2 months of no blogging hurts my soul. Maybe for Christmas break this will pick back up, but I doubt any of you actually check this any more. I hope you find this and really put some thought into it, though, because this is seriously important to me.
My blog for today is a paper which I turned in a week ago. This is my philosophy of youth ministry. This goes on my permanent resume, and I plan on giving it to the church that I ask to be hired by. I seriously plan on implementing this as my plan to affect the lives of youth. So please, critique me, affirm me, and really read into what I am saying. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers as I embark upon this.
My Philosophy of Youth Ministry
The main goal of a youth ministry that I design would be to help youth understand that, at every point in their lives, whether young or old, God has a purpose for them as a part of the body of Christ. While God does call us to this, he does not need us; he has given us the privilege of being included in his plan. As such, the adolescents of today's culture must recognize that they have potential to serve in the church and be part of the body, but that they also must seek wisdom and maturity in order to be a more capable servant. It is important to see that all Christians can contribute. God has called the church as a whole to recognize that students, while they do have disadvantages and weaknesses, are every bit a part of the church, and must be trained and brought up with discernment in order to guide them into a full life of Christian leadership and service.
One intermediate goal is integrating the youth with the church while maintaining their respect for the elders of the church. I believe that, to an extent, the whole youth group should be allowed to participate in the activities that the adult church body takes part in. This includes, and is certainly not limited to, baptism, communion, worship, service, prayer, and social events. This is not to say they need leadership positions there; they do not. I contend that the youth must be a part of the church in order to fully engage in their relationship with Christ, because the church community is a web of support, and they should not be denied the diversity of that body simply because of their age. Another goal is developing a public faith that emerges in every location of their lives. I am not necessarily saying that the youth need to become apologetic masters; instead, I would encourage them to be in regular discussion with peers, adults, and younger youth about spiritual issues in a casual, sincere way. This means I would focus on developing boldness and honesty as spiritual characteristics, as well as their identity. My last goal is to give them necessary skills for continuing their faith after they leave adolescence. The students would need to know how to find a church that matches up with their beliefs, how to be part of a body, and have a general understanding of the major issues of Christianity and the history of the church. This would include a fairly high level of cognitive development.
In the pursuit of the completion of these goals, there are several events I would like to see regularly occurring. In order to pursue integration with the church, I think it is appropriate for the youth to participate in contributing to the main events of the general congregation. This could include having youth read verses for the liturgy or assist in worship, perhaps even sharing from personal experience as part of the worship service. To develop a public and honest faith, I would assign "homework" (without the expectation of immediate success) for the youth to speak about a certain issue every month with at least one person. For the purpose of giving them skills for their strengthened and lifelong faith, I would teach sermons not necessarily targeting key issues in their lives, but speaking about what the church is and what the Christian life is. Topical sermons occasionally have their uses, but the truth of the Gospel and the wisdom from the history of the church contribute much more to long-term faith.
In order to ensure the greater success of all of these goals, I plan to have a network of discipleship, consisting of the support of the rest of the church. At most events, whether or not there is teaching, I intend to have adults (hopefully some parents) who are mentoring, engaging, and worshiping with the youth. This would ensure integration with the rest of the church, and since I alone cannot answer every objection or question of the faith to every youth, constant discussion with these volunteer adults about the lessons would create a greater understanding. Also, if the adults share their own stories of developing faith into adulthood, the youth will have a greater understanding of what is necessary to maintain strong faith even after leaving high school. Since adult volunteers cannot be expected to eternally pour out in a perfect way, I would also disciple and guide them in their leadership with monthly meetings to lift them up and teach them. This way we would all pursue the same specific goals.
The success of this plan could be determined in several ways. For one thing, the adult volunteers, who regularly interact on a more personal basis than I do, could inform me of the spiritual progress they witness, as well as the students' ability to interpret and respond to what they hear and see and do. Also, at the end of junior high and again at the end of high school, I would take one Sunday with that specific grade of students, and ask them to write out for me a summary of what they believe as a Christian, and determine their ability to do so. It would also be easy to determine how well the students are integrated with the rest of the church, based on how regularly and how well they engage the adults and the rest of the body.
The purpose behind the youth ministry that I envision is not to entertain students, or make them into morality angels with perfect Bible memory. The purpose is to make them part of the modern church and raise them up to be leaders of the future church.
12.09.2009
10.03.2009
Insufferably Loveable
Today is my lovely girlfriend's birthday. You should all have wished her a happy one.
For the occasion, her parents drove up and we all went to see the Freshmen Play, together. This year they chose The God Committee, a play based on a heart transplant committee at a New England Community Hospital somewhere.
The main point of the play was that we as people do not have the means (or the right) to decide who does or does not deserve to live. We simply don't. There is no quantitative way to assign value to a person's life. And yet, we all do it. When I meet a guy who lives on the street, as compared to a successful, kind-hearted businesswoman (I'm assuming they exist) I instinctively decide who has a more valuable life.
Hospitals try to account for this by saying that whoever is the most likely to live longer (and fuller) deserves to do so.
This still doesn't make up for the fact that we can never know who WILL use the heart better, but only who is more LIKELY to use the heart better.
I am a firm believer in the idea that 5 seconds well spent by an ungrateful, unsuccessful, ugly, dirty person can be infinitely more valuable than years of the life of someone who society admires. I believe this, in large part, because I see some of all of those bad characteristics in myself, and I want to know that significance can come to my life even if I am not capable of intentionally creating it.
So, let's just say I don't envy them the responsibility. Because regardless of the fact that we're unable to make an informed, just decision, a decision still has to be made.
That, my friends, is the human condition.
For the occasion, her parents drove up and we all went to see the Freshmen Play, together. This year they chose The God Committee, a play based on a heart transplant committee at a New England Community Hospital somewhere.
The main point of the play was that we as people do not have the means (or the right) to decide who does or does not deserve to live. We simply don't. There is no quantitative way to assign value to a person's life. And yet, we all do it. When I meet a guy who lives on the street, as compared to a successful, kind-hearted businesswoman (I'm assuming they exist) I instinctively decide who has a more valuable life.
Hospitals try to account for this by saying that whoever is the most likely to live longer (and fuller) deserves to do so.
This still doesn't make up for the fact that we can never know who WILL use the heart better, but only who is more LIKELY to use the heart better.
I am a firm believer in the idea that 5 seconds well spent by an ungrateful, unsuccessful, ugly, dirty person can be infinitely more valuable than years of the life of someone who society admires. I believe this, in large part, because I see some of all of those bad characteristics in myself, and I want to know that significance can come to my life even if I am not capable of intentionally creating it.
So, let's just say I don't envy them the responsibility. Because regardless of the fact that we're unable to make an informed, just decision, a decision still has to be made.
That, my friends, is the human condition.
9.24.2009
Unbreakable
Has anyone ever noticed the extreme amount of correlation between things that are expensive and things that are fragile?
For instance, I spent almost a third as much money on the case for my guitar as I did for the guitar itself.
Why does it seem to be that, the better something is, the easier it is to destroy?
Now, this isn't the case with everything. My crappy, $15 shoes are falling apart, whereas nicer ones would probably not have holes in the soles that let the rain drench my toes from below.
But part of the utility of shoes is that they are durable. So, for anything that is not designed to be durable, the more valuable it is the more fragile it is.
Instruments, gold is a soft metal, plasma screen tvs (Have you seen the video where the guy breaks his tv by throwing a Wiimote at it? Classic.) and most other expensive, material pleasures are extremely non-durable.
I wonder why this is.
It's even true in nature. Endangered species, the rain forests, rare plants, even ferocious, beautiful creatures that are still vulnerable to human destruction (see also: TIGERZZZZZ YAY) are become scarce because they simply aren't durable. The only things we know would survive a nuclear holocaust are that stupid creeping vine from China and cockroaches, and nobody likes those.
Now, this leads to the question, are things that are high quality by nature fragile, or are things considered high quality because they are fragile?
Obviously, the harder something is to replace and the easier it is to damage, the better we will take care of it. But I still think that it is kind of a rule of the universe that all things that are valuable and good require you to take good care of them. God made it that way.
I'd like to think that, in heaven, nothing valuable will be fragile. This will be part of the reparation from the fall. Human bodies will not be so breakable, and they are obviously valuable, so why not the rest of the New Earth?
I think it's interesting to note that most of our made up "superheroes" from comic books and the like are considered powerful primarily (or at least in part) because they are insusceptible to gun fire or fist fighting or rocket launchers, etc.
It then becomes one of the saddest qualities of human nature that all of the things we value are destructible. We are in a futile struggle against corruption to maintain any form of beauty in the world, but it is all to fragile to survive without some serious help.
For instance, I spent almost a third as much money on the case for my guitar as I did for the guitar itself.
Why does it seem to be that, the better something is, the easier it is to destroy?
Now, this isn't the case with everything. My crappy, $15 shoes are falling apart, whereas nicer ones would probably not have holes in the soles that let the rain drench my toes from below.
But part of the utility of shoes is that they are durable. So, for anything that is not designed to be durable, the more valuable it is the more fragile it is.
Instruments, gold is a soft metal, plasma screen tvs (Have you seen the video where the guy breaks his tv by throwing a Wiimote at it? Classic.) and most other expensive, material pleasures are extremely non-durable.
I wonder why this is.
It's even true in nature. Endangered species, the rain forests, rare plants, even ferocious, beautiful creatures that are still vulnerable to human destruction (see also: TIGERZZZZZ YAY) are become scarce because they simply aren't durable. The only things we know would survive a nuclear holocaust are that stupid creeping vine from China and cockroaches, and nobody likes those.
Now, this leads to the question, are things that are high quality by nature fragile, or are things considered high quality because they are fragile?
Obviously, the harder something is to replace and the easier it is to damage, the better we will take care of it. But I still think that it is kind of a rule of the universe that all things that are valuable and good require you to take good care of them. God made it that way.
I'd like to think that, in heaven, nothing valuable will be fragile. This will be part of the reparation from the fall. Human bodies will not be so breakable, and they are obviously valuable, so why not the rest of the New Earth?
I think it's interesting to note that most of our made up "superheroes" from comic books and the like are considered powerful primarily (or at least in part) because they are insusceptible to gun fire or fist fighting or rocket launchers, etc.
It then becomes one of the saddest qualities of human nature that all of the things we value are destructible. We are in a futile struggle against corruption to maintain any form of beauty in the world, but it is all to fragile to survive without some serious help.
8.27.2009
Collection
Tonight was the all-dorm meeting, which was big and manly and such. But afterwards we broke down into our individual suites. 30-Cinco Met with 36ia and we all got to know each other by sharing some random crazy story about ourselves.
While I think one-liners are funny, and sarcasm can make me laugh, the best kind of humor is definitely personal anecdotes. It's great in groups because you can relate to it, it seems so intimate because you're sharing something.
I consider myself a connoisseur of stories, in a way. I love hearing and memorizing stories that me and my friends have, because being able to share a story is the single best way I have found in connecting with other people. You can be in the most awkward situation ever with a complete stranger, but by sharing a personal memory that makes them laugh, or at least feel comfortable, can open up doors in people's hearts that otherwise take months to dig into.
The more I learn about public speaking, the more I hear that sharing personal stories will radically change the response a speaker can get. If a speaker does not connect with his audience, they decide that they have no reason to listen to him or take his advice and expertise, even if he is otherwise qualified.
So, by collecting these stories, I have a small little tale on almost every subject, in order to relate to people as quickly and as deeply as possible. This is great for a youth pastor, who will meet tons of new people weekly and need to create an atmosphere of comfort.
The only problem is, while they relate to me better, it does not actually create intimacy. I am sharing a story, but they are not actually getting to know me, and I am certainly not getting to know them.
So, the real problem with only sharing stories is that interaction and personal response plays less of a role. It makes me a better speaking figure but a less intimate person.
I have to make sure that the personal me is not just a collection of stories.
While I think one-liners are funny, and sarcasm can make me laugh, the best kind of humor is definitely personal anecdotes. It's great in groups because you can relate to it, it seems so intimate because you're sharing something.
