tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post5720816279005356986..comments2024-03-01T21:01:15.174-06:00Comments on Biblical Christianity: Hither and thither 2/26/10DJPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-74720774591817171572010-03-01T11:14:54.242-06:002010-03-01T11:14:54.242-06:00Yeah, I disagree with Driscoll on the authority is...Yeah, I disagree with Driscoll on the authority issue because I do not see in Scripture where we have authority over them, but as one who comes face to face with those monsters <a href="http://crackedpot40.blogspot.com/2009/10/walking-on-water.html" rel="nofollow">myself</a> - as Spurgeon did too (All of Grace, Chapter 11)- I agree with the rest of it. The hiss from the garden is just too loud in these things, and it's the same old hiss telling the same old lie.Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16604068110452745043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-17290525200778088122010-03-01T10:50:33.388-06:002010-03-01T10:50:33.388-06:00Barbara:
Setting aside my other points for a now,...Barbara:<br /><br />Setting aside my other points for a now, there is a bit of nuance that's being lost. It's one thing to say, Satan is the author of the "lie" therefore, anything carrying the same message is of it's father, Satan, and therefore demonic in origin. It's wholly another to imply direct demonic influence over a particular movie. And Driscoll's article definately has a charismatic flavor to it, IMHO.Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15285043747501470199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-47268558206267370512010-03-01T07:52:24.268-06:002010-03-01T07:52:24.268-06:00And I respectfully disagree with you, Sir Aaron, t...And I respectfully disagree with you, Sir Aaron, to a point. I agree that our hearts are desperately wicked, and that that is why we tend to like and believe and perpetuate the lie. But Genesis 3 tells me who the author of the lie is. And if the Pharisees were of their father, the Devil, then so are these forms of media that perpetuate the very lie that makes people comfortable and happy in their looking to themselves instead of to Christ for the "divine" and which tells our society that creature-worship is good and Creator-worship is ridiculous. I have no more trouble calling out the demonic authorship of that concept than I do in calling it out in the hyper-charismatic circles where people are barking and laughing in derision and calling it "holy". We just have a lot of "Eves" out there who are deceived and blinded, so they pass it along with good intentions, and a lot of "Adams" who aren't deceived, but know better and bite anyway.Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16604068110452745043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-79402158604700546782010-02-28T20:17:30.083-06:002010-02-28T20:17:30.083-06:00donsands:
I personally think $2.3 trillion is a c...donsands:<br /><br />I personally think $2.3 trillion is a conservative estimate. The notion that we can recover "waste, fraud, and abuse" is a silly one. Every organization, company, and government entity is going to have waste and abuse. It's just that a bigger government will have more. There isn't much you can do to prevent it (except shrink the government). Likewise fraud is going to be difficult to control because law enforcement is not really capable of stopping it before it happens, we can merely react after it happens. Secondarily, any program to prevent fraud is usually jettisoned fairly quickly since it inevitably keeps some from recieving their welfare payments (I'm using welfare broadly here). Politicians don't like that and would rather deal with the fraud, which, of course, increases as a result. Computer software is also horribly expensive to implement on such a wide scale so upgrades suffer.Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15285043747501470199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-8999858815299413782010-02-28T20:09:50.551-06:002010-02-28T20:09:50.551-06:00Barbara:
That's not the point he was making. ...Barbara:<br /><br />That's not the point he was making. That particular sermon was about straight up Satanic and Demonic activity. Within the context of his sermon, it is clear that Driscoll is saying that demons are directly involved in the prodution of Avatar's message.<br /><br />And BTW, the Bible doesn't say we are inclined to like and believe the lie. It says our hearts are desperately wicked.Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15285043747501470199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-32467634722800082072010-02-28T14:57:55.872-06:002010-02-28T14:57:55.872-06:00"Looked at on a level playing field, the true..."Looked at on a level playing field, the true ten-year cost of the bill is $2.3 trillion rather than $950 billion, Ryan said."<br /><br />$2,300,000,000,000.00<br /> -950.000,000,000.00<br />=1,350,000,000,000.00<br /><br /><br />That's a muy muy mucho amount of mammon right there.<br /><br />I don't think we realize just how much a billion dollars is, let alone a trillion dollars; especially our most ignorant leaders in Washington DC. They are out of their minds; completely insane totally cracked.<br /><br />Loved those pics from Fred. Wonderful.donsandshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03665794015011057098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-69186147429272463362010-02-28T11:48:13.780-06:002010-02-28T11:48:13.780-06:00Sir Aaron,
I would agree that we are naturally in...Sir Aaron,<br /><br />I would agree that we are naturally inclined to like and to believe the lie, but we're not the authors of the lie. I think that's the point Driscoll's making, however hyperbolic it may have been stated; I know it's the point I make.Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16604068110452745043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-25985894197183365802010-02-28T00:09:15.566-06:002010-02-28T00:09:15.566-06:00With regards to Mark Driscoll,
