To the pure, all things are pure... --- Titus 1:15a
ONGOING INCARNATION
Would Christmas have come even if we had not sinned?
by Philip Yancey
posted 1/10/2008 08:52AM
Christianity Today
[EXCERPT]
We remind ourselves, to borrow Paul's words, that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, that we are dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus, that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (Rom. 8:1; 6:11; 2 Cor. 5:17) In short, we confront the stunning truth that God gazes on us through the redemptive lens of his Son.
Then, assured of that new identity, we go forth to recover God's world. Duns Scotus called his approach "the Doctrine of the Absolute Primacy of Christ in the Universe." Those who root their identity in Christ have a holy mission to reclaim territory that has been spoiled. The Christian ministers to the poor and suffering not out of humanistic motives, but because they too reflect the image of God; insists on justice because God insists on it; and honors nature because it stands as God's work of art, the background setting for Incarnation.
ID TAGGED
Faculty member at Iowa State University denied tenure for supporting intelligent design.
by Jocelyn Green
posted 1/10/2008 08:55AM
Christianity Today
[EXCERPTS]
"Some scientists translate ID [Intelligent Design] into a disbelief in mechanisms of science that are pretty well supported," said [Dorothy Boorse, associate professor of biology at Gordon College, a Christian liberal arts school]. "I'm to teach the best available biology, and the best evidence is that God has used extensive evolution. I think most scientists in biology would agree with that, including Christians."
John West of the Discovery Institute, an ID think tank, seeks to counter such marginalization of ID. "[Pushing evidence for design into a philosophy class] would be like saying you can't teach any other view than capitalism in economics class, but you can talk about Marxism in a propaganda class," he said. "That's preposterous."
In August 2007, Baylor University took offline the Evolutionary Informatics Lab website of Robert Marks, who is tenured. He said it was because the lab's research implied there might be a Creator. "What's at issue here is the ability to bring the idea of the possibility of design into science," said Marks.
The difference...is that private Christian colleges are expected to require adherence to religious doctrines. "[But] public universities claim to protect their faculty's academic freedom, no matter how unpopular their ideas might be among their colleagues," said [Guillermo Gonzalez, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Iowa State University (ISU)].
Dear fellow RDF posters,
obscuredbyclouds did well to remind me to be clear of my intentions of coming here. (i thank you once again.)
Initial intention: to communicate to Prof. Dawkins and like-minded individuals (i.e., RDF posters) an "open letter"; doing my best to reach the person being addressed as opposed to talking about him behind his back, as open letters are at times known to do.
Present intention 1: to discuss, as this subforum is entitled, "Faith and Religion", especially with those of the same background as myself: born in an outwardly religious culture, and/or atheist, and/or agnostic, and/or in the sciences or similar fields. In particular, to discuss my own faith as a Bible-based Christian. i thank those who went past their negative reactions to inform me that preaching and quoting Bible verses are not welcome. It is a challenge, but since my faith is confirmed in all other aspects of my life, it is not impossible to be non-preachy, and i am sure that you would let me know one way or the other.
Present intention 2: to show that not all Christians are unthinking and/or unloving.
Complications:
As you might see from my initial intention, i did not expect to be asked to respond to so many issues by so many people. My workload (studies and research) does not give me enough time and resources to correspond, immediately and/or to each one.
Also, i have been a blogger for a much longer time than a forum member: i am more used to speaking my view and getting very few comments from others, as opposed to let's-all-sit-down-and-discuss-here-and-now. Hence, when i come across something that i would like to share in this forum, i do so, yet leave immediately.
Resolutions:
To stay here and actively participate as much as i can.
In particular, i can make this promise: Our school term ends by March, and so by April 2008 i can stay and discuss here in the forum for substantial amounts of time. i have said before (to Cali) that there is nothing i want to do more than to "sit down" and speak and discuss important issues.
i have said before that i do not want to leave anyone "hanging"; and i can do that by giving a specific time frame, even if said time seems much too far off. In the meantime, i will still try to come back and post and respond, though i myself cannot say when i have "free time".
And so, that's all for now. i hope i have been as clear and forthcoming as you would have me be.
Here's wishing you all the best in 2008!
See you around, especially in April!
If you're reading this letter, my disease has run its course. Enclosed is some money for my burial. I would like to be cremated. I spent my whole life in a box. I don't want to be buried in one. Georgia May Byrd.
