Reinventing the Adventist Wheel

Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus || Spoken Word

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:10:00 PST

by Jefferson Bethke
(16,368,656 YouTube hits by 11:50, 11-23-12)

A poem I wrote to highlight the difference between Jesus and false religion. In the scriptures Jesus received the most opposition from the most religious people of his day. At its core Jesus' gospel and the good news of the Cross is in pure opposition to self-righteousness/self-justification. Religion is man centered; Jesus is God-centered. This poem highlights my journey to discover this truth. Religion either ends in pride or despair. Pride because you make a list and can do it and act better than everyone, or despair because you can't do your own list of rules and feel "not good enough" for God. With Jesus though you have humble confident joy because He represents you, you don't represent yourself and His sacrifice is perfect putting us in perfect standing with God!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY

from A Word of Grace for Your Monday-1/16/12

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:05:00 PST

by Kent A. Hansen
khansen@claysonlaw.com

“The popular concept of ‘idolatry’ conjures up thoughts of sybaritic pagans dancing around wood and stone effigies in the woods. In truth, an idol is anything that takes our affections and worship from God. Most hard-working, virtuous people can't conceive of themselves as idolaters, but even work and virtue can become idols if our focus is on our performance rather than on God's grace.

“This can get really tough when our idol is something good like home and family. The most criticism that I ever received for these messages is for one I wrote many years ago on the idolatry of family. My point was summarized, perhaps too tersely by the statement, ‘We aren't called to focus on the family. We are called to worship God and trust our families and their values to him in obedience.’

“You would have thought that I had blasphemed Jesus on the Cross, which really proved my point that the family can be an idolatrous substitute for God. Many of those writing critical comments turned out to be the children of pastors who had ignored and neglected their spouses and children on the pretext that they were doing the Lord's business. Their emails revealed a lot of pain and anger toward God and their fathers who they kind of had all mixed together, again proving my point.

“My response to them was, ‘If your dad found the temptations of pulpit, the flattery of church members, and addressing other people's problems more alluring than being home, changing diapers, washing dishes, doing yard work, playing games, and talking with your mom and you, that's not God's fault. That's your dad's idolatry. I am writing about those who worship a rigid, formulaic image of family rather than the God who blesses us with family and the grace to live within and outside of family. Until you forgive your dad and move on with God, you are perversely making an idol of your dad, expecting him to give what only God can give you.’”

Malcolm Gladwell on spaghetti sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:00:05 PST

Tipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell gets inside the food industry's pursuit of the perfect spaghetti sauce -- and makes a larger argument about the nature of choice and happiness.

Moderator’s Note: The importance of this presentation for SDA evangelism and the wellbeing of the church is the realization that there are and always will be a diversity of Adventist experiences and opinions. As Gladwell points out, there is a very anemic market for only one recipe for anything.

Stacey Kramer: The best gift I ever survived

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:10:00 PST

Stacey Kramer offers a moving, personal, 3-minute parable that shows how an unwanted experience -- frightening, traumatic, costly -- can turn out to be a priceless gift.

Meditation on Turning 80 in London

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:05:00 PST

By John Shelby Spong
http://johnshelbyspong.com/

As I grew older, the present became increasingly where I wanted to live, not the future. Meaning was found, life was lived and relationships were treasured in the present. My family became more and more important to me. Freeing people to be whole and to offer the gifts they have to offer, whether modest or impressive, became an essential mark of life. Faith became existential not theoretical. God became a living presence, not an external being. Christ became a principle lived out fully in history by Jesus of Nazareth. Christianity became a universal experience that crossed all boundaries. Staying connected with old friends became an increasingly precious part of life. Repairing broken relationships, where possible, became a priority and where it was not possible it helped simply to acknowledge my part in the brokenness.

I have never been one to speculate on the content of life after death, but I do trust it, feel it, and seek to live into it. The only way I know how to prepare for life after death is to live deeply, richly and fully now, scaling life’s heights, plumbing life’s depths, risking love, affirming others and accepting differences. It is by living fully that I prepare for death.

St. Paul was wrong, death is not the last enemy to be defeated. Death is a friend to be embraced. Death adds zest and passion to life by forcing us to live and investing each moment with ultimacy. I thus never want to miss an opportunity to tell my wife how much I love her. I live for the moments when my children or grandchildren call or when we visit. I love to hear about their victories and defeats, their struggles and joys. I want to live every moment of the life that I have, but I also want to relinquish that life with grace and dignity when it is time to do so.

