I'm pretty sure that I don't agree with Fred Thompson on all the issues. I'm not sure I would have voted for him. But much of this is pretty brilliant.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Christmas Eve Heat Miser
According to my iPhone weather forecast, it's supposed to be 53 degrees on Christmas Eve.
Poo.
Go away Mr. Heat Miser!
Poo.
Go away Mr. Heat Miser!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Play, the sequel (4 years later)
Almost 4 years ago I wrote this post.
Go ahead, read it. I will wait.
[Waits]
You done? Good.
The other night my wife and I took our daughter sledding for the first time. It was really a spur of the moment thing. I was going to make a snowman with her in the front yard. Wrong kind of snow. So I pulled her around on a sled in our yard (which is basically flat). There is a small dip in the yard, and when she went down the dip (I thought she wouldn't like it -- she frightens easily) she giggled at the top of her lungs and yelled, "Wheee!"
The quest was on.
Now, I live in a town called, "The Plains."
No, really.
This is NOT a good name for a town when you want to go sledding. But we went over to a local church in the next neighborhood over that has a small hill behind it. Driving by, the hill hardly seems big enough to sled on. But walking up the hill with a four-year-old, the hill seemed mammoth. I had visions of her getting on the sled, going down the hill, crying and screaming -- never wanting to get on a sled ever again.
She had a ball. She loved it.
Her mom and her went first. And originally I was just going to let the two of them keep going. Two years ago I had surgery on my knee and I have been a little hesitant of anything physical ever since. I had visions of slipping or breaking the sled or whatever. Watching them sled was enough at the time. It was cold and I figured one or two trips down the hill and we would go home. But I decided, I wanted to go down with her.
I sat down on the sled and put her between my legs, shoved off and down the hill we went.
Wheeeee!
Okay, so I can't tell you how much fun I had. No really. I haven't been on a sled for over 25 years. All though my childhood, sledding was a huge part of my life. Every winter we would drag out our sleds and a bunch of us neighborhood kids would race down hills together.
And in that simple moment with my daughter, going down the hill on a sled, I was young again.
There were no financial pressures, no terrorist bombings, no Sudan, no friend with Leukemia, no leading an organization trying to make budget, no aches and pains. I was on this hill behind my house in Toronto, Ohio, racing down the street. School was canceled the next day and I didn't have a care in the world.
After multiple trips down the hill, the snow started to turn to rain, and my wife said, "We better go home." I could have gone a thousand times more. I didn't want that night to ever end.
"Just one more time, please!"
And now, like a child, I sit in anticipation of my next snow day when I can skip school and play once again.
Go ahead, read it. I will wait.
[Waits]
You done? Good.
The other night my wife and I took our daughter sledding for the first time. It was really a spur of the moment thing. I was going to make a snowman with her in the front yard. Wrong kind of snow. So I pulled her around on a sled in our yard (which is basically flat). There is a small dip in the yard, and when she went down the dip (I thought she wouldn't like it -- she frightens easily) she giggled at the top of her lungs and yelled, "Wheee!"
The quest was on.
Now, I live in a town called, "The Plains."
No, really.
This is NOT a good name for a town when you want to go sledding. But we went over to a local church in the next neighborhood over that has a small hill behind it. Driving by, the hill hardly seems big enough to sled on. But walking up the hill with a four-year-old, the hill seemed mammoth. I had visions of her getting on the sled, going down the hill, crying and screaming -- never wanting to get on a sled ever again.
She had a ball. She loved it.
Her mom and her went first. And originally I was just going to let the two of them keep going. Two years ago I had surgery on my knee and I have been a little hesitant of anything physical ever since. I had visions of slipping or breaking the sled or whatever. Watching them sled was enough at the time. It was cold and I figured one or two trips down the hill and we would go home. But I decided, I wanted to go down with her.
I sat down on the sled and put her between my legs, shoved off and down the hill we went.
Wheeeee!
Okay, so I can't tell you how much fun I had. No really. I haven't been on a sled for over 25 years. All though my childhood, sledding was a huge part of my life. Every winter we would drag out our sleds and a bunch of us neighborhood kids would race down hills together.
