ER is talking church music over at his place and that got me to thinking... it'd be cool to see what folk like to listen to in terms of church music.
At my church Jeff Street, we are in some ways pretty eclectic musically. It's one of my favorite parts about Jeff Street. While we certainly lean towards the acoustic folk sound, we pull from all over the map when it comes to hymns sung and, especially, special music.
A partial list of songs that we sing congregationally or have had as special music include:
Orphan Girl (flawlessly sung here by Emmylou Harris)
John McCutcheon's Hallelujah! The Great Storm is Over
Dylan's The Times, They are A-Changin'
Wayfarin' Stranger (sung here by the headbanger, Jack White, of the White Stripes which is apparently one of those rock and roll musical bands)
Oh, Happy Day
Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World
Cluck Old Hen (played here by Allison Krauss)
Bob Marley's
Redemption Song
John Prine's Spanish Pipe Dream, (AKA, Blow Up Your TV)
Eyes On the Prize (sung here by Sweet Honey in the Rock)
I could go on and on. I love the music we sing at our church. How 'bout you? You have favorite gospel or church-ish songs? Feel free to list some (with links would be all the better!). Jeff Streeters: Have I left out some quintessential Jeff Street songs?
Friday, August 24, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
Fungus
I have decided to point you to a post by the usually reasonable Wordsmith over at Sparks From the Anvil. His original post asked the question: "Are conservative bloggers as rude/disrespectful as liberal bloggers?" which is, of course, starting off with a biased question. But then, I'm sure it was intended for an audience that largely agrees with him and was asked that way for the fun of ranting. I have no problem with that.
The comments had all been of the "Well, of course not! It's a given that liberals are more hateful and rude! Liberal=rude." That sort of answer. No support for their position, just a battering of the "enemy." Again, just harmless ranting amongst like-minded individuals.
On a lark, I thought I'd leave my two cents. I said two things (four cents, I suppose):
1. In my experience, I've run into more rude conservatives than I have rude liberals - by far. However, I further noted that I had no doubt that there are rude liberals out there, just in my experience, I've encountered far more rude conservatives.
2. I asked, "Does anyone have any source for what you consider a rude liberal?"
Just that. I cited my experience and I asked a question. I was polite. I acknowledged the reality of rudeness (and politeness) on all "sides," and I left the question.
Well, you know where this is going. I was slammed. I was demonized as "intellectually lazy," as "willfully ignorant," and smelling of "intellectual arrogance." And then things got worse ("socialist!" "ass!" "hater!" and on and on).
I was just going to leave well enough alone, but I had two thoughts that I wanted to share here:
First, I thought that this made for some pretty good comedy and tragedy. To watch the anger and arrogance of these hypocrites is rather amusing, and extremely sad.
[And I use "hypocrite" here not to engage in name-calling but because that is the role they were playing. The post was on the hatefulness and disrespectfulness of so-called liberals and they had exactly one liberal to make a comment and several so-called conservatives respond and nearly to a person, the conservatives were disrespectful and hateful, engaging in the worst sort of demagoguery.
(The site's host, Wordsmith, did not engage in the attacks, nor did maybe one or two others - but neither did they point to the hypocrisy of the ones who chose to engage in the disrespectful behavior.)]
Secondly, I think it instructive as we try to learn better how to communicate with each other to look to where we go wrong. There sometimes seems to be a severe disconnect between our beliefs and our actions.
The people at this site no doubt are appalled by indecent and disrespectful talk when they see it in their opponents. And somewhat rightfully so. When they finally got around to answering my question ("does anyone have an example of liberal rudeness?"), they could point to some rude, hateful commentary. But they failed to see it on their own part!
When they engaged in name-calling, word-twisting and death threats, it was all in the name of fun, or to demonstrate that they DON'T respect a particular person (me, in this case), or to "call a spade a spade." But when others (ie, liberals) engage in the same behavior, it is horrible and disgusting.
Why is that? Why are we blind to our own inconsistencies sometimes?