Alain de Botton: Atheism 2.0

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:00:03 PST

What aspects of religion should atheists (respectfully) adopt? Alain de Botton suggests a "religion for atheists" -- call it Atheism 2.0 -- that incorporates religious forms and traditions to satisfy our human need for connection, ritual and transcendence.

Award-winning teen-age science in action

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:10:00 PST

In 2011 three young women swept the top prizes of the first Google Science Fair. At TEDxWomen Lauren Hodge, Shree Bose and Naomi Shah described their extraordinary projects-- and their route to a passion for science.

The Enigma Called Judas

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:03:09 PST

Exploring the Story of the Cross, Part VI
By John Shelby Spong
http://johnshelbyspong.com/

The anti-hero of the Christian story in general and of the crucifixion story in particular is one who is known as Judas Iscariot. Scorn and ridicule have been heaped on this figure over the centuries of Christian history. Much anti-Semitism has flowed from the depiction of this character. No one anywhere names his or her child “Judas.” The name itself has become the synonym for betrayal, for being stabbed in the back. The phrase “thirty pieces of silver” is referred to in print time and time again in the context of other incidents of traitorous behavior. When Judas is depicted in Christian art he is portrayed in dark and sinister tones. Events in western Christian history from the Inquisition in the 14th century to the expulsion of the Jews from or the ghettoizing of Jews in almost every country of Europe at one time or another, to Martin Luther’s call for the burning of synagogues, to the violence and killing frenzy of the Holocaust in the 20th century are all rooted substantially in the biblical portrait of Judas and through him applied to all Jewish people. It does not escape notice that the name Judas is identical with the name Judah, by which the entire Jewish nation was called, Judas being simply a Greek spelling of that name. Given this history, what can we then say about the literal biblical character known as Judas Iscariot? Can 21st century people, employing the critical tools of biblical and historical scholarship now available to us, cast light on this figure? I think we can.

The first questions we need to raise are very basic. Is Judas actually a person of history or is he a mythical character, a symbol that the original writers and hearers of the gospels would have understood, but whose meaning escaped later non-Jewish readers? To begin to answer these questions, I turn first to the record regarding this figure in the New Testament itself and see what light a critical study of those various books might say about this major character in the Jesus drama, which the gospel writers were creating forty to seventy year after the crucifixion.

I begin with the earliest Christian writings that we possess the authentic epistles of Paul, all of which can be dated between 51 at the earliest and 64 at the latest. This makes them just 21 to 34 years after the crucifixion, which makes these Pauline writings the closest writing we have to the historical events surrounding the crucifixion. They are also one or two decades before the first gospel (Mark) was written and four to five decades before the last gospel (John) was completed. So our first task is to examine what Paul, the original New Testament writer, had to say about Judas Iscariot. The answer surprises many. Paul said nothing about Judas. Not a single, solitary mention of his name! Pressing deeper we ask if Paul says anything about an act of betrayal. The answer to that question is vague, since it depends on how one Greek word is translated. In I Corinthians, written in the mid-fifties (54-56) Paul says in chapter 11, “On the night that Jesus was handed over, he took bread.” Paul then proceeds to relate the story of the institution of the Christian Eucharist, known as “The Lord’s Supper.” Note three things about this single reference. First, there is no indication in his text whatsoever that Paul identified the meal with a Passover meal. This identification would come later only when the gospels were written. Second, the word used in this single text is properly translated “handed over” not “betrayed,” which means that the idea of betrayal was based on a later, harsher rendering of that word. In the Pauline text by itself here is no indication that this “handing over” constituted an overt act of betrayal. At the very least it is not as strong a word as people have assumed in Christian history Thirdly, there is no sense in this original reference to the handing over of Jesus that it was the work of one of ‘the twelve.” So the first question we face is what do these omissions mean? Could Paul simply have assumed the truth of what came to be thought of as the “traditional view” of betrayal without actually mentioning them? That would be in the category of possible but not probable! An act as painful and scandalous as betrayal at the hands of one of the twelve would be hard to ignore. If such a tradition were known could it possibly have been omitted? I do not think so,which leads me to suggest that it was not known.

