Monday, April 19, 2010

A good guy and not necessarily a nice guy


Princeton University (photo from trekearth.com)

For a more academic article I have written please click here:

Reformed Theology and The Bible

Hello, and thanks for reading. It is warm up in my loft again, but I like writing up here more in the heat.

Comments appreciated on both blogs, even as anonymous or with a pseudonym.

My PhD finale pass from Wales could be in the mail any day. Once I have this document I can upgrade my CV and begin my worldwide search, although mainly in the United States, for work as a professor in Theology, Philosophy of Religion and Biblical studies. While waiting I have been assisting my Mom with her web business (see ad at the top of this blog that states Click here), studying a little mathematics and studying a fair amount of psychology, especially social psychology.

I am the type of guy that would play Wii with his friend's three little girls as the adults were playing board games. Sure I generally prefer computer/video games over board games, but I truly love my friend's kids, and they now have a son as well. They have now moved back to the South.

I would even play dolls with the girls when they would ask. Of course not the way they would play dolls. I usually managed to work some kind of satirical love spat and martial arts combat into scenes which made the little ones stare and laugh. Or I would spin a certain male doll around and around and the little ones made up a story that he was going 'potty' and would laugh and laugh.

So, yes I am that kind of nice.

I have realized the last twelve years especially, due to academic battles that although I needed to stay good in the Biblical sense and love God with all my heart and love others as self (Mark 12 and Matthew 22), I needed to better stand up to social and psychological attempts at manipulation.

At Canadian Baptist Seminary and Trinity Western University, although an A student I had not written a thesis previously and my advisor had never advised someone. The advisor left for the United States and I was given all the blame for a project that had to be shortened.

I had put almost complete faith in the system and my advisor, and was led to a point that was not where I should have been. It was there that I needed to make a stand and I did. Although the project did not do as well as I had hoped I did have a negative review letter taken off my permanent record by me taking a strong stand with the administration.

Here I realized that I should have informed the administration previously that I was not being advised as well as needed.

When I arrived at Manchester University to start my PhD my advisor was away for a year and my temporary advisor stated that if I did not change my views, think secular and stop believing that God created the world, in light of the problem of evil, I would not pass.

I met with my temporary advisor and I met with the academic Dean. They promised that after I came home for Christmas from BC, that I would not be reviewed academically for one year. I came back to Manchester after Christmas to an apartment that had been broken into with all my electronic equipment stolen. In the mail, or rather 'post' there was a letter from the academic department stating that I was to face academic review within one week.

So they lied.

I called the Dean via a pay phone, as I had no phone, and he offered double talk. The letter was wrong he stated, and although the meeting would not be a review, I would be grilled and needed to defend myself.

Hmm, sounded like an academic review.

So another lie.

Going against my parents wishes (sometimes as an adult you need to do this, but I state this as I was the more informed adult) I told the academic department I would not meet with them, had met with my advisor and Dean concerning the issue already, and that I did not deal with liars.

Good-bye.

Here, with God's guidance, I got myself out of a situation where they probably would have wasted a year with me and then booted me.

I tried to transfer to a Christian college affiliated with Manchester and was blocked by Manchester that stated I knew that I could not do the work.

Hmm, well if I knew I could not do the work why was I trying to do an in University transfer?

The level of work would be the same from one Manchester PhD to the next. I simply wanted to do that level of work and be able to come to my own reasonable academic conclusions.

So, another lie.

One night in Manchester I prayed to the Lord for help finding another University or I would go home soon. I searched online for several Universities and emailed a few.

The next day a man from Wales called me on the phone and offered to be my advisor. I wrote the 30, 000-40, 000 word approximately MPhil thesis degree with no revisions after marking.

That is no lie.

Although while writing my PhD I did my own MPhil revisions (see MPhil posted on thekingpin68).

The other day an online teacher tried to use psychological techniques with me as I asked some questions on his discussion board and ordered one product previously. He tried to use Alpha male techniques and acted like I needed to commit to such and such with his organization and that there was no excuse for not doing so. I stated that I would make no such commitment, wanted to be online less, would be online less in the future and to take me off the list.

