I know that I promised to leave a place to muse for a while...I will. I just saw these breaking headlines and thought that I would include them here.
Rumsfeld Makes Surprise Visit to Wife's Vagina "Rumsfeld: 'I am proud to report that my wife met and exceeded the operational standards set by the U.S. military for readiness in a two-front war.'"
U.S. Intelligence: Nukehavistan May Have Nuclear Weapons "It is believed that over 90 percent of Nukehavistan's 17 million citizens work in the power-plant industry."
Evangelical Scientists Refute Gravity With New 'Intelligent Falling' Theory "In Matthew 15:14, Jesus says, 'And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.' He says nothing about gravity."
For more headlines like, Bush Does 360 On Abortion Stance, visit The Onion
Friday, August 19, 2005
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Poetry and the GRE
I am going to take a break from a place to muse (until the last week of August). Studying for the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) has taken over my life. I have always been a little nervous about my academic abilities. I am not being modest. I am not one of those straight A students who is nervous about getting a B. I like Bs. Bs are my friend. I have always done just what I have to academically--nothing more or less.
In high school I got a 3.0 GPA so that I would be able to maintain lower car insurance rates. In college I got a 2.5 GPA so that I could keep my job as an R.A. It is not that I couldn't have gotten better grades--I just never had any reason to try...until now. So I don't know what I am capable of doing academically. I will find out soon enough.
This is my last year of my MA in Christian Thought at Bethel Seminary and hopefully it will be on to a PhD program in American Literature after that. This is something that I never thought I would do--more school.
When I return to the blogosphere I will post pictures of a recent camping trip that I was on and hopefully share a story (and picture) of the best blanket that I have ever owned. For now I will leave you with a poem that I have written....
I admittedly do not know much about poetry. It is a hobby that I would like to develop. So if any of you reading this do know things about poetry I am always starving for constructive criticism. You can do it publicly with a comment on this blog or email me personally. Don't worry about hurting my feelings (or flattering me). As of this point I am not emotionally attached to my abilities as a poet (at least I don't think I am). The poem is a bit out of season...
I have left my breath
behind as I've walked
for all to see
the strain on my heart--
my lungs can't disguise it.
'Everyone's Welcome'
at the Blue Moon Cafe--
but my feelings
seem to be descending
like this mist--
like the temperature
for that matter.
So why? and why
should I take
the long way--
forgetting you hurt me
seems so much
warmer today.
Will we say
a partial good-bye--
like those ancient swords
in plexi-glass cases
at the Chicago Art Museum?
I should have worn
another jacket.
It is a long, cold
walk to Spring.
Brett Knutson
aka b-nut
In high school I got a 3.0 GPA so that I would be able to maintain lower car insurance rates. In college I got a 2.5 GPA so that I could keep my job as an R.A. It is not that I couldn't have gotten better grades--I just never had any reason to try...until now. So I don't know what I am capable of doing academically. I will find out soon enough.
This is my last year of my MA in Christian Thought at Bethel Seminary and hopefully it will be on to a PhD program in American Literature after that. This is something that I never thought I would do--more school.
When I return to the blogosphere I will post pictures of a recent camping trip that I was on and hopefully share a story (and picture) of the best blanket that I have ever owned. For now I will leave you with a poem that I have written....
I admittedly do not know much about poetry. It is a hobby that I would like to develop. So if any of you reading this do know things about poetry I am always starving for constructive criticism. You can do it publicly with a comment on this blog or email me personally. Don't worry about hurting my feelings (or flattering me). As of this point I am not emotionally attached to my abilities as a poet (at least I don't think I am). The poem is a bit out of season...
I have left my breath
behind as I've walked
for all to see
the strain on my heart--
my lungs can't disguise it.
'Everyone's Welcome'
at the Blue Moon Cafe--
but my feelings
seem to be descending
like this mist--
like the temperature
for that matter.
So why? and why
should I take
the long way--
forgetting you hurt me
seems so much
warmer today.
Will we say
a partial good-bye--
like those ancient swords
in plexi-glass cases
at the Chicago Art Museum?
I should have worn
another jacket.
It is a long, cold
walk to Spring.
Brett Knutson
aka b-nut
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Twins and Cubs
If I could ever figure out how to add categories to this blog I would probably have one for baseball.
Since I am studying for the GRE all day (and am getting a late start) I will post light today. Just enough to say congratulations to the Twins for their marathon win against the White Sox. Today they go for the sweep (on the road) against baseball's toughest team.
Congratulations to the Cubs as well. It has been a miserable season to any fan with high expectations (Cubs fans should know better). The Cubs are sadly tied with the Brewers in their division--it has come to this. However, despite their woes they are still hanging on to the Wild Card race. Last nights victory over the Astros should give them a good boost.
For the first time this season the Cubs are playing with their intended starting lineup. Nomar is finally back and contributing. Even though Wood is throwing out of the pen now it should be interesting to see how they are able to finish a tough season.
Since I am studying for the GRE all day (and am getting a late start) I will post light today. Just enough to say congratulations to the Twins for their marathon win against the White Sox. Today they go for the sweep (on the road) against baseball's toughest team.
Congratulations to the Cubs as well. It has been a miserable season to any fan with high expectations (Cubs fans should know better). The Cubs are sadly tied with the Brewers in their division--it has come to this. However, despite their woes they are still hanging on to the Wild Card race. Last nights victory over the Astros should give them a good boost.
For the first time this season the Cubs are playing with their intended starting lineup. Nomar is finally back and contributing. Even though Wood is throwing out of the pen now it should be interesting to see how they are able to finish a tough season.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Redemption vs. Evangelism
My good friend, Adam, is starting a multi-day post on evangelism. I responded to his post today and thought that I would include an edited version of my response here.
I might be a Christian that does not see evangelism as an essential spiritual discipline. I am not against people developing a faith and practice in relationship to the Christian God. However, I am against the idea of making converts (evangelism) as a primary relational motivation. I am against the strong us/them distinctions that the word evangelism evokes. I am against sitting around with Christian friends and philosophizing about how to convert my friends. I am also against (as you mentioned, Adam) attractional, depersonalized, marketing schemes designed to lure others into an 'organizational christianity'--this is propaganda and is what many organizations participate in to some degree.
If we took the word 'evangelism' and placed it in the semantic toilet and flushed for a long time, that would be good.
We are in need of new words to reconstruct how we relate with one another. Redemption, until perverted, might be one of those. If we are at work to redeem each other it does not matter whether or not we have faith or will ever come to faith.
If someone is going to redeem another then they must really know them. If one were to redeem my frustrating night last night then they might tell me how valuable my thought processes are despite the how they lead me to procrastinate. They might give me the courage I need to embrace what is good about me. This of course would require that Christians can read the world (the world not according to Thomas Kinkade) and discover beauty, goodness and truth in what they see. This is a task which I fear that many who don't regard Jesus as their Savior are just plain better at--even though they may not embrace a larger-than-life story which has any redeeming value.
Then again, the word 'redemption' might not be what I am looking for. I just know that the way that the word 'evangelism' (and sometimes 'witnessing') has emerged within Christian subculture is repulsive.
Incidentally, I feel the same way about the word 'missional' as it is used in some circles. Don't get me wrong. I am not against telling someone 'facts' about Christianity or about how meaningful my faith is for me; I am not even bashful about telling friends that I think my faith can be meaningful for them. However, this is not a one way street.
My friends (regardless of faith) can have a redeeming value for me if I give them a voice in my life. This weekend I spent time camping with some of my closest friends--even though we are distant. I don't know if any of them would profess to be a Christian, although some might; I am sure some would not.
These friends have full reign in my life to offer me advice and console me in life. I respect what they have to say. They tell me when I am treating my wife poorly and even help me make career decisions. They even listen to my frustrations with my faith and occasionally read this blog. This past weekend I learned from them when a joke can go to far; I also learned about what is refreshing about being loved. I have few friends that care for me like they do.
Because of my faith I believe that all of these things that I learn from them (full of goodness, truth and beauty) are from God. They minister to me out of the gift of life that God has given to them. I only hope that I can do the same for them.
It is ultimately up to each of us (Christian or undecided or non-Christian) what place we will give the redemptive power of Jesus' story in our lives. In this regard we are all equal in our pilgrimage. Each day our questions, doubts and beliefs face new relevance.
I might be a Christian that does not see evangelism as an essential spiritual discipline. I am not against people developing a faith and practice in relationship to the Christian God. However, I am against the idea of making converts (evangelism) as a primary relational motivation. I am against the strong us/them distinctions that the word evangelism evokes. I am against sitting around with Christian friends and philosophizing about how to convert my friends. I am also against (as you mentioned, Adam) attractional, depersonalized, marketing schemes designed to lure others into an 'organizational christianity'--this is propaganda and is what many organizations participate in to some degree.
If we took the word 'evangelism' and placed it in the semantic toilet and flushed for a long time, that would be good.
We are in need of new words to reconstruct how we relate with one another. Redemption, until perverted, might be one of those. If we are at work to redeem each other it does not matter whether or not we have faith or will ever come to faith.
If someone is going to redeem another then they must really know them. If one were to redeem my frustrating night last night then they might tell me how valuable my thought processes are despite the how they lead me to procrastinate. They might give me the courage I need to embrace what is good about me. This of course would require that Christians can read the world (the world not according to Thomas Kinkade) and discover beauty, goodness and truth in what they see. This is a task which I fear that many who don't regard Jesus as their Savior are just plain better at--even though they may not embrace a larger-than-life story which has any redeeming value.
Then again, the word 'redemption' might not be what I am looking for. I just know that the way that the word 'evangelism' (and sometimes 'witnessing') has emerged within Christian subculture is repulsive.
Incidentally, I feel the same way about the word 'missional' as it is used in some circles. Don't get me wrong. I am not against telling someone 'facts' about Christianity or about how meaningful my faith is for me; I am not even bashful about telling friends that I think my faith can be meaningful for them. However, this is not a one way street.
My friends (regardless of faith) can have a redeeming value for me if I give them a voice in my life. This weekend I spent time camping with some of my closest friends--even though we are distant. I don't know if any of them would profess to be a Christian, although some might; I am sure some would not.
