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Why America Will Never Move Beyond Racism If Racism Is The Method Of Measurement
Taking a break from writing to do a little writing...and it's been a long summer of writing!
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Another example of the inability of America to move beyond its racist past has embroiled the country in a racial stare down. The major media outlets are full of articles and stories and editorials about how we can fix this problem or that problem. The biggest problem is, the solutions offered will only serve to make the problem (racism) worse. Every solution involves the distinction of races, making racism the measuring tool for the elimination of racism. It just won't work.
For example, the overwhelming majority of articles, and editorials I have read over the past several weeks pontificate that "white people are going to have to…" or "white Christians are going to have to…" or more generically, "the white Church is going to have to…" When you identify a group of people by their skin color or some other ethnic identification you have become part of the problem. You are a racist.
I have noticed a glaring absence in all of these articles and editorials and blogs. Nowhere have I read, "the problem with black America is…" or "black Christians must…" or "the black Church must…" According to the overwhelming majority of mainstream media, "Christian" bloggers and preachers, the only people who have a race problem are white people.
That is simply racist, and you probably think I am racist for thinking so.
In this latest example of racial unrest, a young man was killed by a police officer. Oops, I forgot to mention those two adjectives: a young black man was killed by a white police officer. What would have happened if the officer was. . .black, or Latino? What if the officer was female instead of male? Would there have been riots? Where would Al Sharpton be?
You see, there is a huge racial problem in America. There can be no denying that fact. Deniers in this case are not only ignorant, they are stupid.
There may have been a racial component in the shooting of the young man in Missouri. Only an unbiased search for truth will bring that out. If the officer is guilty of a racial bias he needs to be punished appropriately. If there was no racial bias, and if, as has been suggested, the officer was fighting to save his life, then he needs to be exonerated.
But, this also needs to be said… Every day dozens of young black men are killed as the result of gangs, drugs, and other criminal acts. There are no riots, there are no marches, no caravan of satellite TV trucks show up, there is a glaring absence of the politicians crying out for justice and equality. The difference is that in Missouri the black man was killed by a white police officer, and in Chicago and New York and Los Angeles and Atlanta and in virtually every other major metropolitan city, when a black man dies at the hands of another black man no one seems to notice or care.
In God's kingdom there is no such thing as race. Every human is equal. Every death matters – God does not wish that any should die (Ezekiel 33:11; 2 Peter 3:9). God certainly did not desire the death of the young man in Missouri. And God does not wish the death of any police officer who is killed in the line of his or her duty to protect the lives and property of the citizens he or she is sworn to protect.
The reality is, until we can learn to see past race and view each death as the death of a human being, without any attachments, we will never move beyond the issue of racism. As long as we use race as the measuring stick, we are doomed to be a nation of racists.
As Martin Luther King Jr. once so famously and correctly said, let us move toward the day when all young men and young women will be judged, not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
Christians and the U.S. Constitution
I apologize to my out-of-the-U.S. readers, but this is where I live, and if you do not have this problem consider yourself extremely blessed.
Yesterday I wrote what probably has been my most angry post. I am still fuming – and believe me, what I posted was nowhere near as vitriolic as what I deleted. Quite simply I cannot fathom why anyone would consider a personal "right" (whether it truly is or not is debatable) over the life of another human being, but especially the child of grieving parent. Enough of that.
The question I want to pose today is why do American "Christians" have such a morbid attachment to the U.S. Constitution? Why are American Christians so emotionally attached to that piece of paper? Can anyone explain that?
Really, people – its just a piece of paper. A bunch of human beings got together, wrote it down and then voted on what they wrote. It is as simple as that. There was no divine intervention, no words from Mt. Sinai, and there were clearly no words from Golgotha. It was a significant human achievement, I will grant you. But Americans, and Christians in America especially, act as if Moses carried down the mountain before the 10 Commandments. I mean, wasn't Moses elected president of the NRA? That's good enough for most Duck Dynasty fans, anyway.
Here is a little exercise for you – think of the most horrific thing that can happen to the U.S. Constitution. Was it destroyed? Did a foreign country overwhelm the U.S. and burn it to ashes? Did the President get it annulled? (Our current one is working on it, by the way). Got it? Now, what would change about your life?
Really, seriously – what would change if the Constitution was to be destroyed? Would you maybe lose your job? Would you become a slave? Would you have to go to an interment camp? Maybe your family would be killed? Maybe you would be killed?
Well, guess what, good Christian American – each and every one of those things has occurred to people as a direct result of the U.S. Constitution! If you doubt be ask the descendent of a slave. Ask a Native American Indian whose ancestors were beaten, raped, forced to live in "Reservations" (which is a really polite word for "Concentration Camp") and, if they resisted, were murdered by the thousands. Ask the Chinese who were forced to work as virtual slaves as the country moved west. Ask the Japanese and German immigrants who were forced to live in interment camps during WWII simply because of their last names. Yeah, boy, we have a long list of Christian accomplishments – all at the power of the U.S. Constitution.
If the U.S. Constitution were destroyed tomorrow I will tell you what would still be true – God would still be God, Jesus' sacrifice on the cross would still be effective for all who believe in him, disciples of Christ would still be able to live in the greatest free country in the world – the country of the Kingdom of God.
No human can ever be really free just because of the accident of his or her birth. No human can ever be a slave to anyone if that person has been set free by the blood of Christ. We are all, each and every human who has ever lived, ultimately the slave of whichever god we choose to be the ruler of our life. And that subjection is proclaimed most clearly by the things we protect the most fiercely and those things we absolutely refuse to give up.
So, I ask again, why are American Christians so devoted to the Constitution? Oh, I think I just answered my own question.
6 Questions That Make Me Nervous
1. Would what I preach get me killed?
2. Would what I preach get me arrested?
3. Would what I preach even get someone angry at me?
4. Would what I preach even upset someone?
5. Would what I preach even get someone to take notice?
Jesus, Peter, John, Paul – they all stressed to their readers that the proclamation of the gospel would result in rejection, tribulation, persecution.
Today we sugar-coat everything. The gospel will make you richer, more peaceful, help you with your marriage, your career, maybe even your health.
All of which makes me wonder if we are preaching the gospel at all. It just seems to me that if we bend over backwards not to have happen what Jesus, Peter, John and Paul all said would happen places us in a very precarious position.
I do not want anyone to hate Jesus. I do not want anyone to hate the church. I do not want to drive anyone away from the truth. So, I try to make the gospel palatable. I try to "accentuate the positive." I try to shine the spotlight on the empty tomb and try to keep the bloody cross carefully out-of-sight. And, the question still nags at me: does what I preach and teach even matter at all?
The apostles practiced some pretty severe "boundary protection." They made sure everyone that entered the church did so under the shadow of the cross, and they were not afraid to hand certain malefactors "over to Satan" so that their soul might be redeemed.
Us? Do we tell people – "Hey, get baptized today and tomorrow you may be fired from your job"? Are we willing to tell people that as far as we are concerned they are Satan's play toy until they learn what being in Hell is really like? Paul had some pretty sharp language, you know (1 Tim. 1:20, 2 Tim. 2:16).
All of which leads me to ask #6 -
6. Are we preaching "peace, peace" when there truly is no peace? (Jeremiah 6:14, 8:11. Notice the context!)
"Group Think," Gullibility, and the Cinema – A Plea for a Biblical Response
[Opinion disclaimer: the opinions expressed in this piece are mine and mine alone, and do not reflect the views of anyone that I am associated with – and that includes my wife, child, employers, my four cats, my rambunctious puppy or my very limited number of friends – or at least the friends who considered themselves my friends before they read this blog. My language is hyperbolic and some might consider it extreme. I intentionally did so for a purpose. I just want to make that point perfectly clear. In my next post I will return to a "quieter" and more analytical response. Today the right brain, tomorrow the left.]
There have been a flurry of "Christian" or biblical-themed movies hit the big screen in recent years, and especially in recent months. Just a few that come to mind are "The Passion of the Christ," "Fireproof," a somewhat lesser release called "The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry," the most recent additions "God's Not Dead," and "Noah" and the soon to be released "Son of God" and "Heaven Is For Real." I know I am missing many, but these are the ones that jump to my mind.
"The Passion of the Christ" and the recent release of "Noah" have generated the most discussion, mostly because they were big budget, big name releases that were heavily advertised and were, in different ways, very controversial. "The Passion of the Christ" was controversial because of the persona of Mel Gibson, hardly a choir boy, who pushed the movie from conception to completion. It was also brutally graphic – some reviewers felt it was almost obscenely so. "Noah" is controversial because (a) the only relation it has to the biblical story is the namesake and a lot of water and (b) I believe the producers and marketers of the movie wanted it to be controversial so they could sell more tickets.
