I have been intrigued to say the least about this whole idea of a “post” modern church.  I will try to chronicle my mental adventure as it has been carried out thus far:

 

“Dude, B, you gotta read this, it is crazy!” that was my introduction to Brian McLaren (Goodness, does the current church just love this guy!) and the idea that the church is or could be growing from its current state. 

 

“Yeah, sure dude, I will get right on it.”  And that was my response to my friend, Brett, who had told me about it.  I had the book, and it sat on my shelf in my closet for about 2 months until I was so bored one day I said fine, I will read it.  I picked it up and began to reading the book as I promised… …hey I never told him when I would read it, just that I would.  Eventually I just couldn’t take it any more, I was tired of it blowing my brain away and deep down I almost had the retching type feeling.  As if I was going totally against what I had been raised to believe, if not practice, my entire life.  (I feel now that I am allowed to say that phrase since I am a couple months shy of being half a century old). 

 

Brett: “Dude, have you read it yet? You got to finish it!”

Brandon “I started it, but I had to put it down, I mean I am SoOOO busy with this school (I got off every day, or most days at around two in the afternoon for about two months.  I will as soon as I get out of this school.” 

Brett: “you will love it man, I think it might be what you have been searching for.”

Brandon: “yeah sounds great….” Here I began to trail off and try to distract him from the fact that it had been about 4 months since I had received the book. 

 

Finally I had run out of material to read so I broke down and really started reading the book.  I was thrilled, appalled and intrigued by the ideas that the book presented me.  Here were some of the more pressing thoughts:

 

1. Okay, I get that we are in a post modern time frame in our world.  But if God is unchanging, how can anything he is affiliated with change? 
2. I have been struggling with how the current church is running much to the point where I have refused to even attend any more. (outside of when my mother begs me to)
3. The idea that God’s word is more of a “family” story, rather then factual data is a little risky. 

 

There were some great emails between my friend and me, but I have been unable to get his permission to post bits and pieces and therefore will leave them out.  Needless to say (I hate this phrase because I will eventually say what is not needed to be said) it left me with plenty of things to think about and debate internally and with discuss with others. 

 

I eventually let this go and decided I needed a break from this, so here I sit trying to find some books to read for the trip I have just taken to Florida for work I might add, and I see A New Kind of Christian (ANKoC) yet again.  I decide to take another crack at it, and while I was at it I figured I would Google the topic and see what I can find.  Here are just a few of the words associated with the “Emergent Church” from all corners of the globe:

 

1.      Careless

2.      compromising

3.      reductionists

4.      unbiblical

5.      (my personal favorite) Alley to the Al Qaeda (clearly whoever wrote this article had not met them,  Not so much Alleys)

6.      Ambiguous

7.      Relativists

 

And the list goes on.  Most of these are coming from “Scholars” and southern Baptist preachers (no shock there).  And then they wonder why so many people are growing weary of the same hell fire and brimstone speech.  I mean, come on, “The boy who cried wolf” any one? 

 

When I read this book again, here are some of my new thoughts (it is amazing what you see when you are not shocked):

 

1.      Modern Christianity pre-supposes that God is in control, like a machinist is in control of the devise he is using.  Where pulleys and buttons make every movement possible.  But is it not possible that God’s control could mean something entirely different?

2.      Modern missionaries have usually spoken out against cultures mixing their way of life into a “Christian” life.  Native Americans were told there dances to the Great Spirit (a form of worship they enjoyed) were not suitable. 

3.      In the Modern church the bible is the foundation to everything!  Should not Christ be that foundation?  Not a book that has been translated more times then your cars odometer has changed!

 

Well, that is where I am at currently, I plan on continuing my thoughts on this Emergent church!  I will let you know if and when I stumble on something!