And in that simple moment with my daughter, going down the hill on a sled, I was young again.
There were no financial pressures, no terrorist bombings, no Sudan, no friend with Leukemia, no leading an organization trying to make budget, no aches and pains. I was on this hill behind my house in Toronto, Ohio, racing down the street. School was canceled the next day and I didn't have a care in the world.
After multiple trips down the hill, the snow started to turn to rain, and my wife said, "We better go home." I could have gone a thousand times more. I didn't want that night to ever end.
"Just one more time, please!"
And now, like a child, I sit in anticipation of my next snow day when I can skip school and play once again.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
I miss you
I miss you all and I miss blogging. If you don't know, I've been having trouble with my left hand (some variant of carpel tunnel) so I have not been typing as much. But as it heal, I'm getting ready to blog again. Assuming people still have me on their RSS feeds or stop in every now and then.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
"If you are a visitor with this week, this is NOT normal"
I leave for the weekend. Jim's in charge... everything is fine, right?
I text him Sunday afternoon and ask him how the worship times went... how did Saturday go?
Here is the email I get on my iphone:
_________________________
last night was ok. only about 35 people though. the service seems to be shrinking. not sure why.
this morning was . . . uhmm . . . interesting. first service was fine.
second service we had a "minor disruption." i had to call the police.
seriously. probably a nice weekend to be gone and miss out on the "fun!"
talk to you soon,
j
______________________
Hummm... do I call him and find out what is going on? What do you think I did?
It's not a Central worship service until someone calls the police.
I text him Sunday afternoon and ask him how the worship times went... how did Saturday go?
Here is the email I get on my iphone:
_________________________
last night was ok. only about 35 people though. the service seems to be shrinking. not sure why.
this morning was . . . uhmm . . . interesting. first service was fine.
second service we had a "minor disruption." i had to call the police.
seriously. probably a nice weekend to be gone and miss out on the "fun!"
talk to you soon,
j
______________________
Hummm... do I call him and find out what is going on? What do you think I did?
It's not a Central worship service until someone calls the police.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Saturday, November 08, 2008
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Anti Christ
Hey, this is from Ken Schenck. I said this during my Revelation series, but this guy says it MUCH better than me! (And he was my Greek professor in seminary, so he also says it with more authority as well.)
I have NO IDEA why I'm posting this, I just thought it was interesting.
____________________________________________
The Anti-Christ
There's so much talk of Obama being the Antichrist, that I thought I might throw a couple posts that direction.
Some background:
First, this whole idea of an Antichrist comes directly from a set of pre-modern interpretations of several different passages ingeniously woven together in a pre-modern way. By pre-modern, I mean an unreflective reading that is unaware of the difference between how the text is being read and what the text originally meant.
The whole Darby-Hal Lindsey-Tim LaHaye end times scenario weaves together Scriptures from Daniel, Ezekiel, Mark 13/Matthew 24, 2 Thessalonians 2, 1 John, and Revelation ingeniously without
1. ... recognizing that these are different books addressing different situations that use words differently from each other and refer to different times...
2. ... or that these books to a large extent were not addressing today but their own times and situations. We want to leave open the door that some of their material might be addressing today. But our default expectation is that they were actually relevant to the people for whom they were actually written.
I want to reiterate my hermeneutic. To varying degrees, the NT generally does not read the OT in context. Paul can take the story of Sarah and Hagar and say that Sarah allegorically represents the Jerusalem above and Hagar the earthly Jerusalem--when this story is located some 800 years before Jerusalem even existed as an Israelite city. Matthew can see Jesus growing up in Nazareth as a prophetic triangulation of Scriptures like "Samson will be called a Nazirite" and "A branch [nazir] will come from the stump of Jesse."
In short, a Christian hermeneutic should probably allow for strange Spiritual "reader-response" variations like LaHaye. Maybe L & Friends are right and prophetically inspired. At the same time, what I want to point out in this post and a couple more is that 1) their interpretation is vastly unaware of what these texts originally meant and 2) their interpretation is not the long standing interpretation of Christendom. For my three-fold understanding of Christian hermeneutics, see this post.