I consider myself a connoisseur of stories, in a way. I love hearing and memorizing stories that me and my friends have, because being able to share a story is the single best way I have found in connecting with other people. You can be in the most awkward situation ever with a complete stranger, but by sharing a personal memory that makes them laugh, or at least feel comfortable, can open up doors in people's hearts that otherwise take months to dig into.
The more I learn about public speaking, the more I hear that sharing personal stories will radically change the response a speaker can get. If a speaker does not connect with his audience, they decide that they have no reason to listen to him or take his advice and expertise, even if he is otherwise qualified.
So, by collecting these stories, I have a small little tale on almost every subject, in order to relate to people as quickly and as deeply as possible. This is great for a youth pastor, who will meet tons of new people weekly and need to create an atmosphere of comfort.
The only problem is, while they relate to me better, it does not actually create intimacy. I am sharing a story, but they are not actually getting to know me, and I am certainly not getting to know them.
So, the real problem with only sharing stories is that interaction and personal response plays less of a role. It makes me a better speaking figure but a less intimate person.
I have to make sure that the personal me is not just a collection of stories.
8.25.2009
Selective Memory
Moving in was fun and eventful, for those concerned. I missed the dorm. I get a lot of great fellowship here. And my roommate is one of my best beds, which helps.
Complete change of topic time.
I have tons of songs memorized. Lyrics, melody, all kinds of things. But recently I've realized that I hardly know any of the lyrics to all of my favorite songs. Mostly songs that I have only started listening to in the last year or so.
At first I thought this might be due to me just getting a weaker short-term memory or something. I was really paranoid for a while that I was growing stupid. I think the paranoia over that was more stupid than anything.
Then I realized that I remembered so many details about those songs that aren't lyrics.
I was in choir up until 10th grade. Singing was my big thing, and I was decent at it. I'm still a decent singer for a guy without any musical training. But my singing days were the same time period where I was learning all the songs I have the lyrics memorized for.
At this point in my life, I have probably spent more time studying guitar and music as a whole than I have singing, since I quit singing way back then. I've spent dedicated time practicing and training my ear and my skill for guitar. So that has become almost entirely what I focus on in music. It actually makes it harder to listen to non-guitar music just because I'm so used to listening to it and figuring out how to play it with my ears.
Because of this, I have to really concentrate to learn lyrics from songs and I naturally pick up the guitar and instrumentals in them. I could probably sing you the guitar solo of most songs I've listened to in the last year, but I could barely recite any of the lyrics, compared to the perfect memory I have of songs from way back when.
It's not better or worse, just different. I really do think it's interesting how much my ability to memorize songs has changed over the years.
Complete change of topic time.
I have tons of songs memorized. Lyrics, melody, all kinds of things. But recently I've realized that I hardly know any of the lyrics to all of my favorite songs. Mostly songs that I have only started listening to in the last year or so.
At first I thought this might be due to me just getting a weaker short-term memory or something. I was really paranoid for a while that I was growing stupid. I think the paranoia over that was more stupid than anything.
Then I realized that I remembered so many details about those songs that aren't lyrics.
I was in choir up until 10th grade. Singing was my big thing, and I was decent at it. I'm still a decent singer for a guy without any musical training. But my singing days were the same time period where I was learning all the songs I have the lyrics memorized for.
At this point in my life, I have probably spent more time studying guitar and music as a whole than I have singing, since I quit singing way back then. I've spent dedicated time practicing and training my ear and my skill for guitar. So that has become almost entirely what I focus on in music. It actually makes it harder to listen to non-guitar music just because I'm so used to listening to it and figuring out how to play it with my ears.
Because of this, I have to really concentrate to learn lyrics from songs and I naturally pick up the guitar and instrumentals in them. I could probably sing you the guitar solo of most songs I've listened to in the last year, but I could barely recite any of the lyrics, compared to the perfect memory I have of songs from way back when.
It's not better or worse, just different. I really do think it's interesting how much my ability to memorize songs has changed over the years.
8.17.2009
Kawaru
It's amazing how a single week can remind you what makes a story really good.
Sure, big events can be fascinating, but the real joy of history and stories is the way we connect with the quiet thoughts from within someone else.
I have a week's worth of fun memories, but the only thing that has changed about me because of this week is only visible on the inside.
I spent a week watching, listening, and observing, and as a result, I changed on the inside. I just had to constantly remind myself to shut up and soak in.
And I did.
Now here I am, ready to face something that would have terrified me 8 days ago.
By the way, I totally jumped off of that waterfall.
Sure, big events can be fascinating, but the real joy of history and stories is the way we connect with the quiet thoughts from within someone else.
I have a week's worth of fun memories, but the only thing that has changed about me because of this week is only visible on the inside.
I spent a week watching, listening, and observing, and as a result, I changed on the inside. I just had to constantly remind myself to shut up and soak in.
And I did.
Now here I am, ready to face something that would have terrified me 8 days ago.
By the way, I totally jumped off of that waterfall.
7.05.2009
Ode to Texas
I love living in a culture within a culture.
The fact that foreign countries know more about Texas than any other state really says something. We have our own stereotypes, and really an entirely separate element of our culture separate from the rest of the country.
I recently read some funny "You know you're from Texas when..." things I'd like to share.
You know you're from Texas when...
It's so hot that potatoes cook underground and all you have to do for lunch is to pull one out and add butter with trimmings.
It's so hot farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying hard boiled eggs.
You only know five spices: salt, pepper, Ranch dressing, BBQ sauce and ketchup.
You no longer associate bridges with water. (*cough* TRINITY RIVER *cough*
You can say 110 degrees without fainting.
You learn that a seat belt makes a pretty good branding iron.
You discover that in July it takes only two fingers to drive your car.
You attend a formal event in your best clothes, your finest jewelry and your cowboy boots.
People grumble about Noah letting coyotes on the ark.
Baptism is referred to as "branding."
Finding and returning lost sheep isn't just a parable.
You know what real Mexican food tastes like.
Most of the rest of them were mostly about our accents. Seriously, world, get over the word "y'all." It's not that big a deal.
Also, did you know that it is illegal to urinate on the Alamo? This is important knowledge. Good thing it's not a college town...
Anyways, while this is all fun and good, it brings up something that I've noticed. With the advent of the internet and mass media, things like accents and state cultures are starting to become less and less significant.
I realized that other day that I know exactly how to speak in a Texan accent, and I choose to do so when around the right influences (see also: Grandparents) but I fit just as comfortably into the "American" accent. As large as the United States is, the fact that we all see the same media, and our kids are raised by the television, individual accents over small areas are starting to disappear.
I'd be all tore up inside if I didn't have a little slice of redneck to call home anymore. As it is, Dallas is hardly Texan.
I guess on the whole it means that technology has made a "one world culture" possible.
You know, I was just watching Star Wars, and they differentiate people groups by what planet or even what solar system they come from. Is it possible that our planet could become just one single culture, with hardly any differences except in remote areas?
I would be sad if all of those mini cultures were to disappear because of technology.
What's funny about all this is that America takes pride in its ideals of individualism. Yet the individual disappears when everybody watches all the same TV.
The fact that foreign countries know more about Texas than any other state really says something. We have our own stereotypes, and really an entirely separate element of our culture separate from the rest of the country.
I recently read some funny "You know you're from Texas when..." things I'd like to share.
You know you're from Texas when...
It's so hot that potatoes cook underground and all you have to do for lunch is to pull one out and add butter with trimmings.
It's so hot farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying hard boiled eggs.
You only know five spices: salt, pepper, Ranch dressing, BBQ sauce and ketchup.
You no longer associate bridges with water. (*cough* TRINITY RIVER *cough*
You can say 110 degrees without fainting.
You learn that a seat belt makes a pretty good branding iron.
You discover that in July it takes only two fingers to drive your car.
You attend a formal event in your best clothes, your finest jewelry and your cowboy boots.
People grumble about Noah letting coyotes on the ark.
Baptism is referred to as "branding."
Finding and returning lost sheep isn't just a parable.
You know what real Mexican food tastes like.
Most of the rest of them were mostly about our accents. Seriously, world, get over the word "y'all." It's not that big a deal.
Also, did you know that it is illegal to urinate on the Alamo? This is important knowledge. Good thing it's not a college town...
Anyways, while this is all fun and good, it brings up something that I've noticed. With the advent of the internet and mass media, things like accents and state cultures are starting to become less and less significant.
I realized that other day that I know exactly how to speak in a Texan accent, and I choose to do so when around the right influences (see also: Grandparents) but I fit just as comfortably into the "American" accent. As large as the United States is, the fact that we all see the same media, and our kids are raised by the television, individual accents over small areas are starting to disappear.
I'd be all tore up inside if I didn't have a little slice of redneck to call home anymore. As it is, Dallas is hardly Texan.
I guess on the whole it means that technology has made a "one world culture" possible.
You know, I was just watching Star Wars, and they differentiate people groups by what planet or even what solar system they come from. Is it possible that our planet could become just one single culture, with hardly any differences except in remote areas?
I would be sad if all of those mini cultures were to disappear because of technology.
What's funny about all this is that America takes pride in its ideals of individualism. Yet the individual disappears when everybody watches all the same TV.
6.30.2009
Private Life
Has anybody else seen all the updates to facebook's privacy options, lately?
You can choose which groups or individuals get to view which things on your profile.
For instance, if I took some pictures the night I went out drinking, I could make sure that none of the people at my church saw them.
While I do agree that people do have the right to privacy, when you publish it on the internet you kind of lose that right.
My problem with these new privacy abilities is that it does not necessarily serve privacy so much as it serves dishonesty. I could live a complete double life with this. Nobody at my church would ever have to know about my skinny dipping habits (not that those pics are allowed on facebook anyways, thanks goodness) and none of my manly buddies would find out that I snuggle in a den of bunnies and feed them carrots with my mom every Saturday afternoon. Teenagers especially have a problem with pegging down an identity, and I don't think enabling them to not decide on a personality helps their emotional well-being at all.
There need to be consequences for our actions, and people should stop being afraid of sharing all of themselves with other people. We're so worried about our own privacy that we have become unable to have a true self to hide.
You can choose which groups or individuals get to view which things on your profile.
For instance, if I took some pictures the night I went out drinking, I could make sure that none of the people at my church saw them.
While I do agree that people do have the right to privacy, when you publish it on the internet you kind of lose that right.
My problem with these new privacy abilities is that it does not necessarily serve privacy so much as it serves dishonesty. I could live a complete double life with this. Nobody at my church would ever have to know about my skinny dipping habits (not that those pics are allowed on facebook anyways, thanks goodness) and none of my manly buddies would find out that I snuggle in a den of bunnies and feed them carrots with my mom every Saturday afternoon. Teenagers especially have a problem with pegging down an identity, and I don't think enabling them to not decide on a personality helps their emotional well-being at all.
There need to be consequences for our actions, and people should stop being afraid of sharing all of themselves with other people. We're so worried about our own privacy that we have become unable to have a true self to hide.
6.24.2009
Coincidental Sin
Is it just me or could we draw a lightning bolt on Derek's forehead to make him and Ainslee look like Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley?
She even has the older brothers.
She even has the older brothers.
6.14.2009
Days Off
Before the last 2 weeks, I had kind of viewed a full time job as a commitment to be somewhere 40-60 hours a week.
Under this definition, youth ministry is not a full time job. It's a freaking lifestyle.
Days off are basically days where I don't go into the office, but I do all the other work that people ask me to do. Then I go into the office to check my email and such.
But, it's really not that bad.
One of the things I'm noticing is the difference between the life of a single guy and that of a married guy.
I've worked until 9 or 10 and never had to tell anybody where I'm going. Never had to run any errands that weren't job related. I only go to the grocery store once every 2 weeks. And when I get home at night, I walk around in my boxers and play guitar.
It's a little too... simple for me. I don't think I could do the single's lifestyle until I retire.
I'm about to leave for summer camp, though, where I will be doing crazy things until the wee hours of the morning all week. I'm excited. See you guys in a week.
Under this definition, youth ministry is not a full time job. It's a freaking lifestyle.
Days off are basically days where I don't go into the office, but I do all the other work that people ask me to do. Then I go into the office to check my email and such.
But, it's really not that bad.
