The Homeland Security Appropriations Act (H.R. 2892) is a perfect example of why we need to limits bills to “one subject at a time”: the prisoner abuse cover-up legislation it contained had absolutely NOTHING to do with the funding or activities of the Department of Homeland Security.

What makes it worse is that there was no urgency to even pass this bill. Congress could have simply approved DHS funding at current levels with a continuing resolution. That’s why I think a vote for H.R. 2892 was really a vote for the prisoner abuse cover-up.

Representative Tiberi, by voting for this bill, you failed in your duty to uphold the law; you have instead chosen to side with those who wish to legislate the obstruction of justice. Have you forgotten whose interests you were elected to represent out there in D.C.?

Such behavior is completely unbecoming of a representative of the citizens of Ohio.

This dude took pride in his cause
Everyday put on his costume which defined who he was
He said he didn’t care, he liked being unique
Accused the rest of the world of being a bunch of sheep

Lived his life going against the grain
Spent all of his time with those who felt the same
Hit his mid-twenties and still nothing’s changed
Except his boys who chose to grow with age

Now he’s looking for friends with the same behavior
He hangs out on campus with a bunch of teenagers
He’s punk rock, he’s hip-hop, he’s everything the system’s not
And he likes it that way

He likes being on the defense
He likes having something to fight against
He likes calling himself a revolutionist…

— John Reuben, Cooperate

The first (and only) time we were able to go was in 2005, when Gemstone Publishing paid my way. Nicole’s heart breaks a little more each year we don’t go back. I didn’t spend as much time actually enjoying the convention (I was working the floor, and most of my free time seemed to be spent in various lines and queues for things like the HeroScape demo), but Nicole had pretty much nothing to do except roam the convention floor. If you’ve never been, you wouldn’t believe the number of buttons, stickers and other miscellaneous doodads she brought back.

She wants to dye her hair bright green and sit in on all the Hall H stuff. I want to hob-nob with my former industry associates, actually attend the Eisner Awards ceremony, take some photos next to life-size Star Wars vehicles, and just generally immerse myself in geek culture for half a week. (Okay, and I want to ogle the next year’s lineup of G.I. Joe figures, too.) We both want to get that “kids in Disney World” feeling again, and SDCC is the perfect place for it.

But we gotta get there first.

Despite having spoken with and submitted resumes to a good dozen technical recruiters, I’ve never once gotten a job as a result of speaking with a headhunter. Every job I have ever had came as the direct result of a personal connection; some friend playing “matchmaker” between myself and the employer.

So I’m skeptical whenever one contacts me. Especially when they use my “Monster.com only” e-mail address. And most especially when they use that address, but ask questions that are answered by the resume that address appears on.

Anyway, I got a particularly juicy one today, and thought I’d share it with the rest of the class. This guy called me on the phone and sounded like a telemarketer. His accent was so thick, I couldn’t place a word of his introduction; sounded like he said his name was “Chauncey K.” I couldn’t tell who he said he was working for, but it sounded like one of those stereotypical “Generic Business USA” names a scam operation uses when they want to sound legit. And when I asked what he was calling in regards to, he just repeated his name and rank like I was an enemy interrogator. So I hung up, thinking he was trying to hoodwink me into buying satellite service or life insurance or something.

Turns out he had something more devious in mind, because ten minutes later, I get the following e-mail from “Kant CK”:

From: “KANT@ABSI”
Subject: Attn Please: Need 3 HTML Developers at Columbus OH
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:01:11 -0500

Hello Travis Seitler ,

This is Kant CK at American Business Solutions Inc. based in Columbus OH. We have many Fortune 500 companies as our direct clients. We have potential openings for the following skills with one of our clients. Please let us know your interest with answers to the questions below and by providing your MS Word format resume.

Client has an urgent need for 3 HTML developers. They must have strong HTML experience with client-side web development. They should have 3+ years of experience, as they have recently had some issues with people who are too light in their experience. As you know, the environment is fast-paced and very flexible, so the experience will help them to be autonomous, yet not afraid to ask questions when they have them.

