Philosophical & Theological Reflections On Satirical Images Continued

Lake Como, Italy (Photos from trekearth.com)







I have used the Lake Como/Como Lake photos more than once on my other blog, I think I have seven of them as desktop photos from trekearth. It looks like a beautiful place for both water and greenery.

Philosophical & Theological Reflections On Satirical Images Continued


Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics

Very demotivational

I have read more than once that fictional Steve Rogers/Captain America is a Christian, but from this section it appears he may be Reformed. He states basically that the Scripture should be considered and that America's problems begin with 'Total Depravity'. I have liked Captain America for being an ethical superhero over the years.

On the other hand, it is kind of bizarre being preached at from Marvel Comics of all places.

Romans 3:9-26 relates

English Standard Version/ESV

9 What then? Are we Jews[a] any better off?[b] No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being[c] will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.


Marvel Comics/Google Images

Okay, I have posted this on this blog previously. I realize it is unBiblical and satirical but we started on the Marvel theme...


Very Demotivational

And does that make it philosophically meaningful?

I will be fair as I had to read atheistic and related type critics for my MPhil and PhD theses for over ten years. There are some good authors to read with some reasonable points such as Antony Flew, J.L. Mackie and D.Z. Phillips often cited in blog post Bibliographies on my Dr. RNM blog especially.

I think Very Demotivational is a very good entertainment site and I appreciate the use of the materials but it strikes me as pro-atheistic.


Very Demotivational

Revenge for that 'Boss' cat in the previous post?;)


Very Demotivational

A new type of corporal punishment. On the ears.


Very Demotivational

Seems kind of relevant, sadly. Perhaps one could actually run some kind of church on Facebook with an audio sermon and the presentations could be judged by 'Likes'.



2 Timothy 3:16-17

English Standard Version/ESV
¹⁶ All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God^[a] may be complete, equipped for every good work.
1 Peter 3: 15-17

English Standard Version/ESV

15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.


Very Demotivational

Classic.


Very Demotivational

There is an element of truth here it seems. Empirically when I venture over to shop in Washington State which is very rarely, I do see a lot of huge persons in the mall. More than in Greater Vancouver. On the other hand with the American University system, for example, leading the way with its emphasis on athletics, there are many fit Americans it appears.


Very Demotivational

Basically here in Greater Vancouver/The Lower Mainland it is just a few miles from northern wilderness. We are at the edge of any densely populated Western World. About a year ago on one of my evening walks on a weekend I saw an approximately 150-200 pound cougar/mountain lion walking in the other direction from quite a distance. It walked with a stride with absolutely no fear which helped in my assessment that it was not a dog or any creature that had a predator. It crossed the road and went into a park that actually has a fenced off section that houses toddlers during the week and so I did notify authorities.

A public section of the park hosts some of Maple Ridge's potheads in the evenings and it actually might have been funny for the kitty cat to visit them.;)


Very Demotivational
Bad timing...


Very Demotivational

But according to the advertisements I see on television I deduce I should be mainly concerned if it is not 100% Canadian beef...

Technorati Poll-Confidence in Church and Organized Religion is down

Quotes:

'For instance, for the church/organized religion, while 44 percent expressed confidence in this institution for this current year, that was 12 percentage points below the historical average of 56 percent.'

'But the truth is that the reason some people may have lost confidence in the church/organized religion has to do with an individual’s idea of the church’s mission versus the church’s understanding of her God-given-mission, and these two can be worlds apart.'

This seems reasonable. I think that the Church needs to emphasize both the loving and just natures of the Gospel and God. To overemphasize one at the expense of the other in a non-Biblical way is not theologically correct.


Lake Como, Italy (Google Images)


Lake Como, Italy (Google Images) New desktop photo

Philosophical & Theological Reflections On Satirical Images

Windows Image

Quick Update

I have two recent lectures on the Nicene Creed that I have posted in text form on my other blog which can be viewed here:

Dr. Russell Norman Murray

I am caregiving along with professional assistance for my disabled Mother at present while still looking for work within my field. I have looked within academia, publishing and media. I am also now looking at online teaching and will consider Europe more closely for teaching possibilities.

As far as blogging is concerned I once again would like to express my thank you for the pageviews, comments, followers and links. God willing I plan to keep writing satire and theology and Dr. Russell Norman Murray as long as I live but the more support I receive in the areas noted means I receive more motivation to write and prepare more posts.

Blogger's new and improved statistical information also allows me access to greater knowledge in regard to the type of posts I write that my readers prefer most.

Not that popularity is my primary goal, but I would like to within God's will market my blogs reasonably well in the difficult genres of theology and philosophy of religion.

Philosophical & Theological Reflections On Satirical Images

Images below assumed to be available for public domain from

Very Demotivational



I posted this image on the Lochness Monster post in the archives, but I will add some new commentary. Philosophically when I see people that are tanned like this it is almost as if spray tan and tanning booths have created a new race of persons which are a hybrid from Caucasian and spray tan and/or a tanning booth. Perhaps they should be called 'Tanasian'.

The late twentieth century and twenty-first century brought about the rise of the Tanasian race, history books could state.



I reason some Christian fundamentalists would be in agreement. Those that espouse the Satan Claus theory...



Of course in a fictional world the laws of reality are altered and so things may occur in that fictional reality which may not actually occur in non-fictional reality. However, in many modern religious movements including aspects of radical liberal Christianity many want to see core apsects of many different religions and philosophies as correct.

But, Jesus Christ reminds us in John 14:6 from the English Standard Version:

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Not politically correct, but Biblical and the Gospel message none the less.

