My Experiments

Jesus was not there

2011-02-17T09:10:00.000-08:00

A couple of months ago I visited St. Anthony's Central Hospital to meet with the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Supervisor (who, by the way, reminds me a lot of Zooey Deschanel). I was there to discuss her program and the possibility of applying to be a resident. I met with her and had a lovely visit. After our chat she said she'd like to take me on a little tour.

Just outside of the offices was the chapel and just across from the chapel was a bigger-than-life size statue of Jesus. This was not just any Jesus. He was Caucasian, obviously, and wore brightly colored robes. In a word, he was gaudy. Think velvet paintings or over the top Catholic prayer candles.

The Supervisor commented on it. We had a good laugh at his appearance. But she said that it often provided great comfort to many patients and families that come through the hospital. She explained that the hospital is moving in a few months and they would be taking Jesus with them to the new building.

On Tuesday I returned to St. Anthony's to turn in my application for the program. I didn't remember exactly where the offices were, as this was only my second time in the hospital, but I was confident that I could find them based on the location of the chapel and, of course, the giant Jesus.

I followed the signs toward the chapel. I turned the corner expecting to find the giant Jesus smiling at me. Instead I found an empty altar across from the chapel. I guess they have already taken him to the new building.

I found the offices and turned in my application.

I just thought it was funny that I found myself exactly where I needed to be and Jesus was not there.

Life and Beer: Responsibility and Hops

2010-04-05T19:30:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about responsibility a lot recently. I am a big proponent of taking responsibility with my speech. I try not to say "can't" or "have to".

It is rare that I CAN'T do something. In reality I usually have options, but I choose my actions. The fact is, I can do just about anything, but I make specific choices about how I act. I choose to follow the law (most of the time). I choose to follow policy at work (most of the time). To say that I can't do something robs myself of the power I have. Choice is power. I almost always have choice.

This goes far in empowering some of the people I work with. It is something that has been extremely empowering to me. I encourage everyone to take responsibility for your choices. Recognize the power in your choices.

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Last week I tried Bridgeport's Hop Czar. I tried it at first when my sinuses were stopped up and tasted nothing but bitterness. So, I decided that I should try it again when my "taster" was better. Not much changed. I am usually a fan of Bridgeport. I like their IPA, but this Hop Czar (Imperial IPA) was not great. I recommend skipping it.

This week I had the Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA. Delicious. Great balance for something so hoppy. If you like IPAs you will like the 90 Minute. Of course, you should probably like them one at a time since they're 9% alcohol. But hey, I'm not here to judge.

Just a reminder, because I bought it again this week. Sierra Nevada Glissade is fantastic. I highly recommend it. This from someone who does not typically like Sierra Nevada products...

12 Weeks in Review

2010-03-21T19:03:00.000-07:00

This is the twelfth Sunday in 2010. I have tasted 12 beers that are completely new to me. Here is the list.

1. Deschutes – Jubelale 2009
2. Upslope – IPA
3. Twisted Pine – Hoppy Boy IPA
4. Sam Adams – Noble Pils
5. Flying Dog – Raging Bitch Belgian Style IPA
6. Ommegang – Hennepin Belgian Saison
7. Sam Adams – Coastal Wheat
8. Ommegang – Three Philosophers
9. Shiner – 101 Pils
10. Ommegang – Chocolate Indulgence Belgian Style Ale Brewed with Chocolate
11. Sierra Nevada – Glissade Golden Bock
12. Del Norte – Luminaria Bock

The last five I have not written about. So here goes:

Ommegang – Three Philosophers: I let the wife try it first and then took a sip myself. I looked at her and asked what she thought. She smiled and said, “It’s like chewing on a mouth full of raisins.” That was a great way to describe it. Rich, complex, raisin-y. A slow sipping high alcohol glass of deliciousness; even though raisins are disgusting.

Shiner 101 – Pilsner: I was SO looking forward to finding this new release here. I love Shiner and I love Pilsners. I was sorely disappointed. I would describe it as week. I like my Pilsners to have a bite, a crispness and a floral note. It was like someone took my favorite Pilsner and replaced about a quarter of the bottle with water. Oh well.

Ommegang – Chocolate Indulgence: It was alright; pretty bitter and chocolatey. But it grew on me. Meh.

Sierra Nevada – Glissade Golden Bock: Excellent! I typically don’t like Sierra Nevada that much. I think most of their offerings taste the same, very hoppy. It’s good for the pale ale, but not so good for many others. However, a golden bock sounded really great. Bocks are typically big and malty and I thought that, perhaps, Sierra Nevada could lay off the hops just this once. I was right. It was malty but bright. I will purchase this item again.

Del Norte – Luminaria Bock: The label states that this is a Mexican tradition. I find it hard to believe that there is some sect of German immigrant colony in Mexico that has created a tradition of brewing bocks. However, I liked it. It is much heavier and stronger than something like a Shiner Bock. I like Del Norte. They’re local, small and they seem to make great beer.

What’s next?

Suggestions?

Quick Beer Post

2010-02-24T20:07:00.000-08:00

Last three weeks of new beers:

1. Flying Dog - Raging Bitch: Belgian Style India Pale Ale
Very delicious. I didn't taste the "Belgian Style" as much as I tasted the IPA. But it was really good.

2. Ommegang - Hennepin: Belgian Saison
Good. I love saison and this is a typical example of a saison.

3. Sam Adams - Coastal Wheat: Wheat Ale Brewed with Lemon
Not very delicious. It was not bad, but it didn't blow me away. If you're looking for a wheat beer with citrus flavor I highly recommend Tommyknockers: Jack Whacker Wheat. If you want a delicious Sam Adams try the new Noble Pils. It is fantastic (see previous posts)

Life and Beer: Growing Up and Sam Adams Noble Pils

2010-01-31T13:12:00.000-08:00

This week I have been feeling more and more like a grown up. Of course, I'll never really grow up. But I have been feeling really great about my job. After nearly two years at my organization I am finally feeling like I know what I'm doing.

Most of life is pretending that I know what is going on or pretending that I can handle the situation. So actually feeling like I know what's going on and like I can handle situations is a welcome surprise.

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This week I tried the new Samuel Adams Noble Pils. It is the new Spring Seasonal from Sam Adams. Previously, I would have listed the Victory Prima Pils as my favorite pilsner style beer. But this new Sam Adams pils is excellent. It is now my new favorite pils.

The smell is like an IPA: very hoppy. However, the flavor is sweet and delicate like a pilsner. It finishes dry and peppery. I didn't get tired of drinking this one. Beautiful.

Beer: Weeks 3 and 4

2010-01-28T19:08:00.000-08:00

Despite the lack of posts, I have been drinking new beers. The goal is to have a new one each week for the whole year. I'm on track so far.

Week 3: Twisted Pine IPA. It was a typical IPA. It was delicious and I would recommend it. But I tasted nothing that would set it apart as anything super special.

Week 4: Full Sail LTD Series #01. It is described as "An easy drinking nonetheless way tasty Limited Edition Lager..." I concur. A very tasty, well-balanced, slightly sweet lager. It would be easy to down several of these in a single session.

I had a picture of this one too, but I can't get it to send from my phone, so that's all I got.

I hope to get my hands on one of these to taste next week!

LIfe and Beer: Parenthood and IPA in a Can

2010-01-15T15:17:00.000-08:00

Life:

The outlandish joy of watching my child grow and flourish is rivaled only by the crushing pain of seeing her in (or hearing of her) distress.

I cannot fix it all for her. I do not want to fix it all for her. But my theoretical pacifism may be tested before this is all over. If you pray, pray for those that hurt my daughter, because I'm pretty sure I could take that 4 year old DOWN!

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Beer:

Disclaimer: I am getting over some kind of cold. My tasting might not be quite accurate.

I have tasted a few beers from cans. It is a trend in the micro/craft brewing world to can beer. Oskar Blues, New Belgium and several others around my neck of the woods have started canning their brews. I have tasted several rather mild beers from cans and have enjoyed what I've tasted.

So, last week when I went to my beer store and saw Upslope IPA in a can I picked one up. Not only was this the first IPA I've seen in a can, it would be the first IPA I've tasted in several months. I've been drinking a lot of holiday ales and crisp pilsners.

Upslope is a brewery in Boulder. From their website/blog: "Brewed with Patagonian hops, high quality Rahr malts, snowmelt and yeast, Upslope’s ales satisfy a wide range of beer drinkers. We have chosen to package our beer in cans because they are portable, light, crushable and the most recyclable container on the planet."

As soon as I opened up the can I could smell the hops. I was not holding the can up near my face, it was arm's length from my face. Seriously, I smelled the hops within seconds of opening the can. Of course, it smelled hoppy too; but not overwhelmingly. It smelled like I had taken a hop flower, rubbed it around in my hand and inhaled. That might sound overwhelming to some, but it was a very nice aroma.

This is fitting since the first sip tasted like I had then popped that hop flower in my mouth and started chewing on it. It was one of the most unique tastes I have encountered in a beer. It wasn't too bitter or too floral. I guess the best way to describe it is a whole-hop taste.

I think that part of this might be that I had a cold and some of my tasting ability was diminished. I asked my wife to taste it and she said that it was bitter, but not overwhelmingly hoppy. I described what I tasted and she just shook her head "no" and returned to what she was doing.

Either way, I finished the beer and (as all beers do) it mellowed out as I drank it. I'll definitely be trying this beer again, along with other of Upslope's brews. You know, buying local and all that.

Life and Beer: What We're Complaining About / Jubelale 2009

2010-01-04T13:20:00.000-08:00

I want to work on my writing this year. One way for me to do this is for me to write about something I really like and tagging something onto it. I call it Life and Beer. This week life is work and beer is Jubelale 2009 Who knows what it will be in weeks following?

Feel free to skip either section. Feel free to comment on either.

Life:
Two days before Christmas I was working. We had received hundreds of gifts for the children in the families I work with. I spent the day organizing the gifts and giving them out to families.

After I had passed out most of the gifts to most of the families, one sweet, hard working resident came to me and told me that her family did not receive all of the gifts they asked for. This is something I expected. It happens. It's disappointing, but I had prepared myself for it, so I took it in stride explaining that everyone has done the best they can and we just don't always get everything we want.

What I had not prepared for was what I saw when I turned around to go back to my office. Out the big glass window in the front of our building I can see the loading dock of the business across the street. Through the falling snow I could see a man laying out his bedding, getting ready to spend the night under the overhand of the loading dock.

There was a man about to spend a night outside in the snow across the street from a lady in a warm, safe apartment wanting to complain about the lack of gifts under her tree; across town from a self righteous human service worker in his warm home, with two cars outside and the resources to buy all he needs, who wanted to complain about the ungratefulness he came upon that day.

I guess we can all find something about which to complain.

There was a happy human service worker gratefully to be in a home with his family content with life across town from the lady in a warm apartment who was happy to be able to give her children some sense of being normal after years of floating around without a place to call their own; across the street from a man that found shelter from the falling snow and enough blankets to survive one more impossibly cold night.

I guess we can all find something about which to be thankful.

I guess nobody can be characterized by a single emotion or reaction.
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Beer:
Deschutes Brewery Jubelale 2009

It was dark brown with a reddish tint to it. It appeared to be a bit cloudy, but that could have been more about the lack of lighting in the room.

