feeling real icky more when better
Saturday, July 24, 2004
Friday, July 23, 2004
An article about states rights
Not a bad piece, consume.
I'm reading "in the Margins" right now. I'm not too impressed yet. Terry goes on for about a dozen pages saying how Margin communities should never return to the church, misquoting a bunch of theologians, then turns aroun and says these communities need to be a prophetic voice within the church. Odd that.
More later.
I'm reading "in the Margins" right now. I'm not too impressed yet. Terry goes on for about a dozen pages saying how Margin communities should never return to the church, misquoting a bunch of theologians, then turns aroun and says these communities need to be a prophetic voice within the church. Odd that.
More later.
Monday, July 19, 2004
Sermon from family reunion
The Gospel of Saint Luke, the 9th chapter, verses 51 through 56
When the days drew near for him to be received up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him; but the people would not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them as Elijah did?” But he rebuked them and he said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” And they went on to another village.
Today’s text is uniquely situated between where Jesus calls his 12 disciples, sending them out to preach and heal, and where he calls his seventy to do much the same. Today Jesus is getting a posse together to head to Jerusalem. Today our text is an instruction on how we, as disciples of Christ, can proclaim the good news of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Today we receive Jesus’ message to his messengers.
As Jesus sets his face toward Jerusalem today, he sees before him two of his disciples, the two siblings, James and John, nicknamed the Brothers of Thunder for their temper, who are quivering like a cloud burst in anger at Samaritan villagers. The villagers see Jesus as a heretic, worshiping not at Mount Gerizim, but at Jerusalem, and refuse to let him stay in their village. So, in a self righteous rage, the two brothers threaten to show their lightening by destroying the whole village, they ask Jesus’ permission to do so. And so, with face set toward Jerusalem, Jesus rebukes his disciples for not understanding the fire of Elijah.
As we, disciples of Jesus the Christ, set our faces toward Jerusalem, we shall heed a two fold message within today’s gospel.
First, and most straightforward, is the message, that as messengers of Jesus, we will, from time to time, be rejected. Our message of hope will be rebuffed, misconstrued, twisted, and battered, and so shall we, after all we worship a God who, for his message, was crucified as a criminal. This should neither dissuade us from proclaiming our message, nor cause us to react in anger, because anger only mangles the message of Jesus, after all we worship a God who, to save us, became mortal and allowed us to kill Him.
The two brothers response to being rebuffed by the Samaritans is to forget the nature of the fire of Elijah. These were not flames of destruction, but God’s Holy Spirit coming down in the fiery form of horses and a chariot and whisking him up to heaven. They forgot the words of the prophet Hosea, “God demands Mercy, not sacrifice.“ They forget that being a follower of Jesus is not a path to power and supernatural destruction, but a proclamation of peace and salvation. They forgot “the Son of Man came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”
The first message to we Messenger’s of Jesus was taught by the bad example of the Brothers of Thunder, the second message is taught by the example of these, pardon the pun, Bad Samaritans. They were so caught up in their ancient feud with the Israelites, involving where to worship, and what books were holy writ, that they ended up rejecting the Son of God! They refused to accept Jesus of Nazareth, a foreigner, nay more than that, because, “his face was set toward Jerusalem,” instead of Gerizim, they considered him a sinner, and in rejecting that sinner they rejected Jesus the Christ.
This is not the first time Jesus has been rejected. As it says in the verses following today’s text, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.” After all Jesus was born in a stable. After all his people were considered by Rome to be a rebellious and backwards people. After all Jesus’ ancestors were the children of the Babylonian Exile and the Egyptian Exodus. The second message of today’s Gospel is that not only are we God’s chosen people, and therefore rejected, but that those who are rejected are God’s chosen people. After all Jesus says “What you do to the least of these you do to me.”
As followers of Jesus the Christ we shall be open and accepting of the foreigner, the exile, and yes, the sinner. We must emulate Christ and be a door, ready to open to those who knock. Whether they have a slight accent and assume all tea to be sweet or they are use a Macintosh computer, whether they have a mental illness or they have different skin color, whether they come from a different country or they come from a different income bracket, we shall embrace them like relatives, for in doing this we are embracing the LORD.
