William Sofield

Sofield Update

2007-12-12T08:29:00.001-05:00

Podcast site

This is our first podcast. Scroll down a little and you can get our podcasted update. I'm not sure how to embed the audio file on this website like I do with pictures.

This might be an easier way to keep everyone updated. This podcast is available for everyone, but we are thinking of non-Miami folks specifically.

Headlines

2007-11-20T22:49:00.000-05:00

I typically don't like Leno much, but his headlines make me laugh so hard!

Katherine as Eowyn

2007-11-12T15:09:00.000-05:00

More here.

Cool Weather

2007-11-05T08:04:00.001-05:00

The cool, dry season hit us on Sunday morning. Finally!

We opened up the house, all our many windows and used the box fans. It was awesome! We probably won't close the windows until next May. Winter is finally here!

For all you people up North, this is why we live in Miami. The last 4 months have been hot as hell. The rain for this past 2 months has been very annoying, but now, finally, Miami is paradise again.

MacBook

2007-11-01T21:26:00.000-05:00

I don't start at Granada Presbyterian Church full time until January, but I've started with a few hours each week already. They bought me a new MacBook, which I'm using now.

There is a learning curve, but be sure, but I think I'm going to like the Mac platform much better.

New Job

2007-10-18T07:11:00.000-05:00

I got a new job as an Assistant Pastor at Granada Presbyterian Church, where Katherine and I have been attending for about a year now. Actually, I will start full time work in January, but I'm doing a few hours each week at the church, officially, now.

I will no longer be a hospital chaplain in January.

This has been a long time coming, in many ways. I'm sad to leave the hospital, but very happy to be part of the Church more definatively. I think the new position will fit me better, and I will be able to deliver to the Church the gifts that God has given me for her more effectively.

More on this later, I'm sure.

Oh, by the way, I preached at the church last week, mp3 here.

Our Cruise

2007-09-18T07:33:00.000-05:00

I don't think we're cruise people, though it was a good trip, and we certainly enjoyed it. I hope to give a fuller reflection later, but for now...I have posted the pictures here.

Majesty of the Seas

2007-09-13T09:34:00.000-05:00

On Friday, September 13, 2007 we'll be boarding the Majesty of the Seas (seen above) bound for Cococay. We'll spend Saturday on that little private island. Then we'll wake up on Sunday morning in Nassau. That night we'll return home to Miami, Monday morning.

Our first cruise!

Split Blogs

2007-09-05T14:42:00.000-05:00

I have just started a new blog, which I am tentitively calling, "Wandering Toward Truth, Beauty and Love."

This blog ("William Sofield") will continue as a fun, interesting, personal kind of place.
The new one will be more academic, thought-provoking, mentally stimulating.

So now, this blog will be mostly oriented to a "friends and family" crowd.
The new blog will be more oriented to a broader crowd. That's my goal, anyway.

Sick Christians

2007-09-01T19:31:00.000-05:00

.mp3 of a sermon I preached a few weeks ago.

What I'm Watching

2007-08-17T09:19:00.000-05:00

Man of the Year
Robin Williams is always funny, but this one just doesn’t fit him so well. His movies seem to be "hit or miss." This book could have been a pamphlet -- this movie could have lasted 10 minutes, but they needed a story and characters to wrap around the really funny 10 minutes of Williams.

Babel
A not-as-good version of Crash. Not quite the same, but a lot of similarities. I liked it a lot, but Katherine didn't. Interesting stories -- it seems like it is trying to make a point, but I'm not quite sure. It feels like they are trying to tell a good story about really significant things, without being "preachy" -- but that's impossible, I think. Slightly artsy. Requires some engagement. Difficult tension. Not fun. Great images (cinematographic, mental, iconographic, and otherwise). Good stories. Good characters. Conspicuously missing resolution.

Graphic nudity which fit the story well, and was a necessary part of the story, but I'm not sure that part of the story needs to be told. In the end, I can recommend the movie, but I'm certainly conflicted about this particular scene (not comfortable, but not outraged, either). I would feel more comfortable if I knew that it wasn't a real person who had to act that role.

Night at the Museum
More fun than I thought. I mostly like Ben Stiller. They do a good job of keeping to the two main elements -- Ben Stiller's comedy and the imaginative humor that can come from a mostly CG movie. Cameos by such stars as Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, Robin Williams, Ricky Gervais, Brad Garrett and Owen Wilson. Fun movie. Worth watching once only.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
I remember seeing this one a long time ago, but mostly forgotten. It's one of the best "summer blockbuster" movies ever. Johnny Depp is simply amazing, Orlando Bloom and Kiera Knightley are terrific, too. This movie now defines what "pirate" means.

Bridge to Terabithia
Aweseome! One of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Ranks up there with Little Miss Sunshine (Bridge is one rung lower). I sure appreciate any movie that deals with death so honestly, and especially one that comes from a child's perspective with mythological imagery. Those two kids have great potential in the acting world, I think.

Kill Bill Vol.2
Not as good as vol.1, I think. It's a bit of a different movie, in many ways. More intimate, more character driven. Anyway, I really enjoy Tarantino's sense of style. I've mentioned this before, but it's worth mentioning again. Further, Uma Thurman is simply amazing. Lots of blood and violence, but quite stylized. I understand a new version will be released with both movies together and edited to be an NC-17 version. I'm not interested. I think I got what I wanted from these two. Excellent for the style.

Sling Blade
It's been a long time since I saw this one that launched Billy Bob Thorton's career. He wrote, directed and starred this one. Amazingly slow, but fascinating. Character driven. Not so fun.

Idiocracy
From Mike Judge. Basically -- anything from him is worth seeing, I think. Starring Luke Wilson and Maya Rudolph. This movie reminded me a lot of Judge's classic, Office Space in that it was an awesome idea with hilarious situations and one-liners, but then the story kinda dropped off and went nowhere. The first 25 minutes of Idiocracy is phenomenal, but then it slowly tanks. If you like Office Space, you'll like Idiocracy, too.

Harry Potter 5
Awesome. My only complaint is that it didn't include some of my favorite scenes from the book. However, since the book is so long, what can we reasonably expect? My love of Harry Potter is well documented, so I won't go into it here, but I love the movies only half as much as the books, which put them pretty high anyway.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Perhaps better than the original. See above for the other Pirates movie. It's the same movie, with different plot and effects. With this kind of movie, that's just fine.

Simpsons Movie
Excellent Simpsons. If you like Simpsons, you'll love the movie. They took all the best writers, and hammered out a very tight story with tons of great jokes -- very fast paced. It's basically the best Simposons episode ever because they spent so much time on it, and it's really long.

What I'm Watching

2007-08-02T06:22:00.000-05:00

I think this post allows me to be "caught up" to about 6 weeks ago. I'll try to make progress.

Platoon (1986). The movie was terrific -- and Stone's audio commentary was excellent, too. It's a "classic" of sorts that I had never seen. I'd be curious to talk with a Vietnam Vet about it. A very young cast of people who turned out to be great actors! Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, Forest Whitaker and Johnny Depp, to name a few. Plenty violent, but good representation (as best as I can tell) of life in Vietnam.

Fun with Dick and Jane (2005). Surprisingly, Tea Leoni has the chops to hang with Jim Carrey -- very few people can do that. I liked her in Spanglish a lot, too. This is mostly a fun movie. Crazy, silly, unexpected -- a weird comedy -- not exactly slapstick, but not really situational -- sorta a mixture of the two. Just sit back and enjoy. It doesn't ask much and it gives quite a bit, without being childish.

Scarface (1983). I chose this one for the "history of Miami" lesson, even though it is technically a fiction. It's hard to believe that my city was like this in the recent past, but I've heard true stories from so many people. Miami was crazy just after the 1980 boatlift. One close friend lived through the "concentration camps" depicted in the beginning here. She doesn't talk about it much. This may be cinema heresy, but I'm not that impressed with Al Pacino. He's not bad, but I don’t see all the hype. If you're not familiar with the history of Miami, this is a great place to get started. The version I saw had a DVD special feature. You could watch the movie with a special "scoreboard" for the number of murders, and the uses of the word, "fuck." Indeed, this is a brutal movie.

Hitch (2005). I just really like Kevin James. I think he is hilarious, and Will Smith is usually pretty good too. They're both terrific here and have great chemistry. The premise and plot is dumb, but the situations are fun. This is just a fun movie. It would be easy for me to get caught up in the critique of the modern mating system called dating upon which this movie is based. All that critique would be meaningful and well-deserved, but misplaced. For a romantic comedy, this one is pretty good, I think. If you like the humor of James and/or Smith, you'll probably enjoy it. This was my introduction to Eva Mendes. I thought she was mostly famous as eye-candy, but she shows some good ability here for both drama and comedy.

Coach Carter (2005). This was a role Sam Jackson was born for, I think. He is simply amazing! Great feel-good movie based on a true story. The characters and the plot drive this film. Inner city loser basketball team is motivated by a gusty new coach and finds success on and off the court. How did he do it? Definitely worth watching. Some good lessons, but nothing particularly new.

Last King of Scotland (2006). Another historical fiction. Lots of historical events -- all true. The movie is based on a fictional character's interaction with those events. Idi Amin was one of the most ruthless dictators of Africa in the 20th century. Our friends from Uganda (Simon and Rita) lived through those years and are victims of his regime. How did such a leader gain power in Uganda? His rise to power is the story of this movie. Amazing script. Whitaker takes home the Best Actor for his portrayal of Amin. It's a thriller, not a drama. It seems I've been picking lots of bloody movies recently. I wonder why? Fair warning. However -- one of the best movies I've seen recently.

Borat (2006). Brilliant and evil. Sasha Cohen is simply stunningly quick and hilarious. However, his comedy is completely at the expense of someone else. He sets a trap, and we laugh at the fools who fall in. Another attraction to the movie is his recklessness reminiscent of the Jackass guys. He regularly performs stunts that are the social equivalent of physical self-inflicted pain we see in Jackass. Overall, I don't recommend it because it glorifies evil -- but I've got to admit -- the guy is a genius.

Hannibal Rising (2007). Much better than I anticipated. We love the Hannibal series -- of course Silence of the Lambs is the best (one of the best movies of all time, I think). The others are not as good, but all are excellent. This one is sans Hopkins. However, Gaspard Ulliel does a fantastic job. He probably won't be recognized, but I think he does amazingly excellent in playing a young Lector. Definitely worth watching. Thomas Harris is a brilliant writer -- I'm ready to see whatever screenplay he brings to us. Worth it -- but of course, beware of the horror here, if you're sensitive to that sort of thing. Katherine is sensitive to it, but she loves these movies anyways. They're just awesome!

Little Miss Sunshine (2006). Perhaps the best movie I've seen in the last year. Definitely worth owning. I don't want to give away too much, but it is a smart comedy with a heart. Family dynamics at work. A dysfunctional family on vacation -- that doesn't sound too good, does it. Hard to explain. A great combination of amazing writing, directing, acting, design -- this movie has it all. Lots to discuss with those who have seen it.

Queen (2006). Awesome! Now I understand all the hype around Helen Mirren's performance. It is all earned. Interesting story, too. I was impressed with Michael Sheen as Tony Blair. I don't know much about the British Royal Family, and this movie helped me in that way, too. Almost worth owning, but not quite. I'll probably request it from Blockbuster again in the future, though.

Deathly Hallows

2007-07-27T06:30:00.001-05:00

If anyone had a question about Rowling's Christian intentions, I think this book clears it up. It is as if she said, "Ok, for everyone who missed it, let's make this crystal clear..."

Also, my favorite book of the series -- partly for that reason, but also because of the height of the tension and the satisfaction of the resolution. I saw parallels with LOTR more than ever before and the final HP book and the Return of the King are quite similar in many ways, I think.

By the way, we went to Costa Rica, too. The lack of posting comes from the trip (update coming), and from reading HP.

Traffic Solution

2007-07-20T10:33:00.000-05:00

More NT Wright

2007-06-28T12:25:00.000-05:00

I heard this from one of Bishop Tom Wright's (see below) lectures, too (summarized in my own words):

I often hear very conservative Christians talk addess environmental issues this way: If God will restore all things in the end of time, why should we work hard now? If God will create a new heavens and new earth, why should we work so hard to preserve the old one?

I usually ask those people, If someone comes to your church looking for help with a terrible sin problem, do you give the same advice? "Ok, so you've got a terrible alcohol problem. Don't worry too much, God will save you in the end, and you'll not have a problem at all. Just wait until then." Of course not. Just as God wants us to work earnestly toward the redemption of our sinful destructive behaviors, he also wants us to work earnestly toward the redemption of social structures and the physical world (to name just a few things). Of course, we will never reach perfection with any of these things, but that should not deter us from our earnesty -- for we can make real progress, and we ought to do so.

Bishop Tom Wright

2007-06-28T06:26:00.000-05:00

I've been listening to a bunch of NT Wright recently. He is incredibly helpful and Christological. His book Simply Christian is simply great! I haven't read his other works, but I'm sure some will enter my library soon.

This morning I heard a lecture with this anecdote which I summarize here.

When Bishop Wright was a chaplain at an Oxford college, he would take time in each semester to spend a few minutes with each of the new students. He would offer himself as a spiritual resource and guide. Inevitably, some students would say something like, "Thanks so much, but you probably won't be seeing much of me, because I'm an athiest." To which Wright would always say, "Oh, that's interesting. Which God don't you believe in?" The student would be shocked, but would stammer out always the same basic answer about a God who lives in the sky, and looks down on the world and occasionally intervenes in the affairs of the world. The chaplain always responded with, "I see. I think we are together on this athiesm, then. I don't believe in that God, either." The students would look puzzled, and then he would add, "I believe in the God revealed in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, and he is nothing like what you described." Then he would thank the person for coming and send them on their way with this question firmly planted in their mind.

Brilliant evangelism! I love it.

What I'm Watching

2007-06-27T08:54:00.000-05:00

I'm way overdue for an update on my movie-watching. We've gotten rid of our TV, and the Blockbuster program is working wonderfully. Here are a few recent movies, but there are more reviews coming soon.

Rocky Balboa (2006). If you understand that the Rocky series is not really about boxing, this is a great movie. Audiences have been complaining about the endless series -- he's so old, etc. It makes me wonder -- did people really think the movies were about boxing? If so, I guess they don't know much about boxing. I find that a lot of people secretly enjoy this series, and this movie, but they don't know why they like it so much. In a great speech, Rocky says, "Life is not about how hard you can hit. It's about hard you can get hit, and still keep going." In other words, how much strength do you have in you to keep going? Where does that kind of inner strength come from? Where does real courage come from? Good spiritual questions from a very spiritual movie. Highly recommend for people who can understand the subtlety of Rocky's message.

Happy Feet (2006). Not impressed. Lots of dancing, pop music, one-liner jokes, and flat characters. Throw in a positive message that tries too hard. I really wanted to like Happy Feet, but it was a big waste of time.

Gangs of New York (2002). I always like a good historical fiction, if it captures the history well. I think this one did (but, of course, I don't really know). Great acting, a decent story. I liked the characters, too. It was way too long. It tried to be an epic, but didn't have an epic story, epic characters or epic plot. Would have worked better as a biography. Nonetheless, the production value is incredible. A good, solid movie. Leonardo is simply an amazing actor -- paired with Daniel Day Lewis, who is also terrific. Worth watching, but not owning, I think.

Kill Bill, vol.1 (2003). I love the style of Tarantino, though not his content, usually. I wince at the content while being captured and thoroughly the style. This movie was exactly that (as Pulp Fiction). One of the most violent movies I've seen, but so uniquely artful. Can violence be beautiful? Should it be beautiful? Is this like eloquent verbal abuse? Or like a delicious and satisfying meal of poison? Damn you, Tarantino! I think I can appreciate and enjoy the beauty (which is doubtless present) without enjoying the violence -- or can I? I plan to watch volume 2.

Fools Rush In (1997). Romantic comedy with Matthew Perry (Friends) and Salma Hayek. We watched this one on a recommendation of enjoying the culture clash of this mis-matched couple. All-American rich white boy meets poor, free-spirited Mexican girl. Some hilarious scenes, especially when the parents meet each other. Great stuff. Of course it ends with "romantic love triumphs all differences," which I have found to be (and believe to be) incredibly short-sighted. However, it was a fun, light movie with a progressive message, plus Salma Hayek is very easy on the eyes. Worth watching.

Pursuit of Happyness (2006). Perhaps not quite worth the hype, but this is a great movie. Will Smith shows his dramatic chops in full force. His son (on screen and in real life) is really cute and does some great dramatic scenes, too. Nothing unexpected from this movie, but I usually enjoy true stories that remind me about the racism (and classism) of the very recent past (not to diminish the very real problems of the present). I especially liked the "behind the scenes" stuff with the real guy. Worth watching occasionally, not owning.

New Student

2007-06-18T07:11:00.000-05:00

Last night we recieved another English student. Our new student is a lady about our age from Tokyo. She will be with us for about 3 months, I think. We didn't really get to know her at all. She flew from Tokyo to Atlanta, then to Miami. After that long trip, she took a quick shower and went to bed pretty quick. Looking forward to a new friend.

Wierd Kid

2007-06-12T07:52:00.000-05:00

Some kids are in a world of their own.

How Did We Get Our English Bible?

2007-06-12T07:36:00.001-05:00

How did we get our English Bible? 04
Introduction to Textual Criticism

There is significant difference between trying to determine that actual words (and letters) of "God's Word" between the Old Testament and the New Testament.

OT --Hebrew (and Aramaic) language, fluid, poetic, image-oriented
NT --Greek language, precise, logical, technical

OT--Much of the OT was originally orally transmitted, and the written page is a copy
NT--The written words are the original source

OT--Much of the OT material was compiled over many generations
NT--Each book was written complete by a single author

OT--Hebrew (Oriental) people revered the tradition of the text and were very careful in transmission
NT--Greek thinkers (Western world) was much less careful in transmission, preferring quantity to quality

To illustrate the difference, think about what it means to "get back" to the original text of the book of Psalms -- it's just a collection of songs. Each song came from somewhere other than the "Book of Psalms." Or, compare Psalm 14 and 53. Or, compare 2 Kings 18-20 and Isaiah 36-39. Or, think about Deuteronomy 34 -- Moses dies. Certainly that's not part of the original text that Moses wrote, yet, it is certainly part of the book of Deuteronomy. For these reasons, New Testament textual criticism is far more important and useful[1] than Old Testament textual criticism.

Think of the "telephone game" where one person whispers a story into the ear of another. That person then repeats the story to another and on it goes. At the end of a long line, the story has morphed quite a bit. Each person remembers a different story.

Now, we can think of a poorly paid scribe copying the gospel of Luke for a wealthy landowner in the 6th century. He is in a poorly lit room, standing (not sitting) all day at a rickety desk, with poor writing paper and ink. He's cold (or hot) and hungry. He may be barely literate. His "original" copy is smudged in places, and apparently whoever wrote it had bad handwriting. Further, remember that there is no punctuation marks, every letter is capitalized, and there are no spaces between words. As he looks at the "original" he sees that someone has come along and "corrected" or edited the text in some places. There are original words crossed out and replacement words in the margins. He wonders which is truly original, and why the new words are there. Also, there are some personal notes in the margins -- some of which is done with terrible handwriting! To top it all off, his boss is very pushy and wants the completed copy immediately. Ok, our poor, tired scribe is doing his best, but he's bound to make mistakes.

We’ll return to our poor scribe but for now, let’s get more concrete. There are almost 5800 Greek Manuscripts of the New Testament, some are only portions of particular books and some contain many or even all of the New Testament. Besides that, we have 15,000 to 20,000 manuscripts of translations of the New Testament, primarily in Latin, Coptic and a few other languages. These versional copies help tremendously, too. Finally, many pastors (known as “church fathers”) wrote to each other and to other churches and regularly quoted their New Testament. We have more than 1,000,000 NT quotations in the writings of the church fathers. In fact, we could construct the entire Greek New Testament (except for about 6 or 7 verses) simply from the church fathers.

Textual critics refer to textual “variants.” A variant is one possible “reading” of a particular part fo the text. For example, perhaps in one manuscript, at a particular place, it says, “Jesus.” In another manuscript, at that same place, it says, “Jesus Christ.” In another, it says, “Christ.” In another is says, “the Lord Jesus.” That would be 4 variants. Which is original? That’s the job of the textual critic. There are about 300,000 to 400,000 variants in the Greek New Testament. There are about 138,000 words in the Greek New Testament, meaning that for every word, there is an average of 3 or 4 variant readings.

By far the largest category is Nonsense and Spelling Errors. There were no dictionaries and so there were no standard spellings of words. Proper names, especially, were subject to many different spellings. Sometimes, it was clear that a scribe was getting sleepy, and making stupid mistakes toward the end of a page, or a paragraph. Then, sometimes, you can see on the next line, a fresh pen, good handwriting, and no stupid mistakes. It must be the next morning.

The second largest category of variants is those that do not affect the translation at all. For example, in Greek, the definite article can be used in front of a proper name, or not. For example, in Greek you could say, “the Paul went to Jerusalem” or “Paul went to Jerusalem.” No scholar has any idea what the difference is. There doesn’t seem to be any discernable pattern. The meaning is not affected at all.

Another large group are those variants that are meaningfully different, but not viable. For example, there are some church fathers that clearly misquote the New Testament (perhaps they didn’t take the time to look up the exact wording, but just relied on their faulty memory). If the only testimony to a particular variant is one church father, of course it is not original.

The meaningful and viable variants make up less than 1% of variants, and no cardinal doctrine is in question or is affected by any viable variant.

