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| Jesus' math (5) | Nov 7, 2006 |
From the Thrilling Wonder Story, One day, Jesus said to his disciples, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like 3x2 + 8x - 9."(via Digg) #religion |
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| Biiible | Oct 26, 2006 |
| Biiible is a "Bible search for the Google freak". In simple terms, it's an extremely easy to use website that effectively searches through many different Bible translations and gets results quickly and efficiently. It's nicely designed and very clutter-free, and it's a welcome alternative to the ever-present BibleGateway and its consistent errors (Galatians 5:23 was fixed, but I recently found Matthew 10:35, which says "motherinlaw" instead of "mother-in-law"). #religion | |
| Dinosaurs in the Bible | Oct 6, 2006 |
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A relatively common question people have about/against the Bible and Christianity is this: "Why doesn't the Bible say anything about dinosaurs?" I've already proven my ineptitude once before when it comes to dinosaurs, so I'll try to even out my record (or dig a deeper hole) with these ideas: 1. Just because the Bible doesn't specifically mention dinosaurs doesn't mean they didn't exist. The creation story in Genesis 1 isn't very detailed. It says God created "living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals". It doesn't mention cats, dogs, bunnies, turtles, or groundhogs. "Yeah, but those are small, unimportant animals." True, but it also doesn't mention any huge or deadly animals like lions, tigers, bears (don't say it), elephants, hippos, rhinos, sharks, or whales. Most other mention of animals throughout the Bible is to cattle and livestock because those were the most important animals seeing that they were treated as currency. The lack of inclusion of something in the Bible doesn't prove its lack of existence. 2. Perhaps the Bible does mention dinosaurs and we've just been overlooking it. Job 40:15-18 says, Look at the behemoth, which I made along with you and which feeds on grass like an ox. What strength he has in his loins, what power in the muscles of his belly! His tail sways like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are close-knit. His bones are tubes of bronze, his limbs like rods of iron.If you were to draw a picture with this description, what would it look like? A brontosaurus! The footnote for "behemoth" says it could refer to an elephant or a hippo, and the "tail" could refer to an elephant's trunk. Sure, this is possible. But I think it's also plausible that this is referring to a dinosaur. Another similar passage talks about something called "leviathan". Job 41:14-21 says, Who dares open the doors of his mouth, ringed about with his fearsome teeth? His back has rows of shields tightly sealed together; each is so close to the next that no air can pass between. They are joined fast to one another; they cling together and cannot be parted. His snorting throws out flashes of light; his eyes are like the rays of dawn. Firebrands stream from his mouth; sparks of fire shoot out. Smoke pours from his nostrils as from a boiling pot over a fire of reeds. His breath sets coals ablaze, and flames dart from his mouth.If you were to draw a picture of this description, what would it look like? A fire-breathing dragon! The footnote for "leviathan" says it could refer to a crocodile. Sure, crocodiles have big teeth and rows of shields on their backs, but what about the breathing of fire? The last crocodile I saw lacked this ability. Initially, the thought of a dragon sounds pretty stupid because everybody knows dragons are mythical creatures. But what if they're not? Isn't it weird that numerous cultures from around the world incorporated the idea of a fire-breathing dragon into their belief system or mythology? Why didn't they come up with the idea of a fire-breathing bear or lion? Why was it a giant green lizard with scales and wings? And why was the myth of the dragon prevalent in China, Arabia, Greek mythology, Hindu mythology, and Aboriginal Australia? Can word really travel that far? And what about the breathing of fire? Consider the case of the bombardier beetle, a bug native to Africa. This tiny animal mixes hydroquinones, hydrogen peroxide, and a few catalysts in its abdomen to produce an explosive reaction that it shoots out its back end for the purpose of self-defense. This BBC article says that the boiling hot, toxic fluid even lets out a "loud bang on detonation". So basically, we have a fire-breathing (or fire-shooting) bug. In addition to this, some scientists believe that certain dinosaurs had an extra chamber in their skulls for the purpose of storing chemicals that could be used for mixing and breathing fire. With these two ideas, it's not that much of a stretch to conclude that the idea of the existence of a dragon is at least somewhat possible. Crazy, huh? #religion |
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| Blogging the Bible (2) | Aug 30, 2006 |
| A few months ago, a guy from Slate started blogging the Bible. He asks, "What happens when an ignoramus reads the Good Book? ... My goal is pretty simple. I want to find out what happens when an ignorant person actually reads the book on which his religion is based." He's basically doing a chapter by chapter (or in some cases a section by section) analysis, starting (and probably ending) with the Old Testament (because he's Jewish). Some of his thoughts are pretty interesting. (via Cynical-C) #religion | |