One of the things I'm noticing is the difference between the life of a single guy and that of a married guy.
I've worked until 9 or 10 and never had to tell anybody where I'm going. Never had to run any errands that weren't job related. I only go to the grocery store once every 2 weeks. And when I get home at night, I walk around in my boxers and play guitar.
It's a little too... simple for me. I don't think I could do the single's lifestyle until I retire.
I'm about to leave for summer camp, though, where I will be doing crazy things until the wee hours of the morning all week. I'm excited. See you guys in a week.
6.07.2009
The Long Term Starts Today
Today I was in the process of writing a long-winded and painful blog about church, but I decided it was too whiny and deleted it.
I think that's my favorite thing about blogging.
I have a tendency to be stupid at first and wise in the long run.
This lets me get my stupid out, delete it, and then write something worthwhile.
Have you ever seen the movie Click?
It's an awful movie, because Adam Sandler is a pervert.
But it addresses a fantasy that crosses the mind of everyone who has ever used a VCR:
What if we could edit and rewind or fast forward our lives?
If I could go back and fix all of my mistakes, sure, I bet I could have a more successful, less sinful life. But if I could just go back and fix anything I messed up, I would cease to recognize my own weaknesses. Sure, I'd be able to see where I screwed up so I could go back and fix it, but a free "Win" button would remove any doubts about how great I am.
I think it would make it impossible to have true relationships.
Aside from the fact that I could redo every conversation that didn't go the way I wanted, giving me infinite attempts to get someone to like me, I think that people relate to each other and become close only because we are all flawed.
Intimacy is impossible without mutually knowing and accepting each other's weaknesses, correct? I am such a failure in this area because I HATE showing people my weaknesses, especially since mine are generally harder to see than a lot of people's are. I'm good at hiding them.
I can never pretend that I'm perfect in front of people who really know me, and that gives me the ability to be humble and loving the more I come to show myself to them.
In the same way, I copied that crappy, whiny blog I wrote before this and saved it to my hard drive. I can't pretend it never happened, I don't want to just rewind and ignore the way I feel just because I know it was wrong of me to feel that way.
I'd like to think I'll read it again in 3 or 4 years and recognize how weak I was, how much I've grown, and how much I still have left to go.
I prefer foolishness over invincibility any day, because foolishness allows for the wisdom to admit you make mistakes.
I think that's my favorite thing about blogging.
I have a tendency to be stupid at first and wise in the long run.
This lets me get my stupid out, delete it, and then write something worthwhile.
Have you ever seen the movie Click?
It's an awful movie, because Adam Sandler is a pervert.
But it addresses a fantasy that crosses the mind of everyone who has ever used a VCR:
What if we could edit and rewind or fast forward our lives?
If I could go back and fix all of my mistakes, sure, I bet I could have a more successful, less sinful life. But if I could just go back and fix anything I messed up, I would cease to recognize my own weaknesses. Sure, I'd be able to see where I screwed up so I could go back and fix it, but a free "Win" button would remove any doubts about how great I am.
I think it would make it impossible to have true relationships.
Aside from the fact that I could redo every conversation that didn't go the way I wanted, giving me infinite attempts to get someone to like me, I think that people relate to each other and become close only because we are all flawed.
Intimacy is impossible without mutually knowing and accepting each other's weaknesses, correct? I am such a failure in this area because I HATE showing people my weaknesses, especially since mine are generally harder to see than a lot of people's are. I'm good at hiding them.
I can never pretend that I'm perfect in front of people who really know me, and that gives me the ability to be humble and loving the more I come to show myself to them.
In the same way, I copied that crappy, whiny blog I wrote before this and saved it to my hard drive. I can't pretend it never happened, I don't want to just rewind and ignore the way I feel just because I know it was wrong of me to feel that way.
I'd like to think I'll read it again in 3 or 4 years and recognize how weak I was, how much I've grown, and how much I still have left to go.
I prefer foolishness over invincibility any day, because foolishness allows for the wisdom to admit you make mistakes.
6.04.2009
Career Aptitude
Since I'm actually doing concrete training in my profession of choice right now, youth ministry, I'm beginning to recognize some of my strengths and weaknesses in this particular area.
When you first decide on a career, you have lofty ideas in your head of the perfect job for you. I'm sure I'm not the first one to tell you that it doesn't all work out that way.
Doctors, for instance, often become doctors (or so the stereotype tells me) because they want to help people. People go into law because they want to fight injustice.
This all operates on one particularly flawed assumption. They assume that all the work they do will work towards meeting their goal of helping people or fighting injustice, when really so much of it ends up being paperwork and manual labor.
There are 2 components to a profession. One is the actual subject of that profession. The subject of a teacher's job is education, the subject of a senator's job is government policy, etc. The second component of the profession is the method of application.
The first component focuses primarily on that ideal which I talked about earlier. The teacher studies the ideals and goals of education, and then the application, the actual teaching, is where the rubber hits the road.
I'm learning more and more that the primary goal of my profession of youth ministry is the spiritual development of youth, but the applications of that are ALL OVER THE PLACE. It could be playing basketball or painting or teaching a Bible study or playing Guitar Hero. I am finding ways that God has uniquely crafted me with skills and talents that make me relevant to youth. The gifts that God has given me help me encourage kids to listen to what I have to say.
Obviously, I am not skilled at everything, so there are some kids that it is harder for me to reach than others. I'm finding more and more that I am really not that interested in leading middle schoolers. High school, maybe college eventually, is what I want to focus on teaching because I see myself more effective there.
A lot of pastors and youth pastors might say that makes me selfish.
Sure, there might be times where I am called on to help in the spiritual development of people outside of high school, and I am not limiting myself to that. That's just where I want to focus.
I sure hadn't thought of any of that when I first thought I wanted to do youth ministry. Eesh.
When you first decide on a career, you have lofty ideas in your head of the perfect job for you. I'm sure I'm not the first one to tell you that it doesn't all work out that way.
Doctors, for instance, often become doctors (or so the stereotype tells me) because they want to help people. People go into law because they want to fight injustice.
This all operates on one particularly flawed assumption. They assume that all the work they do will work towards meeting their goal of helping people or fighting injustice, when really so much of it ends up being paperwork and manual labor.
There are 2 components to a profession. One is the actual subject of that profession. The subject of a teacher's job is education, the subject of a senator's job is government policy, etc. The second component of the profession is the method of application.
The first component focuses primarily on that ideal which I talked about earlier. The teacher studies the ideals and goals of education, and then the application, the actual teaching, is where the rubber hits the road.
I'm learning more and more that the primary goal of my profession of youth ministry is the spiritual development of youth, but the applications of that are ALL OVER THE PLACE. It could be playing basketball or painting or teaching a Bible study or playing Guitar Hero. I am finding ways that God has uniquely crafted me with skills and talents that make me relevant to youth. The gifts that God has given me help me encourage kids to listen to what I have to say.
Obviously, I am not skilled at everything, so there are some kids that it is harder for me to reach than others. I'm finding more and more that I am really not that interested in leading middle schoolers. High school, maybe college eventually, is what I want to focus on teaching because I see myself more effective there.
A lot of pastors and youth pastors might say that makes me selfish.
Sure, there might be times where I am called on to help in the spiritual development of people outside of high school, and I am not limiting myself to that. That's just where I want to focus.
I sure hadn't thought of any of that when I first thought I wanted to do youth ministry. Eesh.
6.02.2009
Greetings from my NEW HOME
Hey, everybody.
I miss all of you guys. I'm not totally bored here or anything, but it's not exactly like being home for the summer.
I'm not going to really be using this to update you all on my life. If you want to know, just call and ask me. Or facebook, the new phone.
Now, down to the nitty gritty.
This is something people say all of the time, but I really think they fail to realize how true it is. Every single person on this planet is short-sighted, and only cares about immediate gratification instead of long term benefit.
I blogged pretty recently about gasoline. The entire gasoline and automobile industry is based on a need for immediate gratification!
But the worst thing was what I saw today.
As a bit of an explanation, the Lowe's in Siloam has one main entrance, and one main exit, on opposite sides of the building. You cannot enter through the exit or exit through the entrance. It's not very efficient, but hey, I didn't design it.
I drove up to Lowe's (for like the third time in 2 days) to return some stuff I had bought. It took me some time to notice it, but as I was parking I realized that everyone, not just some or even most, but every single person who was parked at this Lowe's had parked in front of the entrance. This means that they had a short walk into the store, but the walk out of the store would require a long haul - including all of the hardware that they had just purchased - around the entire building. I saw a couple guys doing just that with a REFRIGERATOR!
Everybody was so concerned about getting that parking spot close to the entrance. You know, they drive up and down the lanes looking for the closest spot, when really they were just setting themselves up for frustration in 15 minutes.
It was hilarious.
You know, I read somewhere that the vast majority of drivers are only looking like 5 or 6 seconds ahead, when really we need to be looking 10 or 20 seconds ahead for safety's sake. Ridiculous. Is instant gratification really worth that? Does it make you happy to delay inevitable pain? Everybody says to work before you play, and get the hard part out of the way first, but nobody does it.
I'm certainly guilty of this, too, I just think people are sillyheads.
I miss all of you guys. I'm not totally bored here or anything, but it's not exactly like being home for the summer.
I'm not going to really be using this to update you all on my life. If you want to know, just call and ask me. Or facebook, the new phone.
Now, down to the nitty gritty.
This is something people say all of the time, but I really think they fail to realize how true it is. Every single person on this planet is short-sighted, and only cares about immediate gratification instead of long term benefit.
I blogged pretty recently about gasoline. The entire gasoline and automobile industry is based on a need for immediate gratification!
But the worst thing was what I saw today.
As a bit of an explanation, the Lowe's in Siloam has one main entrance, and one main exit, on opposite sides of the building. You cannot enter through the exit or exit through the entrance. It's not very efficient, but hey, I didn't design it.
I drove up to Lowe's (for like the third time in 2 days) to return some stuff I had bought. It took me some time to notice it, but as I was parking I realized that everyone, not just some or even most, but every single person who was parked at this Lowe's had parked in front of the entrance. This means that they had a short walk into the store, but the walk out of the store would require a long haul - including all of the hardware that they had just purchased - around the entire building. I saw a couple guys doing just that with a REFRIGERATOR!
Everybody was so concerned about getting that parking spot close to the entrance. You know, they drive up and down the lanes looking for the closest spot, when really they were just setting themselves up for frustration in 15 minutes.
It was hilarious.
You know, I read somewhere that the vast majority of drivers are only looking like 5 or 6 seconds ahead, when really we need to be looking 10 or 20 seconds ahead for safety's sake. Ridiculous. Is instant gratification really worth that? Does it make you happy to delay inevitable pain? Everybody says to work before you play, and get the hard part out of the way first, but nobody does it.
I'm certainly guilty of this, too, I just think people are sillyheads.
5.29.2009
Inconsistencies
I feel completely paradoxical today because I haven't had the urge to write in this for a while, and now I'm doing so twice in one day.
Technically it's not in one day, but I haven't slept since the last time I blogged, so we'll leave it at that.
Anyways, recently I've been in an online conversation with an atheistic evolutionist in the comments sections of a website. The primary subject of discussion has been the Flood, and whether or not the Ark is physically possible.
It's been a fairly nice argument, we have both been cordial and argued rationally instead of with stupid anger. You'd be surprised how many people will just say "whatever God is stupid because evolution disproved him and DON'T FORCE YOUR BELIEFS ON ME &%*#&%*" and leave it at that.
I have made it a goal, almost a hobby, to learn about arguments and apologetics in defending Christianity. But my confusion lies in this:
If they, who insist that us forcing our beliefs on people is wrong, focus on the belief that there is no God and therefore our beliefs have no effect on the afterlife, why do they argue to convince the religious that their religion is illogical and pointless?
I think they just feel a need to be right in an argument. It's either that, or they just have the humble, well-intentioned desire to somehow "cure" humanity of religious stupidity, and make us all want to believe that life is pointless and finite.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'd rather they DO stand up for their beliefs, but it seems to me that their beliefs have no purpose, and thus it's hard to rally behind them. Cheers of "The Universe and living matter were all assembled by random chance!" and "God has been logically dethroned by the wisdom of man!" hardly roll off the tongue.
