Part 2.
I think the tone of this blog has been a skeptic's approach to
Christianity, so in line with that today I am asking, what are some
things we can proactively do to encourage building faith internally?
My last idea was Testing. This time I want to discuss Asking.
Asking is much less controversial. Ask and you shall receive, right?
For one, John 16:27, "...Truly I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you've asked nothing in my name. Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full."
Ask for little things. Ask for huge things. Ask for anything. Just try! For so long I rarely or never tried and I have a feeling many of us are like that. Is it self-sufficiency? pride? ...or simply ignorance? Even today I struggle to remember Asking. I sometimes forget that we have this vital luxury.
I wonder if the other world religions allow such a concept.
The fan-favorite blunt theologian James said, "You don't have, because you don't ask." (James 4:2)
But one of the most monumental episodes of Asking in the biblical record is Solomon's story. It rings close to home for me because it ties in so many, very important things: philosophy, theology, judgement, knowledge, discernment, and above all, how to apply these truths in everyday life! Ah, to be the owner of such vast and important information. It's called Wisdom.
Let's briefly revisit the old King Solomon, king of Israel & Judah. After surviving his older brothers' unjust attempts to claim the throne, he ascends and is probably overwhelmed by responsibility. Displaying some uncommon insight (compared to other OT figures), he asks God to give him an understanding, discerning mind for governing God's people. (1 Kings ch. 3)
Not for wealth, success in war, crops, or decendants. He asked for a sharp mind. God ends up being pleased with this powerful request and not only gives him wisdom, but also everything he didn't ask for. He got the prestige, the gold, and the power. And for one of the first times in the historical record God's tribe, "ate, drank, and were happy... [Solomon] had peace on all sides around him... and Judah and Israel lived in safety" (1 Kings 20, 24-25.)
Solomon's request resonated within me. Before I started studying anything at all, especially the Bible itself, I had a yearning to learn. When I relearned Solomon's story for the first time as an adult, I thought it was really interesting. So, I began Asking. And Wisdom was amongst the top of the list.
So, again, be proactive in your faith... if you're doubting, skeptical, atheistic... but perhaps have the will to try... then try Asking. And continue to do so. I wish I could "try" to play the violin, and pick it up on the first time and play like Andrew Bird. But it takes perserverance... and most certainly the right attitude.
Going back to James 4:2-3, "You don't have, because you don't ask. You ask and you don't receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."
Just as in Testing, Asking requires you to have the right motives.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Proactivity Pt. 1
To begin with a butchering of poetry-
What then? Shall we sit idly by...
That phrase came to mind as I began ruminating on this topic. I think the tone of this blog has been a skeptic's approach to Christianity, so in line with that today I am asking, what are some things we can proactively do to encourage building faith?
We can't demand that God show himself to us as Aladdin would to a genie. Furthermore, these days we don't have Christian teachers showing up to dinner parties and turning water into Yellowtail Cabernet. Those days appear to be past us, though we have quite a recollection of them (the Bible.)
Two ideas came to mind though; Testing and Asking.
The first concept of Testing is a bit touchy. I get nervous at the concept. Are we able to test God? Deuteronomy 6:16: "You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah." OK, this is a statement from God via Moses, referring to the Israelite's lack of trust in God's provision. At this point in their journey at Massah, Moses' tribe had been carefully cared for daily with the provision of manna. They had wandered into the land known as "Rephidim." Apparently it wasn't known for it's bountiful streams and springs. I have a feeling the people, upon the realization they would be camping there, were a little pre-emptive in their complaints against Moses' and God's choice of lodging. It even got to the point where Moses feared for his life (Ex. 17:4.) Well, what ended up happening? God told Moses to smash a rock with his staff and water blasted out of it.
Jesus quotes this phrase too. In Matthew 4:7 Jesus says "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test" to none other than the primary antagonist of the world, whose motives must be the essence of evil.
So, in light of some unwise, disgruntled former slaves from Moses' tribe, and the sole being attempting to ruin as much as he can of God's empire, it would certainly appear that Testing God would be something we should avoid.
Or, is it?
A commonly quoted phrase in Malachi 3:10 is: "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need." The passage goes on to explain how much of a reward one can truly receive if he only gives.
