Insulated

So this is the third book I have heard about where the writer,
a non-religious liberal, spends a certain amount of time among
conservative Evangelicals. Two of the authors spend time in
Lynchburg, Virginia, one attends Liberty University for a
semester and the other attends the late Jerry Falwell's church
for a year, as if this area solely represents the whole of the
evangelicalism.

Perhaps I should propose a book where I spend a year attending
the University of California - Berkeley? How will the people there
respond to a politically and socially conservative Texan, who's also
pro-military and religious? Any publishers want to take the bait?
(wink, wink)

Doesn't the fact these secular liberal authors have to spend time so
time among conservative Christians in order to better understand
them reveal how insulated they are? I know people who aren't
very religious and liberal, I really don't need to travel across the
country to become more understanding.

You've Come a Long Way, Maybe

Here is an interesting discussion about the role of women in
American politics. I know I will be putting this book on my
"to read" list.

What I'm Reading

I just started reading this book:



This is the last book I read:



I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a mystery novel mixed with interior
design. I loved that!

Can Man Live Without God?

I like to post some quotes from what I'm reading every once a while. I just started
reading, "Can Man Live Without God?" So here are some of the more thought-
provoking passages I've caught so far:

• Much of what has passed for the Christian message has been nothing
  more than frothy God-talk - mindless, thoughtless, and its exploitation
  of people, heartless.
• For the Middle Eastern world of Islam, truth has been "revealed";
  for the Far Eastern world of Hinduism and Buddhism, truth is
  "intuitive"; for the Western world is "reasoned"; and for the secularized
  Western man, his own happiness is paramount. How does one reason
  against intuition, revelation, and personal happiness when each comes
  with proportionate passion and conviction?
• Malcolm Muggeridge, that peripatetic journalist who traveled the globe
  for more than six decades his life, said that if God is dead somebody else
  is going to have to take His place. It will either be megalomania or
  erotomania, the drive for power or the drive for pleasure, the clenched
  fist or the phallus, Hitler or Hugh Hefner.
  

What I'm Reading

I'm currently reading How Language Works by David Crystal.
I'm no where near done (I'm a slow reader.) I found this passage on
page 139 related a great deal to my last post:

It is at this point that children most need guidance about the
structures and functions of written language. In particular, they
need to learn that writing aids thinking in ways that speech cannot
perform. Writing is a medium where there is time to reflect, to
re-think, to use language as a way of shaping thought.

If you can tell me how I related this passage to yesterday's
post, you will be my best commenter ever!

The Mind

Picture source here

Last night I listened to an interview with the authors of The Spiritual Brain,
Mario D. Beauregard and Denyse O'leary. In the interview Professor
Beauregard said, "There are many lines of evidence indicating that you
can not reduce mind consciousness and self to electrical and chemical
processes in the brain."

In the interview the scientists give an example of the placebo effect.
They argue that the placebo effects shows beliefs and expectations
can have influence our health. Thus, something immaterial (the mind)
can have an effect on something material (our bodies). When discussing
the placebo effect O'leary said, "Then that means you must in fact a psyche
that can act on your brain, which means that your mind is not your brain.
It proves cause and effect." In short what they are arguing is the mind is
not completely controlled by the brain.

I've never bought the argument by materialists that our thoughts, ideas,
feelings, memory, creativity and emotions are simply a by product of our
brain. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying there is no mind and body connection.
It's amazing how when one is feeling a little down they can take a walk and
get some fresh air and feel better. There's also psychological disorders
that can be helped by medication. However, I don't think the mind can
completely explained by brain function.

I believe God gave us a private space here on Earth that is ours and only
our, the mind. It's funny before I listened to this interview I just found this
sermon that focused on the mind. I had never been the Web site before.
Jesus spoke of the mind. He said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind."

Beyond the Myths of Megachurches

Again I was watching Book TV last night (sigh) and I caught
a presentation by Scott Thumma, one of the authors of
Beyond Megachurch Myths. According to the book's Web site,
it debunks seven common myths, including that megachurches:

• Are just too big to be good
• Are driven by personality cults and will fade away
• Are selfish and only concerned with their own needs
• Water down the faith
• Are bad for the overall religious economy
• Serve people of the same race, class, and political views
• Grow because of the “worship show”

I've stated my opinion on this topic before so I won't make this
post long. I attend a 'megachurch' (I'm not too fond of the term)
and I don't know if I could ever become of a member of a church that
is not in this mode. I like my church because it really uses a multimedia
presentation to reach a broader audience. They are also creative in the
way they spread their message.

Exit questions: What has been your experience with megachurches
(if any)?

