Retro Christmas Music (Important Update)

The guy responsible for the amazingly free 8-Bit Jesus EP has expanded the release and kept the price the same (free). I mention this for two reasons:

1) It's awesome to get it free, but a $15 donation gets you a fully produced CD.

2) His puppy Ein had some medical problems that are making it tough to pay bills and he could really use the donations.

What better way to help someone who really needs the help? You also get some fun music and a CD for your donation! Everyone wins and the world is a better place. What more could anyone ask for these days?


8-Bit Jesus: Full Album

Merry Christmas!

Old Testament Christmas

If this doesn't help us all figure out what Christmas is all about, I don't know what will:

An Old Testament Christmas

Why do we Christians seem fixated on the most gruesome stories of the Bible and worry constantly about salvation we're all promised?

Retro Christmas Music (Free)

Yes, this is free. Yes it's legal. Yes, it's cool. What are you waiting for?


8-Bit Jesus

Oh, and Merry Retro Christmas!

Just in Time for Christmas

If you order one, remember that I'd like one too. :)

http://www.thedinosaurjesus.com/

What's New?

I've been so distracted with politics and living that I haven't posted here recently. So it's time to move forward, but maybe it would be good to bring up a few things that have happened since my last post:

1) The Catholic Church has decided to pronounce their public fear of technology again. Yeah. It's all the fault of technology. :/

2) During the recent election, three states decided to restrict freedoms for a portion of the populace for some unjustifiable and completely UN-Christlike reason. Interesting how so many of those promoting these new laws claim to be Christians and still have trouble embracing the call to treat others as they would like to be treated.

3) The economy of the United States and others worldwide have been experiencing what some refer to as a prolonged mental recession. It would be nice if we would take some of the energy spent worrying about the future and get busy feeding the hungry and housing the homeless. I suppose I'm just whining, though.

4) All in all, things are about the same as they were before. The volume is turned up on some issues and down on others. People are suffering and people are getting relief. So far, however, it seems that the Large Hadron Collider hasn't destroyed the world yet.

There has been much more going on, but I'll stop now and ask what you think about these issues.

Oh, and thanks for popping in to see if I've died. ;)

Been a while...

I've not died. I'm just preoccupied with technology, work, and politics... things that I probably shouldn't be cluttering a religiously-focused blog with. So here's a funny "thanks for sticking around" post:

Conventional Logic Vs. Religious Logic
(found on The Best Article Every Day)

Faith-Based Initiatives

What exactly are "Faith-Based Initiatives"? I'm told that the US government office using that title has historically been a politically-focused office. I'm not sure it's the best representative of this concept. Lots of talk has been generated recently about Obama's resurrection of the idea, so I thought it might be a good thing to discuss.

Who should qualify for funds allocated by such a department? What should it strive to achieve? Is this a good idea? What about the separation of church and state?

Most importantly, what exactly is "Faith"?

JWSTSOOY #007: Faith Healing Instead of Medicine

Prayer is wonderful. Faith is a good thing. I have it, but I don't impose it on others. It's a very personal thing. I wouldn't want someone to judge me on mine and I try my best not to judge others, but it's hard not to find fault on this kind of awful abuse of someone's own children:

Teen from faith healing family dies at Ore. home

This couple were members of the Followers of Christ group in Oregon, and this horrible, easily preventable outcome is consistent with previous deaths associated with members of this group.

Jesus was modern in his own time. So was every prophet who ticked off the authorities or said anything radical for his time. What's wrong with accepting the idea that modern medicine could be a gift from God too? The talents of scientists and doctors I see as such a gift. You shouldn't trust anything (including science or medicine) blindly. I would ask anyone who relies on prayer instead of medical care to read that last sentence again and then post a thoughtful response.

Gay Marriage

Why do people get their proverbial panties in a wad when a homosexual couple gets married? I simply don't understand. Can someone please explain this to me?

If you have no idea why I mention this now, check this out.

Earth + Plastic + Plastic Eaters = :)

For everyone fretting over the future of the planet as we coat it in plastic, it seems Daniel Burd in Waterloo may have found at least the beginnings of a solution to our mess.

Let's hope this pans out!

You have to admire...