Now, considering the context this is in reference to those of Judah/Israel who had given up on God. They had stopped tithing, finding it useless? Or maybe irrelevant? But God says via Malachi, in modern English, "Get over your hang-ups, you're robbing me of what I am owed. Start giving your share, and watch what I will do. Test me, and see how much I can make you grow. I'll bless you beyond your imagination."
OK, so maybe that was one specific reference to a time that God spoke through a prophet to a specific audience giving them directions. Since we aren't supposed to test God, we probably just shouldn't. Well, I don't necessarily think so. After all, 4 verses prior God reminds us, "For I the LORD do not change..." so I think perhaps that "test" or challenge is open to people to this day.
I took it on and I think it changed my life for the better.
Of important note is to examine yourself and to determine where your heart is. Do you want to test God like the Israelites, with bad motivations? Are you complaining?
Or do you actually want to do the right thing? Make sure you are motivated not in order for your own personal gain, but to be in compliance with what we need to give as Christians.
So that's one idea on how to get proactive with your faith - do you want to start seeing results? One step could be to consider stepping up or starting your giving.
Asking is part 2.
What then? Shall we sit idly by...
That phrase came to mind as I began ruminating on this topic. I think the tone of this blog has been a skeptic's approach to Christianity, so in line with that today I am asking, what are some things we can proactively do to encourage building faith?
We can't demand that God show himself to us as Aladdin would to a genie. Furthermore, these days we don't have Christian teachers showing up to dinner parties and turning water into Yellowtail Cabernet. Those days appear to be past us, though we have quite a recollection of them (the Bible.)
Two ideas came to mind though; Testing and Asking.
The first concept of Testing is a bit touchy. I get nervous at the concept. Are we able to test God? Deuteronomy 6:16: "You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah." OK, this is a statement from God via Moses, referring to the Israelite's lack of trust in God's provision. At this point in their journey at Massah, Moses' tribe had been carefully cared for daily with the provision of manna. They had wandered into the land known as "Rephidim." Apparently it wasn't known for it's bountiful streams and springs. I have a feeling the people, upon the realization they would be camping there, were a little pre-emptive in their complaints against Moses' and God's choice of lodging. It even got to the point where Moses feared for his life (Ex. 17:4.) Well, what ended up happening? God told Moses to smash a rock with his staff and water blasted out of it.
Jesus quotes this phrase too. In Matthew 4:7 Jesus says "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test" to none other than the primary antagonist of the world, whose motives must be the essence of evil.
So, in light of some unwise, disgruntled former slaves from Moses' tribe, and the sole being attempting to ruin as much as he can of God's empire, it would certainly appear that Testing God would be something we should avoid.
Or, is it?
A commonly quoted phrase in Malachi 3:10 is: "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need." The passage goes on to explain how much of a reward one can truly receive if he only gives.
Now, considering the context this is in reference to those of Judah/Israel who had given up on God. They had stopped tithing, finding it useless? Or maybe irrelevant? But God says via Malachi, in modern English, "Get over your hang-ups, you're robbing me of what I am owed. Start giving your share, and watch what I will do. Test me, and see how much I can make you grow. I'll bless you beyond your imagination."
OK, so maybe that was one specific reference to a time that God spoke through a prophet to a specific audience giving them directions. Since we aren't supposed to test God, we probably just shouldn't. Well, I don't necessarily think so. After all, 4 verses prior God reminds us, "For I the LORD do not change..." so I think perhaps that "test" or challenge is open to people to this day.
I took it on and I think it changed my life for the better.
Of important note is to examine yourself and to determine where your heart is. Do you want to test God like the Israelites, with bad motivations? Are you complaining?
Or do you actually want to do the right thing? Make sure you are motivated not in order for your own personal gain, but to be in compliance with what we need to give as Christians.
So that's one idea on how to get proactive with your faith - do you want to start seeing results? One step could be to consider stepping up or starting your giving.
Asking is part 2.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Faith & Atheism
If you don't believe in anything, do you believe in nothing?
Is that paradoxical? Does that still require "belief"?
Belief, faith, such interesting words they are. They're also antiquated and, I think, lost a lot of the weight they used to carry in today's society. Believing in things, having faith in things are two concepts that are becoming signs of weakness or ineptitude in those that choose to make them public. Could the common public person actually give a real definition of what "faith" is supposed to mean? But this topic we shall save for another day.
