A Christian Viewpoint

I have been watching the weather radar and the approaching winter storm. My prayers have been somewhat answered so far… the snow keeps missing us. I know we will be getting hit sometime tonight.

So, I was going through my kodak image files and saw a picture of a monarch resting on a sprig of lilac flowers. I thought it might be nice to show you something from a warmer time before the storm hits. I can just imagine what kind of pictures will be posted on the net tommorow.

Ok snow… I’m ready for you!

Take the central theme “you are saved by faith, not of works.” Is that a boulder or a stone? Depends. Behind that central theme there are a lot of scriptures that a person could use to support the idea. The more scriptures the bigger the boulder. This is a pretty big boulder.

Yet there are scriptures that would modify that point such as “without works faith is dead.” That scripture itself is a central theme and I consider it to be a stone.

Because they appear to be in opposition to each other…

There were many fights in the church depending on whether you were standing on that boulder or the other particular stone. Yet at the upper most reaches of the river, where it begins, is a rock. It is that Rock, that was split (remember Moses striking the rock), and out gushes life giving water. Eventually all the love and grace, that is the water of the river, will wear down those stones and boulders. They will become part of the flow. No man will be able to stand on them for they will be moving in love and grace.

Where does this river full of life, substance and people end? In a lush valley we call The Promised Land.

The Message by: Eugene H. Peterson
publisher: Navpress
religionThis book I found to be an exasperation to my soul. It is a contemporary language bible translation. As with most new translations there are trouble spots when comparing the text to the King James version of the bible. I am not of the opinion that the King James is the best translation. It is though a good translation if one keeps in mind that the use of words have altered somewhat. Where passages seem strange or downright ridiculous,  a Strong’s Exhaustive concordance does wonders. This is not the case with The Message. Here are some of my impressions of The Message.

The Old testament

I don’t really have that much of a problem with the Old Testament of The Message. The language is simpler and they have taken some of the boring, highly repetitive  passages and made them an easier read. In some places I found that the way of writing a passage was made clearer. Overall the whole of the Old Testament was a nice read. I don’t have too many things to say about how Peterson handled the translation. Of course a rabbi may have plenty to complain about.

The New Testament

Here is where my exasperation begins. It took me three months of casual reading time to get through the old. It took me close to four months of casual reading time to get through the new. Why? What was written didn’t have the familiar ring I was expecting. Every page, paragraph and sometimes a single verse didn’t seem right. I spent most of my time with a different bible open having to compare passages. I found that too often the intended meaning of the text in The Message was not in line with the New International Version I was using.

I like the passage where it compares the word of God to a sharp two edged sword. To separate between bone and muscle. To separate between soul and spirit. Yet to accomplish this it is important what words are used, and what they mean is very important. Some would say that this would then become legalism. However there needs to be discernment in what is being written or you run the risk of accepting a different gospel other than the one that the apostles preached. I am not saying that Peterson is writing a different gospel. I do however say that a watered down version of the gospel has its own dangers. When a sharp instrument is needed for surgery, like a two edged sword, it is totally un-acceptable to use a iron bar. Simple language does not give a precise answer, only an easier to understand answer. That answer then may not be effective.

Easy to digest food? Hebrews talks about the milk of the word. No chewing over the text and easy to swallow. I would say that The Message would be good for the beginner. Those who are new to the kingdom. They would get a general overview of the scriptures. Yet we are not to remain children in understanding. To do this we need precision. This is where one needs the meat of scripture to grow into Christian adulthood. The Message fails miserably for that purpose. It is great as a story book and it is terrible as a manual. The use of  The Message for long-term study would be ineffective and could retard the growth of individuals. I would go further and say that it would hamper the church where knowledge and its application are needed.

As with many modern translations some of the passages are modified to become Politically Correct. Where the bible would talk about “brothers”, The Message would talk about about brothers and sisters. These are minor changes. Yet in some places these changes may have gone too far. My pastor says that one area of influence is the local group and the local group will have its own customs. This politically correct interpretation may be fine if one remembers that it is a local custom (Peterson’s custom) and not the exact interpretation of the word. I find that with only a few exceptions the new testament of the scripture by Peterson is one giant politically correct exercise of his faith. Because of this you are getting a slightly (or greatly) skewed understanding of the scriptures.