| Prayer antenna | Aug 22, 2006 |
The prayer antenna is a helmet with multiple antennas sticking out the top, enabling a person to "[receive] signals from God (yes, your God)". Operation is simple: "To use the Antenna the worshipper must kneel on the stool and [insert] their head into the helmet." Hilarious. (via Cynical-C) |
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| Christian cars (1) | Jul 12, 2006 |
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What kinds of cars should Christians drive? This is the question I ask myself as I drive through my church's parking lot. I see normal things like sedans, minivans, SUVs, and trucks. Some are new; some are old. Some are more expensive than others. But then there are a few cars that really stand out: A brand new Infiniti and pretty little blue Porsche. Is it acceptable for a Christian to own an Infiniti? Sure, it's acceptable. But is it a good idea? Does it say, "I make enough money to afford nice things, so I drive a semi-luxury car."? Or does it say, "I make more money than you, and I spend it frivolously on objects like cars."? What is the owner getting by spending $10,000 to $20,000 more than necessary? Where's the line between comfort and extravagance? Is a sunroof extravagant? Not really. Is a sports car extravagant? Not completely. Is a Porsche extravagant? I think so. That's my opinion. If we think about the purpose behind owning a car, it's essentially to get us from point A to point B. Some cars do this with a few more creature comforts than others. Some are bigger; some are smaller. Some have more power. Some have more space. But at what point does a Christian cross the line? Christians are supposed to be "stewards of God's money". We're supposed to be humble. We're supposed to support the church with our money. Maybe people with nice cars are supporting the church with their money too. I believe some of those people are, and that's great. But I think owning a Porsche sends a slightly different message. To me, a Porsche says one thing: Money. If a person is into nice cars, why don't they get a 70s muscle car or a Camaro? Porsche makes great cars; no doubt about that. But does a Porsche emanate humility? Does it say, "I love you" as it speeds past? I think this leaves just one question: What Would Jesus Drive? The answer: He wouldn't drive at all. He wouldn't be able to afford these ridiculous gas prices. #religion |
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| Halfway | Jul 1, 2006 |
| Today is July 1, which is day 182 of the year 2006. There are 183 days left in the year. It's been 6 months since my New Year's resolution, which means I'm approximately halfway through the Bible. I've kept to the plan pretty well: I do the daily reading and I write a summary of each chapter. I doubt I'll ever computerize it because it's a ton of information. There are 1189 chapters in the Bible, which means I've written a sentence or two about 594 of them. #religion | |
| Rock music and hell | Jun 29, 2006 |
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Ever since that fad called "rock n' roll music" came around, many ultra-conservative Christians (commonly referred to as "wackos"; of which I'm a card-carrying member) have associated it with hell. With cries like "Rock music is from the devil!" and such, it's been labeled as "evil" and "rebellious". Rock icons like Jimmy Page and Ozzy Osbourne have long been connected to black magic and devil worship, and the trend has certainly continued in that direction. But we as clearly-thinking human beings shrug this off. So what if Led Zeppelin's guitarist is interested in the occult? They're a great band, and should be listened to by all. So what if Black Sabbath's frontman likes Satan? They were the beginning of hard rock as we know it. Plus, a band's personal interests can't directly affect a listener. Music is a means of communication and expression, not a method of mind control and bewitchery. But as I drove home from work the other day, windows down, blasting AC/DC, I saw it another way. AC/DC is an incredible band, and their simplicity and attitude are an amazing combination. Coincidentally, several of their songs are about hell or at least contain some sort of mention of it. But their attitude towards hell is kinda interesting: Living easy, living freeThe way that hell is portrayed is that it's gonna be like a rockstar's life: Fun, fast, happy, party-filled, rule-free, and full of friends. All [relatively] positive things. It sounds like a pretty good deal, and the mention of stop signs and speed limits seems to speak directly to me (slightly kidding). The point here is that rock music has made people insensitive to hell. The fact that the idea of hell exists in our society comes as a direct result of the influence of Christianity. But the Biblical view of hell is quite different from a rockstar's life. It speaks of many unpleasant things, the most important of which being separation from God. There aren't any parties. There isn't any drinking. It's not gonna be like a Thursday night out with some friends. So maybe rock music is from the devil. It's certainly made hell look like a great place to visit. #religion |
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| Groupthink (2) | Jun 20, 2006 |
