Homeward Bound

Links Again

2010-02-04T20:30:00.007-06:00

I'd hoped to post something a little more meaty, but the wind got taken out of that by the emergency death-bed visit we're having to make to my wife's grandmother. Please pray for their family and for us as we drive through the snow.

Now for something lighter...

Do you know beans? Theologian Ben Witherington on ... coffee.

Newseum — the world's front pages

The Virtual Piano — play the piano online. Who needs a reason for these things?

Surviving Disaster — videos from Spike TV. Hopefully I won't need these this weekend.

Wish us luck. Texans don't know how to drive on snow.

Was Paul's Jesus Real?

2010-02-02T12:14:00.017-06:00

Is this the next skeptic meme?

I've seen a couple of people claim Paul's Jesus wasn't a historical figure — that He was either pure fiction or perhaps a spiritual figure who died and rose all within another world.

Their evidence: He never talks about Jesus' life. If we had only the writings of Paul, we would know very little about Jesus' life and ministry. The Gospels, being later than Paul's letters (and probably all the other epistles), could then be fiction, stories created to give life to Paul's mystical savior.

Utter crap? Absolutely. Mostly this argument boils down to "I wouldn't have done it this way, so it's wrong." But that doesn't mean we don't have to address it.

It's true that Paul, as well as the other epistle authors, doesn't say much about Jesus' mortal life.

There are plausible explanations for this. Mostly, I'd say the New Testament epistles are an extended commentary on the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. His ministry and teachings aren't the focus of that part of the New Testament.

But is is possible that Paul was preaching a fictitious, or at least purely "spiritual," Jesus?

No.

You can argue against this from a number of things Paul wrote. Most of it, though, is theological — specifically, things that would make no theological sense unless Jesus was real. But since skeptics don't think any of his teachings make sense, that's not a helpful line of thought.

But Paul said three things that place Jesus firmly in real history:

Jesus was descended from David (Rom 1.3).
Though there are skeptics today, it's ridiculous to think Paul thought David was not a real person. And Jesus, according to Paul, was really descended from that real person.

There are witnesses to His post-resurrection appearances (1Cor 15.6).
Paul claims there are witnesses to an event — witnesses who were still alive, that his readers could find. The event, and therefore Jesus, must have happened in history.

Jesus spoke to Pilate (1Tim 6.13).
If Jesus' death and resurrection were purely fiction or an event of the "spiritual world," He wouldn't have been tried in front of Pilate. Jesus made His "good confession" in front of a real, historical figure, so He must have been one too.

Of course this won't be good enough for anyone who's already made up his mind. But that doesn't mean we have to let them get to us. Whatever reason Paul may have had for not talking about Jesus' mortal life, he clearly knew He had one.

King of the Jungle

2010-01-29T15:33:00.004-06:00

Contemporary Christian music has a lot of silly fluff, but there is some good, God-centered stuff.

Here's an important message from Steven Curtis Chapman's King of the Jungle:

What I see is telling me I'm going crazy, but
What is real says God's still on His throne
What I need is to remember one thing
That the Lord of the gentle breeze is Lord of the rough and tumble
And He is King of the Jungle

No matter how crazy things get, God is in control. Take a deep breath. Relax. He's got it covered.

Click here to watch at YouTube

Weary in Doing Good 2

2010-01-26T12:24:00.007-06:00

Just as we can get tired of doing good deeds, we can get tired of the struggle to do right.

Does that happen to you? Do you ever say, "I'll never get it right; why do I keep trying?"

Do you ever think you'll never be free of that temptation? Do you ever think everyone's given up on you but Satan?

I do, and I doubt I'm the only one. But when I feel that way, when my emotions betray me, my brain knows it's not true.

This is what's true: "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Phil 1.6).

So "let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Heb 12.1) "for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" (Phil 2.13).

And when we fail, "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1John 1.9).

"Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us" (Rom 8.34).

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin" (Heb 4.15).

Now "let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Heb 12.2-3).

Links

2010-01-22T13:23:00.005-06:00

= “If the Bible is Not Inerrant, then Christianity is False” . . . And Other Stupid Statements

= "Oberman Is Over-Hard"
On teaching church history

= Seen and Not Heard
Controversy over kids in church

= What would rings around Earth look like?
Completely unrelated and very cool.