Client will interview very quickly, as they would like to have someone start on Monday, if possible.

Questions

Are you available to work onsite at client location in Columbus OH?
=>

What is your current location?
=>

There will be an In-Person Interview after telephonic, are you OK with this?
=>

How you rate yourself on scale of 10 for this position?
=>

Are you on a project or ending your current assignment soon?
=>

Have you given any interview recently, if yes, please mention client?
=>

How soon could you start?
=>

What is the expected Hourly Rate? On 1099 or on w2
=>

What is your Current Status? (Please mention: US Citizen / Green Card /EAD)
=>

Best phone number and time to call?

Please provide 2 professional references?

Thanks & Regards,
Kant CK
American Business Solutions Inc. (www.absi-usa.com)
(An Inc. 5000 & Columbus OH Fastest 50 Company)
8850 Whitney Drive / Lewis Center, OH 43035
Phone: 412-353-1089 (Direct) / 614-888-2227 (Office)
Email: kant@absi-usa.com / 614-917-2277 (Fax)
——————————————————————-
Partnership is our Service Philosophy
——————————————————————-

Now don’t get me wrong: I’m not such a snob that I’ll immediately reject an opportunity because it’s not presented the way I like. But there’s just too many missing pieces and red flags (coupled with a thick layer of boasting) for me to get too excited about this.

Plus, there’s the matter of asking me about things like my U.S. Citizenship status (which is clearly stated with any resume where they would have found this e-mail address).

And on top of all that, I did some quick digging and discovered that the guy’s name isn’t Kant, but Kanth. It’s not a huge difference, but it makes it seem like he’s the sort of person who tries to hide things… like the country he was born in. (Which seems a stupid thing to try to hide if you’re going to be calling people on the phone.) Dude, if you’re going to work with the tech community, you need to work on the transparency… pronto.

So after thinking it over, I decided I’d respond—but I wasn’t going to play the “desperate worker bee” role he was trying to shoehorn me into. If Kant wanted anything from me, he was first going to have to answer a few (reasonable) questions I had:

Subject: Re: Attn Please: Need 3 HTML Developers at Columbus OH
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:53:54 -0500
To: kant@absi-usa.com

Kant,

You’ve used an e-mail address which I only list on resume sites (all updated within the past month), so you already know about my location, skills and citizenship status.

If this is a serious offer (and not a “fishing expedition”), and if the client is truly looking to start someone on Monday? Then you will need to get back to me with the following information:

- Is this position temporary/contract or ongoing?

- As the work is to be conducted on-site at the client’s location, what are the hours of operation for this position?

- Given the timeframe for the hiring decision, the client will obviously already have an hourly rate in mind. What is that rate?

- You say client has an “urgent need” for 3 developers, and wants to start someone on Monday. What has the client done to the previous developer(s) to wind up in such a situation?

- What sort of development work is to be done in this position? “Client-side web development” is extremely vague, and no professional could rate their compatibility without more detail as to the actual job requirements.

I’ve dealt with recruiters before, and found the experience to be a waste of my time. Answering these questions will show me that American Business Solutions Inc. is a better than average recruiting firm.

Thank you,
// Travis Seitler

Could I have been more friendly? Certainly, but this is business: if a recruiter wants to get a commission off of my labor, they first need to earn my respect. Every single one of those questions is something I would need answered before I would waste any more of my time on such an “offer.”

I went back to work on projects for a few of my clients while I waited for a response. And I had just about given up on the guy ever writing back, when this lovely gem came back to me:

From: “KANT@ABSI”
Subject: RE: Attn Please: Need 3 HTML Developers at Columbus OH
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:57:44 -0500

Hello Travis,
 
I can understand your situation. But Its already late for submitting the resume for this position
If you are in need of job, Please send me your updated profile along with your contact details and your rate, if every thing is matching with the clients requirements then I will get back to you.
 