The title "Antichrist"
This morning I want to start by pointing out that there is nowhere in the Bible where a figure is called the Antichrist. The word comes from 1 John (2:18, 22; 4:3). In 1 John, the term does not refer to a solitary figure who is coming at the end of time:
2:18: "Children, it is the last hour, and even as you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come."
2:22: "Who is the liar if not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son."
4:3: "And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus [is the Christ] is not from God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist, that you have heard is coming and is already now in the world."
The first rule of contextual (original meaning) interpretation is not to see more meaning in a verse than its original context requires. This distinguishes it from "theological interpretation" where one brings a Christian (reader-response) context to bear on the words beyond the original contexts. In this case, neither approach yields the Darbian interpretation.
So we should immediately recognize that 1 John has no teaching about a single figure in the end times who will set himself up in a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem as God during a seven year tribulation. It is legitimate to ask whether the "you have heard" element of this passage maps to 2 Thessalonians 2's "man of lawlessness" or Revelation 13 and 17's "beast." But from the standpoint of contextual interpretation, we cannot just assume they are all the same figure.
So what do we notice about these passages in 1 John?
1. The likely antichrists of 1 John have to do with its situation, which we can sketch from comments scattered throughout this homily of sorts. The church in question has undergone a split in the late first century AD. A group of early Gnostics, probably Docetists (who believed Jesus only seemed to be human) have left the church. The references to antichrists more than likely refer directly to them, to people who have been dead for 1900 years.
2. The first reference, "antichrist is coming" does not have the word "the" in front, despite the as usual horribly inadequate NIV. "You have heard that antichrist is coming." The reference is not to one individual but to a type of individual, as the next sentence indicates, "Many antichrists have come."
3. Who is such an antichrist: "the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ." It would thus seem that there are a lot of antichrists in the world today. 1 John knows nothing, though, about a single Antichrist.
So ironically, the only place where the actual word "Antichrist" is used in the Bible has nothing to do with any solitary end times figure.
I might add in closing today as well that the "last hour" John is talking about was 1900 years ago. Of course a last hour can last 2000 years. In which case there have been many antichrists these last few minutes.
I have NO IDEA why I'm posting this, I just thought it was interesting.
____________________________________________
The Anti-Christ
There's so much talk of Obama being the Antichrist, that I thought I might throw a couple posts that direction.
Some background:
First, this whole idea of an Antichrist comes directly from a set of pre-modern interpretations of several different passages ingeniously woven together in a pre-modern way. By pre-modern, I mean an unreflective reading that is unaware of the difference between how the text is being read and what the text originally meant.
The whole Darby-Hal Lindsey-Tim LaHaye end times scenario weaves together Scriptures from Daniel, Ezekiel, Mark 13/Matthew 24, 2 Thessalonians 2, 1 John, and Revelation ingeniously without
1. ... recognizing that these are different books addressing different situations that use words differently from each other and refer to different times...
2. ... or that these books to a large extent were not addressing today but their own times and situations. We want to leave open the door that some of their material might be addressing today. But our default expectation is that they were actually relevant to the people for whom they were actually written.
I want to reiterate my hermeneutic. To varying degrees, the NT generally does not read the OT in context. Paul can take the story of Sarah and Hagar and say that Sarah allegorically represents the Jerusalem above and Hagar the earthly Jerusalem--when this story is located some 800 years before Jerusalem even existed as an Israelite city. Matthew can see Jesus growing up in Nazareth as a prophetic triangulation of Scriptures like "Samson will be called a Nazirite" and "A branch [nazir] will come from the stump of Jesse."
In short, a Christian hermeneutic should probably allow for strange Spiritual "reader-response" variations like LaHaye. Maybe L & Friends are right and prophetically inspired. At the same time, what I want to point out in this post and a couple more is that 1) their interpretation is vastly unaware of what these texts originally meant and 2) their interpretation is not the long standing interpretation of Christendom. For my three-fold understanding of Christian hermeneutics, see this post.