We're all born into the world and when we finally come of age and begin learning, we find there is a choice to make. For the majority of us, it's a tough, difficult decision. Even the most stoic of us can find it heartwrenching.
Why am I here? Is there really a God or are we here by chance? If there is... well, which one of these lunatics am I supposed to listen to to find God? That is, if I really care enough to find out?
Such is the foundation of atheism, or at least some of the questions atheists have answered to the above in the "negative." Before I continue I want to clarify that the term atheist is not meant in any means in a pejorative sense. If you're from a religious background, atheist is a term that has the most dark undertones. You may have the perception atheism equates to evil. You may want to reconsider. It's a viewpoint, not a truth. Allow me to explain.
Atheism is the view that there is no God. Atheism holds this view, among many I'm sure, that Theists (those who believe in God - my definition for the sake of my notes) have constructed God through millenia of rites, ceremonies, society, and a general sense of needing an explanation of the question, "Why?" If you have a high school level education that had one paragraph on world history and traditions, you would come to know that it is very true that humankind did invent their own gods & traditions on the origin of everything and anything. On this point, those who believe and those who don't believe agree. (If you do believe, I am referring to the paganism mentioned ad infinitum in the OT & NT.)
For the purposes of this particular note I only want to emphasize that atheists have faith in their decision to not believe, just as we who do believe put faith in our God. Why.
21st century Atheists have their evidences: evolution, fossil record, science, lack of physical evidence suggesting existence of supernatural beings, flying spaghetti monsters, etc.
21st century Believers have theirs: well for one, the Bible. Faith groups all have their respective "book." As to why the Bible is the be all end all, that is also another blog for another day. The Bible is an all inclusive history, comprised of chronologies and raw evidential letters and first hand accounts. It's a theology of teachings and traditions. It's an explanation (and depending on your faith in the Bible, it's divinely accurate.) We also have the modern day history of the existence of particular characters in the Bible (e.g. David, Solomon, and yes, Jesus) as well as the cultures & civilization that produced it's content.
So, both sides have their evidences. And today, If I were of the atheistic persuasion and asked to verify the non-existence of God, well, I could only present my evidences. I'd have to put faith in the fact that I can't explain why the Big Bang occurred, and why it defied our laws of science. I could certainly guess or hypothesize, but I couldn't be sure myself. All I know is that it happened. I'd have to put faith in the fact that evolution was a chance, albeit a wild and highly unlikely chance, that resulted in my existence and my supposed higher intelligence.
I'd have to put faith in the conclusion that God doesn't exist. I've heard Christians say faith is believing what you don't see. Under the Christian context, this is true. And under the Atheist concept well... I would say they can accept that statement as well, right? They believe that they don't see anything, so that's that.
Atheists can believe, and have faith, that God is a manifestation of humans, and is therefore not real. Atheism isn't a lack of faith. It's just a lack of faith in the things we believe in. If you want to make a difference to Atheism or it's adherents, don't demonize or lecture because they don't believe in what you do. Recognize your differences and speak to them.
Is that paradoxical? Does that still require "belief"?
Belief, faith, such interesting words they are. They're also antiquated and, I think, lost a lot of the weight they used to carry in today's society. Believing in things, having faith in things are two concepts that are becoming signs of weakness or ineptitude in those that choose to make them public. Could the common public person actually give a real definition of what "faith" is supposed to mean? But this topic we shall save for another day.
We're all born into the world and when we finally come of age and begin learning, we find there is a choice to make. For the majority of us, it's a tough, difficult decision. Even the most stoic of us can find it heartwrenching.
Why am I here? Is there really a God or are we here by chance? If there is... well, which one of these lunatics am I supposed to listen to to find God? That is, if I really care enough to find out?
Such is the foundation of atheism, or at least some of the questions atheists have answered to the above in the "negative." Before I continue I want to clarify that the term atheist is not meant in any means in a pejorative sense. If you're from a religious background, atheist is a term that has the most dark undertones. You may have the perception atheism equates to evil. You may want to reconsider. It's a viewpoint, not a truth. Allow me to explain.
