Religion, a crutch Dec 17, 2004
Some people say that religion is a crutch for the weak. I agree with them to some extent, except for the fact that religion causes more problems than it fixes. Christianity, for example, helps people deal with the problems of life by reminding them that there's an afterlife where all life's problems will go away and we'll be experiencing bliss with God (assuming you're saved). The thing is, Jesus also said that we should be perfect like God, we should offer our bodies to other people who want to harm us, and we should tell everyone about the saving grace that God offers. My argument is that if someone made this stuff up, they would have made it at least slightly more fool-proof. If you're gonna invent a religion, don't make it impossible to follow. Make it easy! This is why Christianity isn't an invented religion: it's got too many holes and doesn't exactly simplify life. Thank God for his grace, which allows us to still go to heaven despite our failing to live up to the perfect standard of Jesus. #religion
Drinkin Nov 22, 2004
About 2 weeks ago, I decided that I wanted to stop drinking, and I told my decision to Wendy who promptly agreed with me.  Here's why:  I claim to be a Christian.  The Bible talks constantly about drunkenness in a bad light.  In other words, we shouldn't be getting drunk.  My justification up to this point has been this:  What's the definition of drunkenness?  Is it when you have more than one or two drinks, or is it when you black out and puke?  To me, there's a fine line.  To the world, there's a huge gap.  This doesn't matter to me.  My problem is that I like drinking.  Like most questionable actions, drinking is fun.  I've almost never had a bad time when I was drinking, though there were a few times when I ended the night in a terrible way by throwing up everything that ever entered my body.  My enjoyment of drinking makes it so that I can't really have only one or two.  I want a lot.

In addition to this reason, there's the cover-all reason for doing or not doing everything:  Drinking doesn't glorify God.  Although it's cheesy and weak, it's true and I believe it.  If I really think about what honors God, that's when I realize what I'm doing that I don't like (and God probably doesn't like either).

So another reason is that, when I was a freshman, that was my thing.  I had sooo many conversations with people at frat parties and such, and sooo many of them started with them asking me, "Why don't you drink?"  At the time, I might not have followed up that question with a profound answer, but I realize now that it gave me so many opportunities for ministry. #religion
First one Jun 2, 2004
This is my first one ever... #technology