Random Thoughts and Comments
Posted on March 14th, 2006 by catalyst into the Comments From Others categoryHere are some Random thoughts and links while I wait for UNC to win the Touranment:
Couv Operator sends a link about a band who is suing their label for calling them a Christian Band. We have fallen a long way since DC Talk come out with Jesus Freak.
Locutus emails a link about a Duke Divinity Student who has started a commune in an urban area of Chapel Hill. The student is the leader of a new commune movement called The New Monastics. (I wonder if they are related to The Aristocrats?) Locutus also emails a warning detailing the perils facing some communes.
One of my college roomates, who oddly enough also just graduated from Duke Divinity School, recently set up an ESPN College Basketball Tournament Bracket. If any of you would like to join JP and I, please feel free: Here's the website.
Lastly, here is a comment from a City Bible member who enjoys his church. The guy doesn't sound bitter. He sounds fairly level headed; he just enjoys his church. He also responds to my charge that Conferences are all about making money.
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March 14th, 2006 at 9:12 am
U-Conn, bro!
March 14th, 2006 at 9:15 am
Crap. This thought just occured to me as I hit submit…
Is “Jesus Freak” the Christian equivelent of Nevermind? Or was it more “Cracked Rear View”?
Discuss.
March 14th, 2006 at 9:19 am
Actually I think the Christian Equivalent is probably, Petra - Beyond Belief, but maybe I’m dating myself here.
March 14th, 2006 at 9:25 am
Petra? Dating myself? Is it 1986 again?
March 14th, 2006 at 10:08 am
U-conn has the talent but I don’t think they have the mental toughness to get all the way. I’m going with UCLA…for now.
March 14th, 2006 at 10:26 am
Mute Math is a great band! I can understand why they wouldn’t want the label of a “christian band” because most christian music really sucks! Who wants to get stuck with that stigma?
March 14th, 2006 at 10:31 am
Y’all care to make it interesting?
March 14th, 2006 at 11:54 am
Give me odds. UConn has got to be favored over UNC.
March 14th, 2006 at 11:55 am
Thank God I avoided my Mute Math joke. But honestly, if you don’t want to be called a Christian Band then don’t sign with Word. They’re a Christian Label.
March 14th, 2006 at 12:05 pm
Why are you fearful, ye of little faith?
March 14th, 2006 at 12:13 pm
Are the Beav’s or Ducks in it?
March 14th, 2006 at 12:16 pm
You talking whole bracket or just picks of the winner?
March 14th, 2006 at 12:20 pm
The whole enchilada.
March 14th, 2006 at 12:46 pm
www.liarsclubmusic.com
March 14th, 2006 at 3:08 pm
Justin,
This is unrelated but I just couldn’t help myself. I connects with why BT/CBC has never had a strong emphasis on psychological counseling. These are some great ways to avoid that sort of ministry:
1. Don’t put a door on your office.
2. Sing songs such as “Put On a Happy Face” and “Don’t Worry; Be Happy” to counselees.
3. Step out of the office and start laughing uproariously.
4. Tell the counselee that although you can’t figure out a solution to the problem, you’ll bring it up in the sermon on Sunday and see if anybody has any ideas.
5. Casually catch up on your reading while counselees bare their deepest problems.
6. Tell the counselee you are videotaping the session for replay on the local cable program: Candid Clergy.
7. Put a bumper sticker on your car: “I’d rather not be counseling.”
8. Refer them to a helpful article in your favorite professional journal: the National Enquirer.
9. Suggest counseling by fax machine.
10. In front of the counselee, phone your spouse and ask for his or her opinion on what to do.
11. Recite tales of people who are a lot worse off, and call the counselee a crybaby.
12. Engage the counselee’s mother-in-law as a co-therapist.
March 14th, 2006 at 3:14 pm
Will the really larry asplund please stand up?
March 14th, 2006 at 3:19 pm
The West campus is so much different from the East campus… I mean, they’re the same church.. but the atmosphere is way different and it just feels a whole lot different. I don’t know if anyone else noticed this.
March 14th, 2006 at 3:37 pm
On a random note…
I don’t know how everyone here feels about Pat Robetson, but here is a good article concerning him: Top US Evangelist Targets Islam
It is Christian icons like Pat Robertson who are destroying the message of Jesus. In my opinion, he is the one “motivated by demonic power”. Robertson is a political tool.
March 14th, 2006 at 9:18 pm
UCONN will take it all…
March 14th, 2006 at 11:06 pm
This is so the potluck thread right now….
March 15th, 2006 at 12:20 am
jell-o salad anyone?
