Here is a quick update before I get back to the old grind stone. Next term I'm taking 16 credit hours. The classes are as follow-- History of American Radicalism, Hebrew Poetry, Creative writing, and Special studies martyrdom. Except for the Creative Writing class everything is upper division.
I decided to spend less on books this term so I bought them, at non-university books stores, from friends, and online. I think I saved 35 dollars or so. The only problem I see is that I may not be able to sell them back when I'm done with them. I guess you win some and you lose some.
Peace,
Chris

I think I forgot to post the questions last week. Here they are
The Questions
1. Is silence spiritually therapeutic? For that matter should prayer be silent? Should eyes be closed?
2. What is the process of life after death? How long does it take to get to heaven? That kind of stuff.
3. Will there be a hierarchy in heaven?
4. Must one “believe”(whatever the hell that means) in God to be saved? (What is saved for that matter)

Just wanted to drop a brief line. Lent is going well so far, I gave up TV and the News (newpapers, internet etc). So far so good, although I have heard Kerry seems to have won, and terrorists attacked Spain. Finals are coming up. First one on Tuesday, last one on Friday. Then I'm off for a week. I plan on hanging out in the dorm, reading Tale of Two cities, Liberation Theology, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Survival in Auschwitz and Four Existentialist Theologicans. On top of that I need to write my semiary essay (I should have done this a while ago, but school keeps getting in the way). I also plan to send off my novel Faith and Grace somewhere to see if I can't get it published.
Peace,
Chris

I thought this was a pretty cool picture, astronomers call this the eye of God.

After my review of The Passion last night I think I need to rate it.
Three stars out of Four.
It was worth seeing, but if it was not for the subject matter and the personal connection to the story I would have rated this movie a lot lower. Thing is this WAS a passion play, and a very good on at that. Still I perfer Jesus Christ Super Star to this.
Well, now that I have sort of bashed this thing, I need to say I think my views about this movie are in the minority. It seemed everyone in the theater was blown away by the movie.

THE PASSION===SPOILER WARNING











SPOILER SPACE






First things first. I didn’t cry. Everyone else I know cried. Does that make me a monster? The closest I came to crying was when Joseph of Aramathia was ripped away from his daughter to bear Christ’s cross, and I had a near tear percolating in my eye over the inhumanity of the whole ordeal Jesus went through, but nothing came.
The scourging of Christ was intense. When they turned him around to beat the front of him I was sure my heartsurgury scars were going to burst open. As I said intense.
I’m not going to lie, the evilness of the roman soldiers was over the top. They were like those bad guys in Chuck Norris movies, you know the kind “He he, I’m going to put razorblades in the candy supply of the world HAHAHA! I’m EVIL Hahaha.” To me realistic crucifiers would have been much more powerful, then I could have fully put myself into the shoes of the murderers of Christ.
I’m not sure I liked Satan showing up everywhere. Maybe it is just that I’m used to passion plays where special effects can’t be used.
Another complaint I have was the destruction of the temple, I would have left it at the curtains being ripped, that is the image that always sticks in my mind, not the destruction of God’s temple, but the removal of a barrier between God and man.
I really liked the use of Aramaic and Latin, words like Dam, Elochim, Yom, and other Aramaic words that are about the same in the Hebrew. I also caught a bit of Latin, specifically near the end when the Romans were mocking Jesus.
I wondered a little bit about the portrayal of Herod, mostly because it corresponded so closely with Jesus Christ Super Star, right down to some of his servant’s action, hair styles, and even facial expressions.
Those are my initial thoughts.
Peace,
Chris

The Questions
1. On the question of Evil—Lets try talking about the nature of evil. Can one talk about evil without talking about God? That is a. Can we only talk about evil in the sense of it being what God is not? b. Can we talk about evil without admitting that it comes from God? Beyond that what is evil? What makes something good, something bad? Is it simply an arbitrary cultural value of the time? Are things evil just because God says they are evil or does God call something evil because it is evil? (Add any other thoughts on evil)
2. A speaker last night basically said the meaning of life is to be in relationship with God and to leave creation better than you found it. Is there anything wrong with this? Are there other meanings of life? Is the meaning of life subjective or objective? What is life’s meaning to you?
3. Are the Gospels anti-Semitic?
4. Is sin a choice or a state of being? By that I mean is sin something that can come out of human action or is it something that enters into human history?

Check out CNN’s view of what is happening in Washington right now compared to AP! The two results really don’t mesh…

Here are the latest D+D questions
The Questions
1. Who is Jesus’ daddy? I don’t mean this in jest. What are the implications of the LORD God as Father, what are the implications of Joseph as father? If Joseph is only a step father how can Jesus be a descendent of David?(see G. Matthew) For that matter how do we reconcile the Genealogy in Matthew with that in Luke?
2. Can/should Christians practice typology (reading the Hebrew scriptures as analogous to the New Testament)? If this can be done to what extent, if not how do Christians read their Old Testament?
3. Most religious services include the singing of hymns? What does this add to a service?
4. Why is Song of Songs in the Bible?
5. To quote JB McLeesh(sp) “If God is God, can God be good? If God is good can God be God?” In other words if God is omnipotent and such and the world around us is the way it is is God good? If God is good can he be omnipotent and such?
6. What is an appropriate way to celebrate Lent, the season of 40 days in the wilderness, the season of remembering the death of Jesus?

Hey. Check out the primary results of washington so far. My boy Kerry is doing well, and so is Dean. Kucinich is actually beating some people! A very strange thing, not a bad thing, just surprizing.

Hey. I just found a non-bizzaro world version of my blog. Check it out, it is a pretty nice blog, a lot more coherent than mine.

Here are the latest Questions from D+D. Just a reminder D+D is a theological discussion group held at Expresso Romas Wednesdays at 6:30 PM here in Eugene. There is a similar event on Tuesdays in Cheyenne Wyoming, T+T which is at the local Taco Johns.
At any rate here they are.
The Questions
1. If God is neither male nor female (see Gen. 1) then why do we, in worship etc, refer to Him as Him?
2. If the Bible was written in a context then how do we as Christians make it pertain to our daily life?
3. Is the Bible more than a “Guidebook for daily living?” If so how? What is it?
4. If God is love how do we love God? Is our love of God anything more than a reflection of God Godself?
5. The Bible says “You can’t love both money and God.” Seeing as America is one of the most churched countries in the world, and seeing as how it is capitalist how is this quote from Matthew true? Am I ripping the quote out of context?
6. Who/what is the Anti-Christ?
7. Is any ritual actually necessary to worship God?

Hey. I found a quiz ala the bizzarro world blog. This quiz tells you which Christian theologian you are. I'm

"It is the chiefest point of happiness that a man is willing to be what he is."

You are Desiderius Erasmus! You have great love for others and will do just about anything to show it to them. You are tolerant and avoid confrontations, so people generally are drawn to you. You are more quiet and reserved in front of strangers, but around some people you open up. When things get tough, you like to meditate alone. Unfortunately you often get things like "what a pansy," or "you're such a liberal."

What theologian are you?

A creation of Henderson
I'm not sure how I feel about that characterization, but then again it is just a silly online quiz.

Hey. I got the Residence Hall Damage Charge Notification for last term
Damage Date Description
10/24/03 Window by door to living room is broken. .42
11/25/03 Charge to cleanup urine from north stairwell. .09
12/02/03 Charge to cleanup vomit from 4-S stairwell. .09
Total Billed .60
College life Priceless
Gotta love the dorms! It makes me wonder if I should stay here senior year or bite the bullet and find a place of my own. We will see.