The title "Antichrist"
This morning I want to start by pointing out that there is nowhere in the Bible where a figure is called the Antichrist. The word comes from 1 John (2:18, 22; 4:3). In 1 John, the term does not refer to a solitary figure who is coming at the end of time:
2:18: "Children, it is the last hour, and even as you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come."
2:22: "Who is the liar if not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son."
4:3: "And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus [is the Christ] is not from God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist, that you have heard is coming and is already now in the world."
The first rule of contextual (original meaning) interpretation is not to see more meaning in a verse than its original context requires. This distinguishes it from "theological interpretation" where one brings a Christian (reader-response) context to bear on the words beyond the original contexts. In this case, neither approach yields the Darbian interpretation.
So we should immediately recognize that 1 John has no teaching about a single figure in the end times who will set himself up in a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem as God during a seven year tribulation. It is legitimate to ask whether the "you have heard" element of this passage maps to 2 Thessalonians 2's "man of lawlessness" or Revelation 13 and 17's "beast." But from the standpoint of contextual interpretation, we cannot just assume they are all the same figure.
So what do we notice about these passages in 1 John?
1. The likely antichrists of 1 John have to do with its situation, which we can sketch from comments scattered throughout this homily of sorts. The church in question has undergone a split in the late first century AD. A group of early Gnostics, probably Docetists (who believed Jesus only seemed to be human) have left the church. The references to antichrists more than likely refer directly to them, to people who have been dead for 1900 years.
2. The first reference, "antichrist is coming" does not have the word "the" in front, despite the as usual horribly inadequate NIV. "You have heard that antichrist is coming." The reference is not to one individual but to a type of individual, as the next sentence indicates, "Many antichrists have come."
3. Who is such an antichrist: "the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ." It would thus seem that there are a lot of antichrists in the world today. 1 John knows nothing, though, about a single Antichrist.
So ironically, the only place where the actual word "Antichrist" is used in the Bible has nothing to do with any solitary end times figure.
I might add in closing today as well that the "last hour" John is talking about was 1900 years ago. Of course a last hour can last 2000 years. In which case there have been many antichrists these last few minutes.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Not just in the US
I'm glad to know that other worlds are in this battle too.
Remember: "Paul for President!"
See more funny videos at Funny or Die
Remember: "Paul for President!"
Last minute incentive!
Lydia just told me that she would be my running mate! She will now type her name:
Lydia
Remember, vote early, vote often!
Final Reminder
No matter who you vote for today... um...just go vote for me. Remember: Paul Risler for President!
Even if you have a lapse of judgement and vote for someone other than me... just go vote. I have installed a device on my blog that will not let you read it unless you vote. It will also call you "stupid!" when you go to my homepage. Just make sure your volume is turned up.
And for those who already voted, I thank you for your support.
Even if you have a lapse of judgement and vote for someone other than me... just go vote. I have installed a device on my blog that will not let you read it unless you vote. It will also call you "stupid!" when you go to my homepage. Just make sure your volume is turned up.
And for those who already voted, I thank you for your support.
Monday, November 03, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
technology fast
Friends. I'm on a technology fast for 4 days (until Monday night). No blog, email, cell phone, facebook, twitter, gchat... nothing. So if you don't see me around virtually, it is because I'm only reachable in person. If you need to get a hold of me... maybe a letter? Walk over to my house? Call my wife? Carrier pigeon? The options are limited. Have a great week.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Religious right...and left
I honestly get uncomfortable when either party claims Jesus. But there is a shift happening in religious/political landscape that is interesting. But just to remind you... wheather you are a McCain or Obama supporter, neither of them will bring in the Kingdom of God. No my friends, that is much your responsibility as anyone's.
Dueling church signs
Okay, this is one of the funniest things I have seen in a long time. I must say that, in my opinion, the Catholics won the sign duel: certainly in humor.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Donald Miller on Issues
Donald Miller is a Christian leader and author who is publicly campaigning for Obama throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania. I got these quotes from another blog -- these are his thoughts about Obama on the issues of gay marriage and abortion. I thought it was interesting.