Thanks for you patience

Thanks & Regards,
Kant CK
American Business Solutions Inc. (www.absi-usa.com)
(An Inc. 5000 & Columbus OH Fastest 50 Company)
8850 Whitney Drive / Lewis Center, OH 43035
Phone: 412-353-1089 (Direct) / 614-888-2227 (Office)
Email: kant@absi-usa.com / 614-917-2277 (Fax)
——————————————————————-
Partnership is our Service Philosophy
——————————————————————-

Whaddya know… I ask a few tough questions about the job he approached me about, and all of a sudden it’s too late to submit a resume? But of course he’s more than happy to add me to his database of contacts. I’m sure that’s not at all why he tracked me down in the first place. Of course not–that would be deceptive!

Please notice how I told him that recruiters were, in my mind, a waste of time—but that he could convince me otherwise by answering my questions. He didn’t answer any of them (which he could have, regardless of my eligibility), so why is he even bothering to suggest I send in my resume anyway?

Sigh. And here I was so excited about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! I suppose next time I’m “in need of job,” I should put aside the stupid questions and just submit the resume before “Its already late.”

She who first began the practice of tearing out her tender progeny deserved to die in her own warfare. Can it be that, to be free of the flaws of stretchmarks, you have to scatter the tragic sands of carnage? Why will you subject your womb to the weapons of abortion and give dread poisons to the unborn? The tigress lurking in Armenia does no such thing, nor does the lioness dare destroy her young. Yet tender girls do so—though not with impunity; often shoe who kills what is in her womb dies herself.

Ovid, Amores, 2.14 (selections).

We’ve been making the same arguments for 2025 years.

For both 2007 and 2008, everyone at Gemstone Publishing was given pre-filled ballots (typically leaving one or two blank spaces for our own personal choices) to sign and send in. Nobody was required to submit the ballots (I didn’t either year; mostly because I was disgusted by the scheme), but I’m sure we still had two- or three-dozen nearly identical ballots sent for both of those years.

The worst part is that they were so pathetically obvious about it. In 2007, completely blank ballots were e-mailed to Gemstone employees… and then we were told to not touch those, but to instead wait for the “J.C. Vaughn-approved” (pre-filled) versions to be passed around.

In ‘08, after the pre-filled ballots were given to us, Vaughn had a member of the Scoop! editorial staff e-mail everyone in the company, looking for a tally of who all was going to submit ballots. (Now maybe I’m just clueless, but why would he even want to know… unless they were planning on submitting forged ballots “on our behalf”?)

Spammy, attention-grabbing behavior like this from the people in charge is one of the many reasons why I got off that sinking ship. (Sigh.)

I really don’t know what to suggest in the way of fixing the Harveys. Maybe a ballot system where you aren’t allowed to nominate any project you were involved with? You’d still get backscratching, but it wouldn’t be as much of a “biggest publisher who cares, wins” nomination process.

(This post originally appeared as a comment at Heidi MacDonald’s THE BEAT.)

UPDATE: Not only did my remarks influence a follow-up article at THE BEAT, but I’m getting incoming links from CBR’s Robot 6, Comics Worth Reading is quoting me, and I landed a mention in TCJ’s ¡Journalista! Nuts, I tell you! NUTS!

I’ve been reading (and commenting at) Dan Edelen’s blog, Cerulean Sanctum for years. And it’s no wonder: he writes about Jesus, the Church and agrarianism—all topics I enjoy reading about.

Anyway, he and his family in Columbus a few days back, and he suggested we meet over a meal. I picked Bob Evans (yeah, baby!) and we had a great time talking about life, family, and European board games.

I teased him about how there’s so few photos of him on the web, people can get the impression that he’s really a 60-year-old woman in New Jersey. So he let me provide this corroborating evidence that he is who he claims to be on his blog:

Could you keep Dan in your prayers? He’s having surgery today, and it sounds like his recovery is probably going to take a while. He works as a freelance writer/editor, and I can certainly appreciate how stressful it can be to have to take a month off (without pay, of course) when you work from home.

