two or three . net

When to Doubt a Scientific ‘Consensus’

Here's the abbreviated list from a good article from the American entitled When to Doubt a Scientific ‘Consensus’. You can also hear an interview with the author at ID the Future.

1. When different claims get bundled together.
2. When ad hominem attacks against dissenters predominate.
3. When scientists are pressured to toe the party line.
4. When publishing and peer review in the discipline is cliquish.
5. When dissenting opinions are excluded from the relevant peer-reviewed literature not because of weak evidence or bad arguments but as part of a strategy to marginalize dissent.
6. When the actual peer-reviewed literature is misrepresented.
7. When consensus is declared hurriedly or before it even exists.
8. When the subject matter seems, by its nature, to resist consensus.
9. When “scientists say” or “science says” is a common locution.
10. When it is being used to justify dramatic political or economic policies.
11. When the “consensus” is maintained by an army of water-carrying journalists who defend it with uncritical and partisan zeal, and seem intent on helping certain scientists with their messaging rather than reporting on the field as objectively as possible.
12. When we keep being told that there’s a scientific consensus.

Theological Liberalism as measured by your doctrine of Hell

Al Mohler has suggested that we can use a church or individual's theology of hell as a measure of their theological liberalism.  He also mentions that there is a characteristic 'slide' from the orthodox (read 'biblical') view of hell to the liberal view that abhors the idea as cruel and unjust (odium theologium).   Here you go.

1. Orthodox Belief: You believe in and preach the doctrine of Hell
2. Silence: You stop mentioning it because you find it offensive
3. Reduction to Consequentialism: A doctrine is revised and retained in reduced form - something like consequentialism, as opposed retributionism (God is actively punishing evil)
4. Positivism: Essentially, don't worry about it, we're not even sure if hell is real or what it means.  Just be as positive as possible - focus on being a good person and hell will take care of itself.
5. Liberalization of the Doctrine:  Changing the doctrine from eternal to denying that hell is everlasting, arguing for a form of annihilationism, or conditional immortality.
6. Denial of Biblical Accuracy:  Basically, yes the Bible teaches eternal Hell, but the Bible is wrong. 

10 Commandments of Ethical Witness are peace-loving but controversial

The Christian Muslim Forum, an interfaith group, has released what it calls Ethical Guidelines for Christian and Muslim Witness in Britain (PDF).   Interestingly, some more conservative Christians don't like a couple of the provisions because they fear that it could be used to stifle criticism or even moral condemnation of spirituality that contradicts what some would call basic human rights.

If you'd like to hear a spirited debate about the guidelines between a moderate Christian, a moderate Muslim, a Hindu, a Buddhist, and a conservative Christian, check out the excellent debate at Muslim, Christian, Hindu debate on evangelism.

What some are calling Ten Commandments of Mission? are after the jump, with my highlights and brief commentary.

Why do some Christians become atheists?

I am exploring the mystery of why people leave faith for my upcoming book, and am also doing some great research by reading the following:

• Walking Away from Faith: Unraveling the Mystery of Belief and Unbelief
• Quitting Church: Why the Faithful are Fleeing and What to Do about It
• unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity... and Why It Matters
• They Like Jesus but Not the Church: Insights from Emerging Generations

However, in response to a pretty good atheist podcast at Reasonable Doubts (Explicit), I was asked to consider this question:  "When a Christian becomes an 'apostate,' (unbeliever), how do Christians explain it?"  

Vision or prison?

 

This wonderful cartoon from ASBO Jesus got me thinking about the whole vision thing.  As a pastor, one of the chief difficulties is inspiring volunteers to pursue a vision. Here's my comments.

1. Inspire, don't threaten.
2. People are more important than the work or the timeline
3. To inspire, YOU must be inspired, and keeping yourself motivated and 'inspirational' while going through life's normal ups and downs is a tough discipline.
4. WITHOUT a vision, church is boring and lethargic.  People like to be part of a ship that's going somewhere.
5. Forging a vision that works first involves forging it with a team, not just yourself.
6. God uses our own passions and experience from which we draw our vision and inspiration, but it is also GOD's vision and timeline that matter, and discerning which is which is tough.  Having a team (see #5) helps lend some objectivity to help figure out what is 'me and God' and what is just 'me.'
7. Aim at nothing, hit nothing.  But if you do aim at something, be happy no matter what you hit, you are almost sure NOT to hit exactly what you were aiming at.  Learn from it.

