Christmas 2012: New Year's Eve And New Year's Ending

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New Year's Ending

Due to the relative popularity, pageview wise of my Christmas and New Year's Eve posts, from now on in December these will mainly be the posts I will produce. I am not a populist post writer, for the most part, obviously, but on other hand, for marketing and ministry purposes I should 'listen' to my followers and readers and I do.

Obviously, I pretty much write what I am led to write, but again I do want to be sensitive to followers and readers. Overall, I am pleased with the progress of the blogs and still plan to continue with them, Blogger allowing, for the rest of my life as ministry and as an outlet for academic Theology, Philosophy of Religion and Biblical Studies.

Although presently working in the family networking marketing business, I am always interested in potential academic teaching possibilities, but I am not interested in putting all my eggs in one economic basket, especially with the mediocre United States economy at this time and the fact that most career work in academia, publishing and media related to my degrees will be in the United States. I will use my Blogger blogs as a media to maintain my PhD skill level and also look at any church relate teaching opportunities.

This blog's pageviews are basically matching the monthly highs from 2008 and 2010 and so there is an increase from 2011. My other blog, thekingpin68/Dr. Russell Norman Murray is likely at an overall month to month high at this point but it is still at about 40% of pageview level of Satire And Theology, even with me intentionally writing more posts on that blog and shorter posts, the Satire blog is simply, even with the same message, easier to read, and more visual and humourous. 

Even so, as far as Technorati rankings, which is primarily concerned with links, the blogs are fairly equal with the Dr. Russell Norman Murray blog perhaps being slightly ahead, when one blog is ahead, more often than not. This may because there are more citations with the posts. As well, my other blog is ahead with followers.

The disappointing issue, and I am trying to comment on the blogs of others, is lack of comments. I try to limit SPAM comments to the most humourous and informative, but they do assist in boosting my comment numbers and making the blogs look professional. I realize that many Blogger bloggers or other bloggers have dropped out or suspended blogging and I have blogged on this issue previous in regard to Facebook, I do realize Facebook and related sites with a type of blogging have their benefits, but if one feels so led I would appreciate some assistance with comments.

Obviously, I accept anonymous comments and if you are already a frequent pageviewer you already show up on Statcounter/Sitemeter and so if I have not figured out who you are by now, anonymous comments probably will not assist me, much.;)

It could be worse, I could be asking for ca$h...

Thank you to readers/pageviewers, followers, links, and commenters for 2012 and for the next years.:)

My brother and I drove back to Sea-Tac International Airport Tuesday and older brother went back to Arizona to join most of the family. Border patrol was not difficult this time with either country. In November when I went to pick him up there was first of all a forty-five minute wait at the border and then I was asked to pull aside by US Customs/Homeland Security for over an hour as they looked through my car and I stood in a long line-up only to be asked the same questions again and again, and then asked to sit down more than once. I do not venture over the border much but when I go to the Excited States of Americana from the Socialist Paradise of Canada by myself I receive some kind of interview about 33% to 50% of the time.

Perhaps it is all that martial arts combined with muscles and the glasses?

Once I even left the baseball bat in the trunk...woops. They did not say anything.

I do receive some pageviews from Canadian and United States security agencies (probably employees) and so I do wonder if when someone reads work about 'New Heaven and New Earth' there could be some misunderstandings.

No revolutionary here.

However, once I am checked out I always come out a saint. After all, I do have a lot of female readers relatively, some Americans read me and toddlers love me, so I cannot be all the bad...

On a serious philosophical note, I realize that since 911, and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security the United States Border Patrol has needed to increase security and I support it. What I would like to see is increased technological advances made at border crosses, ports, train stations, and airports in order not to waste so much time. When I first picked my brother up there was the forty-five minute wait at the border. Efficiency should be increased. This was a morning on a week day in November, not a major holiday. In my mind if one wants security there should be efficiency, there was too much delay in having the security officers check the cars in the first place.

