The Illiterate Scribe

Thanks for explaining, Matthew. I still don't quit...

2010-03-11T18:19:45.952-05:00

Thanks for explaining, Matthew. I still don't quite get it, but I'm not saying that's your fault.

You said, "I'm not condemning any person or people at all. I'm condemning a religious system that has trapped people...It's a system that spends buckets of time and money trying to stop homosexual marriage when that same money and time and energy could be better used to love people in Botswana who die every day because they can't get enough food."

My confusion is that a system cannot do those things; only people can.

Hi Matt (BTW were you on SG once?) I agree with y...

2010-03-11T17:49:44.951-05:00

Hi Matt (BTW were you on SG once?)

I agree with you and you're not jaded.

Words mean different things in different situations and, while labels are useful, they limit understanding and communication, so we have to get beyond them. (I am sure you are aware of this)

Reading early christian writings it can be seen that people thought Christians were atheists because they had no visible idols to worship. 'Christian' was an adopted term given by others to followers of 'The Way'.

So use whatever term suits the situation. None of the words are sacred to Him who has no name.

Agape
John

I'm not condemning any person or people at all. I...

2010-03-11T12:57:07.646-05:00

I'm not condemning any person or people at all. I'm condemning a religious system that has trapped people. As system that is rabidly against things like homosexual marriage and children's novels while ignoring the poor, the dying and those who don't know Jesus.

I should have been more clear. I have nothing against the church I grew up in or anybody there. My problem is not with people at all. It's with the system that we've created. I think it's a system that has trapped us into a way of thinking that does not further the cause of Christ. It's a system that spends buckets of time and money trying to stop homosexual marriage when that same money and time and energy could be better used to love people in Botswana who die every day because they can't get enough food.

I want to be clear: I have nothing against Christians and Christian people. Nothing at all.

I'm still confused by what you wrote. You aren't s...

2010-03-11T12:51:46.728-05:00

I'm still confused by what you wrote. You aren't saying this is true of genuine Christianity but just of "the brand of Christianity that was given to [you]," right? So you aren't condemning all those who call themselves Christians but the ones you grew up with, who you know are not really Christians?

Are you saying that those things are true of just some who call themselves Christians? Because that sure is some serious condemnation, and it does seem like you may be applying it to Christians in general, but maybe I'm not understanding correctly.

Signed,
Confused in Belleville

I think that obedience is really a sign of Love. ...

2010-03-10T18:35:18.138-05:00

I think that obedience is really a sign of Love. Obedience is not the thing in itself, but a proof of it.

Thank you Matt. And thank you GrammaMack - I was t...

2010-03-10T18:30:40.285-05:00

Thank you Matt. And thank you GrammaMack - I was thinking the same thing!

"The cry of Christianity is, "Obey!" The cry of J...

2010-03-10T09:35:04.299-05:00

"The cry of Christianity is, "Obey!" The cry of Jesus is, "Love!"

Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" and "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me" and "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word" (John 14:15-23). And 1 John 5:2 says, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments." So the cry of Jesus is actually "Love and obey," isn't it?

I have a few: LOTR (looking forward to the Hobbit...

2010-03-05T19:04:56.094-05:00

I have a few:

LOTR (looking forward to the Hobbit)

The Matrix (just the original - not those meh meh meh sequels)

Nacho Libre (utterly quotable and timeless - and I can *almost* quote the whole thing)

Jet Li's Fearless (which most people haven't seen, but should)

...those were the first ones that came to mind. There's probably not too many more, but I'm sure there's a few. Film hasn't died, it's just more reclusive now.

In our house, the LOTR trilogies fits the bill... ...

2010-03-03T09:30:50.482-05:00

In our house, the LOTR trilogies fits the bill... although most of the quotes are of Gimli... we do love it though. I think it needs to see a resurgence, probably, but it is great film-making, great pacing, great writing, and great truth.

I need to go watch it again.

Agreed. Libraries also smell better than google.

2010-03-01T16:29:54.932-05:00

Agreed. Libraries also smell better than google.

Read "Hinds Feet on High Places" by Hannah Hurnand...

2010-02-26T07:52:23.557-05:00

Read "Hinds Feet on High Places" by Hannah Hurnand. So sweet. That's the one I was telling you about before.

Wow, I might actually pick up a dekker book now......