Christ’s message for we the messengers, called to heal and proclaim, as the twelve and the seventy did, is quite simple, put away your thunder, embrace the rejected, and with Jesus set your face toward Jerusalem.
A+A
When the days drew near for him to be received up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him; but the people would not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them as Elijah did?” But he rebuked them and he said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” And they went on to another village.
Today’s text is uniquely situated between where Jesus calls his 12 disciples, sending them out to preach and heal, and where he calls his seventy to do much the same. Today Jesus is getting a posse together to head to Jerusalem. Today our text is an instruction on how we, as disciples of Christ, can proclaim the good news of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Today we receive Jesus’ message to his messengers.
As Jesus sets his face toward Jerusalem today, he sees before him two of his disciples, the two siblings, James and John, nicknamed the Brothers of Thunder for their temper, who are quivering like a cloud burst in anger at Samaritan villagers. The villagers see Jesus as a heretic, worshiping not at Mount Gerizim, but at Jerusalem, and refuse to let him stay in their village. So, in a self righteous rage, the two brothers threaten to show their lightening by destroying the whole village, they ask Jesus’ permission to do so. And so, with face set toward Jerusalem, Jesus rebukes his disciples for not understanding the fire of Elijah.
As we, disciples of Jesus the Christ, set our faces toward Jerusalem, we shall heed a two fold message within today’s gospel.
First, and most straightforward, is the message, that as messengers of Jesus, we will, from time to time, be rejected. Our message of hope will be rebuffed, misconstrued, twisted, and battered, and so shall we, after all we worship a God who, for his message, was crucified as a criminal. This should neither dissuade us from proclaiming our message, nor cause us to react in anger, because anger only mangles the message of Jesus, after all we worship a God who, to save us, became mortal and allowed us to kill Him.
The two brothers response to being rebuffed by the Samaritans is to forget the nature of the fire of Elijah. These were not flames of destruction, but God’s Holy Spirit coming down in the fiery form of horses and a chariot and whisking him up to heaven. They forgot the words of the prophet Hosea, “God demands Mercy, not sacrifice.“ They forget that being a follower of Jesus is not a path to power and supernatural destruction, but a proclamation of peace and salvation. They forgot “the Son of Man came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”
The first message to we Messenger’s of Jesus was taught by the bad example of the Brothers of Thunder, the second message is taught by the example of these, pardon the pun, Bad Samaritans. They were so caught up in their ancient feud with the Israelites, involving where to worship, and what books were holy writ, that they ended up rejecting the Son of God! They refused to accept Jesus of Nazareth, a foreigner, nay more than that, because, “his face was set toward Jerusalem,” instead of Gerizim, they considered him a sinner, and in rejecting that sinner they rejected Jesus the Christ.
This is not the first time Jesus has been rejected. As it says in the verses following today’s text, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.” After all Jesus was born in a stable. After all his people were considered by Rome to be a rebellious and backwards people. After all Jesus’ ancestors were the children of the Babylonian Exile and the Egyptian Exodus. The second message of today’s Gospel is that not only are we God’s chosen people, and therefore rejected, but that those who are rejected are God’s chosen people. After all Jesus says “What you do to the least of these you do to me.”
As followers of Jesus the Christ we shall be open and accepting of the foreigner, the exile, and yes, the sinner. We must emulate Christ and be a door, ready to open to those who knock. Whether they have a slight accent and assume all tea to be sweet or they are use a Macintosh computer, whether they have a mental illness or they have different skin color, whether they come from a different country or they come from a different income bracket, we shall embrace them like relatives, for in doing this we are embracing the LORD.
Christ’s message for we the messengers, called to heal and proclaim, as the twelve and the seventy did, is quite simple, put away your thunder, embrace the rejected, and with Jesus set your face toward Jerusalem.
A+A
Saturday, July 17, 2004
Suspending elections, our democracy stands upon a razor’s edge, and it seems we got lucky this time
As some of you know the suspending of elections in the event of a terrorist was considered by the administration (as well as Soaries). This idea was rejected, but we should remember how fragile this grand experiment of ours is. Check out this Op/ed piece, and maybe check out a few of the links I provided at the bottom.