It smells like a big beer: I could tell it was going to have a strong malty taste. I did not expect the strong, sharp hop bitterness in the first sip. Typically, winter-warmers have increased maltiness along with increased hops for balance; Jubelale is not unique in that sense. However, it did seem a little more bitter than other similar Christmas/Holiday beers like Bridgeport's Ebenezer or Breckinridge's Christmas Ale (both highly recommended). By the time I got to the end the malt had filled my mouth and the hop bitterness was in the background.

Because of the strong flavor, I could tell that it was alcohol heavy (6.7%), but I could not taste the alcohol. By the time I finished I could feel it. I would recommend this beer for someone who is looking for a winter beer that likes the bitterness of hops. For someone who prefers less bitterness I would recommend Ebenezer and for less bitterness still, Breckenridge Christmas Ale.

2009 in Beer

2010-01-02T14:29:00.000-08:00

In 2009 I saved every cap from every bottle of beer that I drank. Of course this collection does not account for all of the beers that I had on tap or out of a can. Also, I have a bottle cap collection in which I keep one of each of the bottle caps from each type of beer that I have ever had. So, if I tried a beer for the first time this year, it would have gone on the collection board and, thus, be absent from the picture.

But I thought this would be a fun little project. I was right.

This is me with my beer caps.

This is a picture of all of my beer caps.

Here's the breakdown for 2009:
370 Bottle Caps
62 from the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, TX
52 fromBlue Moon
40 from New Belgium
21 from Summit Brewery
18 from Bridgeport
15 from Samuel Adams
14 from Boulder Brewery
11 from Red Hook
10 from Alaskan Brewing
9 from St. Arnold
9 from Odell
9 Pilsner Urquell
8 from Southampton
7 from Pete's
6 Paulaner (One must only be 16 to view this beer website, silly Germans)
5 from Flying Dog
5 from Del Norte
5 from Widmer
5 from Tommy Knocker
4 from Anchor
4 from Dogfish Head
3 from Rhar & Sons
2 from Left Hand
2 from Victory
2 from Breckinridge
1 from Deschutes
1 from He'brew
1 Rogue Ale
1 from Fort Colins Brewery
1 from Lagunitas
1 from Unibroue
1 Budweiser American Ale
1 Corona Light

Also, on Christmas Day I had dinner with some friends and had two Modelos and did not save the caps.

My next post will begin my weekly new beer series. I'll be trying Deschutes Brewery's Jubelale 2009.

The Power of My Words

2009-12-12T14:45:00.000-08:00

For about 10 years I did not wear a red shirt. In 7^th grade a girl told me that red was not my color.

No big deal really. I did not miss out on many opportunities because I would not wear a red shirt.

Today a friend of mine told me that in 7^th grade she told her father that she wanted to pursue cosmetology. Her father laughed at her and told her that was not a respectable career. She held that inside and let it guide her life for many years. It was not until her father passed away last year that she decided she would follow her dream.

“This is my passion,” she said to me.

It has taken her over a decade to give herself permission to follow a passion. All because of one dismissive comment.

Congratulations to my friend for finding the freedom to follow a dream.

This reminds me to watch what I say and how I react. One word from my mouth can empower someone to live into their potential. One word from my mouth can bind a person for more than a decade.

May the words I say be intentional because they are certainly powerful.

My Projects & My Marketing Strategy

2009-12-06T13:20:00.000-08:00

This year, 2009, I have been saving bottle caps from every beer I’ve had. Of course I have had some beers that came from a tap or a can, so this does not encompass all of the beers I've actually had. But it has been a fun project to save all of my bottle caps. I’ll post a picture of my collection on January 1.

In 2010 I’ll be tasting a new beer each week. I’ll post about each one. If you have suggestions for beers that I should taste, especially seasonal/regional beers, please let me know. Of course, if you want to send me a beer, I will happily accept.

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Now, here is a suggestion for any beer marketing execs out there who happen upon this page. Last year, there was an article in All About Beer Magazine about the resurgence of retro beers such as Pabst Blue Ribbon, etc. If a beer brand really wanted to capitalize on this resurgence they would produce their beers in cans that had to be opened with a “church key” and they would include that “church key” , with their logo on it, in every case sold. I would totally buy it. They could even get themselves a spot on Mad Men, like Heineken. What a great marketing strategy, huh?

If anyone actually does this, I expect credit and a few dollars for my trouble.

Admiration

2009-09-18T07:33:00.000-07:00

This Sunday morning, if you sit outside the Richardson East Church of Christ in Richardson, TX you might see some people entering in less than their Sunday best. This is not because the church members don’t have nicer clothes to wear. It is not because the church is trying to attract the young non-church-goers of the Dallas area. On most Sundays you will find people attending Richardson East in nice, business casual clothes; you might even find a tie or two.

This Sunday, however, Richardson East Church of Christ is participating in what they call “The Church Has Left the Building.” Instead of their regular worship service, they will be heading out into the community to serve. They will be doing yard work, cleaning up alleys, painting, changing oil in the cars of elderly people and single mothers, etc.

I don’t attend a Church of Christ. My beliefs don’t line up well. But who can disagree with this kind of Christianity? I’ve been thinking for a while now that Jesus’ message was one of the simplest messages ever taught: treat others how you would like to be treated (simple not easy). It seems like a few churches are finally getting the idea that Jesus didn’t talk about church, Jesus didn’t talk about praise bands or worship music, the frequency of the Eucharist or ecclesiastical structures. He talked about being connected to God through loving and serving others.

I don’t attend a Church of Christ, but if you ever see me going into one it will probably be Richardson East Church of Christ, and I will probably be dressed in my painting clothes.

A Train of Thought Request for Prayer

2009-09-10T17:29:00.000-07:00

It certainly is not that I want to discount your relationship with God. It isn’t that I know how God works or how prayers are answered. It’s just that I tire of hearing people ask for prayers; not all prayers, just certain prayers.

Mostly, it’s the prayer requests like, “Please ask God to help Johnny get over his cold,” or, “Please ask Jesus to be with me while I take this test.”

Now that I think about it, it isn’t really the asking that bugs me so much. Because, I don’t mind listening to what is on people’s minds (because people really just want to be listened to). My problem is really with the reports about answered prayers.

It isn’t that I don’t like to hear what is going well for people. I like to rejoice with people when they’re doing well. Hell, I like to celebrate (if you know what I mean)! The problem is when they give credit to God.

Wait, no it isn’t that either. I mean that is a little irritating, but it is most irritating when people tell me that God answered their prayer for a good grade on a test; or when someone tells me that God answered their prayer for a job promotion.

It isn’t that I want to argue with them about how God works. It is possible that God heard that prayer and answered it. I do not know how God works or if God works. Maybe some people have such a great connection with God that God answers their prayers for things like good performance at a recital or a football game. I am not one of those people, but maybe they’re out there. I don’t want to argue about it.

I’d just like to invite those people to do some praying for some other things, on behalf of those of us that don’t have that ‘direct line’. So, if you’re reading this and you get your prayers answered all the time I would like to invite you to consider praying for some of the following: housing for people who are sleeping on the streets, peace for people who are living in war torn countries, rest for single mothers who are working full-time and going to school and raising children without family support.

It just seems like if God is all powerful (and that seems to be the consensus from these pray-ers that I hear from so often), then he ought to be able to solve some of these other problems we’re having. And if you can get God to help you win an auction on Ebay for those books you’ve been wanting, then maybe you could put in a word about some of the issues I listed above.

Oh, and if someone really has God’s ear, could you mention food? I mean, it’s one of the basic needs of humans and there seems to be a bit of a distribution problem (i.e. some have enough to throw away, and some have none at all). Seriously, there are people starving down here.

[Disclaimer: this is not about you]

Oh, How I Love Jesus #3

2009-03-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I was moved to tears in church. That does not happen very often, either at church or otherwise. So, I thought I would share.

There was a song in the service called “All Lifted Hearts.” It talked about the sources of the UU tradition.

I was moved to tears by this song because during the song different people read pieces of scripture from many different religious groups. Here are the readings from "All Lifted Hearts" (Words by Kendyl Gibbons & Music by Jason Shelton):

“In the Talmud of the Jewish tradition, the sage Hillel said: What is hateful to you, do not do to others. This is the whole of the Law; all the rest is commentary.

“In the Hindu legend of the Mahabharata, the divine Krishna declared: This is the sum of duty: Do nothing unto others which would cause you pain if done to you.

“In the Gospel of Matthew in the Christian scriptures, the messiah Jesus says: Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

“In the Buddhist text of the Udanavarga, the student is urged: Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.

“In the Muslim Hadith of al Nawawi, the prophet Mohammed teaches: No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.

“In the T’ai Shang treatise of Taoism, the seeker is instructed: Regard your neighbor’s gain as your gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss.

“In the ancient wisdom of Shinto there is a saying: The heart of the person before you is a mirror. See there your own form.

“The Oglala Lakota spiritual leader Black Elk wrote: All things are our relatives; what we do to everything, we do to ourselves…

“It is written; it is taught; may it be so.”

I’m not much of a fundamentalist, but if I was, I’d base my dogma on this fundamental that can be found in many, if not all, major religions:

“Treat other people the way you want to be treated.”

Jesus said that all of the Law and the Prophets hang on that one phrase.

Yet another reason to love Jesus. He agrees with many of the other great prophets of the world.

It is written; it is taught; may it be so.

Oh, How I Love Jesus! #2

2009-01-03T09:27:00.000-08:00

One good reason to love the things that Jesus said is that they are usually simple, but hardly ever easy (this seems to be a mark of good advice). This could also be one good reason that people, including myself, often choose to disregard things that Jesus said.

Jesus said, “Love your enemy. Ask God to prosper those who hurt you. Only then will you be a true child of our father. Loving those who love you needs no reward; even the unrighteous love. What merit is there in being kind to those who are kind to you? Your father is compassionate to all, as you should be.”

Yea verily!

Most of my favorite sayings of Jesus invite us to be like God. It is as if Jesus actually believes that we can be like God.

Here, Jesus invites his listeners to be like God by having compassion toward all. He assumes that everybody listening is accomplished at loving friends. Even the unrighteous love those who love them. So, Jesus focuses on the other folks in life. Loving the people who have set themselves against us, now that is a difficult task indeed.

I think Jesus recognized the difficulty here. That is why Jesus said that we should ask God to prosper those who hurt us. Another translation is, “Pray for those who persecute you.” It seems likely that Jesus is hoping for a change in the pray-er not the one for whom the prayer is being said. In my experience, most of the positive change happens in the one actually doing the praying. It is hard for me to hate a person when I am dwelling on all of the good things I want to happen to that person.

Further, being compassionate and loving seems to require more than just warm fuzzy feelings toward another person. Sitting around praying for something often yields good results in me. However, as I pray for another person I begin to realize that I can actually bring the blessing.

Being the hands and feet of God, acting as an agent of God, becoming God; call it what you will. I think I will know that my prayer worked, not when something miraculous happens to the person for whom I am praying, but when something miraculous happens to me. When compassion and love take such deep root in my heart that I am moved to action, then I will know that prayer has been answered.

This has all sorts of applications. It doesn’t have to be only my sworn enemies. What about people who are less fortunate and different from me?

Imagine the consequences:

- What if I prayed so hard for the homeless people of Denver that I was actually moved to action?

- What if I prayed so hard for at-risk youth that I actually spent time with them?

- What if, and this would be amazing, I prayed so hard for people that do not believe exactly like me that I actually began to try to understand their point of view?

If that happened, if I was moved to action by my own prayer, then I would know that I truly loved my enemies, or those people who are different from me, or those who are in a bad spot right now, or even those who love me too.

