This Christmas, To Whom Will You Be Giving Gifts?

Our concept of Christmas is completely backwards and, honestly, it kind of sickens me. Please read on before you write me off as another "Scrooge"...

Every year, around Christmas, I see mall traffic increase exponentially. I wade through an influx of "holiday" catalogs and circulars. I look on as people run around determined that they need to buy expensive gifts for everyone they know. I hear infinitely more advertisements on the radio explaining to me that it's not enough to just tell your wife you love her: you need to buy her diamonds to prove it. I see people spending large amounts of time, energy and money decorating their homes, stores and offices. This year, for the first time, I even read about thousands of trees being cut down in the Pacific northwest and being shipped to Hawaii by boat. I see waste everywhere, money being spent hand-over-fist in the pursuit of a "better Christmas." At the same time, I see countless charitable organizations struggling to secure a small part of all of that spending in the form of "year-end gifts," and I'm inevitably left wondering why—especially at this time of year—charity is nothing more than an afterthought.

You see, Christmas—even if you don't celebrate the birth of Christ—is a holiday that is all about giving. But almost every single one of us in this country has much more than we need. If you eat three meals a day and sleep indoors every night, if you're reading this on your computer, you are among the wealthiest people in the world. Let me repeat that: you are among the wealthiest people in the world. Yet, somehow we've become convinced that we need larger televesions, louder stereos, expensive jewelry and clothes, GPS units and nice cars (I'm certainly guilty of this one). We need more. More, more, more... and it never ends because we never have enough. And Christmas, unfortunately, becomes nothing more than a slightly better excuse than most to get more stuff. I want to make it clear that I don't have any problem, per se, with people who get into the so-called "holiday spirit" by decorating and all of that. I am greatly dismayed, though, that the holiday seems to have been entirely stripped of its spirit. We have allowed ourselves to be horribly distracted. We already have so much—far more than we need—so I ask you, how can we possibly justify asking for more when there are so many out there with close to nothing?

Now, you may be thinking this seems like a socialist idea, but let me assure you that I fully believe that an economic system based on the capitalist model provides the greatest opportunities for human growth and well-being. But the reason that capitalism hasn't been at all effective in terms of providing for all people is solely because of human greed. Regardless of what many would have you believe, greed is not an intrinsic property of capitalism: that part is up to us. I believe in a form of responsible, charitable capitalism, in which those with much provide for the needs of those with little, not because they are legally compelled to do so, but simply because it is the right thing to do.

And the case is lucidly clear for those of us who call ourselves Christians. Scripture, I believe, is very clear in telling us that God blesses us in abundance so that we may bless others (2 Cor 9:7-8). Jesus Christ gave us two commandments in the Gospels, telling us that these two dictates showed the intention that was at the heart of the Law. First, we should love God with all our hearts, bodies, and minds. Second, we should love our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus told us that the second was "like the first," and I read this to mean that one of the greatest ways we can show love to God is to show love to His children: we complete the former precept by upholding the latter. God spoke to the prophet Isaiah and posed a question: does God care about us "going through the motions" of religious worship of Him, or does He care about how we take care of and provide for all of His dear children who are in need (Isa 58)? Jesus tells us that "a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15). All of that will fade away and rot; none of it is eternal. Further, we should be freely willing to give: "God loves a cheerful giver." Why do we give, and why should we do it cheerfully? Because it is, in fact, the very manner in which we love: by giving not only of our possessions but of our time and our care and concern. Jesus was our example; he always looked out for the interests of others (Php 2:4-6). And surely Luke was not just using flowery language when he wrote, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). We were all born with nothing, and we'll all die with nothing. God reminded the Jewish people time and time again that they were slaves in Egypt and He brought them out, and for that reason they should look after the fatherless, the alien and the widow and ensure that they receive justice (Deut 24). We are no different: we were slaves to this world until He shattered that yoke. Each and every human being is a precious jewel in God's sight. My wish is that all of us could see people as He sees them, and recognize the need to care for our brothers and sisters like the cherished treasures they truly are.

All of these things have been weighing heavily on my mind lately, especially when I think about the true meaning of Christmas. They are the reason I have made a choice to not only donate money that I would have spent on gifts to charity rather than purchasing gifts for my friends, but have also asked my friends and family to do the same in lieu of giving any gifts to me. I have so much more than I need; I don't need any more. I should be not only content but overjoyed with what I have. Why is that so hard a concept to grasp? Perhaps because we have so much more than we need that we never quite had the opportunity to understand how great it was to just have "enough." Do you really need anything more? I would ask you to ponder that question, and—if it's where your conclusions lead you—consider making a similar choice to mine. Indeed, giving gifts and giving of yourself is a wholly appropriate way of celebrating Christmas. But are we giving those gifts to the right people, the people who need them most?

Please understand that I'm not in any way trying to set myself up on a pedestal by telling you this. I do so not to boast, but rather to share my heart with you and speak a message that I feel needs to be heard. I'm not implying that I've even come close to actually living out this philosophy of selflessness, and—in fact—I'm positive that I'll never be able to claim that I have. I'm reminding myself more than I'm reminding you; I'm asking you to hold me accountable, and hoping that you might ask me to do the same for you. I am humbly saying that I've screwed up big-time, and want to take a tiny step towards getting it right.

The empathy of our Lord

Hebrews 4:14-16 (NIV):
"¹⁴Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,[a] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. ¹⁶Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Jesus Christ knows what you are going through. He knows the temptation of sin. He knowingly chose to suspend His omnipotence and become human for exactly that purpose, so that by putting Himself in our shoes He could truly offer us salvation. You see, the wages of sin is death: for every sin, something has to die. And God knowingly chose to die for you, so that your sins could be paid for. Pretty incredible... pretty humbling.

Unified Underground 2007

Just imagine it... punks, goths and hardcore kids from all over the country, all gathering in one place for three days, all sharing the same belief systems and—as Leroy from War of Ages put it—all committed to changing the world. Speakers from the various cultures opened their hearts and spoke their minds to the rest of us, teaching us and encouraging us by pointing to the Word, and bands led our worship in their own styles ranging from punk rock to gothic-industrial to electronic to metalcore. This was UNIFIED UNDERGROUND 2007.

I'm going to be honest: I didn't know how well it was going to work. I didn't know if the kind of fellowship we were aiming for was possible, but I knew that God had a plan for this weekend. And His plan came to fruition by His grace! His children, no matter what they looked like, got to know each other and built lasting friendships that will persist long after everyone arrives back home in their respective states. All of the social walls were completely obliterated, and we shared our time in worship, growth, learning, discipleship and even recreation. Every time I looked around, I saw people talking and introducing themselves, rather than sticking with the groups that they had come to the conference with. Real, enduring UNITY was achieved this weekend, and that unity is only going to continue to grow and strengthen as the spirit of this weekend "trickles down" through all of the people who participated as they share their experiences this weekend with others.

I am still collecting my thoughts and reflecting over this weekend, but I think I can safely speak for everyone in attendance and say that it was a life-changing event for all of us. Every person with whom I've spoken has said that they grew through the events of the weekend, and are committed to being there next year and every year after.

Over the next few days and weeks, we'll be collecting photos and testimonies to share with all of you that couldn't make it! If you were there, please email me with any testimonies or weblogs that you kept for the event, and links to any photos you may have taken.

We've got less than a year until UNIFIED UNDERGROUND 2008, featuring our amazing friends in Flatfoot 56. We're shooting for the first weekend in October (Oct. 3-5, '08), so mark your calendars and start making your plans now! God bless!

Article: Proclaiming Christ In Our Culture

A friend of mine sent me a link to this great article about evangelism in our culture.

http://www.billygraham.org/DMag_article.asp?ArticleID=839

"Fundamentalist Christians"

A friend of mine forwarded to me a chain letter that in effect "called out" fundamentalist Christians, and asked me what I thought about it. Well, I had quite a bit to say, so I figured some of you might be interested in reading my response also. I realize I probably gave this far more weight than I should've, but perhaps it will help address some of the issues that you or someone you know has with Christians or Christianity in general.