These friends have full reign in my life to offer me advice and console me in life. I respect what they have to say. They tell me when I am treating my wife poorly and even help me make career decisions. They even listen to my frustrations with my faith and occasionally read this blog. This past weekend I learned from them when a joke can go to far; I also learned about what is refreshing about being loved. I have few friends that care for me like they do.
Because of my faith I believe that all of these things that I learn from them (full of goodness, truth and beauty) are from God. They minister to me out of the gift of life that God has given to them. I only hope that I can do the same for them.
It is ultimately up to each of us (Christian or undecided or non-Christian) what place we will give the redemptive power of Jesus' story in our lives. In this regard we are all equal in our pilgrimage. Each day our questions, doubts and beliefs face new relevance.
Monday, August 15, 2005
The Power of a Journey
I am sitting at Dunn Bros. listening to Lynyrd Skynyrd's Sweet Home Alabama. I could listen to that song for a really long time. Even now as it is winding down I want someone to hit 'repeat'.
There is something in my heart that noticeably swoons when I hear "big wheels keep on turning.'" I flashback to just yesterday as I was riding down I94 with a long time friend wondering what it would be like to be the driver of an 18 wheeler for even a short time...to see what they see.
I have this same fascinations with trains, railroad tracks, space, air planes, barges, rivers, oceans, big ships, buses, and even hiking trails. They each contain an element of mystery--like their distant destination, the unknowns of their journey and the stories of those who journey together.
Even the star ship Enterprise launches me into a futuristic journey where possibility is all that there is. Old photos on the walls of restaurants residing in historic buildings also never fail to launch me into a nostalgic journey of what once was. This may have been part of the 1980s appeal of Back to the Future.
These journeys into the unknown are all full of possibilities. They contain both the possibility to freshly define ourselves in a moment of time as well as the possibility to be newly defined or discovered by the journey itself. Each presents us with the opportunity to discover something new--the potential to escape our lives as we know them and discover what we always knew could be there.
Stowing away on a ship or empty rail car is about embracing romance. It is about the embracing dreams and ideals. It is about giving voice to our restless heart.
I used to lay on my back on the airport's tarmac waiting for the next plane to arrive at its designated parking place. I would stare into the night sky with my ear muffs drowning out the airport noise and dream about new possibilities. Often as I loaded a plane with bags I would notice the destination tag and wonder what it must be like to travel there if only for a night.
I am sure that each journey would get old--they are idealistic after all--but that is precisely why the power of a journey keeps haunting us. There is always something new around the corner. There are always past journeys to romance us so that they may bring new energy to our present. There are distant worlds and future possibilities to bring us forward to what is next.
There is character to be forged on pilgrimage. It is the self-defining journey of Frodo and the rest of his Hobbit and Elven friends that is too seldom related to our own quests of school, job hunting and family raising. In our own journeys it is important to be inspired by those who have gone before us and those places that are yet undiscovered. Without this romance we will soon be bored with ourselves. We will not be intrigued by our own journeys--we will be trapped by them.
In the practical world that I live in I am sure that I would tire of traveling, but I can't imagine that I will ever tire of dreaming. In fact, the journey described by Lynyrd Skynyrd is one which is tired of being on the road. It is a coming home to all that is familiar. Their journeys have spawned in them a new romance for their home, Alabama.
Maybe it is often in our travels that we realize where home is. Maybe the power of romance is that it always brings us to what is real--no matter how warm or harsh that reality may be. Maybe I like the mysteries of travel--or journeys--because they ground my restless heart in what really matters.
Sweet Home Alabama
(ed king - ronnie vanzant - gary rossington)
Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the southland
I miss alabamy once again
And I think it's a sin, yes
Well I heard mister young sing about her
Well, I heard ole neil put her down
Well, I hope neil young will remember
A southern man don't need him around anyhow
Sweet home alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
In birmingham they love the governor
Now we all did what we could do
Now watergate does not bother me
Does your conscience bother you?
Tell the truth
Sweet home alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Here I come alabama
Now muscle shoals has got the swampers
And they've been known to pick a song or two
Lord they get me off so much
They pick me up when I'm feeling blue
Now how about you?
Sweet home alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Sweet home alabama
Oh sweet home baby
Where the skies are so blue
And the governor's true
Sweet home alabama
Lordy
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Yea, yea montgomery's got the answer
There is something in my heart that noticeably swoons when I hear "big wheels keep on turning.'" I flashback to just yesterday as I was riding down I94 with a long time friend wondering what it would be like to be the driver of an 18 wheeler for even a short time...to see what they see.
I have this same fascinations with trains, railroad tracks, space, air planes, barges, rivers, oceans, big ships, buses, and even hiking trails. They each contain an element of mystery--like their distant destination, the unknowns of their journey and the stories of those who journey together.
Even the star ship Enterprise launches me into a futuristic journey where possibility is all that there is. Old photos on the walls of restaurants residing in historic buildings also never fail to launch me into a nostalgic journey of what once was. This may have been part of the 1980s appeal of Back to the Future.
These journeys into the unknown are all full of possibilities. They contain both the possibility to freshly define ourselves in a moment of time as well as the possibility to be newly defined or discovered by the journey itself. Each presents us with the opportunity to discover something new--the potential to escape our lives as we know them and discover what we always knew could be there.
Stowing away on a ship or empty rail car is about embracing romance. It is about the embracing dreams and ideals. It is about giving voice to our restless heart.
I used to lay on my back on the airport's tarmac waiting for the next plane to arrive at its designated parking place. I would stare into the night sky with my ear muffs drowning out the airport noise and dream about new possibilities. Often as I loaded a plane with bags I would notice the destination tag and wonder what it must be like to travel there if only for a night.
I am sure that each journey would get old--they are idealistic after all--but that is precisely why the power of a journey keeps haunting us. There is always something new around the corner. There are always past journeys to romance us so that they may bring new energy to our present. There are distant worlds and future possibilities to bring us forward to what is next.
There is character to be forged on pilgrimage. It is the self-defining journey of Frodo and the rest of his Hobbit and Elven friends that is too seldom related to our own quests of school, job hunting and family raising. In our own journeys it is important to be inspired by those who have gone before us and those places that are yet undiscovered. Without this romance we will soon be bored with ourselves. We will not be intrigued by our own journeys--we will be trapped by them.
In the practical world that I live in I am sure that I would tire of traveling, but I can't imagine that I will ever tire of dreaming. In fact, the journey described by Lynyrd Skynyrd is one which is tired of being on the road. It is a coming home to all that is familiar. Their journeys have spawned in them a new romance for their home, Alabama.
Maybe it is often in our travels that we realize where home is. Maybe the power of romance is that it always brings us to what is real--no matter how warm or harsh that reality may be. Maybe I like the mysteries of travel--or journeys--because they ground my restless heart in what really matters.
Sweet Home Alabama
(ed king - ronnie vanzant - gary rossington)
Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the southland
I miss alabamy once again
And I think it's a sin, yes
Well I heard mister young sing about her
Well, I heard ole neil put her down
Well, I hope neil young will remember
A southern man don't need him around anyhow
Sweet home alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
In birmingham they love the governor
Now we all did what we could do
Now watergate does not bother me
Does your conscience bother you?
Tell the truth
Sweet home alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Here I come alabama
Now muscle shoals has got the swampers
And they've been known to pick a song or two
Lord they get me off so much
They pick me up when I'm feeling blue
Now how about you?
Sweet home alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Sweet home alabama
Oh sweet home baby
Where the skies are so blue
And the governor's true
Sweet home alabama
Lordy
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Yea, yea montgomery's got the answer
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Video Games, Death and Jesus
I came across some interesting gaming stories. I am not much of a gamer--not since college. Now I am strictly a Minesweeper and Solitaire player. I thought that I would leave these quirky stories with you over the weekend.
The first is about a gamer who died from a gaming overdose. Check it out here.
The second story is about the growing role that Jesus is playing in video games. No kidding. "I play a lot of Christian video games," Tolin said. "They don't have fights. You just have to follow Jesus and pick up little crosses for points."
The Christian game industry is hoping to break into a large untapped market of Christian gamers. Although the task is daunting they claim that the Christian music industry wasn't made overnight.
Is it just me or is anyone else tired of the building and maintaining of a Christian culture that attempts to parallel 'mainstream' culture? Doesn't this add to the 'us/them' mentality? Doesn't this add to the degree of separation between a Christian and the rest of the world? This article gave me flashbacks of the movie 'Saved.'
Am I being overly critical of the Christian gaming industry or do we really need to pick up little crosses for points? You can read this article here.
The first is about a gamer who died from a gaming overdose. Check it out here.
The second story is about the growing role that Jesus is playing in video games. No kidding. "I play a lot of Christian video games," Tolin said. "They don't have fights. You just have to follow Jesus and pick up little crosses for points."
The Christian game industry is hoping to break into a large untapped market of Christian gamers. Although the task is daunting they claim that the Christian music industry wasn't made overnight.
Is it just me or is anyone else tired of the building and maintaining of a Christian culture that attempts to parallel 'mainstream' culture? Doesn't this add to the 'us/them' mentality? Doesn't this add to the degree of separation between a Christian and the rest of the world? This article gave me flashbacks of the movie 'Saved.'
Am I being overly critical of the Christian gaming industry or do we really need to pick up little crosses for points? You can read this article here.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
A Nation at War...still
The front page of the Star Tribune headlines that 2,000 Minnesotans are at attention for deployment. My wife and I have known about this for some time. A year ago this month I was somewhere on my way home from a yearlong peacekeeping mission to Kosovo with the United States Army. It is uncertain where another year into the future will have me. I try not to put my hopes on any one scenario. Until it happens, and sometimes even while it is happening, deployments are about as predictable as the weather. That being said, many of my friends have been packing their bags for months now.
I am proud of my military service and I will be proud to serve again if so called. I am also a Christian. Depending upon whom I talk to these two things, being a Christian and being proud to serve in an armed force, go together like Pizza and cheese or like oil and water. What follows is an honest attempt to discover this soldier's heart. It is an unrefined place that has, despite that fact, chosen definite loyalties. But are they conflicting loyalties? Maybe.