So there you have it: my second post in the series. Why do I still love Jesus? Because he said things that challenge me to become a better person. He invites me to become (like) God. He said things that make sense. No matter where you live or what you believe it is hard to argue with his ideas about valuing people and being compassionate.

As my friend G said, “May the story of Jesus help us express the divine among us instead of divide us in strong opinion.”

Oh, How I Love Jesus!

2008-12-22T19:07:00.000-08:00

Since I began attending a Unitarian Universalist Church various people in various states of concern have asked me about my relationship with Jesus. In particular, many people are concerned that I still believe in the divinity of Jesus.

Because I generally do not like to discuss this topic, I typically say something like, "I don't think Jesus is any less divine than anyone else." This answer usually gets a laugh or an angry reaction. Either way, the topic is usually changed.

In my exploration of spirituality and religion I have gained and lost many beliefs and values. I have rejoiced as I have found freedom and I have mourned the loss of the God I once knew. I have marveled at new ideas and worked hard to construct my own theology. One thing that has remained constant is my appreciation for Jesus.

Christianity has its roots in the Jesus' teachings. Though today's popular Christianity and I are not the best of friends it does not mean that I do not like Jesus. One of my professors in graduate school said, and I agree that, "Jesus is not the problem." In all that I have done I have tried to hold on to the teachings of Jesus. In all that I hope to do I hope to hold onto the teachings of Jesus. There are things that Jesus said that are just hard to argue with; even if you go to a heathen Unitarian Universalist Church.

So, I would like this to be the first of a few posts on why I still, after all of these years, love Jesus.

Jesus said, "Don't judge if you don't want to be judged. The measure you use on others will be used on you."

Of all of the sermons that I have ever heard on this phrase, I have only ever heard two sermons: Either the sermon that tried to explain that judging is really okay in certain situations or the sermon that tried to tell us that God will judge us the way we judge other people.

What I have gained from Jesus here is that I should try not to judge people. To me this means that I should try not to assign value to people based on actions or attitude. I should value each person equally because each person’s humanity is inherently valuable. Also, I should be careful when I am in a situation where I make a judgment about other people (because we all have to make judgments). I should be gentle and compassionate so that when I am in a situation where I am being judged, people will be gentle and compassionate with me.

Not that Jesus is the only person who ever said any of this, but I believe he did say it. And this is one of those things that is really hard to argue with. And that is one reason why, after all I have seen, done and learned, I still love Jesus.

Tension

2008-07-26T13:56:00.000-07:00

Each week at my church we have a time set aside for members to share joys and sorrows that are on their hearts. It is, aside from the regular benediction given by the minister, my favorite part of the service.

Last week my wife was preaching for the first time and she was in charge of directing the entire service. So, as people made their way to the front of the room to light their candles and open their lives to the rest of the congregation I was particularly engaged.

The second person to share was a young lady in her early twenties. She is in college and had just gotten word this week that she received a grant that will pay for the rest of her schooling. She was understandably ecstatic. This young woman turned in to a giddy little girl as she expressed her excitement. Everything was right in her world and she was eager to share it with those who care about her.

The next man was a little older, maybe mid thirties. As he lit his candle and timidly made his way to the microphone, shoulders slumped, looking down, this 6’3” man turned into a small child. His father and step-mother of 23 years are getting a divorce, and his mother has a hardening of the lungs, which is most likely cancer. As he finished and the tears welled up in his eyes I was reminded of my own spiritual journey and how I came to be at this church.

Several years ago, before I had a child, I spent a summer with my wife in Uganda. There were many things that summer that began to change my world-view, probably because it was one of the first times that I was able to actually view the world. What struck me most, and still gives me pause to this day, is the contrast between my life and the lives of those I encountered in Uganda. I am wealthy beyond the dreams of Godfrey, the guard at the compound in which we stayed. I have opportunities that he will never have. I have seen more places than he will ever see. I have more rights and privileges than he can imagine.

I remember coming home and thanking God in prayer for the seemingly endless choice of food that we had available to put on table. I remember being grateful for my soft bed and the home that kept out all of the weather.

But all of my thankfulness eventually turned into questions. Why did I have all these things? Or, more importantly, why did other people not have all of these things? Is it because I am good? Or is it because they are bad? Am I faithful, or are they just not faithful enough? Why, if God gives me good things (and that is what I was constantly reminded of at church), does God not also give good things to everyone else? Why, if God answers the prayers of a church for a new million dollar building, will God not also answer the prayers of people who are asking only for enough food and water to live through the day?

Of course, if I asked those questions it only sparked anger. Others would get angry with me for presuming to be as smart as God. “Who can know the mind of God?” This, in turn, would make me angry. “How can I please God and live in relationship with God if God keeps hidden from me the very nature of goodness? Shouldn’t I be able to grasp what is good and what is evil? Isn’t that in Genesis? Are we not made in the image of God?”

Anger is not a good communicator. So I no longer asked those questions to my people, the people from which I came. Instead I found a place where I am able to ask questions and where I am able live in the tension. I go to a church where sorrows and joys are shared and accepted, the good with the bad. There is no need to offer excuse for God’s capriciousness. Rather, we are allowed to accept life as it is: joyful, sorrowful, plentiful, needful. And we are content to offer what we can.

“For the joys shared, we join you in celebration. For the sorrows and concerns spoken here, may you feel our sympathy and compassion. For all that remains unspoken, both joys and sorrows, may the caring of our community offer you both kindness and hope.”

The Marquee

2008-07-14T19:49:00.000-07:00

When I was young I went to a church that had a marquee in front of it. I don't recall ever reading it, though I'm sure I did.

I have not worked for or gone to a church that has a marquee since I've been an "adult". I do, however, make a concerted effort to read marquees whenever I see them in from of churches.

Marquees are generally a church's first opportunity to make a bad impression. Churches usually succeed in that area with the aid of the marquee. It seems to be very difficult to sum up anything meaningful in 12 inch movable letters.

Instead churches settle for putting silly things on a large board for all of the world to see and judge them by. Usually it is unfortunate.

A church near to my house has a fairly good track record with the marquee. Most of the time the things on their marquee are not offensive or silly. Sometimes they offer a greeting to visitors or passersby. Other times simple sayings that at least give you something to think about.

This week it said:

Most of our burdens are self imposed.

Any comments?

Does that tell you anything about the theology of the church?

Agree or Disagree?

Belief and Judgment

2008-07-06T13:50:00.000-07:00

This is a post that I have been thinking about for a long time. It is also a post that I hope will propel me into writing again.

Here is a question I have: Why should I care what someone else believes?

I am thinking particularly about religious beliefs but I suppose it could be asked about any beliefs at all.

I would like to hear initial reactions as well as carefully considered responses to that question.

It seems to me that there are a couple of possibilities. One is that I care what another person believes so that I can carefully consider that person's point of view and learn something from it. Second, and more likely in my experience, is that I care what another person believes so that I can make judgment(s) about that person and either align with or distance myself from that person. I might also be seeking to persuade or violently force others to accept my own beliefs, which also involves judgment of the other person.

The bottom line is that I am wondering if this seemingly innate desire to know the beliefs of another is helpful for my life at all. Or is it something that I can stop asking and caring about?

A Sad Day

2008-04-29T20:27:00.000-07:00

The Mavericks managed to make an early exit from the playoffs for the second year in a row. It will be a long summer, again. It is rough to be a fan of a mediocre team.

New Job

2008-04-12T15:16:00.000-07:00

I started a new job this week. I’m working as a case manager for a transitional housing program for youth. That is, I help homeless youth to not be homeless anymore. So far I like it a lot. I’m easing my way into it as my fellow case managers introduce me to my clients and explain procedures etc. It’s overwhelming at times, but I left Friday feeling good about the job and my handle on it.

The clients are a little “rough around the edges”, which suits me just fine. Part of the goal is to help these teens learn to interact in society in order to hold down and job and a home. This means helping them to smooth out some of the roughness. But there is honesty in their character that is refreshing and, I must admit, amusing.

I’m sure there will be lots of great learning in this new job. I’ll share when I can.

Eternity

2008-04-02T09:31:00.000-07:00

I spent part of last evening chatting with a young man who is growing up in the same Christian tradition in which I grew up. There are many things that I love and value about the place I grew up. Most of what I value has to do with the way I was taught to love people, and most of that has to do with the emphasis my parents chose. The Churches of Christ are changing, but not quickly enough.

This particular young man is spending his teen years preoccupied with death. He is not worried that he will die at any moment. Rather, he is worried that when he dies he will go to Hell. Of course he’s been told that Jesus will save him because of his faith. Somehow, though, this young man is convinced that his faith isn’t enough to save him and that he can’t be good enough to get there himself. This seems like a logical conclusion given what some churches teach, and it doesn’t seem helpful or useful in any way. I doubt that Jesus wanted young people to feel constant anxiety over whether or not they would go to Hell.

I understand a desire to feel some certainty about what will happen when we die. That is one of the main attractions of religion in the first place. But would it be so bad if we didn’t make that the only goal of Christianity? I have heard it said more than once that the goal of a Christian is to get to Heaven and to take as many people as possible with you when you go. It just seems like we’re missing a big part of the message of Jesus and creating a lot of unnecessary anxiety for some folks.

It Is Finished

2008-02-01T11:14:00.000-08:00

Well, almost. It seems that I might be graduating in June. I will be a Master of Theological Studies. You don't have to call me Master Hufstedler, but I won't object if you do.

Amazing!

2008-01-30T13:36:00.000-08:00

I am constantly amazed at how many people doggedly stick to the claim that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, but have no idea what they mean when they say it. What do you mean by inspired? What do you mean by Word of God? Is it reliable for everything? Including science?

Furthermore, if a person claims that they will live their entire life by this book, I would think that person might be interested in the origins of that book. But, my experience is that the most dogmatic about this doctrine are the people least likely to do any kind of research about the origins of the Bible. It seems paradoxical.

I’m just saying…

Breakfast

2008-01-01T21:40:00.000-08:00

This is for my friend who, to my knowledge, has still never eaten breakfast. Maybe someday we will share this glorious meal. Here's how:

So, You Think You’d Like to Eat Breakfast?
A Breakfast Orientation Pamphlet

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a million times. Those simple innocent words of invitation, “Hey, let’s eat breakfast!” Somehow, though, you’ve managed to get this far without ever actually eating breakfast. And now you’re wondering… What is this thing called breakfast and how does one go about eating it.

The prospect of eating a meal, especially the most important meal of the day, can be daunting. This pamphlet will help answer your basic breakfast questions and put you on the road to eating your first breakfast.

A FORK IN THE ROAD
It is important to note that there are two basic roads one can travel on the journey to breakfast: Sweet or Savory. While there are variations these two themes are the basic genres from which one must choose. Once you have chosen between sweet and savory you’re halfway to your first early morning meal.

SWEET TOOTH?
The sweet road to breakfast is paved with syrups, cinnamon and sweet breads toasted on a griddle. If you want a sweet breakfast there are several ways you can go. For something gooey and sticky you could choose pancakes or French toast with syrup. Pancakes are taken with butter and syrup while French toast is traditionally eaten with cinnamon, syrup and powdered sugar. For something light a fluffy you can have muffins. Muffins come in many flavors, each is delicious if done well. Some traditional flavors are blueberry, lemon/poppy seed, and chocolate chip. Muffins are popular with people on the go, while pancakes and French toast require a more leisurely pace.