Morality is also completely unnecessary without God, but that's a different blog.
Anyways, I'm just curious as to what motivation atheists have for wanting us to agree with them, because I highly doubt that they just want us to see the error of our ways.
Any thoughts, insights, or questions?
Technically it's not in one day, but I haven't slept since the last time I blogged, so we'll leave it at that.
Anyways, recently I've been in an online conversation with an atheistic evolutionist in the comments sections of a website. The primary subject of discussion has been the Flood, and whether or not the Ark is physically possible.
It's been a fairly nice argument, we have both been cordial and argued rationally instead of with stupid anger. You'd be surprised how many people will just say "whatever God is stupid because evolution disproved him and DON'T FORCE YOUR BELIEFS ON ME &%*#&%*" and leave it at that.
I have made it a goal, almost a hobby, to learn about arguments and apologetics in defending Christianity. But my confusion lies in this:
If they, who insist that us forcing our beliefs on people is wrong, focus on the belief that there is no God and therefore our beliefs have no effect on the afterlife, why do they argue to convince the religious that their religion is illogical and pointless?
I think they just feel a need to be right in an argument. It's either that, or they just have the humble, well-intentioned desire to somehow "cure" humanity of religious stupidity, and make us all want to believe that life is pointless and finite.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'd rather they DO stand up for their beliefs, but it seems to me that their beliefs have no purpose, and thus it's hard to rally behind them. Cheers of "The Universe and living matter were all assembled by random chance!" and "God has been logically dethroned by the wisdom of man!" hardly roll off the tongue.
Morality is also completely unnecessary without God, but that's a different blog.
Anyways, I'm just curious as to what motivation atheists have for wanting us to agree with them, because I highly doubt that they just want us to see the error of our ways.
Any thoughts, insights, or questions?
5.28.2009
Throw the Swan Out with the Bathwater
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,627139,00.html
This is why slapstick comedy is popular.
If it happens in real life and not in a cartoon, it even makes adults laugh.
This is why slapstick comedy is popular.
If it happens in real life and not in a cartoon, it even makes adults laugh.
5.10.2009
On The Road Again
I'm back home in Tejas.
Didn't really expect to be, but, you know, the best laid plans...
I'm trying to decide what to do.
I want to keep using this as a blog for thought, but I still want a place where I can tell everybody what's going on in my life with my exciting internship and all that rockage.
I'm thinking I'll use facebook notes for the details about my life and just keep using this as what it is. Or maybe I'll use this as both and just use the life stuff on facebook.
Anyways, time for a real blog.
So, today, as I was alone with my thoughts (and some awesome Romanian techno) for 6 hours, my brain did some working.
What if gasoline does not exist?
I realized that I have never run out of gas before. My car has never shut down.
I refill my gas tank, at decent expense, for something which I have never seen the consequences of.
What if the government made up gasoline and, simply out of the fear of running out of gasoline and being stranded, people keep filling up their cars with mystery liquid.
Of course, with this kind of theory, you can only go so long before some dummy runs out of gasoline, and realizes that his car doesn't shut down.
2 things happen at this point, either he thinks God is pulling a flour and oil miracle on him and he has a blessed holy gas tank, or he realizes the whole thing has been a scam and everyone finds out.
To continue the sham, the government (or car manufacturers, take your pick) puts a device in a car that is tied to the fuel meter. If your gas meter (with your gas can filled with mystery liquid) runs to empty, the car automatically shuts itself down and won't turn back on until you buy some more (highly government taxed) gasoline.
Just give the government a share of the profit for gas purchases and you, my friend, have a paranoid conspiracy theory.
Ironically, I just spent a few seconds searching for "gasoline" in Google images. Not a single picture of the actual liquid of gasoline popped up.
Didn't really expect to be, but, you know, the best laid plans...
I'm trying to decide what to do.
I want to keep using this as a blog for thought, but I still want a place where I can tell everybody what's going on in my life with my exciting internship and all that rockage.
I'm thinking I'll use facebook notes for the details about my life and just keep using this as what it is. Or maybe I'll use this as both and just use the life stuff on facebook.
Anyways, time for a real blog.
So, today, as I was alone with my thoughts (and some awesome Romanian techno) for 6 hours, my brain did some working.
What if gasoline does not exist?
I realized that I have never run out of gas before. My car has never shut down.
I refill my gas tank, at decent expense, for something which I have never seen the consequences of.
What if the government made up gasoline and, simply out of the fear of running out of gasoline and being stranded, people keep filling up their cars with mystery liquid.
Of course, with this kind of theory, you can only go so long before some dummy runs out of gasoline, and realizes that his car doesn't shut down.
2 things happen at this point, either he thinks God is pulling a flour and oil miracle on him and he has a blessed holy gas tank, or he realizes the whole thing has been a scam and everyone finds out.
To continue the sham, the government (or car manufacturers, take your pick) puts a device in a car that is tied to the fuel meter. If your gas meter (with your gas can filled with mystery liquid) runs to empty, the car automatically shuts itself down and won't turn back on until you buy some more (highly government taxed) gasoline.
Just give the government a share of the profit for gas purchases and you, my friend, have a paranoid conspiracy theory.
Ironically, I just spent a few seconds searching for "gasoline" in Google images. Not a single picture of the actual liquid of gasoline popped up.
5.05.2009
Conflict
Part of me feels like college is a ripoff.
I spend many thousands of dollars a year (some paid for by scholarship and loan) in order to do homework and write papers. Eventually, this money will culminate in a piece of paper signed by some deans that says I have written some papers and taken some tests.
The dorm is overpriced for the size of the room, and the quality of the provision, the food is EXPENSIVE and crappy, but at least the library and the school buildings are adequate.
At the same time, I realize that I am paying less that the average lower class income (somewhere around $27k a year) in order to be free of a job. Now sure, I have to work a little to be able to afford that, but while in college, I am provided for in every basic way, plus LOTS of unnecessary treats like internet and TV.
Plenty people who earn and pay that same wage do not live like I do.
So, while I love to complain, college really is a bubble of complacency, with a lot of hard work involved. And I do believe that every college, not just small private Christian schools, is a bubble which the students rarely ever leave.
I wonder if there's anyone who spent his entire life at college for just that reason.
I spend many thousands of dollars a year (some paid for by scholarship and loan) in order to do homework and write papers. Eventually, this money will culminate in a piece of paper signed by some deans that says I have written some papers and taken some tests.
The dorm is overpriced for the size of the room, and the quality of the provision, the food is EXPENSIVE and crappy, but at least the library and the school buildings are adequate.
At the same time, I realize that I am paying less that the average lower class income (somewhere around $27k a year) in order to be free of a job. Now sure, I have to work a little to be able to afford that, but while in college, I am provided for in every basic way, plus LOTS of unnecessary treats like internet and TV.
Plenty people who earn and pay that same wage do not live like I do.
So, while I love to complain, college really is a bubble of complacency, with a lot of hard work involved. And I do believe that every college, not just small private Christian schools, is a bubble which the students rarely ever leave.
I wonder if there's anyone who spent his entire life at college for just that reason.
4.27.2009
Up Late Again...
Studying and writing papers is getting old.
Like fast.
But, it's always a pleasant little surprise to be scanning facebook at 2 in the morning and find something funny.
One of my friends, I won't say who, listed in her profile that her favorite type of book is Christian Romance Novels.
I am horrified by the idea of this. It sounds like the single worst idea to ever come from a Christian author.
So I googled it.
Much to my dismay, I found this:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Best-Christian-Romance-Books/lm/1WKYIUWB1NZJ0
An entire category in Amazon devoted to horrible books. At least it's probably not pornographic like regular romance novels, but it's still probably unrealistic and theologically painful.
Alas, such is American Christianity.
Like fast.
But, it's always a pleasant little surprise to be scanning facebook at 2 in the morning and find something funny.
One of my friends, I won't say who, listed in her profile that her favorite type of book is Christian Romance Novels.
I am horrified by the idea of this. It sounds like the single worst idea to ever come from a Christian author.
So I googled it.
Much to my dismay, I found this:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Best-Christian-Romance-Books/lm/1WKYIUWB1NZJ0
An entire category in Amazon devoted to horrible books. At least it's probably not pornographic like regular romance novels, but it's still probably unrealistic and theologically painful.
Alas, such is American Christianity.
4.15.2009
Tag
I refuse to make my blog topics revolve around major holidays. That's cheap. I like to be more creative in my topics. No offense if you do, haha.
I think Facebook is vastly superior to Youtube. Of course I'm going to tell you why. This is a blog, duh.
Every time I look through some website that collects pictures or videos or stories by topic, I inevitably run into a video that shows some person doing something incredibly stupid that gets them hurt, whether it be a hurt pride or a very, very physical pain.
I wonder if these people know their shame is made public for all the world to see.
I am currently aware of about 3 videos that I am actually in on youtube. Most of them are inside jokes that would not entertain anyone who actually watched them without being there for the recording.
At least on facebook, you can tag people who are in video and pics, so they are made aware of this.
I wonder if the world is small enough or coincidental enough that the people who watch the videos of people being stupid ever, by some mysterious chance, see that stupid person in real life. I bet it happens.
In that case, person B, who viewed the video of person A, would already have a preconception of the character of person A, and probably not a good one.
So, just to make you paranoid, I wonder if you guys are in any youtube videos that could destroy your credibility as serious people.
Haha good luck finding them. I think youtube is up to about a billion videos or something crazy.
I think Facebook is vastly superior to Youtube. Of course I'm going to tell you why. This is a blog, duh.
Every time I look through some website that collects pictures or videos or stories by topic, I inevitably run into a video that shows some person doing something incredibly stupid that gets them hurt, whether it be a hurt pride or a very, very physical pain.
I wonder if these people know their shame is made public for all the world to see.
I am currently aware of about 3 videos that I am actually in on youtube. Most of them are inside jokes that would not entertain anyone who actually watched them without being there for the recording.
At least on facebook, you can tag people who are in video and pics, so they are made aware of this.
I wonder if the world is small enough or coincidental enough that the people who watch the videos of people being stupid ever, by some mysterious chance, see that stupid person in real life. I bet it happens.
In that case, person B, who viewed the video of person A, would already have a preconception of the character of person A, and probably not a good one.
So, just to make you paranoid, I wonder if you guys are in any youtube videos that could destroy your credibility as serious people.
Haha good luck finding them. I think youtube is up to about a billion videos or something crazy.
4.06.2009
Running on Empty
I still want to use this thing, I promise.
I just had to take a hiatus from deep thought for a couple of weeks. It gets me into trouble sometimes.
Blog time now.
I noticed today how much my life is controlled by gauges.
Anything that measures how full or empty some item of mine is determines more of my course of action than I like.
Today alone:
-My car ran low on gas and I had to stop to get more.
-My cell phone battery died and I had to bring my charger with me to the library.
-My laptop battery died and I had to walk around campus with the screen turned off.
-My coffee maker ran out of water and had to be refilled.
-My printer cartridge ran out of ink and had to be replaced, very expensively.
-It also ran out of paper. Nothing should have more than one resource. Piece of crap.
-A McDonald's billboard on the highway told me that my "fry gauge" was low, which sadly really made me want fries.
-I know for a fact that my bike tire pressure gauge would read low if I tried to ride it.
-My Febreze bottle is empty, making me less able to combat the encroaching stench of J. Alvin into my clothing.
Every time something becomes empty, it makes me unable to do something. Emptiness takes away my power, it weakens technology, it signifies that work must be done before a device can be used again.
At the end of my day, as I thought of all the things I need to do before all of the trinkets around me would do my bidding again, I realized something that outweighs the joy all of technology could ever bring me.
I'm full inside.
I just had to take a hiatus from deep thought for a couple of weeks. It gets me into trouble sometimes.
Blog time now.
I noticed today how much my life is controlled by gauges.
Anything that measures how full or empty some item of mine is determines more of my course of action than I like.
Today alone:
-My car ran low on gas and I had to stop to get more.
-My cell phone battery died and I had to bring my charger with me to the library.
-My laptop battery died and I had to walk around campus with the screen turned off.