As a result he respects me and we remain in contact. I truly do need to be online less in the future.

Biblically, I am with God's help trying to be loving and kind but need to stand for the truth. I in no way claim anywhere near apostolic authority but in Acts 5 Peter was not nice and two people died as a result.

Sometimes it is ethically superior not to be nice.


Photo sent to me from Jeff Jenkins

I am curious if they have a mascot, and if they do is he perhaps the Beurger King with a turban or the Sultan of Shakes?

THE JEFF




My Mom emailed me these photos of flowers, apparently from the Netherlands.

Internazionale Milano lost the second away leg of the UEFA Champions League to Barcelona. But, due to the first leg 3-1 victory, Inter won the semi-final 3-2 on aggregate.

Inter Manager José Mourinho ('The Special One', yes that is his nickname) went onto the Barcelona field using the number 1 sign (not the middle finger) pointing toward the Inter away fans and soon the sprinklers were turned on. Apparently he was in a confrontation with Barcelona's goalkeeper.

The football shenanigans...I must admit they make me laugh.

Mirror

'Jose Mourinho was involved in an amazing bust-up with Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes last night as his Inter Milan side fought its way through to the Champions League Final in a turbulent tie at the Nou Camp.

Mourinho called the 1-0 loss “the most beautiful defeat of my life” but it was marred by his clash with Valdes which happened as he charged across the pitch at the final whistle to salute Inter fans celebrating reaching the Champions League Final with a 3-2 aggregate win.

The Special One was intercepted by a furious Valdes, who grabbed him and wrapped him in a bear hug to try to prevent him waving at supporters high in the top tier of the stadium.

Mourinho eventually wrestled himself free from the grip of the keeper, who was then confronted by a group of Inter Milan players.

The Barcelona supporters hurled a fusillade of missiles at the former Chelsea boss as he tried to applaud his club’s supporters.

Then, as Mourinho and his players cavorted on the pitch in front of their fans, Barcelona turned on four sprinkler jets and drenched them...'









39 comments:

  1. Wow, that's quite the story, Russ, with regard to the situation in Manchester. Sometimes God takes us down some seemingly strange (and difficult) roads to get us where he wants us to be. It's an adventure!

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  2. Those flowers as you call them are TULIPS, grown in the Netherlands, and shipped all over the world. So very beautiful while they bloom, then the bulb rests for a showy sight again the following year.

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  3. Thanks, Jake. You are one of the people that could relate, at least somewhat, to my life. There is no greater honour or pleasure than serving the one and only true God of the Bible. But, I have paid a heavy price with academics, finances and socially. I have gained respect for my academic work but also face some unfair negative assumptions due to my current position.

    Strange and difficult...that is my life. God bless.

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  4. I toured the Netherlands with my family in 1976 when I was very young.

    Since then I have been to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) three times I think.

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  5. When I arrived at Manchester University to start my PhD my advisor was away for a year and my temporary advisor stated that if I did not change my views, think secular and stop believing that God created the world, in light of the problem of evil, I would not pass.

    That would be a tough situation. Such are choices that have to be made, and temptations that have to be faced sometimes, when you "go against the flow" or take a biblical stand. A reminder that life is not perfect or easy, especially sometimes for Christians.

    I came back to Manchester after Christmas to an apartment that had been broken into with all my electronic equipment stolen.

    That would tend to ruin your day. Of course, Jesus never promised a rosy, easy life, and sometimes we have to go through annoying circumstances, setbacks, irritating situations, losses, defeats, and even tragedies. With the economy as it is, and other things that are happening, I keep wondering how much Christians in the U.S. and the West are going to have to go through in the very near future, and whether or not there may be things harder than what we have ever had to face before.

    I am curious if they have a mascot, and if they do is he perhaps the Beurger King with a turban or the Sultan of Shakes?

    Cute.

    I strongly suspect that bacon and sausage are some of the things you will never find on the menu or in any of the ingredients at that Muslim Burger King. If you were to go there and order a Bacon Cheese Whopper, a Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit Sandwich or a Bacon Double Homestyle Melt, I suspect you might be quickly ordered to leave.

