talmidim :: trying to be covered in the dust of my rabbi

new place of dialogue

2006-10-03T21:48:05Z

www.subversivereformation.blogspot.com

cnn headline

2006-07-20T04:32:02Z

"breaking news: cruise liner with 1,000 american evacuees arrives..." and "helicopters evacuating american citizens in lebanon..."
why is it more important to evacuate american citizens? are we more important? do we have a right to life more than a lebanese, syrian, israeli, or iranian person? did we evacuate innocent iraqi citizens before bombing the hell out of them?
thanks to ryan hofacre for his prayers for the middle east.

symphony

2006-07-10T03:19:23Z

i encountered god today more than i do on most sundays. i slept in until 11:04 a.m. and then spent one hour reading matthew 5-7. yes, i got worked over by it again -- but continue to discover more and grow deeper in my understanding of jesus. also reading the last word by n.t. wright. the beauty of matt. 5-7 astonishes me. i can't thoroughly and/or adequately write what i'm thinking about the entire piece. i've always tore apart section by section but today took it all in at once -- as a whole symphony. beautiful.

oatmeal part ii

2006-07-08T14:45:13Z

that was some really good oatmeal. yes it has been a while. i've been thinking, struggling, and growing and continue to be challenged. sarah and i are moving to mount vernon nazarene university on july 27. more on why later. adios church of america.

echo.

oatmeal

2006-03-06T03:30:28Z

i was going to write but i think i'm going to go eat some oatmeal.

echo.

greyline

2006-03-02T15:15:25Z

the name of the band is greyline. jeremy clark. ryan rolfe. ryan richey. matt dunn. david webb. the website is in production (it sucks right now so i'll include the address later) and recording begins this coming week at rolfe production studio in the basement of 52 rockwell dr. the guys and i played and spoke respectively at two events at shawnee state university last week. here we go.

echo.

kingdom

2006-02-07T15:59:27Z

what is the kingdom of god? where does it reside? is this kingdom the dominant authority / governing institution (for lack of a better word) for christians? do we limit the presence of the kingdon? who are christians to be / what are christians to do to reveal the suppossed kingdom of god?

is it all oil?

2006-01-30T20:08:18Z

why are we in iraq? was my friend sent to iraq to stop oppression, to maintain my american 'rights' or to make my next stop at superquick a cheaper fill up? if we are staying in iraq to help the iraqis set up another competitive, money-driven, "safe" society -- why aren't we doing the same in haiti, where renegades rule the streets with their firearms? why isn't america offering our protection to provide the haitians with a fair, controlled election? the u.s. government was asked to provide such assistance but said no multiple times. oh, yeah, the haitians don't have clean water either. any ideas?

uncomfortable habit

2006-01-25T15:48:49Z

"the longer you look at jesus, the more you will want to serve him in his world. that is, of course, if it's the real jesus you're looking at. plenty of people in the church and outside it have made up a 'jesus' for themselves, and have found that this invented character makes few real demands on them. he makes them feel happy from time to time but doesn't challenge them, doesn't suggest they get up and do something about the plight of the world. Which is, of course, what the real jesus had an uncomfortable habit of doing."

n.t. wright. following jesus: biblical reflections on discipleship.

temple

2006-01-18T18:47:29Z

"in his vehement insistence on the priority of prophetic sacrifice and vision over literal place, Jesus also claimed that his meals with his disciples - which had long been designed as celebrations of god's kingdom - amounted to better offerings than what caiaphas sanctioned in the temple. the meal became a visionary sacrifice, with wine taking the place of literal "blood" and bread replacing an animal's "body" or "flesh." Jesus' meals became a prophetic challenge to the temple establishment, which replied with Rome in executing Jesus and dispersing his followers."

bruce chilton. dictionary for theological interpretation of the bible. vanhoozer, kevin j. gen. ed. baker book house company. 2005.

reba craig

2006-01-13T21:58:05Z

i met reba craig at heartland of portsmouth nursing home. she seems to have dimentia and alzheimer's disease. i think i'm going to be her grandson that otherwise doesn't visit.

digging doubt

2006-01-11T21:56:26Z

a day of digging deeper creates dangerous doubt.

is it because my shovel will never hit what i'm searching for? should i keep digging, sweating, laying awake at night?

the bachelor on abc

2006-01-10T04:00:03Z

the bachelor :: you've got to be kidding me.

