Theological Ramblings on Biblical Detail

Ok, so its time to talk about the inspiration of scripture. Which is a bit ironic because its the running joke in my family that I believe the thing was pretty much made up. Anywho, onto my thoughts.  A short synopsis of my belief on inspiration is that not everything happened the way its recorded but the way its recorded is inspired. Ok so what does that mean? To give you an example, today in class ( Joshua through Nehemiah) our teacher put forth the notion that it is possible that Jericho very well could have not been occupied by anyone at the time of the conquest. Ok, don't really care, but what I do care about is this, why then was Jericho picked to be the first place conquered in the narrative? What is the theological significance of putting Jericho as the first place? Obviously it has one, thats why it was picked to be first ( wether God picked it to be conquered, or God told the writer to pick it out of a random hat of names) place conquered? I asked the question and He didn't know quite what to do with it, and all my class mates gave a vague ( and very bad, as an slight enthusiast on the subject can attest, moi) defense of why Jericho was actually occupied. Frankly I don't care wether it was or wasn't , what I want to know is why it was chosen. Why did God say ok, Jericho's going to be the first town ( in my book or in an actual conquest) in a book that is rife with "theological geography". We've got those two mountains, ones blessings, ones cursing, and somehow the towns they take and the lists of the land is just fluff? Of no significance? Excuse me, however you believe it happened, it was put in there for a purpose, selected if you will because it was important, much the way John selected certain miracles of Jesus to record. You can't tell about every city you conquer, so your going to list the significant ones, and if it is a theological history, then your only going to list the ones that are theologically significant. For example, Ai is not a great battle. But its listed because of Aikan. God gives no extraneus details, everything has some significance to theology. anywho, I've had my rant and I shall now go do other things on the internets.

The First of the New Year

So it's been awhile, I'm trying to decide if I was just burned out blogging or didn't have anything to say, I'm guessing it was the latter. A little technical update for all of you who enjoy my spelling, I figured out (clever little me) to post from word, which should be a significant improvement over both Mozilla and safari's spell checking abilities. So perhaps the Cave just became a little bit more readable. Anywho, onto my amazing content. First and foremost I'd like to comment on the upcoming inauguration. Today in church some dude got up and read something from Romans (I think it was chapter 13) about respecting the law of the government and leaders and blah blah blah. I think the clan may be attendee's at my church. It is Oklahoma. Frankly, I don't get it. This is not the first time a president will be sworn into office, nor the last. Obama has yet to do anything, other than talk very articulately about what he's going to do (which may be the shock after the last 8 years). The content of his character has yet to be truly shown. He did little in the senate, which is what junior senators tend to do. Before that he taught and "community organized". I have teachers like that; great guys, but I don't know what they'd do in charge of the most powerful nation in the world. He could be really good, or really bad, I'm kind of hoping for mediocre. But at least give the man a chance to be whatever he's going to be. I feel half the press is trying to cover him so he's a messiah and the other half is warming up the tar and feathers. Ok, that's all I got. In future posts, I might do some fitness stuff. Mostly because that encompasses about half my podcast listening and most of my online reading. Who knows? It's a new year. Now for spell check! Da de dad um!

God, what a conservative!

God is not some sort of limiting, controling, watch you with the rule book teacher that demands you behave or you'll get smacked. God is a lifestyle that is meant to liberate and enhance life not control and prevent you from doing things. I'm not saying there isn't stuff that your not supposed to do. What I am saying that we are motivated by Gods love not to do them and motivated towards action by love, not prohibited and fettered by consiquence. We are not restricted by our faith we are liberated to live the life we are intended to live. One of my teachers said that the world was created to maximize people's opertunity's expeince by doing or recieving self sacrificing love. Its about what you can do and what you do do, not what you don't do or can't do.  Next person that tells me that women on stage in a church service in a play taken verbatem from the bible  is wrong because women should silent shouldn't be able to talk because I'm a man. Just saying. 

Oh goodness, the stock market risky???? When did that happen?

What the heck, my friends, what the heck. People seem to think of the stock market like a bank account with really great interest.  Its risky, some of its less risky than others, but it's still risky. I have a friend who made the incredible sum of 248 dollars today, and he's complaining he's going to lose it tommorow, ouch. All that money. Gonna set him back a ways. Its like everyones expecting someone to guarantee the money they risked carry absolutely no risk. Its like little kids playing a board game, no ones alowed to win because that wouldn't be fair. 

President Obama's first term ( As I know it to be ;)

First, he was elected by America because he is almost the complete opposite of Bush. He's young, ambitious, smart, willing to try anything, emotional politician. People liked that because he could articulate what people want in a president (not what they need, but want). We want our presidents to be able to promise us they are going to be the knight in shining armor that are going to save us from the big bad ugly corrupt politicians. 

