Good Morning!
On this day in 1536 The Reformation was officially adopted in Geneva, Switzerland.
In 1819 bicycles were first seen in the U.S. in N.Y. City.
In 1881 the American branch of the Red Cross was founded by Clara Barton.
In 1906 Louis H. Perlman received his patent for the demountable tire rim.
In 1941 the first U.S. ship, the SS Robin Moor, was sunk by a U-boat.
In 1956 the U.S. exploded the first airborne hydrogen bomb over Bikini Atoll in the Pacific.
In 1968 the nuclear-powered U.S. submarine Scorpion, with 99 men aboard, was last heard from. The remains of the sub were later found on the ocean floor.
And in 1970 the National Guard was mobilized to quell disturbances at Ohio State University.
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Quote of the Day
“Socialism is the religion people get when they lose their religion.”
Richard John Neuhaus
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Today is Marc Ribot’s birthday, so it’s “Fat Man Blues”
And on this day in 1892 this opera was performed for the first time by Ruggiero Leoncavallo. Here’s as good a rendition of some of it as you’ll find.
And on this day in 1970 Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young recorded this hippie protest song.
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Anyone have a QoD?
Wandering Views 
Good morning everyone. I’m still not awake enough to think of a QoD. I notice the paper girl just came by. So, I’m out for a while.
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I have a QoD for us. I drive past several churches on my way to work and I always love to read what they have put on their signs. Once, a while back one asked the question, “What is the Atheist Christian? This latest church seems to be running a series on:
What is the least I can believe and be a Christian?
Your thoughts?
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Kim, That is a scary question. I believe if a church is not teaching the need to believe and repent, it is not teaching the Gospel.
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“The least I can believe and be a Christisn” is the wrong concept.
Paul told the Philipian jailer, “Believe (trust) in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” That’s all that is needed, but trusting in Christ is a life changing experience and that leads to much, not least. I would question the experience of a Christian who “just wants a ticket to heaven.”
“Athiest Christian” is an oxymoron.
I once heard a pastor who was trying to raise money say, “I believe God will bless an unsaved person who gives a portion of his goods to God.”
Abomination!
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This is one of the reasons I like where I work:
Dear Keller Williams Family,
Thank you to everyone who has reached out to us about the devastating storms moving across the United States. We are monitoring developments closely and praying for the safety of our associates, families and communities.
We are reaching out to our associates in the affected areas and will keep you updated as the situation develops.
If you are in the path of the storms, please take all necessary precautions. The KW Cares Crisis Line is being staffed 24/7. Please call (number) if you need immediate assistance.
There is no stronger support system than the KW family – and it is during times like these that our culture shines brightest.
With care and concern,
KW Cares
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I believe these church signs are meant to provoke thought and draw someone in to get the answers. I love reading them and pondering what the minister/preacher/priest is up to.
I think my grandfather was one of those men who wanted to do “just enough” to slide into heaven. Lord knows he wasn’t the best man/father/etc. I am sure there are others in the world just like him…hedging their bets.
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A bit ago, I mentioned once a person realizes Santa Claus, tooth fairy, and Easter bunny are imaginary, there is not much more to say. Once a person realizes that Jesus Christ may or may not have existed; certainly was not born of a virgin; and certainly did not rise from the dead, there is not much more to say. However, if you don’t realize those fairly obvious likelihoods, I guess you say that He is real over and over and over again, hoping repetition makes it real.
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Random, it isn’t saying “He is real” over and over again. It is a life changing experience that happens when you trust Jesus the Messiah in faith.
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Good Morning, Y’all!
Having never actually met Modesty/Random, I am not certain that he is real, either…
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Modesty, there’s no historical question on Jesus’ existence, and His resurrection is well established. The question is not, “Did these things really happen?” but what do they mean for you? That is, if Jesus really did die for sinful people and rose again, can you afford to scoff and laugh and say “No thanks, I’ll pay for my own sins”?
