|
|
|
September 16th, 2008
04:06 pm
<a href="http://www.finalfantasynetwork.com"
target="_blank"><img src="http://www.finalfantasynetwork.com/character-test/images/ashe.jpg"
width="200" height="100" border="0"></a>
<br><b><a href="http://www.finalfantasynetwork.com/character-test" target="_blank">
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="1">
Which Final Fantasy Character Are You?</font></a>
HA!
Current Music: shelly moore band
|
August 3rd, 2008
08:46 am
A few months ago, I realized I was being hypocritical. I was against embryonic stem cell research and on the birth control pill. Obviously, embryonic stem cell research is a controversial topic - and I have been (and will continue to be I'm sure) accused of being anti-science because of my stance on this issue.
Embryonic stem cells are derived from "derived from embryos that develop from eggs that have been fertilized in vitro—in an in vitro fertilization clinic—and then donated for research purposes with informed consent of the donors" (http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/basics3.asp). The cells then placed in cell culture are "the inner mass" - 30 or so cells taken from the blastocoel, which has been developing for 4-5 days after fertilization. This NIH website makes sure to state that these cells are not fertilized inside of the woman's body - in an attempt to shortcircuit the argument that these cells constitute a human being I assume. However, I don't believe that it does make a difference. Eventually the science will be there to develop a baby fullterm outside of a woman's body. At that point, the false distinction between being conceived in the body and conceived in a test tube will be clear.
When these cells are 'harvested' and placed in culture in order that there can be experiments performed on them, they are already dividing and living. Scientists use cells in culture all the time - I do it myself. However, there is a big distinction here. Embryonic stem cells are derived from an embryo - a unique living being that has the ability if given the chance to develop naturally to become an individual. Most cell lines used by scientists are derived from living (sometimes human sometimes animal) tissue - whether from cancer cells or other tissue but they never have the ability to develop into an individual. They will grow and divide but are not able to become a person. Adult stem cells fall into the same category. An adult stem cell is "an undifferentiated cell found among differentiated cells in a tissue or organ, can renew itself, and can differentiate to yield the major specialized cell types of the tissue or organ" (http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/basics3.asp).
Now to connect this with the birth control pill...The primary purpose of the pill is to prevent ovaluation. Other effects of hormonal contraceptives are altering cervical mucus to decrease sperm mobility and by impairing embryo implantation in the uterus (http://mayoclinic.com/health/birth-control/BI99999/PAGE=BI00014). It does this by altering the hormone levels in the body. If the egg is not released or the sperm is slowed down too much to reach the egg, there can be no pregnancy. However, because of that last secondary effect, it is possible for the egg to be released and fertilized but not be able to implant. According to the Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy, the developing embryo does not implant until roughly a week after fertilization. Which is where my hypocrisy comes in - because the embryonic stem cells are harvested at 4-5 days - so the pill in theory could cause the death of an embryo just as much as harvesting cells for stem cell research.
It's true that scientists do not know how often the pill fails in it's primary purpose and an egg is released. There is no way to test for this - because it will happen without the woman knowing. There are scientific arguments that say the egg cannot be released without a change in the hormones anyway so then there are sufficient hormones present to change the uterine lining so the egg can implant (http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/FamilyLife_Today/archives.asp?bcd=7/17/2008). There is also no way to test for this (ethically anyway). Which means we are left to pick without a clear knowledge of the risks. Because of this gray area, it's hard to have an easy answer. Nathan and I chose to err on the side of safety - I am no longer on the pill.
Karen
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/moonsis/happy.gif) cheerful
|
July 27th, 2008
04:10 pm
Just recently, I was listening to Christian talk radio. The show was titled "How Moving Impacts Women" and was hosted by James Dobson on his radio show Focus on the Family. The link is provided below.
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/Focus_on_the_Family/archives.asp?bcd=2008-7-22
The overall tone of the show drew a line between men and women that I believe is exaggerated - that men are not touched emotionally by moving because women are focused on relationships in ways that men are not. For example, Susan says that 'Moving is something men do and that women feel'. I am all for acknowledging and enjoying the difference between men and women - we are not created to be the same - but even the woman speaking made women sound devastated and almost unable to cope with change. These women (according to Susan Miller and James Dobson) needed to be taught that God follows the women where they move - that they aren't abandoned - that God isn't punishing them for something by making them move.