Second, He was elected by his party because they found a messiah like character whom they know doesn't have the experience to run a small gas station. They intend for him to be a rubber stamp of whatever they want to do with the nation. Biden's a leash, not an add on of experience, they want to make sure they have someone whispering in Barry Obama's ear telling him what to do. 

What’s going to happen-

-Obama, in the next two months and four years is going to get a quick and dirty education on the way government actually works, the reality of foreign policy etc, etc. 

- He's going to develop a back bone that his party is going to find troublesome. He will be no rubber stamp. If he delivers on his promise to “change" politics as usuall, he must.

-His party's going to revolt. They elected a yes man and they (hopefully) are going to get a president. Consequently, and no doubt inspired by Mrs. Clinton Inc. , the civil war that ensued right up to primary night will spill over into congress. 

-for four years we're going to have a president with approval ratings through the roof with a congress who's approval ratings are going to be in the negatives. 

-Next election, should he be re-elected, which he will be unless he does something stupid as all the real players are dead in the water ( Huckabee, Guiliani) , he will have to deal with a republican congress, its traditionally the way this thing works

-Reagan, that great demi-god of conservatism, did his best work with a democrat congress, who’s to say Barry Obama won’t do the same? By then He'll have some hair on his chest, know how to work the machine to get what he wants. Change? Sure, just probably nothing significant in this four years. 

God

This is inspired by a guy I saw over fall break. I guess you could say I've been strugling with the idea of were christians fit in the world, how we're to participate in it. It seems that we are called to help and to heal, to spread the good news, not vote for some smoe running for office. Then again it is a government by the people and for the people. So the people make the rules. 

It is the piercing beauty of

A crumpled, worn-out,

Smashed up, wrung out black man,

Twitching leglessly in his

Wheelchair under the overpass

That is the greatest

Momunment to and most ghastly

Burlesque caricature of

The idea that God exists.

I should not be able to

Be wrenched by love

For this little bit of wind-blown

Litter of the human race, to be

Guilty of a chaingeless pocket,

A need to flee this worn pavement

For somewere far away by midnight and

Cannont help. Yet how can God

Do this, to him? What makes 

Him less worthy than I

Of two legs, a strong back, a sound mind?

Then,perhaps, thinks my mind,

It is society and I walking hand in hand

That bears the inditement for this crime.

Yet still, I would rather have

My arms,legs, and mind

Then hand them off to him.

Even though I have a family 

That would suround me with

A vast bulwork of love. And he,

I suspect, had none. God, 

I call you to acount,for

This crime.

Politics

ok, so I'm sure everybody's at least heard about Palin, Mcains running mate and the whole media "scandel" that surounds her. Personaly I think their all just pissed. This is a Carl Rovian move if there ever was one. Take the enemies idea's and make them your own. The democrats have traditionaly been much more vocal about women's rights and impowerment then just about anybody else ( as aposed to Republicans generaly cave manish attitude). So what does McCain do? He picks a women. An aparently acomplished, profesional, very republican women for his running mate. Inexperienced sure, but at least its inexperience with a belief statement. Obama's just inexperience with a dream. I will take someone who tells me what their going to do over nice sounding rhetoric any day.

Comeing at ya from Mc OS X

So I just got my new macbook. Can't say I'm horribly impressed with Mac Os yet. I've only really used safari and I had that on my old computer. But it does feel cleaner. Whether that's because I have yet to get crumbs and grease on it or because it lacks the Microsoft logo I'm not sure. I do miss the fact that I understand how to use windows ( it has Vista Enterprise) . Stardate 8979789

Batman

So I can't say it was the most amazing movie I've seen in a long while. It was certainly good, but not jaw dropping. In fact, I would argue that Batman Begins is much better. Heath Ledger acts every body off the stage besides Freeman and the Butler dude. The story is interesting, but lacks a focused psychological intensity I was personally looking for. Its not a bad flick, but I think they made it to big. They should have focused in on Batman and the Jokers struggle, stayed away from big explosive action scenes in favor of psychological terror. But whatev. Go see it, You'll enjoy it.