In his striving to make things easier to understand Peterson sometimes goes too far. As an example in one place his translation gives credence to those who believe in replacement theology. That is only good if you believe that Christians have inherited all the promises of the old testament and have replaced Israel as God’s chosen people. Of course, we have not replaced Israel. We have better promises based on a better covenant as Peter writes in Hebrews. Other times Peterson must of had a bad day. Instead of using contemporary language that most would understand he would use a more esoteric word that would be understood by few. (Like my use of “esoteric” to point that out?) Fortunately that does not occur often. Another strange example is where Peterson has taken a whole passage of one of the gospels and puts in its place a simpler explanation from a different gospel. Again, fortunately those are rare.

I could go on but I think you get the point I am trying to make. If you are a baby in Christ then The Message is an appropriate read. If you want a homogenized, cold filtered and pasteurized, skim milk bible to read, and wish to remain an infant in understanding, make The Message your study bible. On the other hand if you wish to hone that sword of the Lord, get a better translation such as the New King James Version or others like it and start reading, comparing and praying. Knowledge is given to those who seek for it in the right places.

So, I was watching TV and felt that I wanted to have a small little snack. Just something light to nibble on. Raising myself from my chair I travelled to the fridge. When you have done something thousands of times it becomes automatic. Standing in front of the fridge I doubt that my feet were more than a millimeter off from every other time I stood there. Hah, you could probably see the imprints of my feet in the floor from where I have so often stood to open the door.

Grasping the handle I swing the door open… yet as I opened the door it seemed to snag on something. Mind you, it didn’t prevent me from opening the door but it did impede its progress a little. So I closed the door and the same thing happened. Several times I did this, testing, trying to figure out what the problem could be. Was it the hinges beginning to seize up? Too much stuff in the door shelves? I couldn’t quite figure out what the door seemed to be snagging on.

After several more attempts I finally figured out what the problem was… my figure. As I was opening the door it swung out and touched my T-shirt. Oh well the T-shirt does fit rather snuggly these days. I didn’t think I ate that much for supper. Nor could it be the popcorn I ate later. Or the large bowl of icecream. Or the donut. The two cookies. The extra french fries. The glass of milk and the two peanutbutter crackers. Etc.

Now really, I only ate one little extra pound of TV fare yet the proof that I am eating too much was right there in front of me. Time to go on a diet? I guess I have to. If not it wouldn’t be long before I couldn’t open the fridge door at all. Funny, I must lose some weight so that I can continue to eat.

What a life.

Reprinting my comment from sheepdog’s blog

I love playing my guitar and I hate how my body aches when I do it. I open one of my christian song books and begin to play. I give voice to the words and hope springs into the light. The pain that comes is real but his presence makes rich. There is a time coming when there will be no more pain… only the joy will remain. What a wonderful day that will be.

As the Crow Flies by Jeffrey Archer
publisher: HarperPaperbacks 1991
fiction

Now this was one delightful book to read. The story follows the fictional life of Charlie Trumper. From his early childhood (1900) until his retirement (1970). The story begins with him as a child at his grandfather’s barrow in the Whitechapel district of London. These were flat carts, waist high, on wheels with some shelves that would hold produce: potatoes, celery, apples, oranges, etc. They would take up some space along a sidewalk and the owners of the barrow would start their sales pitch. There the story starts and winds its way through seven decades.

The book is broken up into 13 different sections. Each section is narrated from the point of view of one of the characters in the book. Some characters, like Charlie, have more than one section. The sections, time lines, overlap so that what appears as a mystery in one section gets its answer in another section. Far from it being repetitive, the stories of each character are entertaining and augment each other.

At nearly 800 pages in the paperback the story flies. Charlie’s life in the great war, the start of his store to become a small empire, the second world war and onward keeps the material fresh. Of course what would a story be without a protagonist? We have the Trentham’s. From the son to his mother you will shake your head. There are a lot of surprises along the way.

Linda recommends this book. She thoroughly enjoyed it. I will admit that I also enjoyed the book as well and recommend it. I have found that many copies are available on Ebay. I am certain that it is still in print.

I don’t clean the house often enough for Linda’s tastes. I must admit that cleaning is the last thing on my mind. Oh, I have the time, but I seem to be blind when it comes to clutter. Until I want to find something buried in a mound someplace.

Today I felt like taking a bold step and clean up the clutter on the couch and coffee table. No-one ever sits on the couch so it becomes a repository for everything transitory. What’s even better is that the coffee table is right against the couch so the two of us can really pile it on at times. Today I decided to dive in. Grabbed a couple of bags and began sorting it out.