If you visit Wordsmith's blog, I'd caution against commenting. It'll only be met by attack, if my experience is any indicator.
Not that I mind being thus attacked. This isn't about them "hurting my feelings." I don't know these people and their rudeness and threats mean nothing to me. It's just an interesting sociological field trip into humanity's own inhumanity to humanity, if you're interested.
The comments had all been of the "Well, of course not! It's a given that liberals are more hateful and rude! Liberal=rude." That sort of answer. No support for their position, just a battering of the "enemy." Again, just harmless ranting amongst like-minded individuals.
On a lark, I thought I'd leave my two cents. I said two things (four cents, I suppose):
1. In my experience, I've run into more rude conservatives than I have rude liberals - by far. However, I further noted that I had no doubt that there are rude liberals out there, just in my experience, I've encountered far more rude conservatives.
2. I asked, "Does anyone have any source for what you consider a rude liberal?"
Just that. I cited my experience and I asked a question. I was polite. I acknowledged the reality of rudeness (and politeness) on all "sides," and I left the question.
Well, you know where this is going. I was slammed. I was demonized as "intellectually lazy," as "willfully ignorant," and smelling of "intellectual arrogance." And then things got worse ("socialist!" "ass!" "hater!" and on and on).
I was just going to leave well enough alone, but I had two thoughts that I wanted to share here:
First, I thought that this made for some pretty good comedy and tragedy. To watch the anger and arrogance of these hypocrites is rather amusing, and extremely sad.
[And I use "hypocrite" here not to engage in name-calling but because that is the role they were playing. The post was on the hatefulness and disrespectfulness of so-called liberals and they had exactly one liberal to make a comment and several so-called conservatives respond and nearly to a person, the conservatives were disrespectful and hateful, engaging in the worst sort of demagoguery.
(The site's host, Wordsmith, did not engage in the attacks, nor did maybe one or two others - but neither did they point to the hypocrisy of the ones who chose to engage in the disrespectful behavior.)]
Secondly, I think it instructive as we try to learn better how to communicate with each other to look to where we go wrong. There sometimes seems to be a severe disconnect between our beliefs and our actions.
The people at this site no doubt are appalled by indecent and disrespectful talk when they see it in their opponents. And somewhat rightfully so. When they finally got around to answering my question ("does anyone have an example of liberal rudeness?"), they could point to some rude, hateful commentary. But they failed to see it on their own part!
When they engaged in name-calling, word-twisting and death threats, it was all in the name of fun, or to demonstrate that they DON'T respect a particular person (me, in this case), or to "call a spade a spade." But when others (ie, liberals) engage in the same behavior, it is horrible and disgusting.
Why is that? Why are we blind to our own inconsistencies sometimes?
If you visit Wordsmith's blog, I'd caution against commenting. It'll only be met by attack, if my experience is any indicator.
Not that I mind being thus attacked. This isn't about them "hurting my feelings." I don't know these people and their rudeness and threats mean nothing to me. It's just an interesting sociological field trip into humanity's own inhumanity to humanity, if you're interested.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Mary Shelley's Birthday...
Mary Shelley's birthday is approaching in a few days (August 30th) and, as Frankenstein is one of my favorite novel's, I thought I'd bring out a few quotes in honor of Shelley.
As you likely know, Shelley wrote Frankenstein: Or, the Modern Prometheus. The story goes that in May of 1816, she and some writer friends were confined indoors one evening because of gloomy, rainy weather. The group was inspired by spooky stories from the book Fantasmagoriana, and decided to have a ghost-story writing contest. Frankenstein was Shelley's unbelievable result (she was only 19!).
The language Shelley uses is gothic and elegant. The story, tragic and a warning for the wise. Consider this line from the Preface, in which Dr. Frankenstein is found in the Arctic by Captain Walden, who is himself on a mission of exploration. Walden is here speaking rapturously about the thirst for knowledge and the extent to which he'd go to gain knowledge...
One man's life or death were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of the knowledge which I sought; for the dominion I should acquire and transmit over the elemental foes of our race.