Weary in Doing Good

2010-01-19T12:01:00.012-06:00

The parallels between the recent Haitian earthquake and the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami are inescapable. Hopefully this isn't a portent of things soon to come.

The Indian Ocean earthquake started off a very troubled year including terrorist attacks, train derailments, and a record number of hurricanes, Katrina among them, plus more local issues. And we, as Americans and especially the American church, had to respond.

After a while I became emotionally numb. I simply couldn't care anymore. I had no more sympathy to give.

As the scriptures warn, I had grown "weary in doing good."

What do we do when we just can't care anymore?

We go on. We act as if we care. Caring is an emotion. Doing good is a choice.

We give money, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked. We bind wounds and hug necks and do whatever else needs to be done.

It's trite but true: We are the only gospel many people hear. So we don't get a day off.

But we do get help.

Our Savior sent us a Counselor and Helper who works in, with, and through us. What we cannot do, He can do through us. And when we grow weary, He will give us strength.

A Wealthy Jesus and Other Errors

2010-01-07T10:00:00.005-06:00

A friend sent me an article where some teachers of the "prosperity gospel" claim Jesus was not poor. I shouldn't be surprised — this is natural considering what they teach — but I am; the picture painted in the Gospels has been understood for almost 2000 years to mean Jesus was poor.

I can't believe Jesus was rich when He was described as living off others' charity (Luke 8:3).

But the bigger issue here is one that anyone can fall victim to.

These folks are torturing the scriptures to make them conform to a pre-determined theology. I'm sure they'd say their theology is based in the scriptures (everyone does), but the problem comes when, after getting your system down, you start to judge the scriptures by your theology rather than your theology by the scriptures.

Don't get me wrong — there are difficult passages in the Bible that only make sense when interpreted in light of other, understood passages. That's normal and necessary.

But we must always be willing to re-evaluate our theology in light of scriptures we haven't considered before (or recently).

Mary and Joseph offered the sacrifice of a poor person (Luke 2:24, c.f., Lev 12:8) after the birth of Jesus. They were then given valuable gifts (though we're not told how valuable) that certainly made the flight to Egypt easier. But how long did that last? We don't know.

But we do know that the adult Jesus is described as homeless (Matt 8:20) and dependent on the charity of some of His disciples. He died a slave's death and was placed in a borrowed tomb. He had to ask someone to take care of His mother, and His apostles all lived off charity.

Is this the description of a rich man? Only if your theology requires it to be.

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Just Eisegesis
Debt Relief and the Jubilee
All for Good?

Goals Past and Present

2010-01-04T11:54:00.011-06:00

Last year I suggested four goals to help us refocus our priorities:

Look up (to God)
Look around (at the need in our world)
Look away (from unwholesome things)
Step back (from the spotlight)

I'd love to say last year was a spectacular success at those things. I can't. But I did make gains in each of those areas.

For the first I turned to James Montgomery Boice's Foundations of the Christian Faith. For the second, I turned to David Batstone's Not for Sale - something I'll be bringing up here shortly.

On the third, well, there were successes and failures. There are many things in our popular culture that are unhealthy, unwholesome, even unseemly, and they're far easier to accept than avoid. But it's a new day and a new year.

On the last ... well, telling would ruin the whole thing, wouldn't it?

This year, I want to focus a little more carefully on looking up:

"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."

I may regret not stopping at "resurrection," but, let's face it, suffering with and for Christ has been part of the Way from the beginning. If we're doing it right, we won't be able to avoid that.

So that's my goal this year. I expect to share that journey here, and I hope you all will be along for the ride.

7 Tips for Reading the Bible in a Year

2009-12-31T12:51:00.019-06:00

'Tis the season for new year's resolutions, and many of us will resolve to read the Bible all the way through this year. It's easier said than done; there are lots of ways to lose the momentum and lose your committment. But it's really not that hard; 15-20 minutes a day will get you there.

You can do it. Here are a few thoughts to help you along on this venture:

1. Skim the hard parts.
Different things require and warrant different levels of reading. You do not read the tv guide with the same degree of care you do a textbook. You do not need to read the "begats" with the same diligence you give to the epistles right now. Ditto with the law and the more difficult prophecies. You'll want to come back to them another time, but for now if what you're reading is just terribly boring, skim it. The key here is don't lose your momentum, which will happen if you dread picking up your Bible.