CREW announces its annual 15 Most Corrupt Politicians

The non-partisan Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has realeased its annual list of the Most Corrupt Politicians.  The list includes 9 Democrats and 6 Republicans.  They also have a followup report on previous years called Where are They Now? (PDF).  Here's the list:

• Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)
• Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL)
• Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)
• Rep. Nathan Deal (R-GA)
• Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)
• Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL)
• Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)
• Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
• Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-WV)
• Rep. John P. Murtha (D-PA)
• Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-NY)
• Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA)
• Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-IN)
• Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA)
• Rep. Don Young (R-AK)

10 reasons why Obama may be the "greatest" President in history

The Obama presidency is historic, for many reasons.  However, I think that his legacy may be more negative than positive.  Here, I list my pessimistic (realistic?) list of Obama's greatest historic contributions. 

Obama's "Greatest" Moments

Obama may leave behind:

1. The greatest national debt in history
2. The greatest economic crash since the Great Depression
3. The greatest setback to racial 'color blindness' since Jeremiah Wright affirmative action Jim Crowe
4. The greatest racial insults from a sitting president since Spirew Agnew's "fat Jap" remark (Agnew was VP)
5. The greatest foreign policy miscalculations with respect to tyrants since the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact (the non-agression pact between Russia and Hitler's Germany)
6. The greatest attack of Americans on domestic soil since 9/11 (TBD)
7. The greatest rush on ammunition and survival gear since the early cold war
8. The greatest increase in government funded infanticide since King Herod (or perhaps the Pharoah of Moses' day)
9. The greatest taxpayer revolt since the Revolutionary War
10. The greatest similarity to the anti-Christ of any American President (apologies to Ronald Reagan)

And for the record, I only believe half of these ;).  The rest are cynical humor.

CNN Fortune Editor Breaks Ranks on Obamacare

In 5 freedoms you'd lose in health care reform, Fortune editor Shawn Tully contributes his opinion to the ongoing special report on Healthcare at CNN.  The subtitle says it all: 

If you read the fine print in the Congressional plans, you'll find that a lot of cherished aspects of the current system would disappear.

Here's a no-brainer:

Page by page, the bills reveal a web of restrictions, fines, and mandates that would radically change your health-care coverage.

I am so glad that someone with the visibility of Fortune is smelling the coffee before it is too late. 

National Free to Speak Campaign

Gateways to Better Education, a "national organization dedicated to helping public schools teach Judeo-Christian history, thought, and values" is sponsoring the National Free to Speak Campaign, which aims to "help schools become safe places for students to express their religious beliefs."

The U.S. Department of Education issued guidelines on freedom of religious expression in public schools twice during Clinton administration (1995 and 1998) and once under the Bush administration (2003). This is a bipartisan issue. The guidelines were sent to every school district, but they didn’t get to classroom teachers, parents, and students.

Is this really necessary?  You will think so if you read news articles like Religion and public schools: An important civics lesson this fall, which documents common violation of free speech by (liberal) school teachers and administrators.  

The Alliance Defense Fund has produced a nice Students' Rights Pamphlet (PDF) of the current US laws covering such free speech in schools (reproduced below). 

This IS a bipartisan issue - at least, for people of faith, confidence in free speech, and/or a non-secularist understanding of separation of church and state (separation of powers, but not ideas).  Some related articles:

• The Four Historic Models for Church/State Interaction
• Separation of Church and State, but not God and State
• Uneasy Neighbors - Church and State

10 lies Obamacare told me

I don't have time to back all of these claims up with data.   I'll leave it up to you to google for the evidence, or the contrary.  I don't care if you liberals think it's just blathering because I don't take time to explain it all to you in detail - you won't listen anyway.  I just do this to make a list for my own reference.

