The Hope That Is Within

KyleJohnston.net is Up

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 21:15:00 -0600

Anyway, *cough* *cough*

is now up.

Which means this blog is officially closed, go subscribe to my new RSS feed: http://KyleJohnston.net/feed or subscribe via email.

In Defense of Emotional Purity

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 16:23:00 -0600

This post is in response to "How the Teachings of Emotional Purity and Courtship Damage Healthy Relationships", in which the author Darcy lays out her case against the Courtship/Anti-Dating/Emotional Purity camp, as expressed by the teaching of men such as Josh Harris in, I Kissed Dating Goodbye, and the Ludys. She argues ("rants" might be a better word) that these views can "damage a person's heart" in four ways:

1. They cause shame.
2. They cause pride.
3. They create skewed views of relationships which lead to dysfunction.
4. They teach us to make formulas to be safe.

Note: I do not intend to block-quote Darcy more than is necessary; I recommended that you go read her article first. All in-line italicized quotes are from her. Also, I argue in response to Darcy's article and in defence of my beliefs, not in the defense of anyone else's views.

This is my standpoint. First, I define emotional purity in the same way Darcy does, 'the idea of "guarding your heart"'. Second, my beliefs and opinions on this matter have been formed in absence of any particular direction from my parents. When I was in middle school, I understood that I wasn't allowed to do the "dating thing". From there, I've formed my views from interaction within a predominantly Rebelutionary and Home School community of bloggers and friends. I also currently subscribe to Sir Emeth's String Theory [of Heart Connections]. Now, my responses to Darcy's points:

1. They cause shame.
2. They cause pride.

These two points are really both invalid for the same reason: they aren't a direct result of the teachings on Emotional Purity. They are the result of a misunderstanding of Sins vs. Mistakes. Voluntarily losing one's Sexual Purity is a Sin (and one should be ashamed of it); voluntarily losing one's Emotional Purity is a Mistake (and one should not be ashamed). Yes, it's better to keep ones Emotional Purity, as it's better to save rather than squander one's money. But just as we should not have pride and look down on someone who squanders their money rather than saving it wisely as we do, neither should we have pride and look down on someone who squanders their Emotional Purity rather than saving like us. Conversely, just as one need not be ashamed (though one should regret) squandering one's money, one need not be ashamed for squandering one's Emotional Purity, at least not for Emotional Purity's sake (but that gets into deeper life theology than we're here for today).

In short, adhering to standards of Emotional Purity do not cause pride, they, as do all good choices that can set us apart from others, allow for pride. And just because something allows for pride does not make it wrong or bad; if it did, then trusting in Christ would be wrong. For certainly one must admit that trusting in Christ allows (in the sense that it does not intrinsically not allow) for pride. This is in the sense that we have pride that we've trusted in God and are saved, and therefor better than those "other stupid people" who don't trust in God to be saved. So, we must conclude that something which lends itself to pride isn't necessarily of itself wrong or bad.

3. They create skewed views of relationships which lead to dysfunction.

This, (obviously), depends on one's views of "correct" relationships, which is far too much of a personal decision for anything more than the most general guidelines. And really, what the author struggles with here are the standards that were instilled in her as a teen, and the looser standards that she currently has arrived at as a married woman in her late twenties. In essence, she regards her constant mental re-questioning and second-guessing of her current beliefs as "dysfunction", a strong word; "insecurity in multi-gender situations" might be more accurate. This is something she should discuss, if she hasn't, with her husband, because, ultimately, he is the one who you would wish to remain Emotionally Pure for, and would therefore - with your honest candidness about your feelings - be the best judge of what is and isn't innocent; what is and isn't keeping oneself Emotionally Pure.

In short, what is and isn't okay is up to a young adult and their parents, and later up to them and their spouse, to decide. They may decide differently than us, but that is their decision, and we can live happy lives respecting their difference of opinion without condemning.