2. Read the introductions.
Proverbs should be read very differently than Ezekiel or Romans. If your Bible has book introductions, they will probably give you some tips on how to do that. If yours doesn't, they're available online. Or you could get a book to help — maybe a Bible handbook or How to Read the Bible Book by Book.

3. Read meaningful chunks.
Every book in the Bible has a point. Many are designed to make a particular case. If you read a paragraph at a time of a book, you won't be able to piece that case together, and it won't make sense to you. Try to read at least a couple of chapters of any given book at a time, maybe more.

4. Read manageable chunks.
But if you try to read too much at one time, you may find have trouble processing what you've read. Reading the Bible is not just about getting through the Bible; it's about getting the Bible into you. Reading too much at a time can make that difficult.

5. Designate a catch up day.
Sooner or later you'll have a day or two when you barely have time to go to the restroom much less read something. Plan for that. Make one day — a week, a month, whatever — a catch up day. Pick a day when you have a little more leisure time and plan to read a little extra if necessary to stay on your schedule.

6. Make a habit of this.
Though bad days will happen, they'll be fewer if you get accustomed to reading at a certain time in a certain place. It can actually become automatic — that is, you can find yourself reaching for your Bible the minute you sit down, whether you intended to read or not. Choose a time and place when you'll have the fewest interruptions to read every day.

7. Don't make a habit of this.
Honestly, reading the Bible in a year's not the best way to read it. This will give you a broad view of the Bible, and that's important, but it's a terrible way to get a deep view which is critical for growth. So if you do it, do it this year and plan on doing something else thereafter.

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Related articles:
5 Questions to Help Your Devotions
How to be a Self-Feeder
Reflections on Leviticus
Bible Study Links

The Post-Christmas Test

2009-12-28T08:10:00.003-06:00

"My brethren, we are apt to think of Christ's first coming as a thing past and gone; and so, in one sense, it is. Eighteen centuries and a half have passed since His visible coming, and yet He is with us now. He came to be with His people for all time. "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." The Incarnation is a perpetuated fact; and the various relations of different souls to the Incarnate Christ which we study in the Gospels, are repeated in every generation of Christians. Peter, Thomas, Magdalen, Paul — ay, Judas too, — they are all with us: the names, the outer guise, is changed; the spiritual history is substantially the same. The conditions of the great problem of the relation of souls to Jesus Christ do not vary materially from age to age. He, our Lord, is unchangeable; and human nature, both on its bad and its better sides, is what it has been.

"Let us, then, try to reflect that the words of Simeon are still true, and that they suggest a grave question for every one of us. Christ is set for the rising and fall of many. Religion does not save us by the mere fact of our being brought into intimate contact with it. ...

"What is the case with each one of us? May we humbly hope that with the progress of time we have been more and more drawn towards the Person of our Lord? Or are we conscious of a weakened desire to live near Him and for Him; of a secret dislike of prayer and spiritual reading, which are sure to become intolerable burdens if they should cease to occasion true delight? Have we conquered enemies who once were formidable; or have we fallen back under the power of enemies who, we have flattered ourselves, were conquered once for all?

"Are our motives simpler, clearer, more uniform; or are they at best turbid and composite — a strange mixture of heavenly impulses and earthly resolves — a moral compromise at our very heart, in which the influences which come from below are steadily but surely getting the better of those which come from heaven? In short, are we falling or rising in the atmosphere of souls? ... We must sooner or later look the greatest of all our responsibilities in the face; our responsibility for having known whatever we individually have known of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That is the talent of talents for which the Great Householder will call us most strictly to account.

"Christ is set for the fall or rising of each single human being in this Cathedral; but His Will is that we all should rise. Let us not baulk His gracious purpose. Rather, while yet we may, let us cling, by faith and love and sincere repentance, to His Pierced Hands; that we may have a part in the first Resurrection, and, by His grace in the second beyond it."

— H. P. Liddon, from Results of Christ's First Coming

I Think She Knows

2009-12-23T12:56:00.009-06:00

My six-year-old daughter asked me if Santa Claus is real.

I think it was a visiting cousin that prompted this. Talk about putting you on defense.