-My coffee maker ran out of water and had to be refilled.
-My printer cartridge ran out of ink and had to be replaced, very expensively.
-It also ran out of paper. Nothing should have more than one resource. Piece of crap.
-A McDonald's billboard on the highway told me that my "fry gauge" was low, which sadly really made me want fries.
-I know for a fact that my bike tire pressure gauge would read low if I tried to ride it.
-My Febreze bottle is empty, making me less able to combat the encroaching stench of J. Alvin into my clothing.
Every time something becomes empty, it makes me unable to do something. Emptiness takes away my power, it weakens technology, it signifies that work must be done before a device can be used again.
At the end of my day, as I thought of all the things I need to do before all of the trinkets around me would do my bidding again, I realized something that outweighs the joy all of technology could ever bring me.
I'm full inside.
3.10.2009
Minority? Really? WARNING: THIS IS A RANT
Ok, so today I'm doing something a little different. I'm giving you homework.
Read this article
And now, I discuss.
Atheists and agnostics claim to be the poor, suffering minority in our political system.
While I do agree that most politicians claim to be religious, this is for 2 main reasons:
1. The upper class is statistically more religious than the lower class
2. Surveys have shown that people, even atheists, typically want people with a sense of religious morality to have power in our country
Now, this is certainly not to say that the legislation of the U.S., with the exception of President Bush, in the past 10 years has been AT ALL religious.
In this article they claim that they have no say in politics, but postmodernism has made any sense of the absolute truth of morality disappear from our methods of foreign policy or our laws at home.
Abortion has political support. Weapons are a SIGNIFICANT portion of our tax burden. The education system has been forced by legislature to prohibit Christian and Mormon practices, although not Islam practices, because we don't want to be racist.
Also, almost anything scientific, which comes under the consideration of law - such as stem cell research, abortion, evolution, and many more things, are expected to be a completely different realm from the church. A scientist who is also a Christian has no authority.
And look at the author's reasoning for wanting this political power:
Because he says religious people condemn him to hell every time he meets them.
This article is not a cry out from political oppression, it is a rally for mockery of Christianity.
They say that there is a 15% group of people who are non-religious, but I say that's a lie. That's probably just the 15 ACTIVE percent. The people who intentionally propagate atheism as "realistic" and who vote for the removal of spirit from life. There are probably as few as 15% or less active religious people with political power. The rest may IDENTIFY themselves as religious, but in reality they are APATHETIC and still vote as if they were non-religious because their faith isn't real!
Even more proof is in the article itself. While attempting to say that non-religious people are legitimate voters, he proves that he does not care about that, but just wants to vindicate his own beliefs with lines such as "for the love of God, stop ignoring us" and "if God forbid, [the non-religious] should ever fight back and forcefully present their opinions, they are often considered rude and offensive." Aside from the fact that neither of those statements are true, they are sardonic and catatonic.
This just aids me in the belief that atheism is not a pattern of thought or a way of life; it is a rebellion. These are not people who care about asserting that there is no God, they care about asserting their own authority.
Man, that made me mad.
Here's a question, though. What is the Christian response to this kind of animosity?
Read this article
And now, I discuss.
Atheists and agnostics claim to be the poor, suffering minority in our political system.
While I do agree that most politicians claim to be religious, this is for 2 main reasons:
1. The upper class is statistically more religious than the lower class
2. Surveys have shown that people, even atheists, typically want people with a sense of religious morality to have power in our country
Now, this is certainly not to say that the legislation of the U.S., with the exception of President Bush, in the past 10 years has been AT ALL religious.
In this article they claim that they have no say in politics, but postmodernism has made any sense of the absolute truth of morality disappear from our methods of foreign policy or our laws at home.
Abortion has political support. Weapons are a SIGNIFICANT portion of our tax burden. The education system has been forced by legislature to prohibit Christian and Mormon practices, although not Islam practices, because we don't want to be racist.
Also, almost anything scientific, which comes under the consideration of law - such as stem cell research, abortion, evolution, and many more things, are expected to be a completely different realm from the church. A scientist who is also a Christian has no authority.
And look at the author's reasoning for wanting this political power:
Because he says religious people condemn him to hell every time he meets them.
This article is not a cry out from political oppression, it is a rally for mockery of Christianity.
They say that there is a 15% group of people who are non-religious, but I say that's a lie. That's probably just the 15 ACTIVE percent. The people who intentionally propagate atheism as "realistic" and who vote for the removal of spirit from life. There are probably as few as 15% or less active religious people with political power. The rest may IDENTIFY themselves as religious, but in reality they are APATHETIC and still vote as if they were non-religious because their faith isn't real!
Even more proof is in the article itself. While attempting to say that non-religious people are legitimate voters, he proves that he does not care about that, but just wants to vindicate his own beliefs with lines such as "for the love of God, stop ignoring us" and "if God forbid, [the non-religious] should ever fight back and forcefully present their opinions, they are often considered rude and offensive." Aside from the fact that neither of those statements are true, they are sardonic and catatonic.
This just aids me in the belief that atheism is not a pattern of thought or a way of life; it is a rebellion. These are not people who care about asserting that there is no God, they care about asserting their own authority.
Man, that made me mad.
Here's a question, though. What is the Christian response to this kind of animosity?
3.06.2009
The Work Lens
I finally finished one giant paper to find out that I have another one similar to it due in a week. It's still a ways off but man my classes give me no time to detox after a blow like that. I worked on that thing probably 20 hours in the last week.
Human abilities are often very contingent on our ability to focus and concentrate. If I spent 4 hours doing unfocused work, it's not even as good as 1 hour of focused work. I am so unfocused now that I realized that I had forgotten to submit my paper online, which I am now doing.
But focus and concentration does not necessarily mean that our mind is wholly consumed in the process.
In my Christian Education class, we recently discussed that the way to tell if you have truly learned something is to be able to do it competently and unconsciously. The example he used was playing an instrument. A master of an instrument plays music out of habit and with excellent muscle memory. He focuses by remembering what he did in the past instinctively.
So, in the same way, I focus my work by instinctively honing in on what I am doing, and then just let the work flow out.
It all sounds very kung fu, I know.
But, I think there's something to be said for it.
Where else would we come up with phrases like "He loses himself in his work," or "hatred consumed him."
Out of those habits, we develop skill (even though hatred is not a skill) and with skill we develop diligence.
All that to say that it's really hard to force myself to sit down and write a paper. But if I instead think of it as applying my focus unconsciously, it sounds a little better.
I basically have to trick myself into doing homework, but I'm good at it once I do.
Human abilities are often very contingent on our ability to focus and concentrate. If I spent 4 hours doing unfocused work, it's not even as good as 1 hour of focused work. I am so unfocused now that I realized that I had forgotten to submit my paper online, which I am now doing.
But focus and concentration does not necessarily mean that our mind is wholly consumed in the process.
In my Christian Education class, we recently discussed that the way to tell if you have truly learned something is to be able to do it competently and unconsciously. The example he used was playing an instrument. A master of an instrument plays music out of habit and with excellent muscle memory. He focuses by remembering what he did in the past instinctively.
So, in the same way, I focus my work by instinctively honing in on what I am doing, and then just let the work flow out.
It all sounds very kung fu, I know.
But, I think there's something to be said for it.
Where else would we come up with phrases like "He loses himself in his work," or "hatred consumed him."
Out of those habits, we develop skill (even though hatred is not a skill) and with skill we develop diligence.
All that to say that it's really hard to force myself to sit down and write a paper. But if I instead think of it as applying my focus unconsciously, it sounds a little better.
I basically have to trick myself into doing homework, but I'm good at it once I do.
3.02.2009
The Odds Part 2
My thinking got me thinking:
Where does luck come from anyways?
The obvious answer is God, but how many of us actually operate on that belief?
I played Yahtzee with Evan and Tellie a few weeks ago, and I in no way believed that the outcome of my Yahtzee game had all that much to do with God.
But God even controls the roll of the dice. Every molecule moves under his observation.
So all of the gambling debt in the world, all of the lost Yahtzee games (I got butchered) and all of the short ends of the stick are known to God.
Did you know that the disciples believed that dice (or casting lots in their case) revealed the will of God?
They cast lots to decide who would take the place of Judas the Betrayer among the 12. (Acts 1:12-26)
They prayed about it, picked 2 candidates, and threw some old school dice.
They knew that God really could speak through that because he controls everything.
Man, that's the kind of faith I aspire to.
Where does luck come from anyways?
The obvious answer is God, but how many of us actually operate on that belief?
I played Yahtzee with Evan and Tellie a few weeks ago, and I in no way believed that the outcome of my Yahtzee game had all that much to do with God.
But God even controls the roll of the dice. Every molecule moves under his observation.
So all of the gambling debt in the world, all of the lost Yahtzee games (I got butchered) and all of the short ends of the stick are known to God.
Did you know that the disciples believed that dice (or casting lots in their case) revealed the will of God?
They cast lots to decide who would take the place of Judas the Betrayer among the 12. (Acts 1:12-26)
They prayed about it, picked 2 candidates, and threw some old school dice.
They knew that God really could speak through that because he controls everything.
Man, that's the kind of faith I aspire to.
2.24.2009
The Odds
I just want all of you to know how lucky I am to know all of you. Literally.
Think about it. There are, what, 6 and a half or 7 billion people on earth.
We were born in the right spots on the planet that we ended up in exactly the right place to meet each other. We each can be in a relationship with around 500 people, and since you're reading my blog, I assume you're one of those people. That's just how big of a community that we try to be a part of naturally. So, that makes the odds that I know you about 500 in 6.5 billion, or reduced, 1 in 13 million.
Also, to take that farther, we exist in the same time period.
I could have been born in Siloam Springs, or whatever it was called, in 500 B.C. and we never would have met despite being in the same place. According to the Christian definition of the time that the earth has existed, there have been about 10,000 years of life on earth. With about 30 years between each generation of life, there have been VERY approximately 330 generations. That changes the odds to 1 in 4.3 billion.
Then there's the fact that we are the same age, which definitely impacts our relationship. There's also the same religion, same state of mental health, the same school for some of us, and countless other factors. The real odds are practically impossible.
But impossible things like this are commonplace in this crazy universe of ours.
So really, it is an honor to know all of you. We're a bunch of statistical freaks. Love you guys.
Think about it. There are, what, 6 and a half or 7 billion people on earth.
We were born in the right spots on the planet that we ended up in exactly the right place to meet each other. We each can be in a relationship with around 500 people, and since you're reading my blog, I assume you're one of those people. That's just how big of a community that we try to be a part of naturally. So, that makes the odds that I know you about 500 in 6.5 billion, or reduced, 1 in 13 million.
Also, to take that farther, we exist in the same time period.
I could have been born in Siloam Springs, or whatever it was called, in 500 B.C. and we never would have met despite being in the same place. According to the Christian definition of the time that the earth has existed, there have been about 10,000 years of life on earth. With about 30 years between each generation of life, there have been VERY approximately 330 generations. That changes the odds to 1 in 4.3 billion.
Then there's the fact that we are the same age, which definitely impacts our relationship. There's also the same religion, same state of mental health, the same school for some of us, and countless other factors. The real odds are practically impossible.
But impossible things like this are commonplace in this crazy universe of ours.
So really, it is an honor to know all of you. We're a bunch of statistical freaks. Love you guys.
2.23.2009
What.The.Heck.
They say that foreigners think we are just as strange as we think they are, but I seriously don't understand a culture that would come up with this commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfxSWIBvEYE&feature=related
In other news, my weekend was explosively stressful.
Now we'll see how the weekdays treat me.
It was good to see all my friends and Kristen's family, though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfxSWIBvEYE&feature=related
In other news, my weekend was explosively stressful.
Now we'll see how the weekdays treat me.
It was good to see all my friends and Kristen's family, though.
2.20.2009
Ah, the French
This is one of those rare blogs that actually has something to do with my life.
I've had insomnia lately. I tell you the truth, it sucks, because I wake up SO tired.
But, I think it's over.
Anyways.
Recently, I've felt like I've been seeing things around me that other people just ignore.