Atheism is the view that there is no God. Atheism holds this view, among many I'm sure, that Theists (those who believe in God - my definition for the sake of my notes) have constructed God through millenia of rites, ceremonies, society, and a general sense of needing an explanation of the question, "Why?" If you have a high school level education that had one paragraph on world history and traditions, you would come to know that it is very true that humankind did invent their own gods & traditions on the origin of everything and anything. On this point, those who believe and those who don't believe agree. (If you do believe, I am referring to the paganism mentioned ad infinitum in the OT & NT.)
For the purposes of this particular note I only want to emphasize that atheists have faith in their decision to not believe, just as we who do believe put faith in our God. Why.
21st century Atheists have their evidences: evolution, fossil record, science, lack of physical evidence suggesting existence of supernatural beings, flying spaghetti monsters, etc.
21st century Believers have theirs: well for one, the Bible. Faith groups all have their respective "book." As to why the Bible is the be all end all, that is also another blog for another day. The Bible is an all inclusive history, comprised of chronologies and raw evidential letters and first hand accounts. It's a theology of teachings and traditions. It's an explanation (and depending on your faith in the Bible, it's divinely accurate.) We also have the modern day history of the existence of particular characters in the Bible (e.g. David, Solomon, and yes, Jesus) as well as the cultures & civilization that produced it's content.
So, both sides have their evidences. And today, If I were of the atheistic persuasion and asked to verify the non-existence of God, well, I could only present my evidences. I'd have to put faith in the fact that I can't explain why the Big Bang occurred, and why it defied our laws of science. I could certainly guess or hypothesize, but I couldn't be sure myself. All I know is that it happened. I'd have to put faith in the fact that evolution was a chance, albeit a wild and highly unlikely chance, that resulted in my existence and my supposed higher intelligence.
I'd have to put faith in the conclusion that God doesn't exist. I've heard Christians say faith is believing what you don't see. Under the Christian context, this is true. And under the Atheist concept well... I would say they can accept that statement as well, right? They believe that they don't see anything, so that's that.
Atheists can believe, and have faith, that God is a manifestation of humans, and is therefore not real. Atheism isn't a lack of faith. It's just a lack of faith in the things we believe in. If you want to make a difference to Atheism or it's adherents, don't demonize or lecture because they don't believe in what you do. Recognize your differences and speak to them.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Tsurezuregusa
No... it's not what happens when you throw your hands at your key board.
That is, "slduihsl;zdrnk".
Tsurezuregusa is a Japanese term meaning "as the brush moves." When I was in college I took like 1 liberal arts / english class and the rest were boring business classes. In this one liberal arts class I had a liberal teacher from Kansas, and on the required book list was this book called Essays in Idleness, the Tsurezuregusa of Kenko. He was a Buddhist monk who lived in the 1300's in feudal Japan, and he was pretty cool.
Through translation, his thoughts are written down in short paragraphs and the topics range from weather, customs, honor, manners, and off the wall thoughts. Kenko was an ancient blogger. There's so many of his thoughts that are applicable today. If you like to read and you appreciate ancient literature or old books describing the way a normal person thought back in the old days, you should check it out.
For the record I don't read much ancient literature besides the Bible, but eventually someday I'd like to get into Origen and some of those other dudes.
Anyways I feel my blog and Kenko's Tsurezuregusa are very similar... just thinking out loud. So I stuck it in the header.
More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsurezuregusa
That is, "slduihsl;zdrnk".
Tsurezuregusa is a Japanese term meaning "as the brush moves." When I was in college I took like 1 liberal arts / english class and the rest were boring business classes. In this one liberal arts class I had a liberal teacher from Kansas, and on the required book list was this book called Essays in Idleness, the Tsurezuregusa of Kenko. He was a Buddhist monk who lived in the 1300's in feudal Japan, and he was pretty cool.
Through translation, his thoughts are written down in short paragraphs and the topics range from weather, customs, honor, manners, and off the wall thoughts. Kenko was an ancient blogger. There's so many of his thoughts that are applicable today. If you like to read and you appreciate ancient literature or old books describing the way a normal person thought back in the old days, you should check it out.
For the record I don't read much ancient literature besides the Bible, but eventually someday I'd like to get into Origen and some of those other dudes.
Anyways I feel my blog and Kenko's Tsurezuregusa are very similar... just thinking out loud. So I stuck it in the header.