SAVOR THE FLAVOR
If you prefer the salty to the sweet, the savory breakfast might be the way for you to go. There are several important pieces to a good savory breakfast, but the lynchpin is the egg. The egg is versatile, beautiful and delectable. The versatility of the egg can be a bit intimidating. They can be prepared in a large variety of styles. If you find yourself trembling at the prospect of deciding how to have your eggs cooked, please make use of my previous pamphlet entitled “So, You Think You’d Like to Order Eggs?” If you are a beginning breakfast eater, unversed in the art of the egg, I suggest having yours scrambled.

Now that you’ve got the major portion of your savory breakfast taken care of, you can decide on your side dishes. While the egg is the major player, the side dishes serve to support the egg, and propel it to greatness. Traditional side dishes include breakfast meat, bread, potatoes and sometimes warm cereal. Breakfast meats traditionally include bacon, sausage (links and patties) and ham. Bread choices traditionally include toast (wheat, white and rye), biscuits, and sometimes English muffins (not a sweet muffin). Potato dishes are things like hash browns (shredded potatoes) and pan fries (diced potatoes), both of which are pan fried in oil. Warm cereal is usually oatmeal (which can also be sweet), but in the south grits are a delicious tradition. Grits are a cereal made of corn, usually served with butter and salt or cheese.

TAKE IT EASY
These are not your only choices for breakfast, sweet or savory. There have been many great innovations in the breakfast arena in the recent past. The chicken fried steak and eggs breakfast, the steak and eggs breakfast, toaster pastries, pigs in a blanket and many other delicious options await the more experienced breakfast eater. Sometimes the sweet and the savory meld into one huge scrumptious breakfast feast. But, slow down, this is not for you. First, master the basics and then you’ll be able to move on.

PLEASE SEE A PROFESSIONAL
If you are still feeling overwhelmed, I suggest that you visit one of this country’s many great breakfast eating establishments. Some of my favorites are: IHOP, Cracker Barrel, and my absolute favorite is the Pancake House in Salida, CO. At these restaurants they will be able to steer you in the right direction and pick up where this pamphlet leaves off.

The most important thing to remember is that practice makes perfect. Start slow and stick with it. Before long you’ll be a breakfast eating machine.

Happy Eating!

Gospel of Thomas

2007-11-09T13:25:00.000-08:00

[I was talking to a friend recently who said that these non-canonical texts were interesting and he thought about reading some of them. But then he started to feel guilty because he doesn’t read the ones in his Bible often enough. Understandable. But, I have found that, especially in the case of the Gospel of Thomas, reading the non-canonical texts has made me read the canonical texts with a more critical eye and I have started to get a better (or at least a different) idea of what is really happening as the Bible is put together. So, feel free to read these, especially the Gospel of Thomas. It’s really interesting.]

The Gospel of Thomas is another non-canonical text that was found at Nag Hammadi along with quite a few other ancient texts, biblical and otherwise.

The Gospel of Thomas is not a narrative. There are no stories of Jesus’ birth, travels, healings, death, etc. Instead it is a collection of sayings and parables. There are a few instances where Jesus interacts with his disciples. But for the most part the Gospel of Thomas is simply a collection of things Jesus said.

As soon as I began to read the Gospel of Thomas I was very excited on many levels. The sayings of Jesus have become very important to me over the past few years. I feel like Christianity has focused more on Jesus as a religious icon and Jesus as sacrificial lamb than on the things that he taught. Here was a whole religious text devoted only to what Jesus said. Secondly, the fact that some scholars think that this text could have been written during the first century means that it is likely to be closer to what Jesus actually said. This is exciting to me because I think what Jesus said is important.

The spirituality described in the Gospel of Thomas sounds rather Eastern. Many of the concepts in the Gospel of Thomas are very much like Buddhist or Hindu concepts. For instance, Jesus repeatedly tells his disciples that salvation comes from looking within and knowing oneself.

One thing that I read, which I found very compelling, was Elaine Pagels’ book Beyond Belief. Along with some great history and explanations Pagels asks the question: could the Gospel of John have been written in opposition to the Gospel of Thomas. The Gospel of John and the Gospel of Thomas use some very similar language. They both refer to Jesus as the light. They both point to the beginning (“In the beginning was the Word…”) as the source of the light. However, John takes his theology in a very different place than Thomas. In John it is clear that Jesus is divine. Son of God and Lord are used in reference to Jesus. In fact, in John is the only place where Jesus is called God. Thomas makes that declaration when he sees the wounds of Jesus. Thomas, on the other hand, makes no such claims about Jesus. Rather, in Thomas, Jesus points the disciples back to themselves to find salvation. Belief in Jesus in not a requirement for salvation in Thomas.

One of the more interesting points that Pagels makes is that Thomas is called out three times, by name, in the closing chapters of John for unbelief or ignorance. First of all, Thomas speaks some words of despair when Jesus decides to back to Bethany to heal/raise Lazarus from the dead (John 11:16). Secondly, Thomas alone admits that he does not know the way that Jesus is talking about (John 14:5). Finally, and this is the kicker, Thomas is the doubting disciple. But as if that isn’t enough, Thomas misses the “become an apostle” meeting. The meeting that Thomas misses is the meeting in which Jesus commissions the apostles and gives them the Holy Spirit. If this isn’t a clear slam on Thomas I don’t know what is.

I also did some work on Thomas, John and ‘Q’. Q is the supposed source of sayings from which the Synoptic Gospels draw. Q is the way of explaining the similarities or duplications in the Gospels. Thomas uses ‘Q’ material in answers to certain questions. John poses the same questions, but instead of using ‘Q’ material he answers with material that is specific to John. Furthermore, each of the answers has something to do with the divinity of Jesus or the belief in Jesus being primary. If anyone is interested I could post some examples.

Overall I really liked the Gospel of Thomas. Though some of the sayings are a little hard to decipher at first, I think it is a pretty simple, straightforward text with a simple theology. I would recommend reading Pagels’ book first (it’s short) and then reading the Gospel of Thomas (it’s even shorter) and the Gospel of John one right after the other.

If you have specific questions about the Gospel of Thomas, let me know. I'd like to do an independent study on it in the spring and your questions would probably be helpful.

The Half-Assed Historian

2007-10-21T16:32:00.000-07:00

After a few months of reading the blog of my friend, The Committed Critic, I feel as though I should rename my blog The Half-Assed Historian. I think that I have decided that the focus of my academic career will be history. Particularly, I am interested in the history of religion, which is to say, in most cases, the history of religion, politics, war and various other types of ugliness.

Though I have decided (tentatively) on what I will focus my studies, I feel as though I will never have the sort of commitment displayed by my friend The Critic. Although, I do believe that I am headed toward some more committed tendencies (I haven’t touched my X-Box controller in about a month).

That being said, my friend told me he would be interested to hear what I thought about some of the non-canonical texts that I am reading in my Women in Early Christianity class. Though most of you will not find this interesting in the least, I think I’ll give my opinion on the two that I’ve read so far.

The Gospel According to Mary (Magdalene?)

This Gospel (technically a post-resurrectional dialogue), in my scholarly opinion, is weird. First of all it suffers from severe incompleteness. The most complete manuscript we have is a 5th century Coptic Codex. Coptic is an Egyptian language and a Codex is a book. In this manuscript we are missing the first 6 pages and pages 11-14 of the Gospel. The two earlier manuscripts (3rd Century Greek manuscripts) are in much worse shape. Because we are missing so much of the text it is hard to tell exactly what is going on. There are also translation issues since it has been translated from the original language, Greek, to Coptic and then to English.

It appears that some or all of the disciples are having an experience with Jesus post-resurrection in which Jesus is giving them some teaching. It is hard to tell whether it is after resurrection and before the ascension or if it is simply a time, after the ascension, in which Jesus came back to share some words of wisdom. Shortly after we pick up the story on page 7 Jesus leaves the disciples. They are sad and Mary stands up to comfort them.

It is called the Gospel of Mary because it is pretty clear that most of the time Mary is speaking about things that Jesus told her but never told the rest of the disciples because Jesus loved Mary more. It is unclear which Mary is talking, though I am in the Mary Magdalene camp. It could be Mary the mother of Jesus but for several reasons I find that unlikely.

Overall, I find the Gospel of Mary to be awkward, partly because it is incomplete and partly because the theology is unfamiliar. I like this book for the value it places on women and the fact that it is clear that women’s role was being debated even at this early date (not sure when it was written, but certainly prior to the 3rd century). I find it very plausible, from both canonical Gospel accounts and non-canonical accounts, that women, including Mary Magdalene were disciples and apostles to Jesus. It seems clear from this work that at least one sect of Christianity was dealing with the role of women, and seem to be for women taking a very prominent role in the life of the church.

If you haven't read it, it's worth taking a look at. Here is the link one more time.

This is getting pretty long, being committed takes a lot of time. So, later this week I’ll write about the Gospel of Thomas, which I really like.

GABF & School

2007-10-08T08:44:00.000-07:00

For all of you suckers who don't live in or near Denver and have decided not to be in town this Friday, I have pity; for you will be missing the largest gathering of brewers in the world. The Great American Beer Festival is coming and I will be there, practicing moderation, being very selective about what I try, and drinking much water between samples.

__________________________________

Classes have been in session for about 4 weeks now and I'm enjoying them. I'm taking Christianity in the Modern World, which is basically a history of colonial America (and other places) and the way that Christianity was practiced/used to support colonization. I'm also taking Women in Early Christianity, which is just fascinating. It's a class that all church leaders should have. Of course, we can only know the past approximately, but learning new perspectives on these time periods is great.

I am also taking a teaching class which is a bit annoying. But last week I taught a section of the Bhagavad-Gita. That was a fun, new experience. I have never taught scripture from another tradition before.

That is all

Tolerance?

2007-09-11T15:49:00.000-07:00

This month my daughter is completing her first year of life. As the father of a bipedal, soon-to-be-vocal child new questions occur to me that might not have occurred to me before.

If my daughter eats enough Goldfish Crackers will she get the Omega 3 fatty acids that she needs? Is it possible for a raisin, the product of leaving fruit out in the sun too long, to go bad?

I’ve also been thinking of more serious issues. Do I want to raise my daughter in an atmosphere of tolerance? Tolerance is a word I hear a lot these days. Liberal schools of theology are full of tolerance. You have to be tolerant of this group or those people, of this view or that practice. But tolerance leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I know people who decry tolerance because it prohibits one from “taking a stand.” If you have to be tolerant you can’t stick to your own beliefs. I don’t think this is the case. I know lots of people who tolerate others and don’t agree with them.

But tolerance isn’t what I want my daughter to learn. Tolerance is begrudging. I have to tolerate the horrible driving of others. I have to tolerate the weather when I visit Texas. I have to tolerate the incessant, unwanted, incoherent questioning of my Uncle Woody. Tolerance means doing it because you have to. Tolerance is incomplete.

Acceptance on the other hand is more complete. Acceptance of people doesn’t have to mean that I agree with everything that a person does, simply that I accept them as a human created in the image of God and worthy of dignity, respect and kindness. Acceptance is what Jesus talked about. Acceptance is what I would like from others. There is something in the Bible about doing to others as I would have them do to me. It seems that acceptance is only a step away from love, and I think that is where I would like to end up.

I think I would like my daughter to grow up knowing that she is accepted and loved. I would also like for her to grow up knowing that it is okay to accept and love others. Somewhere along the line I seem to have forgotten that. I’m trying, but it’s a hard thing to relearn.

