Ideas are Dangerous

Had an odd coincidence this week that got me thinking.  Jonathan and I had a great discussion at small group about the influence of music, movies and other mediums on our thinking.  One particular movie we discussed was the Matrix and how it had Nietzsche's influence all over.  I went to work the next day and popped up google's newspage at lunch and found this article http://www.slate.com/id/2281133/ as well as this one http://www.hnn.us/articles/135404.html.  If you don't have the time to read both (or have better things to do on your lunch break) I'll save you the trouble and tell you that they both detail how Jared Loughner (the gunman in the Tuscon shootings) was quite fond of the writings of Nietzsche.  Now, I don't think Nietzsche is to blame for this tragedy any more than Sarah Palin or any one else they are trying to pin the blame on for what a clearly disturbed man did.  However, the second article brought an interesting point up that doesn't get much press in our culture: ideas are dangerous.

Ideas themselves don't get much discussion anymore.  We live in a very pragmatic society and ideas, and ideals for that matter, don't earn paychecks or invent ipods.  I see this everyday in a school setting.  What are the two most valued subjects in our schools?  Math and English of course- the useful, everyday subjects.  Even history, the subject I happen to teach, is boiled down to dates and facts with little to no room for discussion of ideas.  The kids in my classes are masters at finding the bold words in the textbooks and the underlined dates, but ask them to think and many of them are lost.  I have a hard time integrating ideas and beliefs in my Christian school history classroom, I can't imagine it happens at all in a public school.  Public schools must teach facts as morally neutral, devoid of any guiding principles, ideas, or beliefs.  Yet, how can we understand the enlightenment, the birth of our nation, or anything else for that matter without understanding the deep beliefs and ideas behind them? 

We have to get away from viewing ideas as disposable.  They may not earn a paycheck and you can't always test them on a scantron sheet, but they guide our every action and shape our lives in profound ways.  Sure, Nietzsche may not be to blame for the Tuscon shootings but the overthrow of Biblical values of right and wrong he proposed and their replacement by a new society where everyone decides for themselves what is right for them has been largely fulfilled.  These ideas must be discussed, evaluated, and debated in our homes and in our Churches.  Ideas are dangerous, but the most dangerous thing we can do is ignore them. 

Fruit Vs. Works

One more Bonhoeffer quote before I finish "The Cost of Discipleship."

"Works are dead, fruit is alive, and it bears the seed which will bring forth more fruit.  Works can subsist on their own, fruit cannot exist apart from the tree.  Fruit is always the miraculous, the created; it is never the result of willing, but always a growth...  There is no room for boasting here, but only for an ever more intimate union with him." 

Goodbye legalism and the anxiety that goes with it. 

Goodbye cheap conversions with no outward change.

Goodbye religious pride and self righteousness. 

A change in the dating scene

Stephanie and I were able to go last night and see comedian Jeff Allen.  If you have never heard of him than you are missing out.  I've never been to a comedy show before but we laughed for 2 straight hours at his.  At several points I thought Stephanie might go into labor from laughing so hard.  However, I did notice a few changes in our dates now- as married adults with a toddler- and our dates from years go by.  So, I thought I'd run through the basics of dating then and dating now.

Dating then:
Preparation:  Call Steph, tell her to get ready.  Allow time for makeup and a few outfit changes.  Pick her up.  Go on date.

Date:  Show up at the door with flowers.  Leave as early as possible so as to spend all day together.  Go to dinner at a nice, sit down restaraunt.  Go to a movie or some other excuse for sitting in a dark room and trying to steal kisses.  Go to walmart (every date we ever had ended in walmart, its the only thing open after 10!).  Walk leisurely through and find some sweet little something to get Stephanie.  Leave at the last possible minute to get home at the allowable time.  Rush to take Steph home so she wouldn't get in trouble.  Kiss and hug for at least 10 minutes goodbye.

Dating now
Preparation:  3 calls and e-mails to Grandma to ensure babysitting.  Don't order tickets until last minute and don't get hopes up- lots of things could fall through.  4 e-mails and conversations with boss to make sure it is ok for me to get a night off that I wasn't supposed to work to begin with.  Carefully schedule doctor, chiropracter and dentist appointments to have a free night.  On Steph's end- lay out diapers, night clothes, spare clothes, supper, leave out baby monitors.  Find 5 minutes to get dressed. 