The change brought to Washington

Liberal groups have taken to referring to those who publicly disagree with Pres. Obama's health care proposal as "mobs," but a recent news story tells a different story:

After the meeting, everyone from grandmothers and students to veterans and mothers pushing strollers marched along Lake Merritt to Oakland City Hall for an afternoon rally at which Lee again spoke.

Oh, wait that is how the media was portraying anti-war and anti-Bush protests. Grandmothers and children protesting can now be called mobs, Nazis, brown shirts, political terrorists, thugs, etc. Somehow things have changed.

I will now agree that Obama brought change to Washington. Here are some of the changes that have taken place since his inauguration.

Germans not getting onboard with 'the Debt President'

Der Spiegel had an article on the five fallacies of the Obama economic debacle plan.  You can read the English version of Chancellor Merkel Visits the Debt President for the details, but here are the five fallacies:

1. It's not as bad as it seems. The US amassed much more debt during World War II, it is often said. That, though, is not true. According to conservative forecasts, Obama's policies could end up being three times as expensive as US expenditures during World War II.
2. The money is part of an effort to resuscitate the crisis-plagued economy and is thus serving a good purpose. The truth of the matter is that the bulk of the borrowed money will be used to finance the normal US budget.
3. When the crisis ends, borrowing will automatically fall. The truth is that it could climb afterwards. The graying of American society creates a new fiscal policy challenge for the country that so far hasn't been reflected in any budget plan. According to calculations by the International Monetary Fund, Washington would need to spend several times more than it is now just to service current pension entitlements.
4. The world believes that the US is borrowing money from capital markets. It is often said that the Chinese and the Japanese will buy government bonds. But the truth of the matter is that trust in the gravitas and reliability of the United States has suffered to such a great degree that fewer and fewer foreigners are purchasing its government bonds.
5. The additional money is harmless because the economy is starting to pull together again and there is no threat of inflation. The truth is that the quiet on the inflation front is deceptive. The hot money is accumulating in people's savings accounts and in the balance sheets of banks that aren't keen to lend money at the moment. The supply of money has increased by 45 percent in the last three years and there has not been a corresponding rise in hard assets or production. That imbalance will eventually make itself felt in the form of inflation.

In my opinion, if Obama succeeds in all of his spending (which it looks like he has), we will spend the next 40 years trying to get out from under it.  As my mom, who is a lifelong Kennedy Democrat said to me this week "I don't think I'll live to see the economy recover from what Obama is doing, but I can damn well vote Republican in the coming elections."  Now that is saying something.

101+ Quotes on Faith, Reason, Unbelief, and Atheism

In response to a very impressive list of 101 Atheist Quotes, I wanted to create some lists of my own, and have culled my favorites from the following sources:

• christianquotes.org
• grace quotes
• the quotable Christian

Essential Products for Babies III - Furniture, Climbers, and other large things

In Part I, I covered medicines and ointments.  Part II - Transportation.  Now, on to furniture and climbing toys I think are essential for the new parent.  This list is woefully incomplete, but here's the things we found incredibly useful.

1.  Changing table with a drawer or two - we didn't have one of these for our first child, but putting one downstairs in the living area was a huge help - upstairs, we change on the bed, but down, there is only the floor or the kitchen table.

Essential Products for Babies I - Medicines and Ointments

As a father of three, I have tried many products for babies and toddlers.  Here's my best of list.

1. Baby Oil - great for cleaning crusty noses and faces, moisturizing dry scalps and skin, and a great massage and marital aid

8 Ways we provoke our children

John MacArthur has posted a nice article on Pulpit Magazine about the following scripture, discussing how we should NOT provoke our children to anger.  I've created a shortened list (HT: Challies)

Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

10 alarming facts about global warming

The Center for Research on Globalization has posted an article entitled Global Warming: A Convenient Lie, which gives a nice overview of the very real problems with the man-made CO2 global warming claims.  I've summarized below.