4. They teach us to make formulas to be safe.

No, human nature teaches us to make formulas. We take anything and want to quantise and standardize it. This kind of thinking leads us to discover mathematical equations to measure the energy of a single electron, and to compute the mass, gravity, orbital period, mean temperature and composition of planets, thousands upon thousands of miles away. It makes us regard the simple and simply-contained as elegant and desirable. And it drives us to take the elegant and desirable principles of Emotional Purity and form rules, regulations and formulas. However, unintended ambiguity on the part of Darcy prevents me from giving a more to-the-point response, being, as I am, in doubt as to what exactly the intended meaning of "formulas" is.

And to conclude this, I welcome Darcy's (or anyone else's) response or addition to this, though I ask that if it's more than a paragraph or two, please would you post it on your blog and link to it from the "comments" box here. I reserve the right however to reject or ignore all responses that insult me, if you can't write a reply without insulting me the chances of you having anything else useful to say is so close to nill as to be negligible.

Dominus Vobiscum

Thoughts 2311

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Fri, 4 Feb 2011 16:20:00 -0600

I've been reading From Playpen to Podium by Jeff Myers the past few weeks and have been re-enthused to try and nurture better communication abilities. Which brought to mind why I'd originally started my blog, that knowledge and insight's use is severely impaired if you can't communicate. So, I'd like to try to write regularly, though on what paticularly I'm not sure.
Tonight, I was reading some interpretations of Owl City's Fireflys. They discussed how this song could be inspired by the writers insomnia (difficulty falling asleep). (Personally I think it sounds more delusional than isonominal.) Explaining how one would wish to fall asleep, but yet also wish to stay awake; which I found this interestingly similar to my self. Most nights for as long as I can remember (though most nights has become fewer nights recently) I've taken hours to fall asleep. This hasn't bothered me, while I have wanted to fall asleep, I take little action to help bring it about (like closing my eyes) because my minds far to interested in thinking it's thoughts to waste time trying to sleep.
The world is simply a much to exciting a place with to many things happening to waste time sleeping. :)

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Wed, 5 Jan 2011 17:59:00 -0600

This landed in my email a couple days ago, I share it because I find thie idea, and it's marketing interesting.

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"I live today purely because I am given another breath of life."

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 10:28:00 -0500

Hannah Marie:

Death. Such a cheery topic to think about. I remember in school when the teacher asked the infamous question of who in the room has some reservation about dying. I watched as every hand in the room was raised. . . except mine. The teacher looked at me for a moment and then dared to ask me why I had not risen my hand. With a small smile, I simply said: "I live today purely because I am given another breath of life. My purpose in life is not to fear or think of death, but simply to choose each moment based on whether or not I am honoring my Lord. And whether or not that brings me to death on this Earth, in the end it only matters that it was about Him." The teacher kind of smiled at me and asked whether or not I would ever miss the opportunity to live to an old age and die with many grandchildren. And I simply shook my head and said: "To be honest, ma'am, I never considered living to an old age. I have just sort of assumed that I would die before then." I think I left her speechless with such a contrary view towards life. I knew that many students in that room lived with a invincible kind of attitude, that they would always have tomorrow. And what I said that day, brought silence to the room. They did not know what to say to someone who spoke of dying as an event that was to happen within seconds rather than years.

Don't expect us to think like adults or treat us like children.

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 20:37:00 -0500

Cassandriva: Raising Low Expectations

Teenagers are not adults and we are not children. Don't expect us to think like adults or treat us like children.

Hu? While the author has a pretty good point in the rest of her article these sentences are eye brow raisers.

I promote my work by creating a high quality product and caring for my customers.

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:15:00 -0500

Etsy's Blog, interviewing Alison of DiscoveryDenim, creator of super hero apparal for children:

I promote my work by creating a high quality product and caring for my customers.

That's what a great small business looks like.

Evidence is Entirely Subjective to the Bias of the Observer

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 19:04:00 -0500

Sir Emeth Mimentes

[E]vidence is entirely subjective to the bias/axioms/mindset/presuppositions/worldview/dogma/whatever-you-want-to-call-it of the person looking at the evidence. Each person may have the exact same evidence (which, honestly, is a situation that is extremely rare to non-existent in discussions about history), but they will interpret that evidence completely different from each other based on their worldview. You cannot escape this.