“Ripped like Jesus”

I am tired of being constantly bombarded by the idea that Jesus (very funny man, but a bit foul with the language so watch out)  was the most appealing man to ever walk the planet.  I am no genius, but I am willing to bet that after 40 days and nights in the dessert he was probably smelly, and probably didn’t look very well kept.  Is the reason we make him into this beautiful man who carries sheep just cause he wants so that he will be more appealing to the public?  Do we make him out to be this sweet gentle man because we are afraid if the truth was out there people might not be attracted to him?  I don’t know what he looks like but I can almost promise you he wasn’t blue eyes, he wasn’t ripped.  It saddens me that we feel we have to dilute the message of Christ and try to make him more pleasant and desirable.  Just saying shouldn’t his offer of a life filled with his love and the love of the father be enough?  Should not the sacrifice he made on the cross be enough of a message, should not the words He spoke be enough?  Just my thoughts

UFC 88: Breakthrough

All right fight fans in the words of Bruce Buffer, “IT’S TIME!”  UFC 88: Breakthrough is about to go down in roughly 4 hrs.  It is an action packed card with former champs, undefeated contenders and some rising stars.  Names like Chuck Liddell, Rashad Evans, Nate Marquart, Rich Franklin, Jason Mcdonald and Dan Henderson.  New guys: Matt Hamil (first deaf man in the UFC) and Rousimar Palhares. 

First fight of consequence is Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell (Last Fight Highlights vs Wanderlei Silva) vs. “Sugar” Rashad Evans who is coming off a win vs Bisping.   Rashad is certainly the new blood in the light-heavyweight division, but I am not sure if Chuck is truly ready to give up his spot as one of the top fighters just yet.  I think it will be an all out brawl for two rounds with Chuck winning by TKO in the third. (I was close it was a brawl for two rounds and a knockout in the SECOND round by SUGAR.)

Next fight that I am excited about is Rich “Ace” Franklin vs Matt “The Hammer” Hamil.  I am a huge Ace fan, I like his style and his heart.  He, in my humble opinion, is one of the best pound for pound fighters out there, he just can’t get past The Spyder.  This move back up to 205 is going to be great for him, he was undefeated at this weight before dropping down to the middle weights to take that belt a few years back.  Matt Hamil is no slouch either.  His wrestling is top notch and his heart is un-paralleled.  This should be a great fight with Rich “Ace” Franklin coming out the victor.  No idea how or what round, but if I had to take a guess I would say third round submission. I was close yet again, I got the fighter right, but it was a decision. 1-1

Dan “Hendo” Henderson vs Rousimar Palhares should be an exciting fight, I think Hendo has the edge on the feet, and Rousimar is insane on the ground.  Look for Hendo to sprawl often to avoid the take down.  Hendo needs this fight to stay one of the top tier contenders I believe all the pressure is on him which is why this is my upset of the night fight with Rousimar submitting Hendo in the second.  I was wrong yet again, Hendo squeked by with a decision 1-2

Mark Kampmann vs Nate Marquardt.  With only four fights in the UFC Mark is the less experienced of the two, however, Nate is coming off a loss from Thales Lietes who Kampmann beat back on TUF 4.  It should be a good fight and I think Nates overall experience will help him eek out a decision.  This one I got right, but it was a TKO in the first. 2-2

There are a few other fights that will be fun to Watch, Jason McDonald is going to beat his opponant.  I got this right, Jason McDonald submitted Jason Lambert in the second round.  3-2

I understand that some of my readers may not be big MMA fans so I hope all the pictures and video clips will help put a face to the names I have mentioned. 

Finally, my favorite all time move is the flying armbar for your enjoyment and so I don’t have to try and put it into words here you go!  It happens around 22 seconds or so.

For those of you keeping score I am 7-8 in my predictions since I started making them, I think I should do a little more study.

Exciting Entertainment news!

Well this may not be news to many of you, but I have just recently read that Tim Burton (Sweeney Todd, Nightmare before Christmas and many other great films) will be directing and producing “Alice in Wonderland” with the one and only Johny depp(Sweeney Todd, Pirates of the Caribbean and What’s eating gilbert grape) as the Mad Hatter!  I am very excited about this up coming film, it is set to be released in 2010, I believe sometime during the summer!