The 7 Signs of the American Religious Left

Catholic Priest, writer, and founder of the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty Robert Sirico, recently gave a nice lecture entitled The Rise (And Eventual Downfall) of the New Religious Left (audio).  In it, he listed the seven characteristic errors of the religious left, as well as some interesting discussion of the historic origins of the 'left' and 'right' labels.  You can also read his writing on this subject from a 2002 article in First Things.  He is, however, often a critic of the religious right as well.

Sirico has also been a long time critic of the Vatican and its alignment with liberal politics (except abortion, see How Partisan Are the Bishops?), i.e. the same errors he lists above.  I've summarized his seven points below, but his discussion is really interesting.  Also decent is his discussion of the same subject matter in a radio interview with Kresta in the Afternoon.   

Six evidences for the Noahic flood

AIG has a nice, simple article entitled Geologic Evidences for the Genesis flood.  Here are the six, visit the link if you want to read more, and check out the entire table of contents from the latest edition of Answers Magazine - lots of cool YEC stuff:

1. Fossils of sea creatures high above sea level due to the ocean waters having flooded over the continents.
2. Rapid burial of plants and animals.
3. Rapidly deposited sediment layers spread across vast areas.
4. Sediment transported long distances.
5. Rapid or no erosion between strata.
6. Many strata laid down in rapid succession.

10 Biblical Points about Alcohol and Drinking

Many evangelicals and fundamentalists are tea-totalers, and a good number of them also look down upon Christians who do use alcohol.  And while such judgmental Christians are disobeying the command of Romans 14:3 to "not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him," this does not mean that they are wrong to abstain.

But the question arises, is the biblical perspective on alcohol entirely or mostly negative, or the opposite?

Eight Types of Suffering

CT has a nice article entitled Reductionist Justice, in which the author discusses the error of Job's friends, which was to reduce all suffering to God's retributive justice for sin.  As the author notes, there are at least eight types of suffering described in the Bible.

The Wrath of God I - Five Types of Divine Anger

I urge you to listen to the first and second parts (second part tomorrow) of the two part radio series on Focus on the Family, which began today.  The series is a couple of lectures by John MacArthur entitled A Nation Abandoned by God (you can also download this and previous shows using the FOTF podcast RSS).  MacArthur is using Romans 1 as a description of one type of wrath of God - when God abandons us to our sinfulness by removing his restraint.   However, to set this idea up, he reviewed the five types of wrath that God exhibits in the bible. 

Since many people don't think or wrath as an attribute of God (having abandoned truth while holding only to grace), it is important to understand the judgment and righteous anger of God.

The Ten Commandments for Church Signs

In my last post on Church Signs, I mentioned the book Silent Words Loudly Spoken: Church Sign Sayings, which looks cool.  Here's its humorous list of commandments for church sign use.

10 Points on Evangelical Postmillenialism

Along with the current end-time madness currently spurred by the grossly popular Left Behind series comes renewed debate among Christians about whose end-time theology is correct.  Of the many choices to choose from, evangelicals usually align with a Pre-millenialist view.  However, apologist and evangelical theologian Greg L. Bahnsen takes the post-millenialist view, and here's my listomania version.

10 Principles For Doing Apologetics

Here's a nice "Art of War" for apologetics, in list form, entitled Truth Tactics.  Nice tips for those of us defending Christianity.  If you like the list below, go and read his entire post.

Christians are privileged to be emissaries of the living God, heralds of hope, and defenders of divine truth. This is why it is imperative for them to approach apologetics in an intelligent fashion.  Certainly, a good portion of this effort will involve the discovery and implementation of important apologetic strategies.

Home Schooling Advice Lists

Scriptorium has two excellent posts on homeschooling, What is a Classical, Traditional, Christian Education? and Toward Virtue: Ten Lessons We Have Learned Home Schooling.  I've provided the content of the second article as a list.

Ten reasons why Obama will win in '08

1. The war in Iraq: Even conservatives realize that this has become a fiasco.  Sure, maybe we were right to depose Sadam, but this looks more and more like Vietnam in many ways.
   