As I spoke, a dark gloom spread over my listener's countenance. At first I perceived that he tried to suppress his emotion; he placed his hands before his eyes; and my voice quivered and failed me, as I beheld tears trickle fast from between his fingers--a groan burst from his heaving breast. I paused;--at length he spoke, in broken accents:-- "Unhappy man! Do you share my madness? Have you drank also of the intoxicating draught? Hear me--let me reveal my tale, and you will dash the cup from your lips!"
As much as I enjoy the novel for the morality play involved, even moreso, I love the language. Oh, that I could write thusly...
"It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow light of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs."
Do you have favorite lines or thoughts from Frankenstein?
As you likely know, Shelley wrote Frankenstein: Or, the Modern Prometheus. The story goes that in May of 1816, she and some writer friends were confined indoors one evening because of gloomy, rainy weather. The group was inspired by spooky stories from the book Fantasmagoriana, and decided to have a ghost-story writing contest. Frankenstein was Shelley's unbelievable result (she was only 19!).
The language Shelley uses is gothic and elegant. The story, tragic and a warning for the wise. Consider this line from the Preface, in which Dr. Frankenstein is found in the Arctic by Captain Walden, who is himself on a mission of exploration. Walden is here speaking rapturously about the thirst for knowledge and the extent to which he'd go to gain knowledge...
One man's life or death were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of the knowledge which I sought; for the dominion I should acquire and transmit over the elemental foes of our race.
As I spoke, a dark gloom spread over my listener's countenance. At first I perceived that he tried to suppress his emotion; he placed his hands before his eyes; and my voice quivered and failed me, as I beheld tears trickle fast from between his fingers--a groan burst from his heaving breast. I paused;--at length he spoke, in broken accents:-- "Unhappy man! Do you share my madness? Have you drank also of the intoxicating draught? Hear me--let me reveal my tale, and you will dash the cup from your lips!"
As much as I enjoy the novel for the morality play involved, even moreso, I love the language. Oh, that I could write thusly...
"It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow light of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs."
Do you have favorite lines or thoughts from Frankenstein?
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Fear's the Way You Die
On the Jeff Street blog, I just posted a sermon from a couple of Sundays ago by our youth minister, Roger (we're progressive at our church- we think even men can preach...despite so much evidence to the contrary out there!).
Roger does an excellent job preaching on Psalm 37, making connections between it and the Sermon on the Mount. He also gives a beautiful bit of exposition of the work that's begun on the community farm.
Check it out.
======
UPDATE:
Be sure to check out Michael WW's latest post: Jeremiah the War Resister
Roger does an excellent job preaching on Psalm 37, making connections between it and the Sermon on the Mount. He also gives a beautiful bit of exposition of the work that's begun on the community farm.
Check it out.
======
UPDATE:
Be sure to check out Michael WW's latest post: Jeremiah the War Resister
Friday, August 10, 2007
Living Without Egrets
While we’re talking military “defense...”
The US is currently spending over ½ trillion dollars (!!!) a year on its military. More still, if you factor in the part of the national debt that is due to military spending.
According to the globalissues website, world military spending was estimated at just over $1 trillion in 2005, when the US military budget was around $420 billion. We accounted for 43% of the total world military budget. We are nearly spending alone on our military what the whole rest of the world is spending.
For comparison, our next largest “competitor” is China, which spent $62 billion in 2005 (compared to our $420 billion).
Additionally, the US currently has over 10,000 nuclear bombs, which cost hundreds of billions of dollars. [More very interesting information at this source.]
Also, the US has 1.4 million active duty soldiers (plus the 1.2 million soldiers in the reserves) spread over dozens of countries and all the oceans of the world – not to mention a vast spy network. [source]
I’m curious what y’all think regarding our military expenditures. Are we:
a. Spending about the right amount
b. Spending wayyy too little
c. Spending wayyy too much?
Or, put another way: How much do you think we need to spend to feel or be “secure”?