Another example comes to mind when flying to the United States back in 2009 with my disabled Mother and her metal artificial hips and joints. Clearly she is elderly (prematurely due to disability), basically deaf, and struggling and therefore very likely not a threat. A machine/computer should be able to determine that nature of her physical being without her having to take her shoes off, which is a great struggle, holding up tens of other people. As basically deaf she cannot hear the instructions well from authorities not familiar with her and I was asked to step away and could not assist the officer. In any other case with an official, such as Medical Doctor or Bank Manager I would serve as Guardian basically, but with the United States Department of Home Security, which are still basically friendly people at the airport, and their airport employee associates, they required Mom to be taken aside alone.

Again not efficient.

Keep Calm

Rotten E Cards

New Year's Eve

I have a local party to go to, nothing wild...

Please send me ca$h-See Mathew 24

Google Images

Ignore false prophets (Matthew 24)-Google Images

Christmas 2012: Integrity

London-trekearth

London-trekearth

Christmas posts have done fairly well relatively speaking, pageview wise on this blog and therefore I can reasonably conclude that my readers are receiving benefit from the Christmas posts and also the related New Year's Eve and New Year's articles as well. I reason I can write this article with a level of integrity and not simply as a pageview grab.

Blackburn philosophizes that integrity is most simply 'a synonym for honesty'. Blackburn (1996: 195). But the philosophical concept of integrity is often connected with more complex notions of a human harmony with self, and this very self would be compromised by doing certain things. Blackburn (1996: 195). The implication being that self would be compromised by committing acts/actions that would lack honesty and not be of integrity.

After church Sunday, I sat with Mr. Matt and the choir, having lunch. Now I would never be caught alive or dead in the choir, but I was nice enough to assist Mr. Matt, even though it was not my scheduled turn with church clean-up, and so I had a very small lunch with Mr. Matt and some ladies and at the time assisted bringing dishes, trays and coffee (a proof we are not Latter-Day Saints) related pots and cups downstairs and helped load the dishwasher after assisting with the rinse in the sink.

At the lunch table, in the Christmas spirit we were discussing issues such as divorce, dating, evangelism to non-believers and in general living as a Christian. My thought as a Christian theologian and philosopher was that everyone in the Church, as noted previously on my blogs, as a sinner fails to have perfect integrity in the Gospel, because even though the believer is regenerated as in born again (John 3) and chosen for salvation (Ephesians 1, Romans 8), each believer still has the sinful nature described in Romans 1-6. So when certain non-believers or certain fellow Christians label Christians as hypocrites, it is as one who violates his or her own principles, ethics, morals. There is at times truth with these labels,

The Sunday sermon was focusing on 'election' and was basically in agreement with the compatibilism expressed in my MPhil and PhD theses.

I reason as Calvin expressed the idea in 'Bondage and Liberation of the Will' that the regenerated person was one freed to worship the Biblical God in a way that the lost, unregenerate person could not. Calvin (1543)(1996: 115).

Feinberg expressed similar concepts in his work but more also from a philosophical perspective as well, as did I.

The point being that even though those in the Church are 'chosen'/'elected' and it is first a move by God implied by God moving someone to be 'born again', as Calvin noted, there is a sense of the will being freed upon regeneration to do the will of God, in Christ.

The example of divorce arose at lunch. I do not claim that relationship experience, but have studied related concepts for hours online psychologically from secular perspectives and theologically, Biblically and philosophically academically. If the Scripture only allows for divorce in the cases of divorce (Matthew 19, I Corinthians 7) then as the one young woman in particular agreed with me today, the way to avoid divorce is to approach marriage with the attitude that divorce is a non-option. Of course this requires a suitable partner to start with... I refuse to write relationship posts anymore and I was in fact invited by a secular relationship professional, now Facebook friend that was so impressed by my work to start a Christian site dedicated to such, but I declined as I have enough to do online already, and desire no more. But in light of Jesus warning on the subject in Matthew 5 (see the Dr. RNM blog) and Paul with I Corinthians 7 (see Dr. RNM blog)  it is common sense I reason most people reading this struggle with this general area, including me.

A key seems to be reconsidering perspectives again and again and again by the Holy Spirit's guidance within Scripture.

Not to be following set worldly patterns. Or bad patterns within the Church for the matter.