Penelope (”Penny”) Joy Seitler
born June 17th, 2009 at 1:09pm
weighing 9 lbs, 4 oz and measuring 20 inches long

More to come later, but for now? We rest.

In the clip above, Rep. Alan Grayson (FL-8) asks the Federal Reserve Inspector General about the trillions of dollars lent or spent by the Federal Reserve and where it went, and the trillions of off balance sheet obligations. Inspector General Elizabeth Coleman responds that her office does not know and is not tracking where this money is.

The Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009 (HR 1207) would require an audit of the Federal Reserve. The map below shows which Representatives (by District) have cosponsored the bill as of June 16, 2009:

(Map created using a public domain image available at Wikimedia Commons and the Library of Congress’ list of cosponsors.)

So now I learn that the Federal Reserve is actually seeking to hire a lobbyist to fight against this (and similar) legislation. And I’m left wondering, “if you don’t have anything to hide, then what’s the problem with an impartial audit?” Our children, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren are going to be saddled with enormous debts as a result of this massive inflation (that is, an increase in the money supply). If such spending is truly justified, then it’s a painful hardship we’ll have to deal with. But if it’s not justified, then it needs to stop!

If your Congressional District isn’t lit up yet, send a message to your Representative and Senators telling them you want them to support the Audit the Fed bill (HR 1207 in the House, S 604 in the Senate). Then show your neighbors the YouTube clip above and get them to write your Representative and Senators, too.

But as the weather started getting nicer, we came out of our hibernation! Memorial Day weekend in particular was beautiful, and we were all over the place. On May 21, we made our first visit to Graeter’s Ice Cream in Bexley.

Then on the 23rd, we drove out to see what they had at the Worthington Farmers Market. We didn’t really buy anything, but we browsed a lot.

The next day, we went to the 2009 Asian Festival at Franklin Park. The kids loved it:

After such a crazy weekend, Nicole needed a little “pregnant momma” time to recuperate. But after hanging out with the Grace Central crowd this past Sunday, I was able to convince her that it’d be a great idea to swing out to The North Market for lunch!

Nicole got a Greek Salad from Firdous Express, I got Lamb Curry from Flavors of India, and the kids picked off of both. Afterward, I picked up a downright amazing Buckeye Latté from A Touch of Earth! Seriously, I’m not kidding: peanut butter, chocolate and coffee all together in a single cup? YES PLEASE!

I’m going to be at WordCamp Columbus today! If you’re on Twitter, I’ve got it set to pass direct messages on to my cell phone (I’m *gasp!* not going to have a computer with me at the event). Just “D TravisSeitler” if you want to meet up… or if you notice some food between my teeth.

Last Monday, I went to return a few books to the library and our car wouldn’t start. So I jumped on the unofficial Oldsmobile Aurora forums, asked around on Twitter, and learned all about alternators on YouTube—but when we couldn’t even jump-start the thing Tuesday night, I admitted defeat and called for a tow truck.

(BTW, if you have any “in” whatsoever, get insurance coverage with USAA! They are, hands down, the absolute best when it comes to customer service.)

Anyway, on Wednesday I had the car towed to a shop that USAA recommended. The lead service tech there told me that they weren’t busy; they would have it looked at the same day, or by Thursday at the absolute latest.

When they closed for the weekend on Saturday afternoon, they still hadn’t even begun their diagnosis.

I was told that they would get back to me with a diagnosis by Monday, but I was told this by the same person who originally said Thursday… so I’m thinking it may be a while before we get our car back.

Meanwhile, food and diapers don’t replenish themselves (at least not here, and I don’t want to know if they do in your home), so I’ve found myself walking more this past week—including a 4-mile round trip to Walmart, with an ice-pack-filled backpack to keep the milk cool on the 40-minute trek back.

Then there’s some books that need to get back to the library, my very pregnant wife has an appointment with her midwife on Tuesday, and WordCamp is this weekend. There’s only so much in this city that we can accomplish by walking—or riding COTA—from this side of Whitehall.

