I've been thinking lately about how to talk with people when I disagree with them or wonder if they have thought things through fully. I'm not talking about little things, but the big stuff that involves God and the Bible: the important stuff. There's a lot of stuff that I'm willing to leave alone, mostly involving politics, because people get too emotional and angry. Of course, that's how they are when God is involved as well, which is why I usually keep silent, but now I'm not sure if I should, or when I should speak up.
This is what experience has shown me: things like Facebook are likely not the best place for these discussions. I've read things that people have posted and asked questions to clarify or expressed a different opinion, and generally people ignore what I've said. It seems that they don't want to engage in any type of discussion; they want to express their opinion and that's it. And I'm okay with that; I've opened the door for further conversation, and if they don't want to, that's their choice. Other times, people go straight to defensive and won't listen (or read, as the case may be) or go straight to the "agree to disagree" conversation closer. In the end, I've concluded that most people on Facebook do not want to discuss or think more about what they've posted (although there are some exceptions).
Twitter...well, I don't even have Twitter and I really don't understand how people actually have debates via Twitter. It's strange!
Which brings me to blogs. I read a variety of blogs and the comment sections can get rather...interesting. Some bloggers have measures in place to moderate the comments while others let anything go. The later tend to disintegrate into people refusing to listen to anyone who disagrees and trying to take over the comments so no one can respond. Too many bloggers (although of blogs that I rarely read) either remove comments that disagree or get defensive. Here's my opinion: unlike Facebook, which is intended for short comments and is semi-private, blogs are out there for the world to read. If you're going to blog, you need to accept that people might disagree with you and either be prepared to discuss (or redirect or refuse to allow for hostile takeovers when commenters will not listen or act with some respect) or close the comment section.
So...sometimes it's worth trying to engage people in blog comment sections, and sometimes it isn't.
Which brings me to this blog. Is it the right time and place for me to talk about ideas and such that people have that I think are incorrect or not thought through well? I really don't know. I don't know if I have the time to discuss things if there are disagreeing comments. I don't know if I have the time to do the research to make sure my position is correct. I don't know what my purpose would be in bringing up more controversial topics: to get attention? to help set the record straight? to show a different way of looking at things? And internet discussion is tough because of the time between comments (it isn't a conversation in the traditional sense of the word) an the potential for misunderstanding.
I guess what it comes down to is evaluating my own motives and deciding if the internet is the right place to discuss things and if I want to get away from "safe" blogging.
I don't have any answers, just questions. I'll take any advice you might have on this one, though.
Sunday, 12 August 2012
Thursday, 9 August 2012
Jesus, Joy of the Highest Heaven
Yes, I know that it's a Christmas carol. I really like it, though, so I'm sharing it with you.
Sunday, 5 August 2012
Misused Bible Verses
Today, for your reading enjoyment...a book review!
I picked up The Most Misused Verses in the Bible by Eric J. Bargerhuff when I was at Masters last month. I read most of it on the trip home. It's an easy read with sound teaching and I enjoyed it. It's subtitled "Surprising Ways God's Word is Misunderstood" although I didn't find many surprises in it. Most of the verses I'd heard misused (and some I have misused myself in the past), although there were a couple unexpected verses.
Bargerhuff looks at 17 different verses (or passages) that are misused. I am not going to go through them all, although I will list the references for you here:
First, I had never heard Proverbs 4:23 misused. It seems that it's used by people to keep from getting close to others. I also did not know that John 12:32 (which is about Jesus being lifted up on the cross) was the basis for lifting up the name of Jesus. Those were the ones that surprised me.
Second, he doesn't quite make it on Proverbs 22:6. He's quite right that proverbs are principles, not promises. This should at least comfort people who do everything right and still get rebellious children. At the same time, he misses what the verse is really saying. It's more of a warning: if you start a child out in the way he wants to go, he will never, ever turn from it. (Read God's Wisdom in Proverbs, appendix 3, by Dan Phillips, for the full explanation).