I noticed, above all, that most of these are based on misconceptions and prejudiced notions of Christians or, in some cases, on the actions of a particular group of Christians. Additionally, the term "fundamentalist" has taken on a nasty political connotation that has little to do with the actual idea of Christian fundamentalism. I disagree with the actions of many of those extremely vocal troublemakers that the media labels "fundamentalist Christians"—probably even moreso than most non-Christians—because they are misrepresenting the Gospel message or missing the centrally important tenets of that message. The list of boldfaced items below are the contents of the original message, and the text after each represents my response.


Fundamentalist Christians

10 - You vigorously deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other religions, but feel outraged when someone denies the existence of yours.

I believe that the Bible holds up to historical scrutiny much better than any other ancient text, historical or otherwise. We have far more original manuscripts from the Bible than any other work, including those that are considered historical fact, such as the works of Plato, Josephus, Socrates and other historical figures. Additionally, the Bible is by far the most studied literary work in the history of mankind, yet still none have been able to irrefutably disprove the historical accuracy of the work.

It would be nice to believe that "all paths lead to Heaven," but unfortunately the Bible tells us that that is not the case. We as Christians should not be "outraged" when someone denies the existence of God or disagrees with our beliefs... rather we should seek to truly understand what they believe and where they are coming from. I myself was an atheist until about five years ago, and it's easy to forget that when I'm dealing with atheists, but it's essential that I remember what it was like to be in their place and why I doubted.

9 - You feel insulted and "dehumanized" when scientists say that people evolved from other life forms, but you have no problem with the Biblical claim that we were created from dirt.

Again, we shouldn't take insult when people hold different beliefs. The theories of Evolution (macroevolution) are widely taught as fact, although they are actually far from it. I think it's more reasonable to believe that people descended from apes than the larger issue: the very origin of life. The evolution of primate to man is far more believable to me than the idea that a living cell could have come into being through some electrochemical process working on inanimate elements, or that a unicellular organism could then somehow reproduce and then organize into multicellular creatures with irreducibly complex organs.

8 - You laugh at polytheists, but you have no problem believing in a Triune God.

I don't "laugh" at polytheists. This is another generality that is true only of some Christians. You can't judge Jesus Christ by some of His followers... or even all of them, for that matter.

7 - Your face turns purple when you hear of the "atrocities" attributed to Allah, but you don't even flinch when hearing about how God/Jehovah slaughtered all the babies of Egypt in "Exodus" and ordered the elimination of entire ethnic groups in "Joshua" including women, children, and trees!

These instances are taken out of context, and are irrelevant. The wage of sin is death, and since we are all sinners, we all deserve to die. God is the only one who has the right to pronounce that judgment on us, and the only one who has the power to forgive our sins. Who are we to judge God's actions?

Referring to the atrocities committed by Islamic extremists equates to comparing apples to oranges, because we are talking about the actions of humans versus the actions of God. When you look contextually at Scripture as a whole, you see a plan of Law that unfolds. This guidebook for how we as human beings should act culminates in the two greatest commandments given by Jesus Christ himself, two commandments on which all of the other laws and revelation of the Old Testament hang. The first is to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37), and the second to, "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39). We complete the former commandment by carrying out the latter. The way that we love other human beings is the way the we love God.

6 - You laugh at Hindu beliefs that deify humans, and Greek claims about gods sleeping with women, but you have no problem believing that the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary, who then gave birth to a man-god who got killed, came back to life and then ascended into the sky.

Again, I don't "laugh" at any of those beliefs, but for many reasons I find that Christian truth claims are the most believable.

5 - You are willing to spend your life looking for little loopholes in the scientifically established age of Earth (few billion years), but you find nothing wrong with believing dates recorded by Bronze Age tribesmen sitting in their tents and guessing that Earth is a few generations old.

A several-billion-year-old earth is hardly a "scientifically established" fact. There is plenty of evidence to the contrary, and every single day science makes revisions to previous theories. In fact, many of the underpinning conjectures that have been used to establish the age of the earth (carbon-dating, for example) have been disproved or at least seriously revised.

4 - You believe that the entire population of this planet with the exception of those who share your beliefs -- though excluding those in all rival sects - will spend Eternity in an infinite Hell of Suffering. And yet consider your religion the most "tolerant" and "loving."

This is one of the hardest things to understand and accept about the Christian faith. But, look at it this way. Heaven is a place where we live eternally in the immediate presence of God. The Bible tells us that God is love, light, warmth and joy, and basically everything else that is good. If Heaven is the presence of all of those things, than Hell must be the absence of all of those things. Sin is absolutely hateful to God; it sickens Him. God would, in actuality, be doing an injustice if He allowed sin to exist in this perfect place that is Heaven, because it would no longer be perfect. Only through the covering of our sins with the "once and for all" atoning sacrifice of Christ's blood are we made pure in the sight of God, and therefore able to share in the joy of being in His presence for eternity. Jesus died as a sacrifice for us, specifically for the purpose of cleansing us of our sin. If we choose not to accept Christ, we are still soiled with the sin, and therefore cannot be in His presence. Those who are not in God's presence feel no "love, light, warmth and joy" because all of those things are from God, and they have chosen to be apart from Him. God offers the choice because He gave us free will because He loves us... it's not His fault that we take advantage of it. If we were all automatons who blindly accepted Christ and had no choice in the matter, that wouldn't show genuine love but rather coercion. Although I would love to believe that just being a good person is enough to have eternal life, Scripture teaches us clearly that it is not: we are incapable of being "good," and the only way to be made good is through Jesus Christ.

I think it's a very interesting and important point that Christianity is the only religion that I know of that requires no work or sacrifice on our part in order for us to achieve salvation, redemption, enlightenment, eternal life, or some other form of "higher being." All that is required of us is that we accept the freely-given grace offered to us through Jesus Christ. This sets Christianity apart from all other religions of the world, and is one of the aspects that I find most believable, because logically it seems to me that there is no amount of "good" work or sacrifice that any human being could do to achieve some kind of higher being. The only way we could hope to achieve it is through grace.

3 - While modern science, history, geology, biology, and physics have failed to convince you otherwise, some idiot rolling around on the floor speaking in "tongues" may be all the evidence you need to "prove" Christianity.

The proof I have is manifold. It is not only rooted in history and the scientific disciplines mentioned above, but also proved experientially by what God has done in my life. I am a completely different—and better—person than I was before I gave my life to Christ. Christianity can never be "proven." If it could, there would no longer be a choice to be made, and everyone would be a Christian. Faith goes hand in hand with our ability to make the choice.

2 - You define 0.01% as a "high success rate" when it comes to answered prayers. You consider that to be evidence that prayer works. And you think that the remaining 99.99% FAILURE was simply the will of God.

This is based on a misunderstanding of prayer. God is not a cosmic vending machine, dispensing "blessings" and "fortune" as we please. The "prosperity Gospel" is garbage, and Scripture doesn't back it up at all. Prayers are not just about asking for what you want, and getting it. God has a plan and we are not in a position to understand it, being that He exists outside of time and space, and that we are limited by our mortality. I can't really count the number of times that I've asked for something or some outcome and been disappointed that things didn't go my way, only to discover later that I was better off not getting what I wanted. To paraphrase the priest from a friend's church, "God always answers our prayers, and sometimes the answer is 'No.'" But I suppose that, if you're very selfish and small-minded, you never want to hear, "No," and consider it a failure when you don't get exactly what you want every single time, regardless of anyone or anything else. Only an omniscient being always know what the best outcome of a situation could be. Since no human being is omniscient, it stands to reason that none of us has any basis for pronouncing judgments regarding God's success or failure.