A Bad Idea, Rejected
Published: July 17, 2004
In 1864, with the Civil War raging, millions of Americans voted in the presidential election and, as Carl Sandburg wrote, the balloting went on "in quiet and good order." So it was troubling to hear reports this week that the Bush administration and a federal elections body were talking about whether this year's election could be postponed in the event of a terrorist attack. Fortunately, elected officials from both parties quickly denounced the idea, and the administration said a postponement would not happen. At least raising the issue now allowed the nation to consider it in a moment of calm, and reject it.
DeForest Soaries Jr., the chairman of the Election Assistance Commission, set off a firestorm by writing to the Homeland Security Department to express concern that no agency is authorized to cancel or reschedule federal elections. The Homeland Security Department was reported to have asked the Justice Department to consider what steps would need to be taken.
However well-meaning they may have been, the inquiries were greeted with cynicism. Calling off elections, particularly when the ruling power is doing the calling off, is the stuff of tin-pot dictatorships. Even in this country, an attack can provide an opportunity for leaders to seek extralegal powers. New Yorkers still remember that after the Sept. 11 attacks, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani proposing staying on after his term ended.
The talk of postponing elections sent many Americans back to the Constitution, which delegates to Congress the timing of presidential elections. Members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, made it clear that neither the president nor the Election Assistance Commission could override this provision. On CNN, Condoleezza Rice promised that "no one is thinking of postponing the elections." And Mr. Soaries then released his own statement that there are "no circumstances that could justify the postponement or cancellation of a presidential election."
It is good that the issue was raised now and resolved. As was clear in Florida in the 2000 election, the worst time to debate the rules of an election is in the midst of a highly disputed one because each party invariably supports the interpretation that enhances its chance of winning.
This week's controversy could also prompt Congress to focus on more practical questions about how to respond if terrorists try to interfere with the voting. The failure of the electrical grid, along the lines of last summer's widespread blackout, could disrupt voting in a large number of states. Violence at polling places, which is not uncommon in some countries, could make people afraid to vote.
Even though such possibilities may be unlikely, Congress should study the broad issue of election interference. To ensure that everyone has a chance to vote, it should consider giving courts the express authority to extend polling hours. It should also consider directing local election officials to have an ample supply of paper ballots as a backup. Whatever rules may be adopted, they should provide for more voting, not less.
For more information check out:
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=suspend+election+terrorist+attack&X=1
http://www.politicalpuzzle.org/archives/002720.php
http://www.freep.com/news/latestnews/pm20449_20040625.htm
http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_10195.shtml
A Bad Idea, Rejected
Published: July 17, 2004
In 1864, with the Civil War raging, millions of Americans voted in the presidential election and, as Carl Sandburg wrote, the balloting went on "in quiet and good order." So it was troubling to hear reports this week that the Bush administration and a federal elections body were talking about whether this year's election could be postponed in the event of a terrorist attack. Fortunately, elected officials from both parties quickly denounced the idea, and the administration said a postponement would not happen. At least raising the issue now allowed the nation to consider it in a moment of calm, and reject it.
DeForest Soaries Jr., the chairman of the Election Assistance Commission, set off a firestorm by writing to the Homeland Security Department to express concern that no agency is authorized to cancel or reschedule federal elections. The Homeland Security Department was reported to have asked the Justice Department to consider what steps would need to be taken.
However well-meaning they may have been, the inquiries were greeted with cynicism. Calling off elections, particularly when the ruling power is doing the calling off, is the stuff of tin-pot dictatorships. Even in this country, an attack can provide an opportunity for leaders to seek extralegal powers. New Yorkers still remember that after the Sept. 11 attacks, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani proposing staying on after his term ended.
The talk of postponing elections sent many Americans back to the Constitution, which delegates to Congress the timing of presidential elections. Members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, made it clear that neither the president nor the Election Assistance Commission could override this provision. On CNN, Condoleezza Rice promised that "no one is thinking of postponing the elections." And Mr. Soaries then released his own statement that there are "no circumstances that could justify the postponement or cancellation of a presidential election."