I guess it's another sign that most Christians don't really get it. The first thing that comes to mind is 'Get over yourself'. Honestly. The important thing is God. And your marriage. And your kids. Friends and church and more distant family needs to be considered second. Period. If you're properly focused on serving God and making your marriage more holy and raising Godly children, you don't have much time to cry about 'grieving' for your past. (Grieving is the word they used repeatedly). Susan says that there is nothing firm to stand upon in the move, that everything is pulled away from you, and you need to learn dependence on God and not on things of this world. It's not an easy lesson and it's one we often have to learn over and over again. I'm not denying that. I just have no patience for the way in which women are set up as ruled by their emotions. Nathan misses people from Wisconsin as much as I do.
Susan Miller also says that moving often makes women feel abandoned by God during the move - that without the community, without having people to 'connect' with, women feel worthless and alone. She also says that men (using her husband as an example) just move on, start the new job, and are happy without any emotion or thought, implying very strongly (and stating explicitly in her examples) that the man 'did' this to the woman and the family without considering them. James Dobson himself talks about when he moved his family, how excited he was about moving, and how his wife was losing weight with just thinking about moving - she felt threatened apparently.
Needless to say, this made me very frustrated. A marriage is a partnership and a man should not be moving the family without seriously considering the consequences emotionally/fianicially/etc. Nathan would never do this. Deciding where we would move for Nathan to go to graduate school was a decision we made together. We considered how far from home we wanted to move, if there would be a job for me there, if the program was a good one for Nathan...all of these things played in to the decision. Nathan would not be a Godly husband if he was arbitrarily making decisions like this without listening to and considering my input. I would not be a Godly wife if I didn't let him know what I truly thought. Communication is a huge part of a good marriage. Talking about the every day things makes not a bit of difference if you're not talking about the big important things as well.
Eventually, they got to the practical side of things. Letting go and starting over. Though most of it was based on the need for hand-holding and picking up all the pieces - shattered by the move, Susan Miller does makes a good point - that nothing is as important as setting your house up as a Godly and holy household. That is the first thing you must work at....before you even worry about making friends at church you should establish your marriage and family. That I agree with. Though they do go on to state that part of the reason neighborhoods don't get together and know each other is because women work outside of the home - so there's no time for making friends. Which is a falsehood. But that's an argument for another day. Susan and James also talk about having to take the initiative in making friends, stepping out and inviting people over to your place rather than waiting for people to invite you over. I'm a big fan of this - it's not easy but it's important. So there are some good things in this program though it took a long to get to them.
Nathan and I have been in Kansas for over a year now. Moving may have been easier for us as neither of us are big on having a church full of acquitances - we'd rather have a few close friends. Those people that were close to us are still close to us. We talk to them as much as we did when we lived in the same town as them. There were a few surprises - some that we talk to more, some we talk to less - but overall, it was as expected. Moving has made us rely on God and each other more. Which is awesome. Not easy necessarily. But good. A passage I prayed over a lot before moving was Exodus 33:12-17. This is where Moses asks God's Presence to go with them where they go and that they do not want to go without Him. Moses asks humbly that God continues to teach him His ways and that he may find favor with God and that God's Presence will distinguish them from those people around them. God says He will go with them and give them rest. So important. A move in the physical world is not going to leave God behind. He is not tied to a building or a town - in fact we are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) and nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38). Marriage is two becoming one (Genesis 2:24) and represents Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:32). Relying on each other other in that way is not easy to learn - sometimes it takes removal from the familiar and starting over. An interesting thing to note is that Proverbs 31 does not mention a women having a lot of friends. It talks about a woman in charge of her household, caring for her children, being generous to those in need, giving sound advice...but not a word about having friends. She sounds too busy to have friends to me. At least the way most people think of friends - hanging out, relaxing, and watching movies does not seem to factor into the life of the Proverbs 31 woman. She is taking care of the things that need to be taken care of rather than spending time thinking about herself. There isn't an opportunity for her to feel sorry for herself because she fills her day with the fear of the Lord.
