Mishraile's Xanga

Proverbs

Fri, 22 May 2009 12:47:16 GMT

First off, I want to make it known that I believe the Bible to be inerrant and the inspired Word of God. I don't budge on this point. It's a whole other argument, and discussion in itself.

Second all, I want to briefly touch on the difference between Wisdom and Morality. Morality is black and white (for the most part, and the sake of our argument). It is wrong to lie, It is wrong to kill, it is right to love God, it is right to stand up for your faith, etc. Wisdom is about what is better to do, ie what is the wise decision. Wisdom may dictate that you shouldn't allow yourself to surf the web alone with no accountability. But is it WRONG to surf the web like that? No. (you may disagree with me here, but thats another argument as well) Is it Wise to smoke (pipes, cigars, cigarettes) no, it isn't. But is it wrong? no. Is it wise to eat junk food? no, not really. But is it wrong? Absolutely not. Basically. Just because something is unwise, doesn't make it a sin, ie a morality issue. The reverse is likely true though, if something is wrong, it is always unwise.

"A sinner is always a fool, but a fool is not always a sinner"

That being said, Proverbs, in general, is a book of Wisdom. It isn't intended to be a covenant or a set of commandments. There are some obvious Wisdom statements in there that deal directly with morality (ie. Stay away from whores) but others that don't necessarily (ie. don't pierce your body). When dealing with a specific passage, that's where the debate comes in. But Proverbs should not be used as an end all be all argument for morality. As in the case of the issue of Spanking. Just because Proverbs suggests that sparing the rod is a bad idea, doesn't necessarily mean that sparing the rod is a sin. With that in mind, it becomes more of an argument of what is the best thing to do, not necessarily what is the right/wrong thing to do.

Also, assuming that it IS more of a command than a issue of wisdom, even then, it is debatable what "the rod" means here. It could easily be argued that the author is referencing systematic discipline in general and uses the term "rod" as it would be a culturally accepted term at the time. I am not saying I 100% agree with that argument but it has validity.

So that is my view, very briefly on the book of Proverbs. I hope I didn't bore you, and if you have any response thoughts I would welcome them.

Lonnie

GOOD READZ!!!!!!!1111one

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:03:05 GMT

I found a new social networking site that I actually like called www.goodreads.com . It basically looks sorta like Face Book, and the format is quite similar...except its all about books. You can rate, review and read about just about any book ever on there. You can create your own "bookshelves" of books you have read, or want to read. You have friends on there and can suggest books to them, or check out their ratings and reviews. It's quite neat. There is even a status update part that you can list which books you are reading, and what page you are on and a brief thought.

So far, I have enjoyed it, and have even found several books I didn't know were out and now need to read! I invited a bunch of you to join as well, so I can make fun of your reading habits, but if you didn't get an invite and that sounds interesting to you, go to their site and sign up.

CS Lewis Helps

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:31:22 GMT

here is a quote from CS Lewis from his book Perelandra that harkens somewhat back to that blog I sent out to you guys, previously:

"As long as what you are afraid of is something evil, you may still hope that the good may come to your rescue. But suppose you struggle through to the good and find that it is also dreadful? ...Then, indeed, there is no rescue possible: the last card has been played."

The character is reacting to his his first meeting with an Eldil (an ethereal being likened to an angel) and he was suddenly afraid of it despite knowing it was good. I find this interesting in the sense that the character here is finding good and still being scared by it, as illustrated by this quote:

"My fear was now of another kind. I felt sure that the creature was what we call "good," but I wasn't sure whether I liked, "goodness" so much as I had supposed."

This seems to be a strong parallel with how many Christians our age are responding to God and the Church and anything Christian... you know it is "good" but you are not so sure you like "goodness" any more! It really is terrifying. Especially when you take into consideration that we know God never changes, yet we are a fickle and ever changing species. Your heart tells you one thing but your understanding of God, and the Bible, presumably, tells you something different. heh, then again the Bible also explains your heart as being decietfully wicket above all things. Hmm.

further quote:

"Here at last was a bit of that world from beyond the world, which I had always supposed that I loved and desired, breaking through and appearing to my senses: and I didn't like it, I wanted it to go away. I wanted every possible distance, gulf, curtain, blanket, and barrier to be placed between it and me. But I did not fall quite into that gulf."

Ugh, how I can relate to that feeling. How long have we been taught what we believe, and now sometimes when I am faced with it, I shirk it in shame. I want it to go away, I hope I don't have to make account in front of someone who might embarass me.

He finishes that section with one little quote:

"Oddly, my very sense of helplessness saved me and steadied me. For now, I was quite obviously "drawn in". The next decision did not lie with me."