This is a key point to any discussion (and Jay made it clearly here), so I'm blogging this so as to have a post to send my opponents next time I get in a creation/evolution or similar debate. Where, quite frankly, we can be looking at the same evidence and arriving at two very different conclusions based on which side of the issue they already are on.

I am never really bored; I am only lacking interest.

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:04:00 -0500

Hannah Marie:

The truth of the matter is that I am never really bored or lacking items to do; I am only lacking interest in what I could do.

So. True.

Backpacking, it's like, something. . .

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:04:00 -0500

Marco Arment speaking of a backpacking trip:

I’ve been at a loss of what to say about it. The hostile trail kicked our ----- much more than any of us anticipated, and there were some pretty miserable times on the hikes, but the trip overall was such a great time with our friends that we’d definitely do it again… on a more hiker-friendly trail.
I feel different after having done this, but I can’t put my finger on why. It’s a good thing. I’ve never pushed myself this hard, physically, and I’ve never been in a situation like this in which the only reasonable way out is to use my own (hurting, blistered) feet to descend 3,000 feet of altitude over five miles of slippery, steep rocks before nightfall.
It certainly gave me some perspective.

I took backpacking trip last spring with a group of guys from church. I've thought about it a lot, but wasn't able to congealize my thoughts as well as this quote expresses them.

"An oversized desk is the only sort worth owning"

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:04:00 -0500

Shawn Blanc's Oversized Desk, 21ft²

Shawn Blanc in an interview with Brett Kelly:

An oversized desk is the only sort worth owning. For one, they're there for you when you need that extra space for papers and other work (when you need the space, there never seems to be enough). Secondly, when your oversized desk is clean and empty, the unused acreage is a sight to behold.

Agreed. I have only a moderately oversized desk (Moderate being 8.6ft², pictured below) and love it. As a full time student I've got about half a dozen different "desk work" subjects; meaning that I've got 6 sets of papers to track and reference every day at my desk. Having a desk large enough to keep (almost) all of it out and within easy reach helps keep the day going smooth. :)

My Oversized Desk, 8.6ft²

The government is God! - Keynesian Economics.

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Sat, 7 Aug 2010 07:00:00 -0500

Dave Breese in 7 Men who Rule the World from the Grave (p. 196-197):

It may well be said that the philosophy Keynes brought to the center of the world's thinking could be summed up in the maxim "The government has all the answers." Keynes thought he had proved that government intervention would move the economy; government guarantees would stabilize the banks; government protection would satisfy the labor unions; government regulation would stabilize the transportation, travel, the media, housing, mortages, pension funds, and retirement plans; and a thousand other things in which the government is now called upon to produce stability.
[. . .]
That the government is God! That is Keynesian Economics.
[. . .]
Someone is reported to have asked Keynes, "Yes this appears to work in the short term, but what about the long term consequences?" Keynes's famous answer was, "In the long term we are all dead."

That's Keynesian economics in a nut shell; as being applied by nuts in Washington who have nothing left inside their shell.

Our Postmodern Culture Desires Community

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Thu, 5 Aug 2010 07:00:00 -0500

Pastor Brian S. Chan in The New Oz (EFCA Today Winter '09 p. 28¹):

MySpace, Twitter, texting, Youtube, Wordpress, and Facebook are not based on disseminating information but on fostering community. Our postmodern culture desires community.
[. . .]
So, in our current culture, where does community happen? And how can we harness that cultural venue to both build and engage community so that it becomes the context in which the gospel is made known, honest discussions take place and relationships are started and nurtured for discipleship? Technological venues could be the forefront of church ministry.
This is not to say that technology is a substitute for in-person interactions. Neither should be a substitute for the other. Look at another historical periods when technology experienced a major leap: the invention of the printing press in 1453. Martin Luther's famous 95 theses were widely publicized through the printing press. An ingenious machine traversed the distances between the communities, allowing one man's thoughts to connect with countless people who resonated with his message
Like the era of the printing press, perhaps we also live in a pivotal time of advancement that opens incredible doors of communal influence for the gospel. [Emphasis Mine]

Well, I just realized that I forgot to added my comments on the matter, which besides making for a more un-interesting read also makes this technically illegal. Thankfully EFCA didn't mind, they very nice, took it in-stride, and even mentioned me on their Facebook page².