There are more important things than whether you have the friends you think you need. Pray. Fill your hours with caring for your house, your husband, your children. Pray. Contribute to the fianicial stability of your marriage (which certainly can include working outside of the home). Pray. Help those less fortunate. Pray. That is what women need to be doing. Regardless of where you're living or moving to.
Karen
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/moonsis/sad.gif) disappointed
|
March 21st, 2008
12:40 pm
Our bodies are corruptible and subject to sin, disease, and death - and so, the hope and promise of the bodily resurrection where we will be given an incorruptible body that will never die should be our focus. (1 Corinthians 15) 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 tells us that both our body and spirit were bought by God which means both are important to Him. To me, a logical conclusion from the fact of the bodily resurrection is that our physical bodies are important to God. Of course, we are warned against vanity (Proverbs 31:30) just as we are warned against gluttony (Proverbs 23:2). What level of ‘fitness’ constitutes taking care of the body God has given us?
I’m sure we can agree on cigarettes destroying the lungs and alcoholism destroying the liver and being 500 pounds destroying well everything…but most (I say most because I don’t know ALL physicians and don’t want to make blanket statements I can’t support) health professionals will tell you that some level of physical activity is necessary to keep the body in good condition. Most say 30 minutes of moderate activity such as a brisk walk four/five times a week. There are many benefits to exercise – links below include information on specifics.
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/importance/index.htm
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/benefits-of-exercise
http://mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ01676
Many of those benefits are simply helping the body to function as it was meant to. Back in the day (OT without a doubt and NT for most people), life involved a lot more physical activity in a day – there were no cars, no laundry machines, few ‘desk’ jobs. I think this is part of the reason there isn’t much mention of exercise in the Bible – there was no need to tell people to move around more. We’re the ones who can be lazy. =) The Bible does use physical activity to illustrate something about spiritual activity (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 2 Timothy 4:7, 2 Timothy 2:5) and says that it has some value (1 Timothy 4:8). Obviously, as that last verse indicates, godliness is more important than physical fitness. Working out three hours a day every day and not taking time to pray or read Scripture is getting your priorities wrong. But I believe not ever working out is also getting your priorities wrong.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/moonsis/working.gif) working
|
January 27th, 2008
01:30 pm
| | be careful of simple words said often.
'amen' makes demands
like an unrelenting schoolmaster:
fierce attention to all that is said;
no apathy, no preoccupation, no prejudice permitted.
'amen': we are present. we are open.
we hearken. we understand.
here we are; we are listening to your word.
'amen' makes demands
like a signature on a dotted line:
sober bond to all that goes before;
no hesitation, no half-heartedness, no mental
reservation allowed.
'amen': we support. we approve
we are of one mind. we promise.
may this come to pass. so be it.
be careful when you say 'amen'.
-amen, barbara schmich searle |
Current Music: college men's basketball
|
December 27th, 2007
10:58 am
Music soothes the savage beast. I'm sure you've heard that said before. This quote is attributed to a play called 'The Mourning Bride' (1697). In Greek mythology, Orpheus was able to charm wild beasts and even caused the gods to weep due to his skillful playing of the lyre. We can all give anecodotal evidence to support this (which is probably why the authors of those stories put it in there). However, there is an actual link between music and mental, physical, and spiritual health.
Music has been used therapeutically to treat depression. The patients listened to music of their choice for a prescribed amount of time per day over two weeks (and a control group without music was included). They were administered a test for depression both before and after listening to the music. The scores were significantly better (less depressed) and also improved if the treatment was continued. (Hsu WC, Lai HL. (2004) Effects of music on major depression in psychiatric inpatients. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 18(5):193-9.) One thing to note is that it is music of their choice - there was been much talk about classical music being 'better' for you. There was actually another study done comparing classical music to popular music and showed there is no difference in response - if anything, the classical music was LESS able to reduce symptoms (Silverman MJ. (2003) The influence of music on the symptoms of psychosis: a meta-analysis. J Music Ther. 40(1):27-40.)