In my opinion, many, though not all, "Christian" themed movies are just bad – some wretchedly so. I believe this first because of the (un)theology involved. Others suffer from low budgets and poor acting, directing and other technical aspects. Some are just so blatantly transparent that they reek of condescension and hyper-morality. Once again, in my opinion these movies are not just bad – they are bad in epic proportions – dreadfully, wretchedly, horrifically, insultingly bad.
So why are these movies so popular? Why do otherwise sane and believable ministers and bloggers scream "You HAVE to go see this movie" in bold letters and with three exclamation marks at the end? The obvious answer is that perhaps they have seen the movie and they genuinely like it. Movies are like anything else – my tastes are not everyone else's tastes. What is garbage to me is a diamond to someone else. So, while you may think a particular movie is the greatest thing since "Gone With the Wind" I will politely say that hitting my thumb with a hammer is a far more enjoyable experience than watching it.
But I would like to suggest that there is another reason why any movie that has a vague "Christian" message is hyped so relentlessly, regardless of whether there are any artistic or theological reasons for doing so (or for avoiding it, for that matter.) I believe that most "Christian" movies are hyped and are popular with "Christian" audiences because that demographic is so starving for anything that even resembles "secular" themed movies that the Christian audience will simply neutralize any intellectual or critical component of their thinking because they want to go watch a movie that is one of "ours." We have bought into the concept of "group-think" to the point that we cannot criticize or reject any product that has a "Christian" message because we would be guilty of shooting ourselves in the foot. I have been more than mildly amused with the fact that the greatest amount of negativity regarding the release of "Noah" is NOT directed at the movie (contrary to what some may think), but the real vitriol has been reserved for those reviewers (Christian or secular) who happen to criticize the movie on any of its major faults. It is "biblical," it is at least tangentially related to God and faith (how much is dependent upon the viewer) and so the movie and the ones who produced it are viewed as being simply beyond criticism. "Hey Christians, we made a movie for you so shell out your money and keep your mouth shut."
I guess I am more disappointed in the ones who should really know better – the ministers and church leaders who should (one would hope) have a greater grasp of theology and apologetics. I have to say in all honesty that the entire premise of "God's Not Dead" is so incredibly laughable that I honestly wonder what anyone related to the film was thinking when they put the storyline together. A professor wasting an already limited amount of class time to having a debate with a student? A student getting away with yelling at a professor in front of a class? And really, how many professors would waste their time forcing their students to sign an atheist manifesto like "God is dead"? Now – I am well aware that atheistic professors will openly belittle and ridicule Christianity. But, come on people! Sometimes our spiritual xenophobia is so extreme that it borders on psychotic illness. I have agnostic/atheistic students in my classes who (a) would never set foot in a movie theatre with such a blatantly condescending title as that movie and (b) even if they did they would laugh out loud at the ridiculous setting of the movie. And they would definitely not appreciate the characterization of the professor in the movie.
Brothers and sisters, if we want to attract an agnostic or atheistic audience and honestly engage them in a meaningful discussion, insulting their intelligence is NOT the way to go about it. If we want to show that the message of Christianity is superior to that of the atheist, we should portray the atheist as the atheists or agnostics that I know – honest, kind, logical thinking people who are open to the person of Jesus but who have been led astray or even brutalized by a false manifestation of Christianity. (Incidentally – the movie itself violates a major rule of logic. In a proper philosophy class you would never be allowed to create a "straw man" type of opponent, which is exactly what the professor in the movie becomes. We think that because the "straw man" was defeated all similar arguments are thereby defeated. Nothing could be further from the truth, and the depiction is inherently misleading and therefore unethical.)
But these movies are NOT made for atheists or agnostics, they are made for "Christians," because "God" or some biblical character's name is in the title and they are supposed to "prove" that God is not dead or that he did thus and such thousands of years ago. They are designed to reinforce our already solid convictions. So "Christians" are shelling out dollars by the hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, and no one is asking the 8 most basic, fundamental questions a Christian should ask about movies such as these – is this movie true? Is it honorable? Is it just? Is it pure? Is it lovely? Is it gracious? Is it excellent? Is it worthy of praise? (Philippians 4:8). If it fails on a majority of these questions then we should not support it. (I would also argue that these questions should be asked of ANY movie we think about seeing!)
C.S. Lewis is reported to have said that the world does not need more Christian literature. What the world needs, he said, was more literature produced by Christians that was excellent literature – good, solid, captivating stories that were told in a brilliant manner. I agree wholeheartedly with Lewis. What we need are wonderful movies, well written, beautifully acted and produced, and marketed not as "Christian" apologetics, but simply as captivating, worthwhile movies the whole family can view and enjoy.
And, maybe, if we did that, we might actually be able to engage our agnostic or atheistic friends in some honest and open discussion.
Why Contemporary Theological Debate is Virtually Impossible
If you are a child of the American Restoration Movement you are the product of debate. Not many of us realize that, but it is as certain as the brightness of the sun or the scent of a rose. We may describe it differently, but the reality exists. The overwhelming majority of our theological beliefs have been hammered out and refined through the process of written or oral debate.
While some criticize this, or bemoan it, in reality this is a healthy process. In fact, we can see the very first "ancestor" of the debate process in Acts 15. Two groups of people, each with differing opinions and with differing evidence to defend those opinions, meet together for an open airing of the differences and the resolution of the problem. In several of his letters the apostle Paul carries on "debates" of sorts with his readers. He offers what is, or what he believes might be, an argument against his position, and then demonstrates why that particular argument or statement is false.
Debate is NOT an evil thing.
However, I am growing more convinced by the day that civil debate in a modern setting is virtually impossible. There are many reasons why I think this is true, so let me list a few:
1. Theological positions become emotional positions, and the resulting language makes it impossible for the opposing side to articulate any kind of positive position. They are always on the defensive, and are in a no-win situation to begin with. Case in point: I just read a tweet (message on the social media Twitter) in which those who disagree with the full inclusion of women in every aspect of a Christian worship service are guilty of "gender injustice." Now, because I disagree with the position that women can participate in every aspect of leadership within a congregation, including leadership within a worship service, automatically I am guilty of injustice. Let's parse that for a minute – what does injustice mean to you? Cruelty? Viciousness? Overweening power and brutality? The denial of basic human dignity? How, might I gently respond, does a complementarian position in which women are viewed as equal in every sense of the word, but have differing roles to fulfill in the Christian economy, equate to injustice? Yet, the inclusion of that word precludes any rational debate.
2. Those who hold a particular opinion refuse to consider the weakness of their position, or any possible exceptions to their opinion. Case in point: growing up within the Churches of Christ I was taught from a very early age that the Greek preposition eis means "for the purpose of." Thus it was crystal clear that when Peter said "Repent and be baptized eis the forgiveness of sins" he meant "for the purpose of receiving the forgiveness of sins." Nothing could be clearer. I was told that those who translated the word eis as "because of" were completely wrong, both in Greek and in theology. Imagine my surprise, then, when in doing maybe the most exhaustive research that I have ever done for a series of sermons, that I discovered that there is, indeed, a use of the Greek preposition eis that has to mean "because of." The passage is Matthew 12:41, where Jesus very clearly states that the men of Nineveh repented eis the preaching of Jonah. Now, eis cannot mean "for the purpose of" in this passage! It has to mean "because of" or "as a result of." Now, do not get me wrong. I still believe eis in Acts 2:38 means "for the purpose of." But I learned an important lesson. We cannot summarily dismiss every challenge to our conclusions without carefully considering the basis of that challenge. Yet, today, objections and challenges are routinely dismissed for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is mentioned in point #1 above, if you disagree with me all you are is a mean, nasty, inhuman person, and probably ignorant as well.
3. The differing sides cannot even agree on the measure that would be used to decide the truthfulness or falsity of any position. In Acts 15 the disciples relied upon Scripture and the leading of the Spirit to come to a unified position. Today that appears to be all but impossible. Returning to the issue of women and leadership roles in the church, I have repeatedly asked how it could be that Paul would so clearly and unambiguously state in Galatians 3:27-28 that women are to be full and equal partners in every possible scenario in the Lords kingdom, and yet in writings which were either possibly or even certainly produced much later than the Galatian letter reverse himself and teach that only men are to lead in certain aspects of the church. We are not simply arguing two different interpretations of Galatians 3:27-28. We are approaching the question from two entirely different philosophical and epistemological foundations. If we cannot even decide on a mutually agreeable measuring stick, how can we even begin to engage in profitable debate?
In pointing these issues out I have to admit my own weakness and shortcomings in the process. I am emotionally invested in my conclusions. After all, if a position is not worth defending it is not worth holding. And, as I pointed out in point #2, I have been guilty on more than one occasion of assigning false motives and conclusions to my opponents. I hope I am better now, and I hope I get even better with time, but human flesh is human flesh and I still catch myself violating my own standards from time to time.
I hope I am wrong, I hope that as disciples we could gather and join in a decent "conference" or debate and constructively address some of these issues. I just do not see that happening any time soon – and that saddens me.
