In Evangelism class the other day, we were talking about how Christians are often times not dangerous. They are not dangerous in the sense of no longer having a positive and transforming effect on the community. After reading Moose's blog on the movie Brokeback Mountain, it was again made evident to me that the issue of homosexuality is something that will need to be addressed within the church and in my ministry.
Right now, it seems that many Christians fit within the mold of name-calling, bashing, and running away from anything homosexual. To confess, I would have to say that I have some of these very attributes. Other Christians, who do not fit in that definition, fit into the area of being totally all right with homosexuals being Christians and even being ordained into roles as pastors. The Christians who fit out on either side of these camps are either very few or very quiet when it comes down to it. To be honest, neither of those two previously listed camps fits into a Biblical framework, or even a framework that makes sense to me as a believer in Jesus.
If we are Christians, then we should love our God with all of our hearts, minds, and souls. If we do not use times and chances to build relationships with the lost, including homosexuals, then are we really doing what we are supposed to be doing? I do not condone homosexuality, especially not within the church. However, I do condone the Great Commission, Jesus' exemplified ethic to ministry, and the love and patience we are to have as Christians.
My last post talked about the Good As New Bible, and although the man was trying to dialogue with homosexuality, he did it in a way that compromised doctrine and the original text. However, I do believe we need to dialogue and evangelize to the homosexuals. Relationship building is the best way to perform ministry and obtain times to have a discourse with homosexuals. To me, that freaks me out a bit. I don't know anyone who is gay. I am not well versed enough to handle much of the cultural drives that often times encourage people to be gay either. (For instance, in the Northeast, it is very common for many people to experiment at an increasing rate) Nonetheless, I think it is something Christianity needs to address, respond to, and share the message of Jesus with. I don't know much about the homosexual community, if anything at all. I don't know how I would reach out to evangelize to them. And to be honest I doubt that I would really enjoy it at all. However, we do have a mission to be a light to the world. Again, I'm not disputing Biblical Authority; homosexuality is not acceptable for Christians. However, I'm saying we need to reach that community; let me know if you know how...
Right now, it seems that many Christians fit within the mold of name-calling, bashing, and running away from anything homosexual. To confess, I would have to say that I have some of these very attributes. Other Christians, who do not fit in that definition, fit into the area of being totally all right with homosexuals being Christians and even being ordained into roles as pastors. The Christians who fit out on either side of these camps are either very few or very quiet when it comes down to it. To be honest, neither of those two previously listed camps fits into a Biblical framework, or even a framework that makes sense to me as a believer in Jesus.
If we are Christians, then we should love our God with all of our hearts, minds, and souls. If we do not use times and chances to build relationships with the lost, including homosexuals, then are we really doing what we are supposed to be doing? I do not condone homosexuality, especially not within the church. However, I do condone the Great Commission, Jesus' exemplified ethic to ministry, and the love and patience we are to have as Christians.
My last post talked about the Good As New Bible, and although the man was trying to dialogue with homosexuality, he did it in a way that compromised doctrine and the original text. However, I do believe we need to dialogue and evangelize to the homosexuals. Relationship building is the best way to perform ministry and obtain times to have a discourse with homosexuals. To me, that freaks me out a bit. I don't know anyone who is gay. I am not well versed enough to handle much of the cultural drives that often times encourage people to be gay either. (For instance, in the Northeast, it is very common for many people to experiment at an increasing rate) Nonetheless, I think it is something Christianity needs to address, respond to, and share the message of Jesus with. I don't know much about the homosexual community, if anything at all. I don't know how I would reach out to evangelize to them. And to be honest I doubt that I would really enjoy it at all. However, we do have a mission to be a light to the world. Again, I'm not disputing Biblical Authority; homosexuality is not acceptable for Christians. However, I'm saying we need to reach that community; let me know if you know how...
I just read an article in World magazine about the "Good As New" translation of the Bible. This translation uses all-inclusive language, such as partner instead of husband or wife. It also changes and adjusts statements to "mold" to the culture, which in the end distort the message the Bible has. For example, when Paul talks about it being better to marry than burn, the Good As New Bible translates that as, "If you know you have strong needs, get yourself a partner. Better than being frustrated." There are several concerns with this translation, all based on greek grammar, language, semantics, and context. The main thing that stands out to me about this translation is the fact that it does not fit into the overall context of the paragraph and rhetoric Paul is using. Understanding the overall context is imperative when translating the Greek Bible. For instance, for me to look at two verses in the middle of a paragraph and translate the text into English, would mean that large mistake would be made on my behalf; one needs to understand how the sentence fits into the overall argument before it can be translated. The example verse from the Good As New bible obviously did not do this.