Not only is music important, but participating in the music has been shown to make a difference. Active music therapy (which includes singing along with clapping and other rhythmical body movements) has tested for efficacy in a group of Parkinson's disease patients. Over time, benefical effects on emotional functionality and improvement in quality of life was observed. (Pacchetti C, et al. (2000) Active music therapy in Parkinson's disease: an integrative method for motor and emotional rehabilitation. Psychosom Med. 62(3):386-93.) Another study has performed on male corporate employees with the intention of studying reduction of stress. Men participated in sessions of recreational music making, in this case drumming, for six months. Mood state questionaries taken before and after the six months showed enhanced mood while blood levels of stress induced cytokines (also taken before and after) showed reduced levels of stress induced cytokines such as interleukin-10. (Wachiuli M, et al. (2007) Recreational music-making modulates natural killer cell activity, cytokines, and mood states in corporate employees. Med Sci Monit. CR57-70.)
All in all, this shows music has a big impact of your mood, stress levels, and the way you view the world around you. The Bible talks a lot about music. Just look at Psalms! It's full of references to singing and playing the harp (Psalms 33:11, 49:4, 147:7). Psalms also gives dance as an appropriate response to God (Psalms 149:3, 150:4). And if you've ever been to a 'contemporary' service, you've probably seen a lot of that! I do need to point out that just because you feel better after one of those services doesn't mean you've experienced God. As stated above, singing along and clapping to any music makes you feel better. It may be an edorphin rush rather than a real spiritual experience. That being said, it is also clear from Scripture that music can be spiritually cleansing. When David played the harp for Saul, the evil spirit that tormented Saul would leave him (1 Samuel 16:14-23). This is a pretty compelling argument for Godly music.
There are emotional, physical, and spiritual aspects to music. Remember this when you listen. Thank God that He made us so that something we enjoy so much is good for us!
Karen
ps Unless it's music that is unGodly and defames the name of our Lord, in which case DON'T listen to it. Since music can drive away an evil spirit, it's quite possible that music can attract evil spirits. Not something to mess with.
|
November 9th, 2007
November 5th, 2007
09:34 am
Luke 16:19-31 (New International Version) The Rich Man and Lazarus 19"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In hell,[a] where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' 25"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' 27"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' 29"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 30" 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 31"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "
is this a parable? either way, how is it interpreted? protestants typically view this as a 'theoretical' event so to speak. IF one could speak to the saints, IF they were cognizant of what we say to them, etc. (http://www.studylight.org/com/mhc-com/view.cgi?book=lu&chapter=016) many do not even mention that there is what appears to be prayer to the departed - (http://www.godrules.net/library/clarke/clarkeluk16.htm). others john wesley is an exception - he states this is clearly an example of praying to the saints (http://www.christnotes.org/commentary.php?b=42&c=16&com=wes). however, he does go on to say that no one would wish to imitate this man since his prayer did not acheive the desired result. (though in my mind i assume the same rules apply to prayer to the saints as to prayer to Jesus - that prayer outside of His will does not avail, and the prayer of one who is righteous is powerful)
recently, however, i heard a message from an orthodox prespective (http://www.ourlifeinchrist.com/archives.htm prayer to the saints i think no. 3). they talked about how this story shows prayer to the saints clearly. that they receive our prayer and that they are aware of what is going on outside of heaven. it was an interesting thought for me. heaven does rejoice when one person is saved - that is scriptural - so it's clear they have some knowledge of what is happening down here. i would like to think that i would continue praying for those i love even when i'm in heaven - part of worshiping is God is asking Him for things and showing that trust that He will and can provide them.
i haven't come to any strong conclusions yet...but it's a new way of looking at things that i'm going to consider in the future. and yes this is partially prompted by the recent all saint's day. =)
karen
Current Location: oops at work =)
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/moonsis/curious.gif) curious
|
October 21st, 2007
10:50 pm
so this one day, nathan got his wisdom teeth taken out. and we were in the car getting his prescriptions filled. he was still bleeding a bit and he needed the guaze pads in his mouth changed. so i was helping him. and then i passed out. that's right. my husband is recovering from surgery - barely out of the anesthesia - and i pass out. good thing he can take care of himself. i'm pretty much useless.