Or, put yet another way: Does the size of our military reflect a truly defensive military or is it more what you would expect from a nation with imperial designs?
(I know I asked this question before, but I’m running it up the flagpole again to see who salutes.)
======
Over grown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty, and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty.
~George Washington
This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience ... In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic process.
~President Dwight D. Eisenhower
God’s warning to the Israelites who wanted a king to “lead them into battle”:
"This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots. He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
"He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants.
"He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants. He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work.
He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants.
Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day."
~1 Samuel 8
The US is currently spending over ½ trillion dollars (!!!) a year on its military. More still, if you factor in the part of the national debt that is due to military spending.
According to the globalissues website, world military spending was estimated at just over $1 trillion in 2005, when the US military budget was around $420 billion. We accounted for 43% of the total world military budget. We are nearly spending alone on our military what the whole rest of the world is spending.
For comparison, our next largest “competitor” is China, which spent $62 billion in 2005 (compared to our $420 billion).
Additionally, the US currently has over 10,000 nuclear bombs, which cost hundreds of billions of dollars. [More very interesting information at this source.]
Also, the US has 1.4 million active duty soldiers (plus the 1.2 million soldiers in the reserves) spread over dozens of countries and all the oceans of the world – not to mention a vast spy network. [source]
I’m curious what y’all think regarding our military expenditures. Are we:
a. Spending about the right amount
b. Spending wayyy too little
c. Spending wayyy too much?
Or, put another way: How much do you think we need to spend to feel or be “secure”?
Or, put yet another way: Does the size of our military reflect a truly defensive military or is it more what you would expect from a nation with imperial designs?
(I know I asked this question before, but I’m running it up the flagpole again to see who salutes.)
======
Over grown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty, and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty.
~George Washington
This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience ... In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic process.
~President Dwight D. Eisenhower
God’s warning to the Israelites who wanted a king to “lead them into battle”:
"This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots. He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
"He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants.
"He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants. He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work.
He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants.
Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day."
~1 Samuel 8
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Peace Sunday
This Sunday is Peace Sunday. It is also the weekend we remember the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I thought I’d take this somber moment to remind folk that, despite some commonly held misperceptions, there was not unilateral agreement on the targeting of a huge civilian cities for destruction at the time of the bombing.
Some of the strongest voices in opposition to the bombing were, in fact, conservative voices.
Consider these quotes:
"The use of the atomic bomb, with its indiscriminate killing of women and children, revolts my soul."
President Herbert Hoover
"...I told him I was against it on two counts. First, the Japanese were ready to surrender and it wasn't necessary to hit them with that awful thing. Second, I hated to see our country be the first to use such a weapon."
President and General Dwight Eisenhower
"It is my opinion that the use of this barbarous weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war against Japan. The Japanese were already defeated and ready to surrender because of the effective sea blockade and the successful bombing with conventional weapons.
"The lethal possibilities of atomic warfare in the future are frightening. My own feeling was that in being the first to use it, we had adopted an ethical standard common to the barbarians of the Dark Ages. I was not taught to make war in that fashion, and wars cannot be won by destroying women and children."
Admiral William Leahy
The very day after the atomic bomb hit Hiroshima, the personal pilot of General Douglas MacArthur, commander of Allied forces in the Pacific, recorded in his diary that MacArthur was "appalled and depressed by this Frankenstein monster."
[The source of the quotes]
Who was it that said that any nation that has targeted not one, but two cities full of civilians for intentional nuclear destruction has very little room to complain about terrorism? I’d tend to agree. At least until such point that we’ve thoroughly repented of that sort of deliberate killing of innocents, we are merely reaping what we’ve sown.
Understand [although it should go without saying, it doesn’t], that I love the country of my birth. I believe in the greater ideals of the US. And it is exactly for that reason that we must remember Hiroshima and Nagasaki for the horrors they were.
I agree with Admiral Leahy, wars can never be won by destroying women and children. It may seem to end the fighting as it seems to some with Japan (although many, including some of the above, disagree), when you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind.