So, I don’t want my daughter to grow up being tolerant of people that are different than her, I want her to grow up accepting people, all kinds of people. And if possible, I want her to grow up loving people, all kinds of people. Can that be taught? Can that be modeled?

Another question I have is: How old are children before they’ll start pulling their weight around the house? Because my daughter doesn’t do ANY kind of housework…

And now a word from my daughter:

Cfvtth ,noewrljkvlmkal;ifs afoijhfanlkasliusaer ;ljkadfuvna;lkseuadfoikjvanmsalkdjalkur

Toleration, Acceptance?

2007-06-27T10:38:00.000-07:00

This week, the second week of my World Religions class, we are learning about Hinduism and Buddhism. We are, obviously, learning the very basics of each. I don’t really feel qualified to tell anyone about anything having to do with either.

But I think I’ll do it anyway.

One thing that is interesting to me about Hinduism is that there are so many different types and sects of Hinduism. One can hardly even define Hinduism as a singular religion because of all the variations. Even in the midst of these variations and differences there is an overwhelming tendency to accept alternative, opposing views. According to my textbook:

“The coexistence of so many competing theologies and religious practices, and even the toleration of nonbelievers, have been based upon two notions. First, is the belief that a human understanding of the highest truth, whatever that is held to be, is never complete or perfect. Second is the expectation that as individuals learn and practice more deeply, they will see reality more clearly.”

Are those notions worth-while?

Update

2007-06-14T10:32:00.000-07:00

I haven’t posted in a while because I’ve been busy settling into our new living arrangement. We’re living with G and T and their daughter K. We’re saving money and living in community. So far I’m really loving it.

I’m also working a new job. I’m working landscaping for the summer. It is hard work, but I’m liking it.

Next week G and I start class. We’re taking Introduction to World Religions. I’m really looking forward to getting a better look at different religions. Our professor is Buddhist so it will be nice to get to learn about Buddhism from someone who actually knows about it rather than someone who has only read about it.

Well, that’s all for now. Peace.

An Interesting Question

2007-05-23T10:34:00.001-07:00

Last night in my Medieval Christianity class we were discussing the various reforms that have happened in Christianity. Most people only know about the big reform that took place because of that German Monk named Luther. But throughout the Middle Ages, and certainly before, there were several reforms that happened. In fact, while studying this time period, it seems as though there is constant reform happening in the church.

My professor asked an interesting question. Why the constant reformation of Christianity? (Which hasn’t stopped, by the way. Think Emerging Church, etc.) Is there something about the teachings of that man from Galilee that conflicts with the life of the institutional church?

The Story

2007-04-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

In the summer of 2005 my wife was in her first unit of CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education). One of her peers was a Dominican Brother named John. John and Jeannie developed a good friendship. At the end of the summer John moved back to California to continue his work in the Dominican Order and Jeannie continued in a CPE residency program for a year.

During that year Jeannie got pregnant. When John found out that Jeannie was pregnant he told her that he had something for her. Actually, he told her, it was for our child. He went on to tell her that members of the Dominican Order are not owners of anything, rather anything that came into his possession was something that he was holding onto until the intended owner became clear to him. He had discerned that we, more specifically, our daughter was to be the owner of this object that he was sending to us.

A couple of months later a package came in the mail. It was a beautiful woven leather cross. He told us that the cross had been made by a Sudanese refugee in Uganda. A friend of John had given it to him. He blessed the cross and passed it on to us.

I took the cross, used a stamp pad and stamped it onto a piece of paper, and had that design tattooed on my forearm. It reminds me of several things. First and foremost it is in honor of my daughter. It is also a reminder of the place from which I’ve come. It wouldn’t have been too many years ago that I would not have honored the gift given to me because I would not have honored the position of the person giving the gift.

So here is the tattoo. It is still healing, you can tell because it’s shiny from the lotion, and because of the partially shaved arm. But you get the idea…

The Buffet (pick and choose)

2007-04-19T21:48:00.000-07:00

Thursday, April 12th I awoke with visions of needles in my head. Yes, needles.

Two weeks prior I had driven to Th’ink Tank in Denver and set up an appointment with Fish. Fish is a young man who, for eight years now, has been embedding ink into the flesh of fellow humans. Fish is an artist, a tattoo artist.

Originally, I went thinking that I would get the tattoo that evening. I soon came to find out that all of the artists at Th’ink Tank are booked at least two weeks in advance.

So, on Thursday, April 12th I awoke knowing that the next day I would be getting a tattoo that I had been planning to get for over a year. It is a tattoo of which I will post pictures and about which I will tell the story in my next post. Typically I plan tattoos for over a year. I find that this is enough time for me to decide that I actually want this picture on my body for the rest of my life.

Thursday was a special day because my dad was in town. He had a lay-over on his way home from California. We spent the day together and it was enjoyable. In the late afternoon I headed to my job, which is coaching a middle school girls soccer team for a small private school in Denver.

On my way home it is my ritual to listen to Christian talk radio. I find it very interesting to listen to the things that come up on this show. I am continually fascinated by the serious life decisions that people entrust to a radio talk show host who does not know them at all and has very little education. It’s interesting and good for a laugh most of the time.

This particular day Bill called into the show for the purpose of having the host validate his views on tattoos. Bill said that his brother-in-law had tattoos and that he did not agree with tattooing. The host said that when confronted with something like this one should go to the Bible to see what it says. Then he quoted Leviticus 19:28:

“Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.”

They patted themselves on the back and congratulated one another on being against tattoos. I have heard this argument more times than I can count. It seems pretty clear. If the Bible is THE WORD OF GOD then it seems that God is clearly not in favor of tattoos. Here’s the rub:

Leviticus 19:27.

You haven’t heard it recently? Here you go: “’Do not cut the hair at the edges of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.'”

If you followed the link to the Christian talk radio station you’ll notice that the man who is decidedly against tattoos seems to be okay with cutting the hair at the edges of his head and clipping off the edges of his beard. Odd.

If the Bible is THE WORD OF GOD and we must follow it, it seems as though he might want to rethink the shave and haircut.

Needless to say, I was not convinced by the radio. I did not call to cancel my tattooing appointment. Instead, since so many people seem to choose verse 28 to follow and leave out verse 27, I decided to do my part to balance it out and decided to let the edges of my beard grow.

I got the tattoo. It is healing. I’ll take a picture of it in a couple of days and post it. I’ll also tell you the story of where it came from and why it means a lot to me.

Peace

SPREAD EM!!

2007-03-23T00:13:00.000-07:00

I’m sitting alone in my apartment. My wife and daughter are visiting my parents for the week. I had to stay and work.

I’m remembering the time I was made to “spread eagle” and was frisked by a police officer.

It was Saturday night. There were about 8-10 of us, including the youth ministry summer intern, sitting around my friend’s house. We had spent much of the summer sitting around his house. We played pool, basketball, playstation, chilled in the hot tub, and despite the virtual cornucopia of things to do at my friend’s house the 8-10 high school boys (and one college student) were bored.

I don’t recall who suggested it first, but it was unanimously accepted as a good idea. We would go get shoe polish at a store on the way, and then we would use the shoe polish to write on the windows of the car of my ex-girlfriend. She was still a good friend and we decided to write funny things that would not make her angry.

Yes, it was agreed that this should be our activity for the evening. So, with the youth ministry intern leading the way we situated ourselves in three cars and headed toward the house. Her car was always parked on the street and it would be an easy target.

We slowly turned the corner and turned the car lights off. We parked several houses down and made our way back to her car. We began to compose our humorous masterpieces upon the windows of the VW Fox.

As I finished writing “Cautious Driver” next to the driver’s side circle on the windshield I saw it. Or maybe I heard it first, because the tires on the car screeched as it came to a halt. I looked up just in time to see the lights begin to flash on the Garland Police car.

Immediately, each of the 8-10 boys (including the youth ministry summer intern) froze momentarily … then each of the 8-10 high school boys (including the youth ministry summer intern) scattered in all different directions, running as fast as their 14-17 (21) year old legs would carry them.

The policeman spun his car around and came toward my ex-girlfriend’s house and car. Almost as fast as the dispersion had begun, it ended. We all knew that it would be silly to run from the cops. Though, technically we were committing vandalism, it was only shoe polish and we were friends with the person who’s car it was. We all turned around to face the music.

Nervously, we turned and made our way back toward the police car. The cop got out of the car yelling unintelligibly, and then yelled into his walky-talky, “I NEED BACKUP!”

What? Backup? “HANDS ON THE HOOD!”

What?

“SPREAD YOUR LEGS!”

What?

Seriously, we were all told to put our hands on the hood and spread our legs. Obviously, there was not enough room for all of us 8-10 high school boys (including the youth ministry summer intern) to spread out on the hood of the car, until the second cop car, presumably the backup, tore around the corner, lights flashing, and came to a screeching stop, blocking the entire street. Several of us made our way to the second car.

Admittedly, I was scared at this point. I was ready to be cooperative, apologetic, and wax the police car if that would keep me out of trouble. That was not, however, the mindset of some of the others.

“What are you boys doing?”

“We were just shoe-polishing the car.”

“Well why were you running?”

“You scared us.”

“NEVER RUN FROM THE COPS!”

“Well, you scared us!”

“When you ran I thought you were stealing the car!”

“WITH SHOE-POLISH?”

“DON’T GET SMART WITH ME!!”

I couldn’t believe the nerve of my comrades. Can you really talk back to cops and come away without having to pay bail? Evidently you can. The cops went on to berate the youth ministry summer intern for not being responsible, taking minors out after curfew, and stealing cars with shoe-polish.

Eventually, we were released with no repercussions. I guess we wouldn’t have all fit in the back of two cop cars. It was interesting that the 20 minutes of yelling, screeching tires, and flashing lights didn’t wake my ex-girlfriend or her family. It wasn’t until the next morning at church that my ex-girlfriend found out about the huge ordeal outside her window the previous night.

And not until years later did any of our parents find out about the night that we were made to place our hands on the hood and spread eagle.

Two weeks ago I got a call from my friend Chad. Chad and I have been great friends for years. He was there that night. He left a message on my voicemail. It said:

“Dude, remember that night when we were shoe-polishing Hayley’s car and that cop caught us and we started to run, then we stopped and went back? We should have kept running! That fat-ass cop couldn’t have caught all of us, we could have gotten away. That’s all I wanted. We should have kept running!”

That would have been fine with me; the cop wouldn’t have had a record of my presence. I rode there in Chad’s truck!

Oh, the Irony

2007-03-09T15:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was reminded of the irony of my professorial situation since I arrived at Iliff School of Theology last fall. One of the first courses I took was Hebrew Bible (OT) with Dr. Mark George. It was a great course. Soon after I enrolled in New Testament I with Dr. Pamela Eisenbaum. I am finishing this first section of NT next week. So, here is the Irony:

Dr. Mark George and Dr. Pamela Eisenbaum are married to one another. Dr. George is a Christian who’s specialty is Hebrew Bible, specifically Tabernacle and Holy Space in the Hebrew Bible. Dr. Eisenbaum is Jewish. Her specialty is New Testament, specifically Paul, more specifically the Epistle to the Romans. Pretty funny, huh?

Various Things and Whatnot

2007-03-04T20:24:00.000-08:00

First: The New Life church in Colorado Springs is laying off 30 to 50 employees due to financial hardships after Ted Haggard’s sex and drug scandal. Haggard’s indiscretion aside, can you imagine going to a church that is able to lay off between thirty and fifty people and still function? When I saw that story on the News tonight I was astounded. Can you imagine?