Date: Show up at the door with a gallon of milk.  Heat up chicken nuggets for the baby and wait for Grandma to get there.   Hugs and kisses... for the baby... and goodbyes.  Pick up fast food on the way and delicately balance sauces while driving and dipping chicken tenders at the same time.  Get gas... oh and fuel for car.  Rush to the show and get caught in a traffic jam.  Take 4 detours and get there 5 minutes late.  Stop by the bathroom for pre-show pee and walk in just as show is starting.  Watch show and try to think about the best way home not to hit traffic.  Leave show and walk to the car as if its midnight: it's 9:05.  Get in the car and rush home... for the 10:00 news.  Fall asleep in living room chairs and wake up a few hours later... to pee again.          

Anyone else identify with this?  Don't get me wrong, it was a fantastic night and I loved having Stephanie all to myself, I guess its just a different kind of fun now! 

The Responsibility of Today

"If instead of receiving God's gifts for today we worry about tomorrow, we find ourselves helpless victims of infinite anxiety"- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Steph and I were discussing teenagers yesterday over dinner and came to a fairly complex conclusion: their stupid.  Well, most of them anyway.  Maybe that's not fair to say they are stupid, but rather that they spend their time on stupid things.  I say this more as a reflection on my own teenage years than as an accusation against any particular teenager I currently know.  As I told Steph, I think I could remove ages 12-17 with very few problems.  After all, what did I spend my time doing?  I watched a lot of tv and read very few books.  I bought myself plenty of junk (most of which I have sold since!) and gave very little to others.  I spent hours upon hours in mindless activities giving no thought to the orphan and the widow.  In short, I was selfish. 

Now, I say this not to wallow in regret but to hopefully encourage myself to greater things in my life today.  Its not that those things weren't important to me in my younger years, I just thought it wasn't my job to do that stuff, at least not yet.  I still find that thought nagging in my mind.  When I am older and have more time I'll really be able to pitch in more at Church.  When my career settles down, then I'll take my wife out regularly and show her just how important she is to me.  When I just have a little more money, then I'll be able to give cheerfully.  I keep putting obedience off and my fear is that I will look back wondering why I did not grab hold of the opportunities of today.

Scripture is filled with the exhortation to be obedient today.  "Today if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts."  "Behold, now is the acceptable time, today is the day of salvation."  "Do not worry about tomorrow, tomorrow will worry about itself."  Those are just a few I'm sure.  It seems that in God's eyes the only day I have to be obedient is today.  Today is a responsibility, the ultimate responsibility, what will I do with it? 

So, let each dawn bring with it a renewed sense of urgency.  Today is the day I will follow Christ.  Today is the day of salvation.  Redemption is here... now!  Let me lay hold of the Kingdom and live under the reigning King, the King of each day, hour and moment.  Let me prepare, but let me serve while I prepare.  Let me wait patiently, but let me be joyful and bear fruit while I wait.  Let me love in each moment like it is the most important moment I will ever have not because of the circumstances of the day but because each day is a gift, a gift that didn't have to be given to me.  

"We are bruised and broken masterpieces, but today we have today."- Switchfoot

A blog is birthed

It seems I have finally made it to the last decade just in time for a new one.  I have renewed my effort at facebook and Steph and I have decided to attempt blogging.  I think I resisted the social networks and blogs for so long because I don't feel I have much worth saying, much less worth reading.  After all the internet is full of people who tweet and update a thousand times a day, keeping the world enthralled with stories of important events in their life, like you know, fixing themselves a ham sandwhich for instance.  Blogging to me seemed like wasting others time with meaningless ramblings.  I know, I am quite the optimist.  However, a few things have changed my view of blogging and led me to give it a try.  They are, in no particular order, as follows:

1.  I began to read some blogs by some friends who actually had meaningful things to say.  I found myself reading their blogs during the day and it diverted my attention away from everyday tasks to bigger truths.  I began to meditate on what they were meditating on.   

2.  I have becoming increasingly aware since joining such a great Church that community in the body of Christ is important.  If that community is nourished by the internet, than I want to be a part of that.
 
3.  I bought a new computer and the only way I can justify the expense is by using it more than I used the last one.  Blogging seemed more noble than internet poker.

4.  My wife says my attempt at social networking is "cute" and I still go all rudolph when she says something I do is cute.  If you don't know what I'm talking about then click here-  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm94FmRX6c0&feature=related  ... You remember now don't you?

So, here it goes!