Angry wolf

Wolf Control

Posted on by Alan

Angry wolf

A little earlier this year Rob Bell, the popular founding pastor of Mars Hill in Grandville, Michigan, set off a bit of a web explosion by releasing a video trailer promoting his soon-to-be-released (at that time) book, Love Wins. The video didn't specifically say anything heretical, but it implied quite a bit in its questions and statements. For instance:

"Will only a few select people make it to heaven? And will billions and billions of people burn forever in hell?"

"……and so what gets subtly sort of caught and taught is that Jesus rescues you from God. But what kind of God is that that we would need to be rescued from this God? How could that God ever be good? How could that God ever be trusted? And how that ever be good news?"

"What you discover in the Bible is so surprising, unexpected and beautiful that whatever we've been told or taught the good news is actually better than that. Better than we can ever imagine. The good news is that love wins."1

Even in those few, separate quotes you can sense some fundamental orthodox Christian doctrines being questioned. The blogosphere rightly questioned whether his new manuscript was going to promote universalism, pluralism, and a lack of an eternal punishment (i.e. hell). The response was quick and harsh, as was the counter-reaction. One side immediately called Bell a heretic, the other side, just as judgmentally, condemned people for speaking up before the book was even on store shelves.

Continue reading “Wolf Control”

The Greener Grass Conspiracy

Review of “Greener Grass Conspiracy”

Posted on by Alan

The Greener Grass ConspiracyAbout a month back a tweet came through offering to send a copy of The Greener Grass Conspiracy to the first 100 bloggers who would agree to review it by April 30. I’m a big fan of Crossway‘s efforts, so I put my name in the hat for Stephen Altrogge’s most recent book.

Unlike any lottery ticket I’ve purchased, I was lucky enough to have my name selected, and I received the book around a week ago.  Good news is that it’s only 139 pages, so hitting the 4/30 deadline was doable. 🙂

Before I actually review the publication, I need to explain how I mentally approach critiquing any form of media. It’s probably easiest to explain with music.

I am not a big fan of rap music.  I may own, at most, a dozen rap CDs (and my favorite rap song, “Epic” by Faith No More, is more hard rock than rap).  However, I can appreciate the talent it takes to put together a truly talented rap song, especially one that has meaningful content.  My general distaste for the genre would make it easy for me to dis most rap CDs, but if I was ever asked to review one I would do it based on characteristics other than style (and recognize that I cannot appreciate, and thus comment, on the genre as well as a regular, avid consumer of rap). Continue reading “Review of “Greener Grass Conspiracy””

And Then There Were None

Posted on by Alan

Agatha Christie & Martin Niemöller

Little did I know when I chose the title, “And Then There Were None,” for this sermon that Agatha Christie actually wrote a book by that name. It is a mystery where ten unpunished murderers are invited to an island where, one-by-one, they are knocked off. I can’t really say it’s original title in a public setting, but it was “Ten Little” N-word after a nursery poem of the same name (the deaths in her plot paralleled those in the poem). It was also published and filmed under the title “Ten Little Indians.”

I do not know how it turns out since I haven’t read the book; whether anyone actually survives (and who the murderer is…or I suppose…who the murderers are)…but let me assure you that the novel does not parallel my sermon…not to mention that those of you sitting before me won’t suddenly meet some terrible doom, one-by-one. 🙂

Continue reading “And Then There Were None”

The Demons Shudder

Posted on by Alan

The belief of demons

This sermon is going to be both normal and abnormal. Normal in that we'll return to looking up a good number of scriptures together—abnormal in that we'll spend quite a bit time talking about demons. As a whole I don't think it's good to focus on the Devil and his angels. They are plenty interesting…but that's the problem…they can be too interesting, and they can pull our eyes off the One we really should fix our gaze upon.

The One who, when compared to the entire evil host, is light a beach compared to a single grain of sand—and that's still exaggerating their significance.

Continue reading “The Demons Shudder”

X-ray glasses

X-Ray Vision

Posted on by Alan

X-ray glassesYounger readers probably won't appreciate how when (growing up) I really would have liked a pair of the x-ray glasses that were advertised in various comic books. Now, I wasn't gullible enough to actually think they worked, but what a cool idea! Or even better, how about having Superman's x-ray vision? I think not being able to see through lead is a small limitation, especially since lead would also protect me against kryptonite!

Or how about the Gilligan's Island episode, "Pass the Vegetables, Please," where a box of radioactive seeds washed up on the shore? After the stranded islanders planted them, they grew quickly, and the castaways each ate different vegetables. Mary Ann consumed some carrots and was given incredible eyesight (because you know, carrots are good for your eyes).