Recall that Paul was a student of the law as well as an educated rabbi and a rigid observer of Jewish liturgical forms. The words “handed over” are quite passive and do not seem to imply a planned act of traitorous behavior such as that described in the gospel accounts where Judas has contact with the Temple authorities well in advance of the act and even agrees on the amount of the payment that he is to receive for his cooperation. The clinching argument for me is that Paul, just four chapters later in the same epistle, describes the resurrection appearances by saying: “He (Jesus) first appeared to Cephas (Peter) and then to the twelve.” Note “the twelve!” Judas is still present. Could the traitor still be part of the intimate band of disciples if he had brought about the death of their leader? That is to me inconceivable! So, I conclude that in the writings of Paul there is no hint that one of the twelve was the traitor, which means that the Judas story has to be a story that developed after Paul’s time and is thus not an original part of the tradition. Recall that thirty years later Matthew would say that Jesus appeared only to “the eleven.” All of these data point to the probability that betrayal at the hands of one of the twelve named Judas was not a fact of history, but an interpretive addition to a developing tradition.

When Paul was forced later to defend his own apostleship, an activity that permeates his authentic writing, would it not have helped his cause to refer to the defection of one of the twelve, to bolster his apostolic claim as one whom he said “was born out of due time?”

Having filed these first seeds of doubt, based on contemporary biblical insight, I now turn to the gospels and trace in them the development of the story of Judas. Lining up the gospels in the order in which they were written and focusing only on what each gospel says about Judas, we discover that between Mark, dated in the early 70’s, and John dated in the late 90’s, the figure of Judas grows more and more evil. Judas is mentioned for the first time in written history in chapter three where Mark introduces the twelve and identifies Judas as the one who betrayed him. It is of interest to note that both Luke and John tell us of another one of the twelve who is named “Judas,” but who is not Iscariot. It appears that a good Judas is also in the Christian memory in the 1st century. When Mark first describes Judas‘ traitorous act, he does so in a fairly low-key fashion. In this first gospel Mark mentions no bribe and no stated motive; he does say, however that Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss at midnight. Then Judas disappears from Mark’s story and is never mentioned again. Matthew, the second gospel to be written (82-85), builds on Mark’s story, but he now supplies the motive, a bribe of thirty pieces of silver. Matthew goes on to tell us that Judas repented and hurled the thirty pieces of silver back into the Temple and then went and hanged himself. The Judas story is clearly growing. Luke, writing about a decade after Matthew, explains Judas’ actions as having been done at the impulse of “the devil.” John, writing between 95-100, suggests that Judas was a thief and that he would do anything for money. John also says that when Judas left the upper room to do the dastardly deed, he walked out of light into darkness. At that moment “it was night.” says the Fourth Gospel. As the years go by Judas grows darker.

Next, we take all of the biographical details found in gospels about Judas and search the Hebrew Scriptures about other traitors in Jewish history to see if we can see any literary connections. The result of this search is that every detail attributed to Judas in the gospels is present in earlier stories of traitors in the Hebrew Scriptures.

First we look at the Genesis story of Joseph being “handed over” by his brothers, a band of twelve, to be sold into slavery in Egypt. The brother who decided to receive money for this deed was named Judah. I do not think that is coincidental. In the David cycle of stories in the book of II Samuel the king was called “The Lord’s Anointed,” the same word that would later be translated “messiah.” He was betrayed by a man named Ahithophel, who also broke bread with King David around the table just as Judas was portrayed as doing at the last supper in the gospel narratives. This same Ahithophel, when he recognized the consequences of his actions, was said to have hanged himself. That detail is added to the Judas story by Matthew. The idea of being betrayed with a kiss is also found in the David cycle of stories when Joab, David’s military Chief of Staff was replaced after Absalom’s rebellion by a man named Amasa, Joab sought out his successor under the guise of congratulating him. When he found him, he drew Amasa by the beard to give him the kiss of friendship only to disembowel him simultaneously with a dagger. Mark has Judas kiss Jesus in the Garden to fulfill a signal given to the Chief Priests. Luke, writing in the book of Acts, suggests that Judas died not by hanging, but by falling down and having “all his bowels gush out.” Is the literary fate of the betrayed Amasa at work here?
Finally, in Zechariah 9-14, the Shepherd King of Israel is betrayed to those who are traders in the Temple for thirty pieces of silver, which was then later thrown back into the Temple, just as Matthew says Judas did with his thirty pieces of silver.