For a people immersed and raised in the cauldron of discussion and debate we owe it to our forebears to be able to acquit ourselves better.
Some Musings on Growing Up Spiritually Spoiled
Stream of consciousness alert here – this post may not flow too logically. If you get confused, that's okay. I am confused too.
Something Rush Limbaugh said the other day resonated with me. The only time I listen to Limbaugh is when I am in my car driving to my exercise or to lunch. I cannot give you the set up for the comment beyond he was discussing global warming (a massive hoax according to RL). The thing he said that made me start thinking was the overweening pride and arrogance that we who are alive today have when we think that we have everything all figured out, that we are the paragon of all human existence. In regard to global warming his point is that we think we have a real crisis here because the average temperature of the atmosphere has gone up a degree or so in the past 100 years or whatever. Of course, if we think that we are the be-all and end-all of civilization, we might have reason to be concerned. But if you look at the thousands of years of human civilization, who is to say that OUR atmosphere is the norm by which we should gauge all atmospheres? Maybe we have been living for the past 1,000 years in a atmospheric freak, and our world is just beginning to settle the score and get back to the way things were 1,000 years or more ago.
Whatever. You can have your own opinion about global warming or climate change or whatever you want to call it. But what does his theory have to do with spiritual issues? Have we decided that we, in the 20th/21st century have discovered what the sum total of godly living is? Are we going to measure all civilizations, past and future, against our vast and unchallenged spiritual maturity?
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As I was explaining to one of my classes this past week, if we viewed all of humankinds' knowledge as one of our oceans, what we know right now at this moment in history amounts to about a sewing thimble full of water. Our arrogance, however, exceeds that of the distance between the earth and the sun.
Where this slaps me upside the head right now is in trying to figure out why so many young people who are raised in the church are leaving the church, and what we can do, if anything, to reverse the trend. In a moment that may be born more of fatigue and frustration I've come to think that what we have been doing for the past 40 years is exactly the wrong thing to be doing!
You see, I was lucky to be raised at a time in which youth ministry was just getting started. I was blessed to have some of the finest youth ministers in the Churches of Christ influence me – perhaps one of the finest ever in the person of Bobby Hise. But, looking back on the situation through the eyes of a (mumble, mumble) year old, I wonder if we are not doing more harm than good by trying to "meet the needs" of teenagers and trying to "make the Bible relevant" to teenagers. I see more time, money and energy going into youth ministries today than ever before with decreasing results – when the graduates of these programs enter college or young adulthood they leave the churches in droves. Why? What are we doing that is producing such negative effects?
I think part of the answer goes back to Limbaugh's observation. We have convinced ourselves that the next generation is the only generation that matters, and we will do anything and everything to make sure they have it better than we did. We have flashier worship services, the latest and greatest (and hippest) songs, we have multiple screens for our video sermons and the teens can interact with the speaker on their smart phones. Yet, I can tell you emphatically that our college students know far less Bible now than my high school classmates did "x" number of years ago.
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My friends, in the local vernacular, we are all hat and no cattle.
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Okay, I'll admit it – I grew up spoiled. I had the world handed to me on a silver platter and served to me with a silver spoon. We had youth rallies and special classes and impressive camps designed just for us. We got to sing our special songs and we even taught some of them to the adults. And, as good American parents we have even upped the ante with our children and grandchildren. We will move heaven and earth to make sure our children and grandchildren are pacified and satisfied in a church that they will believe is "relevant," whatever in the world that means.
And, boy – just look at the results. Look around at the average congregation. How many college students do you see? How many 20-30 somethings do you see? Some congregations may be doing very well, thank you. I suspect most are not.
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I find it more than simply fascinating that at the exact moment in which Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ, the gospel writers emphasize that Jesus began to teach the disciples that being the Christ meant death on a cross. Not only that, but being a disciple meant following that death on the cross and perhaps even sharing in that death on a cross.
So, while we are teaching that the Christian life is cool and hip and everybody should be a Christian and churches should try to do everything in their power to make sure we are comfortable and satisfied and have all our narcissistic needs met (especially if we are young and beautiful), Jesus was saying, "Hold on here – you got the theology right, I am the Son of God. But do you really know what that means and what following me means?"
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The point is, when increased budgets and activity result in decreased results, maybe we have something backwards. Maybe we have had something backwards for over a generation now. Maybe we need to re-think the whole discipleship issue, from the ground up.
Maybe we should be teaching more about the cross and doing less spiritual spoiling of our children, grandchildren, and converts.
What Does the Church Do When the World Quits Smiling?
Meant to tackle this topic last week, and the wheels came off of my planning cart.
A few months ago I wrote a response to the New Mexico Supreme Court ruling that a photographer could not legally refuse to participate in a homosexual wedding regardless of that photographer's religious belief. In the weeks/months that have passed since that ruling the accounts of courts and judges forcing people to accept and even participate in what they view as aberrant behavior have just mushroomed. In my last post I mentioned I would suggest a way forward for the church, but in reality what I have to say is not new – either to me or to others. So, I am not claiming originality here, but I would like to share once again what I believe the church must do, or must continue to do if it is already doing so.
By way of reminder, I do not see the United States as a Christian nation. Perhaps we once were: that point can be debated. But we should no longer use the phrase if we are to have any respectability. At one time those who lived in the United States but were not Christians managed to smile when Christians invoked the phrase. Now, the American world is no longer smiling. The quaint little expression "Freedom of Religion" now is interpreted to mean, "Freedom to keep your religion to yourself." When Americans no longer have the right to LIVE their religious beliefs, we in effect no longer have that freedom.
We must accept this fact or nothing else we do will ever matter.
So, how is the church to move forward in a post-Christian world? Once again – I make no claim to originality, but here are some preliminary thoughts:
1. We are going to have to get over the fact that people will hate us. For too long we have been thinking and acting as if we can change people's hearts by changing our beliefs and practices. If I have heard once I have heard a thousand times, "if we do not change [x] (where "x" can be just about anything) then our young people will leave us and no one in the community will want to join us." So, churches change names, worship styles, language styles and incorporate the newest, flashiest equipment on the market. And what happens? Their young people leave for an even edgier church and the people in the community do not want to join them because they are simply the latest in a long line of churches who have changed names and core values.
Is my Bible the only one that has John 15:18-25 in it? Or is this the first generation in which speaking up for one's beliefs has caused a negative reaction? Why do we believe that changing OUR beliefs will cause others to change THEIR hearts? I am not suggesting that we should be hateful, or that we should never ask questions about what we believe. But legitimate self-examination is a far cry from running in absolute panic away from any criticism or unwarranted attack.
No – we are going to have to overcome this irrational fear of being disliked and we are going to have to realize that the new "normal" is for God's people to stand out in stark contrast to a bent and broken world.
2. We are going to have to ACT like we believe what we say we believe. We say we believe in a lifetime of marriage between one man and one woman, but we practice the acceptance serial marriages like we owned a wedding chapel and our livelihood depended upon as many "re-marriages" as we can possibly create. We say we do not believe in pre-marital co-habitation, yet we allow our children and grandchildren to "try out" marriage partners as if they were test-driving a new vehicle. We say we oppose graphic violence, sexuality and adult themes, and we buy millions of dollars of movie tickets every month, and allow our teens and pre-teens to do likewise. We fill our minds with the same base lyrics that non-Christians fill their minds with, and salve our consciences by attending a worship hour a week and re-proclaiming how much we hate words and actions that blaspheme our God.
But, if we ditch the cable and turn off the satellite, our neighbors might think we are weird or un-American or something. See point #1.
3. We are going to have to re-evaluate this entire "The Constitution as the 67th Book of the Bible" mantra that "conservatives" have been repeating for so long. Oh, no – no one actually ever says that, but that is exactly what is meant in many of our good conservative (read "Tea Party") speeches.
Brothers and sisters, ladies and gentlemen, the Constitution is a wonderful document. Maybe the best human government document that has ever been written. But, strictly speaking, following the Constitution is exactly what has brought us to this point in history. The words "Jesus," "Christ," "Bible," or "Christian" simply do not appear in the Constitution nor the Declaration of Independence. The framers of the Constitution did not want a theocracy, and certainly not a Christocracy, and they made sure we did not get one. But human seeds grow up into human trees, and the fruit of a Christ-neutral document is now becoming ripe. Yell and kick and scream all you want to, but how else are you going to interpret the protections ingrained in the Constitution that prevent one religion from becoming physically forced upon all citizens? If we have the freedom to exercise religion, we also have the freedom not to exercise religion, and when you allow (or actually mandate) broken, sinful, human judges to decide what is or is not constitutional, then bingo – welcome to the U. S. of A. in the year 2014. So, what was brilliant in terms of human government has proven to be utterly disastrous in terms of discipleship to Christ.