It’s beyond amazing to have God become human and die for you. Do you dare to laugh as you approach the time when you will meet Him and have to acknowledge, “Deep down, I knew all along You were real, I just didn’t want to admit it, because I didn’t want to be accountable to You!”
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You can’t back out of accountability. “Surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue shall confess to God”. So then, each of us shall give account of himself to God. Rom. 14:11-12.
Or, as Sophia Wilder says, you can’t cease to exist. Once you’re born, you’re here forever. You can’t go back and not exist (paraphrasing here).
A thousand years from now, you may wish you had never been born. But you were and are accountable.
Me? I have an advocate who knows the Judge. Connections, you see.
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I can’t help but share this excellent advice on writing and thinking well. It’s written simply and clearly so that even folks who are muddled in their thinking (not mentioning any names as I might incriminate myself) can understand.
It’s also written by one of the smartest guys I know.
Enjoy:
Click to access WriteThinkLearn.pdf
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Awwwww. What a great clip, a woman finds her dog after the tornado. I know, I have dog issues. 🙂 Still, a little ray for someone in what was a horrible event.
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50147264n&tag=api
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From the “Thinking Clearly” section:
“The goal is to end up
believing things that are true
and
not believing things that are false.”
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I know I should go vote today. But, honestly, I am entirely unmotivated.
(LA muni election for a new mayor, pot dispensary laws, etc.).
It’s all going you-know-where in a hand basket, anyway. 😦
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Random, how do you know Caesar existed or Alexander the Great or any pre- video historical figure?
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I’ll vote later. I look at it as a duty and an obligation. I feel much the same as Donna, but I can’t bring myself to give up yet. And these off year, no big office elections, are where the local dems like to put referendum questions that they know won’t pass in a normal election. Yes, they’re slimey little buggers like that. Ya’ gotta watch ’em, or they’ll have us paying for more stupid stuff. 😦
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Oh, ok. I’ll plan go and vote later I guess. Sigh.
Good piece by Mohler on evil in the wake of the tornado devastation:
http://www.albertmohler.com/2013/05/21/the-goodness-of-god-and-the-reality-of-evil-4/
Mohler: “For the atheist, this is no great problem. Life is a cosmic accident, morality is an arbitrary game by which we order our lives, and meaning is non-existent. As Oxford University’s Professor Richard Dawkins explains, human life is nothing more than a way for selfish genes to multiply and reproduce. There is no meaning or dignity to humanity.
“… Jesus … (instructed) His disciples in John 9 and Luke 13 that they could not always trace suffering back to sin. We should note that the problem of evil and suffering, the theological issue of theodicy, is customarily divided into evil of two kinds, moral and natural. …
“… The sovereignty of God is the bedrock affirmation of biblical theism. The Creator rules over all creation. Not even a sparrow falls without His knowledge. He knows the number of hairs upon our heads. God rules and reigns over all nations and principalities. Not one atom or molecule of the universe is outside His active rule. …
” … We dare not speak on God’s behalf to explain why He allowed these particular acts of evil to happen at this time to these persons and in this manner. Yet, at the same time, we dare not be silent when we should testify to the God of righteousness and love and justice who rules over all in omnipotence. Humility requires that we affirm all that the Bible teaches, and go no further. There is much we do not understand. As Charles Spurgeon explained, when we cannot trace God’s hand, we must simply trust His heart.
“And so, we weep with those who weep, and we reach out with acts of care and compassion. We pray for those who are grieving and have experienced such loss. We cry for the children lost in this storm, even as we are so thankful for brave people who did their best to save lives as the winds raged. And, we pray: Even so, Lord come quickly.”
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Random, even Tacitus, the Roman Historian mentioned Jesus Christ. He specifically cited his execution under Tiberius. Flavius Josephus also verifies Christ’s life and ministry in his book of Antiquities. Flavius Josephus even refers to Christians as a tribe of believers.
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It seems I should name names…
Random needs to follow the link to my friend’s advice on clear writing, thinking, and learning.