I've never really supported the whole Santa Claus bit, but my wife — and my mother — wanted to do it. And a number of people pointed that telling her all along there was no Santa would cause problems among her classmates. So I put up with it.

But I don't really like the Santa bit for two reasons. One, I don't like giving credit for what my hard-earned money buys to someone else, especially someone ficticious.

But more than that, I don't want her to wonder if she should add God to the list of imaginary people we told her about. True, my outgrowing Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy didn't cause me to wonder about God, but it still strikes me as asking for trouble.

So I've been very non-committal about the whole thing from the beginning.

And when she asked me if Santa Claus is real, I told her, "Santa Claus is a game we play that makes Christmas more fun."

"Like the Tooth Fairy?"

"Yes."

"Cool!"

Yeah, I think she knows.

Review: Greatest Stories of the Bible

2009-12-17T11:03:00.007-06:00

This is another one of those books I don't quite know what to do with.

The Greatest Stories of the Bible (NKJ) is most of the narrative portions of the Bible stripped out and displayed in a storybook kind of format — e.g., each story is a "chapter" in the book. It contains most of the narratives plus a few extracts from the epistles (which are, frankly, out of place) but no law, no prophets, and few genealogies. It's a very pretty tome, but it's just the text of the New King James Version. The text is well displayed with large fonts and large margins, but there are no illustrations unlike most other "Bible storybooks" I've seen.

So who's this marketed toward? It's not really a child's book without any illustrations (not to mention the use of the NKJ). For adults or older children, you can skip from one narrative to another in your Bible if you want.

So why buy it?

Well, if you want to read the Bible as a narrative, this could be a good book for you. And there's great benefit in looking at the narrative of the Bible, in seeing the big picture of the story from the Garden to the cross to the New Earth.

So here's my dilemma: I would never have bought this book. (Thankfully, I got it for free -- review copy.) But it's not terrible.

If, for whatever reason, you want a book like this -- a Bible storybook, or a narrative-only Bible -- this would be a decent choice. But I'll just stick with a regular Bible.

Top 10 Modern Christmas Songs

2009-12-15T11:40:00.032-06:00

...according to my opinion, of course, but since I have impeccable taste, I think my judgement is sound :)

I gravitate toward songs that don't over idealize the Christmas events and that talk about the whole picture — not just the manger but the mission. It should go without saying that if a song only says "Christ" when followed by "mas," that's not a Christmas song. "Holiday" music is nice, but I want my Christmas music double-barreled, full-throttled, ACLU-heart-stoppingly religious.

Now without further ado, here's the Top 10:

(If you enjoy these songs, you might consider buying some. These folks take a financial risk by allowing their work to be on YouTube.)

#10 Strange Way to Save the World by 4Him
Poor Joseph finally gets a little attention as he reflects on the wonder of the events unfolding around him.

Buy on Amazon

#9 Sing Mary Sing by Jennifer Knapp
Mary already gets a lot of attention, but Jennifer Knapp rocks.

Buy on Amazon

#8 Christ is Come by Big Daddy Weave
A beautiful reflection on who this baby is and why He came.

Buy on Amazon

#7 Welcome to Our World by Chris Rice
Meditating on the wonder of the Incarnation and looking forward to the cross as only Chris Rice can. Sorry no video, just audio (will launch new window).

Buy on Amazon

#6 How Many Kings by Downhere
"How many fathers gave up their sons for me?" A knot in the throat equals a spot on the list.

Buy on Amazon

#5 This Baby by Steven Curtis Chapman
A quick tour from the manger to the cross with realism (and a video that has nothing to do with the song).

Buy on Amazon

#4 Adoration by Newsboys
And sometimes words just fail...

Buy on Amazon

#3 Mary Did You Know by Spoken
Just about everyone's covered Mark Lowry's modern classic, but I like Spoken's rock version.

Buy on Amazon

#2 Here With Us by Joy Williams
Words fail again. Just listen.

Buy on Amazon

#1 Our God is With Us by Steven Curtis Chapman
There are lots of great songs about Christmas, but this one reminds us why Christmas changes lives today. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a video, but I've excerpted the first verse and linked to audio (will open in new window) of the song.

It's so worth your time:

One of us is cryin' as our hopes and dreams are led away in chains,
And we're left all alone;
One of us is dyin' as our love is slowly lowered in the grave,
Oh and we're left on our own.
But for all of us who journey through the dark abyss of loneliness
There comes a great announcement - we are never alone -
For the maker of each heart that breaks, the giver of each breath we take
Has come to earth and given hope it's birth.