I'm always a b...With regards to Mark Driscoll,<br /><br />I'm always a bit concerned when somebody says something like avatar is a <i>"demonic, satanic film</i>." He also says there is overt demonism on display in the movie. I do agree with his statement "<i>See, in that movie, it is a completely false<br />ideology, it’s a sermon preached</i>."<br /><br />I'm always a little leery in blaming Satan for all evil, for all forms of false propaganda, for all false messages of pantheism, etc. Surely, I believe Satan and his minions are up to no good encouraging, cajoling and promoting evil. But we are born with a natural inclination towards evil. So why is this movie demonism rather than plain ol sinful nature in full display?<br /><br />I just think that as Christians we ought to select our words with a bit more care.Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15285043747501470199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-29194564905914913672010-02-27T23:51:30.296-06:002010-02-27T23:51:30.296-06:00Just an important detail: Your effective tax rate...Just an important detail: Your effective tax rate can go up and down each year even if the tax rates remain the same. Your tax rate is calculated based upon your "taxable income" (with a few exceptions). Above the line and below the line deductions can change your taxable income from year to year. Therefore, it may not be Obama's fault that your effective tax rate increased.Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15285043747501470199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-78356288155593738592010-02-27T21:56:33.392-06:002010-02-27T21:56:33.392-06:00but was taking him to task for reading the First T...<i>but was taking him to task for reading the First Things blog all about?</i><br /><br />Yeah! What he said. And after I crescendoed my post with a thought citation from you, too. =-)<br /><br />By the way -- and perhaps this reveals some lack of cultural awareness on my part (homeschool and all) -- who's the dude in the Buzz lightyear suit?Fred Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16025967176465685306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-91112670446377044712010-02-27T17:34:54.321-06:002010-02-27T17:34:54.321-06:00Paula,
Definitely, my fault, should have written ...Paula,<br /><br />Definitely, my fault, should have written physic<b>s</b>, not physic.CRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01912897040503058967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-58916324842232162612010-02-27T12:42:51.287-06:002010-02-27T12:42:51.287-06:00CR wrote, "brought a mug to one of my college...CR wrote, <em>"brought a mug to one of my college <b>physic</b> classes,</em><br /><br />I read this about 4 times intrigued by the idea that you might have taken <em><b>psychic</b></em> classes! What a difference a couple letters make! : )Paulahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15700962695127146890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-76352123138830052222010-02-27T10:17:39.979-06:002010-02-27T10:17:39.979-06:00Dan,
I would recommend it as a means to teach kid...Dan,<br /><br />I would recommend it as a means to teach kids how to think Biblically about these messages that constantly surround us, because they do seem to be impossible to get away from and they do creep into the church such that people miss it even as it begins to affect their views about themselves and their world in relation to God. It truly is a wonderful little story, nearly brought me to tears a few times. It deals honestly with pain, especially with the struggles and means people use to try to survive and deal with life after loss when they don't have the reality of faith in a sovereign God to lean on. Can't help but to cheer for the little girl and hope that her family and her coach would eventually find true, lasting healing in the person of Christ.Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16604068110452745043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-50640827261637819872010-02-27T10:00:30.019-06:002010-02-27T10:00:30.019-06:00Interesting, Barbara. That's in my queue for a...Interesting, Barbara. That's in my queue for a family movie. Would you not recommend it, recommend it with cautions, or...?DJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-22293779499256058182010-02-27T09:53:40.798-06:002010-02-27T09:53:40.798-06:00I'm glad to see Driscoll sees those kinds of m...I'm glad to see Driscoll sees those kinds of messages coming through in modern media. It really is constant and subversive. I have the same struggle with Akeelah and the Bee, which I only just recently watched. Taking what would be a perfectly wonderful, heartening little story, and polluting it by filling it up with basing character development on this worldly, satanic lie:<br /><br /><i>Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. </i><br /><br />More of Genesis 3 all over again. And Christian reviewers miss it over and over again, focusing instead on moral content and counting cuss-words.Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16604068110452745043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-8797196580975763002010-02-27T01:02:26.971-06:002010-02-27T01:02:26.971-06:00The Piano Duet was cute...The Piano Duet was cute...CRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01912897040503058967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-32881027004645930602010-02-27T00:58:02.495-06:002010-02-27T00:58:02.495-06:00Even though I'm a CPA, I don't do taxes. ...Even though I'm a CPA, I don't do taxes. My work is like the psychiatry of medicine. I only studied taxes to pass the CPA exam.