Ok, for a few more words about how these variant get into the text, let’s get back to our scribes. There were other common ways (in some places at various times) to copy the books of the New Testament. For example, a reader would stand in front of a large group of copiers. The reader would read a line of text from his manuscript and the copiers would then write down what they heard. If the reader went too fast or had an accent errors would creep in to some of the texts. If a listener heard the wrong word, he might write a word similar to what he heard. Think of these sentences:

Our chance that he will be allowed to chant aloud this hour is not good.
He was seen mourning in the morning scene of the play.
You two need to wait with your cart, too, for four people is too many in this car.

Also, sometimes somebody would cough, or a particular scribe would be inattentive for some reason. For example, in Revelation 15.6, most translations say that seven angels were clothed in "linen," but the ASV says they were clothed in "stone." Well, the Greek words for "linen" and "stone" sound very similar, but are spelled differently, and some manuscripts have one, others have the other.

This "He must have heard it wrong" kind of error is but one in a much larger category of unintentional changes. Bad handwriting, poor eyesight and dim lighting account for a large number of mistakes, too -- sometimes a scribe would skip a line altogether -- so in his new copy, 6 or 10 words would be missing, which made no sense at all. Sometimes, somebody would catch the mistake and put the missing text in the margin. Speaking of which, it was common for users of these texts to write notes to themselves in the margins of the book. If there was a word they were not familiar with, they would commonly put a synonym in the margin, but the margin was also used to correct the text. In later years if a scribe were to use this manuscript to copy from, how was he to know which one was a correction and which was a personal note? He made his best guess.

What is perhaps the most atrocious of all scribal blunders is contained in the fourteenth-century codex 109. This manuscript of the Four Gospels, now in the British Museum, was transcribed from a copy which must have had Luke's genealogy of Jesus … in two columns of twenty-eight lines to the column. Instead of transcribing the text by following the columns in succession, the scribe of 109 copied the genealogy by following the lines across the two columns. As a result, not only is almost everyone made the son of the wrong father, but, because the names apparently did not fill the last column of the exemplar, the name of God now stands within the list instead of at its close (it should end, of course, "…Adam, the son of God"). In this manuscript God is actually said to have been the son of Aram, and the source of the whole race is not God but Phares![2]

There were many intentional changes, too. Not all of the Biblical writers wrote with grammatical precision, so it was common to "correct" the grammar, spelling, etc. of the copy in front of you. Further, there are many "parallel" passages in the New Testament which are slightly different. Many of the monks had large sections of the Bible translated. If Mark's version of a gospel story was "lacking" compared to Luke's version, a scribe might put the "extra" sentence back in to his copy of Mark's Gospel. Early versions of Mark 1.2 say "as it was written in Isaiah the prophet." The quotation it refers to is a composite from both Isaiah and Malachi. Later versions of Mark simply say, "as it is written in the prophets." This was probably an intentional change. Other changes were made for theological reasons. For example, in Luke 2.41 and 43, the text reads "his parents" referring to Mary and Joseph, the parents of Jesus. However, some later manuscripts read "Mary and Joseph" in an apparent attempt to protect the doctrine of the virgin birth. Lastly, many "pulpit" copies of the New Testament were prepared specifically for public reading at worship services on Sunday. Each week, a little more was read, continuing where we left off last week. If a particular week's reading started with, "He began teaching them, saying…" then the "pulpit" copy would substitute the person's name ("Jesus" for example) instead of "He." Or, a brief phrase or sentence might be included to help the readers understand the reading. This was often confused as being part the text itself.

However, the vast majority of scribes and copies were amazingly scrupulous with their work. With the many thousands of copies made, we would expect to have far more textual problems than we have. Many errors (even in spelling) are copied over and over because most scribes would not change anything, they would copy exactly and check and recheck their work.

One more thing. The average ancient Greek author has about 20 manuscripts of any kind. The very best is Homer (who wrote The Illiad and The Odyssey). We have less than 800 manuscripts for his work, even though he wrote 900 years before Christ. Also, the earliest copy we have of any Greek author is 500 years after the writing, but for the New Testament we have many copies from the 2nd Century (AD 100-200), which are about 100 years after the originals.

Next week, we’ll look at how scholars determine which variant is original, and why it matters. We’ll look at a few examples of some actual textual problems, and see if we can determine together which one is original. We’ll talk more about the significant differences between the KJV and the NIV. Which one is closer to the original?

[1] This does not mean that the Old Testament is less important, useful, relevant or inspired than the New, but we are simply talking about textual criticism here.
[2] Bruce M. Metzger, The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption and Restoration, 3rd, enlarged edition, Oxford University Press, 1992, p.194-195.

How Did We Get Our English Bible

2007-06-04T07:39:00.000-05:00

Lesson 03, King James and such

In 1603, Queen Elizabeth died and James VI of Scotland became James I of England. He called for convocation of the religious leaders (of which he was now the chief). That group decided that a new English translation was in order. The churches were all using the official translation known as "The Great Bible" which was chained to the pulpits. However, the people preferred the "Geneva Bible." Its Calvinistic notes were incredibly popular, and the translation was far preferable. The king and clergy did not like the Geneva Bible for a variety of reasons -- it was not made in England and it was seen as subversive of the establishment, emphasizing the priesthood of all believers. For example, one note from Exodus 1.19 says that Hebrew midwives acted morally when they disobeyed the king and refused to kill their baby boys.

So, James authorized another "official" translation of the Church of England. He appointed 47 translators to the task (he didn't do any translation himself). Even though it was supposed to be a completely new translation from the original Greek and Hebrew, it was mostly a revision/compilation of a variety of previously published English translations, all of which relied heavily on Tyndale's work. In places where Tyndale did not translate, the KJV normally follows the Geneva Bible. In fact, in the original introduction, there are several Bible quotations, and they are all from the Geneva Bible, not the KJV. In a few places, the translators departed from Tyndale's language -- when they did so, they made the English more elegant at the (slight) cost of Tyndale's accuracy. The translators used the Greek and Hebrew texts, but were more interested in following English versions. In fact, in at least 10 places, it follows the Latin Vulgate (as in the English Rheims-Douai) where there is no evidence of any Greek manuscripts whatsoever.

The "Authorized Version" was completed in 1611, and revisions started in the middle of the first printing when typographical errors were caught. The second edition began printing before first was completed, and apparently the two versions got mixed up in binding the pages into books. There were 14 revisions in the first 3 years. Since 1611, it has seen nearly 100,000 changes.

Originally, the KJV received mixed reviews. It was (and is) amazingly elegant from an English language standpoint. Some have said it is the greatest literary achievement in the English lanuguage. However, it was critisized at first for being too easy to understand, too "dumbed-down" and disrespectful (mostly by Catholics, not the Anglicans). It did not gain popularity for several decades. This version represented "the aristocracy" for the common English Christians who still loved and preferred the Geneva Bible. This is part of the disagreement of the Puritans who finally left to the New World.

However, in time, the KJV became overwhelmingly popular. In England it became patriotic to use the KJV, and eventually, the KJV has become the best-selling book of all time. It is the only book with more than one billion copies printed (1,000,000,000+). Gideons International gives away one million copies of the Bible every 6 days, mostly the KJV. The KJV differs from most other modern translations in many points. Here are a few examples, but you'll have to wait until later lessons to understand the differences (a shameless plug).

The NIV does not contain these verses which are in the NIV: Matthew 17.21, Matthew 18.11, Matthew 23.14, Mark 7.16, Mark 9.44, Mark 9.46, Mark 11.26, Mark 15.28, Luke 23.17, John 5.4, Acts 8.37, Acts 28.29, and Romans 16.24.

Matthew 16.13
NIV, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
KJV, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Luke 9.56
NIV, and they went to another village.
KJV, For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

After the Authorized Version of 1611 caught on, there was not another popular English translation until 1881, the Revised Version. During this time, there were many individuals who published original English translations, but none began to rival the KJV. The Revised Version was a "revision" of the King James and gained some popularity because it used a translation committee (unlike other contemporary translations), and sought to translate more accurately where the KJV was sloppy. Most scholars conceded its accuracy, but still preferred the KJV because of its elegance. The main importance of the Revised Version was that it seemed to launch a movement toward greater accuracy in translation. It is the dawn of a new era in English translations.

After the British Revised Version, American scholars revised the KJV again with the American Standard Version in 1901. People liked it much better, but the translators were so slavishly tied to the original languages, it is very hard to read in English.

It became apparent that it would be more difficult to than previously expected to replace the KJV. In 1946, after 15 years of work, a committee of 32 scholars published the Revised Standard Version, another revision of the KJV. One million copies were sold in the first day, and is still one of the most popular translations available. However, the RSV is also the most hated of all English translations, mostly by religious conservatives.

For example, Isaiah 7.14 in the RSV, "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." In all previous versions, the words "young woman" are rendered "virgin" as in Matthew 1.23. This became proof to many conservative pastors that the RSV was "of the devil." In fact,

Several fundamentalist preachers publicly burned the RSV. One of them took a
blowtorch and in front of his congregation tried to light it on fire. When he had trouble getting it lit, he remarked that it was just like the devil because it was so hard to burn!

Another preacher sent the ashes of the RSV to the senior editor.
1983—I had the opportunity to visit Dr. Bruce Metzger of Princeton Seminary. … While there, he showed me an urn full of ashes. I didn’t know what had been burned, but at first I thought this was a bizarre thing to show a guest. He said, “These are the ashes of the Revised Standard Version Bible.” Dr. Metzger had inherited the ashes from the previous senior editor. He quipped, “I am grateful to be a Bible translator in the 20th century. Nowadays, they only burn the translations rather than the translators!” But he quickly added that it was a terrible shame that people would treat the Word of God the way this preacher did.

Isaiah 7.14 in the RSV became the most divisive verse in 20th century translations. This text was a watershed for orthodoxy. The Hebrew word that the RSV translated as ‘young woman’ and that the KJV had translated as virgin was the word ALMAH. The debates raged so much in the churches across America that one observer noted that ALMAH had become the most recognized Hebrew word in the country! The conservative reaction to the RSV’s translation of this one word gave birth to the NASB, the NIV, and a host of other translations.[1]

The New American Standard Bible was finished in 1971 as a reaction against the RSV. It was updated in 1995, but is still very wooden and difficult to understand. It works well for people who have studied Greek and Hebrew and can "see" these originals in word order and syntax presented in the NASB, but for the average reader it is quite difficult to understand in many places. It is a revision of American Standard Version (1901).

The British New English Bible of 1970 was the first completely new English version since William Tyndale in the early 1500's. It was quite free in it's translation, which was a new idea, and since it was the first new work, there were a lot of things that "didn't sound right" even though the NEB caught the meaning better than "what we're used to hearing." For example, John 1.1, "In the beginning the Word already was. The Word was in God's presence, and what God was, the Word was."

The New International Version claims to be "international" but the 100(!) scholars that worked on the translation were almost all American. The translation took 13 years and was finished in 1978. It is now the most popular book in the world. Reacting against the KJV and the NASB, it is incredibly readable, which becomes its weakness in some places (see 1 Peter 5.6-7).

The New King James Bible tried to "update" the old KJV in 1983, but was considered a flop almost from the very beginning. Many of the textual problems of the KJV are continued here despite the translators' acknowledgment that the Greek text used is inferior. More on this when we return to an introduction to textual criticism.

The New Revised Standard Version of 1989 was a great update of the RSV. Overall, it improved and updated a lot of language that was out of date, and words that had shifted meaning. In updating the gender-inclusive language (which was certainly in order), it seemed to bend the meaning too much in many gender-specific passages. This kind of "stretching" the meaning is uncharacteristic of the translation generally, but the translators seem especially intent on being gender-inclusive, however,

it could have gone much, much further. When the NRSV was getting under way, one of the translators on the committee suggested that God be treated as a woman. If this suggestion had been approved, the Lord’s Prayer would have begun, “Our Mother who is in heaven”! The Great Commission would be: “Baptize them in the name of the Mother, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”!
Dr. Bruce Metzger, who was the chairman of the committee, dealt with this issue swiftly and decisively. Now, Dr. Metzger is a conservative Christian, and a diplomatic genius. He could sell ice cubes to eskimos; he could tell you to go to hell and make you look forward to the trip!
So he responded to this woman translator: “Yes, I believe we should call God a ‘she.’ … And we should call the devil a she, too!” That was the end of the discussion.
Overall, the NRSV is an excellent translation whose only real flaw is its gender-inclusive thrust. Not only does this change the meaning of the text in some places, but it also is bad English style. [2]

The English Standard Version of 2001 is another revision of the RSV in contrast to the NRSV. Some say it is trying to be the NRSV without the gender-inclusive language -- perhaps. It is marketed as a middle ground between the NIV and the NASB. More accurate than the NIV, more readable than the NASB, and I think this is true.

The NET Bible was also published in 2001. A few unique features -- it is copyright free, and so very reasonably priced. It has over 60,000 translators' notes that go with the text to help explain the original text. It uses the internet media effectively to "beta-test" its updates and notes. I like this version the best by far.

Which one is right for you? The one you'll read.

[1] From Daniel B. Wallace, "Part IV:Why So Many Versions?" online at www.bible.org. Dr. Wallace was a professor of mine at Dallas Seminary and I remember him relaying this story to us in class.
[2] Wallace, "Why So Many Versions."

Hurricane Season

2007-06-01T06:43:00.000-05:00

Hurricane Season officially begins today, June 1.

Wilma (October 2005) was the last one to hit us hard.

Actually, we probably won't see any real hurricanes for a few months, but we've got our second named Tropical Depression already, Barbara is south of southern Mexico, off the southwest coast of Guatemala.

Momentum

2007-05-31T08:39:00.000-05:00

A body in motion tends to stay in motion.
A body at rest tends to stay at rest.

When my routine is interrupted, I lose all momentum. It's hard to get started again. I love vacations, trips and holidays, but I tend to lose momentum for my routine.

My routine includes ... regular sleep, good diet and exercise ... without which it's hard to do what needs to be done. Really, when I return from a trip, I should focus on my sleep, diet and exercise so that I can have the energy and attention I need. It's a difficult balance between routine and holiday. The grass is always greener on the other side.

I've got almost 5 weeks until my next trip to Costa Rica (where I'll be teaching in Spanish!).

Ok, now back to my diet spreadsheets ...

Punctuation Police

2007-05-30T09:28:00.001-05:00

Punctuation matters. I'm a bit of a stickler for grammar and punctuation, even though I make mistakes quite often. However, I'm usually happy to be corrected.

To illustrate my point:

Dear John
I want a man who knows what love is all about.
You are generous, kind, thoughtful.
People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior.
You have ruined me for other men.
I yearn for you.
I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart.
I can be forever happy - will you let me be yours?

Gloria

--------------------

Dear John
I want a man who knows what love is.
All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you.
Admit to being useless and inferior.
You have ruined me. For other men, I yearn.
For you, I have no feelings whatsoever.
When we're apart, I can be forever happy.
Will you let me be?

Yours,
Gloria

How Did we Get our English Bible?

2007-05-23T09:07:00.000-05:00

How Did we Get our English Bible? 02
Early Translations

Latin Vulgate (4th century). In 382, Pope Damascus asked Jerome to complete a new Latin translation of the Bible. He finished the Gospels (from the original Greek), and then switched to the Old Testament. At first, he began to translate them from the Septuagint, but later went back to the original Hebrew. He never really finished the New Testament and it was finished shortly after he died. The Vulgate was immediately controversial to many churches in the East who were very familiar with the Septuagint. This linguistic difference will add to a growing split between East (Constantinople) and West (Rome) which will finally officially separate in 1054. In the West, however, the Vulgate was hugely popular. "Vulgate" refers to the "vulgar" language, that is, the language of the people. It was the "NIV" of the day. Everyone could understand what was being read in church, and they loved it. Rome adopted it as the official translation of the Church.

As the Vulgate was copied over and over again, many errors crept in. When presented with two different manuscripts from which to copy, it was difficult to know which was "original" and which was an error. So, errors were commonly passed from one generation to another geographically. As the centuries continued, the number of differences between manuscripts mounted. In response, the Catholic Church authorized a process of consolidating the variants and finally ended up with the Clementine Vulgate in 1592 (during the Protestant Reformation). This version was able to be mass-produced and is the version of the Bible that many pre-Vatican II (1962-1965) Roman Catholics are familiar with. In 1979, Pope John Paul II announced the completion of the most current version, the Nova Vulgata, which is used today in all Latin Roman Catholic services.

The Vulgate was the Bible in the West for over 1000 years. It was the basis for many subsequent translations into many other languages. The earliest English translations of the Bible (by the Venerable Bede) were from the Vulgate. Wycliffe's translation was from the Vulgate. It was highly influential in Luther's translation to German, and later to the Coverdale Bible and even the King James Version (but I'm getting ahead of myself).

John Wycliffe (c.1328-1384), "the Morningstar of the Reformation," was born into a time and culture depicted by Monty Python in the Holy Grail (not completely accurately, but helpful in some ways). The Roman church ruled, but was troubled. The Pope had fled to Avingon, France (England's enemy!) for most of the century. There were rival popes (up to three at a time!). The English governmental officials and church clergy were mixed and it was common for one person to be the appointed authority of the church and the state. Nepotism ruled and the peasants and farmers were incredibly suspicious and angry with the few wealthy and powerful who not only controlled their land, but also their souls -- but what could they do? John Wycliffe was educated at Oxford University and became a Roman Catholic priest with a mind of his own. He rejected the doctrine of transubstantiation (which was widely taught, but not clearly defined until the Council of Trent in 1551, long after Wycliffe). He also rejected the papal authority -- he taught that the Bible is our highest authority. For example,

Those Heretics who pretend that the laity need not know God’s law but that the knowledge which priests have had imparted to them by word of mouth is sufficient, do not deserve to be listened to. For Holy Scriptures is the faith of the Church, and the more widely its true meaning becomes known the better it will be. Therefore since the laity should know the faith, it should be taught in whatever language is most easily comprehended… [After all,] Christ and His apostles taught the people in the language best known to them.

Wycliffe worked on a translation of the New Testament and encouraged others to work on the Old Testament (all from the Vulgate). It was the first full English translation of the Bible. Even though it was a terrible translation (it was so literal to the Latin, at places it makes no sense in English) it had a huge impact. Shortly after his death, reading the Bible in English was outlawed and many of Wycliffe's followers (the Lollards) were burned at the stake (sometimes with copies of the English Bible hanging from their neck). In 1428, 43 years after he died, Wycliffe's bones were dug up, burned and the ashes scattered on the River Swift, on the Pope's orders.

One of Wycliffe's followers, John Huss was a Czech Roman Catholic Priest who also taught that the Bible should be read in one's own language (he also did a lot of wonderful things for the advancement of Czech culture in general). He was eventually burned at the stake in 1415 with copies of Wycliffe's Bibles used as kindling. His last words, "in 100 years, God will raise up a man whose calls for reform cannot be suppressed."

The late 1400's were a time of amazing transition. In 1453, the Turks invaded Byzantium (formerly Constantinople). Greek scholars moved to the West and re-introduced the Greek manuscripts of the Bible to Western scholars. In 1454 Gutenberg published the first book on his printing press, the Latin Vulgate. This invention would change Bible publication forever. Then, in 1516, the first Greek New Testament is published on the printing press, giving access to the Greek New Testament to a wide audience of scholars. One year later, Martin Luther published his 95 thesis and began the Protestant Reformation. That same year, seven people were burned at the stake for teaching their children the Lord's Prayer in English, rather than Latin.

William Tyndale (1494-1536) was a brilliant linguist educated at both Oxford and Cambridge, fluent in at least six languages. Tyndale was as passionate about giving the Bible to the laity as Wycliffe was. After a few years of hiding his translational efforts he moved to Germany (there are reports that he met with Luther, but we don't know for sure). In the end he completed 5 different editions of the New Testament, but never completed the Old Testament. His New Testaments were printed on the continent and shipped to England in bales of cotton and sacks of flour. Everybody wanted one, even though it was illegal. The King of England put a bounty on every copy with an effort to burn every one. The bounty was large enough that Tyndale would actually "sell" copies this way in an effort to subsidize the cost of printing for the poor working class. Without knowing it, the King was giving copies of Tyndale's New Testament to every farmer in England!

He used Erasmus' third edition of the Greek text as the basis of his New Testament translation. This was the first English Bible printed, and the first English translation from the original languages. Also, he introduced the tradition of using italics for words not in the original language. This is still part of the NASB (1971 and 1995). His mastery of the English language included his coining the words: Jehovah, Passover, atonement, scapegoat, and beautiful (among many others). He is known as "the Architect of the English language." As one writer said, "His simple directness, his magical simplicity of phrase, his modest music, have given an authority to his wording that has imposed itself on all later versions.… Nine-tenths of the Authorized New Testament is still Tindale, and the best is still his.”

He was betrayed and arrested in 1535 and burned at the stake a year later for translating the Bible into English. His last words were, "Lord, open the King of England's eyes!"

Myles Coverdale (an associate of Tyndale) completed a translation of the Bible in 1535. He used Luther's German translation and the Vulgate as sources. It was the first complete printed English Bible. The Coverdale Bible was the first bible to include the Old Testament Apocrypha as an appendix to the Old Testament (rather than interspersed throughout).

Matthew's Bible (1537) was a compilation of Coverdale's and Tyndale's, with about 2000 notes. One study note on 1 Peter 3.7 says, "If [the wife] be not obedient and healpfull unto [her husband, he] endeavoureth to beate the feare of God into her…” Matthew's Bible soon became known as the "Wife-Beater's Bible." This was the first revision of Tyndale's Bible.