But, to quote that out-dated and horribly non-American apostle Paul, "Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3:20)
4. The church is going to have to start practicing some old-fashioned discipline. The church has boundaries. We are not everyone and everything. Not everything is holy. Not everything is "set apart." There is clean and un-clean, holy and un-holy, Christian and un-christian, saved and lost. It is ridiculous to suggest that a congregational leadership cannot exercise any kind of discipline because "if they do then people will get their feelings hurt and they will leave." This is not to suggest that the eldership "withdraws fellowship" from someone just to rattle their swords. I have witnessed that and it was a stain against some good men and a good congregation. But for a biblical leadership to allow, or to even sanction, blatant immorality within the congregation is just unconscionable. The same is true of doctrinal beliefs. A congregation cannot condone or sanction contradictory beliefs. You cannot have a separate worship service for every competing feeling or doctrine. If everything is acceptable then nothing is sinful. And we wonder why people look at us with our three different services with three different worship formats and laugh? We are not demanding discipleship – we are offering a circus.
Sorry for the wordiness today – I guess I got a little carried away. But the world is not smiling at us anymore – if it ever did. And we, as God's people, are going to have to learn a new way to act. Or, conversely, we are going to have to start acting like we've known how to act all along.
Why I Love the Church
This post has started out in several different forms. Each time I would erase a little, change a little, zig a little here, zag a little there. Every time I started out with the same goal, and each time I found myself traipsing down a path I had not necessarily planned on traipsing. Such is the nature of this post – I know what I want to say but the "getting out" is proving to be quite exhausting.
For those of you who do not keep up with religious bloggers, quite the hoo-haw has been raised over the past few days concerning Donald Miller's confession that he does not like church very much. (He wrote a book entitled Blue Like Jazz in which he basically said the same thing, but in much more disguised and glowing terminology.) There have been dozens (hundreds?) of blogs written in response – some praising and some condemning. But what I find to be interesting is that so many of Miller's compatriots in the "Emerging Church" movement have ended up in exactly the same place – they all claim to love Jesus exuberantly but for one reason or another cannot stand to remain in the "institutional" church (whatever that is) so they leave the church to join the ekklesia at large. I see that as a very high-brow way of saying, "I love to eat steak, but I would never condone the slaughtering of a cow. So I get my steaks at the restaurant."
I might add, for those of you who think I am just reacting to everyone else's reaction, I have had three classes in a doctoral level program that were either entirely or significantly focused on the writings of post-modern, "Emerging Church" theologians. I was interested in their writings (and I still am), but was then and remain now deeply doubtful of the long-term results of their shallow theology. They often indicate they are in agreement with orthodox Christianity, but when they spell out what they really believe in terms of practice it becomes clear that their doxy is quite anything but ortho.
I should also say up front that I too believe that the modern church is not what it could and should be. I think I am honest about my misgivings. If I am permitted to do so, I intend to direct my dissertation to an area of theology and practice that I believe modern Churches of Christ have completely (or to be more charitable, almost completely) omitted – and much to our spiritual loss. But, the Good Lord willing, I will write out of a position of love and healing, not a position of hate and rejection. Such is my plan, anyway, and my fate is currently in the hands of others, so all of this may be a bunch of blather about nothing.
But, returning to my original, thoroughly revamped post – I just wonder how anyone can proclaim any kind of love for Jesus or God and at the same time argue that the church is dead, or at least is on life support and should be extinguished. What kind of friend walks up to a groom and says, "Man, I love you like you were my own brother, but I have to tell you, that girl you just married is as ugly as the south end of a north bound donkey and has the personality of a witch."
The book of Revelation ends with God's redeemed people receiving a stamped, embossed invitation to the marriage feast between the Son and his bride, the Church. Jesus died for the church, his creation. Paul rejoiced that he was able to continue Christ's afflictions for the church. It's funny, but with all the warts and dysfunction and flat-out heresies that consumed the early churches, Paul never referred to them as anything other than God's holy and precious children.
Yes, I love the church. Exactly why would take a whole book to explain – this blog is just too short. But suffice it to say that I love the church exactly because Jesus loved the church – enough to die so that it might have life. And it seems to me that if Jesus loved something enough to die for it then I should make every effort to love it as well.
It may not be popular, it may not be blue like jazz, but in the end God is not going to ask if we were trendy and hip – He will judge whether we have been faithful and devoted. I do not think that God ever expected the church on earth to be perfect – I think that is a dangerous myth that has led to some horrendous mistakes. But we can be faithful, honest and disciplined – all hallmarks of the church that God gave to us through the blood of Christ.
The church of Christ, the church of God, the church of the Firstborn Ones*, the universal ekklesia or the local congregation down the street, – whatever name you find in Scripture, just love the church. Help it get better. Point out where it is weak. Make it stronger. Just do not leave it and claim you are doing so for the love of Jesus.
*The word firstborn in Hebrews 12:23 is plural. This is not typically translated, as firstborns or firstborn ones are clumsy ways of translating the phrase. Think of the word "fish." We can catch either one fish, or multiple fish, but we only rarely (and only archaically) catch more than one fishes. The context of the passage, however, makes the plural obvious.
Muddy Waters and Shattered Wells
Okay, so I am not going to start out 2014 with a happy, happy, happy post. But this post has been "building" inside of me for some months, and I finally decided to take some time to put it in writing. I hope it is not too depressing.
Let me begin with the word of the LORD, as penned by Jeremiah:
Be appalled, O heavens, at this, be shocked, be utterly desolate, says the LORD,
for my people have committed two evils;
they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters,
and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:12-13, RSV)
I have been studying and teaching over the past 18 months in the field of philosophy. Now, to be sure I am simply a neophyte in this field, my studies have been more along the lines of "tread water as fast as you can to keep from sinking" rather than any esoteric deepening of mankind's understanding of itself. However, if I may say so myself, my studies have proven to be somewhat fruitful in that my eyes have been opened to the depths of understanding that I have hitherto been blissfully unaware.
As the old saying goes, "ignorance is bliss, when it is folly to be wise." Or something like that.
The LORD revealed to Jeremiah two substantive sins: the sin of rejecting Him, and the sin of attempting to replace Him with a broken and useless substitute.
I have come to realize that the church is facing two equally critical sins today. Perhaps they are the same as the sins in Jeremiah's day. They are certainly related.
In the language of philosophy, today's church is facing a crisis of epistemology and ontology. Put those terms in "Freightdawg" language and what I am talking about is that the church is facing a crisis of knowing what is truth and how to determine truth on the one hand, and on the other hand it has lost its understanding of what it is supposed to be.
First, the church today has lost its confidence in Scripture. While there is much talk about listening to Scripture, and studying Scripture, and hearing the "Word of God," much of what is being discussed is just a thin veneer of biblical language glued to a plank of particle board made up of human intuitions and interpolations. You only have to enter into a conversation regarding the role of women in the public worship service or the issue of homosexuality to discover how shallow this veneer really is. Passages of Scripture (both Old and New Testament) that have been viewed for centuries as being unambiguous are now discarded like yesterday's newspaper. There are typically three reasons for excising certain passages of Scripture that are now seen as "controversial": (1) the author of the passage was writing in a culture that was (according to the modern worldview) ignorant and repressive, therefore the writings of said author cannot be relied upon today; (2) especially in regard to the supposed writings of the apostle Paul, the passages which are viewed to be repressive and "unChristian" are delegated to the sub-apostolic time period, therefore nullifying their "Scriptural" authority, and (3) regardless of their inclusion in the Christian canon, these backward and repressive texts are superseded by the "progressive" nature of the Word of God in which the literal words of Jesus are supposed to take precedence over any previous or later misinterpretations of God's ultimate will.
You see, we are to look beyond the text to see what Jesus REALLY meant, not look to the text to see what the Holy Spirit lead the New Testament (and, I might add, the Old Testament) authors to understand what the will of God is. But, this is all a mirage, a phantasm. We cannot move "behind" the text to find out what the will of God is. It is doubly dangerous to posit that we can determine what God's "progressive" will would be, especially if that "progressive will" is seen to be in direct contradiction to his previous "revealed" will.
To bring in a picture from church history, what these neo-liberals are asking the church to swallow is a huge helping of Gnosticism, without the giblet gravy. We are not to trust the real Scripture, we are to seek some ephemeral, non-corporeal, ghostly "essence" of what Scripture should be.
And, amazingly enough, what these Gnostic-come-lately's discover in their "proto-Scripture" looks exactly like them: postmodern intellectuals who want to be loved by everyone, accept every form of piety no matter how heterodox, and welcome every syncretistic practice and belief into the church no matter how foreign to the revealed Scripture.
This leads me to my second point: the church has lost its purpose. The church was never supposed to be a social club where all who wanted admission were granted membership simply upon the payment of annual dues and the memorization of the secret password. The church is the post-Pentecost identification of the "people of God" that formally dates all the way back to Abraham. This people is not identified by their desire to be a part of some earthly social organization, but rather they are identified by God's choosing and their submission to HIS standards of belief (orthodoxy) and practice (orthopraxis).