Now for a harsh segue… Continue reading “X-Ray Vision”

Ockham’s Razor

Posted on by Alan

Explanation #1

Starting off today’s sermon, I would like to explain how this tan metallic cabinet beside me got here.

About a month ago, the owner was transporting it in the back of his truck while driving to Keene and hit a frost heave on Route 31, causing it to bounce out of the back of his vehicle. Luckily, just prior to that happening a dump truck filled with sawdust had also gone a bit too fast over that large bump and dropped a pile of sawdust in the exact place where the metal cabinet landed.

So this cabinet, in perfect condition, was just sitting there when, of all things, a group of thieves with a van came upon it (heading toward town). The leader especially likes tan and anything he can stick his collection of Hawaiian magnets to, so he had his compadres throw it into the back. Strangely enough, the target for their criminal activity that day was our church, and they arrived in front a short time later.

Continue reading “Ockham’s Razor”

Are both Satan and Jesus the morning star?

Posted on by Alan

I have been the webmaster for a religious publisher since 1998, so I get email with questions now and then. Generally I point them to our e-mail discussion group, but today I got a query I figured I’d go ahead and try to answer myself. My response is below (minus names, correcting one tense, and removing a “[a]” in one of the verses that pointed to a footnote in that Bible). First, what she asked:

i have heard ______ say that Lucifer was also Jesus name..does he get that idea from the Hebrew or do you know if there is a direct quote somewhere in the bible

My response… Continue reading “Are both Satan and Jesus the morning star?”

50 Reasons to Question God

Posted on by Alan

What would you ask God?

If you had the opportunity to ask God anything…and He would definitely answer…what would you ask?

What if you could ask Him only one thing…what question would be most important to you?

Would it be personal? Why something awful happened to you or someone you love?

Would it be scientific? Do you really wonder how light can be both a wave and a particle at the same time? 🙂

Would it be one of those "meaning of life" type of questions? Would you want to know why you are here?

Continue reading “50 Reasons to Question God”

Then I Met Marty

Posted on by Alan

A couple weeks back you may have also cringed when you heard, on national news, that a New Hampshire state senator suggested we ship the mentally ill to Siberia to die. I cannot remember if the story stated his party affiliation, but even if it didn't I would have assumed he was Republican and figured that the politician was an embarrassing fringe element (every cause has at least one).

You can imagine what happened after the activist he was speaking with hung up and shared the inflammatory information with others…boom! If you search Google for the Senator's name and "Siberia" (with the his name in quotes) you'll likely get more than the 33,300 results that I just did. Add to that the fact that many sites (including news ones) allow open comments, and the result is scores of reactions that I could never share in a church bulletin (not that they ever should be printed anywhere). On the surface it seems to serve him right—he said something extremely insensitive (downright stupid) and he deserved a good metaphoric slapping.

Then I met Marty.

Continue reading “Then I Met Marty”

Binocular guy

A Little Creeped Out?

Posted on by Alan

Binocular guyThis past week, to make the time on my Concept2 Rower pass more quickly, I listened to talk shows on Internet radio (well, the Internet streams of "real" radio stations).  On one show they interviewed the founder of Voyurl, a service which "allows you to share your clickstream and find out who is looking at what, when and where.  You can connect to friends, find new sites, or just see what others are looking at real-time."

Basically, it's a way for you to let other people know everything you are viewing on the web (and how long and often you viewed it), and for them to be able to do the same in return.

The interviewer was skeptical, thinking it was carrying the Facebook and Twitter type sharing a bit too far (and with little benefit).  The interviewee touted how it would allow you to more effectively review the time you spend on line, simplify returning to sites you visited before, and locate other interesting pages based on where your friends have been going.

So, what do you think?  Would you use the service?  Would you share all your web surfing with the world, or at least friends?  Would you be interested in seeing everywhere your compadres clicked to? Continue reading “A Little Creeped Out?”

You Can’t Just Pray in Jesus’ Name

Posted on by Alan

Town Meeting

While in Rick and Diane's last week, I received a call from our town Moderator, Bob Flanders, asking if I could give the invocation at Thursday's town meeting. I was honored at the request, and said that since Mikey's Pops Concert was the same night I'd have to confirm time coordination with Michelle, but yes.

And even though I've done prayers for Boy Scout activities, that is the first time I'd ever been asked to do one in a town setting, so I'll admit I was a bit nervous…but also thankful God gave me the opportunity.

The night came quickly…and other than initially…and wrongly…figuring the meeting was at the town hall (it was at the town gym)…I was all set when the time came to pray.

I asked everyone to bow their heads…opened with, "Heavenly Father"…noted that just as Solomon asked for wisdom to lead the Israelites we requested wisdom to make decisions for the town of Antrim…and ended with, "In Jesus name, amen."