Even old dogs can learn new tricks.
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Ah, the irony.
From Elyse Fitzpatrick on Twitter today:
“Jesus is the friend of sinners. The only people who will receive God’s judgment are those who think they don’t deserve it.”
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Good deal — free ebooks:
http://www.ligonier.org/blog/rc-sprouls-crucial-questions-ebooks-now-free/
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OK, voted.
I told them they need a “None of the Above” choice. 😦
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Has anyone ever seen Cliffe Knechtle on a college campus? He had a big impact on me when I was a student at UT-Austin.
http://www.worldmag.com/2013/05/real_commencement
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From Tychicus’ link:
“The main reason an atheist doesn’t find God is the same reason a criminal doesn’t find the police—he’s running away.”
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If there’s anyone for whom repeating something over and over and over is a strategy for believing something is true, it’s ‘you know who.’
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“Random, how do you know Caesar existed or Alexander the Great or any pre- video historical figure?”
Honestly, with the ease of manipulating video and photos now-a-days, how do you know ANYONE you haven’t really met in person really exists? At least if you’re applying Random’s criteria.
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Computer troubles at home and work…grrrr….
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Great quote in the intro. Its true, “isms” usually develop as an attempt to fill the void created by unbelief. John Gray in Black Mass does as great job in demolishing the eschatological tendencies in socialism viewing as merely a transference of Christianity theology — and he’s right. He decries all ultimate goals including the American Century posited by neo-cons. Here’s my review from goodreads;
Brilliant so brilliant I read it twice. He describes the Enlightenment and its offspring’s visions of progress as merely the secularization of the Christian eschatology, positioning the New Jerusalem on earth. Like all utopian movements its adherents are so faith driven they become compelled to impose it by force. Thus, he compares the Reign of Terror and the Purges to the Crusades and the Inquisition. Of interest is the tracing of secular utopianism from the left to the right in the form of neo-conservatism. A good perspective on Thatcher as a neo-liberal reformer not a neo-con. For Gray, the neo con vision of a universal application of American liberal democracy is similar to the universalism of Christianity and Communism. He advocates for realism and the loss of utopia providing a tonic to those of us dismayed by the endless crusading and wars to end all wars, drugs and terror. And great to see Spinoza appreciated for the genius and forerunner that he was.
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The article I wrote was finally published in the quarterly Spring issue of Church Libraries. If you would like to see the article it is posted on the Christian Library International website in the News section.
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Evidence is the usual method historians use to assert a past event, cause,etc.In the case of Caesar and Alexander the Great, the documentary evidence exists in various locations and origins .. Persian, Roman, Greek, Egyptian, etc. As for Jesus, even the biblical skeptic Ehrman admits to his existence but one of the two non-biblical sources is thought to have been inserted later by scribes copying the works of Josephus (or is it Tacitus, I can’t remember). Historical religious figures such as Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Mohammad etc did exist – its their nature and their work we debate.
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Random’s theme song: “We are only dust in the wind.” None of us exist, we only think we do.
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So I went ahead and voted on my way home from work. Took me about 15 seconds. Held my nose and voted for the dismal choice of candidates. Voted “no” on the 4 measures. I was in a very “no” state of mind. 😉
Duty done.
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The statements “life changing experience” doesn’t necessarily mean that the experience is based on truth. Obviously, many many people regard their belief in Jesus’ status as “son of God,” etc., as a life changing experience. Belief in Jesus’ story might well be life changing even if it is (as I believe) mostly myth.
When I was about 17 or 18 or so, I attended a speech by John F. Kennedy, who spoke at UC Berkeley, a school I was attending (and flunking out of). Although I was sitting in a stadium some distance away from John,, I am inclined to believe he was a real person and really existed.