More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsurezuregusa
Dreams
Dreams are so hard to remember once you start to wake up. I've read there's all kind of scientific neurology that goes in to why we forget them so easily. A few nights ago I dreamt about the lakehouse. My family used to own a lakehouse near the Alabama / Georgia state line. I think it was pretty much one of my favorite places in the world - so many good memories. Although they sold it around 5 years ago, I still have recurring dreams there. Sometimes in my dreamy state I realize we don't own it anymore and we're always staying there hoping that the new owners don't show up and catch us.
In the same scientific article I read it also talked about how dreams are also a way for our brain to encode memories and thoughts, and process out everything. Weird, huh?
When the Bible mentions dreams, they are usually purposeful. Involving some bizarre symbols and numerology. I like the characters in those stories that are just like "uhh, I don't get it. Could someone explain this to me plainly?" I think one of the things we can derive from the dreams of the bible is that those images are how God chose to speak to the people. First, you have the face value of the symbols & images.
Secondly, it seems interesting that God's communication with humans seemed to slowly drift more distant. In the beginning God himself (gender neutral intended) was in existence with Adam and Eve. After the separation, either he would occasionally appear, or his voice would be heard. Then, it seems there would be either an "Angel of the Lord" - a third party messenger on behalf of God - or a cryptic dream.
Dream interpretation and communication weigh heavily in Genesis and the Old Testament. Just for example, the famous Jacob's Ladder dream (quite an image), and Joseph's dreams that he'll rule his brothers. But what's neat to think about God and his nature of communication is that he also spoke to non-Hebrew/non-believers. Joseph also interpreted Pharoah's dreams and the Pharoah in turn revered God, although to what extent we aren't sure. Gideon, while spying on his future enemies, overheard some men discussing how they had a dream they were about to be conquered. This assurance gave Gideon the confidence to lead his men to do so. And then there's Daniel. I have never read the book in earnest but glanced through it today - it looks extremely difficult!! Anyhow, his interpretations for Nebuchadnezzar proved very influential - first it drove him mad, and then he came to his senses and acknowledged God.
In the new testament they are more rare, but Joseph dreamt about Mary's pregnancy. Also there's the interesting inclusion of Pilate's wife - who told Pilate she had a foreboding dream about condemning Jesus. This objection though, fell on deaf ears, and was not heeded.
To come full circle, it seems evident that God's final direct communication to earth was the physical and spiritual manifestation of Jesus. That would kind of explain why we don't get the daily morning news from a booming voice in the sky.
I just thought it was interesting the way God chose to interact with humans in the Bible. I don't know how any of it would figure in with today and if/when this kind of communication still exists. But I think there is much more to glean from the text by studying that can shed more light on the topic and strengthen faith, rather than this very brief overview here.
As always the mystery and awe of the text draws me in... the plot thickens.
In the same scientific article I read it also talked about how dreams are also a way for our brain to encode memories and thoughts, and process out everything. Weird, huh?
When the Bible mentions dreams, they are usually purposeful. Involving some bizarre symbols and numerology. I like the characters in those stories that are just like "uhh, I don't get it. Could someone explain this to me plainly?" I think one of the things we can derive from the dreams of the bible is that those images are how God chose to speak to the people. First, you have the face value of the symbols & images.
Secondly, it seems interesting that God's communication with humans seemed to slowly drift more distant. In the beginning God himself (gender neutral intended) was in existence with Adam and Eve. After the separation, either he would occasionally appear, or his voice would be heard. Then, it seems there would be either an "Angel of the Lord" - a third party messenger on behalf of God - or a cryptic dream.
Dream interpretation and communication weigh heavily in Genesis and the Old Testament. Just for example, the famous Jacob's Ladder dream (quite an image), and Joseph's dreams that he'll rule his brothers. But what's neat to think about God and his nature of communication is that he also spoke to non-Hebrew/non-believers. Joseph also interpreted Pharoah's dreams and the Pharoah in turn revered God, although to what extent we aren't sure. Gideon, while spying on his future enemies, overheard some men discussing how they had a dream they were about to be conquered. This assurance gave Gideon the confidence to lead his men to do so. And then there's Daniel. I have never read the book in earnest but glanced through it today - it looks extremely difficult!! Anyhow, his interpretations for Nebuchadnezzar proved very influential - first it drove him mad, and then he came to his senses and acknowledged God.