A study of Hebrew sources reveals Judas as a composite of Old Testament traitors described in the Bible. Perhaps Paul did not know about the Judas story because it had not yet been developed. The Judas story grows darker as the years go by because not being history it is still being created. Every detail in the gospel portrait of Judas can be found in earlier biblical traitor stories. Is it then not possible that Judas is a literary figure, a corporate symbol developed for an interpretive purpose to serve some apologetic Christian need? I think this conclusion is both possible and probable. What purpose would such a story serve? I will turn to that question next week and seek to address it then.

Tyler Cowen: Be suspicious of stories

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:00:06 PST

Like all of us, economist Tyler Cowen loves a good story. But in this intriguing talk from TEDxMidAtlantic, he asks us to step away from thinking of our lives -- and our messy, complicated irrational world -- in terms of a simple narrative.

TEDxEastHampton - Joel Hoffman - Interpreting Language

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:10:01 PST

Joel Hoffman is a teacher, translator and author. His latest work uses modern linguistics to better understand the Bible.

Troy Davis and the Debate over Capital Punishment

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:05:00 PST

by John Shelby Spong

support@johnshelbyspong.com

“The debate on the death penalty in America is an ongoing one. The Supreme Court temporarily suspended it in 1972 as “cruel and unusual punishment” and therefore for a time unconstitutional. They then reinstated it in 1976. Since that time 1269 people have been put to death. A particularly horrendous public crime always brings loud calls for capital punishment. Some of the people who support the death penalty surely want revenge. That is as basic and as ancient in human nature as ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ Vengeful, hard justice seems to satisfy this emotion in some people. Others who support the death penalty believe that this punishment is a deterrent to further crime. Deterrence is also the major argument used by politicians who favor it, but all of the studies I have read fail to demonstrate that deterrence works. Nations that have the death penalty have no less murder and in most cases actually have a higher murder rate than those who do not. Psychologically the death penalty has always seemed strange to me. The argument that “because killing is so terrible a thing to do, we will punish those who kill by killing them,” does not make logical sense to me.

“I do understand the need for finality, for closing the door on a devastating episode that has been like a draining sore. I do understand the need for a government to protect its citizens from those who have demonstrated that they are not capable of living in society without doing violence to another. Both of these needs, however, I believe can be met with sentences of life imprisonment without parole. People argue the economics of this, suggesting that lifetime care for convicted murderers is an expense taxpayers ought not to be asked to bear. The facts, however, do not bear even this out. The endless appeals process in capital cases is far more expensive to the taxpayer than life-time incarceration for the convicted one. Others argue that our parole system ultimately sets free those with lifetime sentences. That does happen in some cases, but that can be fixed by a legislative body passing a law to make parole in these cases impossible. This argument is thus an excuse, not a reason.

“Deep down I know that I do not favor capital punishment under any circumstances. My reasons are convincing, at least to me. First, the wrong person can be and has been executed on more than one occasion. Second, there does appear to be economic and racial disparity in those who are sentenced to die. Very few wealthy people, who can afford top criminal lawyers, need fear this outcome. Poor people with court-appointed attorneys do. Far more blacks than whites face the threat of execution. That gives me pause since racism runs so deep in this nation that it inevitably distorts objectivity. Third, both the fields of sociology and psychology have taught us that life is not only deeply connected, but radically interdependent. None of us is an island complete in himself or herself. All of us have been shaped and formed by our human experiences. Is stealing wrong? Yes, of course, stealing is wrong, but so is an economic system that grinds some people so deeply into poverty that they steal in order to survive or to provide bread so that their children do not starve, as was the case with Victor Hugo’s character Jean Valjean in Les Miserables. Is murder wrong? Of course murder is wrong, but who created the murderer? No one is self-made. Abused children do become abusive adults. I do not intend to say that the individual can be relieved of any ultimate responsibility for his or her behavior, but I do want to say that individualism is not as individualistic as once we imagined. We are a deeply interrelated species and any of us can be warped, twisted and even destroyed by another. Given these facts I do not believe that the judgment of society can ever fall with appropriateness solely on the shoulders of the one who commits the crime or pulls the trigger.

“Finally, I am not able to square capital punishment with my faith as a Christian. I do not believe that capital punishment is or can ultimately ever be a moral option, nor do I think war today is or can ever be a moral option. I am also prepared to argue that if we had a vigorous and competent system of sex education in our public schools and if we made birth control universally available, I would regard abortion, save in the rarest of circumstances in which the mother’s life or health was at risk, as no longer a moral option.