By this time, there were enough copies of the English Bible around, that it was impossible to squelch it. King Henry VIII decided to reverse national policy and gain the favor of the people by placing an English Bible in every church in England. The people loved it! The diversity of versions and printings created controversy, so Henry decided to create an authorized English Bible for everyone (to his own glory) -- one that would be as good a translation as Matthew's but without the notes. Coverdale took Matthew's text, deleted the notes, revised the English and it was published as the Great Bible in 1539. The "Great" refers to the enormous size of the book, rather than to its quality of translation or impact on society. Most of these Bibles were placed in the church and chained to the lectern to prevent theft. Rome was furious. These Bibles did not conform to the Vulgate (because they were based on Tyndale's translation of the original languages).

The Geneva Bible (1560) was completed by a group of scholars (for the first time in history) from England who had fled to Geneva (home of John Calvin) because of religious persecution from the new monarch of England, the Catholic, "Bloody" Mary who was burning all the English Bibles and all the Protestants. Although based largely on Tyndale's work, this was the first English Bible to be translated completely from the original languages. The translators included a large number of study notes that were decidedly Calvinistic. It was the first English version with verse divisions. It was used by both the Pilgrims who came to America and by William Shakespeare. It had a large influence upon the King James Version. In many ways it is superior to the King James, and was more popular for a long time (almost 100 editions were printed during the 45 years of Queen Elizabeth's reign), but in the end, political pressure raised the less-Calvinistic King James Bible over the Geneva Bible. The Geneva Bible was truly the Bible of the English Protestants.

The Rheims-Douai Bible (1610) was the "official" Catholic English translation. This was a concession to laity -- the lay people ought not to read the Bible, but if they do, it must be this translation, based on the Vulgate (Until Vatican II, all Catholic translations of any kind, were from the Vulgate, not the original languages).

How Did we Get our English Bible?

2007-05-21T12:57:00.000-05:00

How Did we Get our English Bible? 01

Christians base their faith on the Word of God, the Bible. One of the mottos of the Reformation was sola scriptura, but even Catholic and Orthodox Christians hold the Bible as the most basic source of faith and practice. How reliable is our Bible? Consider this -- we do not have the original manuscript for any Biblical book. In fact, of the thousands of ancient copies of the various Biblical books we have, no two are exactly the same. In once sense, we are at the end of history's longest and most complex "telephone" game, where each person whispers into the ear of another. Where do we get the confidence to base our lives (and deaths) on such a text?

King James Version,
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

New International Version,
For there are three that testify:

Catholic Bibles contain the books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch and 1&2 Maccabees, as well as "extra" text in Esther and Daniel compared with the Protestant Bible. The Orthodox Bible also contains 1&2 Esdras, Prayer of Manasseh, Psalm 151 and 3 Maccabees. What are we to make of this?

One of the most popular criticisms of Christianity in the United States today goes something like this -- Since we don't have the original manuscripts, we can't know for sure what the Apostle Paul or Moses wrote. History is written by the winners. Only the powerful elite were literate enough to copy manuscripts (or hire scribes), and they had the opportunity to re-write the scripture to fit their needs.

Finally, the original languages of the Bible (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek) are all dead. No one speaks them anymore. How do we know that our perception of the meaning of these original words and sentences is accurate? Further, so much meaning is lost in translation, how can we trust an English (or any other language) translation?

An old Italian proverb says "Traddutore, traditore!" or, "Translators, traitors!" Or, as another has said, "All translation is a polite lie."

On the other hand, Christianity is the only religion that recognizes the religious and moral authority of translations of the holy writings. Torah must be read in the ancient Hebrew, and translations of the Qur'an are commonly called "interpretations" because they are not to be used for any serious religious discussion. In other words, every copy of the Qur'an is in Arabic. On the contrary, New Testament authors quoted from a Greek translation of the Old Testament, referring to it as the Word of God.

Our oldest Hebrew manuscripts are the Dead Sea Scrolls found in the late 1940s. These manuscripts were written about 300 years before Christ. Previously, our oldest copies of the Hebrew Scriptures were about 700 A.D. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain all the books of the Old Testament except Esther and are remarkably similar (almost identical) to the medieval texts in content and arrangement.

Sometime in the Middle Ages, as the ancient Hebrew language died out, scribes began putting vowel and accent marks into the text, which naturally does not contain these. Compare the copy of the top picture with the bottom.

Another important source to help us understand the original text of the Hebrew Scriptures is the Septuagint (or LXX, so named for the 72 translators), which is the Greek translation of the Old Testament. The LXX was created starting in Alexandria about 300 years before Jesus. This became the standard Bible of the early Christian church. It was the version quoted by the New Testament writers and by the church fathers. We have manuscripts containing portions of Leviticus and Deuteronomy which date in 2nd century BC. This was the primary text of the Old Testament until the Latin Vulgate in the 400s A.D.

Christianity is still heavily influenced by the LXX. For example: In response to the second (of the 10) commandment, Jews would (and still) refrain from saying God's name out loud. When they came to his name ("Yahweh"), they would pronounce "Adonai" instead. When the LXX came to translate God's name, they used the Greek word for "lord" which is a good translation for "adonai" but not for "Yahweh." When the Vulgate translated this word, it continued the tradition of substituting "Dominus" meaning "Lord." Today, modern English follow this same pattern started by the LXX. For more information, you can check the translator's introduction to your English Bible translation.

We have far more information about the origins and preservation of the Greek Testament than the Hebrew one. It was written in the 1st century and each of the books was passed around from church to church and copied by pastors. Individual church communities began collecting various books.

After a few centuries Christians became a threat to the Roman Empire. Church communities had to decide which books were worth dying for, and which were not. This became the basis for the discussion that will end with a definite set of inspired books for the New Testament.
On the materials for writing, Charles Ryrie says,
Papyrus and parchment were the two most widely used materials in making books in ancient times. Though as strong as hand-made paper when fist made, papyrus deteriorates faster and the writing on the back side of a papyrus sheet is read with difficulty because of the vertical lines of the strips of the papyrus plant on the verso. Parchment, however, is more durable and can be easily written and read on both sides. Moreover, parchment could be made anywhere there were animals, while papyrus grew mainly along the Nile.
Parchment is made from the skins of sheep, calves, goats, antelopes, and other animals (one writer even suggested rabbits). The younger the animal the finer the parchment. The finest quality of very thin parchment is commonly called vellum and came from lambs, kids, and calves and sometimes from animals not yet born. The term “parchment” includes vellum, but vellum is distinguished in the Oxford English Dictionary as “a fine kind of parchment prepared from the skins of calves (lambs or kids).” Vellum was used in deluxe volumes, such as those which might be presented to royalty or great dignitaries of church or state.

Coloured Paper

2007-05-16T12:41:00.000-05:00

I remember once when I had been giving a talk to the R.A.F., an old hard-bitten officer got up and said, "I've no use for all that stuff. but, mind you, I'm a religious man too. I know there's a God. I've felt Him: out alone in the desert at night: the tremendous mystery. And that's just why I don't believe all your neat little dogmas and formulas about Him. To anyone who's met teh real thing they all seem so petty and pedantic and unreal"

Now in a sense I quite agreed with that man. I think he had probably had a real experience of God in the desert. And when he turned from that experience to the Christian creeds, I think he really was turning from something real to something less real. In the same way, if a man has once looked at teh Atlantic from the beach, and then goes and looks at a map of the Atlantic, he also will be turning from seomthing real to something less real: turning from real waves to a bit of coloured paper. But here comes the point. The map is admittedly only coloured paper, but there are two things you have to remember about it. In the first place, it is based on what hundreds and thousands of people have found out by sailing the real Atlantic. In that way it has behind it masses of experience just as real as the one you could have from the beach; only, while yours would be a single glimpse, the map fits all those different experiences together. In the second place, if you want to go anywhere, the map is absolutely necessary. As long as you are content with walks on the beach, your own glimpses are far more fun than looking at a map. But the map is going to be more use than walks on the beach if you want to get to America.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, HarperSanFrancisco, 2001. p.153-154.

San Francisco

2007-05-03T07:05:00.000-05:00

pictures here

Funny Stuff

2007-04-26T09:30:00.000-05:00

Funny Videos to Download

Frog
Guzer
Bore Me
Video Vat
Break Taker
That Video Site
Your Daily Media

Funny Pictures

Knuttz
Worth 1000
Freaking News
Something Aweful

Fun Little Games to Download

That Video Game Site

Some Fresh Ideas

2007-04-24T09:33:00.000-05:00

In The Know: The U.S. Moat

Traveling

2007-04-24T06:54:00.000-05:00

I won't be updating often for a few weeks, I think.

We recently returned from a few days in Venice, Florida visiting grandparents, and my sister's family. That was fun and relaxing.

Later this week, we'll be traveling to San Francisco for the annual meeting of the Association of Professional Chaplains. That should be fun and interesting. Haven't been there since I can remember.

About a week after we return, I'll taking another trip out-of-state, but more on that later. I should have some good stories in a few weeks.

Don't Quit

2007-04-20T12:01:00.000-05:00

Audio of my most recent sermon can be downloaded here.

Happy Easter

2007-04-09T08:49:00.000-05:00

Don't Quit

2007-04-05T11:22:00.000-05:00

I preached a sermon on Nehemiah 6 at Grenada Presbyterian Church on March 25. It was my 7th or 8th full length sermon. I've been waiting for GPC to put it up on their website, and I would link to it for you to download, but we're still waiting. When (and if ) they put it up, I'll link to it from here. I think it is worth listening to (otherwise I would not have inflicted it upon the congregation).

A few new things -- it was the first time for me to preach the same sermon at two different services in the same morning. The two were remarkable different. I was really surprised by that. The pastor of the church (who heard both live) said my cadence was different, too. Hmm...

Also, it was my first time to preach in a robe. I liked it as I thought I would. I like the symbol -- the robe represents someone who has studied hard, has been tested, and has been approved -- someone who can be trusted -- someone with authority (judge, professor, etc). Also, the plain-ness of the black academic (or Geneva) robe diminishes any attention on anything but the Word of God. It's not very comfortable, though.

James Cone Revisited

2007-04-03T09:49:00.000-05:00

Several years ago I read most of what James Cone has written in the space of a few weeks. You can find my short review of several of his books here. I have (at least) a few new readers, so I thought I would highlight a couple great paragraphs from his book Black Theology and Black Power. It has amazing relevance today, though written in 1969. He could be talking about America's foriegn policy, or race relations in Miami.

Reconciliation does not transcend color, thus making us all white. The problem of values is not that white people need to instill values in the ghetto; but white society itself needs values so that it will no longer need a ghetto. Black values did not create the ghetto; white values did. Therefore, God’s Word of reconciliation means that we can only be justified by becoming black. Reconciliation makes us all black. Through this radical change, we become identified totally with the suffering of the black masses. It is this fact that makes all white churches anti-Christian in their essence. To be Christian is to be one of those whom God has chosen. God has chosen black people!

It is to be expected that many white people will ask: “How can I, a white man, become black? My skin is white and there is nothing I can do.” Being black in America has very little to do with skin color. To be black means that your heart, your soul, your mind, and your body are where the dispossessed are. We all know that a racist structure will reject and threaten a black man in white skin as quickly as a black man in black skin. It accepts and rewards whites in black skins nearly as well as whites in white skins. Therefore, being reconciled to God does not mean that one’s skin is physically black. It essentially depends on the color of your heart, soul, and mind. Some may want to argue that persons with skins physically black will have a running start on others; but there seems to be enough evidence that though one’s skin is black, the heart may be lily white. The real questions are: Where is your identity? Where is your being? Does it lie with the oppressed blacks or with the white oppressors? Let us hope that there are enough to answer this question correctly so that America will not be compelled to acknowledge a common humanity only by seeing that blood is always one color.

What I'm Watching

2007-03-30T08:32:00.000-05:00

1. Who Killed the Electric Car (2006) A great documentary that made me so mad! If you like Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, you'll like this one, too. The facts about the electric car are astounding and hard to believe. The movie goes a bit long, I think, the pace slows toward the end, but not too bad. Highly recommended.

2. Life is Beautiful (1997) An incredible performance by Roberto Benigni. A great feel-good story of beauty and redemption in the midst of chaos and brutality from the perspective of a Jewish father and his young son in a Nazi concentration camp. A comedy/drama that deals with suffering in a light-hearted way that does not minimize the pain, either. Again, Benigni is brilliant here. Highly recommended.

3. American History X (1998) Already a bit dated in its head-on treatment of racism. I prefer the more subtle and humorous Crash. It had been a while since I'd seen this film, and Katherine had never seen it. Ed Norton is terrific (as usual). While the movie reflects a bit of reality, that's not where much of us live. While this movie is set in contemporary times, I think it reflects a much older generation better than the 1990s. The blatant racism of this movie can still be found and ought to be condemned, but this movie turns our wagging fingers away from ourselves and onto the "really bad people." Nonetheless, the laundry room scenes when Norton is in prison are fantastic, redemptive, and illustrate the principle of redemptive suffering quite well. Worth seeing, but hard to watch.

4. Along Came a Spider (2001) A (somewhat) clever who-donnit mystery we watched because we like Morgan Freeman. The female lead, Monica Potter, was quite distracting because she looks so much like Julia Roberts. Anyway, if you like twisting plots -- Law and Order - style drama, you'll probably enjoy it. The characters are not well developed. I don't think this is anyone's favorite movie, but a solid entry into the genre. We were both surprised (and not disappointed) with the ending.

5. Luther (2003) The movie quality is not great. The characters are not well-developed. I think you'd have to know a bit about Luther's life and work in order to understand the plot. Nonetheless, it's worth watching to help put Luther in a more human light. Luther is portrayed more conflicted about his convictions than I see historical warrant for, but that seems to be the cultural value of today. Sorta like how Peter Jackson made Aragorn more conflicted (and at times, reluctant) about his rise to power than Tolkein intended. For the educational value, and to remind us of this incredibly important story of God's work in the world, I recommend it.

6. Hotel Rwanda (2004) Don Cheadle is brilliant in this terrific true story of redemptive suffering. If you haven't learned about the Rwandan genocide of perhaps 1,000,000 people in the summer of 1994, this is a good entry point -- it's not a documentary, it's a movie. I found the "extras" on the DVD to be amazingly powerful -- interviews with the actual hotel owner (played by Cheadle in the movie), and video footage of some of the places, ruins and artifacts of the brutality. The movie could have had a quicker pace for me, but definately worth watching. Highly recommended.

7. Philadelphia (1993) Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington. Both are great, but this is not the best work of either. This is a tear-jerker. About discrimination and oppression of homosexuals. We're not where we should be as a society on the issue, but I'm glad we're past this point, mostly. The ending was way too long! Otherwise, it's a well-made movie dealing with an important issue in a sensitive but powerful story. Worth seeing, but I'm still waiting for a definative movie on this topic.

8. Dear Frankie (2004) Scottish film directed by Shona Auerbach, perhaps my favorite in this list (or perhaps, Life is Beautiful, another foriegn film). Another feel-good story dealing with all sorts of family-systems issues and the pain of broken relationships. Redemptive suffering of a mother, of a son, and of a stranger. They all give themselves to help each other for various reasons. Does that sound boring? It's not. The movie relies on a slower pace that requires attention to relational details that are often subtle. However, the director does a terrific job to train the eye toward them, making for a terrific piece of art. Emily Mortimer's performance is really quite amazing, I think. Highly recommended.

9. 300 (2006) What can I say. It's a bloody mess. Think of all the climactic battle scenes of the Lord of the Rings, but without any character development or plot. Honor, glory, sacrifice, brotherhood, bravery. More violence than any other movie I've ever seen -- and the violence is stylized -- almost artistic. I'm not sure that's a good thing, but maybe it is. The movie interplays a bit of sex with the violence, but not pornographic (which is how I'd describe some movies I've seen rated R). Sex as seen in a wholesome way from a man's perspective. However, I'm not sure this is the best medium for that message. I can pour a lot of manhood spirituality into this movie and make it worth my time, which I did -- God created men to fight, protect and risk. With a lot of qualifications, I recommend it.

The Value of Myth

2007-03-27T06:33:00.000-05:00

"The value of the myth is that it takes all the things we know and restores to them the rich significance which has been hidden by the veil of familiarity . . . By putting bread, gold, horse, apple, or the very roads into a myth, we do not retreat from reality: we rediscover it. As long as the story lingers in our mind, the real things are more themselves. [The Lord of the Rings] applies the treatment not only to bread or apple but to good and evil, to our endless perils, our anguish and our joys. By dipping them in myth we see them more clearly. I do not think [Tolkien] could have done it in any other way.”

- C.S. Lewis

Harry Potter's final chapter coming soon! Hooray!

New Student

2007-03-27T06:15:00.000-05:00

We welcomed a new student into our home last night. He's 25 years old, from Istanbul. I think he'll be staying with us for 2 weeks only. He seems like a delightful young man with very little English, yet.

Istanbul

Enough for Everyone 06

2007-03-20T06:23:00.000-05:00

The Bible and Money 06: The Epistles

The Crafty Manager (from last week). This parable is sometimes called “The ‘Dishonest’ Manager.” However, the reduction in debt may not be dishonest. Perhaps the manager is lowering the amount he would have taken as his commission or his “cut” of the debt. Perhaps he is lowering an overly inflated interest rate to a more reasonable amount. Or, maybe he is being dishonest. One thing is sure – his motive. He plans to win friends that might help him after he loses his job.

In this parable, we ought to learn to set our priorities in this life to ensure that our eternal destiny is secure. Our death is analogous to the manager’s loss of his job. Just like the manager, we are each managers of God’s resources and he will praise us when we are generous with them, not keeping his resources to ourselves. What most managers consider a bad investment (giving money away generously to help people in need), God considers a good investment. This is followed with the famous words of Jesus, “No one can serve two masters.” If you serve God, you will give his money away.

Luke 16.1-13, Jesus also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who was informed of accusations that his manager was wasting his assets. So he called the manager in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in the account of your administration, because you can no longer be my manager.’ Then the manager said to himself, ‘What should I do, since my master is taking my position away from me? I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m too ashamed to beg. I know what to do so that when I am put out of management, people will welcome me into their homes.’ So he contacted his master’s debtors one by one. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ The man replied, ‘A hundred measures of olive oil.’ The manager said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ The second man replied, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ The manager said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ The master commended the dishonest manager because he acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their contemporaries than the people of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth, so that when it runs out you will be welcomed into the eternal homes.

“The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you haven’t been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches? And if you haven’t been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Different Members, One Body
1 Corinthians 12.12-26, For just as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body – though many – are one body, so too is Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether we are Jews or Greeks or slaves or free we were all made to drink of the one Spirit. For in fact the body is not a single member, but many. If the foot says, “Since I man not a hand, I am not part of the body,” it does not lose its membership in the body because of that. And if the ear says, “Since I am not an eye, I am not part of the body,” it does not lose its membership in the body because of that. If the whole body were an eye, what part would do the hearing? If the whole were an ear, what part would do the smelling? But as a matter of fact, God has placed each of the members in the body just as he decided. If they were all the same member, where would the body be? So now there are many members, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” nor in turn can the head say to the foot, “I do not need you.” On the contrary, those members that seem to be weaker are essential, and those members we consider less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our unpresentable members are clothed with dignity, but our presentable members do not need this. Instead, God has blended together the body, giving greater honor to the lesser member, so that there may be no division in the body, but the members may have mutual concern for one another. If one member suffers, everyone suffers with it. If a member is honored, all rejoice with it.

Paul asks for a collection of money from the Corinthians for the poor
2 Corinthians 8.1-15, Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia, that during a severe ordeal of suffering, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in the wealth of their generosity. For I testify, they gave according to their means and beyond their means. They did so voluntarily, begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping with saints. And they did this not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God. Thus we urged Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work, so also he should complete this act of kindness for you. But as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you – make sure that you excel in this act of kindness too. I am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness of others. For you know that grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich. So here is my opinion on this matter: It is to your advantage, since you made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give, to finish what you started, so that just as you wanted to do it eagerly, you can also complete it according to your means. For is the eagerness is present, the gift itself is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not say this so there would be relief for others and suffering for you, but as a matter of equality. At the present time, your abundance will meet their need, so that one day their abundance may also meet your need, and thus there may be equality, as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”

James
James 1.27 – 2.8, Pure and undefiled religion is before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world. My brothers and sisters, do not show prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if someone comes into your assembly wearing a gold ring and fine clothing, and a poor person inters in filthy clothes, do you pay attention to the one finely dressed and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and to the poor person, “You stand over there,” or “Sit under my feet”? If so, have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil motive? Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich n faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme the good name of the one you belong to? But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well.

James 5.1-6, Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming on you. Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure! Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived indulgently and luxuriously on the earth. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person, although he does not resist you.

Jesus is for Losers

2007-03-19T08:20:00.000-05:00

I was trying to hook yet another critical music lover (who also loves Jesus, and is a new friend) on to Steve Taylor last night. I sent him home with Squint. I'm reminded of one of Taylor's best:

If I was driven

Driven ahead by some noble ideal

Who took the wheel?

If I was given

Given a glimpse of some glorious road

When was it sold?

So caught up in the chase

I keep forgetting my place

Just as I am

I am stiff-necked and proud

Jesus is for losers

Why do I still play to the crowd?

Just as I am

Pass the compass, please

Jesus is for losers

I'm off about a hundred degrees

If I was groping

Groping around for some ladder to fame

I am ashamed

If I was hoping

Hoping respect would make a sturdy footstool

I am a fool

Bone-weary every climb

Blindsided every time

Just as I am

I am needy and dry

Jesus is for losers

The self-made need not apply

Just as I am

In a desert crawl

Lord, I'm so thirsty

Take me to the waterfall

And if you're certain

Certain your life is some cosmic mistake

Why do you shake?