    The aerial photos of flowers remind me somewhat of abstract art, such as some of Mondrian's work.

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  6. 'That would be a tough situation. Such are choices that have to be made, and temptations that have to be faced sometimes, when you "go against the flow" or take a biblical stand. A reminder that life is not perfect or easy, especially sometimes for Christians.'

    In all seriousness, I was never tempted to change my views. But I was willing to change in regard to what I needed to read and what I needed to present. I had to do this at Wales in order to earn the MPhil and soon I hope via the mail, the PhD.

    The most difficult time of my life was in England, but life is now somewhat better but there still needs to be many changes made in my life.

    I did make some very good friends in Manchester.

    'If you were to go there and order a Bacon Cheese Whopper, a Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit Sandwich or a Bacon Double Homestyle Melt, I suspect you might be quickly ordered to leave.'

    You could ask for a Big Attack, I mean Big Mac.

    As noted previously, I ate regularly at a Muslim owned diner called Popeye's in Crumpsall and befriended the owner. A very kind man.

    Jeff, I pray for blessings concerning your struggles in Jesus' name.

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  7. sweet aerial pics.
    a Muslim BK? i wonder if they
    have an official franchise or are just piggybacking on BK fame.


    Bubba Ho Tep

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  8. Here's an eatery with a rather controversial name and theme...

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  9. '"It's really made people very upset that a person responsible for the massacre of 6 million Jews can be glorified," Elijah'

    Interesting, but certainly not the imagery I would choose for a restuarant.

    Thanks, Cardinal Chucklins.

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  10. I have gone through this blog. I found it very interesting and helpful. Nowadays I am completing my online degree course from home.
    So this blog really doing great for me.

    online degree

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  11. I am not going to publish your link, or publish the comment in the archives as you intended. But, if you are reading this I can state that distance learning degrees are difficult without a local advisor. Fortunately, by God's grace although I have taken an academic beating for the Lord I still look like I may come out on top. Thank you, Lord.

    Khaaaaaan!!!

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  12. "I have realized the last twelve years especially, due to academic battles that although I needed to stay good in the Biblical sense and love God with all my heart and love others as self (Mark 12 and Matthew 22), I needed to better stand up to social and psychological attempts at manipulation."

    YES! Once our ego is subdued, we may be asked to speak up and be the simple rock that some pompous (or worse) "authority" needs to be bruised against. Important to be as harmless as a dove yet wise as a serpent, you know?

    Thanks for being a web-friend!



    Aloha from Waikiki


    Comfort Spiral

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  13. 'YES! Once our ego is subdued, we may be asked to speak up and be the simple rock that some pompous (or worse) "authority" needs to be bruised against. Important to be as harmless as a dove yet wise as a serpent, you know?'

    Well stated.

    'Thanks for being a web-friend!'

    And you and well.

    Cheers.

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  14. Sounds like your a nice guy who loves kids and Lord willing I hope you can have the fulfillment of having your own family one day!
    -Family Matters-

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  15. 'Sounds like your a nice guy who loves kids and Lord willing I hope you can have the fulfillment of having your own family one day! -Family Matters-'

    Thanks, but I will not discuss the issue in detail, as I do want to(according to some experts) put across the idea that I am desperate for a relationship. Which I am not. It would be nice to meet more intellectual Christian ladies.

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  16. The Burger king mascot has a bomb that looks like a burger. The seller line is, Buy a burger, get 72 virgins. Rick b

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  17. Thanks very much for the blog comment.

    Art blogs can be very interesting.

    Russ:)

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  18. As noted previously, I ate regularly at a Muslim owned diner called Popeye's in Crumpsall and befriended the owner. A very kind man.

    Here, we have a chain called 'Popeye's,' which serves chicken. One time, I went into one, and one person told me to leave because I was white. Too bad you weren't there with me, Russ; you could have told him that I am half-black. ; )

    Jeff, I pray for blessings concerning your struggles in Jesus' name.