In other words, this week is shaping up to be an interesting one.

“I have been picking on Christians because I am one, and see no reason to pretend we are better that we are.” — Philip Yancy #

That just says it all right there.

The truth is that a thing fit for its purpose is necessarily pleasant to use and also beautiful. #

I think that if you look after goodness and truth, beauty will take care of itself. #

Those Eric Gill quotes (and more) can be found in this month’s edition of the MyFonts newsletter. #

As you can see, the Zen Cart team hasn’t bothered to be very descriptive about what these flags actually do. So I pulled up a few resources, hazarded a few guesses and put together a brief summary of each. After sending it to my client, I thought it might prove helpful to others… so here it is.

Used For Display Purposes Only
If “Yes,” the customer wouldn’t be able to select this attribute. (The option is intended for situations like a drop-down menu, where the default item in the drop-down is a message like, “choose from one of the following options.” You wouldn’t want a customer to choose that as their product option.)

Attribute is Free When Product is Free
It depends on what you’d like to do with the product. Some options can be set to tack on an additional fee (such as selecting a license that grants personal and commercial use); if you want to do that, then setting this option to “no” would allow you to mark an item as free for personal use, but still charge customers who want to buy a commercial license.

Default Attribute to be Marked Selected
When the customer needs to select one of the attribute options (required for “virtual” [downloadable] products), this guarantees that one of the options is selected when the customer adds the product to their cart. (Otherwise, when they order they won’t get a download link for the item they purchased.) This is especially important when there is only one option for the attribute: in such cases, the customer is unlikely to even realize an option needs to be selected (since from their point of view, there aren’t any options)!

Apply Discounts Used by Product Special/Sale
As with Attribute is Free When…, this depends on your personal preferences and whether your attribute options alter the price of the item in question. If, for example, we’re dealing with an item which is composed of a single file download (hence no surcharge added to the product listing’s base price), then it doesn’t really make any difference. If you have product options (like a c.u. license) which come at an additional price, then this flag determines whether or not something like a “store–wide 40% off sale” will apply to that additional fee.

Include in Base Price When Priced by Attributes
This one’s the most vague setting in the list. From what I’ve read, it’s intended for products which have been marked “price by attributes.” So here’s the scenario I came up with to explain the concept to myself: Say you have a shop where you sell costumes. There’s a page where one can buy a Zorro getup. On that page, the customer can choose from various hat, shirt, pants and boot sizes, as well as the material for the foil (sword). In each option group, the cheapest item can be flagged with this Include in Base Price When… option, with the more expensive alternatives adding surcharges (+$5.00) to the base price (as determined by the cheap options).

(But so long as you’re not getting into such customizable products, it doesn’t really matter what you set it to.)

Attribute Required for Text
This should instead be labeled “Attribute Required (for text fields),” because it’s only for cases (such as monogrammed items) where you need the customer to enter text in a box before they can add the item to their cart.

Now as I said, this is what I could find combined with what I presume. If someone more knowledgeable about Zen Cart would like to correct me, please do!

This card only has five dollars, and after that you can’t buy anything anymore. # But Daddy’s card is plugged into the bank, so he *always* has money! #

If only, Katie… if only.

Well, I fell victim to what the telephone industry calls a “crammer”: basically, due to deregulation phone companies are required (by the FCC, or the FTC… something like that) to add other companies’ bills to your phone bill if those companies tell them to. It’s supposed to make it easier to get your long-distance bill from Company B tacked onto the end of your local bill from Company A. The problem is it’s rife with abuse. #

Case in point: someone set up an account with “Email Discount Network, LLC” using my phone number, so their $15/month membership fee was charged to me on my phone bill. # I didn’t pay attention last month and paid it; this month I noticed how high the bill was and discovered this little gem.