And if you're certain

Certain that faith is some know-nothing mask

Why do you still ask?

They don't grade here on the curve

We both know what we deserve

Just as you are

Just a wretch like me

Jesus is for losers

Grace from the blood of a tree

Just as we are

At a total loss

Jesus is for losers

Broken at the foot of the cross

Just as I am

Pass the compass, please

Jesus is for losers

I'm off about a hundred degrees

Just as I am

In a desert crawl

Lord, I'm so thirsty

Take me to the waterfall

I need a good laugh

2007-03-15T11:57:00.000-05:00

I recently realized I haven't taken a day off work (other than major holidays, which are required) since my trip to Costa Rica last summer. I'm feeling it -- big time. I'm kinda burned out.

Fortunately, I've got several trips planned starting after Easter. I may take some extra time off of work this summer, too. For now, here's a good laugh.

Do Not Be Afraid

2007-03-08T13:33:00.000-05:00

Tonight I will give a short homily for the annual Memorial Service at Baptist Hospital for our volunteers who have died this year. Many of them have served the hospital for many years. Today also marks the death of one of my friends who died a few yards from where I now sit. Here is the scripture passage and my homily. The last quotation of the homily is the chorus to the song that the congregation will sing immediately after the homily.

Isaiah 43.1-2, 5-7, But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you… Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will gather you and your children from east and west. I will say to the north and south, ‘Bring my sons and daughters back to Israel from the distant corners of the earth. Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.’”

Do not be afraid. I have called you by name. You are mine. When you go through deep waters . . . We are here this evening because we have seen the deep water. When you go through the deep waters . . . I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty . . . We are here this evening because we've seen some difficult rivers . . . you will not drown, don't be afraid, I will be with you.

So many of our volunteers come to our hospital because they love this place. We love Baptist Hospital. We love the people here. Our friends are here. This has become a second home -- and we are like a second family -- the family of Baptist Hospital. Take a look around this room. Look who's here -- our brothers and sisters, our aunts and uncles, our nephews and nieces. Sometimes we bicker like a family, don't we? But here we are! If you were to hand-pick the people you would want to work with -- would you hand pick these people? Probably not. You know, I wouldn't have chosen a bull-riding redneck living in rural Tennessee to be my little brother. But I love him just the same and I know that he loves me. That's how it is with family. I wouldn't have picked him, but on Christmas day, I don't want to sit next to anyone else but him.

So many of our volunteers come back to our hospital when they're sick. It's a great testament to the level of care Baptist Hospital provides. It's one thing to work in the kitchen of a fancy restaurant. It's another thing to eat at that restaurant after you've seen the messes in the back. And a hospital is not like a restaurant exactly. Poor care at a hospital is more significant than simply a fly in your soup. I've visited many volunteers of our hospital when they become our patients, when they put their lives in our hands. So have you, haven't you? You've seen them -- maybe you've been seen by others who visit you in one of the rooms here. Family members stop by for a visit -- brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, nephews and nieces of Baptist Hospital who stop by to check on each other when they're sick. That's how family works, doesn't it.

So many of our volunteers have served our hospital for years and are taken from us. Some are taken suddenly and we can hardly believe it. Some are taken slowly, an agonizing inch at a time. Well, that's what brings us here this evening. We are here to remember our brothers and sisters, our aunts and uncles, our nephews and nieces -- here at Baptist Hospital. They worked side-by-side with us. Things are not the same without them.

We are reminded this evening that some of the rivers of life are difficult and dangerous . . . but I am with you, don't be afraid. You may walk through the fire . . . but the flames will not consume you, because I am with you, don't be afraid. Some of the waters of life are deep, very deep . . . but when you go through them, I will be with you, don't be afraid.

We trust that God will, one day, bring us back together -- from east and west, from north and south, from the distant corners of the world. He will one day, call us by name and take us home -- home to be with our family again. He says to us this evening, "Do not be afraid, I am with you. I have called you each by name. Come and follow me, I will bring you home; I love you and you are mine."

Enough for Everyone 04

2007-03-07T07:40:00.000-05:00

Money and the Bible 04: The teachings of Jesus, not parables.

Jesus was poor. His parents gave the sacrifices according to the lowest income bracket available. He was homeless throughout his adult life. See also Philippians 2.5-11.

Matthew 8.20, Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Luke 9.58).

Luke 2.22..23, Now when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord… and to offer a sacrifice according to what is specified in the law of the Lord, “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” (Leviticus 12.8; 5.11)

Jesus announces his purpose in ministry. At the start of his ministry, he identifies himself as the fulfillment of prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures. He finds a passage from the prophet Isaiah that he uses as his “calling card” to say to everyone, “This is who I am, this what my job.” Some call this the Nazareth Manifesto.

Luke 4.16-21, Now Jesus came to Nazareth where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as he customarily did. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him, and he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (See also Matthew 11.5)

Jesus’ signature sermon. Matthew records one version (The Sermon on the Mount) in chapters 5-7. Luke records another version (The Sermon on the Plain) in chapter 6.

Matthew 5.3..6, Blessed are the poor in spirit, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them…Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, because they will be satisfied.

Luke 6.20, 21..24,25, Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied…. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort already. Woe you who are well satisfied with food now, for you will be hungry.

Matthew 6.1-4, Be careful about not living righteously merely to be seen by people. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven. Thus whenever you do charitable giving, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, they have their reward. But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father , who sees in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6.19-34, Do not accumulate for yourself treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But accumulate for yourself treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not bread in and steal. For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also. They eye is the lamp of the body. If then your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one is able to serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. No one is able to serve God and possessions.

Because of this I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat or drink, or about your body, as to what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky: they do not sow, or harvest, or gather into barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you more valuable than they are? Can any of you add time to his life by worrying? Why worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers of the field grow. They do not work or spin, yet I say to you that Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. And if God clothes the grass of the field this way, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire to heat the oven, won’t he clothe you even more, you people of little faith? So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the unconverted pursue these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you. So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.

Luke 12.22-34, Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God provides food for them. How much more valuable are you than the birds! And which of you by worrying can add an hour to the length of his life? So if you cannot do such a very little thing as this, why do you worry about the rest? Consider how the lilies grow; they do not work or spin. But I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. Yet if this is how God clothes the wild grass that is alive today and tomorrow is tossed into a fire to heat the oven, how much more will he clothe you, you of little faith! So do not be overly concerned about what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about it. For all the nations of the world pursue these tings, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead pursue God’s kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

Do not be afraid little flock, for your Father is well pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out, a treasure in heaven that never decreases, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, your heart will be there too.

The Rich Young Ruler.

Mark 10.17-31, As Jesus was starting out on his way, a man ran up to him, fell on his knees and said, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” The man said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things since my youth.” As Jesus looked at him, he loved him and said, “You lack one thing. Go, sell whatever you have and give it to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me.” But at this statement, the man looked sad and went away sorrowful, for he had great property.

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at these words. But again Jesus said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.” They were even more amazed and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “This is impossible with people, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.

Peter begain to speak to him, “We have left everything and followed you!” Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, there is no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel, who will not receive in this present age a hundred times as much – homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, fields – all with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first. (Matthew 19.16-30, Luke 18.18-30)

Zacchaeus

Luke 19.1-10, Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. Now a man named Zacchaeus was there; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to get a look at Jesus, but being a short man he could not see over the crowd. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, because Jesus was going to pass that way. And when Jesus came to that place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, because I must stay at your house today.” So he came down quickly and welcomed Jesus joyfully. And when the people saw it, they all complained, “he has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I now give to the poor; and if I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying back four times as much!” Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this household, since he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Paying Taxes

Mark 12.13-17, Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to trap him in what he said. When they came they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone’s favor, because you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” Aware of their hypocrisy he said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius and let me see it.” They brought it and he said to them, “Whose likeness is this, and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were amazed by him. (Matthew 22.15-22)

A Widow’s Offering

Mark 12.41-44, Then he sat down opposite the offering box, and watched the crowd putting coins into the temple treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, worth less than a penny. He called his disciples and said to them, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow put more into the offering box than all the others. They all gave form their abundance. But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on , everything she had.” (Luke 21.1-4)

Mary Anoints Jesus

Mark 14.3-9, Now while Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of costly aromatic oil from pure nard. After breaking open the jar, she poured it on his head. Some there were angry and said to one another, “Why was there this waste of ointment? It could have been sold for more than three hundred silver coins and given to the poor!” So they spoke angrily to her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a good service for me. For you will always have the poor with you and whenever you want to, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She anointed my body before hand for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” (Matthew 26.6-13 and John 12.1-8)

John 12.1-8, Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom he had raised from the dead. So they prepared a dinner for Jesus there. Martha was serving, and Lazarus was among those present at the table with him. Then Mary took three quarters of a pound of perfumed oil made of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus. She then wiped his feet dry with her hair. (Now the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfumed oil.) But Judas Isacriot, one of his disciples (the one who was going to betray him) said, “Why wasn’t this perfumed oil sold for three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor?” (Now Judas said this not because he was concerned abou thte poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money box he used to take what was put into it.) So Jesus said, Leave her alone. She has kept it for the day of my burial. For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.”

Next Week – the Parables of Jesus – The Two Debtors, The Parable of the Sower, The Pearl of Great Price, The Unforgiving Servant, The Good Samaritan, The Rich Fool, Inviting the Outcast, Counting the Cost, The Unjust Steward, The Rich Man and Lazarus, The Laborers in the Vineyard, The Sheep and the Goats and more!

My Friend Jesus

2007-03-01T08:47:00.000-05:00

Those who like to think of Jesus as their friend are sad to me. Perhaps they don't have any friends, so Jesus become their imaginary friend. Friendship is great, but I don't really need more friends -- I need a righteous Savior, not a life coach. I need a powerful King, not a listening ear. I need a divine Hero, not an encouraging friend. I need someone to fix my world. My heart is so dark, I need radical and divine intervention. I suppose we can deceive ourselves into thinking that we're doing pretty good.

Paul tells us (Galatians 1, Philippians 3, etc.) that he was better than anyone else at "being good." And it didn't work. No peace that way. In fact, Paul says that "goodness" is a hindrance to the gospel's work and I've seen this. The good, rich, friendly, church people rarely understand the gospel. When I tell them, "Jesus died for you," they yawn and say, "Lots of people do lots of great things for me. I'm so glad Jesus died for me -- that was really nice of him to do. Thanks, Jesus! I'll do something for you, too, sometime." Actually, I think they are trying to avoid Jesus. "If I keep my nose clean, I'll never have to come begging to Jesus. I'm not perfect, but I'm hoping to get close so that I don't have to beg often."

The Jesus in the Bible is looking for people who are begging, begging for forgiveness, begging for mercy, begging for justice. He is drawn to these people, and they love him. To everyone who asks, it will be given. Everyone who seeks will find.

The poor, the broken, the weak, the vulnerable understand it so quickly. That's probably why the church is growing so much faster in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa and China than in the United States.

Lord, have mercy on me, a rich, educated, white man. Teach me to be a begger -- so that I may enjoy the lavish grace you offer to make me wealthy and wise beyond my imagination.

photograph courtesy Tudor Hulubei

Enough for Everyone 03

2007-02-21T07:36:00.000-05:00

Money and the Bible 03: The Prophets

Isaiah the Prophet, by Michelangelo on the Sistine Chapel

Each of the prophetic books is a sort of written sermon. They are not transcripts of spoken sermons, they were written to be read, primarily, but the purpose is the same as a sermon. They expound on the meaning of the written revelation of God and comment on society's faithfulness or lack thereof. They also provide motivation for change. Most of the famous "Messainic" predictions throughout the prophets help us to understand God's salvation, but most of the material in these books tells us why we need God's grace. These larger portions are much less well known.

In the prophets, the main reason we need God's grace is idolatry. We have not worshipped Yahweh as we ought. Of course, idolatry is much more problematic than simply constructing totem poles and carved statues.[1] Anything (or anyone) that is preferred to Yahweh is an idol. Idolatry is associated in the prophets with two specific sins that both typify and illustrate the broader concept of idolatry. They are the immoral use of the body, and the immoral use of money -- adultery and injustice. Political conservatives usually emphasize one, while liberals emphasize the other. This paper will deal only with what the prophets say about money, since that is our topic at hand.

Isaiah 2.7-8, Their land is full of silver and gold; there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots. Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made.

Isaiah 2.20, In that day men will throw away to the rodents and bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship.

Isaiah 44.12-20, The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint. The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in the form of man, of man in all his glory,that it may dwell in a shrine. He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow. It is man's fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it. Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, "Ah! I am warm; I see the fire." From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, "Save me; you are my god." They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand. No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, "Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?" He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, "Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?"

Hosea 2.8, [The LORD says,] She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold— which they used for Baal.

The prophets continually bring examples of Israel (and other countries) extorting, robbing and oppressing to gain more wealth. This is a form of idolatry and God hates it.

Isaiah 3.14-15, The LORD enters into judgment against the elders and leaders of his people: "It is you who have ruined my vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?" declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.

Isaiah 10.1-4, Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless. What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar? To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches? Nothing will remain but to cringe among the captives or fall among the slain. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.

Jeremiah 22.13-17, "Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his countrymen work for nothing, not paying them for their labor. He says, 'I will build myself a great palace with spacious upper rooms.' So he makes large windows in it, panels it with cedar and decorates it in red. "Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just, so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?" declares the LORD. "But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion."

Ezekiel 16.49-50, " 'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.

Ezekiel 22.29-31, The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the alien, denying them justice. I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD.

Ezekiel 45.9-12," 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: You have gone far enough, O princes of Israel! Give up your violence and oppression and do what is just and right. Stop dispossessing my people, declares the Sovereign LORD. You are to use accurate scales, an accurate ephah and an accurate bath. The ephah and the bath are to be the same size, the bath containing a tenth of a homer and the ephah a tenth of a homer; the homer is to be the standard measure for both. The shekel is to consist of twenty gerahs. Twenty shekels plus twenty-five shekels plus fifteen shekels equal one mina.

Hosea 12.6-7, But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always. The merchant uses dishonest scales; he loves to defraud.

Micah 2.1-3, Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning's light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it. They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud a man of his home, a fellowman of his inheritance. Therefore, the LORD says: "I am planning disaster against this people, from which you cannot save yourselves. You will no longer walk proudly, for it will be a time of calamity.

Amos 2.6-8, This is what the LORD says: "For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back {my wrath}. They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name. They lie down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge. In the house of their god they drink wine taken as fines.

Amos 4.1-2, Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, "Bring us some drinks!" The Sovereign LORD has sworn by his holiness: "The time will surely come when you will be taken away with hooks, the last of you with fishhooks.

Amos 5.11-14, You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine. For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. You oppress the righteous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts. Therefore the prudent man keeps quiet in such times, for the times are evil. Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is.

Amos 6.3-7, You put off the evil day and bring near a reign of terror. You lie on beds inlaid with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves. You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments. You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph. Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile; your feasting and lounging will end.
Micah 3.11-12, Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD and say, "Is not the LORD among us? No disaster will come upon us." Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.

Habakkuk 1.14-17, You have made men like fish in the sea, like sea creatures that have no ruler. The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks, he catches them in his net, he gathers them up in his dragnet; and so he rejoices and is glad. Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, for by his net he lives in luxury and enjoys the choicest food. Is he to keep on emptying his net, destroying nations without mercy?

Zephaniah 1.11-13, Wail, you who live in the market district; all your merchants will be wiped out, all who trade with silver will be ruined. At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, 'The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.' Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished. They will build houses but not live in them; they will plant vineyards but not drink the wine.

Zechariah 7.9-14, "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.' But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the LORD Almighty was very angry. " 'When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,' says the LORD Almighty. 'I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations, where they were strangers. The land was left so desolate behind them that no one could come or go. This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.' "

Zechariah 11.4-6, This is what the LORD my God says: "Pasture the flock marked for slaughter. Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, 'Praise the LORD, I am rich!' Their own shepherds do not spare them. For I will no longer have pity on the people of the land," declares the LORD. "I will hand everyone over to his neighbor and his king. They will oppress the land, and I will not rescue them from their hands."

Malachi 3.5, "So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the LORD Almighty.

We ought to look to God for our source of strength and security. Generosity should characterize the people of God.

Jeremiah 9.23-24, This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD.[2]

Jeremiah 29.1, 4-9, This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon… This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them," declares the LORD.[3]

Malachi 3.8-10, "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

God promises that his people will live in prosperity in the future. Isaiah 54 - 55 and 60 - 66 are good examples. Here are a few more.

Isaiah 2.2-4, In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.

Isaiah 25.6 On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines.

Isaiah 42.1-4, "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope."

Jeremiah 31.31-37, "The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the LORD. "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." This is what the LORD says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the LORD Almighty is his name: "Only if these decrees vanish from my sight," declares the LORD, "will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before me." This is what the LORD says: "Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done," declares the LORD.

Ezekiel 34.25-31, " 'I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of wild beasts so that they may live in the desert and sleep in the forests in safety. I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. The trees of the field will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the LORD, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them. They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid. I will provide for them a land renowned for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations. Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Sovereign LORD. You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are people, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign LORD.' "

Joel 2.23-27, Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten— the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed.

Zechariah 14.14, Judah too will fight at Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected—great quantities of gold and silver and clothing.

There is a strong connection in the prophets between worship and justice. Israel had emphasized external and formal forms of worship while neglecting to take care of the poor and oppressed. Of course, the feasts, fasts, celebrations, rituals, sacrifices and prayers are all important. God commands them in the law books of the Pentateuch, but apart from justice, they are useless, no matter how "well-intentioned" the people or how "heart-felt" the expressions.

Isaiah 1.10-18, Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah! "The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?" says the LORD. "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

Isaiah 58.1-10, Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God. "Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?" Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers. Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.

Jeremiah 7.1-10, This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD : "Stand at the gate of the LORD's house and there proclaim this message: " 'Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the LORD. This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words and say, "This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!" If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever. But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. " 'Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, "We are safe"-safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD.[4]

Micah 6.6-8, With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

[1] Even so, we should not commit the "chronological snobbery" of thinking the ancients were so naïve as to think that something they had literally carved had become a sort of god to be worshipped. Rather, we should remember that they used these objects as a form for worshipping a god that already existed. In a similar way, we like to take pictures of those we love and look at them on the wall, or in albums. I especially like to look at pictures of my family and close friends -- because I love them so much. I have "honored" some of the best pictures by placing them on my wall. Of course, it's not the paper, the camera or the picture I honor, it is the person.
[2] See also 1 Corinthians 1.26-29.
[3] See also Romans 12.20-21.
[4] See also Matthew 5.23-24.

Ray, Click and Kong

2007-02-19T14:34:00.000-05:00

What I'm Watching:

1. Ray. Awesome biography. Of course it won so many awards, I'm just getting around to seeing it now. Worth owning probably. The director's commentary should win an award. It was the perfect blend of interesting information about Ray Charles and about the film itself. Very little boring spots in the commentary, it was as good as the movie itself. Highly recommended.

2. Click. Adam Sandler. A poor (non-holiday) retelling of It's a Wonderful Life or Christmas Carol or similar movies. A bit preachy -- appreciate your life, even the boring and frustrating spots. Take time with your wife and kids, they are more important than money and job. All the funny stuff is in the trailer. Sandler was phoning it in on this one.

3. King Kong. 2005, Peter Jackson's version. The special affects are far superior to anything I've ever seen before. It reminded me of the classic Willie Wonka because the first half hour of the movie is all pretty dull setup (though it kept my attention). The story is a modern take on a classic storybook fairy tale -- Beauty and the Beast and Sleeping Beauty come to mind here. There's also some tribute, I think, to the original radio "cliffhanger" dramas -- pushing the hero farther and farther off the cliff until you think there can be no return. What would have worked well as cartoon came to me as fake because of the incredible realism of the image and sound.

Peter Jackson is brilliant, no doubt, but don't think he understands the depth of the stories he tells. High recommendation, but don't get your hopes too high. He has, of course, done better work.

Historical Inaccuracies

2007-02-15T08:49:00.000-05:00

Actually, these are photoshopped. I've been getting into photoshopped images recently. I don't create any myself, I just like viewing others' work.

Enough for Everyone 02

2007-02-14T07:18:00.000-05:00

Money and the Bible 02: Poetry Books

Job
Although Job was extremely wealthy, he was a righteous man. To demonstrate his righteousness, he speaks about his actions toward the poor. The actual righteousness of Job is a separate theological question, but when Job tries to argue or appeal his righteousness, he consistently speaks of his actions toward the poor and oppressed.

Job 29:11-17, Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me, because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist him. The man who was dying blessed me; I made the widow's heart sing. I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger. I broke the fangs of the wicked and snatched the victims from their teeth.

Job 30:25, Have I not wept for those in trouble? Has not my soul grieved for the poor?

Job 31:16-40, "If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary, if I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless- but from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my birth I guided the widow- if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a garment, and his heart did not bless me for warming him with the fleece from my sheep, if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, knowing that I had influence in court, then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let it be broken off at the joint. For I dreaded destruction from God, and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things. "If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, 'You are my security,' if I have rejoiced over my great wealth, the fortune my hands had gained, if I have regarded the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor, so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand offered them a kiss of homage, then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high. "If I have rejoiced at my enemy's misfortune or gloated over the trouble that came to him- I have not allowed my mouth to sin by invoking a curse against his life- if the men of my household have never said, 'Who has not had his fill of Job's meat?'- but no stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler- if I have concealed my sin as men do, by hiding my guilt in my heart because I so feared the crowd and so dreaded the contempt of the clans that I kept silent and would not go outside ("Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing. Surely I would wear it on my shoulder, I would put it on like a crown. I would give him an account of my every step; like a prince I would approach him.)-"if my land cries out against me and all its furrows are wet with tears, if I have devoured its yield without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants, then let briers come up instead of wheat and weeds instead of barley." The words of Job are ended.