    Thank you very much, Russ. I continue to fill out job applications on pretty much a daily basis, as well as receive job agent e-mails for available jobs, calling places, driving to places, etc., but nothing yet. The Lord has been gracious and kind to me, however, as I still have food, clothing and shelter, and much more, so far. I even applied for cash assistance and Medicaid, but found out I don't qualify for either, since I don't have any young children. I also applied for food stamps, and was told I probably don't qualify for that either, but I will supposedly find out for sure within 30 days. I am now on a budget as far as buying groceries, and I am eating less now, so maybe at least I will lose some weight.

    BTW, here is a brand new blog site, by a Christian book author (I saw his book while window-shopping at a local Christian bookstore just the other day, and, if I could afford to spend the money, I would have liked to buy it):
    Will Palestinian Statehood Bring Peace?

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  19. 'Here, we have a chain called 'Popeye's,' which serves chicken. One time, I went into one, and one person told me to leave because I was white. Too bad you weren't there with me, Russ; you could have told him that I am half-black. ; )'

    Lol.

    I actually discussed some central differences between Islam and Christianity with the kind owner while I lived in Manchester.

    Jeff, I keep praying for you.

    Yes, that was the author we discussed previously.

    Thanks.

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  20. Maybe the players were really hot and sweaty and the arena crew were
    simply trying to cool them down and help them become clean? 8)


    Zinedine "Zisu" Zidane

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  21. Sometimes I cannot believe that these are adults playing sports.
    Behavior such as the follies after this soccer match is ridiculous and very immature and in my opinion a very bad example of sportsmanship to the many youth who love the sport of soccer....to the adult teams involved...GROW UP
    -Soccer Buff-

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  22. 'Maybe the players were really hot and sweaty and the arena crew were
    simply trying to cool them down and help them become clean? 8)


    Zinedine "Zisu" Zidane'

    At the time I thought...on field showers.

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  23. 'Sometimes I cannot believe that these are adults playing sports.'

    I sure can.

    'Behavior such as the follies after this soccer match is ridiculous and very immature and in my opinion a very bad example of sportsmanship to the many youth who love the sport of soccer....to the adult teams involved...GROW UP
    -Soccer Buff-'

    It is also entertaining. Sad but true. From experience in the UK, I can tell you that it would often be worse in the stands.

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  24. Some people take soccer way to seriously. Rick b

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  25. 'Obama said that the US is also making outreach in cultural sector, including a comic book series in which American superhero Superman and Batman work with their Muslim counterparts. “And I hear they’re making progress,” Obama said.'

    Not on my want list.

    Cheers.:)

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  26. This was e-mailed to me:

    Black Muslims

    Wonder if the Black Muslims know exactly what the Koran and the real Muslims (Arabs) think of them?

    "Say it loud. "I’m Black and I’m proud… not to be Muslim."

    One of the most bizarre manifestations of African-American pride is its contemporary identification with Islam. The Nation of Islam (Black Muslim movement) plays on the racism against black people by white people hence you hear them use terms like "white devils", etc.

    The Muslim Hadith says Muhammad was a white man, so Black Muslims actually serve Islamic whites, even though they speak against whites.

    Meanwhile, the Muslim Hadith says the following about blacks:

    Narrated Anas bin Malik:
    Allah's Apostle said, "You should listen to and obey, your ruler even if he was an Ethiopian (black) slave whose head looks like a raisin." (Sahih Bukhari Volume 9, Book 89, Number 256)
    Hadith; vol.9:162,163: Muhammad warned that dreams of black women meant disease was forthcoming. Black Muslims today are so uninformed that they don't even understand that Muhammad had many black slaves and called them raisin heads (Hadith vol.1:662, vol.9:256 )

    Muslims are told that Africans “annoy the Prophet” (Ishaq 243), have hearts “grosser than a donkey” (Surah 9:61) and that blacks should be left to die if injured, and should be denied intercession and entrance to heaven (Bukhari: Volume 4, Book 52, Number 137). Yet and still Louis Farrakan and his followers will tell us the lie that Christianity is the white man's religion. Jesus came for all regardless of color, but Black Islam is especially designed just to lead Black folks to hell! It was the peaceful Christian's in America who stopped all slavery here.