You may not be a fan of hip hop or scratch music, but given that this Japanese girl is only 9 and her brother (or friend?) is only 6, you have to admire the God-given talent apparent here:



If you believe (as I do) that Art can be the purest expression of faith, it's all relevant. Want more? Check out the SaraScratch YouTube Page.

Sometimes Faith is Boring

Have you ever found yourself at the point where you're bored with faith? Not that you don't believe anything anymore (although I suppose that could be at play here too), but more along the lines of not feeling the spark of faith... like the honeymoon is over. I guess I shouldn't expect that I will always be a frenetic happy point in my experience of faith.

Usually when I find myself here it's because there's some "hard work" to be done. You know what I mean: The messy, scary stuff!

What do you do to put the romance back into your faith?

Break Time: Home Video

All music videos should be made at home if they come out this cool!

Living In Tolerance

What is intolerance? In the definition I find most useful for this discussion, dictionary.com says it is the incapacity or indisposition to bear or endure. That definition begs the question: Why are we intolerant? This is a much harder question to answer, but I think it typically boils down to four reasons that I will phrase from my own perspective:

• I have experienced something irritating or offensive that I refuse to revisit.
  
• I have a prejudice against something I refuse to tolerate.
  
• Something I have never experienced before seems similar to something I can not tolerate.
  
• Something frightens me and my reaction is to reject it.

Given the above, it seems that intolerance isn't always a bad thing. There are reasonable circumstances that would trigger the conditions above. Some of those you and I might not agree upon, but that doesn't make them any less valid. In other words, my reasonable intolerances may seem unreasonable to you. Hopefully they don't trigger your level of reasonable intolerance.

Whew!

This can easily cause conflict even when everyone is reacting in a way that is reasonable for them. So where is the gold here? I think it's in giving people room to be who they are... to meet people where they are even when they seem irrational or unreasonable. I'm still working on this.

What do you think?

Not sure what to say

So let's say you've done something wrong. (Of course, you and I are perfect, so this is strictly academic.) And let's say you've just recognized what you've done and are living in that moment between realization and resolution. You're not sure what to say or do to make things better... if that's even possible.

Does the Bible talk of this state of being? It's one we rarely talk about except quietly to ourselves. Many people I know (including me) are exceptionally talented at playing such scenes over and over in our heads, but to what advantage? If I'm able to come to a healthier conclusion about how to categorize my actions or react to them, it would seem this is a wonderful exercise, but so often that's not the case.

What do you do when you find yourself in this place? I suppose it depends on the circumstances, but maybe a little public discussion about this is in order. When this happens to me (all too often, it seems) lately I've been trying to find a balance - that delicate balance - trying not to feel awful and unforgivable without letting myself off "the hook" too easily. It's tough, but I have to wonder aloud if it's not a fairly universal experience. It seems easier for me to forgive others than to forgive myself. Even though sometimes I'm as hard on other people as I am myself, I'm able to let go of my judgement of others more easily.

Maybe it comes down to this: How easily should we forgive ourselves?

Let's Learn Together: Grand Mosque Seizure

I work with a wonderful Pakistani man and we both enjoy having regular spirited discussions about religion, politics, and world events. Being very ignorant about Islam, I take every opportunity to encourage him to elaborate on the subject when it comes up in conversation. Today, he began educating me on the Grand Mosque Seizure of 1979. It was quite the turning point in the history of Islam and I'm going to learn as much as I can.

Do you know anything about this event? Can you recommend any good books or anecdotes on the subject? I'll share what I learn along the way so we can all learn together.

Defending God (Please, Just Shut Up)

I had one discussion with my parents when I was a teen about the existence of God. It went something like this:

Me: I'm not sure... I mean... I don't know if... Sometimes I think God doesn't exist.

Father: YOU'RE WRONG! YOU'RE JUST WRONG! (repeat as needed)

Mother: (silence)

Let's just say it wasn't very helpful in my struggle with belief or the existence of God. Now comes Rep Monique Davis of Illinois. It seems that she and my Dad may have graduated from the same school of theological debate.