letter

2006-01-09T16:09:44Z

"the renewal of the church will come from a new type of monasticism which only has in common with the old an uncompromising allegiance to the sermon on the mount. it is high time men and women banded together to do this." - dietrich bonhoeffer, in a letter to his brother

broken lives

2006-01-09T15:04:20Z

for charlotte baker
for nick harris
for lyndon henry

center aisle by derek webb of caedmon's call:

thank God I'm back in my car
and driving home, and driving home
cause the air was thin and so cold
back in there
it was my first time
won't be my last time
and the questions rise
expectations fall
in light of it all
there aren't words to say
words aren't remembered
but presence is
a good friend once told me
and he was there
he was there
but she wasn't there
it's not fair
it's not fair

what crimes have you committed
demanding such a penance
that couldn't wait for five more minutes
and a cry for help
cause this room is so peaceful
and this room is so quiet
and I hate the silence
and I can't walk the center aisle

i've been here for over three hours
behind the flowers
so beautiful and young
and so alive
and so in need of someone
someone to talk to them
cause theirs are fragile lives

and I think about my brother
and how I just stood there
with my hands in my pockets
and my heart in my throat
thank God I'm back in my car
and driving home
and driving home
but in that place I leave
all my days of taking life for granted
and the words I wrote for her
and my best friend crying
and a young girl lying
on all our hearts

pat and sharon

2006-01-06T04:36:55Z

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/05/robertson.sharon/index.html

freedom and/or apple pie

2006-01-04T15:09:22Z

last night: trouble sleeping. tired but restless. sleepy but sleepless. hopeful that the pseudo-life of a motion picture could distract my mind enough to allow at least a few hours of rest. morgan freeman, however, captivated my attention once again in the shawshank redemption. and god captivated my attention when "the warden" gave "andy" an apple pie. apple pie. andy and red had a sense of freedom when they ate apple pie or shared a beer in the open air on the roof during a work break. it was like a taste of freedom. i started thinking about apple pie - with a cup of coffee. i could sit and enjoy apple pie and coffee whenever i want - as long as i make the time to sit and enjoy. the same with a baked potato - the skin rolled in salted, melted butter with fresh steamed brocolli and bacon on top. i rolled over in bed to admire my wife sleeping. suddenly, i was free. suddenly, i could sleep.

sermon :: cinerama

2006-01-03T17:58:28Z

http://www.mhgs.edu/edge/articles/TEXT%20sermon%20in%20cinerama.pdf

remedy

2006-01-02T02:52:33Z

"have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them - every day begin the task anew." -- saint francis de sales

morning prayer

2006-01-01T15:02:34Z

let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be alway acceptable in your sight, o lord, my strength and my redeemer. psalm xix. 14.

almighty and most merciful father: we have erred, and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. we have offended against your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and there is no health in us. but you, o lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. spare those, o god, who confess their faults. Restore to you those who are penitent; according to your promises declared unto mankind in christ jesus our lord. and grant, o most merciful father, for his sake that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy name. amen.

reverse

2005-12-31T05:23:00Z

christians can glance over one shoulder and see the self-justified sin of christians in centuries past at which point the knowledge of hindsight promotes current self-justification. the journeying christian becomes satisfied, turns around and walks in reverse, without even a thought of looking side to side or into the distance toward what was previously forward. the christian moves forward in time and space but is blind to any vision of the future or any current situation. the christian, turned backward, observes that the crusades were wrong. the christian, blinded to today and tomorrow, favors capital punishment and war. the christian, turned backward, scrutinzes slavery. the christian, blinded to today and tomorrow, tells jokes about homosexuality. the christian, turned backward, condemns the sale of indulgences as a means of salvation. the christian, blinded to today and tomorrow, indulges in the luxuries of the american dream without offering resources and hope to the helpless, burdened, suffering, and marginalized. i used to be that christian. i am that christian. i keep turning around in circles.

jihad

2005-12-28T17:53:14Z

all war is holy war.

responses

2005-12-21T14:09:12Z

REPLY FROM RICK:

you missed the point. i imagine everyone who is reading this email agrees with what you said. you went back to lifestyle evangelism which we have settled in this group many moons ago.

this is the point of discussion. should godly people didn't speak out publicly against the efforts to remove God from the public forum? if a godly person won't speak out publicly against the efforts to remove God from the public forum, do you really think that same godly person who won't speak out would be willing to go to jail, lose his family or even die for the cause he refused to speak about?

Adoption is great, but should I remain quiet about a country who kills millions of it's own each year? Creation is wonderful and is easily taught especially in those teachable moment sGod provides when you're out playing with a child. But should I remain quiet when my child is being taught the "fact" of evolution and the foolishness of religious indoctrination? Befriending the homosexual is correct, but should I remain quiet when my child has to do a book report on "Heather Has Two Mommies"?