There is another thought I have had recently as I struggle with practical problems of evil in life and having studied the problem of evil with MPhil and PhD theses. If Biblical Christianity is abandoned because of suffering and evil as if God is disappointing facing much scrutiny, which he often does, any world view/philosophy which Christianity is replaced with should also be very much scrutinized.

My conclusion after writing MPhil and PhD theses is that Christianity still handles the problem of evil and theodicy the best, particularly from a Reformed perspective. Much of this discussion can be viewed on the Dr. Russell Norman Murray blog.



This was posted by a Facebook friend. What struck me about it was quite obviously the celebrities are probably not related with different surnames, but at least from these six photos do look alike. It seems that with young females in particular to make it as a celebrity in the twenty-first century there is a certain look that one needs to succeed in a major way. I am not stating these women do have talent and skill but indeed they do look alike.

If one was a young very gifted 200 pound female singer would she be able to make a commercial album? Possibly, but not likely.



Not in my case...I even have a PhD.



Now my years of blogging has shown me that most bloggers are young women. I reason none of my readers, followers or links are like that young lady. I pray...



Typical. I do like a cat's attitude though.



No, seaside property for sale. Reduced price.



Regardless of one's philosophical position on tattoos/tats and I do not have a Biblical position against them, this satirical poster does demonstrate that there still is a significant negative social attitude to what would be considered excessive tattoos such as facial tattoos. The wise approach economically would seem to be to have no tattoos or one to a few well-placed tattoos that can be hidden by clothing at the needed times.



I think this person was victim of more than a bad career choice.



My cousin in Edinburgh drove one of those quite fast and very well. Edinburgh is in Scotland and perhaps in a satirical James Bond like movie there would be land bridge between Scotland and the South Pole.



Occasionally during the year I walk downstairs and watch an old film with Mom from the 1940-1970s. I think often the written dialogue is much better than modern films. I also think there is a wealth of older films worth watching. However, for a film like the Avengers the newer computer generated technology of the 2010s is needed and therefore the 1970s era Avengers just looks lame.

Europe I Have Seen (a few photos with stories)

London (trekearth)

'Places to Visit in the British Isles' from January 27, 2009.

Today, I will write a post with a similar theme as this blog does need to be updated with a useful relevant post and I do have a lecture to prepare as noted for which will be presented on the other blog in text form.

The Changing of the Guard London/Mom and I were almost Trampled

Official Royal Site

Quote:

'Changing the Guard or Guard Mounting is the process involving a new guard exchanging duty with the old guard.

The Guard which mounts at Buckingham Palace is called The Queen’s Guard and is divided into two Detachments: the Buckingham Palace Detachment (which is responsible for guarding Buckingham Palace), and the St. James’s Palace Detachment, (which guards St. James’s Palace). These guard duties are normally provided by a battalion of the Household Division and occasionally by other infantry battalions or other units.'

Insight Guides


Insight Guides

I was a little boy and my Mom was somewhat disabled and walked with a limp. She notes as we were waiting for the changing of the guard there was a 'Rush of the crowd' and 'They would not stop for anybody'. I remember in years past she noted that she was scared for me that day. I also remember being pushed all over the place by the public and thinking that these adults were a bunch of bullies and idiots. I remember thinking that no stranger around me cared about me whatsoever. I am very glad that I managed to stay on my feet and avoided being trampled and to hang on to a parent or two.

'I'm not ^%^$^% Standin' All the Way to Glasgow!'


Edinburgh Castle (trekearth)


Glasgow Green (trekearth)

Chucky and I were touring the British Isles in 1995. This was a preview for the 1997 trip, that was the British PhD University Tour. Cardinal Chucklins eventually attended no further University and went back to Canada to take care of his family after working in Europe a couple of times. I went through The University of Manchester, followed by the Trinity-Carmarthen College, The University of Wales and then moved to Bangor, University, formerly The University of Wales, Bangor, where I earned the MPhil thesis degree. I then went to The University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter, where it all ended with the PhD thesis degree.

But back to 1995, we were already on the nearly full bus and this young couple walks on and the young man has his head almost completely shaved accept for a thin pony tail and he is holding what looks like a walking stick but it obviously doubled as a weapon. He looks around and yells with a strong Scottish accent. 'I am not ^%%^&% standin' all the way to Glasgow!'

Then an elderly woman states something along the lines of ...

'This is why our country is in such bad shape'.

Classic.

Amsterdam

http://www.madurodam.nl/nl/

I remember this from our family trip when I was a child. It is in Amsterdam. Some very fine detail work.


Madurodam from email


Madurodam from email

The Tattoo

Royal Edinburgh Tattoo

Quote:

'The world-renowned display unit from the Norwegian Armed Forces - His Majesty The King's Guard Band and Drill Team - will deliver an extraordinary display of discipline and precision, whilst dancers from home and abroad are set to provide exhilarating and inspired performances, drawn firmly from the Scottish tradition but with a contemporary edge.'

I have viewed the Tattoo twice and it features mostly drumming. It has nothing to do with 'tats' or the two most 'popular' posts according to Blogger from this blog that have to do with fake bodybuilders and somehow tattoos ended up being brought into the discussion on the one post and the subject keeps being mentioned is some related web searches for both posts.;)


Edinburgh Castle Tattoo



The child is very likely safe from the Lion due to protective glass but I do not find it humourous the toddler could under certain unforeseen circumstances be food for the Lion.

It is also cruel to the Lion in a sense, as the animal should not be provoked/teased in such a way.

If it was my child I would remove him (or her if the case) from the situation and I would respectfully suggest the same be done for a child of a relative or friend certainly.