I was in the Cathedral on Wednesday afternoon, sitting in a chair, people watching. I had gotten out of Wellness early, so I had about 20 minutes to wait until my next class. There are some televisions (boy it's weird to spell that word out) in the hallway with the classrooms on the second floor, so I watched whatever was on. It was set to some French or perhaps Spanish (the volume was turned down) station, and it was midday, so of course it was soap opera time.
I counted literally 5 makeout sessions in one episode of this show.
I also counted at least 10 professors and 30 other people who walked by and did not even notice the people making out on a screen in our cathedral. It blew my mind.
This is kind of obvious, but I notice that people who are busy notice less of the odd things going on around them. We ignore reality for the sake of our preoccupations. We decide what is important for us to pay attention to and what is not. But, what if we're wrong?
I like to stop and think every now and then if the things which I focus on are important.
Is guitar important? Is school important? Is my family important?
We can only see from our limited, first-person perspective, so we can not possibly know the end result of our actions, thus we do not know what is important. Only God does. So, another duh thing, we should listen to Him and not ourselves.
Maybe it will all turn out that watching French people make out on TV is the most important part of life.
If so, I've got a head start.
I've had insomnia lately. I tell you the truth, it sucks, because I wake up SO tired.
But, I think it's over.
Anyways.
Recently, I've felt like I've been seeing things around me that other people just ignore.
I was in the Cathedral on Wednesday afternoon, sitting in a chair, people watching. I had gotten out of Wellness early, so I had about 20 minutes to wait until my next class. There are some televisions (boy it's weird to spell that word out) in the hallway with the classrooms on the second floor, so I watched whatever was on. It was set to some French or perhaps Spanish (the volume was turned down) station, and it was midday, so of course it was soap opera time.
I counted literally 5 makeout sessions in one episode of this show.
I also counted at least 10 professors and 30 other people who walked by and did not even notice the people making out on a screen in our cathedral. It blew my mind.
This is kind of obvious, but I notice that people who are busy notice less of the odd things going on around them. We ignore reality for the sake of our preoccupations. We decide what is important for us to pay attention to and what is not. But, what if we're wrong?
I like to stop and think every now and then if the things which I focus on are important.
Is guitar important? Is school important? Is my family important?
We can only see from our limited, first-person perspective, so we can not possibly know the end result of our actions, thus we do not know what is important. Only God does. So, another duh thing, we should listen to Him and not ourselves.
Maybe it will all turn out that watching French people make out on TV is the most important part of life.
If so, I've got a head start.
2.13.2009
Little People
I wonder how many useful, awesome inventions we could make if we had little people working for us. No, I don't mean midgets.
Okay, I read this book series, called Discworld by Terry Pratchett for the longest time. It has like 40 books in it, and he still writes them, you should check it out.
Most of the modern inventions he mimicked in the books had little demons in them doing all the work instead of actual science. Like cameras were actually demons who could just paint really fast that were trapped in this little box with a lens.
Ah, if only.
Potent Potential
Mmmm tastes like alliteration.
Well, this evening was quite interesting.
I didn't expect to enjoy it quite so much, but I went to a concert for the vocal performance majors here at school.
Oh.my.goodness.
You really don't realize what is possible with the human voice.
They were amazing.
But, leading off of that, it's impossible to say where the limits of human potential are.
I know that, historically, pride cometh before the fall and all that jazz, but we really can be quite fascinating.
By incredible exertion and effort, there are people who can jump 8 feet in the air, sing 4 octaves higher than I can even hear, and do all sorts of crazy stuff.
The reason I know we have limits, as amazing as we are, refers to the principle of diminishing returns, if you know what that is. As we work, the closer we get to our limits, the less we gain per amount of work.
There has to be a limit somewhere. Human achievement is peaked.
I just think that has a lot of implications for technology and morals that we don't really think about...
I'll have to ponder and finish this blog later.
In other news, this made me giggle:
Fox Comic
Well, this evening was quite interesting.
I didn't expect to enjoy it quite so much, but I went to a concert for the vocal performance majors here at school.
Oh.my.goodness.
You really don't realize what is possible with the human voice.
They were amazing.
But, leading off of that, it's impossible to say where the limits of human potential are.
I know that, historically, pride cometh before the fall and all that jazz, but we really can be quite fascinating.
By incredible exertion and effort, there are people who can jump 8 feet in the air, sing 4 octaves higher than I can even hear, and do all sorts of crazy stuff.
The reason I know we have limits, as amazing as we are, refers to the principle of diminishing returns, if you know what that is. As we work, the closer we get to our limits, the less we gain per amount of work.
There has to be a limit somewhere. Human achievement is peaked.
I just think that has a lot of implications for technology and morals that we don't really think about...
I'll have to ponder and finish this blog later.
In other news, this made me giggle:
Fox Comic
2.11.2009
The Overdrive of Life
I got out of my Wellness class 30 minutes early. That class really is a total waste of my time.
Tonight is going to be awesome, because I get to mess around with a 'wah' pedal that I borrowed from Tim. If you don't know what a 'wah' pedal is, you're missing out. It's for electric guitar effects.
Music is so awesome for me, not because I get to perform, I mostly perform for other people's benefit instead of for mine. Music is fun because I'm good enough that I can entertain myself.
I worship on my own in my room all the time and play around and have fun.
I think that's why it's always been more of a hobby than a career pursuit. It's never been about what I can do with it, but what I get out of it.
I'd be completely embarrassed if you knew just how much I used to rock out wearing just my boxers to completely lame 90's rock music. That was most of my summers during high school.
I know, I'm so cool. You don't have to remind me.
Tonight is going to be awesome, because I get to mess around with a 'wah' pedal that I borrowed from Tim. If you don't know what a 'wah' pedal is, you're missing out. It's for electric guitar effects.
Music is so awesome for me, not because I get to perform, I mostly perform for other people's benefit instead of for mine. Music is fun because I'm good enough that I can entertain myself.
I worship on my own in my room all the time and play around and have fun.
I think that's why it's always been more of a hobby than a career pursuit. It's never been about what I can do with it, but what I get out of it.
I'd be completely embarrassed if you knew just how much I used to rock out wearing just my boxers to completely lame 90's rock music. That was most of my summers during high school.
I know, I'm so cool. You don't have to remind me.
2.09.2009
Bless You
I just realized that I haven't sneezed in a very long time. That's kind of nice.
But, not the point.
Recently, I have begun teaching a Bible study for 6th and 7th graders at Crosspoint church along with a friend. I met the kids last week, and had the first get-together last night.
It was really exciting.
It's amazing the magnitude of the desire to be heard that God put in children. They aren't necessarily to the point where they understand the struggles in their lives, so they aren't complaining about politics, boyfriends and girlfriends, or career issues. They are just using their mouths to explore the world and share it. Every little thing that happens them, no matter how boring it is, seems like the most exciting story that they wan to share with someone, and I'm the one they want to listen. It's so cool.
This semester, I've decided to talk about blessings to them.
My prime example is Abraham, who blessed the world by fathering a nation.
It's interesting that, when we pray to ask God for something, we don't really think about how we're going to receive it. If I prayed for a new car, I wouldn't expect it to magically appear out of thin air. There wouldn't be a holy light from the clouds that would float this car down in front of me. If God were going to give me a car, someone would probably buy it for me, or one would go on sale and it would come to my attention.
In this way, God answers prayer by using people.
Sure, God is definitely the biggest blessing in the world. But he uses people to deliver his blessings.
So, this semester, we're going to talk about how they (the kids) can be blessings. I want it to culminate in a service project or something.
At this point, it's hard to even explain to them what a blessing is. We ask God to bless our food, and we bless people when they sneeze (a tradition which emerged during the plague), but what is a blessing? I want to go from this to showing them how God can use them, just as God used Abraham, to bless others.
We don't have to be perfect, or talented, but God will use us because we are designed exactly the way He intended. Abraham certainly wasn't either of those things. He was a pagan (I had to explain what a pagan is). He was 75 years old. He pretended his wife was his sister (and she was!! YUCK!)
We as the church are the body. We are the arms and legs of Christ.
It's cool to learn something and then share it, 10 years later, to kids who remind me a lot of myself.
But, not the point.
Recently, I have begun teaching a Bible study for 6th and 7th graders at Crosspoint church along with a friend. I met the kids last week, and had the first get-together last night.
It was really exciting.
It's amazing the magnitude of the desire to be heard that God put in children. They aren't necessarily to the point where they understand the struggles in their lives, so they aren't complaining about politics, boyfriends and girlfriends, or career issues. They are just using their mouths to explore the world and share it. Every little thing that happens them, no matter how boring it is, seems like the most exciting story that they wan to share with someone, and I'm the one they want to listen. It's so cool.
This semester, I've decided to talk about blessings to them.
My prime example is Abraham, who blessed the world by fathering a nation.
It's interesting that, when we pray to ask God for something, we don't really think about how we're going to receive it. If I prayed for a new car, I wouldn't expect it to magically appear out of thin air. There wouldn't be a holy light from the clouds that would float this car down in front of me. If God were going to give me a car, someone would probably buy it for me, or one would go on sale and it would come to my attention.
In this way, God answers prayer by using people.
Sure, God is definitely the biggest blessing in the world. But he uses people to deliver his blessings.
So, this semester, we're going to talk about how they (the kids) can be blessings. I want it to culminate in a service project or something.
At this point, it's hard to even explain to them what a blessing is. We ask God to bless our food, and we bless people when they sneeze (a tradition which emerged during the plague), but what is a blessing? I want to go from this to showing them how God can use them, just as God used Abraham, to bless others.
We don't have to be perfect, or talented, but God will use us because we are designed exactly the way He intended. Abraham certainly wasn't either of those things. He was a pagan (I had to explain what a pagan is). He was 75 years old. He pretended his wife was his sister (and she was!! YUCK!)
We as the church are the body. We are the arms and legs of Christ.
It's cool to learn something and then share it, 10 years later, to kids who remind me a lot of myself.
2.04.2009
The Trophy
I accomplished a goal today.
In Wellness, I ran 15.5 laps around a track measured for 1 mile per 10 laps, meaning I ran 1.5 miles in 12 minutes. This equates to an 8-minute mile.
To those of you who know anything about jogging, this isn't that great; but, for someone who doesn't work out all that often, being able to push myself like that and see results was nice.
But, now that I have met that goal, I'm going to keep jogging. I think that's important to recognize.
Goals are not ends, you do not stop doing something just because you have reached your goal.
If you completely mastered every single langauge in the world, and then decided you were done with them and didn't need to actually speak them, it would have been completely pointless. Once you reach a goal, it simply means that you are more skilled at the vessel through which you accomplished the goal, which was jogging in this case.
For example, the Superbowl.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have won the most prestigious American football trophy in the entire world. Does this mean that they are going to now stop playing football? Of course not. It means that everyone, including themselves, recognizes that they are the best football team right now. Thus playing football for them is now even more important, since they are even more capable of performing at it.
Trophies are not meant for the people who win them, but for the outside people who observe and recognize this victory. Goals are for individuals to mark their progress and their work, trophies are to mark their success at their progress and to compare it to other people.
When we set goals, and then accomplish them, we don't stop there. We set new, higher ones. So, the point of any activity is not to meet certain goals, the point of that activity is just to reach for those goals, and to work at them. Trophies are completely unnecessary in regards to the activity itself.
But, at the same time, The Steelers' victory would have been less important if it were just a scrimmage, and if it weren't an official game that everyone knew about.
I honeslty really want every single one of you to know that I am the best dang DDR player west of the Mississippi. I know it for myself and I see the results of (honestly) really hard work, but it is worthless without people to share it with.
We still need that recognition.
So, Aristotle had it wrong.
The greatest human need isn't to reach for our goals and constantly strive for them. It's to be validated and accepted and supported by others.
Thanks for reading about my accomplishment today. I worked hard.
In Wellness, I ran 15.5 laps around a track measured for 1 mile per 10 laps, meaning I ran 1.5 miles in 12 minutes. This equates to an 8-minute mile.
To those of you who know anything about jogging, this isn't that great; but, for someone who doesn't work out all that often, being able to push myself like that and see results was nice.
But, now that I have met that goal, I'm going to keep jogging. I think that's important to recognize.