"Do not be deceived, God will not be mocked. We will reap what we sow."
The Apostle Paul
Some of the strongest voices in opposition to the bombing were, in fact, conservative voices.
Consider these quotes:
"The use of the atomic bomb, with its indiscriminate killing of women and children, revolts my soul."
President Herbert Hoover
"...I told him I was against it on two counts. First, the Japanese were ready to surrender and it wasn't necessary to hit them with that awful thing. Second, I hated to see our country be the first to use such a weapon."
President and General Dwight Eisenhower
"It is my opinion that the use of this barbarous weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war against Japan. The Japanese were already defeated and ready to surrender because of the effective sea blockade and the successful bombing with conventional weapons.
"The lethal possibilities of atomic warfare in the future are frightening. My own feeling was that in being the first to use it, we had adopted an ethical standard common to the barbarians of the Dark Ages. I was not taught to make war in that fashion, and wars cannot be won by destroying women and children."
Admiral William Leahy
The very day after the atomic bomb hit Hiroshima, the personal pilot of General Douglas MacArthur, commander of Allied forces in the Pacific, recorded in his diary that MacArthur was "appalled and depressed by this Frankenstein monster."
[The source of the quotes]
Who was it that said that any nation that has targeted not one, but two cities full of civilians for intentional nuclear destruction has very little room to complain about terrorism? I’d tend to agree. At least until such point that we’ve thoroughly repented of that sort of deliberate killing of innocents, we are merely reaping what we’ve sown.
Understand [although it should go without saying, it doesn’t], that I love the country of my birth. I believe in the greater ideals of the US. And it is exactly for that reason that we must remember Hiroshima and Nagasaki for the horrors they were.
I agree with Admiral Leahy, wars can never be won by destroying women and children. It may seem to end the fighting as it seems to some with Japan (although many, including some of the above, disagree), when you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind.
"Do not be deceived, God will not be mocked. We will reap what we sow."
The Apostle Paul
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Baptist Peace Camp
The 22nd annual summer conference (”peace camp”) for the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America was held last week at Berea College. You can go to the Jeff Street blog for more photos and quotes or to Michael's blog for more photos and info.
In addition to this beautiful photo, I'll leave you with some wonderful quotes:
The real and lasting victories are those of peace, and not of war.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Why are we violent, but not illiterate? Because we are taught to read.
~Colman McCarthey
I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully.
~Mahatma Gandhi
If a thousand men were not to pay their tax-bills this year, that would not be a violent and bloody measure, as it would be to pay them, and enable the State to commit violence and shed innocent blood. This is, in fact, the definition of a peaceable revolution, if any such is possible.
~Henry David Thoreau
Be not dumb, obedient slaves in an army of destruction! Be heroes in an army of construction!
~Helen Keller
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
~Jesus
In addition to this beautiful photo, I'll leave you with some wonderful quotes:
The real and lasting victories are those of peace, and not of war.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Why are we violent, but not illiterate? Because we are taught to read.
~Colman McCarthey
I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully.
~Mahatma Gandhi
If a thousand men were not to pay their tax-bills this year, that would not be a violent and bloody measure, as it would be to pay them, and enable the State to commit violence and shed innocent blood. This is, in fact, the definition of a peaceable revolution, if any such is possible.
~Henry David Thoreau
Be not dumb, obedient slaves in an army of destruction! Be heroes in an army of construction!
~Helen Keller
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
~Jesus
Monday, July 30, 2007
The Bible and Economics
I've been looking through the Bible ( here, here and here) to see what it has to say about issues of economics, wealth and poverty. Thus far, I've offered up a few of the multitude of quotes that hold wealth at a distance, seemingly disdaining it or at least warning of its traps.
These sorts of passages run rampant through the Bible, like clover in an untended field.
But what of the flip side of the coin? Does the Bible have anything positive to say about wealth?
Clearly, yes. A little bit.