    The story goes that in 1930 Allah appeared to the people of Detroit in the form of a mysterious man named “Fard.” Allah’s human form seemed to be of African and Arab descent and claimed to have been born in Mecca, a descendant of the prophet Muhammad. He preached a message of racial identity and claimed that Islam was the true religion of the black people of America before they were robbed of it by the White man.

    (cont.)

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  27. (cont.)

    In fact, Fard was really just a small-time conman named Wallace Dodd Ford, who served three years in San Quentin for drug-dealing. He drifted into Detroit at a time when many African-Americans were beginning to form racial identity groups around charismatic personalities such as Marcus Garvey. Of course, race consciousness was hardly just a “black thing” at the time, as the 1920’s were also when Ku Klux Klan influence peaked in America.

    Interestingly, Ford was neither of African or Arab descent, as he claimed. He was a mix of European and Polynesian. But he did recognize an opportunity when he saw one, and the street preacher soon built up quite a following among those who could appreciate an overtly racist theology that persists to this day in spite of its zaniness.

    According to Ford, and his Nation of Islam, Africans were the original and only people of the world (divine and uncorrupted) before whites were invented by an evil scientist named Yakub in a malicious experiment with tragic consequences. Islam is the true religion, and, at some point, a spaceship will be sent by Allah to eliminate the white people from the earth.

    Another sad aspect of Black Muslims is that many African-Americans are drawn to Islam out of racial pride, thinking that there is some sort of association with Africa. Muslim evangelicals in the black communities and in prisons often play this up in an attempt to persuade the gullible into rejecting Christianity as the “white man’s religion.”

    In the First place, Christianity in Africa predates Islam by almost 600 years. Christian missionaries were on the African continent within two decades of the Crucifixion. Secondly, unlike Christianity, Islam had no interest in missionary hospitals or the poor. Arab contact with Black Africa was for one purpose only, plain and simple. That same as it is now: slavery. The awful truth is that Arabs ravaged Africa for more than 1000 years before Europeans ever got their hands on black slaves. These black Muslim slaves died from over work and lived in squalor. By contrast, the four million slaves brought to America over the course of 200 years managed to leave the most prosperous group of African descendants on the planet.

    Orthodox Islam does not want to be identified with the Black Muslim movement in America. It is seen as heretical and is not considered part of Islam.

    Will this change their minds about following such an evil entity?"

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  28. 'According to Ford, and his Nation of Islam, Africans were the original and only people of the world (divine and uncorrupted) before whites were invented by an evil scientist named Yakub in a malicious experiment with tragic consequences. Islam is the true religion, and, at some point, a spaceship will be sent by Allah to eliminate the white people from the earth.'

    Classic!

    Thanks.

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  29. Thanks, TP.

    Well, you tried thekingpin68 and now here. I am glad you gave up on trying to leave a link, but I still prefer the comment here as opposed to in my archives...sorry. Happy Saturday.

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  30. Whats Up Mr. Soccer Coach?? Cant you just clap your hands respectfully with a little reservation after winning the match in an away field?? No, instead you run around with your finger in the air for the world to see especially the home fans at the match!! Think Buddy Think!
    -W.T, Franklin-

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  31. But Mr. Franklin, he is the 'Special One'. Looking out for number one.

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  32. The Special One as always has an enormous entertainment value…every sport needs a Jose….

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  33. 'The Special One as always has an enormous entertainment value…every sport needs a Jose….'

    Well stated.

    He is good for marketing purposes.

    Let us hope the Whitecaps bring in a major European club for a friendly or tournament soon.

    Cheers.

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  34. You have to enjoy a guy that speaks of himself in the third person LOL

    Sport is more than athletics…if it truly wants FANatics…

    There seems to be a lot of positive anticipation about the Whitecaps around town…

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  35. 'You have to enjoy a guy that speaks of himself in the third person LOL'

    I have about twenty years academic writing experience. I have done pretty well with writing for a guy that did not try very much in secondary school.

    The academic writing does not however, assist much in marketing. I actually took a copywriting course via correspondence a few years ago and this would be partially responsible for the title of this post.

    It is more of an emotionally charged title than academic title.

    However, the blog is largely academic.

    Thanks my friend.

    Russ:)

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