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- Aug 27, 2005
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Ryan Bader is kicking Mitrione's ass right now.
He sure isRyan Bader is kicking Mitrione's ass right now.
I've grown to like him. He seems to have put together a damn fine wrestling heavy game. Looks good at HW too.He sure is
Also, there's something about him that is super unlikable to me
Never been able to put my finger on it
nice job sherlock.That's the brand name of the protein label you showed.
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Great post!I feel you, I understand seeing it that way from your point of view.
However, there are still many progressive Christians trying to do good things in the world, some who are saintly. People are never are our enemies here, ideas are.
Love the sinner, hate the sin. ECT.
Now when it comes to progressive Christians there is a problem: They often lose their salt. In the face of the race, class, and gender push against the Christian tradition, their friends and colleagues say, "How could you support this?" It is negative on feminism (In a very, very modern context...), homosexuality (ditto), and this, this, this... few can stand against the voices of their peers.
As well, America is a "Conservative" enterprise in that traditionally it was made on Enlightenment and Puritan ideas. Puritans watch out for themselves, are industrious because they feel God wants them to put their energy into their vocation/world, and the best chance to let them have a try was to make a land where anyone had a fair chance to succeed.
More or less America gave them the chance that Europe with strict hierarchy could not.
At the same time, the poor are still those we want to help, and Christians do a lot of the helping of course.
When one sees impoverished black shanties that go on for miles one has to take pause, when one sees other groups mired in poverty we know that -
A - A lot have made bad choices, even generation to generation.
B - A lot are trying, and we should always do our best as the society to help those who are trying.
Then though, comes the huge problem...
1 - Globalism - a lot of jobs and vocations for the poor are drying up, and the despair of wordly pursuits and drugs are waiting. I am a "globalist," however, the cultural harm is a severe penalty for the huge increase of economic enrichment across the world.
2 - AI
The same men who are eager to do brain transplants and replace humanity with their creations, are the same types of people who are pushing robots to do your job, and my job, and someday everyone's job.
The elite has no love of mankind anymore, and we are all fragmenting on our old lines of resentments and hatreds.
If you are poor, you're job will be the first to go... the American system of "run the race to win" will not work much longer, because in the past there was a fair way to run, and a fair agreement that women, minorities, or anyone else should be given that same opportunity.
Now people want what they want, and the path to success is arduous at best, because the men designing it have no idea where creating AI masters of industry ends, and we begin, and when we ready their literature the "terrifying" conclusion is most of them do not care, or are hostile to the human condition to begin with.
If we are concerned with Christianity and Culture, how do we contend with this?
We are all sinners in need of salvation.
I do speak for myself.Speak for yourself. You have a low bar for "knowing".
I do speak for myself.
Great post!
I don't have all the answers. But I do know this.
We need to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are all sinners in need of salvation. Imagine if many people accepted Christ and revival swept the country. Imagine if many accepting Christ had an influence on every mother, father, son and daughter, pastor, neighbor, boss employee, teacher etc?
Hey Cubo old chap.
I'm the other party.
You know, I don't think we need to be innovative. I guess I'm not against it, but maybe it makes me think of people that have just watered down the Word of God. Maybe they stand for nothing, don't preach the some parts of the Gospel (we are sinners, God will judge us), or they get innovative by preaching a social Gospel of works (Galations warned us of another gospel)Sounds good, however, that revival requires some reviving of The Word.
The Word may be timeless, but the times need new ways of relating the word to changing generations.
It is too easy for Spirit of the Law to become the dogmatic letter of the Law, and it is too easy for many to want to relate the endless substance of the Spirit of the Law, and lose the meaning because they compromised the meaning.
This is the enormous challenge for every generation:
To relate The Word of God.
King James?
Then you get some hardcore believers of true faith but many sheep are lost.
Good News Translation?
Then you might get more converts who do not understand or know God's Word at all. They just "follow human rules."
An incredible and inspiring thing about Christianity is that it can become a part of any culture, and strangely with 2000 years of hindsight, seems to have been molded in the 2 odd years of Christ's ministry to do just that.
Bottom line: We need to restore the great Christian vessels in our fleet, that is the church, and arm them with new innovations to overcome the world, that is the vast sea around us.
To be salty, whether a missionary who must be fluid in the word and adaptable, or a minister who must be concrete and concise. The world needs both, dreamers and the judicious, and we need to find and encourage them all and never forget - it is evil that wants us to hate others, because no matter how far someone has fallen in most cases, they are part of the same problem, that none are righteous before God and all are too proud of so much nothing.