Goals are not ends, you do not stop doing something just because you have reached your goal.
If you completely mastered every single langauge in the world, and then decided you were done with them and didn't need to actually speak them, it would have been completely pointless. Once you reach a goal, it simply means that you are more skilled at the vessel through which you accomplished the goal, which was jogging in this case.
For example, the Superbowl.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have won the most prestigious American football trophy in the entire world. Does this mean that they are going to now stop playing football? Of course not. It means that everyone, including themselves, recognizes that they are the best football team right now. Thus playing football for them is now even more important, since they are even more capable of performing at it.
Trophies are not meant for the people who win them, but for the outside people who observe and recognize this victory. Goals are for individuals to mark their progress and their work, trophies are to mark their success at their progress and to compare it to other people.
When we set goals, and then accomplish them, we don't stop there. We set new, higher ones. So, the point of any activity is not to meet certain goals, the point of that activity is just to reach for those goals, and to work at them. Trophies are completely unnecessary in regards to the activity itself.
But, at the same time, The Steelers' victory would have been less important if it were just a scrimmage, and if it weren't an official game that everyone knew about.
I honeslty really want every single one of you to know that I am the best dang DDR player west of the Mississippi. I know it for myself and I see the results of (honestly) really hard work, but it is worthless without people to share it with.
We still need that recognition.
So, Aristotle had it wrong.
The greatest human need isn't to reach for our goals and constantly strive for them. It's to be validated and accepted and supported by others.
Thanks for reading about my accomplishment today. I worked hard.
2.02.2009
Carpal Tunnel
Today, I have written 4,094 words. This includes a 2,100-word paper, 3 one-page assignments, and this blog. I blogged recently about how wasteful we are with our words.
Today, I'm thinking a little differently.
I think we have to be even more careful with what we write than with what we say.
Words are spoken once and disappear into the minds who heard them.
Writing can be seen by infinite future generations.
So, learning how to communicate with words, especially on paper, can be the most important skill you'll ever learn, because it will be the only way that people can learn about you after you pass away.
That or on random facebook videos that Evan films at 2 in the morning.
Anyways, it's not that I'm particularly going to care what people think when I'm dead and in heaven, two terms that I consider synonymous for Christians despite what some theologians think.
Writing is the only way that the vast quantity of human knowledge has been passed on from generation to generation.
If we didn't have a means of keeping track of what other humans have discovered, we'd have to reinvent the lightbulb every generation.
But, at the same time, it's fairly obvious that it hasn't helped anything but technology.
Society doesn't have any significantly smaller amount of violence, immorality, or foolishness than it did when Cain murdered Abel, yet we have this vast foundation of knowledge to base our societies and morality on.
I think this speaks of the power of Scripture.
It is highly unlikely that anything I ever write will change the way that someone acts or thinks 100 years from now.
But the Bible, portions of which were written 3500 years ago, change me every time I read them.
They affect me.
The Word who was with God in the beginning has real, tangible power.
God spoke the world into being, and the Holy Spirit is often referred to as his breath.
A book which has been copied millions of times from its original source still has that power.
No man can ever write that. The Bible proves itself.
Today, I'm thinking a little differently.
I think we have to be even more careful with what we write than with what we say.
Words are spoken once and disappear into the minds who heard them.
Writing can be seen by infinite future generations.
So, learning how to communicate with words, especially on paper, can be the most important skill you'll ever learn, because it will be the only way that people can learn about you after you pass away.
That or on random facebook videos that Evan films at 2 in the morning.
Anyways, it's not that I'm particularly going to care what people think when I'm dead and in heaven, two terms that I consider synonymous for Christians despite what some theologians think.
Writing is the only way that the vast quantity of human knowledge has been passed on from generation to generation.
If we didn't have a means of keeping track of what other humans have discovered, we'd have to reinvent the lightbulb every generation.
But, at the same time, it's fairly obvious that it hasn't helped anything but technology.
Society doesn't have any significantly smaller amount of violence, immorality, or foolishness than it did when Cain murdered Abel, yet we have this vast foundation of knowledge to base our societies and morality on.
I think this speaks of the power of Scripture.
It is highly unlikely that anything I ever write will change the way that someone acts or thinks 100 years from now.
But the Bible, portions of which were written 3500 years ago, change me every time I read them.
They affect me.
The Word who was with God in the beginning has real, tangible power.
God spoke the world into being, and the Holy Spirit is often referred to as his breath.
A book which has been copied millions of times from its original source still has that power.
No man can ever write that. The Bible proves itself.
1.29.2009
Musical Truths
Today was a great day for me, honestly. And it's not even over yet, so it could get even better.
Yesterday I had the whole day to be productive and I wasn't. Today I had limited time and I was.
There's something about urgency that makes us act, even if the urgency isn't related to the action.
I think that's why advertising works so well. They convince us that something is a limited time offer or special and we desire it more. Not because it's all of a sudden more valuable, but because we desire things that are unique and special.
But that's not what I wanted to write about today. My topic is actually much more shallow!
I was listening to music today, and I realized that I hate bands. I think it's a stupid idea. Before you freak, hear me out.
I love music. If I thought I would be any good at it, I would major in music. But bands, like rock bands and praise and worship bands and rap groups, are ridiculous.
Not only does being in a band setting make the music lower in quality, typically, it makes it harder for musicians who aren't in a band to publish music.
Bands make music lower in quality for 2 reasons: leadership and record labels.
There is rarely, especially in rock, a person in a band who has any sort of professional music education. Maybe a guitar or voice teacher, but rarely formal. So, there is no one person who directs the overall flow of music. In an orchestra, or in the case of a soloist professional musician, there is one single person who has an image of the idea of the song, and individual musicians who work to help that image be completed; this is a much more efficient system.
Record labels make bands suck for 2 reasons as well. For one thing, they force bands to chug out albums with 10-12 songs every 2 years, whether or not anything quality is produced. I can't tell you how many times I've bought an album with 3 songs I liked and then 30 minutes of effervescent hardcore rock barf. Secondly, no band can ever write music that doesn't fit the "image" that the record labels and the public force it into. I get really sick of conformist/non-conformist arguments but, really, I've seen like 40 bands with the same haircuts. Plus, unless you're an independent band, you can barely even branch out from the mainstream rock sound without being "too weird."
Don't get me wrong, I don't really like independent music that much, either. They tend to try to be like the record label bands so they can become one, and if they don't, they don't get popular.
I realize that I don't really like bands as a whole, I like individual songs. It's hard for me to say "I like Relient K," I just like a lot of their songs. But, not all of them.
However, I can say that I like Handel (check the song stuck in my head), because I love the way he writes his music. He writes a song, using complicated theory, with up to 20 different parts on different instruments. Anyone can play his song, and it will sound similar, because it was so well written. No one will identify a cover of his music as the cover band's song, it will be Handel's, because everyone recognizes that it was his talent that made that music great, not the musician.
I can't say that about anyone today, because the musical process and the sacredness of having a unified, whole and complete song is completely gone. The music is meant to be more important than the musician, but now the emphasis is on the image and skill of the individual musician.
So, I blame the public, for our short attention spans and need for sound bytes with exciting, yet repetitive music. You drag down my musical experience.
So, I just write my own crap.
P.S. - Sorry if my blogs have been too long lately. I think big or I don't think at all. No in-between.
Yesterday I had the whole day to be productive and I wasn't. Today I had limited time and I was.
There's something about urgency that makes us act, even if the urgency isn't related to the action.
I think that's why advertising works so well. They convince us that something is a limited time offer or special and we desire it more. Not because it's all of a sudden more valuable, but because we desire things that are unique and special.
But that's not what I wanted to write about today. My topic is actually much more shallow!
I was listening to music today, and I realized that I hate bands. I think it's a stupid idea. Before you freak, hear me out.
I love music. If I thought I would be any good at it, I would major in music. But bands, like rock bands and praise and worship bands and rap groups, are ridiculous.
Not only does being in a band setting make the music lower in quality, typically, it makes it harder for musicians who aren't in a band to publish music.
Bands make music lower in quality for 2 reasons: leadership and record labels.
There is rarely, especially in rock, a person in a band who has any sort of professional music education. Maybe a guitar or voice teacher, but rarely formal. So, there is no one person who directs the overall flow of music. In an orchestra, or in the case of a soloist professional musician, there is one single person who has an image of the idea of the song, and individual musicians who work to help that image be completed; this is a much more efficient system.
Record labels make bands suck for 2 reasons as well. For one thing, they force bands to chug out albums with 10-12 songs every 2 years, whether or not anything quality is produced. I can't tell you how many times I've bought an album with 3 songs I liked and then 30 minutes of effervescent hardcore rock barf. Secondly, no band can ever write music that doesn't fit the "image" that the record labels and the public force it into. I get really sick of conformist/non-conformist arguments but, really, I've seen like 40 bands with the same haircuts. Plus, unless you're an independent band, you can barely even branch out from the mainstream rock sound without being "too weird."
Don't get me wrong, I don't really like independent music that much, either. They tend to try to be like the record label bands so they can become one, and if they don't, they don't get popular.
I realize that I don't really like bands as a whole, I like individual songs. It's hard for me to say "I like Relient K," I just like a lot of their songs. But, not all of them.
However, I can say that I like Handel (check the song stuck in my head), because I love the way he writes his music. He writes a song, using complicated theory, with up to 20 different parts on different instruments. Anyone can play his song, and it will sound similar, because it was so well written. No one will identify a cover of his music as the cover band's song, it will be Handel's, because everyone recognizes that it was his talent that made that music great, not the musician.
I can't say that about anyone today, because the musical process and the sacredness of having a unified, whole and complete song is completely gone. The music is meant to be more important than the musician, but now the emphasis is on the image and skill of the individual musician.
So, I blame the public, for our short attention spans and need for sound bytes with exciting, yet repetitive music. You drag down my musical experience.
So, I just write my own crap.
P.S. - Sorry if my blogs have been too long lately. I think big or I don't think at all. No in-between.
1.28.2009
Frustration is my Name
You can always tell a good, strong-willed person because they do not get upset when they get reminded of their weaknesses.
I am not always one of those people.
There are some things that I get so competitive about, even though it really doesn't affect me whether I succeed or not.
And, while I'm really good at making sure I don't have an outburst about it, on the inside, I am irrevocably frustrated for hours.
It just goes to show you that humans have an incredibly pessimistic mind.
In psychology, we studied that, no matter how many times an event happens normally and positively, such as walking to work, if it goes wrong once and we step in mud or we get bumped into, the mind fixates on that one and tends to generalize it. When, in your frustration, you refer to it years later you might say, "I hated working there, I always stepped in mud walking to the office," even if it only happened once out of a thousand times.
In the same way, I can have a perfect day, with no school (which was pretty awesome, Wednesdays are my longest day, and there's no open dorm to fix any stress :-P) and fun weather, and time to rest and enjoy friends, and then one little event can ruin it. I no longer remember what I love.
Now, don't get me wrong, I didn't go berserk with anger over my day, I still think it was an awesome day. I just know that I won't remember it well.
My mind will forget the good.
The reason happiness is so hard to obtain is because it has to be a constant activity, whereas misery only needs to happen once.
A pleasant, peaceful life with your family is suddenly not happy if one of those family members dies. We forget the rest.
I'm not being depressing, I just think there's always room to fixate on the good and go against our natures.
I am not always one of those people.
There are some things that I get so competitive about, even though it really doesn't affect me whether I succeed or not.
And, while I'm really good at making sure I don't have an outburst about it, on the inside, I am irrevocably frustrated for hours.
It just goes to show you that humans have an incredibly pessimistic mind.
In psychology, we studied that, no matter how many times an event happens normally and positively, such as walking to work, if it goes wrong once and we step in mud or we get bumped into, the mind fixates on that one and tends to generalize it. When, in your frustration, you refer to it years later you might say, "I hated working there, I always stepped in mud walking to the office," even if it only happened once out of a thousand times.
In the same way, I can have a perfect day, with no school (which was pretty awesome, Wednesdays are my longest day, and there's no open dorm to fix any stress :-P) and fun weather, and time to rest and enjoy friends, and then one little event can ruin it. I no longer remember what I love.