Stanley Hauerwas would think so. Hauerwas is one of America's premiere theologians/ethicists. He is one of my role models in Christian Thought. He is also a pacifist. Incidentally, if you are a pacifist or are uncertain whether you are then you should at least be familiar with Stanley Hauerwas. I have never met a more convincing pacifism. I admire him for it. No one brings to life the Christian story like he does.
Hauerwas argues, simply stated here, that Christians do not live in some in-between time that separates the initiation of the Kingdom of God and some further establishment of it. Rather, when Jesus assumed the throne at his ascension, the Kingdom of God was firmly, fully and eternally established. It is consequently the believers' job, the church's job, to witness to that fact. We are to operate as if we are what we are--members of an eternal peaceable kingdom. Believers are not to be nationalists. They are to be witnesses to an eternal and invisible kingdom that is not of this world. Any participation in governmental structures is simply to serve these ends. This seems to make some government jobs sticky scenarios for Christians if not off-limits.
War, for Hauerwas, is simply one of two things--or a combination of them both. 1) War is an effort to obtain what we do not have (James 4:1-2); 2) War is an effort to secure what we love. Both of these elements involve a level of both greed and fear. Both of these elements are efforts to secure on earth what has already been secured for Christians in heaven. Heaven, or the eternal peaceable kingdom, is the reality that must grip and unite believers. Christians are to live life with an eschatological focus. In other words, the 'end' of our story defines how we live today. This 'end' is all ready present. It is the peaceable kingdom to which we witness. It is the church. It is our ethic. It is that which makes the world, the world, and the church, the church. It is that which is ruled by Jesus--right now. Christians are to live out of their eternal security--keeping in mind their whole story as believers, not just their earthy story; and Christians consequently have no need to secure their earthly fears and wants. Such efforts do not witness to their secured citizenship in God's kingdom.
Just War theories, on the other hand, assume that we do live in an in-between time. The peaceable kingdom does not fully emerge until the earth passes away. Until then, Christians must attempt to figure out how to participate (or not) in the inevitable war nature of earth. If one agrees with this 'in-between time' assumption (which I do not) then one must wrestle with what qualifications for war are 'just.' This is often a very nationalistic and arbitrary process which occasionally--if not frequently--draws on Scripture's war metaphor, human life values, and Israeli history without adequately dealing with Hauerwas's position. Hauerwas, reversely, can articulate and defend a Just War position better than most adherents and arguers.
Herein lies my affliction. I am a soldier--willing to kill. I also agree with Hauerwas's story of the church--witnesses of that which has already come. I apparently am conflicted. This may be more than apparent; it may be that I am actually at odds with my self. Is there a way to be loyal to both kingdoms? What makes the United States right all of the time? It is not. It is a nation that has to do exactly what Hauerwas said. It has to obtain what it does not have and it must protect what it loves--it owes as much to those whom it serves and to those whom find residence within its sovereignty. To what degree it must do these things is up for much debate, but what is not debatable is that it must do these things at least to some degree (a great degree) in order to exist as a nation. In fact, without securing what we don't have and what we love we would not be this nation at all--we would be nationals of some other nation which did instead.
For me it is not about whether or not the United States is right. No one in our government is ever going to give me enough facts so that I can properly asses the situation in Iraq. For those who are not principally pacifists, where one falls on the debate over Iraq is not about who is right or who is wrong as much as it is about how much one trusts what they know about the war. Our information is closely connected with our sources. There are people in my neighborhood who would wonder what George Bush was hiding if he declared that the sky was blue and that grass is green and that cows mooed. They do not trust his administration; they do not trust his motives. There are many who feel the same way about the media--with the exception of Fox News of course.
The nation and its people retain the privilege of debating whether or not Iraq is a Just War by positioning their cases upon whom and what they trust and whom and what they do not. A soldier has given up that privilege long ago. A soldier does not decide anything but how to execute that task that has been assigned to her. The amount of freedom in that decision making process often depends upon the task at hand and the rank of the soldier. A soldier's trust is pre-committed and directly depends little upon current public debates of right and wrong. A United States soldier's trust is based, rather, upon a faithful loyalty to the democratic voice of the people as put forth by their representatives.
It is ultimately my life, and the lives of those we take, which I have submitted to this democratic process--to the United States. This is a sobering thought. In my sobriety (and possibly looking for relief) I wonder whether or not Hauerwas is right. Must a true witness of a peaceable kingdom never take a life or give her life for a simply earthly cause? To what extent can one live in an earthly nation and not be a part of it? How much do the people of the church want the best of both worlds--freedom to practice religion here and in heaven? These are tough questions. I don't have an answer for them.
Many of the military's new recruits shown on the covers of the nation's newspapers, just as in today's Star Tribune, are a special breed. It used to be that recruits would join for college money or for some financial/job security. While that may still be the case in some desperate circumstances, the fact that we are at war means that recruits must have a more life-giving relationship with their decision than what they can receive for college. Many see the decision as an opportunity to serve their communities. Maybe Minnesota has the nation’s highest recruiting record--at 85% of their projected goals--during this wartime effort simply because we have a large number of youth who are looking for purpose. That purpose is to give back to the nation that has given to them.
I suppose that I share in this purpose. As far as we know, Jesus did not tell the centurion to abandon his position (Luke 7:1-10). He did not encourage members of an eternal kingdom to stop funding war efforts by ceasing to pay taxes (Mark 12:13-17). These may be feeble attempts to justify a decision that I have already made and loyalties that I have already chosen. However, I am comforted that my story does not end here--not on this earth. I am also sure that there are other ways to witness to an eternal and peaceable kingdom even while serving a secular nation as a soldier. Since this is my circumstance I am unwaveringly committed to my service.
Whether we like it or not, every part of our daily life here on earth is built upon the lives of those who have fought before us on behalf of secular nations just like this one. It is up to us to figure out how to honor, acknowledge and respect that terrible truth. Although Christians may be nomads on earth, they cannot escape benefiting from those who have died to preserve each nation’s way of life.
I do have one request. If there are Christians who are serving a secular nation with their lives then the rest of us can find it in our time to serve that same secular nation in ways which our faith allows. If the parable of the good Samaritan is at all a witness of the eternal kingdom then we need look no further than our own neighborhood.
I am proud of my military service and I will be proud to serve again if so called. I am also a Christian. Depending upon whom I talk to these two things, being a Christian and being proud to serve in an armed force, go together like Pizza and cheese or like oil and water. What follows is an honest attempt to discover this soldier's heart. It is an unrefined place that has, despite that fact, chosen definite loyalties. But are they conflicting loyalties? Maybe.
Stanley Hauerwas would think so. Hauerwas is one of America's premiere theologians/ethicists. He is one of my role models in Christian Thought. He is also a pacifist. Incidentally, if you are a pacifist or are uncertain whether you are then you should at least be familiar with Stanley Hauerwas. I have never met a more convincing pacifism. I admire him for it. No one brings to life the Christian story like he does.
Hauerwas argues, simply stated here, that Christians do not live in some in-between time that separates the initiation of the Kingdom of God and some further establishment of it. Rather, when Jesus assumed the throne at his ascension, the Kingdom of God was firmly, fully and eternally established. It is consequently the believers' job, the church's job, to witness to that fact. We are to operate as if we are what we are--members of an eternal peaceable kingdom. Believers are not to be nationalists. They are to be witnesses to an eternal and invisible kingdom that is not of this world. Any participation in governmental structures is simply to serve these ends. This seems to make some government jobs sticky scenarios for Christians if not off-limits.
War, for Hauerwas, is simply one of two things--or a combination of them both. 1) War is an effort to obtain what we do not have (James 4:1-2); 2) War is an effort to secure what we love. Both of these elements involve a level of both greed and fear. Both of these elements are efforts to secure on earth what has already been secured for Christians in heaven. Heaven, or the eternal peaceable kingdom, is the reality that must grip and unite believers. Christians are to live life with an eschatological focus. In other words, the 'end' of our story defines how we live today. This 'end' is all ready present. It is the peaceable kingdom to which we witness. It is the church. It is our ethic. It is that which makes the world, the world, and the church, the church. It is that which is ruled by Jesus--right now. Christians are to live out of their eternal security--keeping in mind their whole story as believers, not just their earthy story; and Christians consequently have no need to secure their earthly fears and wants. Such efforts do not witness to their secured citizenship in God's kingdom.
Just War theories, on the other hand, assume that we do live in an in-between time. The peaceable kingdom does not fully emerge until the earth passes away. Until then, Christians must attempt to figure out how to participate (or not) in the inevitable war nature of earth. If one agrees with this 'in-between time' assumption (which I do not) then one must wrestle with what qualifications for war are 'just.' This is often a very nationalistic and arbitrary process which occasionally--if not frequently--draws on Scripture's war metaphor, human life values, and Israeli history without adequately dealing with Hauerwas's position. Hauerwas, reversely, can articulate and defend a Just War position better than most adherents and arguers.
Herein lies my affliction. I am a soldier--willing to kill. I also agree with Hauerwas's story of the church--witnesses of that which has already come. I apparently am conflicted. This may be more than apparent; it may be that I am actually at odds with my self. Is there a way to be loyal to both kingdoms? What makes the United States right all of the time? It is not. It is a nation that has to do exactly what Hauerwas said. It has to obtain what it does not have and it must protect what it loves--it owes as much to those whom it serves and to those whom find residence within its sovereignty. To what degree it must do these things is up for much debate, but what is not debatable is that it must do these things at least to some degree (a great degree) in order to exist as a nation. In fact, without securing what we don't have and what we love we would not be this nation at all--we would be nationals of some other nation which did instead.
For me it is not about whether or not the United States is right. No one in our government is ever going to give me enough facts so that I can properly asses the situation in Iraq. For those who are not principally pacifists, where one falls on the debate over Iraq is not about who is right or who is wrong as much as it is about how much one trusts what they know about the war. Our information is closely connected with our sources. There are people in my neighborhood who would wonder what George Bush was hiding if he declared that the sky was blue and that grass is green and that cows mooed. They do not trust his administration; they do not trust his motives. There are many who feel the same way about the media--with the exception of Fox News of course.