Simply put, if you disagree with God, or you continually act in ways that are contrary to His revealed will, you cannot be a part of this "people of God."
I have simply grown weary to the point of nausea with individuals who claim to have a high view of Scripture in one breath and then in the next breath (or in the next sentence) begin to explain why we cannot trust Leviticus or Paul's letter to the Corinthians because these books or portions thereof violate some post-modern sensibility.
Either the author(s) of the Torah and the New Testament apostles were guided by God's Holy Spirit or they were not. There really can be no middle ground, no "hedging" of our bets. We cannot have the revealed Word of God and at the same time look for another "intended" word of God. It is time the church demand of its leaders a firm commitment: in the words of Jacob Marley to Ebenezer Scrooge, "Do you believe in me or not?!"
The LORD told Jeremiah very succinctly: if you reject Him you must depend upon your own devices, your own strength, your own ability in order to survive. Realistically, all that means is you end up with a mess of broken cisterns. Those cisterns might sustain life on a minimal level, but nowhere close to the abundant life provided by the living streams of God's Holy Spirit.
The church today is trying to exist by drinking muddy waters from shattered wells.
Let us go back to the pure water of God's life giving words. Our eternal existence, and the future of the physical church, depends upon it.


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Return to Naval Historical Center home page. Return to Online Library listing
Photo #: 80-G-330214
Mariana Islands Ammunition Depot
Security watch personnel are inspected by the Petty Officer in Charge, Boatswain's Mate Second Class Vernon Juan Martinez, 8 June 1945. The men are armed with M-1 Carbines and M1911 type pistols.
Men present are (left to right):
Fireman First Class Earlie Perry, Petty Officer of the Guard;
Seaman First Class Charles L. King;
Seaman First Class Leonard Beason;
Seaman Second Class Joseph E. Railey;
Seaman First Class Willie R. Horns;
Seaman First Class Edgar L. Carter
Note "Quonset" huts behind them.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.
Online Image: 75KB; 740 x 605 pixels
Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than this digital image, see "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."
Return to Naval Historical Center home page.
5 December 1998

subset: commoncrawl


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CHI Air Classic Tourmaline Ceramic 1" Flat Iron - Fire Red
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Happy Easter, darlings! I hope you are enjoying your day, the sun is shining, the gorgeous daffodils are pretending to be little sunshines, too, everything around you is looking gorgeous and your home is filled with love and delicious smells of Easter goodies.
I would like to take just a minute of your time to announce that the winner of Free People Giveaway is sweet Sierra of Ocean Dreams blog! Congratulations, darling. I hope this will make your Easter even more special.
To those of you who didn't win, I promise that there will be another giveaway on the blog soon, so stay tuned.
Photo source: Harper's Bazaar February 2007


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Shaq draws interest from Boston Celtics
Ten years ago, Shaquille O'Neal was a devastating force unlike any ever seen on a basketball court.
He was a human wrecking ball of strength, power and athleticism. He was a threat to break hoops, destroy opponents, and win a championship every season.Ten years ago.
Unfortunately for the Celtics, Hawks and Mavericks, they're interested in acquiring Shaquille O'Nealten years later. It's unclear what the C's would be offering Shaq, but it would likely take the full mid-level exception. Sources say the discussions have been preliminary. (ESPN)
O'Neal would be interested in playing for each of the three teams, sources close to him said.
He has great respect for Boston's coach, Doc Rivers, a good relationship with Kevin Garnett, and it was Shaq who gave Paul Pierce his nickname, "The Truth." With starting center, Kendrick Perkins, sidelined for up to six months after undergoing knee surgery to repair a torn ACL, O'Neal would seem to be a solid replacement.
Shaq can still score and rebound, but he comes with plenty of problems. The two biggest are that he'd clog the lane for Rondo and his pick-and-roll defense, to say the least, leaves plenty to be desired. On top of that, his post play is no longer dominant enough to overcome those two major shortcomings.
I tweeted this yesterday when I thought only the Atlanta Hawks were after Shaq, but it bears repeating: At this point in their careers, I'd rather have Semih Erden for $473,000 than Shaq for the full mid-level. And I don't think I'm even joking. And that was after Erden had 2 points and 4 rebounds in the C's summer league opener, playing like a summer league version of Kwame Brown. Needless to say, I am not exactly on the Shaq bandwagon.
If Shaq DOES end up signing with the Celtics, I can only hope he finishes up next season by asking Kobe how his ass tastes.
7 Responses to "Shaq draws interest from Boston Celtics"
Pass, I'd pay him the vet minimum, that's it.
Like or Dislike: 0 0
You're nuts if you think Shaq couldn't help. He can replace KP until he returns and eases back into the starting role. He can play a combo low and high post (2 steps to the hoop for Shaq) and while he would not be shooting from there he is a great passer and could set awesome picks; thereby allowing Rondo free access to the hoop. He's a winner, knows how to rebound (see his stats last year) and with the Cs defense would play better out of pride. Lastly, he wants more rings and wouldn't you love to see Kobe try and drive on him?
Like or Dislike: 0 0
So then is everyone ready to concede defeat and go with Brad Miller for the full MLE?!
The C's are going to have to get someone…sooo…for the first few months and after who would you rather have in the post to defend Dwight and everyone else in the league….Brad Miller, Kwame Brown, or Shaq?
Exscuse me but I don't care how bad his P&R D has been. If he can play 25 serviceable minutes until Perk gets back and then is coming off the bench on a POST SCORING STARVED TEAM!!! You'll forgive me if I take a flyer on the Shaqtis thank you…
As for our options…Shaq is the much better option over the corpse that is Brad Miller.
After this season is over, let me know how Shaq's ass tastes Kobe!
Like or Dislike: 0 0
I have to admit, I'm warming up to the idea. The more I look at any other options (or lack thereof) out there, the more I realize for the MLE, Shaq might be as good as it gets.
I'll take Shaq over Brad Miller I think, I don't care if Miller can shoot. Shaq is still a great rebounder, and good post presence. People look at the problems Cleveland had and forget that it was almost 100% because of Perkins that the strategy failed. Against any post defender not named Kendrick Perkins or Dwight Howard, Shaq can still score in the post.
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What happens when each patient becomes their own "universe" of unique medical data?
Deborah Estrin
Deborah Estrin at TEDMED 2013We leave a trail of digital data breadcrumbs as we go about our days. With access and good apps, we could make sense of this "small data" to help get a clearer picture of our personal health. Deborah Estrin, networked sensing pioneer, Professor of Computer Science at the new Cornell Tech campus in New York City and co-founder of the non-profit startup, Open mHealth, explains at TEDMED 2013.
Deborah Estrin
What might we expect from next-gen mobile health? Computer scientist and networked sensing pioneer Deborah Estrin shares her insights.
Deborah Estrin is a Professor of Computer Science at the new Cornell Tech campus in New York City (http://www.cornell.edu/nyc/) and co-founder of the non-profit startup, Open mHealth (http://openmhealth.org/). She was previously on faculty at UCLA and Founding Director of the NSF Center for Embedded Networked Sensing (CENS). Estrin is a pioneer in networked sensing, which uses mobile and wireless systems to collect and analyze real time data about the physical world and the people who occupy it. Estrin's current focus is on mobile health (mhealth), leveraging the programmability, proximity, and pervasiveness of mobile devices and the cloud for health management. She is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering.
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CCM in Malawi Learn More
CCM is provided by Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) who are a paid cadre of community health workers introduced in the 1960s for smallpox vaccination and have since played a critical role in addressing public health emergencies and environmental health activities. Since 2008, over 3,000 HSAs located in hard to reach areas have been trained to provide CCM, in addition to traditional preventive services. HSAs now can manage up to 19 different commodities in their village clinics for CCM, family planning, and HIV testing.
The Enhanced Management (EM) Approach aims to promote superior team performance practices and the use of data to inform decisions and improve supply chain performance to increase availability of medicines for community health programs. This approach, first tested by the project, has been adopted by the Malawi MOH and will be scaled up with the help of partners to all 29 districts by the end of 2014. There are two components to this intervention: cStock and DPATs. Learn more about Enhanced Management
Enhanced Management is based on the premise that a synergist team approach for improving product availability will have greater outputs than what individuals could achieve alone. The intervention focuses on:
- Promoting and fostering a team goal of increasing community health product availability among MOH staff at all levels of the product supply chain,
- Promoting supply chain performance monitoring and recognition of superior performance to enhance effective team performance,
- Improving communication and collaboration among team members bound by a common goal, and
- Promoting the use of data to guide timely problem solving and decision making at district and lower levels to solve supply chain issues.
cStock is a simple mHealth reporting and resupply system that improves communication between the HSAs and their resupply points. cStock also provides visibility of real time HSA logistics data at district and central levels of the MOH, such as alerts, stock out rates, and current stock status, enabling supply chain managers to respond in a timely way to issues. Learn more about cStock
cStock uses basic GSM phones already owned by HSAs to report data monthly via SMS on a toll free phone line. The system calculates resupply quantities for each HSA and sends the quantities directly via SMS to the health center to prepack products. Health centers advice HSAs when stock is available for collection. A web-accessible dashboard with simple, easy-to-use reports, shows stock levels, reporting rates, and alerts for central and district level managers. Data is hosted on the Cloud, an inexpensive, reliable, and easy to manage option for a small scale system like cStock as it does not require recruiting/training IT support staff and procuring/maintaining a server.