Kinky Honeymoons

The following is a short rant about a conversation I had regarding the fact that I ( theoretical of course) would have trouble taking faux lepord spotted undergarments with any degree of sincerity, in short if the future mrs. brm ever were to say, show up in said garmets I would laugh at her, and if there was any leather and wips/ handcuffs I would laugh, then go through the necissary paper work to obtain a devorce ( I'd wake the town clerk up in need be) all while laughing very very hard. Being kinky or seductive is not what sex or your damn &**&^&*^& honey moons about. Second the most "seduced" I've been by the few women in my life has rarely been a planned event ( as well as not haveing anything to do with what they were wearing for that matter), in fact setting out to do something ( like say, french kissing) generaly led to uncontrolable peels of laughter. Anyone who can take themselves seriously in fake dead animal prints needs to be shot, and anyone that is overweight and female should not tell a very pictoral guy ( moi), in a self righteos manner that implied ownership of said garments, that I'd better inform my intended of that fact or there'd be consiquences. Being single was frankly a very beutiful thing at that moment. Bitch.

Irony

Try decrying communism and the capitalist greed that keeps the U.S from being a theocracy that's sole purpose is helping poor people at the same time. You might get tongue tide. But then, it doesn't seem to stop some.

Met Mrs. M's mom the other day. Made the mistake of saying she was a hard teacher assuming that that meant to the both us that she was good teacher. Did some hurdle jumping to get out of that one.

Prayers and Cojones

So, we're needing y'alls prayers right now. We're having some difficulties. Nothing wrong with the business side of the op, good planing, straight talking, get things done sort of gal ( whose could switch facial expressions with the sis and no one would nottice a differnce). Leadership comeing out the wazoo in that area. However, our problems seem to rather relational and metaphysical. Short ansers is a decided need some more cojonical fortitude in said area.

A revalation

To much like Tiffany,
In form an function,
Like Leah, but not
the real article,
And the other two,
I'm not sure,
If either of you,
Have enough brains,
to remember, your own
names.
Nuff said.

Refreshingly Adult

So I just spent forty minutes to an hour holding a discussion with this women ( chick or girl didn't seem to cut it) about her grad/undergrad degree in Athletic training. It was nice to have a person to person chat that was just that. Nothing more. refreshing.Needs lime ( joke).

Brandon's creepy walmart guy, well and alive in Borders in Colorado

So I swooped into Borders for some internets and books, which is stupid cause I already have a freakin' load of books with me. Anywho, I breeze over to the coffee counter grab some tea and get ready to pay. Dude at the register has a voice higher than my sister. Then I remember the creepy walmart buy from Moberly. Total of my tea comes to 2.09. I only have ones and tens. 91 cents change. Damit!

Heya sports fans! its official, its hit facebook.

Sorry for the flippancy. Its a self defense reflex that happens when I talk about my emotions to just about anyone. Other than my slightly frazzled emotional state, tours going good. We head out Sunday, and I get to go to Walmart tomorrow. Yay! Ok so thats not much to be excited about.

Single, everywere but Facebook and California

So, due to personal reasons best summed up in the statement : I'm an immature, non-comital bastard that needs some time to grow up ( and distance sucks, a lot), I decided to break up. Only way to do this at the time was the uber cowardly way of breaking up over email. Needless to say California responded badly. I understand, but I really think this is the right decision. I'm sad, but don't really have the time to be sad, so its been actor face extrodinare. Anywho, the stupid mall won't let me access facebook because its under the category of personal and dating. Stupid security policy. So, I'm single. Every were but facebook and California. I miss California.

Shite'n the little guy

Guess whose at it? feckin' freezer.

Policy Change

So normally I make it a point to disagree with everyone, but today I will say I'm agreeing with my brother. We had some discussion over sermons and such that I mostly don't remember, but one thing I remember agreeing to , maybe, is that a sermon should be, well, a sermon. For instance, say you decide to preach on worship ( which by the way is the worst topic to preach on, specifically when you define worship as the song service/church service, as for the most part the new testament says jack about that, so your just reading a book about stuff I already knew and I'm bored, how do people respond to the fact that the 1800's was one of the first times people started worrying about church attendance????), you've got to be really clever to actually preach something that isn't on the level, of oh say, an bad adult class. Yes a boring, pointless, meandering look into were we got our traditions of order of worship. I am currently not dreading going to church. Nope not at all. You can obviously sense my excitement.

Warning

This has not aged in the old moleskin and its 2:49 ( Just got back from Iron Man, so you can guess what three cords are running through my mind) a.m. Unlike most my poems I actually have a title for this one:
The Chess Board

I have stared into the eyes of your demon,
Seen its face,
Souls twisted,
To its own purposes,
As you twist yours to its,
Only one stands betwixt you,
A black knight,
A knight who smiles into the blackness,
You see, he does not fight fair in these battles,
Never has,
So, for awhile I am here,
What is the difference between help,
And fix it?
Where is the line drawn,
between,
A listening ear,
and a shrink?
I,
Am,
Afraid,
I cannot,
do,
both,
Can I?