Third, Bargerhuff is absolutely correct in his emphasis on context. So many of these verses wouldn't be misused if people refrained from pulling them from the Bible and ignoring their immediate context. You can't do that. You have to read the Bible as a whole. That is why I encourage people to have their Bibles open in church and when reading Christian books to double check what is being said. And you need to know your Bible.
Overall: I think this is an excellent book and a very useful reference tool. It doesn't hurt to double check your own favourite verses as well.
I picked up The Most Misused Verses in the Bible by Eric J. Bargerhuff when I was at Masters last month. I read most of it on the trip home. It's an easy read with sound teaching and I enjoyed it. It's subtitled "Surprising Ways God's Word is Misunderstood" although I didn't find many surprises in it. Most of the verses I'd heard misused (and some I have misused myself in the past), although there were a couple unexpected verses.
Bargerhuff looks at 17 different verses (or passages) that are misused. I am not going to go through them all, although I will list the references for you here:
- “Judge Not” - Matthew 7:1
- “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you” - Jeremiah 29:11-13
- “Where two or three are gathered” - Matthew 18:20
- “Ask for anything in My name” - John 14:13-14
- “All things work together for good” - Romans 8:28
- “If My people who are called by My name” - 2 Chronicles 7:14
- “Jesus as the firstborn of all creation” - Colossians 1:15
- “Money is the root of all evil” - 1 Timothy 6:10
- “No more than you can handle” - 1 Corinthians 10:13
- “Train up a child” - Proverbs 22:6
- “I can do all things through Christ” - Philippians 4:13
- “An eye for an eye” - Exodus 21:23-25
- “Prayer offered in faith” - James 5:15
- “Repent and be baptized” - Acts 2:38
- “Guard your heart” - Proverbs 4:23
- “Where there is no vision” - Proverbs 29:18
- “Lifting up the name of Jesus” - John 12:32
First, I had never heard Proverbs 4:23 misused. It seems that it's used by people to keep from getting close to others. I also did not know that John 12:32 (which is about Jesus being lifted up on the cross) was the basis for lifting up the name of Jesus. Those were the ones that surprised me.
Second, he doesn't quite make it on Proverbs 22:6. He's quite right that proverbs are principles, not promises. This should at least comfort people who do everything right and still get rebellious children. At the same time, he misses what the verse is really saying. It's more of a warning: if you start a child out in the way he wants to go, he will never, ever turn from it. (Read God's Wisdom in Proverbs, appendix 3, by Dan Phillips, for the full explanation).
Third, Bargerhuff is absolutely correct in his emphasis on context. So many of these verses wouldn't be misused if people refrained from pulling them from the Bible and ignoring their immediate context. You can't do that. You have to read the Bible as a whole. That is why I encourage people to have their Bibles open in church and when reading Christian books to double check what is being said. And you need to know your Bible.
Overall: I think this is an excellent book and a very useful reference tool. It doesn't hurt to double check your own favourite verses as well.
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
What It Isn't
I'm still sorting out thoughts and emotions here. I thought I'd try figuring out what's happening by looking at it backwards.
What I'm dealing with is not...
A new way of "experiencing" God that has moved me to a new level beyond all the "regular" Christians. And trust me...I haven't reached some amazing level where I'm suddenly sinless!
A sudden epiphany that will fade in a couple days and not leave me changed (I hope...but already I'm finding some changes in how I'm thinking and reacting).
Based only on emotion. It's a combination of understanding and emotion...but being me, the emotion is harder to deal with, so it comes up more frequently.
Okay, that's all I have for today.
What I'm dealing with is not...
A new way of "experiencing" God that has moved me to a new level beyond all the "regular" Christians. And trust me...I haven't reached some amazing level where I'm suddenly sinless!
A sudden epiphany that will fade in a couple days and not leave me changed (I hope...but already I'm finding some changes in how I'm thinking and reacting).