It is also interesting that he offered this quote about McCain: "I do wish he were a Christian, or would talk about faith, Jesus, Redemption or the Cross."
I have to say that quote hit me like ton of bricks. Interestingly enough, I'm not sure I have ever heard McCain claim to be a Christian? I mean, maybe he did... but come to think about it, I'm not sure I have ever heard him mention Jesus. It's interesting that I assumed he was. (And he may be).
I'm curious to know your thoughts.
BTW, for the record: even as a pastor, the first thing I look for in a president is NOT Christian faith. I would rather have an good president who is a non-christian than a bad one who is a devout. Feel free to comment on this as well.
________________________________________________
Donald Miller on Abortion: "I am a pro-life voter, but do not believe John McCain’s plan on the issue will work. McCain’s only stand on the issue has been a recent switch to a pro-life position, and a promise to continue the attempt to criminalize abortion through the Supreme Court. I believe this is an empty promise, and anybody who understands our judicial system would know this. Chief Justice John Roberts of the Supreme Court (our most conservative Judge, many feel, and the pro-lifers greatest hope for the plan to criminalize abortion) has stated that Roe V. Wade “is the law of the land” and has been backed up in precedent by the Casey case. He does not believe it is plausible to overturn both rulings. Of course it is possible, but it would take a judicial miracle and the appointment of even more conservative, activist judges. This is the only way the overturning of Roe V. Wade will happen. The continuation of rhetoric about being pro-life but not having a realistic plan has tired me of the Republican Party. As more and more evangelicals walk away, I hope Republicans will stop giving lip-service to this important issue. My hope is they will realize they are going to lose more and more votes until they are willing to engage in a bipartisan effort to make progress with comprehensive legislation that is realistic and actual.
"The Democrats have proposed comprehensive legislation called the 95/10 initiative that aims to reduce the number of abortions that take place in this country by 95% within 10 years. While Barack Obama is a pro-choice candidate, he supports this and similar legislation. This is the only proposed and realistic strategy that can move us around the cultural impasse that is breathing hate and anger into the Christian community.
"While Barack Obama opposes late-term abortions, he has made promises to the National Organization or Women to make progress in a woman’s right to chose. I wish Obama were more strong on this issue. Still, I do feel he will accomplish more than John McCain, as John McCain has only recently taken this position and offers no legislation and no plan.
"This is a very debatable issue. There are facts on both sides that seem to refute any argument made. But I have had to do the research and take a position and, for now, this is my position."
Donald Miller on Gay Marriage: "This is not an issue I think much about because I am neither gay nor married, but I understand the evangelicals desire to protect the sanctity of marriage and define it as an exclusive relationship between a man and a woman. I agree with both candidates on this issue as they both oppose gay marriage but protect constitutional rights for domestic partners. In order to oppose civil rights for homosexuals, you would have to change the constitution which I think is dangerous. I agree with McCain and Obama both on this issue as they have stated the same position.
"On other issues that are no less important although less heated such as the economy, globalization and trade, the environment and energy, I support Barack Obama’s positions over John McCain’s."
Donald Miller on Faith: "But let me make something very clear. I don’t dislike John McCain. I think he is a good man and a drastic improvement over Republican candidates in the past. I do wish he were a Christian, or would talk about faith, Jesus, Redemption or the Cross. Barack Obama does, very often, and very unashamedly. I am uncomfortable with the idea of a truly secular man in the White House, a man who has no church, no pastor, does not read the Bible and may not even pray. John McCain seems like a good man, but a secular man. I want our next President to talk and listen to God."
It is also interesting that he offered this quote about McCain: "I do wish he were a Christian, or would talk about faith, Jesus, Redemption or the Cross."
I have to say that quote hit me like ton of bricks. Interestingly enough, I'm not sure I have ever heard McCain claim to be a Christian? I mean, maybe he did... but come to think about it, I'm not sure I have ever heard him mention Jesus. It's interesting that I assumed he was. (And he may be).
I'm curious to know your thoughts.
BTW, for the record: even as a pastor, the first thing I look for in a president is NOT Christian faith. I would rather have an good president who is a non-christian than a bad one who is a devout. Feel free to comment on this as well.