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Groupthink is "the act or practice of reasoning or decision-making by a group, especially when characterized by uncritical acceptance or conformity to prevailing points of view." I first learned this term in a psychology class in college. It was new to me, but I quickly understood its meaning and relevance. I'm in a lot of groups in life. At work, I'm on integrated product teams. I take grad classes, so I have to do group projects. But most importantly and most significantly, I'm in a lot of Bible studies and other similar Christian groups. The thing with these kinds of groups is that they're full of lackluster Christians who don't have much of an opinion about anything and hardly want to be there in the first place (that's not always the case, but that's often what it looks like). When it comes time for the group to make a decision, it's often tedious and drawn-out, and often ends with a forced suggestion by the leaders of the group. But one thing I've found is that when an idea is suggested, it's often selected by default. Since no other options are presented, the group goes with the only one on the table, even if it's ridiculous and nobody really likes it or agrees with it. "Let's all drink some Kool-Aid and jump off that bridge." Any other ideas? No? Ok, we'll go with that one. In groups like this, a single person can have a lot of influence because they often encounter no opposition. #religion |
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| Drinking showdown (1) | Jun 19, 2006 |
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I was involved in a little "showdown" last week, trying to convince a group of Christians that drinking might not be the best activity to include in their free time. I suggested that drinking isn't the whole issue: It's more about the cursing, dirty-joking, and other things that follow. And it's also about the Christian's image in the eyes of outsiders. If I'm at a bar with a drink in my hand, do my actions and words say that I'm a Christian? Would I be able to give a reason for the hope I have? If so, would it be intelligible? I brought up a few other points, and all in all, I felt like I had a pretty solid case (I felt a bit like a lawyer, which was strangely fun). And even if any of my points could be argued against, I felt that I still had a pretty solid case because it involved drinking, and in the world of Christianity, drinking is one of the gray areas that usually leans towards black instead of white. Most of the people agreed with me. I expected a few questions, and I got these questions from the very people I expected to get them from. I had answers to these questions, though I didn't think I would completely convince anyone of my point of view. And that's fine. One person's main point was that he liked beer. Understandable. I can't blame him for that. But what I found amazing, just completely astonishing, was the vociferousness of the arguments from the people that disagreed with me. As I was speaking, I watched one guy's reactions to everything I said, and I was surprised how much of a stir it caused within him. He would twitch in his seat as I said certain things, and his face would contort as he attempted to hold back his angry expressions. I invited comments and suggestions in the middle and at the end. One of my points was that Christians' hypocrisy is one thing that turns people away: Some Christians say one thing and do another. His main argument was that Christians' legalism is what really turns people away: Some Christians adhere to such a strict set of laws that it bores people and sends them looking for something more interesting and less damning. I could see his point, but I asked him, "So do you think Christians should drink so that they don't appear legalistic?" I don't think drinking will solve our problems with legalism. If anything, I think it would make things worse. But I guess my main point is that I was completely and utterly shocked by how much criticism I received (though none of it was actually voiced, I could "sense" it). Here I was, trying to persuade a group of Christians to be good Christians, to not blend in with the rest of the world, and to honor God with their actions and words. It wasn't like I was trying to convert a bunch of devil-worshipping pagans. And it also wasn't like I was trying to force my beliefs about abortion and stem cell research. The things I was talking about were ideas that any Christian would agree are good ideas. These ideas are Biblical. They cross the boundaries of denominations, people groups, and even the Christian/Catholic/Orthodox divide. And yet these ideas were met with a brick wall. And it just really got to me. Part of it might be the fact that I like to be right. I admit it. I enjoy being on the winning side of an argument, and I try to form rational and logical thoughts that will help prove my point. But I think I am right in this situation. I haven't always been this gung-ho about not drinking, but my opinions have grown stronger and stronger over time. But besides my little stint with selfishness, I'm at least a little saddened by the message that was being sent: People are too proud or too stubborn to change, they'll argue their way out of tight places, they'll justify their actions until they're red in the face, and they'll fight to the death to prove their point of view. So the whole discussion about drinking is thrown out the window. It has almost nothing to do with drinking. It has everything to do with pride. And convincing someone that their pride is getting in the way of their relationship with God is a very hard thing to do. I guess I just feel a little helpless. #religion |
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