CHORUS
And our God is with us, Emmanuel.
He's come to save us, Emmanuel.
And we will never face life alone
Now that God has made Himself known,
As Father and Friend, with us through the end, Emmanuel.

Buy on Amazon

OK, I'm sure I'm missed your favorite. Please share the name and a link if you have one. And if you think my choices are just nuts, feel free to tell me so :)

Full Disclosure

2009-12-14T11:54:00.005-06:00

The FTC has decided bloggers must disclose any paid endorsements and freebies that are reviewed or promoted on their sites.

So here's my disclosure:

I'm a bibliophile. I love books for books' sake. Some people relax by walking in a garden; I walk through a bookstore (not that I don't like gardens, too).

I love old books and new books. I love serious books and funny books. I love big books, small books, weird books, and dry books. I love fiction and non, politics, theology, science, and history.

I have over a thousand books in my house. In one room of my house.

When I get a little money, I buy books. But I've got two mortgages, two cars, and two kids — girls, actually, meaning I'm looking at a future of dance lessons, prom dresses, and weddings besides the usual braces and such.

So if I can get free books, I do. I've got a Visa with Amazon rewards. And I gladly accept free books to do reviews.

That doesn't mean my reviews aren't honest. They are. In fact, there's one company that probably won't let me have any more review copies. They might prefer I didn't even buy their books.

But just in case, when reviewing such a free book, I'll let you know in the post. And if I ever get paid to do a review, you'll probably know from the giddy giggling.

Christmas Spirit

2009-12-11T12:29:00.006-06:00

In a year when so many people are struggling, so much fear and pain, it can be hard to feel that "Christmas spirit."

But that may be because the traditional Christmas spirit is based on an atmosphere of family, gifts, food, and decorations. When money is tight, all of those things can be hard to come by.

The "meaning of Christmas" is no more about family than about gifts. It is about God becoming a man to free the burdened and oppressed:

"The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. ...
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end." (Isaiah 9:2, 6-7)

When we gather, God willing, with our families we should be thankful first of all for a God who "made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant" for our sakes. That sentiment, that spirit, does not rely on our circumstances.

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You may also be interested in:
God in a Manger
The Lamb of God
The Peasant Prince

Confusing the Lost?

2009-12-07T08:32:00.006-06:00

"Several churches in Boise, Idaho are offering to pay people's parking tickets in an effort to demonstrate God's grace. ...

On December 12, organizers plan to gather in front of Boise City Hall and offer to pay off up to $10,000 in delinquent parking tickets.

...[T]he purpose of the giveaway is to help people understand that although they've made mistakes, forgiveness is available."

I'm all for creative methods to explain the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost. In this case, though, I wonder if they're communicating the wrong message. Specifically, I wonder if they will accidentally perpetuate some bad theology.

One way in which people frequently misunderstand — and attack — the Christian message is to portray it as a vengeful God venting His wrath on an innocent, uninvolved third party. This may make Jesus look very gracious, but it makes God look petty and cruel.

The divinity of Jesus makes this all work -- God doesn't punish a third party; God takes the punishment on Himself in human form.

But that distinction is often missed. And this program, where an uninvolved third party shows up to pay the debt owed the government, seems to facilitate that.

Am I making too much of this, or are they making a mistake here?

Schizophrenia on Evolution

2009-12-03T06:18:00.001-06:00

Proponents of naturalistic evolution like having evolution in their biology but not in their sociology.

Though they believe we are all simply advanced animals and that morality, if it exists at all, is simply a genetic predisposition toward mutually beneficial cooperation, they don't like it when people act on that position. (I'm sure this has nothing to do with the fact that most scientists aren't built for a truly dog-eat-dog world.)

A recent Time interview illustrates their problem:

"TIME: You believe that Darwin should continue to be taught in schools. But how can we teach Darwin and also teach that humans are somehow exceptional in the natural world?

DS: I think we have to decide what status we are going to give to the human race. Most of the world's religions hold that human life is sacred and special in some way. In teaching our common descent with animals, we also have to examine what is special about human beings, and why they deserve to be treated differently and granted certain rights."