So I followed the instructions on my phone bill, and I called “Enhanced Services Billing, Inc,” who then redirected me to EDN. The EDN representative apologized, and agreed to issue a credit to my AT&T account. # Apparently someone named “Donna Osmond” (yeah, right) set up an account through their web site and entered my phone number by mistake (uh huh). Supposedly this happens from time to time… and given the fact that no effort was made to call that number and verify account creation before billing it, I’m not surprised in the least.

I made sure to get a reference number (which came in handy later).

Once that was all done, I called AT&T for a few reasons: first, to make sure it was in their records that I was “officially” disputing the EDN charges; second, to let them know why I wasn’t going to pay that portion of my bill this month; third, to make sure they wouldn’t penalize me with a late fee if I didn’t pay the disputed charge on my bill. # The AT&T representative (Hector) asked if I had a reference number from EDN (so it’s a good thing I got one—the EDN rep didn’t volunteer it, so it would have been my word against theirs if I’d failed to get it). I gave it to him, he filed a report and said there would be no late fees for the unpaid portion of my bill. #

Then after a brief sales pitch (which I turned down, because a family without a TV doesn’t need Digital TV service), he offered me a free 4-month DSL upgrade and told me he’d send along a $5 Starbucks card, too. # WIN!

And that, dear friends, is what a little kindness & patience (and a calm voice) can get you in frustrating situations like this! #

“A good name is more desirable than great riches” (Prov. 22:1). So when people feel wronged by you, do what AT&T did here: more than make it up to them. #

To be honest, I’ve been working on a few web sites (including the Digichick, which Nicole took over last month). Between that and extra work around the house I’ve been doing (since I’m around the house to do it), it’s been pretty busy around here.

Larry Douthwaite is a pastor in my old hometown of Littlestown, PA. He’s also spent the past fifteen years serving the local public school district as a crossing guard. He can usually be spotted at the corner of North Queen and East Myrtle streets, and he usually is spotted… because he has a propensity to wear some pretty crazy hats.

Not only does this help drowsy drivers pay attention to the school crossing in the morning, but seeing him in some zany headgear had a way of cheering even the grouchiest commuters.

All that may be changing, though, thanks to borough manager Linda M. Hess.

In a story that has garnered national attention, with Larry appearing on FOX & Friends two days in a row (this past Wednesday and Thursday), Linda apparently saw a driver swerve near Larry’s intersection one morning. She then decided Larry’s crazy hat was to blame, and sent a letter off to Littlestown Chief of Police Don Baker to order the end of the “crazy hat” era. (Ironically, Chief Baker doesn’t seem to have a problem with the hats.)

“I’ll get you, my pretty… and your crazy hat, too!”

I’m wondering a few things, not least of which is this: why did Linda Hess write a letter to the Police Chief and have him speak to Larry, instead of first speaking herself directly with Larry… or at least with the school superintendent? It really seems like a passive-aggressive power play to me. And it’s in stark contrast to Larry’s response, which was to immediately schedule a meeting with Ms. Hess to try and hash things out mano-a-mano.

Larry’s been beyond reproach in the whole thing, to the point of urging others not to criticize Linda for her decision. But he didn’t say anything against criticizing her for her approach to the situation. Personally? If I had to guess, I’d say it sounds like the hats have irritated Ms. Hess for a while now, and she finally got her chance to order their permanent removal. Makes me think of Miss Almira Gulch, if you know what I mean.

So feel free to send an e-mail to her at lmhess@littlestownboro.org (according to Littlestown’s official web site), and let her know what you think about the crossing guard who went the extra mile to make sure motorists paid attention.

Apparently the years of inane, almost-funny strips… it was all an act! In the course of a single 1-panel comic, Keane has pwned all the haters. He has shown just how dark and twisted he can really be.

I mean, having the star of the strip carrying around a dead pet, implying through his question that maybe… just maybe… his sweet kitten isn’t dead after all? Ooh! Bravo, Mr. Keane. You have successfully shown us all that you can play demented with the best of ‘em, while at the same time making us feel guilty for ever wanting to see it in the first place.

