Friday, August 08, 2003

It’s a fine line for Christians. Scripture says, “be in the world, but not of it.” OK. How do we do that? Especially today, when we have a Christian subculture that continually segregates itself from society. We have our own music, our own art, our own fiction, our own movies, TV shows, news shows, networks, radio stations, etc. We are separate, but at what cost? To ourselves as a subculture? To the Gospel? To the Great Commandment and Great Commission?

I don’t know the answer, although I know that I am troubled by Christians that so isolate themselves from “the world” that they don’t know what’s really going on in it. They only hang with their church friends, they only listen to Christian music, they only watch Veggie Tales videos, they only read Christian pablum. And sadly, although much of that stuff wears the banner of Christ, I don’t think it serves him or us well. And it certainly doesn’t aid in reaching out to those who don’t come to our churches or fit our idea of who we should associate with or whatever.

Backing up my point is this sobering article by a GQ editor, who decided to immerse himself in what he calls “the Ark” for a week. I found the link at Emerging Minister (post called “Sad Article"). Read the comments as well.

There’s similar discussion to be found at Thinklings.

Today’s Friday Five

1. What’s the last place you traveled to, outside your own home state/country? New Jersey, upon the birth of my niece. Oh, no, actually the last place was Brunswick (Glynco), Georgia, for a training thing. I forgot about that.

2. What’s the most bizarre/unusual thing that’s ever happened to you while traveling?  Nothing really bizarre. I was on the same flight with the 10,000 Maniacs when going from NYC to London in the late 80s.

3. If you could take off to anywhere, money and time being no object, where would you go?  Australia and New Zealand, I’ve always wanted to go there. Second choice would be the UK and Ireland. I also keep saying I’ll go to Alaska someday to visit a dear friend who lives in Anchorage.

4. Do you prefer traveling by plane, train or car?  It depends on how long I’m actually travelling and where my destination is. I’ve done the train a lot, which is a fine way to travel.

5. What’s the next place on your list to visit?  I’m headed to New Jersey again in a couple of weeks for the dedication of CootieGirl at church. It’s like a baby baptism without the baptism.

The Reality Bites Soundtrack or the Say Anything Soundtrack?

I’ve been listening to the Reality Bites soundtrack for the past couple of days. Besides My Sharona, the song that causes me to hit the “replay” button on the CD player is Tempted by Squeeze.

I bought a toothbrush, some toothpaste, a flannel for my face
Pajamas, a hairbrush, new shoes and a case.
I said to my reflection, Let’s get out of this place.
Passed the church and the steeple, the laundry on the hill
Billboards and the buildings
Memories of it still keep calling
And calling
But forget it all I know I will

Tempted by the fruit of another
Tempted but the truth is discovered
What’s been going on
Now that you have gone
There’s no other
Tempted by the fruit of another
Tempted but the truth is discovered

I’m at the carpark, the airport, the baggage carousel
The people keep on grabbing, ain’t wishing I was well
I said, “It’s no occasion. It’s no story I can tell.”
At my bedside, empty pocket, a foot without a sock
Your body gets much closer
I fumble for the clock, alarmed by
The seduction
I wish that it would stop

Tempted by the fruit of another
Tempted but the truth is discovered
What’s been going on
Now that you have gone
There’s no other
Tempted by the fruit of another
Tempted but the truth is discovered

I bought a novell, some perfume, a fortune all for you
But it’s not my conscience that hates to be untrue.
I asked of my reflection,
Tell me what is there to do?

Tempted by the fruit of another
Tempted but the truth is discovered
What’s been going on
Now that you have gone
There’s no other
Tempted by the fruit of another
Tempted but the truth is discovered

But I love In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel from Say Anything just as much. I never get tired of that song, surprisingly. It’s a classic that stands the test of time.

Your favorites?

Thursday, August 07, 2003

Thanks to Bryan, I have a new addition to the blogroll - Emerging Minister. He has a great collection of parody Christian books listed here, with Photoshopped covers. Hilarious.

Oh, and make sure you read the comments. Rick Warren chimed in about the parody of his book.

Mrs. Cootiehog emailed the link to Eliot’s post about Garbage Worship. It’s an interesting read.

He notes that on NPR the other day Meredith Gudger (a future seminary student) commented on the “lackluster state of modern worship.” He provides this link to the audio, go take a quick listen (it’s 3 minutes). He even quotes sections of her complaint, the following is what I want to discuss:

I’m not one to lament days go by...but the current state of church music almost has me longing for the good old days. When congregations stand to sing, they no longer reach for their hymnals. Overhead projectors flash each verse on the wall in front of the congregation—like an eye test or a second-grade handwriting lesson. New church leaders proclaim ‘those stuffy old songs aren’t the language of the people! We need to bring in new music to reach a new generation!’ Apparently, the language of the people is now first grade english and the new generation is mindless as sheep.

A middle-class college town congregation sings ‘Your name is Jesus,’ four times in a row. I can’t bring myself to add my voice to the others. Jesus knows what his name is, and us telling him all about it is a waste of time. ‘I am not worthy,’ another song says, for another four lines. Apparently, the creativity of Christians has diminished so significantly that one uncomplicated line is considered plenty of material for one song.

Is it for me? You? Or is it for God, who we claim to be worshipping?

Who are we to say that Jesus doesn’t appreciate our acknowledgement of who he is - even if it involves repeating the same line 4 times?

Why wouldn’t God appreciate our acknowledgement of our unworthiness - and thereby His worthiness?

Now, I will be the first to admit that there is some crap passing itself off as worship music in churches today. But is it any less honoring to God because it’s simple? Because it’s at a 4th grade level?