Unfortunately naturalistic evolution does not leave us with the option of having something special about human beings. We shouldn't get different treatment or rights, and to claim the contrary, we're told, is "speciesist."

If Dawkins et al are right, the Columbine killers were right; there's no difference between killing a human and a cow.

Does that mean Dawkins et al are wrong? No. Naturalistic evolution can be totally true while leading to this horrible conclusion.

But, hey, maybe there really is a good reason to believe in Darwinism and in the sanctity of human life.

But perhaps we should demand that they stop teaching evolution until they can give students a convincing explanation.

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Related: Defining Evolution: Getting Terms Right

7 Things You Ought to Know About Angels

2009-11-29T19:44:00.011-06:00

1. Not all angels are good; an angel might be the devil in disguise.

2. Good angels are at war with the evil ones.

3. Angels were created by Jesus and are inferior to Him.

4. Angels have tremendous power, but Jesus is more powerful.

5. Angels have limited knowledge.

6. Angels are not to be worshipped.

7. Angels will one day be judged by believers.

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Related:
7 Things You Ought to Know About the Devil

A Miscellany of Links

2009-11-25T12:03:00.010-06:00

Some things to pass holiday down time and gear up for the Christmas season.

= Charity:
4 SEND A PRE-PAID PHONE CARD TO A LONELY SOLDIER OVERSEAS via USO

4 Let's Say Thanks
Sending a free note to make soldiers feel appreciated.

4 Products from Not for Sale
Give Christmas presents that help people break free of slavery.

4 Aid Sudan

= Diversions:
4 Coffee Cup Art

4 Martian Landscapes

4 Nat Geographic's International Photography Contest 2009

= Serious:
4 You’re teaching my child what?
"We know now that teens’ poor decisions are likely due not to lack of information, but to lack of judgement. And there is only one thing that will bring that: time."

4 On Reading Old Books Like the Bible
"Secularists reading the Bible are too often like ethnocentric tourists visiting a foreign country. ... The Bible isn’t what they are used to reading and they read it badly."

4 A Pocket Guide to New Testament Theology

Smelling Coffee

2009-11-19T19:37:00.009-06:00

Contemporary Christian music has a lot of silly fluff, but there is some good, God-centered stuff.

A favorite artist is Chris Rice. He writes songs that are ... different, musically interesting, and full of truth. One of my favorites is Smelling Coffee. Here's the bridge:

Every little breath, every heartbeat
Is a gift of love that You give to me
You keep givin’ even when I’m asleep
‘Cause I know You never stop watchin’ over me
I wake up, my past is gone
‘Cause Your mercy’s new with the mornin’ sun
I’m forgiven, I’m free, it’s a brand new day
‘Cause Your faithfulness is the greatest...

I rarely get through that without a lump forming in my throat. How much I rely on that mercy that's new every morning.

Here's the whole song with a cute, and also kinda different, video:

On the Question of Torture

2009-11-16T16:48:00.001-06:00

Would you torture a man to save him?

Little Jashon was missing after his mother's body was discovered. The suspect in his mother's murder is a multiple felon who has killed a child before.

At 17-months-old, even if unharmed, this little boy wouldn't survive long without care. As John at Verum Serum points out, this is basically the ticking time bomb from torture debates.

Any torture debate usually turns into a disjointed mess because people start talking past each other. There are three questions that must be asked, and they must be dealt with independently and thoroughly.

1) Is torture ever acceptable?
2) Is torture ever effective?
3) Is [a given act] torture?

The first question must be answered before the second is discussed because if it is never morally acceptable, it doesn't matter if it's effective.

The third question is essential because we have to decide if a procedure is torture before we try to apply the other two questions to it. For instance, if waterboarding is not torture, it's pointless to bring it into arguments about whether torture is wrong. Both questions need to be resolved separately.

In any debate — whether the topic is politics, religion, a new pet, or updating procedures at work — we need to make sure we pay attention to what the questions really are and whether they're being addressed properly. We serve our Master better with a reputation for clear thinking and honest discussion. And the debate may even prove fruitful.

As to the matter at hand, I'd love to know how you would answer the above questions, but the real, and heart-rending, question is, would you torture a man to save that little boy?

I'm afraid I probably would, but I'm pretty sure I'd be a bit sick to my stomach afterward either way.