1 - You actually know a lot less than many atheists and agnostics do about the Bible, Christianity, and church history - but still call yourself a Christian.

As Christians, we have a responsibility to learn as much as we can about the Bible. The Word and the Spirit are the only sources of divine knowledge that we have, and we should seek to learn everything that we can about the character of God since it is our calling to be Christ-like in all aspects of our life. As we study the Bible, our faith will grow because we learn more about God, we see the unity of Scripture, and we overcome doubt. Contrariwise, studying the Bible will never help someone who has already made the decision that it's a bunch of crap. Many non-believers who seek with an open mind and study Scripture will find that the Christian truth claims actually do make the most sense. I'm one of them.

The Creation Museum

Here is an interesting article on a new museum in Petersburg, Kentucky (near Cincinnati, Ohio) devoted to proving Creation through modern science: "Inside the Creation Museum" (Salon.com). I'm personally not sure that I affirm the brand of "young earth Creationism" espoused by this museum's founders, but I have read quite enough to to cause me to be very skeptical about the concept of Darwinian Evolution (macroevolution) as it is currently taught in our schools. This museum, at the very least, will hopefully facilitate the opening of a forum for debate, and obligate both sides to redouble their efforts to seek tenable evidence with which to bolster their respective positions regarding the origins of life.

Only One Thing Lasts Forever

I've been listening quite a bit lately to contemporary folk singer William Elliott Whitmore. In one of his dirges entitled "Lord Only Knows," Whitmore laments the fleetingness of life and elegizes the flowers from a funeral, which are starting to wilt as they, too, die. The song evoked a cathartic response and caused me to reflect on the fact that, as some point, all of us are forced to deal with losing loved ones. Death is practically the only certainty in life, and probably the hardest part to deal with. It's a tragedy of whose painful sting has been felt by nearly every one of us. Death is the end of all that we know through our experience and senses, but Christians believe it is the beginning of something else. All too often, though, we forget the promise of eternal life in the midst of our sorrow. Mourning is necessary, and expected—even Jesus himself mourned the death of his friends—but we must be careful that we don't let lament tear us apart. Mourning must end at some point, and we must remember the promise. We must recall that in Jesus Christ we have everlasting life. I considered, while contemplating this song, that there are two ways we can respond to loss: we can turn away from Jesus Christ and wilt like Whitmore's proverbial flowers, or we can turn our eyes toward Him and gain strength and comfort through the hard times. In fact, these responses apply to almost any hardship, regardless of the severity, with which we might be faced.

Almost twelve years ago, I lost my grandfather to cancer. He was the first person to whom I was close who I lost to death's cold grip, and the loss made me question what I had learned about God, so much so that I eventually walked away from Him and decided that what I had been taught about God was a lie. I thought that, somehow, I would find meaning or answers now that I had freed myself from the "lie" that I perceived the Christian worldview to be. Three years later, I lost one of my best friends to suicide. The search for something to fill the void and ease the pain continued.

Almost five years ago, though, that search ended for me. Things came full-circle, and I found all of the answers to my questions in Jesus Christ, through the Bible and the people whom God had placed in my life. Scripture explained the pain on earth, and not only gave an answer for it, but also described God's place in all of it. Had I actually bothered to look there in the first place, perhaps I'd have noticed them, for they had been there all along. The experiences of others helped me to deal with the pain that I was feeling. Newfound knowledge of grace assured me that I could return to Jesus Christ without fear of being turned away.

Earlier this year, I experienced something of an abbreviated parallel to the tragic deaths of my grandfather and friend years ago. In early February, my aunt Lucy passed away, finally succumbing to numerous health problems that had plagued her for many years. Lucy was a quiet lady who exuded love through everything she did. Less than a week later, on Valentine's Day, my friend Mike was struck by a car and died shortly thereafter. Mike had a tough-guy exterior that thinly veiled his abundant generosity and genuine compassion, and he left behind a daughter who hadn't even celebrated her first birthday yet. These losses were incredibly painful to me, especially Mike's, whose death seemed so premature, and my initial reaction was to question God. Why would he allow these things to happen? It was the same question that I had repeatedly asked a decade earlier, only this time I turned to God for the answers.

I realized, finally, that death is not the end, but the beginning. It is not the worst thing that can ever happen to us, but the most glorious. Death is freedom from the suffering of this life, and the birth into the joy of the next. Those of us who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ have in that relationship hope. Although we mourn the loss of our loved ones, we celebrate their deliverance to a better place. We can find comfort and even joy in the secure knowledge that God Himself is personally with us to help ease the pain. The ache of loss and the agony of death do nothing to disprove the existence of God or His promise of everlasting life, but the strength we have available in Him confirms it. Life on this earth does not last forever and that is a wonderful thing, for it gives way to that which does last forever: eternal life with the Father. And it is the freely-given gift of Grace through Christ that allows us to experience that life without end.

Interesting article: "Goth like me: Teens embrace subculture"

A friend sent me a link to this article: "Goth like me: Teens embrace subculture" from the Bristol Herald Courier out of Bristol, VA.

Obviously, they picked the person with the most negative view of the goth subculture to provide the counterpoint for the article, but it does give you a great idea of how people determine books by their covers. This also provides another example of subcultures breaking into the mainstream. It's happening, and for once the Church needs to be ahead of the curve instead of struggling to catch up.

Thoughts from the "Friends of YFC" Banquet

I had the great pleasure last night of attending Metro Maryland Youth For Christ's annual "Friends of YFC" Fundraising Banquet. I was extremely encouraged by what I experienced there, and would like to share what I've been thinking about in the hours following the event.

The night opened with the moving testimony of a young man who had recently been saved while on a weekend trip to which his family had all but forced him to go. This same weekend, his three best friends committed a robbery, during which they also murdered someone. His friends are now serving sentences of 15 to 25 years for their crime; this young man would have certainly shared that fate had he not been on the YFC-sponsored trip at the time. Every once in a while, God's plans for our lives are much more apparent than they usually seem.

The keynote speaker for the evening was the Grammy-winning contemporary Christian artist Michael W. Smith. Smith also happens to be a pastor at a church in Tennessee, and a surprisingly approachable and down-to-earth gentleman. Mr. Smith began his speech by giving a special "hats off" to Hope For The Rejected in front of approximately 1,500 people who attended the banquet, citing our mission specifically as one of great consequence. He also briefly mention Rocketown, a skate park and music venue that he established in Nashville, with a similar goal of reaching youth wherever they may be. I mention this not to bring attention to our ministry, but because I think it is incontrovertible proof that there are people in the mainstream church that really do "get it."

It's all too easy for us [subcultural Christians] to place the blame squarely on everyone else, but I feel that it's high time that we start assuming some of that blame ourselves, or at the very least end the self-pitying complacency. More and more, I have come to realize that my perception of being ostracized from mainstream churches is not rooted in reality, but primarily the result of my own prejudices against those whom I feel are intolerant of me. I don't mean to suggest, of course, that every self-affirming Christian in this country welcomes the pierced and tattooed folks into their church... or even treats them benignly, for that matter. Even if it's not entirely our problem, though, shouldn't we be proactive about it and become the catalysts for the change which we wish to see? The best way to attack the division that we see in the Church and the legalistic and judgmental attitudes that we perceive is to work with the mainstream church, not to separate ourselves from it. We can take steps, even if we are not widely accepted at first, toward realizing our vision of a unified Church that can look past outward appearances and see people as God sees them: inestimably valuable. As Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:4, "there is one body and one Spirit" (emphasis mine); it's time for this body—the Church—to start working as a whole. This is one of the major issues that we will be discussing at our upcoming Unified Underground conference this fall.

What is the Unforgivable Sin?

“Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” This is Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees found in chapter 12 of Matthew, and he berates them likewise in two other Gospel accounts. At first read, this will likely be construed as excessively harsh, and not at all befitting the gracious and long-suffering character of the Jesus to whom we are introduced in the rest of the books contained in the New Testament. Indeed, one who is struck with confusion by this statement would be completely justified in their uncertainty. As proves to be true in many cases, however, we must delve deeper into this matter before coming hastily to conclusions. Further study will always help us to form a more complete understanding of the words of Jesus Christ.

There are a few principles of Biblical interpretation that one must keep in mind when considering any piece of Scripture. Perhaps the most important is the idea of the unity of the text: Scripture never contradicts itself, and we can therefore compare parallel accounts in a manner which is helpful in exegetic pursuits. Part of this idea is that we must work from the simplest to understand to the more difficult, meaning that we can look at one Scripture where the meaning is somewhat obvious—or at least much less disputable—and use that to aid in understanding a more difficult piece of Scripture. Another important aspect of our paradigm of hermeneutics should be to consider every piece of Scripture contextually.We must avoid the temptation to “pick and choose,” especially when we already have a preexisting bias—as we most surely do, in most cases—and instead try to reflect on the entire body of Scripture available to us. It is crucial to look at connected sections of Scripture in order to get a handle on the idea which is being conveyed: the “big picture,” so to speak. Commentaries can offer a helpful way to gain perspective in such matters. Keeping these techniques in mind will help us as we examine the meaning of this particular verse.

First, we must examine what we know about two of the major issues with which we are dealing here: sin and redemption. All of us have sinned (Romans 3:23), and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). We must somehow pay for those sins before we can see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). We are taught that salvation under the new covenant comes not through adherence to the Law, but through the atoning sacrifice that Jesus Christ became when he died on the cross as a perfectly sinless man, so that all of our sins could be forgiven (2 Corinthians 5:21). Indeed, we have absolutely no hope to somehow save ourselves by following the Law (Galatians 2:16; James 2:10). Jesus was one man who died for many, so that all sins—past, present and future—could be forgiven (1 Peter 3:18). He is the Messiah, or savior, of any who acknowledge him as such (Matthew 26:28; Luke 12:8; Hebrews 7:27-28; 10:1-18). John 3:18 tells us that those who do not believe in Jesus are condemned, but we know for a fact that those who “come into the light” by accepting the truth gain salvation in doing so (John 3:21). Apparently, then, every sin can be forgiven. It is because of what we know about Christ’s atoning sacrifice for our sins that Jesus’ mention of blasphemy “against the Holy Spirit” and his specification of such as a sin that “will not be forgiven” should give us great pause. We are faced with the task of defining this unforgivable sin and subsequently reconciling this idea with what we already know to be true.

Next, we must take a look at the parallel accounts. This unforgivable sin of “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” is mentioned in all three of the synoptic Gospels (Matthew 12, Mark 3 and Luke 12).

• Matthew 12:22-32: Jesus’ expression of woe on the unrepentant cities of Jerusalem forms the context of this passage. These people have seen the works of their Messiah with their own eyes, but fail—or refuse—to recognize him as such. Here, the Pharisees accusation serves as a definitive example of this rejection of Jesus Christ as their Messiah.
• Mark 3:20-30: Mark mentions very little of the encounter and doesn’t do much to put the event in context. Mark specifies, though, that Jesus told the teachers of the law that those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven “because they were saying, ‘He has an evil spirit.’” In other words, the teachers of the law were attributing Jesus’ healing to the Satan’s power rather than to the Holy Spirit.
• Luke 12:1-12: Luke refers to the unforgivable sin in quite a different context. This event, as in Matthew’s Gospel, follows a declaration of woes, but these allegations are leveled squarely at the Pharisees, the spiritual leaders of the nation of Israel who have led the children of Jacob astray. Much of the material immediately preceding these verses in Luke has Jesus expounding the signs that will herald the coming of the end times.

Reading the related verses in Matthew 12 and Mark 3, we can conclude with some confidence that Jesus is referring specifically to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit as wrongfully attributing to Satan the good works of the Holy Spirit. That, taken along with the context in Luke 12 of an impending judgment, implies that the unforgivable sin is the permanent rejection of Christ: a conviction so steadfast and abiding that you have rendered future repentance impossible. Theologian Henry Morris describes this as “demonstrating an attitude permanently resistant to the Spirit and to the deity and saving gospel of Christ.” Matthew Henry gives a helpful interpretation of this and offers us insight as to why this sin is unforgivable: “Let no trembling, penitent backslider doubt of obtaining forgiveness. This is far different from the determined enmity that is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall never be forgiven, because it will never be repented of” (emphasis added). Rejection of the truth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God is the one thing that will stop one from eternal life (John 3:36).

Theologian Dr. Warren Wiersbe also sees this “blasphemy” as more than simply words spoken against the Holy Spirit. The words, he says, “are only ’fruit’ from the sinful heart.” But while Dr. Wiersbe agrees that Jesus’ words in the passages in question point to a contemporary understanding as described previously, he also has a more complex historical understanding which pertains to those living at the time Jesus walked on earth. Wiersbe believes that the finality of the sin in their day had to do with the exhaustion of opportunities, rather than the antagonism they would demonstrate when offered future opportunities. He goes on to explain how the nation of Israel as a whole has spent their every chance by, in essence, rejecting all three persons of the triune Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. When the leaders of the day denied the truth of John the Baptist’s message, they rejected God the Father. When they asked Pilate to crucify Jesus, they rejected the Son whom God had graciously sent following their refusal of the Father. They were forgiven for this, though, because of their ignorance, and would be given a third chance in the form of ministry of the Holy Spirit. After Pentecost, when the Spirit of God came as proof that Jesus was indeed the Christ and was alive, the rejection of the Apostles and their ministry equated to the rejection of the Holy Spirit as well. At this point, Wiersbe claims, they had squandered all of their chances, and there would be no further witness. Jesus tells of all of these things in the parables in Matthew 21 and 22, and they all come to pass in the book of Acts. The rejection of the Father is evident in the parable of the two sons (Matthew 21:23-32) and that of the Son in the parable of the tenants (Matthew 21:33-46). Finally, the rejection of the Holy Spirit is described by the parable of the wedding banquet (Matthew 22:1-14). Stephen, the first martyr, said that the people of the nation of Israel “always resist the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:51). After Stephen makes this indictment in front of the Sanhedrin, he is stoned to death (Acts 7). Following this final rejection—which, to Wiersbe, is the sin that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 12, a national sin committed by the entire nation of Israel—the message goes out to the Samaritans (Acts 8) and then to the Gentiles (Acts 10). Wiersbe believes that this same type of sin “cannot be committed today in the same way Israel committed it, because the situation is different.” Currently, the Spirit is bearing witness to all of us through the Word of God (Scripture). This has been the case since Pentecost, and now it is more of a matter of a personal (not a national) choice. Aside from Wiersbe’s historical insight, though, he also believes we can apply meaning from this passage to our contemporary Christian lives.

Whatever your interpretation of Jesus’ meaning of “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” happens to be, it is important to understand that the sin in question is unforgivable only because we refuse to ask for forgiveness. This attitude should not be confused with simple ignorance of the Gospel, though: R. T. France saw the distinction as the “difference... between the failure to recognize the light and deliberate rejection of it once it is recognized.” This, really, is at the heart of the issue, because we are taught that all sins can be forgiven by Jesus if we simply exercise genuine repentance by sincerely asking for forgiveness. It seems almost obvious, then, that the one sin that will keep us from salvation is the deeply rooted and irreversible refusal to acknowledge the need for forgiveness of sins, and of Jesus Christ as the only means through which we can gain that forgiveness. Wiersbe asserts that “God cannot forgive the rejection of His Son” and that “it is the Spirit who bears witness to Christ (John 15:26) and who convicts the lost sinner (John 16:7-11).” We can only be condemned by rejecting the very thing that liberates us. It is also imperative, though, to realize that we do not know when someone is beyond hope. No matter how hard a person’s heart has become, there is hope that they will be saved as long as they are still living. God is willing to forgive as long as one is willing to repent.

big bang theory

i wrote this this evening for an english class, i hope its an interesting read....



