Month: December 2010
BBC – In pictures: Harriers final flight
Which culture wins?
In Austria, an Austrian man is fined for yodeling, as it offends his Muslim neighbor:
This raises a question: when two cultures come together, how do they begin to integrate? I mean, on the myriad differences between them, who determines which culture wins, and how is that determination made?
I would suggest that the majority culture should hold sway. If I’m living in Austria, with a rich tradition of yodeling, perhaps I should modulate my thinking to accept yodeling. It seems quite rude to move into someone’s home and demand they cease centuries old traditions to protect my sensibilities.
If money were no object . . .
h/t lex
Culture Change, Illustrated
In 1923 Charlie Chaplin made the movie, The Pilgrim. In it, Chaplin plays an escaped con who poses as a Pastor. Chaplin’s character, The Pilgrim, preaches a sermon on David and Goliath. Since it’s a silent film, the only aids to the audience’s understanding is one card (which reads, “The Sermon will be on David and Goliath”) and Chaplin’s body language. As I watched it I was able to understand the story, including David taking stones from the stream. Then two things dawned on me:
1) In 1923 Chaplin thought it was believable that an escaped convict would be familiar with the story of David and Goliath.
2) In 1923 Chaplin thought an average movie audience would be able to follow the story of David and Goliath with only his body language.
That led to a further thought:
Would both of those assumptions hold today?
Laws & Morality
The Telegraph publishes a story about Switzerland reconsidering incest laws. In the midst of the article comes this quote from a member of the Swiss Parliament:
“Incest is a difficult moral question, but not one that is answered by penal law,” he said.
via Switzerland considers repealing incest laws – Telegraph.
His quote makes me wonder: aren’t most laws moral questions? Take murder as an example. Isn’t it illegal because society deems it immoral? The current fight over same-sex marriage seems to be a moral argument that may or may not change the laws. Perhaps, in free societies, laws often reflect our social answer to moral questions.
Consider something Jesus said about morality:
“But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.” (Matthew 15:18 ESV)
Truly Jesus is not speaking of how social norms become law. Yet, isn’t it a similar principle? When laws are passed by a legislature they reflect the heart of the people–at least to some extent. When they don’t reflect that heart, well the past two years of American politics has shown what happen.
Brad Baugham on Parenting
From the Gospel Coalition:
How We View Our Children Determines How We Disciple Them – The Gospel Coalition Blog.
Whether or not your children ever profess Christ, whether or not they ever get better grades than Theo, our kids always need the same message: the hope of the gospel. That is their greatest need.
Amen.
Bang! New Video of the Navy’s Record-Setting Railgun | Defense Tech
Pretty cool video of the Navy’s Railgun.
Bang! New Video of the Navy’s Record-Setting Railgun | Defense Tech.
10 Commandments of Scripture Interpretation | Out of Ur | Conversations for Ministry Leaders
Good advice from a seminary classmate:
10 Commandments of Scripture Interpretation | Out of Ur | Conversations for Ministry Leaders.
Why does Jesus require all of me?
Previously, we looked briefly at Christ’s standard for becoming His disciple. To be a Christian, Jesus teaches, one must renounce everything else and follow Christ. Now, this raises a good question. Why must I renounce everything to follow Jesus? Why does Jesus place such a high entrance requirement upon us? The answer is found in two of Jesus’ Parables.
In Matthew 13:44-46 Jesus describes the Kingdom of Heaven in similar, yet distinct, ways. On the one hand, the kingdom is like a pearl of great price. Upon finding a pearl of great value, a merchant sells all he has in order to buy the pearl! On the other hand the Kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field, for which a man joyfully sells all he has in order to buy the field and secure the treasure.
In both cases the man finds something he values more than all of his possessions. Therefore, he willingly (and joyfully) sells all to gain that prize he found. So it is with the kingdom. Consider the kingdom Jesus speaks of. It is eternal; it is perfect. In this kingdom there is justice and righteousness, there is peace and rest. This kingdom ushers in perfection. This kingdom, the kingdom of heaven, is life as God intends it to be!
Now, compare this kingdom to our present lives. Our lives are short and imperfect. We are beset by injustices, great and small. We experience little rest and much trouble. No matter how long we live, we don’t grow toward perfection—we decay toward the grave. This is what we are called to give up. We are called to leave behind this life and embrace the life of His Kingdom, learning and allowing Him to transform us, so that we might enjoy the fullness of this Kingdom forever.
Half measures are no good. We cannot stay where we are and enter His kingdom. Either what Christ offers us is more valuable that everything we already have, or it is not. If it is not, we are fools to accept His offer. But, if it is then we must leave behind this life and embrace His kingdom. Sadly, most of us pay lip service and act as if that should be good enough. We say, “I’ll follow you Jesus,” but we never actually do.
Brandon Markette 