REPLY FROM TRAVIS:

rick, thank you for telling me that i missed the point. i really appreciate that.

read my initial reply again. i don't think i missed the point at all. i just gave an answer that none of us really like (even myself at times). i believe you're thinking like a modernist. modernism (what is now a historical, out-dated mindset/philosophy) tells us that we must do only 1 of 2 things: either quite boisterously picket, boycott, and insist on some sort of political or business decision that favors our religious rights or sit by passively and do nothing. if you consider my response (what you termed "lifestyle evangelism") to miss the point and be an insufficient answer then you are approaching this culture irrelevantly.

for years, christians have been spouting off about abortion, prayer in schools, intelligent design, and homosexuality. our opponents (another modern term bred by competition) are sick of hearing james dobson and his followers. what has this spouting, boycoting or religious activism accomplished? by what you've stated as potentially losing our religious rights, i would venture an answer: not much has been accomplished at all. such activism has produced a greater chasm between those with opposing veiwpoints and maybe a greater defense regarding "hate crimes" because christians have indeed been quite hateful (stated well by john).

if you need a modernist answer to your question: yes, we should speak up about these issues. BUT... a relevant way of speaking out does not include trying to convince our legislators and judiciary to maintain our "christian rights." christ obviously was not concerned about his "right" to heal on the sabbath. he was not concerned about defending his "right" to proclaim himself as king. shouldn't the messiah have a "right" to have been born in better conditions. he had the "right" to stay with god doing whatever it is he and god do but he sacrificed that "right" to move into our little neighborhood called earth. i don't like to think about sacrificing my rights but i do like to think about becoming more like jesus. a life that is genuinely reflecting the love of christ is the only life that is relevant for the purpose of proclaiming our LORD. so once again...

"how much more good could be done by adopting a baby that wasn't aborted? how about holding the girl who had an abortion in your arms because she feels like she can never be forgiven? how about going outside to play with a kid down the street and then going to watch his basketball game (doesn't sound like you're teaching creation, but you are being who god created you to be -- and who knows when what they talked about in biology class will come up [maybe intentionally] in coversation)? how about praying let's say, all the time? i don't care what building you're in even if it is a school or a prison, you can always pray. how about doing something absurdly kind to a man living the life of homosexuality? maybe you become friends? and maybe after you become friends, you talk about your belief about homosexuality and he actually considers heterosexuality as a viable option?"

that's my answer. deal with it.

rock on aslan.

travis

REPLY FROM RYAN ROBINSON:

Travis I hear ya, but why should we give up the rights that we’ve had. I don’t think that we are fighting for rights that we’re owed I think it’s more maintaining the right that we had/have. Just clarify for me. I understand your point, but are you saying not to do stand up pubilcly at all?

REPLY FROM JOHN NOONEN:

Ryan,

I apologize if my response made it seem as if I think we shouldn't stand up in the public forum. I should have been more explicit about this passage:

"How about abortion? Hmmm, maybe. Speaking for those who can not speak
for themselves is more up His ally. I don't think He'd be nearly as
militant as we are, knowing the complexity of the world and the fallen
state of the world. How about poverty? He spoke about this all the
time. How about the marginalized, oppressed, and the outcast? How
about the sick? I think we can read the Gospels and figure those out."

This is what Jesus would do in the public forum. He'd fight for the rights of others not his own. We're busy worrying about our own rights. We believe in the American form of Christianity so much that we think if American laws do not reflect our values that we will no longer be able to be Christians. Let us not forget that genocide, stealing, slavery, and the original weapons of mass destruction are a part of our country's traditional "values" as well. Let's not count on the US for our faith, or real freedom.

We have a tremendous opportunity to reflect the Way, the Truth, and the Life, by using the American legal system to stand up for the rejected, the poor, the outcast. Let's not try to legislate against someone's brokenness. Those of who have a passion for such things should try to fight injustice. Justice and mercy in humility. That's what your God requires of you.

So speak out boldly, but let's figure out what exactly we should be speaking out about. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven looks like the Cross, it looks like peace, it looks like reconciliation. When John the Baptist questioned Jesus about His religious and political status as the Messiah, how did Jesus respond?

4Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 6Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." - Matt. 11:4-6

Don't fall away just because His way is the way of peace and the removal of injustice, not the way of personal rights.

Peace,

JN

REPLY FROM TRAVIS KELLER:

i like john's point about standing up for the oppressed before standing up for OUR "christian rights."

hmm. good question, robinson: should we stand up publically at all? the way you replied shows honesty and a genuine desire to figure out how we should be living. that is admirable.

let me put a modernist calculation on it: 97% NO // 3 % YES. why? like i said, people have been spouting off publically for years without much impact (maybe that could be proven otherwise?). i think we have to be willing to admit the failure of christianity in the "public forum". what if we completely reverse the method to a more personal / relational / communal approach to how we love and deal with people. it seems more passive and maybe is more passive but what if that passive approach and stories of love reach the "public community"? is then your "quiet" voice not heard publically? it may appear as if we are not standing up publically but really we are.

travis

a lengthy dialogue

2005-12-19T16:12:40Z

the following entries will consist of a series of e-mails. the initiatory e-mail is first with my reply following. some more entries will follow showing the continued dialogue. the names of those who are not myself have been changed for the protection and privacy of the author.

