I’ve tried a couple times to do a complete, cover-to-cover read through the Bible. I’ve never succeeded. This time, I’ve signed up for daily emails through http://bibleinayear.org/. They offer many different translations, plaintext or html emails, and a few different ways to read through. The selling point for me is that my reading “assignment” is emailed to me each day. Since I’m a huge email junky, chances are it will always get read, everyday.

I’ll let you know how it’s going in a while.

The Pope’s Astronomer is claiming that six day literal creationism is equivalent to paganism. Quite a suprise, since the literal interpretation is a valid interpretation of the Genesis account of creation. Apparently the papal astronomer has access to additional information that the rest of us do not. For added humor, the papal astronomer also disreputes papal infallibility.

Silly Roman Catholics, trying to be all trendy.

Dispensationalism: what is it? Does anyone know of any concise discussion of what seperates it from other views, and whether the view holds water? I need to familiarize myself with it, right or wrong, and I’d like a little more reliable source than wikipedia. (:

If you have an opinion, feel free to share. If you have a book or paper to suggest reading, please suggest. Thanks!

Mel and I returned to the New Palestine Bible Church again last Sunday. The sermon was with regards to purity in the church, and especially personal sexual purity. It was a good message to hear, and one that gave me pause to think. The text for the message was from Revelation chapter 2 and was explained fairly well.

Overall, I think that this church is pretty consistantly strong in the preaching delivered. Further, I’ve been going to their new member classes, and I’m really pleased with what I’ve been hearing and reading about the church’s beliefs.

It feels good to have a church to attend, to force me to think about spiritual matters more often. Given the chance, I tend not to think about such things as much as I should and I tend not think about them in the way that I should. Attending churchs helps re-center that view for me. It also helps remind me what sort of husband I should be striving to be for Melissa’s sake.

… with discussions on evolution as a theory is that it isn’t a theory in the typical scientific sense. The typical meaning of theory is the analysis of a set of facts in their relation to one another according to Merriam-Webster. Evolution is not based on fact, it is based on speculation regarding observations and understandings of our universe/planet. This fits the secondary meaning of theory, which is abstract thought: speculation.

In order to be a true theory in the primary meaning sense of the word, it would need to be based on a set of observed and repeatable facts. Given enough chance for variation, can protein strands really approximate and eventually become life? Given appropriate environmental stresses and stimuli, will a species develop a different characteristic than its ancestors? Under what circumstances can a fish be compelled to take up residence on a beach?

Those are my thoughts regarding evolution as a theory.

On a somewhat related note, I think that words are such useless things much of the time. Sometimes I think that language is more for the purpose of disallowing commucation than for communication.

When Judas seeks to betray Christ, he kisses the Lord’s cheek. I don’t understand the manner in which this constitutes a betrayal. I mean, obviously it was, since the chief priests et. al were willing to pay hansomely for the service. What I’d really like to know though is what actually made this a betrayal?

It’s not like the chief priests didn’t know who Christ was, so they didn’t need a simple “this is the one!”. Did they?

This is just one of those things that I’ve always taken for granted, but I was wondering about the other night.

To my brothers and sisters in Christ: my brother Jeff is in bad shape at the moment. He’s been having chest pains for a couple weeks now. Apparently Friday the pain increased tenfold, so he went to the hospital. I’m far from the source of the information, so the best I can piece together is that the membrane around his heart is inflamed due to a blood clot in one of the large arteries near the heart. My understanding is that this is a very serious condition. They currently have him on blood thinners. They plan to try to remove the clot in three days, if it is still there.

Please pray for my brother. I love him dearly. Please pray that God would be glorified through this event, thank Him for His sovereignty over the situation, and if you would, request that my brother be spared from any serious or permanent harm.

Thank-you all.

There was some discussion on Tim’s blog about a variety of things recently. One thing that was broached was Leviticus 11:20-23 and the idea of insects who “walk on all fours”. This was put forth as a data point showing that the Bible contains error. I refute that statement firmly, as does the author of this article.

The gist of this article (although you should read it yourself, it’s well-written) is that four of the insect’s legs (‘feet’) are for walking, the other two for jumping or lifting off. Suprise, suprise. The Creator of all things would differentiate different limbs based on purpose!

Soulfood had some good things to say about NFP. JosiahQ also has some good things to say, he’s actually pretty much written exactly what I was thinking.

I’m using this one to try to figure out how trackback works, exactly.

Do you ever watch a top while it’s spinning down? It’s not terribly interesting until the end, right before it stops. It lays on its side, changes directions a couple times and scoots all over the place before it finally quiets down and quits.

Nothing to do with anything.

I’m glad my maker made me and wants me. He didn’t make me on a whim, only to relegate me to live life out on my own, then die forgotten. I ran for the scrap heap myself, but he snatched me back, cleansed me and loved me.

Melissa and I watched AI tonight. I like movies like AI because there is so much that you can take from them, compare to life, then draw parallels between the two. The story that I saw play out in AI was one of a creator who made their creation for love, but were incapable of returning that love.

Now granted, that’s a complete first derivative interpretation of the movie. Nothing deep there. Doesn’t have to be though.

It still makes me hopeful, knowing that my Creator is returning for me, and that he doesn’t require me to find Him. He’s revealed himself to me. He shepherds me, he protects me. I’m safe, knowing that my flawed frailty isn’t the issue. His love for me takes center stage.