Jazzy and Blue

A couple of years ago I read this great book
called Blue Like Jazz and subtitled Non-religious
Thoughts on Christian Spirituality and written by
Donald Miller. I really enjoyed his honesty throughout
the book. Here is an excerpt:

But the trouble with deep belief is that it costs
something. And there is something inside me, some
selfish beast of a subtle thing that doesn't like the
truth at all because it carries responsibilities, and
if I actually believe these things I have to do something
about them. It is so, so cumbersome to believe anything.
And it isn't cool.

Miller writes the book in a Generation X voice. Where it
is at times unfocused and choppy but still manages to get
his point across. I loved it!

A running theme in the book is being authentic as a
Christian. I believe the number one thing that young
people are looking for today is authenticity. In the book
Miller admits he is sometimes skeptical about his Christian
beliefs. I believe it is alright to say you have doubts. Doubts
shouldn't be viewed as weak faith but as a critical and
reflective look at one's faith. There are many ills facing
contemporary American Christianity (consumerism...cough)
but this opening up to deeper questioning and not just
accepting traditions at face value is one of the positive
things I'm seeing.

The Cult of the Amateur

In the book 'The Cult of the Amateur,' Andrew Keen argues
that the internet is filled with amateur and low quality content
and thus lowering culture. He also finds that new media purveyors
as too idealistic in their hopes that the Internet is spreading
democracy. Excerpt here. Here is a quote from the book:

"The Web 2.0 revolution has peddled the promise of bringing more truth
to more people- more depth of information, more global perspective, more
unbiased opinion from dispassionate observers. But this is all a smoke screen.
What the Web 2.0 revolution is really delivering is superficial observation
of the world around us rather than deep analysis, shrill opinion rather than
considered judgment. The information business is being transformed by the
Internet into sheer noise of a hundred million bloggers all simultaneously
talking about themselves."

I agree with some of the points he makes, for example, the noise of all the internet
can be loud and also it is a time waster. But I would argue not everyone producing
web content is an amateur. There are plenty of formally educated and experienced
writers, political scientists, philosophers, theologians, journalists, actors, film makers,
photographers, etc. spreading their ideas and content around the Internet. I would
also like to ask Keen how does he think people become professionals? We all are
amateurs at some point or another in our lives, right?

People are naturally going to gravitate to material that is quality. Most of the popular
video blogs are well written and produced. Most of the popular political blogs are well
researched and written. Sure it takes some time to sift through all the junk but like
many things in life it is worth the search.

Oh, and here is Andrew Keen in a Youtube video talking about his book, which is
ironic since his book basically bashes outlets like the user-generated content Web
site.

Disclaimer: I have not read all the book. I read the excerpt and listened to his
hour long discussion on Youtube about the book. Therefore, I gathered my
information for my posting from that material.

Sex and Religion

Slate currently has a book review up about a new book
titled Forbidden Fruit: Sex & Religion in
the Lives of American Teenagers. According to
the book review:
80% of evangelicals think sex should be saved for marriage.
But thinking is not the same as doing. Evangelical teens are
actually more likely to have lost their virginity than either
mainline Protestants or Catholics. They tend to lose their
virginity at a slightly younger age—16.3, compared with 16.7
for the other two faiths. And they are much more likely to have
had three or more sexual partners by age 17: Regnerus reports
that 13.7 percent of evangelicals have, compared with 8.9 percent
for mainline Protestants.

I am one of those that believe sex should be saved for marriage.
I do see a problem in the Church (especially with evangelicals,
I for one being in the group) that tells teenagers to wait but
doesn't really give the reason why. However, I don't believe
"Because the Bible says so" cuts it with youth. And there are
variety of good reasons why teenagers shouldn't be having sex
besides just what the Bible says. Perhaps a list of consequences
of having sex at such an early age will lead them to ponder "Maybe
the Bible is right on this issue." How to become a critical thinker
is probably the most valuable lesson a teenager can learn.
Contrary to what some might believe, I don't believe the Bible
asks us to leave our brains at the door.

Our society is bombarded with sexual images and our churches
shouldn't be afraid to address the issue. I think a lot of traditional
church leaders all together avoid the topic of sex and that
shouldn't be the case.

View video on topic after jump


www.reelgood.tv

Overachievers

Last night on The Colbert Report, author Alexandra Robbins was
the guest. In her interview she says she is against standardize tests.
She also says, "American education has become a corrupt, hyper-competitve
culture with a narrow, misguided view of success."
In an earlier post I was fairly critical of our education system.
I don't think getting rid of standardize test will solve our problems
though. There needs to be some accountability in our school systems.