It is good that the issue was raised now and resolved. As was clear in Florida in the 2000 election, the worst time to debate the rules of an election is in the midst of a highly disputed one because each party invariably supports the interpretation that enhances its chance of winning.
This week's controversy could also prompt Congress to focus on more practical questions about how to respond if terrorists try to interfere with the voting. The failure of the electrical grid, along the lines of last summer's widespread blackout, could disrupt voting in a large number of states. Violence at polling places, which is not uncommon in some countries, could make people afraid to vote.
Even though such possibilities may be unlikely, Congress should study the broad issue of election interference. To ensure that everyone has a chance to vote, it should consider giving courts the express authority to extend polling hours. It should also consider directing local election officials to have an ample supply of paper ballots as a backup. Whatever rules may be adopted, they should provide for more voting, not less.
For more information check out:
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=suspend+election+terrorist+attack&X=1
http://www.politicalpuzzle.org/archives/002720.php
http://www.freep.com/news/latestnews/pm20449_20040625.htm
http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_10195.shtml
Friday, July 16, 2004
I'm back
And the internet works. Not much to say, Micah and I are going to see Spider Man 2 today. Not the most high class movie, but who cares.
Finished Kafka's long short stories, now all that remains is his short stuff.
Peace,
Chris
Finished Kafka's long short stories, now all that remains is his short stuff.
Peace,
Chris
Saturday, July 10, 2004
Woke up to a tornado here in Fargo ND
Dad poked me and the pup on Nancy, my Godmother's couch. Hung out in the basement a while, came back up, then had to go down in the basement again. Things turned out okay. Surrounded by two Saint Bernards, one is a pup, Baby (my 8 pound Yorky-Poo)tried to bite it, bad move on her part.
By the by, here is the latest casualty comparison between Iraq and Vietnam
Anyways, I've been reading ever single short story by Kafka, man, he is good. Using strange situations/narrators as metephors for anxieties of his generation. I'm thinking of trying that, either a sci-fi parody that paralells Voltaire's Candide or a story about the Exodus, but actually about the lack of continuity and connection in my generation. Still, I have to write my "Gospels" sometime.
Peace,
Chris
By the by, here is the latest casualty comparison between Iraq and Vietnam
Anyways, I've been reading ever single short story by Kafka, man, he is good. Using strange situations/narrators as metephors for anxieties of his generation. I'm thinking of trying that, either a sci-fi parody that paralells Voltaire's Candide or a story about the Exodus, but actually about the lack of continuity and connection in my generation. Still, I have to write my "Gospels" sometime.
Peace,
Chris
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
AND THEN THERE WAS TWO
Well. Lot's happened since I last blogged. Saw John Kerry again, this time in MN. Also, now I've seen all the Seminaries on my list, and only two remain. Wartburg and Chicago. They are basicly at the opposite ends of the spectum in most every way.
Wartburg is little, community based, almost monastic
Chicago is urban, multicultural, and very acedemic
Here is my thought though, if I can't decide between the two I will go to Luther in Saint Paul since it is a happy medium between the two, the best of both worlds if you will.
Peace,
Chris
Wartburg is little, community based, almost monastic
Chicago is urban, multicultural, and very acedemic
Here is my thought though, if I can't decide between the two I will go to Luther in Saint Paul since it is a happy medium between the two, the best of both worlds if you will.
Peace,
Chris
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
College Republicans faking being Nader supporters
I wasn't going to write any blog stuff til I got back to Chey town, but this is too much. Anthony, a college Republican at the U of O has made national headlines trying to get Nader on the Oregon Ballot! He is the spiky haired fellow who is smiling.
Thursday, June 17, 2004
POLL: Where should I go to Seminary?
That's right. I'm opening up the questions to the readers of this fine blog.
The Choices are
PLTS- That is the Seminary in Berkeley
LSTC- That is the Seminary in Chicago
Wartburg- This is the Seminary in Dubuque
Luther- This is the Seminary in St. Paul
I am going to leave this blog on the top of the blog for about three weeks while I go off to a Family reunion. When I return I will post the results.