On Sunday we discussed evangelism and how sometimes persons in 'cults' were more friendly than Christians. Mr. Matt correctly stated that Christians should not always be 'nice' because the Gospel is true and offends, implying for example, hell is not nice. True enough, but one of my faults as an introvert that is becoming slightly more extroverted over the years is that I am not the most smiley person, or the first person to shake hands etc.. But on the other hand, I am never afraid or ashamed to share the Gospel, the Bible, Christian theology and philosophy in public and private.

I will not win awards for overt friendliness, but at least I cannot be blamed for hurting the Gospel by being mean-spirited and by being unwilling in a friendly manner in public and private, as I do on these blogs, to discuss Christian theology and philosophy.

These are examples in my mind for a Christian to have integrity with a Christmas type spirit year round.

BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

CALVIN, JOHN (1543)(1996) The Bondage and Liberation of the Will, Translated by G.I. Davies, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

Bad Christmas Gift-The Guardian

Bad Christmas Gift-The Guardian

From FreakingNews.Com

The Guardian

Freaking News.com

Christmas 2012: Lights, Satire & Philosophy

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The first scan below is from Browning page 63, the other Oliver page 220. I only scanned part of Oliver. These were used on a Christmas post for this same blog in 2010.

BROWNING, W.R.F. (1997) Oxford Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

OLIVER, O.G. Jr. (1996) ‘Christmas’, in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.

The birth of Christ was documented in the Gospels (Mathew 1-2, Luke 1-3), and Christmas was an event brought about by the Church to highlight the birth of the Son of God, the God-Man the one that atoned for humanity within the new covenant (Hebrews 12) that was resurrected and will lead his followers to resurrection (I Corinthians 15).  Therefore, on principal, I do not have a theological or philosophical difficulty with the historical fact that Christmas is not strictly 'Biblical' because the birth of Christ, whatever technical day is actually is, is Biblical, and the salvific work, the atonement and resurrection is well-documented in Scripture. It should be noted that a key to the New Testament was to document accurately the religious history, as compared to 21st Century historical standards which aim to document the date and time exactly. This would also be made easier with modern technology.

The issue of Santa Claus brings controversy in the Christian Church.

From edited:

http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/who-is-st-nicholas/

'The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.'

'Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals—murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Nicea in AD 325.... He died December 6, AD 343...This liquid substance, said to have healing powers, fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, Saint Nicholas Day, December 6th (December 19 on the Julian Calendar).'

Obviously, there is a difference between this documented historical Saint Nicholas and the modern day Santa Claus. Santa Claus is largely used a marketing tool, especially in the Western World to assist in the sale of merchandise in the Christmas Season.

Theologically and philosophically I do not see the modern Santa Claus as 'Satan Claus' but rather as noted a commercial marketing tool and also a fantasy outlet for children and to some extent adults at Christmas in the context of toys and wonderment. I do not have a major problem with it but I would not replace God, or Jesus in any way with Santa Claus in a child's life. Therefore, a Christmas could be very much Christ and God focused, theologically (philosophically) and with related imagery, but a radical hyper-fundamentalist type of opposition to all things Santa would not need to be adhered to. I to an extent see Santa, when properly put in his place, and that is the key, like Batman, Spider-Man, Scooby-Doo or other fictional commercial figures that may have appeal, especially to children at Christmas time.

Now the hyper-fundamentalist can argue that Batman and company are not Christmas idols to some like Santa Claus is and that is true, to the same degree, for the most part, not knowing every situation. But, Santa, like Batman and company is a basically benevolent fictional character that can in context, be put in his (or her place if needed) in order to allow God/Christ to be at the centre of Christmas.

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US Thanksgiving/Philosophies & Worldviews

Houston, Texas-trekearth

As a Canadian I have been thankful for many years to be neighbours with the United States of America. It has been a leader in NATO in assisting with the military protection of Canada, which in my opinion does not have a sufficient military, but even if it did, Canada has a small population relative to land area. As well, the United States has provided Christianity and theology throughout the world on a very significant basis. Not all of it beneficial, but enough of it is. Those are just two reasons.

Some other reflections on the United States according to the official 'standards' of this blog:

Arizona

It is good to have family here. Also good to visit loved ones. The weather there is much warmer than in Greater Vancouver but I did manage to walk the dog in a rain storm.