We need to shine a light on that nothing, as well as on evil, knowing how The Word speaks on the narrow minded and small issues of the day is the way, and if we are confident in not only fighting against the world, but embracing those who seek the truth, not scoring them, we can still do great things before the sun sets.
What'cha partying with tonight? You seem like a shrooms sorta dude.
I've seen some innovative preachers. That word scares me. I may not be getting you though. I don't know.Sounds good, however, that revival requires some reviving of The Word.
The Word may be timeless, but the times need new ways of relating the word to changing generations.
It is too easy for Spirit of the Law to become the dogmatic letter of the Law, and it is too easy for many to want to relate the endless substance of the Spirit of the Law, and lose the meaning because they compromised the meaning.
This is the enormous challenge for every generation:
To relate The Word of God.
King James?
Then you get some hardcore believers of true faith but many sheep are lost.
Good News Translation?
Then you might get more converts who do not understand or know God's Word at all. They just "follow human rules."
An incredible and inspiring thing about Christianity is that it can become a part of any culture, and strangely with 2000 years of hindsight, seems to have been molded in the 2 odd years of Christ's ministry to do just that.
Bottom line: We need to restore the great Christian vessels in our fleet, that is the church, and arm them with new innovations to overcome the world, that is the vast sea around us.
To be salty, whether a missionary who must be fluid in the word and adaptable, or a minister who must be concrete and concise. The world needs both, dreamers and the judicious, and we need to find and encourage them all and never forget - it is evil that wants us to hate others, because no matter how far someone has fallen in most cases, they are part of the same problem, that none are righteous before God and all are too proud of so much nothing.
We need to shine a light on that nothing, as well as on evil, knowing how The Word speaks on the narrow minded and small issues of the day is the way, and if we are confident in not only fighting against the world, but embracing those who seek the truth, not scoring them, we can still do great things before the sun sets.
You know, I don't think we need to be innovative. I guess I'm not against it, but maybe it makes me think of people that have just watered down the Word of God. Maybe they stand for nothing, don't preach the some parts of the Gospel (we are sinners, God will judge us), or they get innovative by preaching a social Gospel of works (Galations warned us of another gospel)
I think I (we) need to pray more for people's salvation, we need to evangelize at opportune times.
I have an ESV and NIV.I understand, and maybe this is the way to consider it.
There are different kinds of shepherds for this flock:
- There are those that must find the new sheep and bring them towards the herd.
- There are those that must watch after them when they are part of the herd.
John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ, there was no other way, we must prepare before for the journey.
I talk with Chinese who have no context for the gospel - no knowledge of Jesus, no idea of right and wrong in a way that any Westerner would easily understand, no way other than a willing spirit to learn what the whole weight of 2,000 years of Christ means.
They literally know almost nothing or think Jesus was a nice guy/magician.
How does one talk to these curious little ones?
If someone brings out King James and the story of Noah, few will listen or get the endlessly deep concepts the stories tell.
If we substitute the Contemporary English version? They can get that, but a lot of salt is missing from the conversion... but that is the goal on this side of things, give as many a taste as possible, and then they can see how rich the flavor of the banquet of Christ can be.
Another way to see it may be the raw Biblical translations -
New King James - A mix of older language and an attempt to get the spirit of the original translation as well as the stylistic verse.
New International Version - An attempt to be as accurate as possible with modern, flexible language.
English Standard Version - An attempt to be as accurate as possible with somewhat modern language and a recreation of the prose.
Contemporary English Version - To give the meaning in straightforward language without changing the meaning.
Is one of them better? Is one "The only true word?" No, no not at all, because we're trying to translate the will of what we are convinced is the God of the world, doing so is something that can not be captured in words, the mere symbols of the observable words and human feelings.
This is of course trying to contemplate something so much richer and deeper, that inspired all of our philosophers for/against, the common man's behavior, the princes scheming and support of men, and to capture what life means, in mystery that has been studied all these years and only a few can grasp, in common sense that any young child can capture. That is the Gospel, and that's why many say it is "living."
I say living is not good enough, for the miracles I have seen done - perfect is not the right word, flawless is closer, but immaculate is all that I can say captures anything like that God's power is.
I'm high on Christ!
Also, barbiturates.
For a semi-serious answer, I would be all right with mushrooms, or maybe some LSD. Although, I don't like to soar for an escape, but rather to better appreciate love, truth, and what the fragile context of mind and body can contain.
In reality, a half glass of wine will usually be just fine. The religious experience is kind of like ten doses of heroine, with no side effects except being misidentified in a caricature line up with Ned Flanders perhaps.
What do I seek?
To touch the deeper meaning of what eludes the mortal coil.
How about you? What's on the menu tonight/today?