In the new testament they are more rare, but Joseph dreamt about Mary's pregnancy. Also there's the interesting inclusion of Pilate's wife - who told Pilate she had a foreboding dream about condemning Jesus. This objection though, fell on deaf ears, and was not heeded.
To come full circle, it seems evident that God's final direct communication to earth was the physical and spiritual manifestation of Jesus. That would kind of explain why we don't get the daily morning news from a booming voice in the sky.
I just thought it was interesting the way God chose to interact with humans in the Bible. I don't know how any of it would figure in with today and if/when this kind of communication still exists. But I think there is much more to glean from the text by studying that can shed more light on the topic and strengthen faith, rather than this very brief overview here.
As always the mystery and awe of the text draws me in... the plot thickens.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
The Bon Iver Gospel
I was driving home from work listening to SiriusXMU, a channel on satellite radio, after a particularly stressful day. They played the song "Blood Bank" by an artist named Bon Iver. I can remember when the song came out in 2007 and I really didn't care for it or Bon Iver. It's a slow-tempo, brooding melody with lyrics sang in falsetto. Pretty off-putting at first listen to those who've never heard him before.
As it turns out Bon Iver is actually a pretty cool dude. He secluded himself up in a cabin in northern Wisconsin, grew out a beard, wore flannel or whatever else he wanted, and wrote music. Later in 2011 he released a self titled album featuring more falsetto and deep, dark tones that are tough to relate to at first listen. Give the music to the general public and you're likely to get extremely negative responses (i.e. why is this guy trying to sing like a girl?) Regardless, Bon Iver went on to receive a Grammy award in 2012 and received widespread recognition. It topped many 2011 year end charts and brought loads of attention to an otherwise obscure musician who was just trying to do his thing.
I was one who started paying attention and he sure fooled me. After initially rejecting "Blood Bank," the tracks from Bon Iver started to draw me in. I paid more attention to the instrumentation and really began to resonate with some of those melodies. I went to one of his concerts and bought the album. (I also got to go with a very pretty date, but that's unrelated.) I was totally onboard with this guy after really not being able to relate.
SO where am I going with this?
I think I feel the same way about the studying the Bible. First step I guess was deciding on my own - that is, without being forced - to start attending church. Church isn't mandatory for everyone. But I would feel pretty confident in saying the vast majority of our culture can and does benefit from attending some type of church. That point is an entire post in itself.
Anyways, the Bible. The ancient texts written thousands of years ago. The old testament - full of obsolete knowledge, names, and words. The new testament - the story of Jesus, a bunch of letters, and a really cool story called Revelation that I understand 0.5% of*. The preceding, sadly, was the extent of my biblical knowledge up until about a year ago.
Just like when I heard "Blood Bank" many times when it was on rotation back in 2007, I just could not plug in to the Bible. Especially to church sermons and services on biblical topics. I understood the general message they were preaching, but did I really read? Did I understand and comprehend what the preacher man was trying to evoke from the passage he selected? The scary question is - Did I care?
For the most part that changed when I took a second step and started to make myself a little more accountable. I started attending a church regularly, and even made friends with some of my peers. Difficult to do when you're introverted as I am, and you really don't like to leave your comfort zone. As it is though I guess one of my talents is that I don't mind speaking in public and this little character trait landed me a job co-leading one of our church's discussion groups. Our task was to study a book of the Bible.
Finally, I had been challenged. But that little spark was all I needed. Well, that, and a Bible that has really good footnotes. I love the footnotes. One of the most off-putting thing about reading the Bible is that sometimes it seems as though you're reading a foreign language! Finally, it's like having a study partner - so when you read a verse and it makes zero sense to me I just look down to see if there is a footnote. Additionally footnotes can help understand translation meanings, subtext, historical context, interpretations, and so much more. It's definitely a personality thing for me and some people may not relate to it as well. But I found out that I like to study the Bible. I can't believe I can honestly say this - but it really is like a book that you can't put down. To know that every word carries so much weight in the history (and future) of the world is truly fascinating from so many perspectives.
I'd like to comment more on studying- Old & New testament, the actual task itself, benefits, etc. But first I just wanted to share the enjoyment I've been able to experience by finding this out about myself.