Based only on emotion. It's a combination of understanding and emotion...but being me, the emotion is harder to deal with, so it comes up more frequently.
Okay, that's all I have for today.
Monday, 30 July 2012
Trying For Words
The past couple weeks have been a time of intense emotion for me. Ever since my Worship and Wisdom class, I've been trying to deal with thoughts and emotions that are too big for me to grasp. I haven't spoken much about it before now because I still don't really know that words. In fact, it was only yesterday that I even tried to find the words. I'm still not really sure.
This is what I know: the more I've been studying and learning about God and who He is (as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, sometimes together and sometimes as individuals), the greater God has been for me. I've seen glimpses of His glory, of how far above me He is, but it's always been parts of Him. The rest I've been able to keep sort of manageable.
Not anymore. Suddenly I can't keep God nice and manageable; He's too much, too great, too glorious. You know why the Bible says to fear the Lord? Because when you actually see how great He is and how tiny you are, fear is a proper response. This is God and we cannot control Him (and for someone with control issues you can imagine how well I'm dealing with this). No wonder Isaiah was undone and John fell down as if dead. I'm having enough trouble without having to see God.
And yet, at the same time, it's very, very wonderful and there isn't enough of me to worship God the way He deserves. I don't even know how to worship Him. I don't know how to respond.
That's where I'm at right now. I'm going to try working out my thoughts and feelings over the next however long it takes. Hopefully it will make some sense.
This is what I know: the more I've been studying and learning about God and who He is (as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, sometimes together and sometimes as individuals), the greater God has been for me. I've seen glimpses of His glory, of how far above me He is, but it's always been parts of Him. The rest I've been able to keep sort of manageable.
Not anymore. Suddenly I can't keep God nice and manageable; He's too much, too great, too glorious. You know why the Bible says to fear the Lord? Because when you actually see how great He is and how tiny you are, fear is a proper response. This is God and we cannot control Him (and for someone with control issues you can imagine how well I'm dealing with this). No wonder Isaiah was undone and John fell down as if dead. I'm having enough trouble without having to see God.
And yet, at the same time, it's very, very wonderful and there isn't enough of me to worship God the way He deserves. I don't even know how to worship Him. I don't know how to respond.
That's where I'm at right now. I'm going to try working out my thoughts and feelings over the next however long it takes. Hopefully it will make some sense.
Sunday, 29 July 2012
Tuesday, 24 July 2012
Dealing with Myself
Sometimes I look at myself and I don't like what I see. I can be very demanding and pushy and insist that people see things my way right now. I conveniently ignore the fact that it might have taken me weeks or months to understand something; if I get it, so should everyone else, right? So why can't we just do things my way since of course I know best.
There's an issue at church with my junior church kids that needs to be sorted out (it has to do with music and stuff; the details aren't important here). I'm pretty sure that I'm right in what I want, but at the same time I might not be going about things the best way. I want to pound my view into their heads so that they see things the way I do (I also have some control issues).
Tonight I finally did the right thing. I acknowledged that I might not deal with this the best way and I asked for help. At the very least, I said, I need someone to bring some balance so I don't go too far in an attempt to rectify the situation, and someone to keep me from saying things that I may need to repent for later. I think that, with help, things will go more smoothly.
Still, it was not nice looking so clearly at myself. I am so far from where I should be.
There's an issue at church with my junior church kids that needs to be sorted out (it has to do with music and stuff; the details aren't important here). I'm pretty sure that I'm right in what I want, but at the same time I might not be going about things the best way. I want to pound my view into their heads so that they see things the way I do (I also have some control issues).
Tonight I finally did the right thing. I acknowledged that I might not deal with this the best way and I asked for help. At the very least, I said, I need someone to bring some balance so I don't go too far in an attempt to rectify the situation, and someone to keep me from saying things that I may need to repent for later. I think that, with help, things will go more smoothly.
Still, it was not nice looking so clearly at myself. I am so far from where I should be.
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