Psalms
The Songbook of the Hebrew Scriptures talks a lot about poverty and wealth. There are two principles that appear to be in tension with each other. On the one hand, God richly supports and blesses his own people. On the other hand, he is attracted to the poor and needy. These two principles, when separated can lead us to think that God wants everyone to be rich, or that he wants everyone to be poor. Truthfully, God wants everyone to have enough. We ought not to be satisfied with our own money if others still lack basic needs.

Psalm 9:9, The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

Psalm 9:18, For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.

Psalm 10:16-18, The LORD is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land. O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

Psalm 12:5, Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will arise, says the LORD; I will place him in the safety for which he longs.

Psalm 13:5, You would shame the plans of the poor, but the LORD is his refuge.

Psalm 35:10, All my bones shall say, O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?

Psalm 40:17, As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!

Psalm 68:5-6, Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

Psalm 69:33, For the LORD hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.

Psalm 72:4, May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to eth children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!

Psalm 72:12-14, For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.

Psalm 103:6, The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.

Psalm 112:1-5, Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.

Psalm 112:9-10, He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honor. The wicked man sees it and is angry; he gnashes his teeth and melts away; the desire of the wicked will perish!

Psalm 113:5-9, Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor form the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the LORD!

Psalm 128:1-4, Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table. Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.

Psalm 140:12, I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy.

Proverbs
The proverbs talk a great deal about money, wealth and poverty. I’ll group them into categories.

Wealth is a good thing

Proverbs 10:22, The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.

Proverbs 14:24, The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly.

Proverbs 15:6, The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings them trouble.

Money comes to the righteous and hard-working person

Proverbs 6:10-11, A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

Proverbs 10:3-4, The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.

Proverbs 13:4, The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

Proverbs 13:25, The righteous eat to their hearts’ content, but eh stomach of the wicked goes hungry.

Proverbs 15:19, The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but he path of the upright is a highway.

Proverbs 16:26, The laborer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.

Proverbs 19:15, Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry.

Proverbs 21:17, He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.

Proverbs 21:25-26, The sluggard’s craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work. All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing.

Proverbs 22:4, Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life.

Proverbs 22:29, do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men.

Proverbs 28:19, He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

Poverty comes from injustice and oppression

Proverbs 13:23, A poor man’s field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away.

Proverbs 22:16, He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich – both come to poverty.

Proverbs 28:3, A ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.

Wealth is not a good ultimate goal

Proverbs 3:13-15, Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.

Proverbs 8:19, My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.

Proverbs 11:4, Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

Proverbs 15:16-17, Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil. Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.

Proverbs 16:8, Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.

Proverbs 16:16, How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!

Proverbs 17:1, Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.

Proverbs 23:1-8, When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive. Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. Do not eat the food of a stingy man; do not crave his delicacies; for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. You will vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments.

Proverbs 30:8b-9, Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

Money should be earned honestly

Proverbs 10:2, Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death.

Proverbs 11:1, The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight.

Proverbs 13:11, Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.

Proverbs 15:27, A greedy man brings trouble to his family, but he who hates bribes will live.

Proverbs 16:11, Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; all the weights in the bag are of his making.

Proverbs 17:23, A wicked man accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the course of justice.

Proverbs 18:16, A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.

Proverbs 20:17, Food gained by fraud tastes sweet to a man, but he ends up with a mouth full of gravel.

Proverbs 20:21, An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end.

Proverbs 20:23, The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.

Proverbs 21:6, A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.

Proverbs 28:20-22, A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eater to get rich will not go unpunished. To show partiality is not good – yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread. A stingy man is eager to get rich and is unaware that poverty awaits him.

Proverbs 28:25, A greedy man stirs up dissension, bu the who trusts in the LORD will prosper.

Proverbs 28:27, He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.

Proverbs 29:4, By justice a king gives a country stability, but one who is greedy for bribes tears it down.

Money should be managed wisely

Proverbs 11:15, He who puts up security for another will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to strike hands in pledge is safe.

Proverbs 17:18, A man lacking in judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.

Proverbs 21:20, In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.

Proverbs 23:20-21, Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

Proverbs 27:23-27, Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations. When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in, the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field. You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed you and your family and to nourish your servant girls.

Money should be given away to help those in need

Proverbs3:9-10, Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

Proverbs 3:27-28, Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow” – when you now have it with you.

Proverbs 11:24-25, One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes other will himself be refreshed.

Proverbs 14:21, He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.

Proverbs 14:31, He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

Proverbs 19:17, He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.

Proverbs 21:13, If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.

Proverbs 22:9, A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.

Proverbs 28:27, He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.

Proverbs 29:7, The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.

“I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditures on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our won, we are probably giving away too little.” C. S. Lewis, Mere Chrsitianity, iii.3 (81-82).

Bad Children's Books

2007-02-13T07:16:00.000-05:00

Actually, these are photoshopped titles on real children's books. I've been getting into photoshopped images recently. I don't create any myself, I just like viewing others' work.
Here are some good sites if you like this kind of thing:
Worth 1000
Something Awful
Freaking News

Enough for Everyone 01

2007-02-12T11:45:00.000-05:00

Money and the Bible 01: The Penteteuch

The patriarchs were quite wealthy.
Genesis 13.2, Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.

Genesis, 24.35, "The LORD has blessed my master [Abraham] abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, and camels and donkeys."

Genesis 26.12-15, Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him. The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him. So all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up, filling them with earth.

Genesis 40.43, In this way the man [Jacob] grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys.

The patriarchs were quite generous, and used their money to maintain relationships.

Genesis 13.8-9, So Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers. Is not the whole land before you? Let's part company. If you go to the left, I'll go to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go to the left."

Genesis 14.20-23, Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself." But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.'

Genesis 32.13-15, [Jacob] spent the night there, and from what he had with him he selected a gift for his brother Esau: two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.

Genesis 41.57, And all the countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the world.

In the law codes, ownership of property is protected, but it is all a gift from God.

Exodus 20.15, 17, You shall not steal…You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Leviticus 25.23, [The LORD says,] "The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants."

Deuteronomy 8.10-18, When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

Deuteronomy 19.14, Do not move your neighbor's boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

Property rights are not absolute. There are clear restrictions that relativize ownership. For example, the Sabbath, Sabbatical Year and Year of Jubilee laws serve to ensure that the poor do not keep getting poorer, but rather, the wealth is distributed more evenly.

Sabbath: no matter how poor, nobody should work without rest. For those who want to work seven days each week, more money could be made, but God forbids such unchecked accumulation of material wealth.

Exodus 20.8-11, "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Exodus 35.2-3, For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death. Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day."

Numbers 15.32-36, While the Israelites were in the desert, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. Then the LORD said to Moses, "The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp." So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Deuteronomy 5.12-15, Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

Sabbatical Year: every seventh year was to be an "unproductive" year where the poor were able to eat along side the rich, and all personal debts were to be cancelled on that year

Exodus 21.1-11, These are the laws you are to set before them: If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything. If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free. But if the servant declares, 'I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,' then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life. If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as menservants do. If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself, he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her. If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter. If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights. If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.

Leviticus 25.1-7, The LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the LORD. For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest. Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you—for yourself, your manservant and maidservant, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you, as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten.

Deuteronomy 15.1-18, At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the LORD's time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your brother owes you. However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. For the LORD your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you. If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: "The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near," so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land. If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, sells himself to you and serves you six years, in the seventh year you must let him go free. And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed. Supply him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today. But if your servant says to you, "I do not want to leave you," because he loves you and your family and is well off with you, then take an awl and push it through his ear lobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your maidservant. Do not consider it a hardship to set your servant free, because his service to you these six years has been worth twice as much as that of a hired hand. And the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do.

Year of Jubilee: Every 50 years, all land goes back to the original family, all debts cancelled, ensured that generational poverty could not continue.

Leviticus 25.8-22, Count off seven sabbaths of years—seven times seven years—so that the seven sabbaths of years amount to a period of forty-nine years. Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land. Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan. The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines. For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields. In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to his own property. If you sell land to one of your countrymen or buy any from him, do not take advantage of each other. You are to buy from your countryman on the basis of the number of years since the Jubilee. And he is to sell to you on the basis of the number of years left for harvesting crops. When the years are many, you are to increase the price, and when the years are few, you are to decrease the price, because what he is really selling you is the number of crops. Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the LORD your God. Follow my decrees and be careful to obey my laws, and you will live safely in the land. Then the land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and live there in safety. You may ask, "What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?" I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years. While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and will continue to eat from it until the harvest of the ninth year comes in.

Further, the gleaning laws provided for the poor through job training and the enforced generosity of the wealthy.

Leviticus 19.9-10, When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 23.24-25, If you enter your neighbor's vineyard, you may eat all the grapes you want, but do not put any in your basket. If you enter your neighbor's grainfield, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to his standing grain.

Deuteronomy 24.19-22, When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.

Many laws regulate the specific treatment of those most vulnerable in society.

Exodus 22.21, Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt.

Exodus 23.9, Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt.

Leviticus 19.13-18, 'Do not defraud your neighbor or rob him. Do not hold back the wages of a hired man overnight. Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the LORD. Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor's life. I am the LORD. Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

Leviticus 19.33-36, When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God. Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 14.28-29, At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

Deuteronomy 24.10-18, When you make a loan of any kind to your neighbor, do not go into his house to get what he is offering as a pledge. Stay outside and let the man to whom you are making the loan bring the pledge out to you. If the man is poor, do not go to sleep with his pledge in your possession. Return his cloak to him by sunset so that he may sleep in it. Then he will thank you, and it will be regarded as a righteous act in the sight of the LORD your God. Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns. Pay him his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on it. Otherwise he may cry to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin. Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin. Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this.

Deuteronomy 25.13-16, Do not have two differing weights in your bag—one heavy, one light. Do not have two differing measures in your house—one large, one small. You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. For the LORD your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly.

God set up a "sliding scale" for the sacrifices and other payments. The poor could bring less expensive sacrifices.

Exodus 12.4, If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat.

Leviticus 5.7-11, If he cannot afford a lamb, he is to bring two doves or two young pigeons to the LORD as a penalty for his sin—one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. He is to bring them to the priest, who shall first offer the one for the sin offering. He is to wring its head from its neck, not severing it completely, and is to sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering against the side of the altar; the rest of the blood must be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering. The priest shall then offer the other as a burnt offering in the prescribed way and make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven. If, however, he cannot afford two doves or two young pigeons, he is to bring as an offering for his sin a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering. He must not put oil or incense on it, because it is a sin offering.

Leviticus 12.8, If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.

Leviticus 14.21-22 If, however, he is poor and cannot afford these, he must take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for him, together with a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, a log of oil, and two doves or two young pigeons, which he can afford, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.

Leviticus 27.8, If anyone making the vow is too poor to pay the specified amount, he is to present the person to the priest, who will set the value for him according to what the man making the vow can afford.

A person giving a loan could not take someone's livelihood as collateral and wages had to be paid on time.

Exodus 22.25-27, If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no interest. If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge, return it to him by sunset, because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? When he cries out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

Leviticus 19.13, Do not defraud your neighbor or rob him. Do not hold back the wages of a hired man overnight.

Deuteronomy 24.6 and 10-15, Do not take a pair of millstones—not even the upper one—as security for a debt, because that would be taking a man's livelihood as security… When you make a loan of any kind to your neighbor, do not go into his house to get what he is offering as a pledge. Stay outside and let the man to whom you are making the loan bring the pledge out to you. If the man is poor, do not go to sleep with his pledge in your possession. Return his cloak to him by sunset so that he may sleep in it. Then he will thank you, and it will be regarded as a righteous act in the sight of the LORD your God. Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns. Pay him his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on it. Otherwise he may cry to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.

"Weaker Brother"

2007-02-09T07:55:00.000-05:00

Ok, let's talk about the "weaker brother." Paul tells us that we ought to love one another. If something perfectly good I enjoy is an "obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister" then I should voluntarily forfeit my right to freedom in Christ. Here's the trouble so many of us have -- there is a big difference between a trap and an offense. If something I do offends you, it's probably not a trap.

Let's use the example of drinking alcohol as an example. I have a Christian friend who used to be an alcoholic. If I drink a beer with that person, is that offensive to her? No -- but it is tempting, to be sure. Why should I dangle that carrot in front of temptation in front of her? However, what my Christian friends who think alcohol is inherently sinful? If I drink a beer with them, will they be tempted to alcoholism? No -- but they will be offended. Why? Because I am violating one of their self-imposed rules. Even if beer-drinking is sinful (which I don't believe), should Christians be offended when they see people sin? Should Christians be ashamed to associate with sinners?

What about how we dress in church? What about worship style? Bible version? Expensive clothing? Expensive restaurants? Public vs. private schools? Republican or democrat? Smoking?

More specifically, Paul was talking about eating meat offered to false gods. Some Christians did, some did not. Paul is saying -- don't have a cookout with people who used to be temple prostitutes who are new Christians. For them, cookouts with meat lead quickly to all kinds of destructive behavior. But how did Paul treat the Apostle Peter when he refrained from eating meat? "I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned." His "conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel" (Galatians 2:11-14). It's all about motivation. When Peter abstained from eating meat, he was denying the gospel. That's a big deal!

Jesus, too, was very offensive to the religious leaders -- that's why they killed him! He kept "working" on the Sabbath. He had a reputation as a drunk and a glutton.

The real issue, it seems to me, is our love for our brothers and sisters. If we truly love them, we will need to do things that are uncomfortable for ourselves. For some, we must be careful not to lead them into further sin, so we voluntarily limit our freedom in Christ. For others, we must be careful not to cave into the pressure of "earning" their approval. If we stand firm in the gospel, we will be offensive to those who think they are righteous already. That offense is the offense of the gospel. That offense is the awakening of their own sin. Jesus was awakening the religious leaders to their own sinfulness (think of Nicodemus in John 3). Paul was doing the same with Peter. Of course, we do this with love, grace and compassion. To shirk this responsibility to our "strong" brothers and sisters is to demonstrate our lack of love for them.

Many years ago I heard a (perhaps apocraphal) story about Archibald Alexander, founder of Princeton. He said that he hated the taste of beer, but when non-drinking Christians came to his home, he felt obligated by the truth of the gospel to have some beer in front of them.

Some of us are more comforable confronting people who find their "righteousness" in the Republican party, or in homeschooling, or in meticulously planned worship, or in poverty (or wealth). Others of us are more comfortable inviting notorious "sinners" into our lives and helping them to leave their old destructive habits and form new and better lives.

I think most of us who like to hang out with the "good people" don't like to confront them.
And most of us who like to hang out with the "bad people" don't like to restrict ourselves.

Let's pray for God's grace to be peculiar people wherever he sends us.

Romans 14:13-21
Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister. I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean. For if your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what you consider good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. For the one who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people.

So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. For although all things are clean, it is wrong to cause anyone to stumble by what you eat. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble.

Not Just a Number Anymore

2007-02-07T07:10:00.000-05:00

The state of California is recruiting prisoners to transfer to a private facility in Tennessee. Here's the promotional video.

The for-profit prison company is the Corrections Corp of America.

Commercials for prisons competing with each other. Any thoughts?

Black People Love Us

2007-02-01T08:47:00.000-05:00

I love great satire, especially about really important issues. This website is awesome.

I understand that not everyone sees the value of satire, but it has a great tradition of using humor to make insightful and contemporary social commentary. For example, Swift's great essay, "A Modest Proposal" written in 1729. I use this example because sometimes it is easier to understand satire out of context.

Gender Genie

2007-01-31T08:26:00.000-05:00

Cut and paste in the text box. The Gender Genie will tell you the gender of the writer. Longer submissions are more accurate. Enjoy.

The results of my Harry Potter article:
How did you do?

Words: 5632
Female Score: 6610
Male Score: 8074
The Gender

Genie thinks the author of this passage is: male!

Blockbuster

2007-01-30T10:19:00.000-05:00

Katherine and I are about a month into the Blockbuster movie deal.

We pay $15/month. We get 2 movies at a time through the mail. No late fees. Unlimited movies. But unlike Netflix, we get to exchange a mailed movie for any in-store movie for free! And, as soon as the mail movie is checked in at the store, the next mail movie is shipped. So we could have up to 4 movies at a time (though the timing would need to be pretty good), without paying any more than the $15/month. I recommend it so far.

We've seen:

1. Bowling for Columbine -- Michael Moore documentary. Not great. He's done better work. Interesting stuff for sure, but what's his point? Not sure. Worth watching, but be prepared to be confused.

2. Waiting for Guffman -- Christopher Guest and Company, mockumentary. Hilarious, but not his best work. I liked Spinal Tap (own it), Best in Show, and Mighty Wind better. Some great scenes though. Why can't anybody else do this kind of comedy?

3. My Left Foot -- Best Actor (Daniel Day Lewis). Amazing acting and a terrific true story. Very inspiring. I really like stories like this. Whatever happened to Daniel Day Lewis?

4. Bonhoeffer -- Documentary on the German theologian/martyr. Couldn't stay awake. I'm really interested in the subject, but the movie was pretty bad, I thought. I should have paid more attention, if only to be more specific in my critique. Sorry.

5. Lost in Translation -- I think I see the beauty that so many critics saw -- and I'm not terribly impressed. Halfway between artsy and hollywood. My suggestion -- skip it.

6. An Inconvenient Truth -- Al Gore's documentary on Global Warming. I'm interested in the subject, but had a few negative reviews, so I didn't expect much. Actually, I thought was terrific! Katherine and I were very impressed. The presentation was clear, fact based, but not boring. I think I understand the issues of global warming so much better now. My highest recommendation of the last few months. You should see it.

7. The Search for Spock -- I love the Star Trek movies and I like the original series (and to a lesser extent the "New Generation"). I'm not a Trekkie per se, but I really like the movies, especially. I hadn't seen this in a while -- probably won't see it for a while again. Some good scenes, but overall, not as good as I remembered. Wrath of Khan (own it) is great, though. Watch that one instead.

Harry Potter and the Curse of the Cyclops

2007-01-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

Pascal, 265

2007-01-24T11:18:00.000-05:00

265. Faith indeed tells what the senses do not tell, but not the contrary of what they see. It is above them and not contrary to them.

Basic Concepts in Practical Mercy

2007-01-24T07:14:00.000-05:00

Basic Concepts in Practical Mercy
02: Three Levels of Mercy

There are three basic levels of mercy:

1. Charity, Give water to drink, Give a hungry man a fish to eat
2. Personal Development, Give bucket to draw water, Teach the hungry man to fish
3. Empowerment, Give well to manage, Sell the hungry man the pond

Charity
In charity, we see basic needs for food, shelter, education, a listening ear. We meet them. This is the simplest, easiest way to provide a ministry of mercy to another person. Here are some good examples:
1. A soup kitchen, providing food and water, basic nutrition, to those who are hungry.
2. A homeless shelter, providing a cool (or warm), safe, clean place to sleep for those without.
3. Free health screening, providing basic medical attention to those with no other access.
4. Free meals for a refugee family just arriving, or to a single mother immediately after birth.
5. Cleaning the kitchen and bathroom of an elderly person who has no family or friends still living.
6. Paying the electric bill of a person who has had a devastating illness and/or loss of employment.

Jesus commands us, in Matthew 25, to welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned, and feed the hungry. James 1 tells us that pure religion includes taking care of widows and orphans.

There are some people who will need ongoing charity throughout their lives because they are permanently handicapped, but these people are rare. Normally, this kind of mercy should be directed to people in transition only! When we foster an attitude of addiction to this sort of charity, we are not being merciful at all. In fact, rich people who get a "good feeling" from providing charity to the poor might have a selfish (subconscious) desire to keep them poor so that we can continue to get the good feeling of helping them. That is not merciful. That is oppression.

Generally speaking, we give our charity with a focus upon moving toward development.

Personal Development
In personal development, we find ways for people to provide their basic needs for themselves more efficiently. We connect them with tools are resources so that they can come to a place where they can help others. This is far more demanding for both the giver and the receiver of mercy, but far more rewarding for both, too. In development, the giver and receiver share responsibility and take a step toward inter-mingling the roles of giver and receiver. Here are some good examples:
1. A jobs training center that gives computer skills to unskilled laborers.
2. An ESL class that provides a place in which to acquire English skills for better employment.
3. A budgeting class or counseling to help "stretch" the money earned by the poor.
4. Giving (loaning?) a car to someone who needs transportation to secure a good paying job.
5. Conducting a "grief group" to help recently bereaved people to connect emotionally.
6. Having a subsidized general store, or goods-for-services exchange store.

Biblically, we can think of the principle of gleaning:

Leviticus 19:9-10, When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.

Basically, according the law, farmers (in this agricultural society where everybody was some sort of farmer) were allowed to pick when to harvest, but they could only harvest once. Not all the grapes (or corn, wheat, rice, etc.) is ripe at the same time. If you harvest it too early, it's no good. If you harvest it too late, it's fallen (and therefore, off limits). Therefore, the early fruit and the late fruit were for the poor. Also, the corners of the field were for the poor. A few principles here:
1. The poor have to work for their food (and if they sell what they harvest, they'll need to work extra for the money).
2. After a poor man picks early grapes off the ground and late grapes off the vine for a few seasons, he's probably skilled enough to be hired. This is job training.
3. This command is not simply "a good idea" or some way to earn "brownie" points with God, this is not for "advanced" Christians, or for those who have really big farms (the very wealthy). This is a law of God for everyone, regardless.