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Second: Today is a day of morning because, as you can see …

… the last of my New Belgium Saison is empty. What a delicious beer. I first tasted Saison at the Great American Beer Festival last year in September. Many breweries made a Saison (a type of beer, a harvest ale, if you will). New Belgium’s was the best. I took my parents for a tour of the brewery where I learned that they would no longer be making Saison. I expressed my sorrow and the tour guide gave me a 12-pack for free. It is now gone and the day is sad.

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Third: On the other hand …

… Springboard is in full production and it is delicious. If you can get it, try it. "Deftly, this spring-brewed venture lands on its feet. Springboard combines oats, ancient Chinese herbs and Mt. Hood hops to maintain a balanced equilibrium for such an exhilarating ale. This cloudy blonde has a spirited threshold, and a creamy body, followed by a refreshingly dry finish." Best served around 45 degrees F. 6.2% alcohol by volume. It is great out of the bottle and better from the tap. I highly recommend it.

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Four: I’ve been surprised by my own performance in school of late. I usually do pretty well, but my last two papers were A papers. The most recent got a perfect score. Secondary authorship for Jonah 2:2-10 and the Correlation Apologetic approach of Justin Martyr probably aren’t on many people’s “top ten things I care about” list, but I enjoyed writing the papers and I got good grades on them. If only I cared about Paul that much…

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Five: My daughter is growing a lot, and learning new things daily, it seems. I really enjoy being a dad and I will not trade her for a car, not even a Dodge Intrepid. (Thank you Mr. Fuqua for that story, bizarre.)

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Six: Today at church the teens led the service and it was pretty cool. I wondered what Unitarian Universalist teens might have to say. Here is one thing they said, “So many people are trying to save souls. Souls aren’t meant for saving, souls are meant to be poured out and used.” Interesting.

____________________________________

Seven: I have been watching the HBO series Six Feet Under. This is a great show and I highly recommend it to you all. It deals with death, dying and grief in some really great ways.

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Eight: I have recently been craving (no I'm not pregnant) Squatter's Hefeweizen (Delicious beverage from SLC). My friend G sent me a picture of him having one in the SLC airport. BSC, we'll have to arrange a meeting and swapping of beverages soon. I'll bring you some Fat Tire and some Springboard. You bring me Squatter's Hefeweizen.

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Nine: Dad, will you send me some Shiner 97 if you get a chance, please? Really I just need one for the bottle cap and the little label that comes with it.

… and nine shall be the number of the counting …

Emoticons are stupid

2007-02-23T18:28:00.001-08:00

just thought you should know.

Of Bottle Caps and My Hilarious Daughter

2007-02-18T21:36:00.000-08:00

I joined this club that will greatly enhance my bottle cap collection this year. I get six 12oz bottles and a large "bomber", each one from a different brewer.

It's a great deal and will allow me to sample great beverages from all over the world. If you come to visit me, you can sample too.

Also, if you live in California , Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico , North Dakota, Oregon, Washington, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Wisconsin & Wyoming you can join the club too!

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Now if you like to laugh, smile, have fun, or look at cute babies have a look at this video of my daughter laughing the hardest she's ever laughed. I promise you will laugh out loud, or your money back!

The Scary Thing About Christians...

2007-02-14T17:09:00.000-08:00

Please go read this post. It's a long read, but worth the time. Take a look at the comments too.

Love the Sinner

2007-02-08T19:49:00.000-08:00

“Love the sinner and hate the sin.” This was something that was quoted to me a lot when I was growing up. Most of the time it was said in reference to the Baptists or the Methodist or one of the other denominations that we knew were not going to heaven. More recently it has been used in relation to homosexuals, drug addicts, and most recently, terrorists.

It sounds like a good thing to do. We are, after all, supposed to love everyone. However, in our love, we don’t want anyone to get the impression that we condone or even tolerate the things that we deem sinful. The problem with this is the last six words of the phrase.

If we are defining the person in question as a sinner it seems to do two things. First, it says that this person is different from other people that I love because I don’t go around calling my friends (or myself) sinners. Of course, I might admit that I am a sinner and that I know my friends sin as well, but that is not what I call them. Secondly, this phrase means that we are equating, or at least associating this person with this action that we call sin. If we equate a person with an action that we hate, how can we then love this person?

Take, for example, a drug addict. “Love the drug addict and hate the drug addiction.” This person is obviously defined by this “sin” because that is how we call him or her. If we hate drug addiction and we equate this person with this “sin” how can we love a person who is addicted to drugs? If we define the person by their “sin” when we speak about them it seems to me that we cannot see past the “sin” in order to love the person.

One solution I can see is to change “sinner” to “person”. “Love the person and hate the sin.” But why do we have to say, “Hate the sin”? What is the benefit there? If I don’t say that I hate the sin is someone going to assume that I like it? And if they do, what harm is there in that? If they wonder so much whether or not I like “sin” let them ask, or let them wonder. It is of no consequence to me.

No, it seems the better way to fix this often quoted statement is to drop the last six words all together. Because filling my life with love is of great consequence to me. That seems to be the message of Jesus anyway.

“Love.”

That’s not hard is it?

Jesus Camp

2007-02-04T13:52:00.000-08:00

Brett said: "We actually had a whole chapel talk (required daily event on my campus) on recent "Cultural Attacks on Christianity" with the Da Vinci Code (sigh) and Jesus Camp as prominent examples. The preacher giving the talk seemed to think the makers of Jesus Camp generalized the extremists there to all evangelical Christians, but I also got the impression he hadn't seen the movie, so I'm not sure. What say ye?"
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To respond to Brett’s comment:
It is my experience that when someone accuses a book, article, movie, etc. of making all Christians look silly, ignorant, or (place your derogatory descriptor here) it has very little to do with the person who produced the movie, book, etc. Rather, it seems to be the accuser that is lumping those people together and making generalizations. Most of the time the producer has said nothing about anything except the specific subject of his piece.

While someone may have seen Jesus Camp and thought negative thoughts about all Christians, there is no complaint about Christianity at large in the movie. Instead there is a rather fair representation of a couple of different kinds of Christianity. In fact, one striking part of the movie is a Christian talk show host who expresses views in sharp opposition to some of the other views expressed in the documentary.

As for my reactions to the movie, I’m still not quite sure what it is that I’m feeling. The movie made me sad, but I’m not sure exactly why. It made me angry, but I’m not sure what I’m angry about. It made me thankful that there are other options to the spiritual community that is highlighted in the movie. At the same time I’m trying not to judge these people, because I realize that they are searching for truth and a way to deal with the world, just like I am. They’ve come to a different conclusion than I have, but I’m hopeful that we will all continue to discover better ways to live life, view the world, and embody the good teachings of Jesus. Most of all it made me look back at what I’ve participated in and been a part of leading and compare my own experience to that in the film.

It is not that what I’ve participated in or led was like this (though I believe that there are a few that have been a part of the churches I've attended that wouldn't have thought there was anything wrong with the things portrayed in this movie). But there were certainly elements that I recognized from my own life. The spiritual warfare language is not something that I was taught as a kid, nor did I teach it to anyone. Though, at one time I wouldn’t have disagreed with someone talking about that kind of thing. What was very familiar to me was the way that fear was used to push these kids. That was a huge part of my faith tradition when I was growing up.

What is strange is that part of the strategy used to indoctrinate these kids is generating hatred. It wasn’t as if the kids were being taught to hate directly, but the end result was a hatred for anyone that has faith different than theirs. If a person believes that they are the ones with the only way to heaven, admitting that someone else is okay is impossible. All other faiths are evil; they have to be or your faith is wrong. This is something that is familiar to me as well. I grew up in a tradition that said only our little sect of Christianity was going to heaven. Anyone outside of our group/denomination was going to end up in hell. When you believe that, it is nigh impossible to say that anyone else is okay, and if you can’t say someone is okay it is nigh impossible to love them.

You can say, “Love the sinner and hate the sin,” but when you define the person by their “sin” there is no separating the two.

Thus, it seems a culture is created in which it is all but impossible to love anyone that is not a part of our group. Which, to me, seems in direct opposition to the teachings of the one whom we claim to follow.

These thoughts are not well thought out, but these are some of my reactions to the movie. I would really like to hear from some others who have seen the movie. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, I’m interested in what you have to say.

P.S. Brett email me at the address in my profile. I’m wondering what happened to you.

What do you think?

2007-01-31T10:45:00.000-08:00

I just saw the documentary called Jesus Camp. I'm having trouble processing this movie.

Have you seen the movie?

What did you think?

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There are a lot of problems in the world; serious problems which many people have spent many years trying to alieviate. One of these serious problems (evidently) is the problem of how to eat pizza on the go without dripping or using more than one hand.

Well, no more will this problem plague the world. Thanks to Conopizza, we will no longer have to use more than one hand, or drip sauce on ourselves while we eat our lunch! I thank you Conopizza, the world thanks you!

Living Buddha, Living Christ

2007-01-23T20:20:00.000-08:00

I am reading Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk from Vietnam (now practicing in a monastery in France). He has some great insights about the teachings of Jesus, things to which most of Christianity would to well to listen.

Here is a little excerpt:

When Jesus said, “I am the way,” He meant that to have a true relationship with God, you must practice His way. In the Acts of the Apostles, the early Christians always spoke of their faith as “the Way.” To me, “I am the way” is a better statement than “I know the way.” The way is not an asphalt road. But we must distinguish between the “I” spoken by Jesus ad the “I” that people usually think of. The “I” in His statement is life itself, His life, which is the way. If you do not really look at His life, you cannot see the way. If you only satisfy yourself with praising a name, even the name of Jesus, it is not practicing the life of Jesus. We must practice living deeply, loving, and acting with charity if we wish to truly honor Jesus. The way is Jesus Himself and not just some idea of Him. A true teaching is not static. It is not mere words but the reality of life. Many who have neither the way nor the life try to impose on others what they believe to be the way. But these are only words that have no connection with real life of a real way. When we understand and practice deeply the life and teachings of Buddha or the life and teachings of Jesus, we penetrate the door and enter the abode of the living Buddha and the living Christ, and life eternal presents itself to us.

Living Life

2007-01-19T15:46:00.000-08:00

I’ve been thinking about my beliefs in spirituality. I started my life with a definite set of beliefs. By the time I graduated high school I thought I had it figured out. Over the next 10 years of my life my views changed drastically.

There is no way for me to go through and tell every part of that journey. It has been great, it has been scary, it has been sad, it has been oppressive and it has set me free. I have no desire to tell every detail of my beliefs about spirituality. But there are a few very striking differences in the way I see my life now. One in particular has been making me laugh recently.

I moved from a faith that looked to the end, to a belief that demands that I live in the present. The Christian belief that I grew up with was one that saw heaven as a place where God lived. The goal of that Christianity was to end up in heaven someday. How do you do that? Well, we would tell you that faith was what got you there, but you might be confused by the fact that we WORKED SO HARD to keep from slipping into HELL. Of course, the rationale behind that is if you have faith your heart will change and you will appear as though you are working hard to get to heaven.