2. Throw the bums out:  Continuing questionable ethics decisions like those plaguing the Attorneys General Gonzalez have turned many conservatives and moderates off to the Republicans.  The same impetus that saw Dems retake Congress in the '06 election will carry over into the National one.
3. Hillary is not electable:  She's too harsh, she's too liberal, she's too Clinton (that's my poor photoshop job above)
4. Gingrich is not electable: I think Newt would be a fantastic president.  So do 47% of Bill O'Reilly's viewers. 
5. Giuliani is a RINO: I mean, come on, Giuliani is a liberal in conservative clothing.  Why would a conservative vote for him?  Why would a liberal vote for him if they had an Obama? 
6. Obama is intelligent and articulate:  I mean, plenty of people are not ready to vote for a black man (or a mulatto), but a black man that talks like 50 Cent or P. Diddy would definitely not work.  Obama speaks like an educated man, not a ghetto thug.  That will help him.
7. Obama is a minority:  Aren't we all tired of old white men running things?  I think we are finally ready to really prove that we are the land of opportunity and equality by having a person of color in the white house.  Of course, I'd rather have a conservative like Condie Rice in office - that would keep the crazy racists at bay - a liberal black man is much harder to sell in the old south.
8. Obama shies away from partisan bitterness: People are tired of the extremist secularists taunting the far right, and vice versa.
9. Obama is religious:  Most Americans affiliate with Christianity, and Obama claims to be a Christian.  While he may not hold biblical stands on many issues, at least he is not a Christian hater like Howard Dean ("How can we win over those stupid people of faith?") and the secularist left.  He also has a Muslim background, so perhaps he can help us make some headway with the lunatics.  BTW, Robert Spencer has a nice video appealing to Obama and his unique position.
10. Obama is Gen-X, not Boomer: It is just me, or are we ready for a new generation in Washington?  I think the WWII generation is done running things, and us youngsters are ready for a Gen-X leader.  McCain, Giuliani, Clinton?  Old people.  Retiring generation.  Pasture.

12 Hermeneutical Principles

Theologian D.A. Carson has a nice 12 point article on hermeneutics, and he discusses how these apply to such thorny questions as those below (we've discussed them here):

The issue is this:  What parts of the Bible are binding mandates for us, and what parts are not?        

Consider some examples.  “Greet one another with a holy kiss”: the French do it, Arab believers do it, but by and large we do not.  Are we therefore unbiblical?  Jesus tells his disciples that they should wash one another’s feet (John 13:14), yet most of us have never done so.  Why do we “disobey” that plain injunction, yet obey his injunction regarding the Lord’s Table (“This do, in remembrance of me”)?  If we find reasons to be flexible about the “holy kiss,” how flexible may we be in other domains?  May we replace the bread and wine at the Lord’s Supper with yams and goat’s milk if we are in a village church in Papua New Guinea?  If not, why not?  And what about the broader questions circulating among theonomists regarding the continuing legal force of law set down under the Mosaic covenant?  Should we as a nation, on the assumption that God graciously grants widespread revival and reformation, pass laws to execute adulterers by stoning? If not, why not?  Is the injunction for women to keep silent in the church absolute (1 Corinthians 14:33-36)?  If not, why not?  Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born again if he is to enter the kingdom; he tells the rich young man that he is to sell all that he has and give it to the poor.  Why do we make the former demand absolute for all persons, and apparently fudge a little on the second?

Below, I have excerpted from the whole article, which is worth reading.  Note that Carson is not well liked by fundamentalists, and for some good reasons.  However, this post of his I liked.

My Two Cents (03/09)

• Jürgen Moltmann - Faith and Theology has a nice ode to the ex-nazi theologian, who wrote the classic Theology of Hope.
• The Journal of Religion and Science - this overly scholarly online philosophic journal has some very interesting titles, and the current issue is (always?) free.  Archived articles cost, though :(
• Ten Propositions Series - A whole series of theology essays in lists of 10 or more items.
• Top Ten Whacky Mormon Beliefs - they said it, not me.
• Street Preaching 101 - advice for effective street witnessing
• Hard-core street preaching - Sure, these guys look like religious crazies, but they are also bold and courageous.  Street preaching is exciting and biblical (HT: Reformed Evangelist)
• Lego Church - somebody has time on their hands (HT: Prosthesis)

11 Questions to Ask of Your Potential Presidential Candidates

Gordon McDonald, one of my favorite authors, has written a nice piece on what he thinks evangelicals should be looking for and asking about potential presidential candidates.  Nice.

