January 10, 2012

Now on Emergent Village: "Emergence and Indie Rock"

I've just published a few thoughts on Emergent Village Voice regarding the parallels between emergent thinking and indie rock. They are remarkably similar and inviting in my opinion. 

June 6, 2011

Blue Like Jazz Trailer

If you liked the book, you'll love this.

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April 3, 2011

Now on Burnside: A Reason to be Angry

In my youth, I was scared out of listening to non-Christian music. It was the "devil's music" and it had "no redeeming value." Names like Judas Priest and Megadeth proved the argument in my childish brain. After all, they did use the Lord's name in vain and a whole slew of other "heathen profanities."  Right? For years I shied away from rock music in general and felt comfortable hunkered down in my fundamentalist shelter. (I laugh and shiver inside remembering how Chicago was ground for trouble in my suburban Christian context!)

Much to my parents' disappointment, I gently eased in to the world of secular music during my junior high and high school years. R.E.M. and U2 used some religious references so I felt emotionally safe. This naïve notion failed to consider Michael Stipe's openly bisexual lifestyle, which should have immediately ruled out any acceptance of his music. Bono's alter ego Mephisto in the Zoo TV Tour didn't help the cause either. Consistency hardly motivated my choices. As I familiarized myself with the "worldly" music, I remember feeling so afraid of this new reality opening itself to me. Could it be that my parents and their friends were right? A fear-induced caution to music left me years behind the curve on the latest, greatest music. And for that, I feel robbed.

Continue...

March 2, 2011

Now on Burnside: "TV for Armchair Psychologists"

For those pseudo-psychologists like me, hop on over to Burnside and check out a review of two of my favorite TV shows Lie to Me and United States of Tara.

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October 20, 2010

Lord Save Us from Your Followers

This is exactly what 22nd century faith must address. Why is the Gospel of Love Dividing America? It is exactly what I pray we can realize as a global Church. The pre-believing world is looking for salvation from us - from the followers of Christ. Not from their sins. Not from their despair. Not from their future in hell that awaits. The fear is increasingly of us. The hell fire, brimstone message is not working anymore. The legalistic rules and requirements of Fundamentalism only alienate and confirm reasons not to believe. We must awaken to the reality of how we have been perceived. It is not their fault. It is not the world's problem. It is our lack of a loving, relevant form of communication. We are outmoded and anachronistic. The first step is acceptance.

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October 15, 2010

Now on Burnside: "Turnovers: A Year in Sports Hubris"

If you are looking for a moral inventory on this year's sporting landscape, I've offered my humble opinion on Burnside. "Turnovers: A Year in Sports Hubris" is my personal reflection on the differences between the media attention in the 80s and today. The problem is not the change in athletes' character, but the graphic nature of the content in sporting news.

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October 11, 2010

Now on Burnside: "LMAO Jesus Style"

It looks like I am on a role this week on Burnside. Just posted "LMAO Jesus Style." In this piece I consider some challenges at laughing at ourselves as Christians. How different would Christianity look if we thought of Jesus having a sense of humor? There is a small glimpse of this in his exchange with the Syro-Phoenician woman in Mark 7:24-30.

Thanks for reading and commenting as always.

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September 23, 2010

A Beat for Peace and Save Darfur

I loved this the first time I saw it and it has grown since then. Sudan365.org is keeping our attention on Sudan before the Referendum next year. This is a highly volatile time for the country to decide whether it will be a unified or split nation. A possible split could have serious military implications. The Northern government is not willing to lose the resource rich South.

The degree that the government has waged war in Darfur is just a small indication of the scale of conflict that may occur if the South votes to separate.

Much prayer and grace is needed.

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September 15, 2010

Now on Burnside: "The Inception of Deception"

          

photo © 2010 Diraen | more info (via: Wylio)

Now on Burnside: "The Inception of Deception"

If you have seen it or want to, please read and meditate. Inception offers some profound insights into our relationships with our fathers and the self-deceit we often encounter.

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June 3, 2010

The Stoning of Soraya M.

Gripping. Powerful. Graphic. Heart wrenching. If you have the stomach to see this one, it is one of the most evocative demonstrations of the injustice that occurs around the world when women and children are subject to the passions of evil men. Viewers beware. This one moves the audience from start to finish.

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