A few weeks ago I was working on a gardening project with a good friend, a person I mostly agree with on topics such as God (does not exist) and quite a few other subjects. However, during the course of conversation she went into an elaborate riff about conspiracy theories about the Kennedy’s assassination. I was never a devout scholar on the topic of the assassination, but I did read quite a bit about it, and I think there is wide consensus nowadays that the Oswald assassination conclusion is pretty much accurate. I listened politely to my friend, briefly told her I didn’t agree, but saw no point in going into a lot of argument. I would be surprised but not astonished if I somehow learned that she is correct. The Kennedy assassination is one of the most studied and examined events of our times, yet what really happened is still a bit in doubt. I am quite amused when Christians such as present company speak of Jesus’ times, thousand of years ago, in a time when modern technology (photography, etc.) did not exist, and when standards of journalistic truth and accuracy simply did not exist in the sense we regard them today.
Cheryl said, “Modesty, there’s no historical question on Jesus’ existence, and His resurrection is well established.” I believe YOU believe that statement to be true, but your saying it with typical evangelical assurance and authority does not make it convincing to me.
Kbells, “Random, how do you know Caesar existed or Alexander the Great or any pre- video historical figure?”
Of course I don’t. I consider it likely they did, but if you presented convincing evidence they did not, I am prepared to change my mind. We all believe lots of things of which we have no first hand experience but could be wrong, because it’s convenient and practical to do so.
If you look at the history of science, humans have earnestly believed many claims that are now regarded as nonsense. Take a look at http://listverse.com/2009/01/19/10-debunked-scientific-beliefs-of-the-past/ for example. For example: “Geocentricity is the concept which states that the earth is the center of the Universe and that all other objects move around it.” Columbus really believed he was sailing to India, and (according to Wikipedia) never admitted he had not reached it. That is why we still call the aboriginal people of our continent “Indians.”
I have read serious, scholarly books that claim that Jesus did not exist. I was not convinced. It is my OPINION that He lived. It is my OPINION that he was not born of a virgin. It is my OPINION that he did not rise from the dead. It is your OPINION that I am wrong.
Donna said, quoting Albert Mohler: “For the atheist, this is no great problem. Life is a cosmic accident, morality is an arbitrary game by which we order our lives, and meaning is non-existent. As Oxford University’s Professor Richard Dawkins explains, human life is nothing more than a way for selfish genes to multiply and reproduce. There is no meaning or dignity to humanity. “
As far as I can tell, that statement describes life and the universe. That you REALLY REALLY REALLY don’t like it, doesn’t make it incorrect. I am almost 70 years old. I am still fairly healthy and vigorous (somewhat to my surprise), but soon enough I will die, perhaps after quite a bit of pain, suffering, and embarrassment, because that is the lot of us animals with big brains and self awareness. You believe the myth (as I believe it to be) of God and Jesus, etc. is comforting and noble.
I don’t. I am grateful (with no one and nothing to be grateful TO) that my life has gone reasonably well. Billions of human beings suffer lives of unimaginable horror and suffering; it’s just the luck of the draw where you are born and under what conditions. If there is a God, He is not a God of love and mercy. He is a monster who takes great delight in torturing his creations.
I have known people (usually women) in abusive personal relationships, who return over and over to a man who beats and hurts them, bleating “But I know he really loves me.” It’s often very difficult (or downright impossible) to get them to extricate themselves from their abuser.
To my mind, people who go on about God’s love and mercy have invented an abuser.
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“To my mind, people who go on about God’s love and mercy have invented an abuser.” That makes no sense.
Random, your opinion on whether or not Jesus existed, whether He was God in the flesh, whether He rose from the dead–none of that matters. This isn’t an opinion poll or a popularity contest. It isn’t even a true-or-false test. It’s life or death.
Through the years, many people have started out where you claim to be–they believe that Jesus lived, but that the evidence just doesn’t support a resurrection. And so they study it to prove it false. Know what we call those people? Christians. The actual evidence is on the side that the resuurection happened. Lee Strobel was one of those who studied the evidence, and was converted, but there have been many more. I dare you to actually look at the evidence.
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