Saturday, January 22, 2011
Comic Art
There is little doubt in my mind that the best "real" villain in American history is Adolph Hitler and the Nazi hordes. In fact, I am not sure the nation has ever felt there was a true evil since. So, you make comic books for a living, you are a WWII vet, oh and probably, Jewish too, do you want the kids of America to forget such horrors? I'm none of those things and I don't. But back to the premise - how do you keep a vision of Nazi horror alive for a new generation?How about you keep them alive in the form of a "terrorist" organization called HYDRA?
That was certainly what Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were trying to do when they came up with this particular massive foil for their stable of heroes to combat. That, of course, has largely been lost into the sands of time as HYDRA now barely resembles itself from when I was a kid. As can be seen in so many recent animated movies, the very idea of "minions," that is to say large groups of people following an evil leader, seems comic - A sign of how incredibly narcissistic an age we live in, as no one can imagine themselves "selling out" in such a fashion.But then, Captain America ain't what he used to be either.
I apologize for the melancholy mood of this particular post on "silly" comics, but sometimes the society they reflect makes me very sad. Evil is real, even if it does not dress up in ugly green and shout "Hail Hydra!"
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Friday, January 21, 2011
Becoming What?
Kruse quotes Clarkcowden:
Sometimes, the future lies in the past.
"... Currently, denominations are in a state of flux. The organizational structures that were created, and that devolved into regulatory agencies, are no longer affordable or sufficient for the twenty-first-century church mission. Some are pessimistic about the future of denominations and have proclaimed their imminent death, while others are optimistic and have witnessed pockets of vitality and innovation. While opinions vary on the future status of denominations, one thing everyone agrees on is that denominations are in a state of transition. Transition is not something new for denominations; but, in order to move through this transition effectively, they have to address some key questions: “What is the mission of the church in the twenty-first century?” And “What is the role of denominations in the future?” [emphasis added]This one strikes me as easy. By the admission of the author, denominational structures have "devolved" into something other than what they were intended to be originally, and are hence failing. It therefore seems obvious to me that their future should be to reclaim their original function. To do anything else would be to somehow say that original function is invalid. That might be true for a buggy-whip manufacturer, but a church? - not so much.
Sometimes, the future lies in the past.
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Friday Humor
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Thursday, January 20, 2011
Lead By Doing
Dave Bish quotes Marcus Honeysett:
Is it possible we love "success" more than Christ? Is it possible we are more in love with full pews and plates than we are with our Lord?
And yet, thinking that way makes me think that we perceive Christ as unattractive - and that just does not make sense to me. IS it possible we are just really bad mirrors?
If we are going to lead other people to be more and more in love with him, more and more enjoying him, more and more eager to closely follow him, then we have to be falling more and more in love with him.True words indeed. And yet so many churches practice a kind of "like" with Christ, as if He is a good Facebook friend, but I wouldn't want to, you know, actually hang out.
Is it possible we love "success" more than Christ? Is it possible we are more in love with full pews and plates than we are with our Lord?
And yet, thinking that way makes me think that we perceive Christ as unattractive - and that just does not make sense to me. IS it possible we are just really bad mirrors?
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Illuminated Scripture
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Knowledge Without Wisdom
A Place For The God Hungry writes:
And now I wonder - what would the Godblogosphere look like if we tried to fashion it into a medium of wisdom rather than a medium of information?
Not entirely sure, but I know it would be different.
Yet, one wonders if we know what to do with the information. Many of us have much information about any number of things. Don’t know about the Ryder Cup? Just Google it. Don’t know which car to purchase? Just Google the ones that interest you. Need to know about a certain medicine and its side effects? Google it. Yet, do we know what to do with this information? Are we simply collecting bits and pieces of information or can we say that we are also becoming wiser?I am reminded of the excellent book by my friend Mark DeMoss, "The Little Red Book Of Wisdom." Mark writes from the heart and with great practicality, I highly recommend the book.
