Always be prepared

Always be prepared.

Expect the unexpected.

Two statements that I try to live by in life, but of course I do not always succeed. The clip is a from February 20, 2007 and features a surprise attempt at goal. The match is Manchester United at Lille in the UEFA Champions League.

I have spent the last couple of days reading and listening to information about the Jesus Family story that has come out recently. Here is the link to the related article I wrote on my hilosophical theology blog.

http://thekingpin68.blogspot.com/2007/02/jesus-family.html

Cheers,

Russ:)

Bank Scam 2

The email below looks like another fraudulent attempt by persons to obtain my information. I do not have an account with the Royal Bank.

Bank Scam 1

http://satireandtheology.blogspot.com/2006/12/bank-scam.html



Dear Valued Customer,
During our routine check, our online security team observed multiple logons on your account. For your security, we have issued this warning. Because the number of attempts to Sign In exceeded the number allowed, we have placed an extra verification processes to ensure your identity and your account security. You are required to RE-CONFIRM your online access.
We ask that you take 5-10 minutes to update your online access. Sign in to begin the verification process. Please note that entering invalid entries to your details will lead to Online Account Lock Down.

(Failure to verify account details correctly may lead to account Lock Down)

Thank you.
Online Banking Security Team
Royal Bank of Canada.
© Royal Bank of Canada 2001 - 2007

(Do not reply to this email. Royal Bank of Canada retains the right to send you periodic updates on alerts and services).

Definitely not Proverbs

London from Greenwich

http://www.svsu.edu/~haynes/Supplements%20to%20Index/Good%20Humor/Zen%20Thoughts.PDF

- Save the whales. Collect the whole set.
- A day without sunshine is like, night.
- On the other hand, you have different fingers.
- I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.
- 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.
- 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
- I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe.
- Honk if you love peace and quiet.
- Remember, half the people you know are below average.
- He who laughs last thinks slowest.
- Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
- The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
- I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol.
- Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.
- Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7 of your week.
- A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
- Change is inevitable, especially for ASME Y14.100.
- Get a new car for your spouse. It'll be a great trade!
- Plan to be spontaneous tomorrow.
- Always try to be modest, and be proud of it!
- If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of meetings.
- How many of you believe in telekinesis? Raise my hand . . .
- OK, so what's the speed of dark?
- How do you tell when you're out of invisible ink?
- If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.
- When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
- Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.
- Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have any film.
- If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?
- Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
- What happens if you get scared half to death twice?
- I used to have an open mind but my brains kept falling out.
- I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.
- Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?
- Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what happened.

You presume too much

The You Tube (pulled by site) title reads:

Robert Tilton failed faith healing

The secondary title reads:

A man is seen grimacing in pain after being "healed" of a broken collar bone.

According to the New Testament record Jesus, the Apostles and certain disciples empowered by God performed some supernatural healings. For example in John, Chapter 11, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. In Acts, Chapter 8, Simon the Sorcerer observed signs and great miracles taking place through Philip. The Biblical concept seems to be that God can empower someone to perform a healing, but so often I think certain people want to make supernatural things happen and for this reason scepticism is healthy in regard to healing and miracles. It seems apparent that the man in the clip was not healed as the preacher avoided the situation and moved on.

1 John 5: 14-15 from the New American Standard Bible mentions that if persons ask things according to God's will, God will hear these prayers that become requests.

And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from him.

From these verses I take the idea that by being within God's will requests will be heard. This concept would not guarantee supernatural healing in a given situation but would make it from a Biblical perspective, possible.

According to Millard J. Erickson as Hebrews 9: 27 explains each person is to die and be judged, obviously persons are not intended to live forever in the present earthly body. Erickson (1994: 841). Therefore, all human beings shall eventually die and divine healing is not guaranteed in this life and should not be presumed unless a person is overwhelmingly lead by the Holy Spirit to heal someone. If this is the case a true healing should result, and not a phony one.

ERICKSON, Millard. (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

Cell Phones And Driving

Edited March 6, 2016

I do not text and drive and would only use a cell phone/mobile phone while driving in an urgent situation. It would be the same for any handheld digital device.

However, being somewhat impatient I can understand the temptation to attempt to multi-task while driving and engaging in a conversation.

From the New American Standard Bible:

Ecclesiastes 7:8b states: Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.

In the context of this article, may I suggest that patience of spirit is better than a potential car accident! Perhaps one should at least strongly consider pulling over to the side of the road before using the mobile phone or any handheld device. In the Greater Vancouver area the minority of drivers that take unnecessary risks or do not pay enough attention while behind the wheel makes driving in this area tricky. I think certain persons that drive while talking on their mobile phone provide another potential hazard.

