But this whole mosque business just looks like wing-nuts trying to find another reason to make us listen to them. Another new scare. Another reason to hide in bunkers in our basements (or, alternatively, take up arms against invisible bogeymen). It sounds too crazy to be true. So I’ve been looking in to it to see where the truth ends and the crazy begins. After doing some poking around, I discovered that this “Ground-Zero Mosque” isn’t really at Ground Zero, and isn’t a mosque. So who started calling it this, and why are we still calling it that? No answer on that first question, but the second is easy to reason out. We LIKE calling it that. Short. Controversial. Easy to blog or write about. And now that it’s become the defacto term for this, if you want Google to catalog your web site so that you show up in a search for the story, then this better be the term you use. I mean really, how many people are going to search for “Cordoba House Islamic Cultural Center”? Boooring. For what it’s worth, the Associated Press has taken a formal stand against using the intentional error.

It turns out that there is really a term for mis-labelled words such as this: they are appropriately known as weasel words. If ever something should win a prize for being labelled correctly, I nominate “weasel words” for the award.

The leap to begin considering what are the top 10 Christian weasel words today was easy. There are so many to choose from! Many Christians have co-opted the secular world’s strategy for political argument, which Scott Daniels defines so appropriately this way: “(a) exaggerate the claims of the other party, (b) villify one’s opponent by naming them with an extreme label, and then (c) maintaining an irrational fear of the “other” through misrepresentation and rhetorical spin.”

Since I’m the blogger here, I get to throw out the first–and easiest–Christian weasel word: emergent. I’m done with it. It is meaningless unless used in the aforementioned political rabble-rousing way by pranksters who like to tease the populace to see who they can stir up. I’d like to say you won’t ever see that word appear in our blog again, but there are lots of us who write here, and as far as I know I’m the only one taking a stand against using it. If our other bloggers want to use ineffective rhetoric, then I suppose that’s their choice. Perhaps you can persuade them otherwise.

What are your votes for other Christian weasel words: the words that have become meaningless unless used puckishly to see how gullible you are?

source: TheDreamSky

Randomness may be random, but it’s not easy. It took me longer to write this post than any other post I’ve ever written, in my life. And it’s Labor Day, so you’re probably out for one last day at the pool. Oh well. Here you go:

- Think the world’s running out of space for cemeteries? Check out Cemetree. You could literally be a tree, you know, later.

- Who knew that the Jackson Five’s “Rockin Robin” was actually created as a background track for Nirvana? “Smells like Rockin Robin”

- Speaking of hybrids, I always thought there was something terrifying about Mary Poppins.

- Breakthisrecord.com: how many large marshmallows can you fit in your mouth?

- Are you a Biblical scholar fascinated with historical artifacts? Check out the Top 10 Biblical Discoveries in Archeology

Currently listening to: “Your Love Never Fails” by by Jesus Culture
Currently reading: The Misunderstood God by Darin Hufford
Upcoming read: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Phew. We made it. Happy Labor Day!

Photo credit: Jonas Nockert

What I’ve been noticing more and more are the Christians who cut down other Christians. I’m convinced that if the final judgment day happens exactly as so many think it will, many of us are in trouble. Because if God is who God claims to be, we’ll have to answer for much more than how many people we helped lead to Christ.

What about the pastor who got fired because I started a Facebook group claiming he wasn’t a real Christian?

What about the friend who sank into a deep depression when I stopped talking to her because I found out she voted for *gasp* Obama?

What about that group of people I called out as heretics simply because they believed we should feed the hungry then tell them about why we’re loving them?

I’m concerned about the witch hunt of the early 21^st century. Sure, no one really gets burned at the stake. But the damage we knowingly do to one another doesn’t go unnoticed. By Christians like me who at those moments are ashamed to also be Christians. By non-Christians who decide if that’s the way we treat each other, who needs Jesus? By God, who created and loves absolutely every one of us—even when we can’t seem to love each other.

photo credit: bowtoo

We have set up a facebook album with all the submissions we’ve received so far. So, stop by and “like” your favorite submission. The photo with the most “likes” will win a free copy of The Mosaic Experiment.

- Don’t get me wrong, I love Angry Birds (not as much as my wife though, who recently completed all the levels.) But an Angry Birds movie?!? Come on.

- I recently downgraded my wallet after realizing I only needed to carry 3-4 items. Say hello to my new Saddleback Simple Wallet.

- I cannot begin to describe my love for the Lego brick. Lets just say I began to drool when I discovered this life-sized Lego car.

- The most exciting news I received last week: Further Seems Forever reuniting with Chris Carrabba. (AltPress)

- The dirty little secret about Google Android.

- I wont buy into this concept of three.sentenc.es. The idea; respond to every email in three sentences or less. If you don’t think you can do it in three, don’t worry there’s a four and five sentence version too.

- Yes, I will in fact watch Joaquin Phoenix’s Hip-Hop Documentary.