For one thing, we have some biblical heroes who had great wealth, whose many accumulations were accredited as a blessing from God. In this category, we have Abraham, David and Solomon, for instance.
But we must remember that while they are heroes to us for many reasons, they were flawed humans. They had many traits that we don't think of as godly (polygamy, murder, cowardice, sometimes horrifyingly bad parenting skills etc). So, merely that they are recorded as having much is not in and of itself an endorsement of wealth.
Beyond those examples (mostly OT, although we could probably think of a few NT examples of positive wealthy individuals, Nicodemus, perhaps...), we have a scattered verse here and there that at least seem to speak of wealth positively. Most of these verses are found in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
Here are some I could locate...
But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.
~Deuteronomy 8:18
With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.
~Proverbs 8:18-21
The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor. The wages of the righteous bring them life, but the income of the wicked brings them punishment.
~Proverbs 10:15-16
The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.
~Proverbs 10:22
Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.
~Proverbs 13:11
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
~Proverbs 24:3-4
To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
~Ecclesiastes 2:26
God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.
~Ecclesiastes 6:2
A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
~Ecclesiastes 10:19
Less than ten.
It gets much more difficult to find wealth spoken of positively in the NT. Many would say that the parable of the talents would be an example...
Matthew 25:14-30
I'm not as convinced.
Am I missing other positive references to wealth?
These sorts of passages run rampant through the Bible, like clover in an untended field.
But what of the flip side of the coin? Does the Bible have anything positive to say about wealth?
Clearly, yes. A little bit.
For one thing, we have some biblical heroes who had great wealth, whose many accumulations were accredited as a blessing from God. In this category, we have Abraham, David and Solomon, for instance.
But we must remember that while they are heroes to us for many reasons, they were flawed humans. They had many traits that we don't think of as godly (polygamy, murder, cowardice, sometimes horrifyingly bad parenting skills etc). So, merely that they are recorded as having much is not in and of itself an endorsement of wealth.
Beyond those examples (mostly OT, although we could probably think of a few NT examples of positive wealthy individuals, Nicodemus, perhaps...), we have a scattered verse here and there that at least seem to speak of wealth positively. Most of these verses are found in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
Here are some I could locate...
But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.
~Deuteronomy 8:18
With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.
~Proverbs 8:18-21
The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor. The wages of the righteous bring them life, but the income of the wicked brings them punishment.
~Proverbs 10:15-16
The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.
~Proverbs 10:22
Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.
~Proverbs 13:11
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
~Proverbs 24:3-4
To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
~Ecclesiastes 2:26
God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.
~Ecclesiastes 6:2
A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
~Ecclesiastes 10:19
Less than ten.
It gets much more difficult to find wealth spoken of positively in the NT. Many would say that the parable of the talents would be an example...
Matthew 25:14-30
I'm not as convinced.
Am I missing other positive references to wealth?
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Jean Ritchie
Last night was the second night of the annual Kentucky Music Weekend festival. The night's festivities were closed out, as they have been the last few years, with Kentucky's own Jean Ritchie.
Some lyrics from one of my favorite songs of hers, The Cool of the Day:
My Lord, he said unto me
Do you like my garden so fair
You may live in this garden if you'll keep the grasses green
And I'll return in the cool of the day
Now is the cool of the day
Now is the cool of the day
This earth is a garden, the garden of my Lord
And he walks in his garden
In the cool of the day
Then my Lord, he said unto me
Do you like my pastures so green
You may live in this garden if you will feed my sheep
And I'll return in the cool of the day
Then my Lord, he said unto me
Do you like my garden so free
You may live in this garden if you'll keep the people free
And I'll return in the cool of the day
Now is the cool of the day
Now is the cool of the day
O this earth is a garden, the garden of my Lord
And he walks in his garden
In the cool of the day
Some lyrics from one of my favorite songs of hers, The Cool of the Day:
My Lord, he said unto me
Do you like my garden so fair
You may live in this garden if you'll keep the grasses green
And I'll return in the cool of the day
Now is the cool of the day
Now is the cool of the day
This earth is a garden, the garden of my Lord
And he walks in his garden
In the cool of the day
Then my Lord, he said unto me
Do you like my pastures so green
You may live in this garden if you will feed my sheep
And I'll return in the cool of the day
Then my Lord, he said unto me
Do you like my garden so free
You may live in this garden if you'll keep the people free
And I'll return in the cool of the day
Now is the cool of the day
Now is the cool of the day
O this earth is a garden, the garden of my Lord
And he walks in his garden
In the cool of the day
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Jeff Street Picnic at Deams Lake
We had an unbelievably perfect day yesterday picnicking at the shores of Deams Lake. The weather was fantastic, the water relatively clean, the company enjoyable.