The nation and its people retain the privilege of debating whether or not Iraq is a Just War by positioning their cases upon whom and what they trust and whom and what they do not. A soldier has given up that privilege long ago. A soldier does not decide anything but how to execute that task that has been assigned to her. The amount of freedom in that decision making process often depends upon the task at hand and the rank of the soldier. A soldier's trust is pre-committed and directly depends little upon current public debates of right and wrong. A United States soldier's trust is based, rather, upon a faithful loyalty to the democratic voice of the people as put forth by their representatives.
It is ultimately my life, and the lives of those we take, which I have submitted to this democratic process--to the United States. This is a sobering thought. In my sobriety (and possibly looking for relief) I wonder whether or not Hauerwas is right. Must a true witness of a peaceable kingdom never take a life or give her life for a simply earthly cause? To what extent can one live in an earthly nation and not be a part of it? How much do the people of the church want the best of both worlds--freedom to practice religion here and in heaven? These are tough questions. I don't have an answer for them.
Many of the military's new recruits shown on the covers of the nation's newspapers, just as in today's Star Tribune, are a special breed. It used to be that recruits would join for college money or for some financial/job security. While that may still be the case in some desperate circumstances, the fact that we are at war means that recruits must have a more life-giving relationship with their decision than what they can receive for college. Many see the decision as an opportunity to serve their communities. Maybe Minnesota has the nation’s highest recruiting record--at 85% of their projected goals--during this wartime effort simply because we have a large number of youth who are looking for purpose. That purpose is to give back to the nation that has given to them.
I suppose that I share in this purpose. As far as we know, Jesus did not tell the centurion to abandon his position (Luke 7:1-10). He did not encourage members of an eternal kingdom to stop funding war efforts by ceasing to pay taxes (Mark 12:13-17). These may be feeble attempts to justify a decision that I have already made and loyalties that I have already chosen. However, I am comforted that my story does not end here--not on this earth. I am also sure that there are other ways to witness to an eternal and peaceable kingdom even while serving a secular nation as a soldier. Since this is my circumstance I am unwaveringly committed to my service.
Whether we like it or not, every part of our daily life here on earth is built upon the lives of those who have fought before us on behalf of secular nations just like this one. It is up to us to figure out how to honor, acknowledge and respect that terrible truth. Although Christians may be nomads on earth, they cannot escape benefiting from those who have died to preserve each nation’s way of life.
I do have one request. If there are Christians who are serving a secular nation with their lives then the rest of us can find it in our time to serve that same secular nation in ways which our faith allows. If the parable of the good Samaritan is at all a witness of the eternal kingdom then we need look no further than our own neighborhood.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
In Honor of Pre-Season
In honor of the Bears winning their first pre-season game I added some additional sports links that are of interest to those in the upper midwest. It looks as if the Bears will be getting better within one of the weakest divisions in Football. But...for all I care the Bears can go 2-14 and the Packers can go 14-2. There are only two games this season that really matter. And if you want to watch the games together, I will even buy all of you Packer Backers a round of Schlitz...hopefully you will need it.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Blockbuster vs. The World
When it comes to movie rentals there is Blockbuster and there is the rest of the renting world. It is Blockbuster vs. The World. I have to admit...I am cheering for The World.
I am cheering for Netflix even though I am never going to pay ten bones or any other bones per month to rent videos. I am cheering for cable and satellite even though my whole life I have only had bunny ears on top of our family TV. I am cheering for Mr. Movie to make a comeback. Blockbuster is like the Packers--you gotta cheer for whoever is playing against them.
My wife warned me. and I should have listened. but no. I am a guy and this is my confessional. Men can get lost. I have seen it happen at least.
I once was a Blockbuster fan. Now I have come to my senses. Now I see The World the way my wife has seen it from long ago...as a worthy underdog.
Here is my story. Hear me and side with The World.
I was suckered into Blockbuster's 'Buy two get one free' previewed movie deal. I found three great movies. Garden State, The Notebook (for the wife), and Chocolat--the last Chocolat in the store. I took them home to surprise aforementioned wife. The surprise was on me.
My wife immediately was not happy that I had bought some of our favorite movies from Blockbuster. I said they were three times as cheap as buying new ones. Turns out that I was right. Cheaper price, cheaper quality and cheaper service.
I went to watch Chocolat. My movie had been replaced with an imposter--a French film from the 70s called Chocolat. It was not the Johnny Depp Chocolat. My wife demanded that I return all of the movies to Blockbuster--I talked her down.
A few days later I returned Blockbuster's last 'Chocolat' movie. The kid behind the counter just glanced at my receipt and pulled two movies off of their rental shelves, picked the better one, and put it in my case. It has some sort of Blockbuster label on it which activated the store alarms so he handed it to me behind the exit as if I had rented it. Simple enough.
I went to watch Chocolat. It was the right movie this time but three different times from three different places the movie started over from the beginning. My wife was not happy. She wanted me to return all of the movies. I talked her down.
This time I talked to the store manager. I am sure that as soon as he saw me he didn't like me. As he opened the case and saw the old rental DVD he gave me one of those looks where the head doesn't move with the eyes. He was glaring at me through is stringy eyebrows. I explained--a little agitated with the situation. He said he would give me store credit for 9.99 or 6 something in cash. I said I wanted to exchange--secretly hoping Punch Drunk Love was still available.
I told him the exchange should be for free since Chocolat was my free video and the other two that I had bought (I was pointing to the receipt) were for 12.99. I should get a free exchange for any video up to 12.99. He said 9.99. I said that he didn't understand...that Blockbuster has this deal where you buy two and get the third free. It should be free. He said that I apparently didn't understand--he pointed to the price on Chocolat which was 9.99. I started looking around the store for a new hire employee that maybe could help their manager out.
Finally after further attempts to no avail I just decided to find a new video and pay the difference. This of course meant that I would have to explain to my wife why I gave Blockbuster more her hard earned money. I had the ride home to think of something to say to her.
I found Punch Drunk Love. It was for 14.99 (they had raised the price since my original visit). It had been 12.99. I took the video up to Wes--the new hire--expecting to pay 5 bones. He scanned my receipt and the video. The computer rang me up. It was Free. Wes, having been briefed by the manager, said that the video must be mis-priced. It was really 9.99. I shook my head. For once Blockbuster's archaic computer system came to my rescue. The ancient yellow computer sitting on their counter remembered that Blockbuster has this deal--buy two get one free. This is the deal that the manager apparently could not remember even though he could read my receipt. I did not explain this to the new hire.
On the way out to the car I opened Punch Drunk Love and noticed that it looked like a checkers board on the back with plenty of smudgy fingerprints to as well. I took it back to Wes who immediately got ten PDL DVDs and found the best one for me. Meanwhile, the manager took a break from everything that he wasn't doing to check in on Wes.
He had picked up the old Chocolat DVD and was starring at it. "No. no. no." he said pointing to the disk. looking at me through his eyebrows. He started explaining to the new hire that back in the day--two years ago I am sure--before Blockbuster got really good computers they used to mark DVDs with a hand written numbering system. The number that was on this DVD didn't match their store. Slowly shaking his head with a slight look of satisfaction he said, "sir, this is not the way we do things here. This is not how we do things." He turned as if to walk away with my receipt and my new (slightly used) DVD.
With the fear of my wife in me I leaned over the counter and pointed down to the old Chocolat movie. I glared through his fuzzy eyebrows and said, "No. I'll tell you the way you do things here. I don't know how you run your store but that movie came from here. That is not my problem. Your numbering system is your problem." I didn't move...still leaning forward...using all of my height to my advantage pushing those stupid WWJD bracelets to the back of my head.
"If he wants it let him have it."
Wes immediately rang me up. I was relieved and a little shaky. I had never fought so hard for a free movie before. Free food--yes--but not a free movie. He went to check me out but couldn't. He turned to his manager and asked if he was on my account. The manager looked sheepish...mumbled yes...and backed away from the other computer. Evidently he was checking out my rental record. I got my movie--thanked Wes--and headed for home.
I had never been called a thief before. I don't even have a speeding ticket on my record.
This was the last Blockbuster straw. My wife was right and now I know it. That is my confessional and I am sticking to it. It is The World or bust.
I am cheering for Netflix even though I am never going to pay ten bones or any other bones per month to rent videos. I am cheering for cable and satellite even though my whole life I have only had bunny ears on top of our family TV. I am cheering for Mr. Movie to make a comeback. Blockbuster is like the Packers--you gotta cheer for whoever is playing against them.
My wife warned me. and I should have listened. but no. I am a guy and this is my confessional. Men can get lost. I have seen it happen at least.
I once was a Blockbuster fan. Now I have come to my senses. Now I see The World the way my wife has seen it from long ago...as a worthy underdog.
Here is my story. Hear me and side with The World.
I was suckered into Blockbuster's 'Buy two get one free' previewed movie deal. I found three great movies. Garden State, The Notebook (for the wife), and Chocolat--the last Chocolat in the store. I took them home to surprise aforementioned wife. The surprise was on me.
My wife immediately was not happy that I had bought some of our favorite movies from Blockbuster. I said they were three times as cheap as buying new ones. Turns out that I was right. Cheaper price, cheaper quality and cheaper service.
I went to watch Chocolat. My movie had been replaced with an imposter--a French film from the 70s called Chocolat. It was not the Johnny Depp Chocolat. My wife demanded that I return all of the movies to Blockbuster--I talked her down.
A few days later I returned Blockbuster's last 'Chocolat' movie. The kid behind the counter just glanced at my receipt and pulled two movies off of their rental shelves, picked the better one, and put it in my case. It has some sort of Blockbuster label on it which activated the store alarms so he handed it to me behind the exit as if I had rented it. Simple enough.
I went to watch Chocolat. It was the right movie this time but three different times from three different places the movie started over from the beginning. My wife was not happy. She wanted me to return all of the movies. I talked her down.
This time I talked to the store manager. I am sure that as soon as he saw me he didn't like me. As he opened the case and saw the old rental DVD he gave me one of those looks where the head doesn't move with the eyes. He was glaring at me through is stringy eyebrows. I explained--a little agitated with the situation. He said he would give me store credit for 9.99 or 6 something in cash. I said I wanted to exchange--secretly hoping Punch Drunk Love was still available.