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/04/08/ill-rep-monique-davi.html

JWSTSOOY #006: Yearning for Zion Ranch (Polygamists)

WTF is up with Texas and weird, explosive/abusive religious cults? I mean, I live here and it's really puzzling me. I don't know. Here's the latest as of yesterday:

Authorities make another arrest in search of Texas polygamist compound

Race and Religion in America

So why is it that the last bastion of open separation between races and ethnicities is within our churches, synagogues, and temples? Is it because we feel compelled to separate by ethnicity for worship? Is the nature of worship itself inherently racist? Do we feel so battered by (un)spoken ethnic division in public that we need the shelter of segregated worship in order to recover? Or is it something else?

I think there must be something deep within us, either installed during our childhood or inherited, that makes us suspicious of things that are different. If you're not familiar with someone else's religion, skin color, or culture, it's easier to be wary of it. Prejudice (i.e. natural prejudgement to stimulus) is not necessarily a bad thing - it can be a helpful survival technique. How we react to it and what lessons we take away from that immediate judgement of the unfamiliar can be very problematic. When we use merely symbolic differences between people as justifications for paranoia (see my last post), that is a serious problem.

To think that the US is free of negative stereotypes and prejudices is ignorance. So what do we do about it? I've been trying to actively examine my reactions and prejudices and come to new conclusions. Only God knows if I'm making things better or just different. I know that staying complacent isn't a healthy option, so I'll keep going and let you know how it goes.

What are you doing and what do you think?

Michelle Obama's Thesis

There is a new viral e-mail floating around. It's not a virus hoax trying to convince you your keyboard will soon explode... although it's formatted almost that badly. This letter, which was just forwarded to me by a family member, is full of misquotes, pejorative speculation about Mrs Obama, and unverifiable accusations about her opinions and those of people around her. In other words, it's crap. After a quick search, I've just started to read her 1985 college thesis and I'll admit it's complex and as difficult to read at times as many other college thesis papers I've seen. It is not, however, what this awful, misleading e-mail makes it out to be. Unfortunately, the e-mail has the potential to rouse the irrational, race-paranoid side of American consciousness and that concerns me.

In it, she deals head-on with some of the heavy, heady issues associated with race and how Black people who integrate into larger (White) culture might run the risk of losing touch with Black culture. Lets face it, this is very dangerous territory. Taking lines of it out of context and slapping inflammatory accusations around them to rouse people's race fears is ludicrous and horrifyingly effective in getting many White people scared of her intentions. It would be sad if our knee-jerk reaction to this 22-year old paper causes a permanent shift in the nature of our political debate. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be a surprise if it did.

If you're curious about the document, feel free to read it (linked above) or check out the Snopes.com review of Michelle Obama's Thesis. I'm sure it will be coming to a radio, TV, or inbox of your's very soon.

Today Should Be A Special Day!

Christians believe Christ died for our sins. He took our place - dying for us so we wouldn't have to die. Through this selfless act, He showed that death isn't the end. Didn't Judas' betrayal merely act as a catalyst bringing about the inevitable? So many people bemoan what Judas did, but wasn't it necessary? Wasn't he an important part of that critical reason Christ came to Earth?

March 31st should be "Give Judas a Freakin' Break" day.

Fellowship or Hollow-ship?

So what is the nature of fellowship in the modern church? It seems like a nice enough idea, but I've talked to some people who bristle at the idea. I think it must be that there is so much plastic emotion permeating our fellowship halls that spending time with those people outside of church services is not appealing to many.

I'm fortunate to have found a faith group that is so relaxed and easy to hang out with that I don't mind spending time with them throughout the week. But I've been a member of a few churches where the members were a bit overenthusiastic if you know what I mean. If the happiness is forced, I'm out the door.

Have you had an experience with false emotions at your church?

Happy Easter!

Who Needs Help? (#0001)

People have begun to build shanty towns after being foreclosed on due to the current US mortgage crisis.



What are we doing to help these people?

Love and Patience

Christ indicates that love should be infinitely patient. But are there times when unconditional loving is not the right answer?

Sometimes it could be that loving (even when it doesn't seem right) is the right thing to do, but I suppose that isn't always true. Sometimes the loving thing is to stop enabling and start the tough love. It just seems that the experiences I've had with "tough love" are 10% love, 40% self-interest, and 50% bullsh*t. I guess it's all about how you go about loving someone.

How do you help someone you love get the help you think they need?