“We live, however, in a compromised society. Executions strike me as the result of failed domestic policy. Wars strike me as the result of failed foreign policy. Most abortions strike me as the dreadful result of a compromise between rampant sexual ignorance and the inappropriate repression that rises from contrived and unhealthy sexual fears. I, furthermore, do not think that revenge and violence are the qualities of a civilized people. I do not think that state killing demonstrates an advanced civilization. I still hear the words of Jesus commanding us to love our enemies.

Jay Bradner: Open-source cancer research

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:00:05 PST

How does cancer know it's cancer? At Jay Bradner's lab, they found a molecule that might hold the answer, JQ1 -- and instead of patenting JQ1, they published their findings and mailed samples to 40 other labs to work on. An inspiring look at the open-source future of medical research.

Book Review: The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Parker) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:54:21 PST

Growing up in a conservative Adventist home, I was taught that fiction was a waste of time and that I should be very careful about what I read so that I wouldn’t be seduced by error. I’m grateful that I completely ignored both of those rules. However, I used to read for information and, although I was a voracious reader and enjoyed reading, underlying my reading was always an instrumental assumption that I could use what I learned to advise others or make myself a better person. I also tend to be a person that likes to be organised in my reading – I keep lists of books I want to read and, until recently, I tended to read the next one on the list. It was difficult for me to just “randomly” pick something to read just for pleasure and just because it was of interest at the moment. And I also felt that, at some time in my life, I really needed to read all the “classics” or “great books” in the Western “canon”. My reading was often rule-based as much as my religion was.

Apparently, I am not alone. According to Alan Jacobs in his delightful book The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction these types of approaches to “responsible” reading are widespread and part of the way we have been educated to read. But Jacobs will have none of it! He brings a breath of fresh air to reading that lifts any burden we might feel and, instead, recommends we read what we find pleasurable – without shame!

The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction is a meditative reflection on reading that avoids telling the reader what they should read. No rules here other than some guidelines about gaining the most from reading. Instead, we are to read at Whim. He writes:

… my commitment to one dominant, overarching definitive principle for reading: Read at Whim (italics in original)

….

Read what gives you delight – at least most of the time – and do so without shame.

Jacobs is not suggesting that we do not sometimes read the so-called “great books” that require us to commit to a demanding read. But he likens those to what we might eat at an elegant restaurant – we eat sometimes but not every day. Reading at Whim cannot be the only reason we read. But it is a type of reading we need to recover.

Jacobs does distinguish between lower-case whim and upper-case Whim. The lower-case version

…is thoughtless, directionless preference that almost leads to boredom or frustration or both. But Whim is something very different: it can guide us because it is based in self-knowledge.

Jacobs explores the difference between the two using examples from literature – demonstrating a vast richness of ancient and contemporary sources.

The idea that we can read at Whim is liberating! This book has already changed the way I read. He embraces new technologies (he has a fascinating discussion of the benefits of reading with a Kindle compared to a traditional book) and iconoclastically sweeps away a whole lot tired assumptions that make reading so burdensome for many people.

So… if you want to consider a new approach to reading that has the potential to enliven it again for you, then check out this excellent, Whimsical little book.

Technorati Tags: reading

Movie Review: Melancholia

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Parker) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:04:28 PST

Lars von Trier’s Melancholia would have to be the “deepest” most demanding movie in cinemas at the moment. The word melancholia refers to profound depression, apathy, and withdrawal. In the movie, it also refers to a planet that is about to collide with earth bringing the world to an end and to the experience of one of the main characters of the story, Justine (Kirsten Dunst).

The movie opens with a stunning series of slow motion scenes (snapshots of what is to come) to the music from Richard Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde. The images are surreal and dark and create a degree of anxiety with an impending sense of doom. Following this prologue, the rest of the movie is in two parts – Part 1 is “Justine” and Part 2 is “Claire”. These are two estranged sisters and the story of the impending end of the world is told by focusing on each of them in turn, comparing the way in which each of the sisters deal with the end of the world. The whole movie takes place in a mansion owned by Claire’s husband, John (Kiefer Sutherland), beginning in the first part with Justine’s wedding reception and, in the second part, with Claire caring for Justine as she descends into a profound depression. Justine’s depression begins in the first part of the film and traverses the second part until she begins to improve just before the end of the world occurs.