Never the less, I'm still going to add my missing comments.

It should be noted that there is a difference between using Social Networking for engaging in the community and using it as a way to be "cool and trendy". Between reaching out to the community, and becoming like the community³. One holds up the Bible as The Light in a dark world; the other tries to be like the world. One leads to the Church changing the culture, the other to the culture changing the Church.

And also, on the nerdy front; I disagree with him when he says "[social networks] are not based on disseminating information but on fostering community". Rather, they are based on Disseminating Information⁴ for the purpose of fostering community. Facebook and Twitter are to distribute and discuss status updates, Blogger and Wordpress to write thoughts, YouTube to publish video. These are all The Dissemination of Information, but rather than intending you to learn from the info, they intend you to connect,or network with other people, socialization, hence: Social Networking.

EFCA Today Winter 2009: http://www.efcatoday.org//files/magazine/documents/EFCA_Winter09.pdf
EFCA's Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/my.efca
"cool and trendy": http://thehopethatiswithin.blogspot.com/2010/06/would-people-go-to-church-where.html
The Dissemination of Information: http://thehopethatiswithin.blogspot.com/2010/07/dissemination-of-information.html

Electricity--the All-Pervading Intelligence

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Tue, 3 Aug 2010 07:00:00 -0500

Clifford in The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne:

"Then there is electricity--the demon, the angel, the mighty physical power, the all-pervading intelligence!" exclaimed Clifford. "Is that a humbug, too? Is it a fact--or have I dreamt it--that, by means of electricity, the world of matter has become a great nerve, vibrating thousands of miles in a breathless point of time? Rather, the round globe is a vast head, a brain, instinct with intelligence! Or, shall we say, it is itself a thought, nothing but thought, and no longer the substance which we deemed it!"

"If you mean the telegraph," said the old gentleman. . .

Yes, Nathaniel Hawthorne dreamt, and time has made his dream a reality by which I write these words to you.

John Robbins on Logic

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Sun, 1 Aug 2010 07:00:00 -0500

John Robbins, in the introduction to Logic by Gordon H. Clark; discussing reasons for studding Logic

Christ, the Logic of God, lights every man. Strictly speaking, there is no "mere human logic" as contrasted with a divine logic, as some would have us believe. The Life of God lights every man; human logic is the image of God and God and man think the same way--not exactly the same thoughts, since man is sinful and God is holy. . .

Wow, but he continues later:

The Westminster Confession written in England in the 1640's, says that all things necessary for our faith and life are either expressly set down in Scripture or my be deduced by good and nesessary consequences from scripture. It is onely through a study off logic that we can distinguish a "good and nescessary" deduction from an invalid deduction

Fascinating.

The Dissemination of Information.

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 17:11:00 -0500

Kyle Johnston, speaking on Web Design:

The Web is for one purpose: the Dissemination of Information. All web design should revolve around this key point.

M' Business: GJX Hosting

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:12:00 -0500

I don't think I mentioned this on here, but then again most of ya'll probably already heard from other channels, but, I started a Web Hosting Business! We Launched on July First, we being me and Grant Hosticka.

So, come check us out: GJXHosting.com

God the Author

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:39:00 -0500

I'm still surprised at the complete, and well thought out posts coming from this Teenage Authoress. Here's some of her latest.

Teenage Authoress in "God the Author and Us the Authors."

God is the Author of Creation. Authorship implies writing something, not just creation, but writing. [...] If God is an author, the Author, that must mean He has a story and as ruler of all creation - past, present and future - His story is history - the story of the world and, therefore, creation.
The world isn't a stage, its a story.
And now the idea I thought a little 'off': If God is The Author, then what about us novelists? We are authors as well. Almost unwillingly I continued to follow this idea and realized that, yes, in some sense, authors are little gods of their own novels.