2010-02-26T07:40:10.385-05:00

Wow, I might actually pick up a dekker book now... it does sound like a good analogy.

oh my goodness! We totally could have had a dress...

2010-02-17T08:25:33.781-05:00

oh my goodness! We totally could have had a dress-up party on Family Day, with all of the pretty shalwar kamiz that were getting packed! That definitely would have morphed into a fantabulous dance party, too!! ah well, there's always next year, "ay"?

Yeah! Haaselton's! I knew the name but had no cl...

2010-02-12T19:47:08.437-05:00

Yeah! Haaselton's! I knew the name but had no clue how to spell it.

I was driving through Peterborough on my way to Bancroft a few weekends ago and stopped for a coffee at Tim's and I saw that sign. Made me sad. I had hoped at least Peterborough was immune.

Haaselton's? Black Honey is the new Haaselton's, o...

2010-02-12T19:11:19.895-05:00

Haaselton's?
Black Honey is the new Haaselton's, or at least it was when the Bennifer worked there.
I have to admit, I've never seen that sign at Tim Horton's, do you think the Peterborough stores have it?
Take care,
Aunt Deb

Interesting choice of words, "morally obligated". ...

2010-02-10T18:44:15.759-05:00

Interesting choice of words, "morally obligated". I'm not sure exactly what it means, and how it relates to being "under grace, not law". If it's a philosophical question, then the answer first depends on which philosophical system you're working from. (consequential? deontological? virtue?) personally I like the virtue ethics approach; coincidentally i think it also fits best with Paul's law/grace description of life as God's child. from this approach you are not "morally obligated" to save either child. But you're only right if the decision you make springs from virtue. in other words, right and wrong is more concerned with being than doing - it emphasizes character rather than duty. fun stuff. FWIW, Kant would see it differently but Aristotle would agree with me. :)

Not a bad idea! I wonder if it would work on glas...

2010-01-24T22:55:35.415-05:00

Not a bad idea! I wonder if it would work on glass doors though...

Hi Matt, I appreciated your wellness update. Have ...

2010-01-23T03:34:34.242-05:00

Hi Matt, I appreciated your wellness update. Have a friend that blogs about spiritual, mental, physical wellness... Dee'sDirt.blogspot.com
Miss you guys!
Carrie

This is great. I like this a lot! You should post ...

2010-01-20T15:57:10.495-05:00

This is great. I like this a lot! You should post it on church doors like Luther's 95 Theses.

Great Review! :D This movie was awesome. They do ...

2010-01-20T15:45:09.700-05:00

Great Review! :D

This movie was awesome. They do a great job of humanizing and putting context to the abstract concept of "outsourced" work. I saw it while building and setting up a friend's computer last weekend. I've since recommended it to many people :)

This is an amazing video, thanks so much for shari...

2010-01-20T15:42:28.073-05:00

This is an amazing video, thanks so much for sharing.

A video like that takes effort and energy to make, and I get the impression it was not a paid job, it's simply a beautiful creation from the heart, and I'm sure it will help many.

I tell a similar story to all my friends, family, clients, students, etc.

I'm glad I came across it and I'll definitely check out more of the site.

Rock on
-J

yes, i believe i have seen my dad and his brother ...

2010-01-20T13:34:13.115-05:00

yes, i believe i have seen my dad and his brother practice this "gunwhale bobbing". they are native minnesotans.

So, what brought you back to Canada? (I just came ...

2010-01-20T13:00:03.328-05:00

So, what brought you back to Canada? (I just came to this site, I don't know if you've addressed this elsewhere).
Enjoyed your post, by the way. (I think an article like this could be well-placed in a missions-oriented publication.)
I think that sometimes those of us in more well-developed (rich) countries forget just HOW MANY people live - happily live - all over the world, not just where we do, and with what we have.

We don't have a ministry, per se. I mean, we are ...

2010-01-11T12:30:29.912-05:00

We don't have a ministry, per se. I mean, we are intentional about spreading Jesus and love to whoever is in our spheres and we generally tend to live in Muslim areas. But we're not really an official organization. I do preach at different churches here in southern Ontario.
And as for the clothes, it really just means I don't change as often! ;)

where on your blog can I go to learn more about wh...

2010-01-11T11:33:55.503-05:00

where on your blog can I go to learn more about what it is that you do in your ministry? Do you teach. build churches, counsel. preach? What organization are you affiliated with? If you down-size your ward-robe does that mean the Ruth has to do laundry more often?