There are many layers to this film and many possible “readings” of the story. The director has, however, left those things to the viewer to work out – there is no preachiness, no exegesis, just superb storytelling that leaves us deep in contemplation when it is over.

Melancholia is ambitious in using a cosmic event to parallel Justine’s depression. Dunst is superb in her role and, as someone who has experienced a major depressive illness, I resonated with much that she portrayed as she descended into her private hell. Ultimately, for me, the film portrays the different ways that people might face the end of the world (and depression) – opting out before it happens (in the case of John), becoming fraught with anxiety (in the case of Claire), or facing it head on with calm acceptance for what it is (in the case of Justine).

The end of the world is stunningly portrayed by von Trier. There is no cliché, no sensationalism, no “Hollywood” happy resolution. In fact, there is nothing clichéd about this movie at all. It is deeply courageous film making and will, therefore, not suit every viewer. It is tough to watch; patience is required as some parts move slowly; there are nuances to observe; and the subject matter is bleak and confronting.

Apparently, the idea of this movie grew out of von Trier’s own depression while he was in therapy. He came to understand that depressed people could, in the face of impending doom, act with rationality. Because of their experience managing depression, they could perhaps deal with this sort of event better than others (see Rene Rodriguez/Miami Herald for more on this).

God and/or religion is nowhere to be found in this movie. This is the end – that’s all there is. For many Christians, this will be an omission that is significant for them. Most Christians cannot conceive of people dealing with depression or obliteration without God. But they do – and often with ultimate peace and tranquillity. (Feel free to comment on this issue in the comments area below!) Melancholia is a stunning piece of moviemaking – except it is a bit long and slow in the second half. If you want to bypass the superficial fare of the holiday period, check this one out!

You will probably enjoy this movie if you liked Solaris, The Tree of Life, The Virgin Suicides, or The Antichrist.

Content Advice
some graphic nudity,sexual content and language

Béatrice Coron: Stories cut from paper

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:10:00 PST

With scissors and paper, artist Béatrice Coron creates intricate worlds, cities and countries, heavens and hells. Striding onstage in a glorious cape cut from Tyvek, she describes her creative process and the way her stories develop from snips and slices.

From: A Word of Grace for Your Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:05:00 PST

by Kent Hanson

December 4, 2011

khansen@claysonlaw.com

Dear Friends,

The chill betrayed the bright sunshine when hurricane-strength Santa Ana winds blew on the last day of November. High on the roof of the School of Dentistry building, a hungry red-tailed hawk perched, hunched down against the gusts and waited for lunch.

I have often heard that hawk's distinctive "kree-eee-ar" cry and have looked up to see it circling over the Medical Center where pigeons roost on the roof between helicopter landings and takeoffs. I imagine it screamed on this day too when it spied a pigeon making its way in short flights along the north side of the Coleman Pavilion seeking shelter against the blasting winds. No one would have heard it over the roar.

The angle of attack was short and steep. The hawk accelerated its dive to strike the pigeon before it reached the end of the building and could take shelter under the cars in the parking lot beyond.

Working in his second-floor office, my friend, Dr. Richard Peverini, heard the slam against his window. Startled he looked up to see a streak of white pigeon feathers and avian body fluids across the glass. He looked down and saw two birds lying on the sidewalk below. The fierce hawk was dead, lying on its back with talons still extended, highlights of bronze and red glinting in the sun as the wind ruffled its plumage. The hapless gray and white pigeon lay crumpled and still beside it.

The hawk may have misjudged the strength of the once-in-a-generation windstorm in the passage between the buildings and was vulnerable to it with wings folded in the streamlined dive.

More likely, the raptor saw the sunlight streaming through the windows of Richard's corner office illuminating the landscape on the other side of the building and thought open-space would allow it to safely pull out of its dive with its prey in grasp. Instead the impact of the hurtling strike against the unforgiving surface of the glass was so violent that the soft body of the pigeon splattered rather than cushion the body of the hawk against death

Richard is a kind and thoughtful neonatologist and executive who loves nurturing premature babies to health and enjoys the logic and elegance of mathematics. The savage collision within a few feet of where he was sitting was a thought-provoking reminder of just how irrational and brief life can be and of the ever-present shadow of sin on a cloudless day.

He brought me into his office to see the stain on the glass, small feathers still waving in the wind like a white flag of surrender that came too late.

Richard and I share a belief that God is always active and present, though in ways that are often mysterious to humans and to keen-eyed hawks. Job spoke of "That path no bird of prey knows, and the falcon's eye has not seen it" (Job 28:7). We take our lessons with gratitude where we find them.