District Product Availability Teams (DPATS) connect the different levels of the system around a shared goal to achieve superior team performance, continuous improvement and improved product availability. Learn more about DPATs
DPATs are comprised of district management, health center staff, and HSAs who are responsible for ensuring that community health products are available at all times for HSAs to provide services to clients. They seek to develop well performing teams with a common goal and performance plan that includes indicators and targets that can be monitored through cStock. DPATs meet regularly to monitor performance targets, recognize good performance and agree on actions to take to address supply chain challenges.
Two separate interventions (EM and EPT) were originally piloted in three districts each for a period of 12 to 18 months and the scale-up package of only the EM approach was agreed upon following a midline assessment and data validation workshop with stakeholders at all levels of the health system.
|The midline assessment completed in 2013 showed that the Enhanced Management approach was effective in improving supply chain performance. Results included:
Product Availability
Data Visibility
Use of Data
Teamwork (EM)
Transport (EPT)
The second intervention that was piloted is the Efficient Product Transport (EPT) intervention. This intervention addressed transportation and data visibility challenges between resupply points and HSAs and aimed at significantly improving product availability at the HSA level with a minimal expenditure of time and effort. There were three components to this intervention: cStock, a continuous review inventory control system and regular bicycle maintenance. Learn more about Efficient Product Transport
This intervention aimed to minimize travel time for HSAs purely for the purposes of collecting supplies, lessen the volumes that must be transported and enhance the reliability of bicycles. The key components to this intervention, in addition to cStock, were:
- A continuous review inventory control system that was flexible and aligned to the routines of the HSAs; allowing HSAs to collect smaller more frequent top-up orders during their scheduled visits to reduce the requirement for the HSA to make a special trip to pick up products.
- Regular bicycle maintenance performed by HSAs that reduced the break downs and repairs needed to keep the bicycles functioning, resulting in more consistent and reliable transport. HSAs were trained in the skills and provided with the tools necessary to maintain their bicycles.
Midline results for the EPT intervention were not as promising so these activities were discontinued and these pilot districts have since been trained in the EM Approach.
These interventions were designed following a 2010 baseline assessment that identified shortcomings in the community-level supply chain. Findings included:
- 27% of HSAs who manage health products had four CCM tracer drugs in stock on day of visit
- 43% HSAs submitting reports that contain logistics data to health centers
- 14% of health centers reported passing that information to higher levels
- 20% of HSAs identified transport as a constraint for collecting products
The baseline assessment also showed opportunities for interventions to explore:
- 94% of HSAs surveyed had a mobile phone
- 85% had mobile network coverage at least sometimes
- District and central level staff had access to computers and internet at least some of the time
To address these bottlenecks identified in the baseline assessment, the project developed a Malawi-specific Theory of Change that served as the foundation for building the piloted interventions.


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Transits of the Year
from January 2011
for Joanne K. Rowling, born on 31 July 1965
|Text by Robert Hand, Copyright © Astrodienst AG 2011
|To every thing there is a season I. Introduction How to use II. The most important issues of the year Saturn Conjunct Mars • Saturn Conjunct Ascendant • Saturn in the First House III. Further transits of the slow moving planets Saturn Square Midheaven • Neptune Opposition Mercury • Pluto Trine Venus • Jupiter Trine Sun • Jupiter Conjunct Descendant • Jupiter in the Seventh House • Jupiter Square Midheaven • Jupiter Opposition Mars • Jupiter Sextile Jupiter • Jupiter Trine Mercury • Jupiter Trine Venus • Jupiter Square Sun • Jupiter in the Eighth House • Jupiter Trine Uranus • Saturn Trine Jupiter IV. Select transits of the swift moving planets Mercury Square Mars • Sun Trine Mars • Mars Trine Mars • Mercury Conjunct Descendant • Venus Opposition Mercury • Mars Conjunct Descendant • Venus Conjunct Descendant • Mercury in the Eleventh House • Mercury Conjunct Mercury • Sun Conjunct Sun • Venus Conjunct Mars • Sun in the First House • Venus Square Sun • Mercury in the Third House • Mars Conjunct Pluto Appendix Legend for the graphical table • The texts and the computer program • Further reading
To every thing there is a season
To every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant,
and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones,
and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace,
and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.
Ecclesiastes 3, 1 - 8
If you are looking at your "Transits of the Year" for the first time, it is advisable that you read, after the introduction, only chapter II. There you will find interpretations of the most important transits for this year. The other chapters of the "Transits of the Year" should not be read just one after the other. Why? Unfortunately, the transits to your natal chart - just like the important events in your life - do not happen neatly one after another; on the contrary, they usually come as quite a disorderly mess. Often there are many different forces at work simultaneously, which can be of quite a controversial nature. Some issues have a long range that extends over several months or even years, others are much more shortlived and last only a couple of days - but then again these may be all the more intense. There are so many different things happening during one year that it would only be confusing if you tried to understand and take it in all at once. Therefore we recommend that you peruse your "Transits of the Year" according to the motto: "To every thing there is a season." It might be a good idea to choose a certain period which is especially interesting to you, for instance the current or the next month, and to concentrate upon the according issues. Your "Transits of the Year" offers you a range of comfortable means to such a time-related, selective approach: On page three you will find an index of current topics for each month with reference to the respective pages; on page two all transits are depicted in a graphical table, again with references to the according texts. The bars show the duration of each transit, the small marks on the bars indicate exactly when the transiting planet is crossing the respective point of your natal chart. The same graphical bars appear on each page, but only for the transits described on that page. The appendix will give you a more extensive explanation of the graphical presentation. While reading about the issues thus selected, please try to bear in mind the main topics of the whole year. If you repeat this procedure you will be able to get a good view of the relevant issues of a certain period of time. However, you will repeatedly be requested to accept quite controversial things coming up side by side. It happens often in life that we have to cope with enormous contradictions - on the whole as well as with small things. And probably maturity and wisdom consist mostly in being able to accept the contradictions and imperfections of the human existence.
Astrological Data used for Transits of the Year from January 2011 to December 2011
HOUSE POSITIONS (Placidus)


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Discover Ministry Briefing! --> The Best Way To Keep "In The Know"!
In fact, this 1987 video from Apple makes Siri look pretty lame.
Actually, we can do most of the things shown on this video, just not quite this seamlessly yet; and the non-human implementation is not nearly this great.
What are your thoughts?
I love how they shoehorned an alarmist environmental message into that… but…
Pretty cool. But has the Sahara actually grown to cover all of Africa today? Probably not. Oooopps!
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Appraiser Liability Prevention CE Classes in NY and N. VA
I am presenting -- on behalf of LIA -- our 4-hour liability prevention CE class "Loss Prevention Program for Real Estate Appraisers" on the dates below.
Who is suing appraisers? What do they sue for? When does the FDIC file a lawsuit? Why can appraisers be sued more than five years after the appraisal – i.e., what are the relevant statutes of limitation? What kinds of liabilities do review appraisers face? What kinds of language should I use to decrease liability risk? These are the types of questions answered by the seminar.
Wappingers Falls, NY, October 10, 2012, 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Greenbaum & Gilhooley's Restaurant, 1379 Route 9. Hosted by the Mid Hudson Chapter of the Appraisal Institute. Registration is through the chapter. The chapter's charge is $40 (for both members and non-members). Registration information is at http://www.midhudsonai.org/Loss_Prevention_Seminar.pdf. CE approval notes: our class is approved for 4 hours of appraiser CE in NY, NJ, PA, RI and MA (and many other states), but not in CT. Approval is pending in VT (check with me if you will need VT credit. Of special interest to NY appraisers, I will address the recent filing of approximately 35 appraiser negligence cases by a hedge fund-related investment group named LSF6 Mercury REO Investments.
Northern Virginia, October 11, 2012, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Dulles Area Association of Realtors, 21720 Red Rum Drive, #177, Ashburn, VA 20147. Hosted by the Northern VA Chapter of the Appraisal Institute. This class is free to N. VA Chapter members. It is $40 for non-members (payable by check at the seminar). Please bring your own food or snacks for the seminar because we won't be taking a full lunch break -- just 15-20 minutes. CE approval notes: our class is approved for 4 hours of appraiser CE in VA, MD, PA, and DE (and many other states), but not in WV or DC -- the class was previously approved in DC and an application for approval is pending in DC, but I can't predict when it will be processed. Appraisers interested in attending this seminar, can contact me directly by email to email@example.com or can contact Craig Sewell, SRA at the contact information on the chapter's website at http://nova-ai.org/contact.html.
