felt a good bit uneasy. If adulterers have no part in the kingdom and lustful thoughts qualify as adultery, won't the kingdom be lacking the important ingredient of citizenry?
However we answer that question, we must admit the problem of lust (apparently real even before the invention of the internet) has only gotten worse. As I type this I've just been looking at a long list of terrible statistics about the American addiction to pornography. I won't share the stats because we all know they're bad. Will Willimon states that "lust is an ancient malady, but one could argue that technology enables this sin to be worse for us... the Web is peculiarly well-suited for the exercise of, and encouragement of, lust, which tends to be one of the most secretive of the seven."
I'm not sure, though, that the problem is much worse now than it used to be (after all, the NT addresses the problem of lust and sexual immorality often, seemingly because it was indeed a problem). But certainly the secret is out. Our culture wants us to lust (for sex and for sales) and we find it difficult not to oblige.
I'll make an embarrassing admission. Though I've personally never struggled with pornography, I did, into my early 20's, keep a computer file full of pictures of pretty actresses. It was pretty innocent by most standards (they were all fully clothed, these weren't even swimsuit type pics). But what did God think of that file on my laptop? Why did I have it? In the end, I realized that it was keeping my focus on surface level beauty and could have become, were it not for repentance, a first step toward pornography.
If we are going to learn not to lust, we will have to identify and defeat dangers in their introductory forms. Sexually immoral people don't wake up after 20 years of faithfulness to their spouse and decide to commit adultery. More often, adultery comes after a series of decisions that tolerate a little 'yes' and a little 'no' to love.
However we answer that question, we must admit the problem of lust (apparently real even before the invention of the internet) has only gotten worse. As I type this I've just been looking at a long list of terrible statistics about the American addiction to pornography. I won't share the stats because we all know they're bad. Will Willimon states that "lust is an ancient malady, but one could argue that technology enables this sin to be worse for us... the Web is peculiarly well-suited for the exercise of, and encouragement of, lust, which tends to be one of the most secretive of the seven."
I'm not sure, though, that the problem is much worse now than it used to be (after all, the NT addresses the problem of lust and sexual immorality often, seemingly because it was indeed a problem). But certainly the secret is out. Our culture wants us to lust (for sex and for sales) and we find it difficult not to oblige.
I'll make an embarrassing admission. Though I've personally never struggled with pornography, I did, into my early 20's, keep a computer file full of pictures of pretty actresses. It was pretty innocent by most standards (they were all fully clothed, these weren't even swimsuit type pics). But what did God think of that file on my laptop? Why did I have it? In the end, I realized that it was keeping my focus on surface level beauty and could have become, were it not for repentance, a first step toward pornography.
If we are going to learn not to lust, we will have to identify and defeat dangers in their introductory forms. Sexually immoral people don't wake up after 20 years of faithfulness to their spouse and decide to commit adultery. More often, adultery comes after a series of decisions that tolerate a little 'yes' and a little 'no' to love.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
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