The hawk's hunger on a tough day for hunting was real. Its desire, instincts, eyesight, speed, sharp talons and even the pigeon were the gifts of its Creator. The way ahead seemed so right, but the winds were treacherous and the light proved false. In the end, the obsessive pursuit proved deadly for the pursuer as well as the pursued.

So we take flight in our pursuit of the good, forgetting that the lines between temptation and calling and presumption and grace are very thin. We do our very best with what we have and push on fast and hard, but is it the right goal? Is it the right time? Is it the right course?

One of the early Christians said, "Do not give your heart to that which does not satisfy your heart." "Follow your heart," the world blithely tells us, but unless the Lord possesses our heart and his Spirit controls us we will be blind and vulnerable to the treacherous winds and false light that lures us on until we smack the wall and fall to our death (See, Rom 6:21).

Hasan Elahi: FBI, here I am!

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:00:04 PST

After he ended up on a watch list by accident, Hasan Elahi was advised by his local FBI agents to let them know when he was traveling. He did that and more ... much more.

Book Review: Heaven is For Real

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Parker) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 20:45:14 PST

Right up front, let me say that I think Todd Burpo’s book Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back is one of the most naive, superficial, and disturbing “Christian” books I’ve read for a long time.

In brief, the book purports to tell of a 4 year old’s journey to heaven during a surgical procedure for a severe ruptured appendix. Following the procedure, and over a period of months and years, Colton, Todd’s son, gradually “revealed” bits and pieces of his alleged journey to heaven. Here’s what he “discovered” and/or “experienced” on his journey:

angels sang to him while he was in hospital
he was sitting on Jesus’ lap while he was in heaven
while in heaven, he saw his father praying in a small room in the hospital and his mother in a different room talking on the phone and praying
he met John the Baptist in heaven
Jesus has a rainbow coloured horse and wears a golden crown with a pink diamond
he was given “homework” to do in heaven while he was being cared for by his deceased grandfather – Pop
everyone in heaven has wings and flies around from place to place – except for Jesus who who levitates up and down like an elevator
everyone in heaven has a light above their heads (Todd Burpo interprets this in the book as a halo)
God is ‘really, really big’ and is so big he holds the world in his hands
Jesus sits at the right hand of God, Gabriel sits on God’s left, and the Holy Spirit is “kind of blue” and sits somewhere in the vicinity of the other three.
the gates of heave are made of gold and pearls
after Colton’s return to earth, he became obsessed with rainbows because of the incredible number of colours he saw in heaven
at times, following his return from heaven, Colton saw ‘power shot down from heaven’ while his dad was preaching
there are swords and bows and arrows in heaven that the angels use to keep Satan out of heaven
the weaponry described above will apparently be used in a coming battle that destroys the world – and Colton’s dad will be fighting in that battle
the final battle will be against actual dragons and monsters while the women and children stand and watch the men fighting them
he meets ‘a sister’ in heaven – who was lost through miscarriage by the mother years before – and which the parents claim they never spoke to Colton about
he claimed to see Satan in heaven but wouldn’t say what he looked like
and he described what Jesus looked like, comparing people’s ideas of Jesus in their artworks as not right, until he was shown a painting of Christ by Akiane Kramarik which he said got the picture of Jesus right

There are a few more “revelations” in the book, but these are the essential ones. And all this was discovered in 3 minutes in heaven!

There are a number of reasons one should be highly sceptical of this book. Firstly, Colton was just 4 years old when he began to talk about his experience mostly prompted by his father – except for the first of his comments about the angels singing to him when he was having his surgery. Four year old children are renowned for making up stories and not being able, at this age, to distinguish fantasy from reality. After all, many children have imaginary friends and use their imagination constantly in making up stories while engaging in play. It would seem that the parents are still thinking like four year olds if they take what their kid says as literally true!

Secondly, why so many months and years for the story to develop – with the prompting of the parents? Surely if a child visited heaven they’d come back and be talking about it excitedly all at once – at least to start with. Haven’t we all heard children bubble over with enthusiasm after having an exciting experience? Not Colton. He doesn’t even mention it until he happens to say something about where his parents were during his operation. But given that it takes years for his whole “story” to come out, one has to wonder how much of it was constructed in response to his father’s questioning.