|
September 29th, 2007
09:47 am
i like flyleaf
that is all
Current Mood: happy
Current Music: flyleaf
|
September 27th, 2007
09:54 am
Matthew 21:33-46 (New International Version)
The Parable of the Tenants 33"Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. 34When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. 35"The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37Last of all, he sent his son to them. 'They will respect my son,' he said. 38"But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and take his inheritance.' 39So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40"Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" 41"He will bring those wretches to a wretched end," they replied, "and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time." 42Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures:
" 'The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone[a];
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes'[b]? 43"Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."[c] 45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus' parables, they knew he was talking about them. 46They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.
when i read this the other day, i was really hit by verse 45. somehow i've read/heard this parable before but never really thought about it. the priests were the tenants, set to care for God's 'land'. they destroyed those who came from the LORD, even to the point of killing Christ Jesus, the Son of God. it started me thinking...in some ways, this passage applies to us. when the word of God comes to us, do we listen? it might be a pastor, it might be through the Holy Spirit during prayer, it might be the words of a friend...do we listen? or do we rest in our comfortableness? do we believe we are secure in the place that God has given us...so much that we don't have to listen? too often, this is the case with me. i smile at the pastor's exhortations, thinking of those i apply his words to, believing that he couldn't be speaking to me. how arrogrant am i! God speaks in manifold ways. and we are always able to be humbled, corrected. never will i be the perfect one i believe myself to be. i pray for a humble heart, an honest spirit, a mind that listens and processes rather than rejecting the message.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/moonsis/thoughtful.gif) contemplative
Current Music: ten shekel shirt
|
August 25th, 2007
11:11 am
it is a scarce wonder, no wonder at all, that in a society dedicated to consumerism people ask what can i get out of worship. as if getting something out of everything expresses an appropriate response toward life. the question of worship when so stated does not take God seriously. it does not ponder the true worth of God. for to treat God as if He were a means to our ends, is to imagine that we are ourselves are God. God is not humanity's servant.
john burkheart
|
July 23rd, 2007
08:30 pm
when He says 'I have not spoken on my own authority' (john 12:49) and 'as the father has said unto me, so I speak' (john 12:50) and 'the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me' (john 14:24) and 'I do as the Father has commanded Me' (john 14:31), He does not use language of this kind because He is incapable of His own choice, or is lawless, or has to wait for a prearranged signal. He wants to make clear that His will is indissolubly united to the Father. we must not think that what He calls a 'commandment' is an imperious order delivered by word of mouth by which the Father gives orders to His Son, as He would to a subordinate, telling Him what He should do. instead, let us think in terms worthy of the Godhead, and realize that there is a transmission of will, like the reflection of an object in a mirror, which reaches down from Father to Son without passage of time. 'the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all that He Himself is doing' (john 5:20). everything the Father has also belongs to the Son; He does not acquire it little by little, but has it all at once.
-st basil the great, on the Holy Spirit
the majesty of the Trinity! a mystery that we would do well to contemplate. being combined in essence yet unique in personage. an example often used in the eastern church is that of three torches burning with one flame. one will, one nature, but three hypostases. one thing that this implies and fulfills is the notion of God as love. for truly He is. He is many other things - holy, righteous, full of justice, merciful - the list goes on. but being a Trinity shows God to have moved in love from before the world began. even before the creation of the universe, God was love.
o Trinity, uncreated and without beginning,
o undivided Unity, three and one,
Father, Son, and Spirit, a single God;
accept this our hymn from tongues of clay
as if from mouths of flame.
-from the lenten triodion
personhood and love signify life, movement, discovery. so the doctrine of the Trinity means that we should think of God in terms that are dynamic rather than static. God is not just stillness, repose, unchanging perfection.