Mercy ministry that develops people requires much thought and energy. It requires us to look behind the presenting problem. If someone is hungry, why? How can we stop the cycle? How can we bring this person to the place where they can help others? Much of this kind of ministry involves various levels of education. Education comes in many different forms and types. However, those who engage in this type of ministry will eventually see that there are problems behind even these problems. There are more structural issues of empowerment that need to be addressed, too.

Empowerment
In empowerment, we seek to provide opportunties the poor to be in control of their own lives and communities in substantial and structural ways. This kind of mercy ministry is the most demanding upon both the giver and the receiver. It has the power to transform communities and cities. Here, the giver and receiver effectively trade places after a time, if it is done right. Some good examples:
1. Habitat for Humanity. Providing home ownership (rather than perpetually paying rent). This will change the "wealth status" of generations to come.
2. Promoting locally owned businesses. Keeping the resources of a poor neighborhood in the neighborhood, not flowing out provides more jobs, more affordable housing, etc.
3. Micro-business startups. Training and equipping new business owners from the poor community.
4. Long-term mentoring of children, especially young boys, to become leaders among the poor.
5. Helping communities organize to put pressure on local politicians for justice.

While charity and personal development often aim toward helping people one-at-a-time, empowerment aims at helping an entire community (albeit sometimes through individual leaders).
Empowerment commonly faces strong opposition because the results can be quite intimidating to those who are currently in power. There is always resistance by the powerful to a shift in power, but the Bible calls us to be those who would fight for the justice of all, not the status quo.

The biblical writers speak of this as "justice." Note that in Greek and Hebrew, the words for "justice" and "righteousness" are the same. These are two different words in English, but not in the Bible.

Proverbs 31:8-9, Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Isaiah 1:10-18, Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. When you come to appear before me, who asked this from your hand? Trample my courts no more; bringing offerings is futile; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation-- I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity. Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them. When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. Come now, let us argue it out, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

Isaiah 58:1-10, Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God. "Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?" Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers. Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.

Micah 6:6-8, With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Basic Concepts in Practical Mercy

2007-01-23T08:35:00.000-05:00

Basic Concepts in Practical Mercy
01: Biblical Reasons for Poverty

In the Bible, there are three reasons for poverty:
1. Oppression / Injustice Another's fault
2. Calamity / Natural disaster No particular fault
3. Laziness / Sin Your fault

Oppression

Poverty as a result of oppression:
Psalm 82:1-4, God presides in the great assembly; he gives judgment among the "gods": "How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

Psalm 72:1, 4, Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness… He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor.

Psalm 74:21, Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace; may the poor and needy praise your name.

Proverbs 16:19, Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.

Ecclesiastes 5:8, If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.

Isaiah 1:17, Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

Isaiah 10:1-2, Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless.

Isaiah 26:6, He humbles those who dwell on high, he lays the lofty city low; he levels it to the ground and casts it down to the dust. Feet trample it down— the feet of the oppressed, the footsteps of the poor.

Amos 2:7, They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name.

God's people are commonly poor because of oppression:
1. At the birth of God's holy nation Israel, the people were slaves because of oppression (see especially Exodus 1:11-12; 3:9).
2. For the first 400 years of their nation, Israel was repeatedly oppressed by various Canaanite nations (Judges).
3. God's anointed, David, was oppressed individually by his father and brothers and then by the King Saul (1 Samuel).
4. After a brief period of national success (wherein they forgot the lessons they "learned" about oppression and they oppressed everyone around them) Israel splits and is soon oppressed by various evil kings, and finally by Assyria in the North (722) and Babylon in the South (586). They are further oppressed by Persia and then Rome.

In all these oppressions, God sides with the victims, not the oppressors.
Deuteronomy 26:7, Then we cried out to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression.

Psalm 9:9, The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

Psalm 10:17-18, You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.

Psalm 103:6, The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

Psalm 146:7-8, He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.

Proverbs 14:31, 31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

Isaiah 49:25-26, 25 But this is what the LORD says: "Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, and plunder retrieved from the fierce; I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save. I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh; they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine. Then all mankind will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."

Isaiah 60:14, The sons of your oppressors will come bowing before you; all who despise you will bow down at your feet and will call you the City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

Ezekiel 18:5, 7, "Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is just and right… He does not oppress anyone, but returns what he took in pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked.

Ezekiel 45:9-10, " 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: You have gone far enough, O princes of Israel! Give up your violence and oppression and do what is just and right. Stop dispossessing my people, declares the Sovereign LORD. 10 You are to use accurate scales, an accurate ephah and an accurate bath.

Amos 4:1-2, Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, "Bring us some drinks!" The Sovereign LORD has sworn by his holiness: "The time will surely come when you will be taken away with hooks, the last of you with fishhooks.

Zephaniah 3, 19-20, At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you; I will rescue the lame and gather those who have been scattered. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they were put to shame. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes," says the LORD.

Malachi 3: 5, "So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the LORD Almighty.

Calamity

Poverty as a result of calamity:
Genesis 47, a famine in Egypt caused widespread poverty.

Ruth 1, Naomi and her daughters-in-law were poor because their husbands (and sons) had died.

1 Kings 17, Elijah helps a woman who is poor because her husband died.

John 9, Jesus helps a man who is poor because he was blind.

There are many other examples throughout scripture, and many we know in our own lives.

One of the key signs of the "return of David" or "the Son of David" or the "Messiah" is the reversal of the effects of these misfortunes:
Luke 4:14-21, Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

Luke 7:18-23, John's disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, he sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?' " At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."

Laziness

Poverty as a result of laziness:
Proverbs 6:6-11, Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest- and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

Proverbs 21:17, He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.

Proverbs 23:20-21, Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

2 Thessalonians 3:9-10, We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."

Our Response

Clearly, in every individual case there is more than one reason for a person's poverty. No one is without sin, and we all oppress each other in one way or another, of course. The reasons for poverty are a very complex mix of these three in real life. Each can lead to the others.

One thing is for sure, though -- we are our brothers' keeper. God commands us to get involved to help the poor, no matter the reason for their poverty. We can respond in different ways to alleviate the different reasons for poverty:

Oppression -- oppression and injustice exist all around us. God wants us to liberate those who are captive by racism, oppressed by unjust housing laws, and exploited by poor education. Commonly helping these people means directly fighting the oppressors with non-violence.

Calamity -- calamities are commonplace everywhere, but South Florida is famous for natural disasters. However, we must also respond to the needs of those who are handicapped, elderly and widowed, the orphans, the refugees and the immigrants. Most people are eager to help when shown the needs.

Laziness -- only God can change the hearts of individuals, but he has chosen to do so though his people. Our compassion and loving service (which rarely means "handouts") is the tool he uses to transform lives. As Pastor Lem Tucker used to say all the time, "He who has the greatest truth, must have the greatest love, and that is the greatest proof."

In some ways, these are the hardest people to love and be merciful to unless our hearts are overwhelmed by the mercy God showed us before we took a step in his direction. We were all lazy (in fact, we were dead!) in our sin before God opened our eyes to see him.

On the last day, when we stand before the throne of grace we will give an account for all we have done. When God asks us about our relationship to the lazy bum who won't get a job, we will not be proud to say to him, "I didn't let that lazy bum have any of my mercy! He wouldn't appreciate it! He would take advantage of it! I didn't let that happen. He didn't fool me. He tried to get my money, but I wouldn't let him. Aren't you so proud of me!" No, we will want to say, with tears in our eyes, "I did everything I could do to show him the love of Christ -- I gave him everything I had, I used all my resources to try and convince him of your mercy and grace, but he wouldn't listen. He squandered all the mercy he received, but I tried."

What if Jesus, on his way to the cross, had thought about us and said, "Now that I think about it, they will probably abuse my grace and mercy. They'll probably take advantage of it to sin even more. Nevermind. I'm not going to do it." He knows we take advantage of his grace all the time, but he give his life to us anyway. How much more should we give our wallets, our homes, our food, and our lives for the lazy poor?

Tolkein on Sermons

2007-01-22T08:03:00.000-05:00

They are bad, aren’t they! Most of them from any point of view. The answer to the mystery is prob. not simple; but part of it is that ‘rhetoric’ (of which preaching is a dept.) is an art, which requires (a) some native talent and (b) learning and practice. The instrument used is v. much more complex than a piano, yet most performers are in the position of a man who sits down to a piano and expects to move his audience without any knowledge of the notes at all. . . . But preaching is complicated by the fact that we expect in it not only a performance, but truth and sincerity, and also at least no word, tone, or note that suggests the possession of vices (such as hypocrisy, vanity) or defects (such as folly, ignorance) in the preacher.

“Good sermons require some art, some virtue, some knowledge. Real sermons require some special grace which does not transcend art but arrives at it by instinct or ‘inspiration’; indeed the Holy Spirit seems sometimes to speak through a human mouth providing art, virtue and insight he does not himself possess: but the occasions are rare. In other times I don’t think an educated person is required to suppress the critical faculty, but it should be kept in order by a constant endeavour to apply the truth (if any), even in cliché form, to oneself exclusively! A difficult exercise . . . ”

- J.R.R. Tolkien in a Letter to his son Christopher, 24 April 1944

Earl

2007-01-17T07:41:00.000-05:00

My Name is Earl is one of my favorite shows. It is creative, hilarious, and has a lot of great commentary on culture and spirituality.

The Gospel of the Kingdom of God

2007-01-16T10:07:00.000-05:00

In its essence, the word "gospel" simply means "good news." We can speak of the gospel of a new baby, the gospel of a pay raise, the gospel of a peace treaty or the gospel of discounted tickets to your favorite activity. But normally we don't. We don't use the word "gospel" for these things. It has taken a pretty specific meaning.

When Christians speak about "the gospel," we are talking about a particular gospel -- the good news about the Kingdom of God. Over and over again, the Biblical writers tell us the Jesus "proclaimed" or "preached" the gospel "of the Kingdom." What is the good news specifically? This is the good news (gospel) -- The Kingdom of God is Near.

What does that mean? Many books have tried to answer this question, but basically, it means that God has come to restore his world back to it's original intent. Everything that went wrong with the world is being reversed by God. Jesus' kingdom will reverse all evil. All personal sin, all sickness, all chaos, all diseases, all death, all oppression, all pollution will be reversed so that righteousness, justice, creativity, health, progress, happiness, harmony and growth pervade every area of the world. That is the gospel! That is the good news.

The gospel is far bigger than personal salvation, and it is far more profound than simply empowerment for the less fortunate. It includes those things, but goes far beyond them. As we sing at Christmas time in "Joy to the World" the gospel is that Christ's victory over Satan, sin and death is applied "far as the curse is found." Wherever we see evil overcome, we see a glimpse of the Kingdom of Jesus, and evidence of the gospel.

So, according to Jesus, when we speak the good news without reversing real evil, we lie. However, when we reverse evil without speaking the truth about Jesus, we rob Jesus of his glory. There is no gospel without the King, nor without his work. We cannot pick one. Word and deed proclaim together.

Mark 1.14-15, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

Luke 4.18-19, [Jesus said,] "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Luke 4.43, But [Jesus] said to them, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose."

Matthew 4.23, Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.

Luke 8.1, After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God.

Luke 9.1-2, When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Luke 10.8-9, [Jesus said,] "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' "

Luke 7.18-23, John's disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, he sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?' " At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."

Martins and Freedom

2007-01-15T08:20:00.000-05:00

In my mind, Martin Luther (of the 1517 Reformation) and Martin Luther King, Jr. (named for the former) are inseperable.

Both defied the government, breaking laws. Both were godly men (with weaknesses) of uncommon courage, strength of heart, and skillful rhetoric. Both worked for the freedom of the oppressed. Both were preachers. In fact, I can think of no other men so used by God to advance the cause of true freedom.

Today, we honor Dr. King, one of my great heroes, a preacher who gave his life for the cause of freedom.

More Thoughts on Bush's Iraq

2007-01-11T12:08:00.000-05:00

The previous post on Demotovation led to a few email discussions, thanks, fellows. Here are some further thoughts cut and pasted from those conversations:

Ok. I'm with you . . . we can't retreat. The welfare of Iraq is vitally important to the welfare of the USA. I agree. But I don't think the President does. That's my point. I think he's pursuing the welfare of the USA at the expense of Iraq. To use my "morale" analogy -- If morale is bad in the company, firing people doesn't help the problem, obviously. That's only going to create worse morale. Rather, we need to fix the problem at its root. Bad wages? Bad management? Poor working conditions? Whatever the issue is, that's what needs to be addressed. The morale problem is the consequence of the root issues, so treating the morale is not going to help.

So, in Iraq, Muslims and terrorists are anti-USA. Why? Because of our "immorality." We are sexually permissive, yes (think Hollywood, Baywatch, etc.). But more than that, I think, we are consumeristic. We consume so much. Clearly, the United States has enough disposable income to end extreme poverty worldwide. Every 5 seconds, a child dies of hunger. That's 5 "September 11th"s every day! We are rightfully outraged by the attacks on September 11, but why aren't we outraged that our brothers and sisters worldwide are dying needlessly in such numbers? We choose, as a nation, to allow this to go on. It would cost us greatly to end hunger worldwide, but we could do it -- we choose not to. We prefer a secure retirement, or better home stereo system, or whatever, rather than give food to people who are starving.

The old adage, "If you want peace, work for justice" makes sense to me. Why should I have an awesome stereo when someone else can't get enough food to keep living? Because I'm so smart? Because God loves me more? Because I'm white? Because I'm American? I had no choice in any of these things. None of this means anything. It's not fair. Justice dictates that we help others. I'm not talking about handouts. I'm talking about leveling the playing field. Those who are starving to death are more than happy to work for their food. No doubt about it, but we won't let them.

I don't see Bush's "new" plan addressing these kinds of issues. Until we start addressing these issues, terrorism will continue. There's nothing to lose! You can't fight or negotiate with a (nearly) endless supply of suicidal attackers. It is our aggressive stance toward the world that provokes the violence. A more aggressive stance will not end the violence.

I think the Middle East is vitally important for our country. Especially now that we've started the war. Failure is not an option, which is why I oppose the President's plan. It drives us further to failure. More troops in Iraq means less violence. That makes sense to me, but it won't work long term. It works short term because the USA military really is amazingly powerful, and we can quell any resistance. But, the amount of force it takes will incite more violence, not pacify, I believe. Our domination is the reason for the resistance. Further domination doesn't help.

Is this not the way of Jesus? Of the gospel? The way to victory is through peace. The first shall be last, the last shall be first. "If a man would follow me" (that is, the Messiah, the King, the Victor), "let him take up his cross first." "Whoever finds his life will lose it, whoever loses his life, for my sake, will find it." The path to personal joy is through personal sacrifice. Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Sure, it's counter-intuitive, but that's the foolishness of the cross.

Demotivation from Bush

2007-01-11T11:00:00.000-05:00

It seems to me that Bush's speech last night was basically . . .

"Ok, the war is not going so well. Our military is not having the affect we thought it was going to have. We're not making progress. So, the obvious solution is . . . more of the same. Our problem is that we haven't been trying hard enough. Let's re-double our efforts, maybe that will work."

You can't fix a morale problem by firing all the unhappy people.
You can't fix a peace problem by killing all those who oppose you.

Thoughts, anyone?

Geocaching

2007-01-09T07:08:00.000-05:00

For Christmas, we got a handheld GPS unit from my parents. Following in my dad's footsteps (almost quite literally), we plan to use it (as they intended) to go geocaching.

Basically, this is a global hide and seek game. People hide small containers (ranging in size from a lunch box to film canister) all over the world, then post the latitude and longitude online. Then we go find them. Each cache has a journal in it to record your visit. It's pretty fun. We've done a few already.

If you're interested, you can sign up for a free membership and view our profile, chwilliamfla.

2007-01-08T07:19:00.000-05:00

"Mere description is impossible. Language forces you to an implicit comment." -- C.S.Lewis, Present Concerns: Essays by C.S.Lewis, "Prudery and Philology" (1955).

There are always further meanings behind our words. We're always saying more than we are saying. Even now.

2007-01-05T15:47:00.000-05:00

Technorati Profile

Headlines

2007-01-04T07:37:00.000-05:00

I don't really get Leno's humor. I don't think he's funny.
Except the headlines. I love the headlines!

Breakout Churches

2007-01-03T07:47:00.000-05:00

by Thom Rainer, Zondervan, 2005.

This is a followup(?) to Good to Great by Jim Collins.

Good to Great has made a huge impact at my hospital and many other companies. He did extensive research in the business world. He found several companies that were tooling along just fine, average, turning a small profit for many years. Then, all of a sudden, they started making tons of money for many years in a row. Then, his reasearch team said, what happened differently from other similar companies? Great book for anyone interested in the pursuit of excellence.

Breakout Churches follows the same sort of model, but for churches. Rainer's research team identified several churches that were pretty blah for a long time. Then, all of a sudden, they burst forward in church attendance, conversions (from other faiths), community impact, etc. He follows the same ideas as articulated by Jim Collins. Very helpful for any church (PCA?) that has been stagnate for some time. Basically, Rainer (and Collins) says it comes down to a committment to excellence and "hardwiring" excellence into the community. The principles, though, help to make excellence happen. Not quite a "how-to" book, but bordering on it.

Thanks to my friend and pastor, Worth Carson for the recommendations and borrows. These are good reference books, but not quick page turners.

Hospital Prayer Journal

2007-01-02T08:50:00.000-05:00

We keep a journal in the hospital's chapel. People write prayers in the journal. When the pages are full of prayers, we replace with a new journal. Most of the prayers are pretty generic, but some are quite amazing. I'll try to preserve the spelling, grammar, etc. Here's one:

Dear God,
Even to this day, I still question whether or not you exist. I wonder if you are real or if you are just a figment to millions of people's imaginations. My friends . . . tell me I am crazy to question whether or not you exist, they tell me how wonderful you are and how I should be greateful cause you died for our sins, but it's hard for me to believe in you. Everyone tells me how great you are but every day I see so many people suffering; people dying very painful deaths, and it makes me think "If God is so wonderful, why dies he let all this cahos happen!" I want to believe in a supreme being; a Great God, but I need you, therefore, to show me your ways. Why you let all this terrible stuff happen. I need it explained to me why you hurt your poeple. Until I can see why all this happen, I will still question your existance. So please show me what you are thinking, show me what goes on in your mind. Show me your ways so I can believe in you. Please show me God. Thanks. Please answer my prayer. Amen. "A not so sure believer."

New Health Journal

2006-12-29T08:32:00.000-05:00

I have created a parallel blog to journal my physical health this year. Notice the link on the right.

Anybody want to work together for mutual encouragement and support for working toward physical health?

Healthier

2006-12-28T07:39:00.000-05:00

I've been trying to write an article about the pursuit of holistic health. My idea is this -- every area of health affects other areas of health. Physical, spiritual, emotional, intellectual, relational, financial, sexual, etc. A deficit in one will drag the others, too. For all these, neglect breeds disease. We must be actively pursuing health in order to get it. That is to say, health is dynamic, not static.

To that end, I want to focus a great deal of attention on my physical health this year. I've been monkeying around for the last few years. Seminary was a focus on intellectual health. CPE was a focus on emotional, spiritual and relational health. The last few years have helped with a focus on financial health. It's time to get things in order. I'm ready to take off on Monday (I think).

I like "The Biggest Loser." With some critiques, it's a great show. This video is about the show.

Merry Christmas

2006-12-27T09:42:00.000-05:00

On Christmas morning, Katherine and I went to the beach with her parents. We read the Bible and prayed in a short Christmas liturgy. It was pretty windy and partly cloudy. The sun was low on the horizon, moving up.

Later, we had a nice big meal with them at home. Merry Christmas.

Nativity Story

2006-12-26T08:10:00.000-05:00

Exceeded my expectations. I cried through the whole thing. Reverent, relevant, realistic, artistic, spiritual, insightful. I could have used a little more comedy -- because I needed a little more relief from the emotional intensity.

Christmas Homily 2006

2006-12-21T13:22:00.000-05:00

I am amused that people regularly ask me if I like Miami. Nobody asked me that in Dallas or St. Louis when I was new to those cities. I think it's because Anglos are 18% of the population here. In fact, I have not yet met an Anglo who likes Miami but did not grow up here, except my wife.

I don't want to go into all the issues that we could get into -- issues religious, sociological, theological, social, political, and otherwise. Simply, I want to say that most of us know what it means to be surrounded by people who are quite different than us. All of us know what it's like to be in a place where we say, "I don't feel like I belong here. This is strange to me." Sometimes we like this kind of adventure, but usually not for long. A short-term trip to another culture is adventurous, but nobody seeks to be "out-of-place" for a lifetime.

In the touristy cities of Costa Rica, they accept American dollars in the stores. That makes things feel more comfortable for the Americans seeking adventure. The signs in English are carefully crafted so as to communicate clearly while still retaining a sense that the sign maker struggles with the English language. Apparently that's what gives Americans the proper sense of "other-worldliness" without being too threatening. A controlled adventure. All of us control our adventures to one degree or another.

For the sake of a greater cause, we might risk more. I went to Mexico on a missions trip as a teenager. I happily suffered bowel problems for the sake of the gospel. Though my motives might not have been pure, I am more likely to risk bowel problems if I am accomplishing something great.

There was, one time, a man who risked everything. There was no control to his adventure. No ejection seat should things go wrong. In fact, he meant them to go wrong . . . for himself, so that the greatest thing ever accomplished might come true. And all our sad days would turn to gold, our tears into diamonds, and our death into the path to paradise.