In the story, another character comes and acts as a sort of ambassador between him and this being. In life... we realize that maybe we aren't perfect and maybe we are going to sometimes find ourselves not "liking" good. As terrifying as that is, luckily the next step isn't always ours.

Lord, answer my doubts.

Lonnie

It's been to long

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:38:01 GMT

Where the hell else will I go?

This is a blog from a proffessor from Moody:

"Though None Go With Me
A few days ago I had a painful conversation with a young man about the loss of his faith. Of college age, he grew up in a Christian home where his parents tried to raise him in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord.” His mother prayed for him every morning and whispered these words in his ear when she tucked him into bed at night:
“May the Lord bless you and keep you,
May the Lord make His face shine upon you
And be gracious unto you
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you
And give you a good night’s sleep.”
The son of a pastor, he practically grew up in church. He prayed a sinner’s prayer when he was four years old, went to Sunday school on Sunday mornings, Vacation Bible School during the first week of August and memorized enough Bible verses on Wednesday nights to win the Timothy award in Awana.
          . But somewhere along the way he began to question the beliefs his parents taught him. Now he wonders about the historical accuracy of the Bible and why a loving God could condemn anyone to hell. He doesn’t see why Christians feel that they have to make such a big deal about homosexuality or why they make such a big deal about most of the things that upset them. In fact, Christians seemed to be at the root of his problems with the faith. “If God was really who Christians say He is,” he told me, “Church people would be different.”
          I don’t think this young man is the only one who feels this way. If the church is the gospel’s greatest proponent, the church is also the gospel’s greatest stumbling block. Bertrand Russell in his essay entitled “Why I am Not a Christian” pointed to the church as one of the reasons for his unbelief. “There are a great many ways in which, at the present moment, the church, by its insistence upon what it chooses to call morality, inflicts upon all sorts of people undeserved and unnecessary suffering” Russell declared. “And of course, as we know, it is in its major part an opponent still of progress and improvement in all the ways that diminish suffering in the world, because it has chosen to label as morality a certain narrow set of rules of conduct which have nothing to do with human happiness….”
Russell was a philosopher and was arguing on philosophic grounds. I suppose that the young man I spoke with was doing the same, in his own way. But for him, I think, the reasoning was a little different. Beyond his questions about the reliability of the Bible or the reasonableness of the standards by which God will judge humanity was a simpler and more profound question. He was asking, in essence, “If the gospel has the power you Christians claim it does, why don’t you behave better?”
I am not sure I know how to answer him on this score. After all, Jesus did say, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Love, as Francis Schaeffer observed, is the mark of a Christian.” Love is not the only apologetic argument for the truth of the gospel but it is its most compelling. But I am also well aware of how often and how far we fall short. I suppose I could have accused this young man of exaggerating or whining, except I know that what he says is true because he is my son. I have attended the same churches that he has attended and in many cases the experience has been as painful for me as it has been for him.
So why don’t I feel the same degree of bitterness? Why haven’t I turned my back on Christ? It’s not as if the thought hasn’t crossed my mind. But whenever I am tempted to throw in the towel-to turn my back on Jesus and everyone who is associated with him-the same question always stops me in my tracks. It is the question asked by Simon Peter in reply to Jesus, when many disciples turned their back on the Lord. asked those who remained if they planned to desert him too. According to John 6:67-68, Jesus asked the Twelve “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Like the old chorus I used to sing back when I was a Jesus freak says, “Though none go with me, still I will follow.”


For Prime Time America, this is John Koessler."

Lord, answer my doubts and remind me every day that I have no where else to go.

Wives

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:00:38 GMT

My wife is awesome at video games.

Narnia

Fri, 30 May 2008 12:44:39 GMT

Prince Caspian.

I liked it alot. It was a powerful film about Narnia returning to Aslan, and faith and unbelief. It was moving. I have a hard time articulating how it impacted me. Good movie.

Biking Master

Thu, 29 May 2008 12:56:36 GMT

So I rode a bike last night for the first time in a long time. Good news is I haven't forgotten how to ride. Bad news is, I am sure I looked ridiculous, and I could imagine all of the people I passed snickering and whispering how horrified they were to see me zipping by in my dress work clothes at 300 miles an hour on a girls bike. I was also terrified I would bust those tiny little sport tires on the bike. 250 lbs doesn't sit light no matter how fast you go.

We have been packing Kelley up and are almost done.

Here are some halfway interesting details on my typical summer over the last couple years. Typically I try to attend four specific events over the course of the summer.

1. Camping in WI with my friends (this has turned into two trips recently, late spring, then again in early fall) - This is tons of fun, and we have been doing it for like 5-6 years or maybe 7. We get better and more efficient at it every year, and have alot of fun. I just got back from the spring one this past weekend, it was a success.