But my beliefs have changed. More importantly my priorities have changed. A Christian band I heard once sang the lyrics, “We pass by bread of life ‘cause we want dessert.” The idea that life is the goal, life is the “meat” of true Christianity or any spiritual belief is what changed my view. I haven’t given a second thought (or a first for that matter) about whether I’m going to heaven or hell in probably a year or two. I believe when Jesus said that the kingdom of God is at hand he meant that it is here, now, where we can touch it and bring it into being more fully. Why would Jesus have prayed for the kingdom of God to come on earth as it is in heaven if he didn’t think it was possible?

If a person lives out the virtues that Jesus taught (and I believe other non-biblical figures taught as well) the kingdom of God or heaven will be there.
Life is all I have. Why the hell would I spend my time worrying what will happen to me after it’s over. I have to live my life, not to get to heaven, but to make heaven.

Hip Hip Hooray

2007-01-17T17:30:00.000-08:00

Mark Cuban, the billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks, has a great posting about a ridiculous practice that I have often contemplated.

(I'm working on a series of posts on my time at seminary so far and my beliefs about spirituality, and hoping that a couple of my fellow bloggers will join me. Until then enjoy the nugget of wisdom from Mark.)

Also, please notice the new color scheme on the blog. Recognize, I don't know any HTML and figured it all out on my own. Somebody pat me on the back, please!!!

Two Great Injustices

2007-01-08T14:58:00.000-08:00

We flew in from Alaska at about 6:30am for a 25 hour stay in our hometown before going to visit G, his wife T, and their new baby girl (who shall be known as K) in Boise, ID. An all night flight called for a bit of a nap before we tried to do anything during one day stay at home.

We spent the day doing laundry, repacking for a less cold climate, and being tired from the flight. That evening we decided to order two Turkey O’ Toole sandwiches from one of our favorite restaurants. I went to pick them up and found that I was in the midst of the first of two great injustices that I would experience in less than 24 hours.

As I ascended the steps to the bar to pick up my order I heard a commotion to my right and looked over to see what was happening. I saw a youngish lady, maybe late 20s, with two of her lady friends relating a fantastic story to one of the bartenders, a young man. With the slightest hint of a flirt the young lady told the tale of the purse-snatcher who took hers just yesterday. With flailing arms and inflective voice the young lady exclaimed over the fact that the purse had her cellular telephone in it. She called her own number, talked to the purse-snatcher, and he hung up on her. “Can you believe he had the balls to take my purse AND hang up on me?”

I sure couldn’t! As I signed the credit card receipt and turned to leave I heard the girl explaining to the bartender the worst part of the whole experience. “I wouldn’t mind so much except now I have to carry around this crappy cell phone!” She reached into what I guess was her new purse and retrieved a small flip phone with a camera built in.

“It doesn’t look that bad,” said the young bartender in an attempt to console the young lady.

“But it isn’t my pink Razr,” the young lady said.

Apparently, no phone could live up to the past glory of the pink Razr.
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The next morning we arrived at our extended parking lot and I went to fetch the shuttle to load our luggage. The driver had an unmistakable African accent and it intrigued me. Usually the conversation goes something like this:

“So, where are you from?”
The person answers. If the answer is anywhere close to Uganda, like on the same continent, I’ll respond: “I’ve been to Uganda!”

My feeble attempt at connecting. This time it worked. They man was from Ethiopia and was raised in Kenya (which borders Uganda). He was pleased to talk to someone that was somewhat familiar with his home.

We chatted a bit, small talk. Then he asked me if I would ever go back to visit Uganda. I told him I’d like to, and that I’d like to visit Kenya to climb Kilimanjaro. Then I asked. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut to save myself from the horrible feeling that would follow, but I didn’t.

“Will you go back to visit?”

“Kenya? Maybe. Ethiopia? No. If I go back the government will kill me. They killed my father when I was 4. That’s why I was raised in Kenya. The government there is very bad, very corrupt. I would like to go back very much, but it will not happen.”

The second great injustice…

Which of these two is greater? I’m sure that to each in their time the injustice of the situation is great.

Maybe the greater injustice is the one that helps someone see the world more clearly.

I am...

2006-12-27T15:19:00.000-08:00

I was at the mall two days before Christmas, eating a lovely piece of Sbarro stuffed-sausage and pepperonni pizza when I saw something that made me chuckle.

A group of four people (two couples) sat at an adjacent table eating their own Sbarro selections, when a well-dressed gentleman walked to the table. The gentleman obviously knew one of the couples because they immediately got up and gave hugs to the gentleman. The lady, after giving her hug, turned to introduce the other couple still munching on their pizza. Pointing to the lady sitting down she said, "This is Kathy." Before the lady could turn to introduce the well-dressed gentleman he reached his hand over to shake Kathy's and said, "Hello, I'm Rich!"

How wealthy does one have to be in order to introduce oneself in this fashion?

Merry Christmas Indeed

2006-12-21T16:07:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine, 19 and unmarried, recently found out that she is pregnant. She spent long hours agonizing over whether or not to keep the baby. Finally, she made the decision to keep the baby. Then she let people at her church know about the pregnancy.

Recently she went to the doctor to hear the heartbeat. The doctor couldn’t find the heartbeat, but told them not to worry. He said the he only hears the heartbeat 50% of the time when people come in so early. She was told to come back in a few weeks. In the meantime she went to church and told people what had happened. She was informed by people at the church that she had probably miscarried and that if she did it was probably a “God Thing”. Is it any wonder my friend doesn't like going to church?

Let me get this straight: an unwed mother aborts a baby and it’s murder, but an unwed mother miscarries and it’s a God Thing?

Someone please explain this to me.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

P.S. My friend went back to the doctor and heard the heartbeat and it was just fine. I guess it wasn't a God Thing.

Who are we Trying to Convince?

2006-12-15T15:36:00.000-08:00

I’m reading The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho, author of The Alchemist. It’s an interesting book Coelho has an interesting way of weaving many faith traditions into his stories. This book follows a pilgrim on the San Tiago pilgrimage in Spain.

While traveling this road the pilgrim’s guide tells him:

“We are always trying to convert people to a belief in our own explanation of
the universe. We think that the more people there are who believe as
we do, the more certain it will be that what we believe is the
truth. But it doesn’t work like that at all.”

Is that true? Is that why we (humans) spend so much time saying what we believe?

I know a lot of people that would say they want people to believe (fill in the blank) because they truly care about the person’s soul. But is it really about others, or is it about making ourselves feel more secure in our own beliefs?

A Change of Heart?

2006-12-12T10:04:00.000-08:00

Please continue to comment on the survey from yesterday. If you have a blog I wouldn’t be opposed to your posting a link to the survey. I’d really like to get some more feedback.

But I just had to link to this article from The Lede on the NY Times website. It seems that fundamentalist evangelicals (should I have capitalized that?) might be changing their tune on the homosexuality issue. Craig Williford, president of a cross-town seminary, seems to think that maybe the way they’ve talked about homosexuality/homosexuals in the past was a bit harsh.

This comes after two very prominent preachers admitting to homosexual relationships. So, are they wishy-washy, not sticking with what they know is right? Are they placating the media and swaying in the winds of sin? Or are they really changing the way they will deal with homosexuality in the future? Does Williford speak for anyone besides himself and Denver Seminary?

I imagine that some people are upset because it took two prominent leaders taking a fall for this realization to happen. I imagine that some are upset because Williford is saying the politically correct thing and not sticking with “God’s Word”. Anyone care to comment on that?

A Rant and a Survey

2006-12-11T10:13:00.001-08:00

Why do my clothes still have tags on them?
Most people don’t like tags.
My wife cuts them out of her shirts.
We clearly have the technology to create beautiful clothing with no tags.
Why do my clothes still have tags on them?
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(please participate, kind sir or madam)

Here’s a little survey. I’d really like to get lots of responses on this. It’s something that I’m wondering about a lot lately. Just weigh-in in the comments section and don’t be shy. Also, please let others know so they’ll give their opinions. If you’re too nervous to put your name, just comment anonymously. Here we go:

One of my professors at ACU (who shall remain nameless to protect his position in “the brotherhood”) once held the Bible up in front of the class and said, “This book is not the word of God, this book contains the word of God.” The implications of that statement are huge, and have made a big impact on the way I see the Bible.

Do you believe that:

The Bible is the Word of God?
The Bible is Inspired? What does that mean?
The Bible is inerrant?
The Bible is the only authority for the Christian life?

Now, why do you believe what you believe?

You don't have to be a Bible scholar, I just want to know what people believe about this stuff. No pressure.

Motion Picture

2006-12-07T10:01:00.000-08:00

Okay, nobody wanted to talk about Paul and Jesus. Let’s see if we can get some conversation going with this…

I’m really looking forward to the 6th installment of the Rocky series entitled Rocky Balboa. What is it about this mushmouth big ox that I love so much? Is it the fact that he beat-up Mr. T? Maybe I feel sorry for him because he uses no defense when boxing.

I plan to see if when it comes out. Will you be viewing this motion picture on opening day?

Paul vs. Jesus

2006-11-20T14:32:00.000-08:00

This is a picture I took of my in-laws’ gate in Uganda. I always loved this picture.
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Bill said in a comment on my last post, “it is all about Jesus and not about Paul…isn't it?”

I think you’re right. I think that Paul would agree with you. However, the churches that I’ve been a part of seem to take Paul’s letters to certain churches and certain people and try to make them rules for all time for all people.

Paul’s commentary on Jesus and the church are helpful, but I don’t assign them the same authority in my life as the teachings of Jesus.

Are there some parts of the Bible that are more important than others? For me there are.

I’m interested to hear what others think about this. Are some parts of the Bible more important than others? What does that mean about the inspiration of the Bible?

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By the way Bill, it was good to see you as well. I also regret that we didn’t get to talk more. I hope that we’ll be able to stay in touch through the wonderful world of the internet.

Just wondering

2006-11-15T14:20:00.000-08:00

What if heaven isn’t something that comes when you die? What if heaven is what happens in life when we live it in the way of the Christ?

What if the second coming of Christ isn’t something that will happen at the end of the world? What if the second coming of Christ happens whenever we internalize the message of the Christ and live it out in our lives?

Would Christianity be something better?

Would people stop nitpicicking on the small verses that Paul wrote and start living out the broad message of the Sermon on the Mount?

If the second coming of the Christ is in us, then we have power to make it happen. If heaven isn’t at the end, then the hope is now.

Freedom

My Future

2006-11-03T09:38:00.000-08:00

In clarification to the last post:

There are several different gods in the ancient Near East at the time of the pre-exilic and exilic prophets of Israel, and all of them would have had prophets employed by the king. The big ones would have been Baal, Asherah, and El. Each nation worshipped a different god, or at least a different manifestation of a god and each king would have had prophets to communicate with the god.

I learned yesterday that recent archeological digs have found a large cache of prophetic writings from the ANE. My professor thinks that the message of justice and righteousness through caring for the poor/downcast will be a message we will see in those writings.
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On a different note I’m having a lot of trouble deciding what to do. I know that I’ve got time to decide and all that, but what I do after this degree will have direct implications for which degree I work toward. Here are some options:

I am very interested in world religions/comparative religion. I could finish the MDiv, which is a professional degree that would prepare me for ministry of some sort (chaplaincy, parish ministry, etc.). Then I could go do another master’s in comparative/world religion somewhere. This option would keep me from having to do a dissertation which I fear.

I could also go on to a PhD program in comparative/world religion. This would put me face to face with the feared dissertation. This would prepare me for a life of teaching and/or writing. I like writing and I think I might like teaching, but I like the learning part of school the best.