At Christmas, Jesus entered the ultimate "feeling out-of-place" experience so that one day, because of his death, we would enter the ultimate "I am really home" experience forever. On that day, we will look back at the most glorious and secure experiences of this life and think, "How insignificant! We had no idea what home really was!"

We are strangers in a strange land. And one day, Jesus will come and turn this strange land into his home. And because it will be his home, it will be our home too.

Children's Entertainment with Purpose

2006-12-20T07:35:00.000-05:00

Why are conservatives so easy to make fun of? Someday we might get a powerful group of conservatives with compassion. I hope so.

I am Anselm

2006-12-19T08:15:00.000-05:00

Really? That's the result of this quiz. I'm surprised. I think perhaps the testmaker was "pigeon-hole-ing" these theologians. For example, I'll bet Calvin is seen basically as TULIP, concepts that he rarely talked about. BTW, I recently re-read volume 2 of Battle's Calvin's Institutes. Good work. Calvin always amazes me.

Anselm

87%

Karl Barth

73%

Charles Finney

73%

John Calvin

73%

Martin Luther

60%

Jonathan Edwards

60%

Jürgen Moltmann

60%

Friedrich Schleiermacher

47%

Augustine

40%

Paul Tillich

33%

Which theologian are you?
created with QuizFarm.com

Jim Wallis

2006-12-18T07:53:00.000-05:00

With allowances for appropriate criticism, Jim Wallis is a huge step in the right direction. I really like him a lot. Still looking for the political match for this theological/homiletical new evangelical.

Advent is not Christmas

2006-12-13T07:37:00.000-05:00

Is he coming yet?

I'm a bit frustrated with the confusion of Advent and Christmas.

During the season of Advent, we put ourselves in the place of Jews just before Jesus was born to Mary. We are reminded weekly (in worship) that God has promised the restoration of Israel, but the Romans are still occupying Jerusalem. God has promised the Messiah of David, but this puppet of the Caesar is still king, and our taxes still go to line his pockets and build his kingdom. We are waiting. Waiting with hopeful anticipation. Waiting. Indeed, we connect this historical advent with the current one. For Christians today, God has promised the restoration of all things, but unjustice is still occupying our cities. God has promised the Messiah of God, but the puppets of greed and corruption are still sitting in the highest seats in the world. We sing, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" in a minor key.

During Christmas, we celebrate the coming of Messiah. The incarnation of God himself. Indeed, Christmas is a wonderful time of celebration -- but what do we have to celebrate? We celebrate the end of the Roman Empire and the end of the puppet kings of the Caesars. We sing, "Joy to the World, the Lord Has Come!" in a major key.

If we don't take time to feel the weight of oppression, then liberation will be less meaningful, our celebrations will be hollow. I feel somewhat hollow when we celebrate Christmas too early. Many people tell me that they, too, feel 'Christmas burnout.' What is going on?

Just as Easter is only as glorious as Good Friday is horrible, so Christmas is only as liberating as Advent is binding.

But our culture goes straight to Christmas. Straight to celebration. Celebration is not easy when we don't know what we're celebrating. We must remember the pain.

Why are we afraid of entering into pain? Are we afraid that God will not come to rescue? Are we afraid to 'go down' because we are afraid we might not 'come up' again? Perhaps we're more stuck in Advent/Good Friday than we thought, so let me remind you. Jesus did come! He did rise from the grave. Do not fear advent!

Friends, on the day the slaves were freed, the slaves celebrated, and the white folk pretended. Why? Only those who know the shackles of bondage will celebrate freedom as it ought to be celebrated.

I would encourage you to take some time to feel the brokenness of the world this advent season. To train your heart to cry out with passion for relief from the injustice and pain. Then, when Christmas arrives, celebrate with conviction and reckless abandon.

Maybe advent is too hard to remember all year long (though we are constantly in anticipation of the restoration of all things), but for a few weeks in winter, let's remember.

Born into Brothels

2006-12-12T08:08:00.000-05:00

Unusually good documentary, winner of Academy Award, Best Documentary.

The film has received criticism that it is too optimistic. Depends on your point of view, and the movie's point of view is a small photography class of children from a brothel in Calcutta, India and their relationship to their teacher, who is also the film's director/brainchild.

Does the film say everything that we need to know about these children or Calcutta or [fill in the blank]? No, of course not. I'm glad the critics say these things, but I also enjoy the movie and believe it to be truthful in what it is saying. Watch and learn a good part of what we need to know.

Good story, good editing, and the kids are precious.

Does God work though crazy people and circumstances to build his kingdom? Yes! He does! Here is a great example. Made me cry.

Rocky Balboa

2006-12-08T07:35:00.000-05:00

Rocky is Back for his 6th and final movie.

Is Rocky a Christian?
The opening scene of the first movie (written by Stallone) is an image of Jesus. Stallone has been talking openly about his faith in Christ and how it relates to his writing, directing and acting. He says the story of Rocky is somewhat spiritually autobiographical. He feels like God has chosen him (Stallone) for no apparent reason (just like Rocky was chosen for no apparent reason). He thinks that he has been able to conquer incredible (spiritual) foes as a result of this "election" just as Rocky did.

For more information, start here.

Slain Child

2006-12-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

I was on-call at Baptist Hospital on Sunday evening. I was called around 6pm to help the staff in the Emergency Department.

When I went into one of our Trauma rooms, I saw the dead 2-year-old boy with his neck slashed from ear to ear. A clean cut and very deep. One of the physician's notes says he was nearly decapitated. The nurses tell me about the chest compressions they used to try and save his life -- each compression resulted in spurts of blood pouring from his neck. Subsequently, they arrested the mother who did not try to hide (or admit) her guilt in any way. It's a pretty open and shut case as far as guilt.

Here is the murderer and mother:

How could God let something like this happen to such a beautiful little boy?

High Cost of Healthcare In the United States

2006-12-01T09:43:00.000-05:00

This is the first article I've written of this type. Very much looking for feedback. Enjoy.

The High Cost of Healthcare in the United States
A Christian Reflection on an Immoral System

Introduction

As I begin this reflection, you should know where I’m coming from. I am a Presbyterian minister and a chaplain at Baptist Hospital of Miami. I spend quite a bit of my time each day in the Emergency Department and the Intensive Care Units. I pray with our patients and their families. I help them process the meaning of their illness or injury. I attend about 4 or 5 deaths each week. Every day I see pain up close and personally. Physical pain, emotional pain, social pain. And while I believe in the compassionate care of our hospital and our staff, including most of the physicians, I have some real problems with the system of healthcare that we’ve chosen as a nation. My problems stem from my foundational beliefs as a Christian.

Secondly, I mean this reflection to be a reflection, not an exhaustive or definitive treatment. I hope this reflection will be the beginning of many good conversations which will change all who engage in them (not least, the present author).

USA vs. the Industrialized World

As we begin, let me explain the kind of system our nation has chosen. Here, I want to be as descriptive as possible. Every industrialized society has the resources to provide adequate healthcare to its citizens. However, we have yet find a way to provide instant healthcare to everyone who needs it. That is to say, there are some people in every nation who still suffer from illness and injury simply because the healthcare resources available to others are not available to them. For example, there are horrible stories from Canada of people diagnosed with cancer who die while on a waiting list for chemotherapy.

There are two primary ways in which nations have decided to choose which people get access to healthcare resources and which do not. All industrialized countries except the United States have chosen a universal healthcare system. Healthcare is free if you can wait. Do you want to see a doctor? It won’t cost much, but you might have to wait for a very long time. If you need to see a specialist – you could wait more than a year, because everyone has equal access. First come, first serve. In the United States, we have a capitalistic healthcare system. If you can afford the money, you can get healthcare. Or, to be more realistic, if you can afford healthcare insurance, you can get healthcare, and usually pretty quickly. For those without insurance, well, too bad. Part of the reason that healthcare in the United States can be so quick, is that not everyone has access to the resources, lines are much shorter.

Ok, those are the two main systems of healthcare in the industrialized world.[1] Now, let’s look and see how the US system is working for us.[2]

Healthcare Costs on the Rise

Healthcare costs in the United States are out of control. In 2003, we spent 15.2% of our gross domestic product on healthcare, that's an average of $5711 per person. In 2004, we were up to 16%, and some studies suggest we might hit 20% within 10 years.[3] The country that spends the next highest amount on healthcare is Switzerland, 11.5%, or the equivalent of $5034 per person. That's a huge difference! Especially when you consider that at least 46 million Americans are uninsured. They are receiving little to no healthcare at all while all the other industrialized countries cover every person.

Healthcare costs as a percentage of GNP

So, what are we getting for spending more than anyone else on healthcare? Are we healthier? No. In fact, of the countries listed above, the United States has the highest infant mortality rate,[4] the highest adult mortality[5] rate and the shortest life expectancy, and only Spain has a slightly higher rate of the HIV virus.[6]

So, we are paying more and getting less as a nation. However, not everyone is paying. The people who pay are getting better treatment. More on this later. This may be true, for now. The crisis is coming, though, even for the wealthy in the United States.

The Crisis of the Free Emergency Room

As a nation, we have told hospitals that if someone shows up in the Emergency Department, they cannot refuse treatment for a lack of ability to pay. We recognize that someone who is injured deserves treatment. If you break your leg, it needs to be set right. As a society, we are willing to shoulder that burden. Or are we? When someone comes to my Emergency Room without health insurance, we treat him. Who pays for the oxygen tanks, medications, and salaries for the nurses and techs that help? The hospital absorbs the cost. By law, we have to. How can we afford to do this? We must increase the cost of the paying customers, that is, the customers with health insurance. So, a medication that costs us $50, we charge $55. How can the insurance company afford to pay in the increased price? They raise the cost of health insurance. Does this sound familiar? Are your health insurance costs increasing? In the United States, premiums for employer-based health insurance rose by 9.2 percent in 2005, the fifth consecutive year of increases over 9 percent.[7]

What happens when health insurance rates go up? Fewer people and businesses can afford insurance. What happens when those people who can no longer afford insurance get sick? They go the emergency room. And the cycle continues. More free care, higher hospital bills, higher insurance costs, fewer people insured, more free care. Nationwide, the number of uninsured citizens is climbing at an alarming rate.

In the above graph, look at the climb in the "Moderate Income" category. This is alarming. The future does not look bright.

At Baptist Hospital, our Emergency Room is packed all the time. We don’t have room to put all the people. We’re building an enormous building for a new Emergency Room. It will expand our size from 25 rooms, to 100 rooms. I hope that’s enough. Other hospitals are in similar crisis. Over 500,000 times each year an ambulance arrives at one hospital only to be sent to another one because of overcrowding, and the number is growing.

Of the many ways to provide healthcare, the Emergency Room is the most expensive. Clinics, offices, even the doctor making house calls is cheaper. The Emergency Room is the only place for poor people to receive medical care. And it is the most expensive. Why would we do this? For those with insurance, we allow them to pursue more cost-effective care. Why?

The Crisis of the Newest Technology

The right tool can make all the difference. I remember when my father showed me an oil-filter-remover. The right tool for the job makes all the difference. In healthcare, the variety of tools is almost infinite and expanding all the time. Technology marches on, and I'm glad it does. The scanners available today are amazing. Your doctor can look at a 3D image of your heart displayed in colors that tell him something useful, but I don’t know what. Those scanners are expensive, though. If you break your leg playing soccer, you'll need an X-ray. When your doctor looks at the X-ray, he'll probably be curious about something unrevealed, or maybe you'll be curious, or your brother, or your nurse. Then, you'll get an MRI scan. That will be helpful, too, but still, we could know more information. Don't you want your doctor to have all the information he could possibly have as he treats your leg? He does too -- he doesn't want to be sued. Every possible test and measurement will be taken. As technology improves, the quantity and the quality of the tests and measurements increase. That is -- there are more tests to perform, and the tests tell us more. How much information is enough? Hospitals regularly boast that they have the latest and greatest technology. They know that people will always pick the hospital with the best technology, the most, the newest, the best, if they have a choice.

The Crisis of the Pharmaceutical Companies

Therapeutic drugs cost two to three times as much (or more) in the United States as in other industrialized countries. This is true for both brand name and generic drugs. What are we getting for the higher cost? Research and development of new drugs? No. In fact, the drug companies spend few of their profits on research. Beyond research, the big drug companies regularly profit more than double most Fortune 500 companies, and recently several companies profited more than quadruple. The extra cost is not going into researching. But some research is being done. But not how you think, probably. A recent study found that 18% of research money is spent looking for drug formulas that would be a breakthrough -- that is, they would provide new help. About 85% of the new drugs developed in the United States provide no new therapeutic benefit. For example, after Pfizer introduced the drug Viagra for erectile dysfunction, GlaxoSmithKline introduced Levitra, and Eli Lilly introduced Cialis. Both Levitra and Cialis provide the same therapeutic effect as Viagra. These drugs are wildly popular and bring a big profit, without Levitra and Cialis, their respective companies would lose a large profit share, so a great deal of money is spent to make sure that the company remains strong.

Money is also spent to research slightly different formulas for brand name drugs nearing their 20 year patent protection. After 20 years, any company can make and sell the brand name formula as a generic drug. But, with a slightly different formula which has the same therapeutic effect, the companies can keep the brand-name money rolling in. So, Prilosec became Nexium in 2002. Experts say they are nearly identical, but if consumers think Nexium is better because it is newer, they might pay more money for the brand-name Nexium than a generic version of Prilosec. And they were right. We spent $458 million on Nexium in the first year! For this same reason, Glucophage, the popular diabetes drug, became Glucophage XR and Claritin becomes Clarinex.

One further point about research. The United States consumes 51% of the world's prescription drugs, and spends 58% of all the research money used to find new drugs. However, we only discover 43% of the drugs with a new therapeutic benefit. That is to say, despite the amazing profits of our drug companies, we are not pulling our fair share of new drug therapies, worldwide. Or, to say it another way, in the relationship between money spent and new drugs discovered, the rest of the world is helping us out, despite the fact that they use far less money than we.[8]

Whatever the reason for the high prices, it is not for research to help the ill and injured who wait with great expectancy for a cure or a new therapy.

Ok, there are many other problems with our healthcare system in the United States, but I would prefer to stop describing the problems here, that I may address these issues. Before I move on, let me summarize the descriptive part of this presentation. First, when compared with the rest of the industrialized world, the United States is paying far more for healthcare and yet we are still much less healthy. On average we pay significantly more per person, and yet we do not provide health to all our citizens, which is normal in the rest of the world. Secondly, we looked at the high cost of free medical care. Our society has chosen the Emergency Room as the place to send people without insurance. This has devastating effects on the cost of healthcare in general, and the system is spiraling out of control. Thirdly, while new technology is a great advantage, it has become a great economic disadvantage, too. Our attitude toward new medical technology makes the financial burden of new developments much greater than the inherent cost of the new technology itself. And finally, our economic system rewards pharmaceutical companies for a lack of innovation, and an inflation in the price of therapeutic medicines.

So now, a reflection on the immorality of our system, which is represented by these four points.

The Sacredness of Human Life

As a Christian, I am committed to the concept that human beings are made in the image of God. The creation story in the Biblical book of Genesis is quite clear about this. This becomes foundational for the Bible's presentation of ethics. For example, when the Bible talks about the immorality of murder, it commonly argues that we ought not to murder because people are made in the image of God.[9] The sacredness of human life (over and against animal and plant life) is rooted in the fact that we are made in the image of God. People love their pets. I love dogs, myself. When my dog gets sick, we take her to the veterinarian. If the vet tells me that my dog has kidney failure and needs a transplant, I will be sad because I know my friend is near death. However, if my wife needs a kidney transplant, I will give her my kidney, if possible. I will move heaven and earth to bring her back to health. It's not the same, nor should it be. Human life is sacred because in our humanity, we reflect the nature of God in a unique way.

Health and Life

Health and life are inseparable. The scriptures talk consistently about "new life." We all understand someone who is alive but not living. As one poet resolves, "I want to live until I die." Our country declared its independence with the assertion that all people deserve "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." If these things are true (and I think they are), then healthcare is different than other commodities. No one deserves a new Mercedes, but they deserve the ability to pursue a new Mercedes. But everyone deserves good healthcare. Cancer medication for a sick child is not like a new video game system. In our society, we treat the two the same. The children of the rich have access to both. The children of the poor have access to neither. But there is a moral difference between the two. Cancer medication, I believe, is a "right-to-life" issue. Because of money, thousands in our country are denied adequate healthcare and die. Far more are denied healthcare and crippled in life. Healthcare is not a commodity like any other in the free market. When you buy a new video game system, or a floor rug, or a hamburger, it does not matter much if others purchase or have equal access to these materials. Actually, one of the nice things about being able to afford a new Mercedes is driving it in the face of those who cannot afford it. That is, one of the attractive things about the new Mercedes is that access to it is limited to certain individuals.

Community health vs. Individual health

However, when we limit access to healthcare to certain individuals (i.e. the rich), health suffers for everyone, even the rich. Let me use a clear (yet admittedly far-fetched) example. Suppose the small pox virus began to spread once again. If we limit healthcare to those who can afford it, that will leave some small pox cases untreated. No matter how rich you are, you cannot protect yourself from the germs of an infected person. When you go to the school, the supermarket, the bank, the gas station, or any public place -- you never know who just left their germs on the door handle, the shopping cart, the ATM buttons. If we want to protect ourselves from infectious diseases, it is in our best interest that everyone have equal access to healthcare so that those who are infected will be free to seek medical help. We can think of real-world examples from the flu to the bird flu. We have already mastered this concept in clean water, sewers, garbage disposal, etc. In more indirect ways, this principle applies to physical health in general. Individual health is strongly related to community health.

One more example -- fat people whose health is suffering because of their weight find it easier to lose weight in the community of others with the same goal. Imagine a city of healthy people. These people are not interested in fast food. Consequently, McDonald's and KFC cannot make a profit, and have no presence in the community. What would happen if someone in the city has a natural bent toward becoming fat? It is more difficult to do so because of the health of the community. Actually, many cities in our United States are just the opposite. We foster a community of disease and illness, expecting individuals to be responsible for their own health, but if we work on increasing the health of the community, all individuals will find it easier to become healthy, including the rich.

I don't want to excuse individual responsibility. Of course, individuals should take responsibility for their own health. However, there is a dynamic relationship between the overall health of the community and the health of each individual. They affect each other. If a person is interested in improving his or her own personal health, he or she must be interested in improving the health of everyone in the community.

The Immorality of the Free Market in Healthcare

While I have alluded to this already, I want to be clear now that I believe that a free market system of healthcare is immoral. Here, you should know that I am not an economist, and I must speak in general, broad sweeping strokes, but I think as a Christian minister, I must speak to the morality issue here in conversation with economists. Perhaps in conversation we can come to a good resolution. Also, I should note that there are wonderful exceptions to the free market system. For example, Baptist Health South Florida gives away many millions of dollars in free healthcare yearly. While I am so happy for these many exceptions, I should note that they are exceptions. They are not the general rule. And I want to argue against the general rule. With those caveats, let me continue.

The free market system allows drug companies to pursue profits over health and innovation. The free market system rewards drug companies for slowing the progress of medical research. It rewards drug companies for raising drug prices as high as they want. Competition should lower prices, but it doesn't. Advertising to beat the competition has blown out of control. Increased competition has led to higher prices, not lower. If cancer drugs are a "right-to-life" issue, artificially inflated prices are immoral. Should we expect anything different from the drug companies? I think not. There is no incentive for them to lower prices, or to find innovative drugs at faster rates. I do not blame the drug companies at all. Let me repeat that. I do not blame the drug companies. I believe they are well-run companies, perhaps some of best examples of the glories of capitalism. Our American devotion to the free market system over and above human life is the problem.

Further, the free market system allows technological advances to cost far more than they should. The free market system tells us that if you can afford every test available, you should have them, which necessarily increases volume and price out of reach of the poor. Then, healthcare becomes a matter of preference rather than need. Let me offer a clear example. When I worked at St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield, MO, we had a wealthy patient come to our hospital for surgery. He needed a few days to recover, which went as expected. When it was time for him to go home, he told his doctor he was not feeling well, and asked for another day or two in the hospital. It was granted. He invented symptoms. We ran every test possible, and it became clear that he simply did not want to go home. As I talked with him, he told me that he lived alone. All his friends and family had died, or left him. He also told me about the young, pretty nurses that attended to his every need. He enjoyed being doted upon. His health insurance stopped paying for his hospital stay so he continued paying out of his own (very deep) pockets. About a week later, the director of security came to his room and said, "You were discharged 2 days ago. You can leave now, or you can wait 20 minutes and the police will take you away in handcuffs. It's your choice. They are on their way." He finally left.

The free market system would have allowed him to stay, even though we were constantly at capacity as a hospital, meaning that for at least one week there was someone who needed that room and the medical care associated with it, and did not receive it because he was willing to pay. Thankfully, this did not go on long, but it should not have gone on at all.

The Immorality of the Free Emergency Care

Now, let us move further into theological matters and look at the immorality of the free emergency care. Why do we mandate free emergency care? Where do we demand that independent institutions provide free care? Where else does the government dictate price controls so strongly? Especially, without limit to the number of people who can take advantage of this offer? Especially, dictating the manner in which the care must be provided (i.e. emergency care, not other forms of healthcare)? What is going on here? This seems so un-American!

