Over and over again the world has watched seemingly senseless killing out of Iraq.
It has happened again. In the midst of the complex questions associated with our presence in Iraq, one is confronted with a weightiness. No matter where you point the finger, the killing of individuals such as those in this recent event can ultimately be attributed to only one thing--evil. Even if you do not know where to point the finger (because that probably is not the issue at this point), you can still have a cry in your heart for something other than convoluted events without any resolution only leading to more killing.
The cry is really for peace--the vision of the lion and the lamb lying down together. Sure that's what we want, but is it possible--I mean, really possible? I'm reminded of U2's
Peace on Earth:
Heaven on Earth
We need it now
I'm sick of all of this
Hanging around
Sick of sorrow
I'm sick of the pain
I'm sick of hearing
Again and again
That there's gonna be
Peace on Earth
While Bono does a great job of pulling on your heart, some of his lyrics, in particular one line, come off seeming blasphemous if not at least expressions of a heart giving over to despair in a weak moment.
Pastor Mark D. Roberts recently went through a series about true peace in which he explores this theme. Throughout the series Pastor Roberts does an incredible job of balancing all areas of potential peace in light of Jesus Christ. At one point he says:
When we look for peace, we must keep before us the concept we find throughout Scripture. True peace will always include right-relationships, just treatment of all persons, wholeness in all dimensions of life, and divine blessing to boot. Sometimes the path to true peace must pass through strife and division before it arrives at its destination.
Going back to U2, Bono expresses how it seems the whole of creation groans for redemption in one simple line in Yahweh, "Always pain before a child is born." As we experience pain as if going through birth, let us groan and cry out with all of creation for God's complete redemption and restoration to true peace.
TECHNORATI christianity death destruction peace evil Jesus kingdom of God
Destruction, and its defeat
Dr. Ben Witherington is leading a trip to Israel and Turkey in 2006 that will consist of a number of wonderful sites and lectures as well as time for spiritual renewal. "We will be visiting various of the major Christian and archaeological sites and I will be lecturing on the sites-- this includes Jerusalem, Bethelem, Nazareth, Capernaum, Bethsaida, Qumran, Masada, Ephesus, Pergamon, Sardis, Laodicea, Colossae, Istanbul and many other sites." In case you need to see where these sites are, go
here.
If you are interested, follow the link to
see more...
If you ever wanted to tour the Holy Land, this is your chance
A painful thing all-around, it appears Ms. England is going to prison for 3 years as a result of her involvement in Iraqi detainee abuses in Abu Ghraib.
Tearful Lynndie England gets 3 years in prison
By Adam Tanner
FORT HOOD, Texas (Reuters) - Lynndie England, the U.S. soldier pictured holding a leash to a naked Iraqi inmate at Abu Ghraib prison in a scandal that prompted global outrage, was sentenced on Tuesday to three years in prison and given a dishonorable discharge.
See more...UPDATEEngland's story is out.
Sentencing complete in one Abu Ghraib case
Once again, members of the
media don't get it. In fact, most people, including most
Darwinian evolutionists, don't get it. This is the way it typically happens: intelligent design is equated with creationism, and then proponents of ID are pitted against the world of "science". Just below the surface, though, are confusions and misrepresentations of many points, including the following:
- Intelligent design is a theory of that puts forth a method of discerning the role of design where specified, complex biological information is found. It relies heavily on mathematical principles that are beyond what most can comprehend (including me at this point). However, it is clearly not creationism. It implies a designer, but theorizing about the nature of that designer is far beyond ID.
- Intelligent design theory is an alternative to Darwinian evolutionary theory that is based in an attempt to make sense of what Darwin's theory cannot--namely, the theory cannot point to a material mechanism that causes intelligence to emerge.
- Science is equated with naturalism, philosophically and methodologically, which are questionable (especially philosophical naturalism).
- Individuals such as former atheist Antony Flew have come on board with ID ideas.
- Many scientists, not just a couple fringe radicals, are not satisfied with Darwin's theory.
What is most disturbing about this article is the headline: Darwin vs. God case opens in US. Clearly, ID has been rejected on face. According to William Dembski, the real problem in this debate is scientific fundamentalists. Phillip Johnson would agree.
TEHCNORATI intelligent design evolution creationism
UPDATES
World Magazine Blog had a post today about the case in Dover that had a discussion following.
Also, I received a comment from a person called FreeThinker asking me to see his post. I responded to it on his blog. My comments are here and here.