13 Things That Don't Make Sense

New Scientist magazine, echoing a recent Wired Magazine article (Things we don't know), lists 13 things that don't make sense in the scientific world yet.  I note that a few of these play into the whole young-earth creationism thing.

Under "the horizon problem," the NS article notes

A variation in the speed of light could solve the problem, but this too is impotent in the face of the question 'why?'

This is interesting because YECs have long hypothesized that the speed of light may have slowed (c-decay), and have been soundly ridiculed by evolutionary believers, though 'real' scientists, for reasons other than a young earth hypothesis, seem to be asking the same question. 

Also note that many other open riddles in physics, require such extraordinary hypotheses as dark matter, dark energy, and the possible fluctuation in 'constants', all of which have YEC implications, and some YEC hypotheses seem to more simply answer these questions, without resorting to theories of multiple dimensions or 'invisible' dark matters and energies.

Ten propositions on the Holy Spirit

The Faith and Theology blog has an interesting, if esoteric article on the Holy Spirit.  I've listed the ten points below, but if you want to actually understand them, have at it.  Articles like this let me know that (a) I have far to go into the depth of theology, and (b) maybe I don't want to go that far ;).  I'll be impressed if *any* of us have something thoughtful to say on this, but just maybe...I can hope.

Mass Delusion - 10 Reasons Why the Majority of Scientists Believe in Evolution

Many evolutionary supporters claim that anyone who doubts evolution as a theory of origins is really daft or religiously driven.  One defense they often resort to is the claim that "the majority of professional scientists believe in evolution - you think they are all wrong?"

The creationists answer to this question is a resounding "YES!" - but how could so many intelligent people be wrong about a scientific concept?  I suspect it is not a conspiracy, but a DELUSION.  And I believe that I can explain why this delusion is so appealing to scientists.

Dealing with Islam: Passive or Active Resistance?

The more I ready about incidents like that of the Nigerian teacher whose home was burned to the ground for disciplining a Muslim student, or any of the other ways that "radical" Islam is trying to intimidate the free world, the more I keep asking myself, what would I do if they were coming for me?

I'll tell you what I would not do - I would not let myself be slaughtered like a sheep.  I keep thinking of the movie The Mission, where Jeremy Irons and Robert Deniro play two Jesuits who have to choose to fight or passively resist - tough choice - it shows the value of both positions (and I think both are valuable and "right.")

Who's watching the watchmen?

Fishing the Abyss has a very nice post taking neo fundie site Slice to task, asking "who's watching the watchmen?"   They come up with the following recommendations for transforming Slice and other watchblog sites from sarcastic bastards into useful ministries:

1. Change the tone
2. Open the discussion
3. Drop the labels
4. Learn to distinguish between 'traditional' and 'Biblical' (i.e. style and substance)
5. Be a watchman, not judge, jury and executioner

See also 10 Principles of Biblical Discernment Part I and Part II

8 Principles for Preaching Others' Sermons

If you are a pastor that has to preach every weekend, what do you do when you run out of fresh material?  What if you've just had a week with not enough time to prepare well, or have "preacher's block?"  Is it OK to borrow material from famous sermons?  How about just borrowing the main points from someone else's sermons, using your own words and examples?  How about preaching someone else's sermon WORD FOR WORD?  What do you do if you find your preacher has not been writing his own sermons?  Do you fire him or laud him?

What are the essentials of faith?

I am a big fan of the saying "In the essentials, UNITY, in the non-essentials, LIBERTY, in all things, CHARITY."  But what are the essentials of the faith that we must agree upon or admit that we can not call ourselves Christians?  Steve Cowan has suggested the following seven items.  I have a couple of comments:

• Belief in these all of these items is NOT required for salvation
• I'm not sure I agree that belief in Original Sin is essential, but I do believe in it, and could be convinced that he is correct.

