|
littleapologist
|
read my profile
sign my guestbook
Name: Brian
Country: United States
State: Washington
Metro: Vancouver
Birthday: 2/2/1987
Gender: Male
Interests: Loving God with all my heart soul and mind!
Reformed Theology and Apologetics.
Reading.
Football-NFL and College
Expertise: Being a sinner saved by grace.
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Yahoo: 
Member Since:
10/26/2003
|
|
| Several weeks ago Oregon State University, there was a football. The team was struggling, and so in effort to show support for our team, several students go the entire student section to dress in black. In case you didn't know, the school colors for Oregon State University is Orange and Black. Many students decided to paint their faces black and wear black afros.
Many students decided they were going to get offended by this and play the race card. Apparently the "black out" is racist. It has been an uproar on campus for several weeks. Now, I do not consider myself racist. I believe racism is nothing more that the sin, and admit that there has been injustice served to African Americans and other races throughout the history of the US. However, this protest goes over the top.
First, racism is determined by the cultural context. What may be considered racist in America may not be racist in some other country. The social context of which the blackout took place was a sporting event. Its purpose was to show support to the Oregon State Football Team. Nothing more nothing less. There was no other intent, there was not intent to show white supremecy or to degrade African Americans. What the offended do is remove the event from its context and then make their complaint.
Two, it seems to be commonly forgotten that the school colors are Orange and Black. It is not just orange, we are not limited to the color Orange. To show support to our school, we could wear orange, black or both. This is made even more clear within the social context of a sporting event. Those offended would have us believe that wearing black, even in support of our school, is now wrong and offensive. If that is the case, we should remove the color black from the school colors and replace it with some other color (Possibly blue, but that might offend the smurfs. We might possibly think about removing the color orange because it might offend those who fake and bake or way too much makeup.).
All in all, the event was blown way out of proportion. A great show of support for one's team has been utterly degraded.
If one wants to read more of the issue, they can follow the link provided below:
http://barometer.orst.edu/messageboard/index.cfm?event=forumtopics&uforum_id=255b6c21-29fa-42c5-bbd6-fb2150ccb75a
| | |
| Within the next day or two Monergism Books new website will be up and running. Check it out, I think you will be pretty surprised by the change.
| | |
| Ruth 1:1In the days when the judges ruled there was ba famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. 2The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. 3But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, 5and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.
As a Calvinist, one who affirms that God is sovereign over all of creation, who works all things after the counsel of His own will (Ephesians 1:11), it is easy for me to talk about and rest on this sovereign God when good things occur, or when I am engaging in a theological discussion. Yet how often do I or others want to talk about the dark providence of God like what is found here in Ruth (one can hardly think of anything worse falling on someone than the loss of their spouse and children).
The dark providence of God approached me indirectly today. My mom received news today that her friend's daughter was just in an automobile accident in which her skull was crushed. This same woman who's daughter was just in accident found out recently that she has a brain tumor and that before this her husband had left her for another woman. Now, I do not know the state that this woman is in, but I do know that my mom is broken up about this.
What comfort is to be found in all this? Is there any? Is something like this just the outworking of sin or the result of human sinfulness? Does God stand by wanting to help but for some reason cannot or does not prevent such occurrences? This to me does not and cannot bring true, lasting comfort or hope.
The Scriptures are clear, whatsoever the Lord pleases, that He does (Psalms 135:3), and that all things are the outworking of His sovereign will (Ephesians 1:11). This includes what had befallen Naomi and the events of my mother's friend. As Job cried out though, "Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" (Job 2:10)
What then is the purpose of this dark providence of God? Two things come to the fore-front of my mind.
1. We serve a God that understands, a God of comfort. We as Christians do not serve a God that in the midst of His transcendence is unable to understand the pain that we go through. While Naomi had no control over the loss of those she held most dear, the Father willingly sent down his Son (and the Son came willingly). "For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son..." (John 3:16), the love God had for His people caused Him great pain. For while we were still sinners, God did not spare His own Son, but crucified Him on our behalf (Romans 8:32). God sits there on His throne, yes, but He knows the pain we go through and is able to comfort us exceedingly more than we can imagine.
2. "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good"(Romans 8:28).
We who have been called by God out of this world have been given this promise, that all that God does works together for our good. We may not see the light at the end of the tunnel, we may not understand why the dark providence of God has befallen upon us, yet we can take great comfort in knowing that God is in control. He is not sitting by idly, wishing He could do something (if only by our free choice we give Him the freedom to intervene). No, God is in control, it is by His sovereign decree that these things come to pass and they do so for His glory and our good.
What then do we make of the dark providence that came upon Naomi? In the last part of the last chapter of Ruth we are given the reason in the form of a genealogy from Boaz to King David. It is by the horrible events that had befallen Naomi that the seed of the Messiah kept going. Ruth was married to one of Naomi's sons. Through the death of Naomi's son and Ruth's husband, Ruth followed Naomi and met Boaz. This kept the line of the Messiah going for as we see, Christ is a descendant of David who is a descendant of Boaz. This dark providence kept the story of redemption in progress, this redemption that saved Naomi and this redemption that saves us.
Tragic events will come our way, yet we are to take comfort knowing that God is in control and that He suffered like we have suffered. We are to long for the day when every tear will by wiped from our face (Revelation 7) and when we stand before our God in perfect joy.
| | |
| Revelation 7
9After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Last nighted I attended my first college football game of the 2007 season. I went and saw my beloved Oregon State Beavers take on the Utah Utes. We won, which made the experience that much more wonderful. I love football. I mean, I really enjoy it a lot, and that is an understatement. Football takes up my weekends in the fall. I love the game. I love being at a college game. The atmosphere for me is great. There are the sights, the smells, the sounds. I enjoy being in a stadium with little room to myself. When my team scores, makes a big play, or our defense lays out our opponent, I love jumping up and cheering along with 40,000 other people (half of them drunk).
There is some sense of unity being in a see of orange (40,000 people orange worth). It struck me though last night, in the midst of this wonderful gift that God has given me, that my heart longs for Heaven. As fun as it is watching a football game, this pales in comparison to even the view of Heaven we are given here in the Revelation. Instead of 40,000 people cheering for some silly football team, there will be a great multitude of people that God has redeemed from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation, worshiping together in one voice, in the same song, this great God and Savior. These football cheers are nothing compared to the song that will be raised to this God who is gracious and wrathful, loving and kind, imminent and transcendent. There will be perfect unity among the bride of Christ. No longer will there be distractions or animosity amongst the brethren. Instead the covenant people of Christ in His great city will be under His kingship for all eternity.
| | |
| How is a prostitute any different than a porn star?
A prostitute has their own pimp, one who “looks after them,” places them in areas of business, and takes a share of the money they bring in.
A porn star has their own manager, one who “looks after them,” gets them jobs, and takes a share of the money they bring in.
A prostitute sells their body to another for sexual pleasure. This sexual pleasure may be given to the one that paid for the services, or to another.
A porn star sells their body to another for sexual pleasure. The pleasure is given to the person they are engaging in the acts with, and/or the person filming, and/or the person viewing such actions.
So why is one illegal and why is the other one of the most legal and profitable businesses in America.
Any other similarities?
| | |
|