Appraisers who are insured by LIA's E&O program with Liberty Mutual, or who purchase E&O from LIA within a year after the seminar, become eligible for a one-time discount on their premium of $50 for a $500K or $1m per claim policy or $25 for a $300k per claim policy per appraiser by completing the Loss Prevention Program.
Thank you,
Peter Christensen
Attorney and General Counsel to LIA Administrators & Insurance Services (an E&O provider)
Last edited by Privateer : 09-25-2012 at 04:52 PM.
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I just signed up for the Northern VA class, see you there.
If you're worried that I spend a lot of time talking about insurance, that is not the case. The class is about appraiser liability issues. I cover a lot of real life lawsuits and liability demands. Other topics covered are things like what's the statute of limitations for suing an appraiser and how does the discovery rule apply? What do review appraisers get sued for? Does an LLC or an Inc. protect you from professional liability? What is the class action against appraisers in WV all about? Who are LSF6 Mercury REO and Heritage Pacific and where are they suing appraisers?
If you'd like to come, just send me an email and bring a check or cash for the chapter to the class, unless you are a chapter member. email@example.com.
Unfortunately, the New York class has been cancelled.
Thank you,
Peter Christensen
General Counsel
LIA Administrators & Insurance Services
Last edited by Privateer : 10-09-2012 at 09:19 PM.
Having taken this seminar, I can assure you that it's not an LIA commercial. Peter brings a wealth of knowledge and everyday experience in real life appraiser liability issues. I guarantee that you will change your business practices because of this seminar.
I thought I'd let appraisers know about other upcoming classes I will lead. Even when these classes are affiliated with AI chapters, please know that all appraisers are welcome and with all events, I always ask that the hosts keep the fee down, because we at LIA do not charge for my time or travel to give the classes. Thus, they are generally priced attractively (especially if the appraiser is insured by LIA -- because of the E&O discount we apply).
10/31/12 in Lansing, Michigan with Mid-Michigan Chapter of AI. Since it's Halloween, it will be an extra scary doubleheader. In the morning, it will be a new class 3-hour class concentrating on appraiser liability outside appraisals for lending -- appraiser versus appraiser lawsuits (e.g., defamation, malicious prosecution), expert witness work, neutral work, tax work, conservation easements, review appraiser liability, chief appraiser liability, appraisers having liability as de facto AMCs, etc. The risk is actually higher, but the claims less frequent overall because fewer appraisers do non-lending work. In the afternoon, I will do our regular 4-hour class. Appraisers can take both and get 7 hours total CE. Cost and sign up is through the chapter at http://www.appraisalinstitute.org/ed...n/MidMichigan/
Please note an appraiser can only earn 1 E&O discount even if the appraiser takes both classes in the scary doubleheader.
11/1/12 in Indianapolis with the Hoosier State Chapter of AI. There is a lunch/membership meeting before the class. The class itself will begin at 1:00. I will be teaching it with Nick Tillema, MAI, SRA. This event is being held at the Garden Terrace building - on the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Located at 4000 Michigan Road in Indianapolis. The cost is $40. Registration for this class is through the chapter:
Shannon O'Keefe, Executive DirectorOther classes further out:
January 2013: South Dakota and Wyoming -- doubleheader like the Lansing classes.
March 2013: Anchorage, AK -- double header. This class will be free to LIA insureds. Other appraisers will be welcome for a reasonable fee. Details TBA.
Thank you,
Peter Christensen
LIA's general counsel
Last edited by Privateer : 10-09-2012 at 11:44 PM.
Privateer - any Northern California dates scheduled?
Last edited by Privateer : 10-10-2012 at 11:27 AM.
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Infiniti Etherea Concept bows ahead of Geneva debut
by Steven J. Ewing (RSS feed) on Feb 14th, 2011 at 11:00AM
Infiniti Etherea Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery Infiniti has released the first few images of its new Etherea entry-level concept that's set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The automaker says that the Etherea's design "blends elements of coupe, sedan, hatchback and even crossover in one highly sculptural, near-mono volume form," though we find the end result to be a bit awkward from some angles. There's plenty of throwback to the company's showstopping Essence concept in the Etherea's visuals, notably the wavy C-pillar design. At only 173.2 inches... Read More


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lostinhawaii's Blurty
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Monday, July 28th, 2003
10:52 pm
A new year!
Well I am officially the mother of a 1st grader and a Pre K kiddo! Time seems to be going by so quickly. Seems just like last week Connor was Ethan's age and we were so excited he could sit unassisted! Now he's walking to school on his own and giving me the "honestly Mother!" looks! He's growing up so fast. Thankfully Sarah still is a Momma's girl. She will be the child that never leaves....I will probably have to walk her to school when she is in 10th grade!
I worked in Sarah's class today for the first time. Adam had to do the classroom days last year because I couldn't get my shots updated due to being pregnant so now that there aren't any excuses, I am class mom once a month! I swear I would gladly pay more tuition to have an extra teacher in the class so that I didn't have to work in there. Those kids drive me crazy. I have my limit on how much I can take with 3 and 4 year olds! Ever wonder what you kid is like when you aren't around? Do you ever see a kid and wonder what their parent is doing at home to make them such a brat? I see some of these kids and wonder why their parents don't discipline them. There is this one kid, Evan, he is THE poster child for condoms! If he were my kid, I'd be in jail! Seriously, he could drive a parent to abuse! "Evan sit down....Evan please don't use the scizzors as a sword, Evan please use an inside voice, Evan don't try and catch the gold fish". He is my worse nightmare as a parent. My kids aren't angels but when I say something they generally listen....they may not do it the first time I ask but definetly by the second!
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Professionalism Oaths by Incoming Classes
Each structured study group collaborates in creating an oath during their first week of law school. The oath guides the aspirations and conduct of the students during their time at Washburn Law. The Dean selects the oath and it is administered to the entire class during the first week welcome lunch.
Spring 2014
The following oath was authored by January 2014 incoming students and administered to the entering class by The Honorable Evelyn Z. Wilson on January 23, 2014.
I solemnly vow to uphold the Honor Code of Washburn University School of Law and the values expressed in the Seven Pillars of Professionalism. I understand that my legal reputation started on my first day of law school. I promise to prepare diligently for my classes in order to develop the competency and character that will be expected of me from those who trustingly seek my aid in time of need. I will check my official e-mail regularly and respond to communications promptly, accurately, and courteously. I understand that my actions and words, including those shown on social media, now reflect on the legal profession. I will strive to promote an atmosphere of collegiality with my peers that will carry forward in my professional career. I will treat myself and others with respect. All this I do affirm on January 23, 2014.
Fall 2013 Oath
The following oath was authored based on nine points identified by Study Group Leaders as they discussed the practical aspects of the aspirations of the Pillars of Professionalism adopted by the Kansas Supreme Court.
I solemnly affirm that I have read Washburn University School of Law's Honor Code and the Kansas Supreme Court's Seven Pillars of Professionalism and understand that much is expected of me now and in the future. I promise to prepare diligently for my classes in order to develop the competency and character that will be expected of me as a lawyer. I understand that my legal reputation started on my first day of law school and will be built upon by my conduct every day forward for the rest of my life. I promise to respond promptly, accurately, and courteously to others in communication. I understand that my words and actions have a power that must be used carefully. I promise to treat others with respect. If at any time for any reason I find that I am failing in these vows, I promise to seek help, in fairness to those who trustingly seek my aid in time of need. All this I do most solemnly affirm on August 22, 2013.
The nine points identified by the Study Group Leaders are:
- Students should know that they are expected at a minimum to average two hours of preparation for every hour in class (a 45-hour work week for a 15-hour semester).
- Students should know that 1Ls are strongly discouraged from working outside of their studies. If work is absolutely necessary, they should consider reducing their class hours.
- Students should know that even 2L and 3Ls are not allowed to work over 20 hours a week (if they are enrolled in over 12 hours), per ABA Standard 304(f).
- Students should understand that it is unprofessional and unfair to future clients for them to surf the web, check e-mail, etc. during class. It is also distracting to other students.
- Students should understand that anything they post on e-mail, Facebook, tweet, etc. has a very serious power to come back and haunt them.
- Students should understand that Washburn e-mail is the official correspondence method of the law school and the university, and that they have a duty to check it at least once a day, Monday through Friday.
- Students should understand that they have a duty to respond to queries from faculty, staff, and administration promptly (generally within 48 hours). This will be the duty they will have to clients, partners, and employers in the future.
- Students should understand that they must have a good calendaring and alarm system so that they are not late or absent from obligations.
- Students should understand that they can see the Dean of Students about any problem they are having (drug, alcohol, health, financial, etc.) and have an obligation to seek help if their problems are interfering with their education. They should have the contact information not only for the Dean of Students but for KALAP and the counseling center.
Spring 2013 Oath
The following oath was authored by study group members Megan Metzinger, Wesley Weber, and Christy Secrest.
I, [your name], solemnly swear to uphold the values of honesty, trustworthiness, and dependability in my legal education as well as the legal profession. I will strive to make my community, the state, the nation, and the world a better place, through service to my fellow man. I will advocate fairness, equality, and justice for all who seek my legal aid. I promise to maintain my self-respect and good conscience in all of my professional endeavors.
Fall 2012 Oath
The following oath was authored by study group members Sam Blasi, Michaela Marine, Bradley Steen, Jacob Mark, and Danielle Packer and administered to the entering class by Judge Nancy Parrish on August 23, 2012.
We, the first year law students of 2012, hereby swear to pursue, ethically and professionally, our education at Washburn University School of Law. Utilizing the principles and elements we learn in class and study group, we will grow together as colleagues with common goals. We will demonstrate our dedication to the learning process by: preparing for class, contributing to our study groups, encouraging one another, and participating in all aspects of our education in order to best serve those who seek our counsel in a professional capacity. We affirm to uphold these values with honesty, humility, and hard work.
Spring 2012 Oath
The following oath was authored by study group members Laurie Bertholet, BreAnne Hendricks, Tyler Patterson, Camiele Vermeulen, and Michael (Alex) Zimmerman and administered to the entering class by Justice Nancy Moritz on January 13, 2012.
I, (state your name) solemnly swear to uphold myself to the honorable traditions of Washburn University School of Law and to the high standards of the profession of law. I swear to abide by the following guiding principles throughout my time at Washburn and throughout my life:
As a student and as a lawyer, I promise to uphold the notions of honesty, integrity, reliability, courtesy and civility. I make this oath on my own honor and volition. I swear to abide by this oath from this day forward.
- I will fulfill all my obligations and uphold the rules and laws set forth by my professors, peers, and community;
- I will respect diversity of race, religion, background, creed, sexual orientation, and brilliance;
- I will promote justice and take responsibility for my actions;
- I will seek consultation when questions arise, and work to establish and maintain a climate of collaboration and teamwork;
- I will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate these behaviors from those around me;
- I will work to give back to my community and provide support to the indigent;
- I will remain accountable to my professors, peers, and myself; and
- I will strive to continuously grow intellectually, morally, spiritually, and emotionally, and to help my peers and those around me in their own growth.
Fall 2010 Oath
The following oath was administered to the entering class by Judge Christel E. Marquardt on August 18, 2010.
I, _________________, hereby commit to myself and to those who came before me to uphold the traditions and values the legal profession exemplifies. In addition, it is my responsibility to assist in paving the way for the legal professionals of the future. I will demonstrate the values of Washburn by acting with integrity, focusing on the betterment of my community, and continuing to pursue my learning beyond graduation. This oath is more than a ceremony. I, as a legal professional to be, recognize that it is both a duty and privilege and commit to uphold this oath from this day forward.
Spring 2010 Oath
The following oath was authored by Ezzard Nash, Chelsey Matheu, John Wilschke, and Chris Davies and administered to the entering class by Judge David B. Debenham on January 15, 2010.
I, _________________, pledge to uphold the standards established by Washburn University School of Law and the American Bar Association. I promise to act in an ethical manner, to conduct myself with integrity, and to respect myself, my colleagues, and the law. I will take responsibility for my academic and professional conduct.


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Principal chief of the Catauba tribe.
(YTB-327: dp. 237; l. 100'; b. 25'; dr. 9'7" ; s. 16 k.; T. V2-ME-A1)
Haiglar (YTB-327) was built by Brunswick Marine Construction Corp., Brunswick, Ga., in 1942 as Port Went-worth, under Maritime Commission contract. Delivered to the Navy at Brunswick 14 November 1942, she was converted to Navy use at Savannah Machine & Foundry Co., Savannah, Ga., and placed in service 13 December 1942, classified as YT-327.
Assigned to the 1st Naval District, Haiglar served as a harbor tug at Boston, Mass., and was redesignated YTB-327, harbor tug, big, 15 May 1944. She was transferred to the 15th Naval District for duty at Balboa, Canal Zone, 9 June 1945, but was brought back to Boston soon after the end of the war in the Pacific. Haiglar was subsequently transferred to the Panama Canal and struck from the Navy List simultaneously 11 February 1947.


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Meet the Fetch foster pups available for adoption
We spend time getting to know every one of our pups in order to find them the perfect forever home. Each Fetch dog has their own story to share with the world. We encounter unique breeds of dogs every day. To best describe their look and personality, we have assigned our own unique hybrid breed names. Click on a dog to read more about its personality and story. | Requirements | FAQs | Get Started


text: Brisbane Gallery: Kaia Brings It In Brisbane It was a fierce final few days at the Brisbane International, but Kaia Kanepi rose to the occasion. Published January 08, 2012 12:00 Francesca Schiavone had the most dramatic win of the week, saving match points to beat Jelena Jankovic. Iveta Benesova couldn't match Francesca Schiavone's effort as she faced Kim Clijsters in the quarterfinals. Kim Clijsters looked in top form in a 63 62 win over Iveta Benesova, conqueror of No.1 seed Sam Stosur. Kim Clijsters is a popular figure in Australia, often called Aussie Kim. She won the Aussie Open in 2011. Kaia Kanepi met the press. The Estonian took out three seeds en route to her second straight Premier final. American duo Abigail Spears and Raquel Kops-Jones won three straight match tie-breaks to make the finals too. Kim Clijsters won the first set but trailed in the second before retiring in the semis with a hip injury. Estonian fans made themselves known as their compatriot Kaia Kanepi faced Daniela Hantuchova in the final. Daniela Hantuchova was playing her 13th career final on the WTA, and was 3-0 head-to-head against Kaia Kanepi. Kaia Kanepi was in top form for the final though, winning nine straight games at one point to lead 62 40. Kaia Kanepi closed out Daniela Hantuchova, 62 61, her first win in four career meetings with the Slovak. Nuria Llagostera Vives and Arantxa Parra Santonja also won their first Premier title together later at night. Kaia Kanepi with the trophy and her coach, Silver Karjus. Kaia Kanepi with her second and biggest WTA trophy. Her first trophy came at the International-level Palermo. Kaia Kanepi posed with her trophy at Kangaroo Point Cliffs. She rises from No.34 to No.26 on the new rankings. Topics: 2012, tournaments, news, photos or videos, abigail spears, raquel kops-jones, arantxa parra santonja, nuria llagostera vives, daniela hantuchova, kaia kanepi, francesca schiavone, kim clijsters, iveta benesova, brisbane [+] More Share this page! Print Email Related photos Gallery: Road To Singapore Begins January 06, 2014 The WTA launched the Road To Singapore campaign this week, and around the world the stars of the WTA held up the campaign road signs to show their support - see the first eight pics here! Gallery: Week 1's Fantastic Finals January 06, 2014 The Road To Singapore began in Brisbane, Shenzhen and Auckland this past week, with three megastars lifting WTA trophies - have a look back at the best pics from the first finals weekend of 2014! Brisbane Gallery: All About The Fans January 02, 2014 Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova have been spending time off the court at the Brisbane International this week to meet and connect with the fans. See the best pics here. To The Top 3


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Karl's Cat Has Two Maids, the Olsen Twins' Career Evolution and More From Around the Web
Karl Lagerfeld gives his adorable cat Choupette two maids, access to an iPad and meals at the dinner table—but draws the line at dressing her up. [WWD]
How the Olsen twins have managed to circumvent the stigma that usually surrounds celebrity designers to become respected members of the fashion community. [Fashionista]
Lydia Maurer is set to replace Manish Arora as the ready-to-wear artistic director for Paco Rabanne. [Vogue UK]
Yesterday, we showed you the first official photo of Lindsay Lohan in her new role as Elizabeth Taylor, and now pictures from the production are rolling in. In the photos, Linds is seen sporting just a sampling of the reported 66 outfits she will wear in the film, including an impressive array of leopard print swimsuits and silk headscarves. [Grazia]
Watch the trailer for Advanced Style—a documentary about Ari Seth Cohan's elderly persons fashion blog—and donate funds to the project. [Kickstarter]
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The Roadside Hawk is a relatively small bird of prey found in Latin America. This vocal species is often the most common raptor in its range. It has many subspecies and is sometimes placed in the monotypic genus ''Rupornis'' instead of ''Buteo''.
Similar species: Falcons
By fchristant
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Uploaded Nov 2, 2011. Captured Nov 2, 2011 19:55.