California

I have been watching Storage Wars as a relief from computer work and blogging. I also enjoy visiting California and I am fortunate to have friends both in Northern and Southern California. Really one of the nicest places in the world overall. I have never heard freeway traffic as loud as Southern California freeway traffic. I found the people there quite friendly overall as well.

Our family went to Disneyland when I was little and my brother and I bought Phantom of the Opera and Creature from the Black Lagoon Masks respectively. I hated how mine smelt. My brother wore the Phantom mask I think and snuck-up behind me at lunch and yelled at me from back to front. My lunch, likely a burger and fries, knowing me at the time with my less international diet, went everywhere.

Florida

I have been there twice and I like the fact I can 'drive' there, sort of like the United Kingdom, but on the right side of the road. There is an interesting passing technique by some pick-up trucks on the freeway though, that is to 'gun it' onto the grass and then head back onto the freeway. At least that is what I saw driving across the State several times. I found the people generally friendly there.

British Columbia: Pull over on the side of the road for a 'break' not an issue bears and cougars few and far between.

Florida: Pull over on the side of the road for a break, a real huge issue. I could hear and smell the ecology while driving at 80 miles an hour. No unofficial stops for me...

Welcome to the tropics or near.

Kansas

I have never visited. Made famous by the 1939 film 'The Wizard of OZ', not to be confused with the 1978 film 'The Wiz' with Michael Jackson...

Louisiana

Never visited. Seems to have a good market on reality television right now. Those shows are so theatrical I think a 'gator' and his family should have their own reality television show.

Michigan

I have never been there but I can distinctly remember as a teenager flying over it. I also remember the Michigan Stags of the World Hockey Association that I viewed live as a child. No doubt the League did not have a first-rate marketing department.

Minnesota

The State I have been to several times, but cannot get out of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul airport.

Nevada

As documented on this blog in more than one previous post, not my favourite State. Several years ago while I was working on my BA we (Uncle Chuck, my brother and others) took a trip to Nevada for a hockey draft. There was the steakhouse owner that posted a sign that washrooms were for customer/patrons use only. Uncle Chuck and I were desperate not to use a bush, as in Nevada, unlike here in British Columbia, there was not many, so we checked out the menu, saw it was too expensive and used the washroom facility.

I took the quick option and Uncle Chuck the unwise option.

The crazed steakhouse owner chased us out of the restaurant stating he would call the police. I stated that he could go ahead as we were from Canada, I would have of course played dumb had we been apprehended by 'Deputy Dawg' or like, and I am good at that, at times.

Good thing it was not Texas or the steakhouse owner might have had a shotgun.

Also in Reno, because the hockey draft was not in Las Vegas which it should have been had the people voting wanted a life, Uncle Chuck and I simply wanted to ask these two, likely University girls for directions and the closer we got to them the faster they walked away. Then a male yelled out of a likely dorm window, 'Go get them guys!', in a humourous fashion which really 'helped', as in we should chase down the ladies.  So, we stopped. Americans are generally friendly but I found several  people in Nevada to be really uptight and unfriendly generally at that time.

I have returned to the State since then...a short stint at Las Vegas airport/McCaran International Airport.

New Jersey

I landed at Newark Airport once and its buildings and architectural styles reminded me of the old 1970s shows I watched on television...

Not just Sesame Street, but some actual serious shows, documentaries and like.

New York

It was good to see the Buffalo Sabres host the Atlanta Thrashers, now Winnipeg Jets, with a friend, and we also saw Niagara Falls on both sides of the border. It was good to spend half a week in New York City via Newark with a friend. The one taxi driver did not like the tip and so he refused to take our luggage out of his cab. I thought, 'Welcome to New York City'.

I had a briefcase with me, but this was post 911 and these cases were now a no-no, so as my friend and I attempted to go to the New York Yankees game the attendant stated something along the lines of  'Are you blind, take off your sunglasses, no briefcases allowed!'. I stated that I was from Canada and he chilled and said I could walk across the street and store my case for a fee. 'Welcome to New York City'.

Worldviews

This type of holiday, although not one in Canada is one from a Christian perspective to perhaps reflect on differences in worldviews. In my MPhil from 2003 I discussed the concept of Christianity and political philosophies and this was also mentioned in a post on my other blog in 2008.