The passage, located in 1 Corinthians 7, has an overall context on instructions for marriage. Paul lays out specific instructions and examples based on situation in life and personality. However, no where does Paul acknowledge homosexual relationship. The people of Corinth, to whom Paul was writing, would have been aptly aware about what Paul would say in relation to the detestable practice of homosexuality. What the Good As New translation attempts to bring what Paul said into modern terms. However, when translating partner, they have lost the mind-set, intention, and intent of the original words, thus making it nothing more than made up garble. For clarification, Bible translators also do not translate the text directly, but make concessions for the culture and environment they are working in. However, Bible Translators go to the context, original intent, and purpose of the text, and then try to put that into understandable terms. The Good As New translation does not reach back to find the intent and meaning of the passage, rather they are simply taking the English Bible and shifting words around to make them seem inclusive and less offensive, which is unacceptable.
Beware of this new Good As New translation. Not only are they not based academically enough to translate correctly, key ideas and principles that are in the Biblical texts are simply erased by their modifications instead of clarified for the culture. Semantically, the meanings of the words are misinterprated or entirely left out. The number of mistakes made by the Good As News translation are many, but I will highlight some briefly. The postive twist of "If they have strong needs" is not based in the Greek whatsoever. The Greek has a negative feel, "but if not self-controlled". Finally, a large mistake comes from the translation of the word for marriage. In the text it is in the imperative form, meaning it is in the strong sense of a command. The Good As New translation tries to give the imperative swing, but they take the word for marriage (which in the context of this can be properly taken as marriage; it is bad to just look at one word and apply the same meaning to that word in every instance) and translate it as "find yourself a partner". It does not even say marry yourself a partner, but only find, which consequently would be conveyed in by a totally different word in the Greek in this context. Overall, many problems arise in the Good As New translation as displayed by 1 Cor. 7:9. Beware of this translation, and understand the reasons for why it cannot be held as academically or Biblically sound.
The passage, located in 1 Corinthians 7, has an overall context on instructions for marriage. Paul lays out specific instructions and examples based on situation in life and personality. However, no where does Paul acknowledge homosexual relationship. The people of Corinth, to whom Paul was writing, would have been aptly aware about what Paul would say in relation to the detestable practice of homosexuality. What the Good As New translation attempts to bring what Paul said into modern terms. However, when translating partner, they have lost the mind-set, intention, and intent of the original words, thus making it nothing more than made up garble. For clarification, Bible translators also do not translate the text directly, but make concessions for the culture and environment they are working in. However, Bible Translators go to the context, original intent, and purpose of the text, and then try to put that into understandable terms. The Good As New translation does not reach back to find the intent and meaning of the passage, rather they are simply taking the English Bible and shifting words around to make them seem inclusive and less offensive, which is unacceptable.
Beware of this new Good As New translation. Not only are they not based academically enough to translate correctly, key ideas and principles that are in the Biblical texts are simply erased by their modifications instead of clarified for the culture. Semantically, the meanings of the words are misinterprated or entirely left out. The number of mistakes made by the Good As News translation are many, but I will highlight some briefly. The postive twist of "If they have strong needs" is not based in the Greek whatsoever. The Greek has a negative feel, "but if not self-controlled". Finally, a large mistake comes from the translation of the word for marriage. In the text it is in the imperative form, meaning it is in the strong sense of a command. The Good As New translation tries to give the imperative swing, but they take the word for marriage (which in the context of this can be properly taken as marriage; it is bad to just look at one word and apply the same meaning to that word in every instance) and translate it as "find yourself a partner". It does not even say marry yourself a partner, but only find, which consequently would be conveyed in by a totally different word in the Greek in this context. Overall, many problems arise in the Good As New translation as displayed by 1 Cor. 7:9. Beware of this translation, and understand the reasons for why it cannot be held as academically or Biblically sound.
Q.E.P.= Queer Enhancement Program
Quote from a beloved professor
Quote from a beloved professor
Today Scope and I combined our Northeastern love for Ginger Beer, and decided to make some of our own. We looked at some different recipies, and ended up going on our own a little bit, making an excellent brew. We have it in plastic bottles, just so we know how carbination works, but we plan on bottling it in some mason jars later on; perhaps even with some labels.
It was a lot of fun to make, and it wound up being some great ginger beer, with a lot of sparkle and zip along with a fairly full flavor range. Great fun.
Ginger Beer=Very Very Non-Alcoholic in case you were questioning.
Recipe as follows:
About 1 1/5 gallons of water
Two nice sized ginger roots, grated finely
One or two cinnamon sticks if desired
A dash of ginger spice
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1/4 Cup Lime Juice
(Juices can be added to taste either way)
1/4 Teaspoon Cream of Tatar (to balance flavors)
2 Cups of White Sugar
1 Cup of Brown Sugar
A Little over 1 Teaspoon of Yeast: this takes feel to judge. Get a cup of warm water, mix in a tablespoon of sugar, and then sprinkle yeast on top of it. This is added after the mixture is filthered and cooled somewhat.