________________________________________________
Donald Miller on Abortion: "I am a pro-life voter, but do not believe John McCain’s plan on the issue will work. McCain’s only stand on the issue has been a recent switch to a pro-life position, and a promise to continue the attempt to criminalize abortion through the Supreme Court. I believe this is an empty promise, and anybody who understands our judicial system would know this. Chief Justice John Roberts of the Supreme Court (our most conservative Judge, many feel, and the pro-lifers greatest hope for the plan to criminalize abortion) has stated that Roe V. Wade “is the law of the land” and has been backed up in precedent by the Casey case. He does not believe it is plausible to overturn both rulings. Of course it is possible, but it would take a judicial miracle and the appointment of even more conservative, activist judges. This is the only way the overturning of Roe V. Wade will happen. The continuation of rhetoric about being pro-life but not having a realistic plan has tired me of the Republican Party. As more and more evangelicals walk away, I hope Republicans will stop giving lip-service to this important issue. My hope is they will realize they are going to lose more and more votes until they are willing to engage in a bipartisan effort to make progress with comprehensive legislation that is realistic and actual.
"The Democrats have proposed comprehensive legislation called the 95/10 initiative that aims to reduce the number of abortions that take place in this country by 95% within 10 years. While Barack Obama is a pro-choice candidate, he supports this and similar legislation. This is the only proposed and realistic strategy that can move us around the cultural impasse that is breathing hate and anger into the Christian community.
"While Barack Obama opposes late-term abortions, he has made promises to the National Organization or Women to make progress in a woman’s right to chose. I wish Obama were more strong on this issue. Still, I do feel he will accomplish more than John McCain, as John McCain has only recently taken this position and offers no legislation and no plan.
"This is a very debatable issue. There are facts on both sides that seem to refute any argument made. But I have had to do the research and take a position and, for now, this is my position."
Donald Miller on Gay Marriage: "This is not an issue I think much about because I am neither gay nor married, but I understand the evangelicals desire to protect the sanctity of marriage and define it as an exclusive relationship between a man and a woman. I agree with both candidates on this issue as they both oppose gay marriage but protect constitutional rights for domestic partners. In order to oppose civil rights for homosexuals, you would have to change the constitution which I think is dangerous. I agree with McCain and Obama both on this issue as they have stated the same position.
"On other issues that are no less important although less heated such as the economy, globalization and trade, the environment and energy, I support Barack Obama’s positions over John McCain’s."
Donald Miller on Faith: "But let me make something very clear. I don’t dislike John McCain. I think he is a good man and a drastic improvement over Republican candidates in the past. I do wish he were a Christian, or would talk about faith, Jesus, Redemption or the Cross. Barack Obama does, very often, and very unashamedly. I am uncomfortable with the idea of a truly secular man in the White House, a man who has no church, no pastor, does not read the Bible and may not even pray. John McCain seems like a good man, but a secular man. I want our next President to talk and listen to God."
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Stay at home dads and marriage
So....
I have some opinions on this, but I'm going to give you all an opportunity to chime in if you want.
I have some opinions on this, but I'm going to give you all an opportunity to chime in if you want.
Friday, October 17, 2008
McCain Won
You may or may not think McCain won any of the debates. I feel that each debate simply reinforced the base of each candidate. But, I believe McCain won the "humor debate" hands down at the Al Smith dinner.
Each year, candidates do this kind of roast... kind of a tradition. Obama was okay. McCain was absolutely hilarious. You have to watch both parts... he actually gets funnier as it goes on. I have to say, this was really good. Really, this is well worth your time to watch.
Also, I will say his honoring Obama at the end showed real class. I was impressed.
And I LOVE the way he ended. Classic.
Each year, candidates do this kind of roast... kind of a tradition. Obama was okay. McCain was absolutely hilarious. You have to watch both parts... he actually gets funnier as it goes on. I have to say, this was really good. Really, this is well worth your time to watch.
Also, I will say his honoring Obama at the end showed real class. I was impressed.
And I LOVE the way he ended. Classic.
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