Thirdly, the “information” provided by Colton is so obviously consistent with an evangelical fundamentalist view that it is not hard to see it has being informed by this culture as he grew up. Colton’s father is a pastor and he admits to reading Bible stories to Colton as he grew up. He would have attended Sunday School and been exposed to all the detail he has described even if unconsciously. It’s not surprising that his description of heaven draws on that culture.

Fourthly, Colton’s father holds to a literalist reading of the biblical Book of Revelation which most people quite rightly understand to be highly symbolic and figurative. Colton describes things like swords and horses (rainbow coloured, no less, obviously similar to the children’s Rainbow Brite toy!) in heaven and his father believes they are truly in heaven because verses in Revelation confirm it! So does Colton’s father believe there is really a slain lamb/lion creature actually there too?

Fifthly, if Colton’s descriptions of God on thrones with angels using swords to keep Satan out of heaven are to be taken literally, then God has been caught in an Old Testament era time warp. Are they really suggesting that God has eternally sat on thrones, ridden horses, fought with swords against real dragons? Most biblical scholars (and most Christians) would have a much more mature view of these issues than the childish view that Colton and his parents have. But then, of course, according to this book, we are to become like little children in our faith and just accept all this stuff without question.

Finally, the idea that Colton has told them a few things that he just couldn’t have known about is highly unlikely. Church communities are renowned gossiping communities and it is much more reasonable to assume that he heard some of these things than to believe they are supernaturally revealed.

There’s a lot more that could be said about this book. But the above will do. Heaven is for Real is simplistic, superficial, and naive. The most disturbing thing about this book is that it has become so popular – which doesn’t say much for the people that swallow it whole without a second thought – even to the extent of stating that they have had their faith strengthened by it. If this is all it takes to reaffirm faith then, to my mind, that faith is pretty fickle.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Calvin and Hobbes

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:25:00 PST

Calvin and his snowmen.

http://www.angelfire.com/wa/zzaran/calvin.html

A Place in the Choir by McGinty Damian and The Celtic Thunder

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:20:00 PST

A joyous tribute to the natural world!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iP27eatYxE

From: What Do Christian Symbols Mean in a Land Where Christianity is No Longer Practiced?

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:15:00 PST

by John Shelby Spong

“Traditional Christianity is clearly dying in Italy – perhaps it has already died. The human experience, however, which traditional Christianity once interpreted, is as real today as ever. Our task is to find new forms through which our eternal yearnings can find expression. That is never achieved by reviving the past. It comes by embracing the future, walking courageously into it and in the process redefining the meaning of being human. To accomplish this Christians must begin by freeing ourselves of binding creeds and dated liturgies. We need to cast aside pious ignorance, the fear of science and of new insights. We probe the dimensions of our humanity, identifying those things that lift us beyond our limits and those that force us to live behind defensive barriers. We look at the freedom and the wholeness of Christ and seek those same qualities in ourselves without worrying about what will become of our traditional and familiar symbols. People living today might not recognize what the Christianity of the 22nd century evolves into being, but we must nonetheless be about this journey.

“Perhaps the secularity of Italy gives the Italians a head start, while we in America still have to push aside the thin, lingering religious veneer. We still see at political rallies in America a hard and harsh presence called “the religious vote,” which suggests that those without health care insurance be allowed to die; boos a gay soldier, who has served courageously, when he seeks equality under the law, and tries to define the religion of a presidential candidate as a “cult.” The Bible is still quoted to defend popular prejudices. Christian liturgies remain pre-Copernican and Christian theology pre-Darwinian, while we search for meaningful answers to such perennial questions as: Who am I? What is my purpose, my destiny? Who is my neighbor? When we begin to ask those questions in honesty with no preconceived religious answers, the time will have arrived for the Christian faith to be born to new dimensions of truth. I yearn and work for that day with confidence that it will arrive.

Huey, Dewey, and Louie : Impossible Christmas 1

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:10:01 PST

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6GAyqzzyRY&feature=related

The Night Before Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:05:00 PST

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=vZfSoJmS1ug

Classic Christmas Cartoon. Pluto's Christmas Tree. 1952. Directed by: Jack Hannah

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:00:00 PST

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBFsFj10tTg

Natalie Warne: Being young and making an impact

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Hanson) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:10:01 PST

At 18, Natalie Warne’s work with the Invisible Children movement made her a hero for young activists. At TEDxTeen she uses her inspiring story to remind us that no one is too young to change the world.