Avoiding Politics

I've composed various posts on politics in the last few weeks, but have decided to post very few of them. This is just a note to let you know that I will do my best to refrain from commenting on such news as I think there is plenty of other sources of my points of view and this blog isn't called to play the political game.

I hope to have a new post on a different subject here very soon. If you have any opinions on this decision, feel free to post away in the comments.

Letting Go Vs Giving Up

There are passages in the Bible about letting go of this small world and allowing God into your life. The problem is, I think sometimes people interpret these passages as an excuse to stop caring about anything and to give up on life or anything difficult. With Christ as an example for how to live, I think we can see that He isn't advocating that life should be given up easily or that we should take this life frivolously. Considering all of this, I have to wonder where the line should be drawn between being concerned about this life and when to be willing to let go.

I suppose it's a highly personal choice, but I'm hoping you can help shed some light on it from your perspective. When do you let go and when should you take life seriously?

JWSTSOOY #005a: John Hagee

McCain's Incendiary Supporter

So what is it about so many religious leaders saying such stoopid, un-Jesus things? McCain needs to reject and denounce this bozo as quickly as possible if he really doesn't agree with his hateful, brainless, intolerant speech.

WWJVF in 2008?

So who would Jesus vote for? The question was asked a LOT during the 2000 and 2004 race since one of the frontrunners was said to be a born again Christian. This time around, although religion is certainly important, the candidates aren't (yet) being held up to this litmus test.

Assuming the four candidates were Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, and Mike Huckabee (in alphabetical order by first name, BTW), Who Would Jesus Vote For in 2008?

Should Churches Be Taxed?

I haven't really dug into this, and I probably should before opening my big virtual mouth, but I think it's high time churches and other similar religious institutions were taxed. Why aren't they to begin with? Is it because they do so much good for the community? Well, I can think of a few instances where not only have some churches harmed the common good, but also have unabashedly raked in enough cash to make Solomon blush. There are also plenty of non-faith-based organizations that perform excellent community services. I think it's time to rethink this special loophole for churches.

It seems to me that we should instead be giving modest tax breaks to people who work for and people who provide direct services for any organization that brings help to those in need. If those people then want to contribute to the well-being a religious entity of their preference, then such a tax break would make it possible.

I know I'm not really ed-u-ma-cated on this subject, so help me learn! What do you think?

Finished the Pullman Trilogy

So I'm done. Whew!

***Mini Spoilers Below! - Proceed At Your Own Risk!***

I'm not convinced this is the great Atheist treatise so many people wind up believing it is. It's a nice story. Sometimes there are points in the narrative that I wish he would just tell me what he's getting at - almost as if he wants to say something with his allegories, but can't easily put it into words. At those times, his prose suffers, but generally it's a good set of fantasy books.

Yes, there are points in the stories where most religious people would be offended or consider them too controversial (for one reason or another) to be children's material. This is definitely intentional on Pullman's part and impossible to miss (heavy handed?). There are points where the underlying message seemed a bit forced and occasionally disrupt the flow of the story. It's still a worthy read.

I get the feeling that Pullman is less of an Agnostic or a Satanist as he sometimes promotes himself (to great consternation for some and attention in general) and more of a dedicated (reckless?) heretic. In that, he and I are have some points of agreement. In other aspects of faith, we differ greatly. If nothing else, it's a great book for allowing you to examine your thoughts on some very important points of faith. For that, it does succeed and is recommendable. I would argue that, when approached with an open and curious state of mind (i.e. not blindly), the Bible already fills this need in our existing theological bibliography. The inevitable controversy surrounding interpretations and abuses of the Bible, however, creates a vacuum that this trilogy fits into fairly well.

The ending (which I will not give away, but is complete with a thought-provoking "Hmmmmmm" moment) is saved until the very last sentence. If anyone else has read through all three books, let's talk about what it all meant in the comments.

Maharishi Maheshi Yogi Left Us on Tuesday

Who was Maharishi Maheshi Yogi? Although many influences were quickly awakening American spiritual sensibilities to Eastern religious practices, Maharishi can be arguably considered one of the earliest and most influential Eastern spiritual influences during the Summer of Love. He was the founder of Transcendental Meditation (TM). Pop culture icons from the Beatles to Donovan, Mia Farrow to Clint Eastwood, David Lynch to the Beach Boys followed him at some point during American culture's fascination with Maharishi and TM.