-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Elliott
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2005 9:03 AM
Subject: Re: Christmas or Holiday?

I honestly do find myself a bit torn here. While I am tired and bored out of my mind with everything Christian being politicized, I am equally concerned about the attack on christianity in particular. A question worth chewing on...if we don't stand against the efforts to remove the practice of the christian faith (christmas, etc), how long will it be until we too are only concerned about imprisonment and family separation? I'll keep going here...in the current mindset, will it not be long until your children are removed from your home by children's services because you as a parent are promoting "hateful thinking" by teaching them christianity? Does that sound far fetched? Ask those who are still under communist rule...specifically China. I'm on a roll...and are you willing to be separated from your freedom, thrown in prison because you offered compassion to a homosexual person by trying to help them experience freedom in Christ? Absurd? Not according to Ake Green who is now serving time for publicly reading Romans 1 from the pulpit?

This is what causes me to be torn. I want you young guns (and your kids) to be able to continue to serve Christ in a society where you are free to do so. And I think that if we don't use the avenues available to express our concern, then it won't be long until those avenues will be closed. I would have a very difficult time knowing that by speaking up, I may have been able to help stop the censorship of christianity. Yeah...I get tired of everything being politicized...and I get bored with the constant barage in the news, but for some reason I am compelled to still stand and be heard for the sake of freedom.

This question gets deeper. Do I speak out against abortion? Is putting creation back in the classroom even worth my energy? Should I care if we pray in school? Should I remain quiet about homosexuality?

All this said...here's what I know as fact...I can never expect a pagan to behave christian. I can never expect a pagan nation to understand christian principles.

Just like you, I have taken those christian principles for granted. But now, all those christian principles are under fierce attack. Should I just throw up my hands and say, oh well, what do you expect from a pagan nation, or should I speak up and try to salvage at least a remnant of those christian principles? Answer me please...

Okay...I've rambled, but I think the issue is much bigger than just "christmas or holiday".

rick

REPLY FROM TRAVIS:

are you assuming that the only way you can be a christian is by speaking out about abortion, teaching creation in school, praying in a school building, and talking about how wrong homosexuality is? don't get me wrong. i'm not compromising scriptural truth about all these issues but offering an alternative to the way we go about it (this is part of what has been my whole problem with the church in the first place).

how much more good could be done by adopting a baby that wasn't aborted? how about holding the girl who had an abortion in your arms because she feels like she can never be forgiven? how about going outside to play with a kid down the street and then going to watch his basketball game (doesn't sound like you're teaching creation, but you are being who god created you to be -- and who knows when what they talked about in biology class will come up [maybe intentionally] in coversation)? how about praying let's say, all the time? i don't care what building you're in even if it is a school or a prison, you can always pray. how about doing something absurdly kind to a man living the life of homosexuality? maybe you become friends? and maybe after you become friends, you talk about your belief about homosexuality and he actually considers heterosexuality as a viable option?

i was eating thanksgiving dinner with my family and mentioned something about checking the price of a digital camera at target. i was immediately lambasted (is that the right word) regarding how evil target is for saying holiday instead of christmas. i let them go on and on for several minutes without saying a word. when there was finally a pause i said,"i'm going to keep shopping at target. until we start really living as christ desires us to live, do we even have the right to complain or boycott something or someplace just because they won't print the word christmas. maybe if we had been living in such a way, it would never be an issue in the first place." the next 5 minutes of the meal was silent until someone made a joke about tickle-me elmo.

travis

platinum covered baby

2005-12-05T15:29:44Z

a disturbance in the soul produces a need for expression. i've been writing several songs recently. here's one:

platinum covered baby

looking through the tinted lens her covering
searching for her latest piece of luxury (could it satisfy)
looking through the glass all lit up sparkling
hoping from the window for the highest clarity

she's not a silver girl
her white gold rush is over

she's a platinum covered baby
finding her worth what the eye can see
she's a platinum covered baby
just needing more it's her infinite plea
to be

walking down the street all heads turn quickly
noticing her jacket warm and gleaming (could she let it go)
giving out some change and green her offering
to the poor she knows they need her charity

she's not a silver girl
her white gold rush is over

she's a platinum covered baby
finding her worth what the eye can see
she's a platinum covered baby
just needing more it's her infinite plea
to be

someone, something, outdoing all her company (3x)
someone, something