This Side of the Pulpit » The World
Addendum on This Week of Weeks
Think about the blogosphere, the Facebooks and internets and such the past few days. People are complaining about the “new logo” of the Synod. There’s a story about a pedophile pastor in the LCMS and what or who knew about it before his most recent arrest. There’s more scandal and biting and bad news than normal. It’s all part of it. The demons use whatever they can to take our eyes off our Christ and Lord hanging from the Tree which brings life. If you are caught up in these stories, just back off. Maybe next week. Maybe then engage. But for now pray, and if you have no strength for that, laugh and smile and work and eat. That is God pleasing too. … Read entire article »
President Harrison Goes to Washington
Matthew Harrison, President of the LCMS spoke to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform today regarding the HHS decision to mandate contraception and abortificant pharmaceuticals for all heath care providers or insurers. Below is the transcript of his opening remarks. You can also find links to the video of the testimony, including questions and answers and other information at the LCMS Website. “Mr. Chairman, it’s a pleasure to be here. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is a body of some 6,200 congregations and 2.3 million members across the U.S. We don’t distribute voters’ lists. We don’t have a Washington office. We are studiously non-partisan, so much so that we’re often criticized for being quietistic. “I’d rather not be here, frankly. Our task is to proclaim, in the words of the blessed … Read entire article »
Darkness of the Human Heart
Susan Powell went missing on December 7, 2009 after her husband left the home for a sub-zero, spur of the moment camping trip in the middle of the night, only to return later the same day. Joshua Powell was under investigation for her disappearance and presumed murder. He lost custody of his two children in September 2011 after his father was arrested for child pornography and voyeurism charges. He had been living with his son and grandchildren. On February 12, 2012, Joshua separated his children from a social worker during a supervised visit, locked them in his home and then engineered a gas explosion. Later investigation suggests he took a hatchet to his own children before carbon monoxide poisoning killed him and the children. How can such things happen? You can blame demon possession, I suppose. … Read entire article »
Practice Makes Better. All the Time.
We’ve heard the story before: the brain has two halves, and the right side is the “creative” side, the left the “analytic” side. And people are either right or left brain dominant. It’s a myth. There are some localized brain functions, but modern science is proving again and again that the entire brain is used; the brain is a system, a whole. This post explains it well. Reality is, you use what you need to, and practice makes better. Humans are good at two things: adapting and making routines. Yes, they are contradictory, but it’s true. We are wonderful at changing, but also very prone to habitual actions, thoughts and so forth. In other words, don’t make the excuse that you are right-brained and “cannot understand” math. Or that you are analytic and … Read entire article »
Filed under: Fiction & Art, The World
Happy Thanksgiving Day
Give thanks in all circumstances! Avoid grumbling about what was, what might have been, or what should be. Don’t worry if it’s sacred or secular, its about giving thanks to the Lord. Give thanks for your family, for your friends, for your day, for the rain and sun, for all that you are and have. It’s a gift. Now, go eat some chocolate pie and get off the computer! … Read entire article »
Filed under: The World
Freedom, Apple and the Brilliance of Steve Jobs
Over the last five years it has been easy for me to disdain Steve Jobs and Apple, Inc. The Fanboys are the worst, nearly worshiping the man, the products and stuff. Jobs minimalist aesthetics bordered on the inhuman, however sleek they were. The Apple Stores with the “Genius Bars” were condescending temples of consumerism. This is a nice satire: I like that I can open my own computer, swap out parts if necessary, upgrade it myself and tinker. I like that freedom, even if sometimes parts don’t work and my “user experience” falters. But you can’t deny how influential Jobs was. He was a true inventor and innovator who changed the world. Others invented the personal computer. Jobs invented the mouse and the ability to move it and click on things on … Read entire article »
Does the Supreme Court Really Have to Tell the LCMS to Act Like Christians?
Today the Supreme Court is hearing arguments in the case Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. EEOC. The Wall Street Journal has an opinion piece here. Essentially, a teacher at the school became “rostered” and was then called as a Commissioned Minister, a Called Teacher, no longer under contract. Good for her. But then she fell ill, went on partial disability for a while and after several months informed the school that her doctor believed she would be able to go back to full time in several more months. Then the Church and School royally screwed up. They changed their health care plans, cutting her benefits, hired another teacher and asked her to resign her call. She threatened to sue under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and she was fired. So … Read entire article »
Falling Skies and Christianity
Falling Skies is a new summer series on TNT, starring Noah Wylie (why is it that Dr. Carter always seems to play bookish types?). The series begins several months after bug-like aliens have invaded the earth, killed 90% of adult humans and enslaved the children. The series itself has some brilliant moments, as well as some really awkward dialogue and acting. Religion is slowly becoming a theme in the show–namely, how can one have faith after what happened? One of the characters is a former medical student who is vocally “a believer.” But what makes it even more remarkable is that she is explicitly Christian and Catholic. She just doesn’t pray, she invokes the Most Holy Trinity at the beginning of her prayer, crossing herself then and at other times. It’s refreshing … Read entire article »
Beards and Fund Raisers
Two weeks ago I decided to do something silly to help motivate giving for our building program here at church. I said I would shave my head and goatee once the money was raised….but until then I would not shave or get a haircut. There was an audible gasp from the congregation when I said this during the announcements. Heh heh heh. Of course it’s a gimmick. A silly thing. It doesn’t mean much but gives the congregation something to laugh and joke about, and a visual reminder of the need to give (we are 2/3 funded for our building renovation and hope to finish it without incurring debt). It’s not a Nazirite vow–though I am not partaking of any fruit of the vine either. Now, I’m not afraid of being hairy. … Read entire article »
Filed under: The World
Thoughts on the Storm Shelter
So I grew up in the Kansas City area and remember watching the horizon darken, the air grow green and then, in a flash, like a thrown light switch the rain appear, pelting the front yard. We would watch from the front porch, breathing the ozone-rich air, smelling the rain, feeling the temperature drop by the second. It was lovely. And I’ve lived in Oklahoma now for years and years–sixteen years almost total– and can’t see the storms brewing, but they come with their vengeance here too. With all of this I’ve always thought storm shelters were dumb. Dumb. What are the chances? What are the chances a tornado will hit your house bad enough to kill? Really? It’s like buying lottery insurance, I always thought. Or lightening strike insurance. What … Read entire article »
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