He died on Tuesday, but as he purportedly told the Beatles when their manager died, we should, "[not get] overwhelmed by grief, and to -- whatever thoughts we have [...] to keep them happy, because any thoughts we have of him will travel to him wherever he is."

Is Coffee Evil?

I know the Mormons aren't crazy about coffee, but I have to wonder aloud why this is so... and why the rejection of this by non-Mormons seems pretty universal. To understand more, here's a quick quote from Mormonism for Dummies:

The Lord's response, contained in D&C section 89, covered far more than just tobacco; it also restricted the consumption of wine, liquor, meat, and hot drinks (today interpreted to mean tea and coffee of any temperature). Although many Mormons understand this scripture as suggesting that all caffeine is bad and should be avoided, this idea isn't official Church doctrine; the Church allows members to decide that issue for themselves, and some members choose to drink cola.

Sounds a little strange to me, but then I'm not the intended audience.

Having said all of that, yesterday I decided to restrict my consumption of coffee (and other caffeine-containing comestibles) to one mug in the morning (about 12 ounces). Yesterday I was really sleepy for a good portion of the day and today I'm more awake in general, but still feeling a little disconnected. Why put myself through this? Although this is the season of Lent (where many people decide to give up something and reflecting on how they are connected with "things" in this world), my reasons are more personal... I hate being addicted to anything and I had begun feeling the morning coffee ritual was necessary to get through the day. Also, my sleeping patterns have been screwy lately, so I figured it couldn't hurt.

What, if anything, are you giving up for lent? And what do you think of coffee/caffeine from a drug/ethics perspective?

So what is this thing we call "doubt"?

Doubt, as you may have guessed I would say given the last two posts, is the result of unresolved feelings about our imperfections. In the same way our rejection of our imperfections is completely dysfunctional and can lead us to desperate solutions (i.e sins) that distance us from God, others, and our true selves (i.e. the result of our sin), the continuation of the unresolved feelings leads us to replay those feelings in our minds without resolution. This is guilt.

If our sins hurt other people, this guilt intensifies. It's often intermingled with a sense of responsibility and/or justice which can lead people to confuse the two. Letting go of our negative associations with imperfection is different than letting go of responsibility. One can be done without the other. Since we are more familiar with a clear definition of responsibility, we sometimes let go of that thinking it will solve the guilt and fix the underlying association with our distrust of things imperfect. The truth is the exact opposite.

Realizing that God will forgive your sins and then making amends for how those sins hurt everyone (including yourself) is the first step. After that, the more nebulous, complex, difficult, and rewarding step is to embrace your imperfections and love yourself. This allows you to love others and God more fully as well. You take responsibility for your sins and also take the steps necessary to resolve your guilt.

So what's the most important commandment? Say it with me...

I'm rambling again, aren't I? Help me out here!

Imperfection isn't Sin

Here are my quick, unfiltered thoughts on this subject, but I need your help to work through this!

Sin is what separates us from God, others, and our true selves. Imperfection is what makes us unique. Confusing the two has lead generation after generation into self-doubt, judgement, and sadness.

We seem to spend so much time covering up our imperfections... trying to live up to some ideal that nobody can achieve so we will feel loved and important. (bear with me here) Only reflections from the past, whether they be tangible like photographs or intangible like memories, are given the general cultural approval of "perfect"... but even these are imperfect in their own way. They are an illusion and (as a result) not everyone agrees what they are or how to achieve them. Striving to meet those conflicting expectations is impossible, damaging and pointless. Ultimately it distances us from loving ourselves.

Look: All there is in this world is the journey and if we fill up that process with hollow pursuits, we're more easily led to things that promise a big payoff, but only distance us from loving ourselves (imperfections and all). That is the definition of sin.

Instead, we should make the most of our time and enjoy the journey. You can choose what to fill it with. Make it something beautiful and wonderful. Does someone else not approve of that? Sounds like that's their issue... Not your's. Let go of all the crap you carry around... or at least put it down for a while. I think you'll find it allows you to pick up something much more satisfying. When you stop worrying about your imperfections and loving yourself because of them (maybe just in spite of them at first until you get the hang of it), you have more room to love other people's imperfections. Then you're loving (!!!) which brings you close to others and God. Just try it!