So take a risk. Learn the instruments and melodies and see what you like. Just because you've only heard one song on repeat your whole life, that shouldn't stop you from experiencing the real thing you've been missing.
notes:
*Even people who could care less about the Bible have to admit Revelation is awesome.
link:
As it turns out Bon Iver is actually a pretty cool dude. He secluded himself up in a cabin in northern Wisconsin, grew out a beard, wore flannel or whatever else he wanted, and wrote music. Later in 2011 he released a self titled album featuring more falsetto and deep, dark tones that are tough to relate to at first listen. Give the music to the general public and you're likely to get extremely negative responses (i.e. why is this guy trying to sing like a girl?) Regardless, Bon Iver went on to receive a Grammy award in 2012 and received widespread recognition. It topped many 2011 year end charts and brought loads of attention to an otherwise obscure musician who was just trying to do his thing.
I was one who started paying attention and he sure fooled me. After initially rejecting "Blood Bank," the tracks from Bon Iver started to draw me in. I paid more attention to the instrumentation and really began to resonate with some of those melodies. I went to one of his concerts and bought the album. (I also got to go with a very pretty date, but that's unrelated.) I was totally onboard with this guy after really not being able to relate.
SO where am I going with this?
I think I feel the same way about the studying the Bible. First step I guess was deciding on my own - that is, without being forced - to start attending church. Church isn't mandatory for everyone. But I would feel pretty confident in saying the vast majority of our culture can and does benefit from attending some type of church. That point is an entire post in itself.
Anyways, the Bible. The ancient texts written thousands of years ago. The old testament - full of obsolete knowledge, names, and words. The new testament - the story of Jesus, a bunch of letters, and a really cool story called Revelation that I understand 0.5% of*. The preceding, sadly, was the extent of my biblical knowledge up until about a year ago.
Just like when I heard "Blood Bank" many times when it was on rotation back in 2007, I just could not plug in to the Bible. Especially to church sermons and services on biblical topics. I understood the general message they were preaching, but did I really read? Did I understand and comprehend what the preacher man was trying to evoke from the passage he selected? The scary question is - Did I care?
For the most part that changed when I took a second step and started to make myself a little more accountable. I started attending a church regularly, and even made friends with some of my peers. Difficult to do when you're introverted as I am, and you really don't like to leave your comfort zone. As it is though I guess one of my talents is that I don't mind speaking in public and this little character trait landed me a job co-leading one of our church's discussion groups. Our task was to study a book of the Bible.
Finally, I had been challenged. But that little spark was all I needed. Well, that, and a Bible that has really good footnotes. I love the footnotes. One of the most off-putting thing about reading the Bible is that sometimes it seems as though you're reading a foreign language! Finally, it's like having a study partner - so when you read a verse and it makes zero sense to me I just look down to see if there is a footnote. Additionally footnotes can help understand translation meanings, subtext, historical context, interpretations, and so much more. It's definitely a personality thing for me and some people may not relate to it as well. But I found out that I like to study the Bible. I can't believe I can honestly say this - but it really is like a book that you can't put down. To know that every word carries so much weight in the history (and future) of the world is truly fascinating from so many perspectives.
I'd like to comment more on studying- Old & New testament, the actual task itself, benefits, etc. But first I just wanted to share the enjoyment I've been able to experience by finding this out about myself.
So take a risk. Learn the instruments and melodies and see what you like. Just because you've only heard one song on repeat your whole life, that shouldn't stop you from experiencing the real thing you've been missing.
notes:
*Even people who could care less about the Bible have to admit Revelation is awesome.
link:
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Letter of Intent
Oh, "blog."
Just the word is kind of repulsive to me... I'm sure it was concocted by it's namesake, a blogger, back in 2002 or whenever these online journals became mainstream. It's repulsive just because you know how some words can just make you feel the meaning of them?
For example, brimming or ebullient or spicy or piquant. Or perhaps those - how do you spell - onomatopoeias like buzz, bang, or click.
The word blog just makes me think of rather poor images, like a soggy diaper... or blah... or something else gross. Needless to say it's widespread acceptance and adoption of the news media was pretty overbearing for my tastes so I guess that's why I've avoided it for the past ten years. Until recently.
