Paradigm Shifts and Sea Changes...

Almost everyone who reads this knows that I am a reader. A voracious reader, even. I usually read science fiction/fantasy/horror, with a smattering of classics thrown in for depth. I seldom read self-help or christian culture books, usually they bore me. This has changed as of two weeks ago. (Strangely enough about the time I cut the A/C off. Still doing well. Past few days have been extraordinarily comfortable) I discovered a couple of books that are having an impact in my thinking.

I recently randomly stopped by yea olde Christian booke store and picked up two books. The first was titled "I Sold My Soul On EBay" and the second was "They Like Jesus but Hate the Church". I'm not certain why I picked them, I'm pretty happy with my church.

"I Sold My Soul On EBay" was written by an athiest, Hemant Mehta. Not one of the fundamentalist atheists (such as Michael Newdow) but an athiest who realized that he'd arrived at there without giving any religion, other than his childhood Jainism, a chance. So, this athiest (who serves on or helped form several organizations on his college campus) took a chance and auctioned off the opportunity to take him to church. For every $10 bid he'd go to one hour of church; Any church, Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist, whatever, preferably near Chicago. To discourage bidders who weren't serious all the money was donated to a secular organization.

The winning bid was $504. Hemant agreed to visit many different churches, take notes and offer criticism based upon his view as a total outsider. What worked for him? What turned him off? What could the church do to better reach the unchurched? He published these for a website "off-the-map.org" and also in this book for use by Christians intent on reaching the unchurched more successfully. How many other atheist authors can one find at the local Christian bookstore?

Hemant runs a website called "The Friendly Athiest". It's got some interesting dialog that I'm just beginning to wade through. However, one quote struck me tonight:

I certainly don't believe in God and I do think those who believe in God are wrong in their thinking, but the best way to convince the majority of people that living without religion is even possible is to show them that atheists are kind, happy, and approachable– we're not the bogeymen we've been made out to be for so long. If that happens, the logical reasoning behind atheism will follow.

Hmm... Thought experiment here... Let's take this statement and change it a bit:

I certainly believe in God and I do think those who don't believe in God are wrong in their thinking, but the best way to convince the majority of people that living with religion is even possible is to show them that Christ followers are kind, happy, and approachable– we're not the bogeymen we've been made out to be for so long. If that happens, the logical reasoning behind Jesus will follow.

This statement dovetails nicely into my other book "They Like Jesus but Hate the Church" This book challenges us to step outside of the 'holy huddle' we're in. Go into the world, make friends with people. Show them that Christians aren't holier-than-thou-King-James-1611-hellfire-and-brimstone people. We should reflect the love of Christ, not the condemnation of the judgemental hypocrites. We can still be fundamental Christians while still showing love and sharing friendship with the unchurched.

Show 'em that Jerry Falwell/Fred Phelps/Insert other televangelist aren't how the vast majority of Christians are. The vast majority of Christians don't think Tinky-Winky is homosexual. We don't think that "God Hates Fags". We need to get out there in the world. Be light, be salt. Learn about other religions so that we can more adequately defend our own. I'm sorry but "The Bible Says it, I believe it" is NOT a valid arguement. Let's stop the condemnation.

We can still be fundamental bible believing Christians. We've just got to realize that someone's not going to change simply because we handed them a tract. They're going to change when we get involved with their lives, when we show them that we, too, are sinners who need the grace of God. Let's be real.

Forgive me if I rant a bit... I still need to finish my second more-in-depth reading of this book. My first reading got the ol' thinking started and I felt like saying something...

I love you, everyone of you.

Matt

Houston, we have a Cicada...

Ok... one minor problem with open windows... there's a freaking cicada with a megaphone outside the window...


Can I borrow some RAID?

Day 4 begins...

On to day 4. It's comfortable in the house right now... I've got a small fan positioned at the window so it's sucking in the outdoor air... Last night I was forced to drag out the thicker blanket because I did get chilly... I believe the exterior temp dropped to about 65. So we're doing fine. Ohm's lounging in front of the fan when he's not hanging in the basement...

AC Challenge...
Category: Life

I've decided to stretch myself. Not the stretching you get at the gym or when you first get up in the morning... But a lifestyle stretch.

I cut off the A/C two days ago. I bought two new fans tonight. They're currently on and aimed at me. The thermostat reads 80.

The challenge is this: how long until I cut the A/C back on for good. I'll turn it on before guests arrive and enjoy it in the car and at work (where it's a glorious 68 degrees inside the building) and anywhere else I'm at, I just choose to turn it off right now.

No, the A/C works fine. Yes, I can definately afford the electric bill. No, I'm not a 'tree-hugging hippy'. Not that there's anything wrong with that.... I just want to see.

In Costa Rica we didn't have air conditioning for a week. There was almost always a breeze at night so we were relatively comfortable. The last night at camp was a calm night... so that wasn't fun. On another mission trip the missionaries had decided that their money was better spent somewhere else, so they lived without AC in a tropical climate.

I'm just curious... Can I survive until the arrival of winter?

Coming this winter: The heating challenge... How long can I survive using only my kerosene heater? Of course, due to possible freezing I'll keep the thermostat on 50 until I can't stand it anymore...

Peace!

Excerpts from a favorite book of mine... Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451.

"If you don't want a man unhappy politically, don't give him two sides to a question to worry him; give him one. Better yet, give him none. Let him forget there is such a thing as war. If the government is inefficient, topheavy, and tax-mad, better it be all those than that people worry over it. Give the people contests they win by remembering the words to more popular songs or the names of state capitals or how much corn Iowa grew last year. Cram them full of noncombustible data, chock them so damned full of 'facts' they feel stuffed, but absolutely brilliant with information. Then they'll feel they're thinking, they'll get a sense of motion without moving, And they'll be happy, because facts of that sort don't change. Don't give them any slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with. That way lies melancholy. Any man who can take a TV wall apart and put it back together again, and most men can, nowadays, is happier than any man who tries to slide-rule, measure or equate the universe, which just won't be measured or equated without making a man feel bestial or lonely. I know, I've tried it; to hell with it. So bring on your clubs and parties, your acrobats and magicians, your daredevils, jet cars , motorcycle helicopters, your sex and heroin, more of everything to do with automatic reflex. If the drama is bad, if the film says nothing, if the play is hollow, sting me with the theremin, loudly. I'll think I'm responding to the play, when it's only a tactile reaction to vibration. But I don't care. I just like solid entertainment." (50th anniversary edition, page 61)
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"It doesn't matter what you do he said, so long as you change something from the way it was before you touched it into something that's like you after you take your hands away. The real difference between the man who just cuts lawns and a real gardener is in the touching, he said. The lawn cutter might just as well not have been there at all; the gardener will be there a lifetime." (50th anniversary edition, page 157)
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So think about something today. Appreciate something in the world and consider what it truely is. Cut off the TV and look at your spouse, friend, loved one, pet, or feet. Better yet, talk to your spouse, friend, loved one or pet. You can talk to your feet but they don't respond well. I've tried. Read a book for pleasure (Currently Frank Herbert's God Emperor of Dune), a book for education (Dante's Divine Comedy, and a book for consideration (C.S. Lewis' The Problem of Pain)

Once you've read something, create something. It doesn't have to be some big elaborate thing. It could just be something like this... a simple blog detailing your thoughts and feelings at the current moment.

Just do something. Watching or listening is not doing. Thinking will lead to doing.