I will struggle with this for the rest of my life. And you should too. It's good.

Perfection is Imperfection

First of all, I've finished the Subtle Knife and have made good progress in the final book of Pullman's trilogy, the Amber Spyglass. But we'll chat about that another time...

It struck me as I was driving home last night (and in the past) that I really love those moments in church where everything goes wrong. When the next overhead slide has the wrong words, I rejoice. When someone singing into the microphone forgets the lyrics or plays a wrong chord, I beam with happiness. When things go wrong, Everything is right.

So many churches spend Monday through Saturday desperately hunting down and eliminating these "embarrassing" moments... as if imperfection were abhorrent in the eyes of God. I see it is exactly the opposite. The moment my church has such a polished product that we consecutively have "perfect" services, I'm out the door. (btw: I don't think it will ever happen)

We should celebrate our blemishes! After all, if God is perfect, the only thing that differentiates us from Him may be our imperfections. Although they might not seem wonderful to us, they're all we really have. Isn't there something wonderful about that? If God had wanted us to be nothing more than exact clones of Him throughout our life, don't you think He would have done just that? And yet here we are... warts and all.

And I love it. Now go be imperfect and rejoice!

The Subtle Knife - Making progress

So I'm making excellent progress through the Pullman trilogy and am just about finished with the second of the three books: The Subtle Knife. The author's intentions are radiantly clear as never before. There is no doubt of what's going to happen in the third book nor of what the outcome will likely be:

*Spoiler Alert*
-=Here's another chance to look away if you intend to read the books=--

What's coming is an epic battle between God (as the establishment defines it) and "what is right" (i.e. what Pullman and his sympathetic characters believe). It's most likely going to have the main female character (Lyra) become an unwitting hero who is sacrificed for the betterment of mankind. Knowing the difference between our reality and that of this book (and what Pullman has said he thinks), the establishment will likely win and the "morale" will be that this is a bad thing but that we have a choice to reject our notion of god to create a better world. I'm not sure there is not some sympathy to be shared with this vision, but I can see why many people would have trouble with this collection being marketed to children. Then again, think about what kind of pollution is fed to kids in the name of the Church these days.

We'll see what happens... What do you think?

Finished the Golden Compass

***Spoiler Alert***
-=Skip this message if you're planning to read any of these books and don't want to know what happens!=-

I've finished the first of three books in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy: The Golden Compass. If you've seen the movie, you haven't actually been exposed to everything in the first book. It is toward the end of the book that Pullman begins to reveal more what could be considered the true intended nature of this work.

At this point Lyra meets up with her uncle/father Lord Asriel and we learn more about his experiments with dust (and his true nature) - he isn't really as admirable as I had been led to think. It seems that this character is used by Pullman to exemplify people who consider all sorts of ecumenical reflections on the Bible and yet still come away with selfish, poisonous interpretations. If I'm to understand the intent of Pullman's words, knowing that he has been publicized (intentionally or otherwise) as both an atheist and a satanist, I might assume this is what he would consider to be the "best" result from trying to merge religion and science short of rejecting God and the Bible. Assuming we put aside this (IMO) flawed conclusion, I think there is much good to be derived from what he has brought to the table.

There are many people who read (or think they've studied) the Bible and use it to justify all sorts of awful things. It all comes down to interpretation. The beauty of having a tool like the Bible is that (with the exception of differing translations) it isn't really changing dramatically at this point - at least not like it was 1900 years ago. It can act as a kind of gestalt, against which we can see the true nature of a person or an organization. To come to the conclusion that the Bible itself (or the Koran, an astronomy book, the daily newspaper...) is evil would be a mistake. I'm not sure that this is what Pullman intends. I still have two more books to read in this series. We'll see...

What do you think?

Update on Golden Compass

I'm making good progress on the audiobook of Philip Pullman's Golden Compass. So far, I see little to get excited about in terms of a covert plot to turn our children into atheists. Maybe I'm missing something, but there we are. I would say I'm a little more than a third done and I've heard some decidedly negative things coming from his representation of the human political manifestation of faith (the church) but then I guess I agree with him on that.

Remember kids: Heresy is an imperative in this modern world.