-bishop kallistos ware, the orthodox way
He lived in community. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. there was interaction, there was communion, there was love. God Himself is showing us how to truly become ourselves - being connected to others in love is an integral part of being human. we are created in God's image (gen. 1:27) and one part of God's image is truly loving others and entering into intimate relationship with them.
i freely admit that i am lacking in this area. i don't reach out to others as i should. i hold back - partially due to insecurities, partially due to vanity, partially due to selfishness. i pray that i may more fully enter into the Spirit of the Lord and become love. may i present the personification of Christ Jesus to those around me.
karen
Current Mood: thoughtful
|
June 25th, 2007
01:09 pm
Jesus was considered to be born without original sin by the early western Church - because of the writings of augustine - because He was born of a virgin...sex was considered the way that sin was transmitted. because you were conceived during an inherently sinful/lustful act, sin was placed upon you. now, i have a question...and it's a serious question - not flippant at all. there are lots of children born these days without sex...fertility treatments such as IVF create life without the physical act of sex. are they without original sin?
i don't agree with calvinism. i do believe that God's movement toward us is all that makes salvation possible and that the Holy Spirit comes to us through no merit of our own. however, the acts that we do in this life do make a difference. we become holier through our actions - not all at once made 100% as holy as we will ever be. i believe that our will, our souls, etc are tarnished and blurred by the fall...but not that total depravity thing.
karen
Current Mood: cheerful
|
March 13th, 2007
06:49 pm
been reading a lot about the eastern church and am greatly intrigued...for instance, they don't and never have believed in total depravity and their veneration of icons is interesting...they have a good balance in their theology. there's a lot going on in my head and heart right now. i like the traditional roots of orthodoxy. i've been reading this awesome book called the spirit of eastern christendom by jaroslav pelikan. it goes into the historical roots of everything...quoting people (on both sides of each issue) all the way which is awesome to hear directly what someone said instead of what someone else interpreted it as. and i like the music...hmmm...
karen
Current Mood: contemplative
Current Music: skillet
|
January 10th, 2007
05:48 pm
i wonder if the sinful nature is transmitted through genetics,not necessarily a taint on the soul...scientists have identified genes that predispose people towards violence, addiction, etc...that would explain the need for the virgin birth - for the divine chromosones would cover the human genes in terms of recessive or bad genes...i don't know...there's lots of stuff that we don't know what it does in the genetic code...and obviously having the gene doesn't make it ok that you are an alcoholic or abusive or whatever...because God can and does overcome everything...something for me to ponder...
|
January 4th, 2007
12:47 pm
the great permanent temptation of marriage is not to sensuality but (quite bluntly) to avarice. with all proper respect to the medieval guides, i cannot help remembering that they were all celibates, and probably did not know what eros does to our sexuality; how, far from aggravating, he reduces the nagging and addictive character of mere appetite. and that not simply by satisfying it. eros, without diminishing desire, makes abstinence easier.
-c.s. lewis, the four loves (eros refers to love)
lewis here is discussing love, sex, and the connection between the two. his main point is that love only eventually leads to sexual desire - it starts with the desire for the whole person. one evidence for that is that, once married -and after the initial few months =), sex is no longer the top priority. sex becomes one of those things that you can do or not do...'catch as catch can' is the phrase that lewis uses. the frustration felt during dating/engagement is no longer there. partly this is due to the knowledge that the spouse will always be there, tomorrow is just as good a time as any, and partly this is due to the fullness of the love between the two. love means so much more than sex .
sex itself helps to illuminate this. sex builds a tremendous amount of intimacy between two people. sex shows you truths about each other that you never would have learned otherwise. sex is the physical manifestation of 'becoming one flesh'. like so many other things in this world, sex protrays physically a spiritual truth. in this case, that spiritual truth is the melding together of two people - mentally and spiritually.
as a side note - marriage is a forever thing. when two people become one, they share their souls with each other. severing that bond is a dangerous and hurtful thing and not what God ever desires for us.
and i will finish this later as i am going with abigaile to try on wedding dresses.
karen
|
November 27th, 2006
06:13 pm
historically, Christianity has destroyed God's plan for sex. i realize how strong of a statement that is...however, this is something that i believe to be true. hopefully i can show not only how the church fathers (and others since then) have misinterpreted Scripture but also how beautiful and necessary sex is in a marriage.