I love the old hymns too and sometimes I wish we still used more of them in my church (that uses PowerPoint projected on a screen for the song lyrics). But there’s plenty of room for the more modern stuff too, and if you listen closely the message is still the same, still wonderful.

I don’t know Eliot, today was my first visit. But I’m intrigued enough by his posting of this topic that I’ll probably return to read his thoughts on Garbage Theology.

The password for today is

rotisserarie

To my loving family,

Actually, this is mostly for Denis since he likes to get me kitchy stuff. This is something I would really, really love to have in my collection. Seriously. I’m not kidding.

Now, it’s a little pricey, so do some research or wait for a sale or something.

Thanks!

Big kisses,

Jen

[via outside the beltway]

Apparently, CootieGirl doesn’t enjoy it so much when Daddy sings “Oklahoma” to her.

Go read Bryan’s post immediately. He said what I think, only far more articulately than I could.

UPDATE: It’s the post called “a house divided upon itself and all that jazz....”

He’s also added a follow-up post called “fit to lead”

Wednesday, August 06, 2003

Con Air, which I am currently viewing on cable, while fun bears little resemblance to reality. I’m sure you already know that, right? And yes, I know it’s just a movie.

In the history of the US Marshals Service prisoner air transport, there has never been a single incident or accident (knock on wood).

The airplanes used are more like regular passenger planes, not the cargo looking thing in the movie. We have all different size aircraft that are used for various levels of security depending on the prisoner and the length of travel.

Anyway, if you want to watch a movie that’s a little closer to reality, rent The Fugitive -Tommy Lee Jones is an excellent deputy marshal.

When I made copies of the warrants for the Secret Service agents yesterday, I didn’t realize what/who they were for. I heard the news of their arrests on the drive home, no names were given on the radio, but I knew it had to be related to the warrants from yesterday. So after a little research, I found a story with their names, which I did immediately recognize. Cool.

Click More to read the full story (if the link is dead)…

Reason Online has a very interesting article comparing the Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Star Wars movie franchises (and books, if applicable). Go read the whole things, but here’s a teaser:

One significant feature common to all three series is a dramatically compelling (as opposed to a didactically plodding) struggle between good and evil. The protagonists of these films do battle with a potent, even superhuman incarnation of evil: Sauron in The Lord of the Rings, Voldemort in Harry Potter, Darth Vader in Star Wars. Neatly counterpoised to these demonic figures are characters possessing magical or mystical powers who lead the fight for goodness and justice: Gandalf, Dumbledore, Obi-Wan Kenobi (and Yoda). Between these moral poles stand a set of emblematic heroes—Frodo Baggins, Harry Potter, Luke Skywalker—who, though they struggle against evil, nevertheless discover that they are related to or tempted by the evil figure they ostensibly oppose. Their struggle against evil ultimately turns out to be internal as much as it is external. As the literary critic Tom Shippey has pointed out, J.R.R. Tolkien’s Rings trilogy makes a strong theological appeal. Like Harry Potter and Star Wars, it offers a mythological explanation of the apparent chaos, pain, disappointment, horror, and violence of the world in terms of a Manichean struggle of cosmic forces.

[...]

Were the heroes of these films to leave their tedious lives for a world utterly alien from the mundane ones they had known, these stories would offer pure escapism. Instead, each encounters a hellish version of the modern world he has fled.

I’m procrastinating...hard.

It’s 2:15pm right now. I’m wondering how much longer I can put off actually initiating the software for the payroll system. I may be able to hold off until tomorrow.

And it’s not like I’m not working, I’m actually getting a lot done today, just not what I had planned.

*sigh*

I’ve been listening to Elton John’s Greatest Hits this week and I had the amazing revelation this morning that most of his music (lyrically) is crap.

Case in point:

1. Crocodile Rock - have you really listened to the lyrics of this song? Sure, it’s peppy and you can dance to it, but the words are terrible. A sample:

Well Crocodile Rocking is something shocking
when your feet just can’t keep still
I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will
Oh Lawdy mama those Friday nights
when Suzie wore her dresses tight
and the Crocodile Rocking was out of sight

2. Honky Cat - again, just awful lyrics. A sample:

They said get back honky cat
Better get back to the woods
Well I quit those days and my redneck ways
And oh the change is gonna do me good

CLARIFICATION (7:50pm): Responding to some comments…

1. Yes, I know that Bernie Taupin wrote most of the lyrics. He gets the blame too, but Elton sings ‘em.

2. I love Elton John’s music. Even the crap. Well, except maybe Hakuna Matata, which I found more annoying than enjoyable.

Bryan had a bad morning in traffic. I feel your pain, Bryan. And I agree with you 100% on the following:

I have an extremely low threshold of tolerance for those folks who think they’re part of the solution by creating a third lane of blocked traffic over in the right shoulder of the highway. I believe anyone who does that should be ticketed, and anyone who lets them merge back into the normal traffic lane should have their licenses suspended as well. I’m convinced that people who partake in right-shoulder lane creation are amongst some of the most self-absorbed people in God’s creation. They must be thinking, “waiting in line might be good enough for all of you, but I am the assistant ice-supervisor’s assistant to the dockloader’s assistant. And clearly, if I don’t break every law of traffic safety and common courtesy to get to my clipboard in the next 10 minutes, the earth will suddenly stop rotating on its axis.” People—this is a shoulder that should be used only for emergencies.  And when the day arrives that the Georgia Dept. of Transportation begins posting signs that read Right shoulder/lane—Obnoxious Imbeciles Only!, I’ll apologize. Until then, may your road of travel be filled with Acme Nail & Screw Truck road spills.