2. WizCon -This is a convention run by Wizard Magazine in late June. Wizard Magazine is all about comic books. It also has alot of other fun stuff besides comics though too. One year Kevin Smith was the key note speaker. I saw Lou ferigno, and the original Lois Lane who is like 90 years old now. There is usually new games and such being demoed there and TONS of people in silly geek costumes. Including a 3 year old Flash - AWESOME!

3. Renaissance Faire - This happens in July, and allows me to drink a beer out of a horn, and eat an enormous Roasted Turkey leg while watching knights joust and ride elephants and smoke pipes and jesters tumble. Last year they had a tight rope walker and a real falconeer, which proved to be QUITE interesting!

4. Celtic Fest - this happens typically in late summer down in Grant Park. It's a fun experience to go have yummy Irish beer, watch men in skirts dance, listen to bagpipes and cool Irish bands play, and eat deliscious and very expensive Irish food.

In between all of those, I usually work and sweat, but those are definately the event highlights of my typical summer in Chicago. The bad news is I will be indisposed in late June and will miss WizCon most likely, though I will still try my darndest to make it to the Ren Faire and Celtic Fest. If you live around Chicago I suggest looking those up and trying them out!

Camping with Disease.

Tue, 27 May 2008 18:05:06 GMT

I went camping this weekend...with a disease. I had a cold.

I still had fun, and tried not to sneeze on anyone, or the fire. Who knows how flamable that stuff is.

It rained Sunday night, but good news, my tent is about 98% water-resistant. A drip here and there, but nothing much.

I like oreos of pretty much any type.

Brats on an open fire are amazing.

TimeMan

Wed, 21 May 2008 14:09:54 GMT

Time depresses me. I have been struggling with this concept for several years. I can remember things that happened...20 years ago! I remember being that young, and thinking that time would last forever. And it sure does, but I won't. I sometimes reminisce about old video games, or tv shows and how primitive they might be... yet I can remember thinking they were the cats meow.

Sometimes it even can serve to dampen current good times. I can be looking forward to something fun or enjoyable coming up, and suddenly I remember that as soon as it is done, it is gone forever... and at best the enjoyment is fleeting, and then it becomes a bittersweet memory, never to happen again.

Time is linear, and sad. Sometimes, it makes me sad. Even watching Voyager (a show I loved in Highschool) makes me sad.

I am so melo-dramatic.

ooops

Thu, 15 May 2008 12:57:04 GMT

Hmmm, almost a month with no update... ooops. Don't be mad.

Life has been crazy lately. Planning, sorting, figuring out, preparing. I have been spending about 25 hours a day doing these things... with the occasional trip into Azeroth as well.

I haven't talked about Warcraft in a long time. This is probably just as well, as most of the 3 people that read my blog, don't play or care about the besieged World of Warcraft. I still occasionally find an hour or two here and there to log on and mess around. I have two max level characters now, who I spend most of my available time in game with. I have another that is almost max level that I am working on as well. I get to Raid (when you get together with 10-25 other players and attack some dungeon in the game) once in a great while as well, which is fun. I had several real life friends (people I know outside of the video game) that used to play with me and were in my guild (the people that I play with regularly in game). But over the last 8 month, almost all of them have either, quit playing, left the guild, or moved to a different server all together. Aaron, Esther, Shaun, Kelley, Adam, Sam, Keith, Deb, Mel, Nata, all I used to play with, who have either moved on to other games, more favorable situations or quit alltogether. If any of you see this post, I wanna say I miss you guys in game, and had lots of fun with you! Anyways, I am pondering taking a break for a couple months till the new expansion comes out, to help me sort some things out and focus on a couple things I need to. I am scared to do so though... I will miss my WoW.

On the real world front, I will be moving at the end of June (actually into the same building as Nate and Jessie hehe). I am getting close to doing my next Certification, I am fairly ready for it, but keep procrastinating to actually schedule the test and buckle down to study. I have a lot of big changes coming up in my life in the next 4 months or so, and am terrified/proud/excited/nervous about all of them!

I also went shopping for a swimming suit at Target the other day, and found several designs I really liked. But none of them had a draw string, or even elastic waist bands... I wondered how they could get away with this, as the first time someone wearing one of these does a dive into a pool or lake, they will quickly find themselves stripped of all suitage. Needless to say I didn't get one of those. But I really do need a new swimming suit. The one I have now, I think I got in highschool. It is impressive that the suit has lasted that long, though I am about 45-50 pounds heavier than I was when I bought that suit, and it doesn't fit as nicely as it did back then. I don't swim very often, but when I do, I would rather not have people thinking I am wearing spandex. I don't ever wear spandex. When I swim.

Anyways, there's a minor update in my life.