Intelligent design, creationism, and the media
China has made a move to restrict what can be posted on online news sites. "The sites are prohibited from spreading news and information that goes against state security and public interest." Does this include
stories about persecution?
See more... (HT:
World Magazine Blog)
Chinese Big Brother?
With Census recently
projecting the tripling of Hispanic and Asian populations in the next 50 Years and non-Hispanic whites dropping to half of the total US population, it appears immigration is not likely to slow down. It has been
estimated that immigration will be a big election issue in November 2006. One way to combat criticisms from minority populations is to pay them off. However,
this is quite a unique method. Does this represent a new policy of the adminstration? Is it being financed by
rising application fees?
See more...UPDATEApparently my theory is no good--the larger increase in immigrants is to
illegal ones who cannot vote. Maybe the policy is to get individuals to become citizens?
New immigration policy?
In a recent release, Palm and Microsoft have agreed to come together to produce a Treo-type smartphone using the Windows Mobile platform. Is Palm saying uncle? Or is Gates' lust out of control? To quote him:
"We lusted after some of those things (Palm) did well, and we wanted to combine it with the things we did well," said Gates. "It's wonderful to see those things come together."
See more...UPDATEIt appears that
Palm's side of the deal came out at
ZDNet News.
Microsoft + Palm = ?
Sunday night I was invited to a viewing of a short film titled
Most, translated from Czech as “the bridge”, which was produced by Bobby Garabedian and William Zabka. You probably know Zabka as Johnny, the bully, from
Karate Kid. In this live action short, the viewer travels through deep emotional realities in a matter of 32 minutes and comes out the other side face to face with Truth.
The story immediately confronts the viewer with a father’s inner questions post-tragedy. Played by Czechoslovakian born Vladimír Javorský, the man flashes back to memories of joyful moments with his young son. Beautiful cinematography along with compelling emotional connection pepper moments spent between a man and his boy. When tragedy strikes, the viewer is left with all its emotional devastation. The resolution, however, superbly presents the viewer with hope that is stronger than was possible pre-tragedy.
Beyond entering into the father’s mind, Garabedian and Zabka call the viewer into union with beauty. Certainly, many interpretations of the film are possible, as with any great art. The question I was left with: is there more explicit symbolism about redemption than at first appears? Regardless, one cannot view this film without wondering if absolute good exists.
Contrary to the likes of Left Behind, Most attempts to present Truth to the viewer without requiring him or her to look through a contemporary Christian subculture lens. It serves as a piece of art in its own right, suggesting a hope that will not disappoint. This piece has done well to confront the viewer with real beauty, and in doing so, Truth. Of course, this may serve as only the beginning of understanding that Truth, but in an age of despair, this wonderful alternative likely will lead many on the journey Simone Weil suggests—seek Truth and you will find Christ because He is Truth.
Most was nominated for an Oscar in 2004, made an appearance at the Sundance Festival, and won awards in three other festivals. John Debney, of The Passion of the Christ, composed the score for this film.
See more...
Film Review: Most
Anyone living in large metropolitan areas know that housing costs are absurdly high. Lately, much has been made of a potential housing bubble burst. For example, today an article came out in the AP titled
U.S. resale housing market keeps getting hotter with the subtitle "Greenspan says most owners have enough equity to absorb a potential drop in prices". Although this article is more generous, others have talked of a bubble bursting, which may be misleading. Even Greenspan himself said, "The vast majority of homeowners have a sizable equity cushion with which to absorb a potential decline in house prices."
See more...UPDATEThe text of his remarks is available online at the
Federal Board of Governors site.
Could there really be a housing bubble burst?
Once again, controversy surrounding intelligent design as an alternative approach to account for specified complexity in biological data has been construed as a mere fringe creationist movement among fundamentalist freedom-haters. The AP reports that in response to the Dover Area School District 6-3 decision to insert a brief statement exposing students to intelligent design theory before biology classes on evolution, the landmark trial before U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III is underway as attorneys representing eight families argue that the decision violates the constitutional separation of church and state. In addition to the complex legal questions, many others result from this. However, the main question is what is intelligent design? If it is in fact nonreligious, then there should be no question of whether mentioning it promotes the establishment of or otherwise inhibits the free exercise of religion. In line with Discovery Institute fellow John West, could this represent the other side of the Scopes Monkey Trial coin?
See more...Debating the issues... (HT:
Uncommon Descent)
Scopes II?