First the garbage, kleenex tissues rolled up into little balls. A few wrappers from candy, a cup cake wrapper, the remains of shelled nuts and a popsicle stick. Oh, can’t forget the empty pop-can and the empty bag of chips, doritos and an un-named bag of mysterious origin. As well as a plastic container that held a few chips.

Now the major throw-aways. We just took out a temporary subscription to the Spectator. Haven’t read most of them. They are being delivered bound by a rubber band. So I save the bands in a dish and throw out the paper, two, three, four and the old tv guides for the past month.

Next came the potential file-aways. Letters and other correspondence as well as three shopping magazines and a few not so important fliers. Of course there always seems to be the manditory puzzle magazine or two with accompanying pens and pencils enough to outfit a classroom.

Next come the books I have read over the past month. As well as the two books I am curently reading. Not to mention two bibles I use to read and reference and the how to draw book I just started. Then there are her books as well.

Showing real signs of progress now. Just a bunch of random papers and bits and pieces missed from the first cull. At last, only one piece, an 8×11 sheef of paper remains. I pick-up the offending litter only to find that it too was covering an object. It was a book. This is the title:

Living Organized

proven steps

for a clutter-free

and beautiful home

😉

Dune: House Atreides by Brian Herbert w/ Kevin J Anderson
Publisher: Bantam Books (Sci-fi)

This is the first book in the Dune trilogy written by Brian Herbert with Kevin J Anderson. The story line begins about forty plus years before the Dune book that started it all. I should note it here that the story is written completely in threads. The chapters are short. After each chapter you are taken to a different location and a different time. The characters are also changed. Some people have a great dislike to this form of story telling. It is necessary with this trilogy because you are covering a wide panorama of future history. Hmmm… future history? The re-telling of stories that haven’t occurred yet?

The story opens at a time when Baron Harkonnen was actually fit and healthy. When Paulus Atreides, Paul’s grandfather, was Duke of Caladan and his son Leto was a teenager. When the evil emperor of  the “Dune” book was only a manipulating prince. There are so many other characters and their stories are also told. It is enjoyable to read and get the background that made Dune possible.

It is a great “on the bus book” or “coffee break book.”

I use to enjoy the Capitol One commercials on television. Usually it was a couple wanting to use a credit card and a horde of wild men would charge the couple only to be foiled when the couple pulled out their Capitol One Card.

Recently Capitol One has changed the horde of wild men to a scurrying bunch of bankers. They were like mice or rats burrowing through walls or hiding in dark places. Damaging the home and destroying property in the pursuit of a few dollars or fighting over pennies. I am certain that the people at Capitol One believe the commercial to be humorous. That their intended victims of the funny jabs are bankers.

Since they first aired I have found these commercials to be offensive. They are stereo-typing bankers. That alone does not bother me. It isn’t wrong to make bankers the butt of jokes. This is what I see:

A clean cut man coming to the rescue. He wears a baseball cap and wears a brown shirt. His intended foe are those who control the wealth… bankers. The bankers are portrayed as vermin to be eradicated. The white people look to the brownshirted fellow as a helper. He says he could trap them, the bankers. But the best solution is to get rid of them once and for all. Then he pulls out a Capitol One card.

So far? Doesn’t seem to be so bad… not really.

Sadly, I see another stereotype at work in the commercial. Nazis! I remember seeing brownshirted young men wearing baseball caps. They fought against the supposed Zionists. The Zionist bankers, and therefore the Jews, controlled the wealth. I remember seeing the famous propaganda film that talked about the Jew and yet showed rats scurrying in darkened corners or running in the sewers. The poor white Germans needed a saviour. Not to worry, someone in a brownshirt and baseball cap shows up and says that he has the final solution to this infestation of people.

Capitol One wanted me to see bankers being eliminated by their final solution. I hope they didn’t make the parallels with Nazi Germany’s final solution on purpose. Yet that is what I see everytime I see the commercials. It bothers me. If it bothers you say so. Perhaps we can get Capitol One to change their commercials to something a little less offensive to the few of us who are offended.

Here is their contact page:
Capitol One

🙁

Yep, you guessed it. I was walking through the RBG’s arboretum and noticed that many of the trees had caterpillar nests at the end of their branches. I took this shot of an enterprising fellow out for a walk. As best as I can tell it is called a “Fall Webworm”. Latin name for the intellectually fussy is: Hyphantria Cunea.