Ten Major Flaws of Evolution

TTAM has a nice list with explanations of the Ten Major Flaws of Evolution.  I've listed them here without the explanations, for reference and enjoyment.  I know that these have all been "refuted" by evolutionists, but creationists, including myself, find their refutations unconvincing - and not because of our "faith", but because the evolutionary comebacks are weak.  Fact is, evolution is bad science, and bad philosophy, nothing more.

The Marks of Manhood

Al Mohler has written an excellent article on what biblical manhood looks like.  I've summarized his main points below.

Critique: A Checklist for Church Music

I've recently subscribed to a new suite of blogs that can pretty much be described as "anti-Rick-Warren."  Besides sharing this ignoble purpose, many of these neo-fundamentalist, self-appointed "watchdog" sites (see 10 Principles of Biblical Discernment - Part I and Part II) are very critical and doctrinaire about issues, and some stray into Pharisaical territory. 

I recently read a mostly good article on Faith & Practice entitled A Checklist for Church Music, which I need to bring some, um, balance to.  While you're reading this post, you might also want to check out Worship Leader or Lead Worshipper?, What is Christian Music, Are Musical Instruments Only for Old Testament Worship? and Why Most Churches Suck.

10 Ways Darwinists Help Intelligent Design

Joe over at EO has a really nice three part series entitled 10 Ways Darwinists Help Intelligent Design.  I've listed his main points below, but you'll have to read the series to get the whole picture.  My favorite part?  In the comments...

There is something that does puzzle me though...while it is a fact that the overwhelming majority of IDists are evengelical christians and counts among them not one single athiest as far as anyone knows,

First, let's consider that only about 5% of the population is atheist. So that narrows it down somewhat. Second, there are atheists who accept ID. Anthony Flew is probably the most notable one. Todd Moody and David Berlinski are agnostics. And David Stove, rejected neo-Darwinism and he was an atheist.

Also, what about Francis Crick and Fred Hoyle. Neither of them were "evangelical Christians" and they both posited a form of "intelligent design" argument for the seeding of life on earth.

Ten Principles of Church Membership

Currently, I attend a small country church of about 100 people.  And I do mean country - many of the members are farmers, and I'd bet that more of them own shotguns than computers.  But a strange thing is happening - as the fields yield to housing developments, more middle class suburbanites are coming to church, and the question has arisen - what kind of church do we want to be in order to serve both our existing and new populations?  This is not an easy question to answer. 

But while we are thinking about it, a number of things have come up that we do NOT want to do.  Church membership rolls are an interesting thing to study, and our view of them will color how we view people and ministry.  But needless to say, our membership commitment means nothing if we are not a vital, active part of a body of believers.  While you can become a Christian without belonging to a local or intimate body of believers, you can't become a mature Christian without vital church involvement.

The 10 Recommendations

Aaron, nice post.  However, while you are addressing some extremes that need attention, I would like to also present some extremes we should correct, along with some balanced principles which I think xians should be pursuing.  But my concern is not so much with making unbelievers happy with us (although that may happen as some imbalances are fixed - and of course, that is a laudable goal), but with making believers mature.

Best Movies You've Never Seen

Joe at EO has another nice movie list, 100 Most Overrated/Underrated Films.  Here's my list of great movies that most people have missed:

• A Life Less Ordinary - ALLO is a stylish and strange romantic comedy with stellar performances from everyone, including Ewan McGregor, Cameron Diaz, Delroy Lindo, and Holly Hunter as the tobacco-chewing, tough-chick angel.
• Brainstorm -  Brainstorm, starring Christopher Walken, Natalie Wood (her last movie), and Louise Fletcher (remember Kai Winn from DS9?), has both a fantastic screenplay and acting.  Fletcher's heart-attack scene is amazing and powerfully done, and this movie is just plain cool.
• The Cell - The Cell is visually stunning, and Vincent D'Onofrio's villianous serial killer is masterful. 
• Double Take - a light but intelligent and funny identity-switch comedy with Orlando Jones and Eddie Griffin - with some great music to boot. 
• ExistenZ - This low budget David Cronenburg film asks the question, "What happens when you can't tell the game world from the real world?"  It's got a little too many gratuitous squishy noises and grossness, but nice job by Jude Law, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and great cameo by Willem Defoe.