Until you start thinking more deeply. As a society we have a fascination with the dramatic, the extreme, the ultimate, the horrible. For example. Think about the horror of kidnapping. Newsbroadcasters regularly feature stories of children abducted by a stranger with the intent of sexual assault, murder, ransom, or some other intent to keep the child. Sadly, about 3,000 - 5,000 of these kidnappings happen each year.[10] These are the children who used to be on milk cartons. Child abuse is far more pervasive, though. In 2004, 872,000 children were found to be victims of abuse or neglect according the US Department of Health and Human Services. But, we don't hear about these children much. We don't want to. We are very concerned about an abducted child, but not so much about the abused child. We are concerned about the school shootings, but not about the peer abuse or bullying that goes on constantly in the schools.

We structure our cities and communities in such a way that the rich do not need to interact with the poor. Is this any different than the Jews at the time of Jesus who would not travel through Samaria so that they would not need to see a Samaritan? Today, our roads go around poor areas. The highways have fewer exits there.

In healthcare, we don't care about sick people until the images are disturbing enough. An 86 year old man with pneumonia is not too disturbing to see. But if that man has a broken leg, the bone visible, the image is disturbing enough for us to demand he be taken care of. And so we demand that his poverty must not be a hindrance. And yet we complain about the high cost of healthcare.

If you wait less than a week for an MRI, someone else must be denied the use of that machine so that you don't have to wait. That's our system. And that is immoral.

Americans seem to be especially adept at putting blinders on our eyes. Have you seen the blinders used on horses so that they can only see directly in front of them? We American use these voluntarily while carefully only facing the people we want to face. But racism still exists. Poverty still exists. Wasn't Hurricane Katrina a reminder? Jesus says, this is immoral.

The Bible scholar asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus responds to him with the story of the Good Samaritan. The "good people" saw the injured man and they probably felt bad for him. But they kept walking. Are we any better?

Moving Forward

Some will say, "Are you for socialized medicine?"

"I'm not sure. I'm certainly for universal healthcare."

"What's the difference?"

"I'm concerned that everyone has equal access to healthcare. We cannot exclude some on the basis of race, religion, or income. I don't care how that happens. There may be other ways than strong governmental control."

"What other ways?"

"I'm not a politician, economist, or healthcare administrator, all of whom would be better suited to answer the question. I'm a minister, and my part is the moral question."

"But don't you think there will be 'fill in the blank' type of abuse with universal healthcare?"

"Maybe so. No system is perfect. But the abuse of a thing does not mean the thing is bad in itself. There are certainly horror stories that come from the healthcare systems of countries with universal coverage. But I think they cannot compare with the horrors of the American system."

"Is there any hope of change?"

"I'm excited about what Massachusetts is doing, levying high tax penalties to companies who chose not to offer affordable healthcare insurance to their companies. Other states, like Tennessee are working to provide a statewide coverage. There are many problems, of course. But it seems we're moving in some good directions, even if we're falling into some deep ditches on the good road."

Conclusion

All people were made in the image of God. We must protect the life and health of all people for two reasons. Primarily, people deserve access to adequate healthcare, but secondarily, the health of the community cannot be separated from the health of each individual. Therefore, if we care about our own health, we will care about the health of the community.

[1] I should note that I will not be addressing healthcare in the poor nations of the world. This topic is worthy of much discussion and reflection, but I will refrain so that we might concentrate on the topic at hand.
[2] I am proud to live in the United States of America. This country is the best place on earth, I believe. One of the reasons we are great is this -- I can write an article about what I believe needs to be changed.
[3] Borger, C., et al., "Health Spending Projections Through 2015: Changes on the Horizon," Health Affairs Web Exclusive W61: 22 February 2006.
[4] That is, newborn babies are more likely to die in the United States than in any of the other countries.
[5] Probability of dying between ages 15 and 60. When broken into sex, only France has a slightly higher adult mortality rate than the USA for men, but for women it is significantly lower. All other individual statistics favor the United States least.
[6] These numbers come from the WHO website.
[7] The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Employee Health Benefits: 2005 Annual Survey. 2005. 14 September 2005.
[8] Donald Light and Joel Lexchin, "Will Lower Drug Prices Jeopardize Drug Research? A Policy Fact Sheet" 2004. The American Journal of Bioethics 4(1):W1-W4. This article is a great introduction and has a great bibliography, too. It is also available online at http://www.bioethics.net/journal/j_articles.php?aid=61
[9] Among many places, note Genesis 9:6, "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image."
[10] According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Orange Man Project

2006-11-29T07:23:00.000-05:00

This man tried to eat enough carrots to turn orange.
What is wrong with people?

Culture and Holidays

2006-11-28T08:21:00.000-05:00

Katherine and I are hosting a Tiawanese student learning English. Huey-Juin is 23 years old. Her long-time friend is staying nearby. They came together. Huey-Juin liked the Thanksgiving meal that Katherine made, but her friend did not. As I started thinking about it, traditional American Thanksgiving menu is pretty ritualized. That is, there's not much deviation. But secondly, we don't eat those foods much any other time.

Other than Thanksgiving and Christmas, when do you eat cranberry sauce? Pumpkin pie, dressing, baked turkey? It's a great meal. Why do we reserve it for this time only? Maybe because it is hard to make? Maybe because we want it to be special? And why would lasagna be bad for Thankgiving? Of course it would, but why?

The Emotionally Healthy Church

2006-11-27T06:41:00.000-05:00

by Peter Scazzero. 2003.

Scazzero is pastor of new Life Fellowship Church in Queens, NY. He also works with Keller at the City Seminary, and has worked with Rob Bell at Mars Hill in Grand Rapids on developing a Daily Office for that church.

Excellent. Highly recommend. One of the few books that I read almost every word. This book contains much of what I learned in CPE, but in a totally different format. He uses enough illustrations that I connected well. Here is a structural summary:

Premise of the book -- you cannot grow spiritually beyond your emotional maturity. Or, more clearly, emotional maturity and spiritual maturity are linked. I believe this to be true.

Six principles of an emotionally healthy church:
1. Look beneath the surface. Your emotions run deep, lots of "subconcious" stuff going on.
2. Break the power of the past. Your history has great power (family secrets, genograms, etc.).
3. Live in brokenness and vulnerability. Defensive postures and lack of approachability are signs of great emotional immaturity.
4. Receive the gift of limits. Learning to say, "no."
5. Embrace grieving and loss. The road to peace always goes through the land of pain.
6. Make incarnation your model for loving well. Jesus models for us the concept of entering into the other person's world to listen first, than help them where they need.

Very practical but not paternalistic. I wish he had more biblical references.
I'm going to read his follow-up book next. Wait for it . . .

Cities of God

2006-11-24T08:55:00.000-05:00

By Rodney Stark. 2006.

Stark is a sociologist specializing in the history of religion. This book is a great resource book, very academic, but not hard to read. He is guarding carefully against his would-be critics. Therefore, some parts feel "bogged down" for readers who easily accept his clearly stated pro-Christian bias.

The content is a sociological study of how Christianity replaced other religions in the 4th Century Roman empire. He looks especially at the urban centers where Christianity grew the fastest. He carefully describes the living environments and the various competeting religions (such as paganism, Judaism, gnosticism, and worship of Cybele and Isis). He talks about the nature of conversion in this world and comes quite close to drawing implications or applications for today.

Good read. A good resource. Dispells quite a lot of myths I had believed before. For example, our best evidence (which is quite good) shows that the Roman roads were quite poor. The great opportunities for travel during this period had more to do with developments regarding sea travel rather than land travel. More on this in the book. Lots of interesting little corrections like this. A couple quotes:

In some sense it is true that there were 'many' Christianities during the first several centuries. But, contrary to the wild claims made by members of the Jesus Seminar and by other media-consecrated experts concerning the lack of an early Christian consensus, the dissidents were mostly gadlfies -- even Marcion was easily turned away. Page 180.

Only monotheism serves as a basis for morality, for compelling and significant "thou shalts" and "thou shalt nots." . . . Monotheism prevails because it offers a God worth dying for-- indeed, a God who promises everlasting life. And that's why Christianity triumphed and why, even in the midst of a profoundly Christian world, Judaism has endured. Page 116

updated to new blogger

2006-11-16T14:13:00.000-05:00

Blogger seems to be updating. A few things have changed. I hope I like it better, but I'm not sure.

Happy Thanksgiving

2006-11-16T08:33:00.000-05:00

I delivered this homily at a special Ecumenical Christian service at Baptist Hospital Yesterday.

Thanksgiving is one week away. Can you believe it? Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate the wonderful gifts that God has given us out of his immeasurable supply of grace.

Thanksgiving began in 1863, when Abraham Lincoln declared it a national holiday. Of course, he was remembering, and we remember the first Thanksgiving, in the fall of 1621, more than 200 years earlier.

We remember the pilgrims who came to this land on a boat called the Mayflower. They landed the Mayflower at Plymouth Rock about this time of year, just before the winter. There were no cities, no houses, no grocery stores, no shops that sold blankets or clothes or even wood to make a house or a bed. God helped them to survive through the cold cold winter of what later became Massachusetts. They met some Indian friends who were tremendously helpful. When springtime came, their new friends helped them plant corn and cranberries and other vegetables. God helped them all along the way and when November came around again, they were so thankful to their Indian friends and especially to God that they had a special celebration. The pilgrims invited their friends and had a party that lasted for 3 days. They ate fish, chicken, turkey, corn, strawberries, grapes, beans, walnuts and a variety of other foods. This was the first Thanksgiving, 386 years ago.

On this special holiday we remember all the things we are thankful for. What were the pilgrims thankful for? Why did President Lincoln start the tradition of Thanksgiving, re-enacting this particular celebration? Well, to answer this question, we need to remember their story.

Before the pilgrims lived in America, they lived in England. Now in the early 1600s England was a very different place than it is now. This is shortly after the Reformation and religious tension was high. There was no such thing as religious freedom – the state dictated how and when and who you would worship. Our future pilgrims were caught between their conscience and the King, which meant that many of them were killed for their faith.

The pilgrims were desperate. They dreamed of a country where they could worship freely, but they needed a lot of money to sail all the way across the ocean to America. God performed a miracle to provide a boat called the Mayflower. It was a risky venture to travel on the open sea, especially for amateurs. The trip from the Old World to the New World took about 2 months. The Mayflower was not a big boat; really, it was pretty small by today's standards, easily tossed about on the open waters. The pilgrims could not cross the Atlantic Ocean by themselves. They needed to find professional sailors to go with them. But who would dare such a dangerous mission, for little or no money? Only people who had nothing to lose in life. Riffraff who could operate a boat but couldn't hold a job, and so they wanted to leave the Old World and find adventure.

On the trip, many of the pilgrims got seasick and disoriented and these sailors mocked and ridiculed them endlessly for sport. They prayed to God, and they knew that he was in control. In the end, none of the pilgrims died on the journey, which was a small miracle in itself.

So what were the pilgrims thankful for when they had the first thanksgiving meal in 1621? Certainly they were thankful for the good food, and their friends the Indians, and for the safe trip on the Mayflower, and for their families. But most of all, they were thankful that God saved them from a country where they could not worship him. Looking back, they had an overwhelming sense that God had carried them to the new world.

Today we are also thankful for good food we will enjoy next week. Perhaps you're already making plans for your great feast. We're thankful for the company of family and friends, for safe journeys of those who will travel far. But more than all of this, we are thankful that Christ saved us from a place where we could not worship him. Christ, by his life and death and resurrection, has brought us into a relationship with himself. We have been brought from death to life, from darkness to light, from oppression, to liberty, from the Old Word to the New World.
In one sense, our journey is complete, but in another sense, we are still on the way. This journey of life to the heavenly city is perilous indeed. At times we are seasick, disoriented, mocked and ridiculed. Yet, Christ is with us and we need not fear, for he is in control. And he when I say he is with us, I mean that in the end the sea will not destroy us, because, having already been destroyed by it, Christ assures us with confidence that he will give us safe passage to home and freedom.

Former slave-trader and hymn-writer John Newton was no stranger to sea travel. He said once, "The love I bear Christ is but a faint and feeble spark. But because he ignited it, and he maintains it, I trust many waters cannot overtake it."

While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And this is love, not that we loved him, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the substitute for our sin so that those of us to believe in Christ and call on his name, should not perish, but should be adopted as sons and daughters of the living God. This is what we are thankful for today, above all.

Borat

2006-11-09T09:21:00.000-05:00

We need to think about Borat. His movie earned the top spot at the box-office last weekend. Cohen's style of humor is almost unprecedented as far as I know. If you want to see a sample, a quick search from any engine will produce lots of fodder. No video links here. Keep reading so see why. I predict Borat will be like the original Survivor in that a new genre has arrived. Here are a few beginning thoughts:

1. Cohen is a genius. He is hilarious. I have rarely laughed harder than at some of his work. His sense of timing, his creative improv is just stunning. He has put out a large body of work in a short time. He is simply hilarious. Not only hilarious, but he's got balls of steel. The comic genius of Robin Williams with the balls of Johnny Knoxville. From Wikipedia:

In January 2005, after convincing the authorities that he was shooting a documentary, Borat managed to infuriate a crowd at a rodeo in Salem, Virginia, USA: first by saying that "I hope you kill every man, woman and child in Iraq, down to the lizards...and may George W. Bush drink the blood of every man, woman and child in Iraq" (which received a fair amount of applause); and then, by rendering a mangled version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" that was misreported as ending with the words "your home in the grave" by the Roanoke Times (Borat had actually sung "home of the gays"). "If he had been out there a minute longer, I think somebody would have shot him," said one witness. "People were booing him, flipping him off." For his own safety, Borat was escorted from the venue.

2. His humor almost always comes at the real expense of unsuspecting victims. He wanders through a public situation and is willing to engage anyone and everyone. He does not usually plan or know his victims (such as a "punk'd" type show). He never lets his victims know about the joke at their expense (unlike as a practical joke show). His style of comedy is more like an emotional drive-by shooting. For those who can see through his act and thereby disarm his weaponry, there is no real harm, but he preys on those more gullible and emotionally weak. This is not a documentary of people's weaknesses in daily life, but rather he lures them into his trap so that we can all laugh at them in the trap.

3. Some will say that he is illustrating the cultural ignorance and elitism of our country. Of course this is true. Cohen is Jewish. When he (as Borat) sings "Throw the Jew down the well" encouraging a crowd of country music lovers in Arizona to sing along -- they join right in. He is uncovering at least a real apathy for racism. Some will say, "He is only exposing what is already there." Perhaps, but as these people find that they have become the laughing stock for the entire internet community, what is their response likely to be? Borat consistenly accuses Jews of being "sneaky" and "shape-shifters." They can "hide their horns so you can't see them." How ironic!

4. I think I have to put Borat in the category of hilarious but immoral. And this is related to the reality TV problem. It is immoral to exploit real people. TV Shows like Survivor and Big Brother offer false emotional intimacy by displaying real relationships for the voyeuristic satisfaction of emotionally starved people. Not unlike pornography. Cohen's work is cruder. He exposes the weakenesses of people who have not agreed to such exposure. While the stars of pornography and reality TV may feel like victims (and indeed they are), they all "agreed" in one way or another.

Brothers and sisters -- as we call for repentance, we must be careful to do so with all seriousness and care. Sin and brokeness is not a game. A surgeon does not remove a cancer by cutting it open with a rusty knife and inviting other cancer victims to come and marvel at the grotesque patient on the table.

I'm not sure where this is going. I think the spirit of our age will latch onto Borat for a variety of reasons, but that might be for another post. Perhaps someone else can pick up that torch and give us an esasy on why Borat is popular in our culture.

I think I won't see the movie, but I'm sure I'd enjoy it if I did.

CCDA in Miami 2008?

2006-11-07T07:04:00.000-05:00

I met last night with Noel Castellanos and Gordon Murphy from the executive staff of CCDA. Katherine and I are members. We met with Rick and Yvonne Sawyer about 15 other ministry leaders around Miami. Could we host a CCDA conference in Miami in October 2008? If Rick and Yvonne decide to pull the trigger on this, we'll be all very happy and then very, very busy. I'm very excited about having an important role here.

Good pictures

2006-11-03T10:59:00.000-05:00

NYChildren is a cool site with great photography of children from every nation all living in NYC.
50 Worst Video Game Titles for great laughs.
Knutz updates daily with fascinating photos.
Photoshop Phriday on Something Aweful for for great fun with Photoshop.

Next Tuesday

2006-11-02T09:18:00.000-05:00

What's going to happen? Who knows? Nobody's happy with the current direction of the country, but what are our alternatives? I like both these cartoons -- our previous two presidential candidates, both clueless:

Happy Reformation Day

2006-11-01T08:26:00.000-05:00

(actually, I think Reformation Day was yesterday, but the 95 theses were first read on November 1, right? So I think it should be November 1 to replace "All Saints Day" which was the day that all the relics from all the saints were "active" and could give you God's grace if you performed certain tasks. It was a kind of "wild card" day for relics and I think Reformation Day is a good and fitting substitute.)

I'm not a Lutheran. Don't want to be one. But we owe much to Luther and his 95 Theses. And of course, my own "Reformed" tradition is congruent with the "Reformation." I hope that we can continue in the spirit of the great Reformers like Hus, Wycliffe, Tyndale, Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Cranmer, Knox, Bullinger, Beza, Melanchthon, and others.

Mario Mishaps

2006-10-30T14:01:00.000-05:00

Any Super Mario fans?

Changing of Seasons

2006-10-26T12:25:00.000-05:00

Winter is here. It came on Tuesday. Radical change in weather. Now we're in the low 80s in the afternoon, low 70s at night.

Church planting may be in the near (18-24 months?) future. When I wrote to the elders of our church to ask them to pray for us, they asked us to find another church home. I hate looking for a new church.

More changes coming.

Snakes on a Pole

2006-10-25T14:27:00.000-05:00

Today I conducted an inter-faith service for the blessing of healthcare workers at Baptist Hospital of Miami's chapel. I did a good bit of research for the homily, and I think it's pretty good work.

Let me read to you the Mission Statement of Baptist Hospital.

Baptist Hospital, a voluntary not-for-profit general hospital, is dedicated to providing the highest quality inpatient, outpatient and emergency health care services to all, in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ and the Judeo-Christian ethic, regardless of religion, creed, race or national origin, including, as permitted by its resources, charity care to those in need, and to timely provision of new and additional health services as medical needs develop.

This week is National Pastoral Care Week in hospitals around the country. Why does our hospital have a Pastoral Care Department? Why do we have positions for clergy on the board of the hospital? There are lots of good answers to these questions. I'd like to take a few minutes to give one good answer.

Take a look at the [stained glass] window with the pole and snake. This is the symbol of medicine we're all familiar with.

The symbol has had quite a history of meaning over the many centuries. There is a controversy as to one snake vs. two. The staff with the wings of Mercury or the staff with no wings. Nonetheless, we know that the symbolism goes back to an ancient story recorded in the Torah, from the Hebrew Scriptures.

In the story from the book of Numbers, God's chosen people are marching through the dangerous desert on the Sinai Peninsula. Along the way, they come across a large group of poisonous snakes and many people are bitten. In the middle of the desert and before knowledge of modern medicine, there is little hope for them. They cry out to God for help. God tells Moses to assemble a metal snake quickly. Then, raise the snake on a pole. And everyone who looks at the snake on the pole will live. He does and they do.

It is interesting that snakebites today are cured with anti-venom made from using the venom of the snakes themselves. The source of the affliction becomes the source of the cure. There may be a lesson for us there, but we need to move on.

Hundreds of years later, the pole turns up in the history books again. In the book of 2 Kings we learn that the good King Hezekiah finally destroyed the snake and pole because people had been worshipping it as an idol. People were confusing the means of God's healing with God himself.

Much later, Jesus, often called "The Great Physician" referred to this pole and snake. As recorded in the gospel of John, he said that he will be the new snake lifted on the new pole -- a cross. As a Christian minister, I believe that those who are sick and look to the cross will be healed. In that cross, we see the sickness of mankind. We see the spiritual sickness of people who would crucify another human being, and we see a physical body broken and dying. However, when we look at the cross, we also see the source of our cure. The greatest picture of our affliction is the greatest picture of our cure. But again, we need to move on.

That symbol of Moses' pole and snake is powerful for us today. It reminds us that God is the one who heals. Not only does he give us the gift of healing when we are sick, but he also gives us the means of that same healing. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the pole and snake were the means of healing.

Today, God has given us modern medicine. He has given us good minds, and a great wealth of knowledge discovered in the past from which to provide healing for our patients. He has given us good technology to be able to investigate new ways of providing healing -- from the development of needles and X-rays, to the sophisticated computers, robots and scanners we have today. We understand so much more about the human body than Moses did. But there are many things we do not understand. There are many useful therapies that we use because they work, but we're not sure why. Sometimes we are baffled by good outcomes, sometimes we are baffled by bad outcomes. Because we are not healers.

Here at Baptist Hospital, we openly acknowledge that we cannot heal anyone. Only God can do that. Let us not mistake the means of God's grace for God himself. Let us remember that our great scientific understanding is a pole and snake -- it is a great gift of God for the healing of those he loves. We do not bow down to the science, but to the one who gives us this good gift. And we do our best to use this good gift with diligence, precision, compassion and courage -- for we are the bearers of this modern pole and snake.

From the earliest of times, people have regarded healthcare as sacred work. Everyone who works at Baptist Hospital is doing the healing work of God. Some of us are holding up the pole, some of us are making the snakes and poles to be held up by others. Some of us are gathering sick people together and bringing them to the poles. Some of us are helping in various other ways. All of us are being used by God to heal our community.

So, why do we have a Pastoral Care department? Why do we have clergy on the board? Why is Jesus mentioned in the Mission statement? There are many reasons, but here is one:

To remind us that our work is sacred. We work in a hospital. We work in a holy place. We take care of sick people. We do the work of God. Friends, as your chaplain, I'm here to remind you -- you work in a hospital. You do the work of God.