Three Parts Meteor, Two Parts Space Dust



Two prevailing schools of thought, Creationism and The Big Bang Theory, attempt to offer explanations as to not only our origins but our destinations as well. Is Creationism, the belief that the entire universe -including us- was designed by a master deity with an expressed purpose a plausible theory based on our technological and scientific breakthroughs? Or are we merely the end sum of a cataclysmic universe-wide equation as the Big Bang Theory purports?

Neither theory can be proven or overwhelmingly refuted (thus the age old debate rolls on) but with an open mind I believe that one would be doing themselves a disservice by blindly accepting the Big Bang Theory as the primary explanation for our origin.

While this has been the primary explanation given to school children since it was hypothesized in 1914, this theory doesn’t hold much water when subjected to serious scientific scrutiny. Much like earlier theories - such as the earth being flat, the sun orbiting the earth, or even more recently, Pluto being a planet- our attempts at pinning down unexplained events could very well be proved to be completely false.

The B.B.T relies on a few key hypothesis’ to support the overall theory, Dark Matter, Inflation and Dark Energy. The theory states that the Universe was basically a small “kernel” of dark matter that was kept in a state of limbo within a black hole by dark energy. Eventually, and for an unexplained reason, the kernel’s dark matter reached critical mass, actually causing a reversal in the effects of the black hole, resulting in “Inflation”. This inflation has been equated to that of an empty balloon suddenly expanding to infinity. Miraculously, the densely packed dark matter is now allowed to also “Inflate”, and eventually coalesces into what are known today as planets. Thus our universe is born and everything is good, right?

Well, the biggest problem with the B.B.T theory is the fact the majority of it is based on assumptions. Despite a tremendous amount of cosmological, and astrological breakthroughs and advances, our scientists have yet to discover a single example of dark matter, dark energy, or even the popular black hole. Moreover, our entire cosmological “knowledge” is based on the flawed, hypothesis that is the Big Bang Theory.

In an open letter from 33 respected secular scientists to the scientific community supporting the Big Bang Theory, the following assertion was made:

“In no other field of physics would this continual recourse to new hypothetical objects be accepted as a way of bridging the gap between theory and observation. It would, at the least, raise serious questions about the validity of the underlying theory.” - An Open Letter to the Scientific Community*

While it may prove convenient to simply overlook flaws in a theory, scientists are bound to a code of legitimacy and accuracy. To perpetuate a theory despite obvious conflicts is unethical to say the least

Now it is relatively easy to disassemble the framework of the B.B.T, it is infinitely harder to prove Creationism. Creationism at it’s most fundamental level is based on a God initiating the birth of our universe and everything dwelling within it. As religion is faith-based, it is impossible to prove, but one can prove to a certain degree of accuracy that the Christian model for Creationism is a viable theory unlike the B.B.T as it lacks self-destructive characteristics and contradictions.

The book of Genesis in the Bible makes the claim that the universe was created by God himself in 7 days. As there is no way of proving or refuting this claim, I believe the best route would be to present arguments for the legitimacy of the Bible as a whole.

One common argument against the Christian Creationist belief is that assuming the Bible is divinely inspired, it has been passed thru so many hands that there is no way it could be as accurate as the original manuscript. This argument holds no weight as the Bible has been subjected to many historical literary tests and passed all with flying colors. Tests that compare historical, anthropological and literary data to determine authenticity. Based on one test in particular, Homer’s “Odyssey” and “The Iliad” had 4-5,000 corresponding historical documents from that time period to support that copies we have now are indeed the same as the original. The New Testament alone had over 27,000 corresponding texts to support it’s accuracy. That’s over five times the amount of support that two of the oldest literary works we have can claim.

Secondly, consider the multitudes of people who have given their lives, figuratively and literally, to God Himself. Millions have willingly been martyred because of faith in an omniscient creator.

Of the twelve Apostles of Jesus, only one - John, who was banished to the island of Patmos after surviving being boiled in oil - escaped a martyr’s death. The eleven remaining apostles all died either by crucifixion, stoning, sword or spear. This begs the question, “Who would die such a horrible painful death for something they knew to be a lie?” No one would willingly give themselves up to such barbaric deaths if they knew it was all in vain All twelve apostles were present at the Resurrection of Christ and truly believed that God Himself had risen, the lives they led and the sacrifices they made are a testimony to their unwavering faith in God’s sovereignty.

Lastly, the human eyeball, with it’s ability to focus, adjust it’s aperture instantaneously, track objects, and perceive color is an engineering giant unequaled even compared to modern day super-computers. Each individual eye is composed of millions upon millions of neurons, synapses, rod and cones, all working in concert to convert light into images. Christian scientists have said that the eyeball is irreducibly complex, that is, that it would be impossible for the eyeball to evolve over time due to the fact that all aspects of the eye need to work in perfect harmony for it to work at all. None of the individual parts of the human eye serve a singular purpose, thus those “mutations” would themselves have been phased out by the evolutionary process.


“ To suppose that the eye, with all it’s inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances, for admitting different amounts of light, and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree.”

- Charles Darwin

What does all of this mean? It means that to examine the human eyeball and infer that it is merely the end-sum of a universal equation that started with space dust is mathematically improbable and borderline preposterous . To further claim that everything around us, plants, animals, skyscrapers, computers or jet planes are also the fruitions of the B.B.T is a leap of faith that makes faith in Creationism look like a walk in the park.

To confidently claim that we have figured out the glorious complexity of our universe based on a flawed theory is to slam the door in the face of human intellect and ingenuity.
But to refuse to entertain the Creationism theory based on prejudice or because it’s lack of quantitative data is to impede human progress to an incalculable extent.










*www.cosmologystatement.org

CD Review: Nothington - "All In"

Nothington - "All In"
(BYO Records, 2/13/2007)

Honestly, Nothington's "All In" was the first record in a long while about which I was actually excited. Thankfully, I was not disappointed in the least. Hailing from the East Bay, Nothington features Jay Northington and Gabe Lindeman, formerly of Tsunami Bomb, along with Chris Matulich (Enemy You) and Mike Hicks (Time Spent Driving). After the disbanding of Tsunami Bomb, Northington and Lindeman decided to get back to their southern roots, and Nothington was born. They recorded a demo that practically exploded through the underground scene after its online release, and were quickly signed by BYO Records. Their debut, "All In," follows a 7" from indie label Left Off the Dial.

Nothington is all about raw energy, and has managed with this full-length to create a collection of some great punk rock anthems. Nothington's songs bleed sincerity and frustration, and the melodies drag you through each song and leave you feeling emotionally drained. Their lyrics express typical punk rock subjects: broken hearts, sleepless nights, disillusionment, wasted time and missed opportunities. The vocals are gravelly, reminiscent of the rasp of Frankie Stubbs (Leatherface) and Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music), and The Action Design's Emily Whitehurst (also a Tsunami Bomb alum) also lends her amazing voice for background vocals on two tracks. These elements combine to create music that is as intensely emotional as anything the emo community has to offer, but without all that whining.

"All In" will appeal to fans of Hot Water Music, Leatherface and Automatic 7; and anyone who enjoys a touch of country and rockabilly in their punk rock. Fans of the earlier, more punk-influenced Social Distortion records will definitely want to give this a listen, as well.

Rating: 4.5/5

Nothington (official site) • Nothington on MySpace

CD Review: Lifetime - "Lifetime"

Lifetime - "Lifetime"
(Decaydance, 2/6/07)

Over the past few years it's felt like another band announces a reunion every time I turn around, but few caused as much of a stir throughout the scene as Lifetime, when they made plans in 2005 to get back together for a set at that year's Hellfest. Due to legal problems, that festival ended up falling apart at the last minute, and what followed was a whirlwind of east coast promoters scurrying to set up shows for all of the bands that had already made the trip to the New Jersey area. Lifetime ended up playing three of those impromptu shows (Aug. 19 & 20, 2005 in Philadelphia, PA and Aug. 21 in Asbury Park, NJ), and announced a few months later that they would be officially reforming. In March of '06, the band signed to Decaydance (an imprint of Fueled By Ramen Records) and released a two-song single late that summer.