starting at the very beginning of church history, people believed in the inherent evil of the physical body. one example of this was marcion who split from the Church @ 144 A.D. (due to excommunication). amid other heresies, marcion believed that Jesus Christ could not have had a material, physical body. this would have been the end of his divinity and unworthy of Christ. in fact, having a material body was what man was to be delivered from. another example was the Gnostics. though there were many different 'versions' of Gnostic belief, they all agreed that Christ did not come in a material, fleshly body. although this belief does not explicitly state that sex is bad, the implication is there. because if being fleshy would have cancelled out Christ's divinity, the body has a very strong power to destroy holiness. this means that the things that the body enjoys are automatically sinful. in fact, one of the Gnostic teachers named saturinus taught that the origin of marriage and procreation to satan. although neither marcion or the Gnostics are not (as we look back as the 'victors' in the theology war) part of the Church of God, these ideas seeped into the Church and into the theology of many of the Church leaders and was debated between those who believed it and those who didn't.
around 400 A.D., two leaders of the Church had two very different views on marriage. these two men were augustine of hippo and john chrysostom. i will use them as examples of the general mood of theologians at the time, as both augustine and john had others in agreement with them. augustine was instrumental in the development of many doctrines. he was a prolific writer and preacher. unfortunately, his ideas about sex were quite negative. he believed that sex was only for procreation and still remains an act of shameful lust - so much so that the sin of the act itself is transferred into the body of the infant, causing the infant to be damned unless the infant is baptized. augustine also preached that married Christians should abstain from sex when at all possible and of making the act as uncomfortable as possible. in sharp contrast, john believes that sexual attraction is based upon the intimate bond between man and wife, founded in the garden of eden. sex itself expresses the unity of a marriage, becoming 'one flesh'. in one sermon, john stated stated that 'husband and wife are one body in the same way as Christ and the Father are one', making marriage a holy and beautiful thing.
unfortunately in this case, the vast majority of the Church follows after augustine. throughout the centuries, there has been much supression of sex, continuing even up to the present day. being recently married, i have done much thinking and researching on this topic. having experienced the beautiful, amazing intimacy initiated and sustained through sexual intimacy, i wanted to know if there was theology to support what i was feeling. and i found it. =)
apostle paul talks about marriage in ephesians 5. it, like many things in this world, shows what is happening spiritually through physical means. passion, love, honesty, humility, trust...all of these things are exemplified in the act of sexual intercourse - all of which should also be happening in your relationship with each other. sex forces you to look at each other without shame...to love one another with eyes open, seeing all that there is to your spouse. sex also teaches about submission. when you love someone, you submit to their desires and help them to feel loved and wanted and respected...and sex is a huge part of that. sex is a really important part of marriage - which is why paul says to abstain only for the purpose of praying and even then only for a set amount of time.
marriage between a man and woman is meant to reflect the relationship of Christ to the Church. which is a huge thing...and i don't fully understand it. i do know that it relates to the headship of the man in a marriage. while Christ is the head of the Church, He led by dying and sacrificing all of Himself for the Church. which means that the Church is submitting to one who loves fully and without reservation. also, Christ is the best person to submit to since He's God...meaning that women should not enter into relationships with men unless they trust and respect the man.
so...basically...yay for theology. yay for sex. =)
karen
sources include:
the emergence of the cathoic tradition (100-600) by jaroslav pelikan
women and men in the early Church by david ford
sex, romance, and the glory of God by c.j. mahaney
the mystery of marriage by mike mason
Current Mood: cheerful
|
July 11th, 2006
10:48 am
Just yesterday i received an email from a dear friend. this email was about how spoiled we are, all the things that God has given to us that we are oblilvious to 99.99% of the time. The following is an excerpt:
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep ... you are richer than 75% of this world. If you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity. If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 700 million people in the world. If you can attend a church meeting without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world.