However, if I am going on to do a PhD I really don’t need to do an MDiv. It is a huge degree and it doesn’t have a Thesis project which would be helpful when applying for a PhD program. So, I could switch now to an M.A., which would take considerably less time and prepare me more for the PhD program.

Here’s the dilemma: I could do any of these. I think that if I put my mind to it I could probably do any of these things. I have nobody telling me to hurry up and decide. I have no money either way, so that isn’t really an issue. I guess the question is do I have the guts to settle on one and point my life in a very specific direction? If so, do I have the guts to make my direction toward something so lofty as a PhD?

I do have an idea for my doctoral work: I think the influx of missionary activity in Africa has not changed the religion of the Africans from native African religions to Christian, rather I think it has created a new religion entirely that is a grafting of the two together.

Any words of advice? Anyone looking back on a life of things they wish they did?

My Query

2006-11-01T21:02:00.000-08:00

Well, we’re on to prophetic literature in Hebrew Bible. The history of it is a bit confusing for me. The Israelites seem to be constantly on their way into captivity. But the theology and sociology of it all is exciting.

In the study of the Hebrew Bible it becomes clear the God fits the profile for gods of the time. The way that YHWH interacts with Israel is very similar to the way that Baal interacts with Canaan. God speaks through prophets, God’s ambassador on earth is the king, sacrifices, etc. God in the Torah and Deuteronomistic History (Deuteronomy-Kings) is a typical ancient Near Eastern god in many respects.

We were discussing the message of the prophets in class on Tuesday and it was mentioned that their message was much like that of Jesus. “Your sacrifices aren’t cutting it because you neglect justice and righteousness.” This is the message of the prophets, the message of Jesus, and it is the constant message to people of every age it seems.

Here is my question. Is this message unique to those messengers of the Hebrew God? Or are there messages like this coming from prophets of other gods as well? Can we find other gods calling for justice and righteousness instead of feasts, festivals, and sacrifices?

Probably not interesting to many people.

If only I were an ancient Near Eastern historian…
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A tattoo is immanent.

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Only three more weeks of school. Then we’re taking a massive road trip with a baby. Is that a good idea? I’m really looking forward to seeing family and friends as good as family. Plus I get to eat at Pluckers and see the Mavericks.
After November 21 I don’t have any school until January. This quarter system is weird.

My Life of Late

2006-10-25T07:36:00.000-07:00

A few things to tell about…

1) I got a ‘B’ on my first paper in my Mdiv program. I’m happy with it. I thought I wrote a ‘B’ paper. Mostly I wrote a ‘B’ paper because it was my first one and I wasn’t exactly sure what they expected.

2) Iliff School of Theology is a great place! People here are genuine, smart, and they try hard to be non-judgmental. This is such a diverse place there really isn’t room for judgment.

3) Finding a church is hard. Either the preaching is good and the music is silly or … well, mostly it’s that.

4) I would compromise on music any day in order to have good preaching and a good community. (I’ve had good music most of my life)

5) I studied all weekend for my midterm in Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). I spent much of the day Saturday, Sunday and Monday in the Library.

6) Reason #1 to live near or on campus: I can walk to the library … and I can walk home anytime I need to go twosies! (that’s poop)

7) Good News: I took my midterm and did pretty well, I think. Bad News: I’ll spend the next week or so second guessing all of my answers.

8) Old News (but interesting nevertheless): I broke my non-vomit streak of nearly 12 years last month. It’s G’s fault, though.

9) The fourth season of Scrubs came out, and now I am watching it, slowly. I want to savor.

10) My job coaching the soccer team is almost over. They haven’t won a game, but I think they’re getting better. Bonus: Team Party, free pizza buffet for the coach (that’s this guy) and his wife. They said they won’t pay for my daughter, though.

Question: Most people in the tradition in which I grew up believe (or say they believe) in salvation by faith alone, that our sins are forgiven and removed from us “as far as the east is from the west.” Most would also insist that we will be judged at the day of judgment for our deeds. If God’s forgotten them, how can we be judged on them? If he is going to overlook our shortcomings why do people use the day of judgment as a threat?

Is this the result of poorly thought out theology? Do people want it both ways?

P.S. BSC, If you're reading this, put in your beverage order. We'll be in town on the weekend of the 10th. If you want something rare from the company, I'll have to go find it, maybe at their headquarters. Dad, Brother, you too.

The Church You Know

2006-10-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

I know it hasn't been my requisite 3 weeks since my last post, but I came across this website that made me laugh outloud while I was sitting by myself in the living room. It's called TheChurchYouKnow and it's pretty funny. If you feel like you might get offended, first read their Credo section.

I think I might get along with these fellows.

Enjoy!

My First Quarter

2006-10-09T11:12:00.000-07:00

I’m taking two classes this quarter. Christianity from the Reformation to the Enlightenment and Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). I really like both of these classes.

Christianity from the Reformation to the Enlightenment may seem a little dry, and it is, but it is truly fascinating. It just helps to remind me that learning history is so important because I don’t want to waste my time doing things that have already been done to death. I don’t need to argue to anyone about the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist; Luther, Karlstadt, and Zwingli did plenty of that. I can see what they said, make a decision about what I believe and move on. Most Christians have no idea about the history of their religion and I think it severely hinders them. That is one thing, among many, that I admire about the Jewish community. They do their best to make sure their children know about their spiritual heritage.

Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) is a great class. This one I can really sink my teeth into. Ever wonder about all of the strange stories in the Old Testament? Ever wonder why there are two very different accounts of the creation story in Genesis? Me too, and that is why this class is so exciting to me. We’re actually discussing the stories and their problems without being afraid that we’ll go to hell for questioning the Bible (what a concept). We’re even discussing the way that God’s personality develops through the Bible. Can God’s personality develop? Is God really omniscient?

Here’s a question for you: In Joshua two spies go to scout out Jericho. They go to visit a prostitute named Rahab and she hides them from the King. They promise her that she’ll be safe when they come back to destroy her city. Her house is in the wall of the city and she lowers them down out of the city. When the Israelites come back to destroy the city they shout at the wall and it falls down flat. If Rahab’s house is in the city wall, how is it that Rahab and her family are okay? If you’re interested the stories are in Joshua 2,6.

Also, these guys are supposed to be scouting out the land, what are they doing visiting a prostitute?

So these are my classes for the first quarter. Are you jealous?
I’ve also joined a soccer team. I played on Sunday and I’m very, very sore. I guess I haven’t used all of those muscles in a while.

My Daughter

2006-09-20T22:10:00.000-07:00

It's official. I'm a daddy. My wife says it looks good on me.

I've started a blog as a place for me to post a few of the 100s of photos the grandfather is taking this week. We'll keep it around and chronicle the life of our daughter, so our friends and family around the world can keep up with her (and us if you're interested).

Here is a link to our Daughter's blog.

Stop by and see her. I think she's beautiful!

My Witness?

2006-09-11T18:20:00.000-07:00

So, I was sitting with my wife, sister-in-law, nieces, and sister-in-law’s mother-in-law eating breakfast in downtown Grand Junction. The waitress brought me my lovely Santa Fe scramble with pablanos, onion, tomato, and cilantro. It looked delicious. I was about to take the delicious first bite when sister-in-law asks, “Do you want to pray?”

This has happened many times to me. Had you asked me this even just a couple of months ago I would have said, “Yes,” without any hesitation. However, my answer to my sister-in-law was quick and simple. I said to her, “No.” I think she thought I was joking and said that she would pray.

I was polite. I bowed my head and listened while she prayed. It was just fine.

But here is the reason that I said no. I’ve recently been thinking a lot about the unspoken rules that Christians live by that have nothing to do with the teachings of Jesus, some of them go in direct opposition to Jesus’ teachings.

One of the most glaring examples is the unspoken rule that Christians will pray unashamedly before every meal, even when they’re in public. I’ve heard some say that it is a good witness.

However, Jesus clearly teaches that a person should not pray in public so that others can see. Rather, Jesus says that one should go into his or her room and shut the door to pray.

In addition to that it just seems a bit silly. I pray in front of others, possibly make them uncomfortable, and call it my witness? Seems lazy and unnecessary. Instead I could be kind to my server, tip well, buy someone else's meal. Now those are some good works I could stand behind. But my suggestion is that we do prayer like Jesus suggested; in our rooms by ourselves, in secret.

So, if you go out to eat with me and ask me if I want to pray, my answer will be no.
Why would you pray where others can see it? I think a better witness would be handing money to a homeless person or showing love to a person who is without love.

What do you think about that?

My Changes

2006-08-06T19:16:00.000-07:00

For those of you who may not know, there will be a lot of changes in my life in the next few weeks.

First of all, we are moving to Denver on the first weekend in September. I'm going back to school to get an MDiv (Master's of Divinity). Jeannie, the wife, will also be doing school work, at least enough to get MDiv equivalency for her Chaplaincy certification. We'll be attending Iliff Graduate School of Theology. It's a small school that shares a campus with Denver University. Iliff is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, but is a very diverse place. We're really looking forward to furthering our education.

What, you may ask, will I be doing after I get my degree? I don't know.

I do know that a few weeks after we get to Denver we will have a new arrival at our house. Our little baby girl is due on September 27th. Jeannie is convinced that the little one will be coming early. I guess we'll see.

So, That is what is going on in my life right now. I hope to update this more often as the changes take place.

Peace

My First Catholic Experience

2006-05-23T11:05:00.000-07:00

Last week I attended an ordination ceremony for a Catholic priest. Martin (Marteen) the Mexican, Catholic, Priest-in-training that was in my wife’s pastoral education group this past summer became a priest last Thursday night.

(Martin is the man who famously remarked, “I don’t want… Study Bible.”
Martin was the man whose greatest desire last summer was to travel to Las Vegas in order to “PARTY” and see Celine Dion.)

This was my first time to attend a Catholic ceremony of any kind. Many in my faith tradition would not consider Catholics to be Christian. I don’t share that view, but until last Thursday had never even been inside a Catholic church.

It was packed. The place was completely full. I know this because my leg was overlapped by the rather robust lady sitting next to me. It was hot. It was noisy because all of the little kids were crowded and overheated. I couldn’t see what was going on because I am wee in stature and we got there a bit later than we had planned. I couldn’t hear because the old priest presiding over the ceremony was a low talker and his alter boy held the microphone too far away from the low talker’s mouth.

I know that they made promises and gave and received blessings. I know there was a homily (sermon) given in both English and Spanish. I know that there were some guys dressed a bit like pirates that led the processional and recessional (they wore capes, buccaneer hats, and each carried a sword). I know that all of the priests present for the ceremony (30 or so) wore awesome robes. And I know that there was a kickin’ party going on out back after the ceremony; complete with mariachi band and dancing.

I’m still not sure what all went on. I’m not sure exactly what was said. And I don't know if I'll ever figure out why the pirates were there. But there was something very beautiful about watching four men committing their lives to God in a very radical way. Most people I know don’t like the idea of priests. The exclusive way that they are treated, the thought that they are the avenue to get to God is too much for most folks in my world. But how beautiful for someone to be set apart for the purpose of communing with God and bringing others into the presence of God. The reverence with which they treat God and each other is something from which I can learn. The one that is ordained to carry out this ministry truly is set apart in a very concrete way. Each priest is truly a holy person, set apart not only by the way he dresses, but by his entire life; much more than a professional Christian.

Despite the hot, cramped space, and not knowing exactly what was going on, it was a great experience that has caused me to think about my life and my work.

May God bless Martin, a man truly set apart for the work of God.