A few quotes to honor the day:
From a drop of water a logician could infer the possibility of an Atlantic or a Niagara without having seen or heard of one or the other. So all life is a great chain, the nature of which is known whenever we are shown a link of it.
~Sherlock Holmes
It's clear to me that I will return here, as well as to other wilderness frontiers within me -- whether next year or some time later -- because I know that what the river says is what I need to hear: to know myself, to feel wild again, to confront my own limits and move beyond them into the untamed country on the other side.
~Jeff Wallach
Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known.
~AA Milne
A few quotes to honor the day:
From a drop of water a logician could infer the possibility of an Atlantic or a Niagara without having seen or heard of one or the other. So all life is a great chain, the nature of which is known whenever we are shown a link of it.
~Sherlock Holmes
It's clear to me that I will return here, as well as to other wilderness frontiers within me -- whether next year or some time later -- because I know that what the river says is what I need to hear: to know myself, to feel wild again, to confront my own limits and move beyond them into the untamed country on the other side.
~Jeff Wallach
Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known.
~AA Milne
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Sarah Grace
All Grace is of God, God is Grace.
Grace does not require belief. Grace does not require submission. Grace does not require confession.
The origin of Grace is Love.
Grace does require acceptance.
The only sin Grace will not erase is the rejection of Grace, either for
one's self or for another.
by William of Occam
Found this recently and thought I'd post it here. Sweet, huh?
Or am I wrong about that...?
Grace does not require belief. Grace does not require submission. Grace does not require confession.
The origin of Grace is Love.
Grace does require acceptance.
The only sin Grace will not erase is the rejection of Grace, either for
one's self or for another.
by William of Occam
Found this recently and thought I'd post it here. Sweet, huh?
Or am I wrong about that...?
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Eleutheros' Razor: AMENDED
From the previous discussions (Eleutheros, I hope it's okay that I assigned your name to it - it was my synthesis of what I'm taking from our dicussions in the earlier post, especially influenced by your comment and "Eleutheros' Razor" sounds cooler than "Dan's Razor")...
1. God is above right and wrong
2. There are some actions that are clearly wrong
3. Having said that, if God tells you to do something, all bets are off
4. With the caveat that we are frail humans able to interpret things a-wrong
5. Given the above
a. We should do what is clearly right and avoid the clearly wrong
b. Unless God tells us to do something, in which we ought to do what God says (and give others the grace to allow them to do the same)
c.Unless the action impacts negatively upon other people (ie, God wants me to kill that dude, God wants me to horde stuff), in which case we should defer to the reality that sometimes we get it a-wrong.
We should take any actions we think that God tells us to do insofar as it involves our own lives and welfare. But we should not take actions towards others unless asked by them.
What say ye? Is this a guideline we can all unite behind?
1. God is above right and wrong
2. There are some actions that are clearly wrong
3. Having said that, if God tells you to do something, all bets are off
4. With the caveat that we are frail humans able to interpret things a-wrong
5. Given the above
a. We should do what is clearly right and avoid the clearly wrong
b. Unless God tells us to do something, in which we ought to do what God says (and give others the grace to allow them to do the same)
c.
We should take any actions we think that God tells us to do insofar as it involves our own lives and welfare. But we should not take actions towards others unless asked by them.
What say ye? Is this a guideline we can all unite behind?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)