Just think of it. We complain when we don't have a pair of shoes that perfectly match the pants that we want to wear. We complain when the internet connection is slow or messes up a bit. We complain about everything. And none of it matters. We are raised in abundance...just like Israel in the time of Judges. And let me tell you...the time of Judges was a time of disaster after disaster. This is what Matthew Henry had to say about that time:
The nation made themselves as mean and miserable by forsaking God, as they would have been great and happy if they had continued faithful to him. Their punishment answered to the evil they had done. They served the gods of the nations round about them, even the meanest, and God made them serve the princes of the nations round about them, even the meanest...The Israelites were not thoroughly reformed; so mad were they upon their idols, and so obstinately bent to backslide. Thus those who have forsaken the good ways of God, which they have once known and professed, commonly grow most daring and desperate in sin, and have their hearts hardened. Their punishment was, that the Canaanites were spared, and so they were beaten with their own rod. Men cherish and indulge their corrupt appetites and passions; therefore God justly leaves them to themselves, under the power of their sins, which will be their ruin. God has told us how deceitful and desperately wicked our hearts are, but we are not willing to believe it, until by making bold with temptation we find it true by sad experience.
The Canaanites were a big issue with Israel. God had commanded them to get rid of the Canaanites- to get the nation of Israel far from the sinful Canaanite people, who will serve only to bring the Israelites into temptation, impurity, and sin. The Israelites kept them around so that they could use them for profit. This ended up with the power in the hands of the Canaanites rather than God's people because the Israelites halfheartedly followed the directions of the Lord. Moving on the second generation...the people born in this land of plenty who had not suffered the hardships of their parents...this generation was where the trouble really began. They knew not the Lord or the work the Lord had done for Israel (Judges 2:10). They inherited the blessings that were earned by their ancestors. They enjoyed the land and the safety and the money and the benefits of God's covenant, without having to suffer or deal with hardships at all. This second generation is us.
We are showered with blessings and opportunities. None of the struggling that so many other Christians all over the world is experiencing by us. Not even mission trips can bring a true understanding to our hearts...because it's temporary and you know that without a doubt. We don't have to live in that fear of persecution. We don't have to live without shoes or medical care or clean water. We're safe. In a way that we completely take for granted. Just like the Israelites, we are surrounded by people who pretend to follow the Lord while fulfilling all their sinful desires without a second thought...masquerading as a follower of Jehovah. These people follow 'baals' which allow them to follow their desires without any consequences. Just like the baals in the book of Judges, people are pursuing sexual release and alcohol excess. All around us- controlled by their sin.
As Dr. Erwin Lutzer (pastor at Moody Church) says, we are an addictive generation. Millions of people addicted to alcohol, to pornography, to gambling, to various kinds of drugs. Driven completely by their desires. God has given us up to the desires of our hearts, just like in Romans (1:24). Each generation has to learn the consequences of sin for ourselves. So few people have tasted hardship...this truly contributes to the problem. God wants us to rely on Him, to cry out for Him. Without that desperate clinging to Him, we are still full of selfsufficiency, seeking that other way. Until our life falls apart and we realize that sin is true slavery and compromise brings consequences, we will be headed down this path of disaster. God cannot save this generation unless we choose Him. As long as we are pursuing the world's solutions, God will let us go.
In the book of Judges, this cycle of sin and desperation occurred six times. I just pray for this cycle that we are caught in soon turns. That we, as a people, reach the end of our ropes, that we see the slavery to sin that we are steeped in, that we cry out to God in desperation. Lord, may we be saved from the consequences of our actions. Father God, help us to respond to the Holy Spirit and return to you. We need you so desperately. Especially since so few of us realize this. I praise you and thank you for the modern day judges that you have raised up, that are proclaiming your Truth to the world. I praise you for each person that you have saved from the grasp of their addiction. Heavenly King, you are the God of my heart. I pray that you become the God that the world recognizes. That the day where all will bow down is coming soon. Lord, we need suffering. We need hardships. We need to see your power moving in this generation. I pray these things in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
karen
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/moonsis/scared.gif) distressed
Current Music: hymns
|
June 21st, 2006
03:13 pm
I'M MARRIED!!!
Current Mood: ecstatic
|
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
scienceisfaith's journal