Wednesday, December 22, 2010

52 Books in 52 Weeks: Fail

Well, I don't know if this qualifies as and epic fail or just your everyday, run-of-the-mill fail, but I'm not going to reach my goal. I'm not too sad. Actually, I'm not sad at all. I am utterly emotionless.

I did get through a few more books and might read a couple more by the first of the year. Here are the books that I completed (sort of) since the last update:


Shift, ApParent Privilege, and ReThink are all essentially the same book (I had to read them for a class). The only real difference is the intended audience: ApParent Privilege is for parents, ReThink is for youth/family pastors, and Shift is for both. All focus on the "family-equipping" model of family ministry in which parents are viewed as the primary disciple-makers of their children and the church is an equipping agent. The books are good, but if you read one, you read them all.

Pilgrims in Their Own Land: 500 Years of Religion in America was dry. Good information. Boring. If you are really interested in religion in America, check it out. Otherwise skip it.

Machen's Christianity and Liberalism is one of the best books I read this year. Although it was written over eighty years ago, it's incredibly relevant for today. You would benefit greatly from reading this book.

The next two books I did not read thoroughly, but I'm going to count them regardless. That's how I roll. God is Not Great is nothing more than a list of atrocities committed by religion wrapped up in delicious Christopher Hitchens verbiage.

According to Plan is masterfully written by Graeme Goldsworthy and is a simple introduction to biblical theology. Worth a look.

Finally, The Subtle Knife is the second book the Pullman's "His Dark Materials" series. The first book is The Golden Compass. Honestly I'm not quite done, but I only have a few pages left. Pullman is a great writer although his agenda is pretty bogus. Look him up if you want to know more.

With the titles listed above, the count stands at forty-three. And I am not going to read nine books by the end of the year. Fail.

Here are the others books I read this year:


Happy reading this holiday season!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Leave This Game Behind

Is this a Christian video game or a trailer for the latest Tenacious D movie?

Monday, December 13, 2010

More Like Whatever

So there's this song on the radio. I don't get it.

The song is "More Like Falling in Love" by Jason Gray.

Here's the chorus:

Its gotta be
More like falling in love
Than something to believe in.
More like losing my heart
Than giving my allegiance.
Caught up, called out
Come take a look at me now.
Its like I'm falling, Ohhhh.
Its like I'm falling in love.

Um. What?

Is the song really saying that knowing Christ (or maybe a conversion experience?) is more like falling in love than believing in something?

What about, "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12)? Or, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:31)? And what about, like, the rest of the Bible?

I'm having a hard time finding a text that says, "Engage in a Twilight-like romantic experience with a middle-eastern dude who lived two-thousand years ago who may or may not have performed some miracles and you will be saved, you and your household."

Believe in the name of Jesus. Then you have the right to be called a child of God. And when you belong to God, then comes the command to love him. And how do you love the Lord your God?

The song is confusing:
Give me rules, I will break them.
Show me lines, I will cross them.
I need more than a truth to believe.
I need a truth that lives, moves, and breathes
To sweep me off my feet.

Hmmm. Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15). The song seems to be indicating that some dramatic experience needs to take place and then rules won't be broken and lines won't be crossed. But the biblical portrait of the Christian life is like this: repentance of sin, faith in Christ, obedience of commands.

But that formula is just too religiony.
Love, Love.
Deeper and deeper.
It was love that made me a believer.
In more than a name, a faith, a creed,
Falling in love with Jesus brought the change in me.

I guess this experience deal is more than the name that will incite the bowing of every knee and bring every tongue to confess "that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:11). Yeah. Definitely. More than that.

Atop the Christian music charts, Christian radio is playing "More Like Falling in Love" every fifteen minutes. But I guess Christian radio doesn't claim to be anything more than inspirational, encouraging, and positive.

I just thought that it might try and play songs that are--I don't know--Christian.

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Autocomplete FTW

This map has been compiled with all of the first autocomplete suggestions given by Google when the state name is typed in the search field. Stellar.

(Click to enlarge) (Via)

Friday, December 03, 2010

Harry Pupper

He is the chosen one. Accio milk-bone!

(Via)