MPhil 2003

DrRNM 2008

In McGrath’s second chapter entitled Blaming God he mentions some prominent modern twentieth century philosophies and discusses some of the results of these world-views. He noted that atheistic communism and western liberalism had failed to deal with the harsh realities of life that had taken place in the twentieth century, particularly during World War II. Communism and liberalism removed God from the equation, however, to McGrath, it caused more evil to take place. He stated: "Belief in God is a vital restraining factor. It curbs human evil by stressing God’s condemnation of those who inflict suffering on others." McGrath (1992: 11).

McGrath believed that neither communism nor western liberalism had eliminated suffering, and thus their disbelief in God was not on strong intellectual footing. To him, the great suffering which occurred in the twentieth century indicated there was something wrong with human nature, and that many people who attempted to blame God for those woes should, instead, have looked at world philosophies such as communism and western liberalism which ignored God. McGrath stated these philosophies that overlooked God, at the same time, overlooked his love. He noted: "Occasions of history are stained by the tears of our God who was working to bring about the day when ‘there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.’ (Revelation 21:4)." McGrath (1992: 14). I am in agreement with McGrath that the sinfulness of human nature was overlooked by communist states such as the Soviet Union. In fact, the utopia of socialism actually led to the Soviet Union committing acts of violence in great numbers against their own citizens and those of other nations.

Communism is faulty in that it depends on the state forcing equality among people. This, however, does not end the evil of poverty, for example, but simply takes away initiative from people to advance themselves economically, and gives economic and political power to a select few government and military officials. At the same time, tyranny takes place as these select few must strongly enforce the equality that they see as necessary in order for the communist state to advance. Christianity, on the other hand, favours shared equality. By this I mean people willingly sharing some, and sometimes all, of what they possess. But the idea is not that a state or ruling counsel should dictate this, but that it should be done willingly in love. With this world-view, people have the freedom to willingly help others. Now with western liberalism, I think it can be argued that, unlike Communism, it does have some major social benefits because it still allows for individualistic human thought which can lead to creativity. When this is taken too far, however, it can be seen that without God, human creativity can only solve few problems because human beings are fallen and imperfect and will still commit evil acts. A person who does not believe in the God and follow Him, can make social progress, but this will be limited because social ethics can make him/her moral but cannot make him/her spiritual as in believing in and following Jesus Christ. A spiritual person seeking God’s guidance should, at least, be theoretically more open to loving and caring for others, to show other people the love God has shown each of them. God’s love being shown within someone should take them beyond morality to a personal concern about the spiritual state of others.

To play devil’s advocate, a critic could claim that Christianity has not solved suffering any better than Communism or especially western liberalism; however, I think McGrath is correct. A belief in God in society and better yet a spiritual relationship with Christ leads to the tempering of evil in a nation and the world. Christianity’s ultimate answer to evil comes through revelation, but at least that has historical evidence of Scripture behind it. Christians are disobedient to God, just as nonbelievers are, and this is probably part of the reason Christianity has not made more social progress. But I still agree with McGrath that Christ’s atoning work and resurrection is the only ultimate answer that remedies evil. This work has, of course, not been completely culminated, but I think the Scriptural evidence supports the idea that Christ will return to restore his creation.

Western liberalism shares some of Christianity’s positive views on sharing and even love, but it depends too much on the goodness of humanity. The twentieth century demonstrates that social evolution in humankind is good, but always limited. This is part of the reason why the advanced, modern, western world still produced a nation like Nazi Germany. These people were cultured and socialized, but still spiritually blind.

MCGRATH, ALSITER. (1992) Suffering, London, Hodder and Stoughton Limited.

Putting these two articles together today one can be thankful, whether a Christian or non-Christian for the influence philosophically Christianity has had in a positive way in impacting Western culture. Not to dismiss the negative aspects of Christianity which are not ignored or by-passed on my blogs.

However, Christianity and Christians are not the main focus of the faith/philosophy rather it is God/Christ and atoning/resurrection work completed by Christ which is to be culminated with a restored humanity and universe (Revelation 21-22).