--- Georgia Byrd [writing a letter], "Last Holiday"
Next time... we will laugh more, we'll love more; we just won't be so afraid.
--- Georgia Byrd [talking to self in mirror], "Last Holiday"
I'm not scared of what happens if I fail and don't get in. I'm scared of what happens if I do.
--- Ephram, "Everwood"
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Some people are so scared they bury themselves in work, in routine, in duty. But me? i'm so scared of losing myself in work [like said people] that i end up doing nothing in the process. What a waste, eh?
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.
--- Paul, Ephesians 2:8-9
Just because i do nothing doesn't mean i am worth nothing. i have learned that my value lies not in what i do but in what God did for me: in creating, saving, and communing with me. However, there is still a pull, a call, an invitation to do more...and to fear less. The apostle Paul continues:
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
--- Paul, Ephesians 2:10
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DARE YOU TO MOVE
by Switchfoot
Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone's here
Everyone's here
Everybody's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next?
What happens next?
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before
Welcome to the fallout
Welcome to resistance
The tension is here
The tension is here
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened
Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened before
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As 2006 ended, God gently reminded me of this verse [by having it pop out at me from all sides! ;p]:
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
--- Paul, 2 Timothy 1:7
The above verse has become an instant favorite of mine; and looking back at the past year, i can fully agree that that Spirit of God is within me already. [Yay.]
i have been restored, refreshed, reborn in every step taken [back] towards the straight and narrow path, with new eyes seeing everything as redeemed...
i left my job and got two callings from God.
i let go of my crush [oi!] and got a --- erhm --- complete life package from the Almighty.
i got to share about God more powerfully and effectively than i have ever done; being given His wisdom on what to speak and His grace on how to respond. To think before speaking, given my impulsive nature, and to be not offended, given my explosive nature --- without a doubt these are miracles, and gifts received to give back for His glory :)
For the first time i flew out of the country, and i got to go to China twice. [All expenses paid, for six weeks total. Note that this happened when i was jobless too.]
For the first time i learned to appreciate Disney [hahaha! The prodigal princess has finally come home...after 20 years?!], Pinoy movies [you rock Vhong Navarro! Awooo!], and dancing [hiphop, aerodance, ballroom, belly dance, taebo...].
What a great year. Try to top all that happened in '07! But knowing God, i know He can easily do so...So i just can't wait for what happens in this year ^___^
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Zach: So that's it? You're going to go just pump your pom-poms and pretend you're not any different than any other girl on the squad?
Claire Bennet: Yes, actually.
Zach: But you are, Claire! You are different. Don't you see that none of this matters? School spirit doesn't matter. Being a pretty blonde cheerleader doesn't matter. It's not who you are anymore.
Claire Bennet: Who I am? So what, I can crawl through a woodchipper and live to tell about it. That narrows my choices in life to freak or guinea pig, in most cases both. What's wrong with wanting to be normal? You should try it.
--- scene from "Heroes"
Maybe being different isn't the end of the world, it's just who I am.
--- Claire Bennet, "Heroes"
You should know who you are, and know that it's enough. Because who you are is special.
--- Sandra Bennet, "Heroes"
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I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
--- Jesus, John 14:12
Now THAT is a grand claim and an exhilarating promise!
Sounds good enough for my life verse for '08, eh? :)
"EXTRAORDINARY"
by Mandy Moore
I was a bay tree
Quiet and unseen
I lived in stories but inside I kept a mystery
I was a starling
Nobody's darling
Flying in perfect circles just for company
And now I'm ready
And now I'm ready
And now I'm ready to be extraordinary
A midnight airplane
A window blowing
I know I am another sparkle in the sky
I shine on copper
Still undiscovered
But you might see me in the corner of your eye
And now I'm ready
And now I'm ready
And now I'm ready to be extraordinary
Waking up to wake up someday
I am my own parade
Stopping off at a sidewalk cafe
Wind is playing in the trees
Kick up confetti leaves
Seems as if it's all to say
And now I'm ready
And now I'm ready
And now I'm ready to be extraordinary
And now I'm ready
And now I'm ready
And now I'm ready to be extraordinary
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Here is what God says:
"Welcome to an even fuller life. :)"
And here is where i say...
"Amen".
:)