To vote either email me at Confusedlutheranh@yahoo.com or post to this blog.
Thanks and God's peace,
Chris
The Choices are
PLTS- That is the Seminary in Berkeley
LSTC- That is the Seminary in Chicago
Wartburg- This is the Seminary in Dubuque
Luther- This is the Seminary in St. Paul
I am going to leave this blog on the top of the blog for about three weeks while I go off to a Family reunion. When I return I will post the results.
To vote either email me at Confusedlutheranh@yahoo.com or post to this blog.
Thanks and God's peace,
Chris
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
POLL: Where should I go to Seminary?
That's right. I'm opening up the questions to the readers of this fine blog.
The Choices are
PLTS- That is the Seminary in Berkeley
LSTC- That is the Seminary in Chicago
Wartburg- This is the Seminary in Dubuque
Luther- This is the Seminary in St. Paul
I am going to leave this blog on the top of the blog for about three weeks while I go off to a Family reunion. When I return I will post the results.
To vote either email me at Confusedlutheranh@yahoo.com or post to this blog.
Thanks and God's peace,
Chris
The Choices are
PLTS- That is the Seminary in Berkeley
LSTC- That is the Seminary in Chicago
Wartburg- This is the Seminary in Dubuque
Luther- This is the Seminary in St. Paul
I am going to leave this blog on the top of the blog for about three weeks while I go off to a Family reunion. When I return I will post the results.
To vote either email me at Confusedlutheranh@yahoo.com or post to this blog.
Thanks and God's peace,
Chris
Here is why Enron didn't go down in Russia
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's richest man and a major shareholder of his former oil company went on trial Wednesday - confined in a metal cage - on fraud, embezzlement and tax evasion charges that supporters say are politically motivated by the Kremlin.
Former Yukos oil company CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky exchanged glances and sometimes a comforting smile with his elderly parents, Marina and Boris. He also chatted warmly with co-defendant Platon Lebedev inside the cage in Meschchansky district court.
"Everything is OK, you can see for yourselves," Khodorkovsky told Associated Press Television through the bars. Speaking of Lebedev, he said: "We haven't seen each other for almost a year. Now we have a chance to talk - about everything, but mostly our families."
Former Yukos oil company CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky exchanged glances and sometimes a comforting smile with his elderly parents, Marina and Boris. He also chatted warmly with co-defendant Platon Lebedev inside the cage in Meschchansky district court.
"Everything is OK, you can see for yourselves," Khodorkovsky told Associated Press Television through the bars. Speaking of Lebedev, he said: "We haven't seen each other for almost a year. Now we have a chance to talk - about everything, but mostly our families."
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
I'm now a Senior! 4.00!!!
My grades got posted on duckweb today. I ended up with a 4.0 this term, 3 A's in Martrydom, History of American Radicalism, and Creative Writing and a Pass in Biblical Poetry. Overall I have a 3.79, which isn't too bad concidering I took 4 of my 6 Hebrew classes graded. So on tap for next term History of Enlightenment, History of Jacksonian America, Islamic Mysticism, and the first of the KIDD creative writing series.
Today I got to my first T+T since winter(think D+D's little Wyoming brother or sister).
Can't think of much else. I am hoping to be a Peer Minister along with teaching Confirmation next year, I'm contemplating writing a passion play titled "A Passion for Historical Critical"
Peace,
Chris
Today I got to my first T+T since winter(think D+D's little Wyoming brother or sister).
Can't think of much else. I am hoping to be a Peer Minister along with teaching Confirmation next year, I'm contemplating writing a passion play titled "A Passion for Historical Critical"
Peace,
Chris
Monday, June 14, 2004
Nancy Reagan and I are both "hippies"
I thought stem cell research was a bi-partisan issue. Having had 4 open heart surguries in my first 20 years of life I'd be down with being able to help future generations with the use of stem cells. I agree it is a tricky issue but Brian C's suggestion that I should have sex with myself because I am a hippie seems out of place.
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