Christianity and the Social Crisis

Christianity and the Social Crisis by Walter Rauschenbusch

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“Thus the spirit of Christianity didn’t just spread peace and charity, but the rise of social unrest. It has caused some to throw down their tools, to quit their jobs. It has stirred women to break the restraints of customs and traditions. It has invaded the intimacy of family relationship causing tension and disruption. It awakened the slaves to a sense of worth and value. It disturbs the feeling of patriotism and national loyalty, it intervenes between states and governments.”

 

Should the church take a stance against, industrialism, capitalism, or technology?
Should the church confront our economic system or legal systems?

And what do we do with poverty, and hungry, and human trafficking?

This book confronts the social issues of the early 1900’s when industrialism was raising questions about economics, and class welfare, and worker rights.

What responsibility does the church have to confront social issues?

There is so much dynamite in this book, ah if only people would read it.

Magic Mountain Birthday Hoora!

 

So last week we took the kids to Magic Mountain for their birthdays. They love to play in the play gym. Of course my favorite part is too throw all those nerf balls at other peoples kids. It’s a blast. Ya that kid in the photo is about to get destroyed by my power destructo ball. He’s going to be hurting in the morning!….but what do I care he’s not my kid.

 

This is emery after I tagged him with a fire bomb ball. I’m a bad dude…I’d keep your kids out of the play gym if you see me in there!

I’m going to start using this word!

SNARKY

A witty mannerism, personality, or behavior
that is a combination of sarcasm and cynicism.

The Dangers of Binge Reading

Most of the times when we read, it’s because we need information, fast. We’re skimming through a manual, searching Google, or signing a contract.

Thanks to email and blogging if you exceed two paragraphs people will simply stop reading. And as more and more people learn to “text”, instant message, and twitter, we are successfully conditioning people to consume information.

We want lots of pictures, and simple concepts, and if you could just go ahead and highlight the main points so we can skip right to them. In fact if we could just format everything we read into a “Wheres Waldo” book, life would be so much more convenient.

You can’t download information like a computer, the human brain doesn’t learn that way. We learn through repetition, through experience, through meditation. It’s like wearing a groove into a path.

The danger of binge reading is that it leads to intellectual obesity. Lots of bits of random information. Like when the last time so and so logged on to myspace, or who wrote what on your facebook wall, Sports scores (real and fantasy), News headlines, what celebrities are getting a divorce.

We have reformatted our minds to avoid having to exercise and think for themselves. We want gossip, and controversy, and entertainment, and we quickly get bored if we can’t find the payoff after reading 2 lines.

I read a lot of books, it’s something I’m passionate about. But I have to constantly remind myself to slow down!. I don’t have a quota to make, I don’t have to read the whole chapter just to feel like I accomplished something. There are days I just read until I hit a concept or idea that’s worth meditating on.

If we are not careful we read like we’re at a buffet. Not for pleasure but for sport, and when we’re done we’re left with a lot of of empty thoughts.

When was the last time you read something for pleasure?

It’s Just Getting Good!

It’s been 8 years of marriage!

As I think about everything we have gone through, the good, the bad, and the ugly. There is no one I would rather have by my side than my wife.

We laugh together

We cry together

and we make fun of other people together! (trust me it’s really therapeutic)

we’re a little older, and a little fatter, but more in love.

Two crazy kids in love, getting married, having kids, and ignoring how the world tells us we should live our lives, and finding our own way.

It’s what keeps me moving everyday!

thanks Tammy!

illustrator flowers

I did this illustrator tutorial here. Mine didn’t come out as good as the pro’s but not bad for the first run.

What a great idea!

I saw this “logo” if you will in my email the other day. It belongs to Central desktop, which I couldn’t care for either way. They offer a service, and I don’t need it. But what caught my eye is this logo.

It tells a beautifully simple story.

First all the people are of the same make, and color, and body structure. Implying they are unified, they share common values of some kind.

Second, they are all focused on the same object. The empty puzzle piece in the center of the floor.

Third is the puzzle piece, which is a brilliant metaphor .

These people share a common problem, and are united in their efforts to resolve it.

What a beautiful allegory for the church.

Science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke dies at 90

I read today the Science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke died. I know most people don’t know who he is, which is a shame.

My dad kept a collection of books that were off limits, mainly just because they looked boring. But when I was about 12, out of shear boredom induced by summer break. I started to pick through the books on his shelf, and I found this book. “Rendezvous With Rama”.

I was glued to that book all summer, and for that I pay my respect to Mr. Clarke as a great writer.

This is what I do at work when I’m bored!

I had some free time at work , so I had a sudden impulse to create and change all my icons!

The Downward Curve of Marraige

“Hard times are always marked by a downward curve in the percentage of marriages”

- Walter Rauschenbusch

Rauschenbusch says in 1900 in Rochester, NY 29% of men between the age of 25-44 were unmarried. This was cause for concern back then.

In Franklin County which includes Columbus, Ohio 57% of men between 25-44 have never been married.

In my office 74% of the guys between 20-40 have never been married.

We have had a 50% drop in marriage since 1970.

While cohabiting has double since 1990, despite research that show cohabiting couples have twice the breakup rate of married couples. That puts them in the 75 to 80% chance they will break up, and the longer they cohabit the higher the percentage is.

Only 70% of high school senior boys said that a good marriage was important to them.

Marriage has been fallen apart in the United States for as long as I can remember. I began to notice in the late 80’s that not everyone was raised like me. And there were plenty of people to tell me I was crazy for getting married at 19.

I personally think your view about marriage says a lot about who you are.

Just something to think about.

*A lot if data was provide from The National Marriage Project