"Lifetime" is the band's first full-length in a full ten years. Honestly, I was a little anxious about the release of this album. I've come to expect the worse when it comes to band reunions, and I don't think—even had I hated it—that I could have, in good conscience, written a bad review about one of the most influential melodic hardcore bands of the 90s. Fortunately, Lifetime's latest offering doesn't disappoint, and I didn't have to resort to lying. In fact, I didn't have to try very hard at all to find nice things to say about this record. With eleven tracks clocking in at under 24 minutes, the band's self-titled album is something that old fans will love. Everything I've come to expect from—and love about—this band is present and accounted for. Melodic vocals delivered over speedy punk tempos? Check. Heart-on-your-sleeve lyrics? Check. Catchy hooks that deftly avoid sounding too "poppy"? Check. No songs longer than 2:45? Check. The only complaint that I can muster is that the production seems a little too polished for the old Lifetime that I'm used to. But now I'm just nitpicking...

For the most part, Lifetime fails to break any new ground with this album and in a way, it's somewhat disappointing that this new record sounds so much like their old material. Considering, however, the fact that Lifetime's past releases have been golden, I can't accuse them of making a mistake by sticking to the old adage: "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Rating: 4.5/5

Lifetime (official web site) • Lifetime on MySpace

Peter Pan

So we all know the story Peter Pan right? right, okay. So think about it, you have these boys, the lost boys, lead by this other, Peter Pan, who run around this sorta dream world, Neverland. Here they run around getting into all sorts of adventures, the big thing is, they don't want to grow up. All they want to do is run around and have fun, and face meetings with Indians and mermaids, and most of all, they battle, with Pirates, who want to put an end to them. So we look at the story and as an adult we say eh its a children's story, a bunch of kids who don't want to accept responsibility. Well I think there's much more to it, i think it is, and can be, a story for adults. You see, its full of lots of elements that a believer can take from it, faith, perseverance, and most of all, how we should live. You see directly from the beginning, the only way to get to Neverland was to fly, for Neverland was in the Heavens, (2nd star to the right and straight on till morning). In order for the Fairy dust to work they had to have happy thoughts, and they had to trust them. You know salvation is a matter of one thing, our belief that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, and that his death and Resurrection, and the confessing of that fact, basically trust in Him and that fact. Belief in that and our confession of that helps us get to his Kingdom in Heaven. But that's not the biggest thing i got from this story, you see i think the point of Peter Pan is us, all of us including society as a whole. I think we are being told don't forget what its like to be a kid. Not run from responsibility, but really saying hey we grow up, we forget the joy, the spirit, the fun of being a kid, and when we do, that's when we become a Pirate, an adult who has forgotten all of that, and has lost the joy of life. Think about it, we have a blast as a kid, we have faith and trust whatever is put before us, then some people out there, they get "old". They forget about what it was like for them to be a kid, and they start to condemn us. Think about it as being a punk or hardcore kid, society is always like, "when are these kids going to grow up", "when are they going to stop being losers and get real jobs, and take those silly piercings out, and stop tattooing". You know you've all heard it before, but really, we have a joy, we enjoy our youth, and we are actually doing something, we are standing up for our beliefs, trying to help our communities, making a stand. Peter Pan and his lost boys, they were doing something, they were trying to remind these Pirates, how to live, but making a stand, they rescued Wendy and her brothers, and gave them a fervor for youth back. Now okay so how does this make sense, well, think about Jesus Christ and his disciples, or better yet, his lost boys, they didn't fit the social order of things, they enjoyed themselves and they were making a difference. Likewise, they made a claim that is hidden deep with in the Peter Pan story, don't lose your youth! Jesus Christ often preached, have faith like that of a child, don't lose the youthfulness of your faith. For it is the one who has faith like that of a child whom the Kingdom of Heaven belongs. You see that place way up there 2nd star to the right and straight on til morning, belongs to those whose spirit is like that of a child, so i say as Jesus said, have faith like a child, don't forget your youth when it comes to being a believer. Likewise, never forget what its like to be a child, for when you do you become a grumpy old adult, a Pirate, looking down on everyone else rather than striving towards your goals. Likewise, may we seek and serve our Lord always, its the greatest adventure we will ever embark.

Sneak Peek: xLooking Forwardx Bonus DVD

Blood & Ink Records (Richmond, VA) will be re-releasing xLooking Forwardx's "What This Means to Me" this March. The reissue will include a special bonus DVD featuring footage of a live show and a short documentary, along with other bonus features. Here's a sneak preview, courtesy of Blood & Ink:

xLooking Forwardx Bonus DVD Trailer
xLooking Forwardx • Blood & Ink Records

Book Review: Johnny Cash - "Man in White"

Man in White by Johnny Cash
(WestBow Press, 8/8/2006)

Johnny Cash is best known as a prolific country artist who recorded in excess of seventy albums over a career spanning more than fifty years. Cash was one of those rare musicians who managed to achieve almost universal popularity. He collaborated with artists running the gamut from Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson to Trent Reznor and Marilyn Manson, and somehow managed to seamlessly interweave his unique style with all of theirs. Cash’s mystique was due in large part, no doubt, to his attitude and reputation as “The Man in Black.” That was a moniker he earned early in his career because of his trademark monochromatic black outfits and the dark themes of many of his most popular songs (“Folsom Prison Blues,” “Ring of Fire” and “I Walk the Line,” to name a few). Moreover, Cash made no secret of the shadowy areas of his personal life, and because of his candor many also knew him as a troubled man embroiled in a lifelong struggle with dependency on methamphetamines and barbiturates, haunted by the specter of his brother’s untimely death at a young age, and later in life suffering from health problems stemming from a neurological disorder and diabetes. Fortunately, Johnny Cash eventually found true comfort and relief from his many demons in “The Man in White”: Jesus Christ. Cash’s addiction and other problems, though, continued to be a thorn in his flesh during the rest of his life, and he was particularly affected by the story of the Apostle Paul who wrote famously of the thorn in his own flesh for which the disciple came to be thankful. This fascination with Paul’s story inspired Cash to author a novel, Man in White, in which he describes the transformation of the former zealous Pharisee who ruthlessly and mercilessly persecuted the earliest Christians before being met with a fateful vision of Jesus Christ along the road to Damascus. This experience transformed Paul into one of the Lord’s most significant and effectual disciples, the founder of countless churches and the author of much of the New Testament.

Cash makes it clear in introducing the novel that he fully understands the danger of extra-Biblical conjecture, and he succeeds in his attempt to illuminate the personality of Paul while largely avoiding those perils. Though fictional by Cash’s own declaration, the novel contains much factual historical information which not only helps readers become immersed in the setting, but ensures that they fully understand the significance of pertinent customs and relevant cultural nuances. The author, through the character he creates in Paul, also subtly offers his own elucidations of a multitude of passages from Scripture along the way.

A great deal of time is spent painting a written picture of Paul as a young Pharisee consumed by his own zeal to live according to the Law and to purify his faith. This depiction is perhaps most disturbing in the fact that we can see a lot of ourselves in this passionate follower of God. But the description is not gratuitous, because we too often gloss over the truly horrid actions committed by Paul. Cash forces us to acknowledge the harsh realities of these before we are shown the wonderful acts of ministry he did later in his life. We are quick to remember the wonderful things that Paul accomplished, but they are only a single part of the “big picture” of Paul’s testimony: he is such an inspiration because of the story of his incredible transformation, a transformation which can only be fully appreciated when we account for his malevolent past. In roughly the first half of the novel, the author grants us a glimpse into the ever-increasing turmoil that Paul feels. He is convinced that he is doing the right thing and following God’s will, and tries to attribute his growing doubts to the meddling of Satan. As Paul begins his persecution of Christians, he is astonished by the “expression of peace and joy out of agony” on the faces of all his victims, and wonders from where that “ecstasy in the agony of suffering for the Lord” comes. They show him love even as he is torturing them and putting them to death, and it is the influence of that love that initially begins to unravel Paul’s malicious convictions and shake his misguided ardor.