Could it be that we’re on the cusp of seeing Family Circus walk down paths blazed by Lynn Johnston’s For Better or For Worse Gouge Your Eyes Out and Tom Batiuk’s Funky Winkerbean (Remembers Dead Loved Ones Over A Pint Filled With His Own Tears)?

Please, good sir, bring back the schlock tomorrow! I don’t think our hearts could take little Billy’s reaction when he realizes that “DED KITTEH… IZ DED.”

(At least, I could wish this was the intended meaning behind the strip. Nicole thinks it’s something more… inane. One can hope, though…)

I wanted to take a few minutes and share my thoughts on a passage from the Bible that’s been on my radar lately:

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. — Ephesians 4:29, ESV

Y’know, I think there’s a world of difference between what Paul was thinking when he said this, and what people today tend to think when they read it.

This verse marks the last of four times in this epistle where Paul uses the same word (Gr. oikodome, but your translation probably says something like “good for building up,” or “edifying”). Even so, when I’ve heard pastors preach on this topic they’ve typically focused in on an understanding of the word that’s informed solely by the verse itself, and divorced from other passages where Paul’s usage could shed light on what he means by it. This sort of thing always bugs me: if pastors are trying to build a true understanding of what Paul’s telling us to do here, then at the very least they ought to point us to those previous instances of the word. Right?

Because let me tell ya… it certainly helps it all make sense!

Here’s all four appearances of oikodome as they’re translated in the ESV. I’ve bolded (emboldened?) the word we’re talking about, and pointed out what I see as the key takeaway point from each (well, the key for understanding what Paul’s getting at with this “edification” stuff, at least):

1. Ephesians 2:19-22
   So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

   What’s the goal? In Jesus, we are being “edified” into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

2. Ephesians 4:11-14
   And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

   The purpose of “the 5-fold ministry” is to get the rest of us to a place where we’re equipped/trained/able to “edify” each other until we all reach the point of mature, Christ-like unity.

3. Ephesians 4:15-16
   Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

   Here Paul starts connecting our words with this concept of “edification.” He describes something like a circuit, where loving words of truth lead to our growing up into Christ, which feeds back into our expressed love leading to more growth, etc.

4. Ephesians 4:25-32
   Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

   Now that we have the previous passages as context, we can see that when Paul talks about “building up,” he’s referring to talk that leads to increased spiritual growth and purity. (In a nutshell, “edifying speech” could also be called “sanctifying speech.”)

What concerns me is that, in the sermons I’ve heard addressing the topic of “edifying speech,” most pastors seem to have taken a cue from pop psychology, and changed this word’s meaning away from “sanctifying” and toward something akin to “affirming.” No longer is “edifying speech” about growing the body into greater Christ-likeness, but now it’s a tool we use to make ourselves feel better about ourselves, and avoid any unpleasantness we’d rather not deal with.

When we do this, priorities shift. Jesus being glorified by our increasingly pure reflection of Him? That’s no longer as important as making sure we only ever say things that give out brothers and sisters (and pastors) warm fuzzies.

That’s just messed up.

Now of course, we’re supposed to speak in love! And we’re to stash the bitterness and malice. But according to 4:25, Paul doesn’t think truth should be sacrificed on the altar of flattery.

So this passage doesn’t seem to say anything definitive against “sharing a bad report” (as I’ve heard some pastors seem to have recently implied). If you’re sharing such things it out of bitterness or malice, then it would be wrong to do so… for other reasons.

But if you’re sharing that “bad report” so that Jesus’ Bride can see it, be alarmed, and focus on those blemishes being cleaned… then in fact Paul encourages the behavior!

So in summary: Paul’s goal is for us to leave each other a little more like Jesus. Sometimes, that means we need to “share a bad report,” to staunch the flow of disease and call attention to some behavior that’s damaging the Body.

Even—no, especially—when that behavior is coming from those who presume to lead and teach. The Body of Christ is not built up when wolves are praised as wonderful leaders.