But before I could hand the microphone back and rush off to the ConVal Pops Concert, a lady in the crowd spoke up and exclaimed:

Continue reading “You Can’t Just Pray in Jesus’ Name”

Earthquake map

The End

Posted on by Alan

Earthquake mapIf you click on the image, you’ll see that the “10-degree Map Centered at 40°N, 140°E” (generated Saturday, March 12, 15:22:22 UTC) says, “255 earthquakes on this map.”1 First, imagine having lived through the original estimated 8.9 magnitude quake—one that appears to have shifted Japan’s main island by 8 feet and the earth’s axis by 4 inches.2 Depending on where you were in Japan when the quake hit, you watched anything from books falling off shelves to a 30-foot high tsunami “that swept across rice fields, engulfed entire towns, dragged houses onto highways, and tossed cars and boats like toys.3

Then, as you continue to listen to the news of evacuations around nuclear power plants (and of a large explosion in the building that houses the reactor at one), 5.57 million people without power (and 1 million without water), “the coastal city of Rikuzentakata…virtually destroyed by [the] tidal wave,” four missing trains (with an unknown quantity of passengers), 3,400 buildings either completely or partially destroyed, and 200 fires…4
Continue reading “The End”

What You Need

Posted on by Alan

Battle of the Bands

This week I had a singer named Aloe Blacc playing on my iPod…probably because Augie really likes one of his songs and asked for it earlier. The title is "I Need a Dollar"…but Augie refers to it as the "Hey Hey Song" since he likes doing that phrase in the song with me:

I need a Dollar
A dollar is what I need
Hey, Hey

I like that song quite a bit myself, especially when Augie is accompanying it. 🙂

But that wasn't the tune that inspired this sermon, instead it is one named "Miss Fortune," where Miss Fortune's dad is discussing her with a suitor…and admitting he has messed her up by spoiling her just as he did her mom. This line in the song jumped out at me:

But the problem with having everything you want
Is you never really know what you need1

[ Repeat a second time ]

Now, I'd played that song before…but I have a habit of really only listening to the music…not the words…although I'll often pay some attention to the chorus. I'm glad this time I was actually aware of what he was singing…there seemed a lot of wisdom in such a simple statement (and in the tune itself…where the suitor doesn't listen to his soon-to-be father-in-law and sure enough, daughter turns out like mother).

Continue reading “What You Need”

Embracing a Fate of Fire

Posted on by Alan

Dateline Afghanistan

This week the Associated Press reported some positive news from Afghanistan about a Christian named Sayed Mussa:

An Afghan man who was jailed for nine months for converting to Christianity has been released after an intense campaign by international diplomatic missions and Christian activists, an official said Friday.1

Sadly, just being released from jail isn't that great news in a country where many adhere to the view that says those who convert from Islam…who "apostatize"…deserve death. Dead is dead whether it is at the hands of officials or vigilantes…and there is a good chance a successful vigilante would be seen as a hero. (If you aren't convinced of that, just think of lawyers in January throwing rose petals at the feet of the bodyguard who killed the Pakistani governor he was supposed to be protecting because that man had come out against blasphemy law; that and the 500 Muslim clerics who lauded the murderer.2)

However, a bit later in the AP article there is even better news:

Continue reading “Embracing a Fate of Fire”

What’s in a Name?

Posted on by Alan

This week I spent a couple days off-the-grid in East Millinocket, Maine with Mike, my father-in-law (a retired truck driver who dabbles in used car sales). During one trip (to plain-old Millinocket) I saw a sign for an oil and propane supplier—one I'd never noticed before: Dead River Company. I told Mike that it seemed a regrettable choice for a business considering the environmental-catastrophe concerns people have with removing crude from Mother Earth. Especially after last year's Gulf disaster, it would appear that whether or not it originally made sense to name the forest products company in 1909 after a river that flowed through its land in western Maine,1 in 2011 it has to be a bit of a hurdle for Dead River's Marketing Department. Little did they know in 1936 when they expanded into petroleum products (anyone remember Esso?)2 that 75 years later some would consider them part the second most nefarious industry (only behind tobacco)…and that their name would be a constant reminder of the worst-case scenario for their trade.

However, the sub-optimal naming up in northeast Maine didn't stop there. Enjoying more of that beautiful area's flavor by reading the Katahdin Region News, I saw an ad for Rob's Oil Burner Service. Nothin' too bad about that; well, except that they put the initials above the company in bold capitals: R.O.B.S. I don't know about you, but I'm not sure I want someone coming into my home with R.O.B.S. on their uniform. 🙂

Yet, Dead River Company and R.O.B.S. only receive an honorable mention when it comes to the prize for unfortunate name selections. Continue reading “What’s in a Name?”