We’d do well to find in Paul’s experience a sobering warning against our own fanaticism and zealotry, even if it is limited to something as relatively trivial as allowing ourselves to think that we somehow have a better grasp or understanding of the will of God than any of our brothers or sisters in Christ. We should recall the story of Paul when we are prayerfully seeking to know God’s will, and be careful not to deny the calling of the Spirit from within us in favor of the pursuit of our own desires. Paul’s story teaches us, in a very personal way, the value of learning to submit to God and follow His will.

All of this leads to the climactic meeting along the road to Damascus with the Man in White. But is it truly the experience that is the apex of Paul’s story, or is it the inevitable acceptance of the identity of that man and the conclusion of what he allows the Lord to do with his life after the fated meeting with Jesus Christ on the road… what follows the acceptance of the revelation? Cash verbally weaves the scene in a magnificent depiction. The chapters that follow Paul’s conversion tell briefly the story of some of the arguments and decision-making that occurred in the early days of the Church. It is in the last part of the book that we walk with Paul as he discovers the joy of following Christ, even when it means that we must suffer for him. Many are skeptical of Paul’s conversion, but for his sister the sheer magnitude of Paul’s transformation is enough proof that Jesus is the Christ. Although Paul’s belief stemmed from the very clear and very genuine appearance of Jesus before him, we should not underestimate the power of just our own faith as evidence to the world.

The author writes in his introduction that his motivation for writing the novel stems from the bond he feels with Paul because of the Apostle’s struggle with a “thorn in the flesh.” The story of Paul’s dramatic turnaround and redemption strikes a universal chord, I think, because if we’re truly honest with ourselves, most of us can identify with his defiance. This is especially true for those of us who were formerly hostile to the Christian worldview. In his epistle to the church at Corinth, Paul wrote that he had repeatedly pleaded with Jesus to remove the “thorn” from his side, but that the Lord had told him that Christ’s strength was “made perfect” in Paul’s weakness (2 Cor 12:9). Paul understood that the love of God was real and that love is the most powerful force the universe has ever known, and although he may not have fully understood at the time what Jesus meant, he accepted it as truth. Like Abraham, our faith is credited to us as righteousness.

In Man in White, Cash gives to the legendary Paul an air of humanity that Scripture does not. The fallibility is more real and the troubles more personal in this work of fiction than reading them in Paul’s own words through his epistles. We have in this novel an insight into Paul’s emotions, including the resentment he feels when his desires go unfulfilled. Paul is presented throughout as a deeply pious follower devoted to God; his transgressions against the followers of Jesus are the result of misdirected passion. This Paul is far more relatable: a Paul who at times is bitterly angry when things don’t seem to go his way, and at other times ignores his calling and instead tries to forge his own path. Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” is something we can all relate to because we all face our own unique struggles. Like Paul, we must learn to be thankful for these shortcomings. Cash used the example of Paul’s struggles marvelously and, “accepted [his thorns] as his personal burden,” his son John Carter Cash eloquently wrote, “something to rise above, something to sharpen his courage, to define purpose, and to help him remember to stay grateful for his blessings.”

We should likewise learn to cherish the thorns in our flesh because that which does not break us only serves to temper our spirit. Jesus Christ’s strength is made perfect in our weakness, and he promised that he’d be with us always (Mt 28:20), lending his strength to us that we might carry on, and never be truly broken. Let us not pray, then, for an uncomplicated and trouble-free life. Instead, let us pray for the will to grow through times of privation, the wisdom to learn from mistakes and misfortune, and the courage to overcome adversity.

CD Review: Only Crime - "Virulence"

Only Crime - "Virulence"
(Fat Wreck Chords, 1/23/2007)

Only Crime is about as close as you'll probably ever get to a punk rock supergroup. Singer Russ Rankin handled vocals for Good Riddance, drummer Bill Stevenson made a name for himself keeping the beat for Descendents, All, and—for a short time—Black Flag, and the rest of the crew (Aaron Dalbec, and Zach and Donivan Blair) have collective experience playing with Bane, Converge, Hagfish, Armstrong and Gwar. While Only Crime’s brand of melodic hardcore doesn't really break any new ground, it comes awfully close to epitomizing the genre, and that’s quite an accomplishment in its own right.

Only Crime's sophomore release for Fat Wreck Chords entitled "Virulence" is more melodic than their debut (2004's "To The Nines"), but this unfortunately comes at the expense of some of the raw energy that made that record so enjoyable. This album recalls the Fat releases you listened to ten years ago from bands like Good Riddance, Strung Out and No Use For A Name, but you won't get too carried away in reminiscing before Only Crime's melodic riffs and harmonious vocals remind you that their sound is altogether unique. While paying homage to their roots, Only Crime manages to do something new and different, due in part no doubt to the diverse musical experience that the members bring to the table. It's classic melodic hardcore to be sure, but certain songs are decidedly more melodic than you'd expect. Don't despair, though, because other tracks will give you the healthy dose of punk angst and aggression that you’re looking for, while achieving a refreshing level of maturity in a genre that is too often plagued with lyrics replete with ignorant rhetoric.

The album's standout tracks are two friendship anthems, "Just Us" and "Shotgun." The former was the only song from the band's 2003 demo that didn't make it on to their debut, so I was quite happy to hear the final cut appear on "Virulence." This record will appeal, of course, to fans of the members' former bands and other melodic hardcore legends (see the late-1990s Fat and Epitaph catalogs), but the youth-crew hardcore kids out there will probably also find themselves singing/shouting along.

Rating: 4/5

Only Crime (official site) • Only Crime on MySpace

Earth Crisis Reunion Show

yesterday i was lucky enough to get to go to the Earth Crisis reunion show in baltimore. i've been into the hardcore/punk rock scene here in maryland for a little bit, but sadly have never been able to go and see Earth Crisis. as you may or may not know, Earth Crisis is probably one of the most influential Straightedge/Animal Rights bands...EVER. barring Minor Threat, Earth Crisis has been responsible for helping more kids either overcome addiction, or shun chemical dependency completely. this is a good thing. Earth Crisis is also one of the most politically active bands in the animal rights arena. devout vegans and vegetarians, a large portion of their songs are directly related to animal rights and the movement therein.

so, we waited all day and finally Earth Crisis was due to play. but before they played, two speakers came up and each gave their "Testimonials". the first guy was talking about animal rights and activism. he made mention of his involvement with Sea Shepherd, a non-profit animal rights group whose main goal is to protect sea animals from cruel treatment and/or illegal hunting practices. this guy in particular had spent time on a Sea Shepherd boat in the Antarctic, protecting Minke, Humpback and Fin whales from illegal poaching by Japanese ships. i was struck at his willingness to go to the Antarctic in the first place, much less to put his life on the line by preventing whaling ships from illegally harvesting whale, thus damaging the fragile ecosystem in that particular area. all of this for whales?

the second speaker spoke of how when he was 12 years old he had left his house after a very loud and physical altercation with his father. black-eyed, bleeding and apparently shoeless, he walked down the road in the snow just trying to get away for a while. while he was walking a van pulled over and offered him a ride. the van contained the members of Earth Crisis. well, they took this kid wherever he happened to be going, but while on way they talked to the kid and made such an impression upon him that he has ever since been Straightedge and an animal activist. all because they showed this kid a little compassion in his time of need. all of this for a 12 year old kid?