I told him the exchange should be for free since Chocolat was my free video and the other two that I had bought (I was pointing to the receipt) were for 12.99. I should get a free exchange for any video up to 12.99. He said 9.99. I said that he didn't understand...that Blockbuster has this deal where you buy two and get the third free. It should be free. He said that I apparently didn't understand--he pointed to the price on Chocolat which was 9.99. I started looking around the store for a new hire employee that maybe could help their manager out.
Finally after further attempts to no avail I just decided to find a new video and pay the difference. This of course meant that I would have to explain to my wife why I gave Blockbuster more her hard earned money. I had the ride home to think of something to say to her.
I found Punch Drunk Love. It was for 14.99 (they had raised the price since my original visit). It had been 12.99. I took the video up to Wes--the new hire--expecting to pay 5 bones. He scanned my receipt and the video. The computer rang me up. It was Free. Wes, having been briefed by the manager, said that the video must be mis-priced. It was really 9.99. I shook my head. For once Blockbuster's archaic computer system came to my rescue. The ancient yellow computer sitting on their counter remembered that Blockbuster has this deal--buy two get one free. This is the deal that the manager apparently could not remember even though he could read my receipt. I did not explain this to the new hire.
On the way out to the car I opened Punch Drunk Love and noticed that it looked like a checkers board on the back with plenty of smudgy fingerprints to as well. I took it back to Wes who immediately got ten PDL DVDs and found the best one for me. Meanwhile, the manager took a break from everything that he wasn't doing to check in on Wes.
He had picked up the old Chocolat DVD and was starring at it. "No. no. no." he said pointing to the disk. looking at me through his eyebrows. He started explaining to the new hire that back in the day--two years ago I am sure--before Blockbuster got really good computers they used to mark DVDs with a hand written numbering system. The number that was on this DVD didn't match their store. Slowly shaking his head with a slight look of satisfaction he said, "sir, this is not the way we do things here. This is not how we do things." He turned as if to walk away with my receipt and my new (slightly used) DVD.
With the fear of my wife in me I leaned over the counter and pointed down to the old Chocolat movie. I glared through his fuzzy eyebrows and said, "No. I'll tell you the way you do things here. I don't know how you run your store but that movie came from here. That is not my problem. Your numbering system is your problem." I didn't move...still leaning forward...using all of my height to my advantage pushing those stupid WWJD bracelets to the back of my head.
"If he wants it let him have it."
Wes immediately rang me up. I was relieved and a little shaky. I had never fought so hard for a free movie before. Free food--yes--but not a free movie. He went to check me out but couldn't. He turned to his manager and asked if he was on my account. The manager looked sheepish...mumbled yes...and backed away from the other computer. Evidently he was checking out my rental record. I got my movie--thanked Wes--and headed for home.
I had never been called a thief before. I don't even have a speeding ticket on my record.
This was the last Blockbuster straw. My wife was right and now I know it. That is my confessional and I am sticking to it. It is The World or bust.
Friday, August 05, 2005
Frogtown Pastor
I wanted to draw your attention to a new link on this website. I had briefly met the Frogtown Pastor before he went to Frogtown. He was a pastor at Hope Community Church--which is, years ago, the last church that I have attended (and a good one). I have gotten to know him a little better through recently reading his blog. Check it out.
I also want to draw your attention to an incredible story. I found the link on the Frogtown Pastor. I could easily erase all of my posts about the Beauty of God and On 'Making Converts' if I could only replace them with this story. As it is, poetic prose can bring to light things that other forms of writing can never do justice to.
It is a semi long story, but once you start you will have trouble putting it down. It is the story of a friendship with a porn star. Grab a cup of joe (or whatever your drink is) and partake on a rewarding journey. If I could beg you to read it I would.
I also want to draw your attention to an incredible story. I found the link on the Frogtown Pastor. I could easily erase all of my posts about the Beauty of God and On 'Making Converts' if I could only replace them with this story. As it is, poetic prose can bring to light things that other forms of writing can never do justice to.
It is a semi long story, but once you start you will have trouble putting it down. It is the story of a friendship with a porn star. Grab a cup of joe (or whatever your drink is) and partake on a rewarding journey. If I could beg you to read it I would.
Reversing our Hermeneutics
A Modern era biblical hermeneutic is still alive and well in local bible studies, local churches, college ministries, Christian radio stations and daily conversations. It is a hermeneutic which causes us to 1) Read the Bible, 2) Get Information, and 3) Tell Others. There may be very few people who actually have the skill sets to be able to do this effectively. It is a hermeneutic which causes us to view the Bible as something to 1) Take to, 2) Give answers to, and 3) Critique pop culture.
Many times these answers and critiques come in the form of defining what is right and wrong. Should I read Harry Potter or shouldn't I read Harry Potter? I had a friend, for example, who upon having their first child got rid of all their movies that had a rating higher than PG. For the Modern era, 'raising children in the way that they should go' meant defining for them what was right and what was wrong by looking to Scripture for these cultural answers.
I always found it ironic when a pastor would use a movie reference in her sermon and then recommend that no one go see the movie--alluding to the thought that we, the congregation, couldn't handle the movie spiritually. The Modern era attempts to enforce a universal (valid for every human being) right and wrong upon our relationship with culture and upon pop culture's relationship with us. This hermeneutic is didactic. It attempts to teach pop culture rather than learn from it or dialogue with it.
"Reversing the Hermeneutical Flow"--as I heard it phrased recently in a b2g gathering--involves a method that is uncomfortable for those of us who have been trained by Modern era thinkers. It is a hermeneutic that causes us to 1) Read/talk about the Bible, 2) Reflect, 3) Live, and 4) Reflect with Others. What is maybe most difficult for Modern era-trained Christians is that, 2) Reflect, is not a reflection upon information gained from reading or talking about Scripture. It is rather a reflection upon the unresolved nature of the stories found there. Similarly, 3) Live and 4) Reflect with Others, is simply an attempt to relate one unresolved story (Scripture) to another (our lives) in hopes of finding a meaningful integration.
It is interesting that non believers--untrained by Modern era biblical hermeneutics--may be more adept at this 'new' hermeneutic than many believers are who have to untrain themselves. In fact, it may only be in dialogue with a 'mixed' bible reading group that some believers can catch on. If this is the case then it may be non believers that can best train Christians in new ways of approaching Scripture. As is the case with this reversed hermeneutic, every time we read Scripture it is a fresh experience. It is not a reading that has in mind a certain right set of conclusions beforehand. Therefore, it can form a reading group that does not necessarily need to be lead by one with superior biblical knowledge.
This hermeneutical approach to Scripture is a hermeneutic which causes us to view the Bible as something to 1) Create Tension and 2) Create Questions in dialogue with pop culture. It is not didactic. It is not attempting to teach or give answers to pop culture any more than it is attempting to be taught and learn new insights from its Advertisements, Music, Film, Sports, Art and TV. This hermeneutical approach is always holding (for purpose of illustration) in one hand the narratives of Scripture and in the other hand the many intermingling narratives of our culture--It is attempting to make meaningful connections.
In the reversed hermeneutic there is not a sharp separation between non believer and believer. All are teachers and all are learners. The differences emerge between us all--Christian and non Christian alike--when we take notice of which narratives are shaping our meaningful connections.
There is much more to unpack here about Reversing our Hermeneutics. Hopefully what I have written here is enough to prompt questions and initiate thoughts. I have a variety of sources for some of the above insights. They have all intermingled to produce today's musing. They directly and indirectly include the b2g movement, Niebuhr, Shults, Pannenberg, McFadyen, and Hauerwas. If you are interested in what came from whom then let me know.
Many times these answers and critiques come in the form of defining what is right and wrong. Should I read Harry Potter or shouldn't I read Harry Potter? I had a friend, for example, who upon having their first child got rid of all their movies that had a rating higher than PG. For the Modern era, 'raising children in the way that they should go' meant defining for them what was right and what was wrong by looking to Scripture for these cultural answers.
I always found it ironic when a pastor would use a movie reference in her sermon and then recommend that no one go see the movie--alluding to the thought that we, the congregation, couldn't handle the movie spiritually. The Modern era attempts to enforce a universal (valid for every human being) right and wrong upon our relationship with culture and upon pop culture's relationship with us. This hermeneutic is didactic. It attempts to teach pop culture rather than learn from it or dialogue with it.
"Reversing the Hermeneutical Flow"--as I heard it phrased recently in a b2g gathering--involves a method that is uncomfortable for those of us who have been trained by Modern era thinkers. It is a hermeneutic that causes us to 1) Read/talk about the Bible, 2) Reflect, 3) Live, and 4) Reflect with Others. What is maybe most difficult for Modern era-trained Christians is that, 2) Reflect, is not a reflection upon information gained from reading or talking about Scripture. It is rather a reflection upon the unresolved nature of the stories found there. Similarly, 3) Live and 4) Reflect with Others, is simply an attempt to relate one unresolved story (Scripture) to another (our lives) in hopes of finding a meaningful integration.
It is interesting that non believers--untrained by Modern era biblical hermeneutics--may be more adept at this 'new' hermeneutic than many believers are who have to untrain themselves. In fact, it may only be in dialogue with a 'mixed' bible reading group that some believers can catch on. If this is the case then it may be non believers that can best train Christians in new ways of approaching Scripture. As is the case with this reversed hermeneutic, every time we read Scripture it is a fresh experience. It is not a reading that has in mind a certain right set of conclusions beforehand. Therefore, it can form a reading group that does not necessarily need to be lead by one with superior biblical knowledge.
This hermeneutical approach to Scripture is a hermeneutic which causes us to view the Bible as something to 1) Create Tension and 2) Create Questions in dialogue with pop culture. It is not didactic. It is not attempting to teach or give answers to pop culture any more than it is attempting to be taught and learn new insights from its Advertisements, Music, Film, Sports, Art and TV. This hermeneutical approach is always holding (for purpose of illustration) in one hand the narratives of Scripture and in the other hand the many intermingling narratives of our culture--It is attempting to make meaningful connections.