Boil the main ingredients without the yeast. Then allow the mix to cool, be filthered with a cheese cloth, and then add the yeast. Stir really good once, but then let it sit. When it starts to bubble after a couple of hours, pour into individual bottles. It should take about four or more hours for the carbination to work alright. At this point, stop the fermentation process by places the individual bottles in the fridge; this is why there is no alcohol content. After they chill, enjoy!
It was a lot of fun to make, and it wound up being some great ginger beer, with a lot of sparkle and zip along with a fairly full flavor range. Great fun.
Ginger Beer=Very Very Non-Alcoholic in case you were questioning.
Recipe as follows:
About 1 1/5 gallons of water
Two nice sized ginger roots, grated finely
One or two cinnamon sticks if desired
A dash of ginger spice
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1/4 Cup Lime Juice
(Juices can be added to taste either way)
1/4 Teaspoon Cream of Tatar (to balance flavors)
2 Cups of White Sugar
1 Cup of Brown Sugar
A Little over 1 Teaspoon of Yeast: this takes feel to judge. Get a cup of warm water, mix in a tablespoon of sugar, and then sprinkle yeast on top of it. This is added after the mixture is filthered and cooled somewhat.
Boil the main ingredients without the yeast. Then allow the mix to cool, be filthered with a cheese cloth, and then add the yeast. Stir really good once, but then let it sit. When it starts to bubble after a couple of hours, pour into individual bottles. It should take about four or more hours for the carbination to work alright. At this point, stop the fermentation process by places the individual bottles in the fridge; this is why there is no alcohol content. After they chill, enjoy!
I feel pretty fresh, as fresh as a gent could feel I would rightly say. However, just in case I had a cold or was feeling a little over-excited about being at school again, IMPACT has a busy and dare I say tedious schedule planned out for us this weekend. Tonight, however, I find myself feeling quite refreshed, and would not risk adding more refreshment, considering a double dose may risk the tranquility of my current state of refreshment. All of this being said, Spork and I made it back to Longview today, feeling quite refreshed and on the whole more than marginally beefed up from the holiday meals.
The day started in the realm of some God-foresaken hour of the morning; an hour which all things pure and good seem to melt of the face of the earth in the wake of one's blurry vision and inactive salivary glands. Despite this, there was a general excitment on my behalf as we took of into the clouds. For you see, when you take off into the clouds, you will at some point move above them. And when you move above the clouds, one sees the sun. The sun that has only shown for a single minute within the last two weeks over Western New York; thus causing a new record for the least amount of sunlight, as well as making the existence of winter seem all the more dreadful.
It is days like today that I really enjoy Texas. We passed above the clouds, and I had a sudden yearning to belt out the misled words of Tim Delaughter as the sun hit my face. I spent the remainder of my flight curled up next to the window, basking in the sun that I have not seen in so very long, what with the New York record and all. As I said, it is days like today that I really enjoy Texas. Sun all around, a sky of blue as far as the eye could see, not a single cloud, and the most refreshing and uplifting temperature of 60 degrees. It is indeed good to be back, if not for the weather itself and the distinct lack of the color gray that I promptly put into notice as I stepped out of the airport. Here's to the sun, here's to Texas, here's to not being a cove stuck up in New York, and here's to the true appreciation that Texas deserves in comparison with the winter.
The day started in the realm of some God-foresaken hour of the morning; an hour which all things pure and good seem to melt of the face of the earth in the wake of one's blurry vision and inactive salivary glands. Despite this, there was a general excitment on my behalf as we took of into the clouds. For you see, when you take off into the clouds, you will at some point move above them. And when you move above the clouds, one sees the sun. The sun that has only shown for a single minute within the last two weeks over Western New York; thus causing a new record for the least amount of sunlight, as well as making the existence of winter seem all the more dreadful.
It is days like today that I really enjoy Texas. We passed above the clouds, and I had a sudden yearning to belt out the misled words of Tim Delaughter as the sun hit my face. I spent the remainder of my flight curled up next to the window, basking in the sun that I have not seen in so very long, what with the New York record and all. As I said, it is days like today that I really enjoy Texas. Sun all around, a sky of blue as far as the eye could see, not a single cloud, and the most refreshing and uplifting temperature of 60 degrees. It is indeed good to be back, if not for the weather itself and the distinct lack of the color gray that I promptly put into notice as I stepped out of the airport. Here's to the sun, here's to Texas, here's to not being a cove stuck up in New York, and here's to the true appreciation that Texas deserves in comparison with the winter.