FIFA World Rankings as of February 14, 2007

Lake Como, Italy

The top ten:

1. Italy
2. Brazil
3. Argentina
4. France
5. Germany
6. England
7. Netherlands
8. Portugal
9. Czech Republic
10. Spain

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=408580&cc=5901

http://www.fifa.com/en/mens/statistics/index/0,2548,131847,00.html?articleid=131847

Dave Allen

 

The late comedian Dave Allen discusses God and Adam and Eve. I watched Dave Allen as a child and his skits were often good. In this satirical monologue he attempts to analyze the beginning of the book of Genesis. Allen makes the common mistake of claiming that Eve ate of an apple. According to Strong's, in Genesis 3:6 Eve is said to have taken a fruit and eaten of it. Strong (1986: 499). Strong explains that the word for fruit used here is priy (per-ee) in Hebrew. Strong (1986: 127). I can agree with Allen that it is wise to avoid contact with talking snakes! As my PhD and prior studies have shown, the book of Genesis does in places use poetic language and so although I do believe in a literal, historical, Adam and Eve, I am not certain of the exact appearance of the serpent described in Genesis, Chapter 3. Strong writes that the word used here for serpent can also be defined as snake. Strong (1986: 102). The Hebrew word used for serpent or snake here is nachash (naw-khawsh). Strong (1986: 102). I sometimes find satirical, secular monologues concerning religion interesting because they at times show secular assumptions and bias. 

In the case of Dave Allen these presentations can also be amusing. I still somewhat remember a certain Dave Allen skit. A young man stands before a British judge wearing one of those long full bottomed powdered wigs and is asked if he has anything to state before sentencing. The young man replies, "Yes, get a bloody haircut". 

STRONG, J. (1986) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Pickering, Ontario, Welch Publishing Company.

Tower Bridge, London: trekearth

Turkish Football: Fenerbahce vs Galatasaray

I do not know why some European countries (Turkey is part of UEFA) allow flares and fireworks within the stadium. This clip features the largest football fire I have seen in recent memory.

From The New American Standard Bible:

Proverbs 16: 29-30

A man of violence entices his neighbor, and leads him in a way that is not good.

La Villa Strangiato-Pinkpop 1979

A fine instrumental clip from the Netherlands in 1979. This piece features hard rock/classical fusion.

Some points:

In Bible Study the last two weeks there has been a "Phantom flatulator" who does rather loud ones from another room as the study is ending. I am not sure if this is an unofficial signal that the study has ended and that we should all go home. I personally would prefer a bell sound.

According to The Worst-Case Scenario: Little Book for Dating:

One should ask a date a personal question and if the person looks to the right when the answering he/she is often recalling and telling the truth, and if he/she looks to the left they are creating or spinning events. p 10. Hmm, I would like to see the scientific data on that claim!

In regard to the problem of evil questionnaires, I appreciate the support I have received so far with a few people accepting and returning surveys via the internet and a few friends locally who are willing to hand them out to people that attend churches. My previous advisor had suggested I would need 400 surveys filled out but my new advisor has not provided a number. My goal is to have at least 100 questionnaires completed. A pastor today suggested that it would be great if I could sample everyone, including those of other religions such as Hindus. I completely agree that this would be fascinating and would make my work easier, but because my University requires me to obtain my information from a sample, I have to limit my questionnaire to a group. Since I attend a Christian church and I am writing Christian theology, persons that attend Christian churches are my sample group. As noted previously I can send the questionnaire out to anyone upon request even if I cannot count them in my sample group. The following article explains sample:

http://thekingpin68.blogspot.com/2006/12/sample.html

I listened to this interesting discussion on global warming the other day:

http://www.albertmohler.com/radio_show.php?cdate=2007-01-23

Donald Trump is asked about President Bush:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdxFn8FfauU

Russ:)

The problem of evil: your input requested

Lake Ohara, BC

Greetings,

As part of my PhD dissertation, I am issuing a short and completely confidential and nameless problem of evil questionnaire through the internet. Anyone who is attending a Christian church, my sample group, that is interested in filling one out please let me know by leaving a comment or contacting me at rnmwales@shaw.ca

I will send a copy to those who are not within my sample group upon request as well. I will shortly be looking to sample local churches.

Here is an explanation of what is basically contained within the questionnaire.

Part 1:

Questions on basic background information, but the questionnaire remains nameless.

Questions on the church attended and religious beliefs in general terms.

Part 2:

Questions on the nature of God.

Questions relating to free will, sovereignty, and soul-making views on the problem of evil.

Questions relating to practical theology from a feminist perspective.

Part 3:

Questions concerning society and the problem of evil.

Thanks for reading.

Russ Murray