This isn't my first attempt at blogging - I had forgotten I'd registered with "blogger" (the word again!) a couple of years ago to publish an insider's look at my work industry. After setting it up I realized I don't particularly want to do work related things on my own time. This was a good thing. But now, I really have something I'm passionate about, and would like to use this medium to expound, explore, and verbalize my research.
The subject of which is really, in my opinion, the most important study that one can do with their time. OK- It's God. And everything that goes along with it. It's theology, faith, understanding, questioning. It's discussing believing without seeing. And what exactly I believe in. It's reaching into the cryptic and mysterious passages in the Bible. It's remembering actual history. It's discovering and re-reading ancient texts that surely can't be relevant today... right?
Nervous yet? Is he going to drop the "J" bomb.
Yeah, it's also talking about Jesus, because I can wax philosophic all digital day, but it's the significance of Jesus and his role in this whole deal that brings meaning to all of these musings. So it's also about tying that all in.
Apparently I think best when I express and, again, verbalize my thoughts on to the screen. The intent of this blog, if I can make it past one week, is to openly discuss what I am studying, going through, and learning. I have recently begun, in earnest, reading and studying that old black book - the bible. New and old testament. Learning incredible things. Absolutely anyone could benefit from what I've read, from any walk of life. I would like to share these posts with friends, strangers, family, etc. There is no gain for me to be secretive or afraid of what others would think.
To do so would be cowardly. To do so would be to deny what I am supposed to be believing.
So if others view this and read, comment or don't, anything is fine with me. If I am wrong or misguided I encourage correction. If I can help with anything please let me know. If my blog gets zero views besides myself and my mother, that is good enough, because again I primarily want to use this as a sounding board as I continue to critically analyze, understand, and be in awe of why we're on this blue-green planet.
...I just have to compromise and get over the fact it's called a blog.
MARK
Just the word is kind of repulsive to me... I'm sure it was concocted by it's namesake, a blogger, back in 2002 or whenever these online journals became mainstream. It's repulsive just because you know how some words can just make you feel the meaning of them?
For example, brimming or ebullient or spicy or piquant. Or perhaps those - how do you spell - onomatopoeias like buzz, bang, or click.
The word blog just makes me think of rather poor images, like a soggy diaper... or blah... or something else gross. Needless to say it's widespread acceptance and adoption of the news media was pretty overbearing for my tastes so I guess that's why I've avoided it for the past ten years. Until recently.
This isn't my first attempt at blogging - I had forgotten I'd registered with "blogger" (the word again!) a couple of years ago to publish an insider's look at my work industry. After setting it up I realized I don't particularly want to do work related things on my own time. This was a good thing. But now, I really have something I'm passionate about, and would like to use this medium to expound, explore, and verbalize my research.
The subject of which is really, in my opinion, the most important study that one can do with their time. OK- It's God. And everything that goes along with it. It's theology, faith, understanding, questioning. It's discussing believing without seeing. And what exactly I believe in. It's reaching into the cryptic and mysterious passages in the Bible. It's remembering actual history. It's discovering and re-reading ancient texts that surely can't be relevant today... right?
Nervous yet? Is he going to drop the "J" bomb.
Yeah, it's also talking about Jesus, because I can wax philosophic all digital day, but it's the significance of Jesus and his role in this whole deal that brings meaning to all of these musings. So it's also about tying that all in.
Apparently I think best when I express and, again, verbalize my thoughts on to the screen. The intent of this blog, if I can make it past one week, is to openly discuss what I am studying, going through, and learning. I have recently begun, in earnest, reading and studying that old black book - the bible. New and old testament. Learning incredible things. Absolutely anyone could benefit from what I've read, from any walk of life. I would like to share these posts with friends, strangers, family, etc. There is no gain for me to be secretive or afraid of what others would think.
To do so would be cowardly. To do so would be to deny what I am supposed to be believing.
So if others view this and read, comment or don't, anything is fine with me. If I am wrong or misguided I encourage correction. If I can help with anything please let me know. If my blog gets zero views besides myself and my mother, that is good enough, because again I primarily want to use this as a sounding board as I continue to critically analyze, understand, and be in awe of why we're on this blue-green planet.
...I just have to compromise and get over the fact it's called a blog.
MARK
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