finally...Earth Crisis. the sound was incredible, the crowd was awesome and the energy of the room was amazing. but one thing in particular struck me during the show. Earth Crisis was playing one of their most famous songs, "Firestorm". As soon as they started that particular song, the crowd expanded outwards, creating a huge pit in the middle. immediately after the expansion i saw 75% of the room just start moving towards the stage to sing along. i have NEVER seen such a pile-on as i did just then. i was seriously awestruck. but its funny, a particular thought came to me when i saw all these kids singing along..."if anyone could somehow unite all of these kids into some type of movement, it would be scary to say the least".

some time during their set, Karl Crisis, the lead singer, was talking about Straightedge/Veganism. he said that a lot of people that are into the hardcore/punk rock scene are merely there for social status or to be tough guys. he stated that he believed that there was a lot of fakeness going on these days and that if people would spend less time with the material side of hardcore and actually unite to try and accomplish something then nothing could stop us. interesting idea, laying down one's pride and sense of self so that the movement as a whole might prevail? great minds think alike huh?

while i am neither vegetarian nor Straightedge, i cant argue with anything that Earth Crisis says. I think they're on the right path, but maybe just a little off target. as i am a Christian and this is a Christian-centered blog, if you cant see the direct correlation, i will draw it out.

Straightedge is all about personal purity and that is to be applauded, but to be pure in a physical sense is easy, it's maintaining our spiritual purity that is the real struggle. while its becoming harder and harder to avoid falling into the trap of chemical dependency with the advent of so many addictive prescription drugs, the easy access to marijuana and other "Gateway" drugs, the prevalence of alcohol consumption and tobacco use in our society its understandable the appeal that these things have. it's even harder to keep from falling into the trap of self-righteousness or pride. from another angle, how does one maintain a pure lifestyle when they still have negative impulses or physical lusts? Matthew 23:24-26 touches on this, and I hope this isn't taken as being accusatory or rude, but if read in context, i believe this verse could prove to be very helpful in understanding where i am coming from: "²⁵Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. ²⁶Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean."

Another famous hardcore band, this one being Christian, "No Innocent Victim" manages to sum all of this up in their song "Whitewashed Tomb":

"You're nothing but a whitewashed tomb
clean on the outside
but full of dead man's bones
your soul knows no life
but you say no one should question you
no on can talk to you
there's just no getting through
full of your altar ego
spiritual fashion show
you're a whitewashed tomb
the Spirit's like the wind blows
how could you know which way He goes
pretending that you have control
of a God you barely know
You're a whitewashed tomb
You're a whitewashed tomb"

from a biblical point of view, it is impossible for us to live completely pure lifestyles. we can do everything right, but even though we may not physically act it out we still sin in our hearts. we are inherently evil and no matter how hard we try to change for the better, unless we change our hearts and accept Christ, all of our efforts have been made in vain. Romans 3:23 says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". no matter how hard we try, without salvation we're wasting our time.

i guess that's what bothers me the most. there are so many good people out there desperately trying to better themselves and live a life of purity...but to what avail? it reminds me of Luke 9:25, which normally is related to materialism but can be applied here: "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?".

it just seems to me that Straightedge and Animal Rights are both noble endeavors to get involved with, but to do so without God on your side, what the point? you're basically spinning your wheels. Maybe one day when we're able to give up our pride and self-righteousness and turn our lives to Christ we might be able to finally accomplish those things that sound so nice.

for those of us that are Christians, we should take note of what some of our secular brothers and sisters are accomplishing. its inspiring to see people doing so much with so little. its my prayer that we can all come together in Christ and that's when the real changes will start.

<3
rumbaugh

ps- moshing is still fun.

(funny, my itunes has been playing this whole time and just as i finish this, Earth Crisis' - Constrict comes on...weeeirrd)

Snow

So, I've been really taking time to learn, grow, and be a role model for these two boys from my church. I love these guys to death man. However, they are young, but the church doesn't "get" them, that's because they aren't your typical "youth group kids", they love hardcore and metal music and they ride skateboards. Well, I went to their house yesterday after work to hang out with them and go hear some speakers, just as i got to there house, it began to snow. The funny thing is Loyal and Mollie and I had lunch at there house Sunday, it snowed then too. Well it started coming down, it made a light dusting just enough to cover the ground, two things occurred. First, their parents were like "Jordan, you know every time you come here it seems to snow." So as the snow was falling, I began to think about some things. You see snow, when it falls, is some of the purest things you'll ever see, it falls, patiently and calmly, moving at its chosen pace. When the moment is right, it will completely cover the ground and everything around it in its wholeness. In that moment, that short little moment, the world is clothed in this pure white blanket, as the Bible says, it is as pure as a new snowfall. So i began to think of our lives...its just like that, you see the world in its fresh snow fall is pure, completely wrapped in this white blanket...then what happens, we human beings rise and in a matter of seconds, minutes, hours, we destroy it, removing it, staining it with dirt and filth that comes from us and its no longer white as snow. To me that explains our lives so perfectly, you see we except Christ, and he comes down, wraps us in His light, which is pure, for a moment in our time we are clothed in perfection and pureness, don't get me wrong I'm not saying we lose this, we will always have it. However, like the snow, our flesh, who we are as humans, quickly we mess it up, we fall and get captured in something that totally just stains this new "freshly fallen pureness" within ourselves. You know what else is so great about watching a new snowfall....grace...yep there's grace in a snowfall. When we cover it and ruin it guess what, when the times right, a new snowfall comes and covers all the dirt again, without question, and its pure again. That's how it is with us in Christ, when we stain our new pureness, when the moments right, and we choose to go before the Lord, and put ourselves out there, no matter what we've done as human beings, His grace is sufficient, and He lets it snow with forgiveness for our souls...we are again...white as snow.

New Ink

Recently my beautiful, loving wife and I gave birth to our darling daughter Liora. We feel that we've been blessed every step of the way, through the entire pregnancy, the birth and delivery, and the first few months of our baby girl's life with us. Her name is Hebrew, and it means "God's gift of Light to me", for without The Light, I personally would be as good as dead.

Tattoos are nothing new to my beloved wife, she's been inked to commemorate our marriage, to honor her mother and her father, and to show her love to me. So its only natural for her to mark this milestone in our lives with some new art. Almost all of her work has been done at Little Vinnies', at either thier Finksburg or Liberty Roads shops. You can check them out on MySpace.

I'm editing this post to add the fact that this tattoo was done by "Uncle Pauly" at Little Vinnies. My wife and I have been going to him for years, and he's always treated us right. He's extremely talented and his prices are good. On tuesday he'll be sketching for our friend Jen's new back piece, and he also did Mollie's new tattoo last week.

Welcome to the Hope Blog

Welcome the the "Hope's Anchor" Blogzine. Our staff is working hard to provide great editorials and essays in the next couple of months. We invite our readers to share this blog with others, and submit your own articles to be published here. We have one of the best photographers of hardcore/punk/metal/emo bands in Maryland , and we'll be providing coverage and reviews of shows in the Baltimore/D.C. region.

About "Hope's Anchor"

Hope's Anchor was founded by several members of Hope For The Rejected for the purpose of sharing our experiences as subcultural Christians for the purpose of lifting up our brothers and sisters in Christ. This blog will include our thoughts on a variety of topics, mostly centered around what it's like to live out our faith daily: the triumphs and the troubles we face, the questions that arise, good books we've read and sermons we've heard, etc. We'll also be blogging about other subjects of interest such as tattoos, shows, and music (including non-Christian stuff).

Hope's Anchor will feature regular content from members of our group, as well as periodic articles from guest contributors. We wish to keep this as open as possible and allow for the candor of our writers, so please understand that the views expressed by those written here are not necessarily the views of the members of Hope For The Rejected as a whole.

Above all else, we want this to be a helpful resource to our brothers and sisters in Christ, so please get in touch and let us know what you would like to see. God bless!