[Oh, and they've found a body that's probably the boy's.]

Just Eisegesis

2009-11-13T12:07:00.001-06:00

A new(-ish) specialty Bible is about to hit the market. "The Poverty and Justice Bible is your guide to explore God’s messages and challenges regarding the poor," according to Bibles.com. "It highlights more than 2,000 verses that spell out God's attitude to poverty and justice."

And when they say "justice," they mean "social justice," by which they mean helping poor people — a good thing as long as it's properly done.

But I have my doubts about this product. The sample on their website shows a highlighted scripture on justice:

"The Spirit will come and show the people of this world the truth about sin and God's justice and the judgment. The Spirit will show them that they are wrong about sin, because they didn't have faith in me. They are wrong about God's justice, because I am going to the Father, and you won't see me again. And they are wrong about the judgment, because God has already judged the ruler of this world" (John 16:8-11 CEV).

Is Jesus talking about poverty and "social justice" here? No, clearly not. But it's got the word "justice" in it, so they highlight it. This is hardly a representative sample (they claim the Bible has over 2000 verses on poverty), but given this and all the other scriptures I've seen these kinds of folks abuse, I fear many verses will be misrepresented as refering to charity and welfare.

They also have a section of essays on poverty related topics including ... military spending?!

"Since 1945, the United States has spent more than $19 trillion on defense. If you were to spend $26 million per day since the birth of Christ, you still would not have spent as much as the United States has spent on defense since the end of World War II."

Um, how much more poverty and suffering would there be in the world if we'd lost the Cold War?

This is not the only essay reflecting such shoddy thought. I don't think I'd want to put this thing in the hands of an impressionable young person.

I'm glad these folks want to remind Christians of our duty to the poor. I'm glad they're trying to help folks understand the Bible. I just don't think they're very good at it. I don't hold out much hope for this product which is looking like the same old Christian Left eisegesis.

(HT: Tim Challies)

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Related:
Debt Relief and the Jubilee
Helping the Poor Biblically
Loving Neighbors 7000 Miles Away

Eternal Fire

2009-11-10T16:17:00.000-06:00

Verses I wish weren't in the Bible: Matthew 25:41

The sheep and the goats. One to the right; one to the left. Left is bad.

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. ... Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.' ... Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.'"

I hate hell. I hate that it exists. I hate that people go there. I hate the finality of it. I hate the eternity of it.

Some have tried to show that hell isn't permanent. They see it more akin to the idea of purgatory but for everyone. I wish I could believe that.

But the way I read it, the way I understand it, the situation seems clear: Those who have rejected the Savior will be rejected by the Savior. He may give some people chance after chance, but in the end everyone has a last chance.

As much as I hate hell, though, as CS Lewis put it, God hates it more. If I would give anything to keep people from going to hell, He gave everything to keep them from going to hell.

But, truth be told, I wouldn't give anything to keep people from going to hell. Some days I can't even manage to walk across the street. It's so easy to expect that tomorrow will present another opportunity. Sometimes it doesn't, though.

I hate hell. But sometimes I don't hate it enough.

Links

2009-11-06T11:48:00.005-06:00

A diverse selection of links to help pass the time...

Bible: Have you heard of Glo? It's described as an interactive Bible "experience." Watch part 8 for a good idea of what this can do. It's an interesting concept, though I doubt I'll ever buy it.

Science: DNA Evidence Can Be Fabricated
Scary doesn't begin to describe it.

Adult Stem Cells: Stem Cells from Fat Used to Grow Missing Facial Bones
One more nail in the coffin of ESCR.

Abortion: Court rejects Pa. buffer law on abortion clinics
Apparently there are limits to limits.

Politics: What's Wrong with Obamacare?
Please pardon the self-linkage. This is a brief (a relative term) summary of the issues.

Chrysostom on Godliness and Evangelism

2009-11-04T07:36:00.005-06:00

"Live in a way that won't blaspheme the name of God. On the one hand, don't care about human reputation. On the other hand, don't give reason for others to speak poorly of you. ... There would be no unbelievers if we were the Christians we should be. Everyone would convert to godliness if we generally kept the commandments of Christ, suffered through insults, blessed when we were cursed, and did good when treated poorly."

—John Chrysostom, from Homily 10 on 1 Timothy