Holy *^%!

Randy “The Natural” Couture the heavyweight champion of the MMA world is returning to the Octagon to fight the up and coming Brock Lesner!  This is a MMA fans dream fight!!!  Just thought I would let my readers know.  Mark your calanders for Nov 15th!

I just Kant understand

“Nothing can possibly be conceived in the world, or even out of it, which can be called good with out qualification, except a Good Will…. …a good will is good not because of what it performs or effects, not by its aptness for the attainment of some proposed end, but simply by virtue of volition, that is, it is good in itself, and considered bye itself is to be esteemed much higher than all that can be brought about by it in favor of any inclination, nay, even of the sum total of all inclinations.”

Read that today while I was sitting in my office doing nothing.  it is out of the “Fundamental principles of the metaphysic of morals.” By Immanuel Kant I found it to be interesting my first thought was that this guy was nuts, I had read his works before, but it had been a while and I had read it under the influence of a “Bible Beating” mindset.  I found now that when I read it, while I don’t agree, it was at the very least and interesting concept.  It seemed to say that you are either born with good will or you are not and that everything else is determined by such circumstances.  I am still a believer, for those of you that might question, but my walk is far different. I refuse to blindly accept everything as the “Truth” based on “Faith” with no other evidence for it, but rather I am now in a place where I question everything.  One of those is whether we are truly born inherently born “sinful.”  I know that there is plenty of evil in the world.  But there were also plenty of people that were just as good, as some are evil.  I am really not sure where I am going with this, but to say, is it really impossible that some truly want to do good from the start? Just something to chew on!

A whole new world

and a few new thoughts. 

Here i sit in my room… …my room ha, that is a funny phrase to use when your room consists of a bathroom, a sink complete with mirror, a shower, 3 wall lockers, 3 secretaries, 3 beds and two roomates!  My room, maybe I should call it my communal room that is oft inspected by angry persons higher in rank then myself!  But I digress, no why did I get on this blog today?  Hmmm.. …good question.  I really had nothing of substance to say before I logged on, which is sad to say with so much going on in the world, forget the world right here in the great US of A!  We have the Republican convention and the official announcement of Sn. John Mccain as the presidential nominee for the republican party.  Who just so happened to name Sarah Palin as his running mate.  This should be huge on my mind, but it really is not.  Oooh Oooh, I know Russia vs. Georgia (no, not the state) that should be on my mind after all I am in the military.  But it is not, Russia will eventually bow to the will of the rest of the western powers so there is little to no threat there. 

So why the apathy?  The verbal lethargy? No idea.  I decided long ago that I wouldn’t allow my blog to be one of mindless drivel with the occasional injection of witty commentary.  No my blog is to be thought provoking, funny, charming, daring, in your face and capable of creating great controversy.  Okay so a quick recap of what has been written on this blog:

6 posts on fighting, 3 posts on military life, 3 posts on religion and 3 random category posts.  I am into fighting but really nothing that is peaking any ones interest (see comments or lack there of) , I am in the military and this seems to be a point of interest… …er to some.  religion, is a touchy subject, but I just haven’t done enough of my homework recently to really give it a good effort which is partly why only one of those posts is all on religion.  Enough about that, let me get into something of more substance. 

AHHH, now i remember why I got on here, I was driving today and I saw one of my favorite people of all time.  I don’t know him personally, that is to say that I have waved a few times, honked twice and said hello once.  But his dedication to his… …lifestyle should be applauded if not followed.  He is called the Jacksonville ninja.  The workoutis incredible(the first 30 seconds of this video are graphic in language, You might want to skip)! OH and did I mention his dance skills are beyond compare!

For the record he is one of the nicest people you will meet, always ready to smile and give a wave. 

I will write more, if you want some more phenomenal blogging check out my friends and there blogs.

p.s. if the videos do not work, just You tube “Jacksonville Ninja” or “Jacksonville’s Radio”