- Snazzy Napper [YouTube]

- Future Rock Band [YouTube]

- Sketchy Ice Creams [YouTube]

Current track: Water Landing by Third Eye Blind [Last.FM]

Photo credit: FurtherSeemsForever.com

This is the photo I wanted to use from my buddy Gregory. Buy his coffee.

In confidence to our authors, for my example I am using a fictional book that is very typical of House Studio publications.

When you pay $14.99 for a book, it’s not usually an easy decision to spend that money. We understand that, and if we could lower the price we would. We want our books in as many hands as possible. But as with many industries, the cost is greatly affected by the number of items you can sell.

Many of the costs in book publishing are determined regardless of how many books you sell. The costs are roughly the same for paying the author, editing, designing, and marketing a book whether you sell one copy or one million. As anyone can tell by observing a House Studio title, we take a great deal of time and care in all of these areas. We feel a product should have an emotional component beyond simply the usefulness of the content. We watch these costs closely, but we don’t cut corners to create a book that looks and feels cheap. That doesn’t serve the customers or the brand well.

So let’s pretend that all these costs, plus printing, add up to $10,000 (an unreasonably low estimate). If you print 1000 books (an unacceptably low quantity), then each book costs $10. Now, the sales of your product also have to go to pay your bills that aren’t included in the cost of an individual book–rent, utilities, salaries, warehousing, distribution, etc. Now you might have to sell that book for $15 just to cover your expenses. We are a non-profit, so we don’t aim to make high margins from our products. Many for-profit publishers will add on another 50% or so to these costs for their profit. So you can see how these costs can make the price of a book quickly get out of hand. The only solution is reduce your costs and/or sell more books.

Digital eBooks provide a little hedge against these costs, but note that all of the costs already mentioned–except printing–still apply. We still must pay authors, designers, editors, marketers, and cover expenses of overhead with a digital book. But digital books incur their own expenses such as converting the text to the various platforms, and discounts demanded by eBook providers.

The House has been extremely blessed to work with authors who are willing to take little to nothing for their work, and we pass along those savings in the price of our books. We are committed to producing resources that engage individuals with spiritual growth for the mission of God. And we cannot thank you enough for the incredible support you have shown over the past 18 months not only with your purchases, but also with your emails and blog comments. You make coming to work worth it for us!

Please let us know if you have great innovative ideas to change the way this structure works!

Source: oskay

But when was the last time we really communicated with each other? With the exception of mailing birthday cards (only to my immediate family, of course), I can’t recall the last time I sent an actual letter. My own communication has become sterile. Generic. Formulaic. I have dear friends scattered across the country who are journeying through difficult times–or at least experiencing considerable life changes.  At the moment, I know how none of them are doing.

Hebrews 3:13 instructs Christians to “encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today.”

But how can we begin to encourage each other, to love and hope for and build up each other, when all we know of each other is what we find when we type their names in the Facebook search box?

Maybe you’re better at real human interaction than I’ve found I am at the moment. Just to be sure though, hopefully like me, you’re taking mental inventory of those you value the most. And hopefully, you’ll pick up the phone. Or make a coffee date. Or send a note…

“Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today”…

Photo credit: DeclanTM

- The next generation of green vehicles: The Busycle.

- Complicated mechanisms explained in simple animations. My favorite, the Maltese Cross.

- Oh Facebook, you annoy me…often. This time they’re imitating Foursquare. Luckily you can disable it; How to Disable Facebook’s Places.

- Soon you’ll be able to turn your iPod Touch into an iPhone using only a wraparound cover.

- Is this really what the world has come to? “What happens to your Twitter account when you die?”

- Jon Swanson’s [300 Words a Day] 8 ways to read the Bible.

- I know this video will interest very few of you, but I loved it. Watch The Swell Season cover Neutral Milk Hotel.

- Jensen Kimmitt 2010 World YoYo Champion [YouTube]

- Roger Federer trickshot [YouTube]

Currently listening to: “Governor” by Cassino
Currently reading: Getting Things Done by David Allen [...still]
Coming up next: The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A.J. Jacobs

Photo credit: animakitty [Flickr]

Why Moses? Because he was the inspiration for The Mosaic Experiment, and his beard graces the cover. So, we thought we would give everyone the chance to have their very own Moses. So download the template to make your own Moses here. Then once you make him, snap a picture of Moses in action–hanging out with you at work, ridding shotty in your car, keeping you company as you sip your morning latte. Send us your photo.

The best photo will win a free copy of The Mosaic Experiment!

Send all pictures to:

All photos must be in by September 7th, 2010.

• I am asking for grace, that God will give it to such a screw-up as me, and that he will supply it to me so that I can give it to others. Grace seems to be in short supply among the Christian family these days.
• That us Christians would stop being some of the ugliest people on earth, giving every reason for non-Christians to run as far away as possible so they don’t get sucked into the verbal cesspool.
• That God would unify me with my brothers and sisters in Christ who are also part of his body.

Will you join me in this prayer?

source: besimo