In the reversed hermeneutic there is not a sharp separation between non believer and believer. All are teachers and all are learners. The differences emerge between us all--Christian and non Christian alike--when we take notice of which narratives are shaping our meaningful connections.
There is much more to unpack here about Reversing our Hermeneutics. Hopefully what I have written here is enough to prompt questions and initiate thoughts. I have a variety of sources for some of the above insights. They have all intermingled to produce today's musing. They directly and indirectly include the b2g movement, Niebuhr, Shults, Pannenberg, McFadyen, and Hauerwas. If you are interested in what came from whom then let me know.
Pouring Concrete: An Update
I am sore, but I didn't die. I paced myself. I found the smallest wheelbarral they had and went to work. Toolman Dave did an incredible job preparing for the 'big pour.' The stairs from Hell were cream puffs--they were cake. Dave had constructed a real life Shoots and Ladders in his back yard. All we had to do was pour the cement down the right shoot and it went down into the right place. Brilliant.
Everything went smoothly despite the efforts of a neighborhood dog to mess up our finished concrete by playing in it. Needless to say, that dog is going to have a heavy stomach after he cleans himself up.
We ended the night with friends, wine and beer--the way a night should be ended.
Everything went smoothly despite the efforts of a neighborhood dog to mess up our finished concrete by playing in it. Needless to say, that dog is going to have a heavy stomach after he cleans himself up.
We ended the night with friends, wine and beer--the way a night should be ended.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Pouring Concrete
Today I am helping a friend pour concrete. It is a huge job and as you all know I am not a Toolman. I am worried about my muscles, my lungs...about being the only guy who tips over a wheelbarral (buggy) of concrete (mud) in the wrong place--like on the grass or a bush.
I had thought that I had timed this job nicely. I was going to miss the 'big pour.' It should have happened when I was out of town last weekend. Nope. Now I am home--a willing Tool.
Maybe I am being a little sarcastic. I actually enjoy helping my friends. But I am pretty sure that someone might die trying to pour their back stairs. It might be me. They are the stairs from Hell. Of course, once they are full of settled concrete they will be the stairs from Heaven.
Dave and Jill, I am determined to get my use out of your stairs. I will have to come over more often now. That is just the way that it will have to be.
Bring on the PowerAde!
I had thought that I had timed this job nicely. I was going to miss the 'big pour.' It should have happened when I was out of town last weekend. Nope. Now I am home--a willing Tool.
Maybe I am being a little sarcastic. I actually enjoy helping my friends. But I am pretty sure that someone might die trying to pour their back stairs. It might be me. They are the stairs from Hell. Of course, once they are full of settled concrete they will be the stairs from Heaven.
Dave and Jill, I am determined to get my use out of your stairs. I will have to come over more often now. That is just the way that it will have to be.
Bring on the PowerAde!
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
On Making Converts
I titled this post On Making Converts. A more accurate title might be Why Making Converts is not the Point.
My wife is a nurse. If you have ever been a patient in a hospital then you know how important nurses are. They often posses certain qualities that can make or break your hospital stay. Recently I spent four days in Abbot Northwestern's new heart hospital--for a head injury. I grew very attached to my nurses.
They helped me pee. They washed me. They gave me pain medications. They walked me. They listened to me. They made sure that doctors paid attention to me. They would smile at me. They bandaged my arm. They cleaned my bloody ear. In short, they made me feel really good. They made me feel like I had an advocate, a voice, and a special place in a really large hospital. They took time for me even though they had a thousand other things to be doing.
Needless to say, when you are depending on a nurse for all of these things it is easy to get attached to them. Every shift change I would eagerly wait to see who my next advocate and companion would be. I would wonder: is she going to be nice? is she going to like me? will she make me feel good? is she cute? The last thing that you want in a hospital is to feel like you don't belong there--like you are a waste of somebody's time.
My wife had a patient who had grown pretty attached to her. In fact her whole family was attached to their nurse. This patient was dying. It was with that realization that my wife discovered how she also was really attached to this women. My wife had rarely seen a family with such gentleness, such sweetness and such love for one another.
As the family was making their final preparations my wife asked if they would like to see a Chaplain. A family member of the dying woman quickly responded by saying, No. They have never been religious and she has no need for God. My wife was heartbroken (as anyone who believes in the possibilities of rich relationships with God would be). It was already hard enough for her to say good-bye to such a sweet woman.
As my wife's shift was about to end each of the family members wanted a hug from their favorite nurse. Finally the patient asked if she wasn't going to get a hug too. Her nurse walked over to the outstretched arms to say good-bye...to say I love you...and to kiss her cheek. The patient also expressed her love to the nurse she had come to know as "cold hands." She died soon after.
Often times my wife gets to pray with her patients or to let them know of her care by saying little things to remind them of God's love. This time she chose not to even offer a "God bless you." She felt like that would have been disrespectful and unloving. It was important to honor this patient as she was dying--even, if not especially, her choice to not know God. It is only then that my wife could truly be with her patient as she died.
Sometimes, as Christians, we are never truly with our friends. For many Evangelicals, relationships with those who do not believe are contrived so that they may know God. What happens when knowing God is not desired by our friends? Is there room for respect in our love? Or do we love only to make converts?
I have been with Christians (and I once may have been one myself) who are so focused on helping others know God that they overlook the good that is in their friend regardless of whether they ever choose to know God. Does the gospel of God's kingdom have relevance apart from making converts or giving people the 'right' answers? What might that be?
If only we, as Christians, could answer that question we might be in a better place to enter into dialogue with our society. We may even be in a better place to find the goodness of God in our friends, in our art, in our culture and in the love of a dying patient.
My wife is a nurse. If you have ever been a patient in a hospital then you know how important nurses are. They often posses certain qualities that can make or break your hospital stay. Recently I spent four days in Abbot Northwestern's new heart hospital--for a head injury. I grew very attached to my nurses.
They helped me pee. They washed me. They gave me pain medications. They walked me. They listened to me. They made sure that doctors paid attention to me. They would smile at me. They bandaged my arm. They cleaned my bloody ear. In short, they made me feel really good. They made me feel like I had an advocate, a voice, and a special place in a really large hospital. They took time for me even though they had a thousand other things to be doing.
Needless to say, when you are depending on a nurse for all of these things it is easy to get attached to them. Every shift change I would eagerly wait to see who my next advocate and companion would be. I would wonder: is she going to be nice? is she going to like me? will she make me feel good? is she cute? The last thing that you want in a hospital is to feel like you don't belong there--like you are a waste of somebody's time.
My wife had a patient who had grown pretty attached to her. In fact her whole family was attached to their nurse. This patient was dying. It was with that realization that my wife discovered how she also was really attached to this women. My wife had rarely seen a family with such gentleness, such sweetness and such love for one another.
As the family was making their final preparations my wife asked if they would like to see a Chaplain. A family member of the dying woman quickly responded by saying, No. They have never been religious and she has no need for God. My wife was heartbroken (as anyone who believes in the possibilities of rich relationships with God would be). It was already hard enough for her to say good-bye to such a sweet woman.
As my wife's shift was about to end each of the family members wanted a hug from their favorite nurse. Finally the patient asked if she wasn't going to get a hug too. Her nurse walked over to the outstretched arms to say good-bye...to say I love you...and to kiss her cheek. The patient also expressed her love to the nurse she had come to know as "cold hands." She died soon after.
Often times my wife gets to pray with her patients or to let them know of her care by saying little things to remind them of God's love. This time she chose not to even offer a "God bless you." She felt like that would have been disrespectful and unloving. It was important to honor this patient as she was dying--even, if not especially, her choice to not know God. It is only then that my wife could truly be with her patient as she died.
Sometimes, as Christians, we are never truly with our friends. For many Evangelicals, relationships with those who do not believe are contrived so that they may know God. What happens when knowing God is not desired by our friends? Is there room for respect in our love? Or do we love only to make converts?
I have been with Christians (and I once may have been one myself) who are so focused on helping others know God that they overlook the good that is in their friend regardless of whether they ever choose to know God. Does the gospel of God's kingdom have relevance apart from making converts or giving people the 'right' answers? What might that be?
If only we, as Christians, could answer that question we might be in a better place to enter into dialogue with our society. We may even be in a better place to find the goodness of God in our friends, in our art, in our culture and in the love of a dying patient.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
The Art of Possibility
The Art of Possibility is a book that I will be reading. I know that I promised to return to "a place to muse" today to share a little about b2g. I just spent the weekend in North Carolina with a group of other people from across the nation to dialogue about b2g. I am still processing. It is good. I am really tired (that is what happens to introverts at these types of things). It is freeing. And it is not the 'next greatest thing.' I will have to explain that later. While I process I will leave you with a poem by Emily Dickinson:
I dwell in Possibility--
A fairer House than Prose--
More numerous of Windows--
Superior--for Doors--
Of Chambers as the Cedars--
Impregnable of Eye--
And for an Everlasting Roof--
The Gambrels of the Sky--
Of Visitors--the fairest--
For Occupation--This--
The spreading wide my narrow Hands--
To gather Paradise--
We will see what comes next.
I dwell in Possibility--
A fairer House than Prose--
More numerous of Windows--
Superior--for Doors--
Of Chambers as the Cedars--
Impregnable of Eye--
And for an Everlasting Roof--
The Gambrels of the Sky--
Of Visitors--the fairest--
For Occupation--This--
The spreading wide my narrow Hands--
To gather Paradise--
We will see what comes next.
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Gone Fishing
I am not really fishing...I am on a secret mission. All I can say is...b2g. More on that when I return to the blogoshpere next Tuesday.
While I am away from "a place to muse" I am sure that you will want to catch up on your reading. Just in case, I have included some links to my favorite posts thus far. This is a series on The Beauty of God that didn't receive many comments but is worthy of dialogue. Check it out again here, here, here, here, here, and here. It goes in order and works well as a series so you may want to start with the first one--however, you can skip around if you want (this is the WWW after all).
Talk to you later,
b-nut
While I am away from "a place to muse" I am sure that you will want to catch up on your reading. Just in case, I have included some links to my favorite posts thus far. This is a series on The Beauty of God that didn't receive many comments but is worthy of dialogue. Check it out again here, here, here, here, here, and here. It goes in order and works well as a series so you may want to start with the first one--however, you can skip around if you want (this is the WWW after all).