List: 50 Spiritually Significant Films

Joe over at EO has a nice list of 50 Spiritually Significant Films, which has given me a few more titles for my Blockbuster online queue.  I thought to make my own list.  My faves have a *.

• All Quiet on the Western Front - facing the horrors of war
• * American History X - racism and redemption for a racist
• Angels in America - heartbreaking and creative look at the struggles and tradgedies of gay life, including losing a loved-one to AIDS, and supressing your sexuality for religious reasons.  Even though this is in some ways a "gay apologetic," it is much more.
• Big Fish - a son comes to terms with his salesman father's abscences during his childhood, and the stories his father spun to make his life seem exciting to himself and his son
• Bonhoeffer - a true Christian hero and martyr of the Nazi era
• * Braveheart - a classic about fighting for your freedom - if you fail to fight, but would rather be enslaved, is it worth it? 
• * Chocolat - Nice morality play about the stigma of being a single woman in a town run by a religious legalist, and his fall from legalism to being human - same theme as Babett’s Feast, but more entertaining

How to Argue Stupidly

If you have been following Scott Adams' brief foray into the Intelligent Design controversy, you may know that he was vociferously attacked (mostly by evolutionists) for being open minded.  In fact, he finally put up a post asking people to tell him Why He Was Stupid.  Having collected over 600 comments, he has now summarized them in a fun post called Results of Why I'm Stupid.  Here's the bullet points of how to accuse somone of stupidity (stupidly ;) :

1. Turn someone’s generality into an absolute.
2. Turn someone’s factual statements into implied preferences.
3. Turn factual statements into implied equivalents.
4. Omit key words.
5. Assume the dumbest interpretation.
6. Hallucinate entirely different points.
7. Use the intellectual laziness card.  (the evolutionist's favorite bullying tactic)

Favorite Christian Artists

Joe at the Evangelical Outpost has a list of 99 Favorite Xian Songs.  Here's my reflections.

Charlie Peacock

When Christian music was bland pablum (and much of it is still today), I discovered Charlie - a true artist and rebel.  His music changed my view of Christian art, and showed me how honest a person could be in music.  His classic albums Secret of Time and Love Life are still great listening.  Favorite songs? 

• In the Light
• Way of Love
• One Thing
• The Secret of Time.

American History Book Rec's from Olaskey

In World mag, Marvin Olaskey mentioned history books he would recommend.  However, the article is impossible to scan for the books, so here's a nice list for ya.

• 1776 by David McCulough (Revolutionary War)
• Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose (19th Century America)
• Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville (19th Century America)
• The Civil War by Shelby Foote (Civil War)
• Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington (Post Civil-War)
• Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen (first half of 20th Century)
• Modern Times by Paul Johnson (20th Century)
• Witness by Whittaker Chambers (cold war)
• When Character Was King by Peggy Noonan (cold war, Reagan era)
• The Fall of the Berlin Wall by William F. Buckley (end of cold war)
• A Heart, A Cross, and a Flag by Peggy Noonan (beginning of age of terrorism)
• Boots on the Ground by Karl Zinsmeister (war on terrorism)
• Dawn Over Baghdad by Karl Zinsmeister (war on terrorism)
• War Without End by Robert Shogan (American culture wars since 1960's)

Why Most Evangelicals Don't Like Evolution

I think there are a few reasons:

1. Many people use the "truth" of evolution to doubt the validity of the scriptures.
They say "I know science tells the truth, so if the bible disagrees, I know it must be wrong." Xians want to remove this intellectual stumbling block to faith. Not that you have to believe in creationism to believe in Christ, but evolution should not be seen as a valid objection to the claims of scripture.

Critical Factors in Gay Recovery

I was reading up on one of my favorite subjects, reparative therapy of homosexuality, when I came across a decent introductory article on the subject at Parents and Friends of EX-gays (PFOX).  The author evaluated the many therapeutic approaches to gay recovery therapy, and found the following six factors as critical to success: