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Taking action to work towards Reality X, and encouraging others to do likewise, is not the same as saying, "I don't believe in God's sovereignty over Reality X."
It is good to ask this question often: "Is this what God wants me to be doing right now?"
Okay, so let's say you've been to your state fair quite a few times, and you've enjoyed it and heard people say good things about it, but you'd like to know how it stacks up to other state fairs, because you've only been to your own.
So you google "Best State Fairs" and find a few sites. So you look at one from Country Living that lists their five favorites: Minnesota, Iowa, Texas, New York and Alaska.
And you're glad to see your own State Fair there, but you think, maybe this is just the opinion of few writers (or maybe just one.)
So you look at another, and another and you start to get interested, because you keep seeing the same few state fairs. And maybe you'd like evidence that your state's is better than the one in the famous musical that says "Our state fair is a great state fair. Don't miss it, don't even be late!"
So, you start keeping track: which sites are in which sites list of Best State Fairs.
You find 15 lists. And, eschewing the click-bait, you end up with this chart (ordered by most listed to least listed – see full chart here.)
|Big E
|New York Post
|Country Living
|Travel Channel
|Family Vacation Critic
|World Web
|Smart Asset
|Vacations Made Easy
|Samantha Brown
|USA Today Ten Best
|American Profile
The first thing you're happy to note is that your state fair is listed the most times, once more than the State Fair from Fame and Song.
You also note:
— 30 State Fairs are listed at least once.
— 11 are only listed only once.
— 7 are listed at least ten times.
— The single site that doesn't list Minnesota is odd to the point of being disregardable! Delaware? Really? And two State Fairs are from Oklahoma? And honestly you wonder if they put Iowa there out of some kind of irrational reverence to Rodgers and Hammerstein.
As you compile all of the data, you note, with some dismay, that one of the list that doesn't choose Iowa has a link that no longer works, but you hope that anyone analyzing the data will believe you that the link really did work at one point. You know, since you've gone through all this effort.
In any case, you're pleased that your hope that yours is in fact the best state fair was not unfounded. And you look forward to the next time you can enjoy cheese curds, talent shows and trolley rides there again.
Earlier this week, Pastor John posted an article – A Beginner's Guide to Free Will which I think is very helpful. The second half of this article should be read by anyone before they get into a discussion or argument about Free Will.
In it, he gives three definitions of Free Will, one of which he thinks exists for all people, one of which exists only for Christians, and one of which he thinks does not exist for anyone.
If you talk to someone about Free Will, you should have mutual agreement about which type you're talking about.
Just like if you're ever talking to someone about Luck, you should agree about which type you're talking about.
You can praise God without using the word 'Praise'.
You should really take a walk on this lovely summer day.
The next time you feel a person (or group of people) is being unreasonable, think about this: Is it possible that you're not really considering the issue from their point of view?
How To Visualize Your Prediction of How The General Election Will Affect Our Country's Future
[As the reader, please just stipulate for the sake of this post that I am excellent at creating visual graphics.]
In this essay I will be presenting of a visualization of what I think about the presidential election and how it will affect America. Also how Donald Trump is different. I'm asking you to consider whether or not you agree. I think it's likely that you will, assuming you're a normal, well-adjusted voter.
Here we go.
Like most people, I'm a bit disillusioned about the political process. Generally speaking, I don't hold out a lot of hope that any president will make that big of a difference in the grand scheme of the course of the nation.
So, for example, as a voter who generally chooses Republicans on my ballots, I do so with the hope that the Republican will win and the expectation that if he does, things will get better. But, and this is important, not necessarily a lot better.
So as you might imagine, like most sane conservatives, I was looking forward to Ted Cruz (or, you know, Rubio, or Kashich) getting the GOP nomination, and then the presidency. And assuming this happened, this is how I had pictured that future, probabilistically speaking.
Looking at the picture you'll see that I, like all humans, don't know the future, and I can only make guesses. Perhaps Cruz would have been amazing and great strides of progress would have happened in the U.S. of A. Or perhaps he would have done poorly and things would have gotten worse. But I was laying odds that things would get better – probably slightly to moderately better.
But it looks like that isn't going to happen now; Cruz is out of the picture and perhaps we'll have Hillary Clinton as our next Commander In Chief. Here's my guess as to how that might work out.
So you can see that I had similar uncertainty, but I was expecting things to get moderately, or at least minimally worse in our great land.
Nota bene, if you primarily vote Democrat, you could just switch the colors (blue to red and red to blue) and the names and they would be pretty close to what you think.*
I mean, right? Wouldn't you agree? I'm guessing yes – looking into the next four years, the normal, slightly cynical voters picture something like these pictures. And not just for this election, but as they picture the country with every presidential candidate since they've been old enough to vote. Every four years.
But … Trump. What do we do with Trump? What do we think will happen with Trump as our president?
How about this?
Yes, the outlook is different. It's not going to be a little better or a little worse. The results are going to be more extreme. Much more extreme. There are a couple issues that are important to me that I agree with him on (at least as he states it now) and if he stands by those long-held convictions**, things might be golden. But I fear it's much more likely that earth shattering, ground shaking insanity might emanate from a Trump White House and spring forth from sea to shining sea. (Yes, if you're wondering, I did choose the color by taking a pixel sample of his hair)
What will happen? In 2018, will we be looking back fondly at the days of legislative gridlock? Will small and midsized nations be attacking us out of principle? Will comedians stop making jokes because the situation is simply not funny anymore? Will Donald 'build a wall' around our country's heart so thick that we can't be hurt by anyone, even those who love us most, and make Megyn Kelly pay for it?***
The question – Who knows what our status will be after four years of Trump? And sir, the answer: No one – least of all Trump, I fear. Thus I visualize the odds going off the chart towards the bad. But like I say, I'm not God. I don't know the future.
Time will tell, my friends. Only time will tell.
* And yes, I did just google, "What does 'nota bene' mean?"
** Scare italics.
[So regarding guessing your thoughts about these matters, how'd I do? Was I close?]
If you want to help your friend in his twenties, say something nice about him in front of the girl he likes.
If you want to help your friend in his forties, say something nice about him in front of his teenager.
1. If you don't interact with people on Facebook, you're not really on Facebook.
2. It's okay to not be on Facebook.
Right now is a good time to ask yourself – would you rather be very rich and talented or happy and at peace?
A couple summers ago, our church heard a sermon from a guest speaker, Andy Naselli, a pastor and a professor at Bethlehem Seminary. He spoke on the topic of the conscience and what the Bible has to say about it. I admit, I was surprised that the Bible had anything to say about the conscience and found the sermon helpful, enlightening and intriguing.
This week, Andy released a book on this subject (with co-author J.D. Crowley) and, given the importance of this topic, I now find myself surprised that no one has written a book like this before. Why not?
It comes down to this: In any given Christian church, any given Christian family, or any given pair of Christian people, individuals find themselves regularly differing on what is right and wrong on any number of topics.
If you think of anyone you know – no matter how close your worldview and theology is to that person's – I'm guessing you can easily think of an ethical matter where you disagree.
Ethical matters such as –
What kind of secular music should you listen to, if any?
How much alcohol should you drink?
How should you spend your money?
How much time should you spend on Facebook? Should you work on a Sunday? Which words are swear words that no Christian should ever utter? And on and on and on. And many of them regarding subjects that the Bible doesn't directly touch on.
You listen to your conscience about how to decide what is wrong. Your Christian brother or sister listens to their conscience. Your consciences are certain to disagree at time. Sometimes we can live and let live with that disagreement between each other. But sometimes those disagreements cause conflict. And anger. And division. In your church and family.
Wouldn't you like to know what the Bible has to say about how to handle those disagreements? Wouldn't it be nice to have a resource which includes a full survey of all the Bible has to say about the conscience?
You can. Read the book!
Here are some other topics addressed in this important and necessary book:
• How should you interact with your own conscience?
• How is interacting with other cultures, especially when bringing the gospel to these cultures, affected by cultural differences in consciences?
• How are unbelievers affected by their consciences and how should you interact with them?
• What does Paul mean by "strong" and "weak" Christians and how should they relate with each other?
• What does it mean for a conscience to be seared, or clear, or defiled, or perfected, or purified or missing?
I encourage you to get a copy, read it and use it in pursuit of God's glory and the good of others.
By the way, with the Facebook question, the correct answer is 'no more than 11.75 minutes a day.'
As I've been communicating with people about Luck, as a result of conversations I've had about my three previous posts, no fewer than four people have mentioned the Vern Poythress book Chance and the Sovereignty of God.
So by the time I'd put up the third post, I'd read the first 100+ pages (I've since read more), and I'll say this – It's a Biblical, smart, helpful, informative and necessary book that I almost completely agree with.
I'll also point out this: Mr. Poythress believes in chance. I should qualify- In the beginning of chapter nine he shows the two definitions of chance from Merriam-Webster's dictionary:
1 a : something that happens unpredictably without discernible human intention or observable cause b : the assumed impersonal purposeless determiner of unaccountable happenings : luck.
He confirms his belief in the first definition: "The examples that we have previously discussed, from the Bible and from modern life, conform to this description"
But he rejects the second: "This definition includes the assumption that some events are "impersonal" and "purposeless" in an absolute sense. In other words, the definition implies that God is not involved and that he is not in control. Chance in this sense does not exist." He later calls this Chance with a capital 'C'.
I agree with all this. Indeed, I tried (and apparently failed) to make this clear in my previous posts.
But then he says something that I think is overly broad – "There is no such thing as luck."
He doesn't explain this statement or give any defense of it.* But he says this, I think, because he assumes, wrongly, that the meaning of luck associated with Capital C Chance is the only kind of luck and that it's the only way that people refer to luck.
It's regrettable that he didn't look at the first definition of luck in that same dictionary, which is "the things that happen to a person because of chance : the accidental way things happen without being planned".
This is luck associated with the first definition of chance – the one he agrees with. And I think this is what people mean when they say they were lucky. I would encourage anyone to check this out the next time they hear someone say they were lucky.
Specifically, ask them "By lucky, do you mean an assumed impersonal purposeless determiner of unaccountable happenings caused you the fortunate thing to happen, or do you refer to the accidental way things happened without being planned?"
I'm pretty sure they'll more readily agree to the latter.
It comes down to this – as I said in my last luck post, you shouldn't use Luck as a predictor or something you can manipulate. But if by luck, you mean the way lower-case-C chance (which Dr. Poythress says is a biblically reasonable concept) plays out in a person's life, then you're fine.
* Although later in Chapter 14, he discusses the misuse of luck and chance by means of gambling, superstition, and good luck charms. Again, I agree with his premise that these practices are foolish and often sinful.
Luck Post Intro
Luck 2 – Biblical Evidence
Luck 3 – Disclaimers and Final Thoughts
Four short stories illustrating the checks the New Testament puts into place to prevent a slippery slope.
Story Number 1
A Christian in the young church in Corinth has finally been able to convince his friend, Jonas, to come to a church meeting. The friend has been expressing dissatisfaction with the Roman gods and temples. They arrive and find out that a letter has been sent to their church by the Apostle Paul, a founder of the church, and a portion of it will be read aloud. Jonas is very interested to see what this leader has to say. He's listening and finding the expressed theology to be very intriguing and compelling, especially as the content turns to sexual purity and marriage.
He hears –
"For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does."
And he thinks, "Yes, very good. That's as it should be. Theonica will hear this message when I get home to her. She'll have to -"
But then he hears the reader say –
"Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does."
Jonas does not explain himself to his friend as he stands up and quickly excuses himself, even as the reader continues to finish the passage. It should be obvious. By Jove, my body is not my wife's! That's ridiculous. She is merely a woman, after all.
He didn't go back.
Story 2
Evelyn, a twenty-year old woman greets her friend Ruth at the door and invites the older woman into the small bedroom in the community home she lives in. It is a religious community, where it is Evelyn's work to do laundry ten hours a day, six days a week. The older man who leads their sect demands obedience and subservience, but Evelyn states with a weak smile that she is happy. Ruth notices a blue crescent moon tattooed on Evelyn's wrist and the young woman covers it up quickly with her sleeve.
They speak at length, sitting on Evelyn's bed, but Ruth mostly listens and asks questions. After some time, Ruth finally pulls out a writing and says, "My brother Timothy, who is a pastor, received this letter from a wise church-planter named Paul a few days ago. He has let me read it and I asked him if I could bring it and read a small part of it to you. Would that be okay?"
The younger woman nods hesitantly and then listens as Ruth reads –
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
A few minutes later, with Ruth's help, Evelyn started packing.
Story 3
The Jewish basket weaver has a surprisingly good sitting place to hear the new teacher as he preaches about the Kingdom of God from the top of a hill, but his heart is closed. He doesn't want to hear about the meek and merciful, and he's not interested in how great his sin is.
And then he hears –
"But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart,"
– and he thinks, "That is nonsense. I have not committed adultery! One of two things are true – either God is fine with me looking on the form of a woman to my own pleasure, assuming I don't touch her, or the woman should cover herself so that her form is not visible. If it is right there in front of me, God will not hold me responsible when I look, no matter what my thoughts are. A just God will hold her, and her alone, responsible for the thoughts her body provokes."
He slipped down the hill and away from the foolish rabbi.
Story 4
The man holds in his hands a scroll copied from a letter from one of the Son of God's own disciples. It is an honor for him, new to the church and the faith, to be able to take these writings home and read it in the days between Sabbaths. So he is reading. The words move and motivate him. And then he reads –
Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
And he stops reading. He feels a stabbing in his soul. He puts his face in his hand and he weeps.
Yesterday he hit his wife. She had something insufficiently honoring to him and he had put his hand across her face. It was his right as Husband.
Today he hasn't had the courage to look at her fully, but he is afraid there's a bruise on her cheek. He feels the weight of his error.
He steps into the other room and finds her, the one he loves, and she sees that he has been crying. He repents before her and God and states (truthfully) that he will never touch her violently again. They cry together. She forgives him. God forgives him.
He took her hand and together they went back and found the scroll and continued reading it together.
Egalitarian or Skeptic, do not fear that following the New Testament's teaching about the differences between men and women will lead to the mistreatment of women. God has seen to it that this won't happen for the one who is truly seeking His Word to know His Will.
Young man, old man and husband, God has written for us how we are to treat women in and before Marriage, which is an ancient picture of our relationship with God. If we defy His Will in these matters, we defy His Gospel.
If you're trying to stop a tank, using a weapon that only dents the outside won't work against the machine or those it's carrying. A man wielding a BB gun might chip the paint or put a ding in the metal, but the guys inside the tank will only care if you blow a hole in it or stop it from functioning.
God's transcendence, glory, eminence and worth is, like His Gospel, so diverse and expansive that no human can focus on more than a very little of it at once. So it is like a buffet – you must choose what you are going to think about, dwell on, consider, be thankful for. You can't eat it all.
Choose wisely.
Please read the first part of this short story
"Esther, wake up! You must hear what I have to tell you!"
She woke to the sight of her anxious friend Rebekah and the full memory of her brother's status.
And she quickly saw that Rebekah had bad news. "What is it?"
"They are crucifying Silas!"
Five minutes later, having dressed quickly, Esther was running, running towards the place of the Skull. She feared what she was about to see more than anything she had feared in her life. But she had to be there. She had to see him. She had to … she couldn't let him be alone.
She knew it was going to be horrific and it was. Even from a distance, she could see the blood and the torn flesh and she could hear strong men screaming. And then she could tell that one of the voices was Silas. Screaming words of pain and anger and cursing. And then, just as she was nearing, she could see Silas looking with recognition at the crucified man on the middle cross and … laughing? A hollow, horrid, false laugh.
"You're … you're the teacher", Silas said, laughing again in between gasps, laughing without smiling, "the new Rabbi that travels about,"
With shock, Esther saw that it was true. Under the blood and bruises, it was the teacher. It was Jesus. How could …. How? Why would they crucify Jesus?
Silas wasn't done. "You tell happy stories about Yahweh and His Kingdom!"
She could see that Silas couldn't say very many words without having to stop to push himself up to catch his breath. And she could see that he wasn't done. "Silas, don't", she whispered.
"Stories about the Kingdom of the LORD … He's our loving father!"
It was obvious that it hurt for him to talk, why did he keep going with this hate?
He was yelling now. "What do you know, Teacher? … What do you know about this kingdom?"
Another gasp, another painful breath, and he continued. "I see you know nothing! You pretend to be one with God and you end up on a cross! With me!"
And then he coughed and hatefully laughed and twisted and screamed. "You know nothing! This is the way of all things!"
The teacher looked at him. Silas looked away, saw Esther, looked away and screamed again. Esther cried for a long time.
And then she heard a voice, a calm voice. A voice that was in pain: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
Esther looked up at Jesus. He was looking down at the men who had done this to him. The Romans soldiers looked stunned and slightly shaken. The Jewish leaders looked angry and full of spite.
One of them yelled, "If you are the chosen one, the Christ of the God you pray to, save yourself, as they say you've saved others!"
Esther watched as Silas looked at the leaders, and then back to Jesus. And he stared long at Jesus, with eyes that seemed determined to comprehend.
Soon the Jewish leaders were leaving, and as they walked passed Esther, one of them spoke bitterly, "He says it's us who needs forgiveness!"
After they'd passed, Esther looked up and saw her brother still staring at Jesus. What had happened? The hate and anger in his eyes were gone. Now there was just grief and pain. And … shame.
A few moments later, Esther saw that one of the priests had lingered. He was standing a few feet behind her, lurking, unsure of himself. He too was staring at Jesus. He wasn't gloating or angry, like the other leaders. He seemed confused, frightened and sad.
Minutes passed. The men on the cross gasped, groaned and bled. They were dying. Esther could see there was not much strength left in her brother.
Sometime later the third crucified man, the one on the other side of Jesus, grimly and weakly spat out, "If you're the Savior, … do us a favor. Do like the priest said. Save yourself … and us!"
Esther could see that this man was no believer. His words were spiteful, aimed to wound. She was surprised that he would utter such foulness.
But she was stunned by the next words she heard: "Are you seeking God's wrath? You and I both know that this man hasn't done anything to deserve to be here. But we have. It is right that we are here. Not so this man."
It was her brother. She couldn't have hoped for a stronger confession. She put her face in her hands and slumped to the ground as he stopped talking and gasped and vomited and wept. The priest who had been standing behind her, stepped next to her and put his hand on her shoulder.
And then her brother said something truly ridiculous: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom?"
Was he insane? Jesus is just. How could Silas think he could deserve that? How could he dare to make such a request.
And then Jesus said to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
And now it was the priest who gasped, took his hand off Esther and dropped to the ground next to her. He was reeling with one hand on the ground, whispering, "How …. How could that be? How can he say that?" But Esther could see that there was no doubt in this man. She guessed that he believed Jesus, he just couldn't comprehend the words he'd just heard the teacher say.
And then Esther looked up from the priest to her brother and saw a sight that made her gasp with delight. Silas was smiling. A true, relieved smile of peace on her brother's face even as he gasped for air.
"Amen," Silas whispered. Esther looked at Jesus with thankfulness.
Silas' smile was still there when he stopped breathing a few minutes later.
And as Esther walked away and down the hill with the priest who was whispering praises to Yahweh, she experienced hope again. Perfect, Gospel-driven Hope.
The man in this story gets just a few verses about him in the gospels. I thought I'd propose a version and a filling out of his story from the perspective of someone who loved him. Neither Silas nor Esther are the well-known Biblical characters.
The Thief's Sister – by Scott Jamison
"Silas… Silas! What can be done? There must be something we can do!"
"Sorry, Esther," replied Silas, and she could see the fear in her brother's eyes, despite his false brave sobriety, "I'm pretty sure that there is nothing to be done. I'm cursed by this cursed city and it will kill me."
He was lying on his back on the wood slab in obvious discomfort, opposite the bars she was staring through. He looked horrible.
"Someone made you do this. Someone tricked you into stealing from those poor people on the road."
"No, Esther, it was my idea. It's been my idea these three years. And he wasn't poor. Do you think I'd be so foolish to try to rob a pauper?"
Esther had feared this, of course. For years she had seen his cruelty growing, his lack of love, his worship of earthly things. Each time she'd found ways to explain it to herself, but her heart told her quietly that there was no use – Silas' heart was black and getting blacker.
And now there was legal proof of its darkness. Not a half hour earlier, the guard had grimly described Silas' most recent victim. The man had lived, she thanked the LORD for that – at least Silas wasn't a murderer, but … apparently the victim was now half blind. And perhaps he would always need a cane. Silas had beaten him, he'd beaten him for his money, and so the guard had enthusiastically beaten Silas. The guard had told her this with words that were neither proud nor ashamed.
Esther looked away from her brother. It was impossible to fathom: She couldn't call the Roman guard unjust for beating her brother, but she could call her brother wicked for beating the man he stole from.
As she looked back at him, she saw that he was staring at her, still grim, and she guessed that he had a good idea what she was thinking.
"No, Esther, the man I took from, the man I damaged – he was rich! He was a tax collector. He still is a tax collector. And they don't need the use of both eyes to take what doesn't belong to them. He'll be well enough!"
Now he was yelling. Yelling past her so that others would hear: He was unrepentant. He was defiant.
"So, no, sister, I wasn't tricked into doing these deeds. And it can't be that big of a surprise for you. I haven't laid a hand on you, but you've seen what I've done with Jeremiah."
Yes, she had. Their younger brother had more than once cried out for mercy that Silas rarely had given him. Jeremiah wanted nothing more to do with Silas.
"I'm going to die, Esther. It's your lot to live with that. You should go. The city has deemed that I must be punished. That is the way of it. Amen."
Amen? She looked at him, so angry and … sullen. When he was young he used to smile. It had been ages since she'd seen him smile.
She left him. She cried as she left the cell, the prison and the city.
As she walked towards her home, she passed the spot on the road where, she'd been told, Silas' last crime had taken place. It … what did it remind her of? Something good. Something pleasant. Ah, yes, she thought, and she smiled and then winced as she remembered more deeply.
A victim lying on the side of the road, a result of highway robbery. It was just like the story she'd heard the new teacher tell the children. A man was beaten and left for dead, and the church leaders had ignored him, and the stranger had saved him. But in the real life story, she realized with horrified shame, her brother wasn't the Good Samaritan or the victim. He wasn't even the unloving Pharisees. No, he was the violent and greedy robber.
He was the villain of the story.
There was no hope. She would lose him. His mind was dark and evil, she loved him and she was going to lose him forever into darkness.
Just recently, she had felt hope. She'd learned about hope as she'd listened to the teachings of this Jesus as he preached near their family's village. She'd seen him do miracles. She'd heard good news from him.
If …. no, it was impossible. But – her mind pressed on into the impossible possibility – if she could find a way for Silas to hear the teacher… maybe he would … turn from his sin? See the path to a better way? Repent and find hope?
Tomorrow she would search for the teacher. She continued home. Some rest and then she'd look for him and find him.
"Esther, wake up! You must hear what I have to tell you!"
She woke to the sight of her anxious friend Rebekah and the full memory of her brother's status.
And she quickly saw that Rebekah had bad news. "What is it?"
"They are crucifying Silas!"
Five minutes later, having dressed quickly, Esther was running, running towards the Place of the Skull.
I assume you've guessed who Silas is. Or at least you've narrowed it down to two.
Please go read the conclusion of the story.
In my last two posts I introduced my reasons why I think luck might exist and then defended this concept with Biblical evidence.
Here are a few clarifying comments:
0. One primary reason for these posts is I'm hoping to see if there are any good arguments against what I'm saying. If someone could show from the Bible that chance does not exist, then I will change my mind and change these posts. I will also amend these posts if someone can show that parts of them are wrong.
1. I don't know Greek or Hebrew, so if anyone wants to show me how I'm greatly misinterpreting the Bible passages because I'm not looking at original languages, I'd be very interested.
2. I have much more to say and I could have fleshed out my point to a much greater extent. But I'm trying (some might add 'and failing') to keep these posts somewhat succinct.
3. In preparation for writing these posts, I've read "Not a Chance" by R.C. Sproul and "Not by Chance" by Layton Talbert.
Sproul writes at length about how chance cannot exist as an acting causal entity. I fully agree with this. Indeed, I don't know of any person who disagrees with this. He certainly didn't quote anyone with this opinion.
He also states unequivocally that if chance exists then God can't. But he doesn't defend this statement using logic or the Bible – which is somewhat interesting given he writes quite a few paragraphs (just a few pages later) defending the idea that, logically speaking, a cat doesn't have eight tails.
Talbert's book is a great resource and defense of the sovereignty of God. It also denies the existence of chance and luck several time, but, again, nowhere does it give a reasoning for this denial.
4. Perhaps you're thinking that 'fortune' is a reasonable replacement for Christians to use in day to day discussion. My response is two-fold: 1. What do you think is the difference between Chance and Fortune or Luck? I think they are nearly congruent. Look it up, it has "luck" in the definition. But 2. Unlike "luck", "fortune" is a word that I'd be hesitant to use (having looked in a concordance), seeing how the Bible treats that word.
I'm thinking that at some point it might be wise for me to write a whole post about the word Fortune.
5. I've heard that some people, including at least one pastor, say that Luck is four letter word. Why the hate, I wonder?
6. I've heard people eschew the word "Potluck" and prefer "Pot-Blessing". I'm in total agreement. When people gather and bring their best dishes that everyone can share, it's not luck that the resulting food is enjoyable. I've never failed to be blessed at a Potluck.
7. Luck as a curse
Another definition of Luck is: The force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities:
With my luck I'll probably get pneumonia.
I agree that a Bible-centered worldview (or logic) doesn't allow this way of using the word Luck. If luck really is chance, it makes no sense to use it as a predictor.
8. In the Harry Potter books, most of the characters will not speak the name of the evil Lord Voldemort, sometime calling him "He Who Must Not Be Named". He's very real, and everyone knows it, but they fear to the word. I feel like there are some who treat the word Luck like this; it's potentially real, but to use the word will do some intangible harm so they have to find more palatable, and less helpful and accurate, ways of referring to it.
9. If you hit five red lights in a row, it seems reasonable to say you're unlucky and chance has gone against you. If you've hit five green lights in a row, it seems reasonable to say you've been lucky and chance has favored you. It's not going to kill you (or harm God's reputation) to admit this.
Update: I just added a post called The Two Kinds Of Luck.
3. The Biblical Basis for Luck.
In the previous post, I developed an explanation for the possibility of the existence of luck or chance. Here is some Biblical evidence for that possibility. Please note that I'm not stating that these Bible passages must force all theologians to believe in Luck, just that they should encourage Bible believers to be hesitant to say unequivocally that luck or chance doesn't exist.
I've heard it said that the word luck isn't anywhere in the bible. Agreed.
Obviously, we're not going to find 'luck' in the Bible. It's a relatively new word ( Dictionary.com says its origin comes from the late 15th century), and it has a slang feel to it, so translators might avoid using it even if it was the best word. But 'chance' is a different matter. And 'chance' is indeed in the Bible. Five times.
I think we can disregard two of them (one has a different meaning – Hebrews 12:17 – where it is meant as 'opportunity' and one – 2 Samuel 1:6 – where the speaker was potentially lying). But the other three are key and are from important sources – Luke, Solomon and Jesus.
Consider Acts 27:12, where Luke, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes, "And because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided to put out to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix …"
On the chance. Their future was unknown. They were hopeful to make it. The odds weren't great, but there was a chance they could reach their goal.
But someone will say, "They weren't rolling the dice. God was in control of what the boat was doing." Agreed. But I think it's fair to say they were hoping for the chance that what they wanted would happen.
One might also say, "It doesn't say explicitly that Paul and/or Luke agreed with this worldview". Correct, nor does it say they disagreed with it.
Or look at Ecclesiastes 9:11 – "Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all."
Time and Chance happens to us all. But someone will say, "Oh, this was in the bitter parts of Ecclesiastes". So you are saying that all of what is said here can be safely assumed to be false? I would be hesitant to say that.
What about when Jesus is talking? Look at Luke 10:31, where our Savior is in the middle of the Parable of the Good Samaritan: "Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side."
This part of the story happened, according to Jesus, by chance.
I can foresee two rejoinders to this evidence: (1) He's telling a parable. You can't use that as evidence. Really? Why not? As far as I can see, the universe of Jesus's parables inherently and by nature corresponds to ours. (2) Jesus was joking. He wasn't being serious when he said it happened by chance. I agree that it's easy to imagine a small smile* on his face as he said this, but is it safe to assume the Great Storyteller was describing the situation wrongly assuming that everyone who heard it would understand that he was making a little jest?
Please take a look at Ruth 2:3.
So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech.
Have you considered the word "happen"?
Here's the dictionary definition: happen – to come to pass by chance; occur without apparent reason or design:
I can't help but notice that when the translation committee translated this verse, they didn't write …
And she just happened to come to the part of the field belong to Boaz,
And she "happened" to come to the part of the field belong to Boaz,
No, they wrote that "she happened to" come there. By, you know, chance.
Do you know what else happened to happen?
"Absalom happened to meet the servants of David." (right before he died) 2 Samuel 18:9
And "there happened to be there a worthless man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite." (who caused a rebellion) 2 Samuel 20:1
So as you read these passages, assuming you believe in the inerrancy of scripture, here's your trilemma: either (1) you agree that these things happened by chance, (2) you think the translators got it wrong, (3) you think they were describing it this way facetiously or sarcastically. Choose you this day. But if you choose #3, you should make sure you have a biblical reason why.
As for me and my … self, I think I'm not a heretic to believe that number one is at least possible.
The Wind
John 3:7-8
Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
The wind blows where it wishes. Is this statement true or false? If you think it's just poetic language then (1) Why do you think that? (2) What do think Jesus is trying to convey through the poetic language?
By the way, when Pastor John Piper spoke on this passage, he entitled the sermon "The Free Will of the Wind". That's what I think chance might be: The free will of the universe (but obviously not a libertarian free will!)
The Lot and The Heart
Now some of you are thinking – what about Proverbs 16:33?
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD. – Proverbs 16:33
I'm fond of this verse. Because there are two things happening here: 1. The lot is cast and 2. Its decision is from the LORD.
If you think only one thing is happening (the LORD part), then I wonder if you've read all of Proverbs chapter 16. Only 24 verses before 16:33 it says –
The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:9
Do you think only the LORD part is actually happening in this verse? Do you think that the heart of man is not really planning his way? Again, if you think Free Will can exist in some real way, why do you disregard the possibility that chance does?
4. The Ethical Basis For Believing In Luck
You might be thinking, "But … why?"
Why would you want people to think or talk as if luck exists? What's the benefit?
You might further be thinking that talking about luck will make it sound like you don't believe God is in control. Please note that every concept of luck that I'm presenting is from our perspective, not God's. And, again, do you think that it undermines the view of the sovereignty of your God to talk about free will?
Now I'm not of the mind that the statement "This concept makes people act poorly" logically leads to "This concept is false". But I acknowledge that some true concepts can be harmful when used in the wrong situation. Thinking along those lines …
Maybe it's time for you to consider the possible downside in some settings of saying you're blessed.
When a person says, "I've been so blessed" and they're heard by others who don't feel as blessed, it might sound like he (the blessed person) has pride in the good things they've gotten. Or that God is on their side. It might sound like their blessing was earned or merited. And a person who is going through trials might reasonably ask, "Why not me?"
There is much less danger of this when a person says, "I was lucky." Luck isn't earned. Luck has more to do with grace or mercy. It didn't have to be that way. It necessarily wasn't a result of good works done by the recipient.
So when you hear a world famous secular person say something like this …
"I was preparing for my craft, but I was lucky even before I was prepared… I think, more than anything else, I've been lucky."
… (as "Harrison Ford*" has said in describing his success), you think, "if he's sincere in this statement, he's being pretty humble. He's not claiming success because of how great he is." And this kind of humility can be veiled in a successful Christian who will not use the work Luck. To say you've been lucky doesn't diminish God, it diminishes you.
One of the aspect of traditional Compatibilism that I appreciate most is how it raises up our understanding of God. Any being that is able to create (and be sovereign over) a creature that is nevertheless responsible and possesses free will is a Being far above and transcendent over those of us who've been created by Him. The very fact that this facet of our God (described by so many passages in His Word) is so difficult to comprehend should secure our honor, praise and reverence.
And if God's sovereignty over free creatures causes us to worship him, wouldn't the idea of a God who created a world where chance and randomness exist, yet is still fully under his sovereignty – where a whole universe under his complete control enjoys an element of freedom … shouldn't that cause even more reverence and worship?
* As a compatibilist, I think it likely that it was both: Jesus was injecting a bit of humor AND describing it how it was.
** And I think it's fair to say he was pretty lucky. If he hadn't been chosen to be Han Solo and Indiana Jones, which pretty much came down to George Lucas liking him, his stellar career almost certainly wouldn't have happened.
Update :: Here are some extra thoughts, clarifications and disclaimers on this subject.


text:
Sussex restaurants and Sussex country pubs
Brighton, and the surrounding Sussex countryside offer endless restaurant and pub food options. For this list we have taken a look at the Sussex countryside and the Sussex seaside. There are Sussex restaurants and proper country pubs. The choice, as they say, is yours.
The Schooner, Southwick (NEW)
The Schooner is an independent gastropub nestled on the Sussex shoreline between Hove & Shoreham, offering locally sourced meats, fish & seafood. Situated in an 18th Century building with a warm welcome, real fires and stunning panoramic views overlooking lady bee marina & the harbour it's a wonderful place to spend the evening or a Sunday lunch. Dog and child friendly and a perfect gem if you're wanting to take in a little sea air.
Baloos Kitchen & Bar, Woodmancote
Located just 20 minutes from Brighton and located very close to Henfield, Chris and Amanda have been providing a very warm welcome at Baloos Bar & Kitchen since 2007. Great for Light Bites for a midweek work Lunch, favourites with friends, or a Sunday Roast with the family. Comes with a roaring fire for the winter and plenty of alfresco space for the summer – so you'll be happy year round. Review.
Stanmer House, Stanmer Park
A beautiful 18th Century Grade 1 Listed Country house set in acres of stunning woodland and parkland in the heart of Sussex, nestled between the sea and the South Downs just 10 minutes from Brighton. Ideal for breakfast, tea and cakes, lunches, dinner, a place to enjoy a pint and a great option for the family. A great venue also for private dining, business functions and weddings. Comes with stunning gardens. Review.
Limes Restaurant, Lindfield (NEW)
Situated on the Linden tree lined high street and nestled amongst an eclectic mix of independent shops and stores, this restaurant is in the heart of the charming village of Lindfield which is 35 minutes north of Brighton. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday and, on Sundays, lunch and afternoon tea is served. Review
The Shepherd & Dog, Fulking
An idyllic country boozer with the character and charm from a bygone era. Whether you're combing your visit with a picturesque walk from The Devils Dyke, you're making a countryside getaway from Brighton or you're attending one of their regular events, The Shepherd & Dog has a lot to offer considering its nestled in quite a sleepy village at the bottom of the foothills of the South Downs National Park. Review.
The Glass House Restaurant, Albourne
Want to try something completely different and sample a new casual dining restaurant located just over the South Downs from Brighton? Every Sunday enjoy their delicious Sunday menu alongside a fantastic range of starters, roasts, popular main courses and irresistible desserts. Just 10 minutes outside Brighton. Review. Part of the Wickwoods Spa and country club.
The Talbot, Cuckfield
The Talbot sits in the heart of Cuckfield Village and serves a wonderful range of lunch, bar and dinner menus as well as the traditional Sunday lunch. It has an extensive wine list, regional ales, and a relaxed atmosphere. The Talbot is child and dog friendly and hosts the Cuckfield Food Market. Great for pub and restaurant dining. Good for large parties. Serves good pub classics along with restaurant quality dishes. Review.
The Sportsman, Goddards Green
Formerly, two pubs, the Magpie and the Sportsman, the Grade II listed buildings were knocked through into one over recent years and this traditional 'beer house' has been part of the villages heritage for some years. Situated north of Hurstpierpoint at Goddards Green, the Sportsman public house has been serving great food and real ales for some time. A lovely spot for a country walk in the nearby surrounding area.
The Fountain Inn, Ashurst
The Fountain Inn in Ashurst is a traditional homely Sussex pub, full of charm and character and is a must visit destination with an idyllic Sussex countryside setting. Located just off the Steyning By-Pass (A283), off the old Horsham Road, the Fountain Inn is well worth a visit if you want to escape to the country. Review. This venue has had a whole host of famous and prestigious guests in the past.
The Oak Barn Restaurant (NEW)
An Original 250 year old barn, lovingly restored to a family run bar and restaurant and a destination venue which offers something quite unique. Situated in Mid Sussex you will find the Oak Barn just 15 mins outside Brighton, just of the A23 at Hickstead. All of their dishes are freshly prepared in their kitchens using the finest local produce and ingredients. A great Sussex venue for a casual evening dinner, a special occasion or a Sunday roast.
The Restaurant at Pelham House, Lewes
Pelham House is a beautiful 16th century town house hotel in the heart of Lewes and one of East Sussex's hidden gems just 10 minutes from Brighton. Whether it's lunch on the sunny terrace or dinner in one of their beautiful restaurant rooms, Pelham House is the perfect setting for that special lunch or dinner. A real retreat of a venue which is also suitable for larger parties and events. Offers a real wow factor. Review.
The Rainbow Inn, Cooksbridge
The Rainbow is a historic, homely country pub, just north of Lewes on the A275, at the intersection of Resting Oak Hill and Deadmantree Hill. The Rainbow brings you a rustic country inn along with a great selection of food and drink – with a warm welcome to match. Boasting sheltered outdoor spaces to the front of the property and glorious secluded gardens to the rear. Review.
The Plough, Rottingdean
The Plough serves homecooked food, Sunday roasts and serves food every night of the week. It is also available for private bookings (they have a first floor function room) and events and it is advisable to book in advance just in case it is a busy day (particularly Sundays). Offering a classic pub menu along with a innovative Gastro Menu this venue caters for everybody, from kids to couples, from walkers to your everyday regular. Review.
The Royal Oak, Poynings
The Royal Oak is a popular Sussex country pub nestled in the beautiful hamlet of Poynings, at the foot of the famous Devils Dyke within the South Downs National Park. Think wood-burning stoves, timber panelled bar, oak beams adorned with hop bines – with a great selection of Sunday roasts to choose from. Country pubs don't get much better than this. Review.
The Duke of York, Sayers Common
The Duke is a great country pub to visit and only fifteen minutes or so outside of Brighton. Ideally located if you are planning a trip to the Sussex countryside and the South Downs, this venue is just around the corner from Hickstead Showground with lots of country walks in the area. Classic pub dishes, a cosy venue and a very warm welcome. A great venue if you want to go and explore Sussex. Review.
The Chambers Bistro, Shoreham By Sea
Chambers Bistro in Shoreham-By-Sea is an independent and modern style British bistro, serving all the popular classics in this elegant and centrally positioned venue. This well known destination restaurant boasts the splendour of a Grade II listed neo classical building with super swish and stylish interiors. The Sussex sister to the House restaurant in Brighton. Chambers Review.
Chaula's Indian Restaurant, Lewes
Curry can be enjoyed on any day of the week. Try the food of India and not just Indian food here at Chaulas in Brighton or Lewes. With recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation, Chaula and her talented team have been catering in Sussex for close to 20 years. Rated as one of the best Indian restaurants in Sussex and it doesn't get much better than this. Review.
Country Man, Shipley
Traditional, cosy pub in the tiny West Sussex village of Shipley, the Country Man Inn serves great quality meals in stunning surroundings. With 3,500 acres of farmland as a backdrop, you can't get more peaceful. There's a fantastic beer garden great for families. Local beers on tap including organic Horsham ales. Not one for cutting corners the team use the freshest, most seasonal ingredients availables. Pub classics, fresh fish and the more adventurous.
The Jolly Sportsman, East Chiltington
Situated on a quiet, no-through lane in rural East Chiltington, Sussex by the South Downs, 20 mins from Brighton. Since 1998 it has been run by Bruce Wass who was the Chef / Proprietor of the highly acclaimed Thackerays House restaurant in Tunbridge Wells. They aim to serve good reliably sourced food in a relaxed setting where you can enjoy a bar snack and a pint of local ale or a three course meal with fine wine from our their extensive list. Review.
Royal Oak, Wineham
A black and white timbered 14th century building with brick floors, low beams and an original old fireplace. Situated in the lovely quaint little hamlet of Wineham surrounded by farms and countryside, it's a lovely little pub to visit with outstanding food on offer. Quality and source is extremely important to the team at the Royal Oak sourcing most of their excellent produce from neighbouring farms and businesses.
Half Moon, Warninglid
In the heart of the pretty village of Warninglid, the Half Moon is a traditional, cosy pub with a lot of character and warmth. Dating back to early 19th century, it's still got a historic charm about it with a few modern nuances. The glass covered well in the restaurant for example is an unusual but interesting feature. Offering hearty, home-cooked food made with local ingredients, they do not do things by halves.
Wheatsheaf, Plummers Plain
This is one of those pubs where there are so many interesting things to look at, you never want to go home. Quirky and full of character, this beautiful country pub in Plummers Plain, near Handcross is a great place to come with family or friends for good food, and good fun. A fantastic play garden for kids, they will literally be entertained all day long. Traditional pub classics.
Sylvan Oak, Findon
Located on the foot of the South Downs in a small village called Findon, this Sussex restaurant is open for weekday lunches, evenings and weekends and offers quite a varied menu, all delightfully prepared. The owner Sinan is somewhat of an exhibitionist when it comes to presentation and his food would be best described as a fusion of European flavours. Try it on a summers day and make sure you sit outback under their vines.
The Ginger Fox, Albourne.
Ben McKellar, chef-owner of the Gingerman group of restaurants and pubs, doesn't know it, but he's responsible for our frequent outings to the Sussex countryside and he provides great reasons to do so. This pub is a twist on the Gingerman restaurant and the food feels a lot more assured. Can get a little busy on popular days so please book in advance. Perhaps combine it with a trip to Devils Dyke. Review
The Anchor Inn, Barcombe
Near Barcombe, is a picture postcard Sussex country pub and restaurant set on the west bank of the River Ouse. It is one of the most unspoilt parts of rural Sussex, four miles or so away from Lewes. Built back in 1790, the Inn has a long history, and today offers two cosy bars and two restaurant rooms, serving real ale, bottled lagers, fine wines and freshly prepared food from our menu. Boats can be hired to explore the surrounding river and countryside. A delightful little spot to visit in our opinion with good quality food and it makes you feel like you've been out for the day!
The Green Man, Partridge Green
A bit of a drive outside of Brighton, but only 25 minutes or so and worth it. The Green Man isn't your typical village pub with sports on the TV and gaming machines in the corner, but simply a stylish and relaxed establishment which serves good food and a well-stocked bar with a wide choice of drinks. Owners Becky and Nick say their mission is simple: To give you outstanding food, served with passion.
Into the Blue, Shoreham by Sea
A hidden gem of West Sussex, Into the Blue is a seafood favourite of locals and alike. With the reputation of one of the finest seafood restaurants in the whole of Sussex, it is a must visit for any fish and seafood lover. A pebble's throw from the beach, the superbly fresh tasting fish is of no surprise coming from the day boats at Shoreham harbour and other local suppliers.
Halfmoon, Plumpton
Two hundred years old, the Half Moon is a truly traditional country pub situated at the foot of the stunning South Downs National park. Only 10 minutes both from the town of Lewes and the charming little village of Ditchling. Award winning chef, Richard Willis has been honing his skills in Sussex for many years. He uses the freshest local ingredients and changes the menu constantly to reflect the seasons. Menu includes game from local shoots.
The Bull, Ditchling
The Bull is a stylishly converted pub in the charming village of Ditchling, about 10 minutes north of Brighton. Think low timber beams, open fires and plush leather sofas. There's also a terrace and a large garden with views of the South Downs for the summer months. The menu is affordable and changes daily including modern British classics, inventive fusion dishes and some lighter vegetarian fare. Great Sunday lunch menu and kids menu also.
The Plough, Pyecombe
Situated on the beautiful South Downs Way, just 5 minutes north of Brighton off the A23 in the historic village of Pyecombe. Popular with walkers, riders and cyclists as it's a perfect place to rest and re-fuel. The service is extremely warm and friendly and families are very welcome. The menu is extensive with a great selection of dishes for everyone and a slight Mediterranean influence.
The Bell at Ticehurst
The Bell in Ticehurst, East Sussex blend three ingredients: people, produce and place and they make all three ingredients sing and shine. One of the most recommended country pubs in Sussex to eat, drink and to stay, the Bell serve uncomplicated, unrushed British food sourced from local Sussex farmers and suppliers. Full of character and quirk, the Bell is a must visit in the North East of our beautiful county.
The Royal Oak, East Lavant
At heart, a restaurant with rooms rather than a traditional drinking pub the Royal Oak promises a gateway for those wanting to get away from it all. The owners of the Royal Oak are dedicated to good honest food made with fine local ingredients, country warmth and personal service. At the foot of the South Downs it is the perfect place to refuel after a long walk across the hills. Near Chichester.
The Horse Guards, Tillington
Located in the sleepy village of Tillington, the Horse Guards is a 350 year old pub in the South Downs National Park. Serving a small but seasonal menu which changes daily according to what's sourced from local suppliers, what's dug out of their own vegetable patch and foraged from the wild hedgerows or shores nearby. Roast locally foraged chestnuts on the open fire in winter or relax outside on straw bale seats in summer. Rooms available. Near Petworth.
The Duke of Cumberland, Midhurst
A 16th Century pub situated on the side of a hill with fantastic views. Still retaining most of its original charm the Duke has flagstone, wooden scrubbed tables and local ales served straight from the barrel. There are even fresh trout swimming around in one of the many garden ponds. The emphasis on the menu is simple and delicious. Award winning head chef and owner Simon Goodman is a big believer of local produce.
The Bolney Stage, Bolney
The Bolney Stage is an absolute treasure. Centuries old, it is literally like stepping back in time. Imagine giant inglenook fireplaces, ancient flagstones, comfy worn furniture and crooked beams snaking across the ceiling. The staff welcome you as if you're family. The menu is packed with good honest British dishes. Try the Braised Feather of Beef with red wine, caramelised shallots, celeriac boulangère and watercress purée.
The Cat Inn, West Hoathley
A 16th century freehouse, the Cat Inn is set in the picturesque hilltop village of West Hoathley, only 25 minutes from Gatwick. It's a perfect haven both in the winter and in the summer, with two cozy inglenook fireplaces for a bit of winter warmth and a terrace for the balmier months. With an extensive menu featuring local dishes such as the Roast Partridge, Dauphinoise Potatoes, Braised Red Cabbage, Cavolo Nero, Jus.
The Snowdrop Inn, Lewes
Taking full advantage of the plentiful local ingredients in the area, the Snowdrop is a gorgeous pub and restaurant in the heart of Lewes. The menu features some fantastic local produce including game from South Brockwell Farm, Brookland White chicken, Holmansbridge Farm sausage, Plantations Pigs pork and South Downs lamb. Not forgetting local ales Harveys and Dark Star as well as guest appearances from Thornbridge and others.
The Crown Inn, Dialpost
Near Horsham in West Sussex, the Crown Inn has a strong reputation for it's excellent quality home-cooked food. Big on supporting their local farms and suppliers and big on seasonality, owner and head chef James is often out and about either visiting his neighbours for meat, vegetables and eggs or out foraging himself for local delights such as blackberries, chamomile and wild garlic. Check out the Crown, they'll give you the royal treatment.
The George, Alfriston
Listed in Sussex Life magazine as one of the 'Top 20 Cozy Winter Pubs', the George is a perfect place to get away from it all. A stunning 14th Century Inn, it oozes character and charm. Oak beams, open log fires and a warm and friendly welcome, the George caters for all people and all occasions. A refreshing local pint after a walk on the surrounding South Downs or a romantic candlelit dinner with your loved one.
The Chequer Inn, Steyning
Having served locals and visitors for over 600 years, the Chequers Inn must have some stories to tell. Warm and welcoming, the Chequers is a proper traditional pub with a lot fo history. They have a slightly separate restaurant though you can also eat in the bar. Supporting the plentiful local suppliers in the area, their menu is simple and classic with no fuss, but created with the best of ingredients.
The Jack and Jill, Ditchling
Jack and Jill went up the hill….and found a pale of ale and a delicious home-cooked meal. The family run Jack and Jill Inn in the historic village of Clayton near Ditchling is a gem of a find. Unpretentious and cozy, it's a great place to enjoy a good local meal and a refreshing pint. Try the Ashdown Forest venison burger,melting Gruyere, apricot and juniper chutney, chips, green salad.
The Fox Inn, Rudgewick
The Fox Inn is a pretty historic pub set in the beautiful West Sussex countryside between Horsham and Guildford. Combining British tradition with the more exotic Asian fayre, they serve proper pub grub as well as an exciting selection of Chinese dishes. Slow roasted lamb shoulder or Penang Chicken curry. Whatever you decide, wash it all down with a Dorset Ale. Lovely jubbly.
What Next?
- Let us know how you got on @eatbrighton
- Dog Friendly Pubs
- Sunday lunches in Brighton and Sussex

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Anesthesiologist (pain control)
20 years of experience
20 years of experience
North Campus
2211 Lomas Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106 Phone number & directions
2211 Lomas Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106 Phone number & directions
License & Identifications
A medical license is required for a doctor to practice medicine in a particular state. Requirements vary by state but most require, at a minimum, post-graduate training in the doctor's specific specialty. An NPI number is a national identifier unique to an individual health care provider and is managed by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Learn more about Dr. Mark Rainosek:
View the full profile to get information on:
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Patient Reviews
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Specialties & Research
Dr. Mark Rainosek, MD is board certified in Anesthesiology.
Education & Awards
Dr. Rainosek graduated from University of New Mexico , Albuquerque.
Dr. Rainosek has 4 hospital affiliations:
- University of New Mexico Hospital
- Alaska Regional Hospital
- English
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- Dr. Mark A Rainosek MD is a male Anesthesiologist, has 20 years of experience and practices in Anesthesiology.
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Dr. Mark Rainosek practices Anesthesiology near Albuquerque, NM.
Additional practice locations include: Anchorage, AK.
See Albuquerque Anesthesiologists.


text:
Abele defeats Stone for Milwaukee County executive
Chris Abele - a 44-year-old philanthropist, scion of a wealthy Boston family and political neophyte - handily defeated state Rep. Jeff Stone (R-Greendale) at the polls Tuesday to become the next Milwaukee County executive.
Abele had 61% of the vote to 39% for Stone, according to unofficial results with all votes counted.
Abele said he would immediately tackle tough county problems and work cooperatively with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and other leaders in the county.
"It is time for a new approach," Abele said from his election party at the historic Pabst Brewery. "It is time to stop working apart and to start working together."
He pointed to the undeveloped Park East property nearby as something on which the city and county needed to collaborate.
"I don't see the mayor as a competitor," Abele said. "I see him as a partner and a friend."
Stone conceded the race about 10:05 p.m., promising to work with Abele to help fix the county's problems. Stone called the campaign an amazing race run in "an unusual environment."
Abele campaigned with $1 million of his own money as someone with fresh ideas to tackle the county's nagging financial problems. Though light on specifics, Abele outlined an approach that emphasizes efficiency moves. He put much of his advertising firepower into trying to fuse Stone with Gov. Scott Walker and his controversial push to end most collective bargaining for public employees.
Stone said his loss "reflects the divide we have right now in Wisconsin." He also said the big turnout in Milwaukee "was a reflection of some of the unrest we had in Madison" over Walker's union measure.
Walker held the county executive slot for eight years before his election as governor last fall when he defeated Barrett.
Stone in his campaign faulted Abele as inexperienced and callous to everyday concerns, pointing to a long-delayed resolution of Abele's 1996 drunken driving case, his avoidance of state income taxes and his dispute with the IRS over a $2.3 million federal tax bill.
The win gives Abele the final year left in Walker's county term. Abele has said he plans to run for a full four-year term as executive in spring 2012.
Though a longtime supporter of Democratic candidates and liberal causes, Abele ran for county executive - officially a nonpartisan office - often sounding like a conservative. Like Stone, Abele vowed not to raise taxes and said he'd work hard to attract new business. Abele said he'll push to wipe out inefficiencies and service duplications and might turn to privatizations, selling off county assets and marketing park services to the suburbs.
He also hinted at layoffs as a way to bring the county's budget into long-term balance, promising unspecified "tough cuts."
He said he wouldn't be surprised "if we end up with a government that looks smaller."
Mix into that formula Abele's frequent assertion that he'll serve as a cheerleader for Milwaukee, whether stalking development and jobs or demanding a fairer shake for the area when lobbying the state.
Calls for cultural change
He's vowed to bring on a culture change in county government, where getting results is rewarded and poor performers are called on the carpet.
"The real key here is changing the way we think about stuff, changing this notion that the only solution to everything is either cutting services or raising taxes," Abele said.
Abele has never held a government job, in contrast to Stone, who has spent the past 17 years as a state and local official. Stone derided Abele as "an amateur" whose government inexperience would hurt the county.
Abele sought to make a virtue of his clean political slate and said he would apply what he's learned over the past 15 years in running the Argosy Foundation, a family charity, and two small businesses. Argosy and Abele personally have given heavily to arts, environmental, civic and community groups and Abele has served on many local nonprofit agency boards.
Abele's introduction to the county's financial concerns came as a member of the Greater Milwaukee Committee and a task force that concluded in 2006 that county government could be phased out, its services parceled out to the state, other municipalities and newly formed parks and transit districts.
As a candidate for county office, however, Abele has been more cautious. He says he'll put his faith in detailed studies and proven practices to fix what's wrong with the county.
Restructuring the county's mental health programs by shifting to smaller, community-based care is something Abele has identified for change. He also wants to push for creation of a local government insurance pool as a way to trim county health care costs. He says he'll cut back on county employees' use of cars and cell phones and will expand energy audits of county buildings.
Stone on defensive
Stone found himself on the defensive over Walker's collective bargaining bill since voting twice for it in February, following a three-week period in which news coverage of protests in Madison overshadowed other political news.
While often protesting critic's claims he'd be a carbon copy of Walker, Stone said he and Walker shared a similar conservative philosophy. Stone also advocated for county policies pioneered by Walker, including ruling out tax increases, pursuing a possible long-term lease of Mitchell International Airport to a private firm and relying on business expansion to drive a county financial resurgence.
A key part of Stone's plan to fix the county's long-term budget shortfall was to reform employee health care with a wellness incentives and primary care available in or near county offices.
The job pays $129,114 a year. Unlike Walker, who returned up to $50,000 in salary a year during his tenure, Abele says he'll accept the full pay.
Amy Hetzner and Mark Johnson of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.


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Great character home, easy going and relaxed. Good value.
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The state of the WWE Universe is unsettling. Supporters of the WWE product have been lashing out over the last few months, because it seems like WWE officials are not "listening" to them. After months (some would say years) of wanting to see stars such as CM Punk and Daniel Bryan achieve main event and WWE Championship status, it seems like the company doesn't trust the superstars that the WWE Universe have been lobbying for with carrying the company into the future.
Honestly, this group of fans wants to see the talent that has been atop of the WWE for years, such as John Cena, Randy Orton, Batista, The Rock, and Triple H, replaced by new faces. They believe that they helped push CM Punk and Daniel Bryan into these positions, but now feel like WWE officials, namely Vince McMahon and Triple H, are trying to prevent this evolution from taking place.
This state of unrest in the WWE Universe has pushed some WWE fans to create Twitter accounts aimed at highjacking "RAW" until WrestleMania XXX. Bryan has been the "underdog" that everyone is routing for on WWE programming since the summer of 2013. Fans have been organically creating a main event player out of the company's resident "YES" man over the past year, just as they did with CM Punk in 2011, and want to see him be crowned champion on April 6 in New Orleans. However, with the current card line-up for WrestleMania being revealed, they do not believe that they will see the payoff from their "hard work" and believe Bryan will miss out on the WrestleMania moment that has been seemingly created for him.
When the WWE Universe got behind Punk in 2011, he was awarded a top spot in the company and the WWE Championship for 434 days. However, even though he was WWE Champion, both Punk and this selection of WWE fans felt that he was not fully trusted as a main even guy, due to other stars such as Cena, Orton, and the Rock getting top billing on the event cards above him. Now, the year and the superstar may have changed, but the fans are pushing Daniel Bryan to the moon and they feel like the WWE is simply just not listening.
CM Punk reportedly walked out on the company on Jan. 27 due to some of these frustrations. Punk revealed his thoughts on the company's current product and management on Jan. 24, saying he feels like WWE management isn't listening to the people, that WWE Creative is sloppy and inconsistent, that returning stars such as Bastista shouldn't be awarded a title shot immediately after coming back from a four year vacation, and that this is the year of Daniel Bryan, not Batista and Randy Orton.
Punk openly expressed similar frustrations with the company after WWE officials brought The Rock back to the company in 2013, solely to take the WWE Championship off of CM Punk just before WrestleMania 29 in order to build towards a John Cena vs. The Rock title match at the event. Punk has been silent since his departure from the company in late January and has been removed from all upcoming WWE appearances that he was scheduled for.
While McMahon described Punk's absence as a "sabbatical," rumor has it that Punk did legitimately leave and will not be returning before WrestleMania XXX. With the level of news and information that spreads throughout the community of wrestling fans on the internet, portions of the WWE Universe are wise to why Punk supposedly left the company, and they believe it's because he feels the same way that they do. This belief? That part-time workers that have been gone for years-on-end should not return and ruin the chances of the fans' favorite underdog achieving his "boy hood dreams," overcoming the odds, and winning the WWE Championship at WrestleMania.
This portion of "smart" fans have been arriving to arenas for WWE broadcasts with signs for Daniel Bryan and CM Punk since he began his "sabbatical." They have also been creating a ruckus at events by "highjacking" the shows with chants and boos directed towards the talent they love and hate. With Daniel Bryan, fans have been waiting for his WrestleMania moment to be him winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XXX, especially following his summer of achieving the title twice only to be screwed out of it both times. So, fans chant for Daniel Bryan and give him the most love night-after-night.
With CM Punk, this select group of fans just want to see him return. They believe that he left because he was sick of the same exact issues with the company "they have," so they chant "CM PUNK" at shows in order to show their support for the Second City Saint. Recent "highjacked" shows have seen fans boo throughout matches featuring Batista, John Cena, and Randy Orton (who is the current WWE World Heavyweight Champion, because they are not the superstars that the fans want to see main eventing shows and competing for the title.
Batista returned to the company in January, just in time to be handed the number one contenders position through a Royal Rumble victory (which fans were wanting for Daniel Bryan). Now, Batista will face Randy Orton for the championship at WrestleMania XXX, which is exactly the opposite of what the fans want to see. The fans want Bryan to win the championship at the event, as you can see through the fan response to both Batist and Bryan over the last two months.
Batista has been booed so consistently, that the company had to turn him "heel" due to the reaction of the WWE Universe. Now, after realizing that Punk is gone, Bryan will not be competing in the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania, and Batista will be likely winning the title on April 6, fans are trying to lead a revolt against the company.
Fans have created Twitter accounts for each Monday night leading up to WrestleMania XXX, which are literally designed to get all of their followers, especially those that will be in attendance for these shows, to "highjack" the events. The first account, @ChicagoRAWCrowd, was created on Feb. 26, just two days after it was revealed that the main event at WrestleMania XXX would in fact be Batista vs. Randy Orton in a singles match for the title. "Monday Night Raw" will be held in Chicago on March 3, and this account is asking for the fans that attend to "turn their backs on the WWE, since they've turned a blind-eye to their fans."
As we previously reported, the company is nervous about how the March 3 edition of "Monday Night Raw" is going to play out. CM Punk is a native of Chicago, and the usually rambunctious crowd will likely chant his name throughout the night if he doesn't appear, or isn't addressed, on the program. WWE has already promoted a rematch between the Shield and the Wyatt family, an altercation between Brock Lesnar and the Undertaker, and a possible Hulk Hogan appearance for the show, but fans are not going to be happy unless they start getting what they want.
The twitter account @ChicagoRAWCrowd, which already has tweets,
The movement is real, @VinceMcMahon @MemphisRAWcrowd @BklynRAWcrowd #sellthestock #BringBackPunk #bringbackShane #WWEChicago #rawchicago
— Monday March 3rd (@ChicagoRAWcrowd) February 27, 2014
WWE turned its back on Punk. Monday Chicago turns its back on the WWE. #CMPunk #RAW #WeWantPunk #Chicago #WWEChicago
— Monday March 3rd (@ChicagoRAWcrowd) February 26, 2014
#cmpunk or we riot @WWEDanielBryan or we revolt. We've got big shoulders for a reason @WWE. Get ready for hell on Monday. — Monday March 3rd (@ChicagoRAWcrowd) February 26, 2014
A form of discourse never before seen in professional wrestling that only Chicago could pull off. #ChicagoRAW #CMPunk #WEWANTPUNK
— Monday March 3rd (@ChicagoRAWcrowd) February 26, 2014
It seems as if this portion of the WWE Universe would stop their campaign if they were given the match that they have been waiting for at WrestleMania XXX. Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton vs. Batista for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Other accounts such as this one have been created for the following weeks leading up to April 6, including @MemphisRAWCrowd and @BklynRAWCrowd.
These accounts claim that they are being the voice of the voiceless, but probably won't make a difference in the long run. Nonetheless, the WWE Universe has spoken. They are unhappy with what they're being forced to "enjoy."
I must go on record in saying this: I, Doug McDonald, have watched wrestling for 22 years. I've seen it during bad times and amazing times. I'm a fan of the craft, of the business. And while I may not be completely satisfied with everything I'm being presented with right now, I do still love wrestling. Patience will go a LONG way with fans today. I do agree with some chants that have been used to highjack shows lately, and I will not enjoy a singles match between Batista and Randy Orton for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XXX, BUT…
If you, the WWE Universe, want to REALLY make a statement to the WWE? You REALLY want to force their hand and get them to start listening to you? Take your remote control, turn on your TV, but NEVER turn on a WWE program again. DON'T. WATCH. THE PRODUCT. Then, they'll listen. No viewers makes a greater statement than a couple of crowds chanting some names during a show.