She continues further on:

Authors are little gods of their universes as they create them. Plotting and controlling them just as God oversees our own universe (an argument for predestination) and at the same time we, as authors, often are surprised by our own characters in the decisions they make (an argument for free will), but generally we always realize we would've planned that any way (predestination being completely compatible with free will).
[...]
Authors generally create more than one storyworld. Do we have any evidence that God has not done the same?

Fascinating thoughts.

Two interesting thoughts on Sin

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 19:30:00 -0500

From Jakob Ganschow's "The Greatest of All"

What then, is the essence of sin? John Piper argues that it is when we love things, chose things, or do things that shows we do not value God above those things. In essence, we fall into pride (which Luther further argued is the root of all sin), look to ourselves, and declare for whatever point of time "I will be like God and worship myself for I am greater than these rules!" That really is the essence of sin and the root of all sin because it's your self elevation.

Yoshiyahuin in reply to the above

All sin, at its core, is a perversion of something good. Pride, while very much the original sin, is no different. And when we choose to sin, our intent is as important as our actions. To do something that you believe is sin (even if it isn't) becomes sin for you simply because in your heart you rebelled against God.

Two interesting thoughts on Sin.

What kind of society have we become if we can't say what we mean anymore?

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 20:29:00 -0500

What kind of society have we become if we can't say what we mean anymore?

While he was talking about undo Apple Hype, that line struck me as too true for our entire culture.

The Verbose Philosopher: False hypevertising - Apple does it again

What are your thoughts?

Would people go to a church where. . .

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Mon, 7 Jun 2010 16:03:00 -0500

Would people go to a church where there is one attraction - God? Why lower our standards to make the unsaved, unsaved churchgoers?

Quoted from a friends status. I think this sums up the problem with hyper-marketed churches. They spend huge amounts of money on being as cool and trendy as possible to attract young twenty-somethings, often at the sake of Biblical teaching.

What are you thoughts?

One Image to categorize them all.

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:50:00 -0500

I came accross this on the web today, it says it all.

What would you have done?

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Sat, 6 Mar 2010 22:16:00 -0600

First. To my sister: This is a rather severe post, don't read it. I'm serious. Thanks.

At the book store yesterday I picked up a book on the Columbine shootings, I knew a little bit about them before (and the book really didn't add to what I knew) but it got me thinking. . . For three hours in bed last night (not that that's too unusual for me). Here's one of the questions that was in my mind: What would I have done if I was in that library when the shooting started?

Think on that.

It's an interesting thought isn't it? Would I have cowered behind a table paralyzed with fear? Would I have lunged at the two shooters in an attempt to stop them? Would I have bolted through the door? Would I have been one of the heroic boys who stayed and held the doors open for others to get out only to be gunned down your self? What a time to Do Hard Things.

I guess I can never know unless I find my self in such a situation.

"Life isn't one one big laugh, people."

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Sat, 6 Mar 2010 21:19:00 -0600

I came across this interesting quote tonight from life as viewed from behind mirrored sunglasses. Pretty well sums up a good part of my feelings regarding the frivolity of my generation.

. . . my strange introspective conspiracy-theory rants and brooding seriousness, which is most of the time who i really am. I do like to have fun of course, but i value good fellowship and deep thinking [as] a far better way to spend time in life rather than goofing off constantly. Life isn't one big laugh, people. Make an effort to make your conversations go deeper, it'll serve you well.

Emphasis Mine

You cannot make men good by law: and without good men you cannot have a good society.

noreply@blogger.com (Jackson) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:08:00 -0600

I'm re-reading Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis for another post I'm working on and came across this interesting quote that applies largely to the Healthcare debate in our Nation right now.

I do not mean for a moment that we ought not to think, and think hard, about improvements in our social and economic system. What I do mean is that all that thinking will be mere moonshine unless we realize that nothing but the courage and unselfishness of individuals is ever going to make any system work properly. It is easy enough to remove the particular kinds of graft or bullying that go on under the present system: but as long as men are twisters or bullies they will find some new way of carrying on the old game under the new system. You cannot make men good by law: and without good men you cannot have a good society.