Hey, I’m kind of inclined to agree with Pat on this one…but then, you probably thought I’d say that…lol…not sure yet…haven’t done enough research into Islam…I’ve done some, mind you, but I haven’t read the Koran in it’s entirety…
I must say that they are willing to die for what they believe…which is more than I can say for some Christians…
March 15th, 2006 at 6:47 am
I think saying it’s fueled demonically is missing the simpler point. It’s merely an attempted power grab. Some muslim religious leaders are using a twisted version of Islam to mislead some poor, frustrated people to further their own agendas. In that respect, it’s no different than a Christian leader twisting our religion for his/her own benefit, so maybe Pat should be more careful who he calls demonic.
I don’t see Osama or any of the other radical mullahs strapping bombs to themselves. I think they’re willing to let their followers die for what they believe while they try to reap the rewards. Not very noble if you ask me.
March 15th, 2006 at 6:48 am
Garland:
Interesting to consider what a “religion of peace” might actually mean.
Let’s not forget the crusades….or the Spanish Inquisition…..or the Reformation…..or so many other travesties throughout the last 2000 years. Christianity would have a hard time selling itself as a “religion of peace”, too….and while like you, Garland, I’m not so very familiar with the Qu’ran or generally accepted Islamic doctrines, I think it’s probably fair to say that there as many trigger-happy Christians out there as there are trigger-happy Muslims. In general, I think it’s the economic and political situations in the countries involved that are determining who takes on what role (aggressor vs. defendant, etc.) and how angry the general population is about their everyday life. In this context, “angry” is really another word for “easy to control”….remember post-WWI Germany — a shining example of how a “Christian” nation could turn aggressor when the people are starving because someone with ulterior motives promises to help them. I’m not looking to pick a fight with you or even with Pat (though he does make me quite unhappy when he shoots his mouth off in this way). My point is that no religion (including atheism) has really done a flawless job with “peace on earth, goodwill toward men”. Every single one has created conflict, willingly or unwillingly, so Christianity is in no position to point the finger on those grounds. If creating oppression and war is the mark of demonic activity, Christians are every bit as “demonic” as Muslims, unfortunately. If Pat’s got some other evidence, that’s another story….but I rather doubt it, and I’m willing to say this kind of statement is religious McCarthyism grown from the seeds of blind prejudice.
I believe that war is almost always economically motivated, regardless of the more superficial causes….religion, ideology, etc., are mostly used as tools to get the population to go along with the people who want the money and the power. Sometimes good ideologies are served by these wars, and we write history so that it looks like we meant it that way from the beginning. Cynical, I know, but is there any war in history that anyone can name that doesn’t come down to money for the rich and power for the powerful? I’m interested to see what you all think.
March 15th, 2006 at 6:51 am
I don’t know. You’ve talked to Paul Allen recently so that puts you at a pretty big basketball disadvantage. I wouldn’t want to win because his talent evaluation rubbed off on you. I’d be glad to throw in a bracket for fun though.
March 15th, 2006 at 6:58 am
Fine. I’ll stack my bracket up against yours. Mr. Snethen/Fezzik if you fill out a brakcet on ESPN we can see whose is better.
http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/group?groupID=10192&password=alfred
I’ve got $10 that says UNC wins it all.
March 15th, 2006 at 7:49 am
Done and Done…
March 15th, 2006 at 9:30 am
Darn. I just set up one in Yahoo. Oh well. I’ll take care of this tonight after work.
March 15th, 2006 at 10:27 am
Winner gets breakfast with Justin at the Hotcake House on Powell.
March 15th, 2006 at 10:56 am
Ummm…. there is something oddly disturbing about you offering me breakfast… but uh, how about Happy Hour with Justin at Kennedy School.
March 15th, 2006 at 11:39 am
If you’re talking about the pancake house on powell in gresham, that place is awesome. But I’m up for whatever.
March 15th, 2006 at 11:43 am
See? Everyone loves breakfast!
I speak, of course, of the Hotcake and Steak House at 10th and Powell next to the Ross Island Bridge. Although Pig n Pancake in Tualatin is a worthy choice as well.
March 16th, 2006 at 7:34 am
Losers have to tithe to CBC, IN PERSON. That would make it interesting.
March 16th, 2006 at 4:50 pm
Now that’s a bet! Good suggestion
March 16th, 2006 at 11:25 pm
Tithe of Testimony!!!
You can walk right in front of the whole church and give your tithe in cash and put the dough in PF’s wifes’ cleavage.
Plus you get a $25 Krispy Kreme gift certificate.
March 17th, 2006 at 2:54 pm
Dead last in the pool and I couldn’t be any more proud. Damned Texas A&M.
March 18th, 2006 at 9:14 pm
Anybody care to discuss their brackets?
I don’t follow b-ball at all, but filled one out anyway. I’m at PCT: 22.2 RK: 2,083,099 according to ESPN. I’m certain none of you suck any more than I do at this …
Perhaps I should read this book before next season?
March 19th, 2006 at 2:23 pm
How about those Tar Heels!
March 20th, 2006 at 5:55 am
I’m an idiot.
You’re doing pretty good, Chris. Your final four are still intact. Thus, I will be rooting for George Mason to take it all.