Talk to you later,
b-nut
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Give Bo a Band
I have heard many complain about the state of our television programing these days. Where have all the writers gone? and what used to be on T.V. before reality took over? I honestly can't remember. Now that Everyone Loves Raymond is off the air what is next? It is a free for all...almost.
I am afraid that reality T.V. is here to stay. It is cheap, low-risk profit. A network can work an audience into a frenzy of disciplined T.V. watching without having to worry about keeping them for the long haul. Even if a reality T.V. show crashes and burns there is little loss for a network--in three months they just start a better one.
You might be saying to your computer right now that I am wrong. Reality TV is an uncreative waste of time. There are too many people that complain about it. You might be right. But show me one complainer that isn't also a watcher.
While one might curse the Nanny on Tuesday they are watching Mister Mom on Wednesday...or Trading Spouses, Big Brother, Cheaters, INXS, American Idol, The Bachelor, I Want to Be a Hilton, The Simple Life, Average Joe: The Joe Strikes Back, Brat Camp, The Cut, So You Think You Can Dance, Extreme Makeover: Whatever Edition, Hooking Up, Fear Factor, Survivor, Blue Collar TV, Extreme Fakeovers, Hell's Kitchen, Blind Date, and ?!?!?!
There have been 102 reality TV series aired on just the four major network stations, FOX, CBS, ABC, and NBC--102. That doesn't begin to count cable. What is the message here? What does this say about the watchers--about our culture?
Well...today I am going to come clean. I am a reality TV show complainer. And we already know what that means. That's right. I am a watcher.
I have wasted a lot of time watching American Idol and now I watch Rock Star: INXS. I have a thing for music I guess. INXS starts where American Idol should end--after they have the final 15 singers. Of course you know--since I just complained about it--that I watch American Idol all the way to the end. Bo Bice was my man. It is too bad that I probably won't like any of the pop songs that they will make him sing.
He should have waited to try out to be INXS's next lead singer--not that I like INXS. But then he could rock. "Give Bo a Band" should be the motto of any decent reality TV complainer. The fact that Bo has to sign a contract with American Idol has to be the greatest tragedy of reality TV this past year. He should never be forced to join the ranks of Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Ruben Studdard, and that other guy. Give Bo a Band.
That being said, I have a prediction for you. Jordis Unga from St. Paul, MN will be in the final four at the end of the INXS season. She is the youngest contestant and one of the best. If she is lucky she will make it to the final two and then get kicked of the show so that she can start a real career with a real band. If she is unlucky then she will win. Take it from a faithful complainer.
You can watch Rock Star: INXS on Monday night, Tuesday night, and Wednesday night. You can also get a recap on the weekends.
"Give Bo a Band!"
I am afraid that reality T.V. is here to stay. It is cheap, low-risk profit. A network can work an audience into a frenzy of disciplined T.V. watching without having to worry about keeping them for the long haul. Even if a reality T.V. show crashes and burns there is little loss for a network--in three months they just start a better one.
You might be saying to your computer right now that I am wrong. Reality TV is an uncreative waste of time. There are too many people that complain about it. You might be right. But show me one complainer that isn't also a watcher.
While one might curse the Nanny on Tuesday they are watching Mister Mom on Wednesday...or Trading Spouses, Big Brother, Cheaters, INXS, American Idol, The Bachelor, I Want to Be a Hilton, The Simple Life, Average Joe: The Joe Strikes Back, Brat Camp, The Cut, So You Think You Can Dance, Extreme Makeover: Whatever Edition, Hooking Up, Fear Factor, Survivor, Blue Collar TV, Extreme Fakeovers, Hell's Kitchen, Blind Date, and ?!?!?!
There have been 102 reality TV series aired on just the four major network stations, FOX, CBS, ABC, and NBC--102. That doesn't begin to count cable. What is the message here? What does this say about the watchers--about our culture?
Well...today I am going to come clean. I am a reality TV show complainer. And we already know what that means. That's right. I am a watcher.
I have wasted a lot of time watching American Idol and now I watch Rock Star: INXS. I have a thing for music I guess. INXS starts where American Idol should end--after they have the final 15 singers. Of course you know--since I just complained about it--that I watch American Idol all the way to the end. Bo Bice was my man. It is too bad that I probably won't like any of the pop songs that they will make him sing.
He should have waited to try out to be INXS's next lead singer--not that I like INXS. But then he could rock. "Give Bo a Band" should be the motto of any decent reality TV complainer. The fact that Bo has to sign a contract with American Idol has to be the greatest tragedy of reality TV this past year. He should never be forced to join the ranks of Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Ruben Studdard, and that other guy. Give Bo a Band.
That being said, I have a prediction for you. Jordis Unga from St. Paul, MN will be in the final four at the end of the INXS season. She is the youngest contestant and one of the best. If she is lucky she will make it to the final two and then get kicked of the show so that she can start a real career with a real band. If she is unlucky then she will win. Take it from a faithful complainer.
You can watch Rock Star: INXS on Monday night, Tuesday night, and Wednesday night. You can also get a recap on the weekends.
"Give Bo a Band!"
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
I am not a Toolman, but I may be a Tool
This past weekend I helped a friend with a large home improvement project and it occurred to me that I am not a Toolman, but I may be a Tool.
Tool: (def) instrument: the means whereby some act is accomplished. I don't know much about these. Toolmen use these.
Tool: (def) creature: a person who is controlled by others and is used to perform unpleasant or dishonest tasks for someone else. This sounds more familiar. In Basic Training, at least, this is what my Drill Sergeant called me.
I used to be bigger, stronger, and maybe even better looking when naked than my friend, Dave. This, however, has changed. Dave is a Toolman. Toolmen, with a proper diet of course, get to be better looking in the nude than non-Toolmen. I am sure that this is the case with Dave and myself (although we haven't had a proper 'flex-off' in years).
A good reason for this is that the tools used by Toolmen tend to be heavy. Additionally, using tools tends to be physically exhausting. Proof of this can be seen in the machines built to help Toolmen. They are impressive. They are big. Some of them can lift houses and crush cars. I have seen them. Even the clothes Toolmen have to wear are strong--like steeled toed boots. When I work I wear sandals--without socks.
Even as I write this my wife tells me that I am haunching over. Toolmen don't haunch over when they sit down. They have good posture. It now occurs to me that the Apple Fritter that I am eating probably doesn't help my posture either. Dave drinks PowerAde. I have no use for such drinks. It is strictly coffee for me. I don't even drink water. Whereas Toolmen have beer to end a hot day of hard work, I just have beer.
I was explaining this very fact to my wife when I leaned on our kitchen counter and it moved an inch. It has been falling away from the wall at a consistent rate for the last three years. My wife reminds me that it is getting worse and I agree with her. There is definitely something wrong. The drawers don't even close correctly anymore. I suspect that someday it will just finish its slow but steady fall all at once...with a big bang. I suspect that that will probably scare the dog.
Our toilet handle fell off one day...you know, the flusher knob. For two months I stuck my hand into the water tank and flushed it manually. Figuring out how to do that was a stroke of genius. My friend, Ben, told me that it would only take 3 minutes to change the knob. I protested that he did not know me. I asked about the glue and the chains and the tools. He shook his head. He said I didn't need those things. He is a Toolman so I trusted him. He was right. It took me 3 minutes to put in the wrong knob.
This is why I am not a Toolman. Even when I can do something right it is not right. That means that I have to drive all the way back to the Toolman shop and explain to some professional Toolman that I am an idiot. They always smile at me like I am a woman who is pretending to be a man...or like I am Will from Will and Grace. Speaking of women...
Dave's wife, Jill, is more of a Toolman than I am. This is particularly disturbing, not that women cannot be Toolmen or that there are not Toolwomen, but because Jill works long hours at a challenging job and is getting another degree. She is a better Toolman than I am and she does it in her spare time--which is very little. My whole life is spare time.
My wife and I once had a room that was completely dark. It was dark for over a month. I couldn't figure out which light bulbs to get. No, I am not a Toolman, but I just may be a Tool.
Tool: (def) instrument: the means whereby some act is accomplished. I don't know much about these. Toolmen use these.
Tool: (def) creature: a person who is controlled by others and is used to perform unpleasant or dishonest tasks for someone else. This sounds more familiar. In Basic Training, at least, this is what my Drill Sergeant called me.
I used to be bigger, stronger, and maybe even better looking when naked than my friend, Dave. This, however, has changed. Dave is a Toolman. Toolmen, with a proper diet of course, get to be better looking in the nude than non-Toolmen. I am sure that this is the case with Dave and myself (although we haven't had a proper 'flex-off' in years).
A good reason for this is that the tools used by Toolmen tend to be heavy. Additionally, using tools tends to be physically exhausting. Proof of this can be seen in the machines built to help Toolmen. They are impressive. They are big. Some of them can lift houses and crush cars. I have seen them. Even the clothes Toolmen have to wear are strong--like steeled toed boots. When I work I wear sandals--without socks.
Even as I write this my wife tells me that I am haunching over. Toolmen don't haunch over when they sit down. They have good posture. It now occurs to me that the Apple Fritter that I am eating probably doesn't help my posture either. Dave drinks PowerAde. I have no use for such drinks. It is strictly coffee for me. I don't even drink water. Whereas Toolmen have beer to end a hot day of hard work, I just have beer.
I was explaining this very fact to my wife when I leaned on our kitchen counter and it moved an inch. It has been falling away from the wall at a consistent rate for the last three years. My wife reminds me that it is getting worse and I agree with her. There is definitely something wrong. The drawers don't even close correctly anymore. I suspect that someday it will just finish its slow but steady fall all at once...with a big bang. I suspect that that will probably scare the dog.
Our toilet handle fell off one day...you know, the flusher knob. For two months I stuck my hand into the water tank and flushed it manually. Figuring out how to do that was a stroke of genius. My friend, Ben, told me that it would only take 3 minutes to change the knob. I protested that he did not know me. I asked about the glue and the chains and the tools. He shook his head. He said I didn't need those things. He is a Toolman so I trusted him. He was right. It took me 3 minutes to put in the wrong knob.
This is why I am not a Toolman. Even when I can do something right it is not right. That means that I have to drive all the way back to the Toolman shop and explain to some professional Toolman that I am an idiot. They always smile at me like I am a woman who is pretending to be a man...or like I am Will from Will and Grace. Speaking of women...
Dave's wife, Jill, is more of a Toolman than I am. This is particularly disturbing, not that women cannot be Toolmen or that there are not Toolwomen, but because Jill works long hours at a challenging job and is getting another degree. She is a better Toolman than I am and she does it in her spare time--which is very little. My whole life is spare time.
My wife and I once had a room that was completely dark. It was dark for over a month. I couldn't figure out which light bulbs to get. No, I am not a Toolman, but I just may be a Tool.
Monday, July 25, 2005
My First Trip to Hooters
Ever since I fractured my skull playing softball almost 8 weeks ago I have been wrestling with insomnia. I don't fall asleep until 3am some nights--that is five hours after taking Tylenol PM. Two nights ago (Friday) I only got about 4 hours of sleep before my day began on Saturday. I was exhausted midway through a day of babysitting and manual labor. I turned to my wife and said, "I want you to treat me right tonight." She did.
I got home, took a shower and we were off. As we were walking through the Mall of America to get tickets for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory my wife stopped at Hooters to get a table. I was to get tickets and come back to join her. I have never been to Hooters.
I had been on staff with a non profit collegiate ministry for 5 years. I am a seminary student. My major financial supporters were Evangelical churches and individuals--a large part of whom are from the Bible Belt. One does not spend their money (or anybody else's) to eat at Hooters. Hooters is the place that I pretended not to be interested in when driving by with Christian friends. The only 'worthy' reason to enter Hooters for an Evangelical minister with fundamentalist financial backing is to respond to an emergency call about a waitress who is having a crisis of faith and wants to be 'saved' immediately. Even then you would send in a woman...or wait until her shift was over and she had changed clothes.
I came back with the tickets to look for my wife who had already taken a seat. This presented me with a problem. My wife was in there looking for me. That meant that I had to be very careful where I was looking. I decided that my best option was to keep my head in constant motion back and forth--never down. Just as I entered a large cluster of Hooters girls formed to my right--singing some sort of song for some guy with a bucket on his head and a wiener in his mouth. I decided a worthy husband who is being watched by his wife would turn left. I made two laps around the restaurant--people were starting to recognize me as the guy who had past their table before. I was getting desperate for a hand to shoot up in my field of vision and direct me to my seat. At the end of my second lap the cloister of Hooters girls--that I wasn't looking at--dispersed to reveal my wife sitting at a table right in the middle of all the girls.
I was a little fidgety at first. My wife was too and that made it worse. I knew she would be watching me. I was beginning to wonder if she had set me up for a bad night. She was watching me when our cute waitress bent down to put her arms on the table--directly in front of me. There are four sides to our table and she chose that one. I didn't mind of course. She turned her elbows in just enough to squish her boobs together. If I looked at her face I looked at her boobs--and my wife looked at me. She asked me what I wanted to drink. I said water like a sheepish teenager. My wife made sure I knew that she was wearing Victoria's Secret finest push up bra. I took her word for it.
Speaking of Victoria's Secret...that is another one of those places that I have pretended not to be interested in--especially when walking by with my wife. I like to sit a short distance away from VS and watch men walk by with their wives. That is entertaining!
For centuries (I am sure) Christianity and women have conspired against men. They have conspired to make men think that the shame they begin to feel when passing VS or Hooters is from a source even more spiritual than religion or women. It is God himself who is stirring up my conscience and this is why I feel shame. I feel shame because of my sinful self. My wife and church have nothing to do with it. And what man will dare to say different. That is a sure way to get sent to some Bible Study, counseling or 'accountability group'--maybe even to Promise Keepers. It is better to play along.
Of course, after trying so hard all day--like a good Christian husband--not to be captivated, not to appreciate, not to be awed by any woman that I see, I am supposed to become the lover from Song of Songs by night. No wonder men die young. I digress...
My wife and I had a good time at Hooters. While there are certainly things there that are not beautiful--like the goggling 50-year-olds that have their 10-year-olds sitting next to them and like the potential that there are women there who feel belittled and insecure concerning their own bodies--there are also good things there--New Castle on tap, cute girls that pretend to like me, and buffalo wings.
The best thing that happened while I was there was being able to look in to my waitress's...eyes--and see that she was human. Before I broke that barrier all that I had to go on was my lesson from Christianity that these women were objects. They were objects not to be looked at. I now know differently. My wife's gift to me was this: I am beginning to learn how to not be controlled by shame but by my own free choices. It turns out my wife did treat me right after all.
Our future choices may very well bring us back to Hooters to try those wings again. It is hard to make rules about these things without ending right back where we started--guided by shame rather than wisdom.
I got home, took a shower and we were off. As we were walking through the Mall of America to get tickets for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory my wife stopped at Hooters to get a table. I was to get tickets and come back to join her. I have never been to Hooters.
I had been on staff with a non profit collegiate ministry for 5 years. I am a seminary student. My major financial supporters were Evangelical churches and individuals--a large part of whom are from the Bible Belt. One does not spend their money (or anybody else's) to eat at Hooters. Hooters is the place that I pretended not to be interested in when driving by with Christian friends. The only 'worthy' reason to enter Hooters for an Evangelical minister with fundamentalist financial backing is to respond to an emergency call about a waitress who is having a crisis of faith and wants to be 'saved' immediately. Even then you would send in a woman...or wait until her shift was over and she had changed clothes.
I came back with the tickets to look for my wife who had already taken a seat. This presented me with a problem. My wife was in there looking for me. That meant that I had to be very careful where I was looking. I decided that my best option was to keep my head in constant motion back and forth--never down. Just as I entered a large cluster of Hooters girls formed to my right--singing some sort of song for some guy with a bucket on his head and a wiener in his mouth. I decided a worthy husband who is being watched by his wife would turn left. I made two laps around the restaurant--people were starting to recognize me as the guy who had past their table before. I was getting desperate for a hand to shoot up in my field of vision and direct me to my seat. At the end of my second lap the cloister of Hooters girls--that I wasn't looking at--dispersed to reveal my wife sitting at a table right in the middle of all the girls.
I was a little fidgety at first. My wife was too and that made it worse. I knew she would be watching me. I was beginning to wonder if she had set me up for a bad night. She was watching me when our cute waitress bent down to put her arms on the table--directly in front of me. There are four sides to our table and she chose that one. I didn't mind of course. She turned her elbows in just enough to squish her boobs together. If I looked at her face I looked at her boobs--and my wife looked at me. She asked me what I wanted to drink. I said water like a sheepish teenager. My wife made sure I knew that she was wearing Victoria's Secret finest push up bra. I took her word for it.
Speaking of Victoria's Secret...that is another one of those places that I have pretended not to be interested in--especially when walking by with my wife. I like to sit a short distance away from VS and watch men walk by with their wives. That is entertaining!
For centuries (I am sure) Christianity and women have conspired against men. They have conspired to make men think that the shame they begin to feel when passing VS or Hooters is from a source even more spiritual than religion or women. It is God himself who is stirring up my conscience and this is why I feel shame. I feel shame because of my sinful self. My wife and church have nothing to do with it. And what man will dare to say different. That is a sure way to get sent to some Bible Study, counseling or 'accountability group'--maybe even to Promise Keepers. It is better to play along.
Of course, after trying so hard all day--like a good Christian husband--not to be captivated, not to appreciate, not to be awed by any woman that I see, I am supposed to become the lover from Song of Songs by night. No wonder men die young. I digress...
My wife and I had a good time at Hooters. While there are certainly things there that are not beautiful--like the goggling 50-year-olds that have their 10-year-olds sitting next to them and like the potential that there are women there who feel belittled and insecure concerning their own bodies--there are also good things there--New Castle on tap, cute girls that pretend to like me, and buffalo wings.
The best thing that happened while I was there was being able to look in to my waitress's...eyes--and see that she was human. Before I broke that barrier all that I had to go on was my lesson from Christianity that these women were objects. They were objects not to be looked at. I now know differently. My wife's gift to me was this: I am beginning to learn how to not be controlled by shame but by my own free choices. It turns out my wife did treat me right after all.
Our future choices may very well bring us back to Hooters to try those wings again. It is hard to make rules about these things without ending right back where we started--guided by shame rather than wisdom.
Friday, July 22, 2005
License to Operate
Is it bad when my computer says that it is beginning a physical dump of memory? or when it asks me if I want to start windows normally? or when it begins a disk check of drive C upon a normal start up? or when it takes 30-45 minutes and 10-15 attempts for it to start up normally? Which of these seems to be the worst new feature of my laptop?
This was bound to happen. Giving me a computer is like giving a ten year old two phone books and the keys to a new car. They should make us take some sort of class before we are allowed to transition from pen and ink to software and hard drives. I suspect that one of the first things that they would tell you in such a class would be not to purchase a Gateway computer. The second might be to get a Mac. The third might be to run anti-virus software. Who knew?
I sure don't. I have yet to mention that my USB ports, speakers and CD rewrite drive have all stopped working. I still have a warranty, but that involves sending Gateway my computer...what a hassle. I'd give my two phone books and keys back if I wasn't so hooked on this blogging thing...and had to get news on the Chi-town Cubbies...write papers...email...
This was bound to happen. Giving me a computer is like giving a ten year old two phone books and the keys to a new car. They should make us take some sort of class before we are allowed to transition from pen and ink to software and hard drives. I suspect that one of the first things that they would tell you in such a class would be not to purchase a Gateway computer. The second might be to get a Mac. The third might be to run anti-virus software. Who knew?
I sure don't. I have yet to mention that my USB ports, speakers and CD rewrite drive have all stopped working. I still have a warranty, but that involves sending Gateway my computer...what a hassle. I'd give my two phone books and keys back if I wasn't so hooked on this blogging thing...and had to get news on the Chi-town Cubbies...write papers...email...
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