And now I wonder - what would the Godblogosphere look like if we tried to fashion it into a medium of wisdom rather than a medium of information?
Not entirely sure, but I know it would be different.
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Tuesday, January 18, 2011
But What If They Are Right?
A while back, Christianity Today did a cover story on Al Mohler. It was amongst the blogs that I read, controversial to say the least. Justin Taylor was first out of the gate. there was more from Matt Anderson. Taylor then came back and linked to several other reactions.
I am going to be honest and tell you I have not had a chance to read through all of that material and I have really only skimed the CT article itself. I will admit to it being a bit heavy-handed, but I am not all convinced it is as off-the-mark as the reaction to it would lead one to believe.
I am no fan of Mohler. I have never met him, but I sure have read and listened to him a lot. In my experience with Mohler's work I think this devotional from Mark Roberts sums my reaction up quite nicely:
I know there are a lot of people out there with a great deal of love and respect for Mohler, and as I say, he is usually right. But rather than rush to his defense, I wonder if it might not be smarter to ask questions about what people would react negatively to him, and then examine oneself for the same tendencies.
I say these things about Mohler because I have spent a lifetime combating them in myself. I wish he would spend a few years doing so.
I am going to be honest and tell you I have not had a chance to read through all of that material and I have really only skimed the CT article itself. I will admit to it being a bit heavy-handed, but I am not all convinced it is as off-the-mark as the reaction to it would lead one to believe.
I am no fan of Mohler. I have never met him, but I sure have read and listened to him a lot. In my experience with Mohler's work I think this devotional from Mark Roberts sums my reaction up quite nicely:
Before we move on to 1 Corinthians 14, I wanted to pause for one more day to reflect on chapter 13. Paul's meditation on love, though written two millennia ago in order to help a divided church figure out what to do about spiritual gifts, is as relevant today as it was when first written.Mohler is usually right, but he is usually a jerk about being right. He seems more interested in truth than in love, and the two must be considered at least equally.
This chapter contains incisive correctives that are badly needed today. It challenges those of us who care so much about right theology or right action that we forget about love. Without denying the value of orthodoxy and obedience, 1 Corinthians 13 reminds us that what we believe and do lacks value unless it flows from love.
I know there are a lot of people out there with a great deal of love and respect for Mohler, and as I say, he is usually right. But rather than rush to his defense, I wonder if it might not be smarter to ask questions about what people would react negatively to him, and then examine oneself for the same tendencies.
I say these things about Mohler because I have spent a lifetime combating them in myself. I wish he would spend a few years doing so.
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Kitty Kartoons
Monday, January 17, 2011
Loving Confession
Chaplain Mike shares an iMonk Classic confession:
Think about the times you have exercised confession in a relationship with a loved one - it requires you trust them, and you give them that trust because you love them and want the relationship to work. They have earned that trust becasue they love you.
We all say we love God, but do we really? Do we love Him enough to confess?
If not, may I suggest that is the confession to start with.
I don’t like the fact that I can give a really good talk on prayer when I rarely pray.What I like most about this confession is that it is obviously an act of love. It is intimate - and it is born in the trust that only love can generate.
I don’t like it that I can read Matthew 5:23-24 and, as far as I can recall, never take a single step toward obeying it.
I don’t like that I can sin and then condemn someone else’s sin in almost the same breath.
[...]
But . . .
I am glad for the endless mercies of the Lord, and the amazing fact that those mercies extend to me, today and every day.
I am glad that Christ my substitute took this sorry life, pathetic obedience and lethargic worship and exchanged it for his perfect righteousness.
I am glad that the Holy Spirit is remaking and raising dead men- even at age 52.
Think about the times you have exercised confession in a relationship with a loved one - it requires you trust them, and you give them that trust because you love them and want the relationship to work. They have earned that trust becasue they love you.
We all say we love God, but do we really? Do we love Him enough to confess?
If not, may I suggest that is the confession to start with.
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