Now, don't get me wrong, I didn't go berserk with anger over my day, I still think it was an awesome day. I just know that I won't remember it well.
My mind will forget the good.
The reason happiness is so hard to obtain is because it has to be a constant activity, whereas misery only needs to happen once.
A pleasant, peaceful life with your family is suddenly not happy if one of those family members dies. We forget the rest.
I'm not being depressing, I just think there's always room to fixate on the good and go against our natures.
1.27.2009
Konnichiwa, it's 3:06 A.M. in Japan.
So, yeah, I still want to write in this thing.
I decided that since today, all my classes had been cancelled due to ice, I had no excuse about not having enough time to blog.
That's usually what it is because it can take me up to an hour to write one of these things.
Unlike Kate who writes like a sentence.
I mean, uh... what a quality blog she has!
Haha, kidding, Kate.
I'm really fascinated by the concept of time today.
I have been in the past, but that was mostly when I took calculus and being fascinated by time was the cool smart kid thing to do. Now it's my own enterprise.
Wikipedia, my favorite dictionary, defines time like this:
"Time is a component of a measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify the motions of objects. Time has been a major subject of religion, philosophy, and science but defining time in a non-controversial manner applicable to all fields of study has consistently eluded the greatest scholars."
So time is actually something that cannot be defined unless you have a predisposition to what it already is.
I'm a see-arr-eich-eye-ess-tee-eye-A-enn, so I believe that time is a construct of God that allows us to live in a story that has a beginning, middle, and end, while he is a part of all of it, since he is not under time.
The generally held mathematical and philosophical view is my favorite, though.
So, we live in 3-D, right?
A single point is 1-dimensional, because it exists on one plane, the x axis. Oddly enough, a straight line is not 1-dimensional, it is 2-dimensional, because distance between 2 points in 2-dimensional.
So, straight lines and basic shapes are 2-dimensional. Anything flat, like squares, circles, art from old Mario video games, Tetris, things like that. They exist on the x and y planes.
3-dimensional objects include the z-axis, and require depth perception. A good exampe to help visualize 3-D is a rubix cube. If you can understand one of those things, you have great spatial perception.
Now, the first 3 dimensions are all that is included in the term "space."
Time, in this philosophical and mathematical view, is the 4th dimension. So, it's not like some Twilight Zone Dimension X kind of thing where you walk in the invisible door and you turn into a flamingo made of jello. Time is something you travel through, like the other 3 dimensions. It's a container.
Right now, I'm looking at my computer. In 10 minutes, it probably won't be sitting here.
So, if I came back and looked for my computer, it would not be here. Duh.
But, this is really interesting. In the other 3 dimensions, if something gets moved, you can just move it back. They only control location. However, in time, if something has moved forward, it is irreversible. Okay, that's as mathematical as I'll get.
Time is also the only one of the 4 dimensions that has a limit. Space is infinite.
One of the major problems, or so people think, is that they don't have enough time.
If time were unlimited, getting from point A to point B would not be an issue, because we woud just have to move far enough forward through time until we walked there. Then we could just come back through time until we got back, and yet it still would have happened. That's why God's existence is hard to make sense of, because he exists this way.
On a side note, I think that immortality for men on earth is useless. I mean, maybe humanity would be better off if Einstein had lived forever and invented something awesome, but on the whole it's a terrible idea as long as we have evil desires at all.
Example: If we as humans have trouble staying married our whole lives, as short as they are, how hard is it going to be if we live forever? IMPOSSIBLE!!! We also aren't going to reproduce as much because time isn't an issue, we can wait until the time is right. So, there would be like 40 people on the planet and they all hate each other because they were all married at one point. The End.
In summary, take some time today to think about whih you value more - the time you have left or your memories of the past. If you answered the time you have left, you haven't been living like you should.
I decided that since today, all my classes had been cancelled due to ice, I had no excuse about not having enough time to blog.
That's usually what it is because it can take me up to an hour to write one of these things.
Unlike Kate who writes like a sentence.
I mean, uh... what a quality blog she has!
Haha, kidding, Kate.
I'm really fascinated by the concept of time today.
I have been in the past, but that was mostly when I took calculus and being fascinated by time was the cool smart kid thing to do. Now it's my own enterprise.
Wikipedia, my favorite dictionary, defines time like this:
"Time is a component of a measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify the motions of objects. Time has been a major subject of religion, philosophy, and science but defining time in a non-controversial manner applicable to all fields of study has consistently eluded the greatest scholars."
So time is actually something that cannot be defined unless you have a predisposition to what it already is.
I'm a see-arr-eich-eye-ess-tee-eye-A-enn, so I believe that time is a construct of God that allows us to live in a story that has a beginning, middle, and end, while he is a part of all of it, since he is not under time.
The generally held mathematical and philosophical view is my favorite, though.
So, we live in 3-D, right?
A single point is 1-dimensional, because it exists on one plane, the x axis. Oddly enough, a straight line is not 1-dimensional, it is 2-dimensional, because distance between 2 points in 2-dimensional.
So, straight lines and basic shapes are 2-dimensional. Anything flat, like squares, circles, art from old Mario video games, Tetris, things like that. They exist on the x and y planes.
3-dimensional objects include the z-axis, and require depth perception. A good exampe to help visualize 3-D is a rubix cube. If you can understand one of those things, you have great spatial perception.
Now, the first 3 dimensions are all that is included in the term "space."
Time, in this philosophical and mathematical view, is the 4th dimension. So, it's not like some Twilight Zone Dimension X kind of thing where you walk in the invisible door and you turn into a flamingo made of jello. Time is something you travel through, like the other 3 dimensions. It's a container.
Right now, I'm looking at my computer. In 10 minutes, it probably won't be sitting here.
So, if I came back and looked for my computer, it would not be here. Duh.
But, this is really interesting. In the other 3 dimensions, if something gets moved, you can just move it back. They only control location. However, in time, if something has moved forward, it is irreversible. Okay, that's as mathematical as I'll get.
Time is also the only one of the 4 dimensions that has a limit. Space is infinite.
One of the major problems, or so people think, is that they don't have enough time.
If time were unlimited, getting from point A to point B would not be an issue, because we woud just have to move far enough forward through time until we walked there. Then we could just come back through time until we got back, and yet it still would have happened. That's why God's existence is hard to make sense of, because he exists this way.
On a side note, I think that immortality for men on earth is useless. I mean, maybe humanity would be better off if Einstein had lived forever and invented something awesome, but on the whole it's a terrible idea as long as we have evil desires at all.
Example: If we as humans have trouble staying married our whole lives, as short as they are, how hard is it going to be if we live forever? IMPOSSIBLE!!! We also aren't going to reproduce as much because time isn't an issue, we can wait until the time is right. So, there would be like 40 people on the planet and they all hate each other because they were all married at one point. The End.
In summary, take some time today to think about whih you value more - the time you have left or your memories of the past. If you answered the time you have left, you haven't been living like you should.
1.15.2009
Maybe a Christmas Post
Wo, I had so much to talk about over the vacation, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.
It's not like this blog stresses me out or anything, I just feel like it's a place to let myself go, and I was already letting myself go so much by not accomplishing anything at all for a month that writing here would be a bit excessive.
That said the break was excellent.
But it was probably the most excellent when I got back to school and realized how much work awaits me here, as opposed to how calm it was back home.
*sigh* Now that that's gone, though, I have a few things to say.
I think I'm going to post on these in small little chunks.
A lot of it I have already talked to Kristen about, but I still want to write it out, just to chronicle that I thought it. I hate redundancy in myself.
Chunk A:
Do you think that clumsiness is a part of the Fall?
As in, do you think that clumsiness is the result of Adam's original sin?
I do.
People have died by accident, and caused pain by accident, and in a perfect world there is no pain, thus no clumsiness. Accidents, though not sinful, and from sin.
I wonder how many other things are like that?
Chunk B:
This sort of ties to Chunk A. Governments are only necessary because of the Fall.
Why is government legitimate?
The only reason we have government is because human society needs different personalities, leaders, helpers, providers, and so on, to function as a whole, and government, the leadership, is supposed to organize that.
Therefore governments are an organization of the people.
So why do we owe them allegiance?
Shouldn't we agree to follow their leadership? Of course.
Do they have power over us? Not really.
The only reason there are different governments is because leaders disagree, not because an entire population disagrees with another entire population.
Therefore, governments are not legitimate, since they don't properly lead the whole of mankind. We give them directive to organize us because man needs a leader and they claim to be the ones with those skills. However, once they obviously fail at this, we leave them in power.
I'm not promoting anarchy, just saying government is silly because it's composed of groups of people who drew lines around land and said they own it, rather than lead.
Chunk C:
All of my older friends in Dallas are having babies. This means I have almost no companionship my age there now.
Seriously, people, if you're my friend you won't ruin my life and have babies.
Just kidding.
I wish lots of joy on all of them. They're gonna be awesome mommies and daddies. Especially if their cat doesn't poop on their kid like it did on me.
That's all for now.
Enjoy your first week of classes.
Don't get too stressed out.
It's not like this blog stresses me out or anything, I just feel like it's a place to let myself go, and I was already letting myself go so much by not accomplishing anything at all for a month that writing here would be a bit excessive.
That said the break was excellent.
But it was probably the most excellent when I got back to school and realized how much work awaits me here, as opposed to how calm it was back home.
*sigh* Now that that's gone, though, I have a few things to say.
I think I'm going to post on these in small little chunks.
A lot of it I have already talked to Kristen about, but I still want to write it out, just to chronicle that I thought it. I hate redundancy in myself.
Chunk A:
Do you think that clumsiness is a part of the Fall?
As in, do you think that clumsiness is the result of Adam's original sin?
I do.
People have died by accident, and caused pain by accident, and in a perfect world there is no pain, thus no clumsiness. Accidents, though not sinful, and from sin.
I wonder how many other things are like that?
Chunk B:
This sort of ties to Chunk A. Governments are only necessary because of the Fall.
Why is government legitimate?
The only reason we have government is because human society needs different personalities, leaders, helpers, providers, and so on, to function as a whole, and government, the leadership, is supposed to organize that.
Therefore governments are an organization of the people.
So why do we owe them allegiance?
Shouldn't we agree to follow their leadership? Of course.
Do they have power over us? Not really.
The only reason there are different governments is because leaders disagree, not because an entire population disagrees with another entire population.
Therefore, governments are not legitimate, since they don't properly lead the whole of mankind. We give them directive to organize us because man needs a leader and they claim to be the ones with those skills. However, once they obviously fail at this, we leave them in power.
I'm not promoting anarchy, just saying government is silly because it's composed of groups of people who drew lines around land and said they own it, rather than lead.
Chunk C:
All of my older friends in Dallas are having babies. This means I have almost no companionship my age there now.
Seriously, people, if you're my friend you won't ruin my life and have babies.
Just kidding.
I wish lots of joy on all of them. They're gonna be awesome mommies and daddies. Especially if their cat doesn't poop on their kid like it did on me.
That's all for now.
Enjoy your first week of classes.
Don't get too stressed out.
1.13.2009
1.03.2009
They're... They're Alive!
So Happy New Year, everyone.
This one will be nice and short sa something odd is happening in the place of my residence.
Kate is here.
Not that this is bad, it's just interesting.
It was great seeing everyone at the New Year's party. It was also kind of important because it was the first time I had seen most of them outside of school.
It's a special kind of leap to move from a school-only relationship to something more. It was like that in high school and it's like that now.
I hadn't fully realized that all of you even exist outside of school until Kate and Lauren sat by my bed and read bridal magazines to me all morning.
It's nice to have new friends that I actually want to be with year round.
This one will be nice and short sa something odd is happening in the place of my residence.
Kate is here.
Not that this is bad, it's just interesting.
It was great seeing everyone at the New Year's party. It was also kind of important because it was the first time I had seen most of them outside of school.
It's a special kind of leap to move from a school-only relationship to something more. It was like that in high school and it's like that now.
I hadn't fully realized that all of you even exist outside of school until Kate and Lauren sat by my bed and read bridal magazines to me all morning.
It's nice to have new friends that I actually want to be with year round.
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