<br /><br />That said, the surprises will really hit us 2011 when the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 expire in 2010. It will hit us in several ways. One of course, is the tax rate will affect many us especially in the middle class. <br /><br /><br />DJP: <b><i>One of my beloved readers might be interested to know there's a Doctor Who chess board.</i></b><br /><br />Oh, my gosh, oh my gosh. See, I read your H&T in small bites so I don't miss anything and I just read this part...OH MY GOSH...I'm so tempted. Makes me want to wanna rent the Dr. Who (Tom Baker) series. I brought a mug to one of my college physic classes, it was a mug that I bought during the 30 year anniversary and it was a mug with the Tardis and if you poured hot water the Tardis disappeared. Aaaah, the memories.CRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01912897040503058967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-90206135672324245572010-02-27T00:47:19.601-06:002010-02-27T00:47:19.601-06:00Our effective Federal tax rate went up from 6.04% ...Our effective Federal tax rate went up from 6.04% last year to 6.19% this year. I'm not feeling the love with Obama's middle class tax cut. <br />: (Paulahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15700962695127146890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-32003971281618268192010-02-26T23:51:52.791-06:002010-02-26T23:51:52.791-06:00Re: the tax thing, I'm wondering if perhaps Da...Re: the tax thing, I'm wondering if perhaps Dan was thinking of those of us, like him, who have the misfortune of living in California? On top of whatever has been happening at the federal level, we Californians are "blessed" with some of the highest state taxes in the country. Add sales tax on top of it, and my family pays something like %40 of my husband's income in taxes.<br />If that's not economic slavery, I don't know what is....<br />We have a wonderful accountant (a Mormon, God bless him by saving his soul) who does absolutely everything legal to keep our money away from the government.Rachael Starkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10781158372237369417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-66313346084805994682010-02-26T22:41:43.487-06:002010-02-26T22:41:43.487-06:00P.S. I'm willing to help explain any differen...P.S. I'm willing to help explain any differences in your tax returns if any of my brothers and sisters need assistance. I really hate to see my friends pay a CPA for simple returns (no disrespect to CPAs)Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15285043747501470199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-26940949996453190182010-02-26T22:38:42.481-06:002010-02-26T22:38:42.481-06:00Yeah, knew about the penny and knew it cost more t...Yeah, knew about the penny and knew it cost more to make. Coins and bills have made significant changes over last decade and are in for a lot more.<br /><br />Which tax tricks are you talking about? I haven't seen significant changes this year. You can estimate your taxes starting in about Oct (prior to the filing date).Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15285043747501470199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-11103050016947980492010-02-26T22:05:54.349-06:002010-02-26T22:05:54.349-06:00I didn't find a space, but I did find some odd...I didn't find a space, but I did find some odd thing. I think I've fixed it now.<br /><br />Tell more, if you like, Joshua. At the time of the review, some here felt I was too easy on Cameron.DJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-33013717390647831992010-02-26T22:01:29.021-06:002010-02-26T22:01:29.021-06:00The Driscoll URL has an extra space at the end of ...The Driscoll URL has an extra space at the end of it, just so you know. And after seeing Avatar today, I leaned a lot more towards your opinion of the film.Joshuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14081840831367670829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-88814496011025176622010-02-26T16:48:54.887-06:002010-02-26T16:48:54.887-06:00The democrats do seem intent to "Rahm" h...The democrats do seem intent to "Rahm" healthcare through but I don't think Congress will be able to "Rahm" healthcare through the reconcilation process in the House of Representatives. President Obama said that if Americans don't like what they're doing, "that's what elections are for." (A stinging reminder that elections have consequences - thank you Obama voters).<br /><br />But elections is the very reason why reconcilation may not be doable - too many moderate democrats that are not comforable with it in the House. Reconcilation could pass the Senate but not the House.CRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01912897040503058967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-27419775034744628902010-02-26T16:00:47.873-06:002010-02-26T16:00:47.873-06:00"Anyone else have a horrible, horrible tax su..."Anyone else have a horrible, horrible tax surprise thanks to President Obama's tax tricks?"<br /><br />Actually, since I am quite poor right now with a few dependents under my wing and am back in grad school, my tax return** was significantly higher than I expected. I can't help but feel a little dirty about it, knowing that the money is coming at the expense of those who worked hard for it as well as from a federal government who continues to borrow to fund this sort of thing. I will nevertheless do my best to be a good steward of the money, but I wish I there were more job opportunities instead of more handouts and government tax credits. Sorry about your horrible surprise, though.<br /><br />**I don't know if it's technically right to call it a return since it was more than I paid in, but still.Caseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863855009761561810noreply@blogger.com